Airsoft Action - February 2022

PROUD TO SUPPORT PILGRIM BANDITS CHARITY

ISSUE 134 -FEBRUARY 2022 ISSN 2634-9515

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CONTENTS 8 ARMOURY: SIG MPX SIG have really upped the ante when it comes to creating AEGs and GBBs that are not only designed for airsoft play, but also for real-world training applications under the SIG AIR banner. To kick off a whole new year of airsoft Boycie and Dan get under the skin of the very latest model to join the line, the MPX!

PROUD TO SUPPORT PILGRIM BANDITS CHARITY

ISSUE 134 -FEBRUARY 2022 ISSN 2634-9515

Editorial Director: Bill Thomas Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing Ad Design: Deadshot Design Publisher: Calibre Publishing

16 ARMOURY: RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO RAVEN have really motored along recently with new models dropping into their ever-expanding range on a VERY regular basis, however, Bill has been eagerly anticipating the very latest to drop …a variant of their excellent Hi Capa that ticks all his “compact” needs. “Say hello to my little friend, the RAVEN Hi-Capa 3.8 PRO!”

Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1684 878 003 Web: www.airsoftaction.net ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2021 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 publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to publication.

22 ARMOURY EXCLUSIVE: KWA NEW MODELS Good and trusted relations with the industry are a crucial part of what we do here at Airsoft Action, and speaking direct with the manufacturers at source lets us get into the meat of new stories and new product releases immediately. Just announced is a new line of models from KWA that is certain to please players around the world, and Boycie already has the lowdown!

FIND US ON…

LETTER , IDEA OR QUESTION? Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea?

Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the Editorial Director: bill@airsoft-action.co.uk, write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

28 PAMG: RUNNIN’ AND GUNNIN’!

As we’ve previously STATED, PAMG is all about friendly and fun competition without there being barriers to starting up or to trying out competition style shooting in the first place! We thought we’d look at the platforms used by “Posh” and Bill and that we would offer some advice on getting started. PAMG “originator” Jon kicks off…

Contents FEBRUARY 2022

34 GEAR: VIPER UPDATE A good few years of running around on airsoft fields and training areas have set everyone at Airsoft Action on a course with our gear, clothing and footwear which has been tried and tested extensively, and increasingly there’s one brand we all turn to now, and that’s VIPER!

64 TECH: VFC MP7 REDEMPTION Many of us drooled over the MP7, but the VFC model seemed beset with issues from the get go; our USbased Red Cell member Dan wanted to make this model the best that it could be though, and now details his quest of creating a little diamond from the rough!

38 TOD: DESPERATELY SEEKING SHELTER Jon is certainly ready to hit his AO this year, and as he continues his TOD series to help you prepare for your own airsoft battles. This time he looks at what you may need when it comes time to getting your head down!

70 TECH: PERUN VECTOR MODULE Perun have been making a lot of noise very recently. Over the last year Jimmy has installed and tested several of their products and he’s yet to be disappointed! Now he gets his capable hands on the very latest piece of PERUN genius specifically made to fit the Krytac Kriss Vector and tells all!

42 THE CAGE: NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS As we enter 2022 it’s a time when we all look back and try to work out what we might like to have done a little better or played a little differently… and it’s a time that we make those resolutions that we KNOW we’re never going to stick to!

74 ACTION AIR: IDPA IN TAIWAN If you cast your mind or eyes back to Airsoft Action issue No. 120 of December 2020 you’ll remember, or find for the first time in our “Back Issues”, Stewbacca’s initial foray into the world of IDPA Taiwan, and now he brings things up to date with a bang!

46 RED CELL: FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS 2021 was a difficult year for many and it certainly proved challenging for the members of Red Cell! However, “The Cell” has gone above and beyond in their quest to get the real lowdown of some of the best-loved AEGs and GBBs.

84 EVENT: MOCK UP 3 PORTUGAL With a new year of airsoft ahead AA Legionnaire Miguel brings in his first report of 2022 on a very special event played on a unique AO in Portugal for a very good reason, and shows again that airsoft can benefit not just the players themselves but also their communities!

56 TECH: A.P.A.C.H.E. Australia has an issue when it comes to airsoft. However, just because airsoft games themselves are impossible to hold due to the ongoing legal situation, it doesn’t mean that new innovations aren’t forthcoming, and Legionnaire “Iggy” brings us up to date with the very latest!

88 SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP Manufacturers have been sitting on new guns n’ gear due to the problems we all faced in 2021 but in the first week of January we’ve been amazed by what we’ve seen so far!

Let’s dive on in and find out what’s caught the collective eyes of those at AA and see what’s been exciting us!

58 TECH: CL PROJECT DESIGN Our relationship with Clarence Lai is a close one would be a definite understatement! As his new upgrade parts hit the market fully we’ll be reporting on them in full, and Jimmy kicks off this coverage with an indepth overview

90 LAST POST With the slow pace of airsoft over the holiday period, Frenchie struggled to find something of (airsoft) interest for this month’s column and his thoughts turned inwards. We’ll let him explain...

