Initial Impressions of the TM SOPMOD M4 AEG

[ahadsz]

WOW! what a nice gun too bad the magazines are like 40 bucks and the battery is 70 for 8.4v, man wish they would tone down the price.

Edited June 27, 2010 by ahadsz

[Zero Arsenal]

Has anyone ever heard of the KM 365mm 6.04mm barrel? I recently installed it along with a Firefly soft hop bucking on a stock SOPMOD and it's shooting in the high 290-300fps range with good accuracy. Another question is (and I know everyone's already heard it a million times, but what the heck) what else can I do to gain fps and range without putting too much stress on the gun where durability would come into question. I think I'm looking to shoot somewhere in the 350fps range.

[Boba_Fett]

Does someone know where to get a spare HopUp unit?

[elanaiba]

CKinnerley: The Echigoya Custom Sopmod UBR is indeed the blowback EBB Sopmod, and it is a UBR. Firstly, you should be aware that the stock ACM - not PTS. Confirmed by Echigoya. Secondly, the actual buffer tube is original TM buffer tube that's been lathed/filed so that it'll take the UBR stock.

 

I'm very curious on that UBR adaptation ... from what I've seen on the UBR it seems possible but I don't have an UBR around to check.

 

Question: How do I remove the piston head on the sopmod? Is there a screw in the middle of it, spring side?

[Richard Y]

I'm very curious on that UBR adaptation ... from what I've seen on the UBR it seems possible but I don't have an UBR around to check.

 

Question: How do I remove the piston head on the sopmod? Is there a screw in the middle of it, spring side?

 

 

yup watch my vid its on there i think..

 

using a towel, while holding the piston with your hand, grab the head with a towel for grip and twist the piston head off, usual undoing direction.

[Isamu]

Has anyone ever heard of the KM 365mm 6.04mm barrel? I recently installed it along with a Firefly soft hop bucking on a stock SOPMOD and it's shooting in the high 290-300fps range with good accuracy. Another question is (and I know everyone's already heard it a million times, but what the heck) what else can I do to gain fps and range without putting too much stress on the gun where durability would come into question. I think I'm looking to shoot somewhere in the 350fps range.

 

 

My stock gun is already shooting 300fps and im going to install a 330fps spring by RichardY which should push FPS to around 330/335fps, so I think that with the TBB you already installed and said spring you should be around 340/345fps

 

Please correct me if im wrong as i want to run a similar setup

 

 

[Richard Y]

i really went to town on the gearbox tonight, when the gearbox is loosly held together the tppet plate moves freer than when its screwed together.. so i snad it just lightly and greased it up a bit with geargrease. moves a lot freer now when the casing screwed tight.

 

Ive also found that you need to shim the sector gear quite low. to provide enough clearance for the tappet plate, and get a good conenction with the spur gear, id say max of 0.2 when shimimng the underside of the sector gear. Stand TM gear of course others may vary.

 

I fixed the cut off issue buy doing 3 things..

 

I made the contacts closer together for a better metal connection.

 

2. This made the contacts get stuck which anakchan experienced. so i added geargrease, alot to the under side of the contact blade the part which slides in the plastic connector, this made it a lot smoother and stopped it getting stuck.

 

3. i added a little hieght to the top of the cut off lever which pushes up on the metal contact blade. So it needs less effort from the gear to knock the blade..

 

Obviously im still going to fit the new cut off lever as theres no garretny the adradite i used to build up the hight of the cut off lever will hold forever..

 

 

 

Still have to test but just turning it with my hand in the casing with the trigger pulled all the way back disconnects the trigger blade. adding 20 000 rpm should do it even easier..

 

 

ill still need to track downa new anti reverse latch spring at some point but i have yet to compare other version springs for something which might fit version 7 for instance i think is the opposite direction like the sopmod.

[Richard Y]

hey guys, i fit these items today..

 

the laylax barrel upgrade parts, the hard base and shims..

 

all i got to say is thank you laylax you gods of the lathe..

 

 

its removed everysingle bit of wobble now bare in mind ive now tool for tightening the collar that screws onto the body thread. So its hand tight yet stil theres no play i mean it wont move at all. not just alittle tiny tiny bit of movement which is acceptable but none at all .. lol

 

sweet...

 

also im slowly reaplcing all the sopmod screws with ones i can source locally so i can list them all on the shop as replacment screws.. mine are either falling out on there own or rounding off.

 

see .. shiny.. and flat head so better grip. well the fact thats its not rounded offf gives it better grip.

 

[elanaiba]

Is the barrel base different in any way, dimension wise?

[Richard Y]

i thought it was just a hard version, but its actually thicker by about 0.5mm so it definatly removes some wobble, not sure what the spacers did but i like it too... Just need a tool now to tighten it. You can see why they made it this way. Its all very easy to change the front end. Lets just say ill be stocking those parts thats how much i rate them.

