SIMULATED FIREARMS TRAINING LASER

by VentingIntrovert (/member/VentingIntrovert/) Follow

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Just Utensils

Having been involved in competitive shooting, I had been well

acquainted with the costs and difficulty of supporting this
hobby, and most importantly maintaining my marksmanship.
Being a college student near convocation, the limited supply
of ammunition, hence a steady increase in price isn’t exactly
what I was looking forward to. This is the reason why I have
created this Instructable.    
  
This Instructable is a step by step tutorial on how to create
your very own Simulated Firearms Training Laser. It is a laser
incorporated into the bore of a replicated barrel. It is
activated by your firearms’ firing pin, which momentarily
Downloadthe laser to project a simulated shot onto a wall.
activates
 With this device, I can practice in a dry fire environment,
speeding up my draws from the holster, tactical reloads and
long distance target acquisition. Anyhow, enough chit chat for
now and let’s get started.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3KmF5CAw6w

MVI_4959.MOV
https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FEC/G5IZ/GMFESE8R/FECG5IZGMFESE8R.mov)
(https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FEC
/G5IZ/GMFESE8R/FECG5IZGMFESE8R.mov)

 Tip V Question | Comment

Step 1: Safety & Liability

WHEN HANDLING LASERS, DO NOT POINT DIRECTLY INTO

EYES! CLASS IIIA LASER (former)

USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN DEALING WITH FIREARMS!

- Assume every firearm is loaded
- Control the muzzle direction at all times
Download
- Trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and out of the
trigger guard
- See that the firearm is unloaded – Prove it safe

WHEN DEALING WITH FIREARMS, MAKE SURE YOU CLEAR

YOUR FIREARM SAFELY!
- Point the firearms in the safest available direction
- Remove all ammunition
- Observe the chamber
- Verify the feeding path
- Examine the bored

DISCLAIMER:
By reading the steps of this instructable, the reader will use
diligence in exercising safe firearms handling. The author of
this instructable will not be liable for any injury and/or death
incurred whether negligent or not as a result of this
Instructable.

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 Step 2: Step Two: Gathering the Materials

Parts that you will definitely need include:

Electrical Components
- Barrel from a Firearm
- Empty Casing with matching calibre (primer removed)
- Red Laser Diode (SKU 46386 – DealExtreme)
- 11 mm Clicky Switch (SKU 5588 – DealExtreme)
- Button Cell Batteries LR44
- Battery Contact Spring

Hardware Components
- ½ Inch Outer Diameter Brass Pipe
- Pipe Cutter
- ½ Inch Rubber Washers
- ½ Inch Nylon Washer
- J-B Kwik Weld Compound
- Blue Heat Shrink
- Discarded Gift Cards
- Rubber Soles (furniture feet)

Specialty
DownloadItems
- Alumilite Mini Casting Kit (from hobby shop)
- Alumilite Blue Dye

Tools & Equipment (you may need)

- Craft Knife
- Transparent Tape
- Motor Oil
- Small Paint Brush
- Electronic Scale
- Elastics
- Drill (with drill bits)
- Sandpaper
- Bolts with washers and nut
- Wires, Solder and Soldering Iron
- Ruler
- Syringe
- Leather Hole Punch
- Laser Pointer
- Vice
- Soldering Stand
- Scissors
- Pen Tube

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Step 3: Step Three: Moulding the Barrel

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A. Using your discarded gift cards, measure and create a
container to mould your barrel
B. Cut an opening the size of your barrel with your craft knife
(heat over flame to ease process)
C. Tape over the lip of your cartridge casing 
D. Align the casing nicely and place it into the bore of the
barrel and oil the components
E. Next, place the barrel into the moulding container
F. Add putty around the cracks avoid any leaks
G. Using the Mini Casting Kit, prepare the proper quantity of
latex to catalyst (follow instructions provided by
manufacturer)
H.  Pour this moulding compound until half of your barrel is
covered, sit and let cure (as per manufacturer’s instructions)
I. Brush on another layer of oil to ease the release of your two
part mould
J. Add reinforcing tape along the sides if needed, and pour
another batch of moulding compound to submerge the barrel
K. Once the moulding compound has cured, remove the mould
container carefully
L. Squeeze the mould and carefully remove the two piece
mould
M. Download
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in prepping your
mould for casting, place the two piece mould together and
bond them together with an elastic

