Casting of an airsoft gun's body.

[Unsung Hero]

I'm just wondering: wouldn't it be possible to make a mould from the body of an airsoft guns external body, like the basic frame of it, and then simply get the internals from elsewhere? Casting with metals such as steel and aluminum is easy enough to do, and things like handgrips and stocks can be bought separately, or even casted as well. The main issue is the outer barrel and the body itself. An m4, for example, would be relatively easy to cast. It requires a simple mould of the body, which is split into separate moulds, which are then joined together.

Please don't flame me. I'm just throwing out an idea.

[Mr Jon]

Are you implying that you want to re-create an airsoft gun entirely less the externals by casting and assembling the parts yourself? Because the cost of materials and your time, if you COULD do it would not be worth it. Its not as simple as it sounds, saving up and purchasing an actual gun prebuilt would be a lot wiser and cheaper...

[Ronan]

Simple? No. Expensive? Very. Practical? No. Illegal? Yes.

[TokyoSeven]

Originally Posted by Unsung Hero

I'm just wondering: wouldn't it be possible to make a mould from the body of an airsoft guns external body, like the basic frame of it, and then simply get the internals from elsewhere? Casting with metals such as steel and aluminum is easy enough to do, and things like handgrips and stocks can be bought separately, or even casted as well. The main issue is the outer barrel and the body itself. An m4, for example, would be relatively easy to cast. It requires a simple mould of the body, which is split into separate moulds, which are then joined together.

Please don't flame me. I'm just throwing out an idea.

This has been spoke of before. Unfortunetly,legalities aside, the idea that it could be cost effective is aluring but in reality it isnt. Sure easy to cast, but in the long run, it would be a rather expensive project to get off the ground.
I think theres some company doing some WWII stuff in Canada right now, although I have yet to hear of any progress about them. But even for a person who had the resources to do so, legalities would present to be a large issue.

[White_knight]

build xm8's because "technically" they never left the prototype stage and as such don't count as "replicas" and are not illegal to make

(im probably wrong tho)

[Kimbo]

As long as cost wasn't an issue, it wouldn't be a problem to cast a body as long as you didn't want any parts to fit inside of it. The tolerances you'd have to adhere by are far beyond what most DIY'ers can handle.

[kalnaren]

Difficulty aside, isn't it illegal to make recievers?

[Scarecrow]

Originally Posted by kalnaren

Difficulty aside, isn't it illegal to make recievers?

Its illegal to make receivers or to manufacture 'replica' firearms. The same arguments then arise that we're all familiar with in the Canadian airsoft community.

I think the XM8 is actually the way to go for the Canadian airsoft community. The XM8 isn't a commercially available firearm and therefore I'd have a hard time seeing how they could class it as a replica (if you know otherwise from experience or some authoritative source, please feel free to contradict me). The XM8 *may* be the future of legal airsofting in Canada. I'm actually in the process of converting a BE XM8 into a full fledged 400fps gun (you basically have to gut the internals and put G36C parts in).

In fact what we should be doing, and some smart cookie will eventually do it (MADMAX WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!?) is we should be inventing a fantasy gun based on the most reliable mechbox, hopup and barrel configuration available, and making that for Canadian players. If we made it so that it takes the same internal parts commonly available via mail order, we would have something viable for the long term in airsoft in Canada and would avoid the whole replica/imitation argument altogether.

As far as casting goes, it is an expensive process if you're not doing it in commercial quantities, but it is one of the cheaper manufacturing options. But making an AR receiver, even if it is airsoft is definitely a no-no. You'd get a nice set of bracelets and three squares a day for your trouble.

[Unsung Hero]

Okay, thanks for the heads up. I already have casting equipment, and have used it for a long period of time. I was just wondering if casting a body was a possiblity.I now know that it isn't.