Update, as promised (though I'm not sure anyone is actually paying attention to this thread anymore)...
These fit nicely:
KM 6.04 barrel - perfect.
TM mags (2 of the 3 I ordered fit perfectly, i.e. drop out when released)
MAG replacement spring kit for TM 1911 (everything feels... smoother now, only stock spring remaining in my MEU is the stock recoil spring)
ACM grip panels (have space for TM grip weights too!)
Action loading muzzle for Hi-Capa's (the stock Army loading muzzles were a bit thin, and thus were starting to freak me out a bit) - note that this works great with the Action piston head
These will fit with slight modification:
Dytac front/rear sights - rear sight is NOT a drop-in fit... it is a tad too tight, but I believe it was designed to be held in place by friction alone, as the rear sight "screw" is just a detail moulded into the rear sight. Front sight hasn't been removed yet, so I can't attempt to fit the new one in, right?
Nova MSH - took more time to reassemble everything... and still no dice on getting a good fit in a way that will allow for a functional pistol. There is a little piece of the MSH that pushes against the leaf spring, and as the Army leaf spring is a little bit thicker than your standard Marui one... well, it just won't fit.
And... well, it fires great. That trigger will be replaced with a not-so-shiny one (also non-adjustable) ASAP. Future upgrades still include a lightweight BBU, light leaf spring, and further down the road, a new trigger stirrup and hammer/sear/valve knocker kit - just for the hell of making it shoot even better than now.
With the current bits that are in there, performance is noticeably better than my first impression with my MEU (Army mag and all stock internals). Cycling is surprisingly quick and snappy, and I can drill a paper plate with a 1/2" grouping from 15 ft away (big whoop... I know - but hey, that's really good for me when I'm requiring sleep). Cool down is NOT noticeable (hurray for TM mags)... but gas consumption really suffers with the slim, single-stack-form-factor magazines - I can squeeze out 18 rounds fired in quick (not as rapid as I usually would) bursts of 5-8 rounds. And... well, I have to say it, but cleaning the internals of all that thick grease made a world of a difference for me in terms of overall feel and performance - I think you should do so, as well. Or... get a friend/gundoc who knows their stuff to do that for you. Either way, the Army MEU is really shaping up as a great base gun for a few simple upgrades that take very little time to install.
Will be taking my MEU out for a field test on the 27th (and for a side-by-side comparison with a TM MEU, if I remember to ask for someone to bring theirs out) - but no worries, you'll hear more from me before then... I still need to fit in the night sights (I can't shoot very well without any dots) and chrono this before I game it.
And...... because I feel lonely like I'm the only one that reads anything in this thread - which one would you prefer?
