Airsoft M27 IAR: How will it be classified?

[Shogun (AKA Basic)]

*EDIT*- Mods, feel free to move this thread if it is in the wrong place. Thanks.

Well, as the Marine Corps start to bring more M27 IARs into combat, my thought is that an airsoft replica is bound to come around. For people without much information on the M27, I'll give a brief description.

The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle that is a lightweight SAW. The USMC had a "competition" between manufacturers, to make an IAR. Heckler and Koch "won" with their H&K M27 IAR. It is VERY similar to a 416 and M4. The Marine Corps plan on buying over 4,000, to replace 2,000 M249s.


H&K M27 IAR


H&K 416


I hope you know what this is...


Well that was very brief and barely informative, but I'm assuming most people know about the IAR. I'm just thinking, in a MilSim airsoft situation, will an M27 IAR be considered a support weapon? Now your thinking, "THERE IS NO M27 REPLICA!!", right? Well I'm saying if there is one released OR someone creates their own. The problem is that some idiot will throw a Cmag on a M4 and say that they have an IAR. In that case, we should just say that IARs will not be considered support weapons. The USMC has only authorized the use of the basic STANAG magazines, but it's still a support weapon.


Not an IAR.



But what about the dedicated few who would possibly take the time to perfect and create their own IAR from scratch? Would they also not be able to use this as a support weapon, due to ammo/BB regulations? If IAR replicas will be considered support weapons, what will be requirements for the replica to be considered a legit IAR replica? Most people would be able to tell the difference but, still.

I don't want a bunch of Honeys at Ops...




I just was toying with the idea of an IAR project, and thought of this..

[Knief]

Obviously, this will vary between hosts, but in my eyes, a true replica would be a support weapon and fall under those ammo restrictions. An M4 with a drum mag still would not. It would be like an MG36. If you put the work in to make it 100% accurate, you deserve to use whatever mags you feel are appropriate. If not, then you fall under the same rules as everybody else with an M4.

[Zorak]

If I was running an event, I would not allow people to use it as a support weapon with box magazines. No quick-change barrel == not comparable to a SAW or M60. I might allow someone to use it with M4 hicaps.

[Shogun (AKA Basic)]

I can see from both of your guys' point of view. As a true replica it could be used with a box mag, but it lacks a quick change barrel in the real steal world. Plus, I heard that it over heats QUICK. Like after 22 consecutive rounds. Which is NOT a good thing for suppressing and enemy. But in airsoft, barrels don't heat up like they do on real steal weapons.

This is also assuming that someone made their own M27. I've been looking for over an hour and a half straight, just looking for the RIS length and what type of stock is on the M27. Any idea on the RIS length and what type of stock is on the M27? It looks like some kind of crane, with modifications. It has a "fat" rubber rear and is retractable to 6 points.

[TheEnd]

I happened across that Wiki entry a little while ago and the first thing that popped into my head was someone with an Echo 1 614 and 10 hi caps wanting support weapon status.

If I understand the M27 correctly they put in a heavier barrel for sustained automatic fire, and changed it to an open bolt. It still feeds from the 30rd STANAG mag. In the Wiki image it looks like maybe a different stock and pistol grip. If that is the case, anyone with a 416 and a 130rd midcap firing in full auto is pretty damn close to an M27 IAR. Most of the real steel upgrades mean nothing in airsoft terms, and it still feeds from the same mag an M4 would feed from. It is basically an assault rifle that is built to handle more full auto than normal (if I'm not mistaken). The real steel provides the shooter with a 30 round burst, and is not capable of firing large amount of ammo continuously like a true support weapon. Like Zorak said, without a quick swap barrel it cannot supply the volume of fire power a SAW or M60 can.

If someone made an accurate replica, and used 130rd mid caps, and fired full auto only, I would respect that. I just don't see a reason to justify higher ammo limits because the real steel doesn't use any form of extended mag. If the military equips troops with M27's and extended STANAGs or beta mags, I would have to accept it. Though I still don't think a real steel M27 with a 40rd mag should be replicated by a 416 and a 400rd hi cap.

In my opinion, it is not a support weapon in airsoft terms.

[cqbr]

Rail is just a rifle length HK monolithic rail and the stock is a HK stock. No one makes replicas of the IAR length HK rail to date.

As for the matter at hand, it's currently meant to be used with 30rnd magazines due to that previously mentioned overheating issue so why someone would really want to use and classify it as a support weapon when it really can't provide supportive fire is kinda ass-backwards.

[Relarz]

I always thought it was designed to supplement the M249 much like the BAR was made to supplement the M1919 during WWII.

I am not sure on the M27s differences in barrel length and rail length exactly though.

[trustkill]

I am actually in the middle of building an M27 IAR. The correct way. I have all the specs and accessories.. and honestly if you do a little more google searching, you can find them too.

For selfish reasons I'm keeping specs and other things to myself at the moment until done.

The Marine Corps is testing extended magazines and a drum, but the issued kit is 22 standard capacity magazines (although not all 22 are carried by the operator) and will change once more testing is completed by the units that were supplied them.)

The M249 is slated to be "replaced" by the M27 but many are speculating that this is a way to get fully auto rifles into the Corps.

How is it that the open bolt design and gas/piston system is subject to over heating? In almost any video i've seen of the system the operator can touch the bolt without any issue after letting quite a few rounds go...

[Shogun (AKA Basic)]

I thought of it the same was as relarz. I would rather carry an M27 if dealing with weight, but not for sustained firepower. I think Marines should be issued 60 round surefire mags, IMO.

The barrel length is around 16.5", as I have researched 4.bp.blogspot.com/_D_Z-D2tzi14/S8TRIo4br3I/AAAAAAAACv4/Zh7_GcMlRKo/s400/a lot.png[/img] within the last 2 days. I cannot find the rail length though. All sites just say they have MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rails.

*EDIT*-

[glow=red,2,300]WHERE IN THE FUCK DID YOU FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE RAIL SPECS?!?!?! ME MUST KNOW.[/glow]

[t9w0rd]

The rail is 11 inches, and the barrel is 16.5 inches.

[trustkill]

There is also a 20" barrel.

[Shogun (AKA Basic)]

Thank you.

[t9w0rd]

Also I found that info and more here- www.scribd.com/doc/66412531/HK-M27-IAR

[Shogun (AKA Basic)]

I have been to the same site, and when I zoom my computer in so that I can read it, half of the screen goes black and it is impossible to read.