(click for a larger image)

From this scenario you can gauge that there are several properties of a sidearm you need and several you don't. Accuracy, is something that you really won't care about, as the chances are that you're either firing to get the opponent to keep their head down (so you can leg it), or they are so close it really doesn't matter. Ammo capacity is a distinct advantage, so the larger the better. The ability for the sidearm to fire in full auto mode has obvious advantages..

This is where the Beretta M93r comes in. It isn't amazingly accurate when compared to the likes of the Western Arms SV 5", but it carries 38 rounds, it fires in full-auto, and it makes a real loud and scary noise when fired. For those of you with itchy trigger fingers it also features a three-shot-burst system. This is very handy, as it stops you emptying the entire clip, rather spectacularly, in under 3 seconds.

Welcome to the world of the M93r. Personally when I think of the Beretta M93r, I think of an M9 on anabolic steroids. It just bulges out of all the right places. For example take the standard M9 as an starting point: Not enough ammo ? That's not a problem, just extend the magazine. Not full auto ? - Then make it full auto! Now add a folding front foregrip to steady the muzzle under sustained firing, extend the barrel and integrate a flashhider at the end. Voila! - You now have a rather tasty and mean looking M93r.

When fired the stock power varies from 240fps to about 280fps - power varies considerably depending on the ambient temperature (see later note). The standard extended magazine holds 38 rounds. As for weight, it is fairly heavy, coming in at just over 1kg.

So what is it ? The KSC M93r is a lovely copy of the real Beretta. Sadly because of the lawsuit instigated by Western Arms, no one else may place the word 'Beretta' on a replica. It's only a small issue, but it is slightly annoying (and pointless) none the less. I am only aware of Beretta making 3 models of this gun, which were unimaginatively called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen. KSC build 2 versions of the M93r, which are the 1st Gen and the 2nd Gen. The KSC 1st Gen copy is actually the newest of the 2 models that KSC offer.

I own the KSC 1st Gen, which is listed as a 'HardKick' model, which basically means it has a much more realistic blow-back operation, as they have added mass to rear of the slide. This has the disadvantage that the slide takes (slightly) longer to recoil per shot. The 1st Gen has a lovely hand grip that's a mock effect copy of (what looks like) walnut - it looks the part and, more importantly, it is very comfortable to hold.

As for construction, the vast majority of it is made of good quality, high density ABS. The steel parts that can be found on the pistol are:

Most of the magazine is made of steel, apart from the lower half that comprises part of the hand-grip, which is again made of ABS plastic..

Disassembly: Taking the pistol apart, cleaning it and reassembling it is easy, but it takes a bit of practice to get it perfect. To remove the top slide, first secure the slide back using the catch at the top of the handgrip on the LHS. Then drop the magazine out, using the mag release catch, again found at LHS of the grip, at thumb height. On the LHS of the pistol, you'll find a leaver that is shaped rather like a 'P' on it's side. At the corner of this leaver there's a button, depress this button, and turn the leaver down, and away from the slide. You should now be able to move the entire slide forward (away from the hammer), you should find that it slides right off the rails, leaving you with the pistol in 2 pieces.

It should be noted, that the spring inside the slide in NOT captive, so exercise extreme care when removing the slide, and when you put it down try not to dislodge the spring as it will fly across the room.

Cleaning: Make sure you get plenty of silicon spray on the inside, specifically around the spring, slide and moving parts. I tend to coat plenty on, and then wipe of any major excess, and then fire a couple of shots through it when assembled.

Assembly: Assembly is basically the reverse of disassembly (not a great stretch of the imagination). The one thing that is a slight problem is the correct location of the "slide return spring" under the slide. When you place the slide on, you may have to slide the top, back and forth a bit until you are happy that the spring is correctly located. From experience it seems that the slide goes on better if you hold the pistol upside down.

Run away! So what's it like to use in the field ? Well after much thought, I really decided that there's only one thing better than a Beretta M93r, and that's two of them. I've never had any feed jams or misfires with the pistol, and I've now had it for 6 months. It's been used at almost every skirmish I've been at.

The ability to lay suppressing fire with a pistol is great, the pistol however comes into it's own when your primary weapon fails. Last time I was out, my SG1 battery finally died (I put about 14 mags of ammo through it), so I dropped the SG1 and took out the M93r.

Surprisingly the pistol fairs rather well against the likes of the MP5 and M4, as a few guys who were hiding behind a couple of trees found out at a recent CS skirmish.

(KSC 1stGen M93r with silencer, sight and stock)

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me." If you've read any of my other work on the site, you may have noticed a regular occurrence of sci-fi screen-shots. Well I'm happy to say that the M93r is not an exception to this phenomenon.

I'm hoping that most of you have seen the film 'Robocop'. If you have seen the film, you'll know what I'm on about; if you recently awoke after being held in stasis in a cryogenic freezer, and missed the past 20 years, (welcome to the year 2001), then you won't. For those of you still thawing, this is the 'Auto - 9', and the pistol that is used in the film by the half-human, half-machine hero, Murphy.

The pistol is built on the M93r, it features an extended barrel, a widened grip, and is set (permanently) to triple shot. There is also a larger backsight on the top of the slide. This large backsight also doubles as a handy grip for the steel-mitten loaf to cock the weapon.

I've pulled a few rather nice images of the gun from the film. You can click on any of the embedded images in this review to view the larger version.

The Auto 9 is also produced as a replica by KSC. I'm not sure that it's particularly suitable for airsoft skirmishs, but it does make a rather nice collectors piece.

Summary I really love this gun, and I really wouldn't swap it for anything else. When I get a chance I'll get another, and a proper crossdraw tac-vest for the pair. I really like the ability (occasionally) to move very quickly with limited equipment, as my SG1 really isn't a rifle you can run any great distance with quietly, especially when you carry 6 mags and a pistol backup.

Want something that looks mean ? Bored with the rather ugly looking Glocks ? Then go and get an M93r, and at least 2 extra mags. If you find someone glassy eyed, walking aimlessly around an airsoft site, chances are they've just fired an M93r for the first time... Either that or a bb grenade went off too close to them - the effect is much the same.