BEARD Airsoft

Thursday, July 31, 2014

M3 Sawed-Off Shotgun

Operators:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright
Nick "Hodor" Gilliam

Details:
A number of years back, two of my close friends and teammates randomly bought me a little springer tri-shot shotgun for my birthday. It was a Double Eagle M3 and, as expected, within a couple uses the stock was coming off. I tightened and threadlocked it a few times, but finally ended up simply removing it. Now, as most of you know, the vast majority of the barrel length on a tri-shot is just empty space. One night Nick (Hodor) came over and suggested that we shorten it up to a bit more of a CQB friendly length, but try to do so more tastefully that some of the other hack-job sawed-off shotguns we occasionally see on the field. Below is the final result of that.

Vitals:
Overall Length: 25.5"
LOP: N/A - No Stock
FPS: 300 FPS (with .20g)
RPS: N/A - Manual Pump
Weight: 1,068g

Internals:
-Completely Stock Double Eage M3 Tri-Shot Shotgun [link]

Externals:
-Aimpoint Red Dot (clone) [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Build Updates:
All modifications were completed in about 30 minutes of effort.

-The stock was already removed some months before, so that was not an issue.
-I began by using a Dremel to make a rough cut in the magazine tube about half way between the muzzle and the handguard. From there I was able to access the holes to unscrew the front sight without having to completely disassemble the shotgun.
-With the front sight removed, I measured the appropriate length to give the barrel a slight offset from the magazine tube, as well as give enough room to screw the front sight down without interfering with the internal barrel assembly.
-I used a tube cutter [link] that I had from a previous plumbing project to execute a nice even cut on the barrel, then measured off, marked, and drilled the 4 pin and screw holes for the front sight.
-I used the Dremel again at this point to further shorten the magazine tube to the desired length, and (biggest pain the ass part of the build) tapped the screw holes and mounted the barrel/magazine support bracket.
-I then took the magazine tube cap and cut about a 3 mm slit at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock through the threading so that I could wedge it into the no longer threaded magazine tube and tap it in with mallet. I'm quite confident that it's not going anywhere.

The only real flaw in the conversion process was that due to the fair amount of twist/wobble to the outer barrel, when I measured and mounted the front sight, it resulted in about a 8-10° clockwise offset. Not a huge deal, especially considering the fact this is more of a "point-and-shoot" than "aim-and-shoot" airsoft gun.

Pictures:

The Original Shotgun (for some reason I didn't take a "before" picture):

After modification:

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

SBR & Carbine Length M4

Operator:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Details:
So as most of you that airsoft with me know, I spend the vast majority of my playtime at indoor CQC fields, as opposed to outdoor fields. As amazing as the Masada is, with its 14" barrel and fixed stock, it can become a bit unwieldy in a large percentage of encounters. I love using Tilly, but she is still just a handgun and not ideal for any prolonged skirmishes. Once again, I found myself in the same situation as I did with Lana, requiring a purpose-built weapon built to my exact specifications.

Vitals:
Overall Length: 22.5" (SBR) 29.75" (Carbine)
LOP: 11"
FPS: 324 (with .20g)
RPS: 31
Weight: 2,570g (SBR) 3,435g (Carbine)

Internals:
G&P Reinforced V.2 Gearbox w/ 8mm Bearings and Selector Plate [link]
G&P Ball Bearing Spring Guide for V.2 Gearbox [link]
G&P 8mm Ball Bearing Bushings [link]
G&P M170S Long Type Motor [link]
SHS 16:1 Steel Gear Set [link]
Systema Teflon Cylinder [link]
Lonex Ultimate Piston w/ 10 Metal Teeth [link]
Matrix T6061 CNC Aluminum Bearing Piston Head [link]
Systema M100 Irregular-Pitch Spring [link]
BlackTalon Concepts Spectre FET (Set to Safe, Semi, 3-Round Burst Hybrid) [link]
SPEED Trigger [link]
[All other internal components, such as tappet, cylinder head, etc acquired from best my parts bin had to offer]

Externals:
Madbull ACE Ultra Lite SOPMOD Stock [link]
G&P Limited Edition Magpul Metal Body [link]
G&P Ambidextrous Magazine Catch [link]
G&G Steel QD Sling Swivel [link]
Matrix Reinforced Steel Dust Cover [link]
Magpul MOE Grip [link]

