straffham

Yup, that size is correct, I just compared it to the wooden grip on my genuine Type 56 and it is pretty much the same size as that.

Soz to chime in but as gas + our cold weather are not happiest of mix....
Plus the "possible" risk to some higher quality guns...
 
Why not just buy a real cheapo non blow back for silly money....
fill with propane and just use that - if it goes tits up then chuck it
(cheaper than having a borked £100+ TM GBB)
 
Just until it warms up a bit - then go back to usual GBB pistol in Spring
says the expert on breaking cheaper airsoft stuff
when I finally stop breaking stuff - only then will I buy the higher end stuff

Only had a short time to go over mine as yet. Just a few thoughts to add to Chock's assesment above ^ the working parts do seem fairly free of lubrication out of the box, yet everything moves freely and easily. I will also be going over mine with a little lube in the right places though to keep wear to a minimum.
 
It was nice to find so much steel present, though the hammer is alloy so potentially at risk of damage. When fired it hits a small raised cast dummy "firing pin" on the bolt which will probably wear fairly quickly, I'm going to experiment with fitting a small nitrile O ring around this cast pin to absorb some of the shock to the hammer and thus prolong its life (although a machinist friend is going to see if a steel hammer is economically feasible )
 
The original mag and the 2 spares I ordered all hold gas well with no leaks, though silent valves make judging filling tricky. On a quick test (indoors at around 20°) the gun initially functioned fine on 144a giving c.310 fps, though wouldn't empty a full mag before venting remaining gas. Abbey Brut Sniper was much better but giving around 360fps, emptying a full mag easily. Normal green gas should give around 350 fps, which I shall try along with propane over next couple of days. Shot grouping seems good at short range but not had a chance to see how the hop is at medium to long range yet.
 
After AEGs the nylon fibre pistol grip was something of a shock, it is so skinny that with my hands it felt like a toy after an AEG grip with a motor inside, but I assume its true to the real steel in that regard. Trigger pull is also very light and smooth which again surprised me.
 
Just need to add an AK sling now and wait for warmer weather!

Had a bit of time to take the SRC apart, because I wanted to make sure it was properly lubed up before firing it too much.
 
Spring guide and return spring are steel. Bolt Carrier and piston are alloy. Upper receiver plate is steel, lower receiver, fire selector, trigger and trigger guard are steel. Front/rear sight is steel, outer barrel and flash suppressor is alloy. Stock is pressed steel. Mag is alloy with some steel parts.
 
Some pics:
 
Piston and spring guide:
 

 
Top of bolt carrier:
 

 
Hop up:
 

 
Internal tube and rear of hop up:
 

 
Top of trigger mechanism:
 

Welcome to the forum!
 
I take it you mean bb's are jamming in the hop rather than the actual barrel? Have you tried any other brand of bb's? Also would be worth cleaning the barrel, particularly if its a new gun, as they can sometimes have gunk in from manufacturing. If the bb's themselves aren't the culprit, and the barrel is clean it could be hop rubber isn't installed properly, if the gun is new I'd suggest taking it back to the retailer for them to check?

Incorrect, certain tm pistols will die using propane, glocks and px4 being some of them but hi capas, 1911's, hk45 are fine, been using propane in all of the above for a long time with zero issues

No it won't. In the cold it's fine, and in the majority they take it fine in the summer too. The newer ones are more susceptible to failures on propane but the older ones certainly are fine. 
He said he wanted a gas for the winter and for that propane is the perfect choice

Welcome to the forum!
 
I take it you mean bb's are jamming in the hop rather than the actual barrel? Have you tried any other brand of bb's? Also would be worth cleaning the barrel, particularly if its a new gun, as they can sometimes have gunk in from manufacturing. If the bb's themselves aren't the culprit, and the barrel is clean it could be hop rubber isn't installed properly, if the gun is new I'd suggest taking it back to the retailer for them to check?

