P226 - pretty much a "what am bestest?" thread

[seaweasel]

OK, I wouldn't say I'm a noob anymore, but it's a bit of a noob question (feel free to move this if it should be somewhere else mods). I've been after a P226 for ages and I'm saving up for one at the moment. I've done a lot of thinking about what to get and I was previously swaying towards the KJW, but recently I've been thinking about a TM and a metal kit. I've done a lot of reading up about them and from what I've gathered:

 

• The TM is am bestest all round - reliable, accurate, great mags and still weighty for a plastic gun
• The KJW is pretty good too but not as consistently reliable, the mags aren't as good, and it doesn't have trades

 

Now I know that for practical purposes, the TM is perfectly good for skirmishing out of the box, but I have to admit I'm also looking for a certain coolness factor. From trying out my friends' GBBs, I know that while I'll probably use my sidearm quite a bit in skirmishes, I also think they're freaking cool, and I want my pistol to be as freaking cool as possible. Therefore I've decided that I want metal, and I want trades (although I assure that I was a lot more down to earth in my first AEG choice, I've got a JG G36C).

 

So, here are the choices I've narrowed down:

 

• Buy a TM with Guarder kit already fitted from eHobbyAsia (about £140 probably after customs)
• Buy a TM from somewhere here and then get a metal kit

 

I think I'll probably get one here and get a metal kit from HK later for various reasons, but what about a kit? I'm looking at either the Guarder or the G&P, can anyone recommend either one? Also, is the G&P still available? It seems to be discontinued on WGC.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

EDIT: Forgot to say, I probably won't have a big budget for a metal upgrade so the cheaper the better, but if the cheapest is a bit lame then I'll got for something a bit better.

 

Also, what sort of other upgrades do you guys recommend? IIRC, the guarder kit doesn't come with an outer barrel, and is there anything else that would help performance wise (power, accuracy) and/or coolness wise (recoil, nice loud clunking). Cheers.

[ruchik]

If you're looking for a full metal P226 that works well, then the Guarder fitted P226 is a nice choice. It's cheap, works fine, etc. But they do require permanent modifications to the leaf spring and blowback housing; those instructions are included with the kit. Fairly simple to do, but once you go Guarder, there is no turning back. Not even to the stock slide. If you're willing to lay out the dosh, a PGC kit is your thing. It costs about $220, but it's a damn nicely finished and high quality kit. Forget about the G&P kit, not when there's Guarder ones around. The P226 on the stock frame and slide will run forever, so you can save up money for the higher quality PGC kits. Plus, the PGC kits come in a wider variety of finishes and looks, like the Blackwater kits, the new Elite kits, etc.

 

I would recommend a new piston head by PDI, a Guarder metal barrel if you so choose, and the Guarder 150% recoil and mainspring springs. A tightbore would also help you squeeze a few extra fps from the gun as well as tightening up your groupings. A new loading nozzle, IMHO, is not necessary, as the TM one works just fine. If you do decide to buy one anyway, get the Shooters Design POM cylinder kit for the P226, has everything you need to replace the insides of the GBB unit itself.

[seaweasel]

Thanks ruchik, useful stuff there. I think I'll go with the Marui and maybe some upgrade parts, then decide on a metal kit depending on how much cash I have at the time!

[galactica]

Here's what I did:

 

Wait for someone to be selling a Guarder metal TM P226 upgraded, like I did. Cost me £90. Magic!

[tinkle60]

The PGC kit is well worth the money and if you want to upgrade the internals you only need the cylinder bit mentioned above and an inner barrel.

 

I found that I didn't need a new recoil spring as the stock one performed well enough.

[Akapp]

I have a TM 226 with a Shooter's design metal slide and a guarder enhanced recoil spring. Unfortunately I am selling it since I don't need it anymore but it still has the original Marui lower frame, and it's pretty well balanced.

 

So you could go with just the metal slide at first....

[Belladonna]

Tm... no contest....

and my vote is for PGC... thier the doggies

R

[seaweasel]

Cheers for all the advice. The PGC does look nice, it's a shame John Lewis don't sell them, I could have sneaked one on to my wedding list.

