Airsoft / Clearsoft - Long Term Reliability Study

[thephenom]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
STAR M249 Para
2) Date Obtained
Summer of 2006
3) Initial Cost
$800
4) New or Used
Used
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related)
- Lose wiring on the boxmag connector (easy fix)
- The little lever connector that make the boxmag winds snapped, took a bit of time to get replacement (so boxmag no longer winds)
- Gears stripped and tappet plate broke (after maybe a total of 700 rounds)
- Replacement gear stripped (while being tested by a Gun Doc)
- Piston stripped along with it
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related)
Front sight broke during shipping.
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed)
Which one?
Original gears stripped after maybe 200 test fire. Replacement Gears and piston stripped after maybe after 50 rounds at the Gun Doc. (Not 100% sure)
8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
PGC Metal Gearbox (came like that used)
Guarder gears set with new STAR M249 tappet plate (replacement for the replacement gears)
Guarder polycarb piston (replacement for the stripped piston)
M100 Spring (2 weeks ago after the mechbox was rebuilt with the above parts)
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
N/A

[Kid]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
CYMA CM031 (AK74M)
2) Date Obtained
Spring of 2007
3) Initial Cost
$275
4) New or Used
Brand spanking new
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related)
Internal lockup (haven't seen the user since I upgraded it when it was new).
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related)
Some paint scrapes. A few self tapering screws.
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed)
500-2000 before failure.
8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
Installed Classic Army Piston head/cylinder head (50rnds)
Area 1000 (cheap SystemA) bushings. (50rnds)
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
Late spring of 2007. $300.

[CalvinTat]

1) Make and Model
--P226 Tokyo Marui
2) Date Purchased
-- April 2007
3) Cost
-- $300
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- N/A
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Scratching due to gun being full metal
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- ~150 rounds by me, no failure yet.
8) Changes to Internals/ Upgrades
-- Guarder Metal Frame installed April 5, 2007
-- Guarder Metal Slide installed April 10, 2007 - Intensive modification to block/slide required to fit properly
-- Guarder Piston Lip April 5, 2007
-- Guarder Enhanced Loading Nozzle - April 5, 2007
-- Guarder Metal Outer Barrel - April 13, 2007
-- Guarder 150% Recoil Spring - April 13, 2007
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A
10) Additional Notes
-- To potential Frame purchasers, left hand side of frame DOES NOT have threading, this has occurred -- on two Guarder Frame and Slide Kits and I am unsure if other production Frames suffer from this -- issue.
-- There are issues with the Guarder hammer spring that prevent usage, opening for hammer is too large -- and prevents proper function. That is however, a Guarder issue not a TM problem.
11) Fixed Issues
-- Slide does not lock back 100% when magazine empty, likely due to propane use on plastic slide.
-- Problem no longer occurs after the upgrade to a Guarder Metal Slide

Will update as issues occur

[Jugglez]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
KSC Glock 19 GBB
2) Date Obtained
January 2005
3) Initial Cost
$290
4) New or Used
Brand new
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related)
None
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related)
None
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed)
Approx. 10,000 rounds - never failed
8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
- Guarder enhanced recoil spring guide- June 2005
- Hurricane hi-flow valve - June 2005
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
December 2006 - $300 with upgrades and accessories.


...

[CalvinTat]

1) Make and Model
--VSR-10 G-Spec Tokyo Marui Resembles a Remington Model 700
2) Date Purchased
-- Oct/Nov 2006
3) Cost
-- ~500
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- None to date, will update as problems occur
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Few scuffs on plastic body
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- ~500 rounds fired, No failures yet
8) Changes to Internals/ Upgrades
--Laylax PSS10 Zero Trigger and Piston
--Laylax PSS10 Cylinder Head Pro
--Laylax PSS10 170% Spring (150% available for lowering FPS)
--Laylax PSS10 (G-spec) Barrel Spacers
--Laylax PSS10 Teflon Cylinder
--Laylax PSS10 Bearing Spring Guide
--Laylax PSS10 6.03mm Tightbore
--Laylax PSS10 Silent Dampers
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A
10) Notes
-- Laylax Zero Trigger requires much adjustment to mesh properly with the piston

