I started this thread over on the RPF. I figure I should post it here as well. This is the Matrix PR that I got last week. I'll be doing several mods to it over time. Follow along as I work on it. This is the third PR I've had. My first was the original G&P kit on a TM Thompson. Next was a Matsu resin shroud, GL on a Cyma Thompson. Here we go.

So I charged the included battery and took her out in the backyard to wreak some havoc on a tin can to see what it can do. Not to shabby. This is about 20-25 feet. Results below.


And then my gun exploded!


Time to lay down some paint! Anyone who has spay painted a lot or a large piece knows what it can do to your finger. I picked up this little gadget for $2.50. Wow, what a finger savor! Highly recommended.


So, everything was shot with Rustoleum Camo Flat Black. The GL will get a rub of silver Rub-N-Buff for highlights. Then a clear coat to seal it. The clear will darken it a bit as well.


The shrouds also got a coat of flat black. Why? Ever try to paint something that's green with green?


Then the shrouds got a nice coat of Rustoleum Camo Green. These will also be sealed with a clear flat coat. Everything is a bit darker in person. Outside light kinda washed it all out.


The barrel got a lick of Tamiya Satin Black. It will be a nice contrast. The SPAS pump handle was left unpainted. Another black contrast. Plus, no paint will rub off from repeated use. M40 grenade looks real nice sittin in there! Hot glued in and fits perfect. Loading ramp was painted with Tamiya Gun Metal.





I re-assembled the gun last night just to make sure I knew how it went back together. I did so without those pesky roll pins. I'm positive now that is why the rear of the shroud is cracking on many guns. There's not much plastic there above that one pin. Surprisingly, the gun is still pretty darn solid. Once I finish all my mods I may leave them out altogether.

The Matrix PR comes with a 6 cell 8.4v battery. For a higher rate of fire you can put in a 7 cell 9.6v battery. The battery is kept from sliding around by this little tab.



A 7 cell will fit, but it's a very, very tight fit. So much so I was afraid of damaging the battery or the wires. So I removed the tab. This opens up much more room for a 7 cell pack to fit in. I added a piece of foam from a used up nail file. The kind with a different grit on each side and edges, the fat ones. This was hot glued in place. Now, my 7 cell pack fits with a lot more room.



No more crushed and squished wires!



By relocating the fuse, you could even fit an 8 cell 10.8v battery, possibly an 11.1v.
I also want to relocate the on/off switch for the counter. I don't want to have to take the mag base off each time. Looking for a suitable location...

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I too took the roll pins out after the first time of taking it apart. They are simply not needed as there is plenty enough holding the two halves together. Makes taking it apart now 100% easier

Nice work, I really need to spray mine, that looks much better.



Damn I wish I'd known this - I've taken it apart 4 times now and there are places in the seems that show obvious damage from having prised it apart repeatedly. Those pins are a massive pain in the arse.

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Si vis pacem, para bellum
SFC Steve "Fireball" Parsons - A08/TQ1.0.52150E1
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homers Heroes

Live and learn . Took me two goes at pulling it apart before thinking 'hang oh'. The plastic is pretty soft so you'll probably get some churning from the screwdriver, especially at the back where you've got two pins right next to each other. Nothing a file and a bit of filler can't fix though.

While you've got it apart i suggest sticking an M100 spring and a new hop rubber in too. Makes a HELL of a difference

Agreed - get that puppy upgraded

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Si vis pacem, para bellum
SFC Steve "Fireball" Parsons - A08/TQ1.0.52150E1
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homers Heroes

Thanks guys. Hmm, will have to look into this spring and hop up rubber. Yeah, I took the pins out on my first crack open of the gun. Plus, if you repaint it, shoot around the edges on the backside of each afround. The covers the plastic pins and their holes so you get a tight fit with those. Metal roll pins= not needed.

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Just make sure you get it speed tested after upgrading it - I put a Madbull M100 in mine with a new spring guide and piston and got 380fps!! Not good. Had I turned up on the day to the site I play at with that it'd have been condemned and I'd have been left with a pistol all day

Different makes of M100/M90/etc, combined with other upgrades will give you different results, it's not an exact science sadly, plenty of trial and error needed (and access to a chrono!).

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Si vis pacem, para bellum
SFC Steve "Fireball" Parsons - A08/TQ1.0.52150E1
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homers Heroes

Thanks for the info. I don't play in any games, it's just for shooting in the backyard

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if its not for skirmishing then leave it as-is mate

But, but....more power! Seriously though, this will probably not get shot very much. I did get my Matrix Tracer Unit today. I will have the tip of the barrel machined down to fit the adapter tomorrow. I used to have a TM TU on my ICS M4 and loved it. Never seen a PR with a Tracer Unit. Although, a friend on the RPF is modding the same gun with a HUTU mod that looks killer.

