Bada Bing Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Hey fellas. I thought I'd chime in on here with my thoughts regarding the VFC HK45CT. The typical no thrills Umarex Hk box...yay. Contents of the amazing box. Overview/build: The pistol itself has a terrific build quality and looks stunning. VFC does a fine job at making their guns look nice at least. The metal slide finish looks a better shade than KWA's HK45 and other HK pistols. The white umarex licensing marks are thin and are mostly unnoticeable. Mostly. The controls are positive. Safety decocker lever functions well. The flick up to safe mode is tactile and locks into place reassuringly well. The sweep down to decock is smooth and breaks into double action mode with a deep clunk. As I mention in my video review, the double action trigger pull is heavy but in a good way. They've done a good job to make you feel like it's a realistic trigger pull and not like a toy gun. The sights are the standard HK45 type sights but compared to the TM 45, they appear dark grey and more authentic. The slide release/takedown lever is really easy to pry out of the frame unlike the TM, which just doesn't want to let you take it out. The grip length on this pistol is similar to the USP Compact and even though my hands are more on the small side, it still feels awkward for me to hold it. My support hand doesn't have a nice ledge to rest upon, the standard HK45 however, has that chunky magazine baseplate which does have the ample room. If I interlink my pinky fingers it works but it's probably not a decent grip method. The spare backstrap is medium sized and I'd love to try it out but unfortunately the pin holding the one already on the pistol, just doesn't want to come out. As with the real HK45C, the rail is just too short for your run of the mill pistol lights, X300's for example, requiring that 4th rail cutout. Cable ties? Lol Hopup: The hopup adjustment is located on the guide rod. The key that comes with the pistol is used to adjust the hop and is a pretty clever external location for the calibration. Unfortunately the hopup doesn't do a very good job and the shots land either a little high, a little low, slightly left, and sometimes straight. I placed these shots on the paper at 20m and I had to shift my aim from shot to shot to walk the bbs onto target, poor consistency. Shooting: In a warm/comfortable environment the HK45CT shoots very well. On propane/greengas, you get a great snap and jolt in the hand from this little gun, it's cyclic rate is nice and high but that exciting experience is soon demolished when venturing out into the cold. When I was in 3 degrees C, the pistol really did struggle to complete a magazine and often it just failed miserably. Sometimes it would fire one shot fine and second shot would be too weak to even load another bb, it would alternate between weak and very weak shots before the tank was empty. Enter the dragon. On Guarder Power Up Gas the reassurance would be restored and the pistol would complete a magazine. A must fuel for single digit temperatures. Range: To be fair to the little gun the range isn't too bad. When I was using either a toasty mag on propane or Guarder Black, I had it shooting out to 50m. It would probably take an entire 20 round magazine to be able to hit a man sized target once at that range but at least it was getting there. KSC/KWA Compatibility: I touch upon this in my video but as you see in the photo's the internal working parts are copied from the KSC and KWA USP series. USP HK45CT Side by side, USP left - HK45CT right. The magazines are a drop in fit but unfortunately they either vent the gas once fired, fire and slide blow back a few mm or appear to light strike and act like a NBB. At first I thought it could be that the button on the valve sat too low for a decent strike but with the varied responses from testing, I cannot pin point the cause of the actions. One of the only real differences between the two brand magazines is that on the original HK45CT magazine, it has a raised lip on the rubber gas seal. I have an Action high flow valve in one of my USP mags and this seems to be the way to make the USP magazine fire the pistol. I removed the Action valve to install into one of my hk45ct magazines and it is a fantastic upgrade. The cycling remains high and consistent, even in colder conditions it outperforms the stock by a long shot. Conclusion: Right from the box, out of 10 I'd give it a 4. There's a decent gun in there somewhere but you'll have to fork over a bit more money on top of the initial £170-£200 cost just to find it. Business as usual with this brand then. £40+ per magazine is a complete joke. When it becomes available in Asia, I have no doubt in my mind that AMG would release upgrade valves much like the VP9, so one could get the very best out of the system and if one were to install an upgrade hopup bucking, I believe it would be fine skirmish tool. So yeah, it looks the part but doesn't deliver. That should be VFC's company slogan. "No compromise, GET VFC! Hmmm, no mate. Video Review: Thanks for looking and I hope this helps. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zereck Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Is it only available in Germany/EU as of yet? I haven't seen it on any known sites yet. UMAREX always seem to release new HK guns like that. The new hop-up adjustment is intresting, does it hold well? They usually just copy the old Marui hop-up adjustments and have trouble keeping the hop consistent due to the recoil. I want an HK45CT but my Marui HK45 is such a good performer Im not sure about this. Plus I had bad experience with previous VFC pistols(M&P, FNX45). