Tanaka Works P228 GBB

[Slug Pellets]

I’ve always really liked the P228 and where airsoft is concerned there’s really only one option. As such I ended up buying the Tanaka Works P228 so I figured I would write a brief review, as there aren’t many others around.

 

Picture of box & contents:

 

 

The gun comes in typical Tanaka packaging. Gun, magazine, manual, small bag of bb’s, hop and magazine adjustment tools all housed in a polystyrene tray with a simple cardboard lid.

 

The packaging isn’t as swanky as the newer TM or KSC guns but it does its job. Also it’s a nice touch that the box lid design is a copy of the early real steel P228 box.

Picture of real steel Sig box:

 

 

First thing you notice upon picking up the gun is how light it is. This is the non-heavyweight version and weighs in at a modest 600g. However the balance is fine and it feels nice enough in the hand.

 

As you would expect all the furniture is metal, as are the front and rear sights. The quality of the plastic used for the slide and frame appears OK although the slide and frame are a slightly different shade.

 

The trademarks are fairly deep and appear to be largely accurate to the real thing. On the right hand side of the frame just above the trigger guard there’s the usual ASGK mark as well as Tanaka Works own stamp.

 

 

 

The build quality is good, as you would expect from Tanaka. However the plastic mag base is slightly loose fitting and so wobbles a bit. Also the mag doesn’t engage with the catch very efficiently so you need to use some force to ensure that it’s locked in place. The magazine itself is made from metal, holds 15 bb’s and has Sig Sauer makings engraved on one side.

 

 

Unfortunately its when you come to fire the gun that things start to go down hill fast. Its recommended that you only use 134a in this replica, and although I have never tried it on a stronger gas I doubt the slide would be strong enough to handle it.

 

Because of this the P228 only puts out a poor 200 or so fps. The hop-up is OK so the range and accuracy of the gun are acceptable. However the bb’s do float out to distance, meaning even the least agile of opponents could sidestep your volley of plastic death!

 

Additionally even by airsoft standards the recoil is very poor due to the weak spring. This also makes racking the slide unsatisfactory.

 

Pros:

 

It’s the only half decent GBB P228 you can buy.

It’s a P228!

Build Quality is good.

 

Cons:

 

The gun itself and spare mags are relatively expensive

Crappy power.

 

[1st Commando]

I had one of these 10 or 11 years ago when they first came out !

 

I miss it dearly as no one else seems interested in making an updated version of the best of the Sig pistol line up to date

 

Thanks for the review mate, now i'm off to lobby KSC/KWA and KJW into making one

[AliceHKfan]

nice mini review, its kinda interesting how its supposedly based off of a US Armed forces unit by the "US.M11" stamp

[hardboiledcop]

Dont you mean the US M11 is based on the Sig P228? and anyway isn't the M11 the 226?

 

--

 

Not that I actually care about US stamps.

 

-

 

Slug, you say this is the non-HW version, does that mean there is a HW & possibly hardkick version?

 

ta.

[IronWolf]

Nice review Slug

 

HBC, there's a HW version listed on WGC, though there's only a measly 60g weight difference between the two according to WGC (i'm hoping its a typo)

[snowman]

The difference in appearance between the HW P226 and the ABS one, though, is night and day.

 

I suspect that it'd be worth getting the HW, no matter how slight the weight difference is.

 

Cheers.

[hardboiledcop]

The difference in appearance between the HW P226 and the ABS one, though, is night and day.

 

I suspect that it'd be worth getting the HW, no matter how slight the weight difference is.

 

Cheers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

indeed, if the difference between the old tanaka 226 and the new hw version is enough to go by the the HW version should be miles ahead..

[Slug Pellets]

I've got a HW P229 and the difference in appearance, feel, and weight make it a better choice. The heavier slide also improves the blowback effect slightly.

 

Unfortunately I don't think the HW P228 is in stock anywhere, otherwise I would have bought that one instead.

[DecimusKrieg]

Nice review, though it is odd, that with the P228 being in so many films and tv programmes etc. (X-Files being a good example) that no one else is making a decent GBB version. Shame.

Decimus.