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Meatball's Featured Reviews |
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Airsoft Core |
By Rick Phillips
Published: December 2, 2004
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I've had this gun for about a year now, and I think it's about time someone wrote a review for it...
Appearance: Being that this was a Christmas gift, I couldn't complain. Fortunately there isn't much to whine about: The Version I got has a Silver Slide, which (on mine at least) has no blemishes or thick areas. Unlike the Sig P226, and yes, there is a mold line... but, rest assured it isn't a prominent one. Otherwise, this gun is pretty spiffy.
Magazines: They hold 12 BBs, and they make up about 1/3 of the guns weight. There is a useless "loading" hole near the bottom on the left side of the clip, occasionally a BB will roll out while loading it. If you so wish, you can cover the hole with tape or something from the inside. The magazines are pretty fat and feel solid, but the weights inside may rattle, so you will probably want to coat the weights/inside the weight compartment with tape as well... They are very easy to load, and they will never spill out of the top (ala Tanfoglio Witness).
Power: This gun isn't the Most powerful, but it is the only HFC gun that I have USED to date that features a functional hop-up (HFC USP Match, Sig P226 and Glock 17) anyway, the Glock will put a good dent in the soda can test... (The test was done recently, and the gun is a year old) and it can pierce through the foam case it comes in... That isn’t a good gauge for power I guess, but it leaves pretty good sized welts though...
Range: The guns max range is about 100+ feet (my yard is 107 feet long) it will travel the whole distance, without me having to tilt it up- it used to anyway, it now goes 4/5 the distance.
Durability: The gun has been thrown 20 feet out of my thigh holster twice while trying to be cool... it has been dropped many times, and the only damage it has sustained from them is a lot of scratches, (BTW, do not get the silver and black version like i did), when the paint wears off, in some spots, it either reveals white plastic, or scratches to reveal black... the black version will not scratch to reveal white or anything that noticeable) However, the struts holding the spring piston, snapped 6 weeks ago, (when it turned about 11 months old) I got that taken care of though, If you don't want this to happen to you, try not to fire the gun when the slide is locked back.
Accuracy: this gun is surprisingly accurate with its short 1 1/2 inch barrel (estimate). I can easily hit a head sized target at ranges of around 40 feet (used to be 60ft) unless the BB decides to be evil and curve sharply in a random direction... If you don't care much for accuracy, you can cock it multiple times if you want a shotgun effect...
Overall: I feel that I have left something out... anyway
if you like the way it looks, then I would totally recommend this gun, I am thinking of buying another myself, now that I have learned how to cock a pistol with one hand; if you want to get it with a lot of stuff like ammo, clips, silencer etc, then I would recommend www.Airsoftshogun.com, their ammo/accessories are cheap, and they have good service...
If you think I missed something/this review was un-good etc. PM me. BTW, I had to use an alternate email because this thing doesn't like mine.
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By Zerenova
Published: February 24, 2004
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Well, I said I'd get a review of this sooner or later, and it's way later, so here goes.
Most every review starts wt the first day of recieiving the gun, being ecstatic ripping off the wrapping, and pulling out the fine craftmanship we know as an airsoft pistol. I had none of that. My dad picked me up from school, handed me a pistol, and said he opened it to check it. Kills the suspense, eh? Well, I did notice the weight when he handed it to me. Takingout the clip and slapping it back in, I was a bit ecstatic at that, considering it was my first Airsoft gun. I bought the Deluxe Edition from Airsoft Atlanta, but I'll talk about the extras later.
So, let's get down and dirty on this little piece of Walther replication. So, as I stated above, it's weighted. The magazine has about 1/3 of the overall weight, and there is a secondary weight stored in the back of the grip (one the oval looking bulge). Other than that, it's pretty light (if you takethe weight and mag out, it weighs under half a pound). But, the plastic used is ABS, very durable, and very appealing looking. It is a nice flat black that isn't reflective, but doesn't look quite metal. Much better than the infamous UHC gloss (despite this is an HFC, it's the only corollary I could make). The magazine is all metal, and the barrel is as well. The spring guide and mechanism is as well, and the weight (duh). Other than that, it is all plastic.
