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A&K M249 initial impressions


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Dunno, but yeah I'm planning to do the same. There's loads of room in the gun for a mosfet.

 

Okay, what I've done so far:

 

Lubricated the gearbox.

Replaced the motor with a CA short type Super High Speed motor.

Applied silicon sealant to the cylinder head to maintain the seal.

Replaced the piston head o-ring (mine was too thin, other have had no issue with this).

Replaced the bevel gear with a CA one (not strictly necessary perhaps).

Re-shimmed the gears.

Replaced the Anti-Reversal Latch (ARL) with a G&G one (again, not strictly necessary).

Replaced the hop-up nub with a cut section of a suitably chunky o-ring.

 

Results:

ROF increased from 12rps to 24rps.

Better cylinder compression, though I'll have to test that for fps.

Quieter operation (far less screechy).

 

The reason I replaced the bevel gear was 'cos I had one given to me and it proved easier to shim against the CA motor than the stock one for some reason. I replaced the ARL 'cos the stock one is a bit thinner and fiddly to locate properly (especially when you open the gearbox as often as I have). Somehow, it also reduced the screeching a tad. The hop-up nub is 2mm longer, which improves range.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

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Reading thru this thread and its like deja vu two years ago and the CA release.

 

Welcome to the support gunning brotherhood my brothers! The airsoft world needs more suppression out there, lets stop this flitting about of the young (and fast) tirts. "Run n gun? Ol' painless is waitin for ya."

 

Anyhow, going to do you all a massive favor, re: bearings.

 

VXB

 

VXB has absolutely nothing to do with airsoft. But what they do do is make bearings. Ball bearings. Kick *albatross* ball bearings. VXB sells bearings in pretty much any dimension you can imagine. And what's more they will kick the absolute living SH!T out of any airsoft bearing you can buy anywhere else, in the world. Full stop. Bar none. Period. End of sentence, end of paragraph.

 

They are expensive, I shelled out $50 for mine for my CA SAW, but they are worth it. The ones I bought can support well over 150lbs apiece! Nothing else you can find can touch that. You will warp a PCG billet mechbox before the bearing will deform. My bearings went into my gun at 60k rounds (the stock ones were fine , but I still swapped em) and I'm well over 500k, actually approaching 1million rounds in fact on these same VXBs (over 400fps, well over, the entire time). They work, they last, they laugh off 600-700fps springs, they will *never* break, they have tighter tolerances than an 80yr old nun...

 

Anyway, yeah, www.VXB.com pricey but worth it

 

Rock and roll.

 

EDIT - I don't work for VXB, really. 1 million rounds speaks for itself. Oh btw I just last month replaced my first gear in my CA due to a chipped tooth. How's that for an alignment holding record?

 

EDIT 2 - be sure to put some lead weight in those A&Ks so you build up those arms to be the manly man hulk that you deserve in your heart to be, striking fear into all those that see you on the field. Go ahead, make those poofta riflemen pick up your SAW in the parking lot before the match, watch their face as they strain to lift it. See the fear glaze into their eyes as their gaze meets yous after they gingerly set your metal cannon back down. Be sure to whisper to em "I'll be comin for ya" and give em a grin.

 

EDIT 3 - super secret support gunning er secret #32: The CA hardsided box mag can do one thing that the CA and MAG softsides (or any of the other boxmags with horizontal pickup feeds) can't - feed .3g bbs as fast as .2s. It works with the A&Ks and word on the street is going out of production. I'll let you string together the implications...

 

EDIT 4 - suppression: nothing suppresses players better than hitting loud things. Yes it works even better than tagging their teammate. Loud things around your target. Hollow logs are good, tree trunks. Baring that shoot the leaves over em as they crouch behind cover. Never bother with the ground, ground absorbs bb impacts too well to deliver that nice audible "hey, I'm under freaking FIRE here" message. Oh, and if your target takes shelter behind a slatboard wall, pallet, or particle board... oh man. Uncork the hose. NOTHING makes them cower in fear more than the sound of hundreds or thousands of angry white pain spheres wailing on that wood like a mallet on a drum. ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-boom! Rinse. Repeat. Grin. Laugh maniacally. Watch as your riflemen rush in or angle out to administer the mercy kills on your wimpering suppressed and pinned victims. Satisfaction. Chew some beef jerky. Spit. Say something manly. Move on to next objective.

 

EDIT 5 - Don't get me started on how bad you can ruin a sniper's day...

Edited by Hillslam
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Go ahead, make those poofta riflemen pick up your SAW in the parking lot before the match, watch their face as they strain to lift it. See the fear glaze into their eyes as their gaze meets yous after they gingerly set your metal cannon back down. Be sure to whisper to em [/i]"I'll be comin for ya" and give em a grin.

 

DIT 4 - suppression: nothing suppresses players better than hitting loud things. Yes it works even better than tagging their teammate. Loud things around your target. Hollow logs are good, tree trunks. Baring that shoot the leaves over em as they crouch behind cover. Never bother with the ground, ground absorbs bb impacts too well to deliver that nice audible "hey, I'm under freaking FIRE here" message. Oh, and if your target takes shelter behind a slatboard wall, pallet, or particle board... oh man. Uncork the hose.  NOTHING makes them cower in fear more than the sound of hundreds or thousands of angry white pain spheres wailing on that wood like a mallet on a drum. ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-boom! Rinse. Repeat. Grin. Laugh maniacally. Watch as your riflemen rush in or angle out to administer the mercy kills on your wimpering suppressed and pinned victims. Satisfaction. Chew some beef jerky. Spit. Say something manly. Move on to next objective.

