Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

[bravotwozero]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

Yup, as mini said.

The LAM unit screws onto the trigger guard, just unscrew the vertical wheel.

[Evansy]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

I'd just like to add a few things to this review.
The first one is the slide. It isn't the same mould as the springer Mk.23. The NBB Mk.23 has the Phase 2 prototype slide with cocking serations on the front of the slide and "HK US-GOVT. Cal. .45" as seen in MGS1 & 2. Whereas the springer is modeled on the production Mk.23 and has "HK MK23 USSOCOM Cal. .45".
The ejection port covers however are identical and probably do use the same mould.
Now onto some observations/tips I've found since I've had mine.
Silencer:
The threaded barrel is 16mm so only Mk.23 socom specific silencers will fit altho here's a tip. If you unscrew the threaded end from the TM silencer it will fit on a G&P one so you can buy a cheap 14mm- socom silencer with a nice matt finish and realistic trademarks and swap it over with your shiny TM one.
Mags:
The stock TM ones have a blow out valve to stop you using green gas or propane as using that can take the pistol over Japan's power laws. While it is possible to mess about and mod TM mags to block the blow out valve ASG & KJW socom mags also work with the TM and dont feature the blow out valve. They can sometimes be cheaper than TM ones too.
Holster:
The bain of socom owners lives. Mil-Force make a really good holster for the Mk23 (SBL-7(BK) on Z1) which owainthegreat looks to have. It's marketed as a drop leg but it works much better as a hip holster if you remove the top leg strap and attach it to your belt where the leg strap was and use the bottom leg strap to stop it moving. It's also big enough to hold the pistol with the LAM, which I'd recommend doing to help stop dropped mag syndrome and to look badass. It also has two mag pouches and a silencer pouch, Also useful.
For a lower profile holster I've used a viper adjustable before with the lam removed but it did drop mags a couple of times so I'd advise taping your mags in with one of those.
LAM: Yup, standard it is pretty much useless. I have found it handy as a navigation light at night as it puts out enough light to see where you're going but not too much as to give away your position. It's just like one of those LED keyrings you get as promotional items sometimes.
Apart from the laser mod above I've also seen a light mod where someone added a bulb and reflector from an ACM tac light to make it more useful but personally I just like it for set dressing so to speak. It doesnt weigh much and it looks cool.



I'd also like to echo everyone in saying this is a great skirmish pistol if you can put up with the size (you get used to it tho) I've also been hidden in bushes less than 5m away from people who haven't herd me firing and have been convinced there was a sniper off in the distance. I've also been hidden a foot into some ferns at the side of a path and people haven't herd the shot as they've walked past.
The only down side I've found is the sights are unmarked but that's nothing a few drops of white paint cant sort.

[bravotwozero]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

The stock TM ones have a blow out valve to stop you using green gas or propane as using that can take the pistol over Japan's power laws.

I've never heard of that!

But I use green gas in mine all the time, maybe I was lucky enough to get one from an older batch.

How does it work?

Thanks.

[Evansy]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

When the pressure in the mag gets too high the valve opens venting until the pressure drops.
The mags have always have the valves in because TM could face massive fines and even jail time for making a gun that can fire over Japan's fps limits.

[bravotwozero]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

Oh...

Actually when you say that I have noticed a load of gas come out when i'm filling it.

But they aren't very effective, I can use Green gas fine in 'em!

[Evansy]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

It's probably venting the gas until it reaches the lower presure.
I've just tested my ASG mag and I got 7 full mags plus a couple of dry fires (191 shots) from one charge of propane.
I dont expect to be able to get that performance during a skirmish as I was firing to try and avoid cool down rather than to keep myself alive in game.

[stealthgunner]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

just wana add that you may find the trigger begins to stick after a year or so. this is because the mag is worn, to fix you need to buy a fresh mag. don't do what i did and stick a washer to the base of the mag as i managed to separate the sides of mag from the base...epic fail.

[Green Knight]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

I've been using a Marui Mk23 SOCOM as my pistol of choice for some time now, and I can fully endorse what other contributors have to say, for the large part. I bought it for being stealthy in the dark, and now I wouldn't pick anything else whatever the occasion.

