Silverback MDR-X tl;dw version - let some other mug buy these bin-fire versions until they fix it

[Rogerborg]

A tale of 2 videos:

1. You'll drop the trigger bar in the mud, then set it on fire while changing the battery.

 

[alxndrhll]

I truly wish this came as a surprise, but it doesn't... at all.

 

[Lowe]

It’s hugely overblown issues. Luke hadn’t read the instructions on how to change the battery, you don’t remove all the pins. Whilst they are noisier than a typical AEG they do actually perform brilliantly. No doubt Silverback will revise the bevel gear, but no one’s had gearbox failure, it really is just a noise issue. As for James, he got a lemon. Not seen any other receivers flex that bad. 

 

[Rogerborg]

Really?  Luke's point is that airsofters don't read instructions, and don't put things together on benches.  That wiring pinch point is awful design, and an accident waiting to happen.

no one’s had gearbox failure

That you've heard of. Yet. On a brand new gun.

That's really not a problem?  We're just ignoring that damage to the gears that we can see has already occurred?

Silverback will only revise the bevel gear if they sell enough of these shagged units to pay for more development.  At a minimum they should be sending a new gear to any owner that asks.

Eh, well, it's only five hundred and sixty pounds (and upwards), you can't expect CYMA levels of engineering. ?

 

[Herrgh]

What aspect of the MDR requires it to be designed in such a way that necessitates splitting the gun in half just to install a battery?

My first thought was that Luke was going to pop off that black plastic butt pad to install the battery (like most other bullpup AEGs), but you have to split the gun in half instead? What's the reasoning for that?

 

[Rogerborg]

you can't expect CYMA levels of engineering. ?

[Chortle, snort] I posted that before spotting that the fix is to install a CYMA bevel gear.

Silverback managed to design and make a specific gear that fits less well than a generic one.  The mind boggles.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Shame, I was chatting to someone who had one of these at my last game and it looked rather nice 

 

[Rogerborg]

Shame, I was chatting to someone who had one of these at my last game and it looked rather nice 

Looks like they are fixable, you "just" need to "upgrade" some of the Silverback parts and solutions to worse ones.

And yes, they're one of the least gopping and heretical bullpups around, relatively speaking.

 

[Akuma121]

Seems like typical first gen problems from a manufacturer that hasn't done an AEG before, especially with how they've strangely they've designed it.

Actually had the pleasure of seeing one a few weeks ago at the depot and it looked great, owner had no complaints other than the shockingly poor internal battery space. Sounded a little different from most AEG's but it wasn't lacking in performance from what I'd seen and felt. Biggest issue they had was the poor internal battery space and the price ?

If it weren't £500 I'd honestly jump at it, one of the more fun guns to use in Tarkov and the closest thing we've had to it up until now was the rubbish Ares RDB from Kel-tec.

 

[Rogerborg]

the closest thing we've had to it up until now was the rubbish Ares RDB from Kel-tec

I've long been intrigued by the APS UAR which isn't quite based on anything real.  And the equation in my head is: £190 APS UAR + £370 of uPgRaDe parts/labour vs £560 MDR-X (plus whatever it takes to sort it out).

 

[#blackadder]

Just wait for the inevitable boneyard sales ...

 

[Terry_Rist]

I've long been intrigued by the APS UAR which isn't quite based on anything real.  And the equation in my head is: £190 APS UAR + £370 of uPgRaDe parts/labour 

The problem with the UAR is that It is built to such a tight budget that the bodies on them are really horrible and plasticky. They don't -and never will- feel like a solid platform. Other than that they can be upgraded performance wise to whatever you want, relatively standard V3 platform underneath it with a trigger linkage.

I loved my RDB until the mosfet shat itself, and the reliance on a magnetic sensor not a cut-off lever made it almost impossible to get a custom mosfet working for me. I actually have another stock mosfet on the way to fix it as it has just been sat in bits underneath my bench for months. Yes I did have to upgrade the piston, piston head and nozzle out of the box just to get a decent air seal, and then fucked the mosfet probably by using a high torque with strong magnets which has just caused it to go haywire. Externally and ergonomically it is fantastic though, one of the best bullpup platforms.

 

[Lowe]

Really?  Luke's point is that airsofters don't read instructions, and don't put things together on benches.  That wiring pinch point is awful design, and an accident waiting to happen.

That you've heard of. Yet. On a brand new gun.

That's really not a problem?  We're just ignoring that damage to the gears that we can see has already occurred?

Silverback will only revise the bevel gear if they sell enough of these shagged units to pay for more development.  At a minimum they should be sending a new gear to any owner that asks.

Eh, well, it's only five hundred and sixty pounds (and upwards), you can't expect CYMA levels of engineering. ?

If I'm spending nearly 600 readies on a rifle, you're damn sure I'm gonna read the instructions/watch manufacturer's videos. Did with my SRS. Did with my Tac41, did with the MDRX. I want to understand a platform so I don't break it. Not all airsofters are the same, I don't think it fair to tar them all with the same brush.

