Airsoft Thompson M1A1 Repair

AAaaaahhhhhh The Thompson Airsoft Sub Machine Gun.

A favorite for airsoft gamers from all genres, Loved by WW2 re-enactors for its obvious place in US history. Widely used by modern day airsoft warriors for its full metal good looks and great performance and widely collected and hung on the wall by gun collectors who want a nice replica without applying for a class 3 federal firearms license.

With both TM and now CYMA making a licensed full metal Thompson I am beginning to see more show up at the airsoft gun repair service center, So this blog will be for the Tommy gunners. A quick side note, If you have a airsoft P90 airsoft gun the Version 6 gearbox is used in your airsoft gun as well.

The version 6 gearbox is much like the V3 except the motor is offset from the main gearbox body differently as shown here. You will also want to make a note that the bushings are special for the version 6 with the center one oblong in shape. Upgrading the bushings and spring guide to metal will drastically increase your airsoft gun durability and the amount of time between services and repairs. The separate modular trigger on this gearbox is nice as you will not have to worry about trying to keep this in place while you are closing up after upgrades.

For those of you who are looking to do this upgrade on your own you can find more Thompson airsoft gun repair pictures here.

To field strip this airsoft weapon you must first remove the stock screws which will reveal a hidden spring release button and the rear of the upper receiver. Push the button in and slide the receiver off. You will need to remove the hand grip, selector switches and motor to remove the gearbox from the metal body.

Once removed from the gun body you can open up the gearbox and upgrade, repair or just do a yearly service. To keep this historic 6mm bb machine gun chasing off the enemy a nice 350 FPS upgrade is about all you need as the base models come out of the box with nice accuracy and distance thanks to the Thompson's unique hop up unit. If you have any questions about Thompson or any airsoft gun upgrades visit the Wisconsin Airsoft Forums and ask...its the quickest way to get an answer! Well till next time...

armsdealer...OUT!

KWA Airsoft Gun Repair

KWA USA, has released what appears to be one of the nicest V2 M4's I have ever had the pleasure to dig my allen wrenches into. The KWA spec sheet says:
"The KWA KM4A1 Carbine is the first production AEG engineered specifically for the unparalleled performance of today’s advanced battery technology – Lithium Polymer (LiPo). LiPo batteries provide higher capacity and superior performance surpassing the more common Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) batteries. However, this powerful battery requires the highest quality of internal components. To handle the extra power of LiPo batteries, the KM4A1 is equipped with a reinforced metal gearbox utilizing KWA’s exclusive 8 and 9 mm ball bearing bushing combination and case hardened, precision metal gear sets. Heavy duty springs and high-torque motors are matched for optimum results. High-grade metal alloy are used for the production of the upper and lower receivers. The KWA KM4A1 Carbine was engineered to outperform the competition, offering ultra high performance and dependability straight out of the box"!
Overall Length = 33.75" (30.5" when stock is fully retracted)
Outer Barrel Length = 14.5" (368mm)
Barrel thread = 14mm (Counter clock wise)
Inner Barrel Length = 15.5" (394 mm)
Inner Barrel Diameter = 6.05mm +/- .03mm
Hop-Up: Adjustable
Magazine Capacity = 350 Rounds
Caliber = 6mm BB
Velocity = 380 ~ 400 fps* with .20 gram BB's
Rate of Fire = 20+ rps**
Weight = 6.5 lbs.
Power = 8.4V, 9.6V NiMh Battery, or 7.4V, 11.1V Lithium Polymer Battery (Maximum 11.1 V, 18A continuous)

Well I visited the inside of one of the KWA M4's and am humbled by the custom engineering that has gone into making this a long lasting and durable airsoft gun...The solid external full metal build of this M4 equals and in most cases exceeds other airsoft manufacturers hands down. The ROF at 20+rps has a fantastic suppressive effect on the airsoft field...

On the bench Airsoft Repair Pictures this model strips down easily and quickly to reveal a modified V2 gearbox with several performance enhancing features. The 8mm ball bearings sure seem like a nice addition, but they are not sealed and I would be concerned with the long term effects of dirt and grime that seems to find its way into my airsoft guns at every game. However I see these 8mm bearings are readily available at airsoft stores globally. Inside the KWA V2 you find steel high speed gears and a solid built piston assembly that fires .20 bb's out at about 380FPS.