 

EDIT 5 - Don't get me started on how bad you can ruin a sniper's day...

 

:blink: I did all those today. Seriously.

 

OK, not seriously, but sorta..

Edited by supportgunner
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hillslam,i'm sure you were foaming as you wrote your post.I can almost hear the manical laughter as you recounted inflicting terror on the field.

I haven't had much chance to do any support gunning,even in the Army i avoided any form of support gunning as i didn't fancy sharing any ammo{we were using LSWs},the GIMPY weighed a ton & so did the ammo.I was a lot fitter then but the last time i towed round a support gun in a game i didn't do to bad & i was carrying my M4A4 with me as well.

Next year i'll be over the domestic stuff like house moves i'm going through at the moment & then i'll be able to game again.I'll be upgrading the internals for sustained fire support & buying a smaller box mag for ease of carrying.I might even paint the gun to go with my load outs,who know?

1 million rounds,is that a guestimate or a figure you know for fact?I can't imaging what a million BBs in one place would look like.

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Just thought I'd post the links to the right 8mm bearings on the VXB site to save anyone looking if they were interested. These are all the ones they sell in the right dimensions:

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/3mm/kit860

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/kit749

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/kit1048

 

I think it's probably those last ceramic ones that Hillslam was referring to.

Edited by fathom1001
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Just thought I'd post the links to the right 8mm bearings on the VXB site to save anyone looking if they were interested. These are all the ones they sell in the right dimensions:

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/3mm/kit860

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/kit749

 

http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/kit1048

 

I think it's probably those last ceramic ones that Hillslam was referring to.

Thanks for the links,added into my favourites.

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Whoops!

 

Do NOT do everything I did, 'cos when I tested my gun today it hit 410fps - not good. I think I know what happened, but obviously I can't talk about it here!

 

I also developed a short, so I'm gonna check out my wiring tonight. I also managed to cook my battery in 3 seconds (8.4V mini). Gawd knows how I managed all that, so any advice is welcome!

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As a not so experienced airsoft mechanic i'd just like to say a BIG thankyou to Pablo,Tarnish,Stealthbomber and all who have posted on this thread.Your infomation has made me feel a lot happier about starting my own mods on my mk1.

Many thanks again. :unsure:

 

No worries, that's why we're all here I hope, to help each other out. You'll soon discover that AEG engineering is more of an art than a science and as Pablo said of his efforts we've all made our fair share of mistakes in the past, I know I have!

 

:)

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Well I stripped out the gear box and totally rebuilt it and did the following:

  • Switched over the o-ring in the cylinder head
  • Replaced the standard gears with Guarder Steel reinforced high speed gears
  • Replaced the motor with the new high speed (Top Secret version)
  • Put in a spring (Mine shipped without at my request)
  • Modified the switch (involves removing 3mm off the end and bending)
  • Modified the Box mag (now feeds correctly, does not jam or misfire)
  • Removed the fuse
  • Rewired the gear box
  • Replaced all conectors
  • Replaced Spring Guide with a Systema Spring Guide with Bearings (could be why im over the limit)
  • Greased the gear box
  • Modified the hopunit (now works)
  • Replaced barrel for a 6.03mm MadBull Black Python
  • Replaced Bucking for Tokyo Marui Hopup bucking
Now one thing that I did note, the adjustment plate can cause issues with other motors, you will need to modify the plate.

 

What happens is the plate even when fully retracted pushes the motor too far forward and the motor pinion gear will be pushed to far up on to the bevel gear. This causes huge amounts of pressure on them resulting in the motor not being able to turn, this could be why alot of you are getting hot wires and batteries!

 

Try loosening the bolts around the motor and see if this helps.

 

Before:

 

oldgearboxmediumvh8.jpg

 

After

 

p9300128mediumkb0.jpg

 

I don't want to go in to too much detail here as I am writting an extensive review and walk through on this product.

 

But needless to say, I am now hitting slightly over the 1 joule mark :( But what with the ease of switching out springs then this will be very easy to sort out!

 

I have to say though I am very impressed with this replica so far and out of all the ACM's that I have seen this truely is in a league of it's own!

 

p9260006mediumfh2.jpg

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Two things corrected that problem with my box-mag. First I gave the release catch and its spring a good squirt of silicone spray as it was a bit sticky in its operation. Second I modified the ammo feed block slighty so the flange did not interfere with the box mag release catch as unmodified it is always partly operating the catch.

 

DSCF3234Small.jpg

 

DSCF3229Small.jpg

 

EDIT: Note it will still be "loose" in as much as you will feel it move on its mounting bracket but it should not become detatched in future.

 

! As Pablo said, referring back to my original post.

:D

Edited by Tarnish
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Oh, and when I open the box sometime this week to sort my fps out I'll measure that switch like I promised to do on Saturday. Sorry about that, forgot all about it in my eagerness to test her out.

 

I'll also try loosening the bolts around the motor, as this slight size discrepancy that FarEast pointed out would explain why I couldn't get her to sound right with the stock bevel gear (no matter how I shimmed it) and also the resistance that lead to my battery cooking. Of course, the cause of my fps issue that I keep skirting around probably ain't helping :D

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