Mk96 (l96) Shadow Ops - ArniesAirsoft

Author

CSC_Maverick

Registered: January 2008
Location: Pittsburgh,PA(USA)
Posts: 182

Review Date: 11/4/08

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: None indicated | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	470 fps. Accurate, can reach out and touch someone $130 price tag, and you get everything that comes in the 1st picture. detailed ACU pattern IS compatable with MaruzenParts Spring powered, so its reliable Simple, all you need is an allen wrench
Cons:	Heavy ,Mags can be a pain to load at times ,Looks like the body was just slapped together ,Hopup needs allen wrench, Bi-pod isnt the best, but its OK Sling sucks. You need an adapter if you want a silencer

This is what it comes with:
Bipod
2 mags
cleaning rod
allen wrenches
sling( i can tell this sucks, it looks like it cant even hold a feather)
instructions
speed loader

LOOKS:
1st off this an ACU(Army Combat Uniform) paint pattern. This pattern came out extremely well. However, there are a lot of allen wrench screws that stick out like sore thumbs all over the gun.
When you get the gun it will be in two parts: The body and the barrel/trigger. Slide the Barrel/trigger into the body(its easy to see how). Once it is in, use the large allen wrench and screw the two built in screws tight.

CONSTRUCTION: Most of the Barrel/Trigger assembly is metal. The trigger house is plastic however. The body is all plastic. An issue with it I have, however, is that it looks like the body was slapped together in 2 seconds. Look at the picture of the screws again. Down the centerline on the bottom of the gun The seam is clear as day. This Plastic gets scratched and chipped very easily as well.

FUNCTIONS/OPERATION:The bipod is an ris bipod, so you can use it on other guns.
Don't ask me why they put 2 ris rails on the sides of the adapter....kinda useless. I have heard many complaints that the bipod sucks. I do not agree. It is only shaky because of the adapter. Any bipod you buy will shake. Also, the stock bipod is sturdy. The only problem is it is kind of annoying to adjust the leg size.

The Hopup is located next to where the magazine goes.
This is one of the drawbacks of this gun. You need to use your small allen wrench from the kit(or any allen wrench of that size) to adjust the hop-up, so dont expect any combat adjusting. Once you get the hopup where you want it however, you'll rarely need to touch it.

Otherwise, you'll have bbs all over the place. A nice thing about the mags is the fact that they automatically pop out when you hit the mag release.
The cheek rest is adjustable via allen wrench. I dont have it on mine, since it gets in the way of my mask. The buttstock can come off.
There ARE threads on this Gun:
They are inside threads, so you need an adapter to mount your silencers. I have to point out this is a very HEAVY gun. I believe it is 12Lbs with bipod and scope on it. I dont mind the weight, but for the smaller players out there it could be a problem.

FIRING: 1st off, I use .30bbs. Your results WILL vary if you use a different weight. The UTG L96 is a rocket, chronoing around 470fps with .20s.
It also has a stock tightbore barrel.
When you get your gun and scope, take your time and SIGHT IT IN. Get the hopup just right, and the scope adjusted to your preference. This will save you a lot of aggrevation, cause you wont really need to toy with them again, If you dont sight in you gun properly, I wish you luck in trying to hit anything.

With my gun, I have had very good results. I consistently hit a tree about 150ft away that I use for practice. In the 1 game ive used this in so far, I have had 2 100-150ft shots, and hit the 1st time. Also I had a ~60-100ft shot, but I hit the guy as he was hiding behind a tree and only his elbow was sticking out.

ADDITIONAL INFO: This gun will accept Maruzen parts, so its a good platform for upgrades. The stocksling sucks(the sling in the pic is my own). Price is $130. Scope was ~$70 Total=~$200

Overall, I give this gun a 9/10. The performance is definately 10/10. The thing that bring this down is that UTG could of made the construction look a lot smoother. Seriously consider this gun if you want a sniper! Any questions Pm me.