Wiring pinch is easily avoided, you *use your eyes* ? Yes, it's not ideal that the wiring is so close to the rear pin point, but if you're careful, it's easily dealt with. I've swapped batteries in the safe zone without issue and frankly I'm not the most technically minded individual.

Gearbox failures? I'm talking about Silverback's own testing. They have rifles that have had tens of thousands of rounds put through them without issue. They've also had rifles running 3+J for extended periods, no issues. When a product is produced at scale,  there's bound to be a few lemons. It's law of averages, so sadly some people will get unlucky. I've pulled my own rifle apart and checked the gears and there's no issues at all, and I'm a few thousand in by now. It isn't the nicest of sounding rifs I'll give you (especially if you forget to grease up a newly installed spring), but if it works?

If you do have a failure that's what the dealer network should be picking up on and sorting, and why I always use Jason at LongbowBB. His aftercare support is superb, and if you look at the followup videos people have made, he's even been involved with helping out owners that have bought rifles from different companies.

You talk about Silverback only releasing a fix if they sell, well that wasn't the case with the Tac41. They sent out new feed ramps to owners pretty much once they found a problem. So that's why I'm more than confident a new gear will be released and sent to existing owners. ?

 

[Rogerborg]

The problem with the UAR is that It is built to such a tight budget that the bodies on them are really horrible and plasticky.

Mmm, they even look nasty and toyish in the promo images. Shame, just a few more £££ buys you decent enough polyplasticmer.

You talk about Silverback only releasing a fix if they sell, well that wasn't the case with the Tac41. They sent out new feed ramps to owners pretty much once they found a problem.

To... uh... owners. Because... umm... because it sold.

Fair point though, Silverback do seem to be one of the few exceptions that don't just say "Tough, buy another one" to their customers.  I'm not bagging on them as a brand, I'm a happy TAC-41 owner (new version with the sorted feed ramp).

If I'm spending nearly 600 readies on a rifle, you're damn sure I'm gonna read the instructions/watch manufacturer's videos.

Well, me too, but bear in mind that we few, we happy forum few, represent the most interested airsofters.  How many times have you seen someone on site who's dropped mortgage money on their DEVGRU SOCOM PDW WTF and yet hands it to a tech or marshal or mate to adjust the hop.

 

[BigStew]

Mmm, they even look nasty and toyish in the promo images. Shame, just a few more £££ buys you decent enough polyplasticmer.

To... uh... owners. Because... umm... because it sold.

Fair point though, Silverback do seem to be one of the few exceptions that don't just say "Tough, buy another one" to their customers.  I'm not bagging on them as a brand, I'm a happy TAC-41 owner (new version with the sorted feed ramp).

Well, me too, but bear in mind that we few, we happy forum few, represent the most interested airsofters.  How many times have you seen someone on site who's dropped mortgage money on their DEVGRU SOCOM PDW WTF and yet hands it to a tech or marshal or mate to adjust the hop.

Yep had a lad come to me to ask for help with his brand new TM Scar L that had just "stopped working" (hint he had fired 82 bbs)

 

[1st commando]

It's worth noting this isn't silverbacks first AEG . They made a PP19 long before they got into spring rifles 

 

[TheFull9]

It was always gonna have some sort of issues in the first run, so if you know that but want it:  wait.  That's what I'm doing, money is set aside for later.  I'd not be at all surprised if lots of owners who don't enjoy partaking in the sport of forum whinging are out there happily running around with them today though, blissfully unaware of the fact their xyz gear doesn't mesh optimally.  Strong chance they'll give up the game before the thing breaks - as is the case for a significant plurality of RIFs purchased I might imagine.

I've been to Luke a couple of times recently, he's done good work on the guns I've got back far as I can tell, perfectly alright bloke all around.  I'm not sure he'd disagree if I said he's the most contrarian person in airsoft though and I do think there's not a slim chance he's over-exaggerated somewhat in that video just because it's the hot new thing; at least in terms of tone and attitude.  No disagreement from me that objectively it could be better made for the price.  Again, I like it and I want one, but I'm not buying one now.

 

[Kls77]

Tbh peeps 

How many people buy a tm recoil for £500 and spunk another £500 on internals straight away 

The mdr  is actually pretty good and well made . Lot of potential . Feels good in hand and trigger response is awesome . 

 

[Rogerborg]

How many people buy a tm recoil for £500 and spunk another £500 on internals straight away

True, but Silverback's USP is marketing things that don't need to be uPgRaDeD or fixed.

Do you know if the one you tried had the gears modified?  It's quite possible that they've already sorted it, they do have form. 

 

[Cannonfodder]

I can't speak for anyone else, but if I'm dropping that much on an airsoft gun it had bloody well better work out of the box and not need anything doing to it