Tokyo Marui
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tokyo Marui | |
---|---|
Type | Private |
Founded | 1965 |
Headquarters | Adachi, Tokyo, Japan |
Products | BB guns and rail transport modelling |
Website | www.tokyo-marui.co.jp |
Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd (株式会社東京マルイ Kabushiki-gaisha Tōkyō Marui?) is an airsoft gun manufacturer from Adachi, Tokyo, Japan.[1] Its main market is Japan, but third-party retailers sell in Hong Kong (PRC), Republic of China (Taiwan), People's Republic of China (PRC), South Korea, East Asia, and worldwide.
Such is the popularity of its guns that the company has its own center for airsoft sport called Tokyo Marui BB Sports Field [2]. As its products are notable for their detail and accuracy, they have appeared in numerous movies. Tokyo Marui is widely known as Japan's largest and most renowned airsoft gun manufacturer. [3]
[edit] Automatic electric guns
Tokyo Marui was the first company to produce airsoft guns powered solely by electric-powered, motor driven air compressors. This compact air compressing system, in which Tokyo Marui dubbed "AEG" in the mid 90's, was first implemented in their first production electric powered automatic replica, the FAMAS F1. Tokyo Marui's original design ushered in a new era of airsoft guns. Instead of using external air systems to power airsoft replicas (see Classic airsoft), the Tokyo Marui AEG concept pioneered the use of self-providing electric powered air power. Their groundbreaking AEG system is still in wide use today, and it has been copied numerous times through the years by many other numerous airsoft gun manufacturers.
Tokyo Marui's airsoft replicas are made primarily from ABS plastic bodies by Japanese law, but also feature some metal parts, usually where needed. Some of their more recent models, however, such as their Type 89 rifle and AK-74M have featured full metal externals. The internal gearboxes of these guns are primarily powered by rechargeable batteries. A standard, unmodified Tokyo Marui gearbox will fire 0.2g BBs at around 280 to 300 feet per second (around 0.8-9J depending on the model. These gearboxes may be modified for higher performance by the installation of aftermarket parts, but Japanese law limits their power to 0.98J.
Tokyo Marui makes the following AEGs:
- M14 series
- M14 SOCOM
- M14 (fiber-type stock)
- M14 (wood-type stock)
- M16 & M4 series
- MP5 and G36 series
- H&K G36C
- MP5-J
- MP5-K
- H&K MP5SD5
- H&K MP5SD6
- H&K MP5KA4 PDW
- H&K MP5A4 High Grade
- H&K MP5A5 High Grade
- H&K MP5 R.A.S. [5]
- H&K MP5KA4
- H&K MP5 Navy (Limited Edition)
- P90 series
- P90[6]
- P90 Triple Rail
- FAMAS & Steyr series
- Steyr AUG Special Receiver
- Steyr AUG Military-type (discontinued)
- FA-MAS Special Version
- FA-MAS 5.56-F1 (First AEG ever made)
- SIG series
- SIG SG 550 (discontinued, due to burst fire microchip malfunctions)
- SIG SG 551 (discontinued, due to burst fire microchip malfunctions)
- SIG SG 552-2
- AK series
- AK-47
- AK-47S
- AK-47 Spetsnaz (limited edition)
- AK-47 Beta Spetsnaz
- AK-74MN (Electric Blow Back)
- G3 series
- H&K G3A3 (discontinued)
- H&K G3A4 (discontinued)
- H&K MC51
- H&K G3 SAS
- H&K PSG-1
- H&K G3/SG1
- HK51 (limited edition)
- Other
[edit] Automatic electric pistols
Automatic electric pistols (AEP) run on 7.2V rechargeable batteries. These pistols and compact submachine guns are often more reliable than gas powered replicas in cold weather. However, due to their lower voltage supplies and miniature gearboxes, they usually feature lower muzzle speeds (about 0.8J per BB) and slightly slower rates of fire than replicas using a full-sized gearbox system.