AVAILABLE NOW

6

THE GENERATION OF NEW

CARBINE ICS-309 / ICS-309S3

KOMODO JUNIOR

DMR

ICS-309 / ICS-309S3

ICS-310 / ICS-310S3

Facebook (Global): ICSBBAirsoft

Youtube: ICS AIRSOFT

Twitter (Global): icsbbairsoft

Instagram: icsbbairsoft

ARMOURY

MISSION

SIG AIR MPX

CRITICAL

SIG HAVE REALLY UPPED THE ANTE WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING AEGS AND GBBS THAT ARE NOT ONLY DESIGNED FOR AIRSOFT PLAY, BUT ALSO FOR REAL-WORLD TRAINING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE SIG AIR BANNER, AND THEY’VE WORKED WITH SOME PRETTY COOL NAMES IN THE AIRSOFT INDUSTRY ALREADY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN! TO KICK OFF A WHOLE NEW YEAR OF AIRSOFT BOYCIE AND DAN GET UNDER THE SKIN OF THE VERY LATEST MODEL TO JOIN THE LINE, THE MPX!

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ARMOURY SIG AIR MPX

www.airsoftaction.net

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ARMOURY SIG AIR MPX

A

t Shot Show 2015, SIG SAUER released their new rifle in the form of the MCX. This was designed as a modular, mission adaptable rifle based around the 5.56mm and .300 Blackout calibres which use the same receiver set, bolt and grips the user could configure the rifle to suit almost any mission they were to go on. Also, by changing the bolt, barrel and magazines the user could then build a 7.62 x 39 rifle.

The MPX,

which was designed in 2013 and released in 2015, was a contender to the replace the venerable yet ageing

local laws allow.

Using the same short stroke gas operated system as the MCX gives the user a safer and more reliable system as it fires from a closed, locked bolt. Utilising a 10, 20 or 30 round magazine it can cater for many applications. The semi only variant of the MPX is finding its way into the Pistol Calibre Carbine competitions around the world, most notably in the hands of Lena Miculek, who is a World Champion PCC shooter, member of the SIG SAUER Factory Team and uses the MPX PCC to great effect.

Despite the COVID 19 problems around the world for the past two years VFC, the OEM, have been quietly working on the airsoft AEG version of the MPX and in November 2021 it was released to public sale in the Far East. This was quite a surprise to a lot of airsofters who had been asking for one for a long time but were not expecting it to actually become available for sale just yet. Airsoft Action have been really lucky to get hold of not one but two MPX to review and test over the coming months and I’m sure that Red Cell will be clamouring to get their hands on one of them at our regular test days. The one downside to the MPX release at the time of writing is that spare proprietary magazines are not yet available but with the advantage of having two AEGs, is that at least we can complete full magazine change drills as part of the testing.

FIRST LOOK

MP5. The MPX though was to be available in 9mm, .357 SIG and .40 S&W calibres. Firing from a closed rotating bolt there are two main versions which are available from SIG. The Submachine Gun (safe, semi and auto version) is only available to Military and Police units, and the semionly version is available to the civilian market and where the 10

FEBRUARY 2022

On opening the box, alongside the rifle and magazine is a nicely laid out manual and a pistol magazine sized speed loader with enough capacity to fill the magazine. When you look at the SIG AIR MPX the first thing that stands out to me is the build quality of the external parts. This is what you would normally expect from VFC, who OEM for SIG AIR, and they have produced a really lovely looking Pistol Calibre Carbine.

Also, as this is an official SIG AIR product it carries all of the appropriate trademarks.

The lower receiver is almost identical to that of the MCX but with the obvious difference of the magazine well which is made to take the 9mm style magazine.

The controls on the MPX are the same as the MCX, so will feel very familiar to MCX owners. The upper receiver is clearly different to that of the MPX and is not cross compatible with the MCX. Atop the receiver is the same ‘scooped’ Picatinny rail as the MCX ‘Legacy’, which runs full length.

The size of the magazine is approximately the same as for an MP5 and holds 100 BBs. On the sides of the magazine are raised dots which will certainly help with

ARMOURY SIG AIR MPX

grip in either wet or cold conditions. The magazine is also proprietary and although there are some rumours that MP5 magazines will fit, this is NOT the case. At the time of writing, the spare magazines are not yet available but I am assured (by those who actually know), that the magazines are made and sitting awaiting final finish before they are released for sale.

I’d expect them to be freely available by around the end of January this year.

At the rear is a very nice sliding and side folding stock which has been at the top of a lot of airsofters wish lists for use on their MCX. It sports the same 1913 Picatinny rail which means it will accept any of the SIG MCX stock set ups giving a large range of options to the end user, from the sliding stock seen on the standard MCX all the way to the Helmet/Visor variant of the stock which is really useful for those who wear either lower face protection or full face masks. Also, as the rifle is a 1:1 replica of the real MPX you can fit a knuckle and GBB/RS buffer tube and fit any of the plethora of stock options that you can use on your AR/M4 builds.

The hand guard is a nicely shaped design with three full M-LOK slots on the 3 and 9 o’clock positions.

Underneath there are two full and a third of a slot as the locking plate occupies the space where a full third slot would sit. There is still enough room to either fit a section of M-LOK Picatinny rail to allow fitment of vertical foregrips, finger stops, hand stops or barricade stops. Inside the hand guard there is surprisingly a lot of space for the battery, we’ve been able to fit a 1450mAH 11.1v battery pack, which should be enough for most players, but maybe not a full days play depending on your style of play. Even though this may be the case a battery change is easily possible in a few minutes so it won’t eat into your rest or reload time in the safe zone. When you take the hand guard off to access the connector for the battery, here is something quite new in out of the box rifles.

VFC have used 2mm bullet connectors rather than

the spade connectors of old. This makes taking the connectors apart and reassembling them soooo much easier. It may seem like a small, insignificant thing, but to someone who does a lot of custom builds and replaces spade connectors for bullet type this makes me smile.

