Post by longbow on Dec 14, 2005 1:33:46 GMT 8
Hey brothers! Here's a review from Airsoft Extreme on Tokyo Marui M-14
The new Tokyo Marui M14 comes in two (2) variations, one of which is a imitation wood stock and the other is a synthetic olive drab stock. The OD M14 comes in an OD box and the imitation wood M14 comes in a brown box.
The fit and finishes on rifles are attractive overall and properly reflect Tokyo Marui’s high production standards. However, the guns do have bit of a toyish feel and appearance to them, especially versus the other make Airsoft M14’s on the market (i.e. GnG and Airsoft Club). The OD stock has an extremely smooth texture overall with some checkering where the gun is normally held for a more "tactical" feel. It is also a little on the shiny “toy” side in appearance. The imitation wood finish is not as realistic as that of the Marui Thompson or AK, but it is very close and still very attractive and realistic. The stock in general also feels and looks a little bit narrower/smaller than that of the G&G M14. Also contributing to the small feel of the TM M14 is its lightness in weight versus the other make M14’s. On the other hand, the metal component finish is very well done. The receiver and barrel have a nice realistic looking flat matte finish. The magazines have a nice parkerized gray finish which look just like the real steel version. Some players might prefer the realism in size, feel, appearance, and heft of the GnG M14 over the TM M14. However, the lighter weight and slightly less than authentic appearance and feel of the TM M14 does not mean a lack of quality, effectiveness, or ruggedness by any means.
The safety switch works just like the real one but is not as stiff as the real version or the G&G model. It is extremely easy to "flick" on or off. This does not translate into problems since the switch "clicks" into place and does not just fall into place.
The barrel and flash hider are very detailed and look extremely realistic. The markings on the rifle are very true to spec.
The sight picture is very crisp looking and will make acquiring your target an easy task.
The TM M14 standard magazines look hold 70 bb’s like most Marui standard magazines. Unfortunately, the G&G magazines are not compatible with the Marui model and vise versa.
Performance
The overall performance is impressive and is almost expected from Tokyo Marui. The gun sounds very smooth and fires a very unexpected 310-320fps with a 0.20g Excel BB right out of the box. Immediately, this rifle has the highest fps out of the box of any other TM AEG. The stock gun delivers a nice 700 rounds per minute with an 8.4v source and draws 11AMPS on full auto. Firing the rifle on full auto feels very nice. The trigger is very responsive and the report is very crisp. The gun does not deliver a loud snap like other TM guns, but it is not super quiet like an AUG or P90. The selector switch feels great and is very responsive. You know when you are in semi as well as full auto and the selector is a bit easier to manipulate than the G&G model. The one feature that the Marui model lacks from the G&G is the selector switch does not release the anti reverse latch by pulling the selector switch back.
The bolt does pull open all the way, unlike the G&G model, and makes a very satisfying metal on metal clink when let go. Unfortunately, it doesn't lock open with the bolt catch like the G&G model does. Oh well, I guess you can't have it all. Also, you will notice, there is no hopup adjustment in the breach like the in G&G M14.
Unlike most TM guns, the hop adjustment is not located in the breach like you would expect when opening the bolt. The M14 has the hopup adjustment knob just in front of the mag well as seen in the picture above. It can be adjusted with the magazine in the gun, so no fumbling with the mag when attempting to adjust the hop. The knob makes a nice click with each minor adjustment so tuning the hop is very precise. I tested this and the gun fires straight for more than 100 feet stock with an Excel 0.20g BB (non Bio).
The battery compartment is located in the stock as we all would expect. The one thing we didn’t expect would be the lack of space for a large 9.6v battery. The gun can only fit an 8.4v standard large battery or one of AEX's custom 9.6v 1700 custom large batteries that we use for AK-47's. The stock butt folds up like the G&G model and the door opens to the side rather than down like the G&G.
The gun field strips somewhat like the G&G model, but the actual trigger does not separate from the gearbox like the G&G model. This is not as realistic as the G&G, but it actually makes for a better design as the trigger functions are much better.
After the initial tear down, the upper receiver must slide forward as the lower slides to the rear as seen in the upper right photo. Once you have done this, the upper receiver can lift off the lower.
Removing the barrel is much more difficult than the G&G rifle and more complex than most AEG's. I thought the TM MP5's were time consuming to change barrels, but this one takes the cake. As you can see in the three photos, you must exercise caution when attempting to remove the inner barrel. First, slide it forward, then angle it up and then it will continue to curve up and out. If you are not careful, the plastic is not the most rigid so it could break.
