Tokyo Marui - MAC 10 - Review

Tokyo Marui - MAC 10 Navy Seals Edition

Cost 21,000Yen

While shopping for cold steel at Echigoya there was one gun in particular that I couldnt pass up, the khaki coloured box, filled with accessories & extended magazine, a strangly reminicent package compared to my MAC11 purchase during my Hong Kong stay in 2005.

This is a very clever marriage of plastic and metal parts and holds its head high as the precursor to MAC11 offerings and has a very interesting history, which saw the Military Armament Corporation go out of business when the surpressor became illegal to manufacture as it was the key pivot of the firearm in regards to balance, control and silencing, there were initally alot of compliants surrounding control of the firearm due to the marriage of .45 ammo and a rapid rate of fire.

As for the Tokyo Marui offering its a must have classic and ironically shares the same internal motor model as the MP7 and Glock 18C, and as I went KSC Glock 18C, and YK went KSC MP7, it made perfect sense to add it to the Japan armoury trust, we now truly had a good spread of current market Airsoft offerings, not to mention the fun to be had at the range.

This gun is chunky and has real presence, and was the model which spawned many copies, re designs and cailbre changes thank god they didn't bring it out in .50 cal or the shooters head would have been blown off before they got a chance to take anyone out of circulation!

The magazine as I recall was 82 rounds with a platic flip up loading hole and a steel cog winder on the bottom of the mag for winding up, became a tad bit menotinous as you cant friction load it on clothes or range mats as they put winder guards on either side, I can see this gun was meant for outdoor airosft battles just by that alone, really the only fault I can give this banger.

The sighting on the original was never a selling point for this model, and the Tokyo Marui has copied everthing down to a decent level including this, more of a fire from hip style firearm and the sound does sound supressed, the fire rate being the slowest out of our cache for obvious reasons it hard to beat the gas pumpers with high flow valves and high cycle of the MP5AC!

The 7.2V battery which powers the unit hides behind a fully removable front plate & barell and was a alot easier to fit and close than other battery models I experienced while in Japan and the charge was easy to use and the battery life was more than enough for a daily shoot/recharge situation. A very interesting feature is that the threaded barrel tip can be unscrewed to reveal a standard barrel thread to attach a standard gauge silencer to go full black-ops and this is a nice bonus as I could use my MP5 silencer which gave the gun a totally different look, very cool indeed.

Results:

Design 9/10 - Quite close to the original, not too heavy thanks to the use of platic where metal is not required. A tried and true classic that has come back from the grave, you know I wont rest till the Stallone Cobra Edition Jatimatic & Tek 9 models have been given the same treatment, big hint to Tokyo Marui & KSC!

Accuracy 6.5/10 - Not a strong point of this particular model in the orginal or the copy, perfect for skirmish though!

Feel 9/10 - A nice package in and out of the box, very sturdy feeling and design copy is spot on besides the obvious swap for plasic in certain places. This will be right at home in the scub, or on the deck shootin out the enemy base targets, pass the pepper spray!

Fun 9.5/10 - A classic firearm has been given a decent treatment by one of the biggest airsoft manufacturers in the world, all I say is keep em coming, a real head turner at the range due to the fact that most people look over this model unles they grew up playing operation thunderbolt ;)

Hong Kong Visit 2005

I pulled this pic out of the archives from my last trip to Hong Kong with Abez & Stakka, Its something that is always fun when travelling to stumble across a hobby store or Airosoft specialty store, and find something appealing.

I remember seeing the gas blowback models and thinking that was alot of effort at the time, and after pulling the hobby shop to bits near Stanley market we came up with an all in one package of Mac 11, laser sight, red dot target, silencer & protective eyewear. Unfortunately unable to remember what brand this little beauty was, not bad for a starter and a good way to annoy your mates sharing a hotel room with you!

Pellet Foot

pel·let   /ˈpɛlɪt/ Show Spelled[pel-it]


–noun

1.a small, rounded or spherical body, as of food or medicine.

2.a small wad or ball of wax, paper, etc., for throwing, shooting, or the like.

3.one of a charge of small shot, as for a shotgun.

4.a bullet.

5.a ball, usually of stone, formerly used as a missile.

6.Also called cast. Ornithology. a small, roundish mass of matter regurgitated by certain predatory birds, consisting of the indigestible remains, as the fur, feathers, and bones, of the prey.

7.(in Romanesque architecture) a hemispherical or disklike carved ornament.

8.Heraldry. ogress2.

–verb (used with object)

9.to form into pellets; pelletize.