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bada Bing Posted February 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 I've only seen it advertised within the EU. Like the VP9 being available for at least a good 6 months in EU before it was released in Asia. In regards to it holding its hop adjustment, I'd say it does. However the stock barrel and buckings that comes with these VFC's, leave a hell of a lot to be desired. You couldn't take it to a skirmish as it is now and expect to score decent kills. Funny you mention the recoil, if you see the slo mo on my video, you'll see the outer barrel move around an awful lot when firing. This probably doesn't help the accuracy. Thing is that I've had some relatively decent performance from this pistol, but a follow up 20 shots would be disappointing. I know it can do it but it would need tinkering. I agree, the TM HK45 is probably one of the best GBB pistols I've owned. The Tactical version is awesome! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NonEx Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Awesome post mate! I just don't get how this can be advertised as Umarex/VFC if it is just a clone/copy of the KSC system? :| VFC/SA pistols are normally proprietary designs mostly. I had the KSC USPC that I upgraded with metal slide and what not, and that stupid hammer mechanism with the centered flimsy valve knocker is a joke. It was not fit properly and did not always align so each shot would be widely different power. You can even see that in your photo that it's not aligned straight. I hate the KSC systems with a passion so I don't touch them but whutevers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Foxhound Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 (edited) Reminds me of VFCs rifles. Great externals, disappointing internals. Thats a shame, it's one of my favorite guns. Edited February 18, 2017 by Mr Foxhound Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bada Bing Posted February 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Awesome post mate! I just don't get how this can be advertised as Umarex/VFC if it is just a clone/copy of the KSC system? :| VFC/SA pistols are normally proprietary designs mostly. I had the KSC USPC that I upgraded with metal slide and what not, and that stupid hammer mechanism with the centered flimsy valve knocker is a joke. It was not fit properly and did not always align so each shot would be widely different power. You can even see that in your photo that it's not aligned straight. I hate the KSC systems with a passion so I don't touch them but whutevers I was as stunned by the cloned internals as you. It's crazy. Yes as you say, the VFC knocker has a very broad range of side movement, which confirms your statement. I had no idea it was as bad as it was until I played around with it, slide off/magazine inserted. Striker connecting with the valve on various points of the release button. My experience with KSC systems have been both great and poor. 2x KWA NS2 USP's in particular being under powered and inefficient as hell. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Disavowed Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Lovely review, really enjoyed the video. I must say that I really have a hard on for the VP9, so I was disappointed to see the failings on this, especially as I have been holding off getting a hk45 until I find one I like enough. I was really hoping that vfc would make a p30 or usp compact as I would be all over those like a $5 hooker. My VP9 has no problems with the standard valve, all works better than I was expecting, much much better in fact, but my vfc g36 and mp5 are very poor performance, so I shall get some of those valves and give them a try, maybe they will make me rethink my opinion of their rifles, but my VP9 has me in love with that pistol. Out of interest, does the hk45 have the bullet shaped blow back unit like in my VP9? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bada Bing Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 I'm really glad to hear you're having a positive experience and enjoyment from your VP9. So there is hope for VFC after all? In that case I must look into one.....perhaps....one day. The nozzle doesn't share the same bullet shape as the VP9, unfortunately. Surprisingly it differs from the KWA style USP nozzle, and features a single return spring built onto the mock ejector. You know something else that sucks about this handgun? It seems impossible to strip the slide down of the outer/inner barrels/recoil assembly, without taking out the 3 screws holding the BBU in place. The hopup gets caught up on the nozzle, which prohibits from being removed. Now I've tried the usual method of pistol guide rod removal but due to its guide rod being the physical hop adjuster, it's fixed to the hopup block. It could just be me not trying hard enough to separate, but it's really on there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bada Bing Posted March 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 Now I've tried the usual method of pistol guide rod removal but due to its guide rod being the physical hop adjuster, it's fixed to the hopup block. It could just be me not trying hard enough to separate, but it's really on there. Update: Ummm yeah. I wasn't trying hard enough to pull the guide rod out from the hop up block. Lol my bad. In my defence it's oily and tough to get a good purchase on. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eugene_Stoner Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Love mine, however my slide is sticking when returning it from empty. Cycles fine, accuracy and gas consumption is great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NonEx Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 So I got a guy on FB that messaged me and told me he bought the steel slide for it and it was working great. He also ordered a ton of RS HK45 internal parts to try and install Not sure what the odds are on most of those working but I will try and follow up with him and let you know Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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