Airsoft M16 Dmr With Grenade Lancher

M203 Style grenade launchers

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Few things in life are more fun than popping off a LAW rocket from an M203 Grenade Launcher. Always ready at a moment'south notice the M203 manner airsoft launcher offers an alternative to the same old PVC and pipe style rocket launchers. Photo provided past PaintballPhotography.com

Sometimes during a scenario game the difference between success and failure is determined by a single, well placed, football game shaped piece of cream with fins on information technology. Of course I'm talking about scenario LAWs (besides known as rocket launchers) and the footling Nerf Vortex rounds that they fire. While most players will use a collection of metal pipes and PVC, there is another fashion of firing these niggling neon orbs of devastation…the airsoft based M203 fashion Grenade Launcher.

Why an M203?

If you've played scenario paintball for long enough you've been in a situation where you lot wish you had the ability to take out a big grouping of players all at one time. Maybe they are all clustered backside a rock or stacked up in a edifice. Normally they are in a key position that dominates a certain area of the field and so long every bit they are in that location your squad is stuck. Or perchance it's even worse than that. Maybe they are in a tank. Now not only are they all amassed behind cover but they are mobile and can fire from encompass.

For most scenario players, this is a job for a Law. They put down their mark, un-sling the LAW from their dorsum, grab some embrace where they might be able to get a quick snap shot off, pop out, and yank that ball valve handle for all it'due south worth hoping they did information technology quick enough to become a expert shot off.

There are a number of bug with this setup though. First, the shooter has to drop his marker to use the LAW. In a situation where every gun matters, this could exist detrimental. Likewise a great shooting position may not exist the best spot for a Constabulary shot. Thus the Police force player may need to movement to a improve position where he can go his Law on target while still having advisable cover. Of grade at that place is also the time factor. The longer it takes to become that LAW into action the greater the chance of the LAW histrion existence shot out or the target moving on out of the Law's range. You lot also take to brand certain that the lever for the ball valve style Constabulary, which near LAWs utilise a brawl valve for a trigger, is opened at the same charge per unit every time to make certain each shot is fired with the same velocity equally every other shot. Lastly, it is easy for the other team to pick out your LAW guys as they will be the ones with the big two.5" PVC tube on their dorsum. That makes them inviting targets.

Okay, then I really practise non paint a peachy film of the Constabulary player'south life and by and large speaking information technology is not piece of cake to finer use a Police force without getting taken out chop-chop shortly thereafter. While I accept seen some LAWs that address some of these issues, including one LAW that was only slightly larger than a pistol, virtually every single i has the drawback of the player using information technology no longer having the ability to fire his marker while doing then. With that in mind many players have turned to their airsoft brethren and started adapting airsoft M203 grenade launchers for employ as rocket launchers.

Airsoft M203 Considerations

For those that don't know what an M203 manner launcher is let me requite you a definition. The M203 grenade launcher, the real one, was designed to replace the M79 grenade launcher used in Vietnam. The M79 fired a 40mm grenade round out of a tube and immune infantrymen to lob grenade rounds a lot farther than they could throw them even so the launcher was smaller, more portable, and quicker to bring into action than a infantry mortar. However, the infantryman who used the M79 could non utilize his rifle while using the grenade launcher thus decreasing the unit's burglarize firepower. So the military developed the M203.

The Archetype Ground forces M203 mounted on the underside of my MilTec MT-66 marker. This is a R.I.Southward. mounted "long" manner M203. The "Short" style has a 3" shorter barrel. While it will work, the shorter barrel isn't the best option for firing Nerf rounds. Note the two pollex screws that concur the launcher to the rail system. Also, the trigger gaurd for the launcher slips to the magazine well of the marking. If you don't have an M4 style marking you can push the gaurd further up to adhere to the launcher itself. Information technology makes for a smaller trigger simply you don't want to accidentally discharge a launcher!

The M203 fired the exact aforementioned rounds as the M79 but it mounted nether the barrel of the standard rifleman'due south M16 rifle. This launcher could exist brought to conduct fifty-fifty quicker than the M79 since information technology was e'er "at the ready" and the rifleman didn't have to sacrifice the utilize of his M16 to fire a grenade.

In paintball, nosotros have the same problems with LAWs and the M203 manner launchers have similar benefits as their real globe counterparts. Being mounted on the marking, the launcher is ever available and tin can be used anytime the player needs information technology. Information technology as well takes less time to be fired at a target because the player doesn't take to switch out weapons to deploy information technology.

However, everything comes with a price. Offset and foremost for the paintball thespian is whether or not they can utilise an airsoft M203. There are two styles, the standard barrel mountain M203 and the R.I.S. mounted M203. The barrel mountain style volition not work with any paintball marker because our barrels are so much larger in diameter than their airsoft counterparts. This leaves us with the R.I.S. mounted launchers. All these launchers need is a Picatinny style mount about 3" long on the underside of the barrel. Evidently if the thespian's mark doesn't have such an selection or the option isn't available for their marking then an M203 style launcher is out of the question. However, any MilSim style marker or those markers that exercise have Picatinny rails on their underside would be able to use the M203.

