Props: Mass Effect M-12 Locust SMG

Mass Effect M-12 Locust SMG by Weaselhammer of Vector Sigma Creations

Weaselhammer re-created the M-12 Locust submachine gun featured in Mass Effect 2 and 3. It took about three months to create piece by piece using synthetic polymer components and a wooden frame.  You can see some of the work in progress shots below, read a summary of what went on at Weaselhammer's blog, or follow the project from its inception at Vector Sigma Creations' Facebook page.

"This is my newest project, The M-12 Locust sub machine gun from Mass Effect. I really like the design of this gun in the series and started off to make my own."

"After gathering reference material for a few days, I made up a blueprint to scale and made some copies so I could cut some up to use as patterns. I started off my cutting a basic frame out of MDF with my bandsaw."

"I cut out most of the outer pieces in separate parts so they would form the proper channels and panel lines later when attached"

"Some of the outermost details and panels were made from Styrene and Sintra, here I also have started making my bevels and shaping the curves in the gun."

"The spine bevels on the rear stock was formed with Apoxiesculpt, as was the finger grip on the front grip. Smaller panel lines along with the grooves on the bottom grip and rear spine were made by hand using needle files and crossing my fingers, seemed to have worked !"

"I did a few coats of high build primer , started the application of spot putty, and started building out the front barrel assemblies. The main barrel was a pvc pipe connector turned down on a lathe to give it a slight cone shape, then I cut the notches in by hand. The smaller barrel was a tube wrapped in styrene that had the recesses cut out already. Much easier than trying to carve them in later !"

"Here I am well on my way into painting , The grips were masked off first and sprayed with Rustoleum textured paint, then painted over with a satin black. The white stripe was painted on and then I scraped chunks out of it with my hobby knife, scuffed up a bit and the whole thing was coated in a flat clearcoat before weathering."

"Weathering was pretty straight forward. I just painted flat black acrylic paint into all recesses, cracks, and panel lines, then wiped most of it back off with a damp wad of paper towels. I also used the dirty paper towels to dingy up the whole gun. This project was my first real foray into drybrushing and I learned a lot doing it. I feel I went overboard with the silver drybrushing on some parts, but overall I am very happy with the learning process on this."