By Black Shark

Last review updates:
* 02/21/04. Information about piston was corrected and various new information was added.

* 02/23/04. Official information was added about muzzle velocity and added paragraph about Systema upgrade plans.

The moment of truth

As I was making my way to one of the better-known Tokyo airsoft retailers my thoughts were crisscrossing the information that had lead to in-depth preview of Systema’s new electric gun, ’The Professional Training Weapon’. Even as I had seen the very impressive SR-16 prototypes at Systema, talked to the man itself behind the project and believed that the concept was good...still somehow I had been skeptical when I had seen the latest reservation form. Failing to find better description for it, ”the inside information” I had about the grueling development process did not paint very rosy picture to say at least. Nor did the face of Systema sales staff on one very ordinary day when I happened to ask ”How is the new electric gun?”. His frustration was evident when he finally blurted out ”We have little bit of problem.”.

I haven’t been the only person to turn into skeptic, but I feel glad for Mr. Tsuromoto that he believed his own dream when others didn’t and made it. By all accounts it was rough going with take-no-prisoners mentality, but here we are on 18th of February 2004. Remember that date, because that is the date when another piece of airsoft history was made.

While I am walking up the familiar entrance of the retailer I remember that right before last evening I had still been skeptical. Even the retailer was speaking that unless they get the gun by today then next possible date is March. They were unsure about most of the things – just like everybody else. In Systema’s own showroom the date was pushing every two months during most of the last year so I had seen all that before. I know that the boys here went bit of trouble yesterday to get their Systema M16A3 Professional Training Weapon and I know how hard it is for them to keep their hands of this little beauty now that it had finally appeared. Or is it there after all? Do they really have it after all? Luckily for me I’ve been around for long time in airsoft and I don’t get school boy style excitement about new guns anymore like some do. Still, to my surprise, I take a deep breath before entering the retailer’s premises.

”Do you have it?”

”Yes”. They hand me back the deposit – another sign that they really have it. I’m not excited, but rather, subdued. I want to see it, but I don’t need to say word. They are already on it.

Black familiar shaped box is brought by one of the staff. It has Systema and Professional Training Weapon written all over it, but my first attention is focused to the only image and that is the Systema’s Professional Training Weapon logo that is warped on the box cover. Still no emotion.

First impression

The cover is lifted and I see the M16A3 inside. My eyes drift over the gun giving it quick glance. I see the hand guards for the first time (SR-16 prototypes had RAS) and I note how real they look. From the hand guard surface pattern it appears they used something else than plastic to make them (I will return to this subject later in this article). Carry handle looks bulky and less than perfect to me, but that’s just my first impression. Having the prototypes as my comparison subject I get slightly distorted feeling from the first glance – something is very different.

While we proceed to their private shooting track to put the gun through its paces I keep eying the gun to find out what is it that doesn’t match with the prototypes. I realize that the receiver, barrel and stock are more or less different from the prototype. ”Its aluminum” tells the staff when the chit chat comes to receiver and I notice that the barrel is made of the same.

The prototype had steel outer barrel and ”inside information” tells that the Systema plan is to use steel outer barrel in 2nd version of this electric gun. The rumor that has been circulating in overseas about the 2nd version just does not sum up as aluminum and steel are almost the same in terms of manufacturing cost. Japanese users have been complaining to Systema that the steel outer barrel is too heavy and this might have led to the choice to use aluminum.

I handle the release version M16A3 for the first time and man; the grip is very nice indeed. Staff’s face glee with excitement when we talk about the grip. Identical in size with real M16A3 grip, it is one of the most easily noticeable external features of the Systema electric gun. Other makers grips look and feel just horribly fat compared to this Systema grip (who had to make completely new motor just to make this like we explained in the preview). Understandably, not only the looks, but also the actual feel of the grip is completely different.

I like the hand guards too, they feel more real and completely different than the Marui, ICS, C33 or any other M4/M16 hand guards that I have managed get my hands on before. Hand guards are made by Systema and material used is resin that includes glass fiber.

The whole gun itself is very steady and relatively lightweight, but still heavy when compared to other M16A2/A3 AEGs. Not too much thought, weight balance is very good in this Systema M16A3. The prototype SR-16s that I handled before were heavier than this M16A3, but then again those SR-16s had Knight's RAS units. It is hard to imagine what could break or fracture this gun's frame or barrel.

Front sight is made with wax mould, which means that only small quantity can be made at the time. Wax mould doesn’t have that fixed sizing so lot of manpower is required to shape the part to correct size.

One of the beautiful parts of Systema M16A3 are the small receiver steel parts that are shaped better than the M16 steel accessory sets that Systema has been selling for long time. Here you can see the bolt catch that actually works like the real thing.

In receiver you even have the details like replica pins that extrude outside receiver just like the real things. Only difference is that they don’t move!

As expected, the barrel assembly is just like the real thing and operating the slip ring requires more strength than any other M4/M16 AEG to this date. It isn’t that hard as the real, but like said; it is more realistic than others. As pictured at right the barrel nut assembly is identical with real one and can take i.e. RAS units straight out of the box. What a huge bonus for any hardcore airsoft player that loves real accessories!

