"Must* Upgrades For ICS-41 M4A1

[Uberg33k]

Total noob to Airsoft just wanna get that out there. lol I purchased the weapon I mentioned in the title. I was just wondering what if any are essential upgrades for it. I do want to add a rail system so I may mount a mono-grip. It came with a "upgrade kit," not sure if it's of good quality.

Also, is dismantling similar to it's original counterpart? I haven't field stripped a a rifle since I was in the service almost 17 years ago but I do still remember the process. I just didn't want to start messing with this because it's obviously not the same thing. Thanks all and great site by the way.

[Rusty Lugnuts]

you should be able to find some disassembly videos on you tube, Ics is a little different than most airsoft m4s

[L473ncy]

First would be to upgrade the player not the gun.

Second, wait until things start breaking or you have an idea of the upgrade path you want to take, no reason to throw money at something when it doesn't need it.

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

First would be to upgrade the player not the gun.

Second, wait until things start breaking or you have an idea of the upgrade path you want to take, no reason to throw money at something when it doesn't need it.

Copy that on the second half of your response. However the first half I'm not crystal clear on? You mean "upgrade the player" as in my experience in the sport? Or was that an insult? Sorry I can't tell. lol

[kalnaren]

Originally Posted by Uberg33k

Copy that on the second half of your response. However the first half I'm not crystal clear on? You mean "upgrade the player" as in my experience in the sport? Or was that an insult? Sorry I can't tell. lol

We have a saying: If you have to ask what to upgrade, you're not ready to upgrade.

Basically until you have an appreciation for how the gun performs stock you're not going to be able to take advantage of an upgraded gun, or know that your deficiencies are in the equipment and not the player.

I assure you he wasn't being insulting.

Some new guys think experienced players are so much better because they run tricked out equipment. I guarantee you if you give any experienced player a stock Tokyo Marui shooting 280 FPS, they'll still outperform new guys by a wide margin.

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by kalnaren

We have a saying: If you have to ask what to upgrade, you're not ready to upgrade.

Basically until you have an appreciation for how the gun performs stock you're not going to be able to take advantage of an upgraded gun, or know that your deficiencies are in the equipment and not the player.

I assure you he wasn't being insulting.

Thanks for the clarification kalnaren. I just wanted to make sure because I bought the weapon and it came with an "upgrade kit" so I was worried that maybe it needed it out of the box. Thanks again.

[HackD]

Originally Posted by Uberg33k

Thanks for the clarification kalnaren. I just wanted to make sure because I bought the weapon and it came with an "upgrade kit" so I was worried that maybe it needed it out of the box. Thanks again.

Bone stock, any ICS should in theory last you for a while. No need for an upgrade kit really, except for the sake of the upgrade kit.

As far as add-ons, I'll mirror what others have said already. Get it out to a few games first - eyeball what others have done that appeals to you ergonomically and aesthetically. If you are so bold as to ask nicely, many players will allow you to pick it up and shoulder it in the safe area to try it out for size/comfort. Airsoft tends to be a great show-and-tell for grown-ups, in that way.

Once you figure out what you want to do, is do some further research, and perhaps some online shopping domestically or from Asia.

Note - before embarking on a mods quest for your ICS - do your research first. For example, the threading (Real steel imperial threading vs TM metric threading) on the receiver for the barrel nut (of most) ICS M4 products does pose some issues for aftermarket RIS/RAS's with a metric barrel nut threading.. not insurmountable, but aggravating. This is one of the issues of owning ICS.

ICS kind of went their own way in some aspects of their M4 airsoft design, including some of the internals, and dimensions.

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by HackD

Bone stock, any ICS should in theory last you for a while. No need for an upgrade kit really, except for the sake of the upgrade kit.

As far as add-ons, I'll mirror what others have said already. Get it out to a few games first - eyeball what others have done that appeals to you ergonomically and aesthetically. If you are so bold as to ask nicely, many players will allow you to pick it up and shoulder it in the safe area to try it out for size/comfort. Airsoft tends to be a great show-and-tell for grown-ups, in that way.

Once you figure out what you want to do, is do some further research, and perhaps some online shopping domestically or from Asia.

Note - before embarking on a mods quest for your ICS - do your research first. For example, the threading (Real steel imperial threading vs TM metric threading) on the receiver for the barrel nut (of most) ICS M4 products does pose some issues for aftermarket RIS/RAS's with a metric barrel nut threading.. not insurmountable, but aggravating. This is one of the issues of owning ICS.

ICS kind of went their own way in some aspects of their M4 airsoft design, including some of the internals, and dimensions.

Thanks for the input. I plan on doing something similar. I'm in no rush.

[L473ncy]

Originally Posted by Uberg33k

Copy that on the second half of your response. However the first half I'm not crystal clear on? You mean "upgrade the player" as in my experience in the sport? Or was that an insult? Sorry I can't tell. lol

When I say upgrade the player not the gun it basically means you could have the best equipment but still be outplayed by more experienced people. Sure it's nice to be on a level playing field but for example a new motorcycle rider on a tricked out GSX-R litre bike could still get his ass handed to him by a semi pro or pro rider on a stock, out of the factory 250cc street bike. That's because the more experienced person is more attuned to their limits and has a better feeling as to how to shave off a couple seconds here and there and by the end of it has made enough time to catch up and beat the more powerful bike.

It's nice to have good stuff but experience will make up for the difference most of the time. Hell, I still run an arguably mid/upper mid end gun and although sometimes I wish I had a few upgrades here and there for better accuracy/range I can still play aggressively and make up for the difference.

Another example; I bought a full Burton snowboard setup back in 06 (it was hella cheap and a great price) but I know that a semi pro rider given entry level stuff could whip my ass in a race or in a freestyle competition.

