New Gearbox Project...

[Havok]

A friend gave me a DPMS M4 and a DPMS M16 awhile back. Not sure of the brand, but its some cheap clone i reckon. DPMS licensed however. They had been laying in a pile of trash for over a year. After my horror of their discovery at his house, I rescued them. Surprisingly enough, one of them would still cycle relatively decent. Im looking at taking the two boxes, compiling the best of the two sets of parts into one box, and having me a decent backup/CQB gun in the M4 body. Fortunately one of the springs (assuming an M110) was locked back, and caught memory. Saves me an M100. I'm partway through the process, having cleaned most all the better parts down, and now I'm trying to see if I can decently shim it with the two factory shim sets. This is a major budget build for me. I've already came to terms with the fact that I'm going to have to rewire it. The motor's magnets feel pretty weak, but surprisingly it'll cycle a box faster than my JG factory motor. Might be a spring thing...

I could rant on and on about the various details. What I want to know is does anybody have any suggestions/priorities/concerns for me on this build? Any questions please ask.

And if anybody has a scrap top forearm cover for an M4 they'd be willing to give me, I'd really appreciate it. I would give a few dollars for it. It's all the gun's externally missing.

[Star_folder]

I think buying some shims would be a good idea, don't be so cheap as to sacrifice the reliability of a rifle. Shims are so cheap you can still consider it a budget build. This shouldn't be all that hard though, and would be good experience to practice your shimming.

[Havok]

What's the best site to buy shims? I'd hate to buy some $6 shims and then pay $10 for shipping or something crazy like that...
Do you have a scrap Combat Machine that I can buy a top hand guard plate off of? I need that.
I need to rewire the gun, because the corrosion ruined the old wires. It's a front wire, obviously. I'll bring it over next SQA game and let you see if you mind giving me some advice.
When is the next SQA game anyways?
And I'm getting my KA COLT M4 MOE tomorrow! Yes! I abandoned the KWA, if you remember that plan...

[Chippy]

Trevor, would you happen to have a m16 full stock on one of those guns?

[idiot88]

What's the best site to buy shims? I'd hate to buy some $6 shims and then pay $10 for shipping or something crazy like that..

I bought some tiny washers at an Ace hardware store that were almost identical to the shims in my gun.

[Star_folder]

What's the best site to buy shims? I'd hate to buy some $6 shims and then pay $10 for shipping or something crazy like that..

I bought some tiny washers at an Ace hardware store that were almost identical to the shims in my gun.

These work, just find the right stuff.

You might try contacting Dom and see about meeting up with him sometime to pick them up.

[Havok]

I went to Radio Shack and bought a pack of small washers. They're thicker than shims, and the inner diameter is wider, so they go over the whole shaft on the gears, but I can shim certain places decently with them.
What are you referring to Star? Shims or the hand guard plate?
And I do have a full stock on one of them Chippy!
I'll have to check out Ace, and Tractor Suppy and see what I can find. Thanks for the info 88!