Charging handle does not move much. Even if the bolt catch works like the real thing charging handle doesn’t and neither does ejection port cover. Both were small disappointments in otherwise excellent exterior details.

The basic practical functions of the guns are seamingless and work very smoothly. Battery compartment has sufficient space and is very neatly constructed. Wires are of high quality and not shoddy like in some other models.

Magazine is ultra realistic and reload gives you more kicks than ever, because its that good in atmosphere. The mag metal against the receiver metal with right sizings, well, I presume you can imagine the rest.

Sights are adjustable and seem to be more slightly more sturdy than what in other similar AEGs. Carrying handle comes off with a ease and also stays where it is supposed to be, which is all very good.

Takedown mechanism is solid and requires significant amount of power to complete. The receiver lockpins are solidly in place and you need tool and hammer to remove them. Once you have done that, the takedown is quick and without of problems. Of course, the modular cylinder unit can be removed painlessly with the use of charging handle.

All in all, excellent functionality and user convenience when it comes to external parts.

First test

One of the things that interest me the most is the muzzle velocity and its time to test it, but before that it turns out that the Systema M16A3 uses 7.2v 2400mAh battery. Now wait a moment. 7.2v? I thought that is just for RC-stuff and not for airsoft. Staff explains that Systema wants to keep the ROF more close to the real M16A3 ROF and that’s why 7.2v battery is preferred, but if I wish I could use 8.4v or 9.6v battery.

0.20g BB
1st round: 72m/s (237.6 FPS)
2nd round: 71m/s (234.3 FPS)
3rd round: 74m/s (244.2 FPS)
4th round: 69m/s (227.7 FPS)
5th round: 72m/s (237.6 FPS)

0.12g BB 100m/s (330 FPS)

Surprise here, not only the low muzzle velocity, but also the scale of difference in muzzle velocity ratings.

We confirmed from Systema the muzzle velocity issue just to be sure and according to their head office they have intended the gun to perform with this muzzle velocity. In otherwords, the muzzle velocity is expected to be in this range for every factory issued gun unless new variants will be released.

On the track with limited 10m (33 foot)range the gun shot like any AEG, straight BB trajectory, standard penetration and standard ROF on full auto mode. I could only tell the major difference, if I had our 70m (231 foot) range and accuracy test field at use. However, we will do that test soon and post the results at our site.

Mechanism: Gearbox & Cylinder Unit

The new gearbox is delicate system especially its electronic parts that are critical to replace the tappet plate, which Systema or any other Japanese manufacturer cannot have in their mechanisms due to legal issues.

The small red sensors you can see in the image are used to count sector gear rotations. Gears are of helical type and they have unique small holes to collaborate with the above mentioned gear rotation parts (they serve as ”bumps” for sensors to identify each gear rotation).

On top of the cylinder unit you can see nozzle and part of the spring. They operate very differently from typical gearbox mechanisms, but the design concept is actually recycled from old Marushin gas rifle design.

Systema piston: This new piston, which on first glance resembles in appearance the old ”infamous” Systema red piston, is included in the cylinder unit. It is for the Systema electric gun only and all the teeths are metal in this version, which means the durability should be higher. Otherwise the piston material is same as before. According to upgrade specialist opinions the new piston should be able to handle high rate springs better than the previous Systema pistons.

Right now the opinions divide on the upgrade possibilities of this system. Modular mechanism and cylinder unit design apparently make it easy to upgrade to high levels, but the other opinion is that the whole operating mechanism seems to be delicate and it might not be able to take heavy upgrades.

Upgrading

Little is known at this moment about the future upgrades, but according to person who took part in the development work Systema is planning to do upgrades primarily at their facilities.

More information will be posted if and when information comes available.

Thoughts

One of the other thoughts that crossed my mind during the day was the price of this gun. We wrote about that in our preview too, but now I hear from everywhere that the price is simply too high for law enforcement and military purpose. There is a saying ”we always get our equipment from the lowest bidder”...

Connected to this one overseas-based maker already incorporated some of the Systema’s ideas and concepts to their design with amazingly short time. Their product happens to be three times cheaper than this (differences of products are huge, but the gun model is the same).

Law enforcement and military cannot necessarily tell the differences of AEGs like the hardcore airsofters do. Not that they necessarily would care even if they would know.

The basic things that matter to them: a) How it performs b) Will it match our mission requirements c) How durable and rugged it is d) Cost.

When it comes to the training will they really need Systema’s top-of-the-line, but expensive guns and can they tell the quality difference? It will come down to Systema how they can play their cards on introducing their product to right places and with right means....or after all, is the training sales their purpose? It is well known that here in Japan the users follow the suit of real operators. Now that Systema Professional Training Weapon has been finally launched we can only guess to what direction it will go from here on.

Manual

Scan of Systema M16A3 Professional Training Weapon manual. Have fun :D

Next:

Remaining of the manual
Systema M16A3 Accuracy and Range Field Test...

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