Review and disassembly of an ICS Sportline M4CQB after long-term use.

This time, I'll be reviewing and disassembling the unusual ICS Sportline M4 CQB with a clear fixed stock.

This is one of the oldest guns in our collection (the other being a Marui M14 OD), and it has been working perfectly for 10 years. It still works today.

This actually belongs to my wife. She liked the clear color and named it "Clione," after a creature that was somewhat popular at the time.

This gun has been used as a rental gun for beginners, and because it's lightweight, I've also used it as a substitute for my own handgun.

I performed routine maintenance such as cleaning the barrel, but I haven't done any major repairs. The only time I did this was when the switch burned out due to using a LiPo battery, so I disassembled it, filed it down, and applied contact protection grease.

So this time, I'll be doing an overhaul and applying my usual high-response, high-cycle, long-range hop-up setup.

Also, please use this as a reference to see what happens after 10 years of use.

Furthermore, aside from the split gearbox, it's a very standard M4 (AR-15), so I'd like to explain the disassembly and assembly procedures in detail so that it can serve as a reference.

I hope this will be helpful to anyone who wants to try tinkering with their computer themselves.

Now, let's get into the review.

appearance

Since it's ten years old, I can't find the box, so I'll start by looking at the main unit.

This shortened M16A3 looks fresh now. The handguard is clean and simple, without rails, and has a carrying handle. Plus, it has a fixed stock.

For some reason, the included magazine was a Canadian type.

It's on the opposite side.

It's so simple there's not much to say about it. Another key point is that it doesn't resemble carbines like the XM177 or CAR-15 at all.

Next, let's take a look at each part.

The bolt forward assist knob features ICS's signature anti-reverse latch release mechanism. That's good. But that's the only special feature.

The hop-up adjustment mechanism is amazing; it's incredible that they used this drum-type system 10 years ago. I think that was around the time Marui's next-generation SOPMOD M4 had just come out.

Next, something that made me chuckle a bit: this product is officially licensed by CyberGun. This clear color and mysterious CQB version is official. So it's a rare receiver in this color with full markings.

This is a site picture. It has a nostalgic feel to it. Sometimes, adding a dot here can actually look quite nice.

The battery fits comfortably within the standard handguard, even with a fairly high-capacity battery. Despite being a CQB model, it has a bayonet lug at the end, which is a big plus.

However, there's a mysterious bayonet attachment lag where the barrel is too short to attach a bayonet.

This is a very interesting product. I don't think ICS currently has the license for Cybergun, so I think it will be difficult to produce a product like this in the future.

10-year-old shooting performance

Let's take a look at the usual live-fire performance.

The conditions used were an ET-1 REDLINE 7.4V 1400mAh battery with a storage voltage of 7.5V (which is lower than usual this time), and measurements were taken with Tokyo Marui Bio 0.2g BBs and the hop-up setting at 0.

First, semi-automatic

The results were better than I expected. The variation between several measurements was ±1 m/s, so I'm starting to think I might not need to disassemble it after all.

Next is the cycle.

Considering the low battery voltage, I think this is pretty good. It looks like it could probably fire about 17 rounds per second with a full charge of 8.4V.

Next is the response.

セミオート

ICS SPORT LINE M4 Semi-NormalThis is a video. Please be careful of the sound.

They follow along reasonably well.

Next, Full Auto

ICS SPORT LINE M4 Fully StockThis is a video. Please be careful of the sound.

This is pretty good too.

But the pinion gear is still too noisy, so it needs adjustment.

While there are individual differences, please use this as a reference based on my experience using an overseas-made gun straight out of the box with almost no disassembly or maintenance for 10 years. (I've probably fired at least 5 rounds.)

Although the exact same product is no longer sold, the ICS Sportline series is still around, so I'd like to introduce just one of them.

I think the performance is almost the same.

We'll start disassembling it from here. The procedure is the same as the typical structure of a standard electric M4 airsoft gun.

How to disassemble the exterior

We'll start by disassembling the exterior.

Removing the outer barrel

This time, we're doing a complete overhaul, so we'll remove the outer barrel from the receiver. The same applies to standard rail-type RIS and RAS systems.

Align the delta ring with the groove shown in the diagram, and it will come off together with the spring.

Then the spring will pop out. The part indicated by the red arrow behind it is screwed in, so you can remove it by turning it.

Now you can remove the outer barrel. This part supports the barrel, so it's under a lot of stress and can become loose or deformed. Check it carefully. It's also a good idea to tighten it occasionally if possible.

This is the outer barrel. If you want to change the length, you can remove the grub screw and attach your preferred barrel. We won't be changing it this time. If you want to change the barrel or rail, just put everything back together from here and you're done.

