Originally Posted by mcguyver
I am currently working on a Systema that the owner ordered an FCC EL-001 that failed instantly never got a round off. He has been waiting weeks, so his Systema board is back in. Their EL-003 is Airsoft Surgeon design, and we all know how reliable they were, I still have a box full of them under my bench.
FCC has some work to do, I have spoken to Chris about the issues I saw right away that are really easy fixes at the manufacturing level. They include, but are not limited to:
Their motor. QC and assembly is horrendous there is no reason that their brush hoods have to be so poorly formed that they flash out from the bell end. If you are installing, but most especially removing a grip, you risk breaking the screws. If you are using this motor to replace a Systema motor and using grip with tight tolerances, it is a real bastard.
Their mil-spec buffer tube is not mil-milspec. Buy a real stock and it is a son of a bitch. Dissapointing.
Their MOE grip cover leaves the motor exposed. I can stick tools in and touch the brush hoods, forget about debris. There is no fix unless you install a MIAD or customize a grip core as I have done.
Their hopup is as good as a 2012, but nowhere near as good as custom 3mm, and as good as a custom 2mm.
The improvements they do have are, but not limited to:
The barrel key has threads to allow for easier extraction.
The hopup uses a spring for tension instead of rubber cushions. But continuous compression and decompression of a small diameter spring has its own issues. So this is more of a neutral, rather than a plus.
Their gearbox and geartrain are in par, no better, no worse.
Motor. I will take take an armature from Tony any day over a fcatory FCC motor. However, their motor from new is superior than the factory motor from new, but not for reasons indicated above. One thing to remember as well, getting a rewound armature and placing it in a motor that the bearings have already seen a hundred thousand rounds may not be the best thing. I have seen this crop up.
FCC body is superior. No question there.
The rest is really inconsequential, but they do offer some neat features like EZ pull pins. But I can also buy that stuff from real steel for alot less money and easier availability.
Customer service I have heard is better. But, I have never had to use customer service at Systema, and there is no person who is not a retailer on ASC who has owned more Systema guns than me, not even you, by a long shot. I did have get parts one time from Wallace that were unavailable anywhere, and he sent me a bunch of replacement armatures no charge. That was good service.
Don't get me wrong, FCC does make some nice stuff, I own it myself. And I would buy more. However, my standards are high, and I have the resources and experience to call what I see and fix it. But FCC should be doing it. We'll see.
If I had been in Calgary this weekend they would have heard about it.
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