A Brief History between KSC and KWA

A Brief History between KSC and KWA:

Lately I have been reading comments related to the latest release of the KWA LM4 PTR on various websites, and it hit me that people even to this day seem to be confused over the differences between KSC and KWA. Many say that KSCs are simply KWAs that just have realistic trademarks. However, ever since KWA has been negotiating ’manufacturing agreements’ with actual Firearm companies to have their trademarks placed on KWA products, the rumors have backed away from KSCs simply having realistic trademarks. Lately, people have made big claims that all that KWA has been doing has been waiting months before selling the same exact KSC products found overseas, a.k.a. the KSC M4 GBBR and the recently-released KWA LM4 PTR. However, those assumptions are just wrong. The confusion over KSC and KWA is not surprisingly considering many of their products are very similar and their product line is pretty much the same. KSC tends to release the newest models before KWA and KWA comes back releasing a supposedly more improved product.
The difference between the KSC and KWA products cannot be understood by simply comparing each of their products side by side. Instead, to actually understand the difference between KSC and KWA, is by knowing the history between these two companies.
Back in 2009, I wrote an article on Airsoft-Barracks, ‘Greatwatermelon’s General Manufacturer/Company Description for 2009.’ This article went in detail about the history of each company and their business relationship. Below are my description and brief history of KSC and KWA that I wrote in that article. I have added a few more details to update bits of it, to relate to present 2012. What I wrote below may be quite long for you; however, reading through the background, relationship and history between these two companies gives a better understanding of why their products are similar in many cases, yet more improved later when KWA releases their version. Enjoy!
“KWA is a Taiwanese based company like G&G, ICS, and VFC. KWA, for years, has be well-known for their gas blowback pistols and smg’s, and to this day, still make quality gas blowback pistols [and smg’s] which currently sport the new NS2 system [and Force Velocity System]. [About five to six years ago], KWA quietly joined the AEG market with their g36c, and later followed with a m4 with an exception that the m4 and later aeg’s would mainly be for the Law Enforcement market. [The decision to tailor to the Law Enforcement market does affect KWA’s future line-up.] Even though the LE market is a priority, KWA AEG’s and the PTP line and other GBB’s are still sold plentifully in the consumer market. In the process of manufacturing airsoft training replicas for the LE market, KWA created an US-side known as KWA USA that has a pro shop that offers warranty, repair, upgrade, and part service. [In early 2012, KWA USA changed their name to KWA Performance Industries, making the US branch, the official KWA Headquarters.] Back on topic about the aeg’s, after proper R&D, KWA aeg’s are carefully manufactured with tight tolerances and have excellent quality control. Despite doubts about being lipo ready and different definitions of lipo ready, KWA aeg’s are lipo ready. As no gun is perfect enough to be resistant from back luck or user error, KWA, without a doubt, currently produces great gas blowbacks and quality AEGs with great externals and exceptional internals, which pretty much makes many internal upgrade, unnecessary. [As of recently, KWA has been making their ways into other markets with their upcoming gas blowback rifles and Close Quarter Rifle Series.]
KSC is a Japanese company, famous for their full trademarked gas pistols and smg’s. In the airsoft community, KSC is sometimes preferred over KWA pistols mainly because KSC pistols have the HK trademarks engraved onto the pistol slide and grip. However, KSC pistols are strictly only for Japan and are illegal to be sold elsewhere. [In fact, KSCs are NOT considered a KWA Product. In other words, KWA does NOT recognize KSC as a KWA product, and therefore will not provide any technical or customer services for any non-KWA products like KSC.] It is often rumored that KSC has its own factory and makes higher quality pistols than KWA. However, those rumors are incorrect. [Why are KSC’s and KWA’s so similar to each other?] KSC, which definitely has ties with KWA, actually worked with KWA back then, in the development of the gas blowback pistols since the expense of research and design along with the manufacturing process was too much for either company to handle alone. So, KSC did the research and design (R&D) while KWA did the manufacturing. In return, KSC had some sort of contract with KWA, where KWA would manufacture for KSC, as well. Today, even though KWA has its own R&D facilities, KSC still has KWA, manufacture KSC’s gas blowback pistols for KSC due to their contract, explaining why many KSC and KWA pistols look and perform, exactly the same. However, from time to time, the gas blowbacks, like the KSC mp7 would be internally different (less reinforced, weaker) compared to the KWA mp7, in order meet Japanese laws and requirements. [In the latest example of 2012, the KWA LM4 PTR sports various updates and improvements to the internals that makes it not only ATF legal but, the updates and improvements have also made the KWA LM4 PTR more reliable and robust than its KSC M4 Counterpart.]“