Upon inspecting the inside of the gun, I noticed it is rather simplistic, as all HFC pistols are. So, if ever you needed to clean it or fix it, it would be a breeze, but I'll get to that later. Most of the works of the gun are stored in the slide, and are securely held there. Popping the slide off of the rail it sits in is how you take it apart after popping out the rods, and it is relatively simple. It has slide lock, which locks when there is one BB left and when there is none (so you don't dry fire). The cocking is smooth and quick, with a nice jolt when you actually release the slide and fire it. Definitely an aesthetic gun. The safety is a bit odd. It's a small circle knoc you turn on the right side of the gun, and in my experiences, it's too small to be efffective, and hard as hell to turn into the sfaety position. The small rectangle above the trigger pulls down like the real P99, but I've yet to find a use for it, besides authenticity. A nice touch is the drilled hole in the back of the slide on the smal metal plate, and although it's nice to see, it's more of a nuisance because it keeps falling out.
Also, I must have dropped my gun over 10 times, and from considerable distances, and it still looks and shoots just as good as the day I got it (shooting below). Very sturdy build, and strong. Also, it has a small rail under the barrel, but it fits hardly any accessories.
So, enough of how it looks, let's get to how it shoots. I have no chronograph, but I've shot (and been shot) by it many times, and wasted some pop cans, so I'll give my honest opinion. With .12s, it has one hell of a bite (most likely 205 fps), but with .20s, it has a harder hit, but moves slower (kinda obvious, but has a major ouch factor). When firing at an empty can, the .12s actually threw the can farther than the .20s did, but they dented it less. The .20s did more damage, but didn't move it as much. Pictures below. In the actual sense of using the gun, it stacks up to about the power of a UHC M9 with far less range. As for the range, with .12s, it's about 50-70 feet. With .20s, it's about 30-50. This gun is not accurate. It has a lob with .20s that make it arc slightly, and some upward aiming is required. .12s will fly all over the place when shot (I couldn't hit a 11x8.5 inch paper from 15 feet away), and should only be used in the situation you runout of .20s. If you do manage to shoot your target with a .12, they'll feel it hard. In reality, you'll probably shoot everything around them and not them at all. With .20s, I can hit a an about 50 feet out if I lob it. Also, the .12s are severely effected by wind. Even a slight breeze, and it'll go 6 feet either way. Below I have target shoots with .12s and .20s.
The maagzine holds about 16 rounds and is speed load, so that's a plus. It's also very sturdy, and one of the best maagzines I've ever used. Great design, feel, and durability. Maybe this is a stupid section to add, but I think the magazine is a big part of the gun (the magazines are terrible on my DD .44 and KTC MP5A6, which is why I love using my HFC P99 because it is so easy to use). But, there is one problem with the magazine. Well, it's not so much the maagzine as how it is the gun accesses it. When you pull down the slide (which is open ejection port), you can see a small piece slide back into the top of the magazine. As you let the magazine fly up, the BB is pulled up a small tube into the barrel. If you have the gun aimed down or slowly raise the slide back up, the BB will fall out of the chamber and lay in the spaces of the gun, dry firing. Once on BB is out of sync, the next one will follow, until you take out the mag, dry fire it once or twice, and re-insert it. But, after about a weeks use, I never had this problem again. I just had to get used to it. Once I would hold it towards the sky, cock the lisde back, then let go and let it lock up by itself, it worked like a charm. But, if you try and guide it up slowly with your hand for a stealth cock, good luck, you'll have a dry fire.
So, I think I've wrapped everything up nice and dandy with the gun, so let's get to the extras in this Deluxe Package. It came with a plastic carrying case which had a foam interior. Not the best, but servies it's purpose quite well. It also came with a Jieke rail system, HFC mock suppressor (not the HFC Accurate Silencer Set, but a really shitty add-on). The suppressors is worthless. It's made of plastics which are lower quality than that of a Barbie doll, and it screws onto an orange tip that slides into the plastic barrel outer covering. The silencer is never straight on the screwing, and throws off the shot more than it does help. It also makes the shot sound hollow. Never ever use it. For a photo shot to make it look good, sure, in battle, never. The rail system is a bitch to screw together when you get it, but it slides on and off once assembled. It's a cheap plastic, and can't be used while you have a front sight on (which reminds me, it comes with two different interchangeable front front sights. A black one with a white dot and a neon). On the top goes the mock-red dot sight, and the bottom goes the laser. The mock red-dot scope (Like a Daisy Red-Dot Sight that you find at Wal-Mart) is just a piece of plastic with a highly reflective plastic crosshair put in the clear plastic. No adjustment, no use, and it is just a crappy piece of plastic. The laser is a laser pointer that is put on by one fo two different clamps that hook on the bottom of the Jieke rail system. Use the smaller set of clamps, as the bigger ones conflict with the trigger guard. But, it uses a small pad that you tuck under a nylon strap that you put on the grip. This nylon strap unraveled and was worthless to me in the first day. The pad hardly ever turns on the laser, and has faulty wiring. Also, you cannot adjust it, so it's off in every direction. You can never aim with it. And, the entire deluxe setup is too bulky to aim with all the faulty equipment on it. All in all, the deluxe package is worthless.
