CNC'd A5/M4

bmxhacksaw · #1 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 12:32 PM

I started a thread on the milsimog.com website about how cool it would be to have someone make some receiver halves that looked like an M4 externally but used A5 internals.

In ReaperCustom's reply there was a link to cncgunsmithing.com. I was pretty stoked when I saw what this guy was capable of:

Notice that he also has the facilities to beadblast and hard anodize.

So I thought, "What the heck." and sent him the following email*
*Some of the picture I included in the email are absent from this post

Quote:

Hey! First off I want to say "You rock!!!!" I've always wanted to learn how to machine and I can't believe how nice your receivers look. Ok, here's the deal. Are you aware of a sport called Milsim (military simulation) or scenario paintball? There are basically two kinds of paintballers. The tournament/speedballers with their spaceguns.

And then there is us. The milsim/scenario guys.

Go here; http://www.milsimog.com/modules.php?...viewforum&f=24 to see some examples of what we're doing.

The picture above is a highly "modded" Tippman A5. The A5 is the weapon of choice amongst Milsim'ers because it is the AK-47 of paintball markers. Drag it through the mud and stomp on it and it still works! Plus in full auto mode it can shoot 12-15 balls per second reliably. The problem is that the A5 is modeled after an H&K MP5...

This is my gun with homemade mods (supressor, foregrip, and mag/magwell) that I manufactured with basic hand tools

...But we're Americans and former military (ex-Marine here), so we mostly want to run M4 variants. Which can be done on an A5 platform but it doesn't quite cut it because the A5 receiver halves are too long and put the mag well and foregrips in the wrong positions. Not to mention the MP5 cocking handle and rear/front sight groups. This is where you come in. I feel that you could sell a large number of receiver halves (left/right instead of upper/lower) that utilized A5 internals to the Milsim community. If someone showed up with an A5 whose receivers truly looked like an M4 and was proportionally correct people would crap themselves on the spot. Now there are manufacturers that make M16/M4 variants but there is alway reliability problems and they never really look right! If they look right they are either way too expensive (Like $750-$1000 compared to $230 for an A5 that is way more reliable and will outperform it) or a non-legal caliber. The thing is, we ALL got A5's already and if we just needed to spend a couple hundred dollars for receiver halves (and a modified foregrip assembly that I will explain later if you are interested) we'd all be in seventh heaven!!! I've pretty much worked out all the issues/needs to accomplish this. I just do not have the CNC skills/machinery to pull it off. Thanks for your time.

Ken

aka Bmxhacksaw

I got kinda bummed out when there was no reply for over a week but then I got this response yesterday...

Quote:

Ken,
Thanks, I'm glad you like the work I've done.

Holy $hit!!!! I've never seen REAL looking paint ball guns. I've always seen those "space" looking ones. Those real looking guns look pretty sweet.

This might be something I would be interested in doing. Keep in mind, I don't have any paint ball stuff right now, so I have nothing to work off of. So I'll need a solidmodel or blueprints. And I'll also need some paint ball parts to work with to make sure everything functions correctly. Do you just have the "idea" of what your wanting, or do you have all the details worked out? Because right now, I don't even know how a paint ball gun works.... besides it working off of compressed gas...haha If you just have the "idea" of how it'll work, I'll need to set down and design what your wanting.... which could take alot of time.

How many people do you think would be interested in something like this?

Sorry for the late reply. I've been super busy lately and for some reason I've been getting an extreme number of emails lately.

Thanks,
Justin

So the question is how many of you all would be willing to plop down a couple of hundred bucks for a new receiver/foregrip combo that would make your A5 a much more accurate representation of the M4?*

*I'm going to post this thread on other A5/Milsim forums so only give a reply on one forum so we can get a better picture of how many people are interested in this?

Thanks!!!!

Evil Minion · #2 (**permalink**) 07-24-2006, 02:50 PM

I think it would be very cool, but I do see one problem. Would he not have to get permission from Tippmann to start producing new receiver halves that use the A-5's internals?

Don't get me wrong I think it would be awesome and I'm sure plenty of people would purchase them. I myself would but I am leaving for MCRD San Diego 20061016.

Drewed · #3 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 01:04 AM

1. I don't think he would need permission to produce recivers, they would be totally different. The problem I see is that the a-5 needs a certin shape to work. So much distance for the valve, where the tombstone is, where the sear is, and I think that these "tollerances" would screw up the "proportionally correctness" of what your would like to do.

Evil Minion · #4 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewed

1. I don't think he would need permission to produce recivers, they would be totally different. The problem I see is that the a-5 needs a certin shape to work. So much distance for the valve, where the tombstone is, where the sear is, and I think that these "tollerances" would screw up the "proportionally correctness" of what your would like to do.

I just figured that with using the A-5 internals it's almost like creating a new marker....but I don't know to much about these things. It would be very cool to see some new receivers.

bmxhacksaw · #5 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewed

1. I don't think he would need permission to produce recivers, they would be totally different. The problem I see is that the a-5 needs a certin shape to work. So much distance for the valve, where the tombstone is, where the sear is, and I think that these "tollerances" would screw up the "proportionally correctness" of what your would like to do.

I got it all figured out. Internally, everything would be the same. Patience, Grasshopper.

BeerandFuel · #6 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 11:24 AM

The way I had it figured, you'd need some of the buffer return spring area to house the rear bolt and drive spring.

AirH0g · #7 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 04:34 PM

Any projections on cost? I would think that this would definetly be in the $400-$500 range per unit.

bmxhacksaw · #8 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 04:56 PM

I'd like to keep the cost for the two receiver halves plus the hanguard assembly, which is part of the concept, under $300 if possible.

BeerandFuel · #9 (**permalink**) 07-25-2006, 05:31 PM

These blank lowers with the magwell machined out are $75.00. If you machined out a trigger well then built a whole new upper, you could have an m4 reciever with the valve, bolt, and all the A5 internals.

Just my 2 cents.

whteglve · #10 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 12:06 PM

This is my first post on here, so let me start off by saying "Howdy Folks". Now if you guys need some help on this project as far as 3D CAD work, let me know. I work with Solidworks on a daily basis and could maybe help out in getting the A5 guts to work inside a modified housing to look more like the M4. As I haven't yet gotten my A5 (its on its way to me know) I don't have access to to parts and pieces to model them up. I'll keep you informed as to when I could it and start modeling.

View Poll Results: Would you purchace new receiver halves to make your A5 look more like an M4?
Yes	158	49.38%
No	64	20.00%
Maybe	98	30.63%
Voters: 320. You may not vote on this poll

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