Reviews

Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS GBB Rifle

Master Chief

THE M4A1 assault rifle is probably if not the most popular airsoft variant ever. Its popularity with airsoft players is mainly due to the infinite choices in brands and models that are available in the market and also due to the endless upgrades that can be done with it.

Several years ago, the airsoft market made a big leap when they started producing gas blow back rifles, starting with the Western Arms M4A1 Gas Blowback Rifle. These rifles added so much into the realism of the hobby from the size and function, up to the same weight and ammunition capacity. Another thing that made the GBB rifles popular is that they are perfect in terms of compatibility with their real world counterparts which made it possible for owners to use parts and accessories from real firearms.

A lot of airsoft manufacturers have jumped into the GBB rifle bandwagon from the old ones like WE and G&P to the new brands like GHK. But one high end manufacturer that was missing from the list was Tokyo Marui. Known for being the pioneer and the best in the AEG rifle market, Tokyo Marui has been rumoured of releasing a GBB rifle for a good few years now but this has not come to reality until now.

But is it really worth the wait or is it too late to the party?

PACKAGING

The packaging of the Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS GBB is what you would expect from Tokyo Marui. Very simple yet has that military or army look into it. It also contains all information you need to know about the product. Inside, the rifle is held into place with Velcro straps and the cover is lined with Styrofoam to prevent any movement inside. The magazine is held in a cutaway and pinned into place with Styrofoam from the box cover.  This unit came direct from Tokyo Marui HQ, the magazine charging nozzles were removed for safety during shipping. Replacing them is as easy as just screwing them in place. I would advice not to over-tighten them. Just do those up just enough not to have any gas leak then just tighten them as needed. The box also contains the usual small back of BBs and a user's manual and some paper targets.

THE RIFLE

Yes, fellow airsofters... another M4 GBB rifle is out in the market.... again...

So what's different with this one? Well, this M4 GBB is probably the most awaited GBB by airsofters in 2015. Whenever Tokyo Marui announces a release, we all know it will be a good one. Their electric recoil shocks rocked and still are, for me, the best electric blowbacks in the market to date. But the problem Tokyo Marui had with the MWS is that it took them a while from announcing the product to the actual release of it. They've done it so slow that at least 7 different GBB M4A1s are now out in the market. The only thing good about this wait is that we all knew that TM will never release a half-heartedly produced airsoft gun. We all knew it will be one of the best.... But is it?

Out of the box, the rifle feels good and solid. One main difference that I immediately feel when I hold a GBB M4 is the difference in overall feel and size compared to its AEG counterpart. The receiver itself feels a little bit slimmer and the pistol grip is thinner and more comfortable to grip. Also, this rifle feels a lot lighter than other airsoft M4s I've held. The entire rifle is made of metal apart from the pistol grip and butt stock.

The rifle features the standard M4 birdcage style flash hider whilst the handguard features an all-around RAS rail system which is very handy for those laser sights and tactical torches that we love to attach to our airsoft rifles. If you look through the RAS handguard you will notice that Tokyo Marui has installed a heat shield for a more authentic look. The receiver has a very impressive, authentic looking finish into it as Tokyo Marui adopted the the CERAKOTE Firearm Coating which makes it durable and resistant forms scruffs and scratches. It has a nice matte look which makes the rifle look very realistic. Stamped on the receiver are the usual Tokyo Marui trademarks and Colt markings found in every Tokyo M4 RIFs. The fire selector switch is the standard M4 style. If the selector is in semi-auto, it can only be switched to safe if the charging handle is pulled just like its real world counterpart.

The stock is again a standard M4 six position stock. It is made of Polymer and is of very good, solid make.

The magazine holds 35 BBs and charges gas from the bottom. It is very solid and has good weight. I have read that when fully charged with gas and loaded with BBs it should weigh the same as the fully loaded real M4 mag.

To strip the rifle, simply push the rear pin out, which can be done manually. Just give the rear part a little knock and the rifle will split in half. To remove the bolt, pull the charging handle and gently pull the entire thing out.

The inside of the rifle is very clean and there is a good amount of grease.

The blowback system is new and an original Tokyo Marui innovation. They call the it the ZET system and is said to be very durable and better than the other existing GBB that are out in the market today. It features a shock absorbing system for durability and a roller system to ensure that the bolt travels smoothly. Also, the air nozzle is plastic which they say gives better seal and keeps most of the gas from escaping out. The negative side of this, it makes a clumsy sound when the bolt goes back.

Another noticeable feature of this rifle is seen when the bolt is pulled back. As the bolts pulls back, you will notice that the nozzle part does not go with it until the outer part of the bolt is at least a quarter or halfway back. I have read that this is a feature designed to prevent the escape of gas from the ejection port which is what we always see in GBB rifles.

Firing the M4 MWS is a very pleasant surprise. The rifle should be firing at under 300fps on green gas but when I put it through the chrono I had an average of 300+ fps. I did the measurements indoors with a room temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius. The blowback has a hard kick despite using a weaker gas.

CONCLUSION

All in all, the Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS is a very decent GBB. It is very solidly built and the build quality is what you would expect from Tokyo Marui. Its price is also not too bad compared to its M4 GBB counterparts that are currently available. The only downside at the moment is that there are still no aftermarket parts for this RIF because of the new ZET system and the proprietary magazines don’t help much with them as they are priced at around £40.00 each in the United Kingdom.

At the moment I would give this RIF an 8 out of 10, but this will get better once third party upgrade parts will start coming out and become available. So would I recommend it? If it will be your first M4 GBB then yes, I would say it is worth buying it over other brands but if you’re looking for a replacement one or a second unit, I would advise the buyer to do a very careful comparison between this and what you already have.

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