First Blog of the Year! REVIEW: KWA LM4 PTR Gas Blowback Rifle

After several attempts of publishing a blog this year, I finally got to the point where I am satisfied to publish (not to mention emerging from writers block, and finding my blogging monkey xD ). This one is out of left field. I usually don't review guns of any kind, but I felt so compelled to do so tonight. I do want to make a disclaimer before I proceed. No fucking crybabies. I found some relevant uses for having airsoft guns in the house. For starters, suburbia Manoa is only a couple minutes from the city...this is an urban area, so it's only common sense that people not brandish their real steel around the yard when houses surround you. If you're too dense to sense that brandishing and even discharging your gun is wrong, you're just dumb; stop reading my blog. Secondly, even though I am saving up for this, much of O'ahu is not ideal for discharging your firearms. I'm not hooked up with the private range connections. Kokohead is dumb with their rapid fire rule. Magnum has an indoor range, and other places here and there Other than that, there are only a few hunting areas that permits us to hunt boars and feral goats (only during season) and that's it. Lastly, airsoft is good for muscle memory, form, and you get a bit of stress relief. In fact, I believe the stress relief is bigger than shooting downrange at Kokohead. You're getting a workout AND shooting someone? Damn, son. That's stress relief. 

So, getting the above through your skull, I found a gem in the airsoft world, and I would love to review it

This is the KWA LM4 PTR (Professional Training Rifle) Gas-Blowback rifle:

Click for Larger View

This beast was recently released by the very diligent folks at KWA, a California based company, and the LM4 was considered a heavily anticipated system in the airsoft world (along with the Magpul Edition LM4, and the Kriss SBR). Needless to say, these folks delivered again. KWA is known within the Law Enforcement community for training. From the Colorado Springs Police Department, to DHS, they use KWA systems because of the quality and detail they go into for their Professional Line guns.

The LM4 is gauged in mil-spec configuration, so real components can be used if you want (The following is real deal stuffs: Magpul MOE Grip, and Mission First Tactical BATTLELINK Utility Stock Fake gear: Troy Battlesight Fixed Rear Sight (old style), Magpul PTS Rail Vertical Grip, SureFire Muzzle for a 1st gen SureFire FA556AR suppressor replica). In fact, it is possible (with minor mod work) to use a number of real steel upper receivers, so if you do have an extra laying around, you'll be able to use it

Bolt carrier in the lock position

The manipulation, and appearance is supposed to replicate the real deal M4 system, complete with a full-slide bolt carrier & charging handle, buffer plate, bolt assist (not recommended to use, but it does work), trigger assembly, the ping-pong paddle (taking a cue from Chris Costa), and the safety/fire selector in relation to the position of the hammer.

Magpul MOE Grip.

MFT BUS. Note the storage has watertight lining,

 multiple strap & singlepoint attachment areas, 

and the space for a separate cheekpad assembly

The SureFire  suppressor replica with Muzzle.

The breakdown is also familiar among AR users. No need for high temp grease for your bolt assembly; just a couple sprays of 100% silicon [on the cylinder and hammer], barrel cleanup and an inspection/cleanup of the cavity (microfiber, recommended, but cotton is fine) will do the trick. Overall, maintenance is easy, granted you OCD on equipment to begin with. Special airsoft note: the hop up is at the front end of the upper, along the barrel. It is recommended that you open the rifle and adjust the hop up instead of what is shown in the manual. the teeth on both, the included key and the hopup adjuster can easily wear. Always make sure the teeth is flush on both ends and make small adjustments at a time.  

Innards 

Bolt Carrier & charging handle.

Finally, the magazine is a NATO STANAG style that holds 30 rounds, and it comes with a loading tube in case you don't own a speedloader. The material itself is made out of aluminum along with polymer on the top. I highly recommend that you keep the top of the mag free from debris, as this (if you can imagine) can damage your magazine! Based on personal testing in 85 degree weather, I was able to fire 3 1/2 magazines (105 BBs for those who keep count) before the gas ran dry. It tells me that this magazine (and the gun itself) is very efficient in the right conditions. Always remember that results may vary with the region, weather, and state of the magazine. In Hawai'i's case, the magazine is very efficient. 

Overall, I absolutely enjoy this rifle. It's accurate at a distance for a green gas gun, customization is nearly endless since it's built with the idea that law enforcement agencies will be putting their own custom gear onto the rifle. Lastly, the price to performance ratio is unbeatable at the moment. A lot of the high performing gas rifles cannot keep up with this gun (as stated on various forums and the below video), and until [very] recently, the LM4 was cheaper! Regardless to the competition response, the price for this type of airsoft gun is plus. Online retail: $379.95. Local retail Power Edge (account the extra bucks for shipping): $395.00.

At this point, I'll let the folks at Airsoft GI talk more about LM4 Personal note: the target portion of the vid..lolz, but that guy did an ok grouping for using light, .25gram BBs. Still, before I got the LM4, I was more worried about the performance under certain conditions, and it convinced me well enough. Hey, this will keep me busy and richer until I drop my moneyz for a Larue.