SBR Upper:
G&P Full Metal M4 Upper Receiver [link]
Madbull Daniel Defense 4" Lite RIS with 4" outer barrel and 6.03mm tightbore [link]
G&P Hopup [link]
Command Arms Magazine Well Grap w/ Pressure Switch Mount [link]
Low Profile Offset Flashlight Mount [link]
200 Lumen Flashlight With Remote [link]
-replacement single mode LED [link]
Magpul MBUS Set (Black) [link]
Aimpoint T1 w/ Quick Detach High Mount [link]
Noveske KX3 Amplifier/Flashhider [link]
Custome Gun Rail - B.E.A.R.D. [link]

Carbine Upper:
G&P Full Metal M4 Upper Receiver [link]
Daniel Defense MK18 9.5" RIS [link]
Noveske Low Profile Gas Block [link]
Carbine Steel Reinforced Gastube [link]
Surefire M952V Flashlight w/ QD Mount and Pressure Pad [link]
Aimpoint T1 w/ Quick Detach High Mount [link]
Troy Di-Optic Front and Rear BUIS [link] (currently equipped, not pictured)
Surefire 5" QD Suppressor [link]
MadBull Daniel Defense 12.5" Government Profile Outer Barrel [link]
Prometheus 6.03mm Tight Bore Inner Barrel - 363mm [link]
G&P Hopup [link]
G&P Tear Drop Forward Assist [link]
TangoDown SureFire 4.125" SCAR Pocket Pannel [link]
Magpul PTS AFG [link]
Magpul XTM Enhanced Rail Pannels [link]
Custom Gun Rail - BEARD Logo [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Build Updates:
2/15/2013 - [Mockup Phase] - Was able to assemble the majority of the external components.
2/17/2013 - [Internals Testing] - Assembled gearbox, shimmed gears, corrected AOE. First test fire resulted in 225 FPS @ 30 RPS. Swapped spring, resulted in 300 FPS @ 25 RPS.
2/18/2013 - Pictures taken of current work in progress. Still missing some external components.
2/19/2013 - Additional external components arrived and installed. Pictures updated.
2/20/2013 - Working with cylinder/pistol/air nozzle/hopup in attempt to increase compression and reach target FPS of 335. Still waiting for lower-profile light mount to arrive.
2/21/2013 - Fielded "Minnie" for the first time. Results exceeded expectations. Still need to install bolt forward assist for aesthetics, and new selector plate for more smooth firing mode transition. Video taken: First one demonstrating raw fire rate. Second one slow motion POV for s**ts n' giggles.
5/2/2013 - Acquired a GoPro Hero3 and managed to get a little in-game footage at Patriot Airsoft - Newbury Park, CA
6/29/2013 - Began construction on carbine-length upper

Pictures:

2/15/2012

2/18/2013

2/19/2013

2/21/2013

5/2/2013

5/12/2013

6/29/2013

7/01/2013

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Integrally Suppressed M4

Operator:
Nick "Hodor" Gilliam

Details:
This is a rifle that has evolved significantly over time. It started off fairly close to a "Plain Jane" M4, and piece by piece was transformed into the extremely unique and beautiful rifle you see today.

Vitals:
Overall Length: 29-32"
LOP: 11-16"
FPS: 348 (with .20g)
RPS: 24
Weight: 2,590g

Internals:
G&P Pro Kit [link]
BlackTalon Concepts Spectre FET [link]

Externals:
Madbull Dragon Fire 7.125" RIS [link]
Matrix 2" Outer Barrel [link]
Overwatch SRS 340mm Suppressor [link]
FAB Defense MWG (Magwell Grip) [link]
Magpul XTM Enhanced Rail Covers (13) [link]
Magpul ASAP Sling [link]
Magpul BUIS-II Gen 2 [link]
Magpul CTR Carbine Stock [link]
Magpul RAS [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright
Nick "Hodor" Gilliam

Pictures:

Thursday, May 23, 2013

"Minnie" - M4 CQC

Vitals:
Overall Length: 22.5"
LOP: 11"
FPS: 310 (with .20g)
RPS: 31
Weight: 2,570g

