ICS M4 Beginners Guide and FAQ V2 *WIP*

[XavierMace]

ICS M4 FAQ and How-to Guide by XavierMace

Table of Contents
Buying a new ICS M4
Buying an older ICS M4
Compatibility Info
Complete Takedown Guide * NEW *
Advanced Modifications
ICS Compatibility Matrix (Excel 2007 Format)

Introduction:
Many people purchase their first ICS M4 because they provide a decent feature to cost ratio.  This is especially true with their M4 Pistol models coming in at just under $200.  Since I am a self-proclaimed ICS expert (having used them since the original days) I have decided to create an ICS M4 Starters Guide in the hopes that some will read it before posting questions on it.  Hopefully this will also put any concerns you may have to rest.  I will be adding pictures where applicable as soon as possible.  Note, all of this is based off my personal experience.  Some may feel differently about where to buy the parts or what parts to use.  Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but I have done more work on ICS M4's than anybody else I know of.  So take this with a grain of salt.  This guide is based off 5+ years experience with owning ICS M4's.

What this guide will tell you
Hopefully this guide will answer most of the questions you will have as either a new ICS M4 owner or someone considering an ICS M4.  I will cover where to buy the gun and parts, compatibility issues, and modifications I have found to be extremely useful.  I will also cover some of the differences between the variations as well as how to take the gun apart.

What this guide will not tell you
I do not claim this guide addresses every possible question and/or scenario.  That said, I have endeavored to make it as complete as possible and I am always adding more content to it.  If you have questions that aren't addressed, feel free to post them up or send me a PM.

What model should I get and where should I get it from
First off we need to clarify what models are available and where.  ICS makes their M4's with 4 different kinds of trademarks.  Olympic Arms, Colt, Generic ICS, and most recently Smith & Wesson trademarks.  The Olympic Arms trades are legally licensed through TeamSD and therefore these are the trades you will see at 99% of US based retailers on Proline models.  The Smith & Wesson trademarks are only available on Sportlines at this time and are licensed through Cybergun.  At this point in time, their Colt trades are not legally licensed in the US and therefore you will normally only see Colt trades on guns sold at HK based retailers (IE WGCShop).  The Generic ICS trades are pretty rare to see stateside, EXCEPT on Anniversary models and earlier Sportlines.  Evike in particular bundles extra stuff with the generic traded models to make them easier to get rid of.  As of June '09, ICS now has 11 "Sportline" models available.  These guns have all the same features of the normal guns, but have plastic receivers, a quiet high speed motor, and come with a significantly lower price.  These are GREAT for people just starting out.

Are the Prolines worth the extra price?
This has become a very hard question for me to answer.  I personally love my metal bodies.  However, at this time, I feel the Sportlines offer far too many advantages to justify getting a Proline.  Beyond the metal receiver, there is only one difference between the Proline and Sportline models.  The Prolines come with ICS's Turbo 3000 High Torque motor.  The Sportlines come with ICS's Infinite High Speed motor.  The Infinite motor doesn't have any where near the torque of the Turbo 3000.  However, it has a higher max RPM, lower power draw, and it's SIGNIFICANTLY quieter.  If you are wanting a quieter gun, get the Sportline.

Where should I get it from then?  This depends on which model you want.  I can order a good portion of ICS parts at reasonable prices, if you are interested in going that route then send me a PM or email and we can discuss.  If you feel more comfortable purchasing from an established retailer, I personally recommend purchasing them from Airsplat.com as their prices are good, they always have the latest models, and they have some models not available anywhere else.  Below is a complete list of ICS's M4 product line along with the differences between the models..

Current Standard Models
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Standard Carbine (Std M4 Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 RIS Carbine (M4 RIS, 14.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 SOCOM (M4 RIS, 14.5" Barrel, Folding Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 CQB (Pistol FIRSCH RIS, 7.5" Barrel, Folding Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 CQB LE (Pistol FIRSCH RIS, 7.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Pistol (Pistol FIRSCH RIS, 7.5" Barrel, Sling Mount, Front Wired)
        ICS CXP .08 Concept Rifle (Custom CXP Handguard, CXP Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)

