OK, there are quite a few of you that don’t know the saga of the Sun Project M16A1.
Around 1996, Sun Project teamed up with Escort, and stuffed GBB internals into JAC metal-bodied “Limited” series guns. Although AEGs were well on their way to being the *only* guns on the field, the Sun Project series was a limited-run success, and (thanks to their build quality and unique features) were still sought after and purchased for prices in the $700-800 range 8 years later. Originally, there were small numbers of M16A1 Carbines, M16A2 full size rifles, and XM177E1 Carbines produced. (fewer than 500 in the total run, including all prototypes)
The most common question regarding *all* classic airsoft pieces is “Does it offer recoil?”. For 90% of classics, the answer is no. There are, however a handful of them that do. The Youth Engineering MP5 (Escort System), the Escort/Sun Project M16A1/A2/XM177E1, The Shoei MP44 (Escort System) and the JAC Limited GBB (takes green gas in the mags like a GBB pistol) are a few of the more common ones – they are all exceedingly rare, however.
Fast forward to September, 2004.
Thanks to feedback from the Classic Airsoft community, and a personal relationship between the owner of “Classics Focussed” Airsoft4Less and “Mr. Escort”, the Sun Project M16A1 is back for a limited time as a “test” to see if there is a market for further production. If the production test is successful, it may lead to new GBB models being produced, (such as an M4A1 and AK47/AK74. Prototypes of both already exist.).
So, I’ve been following the development of the new production run. Initially, the release was to be in Japan to all dealers, and in the US through AS4L only. The price on the street in Japan is currently around 44000 Yen (US$400). The price through AS4L was $850, after purchase in Japan, importation, inspection and tuning. So, naturally, when a batch came available through Hong Kong at Tokyo-not-Anaheim prices, I jumped on the chance. =)
I placed my order on 4 September, 2004, with Peter Chan at Guns ‘N Guys in Hong Kong. I ordered the SP, 2×190 round mags, and 4 bags of BBs. The total with shipping was $600 even.
The order shipped on the 6th of September, and arrived at my door on the 9th of September (From HONG KONG, people…Stuff has taken longer to get here from Atlanta!). However, since I wasn’t home, it got schlepped back to the Post Office for me to come pick up today.
So, anyway…I got my 2004-Vintage Sun Project M16A1 Carbine today… Everything was neatly packaged in the Sun Project box, with bubble wrap making it’s last stand around every item. It was an awesome packing job.
In the box:
Sun Project M16A1 Carbine (M655 “Barnes” carbine)
One Standard AEG mag (more on that later)
2 New in Box 190 round Tokyo Marui Hicap M16 “shorty” Magazines
2 bags Digicon/Straight .30g BBs
1 bag Digicon/Straight .36g BBs
1 bag Digicon/Straight .43g BBs
1 Mystery Item wrapped in bubble wrap…(You’ll figure out what that’s about as the story unfolds…)
Pulling the M16 out of the styrofoam in the box, I’m treated to a metal version of the JAC “Barnes” carbine I had at the game on 8/15/04 at Dragonman. Because Sun Project got the JAC molds when JAC folded in the early 90’s, this is an exact copy of the JAC Limited M655 I had. No surprises on build quality or finish. The trademarks were permanently obliterated by a nasty rubber cement-like putty that magically vanished without a trace upon exposure to the air on this side of the International Date Line….strange. Also making it’s presence known was a blaze orange plastic flash hider, permanently glued to the business end of the barrel. This otherwise beautiful and proud flash hider was also made of some material heretofore unknown to me, for it too changed into a flat black flash hider resembling steel upon exposure to the air on this side of the International Date Line…
Strange business that… I know not what magic that is, but I must needs say I approve of it.
Some of the changes since the 1996 version is that the New Production models have a Shoei-style fixed hopup, break open like the real steel gun, and accept Tokyo Marui magazines without modification.
Externally, the notable differences from a TM M16 AEG are:
It’s SUBSTANTIALLY heavier, being made of metal as opposed to plastic. Similar to a Classic Army metal body, with metal accessories. Still lighter than real steel, but closer.
The forward grips are a bit shinier than those on, say, an M4, and the holes are real, as is the gas tube (in comparison to the gas tube molded into the TM M4 handgrips).
