Post by triggs (FAH) on Oct 30, 2010 10:41:54 GMT -5
Snow Wolf Barrett M82A3 (SW99-02)
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The M82 (also sometimes designated by the military as the M107) is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by the American Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. A heavy SASR (Special Application Scoped Rifle), it is used by many units and armies around the world. It is also called the "Light Fifty" for its .50 caliber BMG (12.7 mm) chambering. The weapon is found in two variants—the original M82A1 (and A3) and the bullpup M82A2. The M82A2 is no longer manufactured, though the XM500 can be seen as its successor, in that it also employs a bullpup configuration. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
Everyone knows the DOOM reference when I say the BFG, so with that in mind when I say this is a BFG it’s a BFG 9000. Now like most people, I’ve always wanted a Barrett M82 since getting into airsoft, ignore the new player stigma, I’ve simply always been a fan of sniper rifles and have stuck with them for a very long time. However, up till now finding an affordable M82 have been next to impossible. VFC, Smokey, HurricanE, and others have always been well over the $1,000 USD mark. Last year SOCOM Gear started producing an “affordable” M107/XM107 AEG but it quickly skyrocketed to well over $1,000 USD again. However, amongst the hype for the SOCOM Gear came teaser shots of a clone of the old HurricanE conversion kit for the Tokyo Marui M16. Unfortunately the release was delayed by almost 7 months.
Obviously when it arrived stateside I bought one. So now let’s see if it was worth the wait.
Sadly I have to start criticizing early. I ordered my M82 from Airsplat.com and it literally came in the Snow Wolf Box with a shipping label slapped on the side. Fortunately Snow Wolf packaging is quite good and the rifle was in perfect condition when I got it. The box itself was completely blank except for a few warning and identification stickers. I was quite surprised it was delivered given its obvious contents.
Kind of a "cool" factor is Snow Wolf has included a nice wall poster with the rifle, showcasing the rifle. Not exactly a necessity, but at the very least original.
Accessories
I was quite surprised by the number of parts included with the Snow Wolf Barrett. Given its $280 price tag I expected to barely see a rifle. Included however are; an extremely long cleaning rod, carrying handle, bipod legs (the mount is attached to the rifle), sling, small pack of “Snow Wolf” 6mm BB’s, wall charger, and a 8.4v 1500mAh NIMH large type battery (with small tamiya connector).
I was extremely impressed by the quality of the bipod, sling, and carry handle. Both were very solid and had no problems handling the weight of the M82. I felt completely safe picking up the rifle with the carry handle and sling; as well as resting the rifle on the bipod.
The battery was also a nice surprise, it charged perfectly and was more than enough power to turn the stock motor.
The BB’s also felt of good quality, it’s uncertain of the weight but they felt generally in the .23 or .25 range and had a smooth polish with no burrs.
The magazine is a smaller version, and appears to copy the 5 round magazine instead of the more commonly associated 10 round version. That said, the magazine is still massive in comparison to a 20 round 5.56, M4/M16 30 round 5.56 M4/M16, or 20 round 7.62 SCAR-H magazine.
Externals review
It’s hard to describe a Barrett, except by understating it’s huge. As stated before the rifle came snuggly packed away in Styrofoam. I was extremely happy to find the rifle in pristine condition with no scratches. HurricanE and Snow Wolf roughly model the M82Ae model, this is distinguishable from the M82A1M/M107/XM107 due to the lack of a monopod like that found on the SOCOM Gear. Interestingly neither company offers a rear sight.
Starting from the stock we see a very nice thick rubber shoulder pad. Removing the two steel pins see in the picture remove the pad for access to the large battery compartment. The only drawback I found was, unlike the real M82, the Snow Wolf upper receiver is only held in place by this one steel pin, pulling it off to change the battery means the upper comes off without warning. Possibly something to remedy later.
The trigger group and magwell are a direct copy of the original HurricanE kit, from the factory the rifle retains the full auto option from a standard M4/16. The pistol grip is standard AEG spec so you can easily swap any other AEG pistol grip for comfort. The stock one however, is high quality nylon fiber reinforced and feels like it could take a good amount of abuse, it also comes with a metal, vented motor plate. Since this is a direct copy of the HurricanE kit there are no weld marks, instead everything is held together by screws as seen next to the magwell. The other problem is that the magwell is slightly smaller in dimensions compared to the SOCOM Gear and real M82, meaning SOCOM Gear M82 magazines will NOT fit. However, the included mag fits snugly in the magwell and latches in with a solid click.
