Discounted Sterling airsoft beta project E11 conversion

[propmainiac]

Hi all
This comes directly from the I must be crazy files. As if I didn't have enough projects to complete. I was looking on the evike airsoft site at their boneyard section and there was a beta project Stirling airsoft gun there! now I've been waiting a long time for one of these to show up in the boneyard section each time I see one there it ends up being sold before I get my hands on it. Well I just purchased one. I paid 175 for it I have no idea of the condition of it honestly it doesn't really even have to fire for me but that would be a bonus.
I've been kind of obsessed with movie props lately I've been trying to acquire some of the props that I have sold off in the last couple of years and the Sterling has been one of them. I looked at parts kits I was thinking about scratch building another one but honestly for $175 it won't take me long to convert it into a decent-looking stormtrooper blaster. I know they're not screen accurate I know they're a little smaller than the real Sterling gun. Any thoughts on these?

 

[propmainiac]

Hi all
Just opened the box and the Sterling looks good. Some scratches but nothing bad. Haven't fired it yet cause I still need a battery for it. Here's pics

 

[propmainiac]

Ok all....dug right into my conversion of the blaster...had some success and some failures.
I removed the rear sight so I could attach a scope rail. Used a peice of 1/2 inch aluminum. Bent cut and shaped it so it would fit. Ultimately I broke the small tab I made in the front of the rail.
So that will have to wait.
I changed out the screws that hold the stock on to round headed rivets. These rivets fit exactly into the stock. They are metAl. I cut a steel shaft from a broken drill bit and solderd that into the steel rivet. I created plastic bushings that I sanded down and drilled the inside of the bushing so it fit the rivets. The rivets are pressed in place now and have the right look and function perfectly.

 

[propmainiac]

So is the 1/2 inch wide scope rail correct for star wars or empire? Gonna make another since I broke the one I was making. Going with steel instead of aluminum. Also reference pics shows the rail higher in the back and low in the front. Is that correct?

 

[propmainiac]

Hi all....
Worked on my scope rail took four attempts to get one right.I got a lumina first that that ended up breaking it I think got a piece of steel 3/4 inch wide and about an eighth of an inch thick after cutting and making one twice it still wasn't right. Finally on my fourth attempt was a centerpiece about 1/2 inch wide again about eighth of an inch thick cut that made the right band at the back to fit into the site run ended up snapping part of that off I've bent it too many times. So I put the rear sight back in drill the hole through the site and then through the part of the scope rail that still remained I was able to screw it on that way it still looks a little too high above the gun.

 

[propmainiac]

After multiple tries I've got a decent scope rail made. I again removed the rear sight drilled and tapped a hole and mounted the rail. My replica resin scope is now mounted in place. Have a resin Hengstler and may attach that but like how it looks without it. I'm now making the cylinders .

 

[propmainiac]

Really? No responses....

 

[patrickivan]

I just saw all of this. What's the size difference between the prop and airsoft version? Will it still fire? If that was in the thread and I missed it, sorry, I just got up. Time has no meaning for me anymore. Just a blur of existence with no meaning other than live in our home and 3d print stuff.

I'm interested in this because I just can't afford replica's or even what you're doing, so I've been printing stuff. But try to find good and involved files. Anyway, not about me here.

Are you in the US? I was just curious about the cost you paid and if that's typical. Especially since you didn't even know the condition it was going to be in when you received it.

Keep posting pics. I'll be watching.

 

[propmainiac]

It was in a section called boneyard. On Evike.com. 175 is what I paid.
As far as differences. A little longer, the vent holes are smaller,the stock arms have a sharp bend instead of a curve. The charging handle is really small. The biggest difference is the grip and trigger area. It's bigger than the original to house the gearbox. I'm keeping it a firing model.
I hear you about cost. I really debated this buy. I built one about ten years ago from scratch sold it last year. Wanted another but just don't have the time to devote to a long build. It came down to time vs money.
I really like the gun. I may change the charging handle but for right now I'm gonna keep on with the conversion.

