RED CELL FIGHTIN’ IRONS

IT’S APRIL AGAIN, SO IT MUST BE TIME FOR RED CELL TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND TO LOOK AT THE “1911” MODELS THAT THEY FIRST TOOK TO THE RANGE IN 2020! THESE SAME MODELS HAVE BEEN SHOT ON A REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS BASIS OVER THAT PERIOD, AND WITH A FEW ADDITIONS THE CELL NOW REPORT BACK ON FIFTEEN LONG-TERM TEST PISTOLS THAT ARE STILL RARING TO GET IN THE FIGHT!

Back in Issue 119 (that’s nearly three and a bit years ago!) we kicked off a testing program in Airsoft Action the like of which had not, to the best of our knowledge, been seen before! As we said at the time, “we decided as a team that we were fed up with seeing reports and reviews of airsoft platforms “from the box”, all gleaming and new, that then disappeared as newer, shinier things appeared”, and we’ve continued to test and evaluate some key airsoft models to make sure that what you’re buying I truly fit for purpose!

As I’ve said before, just as in the real world there is now an industry within an industry when it comes to airsoft “1911s”, with a plethora of aftermarket parts available for upgrades, from an upgraded trigger spring right through to full steel body kits! You can go completely classic with a super M1911A1, or come literally “bang up to the minute” with some of the newer designs that are currently available. You can stick to classic “single stack” models or head on into Hi Capa territory for that extra magazine capacity, but one thing that is shared amongst all the models is that wonderful geometry that makes the 1911 style so popular; it just sits perfectly in the hand whether it’s designed for competition or combat!

Since we started off with RED CELL certain manufacturers (Vorsk and ICS particularly, stand up and take a bow!) have continued to create new models, and there are some stunning variants that have entered the test program! That said we find ourselves with SO MANY 1911 and Hi Capa models now in the program that we’ve had to split them down into two categories to really do them justice, and the first that you’ll see here is all about classic “fightin’ irons”, those 1911 models that are really meant for the field.

Now of course any airsoft pistol can be used in a skirmish setting, but it seems more sensible to us to talk about those variants that are more specifically designed for range use as well as in the field as a separate category, so we hope you’ll bear with us on that as we cover them off later… and yes, there are enough to create a full second report!

In the initial Red Cell Shoot we decided to throw all the 1911 models into one big, massively impressive (and ever-growing!) pile, no matter what their magazine capacity, although of course this could be a decider for you when you come to buy; now though we need to split them up. As always all the pistol models that we test are owned by members of the group or are held in the Test Pool, and they are all models that have been, or will be, used in game. Some have been owned for a considerable time, and this will always be noted in the data so you can work out how consistent they have remained over their “service life”.

We want you to be able to pick a GBB or AEG for yourself that is both worth the money, and worth placing your trust in. Ultimately we want you to have the information to be able to buy something with confidence, to obtain a model that you can own and cherish for years to come, and that will keep on working with minimal fuss and equally minimal maintenance as long as you own it.

OVER TO THE CELL!

Although everyone in RED CELL adds information on test models where they can, of course we have some real “champions” when it comes to certain models, and this month when it comes to “fightin’ 1911s” we admit it’s a bit of a “Bill and Jimmy show” as between them they’ve had a massive amount of experience with 1911 variants in-game, on the range, and on the workbench, so Bill kicks things into gear!

Bill: All the pistols in the pool have now had several thousand VORSK PRECISION BBs through them (chrono’d on .20g) using VORSK V6 FUEL in the main (apart from those that are noted as C02 driven), and maintenance has been undertaken where necessary as you’d expect from a bunch of GBBs that have seen hard use but are still rolling along and performing well. Where we’ve needed to we’ve changed out seals and o-rings, and made sure that each pistol is stripped and mag-lubed regularly, although we tend to treat the test models “mean”; sadly we know that some out there aren’t great at keeping on top of their maintenance regime, so we’ve genuinely let some of ours slide a bit to simulate more “real world” use.

Essentially though other than a regular barrel clean, what you’re seeing here is in the main bog-standard GBBs with zero upgrades. Notes have been taken as we’ve used them in-game or given them another pasting on the range, and we’re now pushing on through our initial 5 YEAR PLAN, a period we believe will be a meaningful, and where we initially aimed to have at least 20 MODELS with a minimum of 5000 BBs through them, it looks very much like we’re going to end up with 30+ pistols to eventually tell you about, and that’s just 1911s and Hi Capas!

However you look at it things are shaping up well to create something very special by the time we get finished with the RED CELL program, with literally hundreds of AEGs and GBBs tested; in one way I’m looking forward to bringing you the final results… but as I’ll be the one pulling the whole thing together it’s starting to look like a pretty mammoth task.

