Post by Fubizzle on Aug 20, 2010 19:37:38 GMT -5
Having been the owner of a few different Gas Blowback Rifles, I felt the need to try one of the newest products in the GBBR realm, the KJW m4. I have owned weapons from the G&P WOC series as well as the WA series, both of which left me feeling that I needed something more reliable and better performing. In comes the KJW M4 CQBR purchased right from this site, which I had hoped would help me to fill the void left by the G&P and WA platform weapons.
The packaging:
It comes in the normal brown box, and simply says the information expected. KJW M4 CQBR, hop up, etc, the usual that is printed on an airsoft weapon retail box. Upon opening, you are greeted by a cut out which houses the KJW CQBR, Magazine, various tools, the manuals, and the speed loader.The cut out was great, and provided protection, nothing was able to rattle around or move during shipment half way across the world.
Next, I will describe the initial handling of the weapon:
When you pull the KJW m4 out of the box you are met with a nice hefty piece of metal. The gun feels amazing, and is extremely sturdy for the most part. However, the stock does have a bit of wobble side to side, not extremely noticeable, however, it would have been nice to have a nice sturdy/tight stock on there. But, most people prefer adding their own after market stock anyways, which I think would remove the wobble from it. The KAC style RIS on the other hand, even though it isn't a free float, is extremely sturdy and will house any accessories you can put on it. The gun is also very balanced and shoulders extremely nice. The front and rear sight are also very high quality and easy to adjust. This gun is built with quality in mind, and even though the stock is slightly wobbly, the gun is sure to please anyone who holds it. One thing that may be a deal breaker, however, is the weapon doesn't have any trademarks on it. I could care less about trademarks as long as my weapon performs as it should, however, for some people not having trademarks is a big deal breaker.
Internals:
The internals of the KJW m4 are very high quality and should last for thousands of rounds. The parts are proprietary, meaning WA and WE parts WILL NOT fit inside the KJW m4. One thing to note, is the KJW BCG uses a thick rubber band at the top of the BCG, this ensures that the bolt returns to its original position. Although the rubber band isn't "realistic" it provides for a nice reliable weapon with great consistency from shot to shot, which is something I would prefer having over "100% realistic".
The lower receiver internals (hammer, sear, trigger group, etc.) are also high quality items that are not made of a weak pot metal. They show no wear in my KJW CQBR and have never malfunctioned in the thousands of rounds I have put through the weapon.
Now to the magazine:
The mag of a GBBR can make or break the gun. Your gun can be the most reliable gun in the world, however, if you mag can't hold gas then you can't shoot your weapon. This is really where the KJW GBBR shines. The mag is hefty and built extremely solid. One thing to note however is that it isn't Stanag, it is in fact a Thermold mag. Some people are turned off by this, however, I think it looks great and since the mag is 100% reliable, I could care less if it was pink with purple polka dots.
The great thing about the mag is the seals work 100% of the time. I have never had a leak in any of the three mags I have. Each mag locks the bolt back after the last round and none have had any malfunctions whatsoever. With a completely filled mag using propane, I can get 3 mags worth of shots before the gas runs out, which is AMAZING. Lastly, another great thing about the mags is they are relatively cheap at about 40 USD a piece, which compared to WA mags, is a steal.
Shooting of the KJW m4 CQBR:
To shoot the weapon, you do so just like you would a real AR-15. You insert the mag into the magwell, rack the charging handle back, and let it slide back into place essentially chambering the first round. The BCG (Bolt Carrier Group) slides back to its initial position with a satisfying "Clack". Racking the charging handle also allows you to switch to full auto or safe, just like a real AR-15. Once racked, the gun is ready to fire.
Squeezing the trigger provides absolute bliss. The squeeze is short and upon completion the BCG flies back and provides the operator with a nice crisp recoil/blowback experience. Switching the selector to full auto and squeezing the trigger really unleashes the beast within the KJW CQBR. The ROF and recoil in full auto can only be described by one word, "AMAZING"! The gun is extremely fun and satisfying to shoot, and the reliability of it is really just the icing on the cake. I have never had a more satisfying experience shooting a GBBR rifle. Even though felt recoil of the KJW CQBR is a bit less than the WA/G&P platform, the crispness of the blowback and the reliability are much more satisfying. There was also no noticeable cooldown when firing in full auto.
