ARES Tavor TAR-21 - First Impressions

[Warning]

cheers The Reptile House i'll start saving asap

[Hristo]

Given the qualities of TSI version, those ARES railed versions (both TAR and CTAR) seem to be the way to go. Just make sure you don't get the ARES MARS, as it is useless. The only reason to get it would be for authenticity and reenactment purposes.

 

ARES Tavor still has some bad points, but they can be fixed: mag catch spring is too weak and you will probably lose magazines in the field (use a stronger spring and it will be OK); barrel flexes, one can add a ring to the outer barrel inside the body, so crescent part actually makes contact with the barrel and holds it in place. And that's about it, MOSFET would be nice but not mandatory.

[The Reptile House]

...it should help avoid the issue of chucking the wiring from the motor.,

 

Beretta - have you had trouble with the soldered wires being chucked off the 1st gen, or do you mean the wrap will help with keeping the spades on?

 

ARES Tavor still has some bad points, but they can be fixed: mag catch spring is too weak and you will probably lose magazines in the field (use a stronger spring and it will be OK); barrel flexes, one can add a ring to the outer barrel inside the body, so crescent part actually makes contact with the barrel and holds it in place. And that's about it, MOSFET would be nice but not mandatory.

 

I think you've summed it up, Hristo. The only two upgrades I will be doing (unless you count selling off my MARS and replacing it with a rail ), will be eventually adding one of Infected's 'FETs and a Prommy tightbore.

[beretta]

Nah i mean the wiring can take a bit more abuse without breaking off at the conector, The 1st gen ones were soldered too but because of the design when you would install a battery and close the but, cocking the rifle would sometimes result in biting on the wire as the fake bolt thing went back, after a while it would break the wires.

 

Another thing i noticed was the trigger contact wires run through channels under the motor cage and when mine was assembled they had bitten one of the wires in the casing as it was put together. It needed a little shrink wrap but i was installing an active breaking mosfet anyway so i didnt bother.,

[The Reptile House]

Gotcha - thanks mate.

 

I'm taking mine out for the first time on Sunday, but I'll be doing hop adjustments with the back open, just in case...

[SilentTank]

By the way hows the mag catch? Ludicrously loose like the Ctar version? And does anyone know where to get the CTAR with rails (no mars) for the same price as this tan baby? That's what I'm perusing!!

[Bishamon Tiger]

I saw one today and it had the same strength mag catch spring as a CTAR. They don't seem to have made any major changes (apart from the colour and the barrel length, obviously).

 

Simplest solution is just to pop a spring between the button and the mag well, as I think has already been mentioned. There's also a pic in the original review thread.

[beretta]

You can beef the mag catch up by sticking a piece of chopped gearbox spring in there behind it. I think you'll need 2-3 coils and it works brilliantly,., (credit to Puding for the idea)

[The Reptile House]

I skirmished my CTAR for the first time yesterday and I think whoever handled the QC did a good job, although admittedly it had also been tested by Airsoft World before shipping.

 

Here are my observations, for anyone thinking of buying a CTAR almost a year after release - bearing in mind that I parted out the MARS and replaced it with a rail, so I'm not going to comment on that:

• FPS was approx 350 with 0.2g, which is perfect for my local woodland site
• Range was excellent - slightly better than my Type 97 (which runs at approximately the same FPS, but with a 500mm-ish inner barrel). I really wasn't expecting that
• The hop stayed dialled, gave a good range of adjustment and a nice float
• Oddly I had to aim a bit lower than I'm used to, as the trajectory at the hop's sweet spot was less flat than my other AEGs; something to get used to, although I may try out an SCS nub as others have done
• ROF on a 7.4v 2100 mAh lipo felt rather good
• Gearbox sounds smooth
• Ergonomically it works well with me and will be even better once muscle memory is established

The only downer was the much publicised weak mag release. Do not underestimate its power to undermine your game! I knocked it three times in one game and was quite busy concentrating on not knocking it for the remaining time.

 

So, in balance, it's got the potential to be my favourite AEG, once the mag release is sorted and I learn how to aim it .

[Disajim]

I Skirmished my tavor DE yesterday too. Is a great gun.

 

FPS

1. 365.2

2. 366.6

3. 365.2

4. 365.4

5. 363.6

6. 365.9

7. 364.8

 

Very consistent FPS with 0.2g ICS bbs.

1399 RPM (23.3 rounds per second) with a 11.1 Lipo (and a frightening sound if you are in front )

 

Great range and accuracy.

I had to aim low too, but not much.

 

And yes, same issue with mag release. Mag fell 2 times during the game. I'm going to cut an AEG spring and put behind the mag release.

 

I'm really happy with my tavor.

Edited December 22, 2009 by Disajim

[The Reptile House]

Good FPS...I guess some of that is down to the longer barrel. I forgot to mention that the 350 approx I recorded was with the hop on. It didn't need much hop, though.

 

Funny you should mention the sound - I meant to add to my post that it's very loud. I didn't notice it myself, but a mate pointed it out several times. I think it's the acoustic quality of the polymer .

 

Yeah - the mag release...I'm hunting for an appropriate spring as I type - either that or I'm just going to shorten the lever to a nub.