And then allow's assume you can mount an M203 to your marker. Next is cost. You encounter, the launcher itself is pretty simple and basic…which is to say it doesn't do much on information technology's own. What does the real work with an M203 launcher is the shell. That'southward right, these things actually have shells. Hey, no one always said that airsoft players weren't nigh realism. While there are a ton of shells for the airsoft community for us paintballers the main crush nosotros apply is the Mad Bull XM-PB4. This beat has a couple features that make information technology ideal for paintball.

Kickoff, it can exist ran off CO2. Normally these shells run on what is called Green gas or Red gas. Suffice to say that these gases (really propane gas) accept a max force per unit area of almost 200 psi. Since for paintball nosotros desire to fire a Nerf round 200 psi in one of these shells merely isn't going to work. Yous can throw a Nerf round further than an M203 at 200 psi. Thus yous demand a shell designed to work with CO2 so that you can fill it at a higher pressure.

If you're using CO2 (and if you plan on shooting Nerfs yous're going to exist using CO2) and so you'll need this. To the left of the gauge is the CO2 fill adaptor. The needle goes into a valve in the back of the grenade. The section with the knob and guess is the regulator. The knob controls the pressure level going into the grenade. To the left of the gauge is the 12 Gram adaptor. This is optional. The regulator can screw onto any air tank that is used for paintball.

This as well means y'all will need a CO2 adaptor that will fill up the shell. They make ii, one with a regulator and one without. Now, equally we all know unregulated CO2 can be equally high as 1200 psi! These shells are not designed to work with those pressures. And so why they even brand a non-regulated CO2 adaptor for these shells is beyond me. Thus you lot Demand to get the ane with a regulator.

Then what's the big deal you enquire? Cost. Airsoft M203 setups are not for the faint of heart or thin of wallet. The launchers can exist bought for under $100 if you know where to look (world wide web.ebaybanned.com and type "M203" in the search bar). The shells run about $80 EACH and the regulator/adaptor is another $70. Then just to become the basics y'all are looking at well-nigh $250 plus shipping, taxation, etc.

The good news is that the shells are reusable and you tin refill them on the field so you can get by with just one crush to commencement with only you can see if you want to become more than shells (I have iii) it's going to toll you. Then if you don't have a lot of coin, an M203 setup may not be for y'all as a traditional LAW can be fix for much cheaper.

Just like with your marking, exist sure to get a Barrel cover for you launcher as well! With a 2" butt bore it won't be piece of cake but nigh feilds require you lot have one.

Operational Pros and Cons to the M203

So if your marker tin mount the M203 and you're non scared abroad by the price what'due south next? Well, in that location are some operational problems to contend when using the M203. Outset, while it is quicker to get off the start shot with an M203 follow upward shots are going to take more time. The reason is y'all take to bargain with those shells. Now, if you take more one shell this will assist as you tin can drop out the expended vanquish and just put in a fresh ane. At $lxxx each though you don't but want to exit them laying around like a $ii paint pod and you may merely have one beat. This ways you have to reset the valve and refill the shell as well as load another Nerf circular and the beat. Having washed this I can tell you that this takes a long fourth dimension and is not as quick every bit just shoving a Nerf circular down the muzzle of a traditional Police launcher. This may be an issue for you lot depending on your budget and the rules at your field regarding Nerf hits.

The other result is weight. The launcher itself weighs three lbs and the grenade round weighs another pound for a total loaded weight of 4 lbs. This is more than some markers weigh! Non only this, it is all focused on the front terminate of the mark. If yous conduct more than one grenade round that weight adds upward too. So if you like to run a light setup an M203 may non be for y'all either.

There are a couple other issues to address with these launchers. First is the barrel size. It is 40mm or about 2" in diameter. The Nerf rounds used for LAWs are ii.five" in bore. Luckily for the states they are foam. These can be squished down and fit into the barrel fairly hands. With a very simple modification that we'll talk nearly later, the problem goes away completely and the Nerf rounds tin can be breach loaded rather than muzzle loaded.

Secondly is the shell itself. The Mad Bull XM-PB4 (which is the aforementioned equally the RAP4 Thunder Grenade many paintballers are familiar with…RAP4 gets those shells from Mad Bull) is designed to burn down four .68 cal paintballs at most 300 psi. (Note it is said that y'all can likewise use this as a "fume grenade" but unless you like cleaning baby powder off your marker and launcher I wouldn't recommend it.) The shell volition take up to 400 psi of force per unit area for Nerf rounds without any major bug. Withal, the range on a Nerf round fired at 400 psi is only marginally better than ane fired at 200 psi and certainly doesn't match the range of a regular LAW. To get that kind of range the pressure needs to be about 700 psi! Stock the shells will not tolerate this kind of pressure for long but, like with the Nerf, there is a solution as we volition talk virtually…well…now.

