Maruzen CA870 Charger NEW HOP Review

This time, I'll be introducing a custom build I received for a Maruzen CA870 Charger NEW HOP.

I previously wrote an article about a custom Maruzen CA870 Charger that I was commissioned to work on, but when I disassembled it, I found it had the old hop-up system, and when I asked the owner, it seemed he wasn't aware of the existence of the NEW HOP system (I was surprised when I disassembled it because I had assumed it had the NEW HOP system when I received the commission).

The previous item reviewed was used and had custom exterior modifications. This one is brand new and out of the box.

When I met the owner and told him it was the old Hop version, he immediately said he would go buy the NEW HOP version with me, and he bought it at the store and left it with me without opening the package (it was purchased around August 2021).

Incidentally, when I asked the owner when he bought it, it seems it was around 2014, and it appears to be the last batch before the NEW HOP version was released, so it seems I was unlucky.

Fortunately, even though it's a commissioned item, I can do an unboxing review, so I'll go ahead and review it (I received permission).

First, as usual, I'll start by showing you what I got out of the box.

Box, accessories

箱です。

It proudly displays the NEW HOP UP sticker. This time, it must be the right one.

Let's open the box.

As expected from a Japanese product, the packaging was very careful. Everything was in a plastic bag.

Let's take out the contents.

Let's check the included accessories.

If you have purchased this product and feel that some accessories may be missing, please refer to this information to check for any discrepancies.

Next, let's take a look at the exterior of the main unit.

Main unit exterior

This is the usual side view.

Other side

It's quite compact overall.

As many of you probably know, but just in case, although it looks like a shotgun, it only fires one shot. However, it uses the same technology as Maruzen's competition-grade precision airsoft guns (for the APS Cup), and boasts incredible accuracy (completely contrary to what its shotgun-like appearance might suggest).

Let's take a closer look.

Stock section

This is stock.

It comes with an early M4 collab sill stock (telescopic stock).

It also has a swivel on the side.

Let's try extending the stock.

There are about five different positions to choose from, so I think it will suit people of various body types.

Unfortunately, it appears that there are no numbers assigned to each position.

A little story about fiberglass, a distinctive material used by Maruzen.

A distinctive feature of Maruzen products is their use of composite materials (FRP) made from glass fiber-reinforced nylon resin. Industrially, this is often indicated as PA66-G30, meaning it's a material made from 66 nylon with 30% glass fiber (though the numbers vary).

This glass and nylon composite material has a long history and is a commonly used material.

I don't know the specifics of the materials Maruzen uses, but I think the material listed on the drawing is PAXX-Gxx (where XX and xx are numbers).

The advantages of glass fiber-reinforced nylon composite materials include high strength, high durability, being lightweight despite its strength (because it's a resin), low cost (compared to metal), and high temperature resistance despite being a resin.

In particular, while most resins melt at 200-250°C, this FRP melts at around 300°C (which can cause more damage to the mold).

The way it breaks is also unique; while typical resins often crack or chip, this FRP is resilient and breaks by tearing. If it does break, hard glass fibers will be exposed at the fracture surface, which can feel prickly to the touch or even prick your skin, so please be careful.

On the other hand, the downsides include its tendency to absorb water and oil easily, its dimensional changes (it tends to expand by about 2-5%), the fact that some people don't like its appearance, and that it's difficult to paint.

I actively used this material during my engine design days to reduce weight and costs, taking advantage of its properties. Typical applications included gears and engine head covers, where it wasn't subjected to much load. Since these were internal parts, appearance wasn't a concern, and as long as the amount of expansion due to water absorption or lubrication was anticipated and factored into the design, it was useful for weight reduction (it expands to its limit very quickly).

I personally find it surprising that it's used for exterior parts (because the texture isn't good and it's difficult to paint).

Next, let's look at the grip and trigger area.

Grip, trigger, and receiver area

This is the grip.