10.to hit with pellets.

foot   /fʊt/ Show Spelled [foot] Show IPA noun,pluralfeet for 1–4, 8–11, 16, 19, 21; foots for 20; verb


–noun

1.(in vertebrates) the terminal part of the leg, below the ankle joint, on which the body stands and moves.
 

 
 
This was by pure coincidence that after a shoot we noticed YK's shoes had become victim the above ailment, it was from that point on dubbed 'pellet foot'.
 
It was not until later that evening when dining at the local curry restaurant did we realise that this was a condition that has claimed many a persons life and it a very dangerous element of the Airsoft sport.
 
Now you've been bought up to speed, stay alert, be aware, you could be next!.....
 
 

KSC - HK MP7 - Review (By Kwoksan)

KSC - HK MP7 - Review (By Kwoksan)

Cost 23,000Yen

As HD had sought my advice to add the MP5AC HC to his weapons cache the calling was upon me to upgrade mine also.  Knowing that HK MP series was a solid bet, it was time to make a decision between Tokyo Marui electric version or the KSC gas blow back version.

A few things influenced my decision to go KSC, one of which is the scale is exactly 1:1 whereas the Tokyo Marui appeared to be slightly smaller, also the kick of a gas blow back was gonna be hard to beat especially in a model like this.

As soon as this came out of the box, it was smiles all over and testing was in session at the Intercontinental Highroller suite slightly modded for some target shoot action! The weight feels right and more importantly this gun is one of the most balanced sub machine guns out there period. Team this up with good egonomics and excellent sighting/targetting abilities and you have one helluva gun in your hands.

This gun sports ambidextrous safety/fire rate selector & mag release which is mighty handy for adding to that balanced feel and is a common feature to most HK models, so you can fire fire right and left strafe to whatever suits your style.

The sights are flip up on this model which lends to simple yet different configs depending on the shooting situation when flipped up the gun has a real search & destroy feel backed by deadly accuracy. Fold up front hand stock, and adjustable rear shoulder rest, also sports picanniny rails for future modifications!

Results:

Design 9/10 - The only thing that let this down is the mag/feed design which is a little harder than usual to fill and like some airsoft guns seems to get stuck on the first round of fire, asides from this its all rock & roll


Accuracy 10/10 - There is no other way to describe the accuracy and groupings of this fine piece of machinery other than 'laser guided'.


Feel 10/10 - Once you open the box, you know its on and poppin! From the pictures you can see it fits like a glove and the ergonomics guide you into a comfotable aim & fire position unlike anything I've ever experienced before


Fun 9.5/10 - Right up there with the Glock 18C (Also made by KSC) the only reason for not getting str8 10's is the loading of the mag being a little more akward than the Glock and the first firing bb sticking issue, which it shares with the Glock, so my take is the spring lock may need a redesign when filling to the brim, which most people will do as a full mag is a fun mag.

Tokyo Marui - MP5A5 High Cycle Custom - Review

Tokyo Marui - MP5A5 High Cycle Custom

Cost 23,000Yen

This purchase was the result of a deliberated conversation between myself and my Airsoft colleague 'Kwoksan' which covered all the finer points of an arsenal spread. The main contention factors being bang for buck and not to end up with any gun with the same engine/firing mechanism. Although i really like the SD line of MP5 the MP5A5 won out due to being brand new out (December 2009 release) employing a brand new high cycle motor capable of firing 25 BB's per second, and having a drum magazine capacity up to 400, which let you fire off approx 200 rounds per spring wind.

The 8.5V battery which powers the unit sits under the front hand grip and was a little akward to fit and close, but really the only issue I can point out. I found that the battery power more than adequate for a shoot session and recharged quite quickly. A very interesting feature is that the barrel tip has a reverse thread which you can unscrew to attach a silencer to go full black-ops and it is this attention to detail which makes you even happier with said purchase.

The sights are accurate out of the box and adjustable on the back, although i left mine full open due to the fast paced nature of this submachine gun didn't tend to much sniping activites. This gun is both accurate and able to make mince meat out of the paper range targets and has a decent kick for an electric offering. The groupings were spot on and often saw the BB going through the first hole made with such raw firepower, whichever way you go you cant loose with this one!

Results:

Design 9/10 although plastic, very solid in design and offering, quite close to original.

Accuracy 9.5/10 this holds true the original HK heritage and is not only accurate but versatile in aiming.

Feel 9/10 has a nice kick for an electric, would be interested in how a high cycle gas model would compare?

Fun 9/10 if youre gunna spend this much money on a submachine gun BB airsoft, why settle for less when the price is the same as the older generation component models? One satisfied customer o'er here!