[The Saint]

1) Make and Model
-- G36E, Classic Army
2) Date Purchased
-- September/October 2005
3) Cost
-- $600
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Loose safety lever (later glued down)
-- Loss of power (original spring left compressed for months)
-- BB jam at hopup unit (either did not like Guarder clear bucking and/or Guarder nozzle)
-- Stripped aftermarket piston (due to jam)
-- Would not accept Systema cylinder head
-- Would not accept Guarder tappet plate
6) Esthetic Problems
-- None
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- ~3000? (spring lost power)
-- (Upgraded)
-- ~200? (stripped piston, jam caused by hop sleeve and upgraded nozzle combo)
-- (Piston, hop sleeve and misfitting parts replaced)
-- No failure, shot like a dream
8) Changes to Internals
-- Rewired to KV stock and Deans connectors
-- Guarder SP110
-- Area 1000 piston (stripped due to jam)
-- Original CA piston (replaced stripped Area 1000)
-- Bearing spring guide
-- Bearing polycarb piston head
-- Systema tightbore
-- Guarder Soft hopup bucking (shot like a dream but caused jams)
-- Guarder Hard hopup bucking (replaced clear bucking)
-- Guarder nozzle (mated poorly to CA hopup chamber)
-- Classic Army G36 nozzle (replaced Guarder for better fit)
9) Resale Date and Value
January 2007, sold as part of a package @~$900, ~90% of original cost
10) Other
-- CA G36 is aesthetically superior to TM G36

[The Saint]

1) Make and Model
-- Dark Dragon Type B, WE
2) Date Purchased
-- 1Q 2006
3) Cost
-- ~$200
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- None
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Loose thumb safeties
-- Non-functional grip safety
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- No failure
8) Changes to Internals
-- Padded recoil spring
-- Shimmed looseness of inner and outer barrel
9) Resale Date and Value
-- 4Q 2006, ~$200

[freddyclaw]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name (the one the maker put on the box), and the gun it is intended to replicate if different than model name (AK47, M16, M4, etc).
Tokyo Marui G3 SG1 (sry never checked box to see if it was labeled something else)

2) Date Obtained
Somewhere near October 2006

3) Initial Cost
600 but was on sale from 700

4) New or Used
New but I think it was tested or a demo model

5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related -- supply date of issue)
Not a single problem to date

6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related -- supply date of issue)
Creaking foregrip and stock is a bit loose but that was because it was stepped on (don't ask how) Also with the sling I think it is putting a bit of strain on the front loop but it has held up so far.

7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed. If no failure, list rounds fired up to this point)
No failures to date
8000 crosman light and dark green .12 bbs and about 8000 ksc .2 and 1000 ae .25

8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
No upgrades yet

9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
N/A

10) Optional - Notes and Comments
Only cleaned out barrel once with some oil from a .22 rifle cleaning kit. No other maintenance done. Only reason I cleaned to date was because I got a muzzle full of dirty snow from kneeling with it slung onto my back.

[The Saint]

1) Make and Model
-- M1911A1, WE
2) Date Purchased
-- 1Q 2007
3) Cost
-- $200
4) New/Used?
-- Used
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Misfires
-- Fails to function
-- Very sensitive to gas pressure
-- Slide fails to lock back
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Very vulnerable finish
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- ~30 (Stop cycling properly)
-- (Repeated strip down and fiddling with internals; cold apartment)
-- ~1-5 (Refused to cycle)
-- (Replaced nozzle, valves, rubber; warmer gas)
-- No failure, excellent performance
8) Changes to Internals
-- Guarder loading nozzle (has made 93% of all problems go away)
-- Modded PDI piston head (had made 4% of all problems go away)
-- Tanio Koba Twist barrel
-- Firefly V-hop bucking
-- Stock TM valves
-- Stock TM gas rubber
-- TM nozzle retraction spring
-- Modded recoil spring
-- Modded slide stop retaining nub (slide now locks back consistently)
-- Shimmed looseness between various parts
9) Resale Date and Value
-- 4Q 2007, $380
10) Other
-- Only problem I couldn't fix was the rattling

