Issue 12 - Aug 2012

ACTION

THE Airsoft Magazine

THE

AIRSOFT SURGEON

HEAD TO HEAD PISTOLS

FIREBALL SQUADRON

HEAD TO HEAD RIFLE TEST

SIG P226: WE v KJ Works – which is best?

The Airsoft Action team visits FBS airsoft site

We pit G&G's and ICS' Sig 552 against each other

practical pistol ❱ Real-steel sniping ❱ Young guns ❱ shotgun workshop

AUGUST 2012 - £4.25

OUR NEW PISTOL EXPERT!

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August 2012

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CONTENTS AIRSOFT ACTION - AUGUST 2012

Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Anthony Platt Graphic Design: Steve Dawson Art director: Chris Sweeney Ad design: Anna Makwana Advertising: Toni Cole Operations director: James Folkard Assistant publisher: Ruth Burgess Publisher: Wesley Stanton

Full UK 12-issue subscription rate: £59.40 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street Leamington Spa.Warwickshire. CV32 5SZ Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2012 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2012. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publishers in writing. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.

RECOGNISE THIS PATTERN? TAKE A NOTE! YOU’LL NEED THE PATTERNS FROM ISSUES 1 - 12 TO ENTER OUR CAMO COMPETITION!

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READERS’ GALLERY YOUR CHANCE TO GET YOUR FACE IN THE MAGAZINE!

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KIT TEST: BOOT TEST RESIDENT BOOT EXPERT RATTY TRIES OUT HIS NEW HARKILAS

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AIRSOFT NEWS EXCITING NEWS FROM CELCIUS AND REDWOLF, AND MORE

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REVIEW: SIG 552 CIMMANDO SCOTT ALLEN TAKES THE SAME GUN FROM G&G AND ICS IN HEAD TO HEAD TESTING

TWO-TONES ON TEST NIGE TAKES A HALF-DOZEN TWO-TONES TO FIND OUT WHICH YOUNG GUNS PREFER

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SKLLS ROOM BILLY BASICS TEACHES US HOW TO FIGHT AT NIGHT

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REVIEW: SIG P226 A PATTERN EMERGES AS RATTY PITS WE VS KJW

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AIRSOFT SURGEON CLARENCE LAI TEACHES US THE BASICS OF HANDLING

SITE REVIEW: FIREBALL SQUADRON MICHAEL JONES CHECKS OUT THE MIDLANDS’ FBS

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SNIPER ONE DAN MILLS RECOUNTS HIS REAL-WORLD SNIPING

REVIEW: TM 226 E2 IN A SIG-HEAVY ISSUE, BAZ C TRIES OUT TM’S LATEST

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EVENT: PRACTICAL PISTOL NIGE LEARNS ABOUT IPSC AT THE GRANGE’S PRACTICAL PISTOL COMPETITION

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PISTOLS AT DAWB MIKE B ASKS IF AIRSOFT DUELLING COULD EVER WORK

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COLD WAR WARRIORS GADGE TAKES A LOOK AT THE MID-80S US DESERT RIFLEMAN

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BIG BOYZ TOYZ RATTY GETS DARING WITH THE P51 MUSTANG

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KIT TEST: SMITH OPTICS SMITH OPTICS ELITE’S AEGIS ARC GLASSES TOOK NIGE’S FANCY

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MARITIME SECURITY SIMON CHAMBERS LOOKS INTO PROTECTING THE SEAS

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WORKSHOP: SHOTGUNS MIKE BUTTRICK: LEARN BY DOING!

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MEDIA REVIEW QUIET, NOW... ALEX WHARTON ON SNIPER ELITE V2

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YOUNG GUNS JEZZ B TAKES US THROUGH SOME OF THE BEST GUN MAKERS

W

ow! The last four weeks have just flown by and there has been a huge amount going on in the world of airsoft – not least of which was the inaugural meeting of ASIA. If you haven’t heard about ASIA, it is the Airsoft Industry Association, an allencompassing organisation created to represent the entire industry (as opposed to just one segment of it) and present a united front when talking to Government regarding issues facing airsoft today.

At the time of writing, I understand that membership of the British Shooting Sports Council has been applied for. This will not only add credence to airsoft as a whole, but will also give access to the corridors of power via regular BSSC meetings.

As soon as the formation of ASIA has been finalised, Airsoft Action will be applying for membership and I urge all other interested parties, including other media outlets, to get involved. While this is a trade association, the interests of players will be represented by the inclusion of a UKAPU representative on the board.

On top of all that, I am delighted to welcome both Clarence Lai and Dan Wells as new contributors to the magazine. Clarence is probably better-known as the Airsoft Surgeon, and in his fist article shows us how to (properly) get to grips with our pistols (page 24). Dan Wells is the best-selling author of Sniper One, the true story of how just over 100 soldiers survived the longest continuous action fought by the British Army anywhere since the Korean War. Dan commanded an 18-man sniper platoon, so knows a thing or two when he talking about sniping – as you will find out when you read his article (page 28).

Me? I spent some time mucking about in helicopters – but more about that in the next issue!

Until then, play safe, play fair and keep well!

See you out there…

Nige

Find us on… www.facebook.com/AirsoftAction Search ‘Airsoft Action’

Letter, idea or question?

Got something to say? A question for our experts? Or an article, or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the assistant editor (anthonyp@blazepublishing. co.uk), send us a letter at the Blaze Publishing address on the previous page – or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

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READERS’ GALLERY Send your pics into anthonyp@blazepublishing.co.uk and see yourself in the mag – the more the merrier!

Photography student Rob Pankhurst took these aw esome snaps at a recent game at AWA Herts

in some Paul Middleton of Aberdeenshire sent ar and excellent staged pics from the recent Cle e Present Danger themed weekend gam

Dave Ormerod sent in this group photo taken at All Arms Airsoft (27 M ay) - with the remar k that one Mr Binns would ha ve nothing to complai n about if we printed his pictur e this time!

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AIRSOFT | NEWS

AIRSOFT NEWS CELCIUS TO LAUNCH NEW HOP UNIT Specialist Tactical Training Solutions (STTS) has announced the launch of a new hop system for the Celcius CTW and Systema PTW platforms.

The first batch is expected for sale in late July, provisionally priced at £75.

It will be available exclusively in the UK from JD Airsoft in Cannock and Badger Tac in Oxfordshire, The new hop unit has been completely redesigned in conjunction with MDD Developments. This improved unit will be easier to set and will improve consistent accuracy, STTS said.

Allister Barker, director at STTS, said: “Our new hop unit (patent pending) holds the hop adjuster steady in two places, improving consistency with regards to the BB trajectory but also improving the overall range.

“This improvement is so good that we will guarantee that, when fitted to a Celcius 6.00mm Reformation II Barrel, the standard Celcius Training Weapon barrel, you will be able to hit a torso-sized target (2ft x 2ft) with a .25g BB at 60m, before the BBs start to spread. This is of course subject to your weapon being in good nick, with good air seals in the cylinder.

“Our new unit also allows for the hop to be set through

the ejection port cover using your finger, instead of via the hex screw slot inside magazine well which has been standard on both platforms until now. This new system is both more convenient and quicker to adjust as the hop can be set without the need to keep removing the magazine.”

Constructed entirely in the UK from CNC machine processes, the new Hop Kit will come complete with the following: s !LUMINIUM HOP CHAMBER s "RASS HOP ADJUSTER RING s (OP ADJUSTER PINS s "ARREL KEY s 3TEEL HOP ADJUSTER s (OP ROLLER PACKING s 0IN FOR ROLLER PACKING s #HAMBER PACKING s #HAMBER PACKING BASE s &ITTING INSTRUCTIONS STTS is also inviting trade applications from dealers in other countries. To enquire, contact STTS at: info@s-t-t-s.co.uk.

COMBAT STRESS CHARITY EVENT Over The Top Adventures (OTT) is hosting a weekend airsoft game to raise money for the charity Combat Stress.

The game will be held at the OTT site on the Isle of Anglsey, North Wales on the weekend of 17-19 August.

The area is forested and littered with bunkers, bridges, ditches, strong holds, small huts, villages and other defendable areas. The nearest town to the site is Benllech (satnav: LL71 8VW).

The cost per player is £55, with all profits made going to Combat Stress. &RIDAY EVENING WILL SEE A SHORT MISSION

kicking off the main event the following day. Play will stop at 11pm Saturday and run from 8.30am to 4pm Sunday.

Hire guns and camos are available for £30. All players will need to bring tents for the designated campsite area.

Bring waterproof gear to prepare for all weathers – it is Wales, after all! &OR INFORMATION ABOUT #OMBAT 3TRESS visit the charity’s website at: www. combatstress.org.uk. &OR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARITY game contact Colin at Over the Top Adventures: 07731 744471.

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WASTELANDER: PART II

UKAPU NEWS

&OLLOWING ON FROM THE SUCCESS OF *ANUARY S post-apocalyptic airsoft adventure Wastelander, Gunman Airsoft is going back to the future once again this August.

Wastelander is a high-octane airsoft experience set in an alternative universe reeling from the after effects of a nuclear WAR &ANS OF GAMES LIKE 34!,+%2

"ORDERLANDS AND &ALLOUT WILL LOVE THIS

On the 13 June 2012 our chairman, -ATT &UREY +ING WENT TO !3)!

No, not the continent: the Airsoft Industry Association.

ASIA has been formed as an umbrella organisation hoping to represent all aspects of the airsoft industry to the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC). &OR THOSE WHO DON T KNOW THE BSSC is the organisation used by many shooting organisations as the conduit between parliament AND THE 7ORLD &ORUM ON THE &UTURE of Sports Shooting Activities, and serves as an NGO representative at the United Nations ECOSOS committee.

Representatives of UKAPU, UKASGB and UKARA were invited (the latter unfortunately unable to attend) to the inaugural meeting, along with a selection of airsoft retailers and distributors.

The meeting was productive and we are hopeful that the association will create a positive outcome for the industry as a whole.

If you are interested in viewing the minutes of the inaugural meeting, and would like to keep up with the latest news regarding ASIA via UKAPU, then you can view the minutes and latest news in the members section of the UKAPU forums.

All full members have access to the UKAPU forum and they are becoming a great source of information for all player issues.

Don’t forget you can also find all member discounts at selected airsoft retailers and sites in this section as well!

If you have already joined UKAPU then thank you – if you would like to join then annual membership costs just £5 and is available from our website www.ukapu.org.uk.

awesome blend of live action roleplaying, airsoft and adventure.

Wastelander Part II takes place August 4-5 at Gunman Airsoft’s Tuddenham site.

Event places are priced at ÂŁ50 for the weekend. &OR MORE DETAILS CHECK OUT THE Wastelander section at: www.gunmanforum.com.

CORRECTION In our Tasco Scope Review (Airsoft Action July 2012) we failed to mention that York Guns is the ofďŹ cial UK distributor of Tasco shooting products.

York Guns distributes a number of brands in the shooting markets, including Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement and Stoney Points.

9ORK 'UNS WILL BE ATTENDING THIS YEAR S #,! 'AME &AIR JUST LOOK FOR THE BLIMP above Gunmakers’ Row!), so be sure to check out its range of products if you’re there!

York Guns: 01904 487180, www.yorkguns.com

REDWOLF RETAIL Redwolf Airsoft has opened a retail branch in the UK – and will be offering made-to-order custom guns in the future.

Located right alongside the Redwolf warehouse in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, the shop is an extension of Redwolf Airsoft’s presence in the UK, established in 2005 by the creation of the UK distribution branch.

Matthew ‘Arclight’ Rees explains: “Redwolf Airsoft is one of the biggest names in airsoft, and now Redwolf UK Retail is open for business. It’s a proper walk-in retail store. We are an exclusive distributer of many brands and stock many other high-end and mid-level brands as well. “We do not have a website or catalogue yet but that’s not a big problem – look for things on the Redwolf HK website to see what you might like and then call us up or visit us to see what we can do. If it is in stock here, we can sell it to you on the spot.

If it is in our HK branch then we can have it shipped over in a couple of weeks. If we do not have it but do carry the brand then we can even try to source it from the manufacturer directly.

In the near future we shall also be offering top notch technical services and the ability to arrange custom tailored-to-order skirmish and race guns. We plan to grow.�

Redwolf UK Retail: Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 8JH. For information contact Redwolf Airsoft UK: 01684 273070, www.redwolfairsoft.com.

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Chris Neill – UKAPU Press OfďŹ cer

AIRSOFT | NEWS

HOSTILE EVENT TRAINING Tyrus McQueen has seen it all. Think The Dogs of War and The Wild Geese and you have a good idea of the man. As a contractor – mercenary to you and me – McQueen set up shop in the UK with www.9defence.com, a training bureau for professionals.

Airsoft Action was invited to spend a day with 9 Defence and Lifesigns as they prepared for a day’s Hostile Environment Training for ITN. The day recreates exercises that had actually happened and ones that news film crews were exposed to. The ITN news crew would react to the situation among splatter, body pieces, exposed internal organs and screaming. The objective was to test

how they react under such circumstances and to improve their chances of survival.

After all, more than 40 journalists have died in the field in the first four months of 2012 alone.

That said, what has airsoft got to do with hardcore military training?

The afternoon’s scenario sees an East European situation where a crazed man threatened to kill a female hostage.

Drunken soldiers were to protect the crew as they approached. Across the field is a red line. If a newscaster should cross the line to interview the protagonist, it could

quite possibly be their end. We are told to record the event from a safe distance.

The soldiers are armed with airsoft guns to present an authentic situation. The protagonist pressed a KWA Mac-11 to the hostage’s head. It’s all rather tense.

Unknown to the approaching ITN news crew, the field is littered with pyrotechnics, and McQueen’s favourite, airsoft CO2 landmines filled with fake blood.

Two camera crews approach followed by broadcaster Jon Snow and Lindsey Hilsum, C4’s Political Editor, all covered in bodyarmour. As a boozy grunt I introduced myself as ‘Boris’. My friend was ‘Gustav’. Hilsum rather liked my Borat accent. Gustav asked Snow if he was John Symonds, the ex-C4 anchorman, and said he was fantastic presenting CBeebies.

As the film crews did their best to evaluate the situation, Snow crossed the line. Big mistake. Guns blazed and grenades flashed. Banks of coloured smoke and the whiz-bang of grenades created hell on earth. With utter confusion, the news crews attended to the fallen soldiers as we returned fire. Acting drunk, it seemed irrelevant if we shot the protagonist and the hostage.

I grabbed Snow by the arm and told him to tend to Gustav. As he rummaged

through his first aid kit, I made it known that if Gustav should die, so would he.

It was all rather surreal. Snow asked if he could drive Gustav to a hospital. I reluctantly agreed. As Snow dragged Gustav to the waiting vehicle I tapped my TM M1911 on his helmet. I wanted money for vodka and he paid me without hesitation.

It may sound amusing, but such roleplay by 9 Defence and Lifesigns can save lives.

The above scenario happened for real with dire consequences for the news team – and frighteningly realistic it was too.

Jay Slater (Fonthill Media)

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A Hollywood favourite from the country famed for watches and chocolate... But will they stand the test of time and are they as tasty as they look? Scott Allan takes a bite to find out

G

&G (Guay Guay – top in pic above) and ICS (I Chih Shivan – bottom in pic above) are both known for their top end rifles, but few are similar enough to compare. Well, the exception is the Sig 552 Commando which, thankfully, are both beautifully made and great performers. But what we wanted to know is – which is the best?

Real-steel Sig The real-steel Sig 552 Commando rifle was released in the late 1990s and is an extremely compact package with a short 8.9in barrel – considering the M4 CQB/R has a 10.5in barrel that is short indeed! It has a folding stock and overall is an extremely slimline design popular

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SIG 552 COMMANDO:

ICS V G&G with police forces and PMC units around the world. It uses the 5.56mm NATO round, so it is easy to get ammunition for wherever you are in the world. Given its low weight and decent punch it is a seriously tempting package for any modern unit.

Having fired the real-steel Sig 556 you can see what Sig is all about. Not only is Swiss Arms producing some of the most reliable firearms today, they are also some of the most respected. They have taken everything a firearm should be and raised the bar. No one wants a hulking chunk of steel they have to lug around in the 40°C heat, only to find that when you do need it to work it has failed! They want something they look upon as a

welcome accessory to their daily kit, like a hard-wearing and comfortable pair of boots.

