Cobray Ingram M11A1 - KSC

I had owned a Maruzen Micro UZI some time ago, but was seeing lots of good reviews for the KSC Ingram M11 (often referred to as the MAC 11) and was toying with the idea of getting one of these or the recently revised Micro UZI.

Then a KSC M11 appeared on the forums with a broken bolt (a common problem, it appears) and I snapped it up in exchange for my little used Red Dot scope.

It arrived a few days later and I must admit my first impressions were pretty good.

In the Box

Despite being second hand, the gun was boxed and came with nearly everything you'd expect, which included the gun, 50 round magazine, old style KSC Hop adjuster, a manual and the hopper for a speed loader (presumably a new gun has the tube and a rod, too).

First Impressions

The first impression was of how heavy this is - I could tell that before the brown paper was removed from the package!

Next impression was how small it was. It really is pistol small, rather than SMG sized and, from memory, I would say it is smaller than the Micro UZI (Modern Firearms says the UZI is actually just a couple of millimetres longer, but that is a chunkier gun, with the boxy M11 taking up less room overall).

The cocking handle snaps back with a satisfying clack, even with all the plastic parts and the folding stock is solid and well made.

There are not many markings on the M11A1, and those there are a bit thin and shallow, which is often the case with KSC guns. However, in real steel or airsoft, the M11 is not going to win any beauty contests and it's a lot better detailed than the (admittedly, cheaper) UZI was.

The overall finish of the plastic is high and it looks very much like the heavyweight material commonly used on KSC slides. Metal parts include the whole outer barrel, cocking handle, selector switch, safety, folding stock, magazine and release.

Closer Look

The M11 is a lot better made than Maruzen's UZI. A large part of the gun is actually made of metal, although the major parts (the lower receiver, upper receiver and bolt) are all ABS.

Opening up the gun, you realise that the reason for the weight is predominantly due to the large metal block in which the barrel sits. This takes up around 20% of the front of the upper receiver. You will also realise that the plastic upper receiver shell has a metal inner skin, which partly accounts for the metallic click when you cock the gun.

At the back, the folding stock is all metal in construction and adds a few more ounces to the overall weight.

The whole outer barrel is metal, with a thread for a suppressor to be fitted. A number of aftermarket ones exist, including one from KSC themselves and the much vaunted Tanio Koba one.

The long 50 round magazine (some reckon it only holds 48 rounds) also adds a fair amount of weight, and makes the gun much less compact. There is a 30 round magazine, if concealability or holstering (say as a Sniper backup weapon) is important, but obviously that limits you on ammunition.

The lower frame is marked, on the right side, with the Cobray company markings of the Cobra at the rear kick up along with "M11-A1, CAL 380", "RPB INDUSTRIES, INC.", "ATLANTA, GA. U.S.A." above the magazine.

On the left hand side the only markings are S & F (for semi and full auto) either side of the selector and the Cobra logo on the stock.

The sights are rudimentary, to be kind. Obviously this is not KSC's fault, but it makes the gun pretty difficult to aim, especially to keep on target once shooting.

The foresight is a simple post, but the rear sight is nothing more than a circular hole in a vertical extension to the rear of the lower receiver. To aim you align the hole and the post, through the groove in the top of the cocking handle, but I found the foresight very indistinct when aiming and invisible once firing begins.

Shooting had to wait a while, but EDraven (on UKAN forum) very generously sent me an unneeded plastic bolt, which was easily fitted and, as suggested by the person the gun came from, rendered the M11 operational once more.

Bolt breakages, especially with Green gas, are a common problem on the KSC M11 and you can see how the metal blowback unit is broken away from the plastic bolt in the shot below.

Firing from an open bolt (as does the Micro UZI) is sometimes cited as a problem with the MAC11, as it is easy to get mud and dust inside when skirmishing.

Shooting Impressions

Once I had the replacement bolt fitted, I was ready to try the M11 out on 'the range'.