Current "Sportline" Models (Plastic Receivers)
        Olympic Arms OA-93 CQB (Pistol FIRSCH RIS, 7.5" Barrel, Folding Stock, Front Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms OA-93 CQB (Pistol FIRSCH RIS, 7.5" Barrel, Short Full Stock, Front Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Commando (Std M4 Handguard, 10.5" Barrel, Short Full Stock, Front Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Commando RIS (M4 RIS, 10.5" Barrel, Battery Crane Stock)   * Available from Airsplat.com
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Standard Carbine (Std M4 Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, Folding Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Standard Carbine (Std M4 Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Standard Carbine (Std M4 Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)
        Olympic Arms SR-15 Standard Carbine (M4 RIS, 14.5" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 RIS Carbine (M4 RIS, 14.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 SIR Carbine (ARMS SIR, 14.5" Barrel, Battery Crane Stock, Rear Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 SIR Carbine (ARMS SIR, 14.5" Barrel, LE Collapsible Stock, Front Wired)   * Not yet available from US Retailers

Older Models
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 Standard Carbine (Std M4 Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 RIS Carbine (RIS Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 SR-16 (RIS Handguard, 14.5" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)
        Olympic Arms PCR-97 M16A3 (A3 Handguard, 20" Barrel, Full Stock, Rear Wired)

*The Crane Stock models require the use of a special battery that must be purchased separately.
*The only difference between the RIS Carbine and the SR-16 is accessories.  The trademarks and externals are the same. Also, as stated, these models are not current models.  They will have the older dark Grey receivers and the other externals (IE the hand guards and stock) will be the older glossier kind).
*The folding stock and sling mount models do NOT include a stock adapter.  In order to use a different stock you will need to purchase a stock adapter.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing the gun, is that you will need a battery.  For the most part, they use pretty standard batteries, just like any other AEG.  The exception is the rear wired Crane Stock models.  These require the use of this special battery:

Despite it's appearances, this IS NOT a standard Crane Stock battery.  If you are buying a front wired model, you will need a 9.6v "nunchuck" battery such as this:

If you are buying a rear wired full stock model, you will need a 8.4v "large" battery such as this:

With the exception of the Crane Stock models, those are the recommended batteries.  However, for the advanced user, I would recommend using a high quality 7.4v or 11.1v Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery.  LiPo batteries are smaller, lighter, and provide more power than a conventional Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) or Nickel Cadmium batteries.  However, they do require a special charger and a little more care in their handling.  However, I have been running 11.1v LiPo batteries in all of my new ICS's without issue.

Original Replacement Parts - http://www.blazingtoys.com/ics_parts.html
BlazingToys is essentially the only US retailer to sell a complete selection of ICS replacement parts.  However, they have been out of stock on many of their parts for quite some time.  Therefore, Airsplat and Kapowwe will probably be your best bet and they have good prices as well.  In 2009, ICS started selling receiver kits.  These kits contain either a complete lower (with gearbox) or a complete upper (available with or without an upper gearbox).  The kits unfortunately are a little pricier than some would like but there is something to be said about buying a complete upper, ready to go, that you can just slap on your existing lower.

I still don't know which one I should get?!
Keep in mind all ICS M4's have essentially the same internals and receiver except for the "Sportline" plastic receivers.  It's just a matter of looks, price, and inner barrel length.  The PCR-97 Pistol can be had for only $200.  It's hard to beat that price.  All you need in order to put a stock on is the stock adapter ($9.50 from BlazingToys) and the stock of your choice.  Be aware though, a non-ICS stock will require modifications in order to work.  You could get the pistol, stock adapter, and full stock and be out the door for about $250.  Personally I like the M16A3 as you don't see them around as much as M4's but it is a little more expensive at $315.  The Sportline models are available in some new configurations and I'm quite pleased with my Crane Stock models.

What's new for 2010?
So far, the only changes that have been made to the ICS M4's for 2010 is the addition of Smith & Wesson M&P trademarks on the Sportline models.  It has not been officially confirmed, but I suspect ICS is cutting ties with TeamSD and moving entirely to Cybergun for licensing.

[XavierMace]

That's all good and well, but I purchased mine used.  Now what?
While ebay and/or classifieds can be a great place to pickup a good deal there are some things you need to know about the older ICS's.  If you haven't noticed already (you soon will), ICS has a bad reputation with many people.  This is because their original guns ('03 - late '05) had several issues that caused a lot of problems for people.  How can you tell what model yours is, you ask?  You can get a pretty good guess on the age of your ICS based on it's receiver.

2003 Olympic Arms Grey receiver (left), 2006 Olympic Arms Black receiver (right)

2003 - 2005 Dark Grey DPMS or Dark Gray Olympic Arms Receiver
2005 - early 2007 Dark Grey Olympic Arms or ICS Receiver
Late 2006 - 2008 Black Olympic Arms or ICS Receiver
Late 2008 - 2009 Black Olympic Arms or ICS Plastic Receiver
2010 - Black Smith & Wesson Plastic Receiver

Basically in the US, if you have a black Olympic Arms Receiver or an ABS ICS/Smith & Wesson Receiver you are good to go.  If you are still unsure, send me a PM or email with the serial number and I can try to find out exactly when it was made.  However, if you have one of the older DPMS receivers, here are some issues you will run into.  I have been advised (confirmed with ICS) that the Colt trademarked receivers being sold to the European market are in fact the older dark grey color so that's not a reliable indicator for European models.

