Introduction
My wife and I have come to an agreement. It isn’t overly complicated, but it is a bit restrictive. After years of having the freedom to pick and choose from multiple partners she has decided that there can only be one… one of each type that is. So I had to make the hard call; do I keep the RECCE around or do I let her go so I can mess around with the newest Marui release? It didn’t take long to decide. I rolled a quick tear, wrote a Dear Jane, packed up my RECCE, and sold her off to make room for the Marui HK416D. Curious to know how the new affair is going? Read on…

You look familiar. Have I seen you before? Oh yeah I remember. You look like my next carbine!

Am I the only one that despises unboxing videos? In the spirit of said disgust, I will keep this section relatively short.
Nothing has changed with Marui’s basic packaging. Photo of the HK416D on the cardboard box, details about the overseas patent (now includes Japan, America, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and application to the EPO), an eighteen and over warning, and other tidbits of info. Moving on.

Inside the box we get what we have come to expect from Marui, but there are a couple tiny changes. There are now two velcro straps holding the product in place; one at the stock and one at the hand rail. This is a change from the one strap that Marui used with the M4 and RECCE, and I can only imagine it is to hold the product more securely in place.

The base of the box is a black cardboard rather than a styrofoam, and as with past models, all the extras are hidden in the box to the right, or under the cardboard insert.

With the exception of the extra velcro strap and a few extra stickers, it is a near identical packaging to the RECCE. I was somewhat surprised by the lengths I had to go to get to the catalog, barrel cap, loader, and cleaning rod.

I had to take the inside packaging apart, nearly completely. Maybe Marui has realised that nobody really uses that stuff anyway. I can’t tell if this is a good or bad call on Marui’s part.

If I said “You have a nice body”, would you hold it against me?

One of the big selling points of the recent M4 have been the metal bodies, and the HK416 is no exception. It is very nicely produced with excellent laser engraving on all of the markings. The HK logo is featured prominently in three places, so if you are in a country that has trademark issues, this might cause you some trouble.

On the left side of the receiver, from front to back, is the HK Logo and the rifle name on the mag well. The caliber is also listed as 5.56mm x 45. There are matching serial numbers on the upper and lower receivers, along with the HK logo and some other markings to the left of the upper receiver serial number. The selector switch has the standard HK416 markings for safety, semi, and full auto fire.

On the right side we find the ambi selector, with matching markings. The standard Marui made in Japan markings are also visible on the right side.

Opening the bolt cover reveals the third HK logo on the fake bolt. It’s a nice touch, but purely cosmetic.

The only remaining marking on the body is the Warning to “Read operation manual before use,” found on the front of the mag well. I am not sure if this is on the real steel HK416, but it seems out of place, although it is nicely printed. Speaking of the mag well, it has a very nice flare to it that allows for the use of a number of different magazines, and is cut parallel to the body rather than at an angle like an M4.

The body of the 416 has all the right curves in all the right places. It’s nice to look at, but how is it to touch?

You must be a Snickers, because you satisfy me.

Marui appears to have gone through great pains to copy some of the main features of the HK416. When using the weapon these features become obvious. The HK style grip is comfortable and suits my hands perfectly. This is the first time I have used a carbine and not wished for an instant grip swap. i have always been a fan of the Magpul grip because the M4 grip doesn’t feel comfortable. Not so with the HK416.

The grip also has a different adjustment mechanism. Unlike the M4, the adjustment happens inside the grip. A 1.5mm allen wrench fits in the small hole at the base of the grip and is used to adjust the motor height. I have had trouble in the past with my M4 motor dropping down from the vibrations causing the adjustment screw to come loose. I was able to fix this with some tape on the base of the grip. With the adjustment now on the inside, this might not be a possibility. However, the new design may help prevent the problem in the first place. Time will tell on this one.

The charging handle on the 416 has a release latch that prevents the handle from being racked from the right side only, and makes racking easier with gloves. It is designed to be more pronounced than the latch on the RECCE.

The free floating rail is also very nicely made, and seems very robust. It has position markings on the top, but not on the sides or bottom. There are no other markings.

The rail is held firmly in place by the hand guard lock bolt, and there is no wobble.

The gas block helps keep the barrel secure, and also has a sling mount point on both the left and right. The manual also mentions this being used as the base for a folding front sight.

As with the RECCE and the SCAR-H, the HK 416 has a two way barrel that allows for easy length adjustments. As a result of this set-up the 416 comes stock with a 275mm barrel. Not a fan of the short look.

There is a lot going on under the rail, and I think the exploded diagram in the manual shows it better than I can.

The front and rear sight are functional, and well made, but you have to get real low on the stock to get a good sight picture. I am forced to use Marui Pro Goggles because I wear glasses, so I think it will be very difficult to get low enough to make use of the sights. Anyone wearing a full face mask may have the same problem.

The rear sigh has four aperture windows that can be adjusted with a simple rotation. Height and windage adjustments can also be made simply with a philips (+) driver.

Finally we get to the stock and the battery compartment. The HK416 uses the same proprietary battery as the Sopmod, RECCE, and CQB-R. It is very easy battery to swap out, but I find that the batteries are extremely expensive and not always reliable. They take forever to charge, and seem to die quickly. The good news is that the Lipo conversion kit that I bought for my RECCE works fine, and the small lipo battery fits with no problems. There is also some space below the battery compartment that might be able to hold other batteries with a bit of cutting and tweaking… but I’m not ready to go there yet.

I find the stock comfortable and easy to adjust. Sadly, Marui had to shorten the length of the stock to fit their battery, and this means the Marui HK is shorter than the real steal version. The manual lists the difference as 712mm / 787mm (marui) vs 701mm / 797mm (real steel). If this matters to you, then now you know.

