Broken outer barrel screws

Huge · January 15th, 2015, 17:17

Hey there

So I noticed a bit of wobble in the front end of my m4 and tightened the screws too much, they ended up breaking. Now, my outer barrel slides in and out. I put electrical tape for now and it works, there is little to no wobble, but I'm looking for a permanent solution.

Here are the holes the screws are supposed to go in. If anyone can name the actual part it would be tremendously helpful.

This is more or less what is happening to my barrel right now (notice the absence of screws):

Should I change the whole outer barrel?

Styrak · January 15th, 2015, 17:24

Get a new set screw for it, or like you said buy a new one piece outer barrel (which also wouldn't have this problem.)

Huge · January 15th, 2015, 17:26

Is having a steel outer barrel with a plastic body a bad idea or would it change nothing?

ThunderCactus · January 15th, 2015, 20:35

bad idea because there's less flex in steel to absorb side impact. Would increase the chance of busting the front of the receiver.
I would re drill those threads and go a size up on the set screw

Styrak · January 15th, 2015, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huge

Is having a steel outer barrel with a plastic body a bad idea or would it change nothing?

Most decent quality ARs with a plastic body have metal outer barrels so you'd be fine. You can't really buy aftermarket plastic outer barrels...

Huge · January 15th, 2015, 21:35

@Thunder Would that be the case only for steel ones or aluminium ones too?

ThunderCactus · January 16th, 2015, 12:16

Aluminum won't be as bad.
The problem here isn't the barrel, its the receiver.

Huge · January 16th, 2015, 13:05

I understand. Do you think it could cause a problem if I leave it as is for now or should I change it straightaway? For now the two pieces of the outer barrel are help together with electrical tape. There's no wobble or play whatsoever but could it cause any problems?
If not, I'll probably just wait until I get a metal receiver or upgrade the gun in any way before changing it since it doesn't affect performance right now.

EOD Steve · January 16th, 2015, 14:18

If you want to rely on a chemical bond like electrical tape, I can pretty much guarantee you that once the adhesive wears off due to age or temperature variations, then you're going to have a terribly wobbly barrel.

I can't imagine any deviation in the outer barrel (and attached inner barrel) would be doing anything wonderful for your accuracy. After all, millimeters of play in an outer barrel means the difference between between hitting and not hitting your target 50 feet away.

Ranger11 · January 20th, 2015, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by EOD Steve

If you want to rely on a chemical bond like electrical tape, I can pretty much guarantee you that once the adhesive wears off due to age or temperature variations, then you're going to have a terribly wobbly barrel.

I can't imagine any deviation in the outer barrel (and attached inner barrel) would be doing anything wonderful for your accuracy. After all, millimeters of play in an outer barrel means the difference between between hitting and not hitting your target 50 feet away.

I dunno about millimetres of wobble at 50 feet, an inch or two maybe.

Having this put together like this will be bad for compression and fps (ie give sporadic fps spikes and lows)

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venture · January 20th, 2015, 13:05

Hi Huge,

You will always have a bit of wobble with a plastic receiver because the plastic body will flex even if you have a rigid barrel.
Your electrical tape job is fine, but temporary. As stated above, over time the barrel will get wobbly again as the tape compresses.
What you have is fine, but a better barrel is the one or even 2 piece aluminum barrels. You will lose a bit of the weight advantage of that gun, though. This barrel is the best one for an AEG M4A1: http://www.ventureairsoft.ca/item.ph...57c06548fb2c78

You should check your front triangle sight to see if it is part of the barrel or a separate piece. I notice that the G&G combat machines now incorporate the front triangle sight with the barrel. If this is the case with this gun then you need to purchase a gas block or triangle sight (which is a gas block) to make your gun authentic with a new barrel.

ThunderCactus · January 20th, 2015, 15:59

1/8 offset at 12" = 6" at 50ft = 12" at 100ft

Then add in whatever normal grouping you have
Normal grouping of say 16" at 100ft, would mean a grouping of 28" plus any compound effects.

Huge · January 20th, 2015, 17:23

Hey everyone. Thanks for your help. I've installed a KA metal one-piece barrel and it works wonders. Only thing is now the handguard cannot contain my battery (CAA handguard) but that's not much of a problem.

Ranger11 · January 21st, 2015, 19:57

Get the gearbox rear wired and it'll solve that issue haha,

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Huge · January 30th, 2015, 19:02

I wanted to come back to this thread real quick. Now that I have a metal outer barrel, my front end seems quite heavy (I also have a bigass Peq2 on). I'm in the process of finding a metal body but for now should I be worried that the weight of the front end affects the plastic body? Or is it just in danger of breaking after an impact of some sort?

