Marushin Dolphin - a small review...

Subject: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:22 pm

Post your Reviews Here...

Thought i'd throw in a review on the Marushin Dolphin "Machine pistol".

I bought this quite some time ago i blew out the barrel the firstt ime i fired it, i had a really hard time to find myself a new one until i stumbled upon this forum and francky

I really like the look of this model gun, i've never seen or heard of a real steel Beretta in the x-act configuration as the Dolphin.
I've seen the thick, re-inforced slides marked with the Phrobis/Dolphin trademark (which is a.. Dolphin!) But never in selective fire.

Nevertheless, this model gun looks very nice, i really like the matt black finish.
I enjoy quite a lot of handling any of my model guns, they are very nicely crafted and executed "toys".
Not much to say regarding the looks of this model, the feel is somewhat disappointing, it feels solid but as it is plastic it feels: plastic
Same with the decocker and slide, not the solid "clang" as with metal guns.
Which is to be expected of course!
Very neat that the dis-assemble sequence is the same as real-steel Berettas, very nice.

I haven't fired more then 3-4 magazines with it, but so far it has proven to be reliable, nothing like emptying a magazine in a few, rapid bursts in front of the tv

My conclusion is that the Dolphin looks great, handles great and quite realistic and true to any real Beretta.

That's about it, now some pictures.

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0014sc.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0035fx.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0059kl.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0024ij1.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0048dy.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0066fg.th

(oops, edited 'cuz i messed up picture wise..)

Weapon related stuff added for fun Smile

Last edited by 2Sharp on Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

cerwyn wrote:: Hello,
Thanks for your review, it's always good to see what others think.
I hope you'll forgive my ignorance here, but I hadn't realised the Dolphin fires in full auto?
I tend to go for WW2 era stuff so that's my excuse for not being clued up! (Sounds better than Clueless I hope)
My interest suddenly woke up when FullAuto comes to the fore,
I noticed your AK47 in the background... is that PFC too?
Cerwyn

Not to worry!

The Dolphin is selective, the right side of the de-cock lever ins't attached to the left side, the left side is de-cock only and the right side is the selector.

The Ak47, really an Ak74M, is a dummygun, nothing can be fired or cycled through it's action.
It is made by the same factory (Izmash) that turns out the real-steel Ak-74M's, so it has the correct factory markings, i'm very pleased with it.

Last edited by 2Sharp on Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

cerwyn wrote:: Thanks for that, I might be tempted to looking for a Dolphin now!
I've taken a fancy to the AK47, I'd prefer a PFC one really but they're so expensive.
Enjoy your modelguns!

Cerwyn

Reemo wrote:: "........The Ak47, really an Ak74M, is a dummygun, nothing can be fired or cycled through it's action.
It is made by the same factory (Izmash) that turns out the real-steel Ak-74M's, so it has the correct factory markings, i'm very pleased with it."

I have the same gun, but fires bb's.....Co2 powered. It was VERY hard to get it into the US. I found a seller in Germany who shipped one to me - it took FOREVER tp get here. I kept thinking, "Oh well, there's $500.00 down the toilet!"

I finally got it - NO full auto
I assumed it was full auto like the DROZD.
Semi only - Im going to eventually part out a DROZD to scavenge the electronics and put the system in the AK.

Only downer on the AK was a HORRIBLE factory "orange peeled", black finish - right out of a spray can!

Neat, i've been looking into buying one just for fun, it is a pity it isn't full auto, that'd rock!
I wouldn't mind a Drozd either really..

The finish on my dummy isn't too bad really, then again the Ak series has never been known for their high quality finish
I've seen quite a few with horrible finish.

And cerwyn, do get one of the Dolphins, they are really nice

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:32 pm

MadMike wrote:: Hello Reemo!

Yes, in Germany all Airsoft players are limited to SEMI AUTO ONLY! Every BB gun has to be changed to fire only in semi auto before it can be sold on the German market. It is due to a war weapons control act. Hard to explain and to understand, even for us Germans ...

