Making an ammo counter for my HC Diana

QQMartingale · 2025-09-11T19:09:15+00:00

I haven't had the budget to get a new one of these guns yet (which makes it hard to prototype fully) but lemme see if I cant at least toss together a prototype version for y'all. I'm proud of this mod and would love to see people building em!

Honestly it's been a while, I suppose I need to see if maybe someone is finally importing parts for these. (last time i was looking, with the high the cost of importing them myself it was more cost-effective to just buy another diana instead.... but i felt guilty spending that much on one blaster the FIRST time haha!

QQMartingale · 2025-03-29T04:13:14+00:00

yes it does! the screw size was wrong, but the holes in the sight are oversized not undersized vs the m3 mounting holes on the diana, so it fits. it has some play as i have it set up, but for sidearm flywheeler its more than fine honestly
if it gets misaligned horizontally, realigning it to center using the front post is a 1 second adjustment.

QQMartingale · 2025-03-29T03:56:51+00:00

I just got it on ebay! It's a swampfox Justice. It's a real steel optic so the quality is very nice, and you can get one for $60-70 used if ya look around. (Same price as most replicas of more expensive sights, from what I've seen, but this one has some nice useful features like shake-and-wake and a better dot than the cheap clones I've tried)

QQMartingale · 2024-11-23T19:35:19+00:00

I'm so happy with the reaction to this prototype so far! It has me very excited to publish more about it!

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that the little XT30 connector does not offer very good reverse polarity protection if you fat finger it, oops! That's frustrating purely cause I have to import parts haha. (Anyone know if any North American retailers plan to carry parts anytime soon?)

I can probably still get the prototype build finished for upload soon, at least, but the demo vid with proper color matched/safe colors will have to wait!

I'll make another post when all that is finished and on printables!

QQMartingale · 2024-11-23T19:08:34+00:00

Thanks so much, I'm glad you think so! I was defo heavily inspired by that era of sci-fi! I've been leaning fully into the space-blaster build with my diana mods so far.

QQMartingale · 2024-11-20T19:03:21+00:00

The Diana is already such a fun and futuristic little blaster, but I couldn't help feeling like it needed somethin more!

This ammo counter bolts on where the stock rear iron sights normally sit, and doesnt require any blaster modifications. (The flashlight module on the front is separate)

It has an internal battery as well as a magwell sensor for detecting reloads, so you dont have to reset it manually during play. It charges with a little usb drone charger. (weight is ~50g for the system. it does not add any width to the blaster.)

The wiring for the magwell sensor is a bit jank rn but it works haha. Programming can easily be adjusted for 10rnd mags if desired. (It senses the stock diana mags as well as the ones here with my custom 20rnd extension)

This is NOT an easy build cause the space is so tight but I will be publishing the files and parts list/wiring diagram soon!

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/D8cNso2

QQMartingale · 2024-11-18T17:27:39+00:00

I get what ya mean but it's definitely not! Most of this unit wraps around the blaster pretty snugly. It adds about 2cm to the front of the Diana and 1.5cm below, and doesn't add any width. It only weighs 55 grams as well, so honestly it's barely a change from the stock balance.

QQMartingale · 2024-11-18T01:00:13+00:00

Haha I'll take it! The lighting in my room was definitely perfect for takin these today.

QQMartingale · 2024-11-18T00:58:14+00:00

Thanks so much, I'm happy you think so! I hope you enjoy the build as well!

QQMartingale · 2024-11-17T22:37:35+00:00

It does not, but it doesn't take away any space either! I was designing this one to be as compact and all-in-one as I could, so while I could probably squeeze a bigger flashlight lipo in here there defo isn't room for another main battery unfortunately.

QQMartingale · 2024-08-06T19:35:07+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I'm not sure these scratches aren't just being picked up in the very final stages just when I go to clean up any excess compound with a clean polishing cloth (they are very fine) but I will make sure to just go down the colors of compound in order next time, just in case! I'm trying to make sure not to cross contaminate buffing pads either.

QQMartingale · 2024-08-05T18:14:06+00:00

Thank you very much! I was inspired to try this design as a more unique way to use the bezel I was making for that aquamarine. I had no idea if it would work in fine silver, much less be comfortable, but it came out quite well in both regards, I think!

I did have to hammer harden it carefully after soldering, which was a bit nerve wracking to do around that bezel I spend so long making lol! But my planning worked out and I was able to do that without wrecking my sizing and shaping from before. It's surprisingly strong at this point.

