M7 SOCOM Build Thread

[JayAndhek]

Recently got one of the M7 SOCOM resin kits. As warned by the seller - the body of the SMG was warped - bit disappointed when I realized just how warped it was. The front was almost 35 degrees off center! I boiled up some water and fixed it as best I could. It's still warped - but it's usable. At least the front grip is pointing downwards now

After I did what I could with the body, I started sanding and discovered quite a few air bubbles and a few pretty massive voids :-/

Since I didn't have any Bondo on hand I used Testors filler. That is what you are seeing in the pictures. Once that dries I will sand it back into shape.

Stay tuned for more updates.


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[JayAndhek]

The filler is dry now ( been dry for days just have been really busy) and everything is smooth now.

Should e getting ready to prime some pieces soon. Work has been held up by the prep work I'm doing on a Carter helm comms piece.

Progress has been made and everything is fitting together wonderfully - totally makes up for the rocky start - lol

Ill post progress pics tomorrow.


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[spn phoenix 92]

hmm never would've thought to use testors filler, this is coming along nicely. :cool

 

[JayAndhek]

The filler actually worked out quite well, an the warping on the body isn't as noticeable when the silencer is attached - so I'm hoping that everything evens out in the end.

I'm going to be screwing a Magpul sling adaptor to the rear, just in front of the butt stock so it can hang off a single point sling when I'm armored up. Save me from carrying it as the silencer is pretty much a solid piece and adds a lot if weight.


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[JayAndhek]

Started sanding the silencer and applied more filler to some voids that I found. While that is drying I started sanding the magazines and the body of the SMG. I'm using a 220 grit sanding block by 3m and let me tell you it works like a charm. This thing is now smooth as a baby's bottom. Best 3 bucks I ever spent - lol.

Anyways - the build is coming along - going to try and get some parts painted here shortly so I can start assembly. I'm waiting because I want to try and install electronics into this build and I'm a bit unsure on how I'm going to do it. I'm debating slicing open the bottom of the grip and putting the board in there - but if I mess it up......

Decisions decisions.
Pictures coming tomorrow I promise.



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[JayAndhek]

As promised a few days ago *derp* - here are some more "in progress" pictures.

The Testors filler has been working like a champ and the results were more than satisfactory in filling the gaping void at the front if the magazine well. There it is all shaped and smoother with 320 grit awaiting primer which will probably be done tonight or Saturday.

There is another shot of the magazine well showing a small divot that needed to be filled as well.

Next we move on the the body proper and you can see the filled sections on the pistol grip - I filled the large ones and Ill let the primer fill the rest - otherwise I'd be there all day filling tiny air bubbles in the resin.

Again with the silencer I did the same thing. Interestingly that spot on the side of the flashlight was extremely deep, but it's all flush an smooth now. Some more areas are waiting to be sanded and smoothed - but the silencer is pretty much finished and waiting for primer as well.

This is the bolt carriage and assembly. I shot this with a coat of panzer grey primer I had left over from a SST helmet restoration I did a few months ago jut to see how it looks. Turned out amazing - but the trigger (which was sprayed at the same time) has not dried yet - I'm completely puzzled by that - but I'm about ready to sand the paint off of it to try again.

This is the inner workings of the butt stock - which truth be told are proving extremely difficult. I am considering trying to replicate some of these pieces in metal or getting some graphite powder or a silicone lubricant because the resin jut doesn't want to move smoothly no matter how much I sand it.
We will see what happens though - this feature is one of the main reasons I purchased this kit an I'm determined to make it work. If anyone else has built this kit before and got theirs to work successfully and tips would be handy - I'm going to consult with Tac as well.

Last but not least we get to the sight assembly.

Since my reflex sight didn't want to sit flush with the top of the rail when mounted I crafted a small shim to help prop it up. This should suffice for now, but I am still debating I I want to instal a rail on the top and on the opposite side.

