Introduction: The Kinetic Slingshotgun (KIC1 Entry)
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About: Sometimes it takes a man to push beyond what he thinks is possible before he realizes that possibility is a mere conception of the mind. Once that barrier is broken, the mind is no longer a hindrance, but his…
Greetings fellow iblers!
What I have today is something that I have been hard at work on for the past week and a half: the Kinetic Slingshotgun. Based on Oblivitus' 38F23 concept (seriously man, can you explain your naming process to me?), this gun is capable of launching whatever you can fit in the loading tray at a pretty good velocity. Now, while I will hand over credit to Oblivitus for the "box-firing" concept, this particular gun has a couple other impressive innovations that I would like to point out.
First and most important of all, it includes a near-perfect version of my "rail-guided pump", which has been seen before on the K-4. Now, what makes this pump such a big deal, is the fact that the guiding system requires very little space and thus will not interfere with other, more important mechanisms in a gun. Though not completely necessary for this particular gun to function, I feel that it will play a big part in future pump-actions that will require more complex mechanisms to function.
The second thing I want to point out is the trigger mechanism. While the directional energy transfers int the sliding trigger may be cool, what is even cooler is the fact that part of the trigger mechanism is actually built into the "box" itself. This doesn't mean that you pull back the box and the trigger catches it, it means that there is actually a moving part in the box that allows the trigger to function. There is a pin in the back of the box that, when pulled back, interacts with a ramp (another directional energy transfer), pushing it up, and thus blocking the box from moving forward. The trigger is, in essence, a hammer that pushes down is pin and sends the box (and ammo) flying on its way. I feel that this is a good example of how triggers can be more than just a connector that blocks the barrel, and it could play a role in future rail system rifles.
Oh yeah, and there aren't any broken pieces used in this gun.
Yet, despite the cool looks, innovative functions, and hours I spent on it, this gun is not without flaws:
-Because of the nature of the concept, it was very hard to design a mechanism that would lock loaded ammo in place, preventing it from falling out the barrel. You have to be very careful when carrying around this gun with ammo in the tray not to tip it.
-Due to the weight required to make a solid, structurally sound rail, there is an annoying amount of friction acting between the rail and the box, reducing efficiency.
-Finally, because of my inability to plan ahead, the pin in the box is pushed up instead of down, causing most of the pressure to be concentrated on the weaker part of the box. Simply rearranging the ramp and the trigger would solve this, but that would just be a pain in the butt, so I might get around to it, or might not xD.
So, as you might have guessed, this is my entry for TD and Oblivitus' "K'nex Innovators' Contest: Round One". Despite its flaws, I am happy to say that I am very proud of the gun, and I think that will be a crucial building block for future pump actions.
What I have today is something that I have been hard at work on for the past week and a half: the Kinetic Slingshotgun. Based on Oblivitus' 38F23 concept (seriously man, can you explain your naming process to me?), this gun is capable of launching whatever you can fit in the loading tray at a pretty good velocity. Now, while I will hand over credit to Oblivitus for the "box-firing" concept, this particular gun has a couple other impressive innovations that I would like to point out.
First and most important of all, it includes a near-perfect version of my "rail-guided pump", which has been seen before on the K-4. Now, what makes this pump such a big deal, is the fact that the guiding system requires very little space and thus will not interfere with other, more important mechanisms in a gun. Though not completely necessary for this particular gun to function, I feel that it will play a big part in future pump-actions that will require more complex mechanisms to function.
The second thing I want to point out is the trigger mechanism. While the directional energy transfers int the sliding trigger may be cool, what is even cooler is the fact that part of the trigger mechanism is actually built into the "box" itself. This doesn't mean that you pull back the box and the trigger catches it, it means that there is actually a moving part in the box that allows the trigger to function. There is a pin in the back of the box that, when pulled back, interacts with a ramp (another directional energy transfer), pushing it up, and thus blocking the box from moving forward. The trigger is, in essence, a hammer that pushes down is pin and sends the box (and ammo) flying on its way. I feel that this is a good example of how triggers can be more than just a connector that blocks the barrel, and it could play a role in future rail system rifles.
Oh yeah, and there aren't any broken pieces used in this gun.
Yet, despite the cool looks, innovative functions, and hours I spent on it, this gun is not without flaws:
-Because of the nature of the concept, it was very hard to design a mechanism that would lock loaded ammo in place, preventing it from falling out the barrel. You have to be very careful when carrying around this gun with ammo in the tray not to tip it.
-Due to the weight required to make a solid, structurally sound rail, there is an annoying amount of friction acting between the rail and the box, reducing efficiency.
-Finally, because of my inability to plan ahead, the pin in the box is pushed up instead of down, causing most of the pressure to be concentrated on the weaker part of the box. Simply rearranging the ramp and the trigger would solve this, but that would just be a pain in the butt, so I might get around to it, or might not xD.
So, as you might have guessed, this is my entry for TD and Oblivitus' "K'nex Innovators' Contest: Round One". Despite its flaws, I am happy to say that I am very proud of the gun, and I think that will be a crucial building block for future pump actions.