It has taken years of waiting for the airsoft community for this well-admired SMG which fires the .45 ACP round to have its own airsoft version. First announced by MadBull Airsoft that they will produce this, the KRISS Vector's journey in the airsoft market took some twists and turns such as changes in ownership from TDI to KRISS Arms, and the appointment of KWA rather than MadBull Airsoft to finally produce a gas blowback version. The number of years it took since the first announcement to actually being in the shelves of airsoft retailers is 5 years.

That's how long the patience of the airsoft community was. Almost written off as "vaporware", the KRISS Vector Airsoft SMG is the most anticipated airsoft replica during the existence of Popular Airsoft ever since it was launched in 2007. We cannot really explain the excitement and patience of airsoft players on the KRISS Vector airsoft version. But with all that anticipation, we sure hope that KWA did, not just a good job, but rather a fantastic job, it will be such a hard thing for the airsoft community which waited long for this if the quality and performance of this gas blowback SMG are a disappointment.

When it was released early this week to airsoft retailers in Hong Kong (we assume that other units are on their way to retailers outside of East Asia) the responses and announcements of the airsoft media and airsoft retailers have been so deafening, so to speak, that our editorial inbox was full of news about the KWA KRISS Vector GBB being available at their online and offline stores, and airsoft news sites and blogs announcing its availability like angles announcing the birth of Jesus. If we posted all those emails about the KWA KRISS Vector separately, it will take two days of news items just on the topic of this airsoft gun.

Foremost are Thumpy's 3-D House of Airsoft and the Tominator's Pyramyd Airsoft Blog as they are always on the watch of what's new in the airsoft world.

Among the airsoft retailers, our readers also sent in info about the availability of the KRISS Vector GBB in Hong Kong and fortunately WGC Shop and eHobby Asia, both strong partners of Popular Airsoft, already have the SMG in stock. Airsoft Extreme and Airsoft GI will be having the replica in stock in a day or two, and we expect Evike.com and most of the major airsoft retailers located on both coasts of the USA.

As for Europe, airsoft retailers will be expecting deliveries from Defiance Airsoft, which is the exclusive European Distributor of KWA Performance Products for Europe. This means that all the major markets for airsoft are now well covered, but we wonder if the stocks are enough.

Some have speculated that the KWA KRISS Vector GBB SMG will be the winner for the 3rd Airsoft Players' Choice Awards in the Gas Blowback Rifle Category, but we can put a douse on it since it has just been recently released, it is still premature for this product to be a contender for the awards. But if we are going to talk about the 4th Airsoft Players' Choice Awards, then it might be, provided that customers are happy with it and the reviewers swear by it.

The KWA KRISS Vector SMG will have the days leading to Christmas day for itself, and we won't be surprised of this will be the most ordered airsoft gun this month. Whilst the initial reviews and previews show a very much promising product, the final verdict is when airsoft players themselves get it and use it in the skirmish field to see for themselves.