Feasibility of making and selling high-performing projectile-shooters that look like Nerf Guns

[Fungyi]

Originally Posted by Danke

How much is it going to cost you to build each of these devices?

Assuming that i'll need a CNC router, that machine itself will cost $2000 CAD... Assuming the first prototype itself costs $1000... I dunno, $3000 CAD for start-up, around ~$300 per unit before packaging/shipping/advertising/tax? I have that money, and would be willing to spend it. But then again, I am only dreaming/designing in my head at this stage. Believe it or not, I'm actually dumb enough to think I can pull off creating a full-auto airSOFT gun (the definition seems to depend more on ammunition used) powered by a pneumatic/spring loaded, detachable "mag" that can be recharged by a pump operated by your hands. (10 shots per sec, 300-495 FPS adjustable by variable slotting/muzzle break, shoots plastic BB's or custom collaps-able "chalk" bullets) Yeah, I'll invent a pair of wings to fly while I'm at it, LOL.

No, seriously, I'm the kind of guy who's paranoid because of things like I almost got deported at the airport once because I was carrying some unused computer parts and forgot to declare it as "commercial sample"... I was actually going to make one of these and give it to my best friend's son... But I know how that can easily turn into a legal issue too, so that's why I asked about the legal aspect of this, of which none of you so far seems to be willing to go into details with.

If it makes any of you feel better, YES, I *AM* abusing substances and muttering jibberish and dancing around crazily as i am typing this! Please also feel free to assume myself to be of any age/ethnic/gender/profession group in order to facilitate the maximum amount of your reading pleasure! Thanks for all your help guys, LOL.

[surebet]

Seriously, Nerf gun + DBoys guts + patience? I have a downed Vulcan nerf gun that's just itching to get converted

[Ayashifx55]

for that amount of money, i can build a plasma rifle out of extreme high voltage capacitors .... Your just wasting your time my friend, to be honest.....Why not wait a bit and invest into a REAL GOOD airgun or airsoft gun?

[TokyoSeven]

Your best bet would be to seek actual legal consul in regards to your matter.

[yuhaoyang]

I'm beginning to be convinced that the government doesn't really KNOW what's going on with airsoft either....
Ask a legal consultant, and I think it would be better to make it out of molded plastic or composite fibers would it not?
Instead of buying a CNC mill... But hey, it doesn't sound too bad, I am certainly interested to see what may come out of this; although I would expect that buyers would demand more diversity in fantasy and themed airsoft guns.
As to the FPS change thing, if you use a standard AEG mechbox, it is already pretty easy to adjust the FPS by swapping springs, and the velocity reducer made by TM I think only works on semi-auto anyways.

For now, probably stick to finding a legal consultant, and making the body panels.

[Fungyi]

To quote Ayashifx55:

"for that amount of money, i can build a plasma rifle out of extreme high voltage capacitors .... Your just wasting your time my friend, to be honest.....Why not wait a bit and invest into a REAL GOOD airgun or airsoft gun?"

Originally Posted by Ayashifx55

for that amount of money, i can build a plasma rifle out of extreme high voltage capacitors .... Your just wasting your time my friend, to be honest.....Why not wait a bit and invest into a REAL GOOD airgun or airsoft gun?

Would such a gun look like a toy (which is actually what i WANT it to look like)? Would it be full auto? Can you easily decrease its muzzle energy? Can it shoot 400+ FPS for mutually agreed-upon "snipe" games, and be decreased to 300 and less FPS for "skirmish" games? Can the first and last shot during the life of the propellant be constant (as in the design of isolated chambers for each individual shot)? Can it do a multitude of "can-it-do-this's" that I can arbitrarily suggest as long as what I am considering may be deemed LEGAL???

I am not saying this applies to any of you, but one poster's comment regarding the gearbox reminded me of other conversations I've had... It feels to me that we are so conditioned to what we know an airsoft/airgun to be, that we automatically assume our needs are always the same, and that efficient fulfillment to ALL needs is accomplished by re-defining the need to accommodate the existing options available. I didn't even say i wanted to shoot metal pellets; yet a few already assumed that i did.

I've purchased different airsoft products from Tokyo Marui while living overseas, and I was very satisfied; no need to re-invent there! But as we teach our children that, in Canada, the toys with which we derive so much sincere, honest and gratifying fun with each other with, are actually prohibited items and the sellers with the licenses who sold them did so supposedly for movie-productions purposes (yet that's not ~really~ why they sold them/we bought them), we are really training them to be self-limiting. Who says Nerf guns aren't fun? They're just lacking in power, and is fun only for a short age-span; once the kid grows up, they'll need airsoft (which I'll be willing to pay for). I feel that there is a market for powerful, reliable, hi-tech & sexy toys that ARE toys and not prohibited items, and while I know that my friend's son will throw away the Nerf he has now, I was hoping the item I'll design for him will last a little longer out of the merit of its higher performance and durability. I will not get to seem him much longer; I wish for him to remember me--with a big, powerful gun and the reasons I created it.

