by Zhang
Published: 16 April, 2004
Overview
The springer is the obvious gun of choice for the beginning airsofter, but with so many brands on the market, how will he know what to choose for his gun? Doing some research, however, will show that the Tokyo Marui springers are some of the best spring pistols out there. Though previous Marui pistols were somewhat lacking in quality, with the release of the High Grade Hop Up line, Tokyo Marui has once again set the standard for spring pistols. In fact, companies like UHC and HFC simply prefer to copy the designs of the Marui pistols – you’ll find that the Tawainese magazines and parts are often a perfect fit for their Marui counterparts. However, Marui’s quality and design stand above all other competitors. The Colt 1911A1 is of the third generation of Marui’s HGHU line; as one of the newest springers out there, it stands as one of the best. The gun was purchased from UN Company for under $30 plus $12 shipping. I bought it with three other springers so the shipping price per pistol may have been reduced from the price for just one item. I requested orange paint and covered trademarks, but, when I opened the box, it appeared that UN Company gave me the former but not the latter. I thought it befitting to do a review of the springer because there are no other reviews out there – besides a short preview on Supergeek’s old Springer Retreat and some short forum posts, the internet has few pictures and no reviews of this excellent gun.
History
The Colt 1911A1 is an improved version of the Colt 1911, which itself was an evolution of some of gun designer John M. Browning’s earlier semiautomatic creations using a locked-breech recoil system. The US Government, which was in need of a new service pistol, selected two designs in 1907, including Browning's, for a final round of testing. Ultimately, Browning's design was accepted and adopted into service in 1911 and given the designation "Pistol, Automatic, Caliber .45, Model of 1911." Originally a .38 caliber handgun, it was the US Government that wanted it to fire the famous .45 ACP round. The 1911 impressed the US Government with its outstanding durability and became the first pistol ever to fire 6000 rounds continuously. It also survived sand, acid, deformed cartridges, misfires and water. By 1912, production of the 1911 was in full swing; Colt and its contractors produced 500,000 1911 pistols between 1912 and 1918. In 1926, Colt improved the 1911 design with several small improvements and dubbed the new pistol the 1911A1. Over 2.5 million 1911A1’s were produced and sold by the end of World War II. The Colt 1911 and its variants have since been used in all conflicts up to the Vietnam War and beyond. Though the US adopted the M9 Beretta as their new official pistol, countless Special Forces and soldiers still express a preference for the more powerful and reliable 1911. The Colt 1911 is indeed the most successful pistol ever made. Today, myriad versions made sport and combat come in all sizes and calibers, but the basic design of the 1911 largely remains the same.
The Gun
As one would expect from a spring gun that costs $30, there is very little visible metal on the outside. The body and slide are nearly all constructed from ABS plastic, though the plastic is of a very high quality. However, various bits and pieces of metal, such as the fake recoil spring plug, are present on the body. The box is a light tan color to denote that the springer is an HGHU springer. Any other box color means that the springer may be low power, non-hop up, or non-high grade. Inside the box is the gun, the magazine, and a pack of 200 Marui 0.25g BB’s. A manual, catalog, and shooting targets may be included at the retailer's discretion. The finish and color of the gun are very nice. It’s not too glossy or dark, and gives off the impression of metal from a distance. Close-up, however, it is still easy to tell that the gun is made from ABS.
The 1911’s grip safety is an important working feature of the gun. Marui has faithfully reproduced it; unless the gun is gripped tightly, the trigger will refuse to move. The slide safety also works, but the slide lock needs modification in order to fuction. The hammer cocks back with ease and will spring forward when the trigger is pressed. The slide rack will also cock back the hammer, and makes for a nice indication that the slide is actually racked and a BB loaded.
For those who are used to heavyweight springers, they will find the Marui line to be somewhat lacking in weight. However, the gun is weighted just enough so it doesn’t feel like a toy but also isn’t a chore to heft around for a long time.