The 168mm inner barrel comes in at 6.05mm bore.

The hop is easily adjustable via the rotary disc. Early tests on the standard rubber gave good range, but as is the norm for a lot of rifles built in the East, the hop rubber can be a bit hard for a more temperate climate. For this rifle though the hop, after a small adjustment, was sending the BBs straight and true for a good 50m. I thought this was rather good for a short barrel.

MORE POP!

From the box, the sound on firing is really ‘poppy’.

On this particular rifle I found that on both 7.4v and 11.1v the rifle felt like it was labouring. The main spring fitted to the MPX from the factory is an M120 delivering an average of 353 fps +/- 6, which goes some way to explaining why it seems that the underpowered 19TPI motor is struggling to turn the gears. For the UK this is still within the legal fps range but most sites prefer 328-340 fps. With the quick-change spring, I tried both an M100 and then an M95 spring to see what difference that would make. Immediately the motor sounded happier.

The M100 gave 324fps and the M95 came in at an average of 312 fps. I would say that this is definitely the first thing to change to improve the performance.

Returning to the motor and running a 1450mAH 7.4v LiPo, I still felt that this was lacking in the sort of performance that airsofters, in general, seem to want in an AEG. I first tried a 22 TPI motor that will deliver 25,000 rpm with an 11.1v battery. Even with the 7.4v, the 22 TPI made a lot of difference and I was a lot happier with the performance. In the interests of science and “I wonder what this will do”, I fitted a Warhead M brushless motor and immediately I went from “that’s OK” to “now that’s what I’m talking about!!!”

My opinion is that the first thing to change is the spring to an M100, this will take a lot of strain off the motor and make a substantial difference on the ROF. Next to kick it right up there, I would change the motor to something like the ASG 30k. Whilst not giving the performance of the Warhead, from a budget perspective it’s a better option. If ‘money is no object’ then definitely go for a Warhead Motor. This is all achievable without having to strip the rifle down and go into changing gears etc. www.airsoftaction.net

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ARMOURY SIG AIR MPX

For all the external things on this rifle which are good or excellent, there is one part which I feel is not as good and that is the flash hider which is fitted on the rifle. It looks like a standard VFC birdcage unit and to make this an even better rifle I would have liked to see a SIG licensed flash hider or muzzle brake.

Something like the short three prong flash hider or the QD muzzle brake would certainly knock this rifle’s looks over the edge and into truly stunning.

This rifle, as with the MCX variants, will be hugely ‘upgradeable’ internally and my colleague Dan has already had one in for some improvements over the standard build. I’ll let Dan explain what he has found and how he’s improving the internals.

I’ve found they can be torqued in quite tight from the factory. In my example, I actually stripped the head on one of the screws and had to use a little elbow grease to remove it fully, where it will later be replaced.

The bolt release lever itself is a different design than the MCX’s and should be considered proprietary

DAN’S TECH TAKE

Moving on from the external side, let’s take a peek under the hood of the MPX and see what’s inside.

Disassembly of the MPX follows along in the same vein as most any front-wired AR/M4 AEG with ambidextrous selector switches, so the process will be familiar to anyone wanting to crack open the gearbox; similarly, the MPX tears down almost 99% in the same fashion as its larger brethren, the MCX, does. Pressing out the captured front push-pin on the lower receiver allows one to slide off the rail and upper receiver.

After removing the hand guard, you can separate the wiring harness via a pair of quick-disconnects. At this point the upper can be removed from the gun.

Once the upper has been slid off, you can access the hop up chamber and inner barrel. The hop up chamber itself is the same Ver. 2 rotary design as found in VFC’s current generational line-up, with the sole difference being the MPX’s version sports a larger diameter knurled ring to allow easier adjustment through the smaller ejection port window. The inner barrel is a standard AEG cut brass bore measuring 171.45mm (6.75”) long and is nicely finished out.

Regarding disassembly of the lower receiver, the minor point of difference between this and the MCX is the magazine button is retained by a hex head screw and the bolt release lever is also secured in place with a pair of small hex head set screws. On these latter two, care must be taken on removal as

to this gun. It’s designed for ambidextrous use, and here also the corresponding bolt release latch that is affixed to the side of the gearbox is also uniquely designed for ambidextrous operation. Aside from that, the rest of the gearbox is remarkably the same as the gearbox found in the MCX. After that, getting to the gearbox is just a matter of removing the quick-change spring guide, the motor grip, unscrewing the selector switches and drifting out a pair of pins.

The gearbox shell itself offers the same quickchange spring guide design as the MCX, so once you have the spring guide out, you can more easily release tension on the anti-reversal latch through the slotted window on the left side shell half. The outside of the gearbox also features the Avalon series ambidextrous selector gears and the standard metal Ver. 2 selector plate. Experience has shown that with some radiusing of the cylinder windows and the addition of Sorbo or AirPads, these shells will handle some heavy-duty springs without worry of cracking. On the inside of our gearbox, the air nozzle is VFC’s excellent Ver. 2 design and features an internal O-ring for better

“THE BOLT RELEASE LEVER ITSELF IS A DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THE MCX’S AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PROPRIETARY TO THIS GUN. IT’S DESIGNED FOR AMBIDEXTROUS USE, AND HERE ALSO THE CORRESPONDING BOLT RELEASE LATCH THAT IS AFFIXED TO THE SIDE OF THE GEARBOX IS ALSO UNIQUELY DESIGNED FOR AMBIDEXTROUS OPERATION. ”

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ARMOURY SIG AIR MPX

compression. The tappet plate is the current red version, and it appears that VFC have still managed to keep the plastic of these from being too brittle, as they once were infamously known for.

