CA 36C
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The CA 36c is an electric Airsoft gun (AEG) made by Classic Army. Stock Specifications RRP 238USD Specs EG1000 motor 470rnd mag 7 mm bearings Weight 2750g Length Folded: 500 mm Unfolded: 718 mm Capacity 470rnd Features/options: Taking a look at the functionality of the rifle and working from the front of the AEG to the back, here's what you'll find on this rifle.
The G36c is a shortened G36 and the newest release from HK in the G36 line. It features a short handgrip with handstop underneath which doubles as a front sling point. The buttstock is shorter than previous G36 variants and it comes fitted with open sights and no carry handle. The foregrip has hard points for fitting rails for aiming devices to both the left and the right sides and comes with a lower rail prefitted. In the real world the unit is intended for use in confined spaces.
Markings: because of the limitations of molding, the serial numbers for the CA36c series are all the same. Unlike the M15's you don't get a unique serial number as the markings haven't changed since the first prototype mold. There's also no logos for the reasons mentioned previously.
Sling points: There are four sling points. One rear sling point is next to the stock hinge on the left hand side, and there's another at the rear of the stock. Things are slightly different at the front, where there are two fixture points either side of the forward hand stop.
Metal parts: Like the TM G36c, the CA36c sports a metal sub-frame that adds to the rigidity. Metal parts include the front rail, front sling point, muzzle, front barrel, ejection point, sights, fire select switch and internals. The gearbox is the same as that found on the AK47 replica, with the motor mounted in a reinforced metal chassis bolted to the gearbox itself. For a plastic rifle it's a pretty strong piece of kit.
Sights: The CA36c comes with open sights fitted to it. Both the front and rear sights are metal. The front sight is a pretty standard HK style foresight, and the rear sight is an adjustable unit with two differing diameter flip up aiming apertures, giving you a rear sight that's usable in most reasonable lighting conditions. Rails: The CA36c comes with a single lower rail fitted right out of the box. You could fit all kinds of aiming devices and accessories to the lower rail, although it's most likely best suited to a vertical grip. there are two further sets of rail mounting hard points, but you'll have to pick up some spare rails separately. First Factory, and various other manufacturers make suitable rails and just about anything made for the TM G36C will fit the CA36C, so when the rifle is launched there will be loads available to choose from.
Folding buttstock: The side-folding skeleton buttstock is standard on all G36 rifles although it's shorter on the C variant. The stock folds to the right side and secures against the shell deflector (which doubles as a locking latch) and does not interfere with rifle operation when folded.
One point of note is that you can't fold the stock if you have a mag clipped on to the left as it will obscure things.
On the underside of the stock you'll find a series of holes. Somewhat of a puzzle, the holes there as on the real thing they give you somewhere to secure your receiver and foregrip pins when you are servicing the rifle.
Button inside trigger guard? The real G36 series is equipped with a bolt catch (a feature that automatically retains the bolt in the rearward position when the last round is spent or when the weapon is cocked with an empty magazine inserted). The bolt catch can also be manually engaged by depressing a button located at the front inside the trigger guard the retracting the cocking handle. The bolt can be released by either removing the empty magazine or loading a magazine with rounds in it, then pulling the cocking handle further back and letting go. On the Airsoft replica the bolt release button doesn't do anything, and is merely for show.
Battery fitment: Obviously you'll have to fit a battery inside the foregrip to use the CA36c, these things are electric and not much more than a pretty paperweight without power. Fitting a battery is quite simple really, just remove the foregrip pin, and slide the front grip off to the front. Now you'll find a mass of electrical wiring inside the grip, things aren't as tidy as the TM wiring system, so it's best to tidy things yourself before sticking the grip back on. Personally I prefer to hide the fuse box to the side of the barrel between the muzzle break and the knee bend in the metal reinforcing sub-frame, then hiding the connectors in the same place on the other side of the barrel.
With the wires tucked away in place you can just slide the foregrip back on carefully. With the wires and battery in situ you'll find the foregrip is much tighter, and once the pin is back in place there's almost no lateral movement at all. You won't have to worry about the foregrip pin falling out with the battery in place either.