TOKYO MARUI 1911 MEU

Price: iro £150.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 840g

Length: 223mm

Magazine Capacity: 28

Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps

Hot Chrono: 0.33 Joule/190fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibilty: No

Available From: www.iwholesales.co.uk

RAVEN 1911 MEU RAILED

Price: iro £80.00

Age: 5 Years

Weight: 1300g

Length: 215mm

Magazine Capacity: 15+1

Cold Chrono: 0.73 Joule/282fps

Hot Chrono: 0.65 Joule/265fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com

WE AIRSOFT 1911A1

Price: iro £90.00

Age: 10+ years!

Weight: 1200g

Length: 218mm

Magazine Capacity: 15+1

Cold Chrono: 0.78 Joule/291fps

Hot Chrono: 0.71 Joule/278fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: www.weairsoft.com

TOKYO MARUI GOLD MATCH

Price: iro £160.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 850g

Length: 222mm

Magazine Capacity: 31 BBs

Cold Chrono: 0.74 Joule/283fps

Hot Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290ps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Yes

Suppressor Compatibilty: No

Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk

VFC TACTICAL CUSTOM

Price: iro £130.00

Age: 2 Years 7 Months

Weight: 840g

Length: 224mm

Magazine Capacity: 20

Cold Chrono: 0.83 Joule/300fps

Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Dedicated

Suppressor Compatibilty: No

Available From: www.vegaforce.com

So, all of our test pistols are still alive and still performing well even after use; sorry, but the bottom line is that we’ve actually still had no major failures in the 1911 group! From our initial pool we’ve continued to add new models as friends on the manufacturing side have asked us to include their new creations in our extended test; the first of these was the VFC Tactical Custom, and this is still a pistol that is one for the users out there!

As I said when I first got the pistol in my hands the VFC 1911 Tactical Custom is a striking-looking pistol! It aimed to break a few moulds in both looks and performance, and it has proved to do both very well indeed. The pistol is beautifully finished in every respect, living up to the “Kimber” feel. I haven’t gone to the extent of having trades put onto this replica, and in fairness I probably won’t given my personal feelings on hokey markings, but that’s not to say that the pistol is missing anything in overall finish because of this.

VFC have done a top job in replicating the mattblack oxide finish (Kimber use their own finishing known as KimPro on many of their specialist pistols) of the real thing, and all the components like the trigger, hammer, and outer barrel are finished silver. The pistol features both the checkered front strap, along with those all-important front and rear slide serrations, and clearly white-spot-marked front and rear sights that are easy to use. To date this finish has stood up to the rigors of multiple draws and reholsters, and even with a Kydex, there is little to no evidence of wear anywhere!

With the new hop up design that allows you use the guide rod for adjustments, the GuideHop, you can incrementally and exactly adjust the hop on the go if necessary, allowing a full range of adjustment without removing the complete slide; all you need to do is hold the slide to the rear and turn the guide rod itself to increase or decrease the hop with series of “clicks” that you can both feel and hear, then release the slide forward to keep shooting! The 20BB magazine is extremely gas efficient, and I’ve found that many single-stack 1911 magazines (almost all!) in my collection work in the pistol as well as the VFC original.

The power output on green gas as quoted by VFC is iro 0.83 Joule/300fps for the 1911, and they’ve got this pretty right; I tested and re-tested (as well as giving the 1911 regular run-outs on the range) using NP 2.0 gas and .20g RZRs and have continued to get between 299 and 302fps which is pretty tight! Accuracy on the 10m Short Range has improved as the 1911 has bedded in, and I’m now hitting that “headspace” more times than not, so regular centremass shot-placement really shouldn’t be an issue at normal pistol ranges!

Closely following on the heels of the Tactical Custom is the VFC Ultra Carry; as a lover of compact “concealed carry” style 1911 pistols the Ultra Carry really ticks all my boxes! For certain scenarios, especially when you’re acting as a player character in a storyline scenario, having a neat little handgun tucked away somewhere under your shirt or jacket can really give those on the other team a nasty shock!

Weighing in at 711g, it’s not exactly a heavyweight, and what weight there is comes pretty much from the magazine and solid metal construction, However, with that reduced slide and frame it’s physically smaller and 129g lighter than the full-size tactical version, which of course means it’s the ideal “.45” for smaller players or those with smaller hands although it’s still eminently usable by bigger fellows like me.

