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Post by m1a1 on Aug 4, 2010 12:58:31 GMT -5
How I got this gun is a great story but feel free to skip ahead. I purchased the Viva arms 1919 while deployed in the Middle East. I worked a night shift so I didn’t have a whole lot going on at night and I pretty much had Redwolf and ASGI opened on my browser during most my shift. One night I refreshed the RW page and low and behold there was the Viva Arms 1919. I preordered it literally minutes after its release. That was the V1 however. A Few weeks go by and I see the release of the V2. I wanted to cry. Then I got an e-mail from RW saying that anyone who bought the V1 was getting the V2 instead at the V1 price! Saving me $190! Ok on to the specs… FPS: 400 ROF: Depends on the battery but with a 9v it’s pretty dang good. Build Quality: OUTSTANDING!! When they say steel they mean STEEL! This thing is rock solid! Battery: One was not included. However, the battery storage is ample. Sights: Hard to adjust. But this is a machine gun so zeroing in isn’t too big a deal. Accuracy: Very Good Hop-up: None Range: Very good for no Hop-up. Ammo load: Red wolf says 2500 but I filled mine with about 4000. Ammo feed: Ok. This required a little 5 second moding. The tube feed shakes out of the gun after a few shots but nothing some duct tape won’t fix also I would highly recommend strapping the ammo can down to the gun. It tends to fall off when moved around a lot. Final thoughts: • If you plan on bringing this gun to a game, you will need an assistant gunner to carry the tripod and ammo. • The real-steel bipod doesn’t fit. • The pre-sighting knobs work really well. Use them. My teammate was under fire and he just reached up and started firing at the pre-sighted area, buying him time to relocate. • Make sure you wipe down the gun with oil or WD-40 or the gun WILL rust. • Beware of the ammo can tray. Make sure you assemble it securely to the gun. • No, you can not “Rambo” this gun. I already tried. Way to heavy and cumbersome. • I wish there was a “belt” ammo feed for this!
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Post by huxy on Aug 4, 2010 16:34:28 GMT -5
Pictures! We need pictures!!
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Post by m1a1 on Aug 6, 2010 1:09:24 GMT -5
I'll try! But RW seems to have some good pics for now.
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Post by m1a1 on Aug 9, 2010 23:46:21 GMT -5
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cairo1
Private 1st Class
Posts: 494
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Post by cairo1 on Oct 6, 2010 1:01:37 GMT -5
my bud (who is in afghanistan) just bought one of these, i have it sitting in the box in the back of my closet, i cant wait for him to come home so we can but that bad boy out
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nkronsch
Private
There is no problem on Earth that can not be solved with the proper application of high explosives.
Posts: 175
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Post by nkronsch on Oct 6, 2010 16:09:57 GMT -5
haha MAJOR necro post man the thread ended over a year ago!!!
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Post by Fusilier on Oct 6, 2010 17:39:16 GMT -5
Since when was August 2010 last year???
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 6, 2010 19:46:04 GMT -5
These gun just recently started hitting the ground and sadly will probably be a limited run. If you have the means to get one. (They are expensive) I suggest you move on them. It is an awesome airsoft weapon. Very solid, very well made and a very accurate replica with the xception of the backwards tripod foot cups and a few minor details that only we detail consumed, obsessive nut jobs would care about. It's anexpensive airsoft gun that actually works and appears to be very very durable.
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nkronsch
Private
There is no problem on Earth that can not be solved with the proper application of high explosives.
Posts: 175
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Post by nkronsch on Oct 6, 2010 22:23:06 GMT -5
haha sorry no necro I read the date wrong : )
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Post by m1a1 on Nov 23, 2010 11:13:06 GMT -5
my bud (who is in afghanistan) just bought one of these, i have it sitting in the box in the back of my closet, i cant wait for him to come home so we can but that bad boy out HA! Same with my little brother! I was over seas as well (Undisclosed) and my bro just had to wait until I got back but he didn't. ;D
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 23, 2010 16:22:15 GMT -5
I again state that if you see one of these available somewhere and want it (and can afford it) move on it quickly as they will be a limited availability item. I would love to have one. Our local shop ordered and received three of them and I got to test fire and mess around with one setting up their display. The gun is incredibly well executed.
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Post by overkillc7 on Nov 23, 2010 17:38:41 GMT -5
I purchased a used Viva Arms M1919A4 a few weeks ago and got it in and ready for a local Op this past weekend. Here's my humble opinions of the gun and a few changes that I made that greatly improved it's performance: First of, the electric box magazine that comes with the gun is in simple terms a piece of garbage and difficult to use when it's mounted on the side of the gun. The feed button is located between the box and the gun's receiver so anyone with hands larger than those of a small child will have a hard time reaching up to press the switch. The magazine is also very week and not consistent in feeding. To remedy this problem I took off the tray that holds on the box magazine. Instead of using the box mag that came with the gun I now use a real period .30cal ammo can with a Classic Army auto-feeding box mag that was originally made for use with the M249. A long section of 7mm diameter, flexible spring connects the CA mag to the guns top-feed hop-up. The CA box mag fits nicely inside the .30cal ammo box along with a large size battery and a 2000rd bottle of extra BBs. Secondly, the upper part of the receiver will barely allow a stick or mini battery to fit. It's very cramped even with these small size batteries and the chances of pinching or crimping a wire with the top cover is very high. To remedy this I ran an extension wire from the guns plug to a large battery inside the box magazine. Both the BB feed spring and the wire are covered with black, plastic conduit to protect them, keep dirt out and allow a little concealment of them. Third, When I first received the gun it was only shooting around 230fps with .20g BBs but it turned out that was because the hop-up bucking that Viva Arms uses is tissue paper thin. I replaced it with a JBU hard bucking and the velocity jumped back up to 340 - 350fps with .20g BBs. I shot .23g BBs in it at the event this weekend and it's performance was very impressive in range and accuracy. Fourth, Viva didn't do a good job of getting the outer diameter of the front cap in mesh with the inner diameter of the outer barrel heat shield. The heat shield is held in place by one screw on the receiver end and by the end cap pressing against it. Since there was a gap between the end cap and the shield the shield wiggled and was off set when the screw was tightened. To fix this I wrapped some electrical tape around the end cap and pressed the heat shroud back on it. No more off set or wiggling problems. I also added a real A4 hand grip and use a real M2 tripod since I had one that I purchased for another gun a year ago. Here are a few pictures of my slightly modified and improved .30cal: The blank ammo belt is just for show when the gun is not on the field. Unfortunately it pinches the BB feed spring too much for it to be used in a game.
