Fan made replicas and helmets

The Sterling Mk4/L2A3 Stormtrooper blaster conversion display with the new stand and extra plaque, as a good friend of mine said the "Legend Stormtrooper blaster":

Attachment 26183


Despite the fact that my blaster is specific to a scene and not necessarily needed an upgrade, I thought in the future I might want to add some extra accurate greeblies to it like a Hengstler counter, especially the very rare Eagle version, which was used on the E-11 in SW. So I painted the Eagle Hengstler I have, and I will make a bracket for it.

The good thing is that attaching the Hengstler will be not invasive or damaging at all since it will be using the scope rail for this purpose. Easy to add on and easy to remove, just playing with a couple of screws.

The painted accurate Eagle Hengstler:

Attachment 26184

I saw a Sterling gun at a gun show a few weeks ago. It was around $350. I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure if it was a good price for it. I was also unsure of which version it had to be for a proper stormtrooper blaster.

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Originally Posted by Snowtrooper

I saw a Sterling gun at a gun show a few weeks ago. It was around $350. I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure if it was a good price for it. I was also unsure of which version it had to be for a proper stormtrooper blaster.

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From what I know old guns like a Sterling are not allowed if not deactivated, not even in US - you need to be VERY careful. When talking about a real deactivated Sterling Mk4/L2A3 converted as E-11 Stormtrooper blaster there are a few things you might want to know first:

1. First thing is to read carefully the gun laws regarding the deactivated/demilled weapons in your country and especially your state. VERY important to know if allowed to own one and in what conditions. There are 501st members from US who didn't get a real Sterling conversion because they were not allowed by law (California IIRC, but could be others too). It's easier to get a real gun in US than a deactivated one. Insane but true...

2. Second. You need greeblies. The Sterling itself is just a part of the equation. See here: http://www.partsofsw.com/index.htm and click on the purple Item button on the lower part of the page and then go to: BlasTech E-11 (Stormtrooper Blaster) , and read the info there. You can go 2 ways for the greeblies: originals or resin copies. Personally I have originals on the Sterling and copies on the SDS blaster.

a. Thus first you need a tank scope: M-38, M-40 or M-19. All rare and expensive ($100-$400). Then you need to make a scope rail for it to hold the scope. b. You also need accurate T-tracks to be put on the barrel of the gun ($20-$80). c. Then you might want a Hengstler counter to attack to the scope rail, even better if you get the accurate but the VERY rare Eagle version with metal socket ($70-$250) - I just got an Eagle one after looking for one since last year. d. The last thing you might want is a set of cylinders ($70-$150). So in the end these greeblies are quite expensive and hard to find.

The MR Stormtrooper blaster doesn't come with replica cylinders or Hengstler, just with scope and rail and T-tracks. But is quite accurate.

3. Third, you need your gun to be deactivated by US laws and not EU for example. In EU a deactivation means a bit of reworking inside and welding by a professional authorized gunsmith, the overall appearance of the weapon remains identical. But deactivation in US means that gun is cut into pieces like this:

Attachment 26187

Thus you need someone to get it fixed for you, with authorization of course. There you have the spring removed and many parts welded back. So a Sterling deactivated in US will never look as good as one deactivated in EU. And it is not allowed to own in US an EU deactivated weapon. Sorry.

4. If you get a deactivated, but unmodified Sterling you need to cut the magazine to be shorter like it was in SW.

5. You need to get a Sterling MK4 L2A3 and not other versions.

Still you can get a cool deactivated Sterling converted as E-11 Stormtrooper blaster from here: http://yhst-5672966975550.stores.yahoo.net/swste11.html and here: http://yhst-5672966975550.stores.yahoo.net/swstbl.html (some greeblies might need updating and changing) or a simple demilled Sterling from here: http://www.ima-usa.com/catalogsearch...erling&x=0&y=0 (but in last case you need all those greeblies)

DO NOT buy a real working Sterling because the last time we meet will be with you behind bars. Only deactivated/demilled as per your country and state laws!

I haven't seen too many Sterlings for sale especially if modified/converted as Stormtrooper blasters. On forums there were not more than 4 or 5 in many years (one was mine). The last UK deactivated blaster sold last week on RPF for $1000 plus shipping (UK only) and it sold VERY fast. These are RARE and hard to find and not all countries allow them. And if you have extra greeblies on them they are even more expensive. But real deactivated Sterlings professionally converted as E-11 are the closest thing to the real SW prop. Nothing will beat that.

Or you can go for the MR Stormtrooper blaster, which is easier to acquire due to more permissive laws, but also quite expensive.

Glad I collect only OT Imperials otherwise I would have to go for Denix Mausers and others LOL.

Sergiu


BTW my own real Hengstler Eagle counter, painted black:

Attachment 26188

Wow! Quite a bit more to it than I thought. The gun I was looking at, appeared to be a US made, semi-auto version of the Sterling. Since I live in a rural area in Nebraska, gun laws are very relaxed, so the gun is 100% legal around here. I don't think I'd have to worry about deactivating the gun either. As long as I'm not cutting the barrel or messing with the bolt, receiver, or firing mechanism in any way, it should be just fine. It sounds like the greeblies would be the real problem. Tracking down all of the real parts could take some time.

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Originally Posted by Snowtrooper

Wow! Quite a bit more to it than I thought. The gun I was looking at, appeared to be a US made, semi-auto version of the Sterling. Since I live in a rural area in Nebraska, gun laws are very relaxed, so the gun is 100% legal around here. I don't think I'd have to worry about deactivating the gun either. As long as I'm not cutting the barrel or messing with the bolt, receiver, or firing mechanism in any way, it should be just fine. It sounds like the greeblies would be the real problem. Tracking down all of the real parts could take some time.

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I would say again to be careful, better visit the 501st TK forums (FISD/Whitearmor) and inform yourself first, a relaxed law doesn't mean always what it seems regarding modified weapons in any way. Also you need a Sterling MK4 L2A3. There are quite a few versions out there, including a Canadian one, and they are not exactly like the one used in SW, close but not close enough.

I will heed your warning if I ever decide to pick up one of these. Thanks sergiurusu.

No problem. You could also try one of the links in the post above.

I finally upgraded my converted Sterling blaster further with a real Eagle Hengstler. One more step in making it complete, not that it wasn't complete before, since as I already said, it was accurate to a specific scene from ANH, where Han shoots the comm panel in the detention area, and there his blaster doesn't have Hengstler, just cylinders. The next step might be to upgrade the cylinders with the newly discovered TCC capacitors and maybe the dual wires.


Attachment 26192Attachment 26193

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Originally Posted by sergiurusu

Finally a short video of the stunning RS Prop Masters (SiMan) Stormtrooper helmet, the most accurate Stunt helmet out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPucFgF6zJc

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I think I'm going to pull the trigger on this. They offer it in PVC or ABS. What do you think the better material is? My main concern is which will stand up the best to yellowing and cracking over time.

I would recommend ABS of the two. As for cracking or yellowing in time that could happen to any toy, figure or prop we have. Recently the ABS is coated so it is more resilient.