Illuminati wrote:: @MadMike - i think the AK that Reemo was talking about is a metal bb firing gun, basicly a CO2 pistol in rifle form. (correct me if im wrong) i believe we can get full auto versions in the UK

shown here:

http://www.surplusstore.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/23_24/products_id/1553

allenb wrote:: 2Sharp - nice quick review mate - I too have the Dolphin and its a good gun, but mine doesn't like having the slide racked and dry fired when the mag is empty.

The mag follower jumps over the slide lock and gets jammed. The mag is then stuck and all I can do is take the slide off and take the slide lock lever off to release the mag.

Does yours do this? The problem is that the slidelock is allowed to move away from the frame of the gun...

Reemo - Which version is your Junker ?

First version uses a Baikal pistol that fires through the cleaning rod below the barrel (I saw this version on sale briefly in US), the second version (which I have) fires using a modified pistol mech inside the mag and shoots thru the barrel.

I think its a great gun, (if a little underpowered) but like you, I prefer the Drozd auto action!

Would be cool to make it an auto - but thats not allowed here...

Thought the Junker receiver was classed as a firearm in US and that was why you cant get em there??

Illuminati - unfortunately only semi auto metal bb guns are allowed here - the Drozd for the American market is an auto at up to 600rpm unmodified but the Euro version is semi only

Nope, just checked, no problems in racking and dryfiring.
You sure nothing is loose or broken?

Glad you like it!

Need to find a Yunker i beleive.. just for the fun of it.
A shorty Yunker and one of these: http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/pbs_silencer.htm

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:34 pm

allenb wrote:: Yeah the Junker is fun. I like the silencer idea tho they're pretty expensive.

I like mine so much I bought a russian Kobra red dot sight for it!

Looks great!

Now back to the dolphin... on mine with the slide removed I can stick a finger nail under the front of the slide lock lever and pull it away from the frame very easily - can you do that with yours?

I used to have a real 92SB and I'm sure it wouldn't do that!

Also my KSC M93R's won't allow this to happen.

I've checked the retaining spring and it seems to be seated correctly.

No, i have a small "lip" that "sticks" into the slide release, pointing in the same direction as the muzzle. Thus preventing it to slide out, i just packed my camera for a trip so i can't shoot a pic....

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:35 pm

allenb wrote:: I think I know the lip your talking about. Its the one at the rear of the lever yeah?

This doesn't stop the front of the lever moving out tho. If you grab it in the area above the trigger (nearest the take-down lever) it can move out away from the frame. Or at least it does on mine..

Oook, i think i know what you mean, i was thinking that it moved out in the back so to speak.
I can pry gently at the lever and it'll pop out sligthly, but nothing besides that happens really.

I did dig up the camera, now it wasn't the issue i thought it was, but maybe you can see if anything else seems weird?

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0015wo.th

Marushin Dolphin - a small review... 0026we.th

Just disregard the red ring on the second photo..

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:36 pm

allenb wrote:: Here's how far I can pry the lever away from the frame...

(please excuse the piss-poor photo! )

I can reach about as far if i pry a little, but it won't just skip over there.

Maybe you could try to get a new slide lock?

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:41 pm

John wrote:: I know there was kit version of Marushin Dolphin many years ago. I did have some problems and require manual adjustment. I have one which cannot be cocked when racking the slide.

For that lever problem, it also happens to one of my Marushin M9 which I believe to be a kit version. I know there is a small copper ring come with the kit version (a Marushin chrome M9) and that ring is supposed to put onto the lever's arm, so it adds the thickness to the arm when inserting into the hole of the frame. Unfortunately, I broke up this small copper ring when I force it onto the lever arm. Now the lever of my chrome M9 is also losen a bit but it still works properly, fortunately.

So, allenb, I think you may find a replacement ring & try to add the thickness of the lever arm but not too thick to stop the free movement of the lever. I'm still looking after that replacement myself!

allenb wrote:: Thanks 2Sharp and John

To stop filling this review I'll post any fixes I find under 'modelgun problems'

LDR wrote:: Wow! This looks nice, and it fires full auto!

