# Shotgun Shooter Handle Mod Installation

**Source:** Spooky Pinball  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2025-10-24  
**Duration:** 5m 17s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4hdaplTryM

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## Analysis

Spooky Pinball releases an official installation video for the shotgun shooter handle mod for Evil Dead pinball machines. The tutorial covers step-by-step removal of the standard launch button and installation of the shotgun-themed replacement, including wiring instructions for machines with and without pre-installed Z connectors. The video demonstrates both connector-based and manual wire-splicing methods for accommodating different production runs.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The shotgun shooter handle mod is an available aftermarket modification for Evil Dead pinball machines — _Spooky Pinball official video; presented as official product support content_
- [HIGH] Not all Evil Dead machines in the field have Z connectors pre-installed due to manufacturing timeline differences — _AJ (Spooky service team): 'not everybody is going to have those Z connectors inside of the cabinet because we didn't know we were going to be making this mod... multiple years ago in our previous games or even at the start of this Evil Dead production run'_
- [HIGH] The mod requires wiring the shotgun handle to the launch button circuit, either via pre-installed Z connectors or by manual wire splicing — _Video demonstrates both installation methods; Z connector method and manual wire-splicing walkthrough by AJ_
- [HIGH] The shotgun handle mod uses a 2Z pin connector for machines equipped with Z connectors — _Narrator: 'Included in the hardware with your mod is this 2Z pin connector'_

### Notable Quotes

> "Always, of course, remember to install your protective foam on your playfield. Uh whether you have the aftermarket topper or not, you want to install this foam because the tape reels on your apron can get damaged if you do not."
> — **Spooky service technician**, ~2:30
> _Best practice guidance for field technicians performing any playfield maintenance; indicates known damage risk in Evil Dead machines_

> "not everybody is going to have those Z connectors inside of the cabinet because we didn't know we were going to be making this mod... multiple years ago in our previous games or even at the start of this Evil Dead production run"
> — **AJ (Spooky service team)**, ~9:00
> _Reveals manufacturing constraint and timeline planning challenge; explains why two wiring methods are required_

> "That's all the steps to installing your shotgun shooter handle. Give it the good oldfashioned wiggle test."
> — **Spooky service technician**, ~8:00
> _Summarizes mod installation and emphasizes mechanical durability testing before play_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Spooky Pinball | company | Manufacturer publishing official installation support video for Evil Dead pinball machine mod |
| Evil Dead | game | Spooky Pinball title for which the shotgun shooter handle mod is designed and available |
| AJ | person | Spooky Pinball service technician demonstrating wiring procedure for non-Z-connector machines |
| shotgun shooter handle mod | product | Aftermarket modification kit for Evil Dead; replaces standard launch button with shotgun-themed handle |
| Z connector | product | Optional pre-installed wiring connector on Evil Dead machines; used for simplified mod installation on newer units |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Mod installation and maintenance, Evil Dead pinball machine support, Aftermarket shooter modifications
- **Secondary:** Manufacturing variability and field service challenges, Wiring and electrical connector compatibility

### Sentiment

**Neutral** (0.5) — Instructional/technical video with professional, customer-service oriented tone. No promotional language or sentiment; purely procedural guidance with clear emphasis on customer support availability.

### Signals

- **[product_launch]** Shotgun shooter handle mod is available for Evil Dead machines; official Spooky video suggests product is in active field distribution (confidence: high) — Official Spooky Pinball installation video; product hardware shown; mod included in service support documentation
- **[manufacturing_signal]** Evil Dead machines lack Z connectors from certain production periods, requiring Spooky to provide alternative wiring instructions to field technicians (confidence: high) — AJ explicitly states: 'not everybody is going to have those Z connectors... because we didn't know we were going to be making this mod... multiple years ago... or even at the start of this Evil Dead production run'
- **[operational_signal]** Spooky service guidance emphasizes protective foam installation to prevent apron tape reel damage during any playfield work; suggests known failure mode in field (confidence: high) — Narrator: 'the tape reels on your apron can get damaged if you do not' install protective foam
- **[product_concern]** Spooky did not anticipate shotgun handle mod availability at Evil Dead launch or in earlier game designs, requiring retrofit wiring capability for existing machines (confidence: high) — AJ: 'we didn't know we were going to be making this mod... multiple years ago in our previous games or even at the start of this Evil Dead production run'
- **[community_signal]** Spooky provides official video support and direct service contact for mod installations, signaling customer service commitment to aftermarket modifications (confidence: high) — Conclusion: 'If you have any questions, please feel free to email servicepinball.com or call the phone number on the screen here'