Internals:
G&P Reinforced V.2 Gearbox w/ 8mm Bearings and Selector Plate [link]
G&P Ball Bearing Spring Guide for V.2 Gearbox [link]
G&P 8mm Ball Bearing Bushings [link]
G&P Steel Gear Set [link]
Madbull Ultimate Hopup (placeholder until replaced) [link]
Matrix Wiring and Switch Assembly with Mosfet for V.2 Gearbox (Rewired Deans) [link]
Systema M100 Irregular-Pitch Spring [link]
[All Other Internal Components Salvaged From Other Projects]

Externals:
Madbull Daniel Defense 4" Lite RIS with 4" outer barrel and 6.03mm tightbore [link]
Madbull ACE Ultra Lite SOPMOD Stock [link]
G&P Limited Edition Magpul Metal Body [link]
G&P Ambidextrous Magazine Catch [link]
G&G Steel QD Sling Swivel [link]
A2 "Birdcage" Flash Hider [link]
Matrix Reinforced Steel Dust Cover [link]
Command Arms Magazine Well Grap w/ Pressure Switch Mount [link]
Eotech 552 Holographic Sight Replica [link]
Low Profile Offset Flashlight Mount [link]
200 Lumen Flashlight With Remote [link]
replacement single mode LED [link]
Magpul MBUS Set (Black) [link]
Magpul MOE Grip [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Build Updates:
2/15/2013 - [Mockup Phase] - Was able to assemble the majority of the external components.
2/17/2013 - [Internals Testing] - Assembled gearbox, shimmed gears, corrected AOE. First test fire resulted in 225 FPS @ 30 RPS. Swapped spring, resulted in 300 FPS @ 25 RPS.
2/18/2013 - Pictures taken of current work in progress. Still missing some external components.
2/19/2013 - Additional external components arrived and installed. Pictures updated.
2/20/2013 - Working with cylinder/pistol/air nozzle/hopup in attempt to increase compression and reach target FPS of 335. Still waiting for lower-profile light mount to arrive.
2/21/2013 - Fielded "Minnie" for the first time. Results exceeded expectations. Still need to install bolt forward assist for aesthetics, and new selector plate for more smooth firing mode transition. Video taken: First one demonstrating raw fire rate. Second one slow motion POV for s**ts n' giggles.

Pictures:

2/15/2012

2/18/2013

2/19/2013

2/21/2013

5/12/2013

"Lana" - M4 DMR

Operator:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Details:
After playing with a number of field rifles and trying to decide on what DRM to acquire, but never really finding the right one, I finally came to the only logical conclusion: build one from scratch. Introducing my new ground-up (and still work-in-progress) DRM build, "Lana" (Yes, named after this: [YouTube Video] Lana).

Vitals:
Overall Length: 44-45"
LOP: 14.5-15.5"
FPS: 540 (with .20g)
RPS: [semi-only]
Weight: 5,500g

Internal Upgrades:
G&P Reinforced V2 8mm Gearbox [link]
BTC Chimera (V2 GB) Mosfet [link]
HS Armory R-Hop Tuned Prometheus Inner Barrel (590mm) [link]
Lonex A2 Infinite Torque Motor (Long Type) [link]
SPEED Airsoft M4/M16 AEG Tunable Trigger - (Black) [link]
Systema M150 Spring [link]
Guarder Infinite Torque-Up Gears [link]
Matrix 80 degree Hopup Bucking [link]
Modify Quantum Piston with Titanium Coated Teeth [link]
Systema Aluminum Piston Head with Bearings [link]
Guarder Double O-Ring Cylinder Head [link]
Systema Tappet Plate [link]
Systema Air Nozzle [link]
Matrix V2 Ball Bering Spring Guide [link]

