king_P90 Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Looking around I find that most people give upgrade guides for the internals of the L85, this guide is going to show how to upgrade the externals. The list of upgrades in progress at the moment: replace cocking handle with real steel replace magazine catch with real steel replace cheek pad with real steel replace foregrip with real steel All of these upgrades will include detailed instructions and photos. I do not want to hear moans about spelling, grammar, etc if there are I will remove this topic. Disclaimer: I do not take any responsibility for damage to your gun while carrying out these upgrades. I will also be using some very powerful and dangerous tools (ie: Lathe, Grinder, Bench Drill, ETC) DO NOT try anything unless you are experienced with these tools as I will not take any responsibility for injuries inflicted while carrying out these upgrades. Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 one thing to add to your list flash hider it is plastic and mine broke i want to know if there are any replacemant metal ones, like the M4 or FAMAS, if they look the same Link to post Share on other sites
doc_newstead Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Any of this legal at all? Link to post Share on other sites
Ubar Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 yes, all of it Link to post Share on other sites
king_P90 Posted July 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 doc_newstead: All of it is legal although they are considering making the cocking handle and mag catch section 5 which means you won't be able to buy them anymore. ED-SKaR: Unfortunately not as easy as it sounds due to no thread on the barrel, however I intend to replace the entire outer barrel for a metal M16A2 barrel with a 14mm thread on the end. I have finished grinding and drilling the cocking handle today, however the piece of rag I used to hold it as I ground the end off turned out to be part nylon, (even though it said it wasn't) so it's melted all over the handle! all I have to do is pick the melted plastic off it then it's done. Also before someone asks I bought all these components from SA80 man at Beltring this weekend he has a website at: sa80 man Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Unfortunately not as easy as it sounds due to no thread on the barrelsa80 man <{POST_SNAPBACK}> never heard of gaffa tape have you ... ... .. seriously some cutting and some super glue will be fine i just need one that looks like the SA80 flash hider Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Replacing some of those parts with real steel will be illegal- ie cocking handle. Make them mate, or buy through a registered dealer. Not ebay!!! See my thread i made a week back in offtopic. Link to post Share on other sites
mig_eater Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 i wouldn't bother with the cheek pad personally extortionate for what it is. I've got a metal split body (correct upper and lower rather than down the centre), thats showing some promise, aiming to have it finished late september/early october,(rather stupidly left in in the tech block and now the schools closed ). I think i've got the gearbox problem sorted but i'm not letting on jsut yet because if it doesn't work i don't want anyone else wasting money etc with my plans before i know it works. the cocking handle looks ok but i had to sort that ghastly shiny plate that it attaches too Cheers Mig Link to post Share on other sites
king_P90 Posted July 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Lance Jackass: None of these parts were bought through ebay. As i said in my original post they were purchased through SA80 Man who as far as I can tell is a registered dealer. Please go to his website here and read the information provided on his sources and what is classified as section 5. The cocking handle is rendered totally unusable after the conversion is completed as you quite simply chop it in 2. mig_eater: already bought the cheek piece for £10 which i didn't think was too bad, however the real steel one is quite a bit shorter than the academy one. Where did you get the metal body from, is it bein custom made? ED-SKaR: I think the M16A2 is not far off but don't quote me as I don't have anything for a comparison. As for the gaffa tape I'm trying to steer clear from that Link to post Share on other sites
mig_eater Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 one i'm painstakingly making myself using two (three in some places) layers of sheet steel for defintion. going to do a proper job so bracing myself to get a decent hop-up etc. lol good on the cheek piece only ones i've seen having been going for 40 odd quid which prevoke the reaction 'pfffft fruitcage that' Cheers Mig Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted July 25, 2005 Report Share Posted July 25, 2005 Yeah ive read the SA80 man site before, and thats the link ive been circulating. Phils a great guy but whenever i asked he was still waiting for the government to decide which parts he could still sell Most of the parts there are fairly priced. Its little things like the pistol grip being £60 odd, LSW forend being £55 ish and the LSW bipod is also goldust that annoy me. Thats because theyre rare, not because he bumps the price up. Good luck mate. Link to post Share on other sites
Hissing_Sid Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 one thing to add to your list flash hider it is plastic and mine broke i want to know if there are any replacemant metal ones, like the M4 or FAMAS, if they look the same <{POST_SNAPBACK}> WGC sell a G36 barrel which looks pretty similar to an SA80 one. Not identical but near enough and it doesn't have all the steps in it that an M16/M4 barrel does. http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?i...558c8c1af3fd025 Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 WGC sell a G36 barrel which looks pretty similar to an SA80 one. Not identical but near enough and it doesn't have all the steps in it that an M16/M4 barrel does. http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?i...558c8c1af3fd025 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> it has got 6 holes, the SA80 has 5.... also i only need the flash hider not the whole outer barrel.... unless i want to be doing serious upgrades that i am not capable of. i am not a noob you know.... i refuse to do anything that when combined with my lack of technicalness will destroy my gun Link to post Share on other sites
