Author Topic: CA M249 PCG Gearbox Failure w/ pics  (Read 1791 times)

Offline Bagger

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CA M249 PCG Gearbox Failure w/ pics
« on: September 03, 2006, 11:13:48 AM »
At the DogSkull op yesterday, the SAW stopped firing during the second round.  The reason was just as suspected, a broken piston.  

I'll happily take comments, suggestions, and requests for more pics(While the gearbox is open).

I took some pics to show the gearbox internals and the damage:

Broken Piston


Tooth wear


Gearbox internals
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Bagger »

Offline GrimUSMC

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« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2006, 11:30:02 AM »
dang you tore that piston up Bagger. So any luck finding a titanium piston for a replacement  ;)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by GrimUSMC »
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Offline Bagger

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« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2006, 11:38:26 AM »
I'm hoping to find it in Super-Unobtainium, but so far it looks like another similar piston.  

I think perhaps the piston is sacrificial to the gearset.  Its probably far less catastrophic to have the piston fail, than have the piston hold up, and the gears between it and the motor fail.

This is just a guess, based on how the gearbox goes together.  everything else is very solid.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Bagger »

Offline GrimUSMC

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« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2006, 11:43:52 AM »
upgrade go systema if they have it might as well huh
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by GrimUSMC »
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Offline Whiskey11

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« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2006, 05:36:28 PM »
Has anyone found an issue with this?  One of my friends back in Nebraska had a similiar failure in his M249 and has just been buying new pistons since.  It seems to strip out every 10000 rounds.  (4 box mags)  Unfortunately for him its started to become an expensive paper weight :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Whiskey11 »

Offline Vince

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« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2006, 05:50:00 PM »
Deep Fire piston. Full tooth.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Vince »


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Offline Airsofter1

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« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2006, 11:58:50 PM »
I had a TOP M249 with a PGC gearbox long ago, and the same thing happened to two of the pistons I ran through it.  The first one was a Systema half teeth model for helical gears.  I had assumed that was the reason it broke that way.  But the replacement one I put in it did the same thing - that was a CA full tooth piston.  Now I believe it to be related to the gearbox not aligning with the hop-up chamber perfectly, which is hard to believe.  Since then though the pistons that I ran through it never failed.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Airsofter1 »