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I got my open bolt PDW on Saturday, and took it out to play on Sunday. Apart from putting bbs and gas in the two mags that came with it, I did absolubtly nothing to the gun.

 

I have to say, the finish of this gun, and especially the barrel itself (which has a nice blue steel look to it) I liked very much. I would also like to point out that I am in no way a WE fanboy, so my opinion is in no way biased towards them, it was purely a decision that I wanted a gas PDW, I also want a gas HK416, and the practicality of using the same magazines in both is what made me plump for the WE. Whether I buy the WE 416 is yet to be decided, depends on a couple of issues that I have and whether they are sortable.

 

First off, the first shot that I fired certainly had great range, I was very happy, and the crisp action certainly made the gun nice to shoot, but the shot was curling upwards. Too much hop. I adjusted the hop about five times, until it was all the way over, and I was still getting the same problem. I was using .2 bbs. I figured that I would just need to use heavier weight bbs, as a freind of mine had the same issue with his M4 (he got the very first ones). Not so. In fact, the cause of the problem, rather embarrassingly, was that I was turning the hop the wrong way :blush: (it is the opposite way to all my pistols) so I was turning it up instead of down. Once this was established, a few more twiddles with the hop and I was shooting fantastically. I was very impressed.

 

However...here is one very big flaw for the open bolt system. If you are not careful, because you have to open the bolt to adjust the hop (which is great, dont change the design there) you have to be careful about the bbs, as it is very easy to get one fall into the mechanism without noticing, making the selector jam, or the bolt not travel properly. It did happen to me, but once I knew what had happened, it wont happen again, just something to watch out for.

 

Other than that, I was very impressed with the gun so far, then I found out the one thing that may affect any future purchase of mine from WE. I ordered a C02 mag to try, figured that if I liked it then I would buy more. Trouble is that it doesnt fit. I figured that maybe I had ordered the wrong one, and asked my brother to send me pictures of his WE mags (he has an M4 also) and his are the same as my C02 one. The thing is, that the mags that come with the open bolt system at least, are different. The part that sticks up at the front of the magazine with the bbs in, is about half the size on the two that come with the gun, and the gas hole is in a different position. This is probably just a different top section, but I am yet to have a reply confirming this. Bottom line is that the C02 mag will not fit because the bbs want to load above the barrel, and the gas port wont line up, it does if I open the bolt fit into the actual gun. Now, if I have to buy all different magazines, then I may as well buy the VFC 416 instead of the WE one :bestgun: . Alternatively, I could swap over to the AWSS syatem (which I dont particularly want, I prefer the open bolt) or just swap the feed lips section if I swap guns, if it is that simple. It is the factor though that is hanging over any future purchase of WE from me.

 

So far my body has not broken (the one on the gun that is), and if it does then I may consider getting the aftermarket cnc one with full trades, although on the PDW I wasnt bothered too much about trades, I just dont really want the hassle of changing all the bits over. The 416 however is a whole different kettle of fish.

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I don't know if you have a WE Forum over there.

 

Here some stuff from the german WE Forum.

On WE GBBRs it is recommended to use .3 BBs or heavier to get the most power out of the gas.

For the open bolt design you need a conversion kit for mags to use them in the open bolt system [ costs 7€ for 2 kits ( feeding mozzle, follower and rubber seal with a different exit ) over here ] They are available either for the PDW style mags or M4 mags and are not interchangable.

 

Broken PDW, M4 or Scar are mostly the product of wrong handling or taking the gun out of the box and using them as you would do with an AEG. GBBRs need a proper lubrication before the first shot and a good cleaning afterwards. Cocking was quite different after i lubed my Scar, the parts were sliding very smooth compared to beeing "completly dry".

Edited by Enforcer
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My open bolt hop up functioned perfectly. I am pleased to know about the open bolt difference. I also know that they are talking about introducing the open bolt to the M4 platform, so maybe I shall have to wait for that to come along before considering a WE 416, unless they change that also.