Even amongst such a most recent release, VFC are still regrettably using their existing cylinder head design; this example already has the typical hairline crack stemming from the nozzle shaft. Under continuous operation, this will eventually crack further and cause increased compression loss and potentially failure of the nozzle insert itself. Separation of the nozzle shaft from the cylinder head body is a common failure point seen on older-model, highmileage VFCs. A ported aluminium piston head rides on the front of the piston assembly. This is affixed via thread locker and has a small plastic insert in lieu of ball bearings found on some designs. The piston itself has a polymer body construction, with seven teeth (including the release tooth) on the front end being made of metal.

The gears are a standard 18:1 nominal ratio setup and, like current VFCs (excepting the SCAR series,

which is in desperate need of an update!), has omitted the self-shimming springs in lieu of steel shaft sleeves and shims. A plastic delayer chip rides on the sector gear. This particular example was shimmed on the tight side, and it was easy to see why: they only appeared to use one size of shim at time of assembly.

On the subject of gears, I was disappointed to note that a gun with a premium price tag like the MPX did not come outfitted with the higher end internal package as found on the Avalons and Samurai Edge.

Where 13:1s and the 22 TPA Neodymiummotor would have really complimented this build, we are instead treated to 18:1s and the old school 19 TPA ferrite motor. Tight shimming aside, this gear and motor combination also explains the lacklustre responsiveness and low rate of fire with 11.1v LiPos; the MPX feels especially anaemic with 7.4vs.

Finishing out the gearbox, the trigger switch is a standard Ver. 2 mechanical assembly with a MOSFET soldered to the contacts. These are relatively svelte setups that aren’t needlessly large and clunky, nor possessing fragile micro-switches, like some

competitor assemblies are. That being said, they don’t favour especially stressful builds or having a lot of amperage pushed through them.

Overall, this is a pretty standard – if uninspiring – gearbox. Owing that it is a relatively bog standard Ver. 2 assembly, the upgrade potential of this gearbox is very high, to the point where everything that exists inside could conceivably be replaced with after-market options if you had money aplenty to burn. Looking to the future, we will be following up in a later issue with our “Dream MPX Build” to stretch out the capabilities of this gun to its fullest potential.

WRAPPING UP

Thanks Dan. So, to round off, this rifle is really, really nice to handle, but was a bit disappointing on firing tests initially. On our test rifle, once the spring and motor were swapped out the MPX performance picked up and will perform well on the skirmish field. Aesthetically it’s gorgeous but to tip it into the awesome bracket, the flash hider would be the first thing I would change externally, as I did for the photos of the rifle with accessories fitted.

Internally I feel, for an AEG rifle in the higher end price bracket, that the motor and gearbox internals should be better. Externally a really great rifle, but a couple of basic internal component changes internally will help the performance greatly and turn it into an awesome skirmish rifle. As with any product that is made for a client, cost is king and in some cases, where an OEM may want to use certain higher-quality, higher-performance components, they may have to be changed for other parts to keep the costs within those specified by the client.

The next thing that a lot of airsofters are already excited for is the gas blowback variants of the MCX and MPX. Any news on these models is very scarce.

I’m sure though that it could be in the pipeline and it’s just a matter of time before SIG AIR make us even more happy and release GBB MCX and MPX variants.

Please, please, please SIG AIR....can we have the gas blowback variants! :) At time of writing to get an MPX from the UK distributor, Highland Outdoors, the SRP is £726 inc.

VAT. With Airsoft Action being a worldwide magazine and as the MPX has not yet been released in the UK, the rifles we used for this review and testing were privately imported with the help of “friends in the orient”! If you’re based in the Asia-Pacific (less Japan) area, the exclusive distributor for the SIG AIR MPX is Redwolf Airsoft although, sadly, for legal reasons they were unable to send us a test sample in this instance. AA www.airsoftaction.net

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ARMOURY RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO

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ARMOURY RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO

RAVEN HAVE REALLY MOTORED ALONG RECENTLY WITH NEW MODELS DROPPING INTO THEIR EVER-EXPANDING RANGE ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS, HOWEVER, BILL HAS BEEN EAGERLY ANTICIPATING THE VERY LATEST TO DROP …A VARIANT OF THEIR EXCELLENT HI CAPA THAT TICKS ALL HIS “COMPACT” NEEDS. “SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND, THE RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO!”

www.airsoftaction.net

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ARMOURY RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO

R

AVEN have impressed me with their no-frills Hi Capa range that really delivers performance in a seemingly simple and pared-back package that actually hides some exceptionally clever internal engineering! With their Hi Capas they’ve kept thing completely streamlined without any fuss or fusswork to any of the major parts or components.

These are pistols fundamentally designed to be shot and skirmished with, to be used and not just gazed at fondly… although their uncluttered and brutally elegant lines sing to me of function over aesthetics!

They’ve beefed up areas that they felt needed it to give them longevity and durability, only adding features where necessary like the threaded outer barrels and the accessory rail on the frame; they have also upgraded the slide spring to cope both with the minimal increase in weight (the slides are chunky and solid right enough!), and to give them a really positive recoil impulse!

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When the Hi Capas were launched, the guys told me that they wanted to really make a firm statement of intent when it came to what they were able to achieve, and the net result of that was the new iteration of RAVENs, the Hi Capas 4.3 and 5.1. Both these models moved on from the originals, with a modern, strong, almost “blocky” look that is right on the button for current combat pistol design.

