"Feel" of a PTW

[wind953]

When people talk about the awesome unsurpassed (by other AEGs) "feel" of a PTW, what exactly are they talking about?
The weight and sturdiness? Or more of the operational feel like trigger response?

I am kind of confused because a lot of people upgrade the externals of their PTWs with aftermarket parts (uppers, lowers, barrels, stocks, RAS/RIS); the same ones you'd get for other AEGs. If we are talking about weight and sturdiness, why would it be any better than other AEGs at this point? Don't they have the exact same externals?

On another note, is any aftermarket external parts compatible with the PTWs? Is it as simple as just taking out the internals and inner barrel and just sticking them into another "shell"?

[L473ncy]

.... Those are real steel accessories. The PTW is EXACTLY the same dimensions as the real steel counterpart.

Also.... You just have to fire one and you'll understand what people mean. It's like a choir of angels singing when you fire, in one word AWESOME.

[MadMax]

Biggest tactile difference is the overall stiffness of the AEG. The PTW exhibits very little barrel wobble owing to the close tolerances of the parts mating between the outer barrel and upper receiver. The upper and lower rec'r also have very close fitment which contribute to the "solid" feel of the build. Furthermore, the rapid wind up of the internals results in a very short delay between trigger pull and piston release. Whenever I pick up a new rifle I brace the stock in my armpit and apply a beam load from the tip of the barrel to the stock. A very nicely built airsoft rifle will exhibit very little if any detectable flex. The Armalite build is particularly prone to flex between the stock to the tip of the barrel owing to the multitude of parts which mate together from tip to stock. Barrel-upper-lower-stock: three intersections that can contribute to the sense of flex. The clearance between each subassembly allow wiggle which stack to a larger total flex.

Build wise the PTW is quite good. Unfortunately their hop up could use some work. Not as nice and consistent as say an advanced build TM (e.g. P90).

[wind953]

So does anybody get Airsoft aftermarket parts for their PTWs? I am talking about bodies like receivers and RIS, not things like optics, grips, or rail covers.
Max you said that the gun itself is built with very close fitment of parts, which makes it very solid. So does installing real steel bodies still guarantee this level of fitment? Since they are 100% identical in dimensions, it should right?
So when I see pictures of PTWs with VLTOR bodies or some Daniel Defense RAS systems, I am to assume these are real steel? Because why would anybody settle for inferior airsoft parts that don't fit as snug? You'd literally be paying to make your gun more inferior...right?

[L473ncy]

Methinks it's probably a G&P receiver: http://www.gp-web.com/en/products.ph...id=GP_MEB&cp=8

But the DD Rails and other external accessories, most of the time when I see them in the classifieds are real steel; those are the packages that are going for ~$2800+ with most/all real steel accessories.

[kengel]

Some people have real steel uppers milled specifically for the PTW. You end up getting the look you want without using the tpical low quality airsoft parts.

By no means is it necessary. The PTW works out of the box and (barring the known motor issue) will continue to work for hundreds of thousands of rounds.

Not sure if you're planning to attend the milsim in Penticton, but if you are, let me know. There will be about 8 or 10 PTW's there that you can try out.

[wind953]

@L473ncy: The bodies for Systema guns near the bottom of the list seems to be of better quality than the ones near the top that are for Maruis, but they are all made by G&P, which makes Airsoft aftermarket parts. Is G&P an exception, then? Are they high quality enough to match the real steel counterpart? My question still stands...Why would a PTW owner choose one of these G&P versions over a real steel one? Because it's cheaper? Are the bone stock bodies of PTWs better than the G&P aftermarkets? If yes, then owners are sacrificing quality and fitment for cosmetic effect?

@Kengel: I see what you are saying about bone stock PTWs having already awesome performance and reliability. But I am mostly talking about externals; mere cosmetic upgrades. These have no direct effect on performance. Seems to me that if the bone stock externals are 100% identical in dimensions and weight to real steel counterparts, people buy real steel upgrades for the sole purpose of getting different looks for their guns. But when people start buying inferior (still assuming G&P is lower quality) airsoft externals, I get confused.

So if people can't afford a "real steel makeover", they go for an airsoft one...which is exactly what owners of other AEGs do anyway. So both groups end up with the exact same build quality and "feel". PTW owners start to feel that parts are looser and the original superior "feel" of the bone stock PTWs are gone. The only clear difference is that the PTW still shoots further, more accurate, and is more reliable.

