Aluminum Longshot Internals!

NerfSG Forum modder Zinv recently got a full set of aluminum Longshot internals custom fabricated and i had an opportunity to check out the setup...

The entire boltsled is made of one solid piece of precision machined aluminum.

Aluminum catch plate.

Full aluminum plunger head, plunger rod and plunger end-cap.

The aluminum parts are strong, yet lightweight... ideal replacement parts for modded Longshots.

For more information, contact Zinv at the NerfSG Forum.

Longshot PVC Shotgun Grip - Overview!

For modding reference, here is a quick overview of a new "simpler" shotgun grip design i came up with for the Longshot, which i will refer to as the PVC Shotgun Grip.



It is based on a similar concept as my Polycarbonate Shotgun Grip design, but instead of using polycarbonate, this new design is made from just PVC pipes instead

Imho, its not going to win any prizes for looks (kinda reminiscent of the fallout/mad max "post-apocalyptic" style though), but its functional and it works. :)

Modders who are already familiar with making shotgun grips should be able to easily figure out how its constructed just by checking out the following photos.



The PVC grip uses a 10cm length of 65mm SingaPlastics PVC pipe (thinwall version / 70mm ID) and it is heat shaped (i simply put it into hot water to soften the PVC until it becomes an oval shape of 60mm tall and 80mm wide), so that the grip can be fitted on the Longshot without requiring any further modification to the casing. Channels are cut into the grip to allow it to slide along the Longshot's existing groove at the bottom part of the front section.

Note that the oval grip shape is designed to create the extra space to fit around the Longshot's existing bipod mounts (otherwise the casing mounts will need to be cut away to fit it).



The grip arms are made of 34cm lengths of 13mm SingaPlastics PVC pipe, and they are attached on to the grip with M4 bolts. The spacing between the arms and grip are supported with 2 x M4 nuts per bolt which act as standoffs.



I used a 4" length 4.5mm diameter bolt and nut, along with nylon spacers to thread through the original priming handle points and secure the arms to the bolt sled.



So far, this grip design has been field tested to be strong enough for use with most modded Longshots (successfully tested with up to 20kg load springs), and the oval grip shape is ergonomic and comfortable for users too.

There is no drilling or cutting of the original Longshot casing required, and the grip can be easily transferred between Longshot units.

Overall, its a relatively simple build method and an alternative for modders who prefer using PVC pipe materials for their mods. :)

Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Review!

With the Nerf Longshot being such a popular blaster for aftermarket spring mods, its common to encounter their stock bolt sleds cracking or breaking under the heavier load after prolonged usage. Thats when a stronger bolt sled would be needed.

Check out the Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled!

It is made from a customized resin material and the L-joint arms section of the bolt sled have been re-worked with a thicker profile to withstand the stress effects of heavier spring loads.

Along with its non-metal construction, it is very light-weight and all the parts edges are smoothly molded to exacting detail. This allows the bolt sled to fit perfectly into Longshot casings without requiring any further trimming or adjustments.

The boltsled was tested with 14kg load aftermarket springs and it showed very little noticeable signs of flexing or stress marks over 100+ repeated priming. So it looks to be suitable for such spring loads.

Tests with 20+ kg springs do show some flexing and slight bending in the bolt sled during priming movements. Although it is more durable compared to the stock bolt sled, its not indestructible... so users should also consider using customized shotgun grips to balance out the load stress on the bolt sled.

Thanks to wrxloonie at the NerfSG forum for sending over a set for review!

Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Top




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Bottom




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Middle




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Comparison with Stock Bolt Sled




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Close-Up Comparison




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - L-joint Arm Comparison




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Fitment with Bolt & Plunger Tube




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Fitment in Blaster Casing




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Assembled




Xplorer Custom Fabricated Longshot Bolt Sled - Parts & Fitment Video



For those keen on these custom fabricated bolt sleds, check with wrxloonie at the NerfSG forum. :)

Custom Fabricated Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled - Review!

The Nerf Longshot has been one of the more popular blasters in the Nerf blaster range due to its high modification potential, but one of its weaker internal components is the bolt sled which has a tendency to crack or break when used with stronger aftermarket springs.

Solution: Custom Fabricated Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled!

The custom fabricated bolt sleds are made from precision milled aluminium and designed for a direct fit in Longshots.

Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled - Comparison with Stock Nerf Longshot
(Top: Stock Bolt Sled / Right: Custom Fabricated Aluminium Bolt Sled)

Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled - Close-up Detail




Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled - Internal Fitment

(Top: Stock Longshot / Middle: Modded Longshot / Bottom: Brass Breeched Longshot)

Custom Fabricated Nerf Longshot Aluminium Bolt Sled - Overview & Internal Fitment Video

Nerf Longshot Mod - Polycarbonate Shotgun Grip!