The airsoft version With a near M4 feel, but a more slimline and organic design, it is a nice rifle to use and ambidextrous fire selectors mean that it is friendly to left-handed shooters. A side-folding stock makes storage easy and both of these versions are full-metal (no cracked Tokyo Marui plastic bodies here). The battery compartment for each is located in the front handguard, which can be a little awkward to change. We managed to fit a 2600mAh 7.4v LiPo quite easily in the ICS, but could only get a 1300mAh

THE THE ARMOURY ARMOURY | RIFLE | KACOMPARISON THOMPSON 7.4v LiPo in the G&G – still respectable though.

Both the rifles use Tokyo Marui, G&G or ICS magazines which fit in ‘AK’ fashion, locating the front of the magazine then the rear. This is a little more difficult than an M4 slap-and-shoot.

Having the AK-type fit does mean it suffers from the same issues, in that some magazines may require a little filing to get them to fit perfectly. Both are a genuine pleasure to pick up and use. It is often a sad thing that people always go for the M4 platform when there are options like the Sig available – more so when they work so damned well.

Back in the black and white days I remember using my TM Sig 552 with great delight for a long time, but alas, as so often happened, the body started to crack because of the scope rail. My trigger contact then gave out and finally the whole rifle disappeared into the bits box. Thankfully ICS and G&G both offer a massive range of spares for their equipment, which is hugely helpful for

long-term use. Imagine buying a Ford Focus only to find that you can’t get a simple part to keep it running – not much use to the end user at all. So rest assured when you buy either of these you are never going to have to fear for spares.

On the outside Overall there doesn’t seem to be an awful lot of difference in the externals of the two. Only when you start an indepth, side-by-side comparison do you start to see the little differences that paint the bigger picture.

The ICS probably wins on the looks front, as parts of the G&G appear somewhat roughly-made, especially in the handguard area – the holes appear to be drilled in and not moulded. This has left flash marks and just gives a coarser, ‘corners cut’ impression. The G&G does feel sturdier though, with a greater weight and feeling of overall strength when you pick it up.

Turning the fire selector on the ICS is a bit of a fight – I can certainly foresee

the odd ‘didn’t select it quite right’ until it either loosens, beds in or you lose your temper and smash it. The G&G fire selector feels much more positive, hands down, and moves far more freely. The G&G also has a 20mm scope rail which the ICS lacks, so if you do want any kind of optics be sure to consider this.

The G&G does sport a thinner ‘real spec’ pistol grip which feels nice when used, but it is not really something that would sway me either way personally.

On the inside The ICS’ inner barrel looks to be very good quality and offers a very nice grouping – better than the G&G which has a standard brass barrel. The ICS barrel is a nicely anodised, lightweight offering, similar to those found in the Classic Army range.

With 30fps more than its rival, the G&G has a slightly harder punch at around 360fps. The ICS gave around 330fps, perhaps a little better for indoor/ CQB sites. On this note I have found little difference in range between a

“Using 0.25s on the day the G&G shot slightly further by a few metres, but the ICS group seemed to be tighter at the far end. At no point did I feel either was a bad rifle or that something was seriously lacking”

The G&G rifle (above) has superior quality wiring, and a 20mm rail the ICS lacks

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THE ARMOURY | RIFLE COMPARISON

G&G SIG 552 COMMANDO

330fps and a 360fps rifle – and often opt for the 330fps-mark as an all-round rifle well suited to the travelling skirmisher.

The guts Internally the G&G looks better, with a better hop unit, cold-resistant hop rubber and far superior silver wiring. The ICS wiring changes gauge throughout the wiring loom, which could see heat build-ups as the resistance is increased – in short, the wiring in the ICS did not impress me at all. If anything, it was a major letdown. Both gearboxes are V3 and nicely built – no gripes with either.

The Version3 gearbox The V3 is the standard AK and G36 gearbox. It is good, reliable and parts are easily available if it does break. The only noticeable difference between a V2 and V3 is that the motor is captive in a cage that attaches directly to the gearbox.

The G&G’s gearbox features metal 6mm bushes, an O-ring sealed air nozzle (to give a better air seal and consistent velocity), bearing spring guide and piston head. All in all this represents a good spec for the money.

The ICS also has 6mm metal bushes, bearing piston head and a standard spring guide. Once again, a decent spec for the pricetag.

The package The ICS definitely has the upperhand on this one – as standard it comes with two high-capacity magazines, in comparison to the single mid-cap the G&G includes. Both rifles have a similar feel but the G&G is somehow nicer

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all round, and again has that much more positive fire selector.

On top of that the wiring in the G&G is of a much higher grade while the ICS appears to change gauge throughout the wiring loom – unnecessary as far as I can tell.

LENGTH: 740mm (stock extended) 470mm (stock retracted) BARREL LENGTH: 263mm WEIGHT: 2,950g CONSTRUCTION: Metal body and handguard rails; ABS pistol grip, handguard and stock MAGAZINE: Mid-cap magazine OPERATION: AEG BATTERY: Takes 1300mAh 7.4v LiPo VELOCITY: 360fps NOTES: 20mm top rail; realistic pistol grip; locking bolt, working release catch; adjustable sights; adjustable trigger guard; quick-takedown body PRICE: Expect to pay around £280

In the field In game the G&G was heftier, like something out of a Chuck Norris joke.

Neither is lightweight or flimsy but the G&G definitely felt tougher. The ICS shot extremely well, which surprised me a great deal – but the G&G does have the better hop. I reckon the G&G would benefit from a good quality aftermarket tightbore barrel.

Both fed well and offered enough power to keep every player happy.

Using 0.25s on the day the G&G shot slightly further by a few metres but the ICS group seemed to be tighter at the far end. At no point did I think either was a bad rifle, or that something was seriously lacking. I like the fact that I could fit a higher capacity battery in the ICS which meant no pesky midday change over.

The decision I love G&G stuff. I don’t dislike ICS, I just haven’t used as much of its equipment in the past, so my confidence does sway toward the G&G. But even though the G&G feels better on the outside, has a more positive fire selector and better internals, I think I prefer the ICS! This is mainly due to the tightbore performance on testing. OK, the wiring is a bit of a bugbear and I would

personally put in some Ultimate Silver Grade Wiring and deans connectors (which I fit to most rifles as standard).

Neither model is perfect, which has at least made the testing a bit more interesting.

So, for me the ICS is the winner – but it is a close thing and to be honest, before testing I would have gone for the G&G. ■

ICS SIG 552 COMMANDO LENGTH: 728mm (stock extended) 470mm (stock retracted) BARREL LENGTH: 263mm WEIGHT: 2,600g CONSTRUCTION: Metal body (licensed trademarks); ABS pistol grip, handguard and stock MAGAZINE: 2x 300-round hi-cap included OPERATION: AEG BATTERY: Takes 2600mAh 7.4v LiPo VELOCITY: 330fps NOTES: No top rail; adjustable sights; adjustable trigger guard; high-quality inner barrel; quick-takedown body PRICE: Expect to pay around £300

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WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...

ICS OR G&G SIG 552 COMMANDO

To commemorate our Head to Head review of the fantastic Sig 552 Commando rifles by G&G and ICS, we’re offering one lucky reader the chance to choose for themselves!

Answer the question below and send it by post or email to the usual address. First correct entry pulled from the editor’s hat will win their choice of either the G&G or ICS Sig 552 rifle!

WORTH

£280

QUESTION: Which manufacturer produced the real-steel Sig 552 rifle?

Brüger & Thomet ■

Hämmerli ■

Swiss Arms ■

RUAG ■

Post your entry to: Sig552 Competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘Sig552 Competition’ in the headline. Entries received after 6 August will not be valid. One entry per household.

Winner will be first correct entry pulled from the editor's hat.

Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email

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FIELD TEST | HEAD TO HEAD

SIG P226 HEAD TO HEAD KJ WORKS V WE Ratty pits two of these popular pistols against each other in a straight head-to-head pistol test

T

he SIG Sauer P226 has been around for some time, although for the first few years it was seen as a little obscure. Variants of the pistol have been more widely-accepted and adopted in the real world, and it didn’t take long for more airsoft versions to appear on the scene. Originally the likes of Tanaka made a P228 and then, at last, TM made their Sig P226R (with rail) which set the benchmark for all others to be

main concern here is with the full-metal versions on the market.

Variants judged by.

However, the TM was still made primarily of ABS plastic and many players these days are looking for more realism in the weight and feel department. Now TM has released its new and updated version (reviewed elsewhere in this issue) so my

The P226 has spawned many variants. The first variant was the P226R with a rail on the underside of the frame. This rail has a more rounded contour than a standard military Picatinny rail and while most accessories will fit, not all will. The P226R is now the standard P226.

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The P226 Tactical has an extended barrel with external thread to accept a suppressor. The P226 MK25 is advertised as being identical to the Navy Seal issue P226 and has a gold anchor on the L/H side of the top slide. There was even a P226 Blackwater, introduced in 2007, which was designed in cooperation with the Blackwater Training centre. It was only available in the 9x19mm Parabellum with a 15-round magazine, and although it differed over the standard P226, the main obvious difference was the ‘Blackwater USA’ logo on the slide and its wood grips.

This was discontinued in 2009, replaced by the Blackwater Tactical – essentially the same pistol but with a 20-round magazine. This has also been discontinued, replaced by the Tactical Operations, which is the same as before but without the Blackwater markings.

Other variants are the P226 SCT (Super Capacity Tactical), P226 Equinox (twotone polished slide and nickel), P226 ST (a limited production all-stainless-steel version), P226 HSP (Homeland Security Pistol, again limited production run of 1,000 pistols, made to the same spec as

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those issued to Homeland Security Department). These pistols were only available in .40 SW calibre and featured a new trigger and new lightweight alloy frame.

More recently the P226 E2 (pronounced E-squared) was launched at 2010 shot Show in Las Vegas.

This has many new features over the standard P226. Although this model was discontinued at the end of 2010, the E2style grip system has been adopted and carried over to other P226 variants.

Service life The US Navy Seals started using the SIG P226 in the mid-1980s despite it not being taken on as the standard service pistol of the US Forces. Their version featured a special phosphate corrosion resistant finish on the internal parts and contrast sights. A special version of their pistol, the P226-9-Navy, was made

available to the public in early 2004 as Navy Special Warfare (NSW) commemoratives.

Built to the exact specs of the Navy Seal issue pistol, these also had the Navy anchor engraved to distinguish them as NSW pistols.

Many other law enforcement agencies in the US also took on the P226 as their issue pistol. As mentioned earlier, Homeland security, NCIS, FBI, US Secret Service and the likes of Texas Rangers and US Air Marshals all use P226 or variants. According to SIG, a third of the US police forces use the P226.

In the UK, the SIG P226 was taken on

by British Special Forces. More recently, due to the lack of Browning Hi-Powers in British Army inventory, the P226 was bought in as an ‘emergency purchase’ and is currently in service with front line troops in Afghanistan – designated the L117A1. There are, at this time, pistol trials well underway for a replacement pistol to the Browning as the standard issue pistol for the British Army. The Sig P226 is one of four pistols in hot contention for this

FIELD TEST | HEAD TO HEAD

contract. It is also in use with at least one UK Police Force.

The SIG P226 is in service with police or military units in over 25 countries around the world.

Airsoft versions Over the years there have been a fair few P226s available on the market. The debate about ABS versions being better than the metal ones is not something I’m going to get involved in. What we have here are two all-metal versions that are very similar in specs on paper, as well as well as closely priced. Bring in the contenders…

KJ Works KJ Works have been around for some time and their KP01 has always been a very popular model. This was really the first all-metal P226 to come onto the market.

It’s a hefty, chunky bit of kit, weighing in at nearly 1,500g. It is totally unbranded, so no SIG markings at all. On the textured grip mouldings are KJ Works markings but that’s all. The pistol is anodised black

and has a more of a ‘gloss’ shiny finish to it.

All the buttons and catches are where they should be and work as per the real thing. After racking the slide back, when pushing down on the slide release, you hear a very reassuring metal click as the slide goes all the way forward.

The hop is really easy to adjust: just remove the top slide (flicking the slide release lever half way down on the L/H side of the frame), flip it upside down where you can quite easily see the small dial with which to add or decrease the amount of hop. The mag holds 24 rounds, which is a decent capacity. On top of all that it fits with ease into a Blackhawk Serpa CQC holster, so should have no issues with other brands of moulded holster.

WE Again, WE has been around for some time, although much of its early stuff was hit or miss. Over the last few years WE has upped its game though, as well as its quality control. The recent G17 and G18s are among the nicest on the market today.

So when the P226 arrived with me I was really pleased that this model is built to the same high-spec as the Glocks.

Full-metal, but this time with a more matt black anodised finish, it just as the edge over KJ in the realistic looks department.

It is slightly lighter, weighing in at 1,200g, so again closer to the real thing.

As with the KJ, all the buttons and levers are where they should be and they all work. One thing I noticed is that the WE P226 is s a little bit ‘tighter’ than that of the KJ, in that when shaking the pistol about there are no rattles or clangs anywhere. Nice touch!

Because it’s all-metal, when racking the slide back it sounds so good, and then slides forward with a real thud. The magazines hold 21 rounds, again a little more like the real thing (though only three rounds less than the KJ holds).

It says in the blurb that the WE is also TM-mag compatible. On the downside it was almost a struggle to get it into the Blackhawk Serpa CQC Holster. I’m sure that it would wear itself in over time though.

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KJ WORKS SIG P226 WEIGHT: 1,270g LENGTH: 188mm CONSTRUCTION: Full-metal; ABS pistol grip MAGAZINE: 25-round capacity VELOCITY: 200-245fps PRICE: Expect to pay around £115

On test With the overview done it was time to see which one of these babies was going to win my vote (and subsequently my money!). It was a horrible day to test them on: cold, wet and windy, a typical British summer’s day really!

I filled both mags with a 25-count of ASG Ultra Gas, as both reservoirs are a fairly decent size. Using Blaster 0.20g BBs in both (24 in the KJ and 21 In the WE) I took everything out to my test area.

First the KJ: mag in, rack back the top slide and then release it forwards. First thing I did was to use the de-cocking lever to render the weapon safe. It all worked fine, so it was into the aim and start shooting at my pre-set target. The first few rounds were really great, so I then started double-tapping, the metal top slide clunking away, backwards and forwards until, on the last round, it locked back to the rear. Fantastic! It’s worth pointing out that like the real 226, the KJ version has two distinct trigger pulls.

I then reloaded and re-gassed up the mag. Time to chrono it. The first six shots varied between 245-251fps, which then dropped to 221-230fps for the next few shots and the last few rounds were just over 200fps. The three stages were

noticeable too. If I was to have one, I would definitely drop the amount of BBs I load into the mag.

Next up…

With mag in I racked back the top slide of the WE and eased down on the slide release catch. The top slide shot forward with a real snap. Again I de-cocked it and that worked perfectly too. I have read that there have been some issues with this venting all of the gas out of the mag when de-cocking, but this was not the case with my test weapon.

For the first few shots the action can be best described as ferocious, and it was much the same throughout the whole mag. Like the KJ it also featured the two-stage trigger, just like the realsteel. The action just seemed a little quicker and crisper than that of the KJ. With a final metal crack the top slide locked back. Wow! With another full mag, it was out with the chrono again. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Each time I pulled the trigger, readings between 255-260fps flashed up on the chrono screen. About halfway through the mag this dropped down to 240-247fps, for the rest of the mag.

Summary Anyone who knows me will say it’s not very often I’m speechless! There really is nothing in it between the two of these pistols. With only around £10 in price difference, this doesn’t really play a factor in the decision. They both have their pros and cons.

The KJ is well-established and known for its reliability. It is quite noticeably the heavier of the pair, has the larger mag capacity and fits a moulded holster easily.

On the downside, the shinier anodised finish and the rattle if shaken are a bit of a let-down.

I’m being this picky because they are both great pistols.

The WE looks that little bit nicer and more realistic, with its matt finish, and just feels that little bit better in the hand (although I was annoyed with how tight it was in the moulded holster). Both have the two-stage trigger pull so can’t distinguish between them on that. The WE, despite having a lower mag capacity, was more consistent through the chrono test.

