The 1911 design was a breakthrough for auto-loading handguns as well as an iconic firearm in WWII and Vietnam. That’s why we see so many of them and their clones in airsoft and the real steel market. As much as I loved my good old KWC Tanfoglio Witness, the fact is that either of the two sub $20 spring pistols facing off in this review will out shoot it every time.

First up we have the Umarex Combat Zone Stryker which is a newer offering that can be found at stores in the US. It also features a nifty accessory rail.

19.99 + S/H
100 FT Range / 210 FPS (.2g)

I also finally picked up the classic UHC 1911. This is a long running, heavyweight spring replica with good performance for its price range.

$19.99 + S/H
100 FT Range / 200 FPS (.2g)

The first thing you’ll notice when these guns are side by side is that they’re basically identical. The packaging and trademarks are different, but these two certainly came from the same manufacturer. Nevertheless, a number of differences come up upon closer inspection.

Aesthetics -
Very similar, both guns have the classic 1911 look, open ejection port, and lack of any real licensing. Detail is still good all the way around. The faux-wood textured grips look like a bad Jersey Shore tan up close, but fine at casual glance.

The Stryker features a unique accessory rail that you could mount a small light or laser on. This adds a lot to the look of the gun and has some functionality. The rail can be un-bolted and removed, although you’ll leave two small empty holes on both sides of the pistol.

Weight/Balance -
The UHC is noticeably heavier and better balanced. This is due to the fact that both the magazine and receiver contain lead weights in them. The Stryker doesn’t feel bad, but it’s certainly lighter.

Magazine -
The UHC includes a 22 round slow load magazine, which is good capacity for a pistol.

The Stryker features the exact same exterior design, but only holds 14 rounds ready to fire coupled with a 95 round reservoir in place of the UHC’s lead weight. Same idea as the magazine included with the full metal 1911. Having this extra ammo on hand may be nice in certain situations, but I personally hate this kind of mag. They feel too light and flimsy, make a huge racket rattling around, and are still difficult to load.

Performance -
All other things equal, I like the look of the Stryker and the feel of the UHC. So it comes down to performance.

Neither have smooth slide action, but this is hard to come by for any low-end replica with an open ejection port. Both have working grip and slide safety’s.

Actual shooting performance is admirable – very good range and accuracy, good projectile speed. The only noticeable difference seemed to be that the Stryker had more aggressive hop-up, which resulted in a straighter flight path and a few more feet of range before falling.

So, neither of these 1911′s are perfect, but they both get close. Sticking the weighted UHC mag in the Stryker adds sufficient weight and is a good compromise. Overall, either of these spring pistols are a great choice in this range of econo airsofting.

• Modeled After: Colt Python Hunter
• Hop-Up: Fixed for .12g 6mm BBs.
• Lowest Advertised: 230 FPS / 50 ft Max Range
• Purchased From Evike.com for $25 +$9 Shipped

Look and Feel
Bad-Ass-ity
Realistically Functions
Revolver Capacity
Inconsistent Performance
Accuracy & Range

Pictures don’t do this thing justice. When you actually see the 941 in person, you’re first thoughts will be “Holy $#&% dude, that thing’s !$@#!%& huge!” Your first impression of this revolver is really going to be one of the main reasons to buy it, although there are a few other factors gunning for your purchase as well. lolpun!

I wanted a revolver because I’ve already got a slew of semi-automatics. Something was missing in the collection and there’s a certain aura that a huge 6-shooter just radiates from it’s soul. The UHC Revolver series comes in a few different designs and sizes. I wanted the matte-black one, and of course, the largest possible barrel. That would be 8 inches, a length at which you hit dangerously close to Looney-Toons, but still keep it real. This magnum has a nice flat finish, and mimics the look of a Colt Python fairly well with the exception of the ergonomic grip. The rear site is adjustable for both elevation and windage. I had to bring mine up quite a bit.

This gun really finds it’s forte through it’s features. The firing mechanism is cocked with the hammer, which takes a significant although not difficult force to pull. It can also be de-cocked by pulling the trigger and releasing the hammer slowly. As the hammer is pulled, the cylinder will rotate one chamber clockwise, preparing the next single round. Each BB is loaded into a single “shell”, loaded six at a time into the cylinder, and function as an extension of the barrel through the cylinder. Although the cylinder doesn’t spin that well outside or inside the body of the gun, you can still find ways of playing Russian Roulette. Use caution, you should know this isn’t a toy.