I’ve been using both the existing models since they first hit the market (in fact slightly before they hit the market!) and they have proved to be solid, durable, and dependable pistols, which is exactly what you want from a “fighting secondary”. RAVEN has really come on as a brand since I first saw those initial models, and although, like any manufacturer they’ve had their “ups and downs” it’s been pretty much all “ups” as the range has matured and grown.

When it comes to regular carry for skirmishing I’ve found that the RAVEN Hi Capa 4.3 is my

ARMOURY RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO

preferred option, although for practical “ringing the steels” use the 5.1 is ideal. Even though the design is obviously at variance with the lines of a “classic 1911” in terms of both the frame, slide and magazine capacity, the grip angle and operation is both familiar and comfortable; it’s as if they’ve taken that classic “1911 rake” and feature set and incorporated it into a new, modern design that works well and looks great, but that keeps an overall simplicity that John Browning would have approved of without doubt!

And now comes the model that I knew would get into the lineup eventually, and one that I’ve badgered the guys at RAVEN about constantly… the 3.8 PRO! As much as I love the existing Hi Capas and truly believe that they are amongst the best “airsoft combat handguns” out there, I do have a very profound love for “compact” handguns and I felt strongly that this was missing from the RAVEN line. Thankfully the RAVEN design team obviously felt the same, and in December I finally got my hands on both the standard and RDS models of the new pistol!

But why do I get so excited about “compacts”?

Well, this in itself is a question that I’ll try to answer now!

SIZE MATTERS!

Pistols are “handguns” so by their very nature that would seem to indicate that they are small, but we all know that this isn’t always the case when it comes to real firearms like the Desert Eagle, or even airsoft-specific models like RAVENs own Dragon 7! So what do I mean when I use the word “compact”?

If you have a look at any decent firearms resource, or discuss handgun sizes with any decent trainer then they’ll all tell you that “compact” pistols will generally be physically smaller than their full-frame siblings, and will have a barrel length of 3.5-4.5 inches. Also the pistol grip on a “compact” will generally

fit inside the hand, although it may protrude slightly when a magazine is loaded; essentially “compacts” are meant to be exactly that, small and more easily concealed. For ease of concealment, “compact” pistols usually have a smaller, shorter frame than their full size counterparts so that they can be carried covertly for concealed carry, or overtly when required.

Pistols of this size are, in the real world, great for EDC and concealed carry, so that makes the 6mm BB models great to own for scenario-driven airsoft games and MilSims.

They’re also a great choice for people with smaller hands, as the lighter frame makes them easier to aim and makes them quicker to handle and manipulate. The downside in the real world of course is that most “compacts” have a smaller magazine capacity than their full-frame brothers and sisters (not really a problem with airsoft models!), and they usually have considerably more recoil than a full-sized version; when shooting overseas I usually use a 9x19mm G17 that I find easy to control, but the G26X is a different wee beast although it’s the same calibre… that however is still far easier to control than a Detonics Combat Master in .45ACP which remains to this day one of the most “exciting” handguns I’ve ever had the opportunity to shoot!

Another downside of the “compact” is that if you do have larger hands, they can be quite tough to manipulate comfortably, although magazine extensions can help with this. This isn’t really important when it comes to airsoft models, but can have a profound effect on aim and recoil management… that Detonics… “exciting”! The bottom line is that we are all physically different, and what works best for one person may not work for another. I LOVE compact handguns and they work for me, but as always I’d advise you to do your homework, decide what you need, head to your local site or range and try out some different pistols

www.airsoftaction.net

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ARMOURY RAVEN HI-CAPA 3.8 PRO

and see which one works best for you. Don’t let price or “Gucci brand” be the deciding factor, and when you’ve bought your own pistol don’t just stick it in a holster on gamedays but shoot it regularly (I am for iro 1000 BBs a week through my pistols MINIMUM) and keep it well maintained!

PRO FOR THE WIN!

So, in those famous words from Joey, “that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Compacts in airsoft though are great for not just a scenario-game, but because they hold a significant amount of BBs they can also be used as a regular secondary for game days, benefitting you thanks to their smaller size and lighter weight; as I’ve always said, why drag around more weight than necessary if what you are carrying is effective?

And the 3.8 PRO IS effective; it uses the same magazines as the larger models (brilliant!) and comes in two versions to marry up with the rest of the existing RAVEN Hi Capa range, standard and prefitted RDS. Although I love the standard version that comes with hi-vis fibre-optic fixed sights (this will be the pistol I skirmish with) the new RAVEN pistols with the RDS are great; the pistol slides have been designed specifically to accommodate the RDS. As well as the slide modification both front and rear “iron sights” have also been given a facelift, both to work efficiently with the RDS, and to again add fibre-optics to the mix. The RDS is easily controlled from two push buttons on either side of the frame, and comes with a handy tool to make adjustments to windage and elevation (Up/Down, Left/Right), so that you can have your pistol shooting exactly where you want it to.

All the RAVEN pistols are powered by Green Gas from the box and chrono iro 0.78 Joule/290FPS on a .20g RZR BB. Both models have a really punchy recoil impulse, even more so when you use the included CO2 conversion parts to run this pistol on a CO2 bulb, although you will need to buy the CO2 magazine separately as an accessory. In practical terms you will need to look at your holster for the new model with the RDS, but I found my usual Kydex Customs models work just fine with both variants.