The Ejection Port cover will not stay closed, due to the design of the internals. AS4L states that they can modify the SP to correct this, though getting dirt inside not an issue, as the firing unit is sealed.
The proportion is overall larger than a TM. It matches the Real M16 dimensions, unlike the TM, which is notably smaller-enough in many dimensions as to make using Real Steel accessories impossible.
Pulling the Charging Handle requires a LOT more force than the fake handles on a TM, because you’re actually compressing a buffer spring, just like the Real Steel.
Oh yeah, and there’s a great big shiny metal bolt inside that moves back and forth when you pull the charging handle.
First thing I did was break it down and lubricate *everything* with 20 weight Silicone Oil. As I said before, one of the changes since ’96 is that Mr. Escort redesigned the internals to allow the gun to break open like a real steel M16. Mr. AS4L said it was because Mr. Escort observed AEG users in Southern California opening their guns that way, and liked the realism it offered.
So, push the rear receiver pin and the gun ‘breaks’ at the front receiver pin. Give the Charging Handle a tug, and the whole bolt assembly slides out of the upper.
http://www.classicairsoft.net/articles/sunpro_m16A1/SP17.JPG
The mechanism isn’t terribly difficult to disassemble and clean/relubricate, though there are more moving/interacting parts than in most guns (to be expected!) that you need to lubricate. Still, it’s not a difficult job. It took me about 15 minutes to get the whole thing done start to finish.
My gun had one *tiny* issue and one annoyance new out of the box.
The tiny issue: There is a screw on the valve body (the rear receiver pin threads through the valve body) that is made of Brass, and it fits inside the Aluminum Valve body. This critical junction is sealed with some gummy substance, and this junky stuff just wasn’t doing the job. Break out the Teflon Tape and a glass of water. 4 careful and precise tries later, I had the leaky screw all but fixed. (down to one or two 2mm bubbles every couple seconds from several 5mm bubbles each second, and no audible leak anymore.) It’s good enough for now, but I’ll probably replace the teflon with some red Loctite or a new part from AS4L or something “soon”.
The Annoyance: My Airsoft Elite Hicap doesn’t fit in the Magwell, either. That’s no big, since the stupid thing jams, anyway.
So, inspected, broken down, and lubricated, it was finally time to load it up and let it rock and roll… =)
I hooked my Palmer’s Female Stabilizer regulator to my CO2 bottle, set it for around 80PSI, then connected the gas to the gun and pulled the trigger…the result can be heard here: 😀
http://www.coloradoairsoft.org/SunProjectM16.wav
I then loaded up one of the Tokyo Marui 190 round Vietnam-style Hicaps and popped it in, opened the sliding glass door, moved the selector to SEMI and pulled the fun button.
I was TOTALLY disappointed to see that the range was only about 50′ before the BB *DIVED* to the ground…landing squarely on a neighbor’s F150… *DOH*
I was surely disappointed until I realized that I HAD JUST LUBED THE WHOLE GUN, including putting 2 drops of Silicone in each of the feed tubes of the mags… *DOUBLE DOH*
OK, so I moved to auto, and pulled the trigger… NICE… Still crappy range, but AMAZING recoil. It was just SO much fun, I ran through about 400-500 BBs this afternoon plinking off my balcony.
The results? After about 250 rounds through the 2 Hicaps and the 1 provided Standard Mag, the silicone had worked its way all through the gun, and off the important bits, and the shooting characteristics of the gun changed significantly.
1.) Using .25’s at ~100PSI, I’m getting roughly the same range as a 400FPS AEG, which is consistent with reports of other users of getting 380 FPS with their bone stock SP’s.
2.) It’s totally awesome that I can use any standard TM AEG M16 Mag
3.) I can mod Real Steel parts to fit more easily, since JAC receivers are closer to the same dimension than Tokyo Maruis are.
4.) The recoil is utterly MIND BLOWING…This is no AEG ‘vibration’, and it’s no pimply faced teenager kinda recoil found on older JAC guns with a Recoiler Weight installed… The sound and power are simply NOT TO BE HAD in any other Replica. It’s *similar* to what I recall my M16A2 being when I was 18 years old at Camp Pendleton…granted, that’s *15 years* of blurring, so it may not be accurate…but in any case, there’s enough semi-automatic recoil in this bad boy to bounce my aim up anywhere from 3″ (well supported stance) to 12″ (Wobbly ole me, standing up, no support) at 100′ through a 3x scope.
