The_Lord_Poncho

My Cyma 098 came new with a metal midcap that looks identical to those that you have bought, and don't appear to fit. Obviously, the one that came with the RIF fits perfectly. Very surprised to hear that those are proving problematic for you. I assume that you have checked inside the mag well in case the previous owner has 'shimmed' it - e.g. with tape, glue, or self adhesive velcro? If the magwell isn't the problem, perhaps its a non standard hop unit that has been fitted which is fouling the top of the mags, or is not shimmed itself correctly? My hop barrel has a few O rings on it in front of the hop unit to ensure the unit is pushed backwards enough to align the unit with the corresponding 'hole' in the top of the mag... Failing all of that -appreciating that its not a route you want to go down - my P-mag style battleaxe polymer mags (220 rd) fit perfectly...

Spot on, many thanks!

Many thanks mate! (by the way, the G&G had an outing yesterday morning - performed flawlessly, thanks!)

Thanks Dan R - I actually have one of the mad bull clones to refill mags from a plumbers style bottle (and like it rather a lot) - the adaptor i was after though was one to refill a plumbers bottle from an e.g. 6kg calor propane bottle. The thread sizes etc are a bit of a minefield and most aliexpress and amazon adaptors seem for the EU or US spec large gas bottles which (as i sadly found out) are different from the UK spec!

Can the motors be swapped out in AKs (V3 gearbox) just by removing the grip? (I know that 10 seconds with a screwdriver would tell me, but unfortunately I'm away from my RIFs for several days, and have a hankering to put an order in for a Big Dragon m140 motor - the answer to the above will guide my decision as to get a long type and fit to one of my AR RIFs, or short type for one of the TM clone AKs)

I'm also very interested in this as a possibility. In fact i bought an adaptor from Aliexpress a few months ago with the intent to re-fill the plumbers bottles from a big calor (propane) bottle. Turned out that the threads weren't compatible. DanHC - have you got any suggested links?

Controversial opinion from a bit of a 'boot nerd' myself - I own many nice pairs of boots - issued Haix, issued Aku, Lowa mountain boots, Lowa Zephyr etc. I started playing airsoft in the lowas, and the Akus. They were absolutely fine. But after a short while i decided a) they were too expensive to be bashing around the sites i play at, and b) they were still a little heavy/clompy for the task. So i started looking for boots that were cheapish, very lightweight and flexible (i.e. more towards the trainer end of the spectrum), and still had a waterproof membrane. Settled on on some (and here is the controversial bit) Magnums. One of the newer styles, mid cut - the 'Magnum Ultima'. e.g. https://www.workwearexpress.com/magnum-ultima-6.0-waterproof-uniform-boot?vat=inc&gclid=CjwKCAjw1YCkBhAOEiwA5aN4AZpqNmycjIivW1l-om8l5ZN1k2dfF8T2IvJhf1F7quJ2AOrAX_LjwBoCF5MQAvD_BwE#205=68&93=926&fo_c=4025&fo_k=cab0fb1b55b29929c9c1f946c2ce97e5&fo_s=gplauk I've used them for just over a year, and they have been great - both indoors and outdoors. Negatives - after about 8 months the waterproof membrane has broken down (still more protection than if it wasn't there, but water now gets through if the ground/grass is persistently wet), and the membrane is not the most breathable, so your feet get a bit sweatier than, say, in a very expensive goretex membrane (e.g. AKU's). I think I paid £60 for my pair a year back.

In way of an update - I popped a ZCI hop unit in + macaron bucking. It really didn't like the macaron - wasn't reliably feeding, so I used the bucking that came with the ZCI unit. A few times to reassemble due to the hop unit not being entirely centred on the barrel, but all good now. Still not really sure what was up with the original hop unit/bucking - it didn't look damaged.

