Cutting a reciever

[PopRocket123]

I'm planning on doing a custom TAC 41 build and I'm considering cutting off the top rail and replacing it with a higher 3d printed one. I have a 3 axis vertical mill at work that I could use but I'm still teaching myself how to use it and don't want to fuck it up when it's £110 for a replacement receiver. Has anyone done this or something similar? Any tips or advice?

 

[Corkie121]

I think the best option would be to mill the existing rail to just be narrower to act as an inner stub. That way you can use the existing flat top and grooves to index and mount the new printed rail over the top without worrying about ruining the structure of the receiver underneath.

As for learning to use a mill, airsoft metals tend to be pretty soft so it's not terrible to learn on, but if you have someone qualified who can explain what they're doing as they do it then I'd opt for that to avoid pricey mistakes.

 

[Tommikka]

Do you really need to cut it down and make a taller one?

Risers are available in many lengths and heights, and Airsoft metal bodies are made of special magic metal that will do the exact opposite of what you expect

 

[PopRocket123]

Do you really need to cut it down and make a taller one?

Risers are available in many lengths and heights, and Airsoft metal bodies are made of special magic metal that will do the exact opposite of what you expect

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That was my first thought but a riser would be bulky and ugly and probably end up being too tall

 

[PopRocket123]

I think the best option would be to mill the existing rail to just be narrower to act as an inner stub. That way you can use the existing flat top and grooves to index and mount the new printed rail over the top without worrying about ruining the structure of the receiver underneath.

As for learning to use a mill, airsoft metals tend to be pretty soft so it's not terrible to learn on, but if you have someone qualified who can explain what they're doing as they do it then I'd opt for that to avoid pricey mistakes.

Click to shrink...

Thanks. That's a pretty good idea. A little more complex than my original plan to just cut the whole thing down but I'm pretty confident I can mount it square enough to achieve that. I also have access to wire eroders which might be the more accurate option

 

[Tommikka]

That was my first thought but a riser would be bulky and ugly and probably end up being too tall

Click to shrink...

No worries, just an idea

 

[PopRocket123]

No worries, just an idea

Click to shrink...

It's the sensible option, but no one ever accused me of being sensible

 

[Anonymoose]

I'm planning on doing a custom TAC 41 build and I'm considering cutting off the top rail and replacing it with a higher 3d printed one. I have a 3 axis vertical mill at work that I could use but I'm still teaching myself how to use it.

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't recommend using the mill on something you care about or something expensive to learn on. (I learned this the hard way.)

I would suggest stripping the receiver bare and inspecting it thoroughly. You may well find that that part of the casting is hollow, and if you mill it down you'll only be left with a hole and nothing to attach the new rail to.

Is the pic you posted what you want to end up with?

 

[PopRocket123]

The casting is solid so that's luckily not an issue. There is a stainless steel pin that locates the barrel that I would need to press out first. The picture is illustrative of the sort of look I'm going for but not exact. At this point I've worked on the mill enough to be confident cutting a flat face down to a set height which is what this would entail. Which is why I'm asking. It seems like a relatively simple job so I want someone to tell me if there's some detail I've missed, you know? Often it's the simple jobs that have the biggest opportunity to make a mistake

 

[Punisher3990]

I guess it all boils down to whether the change you're looking for is worth the potential £110 replacement cost if it goes bad. (I would also check that said replacements are in stock lol)

Personally, I would just get a higher scope mounting, but I am also curious to see the results if you are successful, so please do update if you go ahead with it

 

[PopRocket123]

I should have a spare rail somewhere. I'll have a go at using that as a practice piece. That's probably the safest option