That's it for this update. Now that the boring stuff is mostly done Ill take more pictures as the SMG comes together.
I want to get this done before my SB helm arrives because I know that this will take a back burner - lol.


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[JayAndhek]

I have a few more pictures to upload - but unfortunately the need to evacuate my apartment for the safety of my friends house (he and his wife live on higher ground) is preventing this. I will post pictures after the hurricane passes and the flooding dies down a bit. Im not worried about my apartment being a second floor unit - but we needed to get the cars out of the low lying area.

 

[Jedi Ranger]

Hope you are safe, and able to move back home soon. Look forward to more progress pics! I have the same kit, but have not had time to do anything more than check out the pieces to this amazing puzzle/model!

 

[demo084]

SMG is looking awesome. Hoping everything is where you left it when you get back home and no water damage. I know some places got hit bad, and I remember helping in New Orleans after Katrina. prayers with you and your friends.

 

[JayAndhek]

We are back home - everything is fine - just have not had time for updates as we're working NekoCon here in Hampton this weekend.

I've since painted some of the parts with their first coat of black paint and sanded it smooth in prep for a second coat.
Pics when I get a chance to upload them.

The only thing that is really holding this up is my electronics. I've got a sound board but I need to re solder the battery leads - they broke off

I have an idea of how I'm going to do this - I just have to fix the board - it looks like whoever put it together (123electronics board) used hot glue on the battery pack!?!

Anyways - that's the story!


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[demo084]

hot glue is awesome for water proofing. Alas, it makes rebuilding the board near impossible. Good luck with it. What other electronics do you have on your build?

Besides the easy LED and fan w/ control, I'd like to add a speaker system to mine but not exactly sure how to tackle that hurdle.

Great to hear the homestead made it.

 

[JayAndhek]

Well with the ODST helmet I found a great tutorial that some guy put together with a Stormtrooper helmet - but that is for later.

No lights on the gun - only the sound board if I can get it to work. That remains to be seen.

Thanks for the well wishes - it turns out the flooding wasn't as bad where we were as other places - so we kinda lucked out this time.


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[demo084]

Well with the ODST helmet I found a great tutorial that some guy put together with a Stormtrooper helmet - but that is for later.

would you happen to have a link to said tutorial?

 

[JayAndhek]

Yup - look for it in an edit soon as I'm back on my computer.
Apparently he sells kits of the electronics now - tho I've never successfully contacted him. And since its designed for a trooper bucket - might take a bit of modifying to fit in a halo helm - watch and decide - ill post the link directly.
EDIT from phone:
Lets see if this works:
Check out this video on YouTube:

HAHA! success!
Anyways that is the video I was talking about - not so much a tutorial as a look what I can do - but then again he does show you everything just not how to wire it up - but for that there are countless tutorials here.
Enjoy - its what I plan to model my ODST electronics on - but I have to have wires since I'm running a "thatdecade" TACOM" board.

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[demo084]

holy crap, That's just about 95% of what I've been wanting to do to my bucket. I just have to wait until I get back to the states where all my good gear is. At least I should be able to plan out what circuit boards I need to hand jam. Thanks for the link.

 

[JayAndhek]

So it's been a while without an update and I'm making good progress on the M7.

I've entered the paint stage - and really the only thing holding this back is me trying to decide if I want to put electronics in it or not.

I've just put everything together - nothing is glued yet.

The stock proper and the foregrip need to be painted still. There is one more idea I have for this and that is to install a rail along the bottom (removing the front grip) and installing a Magpul style canted grip.
THIS

The only problem is that it requires 3" or rail space and the forward area on the SMG is only 2 something. The rail would stick out a bit. I'm not planning on running this without the silencer attachment though - so it should not look too bad. I'm waiting to get the parts in before I decide if I like it.

No big deal if I don't as I have a Masada airsoft rifle that I can put it on if it doesn't work out for the SMG.

Anyways - enjoy. Still waiting to start my SB ODST helm - he's back logged at the moment so the wait has been longer then usual - or so I'm told.

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