Marui has also released new magazines for the HK416. They are now steel plated and are the same size as HK magazines.

Don’t worry, you can still use your NextGen M4 or SCAR magazines.

I’m not drunk, I’m just intoxicated by you.

It seems that my pick-up lines have been successful in wooing the HK416 back to my place.
I’ll report back with some pillow talk in a few days, just don’t let my wife find out

Introduction
I can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the wide range of customization options. Maybe it’s the layout and ergonomics that just fit. It could just be the way I was raised. Whatever it is, from the day I bought a used Marui 733, I have coveted nearly every M4 I have laid my eyes on. To date I have had no less than ten M4 come and go through my armory. As such, it might come as a a surprise that I no longer own a single one. Actually there is one, and after only a few hours of ownership, it has already become my favorite. Let me tell you why.

Thinking Inside and Outside The Box

The Recce M4 comes in your now standard Tokyo Marui packaging. The light to dark gradient colored box measures 93cm X 32cm x 11cm, and has the RECCE pictured full scale on the top panel. On the top right is the Recoil Shock Next Generation AEG logo. On the bottom right is a short description of the Shoot and Recoil Engine. On the top left we see the Marui logo, and on the bottom left is a declaration of the license agreement in place for usage of the 10″ Daniel Defense Light rail. Interestingly the top panel doesn’t have the patent or the age requirements that are found on the G36C Custom.

Inside the box is as one would expect from Marui. A foam insert in the bottom of the box is cut out to allow the RECCE to sit nicely in the box, with matching Styrofoam on the inside of the lid to keep it safe during transport. As with some of the other Next Generation guns, there is a Velcro strap that keeps the RECCE in place.

Manuals and documentation are on the left, a BLACK magazine is in the middle, and there is a battery charger adapter to the right. Under the battery adapter is a small bag of BBs. The loading tube, cleaning rod, and barrel cap are hidden under the foam insert.

I was surprised to find a black magazine included with the RECCE, but I was told that Marui included it because they didn’t have enough tan stock to include with the RECCE. All their stock is apparently on the shelf, or was used up with the SCAR-L CQC that was released recently. What makes this decision even stranger though is that Marui included tan colored stickers to place on the end of your SOPMOD batteries so that the black batteries don’t look out of place in the Tan stock. They know people are so color conscious that they include stickers or batteries, but not a tan magazine?

There are two manuals, one for the RECCE, and one that covers operation of a regular M4 SOPMOD. I gave these both only a very quick look, but I was immediately drawn to an announcement in the RECCE manual that said they will not be selling the hand guard individually at this time, and that there could be up to a 3 month delay in getting parts. To my surprise the handguard, although not for sale, is listed as costing 21,000 yen to replace. That’s currently 270 USD!

Railed

I knew that I wanted the tan RECCE as soon as it was announced. I owned a KJWorks GBB M4A1 and installed a DD rail on it. I loved that gun. I had tried to put the rail on a Marui SOPMOD and then a SOCOM, but both times the fit seemed off as I didn’t have any barrel spacers. I ended up selling the rail when I sold the GBB, but I really missed it immediately after I sold it. When the RECCE was announced, I knew it could take away the heart ache.

The rail is a 10″ Daniel Defense Light version, and the coloring is a very respectable tan. It isn’t a perfect match to the body, but I have yet to find perfect color matching across brands with anything other than black. The rail itself has a few color blemishes, some scratching, and the welds (if that’s what they are) look a bit ugly, but to be honest I am not too fussed.

The rail is labelled on all four sides from 19 to 39, and “For Marui Airsoft Gun Only” can be found on the bottom of the rail. The gas tube and gas block are included as well. The rail is solid and inspires confidence. There is zero wobble.

A Short Moment of Sadness
One of the big “selling points” of the RECCE has been the quick length change outer barrel. The barrel can be unscrewed just past the gas block to convert it from 16 to 12 inches. I was excited by this feature because I have a Gemtech quick attach compressor that I was going to add to the 12″ set up. Sadly, the gas block gets in the way and I can’t compress the spring inside the Gemtech to actually attach the compressor.

In my opinion the 12″ looks weird, and it really needs a compressor. Otherwise, leave it at 16″. The inner barrel on the RECCE only reaches to 12″, so out of the box the extra outer barrel length is for looks only.

Body Rocking
This is Marui’s first all die cast tan aluminum body. It feels solid, but there are a couple of seam lines visible near the charging handle and some scratching near the front rail bolts. I imagine there was some contact during installation of the rail that caused the scratching, and the seam lines are perhaps more visible because the body is a lighter color.

As for markings, they are the same as we find on the other M4 electric blow backs. On the left we have colt markings that are clean and deep. Under the horse logo is written “PROPERTY OF U.S. GOVT. M41A CARBINE CAL 5.56MM W346074.” Near the fire select switch is written “COLT’S MFG. Co. INC. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.” The fire select has the standard SAFE, SEMI, and FULL markings.

On the right side of the body we find “MADE IN JAPAN TOKYO MARUI CO. LTD” and the ASGK logo.

The only other markings on the RECCE are on the stock, where you will find a serial number and MADE IN JAPAN.

The layout of the receiver is exactly the same as any other Marui next Generation M4. The hop, charging handle, trigger, trigger guard, grip, and mag release are all as one would expect. The only thing I noticed that was any different than the other Next Gen M4 I have owned is that the fire select leaver feels much tighter than I remember. It takes some effort to move from position to position, and it certainly doesn’t feel flimsy. The bolt stop functions like all the Next Gen M4, and will pop when you run out of rounds, and needs to be paddle down before you can fire again. This function is only available with the 82/30 round mags.

