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Meatball's Featured Reviews |
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Airsoft Core |
By DumboRAT
Published: December 6, 2003
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KWC Colt Python .357 Magnum gas-operated revolver (six [6]-inch variant reviewed)
While the KWC Python revolvers may not be the most powerful, accurate, or best constructed/finished model currently on the retail airsoft replica market (Tanaka Works' revolvers have firm holds in most of these areas, with the newly revised Marushin's being the up-and-coming offerings), it does offer a high-quality blend of acceptable levels of each of the above with a definite bend towards affordability. Typically listing at between $110 to $120 at most US retailers (with bargain-pricing sometimes down to the $90 or even $80 level), before shipping, this is one of the most affordable, yet skirmish-capable gas-operated revolver replicas out there. However, for those seeking revolvers with removable "shells" which hold BB's in a magazine fashion, the KWC's present an even more appealing argument (with the ANGS retrofit kit for the TM's being a very hard to find as well as expensive proposition, and the new Marushin's, so far, being rather unproven in terms of long-term durability/reliability). With that said, let's examine some of the finer points of this piece.
Weighing in at factory-claimed 550 grams, the KWC 6" Colt Python .357 Magnum may seem, on paper, to be nothing but a lightweight wanna-be. However, this is far from the case.
First of all, this gigantic piece certainly doesn't heft like it's only half the weight of a Western Arms 6" Strayer Voigt Infinity Series GBB. Instead, the 6" Python seems to weigh-in just as densely as its stable-mate on the KWC GBB line, the much acclaimed the "High-Grade" Beretta M92FS "Super" heavyweight, which, of course, is about 200 grams heavier than the list weight of the revolver. This deception may be in part caused by the muzzle-heavy characteristic of the 6" Python.
Cosmetically, the same high-grade ABS polymer-plastic that is used on the other "High-Grade" GBB's by KWC. Overall, it's a pleasing, though not quite realistic, matte finish. Sporting three distinct barrel rib vents, the clean lines of the revolver is accentuated by genuine replica Colt trademarks both along the length of the barrel as well as directly below the chamber release (I was lucky enough to obtain a "domestic market" model - most replicas to be had here in the US will NOT, I repeat, not bear such trademarks). Additionally, the imitation Pachmayr finger-grooved combat grips bear that company's intricate trademark logo (again, reference above), and is deeply checkered to insure a secure grip. A deeply engraved serial number is present on the chamber block assembly. The only dead give-away that this is an airsoft replica is the KWC trademark logo on the lower portion of the right body frame.
While neither the front nor rear sights are painted with any kind of dots or outlines to aid target acquisition, the rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation. Lacking an adjustable HopUp (this model features a fixed Hop set for 0.20 gram BB's), I found that in order to compensate for BB drop, I've had to crank the elevation adjustment nearly all the way up. Furthermore, the windage adjustment is made with a rather flimsy looking and easily displaced spring-loaded "sliding" plate within the main rear sight aperture.
The external hammer is quite beefy, and it is deeply checkered to assist in positive traction when manually pulling back the hammer for single-action shots. Note that while this piece can be discharged both in single as well as double-action format, it automatically returns to the latter after completion of a single-action discharge. Manual lowering of the hammer (while NOT recommended for safety purposes, it still is hella cool to doâ?¦..) is also easily achieved, thanks again to the deeply checkered hammer.
Just below the hammer, visible only when the hammer is de-cocked, you can find a trigger-locking safety. Engagement is simple - just push the tab towards the front. Unfortunately, the lack of a visible warning "spot" or a proper detent - as well as the inability of the tab to travel fully forward in its slot, can easily cause you to mistake a safed gun for one that's ready to shoot. And while this does not necessarily pose any safety danger (it would have, had the other way been true) it does mean that if you're not careful, you're more likely to find yourself with the safety engaged and the trigger locked-out during a quick-draw skirmish situation.
Luckily, when set to double-action, the trigger pull of this piece is very heavy, and very deliberate. Furthermore a definite attempt must be made to depress the trigger through the first third of its travel, which allows for mechanical actuation of the revolving breech to chamber the next shot. Once this stopgap has been passed, the rest of the pull is much smoother, albeit still showing the same heaviness. Due to this heaviness, it is difficult to feel, exactly, the breaking point of the sear. Instead of trying to hold-off in this position, it is much more recommended should a more accurate shot be needed, that you manually cock the hammer and set the gun to single-action mode - which sets the trigger back so that only a 1/16 inch pull will be required (yet, the pull remains very heavy).
With such a heavy and deliberate pull weight, for skirmish use, I would recommend that you leave the safety OFF when you holster this piece. Instead, just holster the revolver in double-action mode - it will be very, very difficult for any kind of snag or bump to set off the pistol, especially with such a heavy and deliberate trigger pull.