On my daily sessions on the short range at home I’ve been using both 3.8 PROs a lot over the holidays, so I’ve now been able to get a great feel for both of them. They’ve been out with me in all weather conditions, in good weather and in bad, and now we’ve actually had some cold mornings (don’t you

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just love scraping frost!) I’ve been able to give them some proper abuse in adverse conditions! I already have magazines from my 4.3 and 5.1 RAVEN Hi Capas so I have mags aplenty which is great for running drills, and the redesign on the lower-frame rail works perfectly with my pistol taclites! Accuracy is very good given the inner barrel length of just 96mm, but it is a 6.03 as standard. At my regular pistol-testing range of 10m I’m now down to some pretty tight groupings as things have bedded in, and at 5-10m it’s a breeze hitting targets on the move!

So, bottom line from me is this; with the new RAVEN Hi Capa 3.8 PRO models the guys have taken some already thoroughly tried and tested designs which sell at a really sensible price, and added even more choice to our pick of individualistic pistol platforms. They’ve also given us more to choose from in how we want our personal pistol to look, feel, and perform and that to me is a yet another massively positive step forward when it comes to owning, and loving, a pistol that will last with us through our airsoft life if we maintain it and look after it.

I know that there are further plans for even more to happen with all the pistol ranges offered by RAVEN, and as always I’ll say “watch this space” as I’ll be covering them off as soon as I know about them!

For more information and to keep fully up to date with new releases please do check out www. rvnairsoft.com and keep a close eye on www. facebook.com/ravengbb. AA

www.kydexcustomsuk.com

UK-BASED KYDEX HOLSTERS AND EQUIPMENT Manufacturer of products for police, military and airsofters around the world!

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Holsters Light-Bearing Holsters Magazine Carriers Magazine Inserts Grenade Carriers Radio Carriers Shotgun Carriers Knife sheaths

WORLDWIDE SHIPPING AVAILABLE sales@kydexcustomsuk.com @kydexcustumsuk Kydex Customs

AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

POWER TO THE PEOPLE! GOOD AND TRUSTED RELATIONS WITH THE INDUSTRY ARE A CRUCIAL PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE AT AIRSOFT ACTION, AND SPEAKING DIRECT WITH THE MANUFACTURERS AT SOURCE LETS US GET INTO THE MEAT OF NEW STORIES AND NEW PRODUCT RELEASES IMMEDIATELY. JUST ANNOUNCED IS A NEW LINE OF MODELS FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT KWA THAT IS CERTAIN TO PLEASE PLAYERS AROUND THE WORLD, AND BOYCIE ALREADY HAS THE LOWDOWN!

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AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

S

hot Show, held in Las Vegas, Nevada is the US’ premier arms fair where major manufacturers from shooting, hunting, outdoor, airsoft and training worlds present their new products, from pistols, rifles, shotguns, accessories, equipment and clothing to the public, often for the first time, this year running from Tuesday 18th to Friday 21st January. In previous years KWA have been regular attendees but in 2022 they are not able to attend, instead choosing to make a major product announcement on their social media outlets KWA Performance Industries Instagram page as well as their Facebook page and the ERG User Group and KWA VM4/QRF/Ronin/Tekken (TK)/Eve Users Group.

At Airsoft Action we have a close and valued relationship with KWA, both through meetings with Bill at previous Shot Shows as well as Boycie’s personal contacts and his working on the ERG platform for many years, and Dan’s extensive technical knowledge of their products. This relationship has given us exclusives in the past and this month is a huge start for 2022 with the announcement of not one, two or three new KWA products but EIGHT new rifle variants!

IT’S ALL ABOUT POLYMERS!

Moving forward to 2022, KWA have long been manufacturers of airsoft and training weapons and this year sees them following numerous real steel manufacturers by adding rifles with polymer receivers and handguards to their range which will undoubtedly bring them more within reach of all players, even those on a more modest budget… it truly is an announcement that will bring “power to the people”!

Of course there will still be some naysayers that will continue to roll out that old, tired mantra of “it has to be metal or it ain’t realistic”, so let’s address that first, shall we? Way back in the 1970’s Steyr were one of the first firearms companies to introduce polymers into their products with the body of the AUG being made from fibreglass reinforced Polyamide. In the 1990’s pistol manufacturer Glock made the frame of the famous Glock 17 from polymer. Smith & Wesson also released their Sigma pistol, again with a polymer frame and a number of other manufacturers also started to introduce more and more polymer parts into their products. There are also numerous manufacturers which make accessories from polymer based materials. In 2006 Smith & Wesson introduced the M&P15-22 (.22LR) as a low cost training rifle to go alongside their M&P15 (.223) and the majority of the 15-22 is polymer, including the lower and upper receivers, handguard and accessories. Not only does the employment of polymers in major rifle parts

provide similar performance to that of the metal components but there is a substantial weight saving.

The 15-22 has also become a hugely popular rifle for Mini Rifle competitions (and is in fact Bill’s favourite semi-auto .22 platform as it happens!).

With this in mind it seems only logical that KWA should follow suit to provide some of their technologies at a more player-friendly price point, and the introduction of models with high-standard polymer receivers and handguards to their extensive and well-respected range seems eminently sensible to us. While the lower receivers are reminiscent of previous models, the upper and lower receivers have all been redesigned and earlier this month our friends at KWA USA gave us the nod on the news of FIVE new polymer-based AEG variants and one GBBR, as well as two updated AEGs with metal receivers.

