[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Let’s make an AER9 Laser Rifle clone from the Fallout Game (4th PSA Space Force Lower Build) (Page 2 of 5)
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I will need to tie in the PSA theme lower with some portion of the game, does not need to be absolute game specific. But I will include some of the themed stuff from the spaceforce series I have built (mainly the flag, or variation of it). Helping to tie a lot of things together from the entire Fallout series, and the SpaceForce themed stuff may help with an all-encompassing overall design. - I think I am going with the FALLOUT LASER RIFLE for this build; it seems very recognizable both inside and outside of game circles. - I’m also thinking the BOS may work well; they used the laser rifle in Fallout 4. -No direct reference to the Mothership Zeta DLC, but maybe a flag mod to tie the two themes together (fallout and PSA lower). To “Space Walk” in Mothership Zeta a spacesuit must be worn (Fallout 3). Vague, but may work for the SpaceWalker lower. Might include the United States Space Administration logo somewhere on the rifle. Also, I ordered a game controller for my PC, the game seems "off" using a keyboard. |
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Quoted: Thank you very much. I figured all of the games were in the same view. Also didn't realize the first one was released in 97, thought they were newer than that. Wiki should have been my first visit. I went ahead and picked up 1-3, price can't be beat. Quoted: Quoted: The first two games are late 90's top-down, turn based games. Both are cheap and easy to run on non-gaming machines, and I imagine wouldn't cause issues with motion sickness due to the perspective. Thank you very much. I figured all of the games were in the same view. Also didn't realize the first one was released in 97, thought they were newer than that. Wiki should have been my first visit. I went ahead and picked up 1-3, price can't be beat. 3 is my favorite. |
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Quoted: One day I may make an All American, you can probably get 99% there with over the counter parts. https://i.imgur.com/GLWlo2v.png That's actually pretty sharp looking and practical. This build hopes for good looking. Practical, not so much. I've decided on the basic model Laser Rifle. As that rifle does not have a buffer tube, I ordered a 10" BRN-180 300BLK upper. Pricey, but it will allow me the freedom to build what I want. If my plans work out, I may have to SBR the lower to allow for a rifle stock as a grip attachment. |
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Quoted: That's actually pretty sharp looking and practical. This build hopes for good looking. Practical, not so much. I've decided on the basic model Laser Rifle. As that rifle does not have a buffer tube, I ordered a 10" BRN-180 300BLK upper. Pricey, but it will allow me the freedom to build what I want. If my plans work out, I may have to SBR the lower to allow for a rifle stock as a grip attachment. Quoted: Quoted: One day I may make an All American, you can probably get 99% there with over the counter parts. https://i.imgur.com/GLWlo2v.png That's actually pretty sharp looking and practical. This build hopes for good looking. Practical, not so much. I've decided on the basic model Laser Rifle. As that rifle does not have a buffer tube, I ordered a 10" BRN-180 300BLK upper. Pricey, but it will allow me the freedom to build what I want. If my plans work out, I may have to SBR the lower to allow for a rifle stock as a grip attachment. Can't wait to see it.  |
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BRN-180 DISASSEMBLY & LOCTITE BRN-180 came in, these things are built like tanks, solid. PWS makes these for Brownell's. Sorta wish I new that before disassembly, those guys love their locktite. Snapped a bolt stripping things down. My fault rushing. Attached File Drilled through, would not "easy out" had to drill up in size and get it out in bits. Attached File Screws are much softer than the barrel block, a good thing. Re-tapped/ chased block threads and GTG. I'll be switching those screws out with SS. They might be stainless, but they are the only parts on the upper that seemed out of place. Felt light, sorta like import PC screws. Attached File Before I started my design I reached out to Brownell's with a few tech questions. I got a firearms tech that help with what he could, but he strongly suggested contacting PWS. Emailed with a list of questions for PWS, they responded quickly and answered every question I had. Top notch CS. Disassembled. Lots of heavy oil, also if it had threads, they Locktite all the things. Attached File I plan to draw up some outline art, maybe a digital image to post up. I think the first step in this project will be making a replacement barrel nut/block, for the rail. |