Hissing_Sid Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 it has got 6 holes, the SA80 has 5.... also i only need the flash hider not the whole outer barrel. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Okay... And how were you proposing to attach the threaded metal flash hider to the plastic, non-threaded, outer barrel? And I know it isn't identical. I just said it's similar and looks a bit better than an Armalite barrel. Link to post Share on other sites
king_P90 Posted July 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 mig_eater: Sounds nice, unfortunately I don't have the time to make a receiver from scratch Lance Jackass: Yeah he seems quite good, and he's a lot cheaper than ebay. Cheers for the warning by the way, however i am making sure everything I'm buying is legal. Hissing Sid: The outer barrel looks perfect cheers for the link. The cocking handle is now finsihed (looks a lot better than the piece of plastic rubbish) and I've started writing the How-To guide which will be put on this thread as a PDF format Link to post Share on other sites
Hissing_Sid Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 The main hassle with fitting real-steel parts is you've got the whole issue of "reactivation". As a rule, anything with a serial number will be a no-no cos it'll have a proof-house deactivation stamp on it (probably) and bunging it in an airsoft gun might, to a particularly anal copper, constitute reactivation. Beyond that, it'd be hard to prove any un-numbered item ever came from a real-steel gun. I suppose there might be other issues, such as if supplying a part might assist somebody with reactivating a gun; if somebody sold a working SA80 bolt, for example, it might be fitted into a de-act to help reactivate it- but, for airsoft use, sticking to anything without a serial number should see you right. I'm still considering buying one of those LAWs off X Project. Link to post Share on other sites
king_P90 Posted August 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Guide may be slightly delayed due to a family member falling ill and being taken into hospital (just spent 10 hours waiting in a ward to see a doctor! and a £6 parking fee to pay as well) I will try to find time to finish the pdf in between hospital visits and work. Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted August 4, 2005 Report Share Posted August 4, 2005 Look forward to it mate. I might attempt this myself if i take the plunge and get an academy. Im looking at using A1 real steel mags too with STAR midcap innards. Hope the family members okay mate. Link to post Share on other sites
JonathonBarton Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Look forward to it mate. I might attempt this myself if i take the plunge and get an academy. Im looking at using A1 real steel mags too with STAR midcap innards. Hope the family members okay mate. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ...and two years pass with no updates... Any updates? I'm putting together a Bit of Brit Kit for a new impression, and my SA80 options at this point are: HFC Springer - good for photo-ops only, use some other gun on the field... Academy L85 - Purportedly at least as decent as a FAMAS and decently upgradeable, which is good, because 165 FPS is a bit low to be competitive in the US...particularly when UTG is putting out 260 FPS guns for less money. Star L85 - but I really don't want a second Mortgage on my house... A completed guide to cosmetic upgrades would be VERY welcome... Link to post Share on other sites
king_P90 Posted June 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Only 1 year. The PDF was scrapped as it seemed rather unimportant after the final diagnosis was cancer of the liver, which was too far spread to do anything to. He spent 2 months in hospital and died three days after he got out sometime late August. Some advice: Don't get the Academy it isn't worth it, either save up for the Star or wait for the G&G. Link to post Share on other sites
JonathonBarton Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Only 1 year. The PDF was scrapped as it seemed rather unimportant after the final diagnosis was cancer of the liver, which was too far spread to do anything to. He spent 2 months in hospital and died three days after he got out sometime late August. Some advice: Don't get the Academy it isn't worth it, either save up for the Star or wait for the G&G. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> oooh, ouch. You're quite right, tremendously unimportant. *slinks off back to the dark part of the forum* Link to post Share on other sites
ED-SKaR Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 or, of corse, you could get an academy SA80 like me. Use it for CQB for 8 months, and get it upgraded, and use it for another 4 months(thats where it is now, i intend to use it for a few years yet). It just needs an anti reversal latch, and a decent scope Link to post Share on other sites
sadigh Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 I've got an academy l85a1, and to be honest its a great gun after some internal upgrades. I also added a real-steel handguard and cheekpad, an army code l85 dovetail rail, a hfc springer sa80 metal outer barrel and flashhider (one piece) plus a metal body, which I bought off a member of the forum (iBAWLS) Also added some iron sights (special thanks to snorkelman), plus fixed the problem with the anti-reversal latch, which is something I only learned about recently. It needed to be filed down a little, so that it engages with the bevel gear properly, and avoids misfires. (ED-SKaR - I can do this on your l85 as well if you want for free ) I finally re-painted the academy plastic furniture (pistol grip, hold open catch, dust-cover and butt pad) with some krylon OD. heres a pic - Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Jackass Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 B-E-A-utiful. I have some ironsights for sale /shameless plug Link to post Share on other sites
Hind Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Some advice: Don't get the Academy it isn't worth it, either save up for the Star or wait for the G&G. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ######! After 2 week work and some help of my brother (I'm not familiar with the gearboxes) - a've upgraded Academy L85 up to 96 M/S with a fire range aproximatly at 48-55 meters. All upgrade cost me near 25$ for used parts. Link to post Share on other sites
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