This is a quick mod guide by request from nerfers who spotted my modded Longshot with a customized Clear Polycarbonate Shotgun Grip during Nerf games, and have been asking how it was done.

The main benefit of a Longshot shotgun grip is a more efficient method of priming the blaster. Users can still support the front of the blaster while priming it, thereby maintaining steady aiming and better rate-of-fire.

In addition, the shotgun grip's dual arms both act in tandem to push back the bolt sled, which helps to balance out the load on both sides of the bolt sled during the priming action, thereby reducing uneven load stress (one of the common causes of bolt sled breakage, especially when using stronger aftermarket springs).

There are many ways to convert Longshots into "shotgun-gripped" versions. You can find many examples of similar mods at the various Nerf forums. Most of the mods require a fair bit of blaster modification and custom work though.

I use a slightly different (and simpler) method, with the objective to shotgun grip my Longshots without drilling or cutting the blaster casing, so that they can be reversible back to stock condition anytime and the shotgun grip can be transferred to another Longshot easily.

Okay, let's start...

Step 1: Remove the original bipod legs from the Longshot.

Step 2: Measure and draw out the arms and grip dimensions.

Here is my sample template (download and print it out in A4 size borderless mode).



Superimpose the schematics on the polycarbonate sheet. I use 3mm polycarbonate for the grip but 6mm polycarbonate for the arms (6mm thickness is highly recommended for the arms, especially for Longshots with stronger springs).



Cut out the sections using a jig saw or scroll saw. Please be careful when using power tools. Use a hobby knife or file to round off the corners slightly and smoothen the rough edges.

Step 3: Using a heat gun, i shaped the grip section into a U shape with twin inverted guide rails. Again, please be careful when using heating tools.




Step 4: Position the grip and arms.

Line up the screw points and use a motorized rotary tool (ie. Dremel) to drill the necessary holes.

Step 5: Position and solvent glue 2 small pieces of polycarbonate within the inverted guide rails, tinker with the dimensions until you get them to the right size and position.

This helps keep the grip in a level position when in operation.




Step 6: Assemble all the parts together.

I used 4 x 3mm diameter screws, washers and nuts to attach both arms to the grip, and a 3" length 4.5mm diameter bolt and nut, along with nylon spacers to thread through the original priming handle points and secure the arms to the bolt sled.

Here is another example of my polycarbonate shotgun grip with some additional shaping and trimming for customized ergonomics to suit my personal grip style.



As you can see, no drilling or cutting of the original Longshot casing is required.

The polycarbonate shotgun grip's inverted guide rails basically ride along the Longshot's existing groove at the bottom part of the front section.

This is just a quick guide to show a simple way it can be done... there are many other methods to do it too, see what suits your preference! :)

Nerf Longshot "Brass Breech" Mod Guide!

This mod guide will look into my "Brass Breech" modification for the Nerf Longshot.

It is based on the original "Angel Breech" design.

Background:

Just a quick background on the origins of this breech design, the original "Angel Breech" design was created by forsaken_angel24, and he posted his guide on how to make his original version on the NerfHaven forum.

Link to the original "Angel Breech" Mod Guide by forsaken_angel24.

Full credit goes to forsaken_angel24 for his original breech design!

Introduction:

The stock Longshot plastic breech does not have an air-tight bolt to barrel seal, hence the plastic bolt itself is essentially the barrel. Once the foam dart is fired out the bolt, the foam dart already starts losing power and velocity. In addition, most of the air pressure from the plunger is wasted once the foam dart leaves the bolt.

The design objective of an air-tight brass breech system is to create a 100% air-tight seal all the way from the plunger through to the barrel, thereby providing efficient air pressure delivery to propel the foam darts further.

This would result in more power within each shot, with greater firing distance and faster dart velocity.

The "Angel Breech" was originally designed to chamber shorter foam darts (commonly called "Stefans", DIY foam darts made from foam backer rod).

I have tinkered with the part dimensions and worked out a new set of measurements to allow the "Brass Breech" system to chamber standard-sized foam darts too.

In addition, i've added a "bolt half-pipe" design into the breech system to create a larger adhesive contact area for the bolt sled attachment piece, creating a much stronger attachment point (very essential for Longshots using stronger springs).

The following guide will cover my customized version of the "Brass Breech" mod.

Important Note:

The "Brass Breech" mod is a more advanced mod project that should only be performed by those who are already familiar with modding the Longshot.

For new modders, please refer to the Nerf Longshot Mod Guide to get familiar with the modding basics first.

