10 replies to this topic

[ciunnc]

G&G UMG & M14 (dont know whether someone else have given a review but anyway this is my story)

Went to G&G shop last night, Test shoot the UMG and the SOG16 (M14 shorty rifle)..

Impressed, place order for 2X SOC16 and 2X UMG (not all mine - but i wished), Items should arrived before end of month (31st July 2005) also place order for a genuine wood stock for the M14,

Events leading up to purchase;
I have never trusted anything else beside Tokyo Marui. Always opted for the quality of the japanese company over anything else. Bought a CA33 a few months ago, while the outer finish was ok, still much work required on the inside to make it shoot well on the field, the mags were not of the highest quality.. long story short. enforced my views on opting for TM (plus all the problems other teammates were having with their G&G and CA guns).

That changes two week ago on a sunny sunday morning, a teammate bought his newly aquired G&G M14, was impressed with the build quality (exterior wise, the metal and plastic finsih etc). the bolt area were nicely made - it also felt good to pull it back and let it go resulting in a load clashing of metal. HEHEHE. and none of those Greedy Island marking on the external surfaces (like the GR16).And there is a bolt hold open latch that it also cool. First impression of test firing (long range on standard power spring -i play with a standard powered spring here in Taiwan).
Hopup is easy to adjust and quite consistant.. basically not bad of a gun from outside, from a non-japanese maker.(my biased point of view'on the japanese side"). didnt pay much attention to it after that. But it made a very good impression on one of the other teammate who went and made a purchase immediately after the game, and on the same night, he striped his brand spanking new M14 apart down to its bare bones, and took some nude close up pictures of the mechbox.(and other internals).. this is when i was really really impressed by the build quality, the inside were almost "immaculate!." the mech box were of very high standard,(from the casting and the machine works) maybe even better then the standard marui box. it was CLEAN, No loose parts, no metal shavings, plastic were of good quality. He even open the box for look. Incidentally he mentioned only a few minor downsides to the internal , most part were of upgarded spec -gears, box, wires are thick-- great saving on some upgrading $$$, one being the gear bushing were of plastic -like the marui ones. The other being that the O-ring for the piston head were too small for the cylinder which made the box looses some power. however these minor issued can be easily upgraded/replaced with the marui spec items (havent tried it yet) nothing more needed to be said. Planned on a trip to G&G the following weekend.

Make it to the G&G shop, wanting to order a M14 then saw that they had a shorten version of the M14, called the SOC16, for the same price as the normal M14 but with the forward mount and a replica aimpoint included in the price (G&G are doing a special price at the moment until the end of the month for the M14, SOC16 and UMG ) The SOC16 were released with a standard low cap mag where as the M14 were released with a 470mag, so the price even out for both model. It looked more tactical and for a short framed person (me) it was more suitable then the full M14. and for little extra $$ (another promo scheme) you can have the genuine wood stock with the brown plastic top cover as well.. cant resist, ordered that too (downside -i will only get it end of August). The aimpoint for the SOC16 is position a little forward then the standard mount of the M14, making it easy to make a quick aim but also move the centre of gravity forward quite a bit. The demo had a 9.6 1800 or 2200 large type battery in it, so it balance out a little.

Well enough said about the M14. if i get some photo will try to post them.

now back to the UMP/G

Wanted this gun for a long time, first impression of touching it. A little disappointed with how the exterior feels. It felt like a really plastic toy gun, the wall lining felt very thin. Unlike the G36 either of the CA or Marui model which were quite solid when you knock it or touch it. this is probably to keep the dimension as true as possible. Holding the gun, with the weight in your hand, it no long feels like a toy. the overall finsihed is quite ok. (the shop saled said that the demo gun is only about 8-90% completed, there are still some part that were incompleted or not fitted as yet -such as some of the external metal bits; bolt (the plate that covers the hopup unit) the demo gun had plastic ones. etc etc).. The gun shoots, the siliencer click on the muzzle break smoothly, and it worked very well giving a deep muffled note --silenced. However, the fire mode selector were not smooth like the TM G36 /MP5. The stock were hard to fold (probably still new) lock and unlock the folding stock required a slight effort, requiring to lift the stock upwards in order for the stock to sit on the latch or to unsit from the latch vice versa. The thing i liked the most is the way the forward cocking handle/ charging handle felt. It felt solid and "bolt" resulting in a nice "clack" sound. I doubt this is recommned as the cockcing/charging handle might one day separate from the UMP. All in all, well no one else have another gun like this, unlike the G36, M14, M249 & M16 so get it while it last (actually for us its get it while the low price last)

the mags that are in the standard package are the low cap mag, the high cap mags are not released as yet. The shop sales say it will be 500+ round winding mag and will come out when the gun is launch end of July. Mags are FAT, straight and long, will required P90 type mag pouch to fit. AK mag pouch might not even fit as UMG is thicker (unless the ones that are meant for 2 AK mags) and the base is flared outwards if the pouch is too tight or fits exact then replacing or quick draw of the mag will be difficult.


oh almost forgot to mention the battery issue - the demo gun had 1300 9.6V (if i remembered correctly) it was configured in double stack of 4 batteries. i.e (4 lenght wise x 2 across) with some room to spare inside but the trap door may be the one limiting the size of the battery. when i can get hold of the gun will try to fix a 1500 9.6V. or something larger then 1300.

p.s overheard the conversation in the shop mentioning whether a standard version 3 marui box will fit into the UMG, the shop sales said no problem, that should give a reduce any major issues with parts or maintainances.

