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Pneumatic "sniper" rifle

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:17 pm
by niglch
This pneumatic rifle uses a 2" piston valve actuated by a 1/4" ball valve as a firing mechanism. The piston itself is made from a 1.5" PVC cap filled with epoxy with the rubber sealing face sitting inside. Sidewalk chalk and wooden dowels are the primary ammo. The gun was finished in July of 2008 and has since been upgraded to add the scope, muzzle break, and rifled barrel.

Stats
  • *Total length: 72 in
    *Barrel length: 52 in
    *Barrel diameter: 1.0 in
    *Chamber volume: 80 in<sup>3</sup>
    *Max pressure: 120 psi
Features
  • *Rifled barrel
    *Breach loading barrel (slide & lock)
    *Stock
    *Scope w/ cross-hairs (no zoom)
    *Muzzle break
    *Bipod
[youtube][/youtube]

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:37 pm
by Demon
This is a very nice build !

The chamber is a little too much big for the barrel tough.
Try putting on a bigger barrel (it would give some nice recoil).

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:16 pm
by al-xg
Very nice. How is the rifled barrel, have you compared it to a smooth barrel ?

For accurate target shooting the piloting time and projectiles would have to be very consistent. As you are using it at 120psi you could quite easily have it solenoid piloted.
Heavier projectiles might also prove to be more accurate.

I love the sound it makes on the video, is it like that in real life ?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:52 pm
by potatoflinger
Wow I have to say that this is an awesome creation! I love the way that the stock and the valve assembly blend together smoothly.

I think that using the tee connector as a muzzle brake might be the cause of that cool noise that the launcher makes. This launcher that I made has a similar muzzle brake and makes the same type of noise.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:58 pm
by maverik94
Very nice build! I like it! You might wanna consider repalcing the ball valve with some other pilot for better accuracy.
I love the sound it makes on the video, is it like that in real life ?
Ditto

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:33 pm
by chinnerz
wow thats awesome!!, i love the way you attached the scope!
I love the sound it makes on the video, is it like that in real life ?
i agree, sounds a lot like a well built rifle!

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:38 pm
by Gun Freak
What are the little brass fittings called?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:43 pm
by deathbyDWV
Looks good. How good does the rifled barrel work?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:41 pm
by niglch
The muzzle break really changes the sound of the gun and gives it that high-pitched character. Without it, you get more of a loud pop.

In case anyone is curious, the barrel was rifled using a long wooden dowel with 4 wood screws in it. It was driven through the inside of the barrel with a hammer and twisted along the way down at a constant rate (3 passes were made). Similar techniques have already been described on the how-to forum.

We actually have a smoothbore barrel we were using with the gun to compare accuracy with the rifled one. In general, it was found that the rifled barrel had noticeably better accuracy as long as the projectile was snug and it's surface was something soft enough to be cut by the rifling. In the youtube video, we were using sidewalk chalk wrapped in tape to fit tightly. They at least seemed to fly fairly straight.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:54 pm
by maverik94
What are the little brass fittings called?
Brass pipe fittings or compression fittings. Any hadware store with a halfway decent plumbing section will have a good selection of these. Carefull though, they can be a bit pricey!

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 11:41 pm
by chinnerz
sidewalk chalk wrapped in tape

hmm interesting choice of ammo

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:31 am
by jhalek90
I was just about to chew you out for using DWV, until i realized.... you dont have any pressure in the dwv, you just used it for the stock.... and then i was like..... woah... the proper use for DWV.... :idea:

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:00 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Well made, why not hide a proper cheapo 4x20 scope in the housing?

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:43 pm
by evanmcorleytv
how did you reduce to the 1/4 inch ball valve from the piston??? can you post a a diagram???

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:58 pm
by clemsonguy1125
Its an old topic so you should pm the creator, but it looks like he tapped the threads.