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Olympic Arms ICS M4 A1 Automatic Electric Rifle
Introduction:
The M4 rifle has been around since 1965. It recently evolved
from the M16 Armalite. The airsoft design of the ICS M4 A1 airsoft
rifle is quite realistic in style. It is made with metal parts
wherever possible. In this article, the M4 will be reviewed and
discussed. Specifically, the ICS M4 A1 rifle. Compare to M15,
it is as equally good and affordable. There is something about
the look, the heavy weight, and the feel of this gun that makes
it a serious airsoft kit to have. The ICS M4 A1 is one of the three variations of ICS M4 Automatic Electric Rifles. They are:
But in this article, even though only one model is discussed, they are all very similar. |
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First Impressions: Size is the first noticeable thing about the ICS M4 A1. It is
compact and comfortable to hold. It surprisingly feels smaller
than an MP5. Painted in matte shade of dark gray, the gun is the
contrast of the black colored front sight, fore grip, pistol grip,
and stock. The fore grip is as expected from the dedicated replica.
The finish is similar to the original firearm.
The magazine for the ICS M4 A1 is spot-welded together and the
construction feels durable. It securely clips into place which
is nice. The finish of the ICS hi-cap is not bad. Some prefers
the low capacity ones in place of the hi-caps, however. The Thermold M16 / M4 330 Hi-Cap Magazine can be substituted in place of the ICS ones, as well as the Classic Army / Airsoft Elite M4 Magazine.
Etched on the left-hand side is an Olympic Arms logo in laser.
There is also the trademark and its usual unique serial number.
The ICS M4 A1 controls include a dummy bolt-release and the fire-select
lever to the right of it, which smoothly moves from one position
to another.
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The sight is located on the carry-handle at the rear of the receiver.
It is fully adjustable for windage and elevation. Below the sight
is the charging handle that operates the ejector cover found on
the right hand side of the gun. When this is opened, it reaveals
the hopup mechanism that is hidden behind the fake bolt. The forward-assist
knob is also found on the right hand side of the gun. This releases
the spring tension before storing the gun or opening the receiver.
It is important to note that when opening the receiver, release
the spring tension first since the piston will spring forward,
damaging the tappet plate if not done so.
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The barrel is made strong. The gun can be literally held on by
its muzzle without bending it. The ICS M14 A1 barrel is attached
to the receiver by two pairs of rolled-steel pins that seem to
solidly hold it in together. It is constructed in two separate
parts. Both are joined together at the wider section hidden behind
the fore-grip around the front sight assembly. Both parts are
screwed together by 2 allen screws securing the joint. The instructions
state that this joint has been designed to allow the outer-barrel
length to be altered in order to replicate the different versions
of the original steel guns.
The flash hider is screwed on with a standard 14mm thread allen screw. Behind it is a
chrome washer that covers a spring that is designed to take up the slack when the flash hider or the
Quick Detatch silencer is fitted.
The front sight is made of metal and has and adjustable post typical of Armalite guns. It is
solidly held in place with a pair of rolled-steel pins.
As shown in the image above, the barrel has letterings referring to the original gun's calibre
and barrel rifling. The replica lettering writes "5.56mm NATO 1/7."
Finally, the stock is very solid. It is located at the rear of
the receiver and slides on a metal tube. It is made of a soft
plastic, but can be ensured that it does not crack or snap. The
click-stops are very solid and it has a noticeable amount of play
although it does not feel too loose.
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Shooting: The battery needs to be fitted into the gun before it is able to shoot.
The airsoft battery resides inside the foregrip of the gun like most of the retractable stock versions of the
M4. The placement of the battery of the gun is crucial, especially for those who changes them during the
game. Most players would wrap a good length of black tape around the rear of the foregrip to ensure that
nothing comes loose during a battle.
Slide the hatch open in the top of the hi-capa magazine and fill it with 0.2g BB pellets before
winding. This works flawlessly, better than any experience of the brand new hi-cap for CA MP5.