This really is a toughie!

It will really come down to your own personal choice of which one you like the looks and feel of. I think that the best way of summing these up is, whichever one you choose, rest assured that you have bought a really great pistol and you won’t be disappointed. ■

WE SIG P226 WEIGHT: 1,200g LENGTH: 200mm CONSTRUCTION: Full-metal; ABS pistol grip MAGAZINE: 21-round capacity VELOCITY: 240-255fps PRICE: Expect to pay around £125

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AIRSOFT IPSC

BASICS I

nternational Practical Shooting Competition (IPSC) pits competitive shooters and their handguns against time. Racing around inside a controlled environment, shooters have to move quickly and fluidly to put rounds on target. Accuracy is important but not too difficult; the real key is how quickly you can get those shots on target.

It is a fantastically absorbing sport, challenging movement, speed, hand dexterity and acuity of your mental faculties. As fun as it is, it can run into its fair share of problems though and unfortunately for IPSC, it is the unholy trinity of law, expense and access.

First off, true firearms are simply not as universally available as our gun-friendly countries would lead us to believe. In the UK in particular, handguns are outright banned to the point that even our Olympic athletes are forced to go abroad to practise their pistol shooting skills. Even in countries where it is legal, the highly-tuned competition pistols are expensive, requiring both a wealth of technical skill as well as deep pockets.

Lastly, access: getting your hands on the guns, the parts, the ammunition, finding the time and ranges to practice – it’s all horribly, logistically nightmarish. Cue Airsoft IPSC.

Figure 1

Airsoft IPSC Airsoft IPSC is the very same practical shooting, built around airsoft technology in place of true firearms. They handle the same, shoot the same at short ranges and while they lack recoil your body is still expected to move the same way with the same envelope-pushing expedience.

The pistols are not cheap but are still in the lower-end of the market compared to real-steel pistols of the same type. Unlike their real-steel brethren, airsofters do not have to keep replacing worn out barrels and recoil springs – we just have to keep our guns clean and that’s about it. They do not even suffer from lead or GSR fouling.

Our ammunition is so cheap it is literally disposable, and even higher-quality ammo is at most £15-£20 for a bag of 4,000 pellets.

With eye protection, it’s so safe that accidents are little more than mosquito bites. We do not need vests, backstops, mountains, heavy walls or any of that nonsense.

As Airsoft IPSC begins to creep into this country, Redwolf Airsoft is proud to herald its arrival. Already we are beginning to bring in so-called ‘race guns’ for avid shooters. We are in talks to start an IPSC shooting school which should prove to be a whole lot of fun besides offering a cheaper, safer and legal way to enjoy shooting handguns in the UK. In preparation for this Asian Invasion, we thought we would introduce you to this strange and exciting world with a few basics.

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Figure 2

Figure 3

In this first article, Airsoft Surgeon Clarence Lai and Redwolf Airsoft’s Arclight get back to basics and shows us how to hold a pistol properly

AIRSOFT SUREON | HANDLING Figure 4

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 5

In this article we shall be explaining the basics of how to hold your pistol. The pictures are brought to you by the Airsoft Surgeon and this article is authored by Arclight, both of us under the venerable Redwolf Airsoft banner.

Though airsoft pistols generate no recoil impulse they do have a reciprocating slide recoil imitation mechanism, which means you will still need to control your weapon to keep those sights on target. The recoil action generates a linear force activity along the barrel axis and as this action sits above the point of rotation (your wrist) the gun has a tendency to flip upwards. We counteract this by placing our hand as high on the grip as we comfortably can, placing the bore axis as close to the wrist as the handgun allows.

This reduces that tendency to flip up.

Figure 8

First things first So, absolute first step, choose your primary hand, your shooting hand. For right-handed individuals this is probably your right hand; lefties tend to shoot with their left (if you are already lost you should probably just put the gun down and walk away, for our safety as well as yours).

In your primary hand, we are looking at the web between your thumb and index finger (figure 1); the highest point on the rear of

Figure 9

“Absolute first step: choose your shooting hand (if you are already lost you should probably just put the gun down and walk away, for our safety as well as yours)” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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AIRSOFT SUREON | HANDLING the pistol’s grip is placed against this web of your shooting hand.

This establishes the basic position of the gun in your hand, as high up as you can (figure 2).

Next step, your shooting hand wraps tight but not over extended around the grip, the fingers of your shooting hand are wrapped around the grip; ensure your fingers are wrapped tight around and not just on the grip (figure 3).

You do not need a white-knuckle bone-crushing grip, but it does need to be firm and tight. You are controlling a pistol, not holding on for your life. Like holding a small bird, you cannot hold too tight but you do have to hold tight enough to take its weight and hold it in your hand. You will know if your grip is right if you simply point your main hand and pistol straight up in the air; you will comfortably be able to find a natural straight wrist position and the gun will fall in (figure 4). If you find the pistol is slightly to the left or right then your finger wrap needs to be adjusted.

Figure 10

Figure 11

Second hand stuff Now, your secondary hand. Action heroes may shoot with one hand but competition shooters need to use all the stability they have. Looking at your off-hand, we pick out the fleshy pad at the base of your thumb (figure 5). This is the contact guide point for this hand – the fleshy part of the hand, not the bony part of the thumb joint. That exact point sits on the grip exactly below the thumb tip of your main shooting hand (figure 6).

This results in the thumb of your main hand making contact with the top edge of the flesh, the joint of the thumb on your off-hand should be too far forward for your main hand’s thumb to reach (figure 7). You should find the thumb of your off-hand to sit above and extend inline, or slightly in front of, the trigger guard (figure 8 and 9).

When done correctly, you should see and feel the grip of both thumbs now make direct contact, both inline almost exactly pointing down the shooting direction (figure 10 and 11).

Finishing off The last step is straightforward, but can take a bit of a wiggle to find if this is your first time. In simplest terms, with your off-hand in the correct position the fingers of your off-hand should come down wrapped around your primary hand.

Your off-hand fingers line up with the creases between the fingers of your primary hand (figure 12). In essence, the fingers of your primary hand become a set of ergonomic finger grooves for your off-hand.

With the correct placement of this second hand you should find a very firm grip without having to squeeze all that hard.

You should find you can push/pull your hands left/right/up/down and there will be no give between weapon and hands. It may well take a little adjustment time to wiggle those fingers and contact points into the right places but once you get it right it is just a matter of practice. Indeed, once you have the hang of it, it should become second nature. You may well even find yourself gripping TV remotes and bananas as if it was just asking for it! ■

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Figure 12

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REALITY OF

SNIPING Best-selling author Sgt Dan Mills was decorated for his command of an 18-man sniper platoon during the siege of Al Amarah in Iraq. This is his first article for Airsoft Action

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oday’s snipers are well trained, determined and motivated individuals.

Sniping has always been a hard art to master and with good reason. It takes a particular type of person to want to do it in the first place. Though you have to be a fairly good shot, the shooting aspect is the last of your worries. Today’s operators in Afghanistan – and not too long ago in Iraq – have a very real, competent and determined enemy to look out for. While the media is awash with news stories about the threat from IEDs many shooting engagements still happen, but are not as well-reported.

I went out to Iraq as the leader of a platoon of 15 snipers plus a few support staff, having qualified back in 1994 as both a sniper and a sniper instructor at the School of Infantry. Of

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the 19 soldiers trained on my course only three came away with a pass in both qualifications.

In a later article I will cover the training I went through but for now understand that you must master the skills of navigation, stalking, camouflage and concealment, marksmanship, fieldcraft and observation. All of these subjects, mastered and practised regularly, will create a good end product. In this game you cannot afford to be bad at any one of them or you will not survive – you’ll be discovered and killed.

On my Op Telic tour I had seven pairs of snipers, with me acting as the platoon commander and a spare sniper available to slot in to any grouping as required. The platoon was part of the battalion’s support company.

Each pair consists of a shooter and a spotter, or a number one and a number two. The

main shooter, the number one, is responsible for setting up a stable fire position, range estimation, wind estimation, and ultimately firing the shot. The spotter is responsible for confirming the wind and range estimation, observing any changes in either, observing the target, and reporting the fall of shot. Ideally both should be qualified snipers. When I say ‘qualified’ I mean a current and competent badged sniper, and able to carry out both jobs.

The tasking and roles of snipers varies depending on the situation, but generally speaking they are to disrupt enemy command and control, kill key enemy personnel, kill enemy snipers, observe, report and harass.

It is not all Hollywood. The reality is that snipers spend many, many hours observing, logging and reporting what they have seen

FEATURE | SNIPING without incident. It is not action all the way; the patience of each and every one of you is put to the test. I carried a sniper rifle on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo for many hours and miles, in baking hot sun, or soaked through to the skin in the rain, without as much as a sighting, let alone an opportunity to snipe.

My experience changed during the Mahdi uprising of 2004 in Iraq, when Saddam Hussein had been defeated for the second time in 12 years. Before we knew what was

going on my snipers and I were in the thick of it.

Some high points were the satisfaction of doing a job and doing it well – of getting a kill. Finally doing the job properly against a determined and capable enemy was a real rush, not just the shooting but the whole thing – especially living to fight another day.

The adrenaline rush was powerful. Any soldier that’s been through combat will know what I mean, and there is no other feeling like

“He fell when hit; thinking back he sort of folded in two. He continued to move for a little while but that was him pretty much done with. I moved on to observing for the next target; it was a rich environment at that time”

OPERATION TELIC All British military operations in Iraq conducted between 19 March 2003 (the invasion of Iraq) and 22 May 2011 (the withdrawal of British forces) were conducted under the codename: Operation Telic.

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it. A particular high point for me was seeing the men bond under adversity and become an effective team, and of my own reaction and leadership under such harsh conditions. I brought them all back alive at the end of the tour, although several of us had been shot and blown up a bit!

Some low points including seeing good friends killed or injured, achieving very little after long hours, and the boredom of routine but essential tasks. Having a headquartered staff that does not know how to employ a sniper section properly is particularly frustrating to highly-motivated soldiers.

The reality is that, however much bravado and macho talk goes on back in barracks, when it happens for real and you are on the receiving end it is very different.

Unfortunately there are casualties.

When you finally get to pull the trigger and achieve your aim I found it to be most satisfying. After many long hours of training and self-motivating it really is the pinnacle of a sniper’s career – the culminating point in becoming a sniper.

I had an extreme sense of achievement

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knowing that the target would not go on to kill or terrorise any more innocents. A feeling of a job well done.

The typical preparation prior to a task begins with the issuing of a ‘warning order’.

The command element issues its own to their men who will carry out concurrent activity, essential preparation while the head sheds are away getting orders or briefs. The warning order will inform the team as to who is doing what and when, and any likely tasks and admin points to carry out. The men then split into two groups.

Commanders gather as much information as possible – including previous patrol reports, maps and air photography, target pack information and weather forecast.

At the same time, ammo is cleaned and loaded, weapons cleaned, kit checked for serviceability and packed, water and rations packed, rest taken, eating done, models of target and general area built and maps studied.

The sort of sniping I did in Iraq was mostly very short, fast, urban snipes; I had very little time to observe the actions of a particular

target before I acted. If I was unsure of a target then it was left to carry on; maybe I would pick it up again later but there were so many targets that I usually just found another one. If the initial target was then seen to be carrying out an act within the rules of engagement then I shot him dead.

One incident I particularly recall is of a rather long firefight between two warring factions of the militia and a British Army callsign on patrol. I was on a roof top manning a .50cal when I saw a gunman spraying automatic fire indiscriminately around him from his vantage point on a roof. I had been on the receiving end of quite a few ambushes like this and knew how difficult it was to get back at a gunman higher than street level; any soldier who has fought in the built-up areas in Iraq knows it paid to get up high, very fast. Many of my contacts took place on the rooftops of the towns and cities we were tasked in.

So, there was this mad gunman spraying down below with small arms fire, possibly killing soldiers or even civilians without a care, so he had to be stopped. I had not

FEATURE | SNIPING

shot anyone with a .50cal before so I was interested to see the result. The target was 550m or so distant (I ranged it by laser accurately on the day but cannot remember the exact distance now). Conditions were perfect, I had good line of sight, exposed target on rooftop; ideal.

I pulled the trigger and watched the round hit the target. The bullet struck the metal body of the AK47 he was firing at the time. I remember it well because I used a flash tip round which struck near the change lever on the right-hand-side and went straight through into the target. It flashed on contact with the soft metal of the rifle. He fell when hit; thinking back he sort of folded in two. He continued to move for a little while but that was him pretty much done with. I made a mental note that I liked the rounds. I then moved onto observing for the next target – it was a rich environment at that time.

After each job or patrol tasking it would be the routine of base life. We would gather round and talk through our experiences on the task and give each other a chance to speak about their experience. It was good to talk, and as the commander I had to keep an eye on stress levels, behaviour and so on.

Often the relief of just getting back to base in one piece could be seen on the faces of my men. We had some pretty hard battles.

The reality was that we did not know who or

how many of us would make that return trip every time we went out the gate!

After a debrief where everything was discussed to ensure nothing was missed, I (patrol commander) would put my honesty trace on the Operations Room maps so a pattern of life was shown, reports written, weapons and equipment cleaned, new ammo stocks replenished by the 2IC, periodical foot inspection, food, sleep, letter writing, shower, chill out. The men would sit around and chat about the events of the day or night in their little groups, often inside under hard cover because of regular mortar fire. Lots of sniper tasks were done at night.

Then it would be back on barracks routine until the next duty or patrol – seven days a week. ■

SNIPER ONE: THE BOOK Dan’s book, Sniper One, was published

by Penguin Books in 2007. Andy McNab called it “one of the best first-hand accounts of combat I’ve ever read.” High praise indeed!

If you want a blisteringly good read, go buy a copy (ISBN 978-0-718-14994-9).

We’ve also had confirmation that Sniper One will be made into a film – watch this space!

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WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...

ASG CZ 75 P-07 DUTY GBB!

A faithful replica of CZ’s compact, tactical CZ75 P-07 Duty, this GBB pistol is one awesome bit of kit. Powered by a 12g CO2 capsule in the handgrip, and with a mag capacity of 12, it offers a very realistic pistol for your airsoft needs.

With an underbarrel Weaver-style rail and barrel threaded to take a silencer, ASG’s CZ75 P-07 Duty is the ideal base to build an excellent sidearm. Both grip and slide (which is metal) carry faithful markings, and each weapon has its own unique serial number.

Look out for a review of this tasty little beast in a future issue – or, enter our competition for your chance to test it yourself (forever!).

WORTH

£120

Huge thanks to ASG (www.actionsportgames.com) for providing this awesome prize!

QUESTION: In which year was the ORIGINAL CZ75 introduced (NOT the year the P-07 Duty was launched)?

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1965 ■

1970 ■

1975 ■

Post your entry to: CZ75 P07 Duty Competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘CZ75 P07 Duty Competition’ in the headline. Entries received after 6 August will not be valid. One entry per household. Winner will be first correct entry pulled from the editor's hat.

Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email

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HÄRKILA

BIG GAME, BIG PLAYER In his never-ending quest to find the best all-round boots available, Ratty becomes acquainted with Härkila of Scandinavia

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f I asked you to name a brand of quality, top-end desert boots, I highly doubt Härkila would feature on your list. Well, have I got some news for you.

Härkila of Scandinavia is well known in the hunting, shooting and stalking fraternity for its extensive range of top quality outdoors clothing, boots and accessories. Härkila offers everything from base layers, hunting shirts and big duty outdoors jackets and trousers to gloves, trekking socks and headgear. It even produces winter camo gear.

So when the ever-popular Härkila Big Game GTX 8in boot was released in desert tan colour it appealed on two fronts.

Firstly, for the military or security lads and lasses off out on a tour or working in hot climates they must be on your shortlist. Lightweight yet robust they also feature Härkila’s unique two-piece sole with a ‘pronation pillow’ on the inside of each heel, stopping your foot rolling over as you walk. This makes them very comfortable, even when worn for long periods of time and over long distances.

The Gore Tex Extended Comfort Lining upper is 1000D suede and leather and has the Härkila memory fit system, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit every time. Although Gore Tex isn’t ideal for hot climates, it is an added bonus for a winter tour.

