Well L96

[SN1P3RxA55A551N]

Hey guys. I don't post on here much but some of you may know me from the Alabama forum. I actually live in TN but I found the AL one first. This is just a progress report, if you will, of the upgrading of my newly acquired Well L96 (Thanks again Dragon64). Me and Seth T. spent the day modding it as per the guide on ASF. We milled out the cylinder head to increase air-flow, replaced the O-ring on the piston to get a better seal, Teflon taped the cylinder head and the piston screw, and used almost 2 rolls of electrical tape making barrel spacers to cut down on barrel vibrations. We also fixed the issue with the disengaging pin for the bolt handle lock (that one was my fault). I had it all apart just sitting on a table for about a week and forgot to tape the disengaging pin in place. Thus it fell out and rendered the rifle temporarily inoperable. Because every time you lifted the bolt handle, it would lock in that position as usual, but when you sent the bolt home there was no pin to disengage the lock. We just removed the rear block/box and put a couple O-rings between the bolt handle and the block. Then put the screw back in and tightened as usual. It's a little hard to push the handle up now but it's worth it to be shooting again. The O-rings put enough space between the bolt handle and the block that the locking pin doesn't even make contact. Kind of a jerry-rig fix but it works. Next we're gonna do a Duracoat camo job on it, put a spacer on the spring guide to give more spring tension, and fill the stock with expanding foam to further eliminate vibrations. Before all these mods we coke can chronoed it at about 450 fps. I coke can chronoed it again afterwards at nearly 500 fps. and I was able to consistently put bb's through a 2'x2' window at 100 yards. I feel confident I could hit a man sized target at that range and probably more. Next time I make it up to Nashville Airsoft I'm gonna hopefully get it chronoed for real. I'm gonna get a Harris style bipod, Butler Creek scope caps, and a better spring. I'm looking at a new hop bucking and nub, as well as a metal spring guide.

I was wondering, do any of you know of an M24/R700 style stock that'll fit an L96? I'm willing to modify said stock if needed. It's not that I don't like the current stock, far from it! That thing may very well be the most beast gun I've ever seen. But I'd like an M24 stock for Vietnam games or if I just want a change once in awhile. Like I said, I'm ready to cut out mag holes and such to make the barrel/receiver assembly fit but if there's something already out there it'd be great. More updates as well as pics and action shots when the camo job is done.

[Seth T.]

You ain't gonna like the price tag when I tell you what I have up my sleeve, but I'll tell you it's a bit more than a spring, nub, and bucking...

[SN1P3RxA55A551N]

Oh boy. Yeah I think I better start looking for a job more seriously. Going by the list you sent me on FB I'm gonna need me some green.

[Bane]

Ok so it's me, "SN1P3RxA55A551N". I'm "Bane" or some form of Bane on all the other forums but Bane just now became available on here. If a mod would please delete "SN1P3RxA55A551N". If you don't mind that is. Sorry for the confusion but I like being regarded as "Bane" at games.

[vulrath]

I'm glad you got to get your rifle working.

That said, I have a feeling that the "list" that the two of you are talking about contains such items as the PDI hop chamber, metal spring guides and the like. As such, I feel that I should let you know that you can save some green by saving and reusing the cylinder, bolt, and endcap for the bolt. Hell, even the spring guide will last long enough for you to be able to recoup after you get done purchasing some of the more problematic parts (hop up, piston, spring, cylinder head, etc.). I should know, as my own L96 is shooting 550 right now on the stock cylinder.

The cylinder head, unfortunately, is too thick to work in the PDI chamber (at least mine was; if you have easy access to a lathe and the knowledge of how to work it you might be able to fix this). I solved the problem by using a stock Maruzen one that a friend was so kind as to provide in a box of parts that he had left over.

Surprisingly enough, the plastic spring guide was not the first thing to break when I first upgraded it, but the KM Head piston head I had. The spring guide would go on for another several months after I replaced the piston and head with a Laylax Tri-Element piston and Guarder piston head. The only reason why I don't have it any more is because I got rid of the guide rod and replaced it with a solid spring guide made by CA designed for the CA M24.

I also advise against going with all PDI parts for the cylinder. The reason for this is that the PDI piston was designed for use only with the PDI cylinder (it has a diameter smaller than that of the stock piston, and the cylinder heads are different sizes as well, which kills compression and significantly reduces the chances that your piston will catch on the trigger sears). Instead, go with a Laylax like I have, and a Guarder head (Laylax if you can't . The piston is easily one of the most durable parts in my gun, and the piston head was dirt cheap (don't let that fool you; I've got as close to 100% compression that I can get while still taking entropy into account).

