Blade Runner 2019/1911 blaster

[renegadecow]

The HWS 2019 blasters have been out of stock for as long as I can remember. End of story. I can't possibly ever hope to buy one because even if a used one pops up, it's at a crazy price. I want one so bad that I was looking at a few revolvers I could butcher and hope to fabricate the kit myself. The film itself is very old and many fictional, non-movie versions have come out by pro and amateur prop makers alike. They're all pretty much the same thing though varying only in length and grips with really cute snub nosed models so I came up with this unique idea: build it on an automatic! I'm choosing the 1911 as platform mostly because I'm familiar with the system, already have mags for it plus I like the ergonomics of the gun. Will likely use a CA 1911A1 though because of the price ($45) and just throw in upgrade parts as needed. I've already done a preliminary sketch on the right side, still have lots more to tweak into what is incorporated into the slide mostly. Right now, I'm thinking the rear most part of the bolt moves along with the slide leaving the handle and everything forward it static being attached to the frame of the gun.

 

1911 top, 2019 bottom

 

Was also thinking of replacing the stock grips into custom molded amber resin to match the original. Then top it off with a flared magwell attachment in silver. Had second thoughts about putting in two triggers, but if anyone can suggest a way to implement it and look good, go right ahead.

[bankz5152]

Nice. Just wondering is it a GBB? If so will the whole 'slide' blowback?

[renegadecow]

Just the rear part of the bolt. The safety switch of the Steyr will effectively be the slide serrations so I'm thinking of mirror imaging that on the other side. I'll be putting a shopped image of what it would look like with the slide locked back by tonight, maybe the left side rendition too.

[DesertFoxRomel]

How about a cheap NBB gun for the base? Would be easier to make an exterior for it.

[spetsnazdave87]

I love the film so can't wait to see you work your magic on this

[paranoiddroid]

very cut down vsr for the bolt action bit and run a second trigger that way? or would that not work.

[Foden_357]

Cool project - I'm a massive fan of the film, truly epic...

 

Though, isn't the LAPD 2019 Blaster based off a revolver? Here, take a look:

 

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Blade_Runner#LAPD_2019_blaster

[judgeman]

 

Yarp.

[Four Leaf]

I always intended to buy this then fit parts into it where possible. I'm sure you could do the job :

 

http://www.frontiermodels.com/Bladerunner-PDK-PISTOL-Prop-Resin-Model-Hobby-Kit-p-17200.html

[renegadecow]

I only have the directors cut in which they never showed Deckard actually reload the gun. In concept, it's supposed to use the magazine/energy pack forward the trigger. As for the second trigger, they never showed it being used either, but theory is it fires through the same barrel (only has one barrel) but with a stronger shot being an energy based weapon. For the real world movie prop, is was a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 5-shot revolver with Steyr parts added on. The airsoft replica by HWS used a Tanaka M36 .38spl 5-shot revolver. In both versions the second trigger doesn't do anything.

Don't want to use an NBB as base as otherwise I'd stick with a revolver and make a near exact replica. Sticking a VSR bolt won't do either because half the bolt meshes into the barrel of the gun. I'm thinking of making more aesthetic changes as well, just so it won't look like I just slapped on the kit on a 1911 and make it look more built for it. About those resin kits, they're a bit too fragile for skirmishes. They're pretty much like Poseidon garage kits: good to look at but don't ever let a bb hit it.

 

edit:

Here's what I imagine it would look like with the slide locked back, amber grips (no mag so light goes through the hole in the frame) and extended magwell.

[Retro-Cow]

I don't know, with your skills I bet you could fabricate a pretty sweet looking grip for it too.

Instead of a VSR I'd look into the Double Eagle M50/UTG M324 it's the cheaper option to Maruzen's APS-2 at the cost of sacrificing some detail.

[Mike_West]

Hmm, how about wraparound grips and adding the handle to the moving part of the slide instead?

[Four Leaf]

I read loads in this kind of project about 7 months ago, trying to find all the threads I had. I remember reading a thread somewhere of a guy that made one with both triggers working, one for the bolt action and one for the revolver.

 

If I find them again I'll post them up.

[renegadecow]

Hmm, how about wraparound grips and adding the handle to the moving part of the slide instead?

Doubt I could make the wraparound in amber resin too, but there's American Legend grips. I'll have to shrink the bolt handle a bit more to clear the grips, will try it out on the next render.

 

both triggers working, one for the bolt action and one for the revolver.

I remember seeing a build where the bolt works, might be the same one. But was it a firing model or just a prop?

 

Oh, and I don't think I'll be chopping up any bolt action for it. Likely to just fabricate the parts myself out of PVC.

[Mike_West]

Doubt I could make the wraparound in amber resin too, but there's American Legend grips.

See Army MEU grips or KJW M9 "wraparound" grips - the former consist of three parts (both sides and front), the latter of two with finger groove part split in the middle. It won't be the prettiest, but it's possible.

[Shardik]

This will be epic! Good luck with the build.

[renegadecow]

Thanks!

Hows this now: bolt handle shrunk down to move with slide and american legend grips?

[Foden_357]

Very nice - having owned a set of real 'steel' Pachmayr American Legend grips (surprisingly difficult to acquire in the UK) I fully recommend this course of action. They are the most comfortable grips - IN THE WORLD!

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this goes - keep us up to date...

 

PS: I might recommend giving these a look:

 

http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=71_72&products_id=307

 

That is all!

[bankz5152]

Those grips Foden listed look exellent, better suited than the AmLeg grips.

[renegadecow]

If they're split in half like the m9 grips Mike_West described, I think I could make them myself. But that's in wood. You guys think wood is better than having it cast in amber resin? How about laminate wood so it would have all those squiggly lines.

[bankz5152]

Well cast Amber is obviously going to be the best, but out of the two between AmLeg and the wood grips, id go wood.

[my_plague_666]

cool idea. i reckon a very neat touch is if you kept the cocking handle the original size and make it move independant to the slide, so you can use it to rack the slide but it won't move when fired.

[renegadecow]

That's a pretty good idea, though I'm having trouble scratching my brain around it. To make the bolt handle a non-reciprocating charging handle (rotating or not) it would need to be attached to a bolt hooked to the front of the slide and have its own spring.

[my_plague_666]

surely you could just have the charging handle as a rod in a tude mounted in the husk of the slide. as for the return method why not use a bit of heavy elastic to pull it back into place.

it's kinda hard to put my thought into words, but do you more or less see what i mean?

[DFM56]

You could build the housing independent of the slide (maybe attached to the grips?) and have the charging handle pull the slide from the back of the ejection port so it wouldn't reciprocate.