To conclude this little review, I'll go over the ups and downs. Great design, great looks, good weight, great magazine and is sturdily built. Not the best shooter, clunky slide/BB loading utility, worthless "deluxe" set. Best for CQB, and not the longer ranges. If you run out of ammo on a primary, and need a gun to get through util you can clip in that extra mag or reload it, this gun will work, but from far distances (45+ feet), don't expect anything outta this gun. Around corners, indoors, and backyard wars are great for this gun, but not much else. Great wall-hangar, and very slick design.
(I'm writing this at night, and I'll get photos of the shot groupings, gun, and everything else soon. Don't worry, I'll get them).
Zeronova
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By Militaryadvisor
Published: December 25, 2003
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HFC MP5210 Pump Action
Introduction
If you are looking for a balance between performance and looks then the MP5210 is what you want. It's pump action which means if fired correctly you can continuely spray an area full of bbs. Its capacity is 42 bbs and the accuracy is amazing for a spring gun.
Range/Accuracy
With all airsoft guns you have to understand where your rounds tend to fall, and then adjust for that, with the HFC version of the MP5 I was amazed that I didn't have to zero in at all indoors. The groupings when fired at 10-25 yards are astonishing. When outdoors reminder is to always take windage and elevation as a factor but majority of the time the engagements you are in are CQB but the submachine gun performs fine outdoors.
Rounds/Capacity
The interesting thing about this airsoft gun is the acutal magazine. It holds 42, there are two comparments each holding 21, when the first set of rounds have been fired there is a little pin that is touched to ram up the other 21 bbs and from there you can begin to fire.
Comfort/Mobility
It is lightweight, and compact as all MP5 Series are designed to be. With the A5 collaspable stock it makes it easy to conceal and also viable for long-medium range engagements. Along with the pumpaction capability and compactness it is the leading airsoft spring gun used in competitions.
Realism
This airsoft gun is modeled after the older version of the MP5AS, it is not the navy fire selecting system, it utlitizes HK's earlier verison of selective fire. Nonetheless there is great detail that has been taken into the design and development of this airsoft gun. Aside from pump action that sways from realism it still maintains the same design/feel of the real thing. I've only seen a MP5 once in my lifetime because its one expensive firearm, costing above 5,000 USD. But the weapon is damn close, I dont recommend walking around in the neigboorhood with this because the police will shot first and ask questions later. SO PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR AIRSOFT RULES/LAWS/REGULATIONS!
Upgrades/Accessories
To find accessories for your spring guns are hard, majority of them come for AEGs, but the HFC model I was able to fit a Aimpoint Red Dot Scope C version and a laser adapter which you can find at walmart. Other than that its pretty much a waste of money to upgrade a spring gun.
Performance in Engagements
I have not used the HFC in long-range woodland environments but I have indoors in CQB environments. I have to say that above everything else its the pump action that stands out. With the 42 round capacity and pump action dont be surprised if everyone in the airsoft spring gun compeition section sends you first through the door. Because the weapon you have is and should be used close range and when a breach is necessary.
Downsides
The only downside I find in the HFC after prolong use, is that as it is pump action the plastic will begin to wear and tear, and so eventually your going to have to cock the gun back each time manually once the pumpaction fails.
Upside
This is a spring gun, worth around 50 USD you cant have a better balance between performance and realism.
Comparision to other spring guns
The brother to the HFC is the silenced version of the MP5, the performance is similiar, and I would choose the pump action because it performs better. The XM (Earlier Version of the M4 or M16 with an adjustable stock) is about double the price, and the only reason is due to more metal and realism. I also own the XM, it is a beautiful gun, but when in competition my primary weapon is the HFC MP5210 because it has more capacity that most spring guns, it has more range, and it is compact.
Conclusion
HFC MP5210 provides the best balance between cost and effectiveness. It is a worthy airsoft gun being that it is spring. If you are a collector of airsoft buy spring, if you are a competitor buy and save up your money for AEGs.
