G&G L85 reveiw

[Tank]

I received a sample of the new G&G L85A1 & decided to write a review, so here it goes. (Please wait for me to get the entire thing posted before commenting.)

 

As you can see from this photo, the gun comes with the sights not attached.

 

However attaching them is quite easy.

 

The first thing I noticed after removing the gun from the box was the weight.

It weighs in at a hefty 8.3 pounds empty, but is well balanced and quite comfortable to hold in any number of firing positions.

 

The entire gun (less the furniture) is metal with the upper & lower receiver being stamped steel. The furniture, and dust cover, are very solid, tough plastic. The butt plate is rubber.

 

Here are some photos of the trades, etc.

 

There is a storage compartment in the bottom of the pistol grip. Although I’m not entirely sure what one would store inside as it is a rather small compartment.

 

The hop-up is located inside the bolt, and is a once piece M16 type.

 

Field stripping is VERY easy.

Just remove the upper receiver pin.

Slide the upper forward, and lift it off.

 

Then you can remove the hop-up & inner barrel from the upper.

 

Here you see the gun field stripped.

 

Re-assembly is nearly as easy, you just have to make sure the wires are in the correct place.

 

The rail the carry handle attaches to is not a standard Picatinny rail, but something else.

I’m not sure what the official name for it is but here it is.

[Tank]

The battery (not included) is stored in the handguard, and is a large 8.4 of a slightly different configuration. Here is a picture of the recommended battery from the owner’s manual. (I used a nun-chuck type battery with a large plug for testing)

 

 

Installation of the battery requires the removal of the handguard, so make sure you get a good battery as changing it in the field could be rather time consuming.

1st you open the upper handguard cover.

 

Then remove the front sling mount.

Last, remove the left side of the handguard, install the battery, & reassemble.

 

 

Now on to shooting.

 

The gun comes with a 450 round hi-cap (M16) magazine.

After a few short burst on full auto it was time to chrono, the results…385fps w/.20 BBs.

The gearbox itself is very quiet but the bolt blowback feature is rather loud.

The bolt can be locked open for hop-up adjustment

 

I was impressed by the ROF as well as the accuracy & velocity of this gun.

 

Inside the magazine well is a lever for de-compression of the spring. You can see it in this photo; it is the straight piece with grooves on the upper right side.

 

 

I know some people have expressed some concern about the magazine release, but the spring is quite sturdy. I doubt accidentally releasing the magazine will be much of a problem for most people.

 

Now the problem…

After approximately 1000-1200 the bolt blowback function stopped working. The reason…A small steel hook that grabs another hook on the bolt & pulls it back.

 

When the hook broke, the head fell into the gearbox & damaged the gear set.

Here you can see the broken hook & where it normally lives.

 

While this obviously is not good, it provided me with the perfect excuse to open up the gearbox. I also emailed G&G to tell them of this unfortunate development. They have shipped me the replacement parts F.O.C. I should receive them in a few days. G&G also told me that they are reinforcing the hook & will likely be including an extra one with each gun as they consider that part “consumable”.

 

Personally, I would remove the hook to disable the blowback function as it is loud & pointless IMO. The bolt can still be manually operated & springs forward when released, like any other AEG.

 

Anyway, on to the internals.

 

To remove the gearbox from the lower, 1st you remove a pin from the rear of the gearbox.

Then you lift the upper portion from the rear toward the front & it slides right off.

Sorry I forgot to take photos of the process. It took me a while to figure out how to remove it, so when I did I forgot about photos.

 

Once that in done you remove the receiver pin that is in front of the selector switch, and lift the front towards the rear, do a little wiggling of the gearbox & it’s free.

 

Here is a photo of the gearbox out of the gun (re-assembled).

 

The motor assembly is held on to the lower gearbox via 2 screws.

Here’s the motor separated from the lower gearbox.

[Tank]

And the lower section of the gearbox alone.

 

The gear bushings are metal 8mm.

The gear set is of a non-standard type. The most noticeable difference is the size of the spur gear.

 

Just for comparison, here is the L85’s spur gear (on the left) next to a standard G&G spur gear (on the right).

 

The cylinder & piston are the same length as those of a PSG-1.

The cylinder head is of a similar design to that of the V6, but not the same.

 

The spring guide appears to be a V3, and has a bearing.

 

The piston head is ported.

 

The tappet plate is also similar to a V6, but not quite the same.

 

Well, I guess that about covers it...

Feel free to ask me any questions I didn't cover & I'll do my best to answer them.

 

Now I wait for the replacement parts from G&G to show up.

[Kipper]

Ahh so it cant decide if its an SA80 or an SA80A1

 

Trigger should be grey

TMH pins should be black

 

Apart from that personall i think its a very good show from G&G. Shame about that blowback mech breaking.

 

Gonna try it out soon? tell us about accuracy and hop?

[evilliboba]

So disappointing that the blowback really blows.

[PariahWolf]

Growing list of problems with gun:-

-Wrong colour trigger

-Wrong colour receiver pins

-Crappy trades

-Wrong colour gas parts - actually not sure on this one

-Wrong mag catch

-Wrong colour mag catch

-Consumable Blowback

-Damagable gears

-Unique gearbox internals

-Custom Battery

-Bad finish

-A1

 

Just gets better doesn't it?

[Shard]

Cant say i am surprised the bolt cycling action died. A lot of us were highly suspicious as to the inclusion of it. I find it a little worrying for G&G to regard the hook part as consumable though i suppose given its job it wont last for ever.

