MCG Ultimate. Close up.
Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 8:56
No funny stuff like those alloys whose names we don't speak out. A decent aluminum blend whose composition we prefer to keep private. Durable yet lightweight.
The weight is highly important. Many think the heavier the better - and there can hardly be a mistake more ridiculous than this. (indeed, why don't they make airplane parts from crude cast iron?)
A heavy grip loads centering mechanism of the base, and in case it sits on an extension tube things get even worse. A good grip is lightweight (but sinewy), durable, and beautiful. Athletic, in a word. Anyone saw an athlete making bars and beams crack?
FYI:
• Plastic MCG (premium) - 330 g
• Warthog - 900 g
• Hornet - 840 g (plastic head on metal stem)
• MCG Ultimate - under 600 g
(MCG Ultimate is larger than the Hog... if it was made from silumin, it would weigh over 1.5 kg - no go).
Then, coating. Coatings, to be precise, as there are multiple.
The first coating is electroplated, same as you can see on Gunfighter bases and mechs. It covers the entire grip, in and out (as we know that a good grip must be beautiful not just on the outside)!
The second coating on the outer side is powder spray that is slightly rough to the touch. Just so to make it sit in your palm like it is part of it.
To make it feel even better, there are soft rubber pads on plastic bases: these two are cast together so there is no way rubber starts peeling off with some use. No way. Rubber caresses the hand while plastic base is what gets screwed to the metal. Result: in summer the hand doesn't sweat too heavily, in winter it prevents you from an unpleasant sensation of cold metal when you just start your engines.
Then, buttons.
All silent. All long travel, all with tactile click. Clicks optimized at 5N applied force. And if you prefer muted mil-style colors, black button caps (included) are user-replaceable without a need to open the casing.
Ring finger button had mixed feedback; some found it tricky to press. Others wanted the opposite: to make it stiffer. We re-designed it, extending the travel and making it concave to prevent accidental pressing. In case you need it, there are rubber caps (included) that can be glued to the top of the button increasing its height.
Then, controls load.
As a side effect of making a full metal hull came increased structural rigidity. Which made heavier load possible on the flap trigger and brake lever (the latter takes up to 1.4 kg to fully depress).
Then, double step trigger. Re-designed. Silent but tactile. With well sensible steps.
Now, hats and ministicks. Modular hats and ministicks.
Master mode and Gate cont controls became modular. You don't need to open the casing to replace the 5-button hat with a ministick, or vice versa, in any combination. The grip's main controller will automatically detect the change.
Besides, the hat module now becomes... modular. Every button is now sitting on its own board, and can be easily replaced: we know how in the heat of a dogfight you like hard pressing the controls.
DC and Manvr/PC hats grew in size and got more pronounced borders. Pressing them became easier and more natural.
Have we mentioned the hat and the ministick now have two user replaceable caps?
The eyes of the grip are two programmable LEDs shaped differently (for better identifying which one is lit, if only one is). You may use them for showing the ministick mode (ana/digi). Or, indicate shifts. Or just give you friendly winks.
The grip is supplied with or without twist mechanism. There is also a choice between Russian and English prints.
As the MCG is a copy control device its dimensions and controls' placement would not change. Hence, MCG and MCG Ultimate look nearly identical. However we worked a lot on the Ultimate's internals. Many know how much we dislike the cable jungle that grow inside some grips.
To counter this, and to make assembling as well as opening the grip easy, we only let 3 cables inside the metal hull. After all, a premium grade grip has no right to look worse on the inside than on the outside. True beauty is all over and everywhere.
Then what.... Oh price. 250 USD for no-twist grip, and 275 for a twisted beauty. All modules are included, you don't have to buy any extras.
Availability.
We produced a limited number of grips. Starting 24 Dec only Gunfighter owners will be able to purchase the Ultimates. To order, you will need to quote the number of your Gunfighter base in the NOTES field. One number - one grip. Both A and B revisions are supported.
After Chinese New Year the grip will be sold separately, as well as in a set with the base. Our production capacity can now top at about 1000 Ultimates a month, so shortages are very unlikely (but if the market demands more, we will be able to swiftly increase the output).
And finally, Why Buy if You Can Win? Leave a comment under the Youtube clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T023hS_gS5s), and on 4 Jan we will have a prize draw. The winner takes it all: a Gunfighter and a MCG Ultimate. Don't miss the chance!