Armada Prime

[need4reebs]

liking how ya cut tha ULE body instead of just a straight cut! do you like this build better than your first Armada Build that had tha RPG parts on it?

[ElPanda]

yeah I just kind of worked with the body I had, honestly if I had a pariah I would like it a little more

but I think it looks good like this, having all the carbon fiber on there at least matches

[need4reebs]

yeah I just kind of worked with the body I had, honestly if I had a pariah I would like it a little more

but I think it looks good like this, having all the carbon fiber on there at least matches

hells yeah...that looks great as is!! ill still keep an eye out for another Pariah body for ya!

[Flatliner333]

Ok that's it TBaggin, Elpanda I can't take it anymore I must...get...one of these UL frames for myself. Out of all the non AGD frames to use on a Mag these are by far the sexiest. And I love all the carbon fiber great job man.

[Chronobreak]

very nice!

please get a CCM fitting for the valve, it will complete the setup.

[ElPanda]

Armada Prime: 840g/1.85lb (inc Barrel,Feed,ASA)

For comparison:

Eclipse LV1: 936g/2.06lb (inc Barrel,Battery,Feed,POPS)
Eclipse GEO3: 854g/1.88lb (inc Barrel,Battery,Feed,POPS)

thanks to ben for the info

[Mercenario]

Now we just tackle efficiency and the 2 biggest mag gripes will be gone

[Laku]

That gun is just so pretty.

[mpsd]

This marker is awesome. The only thing I'd add to it would be an e-pneu kit to that trigger. That frame cryes for it, I think.

[keiko_819]

Great looking mag...that rail matches up perfectly to that deadlywind foregrip. Nice job

[Dark Side]

Wow.

[Fred]

Will you share whats involved in getting that frame to work as a mech? Looks fantastic!

[ElPanda]

I believe there was a tutorial thread somewhere on here I made a long time ago when I did this before but it was quite a while ago so Ill explain

- the pm5 UL frame is the best choice because it is shortest from front to back out of all the "available" UL frames, and the frame screw holes come very close to matching right out of the box, also it is flat on top already (most other UL frames are curved to match DM/PM marker curves. However PM5 UL frames are not easy to find anymore, especially brand new. I bought mine off ebay brand new for $95 before shipping (the seller had two and I bought both of them). Just something to consider before making the jump and attempting this yourself. You have to be willing to cut up something that is diffcicult to replace, so make your cuts count.
- the front frame screw hole needs to be cut back about 1/8"-3/16" (did it a while ago so cant remember specifically how far I took it)
- a flat needs to be created on the rear frame screw hole to locate the thumbscrew so it seats and alligns properly
- a small flat also should be created at the front frame screw hole so it sits on flats and not on the curved geometry of the trigger guard interior
- if you plan on using AM/MM length as I have then you will be looking for real estate up front so that you can fit a foregrip on the marker, in my case I took a 1" end mill and ran it down the front of the frame @ 15* and took it only as far as I had to so that the foregrip would fit (you can just barely see the cut in a few of the pics)
- all of this can be done with manual tools (files, dremel, etc.) however you need to possess some degree of aptitude and knowlege to get it looking clean. Even the first UL frame that I made with manual tools looks nowhere near as good as this one. To do it properly, accurately, and cleanly you should be using a mill.

edit: almost forgot trigger interface

-there is a spring seat armature that has to be cut away in the area that the trigger rod passes through
- I decided to use the stock trigger so you either need to cut off the rear portion of the trigger or cut a through window in it to allow the rod to pass through. I chose to cut a through window because this traps and roughly locates the trigger rod so that you should not have to worry about it pointing some wacky direction or dropping down into the frame while the marker is de-gassed
- I also created a small pocket in the rear of the physical trigger (where the trigger and trigger rod interface) this allows the trigger rod to nest into the trigger and further locates the rod (again doing both of these operations is made much easier, cleaner, and accurately with the use of a mill)
- even with the extra space created in the trigger I had to remove about 5/32" of material from the trigger rod with it screwed all the way in (that part is important). Make sure you screw the trigger rod all the way in then cut off what you need to cut off, that way you can always adjust it outward.
- I set the distance just physically adjusting the trigger rod in and out using needle nose pliers while it was in the marker

For finishing touches before I sent this frame to the anodizer, I sanded all the edges my hand would touch with a ribbon of sandpaper to make it super comfortable, even sanded a gentle radius onto the edges of the stock trigger to make it smooth and ergonomic. Looking back the only thing I regret doing is not UL milling everything I could before anodizing. I could have removed a hefty portion of material from the frame bottom inside the grips and I could have UL milled the rail internally. But I can live with it being lighter than a geo3, Im not that weak

[need4reebs]

here is a nice how to thread for modding these frames for a Mag:

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/air-gun-designs/181985-dye-ultralight-frame-modification-your-mag.html

nice work Panda and thanks for tha info as well!!!

[Fred]

Wait so... You don't modify it for a rail bushing?