I’m turning Japanese; yes I’m turning Japanese…

This really is a bit of a departure for me. For the first time since I got into Airsoft I have purchased an AEG that isn’t a replica of Russian infantry weapon.

Today I received my Both Elephant brand Type 89 AEG. This is a Chinese clone of the Tokyo Marui Type 89, and a very faithful one, so I am led to believe. The TM original is a replica of the current Japanese Defence Force assault rifle, the 5.56 x 45mm Type 89 developed by HOWA Machinery Co.

But before I describe this AEG, I just wanted to expand on my purchase of an airsoft replica which isn't an AK.

Battle Royale – team versus ‘rogue’
As I mentioned in a recent post, although I do very much enjoy my Team AKA outings I do occasionally like to go ‘rogue’ and take myself off to an Airsoft site on my own. This isn’t a slight of team airsofting, or the sites the team goes to or – indeed – the company of the team itself, it’s just that once in a while I like to please myself and try out something new. In particuar it's nice to try a loadout which is outside the format of the Team AKA Russian simulation.

I think it’s kind of refreshing to change my whole airsofting persona, complete with a totally different loadout and play in a style that is a lot more informal and querky. And, of course, try out a wider variety of replicas.

So why the Type 89
I’ll make no bones about this; the Type 89 replica wasn’t exactly the first choice for my ‘rogue’ persona’s primary AEG. I really very much want to own a Star FN FNC AEG, but at £350 it’s well beyond my means at the moment.

Above: No, I only bought the one! Click on image to open large view of the BE Type 89

In many ways the Type 89 is the poor man’s FNC. Literally in fact, as – unlike the Star FNC – the Tokyo Marui Type 89 has a ‘cheapsoft’ clone - the Both Elephant Type 89 - which costs just a little over £100! (If there had have been a 'cheapsoft' FNC I would have snapped that up, but that is never likely to be as the FNC is a little too niche.)

The Type 89 shares many similar features with the FN FNC, and they also look generally similar. Moreover – crucial to my decision – they both share a three-round burst feature.

About the BE Type 89 clone
I had done quite a bit of Googling and research about the Both Elephant version of the TM Type 89, and what I read impressed me a great deal.

On opening the box I immediately discovered a very pleasant looking assault rifle, and my first impressions were further enhanced when I picked up the airsoft gun. I was persuaded in this choice, in no small part, by the fact that this replica is a metal one, but I soon discovered that the metal construction did not adversely affect the overall weight of this AEG.

Despite being what you might call a ‘full length’ rifle, rather like the M16, the Type 89 is surprisingly compact and nimble gun. It is actually slightly shorter than my Kalash AK-74 and a lot lighter in weight.

There are plastic parts, but only as much as they reflect plastic parts inherent to the original rifle; chiefly, the shoulder stock, pistol grip and the fore stock. Interestingly, the BE version has plastic furniture with a ‘rubberized’ texture to it – just like the real thing – but conversely, the more expensive TM AEG lacks this rather pleasing and tactile finish to its stocks.

Another interesting and unexpected feature is the size of the pistol grip. When one – perhaps stereotypically – thinks of the diminutive Japanese stature, you might expect the design of the Type 89 to reflect the percieved difference in stature of Westerners and Asians. But the overall length is pleasing, and the pistol grip is one of the most comfortable and nicely sized I have come across (taking into consideration my very large hands).

Down to the nitty-gritty…
Looks and feel aside, I soon started to examine the operation of this AEG, with particular attention (until my field study) on switches, mechanics and build quality.

Now here’s where there are some oddities.

First of all my attention was immediately drawn to the selector switch (because of my curiosity about the 3-round burst feature). The selector switch is on the right-hand side of the AEG, and in a place where it is not reachable using ones extended trigger finger. Operation of this switch has to be done by relinquishing your firing grip and manipulating the switch as a separate operation!

ア (Safety position) → レ (Full auto) → 3 (three-round burst) → タ (semi-auto)

With a little practise one can learn to operate this switch to some degree of efficiency using the thumb of the right hand, but even this is a little awkward because of the four separate settings available.

(Note: Tokyo Marui have addressed this ‘problem’ by releasing a left-hand selector switch accessory, which is very easily fitted. I will be ordering this and will write a follow up post on how this attachment improves the selector operation. This accessory is based on a real steel 'field' modification, see footnote 1.)

Next we come to the magazine well and the changing of magazines. The Type 89 (BE & TM) can use either it’s own proprietary magazine type or the standard NATO M4/M16 type magazine. However, while the real steal Type 89 in many ways emulates the Armalite design it does have one distinct and unfortunate difference to the M4/M16 variants – the 89’s mag well is tight and not chamfered to ease insertion of the mag into the receiver.

I had been forewarned about this and immediately noticed the issue when I first tried to insert a mag. It took me a couple of attempts before I discovered the correct alignment with which you must carefully push the magazine into the well. I will get used to it, but it is a small niggle (see movie at foot of page which shows this issue in action).

Further mag related issues pertain to the magazine release button itself. In short, it's tiny and awkward to operate! It is - again - on the right hand side of the reciever, meaning we 'righties' have to reach round under the gun to push the release. (See footnote 2 regarding custom enlarged mag-release button.)

After that I raised the Type 89 up to eye level to test it’s sighting. The good news is that it is a very naturally sighted gun – what I mean is, that it comes up to the shoulder aiming position very nicely and it’s design ‘feels’ easily aimed. But the iron sights themselves are a little ‘wide’ sighted – they look very open, particularly the hooded foresight, and the rear peep sight seems a little large.