Oh that's just a cheap springer AKS74U coming from Bohemia Airsoft in the Czech Republic (or as a 70's comedian would probably say: 'the Czech's in the Post'). It was literally about 23 quid, but since it is a Class D RIF as far as the UK's VCR Law is concerned (i.e. it is black with a wooden-coloured plastic grip, so Joe Blow might think it is a real firearm), I thought I'd add it to my order for a bunch of AK mags I was ordering from there anyway the other day, just as a test to see if RIFs come through from that site okay, since rifles and pistols are quite good value on there.
 
http://airsoftshop.cz/product_info.php/products_id/6968
 
However, there is also a bit more method to my madness. That AKS74U is the Unicorn Hobbies Corporation (UHC) one, which you might know is the cheapy 'dual powered' AK which many BB gun sites sell (actually triple powered if we're being technically accurate). Now, I already have one of those UHC ones that I got for the princely sum of 45 quid - which I've upgraded the internals on to make it 'skirmishable' - because I like the fact that lift up the upper receiver, pop six AA batteries in the thing and be good to go, which is handy if you decide to go skirmishing at the last minute and don't have your normal AEG batteries charged (it's the one in the pic above next to the SRC one). That and the fact that it also functions as a 'cock and fire' springer too. So it is my intention to do a similar upgrade on the one that's currently winging its way from the Czech Republic. That way I'll have a 'grab gun' for those last minute decisions to go skirmishing on Wednesday evenings which I sometimes make, and also have a back up 'grab gun' which won't need charging either.
 
As most people probably gathered from that AK12 thread, really, these things are as much about having a bit of fun tinkering with stuff and ending up with some nice wall hangers too, as much as they are about having something to go shooting with, because I've certainly got enough decent 'fancy guns' anyway not worry about whether such tinkering turns out okay. Although to be fair, the UHC one I have already souped up with better gears is not actually a bad CQB skirmish gun - does about 310 fps and is pretty accurate, certainly accurate enough for CQB ranges anyway - and it does look okay with the 'worn metal' paint job I've given it. Not bad looking for a 45 quid plastic gun with a few cheap tweaked parts:
 

Finally picked mine up from UPS Depot 20 miles away, after them just leaving it collecting dust for 2 days there instead of putting it on my local delivery truck ffs. The excuse? They are too busy. HELLOOOOOOOO its xmas period, is that not expected and planned for then? Useless idiots.
Airsoft World are claiming my postage back from them and couldn't have more helpful in fairness, with phone numbers to phone UPS and actually speak to someone (which they offered to do as well).
As a final irony I emailed UPS CS lady at address she gave me to complain, it came back from UPS marked "undeliverable". . . . !
Anyway not oppened it up yet as I'm working but will do so tomorrow. Finally.

its trust .... and that is worth more than anything

Cool. Glad it is sorted. Expecting the same sort of traumas with a package I've got coming from a Czech airsoft place this week, coincidentally with another AKS74u and some AK74 mags. Post always gets arsed up this time of year.

I like the idea of gas cartridges in mags, as that seems like it would add a very realistic feel to changing mags, as is the case with GBBs, but with more consistency to the shots. However, I'd be less enamoured with the notion of carrying a bottle around in a backpack and having a high pressure line attached to my rifle; I think it'd feel a bit too much like being a WW2 M2 flamethrower operator on some Pacific Island. It would limit your movement too much as well, and it's a step away from having a realistic appearance to your weapon with it having a compressed gas line coming off the bottom of the thing.

Finally picked mine up from UPS Depot 20 miles away, after them just leaving it collecting dust for 2 days there instead of putting it on my local delivery truck ffs. The excuse? They are too busy. HELLOOOOOOOO its xmas period, is that not expected and planned for then? Useless idiots.
Airsoft World are claiming my postage back from them and couldn't have more helpful in fairness, with phone numbers to phone UPS and actually speak to someone (which they offered to do as well).
As a final irony I emailed UPS CS lady at address she gave me to complain, it came back from UPS marked "undeliverable". . . . !
Anyway not oppened it up yet as I'm working but will do so tomorrow. Finally.