First on the list is the totally new F90 (E88) AUG style replica which is a new addition to the KWA Gas Blowback stable. Next in the AEGs are the revised VM4 M10 with a new design of MLOK rail and RM4 Q10 which sports a new quad rail models with the much requested return of the empty magazine cut off feature.

Then come the five redesigned and updated QRF and Ronin Models. We start with the new KO: AVA which is based around the QRF Mod 1, the KO: RAINE based on the QRF Mod 2, the KO: LUCY based around the QRF Mod 3. As well as being ambidextrous, they use the same magazines as their previous incarnations.

They also have a totally new upper receiver design, a redesigned lower receiver, ambi side charging handle and coming in at around 500g (1lb) lighter than their first iterations.

The KO: IRIS comes in at a massive 2.1lb (nearly 1kg) lighter than its Tekken variant. These new KO Series share the same high performance 2.5+ internals as previous versions with adjustable fps through KWA’s Variable Performance System (VPS), 6.05 tightbore inner barrel and hi torque motor. With these KO models you can also fit a number of different internal MOSFET units.

FROM THE SOURCE

KWA told us; “Here at KWA, we’ve pushed the limits of the airsoft industry with top-tier performance and purpose-driven innovation while maintaining our stance as a brand for every airsofter. The KWA Originals Brand of airsoft guns focuses on a dynamic new approach to airsoft combat sports. Much like KWA’s release of the Ronin Series AEGs back in 2018, the KO Brand was devised to elevate airsoft as an industry and as a culture. KO www.airsoftaction.net

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AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

At the time of writing the specifications of the KO series, RM4 Q10 & VM4 M10 were not available but we have included the specifications of the previous iterations with parts already confirmed in the new models.

K O: AVA Length Extended: 26.75” (Based on QRF Mod.1 spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on QRF Mod.1 spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: AVA) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: AVA)

K O: RAINE Length Extended: 27.63” (Based on QRF Mod.2 Spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on QRF Mod.2 Spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: RAINE) Also compatible with TK45 120 rd magazines.

Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: RAINE)

K O: LUCY Length Extended: 26.5” (Based on QRF Mod.3 spec) Outer Barrel Length: 6.5” (Based on QRF Mod.3 spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: LUCY) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: LUCY)

K O: SCARLETT 47 Length Retracted: 24.5” (Based on RN47 spec) Length Extended: 29.25” (Based on RN47 spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on RN47 spec) Magazine Capacity: 120rds (Confirmed in KO: SCARLETT47) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: SCARLETT47)

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AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

K O: IRIS 45 Length Retracted: 21.25” (Based on TK45C spec) Length Extended: 26.0” (Based on TK45C spec) Outer barrel length 6.75” (Based on TK45C spec) Magazine Capacity: 80rds (Confirmed in KO: IRIS) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ (Confirmed in KO: IRIS)

VM4 M10 Length Extended: 32” TBC (Based on T10) Outer Barrel Length: 11” TBC (Based on T10) Magazine Capacity: 120 (also compatible with KWA 30/60, 30/120 & EPM ERG) Gearbox: AEG 2.5+ Magazine Cut Off: YES

RM4 Q10 Length Extended: 32” TBC (Based on T10) Outer Barrel Length: 11” TBC Based on T10) Magazine Capacity: 120 (also compatible with KWA 30/60, 30/120 & EPM ERG) Gearbox: AEG 3.0+ Magazine Cut Off: YES

F90 (E88) AUG Sadly at the time of creating this report there were no details available for the new F90, so I’ve included a stock image here to give you an idea of what we all have to look forward to!

www.airsoftaction.net

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AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

is our pursuit to revitalize and reimagine what an airsoft gun is supposed to feel and look like while still paying homage and taking inspiration from classic weapon designs. The next KWA guns to receive the special KO “polymerization”/treatment are the QRF Series, TK45C and Ronin 47 AEGs. Each new KO release is a polymer build of their metal counterpart while shaving off almost a pound off from the original. These new KO releases feature the same upgrades as the KO EVE6 we announced in 2021 including the KO side charging handle and newly developed, high-strength polymer receiver body. Magazine compatibility will remain unchanged with each KO AEG able to accept their respective magazines from the original Ronins and QRF AEGs. The newly unveiled IRIS-45 makes a dramatic improvement in weight by shaving 2.1 lbs off the most recent TK45C offering. This makes the IRIS a true contender in BB slinging gunfights by levelling

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the playing field in terms of overall weight. Internally, the new KO line shares the same 2.5+ adjustable FPS gearbox as the TK45C, Ronin T6, QRF Mod Series, Ronin 47. Install your favourite aftermarket electronic trigger group and you have an ultra-responsive and lightweight polymer AEG with legendary KWA performance.”

The new variants are expected to be released through 2022 along with the much awaited KO: EVE. As with most new products the global Covid pandemic has affected manufacturing and shipping to a large extent and as such there have been understandable delays in being able to release the actual products and some timescales have slipped.

We’re really looking forward to being able to get our hands on test rifles to put through the ringer both on the range and on the skirmish fields, and with the AA team now being truly global we’ll do this just as soon as they appear! AA

AA EXCLUSIVE KWA NEW MODELS

www.airsoftaction.net

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ACTION AIR THE GUNS OF PAMG

PAMG...

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...RUNNIN’ AND GUNNIN’!