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Step 4: Step Four: Casting the Chamber

A. Pour and measure equal amounts of the plastic resins (as

perDownload
manufacturer’s instructions)
B. Add a drop of the blue dye to solution A of the plastic resin
C. Mix all the parts and pour it slowly into the latex mould
D. Once cured (as per manufacturer’s instructions), remove
the elastics and carefully extracted the cast
E. Using your craft knife, carefully remove any excess plastic
surrounding your cast

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Step 5: Step Five: Constructing the Chamber &

Barrel

A. Carefully drill a ½ inch hole into the barrel end of the

chamber (do not go all the way through)
B. Drill another primer sized hole into the primer pocket
C. Drill a couple holes congruent to the dimensions of your
clicky switch
D. Take apart the clickly switch, carefully retaining all the
parts
E. Trim off the excess plastic on the pink component, to turn
Download
the clicky switch into a momentary switch
F. Reassemble your switch and bend the contacts to fit the
brass pipe (1/2 inch O.D.)
G. Insert your brass pipe into the opening of the chamber
H. Measure, mark, and cut your pipe to the dimensions of the
real barrel with the pipe cutter
I. Extract equal parts of the J-B Kwik Weld compound and
hardener
J. Mix and place some on the body of the momentary switch
(do not put on the contacts or any moving parts)
K. Insert the switch and brass pipe into the chamber, tape,
use elastics to hold everything in place, and let the epoxy cure
(as per manufacturer’s instructions) 

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Step 6: Step Six: Constructing the Laser

A. Attach the nylon washer onto a bolt sandwiched between

two metal washers, and secure with the nut
B. Place this jig into a drill and sand the nylon washer while it
Download
is spinning
C. Remove the nylon washers and see if it fits inside
D. Removing the original wires for the laser diode and solder
on two new ones
E. Solder a battery contact spring to the negative end of the
laser diode, and a metal wire to the positive end
F. Insert the contact spring into the opening of the nylon
washer, tape the open end of the nylon washer, and trim off
any excess
G. Measure the space required to fit the switch, three button
batteries, and contact spring
H. Using that measuring, cut a piece of tape accordingly and
place into in the battery compartment of the brass pipe (this
prevents short circuiting the laser diode)
I. Insert the nylon washer with the contact spring through the
other end of the brass pipe
J. Mix up some more plastic resin, and using the syringe, set
the nylon washer and contact spring in permanently
K. Add some transparent tape to the end of the brass pipe to
be inserted into the chamber (this makes a secure fit without
glue, threads, or screws)
L. On the laser end of the brass pipe, using a craft knife, trim
the rubber washer so it fits inside the brass pipe, and insert it
inside

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Step 7: Step Seven: Putting It All Together

Download
A. Wrap some paper around the brass pipe, hold it together
with the blue heat shrink and see if it fits the slide of the
firearm
B. Marking and drill a notch into the casing of the chamber
(this bypasses the extractor)
C. Using the leather hole punch, punch a hole into a rubber
sole and insert it into the primer pocket
D. Test to see if the laser works by pressing a pen against the
rubber sole in the primer pocket
E. CLEAR YOUR FIREARM
F. Select a safe direction and dry fire by pulling the trigger and
making sure the laser activates

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Step 8: Step Seven: Calibrating the Laser

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A. Set up the rig by wrapping a laser pointing in a piece of
paper and placing it into the soldering stand with alligator
clips (the laser should remain on)
B. Using a vice, clamp your firearm into the vice using a soft
cloth
C. Align your laser pointer so that it illuminates the rear sight,
the front sight, and the target
D. Find a pen tube (BiC Clic Stick med.) that fits snugly over
the laser diode
E. Fill the opening of the barrel with hot glue, and adjust the
laser to match the laser pointer (make them intersect at 10
meters using a wall)
F. Hold the laser diode into position until the hot glue cures
G. Once the hot glue cured, remove the blue heat shrink and
replace with a permanent heat shrink but according to the
length of the barrel
H. Trim of the excess heat shrink and cover the end with a
rubber washer
I. The SIMULATED FIREARMS TRAINING LASER is complete!!!

