Woof! This P698 Glock 26 Style spring pistol is really a nice little piece and has a lot to offer, especially in this price range of spring airsoft pistols. First of all, the overall appearance is nice, if not entirely accurate regarding the surface texture variations between the slide and the molded grip frame that would be typical of the real Glock. There are very noticeable trim lines on the trigger, slide, frame, and magazine base, but in this price range it’s to be expected.

Additionally, the pistol is shown with an orange muzzle end slide face, but as supplied it comes with a full length black slide and an orange barrel that extends approximately 1/4 to 5/32 inches beyond the slide, which at least I find more attractive. The image also indicates ‘COMBAT DELTA’ and indented 9×19 on the left slide face, but mine came ‘smooth’.

So … how does it feel and shoot? In a word, good. It’s no wonder the Glock are so popular. It fits naturally, at least in my hands. The contour of the grip and thumb notch, even the ‘pinkie rest’ on the magazine extension, the shape and radius of the rear strap, the trigger and the notch of the trigger guard are ergonomically correct for a ‘grip ‘intuitive, a site image and a target acquisition. What I find remarkable is how the front site sheet is visually indexed so precisely within the ramping Novak-style rear site sheet (and on such an inexpensive gun), allowing for a very accurate site image that minimizes the effect. short site radius.

I’m sure this makes perfect sense to those of you who appreciate such things. The magazine holds 9 balls and is fed by manually retracting a spring loaded ‘follower’, allowing the insertion of balls into the ‘ammo well’. The tracker incorporates a release notch that allows the user to lock the tracker spring in the home position while charging, a nice touch, although perhaps not really necessary. Just remember to release the tracker to ensure proper feeding before reinserting the loaded magazine. By pressing the magazine trigger when the pistol is upright, the magazine will drop immediately, there is no jamming, but the magazine lock clicks and is held securely. Being a spring airsoft pistol, the slide must be manually retracted to compress the spring and cock the pistol for each discharge (shot). By the way, I’m sure this is kind of boring for most of you, but for those of you new to Airsoft, it’s not bad information, especially since this is a great ‘starter gun’.

Anyway, the spring feels really firm, perhaps because it is such a small pistol, and I found it necessary to hold the slide practically along its length between the four fingers and the thumb of my left hand. I suppose one ‘can’ cock this pistol by only grasping the cocking grooves on the back of the slide, but I don’t recommend this method as doing so requires a grip strong enough to dimensionally compress the slide. However, after a few times, it becomes second nature. The first shot was a real surprise. This thing shoots hard for an inexpensive jumper, and I highly recommend proper eye protection, especially if there’s any chance of ricochet. I didn’t “compare” this thing for precision, but it would be interesting to see how it groups together and at what distances.

The shooting action was also a pleasant surprise, unanswered like most European single action / double action real wonders. Apply pressure and the trigger will move back about 1/8 – 3/16 inch and release forcefully (in my example). The trigger is tactile but not too stiff. By the way, I didn’t put the gun through any torture tests or put a trillion bullets in it, but then again, it still impresses me at this price. The gun comes in a molded styrofoam box with a printed cardboard cover and a 12g sample pack. BB, all of which were quickly dispensed through my example, without a hitch. So … there it is. I really like the P698, insofar as it is a bit difficult to put it down. I wonder if any real Glock could be sold as a result of someone’s discovery of this fun little thing.

Appendix Thoughts: Why such a lengthy review of an inexpensive spring pistol in the first place? First, there is not always a distinctive and technically measurable correlation between the cost of an item and the enjoyment one experiences in connection with its use. In other words, it doesn’t always take a lot of money to have a lot of fun. In some cases, there is an inverse correlation between expenses and profits (more money, less fun). Also, Airsoft customers seem to be very passionate about their opinions on everything Airsoft, and it’s no wonder.

Airsoft is now all over the world. So whether a person is considering an inexpensive or expensive item, a review is a review. When buying a car, the astute customer consults the opinions of both professionals and consumers to find out as much as possible in order to make an informed decision. Imagine searching for an econobox only to find that there is little to no evaluation information available because you are not buying a Ferrari.