There is a large difference between expressing constructive criticism through one's opinion and being outright insulting, which is why I kindly reminded everyone, not any particular person, to be mindful of their word choice. Words such as "hate," "first of all," or "let's get this straight" can construe an unwanted emotional response that is neither intended nor expressed. Furthermore, one does not need to sugar coat an opinion if it is stated with honesty and respect, as many of the responses in this thread have been; however, even then, proper word choice extends a courtesy that is expected in these forums and upheld by the moderators.
To this point, many of the responders have been quite courteous; however, some have been borderline. As I do seek honest and constructive opinions, I would not wish to see this thread closed because those opinions created issues, such as unnecessary debate or outright flaming. Therefore, again, a friendly reminder was posted by me to avoid such situations.
Neo, if you feel this reminder was directed at you, I am sorry, it was not. Your responses have been above board the entire time, do not take any offense from the reminder. However, if you reread certain posts, I'm sure you'll understand why I posted it.
That said, let us return to the original purpose of the thread and discuss the gun itself.
As AKD stated, the gun was originally for a costume he plans to wear for Halloween, with that in mind, he has begun construction of a helmet to compliment the costume. It is still a work in progress to the best of my knowledge as we have discussed potential improvements to the current state of the helmet. I should add that the mask paint job is permanent and will not be changed, lest it bring the wrath of the original artist down on AKD.
Any suggestions?