It's been a real struggle getting to know my AKs.

[emilianoksa]

As a novice to airsoft I have a lot to learn.

Opening and closing the battery compartment on my AKs is often horrendously difficult. They function slightly differently and lining everything up for that final thump that closes them seems to be more a matter of luck than judgement. I've learned that if I push one forward slightly on closing it, this makes the process easier. Not with the other one though. I suppose the more I do it the easier it will get and things need to loosen up and wear in.

My next problem was with the low/mid cap magazines. I still don't know which they are, and will only learn once I have actually filled one. I put about 10bbs in and tried to shoot them out. The first bb was fired but then the mag refused to feed. I'm reminded of the advice on Gunfire about how to break in midcaps. Put ten in. Take em out. Put 20 in and take em out. And so on until full capacity if reached. As a newby I assumed I would be able to fire them out. Now  I'm thinking they have to be ejected by pulling the little tab. And boy is that tab stiff and low profile. Can't move it with my nail. Have to use a screwdriver blade. So when I have finally done it all later today, I'm wondering if the thing will continue to have feeding problems. I've got the point of expecting nothing to go right first time. Perhaps those who say you must lube the mag with silicone were right after all.

Next I moved on to the metal hicap. Again being a novice I assumed I could just drop in 20 or so bbs to test the function, wind them through and fire them. No way. However much I wound the mag there was no tension and I could not get the first bb to appear at the top. So I thought, maybe it only works with plenty of bbs in. So I put in a couple of hundred and tried again. This time it worked to a degree. I began to feel tension for the first time as I wound the mag. But when I came to shoot it, I discovered that it needed winding regularly. I only had the JG G36c mag to compare it to. You wind that until it won't go any further and that gives you enough bbs to last quite a while. I assumed that all mags would operate the same way. Obviously not. The LCT ones seem to need winding much more frequently.

I have an AK with a rail at the front and I have attached a small pistol grip close to the muzzle. Not close enough it seems. I didn't realise that it would prevent me from fitting the mag at the right angle, which is a bit of an art with the LCT. It seemed to be going in OK but the release tab was making contact with something in the mag well and spewing out all the bbs. I put the forward pistol grip as far forward as possible and that seemed to do the trick.

However it was all a very frustrating exercise. I realised after finishing and putting everything away, that I had forgotten to dry fire both of the guns after shooting in order to ensure no bbs were left and to release the spring. So out it all came again. The battery compartments had to be opened, the batteries fitted, a couple of dry fires (one had a bb in it)and then opening and removing the mags again, and struggling with the battery compartment lid.

It was hot and humid last night and by the time I had finished I was knackered.

I hope it all gets easier from now on.

 

[Robert James]

If I ever think there is a BB left in there I use the unjamming rod rather than put the battery back in. 

Also, if you get flash mags you pull the wire down a few times until the BB comes up to the top and shouldnt have to do it again until its empty.

 

[emilianoksa]

Thanks for the reply and advice.

No instructions or cleaning rod with the gun. No instructions with the mags. But a nice big glossy catalogue that must have been expensive to produce.  Sorry to continue to whine on about this, but it really is p... poor. And I can't find the downloads of the instruction booklets that I've been told are on the Fire Support website. 

Managed to buy a couple of rods from Tactical Airsoft.

Not sure yet which mags are compatible with the LCT. Some say Cyma will work, others say they won't. No idea about other makes. Suggestions always appreciated.

Half of me wishes I'd just bought a Combat Machine of JG G36 to avoid all the hassle.

Just joking really. I love the AKs but they have been bloody hard work so far. That battery compartment is damned hard work.

But I do need a back up gun.?

Or two, or three............. and they'll be cheap and cheerful, and easy to operate.

 

[Wo1f]

https://www.fire-support.co.uk/category/lct-gun-manuals/ these what you’re looking for?

 

[SilentMelon]

AK's can be a joy and a pain to own and use (I've been through a fair few) LCT are pretty good as far as AK's go though. For fitting the top cover, pushing back the release tab as you're trying to place it back on makes things a lot easier. And if it won't come back out pull the charging handle to push it into place. 

Magazines wise go with E&L for midcaps. I've used the 47 and 74 styles and they feed perfectly once you've broken them in. They definitely fit LCT AK's as well.

Due to the rocking motion for putting the mags in, foregrips tend to make reloading more difficult. If you want to run one try either an angled one like Magul or a folding one. That way you'll have an easier time reloading. One thing I can recommend is the LCT PK-170 Magwell Spacer. It stops you putting the magazine too far into the magwell when reloading.

Hope that helps!  

 

[emilianoksa]

Well I just stopped priming the midcaps, ten bbs at a time, and it looks like they hold about 130 each.

Very tedious job.  If I have to do this every time I buy a midcap I may just stick to the clockwork ones.  

https://www.fire-support.co.uk/category/lct-gun-manuals/ these what you’re looking for?

Thanks for that Wolf. Didn't notice the download option. I suppose a parts guide is better than nothing but It's not that much use to a complete newby to airsoft guns who needs one of two simple explanations. 

AK's can be a joy and a pain to own and use (I've been through a fair few) LCT are pretty good as far as AK's go though. For fitting the top cover, pushing back the release tab as you're trying to place it back on makes things a lot easier. And if it won't come back out pull the charging handle to push it into place. 

Magazines wise go with E&L for midcaps. I've used the 47 and 74 styles and they feed perfectly once you've broken them in. They definitely fit LCT AK's as well.

Due to the rocking motion for putting the mags in, foregrips tend to make reloading more difficult. If you want to run one try either an angled one like Magul or a folding one. That way you'll have an easier time reloading. One thing I can recommend is the LCT PK-170 Magwell Spacer. It stops you putting the magazine too far into the magwell when reloading.

Hope that helps!

Yes it does help a lot thanks.

I've mentioned my problem with the mag spacer on another thread. I've got one in case I need it but I'm not fitting it until I am comfortable disassembling the gun. You have to take out the gearbox to remove it, and you have to remove it to access the inner barrel and hop up unit.

My next challenge will be using the linear hop up. I assume you move it to left for more hop and completely to the right to turn it completely off. 

I'm not technical at all, and most blokes would probably have found it all a piece of cake. Which prompts another question - about techs. Many of you don't need them but I will eventually. Is it a good idea to go to a retailer's technical department or are there private individuals in the NW who will do a better job. It can't be any different from other types of technicians. Some are excellent, others OK, and yet others best avoided. Any recommendations for future reference will, as always,  be gratefully accepted.

At this rate I should be able to get back to the Mill by Christmas.?

As a footnote,  I seem to have completely lost interest in my few remaining airguns. Is this natural or should I see a doctor. Will my enthusiasm for them return or has airsoft completely killed it? When I look at them now, all I can think of is how much I could sell them for, and what I could buy with the money.

 

[MisterG]

Well I just stopped priming the midcaps, ten bbs at a time, and it looks like they hold about 130 each.

Very tedious job.  If I have to do this every time I buy a midcap I may just stick to the clockwork ones. 

That's why I'm glad I got a flash mag, I prefer it to the winding wheel.