The first thing I did was find some really awesome reference pictures that Bungie was nice enough to release to the general public for us prop makers and cosplayers to use, thanks Bungie ! I took the side view to the local print shop and had a few copies printed to scale to use as blueprints and from that, I cut out the core of the rifle from mdf (medium density fiberboard). Here I have also cut out the barrel from pvc pipe.
The next step was to start layering Sintra and Styrene to start building out the rifle body.This let me built it out in layers and have a much better surface in the end for sanding and painting. In this photo I have also cut out the muzzle and started on the foregrip. Once again, the plumbing section at the home improvement store was a life saver!
I had to notch out the foregrip for a round detail and needed a nice snug fit, So I used the Bondo-Squish method I learned from Bind Squirrel Props! I coated one part with painter's tape and squished it into the other part. I then removed it just before the Bondo set also letting me trim off most of the excess while it was still semi-soft.
I then kept adding layers on it, using patterns I made by cutting up extra copies of the blueprints. I also made the magwell from 6 mil Sintra. It's starting to look dangerous now!
The rear half of the barrel had these 2 raised bits that ran the length, I just carefully hand cut the 4 strips from 6 mil Sintra, sanded the curve into them so they would seat properly on the round barrel, and carefully glued them down after marking the guide lines on the barrel.Easey peasy
I made the ammo clip and added little rare earth magnets inside the magwell and embedded in the clip to hold it in place.
I wish I could find more pictures of the scope build, but that's what happens when you don't keep up with build blogs and wait 8 months to catch up. It is pretty much made from plumbing parts,but that damn black eyepiece stumped me for over a week. One day I was thinking it would be nice to just mold one of my resin mixing cups as it was perfect when the light bulb over my head flickered for a second. I just poured some resin in the cup with a generous helping of black tint and slushed it around until it hardened, BAM! I had my eyepiece !
The scope had this armor plate on it.I took an appropiate size pvc scrap and heated up a piece of Sintra and formed it around it. I made a few prototype patterns from eva foam and used that as a pattern for the finished piece. I was dreading this part but it really went together pretty well! You can also see a better shot of the ammo clip.
Everything else was pretty basic as far as paint and weathering goes,I wish I could find more pictures of how I did the stock and such and I will update this blog if I can find them. Thanks for reading !