As with the “big brother 1911” the frame and slide are reproduced in a high grade alloy, and as usual with VFC the finish is absolutely impeccable, even though there are (correctly in licence terms again) no markings at all on the slide, and the overall finish is a consistent and very attractive satin black, and although I use this pistol in an “old skool” Bianchi 105 leather belt holster the finish has again stood up well to use and abuse.

On .20g BBs I still get an average through the chrono of 0.68 Joule/271fps which is perfect for a “compact” and slightly more powerful than some of the others out there like the TM and ARMY “Detonics Combatmaster” replicas. The Ultra Carry really is deceptive though as this little beauty goes off with a real crack and the recoil impulse is really cool. The trigger is light and responsive and as there’s little weight to the reduced-length alloy slide it cycles really well; you can get shots away as quick as you can pull the trigger and VFC’s GUIDE HOP, front-end adjustable

RAVEN HI CAPA 4.3

Price: iro £90.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 880g

Length: 220mm

Magazine Capacity: 25

Cold Chrono: 0.96 Joule/323fps

Hot Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com

WE DESERT WARRIOR 4.3

Price: iro £110.00

Age: 7 Years

Weight: 995g

Length: 202mm

Magazine Capacity: 15

Cold Chrono: 1.11 Joule/285fps

Hot Chrono: 1.02 Joule/300fps

Holster Compatibility: Okay

Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.alphadeltaairsoft.com

ARMY ARMAMENT R501

Price: iro £80.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 1020g

Length: 218mm

Magazine Capacity: 28

Cold Chrono: 0.80 Joule/295fps

Hot Chrono: 0.70 Joule/276fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.taiwangun.com

ARMY ARMAMENT R604

Price: iro £95.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 1030g

Length: 225mm

Magazine Capacity: 28

Cold Chrono: 0.86 Joule/305fps

Hot Chrono: 0.67 Joule/270fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.taiwangun.com

Army Armament R45a1

Price: iro £45.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 700g

Length: 170mm

Magazine Capacity: 18

Cold Chrono: 0.55 Joule/245fps

Hot Chrono: 0.41 Joule/210fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: www.taiwangun.com system means that it’s simplicity itself to make fine adjustments. Even though the barrel is obviously short (the whole pistol is only 176mm long after all, with a 65mm inner barrel!) it sends BBs out nice and flat; at ten metres on my usual “in game” .28g this is as accurate as I could wish for, and then some!

Sticking with “shorties”, Tokyo Marui as we all know are one of the originators, if not the originator, when it comes to airsoft “replicas”, and the compact Detonics produced by TM now has to be one of the “orginals” in my own personal collection!

In the Combat Master we have a compact pistol that is unique, and TM do a great job in nailing it! Weighing in at 634g/1.4 lbs, it’s not exactly a heavyweight either, and the weight here comes pretty much from the metal blocks attached to the inner side of the faux wood grips as the whole pistol is otherwise”plastic-fantastic” when it comes to the frame build. As with many Marui pistols the frame and slide are reproduced in a tough ABS but that said, the finish is superb, even down to the “DETONICS .45” legend on the left-hand side of the slide. It feels very, very solid in the hand and there are some lovely finishing touches like the silvered outer barrel, hammer, and trigger; the 18 BB magazine of the replica is also silvered so the protruding floor plate mirrors what’s above it.

If you’re used to a regular 1911, the controls of the Detonics are pretty much identical. The rear safety catch is placed on the left-hand side of the frame, and the hammer can be dropped to ‘Condition1’ with this applied. Continued testing after some minor maintenance show the stock power level being retained at 0.58 Joule/250fps on a .20g, and a string of 10 shots still gives an average through the chrono of 0.59 Joule/253fps. It really is deceptive though as this little beauty goes off with a real crack and lives up to the claim of “Hi Kick” that TM make on the box!

Given my love for the Detonics as an historical and classic sub-compact 1911, when ARMY did their take on it I had to have one! After I shot the R45A1 on the range I was convinced that this was the way forward and soon ordered one in, and I dug out the second pair of wood grips and stained them to match the pair on the original TM!

The little R5A1 is a corker, weighing in at just 700g, the small slide means that it cycles like a champ and chucks out .20g BBs at about 0.49 Joule/230fps, although mine seems happiest on .23g. It’s nicely made and finished and once I’d changed out the plastic grips for the wood ones, it feels brilliant in the hand. This tiny pistol is huge value for money and as it uses TM mags as happily as its own, which are slightly cheaper and work in the TM too!

