This is pretty much really a topic about rifles based on the Tanaka system (and it's clones) as I have yet to see another type that's worth using. Gas in bolt conversions for M24's and similar are inconsistent and unreliable. Ares/Star's system (and it's Well G96 clone) has promise but the performance of the guns sucks balls, especially when they cost as much or more than a Tanaka. There's also a complete lack of upgrade parts. So that leaves us here....
As many of you are probably aware, I'm a bit of a Tanaka fan. You've probably seen me go back and forth with people arguing KJW vs Tanaka. I've always felt the Tanaka's were the way to go but that's not to say I'm unwilling to try others. So, recently I've had the chance to review two newer guns in that regard. The first is the Bell M700 which is a clone of the Tanaka M700p. At first I thought it might have just been a rebranded/misbranded KJW as all indications seemed to point to that (price, model, finish, accessories, etc). Turns out that wasn't the case. The second however is the G&G G96 which is a clone (mostly) of the Tanaka M700 AICS. It is NOT an L96 replica as the name would imply. So, this is going to be a run down on the platform and comparisons between them (IMO). If you are interested in seeing more in depth discussion about the platforms and how their parts compare, keep an eye on this thread:
http://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=97555.0. Reviews of the guns will be available in the near future over on ASR as well. So, lets talk about the models out there.
Tanaka M700 (Japan)We will start with Tanaka's as they are the original, all others are copies. The first thing you have to understand about the Tanaka M700 platform is the models available. Tanaka's M700, M700 AICS, M40, and M24 all use the same internals. I've been advised the same goes for their actual L96 but I cannot personally verify that. The only differences between those guns is the externals (furniture) so buy the style you like. The only catch to that is the AICS as the stock prevents it from using the shorter magazines found in the other models. All the other models (save for one M40 which includes a long magazine) come with a short magazine but can use either.
The other terms you have to know are pre-ban vs post-ban. Tanaka's are Japanese guns which means they do fall under Japan's 1j limit on guns. Hence the term pre-ban. Preban Tanakas shoot WAY over 1j and have Tanaka's PCS (Power Control System). The PCS system is a small screw on the bolt that allows you to adjust the FPS. Post ban (non-export) Tanaka's lack the PCS system and have a restricted nozzle on it. To restore the "normal" FPS you either have to drill out the nozzle or replace it. You will still be missing the PCS system however.
Tanaka's have the highest price tag, by quite a bit, as generally you will pay about $450-$500. However, I'm of the view point that you pay for quality. With the exception of the AICS stock, which is by far their worse stock, the fit and finish of the Tanaka's are far better than any of the clones, including the G&G G96. It's not just eye candy however. The bolts cycle smoother, the mags insert easier, and the trigger feels sturdier. They also shoot far better out of the box than any of the clones. Lastly, as of yet, only two models (M700p for KJW and Bell, M700 AICS for G&G) have been cloned so if you want a different style, Tanaka is your only option. If you decide to go with a Tanaka, it's worth (in my opinion) trying to find a used pre-ban version with a PCS bolt. Just be aware, Tanaka's hold their value very well in most cases so don't be expecting to save much (if any) money going this route.
Pro's:
- Best out of the box performance
- Higher quality externals
- Better resale value
- Numerous styles available
Con's:
- Highest out of the box price
- Newer models restricted
- Non-free floated barrel
G&G G96 (Taiwan)I'm doing the G&G G96 second as it has given me several surprises and is making me reconsider my stance on Tanaka's being the way to go. Price wise, at $380, it's quite a bit cheaper than Tanaka's but still quite a bit more than the other clones. However, most owners of Tanaka style rifles (clone or not) end up purchasing G&G upgrade parts for their gun at some point anyways but the G&G G96 comes pre-upgraded (although I hate using that term) with G&G's upgrade parts for Tanaka's. This includes their power pack parts for the magazines, rubber set, striker spring, and power bolt although the last part I've got mixed feelings on. But when you consider it's $380 price tag includes $200 worth of parts (if bought at ASGI) that you would normally pay extra for it become a very compelling argument for the G&G. That said, G&G had to make it a little more difficult than that. I consider this gun as Tanaka clone as it uses the Tanaka gas system and most parts are interchangeable. However, G&G did make some changes. Some of which are good, dare I say very good, some not so much. Lets start with the bad.
For whatever reason, G&G decided to design a new 15rd magazine. My first thought was hell yes, new (cheaper) magazines for my Tanaka. After all, it's a Tanaka clone, why wouldn't it work? The answer is because G&G is stupid. Yes, they decided to alter the dimensions of the magazine JUST enough so that they can't be used in Tanaka's and visa versa. You really can't tell until you actually try to insert it. After all, it still uses Tanaka style parts. My second gripe with the magazine and the gun in general is the overall finish. The follower sticks in the magazine, the bolt release sticks open, and the bolt itself binds. The manual insists the barrel has a cap on the end with threads underneath but I certainly see no indications of that. Even after sanding down the barrel because the stock finish scratches just from looking at it, I see no seam lines to indicate the barrel comes apart. The gas route rubber was also damaged right out of the box because they didn't install it properly and it got chewed up by the trigger. In short, the gun badly needs a little TLC.