Here's a point to check: if you have a resin receiver, it might be a problem if the area marked in red in the photo and the screw part are deformed.

The barrel positioning occurs here, which is why the trajectory is affected. This is what is meant by the often-cited weakness in neck strength and rigidity.

If you absolutely must fix it, you'll have to use putty or reinforcing parts available for the outer components.

Fortunately, this product shows no abnormalities such as deformation, so I'll leave it as is. However, it was quite loose and the neck was wobbly, so I'll use high-strength threadlocker when assembling it.

Upper receiver removal

Remove the red pin shown in the picture. Since the ICS has a split gearbox, remove the yellow pin here as well. Normally, it can't be removed yet, or it's a dummy pin.

By the way, the following tools are helpful when removing the pin. Well, to be precise, you can remove it by tapping it with a plastic hammer and an Allen wrench, but it's difficult and the wrench will bend, so I don't really recommend it.

I use Signet for both my motorcycle and car. It's cost-effective.

Signet Pin Punch Set
It's not a luxury brand, but it's a recommended mid-range brand in the automotive industry that offers good value for money. Plus, it's inexpensive.

Eagle Force Maintenance Bench Block for Handguns
It's incredibly convenient to have. Moreover, it's designed for handguns but can also handle longer firearms, making it very useful. In fact, I personally didn't see the need for their M4 version.

Vessel Plastic Hammer
It's inexpensive, sturdy, and long-lasting. For a good balance of control and power, the 1-pound size is recommended.

Once you've reached this point, slide the upper receiver forward and the receiver and hop-up chamber will detach. The yellow marks indicate the locations of the removed pins.

The gearbox remains attached to the removed upper receiver.

You can remove it by pulling downwards in the picture. The hop-up chamber can also be removed. If you only want to adjust the hop-up and inner barrel, you're done here.

Next, although it's not strictly necessary, we'll remove the stock because it's getting in the way. The stock is held in place by two screws at the back, so simply remove them.

If you have a retractable stock, remove it first. There's a screw inside the buffer pipe that secures the pipe, so use a long screwdriver to remove it. If you have rear wiring, there are battery wires inside the pipe, so be careful not to damage them.

The structure is the same for the retractable type as well. The only difference is that the wiring comes out through the gap.

Motor removal

Next, to disassemble the lower receiver, first remove the grip and motor. There are two screws.

This will allow you to remove the cover. A word of caution: there may be a thin disc (shim) inside used for adjusting the motor's position, so be careful not to lose it. There's a 50/50 chance that it's missing in overseas-made models.

Disconnect the motor terminals. If possible, use tweezers to grasp the metal part of the terminals and remove them. Otherwise, in the worst case, the motor terminals may break.

This will allow you to remove the motor, so take off the grip. There are two screws, indicated by the red circles in the photo. They are usually held in place quite securely.

That's how you release the grip. The insulation on the wiring was torn and it was on the verge of short-circuiting. That was close!

Lower receiver disassembly

At this point, if you have front wiring, remove the wire clips. If you have rear wiring, the wires are usually not secured at this stage, so this step is not necessary.

Before removing the gearbox, it's recommended to set the selector to the semi-automatic position. This makes reassembly easier.

All that's left is to remove the magazine catch button. This is simply a matter of unscrewing it. Then the spring and button will pop out. On VFC models, there's no screw here, so you have to press the magazine release button as hard as you can and turn the lever that pops out on the other side counterclockwise to remove it.

All that's left is to pull out the gearbox. (If you have a standard gearbox, you might need to remove one more pin.) Once that's done, the upper and lower receivers will come off. If you're replacing the receiver, you can replace the parts here and reassemble, and you're done.

I know I'm being persistent, but if you have a resin frame, please carefully check the barrel mounting area on the upper receiver. If it's cracked or deformed, it might be difficult to reuse.

Finally, here is the lower receiver after it has been completely disassembled.

Now the entire exterior can be disassembled.

If you'd like to see a standard electric M4-type airsoft gun with a regular gearbox (not a split gearbox), please refer to this page. (VFC M4)

However, that site doesn't explain the removal of the outer barrel in detail, so it's almost the same as this one. I think it's best to look at this site first and then use this as supplementary information.

Once you get used to it, you can disassemble M4-type rifles in about fifteen minutes, which is easy. Especially the resin-framed ones, for better or worse, are easier because the parts aren't stuck in place too tightly and the screws aren't tightened with excessive torque.

Moreover, the only tools I've used so far are a screwdriver set, a punch, a plastic hammer, and a base.

This marks the end of the exterior work, so I'll introduce the gearbox next time.