In this topic we will give you a behind the scene glimps of on how I approach the development of a new Star Wars blaster project.

We all know the blaster of Han Solo and some of you might be aware of the other variations of the DL-44 Blaster Pistol.  For what I did my research around 11 different versions have passed on screen.

Han: ANH - Hero
Han: ANH -ALternate
Han: ESB Hoth
Han: ESB Bespin

Han: ROTJ
Luke: ESB
ESB / ROTJ Stunt version
Merr Son Power 5
Han: SOLO
Han: TLJ

Han: TFA

We are going to try and make them all one by one so at the end we have a great collection to show off.

For a very long time I ignored the DL-44 as a prop builder due to the fact alot vendors offer them and the market is big. But being on conventions I always get the question "do you have Han Solo his blaster?" a couple of times. So after making one to show this blaster grew on me. Now a year later I want to do them all. Crazy how things can go.

I also have to mention that I had to visit a friend of mine in Germany who has the most insane real deal Star Wars blasters I have ever seen and in pristine condition. Mostly build from real weapons and his core collection is his DL-44 collection. He really triggered me for the love of this blaster.

After thinking about it and talking with him he didn't wait for my answer and sent me a show piece to work with. Still it took me over 6 months to kick this off.

Now late 2020 its a go and the base for the DL-44 is designed, an 1:1 scale model of the C-96 Mauser and now the real work begins to replicate all the mods. scopes and greeblies for each kit.

Lets bring it on!

To translate the C-96 Mauser to a good and accurate 3D design my biggest tool is my friend and designer Skylu 3D, he is an excellent industrial designer who made almost all my blaster models.

To give him the data that he needs it was up to me to make sure I got everything right, so what do I need?

First I try to get my hands on the best references available by choise is the real deal.
My friend from Germany helped me with that so I had a chance to measure everything and make notes. My main tool is the caliper and my phone for this.
Making good photos to make notes on are key and those notes need to be dead on accurate.
Measure everything by hand is a lot of work but as you can see in the design below it pays off.

If you dont have the real deal you can always talk to people online who can provide you with some basic sizes and use a photo overlay that is scaled up or down to the right proportions, now you have the photo to use as a guide. This what we practically do for most greeblies. This will comeback later in the process of the designs.

So in the photos below you get an idea on how this works.

In the photo collection below you can see how Skylu and I go back and forth on communicating the details to make this a s accurate as possible. Its to much to go one by one but you get the idea. Every little detail is evaluated and adjusted if needed.

Some pictures the 3D printed model looks smaller but thats because of the angle the picture was take.

And for those who didnt notice already, this design is a dedication to Carrie Fisher who left us to join the Force at 12-27-2016, may her soul R.I.P. It resulted in the serial number 122716

Just for fun I tried if the printed parts would fit the real deal and they did, I was kinda shocked by this because it really comes to 0.5mm to make the barrel slide on or not.