ASG MK-23 Vs TM MK-23 Vs SSX23

[SeanM]

Here's a little interesting topic. What's everyone thought on the ASG MK-23 compared to the TM MK-23 and SSX23.

 

The ASG sitting at £55 is very tempting and is compatible with the TM upgrades but is it worth paying the extra to get the TM or SSX23?

 

Has anyone got any experience with the ASG MK-23 and would you recommend it as a half decent reliable pistol out of the box? I don't need anything too crazy just looking for a half decent sneaky and quiet pistol as a side arm for my soon to be HPA Striker sniper rifle.

 

Let the reviews/debates begin!!!

[Cannonfodder]

I've got the ASG version and while the TM is certainly better quality the ASG isn't a bad gun, especially at that price. Between the 2 I'd say get the TM if you can, but the ASG is good alternative if you can't, or if you plan on doing "upgrades". 

 

I've never handled a SSX-23 so I can't comment on them

 

 

[Impulse]

I have a TM mk23 and an STTI mk23 (basically the same as the ASG) and I do prefer my TM. The trigger pull is already crap, but at least the TM's trigger is a smooth pull, where the clone mk23 trigger isn't and you really notice it when you handle both.

 

However, the TM is £150 new where the clone ones are about £60 or so. My STTI mk23 was a pre-brexit Taiwangun purchase for £35. With all the upgrades I jammed in it, it probably ended up costing me about £100 all in and it's easily hopping .32s out to 50m accurately, 60m it'll reach but it's hit or miss. Would hop heavier, but I don't want to put heavyweight BBs into a pistol.

 

If you can afford the extra £100, get the TM because it's better. However, the clone ones are better value for sure and will end up performing to a similar level after you upgrade them both.

 

Oh, but the clone mags are better. TM mags are crap. Get ASG magazines and replace the feed lips with TM ones or Hadron ones. Stock feed lips tend to make the trigger stick.

[gavinkempsell]

I only have the TM & it's a wall hanger but it comes with the LAM & that's why I bought it.

[Leo Greer]

I recommend asking the same question over on AirsoftSniperForum. The guys there have a lot of experience using and modding Mk23s and clones.

[Hudson]

I've had a few ASG/STTI MK23s and also a few Marui ones over the years and tbh by now I'd never buy a clone again, as they always end up just not being worth it.

 

The clones triggers are just rubbish, the feed lips on the clone mags end up either broken, misfeeding or both, and when they do work they never seem to be as efficient or as powerful as when I use TM mags, whether it's in a marui or clone MK23.

[Enid_Puceflange]

I owned and upgraded the TM variant 

A chum did the same to the ASG version so as we could compare back to back

 

The TM does feel nicer in the hand and the trigger does feel much smoother as @Impulse mentioned above.

 

My TM did shoot marginally further (like 5m) but for some reason with better accuracy.

 

The TM mags are a pain in the ass to fix when they start to leak, which ultimately was the reason I got rid of mine 

I had 4 mags, of which I could only keep 2 running properly.

 

But the other reason I got the TM was for the Lam and it’s nice little case

Plus the fact that when I was inevitably going to sell it on, I knew it would hold its value better and return me a higher % of my outlay costs than the ASG version would

Every penny is a prisoner to a tight Scotsman 😉

[gavinkempsell]

9 hours ago, Enid_Puceflange said:

Every penny is a prisoner to a tight Scotsman 😉

Way to reinforce the stereotype... 😄

[Shamal]

5 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

Way to reinforce the stereotype... 😄

Well I don't know if it's true but I heard that a Scotsman ended up in hospital after dropping a pound coin off the top of the Blackpool tower. 

Apparently he ran down the stairs to the bottom and it hit him on the head! 🤔😉

Edited November 21, 2023 by Shamal
Spelin

[gavinkempsell]

Or as 'Billy' said... copper wire was invented by two Scotsmen fighting over a penny.

[Skara]

Had an ssx23 for about 4 years, now I have a TM.

 

Ssx23 is just eye candy, metal slide does nothing but increase weight, outer barrel is most likely off spec (threads are crooked and bbs will muzzle strike whatever suppressor you slap on it), all the "upgrades" need upgrading because they don't really work. Plus the cost of gun + suppressor is almost the same as a TM.

Speaking of the suppressor, it's nowhere near as quiet as the TM despite being longer and wider (huh), shortening will only make things worse.

 

The TM, while being overall the most expensive of the bunch, delivers performance as promised. I did the bare minimum of upgrades to mine (hadron tdc, plate, ML hop rubber) and it sends 0.3s to 60+ metres with ease, if I swap to 0.4s they go even further but at that point the travel time is much longer which is not ideal for running targets past 40 metres.

In its stock form you can feed it 0.25/0.28g bbs and have solid range/consistency too.

Mags can be iffy, that is true, but feed them the right gas (1.0 in summer, 2.0/gg in winter) and they won't leak.

 

TL;DR

Go TM, you won't regret it.

Just remember that it's a sidearm and while its range and consistency is stupid, it's still a sidearm and should be used as such.

[SeanM]

Some really good write ups and information here lads, I appreciate you all taking the time out of your day to share your thoughts and experiences. I just needed to know the clones weren't a bag of absolute garbage.