My final gripe is with the bolt. It comes with G&G's power bolt which is one upgrade most people (my self included) recommend avoiding. Since you don't have a choice in the case, I won't really discuss why except for one issue. The nozzle it comes with is very short. This causes very large FPS in consistencies as well as reduces the overall FPS. Installing the bolt from the Bell M700 GREATLY reduced the FPS variance (from 40fps to about 5fps) and upped the average FPS by about 60fps.
As I said though, the gun has some good points, dare I say fantastic. The Tanaka AICS stock has a cheap plastic casing with a metal chassis which makes for a very heavy stock with ugly seam lines. The G&G stock is more of a nylon fiber (like a CA G36) and the chassis is also a plastic material instead of metal. This substantially reduces the weight of the chassis and it looks better than the Tanaka version. There's still seam lines since the stock is constructed the same way but G&G did make visible efforts to make them less visible. The barrel is clearly based off their heavy barrels for the Tanaka's which is a $150 upgrade for Tanaka's and was not included in the above numbers. The barrel is not a solid tube like the heavy barrels so it's substantially lighter but still has built in spacers to stabilize the barrel and is free floated unlike the standard Tanaka design (including the Bell/KJW clones). The barrel isn't perfect as it's got a little bit of play and is a proprietary length (approximately 24.8in/630mm) but it's still a huge improvement over the normal design.
The last change is the receiver/chamber assembly. I have not pulled the chamber out yet, although will be doing it soon, so I can't confirm/deny if it will take the VSR conversions which could be a deal breaker for some people. However, unlike the Tanaka's and other clones, they altered the receiver and chamber so it doesn't have a square block on the front. I will be confirming this as soon as possible, but the combination of the free float barrel and the chamber/receiver redesign, should allow it to drop into real steel M700 short action stocks which would be huge.
Pro's
- Preupgraded gun
- Better chamber/barrel design than others
- Better quality stock than Tanaka AICS
- EXTREMELY good value when parts cost is factored in
- SHOULD drop into real steel M700 stocks
- Cheaper magazines than Tanaka
Con's
- Very poor out of box performance
- Needs some sanding/breaking in to function smoothly
- Proprietary barrel length
- Proprietary magazines
- Needs new nozzle to function well
Bell M700 (China)The Bell is a more recent entry in the market and I must admit the gun surprised me in several ways. I initially thought it was probably just a rebranded/misbranded KJW as the only model they offer is the M700p, just like the KJW, and it comes with the same accessories. When you handle the gun it looks and feels like the KJW as well. Same goes for the magazines. It wasn't until I took the gun apart that I realized it wasn't a KJW. This gun has three key features that make is a very worthy consideration. First off, Bell cloned the PCS feature from the original Tanaka's and it's the only clone that offers it. I personally love the PCS system but some would rather not have it. Secondly, the gun comes with an extended nozzle stock. This is the ONLY Tanaka based gun (including the actual Tanaka's) which includes and extended nozzle. This makes the gun far more consistent out of the box than any of it's competitors. Lastly, the gun is available for $170 which makes it even cheaper than the KJW's. However, this isn't a perfect world and this is a Chinese gun. Mine came missing a screw from the trigger unit which made the gun unusable. Fortunately, since it's a Tanaka clone, I had other triggers to use for testing. In addition the chamber pins are a bit on the loose side. Since I only have the one, I can't say if I got a lemon or if this is par for the course which keeps me from flat out recommending this gun.
That said, if you are willing to deal with the chance of needing to send the gun back, and are looking for a decent out of box performer then this gun definitely warrants your consideration.
Pro's:
- Cheapest Tanaka based gun on the market
- Extended nozzle gives it superior out of box FPS consistency
- Includes PCS clone bolt to adjust the FPS
- 100% Tanaka clone so upgrade parts are available
Con's:
- Possible QC/lemon issues
- Poor external finish
KJW M700 (Tanaka)I saved this one for last as I've never been a fan and with the two above offerings, I feel there's zero reason to go this route at this point. The argument you will hear from some is that you are going to be replacing most of the parts anyways, so why not get a cheaper gun? To be fair, yes, the KJW IS several hundred dollars cheaper than a Tanaka. My response to that has always been if you got a better gun to begin with, you wouldn't have NEEDED to replace all of the parts right out of the box. In addition, the KJW has inferior externals (fit/finish) so I personally felt the cost difference was worth it to get a gun that didn't look like crap and performed better out of the box. Call me vain/stupid/whatever but half of airsoft is effective dress up and I don't like gun that look and feel like crap.
That said, those arguments occurred when your only choices were Tanaka or KJW. Now that we have other choices, I see zero reason to choose the KJW. At $180 it costs $10 more than the Bell which has better performance and equal externals. In fact, I would suspect the externals are actually made the same place as the guns are nearly identical. The only thing KJW can offer is for an extra $15-$20, on top of it's $10 premium, you can get a take down model. However, those perform even worse than the stock KJW and should be avoided at all costs. I really can't find a justification to go with a KJW at this point.
Pro's:
- Reasonably cheap
- Ummmm....
- The guns issues are well documented
Con's:
- Notoriously bad out of box consistency
- Poor external quality
- Offers nothing that you can't get with another gun
