M240B

[Shrike6]

In crawling around various forums and retailers, I've noticed that there's actually a number of M240B manufacturers. Some seem to be garbage, some are good. Since the best thing to do with a big, GPMG is to gut it and replace the internals with a PolarStar setup, externals seem to be the biggest worry. So, who makes the best shell that isn't zinc garbage? Word on the street was that the Echo 1/Matrix rebrands that evike.com were considered the best at their price point, but who was the actual manufacturer? Would it almost be worth it to buy a deact gun and PolarStar it from scratch?

Well, not from a base gun...Ohio Ordinance wants 13k USD for a semi-auto version. Perhaps from a parts kit?

[3vi1-D4n]

The Echo 1 rumored to be A&K, less likely to be AGM/S&T.

 

The closest replica to a Deac is the Inokatsu.  There are 2 versions of the inokatsu, one in aluminium and one steel.  Both out of production.  I have the aluminium version looking for the steel.

 

There is the Triggerhappy version and the ultima version,  AGM is based on.   Both very lightweight.  6kg etc,the INOKATSU aluminium is 7-8KG..

[Shrike6]

In poking around, there seems to have been a couple of different "generations" of the Echo 1 gun, one which has pretty happy reviews, and the more recent one, which everyone says has bits falling off and breaking, and such. 

 

I was on a 240 gun team during my time with 10th Mountain, so 7-8 kg is still shy of the real-steel weight by a pleasant amount--I was going to use it the way you'd use a real GPMG, anyway. Set up someplace with a dominant field of fire and lay waste or pintle mount it on something with wheels. 

 

Realistically, I'll probably go with an AEG and gut it, so I suppose it wouldn't matter anyway. Perhaps I could purchase a parts set and replace the fiddly bits everyone says break/fall off with real hardware? Just brainstorming at this point.

[shmook]

Off topic, but it's very rare you see an airsoft MG working as effectively as a real one, as most airsoft guns have a similar range and ROF. Yours will just be more cumbersome.

 

This is coming across as pessimistic, for which I apologise - that's not my intention - but go for it anyway. Different is cool!

[Shrike6]

No problem, I get the range issue, but the plan is to gut it and drop in a PolarStar engine, which should give it a higher ROF, more like a 240 with the gas regulator adjusted. It should help squeak out a little bit more range, too, so my biggest concern is an outer shell that isn't made of paint chips and aluminum foil. 

Hmm...even parts kits for real steel M240s are several thousands...  Not gonna spend that much just to scavenge a feed tray here, a feed tray cover pin there...Gonna have to think a bit more about this project. Might just have to wait to see if an Inokatsu comes on the market or gets re-released.

[3vi1-D4n]

My Inokatsu runs at 490fps and generally runs pretty good.  Don't need excessive ROF for suppression, just range, which is dependent on barrel length and FPS.  If your field has an FPS limit then there is no advantage.  Just 3-5 round bursts, every 5 secs for suppression, 5-8 rounds for hits.  its possible not to use a thousand rounds in a day.

 

In a field/venue with a high FPS limit or a weapon class FPS/ammo limit, MG can have a large tactical effect if employed correctly.  The downside is that it is similar to a DMR, and a DMR can serve in the same capacity without the backbreaking requirements to be fired from the bipod.  Mind you though, lots of assault rifle AEGs are silly heavy anyways.

 

And then of course, in proper employment of the MG is dependent on squad leader's experience, the Machine gunners experience, and squad drills/training...MGs can give other advantages even if there is no range advantage; volume of fire, increased hit probability, psychological effect, and if deployed on good fields/lines of fire on advance/withdraw or for specific purposes (cut offs), it can be quite effective.  It takes a good squad leader to plan and coordinate the use of MGs as it can affect the effective engagement ratios by quite a bit towards your favor.

 

However in airsoft, most of the time its used just as another hi-capacity assault rifle, and it loses its advantage.

[dog green 1]

We've supplied the S&T version here in the UK and have also had a TOP made version. Some deliberation on the internals on the TOP model but all those that have bought the S&T versions have been more than happy. Supplied a military vehicle club with 11 of the buggers.

[housemartins]

Off topic, but it's very rare you see an airsoft MG working as effectively as a real one, as most airsoft guns have a similar range and ROF. Yours will just be more cumbersome.

 

This is coming across as pessimistic, for which I apologise - that's not my intention - but go for it anyway. Different is cool!

Yeah I suppose it's because of the abundance of hi cap magazines for regular ARGs, in a more Molson type site where only midcaps are allowed the MG makes more sense.

[paranoiddroid]

What about getting the plans and just having one lasercut/made up as a prop style thing from the get go the way people do the 1919's and the 50's

 

As for a deact or a demilled gun check what the relevant authorities say about that especially with full auto fire I know the uk rules expressly forbid a deact being turned into ANYTHING capable of firing a projectile even down to paintball or Nerf stuff and I can see the atf being just as dickish because of their stance on a machine gun being as silly as how a magazine release was installed (if you put a paddle release in a hk style rollerlock clone 'wrong'(how its done at the factory) legally that's a machine gun)