 

It seems the main gripe with the clones is the trigger not being as smooth as the one on the TM but other than that, with a few upgrades it will still be a solid sidearm for when they're too close to use the sniper with arguably better mags being easier to fix when they inevitably start to leak, Joys of Gas mags eh! Sick to death of it 🤬😂 haha.

 

Here's my assumption on the topic. An upgraded ASG Mk-23 or other clone should theoretically shoot better than a completely stock TM. Whipping out the calculator real quick..

 

Stock TM Mk-23 = £149.95

Upgraded ASG Mk-23 = £116.84

 

Stock ASG Mk-23 = £54.99

Hadron H-Arm V2 = £11.95

Hadron TDC = £16.00

Flamingo 50 bucking = £8.95

Crazy jet inner barrel = £24.95

TOTAL = £116.84

 

So for £33.11 less I could have a nicely upgraded ASG Mk-23 that should theoretically shoot a lot better than a stock TM Mk-23 and have arguably better mags with them being easy to fix. If the feed lips on the asg mags aren't the best, I could then use that surplus £33.11 on new hadron hot lips for the mags and still have money to spare.

 

If the trigger is a real big issue for the clone models, I believe there is some mods you can do to improve that, but I'd have to look into them properly. Failing that, I see there is a nine ball trigger upgrade kit available.

I wonder, does anyone have any experience with them? 

[Cannonfodder]

One other thing about the ASG is that the suppressor is actually a barrel extension. Don't use it as it puts your muzzle energy close to DMR levels and the 2 piece design completely buggers up accuracy. There's guides online on how to convert it to a suppressor, but I took the easy route and picked up a 14mm adapter to fit a shorter one.

[Skara]

3 hours ago, SeanM said:

nine ball trigger upgrade kit

I am intrigued by that, but never got around to actually buying one...

[heroshark]

iirc the the 9ball mag valve and the hammer spring are for better performance on a134 and reduce performance on green. But obviously you can use the standard one. They are smoother better made with nicer materials. That said I've rarely seen the standard ones in any of the models break and some just polish the standard ones to reach a similar outcome.

[Speedy Sloth]

I've being eying the ASG lately but I do enjoy teching. That low entry price to the platform makes it so appealing can always chuck the upgrades into a TM down the line if your not happy with whatever remains of the ASG.

Edited November 25, 2023 by Speedy Sloth
Autocorrect

[SeanM]

On 22/11/2023 at 14:34, Cannonfodder said:

One other thing about the ASG is that the suppressor is actually a barrel extension. Don't use it as it puts your muzzle energy close to DMR levels and the 2 piece design completely buggers up accuracy. There's guides online on how to convert it to a suppressor, but I took the easy route and picked up a 14mm adapter to fit a shorter one.

 

What adapter is that you need for this mate? Is it 18mm to 14mm? This is probably the route I'll go down as I have a spare shorter suppressor kicking about on one of my other rifs I can rob

58 minutes ago, Speedy Sloth said:

I've being wrong the ASG lately but I do enjoy teching. That looks entry price to the platform makes it so appealing can always chuck the upgrades into a TM down the line if your not happy with whatever remains of the ASG.

Yeah this is what I'm probably going to do. Worst case scenario I'll take the upgrades out and revert it back to stock, sell it on and then buy a TM to chuck all the parts in.

[Impulse]

13 minutes ago, SeanM said:

What adapter is that you need for this mate? Is it 18mm to 14mm? This is probably the route I'll go down as I have a spare shorter suppressor kicking about on one of my other rifs I can rob

 

The threads on the mk23 are 16mm, so if you were going to use a normal suppressor I guess you'd need a 16mm to 14mm converter. The suppressor that comes with it isn't that hard to modify though...

[SeanM]

9 minutes ago, Impulse said:

 

The threads on the mk23 are 16mm, so if you were going to use a normal suppressor I guess you'd need a 16mm to 14mm converter. The suppressor that comes with it isn't that hard to modify though...

Spot on thanks mate. Yeah I'll have a little look on YouTube now, I wouldn't mind it being a bit shorter tho, the Mk-23 is huge! Especially with long ass suppressor haha 😂. Couldn't imagine putting that in a drop leg holster, it'll touch your ankles 😂

 

 

[Cannonfodder]

21 hours ago, SeanM said:

What adapter is that you need for this mate? Is it 18mm to 14mm? This is probably the route I'll go down as I have a spare shorter suppressor kicking about on one of my other rifs I can rob

This is the one

https://www.landwarriorairsoft.com/product/laylax-nineball-tokyo-marui-socom-mk23-silencer-attachment-14mm-ccw-11119

 

 

[SeanM]

11 minutes ago, Cannonfodder said:

This is the one

https://www.landwarriorairsoft.com/product/laylax-nineball-tokyo-marui-socom-mk23-silencer-attachment-14mm-ccw-11119

 

 

Thanks mate

[gavinkempsell]

21 hours ago, SeanM said:

Couldn't imagine putting that in a drop leg holster, it'll touch your ankles

They do a holster especially for the Mk23 with a suppressor.

[SeanM]

5 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

They do a holster especially for the Mk23 with a suppressor.

Is it the DTD retention holster by chance? Do you have a link or pic

[Shamal]

I have a double tap design retention holster. 

It's very easy to use with a positive,firm hold. 

[gavinkempsell]

Just google Mk23 holster & you'll see dozens