REVIEW - TOKYO MARUI GLOCK 17 3RD GENERATION GAS BLOWBACK AIRSOFT PISTOL (STOCK)

TOKYO MARUI GLOCK 17 3RD GENERATION GAS BLOWBACK AIRSOFT PISTOL (STOCK) REVIEW




REVIEW INDEX

Review introduction1.1: Purpose
1.2: Background
1.3: Introduction
1.4: Purchase

Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol (Stock) Review2.1: First impression
2:2: Appearance
2.3: Features
2:4: Performance
2:5: Accuracy
2:6: Conclusion


Review introduction

1.1: PurposeThe purpose of this review is to write an unbiased, objective and detailed review for the Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation Gas Blowback airsoft pistol. This review will be based on the stock version of the pistol. I will include an additional three parts to this review. Part two being the parts review for all the upgrade parts and how they differ in terms of quality and performance versus the original parts. Part three will be a review of the upgraded version of the airsoft pistol. I also intend to add a part four which will be tips and maintenance regarding the Glock 17.


1.2: BackgroundI just wanted to input some brief background about myself and my experience with airsoft so you can better understand my starting point for this review. I have been actively using airsoft pistols for the last 15 years, starting with Marui springers, then moving my way up to gas blowback airsoft pistols, and now lately I have moved on to gas blowback airsoft rifles.

Throughout all of this I have always been in the role of a collector and plinker. Only just recently this year (May 2011) did I play my first indoor CQB skirmish. I wasn't too happy with the particular site that was available to me so I only played once more since. So my outlook in this review will be based from a collector and plinkers perspective. Also note that because of this, and the lack of testing space, I cannot perform an accuracy test longer than 6m nor can I do a field/skirmish test.


1.3: IntroductionBeing the "collector" that I am I set out a goal for myself, that I will purchase all the Tokyo Marui gas blowbacks that I find appealing and then proceed to fully upgrade them. This process started with the Tokyo Marui FN 5-7, then I moved on to the Tokyo Marui Beretta M9 and recently I attempted to do the same with the Tokyo Marui Colt 1911A1, which failed miserably due to getting incompatible parts, so that project is currently on hold. 

So now it's the Glocks turn. This piece has me rather excited, although I have always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Glocks. They aren't particularly good looking, but they are (preconceived notion) durable and practical, and in general highly respected pistols. I have a KSC Glock 19 and a Marushin Dual Maxi Glock 21 already, but none of these please my Glock needs.

So as with previous "project airsoft pistols" I set off to purchase the pistol itself, a few spare magazines and pretty much any and all available upgrades I see fit.

Some of you may think this is stupid, elitist or snobbish or whatever, but this is how I like to do things, no snobby-ness intended.


1.4: PurchaseThe parts were purchased from WGC Shop (Hong Kong) and AirsoftGlobal (Hong Kong). Here is a complete parts list: 

1x Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation GBB
2x Tokyo Marui 26 round GBB magazines
1x Guarder Glock 17 Enhanced Kit (Black)
- 1x Fiber reinforced polymer frame
- 1x Aluminum slide
- 1x Steel outer barrel
- 1x Recoil spring guide
- 1x 150% hammer spring
- 1x Steel magazine catch
- 1x Steel trigger lever
- 1x Serial number plate
1x Guarder steel night sights
1x NINE BALL precision inner barrel
1x Guarder enhanced polycarbonate loading muzzle
1x PDI piston head
1x ACTION 8mm hammer bearing set
1x Shooters Design CNC steel valve knocker
3x ACTION enhanced magazine lip
3x Shooters Design magazine base plates (with Glock logo)
3x Shooters Design enhanced magazine gasket
1x MAG spring replacement set



Please note though that this part (part one) is only a review of the stock airsoft pistol. Links to the other parts of the review will be listed at the bottom.

So let's get on with the review!


Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol (Stock) Review

SpecificationsBuild materials: ABS plastic (mainly), metal details and internals
Color: Black
Caliber: 6mm
Capacity: 25+1 rounds*
Height: 186mm
Length: 97mm
Weight unloaded: 409g
Weight loaded (empty magazine): 707g
Weight loaded (with BBs): 712g
Weight loaded (with BBs and gas): 717g
Weight of magazine (empty): 298g
Weight of magazine (with BBs): 303g
Weight of magazine (with BBs and gas): 308g
FPS: ~300**
Hop Up: Adjustable
Trigger action: Single action only
Firing mode: Semi-automatic

* Recommended magazine capacity 23+1 to allow magazine spring to move freely against loading nozzle when inserting the magazine with the slide in its forward position.
** FPS measured with XCORTECH X3200 chronograph, average of 10 shots, 26C ambient temperature, Guarder Powerful Gas 12kg/140PSI@24C, Tokyo Marui 0.2g BB.


2.1: First impressionMy first impression when opening the UPS package from WGC is "what the hell happened to my box";

The retail box has been brutalized by WGC staff (I do not live in the US). WHY ?! 

