Tokyo Marui GLOCK 18C AEP

15. 02. 2005

Since I devote active in airsoft, always was dispute about, which weapon has most effective system that is most appropriate for the game. On one side were supporters of automatic electric guns (AEG)...

For their benefit talk advantage of long guns in battles mainly in open areas, large magazine capacity, high precision and possibility for upgrade, however at the other side was the high consumption of ammunition, occasional insufficiency of magazines, load to upgrade parts and of course weaker maneuverability indoors. In contrast, fans of GAS powered guns can boast great flexibility in buildings, high muzzle velocity, in the case of BlowBack systems realism feeling of shooting, but against high GAS consumption, relatively low magazine capacities and inability to play at lower temperatures. The third group - a group of spring powered gun users not suffer problems in the winter, or weakness battery capacity. If they did not want to invest in AEG, or GAS powered gun, was their weakness need to drag the gun before each shot and thus inability to achieve superiority in firepower. Everyone therefore subconsciously feel the need for an missing intermediate that would first two groups gave the opportunity to a quality secondary weapon small size and the third group gave a chance to get semi and/or full-automatic weapon with low constitutive and operating costs.

The first time there were reports that the Japanese company Tokyo Marui prepares for airsoft market an electric pistol Glock18C, with the possibility of a semi and Full-auto shooting, I had mixed feelings on this. This contributed both rumors like: "It's strong like a big automatic electric gun...", "The range has to be equal AEG .." or "It will compete with revolvers BlowBack ... 'crown put all the references to the alleged "electric BlowBack" in which I remembered Marui series Electric BlowBack, which was actually the predecessor Boys guns - airsoft replica, a low-velocity, designed for children to play, which took energy of the pencil bateries and BlowBack snarling transformer on the flywheel. The total energy below 0.1 Joule says maybe it all. From rumors and hasty conclusions, I left things free course and I prefer to wait until the first Automatic Electric Pistol (AEP) will arrive in Slovakia and will be in my hands.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I think has become my habit reviews that is always within the password PACKAGING SELLS, I pause first at the packaging. And that was at the Tokyo Marui always in which to pause, it's a fact. In the case of first automatic electric pistol I got immediately slap " in the door". At the Glock 18C there it's not really worth it. Black box with the technical drawings in the background and a small cut electricity of gun at the forefront on me did not impress. Another culture shock for you, that paragraph of text at the top of the box you can read just FULL - SEMI AUTO Glock 18C, Hop-Up VERSION and then just snippets like: fixed ... .. 15, 18 ... 50 m ... 1 ... BOX ... PAT.P ... 18 ... and I'm telling you, it starts pretty...

After opening the box to me looked a tiny 7.2V 200mAh baterry, kind minicharger, a small bag of BB's - all nicely packaged in paper block and the weapon itselves with a stick for cleaning the barrel. Once the primary problem would be charger, as it is not adapted to Central European standards and norms. I say / I write the intention that it would be ... Fortunately, because the importer will automatically chrging dock-station for baterry rework to the standard charging connector, known from AEG. (Note. AirsoftGuns.cz - currently the gun manufacturer supply package without charger and without battery. Package contains only weapon!!!)

I was still in embarrassment and uncertainty, but when I removed electrical eighteen out of the box, properly looked around and heft, uncertainty was all gone. In the first warm rays of spring sun seems Glock a real "masterpiece", taken to the limit, beautiful in its simplicity, its obvious and perfect nature was a living proof of the technical mastery of people from Tokyo Marui. Clean lines finely sandblasted body weapons, faithfully depicted roughened handle, double safety trigger, metal label with serial number, frame in version "railed frame" for mounting tactical accessories or beautiful imitation frosted surface finding as a real Glock, including original callouts on body of slide makes eighteen irresistible. Too good impressed leaves this news in hand - almost gram exact weight as real gun - 678 grams - is more than convincing perhaps because in a both real and airsoft the weight concentrated mainly in the handle double-breasted magazine in real guns, magazine and motor in airsoft guns, and also in front part of gun: barrel, guide rod with a spring force in a real gun minibaterry at Marui airsoft copies.

