The M9 is a very popular pistol choice in airsoft for its high capacity, ergonomics, and versatility. Unfortunately, the Tokyo Marui and clone designs of the M9 have proved themselves to be a poor choice for players looking for performance and reliability. KWA's M9 PTP (Professional Training Pistol) and the M9 PTP Tactical have filled the role for well performing and reliable airsoft M9 replicas.
Out of the Box
With all of KWA's guns, the box is very well made and keeps the gun very secure. Inside you'll find the gun, a magazine, a hop-up adjustment tool, a small sample of BBs, a bottle of silicon oil, and all of the paperwork necessary to use KWA's legendary customer service.
Externals
The KWA M9 is one of the most realistic and best feeling replicas on the market. The frame is aluminum alloy that is finished in a very flat, non-reflective black paint. A unique serial number is also included. The grips are made of some high strength plastic and are textured. As with most guns, the controls are placed for right handed shooters. However, the safety/decocker is ambidextrous. The gun is a tad large but fits naturally in the hand with every control within thumb's reach. The trigger guard is slightly enlarged for gloved/chubby fingers and the trigger is double action. Next to the magwell, a loop for a retention cord is present. The slide is also made of aluminum alloy and features laser engraved KWA trademarks as well as a semi-glossy black finish. Pulling back the slide reveals the hop-up which can be easily adjusted with the included tool. Serrations on the rear aid with racking and the non-adjustable, non-removable, high profile iron sights have white dots. The magazines also share the same markings and weight of their real counter parts. However, this gun is not "full metal." For the NS2 gas system, the outer barrel is made out of high strength polymer. Luckily, the only way to tell that it's plastic is by actually feeling it.
Internals
Internally, this gun features KWA's famous NS2 gas system. This means that it performs well, is very gas efficient, and has great reliability. Firstly, the magazine holds 24 BBs in a double stack formation. The follower has a locking mechanism that makes loading BBs a breeze. The feed lips are metal which increases durability, but you do run the risk of damaging BBs. All NS2 guns have proprietary magazines EXCEPT for the ATP and and other guns that can use the old M series of magazines. This isn't very bad as KWA magazines are very well made and are not relatively expensive. As with most gas guns, disassembly is very easy. All parts inside are either high strength metal or reinforced plastic. The recoil spring is a bit stiffer than other guns, but isn't too bad. The bucking makes this gun shoot very nicely but as with lots of KWA guns, it's best to keep it dry as silicon oil can make it swell a lot. The barrel is a precision steel barrel which is housed in the plastic outer barrel. The plastic outer barrel is actually beneficial to performance and durability as it reduces friction thus increasing efficiency and reducing slide wear. It is also necessary for the NS2 system to work. While the NS2 system is proprietary, parts from the KWA Pro Shop are fairly easy to receive and the fantastic 45-day warranty will save your gun from any lemon parts.
Performance
I've been running this pistol exclusively on propane for over a year with no major problems. The performance is very admirable and can rival the famed Marui pistols. Efficiency is one of the M9's strong suits. While many cheap pistols can barely get through a magazine on a single fill, the M9 will consistently get 2-3 mags of shots on a single charge or propane. With propane and .20g BBs, the M9 shot a very CQB friendly 330-360 FPS (recorded on XCortech). With the NS2 hop-up and barrel, a man sized target at 100 feet is an easy hit. It's highly recommended you use .25-.30g BBs to get the best accuracy and range.
Experience
One of the things that I love most about Marui pistols is the plastic parts make the kick and performance very smooth and satisfying. Many of clone pistols use heavy, poorly made metal parts that just make the gun feel sluggish and clunky. KWA has filled the gap between the cheap metal pistols and the high performance plastic pistols with their offering of the NS2 line of weapons. The M9 feels great to use and the great accuracy is a nice touch. All of that coupled with the awesome, realistic look and feel make this a great pistols for those who love the M9.
Photo Album: http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k49 ... /M9%20PTP/