Author Notes:
Make sure before you begin your hobby in airsoft to determine if you are a collector or competitor of airsoft. There is a major difference, I made a mistake by purchasing many airsoft spring guns, that total up to equal a worth AEG. Soon I will acquire the TM MP5 RAS, or TM M4 RIS. But there are more cost with all the tatical gear and equipment it will come to about 1,000 USD, but hey, its better than paintballing and once your in the competition theres no other cost then just the 5 USD bbs.
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By Dridan
Published: December 7, 2003
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This was my first airsoft gun so I decided to stick with a cheap spring pistol. I am kind of partial to Heckler and Koch so this was the best pistol to start out with. I read that Tokyo Marui was supposed to be the best brand around, but I tried out UHC’s model since I could get it for about half of the price. Check out INFRARED’s review of Tokyo Marui’s USP for a history of the real USP.
Appearance
Having never seen an airsoft in person before, I was amazed when I opened up the box. The gun is very detailed. The texture on the grip is very straight and clean. There are simulated manufacturing marks on the barrel, slide, and magazine. UHC did not mold the "Hk" insignia onto the slide or handle though. I thought that it might have been removed by the retailer but the box cover does not show the insignia on the gun either. On the right side of the frame "UHC" and "Made in Taiwan" are inscribed, but they are not that evident. Like the Tokyo Marui version, the frame is black plastic while the slide is a grey plastic that has a little bit different finish. Personally I don’t mind the difference in color because it is hard to notice unless the gun is held in the right lighting. Again like TM’s version, there is a metal strip in front of the trigger guard for a serial number. I find that it is also easier to tell if the safety is on now. Like other spring guns, most of the weight is in the magazines.
Function
The USP is a good size for my hand. It is on the verge on being to large of a frame. The ambidextrous safety comes in handy. My thumb is not long enough to eject the magazine in the conventional manner so I can hit the other side of the lever with my index finger. The magazine is a little loose in the magazine well but it does not make a whole lot of noise. The only other noise that the gun can make is the barrel. Before the slide is cocked the barrel is locked tightly in place. After the gun is cocked the barrel is disengaged and it can wiggle a little. I imagine that this affects the accuracy a little bit. The safety functions just the same as on a real USP except H&K’s characteristic red and white safety lettering are inscribed into the frame. I used a little red and white paint to make mine look more realistic. I do not have a TM USP to compare to, but I have no problem cocking the slide. It does have a long travel but it is not to hard. This USP is also double or single action, but only single will fire the gun. The other interesting thing about the USP is that it will field strip very easily. I really like this fact. All you have to do is spin and pull out the lever above the trigger. Then pull of the slide assembly. Pull off the retaining spring then the spring shooting mechanism pulls out leaving only the barrel to pull out. Once you have cocked the gun you cannot pull out a full magazine without a few BBs falling out. This just has to do with how the magazine feeds into the barrel. Besides you probably will not be taking out a full magazine.
Accuracy
Unfortunately, I do not have anything else to compare this to so I will just have make guess at how this compares to other guns. Overall I am pleased with the accuracy of this gun. The sights are up and to the left about two inches. It grouped fairly well in this test. Towards the end my arm got tired and there were a few straggles. The accuracy is good for relatively close range, but I would not try very long shots. I have read that the accuracy can be increased very much by making the barrel fit very close to the slide. I have not been able to try any other ammunition except for the .12g that it came with. I do not know if others would work since the Hop-up is set for this type of ammo. I cannot compare it to anything, but it does not seem to be all that powerful.
Overall Impressions
In all, I like this gun. I would very much like to compare it in person to a Tokyo Marui to compare quality and power. I would recommend this pistol. It is half the price of a Tokyo Marui USP and the only possible difference is power. This gun would be very well suited for a back up or close range shooting. Due to the accuracy constraints, I would not recommend any shots over twenty yards. I imagine that if you practice enough at longer ranges, you could compensate for the accuracy.
