First thing you would purchase for a PTW...

[mcguyver]

So, seeing as how the PTW is a whole system of parts and accessories, and not just any old gun, this is what you *should* have if you want proper, long-term operation:

1) Batteries. Some guys will balk at paying $100+ for a battery for any gun. But Systema recommends you use their battery. I have found that my performance and longevity is great with the Systema batteries, and a few guys with custom batteries with diffreing voltages have had electronics failures. Even the U.S. distributor advises caution with custom packs and he uses one himself. Frankly, until you have some time under your belt with a PTW, use their battery.

2) Battery charger. If you get the 12 volt battery, you will need a charger rated to charge 10+ cells. Most R/C chargers under $100 are not rated for anything higher than 9.6v. Also, you should get a charger that has variable discharge rates to keep your expensive Systema batteries properly conditioned. Charge them at no more than 1C, discharge at no more than 0.8C and never allow them to be discharged below 1v/cell.

3) Mags. Enough said.

4)BBs. This is very often overlooked and may be the prime source of poor performance. Many brittle BBs will get chopped to shit in the steel chamber by a steel nozzle. I had this happen with KSC Perfect 0.25g and it required extensive cleaning of the gun. Metal Tech works great for me, but I think next year I will try a 0.28 or 0.30g BB, as soon as I find a good brand with reliable access for me. Heavier BBs seem to work much better, especially if you use the M130 or M150. That being said, I have very good performance with MT 0.25g, but I'm always striving for better, too.

5) Maintenance. Get yourself some nozzle o-rings. These will need to be changed in the cylinder when double/misfeeding occurs or after 10,000 rounds or so. You can get these from Systema or an o-ring supplier. They are 2mm x 7mm. Get Viton if you can't find polyurethane, but poly ones are the best.

6) Cylinders. Most MAX guns come with the M150, but the M110 is the minimum you should use outdoors, with M130 being the best from my experience. M90 is needed if you do CQB.

7) A brain. Read the owners manual. Go to www.systema-ptw.com if you want to learn tricks, teardown, advice from other users, etc.. PTWs are not magical, they require proper hop-up settings, maintenance and someone with a brain to use them properly. If you have a brain, then you'll have no problems using your PTW and will enjoy using it.

8) Accessories. Add what you want and make it your own.

I think that pretty much covers it.

[jerryliang2k]

I'll also vouch for BB Bastard stuff. They're economical, effective, and come in any weight you'd want.

[LUTNIT]

Originally Posted by mcguyver

1) Batteries. Some guys will balk at paying $100+ for a battery for any gun. But Systema recommends you use their battery. I have found that my performance and longevity is great with the Systema batteries, and a few guys with custom batteries with diffreing voltages have had electronics failures. Even the U.S. distributor advises caution with custom packs and he uses one himself. Frankly, until you have some time under your belt with a PTW, use their battery.

But all the SystemA batteries I have seen are just made with Sanyo NiCd cells. Nothing special really. I have three packs sitting on my desk from a custom battery place and I made sure they used the exact same brand and type of cells used in official SystemA packs and they only cost me $50 each. All I'm missing is the metal rod that keeps the pack rigid but I have seen pics of European PTW owners with essentially the same thing as me and they say it works great.

[WarChild7]

Originally Posted by LUTNIT

But all the SystemA batteries I have seen are just made with Sanyo NiCd cells. Nothing special really. I have three packs sitting on my desk from a custom battery place and I made sure they used the exact same brand and type of cells used in official SystemA packs and they only cost me $50 each. All I'm missing is the metal rod that keeps the pack rigid but I have seen pics of European PTW owners with essentially the same thing as me and they say it works great.

Here's a quote from Wallace from Systema USA in the PTW Users Group:

"The PTW MAX requires very high current to operate properly, and the factory 12v battery packs are the only recommended battery - this is because we have a very good and long term working relationship with Sanyo and that all the cells we got are from their "AA bin"; they are supposed to be almost as good as matched cells.

Also, if you use a 9.6v battery, the gun will fire but the motor will try to draw additional current to compensate for the lower-then-expected voltage. Because of that, two things can happen: 1) It will draw over 30 amps and pop your fuse, and 2) If the current draw is borderline 30 Amp (so the fuse doesn't pop) and you allow the heat to built-up slowly, you risk burning up the EL-003 circuit in the stock. This has been confirmed several times by the factory (not 100% cause of EL-003 failure, but most of them). So please be caution when using lower voltage batteries.

Oh and on a side note this is the same reason why you should stop using the gun as soon as the battery felt like its getting weak and is close to being drained when the battery is almost empty the voltage will drop and the motor will try to pull more current as well, which could cause EL-003 to burnt-up in the same way.

Last but not least, about chopping BBs's I've found that the PTWs are more picky about BBs then most other AEGs, and that if the BBs are not manufactured according to specification (many heavy-weight BBs are actually larger then they should) the gun will chop them in half. But that the problem is with the BB, not the gun - when using SYSTEMA BBs I can run 12v on a M90 cyilnder and it will feed every round. (Do not try this at home!!) I guess we didn't anticipate so many BB manufacturers (even a few reputable ones) would be cutting corners by using cheaper but lighter polymer and just make the round bigger to achieve additional weights.

Cheers,
Wallace"

[LUTNIT]

Hmm...dang. Oh well, lets hope my batteries work, still waiting with baited breath for my PTW.

[LUTNIT]

Originally Posted by Endymion

Again... pull those followers out of your mags. It makes a noticeable difference.

huh?

[mcguyver]

The little hour-glass shaped follower does not have anything to do with the triggering the bolt release to open up. This is a feeding follower only, to ensure that all BBs are fed out of the magazine. There is a main follower that does all this and is the source of tension for BBs in the magazine. This is not removable (unless you don't want a functional mag) and is the part that interlocks with the bolt release.

2 bright BBs work much better than the stock follower, which has a tendancy to pop out of the mag during quick mag changes.

The metal rod inside the PTW batteries makes the pack rigid, less prone to damage during transport, storage, insertion and removal from the gun. Many guys have used custom and many have experience EL-003 failures, some as a direct result of using an incorrect battery and some for reasons related to heavy customization of the gun. It's your choice, but when you spend $3K on gun and accessories, why cheap out for $50? Makes no sense whatsoever, regardless of the argument (I've heard them all).