Justifier Light Gun for player 2 has a broken clip; how do I fix it?

[aclbandit]

I recently picked up the set of two Konami Justifier light guns [for the Sega Genesis], and the price was so cheap that I figured a minor repair wouldn't be a big deal.

The second player gun hooks into the player 1 gun via what appears to be an RJ-11 telephone wire. However, this telephone wire's clip is broken (that is, the small "tab" that lets it snap into place and stay there).

I know that this can be repaired via a crimper, wire stripper, and a new RJ-11 end, but I don't actually own a crimper and they're expensive. So, I did what any twenty-something geek would do when he's stumped about old technology: I called my mom.

She informed me that way back when, telephone wires had this problem all the time, and at Radio Shack (she thinks) there used to be ends that "snapped themselves" together so I didn't need a crimper.

A google search and a trip to Radio Shack yielded nothing.

Is there a cheap way to do this and/or find a replacement end without buying a crimper or a new P2 light gun?

[Steve W]

Can't you go into Radio Shack and buy those plastic RJ-11 plugs on the end of phone lines? I did that many years ago, and it was easy to rewire. I don't even recall whether I needed a tool to do it. I'd go to Radio Shack if I were you and check out what they have. It should only cost five bucks for a blister pack of new snap together RJ-11 plugs.

[aclbandit]

Can't you go into Radio Shack and buy those plastic RJ-11 plugs on the end of phone lines? I did that many years ago, and it was easy to rewire. I don't even recall whether I needed a tool to do it. I'd go to Radio Shack if I were you and check out what they have. It should only cost five bucks for a blister pack of new snap together RJ-11 plugs.

See, that was the problem: Radio Shack (at least my local one) didn't have any that "snapped-together"; they all required a crimper.

Knew where I could find one?

[Compute]

allelectronics.com lists the crimper at $14.00, although that may still be a little much. Have you considered cutting the connector off an existing phone cable and splicing it in? As long as you match the colors or mark the cables so that when you splice them together it adds up correctly, it should work.

[aclbandit]

allelectronics.com lists the crimper at $14.00, although that may still be a little much. Have you considered cutting the connector off an existing phone cable and splicing it in? As long as you match the colors or mark the cables so that when you splice them together it adds up correctly, it should work.

Sir, that is a CLEVER idea. I will try to find a black phone line, then get the soldering iron warmed up. thank you!

[aclbandit]

Sir, that is a CLEVER idea. I will try to find a black phone line, then get the soldering iron warmed up. thank you!

Glad I didn't snip it-- I discovered upon closer inspection that although it's standard RJ-11 SIZE, it is NOT standard: there are SIX wires in the gun, whereas phonel line uses 4. So... Um... any other solutions?

[Bratwurst]

Search for premade RJ-11 6-pin cables online. There's one on eBay for 15 bucks plus shipping right now, you can do better than that.

My suggestion is to get a long enough cord and avoid splicing the cable altogether, just disassemble the gun and replace the entire cable where it connects into the gun's circuit board.

Also, this is a lot of hoo haa over your inability to find an inexpensive network/phone plug crimper. You can get them for ten bucks if you look hard enough.

[aclbandit]

Search for premade RJ-11 6-pin cables online. There's one on eBay for 15 bucks plus shipping right now, you can do better than that.

My suggestion is to get a long enough cord and avoid splicing the cable altogether, just disassemble the gun and replace the entire cable where it connects into the gun's circuit board.

Also, this is a lot of hoo haa over your inability to find an inexpensive network/phone plug crimper. You can get them for ten bucks if you look hard enough.

For ten bucks, sure. I'll look around. Worst case I buy another P2 gun, depending on the price. I'll poke around first for a 6-wire cable, though.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll find the cheapest route and go for it.

[FABombjoy]

Try the following steps:

1: Purchase a new RJ11 jack
2: Cut off the old jack
3: Prepare the cable by stripping the cable jacket & test fitting into the new jack
4: Find the nearest telephone switchbox, you know, those big white or green boxes placed randomly throughout the town with the phone company logo on them. Set it on fire.
5: Once the fire department leaves & the phone techs arrive to repair the switch, ask nicely if you can borrow their crimper.
6: Have a smile - you just saved ten bucks!