[AnakChan]

Richard, I'm still using the stock collar and am not having any wobbles. Is your stock hop spring tension weakening? (ya' know the spring that's in between the barrel & the hop). Anyhow, I'm heading back home (land of Oz) for a week, but when I get back I'll see if any of the shops have spare ARLs in their junk box. They definitely don't sell those on the shelf but maybe they may have it in their box of parts.

[Richard Y]

cheers bud, its working atm but i had to sort of bend it back into shape.. lol so if you ever see one on your travels ill take it ! lol

 

 

I didnt used to get to much play but ever since i reassembled it i got a lot, might have done it wrong, to be honest i was worrying more about the whole no semi thing at the time...

 

Any way the fact that the laylax one is wider makes me feel like ive gotten my moneys worth out of it. I like the idea that its taking more of the weight now, previously the hop unit would take some of the load.. which cant be too good.

 

hop springs all good. thats on the inside of the upper reciever all the barrel bits are on the other side.

 

 

 

got my weekend game this weekend ... yay, mosfets not here yet though still think the wirings to wide anyway..

 

I might contact them and order another one but see if they can fit 20awg wire or 22 awg wire.... Something really small to fit in the sopmod. I mean i know its not perfect but it will be much more effiecent with the mosfet fitted..

 

 

When this games done this weekend i will take the sopmod apart again and get the recoil weight back to the cnc factory for the last lot of designing. Fingers crossed it wont take too long, we had to change it slightly for ease of manufacturing, using off the shelf nylon c clip style washers rather than any nitriding.. we just think over time it would eat through the stock tube if we didnt use nylon for the low friction point of contact. That was pretty much the hold up. Its all about costs you seeeeeee, its not so much about the cost to me.. but the cost i have to pass on to you guys, theres no point me telling him to do what ever it needs, custom make it all, and then we have a final unit price of 80! quid.. im trying my best to keep it down cost wise but still provide a quality product! The skimming process is pritty cool, once the machines finished turning the peice it goes back and skims the outter edge all the way alone. Basically it gives it an extremely high polish to the stainless steel. IE will look sexy .. which is whats important right ? We didnt think we could skim it for the whole 100mm but they will turn it round and do one side then the other.

 

CNCings a pain in the butt. Youve got more freedom on a plain lathe and mill. They talk about a cnc machine being able to to anything.. but then they tell you, you cant becuase they wont be able to do it in one run that way... or that its not cost effective.

 

maybe one day ill have my own then i can do what ever i like!

 

 

 

[Isamu]

Great Richard! Im waiting that recoil weight and if it increases the felt recoil, you have a customer but, have you thought about making outer barrels? for stubby killers/CQB/M16... please, PDI CQB OB is just stupidly expensive

[Richard Y]

the problem is turning a peice for more than 100mm, cnc machines wont do it for the most part with out being setup for it big style. And a lathe which is big enough will set me back 2k not including tooling and even then its going to be a mission, ive had estimates of 6 hours to make 1 barrel. Its all about how the machines hold it, as it spins the longer you extend the peice the more it has chance of wobbling.. a peice sticking out 300mm hasa big chance of wobbling and well it reduces the quality. No one i talked to is willing to do it. This is why Pdi barrels for me the inner barrels are a work of art...

 

When the shop is up and running turning over a decent amount steady orders etc, i have to keep investing the cash so i will look at that point into a massive lathe to do the job, it has a lot to do with weight, the heavier the lathe the less chance of it wobbling too.

 

If you tool up with the intention of making one specific item from the start it gets easier, you have to understand everytime i walk into some factory and enquire, they are already doing there own stuff 9 hours a day. Every single place.

 

 

Which is why the shop ideas so important, if i had the cash flow that the big companys like firesupport, ehobbyasia have.. id have a massive factory by now lol

 

to put it into perspective, the cnc machine with enough weight and tooling to do constant runs of barrels, costs about 110,000 pounds.. Most factorys with that kind of equipment dont have it sitting around doing nothing.. . If it took me 6 hours to make a barrel on the lathe, i love you guys but noooooooooooooo

 

 

So ive thought outside the box a little, i know we want everything made in england etc taking faraway lands and costs out of the equation but i really want to see the high current connector happen, as well i keep getting sopmods in for repair with broken stock pipe connector metal contacts. and lets face it the electrical system on the standard sopmod isnt as effiecent as it should be!

 

so ive caved and contacted the guy who runs diamond ring airsoft products. Not sure how this will play out, whether or if he will even want to make it. But it does give us better production methods out sourcing this one... the 24 carat gold plateing technique only would be worth it.