Add to this a speed lace system which makes getting them on and off much easier.

Secondly – and more importantly for airsoft – these boots have one big advantage over other desert boots that I

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have owned. Here in the UK we don’t have many deserts, and most game sites are muddy and wet to some degree. So the first time you wear your new desert boots they’ll look like they have already been on a long hard tour by the end of your day’s gaming. Usually, once they have gone that way it’s very hard to bring them back – but not with these. A friend of mine has been wearing his all over winter at Chobham (and you can’t get much muddier and wetter than there!) and after a quick wipe down they look like new boots. The picture is of the boots in question, so no need to take my word for it. And given the UK’s climate, the Gore-Tex is better suited to these shores, helping keep your feet warm and dry.

I have always had a bit of a boot fetish,

with special affection for Danner and more recently 5.11. Anybody who knows me will tell you that I’m always rattling on about buying decent footwear, both from my Army days and now also for airsofting. If your feet are uncomfortable and start aching then it’s not long before the rest of your body follows suit. In the real world this makes you a liability to the rest of your section or can ruin your day’s airsofting. In the long term, cheap boots – or even

KIT TEST | HÄRKILA BOOTS

worse, second hand boots – can seriously damage your feet which can cause years of pain and agony.

My trial pair took very little time to wear in and so far they are extremely comfortable – to such an extent that I now wear them not only to work and on airsoft days, but also for going down the pub!

They will last an age and are worth every penny. ■

HARKILA BIG GAME GTX 8IN SAFARIS PRICE: Expect to pay around £200 For more information contact Simon Esnouf at Seeland: 07887 997788 or Ewen Steel (Scotland): 07912 934389 HARKILA: www.härkila.se

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TWO TONES

ON TEST Nige took a selection of two-tone guns over to Skirmish Airsoft at Billericay, to see what young gun players thought of them

O

pinion about two-tone airsoft guns is sharply divided. Like them or loathe them (some site operators have even banned them), without two-tones many young players simply wouldn’t have the chance to play airsoft.

For those that may be unaware, two-tone weapons are the brightly coloured guns you may have seen at sites or shops. The only legal stipulation for buying a two-tone is to be over-18; besides that anyone may own them. This means they are often used by players who cannot yet buy or own a realistic airsoft weapon.

Regular readers of Airsoft Action will

know that when we do any sort of test, we ensure that kit is put through its paces exactly as you would use it, and that it’s is done by the right people. So who better to test airsoft guns aimed at young players, than young players themselves?

I headed to Skirmish Airsoft at Billericay in Essex, where they were holding one of their regular woodland Boot Camp days. These days are aimed at players 14 years and upwards and elements of basic training are included in the day.

The six guns on test were: SRC SR36C (G36), SRC SR47 (AK47), Double Eagle M57A (L69A1 Sniper Rifle), Double Eagle M901C (AK47 Spetsnaz), Double Eagle M805A1 (M80) and Double Eagle M56C (M3 Pump-Action Shotgun). The

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PLAYER: STEVE LEWIS (18 years old; playing for about a year) WEAPON: Double Eagle M56C Pump-Action Shotgun.

LIKED: The test gun was great at close range, but 98 per cent of the time it is ineffective at longer ranges.

As it’s two-tone, and because of its size, it leaves you easily spottable. The sheer power of the M56B is amazing and at close range I’d take it any day.

DIDN’T LIKE: The gun is massive and the mag capacity is tiny, and more often than I care to think about I was left in the open while the enemy came to give me the good news!

OTHER COMMENTS: For those who buy this gun I wish you all the best as I hope you don’t mind taking a few hits when on advance to attack.

SCORE: 3/10 PRICE: £50

ARMOURY | TWO TONES SRCs were supplied by Just BB Guns and the Double Eagles by Target One Field Sports.

None of the players were aware of what we were going to do but when I asked for six volunteers to play with a two-tone gun there was no shortage of takers. The six each drew an envelope so had no idea of what gun they would be playing with, until they opened it.

They were then asked to play with the gun up until lunchtime (three hours) and complete a report on what they thought.

This way we would get their honest first impressions, which after all is what counts.

They were asked what they liked about the gun, what they didn’t like and if they had any other comments. They were then asked to give a mark out of 10 as an overall score.

PLAYER: ALISTER KETLEY (16 years old; first time playing airsoft) WEAPON: SRC SR47 LIKED: Lightweight, good range and reasonable power. Has a solid feel and feels well-built. Other than the magazine, I think this is a great gun and I would recommend it.

DIDN’T LIKE: The gun worked well until the magazine got jammed inside the gun.

Ed’s note: It turned out the mag release catch has a sharp edge on it, which cut into the plastic of the mag and prevented it from being released.

Once this edge had been gently filed down, along with the groove it had created on the mag, everything functioned as it should.

SCORE: 8/10 PRICE: £175

PLAYER: LIAM BOWLES (19 years old; playing for about two months) Weapon: Double Eagle M805A1 LIKED: It was light and the magazine was usable in my normal weapon.

DIDN’T LIKE: In general it felt like playing with a toy gun.

The hop-up on it was temperamental and the range was far too short for effective skirmish use. On the whole, a below-average weapon SCORE: 3/10 PRICE: £80

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LEGALLY SPEAKING… A two-tone gun is an imitation firearm which is either brightly coloured or transparent, to make it clearly distinguishable from the real thing. According to the VCR Act 2006 the gun must be 51 per cent or more of this colour (or transparent).

The colours are defined as: transparent, bright red; bright orange; bright yellow; bright green; bright pink; bright purple; and bright blue (VCR Act 2006 (Realistic Imitation Firearms) Regulations 2007).

As an imitation firearm, it is illegal to sell to anyone under 18 and it also illegal for an under 18 to purchase. However, there is nothing to prevent a parent from purchasing on behalf of an under-18 year old and then gifting the weapon. Note that the key word here is parent; it doesn’t give carte-blanche permission for older brothers, friends, mates or the bloke down the road to buy for you.

The bottom line is simply to be sensible. If you are under 18, take your parents along to where you want to buy the gun and you shouldn’t have any problems.

PLAYER: MAX MARKS (18 years old; been playing for about a year) WEAPON: Double Eagle M57A Sniper Rifle

LIKED: Good feel and weight and looks good.

Not too heavy. A well-done replica of the real weapon, with a good scope. It’s accurate and the rifle was easy to handle and use. Pick up and fire quickly, no need for a manual.

DIDN’T LIKE: Bolt was heavy and hard to pull back and fiddly to get into place.

Sheared off after 20 shots by simply pulling it back. Possibly not the best-made rifle. Not accessible for a left-handed player as bolt not ambidextrous.

ED’S NOTE: The thread holding the bolt assembly together stripped after a short period of use and, as Skirmish’s gunsmith was not on site, we couldn’t get it repaired on the day.

SCORE: 3/10 PRICE: £150

Looking at the results of the test it would be easy to jump to conclusions about what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’. Bear in mind that these are the first impressions from six individual players, though, and are totally subjective. Remember the adage: “One man’s meat is another man’s poison!” – and if you are thinking about buying any of the above, go and check them out for yourself before making any final decision.

What the results do show clearly, however, is that some guns cost more for a reason. Generally the players using sub-£100 weapons reported more issues

“None of the players were aware of what we were going to do but when I asked for six volunteers to play with a two-tone gun there was no shortage of takers” CONTACTS JUST BB GUNS: 01189 121052, www.justbbguns.co.uk TARGET ONE FIELD SPORTS: 0203 137 1244, www.targetonefieldsports.com

Note: Max had to shoot off before we took the photos, so one of his mates stepped in

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SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY: 01277 657777, www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

ARMOURY | TWO TONES PLAYER: CHARLES STEWARD (19 years old; playing for about a year) WEAPON: SRC SR36C

LIKED: Had good power and rate of fire as well as a good range. Brilliant magazine.

DIDN’T LIKE: The battery only lasted for about a 1,000 rounds before it died completely.

SCORE: 9/10 (Charles added: “Lost a mark due to the battery”)

PRICE: £160

PLAYER: SPENCER WALLER (13 years old; playing for eight months) WEAPON: Double Eagle M901C

LIKED: “Felt very robust, good rate of fire, solid mag loading and no mag wobble.”

DIDN’T LIKE: “Sometimes wouldn’t fire on semi-auto. Mag didn’t wind up well and hop-up was either too little or too much. Poor range generally.

SCORE: 5/10 PRICE: £85

with their gun, such as shorter range and lower power. If you want your two-tone to be an effective skirmish weapon you would do best to consider spending at least £120 – rather than spending less but often.

I’d like to add my thanks to those who volunteered and particularly to the six guys who ended up testing the guns.

Unfortunately Max Marks had to shoot off before I took the photos so one of his mates offered to take his place (nothing to do with getting his pic in Airsoft Action, of course!).

I’d also like to thank Jim Sidroy and the guys at Skirmish Billericay for allowing me to intrude on their day (and for the bacon roll and coffee when I arrived – most welcome!). ■

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DEALING WITH

DARKNESS It’s easier to fight when you can see your opponent, but what happens when the lights go out?

Billy Basics explains

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here’s no easy way to put this, but soldiering is a whole lot easier during the daytime. If you’re going to get into a ‘dust up’ make sure you do it during the day! Everyone involved will be more awake and able to see, so it’ll be more convenient for all concerned. And then we can relax in the evening… A much more gentlemanly way to scrap!

Sadly, someone decided years ago that they’d use the darkness to their advantage. Since then it’s been the industry standard. It was probably those pesky ninjas in Japan over 1,000

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years ago; they knew a thing or two about snurgling about in the darkness.

Apparently they used to sit in a cave for three days to become one with the darkness before they snuck out to do their thing – although modern-day boffins have discovered you can achieve much the same thing in 30 minutes… D’oh!

Incidentally, Ninjutsu is still practised and there are clubs throughout the UK. I can tell you from personal experience that it is a lot of fun, so check it out (I’m not getting commission by the way!).

But back to the darkness…

Night vision We talked about it in our rehearsals and ambush articles. It can be your enemy as well as your ally, and we already know that it complicates things. You need to know what your team are going to do in all circumstances. If you know them well – how they operate – then when you can’t see them or you’ve got no comms, you’ll hopefully know what they’re up to.

“What exactly is night vision, Billy?”

I thought you’d never ask. It’s the result of our evolution as a species. I love the idea of ‘Mk1 Man’ trotting about in the late evening

SKILLS ROOM | NIGHT OPS

“It was probably those pesky ninjas in Japan over 1,000 years ago; they knew a thing or two about snurgling about in the darkness” for a snack in his rabbit skin undies, and wallop! He gets munched by a passing beasty and the Creator has to go back to the drawing board after realising he has a serious design flaw.

Our eyes have two layers of receptors at the back of the eyeball called rods (for the dark) and cones (for daytime). The rods are much more numerous than the cones, but they don’t pick up colour, so they get put to use in the dark. Incidentally, animals that are adept at seeing in the dark are effectively colour blind, so nature has a way of evening out the benefits – then again I doubt the

animals mind! I think I’d trade colour vision for night vision if I had the choice, but I wouldn’t tell the Missus!

So what can ruin it? Light, basically, but not all light. For example, seeing a jumbo jet flying overhead at 10,000ft with landing lights flashing, or catching a glimpse of some stars through the clouds or seeing cars beyond say 200m away, will not particularly affect your night vision.

However if you’re doing a nav check, or your mate is tinkering with his kit with his head torch on and turns to look your way and shines it right in your face then forget it,

you’ll be screwed! It normally takes about 30 minutes of darkness to get it back and I have always maintained that head torches are a mixed blessing.

Avoiding blindness So what measures can we take to avoid having it ruined? Well first off, be very familiar with your kit so you don’t need light. Practise it – use light when you first venture out and then use it less. Don’t become reliant on it.

Being too reliant on anything is an inherent weakness, and these have a habit of biting us in the bum.

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Second is light discipline and awareness.

The thing I hate about head torches is that guys forget they have them on; they get used to the vision and wander around like Christmas trees. If you have to use it, use it sparingly and turn it off when you’re done.

If you’re not using it then stow it and make sure it can’t be turned on accidentally (put some sniper tape over it so you have to remove the tape to switch it on).

With pocket torches and Maglites, try covering the lens with a piece of black masking tape then prick a few holes in it with a pin. This will allow a very small amount of light out which will appear yellowy orange, as long as you don’t look directly into the lens it shouldn’t affect your vision too badly.

As a rule, when you use light make sure you get into cover, behind an obstacle or covered with a poncho or within your smock;

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SKILLS ROOM | NIGHT OPS

beware of thinking you’re concealed within a building: light bounces off walls and can give you away.

Many torches come with red filters these days because it won’t trash your night vision – a good option, but if you’re map reading you won’t be able to pick out the contour lines. How very inconvenient!

Shot in the dark In terms of firing your weapon at night, it’s always useful to close your shooting eye whenever light appears. If you have to look at distant vehicles, maps or even though night vision goggles or devices, guard your shooting eye so it is still good to go no matter what.

Because it’s dark you’re going to need a lot more time to get anywhere. Even basic movement creates noise and at night you’ll trip or snag your kit, so take it slow. Sound

will carry much further at night because our other senses are inhibited and our awareness of sound is increased, so in a nutshell the sound you make is what is going to give you away.

Some tips: if you’re not sure what’s ahead of you, or if you need confirmation, then get on your belt buckle. It will be quite different from this angle and might confirm to you what it is. This is a technique poachers still use when evading the gamekeeper. Also, rather than staring directly at something try and look a little to the left or right of it; the optic nerve at the back of your eye can be a blind spot at night, so doing a figure eight around your subject can reveal the detail.

Right, I’m off for some training in the rain.

Train hard guys and girls – and hopefully I’ll see you next month.

Billy out. ■

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SITE REVIEW | FIREBALL SQUADRON

FIREBALL SQUADRON Michael Jones regrets not taking his kit to Fireball Squadron, a Midlands-based venue that prioritises honesty over victory

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fter hearing about an airsoft site with true heritage I was eager to see what all the fuss was about.

On a typical British morning (read: wet and miserable) I made the drive to Fireball Squadron near Bassets Pole.

At first I was a little concerned that I’d gotten lost. Ahead was a huge sign for NPF Paintball, but as I slapped my sat-nav one of the staff pointed me down a track telling me: “Turn left at the fork and you’ll find it.”

A minute or so later I had parked up and was walking into the Safe Zone. I arrived early so there would be chance to nose around and have a good chat with as many people as possible. To my surprise the Safe Zone was already littered with players nattering away and it was still only 8am!

My first impressions went something like: ‘Wow! This Safe Zone’s big.’ Two large covered areas with built-in tables lined the right and left, with the game zone ahead of me.

A regular took pity on the lost puppy (me) and pointed the direction of the club

hut, where I met my contact. Martin Ryley welcomed me in and quickly introduced the rest of the management team over a coffee. After a short meet and greet we had a chance to walk the site while Martin explained the ins and outs of Fireball Squadron.

Fireball is a woodland site that shares a plot with the paintball I mentioned earlier – but don’t worry, they’re kept separate so nothing on the airsoft side is neon pink and sticky. As we walked the 20 acre site it was clear that this wasn’t just shrubs and trees. We’d barely begun when we found the first of many buildings. Purpose built, these structures offer a nice variety of cover and tight corners for assaulting and CQB. My personal favourite was the ‘Border’ which – as it says on the tin – spans the width of the site. A ‘checkpoint Charlie’ barricade in the centre was the cherry on top.

We returned to the Safe Zone where the last chrono was taking place. The site dictates 328fps with 10 per cent variation, meaning an absolute maximum of 360fps

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for all weapons, including snipers. After looking at the site it’s not hard to see the logic behind this and it certainly didn’t disgruntle the players.

Something I found unusual was the operation that Fireball Squadron runs. It’s not a business and no wages are paid to anyone. Any ‘profit’ that’s made is ploughed straight back into the site and its facilities.

As Martin began to rally the troops I was left with senior management’s Nick and Paul. As we chatted of the early days of 1998, when it first began, I started to notice a common theme developing.