I have been looking for a beretta like the ones in Underworld that fire full auto. I was told the only ones that did were the Wa Shan ones.

Right, time to start looking for one!

Lewis

Spencerman wrote:: The only ones that do that look like a 92 ARE the Wa Shan models. This one has a full solid slide with only an ejection port to eject the spent cartridge. Dont get me wrong, it is nice, very much like the Cougar, but not accurate as for what you wanted for the Underworld thing.

LDR wrote:: Cheers spencerman! I might have to do with this though.....either poor markings like on the Wa Shan, or descent marking but not so accurate gun like the Marushin.
Is that correct?

Lewis

mark wrote:: Well, I suppose that with some careful dremel work on the Marushin Dolphin's slide, it could be an "open" top M92F slide. Are you sure that the Underworld gun isn't a M93R? Although, I have seen and I have handled a true M92F that had been converted to fire full auto so, they do exist.

MT01 wrote:: Got to say I love this gun. It fires and handles so well.

I swapped out the standard barrel for a shorter Silver CQB barrel (courtesy of shazhib) and silver return rod. I think this makes the dolphin look so much better - makes a nice departure from the standard look of the 92F models.

Here are some photos for anyone interested (various angles as I tried to use natural lighting, but there wasn't much daylight left)

From top:

Right a bit...

Right a bit more...

You can see the effect of the shorter CQB barrel:

Those are mulberry rounds:

Non standard firing position:

Subtley different lighting:

figaro wrote:: Nice pictures.
Good work on the pistol.

shazhib wrote:: MT,

Looks real, like having a metal barrel.
Nice one.

Spencerman wrote:: I never really liked the look of that model dolphin too much if I am honest, until now. I really like what you have done to it, so simple yet so effective. 100 times better than it originally was.

InEvasion wrote:: Seriously decent photos. Makes me want to buy that piece now.

BRMoore wrote:: Me2 lmao, gimme! When I saw that first photo...mmmm....

MT01 wrote:: Thanx for feedback guys,

Actually, I wasn't too keen on the base model's looks either - I bought this model with full intention of swapping out the barrel - which I did with my silver marushin CQB. (Got a replacement barrel later)

The real revelation though was firing it on full auto. Was not sure what to expect from a handgun. I haven't fired a KSC 93R or a Wa Shun beretta on full auto so I guess I can't really compare, but full auto on this baby is sweet and faultless. The slide is obviously heavier than normal marushin 92F's and the recoil is pretty good for a PFC.

This is one of my fave handguns now, but then again I am fickle.

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:30 pm

I transferred my post from the old forum. Hopefully it came out ok and not too weird.

I haven't read this for quite some time but can report that my Dolphin also has the same issue as allenb's Dolphin, when i rack the slide the slidelever will jam under the follower of the magazine and get stuck.

A few plastic parts also have broken off from the back of the slide, where the back of the firing pin protrudes. This modelgun has been retired as display only.
I've been trying to get a replacement slide for it but not very eagerly Smile

I think i will try to find a new one and this will be used as maybe spare parts or just display.

I really like the looks of the Dolphin MT01 has!!

Subject: Re: Marushin Dolphin - a small review... Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:46 pm

Thanks for transferring your reviews 2sharp , they came through just fine.

I'm trying to write up a review of my Marushin M9 too but I'd like to get it firing properly first!
I've had problems with a firing block breaking off, the slide lock could be the cause of the slide sticking sometimes and yep, the plastic moulding around the firing pin struck by the hammer broke away during its first firing. In all, I've fired about 4 mags' full in total.

Francky got me 2 new slides, one I used to replace the original as the firing block's glued in place. US$42 per slide if my memory serves me right.

I think it's now ready to test fire again so my review's pending results. So far, it's a very dissapointing model BUT having seen others firing really well I'd rather wait hoping mine's ok now before it becomes an expensive paperweight.

_________________
Cerwyn

Hobby collector of Replica model guns and Militaria.
also member of Living History Reenactment Groups.

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