Section II, gas-operated blowback (GBB) replicas:
A. GBB Compacts –
1. Maruzen Walther PPK/S Custom, previous generation model, c.2001. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots grouped within 2.30 inches diameter.
No apparent outliers, but the two lower shots could be signs of cool-down/shoot-down, especially when the shot count (noted) is considered.
However, subjectively, this could simply be a result of inappropriate target sighting. The sights of the PPK are rather ill defined. And although the front post is physically narrow, it is not highlighted and stands very low (to aid in concealed carry and presentation, no less), thus blends-in too well with the rear sights’ rather narrow notch, making it hard to align for shots.
Perhaps this is just because I’m no James Bond?
2. Western Arms (WA) Smith&Wesson Shorty .40, silver model. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots grouped with 1.5 inch diameter with no apparent outliers.
Subjectively, the lightweight slide enhanced accuracy quite a bit as it made for less felt recoil (despite the rather crisp kick of this model from its high cyclic-rate slide, the low mass of the slide simply did not translate to a high felt recoil force – certainly, it is not as recoil-neutral as the PPK/S tested above, but neither does it kick nearly as much as some of the pieces that I will cite later in sub-section B). This likely compensated much for its short sighting radius.
Although I prefer large grips, I find the frame of the Shorty .40 rather too thick. The abbreviated frame, however, is nicely resolved at the front grip portion via the use of an extended pinky finger rest on the base of the magazine that is highly ergonomic. Again, this aided subjective accuracy.
B. Full-sized GBBs –
1. Kuan Ju Works (KJW) H&K USP/P8, with metal slide. (Fixed Hop)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots within 1.5 inches. No apparent outliers.
Nothing needs to be said. Proving all those who said that this piece was "inaccurate" as simply being "snobby" of this items apparently low price and lack of cosmetic refinement, you can see (or rather, will see with the replicas of this genre that have yet to come) that the grouping was excellent.
Note that I did shoot low. I attribute this to a subjective cause – I have very little experience actually shooting this piece myself, as it is one of my designated "loaner" GBBs to friends who may be attending a skirmish with me and who may require a sidearm.
2. KSC Glock 18C, fully upgraded with exception of stock inner barrel assembly and stock magazine main gas reservoir outlet valves. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
The installation of a genuine Glock "SafeAction" Tactical Illuminator under the front portion of the piece could impact both objective weight balance as well as subjective recoil control. Furthermore, the use of Pearce Grip Enhancer base-plates (non-metal lined version) could also affect subjective accuracy as I installed these aftermarket base-plates specifically to plug up the frontstrap semicircular hole at the base of the grip, where the pad of my pinky finger likes to rest.
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. Shots deliberately aimed.
Result?
Absolutely horrendous.
2.85 inch diameter grouping.
Shot order does not signify cool-down/shoot-down issues (noted detail).
Objectively, the inaccuracies are likely due to what I and other enthusiasts have cited as the rather freely rattling and shifting outer and inner barrel assemblies that this piece experiences even at full lock. This causes the complete chamber/inner-barrel to frame/slide (and thus sight) relationship to be totally off-axis during the operation of this piece – thus leading to drastic inaccuracies even with only semi-auto, single-action fire.
Subjectively, I have an inherent dislike for the Glock trigger action, and this may have caused sub-conscious bias which manifested in over-compensation of sight/grip/trigger actuation and led to the poor results seen.
However, I sincerely believe that the lack of INHERENT consistency in the system is what is causing the majority of the observed lack of accuracy.
3. KSC Sig Sauer SigPro SP2009, heavyweight model. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots within 1.95 inch grouping. Possible outlier to the far right (again the possibility of improper trigger jerking on my part is to question), which, if discounted, return with all groupings within 1.4 inches in diameter.
Subjectively, recoil is pronounced due to KSC’s use of the "HardKick" blowback system on this replica in conjunction with the heavyweight "Cool-Touch" slide material. The excellent trigger and sights, however, compensates. Be sure to allow your sight picture to reset before taking the second shot of your double-tap.
4. Maruzen Walther P99, Second-Version, Mock Suppressed Edition. (Hop "skirmish" optimized")
Note that the mock suppressor was NOT used for this test.
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots grouped within 2.25 inches.
Remote possibility of two outliers, which, if eliminated, shrinks the grouping down to 0.95 inch, max. However, such possibilities of there having been two outliers is low although shot order (noted) suggests possible over-compensation during shooting.
Subjectively, over-compensation remains a definite possibility as although the adjustable sights are excellent, their highlights are grayish and dim. However, the objectively fast but easily controllable recoil cycle (again, the low slide mass, as seen with the PPK/S as well as the WA Shorty .40, helps to insure low felt recoil force) would seem to contradict such an assertion.
Regardless, even with the larger grouping, performance easily remains on-par with others seen here.