- Dridan
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By KOFT
Published: December 7, 2003
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Looks and feel
This deagle looks the part. Well at least from far away. Upon close inspection you'll find that it is 99% plastic (save some screws) on the outside. The barrel of the gun also protrudes about a centimeter and this is orange plastic. This is a good thing, on KWCs GBB Desert Eagle's the whole front of the gun was painted. The Desert Eagle also has fully licensed trademarks, "DESERT EAGLE -.44 MAGNUM PISTOL. ISRAEL MILITARY INDUSTRIES" it says on the left slide. "MAGNUM RESEARCH INC. MINNEAPOLIS MINN" it says on the right. Unfortunately it also has "spring operated Softair gun..." and several warning labels stamped into the gun, much like the Daisy Airstrike. There are also no IMI logos on it. The whole gun is made of typical UHC plastics, fairly durable but shiny. There is a visible seam line running through the whole gun, the gun is obviously made in "halves"; these halves are then screwed together. There is no take down feature.
The gun weighs just a touch under a pound, "15,34" ounces according to the box. However the gun feels very solid. Holding the gun lets off a very badass vibe.
The ejection port is closed off, however, if you took apart the gun you could probably saw off the extra plastic and transform it to an open port easily.
With the magazine in the gun is slightly back heavy, although this is typical of many springers.
Performance and other fiddly things.
Ahh, this is where this 15$ pistol shines. The hop up is nonadjustable and set for .12 although .2 work fairly well in it as well. Shooting parallel to the ground, .12 bbs travel about 50 feet straight with a max range of around 80 feet- this is extremely nice considering the slide pull is exactly one and a quarter inches! A 6-inch grouping was obtained from about 40 feet with .12s and virtually no wind.
The sights are non-adjustable but are very easy to use. The 'real' safety is molded plastic and non-functioning. The 'safety' instead is what would normally be the slide release. The hammer however is not molded and pulls back and releases when you press the trigger- cool!
The magazine is full-size unlike the HFC Deagles and contains a weight in it. You can hear the weigh rattle around if you shake it. It holds full 25 rounds! In my opinion this is the best desert eagle springer under thirty dollars. It looks and feels nice and performs well. It is definitely a field gun, not a showpiece.
- KingofFoolsTony |
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By R6Elite
Published: December 7, 2003
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I've finally managed to sit down and write a review of my Tokyo Marui XM177E2 Spring Rifle. I special ordered it through Airsoft Toys (who are a great bunch of guys BTW) on December 3, and it came here on January 3. They told me it would take about 4 weeks, so they were just about right. Having two holidays interrupt the shipping process didn't help but oh well. Let me say up front that the TM XM177E2 is an amazing top notch gun with some serious range, accuracy, and power.
Looks
The TM XM has some serious style going for it. It comes in a matte black for every part of the gun except for the receiver, which is a VERY dark gray. I had seen the receiver colored light gray in some pictures, so having it dark was a very pleasant surprise. The gun is very mean to look at. The bolt cover opens, but serves no other purpose except to look cool. The front and rear sights are fully adjustable for elevation and windage using the included sight tool. The front sight is a Colt M16A1-style five prong based post. The rear sight is a Colt flip style with two same sized apertures. On the real steel gun, one is meant for closer range and one is meant for longer, but I am not sure if it makes too much difference on the airsoft version. The gun has full trades, and the only one that was covered on mine was the part saying "Colt AR-15". The rest of the trades are there which is cool. There is a little less than 1 cm of orange paint on the tip as well. The gun is made entirely of sturdy plastic, and the screws, front sight post, and internal springs are the only metal parts. The stock goes all the way in or all the way out, there is unfortunately no mid stage(one of my only gripes about this gun). There is also a flip down handle in the foregrip that is somewhat similar to a RIS handgrip. It serves as a second cocking handle (when you pull it back it pushes back the charging handle). The hand grips in front come off to be able to clean the mechanism. The normal charging handle is the normal M16 T-handle type, and is very easy to pull back. There are sling mounts made of plastic (might be a problem eventually) in the front and back.
Magazine:
The magazine function is a little weird at first, but eventually you see how great it is. The mags hold 31-33 bb's in two chambers. To load it, you pull a plunger on the bottom of the mag down until the two springs click into place. It looks like you are pulling a stick out of the magazine to be honest, kind of weird, but I like it. You then take a little feeder out of the top of the mag and place it on the nozzle. This pushes back the bb stopper that prevents bb's from falling out of the magazine (yes, you can hold it upside-down). After placing the feeder on, you load the bb's, take off the feeder and click it back into its spot, and then put the mag into the gun. The first spring automatically decompresses and you can shoot the first half of the magazine. When the first chamber runs dry, you push a button on the bottom of the mag(similar to the one on the UHC MP5) to decompress the second spring. This gives you another 15 or so bb's before you run out. Unfortunately the only place that sells spare clips is MFI ($22). The magazine is also made of black plastic. The magazine release button is on the right side of the gun above the trigger.
