A known weak spot is the "firing pin" assembly cast into the plastic bolt - this tends to bend and snap under the repeated stress of pressing down the mag follower as a magazine is inserted. Replacement magnesium bolts are available, which even raise the rate of fire somewhat due to their lighter mass, but they're quite expensive and tend to need some filing-to-fit... However, the MAC-11 fires from an open bolt and so the whole issue can easily be avoided by cocking the action before inserting a magazine.

Firing the gun is a lively experience - there's a sharp bbbbbbbbbbblert noise, the gun squirms in the hand like a small animal dying in convulsions, and the air is suddenly full of shattered BBs - true to it's real-steel counterpart, the gun is amazingly inaccurate, and the ricochets from the walls, metal shelves and assorted storage that lines my "range" certainly make life interesting! Firing the MAC 11 is also rather a brief experience, on the whole - even restricting myself to short bursts the 68 round magazine is empty in a few seconds, and they're relatively fiddly to reload at that. However, the gas capacity is very good - enough for three or four reloads even when cold, which seems quite impressive. The gun is rated for the mid-powered American Eagle gas, but both power and accuracy seem quite sufficient with HFC134a and I think I'll play it safe - this is probably the most fragile of my replicas, and would be the hardest to find replacement parts for as well...

Enthusiastic use of full-auto exhausts a magazine in a couple of seconds, so spares are a must - as are the Mafia Goon silencer and concealed carry shoulder strap... With the short magazine in place, the gun nestles perfectly in the armpit, the right hand resting comfortably with the thumb hooked over the stock. "Do you have any metal items on you?"

The silencer is purely cosmetic, of course - most of the noise from the M11 escapes via the ejection port rather than the muzzle so there is very little to silence! However, this Tanio Koba model certainly looks the part, doubling both the weight and length of the weapon and making a wonderful steel-on-steel grating sound as it screws on. With silencer fitted and stock extended, it's almost an assault rifle - but not quite. In fact, the best way (well, the most entertaining way, at least!) to fire the M11 is to hold it at the hip on the sling and just watch where the shots are hitting. It's a marvellous little replica, and well worth the cost of its enormous appetite for BBs.

Review at Red Wolf