The “handguard” is also a short coming, both of the original kit and the Snow Wolf copy. The HurricanE kit was 2” shorter in the handguard area and unfortunately this carried over to the copy. However, all 8 vents are there and show off the barrel assembly. Also seen in the pictures is the FAUX front receiver pin that normally holds the upper to the lower. The bipod also attaches to the body under the barrel, unlike the SOCOM Gear however, the Bipod does not simply detach if you pull out the steel retaining pin. Instead the entire assembly is bolted in from the inside.
The barrel is long, very long, and includes the trademark Barrett “arrowhead” muzzle brake. On the real steel M82 the design of the muzzle break allows for compressed gasses behind the bullet to vent diagonally, decreasing the recoil felt in the operator’s shoulder. On the Snow Wolf we simply have a large cast plastic copy that attaches to the outer barrel with 2 screws, effectively clamping the brake to the barrel. Upon receiving mine, it was a tad loose and the brake rotated some. A quick tightening and everything was perfect.
On a side note: As stated the receiver is about 2” short of specifications. However from the stock to the barrel it is the correct length. As such, the barrel is a bit longer to compensate. It’s not necessarily a noticeable difference. But if compared to a SOCOM Gear or real M82 there is some difference.
Internals review
To be honest I wasn’t expecting a lot from a new company, much less one that has never produced a AEG before.
After removing the upper receiver it can be broken down into its main parts. The outer barrel is threaded near the gearbox and must be removed first to remove the inner barrel. The inner barrel measures 650mm (PSG-1 length) and is fitted to a standard M4/M16 metal hopup. The bucking feels like a harder type bucking, but it is hard to determine exactly. Both the barrel and bucking were extremely greasy, and with a good cleaning should provide decent accuracy.
The gearbox is a standard M4/M16 version 2 gearbox. The shells are a “potmetal” zinc castings and were very rough. The insides however were smooth; however there were a lot of unexplained scratches. The only noticeable difference about the gearbox was a strange interlocking front end, and an absence of the standard reinforcing shelf on the front of the gearbox to avoid cracking the shells.
The motor is a non-brand specific high torque motor, and pulled the stock gearbox extremely well.
The wiring was typical for Chinese clones, and was at least decent. The fuse system is similar to a car fuse and seemed thick enough to handle some amperage.
The cylinder is a standard brass type 0 non ported cylinder, with a plastic version 2 head, as well as a basic air nozzle with no o-ring. The piston is a non-branded standard piston made from a lightweight polycarbonate. The piston head is also plastic, but comes with a metal bearing. Everything created a perfect air seal and I was extremely surprised to find it did.
The gears are standard Chinese “XYT” gears. I was surprised to find a sector chip on the sector gear, but it was a nice touch. The gears, unlike the compression parts were disappointing. All three gears had a fair amount of movement in them and required s number of shims to set them properly.
The spring feels to be in the M120 range and with the initial and subsequent test results it appears to be an M120. The spring guide was also quite good, being made from solid metal, however it did not have a washer to rotate with the spring and scratches from the rotating spring could be seen.
Performance
FPS: 398 – 406FPS (Average: 402FPS)
Range: NEEDS TESTING
Initial FPS and accuracy were good from the box, with a good cleaning and air seal testing there was a minor change in the readings.
FPS: 405 – 411FPS (Average: 408FPS)
I was extremely impressed with the stock capabilities of the rifle. Many previous clones have been inconsistent, but the Snow Wolf Barrett was able to get some decent readings.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
PICTURES
Overall I was very impressed with the Snow Wolf Barrett M82, for the price it can’t be beat, and is by far the cheapest M82 on the market. There are some small gripes with the accuracy of the size, and the cheap plastic muzzle brake, but for the price I feel like I got the best deal.
Externals Score: 9/10
The only reason I can take points away is because of the 2” deficit in the receiver. However, the construction is rock solid feeling, and the paint is also quite resilient. The bipod, carry handle, and sling are also sturdy and can take hauling the 16lb rifle around.
Internals Score: 8/10
Again it’s hard to take points away, but I took two away from here because of the poor gearbox shims, as well as the weak version 2 gearbox used.
Overall Score: 10/10
I give the rifle a 10 out of 10 overall because while it has flaws, it’s also extremely cheap. For those looking for a cheap, reliable, and most importantly, skirmishable Barrett this is by far the best available option. It’s by no means light, and many “Call of Duty snipers” will immediately find themselves with a 16lb paper weight. For those with the knowledge and experience the Snow Wolf offers a cheap starting point for a solid sniper rifle.