 

The things i could do if i had money eh... bring on the shop is all im saying

[Isamu]

I will stock patience then and the best of lucks to you Richard We all want your ideas to become reality

 

BTW, did you think about making a mould and make barrels by casting method? im quite the ignorant in these matters, just my two cents

[Richard Y]

could do but i figure if we are gunna do it, lets do it as good as we can.

 

If i did use casting methods id still need dosh to order in larger quanitys.. cnc stuff although its pricy can be done in much smaller batches.. my limits always been about 100 of each item. sell through then order more.

[Isamu]

ok, I understand your point, one more idea, would be possible to make a barrel extension from M4A1 length to M16 length?easier and cheaper, if done correctly wobble should not be a problem, it would be cheaper and regular AEG users could benefit from it too

[Number5]

All sounding very good Richard!

 

How are your factory friends at machineing RIS rails!? lol. Im VERY tempted by a DD MK18 rail, but would really like to use a bigger bat without a batt box, if i could squeeze in a bigger bat somehow...!!

 

A little bit off topis, anyone know if socom gear or anyone else make a copy of the DD MK18 M4A! FSP rail!? (specifically FSP with the removeable lower section, not an MRE copy)

Its between one the FSP rails (if i can find one) and a DD MK 18 12inch (I think its 12 inch of the top of my head.)

 

An update on my SOCOM, its working awsomely! getting good 50m hits with it and running nicely! Playing a game last week end though I've started to hear what i think is a bit of 'snarling' from the motor, which sounds like hte motor is engaged to high! it isnt, but I cant shake the feeling something is amiss! Ive played with teh Motor engagement height, but not alot of change, im hopeing it isnt the GB!

 

Also been thinking of a Mosfet RichardY, I have one of the infected armouries Fetts', the wires he uses are pretty small, Im confident it will fir when I eventually get around to putting it in, Plus also considering upgrading the wireing to the Modify silver type wires!

 

ALSO.... very interested now in the Laylax barrel parts! will be investing!

 

Get that recoil weight finished!!! lol.

 

J.

[Richard Y]

doesnt a million companys already do barrel extensions like gandp? I mean if not i can look into it, im assuming 100mm per extention.

 

Mines an infected he uses 18awg wire, im still not sure though, might ask for another in 20awg. Might figure out all the dimensions and work with them for a sopmod specific fet.

 

Make sure your running the sopmod pistol grip and just loosen the motor up till it sounds bad then wind it in a turn or two and if it sounds nice thats probably right.

[Isamu]

I know companies make extensions, but not from M4A1 to M16 with the groves to put an ironsight and retain the handguard/rail, I mean, to make it look like a M16 from an M4 barrel.

 

Hope I explained myself clearly

[Richard Y]

right just when i get the ok for a 1 off of the barrel extension.. You go and complicate it lol

 

I think i get what you mean, you want to be able to fit the m16 hand rails, and simply move the m4 front right further forward... I will need exact dimensions, ie where to put the cut for the metal front site pin, and maybe i grub screw as well. I dont see how i can do that with out having the m16 front end im front of me, so would this be just for an m16 would any other kits fit ? Is this something other people might want ? Or just a one off?

[Number5]

The trouble is im using a MIAD pistol Grip which might be the reason, I'll have to try swtiching to the Standard and see if theres a difference. Might just be me hears things...

[Isamu]

I love complicating things as much as I love brainstormings, richard but you know I do it t help

 

Dont know if other kits would fit, but im sure it would be a step forward for the people who want to make an M16 variant, altough Vietnam and A2 series would be impossible to replicate faithfully Im sure this extension, a full stock mod and a more powerful spring would open the door for the SOPMOD to the USA market which IIRC is the biggest one right now...

[Richard Y]

well i can have the extension done but it aint cheap! the moment you dont do things in bulk its right expensive lol .. ironically...

 

Would be nice if i can do it for about 40 quid but thats the cost so far without the material costs and without the mat black annodising.. i have to by the ali in 3 meter lengths but ive yet to check ebay for pre cut lengths.

 

annodising.. lol not a clue they might take pitty on me ..

 

well i think i might weight then, like i say i can do the extension but without knowing where to put the cuts and grub screw..

 

if i had a longer ras maybe to hand and an m16 kit i might be able to measure both, or just one, but untill then we might have to shelve this.

 

at least we know we can do outter barrels up to 120mm.

 

Probably with a one off cost though of 50 quid! you guys and your customising the looks...

[Richard Y]

*suitcase* ! i just wired a 7.4 3000mah lipo direct skipping all the connectors.. jesus christ the rof is mental... i might use this this weekend instead of my sopmod loool

 

well i rof tested them both and i think its broken as they both came up 12 rps lol yet you can blatently here the one directly wired is miles faster.

 

dilemar if i do it to my own i wont be able to test the batterys i make

 

also you can see the wire through the holes inthe stock where the batterys would normally go

Edited July 1, 2010 by Richard Y