Airsoft / Clearsoft - Long Term Reliability Study

[Medic]

1) Make&Model
TM M733
2) Date Purchased
Dec 2005
3) Cost
$460
4) New/Used
New
5) Mech Problems
None
6) Esthetic Problems
Normal wear on stock tube and mags
7) Rounds between Failures
N/A Approx 5000 rds to date
8) Changes to Internals
None - Stock/never opened
9) Resale Date & Yalue
N/A

[Jugglez]

Yes I've owned 4 P226's, all Marui's.

I didn't include all the other custom P226's I've built for people (all with the Marui P226), I know they haven't seen any failures yet with propane use, and some see very regular use.

[kalnaren]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
Classic Army CA36 (G36 full size)
2) Date Obtained
Feburary 2007
3) Initial Cost
Gun + battery and 50rd mag $680
4) New or Used
New
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related)
Trigger contacts in mechbox separated, causing gun to stop firing. Probably after around 3,000-4,000 rounds.
Piston Head Seal went after about 18,000 rounds.
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related)
Cocking swivel lever extremly easy to break. -replaced with CA steel lever.
Foregrip pin falls out easily (fixed by threading it and holding it on with a screw)
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed)
4,000-ish before I had to fix the trigger contacts. Some other electrical issues (too much damned wire). Fired probably 15,000+ rounds through the gun.
8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
6.04mm Classic Army High Precision Barrel -May 10th. This was removed in September because CA tightbores suck. The gun in more accurate with the stock barrel.
MS100SP Spring -September 12th
Guarder Bearing Spring Guide -Sept 12th
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
Still hanging onto this thing, probably will for a long time yet to come!
10) Optional - Notes and Comments
This gun is made out of glass fiber, and is very, very solid. No flex or creak in the body. Lightweight and other than what was mentioned above very durable. The export sight (1.5x) has very poor eye relief and is hard to use with goggles. Replaced with SL8 rail, much better. Overall this is a great gun.

[kalnaren]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
Tokyo Mauri FA-MAS F1
2) Date Obtained
March 2007
3) Initial Cost
$435
4) New or Used
Used
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related)
Nothing so far.
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related)
The FA-MAS itself is creaky by default, easily fixed with some tape. The gun is completely solid though.
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed)
Close to 2,500 since I've owned it, no failures yet.
8) Changes to Internals (upgrades, dates)
Upgraded spring (120%, 330fps), Upgraded bushings
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
I bought it used for $450-ish. Sold for $400 November, 2007.
10) Optional - Notes and Comments
A lot of people complain about this gun being too creaky (which seems to make people think it's fragile) and about the old mechbox being unupgradable. The creaking IS NOT that bad and is easily fixed with some tape. I elemintated 90% of the creaking on mine. The gun IS durable, made out of strong ABS. The V1 mechbox is a tank, with an insane rate of fire. This gun is mildely upgraded and competes well.

[trufret]

1) Make and Model
-- M249 MKII, Classic Army
2) Date Purchased
-- September 2006
3) Cost
-- $1600
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- N/A
6) Esthetic Problems
-- Slightly worn bipod mount from use. Steel legs will wear down aluminum mounts over time ( Replaced with CA steel bipod parts kit)
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- N/A (4000 to date)
8) Changes to Internals
-- Prometheus hard Piston, Systema Piston Head, Prometheus hard hop-up, Prometheus 591mm tightbore.
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A

[owner]

1) Make and Model
-- TM M1911A1
2) Date Purchased
-- January 2007
3) Cost
-- $325
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- N/A
6) Esthetic Problems
-- below the trigger gaurd the matte finnish wore off and is now shinny
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- 1000 rounds-no failure(on green and somtimes propane)
8) Changes to Internals
-- none
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A

[trufret]

1) Make and Model
-- Para 14.45, KJW
2) Date Purchased
-- Summer 2005
3) Cost
-- $230
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Seals in mags and gun are prone to leaking. Blowback oring may not seal causing all gas to be dumped. Going to replace all orings when I get motivated
6) Esthetic Problems
-- N/A
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- 200 before seals started to go using propane w/ silicone oil.
8) Changes to Internals
-- N/A
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A

[owner]