How does the UHC 941 actually perform? Let’s put it this way, if you’re skirmishing, this sidearm is less likely to benefit you than spitting individual BBs out of your mouth. Combat is not what it should be used for. A slow-loading six round capacity doesn’t last long, even target shooting. The individual shells do a great job of simulating the real thing, but that’s not what you want in the heat of battle. Unless you’re really, really bad-ass. The range and hop-up of the revolver are very sporadic. This could be due to the complex and unorthodox firing assembly. Even with the gigantic barrel, FPS with a .12g isn’t that impressive. I’ve seen the range of a BB go from 20 ft to 90. The hop up seems to decide a random direction to take mid flight, although if you’re lucky, the shot flies true.

I’m happy to have this piece in my collection. It’s a fun alternative to plink with in the backyard, and trust me, it looks and functions awesomely. This gun will someday make a great movie prop. If you need a precision instrument buy a calculator, that’s not what the UHC Revolver series should be used for. Feeling like an impulse buy? Pick one of these up.

• Modeled After: Heckler & Koch MP5SD3
• Hop-Up: Fixed for .2g 6mm
• Lowest Advertised: 275 FPS / 110ft Range
• Purchased from AirSplat.com for $35 +$13 Shipped

Accuracy Range Customizable Solid rugged design

Awkward when not fully extended Non-ambidextrious grip Small/Explosive Stock Magazine Sites bad for skirmish

A while back, the UHC MP5 SD3 was the crowned prince of spring “rifles”. (A title only prestigious for those airsofters not in competitive CQB, of course.) It’s only competition came in the form of the HFC MP5 A5 v2, which had slightly worse performance, and tended to jam more frequently.

Of course, now that the new kid on the block, UTG, is coming out with a whole bunch of pretty good guns, their spring pump MP5 A4/A5 CQB delivers comparable performance and a hi-cap clip for only $10 more, the UHC may have met it’s match. But, there are still a few factors that make the UHC MP5 a great and unique deal.

The most noticeable characteristic is the bad-ass mock suppressor that can be attached to the gun. Unlike most airsoft silencers, this one actually functions to extend the barrel by more than 6 inches, increasing accuracy and range. The gun itself looks slightly strange without the silencer, but it’s still an option.

The stock of the SD3 is also adjustable, though it only features 2 settings, in and out. Having the stock in and the silencer off makes this a very compact weapon, where as extending both brings you up to rifle-length while retaining pistol weight. This customizability is definitely a perk.

The MP5′s rotary diopter rear site is adjustable for windage and how accurate you want to be. Regardless of it’s cool name, this type of site simply isn’t feasible for skirmishes and are hard to use in certain lighting conditions. If I had to use this gun in a backyard match, I would attach a red-dot to the top dovetail mount. (Which has very little depth and is quite precarious).

Left: Stock magazine with built in funnel-loader. Right: HFC 40 round magazine with the top sanded down slightly.

Other than less than stellar iron-sites, the only other drawback of this gun is the magazine design. The stock UHC MP5 SD3 mag holds 21 rounds topped off and doesn’t have any sort of blockage to keep them from falling out. If you tip it, they will fall. This makes multiple clips hard to deal with unless you’re a pro with duct tape. The cocking system (handle on the left side of the gun) allows for a pretty high rate of fire, and those 20 or so rounds can go fast. This is where the HFC’s 40 round clip comes in handy. Get one of these and sand just the top down a minute amount for almost flawless compatibility. The HFC clip has two rows of 20 rounds, one that releases as you lock it into the gun, and one that you manually release once your first row is exhausted. Doubling the capacity is nice, but frequent jams with this mechanism tempted me to go back to the original mag and speed load it. One other gripe regarding the clip, is that due to it’s lack of any sort of stoppage, releasing a magazine that isn’t empty from the gun without locking down the spring first will result in your ammo spraying up inside the gun and everywhere else. Trust me, friends will do this all the time.

Overall, the accuracy, consistency, customizability and bargain price of this spring gun make it one of the best longer-range spring options available. It’s a great step up from spring pistols and, as always, won’t break your bank. With the silencer, this thing looks awesome as well. Modeled after the iconic SMG, it looks and feels solid. Range is impressive when using the suppressor and the power will definitely draw blood if you’re not careful. How fun!