Hello reader! We have something special for you today. Thanks to Action Sport Games, we have a sneak peek at the upcoming ICS MARS PDW9. This hot new SMG will be out in just a few months, but we got our hands on a pre-release sample of this bad boy, and we want to tell you all about it.
I think that thanks to the PCC craze in real firearms across the US (pistol caliber carbine), airsoft gun manufacturers are starting to follow the trend, and SMG-type guns are enjoying a resurgence as a result.
ICS has created their take on this with the PDW 9. The PDW 9 is a full metal AEG that is very compact and realistic. Most prominently, you will see a skinny, long stick magazine reminiscent of a PCC or submachinegun class weapon. The rail system is a unique and aggressive MLOK free-floating handguard. This handguard is very minimalist, so it is comfortable. The top only has a picatinny rail for mounting the included flip-up sights. The side and bottom are the portions that are MLOK. It hides a mock airsoft suppressor that sticks out from the handguard. The body features design queues from the MARS series rifles currently out from ICS. There are ambidextrous controls throughout, from the selector to the magazine release to the charging handle. All the controls are textured nicely for a tactile feel. The gun does feature electric blowback, as found on other proline ICS guns. The new feature is the bolt catch, which functions as a first for ICS. The fake bolt locks back when the charging handle is pulled and released when you hit the release near the trigger. Also unique to this model is the motor grip, which is angled for better ergonomics. The battery is stored in the buffer tube. There is just enough room for a Lipo battery, which comes fused. The stock comes off for you to access this. Once the stock is mounted, you have 3 positions you can set it for. A built-in sling loop will take a hook type of sling. The magazine is a polymer and comes with a high cap. It holds ~340 rounds. Also, you get a nice flat-faced trigger for that custom look.
Now, let’s talk about what’s inside the gun. ICS is giving us two options for the internal use of the gun. The standard PDW9 comes with airsoft mosfet or the S3 model. The S3 features a dual MOSFET system. One MOSFET is responsible for protecting your trigger contacts. The S3 MOSFET has programmable settings and a built-in self-diagnosing system that will help you locate problems if they arise. Kind of a neat system! The gearbox and internals are just like your other proline ICS rifles. You have a split gearbox, which will allow you to upgrade, repair, or maintain your gun in sections without having to disassemble the whole gun. The spring guide is a quick change type so swapping springs takes just a few seconds. Oh, and if you manipulate your selector and move it to safety, the gun is decocked, preserving the longevity of your spring. If you are all about the ICS life, you know what a game-changer this design is. On top of that, you already have a metal hopup unit.
Our test gun clocks in at almost 400fps. With the quick-change spring, you can easily get it down to 350 or under. The rate of fire is respectable at 15-17rps, but it could be better. That is because the 400fps spring it comes with slows things down by default. I would want to upgrade the motor or downgrade the spring. Since the buffer tube is where the battery is stored, compact Lipo batteries are a must. You don't have to worry about being able to run Lipos, though, thanks to the MOSFET that is there for both the standard and S3 models.
Since we got this demo gun, we decided to show it to our store customers early to gauge their reaction. Feedback was positive overall, especially from those looking at the G&G ARP9 and wanting something a little bit more stout.
So, what do we think about this gun? If you are looking for a different CQB gun that still has the speed you get from AR-style controls, this gun is for you. This has all the high-quality goodness of your traditional ICS and then some. This gun is slick, well-designed, and is a beast. It is not as light as you might think because the gun is stout. The gun is overbuilt for its role, and thanks to the split gearbox with a quick change spring guide, you can adapt it to whatever field you play.