The magazine: The magazine provided is a 470round high capacity (aka hi-cap) model. This is pretty normal for Classic Army, they tend to provide high capacity magazines with all their rifles on the assumption that more people use hi-caps than lo-caps. The added value of not having to buy a new magazine from the outset for some is a good selling point.
The mag is made from a transparent plastic so you can actually see through it, and how full it is from the outside. It should be noted that this may not be suitable for purists that prefer exact copies of real gear.. however the same people may also be best suited to getting hold of the more realistic low capacity magazines with the false rounds housed inside anyway.
On either side you'll see attachment fixings. One side there are two shoe like moldings, and the other side there are two locations into which fitments like that will fit into. This simple idea allows you to clip together multiples of magazines for easy changeover.
On either side of the magazine you'll find these markings:
RHS decals LHS decals "RESTRICTED FOR ELECTRIC GUN USE ONLY 02-05 CLASSIC ARMY Made in Hong Kong" "Kal 5.56 mm x 45 id" To fill the mag you'll find a ribbed section on the rear area at the top. This pivots backwards leaving you with a hole through which to fill the magazine. The latch cover is tight and secure, so you're unlikely to get mags popping open inside your webbing like the G3 or MP5 series can when carried upside down.
At the foot of the magazine you'll find the winding wheel. The wheel needs to be turned towards the front to wind up the clockwork mechanism and thus feed BB's into the rifle when used. As with any other hi-cap you fill the magazine, then wind the wheel until there's a louder click than normal which indicates that the clockwork mechanism is wound tight.
With the mag filled the transparent nature of the hi-cap magazines from CA is obvious. Seen above you can see how standard 0.2g white BB's show through. The plastic color for the magazine is about right compared to the real steel magazine, and if you're worried about the white BB's showing through and looking wrong you can either just use the low-caps with the fake rounds, or stick to Bioval BB's or similar that are black/green/tan etc.
The molding on the magazine is much better than that found in my old Classic Army MP5 hi-caps and shows a huge improvement in their processes and quality control.
Shown to the left here you can see how the two halves match up nicely, there's no excess at the edges and the BB feed mechanism operates nicely. The loading latch cover is a nice tight fit although that's sure to wear looser eventually with use. This shouldn't be a huge issue as mags normally need to be replaced after a certain amount of use anyway. If you don't crush them in a mag pouch you'll drop them on a hard concrete floor.
Mag fitment: Securing the filled mag to the AEG is quite easy, there's no great knack to it that sometimes confuses people like with the AK series for example. Simply align the top of the mag with the mag well (BB feed hole to the top front) and press it firmly upwards until you hear a click. I wouldn't recommend slamming it in Hollywood style as you'll just break something.
I should say from the outset here that there's a fault with the prototype's design that will be fixed for the production version. Basically the tolerances on the moldings are too tight for the mag well which means that the magazine needs to be pushed in quite hard before the mag catch audibly clicks into place. The securing lug on the catch could be adjusted, but my guess is that Classic Army will take the obvious simple option, and modify the mag catch lever itself reducing the overall length above the pivot point by about 0.5-0.8 mm or so to give a better fit that's still secure.
Unlike the CA MP5 series and the CA M15 to an extent, there's no lateral play in the mag well which really tells you how well the molds have been made. Obviously the mags are almost overly secure in this model (due to the flaw mentioned above) but things should still remain a nice fit in the production version. You are highly unlikely to see any mags unexpectedly dropping out while in use with the CA36c, just make sure it clicks into place when you first attach the mag!
If you drop a full magazine out of the CA36c you'll find that 5 BB's fall out - this is normal, as when you secure the magazine the BB's are released into the hop-up area of the AEG. Removing the mag means that the BB's will fall back out again. Don't worry, if you're new to things like I said it's perfectly normal.
