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Reviews / WELL MB06 Sniper Review/Custom Build-up
« on: August 07, 2010, 04:16:15 PM »
This is my review and custom build up of a Well MB06 sniper rifle I have been putting together and modifying for a few months. I originally decided to build a springer because of the relative build ease and price of uprgades. I wanted to use whatever rifle I bought as a backyard plinker as well as a deadly sniper paired with my KWA M11A1 in the field. Someone on my team already shoots a type 96, which I have tried but wasn't super impressed by. I wanted more of a scout rifle than a full size sniper platform, so I needed to find something lighter and a bit shorter so I could sling it and still be mobile enough to run around the steep terrain where my team skirmishes. I also wanted a weapon from outside the eastern-bloc as I have built two AKs recently for my main CQB and assault weapons. I wanted something American-looking to fit in with my team's American facade. I was first attracted to this model when I saw the ASGI video for the Echo 1 ASR. After tons of research on mods in the forums and finding out that Well makes the gun Echo 1 uses for the ASR (This gun is sold as the ASR, M187, and MB06 from several different companies, but manufactured originally by Well), I decided on the Well MB06 because I found it for $99 online including the bipod, a basic but functional scope, and shipping. Yay!!
As soon as I got my first look at the Well MB06 rifle I ordered from a site called GQmalls.com, I wanted to paint it. It was three different shades of black with varying finish. It looked quite toyish and ugly, but I saw potential for beaty...after a few creative mods of course! First, I sprayed the gun flat OD green with Krylon camo paint while it was assembled. I then painted a better sniper scope than the stock one and the factory bipod to match, and mounted the OEM scope on another more assault oriented rifle. I plan on giving the whole thing one more quick spray sometime later after disassembly.
After painting it, I decided to complete the external upgrades right away to get that sweet sniper look that attracted me to buy the rifle. I dug out an old rifle sling, and solved the problem of Well forgetting to design the MB06 with a front sling mount by using two very large zip ties strapped to the barrel with the front section of the sling looped under them.This Zip Tie set up looked a bit too jankey for my tastes, so I went forward with another Idea I had which would solve the aethetic problem. I tore some ripped desert MARPAT pants into strips and wrapped my barrel, scope, and hand grip with it to give it a two tone OD and desert MARPAT finish while also hiding my "custom" sling mounts. I got the idea from the rifles used in my favorite sniper movie "Enemy at the Gates". In the movie, snipers use burlap or something to camoflauge thier weapons by wrapping them in it. I used the same principle with awesome results. The new camo exterior blends much better into a desert setting than the wacky black would have. Some people say the MB06 looks fake or ugly, but I love how unique it looks with the LE stock and now it matches my desert loadout.
The MB06 is easy to take apart. Three screws and three bolts are all that need to be removed in order to access the bolt/piston assembly. The internals were lubed way too much, and oil was all over parts that didnt need it I wiped everything clean and lubricated it over again with silicone. I then turned my attention toward the brass cylinder head. The flare on the inside was not very well machined (where the piston compesses air, which flows into the hop up chamber). It was a small cone shape that had quite pronounced edges and didnt seem to be as large or smooth an opening as it should have been. I figured this could be lathed at home to resemble a more rounded shape like that of a velocity stack over a car's intake or like a port job on an auto's cylinder head.
To achieve a better shape, I put a layer of tape on the nozzle end of my cylinder head and inserted it into a cordless drilll being carefull not to tighten the chuck too much. I then used the drill and a series of drill bits like a lathe to open up the cylinder head and promote better performance. I used regular sand paper to round out the edges and get that "velocity stack" shape, and I polished the job with super fine sand paper, a rag, and then a rag with brass cymbal polish on it. I am very pleased with the finished product. I do not expect this mod to change the velocity of my rifle, but the modified shape should help the air in my piston compress better and flow more consistently through the hop system. Fully assembled, the gun still worked, so I do not believe my new "velocity stack" modification hurt anything.