   * Turbo 2000 Motor.  This motor really sucked. I mean REALLY sucked.  However, replacing it was not as easy as normal because....
   * Proprietary pinion and gears.  In order to replace the motor you have to replace the gears or vica versa.  If you use a new motor with the old gears you will tear things up in a hurry.
   * Poor wiring.  ICS is known for poor wiring, and this is why.  They used very cheap and poorly made wiring on their early models.
   * Outdated lower gearbox shell.  They have made a lot of tweaks and upgrades to the stock lowers over the years.  Such as metal bushings, tighter QC, and improved upper gearbox catch.  This doesn’t mean your older shell is in need of immediate replacement, it’s just not quite as good as the newer ones.

There's also a host of little improvements that have added up over the years.  Stiffer springs on the delta ring (on applicable models), stiffer mag release spring, improved motor plate, and better bushings in the gearbox.

Now, if you already have the gun, all is not lost.  It's still quite possible the gun will last you in it's current form.  However, if you planned on doing internal upgrades you are going to have some extra work cut out for you.

I have my gun, but I want to upgrade it.  Is it compatible?
Internally, ICS guns are 99% compatible with TM Compatible parts.  There are only a couple internal parts (namely the anti-reversal latch and the casing itself) that are not compatible.  ICS has a proprietary hop up chamber.  Some love it, some hate it.  If you decide to replace it you will have to do some filing to the new chamber for it to fit and function.  The biggest selling point of ICS's are their split gearbox.  Personally, I would keep your original upper stock as a spare and buy a second casing and upgrade that.  

Externally it's a little harder to answer.  I have an ongoing list (found at the bottom of this thread) with parts known to work on ICS M4's.  Please note that due to the low quality of Chinese made parts, even if a part worked for me, it may not for you due to variations in the manufacturing.  I've already had several confirmed cases of this, such as with the ACM LaRue RIS units.  Mine didn't fit, but another member said his fit without issues.
  
Many TM Compatible front ends are a direct fit.  Some free-float front ends might require you to file down the pin on the receiver to fit.  TM-Compatible pistol grips will fit, however they are not a 100% match with ICS's which will give you a poorer mesh on your pinion gear which will give your gun that whinier tone.  To mount a TM-Compatible stock, you will need to file down your ICS stock adapter.  TM-Compatible receivers ABSOLUTELY cannot be used with an ICS.  The dimensions of ICS receivers and mechbox casings are quite different.  All the rails, threads, ect are all normal.  Usually, worse case, you have to do a little filing/sanding.

How much work is this you ask?  It's really not all that much.  I am by no means handiwork inclined, but I managed to do all my filing in one sitting.  That said, ICS's externals have gotten a lot better, especially in the last two years.  Unless you absolutely have to have a style of stock ICS doesn't make, I would just get an ICS.

Also, a major advantage of ICS M4's is that ICS M4 gearboxes are significantly more durable than standard V2 gearboxes as shown above.  I have yet to see one crack under normal situations (using a high powered spring in freezing temperature is not normal situations).  The above picture was taken after 3,500 rounds with a MAG MS190 spring in it (~680fps with .20g BB's).  It has since had another 10,000 rounds put through it and has yet to have any sort of failure.

But I was told part X won't work in my ICS!

There is a lot of bad information around about ICS.  A lot of it only applies to the older models 2005 and before).  That said, occasionally you will come across something that simply doesn't fit.  This isn't necessarily ICS's fault.  For example, I have a King Arms G27 grip that's taken a retarded amount of filing to fit (and still doesn’t fit right).  However, my friend with a TM S-System also had to file his.  It's simply a poorly made product.  This is often the nature of airsoft.  Many parts are poorly made replica's of real steel parts.  It just happens some time.   To that end, I recommend trying to avoid using any China made parts.  I've personally had very limited success with King Arms and Madbull parts.

I have seen some ICS's have problems with brand X mags where as the next one doesn't.  In many cases, you have no way of knowing for sure unless you try.  One of my ICS M4's is 100% after market, mostly Systema, internals (except for casing and AR latch), it functions perfectly.  However, ICS trigger guards ARE NOT Tokyo Marui compatible.  ICS uses real steel length trigger guards.  TM uses shorter ones.