KSC Glock 18C - Review

KSC Glock 18C

Cost: 18,000Yen

This gun ended up being my first gas operated airsoft pistol after much deliberation against the Tokyo Marui electric offering, I opted for this model to get as much exposure to different firing mechanisms and after learning that the Tokyo Marui engine was same in their Glock 18C to the Mac10 and the MP7, it made sense to try something a little different, especially as I had already purchased the Mac10!

As soon as I gassed this little beauty up, I learnt my first lesson that it doesnt like to run cold and can be prone to gas blowouts/freezovers, and this was during winter in Japan, the ambient temperature wasn't helping any. On the flipside, once the gas in the mag had been heated up by hairdryer, the raw power of the blowback was amazing.

The design is the same as the original, you have to cock back the slide and select up for for full auto, middle for safety and down for single shot. It is worth noting that the slide will only come off when the safety is perfect middle and in this sense can be a little fiddly when it comes to maintenance. The slide on mine seemed to get stuck just shy of cocked when using the slide release, may be due to the brutal punishment i gave mine and would be interested to get feeback off other owners to see if they have similar issues with theirs. The one final issue is the first feeding BB seemed to get stuck and required the mag spring catch to be clicked up which was annoying prior to shoot.

All issues aside this quickly became my favorite Airsoft gun mainly due to the realistic action and recoil/blowback, the best way to describe this gun it feels authentic and is way fun to operate. On full auto the aim was attrocious, and the groupings incoherent. On single shot the aim was decent but saw most of its time on Full Auto as you may as well get a Glock 17 Tokyo Marui Gas model for single shot lovin' the strange thing was the hire model at Echigoya also fired full auto and that was a suprise to say the least!

In regard to mods it was a bit touch and go due to overwhelming poplarity of Tokyo Marui aftermarket parts and the KSC mods available seemed to pale in comparison, mostly as stock of available mods ran out or not stocked. The end result i was quite happy with the red dot sight, and the laser pointer was way cool, unfortunately ran out of time to dial them both in to accurate target, the rail had to be modded as the picaniny rail was too shallow on the bottom to hold the laser, and unlike the Glock17 Tokyo Marui Gas model there was no hole in the back of the grip to attach the aftermarket properly, although it seemed to fit by a hair.

Results:

Design 7.5/10 let down by the issues above

Accuracy 6/10 not what i would choose if marksmanship is your fortay, if shootemup then go for it!

Feel 9/10 had a solid feel and realism in full auto that is yet to be matched in a competing hand gun

Fun 9/10 lots of good times to be had with this piece in your arsenal

Airsoft Gun Shop & Target Range Reviews

Echigoya -

Shop:

Between the two stores most models of guns and branded accessories are covered. The best thing about Echigoya is marked down pricing on most stock which sees them as the best place to make your initial airsoft gun purchase. Extensive stock of Tokyo Marui, with smaller stock of KSC and Maruzen etc. For gun bags/holsters/holders, tactical gear also a decent range. They also have a small workshop area for modifications, there is a ton of aftermarket parts for the Tokyo Marui range, would like to see a wider range of KSC aftermarket mods in stock when i return, and yes i'll be baaack!

Target Range:

The target range at Echigoya Okubo is excellent with 3 x 10m lanes and 1 x 5m speed shoot lane.
Very friendly atmosphere and camaraderie to be had here, the local airsoft community here know how to have a good time and I found them to be most helpful to overseas visitors such as myself.

A choice of adjustable range position paper clipped target, static target, number systems and star wars!

Asobit City

Shop:

A very good display case style showroom, but did not find as much stock on shelf as Echigoya.
Pricing was also more expensive. There was aftemarket accessories available such as 9 ball Laylax
and also appeared to be a small workshop area next to the counter, but when asked if they would fit a 9 ball upgrade package to my Tokyo Marui Mac 10 I got a no service response from the salesperson.

Target Range:

4 x 10m lanes with clip on static target, movable & adjustable round bells and the good ol tin cans!
These lanes are divided by slide nets, and I was lucky enough to be present when the local tacticians amred mainly with M4's of varying descriptions booked the whole range out and joined all lanes into one for a stick and move which included a shot caller yelling out 'move' and 'reload' which put pressure on the combatants to simluate properly.

This range came in handy as they were open right through all christmas and new years holidays, although closing earlier than normal 10pm. Was quite handy for a new years shoot where other ranges were closed for a few days altogether. One area to be warned is unlike Echigoya who have hairdryers for each range, there were none present at Asobit City, there is one powerpoint next to table outside so dont forget to bring your hairdryer if you own a gas blowback pistol or machine gun!

