SMLE Woes

[Russe11]

I have been waiting months for Iron Airsoft to do another production run of the SMLE which was planned to happen this May. I was told that when they do a production run it will be possible to get a replacement mag. I need a new mag because the gas release valve blew up and is unrepairable.

Now I have been told that they no longer have any plans for another production run

 

I cannot find a replacement valve.

 

My options now are:

Option1: Find a way to fit a different mag. The Well/Aries gas powered G96 mag is the only one that looks possible. Does anyone have one that they could measure?

Option2: Get either the top section of the mag or the whole mag custom made using a different gas release valve.

Option3: Take the whole gun apart and fit the inners from a spring sniper.

Option4: Keep it as just a non firing replica.

[AirsoftTed]

Dom from Vintage Airsoft is working on a spring mechanism that uses correct magazine placement. He might be able to work something out with converting it to spring?

[Russe11]

Yeah, I know Dom and had already contacted him on facebook.

[BBrotherwood]

Shoot and Scoot have their SMLE kits back in stock.

[Russe11]

I looked up the vapour pressure of Propane to work out what sort of pressure a gas mag has to cope with and it's only about 150PSI at normal temperatures. This is comparable to the tyres on a road bike. CO2 is more like 1000PSI.

 

If I take a cast of the magazine upper and then make a copy using epoxy and fibreglass, it would then be possible to drill it for different valves. If I wanted extra mags I could take a cast of the inside of the mag and use real SMLE mag shells to provide the support.

[BBrotherwood]

Dayum thats some hard road bike tyres We never go past 120psi at work whether the customer wants us to or not

[Russe11]

150PSI is higher than I go with my tyres, my point is that it is within the same region pressure wise. Did once see someone's road bike tyre blow, I thought someone had been shot. Anyway my point being that if a tyre can hold that sort of pressure, then surely the mag doesn't have to be entirely metal?

[BBrotherwood]

Its got to be worth a go. I've blown a few up in my time, its a good way to deafen annoying colleagues.