The trademarks
The full trademarks are clearly etched into the plastic receiver and read, “PATENTED APR. 20, 1897. SEPT. 9, 1902. DEC. 19, 1905. FEB. 14, 1911. AUG. 19, 1913.” To the right of the Colt trademark, it reads, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT U.S.A.” On the other side of the gun, along with the obligatory warning sticker in Japanese, it says, “MODEL OF 1911. U.S. ARMY” Near the grip there is a fake serial number and “TOKYO MARUI MADE IN JAPAN.” An ASGK logo is also present to the left of the grip. The trademarks, for the most part, are all very well done and I was certainly pleased to have them unblemished in any way.
Grips
The grips on the 1911 were also a pleasant surprise. Though fabricated from ABS, Marui has done them with a very good texture that is pleasing to grip. Marui is very good at reproducing wood with ABS, and the grips certainly look wooden from a distance. The feel is close to that of real wooden grips, not ABS, and they get the job done to ensure that one is able to firmly hold the gun without any slipping. It is also possible to remove the metal screws and swap on custom grips, though other 1911 airsoft grips may not work. On the back of the grips are metal weights designed to increase the weight of the gun.
The Magazine
The magazine is another ABS item. Like the grips, the magazine is weighted. The combined weights of the grips and magazine really center the weight of the gun right where one’s hand is and makes the gun very easy to shoot and move. The magazine holds up to twenty-four rounds, but it is also rather slow to load, as each BB needs to be inserted one-by-one through the feed nozzle. The Marui autoloader fortunately works with the pistol magazine and allows for much quicker loading in the middle of combat. Spare magazines are sold for the gun, but few retailers carry them.
The Internals
The internals are your standard spring internals. They are, for the most part, also plastic with the exception of the inner barrel, recoil rod, recoil spring, and main spring. The hop-up is a plastic unit that is preset for use with 0.25 g BB’s The open ejection port and the field strippability of the 1911A1 make it easy to do maintenance on and remove jammed BB’s. Best of all, no tools are required to field strip the 1911A1 – simply pop out the non-functional slide lock and pull the slide forward. From reports of other HGHU owners, the third generation’s internals have been improved in terms of durability. Various parts have been strengthened or redesigned to increase the lifespan of the pistol.
Performance
The 1911A1 is extremely accurate. At a distance of 10 ft, this gun has an amazing 1 inch-wide grouping – just look at the picture. At a distance of 20 feet, I made a grouping just 1.5 inches wide. Accuracy tends to decrease as the distance increases, especially on a windy day. It is very important to use 0.25g BB’s. Any lighter weights will over-hop and make the gun shoot very inaccurately. At distances up to 100 feet it is easily possible to hit a 3’ by 3’ target very consistently. However, the combat effective range of the springer is around 50 to 75 feet, because most targets are able to easily dodge shots past that range. At 100 feet it is also rather difficult to feel a shot through combat gear, especially any sort of vest. A springer is best used stealthily since it barely makes any noise. The sights are unadjustable and make the gun shoot just a tiny bit higher than where one is aiming. After some test shots, however, it is easily compensated for any sort of target shooting.
Slide Pull
The slide pull of the 1911 is of medium length. It’s not as long as the pull on the monstrous MK23, nor is it as short as the pull on the Glock 17. The slide pull is rather strong and requires a fairly strong person to pull it easily. The first half inch of the slide pull has very little resistance, but it then gets much harder after that. However, after putting a fair amount of BB’s through the springer the slide pull does get slightly easier and one does get used to the strength needed to rack the slide.
Conclusion
The Marui Colt 1911A1 Government is truly one of the best springers around. It makes a great and reliable starter spring gun for any beginner airsofter. Its detail, power, and accuracy seem unmatched by any other company’s guns, and its smaller size makes it a preferable and comparable alternative to the Marui MK23. Though the pistol does cost nearly twice as much as other springers, its durability and performance ensure that it will outlast and outshoot springers from other brands skirmish after skirmish. In addition to newbies, experienced airsofters should also consider the 1911A1 as a backup in skirmishes. Having a spring gun in your armory can be a real lifesaver for those times when your usual GBB sidearm goes down due to malfunciton or cold weather. Even the 1911’s main weaknesses, its sub-0.5kg weight and its lack of a slide lock, can be remedied and fixed. If you’re looking for a 1911, the Marui 1911A1 is definitely it. An example of how far simplicity and elegance can go, this is a must-have for any spring gun enthusiast and WWII enthusiast.
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