Tokyo Marui makes the following automatic electric pistols:
- H&K USP
- M93R
- Glock 18C
- MP7A1
- Škorpion vz. 61
- Beretta M9 (not released)
- Steyr Mannlicher TMP (not released)
- Mac-10
[edit] AEG Boys series
Tokyo Marui makes replicas scaled down for use by children 10 and up. They are powered by 6 AA batteries and feature lower power ratings than their 1:1 scale counterparts.
[edit] Electric blowback pistols
- SIG Pro SP2340
- Combat Delta
- Combat Delta Silver Model
- M92F Military
- M92F Silver Model
- Desert Eagle .50AE
- Desert Eagle .50AE Silver
- KP85
- Centimeter Master
- Glock 18C
[edit] Gas blowback pistols
Tokyo Marui Gas blowback pistols are designed to use HFC134A refrigerant to fire BBs and also to blow back the slide, mimicking the recoil of automatic hand guns. Refrigerant is sold in canisters similar to small propane canisters used in portable gas range. Propane based "Green" gas can be used, but could damage the replica due to higher pressure it exerts to mostly plastic parts used in gas blowback replicas.
- Glock 17
- M1911A1 Colt Government
- Hi-Capa 4.3 Tactical Custom
- Hi-Capa 5.1 Government
- SIG-Sauer P226 Rail
- SIG-Sauer P226 Rail Stainless
- Samurai Edge (limited edition)
- Samurai Edge Kai (limited edition)
- Samurai Edge Standard Model
- Desert Eagle .50AE Hardkick
- Desert Eagle Biohazard 2 (limited edition)
- Desert Eagle Biohazard 2 10 Inch Custom (limited edition)
- M92F Military Model
- M92F Chrome Stainless
- Mk. 23 SOCOM (Non-Blowback)
- Tactical master
- Glock 26
- G26 Advance
- Detonics .45
[edit] Gas revolvers
- Colt Python 2.5 inch
- Colt Python 4 inch
- Colt Python 6 inch
- M19 Combat Magnum 4 inch
- M19 Combat Magnum 6 inch
[edit] Bolt action air rifle
These are Bolt Action "sniper" rifles. Before each shot is fired, the shooter has to pull the bolt, cock the piston and load BB into the chamber. All three versions share the same stock, same internals and same air chamber. Pro-sniper version has black stock, 430mm long inner barrel and most accurate of the three versions. Real Shock version has a metal weight in the piston to simulate recoil. Real Shock has simulated wooden stock and same 430mm long inner barrel. However, due to the vibration caused by the heavier piston's impact, Real Shock is the least accurate of the three, albeit only by less than an inch difference in 20m distance. G-spec is shortened version with a silencer attached. Inner barrel is 303mm long, but slightly tighter bore. Due to short inner barrel it's accuracy is close to Real Shock, but a couple mm more accurate. A needle like contraption called air brake pretrudes from the piston. Air brake plugs the cylinder before piston impacts, trapping last bit of air between piston and cylinder. This reduces impact vibration and adds to VSR series' unique accuracy.
- VSR-10 Pro-sniper version
- VSR-10 Real Shock Version
- VSR G-Spec
[edit] Air shotgun and air rifles
Tokyo Marui makes several replicas that are powered by compressing a spring. For the shotgun and grenade launcher models, each shot fires three BBs at a time.
- M3 Super 90
- M3 Shorty
- SPAS-12
- SPAS-12 Metal Stock version
- M203 grenade launcher for M16A1 and M16A2
- M203 grenade launcher for M4A1, M4A1 RIS, and Knight's SR-16
- Tactical launcher, an M203 with stock and pistol grip for standalone use
- XM177E2
- M16A1
- MP5
- Škorpion vz. 61
- Uzi
- Heckler & Koch G3A3
- Walther MPL
- Walther MPK (Kurz or short)
[edit] Air handgun
The spring is compressed by racking the slide. Some have hop-up and some do not.