So I guess this is where I get the confusion from...I see pictures of pimped up PTWs, and people commenting on the gorgeousness as well as the awesome "feel" of those pimped up PTWs. It makes sense if all of those accessories are real steel, but if they are inferior airsoft afermarket accessories, that "feel" would have been long gone.

I won't be able to attend the Penticton game, but I will start looking out for PTW owners near my local games, and see if I can try them out. I have no doubt they'll be awesome, but I figure that if I am going to get a PTW, I will have to upgrade the cosmetics. I'm sorry, the vanilla look is just too damn depressing and boring. I need to know if it's worth it. If I've no money to afford a real steel upgrade, I'd have to live with a downgrade to barrel wobble, loss of weight, and inferior overall "feel" if I want a good looking gun.

Sorry for the long post

[grantmac]

I think your labouring under some false ideas of what separates PTWs from AEGs.

PTWs cannot use AEG bodies, nor can they use real bodies with the exception of fitting a real upper with some machining.
By virtue of their design a PTW body has much tighter tolerances then you will ever achieve with an AR based AEG, end of story.
PTWs are correctly dimensioned in many ways that an AEG is not:
Correct body width, AEGs are wider.
Correct pistol grip width, AEGs are again wider.
Mil-Spec buffer tube.

PTWs perform well because they share no gearbox design features with AEGs beyond the basic concept.
They have several high and low points which have already been covered ad nauseum along with their solutions.
I will say however that I've witnessed accurate 80-90 yard shots with a modded PTW from both sides of the BBs path.

If your in it for the looks then your priorities are probably not in-line with why most folks get a PTW.

-Grant

[Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by kengel

Some people have real steel uppers milled specifically for the PTW. You end up getting the look you want without using the tpical low quality airsoft parts.

By no means is it necessary. The PTW works out of the box and (barring the known motor issue) will continue to work for hundreds of thousands of rounds.

Not sure if you're planning to attend the milsim in Penticton, but if you are, let me know. There will be about 8 or 10 PTW's there that you can try out.

What is this known motor issue? I am not challenging, I just have not heard of this issue and was thinking of getting a PTW after my TAR 21

[Death March]

Prime makes the best of the lower recivers for the PTW,G&P's are alright but I wound't give up my Prime for a G&P. I do have a Real Steel upper as well mod'ed for the PTW and the gun it's self is solid,no play! People use the Real steel part because they want too and not because they have to for some fault of the gun,it's great outa the box! The and the guy's are not using real steel lower on the guns,the one your seeing are from G&P,Prime etc. they just have the "trades" thats all.
The motor iusse is they can burn out,so most get them fixed before that happens

[Guerrilla]

I just can't believe these things cost upwards of 1400 I mean, Not only can I get an AR 15 for less than that, but I shoot at m4 every other weekend at my Air Force ROTC training. Oh well haha

[Death March]

$1400,that's cheep lol. I could have bought a car for the price of mine. But prices are cheeper in the U.S. we pay alomost double on all of it. And shooting an M4 in the Army is different that owning that and paying for the ammo $$$$$ lol.

[Wetmelon]

I've shot a Systema MP5 PTW and it's like ... like... >.> What Latency said at the top... a choir of angels singing to you :P

Basically, it's HEAVY, it works perfectly every time you pull the trigger, and the bb ends up in the same spot every time. even the mag release feels right. There's no rattle, and the thing is exquisitely built. Best airsoft weapon you'd ever own.

[Guerrilla]

O lord twice as much? I'm real sorry to hear that fellas. Though reading this thread is making me want a PTW so badly, how is the motor issue fixed?


and *Ahem* its Air Force, we scored higher on our testing to be allowed to do the jobs we do than the Army haha

[Death March]

If you goto the Systema fourms you'll have all the answers you need lol. It's just alot of info to go through. The guy that runs the fourms is also the guy you want to talk to doing the motor fix. I'v had my motor done,but no regrets it works awsome! I'm not sure what he's changed in the "mod's" since I'v had mine done I know he does some different stuff to them know and somethings he's won't tell,but it works!
Sorry I just said a general statement in terms of "Army" but you know what I ment