Introducing The Deflator

[luke]

Working on the feedneck prototype, I was going for simple and light weight as possible.
This neck weighs 27g
The Empire weighs 35g
It's as low as you can go with with this type of feed.

[BLachance75]

I'm liking the simple look of it.

I've had money sitting in my Paypal for months waiting for this to be finished. It's a good thing that my LTC is taking forever to come in.

[going_home]

Is the feedneck threaded into the body so other feednecks can be used ?

[luke]

Yes, it's Angel threaded and two piece like the Empire necks.

[knownothingmags]

Working on the feedneck prototype, I was going for simple and light weight as possible.
This neck weighs 27g
The Empire weighs 35g
It's as low as you can go with with this type of feed.

looks tall.

[luke]

Really, how so? If you could find one shorter there might be 1/8" difference if your lucky. Making it shorter would only grab less of the hopper neck anyway.

The bottom of the hopper neck sits 0.10" above the top of the body, how would your propose a shorter neck or a lower hopper? lol

[BLachance75]

I think that it may look tall due to the Halo on it.

[luke]

Tall is relative.
The profile of this is smaller than the Empire fn shown here and about 1/16" taller.

[BLachance75]

I don't have an issue with it, I like how it sits on the body. I was just pointing out that the shape of the Halo makes it look like like the hopper is sitting high up. Something like a Rotor or Spire that have a flat bottom would show that it isn't sitting high up.

[luke]

I wasn't responding to your post, I was in the middle of posting when yours went up.

[knownothingmags]

Tall is relative.
The profile of this is smaller than the Empire fn shown here and about 1/16" taller.

ribbing you.

oh and you should do your own design orientation.
don't copy

another rib

[luke]

You're such a funny boy.

[BiNumber3]

Yea, the straight lines probably adds to the illusion of greater height compared to what we usually see. I like it, looks clean and sturdy

[AGDRetro]

Gun makes that Halo look huge!

[luke]

Gun makes that Halo look huge!

LOL, Did that on purpose because of the previous comments about how big the body looked.

[luke]

OK, made a small change in the profile, I believe this will be it.
Shaved more weight, down to 23g with screws.
Disregard the machining on the top of the body, I screwed up when I machined it so I flattened out, this one is going in the scrap bin anyway because I made major changes to the "hidden" parts of the design that I have not released yet.







Gotta work on the mounting ring next.

[luke]

I'm having a dilemma with the bore size for the hopper neck. The Empire neck I have will not open up enough to mount the HALO even wedging a screwdriver into the slot. My design covers the bigger neck hoppers and will squeeze down to the smaller ones (Revy) but it really puts some stress on the screw. I tried some "in between" sizes but the larger neck hopper is problematic. Not sure what to do to cover the smaller necks except perhaps make an insert for the small hoppers like CP did back in the day.

Thoughts before I machine the feednecks?

[Walker]

Not sure what to do to cover the smaller necks except perhaps make an insert for the small hoppers like CP did back in the day.

Was it like this?

BTW: I like the flat top body....


Walker

[blackdeath1k]

Talking about the chency plastic split ring that went around the hoppers? Ewww. I've had electrical tape on the feedback of my rotor so that it would fit my old VLbow.

[luke]

Found my old CP insert>



Worked perfect in my old Revy>
(I'll just make something similar and sell as an option)

[BiNumber3]

Is that body functionally sound? why not sell as a blem? Or keep it for future prototyping? I can see a lot of meat milled off for a ULLtra Mag: UL Luke's Mag... lol

[luke]

Is that body functionally sound? why not sell as a blem?

This one works fine but I majorly redesigned the hidden aspects of the body, not really something I want floating around over the next 20 years. As soon as I machine the replacement prototype this one will get cut in half and go in the scrap bin.

I can see a lot of meat milled off for a ULLtra Mag: UL Luke's Mag... lol

If you knew everything that was going on with this design you would not find much that can be removed or changed. It's already ultra ule milled.

[BiNumber3]

Well, completely up to you Though, if it's the detent mechanism that was redesigned, maybe just drill it out and plug it, then make a threaded hole for a standard cocker/angel detent? I'm just the kind of person that hates to waste a perfectly good looking thing (Granted, if it's a safety issue then yea)

[luke]

Nothing to change, it's just that some parts you dont want floating around for various reasons. Hundreds of prototype parts end up in the scrap bin every year, I think I have 10 feednecks from the past two days that went in the scrap bin (made two at a time) they all work but they will never be sold. The only prototypes I sell are the final ones that will be replicated in the production run, everything else get tossed, it's just they way it works.

[knownothingmags]

you making the trip to tunaball to show one off?
all in all that would be pretty neat.

[luke]

I would like to but I have a super busy summer, two big personal projects and lots of paintball stuff in the works...

[Nobody]

About the feedneck...

Any chance to making it aesthetically pleasing? Sure, form over function, but a tube design is well rather unpleasing to the eye. Even a CCM feedneck is better looking than what you are showing.

Any chance to making this a lever lock? Before you say that there is too much parts required, it would actually allow you to have a greater opening spread, giving a greater range of hopper sizes it could accommodate. You could also source Empire parts if you choose not to make your own. Granted it is more work, but a lever lock type is a more modern design versus a 2 screw design. Its almost a standard feature on any new gun.

[cortexparasite]

+1 on the lever clamping feed. I usually shoot 2 or 3 guns a day for rec-ball. So I am constantly pulling loaders off and on guns.

[luke]

I'm not 100% satisfied with the mechanical aspects of this design over all. I wont argue aesthetics because everyone has different tastes, but the function is not something I will sacrifice just to get it done. Anyway I'll have to rethink what type of feedneck I want to make, but in the meantime I have lots of other stuff I can be doing. I'll revisit this towards the end of the project and just move on to the next phase of the project.

[bowcycle]

is that portion of the feedneck something that would fit the empire necks?
I ask because the adapters that someone here made a while back are now very difficult to find, but still very useful for springfeed projects.
If I can mount an Empire springfeed on that feedneck part, I'll buy a few of them and I think many others would too.