The ergonomic triumph of the hammer assembly is carried over to the rest of the revolver as well. The imitation Pachmayr grips, while not of soft rubber, still provides a very comfortable fit, thanks to the deep and well defined finger grooves. My medium-sized paws fit with near perfect relation to other critical actuation parts - the large, wide trigger is easily within reach and fall naturally to the pad of my trigger finger. Meanwhile, my thumb can easily reach up to manually cock the hammer to effect single-action discharge. And with a bare minimum of shifting, that very same thumb can again easily and effectively slide forward to actuate the chamber release.
With the release depressed, all it takes is a simple flick of your fingers to push the cylinder out from the right of the frame. When new, it will swing somewhat reluctantly from the frame, but don't worry, after a small break-in period of regular use, and a healthy dose of silicone lubricant, the cylinder should swing free with ease approaching that of real-steel. Case-in-point: there's a really cool scene in a mid-late '90's John Woo hit "Hard Boiled," in which the hero, played by Chow Yun Fat, spins the cylinder on his revolver, and then hits the extraction rod, causing the spent shells to literally spiral out onto the ground. When I first got the KWC, this was among the first thing I tried, in addition to spinning the cylinder and swing it into place in the gun with a snap of the wrist. Well, this proved to be all but impossible...the KWC's parts here are a TIGHT fit, and with the high amount of plastics in the area, makes for an even tighter frictional contact. HOWEVER, upon repeated usage and a diligent attempt to practice this spin -- not to mention a generous amount of lubrication with silicone oil, after about a month or so of "break-in" time, I'm happy to report that I can now do both of the above-mentioned moves to my heart's content! =)
While the cylinder does come with an ejector rod, all you need to do to extract spent casings is to simply pull them out with your fingers (easily done, it's a relatively loose friction fit) or, alternatively, to just tip the pistol up, and the shells will easily fall free. While you don't have to hit the extraction rod as with the real-steel, you can still use it - it's just not mandatory.
Of course, one of the reasons why the KWC Pythons are such coveted pieces is that they are one of the few gas-operated replicas that use "shells." These shells function in much the same manner as magazines (or, for that matter, exactly like the shotshells of Maruzen gas-operated shotguns, and much in the same fashion as the shell-type magazines of the Tokyo Marui shotguns and M203), with each holding a total of four (4) 6 mm BB's in a single stacked row. Loading of the shells is simple - just press-feed BB's into its open end. Once the shells are loaded (6 come with the revolver itself, and more can be obtained on special-order from most retailers, such as AirsoftAtlanta), all you have to do is to drop them in the cylinder, snap shut the chamber, and you're ready to rock.
While some players have stated that they have experienced mis-feeds and jams after loading all four BB's into a shell, I have personally yet to experience this problem. However, I also must say that I usually do not load more than two BB's per shell - as I have 18 shells, I have the luxury of "reloading" in a realistic manner. =) As such, I cannot personally attest to such possible malfunctions one way or the other.
There have also been reports that the KWC .357 Magnum shells are of an odd size, and do not accurately represent the sizing of the true cartridge. As such, players have had a hard time finding ANY speedloaders to fit these shells. There have been various posts on the www.airsoftzone.com Fourms which have covered conversion/alteration of different real-steel speedloaders for use with the KWC shells. Again, unfortunately, I cannot confirm nor deny the validity of these writings, as I have yet to get off my lazy *** to search for properly fitting speedloaders for this piece. Besides, I kinda like the shells hanging on my tac-vest's shell pouchâ?¦..
In terms of performance, this large revolver, while not really leaving much too much to desire for, still for a piece its size, as well with its relatively long inner barrel, its performance does not hold out as well when compared against the high-end Western Arms GBB's that share its similar critical dimensions. Additionally the arguable likely increase in overall gas-routing efficiency of an NBB design, which should result in better overall performance on several fronts, does not seem to hold true with this piece either.
First and foremost, at temperatures below 50 or so deg. F., this gas-operated replica has a really hard time keeping its velocity (and thus, effective range) up high enough to be skirmish acceptable; even when using high-powered Taiwanese "Green Gas." After a few shots (3-5), the chill-down from the discharged gas further drops the internal temperature within its gas reservoir, and causes the gun to fail to function.
In this respect, using HFC134a is therefore NOT recommended even at normal room ambient of 65 deg. F. You'll get an all-too-rapid failure response in the same fashion as the above low-temp. example.
However, this is NOT to say that this gas-operated replica is "bad."