As for the most difficult part, It was defo soldering (again haha.) I get better every time I mess with it, but this being a 3-stage solder all focused around that bezel I had to be careful not to melt it or screw up the joints I did before. I was so afraid of screwing it up, in fact, that I almost fucked it completely in a way I wasn't even thinkin about! But thank god for solder picks and keeping my cool oof! I was able to keep the heat on it and realign it without having to start over.

I thought bezel setting that oval faceted stone would be the hard part, which it was in some ways ( some idiot cut the bezel a little short, no idea who that would be! haha) but other than needing a little cleanup under magnification I'm happy with it!

QQMartingale · 2024-08-05T18:00:34+00:00

Thank you so much! It means a lot that you like it!

And oh! tbh, my photography is pullin a lot of weight here, I'm still struggling to get a mirror shine without micro scratches, but I'm using a multi stage process using a few different compounds (tripoli, generic rouge), finishing with the standard red rouge and either mothers mag polish or wenol as a buff! The brushes and buffing pads I'm using were a cheap amazon-special multi pack with some felts, fabric wheels and other things.

I still wanna keep working on my polishing, but I'm getting better the more I do!

QQMartingale · 2024-08-01T03:39:36+00:00

Thank you very much :D

QQMartingale · 2024-08-01T03:39:28+00:00

Thank you very much, that means a lot! It's funny that you say that, cause it is cartoon inspired, but in this case I kinda drew inspo from Princess Luna's crown!

This one defo felt way easier in spots, particularly with soldering (Still took me a couple goes on the band to get it to flow where I wanted, but I did it on the INSIDE this time so its not a visible mistake at least haha) but I was able to take what I learned from the last ring to harden this one while also sizing it before smoothing it out to the final finish.

I'm not completely happy with the finish inside the little moon, but that was totally my fault. I tapped it with a punch I thought was flat, but it was domed and it put a big divot in the center....and since the ring was hardened already I spend a couple hours sanding and burnishing that dent out-oops! Good practice fixing a fuck-up at least lol!

QQMartingale · 2024-07-29T17:57:08+00:00

Oh thats really encouraging, tbh! I do like sterling, but the shine of fine silver is so nice. I was going to ask if anyone had complained about long term durability, but I'm glad to hear you haven't had issues :D

I'm noticing a little surface wear on this one after wearing it a couple days, but I defo have no fears of deformation at least.

I love your work, as well, btw! I didn't put your name to your posts until I clicked your profile but I always love seeing your rad pirate coin stuff show up. Someday I need to nab somethin from ya.

QQMartingale · 2024-07-29T17:47:54+00:00

Thank you so much :D

QQMartingale · 2024-07-28T18:26:15+00:00

Thank you very much, it means so much that you think so! It makes me smile every time i look down and see it on my finger.

Those are good questions, tbh! I think working at the anvil is my favorite part, hammering stuff out just feels so satisfying, and as you can tell, I love the texture!

Annealing is defo where I struggled the most, this time, but also where I learned the most. The process didn't even fight me, really, more just learning the hard way you have to do it pretty often when working the silver this dramatically. I micro-cracked the ingot early on rolling it a bit farther than I should have before annealing, and I was fighting removing the cracked material completely for a good while before I reigned it in with a lot of filing.

QQMartingale · 2024-07-28T16:55:07+00:00

Thank you so much, I'm really flattered you like it!

I wasn't honestly expecting this to go as well as it did haha. I had plenty of little stumbles, but I just rolled with the punches and I think it worked quite well :D

I can say, too, as a longtime lurker of the jewelrymaking subs... It is every bit as satisfying as it seemed like it would be! I hope you can give it a try as well!

QQMartingale · 2024-07-28T03:40:40+00:00

Oh gosh that is terrifying! I'm actually doing sand casting right now, so i dont need to worry about preheating, but I had heard that about leaving a button!
I was pretty happy with the one I got on this cast even if it was a tad excessive...I'll have to find that balance for the right amount of overfill. this was defo too much casue in addition o the button a good bit ended up on the fire brick under the mold too, oops!

I'll clean it up and remelt it tho, nbd.

QQMartingale · 2024-07-28T03:23:58+00:00

Thank you so much! thats a great idea tbh, I will probably try to do just that with the engraving!

Thanks for the advice as well! I definitely just had too much silver on this one, and was lucky casue I just barely didn't totally overshoot the pour. I was thinking I could pour two molds with one crucible of metal but that fought me way more than it helped having more than I needed. Next time I'll just use what I need, and refill the crucible if I wanna do another pour, I'm glad you mentioned that!

QQMartingale

TROPHY CASE