Disassembly of the LAYLAX SIGSAUER M17 CO2 GBB frame (P320)

In the previous post, I showed you how to disassemble the slide of the LAYLAX SIGAIR Proforce M17 CO2 GBB, and I ended up disassembling it all the way down to the blowback engine.

As a review, here are some photos of the parts we disassembled last time.

This time, we'll be disassembling the floating valve area inside the nozzle, which is shown in blue.

Nozzle disassembly (around the floating valve)

Upon inspecting the nozzle, I noticed that the pin holding the floating valve in place was designed to prevent tampering and thus could not be removed.

The ends of the pins are perfectly flush with the flat surface, preventing them from coming loose. I believe this is a measure to prevent tampering.

So, to allow the pin to be removed, you need to shave off some of the resin around the pin (using a rotary tool).

This will expose the pin head, allowing you to disassemble it by pulling it out with pliers.

Here's what's inside after I took it apart.

I'll fix the parts that have been altered later with putty.

The component to pay attention to here is the orifice (aperture) used for adjusting the initial velocity.

Looking at the orifice

The front hole.

When measured

This is the hole on the back.

Measure the size.

Incidentally, the diameters of the floating valve and nozzle are as follows:

Diameter of the hole in the floating valve

diameter of nozzle tip

Based on these observations, when comparing the minimum diameters, the nozzle's 4.4mm diameter is reduced to less than half, at 2.0mm, by the orifice (aperture).

This is the reason for the low initial velocity. Therefore, we will increase the initial velocity by modifying the orifice hole during customization.The general principle is to stay within the bounds of the law.).

Upon inspecting the disassembled slide, I found that there were significant burrs on the part (rail) that engages with the chassis. This needs to be addressed.

This completes the disassembly of the slide.

Disassembly of the frame and chassis

From here, we will disassemble the remaining frame and chassis.

Let's take a look at the takedown lever.

Now, let's focus on the opposite side of this lever.

If you press down on the lever's shaft and rotate the lever further, the lever itself will come off.

Once you've completely removed the lever, pull the chassis upwards to remove it.

This design combines the trigger and hammer mechanism into a single module, just like the real thing (modularization).

Let's take a look at that module.

The internal mechanism was exactly the same as a regular internal hammer-type gas blowback pistol. The trigger felt stiff and rough, which seems to be due to the strong spring and the rough surface (there was no grease either).

Let's take a look from the front.

You can see the slide stop spring.

Let's take a look from the side.

I can see the knocker mechanism. The part pressed with the thumb is not moving well, so it needs to be addressed.

Next, let's focus on the area around the hammer.

The components are exactly the same as a regular internal hammer.

The hammer is down.

You can see that the sear is engaged on the hammer, holding it in the hammer-down position.

Next, let's look at it from the bottom.

It's assembled with familiar parts.

This section explains the mechanism of gas blowback guns, so please take a look if you're interested. It should help you understand the photos better.

Finally, let me introduce a safety feature that is unusual for this type of product.

First, turn on the safety.

When the safety is engaged, the lever's protrusion pushes down the entire trigger bar. Normally, this would cause the bar to press against the sear and release the hammer, but the shift in position prevents the bar from touching the sear.

This makes it safe.

Releasing the safety will raise the bar to its normal position.

This will allow the bar to touch the shear again.

That concludes the introduction of the mecha.

Let's take a look at the last remaining frame.

The magnetic catch can be freely switched between left and right.

I originally intended to disassemble the hammer and trigger assembly as well, but since there are no particularly unusual mechanisms or customizations planned, I will end the disassembly here.

Investment in Japan, estimated costs, and relationship to price.

This product clearly shows the difference between VFC's specifications in their home country and LAYLAX's specifications in Japan, so let's estimate the cost increase from a general manufacturing perspective.

First, based on the disassembly, the differences in specifications can be inferred to be the following four:

1. Resin slide

2. Metal parts inside the slide

3. Resin parts for limiting initial velocity

4. Dedicated valve

The hop-up arm may have also been changed.

