(The above is ad hype...but accurate.)
I am not much of a long gun shooter. It is not that I don't like to, it is that I suck at it. Perhaps the best word for me is that shooting a long gun is funstrating. Clearly they are fun, but for me very frustrating due to olde eyze. I have a few long guns that some would put into the "cool" category. Since I do not hunt, perhaps that is all that I look at when considering a long gun...the cool factor. So, when Jerry45 had one of the GSG 5L models, and it sure looked cool, I had to have it. It comes in a smallish cardboard box (the stock is attached by the end user or dealer), a little "multi-tool" and one magazine. Interestingly enough, the magazine claims to hold 22 rounds. It instead holds 24. I also added two spare magazines, and they too hold 24 rounds, so it apparently is not an anomaly.
I assembled it this morning and off to the range I went, with three full mags (72 rounds). Normally when I go to the outdoor range, I don't have any other folks shooting. It is a generally very quiet place. Today there were two other fellows shooting handguns. I took residence at one of the rifle tables and took the gun out, inserted a magazine and fired 24 shots. The first mag was just a quick "does it work test". And it did.
Then, I set up a few Pepsi bottles and went back about 25 yards and fired off magazine number 2...again no problems (well, except the Pepsi bottles encountered some serious damage). I really cannot do any accuracy tests as my eyes are too crappy. But, there is no problem even for me to hit the Pepsi bottle (ok, not every time...but enough to have fun.) Next, I fired 10 rounds as fast as I could (trigger is decent, not great, but decent)...no problems. I then tried to "limp wrist" the gun and did induce one FTE. The remaining shots were all fine.
The two handgunners came over and ooohed and awed over the gun for some time. One had some spare .22 rounds and they shot off one more 24 rounds magazine without incident (except one of the guys had a smile on him that may have caused muscle strain!).
So, 96 rounds fired. One FTE. Accuracy good..."real" accuracy unknown.
What I liked:
1. this is not a toy; it is a lot heavier than I would have initially thought
2. seems well constructed
3. 24 round magazines! (and very easy to load them full)
4. cool looking!
5. has a boat load of accessories you could purchase (I may need to add a cheap red dot optic)
What I did not like:
1. instruction manual was written by someone not a native English speaker that apparently flunked out of "business English class"
Conclusion. There is absolutely no reason to add one to your collection. None. I guess it is good then that a "reason" is not needed! Definitely high on the "What is that?? I want one!!" ladder.