After using Magpul grips and trigger guards, the straight trigger guard feels like it is in the way and bites into my finger. I will have to replace both of these as soon as possible.

Pimpin Ain’t Easy
The stock on the RECCE is the same as the SOPMOD stock, and fits a custom battery via a compartment hidden under the butt pad. The pad is removed via two easily accessible tabs, and you would be hard pressed to find an easier or faster battery replacement system on any gun. Up until now there have been only a few options for batteries, and even fewer options for lipo batteries in this stock. Part of my decision to get the RECCE was the discovery of a handy battery converter that allows the usage of 7.2 lipo in the stock battery compartment. Using a custom deans connector built into a battery cap, a small lipo can be attached and slid into the battery compartment. The system seems to work flawlessly out of the box, and only time will tell if the blow back mechanism causes any issues with long term usage.

Some may feel that the 7.2V 800mAh batteries are too small, but for my style of play this is a perfect set-up. With two battery compartments, you can easily have two batteries in place, and do a quick battery swap if needed. I usually fire less than 25 mags a day, so I don’t think I will need more than two batteries. The adapter system seems slick, and I am eager to field it. Cost wise, it is also much more affordable than the proprietary and custom batteries being offered by Marui, Echigoya, and Eagle 6, especially if you already use these batteries with your other guns.

The RECCE comes naked. There are no iron sights, front vertical grip, or any of that stuff. I immediately added some MBUS, an RVG, some XTM rail panels, and a 4X ACOG. I also added a tan surefire on the right hand side. As soon as I get my trigger guard and grip sorted I will be set. It also needs a sling attachment point.

F.F.A.P (Finally Fire, Accuracy, Power)
The RECCE fires like any of the Next Gen M4 guns. The blow back creates solid contact in the shoulder and adds a small touch of realism to firing. After using Next Gen and GBB rifles for the past year and a half, I don’t see myself ever going back to a regular AEG.

Using an Xcortech X3200 chrono I had the following results over 30 shots. The first 15 were with the 16″ outer barrel, and the final 15 were with the 12″ barrel. Why? Because I can.

– 16″ / 12″ –
1. 86.5 / 92.34
2. 94.36 / 91.49
3. 94.56 / 92.34
4. 93.06 / 93.4
5. 92.28 / 92.01
6. 92.34 / 92.75
7. 94.91 / 91.05
8. 92.94 / 91.64
9. 95.15 / 91.13
10. 91.75 / 91.9
11. 93.36 / 92.57
12. 91.97 / 92.45
13. 93.13 / 92.27
14. 92.98 / 92.42
15. 92.23 / 92.27

Average with 16″ barrel: 92.76
Average with 12″ barrel: 91.13

Tests were done with .20 G&G bio BBs with zero hop. These were the first 30 rounds through the gun.

This is a respectable reading, and is just a slight bit more than my G36C Custom, but less than the SCAR-L CQC. This leaves a little room for a tight bore barrel, but a spring upgrade will probably take it over Japanese law (1J).

For my accuracy test I set up a Marui Pro Target at 12 meters. I fired 20 rounds with .28 G&G Bio BBs. The hop dial was turned about 180 degrees, but wasn’t dialed in. The groupings and accuracy were impressive, giving a 2.6cm x 3.7cm grouping after 12 shots. The final 8 rounds were undetectable as they tore through the black area of the target and I wasn’t able to track them. They all fell within the same area though.

I am probably going to add a slack bore inner barrel. The shop owner that delivered the RECCE to me sells a 6.23mm bore barrel, and I am eager to see how this improves accuracy and distance. Coupled with a firefly hop, I am expected great things!

Conclusion
I am an M4 slave. After owning 2 SOPMODS and a SOCOM I knew right away that I had to have the RECCE. Initial impressions indicate I wasn’t wrong, or that I have a real problem. I think the New Gen platform is fantastic, and the RECCE looks and feels solid. I’m not stressed by the little imperfections in the receiver and rail. To the contrary, I know that it will get banged up eventually, and the little dings and scratches just add to the look. I am extremely relieved to be free of the SOPMOD battery, as it means that all of my guns are on lipo or gas power. Cost wise, buying the rail separately might be an option, but you wouldn’t have the tan body. By time you also bought the gas block and gas tube, pulled a SOPMOD/SOCOM apart, and installed the rail yourself, you might be at the same cost as buying the RECCE. My only complaint is the black magazine. It’s no where near a deal breaker, but it does seem like a weird decision. If you are in the market for a Next Generation M4 then I would highly recommend the RECCE. You might need to buy a couple extras to get you going, but the pain of the initial cost will be quickly replaced by the recoil induced sh!t eating grin. Like BA would say, “get one fool!”

A huge thank you to Teru from ORGA for bringing me the RECCE at 11:30 PM on a national holiday!

Introduction
I have always had a love/hate relationship with the G36C. The first time I bought one I enjoyed the feel and look of it, but the mags were such a hassle to find pouches for. I also felt like a hypocrite as I made it clear to my team mates from the beginning that I would NEVER own a gun with a folding stock, and they were lesser men for having them on their Sig 552 and MP5 RAS lol!

That was a few years ago, and after buying and selling no less than 5 G36 rifles, I am still fighting the good fight with the G36C. You could imagine the surprise when I awoke from a lust induced stupor with my sixth G36 taking up space in the gun rack. Oh, but this one’s different…

Thinking inside and outside the box
The G36C Custom comes in you standard Tokyo Marui packaging. The black cardboard box measures 93cm X 32cm x 11cm, and has graphical details split into thirds on the top panel. To the left is a Next Generation AEG logo consisting of a hand holding a lightening bolt. In the middle of the box is the Tokyo Marui company logo, a picture of the G36C Custom, and some marketing and legal info. This includes the battery recommendations, the 18 and over only warning, as well as the announcement that this is the 13th gun in the Next Gen series. On the right is the Recoil Shock logo and a sticker on the bottom right reveals that the gun is internationally patented in the USA, China, Japan, and other areas of the world. This sticker has started to appear on many of their recent recoil guns.