Rock and roll: Well with a loaded magazine and a battery installed it's time for you to have a play with the CA36c... but first best to have a look over the features and get to know things first. Markings: So lets have a look over the external build quality of this new AEG from Classic Army. Visually you're looking at a pretty good copy of the real thing, and apart from the differing markings externally you'd be hard put to spot that this is not a Tokyo Marui which is not a bad thing in my opinion.
Markings: As I've previously mentioned there are no official markings on the CA36c, instead of the 'HK' logo there are CA's own markings. Down the left side of the rifle you'll find the following lettering:
WARNING REFER TO INSTRUCTION MANUAL ELECTRIC AIR GUN CLASSIC ARMY MADE IN HONG KONG CA CLASSIC ARMY Kal. 5,56mmx45 85-000029 02 05 I'm sure the lack of original markings will be a sore point for some, although it does mean that imports into the US will be easier without unsightly trademark removal or obscuring. The rifle could fall foul to any relevant lookalike patents should they so be enforced at the time of import.
The only other markings of any note are those found around the trigger group on either side of the trigger grip, which detail the very familiar HK style "0-1-lots" fire select modes as seen on the popular variants of the MP5 series.
Build quality: To me the fiber reinforced plastics used by CA look better than any I've seen in any other G36 replica. All the plastics are the same colour, with no difference in shade between sections that you sometimes see. The glass-fiber reinforced material is not only stronger than standard ABS, but looks more like the composites used by HK themselves.
The size and dimensions of the AEG are not quite the same as the real thing, everything feels a bit smaller and less chunky on the CA version. You have to remember CA wanted to make a copy of the TM version, not the real thing, and thus keep the Airsoft parts swappable between the two.
There's very little play in the design, although the foregrip is loose with no battery fitted. This is a known issue and one that CA will have fixed in the production versions. For some reason the foregrip pin fits more securely when inserted from the right than from the left which as far as I can tell can only be down to molding tolerances.
Because of the way that almost all molding systems work most of the body for the CA36c body is molded in two halves then attached together to make the complete part. All the major parts have molding seams along the center line.
The handguard, main body and folding stock all have these mold lines visible on them. The foregrip lines are not perfect (although this should be improved before release) but are comparable to TM quality, on the model that I have the molding on the main body and stock is very good. As ever there can always be improvement, but you have to remember that this is a low cost replica and therefore never going to be up to the same quality as very expensive real firearm.
The foregrip has 4 hard point mounting holes in it, two either side, which allow you to bolt on the side R.I.S rails. These threaded holes could be a point of failure in a cheaper design, but thankfully CA have nicely over engineered these with some decent material making up the threads (see photo).
One complaint that was sometimes aired about the Tokyo Marui G36c was that the wire-frame buttstock/hinge was a weak point to the design and could be snapped. The CA stock is as well built as you could expect really and much the same as the TM stock as far as I can see. The stock is only fiber/plastic, so there is a physical limit to how strong it can be. You can fold the stock out on the CA36c and happily swing the entire AEG by it along and there's no creaks or worrying bending to anything which is good enough for me.
The entire body is built around an inner metal frame, so unlike most other plastic AEG's there's no creak or flex to the design, which is a very pleasant break from the norm.
DIFFERENCE OF TM AND CA
Power/performance - Factory specs from Classic Army quote the output power of the CA36c being in the range of 85-95 m/s (280.5 - 313.5 fps) using 0.2g BB's slightly over the 280 fps standard produced by TM. Oh, before I forget the CA barrel is a standard 6.08 mm ID unit, so there's room to fit a tighter barrel if you're looking for a bit more accuracy over a standard barrel.
CA wires not as tidy - Every TM rifle I've ever looked at always has wires that are quite tidy at the front. The MP5-R.A.S. for example has the wires neatly zip tied to the inner barrel. The CA36c wires in the foregrip are rather loose, and you'll have to tidy things yourself to get the battery in. It's not a huge issue, but it's something worth pointing out.
Colors - Classic Army metal parts have a different sheen to them compared to Tokyo Marui. TM metal parts tend to have a brown/black anodized color, whereas the metal parts on the Classic Army have a fine finished powdercoat look to them that is distinctly dark grey in color.