After shooting it, I found out the hop up wasnt working at all, so I took it apart again. This time I removed the hop chamber and found that it was assebled poorly so the ring that adjusts the hop had become unseated and pressed all wonky on the bucking which dented it so there was no getting it to apply correct pressure on the BB. I just researched a bit online and found a new one from Echo 1 for ~$18, shipped--pricey, but i needed it. At this point in the build, with my scope zeroed and using .28s with no hop, I could reach out to About 100 feet with great accuracy; I hit 10/10 torso sized targets with ease (good performance for a $99 package especially). To shoot further than 120 feet, I had to arc my shots because the BBs dropped due to a poor factory assembly of the hop up which resulted in bucking damage, so I ordered a new one from Echo 1. As mentioned previously, they sell this gun as the ASR and also have some replacement parts available as well an upgrade kit ( which I ordered from ASGI...more comments on this later). I also made about fifty foam spacers to match the two thin factory ones supporting the inner barrel and taped them all in place to hold the functional barrel static inside the fake outer one. There is no play in the hop or barrel assembly now.
After installing the new bucking, it still wasn't applying enough hop. I checked the hop assembly one more time and finally found the problem. It was a cracked hop up adjustment arm that would allow the arm to flex instead of apply pressure on the bucking. I decided I had better just replace the whole thing and went to work researching options. I found the PDI hop up unit which allows me to use one of my AK47 AEG barrels since they are the same length. From my previous two AK47 builds, I had a couple extra buckings and 455mm AEG barrels which is the length of the MB06's inner barrel, so I saved a bit of money by just ordering the PDI hop up. I also ordered a threaded silencer adapter and a small silencer I plan to fill with foam to quiet the beast.
Here is a breakdown of my impression concerning the Well MB06 as a Stock gun. The gun is light and the bipod is useful for steadying shots. I love the weight of this sniper rifle. Due to its plastic content and small size, I am able to shoot while standing quite easily, but I feel the stock tube might break if I fell on it. The LE style stock is awesome because it is the perfect length for me when fully extended and not wearing any gear. It can be shortened if I put on my plate carrier or H harness and I will still be able to shoot comfortably. The factory QD bipod is quite compact and a joy to use. I must sometimes tighten its bolts, and I located a mod online to fix the slight factory wobble using a bit of superglue. Now it performs flawlessly and can be removed and stored in a jiffy.The Magazine holds about 30 rounds, and extras cost about $10 (also ordered from ASGI). It has not jammed on me at all, but sometimes needs to be cocked once before the magazine seats all the way into its well properly. I also found if you jam one too many BBs into it, it wont go in at all. Besides those slight quirks, the mag is inserted and removed easily and locks in place securely. The hop up was crap from the factory. It was assembled wrong, which resulted in damage of the bucking and hop arm, so just hope the one you get is better. The Well MB06 is a fixer-upper for sure.With a new bucking, a jerry-rigged factory hop up, and KSC 0.3g BBs, the gun shot very hard, but accuracy at distance over 100 feet was still terrible. I was, however, getting better at arcing the shot to see what potential range could be. At this point in the build, I really wanted to do some more mods to fix the range issues, so I ordered some more parts....
After recieving the Echo 1 ASR upgrade kit, I went straight to work modifying the new aluminum piston like i had seen on the Echo 1 website forum. I wrapped it in cloth, put it in a vice, and used a large drill bit to remove about .5 mm. of material from the inside of the piston. I then used a smaller bit to drill holes evenly spaced throughout the legth of the piston. I also used a tiny drill bit to port the piston head and allow air compression to enter the groove holding the O-ring against the cylinder and baloon it out providing a better seal (Laylax makes a piston with a head like this for the TM type 96). I cleaned everything up with a fine file, super fine grit sandpaper, and an air compressor, cut some holes in the piston head pad to allow air into the ports, and put all the new components into the cylinder. The E1 piston shot about the same as the stock one. I actually thought the stock style piston head got a better seal though, so I ordered the PolarStar 3 element Piston and The Laylax Piston head to see which worked better. (The E1 upgrade kit is still a good value though, even if you only use the spring and guide it is a steal at $30). I decided to also order the APS style Laylax Cylinder head to see if it would quiet the internal operation, since it has a padded internal surface. The post man now decides which upgrades come next, as I had to source them from several different dealers.
The PDI hop up came next. This custom CNC machined hop up unit allows me to use regular AEG barrels in my bolt action sniper. It does not come with a bucking, but it uses regular AEG buckings. I used a Systema black bucking and a 6.03mm AK47 barrel. After testing stock performance, I plan to try out concave and H nubs to see if they help accuracy as they did wonders for my AK projects. This is by far the best upgrade I have purchased for the MB06. The PDI unit has a left and right hop up arm, so you can fine tune the pressure being placed on the BB. I had to weld the included tiny allen wrench to a longer piece of metal stock so I could reach into the magwell and adjust the hop up while the gun was assembled. This is the only issue I have found with the unit. It gives me more accuracy than I expected from an airgun. I am drilling targets at 250 feet!