The reinforced gearbox seems to be the biggest innovation in the new KWA and looks like it could finally resolve the cracked gearbox nose repair problem most airsoft guns suffer from. The puzzle piece engineered fit of the two gear box halves seem to have significantly reduce shock and vibration transfer to the gearbox shell creating reduced operating stresses and longer life on upgraded airsoft guns. The hop up unit is very well built and is full metal. The adjustment is smooth and shows a noticeable improvement with each small adjustment. The barrel seems to have some flaking issues with a coating of Teflon or some kind peeling off the inner barrel after 10,000 rounds or so and requires a vigorous cleaning.

All in all I look for this M4 to be a hard competitor at future airsoft games...A team owning several of these fast firing KWA M4's could lay down enough suppression fire to own the airsoft battlefield for the day. Hmmmm....
C ya next time
Armsdealer

M14 EBR Airsoft Repair

M14 EBR Airsoft Gun Durability Testing

Well now that I have operated in a few games with the Kart EBR and have been able to work on a few of them, I must say when it comes to the m14 ebr's, a little caution by airsoft players is needed. All in all for the low purchase price of 150 to 200 dollars it is a very nice airsoft gun! The build is like a standard M14 with the same hop up and version seven gearbox. The RIS front end and sliding tactical stock with adjustable cheek rest are what really sets this AEG apart from the standard M14 style rifles. Metal bushings and a metal spring guide are highly recommended to add durability and an extended gearbox life to your EBR.

One thing to keep an eye out for is faulty wiring...I bought two cases of these and the first case were great performers out of the box, while every gun in the second box was defective...Seems someone had a bad day wiring at the Kart Factory! These M14's were easy to repair and turned out to be only pinched wires but the guns randomly fired when plugged into the battery with out ever pulling the trigger. None the less a shocking surprise for a unknowing consumer of this airsoft gun!

Another thing to keep in mind if you are considering buying a M14 EBR, all that metal makes for one heavy airsoft gun. A bi-pod is a good option and the M14 EBR already has a metal rail to ease installation. This gun chronographed at 390 to 420 FPS stock so sniping is a good option and is a very effective gun for this, but you should chronograph this before heading off to your favorite airsoft game field, as most fields will only allow up to 400FPS without adding sniper restrictions.

The gun comes with a sling, battery charger and a custom 9.6 volt 1500 mah twin airsoft battery pack that fits the front nicely. Also included is a 400 round m14 hi-capacity magazine and a cleaning rod for clearing bb jams. For general airsoft target practice this is one of the best stock airsoft guns I have field tested...for games it works very well if you have the brute force needed to lug this 20 plus pound hunk of iron all day long. All in All this gun ranks about a 7 on the Airsoft BA scale!

One final note...Working or repairing this AEG is fairly difficult and should not be attempted by beginners! If you have questions or need help repairing or upgrading your EBR contact me at airsoft gun repair in Wisconsin.

Till next time
Armsdealer
"Airsoft! Come share the welts"

Airsoft Spring Powered Sniper Rifle Repair

The new low priced high velocity sniper rifles are becoming a popular load out for airsoft gamers in the USA. As such more and more players are asking how to maintain or upgrade a spring powered sniper rifle. One of the more popular versions showing up at fields are type 96 styles. These high velocity 450 FPS spring airsoft guns are incredibly accurate. Most of these sniper rifles are easy to maintain and repair if you know how to field strip your model.

One of the most important things to remember with airsoft sniper rifles is "you must use high quality BB's". If a bb jams and you fire the gun a second time you will shower the internal piston and other cylinder parts with fragments of broken airsoft BB. If the bb is not cleared and you fire again, damage to the piston or o-rings is certain to occur.

