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Evike.com's Matrix Ak-47 Review

david3558

By david3558,
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Hissing_Sid

Hissing_Sid

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Right folks...

 

Try to focus on what I'm saying:

 

YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO UPGRADE THIS INTO A PROPER AEG

 

Are we clear?

 

The gearbox and motor are built as a single plastic housing. This means that there's no way to mount a V3 gearbox into the receiver and then fit a motor into the grip.

 

Sure, you can buy a new receiver and grip but I'd bet that every part of this including stuff like the mag-catch, sights, fire selector etc, will all be cheap, flimsy plastic.

 

You can turn a VW into a Ferrari if you fit a ferrari engine, body and mechanical parts but that doesn't mean it's a smart thing to do.

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NamantH

NamantH

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ewww plastic gearbox... plastic gears... god I hope that they are upgradable internally :)

 

If not... that will sux some *albatross* wont it...

 

static... hopefully friday speeds its *albatross* up and gets here so you can rip it apart and give us some ideas :)

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staticzero

staticzero

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You can turn a VW into a Ferrari if you fit a ferrari engine, body and mechanical parts but that doesn't mean it's a smart thing to do.

Maybe not, but it doesn't mean it isn't fun to try, either.

 

One problem I'm encountering as far as the dropping in a new gearbox goes is that everywhere I've checked so far has been out of stock. Worst case I have a nice wall hanger I guess (Or I could always return it). Still working on it...

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Catchv22

Catchv22

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Why can't you turn this into a real AEG? All other AKs have a metal gearbox with a metal motor housing attached anyway. You can't swap just the gearbox out, but if you buy a new motor and motor housing as well, it should be fine. It seems possible from the few pics you can see.

 

However, that being said, Sid's right that it's probably better and more cost efficient to wait and see what other options are available as retuning everything to get this up to par will probably cost you more than necessary.

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Hissing_Sid

Hissing_Sid

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Why can't you turn this into a real AEG? All other AKs have a metal gearbox with a metal motor housing attached anyway.

 

Yep.

 

I take back what I said before about it not being possible. :)

 

I was under the impression that the gearbox bolted to the receiver and the motor was seperate in the grip.

 

You're right though. The AK has the motor cage attached to the gearbox so it should be ok.

 

I'd still question the quality of materials used in any gun which has iron weights fitted inside it to add weaight though. A marui gun manages to feel solid with no fake weights inside it.

My experience of these sort of guns is limited to an MP5 and my Cyma MP5 is constructed from identical parts to a Marui gun and yet, somehow, still needs half a dozen lumps of iron inside it to make it the same weight as a marui gun.

 

That can't be a good sign, right?

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staticzero

staticzero

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Why can't you turn this into a real AEG? All other AKs have a metal gearbox with a metal motor housing attached anyway. You can't swap just the gearbox out, but if you buy a new motor and motor housing as well, it should be fine. It seems possible from the few pics you can see.

 

However, that being said, Sid's right that it's probably better and more cost efficient to wait and see what other options are available as retuning everything to get this up to par will probably cost you more than necessary.

This is the solution right here: http://www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?i...srch_%20gearbox

 

Just drop that in and your good to go. Evike has stated that they tried it and it does work. Trouble is, everywhere that has it listed is out of stock (at least that I've found so far). This leave no options, because though you could build up a v3 gearbox, you can't get the motor frame anywhere (as well as a couple of other pieces).

 

I do agree the overall quality of the body remains to be seen. Though perhaps with a TM gearbox in it as well as the weights, the gun will weigh more than a TM AK? As in perhaps the weights are there to make it feel the same as the TM because the gearbox is plastic? Perhaps the body itself, gearbox and extra weights removed, would weigh as much as a TM body? TM doesn't exactly use the greatest metal in the world either.

 

Regardless, I'm still looking forward to mine. And it looks like it will be here a day early! Woo!

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Tank

Tank

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For what it's worth.

 

Yes, the gearbox & everything in it (except the motor & springs) is made out of plastic. The external parts that are metal are the same that Marui makes out of metal. While the "wood" plastic seems of lower quality than TM's the receiver & front set seem to comparable to TM's.