1) Make and Model
-- KSC M11A1
2) Date Purchased
-- august 2006
3) Cost
-- $300
4) New/Used?
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- N/A
6) Esthetic Problems
-- N/A
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- 250 rounds-no failure(on green)
8) Changes to Internals
-- none
9) Resale Date and Value
-- March 2007 $250

[talon]

1) Make and Model
-- KSC USP Compact (Japan version)
2) Date Purchased
-- Febuary 2006
3) Cost
-- $330 (bought from 007, hence the higher price)
4) New/Used
-- New
5) Mechanical Problems
-- Trigger broken x 2 (a known and well documented issue)
Safety no longer works, decocker still in operation (another known issue)
Unseated something in the blowback function (caused by dry-fire)
Valve-stem bent in one magazine during normal operation (haven't heard of this happening to anyone...)
6) Esthetic Problems
-- None, aside from wear and tear on the slide from being holstered in a FOBUS style holster, and the outerbarrel chambre also shows signs of wear.
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
-- First trigger saw approx 6000-7000, second trigger has seen an equal number, perhaps a little less. Total rounds fired would be somewhere near 10 - 15k.
8) Changes to Internals
-- KSC Metal Slide/Outerbarrel, other older/used parts (from a parts piece) used to replace others that broke (due to my inexperience) while replacing the first trigger.
9) Resale Date and Value
-- N/A
10) Notes
-- This is my first and only gun, and is used as a primary 3x a week at TTAC3 currently. It's seen a lot of play, and hasn't always been treated like a showpiece. Propane only, as well as the occasional lapse in lubrication.

[Bravo One-Six]

All submitted data updated. General Conclusions drawn for TM P226.

[BBS]

1) Make and Model
KSC Glock19 HW (Taiwan Ver.)
2) Date Purchased
November 2005
3) Cost
$220 (Specarms)
4) New/Used?
New
5) Mechanical Problems
None
6) Esthetic Problems
minor paint fade on some spots of the HW frame, minor scratches on slide.
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 2000 rounds (only used propane on the gun)
8) Changes to Internals & External
none. everything is stock.
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in Spring of 2006 $200 (owner reports still going strong with mechanical issues and no slide breakage with propane 3000+ rounds)

1) Make and Model
KSC Glock19 HW (Taiwan Ver.)
2) Date Purchased
June 2006
3) Cost
$250
4) New/Used?
Used
5) Mechanical Problems
None
6) Esthetic Problems
minor paint fade on some spots of the HW frame, minor scratches on metal slide/barrel
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 1000 rounds (only used propane on the gun) (2000+ rounds from previous owner)
8) Changes to Internals & External
metal slide/barrel, enhanced recoil spring/rod, hammer spring and high flow valve.
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in August of 2006 $240

1) Make and Model
KWA Glock26c
2) Date Purchased
March 2006
3) Cost
$220
4) New/Used?
New
5) Mechanical Problems
hammer sear wearing and recoil rod was weakening
6) Esthetic Problems
minor scratches on slide/barrel
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 1500 rounds (only used propane on the gun, mostly shot mostly semi-auto)
8) Changes to Internals & External
enhanced recoil spring/rod
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in september of 2006 $220

[BBS]

1) Make and Model
TM Desert Eagle Chrome (new gen.)
2) Date Purchased
February 2006
3) Cost
$250
4) New/Used?
Used
5) Mechanical Problems
none
6) Esthetic Problems
none
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 1000 rounds (only used propane on the gun) previous owner shot 1000+ rounds
8) Changes to Internals & External
none
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in August of 2006 $230

[BBS]

1) Make and Model
TM VSR-10 Gspec
2) Date Purchased
August 2006
3) Cost
$450
4) New/Used?
Used
5) Mechanical Problems
none
6) Esthetic Problems
none
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 2000 rounds (original owner fired 1000 rounds)
8) Changes to Internals & External
Sling, Scope
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in November of 2006 $450

[BBS]

1) Make and Model
KSC M11A1
2) Date Purchased
Janurary 2007
3) Cost
$210
4) New/Used?
Used
5) Mechanical Problems
none
6) Esthetic Problems
mag is showing normal insertion marks
7) Rounds Fired Between Failures
Approx. 1000 rounds (only used propane on the gun, mostly shot mostly semi-auto) (preivous owner shot 800 rounds)
8) Changes to Internals & External
none
9) Resale Date and Value
sold it in March of 2006 $210

[Bravo One-Six]

All items updated.