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Gotta love the shotty...
I've always wanted a shotty...but I was never really impressed by the "action" of the airsoft versions. Either you have a shell "magazine" that holds a gabilzzilion rounds...or you funnel a bunch of BBs into a tube and fake it. To me...that just sort of sucked the fun out of it.
A buddy recently got a G&P 870 which has a little bolt-action like magazine. It was solid and at least with a detachable box mag there's some sense of reloading....but still not quite what I was looking for. So when the opportunity came up to grab a Tanaka M870 I got all excited. There were a couple of problems with it...it'd been around the block more than once. The knocker transfer block was broken (from what I researched...a common problem), the hammer face was mangled (again...a common thing I believe since it's striking a steel firing pin) and misc screws/pins were missing....most notably the front two that hold the barrel/mag to the receiver. ** differing from other systems...with this model you fill each shelll with propane and then load BBs into the tips of each shell. The gun is the gun...the shells are self contained with propellant and shot. Just the way it was meant to be. So I took it on as a nice project...then got obsessed about it...then got the mill/lathe, some aluminum plate stock and the micrometers out...then stayed up all night. I filled the hammer face with JBWeld and let it sit...ground and refaced it. That sorted that out for now (enough to test)...but there's supposed to be a steel plug that goes into it so it's steel hammer on steel knocker...I'll get to that in a bit. I mocked up the knocker transfer bar and roughed it to size. The rest of the milling took a couple of hours and 2-3 test fits. For the life of me I can't figure out why the original design didn't leave more material in it...I made my replacement piece as "beefy" as possible. Still have some finishing work to do to it...but I couldn't wait. :D I machined two little steel plugs for the missing front pins...they're an ok fit and I'll clean it up more later. For now...it's solid and holding well. I got 10 regular 3 rnd shells and 5 Airsoft Surgeon 1 shot shells in the trade...a shell catcher and a stock mounted shell holder. Nice setup...lots of shells for close encounters...'cause you never know. :cool: It is soooo nice to feed 4 shells in, rack one up, feed another...then... bang, cachunk/cachunk ...bang, cachunk/cachunk ...bang, cachunk/cachunk ...bang, cachunk/cachunk ...bang, cachunk/cachunk Shells are kicked out nicely...the propane charge in each of them are good for at least 2 loads of BBs. You can even do the "Terminator" one-hand pump...heeheehee Still some work to do and fine touches...but here's a couple of pics (wish I was a better photographer...) http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...4/DSC_7347.jpg http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...4/DSC_7348.jpg http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...4/DSC_7349.jpg Just a minute ago I drilled out the hammer face for the metal plug insert...I set the steel plug with JBweld and will grind it to face after it sets up overnight. I'll copy out the specs for the hammer and if I get some time I'll machine replacement parts out of steel. Too. Much. Fun. Tys Note: The only downside now is that I've got to find another project...:( |
Very nice! Wish I could find a TM compatible stock like that for my new Crosman Stinger, hate the pistol grip and don't really like the pistol grip/stock combos.................. I want to make a classic style shottie out of it damn it!!!
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I've been looking for a really good shotgun with that "feel" to it, and this post has convinced me of what I want. Beautiful gun by the way.
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Any Chance you can post a Vid of this in action? Here is a picture of my Crosman 1100 air shotgun. It takes .38cal roundshot or smaller birdshot in a shell. I had been thinging of using squibs with airsoft BBs, but the velocity would be way too high :-)
http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/8531-med.JPG |
A while ago I was looking for a shotty that ejected shells, there was one for sale this summer but I missed it. Good find!
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Here is my old Tanaka M870
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p441/milanwg/12.jpg I modded a RS wood fore-grip to fit and also did a slight mod to make a RS law-enforcement Remington top-folding stock. Was an AMAZING gun that was heavy, loud and looked like a BEAST! But I sold it because I could never get over the ejecting shells (which are very cool also) but I could never get the shell catcher to work proper. And when it did, it would get full very quickly... Still one of my fav airsoft guns I have every owned or had the chance to use. |
Milan...that's bad ass...
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looks great! im jealous of that beauty. if you want another project, go pick up a Tanaka Kar98k. Or better yet work on mine :p
Still, looks fantastic. Does it have a hop-up system? And how does it shoot? One bb at a time, or multiple? |
Green shells shoot 3 bbs (max...I suppose you could just load 1 or 2). The blacks shoot 1.
It's a fixed hopup. |
Can get those Mad Bull shells, up to 6bbs.
Can use in RS as well :) Me got short shotty bug bad... |
i definitely suggest trying the madbull shells. a major bonus is that you don't need a tool to gas it up, it works exactly like a 203 shell
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Sorry for the tread jack Tys :)
My even older KTW Ithaca 37 with RS Ithaca 37 wood fore-grip mod: http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p...nwg/itha01.jpg http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p...nwg/itha02.jpg http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p...nwg/itha03.jpg http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p...nwg/itha04.jpg http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p...nwg/itha05.jpg |
OMG, I just noticed the name on my treadmill in the above pic......lol
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here i sa project for you Ty help me get a hop up on my G&P shotty so I can use .25 with some distance
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Setting the steel pin in the hammer face works.