Disclaimer: Modify at your own risk. Modifications may wear out or damage your blaster. Please be careful when using hobby tools!

Lets start...

Step 1: You will need to obtain 4 different sizes of brass tubes (Brand: K&S Engineering).

The brass tube sizes are: 1/2", 17/32", 9/16" and 19/32". All of them are 0.014" wall thickness. They are usually supplied at hobby shops in either 1 ft or 3 ft length tubes.

Oxidization tends to occur in store bought supplies, so give the brass tubes a good polish with some Brasso Metal Polish, polish both externally and inside the tubes, this helps smoothen out the surfaces for lower friction.

Shiny things are always nice and it'll give your blaster some "bling" too! :)




Step 2: We will work on the barrel and bolt receiver first.

In this example, i'm using 1 ft of 9/16" brass tube for the barrel.

Take a Rotary Tool with a cutting wheel, and cut a 8 cm length bolt receiver half-pipe in the 9/16" brass tube.

Use a sander bit to round out the edges and corners.

Please be careful when handling such hobby tools, wear protective eyewear, dust masks and gloves.




Step 3: To help the chambered darts achieve an even tighter air seal, make tightening rings in the barrel.

Use a Rotary Pipe Cutter and create the tightening rings. Just tighten the pipe cutter slightly around the brass tube, then rotate. Do it a few times to create the tightening rings.



Okay, thats all for the brass barrel and bolt receiver, you can put it aside for now.


Step 4: We will now go on to the bolt section of the breech.

Separately cut out a set of brass tube sections in the following lengths:

1/2" brass tube: 11 cm
17/32" brass tube: 2 cm
9/16" brass tube : 2 cm
19/32" brass tube : 17 cm (5.5 cm for bolt half-pipe)

These are my custom tube measurements for a breech system that can chamber standard-sized darts. In addition, it also features a more secure "half-pipe" bolt attachment point design.

The measurements need to be as accurate as possible. Any variations may affect the overall structure and air seal of the breech system.




Step 5: Cut the original stock plastic bolt until around 1 cm of the plastic bolt is left.



Nest all the 4 brass sections for the bolt completely into the plastic bolt end-piece.

Here is my Nested Brass Tubes Cut-Away Diagram:



Use the strongest glue you can get to glue everything together. I use "Selleys Super Strength" 2-part slow-curing epoxy glue (and it actually requires a curing time of 3 days!). Make sure the glue cures completely for maximum bond strength.

Completed nested brass bolt assembly.



Nested brass bolt internal assembly.



Test fit the bolt section with your barrel and bolt receiver, place a dart into the breech system to test the dart fit too.




Step 6: Once the brass bolt sections are permanently attached, fill up the deadspace in the plastic bolt end-piece hollow space with hotglue (or any other suitable filler material).




Step 7: We will now need to do a test alignment of the various components.

Secure the brass barrel inside the original orange plastic barrel by wrapping it with electrical or duct tape to temporarily widen it's outer diameter, so that the brass barrel can be wedged tightly inside the plastic barrel, yet still movable to allow adjustments for test fittings.

Check all the part positions and make sure that a clip with a standard-sized dart can fit nicely into the breech opening.

Note that the 19/32" brass bolt half-pipe will slide over the 9/16" brass barrel half-pipe, which in turn slides into the brass bolt assembly.




Step 8: To attach the brass bolt to the bolt sled, we will need to cut out the attachment piece from the original plastic bolt.

Position the brass bolt, attachment piece and bolt sled in the casing and note the maximum forward and backward movement of the bolt to find the correct point to attach the plastic attachment tip to the brass bolt.

Note that a segment of plastic behind the attachment point has to be trimmed thinner so that it can slide into the plunger casing properly. Just whittle it down until it fits.

Use some sandpaper to roughen the surfaces on the plastic attachment tip and brass bolt, then use the strongest glue you can get to glue the 2 parts together. Again, i use slow-curing 2-part strong epoxy glue here too. As always, make sure the glue cures completely for maximum bond strength.

This is the section that has to take the most load, especially when stronger springs are used.




Step 9: Assemble everything together into the casing, note that the pop-up blocker plate mechanisms are all removed, we don't need those anymore.




Step 10: Test your "Brass Breech" Longshot!

Breech open.



Breech closed.



Ready to go!



Nice and shiny! :)


Sample Test Fire Results:

PTG: Parallel-To-Ground (Shoulder height, no elevation)
ATG: Angled-To-Ground (Aimed higher, 30 degrees elevation)

Distance is measured at where the dart lands (Average of 6 darts).

