How to make a Harley Quinn pop gun by raiding the kitchen

I thought I’d throw together a quick tutorial of how to make a Harley Quinn – cartoon style – giant pop gun. Someone basically asked me to do this on the cheap as a favor, total cost of this build (discounting time of course) $3.00 well within reach of anyone. This Harley Quinn pop gun is an iconic anti-hero weapon and it’s a bit crazy, I totally went for the cartoon size with this, over the top and unmissable (which is what was asked for).

How to make a Harley Quinn pop gun

Harley Quinn pop gun materials

First of all you will need a toy revolver, this can be as cheap as you can find because it’s going to be mostly covered with the oversize body. You should be able to find one in a cheap store (Pound Store, One Dollar Shop etc) for a couple of dollars at most. Next up, time to raid the kitchen, what you’re wanting is a plastic container for the barrel, in this example I’ve used an Ovaltine (drinking chocolate) container, awesome shape and crazy size.

Rummage for what you'll need in the pantry and cheap store for the gun

If you can’t get one, try a soda bottle, you can cut one down and use the top curvature as the butt end. Find some cork.. ideally what you want is a tapered cork lid from a cook jar or similar, this would look best and if you can get the smaller end to fit whatever container you’re using… awesome. I only had a few cork coasters to hand, so I’ve used them. Hot glue and glue gun (or whatever strong adhesive you have that will hold plastics). You’ll also need paint obviously, primer and black matte, a few shades of brown for the grips drybrushing.

Cheap revolver
Main body container
Hot glue gun and glue
Paints
Cork
A short length of chord if attaching cork via this means

Harley Quinn pop gun tutorial

How to make your gun…

Whatever you’ve found in the pantry for the main body, mark out the width of the toy revolver (the main housing NOT the revolving section) on the body and cut out where the revolver will slide in…. remember less in more, don’t over-cut, better to cut too little, than too much. Once you’re happy glue it in place and wait until it’s totally dry and sturdy, if you’re using the Ovaltine container you can use the lid as the back, again, glue in place and wait for it to set. Looks pretty crazy!

The Harley Quinn pop gun begins to take shape

Time to get the first lot of paint out! Harley Quinn gray in this case.

I gave the whole thing a light sand, just to help the paint stick, cleaned it and primed it in grey, waited for that to dry and sprayed it flat black. Next up dry brush the grips dark brown and then re dry brush lighter brown (gives a nice wood effect look). Dry brush the entire gun in dark metal. I did this along the gun from the end of the barrel, to the grip, one way so it wasn’t all weird and streaky.

The grips get some wood effect

I used a large decal on the back I made with the HQ initials, this was because I was asked, you can do whatever you like. If you used a soda bottle (drink bottle) you will have a curved surface at the back, which is cool and you wont need the decal.

Next up time to attach the cork and chord (I was asked to leave the chord of). Just attach it to the center of the cork (through it would be neater, so do this before you glue the cork to the gun obviously and make sure it’s flat at the back ready for gluing). Attach the other side of the chord to the bottom of the gun. When you attach the cork just glue it in place like it’s in the end of the gun, so make sure it’s smaller where it attaches than the exit of the barrel.

That’s you all done, a Harley Quinn pop gun made for less than a few dollars and just in time for Halloween!

That's you all finished, happy Harley Quinn cosplaying!

I hope you’ve found this tutorial for making your own / cheap Harley Quinn pistol / popgun of use. The Harley Quinn pop gun is a cool weapon… now you’re all set for some cosplay or Halloween goodness.

This Harley Quinn pop gun cosplay tutorial was written for GirlyGamer.com.au and Facebook.com/Nerfenstein hope it helps you get your Harley Quinn cosplay on for cheap! More props, Nerf and mods at both GirlyGamer.com.au and Facebook.com/Nerfenstein. Why not join me there, I’d love to see you!