AEA Tested smooth bore Zues 72 today!

[elittle1234]

I haven't been able to get to a range and I couldn't wait anymore so I made a couple indoor "friendly" shells. One filled with airsoft bbs, one with 3 50cal rubber riot rounds.

This was the airsoft bbs at 15ft. A few went through the 2 inches of cardboard. The wad blew right into the middle of the stack of boxes.

This was the 3 50cal rubber balls. I was impressed with the spread. The projectiles were light so I think lead will pattern better. I did this mostly to make sure my shell design worked and it seems like it does.

Now I just need to get outdoors so I can really test it lol. There was a lot of ar500 steel behind those boxes as well as a pile of clothes a plastic folding table and a solid wood door, always practice safety!

 

[TheCurtster]

That thing is a beast

 

[elittle1234]

so after 2 shots my zeus transfer port exploded... so I spent about 10 hours so far making this one by hand out of aluminum lol. I used a belt sander, hack saw, dremel, and a lot of files. My hands are sore and I'm about half way there. I also have ordered several kinds of metal pins to try out that are thicker than the 2mm stock pin.

 

[elittle1234]

I found a 7/64" hardened 4140 dowel pin on McMaster Carr website for $5. 7/64 is .8mm thicker than the stock pin but will fit through the hole in the receiver. Combined with an aluminum transfer port this thing should be indestructible.

 

[elittle1234]

And thank you to BeardedGunsmith for the assistance.

 

[elittle1234]

it's not "perfect" but it fits. Just need to take off a little more material inside the port, then cut an oring groove and drill it for the pin. About 6 hours of filing to get it to this point, about 20 hrs total. A mill would REALLY have helped.

 

[elittle1234]

this is the pin I found on mcmaster Carr website. 7/64" 4140, fits the transfer port pin hole in the receiver perfectly. It has to be stronger than the factory pin. It's 0.8mm thicker and probably a better quality. Now I just need to drill the aluminum transfer port and it should be ready!

 

[elittle1234]

that's a 4140 hardened 7/64 pin. It's .8mm thicker than the stock 2mm pin. All I'm waiting for is the 90 durometer orings I ordered and this thing should work again! Hopefully.

 

[elittle1234]

I know it isn't perfect. I'll be making a second one for my other zeus. I learned not to cut the oring groove before you drill the hole for the pin. The drill press couldn't bite into the metal, it keeps slipping on the groove, so I had to put the port in the receiver and drill it with a hand drill. Hopefully #2 will go smoother.

 

[elittle1234]

I tested the zeus again today. The pin held up, the port held up, and it shot. Now I need to get to a range and actually shoot it a bunch, until the valve pin breaks.

 

[elittle1234]

I got to making another transfer port for my other zeus. This second one I made fits tighter and I'm not using an oring since it fits so tight. Using a power sander and dremel I was able to do this one in about 10hrs so far, maybe 2 hours left.

 

[elittle1234]

So the zeus rifles aren't all identical. I had it fitting in the smooth bore receiver and went to put it on the zeus with the slug barrel and it won't fit! LoL... these are both gen 2 but the bevel in the transfer port well is slightly different in the other gun.

 

[elittle1234]

this one turned out way better. The tolerances were so tight I don't think it needs an oring. I had to make a special tool to pull it out it fits so well.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Fine job with the hand tools! Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[elittle1234]

So I test fired a bird shot round today, this happened at 15ft:

the entire wad went through the 4 inches of cardboard the target was on. It entered this side of a folded 2x4 table, then exited:

Then it went through my storage room door:

Then it peppered another door in that room with birdshot:

So it seems like it penetrates. I need to figure out how to get the wad to disperse the shot and not fly out as a slug but I can't shoot this thing indoors anymore lol.

 

[elittle1234]

my quackenbush 410 pistol will fire the wad about 10 to 15 feet into a target also. I think I just need more distance obviously. I need to get to a range!

 

[steve123]

Ah vent holes!

I ventilated my ex wifes sweaters in a similar fashion one snowy day about 35 years ago, LOL. She was out of town and my friend and I who worked as house painters had the day off(or so I thought) and I had just acquired a used Anschutz 22rf target rifle I couldn't wait to shoot .

We set up down the end of the hallway with a box full of magazines to stop the low noise/low velocity ammo's bullets at a distance of 50ft using official NRA 50ft targets, but we kept hitting the same place on the bulls as each target was taped in the same place. I kept checking to make sure the bullets were getting stopped and they were so I thought all was good, well not quite, nope, haha, the unthinkable had happened! When we finished the last target and went down to check our scores there were holes going into the wall right through where the bulls had been on the target.

Hey I'm a house painter so I patched up the holes, repainted the wall, and everything was good for a long while until my ex noticed some of her sweaters were missing at the extreme right side of the bedroom closet which was on the other side of the wall that the vent holes were. I learned sweaters hanging in a closet are fantastic bullets stoppers so try it sometime. For more great tips on how to enjoy inside shooting sports and get the wife excited I'd be happy to share.
Busted I was compelled to confess the truth.
Darn I should have reminded her of this story at Christmas, I bet her 4th or 5th husband, I've lost count how many, would have gotten a good laugh.

I later married a fantastic wife who laughs at all my silly mistakes!

 

[Ezana4CE]

@elittle1234 I’m laughing at the idea of shooting a .72 Zeus indoors.
That second transfer port looks great!! Does this gun come with a smooth bore or did you swap out rifled barrels and install the smooth bores yourself ?

 

[elittle1234]

Swapped out the rifled barrel for the smooth bore myself, smooth bore made by texoma precision. I shot the zeus inside before but it was with airsoft bbs in the shell, not birdshot. Apparently when the shell is much more dense it fires more like a shotgun. it kicked way harder and was 10 times as loud as with airsoft bbs.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@elittle1234 Thanks for the information. Do you intend to try replace the rifled barrel on either gun at anytime?