Evening everyone, firstly if this doesn't deserve it's own topic then please merge with the K98 topic.
I'm starting to build a K98 springer using a Dboys 98 and a ACM vsr. Now the object of this is to produce a low cost effective rifle I can use for skirmishing and general showing off 
Lets begin
The Guns
The K98. Bought second hand for £55 at my local site. It's full wood and as per usual internally terrible!
This will be fully stripped (obviously) and the stock re stained and oiled. the metal work will get the same treatment as my MP40 build.
The donor gun. An ACM VSR "clone" most likely a well MB03 if google is anything to go by. Bought from RSOV Chrono'd at a healthy 465fps!
http://www.rsov.com/new/product.php?langId=1¤cyId=4&manufacturerId=10&prodId=12374&cateId=61
and side by side
Stripping and tuning the Internals
First things first separate the stock and action. This is the bit you need.
Now this is where this build got interesting... This supposed VSR clone was a little different. The mag catch was part of the hop block and NOT part of the stock. Perfect for my conversion as I've heard that cutting the VSR catch is a bugger 
This however was the the only positive variation on the VSR platform. It gets worse.... The cylinder had been sanded to taper it. I assume it was a fit issue.
Opening the cylinder reveled a Type 96/VSR hybrid piston, plastic spring guide and a tapered (and slightly rough cut) cylinder head.
First things first, get some meths and clean the whole assembly down, Th grease looks to be good quality silicone grease but I always do this as part of a build. Then take a small o ring and fit it in the grove on the front of the piston cup push it down so it spreads out the cup lips slightly. Super glue in place.
Next I like to bore out the nozzle a little. Clamp the head in a vice and find a drill bit that just fits in the nozzle then take the next size one up and carefully drill thru the hole. I don't like to go more than 5mm i this case I bored it out 3.5mm to 4.5mm. If you want now is a good time to polish the taper on the cylinder head. Then wrap PTFE (teflon) tape around the cylinder head threads. Make sure you wrap anti clock wise to stop it from un winding when screwing in. Lightly grease the piston cup and internal walls of the cylinder. I use Molycoat silicone grease. Sorry chaps but no photo for this stage. I'll look into getting one tomorrow for the sake of the guide.
Next stage will be the Hop Unit and the horror story it contains... That'll have wait for now as I'm off to bed. Watch this space 
Thanks
Dave
Arrgh! After I saw your awesome MP40 build I had to go and get one myself and it looks like you're going to be writing another amazing guide here! I'll be watching this topic with great interest.........
Until I cave and buy a K98 too 
I have also bought the acm vsr clone for the same project next winter, the mag release is indeed attached so will watch this project with lots of interest! also looking into the mag well the cylinder has also been sanded to a taper as well 
also the mag I got with it doesnt click in properly, theres been a lot of plastic filed off the back of it 
I may need to get a few better mags before I open the the mag well on the K98 
unsure what the stock fps is as I havent had a chance to get it on a crono yet, although I have an element M145st spring sitting spare, our site limit is only 500fps and I have a feeling this will take it over the limit, dont really want to spend too much money upgrading it either as I would rather go for accuracy than power so your next instalment on the hop-up should be interesting! 
Morning everyone. Sorry for the wait but Christmas and Lewis guns have eaten all my spare time
The Hop Unit
This is the Hop unit.
It is a vsr style hop unit. I've not got a VSR hop to hand so can't do a side by side sorry.
And the top showing the adjuster
All looks good until you open it. This is the bit that ruined my day...
2 PIECE BARREL! 
Not only a 2 piece barrel BUT a non standard hop, solid bar type adjuster AND non standard barrel lugs in the hop unit! By standard I mean VSR or AEG type. Oh goody 
I'd LOVE to find the guy responsible for inventing the 2 piece barrel and punch him in the trousers. It's just silly. Stop it
This ALL has to be changed if I'm gonna be happy with the final result. Best I could come up with (without changing the Hop for a VSR) was a combo of modified VSR Rubber and AK length (~455mm) AEG barrel. I'll show you how, first up is the hop rubber...