First  - Gun & Supplies Pro Shop

Shop:

By the time I got to visit First in Osaka I had purchased three worthy airsoft guns (Tokyo Marui MP5A5HC, Mac 10, KSC Glock 18C) and had been to at least three of four stores in Tokyo so It was going to take alot to impress. Straight away you notice the difference in layout and presentation as these guys are hardcore airsoft modders and have thier own collection of modded Tokyo Marui's on display for sale.

I took my KSC Glock 18C down to see what magic they could work, considering the dominance of Tokyo Marui on Overall presence in both guns accessories and after market mods, they managed to produce a compatible fully adjustable rail attachable laser targetting system manufactured by Hartford Japan , a Nitro.Vo quattro red dot sight, a Freedom Art tactical rail mount system for KSC Glocks.

Also fitted were Kobi hi flow gas valves to both my standard and high capacity magazines. The one dissapointment was that they had sold out of 9 Ball metal recoil spring holder kit for KSC Glock 17/18, was offered a Protec Progressive Rate recoil spring to replace the original, mainting the plastic spring holder for time being. I made a purchase of a new 'Head by KM' barrel with tighter specs which is yet to be fitted.

Target Range

PCM (Pleasant Combat Member) Yokohama

Shop:

Not much in the way of a shop, most guns on display are rentals, but that works in favour of people wanting to try the wide range on display, the do have workshop facilities although looked to be more maintenance than mods, that said these guys dont mind a good ol shoot em up and dont mind you ripping full auto till your mags empty which makes this place cool and hella fun!

Range:

This range is in reverse to all the other ranges in the fact that the 5m speed shoot takes up majority of the space 3+ lane width all for one shoot! On the right hand side is one 10m lane, and strangely enough this wasn't where the action was to be had, check out the video of 5m lane rip ups!

                                        

New Model Gun Company (MGC)

MGC has undergone alot of turbulence over the recent years, but has managed to hang in there due to dedicated Airsofters and model gun makers & collectors, wouldn't be worth my weight in salt if I didnt mention them somewhere in my blog, didnt get a chance to make it there as this one was a couple more hours on the shinkansen past Osaka from Tokyo, so it's on my books as a mission during my next stay.

How to find an airsoft gun shop & target range in Tokyo or Osaka, Japan

(Picture of Echigoya Suehirocho 2F)

Ok so now we've covered the basics its time to go for a shoot. Where? I hear you ask. I remember my first time to Tokyo, Japan and it was a little confusing with limited Japanese and no understanding of Japanese written word it comes down to what what your tour guide has booked you or your own adventures coupled with a bit of internet searching and brochure/review reading.

If you do your internet searching and airsoft gun review reading you may come across Tokyo Marui Blogspot where I can become you tour guide and adventure provider!

Now this is part where I must say after a bit of crafty searching and giving the locals a bit of a hard time I made my way to the first of two Echigoya Gun & Military stores in Suehirocho. From here I quizzed what appeared to be the manager who passed me off to one of his english speaking counterparts who gave me a map to Asobit City in Akihabara and a map for the Echigoya store in Okubo, of which turned out to me my two main places for target practice and both have a different setup and feel which I will explain below.

Target Range #1 - Echigoya Okubo

Closest Station: Okubo JR Station (Chuo Local Yellow Line)

Directions:

Leave via the south exit and proceed up the diagonal left road and when you come to the main road, look left and there it is.

Target Range #2 - Akihabara - Aso Bit City


Closest Station: Akihabara JR Station (Yamanote Green Line)
                        Akihabara Tokyo Metro Station (Hibya Grey Line)

Directions:

If you were to come out to the Akihabara Electric Town exit, you would follow the strip to the left till it ends, take another left and 50 metres down there is Aso Bit City in Seven floors of glory. 6F is Gun shop and also takes registration/booking for the target range on the 7F.

This video is taken from Akihabara Tokyo Metro Station as that was most convenient for me to get there, either way as you can see there is a big block circling the JR station so this range is an easy to find location

Target Range #3 - Osaka - First Gun & Surplus Pro Shop

Closest Station: Osaka City Subway Nagata Station (Chuo Green Line)

Directions: Proceed out of exit 3 to your right (There should be a Sunkus store if your headed in the correct direction) and head up three or so blocks until you see First store and shooting range on the right hand corner, see below for maps

Target Range #4 - Yokohama - PCM Shooting Range

Closest Station: Sotetsu Rail Wadamachi Station - Connect from Yokohama JR station

Directions: Is not to be confused by the 'Tsutaya' marking on google maps, rest assured this is Wadamachi station. You are pretty much forced onto an overhead bridge which sends you in the right direction which is a small bridge with an overarching 'Wadamachi' sign. Follow this road up and before you hit the end of the road you will notice small signage on the right hand side beckoning you to the third floor of said building for some hardcore airsoft action!