- Walther P38
- .44 Auto Mag
- Omega 10mm Auto
- Luger Ashford model (limited edition)
- Colt M1911A1 Government
- Centimeter Master
- Colt Double Eagle
- M645
- Desert Eagle
- SIG P228 High Grade
- Glock 17L
- Glock 17L High Grade
- KP85 High Grade
- H&K P7M13
- Auto Mag III
- Smith & Wesson PC356
- Beretta M8000 Cougar G
- H&K SOCOM Mk. 23 High Grade (named one of the best spring pistols ever made)
- H&K USP High Grade
- CZ 75 High Grade
- Beretta M92F Military Model
- AMT Hard Baller
- Wilson Super Grade
- Steyr M-GB
[edit] Radio controlled models
Tokyo Marui was also at the forefront of the developing radio control hobby in the mid-1980s with a line of high-quality 1/10-scale electric buggies, monster trucks and even an unusual NASCAR stocker, all in kit form. This kit of Bill Elliott's Coors Melling Ford Thunderbird was built on a four-wheel-drive buggy chassis; full-scale NASCAR racers are rear-wheel-drive. The body could be raised or lowered for either onroad or offroad use and two full sets of wheels and tires were included, pre-mounted sponge slick tires for onroad and knobby spiked rubber tires for offroad. The Big Bear Datsun, a 1/12-scale monster truck topped with a Datsun pickup truck body, powered by a Mabuchi RS-380 motor and initially sold via mail order, was one of the best-selling radio controlled models of the period and contributed greatly to the hobby's growth.
Scale variations on the simple and strong Big Bear chassis included both regular and "Super Wheelie" versions of the Jeep CJ-7 Golden Eagle and Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, each lacking the oversized wheels and tires of the Big Bear and equipped instead with more scale-looking Goodyear offroad tires. A proposed third version which would have been Marui's ninth release was that of a Mitsubishi Pajero, shelved due to licensing problems. Twelve models were released in all, numbered 1 through 13 since the aforementioned ninth model never made it to market.
Strong competition by the end of the decade, especially from Tamiya and Kyosho, caused Marui to pull out of the hobby-grade R/C market. They returned to the R/C market in 2000 with a still-popular line of ready-to-run, 1/24-scale military tanks (see below).
The company released and sold the following models:
- Hunter 2WD entry-level sport buggy
- Galaxy 2WD sport buggy
- Galaxy RS 2WD sport/mild competition buggy
- Shogun 4WD sport/mild competition buggy
- Samurai 4WD competition buggy
- Ninja 4WD competition buggy
- Coors Melling Ford Thunderbird 4WD NASCAR stock car
- Big Bear Datsun 2WD sport monster truck
- CJ-7 Golden Eagle 2WD sport offroad, available in regular and "Super Wheelie"
- Toyota Land Cruiser 2WD sport offroad, available in regular and "Super Wheelie"
[edit] Radio controlled battle tanks
Tokyo Marui has combined remote control and airsoft by making a series of 1/24 scale remote controlled tanks that fire BBs. By remote control, a user may move the tank forwards and backwards, turn in place, rotate the turret, elevate the barrel, and fire. The range is only 25 m for 0.2g BBs. The tanks run on eight AA batteries.[7]
- Leopard 2 A6
- Tiger I
- Tiger I Camouflage
- M1A2 Abrams
- Type 90 Tank JGSDF 71st Regiment
[edit] Others
Tokyo Marui has also in an attempt to compete with Tamiya manufactured 1:24 scale model cars, Mini 4WD of their own RC cars as well as licensed by other companies including Kyosho and educational models. The early nineties recession would force the company to scale back production to airsoft guns. Tokyo Marui has since returned to the RC car market, albeit the lucrative mini RC market with its 1:24 cars [8] and also since 1994, builds remote driven Godzilla models. [9]
[edit] References
Tokyo Marui: Soft Air Gun-2004 All Line Up Catalog
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Tokyo Marui website (Japanese)