This page covers the installation process for the EK3M kit onto a WE Tech L85.
Disclaimer: The WE shown in these guides is my personal and very beat up WE. I don’t have all the original parts (namely the forward trunnion and sight rail) and some bolts are replacements. This means your rifle may look slightly different to mine, but the instructions will still work for your rifle!
Check the kit and ensure you have the following items:
- The EK3M Handguard
- The Sight Rail
- The Receiver Mounting Block
- The EK3 Gas Block
- The bag of fasteners
In the bag of fasteners their should be:
- 1x Handguard Fastening Slotted Hex Head Bolt
- 2x Receiver Mounting Block Flanged Head Bolts
- 2x Sight Rail Bolts
- 2x Gas Block Grub Screw
You’ll also need some tools to carry out this install:
- an Allan Key Set
- A Cross Head Screw Driver
- A Flat Head Screw Driver
- A Punch Set
- A Hammer
If you don’t have a punch set you can use other similarly sized objects as the pins that need removing, but I recommend getting a set, such as this one from screw fix.
Striping Down the Rifle
Make sure the weapon is clear and no magazine is installed. Then start by removing any sights attached and the presently installed handguard. If you have the mock working parts installed, remove them as well. Also at this point, remove your current muzzle device (flash hider/tracer etc).
Note here I am using an original EK3 forward trunnion as a stand in for the standard trunnion. It looks different but the removal process is identical.
Cock your rifle.
Remove your two TMH (Triger Mechanism Housing) pins. Lower Receiver pins for you lot across the pond 😛
Remove the TMH from the receiver.
Remove your working parts. Bolt, Cocking Handle and Guide Rod assembly.
Locate and remove your barrel fastening bolt. Note on my rifle I have a round head Philips screw, however I believe the correct bolt will be a countersunk hex head.
Slide your outer barrel forward out of your receiver and off of the inner barrel.
Locate the two bolts holding the forward trunnion on (either side of the receiver) and remove them.
Make sure you put these bolts in a safe space as they’ll be needed later!
Now slide the front trunnion forward and off of the inner barrel.
Locate the two bolts holding the sight rail onto the receiver and remove them.
Note this is the best state to paint the rifle, requiring only the removal of the dust cover, cheek rest and inner barrel assembly to take the receiver down to its base part.
To take the inner barrel assembly out, remove the two bolts shown in the image above.
If planning to paint the TMH you’ll need to remove the trigger box, butt pad, pistol grip, trigger, safety , bolt catch lever, bolt release lever and selector.
Next we need to remove the gas block from the barrel. To do this, either place the gas block in a vice, or hold it securely against a flat surface and use the hammer and punch to knock out the roll pin securing it in place.
With the roll pin out the gas block can be slid forward and off of the barrel.
Finally we can remove the gas plug from the gas block for use in the EK3M kit. this can be done by depressing the locking nub and sliding the gas plug backwards out of the gas block. Note the nub is sprung loaded and not attached to the gas plug so watch out for it running away!
Assembling the EK3M Kit
Slide the EK3M mounting block over the inner barrel and install into the receiver.
Reinstall the bolts we put to one side earlier to secure the mounting block in place and then install the two supplied flanged head bolts into the mounting block.
Now align the EK3M sight rail on top of the receiver, with the locking lug facing forward.
Now loosely install the two supplied sight rail bolts to hold it in place.
Partially install the two provided grub screws into the EK3M gas block, make sure they do not jut into the barrel hole.
Now slide the the EK3M gas block onto the barrel from the threaded end with the flat side of the gas block facing backwards. Line the gas block up with the notch on the barrel and loosely do up the two grub screws.
Reinstall the outer barrel over the inner barrel and onto the receiver.
Reinstall your barrel attachment screw.
Now ensure your gas block is square to your receiver. I do this by setting the receiver down on the work surface and rotating the gas block until it and the rear trunnion sit flat against the work surface. At this point the gas block grub screws can be tightened.
Install the gas plug into the gas block.
Now that the barrel has been re-installed, the muzzle device can be re-installed.
The working parts can now be re-installed into the receiver.
Reattach the TMH.
Finally the EK3M handguard can be slid over the gas block
and onto the receiver mount until the handguard sits flush with the receiver. Then the slotted hex bolt installed to attach the handguard in place.
Now ensure the sight rail is sitting flush against the handguard without applying undue pressure on it, then tighten up the fastening bolts.
And that’s it! The EK3M Kit is installed!