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Quoted: Disassembled. Lots of heavy oil, also if it had threads, they Locktite all the things. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/240952/AER9_4a_jpg-2037579.JPG I wish the 5.56 BRN180 had the short gas system. I was wanting to do a bufferless 10.5" with a reflex for a nice compact and viable package. |
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Quoted: What stock is on the USSF rifle? Which one? All of my Space-force theme builds have the USSF flag engraved on the opposite side of the roll-marked magwell. Edited for info: The SPACEFORCE-15 is a custom stock. The SPACEROVER-15 is a HERA Arms stock, looks neat, but honestly not that solid of a stock compared to Magpul. The SPACECANNON-10 is the new MFT Minimalist Aluminum stock. Pricey, lighter than expected, worked well for that build as I could polish things out. Not sure I like it any better than the polymer MFT for the dough, probably stronger though. |
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Quoted: Which one? All of my Space-force theme builds have the USSF flag engraved on the opposite side of the roll-marked magwell. Edited for info: The SPACEFORCE-15 is a custom stock. The SPACEROVER-15 is a HERA Arms stock, looks neat, but honestly not that solid of a stock compared to Magpul. The SPACECANNON-10 is the new MFT Minimalist Aluminum stock. Pricey, lighter than expected, worked well for that build as I could polish things out. Not sure I like it any better than the polymer MFT for the dough, probably stronger though. Its the Hera. I guess you removed the container or whatever in the middle. If building a space rifle, its form over function.  Is it A1 length? I like the HRS light. There used to be a thread on space themed builds here. I think it fell into the archives. |
 Wazer Wifle! Open Minded (Official Video) FALLOUT RAP! |
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Quoted: CANTO makes a fine broomhandle https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/3097/B1D9C8D1-4264-405B-9DBC-FEB7141685DB-2001238.jpg https://cantoarms.com/product/ar-15-mercenary-broomhandle-han-solo-walnut-grip/ |
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DESIGN MOCK-UP AND RAIL BLOCK Well, time to get started. I took some images from the web, including a few 3D pics and worked them up in Corel to see how the finished product might look. Top rifle pic is the original Laser Rifle from Fallout 3-4, bottom pick is the hybrid measured out to work with an AR-15 lower and the BRN-180 upper. I will need to add some form of venting slots in the rail, the BRN-180's are short stroke piston systems, those are known for getting warm. You will notice the "energy canister" has been moved higher in the mock up, I plan to incorporate an optic here if possible.  To make sure I can actually build the rifle, I started with the rail mount block. These are unique to the BRN-180 and a smart design, only one screw supports the entire rail (rock solid), which mount to the underside of the barrel directly. Not the easiest to duplicate however (didn't help my larger bits are old and worn out).  The original rail mounts to the BRN-10 with eight screws, I plan on doing similar, but with a square mount verses an octagon. I shortened the mount length in order to make sure I have as much room to vent the tube as possible. Sort of a tube-over-tube layout, not sure if it will work or not, but I can always change things out if needed. This at least provides a solid shoulder for the front tube to rest against. The BRN-180 upper is pretty heavy on its own, I will use mostly aluminum 6061 for the build, lightening as many areas as I can can by removing non-structural material.  |
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Quoted: I can already tell this thread is gonna be epic.  Did you happen to do build threads on any of the projects you posted in the OP? Most of the builds have pics posted in the "Palmetto State Armory has lost another customer" thread. That is the thread that started all of the meme lower from PSA. Long read though, over 600+ pages now. It only lasted five pages before I forgot to post and it went to archive, but I did one on the SPACEFORCE-15 (gotta get to page 2-3 I think) here. Also a short one on the Red Ry-AR Lever gun (which got a lot of heat because I have issues with thinking outside of the box) Here. I think this one if the first start to finish with images in progress. |
I'd just buy the rifle used by master chief in Halo.  MA5C The Standard UNSC Rifle |
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Quoted: I'd just buy the rifle used by master chief in Halo.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FriD1RYXHQ4Given the design or the BRN-180, that would actually be a far easier build! |
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Fwiw, there's several different barrel designs on the laser rifle. One of the others might be easier to design around. What you have already still looks pretty badass though. Also, a little disappointed you won't be figuring out miniaturized fusion power so as to include actual fusion cells (the little yellow energy source you'll be turning into an optic housing). Sniper barrel, with scope  Automatic barrel 