[beretta]

Are you lads having the semi auto issue with these later version of the Tavor? A common problem with the first batches, when you fire it in semi a couple of times it becomes unresponsive and wont do anything until you fire it off in full auto and go back to semi.,

[Disajim]

Nop.

I shoot more in semi than in full auto and until now I haven't had any problem, perhaps because I always pull the trigger all the way back. In this case, a long way back .

Edited December 22, 2009 by Disajim

[The Reptile House]

Are you lads having the semi auto issue with these later version of the Tavor? A common problem with the first batches, when you fire it in semi a couple of times it becomes unresponsive and wont do anything until you fire it off in full auto and go back to semi.,

 

I'm not convinced mine is a newer gen than yours, beretta. I have the soldered motor contacts and no shrink wrap.

 

What I've experienced with my CTAR is that after you use the spring release (I think), you need to go to auto first, before semi. If you go to semi first, you get a click but the motor won't turn over.

 

I suspect this is a different issue to yours - I sometimes get something similar to what I've described above on my Type 97 and, in fact, the Real Sword instruction manual says if it happens, just switch to auto, then back.

 

I rarely use semi TBH, but I fired off a few shots when setting the hop, until fine tuning in auto. No problems. Also, I tested the range against my Type 97 in semi - again, no problems.

Edited December 22, 2009 by The Reptile House

[beretta]

I used mine in a milsim on sunday and it was brilliant. I have performed a few operations on it in the few weeks ive had it though, it wasnt all that impressive out of the box.,

This is the piece that causes the semi problem on the ares,

 

 

 

On a slightly different topic, I took these while working on my G36 the other week, kinda gives an idea of the size of the Ares compared to the TSI (which uses the V3 mech box).

 

 

 

[The Reptile House]

Yeah - I've just realised by the background in those photos that I've read your review on IE Boards (Masada?). It sounds like you had a bit of a rough time with it. Mine has been fine. Impressive, even.

 

Nice v3 comparison shots, but please - don't remind me . Incidentally, the GB sat further back than that. There was a curved feed tube that ran from the mag well to the hop.

 

Edit: do you have a shot of your mag release fix?

Edited December 22, 2009 by The Reptile House

[Warning]

Heres a quote from bbstrikers's post from the other thread, hope its of some use

 

Anyway, the very evening I got back home from the training I was determined to fix the mag catch or I'd sell the Tavor. I fixed it by using an AEG spring- I cut off about 2cm and turned it into an oval shape so it could fit in between the mag catch and the receiver. You need to remove the mag catch first to fit it. It works great. Now you need to appy strong pressure to release the mag- just like the real steel. The mag won't drop even if the mag catch is bouncing off the assault vest. In fact I could not get the mag to drop accidentally unless I deliberately pressed the mag release on the mag well. Here's a pic:

 

 

[The Reptile House]

Nice one, mate. I thought I'd seen a pic somewhere

[beretta]

Thats pretty much what i did with mine., well, the spring is a bit smaller but the idea is the same. works great.,

[Shinden]

I have just recieved my Tavor and upon inspections these are as follows:

 

The magcatch is soft, however even depressing the magcatch button, the magazine cannot fall out on its own without it being pulled. Only while the magcatch is depressed, with enough force or vigorously shaking the gun will let the magazine drop out.

The MARS sight still has parralax issues and the reddot remains dimly lit on with batteries in and switch in the off position. The laser is the same as all other Tavors.

The rear sight mold areas on my Tavor is very crisp and no mold issues or cracking.

The motor is not shrink wrapped and the wire is soldered, probably for better resistance.

No issues with semi auto switch to full-auto or vice versa.

No rattling of magazine in magwell and no other parts rattle.

 

 

The only issues I have is just one thing, I want to know if its normal if your Tavor's motor make small sparks as you shoot. (*You have to look directly from the top of the motor cage with the butt stock opened and fire, and you'll see small sparks. I'm pretty sure this is normal, but I am wanted to make sure it's not wiring issues.)

 

Overall, very satisfied, shoots at 1.46J/121.4m/s = 398.FPS on .20g and its the CTAR-21 Black ver. I'm surprised why its shooting very...high.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Shinden

[The Reptile House]

...even depressing the magcatch button, the magazine cannot fall out on its own without it being pulled. Only while the magcatch is depressed, with enough force or vigorously shaking the gun will let the magazine drop out.

Oh, that's interesting. I wonder if that's an improvement or good fortune? I'd guess the latter, as you don't have the shrink wrap/spades like the DE vers. I'm thinking all CTARS come the same as they did when first released - but maybe with the semi/auto thing tested better and generally tighter QC.

 

Either way, you're very lucky

[Disajim]

The magcatch is soft, however even depressing the magcatch button, the magazine cannot fall out on its own without it being pulled. Only while the magcatch is depressed, with enough force or vigorously shaking the gun will let the magazine drop out.

 

I think you're talking about the Ares mag

 

The only mag I have that doesn't fall immediately when the mag release is pressed is the one that comes with the gun. But if I use a Dboys, JP, MAG, for example, they all fall without any resistance. The Ares mag fits tight in the magwell and the others don't.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Disajim

[Hristo]

 

just arrived

[The Reptile House]

Nice

 

Don't forget to give us an overview, once you've stopped fondling it

Edited December 29, 2009 by The Reptile House

[beretta]

Very nice, where'd ya get the Mepro Sight?