Inside the box is as one would expect from Marui. A foam insert in the bottom of the box is cut out to allow the G36C to sit nicely in the box, with matching styrofoam on the inside of the lid to keep it safe during transport. As with some of the other Next Gen guns, there is a velcro strap that keeps the G36 in place.

To the right of the G36C are two manuals and your usual catalog and shooting targets. An 8 panel fold out manual covers the G36C specific details, while a regular G36K manual covers all the details that are shared between the two models. Below the G36C is a box labelled with the Tokyo Marui logo.This is where the BBs and muzzle cap are usually located. Not in this box. This is the G36C Custom!

To the left of the G36 is a vertical box that sits higher than than rest. On the top half of this box you will find the rubber grip that slips over the pistol grip. On the bottom half of this box you will find the short vertical front grip. It’s also inside this box that you will find BBs, a couple hex wrenches (3mm and 2.5mm), and some washers and bolts to adjust the height of the cheek rest. Custom! Hidden underneath the G36C is a loading tube and cleaning rod.

Cheeky
The G36C Custom sets itself apart from most guns in Tokyo Marui’s catalog by incorporating an adjustable cheek rest. The cheek rest is held in place by two screws that screw into the top. When removed, the cheek rest is a two-piece plastic unit stacked together. You can add a 3mm or a 6mm spacer in-between the two pieces to raise the cheek rest. Although it isn’t stated in the manual, you can combine the spacers to get almost a full centimeter extra height. Tokyo Marui includes the allen wrench and two longer screws to accommodate the height change. Adding or removing spacers takes about 3 or 4 minutes, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it at the field as the small black spacers are bound to go missing. I think Marui plans on people setting the height that is best for them and then just leaving it as is. The cheek pad is plastic, so it isn’t super comfortable, but it is an improvement over the old G36C, especially if you are using magnified kit on your top rail.

The G36C Custom comes with the standard folding stock. Pushing the stock release button on the left allows it to swing to the right. It snaps onto a stock catch tab that holds it securely in place. A strong tug on the stock pulls it off the catch tab and allows it to swing back into place. I found that the stock was stiff on the return, and I had to apply a bit more leverage than I am used to in order to snap it back into the stock’s original position. There was also a coating of what I assume was silicon grease on the bottom of the stock that I needed to wipe down as it started to collect dust and smear from the moment I took it out of the box.

The stock also has four holes in it that are meant to hold the body pins when taking down the G36C. This is mainly cosmetic as the only true take down pin is the one that holds the front hand guard in place.

The distance from the trigger to the butt of the stock is almost 33cm, which is the same as an M4 stock in the 4th position. It just so happens that I run my m4 in this position, so the sizing and feel of the G36 when shouldered is a nice fit.

Moving up the left hand side of the G36C there is a sling mount directly forward and above the folding stock catch. Directly below this is a body pin. On the Marui version of the G36C this is a dummy pin, and can not be removed. Don’t go trying to push it out!

Get A Grip
Just past the sling mount and body pin we discover the firing selector, pistol grip and trigger. The firing selector is an ambidextrous, three position unit, with positions for safety, semi, and full auto. Unlike the M4, that has a 180 degree pivot from safety to full auto, the G36 dial only has a 90 degree throw. The fire selector on the G36 is crisp and snaps into each position cleanly. In the past I have had issues with the H&K style fire selector coming loose and not falling into position cleanly. I am hoping I don’t have these issues with the G36 Custom.

The standard grip is a hard plastic that I don’t find super comfortable. Luckily, one of the custom accessories included with the G36 is a rubber grip cover with finger channels. After running MAID grips on my M4, this is a welcome addition to the G36. The cover is applied on the grip and has enough give in it that it can be moved up or down to fit the user’s preference. This cover makes a huge difference. The finger channels are comfortable, and the G36 just feels better with this thing on. A word of warning, the rubber cover can be difficult to install, and the included manual suggests that you use some soapy water. They mention in the same manual that soapy water can cause the rubber to break down. This thing is 1,890 yen ($25), plus shipping, to replace so I wouldn’t force it.

The trigger guard is boxy with a curve where it meets the grip. This allows your middle finger (assuming you fire with your index finger) to slot in nice and tight. The trigger is as one would expect. You pull it, it fires, you hear people yelling hit. To the front of the trigger is a fake bolt catch release button. Sadly Tokyo Marui haven’t found a way to make the G36 series lock back like they have with the M4 versions.

The magazine release lever is below and to the front of the trigger on the outside of the trigger guard, where it meets the mag well. It feels a little tight, but magazines engage with a very positive click. It might be because my G36C is still brand new, but the magazines will not drop on their own when the release latch is pushed. You might not be able to rock your tacticool magazine changes because of this because you can’t flick the mags out with some high speed wrist trickery. Just saying.

The magazine of the G36 is the bane of my airsoft existence. Can someone please update these things. One 40 round regular magazine is included. It is the standard Tokyo Marui G36 Magazine with dummy bullets and C clips for attaching magazines to each other. The magazine is sturdy and well built, and the BBs feed with no issues. Due to the distance from the magazine to the nozzle, about three BBs are left in the mag well feeding tube. There is no bolt lock function on the G36 Custom, so the magazines have no extras bits on them. It’s nice to not have to buy custom magazines for the G36 blowback series, but I would be willing to if that meant lock back and magazines that could fit in pouches without getting caught on the C clips and attachment nubs. Hours of MAGPUL reload drills, and for what? Damn you G36 magazines!

