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Sneak Preview: ICS Next Generation MP5 AEG gets closer to the real thing

Dom

During my visit to ICS, who were kind enough to accommodate my request to a visit last June 2009, and be able to see new developments in airsoft in Taiwan, I was lucky enough to peak behind the curtains and see some of their future releases. I was only allowed to take pictures on one of these projects: the MP5 AEG. You might say ICS already has an MP5 released and I thought exactly the same thing but they ensured me that this one will be stuffed with goodies.

As you can see it on the pictures this is an early prototype what ICS is using to test different functions. The other thing you can pick up looking at the pics that they try to follow the original manufacturing process (weldings on the upper receiver). This AEG will be released with fixed stock as well and it might have a differend fore-end grip by the release date, but the main selling point of this gun won't be the furniture kit. It's rather the internal functions what will make this release interesting. As you may all know ICS gearbox design is different than the orthodox gearbox layout and their gearbox is a so called split gearbox. The main advantage of the "split gearbox": easier field strip, fast access to spring and other upper gearbox parts, similar takedown to real steel guns. Now ICS took their design to a whole new level and implemented a couple of player-friendly features.



ICS mentioned also that the receiver "is all made by steel stamping just like real gun!"

The first one worth to mention is the 3-round burst. I know that you cannot see the markings on the receiver but take one more closer look and you will see that the selector is resting between Semi and Auto. Creating a 3-round burst is relatively easy these days using MOSFET but my problem with that is you will lose either Auto or Semi to burst. There is not a lot of AEGs around having this function as a standard feature.

The next function is the upgraded Safe Mode. Switching your fire selector to Safe will release the pressure off the main spring in your upper gearbox. This means double safety and longer spring life. Maybe it seems like a small thing but I only wish that other guns could do this.



This version as you can see is powered from the front and the cables aren't present when you "break" the gun in half because the circuit is interrupted with a connector that you disconnect every time you open the gun. This is another great feature and makes it unnecessary to disconnect your battery every time you try to work on someting inside. This little connector is located on the back side of the magwell right above the front body pin.



You guys can expect a late 2009 release date for this SMG replica. As far as I've been told, there will be at least one more nice feature related to the external parts of the body but I will let other people reveal this one. I hope ICS will implement these nice upgrades in their M4 line as well.




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