5.) True to the predictions of Mr. AS4L, power on Full Auto is substantially reduced from the power level on Semi, as is accuracy. Range is about 2/3 of what you get on Semi, and you’re NOT gonna get a finely honed BB stream on full Auto… you’re gonna get a 900 RPM shotgun that you can use as an “area effect weapon”. That’s fine with me, because Spray n’ Pray is for talentless hacks. =)
6.) It sounds like this:
http://www.coloradoairsoft.org/SunProjectM16.wav
not this:
http://www.coloradoairsoft.org/TMG3SG1.wav
(To be [b]TOTALLY[/b] fair…the SP was aimed a little more toward the microphone. To make it more “even”, turn down the “lowest two” sliders on your Winamp/Media Player/MusicMatchJukebox Equalizer for a fair comparison.)
6.) I just can’t stress enough how *TOTALLY DIFFERENT* the experience is having a gun that rocks and rolls like the real thing. I can only say that I (Mr. Classic Airsoft Colorado) was beginning my search for an AEG that I could live with because I couldn’t find a classic I was happy *enough* with to use as a primary skirmisher. Not anymore. I’ve found my primary. The recoil and noise and just sheer BALLSINESS of this gun is enough to make it worth wearing a tank and hose…and then some… This gun *could* be a classic that gives AEG’s a run for their money…particularly if the cost remains in the comparable to that of an “Upgraded AEG”
7.) AS4L is starting up production on a fairly long list of Upgrades to improve shot consistency (both from Semi to Auto, and from shot to shot), as well as increase realism, skirmishability, and durability from their current levels through the use of items like Tightbore barrels, TM Hopup, and replacing brass, aluminum and mild steel parts with Stainless… Here’s their current list of options (10 September 2004):
****
Steel Bolt and Carrier: 200.00
6.03 precision barrel: 100.00
Larger Steel Recoil Weight (requires steel bolt): 65.00
Larger Brass recoil weight (for shot consistency): 45.00
Custom Escort Recoil Spring and AS4L Custom bearing (ROF and stability): 40.00
14mm CCW Thread adapter (use all TM parts now): 40.00
Hopup adjustment: 25.00 (free with custom barrel)
5 position precision stock: 25.00
Custom cut 3rd o-ring in the firing mechanism (for optimal shooting and stability): 25.00
Custom steel buffer screw (3 extra buffers included): 15.00 (free with steel upgrade)
Many of these can be completed without the gun present and installed by the end user. There will be other upgrades to come as well as custom machining requests.
*************
After having it in my hands for only 4 hours, I leave you with this thought…
“Could potentially be an AEG-killer…”
You’ll all get a chance to try it out, trust me…
=)
*funny thing of note*
The Lo-Cap that came with my SP is a CONVERTED Real Steel mag.
The bottom plate says:
Adventure Line Mfg. Co. Inc.
Parsons,KS,USA
I thought it was weird, because we always gripe about not being able to get good AEG mags manufactured here in the states, and here was (apparently) an example made in Kansas, shipped to Hong Kong, then shipped back here to me…so, naturally, I Googled it.
http://www.ktrange.com/articles/a4/a4.html
“United States Government Issue (USGI) Spec Magazines”
Further down the page…
“[2-1-3] Adventure Line Manufacturing Company
———–
Army and late Air Force contract mags made by Adventure Line Mfg. Co. Adventure Line was eventually aquired by Center Industries. Dull alloy followers and gold/bronze colored anodizing. Made from 1966-1971. Floorplates stamped:
ADVENTURE LINE MFG. CO.
PARSONS. KS. U.S.A.”
Interesting…
COST: $600 shipped, including 2 Hicap Mags, and 4500 BBs
TIME: 3 business days, Order to Arrival
RATING (1-5): ****** (yes, that’s 6 stars)
WHERE TO BUY:
Hong Kong: Guns ‘N Guys – http://www.gunsnguys.com
Tokyo: Endoshoji – http://www.endoshoji-jp.com
Taiwan: Kicbb – http://www.kicbbgun.com.tw/shop/product_info.php?products_id=2241
California – Airsoft 4 Less (email sales only): sales@as4l.com