The left hand markings are also in this area. They read…

Movin’ on Up Shorty
Past the magazine well we get to the hand guard. The G36C Custom has the same sized hand guard as the previously released G36C (non-blow back) but the custom now comes with three full length rails for accessories. The added real estate is a welcome addition to the G36 Custom, and it also saves the user from having to buy extra rails. I feel this also adds positive weight to the gun, which previously felt a bit light in the front. I tried to fit my WE G36 RAS onto the G36C but it didn’t fit. I wasn’t expecting it to, but it was worth a try.

The second accessory included with the G36 Custom is a short vertical fore grip. By all accounts it is a standard Tango Down style QD stubby fore grip with a dual bar mounting system. There are two bars inside the grip that lock into the grooves of the G36′s rails. You slide it on by pulling down on the spring weighted tabs that pull down the bars. Or so I thought. Try as I might, I couldn’t pull down on these tabs. Turns out, this is a Knights type fore grip disguised as a stubby. You unscrew the bottom of the grip and this allows the bars to drop. After sliding it into position you tighten the bottom, and it is held in place. I think Tokyo Marui should have gone with one design or the other, not this confusing and pointless hybrid. Perhaps they thought that people would replace it anyway. If that’s the case, just don’t include it and save me a few yen.

At the front of the gun, past the hand guard, is the flash hider. This is a Tokyo Marui standard CCW threaded 4 prong hider. It screws off easily and is not held in place with a grub screw. There is a rubber washer where the flash hider meets the outer barrel. A silencer is easily installed, and the rubber washer keeps the silencer from contacting the hand guard.

The only real difference on the right hand side of the G36 is the ejection port. This can be opened by pulling on the charging handle, which sits in-between the top mount rail and the body of the G36.

The charging handle can swing left or right, and can be held in place by push in on the handle when it has been swung left or right 90 degrees. Pulling back on the charging handle opens the ejection port 3 or 4cm. Behind the ejection port is the hop-up dial. The ejection port can’t be locked in place, so you will have to manipulate the hop-up with one hand while pulling on the charging handle with the other.

The Tokyo Marui hop-up is easy to adjust, and is very effective. Time will tell if the unit falls out of true as a result of the vibration introduced by the blowback system, but at this point it seems sturdy.

The other markings are on the right hand side and they read…

Along the top of the weapon is the one piece aluminum rail. It measures 32.5cm, and does not include front or rear iron sights. There is enough real estate on the rail to install MBUS style sights, an Eotech, and a laser unit up front. If you enjoy pimpin your guns as much as you enjoy playing with them, than the G36C Custom is ready to accommodate you.

Locked and Loaded
Installing a battery into the G36C is fairly easy. Simply remove the hand guard pin and gently slide the hand guard off by pulling it towards the flash hider. Inside you will see the tamiya connector, fuse, and a curved plastic lip to sit your battery on. There is also a small metal hook that you can use to hang extra battery cable on. Tokyo Marui recommends an 8.4 volt 1300mAh miniS battery. I was able to fit a small 7.4 Lipo easily, and a longer one with a bit of squeezing. Players should have no problems fitting a wide range of lipo batteries in the hand guard.

When you have the hand guard off you will see the gas piston. This is the source of the recoil. When the trigger is pulled, an aluminum block on the top of the mech box pulls the piston along a guide rod. The spring pushes the piston back into place, independent from the mechbox, after each shot, causing the blow back effect. The gas piston on the G36C is shorter than on the G36K (as one would expect). I haven’t fired a G36K, but I wonder if the shorter gas piston rod makes for a stronger or weaker recoil?

Once the battery is in, gently slide the hand guard back on. I find inverting the gun helps, as the batteries and wires often have a habit of falling out of place and getting in the way of the hand guard as it tries to slot back into place. If you are having trouble, don’t force it. Pull it apart again and make sure the battery isn’t in the way. I also find that the flash hider can sometimes get in the way, so make sure you aren’t sliding the hand guard on at a weird angle.

Now that we have our battery in, let’s fire the thing already!

F.F.A.P (Finally Fire, Accuracy, Power)
My initial impression when firing the G36C on semi-auto was that there was much less recoil than the M4 series. After switching back and forth a few times, I realized that the recoil wasn’t more or less as much as just different. It is all very subjective, but I feel the G36C more in the front hand, and the M4 in the shoulder. Switch to full auto and the blowback becomes much more noticeable and exponentially more enjoyable. I could definitely feel the front end start to wobble.

Using an Xcortech X3200 chrono I had the following results…

1. 92.08
2. 91.02
3. 90.87
4. 91.67
5. 91.09
6. 90.8
7. 91.34
8. 91.13
9. chrono error
10. chrono error
11. 90.12
12. 91.27
13. 92.3

Average = 91.24

This is a respectable reading, and is just a slight bit more than my Sopmod tested at when I first got it. This leaves a little room for a tight bore barrel, but a spring upgrade will probably take it over Japanese law (1J).

For my accuracy test I set up a Marui Pro Target at 12 meters. After sighting my dot, I fired two sets of five rounds for 10 shots in total. This was with .20 Marui BBs and the hop untouched. The first 5 rounds gave a grouping of 4.6cm x 5.4cm. The second set of rounds came in much tighter with a 2.9cm x 3.0cm grouping.

