Beta Project x PTS AR-15 AEGs

[TheFull9]

Hadn't really heard or seen anything much about these since the small peek at one of the shows a while back:

 

http://www.airsoftglobal.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_1024&products_id=14874

 

 

Some nice features like the SCAR selectors, but were these not meant to have bolt lock? Nice looking, good price for all the parts you're getting, but if it's just the fake bolt plate moving back and forward, doesn't seem to bring very much new to the table.

[Isamu]

A simple gun aimed at the USA market, cheap to produce, cool looking... they will sell

[TheFull9]

No doubt, specially at ~$300 I should imagine.

 

I'm just sure I remember them at a show having magpul lowers and were supposedly going to feature bolt-lock with standard mags, which really got my hopes up. Now.. well I'd rather just build something to my own tastes based on a G&P really. Great for the newer player who wants something cool looking and functional for a good price. I'd hoped for a bit more after the ACR, that may not have had recoil etc but they did get pack a lot of unique (or at least uncommon) features in to it.

[Isamu]

Hope for their sake they will release it quickly, because once KWA releases their recoil M4 in the states, they are going to eat the market cake in one "NOM", until then, i wait for the RS

[NeoVeNoM]

I'd rather wait for this one.

http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/news2/35586

Yes, that is the new PTS receiver. some G&P rifles already have it.

[Isamu]

Looks like the same gun, just different reciever... =S

[uscmCorps]

I've been T&E'ing a few of the new PTS MOE guns for the last few months (the one that NeoVenom posted). At first, I wasn't that enthused given what the gun was on paper (seemed like a generic AEG). Once I got to use it, I've been more than impressed.

 

Shooting - The guns are the nicest shooting and sounding out of the box guns I've used in a long time. They shoot straight and have great trigger response (I'm running my guns on 7.4Volt 20C lipos).

New Receiver Mold - The receivers are from an entirely new mold. No guns on the market today (including G&P guns) are using the new receiver. All preexisting receivers were made to the G&P spec as the work was outsourced to G&P's OEM. These new guns have receivers from a brand new mold made to PTS' own specs. As such, the engravings are cleaner and deeper, and there is almost zero wiggle room in the magwell. That was one thing that impressed me most actually. With a lot of my guns (G&P, VFC, CA, G&G etc), when I insert a mag, any mag, there'd be a noticeable side to side amount of play in the magwell. It was so bad in my VFC guns, that with PMAGs I could rock the back side to side and easily rip the mag out without engaging the mag release. I have since shimmed the inside of my VFC guns to be 100% reliable. Back to the new PTS MOE guns, the mags are rock solid once inserted into the magwell and lock into place with a very positive *click*. Regarding the photos on AirsoftGlobal's site, I find them a little confusing, as all my receivers are the billet style with the trigger guard as part of the lower receiver. I'll have to ask about what's going on there. Perhaps the Beta Project guns and the new MOE guns are different? I'm not sure. They should be in the same price range. Very odd.

Ambi-Selector - As many of you know I'm a big fan of VFC guns, especially the SR15/SR16 series. Mostly because I have and use a real KAC SR15. Once of the big draws for me to the VFC SR15 was the ambi-controls. And while great in concept, the VFC's execution of it was less than ideal. The VFC's selectors start solid but quickly get a lot of looseness between the left and right selectors. This can be lessened but generally not outright fixed. These new MOE guns have ambi-selectors but I have yet to experience any looseness between the two sides. And these selectors have been flicked on and off repeatedly and frequently. The guns have also been used as demo models so they've been a bit abused in that regard too, but are still holding up fantastically. The best way I can describe the way the selectors feel is to compare them to the PTS ACR selectors. They feel very similar and are very solid.

Accessories - One thing I like about these guns are the accessories. All genuine PTS accessories (MOE grip, mid-length hand-guard, MOE Stock, 120 round PMAG, rear MBUS, ASAP). You get a lot of accessories for the price. The overall setup of the gun is pretty much exactly how I'd configure it. I especially like the length of the mid-length handguards. They're just long enough for me to extend my support arm out and quickly index from target to target. Everything feels nice and tight on these guns. The buffer tubes also appear to be Milspec as there's no noticeable looseness on the stock.

Wiring - The guns I have are front wired with Deans plugs (they were originally Tamiya plugs but I swapped them out). There's more than enough room for 7.4V and 11.1V buffer tube style lipos in the handguard.

 

I presently have four guns I've been T&E'ing:

* 16" midlength in black

* 16" midlength in all FDE

* 14.5" midlength in black with black accessories

* 14.5" midlength in black with foliage green accessories

 

The 16" configurations will definitely be coming to market in 2012. The 14.5" guns were made by my request and are my favorites. Identical in every way to the 16" barreled guns, just with a slightly shorter barrel. I'm trying to convince them that they'd be strong sellers as well. I know my friends at Edgar Bros in the UK have been T&E'ing their own samples of the 16" guns for a while now too and their feedback was equally as positive.

