Shotgun Discussion

Inari

There are tonnes of threads on pistols, rifles, AEGs, GBBs, SMGs, but very very few on Shotguns & their variants. Having recently taken a shine to the Airsoft Shotgun, I thought I could use the boards.ie demographic to my advantage (I gets to eat pick your brains), and hopefully as a side effect, get some good discussion going.

For me, the shotgun has to be shell loaded & multi shot, or I wouldn't have bought a shotgun. As someone who greatly enjoys plinking & collecting, shell ejection is also something I would jump at. What do you look for in a shotgun?

I've been torn between the Tanaka M870, and the Maruzen M870 - Maruzen seems to be far superior in most areas, and for the money that the Tanaka costs, it's disappointing. The Tanaka looks superior in finish, and in diversity (gas in the shells) - but I'm unwilling to part with €500 if it's going to have a lot of internal issues. Any Tanaka or Maruzen M870 owners out there?

PS: They may not be the most practical...but with a site like the Office Block, it's being asked for!

Stercus Accidit

The triple shot springers are great, TM or the clones, I cant comment on other shotguns.

They are cheap(in the clones case), simple and cool, perfect.

The only problem is the Double Eagle factory was raided in china.

Witcher

I've a Maruzen M870 and really the power and range aren't great, you're talking a 30/40 foot range. The shell ejection etc. is fun but as a whole it wouldn't cut it in a skirmish imo:)

Inari

My gut reaction was "Befriend Blay - fire shotgun" :P

30 - 40m...would probably suffice for what I'm looking at. I love the Tanaka idea of gas loaded shells for variance in power, spread etc. But the shotgun is more costly, and the shells are much more costly. The advantage over the Maruzen is that you don't have to give the gun another charge, just the shells.

Those spring ones did have my interest for quite a while...but I really didn't like the 'Load one shell, fire for a while, load new shell' approach. It's another reason I'd be for the shell ejecting system.

evilrobotshane

I have a Tokyo Marui triple-shot springer that I like because it's basically ultra-reliable - neither rain, battery depletion, nor gearbox problems worry it.

It's got decent range, although not up to a properly-tuned AEG's, and the triple-shot thing is of limited use; close up the grouping's too tight to make a difference, and far out it's a bit inaccurate. At medium range though it's great, where the spread is just the size of a door or window.

I've used it in The Mall in England, where I was outgunned by high-cap AEGs most of the time but in semi-only games I dominated the place with it. I also brought it along to the shotguns-only day at HRTA which fell through and was a normal skirmish day, and to my surprise I played probably my best day of airsoft ever in terms of enemy-killing lethal performance. The little size of the magazines means no need for any worn equipment, and I usually run a huge amount of kit although my play style would tend toward more dynamic when I can move about easily.

And of course, the correct way to use a shotgun is so great:

Say half a cool thing.

Cock shotgun.

Say other half of cool thing.

Airsoft Reloded

From my experience of seeing loads of different types of people playing with shotguns, the ones that say its crap are usually the ones that are crap with shotguns.

There are 3 people off the top of my head that I can think of who are amazing with shotguns; Casper (ASI), Ross and Graham (regulars at our place). I've seen each of these guys hold either a room or a full corridor against over 6 players (good players) with rifles.

If you know how to use it then its deadly but if you don't you shouldn't bother till you skill yourself up a bit.

k99_64

Airsoft Reloded wrote: »

From my experience of seeing loads of different types of people playing with shotguns, the ones that say its crap are usually the ones that are crap with shotguns.


If you know how to use it then its deadly but if you don't you shouldn't bother till you skill yourself up a bit.

Cant really 'skill up' without having a shotgun first.

My first airsoft 'gun' was a TM m3 super 90, loved it, still do should prob have bought the shorter version tbh though. Same range much easier to use.

NakedDex

I have one of the TM shotties and, despite it being 42 inches long with a bit of a stiff cock (easy now, this is supposed to be SFW...), I find it brilliant.

I'm a big fan of shotguns for the same reason I'm a big fan of launchers in that they represent the fun side of airsoft a lot more to me. They're infintely more tactile and pleasing in their operation than an AEG would be. What I'd truly love and will one day own (read: when I win the lotto I'll buy this) is an Airsoft Surgeon Scattergun. A shotgun in the closest-to-real sense of the word.

It's a shame DE went the way of most Chinese manufacturers. Their clones of the TM series were actually fantastic, and at a quarter of the price you couldn't argue. They even made the clever move of cloning the system and putting them into the newer Benelli M4 (M1014) body, rather than the M3 that TM do (the Marines, among others, use the M1014 now). They were the only ones doing that model at the time.
I really though we were going to see a shotgun renaissance when they came out.

