ARMOURY EXCLUSIVE: KWA NEW MODELS

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

GOOD AND TRUSTED RELATIONS WITH THE INDUSTRY ARE A CRUCIAL PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE AT AIRSOFT ACTION, AND SPEAKING DIRECT WITH THE MANUFACTURERS AT SOURCE LETS US GET INTO THE MEAT OF NEW STORIES AND NEW PRODUCT RELEASES IMMEDIATELY. JUST ANNOUNCED IS A NEW LINE OF MODELS FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT KWA THAT IS CERTAIN TO PLEASE PLAYERS AROUND THE WORLD, AND BOYCIE ALREADY HAS THE LOWDOWN!

Shot Show, held in Las Vegas, Nevada is the US’ premier arms fair where major manufacturers from shooting, hunting, outdoor, airsoft and training worlds present their new products, from pistols, rifles, shotguns, accessories, equipment and clothing to the public, often for the first time, this year running from Tuesday 18th to Friday 21st January. In previous years KWA have been regular attendees but in 2022 they are not able to attend, instead choosing to make a major product announcement on their social media outlets KWA Performance Industries Instagram page as well as their Facebook page and the ERG User Group and KWA VM4/QRF/Ronin/Tekken (TK)/Eve Users Group.

At Airsoft Action we have a close and valued relationship with KWA, both through meetings with Bill at previous Shot Shows as well as Boycie’s personal contacts and his working on the ERG platform for many years, and Dan’s extensive technical knowledge of their products. This relationship has given us exclusives in the past and this month is a huge start for 2022 with the announcement of not one, two or three new KWA products but EIGHT new rifle variants!

IT’S ALL ABOUT POLYMERS!

Moving forward to 2022, KWA have long been manufacturers of airsoft and training weapons and this year sees them following numerous real steel manufacturers by adding rifles with polymer receivers and handguards to their range which will undoubtedly bring them more within reach of all players, even those on a more modest budget… it truly is an announcement that will bring “power to the people”!

Of course there will still be some naysayers that will continue to roll out that old, tired mantra of “it has to be metal or it ain’t realistic”, so let’s address that first, shall we? Way back in the 1970’s Steyr were one of the first firearms companies to introduce polymers into their products with the body of the AUG being made from fibreglass reinforced Polyamide. In the 1990’s pistol manufacturer Glock made the frame of the famous Glock 17 from polymer. Smith & Wesson also released their Sigma pistol, again with a polymer frame and a number of other manufacturers also started to introduce more and more polymer parts into their products. There are also numerous manufacturers which make accessories from polymer based materials. In 2006 Smith & Wesson introduced the M&P15-22 (.22LR) as a low cost training rifle to go alongside their M&P15 (.223) and the majority of the 15-22 is polymer, including the lower and upper receivers, handguard and accessories. Not only does the employment of polymers in major rifle parts provide similar performance to that of the metal components but there is a substantial weight saving. The 15-22 has also become a hugely popular rifle for Mini Rifle competitions (and is in fact Bill’s favourite semi-auto .22 platform as it happens!).

With this in mind it seems only logical that KWA should follow suit to provide some of their technologies at a more player-friendly price point, and the introduction of models with high-standard polymer receivers and handguards to their extensive and well-respected range seems eminently sensible to us. While the lower receivers are reminiscent of previous models, the upper and lower receivers have all been redesigned and earlier this month our friends at KWA USA gave us the nod on the news of FIVE new polymer-based AEG variants and one GBBR, as well as two updated AEGs with metal receivers.

First on the list is the totally new F90 (E88) AUG style replica which is a new addition to the KWA Gas Blowback stable. Next in the AEGs are the revised VM4 M10 with a new design of MLOK rail and RM4 Q10 which sports a new quad rail models with the much requested return of the empty magazine cut off feature.

Then come the five redesigned and updated QRF and Ronin Models. We start with the new KO: AVA which is based around the QRF Mod 1, the KO: RAINE based on the QRF Mod 2, the KO: LUCY based around the QRF Mod 3. As well as being ambidextrous, they use the same magazines as their previous incarnations. They also have a totally new upper receiver design, a redesigned lower receiver, ambi side charging handle and coming in at around 500g (1lb) lighter than their first iterations.

