Sniper Rifle Springer. Warning: Plans Only!

[BonziPon]

Plans I thought up for an airsoft sniper springer. Yellow is the cocking mechansim, dark blue is springs, red is the firing pin ( That's what it's called?), the green lines are the barrel, the fuschia is the trigger grouping. Most of it is consisting of PVC piping, but the barrel will be nested in a PVC pipe attached to the coupler. Any suggestions for a meterial? The gun should work in a pull-back, shoot kind of system. I have no clue what to expect for velocities or ranges. I have many other plans in my head if you're interested. Thanks,

Pon

[MaxuS the 2nd]

This is just about how spring guns work anyway except they are usually cocked by breaking the barrel or the underlever.
You could always stick a hammer valve at the end there and have a hole running into the barrel, and instead of having a piston on the end of the spring - you could just have a small weight.

The springs you need for a spring gun are very powerful though and I believe that Ragnarok scarred his hand attempting to harness one's power.

[BonziPon]

It's not so much a piston, as the back part is the trigger catch, and the front is just to keep the rod from wobbling around too much and missing the firing pin. This will be quite simple to make for me, and by using a hammer valve I would be using air. Correct? If I did use that though, would I have to pump it up after every shot? Air, I'm not so experienced with, so unless it's easier, I'm pretty much going to not even think of trying it.

Pon

[MaxuS the 2nd]

Nah, the whole point of a Hammer Valve is multiple shots. It's what PCP Airguns use. So depending on how long the hang time of the valve was, you could get more than a single shot at full power.

So I don't really understand how this is supposed to work..
You pull back the bolt, it's held in position via the trigger sear. When the trigger is pulled, the sear is released and the cocking bolt fires forwards and hits the firing pin. So..What makes the BB fly out of the barrel?
Just the inertia from the impact from the 'firing pin'?

ALso, if you made the cocking bolt a separate part from the hammer that hits the firing pin then the cocking bolt would not fly forwards every shot infront of your face.

[ramses]

with this setup, you would need to cock the hammer every time. I think he is trying to use it as the hammer in a hammer valve. IMHO, you could do better with a heavily modded blowgun, depending on caliber, especially if you design a blow forward bolt. In your picture I don't see any kind of hopper/magazine, or a bolt. If it was going to muzzle loading, the hammer valve seems unnecessary. Unfortunately, not every valve is good for any gun. More design info would be extremely helpful.

[BonziPon]

To work it, you pull back the cocking handle, which pulls back the entire cocking mechanism, which, in turn, compresses the spring. The firing spring pushes the firing pin back at this point to allow a BB to enter the chamber. Pulling the trigger realeases the sear, which realeases the compressed cocking system. The entire piece goes forward (With the handle) to hit the firing pin, which should, using the cool little clinky balls as a thought here, propel the airsoft BB forward through the barrel. As you recock the gun it allows the firing pin to be pushed back to allow another BB to go into the chamber.

Could you further explain the Hammer Valve design and how it works? With a diagram if possible? Is it possible to make the parts needed for it?

The cocking mechanism, cocking handle, and the hammer that hits the firing pin are all together. It's the whole yellow piece basically. The handle will go forward with each shot, but when I make this (If this idea is plausible) it will be on the side opposite my face, and in an area to not disturb my trigger hand. I'm not too sure what you meant by your last paragragh, so that's what I assumed you meant.

Pon

[ramses]

From what I understand, this is not really a hammer valve powered gun. It seems like you are constructing a bolt action sniper rifle. To make it more realistic, you might want to have the handle pull back on a "nub". this would allow you to push the bolt handle back forward, and have no movement on firing, which will screw up the accuracy. airsoft guns don't actually hit the bb, they use the piston to compress air.

[BonziPon]

with this setup, you would need to cock the hammer every time. I think he is trying to use it as the hammer in a hammer valve. IMHO, you could do better with a heavily modded blowgun, depending on caliber, especially if you design a blow forward bolt. In your picture I don't see any kind of hopper/magazine, or a bolt. If it was going to muzzle loading, the hammer valve seems unnecessary. Unfortunately, not every valve is good for any gun. More design info would be extremely helpful.

True, I would need to cock it every time, but it's a sniper, so I'm fine with that.

In this design, there is no air propulsion. Simply a contact propulsion.

The mag is the curved thing in the bottom right of the picture.

[BonziPon]

I don't know how to make a nub. I've had some ideas, but most of them wouldn't quite work for me. I could examine a tippmann A-5's cocking handle if that is what you are talking about?

Hmmm... would this still work, even without using any air to propel the BB?

[Ragnarok]

The springs you need for a spring gun are very powerful though and I believe that Ragnarok scarred his hand attempting to harness one's power.

I did - although it has started to fade now... and the damn springer never worked anyway, not even a pathetic fart. (Insult to injury indeed).

Although, that said, springers can work - Airsoft AEGs and many air rifles use the technique. But that said they still seem like quite a lot of work for not a lot of gain. (My own choice would be to rig a launcher with a regulated air feed and a QEV, but that's me.)

I'll add that if you plan on cocking with a straight pull mechanism like that, you'll not be able to have a very strong spring and you'll struggle to get any power from it - it's also the mistake I made that nearly cost me my finger.
You really need a mechanical advantage (like with an air rifle underlever) - but watch yourself. A spring that strong can be very dangerous - people have lost fingertips by misusing spring airguns.

[BonziPon]

hmmm... So air is the way to go... Would I be able to get more power out of a weaker spring then? Because, if so, I could draw up some new plans and show them?

[ramses]

yes, a weaker spring would work if you used air, if you designed things right. there are many designs that even allow for semi automatic fire on this site.

[BonziPon]

Hmmm, I guess I'll have to look around haha. I'll keep some updates on this topic in the next few hours. ( or days )

Pon

[MaxuS the 2nd]

So..Why not just use a hammer valve?

I'll run you through how it works if you like. It's so simple, you'll be kicking yourself afterwards.

[BonziPon]

Okay, please do.

Would a wraith system work for this type of thing also?