The iron-made sights of the ICS M4 A1 are a replica of the real-steel
sights and therefore the quality and performance is slightly of
lesser value. There are two alternative sights for ICS M4 A1.
It is an L-shaped metal piece containg a small hole on one end
and a larger hole in the other. The small hole is good for longer
range targets, whereas the larger hole provides a view of the
fore-end of the gun and is good for shorter range. One thing to
note about the longer range sight is that the hole is too small
to allow a suffiecient amount of light through except under a
bright sunlight. However, this can be solved by extending the
stock another notch. Some soldiers improve their Armalite sight
by wedging tiny strips of tape to block out any excess light seeping
through that small hole. Other sights can be placed in the ICS M4's for upgrade purposes. Universal Quick Aim Electronic Dot Sight can be attached to the weaver rails of the rifle.
The mechanical noise of the ICS M4 A1, as with other M4 models,
is tremendous. It shoots fine but the loud whining it makes coming
from the gearbox almost completely obscures the sound of hitting
the target as well as the compressed air exiting the muzzle. The
shots could reach speeds of upto 285-295 fps but it still has
room for some upgrades.
This ICS M4 A1 accurately shoots even though it is slightly lower
than the target. Maximizing the accuracy of the target is done
by adjusting the hop-up to a little bit more than the minimum
adjustment and also adjusting the rear sight.
Accessorizing the gun somewhat helps the performance of this ICS M4 A1 rifle. For instance,
Removing the metal flash hider and replacing it with a quick detach silencer gives a difference in terms
of the muzzle crack. Although this is only good with the semi-auto mode. Also, replacing
the the sight with those found on P90 also makes a difference in terms of aiming. It makes
it more visible where the shot is expected to hit.
The fire-select lever also has flaws for this gun. It seems that
as soon as the lever passes the semi mode, even for a bit, the
gun will start firing in auto-mode. To some, the switch is easier
to move from safe to semi-auto, but not in between semi to full.
This is great in keeping the gun safe, although it can be annoying
during skirmishes when the gun needs to be in fire mode.
In comparison to MP5, its sight is not as good during battles and the fire select can be
annoying although it does give a great presence and it still performs well.
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ICS M4 A1 Technical Parts: The ICS M4 A1 gearbox is
designed to be split having an upper and lower receiver parts.
Both are held together by the rear receiver pin, therefore the
receiver tabs would not have to hold the two halves of the receiver
or the gearbox together. Armalite replicas has had the bad reputation
of having broken receiver tabs. With this split design, the likelihood
of it happening is exacerbated since the initial thought is that
it would place even more stress on the upper receiver tabs as
the spring pressure attempts to force the upper and lower receiver
part. ICS took care of it however by having the rear receiver
pin hold both halves together assuring that internal gearbox frame
will assist with holding the receiver closed. These gear boxes can be replaced by Systema M4 A1 upgrade gearboxes.
The internal wirings are made, having a flexible textile sheath
as opposed to a less durable PVC sheath. They are organized very
well inside. The gears are made with reassuringly hard material
and the various visible mechanichal components seem to be of good
quality as well. The only weak point is that nylon busings are used
rather than metal ones for the standard gearbox.
The gun is easily upgradable. The barrel assembly and the upper
gearbox can be easily replaced before closing the receiver and
replacing the pin which holds the two halves together. Also, the
complete upper-gearbox assembly is reasonably priced therefore
it is recommendable to upgrade the rifle.
Conclusion: ICS M4 A1 is definitely worth purchasing.
With a little bit of upgrading and working the gun to its right
settings, it is considered very powerful and shoots accurately.
Many people highly rated it, and some experts say that this is
one of the most important AEG to be released since Tokyo Marui
first released the FA-MAS over a decade ago.
So, purchase this ICS M4 A1 if not already done so. It is a fantastic
rifle and worth considering. They are available at AirSplat:
Also check out our other special offers.
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