The SL8 Mods, Info and FAQ Thread

[Dohhunter]

To those of you that have aftermarket rails ( B&T or KAC), do they fit tighter than the factory plastic? I have an SL-8 and the factory forend wiggles alot. I like the looks of the rails, but not willing to spend that kind of money unless they mount up snug. Thanks!

You have play? I have an SL8-4 and it is 110% solid.

 

[spirit]

Mine is very solid too... I juste need to find a new scope. This one lost his Zero...

 

[CNADNSL8-5]

When you say "forend" do you mean the handguard?

My plastic SL8 handguard will wiggle if I grab it and deliberately try to move it. It does not just flop around if I am handling it. My B&T handguard will also move slightly if I really pull on it, but it is much more solid than the factory one. It's not really meant to mount optics on.

 

[oenone]

To those of you that have aftermarket rails ( B&T or KAC), do they fit tighter than the factory plastic? I have an SL-8 and the factory forend wiggles alot. I like the looks of the rails, but not willing to spend that kind of money unless they mount up snug. Thanks!

If you are mounting lasers or something else that requires sturdy placing, you will need to either obtain the B+T top rail BT-21194 with the cantilever rail over the top of the hand-guard to mount it there, or if you are running the HK dual or single optic install some rails on the sides of the 1.5x or 3x, or if you are running a single optic, install either BT-21718 or BT-21361 over top, or a rail on top of just the optic as is used to mount the Z-Point.

 

[CNADNSL8-5]

There are not a lot of instructions I can give because it is mostly custom fitting each piece. There are not a lot exact measurements either. However, I will do my best to explain the process.

Parts needed:

SL8 factory stock with buttpad and screws
MP5 stock
Fiberglass body filler
Devcon II plastic glue

Click the picture for a larger view.

I cut the SL8 stock behind the mounting screws and the pistol grip. Then you cut out a small section behind the backplate. You will need to do a bit of trimming and sanding for a final fit with the MP5 stock.






Using a dowel inserted in the pistol grip to help form the shape, heat the plastic and shape it so that the two cut sides come together and blend it together. you can sand it down for a better finish. (I had mine covered in Line-X so it did not need to be perfect)

You then need to cut the MP5 stock to accommodate the mounting holes for the SL8 upper. You need to make sure the upper will fit into the cut out section and the mounting holes line on properly. You will need to remove some of the plastic inside the MP5 stock so it fits up against the SL8 lower Again you will need to to some trimming and sanding for a final fit.


(This is a piece left over from another project just to show the section to remove.)



Once you have the final fit between the SL8 lower and the MP5 stock you need to drill the holes to mount the two together. With the two pieces fitted together, mark and drill the same size hole that is in the MP5 stick through the SL8 lower.

Now you need to take the SL8 buttpad and cut out a small section of the mounting holes to fit inside the SL8 lower and line it up with the hole you drilled though. Leave the plastic on the side of the piece you cut so it keep and even space for the mounting screws. Test fit the MP5 stock to make sure it all lines up. You may need to do a bit of sanding if the MP5 stock becomes to tight to line up with the holes.



You can use the buttpad mounting screws to hold the small piece in place and use the fiberglass filler to secure it. once it it set you can remove the screws.

You then drill and tap an 8-32 hole in the small upper circle of the metal back plate of the MP5 stock. You thread an 8-32 machine screw so the head protrudes into the empty space where you cut the notch in the SL8 lower. This just gives a bit of re-enforcement to the joint. Make sure the screw does not stick out to far that it interferes with the SL8 backplate.

If you want to use the SL8 cheek rest you will need to score the MP5 stock at the seam and remove the buttpad. It is glued on at the factory. You will need to put the buttpad in a vise and wiggle the stock till the glue cracks. You may crack the entire stock so be careful. You need to save the buttpad to re-install it later.

You need to cut off the factory cheek piece mounting holes from The SL8 stock. Mark and drill the holes in the MP5 stock so the screws can pass through and thread into the piece you cut off the SL8 stock. You will need to trim the piece for the factory mounting screws to fit snugly into the MP5 stock. Make sure you leave space to put the buttpad back into the MP5 stock. Once everything is fitted and lined up you can use the Devcon II to secure the piece into the PM5 stock. Then use the Devcon II to re-attach the buttpad to the stock



Mix up enough fiberglass filler to fill the space in the MP5 stock and the space where the 8-32 screw protrudes into the SL8 stock. You want all the gaps filled. The fiberglass filler should be flush with the existing plastic behind the backplate and cover the 8-32 screw head. Use the buttpad screw to secure the MP5 stock to the SL8 lower. Remove the excess fiberglass. Once the fiberglass is set up you can sand it down so all the contours and lines match and make sure the upper fits properly.



Once the fiberglass had hardened I took out the screws holding the MP5 stock and SL8 lower together and re-installed them with permanent lock-tight. You will never need to remove these screws again.
Refinish the stock in a good quality coating. (I had a professional shop finish mine.) I then took it to a line-X shop to have the pistol grip finished.

Now you're done! (I think I covered it all.)

Full size pics:

It's that easy!

 

[driller212]

so I looked through here quickly, anywhere to get sl8/g36 5/30 round magazines?

 

[incorrigible]

Everytime I see a SL8-G36 Conversion... I think I we my pants... then cry like a little girl because I want one... but dont want to spend the few K to have one.