Yes, I've used three times over the past year - this is generally my experience. 2 of my orders each took circa 3 weeks to arrive, one of the orders (albeit over Christmas) took closer to 6 weeks. Everything arrived as ordered, though you do need to be a little careful - the descriptions of the items on their website can be a little hit or miss.

Sage advice - I shall do as you suggest. Having had a ganders at Pheas Airsoft's strip down video, it looks pretty straightforward to get to the barrel/hop group at least. I think you are probably right - grease on the bucking wouldn't dramatically clear after ten or so shots to head back into overhopping territory.

Ah, awesome, good to know that a ZCI hop unit will work. I might just order one+ the ubiquitous macaron and Omega nub then and be done with it. Which is a shame, as all the reviews I've seen have never mentioned utterly erratic hop on these! It has also come in on only 305fps on a .20 - nothing that an easy spring change can't solve though.

Hi all - upon trying out a new DE UTR45, the hop seems to be incredibly erratic - varying from being spot on (and stunningly accurate) for ten shots or so, to dramatically underhopping (i.e. no hop being applied by the unit at all) for a random number of shots, to then overhopping etc etc. No real logic to it! Only thing i can think of before I strip it down to take a look is that there is some excess grease inside the new gear box/cylinder that is finding its way onto the hop rubber? I am assuming that a standard AR style Hop unit (e.g. ZCI Plastic Rotary) would fit in the UTR 45 if i can't suss it out?

All - I'm not sure if it is general knowledge, but from internet research it transpires that the usual trimming of an M4 style selector plate to semi lock isn't always successful on the Cyma SR25 (098). There exists an alternative very easy way to semi lock them which does not involve drilling holes/epoxying physical external blocks to prevent the selector switch moving to the auto position - and doesn't require the gear box removed from the lower receiver. Essentially, a washer is inserted, sitting on the rear retaining pin, between the gearbox and the passenger side of the lower receiver. As long as its a snug enough fit, this has the effect of preventing the rearward movement of the selector plate. The easiest way i found to locate a washer of the perfect size was to 3d print one from an existing free file on the net, and simply scale it up until it fitted perfectly- albeit with a little trial and error I'm sure this isn't necessary and standard metal washer(s) would work. As i went as large as i physically could, there was a little interference between the washer and the lip of the top receiver when snugging the two back together, that i rectified by shaving a tiny amount off the top outer of the washer (obviously super easy with a plastic 3d printed washer using a knife when it was in-situ). If people have access to a 3d printer, the file for the washer that i used was this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3178444/files an m6 washer, which I scaled up width wise/z axis to 195% (resulting in it being circa 3mm thick), and increased the diameter to 105% (resulting in the diameter being 13.1 mm, and the resulting hole in the middle of the washer being very slightly larger than M6. Seems to work perfectly, with no movement of the safety selector possible past semi. I perhaps might worry that the selector plate could be damaged if someone tried to put ludicrous pressure on the selector switch, but i don't think that is likely - not least as the selector switch is pretty stiff anyhow on the CM098. As an aside, if anyone is interested, the CM098 that I just purchased from Patrol Base arrived doing circa 300FPS on a 0.2BB. The spring was super short, and looked like an M90. The SHS M130 spring that I popped in took it to a consistent 430fps.

I will run them inside the buffer tube, but they need to exit the rear of the lower receiver below the buffer tube mount. Unfortunately there isn't room for the wires to exit through the buffer tube mount- the rear of the gearbox is right up against it...

Ah yes, i see what you mean! I'll just need to be super careful with the hacksaw to retain the screw threads then i think. The changed design also explains why i haven't been able to find a replacement (shorter) buffer tube mount...

Sounds like i somehow need to unscrew that (probably with a lot of heat), and get the hacksaw out then...! Thanks!

