Gotta love the shotty...

[m102404]

I've always wanted a shotty...but I was never really impressed by the "action" of the airsoft versions. Either you have a shell "magazine" that holds a gabilzzilion rounds...or you funnel a bunch of BBs into a tube and fake it. To me...that just sort of sucked the fun out of it.

A buddy recently got a G&P 870 which has a little bolt-action like magazine. It was solid and at least with a detachable box mag there's some sense of reloading....but still not quite what I was looking for.

So when the opportunity came up to grab a Tanaka M870 I got all excited. There were a couple of problems with it...it'd been around the block more than once. The knocker transfer block was broken (from what I researched...a common problem), the hammer face was mangled (again...a common thing I believe since it's striking a steel firing pin) and misc screws/pins were missing....most notably the front two that hold the barrel/mag to the receiver.

** differing from other systems...with this model you fill each shelll with propane and then load BBs into the tips of each shell. The gun is the gun...the shells are self contained with propellant and shot. Just the way it was meant to be.

So I took it on as a nice project...then got obsessed about it...then got the mill/lathe, some aluminum plate stock and the micrometers out...then stayed up all night.

I filled the hammer face with JBWeld and let it sit...ground and refaced it. That sorted that out for now (enough to test)...but there's supposed to be a steel plug that goes into it so it's steel hammer on steel knocker...I'll get to that in a bit.

I mocked up the knocker transfer bar and roughed it to size. The rest of the milling took a couple of hours and 2-3 test fits. For the life of me I can't figure out why the original design didn't leave more material in it...I made my replacement piece as "beefy" as possible. Still have some finishing work to do to it...but I couldn't wait.

I machined two little steel plugs for the missing front pins...they're an ok fit and I'll clean it up more later. For now...it's solid and holding well.

I got 10 regular 3 rnd shells and 5 Airsoft Surgeon 1 shot shells in the trade...a shell catcher and a stock mounted shell holder. Nice setup...lots of shells for close encounters...'cause you never know.

It is soooo nice to feed 4 shells in, rack one up, feed another...then...

bang, cachunk/cachunk
...bang, cachunk/cachunk
...bang, cachunk/cachunk
...bang, cachunk/cachunk
...bang, cachunk/cachunk

Shells are kicked out nicely...the propane charge in each of them are good for at least 2 loads of BBs.

You can even do the "Terminator" one-hand pump...heeheehee

Still some work to do and fine touches...but here's a couple of pics (wish I was a better photographer...)





Just a minute ago I drilled out the hammer face for the metal plug insert...I set the steel plug with JBweld and will grind it to face after it sets up overnight. I'll copy out the specs for the hammer and if I get some time I'll machine replacement parts out of steel.

Too. Much. Fun.

Tys


Note: The only downside now is that I've got to find another project...

[CDN_Stalker]

Very nice! Wish I could find a TM compatible stock like that for my new Crosman Stinger, hate the pistol grip and don't really like the pistol grip/stock combos.................. I want to make a classic style shottie out of it damn it!!!

[Gridlock]

I've been looking for a really good shotgun with that "feel" to it, and this post has convinced me of what I want. Beautiful gun by the way.

[notec]

Any Chance you can post a Vid of this in action? Here is a picture of my Crosman 1100 air shotgun. It takes .38cal roundshot or smaller birdshot in a shell. I had been thinging of using squibs with airsoft BBs, but the velocity would be way too high :-)

[arcanuck]

A while ago I was looking for a shotty that ejected shells, there was one for sale this summer but I missed it. Good find!

[MilanWG]

Here is my old Tanaka M870



I modded a RS wood fore-grip to fit and also did a slight mod to make a RS law-enforcement Remington top-folding stock.

Was an AMAZING gun that was heavy, loud and looked like a BEAST!

But I sold it because I could never get over the ejecting shells (which are very cool also) but I could never get the shell catcher to work proper. And when it did, it would get full very quickly...

Still one of my fav airsoft guns I have every owned or had the chance to use.

[m102404]

Milan...that's bad ass...

[MilanWG]

Here are the rest of the pics

[Donster]

looks great! im jealous of that beauty. if you want another project, go pick up a Tanaka Kar98k. Or better yet work on mine

Still, looks fantastic. Does it have a hop-up system? And how does it shoot? One bb at a time, or multiple?

[m102404]

Green shells shoot 3 bbs (max...I suppose you could just load 1 or 2). The blacks shoot 1.

It's a fixed hopup.

[Berkut]

Can get those Mad Bull shells, up to 6bbs.


Can use in RS as well

Me got short shotty bug bad...

[Rob]

i definitely suggest trying the madbull shells. a major bonus is that you don't need a tool to gas it up, it works exactly like a 203 shell

[MrEvolution]

Terminator Reload eh?



Yes, thats mine.

[MilanWG]

Sorry for the tread jack Tys

My even older KTW Ithaca 37 with RS Ithaca 37 wood fore-grip mod:

[notec]

OMG, I just noticed the name on my treadmill in the above pic......lol