The hop unit has its own design and is not like any other AEG. The arrow pointing to the base shows how the hopup functions. The lever goes up and forces a lever downward on the top of the unit giving the AEG it's hopup. It is a very simple yet effective design. This allows the adjustment to be made from the base of the rifle and thus making the adjustment simple and precise.
The new gear box is truly simple once it is opened. Much like a Ver 6 it is very basic with an all new type of cylinder, cylinder head, nozzle, tappet plate and spring guide. The cylinder is a bit longer than the regular TM cylinders by a couple of millimeters but piston and piston head are the same as all TM AEG's. The sector gear is just like the Thompson and is smaller than the regular middle gear so Systema gears would not work directly with this new gear box since the regular size gears would hit the piston. The stock spring is slightly thicker so the stock velocity is a bit stronger out of the box. The tappet plate spring is identical to the Ver 6 setup and lays under the tappet plate just under the cylinder. The spring guide looks like a Ver 3 but with slightly longer and thinner posts. So when upgrading this model, you must use extreme caution not to break these parts as there are no replacements at this time. The biggest flaw would be upgradeability due to lack of parts at this time since the parts Marui developed are all new and so unique. We did install a Systema M120S spring just to see what kind of velocity this baby would push. We did not re-shim or install metal bushings, just a simple spring drop in. The results were pretty much what we thought, just a bit below our expectations, but nothing to complain about. The gun fired 410-415fps with an Excel 0.20g BB (non-bio) and had a nice rate of fire with an 8.4v source. It had a 14-15 AMP draw on full auto and shot approximately 600 rounds per minute. With a 9.6v source the rate of fire jumped up to approximately 800 rounds per minute. We tested the range and we were happy to see the gun could reach over 160 feet in a nice straight path. I was able to hit a pole the size of a human torso (a thin human torso) at 180 feet with the hop adjusted using the iron sights. It was most impressive. There was a slight breeze so the BB did curve at the last few feet but it did not drop. The path was pretty straight given I was using a 0.20g BB and firing into a little bit of wind.
Overall
The Tokyo Marui M14, despite certain aspects that make it less than realistic than the GnG M14, has the look, the feel and the performance that make it an excellent AEG. The only other downside currently is the lack of internal upgrade parts at the moment and the degree of difficulty in taking the gun down. The TM M14 has a much more complex breakdown than most AEG's that we have seen in a while. Overall, the performance for a stock Marui gun is outstanding and the attention to detail is excellent...
The new Tokyo Marui M14 comes in two (2) variations, one of which is a imitation wood stock and the other is a synthetic olive drab stock. The OD M14 comes in an OD box and the imitation wood M14 comes in a brown box.
The fit and finishes on rifles are attractive overall and properly reflect Tokyo Marui’s high production standards. However, the guns do have bit of a toyish feel and appearance to them, especially versus the other make Airsoft M14’s on the market (i.e. GnG and Airsoft Club). The OD stock has an extremely smooth texture overall with some checkering where the gun is normally held for a more "tactical" feel. It is also a little on the shiny “toy” side in appearance. The imitation wood finish is not as realistic as that of the Marui Thompson or AK, but it is very close and still very attractive and realistic. The stock in general also feels and looks a little bit narrower/smaller than that of the G&G M14. Also contributing to the small feel of the TM M14 is its lightness in weight versus the other make M14’s. On the other hand, the metal component finish is very well done. The receiver and barrel have a nice realistic looking flat matte finish. The magazines have a nice parkerized gray finish which look just like the real steel version. Some players might prefer the realism in size, feel, appearance, and heft of the GnG M14 over the TM M14. However, the lighter weight and slightly less than authentic appearance and feel of the TM M14 does not mean a lack of quality, effectiveness, or ruggedness by any means.
The safety switch works just like the real one but is not as stiff as the real version or the G&G model. It is extremely easy to "flick" on or off. This does not translate into problems since the switch "clicks" into place and does not just fall into place.
The barrel and flash hider are very detailed and look extremely realistic. The markings on the rifle are very true to spec.
The sight picture is very crisp looking and will make acquiring your target an easy task.
The TM M14 standard magazines look hold 70 bb’s like most Marui standard magazines. Unfortunately, the G&G magazines are not compatible with the Marui model and vise versa.
Performance
The overall performance is impressive and is almost expected from Tokyo Marui. The gun sounds very smooth and fires a very unexpected 310-320fps with a 0.20g Excel BB right out of the box. Immediately, this rifle has the highest fps out of the box of any other TM AEG. The stock gun delivers a nice 700 rounds per minute with an 8.4v source and draws 11AMPS on full auto. Firing the rifle on full auto feels very nice. The trigger is very responsive and the report is very crisp. The gun does not deliver a loud snap like other TM guns, but it is not super quiet like an AUG or P90. The selector switch feels great and is very responsive. You know when you are in semi as well as full auto and the selector is a bit easier to manipulate than the G&G model. The one feature that the Marui model lacks from the G&G is the selector switch does not release the anti reverse latch by pulling the selector switch back.