The site is hosted, run and improved by volunteer members. These 60 or so members do literally everything: from website maintenance to build days and even emptying the chemical toilet – now that’s dedication.

General game rules were pretty standard, but the way in which they are enforced is something a bit different.

Fireball Squadron operates a zero tolerance policy on cheating – not just in

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terms of hit taking, but also dead players talking and so on. Accrue three strikes and you’re insta-banned. That said, they’re not the SS (they don’t have the fancy hats for a start) and the marshal team is a very friendly and professional bunch that resolves any issues swiftly.

Game one began, and judging by the brief both teams had their work cut out.

Intricate missions and sub-missions needed to be completed to claim ultimate victory. There was even a guest appearance from Osama Bin Lid. Unlike your normal skirmish the morning was dedicated to this one long game rather than lots of short 30 minute types.

Martin explained this was to allow players to really engage with the mission, and so that the sneakiest wouldn’t be interrupted by the whistle just as they were about to take the kill shot. The morning’s fighting was fierce and lunch was called just before everyone keeled over from exhaustion.

The club hut offered the usual drinks, chocolate and crisps, but if you fancied something a little more substantial the

SITE REVIEW | FIREBALL SQUADRON

Munchbox was only a few steps away.

Mother and son team Elaine and Stuart provide excellent produce at a great price.

I honestly cannot remember a tastier burger, or laughing quite as much as I did at Stuart’s jokes.

During the break I got the chance to talk more and better understand the drive behind Fireball Squadron. I picked up on the same message from everyone I spoke to: “Airsoft is a bit of fun.” This was certainly the attitude of the crew.

I think people come to FBS for the social as much as for the game itself.

It really was like one big family. As it’s not a business it doesn’t care about the margins, so there are many benefits passed straight to the players. The first day’s hire is completely free on a ‘try before you buy’ approach. The prices in the shop are also very well priced, including BBs and pyro.

Lunch ended and lots of full bellies made their way out for the next briefing – which involved another complex set of instructions with bonus intel on offer.

It included everything from RPGs to presidential families, with no hint of capture the flag in sight. Both teams pushed hard with lots of smaller firefights taking place around the large assault on the Border. It was great to watch – I only

wish I’d brought some kit along. As end-ex was called the sweaty horde headed back to the Safe Zone, beaming faces all round.

As people started to pack up I got a chance for some final words with the organisers. What is clear is how much love, passion and dedication Martin, Nick, Paul and everyone in their team have for Fireball Squadron and airsoft itself. The site isn’t so much a location to them, but another team member. They run their day how they would like to play at another site and the idea really works.

The site has everything you need for an action packed day, both inside the game zone and out. I enjoyed my time with the guys at Fireball Squadron and my trigger finger was itching from start to finish.

A great day out for very little money – if you’re not far away this is definitely not one to miss. ■

FIREBALL SQUADRON Bassets Pole, B75 5SA Age restricted: 16+ only PRICES Walk-on: £20 Rifle hire: £20 (first hire free!)

TEL: 07582 684533 WEB: www.fireballsquadron.com

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TOKYO MARUI SIG SAUER P226 E2 Baz Collins finds out if the TM Sig P226 E2, which caused a lot of buzz on its announcement last year, is all its cracked up to be

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ost people will know the Sig P226. It’s everywhere – used by more than 50 different forces in 25 countries – and has been used the world over for a long whiles.

The E2 (pronounced E-Squared) on the other hand is relatively new, showing its face for the first time around the 2010 mark. The difference between the two is that the E2 has a new short reset trigger and a more ergonomic grip. The airsoft version has the obvious grip change, along with a reinforced valve knocker, new style/ design magazine and a grey finished slide.

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First impressions With typical TM quality the gun comes in some very nice boxing, well padded and equally well-presented. I have to say I love opening up TM pistols – the presentation just reeks of quality! Upon removing it you can feel how solid the gun is – and while a plastic gun is never as solid as a metal gun or a metalslided gun, it still looks and feels good nonetheless. The gun is finished well in a nice matt black and matt grey blend with clear markings and a clean white-painted E2 at the front of the slide.

Despite having no metal externals it still has a decent weight to it. Selectors

are a little closer to hand than on earlier models, making one-handed operation simpler – so though it’s a full-size pistol it is well suited to users with smaller hands.

Internally it’s everything you expect from TM pistols – fantastic! Very well put together, everything is nice and snug with good lubrication though I would still recommend that you give the gun a good clean after each game day. As mentioned, the main upgrade to the internals is the valve knocker. This was supposedly weak (but I have never used the standard model so can’t comment) so TM has reinforced it. Time will tell

THEARMOURY ARMOURY| |PISTOL KA THOMPSON REVIEW if this has solved the problems of its predecessor.

The magazine has also been redesigned to give a better resemblance to the military 15-round model, whereas the original was fashioned on the 10-round civilian model. I don’t know what the gas reservoir was like – but the E2’s is amazing! I got a full three mags’ worth on one fill, which is quite gob-smacking. Oh, and this wasn’t in my house or a nice warm room – this was mid-game in the rain! This may be due to a tiny after-market upgrade in the form of the Nineball gas routers (mag lip seal) which really helps with the flow and consistency of the gas release. I highly recommend this cheap upgrade (available for around £7 from various sources) to your magazines.

On test TM boasts that the new magazine has 20 per cent better thermal gas efficiency over the old magazines, and while I couldn’t possibly confirm the exact numbers it did fare extremely well in play. On the day in question the temperature was around 8°C. I did go a little mad with the gun, emptying it pretty quickly and reloading, then

“The Nineball gas routers (mag lip seal) really helps with the flow and consistency of the gas release. I highly recommend this cheap upgrade to your magazines” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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ARMOURY | PISTOL REVIEW

emptying again, and still suffered no venting problems whatsoever.

A little point I should add is that normal P226 mags will apparently fit and feed well, and vice versa, though I did not have one to test personally unfortunately. You’d do well to check this yourself before you jump into buying one – especially if you have a stack of standard P226 mags you want to use!

I used the pistol for an entire game day and it was very impressive indeed, although not a particular surprise given its pedigree. The pistol’s grouping was exceptional: at 10m (taking pauses between shots) I was scoring extremely tight groupings in a 4in diameter (and believe me, that’s an incredible grouping

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for a pistol that I’m holding!). The gun can reach out easily to 30m and beyond.

After the game day I also used the gun in a CQB night game, in an area which was rather cold at night. The air temperature hovered roughly around the -2°C mark.

Once again, as expected by this point, the pistol performed without fault.

I really can’t recommend this pistol enough. It’s similarly priced to most other TM pistols and well worth every penny of that pricetag. Given its impressive performance, massive gas reservoir and its generally bad-ass looks this is a must for anyone searching for a pistol that will work, without fault, time and time again.

At the time of writing, this gun was

out of stock everywhere – a testament to its quality – so thanks to my friend Gus for loaning me his! ■

TM SIG SAUER P226 E 2 LENGTH: 194mm WEIGHT: 740g CONSTRUCTION: ABS MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 25-round FIRING MODE: Semi-auto POWER SOURCE: GBB, non-CO2 VELOCITY: 270fps PRICE: Expect to pay around £150 REDWOLF AIRSOFT WEB: www.redwolfairsoft.com

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PRACTICAL PISTOL | COMPETITION

The day after The Airsoft Arms Fair, The Grange hosted a full-on AIPSC Competition and Nige was there to watch the action

AIPSC COMPETITION

THE GRANGE I

nternational Practical Shooting Confederation isn’t something that trips off the tongue – and when you add the word airsoft to the front it becomes even more cumbersome. But don’t be fooled, IPSC is huge! A visit to the organisation’s website (www.ipsc.org) reveals regional organisations in nearly 80 different countries. IPSC recognises all shooting disciplines; Handgun, Rifle, Shotgun and Action Air. According to the IPSC website, “IPSC shooters need to blend accuracy, power, and speed into a winning combination.

Multiple targets, moving targets, targets that react when hit, penalty targets, or even partially covered targets, obstacles, movement, competitive strategies, and

other techniques are all a part of IPSC to keep shooters challenged and spectators engaged.” Note those last two words – this is a spectator sport!

IPSC in the UK You may already know that in the UK, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 banned all ‘high calibre’ handguns – those above .22 calibre (5.6mm). Following the Dunblane Massacre the new Labour Government under Tony Blair took this one stage further with The Firearms (Amendment)(No.2) Act 1997, which banned the private ownership of all cartridge ammunition handguns, regardless of calibre. This resulted in almost total stoppage of competitive and recreational handgun shooting. We are

still allowed air weapons though, and this has lead to the emergence of Action Air Shooting.

In IPSC only full power handguns are used (9mm or larger), but with the vast range of high-quality airsoft pistols now available it didn’t take long for pistol shooters to rediscover their competitive shooting skills. AIPSC is now a popular and growing pastime here in the UK. A few months ago I reported on The East Barnet Shooting Club, where practical pistol shooters meet on a regular basis and where Malcolm Dowding introduced me to Action Air – shooting a series of static targets while moving through a complex range. I could see the potential of this discipline and was delighted when Jim Sefton invited

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AIPSC involves shooting from all positions at a huge variety of target types

“It soon became clear that, to be a successful AIPSC shooter you need to do three things: Practice… practice… practice!” me to cover an AIPSC competition at The Grange, following the Airsoft Arms Fair.

AIPSC competition The match would take place over a series of 11 stages and would be shot in two divisions – Open and Standard. There are a number of differences between the two, specifically in size and mag capacity, but the most obvious to the casual observer is that the Open division allows for such things as optical/electronic sights and other accessories. The stages were both indoor and outdoor, with the marquee used for the Arms Fair turned into a large indoor range with a huge variety of targets.

Targets are predominantly made of brown, pear-drop-shaped cardboard and consist of three scoring zones (Alpha, Charlie and Delta), plus a negative-scoring ‘Miss’ zone. These targets can be used in combination, placed at angles, placed high or low (or flat), or even partly obscured

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by ‘No Hit’ zones to create a challenging shooting lane. Static and knock-over metal targets are also used, which are considerably smaller and offer no margin for error.

I won’t go into the rules too deeply – there are 64 pages of them – but will mention the one, overriding, allencompassing one: safety!

Safety is controlled by a Range Officer and any breach of the rules can (and does) lead to disqualification. The rules are designed for shooting lethal-barrelled weapons and no allowance is made for airsoft guns as this ensures natural compliance, should an AIPSC shooter shoot IPSC. So, following that somewhat lengthy intro, how did the match go?

There were a total of 22 entrants, four in the Open division and 18 in the Standard, and I was happy to see that Malcolm and Mark from East Barnet were taking part. The shooters

PRACTICAL PISTOL | COMPETITION

OPEN DIVISION RESULTS WINNER 2 3 4

Tony Cole Fred Meegan Ronnie Graham Mark Hurding

873.3321 points 786.0779 points 704.2711 points 679.0267 points

STANDARD DIVISION RESULTS WINNER 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Malcolm Dowding Mike Cripps Steve Brett Rob Johnson Steve Birtwhistle Vince Durrant Andrew Brett Kristian Horlock Aaron Coleman Terry Dove

917.2818 points 912.6260 points 815.5470 points 793.1442 points 789.8065 points 761.5249 points 758.9461 points 720.0594 points 687.5387 points 649.7644 points

were divided into groups which would move around the various stages, laid out around The Grange. Shooters were given the opportunity to walk-through each stage immediately beforehand, to locate the numerous targets and draw a picture in their mind as to how they would complete it. This was vitally important as AIPSC is not just about accuracy, it is also about speed – wasting time trying to find a target could be very costly.

I am not going to do a blow-by-blow account of the match – there was simply too much shooting going on for that – but I’ve got to say that it was fascinating to watch. It soon became clear that, to be a successful AIPSC shooter you need to do three things: practise, practise, practise!

It only takes one small slip or lapse of concentration and even the best shooters can suddenly find themselves struggling!

Scoring Another thing I really liked was that until the match was actually over and the scores calculated, nobody really knew for certain who the winner would be. The scoring system really does level the playing field – it’s quite complex so I’ll try to explain it as simply as possible…

For every stage, each shooter’s points tally is divided by the amount of time it took them to complete the stage, to give them a Hit Factor. The shooter with the highest Hit

Factor is awarded maximum Stage points for that particular stage (now you see why both accuracy and speed are important). All other shooters’ Hit Factors are then calculated as a percentage of the stage winner’s score and they are awarded that percentage of the maximum Stage points figure.

Once all stages are complete, the individual stage points are added up to determine the eventual winner.

And the winner is…

The winner of Open Division, with a total score of 873.3321 points, was Tony Cole.

Malcolm Dowling took Standard Division, just managing to pip Mike Cripps with a score of 917.2818, to Mike’s 912.6260. In racing terms, that’s like winning Le-Mans by a couple of thousandths of a second!

Huge congratulations to Tony and Malcolm, and many thanks to Jim Sefton and all at The Grange for their hospitality and a thoroughly professionally-run AIPSC tournament. ■

AIRSOFT IPSC Contact The Grange for more information about upcoming AIPSC or for details of its Practical Pistol Shooting Club.

TEL: 01676 532384 WEB: www.suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk

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FEATURE | PISTOL RELIABILITY

But surely it’s too cold, old boy?

Not necessarily, Mike Buttrick says

PISTOLS

AT DAWN S

ince the dawn of man there have been episodes of combat between two individuals, whether it was for the purpose of gaining land and goods or to repay a slight. The middle ages saw the creation of the medieval code of chivalry which brought a degree of honour and gravitas to the task of duelling – provided you were a member of the nobility or upper classes, as generally no one else could afford a fine rapier or well-crafted pistol.

Duelling was a way of defending your honour but it was not unknown for talented and unscrupulous military officers to use the flimsy pretext of a slight to use a duel for the sole purpose of killing a senior officer to get

promotion to the recently-deceased’s position.

Thankfully duels were gradually phased out following the industrial revolution and society’s movement away from the old world order of elitist society. But would a duel work in airsoft to defend your honour were you to be accused of cheating?

The most likely answer would be no – duelling with rubber daggers would go on until one individual gave in from exhaustion, which would be incredibly boring after the first 16 seconds, and pistols just aren’t reliable enough.

This is something of a shame as I think that an honourable duel may help to prevent aggressive outbursts, the likes of which I witnessed recently at

a game and which led to two players being banned from the club and reported to the police.

Before the electric pistol lovers out there challenge me to a duel for besmirching their beloved guns let me clarify my last statement: under the old code of chivalry a duel had to be fought with equal and fair weapons.

In this scenario an electric pistol can always been seen as more reliable than a gas pistol because it will work in almost all weather conditions, whereas the traditional gas pistol would most likely vent on a cold day – leaving its owner looking foolish and dead as he or she is hit by a solitary BB fired from a pistol with a lower velocity but greater efficiency.

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This begs the question: why are gas pistols are so unreliable in temperate weather, and is there an alternative?

Reliability Gas pistols have traditionally been unreliable in cold weather as the gas that powers them is 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane, commonly known as R134a, a gas commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. I previously trained as an air conditioning and refrigeration engineer so I could wax lyrical about the properties of the gas and Boyle’s Law, but I do actually want you to keep reading and not fall asleep so I will keep it simple.

Short version: at higher temperatures R134a is a gas with high pressure, while at low temperatures it becomes a liquid with lower pressure.

Boyle’s Law shows us that when a high pressure gas is put into a container under great pressure, when vented it will escape with great pressure. But as the gas is used and the pressure reduces so will the velocity that the pistol fires at – meaning that on a winter day the molecules in the gas of your pistol just aren’t ‘agitated’ enough to have the power to discharge the heavy moving parts of the pistol. The effect of the gas becoming more solid forces the magazine to vent.

The alternatives Green gas is probably the most common alternative to R134a, so what is it? Typically green gas is a mixture of propane and silicone-based lubricant oil, which gives a better result than R134a because it does not suffer from the same chemical properties. It is

more stable at lower temperatures and can be used in winter.

The major problem with green gas is that propane is flammable, so a poorly-stored gas canister can result in a leak that is hard to disperse because propane is heavier than oxygen and will pool on the floor. A simple spark from a piece of electrical equipment in your garage (such as a freezer) could result in an explosion, likely small in size due to the limited quantity of gas but still not ideal.

