I've been having fun using Shred-er mags with the Vigilante, but in my shop I'm frequently hunting insects larger than flies. A little more ‘oomph’ would be fun.
Current versions: The V10 barrel and V8 cylinder are quite functional, well past alpha – see future improvements.
Future Improvements:
- Make barrel more printable/aesthetic
- Sights? Shots within 1' would be impacted by the 1" height diff… I look down the side of the barrel and adjust like a bow and arrow.
- Fine tune tolerances (I printed with .4mm and .3mm layers, so some surfaces needed the file to line up better.)
- Increase the cylinder's center pin diameter on both models. (I'm surprised I haven't broken mine yet, but I will when I drop it. I can tell.)
- Video of reloading process
- Damage comparison of OEM and my versions when fired.
- 2nd version of the final cylinder design that accepts the push in gear center of the Shred-er cylinders. That should make the gear advancement more reliable, and possibly more precise. (Yes, I own and like the SHRED-ER cartridges. I'd suggest buying theirs first and then trying this silly mod.)
Hardware/Tools:
- Crosman Vigilante CO2 BB/Pellet Pistol
- Tissue paper or similar and method to cut into discs (thick/premium paper napkin may be better; fast food napkins are too thin, but close to ideal)
- Salt and cornstarch (coarse sea salt or sea salt preferred, I mix in a little table salt and corn starch to ensure even spread of salt and prevent moisture issues)
- Elmer's washable school glue
- ½" ID diameter washer(s), ½" drill bit, and angle grinder (optional)
- Trash toothbrush to wipe salt off when reloading and to brush tissue paper and glue off when cleaning
- Screwdriver for the single screw holding on the barrel (The Stihl screwdrivers they give you with everything perfectly fit in the chamber too.)
- 3/32", 3/16", 1/8" drill bits for cleaning any strings/burrs inside cylinder (optional) [OP, update after final cylinder design]
- Total costs: $70 Crosman Vigilante $60, $1.25 salt, $1.25 corn starch, $1.25 glue, $1.25 toothbrush
Current reload process:
- Cut circles/discs to cover the front/rear of the cylinders. (I used 2x ½" ID washers and clamped ~100 folded layers of tissue paper between them, drilled a hole in the center and… uh… grinded the excess off the outside of the washer 😂 … I'm a simple man.)
- Lightly dab Elmer's glue on cylinder. Place and align tissue paper on cylinder.
- Press on flat surface and allow to dry.
- Fill chambers with salt.
- Clean back/top of cylinder. ❗ Any salt between the tissue paper and cylinder will rub and prevent smooth cylinder advancement.
- Lightly dab Elmer's glue on cylinder. Place and align tissue paper (disc if possible) on cylinder. Use a washer to align the tissue without creases on top of cylinder and then place the washer on it. Weigh down 3 cylinders at a time with a large drink. (See video.)
- After 10-15 mins make sure the washer moves, replace the washer, and allow to fully dry. Give it a good shake test. Ideally no salt is glued to the cylinder and the tissue paper is more transparent where glued to the cylinder than above each chamber.
Cleaning Process:
- Poke out any unfired rounds into the trash/sink before rinsing
- Rinse cylinders in water
- Brush off tissue paper and rinse cylinders
- Wait 1-3 mins for glue to soften and appear white, brush off the glue, and rinse cylinders
- Blow dry cylinders with compressed air (optional)
- Set on 60°C print bed for a few hours to fully dry (optional)
Firing process:
Like Shred-er mags, you need to make sure each chamber is properly centered by lightly advancing the cylinder (while it's cocked) until it stops. Double action not suggested.
❗❗ Safety ❗❗
Please use appropriate caution while using your CO2 pistol. I have no liability for how you use these files. Aiming up at corners/ceilings WILL get salt in your seeing balls, even wearing eye cups. Think before you [safety off, place your finger on the trigger, and] fire. Be careful.
Also, the “larger than table salts" shouldn't be used indoors. They leave marks on basically everything they hit within 4'. Heck, blasting this volume of any type of salt inside is probably not advisable. It's shooting ~4 pinches of salt per shot, which increases grit on hardwood floors which can lead to scratches and damages, etc.
Changed front end to accommodate a smaller, but still expanded cylinder. Stretched the standard 10 round cylinder to hold more salt. Stretched the barrel to decrease spread and increase power. Added a small cutout to reduce friction like the original barrel.