Talking of things “old skool”, the next pistol for me is one from the original RAVEN line, and that’s the “1911 MEU”! The pistol is solidly made and feels spot-on in the hand, with the MEU tipping the sale at 713g. In terms of operation it still performs extremely well even after me giving it a battering! Using .20g BBs the MEU chrono’s at 0.82 Joule/298fps, and in terms of accuracy the MEU happily hits centre mass of a “Figure 11” at 10 metres time and again which to me is perfectly acceptable; if you’re having to engage a target with a handgun over 10m then all I can say is that you must be having a REALLY bad day!

In terms of manufacturers you can really take your pick when it comes to the 1911A1, as just like in the “real world” the design is a total favourite amongst airsofters. However, if you’re after a REALLY good “1911A1” then the choice ultimately comes down to the Tokyo Marui version (lovely!) or the WE, and my personal choice is the WE largely due to its metal construction. I bought mine when I was living in the USA and got seriously into Nam games, and this little gasser has been through the mill, functioning perfectly with only simple cleaning over its LONG “service life” with me! It’s put up with insanely high temperatures and humidity amongst the palms and mangroves of Florida, along with braving frosty mornings in the UK, and it’s only very recently that I’ve even replaced the original magazine! Fitted with real wood grips to give the WE A1 full metal build a “just right” feel, it kicks out a .20g BB at 283fps, and has done since new… I cannot commend this pistol to you any more highly!

Finishing my part out I have to mention the RAVEN Hi Capa, as it’s the 1911-variant that first swayed me away for classic single-stack models! I make absolutely no secret whatsoever that I believe that the RAVEN GBB pistol range is one of the best-value lines of airsoft handguns out there when it comes not only to value for money, but also when it comes to outright

Tm Detonics Combatmaster

Price: iro £105.00

Age: 10+ years!

Weight: 634g

Length: 178mm

Magazine Capacity: 18

Cold Chrono: 0.53 Joule/240fps

Hot Chrono: 0.39 Joule/205fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk

Vfc Ultra Carry

Price: iro £150.00

Age: 2 Years 3 Months

Weight: 711g

Length: 176mm

Magazine Capacity: 18 BBs

Cold Chrono: 0.68 Joule/271fps

Hot Chrono: 0.72 Joule/280fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: www.vegaforce.com

VORSK VX-9

Price: iro £140.00 (with extended inner barrel and suppressor)

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 873g

Length: 220mm

Magazine Capacity: 15+1

Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps (no extension)

Hot Chrono: 0.62 Joule/258fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: No

Suppressor Compatibility: YES!!!

Available From: www.vorskairsoft.com

RWA NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM RECON (CO2)

Price: iro £140.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 908g

Length: 220mm

Magazine Capacity: 17+1

Cold Chrono: 1.20 Joule/360fps

Hot Chrono: 0.84 Joule/301fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Yes

Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: https://uk.redwolfairsoft.com

Ics Challenger

Price: iro £190.00

Age: 1 Year 8 Months

Weight: 970g

Length: 220mm

Magazine Capacity: 30 BBs

Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps

Hot Chrono: 0.96 Joule/323fps

Holster Compatibility: Good

Taclite Compatibility: Yes

Suppressor Compatibility: Yes

Available From: www.icsbb.com down n’ dirty skirmish-day gunfightin’ performance.

The Hi Capa is the “pistol of choice” for so many of you out there, and for those that only own one pistol and feel the need for no other, then the Hi Capa is still, rightfully to a large degree, king. The RAVEN take on this venerable platform is a righteous one, and the net result of the RAVEN program was the new iteration of RAVENs, the Hi Capas 4.3 and 5.1, later joined by the super-fun 3.8. All these models moved on from the originals, with that modern, strong, almost “blocky” look that is right on the button for “combat pistol” design. Although I like each and every model in the test pool the RAVEN 4.3 still sings to me as a “fightin’ gun” and it’s a joy to shoot

In terms of the 4.3 which is the model I find myself using the most, it chrono’s in around 0.78 Joule/290FPS on a .20g BB with a really punchy recoil impulse, even more so when you use the included CO2 conversion parts to run them on a CO2 bulb, although you will need to buy the CO2 magazine separately as an accessory. The familiar sight-setup lets you get BBs on target superbly at 10m; this is an accurate pistol, and absolutely ideal for that moment when you REALLY need it. Whichever way we like to enjoy our airsoft, RAVEN obviously continue to “have our six”, and I downright love ‘em for it!