Prevent this from happening to you, by learning how to field strip your sniper rifle quickly and effectively in the field. Become familiar with the field breakdown of your particular model airsoft sniper and you will be a better and happier airsoft player. You will need to have hand tools with you and a small amount of silicone grease to lubricate your airsoft sniper rifle once field repairs are completed. The sear assembly of the L96 uses two oddly bent springs that should be kept on hand in case they break. Be sure the sear pin is positioned correctly or the spring will be unable to be cocked. Many veteran airsoft snipers like the smooth sliding bolt action and easy cocking of the model 96 sniper. With proper care and lubrication a 96 model airsoft sniper can consistently deliver Bb's down range at upgraded velocities of 550FPS and be effective out to 250 feet or more.

Getting repair parts for the L96 is also easy as they are being used on airsoft game fields across the country. This will be an important consideration for any airsoft gun purchase, but an upgraded sniper rifle will need periodic repairs due to the forces being applied. When the barrel and the cylinder are separated for maintenance or repairs you must make sure all parts are installed correctly and properly aligned or you risk breaking several components on the first shot. If you are not sure how something goes back together Ask someone, search google or find an airsoft sniper gun repair pictures to check and make sure you are right. After several repetitions of stripping down and re assembling and maintaining your airsoft spring powered sniper rifle you will be ready for any airsoft war. One thing most snipers must consider in any airsoft skirmish is a small backup airsoft machine gun for those times you are not so stealthy and are under attack. A sniper rifle in this scenario does not provide enough cover fire to retreat. I suggest you visit Wisconsin's airsoft headquarters and pick up one of the low priced guaranteed quality checked airsoft guns available here.

Airsoft Gun Repair Tools

If your looking to work on airsoft guns then you may need to take a closer look at what you have and do not have for Airsoft Gun Repair tools in your toolbox. "I know" you already have a #1 and #2 slotted head screwdriver and wire cutters and several styles and sizes of pliers. But there are some specialty items you will need to add to your toolbox if you are going to be maintaining and repairing airsoft guns. Most AEG styles on the market today will have removable Tamiya battery connectors and the pin extractor tool shown in the picture is a must have. There are two sizes one for large airsoft gun batteries and one for small batteries with tamiya connector. These little pin extractors will save you mega time. Along with that comes the battery pin crimp tool that you will need to repair a broken plug or connection on your project gun. You can also buy the hardware needed should your airsoft battery connections become loose or break while you are at a game. These three tools alone have been game savers for my customers many times over and can be used to perform a repair right at the airsoft field.

Rebuilding airsoft guns is fun if you are not plagued by the lack of required parts and tools. If your airsoft gun motor needs work you will need a motor pinion gear remover and press. This tool will take off and put on pinion gears in about 1 minute versus other methods that can take hours and only result in damaging the shaft or gear itself. Due to the small size of most airsoft parts caution must be taken so you do not damage your airsoft gun further in an attempt to repair it.

Some tools and hardware can be expensive but trips to repair shops cost more. The players and airsoft teams at our Wisconsin Airsoft Gun Headquarters just pitch in together and buy a full airsoft tool kit for everyone on the team to use. When you split the cost of tools with a group of people and practice tool sharing among yourselves the price for each person ends up being pretty low and the savings of doing your own airsoft repairs is tremendous.

Some tools for airsoft gun repair are inexpensive and should be a part of any airsoft maintenance kit. The metal bushing installation tool (Use Brass Only) for instance assures you do not damage a brand new set of bushings or bearings as you are installing them. This tool properly seats the bushings/bearings in any gearbox with ease. Steel punches and other tools will damage the finely machined surface of the parts causing premature failure and possibly more costly gear repairs.

Gas blowback pistols have there own set of tools required as well...Things like valve adjustment tools, special wrenches and more. Airsoft guns can require some special hardware as well, things like pin connectors for batteries, springs and other hardware that is hard to find. Then there is the ongoing question about which airsoft gun lubricant is best to use? I think I will save that for another blog.

Airsoft Gun Durability Problem

Have you experienced this problem with your airsoft AEG yet?

Broken plastic spring guides are far to common among all airsoft gun makes and models. TM, E1, JG and the list goes on, all have plastic spring guides, plastic bushings or both. Kudos to the airsoft gun manufacturer's who have started adding these at the airsoft gun engineering point. I will say Classic Army airsoft guns all come with the durablility upgrades installed. A stock CA features both metal spring guide and steel bushings as stock features. BUuuuut, there is that price thing for those of us who would rather take 300 bucks and build our own B.A. custom airsoft gun, so here are two basic durability upgrades that should be performed or installed on most airsoft AEG's or clones with metal gearboxes.

