First Impressions:
When I first opened the box for my new Thompson M1A1 I noticed that the gun was not incased in styrofoam. Instead it sat alone in the box lined with brown wax paper. A small section of the bottom left of the box contains the 60 rd standard mag and the tracer adapter.
When I picked up the gun I noticed it was very heavy. Being mostly made of metal gave it a realistic feel different from other guns. The fake wood looks suprisingly realistic. The stock was a bit oddly shaped for me since I was used to my P90 and my M16 VN that both had straight stocks instead of the downward curving stock of the Thompson.
Performance:
A few days after I first bought my thompson I set out to use it at a skirmish. The rate of fire was about average for stock guns and it chronoed in at an average of 288 FPS. All in all it performed well for a stock AEG.
Quirks:
A few things take getting used. The mag release seemed a little complex at first. There is a lever above the thumb that must be pushed upward to slide the mag out. To put the mag back in the mag must be lined up with the mag well and slid into a small notch. Then the mag release lever must be pushed up to allow the mag to slide into the mag well. Although it sounds complicated once you get used to it, it becomes very simple, and with a 420 rd hi-cap you wont need to worry about reloading in the heat of battle.
Another thing getting used to is the fire mode selector(s). There are two selector switches. One to switch from Safe to Fire and another to switch from Semi to Full automatic. After getting used to it it becomes second nature.
Again the stock when against the shoulder may feel odd at first but it feels more and more comfortable every time.
Overall:
A fine weapon for outdoor and CQB situations. Looks incredibly realistic and feels that way too. A great replica for a great WW2 weapon.
Value for money-4/5 The high metal content raises the price
Performance-5/5 On par with any stock AEG
Looks-5/5 Looks incredibly realistic
Feel-3/5 Feels awkward at first and it is a bit heavy
Overall-5/5 Couldnt be happier with it
