AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

[Genista]

The trouble with most mosfets and controllers is that most AEG’s don’t have acres of room to put one in. And the trouble with most AEG’s is that they benefit from a controller. As clever as the electro-mechanical wonder that AEG gearboxes are, they are very old skool.
So, with lots of competition already in place, is the convenience of a drop-in solution enough to make this one the ‘one’ to have?



As a development of the AWS Stealth fet, the Raptor boasts a serious array of features:
• Microswitch trigger
• Mosfet switching
• Full cycle completion
• Optional braking
• Electrical protection including over/under current, under voltage protection and temp control
• Lipo protection
• Burst mode
• Pre-cocked Semi mode (DMR)

http://www.awsairsoft.com/raptor-v2gb

Out of the Box

Up to date PCB design and surface mount components make the Raptor effectively smaller than a standard V2 switch block assembly. This thing is tiny! The Raptor comes wrapped in two anti-static bags; one contains the main board, the other the secondary board, deans connector & heatshrink for your battery (if you need it) and a longer cut-off lever spring. The two boards securely push fit together.



The main board is pre-fitted with all of the wires and battery/motor connectors you need. Just make sure you order the correct front or rear wired version for your gun. The one pictured is rear wired.

Installation

I installed my Raptor in to my Umarex HK416 gearbox, which uses a reinforced 8mm V2 casing. Installation is a simple process, and installing the Raptor does not require any soldering*.
That said, you will need some basic skills in taking your gearbox apart and re-assembling it. One mod to your selector plate and a spring change are also required.



(Though the fitting instructions don’t specify exactly how much material to remove from your selector plate, you just need to take out enough so that it doesn’t foul the cut-off level. I filed about 6-7mm.)

The Raptor was a clean fit in to my gearbox, and did not require any alterations. The cable lengths to the motor and rearward battery feed were spot on too. Depending on your exact configuration you may want to extend the battery feed wires.



*Unless you need to change your battery over to a deans style connector.

Programming

The Raptor uses a series of trigger pulls at start up, with the trigger pressed, to select modes. You can select combinations of battery type (inc lipo protection), RoF, Fire mode, RoF control mode and braking on/off. All of that in just 8 trigger pulls. Trigger pulls are either short (less than 1 sec) or long (more than 1 sec). This makes re-programming really simple and could be done in the field, so long as you knew the combination.

Results

Having got it all working, I can only say that the Raptor does ‘exactly what it says on the tin’. Testing it without the upper receiver you can see that the full cycle completion works! Apart from the pre-cocking mode which is a great feature to have and is simply reset by swapping to the ‘normal’ semi mode.

The trigger is quick and predictable and the response in each mode is notably improved.

Having the electrical protection built in means that the standard fuse is no longer required. I haven’t tested this fully but the RoF appears to have improved.

The range of fire modes has turned my standard AEG into 3 or 4 different guns, depending on what I choose to do with it.

Final Thoughts

There is only one conclusion for me; if you want to make a real difference to your AEG’s performance, add features and upgrade the protection then this is the unit for you. The ease of installation and the size really do make this an upgrade that most people can do.

Any questions please ask!

[caffin999]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

how light is the trigger pull? Is it like the magpul masada?

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

I can't compare it to a Magpul Masada, but it the switch itself offers virtually no mechanical resistance. That means that the pull is as light as the trigger spring makes it.

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

and now on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c6vFWB3vDE

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

Don't be too harsh!

[richardy]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

I dont i could have said it better my self, i think people fixate on the features of the stealth verses raptors, but the main thing both units offer is a replacement of your old trigger switch with little or no effort for a lot less money than its one other competitor and its all inclosed in the gearbox. No external fet no loss of space. From a gun techs point of view when installing on so many guns you cant put a price on that.

Personally i think this unit or the stealth will end up in everyones gearbox's at some point or another.

My fav is the stealth as it offers all the crisp clean cycles of the raptor but with out the extra complicated features and for a lot less cash. That said only 50% of players prefer a no thrills no hassle version the other 50% want features and thats what the raptors there for.

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

Thanks Rich, I appreciate the compliment!

I agree that these drop-in fet are really good and finally offer a solution that most people could go for (as opposed to it's competitors).

I already want another one.!