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January 15th, 2015, 17:17	#1
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	Broken outer barrel screws Hey there So I noticed a bit of wobble in the front end of my m4 and tightened the screws too much, they ended up breaking. Now, my outer barrel slides in and out. I put electrical tape for now and it works, there is little to no wobble, but I'm looking for a permanent solution. Here are the holes the screws are supposed to go in. If anyone can name the actual part it would be tremendously helpful. This is more or less what is happening to my barrel right now (notice the absence of screws): Should I change the whole outer barrel?

January 15th, 2015, 17:24	#2
Styrak Trader rating Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Saskatoon, SK	Get a new set screw for it, or like you said buy a new one piece outer barrel (which also wouldn't have this problem.) __________________ Airsoft Sales and Repair/Upgrade Services

January 16th, 2015, 13:05	#8
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	I understand. Do you think it could cause a problem if I leave it as is for now or should I change it straightaway? For now the two pieces of the outer barrel are help together with electrical tape. There's no wobble or play whatsoever but could it cause any problems? If not, I'll probably just wait until I get a metal receiver or upgrade the gun in any way before changing it since it doesn't affect performance right now. Last edited by Huge; January 16th, 2015 at 13:09..

January 15th, 2015, 17:26	#3
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	Is having a steel outer barrel with a plastic body a bad idea or would it change nothing?

January 15th, 2015, 20:35	#4
ThunderCactus Not Eye Safe, Pretty Boy Maximus on the field take his picture! Trader rating Join Date: Feb 2007	bad idea because there's less flex in steel to absorb side impact. Would increase the chance of busting the front of the receiver. I would re drill those threads and go a size up on the set screw

January 15th, 2015, 21:35	#6
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	@Thunder Would that be the case only for steel ones or aluminium ones too?

January 16th, 2015, 12:16	#7
ThunderCactus Not Eye Safe, Pretty Boy Maximus on the field take his picture! Trader rating Join Date: Feb 2007	Aluminum won't be as bad. The problem here isn't the barrel, its the receiver.

January 16th, 2015, 14:18	#9
EOD Steve Trader rating Join Date: Jun 2012	If you want to rely on a chemical bond like electrical tape, I can pretty much guarantee you that once the adhesive wears off due to age or temperature variations, then you're going to have a terribly wobbly barrel. I can't imagine any deviation in the outer barrel (and attached inner barrel) would be doing anything wonderful for your accuracy. After all, millimeters of play in an outer barrel means the difference between between hitting and not hitting your target 50 feet away. __________________ The Steve has spoken.

January 20th, 2015, 13:05	#11
venture Trader rating Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Halifax	Hi Huge, You will always have a bit of wobble with a plastic receiver because the plastic body will flex even if you have a rigid barrel. Your electrical tape job is fine, but temporary. As stated above, over time the barrel will get wobbly again as the tape compresses. What you have is fine, but a better barrel is the one or even 2 piece aluminum barrels. You will lose a bit of the weight advantage of that gun, though. This barrel is the best one for an AEG M4A1: http://www.ventureairsoft.ca/item.ph...57c06548fb2c78 You should check your front triangle sight to see if it is part of the barrel or a separate piece. I notice that the G&G combat machines now incorporate the front triangle sight with the barrel. If this is the case with this gun then you need to purchase a gas block or triangle sight (which is a gas block) to make your gun authentic with a new barrel. __________________ Visit us at :www.ventureairsoft.ca

January 20th, 2015, 15:59	#12
ThunderCactus Not Eye Safe, Pretty Boy Maximus on the field take his picture! Trader rating Join Date: Feb 2007	1/8 offset at 12" = 6" at 50ft = 12" at 100ft Then add in whatever normal grouping you have Normal grouping of say 16" at 100ft, would mean a grouping of 28" plus any compound effects. Last edited by ThunderCactus; January 20th, 2015 at 16:04..

January 20th, 2015, 17:23	#13
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	Hey everyone. Thanks for your help. I've installed a KA metal one-piece barrel and it works wonders. Only thing is now the handguard cannot contain my battery (CAA handguard) but that's not much of a problem.

January 21st, 2015, 19:57	#14
Ranger11 Extra Salty and vinegar Trader rating Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Red Deer, Alberta	Get the gearbox rear wired and it'll solve that issue haha, Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________

January 30th, 2015, 19:02	#15
Huge formerly Huge94 Trader rating Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, QC	I wanted to come back to this thread real quick. Now that I have a metal outer barrel, my front end seems quite heavy (I also have a bigass Peq2 on). I'm in the process of finding a metal body but for now should I be worried that the weight of the front end affects the plastic body? Or is it just in danger of breaking after an impact of some sort?

Broken outer barrel screws

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