Airsoft Hawaii
would like to thank
for their support of the
2007 ASH BASH
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Review: M4 S System
By Tyler Woo
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The newest M4 variant from Tokyo Marui is the M4 S-System. This gun comes packed from the factory with lots of accessories people have wanted, but couldn’t afford. Now it all comes in one complete gun right from the factory. Its most noticeable feature is the S-System railed fore-grip, which is styled after the ARMS S.I.R.. In addition the M4 also features flip-up sights, a reinforced black body, reinforced barrel, sling attachment, and a new stock design. The S-System features 4 rails which run on the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the gun.
The top rail extends from behind the front sight to the rear of the body. This extended rail not only serves as an attachment point for both optics and battery packs (simultaneously no less) but it also serves as a backbone which stabilizes the front barrel assembly. This prevents the problem of “barrel wobble” where many of the M16 models have flex between the barrel/fore-grip assembly and the body of the gun. This backbone section of the top rail also creates a slightly higher platform for scopes and optics compared to the normal M4 flat top rail.
The side and bottom rails can be used to attach other accessories such as lasers, lights, bipods, grips, or even a grenade launcher. The rails can even be moved or detached. The barrel has been redesigned to be more stable. It’s made of aluminum and is constructed as one solid piece rather than three sections held together with hex screws. This also adds to the overall front stability of the S-System. Between the new barrel and the rails a player doesn’t need to worry about barrel wobble.
The battery is stored in the foregrip. 2 false screws need to be turned to open the battery compartment which swings open. The S-System uses a mini battery.
The S-System also has flip-up sights on the front and rear. This is helpful if you add scopes to the gun. No more looking at the front sight post when you use your red dot scope. The sights are adjustable too.
Additionally the body has been reinforced. The tabs holding the top and bottom halves of the body together are thicker and more durable than on previous M4 models. The other M4s and M16s being produced now also have thicker body tabs. Everyone has seen someone on the field with an M4 split in half from broken tabs. The reinforced bodies on all of the new M4s is a big plus. The black color is a big plus too. Our biggest selling metal body at Impact Games is the SR-16 body. Not because people like Stoner, but because it’s black. It’s about time Tokyo Marui made a black M4 body. The stock is a new design but when you’re playing you wont notice any difference from the old M4 stock. The gun’s performance is identical to a brand new M4. It’s got the same mechbox, same barrel, same motor, same stuff. Over time the S-system will retain more accuracy because the barrel is more stable. But as far as range, rate of fire, bb capacity, and battery capacity, it’s the same as an M4. That’s not a bad thing, since M4s come with EG1000 motors built in for fast full-auto. The barrel is not a bad size either; the M4 barrel is about 50% longer than a G36C barrel. In my opinion the most amazing thing about the S-System is the price. Tokyo Marui set the MSRP at 45,800 Yen (about $440, of course we sell it for much less at Impact Games and we include the battery with the gun). To get an M4 and put on all the accessories (SIR front, aluminum barrel, flip up front and rear sights), you can expect to shell out about $800, which is enough to buy 2 S-Systems.
Overall the S-System is an excellent gun. Good M4 performance and lots of accessories for not much more than the cost of a plain M4A1. Personally I would rewire the mechbox and add an M16 stock for large batteries. Then you have front stability AND battery capacity. But even with a mini battery it’s still a great performer. The S-System gets my approval.
Editorial Note: |
