EMG Helios Salient Arms International Licensed S226 CO2 Powered Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol (Model: Reload Package)

"Of all my side-arms, I can't help but gravitate towards this one the most. It has quickly become my used pistol and for good reason.

First off, this gun is simply beautiful. Its finish is more a semi-gloss black than the matte almost charcoal/gun black from the pictures. The aggressive grips, slide windows, and front serrations really make this piece stand out. It's functionally very tight. The fit and build quality is top-class. Cycles smooth and has a great trigger response. Furthermore, it runs perfectly well on green gas magazines.

Aftermarket support is some-what iffy as TM has a strong presence in the P226 space and very few parts are compatible. That's not such a bad thing though once you realise that this gun doesn't require any upgrades and is such a work horse right out of the box. That said, I would kill to have some sort of optics ready version or compatible rear-sight plates.

5/5 Stars

"This pistol is beautiful in an SAI way, solid, well balanced and fits good in palm.

"Best pistol I have ever used

"First off, the gun has a great feel to it, I am a big fan of the Sig series pistols on how they fit in the palms despite the unique look from a Glock or 1911, it just seems to fit nicer in the palms.

Most parts are compatible including the magzine to my 226 and 229 I already own, accurate, powerful and fun to shoot.

"This thing feels extremely solid and actually has some weight to it, I didn't shoot it but it feels solid. One of the refs at my field has one and he says it's amazing.

"Got this pistol recently and I love it. Overall it is a solid handgun and feels well made.

"I’ve been a huge supporter of EMG Airsoft’s, specially those with SAI Furniture.

Yet, I’m completely baffled by the design on this one and the quality. I was excited to get it in. Like the slide ports and outer barrel. Outside of that, what a disappointing design.

First, I’m hoping it’s just my magazine and not a design issue, the co2 cartridge won’t sit straight, so even by pushing it in and holding it, once you screw it down, it will leak. Since it’s a new product, they don’t even carry spare magazines. So now I’m waiting to hear if they will replace the whole AIRSOFT, waist a few days waiting for response and a replacement, despite living less than 30 miles away.

The handgrips are plastic, typical on 95% of AIRSOFT P/S 226’s, yet this plastic is incredibly cheap, since it’s a long magazine the grips expand beyond gun grip, the bottom plastic is so thin, I can easily see this breaking, the feel of it like a cheap dollar store toy.

The Mazine bumper, is the same thing, incredibly cheap plastic and I can see it cracking easily or wearing off after a few CO2 changes. It should have been a much better plastic or aluminum. Feel and looks cheap. The worse part is that’s its SAI stamped, great brand on just a cheap production.

I don’t like bashing things, I’ve purchased things in the past that I have not been happy with, but overlook it because typical most things are great/fine.

Yet, this has the potential to be great, and perhaps it might be if they reproduced it.