We obviously also added the ICS Challenger to the mix as our relationship with ICS is excellent, and they genuinely wish to know how one of their flagship models is going to perform over time. Jimmy has this model so without further ado I’ll hand things over to him for his observations…

Jimmy: The ICS challenger… ahhh! This was their first attempt at making a “2011”, an attempt they succeeded in; it was most definitely a first for me seeing a pistol dripping with this much goodness. Aimed I believe at competition shooters and Marui fans alike, being of Marui spec meant parts would easily cross over however a pistol that performed this good ootb didn’t need anything changing. ICS are known for being different and different is exactly what they have done here. No other pistol manufacturer is giving features quite like what ICS gave; TDC hop unit, 6.04mm master mod steel barrel for precision, R hop with brass H tensioner capable of lifting upward of .30g BB which is a statement from ICS when you open the box the sticker clearly states use 0.30g… however it is capable of lifting much heavier.

There’s a threaded fixed outer barrel allowing the use of attachments without forfeiting accuracy. Adjustable trigger allowing you to customise the feel and overall travel. One thing I do like is the adjustable gas release valve; it has a degree of adjustability to work in different conditions for example summer and winter. Optic ready, factory fitted plate allowing you to fit your own red dots great for competition use. Because of the barrel and the hop set up this pistol can easily out range many AEG rifles. A flared magwell for speedy reloads and the magazines have nice chunky baseplates to ensure when reloading if and when the mag hits the deck it is less prone to get broken.

Externally it is a stunning looking pistol my one gripe is the gripe; I feel it is very unimaginative and would have been better stippled but it meets requirements and it functions. Fairly efficient on gas, I am yet to see it fail to empty a mag and has only once dumped gas but that was after the last BB had left the barrel. A very respectable contender and I am currently in testing with one of their newest Hi Capas and… so far so good!

Moving on now with a pistol that has been a part of my arsenal for quite some time, the WEM1911 Desert Warrior; this has been a very reliable pistol over the years and is still very much in stock form. I have had to make a few adjustments but it still remains a true ootb contender. It was probably the first proper airsoft pistol I purchased; many have grown up with cheap BB guns of some description but this was one that actually got me into the sport of airsoft and as a result deserves a little attention. On the outside it is not your common looking 1911 it has a much more tactical look about it and actually closely resembles a “2011”.

The chunky 20mm under-rail gives it a much chunkier look and is removable should you prefer the sleeker look. The full tan finish is a nice choice and has worn incredibly well, showing very little sign of wear and tear. Not really a fan of the plastic grips though; yes I know they are true to design but they look and feel cheap… I would have liked to see some real wood! The metal outer barrel is threaded with 11mm CW thread perfect for fitting a small tracer unit or some form of lightweight muzzle device; I wouldn’t run a suppressor on it as it puts too much pressure on the outer barrel and you can feel it binding. It’s short by design and classed as a 4.3 which makes it perfect for the quick draw and those very tight game styles of CQB. It’s not a fan of the cold but then most GBB platforms aren’t, let’s be honest.

Being a full metal pistol with a heavy slide the gas does diminish pretty quickly, but it’s a single stack magazine and only holds 15BBs so if it can empty all 15 I’m happy. Able to hop a .28g bb with ease is in my eyes all you really need with a pistol as anything more is just a waste of money to be honest and let’s look at it for what it is. If I’m drawing my pistol it is mainly due to the fact I am at close proximity with an opponent. Over the years it has been wellmaintained with frequent service intervals; I had to tweak the sear spring once due to random little bursts of full auto and I gave the brass barrel a polish. It has a medium weight trigger and a travel of around 3mm allowing for pretty rapid follow-up shots but that kind of shooting creates a lot of cold and as mentioned it doesn’t like the cold. I have seen newer more expensive pistols fail over this little workhorse and it will forever remain in my collection.

My favourite pistol and again a long term resident in my collection is the amazing Tokyo Marui 2011 Gold Match. Currently this is now heavily modified but for a vast majority of its time with me it remained a stock pistol and I have to say it performed flawlessly. I knew I could rely on it every time I needed it and it actually helped me gain 1st place in my 1st ever shooting competition. In true Marui form it isn’t high-powered but it definitely is accurate. A lot of people shy away from plastic slides, but if treated with the respect its due a Marui pistol can serve its purpose well for many years. Low

It is my opinion that the Gold Match was one of the best pistols created by the artisans at TM; other opinions may differ, but I say change my mind. It is incredibly efficient as the gas doesn’t need to work that hard and one gas fill can see multiple reloads; however, who is reloading mags in game? Not me I just run with three mags. I cannot find fault with this pistol it just works and it looks fantastic, also sporting all the gold accents, outer barrel, hammer, safety switches, jigsaw trigger and the grip screws. It all ties in nicely with the black.