CA's plastics are more uniform in color too. While TM's parts vary in color slightly (most likely due to inconsistent plastic mixes used for molding), CA's are all the same dark grey/black. TM's version sports a plastic body that is best described as a partly glossy black, whereas the CA model is distinctly matte black.
Parts missing - the CA version is an almost a direct copy of the TM, however parts GC-14 and GC-15 (TM part numbers) are not copied and nowhere to be found. In the TM version they are simply cosmetic moldings that fit around the inner barrel inside the foregrip, and are normally removed to allow the use of larger battery packs, such as the double stick packs that are available.
Connectors - the CA36c has a standard mini battery connector hidden inside the mag-well area that allows for much easier disassembly than the TM (which features mini hard wired joints), which I felt was a nice touch. If you want to turn the CA36 into a CA36k replacing the wiring loom takes a matter of seconds.
Gearbox - the CA gearbox uses 7 mm bearings, has a non-captive main spring and has no Torx screw fittings holding it together, which makes it a relative dream to take to pieces.
Performance Rate of fire even with a mini battery is much the same as a standard TM AEG out of the box, although the muzzle retort seems louder on the CA. There's no sound of that rather worrying slow cycling strained sound you sometimes get from poorly built and overly stressed gearboxes, other than the heavy gas release from the muzzle end of things it sounds much like a standard TM MP5 in terms of mechanical cycle.
As mentioned previously the factory specs detail that the CA36c outputs 85-95 m/s (280.5 - 313.5 fps) using 0.2g BB's. Right now I'm down one chronograph unit (I must go and grab a new one shortly) so I can't give exact figures for the power output at the moment, and will have to rely on the standard Coke Can test.
The bottom of the can is quite severely dented, although not broken, and the side of the can is punctured and torn, which is what you'd expect for a ~300fps AEG. When I get access to a more accurate chronograph unit I'll give some exact figures, but I have no reason to disbelieve the CA figures given what I've seen and felt with my own tests.
Addendum - chronograph logs (13/12/04): I finally had a chance to record some data covering the FPS of the CA36c over a range of 70 shots. To provide information that is as accurate as possible with what is currently available both the prototype and the production version were tested using Tokyo Marui 0.2g BB's and fresh charged batteries (note thought they were Excel, but re-read the Japanese and they are TM). Results were recorded through a chrono with a PC interface. The chrono came calibrated from the manufacturer, but as yet has not been independently verified/tested against a HO certified master unit.
The results were as follows:
Production model Prototype model
- shots: 70 70
Min FPS: 282.76 281.65 Max FPS: 325.41 328.54 Average: 316.44 319.55 Range: 42.65 46.88 RMS: 7.68 9.36 Known problems with the prototype: These current issues are already known about and are due to be fixed for the production version:
The front grip needs to be made tighter in the production models. The fire selector should be made more smooth when it is turned to different positions. The single action point is not a positive position and hard to find. The magazine catch area will be slightly changed as the tolerances in this prototype version are too narrow. This means that the mag is a tight fit in the mag well and has to be pushed in hard for the mag catch to click and secure it. As this was a prototype version printed materials such as manuals and instructions were lacking. However these materials will be available in the production packaging.
Improvements I'd like to see:
Full metal or stronger upper scope rail. Single push pin for lower receiver, rather than a nut/bolt system. Front handguard split could do with being glued together better. Stronger cocking handle as the current one is hollow plastic and rather weak. Conclusion: Classic Army have produced what is to me their best production AEG to date. There is very little that could be improved upon within the bounds of producing a merchantable replica. As I've said it's a shame that the original H&K markings are lacking, but this is unavoidable.
The look of the AEG is spot on, both the weight and feel are as close as you can reasonably get while still remaining compatible with TM parts. The gearbox is well made and the internals are an improvement over the TM equivalent (metal bushings and 'reinforced' parts). So if you're looking for a G36c replica and are given a choice between the TM and CA model which would I recommend? The playing fields have been well and truly leveled, and the choice between CA and TM is closer than ever.
