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Product Information:
Ive had this gun for around 4 or 5 years so i figured it'd be worth a review by now. Keep in mind i'm writing the review for MY OWN 1911 bought way back, so the current version may vary.
For the price, i have been totally impressed by this gbb. There are certainly flaws, but the value this pistol offers is excellent for the price point.
The construction of the pistol is excellent. Majority of the components are metal, what i believe to be steel or alloys with zinc and nickel. These materials are certainly not premium, maybe not even high grade, but stand up to the stresses this pistol should endure. Over the years, the only mechanical failure i encountered that warranted repair parts was the magazine release snapping in half. It appears to be some cast alloy so a steel replacement (cost $5 but ASGI doesnt carry it) will last much longer. Everything else on the pistol, including the gaskets and springs, are still stock and the gun runs fine. Then again i am extremely zealous with the upkeep and very liberal with the silicon oil. I can (and have) entirely field stripped the gun with my eyes closed, and regularly detail strip every part. While stripping the frame can be a pain, it is certainly manageable to anyone with mechanical inclination and a good practice, as ive found oil in/on the frame components collects dirt and becomes a thick grime which can impede operation when built up. Also, if it means anything i use propane exclusively, and am always sure to add silicon to the gas. If not maintained (oiled well) the slide tends to not enter full battery and requires a rack to resume firing.
The performance of the pistol is good but nothing special. It won't keep multiple BBs in the same 6mm hole in targets but i can consistently hit quarters at 10 yards. The trigger on this is surprisingly good. Theres alot of take up, and a little bit of creep after the first stage, but once you hit the breaking point, the break is very clean with a relatively short reset. The trigger is extremely consistent, so while its by no means a target trigger, it is pretty easy to settle into and get a feel for. Compared to my friends 226s and USPs it has a superior trigger, but that may just be due to the fact that this is a single action trigger and theirs are da/sa. The velocity is decent, i use .23s and can get stuff out to maybe 30 yards in the PBR and further than that if i compensate. If i had to guess i would say it's settled out at around 300 fps with .23s. Gas wise i can usually get 1.5-2.5 mags of BBs out before a refill depending on ambient temperature and how long since filling the mag has sat.
The mags are kinda delicate, if doing a tac reload ill let them drop but otherwise i would avoid letting them hit the ground. If youre not careful the followers in the mag can break if theyre allowed to slam forward. I've had a few floorplates snap off from letting them drop, but most of them were fixed easily with JB weld. For airsoft it has a pretty low mag cap so stock up on the mags.
The biggest complaint about this pistol i have is the finish. it wears pretty quick, lots of scratches have accumulated, but when the guns been used as much as mine, i feel it only adds character. I noticed that the internal grime build up previously mentioned was more significant during the break in period as finishes and metal shavings within the gun slowly worked out into the oil. For $100 (the price when i bought it) i dont expect high quality finishes, so it's not really a huge complaint. Second complaint is that the linkages and operation of parts within the gun seems tenuous, especially after alot of use. For instance, if i dont depress the grip safety, yes the gun will not fire, but it feels like only just barely. The fit of the internal parts has a loose enough tolerance that the slide rattles a bit, sounds like a gun you see in the movies as opposed to a real steel 1911. My final gripe is the inability to change out the front sight. rear sight can be replaced for something of higher visibility, but youre pretty much stuck with the dot front sight.
overall this gbb is definitely entry quality. the finish is pretty low quality, the fit kinda sucks, but the performance is decent with a surprisingly good trigger. I would normally give it 4 stars, but for the pistol to run this long with such minimal repairs needed, to have outlived thousands of rounds, dozens of skirmishes, and several magazines, and to do it all for under $100, i believe a fifth star is warranted.
Pros:
Consistent trigger
Relatively gas efficient
Durable (has lasted _ 4 years)
Mostly metallic components
Decent velocity and accuracy
Functional safeties and slide stop
Pretty simple to disassemble and maintain
Realistic weight (enables better control during rapid fire)
Great training aid (realistic manual of arms)
Cons:
Poor fit and finish
Relatively low quality materials
Magazine release can snap
Internal operations feel tenuous
Requires consistent maintenance for reliability
Delicate magazines
Rapid fire may cause gas inefficiency
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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