Improving Your KWA's Trigger Response
By far, the most requested upgrade I get asked to perform is improving trigger response.
It is important to understand that trigger response is actually comprised of multiple factors, including the type of battery used, motor, gear ratio, and more. Even the type of plug and wiring used on the gun influences this to a small degree.
My goal with any of the Tier 1 Upgrades is to substantially improve trigger response. No longer should you feel like you are able to "outrun" the gun.
In the Airsoft realm, we have two primary options that provide distinct benefits to improving trigger response and improving the durability of the gun: MOSFET's and ETU's.
MOSFET's
A MOSFET installation improves trigger response primarily through improving electrical efficiency. Most MOSFET installations will encompass a total-rewiring of the gun, in which case better and more efficient materials are used. Interruptions in the lines - i.e. points of resistance - can be reduced or eliminated too. An inline MOSFET, such as the PERUN, will use a signal wire soldered to the trigger contacts as opposed to the power leads soldered on. The energy will be drawn from the battery directly to the motor, bypassing the mechanical trigger contacts entirely. By virtue of rerouting the power directly to the motor, the danger of trigger contact burnout or arcing is thereby eliminated. Incidentally, this is one of the major "selling points" of the inline-style MOSFET too.
ETU's
A Gate TITAN should be considered a MOSFET second and an Electronic Trigger Unit (ETU) first. This is more comprehensive drop-in unit that completely replaces the mechanical switch, as well as the cutoff lever components. The TITAN is essentially solid-state technology, using no mechanical aspects in its construction; instead, it uses optical sensors to register trigger pulls and gear cycles. As the flagship product from Gate, the TITAN also boasts a wealth of features that can't be packed similarly into MOSFET's. As the TITAN completely replaces the mechanical switch, it also completely eliminates any previous issues with trigger contact arcing. Additionally, since the cutoff lever is removed too, it is physically impossible for one to inadvertently "short-stroke" the trigger and cause a gearbox lockup such as what can be induced on a mechanical switch.
So which is best for trigger response?
Bottom line, in conjunction with motor and gear ratio improvements, a simple MOSFET will get you close to the TITAN in responsiveness, but distinctively, it won't get you as light of a trigger pull, which is a major factor in the ability to rapidly operate the trigger.
On any inline MOSFET that is hardwired in, such as the Perun, WARFET, NanoASR, etc. you are still having to physically overcome two springs (the trigger spring and trolley spring). There are also two additional springs and components that interact with the trigger trolley (magazine cutoff and cutoff lever). Technically you can even consider the trigger contacts as a psuedo-fifth spring, as the trolley has to be pressed forward into them and these are made from flexible spring-like material, so it provides an additional point of felt resistance. All of these contribute to the heavier feel of the trigger on a mechanical setup.
On the TITAN, you eliminate all of this, including the cutoff levers, for just the trigger spring. If pairing it with the MAXX CNC tuneable trigger, which has a reduced strength trigger spring that comes in at approximately 50% less strength than a stock spring, you can obtain a very easy and light trigger pull. Additionally, this trigger also allows you to set the amount of over-travel you want after the firing point.
Lastly, the TITAN itself has adjustable trigger sensitivity, so the physical pull distance can be reduced to practically zero if so desired (it can in fact be made to fire if you press sideways on the trigger at that point). All of this is why it's functionally easier to "flutter" the trigger on a TITAN equipped rifle as opposed to one that has an inline FET and the mechanical trigger contacts. The TITAN and MAXX trigger should be considered as complimentary products to one another, which is why I pair these two items in the higher tier upgrades.
Perhaps most distinctively, the TITAN also offers optional pre-cocking functionality. Pre-Cocking mode will physically cock the piston in the full rearward position between shots. So on the next trigger pull, the piston simply has to be released to fire the BB as opposed to making a complete rearward and forward release cycle. In effect, it will roughly cut cycle time down by half.
For all intents and purposes, the TITAN system is practically the closest you can get to an HPA-like trigger on an AEG. If one takes two rifles with identical drive-train components, on semi-auto mode, the guy with the TITAN will likely be about to outrun the guy with the stock mechanical trigger and MOSFET - with a lot less effort.
The Real Heavy Lifters
As previously mentioned, a MOSFET or ETU is just but one facet of improving trigger response. In truth, one should realistically think of these as complimentary systems. Outside of the battery, the biggest contributor to felt-performance gains is going to be the motor, followed by the gear ratio. Much as on the field, it's easy to get "tunnel vision" and simply hone in on the MOSFET or ETU as the only solution and miss everything else.
The motor itself is criminally underlooked by most, but is in fact the one component that will provide the end user the biggest felt improvement in performance. As well, certain gear ratios pair well with specific motors to help net superior trigger response over stock configurations while also improving battery efficiency.
Additional Considerations
Depending on what your base KWA model is, there are limitations on whether you can use an ETU or a MOSFET - but often an ETU can be fitted if you are willing to make certain concessions.
Aside from installation differences, the physical space taken up by the units varies too. Several of my current Tier 1 upgrades now use the Perun MOSFET, which is amongst the smallest on the market - equivalent in size to a penny. Unlike the older NanoASR and WARFET I previously used, this has much less impact on your available battery space. The smaller size means I can position it inside the gearbox shell, which was not previously possible with the NanoASR or WARFET. An ancillary benefit of this new location is the MOSFET is better protected from moisture and damage - namely, there are no delicate signal wires to contend with in the stock area.
The Gate TITAN is also contained entirely within the gearbox, therefore it does not impact battery space at all.
Special considerations for KWA AEG 2.5 and 3.0 rifles:
For KWA rifles with the AEG 2.5 and 3.0 gearbox shells with the last-round-cutoff feature, it is possible to convert the gearbox shell to the AEG 3.0+ version which is Gate TITAN compatible. However, opting for this upgrade means you do lose the last-round-cutoff capability. For users who wish to keep this cutoff functionality, the Perun is the recommended option.
See also: Understanding the KWA Ecosystem.
| MOSFET Comparisons | |
| Perun MOSFET |
Gate TITAN II ETU w/Expert firmware |
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