This was after about 500 random rounds fired while testing the blowback, adjusting my dot, and getting a feel for the gun. There were no fliers. The G36C shares the same barrel as the AKS74U, and comes in at 260mm. I imagine both power and accuracy would improve with a tight bore barrel and I will try both a 260mm Prometheus and a 363mm Madbull Python (hidden with a silencer).

Conclusion
The G36C Custom is an enjoyable gun with a grin inducing recoil. I wouldn’t put the blowback anywhere near my WE G36C GBB, but over the course of writing this review (past 4 days) I keep sneaking down stairs whenever I have a chance to fire a couple more magazines. I don’t think that there is any real added value to the custom part of the package, and I could probably do without the vertical fore grip and the cheek rest. The rubber grip on the other hand is excellent, and I will try and find one for my WE G36 as well. At nearly $25 though I am hoping I can find a more affordable option.

I have already ordered my M4 magwell/magazine adapter. As much as I love the G36C, I hate the magazines more.

So my verdict?
The recoil, rubber grip, and healthy battery space combined with the accuracy and power (for Japan’s 1J law) make the G36C a keeper. I am neutral on the fore grip and cheek rest, as I will remove them and use something else eventually. The only real minus on the G36C is the magazine. I just don’t like clipping them together, and they are a both an eyesore and a pain to use during a game. I also miss the lock back function found on the M4 series. I would recommend this gun to someone looking for their first recoil engine gun, but not their first airsoft weapon. The extra cost for the battery, the sights, and the mags make it overly expensive, but if you have those things kicking around already, then this gun is for you. If you are an M4 enthusiast ,or want a weapon that is a bit more realistic, I would have to say the M4 series wins out in this respect. On the other hand, if you are a fan of the G36C then this is a great investment. You just might find yourself unable to go back to a regular sewing machine, I mean AEG, after using a blowback.

Click For Photo Gallery

My Tokyo Marui H&K USP has been in my collection longer than any of my other airsoft guns. It quickly became an indoor favourite. With a 100 round magazine, top and bottom rail adapters, and a Tokyo Marui tracer, it was usually all I needed for a quick trip to the local indoor field.

When researching the USP, I read that the regular micro battery was sluggish, and only lasted around 500 rounds. I decided to forgo the regular battery and go with a Tokyo Marui Pro-Light attached to the bottom rail. I witnessed the difference immediately when other members of my team bought their USPs and decided to go with the mini battery rather than the Pro-Light to save costs. The Pro-Light does have the obvious benefit of being a tactical light. It is easy to reach the light engagement switch. It is bright, and responsive. You will feel and hear the USP firing cycle slow when you engage the light as power is drawn away from the motor to power the light. An optional pressure switch is available for the Pro-Light, but it uses the same attachment point as the USP power adapter, so you can’t use them at the same time.

There are a few issues with the Pro-Light that make it just short of perfect. The weight shifts substantial to the front when the Pro-Light is attached to the USP. This extra weight doesn’t just affect the USP when it is drawn. The Pro-Light also adds bulk and size to the USP, making it difficult to holster. With the weight of the Pro-Light the USP constantly creeps deeper and deeper into a multi-holster. When you go to reach for the USP, it has often slid down too far to make a clean, quick draw.

Charging is another issue. The charger that is included with the Pro-Light drains the battery first and then charges it. The charging cycle always seems to take six hours. If the battery dies during a game it isn’t going to be charged and ready any time soon. You’ll have to remember to charge it the night before.

With these issues is mind, I have always been on the look out for a better battery solution for the USP. Something small enough to fit in the regular battery area inside the frame, but with enough power to keep the gun responsive and power reliable.

Yesterday I picked up a custom lipo battery build from Trigger Talk. Trigger Talk is an indoor field in North West Saitama, and happens to be where Gunsmith Baton does his repair work. I had seen the custom battery on their homepage a few times, but never bothered to try and get one because the lipo battery needed to attach to the end cap of a regular 7.4v 500mAh USP battery. I had never bought one, and though it was a waste to buy one just to hack it up. Ron was kind enough to donate a dead USP battery to me last week, and we both decided to try the lipo battery mod for the USP.

When I tested it yesterday, I immediately noticed how responsive the USP was. There was also a distinctively different sound to the gun firing. This told me it was either faster or slower than the Pro-Light. For the first time since buying my USP almost 18 months ago, I am free from that bulky, heavy Pro-Light.

If you have already invested in a lipo set up like I have, this battery makes perfect sense. I am now completely free of other battery types! I still have to try the USP for a full day to see how many rounds I get out of the lipo battery, but there are already very obvious benefits. Charging time is much faster, and the USP itself is lighter and feels better balanced.

I would highly recommend this mod / custom battery to anyone that enjoys their electric pistols, but is frustrated at the other battery options out there.

Here are the details of each battery set. I haven’t included the cost of chargers unless they are specific to the battery. I have also included some brief notes on each battery type.

Tokyo Marui 7.4v 500mA Micro Battery
Cost per Battery: ¥1,890
Battery Specific Charger: ¥1,575
Adapter for Regular Charger: ¥693
Notes: At 500mAh, this battery only lasts around 500 rounds, which will be fine for a secondary weapon that you use once or twice during a full day skirmish. You will need a few if this is your primary indoor weapon.

Tokyo Marui Pro-Light
Pro-Light: ¥7,859
Under Mount Rail: ¥772
Notes: The Pro-Light comes with the charger and the battery adapter. The Pro-Light is a 7.4v 1100mAh battery, and will outlast the regular micro battery if you aren’t using it as a flashlight as well. Rounds per second come in at 15 rps.

Trigger Talk Lipo
Old Micro Battery: ¥1,890
LiPo: ¥1,500
Conversion: ¥1,050
Notes: The lipo is a very small 7.4v 350mAh 20C battery. It installs quickly and easily, much like a standard micro battery. Rounds per second come in at 17 rps.