5. KWC "HG" (high grade) M92FS "Super" heavyweight. (Fixed Hop)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots grouped within 1.85 inches.
Most shots trailed off to the right.
Again, this is typically a "loaner pistol" that I’d give to one of my friends as a backup sidearm to compliment the KJW USP examined previously. Subjectively, ,my lack of familiarity with how this fixed-sight piece normally groups likely led me to the consistent right-grouping as seen on the proof.
As such, if we were to take the center "bulls-eye" shot as the outlier, the consistency of the grouping, if not the overall grouping size, is seen to be much better.
6. Western Arms Beretta M92FS Perfect Version (PV), black heavyweight model. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
All shots taken single-action; first shot with hammer cocked on loaded chamber. DA-first-shot not assessed. Shots deliberately aimed.
All shots grouped within 1.7 inches with no apparent outlier.
Surprisingly, although I know that this piece is capable, OBJECTIVELY, of significantly increased accuracy and consistency over the KWC M92FS "Super" examined just previously, due to the much higher SUBJECTIVE recoil forces experienced with this model (the WA heavyweight) from its high-mass slide, the overall effect is one in which the level of field-expedient accuracy seen between them is nearly matched.
Subjectively, however, the WA PV’s excellent, short-travel (on single-action mode) trigger provides a light pull and crisp break that had me literally pulling off my test shots in rapid-fire fashion. I’ve actually had players come up to me after games to ask if I had converted this piece to fire full-auto – seriously, that’s how furiously this thing cycles, even with its heavyweight slide and stock recoil spring tension. This may have un-necessarily worsened my grouping, as I violated my "deliberately aimed shots" rule, but I was not about to violate the "no repeat" rule also!
Just like the new Formula 1 qualifying laps, this is a one-shot deal.
7. KSC Smith&Wesson Performance Center M945, Japanese version. (Hop "skirmish" adjusted)
All shots grouped within 2 inches in diameter.
Due again to the short travel and light trigger pull, I could have subjectively worsened the observed performance by again violating my "deliberately aimed shots" rule and having rapid-fired the six-shot string.
Although the right-breaking pattern is suggestive of my having pulled the replica off-target and the "on-the-rise" plane of the shot grouping furthermore suggests a possible component of my not having let the GBB reset fully from blowback recoil before triggering off the next shot, alas, again, this grouping represents my "first and only attempt" rule and goal.
Regardless, this item still shows a skirmish-viable grouping.
Note, however, that my pending full-review will have a similar 5-meter test on this item (as well as its direct-copy Taiwanese sister) which shows a similar grouping even with deliberate, slow-aimed shots. It is thus likely that this figure truly reflects the performance capabilities of the KSC M945.
8. Western Arms Shibuya Shop 5-inch Colt TRP clone, details to follow. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
This GBB is a typical 5-inch "Government Model" WA 1911 that was literally "pieced together" like Frankenstein – set to resemble as best as possible the long sold-out Shibuya Shop Colt TRP.
It is based on completely WA-proprietary factory OEM/stock parts with the exception of a Guarder/IS extended firing pin, which was needed to allow proper hammer-to-firing pin actuation due to the retrofit slide assembly. The main slide components, with the exception of the inner Hop-enabled barrel assembly, is derived from a WA Shibuya Shop Wilson Combat CDP double-stacker. Its lower frame components were derived from a WA Wilson Combat Service Grade CQB single-stacker. A few additional cosmetic parts were added, and the "target" blanked BoMar rear sight blade and the front sight post were self-drilled to offer a three-dot "tactical" formation.
This piece showed a maximum grouping diameter of 1.4 inches with no apparent outliers. Shots deliberately aimed.
Subjectively, its lightweight slide helped to curb the ultra-strong felt recoil force that often plagues the WA 1911/2011-type GBBs that utilize heavyweight slides and allowed easier overall control of the GBB during firing which translated to a tight grouping.
9. Western Arms High Capacity Series CQB Special. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
This long discontinued model, one of the forerunners of today’s current set of WA double-stackers, occupies a near mythic position in airsoft lore. It is cited by many to be one of the best skirmish GBBs ever made, bar none, and occupies this jealous throne with its sister, the TAC Special, which is also long defunct.
However, if there’s one fault to the CQB Special and TAC Special double-stackers, it can ironically be blamed on their slide weight/mass.
Although lending extreme durability to these pieces, these ultra-dense slides also caused these GBBs to really send shockwaves up one’s arms when discharged. With recoil similar to that of a .22 or .25 caliber real-steel pistol, this makes fine-control target-shooting a rather hard thing to do with these GBBs – which truly shines in the more "large target" field-expedient uses on the skirmish field.
This is easily confirmed by the grouping I obtained. Shots were deliberately aimed.
Counting all shots, we arrive at a rather large 2.25 inch diameter grouping.