The Hop up is also another great improvement over the WA/WE platforms in my opinion. When correctly adjusted, the GBBR can have AEG like accuracy and range. For being a stock hop up, it has really impressed me so far, shooting much further than my G&G m4 with tightbore barrel installed. Although it does shoot a bit hot for most fields, there are already FPS adjusters/reducers being made by cradle airsoft and RA-tech.
And finally, some things that I don't like about the KJW CQBR:
One thing I am not too fond of is the lack of aftermarket support from NON-OEM manufactures. In other words, if you need a replacement part, you must order it directly from KJW in Taiwan, as no one currently stocks or makes any replacement parts for the platform. Unlike WA and WE, which has an abundance of aftermarket support from various manufactures, parts for the KJW platform are proprietary and must come from KJW. This makes getting replacement parts a bit more of a hassle than one would have with the WE/WA platforms.
Another problem of the KJW platform is that the magazines are hard to find in stock. I suppose this could be due to demand being higher than the supply of the mags. However, looking through various sites, almost all of them are out of stock of the KJW magazine. Even though the mag is cheap in price, it is extremely hard to find someone that has any in stock. You best bet is to buy as many mags as possible when you do find them in stock.
And finally, I will provide a quick list of the pros and cons of the KJW CQBR as highlighted in my review.
PROS:
- KJW provides take down tools for the weapon as well as a speed loader to make mag loading much easier
- Manuals are written very well in English, and an itemized list at the end provides the user with prices for replacement parts
- RIS is EXTREMELY solid for being non-free float.
- Mag hold gas very well with no leaks whatsoever
- Mags are cheaper that WA platform mags and much more reliable
- Bolt locks back every time on empty.
- BCG and lower receiver internals are made of high quality parts and NOT pot metal.
- Satisfying recoil and crisp blowback
- FPS is very very consistent for a GBBR
- No noticeable cooldown
- Very fun too shot and a very reliable platform.
- Hop up makes for AEG like accuracy
CONS:
- Some people will dislike Thermold magazines
- Some people will dislike lack of trademarks on the receiver
- Proprietary parts that are only available from one source
- Mags are nearly impossible to find
- You will have plenty of hands on your weapon because it is such a nicely built piece of kit, everyone will want to shoot it and hold it.
This concludes my review for the KJW CQBR. It really is an amazing weapon, one that I am sure I will hold on to for my entire airsofting career.
The packaging:
It comes in the normal brown box, and simply says the information expected. KJW M4 CQBR, hop up, etc, the usual that is printed on an airsoft weapon retail box. Upon opening, you are greeted by a cut out which houses the KJW CQBR, Magazine, various tools, the manuals, and the speed loader.The cut out was great, and provided protection, nothing was able to rattle around or move during shipment half way across the world.
Next, I will describe the initial handling of the weapon:
When you pull the KJW m4 out of the box you are met with a nice hefty piece of metal. The gun feels amazing, and is extremely sturdy for the most part. However, the stock does have a bit of wobble side to side, not extremely noticeable, however, it would have been nice to have a nice sturdy/tight stock on there. But, most people prefer adding their own after market stock anyways, which I think would remove the wobble from it. The KAC style RIS on the other hand, even though it isn't a free float, is extremely sturdy and will house any accessories you can put on it. The gun is also very balanced and shoulders extremely nice. The front and rear sight are also very high quality and easy to adjust. This gun is built with quality in mind, and even though the stock is slightly wobbly, the gun is sure to please anyone who holds it. One thing that may be a deal breaker, however, is the weapon doesn't have any trademarks on it. I could care less about trademarks as long as my weapon performs as it should, however, for some people not having trademarks is a big deal breaker.
Internals:
The internals of the KJW m4 are very high quality and should last for thousands of rounds. The parts are proprietary, meaning WA and WE parts WILL NOT fit inside the KJW m4. One thing to note, is the KJW BCG uses a thick rubber band at the top of the BCG, this ensures that the bolt returns to its original position. Although the rubber band isn't "realistic" it provides for a nice reliable weapon with great consistency from shot to shot, which is something I would prefer having over "100% realistic".
The lower receiver internals (hammer, sear, trigger group, etc.) are also high quality items that are not made of a weak pot metal. They show no wear in my KJW CQBR and have never malfunctioned in the thousands of rounds I have put through the weapon.