 

[propmainiac]

By the way I was considering a 3d build but my anet clone cooked itself(main board) and a friend has it right now fixing it. I did print a looper blunderbuss with it I think that's what killed it! Lol

 

[propmainiac]

Hello again....
Since I blew my prop budget for the month I've been scratch building parts I don't have. So yesterday and today I created the power cylinders. Don't think I did too bad. Cut the bracket from steel, drilled holes for the cylinders. Cut and bent the bracket in the front to make the little support peices. For the capacitors I'm substituting these small cut copper peices. Not screen accurate but it will look fine I think. Gonna glue and paint stuff soon.

 

[Bengrim09]

Really? No responses....

No response as yet I’m still catching up

 

[Bengrim09]

Hello again....
Since I blew my prop budget for the month I've been scratch building parts I don't have. So yesterday and today I created the power cylinders. Don't think I did too bad. Cut the bracket from steel, drilled holes for the cylinders. Cut and bent the bracket in the front to make the little support peices. For the capacitors I'm substituting these small cut copper peices. Not screen accurate but it will look fine I think. Gonna glue and paint stuff soon.

Nice work so far
I was also considering buying an air soft replica, I will keep an eye on yours to see the challenges
Also hand built props from scratch are more rewarding than 3D printed but 3D printers get you there much faster

 

[Solos blaster]

Great work so far. I bought one of these evike airsoft Sterlings and I may do more to "accurize" it later, but for now, I just threw Roy's t-tracks on it and the mount I made for the doopydoos with my brass replica M19 scope on it. I think I'll do some weathing on it during the quarantine but I don't have the bravery to attempt what you're doing lol.

Kudos to you and I look forward to seeing your progress(you may make me want to attempt more work on it lol).

 

[yaris]

Great work...! Not a fan of these though as the handle's are too fat and look weird.

 

[propmainiac]

Nice work so far
I was also considering buying an air soft replica, I will keep an eye on yours to see the challenges
Also hand built props from scratch are more rewarding than 3D printed but 3D printers get you there much faster

I've made several 3d props and it seems some take as long as scratch built stuff! Lol

 

[propmainiac]

Great work...! Not a fan of these though as the handle's are too fat and look weird.

Yeah....the handle Is big but I'm keeping it a bb gun for now. I do want to darken the bolt it's too shiny and change the charging handle to a normal sized one.

 

[propmainiac]

Great work so far. I bought one of these evike airsoft Sterlings and I may do more to "accurize" it later, but for now, I just threw Roy's t-tracks on it and the mount I made for the doopydoos with my brass replica M19 scope on it. I think I'll do some weathing on it during the quarantine but I don't have the bravery to attempt what you're doing lol.

Kudos to you and I look forward to seeing your progress(you may make me want to attempt more work on it lol).

Thank you for the compliments. As with a lot of stuff I build Im never completely satisfied with my results. I think my cylinders are a little big. I may order aluminum rod that I can taper with a file to simulate the smaller capacitors but I'm gonna see how my current design comes out.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Since these replicas were used as the base blasters in Rouge One, are you going to try and replicate that version?

 

[Solos blaster]

Yeah....the handle Is big but I'm keeping it a bb gun for now. I do want to darken the bolt it's too shiny and change the charging handle to a normal sized one.

Thank you for the compliments. As with a lot of stuff I build Im never completely satisfied with my results. I think my cylinders are a little big. I may order aluminum rod that I can taper with a file to simulate the smaller capacitors but I'm gonna see how my current design comes out.

The size of the grip was the first thing I noticed as well. I do not plan on keeping the airsoft gearbox intact if I can modify it. Especially after messing with my doopydoos grip for so long while working on that, the evike grip is an eyesore lol.

I get what you mean by never completely satisfied with your results, I got this as a stopgap because I wasn't happy with my progress ON the doopydoos and was afraid I never would be(It may become a DH-17 now though), while I feel I may attempt a swap of the evike handgrip and firing controls for an FM version or possibly a demilled sterling if they are still out there.