KWA M226 P.T.P.

If you are hardcore Navy SEALs fans, Die Hard fans, or even just Sig Sauer fans in general, then you will most certainly appreciate the newly re-launched version of the M226 by KWA USA. KWA first released a full metal airsoft M226 back in 2007, but it was neither mass produced, nor made into much of a big deal at the time. It seemed that KWA actually did very little to promote the gun back in 2007, and as a result, very few people actually knew about its existence. Shortly after its initial release, the KWA M226 disappeared from the market for a while, that is, until about last week. Last week, I overheard the Airsoft GI purchasing department mentioning that the KWA M226 was back in stock, so I immediately went out to the warehouse and searched for this magnificent gas blow back pistol.

In the past, there have only been a couple companies to make a SIG SAUER P226 airsoft replica, and the two main ones are Tokyo Marui and KJW. The Tokyo Marui P226 had a solid build, performed weill, and was very reliable, but it was constructed completely out of plastic and did not feel realistic. If the operator wanted the gun to feel more realistic, he or she had to purchase metal upgrade parts, which can be quite expensive. The KJW P226, on the other hand, does feature a full metal construction, but in my opinion, KJW guns generally tend to lack the performance that satisfies experienced airsofters.

First Impressions:

When I first saw the KWA M226, I was immediately very excited. Despite the fact that I am not much of a SIG SAUER fan, I admire the P226 because it is one of the most reliable service pistols on the market today. The United States Navy Special Warfare Center adopted the Sig P226 as their official standard issue pistol for the Navy Seals Operators, designated as the MK25. Although I have never had the luxury of shooting a P226, I have handled and held them at local gun stores before. The KWA M226 feels and weighs extremely similar to it’s real steel counterpart, and every external function on the real SIG 226 can be found on the KWA M226, including the functional de-cocker.

The grip is moderately stippled, and it was very comfortable when I was holding it. The external control of the KWA M226 is also easily accessible when the properly holding the gun. One major thing that I noticed was that I could easily access the slide release and the de-cocker without shifting my grip, unlike most pistols on the market today. The gun points naturally when my arm is fully extended, unlike many of the other pistols I have shot in my lifetime where I would have to readjust my grip when extending my reach.

Detailed Inspection:

Upon detailed inspection, KWA did a very fine job with the detail of the M226. The M226 comes with a laser etched KWA M226 PTP trademarks, cal 6.00mm and the serial number on the left hand side, and on the right hand side, the M226 has the marking “Professional Training Pistol.” The slide only has rear cocking serrations, but the front of the slide is angled so the operator is still able to pull back the slide from the front if he or she chooses to.

Both the slide and the frame are constructed ot of metal, giving the M226 an extremely realistic feel and weight. The sight system on the KWA M226 features very distinctive bright white dots, which are easy to see when aiming. Also, as I have mentioned before, the external controls, de-cocker, slide release, and magazine release, are extremely accessible without shifting or changing your grip. The metal frame on the KWA M226 comes with a standard 1913 picatinny rail which can be accommodated for lights and lasers, and also comes with a lanyard hole for your pistol lanyards, which comes in handy and helps to retain your pistol if you should ever drop it.

Despite there being a lot of moving parts, field stripping the M226 is just as easy as the other KWA gas blow back pistols on the market. However, I would not recommend that anyone break down the pistol further than what is necessary. Normal field stripping is for cleaning and maintenance, and only requires separating the lower frame and the slide. After making sure the M226 is unloaded, simply pull the slide back and rotate the take down pin into the downward position. The slide will then separate from the frame and the operator can take out the barrel and recoil spring. From there, the operator can perform the basic cleaning and maintenance that the pistol requires.

But if you would like to break the pistol further more, which Airsoft GI and I highly would not recommend, the operator can take out the 4 grip screws and the internal parts will be exposed. I highly recommend that you leave those parts alone. There are a lot of springs that keep this pistol running properly, and if those springs are misplaced or broken, the gun will not be functioning anymore. But if you are gun savvy and familiar with the complex internals of gas blow back pistols, then by all means go ahead and examine it. But like I have mentioned before, Airsoft GI and I do not recommend you do so, and will not held responsible for any damages resulting from this.

Range Time

Range time with this baby easily met my expectations of a KWA gas blowback pistol. Being that it is a professional training pistol, it uses the same NS2 system as the M9 and the 1911 PTP series. The P.T.P. system is by far the best performance system on the market to date, as it manages to produce a solid FPS while using less gas compared to the other systems in the market.

After loading all 25 rounds into the magazine, I began the range test. The KWA M226 chronoed at an average of 350 feet per second, and showed very little variation as I emptied the magazine. The M226 has no problem firing all 25 rounds, and the slide was able to lock back solidly when the magazine was empty. The gun feels extremely solid, and the recoil on the M226 was substantial. I truly enjoyed shooting this gun; so much so, that I emptied another 3 to 4 magazines after the range test just for fun.

Well there it is, the KWA M226. This is truly a magnificent gas blow back pistol and KWA truly has done it again. The KWA M226 also has the same dimension as the real Sig 226, so the G-Code holsters will fit this gun. Check out both the KWA M226 and the G-Code Holster for P226 at www.airsoftgi.com. I guarantee you if you are a Sig fan, this is the gun you must have. Until next time, I am Andrew, stay safe, and get out and play airsoft.