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Well, what the Heck?!?




Oh, O.K. maybe this thing fits on there.......




It does! So that means I can put this on it! A Matrix Tracer Unit!!

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CURSE YOU! Here I was all happy with my PVC 'silencer', then you go showing off how you put a Tracer Unit on your PR AEG...

Wealp, I know what my next mod will be (I do regularly airsoft). What kind of adapter did you use?

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"I'm just an old city cowboy trying not to fall out of his saddle."

Um, thanks, I think! LoL

I have not been able to fire it yet. The stock battery just took a crap on me and the charger is at work. I can't find my good charger to charge my 9.6v. It's in storage somewhere.

The adapter I got from Evike. It was made for an M9 pistol. With the price of the Marui clone Matrix Tracer being only $50 the gears started turning. I had the machine shop at work turn the barrel down for me. The adapter is held in place by three set screws. I had considered JB Welding it on for extra stability. It seems very sturdy as is so I may just leave it.
http://www.evike.com/product_info.php?c ... s_id=35224

I say get rid of the PVC pipe and do a set up like this.

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Devil-side: 1, Angel-side: 0. Hard part for me will be turning the barrel down. I do not currently have access to such equipment but I really like how flush the adapter sits on yours.

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"I'm just an old city cowboy trying not to fall out of his saddle."

Thankfully I work in a factory that has a small machine shop. I can usually get small things like this done for free and a quick turnaround. The adapter is just a hair smaller in outer diameter than the barrel itself. It's so close, but there is a small step down from the barrel to the adapter. I can live with it. If only they could do some M40's for me!!!
I can't wait to try this out tonight! I'll order a new charger this weekend so I can charge my 9.6v pack.

I'm sending you a PM.

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O.K. time for another update. Today I relocated the counter's on/off switch. Why? Just because I hated taking the mag base off to turn it on. It is now a lot quicker for me to turn it on and run around the house yelling "Pwew Pwew" as I take on a new bug hunt....

Um yeah, O.K. here we go. First I removed the counter module from the shroud. I had wanted to move it just below the ejection port of the Thompson along that thin bar of the shroud. Unfortunately, there is not enough room as the Thompsons receiver fills that area pretty well. I decided on a different location. I lengthened the wires, soldered and heat shrinked the connections.

Click on all pics for full size image.



I decided to move the switch to back, inside area of the shroud. There is plenty of empty space here for the switch and wires.



Switch in position and holes drilled and screwed in. The switch fits flush so the other shroud will fit with no issues.



Switch wired up and tested. Had a bit of a scare as I wired the red wires backwards! A bit of smoke from one of the red wires and I immediately pulled the battery. Flipped the wires and thankfully everything still works! If you do this make sure you label your wires before cutting and soldering back to the switch.



Shroud back in place and buttoned up. I'm going to round the edges of the switch so it isn't so sharp.



Here you can see the new tinted counter window. Again, it was made from the T-Top from the Aoshima Knightrider model kit.



Another shot of the switch. I'm going to paint it and the screws O.D. to hide a bit better.



And last a full body shot!

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That looks sweet. How did you manage to get the shotgun shell out?

Once you've split the grenade/shotgun case in half, the faux shotgun shell is just glued onto a tab.

comes off pretty easy.

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You don't have to be pitilessly sadistic to work here.... But it helps.
http://www.chefs-creations.co.uk/shop/index.php/colonial-marine

http://www.kgbairsoft.com/wordpress

Cool, I'll try and pry it off.

Thanks!

If you pry off the gold base, which comes off pretty easy, you can stick a screwdriver inside the shell for more leverage. My shell was glued on really well. The gold base came off first.

A couple of shots of the data card I made. Printed on paper, stuck to a piece of adhesive backed plastic, and stuck to the gun.

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Nice! I really like the detail of the serialized plate. I've been toying with that idea too but I couldn't come up with anything I thought was appropriate. Good work!

Charlie

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"There is a clause in the contract which specifically states any systematized transmission indicating a possible intelligent origin must be investigated. On penalty of total forfeiture of shares. No money."

Thanks! If you want, PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy. You can change stuff around in it to suit you. It's just an Excel file. For that matter if anyone wants a copy just PM me.

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LOL. As soon as you said Excel, I realized how you made it. VERY inventive. I'll play around with Excel and photoshop, see what I can come up with.

Charlie

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"There is a clause in the contract which specifically states any systematized transmission indicating a possible intelligent origin must be investigated. On penalty of total forfeiture of shares. No money."

Any pics of that?

The G&P version had barely any glue holding the shell on mine, so it'd fallen off before I assembled it, as seen here during my build guide:

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

PVB, I didn't get a pic of that, but mine is exactly the same as your pic. The only difference was mine had a lot more super glue slopped on.

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