Function
The TM XM177E2 performs like a dream. This gun can easily put .25 gram bb's (that’s right point-twenty-five) out to well over a hundred feet accurately. The largest distance my backyard would facilitate was about 95 feet. The XM could hit a 3' by 1' target at this distance every time with a lot of room to spare. I haven't been able to test its full distance yet by I am estimating at least 120 feet. One other thing to note is that this gun is so powerful that the .25's raise about a foot from where you aim, so just adjust the site to compensate if that really bugs you. The XM's accuracy is absolutely amazing. I can hit a 7" by 14" target most of the time from about 90 feet out standing up. Prone you can hit just about anything you aim at. And talk about consistency, each bb goes on the same flight pattern 99% of the time. With the regular cocking handle you can get a decent rate of fire out of the gun, and with the flip down pump handle, you can get off 2 or 3 shots per second accurately if you have steady hands. One other thing is that although it sounds kind of loud when you shoot it, my friends that I airsoft with said it was very quiet. I fired at someone from about 15 feet away from a concealed position and he said he thought the shot was fired from about 70 feet away.
I think that is everything. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.
-R6Elite (on the Airsoft Zone/Airsoft Retreat/Airsoft Players Forums) |
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By koolbud626
Published: December 7, 2003
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Although the Tokyo Marui Mk. 23 is known as the springer of the springers, it's bulky size does not attract people like me who don't want to look forever to find a holster to fit, let alone having a hand that is big enough for it. That led me to the fairly new PC356 HGHU. I was looking at other possibilities: Glock 17, M8000 Cougar, and Ruger KP85. I finally decided on a PC356.
Appearance
TM has done another great job with the realism of this gun. The silver finish on the parts of the frame is very realistic and makes the gun look nice. Though there aren't too many metal parts, the metal spring guide rod is nice. There are nice trademarks on the slide, frame, grips, and the ejection port cover. Sights are quite nice but I wish they had some white
markings on them like my KSC Glock 19. Magazine looks very realistic and holds 30 rounds. One thing I'm not too impressed about- the grip. I know that this is the exact replica of the real steel gun but compared to the grip of a Glock 19, this definitely is not a La-Z-Boy for my hand.
Function
The PC356 is a great gun, on par with the Mk. 23 but beats it in magazine capacity. Although loading 30 rounds in the mag takes a while, I found it easier than trying to load 22 rounds into a UHC M9. Slide pull is somewhat short but it isn't smooth. Being a double-action pistol, after you cock the slide, the trigger pull is short and precise, great for accuracy. The real safety is not functional but after the slide is cocked, the real slide lock acts as a safety when you push it up.
Performance
Basic performance is almost as same as a Mk. 23, being a 3rd generation and all, except without the bulky size. This gun seems to amaze me more and more. I've just had a spring skirmish with some of my friends and this gun
really shines. Great accuracy even at 40'+ and amazing capability of hitting moving targets at 25' seems to amaze me. Playing against some well known and well performing springers, (UHC M9, KWC 1911-A1 Ultra Grade, KWC Glock 17, etc.) it's where this gun really shines. The accuracy, power, and the 30 round mag all adds to total domination. Having to load almost 1.5 times less than the UHC M9 and 2.5 times less than the KWC's, the skirmish was won before it even started. This gun really has potential to go against the Mk. 23 but I have yet to see. It definitely won't be effective against GBB's and AEG's though.
Overall
Great accuracy and power off of a gun smaller than a Mk. 23 is nice. I have yet to get the 1911 Government though. It's great for springer only skirmishes and would definitely be first choice over the Mk. 23 anyday. This gun deserves a 4.5/5, with .5 points taken off because of it's frame design (not TM's fault though) and the not-so-smooth slide (which I will definitely fix it with some silicone oil).
- koolbud626 |
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By Lemmypoo
Published: December 7, 2003
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There are quite a few reviews out there for this gun. It has become THE springer for springer skirmishers. Outside of TM rifles and my new best-friend/wife the CA 870 TM spring handguns reign supreme.
The socom happens to be particularly good, cranking out a fairly high FPS. Though it cannot penetrate a coke can it leaves a healthy dent. I estimate it cranks out maybe 200-220 FPS. It also has hop-up giving it a significant edge in the range department. Its longer barrel also adds to the range and gives it great accuracy for a springer. At 20' away you can easily hit a moving target, at 50' away you can use it as a target shooter/plinker.
