Porter Cable Framing Nailer Woes

[satchmodog]

Recently I lent my favorite framer to a friend so he could build his fence and something bad happened. I told him to go in my garage and grab the nailer and a box of nails since I had five cases of nails. When he got home he didn't like my nails because some had some surface rust and patina on them(he grabbed the open box lol) so off to Home Depot he goes and grabs a case of similar looking nails. EXCEPT, they twernt. My gun takes clipped heads and he bought round heads. Back story here is I was 1500 miles away and couldn't go over there and see what went haywire. He just calls and tells me the gun went haywire, there was a loud bang and some parts went flying off. He said he ordered the replacement parts and installed them, but the gun still wouldn't fire. So off he goes and rents a gun, then he buys me a replacement for my 350. It's same model number, but a totally different gun. Damn thing won't even fit in the case. That's how Ghetto PC has become the past several years, half their crap doesn't have cases.

 

So anyway, I get home and he gives me both guns. No biggie, shit happens. He also gave me the nails he bought. Sunday I am looking at the old nailer and there's no visible reason why it shouldn't work, but there's also six nails still in the magazine, so I fish them out and it's a MOFO. Generally, they just slide out, so I'm wondering if the innards are still ganked. Once I pull them out and inspect the nails, I notice that they look odd. They look odd because they are full round heads and that gun always took clipped. Well hell, there;s your problem, son. I fire up the compressor in the garage and throw some proper nails in and voila, she's throwing steel into a 2x4 like a pro.

 

Now here's my issue. PC, because they've turned into a ghost brand have discontinued so may parts and the cushion tip was one of them. He ordered the tip, but it's for a later model of this gun and doesn't fit. I have checked five replacement part sites and no luck finding one. I know I really don't need a tip for framing walls and such, but I do other work with the gun and would like to use something that doesn't gank the project. I guess I could also use the new gun on those surfaces, but if anyone has any ideas about finding tips or a home or aftermarket solution to find or replace PC part 887247, I'll buy you a beer