Help recreating POF P308

[Slimypants]

Hi, new here but I thought that if anyone could help me out, this would be the place to look B)

So I got to play with a POF P308 on holiday recently and immediately fell in love with it! I know there's not an airsoft version but as it's basically an AR-10 I thought I might be able to recreate something similar.

It's got to be a GBBR for realism, and having looked at what's available, I think the PTS Mega Arms MML Maten would be the best starting point. It's missing the forward assist but has a nice chunky angular look to it that I think is less traditional AR and more P308. Plus it seems to be a pretty awesome gun.

The main issue is the length as the Maten is much longer, but hopefully I could replace handguard with one that stops around the gas block and swap out a shorter barrel. The full list of modifications I'm considering are:

• Shorter barrel
  
• Shorter handguard
  
• Cerakote receiver and handguard
  
• P308 style muzzle break
  
• Replacement trigger
  
• Magpul MOA stock
  

I've photoshopped a mockup of the mods and I think it's pretty convincing. What do you think? Can anyone recommend any compatible parts, especially the handguard and barrel? Or maybe you think there's a better starting point than the Maten?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts!

View attachment 24097

 

[Sacarathe]

Can you use this?

 

[Slimypants]

Hmm, interesting. I hadn't considered buying the real steel parts. Can those even be imported legally - would they get through customs?

Actually I'm not sure if that one would work as it's for the AR-15. This is the one used on the P308 but it only fits with a P308 upper receiver as the top rail is all in one.

I see that I can get a flash hider from there, but I don't know if the Maten barrel would accept a real steel flash hider.

 

[Sacarathe]

I don't know of any reason customs would stop it coming in to be fair. I was going to suggest the upper reciever but that's $1200, maybe contact the manufacture and ask if they can sell the upper and rail without the barrel and gas parts etc. Alas I don't know what is contained within the upper of a real AR15 or a GBBR so I have no idea if that's useful to you.

 

[Lozart]

I don't know of any reason customs would stop it coming in to be fair. I was going to suggest the upper reciever but that's $1200, maybe contact the manufacture and ask if they can sell the upper and rail without the barrel and gas parts etc. Alas I don't know what is contained within the upper of a real AR15 or a GBBR so I have no idea if that's useful to you.

Click to shrink...

Customs may well stop it but the bigger issue is getting it out of the US in the first place. It'll be itar restricted. 

 

[Hangtight]

It might mean having to modify an upper, but I reckon you could get this to fit...

https://pof-usa.com/shop/upgrades-accessories/hand-guards/m-rail-handguard-upgrade/

I've wanted a POF replica since I saw this...

 

[Slimypants]

I don't know of any reason customs would stop it coming in to be fair. I was going to suggest the upper reciever but that's $1200, maybe contact the manufacture and ask if they can sell the upper and rail without the barrel and gas parts etc. Alas I don't know what is contained within the upper of a real AR15 or a GBBR so I have no idea if that's useful to you.

Click to shrink...

Customs may well stop it but the bigger issue is getting it out of the US in the first place. It'll be itar restricted. 

Click to shrink...

It might mean having to modify an upper, but I reckon you could get this to fit...

https://pof-usa.com/shop/upgrades-accessories/hand-guards/m-rail-handguard-upgrade/

I've wanted a POF replica since I saw this...

Click to shrink...

Nice video Hangtight, that guy must have steel cahones! Though I do notice that after his AR-15 meltdown he started wearing a lot more protective gear. I suppose a barrel blowing up in your face will do that! Would be interesting to see that destruction test done with the .308.

Between the cost, potential import issues, and necessary modifications, I am kind of put off going down the real steel route. That leaves me with off the shelf airsoft parts. I don't suppose anyone knows what hand guards or barrels might be compatible? I'm guessing that AR-15 parts wouldn't fit on an AR-10 platform.

 

[TheFull9]

Bloody hell.. no you cannot buy receivers or gas parts from the US and fit them to your RIF, do not even consider trying.  There's a monstrously complex and expensive process for getting real guns from over there (if they're ones that can be legally owned here) IF you have the right Firearms Certificate already in place.  Gas parts, receivers and flash hiders are very much illegal in terms of fitting to airsoft guns, people there have done it with PTWs and the like but they've just chosen to interpret the law in a foolish way to suit their silly ideas.  Not that any of the bits would fit the PTS gun anyway.  Even if POF exported you the handguard (which they probably won't) it wouldn't go on to the PTS upper without some really super skilled machinist spending a ton of time on said receiver first (and that's still a long shot).  The MEGA Arms style upper is shaped nothing like a normal AR-10 or 15, there's a large, integral extrusion of metal sticking out the front that the supplied handguard slides over.

The 556 MEGA rifle has been shortened in the past, when only the 14.5" version was available.  So it can be done on the 762, but you need the very specific PTS tool to take off the outer barrel, then you need to take said barrel and the handguard to someone extremely talented and well equipped in a machining shop.  There's no after-market for this thing airsoft wise that I've seen.  You can have the rear part of the trigger milled off maybe to get the desired look, no idea what the threads on the barrel are but those can be custom cut if you find someone who knows what they're doing.  Also the stock you've pictured is the MOE, but the one on the RS POF rifle is a Magpul CTR anyway.

 

[Slimypants]

Thanks CKinnerley. I must admit that I was a little dubious about getting hold of real steel parts. And getting the POF hand guard to fit would be VERY difficult. From what I understand, the monolithic rail slots into a custom dovetail on the POF upper.

