ICS L85A2

[gwr3850]

A nice little worker Ed!! I was thinking doing an Afghan spec. Would you start out with ICS or the new top tech l85? Is the ICS one blowback too? Shame the only UGL is the ARES still

[Airsoft-Ed]

G&G are apparently re-releasing their L85s soon, not sure if they've made any changes to them, but it might be worth waiting to hear more about it before thinking of buying a current gen one.

There's also apparently another L85 AEG in the works, I've heard rumours of one being produced but I've no idea who's making it or when we'll hear the low down, so I'd say hold your horses for the time being.

 

If you want to get the most accurate to the real steel L85 out there though, then the Ares is definitely the only way forward. I've contemplated getting on myself just because the things that are wrong about mine get to me sometimes... The RIS doesn't sit on the gas block right, and the plastic furniture is the wrong shade of green... Both are as they should be on the Ares. But oh well. I'm not selling what I've got now.

 

In fairness I think I got lucky with my ICS, I've been asked to look at numerous others, owned another one myself and had two ICS L86 LSWs which share the same internals and they've all been a bit lemon-esque. Air seal issues and poor stock fps, so although it pains me to say it, ICS might no longer be the best choice.

[M_P]

G&G may be changing them to the pneumatic system Ed, as I believe their current L85's and Scars are on the older system- SO it'd make sense as the rest of their stuff is brilliant.

I'm gonna sit, wait and pray that TM make a recoil one, I would sell everything I own to have one

 

Ed, I've been meaning to ask, how tough are the ICS one's? As in, would you be comfortable dropping them and chucking them around if that makes sense?

[gwr3850]

Oh really I hadn't known of that. Would that explain why most are put of stock? Not seen one on Pro airsoft for ages lol

 

Its good I asked then haha nearly swayed to g&g. It gives me time to save for it and a DD rail awesome. Which ACOG did you get in the end?

[Airsoft-Ed]

Yeah it's pretty solid Marcus, I've dropped it down stairs before, my LLM was fucked over monumentally but the gun was fine. Dropped it on concrete before at The Asylum as well, it landed barrel down and bounced back up a few inches before slamming down in its side. Not a mark on it, sights still configured, still shooting the same.

 

Like a rock.

 

It is all made of stamped steel so I'd expect as much.

 

I've got a Gbase ACOG with red dot from Fire-Support now, picked it up recently for about £130.

[Dan_W]

Can you not transfer all the internals of your current L85 into the Ares?

[Airsoft-Ed]

I probably could to be fair, but there's no guarantee that the same set of parts would work as well in the Ares.

 

Plus, the best thing about the ICS for me is how easy it is to take apart for tweaking. The Ares is the most pain in the arse AEG ever to take down, arguably even worse than dismantling a Version 2.

 

The way the hop, barrel and gearbox are fitted together is all different too, so I'd probably not get the same results.

 

Also, the trigger is really nice on the ICS, they made it entirely mechanical to better replicate the feel and pull of the real one, apparently. But I really like it.

 

Lastly, all the parts for the ICS are stocked at Fire-Support and everything is an easy drop in replacement for any time anything breaks. So that maintenance factor alone gives the ICS the win in my opinion. I can keep mine up and running for years. I could completely replace every single internal component that has a part to play in the firing mechanism for less than £150.

[belfast nick]

Sorry to revive the thread but, I just bought of an ics L85, and this is hands down the greatest gun review i have seen on the internet so far. I appreciated it so much I made an account to say thank you. In internet terms thats hell of allot of effort haha.

Thanks

[Airsoft-Ed]

Haha, glad it was some help to you.

I think I ought to get a special forum reward that amounts to something along the lines of; "Caused the most new members to join off the back of reviews"

*Cough* Dev? *Cough*

This and my Ares AW .338 spring review must've easily got about 10 people to join up just to have a say in the debates, or to show thanks

[DX115FALCON]

My plan:

> turn 18 (December 4th 2014)

> get UKARA registered (December 2014/January 2015)

> buy ICS L85A2 (January 2015)

> buy mid caps and mag pouches (January 2015)

> live out a happy life, safe in the knowledge that I own an L85A2

[beastmode]

Good plan. I think I shall be getting one of these too. I don't see many people with them at my local skirmish so it makes it a little more unique.

[jpairsoft]

this is an amazing post! I've thanked Ed in person, but I'll do it again now.