So far none of you have raised any significant legal issues... I am going to assume that none has come to your minds yet? Or has my own postings distracted you all from getting to that as of yet... If that is the case, please accept my apologies, and thank you very much once again.

[TokyoSeven]

I'll be the first one to say that since I have never actually built anything from scratch that was designed to fire something and then attempt to market it, I don't know what to tell you on the subject. Hence why I suggested the legal consul, there are plenty of professionals out there who can help you dot the i's and cross the t's.

If your looking on specifics on how certain things work in an airsoft gun, I think I might be able to help with those questions.

There is a user on this forum, he goes by the name of killbucket. You may wish to use this websites search function to see if you cant find a few of the threads he has created. The man is a master craftsman when it comes to creating a custom unique airsoft guns. From what I can see he pretty much creates all of his own externals and uses basic airsoft gun internals to power them.

[Fungyi]

Originally Posted by TokyoSeven

I'll be the first one to say that since I have never actually built anything from scratch that was designed to fire something and then attempt to market it, I don't know what to tell you on the subject. Hence why I suggested the legal consul, there are plenty of professionals out there who can help you dot the i's and cross the t's.

If your looking on specifics on how certain things work in an airsoft gun, I think I might be able to help with those questions.

Thank you

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Go ahead.. waste you money on R&D for a product that no one is interested in .. nor would pay money for.

you are only about the... Oh I don't know... 100th person to come through here with a harebrained idea for a totally awesome gun that would be super amazing.

Show up with a prototype... or at least more than "wouldn't it be cool if" musings and maybe you will get more than a brushoff

If you were really serious you would have done some legal research already..asking a public forum for legal advice is like asking a 3 year old for directions... you will get something... but nothing you can trust

[pusangani]

oh man, why is this even in the newbie tank? it doesn't even concern airsoft.

buddy, alot of players have a hard time accepting clear replicas of actual firearms, what makes u think they want to play with or against people armed with nerf guns?

you'd have better luck making starwars or halo themed weapons rather than replicas of children's toys, the nerds will eat those right up and they have more money to spend than the 3 or 4 guys that think nerf airsoft guns look kool

I know we are grown men playing dressup/soldier but there are limits to what people will put up with for the sake of roleplay/entertainment

just because it fires airsoft ammunition does not make it airsoft, and yeah if you had anything solid instead of "what if" then you might get taken a little more seriously, don't talk the talk...walk the walk.

[Outcast569]

You need to think this threw a lot more.

You came to an internet board asking for legal advise on a subject that this site does not cover. If you have the cash for this please be smart about it and go find a lawyer.

Pusangani already said it, we do dress up and play soldier. But I would be willing to bet that very few people will be in the market for NERF airsoft guns. Its bad enough that we deal with the clear soft.

Atleast with that we can paint and change it up to look more realistic.

Airsoft is such a grey area right now with the law not being entirely clear on a bunch of it that I can only suggest you speak to a few lawyers to make sure they all know what they are talking about.

Good luck, I think we can all agree you'll need it.

[yuhaoyang]

I was under the assumption that he would make themed stuff like the gun from starship troopers from the beginning O.o
but yeah, nerf guns are pretty poor.... pretty poor indeed.
As for starwars guns, they're just slightly modified WWII german guns anyways, what's the point?
If you can make the 454 from hellsing for less than that discontinued plastic kit, hell, I'll probably get one.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by yuhaoyang

I was under the assumption that he would make themed stuff like the gun from starship troopers from the beginning O.o

Funny thing.....those are just built around Ruger Mini-14's.

[CDN_Stalker]

Originally Posted by AngelusNex

500 fps AND 5 joules energy Is a restricted firearm (I'm 99% certain that it's supposed to be both)
Also, have you ever built something like this before? If not good luck, your going to spend minimum 10x that of buying a few guns. and If it looks ANYTHING AT ALL like a real firearm (ie, if cops decide it kinda looks like a replica) then it's illegal to build.

It is in fact 100% over 500fps AND 5.7 Joules to be considered a firearm.

And looks like what he's picturing building doesn't look anything like any gun in existance.

[yuhaoyang]

the movie gun is a bullpup though O.o