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Interesting ... so the hop-up actually functiond as it should now ? Can someone post a few pics of the hop-up unit itself ?

Damn .... now i'm considering buying a open bolt PDW <_<

 

The only difference in the open and closed bolt is a different feeding mechanism ( open bolt is more like the classing feeding in a GBB ). The closed bolt design is not less reliable but has more power because it's sealed through the brass tube. If you want "realism" get the open bolt, if you care about power get the closed bolt.

 

My open bolt hop up functioned perfectly. I am pleased to know about the open bolt difference. I also know that they are talking about introducing the open bolt to the M4 platform, so maybe I shall have to wait for that to come along before considering a WE 416, unless they change that also.

 

 

Afaik they only introduced the open bolt kit for the PDW which is available now and one for the Scar which i will probably get because the Scar closed bolt design is quite f*cked up.

 

 

The open bolt might reduce damage to the nozzle which happened when you loaded more than 30 rounds into the magazine. NEVER load more than 30 rounds in your mags ( 32 rounds fit ).

Edited by Enforcer
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Hi Spence,

 

Glad you're pleased with the PDW - Can't wait to see it. I'll bring my SCAR along to a skirmish soon.

 

I'm sure I posted it in this thread as well as the WE SCAR one - Tactical Quartermaster have the parts to convert mags to the Open Bolt system, I believe.

 

I couldn't find the page on the site, but e-mail Mark, he's very helpful, and I'm sure he can get some for you.

 

Ben.

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So, Update on my PDW breakage:

 

1. WE promised to send me a replacement lower for my gun. Which had broken almost immediately due to the weak design.

They wanted to me to pay for shipping BTW. ahahhhaa!

 

2. Now they aren't returning my emails and it's 4 weeks later.

 

So my choices are either buy a replacement part that costs almost as much as the whole gun, which I'm sure will break again in some other way shortly. Or just eat the cost and sell all my WE mags + parts. what a lemon that effing thing is.

 

BAH

Edited by BrookNAM
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Right, a just come back from work, 0200 hours, to find out that, a very small box is waiting for me in the kitchen. I tought, no, it's too small to be that unsure.gif

 

I read the the address 3 times, yep, it sould be that, but it's too small to be that ohmy.gif Ok, I'll open it, wide-eyed.gifwide-eyed.gifwide-eyed.gif it is that biggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

 

Now, the first impresion is very good. The gun feels very solid and well build, in my opinion /thats my first GBB, and second airsoft rifle in general/, very impress from the externals of the gun. Still haven't have a chance to try it, but in the morning, defenatly will do. I tought that the Ra-tech parts will be instaled, but no, they come in separed small box, so I have to instal them. Not very good that, I'm not very familiar, how the gun works etc. Will have a look more in the morning. I start to wonder, is that realy come from Ra-Tech directly, or is just a normal WE KAC PDW, and they just add the box with the upgrade parts? Witch wouldn't suprise me. The only anoing thing will be, that, I payed a lot over the price for the normal KAC PDW, witch I could buy my self.

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So far I'm with mix feelings, a bit all over the place are the groupings when you try to hit a target, need to play a lot to fix that, but I'm gettin there rolleyes.gif The NPAS kit fail already, so I put the original back, just have the 'Stinger' Hop-Up now, work perfect. On the 'npas' kit there is worn treads, so can't stay in place when your fire it. I think, I have to order a new one, 'cos that one is no use. The pin witch the hammer hit when you fire is a bit bend and the treads on it are worn and can't stay together with the nozzle part. It foling down inside the gun, and block the travel of the bolt. With one word 'shait'. So now after 5-6 times stripping down the gun, I'm like a expert biggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif See hows go after few days.

Edited by T.w.a.T.
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Its a tiny box isnt it, the originals came in the same type of box as the M4 CQB, a pretty large one but this new one could be mistaken for a pistol box.