Along with the new PDI unit, I recieved a type 96 silencer adapter and a small silencer only a few millimeters in diameter larger than the barrel of my MB06. I went to a stereo store in town and got some good sound matting to line the interior with, then, used a bit of pipe foam to finish the job. The sound escaping from the muzzle is now gone. The rifle is a noticeably quieter with the silencer attached. I also found a way to reduce vibration in the bolt/trigger assembly by placing a custom fitted piece of foam inside a hollow space in the body of the gun. It is now louder when standing behind the user due to the fact that most of the noise is centered in the bolt and trigger mechanisms and not projected toward the target. I am pleased with the results of my quieting endeavor, but am looking forward to using the Laylax piston head as it is said to quiet the apparatus even more.
Finally, my Polar Star APS style 3 element piston arrived. The piston is BEAUTIFUL! It is anodized blue aluminum with a steel sear section and two nylon rings, one at each end. This piston is much quieter than both my stock piston and the one included in the E1 upgrade kit. It also delivers a superior air seal. I believe this is due to tighter manufacturing tolerances and the incluusion of the nylon rings, which reduce friction inside the cylinder. The Polar Star APS type piston head gives the best air seal compared to the stock piston head, the Laylax APS type, or the custom modified E1 piston. After all of this work and money, I am finally finished with My sniper rifle build. This build has left me with the feeling that there are no "budget snipers". If you want to build a "budget" springer rifle, expect similar hurdles along the way and a steady drain in cash flow. Generally, you need to spend $$$ for results. Also, you really need to learn EVERY part of the rifle in order to modify and controll them. Consistency is key, so be prepared to test, re-test, and re-re-test in order to quantify results and fine tune your rifle. There are countless "little details" that are left out in an overview/review of this type. These are the real keys to getting the range and accuracy necessary to be a functional airsoft sniper.
Factory problems:
Loose screws/ bipod mount, damaged hop up due to factory assembly error, color/finish is odd, very loud plastic spring guide/piston, not very good OEM scope for sniper--all acceptable, since it only cost $99 shipped.
Custom mods/additions:
OD paint and desert Marpat camo wrap, "custom" sling mounts and 2 pt. sling, 3-9x? zoom red/green illuminated reticle scope, "Velocity stack" cylinder head mod, superglue bipod mod, Echo 1 ASR upgrade kit with Ball bearing steel spring guide, upgrade spring, and aluminum piston, Laylax piston head/Polarstar lightweight piston w/delrin glide rings to replace E1 parts, Laylax padded cylinder head, PDI hop up unit for AEG barrel, 6.03 mm AEG inner barrel.
Optimum ammunition weight:
0.3 to 0.4 gram BBs
Future:
6.01mm. tight bore inner barrel, chrono testing & pictures.
As soon as I got my first look at the Well MB06 rifle I ordered from a site called GQmalls.com, I wanted to paint it. It was three different shades of black with varying finish. It looked quite toyish and ugly, but I saw potential for beaty...after a few creative mods of course! First, I sprayed the gun flat OD green with Krylon camo paint while it was assembled. I then painted a better sniper scope than the stock one and the factory bipod to match, and mounted the OEM scope on another more assault oriented rifle. I plan on giving the whole thing one more quick spray sometime later after disassembly.
After painting it, I decided to complete the external upgrades right away to get that sweet sniper look that attracted me to buy the rifle. I dug out an old rifle sling, and solved the problem of Well forgetting to design the MB06 with a front sling mount by using two very large zip ties strapped to the barrel with the front section of the sling looped under them.This Zip Tie set up looked a bit too jankey for my tastes, so I went forward with another Idea I had which would solve the aethetic problem. I tore some ripped desert MARPAT pants into strips and wrapped my barrel, scope, and hand grip with it to give it a two tone OD and desert MARPAT finish while also hiding my "custom" sling mounts. I got the idea from the rifles used in my favorite sniper movie "Enemy at the Gates". In the movie, snipers use burlap or something to camoflauge thier weapons by wrapping them in it. I used the same principle with awesome results. The new camo exterior blends much better into a desert setting than the wacky black would have. Some people say the MB06 looks fake or ugly, but I love how unique it looks with the LE stock and now it matches my desert loadout.