Another good alternative, which in my experience is used more rarely than green gas, is CO2. This is an inert gas so it does not pose the same flammability problem as green gas. It also has a higher pressure profile than

“Many pistols are designed specifically for R134and can operate green gas without any problems, but the higher pressures created by CO2 can lead to broken or fractured slide mechanisms” 060

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R134a and green gas so it will attain higher fps and give you more bang for your buck if you have a blowback pistol – but herein lies the major problem.

Many pistols are designed specifically for R134and can operate green gas without any problems, but the higher pressures created by CO2 can lead to broken or fractured slide mechanisms.

Not all pistols suffer this problem as they are specifically designed to withstand the pressures that CO2 causes – the WE Para Ordnance P14 is a prime example, as it’s sold in a box clearly advertising the benefits of it being powered by either propellant.

CO2 I recently sold my beloved, lightweight KSC Glock 18C and purchased a WE High Capa with the express intent of converting to CO2. I had tried to find a suitable adaptor for the Glock but after a little research I discovered that using it with such a strong propellant was likely to shatter parts of the topslide. I decided to bite the bullet and buy the more sturdy High Capa.

Apart from the superior strength of the topslide parts my purchase decision was also guided by the fact that CO2 magazines are more readily available for the WE pistols – sadly I could not find any through the UK

FEATURE | PISTOL RELIABILITY

retailers as they had all sold out (but at least they do normally stock them) but easily found one through www.gunfire. pl for £20. As the website is based in Poland (part of the European Union) there was no import tax to pay. Some of you may be thinking that £80 for a pistol and a further £20 for a magazine is a bit steep, but I urge you to consider whether the slight cost increase will be worthwhile if you can use your pistol all year round.

Personally I thought it a small price to pay for a pistol that doesn’t become useless from November through to

March – especially when I saw I was consistently getting 315fps and a range of 40-50m at an outside game with an ambient temperature of 3°C. A further advantage that the CO2powered pistol have over alternatives is the mode of storage; CO2 comes in a handy 12g canister which is far easier and safer to carry on the field than a large can. I have carried up to 10 canisters around with me for a day’s play without noticing any difference and I could easily have reduced the

load to three as each canister lasted me for between two and three magazine refills. The price isn’t bad either: a quick internet search just found me 20 canisters for £14 on Amazon.

As some of the more alert readers may have already figured out, 315fps in winter conditions could quite easily translate to 350fps in the heat of the summer. If this does happen then I shall return to my backup plan – the 134a magazine that came with the High Capa when I bought it, so I’m still quids

in! Unfortunately I can’t test for this drawback yet as I have to wait for that one magical day that counts as British summer!

Hopefully I have given you some food for thought and you will have found the information of some use, but please do remember – if you choose to challenge someone to a duel at airsoft make sure that you get the CO2-powered pistol or you could have a dawning realisation of pain and embarrassment. ■

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COLD WAR WARRIOR | US RIFLEMAN 1984

US ARMY RIFLEMAN C.1946:

BRIGHT STAR OPERATIONS, EGYPT Gadge Harvey takes a closer look at the US Army’s early desert dabbling

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old War tensions rose while the eyes of the world watched the Iron Curtain but America, unlike most European nations, wisely considered the possibility of a Third World War in the Middle East.

Aware that the US army would have to contribute the majority of its strength into safeguarding Central Europe, the US government invested billions of dollars into building up their Middle Eastern allies and perfecting arms co-operation between these allied nations. With this goal in mind, every two years the US army would conduct a major desert warfare exercise known as ‘Bright Star’ in which Egyptian and American forces would train for and conduct extensive military operations against a simulated enemy.

Beginning in 1980 these joint operations have strengthened ties between US and Egyptian forces and have even survived the end of the Cold War. Following the US actions in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield in the early 90s, the Bright Star Operations have actually grown larger and more sophisticated than ever before. While initially they featured only US and Egyptian forces, recent exercises have seen many UN and NATO members take part including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece, while representatives from Middle Eastern and Arab countries have included The United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Kuwait.

For the purpose of this article we’ll focus on the US involvement in early Bright Star exercises and their equipment specificallydesigned for a desert war. The initial 1980 US/ Egyptian operation focussed on co-ordination between the allied armies and US soldiers

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were trained to understand how their Egyptian allies operated in times of war. Eventually a standardised system of command was created to be used by both parties and the exercise usually culminated in a large-scale field exercise to combine the theory and planning into practical battlefield applications.

The first units to train for this multinational desert warfare were the men of the 101st Airborne Division. Men of the 1st battalion, 502nd Infantry regiment (along with supporting USAF personnel) were equipped with desert warfare kit from stores and shipped to Egypt to take part in the first exercise in 1980.

The following exercise in 1982 incorporated elements of the US Navy and carrier operations co-ordination – and by the mid-80s it had grown to include the use of both nations’ air forces and special operations troops.

Lessons of Vietnam The US Army has experimented with myriad camouflage schemes over the decades, but by the 1960s had decided upon a striking sixcolour desert camouflage pattern known to the

“While the ‘choc chip’ desert uniform was well-designed in cut and functionality, it transpired to be less than effective camouflage in combat situations” 064

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troops as ‘choc chip’ owing to its resemblance to a certain type of cookie!

The six-colour desert battle dress uniform (BDU) was a continuation of the highly successful jungle fatigues developed during the 1960s and worn throughout the Vietnam War. It utilised the same lightweight fabrics, capacious cargo pockets and well-tailored cut. The particular BDU cut of the ‘choc chip’ uniform in this article was authorised for desert use by the US army in 1982, but as mentioned variants in this pattern had been in development since 1967. In the 1960s there was no pressing need for the uniform and prototypes were shelved until the 1980s.

The first units to be issued the new BDU cut six-colour camouflage were units slated for ‘Army Central Command’, expected to be able to deploy rapidly to the Middle East should any flashpoint occur. In fact the ACC was originally called the RDF – Rapid Deployment Force. By the late 1980s the US army had substantial stocks of this uniform, although only core items were made in desert camouflage.

Along with the well-designed jacket and trousers, a wide brimmed jungle hat was made in the same pattern (in many ways identical to those developed late in the Vietnam War) and was popular with the troops. Other items

COLD WAR WARRIOR | US RIFLEMAN 1984 required by the soldiers on desert operations tended to be manufactured in European theatre shades of green and brown though. No helmet cover was manufactured in ‘choc chip’ until the very late 1980s and many soldiers improvised with sandbag covers for their M1 helmets (the ‘choc chip’ cover was made only for the PASGT system of helmet and body armour). Cold weather and chemical protection kit was also issued in temperate woodland schemes and would still be a problem for the US army well into the first Gulf War. While the ‘choc chip’ desert uniform was well-designed in cut and functionality, it transpired to be less than effective camouflage in combat situations. This was discovered during Operation Desert Shield in the 1990s.

The camouflage pattern was designed for deserts similar to those in Nevada in the US with a large amount of rock formations and broken ground, and when used in the flatter and smoother deserts of the Persian Gulf the design was somewhat conspicuous. Many in the US called for a better replacement pattern.

Six-colour ‘choc chip’ soldiered on throughout the 80s however, and endured the first Gulf War before being retired in favour of a less dramatic ‘three-colour‘ design around 1992.

Our soldier’s footwear is also a development

of Vietnam-era kit. During the Vietnam War, lightweight canvas and leather jungle boots had been developed to allow the wearer’s feet to ‘breathe’ while still providing excellent ankle support and grip. Here our rifleman wears the desert version of the boot, more or less identical to the jungle variant but using suede rather than leather to prevent the uppers cracking in an arid environment.

While many soldiers used either the standard leather high-leg infantry boot or jungle boots, these desert boots were beginning to be issued as a trial to some units.

Airsoft kit During Operation Bright Star 1984, the webbing issued was the LC2 ‘ALICE’ (All-purpose Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment) and once again a continuation of the M56 webbing of the Vietnam war era. Made in strong olive green nylon the ALICE system allows the soldier to clip whichever pouches are required for his mission quickly and easily on to a core belt and yoke base.

Our rifleman carries additional ammo pouches (two are worn as standard). The L2 pouches allow soldiers to clip a fragmentation grenade to the nylon loops on each side for easy access.

The upper front of the webbing yoke sports a small nylon compass pouch which would normally carry a compass, but is a very useful addition to airsoft webbing for carrying a variety of small items such as Allen keys, BFG reloading pins and the like. In addition to the extra ammunition pouches you will notice than two canteens are carried. A second canteen is essential kit in a desert environment and many soldiers also carried the larger capacity ‘two quart’ square canteen.

Our rifleman also carries a sidearm in a drop leg

holster. While personal sidearms were more common among private soldiers in the US army than any other army at the time, you’ll note that as with most of our impressions in Cold War Warriors this is merely a practical addition for skirmishing rather than an accurate representation.

The primary weapon, however, of this infantry soldier is the venerable M16A2 assault rifle. The M16A2 was a redesign of the classic US rifle which took into account the hard-learnt lessons of Vietnam. Post-combat studies had found that the full-automatic fire capability of early M16s had meant soldiers needlessly wasted ammunition. The M16A2 rectified this by replacing full-auto fire with a three-round burst option. Reliability was also improved in the M16A2, but in airsoft terms most M16A2s perform as well (and identically) to other models – and few actually feature a threeround burst option.

The foresight in training and equipping soldiers for a major desert war paid off for the US Army. Within a decade of the first Bright Star Operation the world would see wellprepared US soldiers putting their planning and training into effect during Operation Desert Storm, as US troops rolled over the border to liberate Kuwait! ■

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NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION

P51 MUSTANG Although probably not the ‘war-winning weapon’ some say it was, the P51 certainly was a decisive factor in the aerial battle over Germany. Ratty explains…

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espite the weather, this is supposedly the time of year when families gather together at their nearest airfield for the local air show.

With many different types of aircraft both on static display, as well as being put through their paces in the air, it’s the war birds that most people want to see. You cannot help get stirred up by the likes of Spitfire, Hurricane, Tomahawk, Lightning and Hellcat. Perhaps the most famous fighter from across the pond is the North American Aviation (NAA) P51 Mustang.

These aircraft also star in the recent George Lucas film Red Tails about the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group during WWII. Oh, and Tom cruise owns one as well!

Design and development Just after Germany ‘annexed’ Austria in 1938, the British Government established a purchasing commission in the United Sates, headed up by Sir Henry Self. One of his tasks was to research and organise the manufacture and supply of American Fighter aircraft for the RAF. At that time there was a very limited choice, as no US

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aircraft already in production met European standards. The closest was the Curtiss P40 Tomahawk, but the Curtiss factory was already running at full capacity.

The president of NAA, ‘Dutch’ Kindelberger, said that they could have a better aircraft in the air. The stipulation was that the aircraft must be armed with four .303 machine guns, be powered by the Allison V-1710 liquid cooled engine, have a production cost of no more than $40,000 per unit and deliver the first production aircraft by January 1941.

The design, known as NA-73X, had several innovative features. One was its wing design, which used laminar flow airfoils (NAA/NACA 45-1000) and generated very low drag at high speeds. It also had a radiator where heated air exited the radiator as a form of jet thrust. The NA73X was one of the first aircraft to have a fuselage designed mathematically using conics to give smooth, low drag, surfaces.

The first prototype appeared on 9 September 1940, with its maiden flight on 26 October, only 149 days since the order for 320 aircraft was placed. The prototype flew and handled well, and

BIG BOYZ TOYZ | P51 MUSTANG it also had a very impressive fuel load capacity. It was armed with four Browning M1919 .30 calibre machine guns. Two were housed in the wings while the other two were mounted under the engine and fired through the propeller arc using gun synchronising gear.

Once in service with the RAF, upgrades and modifications continued, culminating in what is seen as the definitive version: the P-51D. This version was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a licence-built version of the Rolls Royce Merlin 60 series, two-stage two-speed supercharged engine. It was also up-armed, now carrying six 0.50 M2 Browning machine guns. These design changes and upgrades made the P-51D a very different and capable beast.

Operational service: European theatre Early P51s (fitted with the Allison engine) entered service with the RAF as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft and fighter bomber. However, it was the Americans who really saw the full potential of the aircraft. With its large fuel capacity the Mustang was ideal as a long range fighter or fighter escort.

“Reichmarshal Herman Goring, commander of the Luftwaffe, was famously quoted saying: “When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up” Before WWII the doctrine for most bomber forces was to attack at night.

In the early days of the war the RAF attempted some long-range daylight raids, but due to lack of a fighter escort force they suffered high casualties. This practice was soon abandoned in favour of night raids.

The US already had a long-range bomber in service. The B17 had been designed to attack shipping in daylight, at long distances from the coast of the US. The USAAC believed that tightly-packed formations of B-17s would have more than enough firepower to fend off fighters on their own. Building up a strategic bomber force in the UK, this strategy was soon put to the test.

The allies put together the ‘Combined Bomber Offensive’ (CBO) which planned for round-the-clock bombing. The RAF would take on night bombing while the USAAF (formerly USAAC) would take on all daylight bombing raids. In June 1943, a point-blank directive was issued by the Combined Chiefs of Staff to destroy the Luftwaffe, before the invasion of Europe, putting the CBO into full effect. The 8th Air Force started a series of deep penetration raids into Germany, beyond the range of escort fighters. Losses were severe – 20 per cent in one raid alone! Clearly, a fighter escort was required.

Escort duty The Mustang was a simple design, with a reliable and common engine and a massive fuel capacity. With external fuel tanks fitted they could escort the bombers all the way to Germany and back. Enough P-51Bs, later supplemented by P-51Ds (from mid-1944) were available to both the 8th and 9th Air Force.

Mustang fighter groups flew ahead of the bomber formations so they could go and hunt the German fighters as they were forming up. This change of tactics made for some astonishing results. In just over one week the Luftwaffe lost 17 per cent of its fighter pilots, which by this point in the war were a rare commodity at best. Even Luftwaffe fighter ace Adolf Galland admitted that with this change of tactic, Germany had effectively lost the air war.

Mustangs also proved effective against V-1 rockets. Using 150 octane fuel, they were fast enough to intercept the ‘doodlebugs’ in flight.

Reichmarshal Herman Goring, commander of the Luftwaffe, was famously quoted saying: “When I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up.”

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Other theatres P-51s were also used in the European theatre in the Italian and Mediterranean campaigns.

By 8 May 1945, the 8th, 9th and 15th US Air Force P-51 groups laid claim to some 4,950 enemy aircraft. This was almost half the amount shot down by the USAAF in the European theatre. They also claimed 4,131 aircraft destroyed on the ground. There was a price to pay for all this – out of the 213,873 sorties Mustangs flew in, losses amounted to around 2,520.

The top Mustang ace was George Preddy, whose final tally was 26 – 23 of these in his P-51, until he was shot down and killed by friendly fire on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. Chuck Yaeger achieved 12 kills, including two Me 262s in his P-51D Mustang, Glamorous Glennis III.

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By the end of the war a P-51D Mustang would set you back $51,000.

Post-war At the end of WWII the P-51 was selected as the standard piston engine fighter.

The P (for Pursuit) was now changed to an F (for Fighter) and already existing F-designated aircraft (for photographic reconnaissance) was dropped. By 1951, although still in general service, as jet fighters came into operational service, many Mustangs went to the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve where they were used throughout the 1950s or ended up in storage.

Mustangs proved themselves highly useful during the Korean War. A substantial number were brought out of storage and shipped via aircraft carrier to the combat zone. Flown by both the USAF and the

Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), most were fitted out to carry modern rockets and bombs and used as ground attack aircraft, while the rest were used for photo reconnaissance.

The last USAF Mustang was finally withdrawn from service with the West Virginia National Guard in 1957. This F-51D is now on display at the National Museum of the USAF.

After service life The final withdrawal of the Mustang from the USAF meant hundreds were available on the civilian market from as little as $1,500. Many were sold for $1 each to countries who had signed the ‘InterAmerican Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance’ (I kid you not!). The rights for the Mustang design were sold to Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, who attempted to market the surplus Mustang aircraft in the US and

BIG BOYZ TOYZ | P51 MUSTANG

overseas. They also initiated their own upgrade programme.