Counting down to the end of the month..............,,, tick tick tick....

[PaNdeMiC]

Omg a G&G shop, you're so lucky ;(
Anyway, thanks for this review. UMG seems to be a little bit disappointing, but maybe only because it's a demo model.
Did you also get some informations about the GR16 GR300 model? I'm quite interested in this gun since I also like to have a compact gun but the SOC16 model looks a bit ancient imho

[ciunnc]

Omg a G&G shop, you're so lucky ;(
Anyway, thanks for this review. UMG seems to be a little bit disappointing, but maybe only because it's a demo model.
Did you also get some informations about the GR16 GR300 model? I'm quite interested in this gun since I also like to have a compact gun but the SOC16 model looks a bit ancient imho

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah,, I was a bit disappoointed but i will wait till when i get the actual production gun next week, and i will post some photos of both the SOC16 and the UMG, LR300 model is not out yet, but rumored that G&G will be selling that item for 300USD (Local Price -dont know how much it will cost outside of Taiwan) for a completed ready to go gun. -not a kit (which was costing more then 300 without a mech box or a motor etc etc)
G&G shop is not much just look for like a normal airsoft shop, the Guarder shop have more display items. Of course shops in Taiwan compared to the airsoft shops in HK,, its a still a long way off. One could spend hours browsing though just one shop there. Airsoft heaven..(and not to mentioned the best prices in the world).................and i am starting to sound like an advertisement.......better stop now..

[PaNdeMiC]

Grml, if I go into a local airsoft shop, which are mostly real steel shops that also stock airsoft guns, I get bad counsel and the assortment is poor plus I have to pay more then twice as much as in an online shop
Well anyway, keep us up to date, will ya?

edit: Ah I forgot, local airsoft shops are also not up to date at all, if a new product is released then you can expect it to appear about five years later in their showcases

Edited by PaNdeMiC, 22 July 2005 - 04:57 AM.

[ciunnc]

Grml, if I go into a local airsoft shop, which are mostly real steel shops that also stock airsoft guns, I get bad counsel and the assortment is poor plus I have to pay more then twice as much as in an online shop
Well anyway, keep us up to date, will ya?

edit: Ah I forgot, local airsoft shops are also not up to date at all, if a new product is released then you can expect it to appear about five years later in their showcases 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well at least you are allowed real steel and airsoft. If i go home back to Australia, we cant have anything, NO airsoft of any sort (maybe 20dollar springers) and the real steel is limited to bolt action hunting rifles (no self repeaters) and shotguns (limited to 2 rounds unless you have a EXTREMELY good reason to have 5 rounds - i.e millions of pest of your 5000 arches farm and with one shooter to handle them) Pistol regulation just got tougher. nothing over CAL .38 and barrel lenght must be 120mm or more. .................. One big reason that kept me working in Taiwan is Airsoft YEAH!!!!

[thegunrunner]

Which G&G shop did you visit? The one in the 10,000 year high rise in Ximen is way too overpriced. Also, I wish I could have stayed a little later to see these new guns.

[ciunnc]

Which G&G shop did you visit? The one in the 10,000 year high rise in Ximen is way too overpriced. Also, I wish I could have stayed a little later to see these new guns.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No i didnt go to Ximen shop, i went to the Shilin shop, all their shop have the same "high" price. i dont buy any of my other guns or parts from them. But the SOC16 and UMG is their product and since no one else have them so we can only get from them and the price is great. They are doing a 30% off discount with the M14, SOC16 and the UMG all the accessories are 80% (i.e mags, silencer etc) but this offer ends on the 24th of July.
For those who have a certain bank credit card, there is a 12 months interest free payment terms, this is for any of the G&G guns, GR or M14 or the UMG series. Again i am sound like i am giving them a free advertising, but with all the new guns coming out shortly by the different makes, Japanese, Taiwanese, HK... i will be needing more financing.. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Gene]

When will the SOC 16 be available for purchase to those of us in the rest of the world?
Thanks

[ciunnc]

When will the SOC 16 be available for purchase to those of us in the rest of the world?
Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dont know when they will be release outside of Taiwan, I am guessing not too far behind as i know many shops in HK, USA, UK (as indicated in many of their websites)are already taking pre-orders for them, maybe check out with your local shops to check the availability and price.

[HaVoC]

So does the UMG come with the silencer?

I was REALLY impressed with the one I held, and if it does come with it, that seals the deal

[ciunnc]

So does the UMG come with the silencer?

I was REALLY impressed with the one I held, and if it does come with it, that seals the deal

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The UMG doesnt comes with the silencer in the standard package, its an optional item. The standard package here is just the UMG with a standard 6-70 low cap mag and the cleaning rod. Well this weekend i should be able to see the gun in its package and i will upload photo then, this is one long week...

The silencer works quite well, but its cost about 60-70USD, i get 20%off which makes it just under 50USD..