Initial Impressions of the TM SOPMOD M4 AEG

[Hatchet]

Had a play fitting the Madbull DD 9 inch rail. As usual, I learnt some valuable things about doing so (read, screwed it up again). I'm sure this will be obvious for a lot of people, but I'm not a lot of people.

 

 

Firstly, the PDI 10.3 outer barrel is pretty tight where the barrel base fits on. A bit of filing was necessary to allow fit. The actual reinforced barrel base was fine (since I tested that on the standard barrel).

 

Secondly, barrel shims are needed, and getting the number used right is important. If you don't use enough, the rail system is rock solid, but the barrel has excess movement, if you use too many the reverse is true. I think I used 3 or 4 out of the 10 supplied and got a rock solid rail and an almost perfect outer barrel. There's a fraction of play when you try and wobble it, but not much.

 

Thirdly, pay attention to the position of the hex screws above. The top and middle should go in from the rear and the bottom from the front. It's possible to try and put the top pair in from the front, which leads you to gouging a chunk out of the RIS as you try and screw them down. Don't ask how I know this...

 

Finally, tools. I actually over-tooled on this one. A stock wrench is all that's needed. I had also got the delta ring removal tool (the one with the prongs that goes onto the spiky cog - technical eh?), but it's not needed. Usual allen keys, cross head screwdriver also required.

 

All I need now is a battery to actually fire the thing...

 

More hilarity will undoubtedly ensue as I do more work on it.

[Caelas]

http://www.airsoftatlanta.com/Freedom_Art_Mag_Pipe_for_Tokyo_Marui_SOPMOD_p/58552.htm

 

Look at this useless P.O.S, the converter costs nearly as much as a low cap magazine! It's a tiny plastic tube!!! Would be great if it wasn't so bloody expensive.

 

EDIT: Just realized that the website was wrong, it attaches in the mag well, not on each individual magazine. Looks like I'll be buying this!

Edited November 25, 2010 by Caelas

[AnakChan]

Hatchet,

 

I found I needed shims for some of the RIS Hex screws, otherwise the rail won't be parallel to the barrel. Here's what I've posted with pics before in the same thread. In my case it's for putting in a slim Lipo in the front (and I changed my stock to an ACS instead) :-

 

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=158786&st=480&p=2298963entry2298963

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=158786&st=520&p=2308380entry2308380

 

Caelas,

 

Yes I use that as standard. I've given up on the bolt release functionality :-

 

[Isamu]

 

 

Yes I use that as standard. I've given up on the bolt release functionality :-

 

 

MADNESS!!!

 

Well, i have done it too until cheap mags are released, cant explain to myself buying 24€ mags

 

 

[Bastel]

lol

 

Are anywhere spare hopup units available?

[Caelas]

Can you tell me how those Pmags fit AnakChan?

[Hatchet]

Anakchan, thanks for the links. I thought I had read the whole thread, but there's a lot in it. I haven't yet noticed needing shims on the outer barrel hex nuts, I will have to check to see if all is parallel later. Mine were just for the inner barrel. I had seen your front end lipo job previously, been impressed and thought about it, but decided to stick with the rear marui battery for ease of change, more weight in the rear and so on.

 

Not sure I'd want to hold the weight of my gun on the one mag catch like that! Good looking setup though.

 

Bastel - not seen any so far, I'd be interested in getting one as well to make complete barrel swaps easier.

 

All this and I still haven't had a chance to use mine yet! Hopefully at the weekend.

[AnakChan]

Caelas, when you use those Pakyama Mag Pipes, the instructions say that you have to bend the catch inwards by 0.3 - 0.5mm (that's why I was holding it by the Ranger plates so confidently ;-)). Initially my concern was the Pakyama falling off during mag changes. That's never happened. It's stuck firmly onto the BB feed of the hop chamber.

 

As for the battery, the lipos I use are extremely light so it's negligible. Maybe 'cos I'm using an ACS rather than a CTR stock so it still feels quite balanced.

 

Pity you guys didn't mention about the hopup units earlier. I just made an order of misc parts for my Sopmod (and for some others on the forum here) from TM last week and they're arriving either today or tomorrow. Too late now. (actually I have to admit I am picky as to who I'm ordering for on the forums though).

