THE MAMMOTH TASK! (For me at least)

[Airsoft-Ed]

Sorry if "Mammoth" has reminded anyone of that Go Compare advert... Not that saying that really helped... But yeah... Don't hit me.

Let me start by saying this, I have never taken an AEG apart, I've always assumed once you unsheath the gearbox, bits and bobs will fly everywhere, so I've never dared take a look incase I can't put it back together.

I realise it won't really be exactly like that, but the feeling there is similar and that's what's stopped me trying.

But I am competent with gas rifles, so it's not like I won't be able to figure it out. But, I'm going to need help.

So, it's struck me after months of not being able sell my M4 S-System that no one apart from Craig (who has no money) wants, or has ever, wanted it.

So I've decided I'm going to take it to bits and rebuild it differently. If that's possible.

Which is where you guys come in.

I want to end up with a working M16 body, that I can just swap the front and back ends of, to switch between M16 or M4 on a whim, when I feel like it.

So my questions are as follows:

- Will all M4/M16 receivers house all M4/M16 internal parts, or are there compatibility issues regarding brands and where certain pins go, the size/type of motor/gearbox/hop up/etc?

- If internals/externals are brand specific, what will I need externally to fit the KWA internals I already have? I'm after a new receiver and stock to get rid of the two-tone ness and solve the problem of there being no actual top rail once the S-System rails have been binned. I also want parts to be stamped with real markings where possible.

- Can anyone that's done things similar to this give me an idea of price of receivers, stocks, M16 front ends, including barrel, inner barrel etc etc.

If you need photos of anything to identify what I'll need then I'll add pictures once I know what they need to be of.

I'm sure other questions will rear their heads at some point, so I'll come back and ask them further down the thread when necessary.

But as for now, thanks for taking a look, thanks for any help anyone gives and super thanks to anyone who consistently helps guide me through the whole process.

 

[TPI]

KWA gearboxs are reinforced so much apparently they wont fit standard receivers :'( i know it pissed my brother of too other than springs and inner barrels im not much help either as its what i was gonna do to it anyway!

But i do beleive a 520mm M16 barrel will still fit and you have to find somewhere that sells a non two tone stock as i know their not built Like CA stocks as the Kwa Buffer is too big but an M16 stock should fit.

And i will check my brothers Version when he buggers off to work tonight as to whether or not their is a rail which their should be im sure of it.

And so as to not double post the receiver you need to get and put paint remover on to take it all of so you can repaint it however you like

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Would it be possible to just buy a black version of the receiver I have? Painting it to the standard I want can't be done by me, I don't have the skill or the know-how, plus I HAVE to replace the upper receiver because the one it has now is open topped once you take the S-System rails off, the rail set doesn't attach to a standard picatinny, so once you take it off you're lookig at the spring mech that resets the charging handle when you pull it.

I'll have to take a photo and add it on here but that alone is the single reason I HATE this rifle.

 

[TPI]

Yea i just had a quick butchers at my brothers you could be right but what is the rear sight attached to? It looks as if its completely independant of the top rail.

And i dont know where to get a top receiver for KWA at all im afraid send them a direct e-mail Maybe but i might be doing my brothers when his account looks healthier so if you have not done it by then ill post a guide as to how i did it on here.

But i agree i hate S-Systems too as im takeing a JG one in that need a new body aswell lol!

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

The rear sight sort of weirdly clips onto the back end of what LOOKS LIKE and SHOULD be an independent, standard top rail that's part of the upper receiver, but isn't.

The whole rail system has to be on the rifle for the rear sight to stay on, or to actually have any rails whatsoever, I only swapped my M16 for this because looking at it, I assumed I'd just be able to take the rail system off, shove on a standard M4 hand guard and then basically be left with an M4A1 with flip up sights, which would be awesome.

But instead it transpires that the rail system is imitation only, all the screws you see on it are fake and it does not in anyway attach to the gun like its real life counterpart would, which has pissed me off no end since I got the gun.

I guess I'll just have to interrogate the internet looking for a suitable receiver replacement as my first step then, there's got to be one somewhere.

Or failing that, sand all the metal down to it being silver, then painting it black and then welding a rail to the top of the receiver and modding it in some way or another so it looks right.

Why can't I just work in a Colt factory? Wouldn't that make everything so much easier?

To be honest, I can't believe no one wants it, despite all this stuff I've said about it, there's nothing wrong with the gun at all, except that it used to be totally green, that's probably the worst problem ever, but still, surely someone out there must actually like the look of and not want to change an S-System, why can't they just BUY IT?! It's actually a bargain, why won't one of you BUY IT FOR THE SAKE OF GOD HIMSELF!?

It's just my luck to be lumbered with the gun that's only compatible with non-existant parts...

Edit:

I've just emailed KWA to see if I can buy and import a standard receiver set that will fit the internals of the S-System, so fingers crossed they say "yes" and toes crossed they say, "For 1p".

 

[TPI]

Yea i agree to that lol

 

[Black]

....but still, surely someone out there must actually like the look of and not want to change an S-System, why can't they just BUY IT?!

It's just my luck to be lumbered with the gun that's only compatible with non-existant parts...

This could have something to do with it.

 

[Finius]

This could have something to do with it.

More the fact that it's one of those damned fugly S-Systems than the non-existence of parts IMO

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I started my tampering with the gun process yesterday and started off with the hop up, which I sorted out, somehow.

But a day on and now the gun won't fire. It's like the battery's dead, but I'm sure it isn't. Any ideas?

 

[Deva]

As in you get absolutely nothing, or you get something but the gun doesn't fire?

 

[Black]

Like all fault finding missions, just be thorough, eliminate variables, and be methodical.

Start with the battery by testing for power (I have some 12V halogen bulbs for car headlights wired for discharging batteries and testing 'oomph' at a glance. I do have a multimeter too but that's only dug out for detailed readings).

No current? = Bettery issue.

Current = no battery issue > move along the circuit to the next potential fault point (likely the fuse)

Test/bridge fuse.

Fuse dead? = replace obv.

Fuse fine? move onto switch assembly and so on. If you get to the motor and all the electrics are fine, then start working your way through the gearbox.

You get the idea. There are tell-tale signs if you know hat your looking for (actually, usually listening for!), but without any more info from you about the subtleties of the fault, we can't really help (ie does the motor make a very quiet, single 'tick' noise each time you pull the trigger, but doesn't spin?).

Edit - Oh and never underestimate Tamiya connectors' ability to just stop working intermittently.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Literally nothing happens, it's like there isn't even a battery plugged into it.

I just opened it up but I can't figure out how to get into the gearbox and the fuse is all taped up from the last owner. Don't see how a fuse could've been blown anyway... Never got why they even have fuses tbh.

I'm guessing it's going to be a wire fault as they're all super squished up and contorted into weird angles and wrapped around things and all sorts. Plus, it runs through the delta ring, which I can't get off, so I can't even separate the upper and lower receivers to make it easier for myself.

 

[Deva]

If the fuse goes it generally will be random, you can't just assume things will be fine else you will end up randomly checking bits of it rather than just going over the whole thing methodically as Black suggested.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I'll unwrap the fuse and take a look then.

Will the fuse be visibly broken, or will I have to test it somehow? 'Cos I can't think of anything I could put it into.

Sorted it now.

There was a wire connected to the fuse via a little plug thing and it'd come undone but I couldn't see for all the tape.

With my RC planes I usually melt a rubber band around connections like that to stop them from unsticking, so I may do the same with this one.

Thanks for the input guys.