To wit, a player who had the foresight to keep his 4" model over a household HVAC vent (which was pumping out heated air of at least 75-80 deg. F.) during a cold-weather skirmish demonstrated that his KWC was capable of discharging all 24 rounds (4 rounds per shell x 6 shells) at an average velocity of about 265 fps. (with Taiwanese "Green Gas" and 0.20 gram BB's). Furthermore, that was done in "rapid fire" sequence, triggering off one shot after the next, much as with any semi-automatic pistol. With such quantitative observations to serve as a basis of interpolation, in conjunction with my own empirical testing using a soda can (subsequent comparisons with my other GBB's, for which I also have quantitative data regarding muzzle velocity), it's likely that the 6" produces an average of at least 280 fps. with 0.20 gram BB's and "Green Gas" at around 70 deg. F. It is therefore safe, I believe, to assume that even the "snub-nosed" models will give at least 230 fps. with 0.20 gram BB's, at normal room temperature.
With that in mind, I think that on a hot day, with ambient temperature above 80 deg. F., the use of higher-powered gasses and 0.20 gram BB's should indeed produce Jinxx's claimed max. velocity figure on www.westcoastarmory.com.
Effective range (this is how I "lump" both range and accuracy) trails a bit from the high-end Western Arms GBB's as well as that of its stable-mate, the KWC "High- Grade" Beretta M92FS heavyweight "Super" -- possibly due to the lack of an adjustable HopUp. Nevertheless, for CQB and backup use, the Pythons are more than sufficient. Empirically, I would estimate effective range to be somewhere between 60 to 70 ft. (center-mass hit on a moving, man-sized target) for the 4 and 6 inch models.
One item to be mentioned is that this gas-operated revolver is exceedingly "silent" in its operation. Even with use of the more powerful gasses, the muzzle report is no more than a dull "thud" - not typical of any GBB pistol that I've ever come across. And while in the real-world, putting a suppressor/silencer can on a revolver is self-defeating and only seen nowadays in B-grade films, the use of a muzzle can on this airsoft replica could actually lead to an effectively suppressed or even silenced skirmish piece (unlike semi-auto GBB's, whose gas-cyclic noise at the ejection-port chamber area is actually just as loud as the muzzle report - and cannot be effectively suppressed).
Yet another practical consideration for players would be barrel size. I purchased the 6" knowing that it would be a show-piece as well as a "dueling" pistol - something that's not likely to ever see any time in a holster (my later addition of a B-Square sight rail mount plus a BSA 1" red-dot sight has further made holstering impossible). For those of you who actually plan to carry this piece into skirmishes as your sidearm, you're going to have a tough time finding a holster that's long enough to accommodate this piece. Furthermore, drawing from such a holster, with the 6" barrel, is going to be a more time-consuming task than with a more combat-oriented pistol. Should you be one of those players, I would, instead, recommend that you give a hard look at the 4" or the snub-nosed models, as both offer much better physical proportions to ease holstering.
Should you decide to use this piece in skirmishes, I would also highly recommend that you use modeling enamel to apply some kind of high-contrast paint to the sights. This should help speed target acquisition.
And of course, be aware of the potential cool-down and cold-weather problems - being sure to take steps to avoid such problems in skirmish situations is an absolute MUST with this item's use in such an application.
Finally, assessment - would I recommend the KWC Python's?
This depends.
If you're looking for a skirmish sidearm, then NO. Because of the tremendous power of the Tanaka Works PEGASUS-based revolver replicas and the consistency of output that they can provide, there's just simply no-contest (note that the suspect problems with barrel/Hop-induced inconsistencies/inaccuracies of BB flight-path have been addressed in detail by 888, and have been re-posted to the www.HammerMods.com website). Just get the Tanaka's (the new Marushin's have yet to go through the "test of time," we simply do not know how durable nor reliable they are under skirmish-abuse situations). This is especially true for those replicas expecting to fill the role of a primary sidearm or expected to come under cold-weather conditions.
If you're looking for something with removable shells, then yes, the KWC's are definitely worth considering - especially if you are perhaps considering skirmishing with this piece; but if you want superior cosmetic finish, it's directly off to the new Marushin's you go.
If you're looking for a "collection" piece and is focused totally on such superficial finish/fit, then you'd be much better off with the ultra-finely detailed Tanaka's or, should removable shells be a concern for you, the new Marushin's.
IMHO, the KWC's aren't perfect for anything - howver, they're an excellent compromise bridging the aspects of utility/usability, durability/reliability, fit and finish, and, of course, price.
Keep what I said above in this review in-mind, and you should not have any "blind spots" as you make this purchase, you should know just what advantages and shortcomings to expect.
I hope this has helped you nail down your choices for an airsoft revolver. =) If you have any questions about this piece, please do not hesitate to contact me at:
CXL77@po.cwru.edu
Allen aka DumboRAT
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