The KWA Tier 1 Upgrade
If you have landed here, chances are you own a KWA series AEG and are interested in upgrading it. Chances also are that you have found few Airsoft tech's willing to work on the KWA platform because it's often been derided as "100% proprietary" or you may have heard that "KWA's can't be upgraded!"
I am no stranger to tales of recalcitrant techs and "it can't be done" attitudes. Many of the myths and tales surrounding the KWA rifles are only half-truths at best and flagrant ignorance at worst. In truth this platform enjoys much compatibility with standard Version 2 components - current versions, even more so.
Since I started Tactical Parts over over a decade ago, I have specialized in upgrading and modifying the KWA series AEG rifles. I've now expanded that focus into the VM4 and Ronin series rifles. Starting with the introduction of the original PTS RM4 series, I was one of the very first techs to seriously study this new platform and begin upgrading and modifying it with the goal of obtaining superior performance. By now I have amassed considerable experience with this design and am proud to say that I am recognized as an authoritative source for upgrading the KWA platform by many satisfied end users.
While many are satisfied with the stock performance of their KWA's, I have always recognized that some things could be better.
The Tier 1 Upgrade for the KWA AEG 2.5/2.5+/3.0/3.0+ series is a
complete overhaul of the system aimed at improving multiple facets:
- Accuracy
- Consistency
- FPS
- Trigger Response
- Rate-Of-Fire
- Durability
I currently offer the Tier 1 Upgrade for KWA's in a more inexpensive "Standard" version and the "Ultimate" option, which consists of "everything but the kitchen sink."
As with KWA's modular design, the Tier 1 Upgrades are formed around the concept of being scalable - meaning one can always upgrade from the Standard to the Ultimate setup down the road if they so desire.
The Tier 1 Upgrade is available for all KWA AEG 2.5/2.5+/3.0/3.0+ series AEG's.
A Strong Gun Needs a Strong Piston
The heart of the Tier 1 Upgrade is the compression parts, and regardless of whether you select the Standard or the Ultimate upgrade, the entire compression set is overhauled.
Standard upgrades utilize the CYMA FMR (Full Metal Rack) piston. This offers a hardened polycarbonate body featuring a full metal rack design. These pistons are legendary among the tech community and well regarded for their unbeatable cost-to-performance ratio.
Ultimate upgrades utilize the Angel Custom KRATOS piston. This piston is made from DuPont Super Nylon polymer with a hardened steel rack that is Black Titanium Nitride (TiN) coated for durability and wear pattern indication.
Whether you opt for the CYMA or KRATOS, the rack is epoxied in place as standard to ensure this does not shift under load. Either of these pistons offer vastly increased durability over the OEM KWA piston, which is just a basic nylon-fiber design that features a single metal release tooth.
Ultimate Compression / Ultimate Consistency
Both the Standard and the Ultimate upgrade utilize the Lonex POM ported piston head fitted with an upgraded chemical-resistant Viton Fluoroelastomer O-Ring. The retainer screw is affixed using blue Loctite to ensure it never loosens up and causes a catastrophic failure. This is paired to a Lonex CNC double o-ring aluminum cylinder head which has had a 70D Gen. 2 AirPad affixed for AOE correction and shock dampening.
The infamous leak-prone KWA air nozzle has been replaced with a Retro Arms CNC O-ring nozzle. For guns upgraded with the MAXX CNC rotary hop up chamber, the MAXX CNC air nozzle is used. Additionally, current generation KWA models are fitted with the Gen. 2 KWA tappet plate, which allows for using aftermarket air nozzles. Further tuning is accomplished by light modification of the tappet to reduce tappet PME and the inclusion of a tappet spring spacer to mitigate "midcap syndrome".
The sum of all these parts provides an absolutely air-tight compression seal and excellent FPS consistency.
Gears of War
KWA makes some of the best OEM gearsets currently available in my opinion. These gears have proven themselves to withstand the rigors of hard use and high FPS systems as well as DSG conversions in excess of 50+ rounds per second. The stock ratio is a well-balanced 18.72:1, which is suitable for the vast majority of recoil-based (ERG) build types.
VPS-based systems are equipped with faster ratio 13.65:1 Rocket gearsets, which allow for a higher rate-of-fire and improved trigger response when paired with the appropriate motor.
One Motor to Rule Them All
A quality gearset needs a quality motor, which is why Ultimate versions of the Tier 1 Upgrade come standard with a Warhead brushless motor. Base version's of the Tier 1 upgrade will be equipped with a traditional - albeit, upgraded over stock - ASG Infinity Neodymium motor.
All brushless motors are refitted with KWA's double-bearing motor tower for a superior fit inside the motor grip. The pinion is affixed in place with genuine Loctite 638, ensuring it will never work free. This is so effective it requires heat applied from a blow-torch to loosen the bond.
The primary advantage of brushless motors is their incredible efficiency and amp-draw reduction. This nets the average build approximately 2x more shots per battery charge vs. brushed motors. When paired with the specific gear ratios, these also offer greatly improved trigger response, rate-of-fire gains and cooler operating temperatures. Simply put, brushless is the future.
Flat Trigger = Flat Out Faster
On TITAN compatible KWA models, a MAXX CNC flat trigger with end-user adjustable over-travel is installed for reduced travel distance. In conjunction with the TITAN's adjustable trigger sensitivity feature, you can tune the the trigger pull to suit your personal preference: from hair-trigger to long pull.
Say Goodbye to the Telephone Cord
Last-round cutoff versions of the KWA will include a Perun MOSFET installation as standard. You will enjoy the benefits of total trigger contact protection and improved trigger response. All MOSFET installations are hardwired in place using dual signal wires, which totally negates arcing and trigger contact burnout risk.
Every MOSFET installation also includes a full rewire of the gun using 16 AWG low-resistance Alphawire Ecowire. This is the same high quality wire as used in the Gate TITAN's.
On TITAN compatible gearboxes, the legendary Gate TITAN II is standard. This is a full-featured comprehensive Electronic Trigger Unit that completely replaces the stock trigger switch and offers the best-in-class mobile application for customization and programming.
More information on selecting the Perun or TITAN can be found here.
Accuracy is King
Lambda barrels are found on both the Standard and Ultimate Tier 1 Upgrade. These precision-made 6.01 and 6.05 barrels are crafted in Japan from SUS304 stainless steel and finished out within 1 micron of straightness. They offer a superior square hop up window cut vs. PDI, which makes them naturally conducive for R-Hopping purposes or hop up buckings that utilize non-conventional contact patches. Current iterations of the Tier 1 Upgrade use the TruSight Generation 3 Tru-Hop. This is a novel hop up bucking that offers all of the range of a traditional R-Hop installation, while producing overall tighter groups.
These are best used with heavier BB's and a .28g - .36g is generally recommended for rifles shooting around 400 FPS.
The Ultimate upgrades include a MAXX M4A CNC rotary hop up chamber, which is based around a Top-Down-Center hop up nub design. TDC is valued for its ideal even-pressure that it applies to the bucking, resulting in more consistent shots. Additionally, the MAXX chamber has a BB retainer latch, which prevents you from losing the 4 - 5 BB's that remain behind in the hop up chamber every time you change magazines.
It's the Little Details
Whether you are sending in your personal KWA to get outfitted or buying a new one to have upgraded - every rifle is given the white glove treatment. This means cleaning inside and out - from top to bottom, removing the rails to ensure the barrel nuts are properly torqued, applying thread-locker to the appropriate screws and fully testing the gun with a variety of BB weights to ensure correct operation.
Lastly, every Tier 1 Upgrade comes with a full 1 Year Warranty guaranteeing the work.