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

When I say upgrade the player not the gun it basically means you could have the best equipment but still be outplayed by more experienced people. Sure it's nice to be on a level playing field but for example a new motorcycle rider on a tricked out GSX-R litre bike could still get his ass handed to him by a semi pro or pro rider on a stock, out of the factory 250cc street bike. That's because the more experienced person is more attuned to their limits and has a better feeling as to how to shave off a couple seconds here and there and by the end of it has made enough time to catch up and beat the more powerful bike.

It's nice to have good stuff but experience will make up for the difference most of the time. Hell, I still run an arguably mid/upper mid end gun and although sometimes I wish I had a few upgrades here and there for better accuracy/range I can still play aggressively and make up for the difference.

Another example; I bought a full Burton snowboard setup back in 06 (it was hella cheap and a great price) but I know that a semi pro rider given entry level stuff could whip my ass in a race or in a freestyle competition.

I see what you mean, however, I won't be playing a CQB style. I'll be playing on my families land in Meyersberg, over 15 acres, and I'll be playing with my fellow servicemen both current and former. We'll be playing a more open and stealth based game. Some of us served in the same platoon together and we've done this before. Sometimes we don't even fire a shot. lol It's not about the shooting for us it's the stealth, a adult version of hide and seek if you will.

Why go airsoft then you may ask? Simple answer, we're use to using real weapons in combat scenarios. I know it's NOT the real thing but it's close enough for what we do. Hey speaking of Canadian Military weapons; does anyone here know if they make a airsoft version of the FNC? It was the rifle my Father did his BMQ with and he'd love to have it as a collectors item of sorts.

But really, thanks to all whom has responded, I am a noob to this great world you guys have, I apologize for not making it clearer in my original post.

[L473ncy]

Originally Posted by Uberg33k

Hey speaking of Canadian Military weapons; does anyone here know if they make a airsoft version of the FNC? It was the rifle my Father did his BMQ with and he'd love to have it as a collectors item of sorts.

Yes and no....

It's made but not that common so you're not totally likely to see one in Canada (it's mostly AR's and AK's, some MP5's and G36's, not too many G3's and the like). Also it's the standard FN FAL not the CF specific FNC (like the difference between an M16 and a C7). It really depends on how heavy you want to go into creating the specific look.

Off the top of my head I know Classic Army makes one and I believe I saw one when I was thumbing through the King Arms catalogue. I'm sure Tokyo Marui makes one as well but those will be rare as hell.

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

Yes and no....

It's made but not that common so you're not totally likely to see one in Canada (it's mostly AR's and AK's, some MP5's and G36's, not too many G3's and the like). Also it's the standard FN FAL not the CF specific FNC (like the difference between an M16 and a C7). It really depends on how heavy you want to go into creating the specific look.

Off the top of my head I know Classic Army makes one and I believe I saw one when I was thumbing through the King Arms catalogue. I'm sure Tokyo Marui makes one as well but those will be rare as hell.

I figured it would be. Going to look still. If anyone reading this knows of one please let me know.

[Hectic]

If you come out to a good long milsim game most of it will be the "hide n seak" type of thing. I personnaly play the sniper roll most days and rarely fire a shot on those days (unless i screw up lol).
Watch the events section and get out to a game or two with the local guys here in the gta. Alot of the folks we play with are current or retired CF and LE guys and they are a tonne of fun to play with and learn from cause lets face it they should and do know their shit.
As far as upgrading ill also say aside from maybe a beter hop up rubber and maybe an inner barrel there isnt really a need to open up gearboxes and such untill somethin fails and needs replacing and by the time that happens youll have an idea on where if anywhere youd like to improve the gun.
As for the FNC get age verified and gun info such as where to fimd one will come to you easily but we dont share such info till we are sure your an adult ( not that i doubt you are just the lil system our community has in place sort of self policing if you will) but i do know G&G and Star make an FNC aeg not surd if anyone else does.

GandG for your viewing enjoyment lol

[Uberg33k]

Originally Posted by Hectic

If you come out to a good long milsim game most of it will be the "hide n seak" type of thing. I personnaly play the sniper roll most days and rarely fire a shot on those days (unless i screw up lol).
Watch the events section and get out to a game or two with the local guys here in the gta. Alot of the folks we play with are current or retired CF and LE guys and they are a tonne of fun to play with and learn from cause lets face it they should and do know their shit.
As far as upgrading ill also say aside from maybe a beter hop up rubber and maybe an inner barrel there isnt really a need to open up gearboxes and such untill somethin fails and needs replacing and by the time that happens youll have an idea on where if anywhere youd like to improve the gun.
As for the FNC get age verified and gun info such as where to fimd one will come to you easily but we dont share such info till we are sure your an adult ( not that i doubt you are just the lil system our community has in place sort of self policing if you will) but i do know G&G and Star make an FNC aeg not surd if anyone else does.

GandG for your viewing enjoyment lol

Thanks for the info. The version of the FNC I want to find is the mostly wood variant. It's the same one my Father used in the mid eighties. But I would settle for one like the above if it was the only option. As for the playing style I enjoy that slower methodical style of game. When we went on maneuvers at Base Borden, Meaford and Petawawa we'd regularly hold 'games' like that for training purposes. I even remember us hosting joint-force maneuvers with the USMC. Lot's of fun. We're trying to recreate that feeling with our games. Almost all of us are retired Military (God that makes me sound old but I'm really not... old. lol) so we enjoy that type of scenario. One things for certain this site is perfect for an FNG like myself. I've been going through the pages reading up on things. Great stuff boys. Keep up the good work.