This gun also sports a few features that few others do. It can take all the accessories the GBB socom's can take. It will accept TM's LAM. But TM's socom silencer is somewhat of a concern. Using the silencer causes jams, mis-feeds, and about every other evil thing a gun can do to you in combat. It can be fixed with some lubrication in the internals, but I still suggest saving the silencer until you really need stealth on your side. The added weight of a silencer must cause the barrel to flex a little inside the gun. The barrel is plastic after-all. Very strong ABS, but plastic none-the-less.
Very solid for a springer. It is made out of plasticy ABS but it has and will continue to hold up. Its performance is also holding up quite well, I have had it since about August of 2002 and it still fires fine. There has been a decrease in range and reliability. But a good cleaning and lubing helps. A spring stretch wouldn't hurt now either. The internals are also entirely plastic so don't be TOO hard on it.
The magazine is also quite spiffy. It holds 25 rounds giving it an edge over a LOT of springers out there. It may be a pain-in-the-ass Marui Magazine that requires you to load each round individually. 25 rounds is worth it though. And of course, the mag is made entirely out of ABS.
The gun is also very nice to look at. Essentially a massive USP with a threaded barrel. The gun has full-trademarks too, and unless they are covered, it will appear to be an exact replica. The realistic grip is also very comfortable and non-slip, which can be handy considering some of the dirty work a springer, is sometimes forced to do. Crawling through the mud is something this gun could handle though. Even with it's moving parts like the ejection port and moving hammer (which makes a pleasant little click).
But all good things must come to an end, this gun has some problems. First off it is HUGE! You will not find a holster for it, instead try to find a vest or pair of BDUs that has an equally huge pocket. The only actually socom holsters are around 60 bucks, not a very good route for a gun that costs the same. The gun also has a very long slide-pull. CQB is not it's thing, but as a primary in springer combat it can be quite handy if you have some cover. I suggest buying a rapid-fire sidearm like a TM EBB or a UHC mini. There is also a long but smooth trigger pull. The trigger is also all plastic but feels solid to me. I haven't had any problems with it yet, but I am still wary of it.
Really a great springer. It could even be used as a sidearm if you are the type that does not like to maintain a complicated gas gun or such. And at such a low price (40 or so in HK, order it with an AEG and shipping shouldn't be too bad).
I give it a 3.5/5. It is not the best choice for daily use against AEGs due to its slow ROF. But it is a great choice for springer games. And with the proper accessories it could be a tactically useful secondary for stealthy games or for conditions that would muddy up your gas gun.
- Lemmypoo |
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By Infrared
Published: December 6, 2003
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The Automag III is a large pistol chambered for the .30 carbine round - a small rifle round becomes a big handgun round. The pistol operates much like a 1911 style pistol, but there are a few differences. AMT (Arcadia Machine and Tool), the original maker of the Automag series, sold the Automag production rights to IAI (Irwindale Arms Inc.) a while ago. This Airsoft by Tokyo Marui is an excellent rendition of an IAI Automag.
Appearance
As usual, Marui has done an excellent job on the external appearance of this handgun. All the markings are good, the controls are laid out exactly as they are on the real thing, the silver finish is nice and subdued, and the grips could probably replace those on a real Automag III without anybody noticing. The sights in particular are nice - they're the heavy duty target style sights, and they're black just like on a real Automag. The magazine is well done, looking like an exact plastic mold of an Automag magazine. This is a BIG handgun - longer than a Mk23 SOCOM, but slimmer.
Function
The Automag III is a nice handgun, though it's probably too big for standard combat use. It works much like any other Marui Airsoft - you load BBs at the top of the magazine, insert the magazine, and rack the slide every time you want to fire. The trigger pull is short and crisp, lending itself to good accuracy. Add that to the long barrel, and you have a lot of potential here. If this was a hop-up version, I imagine it would be superbly accurate. The safety is located on the frame inside the trigger guard just in front of the trigger, which is not a very convenient location. It's difficult to operate, which is good in the sense that you won't accidentally put the gun on safe without realizing it. The safety on the slide (designed after the real one) is for looks only and does not move. Marui's Automag is a nice powerful spring gun - perhaps even more powerful than the Glock 17 and H&K USP. It easily punches through cereal box cardboard at seven yards, and after test firing around 30 rounds it had chewed through the back of my reinforced corrugated cardboard pellet trap. The action is stiff but smooth. If you were going to be using the handgun a lot, the safety lever on the slide might get annoying and you might want to file it down a little. This handgun would be decent outdoors, and if one could get a real Automag III scope mount to fit it, you would have one compact sniper pistol.