Take a VSR type rubber and trim off the ridge on the barrel end. Before (left) and after (right)
Next, remove the rib one the side of the rubber. Sharp side cutters work well Before (right) and after (left)
Now your gonna need to trim down the barrel locking lugs in the hop unit. They act the same way as a c clip does in a normal AEG. The original barrel had a radial cut out. AEG barrels have two cut outs at the 3 and 9 o'clock position.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS NEXT STAGE IS MAKING SURE YOU HOP UNIT AND NEW BARREL ARE PERFECTLY ALIGNED!
Take a dremel with grinding disk (or hand file if you don't have a dremel) and firstly grind the lug down so it's the same width as the new barrel grooves. The You'll need to flatten back the bit of metal you have left so it's flat. NOT remove it but make it straight and level. This will take some time and testing to get it to fit with the barrel. Don't cut too much in one go and test fit regularly. Make sure the groove at the bottom of the barrel lines up with the join line on the unit, this is a good indicator your doing it right
Before (right) and after (left)
Once both sides are done and your happy with the fit. Put the hop rubber on your barrel and test assemble the hop unit.
My modified unit
Wrap a few layers of PTFE tape around the rubber for an improved seal. Make sure you do the whole length of rubber, Reason being the clone nozzle is narrower than the VSR one and the rubber needs compressing slightly to improve seal
At this point I suggest a quick re build and test fire. When you rebuild the hop you'll notice the hop arm doesn't quite line up with the hop window on the new barrel. Don't worry that part comes in the next update If you used an AK length barrel you'll notice it sticks out the end by an inch or so. Don't worry about it. It'll all go in the K98 just fine
A good way to test compression is put you finger over the end of the barrel and cock the EMPTY rifle and fire. A good seal will slow or even stop the piston towards the end of it's travel. Alternatively use a chronograph and look for FPS increase and shot to shot variation.
My rifle went from 465fps out of the box to 445fps with 7fps variation after 200 rounds in stock configuration. To 498fps with 2fps variation after the build. Not too shabby
Next part will be up soon. I'll tackle the hop arm and trigger unit. I'd like to say at this point if your not a confident modder and IF you can get a BAR 10 instead do it. If I had to pay for the extra parts I'm fitting this way would have been more expensive. Plus it'd be nice to be 100% vsr compatible.
Saying that if the accuracy is comparable with a VSR and the power stays where it is I'd be a lot cheaper than a upgraded VSR. Only time will tell.....
Cheers
Dave
After seeing the problems with the VSR hop Im wondering if I could use a Well L96 sniper rifle as a donor instead???
After seeing the problems with the VSR hop Im wondering if I could use a Well L96 sniper rifle as a donor instead???
I'd stongly advise going with a JG BAR10. Decent quality and power out the box and most importantly 100% TM VSR compatible!
Yes they cost a little bit more but why go to all the effort of building a custom rifle if the internals are just going to break after a couple of skirmishes and then you can't get the parts to fix it.
I've put well over 3000 rounds though my custom Bar98k which is running at 495fps and the only thing I've just recently had to replace is the piston sear!
The old adage is true here; "buy cheap, buy twice!"
“I wanted to come to the Volga at a specific location at a specific city. By chance it carries the name of Stalin himself. So don’t think I marched there for this reason – it could carry another name – but because there is a very important goal... this goal I wanted to take – and you know – we are very modest, we have it already."
Adolf Hitler, November 1942
"Comrades, Red Army men, commanders and political workers, men and women guerrillas! It is on your perseverance, staunchness, fighting skill and readiness to discharge your duty to the country that the defeat of the German-fascist army and the liberation of the Soviet land from the Hitlerite invaders depend! We can and must clear the Soviet land of Hitlerite vermin."
Joseph Stalin, November 1942
already have an L96 spare I picked up for £30, 
cant really buy anything too big as its a bugger to sneak into the house! 
Dope the wife?
Given the multiple problems I've encountered whilst building this rifle it's best not to complete the guide. The Well rifle is a poorly made rifle and isn't really worth using. Saying that I have completed the rifle and skirmished it. It performed well but has a few mechanical problems. Firstly the rear of the bolt seems determined to separate itself from the cylinder. The crimping method used by well is lacking to say the least. 2 small grub screws are holding it in place for now but I'd not like to wager for how long. Secondly the small catch that stops you from pulling the trigger with the bolt back became faulty. This has had to be removed just to get it to work! Also the fact that it's not a true VSR clone makes upgrading hard.
I'll post pics of the finished rifle when I get some good light.
Thanks
Dave