The accuracy and range of the Gold Match is largely down to the hop and barrel setup; there is minimal movement due to it being braced by a rubber bumper between the outer barrel and hop unit, and this combined with the legendary pixie dust (as it’s known technically) makes for a very true trajectory and you can be sure that what you aim at you hit range dependent obviously. The ability to hop a .30g BB does help with consistent accuracy, but due to TM being inherently low-powered time to target does increase but I can live with that as I’m not trying to reach out to 50-60 metres if anything it will be up to around 20 metres at the maximum. It’s got a very light but crisp trigger, it comes in under 8oz on the trigger pull and has a short travel so follow up shots are lightning fast. In the market for a new pistol? I highly suggest you give the Gold Match a look… that is if they aren’t all out of stock, I know they sell like hot cakes.

I remember a time post-covid when Army Armament made some fairly good pistols… as far as budget pistols go anyway. I owned a few and never had any issues with them. There came a time when they started changing things, for instance the R32 Night Storm, a pretty solid pistol that worked and it was less than UK£100. They did away with the Nighthawk, Darkstorm and Sandstorm and just named them R32; that was the turning point and things started to decline, both in quality and performance. Shortly after they began releasing more and more 2011 style pistols and while on the outside they looked pretty neat that was about as good as it got. Both the R604 and R501 had very modern tactical styling featuring, stippled grips, flared magwells, compensators but they lacked performance and quality of components and the finish on parts was massively flawed.

Although ours are still running fine (with care and maintenance) I have worked on a lot of these particular models and all suffer with either faulty/ broken hammers and or faulty safety switches. I have seen broken hammers, broken loading nozzles, magazine feed lips broken and a whole plethora of problems. Performance was just a word and rarely would you see one empty a full mag before dumping its remaining gas out. As mentioned they were a good budget starter pistol but they went downhill fast…

Moving on… The RWA Nighthawk! Well this thing impressed me massively, so much so I ended up buying it! Redwolf kindly lent us one for initial testing but they were not getting it back... Largely impressed by it in every way it gave me a sense of realism; the weight of it was the first thing that got my attention and because of the weight it felt very solid and to date has stood up to all rigours. It has the classic 1911 feel about it, no fancy fibre optics or cut outs on the slide, no over elaborateness about it, just a tidy looking 1911. Being a CO2 powered pistol with dual recoil springs makes for a very heavy recoil effect, which is very satisfying I must say and as a result the CO2 maintains a very respectable velocity throughout the entire magazine. A fairly hefty trigger weight with a fair amount of travel though, neither of which matter to me!

Maintenance needs to be more regular than a green gas pistol due to there being no lubricant in the propellant. After purchasing this platform I read into other users’ experiences and there were some bad opinions on this model stating that certain components couldn’t stand up to the power of CO2, but touch wood I have had zero issues with it.

I periodically check all the main components and I can’t see any adverse signs of wear on any of them apart from the hop rubber which is starting to show but that’s expected due to the physics behind how a hop rubber works. I can’t really say how many BBs have passed that hop rubber but know that it is in the thousands; think of it like the sole of a shoe, eventually the rubber does wear out and inevitably you need new shoes. It will still lift a .30g BB but it is starting to send more and more flyers, so I will eventually get round to fitting a new rubber… AA

Red

ZERO’D IN

IN THE AIRSOFT WORLD WE SOMETIMES SEEM TO BE ALL THE WAY “AT THE BACK OF THE BUS” t was back at SHOT 2009 (if memory serves) that I first encountered the Sightmark brand of optics, and from that day forward I’ve been hoping that someone would give us proper access to a superb range of extremely well-priced optics here in the UK!

WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY ACCESSORIES AND ALTHOUGH OUR DISTRIBUTORS AND RETAILERS DO THEIR VERY BEST TO KEEP US UP TO DATE WITH THE VERY LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, IT CAN TAKE A WHILE FOR THINGS TO REACH US. BILL TAKES A LOOK AT SIGHTMARK OPTICS AGAIN AFTER A VERY POSITIVE MEETING AT IWA!

I was so impressed with what I saw those years ago that I invested in an original Sightmark Ultra Shot Reflex Sight straight away; the Sightmark series of reflex sights even back then were designed to create a lightweight, yet extremely accurate sight. Not only that but they were very well priced too, under US$100 in the USA. The Ultra Shot was Sightmark’s biggest and baddest sight in the reflex line, and was incredibly lightweight for its size. The Ultra Shot came with a built-in, integrated rail mount, which fitted all standard bases, and was able to withstand even heavy recoil from larger calibres; no problems with airsoft then… this, with the ability to choose between four different reticle patterns, made the original Ultra Shot an unusually versatile sight. With a wider field of view than most other reflex sights on the market, and a Limited Lifetime Warranty, the Sightmark Ultra Shot was literally in a class by itself!