Plastic airsoft gun bushings are little teflon based gear shaft holders in place to act as bearings for your stock airsoft gun gears. Think of them in terms of wheel bearings for your vehicle. These little bearings house gear shafts that revolve at about 850 RPM and pull back a spring under tension that when released exceeds 1 joule of energy which equals "Torque". Without getting all scientific on you, the torque applied at the shaft ends is an unequal force that will expend energy in the form of friction induced heat and since these bushings are plastic based they will melt away...How many shots or full auto bursts before they give out is anyones best guess, but about three to six months depending on the quality of plastic used has been my observation.

SOLUTION: Hard steel bushings are the simple answer. Yes you can buy uber duber ball bearing bushings for a gazillion dollars for 6 or you can just buy plain No Name Airsoft hard steel gun bushings for $12.00 a set. Airsoft ball bearings are still a moving mechanical device and as sand, water and dirt build up inside the bearing raceways, they will begin to mechanically fail. This is hard to detect early and once the bearing completely fails you could be looking at a catastrophic failure that wipes out all the gears, piston and more depending on the timing. This picture shows NNA 6mm airsoft steel bushings installed in a version 2 mechbox. I recommend these to players for upgrades and these are what I use in ABZ airsoft gun repairs I perform at the shop unless the customer request something else.

Airsoft Metal Spring Guides: Take a look at the picture at the top of this page and you will see why I recommend metal spring guides for airsoft gun durability. Again there are many styles and designs available, some serve other purposes as well as being a guide and shock absorber for the recoil of a powerful airsoft spring but this is a spring guides engineered purpose, so why use plastic? A steel No Name Airsoft metal spring guide for $12.00 works just as good as the super roller bearing titanium uberum fiber fantastic airsoft spring guide for 29.99. Again lets remember the forces being applied to the very point the plastic guide shown above broke at.

Durable Airsoft Guns: Well now you know the 2 key things to "check for" and repair to make your airsoft gun more durable. If ordering a new airsoft gun keep in mind that many of the clone airsoft guns are a great buy but will need the above mentioned durability upgrades added.

If you do not have the desire or experience to upgrade your own gun then check out some of Airsoft Battle Zones ready to buy upgraded airsoft gun custom clones. These airsoft guns have the above mentioned airsoft durability upgrades installed already and have been re-shimmed, re-greased and fine tuned to perform flawlessly out of the box. These are covered by a full 30 day airsoft warranty and the ABZ airsoft company is in Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Echo1 Airsoft AK47 Exposed

With all the rumors floating around the airsoft fields about the Echo 1 airsoft AEG's, this review is long overdue. Rumors say that the echo1 airsoft products are simply reboxed and re branded JG AEG's, others claim they are not. I recently got my hands on one of the newest release Echo AK's and opened up the mechbox to expose and examine the internals. I must say I was impressed and pleasantly pleased with what I found inside the mechbox plus a few additions to the externals that caught my attention as well. Inside this mechbox Echo1 has added steel bushings and a counter balanced sector gear. Not sure why they chose to add a plastic spring guide vs a metal one to this hard shooting AK, but that is an easy upgrade to install once replacement is needed. The rest of the internals are cloned right from standard version 3 gearboxes so not much difference here. The internals used match airsoft standards so other airsoft manufacturer and after market parts will be fully compatible with the echo 1 clones. On the external side of this AK we find some small improvements have been added here as well. The magazine catch has been slightly redesigned and seems to function well. The biggest wow here would be the addition of a full metal hop up selector slide shown in the photo. All in all I would have to say that this AEG is solid built, features great performance and shoots at a chronograph verified 365-380 FPS out of the box. Most retailers are selling these for 200 dollars or less and I would have to say airsoft consumers are getting more than their moneys worth. If echo1 continues to put this kind of attention to detail and performance into all their products, I would say we will be feeling allot of echo 1 AEG's on the field in 2008. As for the JG rumors exposed, Its an Echo 1 silly.