uscmCorps Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 So the WE Katana System for the M4 has been out for a while now. And there are still no reviews of it posted up in the review database. I've also not seen people mentioning they've bought them. Are people really not buying them on this forum? It's just odd to me that a new-ish system has been out there for a few months, sold out at a few stores, and yet there still isn't a review posted. People are usually quick to post their thoughts, be it good, bad, or neutral. Anyone? Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Agreed. I'll be honest, I almost pulled the trigger to buy, but went for the DTW instead. One of the key reasons was I wasn't sure an ASCU would be compatible, as they aren't currently compatible with ICS. Without the ASCU it's just an AEG, albeit, with a split gearbox. The other thing was cost, it's slightly more than a DTW, and if the ASCU gear worked, altogether the unit would be just over £500, that's TM recoil territory! I really like what WE are doing with their guns, love the feel and build quality, but this katana system is just too standard to make it a 'must have' item right now, IMHO. Now A&K are also bringing out a PTW-esque rifle, that pushes WE's product even further down the tree. Link to post Share on other sites
ThatblokewiththeScar Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I have two arriving shortly and the new ASCU unit to test. When there done and with the customers permission ill pop some pics up of them and internals etc and the good and bad with the ASCU. Initial impressions of the test model I got my hands on are excellent, and the build quality was bloody good as well. Pricing I think is spot on for what your getting. £299 for the M4A1 version £329 for the full rail version and £399 for the Raptor ain't bad for such a well made bit of kit. Anyway ill try and make a video as well and see how they shoot on my 60mtr range. Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Ohh, wish I'd seen your shop, the prices I saw were slightly higher than that. Do you think you will be able to fit the ASCU and AS hop unit? If so I'll be spending money at your shop. Link to post Share on other sites
MRF Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I am interested in Katana too, but the same here - no reviews, no opinions.For me split gearbox, most likely fitting standard TM standard receivers with no or minor modification, is attractive enough to be interested in.Actually only thing that may cause some trouble are probable hop-up/cylinder air seal issues, that's why I hold any Katana purchase. My pockets are to shallow for experiments . Link to post Share on other sites
ThatblokewiththeScar Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Ohh, wish I'd seen your shop, the prices I saw were slightly higher than that. Do you think you will be able to fit the ASCU and AS hop unit? If so I'll be spending money at your shop. I'm flat out at the moment getting ready for the Airsoft BootFair so it will be more than a week before I even open the box's the ASCU should fit but as its not be tried to my knowledge we will have to wait and see. The ASHU looks to be a good bit of kit and I certainly Would have more faith in the Ratchet type of hop unit than the stand Wheel variant, whether this unit is any good or better than what's already on the market only time will tell. The new people and CNC plant that WE have are producing some really excellent products and their new range GBB pistols really is excellent. I had one of their standard M4's in before Xmas and it was really well made and looked for all the world like TM had just decided to make their old plastic M4 from metal. I don't think the split gearbox will be anything to worry about until people starting trying modify it pointlessly that is. The word is that this gearbox will In fact drop into a standard TM spec M4 body and if true then this will open up a whole host of possibilities for future projects. I have one railed Katana destined to have the complete front rail and barrel set and the entire stock assembly removed and replaced so I can check compatibility with aftermarket parts. Time will tell Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Hmm, sounds promising. I don't see how this gearbox could fit into a standard AEG body though, as standard bodies aren't designed to pivot about the front receiver pin! They're designed to slide apart, which is why the upper has those rear overlap flange which slots into the lower where the buffer tube would normally sit. To even have a chance of fitting this gear box to a standard body, the body would need heavy modification. Just saying Link to post Share on other sites
MRF Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I've seen katana installed into VFC HK 416C body on WE Facebook profile. I don't know how much work it requires but seems to be possible. Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 @ ThatblokewiththeScar are you allowed to disclose the name of your shop? Sure would be nice to get one of these reserved / pre ordered. Just tell me you aren't Special Airsoft Supplies Link to post Share on other sites
Wingmann Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 I was waiting for a Scar-H in this format. Then the law limited us to 6 guns and all hell broke loose. Link to post Share on other sites
ThatblokewiththeScar Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 @ ThatblokewiththeScar are you allowed to disclose the name of your shop? Sure would be nice to get one of these reserved / pre ordered. Just tell me you aren't Special Airsoft Supplies Lol Special Airsoft Supplies I am definetly not. My name is Phil Bromley I am a full time independent Airsoft Technitian and my workshop is in Higham Kent. I mostly do repairs and upgrades for local players and skirmish sites as well as warranty repairs for number of retailers and a UK wholesaler. I have been repairing AEG's for a years but started my own workshop full time around July last year. My new showroom will be opening soon and will primerely be selling the modified custom guns i normally only build to special order. If you have any other questions feel free to PM me Anyway split gearbox's are exactly the same as there solid V2 counter parts with one exception. Obviously you will loss the quick change tilting upper receiver of the stock gun if you fit one of these into let's say a VFC body. However it should still be pretty quick to swap once the body pins are out and the upper has slid off of the lower. The main reason for wanting to drop this gearbox into other body's is simple the quality and tuneable nature of this type of platform. I may turn out to be impractical to use this gearbox in anything other than its natural home, but we have to try these these eh. Link to post Share on other sites
