For a photo idea, I require a prop gun equipped with a silencer. Luckily, I have an airsoft pistol that appeared sufficiently realistic in photos. However, in order to complete the illusion, I needed to fabricate a silencer. I made it from a PVC pipe, 3D printed parts, a machine screw, and some glue.
To get an idea of the appropriate size, I utilized Google to locate an image of a genuine silencer. Afterward, I imported the image into Inkscape and adjusted it to get approximate size.Fortunately, the PVC pipe I had on hand was essentially the perfect diameter for my purposes. All I needed to do was to cut it to the appropriate length.In order to attach the silencer to the barrel, I attempted various methods to create threads. However, none of them seemed to work as intended, and as a result, I had to disassemble the entire gun to remove a stuck drill bit. Eventually, I resorted to gluing a threaded insert onto the barrel, which allowed me to attach the silencer as desired.This was my first time airbrushing, but I was determined to achieve the desired effect. Using my airbrush, I applied a fine mist of gun metal paint, and then I used Rub ‘n Buff to create a more worn and weathered appearance.Overall, I am quite pleased with how the prop gun turned out. In the process of removing the original barrel, I also removed the main spring, rendering it unable to shoot anything. Although it was originally designed to fire only plastic balls, it is now entirely safe to handle as a prop, which is a positive outcome.
