Well, we're back folks! While most of the known civilized world is in lockdown due to COVID19, we had to go dark for a bit and attend to the ol' day job. That meant long work weeks, and no time to review the hot new products hitting the airsoft market. Many products and projects we had planned to write about are delayed, but this week, we have a special one that dropped while were hibernating our reviewer muscles and getting ready for a triumphant return: The KWA Ronin T10.
Astute readers of the Airsoft Rifle Reviews know that we've reviewed a similar rifle to this before, The KWA Ronin 3. All the way back in August of 2019, which feels like a century ago in quarantine, we praised the Ronin 3 for it's insanely high fun factor, and admirable above-standard performance. Will the Ronin T10 hold up to the legacy of the the TK45, the Ronin 3 and all the RM4 models that came before it? Let's dive in!
This gun is identical to the Ronin 3 internally. It features the same recoil system, trigger, and general gearbox layout. This means you are getting the same rate of fire, and roughly equivalent FPS out of the T10 every time you pull the trigger as other RM4 models from KWA. For a more in depth look, check out our review of the Ronin 3.
Where the internal components of this gun differ is in the barrel length. The T10 is considerably shorter. We still got an average FPS of 395 out of our specific model on .20g BB's. This gun clearly makes use of it's gearbox to pump out serious power for outdoor field play, despite it's more diminutive stature.
Range and accuracy were on par as well. Whether this is due to better quality over time from KWA's factories, or luck is hard to say, but it was noticeably more consistent than our Ronin 3, and still hitting above average, if not top tier ranges out past 200 feet with ease. We couldn't quite squeeze out 250' shots, but with a few upgrades to the barrel and bucking, it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Overall, we are still very impressed with the T10.
Where we fell in love with the T10 over the Ronin 3 was the form factor. This gun is shorter externally, with a Mk18-esque profile. Instead of a traditional picatinny rail like some Mk18 models have, it features a sleek, modern, almost sci-fi looking M-Lok rail. Modular rails such as these are all the rage lately, for their modularity and light weight, and the Ronin rail is no exception.
I found the gun very maneuverable, running some socially distanced shooting drills in the backyard. The shorter barrel made snapping on to targets much faster, and it was just the perfect length for someone of my height at around 6 foot tall.
It is a bit heavier than other guns it's size. With the closest comparisons being the VFC Mk18 and 416A5, both of which are noticeably lighter, but it is still very well balanced. Weight is situated firmly above the pistol grip, making it easy to swing around, and coupled with a quality sling solution, it shouldn't wear on you after a long day's play like some heavier rifles have a tendency to do.
Finish is exquisite. KWA does something with these guns that makes them feel just like the material on real firearms. They lack the grimy, gross feeling of cheaper metal rifles, and feel smooth, look nice and matte, and do not reflect light in any excessive way like cheaper plastic bodies can. Coupled with the anodized style flashhider that KWA includes as the government-mandated orange tip, I do not even feel morally obligated to remove it for something more realistic. In fact, I wish KWA would extend that finish to some of the other controls on the T10 and it's sister rifles, just to complete the Aesthetic.
I'll spare the dramatic pause, and monologue about how great it is to reach this point in a review after so long apart from everyone of you awesome readers: Yes.
This gun, the KWA Ronin T10, is absolutely worth the $380 price tag on Airsoft GI. It is every bit as fun as the Ronin 3 was, but smaller, lighter, and more easily maneuverable. It's smaller size does not sacrifice performance, and it can be improved upon if you need it to reach out further. If the only downsides this gun has is price and weight, neither of which are very serious faults, and in both cases are not much worse than what we consider ideal for a gun of this style, then there really is no reason not to consider one of these for your collection.
That is, unless your some kind of bridge troll who hates fun.