But time moves on inevitably, and although there were some half-hearted efforts to bring the brand to the UK it was never made particularly available; luckily for us Sightmark optics are now more readily accessible everywhere!

Bottom Line

“Long hours, harsh weather, dangerous pursuits: it’s all in a day’s work. You’re devoted to protecting others, so your equipment needs to work as hard as you do. Whether you’re in the line of duty, defending your home or serving as a protector of peace, you can rest assured that accuracy and quality comes standard in every Sightmark product, giving you the ability to Make Your Mark®.”

This is just one statement made on their website from a while back, but at Sightmark the goal is to deliver confidence by creating optics and accessories that every shooter, including airsofters, can rely on. They understand what it takes to prepare and they know that the hours spent hunched over a shooting bench at the range are meaningless unless products do their job. From riflescopes and binoculars to night vision technology and red dots, Sightmark is committed in their pursuit of building durable, accurate optics you can trust.

Founded to meet the changing needs of its customers, Sightmark was introduced at SHOT Show 2007 in response to the growing popularity of the “modern” shooting market. The goal was to provide state-of-the-art optics and accessories to make the modern sporting rifle, shotgun and pistol as accurate as possible. In addition, each product was designed for the core market, enabling shooters to purchase more high quality items to accessorise their firearm for total performance, whatever their discipline!

In 2011, a new 33,000 square-foot headquarters was completed in Mansfield, Texas, combining the company’s corporate offices and a large warehouse to handle the increase in sensitive material and technology being produced. The new facility provided more space for research and development, production, and distribution of defence-related products.

A Clear Vision

Time and technology continue to move on unabated, and luckily enough for us in the airsoft world, faster communication means even faster dissemination of information. Some time ago I was sent a “combo platter” of the then-latest Wolverine FSR 1x28 reddot sight along with a rather nifty, flip to the side 3x magnifier, which made an incredibly versatile package, one that I’ve enjoyed shooting with for a number of years now! Designed for short-range engagements, the Sightmark Wolverine FSR was specifically built for the AR platform. A digital switch controls the brightness of the 2 MOA red dot reticle with a 28mm objective lens that is specifically engineered for rapid target acquisition.

The durable FSR model weighs only 349g and is built for a lifetime of use. Fog proof and nitrogen purged, the Wolverine family of sights is designed to provide you with the ability to take aim in a variety of conditions and temperatures ranging from -22 to 122 F. The Wolverine FSR also has an IP67 waterproof rating and is submersible to three feet.

The 3x Tactical Magnifier Pro offered, and still offers, versatility by increasing the magnification of both red dot and reflex sights to give greater range. In one swift motion, the flip-mount design makes it fast and easy for shooters to increase their magnification for accompanying sights creating a greater engagement range in any situation. This durable magnifier was redesigned to provide increased eye relief, along with an upgraded rubber armour housing to give increased durability, providing 3.5 inches of relief overall. The Sightmark 3x Tactical Magnifier Pro is also EOTech and Aimpoint compatible.

Overall the standard of finish and fit is superb, and the glass itself is absolutely crystal clear on both optics. The feel of both models is one of durability, and once rail-mounted they are locked 100% in place. Now personally I like to run a magnifier as close to the sighting optic as possible to avoid light ingress and potential “flare”, and the Sightmark version allows you to run it really close, a big plus. I also like to have my magnifier flip to the left so that it’s protected against my body, and once again this is easily achievable; the flip also means that you can still run and access “irons” should you need to.

Updates From Iwa

Now some time has indeed passed since I got my hands on the Wolverine FSR and the 3x Tactical Magnifier Pro and I have to tell you that they are both still working as perfectly as the day they arrived with me. However, time moves on apace and as we hadn’t spoken to the guys at Sightmark for a while Jase and I searched them out at IWA to check in on what they had to show us for 2024.

A few things caught our beady eyes, amongst them some cracking optics for both pistol and carbine/rifle platforms. However, we’ve talked a lot more recently about the rise in use of thermal imaging optics in airsoft, so we’ll kick things off there…

Wraith Mini Thermal Riflescope - The Wraith Mini Thermal offers the same excellent quality of Sightmark’s Wraith Mini digital night vision models on a digital thermal riflescope. The new Wraith Mini Thermal comes equipped with a powerful 384x288 sensor resolution which enhances imaging algorithms to create a crisp picture, a 1024x768 OLED display, and a built-in video recorder with sound to capture the best moments of your game. With a battery life of 3.5 hours on video mode and 4.4 hours on preview mode, the Wraith Mini Thermal looks to be a durable thermal scope with enhanced imaging capabilities and a long battery life.

