|
Statistics
|
| Users |
34,555 |
| Products |
477 |
| Reviews |
196 |
| Views |
10,409,774 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TM mk23 Socom NBB Laser & Light Modification Tutorial
|
|
|
|
Reviews
|
Views
|
Date product posted
|
|
0
|
13071
|
Thu December 3, 2009
|
|
 |
|
Recommended By
|
Average Price
|
Average Rating
|
|
No recommendations
|
None indicated
|
None indicated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description:
|
TM mk23 Socom LAM modification guide by mario1286
Discuss this guide here.
So, I've owned the TM socom for quite a while, and I've got to say that it is by far my favorite handgun.
That aside, just like anyone else that's owned the weapon set, I've been extremely dissatisfied with the LAM (laser aiming module for those who dont know) that comes with the weapon. After searching on ASR, all I could come up with were either expensive or extensive modification alternatives. So a few years back, I cracked open the LAM myself and replaced the red flashlight that was supposed to be a "laser" with a real one in my own fashion.
I left the tactical lamp alone, because I actually found it somewhat satisfying.
Just recently I had to replace the laser because the wiring snapped off (my fault, not normal use), and took the opportunity to replace the stock lightbulb with a 3bulb LED white light (pics below).
Here are the parts you will need to complete the job:
BB gun laser ($20)
LED flashlight "upgrade" lightbulb ($4)
Pliers
Tape
Small screwdriver
File
Solder or other kind of conductive wire (dont worry, no soldering required, but this is not optional)
Hex key to open the LAM unit
Drill and thin drillbit (optional)
Solder and soldering iron (optional)
The laser is a BB gun laser from Walmart.
The lightbulb I got was just a lightbulb, reflector, and two bare wires. The lightbulb I got was almost an exact fit for the hole already in the LAM. It was one of those LED converter bulbs you can use in a regular flashlight.
Here's the specific laser:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5141819
And the flashlight bulb:
http://www.universalpart.com/AA-Mini-Maglite-LED-Conversion-Kit_item_5258.html
I've seen suggestions in a lot of places that you can take apart any pen or presentation laser, like what you can get at Office Depot. While this probably would work, the BB gun laser I used has a much larger dot than any presentation laser I've ever seen.
The setup was actually quite easy, easier than some previous posts here on ASR have made it seem. All you do is snap off the red "laser" lightbulb and the "flashlight" bulb (I left the blue flashlight in there just in case i ever want to use it again, for whatever reason).
---LASER---
First I took apart the laser assembly as much as possible, down to just the diode connected to the circuit board, and a brass spring connected to the board as well.
Here is perhaps the trickiest part, especially if you dont use the laser I did; stack your button batteries on the laser circut board on top of the contact point (make sure they're not stacked upside down). Cut a piece of solder or conductive wire, and wrap tape to the top of the stack of batteries so it extrudes foward. Tape the entire assembly firmly to the circuit board.
Next, just infront of the contact point on the board is a long, brass colored vertical spring. Simply tape this spring firmly to that useless top wheel on the LAM. This way, when you rotate the wheel from the outside, the spring and conductive wire cross, and complete the circuit, activating the laser. If you tape it just right, the tape can be used to friction fit in the wheel slot, so that it can be toggled on/off instead of just held on.
Assemble everything together, pointing the laser diode out of the hole where the red lightbulb used to be in the LAM. This is where you may be required to file the LAM wall until the laser diode fits. Wrap electrical tape aroud the diode to allow a snug fit.
After you have inserted the unit, activate the laser by turning the top wheel. Using the small screwdriver or metal rod, nudge the laser through the hole until it is zeroed in with the iron sights.
The laser will be run off of it's own power supply of the 3 button batteries.
Variation
After over a year of running the laser in the setup described above, I've found that drilling a small hole into the LAM wheel near the edge and tying the spring through it yields better durability than simply taping it on. You will still need the tape on the wheel for on/off toggle ability though.
---FLASHLIGHT---
Simply bend the contacts of your bulb with pliers so that they make contact with the connection plates within the LAM, where the blue lightbulb "flashlight" used to be.
File the plastic inside the LAM until the lightbulb can slip into place evenly. File slowly so that you do not over-shoot your mark.
If done correctly, the flaslight will simply complete the circuit that was already present in the LAM, replacing the blue bulb and powered by the 3 AAA batteries inserted in the LAM.
Variation
Althought it worked without problems for over a year for me, the flashlight is the weakest part of the system, because the bulb is simply friction fit onto the contact plates. This can quickly be solved by soldering the bulb into place, which changes the flashlight from the weakest to strongest part of the system.
And you're done! Pictures:
After doing dozens of jumps, harsh reloads, and runs with the weapon, the laser does not come misaligned and everything still works fine.
***UPDATE*** After a game of CQC the box is holding up fine. At the end of the month is our 24 hour game, in which this gun will be employed. Will update the status then.
***UPDATE 5/31/09*** During the 24 hour game the LAM system held up amazingly well. The SOCOM was dropped, thrown, and knocked against a multitude of bushes and branches, and the laser never became misalinged, and the flashlight worked perfectly. The flashlight was very effective during the night.
An important note: During the various suprise raids the weapon has participated in, I have found that much like a tactical flashlight, the laser works as not just a target acquisition device, but also a psychological warfare piece. As soon as the laser beam found a target to hover on, the enemy team I was engaging begain to act erratic, avoiding the laser and showing obvious signs of stress.
Final note: As I've said before, the only two deviations from this guide that are signifigant are drilling the laser wheel to tie the spring on, and soldering the lightbulb directly onto the contacts. Both of these variations simply add to the durability of the LAM. I used the LAM without these added "upgrades" for over a year, and was just fine without them.
Written by mario1286, 5/19/2009
|
|
|
|
|
Hardcore
|
|
Posts: 8,597
Registered: January 2007
Location: West Jordan, UT
|
|
|
|
;)