External Upgrades:
Madbull Noveske MUR Metal Body [link]
Madbull Tactical Charging Handle - Model A [link]
Madbull - Noveske Rifleworks Free Float 12.658inch Handguard Rail [link]
Madbull Daniel Defense 20" Steel Government Profile Outer Barrel [link]
Madbull Noveske Adjustable Gas Block [link]
Surefire Licensed Airsoft QD Mock Suppressor 7.5" [link]
ELEMENT PSG1 grip - M4 [link]
Magpul PTS PRS Stock - For AEG Rifles (Black) [link]
G&P PRS Stock Pipe For Magpul PTS PRS AEG Version [link]
Magpul AFG2 - Angled Fore Grip, Black [link]
Magpul PTS MOE Trigger Guard [link]
UTG Tactical OP Bipod - Combat Profile Adjustable Height [link]
Weaver Offset Rail Adaptor [link]
Ultimate Arms Gear Tactical Micro Compact Green Dot Open Reflex Sight [link]
UTG 30mm SWAT 3-12x44 F.S. IE Scope with AO Mil-Dot, EZTap R/G [link]
UTG Quick Detach Scope Rings (2 Piece, 30mm Diam, 4-Screw Hi Profile) [link]
Guarder Steel Reinforced Gas Tube [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Build Updates:
1/23/2013 - First components begin to arrive. Begin work on gearbox, rewiring, and modified buffer tube.
1/25/2013 - Catastrophic failure of upper receiver. Made decision to switch from Magpul receiver, to full Noveske receiver, RIS, gas block, etc.
1/30/2012 - Still in the mockup stage. Waiting for some internal components to arrive before test firing.
2/10/2013 - A few more internal parts arrived, as well as a few external components. Installed the adjustable gas block, gas tube, and MOE trigger guard.
2/11/2013 - Dremeled down charging handle profile to accommodate clearance issues with gearbox and receiver.
2/13/2013 - Installed the Chimera, tuned the trigger, shimmed and corrected AOE. Initial chrono: 535 FPS (0.20g BB). Some new parts ordered and installed, parts list to be updated soon.
2/14/2013 - Updated Parts List
2/18/2013 - R-Hop Materials Ordered.
3/02/2013 - R-Hop Installed.

Pictures:

1/23/2013

1/25/2013

1/30/2013

2/10/2013

2/13/2013

"Tilly" - Tokyo Marui 5.1 Hi-Capa

Operator:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Details:
This build started off as a bone stock Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa and evolved into something more than I ever expected. I'm currently naming her Tilly, after the Bond girl Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (The avenging sister of the girl killed by being covered in gold).

Vitals:
Overall Length: 8"
FPS: 330 (with .20g, using propane)
Weight: 690g

Starting Platform:
-Tokyo Marui 5.1 Hi-Capa [link]

Upgrades:
-Prog4 Infinity Hybrid Slide (black) and Barrel (gold) Set [link]
-Prog4 Infinity Hammer (gold) [link]
-Steel Guide Rod (gold) [link]
-Shooters Design 150% Recoil Spring & Hammer Spring Set [link]
-Nine Ball Custom Grip [link]
-Nine Ball Shooter's Pro Trigger [link]
-AIP Grip Screws (gold) [link]
-KJ Night Sight Set (green) [link]
-Nine Ball 6.03mm Precision Inner Barrel [link]
-KJ Metal Extended Slide Stop [link]
-AIP Aluminum Blowback Housing [link]
-AIP 120% Enhanced Loading Nozzle Spring [link]
-AIP Reinforced Loading Muzzle [link]

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Pictures: (please excuse crummy camera-phone pics)

"Helga" - The Bastard Spawn of a TM 5.1 Hi-Capa and KJW KP06 "Xcelerator"

Operator:
Nick "Hodor" Gilliam & Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright

Details:
So, my buddy Nick and I were sitting around bored on a Wednesday night and decided to take inventory of my giant-box-o-gas-pistols. We had a (mostly) working Xcelerator lower, and the hodgepoged leftover parts of several TM hicapa projects. The idea struck us, why not just chop the Xcelerator frame down to give it that "operator" look on a 5.1... A little dremeling and rummaging later, we have this working monstrosity:

Vitals:
Overall Length: 8"
FPS: 330 (0.20g @ 70F Propane)
Weight: [Not Yet Measured]

Build Details:
-KJW PK06 Xcelerator lower frame, grip, magwell, and trigger
-Tokyo Marui 5.1 Hi Capa Slide, hopup, barrel
-Creation Steel Hammer
-AIP Blowback Unit

Builder/Tech:
Brendon "BEARD Actual" Wright
(with Nick "Hodor" Gilliam assisting)

Pictures:
The "Concept" Stage