Click for Video

I’ve recently decided to jump on the LiPo band wagon.

I have bought and used PEQ and D-Bal type battery boxes, but really don’t like the look and bulk of them. I would prefer to have my batteries out of the way, either in the hand guard or the stock pipe. With a couple of my guns I realized I wouldn’t be able to get a regular battery to fit, so I decided it was time to make a complete switch to LiPo batteries.

I have read a bit about them online, but wanted to see for my self if they were more responsive, faster, and more powerful than what I had been using up until now.

My Metal Gear Solid M4 just came back from the shop a few days ago. It was rewired to the rear so that I could use my new LiPo in the sock pipe. So let’s see how these batteries differ.

First up is an 8.4V, 1600 mAh milliampere-hour. The cells are made by Atlantis, and I bought the battery from Echigoya fro about 4,000 yen. This battery fired 63 rounds in 2.92 seconds for a fire rate of 21.57 rounds per second.

Next up was an 8.4V, 1400 mAh milliampere-hour stick battery. The cells are made by Intellect, and I was given this battery with a Tokyo Marui Uzi. The battery can be bought from Echigoya for about 4,000 yen. This battery fired 63 rounds in 3.19 seconds for a fire rate of 19.74 rounds per second.

Third we have a 7.4V, 1000 mAh milliampere-hour 10C LiPo battery from Socom Gear. I bought this battery from Redwolf Airsoft for 50.00 US, plus shipping. It”s a bit over priced, but it was the first LiPo I bought, and I didn’t know better at the time. This battery fired 61 rounds in 3.09 seconds for a fire rate of 19.74 rounds per second…exactly the same as the 8.4 stick type battery.

My Fourth battery is a 7.4V, 800 mAh milliampere-hour 20C battery from EnRoute. I bought this battery from Gunshop Baton when they fixed my M4 a few days ago. This smaller one was about 1800 yen. A much better price. This battery fired 40 rounds in 1.81 seconds for a fire rate of 22 rounds per second.

Sadly this battery destroyed my internals.

It would seem to me that a 7.4 v LiPo will perform very similar to regular 8.4 battery. The rate of fire for a 10C, 1000 mAh seems to be very consistent with an common 8.4v type battery. The 20C battery just seemed to rip through the BBs, but I wonder if it will also rip through my pocket book as I keep replacing gears. I intentionally fired through a full magazine for the sake of testing, but I usually don’t play full auto, so hopefully I won’t experience these types of failures too often.

I had a 3rd LiPo, a 1200 mAh, 20C LiPo. I wonder how it would have performed? I might be too scared to find out.

I guess it’s time to send the M4 back for a 3rd rebuild.

I was warned!
When I first started looking around airsoft forums and asking questions about a custom build I was constantly met with a resounding, “Don’t do it!” I was told custom builds were expensive, time consuming, and frustrating.

I did it anyway.

I decided that if I was going to custom build something, it might as well be a gun that I couldn’t buy elsewhere, and that was going to be some what original, and personal to me. When I first started playing MGS4 I instantly fell in love with the looks and style of the custom M4. I soon decided that this would be my custom build. There were a couple of posts around the web with people that had built this already, and a parts list available on a Canadian airsoft forum. I had some parts kicking around from a used purchase that didn’t work out, so I bought the parts that I thought I would need.

Many of the custom M4 builds were based on the M4 shown in pre-game promo pictures and video. Some of the parts shown in the promotional videos and pictures, like the EOTech dot sight, weren’t available in the game, so I decided to build based on what I used in the game.

I made 3 orders online from 3 different stores,
RSOV, WGC, and Redwolf Airsoft.
See here for reviews on each of these shops.

The complete parts list looked like this…

Stock – King Arms 6 Position Stock (Tan / Pipe Without Marking)
Receiver – ‘Dboys’ metal M4 body kit (M-28 plain)
Grip – G&P M16A2 Grip with Heat Sink End Set ( Sand )
Rear Sight – DBoys 40L Rear Sight
Front Sight – Action PRI Flip Up Sight for M4 Series
Hand Guard – VFC M4 Carbine Length Free Floating RAS
Outer Barrel – ‘Dboys’ M4 aluminum outer barrel
Inner barrel – Madbull Black Python 6.03mm (455mm)
Hop-Up – Madbull Ultimate 3-in-1 Hop-Up Unit
Battery: Angs 9.6 battery
Compressor: TM Knights Type
Magazines: TM M16 Standard Size

I had a V2 mechbox and motor kicking around, so used these for the build.

The only real problem I had initially was getting the Plain Receiver. When I initially ordered it from RSOV they sent me a KA Markings type by accident, even the the box was for the plain one. The sent me a replacement, but this was the bottom half only, and ended up being a different colour. They then sent me the top half of the receiver, but this had a charging handle spring that was too long. To top it off a plastic piece at the from on the charging handle was broken. Luckily I still had the old one they sent me, so I was able to swap it around.

I ordered parts on December 4th, and finally had them all sorted by mid-February! So much for a winter holiday project.

So now that it is built, there are a few small issues that I am trying to get sorted.
- I tried a number of different mags with it, and the TM type seem to work best. I am OK with this though as they look the most like the weapon I am trying to copy.
- The outer barrel wobbles a bit, but I have been told that this is common (normal) for a floating system.
- The Hop-up unit seems to misfeed every now and then. I don’t know if this is because I have the madbull hop-up built wrong, or if there is something else happening, but I need to figure this out.
- I decided to place the battery in a fake PEQ laser box at the front. This is similar to how it is set up in MGS4. The battery connectors don’t line up real well though, so I might have to re-wire it.