I've had all manner of GBB pistols- Maruis, KSC's, Tanakas and what not. Not one of them is as reliable or accurate as the Marui Mk23. A lot of other players will frown on them for their plasticky feel, lack of realism in it's action, heavy trigger and so forth. However, these are often factors of the pistol's merits. Yeah, maybe I wish it was a bit more of a replica and less practical, but you can't have everything and practical is always what I choose.

It's a NBB, so it's gas economy is amazing. It don't waste fuel doing the pretty slide moving thing- shame, but there it is. It also works however cold it gets. I've used mine at winter night games near zero degrees, and I know I'm always good to go, whereas GBB's were failing other players contantly. It's light to carry holstered or to wield despite it's bulk. The grip is massive, but it's designed for easy use with gloves, and the mag holds more ammo and gas than you can shake a stick at.

True, the trigger is a bit hard work- more like using a revolver. That's a fact of life with an NBB, so treat it like a revolver. It is slow cycling against a GBB, which can blat off multiple shots in a moment, but it does at least moderate you and thereby ensure you don't cause cool-down and venting. Think of it more of a marksman's choice- I find it makes me a bit more considered in my approach, and not blazing blindly like a panicking kid in a liquor store hold-up. That itself makes the already massive 28 rounds of BBs per mag last even longer.

You have to learn to live with these foibles, and to do so I think you have to be disciplined and stay away from GBBs for a while so you refocus your pistol handling and expectations. Once you do, you start to get into practice with that revolver-style single/double action trigger; minimizing the disruption to accuracy through long pulls; getting used to pre-cocking when you have a moment to prepare for firing etc. Once you do it becomes second nature and you don't make a mess and miss when you get into a shootout. You have to also get used to checking your mag once in a while, as the Mk23 NBB doesn't lock back when empty. Just like an AEG, you could wind up dry-firing nothing but fresh air, and with the silencer on the difference in sound pitch is quite subtle. But then you should keep tabs on your ammo whatever, whether your running an AEG, GBB etc. Check and slap a fresh one in if you think it's gonna get hairy!

Sure the LAM is dim. But I find I really don't want to ruin my night vision every time I give a dab of torch to check my surroundings or the colour of tape on some shadowy figure nearby. A little less than a million lumens will do just fine, saving me being light dependant or have to go to ground to let my eyes re-adjust to the dark (I've tried to do the thing where I shut one eye to keep one eye set for darkness when hitting the torch- I always forget or get myself confused!). Moreover, if the other guy you lit up for a second didn't get hit by a full-on blast of strong light, he probably won't get to grips with your whereabouts:- a dim glimmer is usually from activity off elsewhere. It actually helps with the covert nature of the Mk23. Learn to live with the limitations of that dim LAM and you'll turn up benefits you can incorporate into your tactics.

Once you have the knack and put your mind to it, you're set to see the pros of the Mk23. I think a lot of people get frustrated early along the way, or revert to the more exciting feel of a GBB. That's why Mk23s turn up for sale here regularly with "it's just not for me" comments from the seller. People fancy the silent assassin appeal but don't come to terms with the cons before they click with the pros.

I bought mine for CQB night games. I generally think during play and use my hearing a lot more thank some. I hear shots going off in the dark and consider whether it's near or far, and what impact that has on my movements or plans. I know some people are a bit more gung-ho and don't bother, but I reckon that if I'm listening and thinking, there's gonna be those on the opposite team who are too. The SOCOM's silencer strips that ability away from your opponent- it's not all about engaging multiple targets from the bushes at woodland, and your immediate enemy being confused long enough to take out more than 1 or 2 of them (though of course you can, as attested by other contributors here). In a night CQB other team members a couple of rooms away are not alerted to you tripping over and engaging one of their players- and if they hear their mate cry "hit!" and come stomping back, they'll assume he got it from a lucky shot from way off, for they didn't hear an up close exchange of shots.

That was my reasoning, but found there were greater benefits beyond the above which, truthfully, don't always play out just like you imagine. Sure I've had moments where I've taken point in the dark, dropped a guy without us blowing the whistle on our little flanking stunt, and thus we got the drop on a bunch of guys at the objective without them knowing contact was imminent. It's rare to strike gold like that- more luck of how the game panned out, though the silenced Mk23 played it's part. No, the real merits come with that reliability, power and accuracy.

I soon found myself choosing my Mk23 for day games, without the silencer or LAM on- cos I knew it would not vent and when you pull the trigger. It does it's job, however cold the day. Just grab it and pull the trigger! Keep it simple, stupid!

