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Post by rowanmeadows on Feb 20, 2023 10:21:17 GMT -5
Hello all! I am doing some research for a hypothetical production of some shell ejecting weapon. The problem is, which would be best suited for shell ejection and realistic operation? Some of the things I have to think about are how niche the impression that would use this is, so something like a Martini Henry is out of the question. Another consideration is how expensive this would have to be sold. Regardless, ignoring the cost of ejected shells, what are some platforms you would like to see on the market?
Thanks all.
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Post by hardslack on Feb 21, 2023 10:46:15 GMT -5
I think this will have to be a labor of love.
It's complicated mechanically and doesn't really offer practical (IE in game) benefits, if anything it's a disadvantage.
Personally, I wouldn't purchase a shell ejecting replica. I suppose if I was more a collector and backyard plinker, then maybe. But I think at the pricepoint it would have to be, I would spend money on something else. Shell eject is just not great for actually playing airsoft, because I have to recover the shells. While easily solved with a brass catcher bag, but then its kind like, "why have it in the first place?" Anyway, practicality aside, they are kind of cool.
I suspect this is more or less why we don't see very many shell eject replicas.
15+ years ago, before chinese aeg's made airsoft affordable for the masses, my friend had a shell ejecting UHC (or UFC or whatever) super nine! It was a pretty mediocre spring sniper rifle, but again, we didn't have clone bar10's for $100. The shells fed from a rotary magazine. It came with an externally mounted magazine as well, with an adapter, so you could do without shells, since it didn't take long to loose them...
I saw a cool 3d printed shell ejecting martini henry recently. It used the gas shotgun shells.
The shell ejecting KAR98 is kind of cool. But seemed like everyone had trouble sourcing shells and losing them. If you could make the shells so cheap they border on disposable, that would make it more practical. IE, the shells are XXmm aluminum tube or brake line or something. So those interested could DIY them and get costs as low as possible. A blog, vintage airsoft, did resin casts of shells for a revolver that were pretty successful. Perhaps, if one could modify a real steel shell to work, IE press out the primer and install an oring. At least in the united states, something that I could use steel 7.62 or 5.56 would be pretty easy to pick shells up off the ground and then take home and make work. But that is much easier said then done.
The following is even less of an economical idea, because it's a TINY fraction of the toatl niche airsoft market; Vehicles and emplaced weapons, the shell eject inconveniences are less significant. Shell recovery wouldn't be awful in a vehicle mounted or emplaced MG (or larger), and the shells blasting out the side, rolling around the floor would be super fun. But with MG's now we need thousand(s) of shells... so that is its own issue. And agian, the added complexity offers little benefit. I think the route to go here would be selling plans and components, more than the whole thing. Personally, in the dream airsoft tank, we'd have an AEG for engaging infantry, and then an autocannon styled HPA/paintball type blaster, firing tagin or custom foam rounds, fed from a magazine for engaging the rare vehicle.
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Post by hardslack on Feb 22, 2023 13:28:56 GMT -5
Also this other site has a wacky "HPA" (air compressor blowgun) using "demilled" 12ga shells to carry ammo. Link to the loaded shellsI didn't look hard, but here is the site where resin webly revolver shells were made. The author popped on the forum several years ago. vintage airsoft
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Post by norseman on Feb 22, 2023 21:43:05 GMT -5
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Post by 2ndbat2 on Feb 22, 2023 23:31:18 GMT -5
Way back when about half of the airsoft replicas on the market were shell ejecting. Back in the late 80s I had a carbine, a mini 14, a KG9, luger and S&W type 59 pistol that were shell ejecting. More recently there was an SKS and the Kar 98. I think the popularity of shell ejecting went awag as skirmishing became increasingly pooular and the impracticality of shell ejecting version airsoft guns became more apparent. They lacked power, frequently jammed and of course shells got lost.
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