The grip is the so-called M4-type A2 grip. The trigger also resembles that of the standard issue M4.

When you look up the receiver, you'll see the model mark CA870.

The safety is located within easy reach of the thumb and uses a cross-bolt system for on/off operation.

Specifically, when the left side is protruding, the safety is off; pressing the button engages the safety.

When you turn on the safety, the button on the opposite side will pop up.

Pressing the raised button releases the safety. This type of system is apparently called a cross-bolt system. Incidentally, the ejection cover does not function.

Next, let's talk about the grip. For reference, I have the hands of a typical Japanese person, 175cm tall and weighing 70kg. However, my fingers are a little long and my palms are small, so please take this as just a reference.

Unlike electric guns, it doesn't have a motor in the grip, so it's thin. I think it's similar to a gas blowback gun (it's hollow inside). I'll check if it's possible to change to a gas blowback grip when I disassemble it.

Next is the trigger pull distance.

It's in the cocked state only.

There's a little bit of play before firing. The amount of play is small and the trigger weight doesn't change that much, so you might not notice the firing position unless you're paying attention.

This is the state after the last shot has been fired and the trigger has been pulled all the way.

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Next, let's look at the barrel and cocking mechanism.

Barrel, cocking mechanism

Let's take a look at the cocking mechanism.

This is the normal state.

Cock the gun.

The cocking mechanism itself isn't particularly heavy, and the position is easy to grip, so I don't think it would be difficult for either men or women (though rapid firing might be difficult for petite women).

To fire, return the grip to its original position. The loading nozzle moves in conjunction with the cocking action.

The feeding nozzle with the foregrip pulled back.

The illustrated ammunition feed plate retracts.

If you push the foregrip forward from here, the plate will move forward, ejecting the bullet from the magazine and pushing it into the chamber.

I believe that the simple and reliable feeding mechanism unique to air cocking, and the precise positioning of the BBs in the chamber, contribute to its reliability and high accuracy.

Finally, here's the site view.

Since it doesn't come with sights, you'll need to install iron sights or a rail separately to mount an optical device. It's a strange design choice that the only place with a rail is at the base of the stock, even though there are no sights. It would be great if they included a flat-top rail on the top from the start, but I suppose that would be too costly?

Hop adjustment

Finally, adjust the hop.

The hop-up mechanism has a hole at the base of the outer barrel, and a hex bolt is hidden inside. You turn this bolt with the included hex wrench.

There's absolutely no click sensation, so adjustment is a bit difficult. Also, it's hard to tell exactly where the MAX and MIN positions are. You'll start to feel resistance when turning the wrench as you get closer to MAX or MIN, so it's best to stop there. Forcing it will strip the hex bolt, which will cause a lot of trouble.

This concludes my review of the device.

Magazine

Next up is the magazine.

This magazine has an interesting mechanism where the magazine catch and release functions are located on the magazine itself.

Therefore, when removing the magazine from the main unit, press the button on the magazine while removing it.

I think that's a rather unusual person.

Next, let's look at lip products.

It has a unique lip shape, but you can load it using Tokyo Marui's loader instead of the included one, provided you modify the supply port for gas blowback guns. This is a lucky find, as you don't have to carry the included loader around all the time.

This holds about 40 rounds. I think it's rare to fire 40 rounds with an airsoft gun in one game, so you probably don't need a spare magazine.

Tokyo Marui BB Loader XL
I recommend this because it can be used with various magazines. The smaller version is difficult to use and runs out of ammo quickly, so I think the XL is better.

Live-fire performance verification

As usual, we'll check the actual firing performance.

The conditions are a room temperature of around 22°C.

This is with VFC 0.2g bio BBs, set to hop-up MIN.

I'll try applying about half a hexagonal turn to the hop (I'm not sure how much of that is in the overall context).

The hop-up is working properly. Since the initial velocity decreases when the hop-up is engaged, it doesn't seem to be a high-velocity type.

