# custom survival piston spring carbine



## pepper79 (Jul 7, 2014)

Hi, I'm new to the forum and have some questions regarding modifying an air rifle, I know topics like this are not welcome in many forums so I hope to be at the right place here and to offend nobody.

To begin with I am intending to purchase a RWS 240 classic air rifle and do various modifications on it, the level of ambition is to have an air rifle that is suitable to hunt small game and to kill or at least to repel straying dogs, the rifle should be able to be carried in a more or less medium sized civilian backback such as an Eastpak satchel for example.

My first idea was to make a folding stock, similar as this SMG has, pictures 4a & b:









The second idea is to shorten the barrel, I have read that it should be better shortened at the breech end and that if done properly it will not result in a loss of power or accuracy. I made a draft of what I have in mind, it is true to scale:



Is my approach any reasonable or is it rather useless? I could decrease the overall length from 106 to about 68 cm.

Constructing the folding stock I should be able on my own though I might have some questions reffering to that later, I would like to shorten the barrel by 7 cm. Now my questions regarding this proposal are:

Is it true, that it doesn't affect accuracy and power if properly shortened at the breech end? Do I have to go to a gunsmith or can any skilled mechanic do this, e.g. in an autoshop or a metalworking, I would prefer *not* to go to a gunsmith.

I have read that if the barrel is shortened, a heavier pellet is preferable, would this imply that such a mod is better done with a .22 air rifle rather than a .177 rifle?

Thanks in advance for any reply, I have not been possessing an air rifle or any other weapon yet and would very much appreciate any help.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. 
Sounds like you need a 22lr pistol. If you do chop an air rifle you need to have the crown or end of the barrel turned correctly. You can't simply just hack the barrel off you will lose accuracy. At least with center fire guns never thought about cutting an air rifle down.


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## pepper79 (Jul 7, 2014)

I live in middle Europe and air rifles and crossbows are the only weapons I can legally possess without license, the scenario I have in mind is not Armageddon but maybe a major blackout and/or riots so that I would like to have a weapon with which I could retreat to the woods and hunt and defend myself for about 1 - 2 weeks until public order is (hopefully) restored.

I am aware that I cannot simply hacksaw off the barrel, but should any mechanic be able to do so (at the breech end), or do I actually need to go to a gunsmith?


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

If you shorten it from the breech end, (I've never heard of such a thing), it will take some serious modification to everything on the barrel that attached to the stock itself. Everything would have to be moved forward, so the breech is moved back and mates up with the action, which is buried in your stock. 

First issue I see with shortening the barrel is you're going to lose leverage to cock the thing with. Whether it's from the muzzle or the breech, your pivot point on a break barrel will be affected. Second, shortening from the muzzle end, depending on how the barrel is constructed, I wouldn't count on shortening it at all. Most air rifles have a rifled insert in plastic, which is then inserted in an outer metal tube. You'll most likely ruin the rifled insert. Also, pellets aren't like bullets so it's very hard to just "get one that's heavier". My experience has been that there is about a 2 grain difference from a light pellet to a "heavy" pellet. Which isn't much, but it's a huge percentage gain, enough to really limit your rifles ability to get the job done. You're talking anywhere from a 25 to 30% weight gain. And some pellets, while devastating, like the Predator Extreme, aren't very accurate. 

If you want an air rifle that hits like a .22, buy a .22 air rifle. These things are engineered to perform the way they are built. I fear you'll do nothing more than ruin a perfectly good gun. If the stock was a quality wood, I guess you could cut it and attach something to it, but that's probably as far as I would go. 

If this is your first gun, and you don't know anything about them, I wouldn't get quite as ambitious as what you've got going on here. Get the air rifle you like, learn how it works, learn how to shoot it, learn how to maintain it. Learn what it's capable of, what it's not and equally, what you are and aren't capable of. Once you have some time under your belt, maybe start looking at Pre-Charged Pneumatics. They're kind of spendy, but they work really well. 

Air Rifles can be a useful tool. Don't go monkeyin' with them. If you plan on sending off roaming dogs, get a pneumatic with a rotary clip. A .25 caliber one ought to do it.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

No matter where you cut it will effect the rifles power and velocity. There are very powerful air rifles - some big enough to hunt deer and pigs. The 22 caliber air rifles can eliminate pests and even kill a man at close range with a good shot. Some (the more powerful ones) are louder than a 22 rimfire rifle. If I had a choice between an air gun and a crossbow I would choose the crossbow. It kills differently but it will kill larger animals at longer ranges than the air gun. You can learn to make bolts (arrows) for it and most have some sort of cocking aid for faster loading. I have made a crossbow and even a home made unit is devastating to any small animal you shoot. It makes less noise that an air rifle of similar power and requires less maintenance and has fewer moving parts. My home made bow would drive 18" bolts through two 16 gauge steel plates.


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## omegabrock (Jun 16, 2014)

PaulS said:


> No matter where you cut it will effect the rifles power and velocity. There are very powerful air rifles - some big enough to hunt deer and pigs. The 22 caliber air rifles can eliminate pests and even kill a man at close range with a good shot. Some (the more powerful ones) are louder than a 22 rimfire rifle. If I had a choice between an air gun and a crossbow I would choose the crossbow. It kills differently but it will kill larger animals at longer ranges than the air gun. You can learn to make bolts (arrows) for it and most have some sort of cocking aid for faster loading. I have made a crossbow and even a home made unit is devastating to any small animal you shoot. It makes less noise that an air rifle of similar power and requires less maintenance and has fewer moving parts. My home made bow would drive 18" bolts through two 16 gauge steel plates.


i know what hobby i want to take up now


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