The USAF purchased batches of remanufactured Mustangs from Cavalier, mostly destined for South American and Asian countries participating in the Military Assistance Programme. These aircraft were fitted with new engines and new armaments. More were updated militarily and sold to US-friendly countries – and some were still in service until the mid1980s. The last Mustang brought down in combat occurred during Operation Power Pack in the Dominican Republic in 1965, and the last combat Mustang finally retired in 1984. In 1968, the US military used an F-51D as a chase aircraft for the Lockheed YEH-56 Cheyenne armed helicopter project. This was so successful that the Army bought two more from Cavalier as chase aircraft. Once the Cheyenne project

ended these aircraft were employed on other projects. From its initial entry into WWII with the RAF, to its post-war combat life, Mustangs of all types saw service duty with over 28 countries!

In 1958, 78 Mustangs were retired from the Royal Canadian Air Force. Lynn Garrison, an RCAF pilot, flew each of these aircraft to Canastota, New York where American Buyers came to purchase them. It is these aircraft which make up a large percentage of Mustangs presently flying worldwide today.

Civilian use and modern day The Mustang was heavily used in air racing. This sport is still as popular in the US today as it was after the war. The speed and agility of the P-51, especially the P-51D, made it an ideal chassis for the sport. Most air racing Mustangs have their

wings clipped, the canopies made smaller and are given smaller tail fins. Original engines were tweaked to produce more horsepower and in more recent times modern engines have been fitted.

Many are owned by enthusiastic individuals, groups and organisations who own, maintain and fly them Mustangs at airshows around the world. In the US, according to the FAA, there are 204 privately-owned P-51s most of which are still flying. One of the most famous Mustangs is the P-51D Kiss Me Kate, a part of Tom Cruise’s personal collection.

There were only a couple of original P-51s for sale at the time of writing. A project P-51D requiring full restoration is up for grabs at $650,000. A fully airworthy and registered P-51D is for sale in Texas for a mere $2,145,000. I wonder if they’ll take an IOU? ■

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SMITH OPTICS ELITE:

AEGIS ARC

EYESHIELDS Nige checks out the new offering from Smith Optics – but was he impressed?

FEATURES t #BMMJTUJD JNQBDU QSPUFDUJPO NFFUT 64 BOE &/ 4UBOEBSET t "DUJWF WFOUJMBUJPO DIBOOFM FYIBVTUT BJS GPS JNQSPWFE airflow t 1JW-PDL MFOT JOUFSDIBOHF UFDIOPMPHZ BMMPXT GPS GBTU lens exchange t .FHPM UFNQMFT BOE TPGU OPTF IPME FZFTIJFME JO QMBDF t 5BQFSFE MFOT UFDIOPMPHZ DPSSFDUT EJTUPSUJPO t "OUJ GPH BOE TDSBUDI SFTJTUBOU DPBUJOH PO BMM MFOTFT t -FOTFT QSPWJEF QFS DFOU QSPUFDUJPO GSPN IBSNGVM UVA/UVB/UVC rays t $PNQBUJCMF XJUI 4NJUI &MJUF t *OUFSDIBOHFBCMF 3Y TZTUFN

AEGIS ARC EYESHIELDS ON TEST: Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Compact Deluxe Kit Frames available in Black, Tan and Multicam DISTRIBUTED BY EDGAR BROTHERS: 01625 430330 PRICE: Expect to pay around £100

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FIELD TEST | EYEWEAR

I

used to run games and part of my safety briefing was along the lines of: “I don’t care if you want to play naked, just make sure you’ve got eye protection on while you do it!” – and to be completely honest, I meant it! We all know that you only get one pair of eyes and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. I think most people would agree that taking a full-on BB to the eye at close range is not a good thing.

At the recent opening of JD Airsoft’s mega-shop, they had the new Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Eyeshields on display. I had an ‘I’ve-got-to-get-me-some-of-those’ moment! Maybe it was the three different lenses, maybe it was the ‘so-light-you-don’tknow-you’ve-got-them-on’ feeling, or maybe they just looked so damn cool with their Multicam frames. Whatever the reason I soon had a smart black case in my hands – and if first impressions count then they

were already scoring heavily by the time I’d got the case open!

The black fabric, zip-close case (with both clip and belt loops) contains a set of frames, three lenses (clear, smoke and yellow (two of which are in black bags, one is fitted)), along with a leash, anti-fog cloth, instructions and a little Smith Optic sticker.

I really liked that each lens comes with a pre-fitted nose-piece (coloured the same as the frames), so no more faffing about trying to change the nose piece every time you change the lens.

Changing lenses… We all know about that! About 20 minutes of sweating and swearing and then the poxy nose-piece pings off again! No such trouble here though, simply move the two lens tabs up to the vertical position, pull the lens straight out, slide the new one in and turn the tabs back down. Simplez!

So they look cool, but what are they like

to wear and, most importantly, are they any good?

The temples grip with just the right amount of pressure to stay in place without using the neck leash. Other glasses I’ve tried either tried to crush my head, or were so loose-fitting I had to wear the neck leash pulled tight just to keep them on. The nose piece is made of soft material and each lens comes with one pre-fitted although they can be removed in the normal manner if you want to do so. Then we come to the actual lens…

When I am taking photographs it is vitally important that the eye protection I wear doesn’t distort the image I see through my cameras. It is also important they offer good wrap-around protection as I am often (quite literally) in the line of fire and, as full-face masks and cameras don’t mix very well, I need to know I’m not going to take a hit to my eyes from the side. These lenses do just that: they wrap around almost halfway back along my cheekbones and, because they are made for military purposes, they use ‘Tapered Lens Technology’ to correct distortion.

I got the opportunity to give them a real testing at a recent TAG Airsoft weekender (writeup coming next issue!).

During the day I was doing my usual ‘running around like a lunatic, taking photos’ routine and I was very impressed with how comfortable they are – so much so that on more than one occasion I forgot I was wearing them and clumped them with my camera. Once the light started to fade I had to put the camera away (flashgun + night game = not a good idea!), and as I had brought my gun and some kit along I got the opportunity to play. A quick lens change from smoke to clear and I soon found myself in the thick of the fighting and I can confirm: yes, they do work!

I was crawling forwards and took a couple of successive hits to my glasses (not sure where they hit, just heard the hits and felt them ping off). They neither moved on my head nor showed any signs of damage when I checked later. The only issue I did experience was a small amount of fogging along the top edge of the lens. Mind you, many other players were suffering much worse, so I guess it was partly down to having a warm day followed by a sharp drop in temperature and being a bit sweaty!

At the start of this article it asks if I was impressed. That’s easy – too right I was! ■

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FEATURE | MARITIME SECURITY

WAR OF THE

WAVES

Simon Chambers looks at becoming a ship’s security officer to protect against pirates terrorising international waters

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he three British security guards moved slowly across the roof of the ship’s cabin. Two were former Marine Commandos and the other a former Paratrooper. All had been trained for active service and had seen combat. Now they were armed with crowbars and a solitary flare pistol and about to try to take back their ship, hijacked by Somali pirates armed with AK47 assault rifles.

Their ship, the Liberian-flagged tanker Biscaglia, carrying a cargo of palm oil, had been attacked by Somali pirates in motorboats.

Although palm oil is not highly combustible it would ignite if hit by an RPG or a concentrated burst of 7.62mm automatic fire – so for health and safety reasons the anti-piracy guards on the Biscaglia were not armed.

The pirates boarded the ship and continued to chase the security detail around the decks firing as they went.

French frigate Nivose arrived on the scene and launched her helicopters to try to help.

Maritime laws are strange though – the Biscaglia’s skipper would have had to formally

invite the French navy to board his vessel and help him. Unfortunately he and his crew were being held at gunpoint and in no position to call for anyone. Convinced they would be executed if caught, the security team chose to take their chances over the side (despite the surrounding waters teeming with sharks).

The pirates fired on the men in the water even though they knew them to be unarmed.

Finally the security team were rescued by a Lynx helicopter from the Nivose.

The pirates had their prize and 27 crewmen as hostages. They sailed into Somali waters and berthed. The Biscaglia was the 97th vessel attacked up to May of this year; at that time 15 ships and 300 crew members were being held for ransom.

Anti-piracy I watched all this with interest, having just returned from five years in Iraq working as a member of a PSD team. Anti-piracy was something I wanted to get my teeth into so I started to look around for companies operating on board security teams. I

wanted to go for an armed unit but the main problems were the difficulties passing through customs armed with a sidearm and long gun. Every country has different laws and no one seems to have any standard rules to govern this type of problem. For instance Indonesia will allow armed security teams to sail through its waters – but the Malaysian government will not. Until they come to some kind of agreement the Malacca straits cannot be secured by private security teams escorting vessels at risk from pirates.

Everyone being employed at the moment has taken the UK Ship’s Security Officers course. This is now a requirement for all personnel acting, or seeking to act, as a ship’s security officer (SSO) on all vessels (over 500-tonnes) engaged in international transit.

Piracy has been around for hundreds of years. Until recently the attitude seemed to be to bury your head in the sand and hope that your ship isn’t hijacked. That’s fast changing though; a new industry is springing up as governments and NGOs try to agree on rules of engagement and the carriage of weapons.

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Every maritime college and university in the country was getting in on the act and offering the course (three days for £660). I signed up, thinking my lack of understanding of merchant marine rules and regulations would go against me. I couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Most of the course relied on the potential SSO having a healthy dose of common sense.

Day one I found myself in a small classroom with about 11 other candidates, ranging from the Captain of the Queen Mary II to myself and another ‘contractor’. The course was necessary to get a tick in the box for the seaworthiness of the ships in question – one crewmember had to be the nominated SSO and had to attend the course. However, on

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non-passenger carrying ships this was a two hatter job – the chief engineer could be nominated as the SSO and another job added to his already busy life. Many crews just played lip service to the job and filled in paperwork when deemed necessary.

The course itself is a series of lectures, presentations and discussions. It relies heavily on the experienced course members to complement the lecturers by adding their tales of personal security nightmares.

One thing I learnt, to my surprise, is that the Captain does not hire and fire crew.

He is sent replacement crew members by the shipping line and in a lot of cases their vetting is very poor. You could already have

pirates onboard and have no way of finding out until it’s too late.

The other sticking point was that no matter how bad the security situation is the Captain can still override any decision the SSO makes. At the end of the day the safety of the ship is still down to the Captain.

Ship’s security officer The SSO produces the Ship’s Security Assessment (SSA). He makes a risk-based analysis of security-related hazards or threats to the ship, its cargo and crewmembers.

The SSA must consider the countries they will be sailing near or whose waters they will be sailing through. He then has to plan

FEATURE | MARITIME SECURITY what measures he and the crew can take to protect themselves from any possible threat.

The SSO also identifies any shipboard equipment that can be used in emergency situations – such as fire hoses, fire axes and flare guns. On top of that he’s expected to train the crew in basic security matters – and in the case of an attempted hijacking, the appropriate response to the attackers. The security plan has to be implemented at all times and is kept up to date.

The SSO will be the main point of contact with the port security officer, who will be his main source of intelligence while berthed. It pays to make friends. The occasional greased palm doesn’t hurt – it’s actually expected in

“Many smaller vessels have been captured, their owners murdered and thrown overboard and the boats sold on the black market. We are talking about luxury yachts and the likes that don’t make such big headlines when they disappear”

all Arab countries.

For someone coming directly into the job cold, with no previous military or security background, it can be a daunting prospect. To your basic military man or women it is just a case of adapting what you already know into a different environment –as I said earlier, common sense.

As a former soldier, one thing I found worrying when talking to the Captains was their reluctance to act aggressively against the pirates. The general consensus seemed to be that if they gave up the ship to the boarding party the pirates would treat them humanely and not hurt them. After all, they haven’t killed anyone yet, have they?

The ongoing problem Unfortunately they have. Many smaller vessels have been captured, their owners murdered and thrown overboard and the boats sold on the black market. We are talking about luxury yachts and the likes that don’t make such big headlines when

they disappear. Sometimes they are not missed for years. That’s big business and a lucrative trade for the pirates. Until armed security teams and armed escort vessels become commonplace, with an international agreement signed by all the relevant countries giving them clearance to carry and use weapons, the pirates are going to continue to get bolder and demand bigger ransoms.

At the time of writing, two Italian Marine Commandos are being held in an Indian jail for killing a member of a pirate crew.

The pirates threw their weapons overboard and by the time the security forces arrived they were ‘innocent fisherman’. The Indians have a strange legal system whereby the government has no control over the courts.

The judicial system has decided to try the Marines for murder despite protests from Italy and many other countries.

That’s but one problem, among hundreds, facing shipboard security teams. Who knows what the future holds for the ship’s security officer. ■

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FEATURE | WORSHOP

LOOKING AFTER

SHOTGUNS Mike Buttrick and Nick Lawrence of LAC start from scratch to learn about maintenance of airsoft shotguns

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hotguns get little mention or press when people talk about airsoft RIFs. This vacuum of information and interest can make it difficult for players who have purchased a shotgun, especially when it comes to maintenance and modification.

I recently purchased a second-hand metal Maruzen CA870 Sawn-Off shotgun which was in need of serious maintenance and repair. After cocking and shooting the RIF twice it would then fail to cock – so this was the perfect opportunity to get my hands on a cheap RIF that Nick and

I could use to learn all about shotgun maintenance.

Besides the cocking issue, the trail of BBs would always veer off to the right so it was clear from day one that the hob rubber required attention too. It was a no brainer to think that between Nick and I

Mike was surprised to ďŹ nd that the internals of the shotgun were considerably less complex than those of an AEG

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we could get this RIF working just fine, and the price was just right.

Stripping the shotgun was a first for both of us. On first glance we both had the same assumption: that the internals of the RIF would be far more complicated than those you would find inside the average AEG. We were both proved totally incorrect as the Maruzen seems to have far fewer moving parts and the lack of a gearbox mechanism (with all of its complex gears and bushings) makes maintenance a far more attractive proposition than AEG maintenance.

So what is this simple maintenance procedure? To keep it simple we have broken it down into a handy and easy to follow list.

s 2EMOVE THE MAGAZINE AND ENSURE THE barrel is clear. s 2EMOVE THE RETAINING NUT AND SLING GUARD from the front of the barrel. s 2EMOVE THE OUTER BARREL s 2EMOVE THE COCKING HANDLE s 5NSCREW THE MAGAZINE TUBE s 2EMOVE THE SCREWS FROM THE 2)3 KIT AND slide it from the outer body. s 3LIDE OUT THE TRIGGER GUARD ASSEMBLY – there is no retaining mechanism so it simply pulls out. s 2EMOVE THE RETAINING CLIP OUTER BARREL O-ring (the O-ring in this version is a modified accessory fitted by a previous owner for increased seal). s 2EMOVE THE METAL BODY FROM THE PLASTIC internal body. s 5NSCREW THE SIX SCREWS FROM THE PISTOL

“So are airsoft shotguns and maintenance a marriage made in heaven or hell? Well from our experience, and with this particular model, we can definitely say that it is a relationship of simplicity and ease!�

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grip and slide the pistol grip away from the plastic body. s 2EMOVE THE FIVE !LLEN SCREWS FROM THE plastic inner body. s 2EMOVE THE TRIGGER RETAINING PIN Carefully open the body, ensuring that the spring does not fly out – so far this is the only similarity to maintaining an AEG. If you have followed this short and simple list you will now have an open body in front of you and will now be able to access the piston, spring, barrel and hop.

On this model the hop is nothing like a hop on an AEG as it is simply a hop rubber slid over the barrel with no hop unit.

When we opened the RIF up we found that the hop was misplaced and had been held in place with electrical tape. This meant that the adhesive residue from the tape had seeped onto the hop nub and was impeding the flight of the BB. A further issue affecting the trajectory of the BB was the dirty state of the barrel; after cleaning the barrel four times with silicon spray, paper tissue and a cleaning rod it was good as new.

To get around the issue of the residue from the electrical tape we cleaned the hop rubber and then held it in place with a small quantity of PTFE tape – the benefit of using this alternative is that it will easily hold both parts of the hop together but will not leave any residue.

