Armoury KitBag
GHK Airsoft's
G5 GBB
- Reviewed by Magnus_Opum.


I will admit, I am a recent convert to Gas Blow Back Rifles when it comes to the odd skirmish game I can escape to. Even with my limited time with them though, it's quite apparent how differently you play and how much more care and attention they require when compared to the menagerie of AEG's hanging on my ManCave wall.

It all started with an ASG MP9 which, and with no exaggeration, always puts a smile on my face when flipped to full-auto. The noise, the recoil, and that satisfaction from a fully functioning replica, bolt release and all. Then it occurred to me, it was time to go Loud & large it up a little.

Or so I thought. After many strenuous hours of Airsoft based researching and looking at all the guns available, I chose the GHK G5 for it's relatively low cost. A good friend and trusted gun-tech of mine recommended Milspec Solutions (he actually said if I didn't buy my gas blowback from them he'd have to reconsider our friendship, but there you go). So, having already browsed their website, I ordered my G5 and within hours received a call from Iain where we discussed the gun and whether it was suitable for me. A surprising level of service & advice that I've not come across before.

GHK G5

When it was delivered my reservations peaked. Here was a box really no bigger than some pistols come in. Simple packaging extolling the care required for GBBRs and then the rifle, magazine and speed loader with what, for airsoft, was a hefty instruction manual detailing the maintenance regime. Curiously, included in the box is an M4 stock adaptor to be used with the single pin system on the gun so you're able to fit any after market stock. A nice touch I thought for those of us with an attachments fetish.

The gun is all polymer (DuPont no less) with the internals and flash hider made from high quality milled aluminium. This keeps the weight to an all-time low for any gun I've owned of it's size. And there it is, the size. It's billed as a CQB gun and I was told by Milspec Solutions that that's what I should expect. At just over 600mm with the stock extended and around 400mm with it folded, it really is a small profile gun. I quickly found though that extending the stock using one of the four locking points and the simple MagPul style lever put the whole rig comfortably in my shoulder with plenty of relief for the flip up front and rear iron sights (the front sight folds flat and the rear can be removed to give an almost complete, full length, upper rail).

GHK G5 (click to enlarge)

P-Mags have never previously been my style but the GHK versions are so well made and have a weight to them that puts a feeling of quality in your hand. An easy way to instill faith in the product I felt. Each magazine holds forty BB's and is loaded with the proprietary speed loader which has to be placed at ninety degrees to the feeder lip. So far, in use, one magazine can retain enough gas for almost three full loads with no drop in power. This has really helped when loading on the field as I'm not constantly reaching for the gas as well. The best part of the P-Mag design from GHK is that the fill valve is right at the top. No more dirt and corruption jammed in there to be carefully cleaned at the end of the day. These are protected inside the magazine well of the gun.

Iain at Milspec advised me that this gun was CQB only as it's relatively short barrel (approximately 220mm) would give too much spread at a woodland game's ranges. I didn't fear. If my MP9 can reach forty metres with heavier BB's then this beautiful example surely couldn't let me down. Using 0.3 gram BB's I was easily reaching AEG distances and hitting my targets. Made all the more exciting when you're only carrying one spare magazine thus eighty bbs in total. At the chrono, on the heavier BB's, the G5 came in at a respectable 330 to 335 FPS on Abbey Ultra gas which was more than adequate for me.

GHK G5 (click to enlarge)

In the CQB portions of the game, the G5 comes up to sight quickly and in the place I expected it too every single time. I shocked myself by using the iron sights which is not something I usually do as I tend to fire and correct with AEGs. This gun kept it's groups tight.

There are only two negatives that I have found with the first being the full auto function. It's smile inducing but good only in a true CQB game where you're looking at engagement distances of fifteen to twenty metres. Cool down seems to occur at the forth or fifth shot in the burst with the power dropping dramatically and accuracy becoming erratic. My second point which is personal preference was that I was always looking for the bolt release. On several occasions, in my stupidity, I would re-cock on a new magazine from the open bolt position and chamber two BB's. Give me a bolt release catch any day. With that said, there is something so enjoyable about this gun. From the MP5 style cocking handle, which can be slapped down for effect, right through to the fact you can carry it all day and barely notice you're using any effort.

Bamf gives the G5 a quick run out:

GHK G5 tested by Bamf @AAF7 May 2013 ©Airsoft Odyssey

Something so accurate and so much fun in such a small package has to be worth a look over the AK's and M4's that abound on the field.

So long as you don't mind telling everyone you're weapon isn't all that big, that is!

GHK G5 - £265 at Milspec Solutions and other retailers
Spare Magazine - £49.50