Now to the magazine:
The mag of a GBBR can make or break the gun. Your gun can be the most reliable gun in the world, however, if you mag can't hold gas then you can't shoot your weapon. This is really where the KJW GBBR shines. The mag is hefty and built extremely solid. One thing to note however is that it isn't Stanag, it is in fact a Thermold mag. Some people are turned off by this, however, I think it looks great and since the mag is 100% reliable, I could care less if it was pink with purple polka dots.
The great thing about the mag is the seals work 100% of the time. I have never had a leak in any of the three mags I have. Each mag locks the bolt back after the last round and none have had any malfunctions whatsoever. With a completely filled mag using propane, I can get 3 mags worth of shots before the gas runs out, which is AMAZING. Lastly, another great thing about the mags is they are relatively cheap at about 40 USD a piece, which compared to WA mags, is a steal.
Shooting of the KJW m4 CQBR:
To shoot the weapon, you do so just like you would a real AR-15. You insert the mag into the magwell, rack the charging handle back, and let it slide back into place essentially chambering the first round. The BCG (Bolt Carrier Group) slides back to its initial position with a satisfying "Clack". Racking the charging handle also allows you to switch to full auto or safe, just like a real AR-15. Once racked, the gun is ready to fire.
Squeezing the trigger provides absolute bliss. The squeeze is short and upon completion the BCG flies back and provides the operator with a nice crisp recoil/blowback experience. Switching the selector to full auto and squeezing the trigger really unleashes the beast within the KJW CQBR. The ROF and recoil in full auto can only be described by one word, "AMAZING"! The gun is extremely fun and satisfying to shoot, and the reliability of it is really just the icing on the cake. I have never had a more satisfying experience shooting a GBBR rifle. Even though felt recoil of the KJW CQBR is a bit less than the WA/G&P platform, the crispness of the blowback and the reliability are much more satisfying. There was also no noticeable cooldown when firing in full auto.
The Hop up is also another great improvement over the WA/WE platforms in my opinion. When correctly adjusted, the GBBR can have AEG like accuracy and range. For being a stock hop up, it has really impressed me so far, shooting much further than my G&G m4 with tightbore barrel installed. Although it does shoot a bit hot for most fields, there are already FPS adjusters/reducers being made by cradle airsoft and RA-tech.
And finally, some things that I don't like about the KJW CQBR:
One thing I am not too fond of is the lack of aftermarket support from NON-OEM manufactures. In other words, if you need a replacement part, you must order it directly from KJW in Taiwan, as no one currently stocks or makes any replacement parts for the platform. Unlike WA and WE, which has an abundance of aftermarket support from various manufactures, parts for the KJW platform are proprietary and must come from KJW. This makes getting replacement parts a bit more of a hassle than one would have with the WE/WA platforms.
Another problem of the KJW platform is that the magazines are hard to find in stock. I suppose this could be due to demand being higher than the supply of the mags. However, looking through various sites, almost all of them are out of stock of the KJW magazine. Even though the mag is cheap in price, it is extremely hard to find someone that has any in stock. You best bet is to buy as many mags as possible when you do find them in stock.
And finally, I will provide a quick list of the pros and cons of the KJW CQBR as highlighted in my review.
PROS:
- KJW provides take down tools for the weapon as well as a speed loader to make mag loading much easier
- Manuals are written very well in English, and an itemized list at the end provides the user with prices for replacement parts
- RIS is EXTREMELY solid for being non-free float.
- Mag hold gas very well with no leaks whatsoever
- Mags are cheaper that WA platform mags and much more reliable
- Bolt locks back every time on empty.
- BCG and lower receiver internals are made of high quality parts and NOT pot metal.
- Satisfying recoil and crisp blowback
- FPS is very very consistent for a GBBR
- No noticeable cooldown
- Very fun too shot and a very reliable platform.
- Hop up makes for AEG like accuracy
CONS:
- Some people will dislike Thermold magazines
- Some people will dislike lack of trademarks on the receiver
- Proprietary parts that are only available from one source
- Mags are nearly impossible to find
- You will have plenty of hands on your weapon because it is such a nicely built piece of kit, everyone will want to shoot it and hold it.
This concludes my review for the KJW CQBR. It really is an amazing weapon, one that I am sure I will hold on to for my entire airsofting career.
. Feel free to change it though you Nazi lol.