5. Hop arm

Let's estimate the investment required to manufacture these parts.

Investment amount required for the production of each component

This is a mold for making slides. Judging from the appearance of the mold layout, it probably consists of 4 to 5 molds (male, female, plus the slide mold for the tip, and possibly one movable mold for the muzzle side).

Based on the size of the slides, the number of molds, and their configuration, I estimate the cost of the molds to be around 350 to 400 million yen.

Given that the material is nylon-based and has a relatively high melting point for a resin (around 250-300°C), and considering the approximate required accuracy of ±0.1, the mold's lifespan (number of shots) is estimated to be around 10.

It doesn't look like any machining will be required, so the investment should be limited to mold-related work (and probably no deburring will be necessary either).

Next, let's consider the metal reinforcement parts within the slide.

The parts appear to be made of sheet metal. The manufacturing process likely involves first punching out flat sections, followed by bending.

Therefore, the necessary tools are two: a die for punching (a die for pressing) and a die for bending. It's likely that since the shape isn't very complex, and it's a cold press, the die life should be long.

Based on my experience, a die for punching costs around 100 to 150 million yen, and a die for bending costs around 30 yen. The lifespan is probably around 100 million shots, which I think is quite a lot considering the number of products produced.

From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like they do any machining, so I don't think they do deburring or anything like that.

Next is the part for limiting the initial velocity.

This is a very simple injection molding process, and I think it requires only two molds. The material is probably ABS plastic.

Therefore, the cost of the mold is approximately 30 to 40 yen, and I think it can last for about 30 shots.

Next, regarding the specialized valve, it looks like it's not a completely new design but rather an existing one with different machining, so I don't think any investment is necessary.

Finally, as a bonus, the hop arm can be easily made with a single punch press. The mold is a simple press mold and costs approximately 15 to 20 yen.

I believe VFC has already taken care of the large-scale equipment necessary for these processes, such as injection molding machines, press machines, and machining equipment (NC, etc.), so I don't think there will be any further investment.

Moreover, since VFC is a fairly large company, I think they've already depreciated such a large machine, so I don't think they'll ask for money (unless it's a shady company).

The estimated cost up to this point is around 650 million yen. Considering mold maintenance and storage costs, I think it will come to around 800 million yen.

Considering development costs such as design, meetings, testing, and production testing, the initial investment will likely be around 1200 to 1500 million yen.

Costs required for production and transportation

There are various ways to consider how to incorporate this investment into the product, but based on my experience with the Japanese tax system, it needs to be amortized over two years. So, based on my estimation, if we sell around 1000 units a year, that's 2000 units in two years, meaning the cost per unit would be around 750 yen.

Strictly speaking, the cost of parts can be considered based on the lifespan (number of units, maintenance interval) of each mold, but from a design perspective, this is complicated, so it is more common to use the two-year period specified in commercial law.

If we were to produce more, we would have to add material costs, labor costs (management costs), and various other expenses such as cutting tools for machining, so I think the price would come to around 1400 to 1500 yen.

This varies greatly depending on the company and country, but I think this is about right in Taiwan.

Adding shipping costs and CIF (marine insurance), the total comes to 1500-1700 yen (the going rate is about 5% of the base price).

Cost recovery and profit, final price

Furthermore, VFC, LAYLAX, and the distributors are all for-profit companies, so they need to make a profit. A rough breakdown of the price of industrial products is that the cost of goods sold is 4-5%, the manufacturer's profit is 1-2%, the distributor is 1-2%, and the retailer is 1-2%.

If we assume that the VFC M17 CO2 costs $160 and the exchange rate is 110 yen to the dollar, then the cost price, including VFC's profit, is 17600 yen. Subtracting the cost of the aluminum slide, which is unnecessary in Japan (probably around 700 yen), leaves approximately 15900 yen.