 

Nice review, looks like a pretty good piece of kit bar the little breakage issue

[Kipper]

For what its worth PW, they are wrong, they should be all silver (the gas parts that is)

[Jaager]

you put the multi tool in the pistol grip, its a SA80 L85 A1, you can tell simply by looking at the cocking handle, the A2 has a cocking handle like the star SA80 L85A2

 

i dont see how the mag release catch is wrong, its like that on the L98A1s which are based on the L85A1

 

the rail, i cant remember name is the NATO standerd(thats what i was told by a REME sgt) where as the weaver is US standerd

 

personally i thinck the green looks a bit pale

 

and the magasine is a STANAG mag, the SA80 will accept all NATO 5.56mm mags, it will fit the M16 20rnd vietnam style, i actually went on exercise with the L98A1 using M16 20 rnd mags, i had 3 mags and everyone else had two to last for 24hrs,

 

Hopefully G&G will release a SA80 L86A2 LSW using that on a blank firing exercise is great, it would be cool to have one for airsoft and not have to pay stars prices then pay extra to have the problems fixed

[WickedBassie]

If they had only stamped the blowback thingy instead of casting it...

 

 

-:Edit:-

 

Have ya all checked the G&G site... the showcase is online

[PariahWolf]

Growing list of problems with gun:-

-Wrong colour trigger - Should be Grey

-Wrong colour receiver pins - Should be black

-Crappy trades - The G&G ones spoil it

-Wrong colour gas parts - Kipper's confirmed, should be all silver

-Wrong mag catch - Mag catch of an l85, not even an l85 a1 mag catch

-Wrong colour mag catch - A1 and A2 mag catches are grey

-Consumable Blowback - Lol

-Damagable gears - Rofl

-Unique gearbox internals - If something breaks, well good luck

-Custom Battery - Just more money to spend

-Bad finish - To matt should be shinier

-A1 - Why make an out dated weapon?

 

Most of them could have been found in the testing stage if they sent it to someone with a knowledge of the weapon.

 

Edit: Rails a 19mm Dovetail isn't it?

[Eddie182]

UE number above the magwell rather than UN number if you're being really picky as well

 

The NSN on the hand guard is right though .

[darkchild130]

ok, a few points.

 

colour of trigger does not matter as some are painted black and some are left silver.

same for receiver pins.

same for mag release catch.

Gas parts start out black but most real steel ones are silver as soldiers scratch the protection coating off within weeks of them arriving (due to cleaning)

 

nothing is ever contained in the pistol grip as the covers like falling off.

The trade number has the wrong amount of numbers in it.

The scope mount is just known as a dovetail, or so i'm told by the REME armourers that service ours.

 

I think that's it. So far.

EDIT: i can't possibly fathom why they would use that type of mag release catch, it went out of service in the nineties!

 

Darkchild

[Ubar]

wrong section... should be posted in reader reviews

[Jaager]

if you wanna get really picky then

 

wrong color cocking handle

 

try putting the fore sight in the pistol grip, its supposed to fit, we tried it on the L98 but it doesnt fit fully, and we were told that you are supposed to put the multi tool in there, but most of us keep it in the cleaning kit anyway.

[PariahWolf]

UE number above the magwell rather than UN number if you're being really picky as well

 

The NSN on the hand guard is right though .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nah the NSN numbers wrong as well.

 

For the A1 the NSN for that part should be 1005-99-967-0472

[darkchild130]

don't matter what colour the cocking handle is

And if you put the multi tool in the pistol grip, you will lose it.

[PariahWolf]

ok, a few points.

 

colour of trigger does not matter as some are painted black and some are left silver.

same for receiver pins.

same for mag release catch.

Gas parts start out black but most real steel ones are silver as soldiers scratch the protection coating off within weeks of them arriving (due to cleaning)

 

nothing is ever contained in the pistol grip as the covers like falling off.

The trade number has the wrong amount of numbers in it.

The scope mount is just known as a dovetail, or so i'm told by the REME armourers that service ours.

 

I think that's it.  So far.

 

Darkchild

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gas parts for the A1 start out Silver, A2 ones are black to start with.

The idea of the pistol grip was to store the multi tool, never was cos it was ######, like you said.

 

All the mag catches I've seen have been grey, same for triggers, same for the pins although they are black. All of the people I'm talking to on msn agree...

[darkchild130]

they start black but soon go grey due to handling, so it really doesn't matter.

[Eddie182]

Nah the NSN numbers wrong as well.

 

For the A1 the NSN for that part should be 1005-99-967-0472

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hmmm, will check that at work on monday.

 

they start black but soon go grey due to handling, so it really doesn't matter.

 

Not on the A1 mate, only the A2 has the coated gas plug and cylinder. So they are right there.

[PariahWolf]

Hmmm, will check that at work on monday.

Not on the A1 mate, only the A2 has the coated gas plug and cylinder.  So they are right there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

According to some people that sell them, that's the NSN it should be.(meaning the one I posted, not the one they used.)

 

Almost right, the whole lot including the thinner tube should be silver.

[Jeza]

Im left handed and was intending on disabling the blowback anyway so im not to bothered to much about it being crappy

[rifleman]

The only thing that I used to put in the pistol grip were a few kingsize ciggies and a pack of waterproof matches from a ration pack(wrapped in a small ziplock bag). Then add a strip of electricians tape just to hold the end cap in. (although someone did tell me it was for storing the trigger guard in arctic conditions - how true that was I've no idea)

[PlasticMag]

I am amazed. People *badgeress* about no affordable L85, and then one comes out, and what do they do? Start their periods about how unrealistic it is?

 

Wow. Bunch of tools.

[PariahWolf]

Thind is, in no way is £300 affordable compared to most aegs.

 

For £100 extra you could buy the Star and not have most of these problems and also get a £70 carry case.

 

Pretty *beep* tbh, I was expecting better.