Brass Breech Longshot (14kg Load Spring)
Ammo: Customized FBR foam + 1.1 gram soft silicone tip weight
PTG = 110-120 ft
ATG = 140-160 ft

Note that the test was done indoors with customized foam darts and the results are sample estimates for reference (your results may differ depending on materials and mod techniques used).


Average Shot Velocity Measurement From Shooting Chrony F-1:

FPS data are from an average of 12 recorded shots.
All test shots are fired with the blaster barrel muzzle approx. 6 inches from the 1st sensor.
Tests are done indoors with natural light sources.




Important User Tips:

- Clips must be loaded only when the breech closed. This is so that the clip feed-lips can "catch" around the brass bolt for a proper fit.

- For smooth dart chambering process, make sure that foam darts used are no more than 7 cm in length.

- The better the foam dart fit in the brass barrel, the better the range results.

Enjoy!

Nerf Longshot Mod Guide!

This Mod Guide will cover popular mods for the Nerf Longshot.

Mods covered:
- Air Restrictor (AR) Removal
- Air Release Seal
- Plunger Padding
- Aftermarket Spring Replacement
- Deadspace Elimination
- Charging Handle Easy Release

Note: Some of the info here may also be repeated at the other Mod Guides.

>> Nerf Recon Mod Guide
>> Nerf Raider Mod Guide

Disclaimer: Modify at your own risk. Modifications may wear out or damage your blaster. Please be careful when using hobby tools!


:: AR Removal ::

Step 1: Disassemble your Longshot. Make sure to remove all the screws before detaching the casing. There are 21 screws in the main body and 7 screws in the shoulder stock.

Step 2: Take out the bolt sled assembly. Knock out the metal retaining pin that holds the bolt and bolt sled, this will separate the bolt from the bolt sled.




Step 3: Remove the plunger and just focus on the bolt assembly.

The bolt will still be inside the plunger casing (my example photo just shows a seperate bolt for clearer reference, don't remove it from the plunger casing).

Take a straight wire cutter and snap off the 3 plastic supports holding the AR structure.

Once the 3 supports are cut, the AR components will just drop out.

Here is what the bolt will look like with AR (top photo) and without AR (bottom photo).




:: Air Release Seal ::

For maximum air flow, cover the Longshot bolt's air release. You can use tape or just fill it with epoxy glue.




:: Plunger Padding ::

Without the AR, there is no air buffering system to cushion the plunger on bolt impact.

This results in very high wear and tear on the plunger and bolt casing, by both normal firing and dry firing. Due to repeated direct impact on the bolt (hence the loud cracking sound during firing). In time, the bolt and plunger may become damaged.

Therefore, padding should be applied to the plunger to help cushion the impact.

In the following photo, i simply attached custom shaped soft foam bumper padding to the base of the plunger. You can try using other cushioning materials too, just make sure the padding can compress well and covers up to the edges of the plunger base.



Note that the bolt clearance in the Longshot bolt casing is quite limited, therefore it is recommended to trim the padding thinner so that it does not interfere with the bolt travel when loading/unloading clips.


:: Aftermarket Spring Replacement ::

One way to increase the speed of air delivery through the bolt is to replace the stock spring with a stronger aftermarket spring.

There are many different springs with different sizes and spring force ratings. Springs can be sourced from your local spring supply shops. Spring choice will depend on your usage.

The examples below show a stock spring (top photo) vs. an aftermarket spring (middle photo) vs. a stock spring with aftermarket spring (bottom photo).

Stronger springs are usually made of thicker wires. Adjustments may have to be done as required for smooth firing operation.

Depending on the strength of the spring used, extra catch springs may also need to be added to hold the increased tension.

Note that a stronger spring will require more effort to prime the blaster for each shot, and the impact of the plunger on the bolt and overall stress on the blaster casing is also much greater. It'll be important to account for these factors when doing a spring replacement.


:: Deadspace Elimination ::

There is a volume of empty space within the plunger casing. For more efficient air flow, it is recommended to fill up that space to eliminate the deadspace. In this example, i use foam material shaped to fill that space.




:: Priming Handle Easy Release ::

Trim the Longshot priming handle internal catch so that it'll be easy to attach and detach it anytime for blaster maintenance and future mods.




:: Sample Test Fire Data ::

PTG: Parallel-To-Ground (Shoulder height, no elevation)
ATG: Angled-To-Ground (Aimed higher, 30 degrees elevation)

Distance is measured at where the dart lands (Average of 6 darts).

Stock Longshot
PTG = 25 ft
ATG = 35 ft

Modded Longshot (AR Removal & 14kg Load Aftermarket Spring)
PTG = 70 ft
ATG = 90 ft

Note that the test was done indoors with customized foam darts. The results are sample estimates for reference (your results may differ depending on materials and mod techniques used).