I wasn't sure how non-standard the PTS build is, but VERY by the sounds of it :blink: .

I suppose that leaves me with either:

• Sticking with the PTS and just doing the cerakoting and stock (Thanks for correcting me on the Magpul), which is tempting despite the longer length, since it looks like a very nice piece of kit.
  
• Or finding another airsoft AR-10 that is easier to customise to the look I'm going for. If such a thing exists as there doesn't seem to be a lot in the way of AR-10 GBBRs.
  

 

[Sacarathe]

Bloody hell.. no you cannot buy receivers or gas parts from the US and fit them to your RIF, do not even consider trying.

Click to shrink...

Are airsoft floating rails significantly different to real ones? I as someone knowing little to nothing about real guns cannot tell the difference.

When I suggested the upper receiver above, that is a misnomer on my use of language, as I literally just meant the part which slides onto the lower, and the rail. Nothing more. Unfortunately I don't know the distinguishing difference between 'plain', 'stripped', and 'complete' upper receiver, so I ran with plain as I didn't know if stripped included the rail.

But I was never suggesting import of firing mechanism or barrel/gas parts.

 

[Lozart]

Are airsoft floating rails significantly different to real ones? I as someone knowing little to nothing about real guns cannot tell the difference.

When I suggested the upper receiver above, that is a misnomer on my use of language, as I literally just meant the part which slides onto the lower, and the rail. Nothing more. Unfortunately I don't know the distinguishing difference between 'plain', 'stripped', and 'complete' upper receiver, so I ran with plain as I didn't know if stripped included the rail.

But I was never suggesting import of firing mechanism or barrel/gas parts.

Click to shrink...

There are usually differences is size and threading on a lot of the major parts. The "part that slides onto the lower" is the upper receiver which would be very much a restricted item (and wouldn't fit anyway). Pretty much any part that fits onto a real rifle/handgun whatever would be covered by ITAR restrictions; I tried to buy a scope mount from the US for my M14 and couldn't get it for love nor money. I even enquired via a friend in the US and basically got told that if he bought it and tried to ship it to me he could be liable to prosecution for unlicenced exporting!

 

[AshOnSnow]

Easier to get things into the UK than out of the US. The restrictions in terms of firearms components here apply to parts of the firing mechanism - triggers, bolts etc. In terms of outer body components like rails, sights, stocks and grips, you should have no problem importing them. Things like gas blocks and tubes are part of the firing mechanism and you will need a relevant FAC to import those.

However, the US has much tighter restrictions on exporting firearms parts, which encompasses a lot more in their definition than ours. In some cases, even a red dot sight cannot be exported without an expensive customs permit.

If you have money to spend and want to use real steel parts, talk to Brownells - I've used them in the past for things like genuine MagPul assists and stocks. They're an American company, with a branch in UK, so you can buy a lot of stuff from them, and if you can't find it on their site, I'm sure they could source it for you.

 

[Slimypants]

Easier to get things into the UK than out of the US. The restrictions in terms of firearms components here apply to parts of the firing mechanism - triggers, bolts etc. In terms of outer body components like rails, sights, stocks and grips, you should have no problem importing them. Things like gas blocks and tubes are part of the firing mechanism and you will need a relevant FAC to import those.

However, the US has much tighter restrictions on exporting firearms parts, which encompasses a lot more in their definition than ours. In some cases, even a red dot sight cannot be exported without an expensive customs permit.

If you have money to spend and want to use real steel parts, talk to Brownells - I've used them in the past for things like genuine MagPul assists and stocks. They're an American company, with a branch in UK, so you can buy a lot of stuff from them, and if you can't find it on their site, I'm sure they could source it for you.

Click to shrink...

Hmm, interesting to know thanks! I still think that trying to get the genuine hand guard to fit on the PTS will be nigh on impossible, but I may try them for other parts.

 

[AshOnSnow]

Hmm, interesting to know thanks! I still think that trying to get the genuine hand guard to fit on the PTS will be nigh on impossible, but I may try them for other parts.

Click to shrink...

It might take some altering. If you've got the money you can pretty much have anything you like. If your budget is high enough, you could send it into a good gunsmith who builds custom weapons - they can probably modify the parts properly, but IMO going to all the trouble and cost is a little overkill for airsoft!

 

[TheFull9]

I suppose that leaves me with either:

• Sticking with the PTS and just doing the cerakoting and stock (Thanks for correcting me on the Magpul), which is tempting despite the longer length, since it looks like a very nice piece of kit.
  
• Or finding another airsoft AR-10 that is easier to customise to the look I'm going for. If such a thing exists as there doesn't seem to be a lot in the way of AR-10 GBBRs.
  

Click to shrink...

As I say, you can still easily take off the barrel and handguard, find someone good with a mill/lathe etc to cut them down.  I saw it done with the 556 version of the same gun.  Or wait like 2 years for PTS to release a shorter version.  If you're willing to go to the expense of getting cerakote and stuff done though, it'd still be a cool project.  The stock and pistol grip are standard RS AR compatible I believe, so you can change things up there quite a bit.  Tons of options on the firearms market for those.

If you really want an AR variant in 762 NATO though there's probably no real viable alternatives.  There's the VFC 417, great as a wall hanger, not as good as the PTS/KWA gun if you actually want to shoot, VFC SR-25 which I'd put in same category.  Even the SR-25 (VFC Mk11), despite being a more conventional layout, will be uber proprietary and possibly even harder to customise than the MEGA Arms (maybe, not seen any info).  WE M14 and SCAR-H.. meh.. underwhelming imho.