[snowman]

You don't have a wedding list at Den Trinity?

 

Cheers

[hkssr20det]

Shooters Design made a slide for the TM P226?

 

PGC is top choice, but the Guarder works fine and looks decent. I would also swap in a SD Valve Knocker. Easy mod (maybe a little fitting) but really livens up the action on the gun.

[scorch]

Being after a pistol myself, and wanting a Sig, this thread was exactly what i needed!

 

 

 

Now to scrounge a lift to a skirmish, to get UKARA'd up!

[seaweasel]

Another quick question, and this is a n00b one! When the Marui 226 runs out of ammo, does the slide stay back like the RS does? I seem to remember my friend's Glock doing this, but I borrowed another friend's Dark Hawk at my last skirmish and it didn't seem to (unless I just hadn't emptied the mag after all).

[BigD_SealTeamXXL]

i agree with galactica hes da man!

[mr.m]

I have a KJ Works P226 has never let me down, it's metal

[talon_0315]

Another quick question, and this is a n00b one! When the Marui 226 runs out of ammo, does the slide stay back like the RS does? I seem to remember my friend's Glock doing this, but I borrowed another friend's Dark Hawk at my last skirmish and it didn't seem to (unless I just hadn't emptied the mag after all).

 

Yes, it's has a working slide catch, but it may need a bit of jiggling.

[ruchik]

Most, if not all GBB's do that. Sometimes it may not due to rapid fire and the gas is too cold in the mags. Just let them warm back up and you'll be good to go.

[Sale]

Even if the TM P226 was fully automatic, it would still lock back after the last round of the magazine.

 

It's another thing when you've upgraded to metal parts and stronger springs.

 

-Sale

[seaweasel]

I've managed to find someone selling a second hand TM for a good price so I should finally have my sidarm in the next week or so, woo!

 

I was having a look on eHobby Asia for mags etc and came across this metal kit that I hadn't seen before, anyone know anything about it?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ACTION-SIG-Sauer-P226-...1713.m153.l1262

 

[ruchik]

Don't do it. Fareast gave a pretty good review about it, but it seems the general consensus is that it's rubbish. Guarder is better than that one.

[seaweasel]

Thanks ruchik, I'll stay clear of it.

[The Hammer]

I got a KJW full metal with trades for £80 a year ago. Lovely gun, but used to jam with every other shot. Put in a G&P 'enhanced loading nozzle' for a tenner, and she's a great gun for little money. Mags have been fine so long as you keep the bottom screw done up snug.

[3vi1-D4n]

I would not say that the TM/KJ variants are the only ones available so therefore bestest, Tanaka and KSC also exists.

 

Also then it depends what you define as bestest. Feel?Look?power?accuracy?reliability?kick?skirmishability

 

Having owned a marui, and a KSC and borrowed a KJW and a tanaka, I would say its a close match between the Marui and the KSC.

 

KSC is good; realistic grip sizing, realistic parts, realistic magazine, high powered, good gas efficiency, very nice kick. Down sides is; liteweight 750g, inaccurate, lack of aftermarket parts. However its inaccuracy can be worked on and improved.

 

Marui is good; accurate, good kick, heavier than the KSC and the tanaka, lots of aftermarket parts. Down sides are; poor gas efficiency (sometimes cannot finish a magazine), low power even on green, aftermarket parts require lots of hrs of work to fit.

 

KJ is heavier than Marui and has all the good and bad of the marui. Tanaka some has feeding issues and some has other issues, their body isn't as nice solid as the marui or the KSCs.

 

So yeah it depends solely on your preference there. I actually prefer my KSC over my marui, as my marui was a bit gutless on the field.

[tanx-man]

best steel gun ive ever had is a High-capa from airsoft armoury. Cost £105 and is both solid and not stupidly priced.

[seaweasel]

Thanks for the replies, I'm getting a TM as someone's selling me one quite cheap.

[sirrith]

I actually prefer the Creation metal slide/kit over the PGC one. Creation is quite a bit cheaper for one, and like PGC, it looks and feels great, and it fits perfectly.