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Quoted: I'd just buy the rifle used by master chief in Halo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FriD1RYXHQ4For a second, I almost got jealous. Until I realized he was using a prop, and the weapon was non-functional. My favorite part is him talking about how horrible the absence of a flash hider is, but they don't bother to add any digital flash to the video. |
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FRONT RAIL AND BARREL SHROUD Over the weekend I started mocking up the rail. Got the inside of the front barrel shroud/ block machined and roughed. Getting some chatter from my mill, probably time to adjust and oil. The entire front end has to be done in sections, the Laser Rifle has an inner block, and an outer sleeve with fins that connect the two together. I do not own a CNC mill, so all of my external curves are usually hand finish by filing, which is time consuming.  I purchased a bunch of radius corner aluminum which was supposed to nestle into one another (inside edges also radiused), but it didn't fit without gaps. So for this project I will work with 1/8” and 1/4” 90 degree rectangle, machine it to size, and radius the corners later.  My mill is basic, with the front end of the rail being so detailed it required a lot of individual parts to get it right. I have a feeling I am gonna be using a LOT of Loctite once the project is ready for final assembly. Might be a good idea to note that some of the screws are temporary, just to hold thing together. I will swap most of the hex out for spanner style screws. And some of the pan head spanner screws for flat heads. The front end of the rail turned out to be pretty complicated. The shroud worked out better than expected and fits nicely against the inner rail.  Sub-Assemblies:  And together on the blank aluminum rail (unfinished). 
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Cool thread. As a sidenote on Fallout, there was a thread in the recent past where a member took a bolt action rifle and turned it into a pretty good replica of a Fallout rifle. The builder even made their own Fallout themed decals, aged and then decorated the stock with them. |
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RAIL GRIP AND LOWER PARTS There are quite a few images of the Laser rifle to work from online. Some of the lower rail hand grip images show as brown in color (wood?), other pics are finished metal. I have some Hard maple left over from the Red Ry-AR build I could have worked with, but as the BRN-180 can get hot. I opted to machine the hand grip from aluminum. I also finished the back end metal assembly for the lower guard rail. This holds the tube near the magwell. The tube assembly ended up being multiple pieces (two parts pinned) in order to stay as true as I could to the game rifle.  I'll have another update shortly, I gotta edit some of those pics first. |
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RAIL GRIP AND LOWER PARTS Still need to radius the corners. I machined some vents along each side of the rail, and also one large vent port on the top of the rail. These are not in the video game rifle, but necessary to prevent overheating on the BRN-180 design. The front vents near the head of the rail are in line with the game rifle design (hose would not have been enough for proper heat exchange). Considering heat dissipation, I couldn’t actually add wiring to the top rail area like on the game rifle. But I didn’t want to leave this design detail out of the build either. So I decided to replicate the wiring with brass round stock. Brass will handle the heat without issue, and keep to the theme. Plus I think it looks neat. Using brass is a sort of a nod to the games tendency of mixing old and new tech. I plan to use brass bits here and there throughout the build.   
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Quoted: Still need to radius the corners. I machined some vents along each side of the rail, and also one large vent port on the top of the rail. These are not in the video game rifle, but necessary to prevent overheating on the BRN-180 design. The front vents near the head of the rail are in line with the game rifle design (hose would not have been enough for proper heat exchange). Considering heat dissipation, I couldn’t actually add wiring to the top rail area like on the game rifle. But I didn’t want to leave this design detail out of the build either. So I decided to replicate the wiring with brass round stock. Brass will handle the heat without issue, and keep to the theme. Plus I think it looks neat. Using brass is a sort of a nod to the games tendency of mixing old and new tech. I plan to use brass bits here and there throughout the build. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51367030519_107d945d41_c.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51367030269_784f641f61_c.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51367304820_be17dc2127_c.jpg YEEAASSSS |