Inari

I'd be with Dex, and definitely prefer the more fun side of things. In my eyes it's what you bring to the game, not the other way around. That's why I love airsoft...because my passion lies in playing the game with my own conditions on top of whatever else is there.

The shotgun is definitely something I want to get...but I'm pretty much set on shell loaded; shell ejecting. I've read that Maruzen are far more reliable, but range is not good (Blay backs this up). I've read that Tanaka are great until they sh!t themselves internally after 6 months. Maruzen are about two-thirds the price of the Tanaka, but are plastic. Tanaka are expensive, but as realistic as you'll get. Gas loaded shells, different shells available, metal on what's supposed to be metal, multiple shot...sounds perfect. Except that it apparently dies after 6 months...and I wish I had the cash to buy one every 6 months, or pay for it to be repaired, but I really don't .

Any Tanaka owners out there?

sliabh

I have a Double Eagle one, the one without stock. I use it as the a backup instead of a gas pistol in cold weather, slung over the shoulder.

I love the size of it, the fact it is totally simple and reliable (no battery or gas to fiddle with), the way you load it with a shell, and the great sound it makes as you cock it.

It's just a shame it sounds a little sad when you fire it

hightower1

Just a pity more shotties arent full metal. I would love a full metal shell eject but the price for what it is ... just a bot too much tbh.
Shell eject is a nice eature but totally unworkable in a skirmish I'd say, would be great for plinking. If I had to choose I'd rather a full metal over shell eject. Cant see why there arent more full metal shotties about? I'd imagine the dip in purchases from people using them on the field (for weight reasons) would be more than made up for by collectors / plinkers?

A full metal shottie reasonably priced (150 /200eur) would be top of my xmas list.

Inari

@HighTower: You can get a shell catcher to make it skirmishable. But yeah, I know what you mean - the price is high, but I wouldn't mind spending it...if I had it

hightower1

Inari wrote: »

@HighTower: You can get a shell catcher to make it skirmishable. But yeah, I know what you mean - the price is high, but I wouldn't mind spending it...if I had it

I dont skirmish myself so it wouldnt bother me about the shells but we can only dream of a full metal, shell ejecting GBB spaz12 or better yet an aa12..... someday ...... someday

Airsoft Reloded

You can imrpove your aim and firing speed before you take up using a shotgun.

k99_64 wrote: »

Cant really 'skill up' without having a shotgun first.

My first airsoft 'gun' was a TM m3 super 90, loved it, still do should prob have bought the shorter version tbh though. Same range much easier to use.

k99_64

Airsoft Reloded wrote: »

You can imrpove your aim and firing speed before you take up using a shotgun.

Or just use the shotgun. You still improve and with shotguns firing speed can only be 'improved' by using one. Though i find that with shotguns you pick shots rather than spray.

Inari

For those interested:

The Tanaka M870 apparently suffers from weak internals that are bound to fail, such as the firing block etc. While doing some research (review hunting), I came across a rather lovely post of RA-Tech looking at the parts, and may be releasing upgrade parts for the Tanaka.

For whatever reason, I seem to be dead set on the Tanaka. I've read countless recommendations that the Maruzen is superior in terms of durability, and costs much less. Although plastic, there are upgrades and full metal kits for it. However the Tanaka is full metal, has the advantage of gas in the shell (so more realistic...load more shells, not re-gas gun) and is more accurate to the dimensions & specs of the RS M870. But...it's prone to dying, and it's a lot of money to have it just die.

I've been scouring the net to find good things written about it...and there are a lot...until it dies. If RA-Tech end up releasing the upgrade parts, then I'll definitely be all over that!

@Blay: How many shells, on average, would you get per fill of gas with the Maruzen?

Witcher

Inari wrote: »

@Blay: How many shells, on average, would you get per fill of gas with the Maruzen?

I've never really counted but on a full fill of green I'd say you'd get 10 maybe at a guess, it depends how many bbs you have in the shells too. I've heard if you trim the hose from the gas tank to the internals you can boost power a bit, I've stripped it down myself and the gas hose is pretty long and it coils in the stock which does cut down power I'd imagine but I've never tried to shorten it so I can't confirm:)

I read on a US forum a while back you can mod it to fire from Co2 bulbs, don't know if the internals would take it in the long term though:o

Inari

Man there is so little information out there. I've trawled through 20+ pages for cross comparisons of Maruzen & Tanaka and I've come out with exactly the same info I had at the start of the search. Annoying as hell.