Moving on to things that all of us might benefit from on our primary…

Ultra Shot M-Spec MDS – The Ultra Shot is another optic that I’ve had experience withb as I said earlier, and in the latest iteration of this is a solid, well-constructed bit of kit. Designed for lightning fast target acquisition, the Ultra Shot M-Spec MDS offers the accuracy and speed expected in a high end reflex sight while boasting the mil-spec reliability. The Ultra Shot M-Spec MDS offers a diversity of reticle options with its multi-dot sight and ease of attachment with its locking quick-detach system which makes attaching and detaching from picatinny rails smooth and effortless.

The Ultra Shot M-Spec’s premium wide-angle lens system with scratch-resistant and anti-reflective red coating, patented integrated sunshade, illuminated red 65-MOA circle-dot reticle with 10 brightness settings, night vision brightness modes, parallax correction (beyond 10 yards) and unlimited eye relief deliver a crisp field of view even in low light and when perfect sight alignment isn’t an option.

The Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight is shockproof, dustproof, IP68 waterproof, recoil-rated up to .50 BMG (so no problem even with the heftiest-kicking GBBR!) and put together with a rugged, lightweight magnesium alloy body and aluminium protective shield. 1 MOA windage and elevation adjustments with up to 120 MOA of travel get you on target quickly while the Interlock internal locking adjustment system and a single CR123A battery with an improved 65,000-hour life keeps you there. The Ultra Shot M-Spec Pro Reflex Sight also features locking fixed Picatinny mount, low-battery indicator, motion sensing auto on/off activation, digital switch controls, 12-hour auto shut-off and Sightmark’s lifetime warranty.

Needing to see more?

T-3 Magnifier with LQD Flip to Side MountDesigned to mount directly behind a reflex sight or red dot, the versatile T-3 Magnifier allows a quick and easy way to magnify your sight picture by 3x and provides an absolute co-witness. A straight tube magnifier a full .8” shorter than the model it replaces,

“THE NEW WRAITH MINI THERMAL COMES EQUIPPED WITH A POWERFUL 384X288 SENSOR RESOLUTION WHICH ENHANCES IMAGING ALGORITHMS TO CREATE A CRISP PICTURE, A 1024X768 OLED DISPLAY, AND A BUILT-IN VIDEO RECORDER WITH SOUND TO CAPTURE THE BEST MOMENTS OF YOUR GAME” the T-3 features a streamlined, low-drag design, preventing the magnifier from snagging on equipment in important situations. Ideal for engagements up to 100m, if a close-range shooting scenario calls for no magnification, simply use the T-3’s flip-to-side mount to rapidly transition between the optic systems. This durable magnifier is put together in aluminium and provides improved brightness and resolution from fully multi-coated optics. External windage and elevation adjustments align the reticle to the center of the T-3’s point of view. EOTech and Aimpoint compatible, the locking quick detach mount found on the T-3 lets the magnifier be quickly removed.

And for your pistol?

Mini Shot M-Spec FMS Reflex Sight - Built for law enforcement and professional users, the compact Mini Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight is the perfect optic for all shooting applications on pistols, shotguns and even carbines/SBRs. The kit includes a low profile mount for shotguns and pistols along with a riser mount for railed rifles. This rugged optic is 100% waterproof and features a durable aluminium housing with a steel protective shield. Doubling the battery life of the competition, the Mini Shot M-Spec’s extremely low power consumption provides 300-30,000 hours of battery life on one CR1632 battery, while its 12 hour auto-shutoff prevents the unit from running out of battery power while you’re not using it. Easy windage and elevation click adjustments make zeroing the 3 MOA red dot reticle a breeze, even without any special tools. 10 brightness levels give you perfect reticle options from low light situations to the brightest days. An ambidextrous digital switch allows the M-Spec to be easily turned on and off by both left and right handed shooters.

So there it is in a nutshell, although of course the Sightmark range of optics and accessories is obviously far more comprehensive than the models we’ve focused on here! The key to everything for me though is that Sightmark have shown, and continue to show, a great willingness to be involved in the airsoft community, and thanks to them we can now all access the entire range of their products, wherever we may be in the world. In addition to some (for “real steel”) keen prices there’s a whole new brand to explore for those that have yet to discover it.

Sightmark have proved globally that they are here to stay and with an upgraded Lifetime Warranty that’s designed to “keep you in the field with products that are built to perform; in the event of a defect in materials or workmanship, Sightmark will repair or replace your product immediately” choosing one of their optics is a total no brainer! AA