The hopes for the release of the Magpul PTS PDR-C AEG are up again as photos of the AEG taken in Hong Kong or cropping up in the internet and our Hong Kong content partner, Public Enemy, have gotten their hands on the AEG as they met up with Albert Lam of Magpul PTS. As we all know, Magpul PTS announced the delay of the official release of the PDR-C  last October due to issues with the gearbox design as since this is different type of gun, there is no existing gearbox design that can be easily dropped in to this AEG. This means that the gearbox has been designed from the ground up.

Here is the video by Public Enemy, which unfortunately is in Cantonese:

We do take a particular interest about the Magpul PDR, as I wrote a feature story in September 2010 that the Magpul PDR should be released to the airsoft market as this gun design became a still-born project of Magpul Industries. While the Magpul Masada ACR saw itself being put into production as a real steel gun, the PDR never came to the production stage as a firearm. Whether Magpul PTS read the Popular Airsoft story or not, the Magpul PTS PDR Airsoft prototype was unveiled during the SHOT show 2011.

The progress of the Magpul PTS PDR was not closely followed as compared to the PTS Masada and the KWA KRISS Vector GBB for reasons that we don't know why as regular updates have not been released by Magpul PTS. With that announcement of production delays last month, we expect its release date would even be pushed further. The latest photos and video may have shown evidence that the engineers of Magpul PTS may have overcome the production issues and perhaps we can expect either and end of 2012 or early 2013 release of this.

Please take note that this Magpul PTS PDR is the PDR-C version. The C version being a "compact" design for vehicle mounted troops, and this design was made to allow drivers to shoot with one hand while the other hand is on the steering wheel. There's a bigger brother, which is PDR-D with the D being "Direct Action". Both the C and D versions are very much suitable for CQB. Personally, I prefer the D variant over the C, but that's just me.

The problem of the release of the PTS PDR-C AEG is that it might be released within the period that two airsoft guns which are also highly anticipated will also be launched: the KWA KRISS Vector GBB and the Tokyo Marui HK416D with Recoil Shock. I do not see it being able to steal the thunder from these two, but if Magpul PTS were to delay it a bit more and release it when all the hoopla about these airsoft guns have passed and can have all the attention it once. I guess airsoft players won't mind such delay.

But still, the recent news about the PTS PDR-C can be welcomed as very much positive. Now what we need to know is when they are definitely going to release it to the market.