
This past week I finally got around to converting an airsoft rifle base into my upgraded sniper rifle. I based it heavily on SWTOR video game references for sniper rifles. It has a similar style of my last rifle with some needed modes, longer, and structure to make it more durable.

The base I used was a
300 FPS – Airsoft Sniper Rifle Gun found on eBay for about $35 USD at the time of purchase in 2019. Closer to $45 USD now. I toyed around with some ideas in 2019 and then shelved the rifle for a later time as we hit the years 2020-2022.

My last rifle was heavily based on a Tac-HUD Heavy Sniper rifle. See below for my reference images along with version 1 of my sniper rifle (front and back).


After pulling it off the shelf I laid it down on my living room floor and all the parts I had from the V1 sniper rifle.

The first thing I noticed was the handle grip from the stock to the grips needed to be removed. Also the trigger guard would need to be removed to match up to reference images.

The next thing, was to remove the forestock in front of the magazine off of the V1 sniper and relocate it to the new sniper (see below).

I cut out the forestock section as well for this swap.

With the forestock swapped over, this rifle was starting to look like a great base for my upgraded sniper rifle and aligned with reference images.

The next thing I did was use hot glue to attach my forestock component and then I used flat black spray paint to paint the whole base one color.

The next step was to convert the barrel and give it extra length. I wanted to keep my existing barrel tip as it has a removal orange tip cap for photos. I had also removed the scope PVC parts and shortened them down to more applicable towards this build and less exaggerated in length from my V1 sniper.

Next I perforated the barrel along the forestock of the rifle, not the entire length of the barrel. I used a few reference images from SWTOR including the one seen below for inspiration in the perforated barrel.

Something I found really cool about this new rifle base is the ability to collapse the rifle down for transportation between troops. My goal would be to keep this feature through the whole conversion process to my Late Crusader sniper rifle. Once the barrel had been perforated, I started on matching the barrel size for the extension. I did this by cutting down a curtain rod to the right length and then used duck tape around the original barrel to expand it out to the size of the curtain rod. This ensured a snug fit.

I then painted the removable barrel a metallic aluminum color, matching reference images.

To give this rifle more of the color reference, I masked off with painters tape a few more parts of the rifle for paint prep. The sections of the scope would also be this aluminum color and the stock plates on either side as well. The pistol grip area would be painted brown/tan to resemble similar colors to wood.

Fully assembled below after paint for reference.

Next I added some definition to the stock plate by adding a type of washer to each location the fake bolts were imprinted on the plastic. I also added some greeblies to the forestock to give dimensional additions to this rifle, similarly found in SWTOR rifles.

I then transferred the appearance of my V1 sniper with the leather strapping in front of the pistol grips. This strapping helps hide a hole from when the pistol grips were removed and aesthetically gives me the look I am shooting for with beasthunter brigade and all the leather parts on my kit in mind. To weather the leather I used super glue drips and then I sprayed the leather with black spray paint. Wiping the glue away quickly gave me the desired weathering affect.

Next I created a second barrel as seen in reference images by using a wooden dowel. I also used a PVC coupling to hide the transition from the original barrel to the curtain rod barrel. I masked this by using it as a support for the secondary barrel below.

After lightly spraying the all the black parts of this rifle with metallic spray paint I rubbed it down to give it the black metal sheen look. I then gathered dust from my garage floor (joys of winter) and sprinkled it all over the rifle. I then rubbed everything, some of it sticking and some of it coming off giving it the weathered appearance.

I had also added a strip of blue reflective tape to a greeblie on one side of the rifle. This tape was affixed to a component of a calculator screen to make it look in universe and not just stuck on randomly. With a flash camera it will illuminate the reflective tape giving it the effect seen in SWTOR video game on these rifles.

Sizing comparison below. This upgrade is definitely bigger and longer than my V1 sniper.


I really like how it turned out and the late crusader reference images from SWTOR video game really helped me create a better upgraded sniper rifle for my kit.

I have a couple fixes needed for my kit still with specially the new knees and then I’ll be trooping in this kit again.