Accuracy
The Automag III doesn't disappoint. The long barrel, good sights, and great trigger pull all combine to make this just as accurate as a Marui Glock 17 or H&K USP. The point of aim is off - it shoots about two inches high and an inch to the left with .2g pellets. As noted above, if you could mount a scope on it, you could adjust it so the point of aim is dead on.
8.5x11" target fired at seven yards, approximately 30 rounds .2g
Overall Impressions
This is a nice airsoft handgun with plenty of accuracy and power, so it's got a lot of potential for outdoor use. It's a little large for my tastes, but if I was participating in an outdoor spring-pistols-only tournament, this would be my first choice. Especially if a real scope mount would fit it.
- Infrared
Team SASOT
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By Meatball
Published: December 6, 2003
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STTI (Viper USA) G3a3
By Meatball
First Impressions
What can I say, I'm somewhat attached to this gun, it brought me into the airsoft world, being my first gun. Even though I regretted the purchase in some ways, I went through a lot with that gun. The picture may reveal to you the fact that its ALL plastic on the outside. I believe the only metal is maybe some springs, and the inner barrel. I really liked it at first, for one thing, it was one of my first bb guns (which I was into at the time) and it was my first airsoft or paintball gun.
I really loved the idea of having a clip. That just made my day. It was something I wasn't used to since I had never seen anything like airsoft up until the point. The all plastic factor didn't bother me all that much. With the free bayonet, 500rd clip, removeable stock, and (at the time) realistic looks, I felt I made a great $40 investment.
Looks
Well, keep in mind this is practically the cheapest spring gun out there, and it is made like it. Like I said it's complete plastic, not the REALLY cheap plastic, but it isn't the plastic you'll find in an AEG or good GBB. The looks were decent. Never owning a realistic looking gun up until then, it seemed pretty real. Enough for someone to call the cops on you. One thing which I expected was the olive drab handguards, and stock. As seen in the picture above, it is all black. This didn't bother me.
Performance
Over the 7 months I had this gun operational, the performance changed. It was never really accurate, and it never really had great range. But when I first got it, I was able to hit easy targets, with in a couple of shots. This actually added on to the fun, especially at night, because the battles lasted forever. As the gun aged, and more importantly the spring, it's range and accuracy decreased.
I would say it had a range of 60 ft, which was about 30 ft at the end of 7 months. I used only .12g bb's because .2 was just too heavy for this gun. You mind as well throw bb's. In the battles in the most part I wasn't impressed. I couldn't stand people standing right in front of me, and me not being able to shoot them. The gun had some nasty curvage.
I fell in love with the no stock option. It was much easier to move around, and aim with a paintball mask. I got to love it when my stock broke off  Same happened with my cousins gun. The back stock is really fragile. One thing I disliked was that in a lot of cases, the gun's velocity was just too weak to even be felt by the opponent. Especially in the winter.
Function
Let's start off with the 500 round clip. You pour 500 bb's into the top of the clip. You then take the spring, put it in the slit at the bottom of the magazine, and shake in about 20 bb's. When those 20 rounds are shot, you take out the magazine, lock the spring back into the slit, and load 20 more bb's in until the 500 rounds are out. Now this may get confusing. I taped two G3 magazines together, one upside down. The one upside down had the spring cocked back, so it was loading as the top one was shooting. When I ran out, I flipped the clips, and put the new bottom clips, spring up. So that too would load as I fought. So I never had to reload again.
Now to the gun. There is a lever on the right side of the gun, which is very easy to pull back. You pull it back, and either guide it forward, or let it slam itself forward, and then you fire. Any questions?
Conclusion
Well I reccomend this gun, only for a complete newbie, trying to get into the sport, or trying to experiment, and see if they would like the sport. If you know you would like it, and would like a gun that shoots accurately, with more range, and a lot more durability, get a M16, or XM. They are the two best springers out there so far. (that I know of excluding the rare Marui's) Or if you have the money, AEG's are awesome, and worth the money, as well as the Tokyo Marui springers. Good luck with your purchasing.
- Meatball
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