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While browsing airsoft rifles, I came across the APS ASR106 Mini Patriot M4. It's a full metal gun with no stock and very short barrel. It's almost like a pistol with electronic blowback. Intrigued, I dug some more and found Evike selling this gun in its bone yard stock for $89. Evike claims that these bone yard stock ASR106 'is in great or perfect condition including the magazine. Gearbox needs some work but most of them shoots and everything "gearbox" is there.'
I wanted this gun, but could do without the electronic blowback. So I would have to take it apart anyway. Plus, new retail version of this gun isn't being sold anywhere. I figured buying a bone yard stock and fixing it to my liking is a great way to go. This thread documents the APS ASR106 that I purchased from Evike bone yard.
The APS ASR106 actually came in its original box as shown in the photo below.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130717_230003.jpg
Jake
Thu, 18 Jul 2013 11:41:01 +0400
The box contained everything you'd find in the original retail box, including the gun, the magazine, the front and rear sights, a bag of BB's, the cleaning rod, and instruction manual.
What's interesting, as you can see in the picture, is that an additional orange tip is included in the accessory box. If you look closely at the gun tip, you'll see that it is covered in orange tape.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130717_230556.jpg
Jake
Thu, 18 Jul 2013 11:45:53 +0400
After pulling off the tape, a black front tip remained (see photo below). Looks like Evike placed orange tape on the tip to ship the gun. This is going to save me the trouble of painting the tip black. But so far, I haven't been able to unscrew the black tip to try the orange tip. The black tip is either really tight or glued on.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130717_231615.jpg
Jake
Thu, 18 Jul 2013 11:53:32 +0400
The rear tube cap and the tube, itself, can be unscrewed from the gun. The thread is exactly the same on both side of the tube. So you can flip the tube back and forth, at will, for desired look.
At this time, I'm not sure if it is possible to attach another M4 stock to the back of the gun. But it would be more versatile if that is possible.
The battery connector is small Tamiya. I need to get a battery with this connector to try out the gun. A fuse box is inline to the positive wire.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130717_231745.jpg
Jake
Thu, 18 Jul 2013 11:56:04 +0400
After taking the gun apart, I was able to unscrew the muzzle tip and the silencer by twisting it real hard. The black metal tip is full metal. The orange tip is slightly longer and is made out of plastic.
I took the full metal gearbox apart, then reassembled it back together. The metal gearbox has orange bushings and does not have the "quick spring change spring guide design without having to take apart gearbox" feature on the newer APS gearbox. The shell has the "APS GEARBOX NO.2" stamp. I'm guessing that means it is a V2 gearbox.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130718_230121.jpg
Jake
Fri, 19 Jul 2013 23:53:01 +0400
As I mentioned before, I took the entire gearbox apart. Just as Evike said in it's ad, all the parts are there. Nothing was amiss.
With the gearbox back together, I'm ready to test it. I put the hand grip on to the gearbox. Then I installed the motor into the hand grip.
The APS hybrid gearbox needed a battery with a Mini Tamiya connector. I didn't have one on hand. I happened to have several 7.2v RC car batteries with standard Tamiya connectors. So I built an adapter. (See "Make Your Own Tamiya and Mini Tamiya Adapter".)
Once I had the adapter, I connected the battery to the gearbox and fired once (with no BB pellets, of course). It worked. I was extremely excited. I fired a few more times. Suddenly, "POP!" Took me a few seconds to realized that the piston had blown the front end of the APS metal gearbox right off (see photo below).
Maybe that's what Evike means when they said that 'this rifle didn't pass our "quality control [. . . ] gearbox needs some work'. I'm always going to wonder what could cause the metal gearbox to fail like that.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130719_015626.jpg
Jake
Sat, 20 Jul 2013 00:33:06 +0400
Looks like version 2 gearbox breaking isn't all that uncommon. See "Preventing Your M4 Gearbox from Breaking". So I ordered the Shock Transfer System (STS) from that thread, a new APS gearbox, and a 8.4v NiMH battery.
The gearbox and the 8.4v battery has arrived. But I'm still waiting on the STS. The new gearbox (see photo below) is somewhat different than the gearbox that came with the gun. It's silver, comes with metal bushings, the spring can be replaced without taking apart the gearbox, and the electric blowback (EBB) plate is screwed onto the side and hooks into the gearbox.
This new gearbox goes into the lower receiver a lot easier than the original black gearbox. After putting the gun together, I hooked up the battery and dry fired a few times. Seems to work so far.
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130722_182527.jpg
Jake
Wed, 24 Jul 2013 02:35:31 +0400
The photo below shows the gun back together in one piece. The orange tip is now on the gun. I will switch the tip to the black metal version during airsoft events and switch it back to the orange tip for transport and storage.
The gray metal magazine looks strange on this black metal gun. It's a hi-cap magazine that holds 300 rounds. But its winding wheel and the BB rattling really takes the realism away from the sport. On one wind, the magazine dispenses exactly 30 rounds. In a way, you can use the winding to simulate magazine change. However, the rattling can't be helped. So I have since then gotten two no winding magazines, which I prefer over the stock magazine. See my reviews of them here:
G&P Sniper Type 110 Round No Winding Mid-Cap Magazine for M4 Airsoft Gun Review
Magpul PTS 30 Round EMAG Airsoft Magazine Review
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130723_235817.jpg
Jake
Wed, 24 Jul 2013 22:27:27 +0400
I have dialed in the iron sight in this week. The iron sights are made out of metal, so they are true to their name. The rear iron sight has windage adjustment. Elevation can be adjusted on the front iron sight. The sight is just a little screw with two flat sides. It is difficult to adjust. A tweezer is probably the best tool for it, until I find a better tool.
Jake
Fri, 09 Aug 2013 05:27:26 +0400
The magazine well is quite big, so the magazines rattle when attached to the gun. Some hockey tape around the magazine solved the problem (see photo below).
Apparently 8.4v battery is insufficient for the new APS hybrid gearbox, because the motor keeps jamming. But once I switched to 9.6v battery, the gun operated wonderfully. The battery holder can fit mini 9.6v batteries. I got a mini butterfly battery pack (see photo below).
Attached Image: 
IMG_20130810_124014.jpg
Jake
Sun, 11 Aug 2013 13:09:35 +0400
I have narrowed the jamming problem down to a defective 8.4v battery. Since then, I have gotten several more 8.4v batteries and 9.6v batteries. They all work with this APS Mini Patriot M4 with its new APS Hybrid gearbox.
Jake
Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:52:45 +0400
Black Ops has now re-branded the APS Mini Patriot M4 as the Black Ops Full Metal M4 Cobra. They are only selling it for $99.99 with battery and charger. APS originally sold this gun for $220 without battery and charger.
Jake
Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:19:18 +0300
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Weblog: GearHack
Excerpt: The APS AEG airsoft guns have the electronic blowback (EBB) feature. It's a fun feature that simulates real gun effect. But if it's not something you want on your gun, you can disable it. Benefits to disabling the EBB: 1) less taxing on your motor and gears; 2) quieter operation. Note that to disabl . . .
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