- Real Steel History
- Overview
- Accessories
- Externals review
- Internals review
- Performance
- Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
Real Steel History
Image from www.wikipedia.com all rights reserved
The M82 (also sometimes designated by the military as the M107) is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by the American Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. A heavy SASR (Special Application Scoped Rifle), it is used by many units and armies around the world. It is also called the "Light Fifty" for its .50 caliber BMG (12.7 mm) chambering. The weapon is found in two variants—the original M82A1 (and A3) and the bullpup M82A2. The M82A2 is no longer manufactured, though the XM500 can be seen as its successor, in that it also employs a bullpup configuration. (taken from www.wikipedia.org )
Overview
Everyone knows the DOOM reference when I say the BFG, so with that in mind when I say this is a BFG it’s a BFG 9000. Now like most people, I’ve always wanted a Barrett M82 since getting into airsoft, ignore the new player stigma, I’ve simply always been a fan of sniper rifles and have stuck with them for a very long time. However, up till now finding an affordable M82 have been next to impossible. VFC, Smokey, HurricanE, and others have always been well over the $1,000 USD mark. Last year SOCOM Gear started producing an “affordable” M107/XM107 AEG but it quickly skyrocketed to well over $1,000 USD again. However, amongst the hype for the SOCOM Gear came teaser shots of a clone of the old HurricanE conversion kit for the Tokyo Marui M16. Unfortunately the release was delayed by almost 7 months.
Obviously when it arrived stateside I bought one. So now let’s see if it was worth the wait.
Sadly I have to start criticizing early. I ordered my M82 from Airsplat.com and it literally came in the Snow Wolf Box with a shipping label slapped on the side. Fortunately Snow Wolf packaging is quite good and the rifle was in perfect condition when I got it. The box itself was completely blank except for a few warning and identification stickers. I was quite surprised it was delivered given its obvious contents.
Kind of a "cool" factor is Snow Wolf has included a nice wall poster with the rifle, showcasing the rifle. Not exactly a necessity, but at the very least original.
Accessories
I was quite surprised by the number of parts included with the Snow Wolf Barrett. Given its $280 price tag I expected to barely see a rifle. Included however are; an extremely long cleaning rod, carrying handle, bipod legs (the mount is attached to the rifle), sling, small pack of “Snow Wolf” 6mm BB’s, wall charger, and a 8.4v 1500mAh NIMH large type battery (with small tamiya connector).
I was extremely impressed by the quality of the bipod, sling, and carry handle. Both were very solid and had no problems handling the weight of the M82. I felt completely safe picking up the rifle with the carry handle and sling; as well as resting the rifle on the bipod.
The battery was also a nice surprise, it charged perfectly and was more than enough power to turn the stock motor.
The BB’s also felt of good quality, it’s uncertain of the weight but they felt generally in the .23 or .25 range and had a smooth polish with no burrs.
The magazine is a smaller version, and appears to copy the 5 round magazine instead of the more commonly associated 10 round version. That said, the magazine is still massive in comparison to a 20 round 5.56, M4/M16 30 round 5.56 M4/M16, or 20 round 7.62 SCAR-H magazine.
Externals review
It’s hard to describe a Barrett, except by understating it’s huge. As stated before the rifle came snuggly packed away in Styrofoam. I was extremely happy to find the rifle in pristine condition with no scratches. HurricanE and Snow Wolf roughly model the M82Ae model, this is distinguishable from the M82A1M/M107/XM107 due to the lack of a monopod like that found on the SOCOM Gear. Interestingly neither company offers a rear sight.
Starting from the stock we see a very nice thick rubber shoulder pad. Removing the two steel pins see in the picture remove the pad for access to the large battery compartment. The only drawback I found was, unlike the real M82, the Snow Wolf upper receiver is only held in place by this one steel pin, pulling it off to change the battery means the upper comes off without warning. Possibly something to remedy later.
The trigger group and magwell are a direct copy of the original HurricanE kit, from the factory the rifle retains the full auto option from a standard M4/16. The pistol grip is standard AEG spec so you can easily swap any other AEG pistol grip for comfort. The stock one however, is high quality nylon fiber reinforced and feels like it could take a good amount of abuse, it also comes with a metal, vented motor plate. Since this is a direct copy of the HurricanE kit there are no weld marks, instead everything is held together by screws as seen next to the magwell. The other problem is that the magwell is slightly smaller in dimensions compared to the SOCOM Gear and real M82, meaning SOCOM Gear M82 magazines will NOT fit. However, the included mag fits snugly in the magwell and latches in with a solid click.