Velocity is low 220fps (w/ 3x 0.20g)...any thoughts on bumping it up? It's working well...(i.e. just ran 30 shots through it :)) |
Quick pic of mine. It's a work in progress and needs refinishing to a more tactical flat black, which I'll be doing over the winter. Debating adding sights first.
http://tacticalmoose.com/pic/m500_1_cr.jpg ACM M500 (5x6mm), real steel angled stock adapter with VLTOR stock tube, TAPCO SAW pistol grip and repro (King Arms) Modstock. here's an earlier pic with an airsoft stock tube (threaded portion wasn't long enough to screw in properly and Modstock wobbled a bit on it). Horrible shine is horrible. http://tacticalmoose.com/pic/m500.jpg |
That is beautiful Drake. One more to add to my wish list.
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That WAS an amazing shotgun, sadly I had to let her go : ( |
Shotty Review (ala Mr Wordy himself)
Well look who decided to join the dark
unpractical side of airsoft. Unfortunately there isn't a perfect choice for using a shotty, shells on the ground or bbs in a tube/mag, pick your poison. Most will agree after gaming an ejector, that it's not worth collecting the shells, and slowing down the game. By far the Maruzen m870 & m1100 are the most fun to shoot, especially if you can rig them for C02, stock fps with 3 bbs on props is low. They also die a quick death on C02 but the brightest candle burns the fastest! Shotty Pros/Cons: Maruzen m870/m1100 Pros: realistic action, shells are very durable, hold 10bbs, good spread when mixing bb weights, shells are cheap and easily found online, full stock gas tanks hold a ton. Cons: exterior is mostly abs, interior is complicated and all cheap metal, no replacement parts in stock anywhere, m1100 is prone to stovepipe jams, shell bags are fugly, metal externals are very hard to find and cost a fortune, extra gas tanks are hard to find, the pistol grip tank can dislodge from taking in/out wear, made for use with duster, RS parts don't easily fit. Maruzen CA870 Pros: cheap price point, mags are also cheap easily found thanks to G&P. Wide array of metal externals from G&P/VFC, fps is about 300 stock but can be higher with a spring upgrade, easier to pump than a TM. Cons: shoots 1 bb, carrier that loads the bbs is plastic and always breaks off at the bb loading part, no options for this problem, the G&P built guns use the stock Maruzen internals so same problem, replacement parts and Angs upgrades are sold out years ago, double pumping your gun to shoot more than 1 bb usually leads to a quick death also, it's basically a shotty- sniper gun, RS parts don't easily fit. Maruzen m1100 Defender Pros: fun semi-auto action with a mag fed system, has 1 or 3 bb mode, mags hold about 30bbs, so you get 15 shots, loud and has a good kick, fps is about 300. Cons: all the same as the other m1100's and more, mags are impossible to find, the bolt carrier will self-destruct on propane, most of the internals are plastic, made for use with duster, RS parts don't easily fit. KTW Ithaca's Pros: they're dirt cheap, shoot 320fps stock when shooting 1 bb, select fire to shoot 1 or 2 bbs (240fps), has hop-up. Cons: strange shell tube mags, all abs, basically a 1 bb shotty-sniper. No known support for upgrades/replacement parts and extra mags. Don't know about fitting RS parts to these, never owned one. Marushin 1887's Pros: 8mm 300fps+ power, can handle propane in stock form (for the most part), lever action is sweet, shells are durable, simple and still instock, Guards gun is mostly metal and wood, well built. Cons: 8mm is costly, shells eject, no catcher available, T3 shorty is mostly abs with no upgrade/replacement part support, people feel the need to movie load this gun and break the abs receiver, loading shells can cut you/sharp parts, dropped shells can deform the rims over time making loading a problem, shells are on the expensive side, mid to high price point for these guns. Marushin's m500 series Pros: full metal construction, wide variety of styles, 8mm is still in production and easily found, made in 8mm and 6mm, both shoot at or above 300fps, no shells, holds lots of bbs in the tube, over 15 shots each before a reload, holds enough gas to shoot all it's shots, accepts RS parts easily, most durable shotty available, replacement parts for the arms are widely available, takes most valve upgrades for the inlet, high-flow available, can be moded for remote C02, has the best racking and firing sound of all the airsoft shotguns, it's a beast. Cons: 8mm is expensive, the 6mm is long discontinued and slightly flawed, 6mm has more loading issues due to the 3 tubes being pressed down to load refills of bbs, than the one on the bigger 8mm, seals can leak but are not hard to replace or buy, stock arms are not very strong, receiver is cast so the stock threading is weak, overtightening can strip the threads, the ejection port looks wrong, higher price point, fixed hop. TM M3 and Spas 12 Pros: affordable price, in production and widely available, reliable 3bb springer, shoots like a AEG, straight and far, good for all year round indoor/outdoor action, silent, some upgrades for springs and the inner barrels can be found, takes cheap reliable shells that don't eject (10 shots). Cons: another shotty-sniper, low fps (240), no real spread, mostly abs inside and out, crushing loading nozzles is common due to the hard pump, replacement parts are expensive and hard to find, RS parts are incompatible except sights, port is fake and doesn't move, fixed hop-up for .25g bbs, has the most unsatisfying feel of all the airsoft shotties, very toy like, SPAS stock impossible to find anymore. TM M203 Standalone Shotty Pros: