[Tutorial] Screw Darts

[Northir]

This will be my first tutorial here it will be how to make 3" screw darts for my Air sniper First 2 pics will be my sniper and the dart here they are


Now you will need the following
a 3" screw (go figure Galvanized ones seem to stay straighter over multiple fires)
a roll of Electric tape (Duct tape might work not sure)
and a drill(Optional, makes it a ton quicker)

First start off with your screw, put the tip in your drill like so (or hold it in your hand)


Now start your tape



Slowly turn the turn the screw in the drill (Or your hand) while keeping tension on the tape, this keeps wrinkles out

you should end up with something like this



you want the dart to be tight in the barrel if it slides its to loose, now fire away

if people ask ill post plans for my sniper

Heres a few damage pics 3/4" Formboard target the darts go about 1/2" in

[MrCrowley]

How straight do they fly? Have you done any 'long range' testing, like shooting at targets 45' away?

[Northir]

Did 1 long range test from one end of my yard into a trashed camper ill go out and tape it in a sec, they do fly straight most of the time, i tried 1" and 1 1/2" screws too those go endo the damage pics i tossed up were 25' 10" away from the formboard box

EDIT: Just took my 100' tape out, one end of the yard to the camper is 86' and some change flew straight and stuck

Heres another i know ive seen it somewhere not sure if it was here, so sorry if its a repost

its a tail dart it takes longer to make but its well worth it
heres what ya will need


a 2 1/2" Wood Screw
bolt cutters (or some other cutter)
a drill (Again optional)
Electric tape
a knife
and some string

first cut the head off your screw as close to the head as you can


now set that aside and take your string and wrap it around your fingers about 8 times you should end up with a small coil like this


now cut both ends so you have lots of little strands


now roll out about 10 inches of your tape put the screw on the end and start setting your strings on it tight together


put the screw on the end and roll it over the strings


Put the screw in the drill and slowly turn the screw and keep the tape tight

Load up and shoot!


EDIT: Forgot damage pics >.<




and again 86'

[KingKyro]

nice man. wouldn't nails be more aerodynamic do to having a smoother shaft than screw's??

[MRR]

I've made a lot of the darts in the past.

When you comb the strings they make a better seal in the barrel and it looks better IMO.

[bighead33]

cool thanks for sharing that with us, I'm go to make one right now .

[POLAND_SPUD]

You might want to consider changing the title of the thread. 'Screw darts' doesn't fit a thread that advocates their use

[Benjg555]

Now just to make it fit into my inch barrel haha. Hey good guide man I love! The drill and screw idea using it to spin the screw that's great!

[Easter Egg]

Nice one man, this is just what i needed. Those darts seem to be pretty "damaging".

[dart guy]

do the screws make it spin so you dont need rifleing

[Alanstone]

No. The "tail" causes drag at the back, which allows the projectile to fly straight.

You would like to make the drag as little as possible though as it eats up velocity. Yet still have the projectile fly straight. Do you get my meaning!

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

You would like to make the drag as little as possible though as it eats up velocity. Yet still have the projectile fly straight.

A neater solution is simply to have a hollow tube with a weighted front to bring the centre of gravity forward.



The above going through some witness sheets tracked straight to the target:

[wyz2285]

Then a arrow without tail would fly straight as well?

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

That's basically what the above is

It would only work with a "bullet" type nose though.

If you have a broadhead like this:



... you've effectively put fins on the front, which brings the centre of pressure forward, so you need fins at the back to counter this.

[wyz2285]

Yap the arrows I'm thinking right now are just like the one you linked.
So it is possible to make the helsing