Untitled Document
By Whistler
Published: June 09 2004
Introduction
One of the most popular gas pistols on the market today is the KWA Glock 19. the Glock 19 is renowned for its power, reliability, and ease of use for new gas gun owners. I actually know three people who own the G19 and love it. So, when selecting my first gas pistol, I decided that I wanted something in the same family as the KWA G19, but something a tad different from the standard G19. The answer came with the discovery of the KWA G23f.
The KWA G23f is based on the real Glock 23, a .40 caliber pistol that is the exact same size as the Glock 19. There are two features that set the G23f apart from its near twin: a fluted metal slide, and a fire selector.
This guide is intended to be as much of a review of the KWA Glock 23f as it is a guide to becoming an owner of a GBB for the first time. The review will cover the KWA Glock 23f from first order, all the way to scrimmage.
Ordering
Naturally, my first instinct when picking out a GBB was to get the best gun I could for the money. For a time, I really had my heart set on a WA 1991 (a variant of the popular 1911 pistol). However, I soon realized that my pistol would only be a secondary, and that since this would be my first GBB, I should probably get a pistol that is more novice friendly. Many suggested the KWA/KSC Glock line, so I proceeded to check out the selection at a stateside retailer, Airsoft Arms. Airsoft Arms had a wide selection of KWA and KSC products, so I decided to compare the pistols to one another.
The first choice I had to make was which companys gun to buy. I had a fair amount of money to spend, so I decided against purchasing a KJW, but instead opted for mid-range price of the KWA and KSC pistols. Here is where things get a little bit tricky. KSC guns are made in Japan, come with trademarks, and should only use the less powerful 134a gas. On the other hand, the KWA guns have no trademarks, but (on Airsoft Arms, I am not positive about other sites) come with a metal slide, and can use green gas right out of the box.
I, for one, can live without trademarks in exchange for a metal slide. Now that a manufacturer had been selected, it was time for me to pick out the model I wanted. I crossed the G19 and M11 off the list, simply because at the field I scrimmage at, those are fairly common guns. I was then left with three pistols, all of which were select fire: the G18c (standard), the G23f (compact), and the G26c (subcompact).
I emailed Airsoft Arms, asking for their help in deciding which pistol to get. They always gave me back polite, direct answers to my questions. The Airsoft Arms staff was very patient will all my questions, and did a great job of insuring that I got my G23f as soon as possible.
First Impressions
When my package arrived, I was ecstatic. I tore into the shipping package, and removed the Glock box. At first, I was horrified. It was a Glock 19 box! But, then I saw the gold sticker proclaiming that the gun inside was indeed my G23f. Because the 23f and the 19 are the same size, it would be foolish to make totally new boxes. After removal of the slightly deceiving cover, I got my first glimpse of my new sidearm.
In the foam protected shell was a small bottle of silicon oil, a loading tool, and what can only be described as a Duel side accessory rail module. This piece of metal slides onto the G23s accessory rail, and provides two 20mm rails for the user. Finally, there was the gun. I pulled it out of the box, and was very amazed by just how heavy it was. When I brought the pistol up to look down the sights, I was again surprised to see large, white dots on the fore and rear sites, which, I would later find, makes aiming both quick and easy. I pulled the slide back, and ejected the magazine.
 The magazine is full metal, with the fill valve on the base plate. There is a plastic grip extension that fits over the magazine, and slides down to the base plate. This extension, which is removable, adds just a tad more grip room, making the grip comfortable for those who have big paws like myself. On the back of the magazine, there are two vertical lines of holes and ascending numbers. On a real Glock magazine, these holes would indicate how many rounds are in the magazine. Though not necessary for an airsoft gun, this simple display of numbers and holes adds a great degree of realism.
 After reinserting the magazine, I thumbed the slide release. I was treated to an extremely satisfying and metallic click. The G23fs grips are very nice; the grip texture for each individual finger is a raised checkered pattern that your fingers will not slip off. The rear of the grip also displays the same checkered scheme as the fingers. The sides of the grip are not nearly as rough, but still stick to your hand. The magazine release is located on the left side of the grip, meaning that you southpaws might have a tough time releasing the magazine in a hurry.
Because the slide is metallic, it is a flatter shade of black than the pistol frame. Toward the rear of the slide is the fire selector, which, like the magazine release, is on the left side of the slide. When you move the plastic nub up to the single dot, the gun is in semi-automatic mode. When the plastic nub is moved down to the two dots, the pistol is in fully automatic mode. The ejection port is also metal, but is not the shiny black on the slide. Instead, it has more of a gunmetal color, which greatly contributes to the pistols realism. The fluting at the forward end of the slide is very attractive, allowing you to see the metal barrel underneath.
 
The trigger has a small, for lack of a better term, gap, running down the middle of it. This gap is due to the fact that KWA G23f lacks the KSC version's trigger safety. During my testing, I never found this gap to cause and problems in the pistol, or bother my finger in any way. The trigger guard is nice and open, so you should have no problems accessing the trigger in full finger gloves. Adding a final touch of realism is a silver tab with the guns serial number. The tab is located on the underside of the frame, in front of the trigger guard. Above the serial number is the accessory rail. This rail can be used to mount lasers, flashlights, or even LAMs (Laser Aiming Module). The gun does come with an adaptor that allows for 20mm accessories to be mounted on the pistol as well.
