Glock 18C - Tokyo Marui

I had tried only 1 EBB before (the unbranded M9), but I was aware that Tokyo Marui made an extensive range and the select fire Glock 18C promised to be an interesting airsoft pistol to review.

At about the same time as I obtained this gun, Tokyo Marui announced another step towards turning the airsoft pistol world electric; the Electric NBB Glock 18C.

In the Box

Although my gun was used it came pretty much complete, with the gun, a barrel clearing rod, small box of .12g yellow BBs and a 4 page manual.

You'll need 4 AAA batteries, ideally Alkaline (such as Duracell or Energiser), but rechargable batteries are specifically recommended against.

First Impressions

The gun feels and looks like a Tokyo Marui springer.

This is, in general, a good thing, with crisp sharp moulding, quality (if lightweight) plastic and an accurate shape. However, the gun only weighs 300g, even with the batteries, so you'll not mistake it for KSC's GBB version.

The Glock markings on the slide look OK and most of the features associated with the Glock 18C, the takedown lever, keyhole cutout in the slide, barrel vents, selector switch and the two part trigger are all visually well reproduced.

The batteries go in the grip and there is a Glock logo on the battery cover. The banana magazine seems less flimsy and fragile than anything I have seen like it before. The most noticeable difference between this and a real Glock 18C (to the eye) is the extra safety switch fitted to the front of the grip. You have to depress this to fire the gun, but it is natural to do so, with the gun gripped properly.

As far as I can tell there is not a single metal part on the outside of the gun.

Closer Look

The heart of this gun is in the grip. The 'magazine base' is split in two, with the front 1/8th being the actual, banana style magazine and the rest opening to reveal space for 4 AAA batteries.

The magazine itself holds around 15 rounds and is, cleverly, translucent, so that it's easy to see how many BBs are loaded.

Overall, the gun looks very good, like one of TM's recent springers. The plastic is a nice finish and all the detailing is present, such as the selector switch, cutouts in the slide, barrel vents, two part trigger, take down catches and magazine release. However, all these features are simply moulded in and do not work. There is a rail moulded into the lower frame, but I cannot say if it is accurate with certainty, although it looks proportionate from photos and to the KSC Glocks I have seen.

The actual selector switch is a simple switch which you slide forward for semi auto and back for full auto. It is located under the frame, where the real thing would have a serial number plate.

Markings are good. On the left side of the slide is a very realistic rendition of the Glock logo and 18C. Further back it reads AUSTRIA and 9x19. The top of the chamber is likewise marked 9x19.

The side of the chamber, visible on the right, is marked GEK203 (the gun's serial number) and with a small Glock logo. Beneath the ejection port, on the right of the slide, there is another GEK203 serial number and there is a small Glock logo behind the ejection port on the slide.

The grip bears a Glock logo near the base on the left side. On the right side there is a small panel at both the top and bottom of the grip. The top one reads "MADE IN JAPAN ASGK"/"TOKYO MARUI CO., LTD." and the bottom reads "ELECTRIC BLOW BACK SYSTEM"/"FULL&SEMI AUTO MODEL"

Shooting Impressions

I was keen to see how the better quality Tokyo Marui EBB shot, compared with the cheap M9, I had tried before.

I loaded up a few of the .12g BBs provided, switched the gun to semi-auto and pulled the trigger. Nothing...

After some fiddling with the battery contacts I got the gun to fire and it seemed better than I recalled the M9, with a noticably faster cycle, even with standard grade batteries.

I flicked the switch to full auto and pulled the trigger again. Whilst it is likely that a reasonable shooter could bang out rounds faster with a semi-auto GBB, the rate of fire was not as laughable as I had feared, giving a fair sensation of fully automatic fire rather than slow semi-auto. As a rough guide, it emptied 15 rounds in under 4.5 seconds in two tests I carried out.

Over 10 shots, with mere .12g BBs, the G18C produced a rather tame 117 fps. Well BELOW anything any other pistol (springer, NBB or GBB) that I've tested produced.

Some of the pocket gas pistols and my spring Beretta M9 produced figures 60-70fps more, but that was with .2g BBs...

This was with ordinary, non-Alkaline batteries, so I decided to repeat the exercise with some Alkaline batteries, although I could not think of a reason why they should produce better velocity. Sure enough, the velocity was around the same level.

In my standard 5m/6 round, off hand test, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the BBs not only reached the target, but left a deep enough indentation to work out the accuracy (which is a lot more than the unbranded M9 was able to achieve). Whilst not exactly IPSC standard 10 rounds aimed at the target (the circled shots on the target above) all hit it, with a best 5 grouping of 3 inches (7.5 CMs). The low shot to the left was due to my hand wavering and most of the other shots were grouped high, suggesting the hop-up was working.

Firing down the garden, BBs were able to carry to the end (around 20m) and beyond, albeit at a remarkably leisurely pace.

Conclusions

Whilst the G18 is a lot better quality than the Unbranded M9 EBB I tested, it's still not a practical target or skirmishing sidearm.

Rate of fire is reasonably respectable and you could have lots of fun plinking indoors with this, but outside the minimal power, with even lightweight BBs, would leave you hopelessly outgunned, even by spring pistols. The range is surprisingly good, but your opponents could practice their 'Neo moves' to dodge your BBs, such is the velocity.

It seems even TM admit this and their latest announcement is an AEP (Automatic Electric Pistol) G18C, which, like an AEG, is effectively an electric NBB. However, it does come with a 7.2 rechargable battery and claims of range and rate of fire on a par with AEGs.

Weight : 300g (with batteries).

Realism : ***
Quality : ***
Power : *
Accuracy : **

Real Steel link at World Guns