Taking inspiration from RMDavis's URGI build I bought a TM MWS M4A1 as a base for my own URGI build (was gonna get a CQBR but couldn't find one in stock). I have a Z-PARTS MARUI Mk16 DD GOV 10.3'' Steel Outer Barrel (MARUI-M4-030), a Z-PARTS MARUI M4 URG-I Airborne Charging Handle (MARUI-M4-028) and a HAO MK16 M-Lok 9.3" handguard which I bought from from J.K.ARMY (as HAO isn't shipping to the UK right now), but they sent me the wrong barrel nut, so I'm gonna send that back.
I've decided to buy a Zparts MK16 handguard instead, and possibly get a HAO one directly from HAO at a later date if the Zparts one isn't very good. I was gonna buy the Z-PARTS MARUI Mk16 9.3" Handguard-DDC (MARUI-M4-012), but Zparts said that I needed the Z-PARTS MARUI Mk16 9.3" Handguard-DDC (FOR ZPARTS) (MARUI-M4-017). I guess it's because I'm using the Zparts outer barrel, which is different to the stock M4A1 outer barrel.
I'm fairly new to all this, so I wasn't sure if the Z-PARTS MARUI Mk16 9.3" Handguard-DDC (FOR ZPARTS) (MARUI-M4-017) would fit on a TM M4A1 upper receiver, or if it was just designed to fit on a Zparts MARUI M4 MWS Forged Receiver Set. So I asked them if they could confirm that the handguard would fit on a TM MWS M4A1 upper receiver.
I got two emails back from them, and in the first one they said that the handguard can theoretically fit on the TM M4A1, but they don't have an M4A1 to test.
And in the second email they said that their MARUI M4 MWS Forged Receiver Set is the same spec as "TM MWS M4", they also went onto say "So the rail and barrel can fit on as well. But we’re not sure is M4A1 same spec as M4. Please ask airsoft shop for further info.". I don't know what they mean by "M4". Perhaps they're referring to the TM MWS CQBR?
This really confused me, as I thought the receivers and internals of the TM MWS M4A1, CQBR, MK18 and the M4A1 Carbine are all the same and that the only differences between them are the handguards, barrels, stocks, and iron sights.
I decided to order that handguard today as that particular model seems quite hard to get hold of.
I'm just worried though that I may have completely screwed up and bought the wrong gun for a URGI build and that the handguard that I just ordered won't fit on my TM M4A1.
Hopefully someone can put my mind at rest. Are all the receivers and internals the same on the various models of the TM MWS? Do you think that the parts that I've bought will fit straight on my TM M4A1?