ICS has come a long way: L85

MadMax · February 27th, 2008, 23:08

I've been following ICS products on and off for my entire airsoft history. My first AEG was an ICS MP5. I hadn't initially realized it, but it had a wonky spring from the get go and was shooting a pathetic 200fps. I played about a dozen games before I got to a field with a chrony and figured out why I had to play with so much aggression. Right off the bat the gun was a dud. I bought it in broken condition from the first owner who busted the tappet plate on the first mag. I didn't know what I was getting into, but it had a nice metal body and 8 years ago I was keen on fixer uppers anyways.

ICS is maturing and has been taken some pretty ambitious steps with their latest line of AEGs. Their display was full of aesthetically pleasing (feel and look) and it was hard not to go around and manhandle everything. Instead, I decided to focus on only one new product instead of glossing over everything.

I concentrated on their mechanically most interesting AEG (well I thought so) which was their L85. It offers a very modular design which can be rapidly disassembled.

Remove one screw/pin at the top rear and one vertical screw at the bottom rear and the back plate comes out and allows the lower to pivot down and the mechbox to slide rearwards. Seems to me that easy disassembly is a common theme amongst bullpups: P90, AUG, L85...

To save messing with connectors or stringly wires, the electricals in the upper and lower are connected by one copper and one brass contact.

First off, this is a very clean way to make electrical connections. I do have some reservations about their material selections though. The lower contact seems to have been made out of brass which has an annoying habit of forming a non conductive oxide layer. The sprung contacts on the left don't jam down very hard so I'm somewhat sceptical that they'll make a very low resistance connection. However, without my spectrometer, I couldn't identify their materials. It's hopeful that ICS has made better material selections than I though. Still it's odd that one might opt for gold plated high contact force Deans connectors and gimp out on a 8g engagement force at connectors somewhere else.

gearbox

The gearbox offers a really neat adjustable preload spring guide. Unclip the crosspin that retains the spring guide and you can move the spring guide to one of three preload positions to adjust the FPS of your setup. Two holes in the side, one perpindicular hole for the crosspin to engage. The spine on the spring guide post lines up in a groove in the shell.

Push on a rectangular button at the front of the forend and it slides off for easy battery access.

flip up the lide and slide off

easily available automotive fuse that fits into slim space

capacious battery compartment fits a 9.6v large pack

Overall a very nice feeling AEG. Not as heavy as the STAR version, but the engineering in the ICS L85 is quite creative. I didn't get to open up the gearbox to see the mechanicals, but from the outset this appears to be a very well considered design apart from the electrical connection issue.

MadMax · February 27th, 2008, 23:10

And now for some ICS pron... Gorgeous STEEL Galil with milled trades!!

With some scuffs and scratches and a touch of rust it would look perfect!

The Saint · February 27th, 2008, 23:14

Adjustable preload spring guide? That's pretty clever. I'd love to see that feature in other guns.

Tombstone · February 27th, 2008, 23:16

Very interesting, I too started off with an ICS Mp5. People make noise about ICS but I personally think that they are very decent guns. metal body cheaper than CA small upgrades reqrd= kick arse gun. I upgraded mine and now it is one of my best preforming guns.

Tombstone · February 27th, 2008, 23:17

Cool Techs and great pics BTW!

ancorp · February 27th, 2008, 23:19

Damn ICS is starting to look very attractive again. I love the finish on the Galil. Thank you for the pics!

Tombstone · February 27th, 2008, 23:24

L85 pics + 28 days later = mmmmmmmmmmmmm I want one now (and go broke again, just got M15.........Must stop buying guns .......Agh F%&K it i want one its worth it)

13Fido13 · February 27th, 2008, 23:24

Very good ideas for that mechbox setup...

BBS · February 27th, 2008, 23:56

neat innovations from ICS especially the preload spring guide. I'm drooling over the Gali.

MadMax · February 28th, 2008, 00:43

Very hefty gun. Steel receiver, wood furniture. The Galil was a gorgous piece of airsoft.

Sergeantmajor · February 28th, 2008, 00:45

the GALIL is sweet, is it out there? or just some sort of "project" that never made it to the market. i havent seen it anywhere (havent been looking either)

MadMax · February 28th, 2008, 00:59

Not released yet. Soon though

kalnaren · February 28th, 2008, 08:35

I love how everyone that makes an L85 has a different mechbox. Hopefully ICS will fix the issued with the other ones.

Red Tiger · February 28th, 2008, 09:06

the ajustable Spring guide is neat. But as a host , too easy to change your fps in game and change it back, before the end of the game.

This is only incovenient is see.

The the design is very promising.

attack-beaver · February 28th, 2008, 11:47

both guns look great i wants the galil right know.