This is semi and fullauto gun, there is also shooting mode switch, for me left-hander, unfortunately only on the left side of the slide. The fact that the safety of Japanese products to the paying attention demonstrated by the low block trigger lock, hidden on the right side of the gun in the form of tiny lever on the original gun or GAS Glock 26 and 26 Advance serve to disassembly. A spring powered Glock 17 that also serves a fuse, but it is reversible, on the left side 18C is fixed.

LOOK UNDER THE HOOD

Disassembly little electric pistol is very simple - after pressing the metal foot in the rear end of slide is lifted and easily removed. Inside excet perfect coverage minimechabox you can see wheel controller Hop-Up, slotted barrel, typical of Glock 18C. Under the barrel is the "cradle" to save the battery. I deliberately used the term cradle, because the designers solved the way of connecting and removing the battery simply and brilliant - as when inserting or removing the child from the cradle. From the right side you can simply place baterry under the barrel and when you remove just beneath elevated, a small battery lever. Trivial but effective. After inserting of the baterry again fit the slide, as it were "backwards" - the front part of slide lean on the barrel, slowly push and everything to the seat until the metal foot it clicks into place.

If you read carefully the previous paragraph, you know that slide electric Glock is solid - The gun is not possible (not necessary, as in AEG) to stretch and thus logically not equipped with BlowBack - thus reversing of slide. How furious supporter GAS powered guns, BlowBack and the greatest possible realism in shooting I guess I should say something completely different, but I say thank God. I think that this weapon has different advantages. I didn't have to survive other electric BlowBack like the experience of already mentioned plastic toy from TM (who miss at Glock 18C electric BlowBack, Marui it produces in the series Electric BlowBack).

SHOOTING

When I gained to filling a magazine struck me small hump which popped out of the handle by pressing the magazine catch. Width approx 2.1 cm approximately corresponds to the classic double-breasted magazine spring and GAS powered guns, as well as height - almost 13cm. Weird is the third dimension - thickness not exceeding 1 cm! This is of course tax miniature motor, transmission and gearbox, which the Japanese amazingly put into a small space in the body of gun. False foot of magazine at the bottom of the handle is actually a cover of a motor and under the sticker with the logo Glock is screw for tightening a motor known from AEG.

Despite the small size of magazine, it fits 30 pcs of 6 mm BB (!) and with its all-metal construction look like more robust and adds weight the gun. From the initial drawings I had a bad feeling that the function of the magazine will perform a small plastic tube single row, as in older versions of spring powered guns, or non-BlowBack guns. So more positive. Filling the magazine is simple, although it is important to fathom two belay tab on the magazine neck to they not scratch BBs and do mess in the barrel. Classic QuickLoader it is very difficult to use, but it is not impossible.Maybe Marui will produce any special adapter, as for magazines for GAS powered pistols.

After filling the BBs just poke magazine, release the safe of trigge, choose between two switch position and shoot. The shooting of Glock was not great experience but definitely not disappoint me. In the Semi-auto mode is trigger a disproportionately long and time of shot is extended. Repeated shooting is in compare with BlowBack guns slower. Completely different is firing in Full-auto mode, firing is not so insanely fast as in fullauto BlowBack weapons, where one press of trigger can mean burning half or full capacity of the magazine. It is possible easily keep firing short bursts three or four balls. The rate of fire the electric Glock is lower than classic AEG - magazine with capacity 30rd can be emptied after pressing trigger for three seconds.

With remembering on the legends and fables which previous first AEP - especially about the range and power of the shot, I immediately measured it. The results were not bad - 214, 214, 216 FPS (about 66 m/s) with 0.20g BB from TM and 184, 186, 184 FPS (about 57 m/s) with 0.25g BB from TM. Definitely it's a little less than standard AEG in basic (about 250-270 FPS with 0.20g and 240-250 FPS with 0.25g), but who will need with handguns, particularly for CQB FPS higher power than 300 and who would like to use short gun with a high FPS for longer distances? So with respect to selector lever muzzle velocity is "just right".