However, toss-out the outlier, which is more than likely in my subjective judgment caused by early trigger pull on a non-settled recoil cycle (with overcompensation on my part; had I not overcompensated, the total grouping could well be much tighter), and the grouping goes down to 1.20 inches, which is the performance that the above TRP clone, with its lightweight slide, was able to come into the neighborhood of.
10. Western Arms Strayer Voigt Infinity Hybrid Comp, Limited Edition, 6-inch model (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
My above assertions are perhaps best again confirmed by yet another similar WA 1911/2011 variant, this time, a 6-inch length, full dustcover, full-profile SVI.
In this particular case, it seems that the heavier muzzle weight of the longer metal outer barrel as well as the heavy metal faux compensator porting and even more dense underslug seems to effectively subjectively counter the even higher recoil forces generated by the more massive slide, and help to stabilize the GBB during discharge.
The grouping is 1.45 inches in diameter, with no noticeable outliers.
Shots were deliberately aimed.
This fits right into the picture painted by the other two WAs above.
C. Custom-tuned, full-sized GBBs –
With the following pieces, I present for your entertainment and reading pleasure two truly professionally tuned custom pieces as a demonstration of some very special points.
The first point that I’d like to make can be seen with the performance of the following piece, which is one of the two identical "Twins" built by Clarence Lai, aka AirsoftSurgeon, for my "The Complete Castor Troy" Face/Off dedication project. I chose to use my normal right-handed piece, Dexter, for this assessment.
1. Clarence Lai / AirsoftSurgeon "The Twins," specifically, Dexter. (Hop "skirmish" optimized)
For full technical details of this piece, please refer to:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/beta/html/nukebrowser.php?filnavn=/projects/complete_castor_troy/complete_castor_troy.htm -- specifically page two.
Here, we see that all shots fell within the nominal expected 1.40 inch grouping as seen with any of the above GBBs.
This is despite the fact that "The Twins" are fitted with a Hop-enabled full-length 6.03mm tightbore stainless steel inner barrel made by Guarder/IS – which are highly sought-after pieces (and almost completely sold-out worldwide) for the WA 5" 1911/2011 single and double-stackers.
Why?
It’s because these replicas, subjectively, with their metal slides, also do not want for lack of recoil force – and objectively, because with such short inner-barrel lengths, the actual increase in consistency is transparent at closer ranges, and will only manifest at longer ranges, where the "cone of dispersion" is tightened – thus extending effective range.
If you want super accurate close-in groupings, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Now, the only thing that remains to be said is that this, unlike with the other single and double-stacker 1911/2011 replicas above, was done with rapid-fire trigger action, not deliberately getting a full reset. This may have subjectively biased my results which might have been better had I taken the time to actually aim and reset. But as with the PV and the M945, the trigger on Dexter is just too much fun not to rapid fire. =)
Now, the second point that I’d like to make is that if ultimate BB-IPSC use accuracy is what you’re going for, then there’s simply no substitute for getting a full-build piece by a TRUE PROFESSIONAL. No, I don’t mean some hack off the street who calls himself a "5+ year experienced airsoft GBB gunsmith" – I mean someone who truly knows the craft as a dedicated professional.
Go to Clarence Lai / AirsoftSurgeon, go to Sheriff, go to Killer Studio. Whatever, I don’t care. All I care about is that you get a true professional for the job so that it’s done right, and that the person/shop number one doesn’t butcher your piece, and number two turns out something that works as it should, so you don’t waste your money.
And what do you get for this?
2. Clarence Lai / AirsoftSurgeon "DumboRAT Special" BB-IPSC Open/Unlimited Class race-GBB. (No Hop)
With a 3.5 MOA DOCTER Optics DOCTERsight perched on a CL/AirsoftSurgeon custom LoMount base, this piece amazingly hammers out – get this – a "single hole" 0.60 inch x 0.30 inch grouping of 6 shots at 5 meters……
Look at the proof.
If you can’t see the single large ragged hole, try this second pix, in which I’ve "bent" the paper a bit – look at that jagged hole. That’s incontrovertible evidence that the hole was due to multiple side-to-side, overlapping shots.
Clarence guaranteed a 0.80 inch diameter grouping, benched, with use of Taiwanese "Green Gas" and 0.36 gram high-grade BBs. I think that just like the old Aston Martin and Bentley of yore, he was being very conservative in his estimates.
I kid you not, this single-hole, was shot by-hand. And what’s more, this was rapid-fire. The "DumboRAT Special" has a true hair trigger. It’s nearly impossible to slow-fire – unless you’re blessed with the patience of a saint. I doubt that it would be humanly possible for me to better my grouping by deliberate fire, but regardless, this is something I must mention. The shots were in three sets of double-taps.
And I’d gladly demonstrate this to you in person if you’ll foot my air travel bill, put me up in a fancy hotel (I prefer The Ritz Carlton over The Four Seasons, but I’d gladly stay in any comparable facility), and promise me a good meal out on the town.
=)
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