New Release MGC M733 Commando

Post by Madmike

This is a short review of the MGC M733 „M16A2 Commando“, which was released in September. It is the most compact of the current M16 5.56 mm Carbine series. It is still in production by Colt and offered with fixed carry handle (M733) or a flat top receiver (M933). The original is well known since the movie Black Hawk Down, where the short M733 was used by Ranger Captain Steele and the medic Doc Schmid. But Val Kilmer and Robert DeNiro use these too in the well known shootout scene in HEAT (Kilmer as "Chris" is even doing a nice reload scene using the bolt catch).

MGC made an exact copy of the gun used in Black Hawk Down, so it has the early version 1 “XM177” style retracable 3-position stock and a bayonet lug. I think this is odd as all pictures I have seen of the real M733 prove that it has no bayonet lug (due to the short barrel no bayonet can be attached anyway) and the later version stock (like early M4 Carbines).
The lower receiver has the same markings and serial number as the MGC M-725. The upper reciver has a new/changed mold due to the A2 style rear sights. The overall impression is very good. It is a very compact gun with a nice flat black finish. But the gun has its downs. Although it is a new design, the stock still wobbles far too much. The finish of the upper reciver is not as good as the lower which may result from the reworked mold used for the upper. The case deflector behind the ejection port is a little different from the case deflector on the M4 and M-725, the one on the M733 does look like additional added to an A1 upper and thus not too realistic. The dials of the rear sight can be turned too easily as they do not click very well. This is better on the detachable carry handle of the M4 series.
M4 and M733:

Different stocks - M733 "XM177" (3 position) style left, M4 (4 position) right:

Case deflector on the M733:

Case deflector on the M4 (more realistic looking):

As it uses the same firing mechanism as the MGC M-725 and M4 series, it fires quite well and reliable out of the box. A drawback of all current MGC AR-15s is that the gun is hard to disassemble for cleaning. To reach the firing pin one has to take down the whole barrel assembly which takes time and can be tricky. If done often the barrel may start to wobble as it is only held together by a steel pin driven into the plastic barrel parts.
For me being an AR-15 enthusiast, it is a must have modelgun, and I really like it. If you already have a MGC M4 or M-725, it won´t bring much new features, so your money might be better spent on another modelgun. But that is like always just a question of preference.

Post by Claymore

Nice review madmike and great pics. This new model is a very nice looking gun and after holding it, it feels good too, i really like the size of the model. Are you going to shoot this one or keep it for display

Post by Madmike

Hello Claymore!

I already shot it. It is working quite reliable, but I guess I won´t shoot it that often because of the complicated stripping and cleaning.
I am not too happy with the photos as I had to use the flash on my digicam, but the dark autumn takes its toll.

Post by fightdesigner

I've got one of the M4s... do you know of any online tutorial on stripping and cleaning these guys? I've been so paranoid about messing up some of the plastic bits or breaking a thin piece of pot metal that I haven't tried yet, and I have fired it.

Thanks,
Kevin
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Post by Claymore

Do you have the manual for this model if not i can scan it and send it to you. the gun is fairly simple to strip but the barrel is just a pain as it also has that fake gas pipe that need to come out, i will have to strip mine down again to be able to describe it but if you want a manual i can email you

Post by Mark

Nice review MadMike!

I see that your M733 Commando is a nice dark black color instead of the dark/light silver color that the MGC M4's had. That makes it allot better looking and, far more realistic too. The fact that MGC is making the M733 and the M4 RIS out of black HW is interesting in itself. The fact that the stocks all seem to wobble "out of the box" is puzzling. I would think that MGC would have fixed the loose stock design after they released the M4. Maybe not enough complaints where received or listened to. The M733's case deflector does look "tacked on" but, its not really bad looking. As for the cleaning on my M4, I decided that after I had disassembled it once after shooting it that there must be an easier way to clean these MGC M16's without all of that work and wear and tear on the upper/lower receiver, barrel etc. What I do anymore is to open up the gun and pour my solution (Very hot water,baking soda,vinegar) down the barrel from the breech end after removing the bolt assy. This is followed by a hair drier set on medium heat to help the drying process. This usually is then followed by some light spray oil. This usually cleans the detonator/barrel out well. Anyways, nice review!

Are you going to get the M4 RIS next???
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MGC MP40 Marushin MP40 Nakata MP40 TRC MP40

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Post by Madmike

Hi Mark!

I use exactly the way you describe cleaning my MGC M4 and M733. Although this works quite well and greatly reduces the work, I still find residues and a light rusty firing pin when I take the gun down from time to time. So I think it will still need a take down and thorough cleaning from time to time.

Regarding the M4 R.I.S., I sure would like to get one, but my funds are a little low currently ...

Post by fightdesigner

How similar is it to this?

http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/maintenance/

http://groups.msn.com/TheMarylandAR15ShootersSite/fieldstripping.msnw

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Field_stripping_m16

Figured some of you might like the share and compare anyway...
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Post by mlin

fightdesigner,

"Field stripping" MGC new generation AR-15/M4 is almost the same as real thing. Bolt assembly is slightly different than real steel. Field stripping allow soldier to perform basic rifle cleaning task.

But cleaning modelgun AR is another story. There is no detonator thing in a real steel. Reaching detonator of MGC AR is complete different than disassemble a barrel of a real AR-15. MGC barrel is not in one piece. There is a roll pin in the middle of the barrel. By removing the pin, the barrel disassemble into 3 pieces. The detonator is hidden inside the piece connected to upper receiver. There is no other way to reach it completely without disassemble the whole thing. Attached a partial snapshot of the MGC manual. Hope this helps.