Once the internals had been maintained and an effective seal completed we put

FEATURE | WORSHOP

“From start to end the process took a maximum of an hour – very decent, considering that neither of us had ever done any sort of repair on a shotgun” the RIF back together by reversing the stripping procedure. Once we had got back to replacing the cocking handle we then looked at the problem of the RIF not cocking correctly.

As Nick and I had assumed at first glance the problem here was simply that the cocking handle was too close to the body to fully activate and engage the

cocking mechanism, the easiest option to repair this was to slide a small piece of trimmed plastic into the cocking handle so that it sat further away from the body – this gave the cocking mechanism more travel and allowed for effective engagement.

It must be stressed at this point that the version we have worked on may well

be different to other shotgun versions on sale (or in your gun cupboard!) and like AEGs you will most likely find that many manufacturers make the internals differently, so not all parts are interchangeable.

Considering that this RIF is a top-end full-metal shotgun, though, the internals are very simplistic indeed. From start to end of the repairs and test firing the process took a maximum of an hour, which is a very decent timescale considering that neither of us had ever opened one up or done any sort of repair on a shotgun at all.

After all the repairs were completed we tested the shotgun with 60 0.2g BBs – 1.5 magazines – and the range and trajectory was consistent throughout testing. Some five shots were fired through the club chronograph, giving an average reading of 230fps.

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FEATURE | WORSHOP Inside the Maruzen CA870 Sawn-Off

We are considering modifying the Maruzen CA870 to replace the spring with an upgraded version as this will increase the velocity. The drawback is that this may make it far harder to cock the RIF. Thought has to be given to this matter before progressing – but given how easy

it is to maintain this RIF it would be no hardship to have to go back to the original spring.

Due to the nature of the Maruzen’s construction, and the presence of a RIS kit, we are also considering making an attachment that will allow the CA870 to

“Anyone considering buying a shotgun: we definitely suggest that you take a look at the Maruzen. The price may be a lot higher than other models but they are very easy to repair – although locating a new hop rubber may be a challenge” 082

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be connected to a G36 as a masterkey attachment.

So are airsoft shotguns and maintenance a marriage made in heaven or hell? Well, from our experience, and with this particular model, we can definitely say that it is a relationship of simplicity and ease! Now that we have opened up a Maruzen we will be much happier about carrying out future work on shotguns and undertaking modifications. We were both very pleasantly surprised by how easily we were able to resolve the issues, and by the time it took us to achieve it. In fact, it must have been one of the easiest repair jobs I’ve undertaken, considering I was going in blind, so to speak!

Anyone considering buying a shotgun we definitely suggest that you take a look at the Maruzen – the price may be a lot higher than other models but they are very easy to repair. Bear in mind, though, that locating a new hop rubber may be a challenge. ■

ADVERTISE See your ad here HERE Call Toni on 01926 339808 tonic@blazepublishing.co.uk

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Alex Wharton gets to grips with Sniper Elite V2

T

his month I chose to pick up Sniper Elite V2 from 505 Games, hoping that it would improve on the last Sniper Elite. You play, funnily enough, a sniper, on a lone mission for the US military. Throughout the game you will infiltrate German bases, slip between Russian battle lines and pick off your enemies from afar.

The story is set at the end of the war, in Berlin with Russians closing in from the East, the Allies pressing from the West, and the Germans getting pretty desperate. They have therefore hatched a plan to use the last of their V2 rockets to attack London. And of course you are the only one-man army that can stop it!

The game starts out by showing you the ropes of stealth and moving around the enemy patrols undetected. Then it takes you through the basics of longrange death dealing. This is where they have really gone to town on the engine.

The physics are second to none; at the higher difficulties you will have to deal

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with wind, bullet drop, heartbeat and time to target. Without the help of the aiming system (a small red dot when you hold your breath) it is extremely difficult to know exactly where your shot is going to land, so turning off the aids will separate the men from the boys.

When they do land, you will get treated to the second thing that 505 has gone to town on: the kill-cam. We’ve all seen slow-motion ‘follow the bullet and see it hit the target kill cams’ in the past – but 505 has upped the ante and added x-ray vision! You get to see the bullet pass through enemies, shattering bone and puncturing organs as it goes. It’s a suitably grim way to see your enemies drop, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless.

You can also see your bullet spin out of the other side of the soldier you shot, sometimes even hitting a second enemy!

The world that you play through looks decent enough. The cities are crumbling,

and there is debris all over the place.

I don’t remember seeing a single window still intact, which is probably pretty accurate for a bombed-out city.

However, while they look good, the levels are not designed brilliantly. They give you a sense that you can go where you want but are actually very linear, forcing you to fight or sneak your way up and down streets full of soldiers.

You start each level with a Thompson submachine gun and no spare ammunition. At no point do you ever find ammunition for it. Swapping it for a gun from a dead guard usually comes with maybe 10 bullets tops – so you will spend the beginning of every level scrounging out some ammo so that you have a backup that’s usable.

However, for a highly-trained soldier you manage some of the worst shooting of any game going. All weapons except sniper rifles are massively inaccurate.

This means you require maybe 30 shots to take down a soldier only 10 paces

GAME REVIEW | SNIPER ELITE V2 away. With the levels funnelling you into fights this means that all you tend to do is sit back and snipe soldier after soldier until they stop coming.

You then get to that special sniper spot, to take the shot the mission is all about. It just doesn’t seem like you are doing anything special though. You have already shot 30 soldiers at range, and now you are just going to shoot another. If the game was set-up to get you there stealthily for that one shot, before disappearing again, then it would be great. It would truly make you feel like what a sniper should be!

Occasionally you will need to take on tanks or other vehicles. You do get supplied with the odd explosive or mine so can go down the route of planting them taking them out that way.

However, vehicles all have a handy bright red cap on the fuel tanks – just small enough to be a challenge but plenty large enough to hit. When shot, the whole tank goes up in a massive fireball, allowing the sniper to take out tanks or trucks from safety.

It really is the Germans’ fault for using blasting caps as fuel covers, because as far as I’m aware bullets don’t make fuel explode. That was one of the reasons why armies developed tracer rounds. From a gaming point of view I understand that a method of taking them out from range is needed, but I found that it really drew me out of the game because it was so unrealistic. The cap seems to glow!

A big part of being a sniper is taking out other marksmen. Sniper Elite certainly throws a few at you throughout your missions. You get a

“For a highly trained soldier you manage some of the worst shooting of any game going. All weapons except sniper rifles are massively inaccurate” small glint from their scope as they aim at you, though most of the time the only way you’ll know one is there is when they shoot and usually hit you. But the shots just don’t do enough damage! You can easily take the shot, then take your time aiming back at them. It’s not even as though you suddenly need to take cover to regenerate the health; you can literally just stand in the open. Should you not take more damage and have to hide from any subsequent shots? It would certainly give a better feeling of accomplishment.

There is a multiplayer portion

of the game which involves either versus mode or a cooperative mode.

Cooperative can be fun with one player on the ground and the other covering them from a sniper hole. There isn’t a great deal of depth to it though so it’s only fun for a short time.

Sniper Elite V2 is worth a go. The sniping is very good – and the times you do take out that sniper with a perfect between-the-eyes shot or hit a soldier’s grenade on his webbing will give you a great feeling of accomplishment.

However, between these moments the game is poor. The combat isn’t fun, with every other weapon inaccurate and weak. The stealth just isn’t worth it and the levels are too linear. As I said, it is worth having a go – just wait till you can get it cheap! ■

SNIPER ELITE V2 DEVELOPED BY: Rebellion Developments PUBLISHED BY: Rebellion Developments, 505 Games OUT NOW ON: PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 PRICE: From around £25

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YOUNG GUNS

Jezz Blume takes us through the pros and cons of some of the betterknown airsoft manufacturers

W

hich airsoft gun you choose will depend on the intended purpose of the gun. There are a number of reasons to get an airsoft gun: for hitting targets to improve hand-eye coordination, coaching beginners on firearm safety or to join in a combat game. The police and military use airsoft guns during their training as it is a safer and more economical method than using real guns. Airsoft guns and spring guns are popular as many of are accurately modelled on the real thing. They also have a higher level of safety, flexibility and cost less to buy – all of which adds to their appeal for the airsoft enthusiast.

There are a number of airsoft gun makes. Some of the better-known brands include Tokyo Marui, Classic Army, ICS, Crosman, G&G and VFC. Whether you go for the higher-quality

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leading brands or the economical versions, how much you are willing to pay will be a major deciding factor.

There are a few things you should be aware of before deciding upon a brand though.

Tokyo Marui The leading manufacturer of high-quality airsoft guns is Tokyo Marui. It is the largest international manufacturer worldwide and its guns have a reputation for being consistently reliable and hardwearing. Tokyo Marui produces an excellent range of AEGs, AEPs and gas and spring-powered guns. Leading the way in designing and improving airsoft products, many other brands replicate TM’s models.

As a manufacturer they are wellreceived by airsoft enthusiasts due to their intricate designs and detail and

ability for highly-accurate shooting.

In Japan, all metal-bodied AEGs are banned so TM guns are made from a durable ABS plastic, and parts are reinforced with metal. From personal experience I recommend buying a Tokyo Marui over any other option.

Let’s just say it’s money well spent, considering I bought my first TM gun five years ago and I’ve only ever had to fix it once.

I Chih Shivan ICS has a strong standing in the airsoft community for making reliable, quality guns. With a history that goes back 20 years ICS is known for using only the highest-quality materials, including in the internal workings of the gun, such as metal gearboxes, steel gears, and silicon steel bushings.

Its guns have an outstanding durability and are popular with

FEATURE | MEETING MAKERS experienced airsoft players. However, though ICS has a solid reputation among players I’ve personally had issues with them and wouldn’t choose ICS over TM or JG for example.

Classic Army Classic Army is based in Hong Kong and manufactures high-quality AEGs with metal bodies. Its models are particularly realistic-looking and durable. Most popular are their metal rifles with metal gears and gearboxes, precision barrels and high-performance electric motors. Rifles made by Classic Army are also well suited to upgrading.

Jing Gong Jing Gong, also known as JG and Golden Bow, manufactures highquality AEGs in the low to mid price range. They are popular with experienced players who are on a budget but still demand quality.

JG guns are close duplications of the higher-quality airsoft guns produced by Tokyo Marui. JG focuses more on the durability of the internal components of the guns with the addition of extra parts such as metal gears and gearboxes. One recentlyintroduced AEG can shoot over 400fps and has improved internals

made from metal. Although I’ve only ever owned two Jing Gong guns I must say I’m reasonably impressed.

They’re decent, but may need a little tweaking after unboxing, but other than that they offer reliable and generally nice guns.

CYMA CYMA is best recognised for making low-priced and fairly unremarkable airsoft guns, most suitable for beginners. Recently, however, CYMA has unveiled a new series of full-metal and wood AEGs with the focus on high-quality, reliability and performance.

Many of these newer models are replicas of AEGs from Tokyo Mauri.

Thanks to its updated models CYMA is gaining popularity with airsoft enthusiasts, as manufacturers of quality guns at affordable prices… And that’s that.

Crosman Crosman is a well-known American manufacturer and distributor of airguns and airsoft guns. I’ve never owned a Crosman airsoft weapon, but from extensive research I have found they have a reputation for durability.

The range extends from entry-level

airguns for beginners to high-powered adult airguns. Crosman’s airsoft offerings are reasonably priced and well-built, attracting the youthful end of the market.

Cybergun Cybergun is a name you will hear among other brands of airsoft guns, although they don’t actually manufacture guns themselves. They work together with manufacturers such as Jing Gong, CYMA and KWC to produce officially-licensed, highlydetailed replicas with full branding of popular gun makers including Colt, Smith & Wesson, Thompson, Sig Sauer, Desert Eagle, UZI, Kalashnikov, FAMAS and more.

Similarly, ASG and Evolution Airsoft do not manufacture their own airsoft guns but commission known manufacturers to produce guns that are then rebranded and distributed by the license-holder.

These are just a few of the brand names that manufacture and distribute airsoft guns. Whatever you intend to do with your airsoft gun there are dozens of models and makers to choose from – do your homework and pick one that’s right for you. ■

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AIRSOFT

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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

SYMBOL KEY Is it woodland or urban?

Check the key!

UKARA

UKARA MEMBER UKASGB MEMBER WOODLAND

£

SHOP ONSITE BATTERY CHARGING URBAN PYROS ALLOWED REPAIR SERVICE

DESERT

ATROOP AIRSOFT

AIRSOFT COMMANDOS

ALPHA ELITE GAMING

Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk

Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com

Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je

ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT

AIRSOFT KGB

AMAZON EVENTS

Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk

Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com.

Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk

ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Penkridge, ST19 5RE 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk

ACE COMBAT Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk

AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com

AIRSOFT ASYLUM North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com ayrsoft@gmail.com

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AIRSOFT SKIRMISH Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

AIRSOFT XCALIBRE Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07921 837658 www.airsoft-xcalibre.co.uk

ALL ARMS AIRSOFT Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM

ARENA AIRSOFT

Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com

AIRSOFT SITES | DIRECTORY Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data!

AWA HERTS Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

BARNSLEY AIRSOFT Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk

BATTLETEC AIRSOFT La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk

BETTER BATTLES Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com

BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com

CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk

COMBAT ACTION GAMES Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk

COMBAT SOUTH URBAN Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

BRISTOL AIRSOFT Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com

DOGS OF WAR

FINMERE AIRSOFT

Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk

Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com

DRAGON’S LAIR

FIREBALL SQUADRON

Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk

Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com

DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT

FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP

Towyn, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk

EAST MIDLANDS AIRSOFT Earlswood, B94 6SF 0844 870 9785 www.sabreforce.co.uk

ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND

ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM

Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL

ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING

BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com

Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk

BUNKER 51 Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk

C3 TACTICAL Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

COOL UNDER FIRE Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk

CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com

DELTA TEAM 3 Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk

Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

ELITE BATTLEZONE Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk

FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk

FIRST AND ONLY – BATTLE LAKES Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9AP 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – THE ASYLUM Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – THE EMBASSY Leicester, LE2 6EA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – THE MALL Reading, RG1 1NR 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIFE WARGAMES St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com

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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

FREE FIRE ZONE

HIGHLAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT

Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk

IV25 3PY 07702 846090 www.highlandtacticalairsoft.co.uk

FRV AIRSOFT

HILTON PARK AIRSOFT

Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com

Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com

GASS AIRSOFT – PENN

INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS

Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz

GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT

ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk

Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT GREENZONE COMBAT Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com

Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk

LAC SITE 1 GUN HO AIRSOFT Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LAC SITE 2 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LAC SITE 3 GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

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Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LAC SITE 5

NSC AIRSOFT

Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk

LINDSEY AIRSOFT

NTAC

Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk

Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES

OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL

Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com

Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com

MAW

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS

Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com

Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk

MIA

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION

Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

PHOENIX AIRSOFT

Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.*militaryoutdooradventure. co.uk

MILSIM UK Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

NCIS AIRSOFT Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk

NOMAD AIRSOFT Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

Budby, Notts, NG22 9FG 01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

PLATOON 1HQ Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

PLAYERS OF WAR High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk

PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 028 4377 0566 www.predatorcombat.com

RAVEN’S NEST Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk

NORTHFLEET CQB Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

AIRSOFT SITES | DIRECTORY Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data!

SG1 COMBAT GAMES

STIRLING AIRSOFT

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH

ULTIMATE AIRSOFT

Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com

Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

Tortworth, GL12 8 01179 353388 www.ultimateairsoft.co.uk

SHADOWOPZ

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

TECH BRIGADE

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM

Dover, Kent CT17 9PS 07707 632855 www.shadowopzairsoft.co.uk

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

SKIRMISH EXETER Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk

SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

SUSSEX AIRSOFT Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AB 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AZ 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

Hertford, SG13 8NH 01438 235249 www.techbrigade.org

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

TA EVENTS Hemel Hemstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

THE EX SITE Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk

URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13 Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

THE WARGAMES CENTRE Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk

UCAP AIRSOFT SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH

Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

Wood End Lane, Elmhurst, Lichfield WS13 8EU 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

URBAN6AIRSOFT Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

UCAP GREEN OPS

UCAP SANDPIT

URBAN6AIRSOFT – IVYWOOD

URBAN ASSAULT Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk

VIKING AIRSOFT Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN contactus@vikingairsoft.co.uk www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ 01985 211774 www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP

Email anthonyp@ blazepublishing.co.uk to add or change a site listing

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