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"