Adding the cost increase of 1700 yen, the total comes to 18600 yen. If we consider LAYLAX and the retailer's combined profit margin to be 3%, it comes out to around 26500 yen.

This price is quite different from the list price, so if we assume a 2% profit margin, which is easier to adjust, it comes out to 23250 yen, which is similar to the selling price of 23980 yen (this is a pretty tough business; in the automotive industry I've worked in, a 2% profit margin for development and manufacturing is a given).

Considering all this, I think the list price of 23980 yen is a fairly reasonable price. Of course, the more units sold, the lower the cost per unit becomes, so profits increase, which is true for all products.

Considering all this, it's definitely more advantageous to be able to plan, develop, produce, and sell products in-house.

This is a very rough calculation, but mechanical designers are constantly doing these kinds of financial calculations in their minds at the same time as they design.

Ultimately, manufacturers submit cost sheets for each component, detailing investment costs such as depreciation (mold costs, equipment costs, etc.), material costs, labor costs (management costs), and processing costs. We then add up these costs to calculate the overall cost of the product.

By the way, regarding tips for buying new products, the common advice to avoid the initial production run is actually true.

There are always defects and problems that can only be discovered after the product is released to the market.

However, since the initial batch is the first of its kind at the factory, it's undoubtedly assembled with extra care as a trial run (the inspection system is also stricter than during normal mass production, and in some cases, the designer is present. I often went to the factory myself). Moreover, because the molds, machining tools, and other equipment are new, the molding is extremely clean.

Therefore, I would recommend purchasing from the first three production batches. The assembly and molding are at their best during this time. Even if you encounter an initial defect, the manufacturer will usually provide free repairs, so it's just a matter of extra effort.

Conversely, after producing a large quantity, you might encounter issues like molding burrs from worn-out molds, shrinkage in resin, and a tendency to become careless as you get more accustomed to the process.

There's a "season" for industrial products that applies to almost any product, so please take a look at that for reference.

This has been a bit long, but here's a little bit of trivia.

Summary of locations requiring countermeasures

My overall impression after disassembling it is that while the specifications of the parts themselves are well-managed, there are issues with deburring during processing and incorrect assembly, making it slightly inferior to Japanese-made products.

Furthermore, the orifice, an additional part for the Japanese specifications, had a poor shape, even when used for restricting pressure, and seemed likely to cause significant pressure loss. A good orifice minimizes pressure drop and reduces flow rate.

Furthermore, I'm not sure if it's stock or modified, but the hop-up arm setting is very poor. With the hop-up adjustment at 0, there's a gap of about 0.5 to 1 mm between the arm and the packing, causing BBs to fall out and wasting hop-up adjustment.

Next, I will summarize the areas for improvement I found during the review and disassembly process.

.

When I start writing them all down, there are quite a few (^^;).

It's perfectly usable right out of the box, but considering the price, I can't help but want to improve it further. Ideally, I'd like to make it perform at the same level as Marushin's Five-seveN.

It mostly becomes a world of self-satisfaction.

Next time, I'll be customizing and adjusting things based on the improvements I've made. Please check it out if you're interested.

LAYLAX SIGAIR Proforce M17 CO2 GBB Coyote Brown
It's a good product despite some shortcomings. Furthermore, it's valuable because this is the only model officially adopted by the US military.

LAYLAX SIGAIR Proforce M17 CO2 GBB Spare Magazine
Since it's from LAYLAX, I think the supply will be stable, but given the current situation, there might not be any ships available, so I recommend buying while you can.

LAYLAX High Bullet CO2 Gas 6-Pack
Six bottles will probably be gone in no time, but I'll introduce them anyway.

LAYLAX High Bullet CO2 Gas 30-Pack
Since you'll be using them anyway, I recommend the 30-pack, which is cheaper. It's under 3000 yen, so it's a good deal.

Marushin CO2 Gas, 30-pack
It's probably usable. I think Marushin offers the best balance of price and quality.