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Post by CharleyNovember on Nov 23, 2010 19:08:41 GMT -5
It sure pissed off Germans....just sayin...
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
Posts: 2,859
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Post by Adler69 on Nov 23, 2010 21:47:58 GMT -5
Just a little correction , those are DUMMY rounds , not BLANK rounds on the belt . Most guys are anal about camo patterns and uniform cut and fabric , i tend to get strict when it comes to calling weapon specific details the right way.
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Post by overkillc7 on Nov 23, 2010 22:19:30 GMT -5
Whatever floats yer boat.
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
Posts: 2,859
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Post by Adler69 on Nov 23, 2010 22:24:24 GMT -5
Floats my boat just fine to call things what they are.
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Post by overkillc7 on Nov 24, 2010 9:08:13 GMT -5
Okie dokie
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Post by CharleyNovember on Nov 24, 2010 10:35:04 GMT -5
Adler are you not the person that always gets on to others about trying to be more friendly to newcomers? Dummy rounds/Blank rounds....Really dude? Unbelievable!
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Post by volkssturm on Nov 24, 2010 17:10:06 GMT -5
Well, in Adler's defense, a certain level of precision when dealing with weapons and ammunition enhances the odds of not visiting the emergency room, or worse. ;D
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Post by CharleyNovember on Nov 24, 2010 17:39:31 GMT -5
Not in airsoft and not in this case at all....
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elder90
Private 1st Class
Posts: 643
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Post by elder90 on Nov 25, 2010 3:27:28 GMT -5
Hi guys I was wondering if anyone had any pictures of what the gearbox on a VIVA M1919 looked like
Thanks and Im sorry this is old i didnt want to start a new thread
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Post by CharleyNovember on Nov 25, 2010 7:20:56 GMT -5
My understanding is that it uses the M14 style mechbox.
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kalbs
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,142
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Post by kalbs on Nov 25, 2010 8:27:41 GMT -5
I like the conversion Overkill. The grips made a big difference too. Thanks for sharing this
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Post by overkillc7 on Nov 25, 2010 9:18:07 GMT -5
I appreciate the positive feedback, kalbs. I don't have any pictures of the gearbox but CharlieNovember is correct. It uses a copy of the Marui M14 gearbox.
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kalbs
Master sergeant
Posts: 1,142
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Post by kalbs on Nov 25, 2010 19:53:53 GMT -5
The one thing that really bothers me about the Viva M1919a4 is the finish color. I have a real deal m1919a4 in which the finish seems to be a medium gray parkerized finish but with a dark olive greenish hue which I think is from being store in grease over many years. My question I guess is what was the actual finish of a WW2 era M1919a4 and how could that be replicated on the Viva model??
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Post by overkillc7 on Nov 26, 2010 11:11:54 GMT -5
Good question. I'm not 100% sure. I purchased one of Killbuckets PVC/Resin M1919a4s a few years ago and he painted them in "Hammered Bronze". It was sort of a dull gray color with dark and light texture. The color on the Viva may also fade and wear to look more realistic over time. I've just started to get some love 'n care marks on her.
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Post by overkillc7 on Dec 10, 2010 10:43:05 GMT -5
I had a chance this week to incorporate the feed tube and battery wire with the ammo belt. The top two shells had to have holes put in them for the tube and wire. The tube and wire then runs behind the belt down to the ammo box. Hand filing the holes into the brass was the most difficult part. I used magnets on the back and bottom of the top shell to hold it in place and more magnets in the cloth belt running inside the receiver. The magnets do a good job of holding the belt in place and make installing and removing the belt easy and quick.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 10, 2010 13:00:05 GMT -5
Great idea with the magnets.
Weapon shades is an argument that seems to be never ending because how long weapons remained in the grease and how the grease was removed (what solvents and what methods) impacted the ultimate appearance of the finish. Weapons once fielded quickly took up widely assorted shades. The effects of exposure to the elements and wear and tear also alterred their appearance. If a weapon was properly de-greased and quickly put into operation if would have been a slightly off black like the Viva 30 Cal but a greenish medium grey is also quite viable.
My father was the battalion commander of a National Guard unit following the war and I remember as a kid seeing the weapons and the 30Cals were all a very, very dark almost black grey. I have to believe this was representative of what weapons looked like when issued in WW2 and pictures both black and white and color photos from the war seem to substantiate that.
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Post by CharleyNovember on Dec 10, 2010 14:26:06 GMT -5
Hey is this shade of khaki correct?....lol just messin with ya. Great mod Overkill.
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Post by overkillc7 on Dec 10, 2010 15:54:22 GMT -5
Thanks, 2nd Bat. It was the best way to do it without having to mod the gun in any way. I'm still debating on putting a Dean connector on the wires. Hey is this shade of khaki correct?....lol just messin with ya. Great mod Overkill. Why yes...it's OD#795252.43-12B manufactured in Biteme, AL during '43 right before they decided to switch over to metal links. ;D
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