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Thread: Now showing! CF mag body!

  1. #1
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    Now showing! CF mag body!

    I've had this idea rolling around since before SPE where I showed off an almost complete prototype. Since then I've milled the sear slot and on/off hole in the CF tube and have test cycled it about 1000 times with no problems (except the occasional chuff from my trigger finger getting tired).

    I wanted to see what the interest may be in a Carbon Fiber mag body. Well, it has an aluminum breech and a CF tube attached. The prototype breech was from a ULE body that Shane-O unknowingly donated and some sample CF tube I purchased from a supplier. Right now the tube is has just a slight interference fit with the breech so its easy to take apart and clean. That may change in the final version, but for now the slip-fit seems to be working nicely.

    Anyway, below are some pics of the prototype as I tested it and some shots of the body itself. Below that are some screenshots of a breech design I've been working on. If you have any input on the design that'd be great. I am also considering designing up a rail to match the body, but that has yet to be seen. If there's enough interested I'd definitely like to do a run of these bodies. Since there's less machining involved than a usual billet aluminum mag body, the price will probably be slightly lower, but I don't have any specifics at the moment. I'm kind of leery to do a pre-order as those usually turn out long over-schedule, but if I get a solid quote and lead time from my machinist for the bodies, it may be safest for all involved. Oh, also the tube is available in textured gloss or satin sanded (pictured) finish. I thought the sanded satin finish would go nicely with a dusted breech section.

    Let me know what you think!













    The only thing that may concern me is the wear on the inside of the CF tube from the stainless steel bolt sliding against it. The pic shows the internal finish on the tube. Most of the scratches were there when I got the tube in the mail. I attributed this to the manufacturing process of the tube when they slid it off the mandrel. For the prototype I put some light lubricating oil all around the inside of the tube and a thin coat on the bolt before I proceeded with testing. After about 1000 cycles the tube didn't show any significant signs of wear. I know 1000 cycles is a drop in the bucket, so I'll probably need someone with pneumag or RT guts to cycle a scuba tank worth of air through it so we can get a better idea. The good thing about the modular design is that the CF tube is easily replaceable if it does wear out prematurely. And the tube is relatively inexpensive for short sections like is used here.





    Here's the breech design I had in mind. The computed weight (theoretical) puts it at lighter than a ULE body (I forget by how much). The prototype body pictured above is 105.5g (3.73 oz) with the feedneck and detent installed and 72.3g (2.55 oz) with the feedneck removed. This design will be slightly lighter than that because of the material removal around the feedneck. I may increase the amount of material there for strength reasons, but thats the overall design flow I wanted to go with - simple yet aesthetically pleasing. Right now I have it designed for 'Cocker barrel threads, Angel feed necks and Angel detents.



    And a cross-section view:



    Thats all for now and please let me know what you all think. I'd love to do some more projects for the AGD community.

  2. #2
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    That's a pretty good idea. But having the back part of the body CF would give the marker a 3-tone look. I am not sure that it would flow very well. But if you were to use other CF parts on (e.g., carbon foregrip, carbon barrel), that may blend in well.

  3. #3
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    True, also if I were using an X-valve it would look better too as the valve would match the breech and the CF would provide the only tone difference. I think it is possibly to "overkill" on the CF components, like if you had a CF barrel and foregrip combined with the body, it might be a little much. Also the tube could be painted, but that doesn't show off the CF goodness.

  4. #4
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    I like it!!!

    I think it'd look sweet on an all gloss black gun with a CF body, foregrip, barrel, grip panels. NOT the CLEAR ones with CF sticker on them!!!

    But I think the offset of the color would go nicely!!!

    I doubt I'd buy one right now though as I think 12 mags is enough. But I could be pushed easily enough.

    DM

  5. #5
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    warped you make verry good stuff.

  6. #6
    He's the shizz aint he!

    I have a X-valved mag on loan to shoot a bunch of shots on. I truely beleive that there wont be any wear from the bolt, It should ride on the power tube, and not inside the body. Guess I will have to go to the field and hook it up to a bulk air tank and go to town on the trigger.....
    I have nothing good to put here...........



  7. #7
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    Nice!

    Is a composite rail a possibility? It's a lot of cutting, but at least there's no threads. If you had some stock that didn't need the sides machined it would bring that body tube look forward and be really ULE. I know you can do rails...

    With no dove tail on the sides and crisp edge, the pattern would blend right in.

  8. #8
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    Very nice work, I agree that a black valve would balance the colors better but I like it either way.

  9. #9
    I want one now. It looks awesome!

  10. #10
    I like it, and you could even make a special elongated CF tube so that Classic RTs can finally have a ULE body... And it wouldn't look that different from the stock RT body if you cut the angle right.

    Ah, i'm still dreamin haha.

    Any clue on a projected price, like under 100 maybe? (just hoping against hope). Or under the price of a ULE body?
    Last edited by snoopay700; 09-17-2008 at 03:13 PM.

  11. #11
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    I'd like one depending on the cost and how much cash flow I have at the time. Looks awesome!

  12. #12
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    Very nice. I think it would be even sweeter if the sleeve stepped up and continued back over the vlave as well.

    And any reason the front area couldnt be cd as well? Looks like only the frame screw/feedneck area would need to be alum.

  13. #13
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    Haven't really come up with a price yet - I'd have to finish the design, get a quote from my machinist and figure up how much the CF tube is going to cost and the time and tooling it'll take to machine it. I was thinking somewhere closely above a ULE body though.

