ICS internal upgrades

[Bradley Seals]

I have an ICS M4A1 RIS, and am fairly new in airsoft. Any necessity recommendations for my first internal upgrades? I was also debating on the S&W SIGMA Co2 gas blow back for a side arm.

[nextmayor]

If you're new to airsoft, I'd really recommend a light upgrade. Personally, I'd just drop in an Systema M100 Spring to begin with and use that for a while. Additionally, a tight bore inner barrel and an after market bucking and nubbing will improve your ICS.

Down the road, I'd really look at a all out upgrade though. You'd want to include the following:

Metal Bushings
Gears
Cylinder
Cylinder Head
Pistion
Piston Head with Bearings
Spring Guide with Bearings
Motor
Shims
Nozzle

Here's what I've got in my ICS PCR-4 (M16A3).
Systema 509mm Tight Bore Inner Barrel
Prometheus Purple Bucking and Nubbing
Systema Nozzle
Systema Bore Up Cylinder Head
Systema Bore Up Cylinder
Systema Silent Piston Head w/ Bearings
Systema Red Piston
Custom PDI 170% Spring (400 FPS w/ .2g BB's)
ICS Bearing Spring Guide
Systema Flat Torque Up Gears
Systema Shims
ICS Bushings
TM EG 1000 Motor

Good luck. It took me a little bit to get my ICS M16 squared away, but I am very very happy with it now. The ease of working on these AEG's is a big plus.

[sabot]

I've got an ICS CAR-97, had it about 2 weeks.
I bought the M120 Delux gearbox from AirsoftGi, here's what has been installed.

AE metal bushings
M120 spring
Hurricane V2 Cyclinder head
Area 1000 Polycarb. Piston
Hurricane Metal Spring Guide with ball bearing
Hurricane V2 nozzle
Hurricane Polycarb Piston Head
Guarder Type 2 Tappet Plate
Prometheus TB Barrel (Stock Length)

With this gearbox installed it clocks 350fps, although the store I bought from claimed they were getting 400fps. I'm thinking I'm not getting a good seal between the nozzle and hopup assembly.

But with the stock gearbox, it clocks 300fps.

You say it took you a while to get you'rs dialed in. What did you have to do.

What benifit do you get from the bore Up cylinder and head.

Are you using the stock ICS hopup assembly.

[nextmayor]

Originally posted by sabot
...here's what has been installed.

AE metal bushings
M120 spring
Hurricane V2 Cyclinder head
Area 1000 Polycarb. Piston
Hurricane Metal Spring Guide with ball bearing
Hurricane V2 nozzle
Hurricane Polycarb Piston Head
Guarder Type 2 Tappet Plate
Prometheus TB Barrel (Stock Length)

With this gearbox installed it clocks 350fps, although the store I bought from claimed they were getting 400fps. I'm thinking I'm not getting a good seal between the nozzle and hopup assembly.

But with the stock gearbox, it clocks 300fps.

IMO, 350 FPS with an M120 Spring sounds a little low too, but I haven't heard a lot of good stuff about the Hurricane internal parts. What brand M120 did you use? Systema or the one that is now sold in a lot of ICS upgrade kits? If you got the one in the kit, I've been told (no personal experience) that they are a little weaker than other springs. I got 380 FPS out of both the Systema M120 and M120S in my ICS. A PDI 170% and a Guarder 110 were both a couple of FPS over 400. All of those results were in my ICS M16A3 with all the internals being the same.

So, you might have an air leak, a weak spring, or just the assortment of parts you're using don't mix well. Personally, I'd get a PDI 170 and install, then see what your FPS is.

Originally posted by sabot
...You say it took you a while to get you'rs dialed in. What did you have to do.

Read abpve, I've listed all the parts I've replaced.

Originally posted by sabot
...What benifit do you get from the bore Up cylinder and head.

The Bore Up Cylinder has a slightly greater volume than the standard cylinder. This allows you a greater amount of air to push down the barrel. If you are just using the same length barrel that came on your AEG, you won't need this. Personally, I am adding a longer inner barrel and wanted to make sure that my mechbox would handle it..

Originally posted by sabot
...Are you using the stock ICS hopup assembly.

The ICS Hop Up Assembly is the only one that you can use in ICS AEG's unless you do some serious modding. So is I'm using the ICS one, but I did replace the bucking and nubbin with a Prometheus one.

[sabot]

It's an ICS spring. M120. Nozzle is ICS.
I've got a M100 laying around, I'll try it, see what it does.
I might try a PDI 150% maybe the 170%, or perhaps the Guarder SP110.
I've heard that PDI springs have been having questionable QC lately.

You've had good luck with the Systema nozzle. I've heard they don't fit right with the ICS hopup.