Darren Chen? No way, man! The CS bloke they used to have was called "Mordred Chiang". Hope he hasn't fallen foul of any corporate Arthurs...

UPS are still sitting on mine. Useless tw*ts
 
On a more positive note I've been in contact with Darren Chen at Star Rainbow (SRC) in Taiwan regarding spare parts, very keen and helpful guy, good news is spare parts ARE available (and listed as in stock)from their Taiwan distributor as per the following reply:
 
(QUOTE: Thanks for your email, I would like you to know that we have authorized partner here in Taiwan. Please take a look at the link down bottom. You could find the parts you need and If you have any question please contact the following email address. Again thanks for choosing SRC as your first option.
 
 
 
SR.SHOP email address : [email protected]
 
****** SR.SHOP website: http://www.srshop.com.tw/index.php ******
 
 
 
Like US ON FACEBOOK
 
SRC Airsoft TV
 
----------------------------------------------
 
STAR RAINBOW CO LTD
Room D2, No.36, Alley 82, Lane 422, Minzu Rd.,
Lujhou Dist., New Taipei City 247, Taiwan
Tel: 886-2-82853848
 
Fax:886-2-28484622
 
Skype: starrainbowdchen1
 
www.starrainbow.com.tw /QUOTE)
 
Parts seem pretty cheap too (no great surprise there), might buy a few as preventative medicine (when my gun actually turns up).

Love that 'thanks for choosing SRC as your first option'. Erm actually no, it was a cheap-ass Black Friday option lol.
 
With regard to UPS, I got lucky with that. Apparently the delivery van tipped up to number 85 on my road because it was delivering something there, then they saw they had something for number 80 (my house), but got no answer since I was out at work, so the delivery guy actually used his brain (unlike my fecking postman, who never bloody does so): 'screw it, we'll get the guy at 85 to take it and put a card through the door at 80 letting them know'. So when I got home from work yesterday, I just knocked on 85 and Bob's yer uncle, AK74 in my grubby paws.

yes as the system stands you will vent the remaing CO2 in the mag if you remove to before its empty, from what i understand the point is to keep the mags as cheep as possable i.e. they were talking about $10-20 a mag, even a simple check valve would probably at least double the price.

Yup, it is indeed, but I tend to just type AK74SU out of habit.
 
Not good to hear those reports about it being crap internally, but I guess we'll find out.
 
Like straffham, this is not a critical purchase for me, since I tend to use an M4 actually, and I already have a few AKs anyway (AEGs), including three other shortened AKs with folding stocks. So for 150 quid, obviously I'd not be thrilled if this SRC one fell to bits, but I would be okay with then either messing about with it or having it as a wall hanger. For me, airsoft is as much about tinkering and having stuff on the wall as it is about shooting people in the face

Yeah,meant follower,don't know why I wrote feed lip. Hopefully SRC take after KJW and offer a good source of parts

It actually hits the mag follower afaik, and this has been mentioned as a potential weak point (AW review video's sample has no follower in the mag). Hopefully an aftermarket one will be made available if this is the case.

Well, quite!

KWA Glock 23F. Have an old plastic slide one with trades, insane rate of fire. Not long fitted a new hop rubber, never missed a beat in 9 years of use!

Persuade your Mum. I bet we can find some gear for both of you. WW2 airsoft is very much more friendly than normal airsoft. It's also educational. I bet your Mum would actually enjoy it, even if she doesn't like guns. The WW2 games are not about running around shooting people, they are about teamwork, dressing up and the social aspects with a bit of running around shooting people thrown in
The Aachen game already has 2 women signed up so she wouldn't be the only one there. It's also a way for her to see what airsoft is about, without forking out for guns etc. straight away.

Mine was very, very accurate with a nineball bucking and a tightbore. I miss it..