The KO: IRIS comes in at a massive 2.1lb (nearly 1kg) lighter than its Tekken variant. These new KO Series share the same high performance 2.5+ internals as previous versions with adjustable fps through KWA’s Variable Performance System (VPS), 6.05 tightbore inner barrel and hi torque motor. With these KO models you can also fit a number of different internal MOSFET units.

FROM THE SOURCE

KWA told us; “Here at KWA, we’ve pushed the limits of the airsoft industry with top-tier performance and purpose-driven innovation while maintaining our stance as a brand for every airsofter. The KWA Originals Brand of airsoft guns focuses on a dynamic new approach to airsoft combat sports. Much like KWA’s release of the Ronin Series AEGs back in 2018, the KO Brand was devised to elevate airsoft as an industry and as a culture. KO

KWA NEW MODELS At the time of writing the specifications of the KO series, RM4 Q10 & VM4 M10 were not available but we have included the specifications of the previous iterations with parts already confirmed in the new models.

K O: RAINE Length Extended: 27.63” (Based on QRF Mod.2 Spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on QRF Mod.2 Spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: RAINE) Also compatible with TK45 120 rd magazines. Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: RAINE) K O: AVA Length Extended: 26.75” (Based on QRF Mod.1 spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on QRF Mod.1 spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: AVA) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: AVA)

K O: LUCY Length Extended: 26.5” (Based on QRF Mod.3 spec) Outer Barrel Length: 6.5” (Based on QRF Mod.3 spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: LUCY) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: LUCY)

K O: SCARLETT 47 Length Retracted: 24.5” (Based on RN47 spec) Length Extended: 29.25” (Based on RN47 spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on RN47 spec) Magazine Capacity: 120rds (Confirmed in KO: SCARLETT47) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: SCARLETT47)

K O: IRIS 45 Length Retracted: 21.25” (Based on TK45C spec) Length Extended: 26.0” (Based on TK45C spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on TK45C spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: IRIS) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: IRIS)

VM4 M10 Length Extended: 32” TBC (Based on T10) Outer Barrel Length: 11” TBC (Based on T10) Magazine Capacity: 120 (also compatible with KWA 30/60, 30/120 & EPM ERG) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ Magazine Cut Off: YES

RM4 Q10 Length Extended: 32” TBC (Based on T10) Outer Barrel Length: 11” TBC Based on T10) Magazine Capacity: 120 (also compatible with KWA 30/60, 30/120 & EPM ERG) Gearbox: AEG 3.0+ Magazine Cut Off: YES

F90 (E88) AUG Sadly at the time of creating this report there were no details available for the new F90, so I’ve included a stock image here to give you an idea of what we all have to look forward to!

is our pursuit to revitalize and reimagine what an airsoft gun is supposed to feel and look like while still paying homage and taking inspiration from classic weapon designs. The next KWA guns to receive the special KO “polymerization”/treatment are the QRF Series, TK45C and Ronin 47 AEGs.

Each new KO release is a polymer build of their metal counterpart while shaving off almost a pound off from the original. These new KO releases feature the same upgrades as the KO EVE6 we announced in 2021 including the KO side charging handle and newly developed, high-strength polymer receiver body. Magazine compatibility will remain unchanged with each KO AEG able to accept their respective magazines from the original Ronins and QRF AEGs.

The newly unveiled IRIS-45 makes a dramatic improvement in weight by shaving 2.1 lbs off the most recent TK45C offering. This makes the IRIS a true contender in BB slinging gunfights by levelling the playing field in terms of overall weight. Internally, the new KO line shares the same 2.5+ adjustable FPS gearbox as the TK45C, Ronin T6, QRF Mod Series, Ronin 47. Install your favourite aftermarket electronic trigger group and you have an ultra-responsive and lightweight polymer AEG with legendary KWA performance.”

The new variants are expected to be released through 2022 along with the much awaited KO: EVE. As with most new products the global Covid pandemic has affected manufacturing and shipping to a large extent and as such there have been understandable delays in being able to release the actual products and some timescales have slipped. We’re really looking forward to being able to get our hands on test rifles to put through the ringer both on the range and on the skirmish fields, and with the AA team now being truly global we’ll do this just as soon as they appear! AA