The “handguard” is also a short coming, both of the original kit and the Snow Wolf copy. The HurricanE kit was 2” shorter in the handguard area and unfortunately this carried over to the copy. However, all 8 vents are there and show off the barrel assembly. Also seen in the pictures is the FAUX front receiver pin that normally holds the upper to the lower. The bipod also attaches to the body under the barrel, unlike the SOCOM Gear however, the Bipod does not simply detach if you pull out the steel retaining pin. Instead the entire assembly is bolted in from the inside.
The barrel is long, very long, and includes the trademark Barrett “arrowhead” muzzle brake. On the real steel M82 the design of the muzzle break allows for compressed gasses behind the bullet to vent diagonally, decreasing the recoil felt in the operator’s shoulder. On the Snow Wolf we simply have a large cast plastic copy that attaches to the outer barrel with 2 screws, effectively clamping the brake to the barrel. Upon receiving mine, it was a tad loose and the brake rotated some. A quick tightening and everything was perfect.
On a side note: As stated the receiver is about 2” short of specifications. However from the stock to the barrel it is the correct length. As such, the barrel is a bit longer to compensate. It’s not necessarily a noticeable difference. But if compared to a SOCOM Gear or real M82 there is some difference.
Internals review
To be honest I wasn’t expecting a lot from a new company, much less one that has never produced a AEG before.
After removing the upper receiver it can be broken down into its main parts. The outer barrel is threaded near the gearbox and must be removed first to remove the inner barrel. The inner barrel measures 650mm (PSG-1 length) and is fitted to a standard M4/M16 metal hopup. The bucking feels like a harder type bucking, but it is hard to determine exactly. Both the barrel and bucking were extremely greasy, and with a good cleaning should provide decent accuracy.
The gearbox is a standard M4/M16 version 2 gearbox. The shells are a “potmetal” zinc castings and were very rough. The insides however were smooth; however there were a lot of unexplained scratches. The only noticeable difference about the gearbox was a strange interlocking front end, and an absence of the standard reinforcing shelf on the front of the gearbox to avoid cracking the shells.
The motor is a non-brand specific high torque motor, and pulled the stock gearbox extremely well.
The wiring was typical for Chinese clones, and was at least decent. The fuse system is similar to a car fuse and seemed thick enough to handle some amperage.
The cylinder is a standard brass type 0 non ported cylinder, with a plastic version 2 head, as well as a basic air nozzle with no o-ring. The piston is a non-branded standard piston made from a lightweight polycarbonate. The piston head is also plastic, but comes with a metal bearing. Everything created a perfect air seal and I was extremely surprised to find it did.
The gears are standard Chinese “XYT” gears. I was surprised to find a sector chip on the sector gear, but it was a nice touch. The gears, unlike the compression parts were disappointing. All three gears had a fair amount of movement in them and required s number of shims to set them properly.
The spring feels to be in the M120 range and with the initial and subsequent test results it appears to be an M120. The spring guide was also quite good, being made from solid metal, however it did not have a washer to rotate with the spring and scratches from the rotating spring could be seen.
Performance
FPS: 398 – 406FPS (Average: 402FPS)
Range: NEEDS TESTING
Initial FPS and accuracy were good from the box, with a good cleaning and air seal testing there was a minor change in the readings.
FPS: 405 – 411FPS (Average: 408FPS)
I was extremely impressed with the stock capabilities of the rifle. Many previous clones have been inconsistent, but the Snow Wolf Barrett was able to get some decent readings.
Final Thoughts and Upgradeability
PICTURES
Overall I was very impressed with the Snow Wolf Barrett M82, for the price it can’t be beat, and is by far the cheapest M82 on the market. There are some small gripes with the accuracy of the size, and the cheap plastic muzzle brake, but for the price I feel like I got the best deal.
Externals Score: 9/10
The only reason I can take points away is because of the 2” deficit in the receiver. However, the construction is rock solid feeling, and the paint is also quite resilient. The bipod, carry handle, and sling are also sturdy and can take hauling the 16lb rifle around.
Internals Score: 8/10
Again it’s hard to take points away, but I took two away from here because of the poor gearbox shims, as well as the weak version 2 gearbox used.
Overall Score: 10/10
I give the rifle a 10 out of 10 overall because while it has flaws, it’s also extremely cheap. For those looking for a cheap, reliable, and most importantly, skirmishable Barrett this is by far the best available option. It’s by no means light, and many “Call of Duty snipers” will immediately find themselves with a 16lb paper weight. For those with the knowledge and experience the Snow Wolf offers a cheap starting point for a solid sniper rifle.
