Post by CAC001 on Jan 14, 2007 21:33:31 GMT -7
A friend of mine recently gave a PFI (Peak Focus International) gas grenade to me as a gift. He bought it at a local store with airsoft products, but it's also available from Redwolf and a couple other websites. Since the PFI grenade bears much resemblance to an MKII fragmentation grenade, that is what I will be comparing it to in this review.
Real Steel History
The MKII was a fragmentation (type of grenade that explodes into shrapnel) grenade widely used by US forces in WWII and the Vietnam conflict. It is also called a pineapple grenade, due to the grooves that run along it. Contrary to what many believe, these grooves do not aid in fragmentation, but are actually designed for better grip, especially in muddy conditions. The MKII grenade has been phased out, the M61 and M67 grenades taking it's place.
First Impressions
The plastic container which the grenade comes in is quite large (approximately 9 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide). Also, upon picking it up, the container was lighter than I had expected. When I took the grenade out to hold, it was very detailed and impressed me. Seeing everything it came with, loading and firing the grenade seemed like it would be complicated, but the instructions explain pretty well. The container includes: 1 PFI grenade, 1 safety pin, 1 handle, 1 gas can, 10 rubber seals, and 5 powder discs.
Contents-
Appearance:
For a plastic grenade, it looks pretty good. From a distance this grenade looks quite realistic. However, up close you can tell that it's made of plastic. My main complaint is the crack that runs all the way around it, which cannot be helped. That is where the grenade splits open, so it's not an unnecessary nuisance like a mold line.
Feel:
The plastic feels nice, but of course can't come close to the feel of a real grenade made out of metal. The pin and handle probably feel similar to the real ones, as they are metal. All parts are sturdy and smooth.
Build Quality:
Although plastic, the grenade shell is high quality and I don't see it breaking unless you do extreme things with it. Contrary to the MKII, which weighs 1 lb. 5 oz., the PFI grenade weighs only a few ounces. Everything is metal except the grenade shell, powder capsules (which wouldn't make a difference if they were metal), rubber gas tank seals (couldn't be metal), and a couple minor parts. The grenade is well built.
Function/Performance:
As you probably know, this grenade takes gas to operate- the manual says to use 134A gas, but I've been using green gas with no troubles. It is recommended to use 8 bbs, but I think up to 12 would be ok. At first, the grenade wouldn't fire unless I tampered with it (which I got a face full of gas for
), but I loosened the pressure screws and it started working fine. Those screws (pictured below) adjust the "fuse" time, which is pretty cool. The grenade operates like a real one-
1. Pull the pin
2. Release the handle
3. Throw grenade and wait for set detonation time.
When the grenade explodes, the gas sends powder and/or bbs out quickly with a loud pop. I have 2 complaints about the function. One, is that the small rubber seals fly off and are hard to find again unless you're in a small area, so that means you have to buy more. Also, since all the bbs fly out of a single dime-sized hole, the blast radius is limited. This means if the grenade lands wrong, it might not send any bbs at your enemy. Other than those 2 things, it functions well.
Parts drawing-
Adjustable screws (sorry I couldn't get my camera to focus on them)-
Conclusion:
There are many times when airsoft confrontations come to a standstill because both sides don't want to move from their cover. What do you do? The answer is to lob a grenade over their hiding place to get them out or at least get them to run away from it. The PFI 828 grenade is a good option for players who would like that option, and have a bit of extra cash (it can usually be bought for around $50).
Pros
Very useful item
Sturdy construction
Firing operation realistic
A unique airsoft item, full of fun
Cons
Lightweight
Limited range of fire
Links:
PFI website-
www.pfi-hk.com
PFI video-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDEnheCfhdQ
Info on MKII-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MK2_grenade
PFI 828 Grenade
Real Steel History
The MKII was a fragmentation (type of grenade that explodes into shrapnel) grenade widely used by US forces in WWII and the Vietnam conflict. It is also called a pineapple grenade, due to the grooves that run along it. Contrary to what many believe, these grooves do not aid in fragmentation, but are actually designed for better grip, especially in muddy conditions. The MKII grenade has been phased out, the M61 and M67 grenades taking it's place.
First Impressions
The plastic container which the grenade comes in is quite large (approximately 9 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide). Also, upon picking it up, the container was lighter than I had expected. When I took the grenade out to hold, it was very detailed and impressed me. Seeing everything it came with, loading and firing the grenade seemed like it would be complicated, but the instructions explain pretty well. The container includes: 1 PFI grenade, 1 safety pin, 1 handle, 1 gas can, 10 rubber seals, and 5 powder discs.
Contents-
Appearance:
For a plastic grenade, it looks pretty good. From a distance this grenade looks quite realistic. However, up close you can tell that it's made of plastic. My main complaint is the crack that runs all the way around it, which cannot be helped. That is where the grenade splits open, so it's not an unnecessary nuisance like a mold line.
Feel:
The plastic feels nice, but of course can't come close to the feel of a real grenade made out of metal. The pin and handle probably feel similar to the real ones, as they are metal. All parts are sturdy and smooth.
Build Quality:
Although plastic, the grenade shell is high quality and I don't see it breaking unless you do extreme things with it. Contrary to the MKII, which weighs 1 lb. 5 oz., the PFI grenade weighs only a few ounces. Everything is metal except the grenade shell, powder capsules (which wouldn't make a difference if they were metal), rubber gas tank seals (couldn't be metal), and a couple minor parts. The grenade is well built.
Function/Performance:
As you probably know, this grenade takes gas to operate- the manual says to use 134A gas, but I've been using green gas with no troubles. It is recommended to use 8 bbs, but I think up to 12 would be ok. At first, the grenade wouldn't fire unless I tampered with it (which I got a face full of gas for
), but I loosened the pressure screws and it started working fine. Those screws (pictured below) adjust the "fuse" time, which is pretty cool. The grenade operates like a real one- 1. Pull the pin
2. Release the handle
3. Throw grenade and wait for set detonation time.
When the grenade explodes, the gas sends powder and/or bbs out quickly with a loud pop. I have 2 complaints about the function. One, is that the small rubber seals fly off and are hard to find again unless you're in a small area, so that means you have to buy more. Also, since all the bbs fly out of a single dime-sized hole, the blast radius is limited. This means if the grenade lands wrong, it might not send any bbs at your enemy. Other than those 2 things, it functions well.
Parts drawing-
Adjustable screws (sorry I couldn't get my camera to focus on them)-
Conclusion:
There are many times when airsoft confrontations come to a standstill because both sides don't want to move from their cover. What do you do? The answer is to lob a grenade over their hiding place to get them out or at least get them to run away from it. The PFI 828 grenade is a good option for players who would like that option, and have a bit of extra cash (it can usually be bought for around $50).
Pros
Very useful item
Sturdy construction
Firing operation realistic
A unique airsoft item, full of fun
Cons
Lightweight
Limited range of fire
Links:
PFI website-
www.pfi-hk.com
PFI video-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDEnheCfhdQ
Info on MKII-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MK2_grenade