Real Steel Magpul Trigger Guard

I'm still not happy with the gun, what else can I do?
It depends what you are not happy with.  ICS makes their M4's to be good all purpose guns.  They do not shoot an excessively high FPS like many new Chinese guns, nor do they have an excessively high rate of fire to cause premature failures.  That said, if that is your goal, they will handle whatever you throw at them as long as you take the time to do it properly.

If you are looking to just get a little more out of your stock guns, there are still some things you can do to improve the gun.

   *If you have a Turbo2000 motor, first thing to do is get a new motor and gears (even new stock ones).  You will be much happier in the long run.
   *Disassemble the gearbox and re-shim it.  I reshim and relube all of my guns.  If you have never opened a gearbox before seek assistance from somebody who has.
   *Upgrade your battery.  As with all brands, the stock battery sucks.  If you have a non-full stock model, you are basically restricted to a "nunchuck" battery.  Get the highest capacity (mah) 9.6v "Nunchuck" battery you can find (usually around 1500mah).  Alternatively, you can wire your gun to the back and use a battery bag to hold a "large" type battery.  If you have a full stock get the highest capacity (mah) 8.4v large battery you can find (usually around 4500mah).  Cheapbatterypacks.com will build you a custom pack with the connections and cells you want for a reasonable price.  A 4500mah battery will usually last you all day.  Make SURE you also get a decent charger ASAP.  The charger will cost you probably $90 or so, but it is well worth it.  You may also want to consider going with a LiPo battery and charger.
   *Polish the inside of the upper gearbox and re-grease it.  These casings are only pot metal.  Polishing the gearbox can allow for much smoother operation.
   *Replace the wiring.  I have started replacing the wiring on my ICS's with Dean's Ultra wire and connectors.  This is much lower resistance wiring and a lot more heat tolerant.  The more power your battery puts out, the bigger difference you will notice.  Plus the plugs themselves are smaller and more reliable than normal connectors.
   * Replace the hopup bucking.  A lot of people report issues with their stock bucking.

If you have done all of this and still aren't happy with the performance of the gun, let me know and I will see what I can come up with.  I might even buy it from you.

[XavierMace]

How To Take Down your gun (Rear Wired)

Thanks to ICS's split gearbox design, taking apart your gun is much simpler than normal airsoft M4's.  However, it still can be a daunting task for new users, so hopefully this will help.

To properly take down your gun with a minimal amount of stress, I recommend the above tools.  The mallet and punches make quick work of the receiver pins and the AR-15 armorers wrench is a life saver if you are mounting/removing a free float RIS (such as what is included on the CQB and Anniversary models).  While not required, those tools with make your life much easier.  Bare minimum you will want a screw driver with a long neck and a full set of allen wrenches.  All of these tools (except the Armorers wrench) can be found at your local Harbor Freight or Ace Hardware.  You can get AR-15 Armorers wrench at most sporting goods stores (like Bass Pro Shop or Cabela's).

The gun used in the guide is a 2009 ICS Sportline with a 10.5" barrel and a battery crane stock.  Other than a little bit of variation in the wiring and handguards, all ICS M4's take down in pretty much the same manner.  Since we are looking at a Sportline with the new Crane Stock, lets start by installing the battery.

Start off by loosening the two screws on the back of the stock until the back plate comes loose.

Then pinch the butt plate together slightly and pull it straight off.

You can now see the connection points for the battery.  As stated previously, the crane stock models use a special battery.

This is the battery for the Crane Stock.  This is the ONLY battery that works in the ICS Crane Stock.  If you do not have THIS battery, you do not have the right battery.

To install the battery, simply slide it in as shown above.

The back of the battery will sit pretty much flush with the end of the stock.

On the crane stock models, the plug on the battery is ONLY used for charging the battery.  The gun is powered using the connection points built into the bottom of the battery housing.

Just push the plug to the side and slide the butt plate back on.  Then tighten the two screws.

The stock retains it's ability to completely collapse, even with the battery in it.  However, due to the contact plates built into the stock, removing the stock from the tube is NOT recommended.  Please remove the battery before continuing to take the gun apart.

Now we are ready to continue taking the gun apart.  Lets start with the hand grips.  Most of the models use a spring loaded lug called a delta ring like you see in the picture above.

To remove the hand guards or RIS unit, start by pushing the ring towards the receiver of the gun.  Depending on the age of your gun, the strength of this ring will vary.

With the ring pulled back, flip the lower half of the hand guard down until it slides out.

