Star M249 Para Examined...

[staticzero]

Test with the main battery unplugged so you aren't dry firing and so you can better hear the mechanism if it does move at all.

 

1. Make sure you're using fresh AA batteries and that they are installed correctly.

2. Make sure the connector is hooked up completely and correctly.

3. If it seems to be connected properly but still isn't working, disconnect it and reconnect it.

4. If it still doesn't work disconnect it and look at the contact pins. Make sure none of them are dislodged (possibly stuck sunk in). Use a pin to reseat them if they are out of place. Carefully reconnect and retry. (Note: the small contacts are for the winding mechanism)

4. If the contacts seem to be in place but it still doesn't work, use a paperclip to bridge the small contact and see if it winds. If it still doesn't work, or perhaps even if it does (if it wont work when connected to the gun who cares if it works off it), you should exchange it.

Edited December 14, 2005 by staticzero

[WarMonger]

Warmonger, and pretty much anyone else:  About the Red-Dot system, what do y'all recommend.  What are the range in prices and quality?  what do you think is the best choice for it?  thanks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, Despite what many geardos will say, just about any red dot sight will be equally effective on an airsoft gun so long as its zeroed in good. It all comes down to what your willing to spend, and what style you like. Some are open like the one i have pictured above, and some are tubes, like scopes with no magnification, like the one i have on my SAW a few pages back. That one is a BSA 30mm red dot, i got it at wal-mart for 29.99, its a great sight, and its served me well.

 

Ranges in price and quality go from 13$ plastic red-dots made by daisy, to $300+ EOtech sights and hundreds of others in between. (Avoid the cheap plastic ones). if you tell me how much you want to spend, i could help you out better.

[jdmsupport]

haha like many, I was sold on this review. I read ALL 22 pages too! What a blast reading about it =) T

 

his will probably sound SUPER n00bish, but i'm more accustomed to spring/gas guns, not AEGs. But how do you know what pistons, bearing and cylinder will work for STAR's gearbox?

 

Is it just based on the measurements? Because I am convinced that stock, the gun will hold it's own. But I would also like to have spare parts on the side, so along with knowing what will work, can you STAR m249 owners suggest what parts will work? I read on static's area1000 cylinder and piston? What about springs, spring guide, bushings, piston head, etc.?

 

Thanks in advance, and one of the best reviews I have ever read about any gun!

[Hillslam]

haha like many, I was sold on this review.  I read ALL 22 pages too!  What a blast reading about it =)  T

 

his will probably sound SUPER n00bish, but i'm more accustomed to spring/gas guns, not AEGs.  But how do you know what pistons, bearing and cylinder will work for STAR's gearbox? 

 

Is it just based on the measurements?  Because I am convinced that stock, the gun will hold it's own.  But I would also like to have spare parts on the side, so along with knowing what will work, can you STAR m249 owners suggest what parts will work?  I read on static's area1000 cylinder and piston?  What about springs, spring guide, bushings, piston head, etc.?

 

Thanks in advance, and one of the best reviews I have ever read about any gun!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't confirm but it sounds like most all the parts in the mechbox are interchangeable between PCG/CA. (Star's mechbox apparently has the same off-size cylinder groove the CA does, a stock TM piston works fine).

 

Except for the bushings. On the CA they're 8mm bearings, on the Star they're 6mm(?) oily steel?

Edited December 15, 2005 by Hillslam

[Verymanynames]

I thought someone earlier said that stock TM pistons wont work?

[jnr4817]

how do you ge tthe inner barrel and hop up unit out. my gun shoots great but i have no hop up. i have tried adjusting both ways. also on the hop up unit what is the little lever thing to the right side of the hop up screw. it seems to be a bb catch or something to that effect.

[staticzero]

You just need to tighten it more. The set screw needs to be down pretty far for it to start having an effect. Don't overdo it though, turn it a 1/4 turn at a time until it starts working. Over-tightening it may result in damage.

 

It's a very simple mechanism and taking it out will do nothing to help your situation, aside from possibly being able to see that it's on when it finally is. The PITA outweighs the reward.

 

The lever you speak of is a catch which ensures BBs only feed in forward into the chamber and not backwards. It's spring loaded so it can move out of the way of the nozzle.

 

I have a full write-up on the hop up unit which will be available soon.

[jnr4817]

i have tried to tighten it until it wont tighten anymore. i even took out the mech box to look down barrel to see if i can see the hop up rubber being depressed. it has no movement at all. the screw has been all the way down as far as i could turn it with out breaking something. i am only getting aqbout 20ft before the bbs turn towards the ground. i know the hop up does not work properly. is the screw the actual piece that depresses the hop up rubber or should there be another piece between the screw and the hop up rubber.

 

also i am having bbs roll out of the barrel after i fire. its maybe 1-2 after short burst. other than that the gun rocks.

[stewpidbear]

Another quick view point about the Star. I'm classed as partially disabled, some mobility problems, and have to take certain roles in a team. Mainly sniping and or fire support. I've just received my star para 249 and it's just right for me. Easy to use and most of all light enough so I can carry and use it. I lusted after the CA version but after trying one realised I couldn't cope with the weight. Please remember guys (and girls) that one gun isn't 'better' than another in general it just suits different people. Refering to an earlier post about game balancing, if I can't fulfill a certain role in a Team because of circumstances beyond my control why should I be penalised for using a support weapon if someone else is using theirs in the same team. If you want game balance limit ammo, so its not spray and pray. By the way great review!