Roughly Total cost if I may ask? (I already have the rifle)

Luke

All depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go. As little as $500 for a E variant'ish if you can find a used TN version and a good price on a mag. Upwards of another $2500 to $3000 for a K or C. There's a good breakdown of costs in this tread somewhere if you want to read for it.

 

[oenone]

As little as $500 for a E variant'ish if you can find a used TN version and a good price on a mag. Upwards of another $2500 to $3000 for a K or C. There's a good breakdown of costs in this tread somewhere if you want to read for it.

Except what happens is you compare what you have assembled with the real thing and start to notice differences that make yours look really off. . . and so the game beings to make it perfect, and with that, the cost goes up. So just slap on a TN stock, grab a mag, and never look at G36's again, 'cos after all, you got one in your hands, right?

 

[incorrigible]

Except what happens is you compare what you have assembled with the real thing and start to notice differences that make yours look really off. . . and so the game beings to make it perfect, and with that, the cost goes up. So just slap on a TN stock, grab a mag, and never look at G36's again, 'cos after all, you got on in your hands, right?

That sir, is a fact. I know it all to well. Here's a few of the incarnations... mine started as and SL8-5 back in '07.

Back in about '07 I trimmed the barrel to 18.5, threaded on the flash hider and added the TN. Me no rikey! LOP too long.

Later that year I went in used 'C' variant rear stock to shorten the LOP and a decent Leupold CQ/T optic on a lark, but it ended up sitting to high on the rail.

and then the chop. Not seemless, but as close as s**t is to swearing...

Ending up here

Don't get too excited on the mag. It was a mod I played with a few years back marrying a 5rd and 30rd with emptied dewat rounds as filler in the lower portion. You can get bored during a long winter in Wainwright

If you wanted to go for a G36C variant count on throwing another $1800 down the hole for barrels, forestock, rails, etc... and maybe someday I will! I should qualify that as saying that if you did a G36C first its only about 700 more than the K, if availible(the extra 1800 is only if you wanted both)

A long story made even longer... you can spend a much time and cash and it only gets better. Thats part of the fun of the SL8/G36 platform is the modularity and polymer components which lend themselves to easier alteration than steel. Everyone and their dog runs an AR (and less so for the Sig CQB, but its still of the shelf), the SL8 allow you to build something not many can have. It's only money, can't take it with you and you might as well spend it before she leaves and takes it to the Bahamas with her new boyfriend

 

[CNADNSL8-5]

so I looked through here quickly, anywhere to get sl8/g36 5/30 round magazines?

No real supply of 5/30s up here. EE is your best bet for real G36 mags. The only other option for 5/30 G36ish mags are the Spear mags. I think they will be out in the new year. The other option is the magpul gmags. But who knows when or if they will ever become available.

 

[driller212]

That's too bad. Il have to try to find at least one for that "tacticool" look for now...

 

[spike223]

I am thinking getting a conversion done .However,not sure which variation E or C

Anyways
Is there a good gunsmith , within the canadian border,that can turned,chop,tread a SL8 barrel to E specs or to C specs

Cheers

 

[incorrigible]

No real supply of 5/30s up here. EE is your best bet for real G36 mags. The only other option for 5/30 G36ish mags are the Spear mags. I think they will be out in the new year. The other option is the magpul gmags. But who knows when or if they will ever become available.

P&D in Edmonton had some 5rds but for some reason few import the 5/30's. You can find Sig 5/30's under every rock but I don't come across HK's very often. Probably what makes the AR conversion so popular.

 

[incorrigible]

I am thinking getting a conversion done .However,not sure which variation E or C

Anyways
Is there a good gunsmith , within the canadian border,that can turned,chop,tread a SL8 barrel to E specs or to C specs

Cheers

To re-profile the SL8 barrel to below 18.5" would make it a prohibited device by the law of the land.

 

[oenone]

Allegedly it's possible to adapt a savage heavy barrel to fit the SL8/G36.

 

[spike223]

OOOOOK then

Who can turned down a SL 8 barrel to E specs ie bayonet lug ,tread M15 x 1

To reprofile the SL8 barrel to below 18.5" would make it a prohibited device by the law of the land.

 

[oenone]

OOOOOK then

Who can turned down a SL 8 barrel to E specs ie bayonet lug ,tread M15 x 1

Have you asked your gunsmith if they can profile barrels and have they said that they can? Do you know the specifications of the profile? If you answered 'No' to both of these questions, contact The Shooting Edge, they have a gunsmith who can do everything for you.

 

[spike223]

Thank you!

Nope and nope ,I really don't have the specs of the G36E barrel ...Neither my local gunsmith

Thanks for the tip

Have you asked your gunsmith if they can profile barrels and have they said that they can? Do you know the specifications of the profile? If you answered 'No' to both of these questions, contact The Shooting Edge, they have a gunsmith who can do everything for you.

 

[driller212]

so in order to get the ar adapter magwell to function in an sl8-1, the receiver has to be modified, I am just wondering, are there any known gunsmiths that can do a good job of fitting the magwell adapter onto an sl8-1? and dare I say plug up the hole in the receiver that results from this?

Thanks for any help guys,

J

 

[TheGamerXxX]

To here:

Not including Rifle... total cost?

And yeah I'd want to go for the C, I just really have no idea where to start since I've never "cut" any gun parts

Also mine would be -mag since it only came with the AR-mag Conversion.

Luke