The bolt does pull open all the way, unlike the G&G model, and makes a very satisfying metal on metal clink when let go. Unfortunately, it doesn't lock open with the bolt catch like the G&G model does. Oh well, I guess you can't have it all. Also, you will notice, there is no hopup adjustment in the breach like the in G&G M14.
Unlike most TM guns, the hop adjustment is not located in the breach like you would expect when opening the bolt. The M14 has the hopup adjustment knob just in front of the mag well as seen in the picture above. It can be adjusted with the magazine in the gun, so no fumbling with the mag when attempting to adjust the hop. The knob makes a nice click with each minor adjustment so tuning the hop is very precise. I tested this and the gun fires straight for more than 100 feet stock with an Excel 0.20g BB (non Bio).
The battery compartment is located in the stock as we all would expect. The one thing we didn’t expect would be the lack of space for a large 9.6v battery. The gun can only fit an 8.4v standard large battery or one of AEX's custom 9.6v 1700 custom large batteries that we use for AK-47's. The stock butt folds up like the G&G model and the door opens to the side rather than down like the G&G.
The gun field strips somewhat like the G&G model, but the actual trigger does not separate from the gearbox like the G&G model. This is not as realistic as the G&G, but it actually makes for a better design as the trigger functions are much better.
After the initial tear down, the upper receiver must slide forward as the lower slides to the rear as seen in the upper right photo. Once you have done this, the upper receiver can lift off the lower.
Removing the barrel is much more difficult than the G&G rifle and more complex than most AEG's. I thought the TM MP5's were time consuming to change barrels, but this one takes the cake. As you can see in the three photos, you must exercise caution when attempting to remove the inner barrel. First, slide it forward, then angle it up and then it will continue to curve up and out. If you are not careful, the plastic is not the most rigid so it could break.
The hop unit has its own design and is not like any other AEG. The arrow pointing to the base shows how the hopup functions. The lever goes up and forces a lever downward on the top of the unit giving the AEG it's hopup. It is a very simple yet effective design. This allows the adjustment to be made from the base of the rifle and thus making the adjustment simple and precise.
The new gear box is truly simple once it is opened. Much like a Ver 6 it is very basic with an all new type of cylinder, cylinder head, nozzle, tappet plate and spring guide. The cylinder is a bit longer than the regular TM cylinders by a couple of millimeters but piston and piston head are the same as all TM AEG's. The sector gear is just like the Thompson and is smaller than the regular middle gear so Systema gears would not work directly with this new gear box since the regular size gears would hit the piston. The stock spring is slightly thicker so the stock velocity is a bit stronger out of the box. The tappet plate spring is identical to the Ver 6 setup and lays under the tappet plate just under the cylinder. The spring guide looks like a Ver 3 but with slightly longer and thinner posts. So when upgrading this model, you must use extreme caution not to break these parts as there are no replacements at this time. The biggest flaw would be upgradeability due to lack of parts at this time since the parts Marui developed are all new and so unique. We did install a Systema M120S spring just to see what kind of velocity this baby would push. We did not re-shim or install metal bushings, just a simple spring drop in. The results were pretty much what we thought, just a bit below our expectations, but nothing to complain about. The gun fired 410-415fps with an Excel 0.20g BB (non-bio) and had a nice rate of fire with an 8.4v source. It had a 14-15 AMP draw on full auto and shot approximately 600 rounds per minute. With a 9.6v source the rate of fire jumped up to approximately 800 rounds per minute. We tested the range and we were happy to see the gun could reach over 160 feet in a nice straight path. I was able to hit a pole the size of a human torso (a thin human torso) at 180 feet with the hop adjusted using the iron sights. It was most impressive. There was a slight breeze so the BB did curve at the last few feet but it did not drop. The path was pretty straight given I was using a 0.20g BB and firing into a little bit of wind.
Overall
The Tokyo Marui M14, despite certain aspects that make it less than realistic than the GnG M14, has the look, the feel and the performance that make it an excellent AEG. The only other downside currently is the lack of internal upgrade parts at the moment and the degree of difficulty in taking the gun down. The TM M14 has a much more complex breakdown than most AEG's that we have seen in a while. Overall, the performance for a stock Marui gun is outstanding and the attention to detail is excellent...