Also the power has a 2 major advantages. Firstly it means you can take a shot at a target way beyond the range of a regular pistol- with more straight trajectory of the BB than any other pistol can hope for. With practice you don't always need a ranging shot or 3 and often nail 'em first or second time. I've scored some hits lately that astound my nearby team-mates (and me frankly!):- through gaps opponents are shooting from that are only an couple of inches wide; dropping opponents more than half in cover from significant distances with one shot. It's not gonna happen every shot- I ain't bragging- but in time you can look back on a day's play and be pleasantly suprised what you achieved on occasions, heavy trigger pull and all, knowing other players will be suprised you made such a kill. But you engage and win knowing instinctively it was do-able. I know a few pistol enthusiasts who are very skillful with their chosen GBB, and seen 'em marvel at a shot I've taken (again, that's A shot, not EVERY shot!) They're probably a lot faster in their play and slicker in their handling, but the slow but steady Mk23 is more of a marksman's pistol, like I said.

Secondly, I'm no sadist, but there will always be those who need to be sure they got hit. A glancing or gentle tap at max range and they'll convince themselves it was a ricochet or swear they felt nothing (we've all met 'em!). A solid strike is hard to deny, and those over-excited characters who seem to need more than enough hits before they accept defeat- well, they usually speak up soonest, not fancying another one.

Some people pick up a Mk23 NBB for the wrong reasons. I often carry a little Maruzen PPK/s for moments in CQB that call for fast firing and at extremely close ranges- at least when you know it's come to that and have enough opportunity to swap. Make no mistake it's quite powerful, the NBB hurts at point blank range, so you need to be reasonable about using it. The clone Mk23 is a bit more "hot", and with the "silencer" barrel extention on is downright uncalled-for. I saw a guy with one at a CQB site the other week, a mil-sim day too, usually the preserve of the more discerning sportsman- but he had a clone Mk23 and was stood in the briefing fiddling about, having a job finding somewhere on his kit to tuck the beast, "silencer" and all. Now, if that's not a working silencer but a power-enhancer to well over 400 odd plus fps, and we're doing close-up CQB today, then there's frankly no need for it beyond the fact he's being downright malicious! To my mind marshalls need to watch for those barrel-extension jobbies and crono 'em and take action, cos it makes a mockery of the whole fps limit excercise.

For me, for all the above reasons, the TM Mk23 SOCOM is the absolute business. I rarely choose anything else. Indeed everything else has got sold on. Why? 'cos I never choose em over the Mk23 (beside the backup PPK/s for CQB pistol-only games). What did I spend the cash on? A rare and pricey Safariland holster for the Mk23- nuff said!

[F0xHound]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

@Green Knight : I 100% completely agree with your review on the mk23, I bought mine a while ago through the use of its silencer and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a formidable weapon even against AEGs.

After using it a few times at my local site it has now turned into my primary weapon for the majority of games and my playstyle and field craft have improved drastically; as you have stated that due to its longer trigger pull and having less ammo to play with (as opposed to the hi-cap mag kiddies running around) you do have to take your shots more carefully.

I've had situations where the enemy is outside of pistol range and the mk23 still manages to ding them, It has actually played a massive role in games such as island assault where the enemy doesn't know where he/she was hit from. Left dumbfounded at what the heck just happened and saunter off back to respawn. And it obviously does amazingly well when flanking the enemy.

In woodland games, if you take your field craft seriously, the mk23 is a deadly weapon that I would personally choose over the majority of GBBs, AEGs etc any day of the week.

[Green Knight]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

Can't fault that, Foxhound!

I usually carry my Mk23 at woodland in my Safariland- set as a regular pisto (it's moulded for the pistol alone, without attatchments)l. It's secure so I don't loose it, and the hard plastic protects the pistol. I ain't a fan of drop legs for these two faults- potential loss and it getting banged up. But with this pistol it's so big it's gotta be a drop-leg job, and the Safariland solves these as it secures and protects

I have got several of those Hong Kong cheapies sold on ebay (just search "Mk23 holster"), but with a few altrerations:- I sew up the hole in the base so it just fits the silencer tube width and no more. This stops the pistol (when without the silencer) from sagging through and thereby dodging the thumb break at the top to fall out backwards when I crouch. I also stitch the thumb break to a correct fit and strip off the adjustment features. On my CQB one I have stripped off all the extra pouches. Its just not helping it stay put if you bother to fill the pockets with weighty extra mags, so I binned em, reducing it's ability to snag. I also sew the drop leg straps on to the holster, where the holster is widest- not just where the loops are. This increases the "pull" on the straps to include the whole of the holster, not just the 3rd of the rear face that the leg strap is attatched to. This dramaticly helps stabilize things and reduces the amount of waggling about the holster does. It's still not perfect, but those modifications improve that holster considerably.