The MB06 is easy to take apart. Three screws and three bolts are all that need to be removed in order to access the bolt/piston assembly. The internals were lubed way too much, and oil was all over parts that didnt need it I wiped everything clean and lubricated it over again with silicone. I then turned my attention toward the brass cylinder head. The flare on the inside was not very well machined (where the piston compesses air, which flows into the hop up chamber). It was a small cone shape that had quite pronounced edges and didnt seem to be as large or smooth an opening as it should have been. I figured this could be lathed at home to resemble a more rounded shape like that of a velocity stack over a car's intake or like a port job on an auto's cylinder head.
To achieve a better shape, I put a layer of tape on the nozzle end of my cylinder head and inserted it into a cordless drilll being carefull not to tighten the chuck too much. I then used the drill and a series of drill bits like a lathe to open up the cylinder head and promote better performance. I used regular sand paper to round out the edges and get that "velocity stack" shape, and I polished the job with super fine sand paper, a rag, and then a rag with brass cymbal polish on it. I am very pleased with the finished product. I do not expect this mod to change the velocity of my rifle, but the modified shape should help the air in my piston compress better and flow more consistently through the hop system. Fully assembled, the gun still worked, so I do not believe my new "velocity stack" modification hurt anything.
After shooting it, I found out the hop up wasnt working at all, so I took it apart again. This time I removed the hop chamber and found that it was assebled poorly so the ring that adjusts the hop had become unseated and pressed all wonky on the bucking which dented it so there was no getting it to apply correct pressure on the BB. I just researched a bit online and found a new one from Echo 1 for ~$18, shipped--pricey, but i needed it. At this point in the build, with my scope zeroed and using .28s with no hop, I could reach out to About 100 feet with great accuracy; I hit 10/10 torso sized targets with ease (good performance for a $99 package especially). To shoot further than 120 feet, I had to arc my shots because the BBs dropped due to a poor factory assembly of the hop up which resulted in bucking damage, so I ordered a new one from Echo 1. As mentioned previously, they sell this gun as the ASR and also have some replacement parts available as well an upgrade kit ( which I ordered from ASGI...more comments on this later). I also made about fifty foam spacers to match the two thin factory ones supporting the inner barrel and taped them all in place to hold the functional barrel static inside the fake outer one. There is no play in the hop or barrel assembly now.
After installing the new bucking, it still wasn't applying enough hop. I checked the hop assembly one more time and finally found the problem. It was a cracked hop up adjustment arm that would allow the arm to flex instead of apply pressure on the bucking. I decided I had better just replace the whole thing and went to work researching options. I found the PDI hop up unit which allows me to use one of my AK47 AEG barrels since they are the same length. From my previous two AK47 builds, I had a couple extra buckings and 455mm AEG barrels which is the length of the MB06's inner barrel, so I saved a bit of money by just ordering the PDI hop up. I also ordered a threaded silencer adapter and a small silencer I plan to fill with foam to quiet the beast.
Here is a breakdown of my impression concerning the Well MB06 as a Stock gun. The gun is light and the bipod is useful for steadying shots. I love the weight of this sniper rifle. Due to its plastic content and small size, I am able to shoot while standing quite easily, but I feel the stock tube might break if I fell on it. The LE style stock is awesome because it is the perfect length for me when fully extended and not wearing any gear. It can be shortened if I put on my plate carrier or H harness and I will still be able to shoot comfortably. The factory QD bipod is quite compact and a joy to use. I must sometimes tighten its bolts, and I located a mod online to fix the slight factory wobble using a bit of superglue. Now it performs flawlessly and can be removed and stored in a jiffy.The Magazine holds about 30 rounds, and extras cost about $10 (also ordered from ASGI). It has not jammed on me at all, but sometimes needs to be cocked once before the magazine seats all the way into its well properly. I also found if you jam one too many BBs into it, it wont go in at all. Besides those slight quirks, the mag is inserted and removed easily and locks in place securely. The hop up was crap from the factory. It was assembled wrong, which resulted in damage of the bucking and hop arm, so just hope the one you get is better. The Well MB06 is a fixer-upper for sure.With a new bucking, a jerry-rigged factory hop up, and KSC 0.3g BBs, the gun shot very hard, but accuracy at distance over 100 feet was still terrible. I was, however, getting better at arcing the shot to see what potential range could be. At this point in the build, I really wanted to do some more mods to fix the range issues, so I ordered some more parts....