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February 27th, 2008, 23:08	#1
MadMax Delierious Designer of Dastardly Detonations Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: in the dark recesses of some metal chip filled machine shop	ICS has come a long way: L85 I've been following ICS products on and off for my entire airsoft history. My first AEG was an ICS MP5. I hadn't initially realized it, but it had a wonky spring from the get go and was shooting a pathetic 200fps. I played about a dozen games before I got to a field with a chrony and figured out why I had to play with so much aggression. Right off the bat the gun was a dud. I bought it in broken condition from the first owner who busted the tappet plate on the first mag. I didn't know what I was getting into, but it had a nice metal body and 8 years ago I was keen on fixer uppers anyways. ICS is maturing and has been taken some pretty ambitious steps with their latest line of AEGs. Their display was full of aesthetically pleasing (feel and look) and it was hard not to go around and manhandle everything. Instead, I decided to focus on only one new product instead of glossing over everything. I concentrated on their mechanically most interesting AEG (well I thought so) which was their L85. It offers a very modular design which can be rapidly disassembled. Remove one screw/pin at the top rear and one vertical screw at the bottom rear and the back plate comes out and allows the lower to pivot down and the mechbox to slide rearwards. Seems to me that easy disassembly is a common theme amongst bullpups: P90, AUG, L85... To save messing with connectors or stringly wires, the electricals in the upper and lower are connected by one copper and one brass contact. First off, this is a very clean way to make electrical connections. I do have some reservations about their material selections though. The lower contact seems to have been made out of brass which has an annoying habit of forming a non conductive oxide layer. The sprung contacts on the left don't jam down very hard so I'm somewhat sceptical that they'll make a very low resistance connection. However, without my spectrometer, I couldn't identify their materials. It's hopeful that ICS has made better material selections than I though. Still it's odd that one might opt for gold plated high contact force Deans connectors and gimp out on a 8g engagement force at connectors somewhere else. gearbox The gearbox offers a really neat adjustable preload spring guide. Unclip the crosspin that retains the spring guide and you can move the spring guide to one of three preload positions to adjust the FPS of your setup. Two holes in the side, one perpindicular hole for the crosspin to engage. The spine on the spring guide post lines up in a groove in the shell. Push on a rectangular button at the front of the forend and it slides off for easy battery access. flip up the lide and slide off easily available automotive fuse that fits into slim space capacious battery compartment fits a 9.6v large pack Overall a very nice feeling AEG. Not as heavy as the STAR version, but the engineering in the ICS L85 is quite creative. I didn't get to open up the gearbox to see the mechanicals, but from the outset this appears to be a very well considered design apart from the electrical connection issue. __________________ Want nearly free GBB gas? Last edited by MadMax; February 28th, 2008 at 10:50..

February 27th, 2008, 23:10	#2
MadMax Delierious Designer of Dastardly Detonations Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: in the dark recesses of some metal chip filled machine shop	And now for some ICS pron... Gorgeous STEEL Galil with milled trades!! With some scuffs and scratches and a touch of rust it would look perfect! __________________ Want nearly free GBB gas?

February 27th, 2008, 23:14	#3
The Saint Trader rating Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Quebec	Adjustable preload spring guide? That's pretty clever. I'd love to see that feature in other guns. __________________ "The Bird of Hermes is My Name, Eating My Wings to Make Me Tame."

February 27th, 2008, 23:16	#4
Tombstone Trader rating Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fuck Jim Lahey	Very interesting, I too started off with an ICS Mp5. People make noise about ICS but I personally think that they are very decent guns. metal body cheaper than CA small upgrades reqrd= kick arse gun. I upgraded mine and now it is one of my best preforming guns.

February 27th, 2008, 23:17	#5
Tombstone Trader rating Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fuck Jim Lahey	Cool Techs and great pics BTW!

February 27th, 2008, 23:19	#6
ancorp AK Guru Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vaughan, Ontario (near Toronto)	Damn ICS is starting to look very attractive again. I love the finish on the Galil. Thank you for the pics! __________________

February 27th, 2008, 23:24	#7
Tombstone Trader rating Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fuck Jim Lahey	L85 pics + 28 days later = mmmmmmmmmmmmm I want one now (and go broke again, just got M15.........Must stop buying guns .......Agh F%&K it i want one its worth it)

February 27th, 2008, 23:24	#8
13Fido13 Trader rating Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sudbury, Ontario	Very good ideas for that mechbox setup... __________________ Level 2 BA Certified

February 27th, 2008, 23:56	#9
BBS Trader rating Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: BC, Canada	neat innovations from ICS especially the preload spring guide. I'm drooling over the Gali.

February 28th, 2008, 00:43	#10
MadMax Delierious Designer of Dastardly Detonations Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: in the dark recesses of some metal chip filled machine shop	Very hefty gun. Steel receiver, wood furniture. The Galil was a gorgous piece of airsoft. __________________ Want nearly free GBB gas?

February 28th, 2008, 00:45	#11
Sergeantmajor Trader rating Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada	the GALIL is sweet, is it out there? or just some sort of "project" that never made it to the market. i havent seen it anywhere (havent been looking either) __________________ "Lieutenant John Chard: The army doesn't like more than one disaster in a day. Bromhead: Looks bad in the newspapers and upsets civilians at their breakfast." - ZULU (1964)

February 28th, 2008, 00:59	#12
MadMax Delierious Designer of Dastardly Detonations Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: in the dark recesses of some metal chip filled machine shop	Not released yet. Soon though __________________ Want nearly free GBB gas?

February 28th, 2008, 09:06	#14
Red Tiger Trader rating Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Laurentides , QC	the ajustable Spring guide is neat. But as a host , too easy to change your fps in game and change it back, before the end of the game. This is only incovenient is see. The the design is very promising.

February 28th, 2008, 11:47	#15
attack-beaver Trader rating Join Date: May 2005 Location: calgary	both guns look great i wants the galil right know.

ICS has come a long way: L85

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