fun compact for CQB or as a backup, cheap price point and shells, springer is good all year round indoor/outdoor, lots of rails. Cons: its an m203? lol, even harder to pump since it's very compact, retractable stock is too short and wobbly, mostly abs, has most of the same problems as other TM shotties ie: nozzles busting. CAW m1014's Pros: cool modern shotty, takes 6mm in a mag fed system, no shells, tactical and hunter styles available, reasonable price. gets 30 shots per hidden mag, easier to pump than a TM. Cons: lots, tactical style is mostly abs, hunter has some metal and wood but not enough, fps is very low (230– 250fps), shoots only 1 bb, the fake bolt doesn't work, another sniper-shotty with no power or upgrade/replacement support besides spare mags. Unknown durability, since I never owned one, just fired one. Tanaka m870's Pros: lots of styles in stock, full metal build, realistic loading and ejecting, shells get 2-3 shots before refills, support from Airsoft Surgeon custom parts and shells, takes RS parts with a little work, decent racking sound. Cons: lots! price is very $teep, external metal is heavy but not very strong, internals are very weak pot metal other than a few parts, most of the firing system will bash to smudged bits in short time, no support for replacement parts or upgrades unless buying an AS pre-upgraded model from Red Wolf, stock shells are fragile! shells can easily break the plastic insert on the front that hold the o-ring that keeps in the bbs, shells are know to leak badly brand new, stock and AS shells are very expensive, stock shells have very low fps, catcher bag a must have. Not reviewing clones, they usually have some to most of the Pros that the originals have but they always carry more cons. Buy an original if you can afford it or find it. Feel free to add to where I may have missed, been a while since I've been hardcore into shotties, didn't feel the need to talk about trade marks. But to summarize, the Marushin m500 series has proven to be the best over-all gameable shotgun for feel/durability/performance/fun, with the TM a close second for many other reasons including better distance. I've owned many of both and they keep finding a way back into my collection :) |
I may or may not be planning on moddin a crosman s34p into a steampunk blunderbuss over the winter. Totally impractical, but im in that kinda mood.
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Yeah...I'm a convert.
Thanks for the listing Steve, it's very helpful for a shotty-neophyte like me. Tys ..although you must have stopped your self-pleasuring for about 2 hours to type that all out :D |
wow man...i didnt think you'd get it done THAT fast!!! i hope the wife dont hate me for losing you to the shop forever while making the parts.
is it habit forming though aint it?!?!?!??!? |
Nice write up steve.
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Memoriam for dearly a missed friend:
http://www.pbase.com/airsoft_innovat...e/30584548.jpg http://www.pbase.com/airsoft_innovat...e/30618578.jpg http://www.pbase.com/airsoft_innovat...e/30618583.jpg An awesome Maruzen 870 shotty that I significantly modified to fire from an internal CO2 system that fit into the stock. Blasted 10x 0.25g pellets per shell at about 280fps. Sadly the loading mechanism fractured into a bunch of fatigued little bits of poorly selected materials. So sad, it only lasted one awesome day. |
I was honoured to be in the receiving end of it.............. WTF is that owww Hit, Hit, Hit
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Nothing more fun than seeing a foot and waiting for the rest of the body to come around. Finger deliberately squeezes followed by the click of teeth goggles and tissue. Sorry, I was still figuring out where the target point was. I think I nailed Slick right in the face with 7/10 pellets that night.
Then a Red - Green clunk of an expended shell ejected into a cardboard box duct taped to the side of the rec'r. |
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the airsoft surgeons actually take CO2. Quote:
I'm still surprised how fast you got it done. But I do remember the day Ducky picked it up. He just sat there on the floor shooting loaded shells as well as blanks for hours, literally! the shell ejection was awesome! here's mine. the shotty with TM tracer. not sure where the pic of the rail with rds went. http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...IMGP7047-2.jpg |
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I was very suprised when i received the madbull shells. the fill valve is located on the side of the casing, meaning that the shell lay horizontal to fill. the rear valve button is flat - just as an airsoft 40mm shell. what i think is different is that there is no (or a weaker version) spring that closes the valve once it is open. the manual actually states that you have to re-prime the shell by depressing the button until one hears a 'click' this is in contrast to the normal tanaka green shells, where you can fire - eject - refill with bbs - and fire again. performance-wise, i notice that the the 6 bbs have roughly the same if not more power than the 3 bb -tanaka. quite good if you consider you are flinging 2x more rounds. it is more of a gas hog/ more waste. i don't have any experience with the AS shells so I cant say if they work in a similar manner. I do know from the info out there, that they are 'high flow'; designed to pump more gas out. |
Boy, those madbulls are evil.
Rob, in your experience, how fast do you have them going on propane? We tried some today... They are evil. |
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