To me the choice is simple; the CA rifle offers an improved gearbox, hi-cap magazine, improved feel and better value than the TM (price for the CA should be the same or less at the time of release). Upgrading the internals is also much easier than the TM equivalent.
I'm pretty much sold on the CA36c myself, it shows that Classic Army are taking more time in their product development and not rushing to get something off the shelf before it's ready.
The only minor downside I've found is that now their production cycle is longer, they are more cagey about any new items coming to their product lines in the future.
There's a production CA36c on the way over for appraisal now that the first stocks have hit the stores in the EU, so any and all changes that have been made will be noted on this review when I get to see it.. hmm that take me onto an 8 page review, ah well.
In short, bravo Classic Army; this is a jolly nice piece of kit, and I'm looking forward to seeing their next AEG line coming in 2005 as I'm sure everyone else is.
[edit 13/12/04 - please read the addendum below for more information concerning the full release]
Addendum - Comparison to the production version: Now that I have my hands on the production version I can compare the two versions:
First off, the front grip is now a much better fit, even without a battery and a vertical grip (to add leverage) there's no wobble or shake to it at all. The fire selector is firmer with a more positive click where you'd expect it to. The magazine catch secures itself pretty well this time, there's no need to apply heaps of force to lock the magazine into place. The forward metal frame has now been modified by CA with side stabilizing tabs for the grip (shown inset), the same as the TM G36c. In the photo underneath this to the right the prototype is at the bottom of the shot, and the release version is at the top.
One major change is that the production version now comes shipped with the side rails. This is to help the CA version offer better value when compared to the TM equivalent. Prices for the CA36c are in the region of 240$ USD (compared to the TM price of 230$ USD for the G36c). The side rails cost around 8$ USD each, so for the difference of 10$ USD you get 16$ USD worth or parts added in on the Classic Army model.
The fire select switch although improved is still not great, I'd recommend using a 1.5 mm Allen Key and either tightening the levers on yourself, or using some suitable loctite on it to secure things. Because of the method that the lever is secured, it is relatively easy to push it forward too hard and loosen things so that it basically falls off (at which point the tiny spring pin inside will disappear). On the production version, this is really the only major complaint. A better method of fitting to my mind would be a small screw or bolt that screwed into the fire select mount through the lever from one side, rather than the current grub screw that applies pressure on a flat surface.
As noted above the release version should have lugs behind the flash-hider inside the foregrip area on the metal frame. The lugs inside the foregrip itself slide into these holes and secure the grip, stopping it from rotating. The model here has a very firm grip which doesn't move at all, even without a battery installed. If your grip moves, it's highly likely that the foregrip isn't fitted on correctly, or that you don't have a production/release metal frame, and is therefore missing the new securing lugs (seen here).
Also, to give you an idea of what the AEG looks like with two mags secured to it you can have a look at these shots:
To attach one magazine to the other, simply angle the left magazine backwards from the right magazine, hook the top attachment lug over, then carefully rotate the left magazine forward pivoting on the top lug. There should be a click, and you've now got two magazines secured together.
Options/Add-ons: There are a selection of add-ons that you can get specifically for the CA36C.
Rails - You only get the lower rail fitted to this rifle out the box, however there are places to fit a side rail on either side of the foregrip. The side rails are available at extra cost and are basically identical to the lower rail that's already there.
Conversion kits - There are also a huge amount of conversion kits available for the C variant if you get bored. Kits range from the simple "G36" conversion (comprising of a new grip/barrel assembly and replacement stock), through to the SL9 kit from Star Airsoft which is a complete body shell replacement.
End cap - there's a couple of companies making the G36 style end cap (as seen in Terminator 3) for the G36C series.
Motor Drive C magazine - Electrically driven and able to contain 2500 rounds. I doubt you'll need to worry much about refills.
50 round lo-caps - CA make 50 round lo-cap magazines for the G36 series. Like the TM version they are possibly some of the most realistic magazines you can get for any Airsoft replica although personally I feel that the rounds are a bit too bright.
