3D Print a Paintball to Airsoft Gun Adapter

In this Instructable I will show you have you can play two action sports with just one gun! All at $5 for 5 min.

Step 1: Gather Parts and Tools

Requirements

-3D Printer

+PLA Tested

-Tippmann 98 Series Paintball gun

+98 Custom

+Project Salvo

-Tool set to open the gun

+Allen Key's -Gun Oil

-Barrel

+Outer Diameter 3.75 Max

+Inner Diameter is dependent on your material availability

-Drinking Straws

-Exacto Knife

Optional

-Set screw

-O-Rings

Step 2: 3D Printing

Simply download the .STL Files, upload them to your slicer, and print!

Use PLA to avoid shrinking and keep the tolerances as true as possible. This print took about 4 hours on a MakerBot 5th Generation at .1mm layer height.

This design does require support material as there are 90 over hangs.

In the above photo you can see the progress of testing and perfecting this design from left to right being the final.

Step 3: Fitting the Barrel

Once you have 3D Printed the Adapter and the barrel support start attaching the barrel. The Inside Diameter of the adapter is 3.75in so when choosing a barrel for you gun, choose one that does not exceed 3.75in, and trim to the length of your paintball barrel. For my case I bought a stainless steel sink faucet rod for its light weight, and rust resistance properties. This only cost $1.50 at my local Home Depot.

Once you have found a barrel, you need to secure it as it moves back and forth in a rapid motion. To do this you either have to choose between a set screw or simply gluing it.

-Set Screw

Find a set screw from you box of random parts (We all have one) and drill out a hole where the barrel fits into the adapter. Insert the barrel, and crank that set screw. Just be careful because if you tighten it too much you can flex the plastic and it will stick in the barrel. But don't make it too loose or your barrel will just shoot out.

-Gluing

Apply a small amount of glue not too much to the point were it will bleed, and insert the barrel. Easy.

Step 4: Ball Stop

To prevent the airsoft BB's from rolling out you need a way to stop them. To do this drill a small hole in the side of adapter. Then cut a straw down the side and rolled it up to fit inside the hole previously drilled. After fitting it then cut to actual length so that the straw if flush to the outside of the adapter.

I left the hole out of the printed design because again, availability of parts. Someone may have a straw of a thicker material so leaving this step to the maker is a way to make sure everyone can a adapter that truly works.

Sorry for the picture quality, but for the life of me I couldn't get my camera to focus but here you can can kinda make out what I was describing. This is a picture of the inside of the barrel where the straw is sticking through so that the ball wont roll out the barrel before it is shot.

Step 5: Inserting the Adapter

In this step all we are doing is taking apart the guns upper receiver, removing the paintball bolt and replacing it with this 3d printed airsoft bolt. Add oil to the part since it is dry and new.

At the end of your paintball barrel insert the airsoft barrel support, this is made to hold up the barrel at the end, and allow it slide easily back and forth for a consistent shot.

Step 6: Inserting the Ball Feed

The smaller 3D Printed piece is an adapter from feeding paintballs to feeding airsoft BB's. If you don't install this part you can ruin your gun! This is a must to prevent the BB's from randomly rolling onto the top of bolt. To get a tight fit you can use an O-ring for your Co2 tank or simply just wrap it in tape until it snug.

Step 7: Re Adjusting Your Velocity

The paintball gun is made to shoot a 3 Gram paintball at 280 Fps. So shooting an .15 BB at the same velocity setting will result in shooting at 700 Fps. Turn the velocity screw on the left side of your tippmann 98 clockwise untill you have reached a safe shooting Fps. And as always wear safety masks.

Step 8: Shoot!

Just go out and have fun! You have just turned you paintball gun into an airsoft gun, and with removing 5 screws, you can turn it back into a paintball gun in less than 5 min. This allows you play two action sports with just one gun, and with a paintball gun you don't have to worry about batteries, since everything is pneumatic. The standard 200 Ball hopper on a paintball gun has the ability to hold 8,000 6 mm BB's, with real kickback. Imagine suppressing the enemy team with a constant fire of popping shots.

If you liked my instructable vote for me in 3D Printing contest! I can use all the help!

If you dont like the idea of using a paintball gun for military simulation looks check out my other instructables for a 3D Printed airsoft AEG magazine to paintball gun adapter which allows you too use any magazine to feed your gun. If thats not enough check out my other instructable on 3D Printing a Quad rail for your paintball gun, a full military look.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, type a comment down below and I will answer it as soon as I can!