Maker: Tokyo Marui
Model: No. 74
Release year: 2002
Model name: G36C
Model type: Automatic Electric Gun, w/ Hop-Up system
Motor type: EG1000S hi-torque (short type)
Gearbox: version 3
Battery: 8.4v SD type
Model length: 718mm (500mm w/ stock folded)
Barrel length: 247mm
Model weight: 2850g (w/ battery)
Calibre: 6mm BBs
Magazine capacity:
- standard: 50 rounds
- hi-cap: 470 rounds
Muzzle velocity: 90 m/s (w/ light-weight rounds)
Rate of fire: 750~850 rpm (w/ 8.4v battery)
Price: 32,800 yen
Maker: Heckler & Koch
Model number: G36C
Gun type: compact assault rifle
Gun length: 718mm
Barrel length: 228mm
Gun weight: 2850g
Calibre: 5.56x45mm
Magazine capacity:
- 30 rounds (standard magazine)
- 100 rounds (Beta CMAG)
Muzzle velocity: 920 m/s
Rate of fire: 750rpm
Price: ~$1100
My third airsoft gun. I bought this one on eBay and it came with the First Factory large handguard which can support large batteries, a hi-cap magazine, two batteries (large and mini) and a red dot scope. Upon opening the box and lifting the gun, I noticed it's a bit heavier than my AK Beta-Spetsnaz. The overall quality was really nice; very realistic-looking. Loading the translucent magazine with the fake cartridges in the mag into the magazine well assured me this gun could easily be mistaken for the real thing. It's perfectly to scale, it weighs as much as the real thing and the fake bullets only add to the outward appearance. I like it.
I immediately connected a 8.4v 600mAh mini battery to the gun. It's very easy to do, only one pin holds the foregrip to the rest of the weapon. The pin itself is very secure, unlikely to go loose by itself because it has a rubber O-ring keeping it in. I went into my basement, set up a cardboard box and fired away. First impression was this gun is an absolute bullet hose. Maybe it's the EG1000 motor, but this gun was firing faster than my AK. I could write my name in the cardboard and after emptying a hi-cap, the box was pretty torn up. Some rounds had actually gone through both sides of the box! That's some performance from a stock gun. Satisfied with firepower, I went upstairs and played with the rest of the accessories.
I had the First Factory large handguard, and I took a large 8.4v 1700mAh Ni-Cad that also had been included and it fit perfectly into the large handguard. Unlike the standard handguard where you connect the battery and hold it against the barrel while you slip the foregrip back on, in the large handguard you can place the large battery and then place the entire grip + battery into the barrel. Perhaps First Factory's large guard requires some modification to work, but if it did all the work had already been done for me. I noticed by comparing the manual images with my G36C that a plastic flange which usually holds the small battery in place had been cut off. Oh well, didn't need it anyway. Personally I prefer the look of the G36C with the larger front end. It looks bigger and meaner, plus it increases the weight and I assume the gun now weighs more than the real thing! Only gripe I can come up with is it makes the gun front heavy, and a sling is highly recommended if you have a large battery weighing down your muzzle. Secondly, my large battery seemed to move around a bit in the handguard, so I took an ordinary napkin and laid it flat in the guard and then placed the battery on top of it and reconnected the entire assembly. Viola!, problem solved.
The last piece I received was a red dot scope. It's a BSA 30mm red dot scope with twelve power settings (eleven illumination settings and off). Very easy to attach, just pick where you want it on the upper rail and screw it on. Having never used a red dot scope before, I have to say I'm sold on them now. This thing is really great, much faster than using iron sights in acquiring a target, plus your face doesn't need to be so low to the weapon. Great for CQB, but I don't know it's effectiveness at range.
The G36C has a second rail on the handguard, which can be anything from a tac light to a vertical hand grip. The First Factory handguard is larger than the standard handguard, so the rail and its mounting do not conform to the larger guard, and as such the rail is at a slight angle. Doesn't seem to make any difference as the rail is not loose and perhaps an angled vertical grip would be more comfortable to use. The stock folds against the right side, so if you connect extra magazines together with the built in magazine pegs you won't be able to secure the stock if a magazine is on the right side of the main mag in the magazine well. With the stock folded, the weapon is only as large as a P90, so it's fantastic for CQB, but without the stock the gun seems heavier to hold. More incentive to buy a sling. While on the subject, the stock is long enough to be tucked under your arm, thus you can hold the weapon with one hand. Good for reloading that way.
Overall, this gun is solid. No body creak, but the top rail is made of plastic and the stock is a bit skeletal so those are the only two breakable points I can see on the entire weapon. I'm sure they're strong enough as long as you don't drop the weapon any real distance on a hard surface directly on those points. There's no barrel wobble, although my front sight does wobble just a bit. The stock when in the back position is solid and doesn't look like it will become loose anytime soon. The muzzle is threaded (I'm guessing 14mm counter-clockwise) but recessed into the handguard, so you will require an adapter of some kind if you wish to attach a silencer. I think I might buy a vertical grip for the forward rail, see if it adds anything to the gun or makes the weapon easier to handle.
I haven't played a game with this gun yet, but I will be sure to update on how I feel it fares in the field.
Update: Finally skirmished with the G36C. Overall impression: great! The gun handles well, is accurate and delivers enough firepower where I need it. I found that I had the stock folded a majority of the time while moving around, and unfolded it only when firing or in a prone position. Speaking of which, it's a lot easier to use while in the prone than my Beta-Spetsnaz with the banana mag loaded. So far my only gripes are it was hard to find a sling for the G36 because it uses a hook-type connection at both ends, and most guns use a loop and hook. I ended up using an all-purpose carrying strap which works well enough although it's a bit stiff. Secondly, the magazines, because they're thicker than M16 mags and have locking pins on them, are hard to store in a mag pouch. A M16 double pouch will only fit a single G36 mag. Even then, they can get caught because the mag is not flat on the sides and it can be hard to put them back quickly--a dump pouch is recommended. Still, this is a great airsoft gun. Solidly built and versatile with good potential for attachments to the the various rails and aftermarket products that allow for even more customization. You can't go wrong with a G36C.
Update: I chrono'ed the gun and it shoots about 285fps with Excel 0.20g bio BBs. Not bad for a stock gun, certainly enough to get the job done.
Update (2005/02/24): Sold the G36C. My main reason was I had stopped using it after buying some of my newer AEGs. And my main issue with it was that the G36C had no balance. After using several different AEGs, the G36C became more cumbersome. The stock is skeletal, and the battery with metal rail is up front, so the model is front heavy. By comparison, the M733 has the battery in the forward handguard, but the buffer tube is metal, so it balances out. Other complaints could be the rubber O-ring will break on you, so the handguard pin I secured with tape. To the G36C's credit, I think it would have made an excellent support weapon configured with high speed internal parts, a bipod and a large box or drum magazine.
Anyway, the buyer says he's using the Version 3 gearbox as a base for a Heckler & Koch UMP (hey, at least it's still an H&K model), so the fate of the rest of the G36C may end up as spare parts. Oh well, I'll consider any difference in cost I paid to what I sold it for as a rental fee.