[Gundrosen]

i have tried to tighten it until it wont tighten anymore. i even took out the mech box to look down barrel to see if i can see the hop up rubber being depressed. it has no movement at all. the screw has been all the way down as far as i could turn it with out breaking something. i am only getting aqbout 20ft before the bbs turn towards the ground. i know the hop up does not work properly.  is the screw the actual piece that depresses the hop up rubber or should there be another piece between the screw and the hop up rubber.

 

also i am having bbs roll out of the barrel after i fire. its maybe 1-2 after short burst. other than that the gun rocks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I had the same problem, your gearbox is not fitted in correcly, try pushing it harder in against the barrel(as hard as you get, before you seem to break anything) Screw it back together and most likely everything will work(at least it did with me)

I think whats happening is that the spring does not reach the bullets as it should and derefor only fires them a few meters.

[Foukus]

Hi!

 

I just got today STAR M249 Para. I love it <3 Only problem what i have is that the rear sight has broken. :/ Does anybody have any idea where i can get new one? WGC, Uncompany or Den Trinity aren't sellin rear sight.

[Sysoosi]

Hi!

 

I just got today STAR M249 Para. I love it <3 Only problem what i have is that the rear sight has broken. :/ Does anybody have any idea where i can get new one? WGC, Uncompany or Den Trinity aren't sellin rear sight.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Was it already broken when you got it? I suggest that you contact the retailer and ask if they have them, or if they can send a new one. Or you could always fit a rail and use a red dot .

[Foukus]

Yeah, it was already broken. It's not that big deal, just little useless part. Rail would be nice, but then you have to drill some holes. That retailer what i used sucks, so I don't want send that gun back.

[Gundrosen]

Here are a couple of images of me with the STAR M249(wit snow camo )

 

 

[menatarms]

I can hardly see the gun, but I can see you, dude.

[DarkLite]

Is that white teflon tape?

[Gundrosen]

I can hardly see the gun, but I can see you, dude.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I need to get myself some snow camo

 

@DarkLite, not sure whats it's called in English but the direct transalation from Norwegian would be "Sports tape" I think it's used by hockey players.

[WarMonger]

Yeah, it was already broken. It's not that big deal, just little useless part. Rail would be nice, but then you have to drill some holes.    That retailer what i used sucks, so I don't want send that gun back. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

so just drill some holes. once you get a red dot on there your never gonna want to use that sucky rear sight again anyway, believe me.

[Larsen]

Here are a couple of images of me with the STAR M249(wit snow camo )

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Damn! I was born a photographer!

[DarkLite]

I need to get myself some snow camo

 

@DarkLite, not sure whats it's called in English but the direct transalation from Norwegian would be "Sports tape" I think it's used by hockey players.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeh, bout the same.

 

Nice camo jobby, but a bit more on the bipod an stock wouldn't go amiss.

[staticzero]

I brought my para out to another game yesterday but I think it wanted the day off. When I was test-firing it before taking it to the chrono dude, the trigger broke. It still worked, but it was sticking out to the right and if I didn't deliberately press it back and to the left, the mag wouldn't wind.

 

I took the gun apart to see about fixing it. Getting to it is pretty simple. First, the gearbox must be removed. Then, the large allen screw that holds the grip on must come out so that the grip can be removed. After that there are two philips head screws that must come out so a plate (which has the winding circuit switch attached to it) can be moved out of the way. Next, the trigger lever and spring can be taken out. Finally, the trigger can be removed from the body.

 

Upon examination, I found the fracture to have occurred in a predictable spot based on the design. This part really should have been designed better, and possibly made of metal.

 

I tried supergluing it back together but it didn't hold. Nonetheless, I was able to use the gun in this sate as I previously mentioned so I played the last mission with it as I had planned.

 

Later, I decided to try fixing it with epoxy. Here's a photo of it after prepping the parts.

 

The epoxy is still curing, so I haven't gotten it back toegther yet.

 

Since we aren't going to apply force to the trigger straight back (right handed people will tend to pull more to the right, and lefties will pull left) the axis point is going to get torqued unevenly every time we pull the trigger. With a design like this, it's going to fail if the materials aren't strong enough. I think this part should have been made out of composite, or a metal such as aluminum or steel. Also, it probably should be two parts: the trigger and a separate pin.

 

I'm willing to think there may have been a defect in the casting that caused this, until I hear about it happening a lot more than once. It's possible that the materials are strong enough and that mine was an isolated incident, if there was a casting defect. Still, I hope that someone releases a metal trigger or that Star improved the design. In the mean time, I'm going to contact ASGI about getting a replacement part in case the epoxy doesn't work out.

 

I should mention that other than this issue, the gun preformed well. I put close to a full mag through it, bringing my 'rounds fired' total to just under 9K rounds by my estimation.

Edited December 19, 2005 by staticzero

[WarMonger]

if the epoxy doesnt work, you should drill a hole through the trigger, and put a metal pin through.

[staticzero]

I considered that but the remaining material would be pretty minimal. I don't think it would be any stronger than before. In any event, I've reassembled it and tested it a bit. So far the epoxy is holding up.

[jdmsupport]

Here are a couple of images of me with the STAR M249(wit snow camo )

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

that are BEAUTIFUL pics! We don't even have the luxury of having snow in hawaii =( beautiful =) how does it operate in that cold weather btw?

[dudemattbored]

sometimes i wished hawaii had snow