We m14 (gbb)

[The Keeper of Secrets]

Thought I'd write up a quick review of my experiences with the WE M14.

I bought this brand spanking new and it cost me about £400. Inside the box you get the gun (I s**t you not), a speedloader, a manual, and the bits to increase the mag capacity. You also get a 1.5mm allen key for the hopup.

Contrary to WE's usual packaging faliures, this one comes nicely done in bubble wrap and a large plastic wrap. I picked mine up in store to save it being destroyed by parcel farce and it really was in tip top condition. So no complaints there.

First thoughts? Heavy. Heavier than any M14 AEG I've owned (TM/G&G/AGM/CYMA), but also much much nicer than all of them. The stock isn't real wood and you can tell it isn't, but it's very nice finely texture polymer and actually contributes to the overall weight an awful lot. The metal is the usual lovely stuff WE's latest releases are built out of and everything is top notch and reflects the meaty price tag. I'll let the pictures do more talking:















For those who haven't realised, this was built from the ground up to be one of WE's 'open bolt' systems. Open bolt here not having the real life designation but just being the name for the system that removes the need for the brass tube so hated in earlier WE rifles.

The cyclic reliability and gas efficiency are both very respctable. The bolt makes a fantastic seal with the mag and it really does have a stable ROF and kicks out a consistant fps. Speaking of which, this comes out hot (mine at 400fps but reports have been of 420), so a NPAS will be the first thing to get for it. They're only about £15 so that'll be nice.

The hopup is a 1911 GBB pistol style one and from what I can see is TM compatible. This is a good thing for two reasons; the TM hops in 1911s are outstanding, and we can all make use of existing hop upgrades and replacements (nineball etc). Good stuff.


Disassembly:

Nice and easy and realistic. Anyone who's been around a TM/CYMA/AGM M14 will be in familiar territory here. It's just that little bit smoother all around. Pull the trigger guard down and the whole unit comes out. Then separate the two halves and go from there.

The trigger unit is very nice indeed. All made of good quality and well finished metals. I have a lot of confidence in its ability to survive the bolt crashing about overhead.

One thing to note here is that WE ship their guns dry, i.e, with no grease. The absolute first thing to do when getting one is to crack it open and apply lithium based grease to everything metal and silicone to the nozzle and rubbers. After a quick trip to the shed to do that, this is what we have:









Mmm. Greasey.

The stock has a compartment to hold snacks/a speedloader/whatever in during games. This is where the speedloader/mag parts/allen key come in when you buy it so check in here before complaining that you're missing them:




Performance:

The gun performed very well in the capacity of testing I can do in a 20m garden. Whacking off shots nicely and with a crisp blowback every time. Full auto is very satisfying and doesn't slow down with any noticable distinction. It's been raining today and isn't all that warm, and the rifle could easily mag dump all 30 rounds in one go. Yes, I swapped out the springs and use 30 rounds as oppose to the true-to-life 20. Sue me.

As far as range goes I feel the gun is at an unfair advantage due to it slicing through trees at 400fps. It's going very far indeed (55-60m) but I feel that'll decrease when I clock it down to 350 with the NPAS, so we'll see. I may yet lock it to semi and use it as a DMR.

Accuracy was as good as it gets with GBBRs. The bbs go in the direction you point the rifle and hop nicely. I'll get a better reading once I've got more of a range to shoot over.


Overall it's a gorgeous bit of kit with an efficient, well cycling gas engine as has been so (rightly) praised on the WE G36. I have a feeling WE are going to be getting more of my swag if they continue to bring out rifles of this quality and skirmishability.

Thanks for reading. Questions welcome!

[The Keeper of Secrets]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Quick thing to add to this.

For those of you who, like me, hate the standard M14 scope mounts that are available for being too ridiculously huge for what they are, or just want a smaller, less conspicuous rail to mount stuff on, it can be done.

By drilling and tapping a hole in the top reciver just above the hop, and boring a thread in the pin hole that keeps the rear rail mount on, you can mount a simple G36c rail onto the top. Nice and easy, solid as a rock:

[middo85]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

How would you rate this as a first GBB rifle?

Im thinking of saving up for the RA Tech EBR version, which is a lot of pennies but dont want something thats going to break easily

[The Keeper of Secrets]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

It's not going to break. The only thing I have noticed is that a pin in the trigger system can fall out when the rifle is dissasembled, resulting it bits flying about as the hammer spring is released. You just have to make sure you watch it when the trigger unit is out of the gun.

Apart from that it's great. Very solid bit of kit.

[howzat]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Thanks somuch for the review
I've never had a gas rifle before either and I feel that this is the one for me. I've read a number of reviews on it and this is the most informative so far
I'm glad you recommend it to beginners as I don't want to get out of my depths

The only question I have is in regards to the oiling/greasing- I've got no idea what to do.
Do I literally just spray or spread it over all metal parts or is there specific areas to do it to?
Thanks

[The Keeper of Secrets]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

I use Halfords lithium grease (white pot and red lid). try and aim for a thing layer on all metal sliding/moving parts. Silicone spray is for plastic and rubbers, for the nozzle should get some.

[TS_Welshy]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

I use Welshy's Halfords lithium grease (white pot and red lid). try and aim for a thing layer on all metal sliding/moving parts. Silicone spray is for plastic and rubbers, for the nozzle should get some.

Fixed that for you.

Also, if you put that scope and silencer combo on ONE MORE GUN I am going to throw them into an abyss. And don't you dare moderate this.

Good review though

[howzat]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

I use Halfords lithium grease (white pot and red lid). try and aim for a thing layer on all metal sliding/moving parts. Silicone spray is for plastic and rubbers, for the nozzle should get some.

Thanks,
Howzat

[middo85]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Thanks for the info,

Other than the realism im actually drawn to GBBs as i still cant get my head around not stripping and cleaning an AEG after use, just feels wrong

[Karnus]

I've recently purchased a we m14 and I love it. Once you get your head around dismantling it for the first time it's 100% easier to strip and maintain. Field strip literally takes about 5 seconds.

One question - I have no idea which way to turn the hop key for more/less hop :s any help KOS?

[Barny Hamon]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

I think its clockwise Karnus. Otherwise surely you can just twist it to one extreme and see?

[howzat]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Surely you could take our the hop and inner barrel, then look down barrel to see?

[Barny Hamon]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Yeah you can, although it doesnt need taking apart, just lock the bolt back take out the mag and get some light in the magwell and you can see down the barrel.

[howzat]

Re: We m14 (gbb)

Or that :P^

[Karnus]

Will do! Hijack over...