With the ring still pulled back, you can then flip the upper half up until it slides out.

To remove the delta ring, rotate the outer portion of the ring until the two notches line up with the wings on the nut.  Then depress the ring slightly until the wings are in the notches and rotate the assembly clock wise.  The outer barrel can now be remove from the gun.

All ICS M4 barrels (except the pistol length) are built exactly the same way.  On M4 length barrels, both 14.5" and 10.5" the barrel separate right behind the front sight tower/gas block.  There are two set screws on the bottom of the barrel (right behind the sight tower) as you see above.  Remove those two screws.

There's one more set screw on the top of the barrel.  Remove that as well.  The front half of the barrel can now be unscrewed.  The back half of the barrel (the side connected to the receiver) is CCW threaded, just like the end of the barrel where you mount your flash hider.  This means you can simply remove the front half of the barrel and you are left with a roughly 7" barrel.  This is perfect for making M4 SD's with the mock mock mock mock mock mock mock mock silencer recessed into a free float RAS system.

The flash hider has one set screw on it which must be removed to take off the flash hider.  Take special care to use the proper size allen wrench so you don't strip the screw.  Now we are ready to get into the guts of the gun.

The first thing you do when you are going to work on the gun is decompress the spring by pushing on the forward assist as shown above.  Make sure you push the assist all of the way in.

Next you will need to punch out the rear receiver pin as shown above.

With the rear pin removed, grip the upper receiver by the charging handle and pull up.

This will allow the upper receiver to pivot on the front receiver pin.

Push the upper gearbox out with your thumb if you can.  Metal receiver models take quite a bit more force to remove the upper gearbox.

Just keep pushing it until the upper gearbox comes out completely.  Once it clears the mock bolt, it usually comes out very easily.

Your upper gearbox should look like this, the number/type of holes on the cylinder will vary depending on barrel length.

Now push the hopup chamber/inner barrel assembly out the same way.

Your inner barrel and hopup chamber will look something like this.  10.5" and longer barrels will have a brass barrel as you see above.  Models with a shorter barrel will have a silver aluminum barrel.  Now we can start on the lower gearbox.

Remove the front receiver pin and pull the upper receiver assembly up.  Unless you have a front wired model, you do not have to remove the barrel or any other parts from the upper receiver to do this.  You just punch out the pins and pull it up.

At this point, your lower assembly should look something like the above picture.

On all ICS M4's, except for the fixed stocks, you can remove the whole stock assembly by unscrewing this screw.  On fixed stocks, the stock must be removed in order to access this screw.

If your gun is wired to the rear, there will be a plug right at the end of receiver.  Unplug it now.

On fixed stocks, you will see the plug as soon as you screw the stock itself.  The above gun has a Deans connector on it.  Yours will have a standard Kyosho or Tamiya plug as shown in the previous picture.

Your gun should now be down to this.  If you still have the stock adapter on the gun, remove it now.  Now we will remove the motor.

This is a current model ICS M4 grip plate.  Older generations had a small set screw with a thin plate on the inside to adjust the motor height.  Current models just have a large flat head plate to allow for motor adjustment.

Remove both Phillips head screws from the bottom of the grip.  The motor adjustment screw does not have to be removed.

The motor plate can now be lifted straight out of the gun.

You can now see the motor with two wires connected to it using standard spade connectors.  Carefully pull these up to unplug the motor.  If your gun is an older model, there may be a small, circular metal plate on top of the motor.  Do not lose that.

You can now pull the motor out of the grip.  If the motor appears to be stuck, you can use a small punch and slide it under the end bell to carefully pry the motor up.  If you have a Sportline, you will see a Infinite motor as shown above.  If you have a Proline, you will see a Turbo 3000 motor.

Once you remove the motor, there will be two small Phillips head screws at the bottom of the grip.  Remove those now.

The pistol grip will now slide off the grip.  Make sure your wires to not get caught and bent on the end of the grip as you are pulling it off.  The only thing left now is to unscrew the magazine catch as shown above, at which point the lower gearbox will slide out.

Your lower gearbox should now be removed from the receiver and will look like this if wired to the rear.  All you have to do now is remove the four screws and you are done.

Take note of where everything is, especially springs.  Make sure you note the piece on the front of the gearbox near the top.  This piece WILL fall out when working on the gun.  If you do not reinstall it properly, you will not be able to close the upper receiver when you are reassembling the gun.

ICS Compatibility Matrix

Download the matrix - Updated 12/20/09, Excel 2007 Format
View the matrix online - Updated 7/28/2010, Google Docs *WIP*