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## Transcript

Hey everybody, we're going to be showing you how to install your shotgun handle shooter mod. If this is your first time setting up the game, I recommend that you go watch our video on how to set up your Evil Dead pinball machine before we begin. If not, we'll go over the details of how to get this shooter handle installed. You're going to start here by removing that lock down bar. You're going to close your coin door and get the glass removed as well. Uh, please make sure that there are no balls in the game if uh this is on a game that has already been played for a while. So, you'll uh lift up the playfield, remove the balls, and put the playfield up into the service position. Always, of course, remember to install your protective foam on your playfield. Uh whether you have the aftermarket topper or not, you want to install this foam because the tape reels on your apron can get damaged if you do not. So, we are showing this on a game that is essentially brand new, like coming just out of a box. But this goes for whether your game's brand new, not brand new, whatever. So, after you have that foam installed, you're just going to pull the playfield out and set it upright into the service position so that you have access to the front of the cabinet. All right, so step one is going to be to remove your launch button. You're going to grab the inside of it, twist to the side there. You'll feel a little click, and that will pull straight out. And then the button itself is held on with this plastic lock nut. You're simply going to loosen that and then push the button right out. You'll then want to unplug the switch and light connector, removing the Zpin as well. Uh you'll most likely need to unscrew this Dloop in the inside of the cabinet here that is holding that in. You can use a quarterin nut driver or a flathead screwdriver. And again, don't forget to remove this Zpin connector. And then that's your full launch button assembly removed from the game. And it's now, of course, time to install your shotgun shooter handle. So, you will simply insert it in the same position that the launch button was in, facing the correct direction, obviously. Once that handle is flush and smooth with the machine, you can go ahead and begin securing it down, starting with your metal washer, and then of course your metal lock nut. Run these over the wire and the connector. And go ahead and get that lock nut threaded on and fingertight. We are using prototype foam and a handle in this video, so you may have more threads and we'll be able to use that second lock nut. To ensure that it's fully secured to the machine, we are taking a 15/16 wrench here to tighten it the rest of the way down. We also recommend that you can use a slip joint pliers as well to get this tightened. Really, anything you can get a grip on that with ensure that it is completely secured to the front of your cabinet so it can survive any and all hip checks. Included in the hardware with your mod is this 2Z pin connector. You're going to plug that into your shotgun handle here. And then you need to match the colors and connect it with the cabinet harness as well. So, there'll be two open spots. As you can see, you want to make sure you have your black and blue wires connected. And that's it. That's all the steps to installing your shotgun shooter handle. Give it the good oldfashioned wiggle test. And then you are good to go and put your playfield back in, balls back in, glass on, and enjoy your new mod. Now, not everybody is going to have those Z connectors inside of the cabinet because we didn't know we were going to be making this modu uh multiple years ago in our previous games or even at the start of this Evil Dead production run. So, AJ is going to step in here and explain to you how you will be connecting the shooter uh handle mod if you don't have those Z connectors present in your cabinet. Cut this black and games off and cut the black and blue. I'm just going to strip that a little long. Strip it a little long. Strip that one a little long. And then I'm going to go to the same thing out of this plug.
Quick note here. If your game doesn't have the connectors, uh, this plug won't exist. These wires will be run to your launch button itself. That's where you'll be cutting these, not from a plug. Continue. We're going to cut my blue right at the nip. We're going to cut the black right at the nip. And you're going to say, "Hey, I have two blacks." That's okay. We're going to put them together. And then we're going to grab a strip and a strip and a strip. Then the next thing I need to do, I grab my connector. We're going to open up both sides. We're going to shove this in as far as we can. Close it. We're going to shove this place in as far as we can. We're going to close it. Pull in my wires. We're good. We're going to do the same thing with the black one. Shove one in here. Good. And then we're going to take these two. I'm going to twist them together. Once we twist those two together, they're going to go in the other side here.
Cool. Quick connect. Those are for all the people that don't have the Z connector in there. And that covers it all. That is how you install your shotgun shooter mod. If you have any questions, please feel free to email servicepinball.com or call the phone number on the screen here and we will get back to you as fast as we possibly can to help you with your install. So, thank you. Have a great day.

_(Acquisition: youtube_auto_sub, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: c048efc0-b4b6-4131-81a3-cc80e33ba79b*