Whilst going through the process of turning a old front wired G&G GC16 into a rear wired L119(ish) set up, I've come across a bit of an issue in the feeding of wires out of the back of the lower receiver. The old G&G design (no idea if they have updated it since) looks like the image below. The buffer tube from the rifle made no allowances for running wiring back, so I've purchased a new tube with the obligatory channel, half washer etc. However, there is no rear way that the wires will fit in the small channel at the base of the buffer tube - the tube mount (silver in the picture) just doesn't allow enough room. The wires - even when i add in an AEG sling loop/mount, are also pinched between the buffer tube and the bit of the receiver that the buffer tube mount is screwed into. Any one got any ideas?! The best that i can think of is to grind the buffer tube mount flat at its base, and perhaps also grind a substantial amount of metal off the ring in the lower receiver that the buffer tube mount is screwed into... As a supplementary question and assuming I solve the above problem- there is nothing to stop the rear sling mount rotating aside from the pressure of the castle nut on the buffer tube - is this a real problem, or would the simple pressure/friction prevent rotation of the sling loop in reality? Thanks all!

In way of an update, I went for the Krydex set in the end - only took 2 weeks to turn up from china, and cost a smidgen over £100 with postage and tax. Actually very pleased with them, they feel excellent quality, and the sizing is true to the table on the website. Pattern looks great - a fairly green and black dominant tiger stripe, quite big spacing between the stripes (which I like) with only a very little brown thrown into the mix. Awesome! The only down sides (which I knew before I ordered it) is the use of black stretch fabric - e.g. around the knees, and the torso of the shirt. Not that it looks bad, but from a concealment point of view, I would imagine green fabric would be better. No great drama though.

Many thanks - I'd actually found FFI - and explored the available sizes on JK army! I've come across another outfit who seem to make very very similar (possibly just a re-brand?) get-ups - 'Krydex' with supposedly a 33inch inseam on the 36inch+ waist sizes. Definitely a contender! Just wondered if anyone had heard of them/used them, and if so, what the quality and sizing is genuinely like?

I've taken a look - unfortunately nothing in my size in stock - however it has put me onto the idea that a chinese company called 'TMC' do crye style tigerstripe trousers etc - which look like they go up to about a 33inch inseam... food for thought, thanks! I've had a look at some of those AATV videos before - i'll have a ganders at that one when i get home.they certainly go into a lot of detail!

Outstanding leads there! Yes, i had looked at Flectarn - as you say, unfortunately out of stock. Just had a cabby at the Moore Militaria site -very funky gold tiger stripe in stock at the moment (actually i think Soldier of Fortune have some of the gold in at the moment as well ). I did look wider at the SOF stuff - that would definitely be an option in the 'tadpole' pattern. I'd need to check the inseam leg and check that its a minimum of 33inch though. I see what you mean by the russian camo - but its quite 'lizardy'.... I think i've found a source of truspec shirts, and the photos (the flectarn.co.uk photos are pretty good) do put it looking rather similar in shade and pattern to the helikon trousers (which i am tempted to try simply because of the more modern cut). For the time being, i think its between that option and the SOF set... Its amazing which direction that the purchase of an XM177 take you!

Right, so I've spent an inordinate amount of time trawling past threads and Google in an attempt to source a good (and currently available) set of tiger stripe. Appreciating there are many many varieties, the pattern that I'm most keen on is the less dense/less dark/more green than brown type- often called 'John Wayne' pattern. Authenticity of cut is not a problem for me- in fact a modern crye style would be ideal (albeit I can't seem to locate any long inseam/non black body options in that cut). I note that Helikon do a pair of trousers in the tiger stripe style that is inviting- so that would be an option. But they don't do a top half! Might the Truspec 'original vietnam pattern' tiger stripe shirt be a fair match? Any other suggestions? Ideally under £100 for the set.

Well, after a little bit of time with a hex key -I can confidently state yes - the CM.041J's which are currently being shipped do indeed have gearboxes with a quick change spring function!

Many thanks - agreed it was exactly those conflicting specs that caused me to ask the question on here! Guess there is only one way to find out!