 

I have a question that might benefit other people:

Big Out H nub. Black or White?

And where is a good place to get them in the UK? Seems its all out of stock.

 

Systema or Madbull hop rubber? is there much difference there? seems I can't find the systema in stock.

 

And finally anyone received their ICS L85 with a black motor (no Turbo3000 sticker) and FPS from 300(low)-330(high)/270(low) - 310(high)? Measured with 2 different chronos (UFC pro, Guarder)

[Ian_Gere]

I have a question that might benefit other people:

Big Out H nub. Black or White?

I don't know what "Big Out" is; brand name? But if the H nubs you mean look the same size and shape and also feel about the same hardness (as the Element brand ones do) then the difference is probably just the length of it - it's difficult to see because they are different colours so it creates an optical illusion. The best one to choose is the one which fits most tightly into your hop chamber. If however, like some brands, the white one has a wider gap between the flanges on either end, then choose that one for lighter BB's (0.2-0.25g) and the black one for heavier BB's (0.28+g). If you find that one is squashier than the other, then choose that for lighter BB's.

And where is a good place to get them in the UK? Seems its all out of stock.

No idea - airsoft-club.com do a couple of brands of H-nub and you can always find the Element ones on fleabay.

Systema or Madbull hop rubber? is there much difference there? seems I can't find the systema in stock.

Out of those 2, Madbull, but neither would be my choice. I'd go with either Maple Leaf 50 degree or Prometheus Purple (soft).

[jpairsoft]

Thank you for this Ian! I'll look for white ones.

 

I don't know what "Big Out" is; brand name?

Don't know. I'm asking as Ed recommended these. It seems it was the only thing he kept (even after changing barrel, changing hop rubber):

 

I asked for advise on how to make the gun the best it could be (thank you Mr. Finius) and was told I needed a better hop nub and a new piston head (amongst other minor, home grown internal modifications that so far I haven't attempted). So I ordered a big-out H nub

No idea - airsoft-club.com do a couple of brands of H-nub and you can always find the Element ones on fleabay.

Another shop to add to my bookmarks

 

Out of those 2, Madbull, but neither would be my choice. I'd go with either Maple Leaf 50 degree or Prometheus Purple (soft).

Again, thank you for the suggestions! I'm aware it's a trial and error, but I'd like to start as close as possible to a good solution

[ImTriggerHappy]

Thank you for this Ian! I'll look for white ones.

 

Don't know. I'm asking as Ed recommended these. It seems it was the only thing he kept (even after changing barrel, changing hop rubber):

 

 

Another shop to add to my bookmarks

 

Again, thank you for the suggestions! I'm aware it's a trial and error, but I'd like to start as close as possible to a good solution

You can get the element h nubs from Socom Tactical you get a two pack one white and one black for £6.

[jpairsoft]

The last time (the only time!) I ordered something from SOCOM I never go it.

And the costumer service/reply wasn't good either, but I'll google for Element nubs.

 

Ian said something I think it's key: they way they fit. I'm guessing Finius and Ed probably tried which ones fit best then?

(hopefully they'll pitch in at some point haha)

[Airsoft-Ed]

I used the white nub with mine, the black looked too stubby to really make much of a difference imo, I never even tried it.

I got both that and the Systema rubber from Fire-Support, only place I know that stocks the Big Out nubs. Rubber was only £6 too, they're actually quite similar to stock rubbers in that they're very soft.

Softer is better in the ICS because the hop unit is lame as balls, proper weak spring providing the down force so if the rubber's too hard you just can't get any hop because the unit can't push the rubber down.

[jpairsoft]

.. proper weak spring providing the down force so if the rubber's too hard you just can't get any hop because the unit can't push the rubber down.

Would putting some washers or something help? i didn't open the unit yet, so don't even know if this is possible.

I've read about your elastic band solution.

 

Cool I'll look at fire support again. Thanks again Ed.

[Airsoft-Ed]

I forgot about the elastic band thing haha, yeah that can work.

The washers would be a hard one because there's no real space for them. Best thing would be to just mod the hop by drilling through the top of the gun and fitting a screw that you can screw into it from above that acts directly on the nub, but it's risky as it's hard to know you're drilling in the right place.

[Ian_Gere]

A really soft rubber should help, like the two i linked above.

[jpairsoft]

Cool that'll probably be the first combo I'll try the big out nub for the fit, and Ian recommended rubbers thanks guys!!