I did a search and didn’t see anybody covering these new clones from S5 Tactical that came out a few months ago. The video reviews seem to be extremely positive and unlike some of the Tommy built guns, these seem to run very reliably. It’s hard for me to run out and want to spend 50% more on a scar when this had always been a grail gun and it’s now $2000. I ended up ordering the 12.5 inch barrel pistol model this week and I’m pretty pumped to get it all set up.
Roswell Crash - July, 1947, CIA Formed - Sept, 1947
Got to shoot a real G36K in full auto; DAMN. Really cool, but it did kick more than an AR.
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-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
Posts: 18647 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005
It's worth mentioning that a Tommybuilt likely only runs as good as its parts allow. You could get a clone parts kit or use real HK parts.
I can only speak from my experience with the one I had: a Tommybuilt TG36 receiver completed with proper HK parts from a G36C "kit" that was likely a former LE gun. It ran perfectly.
If I had to guess, the overwhelming majority of Tommybuilt reliability issues were guns completed with parts of questionable, mixed, or unknown origin. I do believe guns sold as complete from him were completed with clone parts.
The G36 is a neat rifle. But it can't compete with the ol' AR. I don't miss mine. This is speaking from a practicality standpoint. The AR15 is a better rifle for the intended purpose of both rifles. The G36 is very cool and worthy of pursuit from the collection perspective.
Posts: 3149 | Location: Northeast GA | Registered: February 15, 2021
G36 pretty interesting gun. I don’t like that brace on the S5. Looks like a fin.
Buddy was with the Maryland Transit Authority Police and a few of them were issued G36s.
———————————————— The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad. If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you!
G36’s are cool and interesting but they are nowhere near as good of a rifle as a quality AR-15 is. Buy a G36 as a collector not your primary weapon……..DJ
Remember, this is all supposed to be for fun...................
Originally posted by djpaintles: G36’s are cool and interesting but they are nowhere near as good of a rifle as a quality AR-15 is. Buy a G36 as a collector not your primary weapon……..DJ
Agreed. I know it's not a G36, but it's close...I got to shoot an SL8 one time. It was a cool experience to try something different, but I came away from it thinking "My AR does everything this does better."
It is cool that there are vendors trying to keep the platform available. In the pre-GWOT years, it was definitely HK’s cool space-age gun. Using some of the developments from the OICW project, it incorporated lightweight polymer furniture and a dual red dot/3x magnified optic to give users a lighter option to the HK33 series of the time (in Germany).
I had a hodge-podge SL8 conversion years ago…I wanted one after shooting the G36E in a schützenschnur. Neat rifle, fun to shoot, but as others have said…it didn’t do anything my AR’s didn’t already do. I don’t miss it, and if HK ever released a factory civilian version to the U.S. market I likely still wouldn’t get one.
Originally posted by Black92LX: G36 pretty interesting gun. I don’t like that brace on the S5. Looks like a fin.
Buddy was with the Maryland Transit Authority Police and a few of them were issued G36s.
Yeah, everybody making a more OEM looking G36 brace has ceased production. That’s a photo shop of a currently available option. I may just pin and weld a flash hider to get the barrel length up to 16” so I can add a G36C stock.
Roswell Crash - July, 1947, CIA Formed - Sept, 1947
Originally posted by djpaintles: G36’s are cool and interesting but they are nowhere near as good of a rifle as a quality AR-15 is. Buy a G36 as a collector not your primary weapon……..DJ
That’s pretty much where I’m at. I’m an HK whore and I’ve never loved the G36. I’ve fired real ones, including full auto and they just never gave me the fizz. I could see a G36 as a collector piece, but not something I’d use often. From a collectible standpoint, I’m actually much more interested in the L85 reproductions coming to market by Murdoch and Co. The L85 was not a very good weapon in my opinion, but having one would be a cool novelty, and frankly there’s a hell of a lot more G36 clones or SL8 “conversions” etc out there. I’ve got too many other toys to acquire for me to seriously consider acquiring either rifle, but I definitely think it would be cool to be able to have some more foreign military hardware.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Posts: 6041 | Location: Upstate NY | Registered: February 28, 2002
These look nice but I am always skeptical. I have owned a couple clones prior and will never do it again. Some had more issues than others.
SCAR prices have gone insane, last year I think it was PSA or Berelli had them for only $2,200-2,400 and I was tempted then. They are a little heavier compared to the ar-15 and seem bulkier, from my experience handling one, which is why I decided against getting one.
Supposedly, a factory produced, civilian G36 is in the works by HK USA. They’re absolutely taking their sweet time bringing it to market but last year the CEO of HK USA hinted very strongly that we would be able to buy a real G36. If I really had to have a G36, I think I’d wait a while longer to see what HK has up their sleeve.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Posts: 6041 | Location: Upstate NY | Registered: February 28, 2002
Originally posted by Lt CHEG: Supposedly, a factory produced, civilian G36 is in the works by HK USA. They’re absolutely taking their sweet time bringing it to market but last year the CEO of HK USA hinted very strongly that we would be able to buy a real G36. If I really had to have a G36, I think I’d wait a while longer to see what HK has up their sleeve.
I heard this too. If I had to guess they are going to price it at least $1000 higher than this particular clone. And from what all these reviews say this S5 clone is very reliable. Dodgy reliability always stopped me from ordering one of those other iterations of G36 clones (and the ridiculous pricing).
Roswell Crash - July, 1947, CIA Formed - Sept, 1947