[Isamu]

Good to know they will be good featureless guns... I personally think that if you start a gun from "0", with new moulds and stuff, why not do (or clone) something new? something appealing like the KWA M4, RS M4, KWA recoil AK, now those have features which makes them richer and funnier than the regular ACM/VFC/KA/G&P/etc guns.

 

Maybe because its a cheaper and riskless way of making money, which is good from the seller point of view, but from the user's... well, its just a nice way to keep the game the same way it was 15 years ago.

 

Even if they are good guns, like a lot of (cheaper) brands our there, I cant say I will support them

[TheFull9]

Thanks for the input uscm, informative as always.

 

I suppose the tipping point (for me) as to whether I'd pick one of those over a G&P would be things like the outer barrel compatibility and barrel nut/buffer tube thread specs. I'm presuming they'll make UK versions with suitable FPS levels seeing as they're working closely with EB so I'm not too concerned about that issue right now.

 

If they're as solidly built and consistent as you say, and parts are compatible, they'd make good bases for one to build on if they want a more 'standard' AEG platform. Personally I just picked up a 14.5" OB with a mid-length gas system configuration a week or two ago with a mind to build something around a G&P sentry, the nice part of the G&P being the VLTOR upper and option for FDE receiver sets. Hopefully BP/PTS will be coming out with a few different models to compete (though I don't expect it soon of course).

[uscmCorps]

There are other guns coming out in the not too distant future with other feature sets I can't presently talk about. More info on those should be available by Shot Show (mid-January). I would say to think of these new MOE guns as PTS' entry into the M4 AEG market. That doesn't mean that this is only as far as developments have progressed at PTS. There are a few other unannounced products I'm more excited about. But IMO this is a pretty solid M4 platform from what I've seen so far, and if someone were in the market for a nicely made, competitively priced mid-range AEG with ambi controls, I'd strongly suggest for potential consumers to give this gun a closer look and serious consideration.

 

Regarding cross compatibility I'll have to check again. I have too many guns here and not enough time to crack them all open. The only thing that is a bit unique about this gun (aside from the ambi controls) is the fact that the front set is one integrated unit. Kinda like the ACR, the outer barrel set also holds the inner barrel assembly. But from what I recall talking to the tech at PTS when they were building my 14.5" mid length guns for me, the gun should accept regular AEG outer barrels and hopups. That I will have to check too.

[Megalomaniac]

No ambi-mag release on these, just the ambi-selector? I've gotten used to using my trigger finger to change firing modes on ARs but the mag release has always been a pain.

[TheFull9]

I would mention that buying an after market ambi-release and installing it is a really quick and simple upgrade, but then these new spec receivers might cause an issue there. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

[uscmCorps]

Yeah, I'm not sure about ambidextrous mag-release compatibility. I have an old G&P ambi release that I installed and tested in my VFC SR15 this past weekend. It was in that gun for less than a minute. I just found most AEG ambi mag releases to be less than ideal. Since the catch is hinged and angled inwards so that it can be actuated by the left hand, the angle of the part that locks into the mag isn't ideal and doesn't hook in enough material into the magazine. Also the springs tend to be too weak. So I promptly removed it from my SR15. I'd be curious to see if other AEG ambi-mag catches are any more reliable, but I'm not very hopeful.

 

Now, with that said, I've never felt a dying need for an ambi-mag release. I don't run them on my airsoft guns, nor do I run them on my real guns. Whether you are shooting right handed or left handed, fire control side or reaction side, you should be able to execute a mag change without ever having to release the hand you have on the pistol grip. If it feels awkward or difficult, just spend more time practicing it until it doesn't feel strange. Eventually it'll feel natural and muscle memory will take control.

[Megalomaniac]

My issue is speed more so, as I need to use my support hand to both eject the spent mag and grab the new mag. The ambi mag catch was one of favorite features of both the PTS ACR and WE KAC PDW, as it sped up my mag change times. It's on the short list of mods to do on my TM EBBr.

[ericfine50]

Off-Topic - This is a great thread for information. I am sooo looking at a MOE M4 as my next AEG. The KWA EBB or GBB is really interesting. Anyone have any more "unofficial" information?

[Horsem4n]

apparently thy use hens teeth as a power source, majorly saving space on batteries as hens teeth have a uranium core that transfers sufficiant amperage and voltage out to the gun via osmosis through the tooth's enamel. of course this is only a rumor.

 

i really like these things. the 16 inch barrel is a favorite of mine. id like to switch out the flash hider for a competition style and replace the handguards with a 12 inch RIS. probably of the Danial Defense verity.