With your AEG barrel & bucking combo, I'd go with a Deepfire 550mm barrel and a Guarder bucking. I know people are going to chime in on this and tell you to go with something else, but my rifle is hitting out to at least 250 feet consistently with this exact combo. However, I'd first put the barrel into an AEG (if you have one available) and run about 3-4 300 round hicaps through it to break it in. Do the same if you get a Madbull AEG barrel (the Madbull barrel for the UTG L96/Type 96 (can't remember what they called it) will NOT work with the PDI chamber). Believe me when I say that you will be missing out on some serious accuracy and consistency gains if you don't get a PDI chamber - it's well worth the headache you get from trying to set the damned thing.

I know you didn't come looking for a serious upgrade plan to be laid out for you, but in my time building, rebuilding and tuning my rifle I learned a great many things about it, and I can't sit by and not share what I've discovered about the quirks of these guns, or not tell people the ways that I've found to glean the maximum range possible.

[Bane]

Thanks! Any help at all it very much appreciated. I figure I can get it where I want or at least purty close, for around $200. I spent $100 on the gun itself. That's amazing from what I've heard. I'm gonna buy a Full Metal, Single Stack, 1911 GBB (I'm not gonna say what brand yet because I'm not entirely sure myself) and maybe a cheap AEG.

[vulrath]

Expect to pay a lot more than just $200 on the gun and upgrades. My rifle took over $600 and two years to get where it is (I upgraded it gradually over a two year period so that it wouldn't make too much of a dent on my wallet, and during that time tuned the gun to get the most performance possible), and I still need a Laylax Zero trigger (that 's another $200 right there, when you factor in shipping from Hong Kong).

[Seth T.]

Well the list I sent him was a PDI cut EdGi barrel, a PDI hop-up chamber, a SCS nub, barrel spacers, and I was debating on whether he should use a Firefly hard bucking or a Systema soft at the FPS he's shooting. I thought he should get the accuracy parts first then worry about the FPS/durability upgrades. Do you know what kind of cylinder head would work with the PDI cylinder?

[vulrath]

Laylax, or preferably (though I don't think you'll be able to find one easily) a Maruzen stock one. The problem with the stock one is that it's slightly too thick where the nozzle enters the chamber, so if you know someone that has a metal lathe you can have them turn it and shave it down until it fits. I'd also try it stock since there have been reports of the stock chamber working just fine. EDIT:This is for the PDI hop chamber. Like I said, I wouldn't touch the cylinder since I have yet to break my stock one. The PDI one is designed to work only with the PDI piston.

The Guarder will probably treat you better than the Firefly (most of the reviews that I read about it claim its way over hyped), and cheaper than either the Firefly or the Systema (the Systema, while it works amazingly, is extra soft, so it isn't durable at all, which is bad when you're using it at a high FPS).

Also, what bore are you trying for in the barrel? I'd go 6.03, and since you're going for the custom job I assume you can afford the nicer barrels, so I'd go with a Laylax instead (there was a review I read a while back where they compared a PDI 6.01 barrel with a PDI 6.05 - the 6.05 actually got better groupings than the 6.01). Edgi does great work (I've got a custom gas route connector in my KJW M700 that was custom made by Ben over at Edgi/Polarstar/Satoru, and it is really top notch - I'll be ordering more when I get more magazines prepared for regulated gas), so if you do still go Edgi you won't be disappointed, but it is my belief that you will be more satisfied with a Laylax 6.03.

[Bane]

Thanks again bruv. I seriously need a job. I'm relatively new to all this. Not to airsoft (I've been playing for years just with crappy, $30 AEGs.) but to nice guns. This is the first gun I've ever upgraded or really even taken apart. Most of my guns before this were pieces of shnite, so I just ran em into the ground.

[DRAGON64]

Converting an L96 to fit a VSR-10 stock will be a tall order... I have a stock, and compared it to my UTG, and I just don't rightly know that it would be worth the time and effort...

So here is an option I had considered; Kapowwe airsoft in Texas has the Mauser Spring Rifle in their Boneyard for $50... The well would fit the stock one-to-one, as they are built exactly alike, with the exception of the styling... and then your rifle would be unique:

http://www.kapowwe.com/mauser-boneyard.html

Just a thought

Otherwise, I might part with my VSR-10 clone stock...it came from a WELL MB07.