My beloved Safariland does mean that if I need light or a silent shot I have to dig through other pouches, locate that accessory, and get screwing things together. Usually that takes too long and the opportunity is lost, and I always have to dismantle it to re-holster to return to my AEG.

Foxhound, I'm gonna take your sentiments on board, and use a Hong Kong holster again for woodland, and carry my Mk23 preset to silent. I'll see if I can reclaim some of those opportunities and get some of the benefits you do.

Regards, Rob

[F0xHound]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

@Rob, nice I use some form of drop leg for my mk23 (can't remember what make, got it from an airsoft shop in Edinburgh) but my mk is barely in it unless I have another primary. Normally only use it to kart it about after a match :D

I've also managed to source myself a scope mount from HK, if your interested, drop me a pm and i'll pass you the link. My only niggle with the mk is the sights as they have no dots. I've decided to try out a reflex sight on it, see how it fares, will update you on the outcome

Cheers!

Stef

[JackBauer8]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

You can not get over the amount Rob loves that Socom. He aint wrong, he truely has binned nearly every pistol on the market and set on that. What he missed from his review is he also is comfortable in using it knowing he has a very close team mate who he works with like bread and butter not 5 feet from him with a gbb tm glock watching his ass if it kicks off

I also would never want him to not use any other pistol, as last night alone he got 8 kills in a row where the enemy had not a clue where we were and we smashed them all over the back kitchen areas (usually takes 6/8 people to defend, it was just me and Rob....)

[Green Knight]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

Sights-wise, I have mine drilled and fitted with tritium sights. Lovely. I got them done in my local airsoft shop for £30. Thing is, you do then have to watch out you don't knock or drop the pistol, as they can crack and then leak and go out.

Consequently I got a second hand one on this forum for knocking about with at day games where night sights arn't needed. That helps preserve the tritium sighted one from needless risks of damage. The stock one I improved the sights on with a bit of white paint on the front and back, sealed on with a bit of matt varnish. That helps pick em out.

[Green Knight]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

Another point of note I just discovered when sorting out my kit from a recent game. I checked inside my Marui silencer and found the baffle material (some tubular grey foam) was only filling it up three quaters of the length of the tube.

I've looked in before and never noticed it that empty before. Either I'm wrong and it's not supplied full, or the stuffing's shrunk over time for some reason I can't be bothered to contemplate.

It was a simple fix, as I had a Classic Army Socom silencer (usual AEG thread size) kicking about, probably a stray accessory from some second hand deal or other lonmg ago. I unscrewed the back and bob's your uncle, similar foam baffle rings, although in this case thinner slices of about a centimetre at a time. I pinched a couple of these and topped up my Marui one for my Mk23.

Whether there is any improvement in sound reduction I can't say, but logic suggests it's gonna help. If you do find the same and follow what I did, remember not to over-stuff the silcencer. Over-full and there's a risk of bulging foam actually encroaching on the track of the BB through the silencer and either knocking your shots off course or even worse causing a bottle- kneck jam.

Also, remember how the silencer does it's job:- noise at the muzzle is soaked up inside the silencer. On a real gun that noise is the sonic boom of the explosion of ignigting cordite, which occurs when the bullet leaves the muzzle and the sound expands once not trapped in the confines of the barrel. On a relatively quiet and sub-sonic airsoft gun this only really has any benefit on a NBB. GBBs create more noise in the crash of their slide and gas release in this area than truly from their muzzle. So use a bit of sense, as the stuffing doesn't want to be packed too tight as this would be crushing the holes in the foam closed- which is where the sound should be dispersing into- and that's what you want, innit?

[Four Leaf]

Re: Tokyo marui - MK.23 SOCOM. NON-BB.

I've read that KSC MK23 mags will fit the Marui version, does anyone know if this is the case ?

Ta, FL