Need Upgrade Suggestions

[dekul]

Well, first of all, I just bought an Mp5-J that I'm eagerly awaiting which will become my CQB weapon, that means that It's open season on upgrades for my M16A1.  I wanna get started researching what I can do to maximize the range, effectiveness, and "cool factor" on my old A1. Keeping in mind that this project will not take place till after I get myself set up with a good tactical rig (my current one is a mixture of surplus army crap and homemade crap, just barely functional). My question is this, other than a scope and internal upgrades what can I do with the A1? Most handguard/rail mods wont work on the A1. I'm thinking either a 203 or the Masterkey shotgun I've seen pics of.  Any other mods that go well with a M16A1? Second thing is I've never cracked open an AEG mechbox, should I attempt the internal upgrades myself or pay someone to do it, I'm not really worried about downtime as long as my MP5 works up to par. I just dont know how sensitive these things are and dont want to mess it up permanantly.

[Farslayer]

A while back, Harley gave me a simple list (3 or 4 things)  that would upgrade a M16/M4 style weapon...I can't remember exacly, but I think it is what he did on his "shorty"....

[busta_cap]

Due a forum search first...Then ask the questions, this has been discussed literally a hunred times in a hundred topics. Don't get a masterkey or M203, they are a waste of money and just a bunch of dead weight, anyone who has one will tell you they got sick of it after 20 minutes.

[dekul]

Your right, you see lots of posts about m4's & m16s, but not much about the A1, it's a whole different ballgame because of the triangular handguard, none of the accesories work.

[busta_cap]

Well I thought you meant internals, fuck the external upgrades for now, just do internals, and those are all the same.

[Ganef]

The great thing about the M16 series of guns is that there are tons of aftermarket parts in almost every variation. It realy comes down to what you want your gun to end up looking like. Is your coolness factor increased by a rail or optic? Would you like to leave it pretty much stock looking and beef up the internals? do not think for a moment that you are stuck with a particular gun or project, my mmulticam ish M4 used to be an Mp5... gearbox... Outer barrels cam be switched, delta rings too so do not feel you have to keep the triangular handguards. Stocks can be changed etc. etc. etc... If you are talking about internals then some of the best things you can do is to get: 1) better barrel, not nesisarily a TN barrel but a tighter bore barrel 6.04mm can increase your accuracy. 2) get metal bushings for your gearbox, get greaseless ones they are pretty inexpensive but can give you more mileage on your gun. 3) PDI 170 spring, this spring will increase the coveted efpeehses but to do that you must 4) cylinder head and possibly a better battery (9.6V 2000+ mah) this will increase your rate of fire with a normal spring and wil give you the juice to power a larger spring like the PDI 170. If you do not want a better spring then do not bother with a better battery.
It realy all comes down to budget and preferance. Metal bodies are great, so are better outer barrels but most of that stuff is for higher durability and looks.  great place to start is with a better barrel and bushings. Doing those two basic upgrades will get you familiar with the internals of your gun so when you do further upgrades you will know your way around. With taking apart your gun you must intro spectively take a look at your mechanical skills, even the most moronic person can take a gun apart as long as you know how the priciple of screws work. If you are unsure if you can put it back together again then bust out a paper and pencil and make notes on how things came out and how they looked when they did. One of the hardest things about an upgrade is messing with the internals of the gearbox. You need to check out some schematic drawings of how it works and when you take it apart be sure to make notes about how everything is positioned. the anti reversal spring is a bear to pit back in properly but once you have mastered how to take apart a gearbox you will be ahead of the game for later internals and the eventual problems. Do not feel boxed in and be sure to do what busta said and search the forumns for reviews on parts and how to do upgrades. here are a few links to some schematics for a gerabox and some links to upgrading:

general upgrading:

http://www.airsoftarizona.com/forumbb/v ... ht=upgrade

schematics:

www.wolverinetactical.com/ aegworkings.php

shim guide:

www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/. ../21c/shimguide.htm

Upgrade woes:

http://www.airsoftarizona.com/forumbb/v ... ht=upgrade

Tight bore barrel question:

http://www.airsoftarizona.com/forumbb/v ... ore+barrel

Cylinder head:

http://www.airsoftarizona.com/forumbb/v ... inder+head


good luck!

[azsarge]

Aww come one David!  You're gonna spoil these kids!

[Ganef]

Aww come one David!  You're gonna spoil these kids!

Oh sorry... umm I tink u should get a better slector plate cuz they are the sh*t! and prometius has this low resistance one that uppps your toque by like tons and that should be your first and only upgrade!     I don't know man... I do see your point azsarge that people using the forumns should be capeable of using the search function and I hope I did not give the idea that we are going to reply like that all the time.

[seph6885]

dude, just revamp the whole thing. new gearbox, m140 spring, the whole shabangabang.

[-MAD- SARGE]

dude, just revamp the whole thing. new gearbox, m140 spring, the whole shabangabang.

I just wonder who you will be playing with when using that AEG with an M140 spring.  I can say no one here, that's for sure.  That spring will put you well above the fps limits.  Stick with an m120 and even then you still might be too hot.  It all just depends, every AEG, even with the same exact parts will fire differently.

[Cheeze_IZ_G00d]

Damn, I wish I would have seen that shim guide earlier. Does anyone know if it is accurate?

[seph6885]

yea i know, i was kidding about the m140, thats just ridiculous. an m100 is good enough. keep cool, my babies.

[Vince]

Are you sure you weren't kidding, but after discovering you were wrong, you adopted this attitude to save face?

[busta_cap]

Damn, I wish I would have seen that shim guide earlier. Does anyone know if it is accurate?

Shim guides are just that...guides...you gotta put each gear in at a time..screw each scorew on...test the fit and adjust...thats the best way.

[Ganef]

Oh come now busta... every good airsoft tech junkie should be able to understand and use a vernier caliper. The least amount that you put together and take apart your gearbox the better. Taking your gears in and out, screwing and unscrewing your gearbox, is a good way of stripping out the little thread holes. Busta is right, you should make sure the gears spin with the correct amount of shimming but do what he said once in the life of your gearbox and only then after great consideration. Busta, perhaps you should elaborate on what a correct fit should feel like?