Post by redphoenix14 on Mar 2, 2005 15:32:02 GMT -5
Magazines
Setting the gun down, I next examined the magazines.
They are constructed out of plastic, yet they feel fairly solid. They are slightly creaky, but that is too to be expected. The translucent magazines have dummy 5.56mm rounds on display, complete with a fake spring holding them up! This makes the magazines look visually appealing and realistic. The magazines hold 50 rounds, which isn’t much. The gun can use an entire magazine in less than 4 seconds if long full-auto spray is performed. If you get this gun, it is recommended you purchase an extra Standard magazine, if not a Hi-Cap! Another thing to note about the magazines is their ability to clip together without the need of a clamp.
On the side of each magazine is a system that allows you to attach two or more magazines together, even if one is loaded into the gun. This makes carrying extra magazines a snap, though it does increase the width of the magazine. Also, don’t mistreat your magazines, the system is pretty sturdy but I have no doubt it would break if you excessively abuse your magazines.
As with many AEGs, there are two types of magazines that can be purchased for it: Standards and Hi-Caps (short for High Capacity). A Standard magazine is the one shipped with the gun, while the Hi-Caps must be bought seperately. The Hi-Cap magazines of the G36C hold 470 rds., which is a fairly large capacity. Unlike the Standards, the Hi-Caps lack the fake 5.56mm rounds, but are still translucent, so they display how many BBs are left in the Hi-Cap. This allows for easy confirmation of remaining ammunition. It should be noted, for those unfamiliar with Hi-Caps, that they must be wound up via a small wheel on the bottom of the magazine every so often to continue feeding bullets into the gun.
Size
As I said earlier, the gun was smaller than I expected it to be. However, this turns out not to be a bad thing. The small size makes the gun ideal for CQB, which is what the G36C was designed for. The gun is quite manueverable, as well. Because of the compact size, you feel like you are "in control" with this gun. Even with the stock shouldered, the gun still feels highly manueverable in any environment.
Aesthetics
When I first saw a picture of a real-steel G36C and compared it to the Airsoft version, I was shocked at how authentic the Airsoft version is. It seems as if every detail of the gun was replicated perfectly by Tokyo Marui, down to the last screw. The sights, carrying handle, stock, foregrip...all of the parts look like carbon copies of a real-steel G36C.
An added bonus is the fact the real-steel G36C has little metal on it, as it is mostly composed of a reinforced polymer material. This means there is no need to purchase an expensive metal body for the Airsoft version, since it already is constructed from a fairly similar material. Granted, the material on the real-steel is nicer, but for $245 for the Airsoft version compared to over $1000 for the real-steel, you can't expect the materials to be on par with each other.
Design Impressions
Aftering examining the G36C, I can conclude this gun has a high quality construction. Even with an initial inspection, it’s easy to see Tokyo Marui really paid attention to the build quality when producing the G36C. If you are used to Spring Guns (like me) the quality of this gun will blow you away. But how does it perform? You are about to find out.
Battery
Satisfied with my inspection of the gun, I plugged the battery into the charger. Unfortunately, the G36C takes a Mini sized battery, which are notorious for having less battery capacity than their large sized counterparts. Stock, the gun is designed to take 8.4v NiCad or NiMH batteries. A standard Mini 600mah NiCad battery should last a good 1000 rounds, which translates to 20 magazines. This number is misleading, however, as the gun goes through magazines quickly. Buying an extra battery is not a bad idea. Finally, the battery was charged and I put it into my gun.
The battery fits into the gun very nicely, but as said earlier, I had a bit of a struggle getting it in at first. Just read the manual, it has pictures showing the best way to fit the battery in.
Magazine Loading
Next, I loaded up the magazines using the loading tool provided in the package. The loading tool is basically a long tube where you pour the BBs, and then use a metal rod to push the BBs into the magazine. It’s tedious, but it works.
Rate of Fire
Now, with both magazines loaded up I went out to my front yard and unloaded on a cardboard box. The ROF (rate of fire) surprised me. I’m used to Spring Guns, so when I heard the sound of this gun firing, I was impressed. This bad boy puts off around 800 RPM (rounds per minute), translating to approximately 13 rounds per second. This makes it possible to empty a standard magazine in less than 4 seconds; so extra magazines are a must!
Power
Impressed with the ROF, I now decided to test power. I’ve heard people claim the power of this gun to be anywhere from 275 FPS (feet per second) to 300 FPS, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I used the Redwolf popcan test, and to make sure I had accurate results I followed the conditions as exactly as I could. Directions for the test are available here:
www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/BulletDetail?bulletID=34
I fired one shot in semi-automatic into the side of an empty Sprite can with a .2 BB. The shot pierced one side and left a large dent with a crack in it on the other side. According to Redwolf, this indicates a muzzle velocity of 290-310 fps. The way my G36C pierced the can is very similar to how my CA870 pierced the can when I tested my CA870’s velocity. For this reason, I believe the muzzle velocities of the two guns are comparable. The CA870 shoots around 295 FPS, so I believe the G36c probably shoots 290 FPS or so, give or take a few FPS. Definitely not bad by my standards.
Range
The range of this gun is quite good. The Hop-Up system is adjustable, allowing the operator to perfect the accuracy and range of the weapon. For those who don’t know what Hop-Up is, it is a system that applies backspin to a BB when it leaves the barrel. This backspin causes the BB’s flight to be more stable, and drastically increases range. By having an adjustable Hop-Up, the G36C allows you to increase or decrease the amount of backspin applied to the BB. Pulling back the charging handle easily accesses the Hop-Up adjustment knob.
An area of gray plastic on the right side of the gun moves back when the charging handle is held back, revealing the adjustment knob. The prime Hop-Up setting for your type of BBs can be determined by conducting trial firing. The Hop-Up is at an ideal setting when the BBs have a flat flight path, and have a premium range. When I managed to determine the ideal setting for my .2 BBs, the flight path was very flat and the maximum range was probably 150 ft. or so, give or take a few feet. However, the effective range was around 110 ft. to 120 ft., though I have yet to skirmish with this gun and can’t confirm those numbers. These are just estimates, however, so don’t quote me. Altogether, I was fairly impressed with the range, as it considerably surpassed the range of my CA870 Spring Shotgun.
This is the 2nd Part of my Review, for the Final Part click here:
airsoftcentral1.proboards31.com/index.cgi?board=reviews&action=display&thread=1109796885