Post by Mark

The MGC as well as the Marushin M16 series follows the real AR15/M16 in many respects, including many of the field stripping instructions (excluding the bolt assy.) The lower assy can be disassembled just like the real M16 as it contains remarkably realistic parts.
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Wanted to buy: MGC Sten MK3....trades?(still)

MGC MP40 Marushin MP40 Nakata MP40 TRC MP40

Modelgun manufacturers, past and present:CMC,CAW,Hudson,HWS,LS,MGC(R.I.P. 1960's~2007) Marushin,Marui,Kokusai,Shoei,Tanaka and Western Arms

Post by shazhib

Just one thing to note, I don't know if this is relevant to this particular topic. When I clean my good old plastic M16 after firing:
1) I pin out small pin which holds "gas pipe" (on top a barrel from front sight housing to main receiver)
2) Mover the gas pipe toward muzzle direction as much as possible. Then, the other end of the pipe slot out from main receiver, so from barrel screw.
3) loosen barrel screw with a barrel wrench to detach whole barrel section from main receiver
4) take out chamber and detonator from a barrel.

I do not suggest to hammer out a pin sits in the middle of the barrel. It is very stiff, may end up giving a crack.

Hope this helps.

Post by Claymore

Yep thats the way i do mine as those barrel pins are very stiff

Post by Madmike

Great, I must try this. Taking the barrel down often makes it wobbly and thus shouldn´t be done too often. Thank you for that.

After watching HEAT once again (a good film, regardless of the great shoot out scene) I am sure they are using the early M733A version. This is the 11,5 inch barrel M16A2 Commando with all A2 features (grip, case deflector, handguard retaining ring, barrel rifling, etc.), but it still has the A1 rear sight. Due to the limited range of the weapon because of the short barrel early models were fitted with the A1 style rear sight. MGC has done that on the M725 M16A2 Carbine too, so by shortening the barrel to 11,5 inches you can make a true "HEAT" M733A modelgun out of a M725 ...


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Post by Spencerman

Those traffic lights look a little like shell cases! I love that sequence. Does anyone know how much it cost to film? I am pretty sure that the speed boat chase in The World Is Not Enough is the most expensive film sequence ever, but I am sure that this bit must come close, and was probably years to just get all the permits to do it!
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Post by Madmike

Another pic of Chris and his M733A. Note the A1 style rear sights, but A2 style forward assist and case deflector:


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Post by Madmike

I checked www.modelguncollector.co.uk and was very delighted to see they are offering a custom mode MGC M733A. It is an exact copy of the gun used by Val Kilmer and Robert DeNiro in the bank robbery shoot-out in HEAT. It is the early M16A2 Commando version with A1 style rear sights (thatswhy the A in M733A). The model MGC offered on a limited scale in autumn 2006 was the M733 with A2 style rear sights, the model used in Black Hawk Down.

Kilmer used a AR-15 Carbine with longer, 14,5 inch barrel in the armoured car robbery early in the movie. This was most likely a M723 M16A2 Carbine.

If I get MGCUK right they are offering it in ABS version (lighter, but much more durable) and HW version (more weight, but brittle HW material).

The two short clips are good too. I really like the bursts and the bolt catch action.

Nice to see them still in action, despite the VCRA. Even better to see another nice AR-15 variant. You just can't have enough of them around your house.
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Post by figaro

Shot Down town Los Angeles on weekends, it's surprisingly straight forward filming there, there's a process of course, permits are not so expensive. There are productions there almost every weekend shooting something, mainly car commercials.
Closing down roads is just a matter of paying and planning and I've found that the retired police officers that you are assigned to be incredibly helpful.
We just finished shooting about two miles from the Heat location, there were four other productions in a four block radius.
Heat was a major-union rules, studio movie, these cost a lot of money to keep going.
Averaging 30 seconds to a minute of screen time a day, compare that to an eighteen day shoot that has to deliver 10 to 11 minutes of screen time a day.
As a matter of UK interest, Andy McNab (Bravo, Two Zero), or whatever his real name is was supposably one of the technical advisors on this shoot-out.
I love how big the AR-70 looks on Pacino, I was going to buy one recently, they are not big guns at all, seems it was his diminutive size that made the weapon look very intimidating.
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Post by 2sharp

figaro wrote:

I love how big the AR-70 looks on Pacino

Didn't he use an FN FNC?

Post by Madmike

Yes, I think Paciono has the FN FNC, I am quite sure after watching the movie once again.







Anyway I have to put things right. I wrote that the AR-15 14,5 inch barrel carbine they are using during the armoured car robbery may be a M16A2 M723 Carbine, but I was wrong.

See the picture:



No case deflector, so it is an A1 version, no forward assist, so it is an Air Force carbine. I am quite sure it is the GUU-5/P

Note the early A1 lower receiver without "fence" around the magazine release.

I know I may bore you with these details, but I couldn't sleep so I just did some research on this AR-15 ...
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

figaro wrote:

I love how big the AR-70 looks on Pacino, I was going to buy one recently, they are not big guns at all, seems it was his diminutive size that made the weapon look very intimidating.

I think I'd be intimidated by anybody pointing one of those at me!
That rifle looks pretty damned scary when you're looking down the muzzle, regardless of the guy carrying it only being 4ft 6"
BTW MadMike, your knowledge of the AR-15 and all it's variants amazes me No need to apologise for sharing it my friend, I enjoy reading about how diverse this rifle is
Cerwyn

Post by 2sharp

MadMike wrote:

I know I may bore you with these details, but I couldn't sleep so I just did some research on this AR-15 ...

Hell NO I like details, it's all in the details...