After recieving the Echo 1 ASR upgrade kit, I went straight to work modifying the new aluminum piston like i had seen on the Echo 1 website forum. I wrapped it in cloth, put it in a vice, and used a large drill bit to remove about .5 mm. of material from the inside of the piston. I then used a smaller bit to drill holes evenly spaced throughout the legth of the piston. I also used a tiny drill bit to port the piston head and allow air compression to enter the groove holding the O-ring against the cylinder and baloon it out providing a better seal (Laylax makes a piston with a head like this for the TM type 96). I cleaned everything up with a fine file, super fine grit sandpaper, and an air compressor, cut some holes in the piston head pad to allow air into the ports, and put all the new components into the cylinder. The E1 piston shot about the same as the stock one. I actually thought the stock style piston head got a better seal though, so I ordered the PolarStar 3 element Piston and The Laylax Piston head to see which worked better. (The E1 upgrade kit is still a good value though, even if you only use the spring and guide it is a steal at $30). I decided to also order the APS style Laylax Cylinder head to see if it would quiet the internal operation, since it has a padded internal surface. The post man now decides which upgrades come next, as I had to source them from several different dealers.
The PDI hop up came next. This custom CNC machined hop up unit allows me to use regular AEG barrels in my bolt action sniper. It does not come with a bucking, but it uses regular AEG buckings. I used a Systema black bucking and a 6.03mm AK47 barrel. After testing stock performance, I plan to try out concave and H nubs to see if they help accuracy as they did wonders for my AK projects. This is by far the best upgrade I have purchased for the MB06. The PDI unit has a left and right hop up arm, so you can fine tune the pressure being placed on the BB. I had to weld the included tiny allen wrench to a longer piece of metal stock so I could reach into the magwell and adjust the hop up while the gun was assembled. This is the only issue I have found with the unit. It gives me more accuracy than I expected from an airgun. I am drilling targets at 250 feet!
Along with the new PDI unit, I recieved a type 96 silencer adapter and a small silencer only a few millimeters in diameter larger than the barrel of my MB06. I went to a stereo store in town and got some good sound matting to line the interior with, then, used a bit of pipe foam to finish the job. The sound escaping from the muzzle is now gone. The rifle is a noticeably quieter with the silencer attached. I also found a way to reduce vibration in the bolt/trigger assembly by placing a custom fitted piece of foam inside a hollow space in the body of the gun. It is now louder when standing behind the user due to the fact that most of the noise is centered in the bolt and trigger mechanisms and not projected toward the target. I am pleased with the results of my quieting endeavor, but am looking forward to using the Laylax piston head as it is said to quiet the apparatus even more.
Finally, my Polar Star APS style 3 element piston arrived. The piston is BEAUTIFUL! It is anodized blue aluminum with a steel sear section and two nylon rings, one at each end. This piston is much quieter than both my stock piston and the one included in the E1 upgrade kit. It also delivers a superior air seal. I believe this is due to tighter manufacturing tolerances and the incluusion of the nylon rings, which reduce friction inside the cylinder. The Polar Star APS type piston head gives the best air seal compared to the stock piston head, the Laylax APS type, or the custom modified E1 piston. After all of this work and money, I am finally finished with My sniper rifle build. This build has left me with the feeling that there are no "budget snipers". If you want to build a "budget" springer rifle, expect similar hurdles along the way and a steady drain in cash flow. Generally, you need to spend $$$ for results. Also, you really need to learn EVERY part of the rifle in order to modify and controll them. Consistency is key, so be prepared to test, re-test, and re-re-test in order to quantify results and fine tune your rifle. There are countless "little details" that are left out in an overview/review of this type. These are the real keys to getting the range and accuracy necessary to be a functional airsoft sniper.
Factory problems:
Loose screws/ bipod mount, damaged hop up due to factory assembly error, color/finish is odd, very loud plastic spring guide/piston, not very good OEM scope for sniper--all acceptable, since it only cost $99 shipped.
Custom mods/additions:
OD paint and desert Marpat camo wrap, "custom" sling mounts and 2 pt. sling, 3-9x? zoom red/green illuminated reticle scope, "Velocity stack" cylinder head mod, superglue bipod mod, Echo 1 ASR upgrade kit with Ball bearing steel spring guide, upgrade spring, and aluminum piston, Laylax piston head/Polarstar lightweight piston w/delrin glide rings to replace E1 parts, Laylax padded cylinder head, PDI hop up unit for AEG barrel, 6.03 mm AEG inner barrel.
Optimum ammunition weight:
0.3 to 0.4 gram BBs
Future:
6.01mm. tight bore inner barrel, chrono testing & pictures.