Of course, all this isn’t a negative to the airsofter, as precision sights are – to be honest – superfluous. In fact, the wider field of view that the 89’s sights provide is actually an advantage to the intuitively aiming airsofter.

That said, the foresight stalk does seem a little flimsy when viewed down the rifle, and I wonder if it will take a great knock to bend or even break it.

Through the looking glass…
Now, all the issues above are issues that are fully commensurate with the real steel design of the Type 89. They are not faults of either TM or BE, who simply replicated these features from the real rifle. However, there are some operating issues with the BE Type 89 that can be ascribed to the airsoft design and replication by the manufacturer.

The main issue I have with the BE Type 89 – right from the get go – was the trigger. It is simply the worst trigger I have come across in airsofting thus far.

The BE trigger is jerky to the point where it acts almost as if it is a two stage trigger – only it isn’t. There seems to be something physically impairing the pull of the trigger, catching it slightly in mid-pull before allowing it to travel to its fullest extent.

Maybe this is a fault, or maybe this is an upshot of the mechanical three-burst feature. But I will be looking into this further to see if other BE Type 89 owners have this problem and indeed whether TM owners recognize this ‘glitch’.

Next, but not so major, is the battery arrangement. Despite the fact that this AEG is a ‘full stocked’ replica, it takes a stick battery in the fore stock rather than a normal rectangular high-capacity battery in the shoulder stock. I was very surprised by this.

Above: Excerpt from the BE Type 89 manual showing the removal of the fore stock for insertion of the stick battery. Don't panic, there are English translations of all the operations at the foot of each page. The quality of the manual is very good.

Not that I have anything against stick batteries, I use them quite happily in my AK replicas all the time. But, unlike the AK series, the Type 89’s facility for accessing and changing out the battery is a bit of a rigmarole, demanding the use of a tool to open the fore stock. (A possible solution for those of you who really don't like stick batteries might be the Laylax Battery Sling.)

Anything else I should know?
Well, if I had to add any other niggles it would be about the general finish of this AEG, but at £100 what do I really expect? This isn’t Tokyo Marui, there are scratches and the paint is a little too flat, but then if I want the TM finish I would have to pay the TM price tag.

No, I got very much what I expected from a budget AEG by way of finish, so I can’t complain on that score.

Extras, smectras (Eh?)
One thing I haven’t mentioned so far is the Type 89 bi-pod that comes with this AEG. The Japanese thought that the real Type 89 needed this extra bit of stability for improved marksmanship, and it has been nicely replicated by Both Elephant.

I actually find that with the bi-pod fitted (it can be easily removed) it makes the front end of the AEG very comfortable for my big hands to hold when in the folded position, and the extra bit of weight doesn’t go amiss either. But most of all it looks a bit flash.

The rest of the bits and bobs in the box is very much the usual fair; a cheap battery, a cheap (2 pin!) charger, a manual, a (metal) hi-cap mag, a cleaning rod and some BBs…

Oh! And a very nifty bright orange safety tip for the muzzle!

Accessories wise, there isn’t much from BE yet but TM do a scope rail and left hand selector switch. As the BE Type 89 is a direct clone of the TM model I can only assume these will fit the BE version (I will be testing this out). Additionally, there are a couple of Japanese companies who make some custom parts – RIS and whatnot, but nothing earth shattering (see footnote 2).

And that concludes my introductory overview of my new Both Elephant Type 89 AEG. I will, in due course be putting this AEG to a field test and will report back my findings, but thus far I am fairly satisfied with my purchase – despite misgivings about that darn trigger and battery access! (As for the other niggles I mentioned, I can't complain too much about those issues that simply relect actual design features of the real Type 89.)

> Now go one to the field test review ---> BE Type 89 review part two

I would like to end this post by thanking LWA (Land Warrior Airsoft) for the prompt supply of this AEG. Service was excellent - as usual - and I was additionally gratefull that their shipping team noticed the two seperate orders I made on the same day and combined them, so they both arrived at the same time AND saved me some money in postage. Thanks guys. Link: www.landwarriorairsoft.com

------------------------------

Useful links:

> Real HOWA Type 89 data on Wikipedia
> Real HOWA Type 89 data on WorldGuns.ru

> BE Type 89 review from RSOV community forum
> TM Type 89 review (for comparison) from Arnies Airsoft forums
> TM Type 89 review (for comparison) from Florida Airsoft

Footnotes:

1. In accordance with the "Iraq Revival Support Law on Special Measures on Land for the U.S. Military" (イラク復興支援特措法) or the "Self-Defense Forces Iraq Dispatch Law," a selector switch has been manufactured and installed on the left hand side of the lower receiver for ambidextrous use for rifles issued to JSDF members in Iraq[3]. However, this is only a temporary modification and the rifle must be returned to its original state (with the selector switch on the right side only) when it is returned to Japan. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa_Type_89

2. The Japanese custom airsoft company x-fire.org make a few interesting Type 89 accessories, including a very nice short outer barrel conversion that turns the 89 into a carbine. See foot of webpage: x-fire.org/aeg_other - Additionally, Frontier Japan do a nice RIS and, more importantly, an enlarged magazine release button. There is a report on the Frontier Japan Type 89 accessories >here< at Arnies Airsoft.

Extras:

YouTube movie which shows an airsoft Type 89 in action (could be either TM or BE version). But not in particular the sequence showing the insertion of a magazine - this guy has the same trouble as I did!