Edited November 26, 2010 by AnakChan

[Richard Y]

i have a spare front end from my sopmod ie outer barrel, ris, delta ring, front site, flash hider, you know basically everything from the end of the front reciver forward, given the hard to source nature of the bits how much do you guys think the front ends worth ?

 

Im thinking of making it a regular thing, Ie breaking one of the sopmod that comes in into bits, then deviding it into sections ie front end, stock, gearbox, hop unit and barrel, lower and upper reciever, stock tube, and misc bits and then listing them on the e6 site as brand new options ? am i just wasting my time? The e6 site is pretty cheap shipping world wide so it could be a nice easy way for peeps to get original parts if theres a call for it.

 

luckly seans been able to source some bits but if i devided up a sopmod i could reduce the overall cost of bits somewhat!

 

what do you think?

 

 

[AnakChan]

Right on mate. If you know how much I'm paying (U're paying too ) for the buffer & lower receiver alone U'd probably say "buy a whole new sopmod".

[Hatchet]

Parts always cost more than the gun - annoying but true. I remember a bike mag that built a Kawasaki or similar from parts and a 6 grand bike worked out something like 23 grand if bought as parts!

 

I'm in a similar situation after a front change Rich. I'm more in mind to see if someone has a non-rised Socom front to swap.

 

I think the problem you have with buying guns to split is that some parts will be more popular than others - say hop units. So you'd end up with a lot of gun carcass that people never bought.

[Richard Y]

yup, i could do it once if no one buys certain bits ill have to increase the prices of other decrease the price of said bit etc.

 

I can try it once and see what happens, im already having to order loads of bits, i just want to standard ise it a bit, so its all there and on the site with set prices.

[Isamu]

Thats a great idea Richard, spares are allways hard to find, expensive and welcome

 

but, will you explain how you attached that full stock to the SOPMOD you showed a while back? =P

Edited November 26, 2010 by Isamu

[Richard Y]

hehe with great cunning and skill and a lot of time with a dremel lol

 

ill find an easy way to attach it after ive sold it and let you know

[Isamu]

thanks richard, its dremmel time then!

[arne71]

Recce rifle: http://www.uncompany.com/pageproductdetails.asp?prodid=28086

[Hatchet]

Went training today. It was very cold out and the stock battery gave up the ghost particularly quickly. A different battery is no longer a "nice to have" but a necessity I think. Also, after much buggering about I have put the CQBR back to stock configuration with the front ris, etc. Much more solid now - lesson, don't meddle.

 

Dissapointingly, I also discovered that the space in the emod stock doesn't hold CR 123's, it holds a pair of AA's. Much less useful to me.

[Richard Y]

hehe did someone say battery's

 

[AnakChan]

Looks like someone in JP is selling window-ed P-Mag shells copies for the Next Gen mags. Price is a "reasonable" RRP of Y1980/mag shell too unlike Echigoya's previous Y7000 (or Y8000?) mods. I can't read the Kanji to see who's doing it. Will get more details and update you guys here.

[Isamu]

Well, 17€ or 22$ are almost the same as regular mags, but being just the shell... no thanks

[AnakChan]

Ces't la vie...all if you want to have the look of P-Mag but retain the Next Gen mag bolt functionality. Some people will bite. If it were real Magpul I'd probably will myself but since it's a copy, no thanks from me too.

[Isamu]

Im sure that some day, a clone will come and sell like hot biscuits

skyrocketing aftermarket catalog for this,

the finest of all AEGs...

 

Amen.

 

PD: Yes, im an ACM believer

Edited November 29, 2010 by Isamu

[zaimon]

Im going to buy my first Tokyo Marui Next Gen Recce Rifle AEG.

 

just made my order here

http://www.echigoya-guns.com/

 

any advice on how to get 380 fps on this gun,

 

TIA

Edited November 29, 2010 by zaimon

[Isamu]

I got 340FPS with RichardY's M100, im sure hes not very far from releasing 400/430 FPS springs for these new "DMRish guns"

 

Well, hope so

[zaimon]

I got 340FPS with RichardY's M100, im sure hes not very far from releasing 400/430 FPS springs for these new "DMRish guns"

 

Well, hope so

 

 

Thanks mate,im lucky i got one Next gen recce. the guy from echigoya told me that it is limited edition.no more 2nd batch of manufacturing of the recce version,i cant wait to get my order. where did you get the m100 spring? does the normal AEG m100 spring works on the TM sopmod/recce?

 

TIA