[The Saint]

1) Make and Model
-- M14 SOCOM, Tokyo Marui
2) Date Purchased
-- December 2007
3) Cost
-- ~$600
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Lackluster range and velocity (hopup issue; fixed)
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Bolt cover binds in the first few cycles
-- Non-functional bolt catch
-- Tight battery space
-- Unpainted front sight post
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- No failure
8) Changes to Internals
-- None
9) Resale Date and Value
-- 2Q 2007, ~$600
10) Other
-- Avoid G&P M14 midcaps

[ArcticFox1984]

1) Make and Model
-- Tokyo Mauri AUG A2 ( SR-Type )

2) Date Purchased
-- June 02

3) Cost
-- $500

4) New/Used?
-- New

5) Mechanical Problems
-- Never had any problems, not even a jam.

6) Esthetic Problems
-- Barrel started wobblin late 06, tightened the set screw with thread lock and the problem is and remains solved.
Front vertical grip wobbled alot, replaced with steel stem wrapped in black hockey tape, it is now solid and very tough.

7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- over 25,000 before upgrade. 500 since.

8) Changes to Internals ( Full upgrade March 2007 )

Guarder Improved Hop Bucking ( 70 )
Systema BS 6.04mm Barrel for M16A1 / A2 / AUG
Prometheus MS100SP
Systema Air Nozzle for AUG
Prometheus Aero Cylinder Head Ver III ( for AUG / SIG )
Prometheus Stainless Hard Cylinder for Marui AEG ( A )
- Metal bushings
- Shims
- Double-Torque Helical Gears
- V3 Spring Guide with Bearings
- Reinforced HARD piston
- Metal Piston Head
- Reinforced Anti-Reversal Latch & spring

9) Resale Date and Value
-- Still own it, and will never sell.

[Molson]

1) Make and Model
-- M16A2 TM
2) Date Purchased
-- Feb 2007
3) Cost
-- $375
4) New/Used?
-- Used
5) Mechanical Problems
-- None
6) Esthetic Problems
-- None
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- No failures. Approx 1500 RNDs
8) Changes to Internals
-- Still stock
9) Resale Date and Value
-- Not Sold

[Molson]

1) Make and Model
-- KWC Sigma 40F
2) Date Purchased
-- Feb 2007
3) Cost
-- $110
4) New/Used?
-- Used
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Factory plastic slide broke
6) Esthetic Problems
-- None
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- ~100 rounds until slide grenaded. 250 rnds on metal slide.
8) Changes to Internals
-- Added metal slide
9) Resale Date and Value
-- Not Sold

[attack-beaver]

1) Make and Model
-- Classic army SAR Tartik II rifle
2) Date Purchased
-- March 07
3) Cost
-- 605
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- weak battery wire plug in stock (replaced)
6) Esthetic Problems
-- None
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- fire 20 test rounds no problem
8) Changes to Internals
-- None
9) Resale Date and Value
-- Not Sold (keeping this puppy till i leave airsoft)


Great idea meat wish i thought of it.

[Kokanee]

1) Make and Model
-- SLR 105 Steel Version, Classic Army
2) Date Purchased
-- November 2006
3) Cost
-- $820
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Piston N/S, replaced before 500 rounds
6) Esthetic Problems
-- N/A
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- N/A (2000 to date)
8) Changes to Internals
-- Stock Marui Piston, Prometheus SP110 spring
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A