There is just something about the Tanaka - apparently it can be fixed with RS parts, which is an advantage, but it's initial cost + repair would be astronomical...which just plain sucks.

McGilla

Thaks to this thread Im now loooking at getting a shotty,

Id never really thought of it before, but now Im starting to see the appeal.

The last thing I needed was another item on my wish list.:P:rolleyes:

Stercus Accidit

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=190988&st=0

Heres a discussion on a self build shell ejecting bennelli m1014, there is some good links and discussion re: the shell ejection shotguns including one external rig one.

You need to register with arnies to view, but I recommend it, this section of their site has great custom builds.

Inari

Cheers for that Stercus - none of my web searches turned up the tastey Tanaka review they had there. Hopefully I'll find out if there is any hope in being given an excuse to buy it. I'll fully admit that I'm looking for reasons to get it now

Stercus Accidit

Arnies is a brilliant resource, I always read the projects section to see the custom built airsoft guns.

dwelby101

For anyone who's thinkin of getting a shotty, i'd say go for it, i got a DE M3 shorty for €50 a couple of months ago, just as a spur of the moment thing and although its only a plastic springer its definately one of my favourite. Anytime I go skirmishing I can rest assured that if my aeg's die or i run out of batteries or gas i still have o'l betsy. And because of the limited ammo capacity (10 shots of 3 bb's per cartridge) and range you really pick your shots and when you hear that "AAGH!" it rocks! I even won the 1 vs 1 at the office block during corruption 2 usin just the shotty!! they rock!! highly recomend them (i'd stay away from the gas ones tho cause from what i've seen from friends they tend to always crap out after short period, plus gas can be a real pain in the ass since its so unreliable and it can leak and loading the cartridges take forever... but i guess each to their own:D)

MindPhuck

sooo want one of these bad boys!



anyone know where i can get one from in ireland ?

Witcher

MindPhuck wrote: »

sooo want one of these bad boys!

http://spacereptilesareyourfriend.com/images/SPAS12.jpg

anyone know where i can get one from in ireland ?

I'd say pretty much any retailer could get you a TM Spas but you won't that folding stock with it, they don't even make them anymore for airsoft or real steel.

Inari

In a shock turn, the Maruzen now has my favour - for Irish FPS limits, the Tanaka's only advantage is in the gassed shells, however the odds of you needing that many shells that you couldn't just re-charge the maruzen is slim to none.

Now the challenge lies in getting the cash together to afford it

@Blay: How do you find the feel of the m870 - does the plastic affect it's overall handling? I heard there were G&P metal kits for it, but I haven't seen any. I'm hoping they exist somewhere

Witcher

Inari wrote: »

@Blay: How do you find the feel of the m870 - does the plastic affect it's overall handling? I heard there were G&P metal kits for it, but I haven't seen any. I'm hoping they exist somewhere

Not really, the plastic is pretty good quality with no mold lines etc. The only external issue is that the pump handle rattles a bit, it's probably fixable but I've never bothered, you only notice it when you pick it up by the pump.

I think Ehobby have/had the G&P kits for it:)

CaptainCook

ive gotta m3 super 90 tm version and its great and its very skirmishable, its not that stiff after you use it for a while but a bit long. Ive also got a mad max sawn off by wa - shan, kjw i think its a clone of the caw one from a while ago. Its good but not very skirmishable and shells are crap for it and expensive. 18 dollar for two. Apart from that, though the thing is awesome, real wood and metal, a great gun for a leave it you slag, loadout.:D

War Machine 539

I have found grenade rounds the size of shottie shells . . . . . . . . . gonna be making me some AA-12 with it, they got 40 BB capacity! Cant wait!

Silent Death

8mm gas powered tri shot

War Machine 539

Can you get one of those? :O :O

Silent Death

War Machine 539 wrote: »

Can you get one of those? :O :O

Yup
Saw one at my friends house, cant remember what it is though, looked for it online but cant remember the site heres a few examples though. the 2nd one is five shot Not the bast lookers though
http://www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?products_id=28703
http://www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_47&products_id=29939
http://www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_47&products_id=29198

War Machine 539

You can say that again there manky looking! Pity!

Inari

An 8mm gas powered tri-shot? God damned that would be some slow moving BBs!