 

 

You CAN take a TM gearbox and drop it in the gun.

 

I did it today.

 

The same company makes an XM8 that some claim you can drop a G36 gearbox into. This not true. You can put a G36 gearbox in the XM8, but it requires some modification to the body of the gun as well as removal of some of the weights on the inside.

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staticzero

staticzero

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hmmm maybe i shouldve looked here before posting up a new thread :)

 

so there is no place to get a new motor housing?  that really sux.  How are you supposed to build this thing up if you dont have the housing for the motor... puts a huge damper on everything

Well, by dropping in the above complete gearbox. I've put in email to a few shops that list them, so far WGC hasn't gotten back to me (probably won't until tomorrow morning), airsoftshop is out and doesn't know then they'll get more, and War IV says they'll have more in a month or so. They're the best hope so far:

 

Hello,

 

Sorry  this item  will be  out  within  30 days,  to be  around December.

 

Regards

WAR 4  Toys  Int'l  Co

 

$60+$100=Still Cheaper than TM. Better? Dunno yet, depends on te body. Building up a complete gearbox on the other hand (if you could get the motor frame) would cost WAY more. I was hoping for decent internals and motor, so I could just swap on a real gearbox shell. Alas, this is not the case it seems.

 

Really, in the end (as long as I can get a gearbox set for it) this will still save me money vs the TM, as my goal is to get the G&P wood set (with metal front set), and a G&P metal body. All I really care about is that the rest of the body parts are decent enough.

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staticzero

staticzero

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Well, it's here. I'm impressed with how solid it feels. I swung by AEX on my way home and checked out a TM, so I'd have something to compare it to. I have to say that it feels as good or better than the TM. It certainly feels heavier, but that's a hard thing to be sure of without holding them back to back. The finish is all pretty good, the 'wood' looks really great.

 

Some aspects of it aren't as good as the TM though. The rear sight (especially the spring), the selector lever movement, the front sight, the rear sling point, all leave something to be desired. Not so much bad, just nto as good. I'm fairly sure there's less metal than the TM as well, but I'll be able to say for sure which parts after I compare the two directly (hopefully tomorrow night).

 

I fired a mag through it, some on semi and some on auto. It shot fine, but is obviously very weak. The trigger feel wasn't that good, and the ROF was pretty low (though I don't know how charged the battery is).

 

I bought a G&G 74 style 600 round hicap (the brick colored one) at AEX while I was there. The mag fits the gun, but the catch doesn't want to grab it without a little encouragement. Comparing the hicap with the stock mag, I can see a differce in the thickness of the tab that's probably the cause. I think a little filing of the catch will solve it. The mag fed beutifully aon semi and auto. I tried a pretty long burst (maybe ten seconds) and it just chugged away.

 

Now for some bad news on the replacement gearbox front. WGC got back to me, I had asked if they would be getting the gearbox sets back in stock, or if they could be special ordered. Their response:

 

Thank you for your inquiry,

Please be inform that this item seem discontinued already. So, it maybe no longer avaialble again.

Thanks,

 

--

Best Regards

Allen Wong

WGC ( Hong Kong )

http://www.wgcshop.com

Contact : http://www.wgcshop.com/contactus.htm

 

Now War IV did say they would be getting more, as I mentioned earlier. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. But bottom line, for the moment if you want this thing for anything other than a wall hanger, a plinker, or prop, or just to tear apart for the sake of it (who would do such a thing??), stay away for now. Without a gearbox replacement solution, I don't think there's going to be much hope for it as far as skirmishing goes. I'm not going to proceed with anything radical in the mean time (as in no metal body or wood set), though I may try and 'improve' the internals.

 

We'll see if UTG comes through with their offering. I'll definitely get one of their AKs based on my experience with their MP5. Otherwise, I may have to quench my AK desire another way.

 

I'm still going to tear this thing apart, see what make it tick. And of course I'll document all the gory details as usual. So stay tuned, if you dare! I mean if you care! Yeah... B)

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