Spring airsoft cannon

ok, so me and my friends play a little backyard airsoft. Nothing big, but me and my friend have been brainstorming on how to make our games a little more exiting. We thought about making a tank but didnt seem to work so i would like to make a big spring cannon using mostly pvc and maybe some plywood. I've planned most of it out, it would be a very simple design, but im having a problem with two things, the trigger system, and the breech. For the trigger system i was thinking just using an available trigger system from a airsoft rifle, but don't know if it would work or if there was a better way. For the breech, I have no idea what to do. It can't be too big so the spring wont get caught, but it also needs to close. Please, post any ideas, but im only 12 and im not made of money. Thanks!

whats your plan to reload the spring and ammo. if you use a trigger system on a cannon like you want the spring power will break the trigger.

alexkmmll wrote:

ok, so me and my friends play a little backyard airsoft. Nothing big, but me and my friend have been brainstorming on how to make our games a little more exiting. We thought about making a tank but didnt seem to work so i would like to make a big spring cannon using mostly pvc and maybe some plywood. I've planned most of it out, it would be a very simple design, but im having a problem with two things, the trigger system, and the breech. For the trigger system i was thinking just using an available trigger system from a airsoft rifle, but don't know if it would work or if there was a better way. For the breech, I have no idea what to do. It can't be too big so the spring wont get caught, but it also needs to close. Please, post any ideas, but im only 12 and im not made of money. Thanks!

No a salvaged spring rifle's system will not trigger a larger cannon.

I recommend using air pressure. This cannon uses two chambers. The first chamber you fill with air to about 50-100 PSI don't go over 100. between both chambers you have a quick pneumatic valve connecting to the second camber where your round sits prepared in the barrel.

For the round I recommend using hard foam that is hollowed out and halved so when you fire it, the foam will spread and release a ton of bbs.

And please, for the love of gawd. Find a different place to play airsoft that is not your backyard. Exception being you live on some land...meaning several acres of land.

Ok, well the round idea was what i was planning to do with maybe a roll of tape next to the gunner to decide weither or not it would be AP or HE, but it might hurt, so that will involve tests. unfortunately i can't use air pressure because my dad would freak out with me shooting it at my friends, and we can only play in backyards because we started playing in this peice of woods next to this park but some kids got caught one time and got fined by the cops so that quickly ended that! To reload the weapon it would take two steps, inserting a rod into the end of the spring and pulling it back until the trigger would catch then pull the rod out, and then open the breech and insert the ammo.

your cocking idea wont work because if you have one trigger catch on one side then the spring will bend and wiggle if it even fires. and if your dad wont let you use compressed air then he probly wont let you use a powerfull spring. I think you should reevaluate your design a bit or just use your time on a different project.

Well i was planning to make the spring fit tightly inside the barrel so it wouldnt be able to twist or warp and then put a rod through the center if nessasary, and it wouldnt have to be very powerful, maybe only getting a muzzle velocity of 350 fps or less.

They were fined due to the fact it was most likley on the parks property. Screw this whole idea maybe later but focus every bit of your energy on a better place to play.

It has to be really powerful to get a muzzle velo of 350 FPS.

You would be better off investing your money in a better gun or bunkers.

for a back yard bunkers aren't really needed its mostly a big firefight, the gun is supposed to be just a really easy progect made of like pvc, plywood, and some other cheap things, u know things u can pick up at Menards

I don't know what menards is but you can't just make a simple thing that will safely function i second LWs statement.

well it would have things in it to keep it safe, i have that worked out on my blueprints, i just needed an idea for the breech and trigger, for the trigger i was thinking a triangular peice, flat on the back, with a large spring on the outside keeping it locked in place. when the spring passed over it, it would not allow it to jump forward

How do you plan to seal everything.

using PVC sealer but it doesnt really need to be air tight, just to hold togeather

Just scrap the idea and improve your play area like Satan said.

Well me and my friend want to do this for fun, and we wanted a weapon for airsoft, anyways we were planing to turn an old wooden swing set thing into a bunker, probably where this thing would be.

If your like most 12 year olds then if your making something for fun then you will torment your parents to support you then half way through you will hit a road block and just stop. I know I was the same way. BTW describe your playing area for us.

well luckily my parents aren't like that. my dad will definately help me because he would love to see this thing fire, we own a restored pak-36 anti-tank gun so we basicly like big guns, and i don't really give up on big progects if ive invested money in it because i want my money to go into something and not go to waste. Oh ya and my yard is about 200 feet by 50 feet with a shed in the top right corner, big tree on the bottom left, and bushes (big enough to crawl under) all along the left side

Is it in a populated area with streets next to it?

no it has wooden fences around the right and the front, the house is in the back, and there is a wire fence running behind the bushes to the left, which u can't shoot through.

Ok then your location isn't so much of a problem but i still think you should just spend your money on expanding your gear and armory.

of corse! this is just a fun project to have fun with and scare my friends. Plus, everybody will want to be on my team for wars! My price range for building it is going to be 25-70 dollers, not much. i probably have most of the parts anyways, i just need the pvc, and the spring so its supposed to be just a fun thing! i might have figured out the trigger, it would be a wedge like shape that the back of would press on the springs um i don't know what you would call that, the peice on the end of the spring that would push the object forward, and just because i know someones going to ask about this, the sides of the thing would extend back so the spring wouldnt be able to torque its self loose. it wouldnt be able to turn in the barrel.

If you really need to $70 can go a long way with airsoft supplies and BBs and such.

well me and my friend would be building this so at the most we would only be giving up up to 35 dollers so it wouldnt be very expensive as long as we didnt screw anything up. so lots of planning is needed.

You should figure out your trigger mechanism and spring setup then post some pics of the design then we could critique it for you.

guys, since this is just going between you two can we start pming eachother, cause this will go on forever and i believe its against forum rules.