[xerricolin]

Hello everyone,

Lurker for a couple of months and finally posting. Hi, I just wanted to ask about some odd number of questions related to the airsoft ppsh models that are currently floating around on the market.

Part of this post is to find some information about them and making a decision about getting one of them later.


From what I've heard and understood from lurking other places, the PPSH airsoft versions out there are somewhat hit and miss and depending on which ones they are and can require fair bit of maintenance (which might be easy, if you know what you're doing). However, I don't know what I'm doing so that is probably a hurdle that I will have to make note of later on.

This is the list of airsoft PPSH models that I know are out there.

1. ARES: (the "original" model if I understand correctly)
2. S&T: (essentially an "original clone" - supposedly S&T is actually remnants of disgruntled ARES employees who left the company and went off to make their own company S&T - and essentially still knew how to make the ppsh model).
3. ZL 2013A: (this one - I'm trying to find more information about. Seems to be a lot more obscure. Actually this is kind of currently a lot of my focus in terms of searching for info. Supposedly claimed as another S&T clone but with better wood quality?)
4. Hexagon: (considered perhaps the PPSH airsoft model out there, except it has been discontinued and is insanely difficult to find.)
5. Snow Wolf: (supposedly just a clone of S&T but with imitation wood stock).
6. 6mm Proshop: (US branding? I have no idea what it is. Only saw it Evike)
7. Lancer Tactical: (US branding as well? Supposedly S&T makes theirs ? Saw on other US stores)



So with that being said, I'm actually trying to look for some info here.

- Now some thing funny, I'm just going to focus on number 2 and 3 (S&T and ZL) ppshs. The reason is because from what I've been looking for online, those two models are currently available right now (in Canada at least).

My questions are these:

1. Is essentially all of these models (all of them, except for Hexagon which is the best of the bunch), essentially all identical clones of each other? And does that mean parts are interchangeable? Or is that a no? (also magazines included in this question as well)

2. What is the ZL 2013a PPSH like? Does anyone have one? Could I get away with using S&T or ARES drum and stick mags in it? (the pull cord on the ZL ppsh drum is kind of interestingly different). Is it better quality of the S&T or more than likely the same (speaking about internals specifically)? (information about this particular model I'm trying to find out.

3. What's the biggest concerns for maintenance issues further down the road?

4. Is there any real difference/concern that I should have between choosing the ZL 2013a ppsh and the S&T PPSH ? (actually that's really my main question about this post).

Specifically, as well, has S&T ever improved their original gearbox design since they first released it back like 5 years ago? Or are new S&T ppshs likely to be the same?