It seems as this has had the "US" treatment in having all the trademarks thoroughly and brutally removed. I am not really pleased with this as I have OCD and am a perfectionist, but what can you do…

So getting over the initial scare with the box let's open it up and see what we've got; 


Not even the manual has been spared from having the trades removed.


Thankfully I was spared from the orange muzzle and covered up trades (although they were covered with easily removed grip tape). Night sights included for additional sight sighting.


The addition of dry-firing magazine clips is a nice feature! No more holding down the slide catch!

Not a big surprise here, it's the standard Tokyo Marui gas blowback package inside, with an additional bonus of night sights!

Here's a complete list of the box' contents; 

1x Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation Gas Blowback airsoft pistol (picture)
1x Tokyo Marui Glock 17 26 round gas magazine (picture)
1x Cleaning rod (picture)
1x Muzzle plug (picture)
1x Front and rear night sights (picture)
1x Bag of BBs (picture)
2x Dry firing magazine clips (picture)
1x Hop Up tag (picture)
1x Information notice (picture)
1x Instructions manual (picture)
5x Shooting targets (picture)
1x Warranty card (picture)
1x Airsoft safety illustrations (picture)
1x Night sights installation instructions (picture)

Allright, moving on to the actual airsoft pistol itself. 

Upon picking it up it doesn't give me that "wow" feeling that I used to get when unboxing airsoft pistols. This is however more likely due to my senses being dulled (been buying quiet a lot of airsofts lately) rather than the Glock 17 being a disappointment, because it truly isn't. It holds up to the tried and tested Marui standards, being that it feels and looks great. 

The plastic has a nice finish and the racking of the slide sounds like a house coming down on you, really crisp. It feels good in the hand and rather light, but that is to be expected from a (plastic) Glock. Shaking it around produces a light rattling sound made by the outer barrel hitting against the slide, but other than that it feels solid and with tight fit all around.

Eager to test fire it I filled up a magazine with gas and proceded to dry fire it. NICE! The blowback is loud and crisp but lacking a bit in punch due to the slide being so light, but this is to be expected.


2:2: Appearance

Looking at the Marui Glock 17 overall appearance, it looks really nice. The plastic has a nice finish and color to it, both slide and frame.

Moving on to the slide, which is also plastic, with the exception of the rear blowback unit "plate" (actually part of the BBU) and a reinforced metal frame at the front of the slide, where the recoil spring guide goes. This is to reinforce the slide so it can handle the hefty blowback action. Historically plastic slide Glocks (various brands) have been known to blow off the front after prolonged use with heavier propellants, such as propane or Green Gas.


The slide has accurate Glock markings (as far as I know) on both sides;

Left side: GLOCK (logo) 17 AUSTRIA 9x19



Right side: SYMBOL NPv DMD076









Unfortunately the slide has some rather unappealing seam lines going all around the slide, the front and back being the worst but also running all along the top sides.








Moving on to the outer barrel, also plastic (see a trend here?); there's not much to say about it. It is a one piece molded design and has the standard Glock (AFAIK) markings;

Top side: 9x19




Right side: DMD076 SYMBOL NPv ADC



One thing I did note, which I don't know whether it's by design or a flaw, is that the outer barrel seems to be pushed down towards the bottom of the front hole in the slide, giving the impression that it's pointing down. Maybe too high tolerance for the hole in the slide? Or maybe it's to accommodate the tilting barrel locked breech design (more likely).



Allright, we're done with the top half, let's take a look at the frame! The frame, also being plastic (surprise!) actually looks really nice. The color and finish, as well as the grip texture and markings stand out nicely. The seam lines on the frame look to be almost better than those on a real Glock, judging by the pictures I've seen.

Unfortunately the frame does not feature correct trademarks all the way around. I'm not sure if it's an ASGK policy or Marui just likes to brand their gas blowbacks this way;

Left side: GLOCK (logo)



Right side;
MADE IN JAPAN ASGK
TOKYO MARUI CO.,LTD.



GAS BLOW BACK SYSTEM
TMC-P9M-7731



Serial number plate;
DMD076S



Phuh! Just a little more to go; let's take a look at the magazine! Guess what, the magazine is NOT plastic! YAY! Well, some of it is. The magazine has a nice matte black finish for the shell and the baseplate has a finish matching the rest of the pistols plastic details.



The base plate has a hole in it so you can fill the magazine with gas without having to fiddle with removing the base plate.



The magazine also features some Glock markings, namely on the back, where Marui has faithfully reproduced the ammo indicator holes (non-functioning here for obvious reasons).

Rear side;
GLOCK (logo)
AUSTRIA



The baseplate has been blessed with Tokyo Marui markings rather than the Glock logo (like the real steel magazines).

Bottom;
TOKYO MARUI
GLOCK
MADE IN JAPAN



Okay, we're almost done, stay with me now (coffee brakes are allowed!). Let's take a quick look inside the Marui Glock while we are at it. 







Not much to say really, clean and simple internals. 
You maybe buy Tokyo Marui Glock 17 3rd Generation Gas Blowback on Amazon with cheap