Testing
My first test had a fairly simple goal: test the accuracy and power of the G23f under optimal conditions. In this case, optimal conditions means a stationary target (a sprite can) at a range of fifteen feet. A single magazine of .2 gram bbs was used in this test.
After setting up my target, I pulled out my bbs, loading tool, and gas can. To fill the G23fs magazine with gas, you have to flip the magazine. On the underside, you can easily see a small port that fits the nozzle on the gas can. I made sure the nozzle and seal were properly aligned, and jabbed the can down for a two second burst of gas. After waiting for ten seconds, I jabbed the nozzle into the magazine again. After repeating the waiting and filling cycle one more time, I picked up my loading tool.
In order to use the loading tool, the magazine spring must be depressed. If you gently let go of the spring, it will catch and stay down, allowing you to quickly (and, might I add, painlessly) load the magazine. The tool simply funnels bbs into the magazine, instead of individually loading them. I find the tool to be extremely useful, even in the field. The magazine holds twenty-three rounds, which I feel is plenty of shots for a sidearm.
After flicking the fire selector to semi-auto, I took aim at the can. The Glocks dot sights really do make aiming very easy; all you have to do is put the three dots in line, at whatever angle you desire, and the bbs go there. I was able to keep both eyes open while successfully aiming, which will no doubt when having to run, watch for obstacles, and aim at the same time.
The G23fs blowback is very crisp, cycling very quickly in single fire mode. While the blowback action on the slide works well, the recoil is almost nonexistent, allowing for good groupings. The metal slide gives and extremely satisfying (and somewhat loud) report that is defiantly missing from the plastic-slide GBBs that I have used.
The can did not fare well. I had filled it with water, so the shots would not knock the can over during the trials. The lower third of the can had a large cut in it, as a result of multiple hits to the same area. The rest of the can was riddled with dents, with some being larger than others as a result of multiple strikes to the same area. I am quite satisfied with the power of HFC-22 gas in the G23f. The guns power is most impressive, and the blowback is very crisp.
Full Auto
Ever since seeing The Matrix Reloaded, I have wanted an automatic Glock. So, naturally, I could not resist reloading my magazine and adjusting the fire selector to the full auto position. As opposed to aiming at a single target, I chose to attack my fence. I gave the trigger a firm tug, and was rewarded with a hail of bbs erupting from my Glocks barrel. The G23fs rate of fire is most impressive; anything within fifteen feet (without any obstructions of course) is going to have a very bad day. When firing full auto, you can hardly see the slide moving. The sound produced by the metal slide is almost a constant blur, which defiantly brings a smile to the operator.
Now, Ill be the first to admit that firing full auto is extremely
fun, however, I have to strongly suggest you keep your gun in semi-automatic mode. Why? First of all, the Glock appears to use 50~100% more gas in automatic mode. Secondly, automatic puts much more stress on the internals than semi. Even though the KWA comes with a metal slide, which will significantly extend its automatic lifespan, the G23fs internals still take a beating.
Real Steel Comparison
I took my G23f to my local Academy Sports and Outdoors store for a comparison between the real Glock 23 and my KWA Glock 23f. I was expecting a few differences: the compensated slide and the fire selector of the 23f would not be present on the real steel. Also, there would be no trademarks to compare. However, I was surprised by some of the differences.
The Glock 23 I handled was unloaded, but I was still surprised at how light the weapon was when compared to my G23f. I have no doubt that the real Glocks weight will be equal or greater when loaded. Upon closer examination of the real Glocks frame, I noticed that the Glocks rear sights are not the dots like the KWA, but a white U shape. Frankly, I like the 23fs dots better myself, so I can overlook this minor discrepancy.
Both Glocks have the same grips, which was a very unexpected surprise. The side texture is very slightly different, but the rear grips are practically carbon copies. When I popped out the Glock 23s magazine, I saw that it had the same round counting holes and numbers as the replica, albeit a marginally lower round count.
Overall, I feel that KWA has made an excellent replica of the Glock 23, with a few fun modifications added in. The G23f stays true to the original, but its purely cosmetic slide (not to mention purely fun automatic fire) add a slightly different flavor that I deffinatly enjoy.
Conclusion
I find the KWA Glock 23f to be a truly outstanding Gas Blow Back, with just about every feature I could imagine wanting: metal slide and barrel, good magazine capacity, an accessory rail, dot sights, and the ability to use TOP and Green gas. The G23f is also a very attractive pistol that will fit nicely in any users hand.
Currently, www.airsoftarms.com has the metal slide G23f in stock for $150. If you are in the market for a new GBB, I highly suggest the KWA G23f.
Pros
- Great weight and feel
- Can use Green and TOP gas
- Comes with a metal slide and barrel
- Standard accessory rail, and a special mount for 20mm Rail accessories
- Twenty-three round magazine
- Full auto capability
Cons
- There is no real G23f
- Lack of trademarks
- Prolonged use of automatic fire mode can damage internals
- Some may not like the plastic grip extension
Firing video (~1.49MB)
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