    A CF rail might be a possibility, but its not really something that I'd want to pursue. A piece of solid stock that big would be pretty costly and the wear on the tooling would be atrocious (results in high price). Honestly if you do an aluminum rail correctly, there's not a lot of weight there. A lot can be safely removed. Same kind of goes with the breech section. There's too much machining to be done for me to feel comfortable doing it out of CF. Plus I think its one of the unique things that makes the design nice - put CF where its easily doable and use aluminum where its necessary.

    Let me crunch some more numbers and see if I can come up with a rough cost. But for the time being if we say "a little above a ULE body" as far as cost, how many people would be interested in it?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Warwitch
    Very nice. I think it would be even sweeter if the sleeve stepped up and continued back over the vlave as well.

    And any reason the front area couldnt be cd as well? Looks like only the frame screw/feedneck area would need to be alum.
    For a twistlock body that would work. For threaded barrels I do like the design he has there. Looks expensive for a front end, but I like it.

    If not a CF rail, how about a G-10 rail?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by warpedmephisto
    But for the time being if we say "a little above a ULE body" as far as cost, how many people would be interested in it?
    Would that be with the 'swoop' front end?

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by warpedmephisto
    Haven't really come up with a price yet - I'd have to finish the design, get a quote from my machinist and figure up how much the CF tube is going to cost and the time and tooling it'll take to machine it. I was thinking somewhere closely above a ULE body though.

    A CF rail might be a possibility, but its not really something that I'd want to pursue. A piece of solid stock that big would be pretty costly and the wear on the tooling would be atrocious (results in high price). Honestly if you do an aluminum rail correctly, there's not a lot of weight there. A lot can be safely removed. Same kind of goes with the breech section. There's too much machining to be done for me to feel comfortable doing it out of CF. Plus I think its one of the unique things that makes the design nice - put CF where its easily doable and use aluminum where its necessary.

    Let me crunch some more numbers and see if I can come up with a rough cost. But for the time being if we say "a little above a ULE body" as far as cost, how many people would be interested in it?
    Hey, if i could con you into doing a classic RT version i would be more than happy to pay that price.

  17. #17
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    Correct, that'd be for one like in the screen shot pictures.

    I'm still looking up information on Garolite, but I'm mostly swaying towards an aluminum rail.

    What all is involved with an RT body? Just a longer tube section?

  18. #18
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    1 here

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by warpedmephisto
    Correct, that'd be for one like in the screen shot pictures.

    I'm still looking up information on Garolite, but I'm mostly swaying towards an aluminum rail.

    What all is involved with an RT body? Just a longer tube section?

    pretty much just that, a longer tube with the channel cut in the back end for the retention pin.

  20. #20
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    1 for me.

    *sigh* probably means a whole other mag...

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by warpedmephisto
    Correct, that'd be for one like in the screen shot pictures.

    I'm still looking up information on Garolite, but I'm mostly swaying towards an aluminum rail.

    What all is involved with an RT body? Just a longer tube section?
    Longer tube section, cut on an angle so the top is longer if you wish, and there is a banjo bolt hole instead of the smaller field strip screw hole. I'd have to get you measurements which i can't right now, but atech's thread might help you get the idea.
    https://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?t=234333 in there you can see what i mean by the slant, i just say that cause it looks cooler, but with your body it might be better to just end at the RT symbol for looks.

    Here's how the full RT body looks:
    https://www.automags.org/forums/showt...17#post2565617

  22. #22
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    Gotcha. Doesn't look like it'd be a problem. Straight cuts are a lot easier to do than angled ones, but I'll have to see what I can do. I think someone here locally has an RT I can take measurements from - if now I'll probably hit up one of you guys here to help me out with it.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by warpedmephisto
    Gotcha. Doesn't look like it'd be a problem. Straight cuts are a lot easier to do than angled ones, but I'll have to see what I can do. I think someone here locally has an RT I can take measurements from - if now I'll probably hit up one of you guys here to help me out with it.
    Ok, sounds good, and yeah like i said, i think the angled cut would look nice, but it's by no means necessary because i know how hard those can be on tubes, especially when you need on side to be the top for sure, plus with the front end you have a flat back might look better.

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by snoopay700
    Ok, sounds good, and yeah like i said, i think the angled cut would look nice, but it's by no means necessary because i know how hard those can be on tubes, especially when you need on side to be the top for sure, plus with the front end you have a flat back might look better.
    A CF vert feed RT classic body with cocker barrel threads. That would be something.

  25. #25
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    i think it looks good.

    with a carbon fiber rail, and the DW Forgrip and a DW Fibur. this would look amazing. that and a x-valve.

    ever think of the colored carbon fiber like on other after market brands?
    t33kyboy "So if a cat is dropped from 11 inches, it will most likely die."

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Spider-TW
    A CF vert feed RT classic body with cocker barrel threads. That would be something.
    Hell yeah it would, i would be thrilled, and it would be safer than making a collar cause the z cut in the body would actually stop the valve.

  27. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by snoopay700
    Hell yeah it would, i would be thrilled, and it would be safer than making a collar cause the z cut in the body would actually stop the valve.
    that cut is in the rail

  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by trevorjk
    that cut is in the rail
    Au contrare my dear friend, it is in the body. Note i was talking about the classic RT.

  29. #29
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    I like it alot. very interesting & new idea. Keep up the work. I would also possibly be interested in classic rt length one. But it all depends on timing & cost.

  30. #30
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    I WANT! I WANT! I WANT! I'll even take two if i have the money.

    -Mntlhazrd-

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