I'm awaitng the money to get me a Maruzen m870 + G&P Metal Body - I will literally just be sitting on my couch, quoting 80's action movies and pumping the shotgun watching with joy as the shell flies out of the breech

Silent Death

Had T4GET's tri shot at MAZ on the last day for the overnight game, so much fun in CQB, had a free for all and i beat em all with there AEG's Sniping with it was fun too

NakedDex

The difference between that "tri-shot" Mossberg and the TM variants is that the TM shotguns use three individual pistons firing through three individual barrels, giving full and even power to each of the three fired rounds. The system in that Mossberg, and in most shotguns, is loading and firing three rounds from one barrel using once charge of gas. It's inefficient and innaccurate as a delivery method, but unless you buy a TM shotgun, or an Airsoft Surgeon Scattergun, then that's what you'll have to expect.

The one big advantage they have is the metal construction. It doesn feel considerably more meaty.

Always2Slow

Where would you buy a TM shotgun in Ireland?

bullets

There was an airsoft Mad Max sawn off shot gun I would have liked
if it had been real wood grips. Any site I've googled to remind me of what
brand it was are blocked in work, but one of the Irish retailers had one for sale at one point in time. Looked nice.

EDIT: found an image Hudson? Brand.


Sorry about below vvvvvvv its not a shot gun but wow I like the look of it
I quite fancy it and to me it would function more
like a shotgun for airofting look at this little beauty:

http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/other-gun/grenade-launchers/king-arms-m79-sawed-off-grenade-launcher.html




~B

flashinbluelite

i am a big fan of the spas 12 mine is a TM and i have had it 2+ years now and all i had to replace is the trigger (cheap part to replace $25 i think)
out of the few aegs and rifles i own, the ONLY one i use every time i game is my shotty... i believe the below pic shows my love........does help being a big lad as well, these are not easy to cock if you are a skrawny little yolk...

c-90

best thread title ever.

NakedDex

I have one of those M79 launchers. They're just as much fun to use as they look. I once crashed into a room spewing mayhem from it in one hand and a Glock in the other. It took 3 seconds to fire 230 rounds. It was fantastic. So fantastic that I didn't even care when I realised the room was filled with lads on my team...

Inari

NakedDex wrote: »

I have one of those M79 launchers. They're just as much fun to use as they look. I once crashed into a room spewing mayhem from it in one hand and a Glock in the other. It took 3 seconds to fire 230 rounds. It was fantastic. So fantastic that I didn't even care when I realised the room was filled with lads on my team...

My mind raced ahead of my eyes, and so read it as:
"So fantastic that I didn't even care when I realised the room was empty..." - the truth is equally as funny

I'd love to see a gas powered 3-barrelled shell ejecting shotgun; the power would be consistent (unlike the current shell-loaded ones), and would be more than adequate spread & accuracy. Not sure of the mechanics of it though - probably extremely hard to do.

I just much prefer the shell-loaded/ejecting shotgun approach. Same reason as for a revolver the only way to go is shells, unlike Tanaka's removable cylinder (although their cas...casyeo...their banned system was gorgeous looking)

gian

Inari wrote: »

The Tanaka M870 apparently suffers from weak internals that are bound to fail, such as the firing block etc. While doing some research (review hunting), I came across a rather lovely post of RA-Tech looking at the parts, and may be releasing upgrade parts for the Tanaka.

did you saw that on the guestbook? because me and a youtuber requested RAtech to make a reiforced internals on the Tanaka m870 and your right the Tanaka m870 has weak internals despite that its the shell takes the gas I really wish RAtech would one day make those reinforced parts because i really feel abandoned when Redwolf airsoft stopped responding to my messages when i told them that i would like to return the shotty and refund my money back got mine last october and those other Tanaka owners with broken 870s that lasted 5-6months are freaking lucky, mine broke after 2 effing days of PLINKING! heres the thing with it though it can use a REAL STEEL trigger group so thats one problem down if ever your trigger sear gets worn out, now heres a question will it take a real steel bolt and slide block??

if you want a great shell ejecting m870 get the Tanaka and load it with Madbull ss6 shells, but prepare for the consequeces

if you want a decent price shell ejecting get a maruzen weak but durable

if you want a price affordable shotty get the ACM mossberg m500, not a shell ejecting but shoots 5bbs at once

Ross_Mahon

flashinbluelite wrote: »

i am a big fan of the spas 12 mine is a TM and i have had it 2+ years now and all i had to replace is the trigger (cheap part to replace $25 i think)
out of the few aegs and rifles i own, the ONLY one i use every time i game is my shotty... i believe the below pic shows my love........does help being a big lad as well, these are not easy to cock if you are a skrawny little yolk...

Can you get a folding stock version? Or buy it separate?