[richardy]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

If they can sort out the stock issues this will dominate. My personal fav feature might be when it turns off when your batterys low. No i think when short circuit it and it protects the mosfets and shuts down thats possibly the best feature .. oh wait no i think... i could go on and on.

So you buy a cheap mosfet for 20 quid and you short circuit it on install, you order another. Basically the stealthfets cost right there and you cant break the stealth fet with over or undercurrent even crossing + and - doesnt break it.. (tested on purpose.. honest..)

The only issue to be concerned about would be players pulling there triggers to hard, its now a very light trigger pull and electronic activation, it simply doesnt need the monster trigger pulls we are all used to in airsoft to activate our guns, and theres no real discipline needed both the stealth and raptor will never jam. Just food for thought as people start adopting this i can see a few trigger switches getting knocked off.. If this happens contact aws and return just the trigger switch section in the post and frank will soldier it back on for free.

[Gaffa]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

Wow, the precock feature fails badly...

Still, it's not a feature I'd expect, nor want in an AEG mosfet... Imagine precocking it and then forgetting to release it! Doh!

However, great review and good video. Not too sure on your trial version video editing business. Is Windows Movie Maker dead? Hehe.

[ThatblokewiththeScar.]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

As Gaffa said was the semi function a glitch with the edit or did you switch it back? I am very interested in the semi function so any more details about that would be a great help.:D

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

The editing thing was about converting .mts files to something movie maker could work with. Didn't realise the camera was recording in .mts mode and wanted to get the video up rather than re-record. I had to use a free converter, hence the flashing message. I will get rid of it if I can find a different file converter.

As for the semi pre-cock. I think I need more time to play with it. It does work, but as yet I couldn't get it to lock back consistently in the same place. I left it in the review just to give the idea, but in my experience so far, it is a usable feature.

I normally use a smaller battery and I think it would work well with that. In the video the timing is out; the gearbox is moving faster that the cutoff level adjustment suggests and so it's not catching it quite right. A little fiddling would sort that our though. You're right though Gaffa that you could easily leave a spring compressed and not know it, especially on an AEG without a manual spring release. It only takes one shot on semi to reset.

(Don't forget on the video that the first shot is going from normal semi to semi pre-cock and is therefore turning the whole gb 1 1/2 times.)

I intend on upping the spring to 425fps at some point, which will also help match the gb speed.

[North West Outpost]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

I am looking forward to getting one of these...

You must remember that it is always better to have a ballanced set up so all your upgrades are on the same or similar level. So there will still a place for the £25 mosfet, lets face it the do what they say on the tin, they work well. But no where near as well as these.

What more could we want? I'm not sure I could think of anything I would want to add. The Scorpion has been taken out of the range and these can be modified to count shots and stop the gun firing like the real thing. Combine that with the fact it replaces the trigger unit and we only have the power lead out of the back. The guy is a genius and deserves to do well. But I guess we could always build ourselves one for £15 right!

I would never look to have a rifle that relies on pre cocking, I can't really see the point. If I wanted a good DMR, I would make sure I used the correct components and very large battery to cyle the gear box more or less instantly. Lets face it most of us maybe all of us on here can do that with our eyes shut.

[sparrowhawk]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

well you've answered one of my questions about the burst mode...it has one, my only gripe is that the burst mode is restricted to just one option of 3 bbs per shot,which is ok,but i would have liked the extra option of 5 bbs per shot for my ultra fast set-up which you get with the extreme fire with their varied programmable fets...i still like it though,and cant wait to fit it in my aeg...

which is crying out for it, as ive notice with my VFC PDW, when i am using it on semi, i sometimes nudge the selector switch a few mms with my right thumb, which causes it to either fire full auto, or not fire at all....so a locked semi mode is perfect

[Genista]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

You're right sparrow. You can alter the ROF but you cannot change the burst mode from 3 to 5.

At least not at the moment. With the serial port, you can add other bits of hardware, such as Midas alludes to, but I wonder it firmware upgrades will be possible via it too. Might have to ask Frank that very question....

[sparrowhawk]

Re: AWS Airsoft - Raptor drop in FET for V2

well any manufacturer looking to make money would just take the feedback, and bring out a Raptor Version II in a years time....if they are truely customer friendly (which i feel they may be)then they would have "bolt ons", we will have to wait n see

Richard