There are also 2 things that don’t match the MGS4 game set-up. The mounting style for the red dot is a forward type, which is different from the game. The foregrip is a bit shorted that the one in the game, but this is because I really don’t like the length of the game version…what were they thinking

I have had a chance to shoot about 200 rounds through it, and I am generally happy with it. I really like the weight and balance of the weapon, and with the stock out to it’s 4th or 5th position it fits like a glove. I can get a clean cheek weld, and the weapon is quick and responsive. the 9.6V battery gives a good ROF, and it chronographs at a respectable 96m/s with no hop, and about 93 with the hop-up turned on.

Now that I have done it, I don’t think that I will custom build again. At over 60,000 yen I could have spent my money on a complete gun with some serious upgrades, but with the cost of full metal parts here in Japan, I don’t feel that it was too bad. At the end of the day, I have a custom gun that I have wanted to own for at least a year. All I need now is a good set of octo-cam!

Chrono and accuracy tests coming soon!

Tokyo Marui M733

The Maruzen P99 might have been my first gun, but the 733 was my first love.

After owning my P99 for a few months I started to lust after something bigger and meaner. With an indoor field about half an hour from my house, I thought the M733 would be a wise choice.

I bought the M733 for about 8,000 yen off a Japanese auction site. It came with a battery and a mag. I bought a charger and some other gear at a retailer in Shinjuku and was ready for my first game with a rifle.

I loved it! The size made it perfect for moving quickly and effectively through the tight spaces, and I was able to keep my barrel in close to prevent it from giving away my position. The stock fit nicely when extended to it’s 3rd position, and the short front end kept it managable and quick to aquire targets.

I found battery changes to be a little awkward and the battery type was limited by the hand guard. Being all plastic, the gun also made squeeks and other noises when used. I was unaware of the hop up and it’s usage at this stage in my game, so don’t recall having any isues cause I never accessed it.

I originally didn’t like the carrying handle on the gun as it was non removable and seemed to be in the way. I bought a small dot sight to mount on the carrying handle, and looking back, I realize that the height was almost perfect for my size. I wear a full face mask as I can’t find anything else to fit over my glasses. This makes it hard to get low on the stock so the handle mounted sight made it much easier.

The M733 tested in at about 86 m/s, which was perfect for the 90 meters per second indoor rule at my local CQB field.

After owning the weapon for about 3 months I discovered it had a crack in the body running from one side of the trigger guard to the opposite side mag release lever. I was crushed! I spoke to the local shop and they explained that I could replace it with a metal receiver, but the price seemed extreme, and although I loved this gun, I was still young and not yet ready to settle down with just on partner…it was time for something new and exciting. I put the M733 back online and sold it for about the same price as I had paid.

The M733 was an amazing gun for indoors. I would highly recommend it, and would consider buying another one…although the Tokyo Marui Variation Series M933 could serve the same purpose with more modern colours.

Click to watch a shooting test video I made when I sold it on a Japanese auction site.

Then, about 18 months ago, a guy I work with suggested we make a bad movie about cops, gangsters, or zombies…didn’t matter, as whatever the plot, we would need prop guns. It was time to go shopping! I bought the Maruzen Walther P99 while my buddies picked up handguns from KSC. It had begun.

The P99 felt great in my hand, with a balanced weight distribution and a solid feel. As this was my first gun, I bought used. This was a mistake. Seems the Maruzen mags suffer from quality issues, and the mag release can become worn which doesn’t allow the mag to sit high enough in the mag well. I bought the P99 in June and played with it extensively for a few months. I would usually get a single mag between gas refills. Once it got cold out the gun became useless. By October the gun would hardly get five or six shots off before the gas would psssst out off the mag. I posted some YouTube vidoes asking for help and it looked like the mags were causing the issues. I decided to sell the P99 and it sold almost immediately for just under what I paid for it. They buyer wrote that it worked great and that he was pleased with gun

I had yet to get into airsoft gaming so I had no knowledge or interest in power, accuracy beyond five to six meters, or any of the other details that would be so obvoisly important to a review.

The P99, while unreliable, was fun to shoot, and was the catalyst that got me into airsoft.

Here are the relevant details…

Type: Indoor warehouse CQB
Location: Taxi, bus, or long walk from Shintokorozawa Station on the Seibu-Shinjuku Line, Saitama

Schedule:
Mon – Fri: 14:00 – 00:00
Sat & Sun: 12:00 – 22:00
CLOSED Thursday

Regulations:
.98J with .2g BB
BLAM recently updated their power regulation as new guns are starting to be more powerful out of the box. They used to have a .8J limit (90m/s) but you can now use guns all the way up to .98J! However, any gun shooting over .8J has to use .16 or .12 gram BBs.

BLAM has public games on the second and third Saturday as we as the fourth Sunday of every month. This is an open house where all players show up and create two mixed teams that play against each other from 10:00 until 17:00. From 17:00 until closing they allow free play.

Their regular game system is to have people show up as a team and play as your own group or, if willing, against another team. Games are based on a 15 minute rotation, so you get more games if you play against another team, but if there are too many teams you can get stuck in a 2 or 3 game rotation and only play for 15 minutes per hour

Solo players are welcome and will get assigned to a team.

Rentals are available for 500 yen a day. This does not include BBs

Cost is 500 yen per 15 minute game or 3500 for the entire day (500 yen off if you reserve 3 days in advance with their online booking system).

They also offer a weekday evening discount rate…
1500 yen from 18:00 – 00:00
1000 yen from 21:00 – 00:00.

They also have some regular scheduled events on weekends like APS cup practice, Action shooting, target range shooting, etc.

Check their HP (Japanese only) for more details.