Correcting the Shortcomings of the Airsoft M203

Get-go we'll accost the problem with the shell. To sympathise the problem you demand to understand how the shell fires. Below is an animation of the firing and valve reset process of the Mad Bull XM-PB4:

Blitheness of the Mad Bull XM-PB4 Grenade

Now the trouble is that the valve torso (blue) is made of aluminum. The ball bearings (low-cal light-green) are hardened steel. When the valve body slides back it strikes the base of the vanquish base of operations (black). Under high pressures information technology strikes it VERY difficult. Something has to give and in this case it'south not going to be the hardened steel bearings or the thick aluminum shell trunk. Over fourth dimension, the valve body will warp. At very high pressures, such equally say...700+ psi...you'll only get about v to ten shots before this happens. When this happens, y'all will not be able to reset the valve and thus the grenade will non hold an air charge. Obviously this is bad.

Luckily the fix is fairly like shooting fish in a barrel. What nosotros are going to practice is give the valve body something soft and squishy to crash-land upwardly against rather than that nasty, difficult grenade body. This will be our new Grenade Valve Buffer. You'll need a hobby knife and a thick Spyder striker buffer. Now, in that location are two different Spyder striker buffers…a thin one and a thick ane:

You need the thick ane on the right. Now, taking the X-acto pocketknife you are going to "piece" the buffer into thirds. You merely need one of these and so if y'all simply want to cut off one piece that'southward fine too. You want to brand the thickness of these pieces as uniform as possible.

Once you accept that piece cutting we will need to make it fit on the push that fires the grenade (orange in the animation). If yous expect at that button yous'll find that it has kind of an "I" shape to it (if you lot were to stand the button upright, of grade). We desire the new Grenade Valve Buffer to slide hands up and down the body of the "I" simply not exist able to slide over the stops at each end. Using the Ten-acto pocketknife (simply a reamer like a Uni-chip would be much improve here) begin to enlarge the hole in the center of the Grenade Valve Buffer. Enlarge it slowly and keep examination plumbing fixtures it over the push button often until it will slide up and down on the button trunk without having to be forced.

When you have finished and have reassembled the grenade, the Grenade Valve Buffer will sit like in the following images (the buffer is in red):


Mad Bull XM-PB4 prepared to burn with Grenade Valve Buffer in identify (Marked in Ruddy)	Mad Bull XM-PB4 during the firing process with Grenade Valve Buffer in identify (Marked in Cherry-red)

Y'all can even put a lilliputian oil on the button to help the assembly movement smoother.

With that done overcoming the issue with the Nerf rounds is easy. Using black electric record, slowly offset wrapping the trunk of the Vortex round starting at the nose and working your way towards the rear of the "football game" part of the round making sure to overlap the wraps past about an eighth of an inch. While wrapping, you lot are going to want to "shrink" the trunk of the round so that you reduce its outside diameter. When you attain the dorsum of the football department, cut the record and smoothen information technology out over the body of the circular. Test fit the round into the butt of the M203. What you lot want is for the round to hands slide into the barrel but not so loosely that information technology just falls out. It should be snug enough to stay in place but non any more than snug than that. If it is too snug, unwind the tape and start over making sure to compress the round more than earlier. If it is too small, unwrap the tape and start over making certain non to compress the round as much equally before. It is a matter of trial and error only later on you do a few you'll go the hang of it.

Go along the fins on the Nerf circular the way they are. They will exist larger than the barrel so when loading the round give it a little twist to get the fins in the barrel. They volition get in easily and straighten out when the round is fired.

Airsoft M203 vs. the Metadyne Launcher

Equally many take pointed out the Metadyne Launcher is basically an improved version of the airsoft M203. Where equally the airsoft launchers require a shell, make full adaptor, and the modifications we talked virtually above the Metadyne launcher uses the marker'southward air supply to power it eliminating the need for shells. The Nerf rounds are muzzle loaded and the launcher exist reloaded very quickly. It too attaches to a Picatinny rails and weight is similar to the loaded M203. Price is well-nigh the aforementioned as the M203 with shell and fill adaptor too making information technology a very attractive alternative.

There are only ii downsides to the Metadyne launcher. Starting time, you have to change your marker to accept the launcher. You have to run air lines from somewhere on your marker into the launcher. This can require drilling and taping of your receiver and some are non comfortable with making such modifications. This too means that to remove the launcher from the marker requires tools and for the user to plug the air supply feeding the launcher. Anytime you change the air route in your marker you run the take a chance of developing an air leak somewhere around the modification. With the airsoft launchers two pollex screws will remove the launcher from the marker if yous wish to apply your maker without information technology and there are no modifications to the marking itself to mountain the launcher.

The but other outcome I personally have with the Metadyne is looks. Information technology doesn't look as realistic as the airsoft launchers. Because I am a MilSim player this is a large deal to me merely for most this is not that of import. Once more, that's just me.

Conclusion

So yous desire a grenade launcher? They certainly not are for everyone but for the correct person they are a blast...pun intended. There is something very intimidating most them (the outset time yous surrender someone with an M203 attached to your mark be polite and don't bust upwardly laughing at the look on their face up equally they stare down that big barrel) and it's nice to take out 7 or eight players sitting across the style in a building your just took out while keeping them all behind comprehend with your marking. But know that these launchers are virtually addicting in one case you start playing with one every bit they are fun to utilize. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Skilful luck, and remember, information technology is all near having fun.

- Robotech

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