Like with information about energy, it is with range. It was clear to me from the beginning. People enjoy being fooled about power of their guns. Everyone knows that his gun shoot "cool at least as fifty meters." But lets stand the truth face to face and sudden we find that the electrics in the base (own experience I have with AK-47 Beta Spetsnaz and SIG 552 SEALS) can be effectively hit the enemy at 30 m, at longer distance only ballistics, falling BBs and a good deal dose of luck. Automatic electric gun upgraded shoot a little bit better - 45-50 meters, GAS sniper rifles and over 50 m (for AEG optimists necessary to point out that over 50 meters with heavy 0.32g, 0.36g and 0.43g BB, which if you will use in AEG so you probably just "scrape shoes"). So if we agree that the effective range (for effective range we consider distance at which I can hit the target straight without ballistics and projectile at the target will still have enough energy to objective feel it) for AEP is it 25-30 m, I think it's fair. In combination with Full-auto mode is probability of hit increases, because shooter can aiming correct by the legendary "White Snake". It is important to have in mind capacity of magazine :).

Aiming with the new Glock is very convenient and accurate without custom modifications - sights are already from the factory fitted white dot and front and rear with a white dot shaped "U". For the highest accuracy is important little play with the setting a Hop-Up. Basically is setting (wheel for setting Hop-Up on a zero) so BBs have a stronger ballistic curve after a short distance. According type of the game you need to choose a good weight of ammunition - AEP Glock has potential for 0.20g and 0.25g. Leighter BBs will fly further, but with less effect on the target. Heavier will fall previously, but on shorter distance your target will feel the hit more. Accuracy of small pistol is due to using on short distance excellent. I don't find any problem with hitting the target, or with firing on Semi-auto and Full-auto. I also didn't have a problem with throwing of gun when I shoot on Full-auto, I didn't feel vibration of motor during shooting.

IN THE ACTION

First experience for new Glock was action 1-st AirSoft Team Brezno RedStar Brotherhood, where I use Glock as a secondary weapon to sniper rifle VSR-10 GSpec. Electric pistol proved itself as far as possible, was invaluable in malicious actions in dark corridors of old building. Effectively I use it for fast moving targets outside of the building, as well as intuitive shooting in crisis situations. A small battery in colder environments not disappointed, battery "died" at the final test on the second day. Glock has been tested in combat conditions, so it is difficult to determine the capacity of a small battery, approximate number is ten magazines, around three hundred BBs, what is on so small battery decent number.

FINAL COUNTDOWN

Surely someone will have a question, how it will be with upgrade and accessories. I want to know too how much will cost replacement magazines or replacement battery, which will be at a reasonable level, it further enhances the attractiveness of this news. From dealer of company Action Sports, which is the largest importer of airsoft guns and accessories in Slovakia, I heard that soon will be available tactical accessories for guns, especially tactical flashlight with mount base shape "U" for a reasonable price would be interesting. Possible upgrade I don't see a lot of pink, given the size of gun, or use battery. Sniper gun it will be not :).

But my verdict is clear - Glock 18C AEP is a great gun if someone uses it as his first airsoft primary or secondary gun, automatic Glock always finds applications. If I had a rating system X/10, get this clever and beautiful AEP good and deserved 8/10 (for Full-auto is magazine on 30rd relatively small, although I believe that high-capacity magazine known from the movie The Matrix will be here soon, capacity of battery is for the primary weapon also a bit small) and for a goood price that finally fills the gap between spring powered guns, GAS powered guns and AEG. It can not say anything other than I highly recommend!

Technical parameters:

name: Glock 18C
type: automatic electric pistol (AEP)
manufacturer: Tokyo Marui, Japan
length: 201 mm
weight: 678 g
Hop-Up: yes, adjustable
ammunition: 0.20g, 0.25g
shooting mode: semi, Full-auto
capacity of magazine: 30BB
accessories: magazine, battery, tactical flashlight
manufacturer of original: GLOCK Ges.m.b.H., Austria

UPIR

Note: weapon to review lent Muničák Bratislava, additional photos of Glock 18C AEP, you can see in the section PHOTOGALLERY on website 1-st AirSoft Team Brezno here.