Baddbaz Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 There is a reveiw in the last copy of ai magazine and the standard hop / accuracy is not very good at all according to the reveiw in the magazine .. Link to post Share on other sites
jkpics Posted March 31, 2013 Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 It's a lovely system, I am getting one at some point but like all WE products some need a bit of work out of the box. Link to post Share on other sites
Eizen Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 The stock hop-up bucking is really hard, suitable for m170 springs. Changing that fixed the hop-up.The mechbox needed some re-shimming and fixing the AOE but otherwise it is GTG. Also the stock motor isn't that good. Link to post Share on other sites
hawaiianjuggernaut Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I am interested in possibly getting one of these in the future. Please keep me updated all you people who bought them Is the hopup 1 or 2 piece? compatible with Prowin m4 ones? -Hawaiian Link to post Share on other sites
Eizen Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Stock hop up is a normal 1-piece M4 hop up made of plastic. Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I'm really surprised to see that this isn't good to go from new. I bought the original WE AEG and it was solid as a rock... Link to post Share on other sites
ThatblokewiththeScar Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 The issue is what people think out of the box means. 90% of guns perform perfectly well for 90% of owners! But if you get one guy who's expectations are Higher than the gun perform's then he writes up about the poor performance on the net, people read it and suddenly that gun is a poor performer. And it has been my experience that the problem is normally the guy using it than the gun its self. Almost nobody cleans the barrel before use, and not all hop and barrel combinations like all ammo's or weight! And lets not forget this particular model of gun will in all likely hood not be set up for the UK and as it is able to run high power out of the box the hop bucking is almost certainly not optimised for our 330fps average. I prefer to wait till I have one in my hands and iv shoot it down range then ill comment on it. Link to post Share on other sites
QQexDERA Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I'll be pulling the trigger on an order for one at the end of the week. I'm not bothered about Hop-up rubbers, barrels and motors as I normally junk them and replace them immediately anyway (and that includes G&P M120 motors - which i HATE with a passion). Link to post Share on other sites
Baddbaz Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Giving it a miss . Am fed up of manufacturers bringing out guns that need work after you have paid not unconsiderable amounts of hard earned for them . 350pounds and then you have to spend another 50 / 100 pounds to get it up to where it should be ... No thanks Link to post Share on other sites
hawaiianjuggernaut Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 It really depends on what you define as "Needs work." If it is just because it doesn't perform to your standards, that isnt the manufacturer's problem. First gun was a marui m16 and it worked great for me. I look back on it now and wonder how I survived without metal bushings and a new motor. -Hawaiian Link to post Share on other sites
Baddbaz Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Would rather buy a gun that does work out of the box with proven upgraded internals as standard . For less money . Ie clandenstine Lonex m4 16 models . Neo motors , reinforced gearboxes , upgraded Lonex internals for 300 quid . No work needed and accurate out of the box . I want to skirmish , not spend hours disassembling a new gun to fit tightbores , motors , and hop units at extra cost to the initial purchase .price Link to post Share on other sites
hawaiianjuggernaut Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Good point. I love working on my guns and dont mind if they need work. That might just be me -Hawaiian Link to post Share on other sites
ThatblokewiththeScar Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Well again I suppose it depends on your definition of skirmishable or out of the box. It's very rare to find a gun that you can take out of the box and use that does need a couple of minor tweaks. You would be surprised at the number of guns I get in that I had to take some or all of the upgrades out of to get them shooting properly again. People read that they need new barrels or motors or Bucking's but in most cases alla gun needs is a clean and set of deans connectors However judging by the standard WE M4, the Katana should be a pretty damn good bit of kit with nothing much needed doing. Can't wait to get it on the range to be honest Link to post Share on other sites
Inq Eisenhorn Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 I'm kinda with Baddbaz on this, upgrading a gun should be a choice not a necessity. Unfortunately airsoft seems to put out faulty products as a matter of process, it's quite bad when you think about it. Saying that, the internet is a crazy place to go for reviews, I mean, contradictions 'R' us. Let's take the 'amazing' TM recoil, some say it's great, almost as good as a gbbr! Others say it's weak as *fruitcage* and feels like a vibrating joy pad! Who do you trust. In the end, the only things you can do is take one for a test drive, or take a punt and spendz da monies to find out.... Link to post Share on other sites
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