Next, we measured the amount of hops while varying the quantity.

The initial velocity is pretty good, but when using an air-cocking gun in airsoft games, you often want to increase the range and aim precisely by using heavier BBs (around 0.28g), so I feel like I'd like to increase the initial velocity just a little.

Introduction article on chronographs

Next is a video showing the operation.

Maruzen CA870 Charger NEW HOP, straight out of the box

It's hard to tell from the video, but the spring noise during operation is bothersome. I don't think the other party would hear it at this level, but it's unpleasant to use, so it's something that needs improvement.

This might be slightly better than the old hop I reviewed previously.

G&G Bio-Bullets 0.2g
It's inexpensive and accurate, so I use it for a wide range of purposes, from performance testing to airsoft games. It's been my favorite since it first came to Japan (around 2008). It lasts a long time for a biodegradable product.

G&G Bio-Bullets 0.25g
It's 0.25g. I generally use 0.25g BBs when playing airsoft.

Summary and custom goals

It is a summary.

Since it's from Maruzen, I don't think there will be any problems with quality or performance. The initial velocity is also very stable.

I haven't confirmed it myself, but according to reviews, the ballistics have improved considerably.

Furthermore, taking advantage of its fictional nature, it's compact, lightweight, and uses a shotgun-type cocking mechanism instead of a bolt action, making rapid fire easy. With some effort, it seems possible to move quickly and get hits (and even aim for multiple hits at once). Of course, it can also be used as a sniper.

The downsides, though this varies from person to person, are whether you can accept the fictional model design and the unique texture of the glass-reinforced nylon.

Up to this point, I've considered the goals of the customization, along with the requested details, as follows:

It will be. It might even increase depending on what's inside if you take it apart.

That concludes my unboxing review.

Next time, we'll be taking it apart, so please join us if you're interested.

Regarding market inventory status

Generally, Maruzen products are often out of stock.

Since Maruzen only produces in limited quantities, I think it's best to wait, as stock will likely be replenished once production resumes (they produce fairly frequently).

Also, it seems that Akabane Frontier has a good relationship with Maruzen, so when they start production, they stock up on a large quantity, and you should be able to buy it without competition (I sometimes see stock even when it's not the production period when I visit).

However, although this is unlikely at Akabane Frontier, be aware that long-term stock items may contain older hop varieties.

In the case of NEW HOP, the following sticker is always attached to the box, so be sure to check it.

Unless you absolutely need it immediately, I recommend waiting to get it at a fair price. (If you do some research, you'll find some people selling it at exorbitant prices, but that's a waste, so please avoid doing that if possible.)

Since it's a popular product, it will definitely be restocked two or three times a year, so please be patient.

Based on my limited experience of over 10 years, they produce them quite frequently, sometimes as few as two times a year, and sometimes as many as three times, so if you wait a little while, you're almost guaranteed to get one.

Let's proceed calmly and without rushing.

Maruzen CA870 Charger NEW HOP
This is the product I introduced this time. The old Hop version is almost impossible to find on the market, but the NEW HOP version has a sticker on the box, so please be careful when purchasing.

From here on, the basic structure is the same, only the exterior is different, so the same customizations should be possible.

Maruzen CA870 Stock
I personally prefer the curved rifle style, the traditional style.

Maruzen CA870 Sawed-off
This is the lightest and most compact type. I think it's suitable for those who like to charge in aggressively. Personally, I find it easier to cock with a stock.

Maruzen CA870 Bulldog
This model is lightweight, compact, and features a grip on the fore-end for improved rapid-fire capabilities. It might be the most suitable model for airsoft games.

G&P M870 shotgun shell loading port style magazine, 22 rounds capacity.
Personally, I think it looks cool to put this magazine on a CA870 stock to give it an M870-like appearance. The magazine capacity is reduced, but it still has 22 rounds, so I don't think it's a problem.