Unlike the Maruzen Micro UZI, KSC M11 offers semi automatic and full automatic fire, so I carried out tests in both modes. Also, as the gun has a stock, I fired with and without the stock.

Click on image for bigger version in separate window.

Firing 6 rounds, semi auto, from 5m, without the stock, 5 of the six shots fell in a 3 inch (8 CM) diameter, with the 6th falling very low, probably an aberration.

I then extended the stock and repeated the semi auto test. In this case, all 6 shots were in a 4 inch (10 CM) diameter, with 3 being dead centre on target in a 1.5 inch (4 CM) diameter. A 5th shot was within a 2.75 inch (6.5 CM) diameter.

Click on image for bigger version in separate window.

I then closed the stock again and fired off 10 rounds in full auto mode. All 10 rounds were in a 4 inch (10 CM) diameter, with a group of 5 rounds clustered in a 1 inch (2.5 CM) group at the bottom of the target centre. Whether this was the original grouping and the gun then went off target or whether I steadied the aim as the firing continued (this was under 2 seconds, bear in mind), I cannot say.

Finally, I extended the stock and fired another 10 rounds in full auto. This time, the total grouping was 3 inches (7.5 CM) across and clustered slightly above the aim point.

It is worth repeating that the sights on the M11 are very crude and I found the foresight very difficult to see and impossible to maintain in view whilst shooting, so the accuracy results are not too bad. It is also worth reinforcing that aimed, single shots are not the M11s raison d'etre!

Over 10 shots, the KSC M11A1 averaged 295fps (using Cybergun Winter gas) outdoors (around 10C - It was cold for late April!).

One shot (only) on 134a clocked at 238fps, but I didn't have any 134a to hand, so used Winter gas instead.

Rate of Fire in full auto mode is impressive.

RSP1 (might have changed to RSP by the time you read this) from Arnies Airsoft Forum, kindly provided the following recording, which shows a ROF that he recorded at 1,201 RPM

Click here to hear the KSC M11 in action.

As a matter of purely academic interest he also sent the following, which is the same gun but modified with a shortened stroke and much lightened bolt. Here he reckons it is shooting at around 4,800rpm!!!!

Click here to hear the M11 in modified full auto form.

From analysing the MP3 file, it would have to say that is DOES looks like 30 rounds in around a third of a second...

Take Down

Disassembly of the M11 is fairly straightforward.
First rack the bolt back and remove the magazine. Then pull the pin on the push fit bolt beneath the barrel out.
Next push the bolt through the frame and the upper receiver will become loose.

The stock can be removed by keeping the release button (under the rear of the receiver) depressed and pulling it out the stock the way.

Suppressor

I obtained a nearly new, still boxed KSC M11A1 silencer off the forums.

The suppressor is all metal and sounds great as you screw it onto the metal threaded outer barrel.

Inside this one is an extended inner barrel held in line with a number of plastic baffles. The silencing effect is non-existent to minimal and I've not had a chance to see if there's any improvement in fps. Presumably, accuracy will be slightly improved with a longer inner barrel. I have read that some of these silencers are foam filled and do muffle more, but I have not seen such silencers myself.

Externally, the silencer is matt black with a couple of engraved lines and a few markings near the gun end, which read "M.A.C. 11-A1"/"9MM"(sic)/"380100", filled in in white.

Mainly, though, the suppressor is for visual effect and, at 23CM long, it certainly lends the stubby M11A1 a very different look.

Conclusions

Overall, the KSC M11A1 is an excellent compact SMG. Build quality is what you would expect of KSC (namely, excellent), as is finish, whilst performance and accuracy are perfectly acceptable for a CQB skirmish weapon.

With the recently launched metal upper and lower frames, magnesium bolt and RIS system, there's scope to build a truly excellent CQB gun at a, relatively, affordable cost.

This is certainly the best SMG I have seen and whilst I have not yet tested the Maruzen MP5K, I would be willing to wager that the KSC is both more sturdy and better finished.

Weight : 1,360g

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

Real Steel link at World Guns