Quick blaster pistol prop

[CZ3RO]

I made this for my wife's Mara Jade for May 4th celebrations.  It's just a Nintendo zapper I painted up.  I used matte black spray paint on the main body, gloss black spray  on the upper 'slide' section and some silver paint dry brushing to give it a worn metallic feel.  I think I went a bit too crazy on the wear effect, but it still turned out pretty good.  It was very last minute, so I still plan to add some greebles to make it more Star Warsy.

I also made a quick holster by folding and glue-gunning a piece of vinyl with some slits for a belt - pics of that to follow.









...and then she never drew it once, I don't think anyone saw it all night; but at least I knew it was at her side. 

[Jabari]

That's quite good.  Add some greeblies and fill in some of the screw holes, and that's a fantastic idea for a blaster!

[Oramac]

I envy you.  That's actually really well done.  The weathering looks fine to me, though I agree it could use a smidge more "stuff" on it.  Not a lot, but a bit here and there would definitely do the trick, I think.

[chicago.jedi]

I envy you.  That's actually really well done.  The weathering looks fine to me, though I agree it could use a smidge more "stuff" on it.  Not a lot, but a bit here and there would definitely do the trick, I think.

I agree. The idea is great and I like the weathering. It is enough that you can actually see it but not too much. A few little touches of greeblies would look cool but I would not over do it. If you look close at the guns used in the movies, they are really not modified that much. In some cases, the actors are carrying unmodified WWII guns. We have come to see these guns as THE Star Wars guns and not their real world counterparts.

A couple little details added and have her carry it in full costume and you will not even see the Nintendo gun anymore.

Well done.

[CZ3RO]

Thanks thanks thanks!   

[BenPass]

Looks great! If I can make an additional suggestion though, I'd do a bit more sanding on the grip section. Now, you don't need to take the suggestion, but it's what I'm doing on my blaster build, and if you do it on both sides (more heavily on the palm side) it'll look like it's been used for a very long time.

[Rina Ascura]

A good idea of a blaster. However, I'm more inclined to use a classic approach: take a WWII gun prop and mod it. For example, the DL-44 blaster pistol is actually Mauser C-96; props of this pistol are pretty easy to come by in my country, cause Mauser is so culturally significant for us since the 1917-1922 Civil War. I own one prop Mauser, and am in the process of making it into a DL-44.

[CZ3RO]

Agreed, and love the upgraded WWII era stuff - but there's plenty variety, some "upgraded vintage" and some purely sci-fi.  With a few extra doodads I think the Nintendo zapper fits right in.  Also, it can be tough to find classic model toy guns in Canada that aren't scaled down to kiddie size.


(Click to make huge)

Here's my other Nintendo iteration that my Sith character wields:

[CZ3RO]

Looks great! If I can make an additional suggestion though, I'd do a bit more sanding on the grip section. Now, you don't need to take the suggestion, but it's what I'm doing on my blaster build, and if you do it on both sides (more heavily on the palm side) it'll look like it's been used for a very long time.

Sanding would bring out the bright safety orange I worked so hard to cover in black!    ...but I knew what you meant. 



I thought of dry-brushing more silver onto the grip, but didn't want it to look too old.  I figure when it comes to Imperials, they can requisition new equipment when their kit gets worn out (unless they have an old reliable favourite of course).

[chicago.jedi]

A good idea of a blaster. However, I'm more inclined to use a classic approach: take a WWII gun prop and mod it. For example, the DL-44 blaster pistol is actually Mauser C-96; props of this pistol are pretty easy to come by in my country, cause Mauser is so culturally significant for us since the 1917-1922 Civil War. I own one prop Mauser, and am in the process of making it into a DL-44.

     Not to start an argument or pirate a thread, but I love the Nintendo Zapper modification. The WWII guns were used in the movies but personally, I think they are done to death. There are only about 4 or 5 different real guns that got any kind of screen time in the movies and they seem to be what most people try to recreate... then it seems like those are the only guns in the entire universe. My hat is off to anyone who comes up with something different. It is not an easy thing to pull off because we, as fans, are sooooo used to seeing Mausers and Sterlings that those become the only things we accept as Star Wars blasters. To come up with a different base and actually make it look correct is harder than it looks.
     I love the blaster you have created, CZ3RO, and I love the other one you posted, too. Both look Star Wars, yet original. You should be proud.

[BenPass]

Sanding would bring out the bright safety orange I worked so hard to cover in black!    ...but I knew what you meant. 



I thought of dry-brushing more silver onto the grip, but didn't want it to look too old.  I figure when it comes to Imperials, they can requisition new equipment when their kit gets worn out (unless they have an old reliable favourite of course).

Ah, very good points there! I didn't realize that you had used an orange one. I seem to remember there being a grey one, and I thought that might have been your base. Anyway, it definitely looks good!

[Rina Ascura]

      then it seems like those are the only guns in the entire universe. My hat is off to anyone who comes up with something different.

Maybe you are right. After all, this Nintendo gun looks kinda like a Westar.

[CZ3RO]

There are only about 4 or 5 different real guns that got any kind of screen time in the movies and they seem to be what most people try to recreate... then it seems like those are the only guns in the entire universe.

When I decided I wanted a blaster for my costume I had originally settled on a biker scout pistol so it would be something recognizable from the films, but it's like you say CJ, then I'd have "the biker scout pistol".  I see lots of costumes and think, "Oh, she's got Han's gun".

Although another weird side-effect is that I've looked at so many toy guns for potential prop-making that now I see people in costume and say, "Oh, he's using the Nerf Maverick".   

The beauty of Star Wars is that the universe is so big (and so old), you can pretty much take anything and everything and make work (except zippers and shoelaces of course, those are taboo!). 

[Rina Ascura]

(except zippers and shoelaces of course, those are taboo!). 

Unless we see someone decked out in a zipperiffic jacket and laced combat boots in Episode VII.

[Oramac]

Reading this thread and thinking about the awesome, but overused, WWII era guns kinda makes me want to modify my AR15 into a costume prop too.  Sadly, I don't think convention officials would appreciate the effort. 

Besides, I don't have a character/costume that uses a gun anyway.  Oh well.