 

ps, on the airsoftbuddy receiver lined there. it'll take some filing and tinkering to get that to work right. I have it installed on my own one now.

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Anyone been using the new open-bolt PDW care to share their experiences?

 

I too am very curious about this. What is the difference? What makes it "open" and what makes it "closed?" I've read every page on this thread but I'm still not clear. I might invest in the coversion kit.

Edited by jotohomomoto
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The 'closed' version is their standard brass tube version.

Apparently more efficient and at the moment more skirmish friendly as you can buy an NPAS for it.

 

The 'open' bolt version gets rid of the brass tube and has a system similar to the WA.

Read so far that it is a bit wasteful with gas, otherwise I cant find much info on it.

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I found this store (Blowack Armory) in California that works exclusively on WE rifles, and for the purposes of this thread, the KAC PDW. They're legit...I purchased a WE 1911 MEU Custom and have heard good things on GasGuns.info .

http://www.blowbackarmory.net/category_s/118.htm

I might get the general "once-over" that sounds like they'll tune up your gun and make it shoot well. This gives me a little more hope about WE. biggrin.gif

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Hi guys, I know your are expecing from me some feedback on the PDW. To be honest, I haven't had the chance to play with it yet. So far I have manage to make around 25-30 mags out of it, and a have a mix feelings for it. I do like it in overal, great little gun, lots of power, good range, even with 0.30 bb's. Haven't try it with 0.28 yet, but I'm happy with the range at the moment.

At this stage I need to replace the NPAS kit, witch broke after 4-5th magazin, so I put the original kit back in, witch is a bit uselles, not good cooling down time, but working, I recon need better spring, the one on it, I think is too soft, need something stronger, it's not lookin the bolt completly sometimes.

The pin witch release the gas from the mag, is also failing, keep releasing too much gas after every shot, and I can't make even 10 shoots, w/out finishing the gas, on a fresh canister of Co2 or Gas. The locking pin, witch locks the bolt if the mag is empty, also give me problems, keep lockin the bolt open, after every shot, even with bb's still in the mag.

As some guys said, need a bit of work, before starts working properly biggrin.gif Work is in progress, so I'll keep you posted. Or if I didn't have the nerves to play with it will saled and buy another AEG biggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

Edited by T.w.a.T.
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Might be an idea. See if someone with the Open Bolt Kit can tell you the dimensions of the included rubber buffer, and then just cut one to shape?

 

Ben.

 

Couldn't just a square piece just work as well?

 

Alternatively, if i had the spare time to cut a piece like this, it might be able to absorb and redistribute the forces better than just a square piece.

buffer.th.png

I forgot to mention that it's roughly 2 mm thick.

Edited by Frapiscide
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I can only do 2 mm thick, or by increments of 2, as that's the thickness of the mousepads I've found, and the local shops don't sell plain neoprene, so this is the next best thing.

 

I am open, though to hearing about the dimensions of the buffer that comes with the kit.

Edited by Frapiscide
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I have the open bolt system, one of the reasons I plumped for that is because the poundage is around 350 out of the box, exactly what I wanted to use, that and because given the choice I prefer the open bolt, even though the awss system with the brass tube IS more effecient, the resulting poundage is too high for my use. It is also the more realistic in terms of how the bolt functions by opening, but that is really only a minor point.

 

I wouldnt have got the open bolt system if I had realised that the magazines were different before hand. I had intended to buy a HK416 and use the magazines in both guns, but now that is not an option. I await with baited breath the release of the open bolt on the M4 series of guns from WE, as this may prompt me to buy one if the mags are indeed compatible, but that is my reason.

 

Overall, the gun is very nice, and the performance has been much better than I was expecting, making it very skirmishable if I had enough magazines!

 

The buffer is quite large. I cannot measure it at the moment as I do not have the gun to hand, but it is more along the lines of 10/12mm thick I would say at a guess. I shall check it when I get the chance to.

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