Conversion options for heavy bolt pistols?

[KiltedMarine]

Getting the Elite-Level starter this weekend, very excited. Only one thibg is bugging me about it, and I hope I can get some help.

 

All the AssInts are pistol-right and chainsword-left, and I want to switch that around for at least a couple of them, just for looks’ sake. Looking at bitz online, it looks like there’s only one right-handed HBP available right now.

 

Has anybody found a good alternative to doing major surgery on multiple models, or am I just going to need to carve up a bunch of pistol hands?

 

I think I’m good for the chainsword swap, but if snybody has a recommendation for that I’ll take it, too.

[Tichinde]

I used some of the ones from Reivers, they look pretty close. can't remember if its a mix of right/left or just one side though!

[toaae]

I've seen conversions using old marine bolters by just removing the magazine. For right handed pistols, you'll probably want to cut the model at the wrist and pin the hand/pistol to the stub.

[KiltedMarine]

I've seen conversions using old marine bolters by just removing the magazine. For right handed pistols, you'll probably want to cut the model at the wrist and pin the hand/pistol to the stub.

Thank you for that! It might do the trick, I appreciate it!

[Fajita Fan]

This is something GW could really do better. As a proud right hander I would absolutely rather shoot with left and swing with my right.

[Fajita Fan]

I'm no pistolero myself but in my limited experience I shot in the traditional other-hand-under-wrist or other-hand-overlapping-grip but I made sure to switch hands.  If you do find yourself in a situation where you need to use a gun and your traditional hand can't be used it's nice to be familiar even though a lot of manufacturers orient the safety switches for right handers.

 

I have fired a .45 one handed (very poorly) and made sure to switch hands.  Honestly the more powerful the pistol, and ergo the recoil, the less important my handedness mattered.  It kicks so violently that I saw no noticeable drop in accuracy with my left hand over my right, my accuracy was equally bad.   Now I figure for a space marine in power armor that recoil isn't that much of an issue and they're supposed to have HUD sights showing where their gun is pointing anyway.  

 

Now when it comes to wielding a weapon?  Or anything in general?  My left hand may as well be a foot for all the dexterity it has.  If I needed to swing a sword with my left hand there'd be a greater likelihood of me disemboweling myself. 

 

I love making models look a little different, all of my 60 SW 13th Company Grey Slayers and 18 Long Fangs are all modeled individually so there's no repeat poses.  Having left/right sword/pistol/bolter options would be really great and I don't see why they can't mix and match them on the sprue if the wrists are the attachment points. 

[Chaplain Mollusc]

I can't vouch for their suitability, but Anvil Industries has left and right weapons grip hands and several different compatible bolt pistol designs.

ETA: Similarly, Puppetswar has a few bolt pistol and chainsword options for both hands.

Edited August 17, 2020 by Chaplain Mollusc

[Arkhanist]

For reference, in the Inquisitor and Death Watch RPGs Space Marine characters automatically got the ambidextrous trait. Whether that's due to gene-enhancement or training wasn't specified. But that does mean you can have pistol and sword in whichever hand suits for modelling purposes and be fluffy!

 

It is interesting how much a heavy bolt pistol looks like a standard bolter with the iron sight and mag cut down.