Demonstration:
This is a video demonstration of the completed device...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3KmF5CAw6w
Download
 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3KmF5CAw6w)

MVI_4959.MOV
https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FEC/G5IZ/GMFESE8R/FECG5IZGMFESE8R.mov)
(https://cdn.instructables.com/ORIG/FEC
/G5IZ/GMFESE8R/FECG5IZGMFESE8R.mov)

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 12 Comments

joejusticeza (/member/joejusticeza/) 2 years ago

(/member/joejusticeza/)
The whole moulding process could be eliminated by taking
the barrel to a 3D scan / print shop and having it scanned
and 3d printed. That way would e tons more accurate,
probably cheaper and way faster?

Reply

X XaqFixx (/member/XaqFixx/) 3 years ago

8 (/member/XaqFixx/)
| This is great!

Reply

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 Quin5 (/member/Quin5/) 3 years ago
(/member/Quin5/)
I'm looking to purchase a lazertag system to start a
lazertag business,
would you be able to produce or lead me to the guns and
equipment I need
that would be safe and certifiable, that would be a cheaper
option than
the $600 and up/gun price range that I've seen advertised
by the lazertag
manufacturers? email if so at ulrichinvesting@gmail.com

Reply

VentingIntrovert (author) 3 years ago in reply to

8 (/member/VentingIntrovert/)
Quin5 (/member/Quin5/)

I don't have any contacts for lasertag manufactures. I

however don't disagree that they are expensive as with
any commercial related products. A suggestion however is
to try airsoft. In my city, we have basically two lasertag
businesses. One is doing very well due to the fact that
they have an amazing facility along with amazing
equipment. The second business is struggling and so they
have decided to participate in the airsoft business to
generate there main source of income. Lasertag I find is
more of an investment, you purchase the equipment and
the ticket sales will eventually pay off the initial
investment. Airsoft on the other hand is much more
dynamic like a free market. Airsofters are a smaller group
from the community who collect airsoft guns and pours a
lot of money in the sport. They will purchase and collect
guns, consumables (batteries, ammo, gas) to operate
these guns, accessories such as duty gear which all
together can costs thousands easily. If you can get
involved in the airsoft business without much competition,
you could make a lot more money. Depending on where
Downloadyou live, Canada for example, people will pay on average
 $300 for a high quality airsoft gun because it is realistic
and in very limited supply.

Reply

Jai Burlingham (/member/Jai+Burlingham/) 4 years ago

8 (/member/Jai+Burlingham/)
Wouldn't it be much better to buy an airsoft gun? I know a
lot of other competitive real steel shooters / militaries etc
use them for training purposes. Get a good replica and it
should replicate the gun perfectly in every way expect for
recoil. You only need to pay for gas and pellets of course
but it isn't that expensive, plus you could also take part in
the airsoft IPSC. You don't have to rack the slide back
inbetween shots etc.

Reply

VentingIntrovert (author) 3 years ago in reply to Jai

8 (/member/VentingIntrovert/)
Burlingham (/member/Jai Burlingham/)

I do currently possess an airsoft gun and am in the

process of converting it to a simulated firearm. The reason
being is that airsoft guns do not have a 5.5 lb trigger pull.
This trigger weight is crucial in training for marksmanship.
In my experience, I find that training with the proper
trigger weight is more important than proper recoil.

Reply

MACKattacksnipe (/member/MACKattacksnipe/) 4 years ago

| (/member/MACKattacksnipe/)
does the trigger auto reset with each pull i have a gen 3
17 and was looking at these online the barrell is 120$
from glock so i was thinking of 3d printing the chamber
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 Reply

VentingIntrovert (author) 4 years ago in reply to

8 (/member/VentingIntrovert/)
MACKattacksnipe (/member/MACKattacksnipe/)

Unfortunately, they do not auto reset.

Reply

mduvall3 (/member/mduvall3/) 4 years ago

(/member/mduvall3/)
I'd pay you to make one for me.

Reply

VentingIntrovert (author) 4 years ago in reply to

8 (/member/VentingIntrovert/)
mduvall3 (/member/mduvall3/)

It doesn't work that great. You have to rack the slide after
every shot. I'm currently working on something even
better. Give me a couple months and i'll keep you posted.

Reply

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