ACTION AIR THE GUNS OF PAMG

AS WE’VE PREVIOUSLY STATED, PAMG IS ALL ABOUT FRIENDLY AND FUN COMPETITION WITHOUT THERE BEING BARRIERS TO STARTING UP OR TO TRYING OUT COMPETITION STYLE SHOOTING IN THE FIRST PLACE! WE THOUGHT WE’D LOOK AT THE PLATFORMS USED BY “POSH” AND BILL AND THAT WE WOULD OFFER SOME ADVICE ON GETTING STARTED. PAMG “ORIGINATOR” JON KICKS OFF…

www.airsoftaction.net

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ACTION AIR THE GUNS OF PAMG

T

o recap on the whole “Practical Airsoft MultiGun” (or PAMG for ease) I’ll start by recapping on the entire concept! PAMG is meant to be fun for all that currently enjoy, or think they MIGHT enjoy, a little competitive shooting, and through PAMG we want to encourage individuals from all walks of life to join in and you don’t necessarily have to be an airsofter to compete, although it’s hoped that many of you that are already players out there would find PAMG challenging in a positive way! You might be interested in other shooting disciplines and are looking at expanding your skill set or a complete novice having never even fired a “gun” before. To this end, PAMG has a few guidelines around kit, gear and weapon systems.

I’ve already looked at the kit and PAMG does require garments that are designed with the dynamic movement needed to excel in mind; we’d urge you not to use camo gear at a PAMG match, but to look at block colour alternatives; we aren’t shooting at each other so we don’t need to be hidden!

Serving, Veteran or Law Enforcement are welcome to wear uniform if they wish, and this is pretty cool of you look at the guys Stewbacca ran with at the Taiwanese IDPA match! Essentially though, a pair of jeans or tacticool pants, a well-fitting top so that it doesn’t snag when you draw a pistol on the course of fire, and of course eye protection is what you’ll need… and a cool ballcap… everyone needs a cool ballcap!

Again, gear can be quite basic, and a bare bones set-up of belt, pistol holster, a rifle magazine pouch, two pistol magazine pouches and a shotgun shell holder is really all you will need; if you want to go fancier then that’s your call, but if you already have a set of belt kit you’re comfortable with then you’re all set!

But what of your platforms (ie GUNS!), what are you going to need? Again it’s pretty simple.

OPEN OR PRODUCTION?

I have worked up a full setup for both “Production” and “Open” Classes. As a brief reminder “Production” is anything that is completely standard and has no upgrades that could give you an advantage. “Open” is any platform that has been modified, whether that’s simply adding on an optic,

completely rebuilding the gearbox, or replacing the hop and inner barrel. Basically, “Open” is a modified platform that would give you ANY advantage over “Production”.

I run two pistols, an Army Armament R17 that is as it was out of the box, completely standard with Iron Sights. This is my “Production” Class pistol. It has been Cerakoted though for visual “improvement”! I also run a red Vorsk Vengeance which has a tightbore barrel, is short stroked, has an RMR Sight and has a custom-made charge handle; this sits very squarely in the “Open” Class as it has been modified to provide an advantage over stock or “Production” Class.

You will need a minimum of two magazines for each of your chosen platforms to be able to compete in all stages of PAMG as there are mandatory reloads as you progress through the courses of fire.

Bill uses a green RAVEN Hi Capa 4.3 as it’s completely streamlined without any fuss or ornate work to any of the main parts. It’s a pistol fundamentally designed to be shot, to be used rather than just carried in a holster. RAVEN have beefed up areas that they felt needed it to give the pistol longevity and durability; they changed the slide spring to cope both with the minimal increase in weight, and to give them a real kick! As this work is all done in the factory as standard “out of the box”, this is his “Production” pistol although he’s just taken delivery of a RAVEN 3.8 Hi Capa (green again!) with RMR that he intends to fettle a little for “Open”, but of course both pistols use the same magazines which will keep his costs down!

For the “Rifle Component” I have two rifles set up, the Evolution International Ghost as my “Production” Class rifle. This is an unmodified, iron-sighted, straight out of the box rifle. There have been no modifications made to the rife other than Cerakote for visual “improvement”.

I also run a modified Nuprol Recon Alpha as my “Open” Class Rifle. This has a 6.03 tight bore barrel, uprated bucking and nub, and has a Red Dot optic on a riser, with a lightweight “speed butt stock” and various other modifications such as speed mag release, lightweight angled foregrip and a few other detailing components. These modifications can help get an advantage over the “Production” class as

“IT’S A TOTALLY NEAT PACKAGE THAT LOOKS AWESOME, AND THE FLIP-UP SIGHTS THAT COME FITTED AS STANDARD ARE MORE THAN ADEQUATE, AND INDEED ARE STURDILY MADE OF ALLOY, SO THE NOVESKE IS READY TO ROLL FOR “PRODUCTION” STRAIGHT FROM THE BOX JUST BY ADDING A BATTERY AND SOME BBS” 30

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ACTION AIR THE GUNS OF PAMG

I can get better target acquisition via the Red Dot Optic, the platform is lighter due to the aluminium components that replaced the heavier and bulkier items such as stock and foregrip and I can get a tighter grouping due to the tight bore barrel and upgraded hop rubber.

Bill at the moment is sticking to a “Production” model for his setup, but one that can be easily changed to “Open” configuration when needed by simply adding a holo sight and magnifier. His model of choice here is the EMG “Noveske 13.7” Gen 4 Infidel”. In “Bazooka Green” externally the Infidel ticks all his “Noveske Love” boxes, whilst internally there’s a LOT of stuff going on to increase both performance and longevity. It’s a totally neat package that looks awesome, and the flip-up sights that come fitted as standard are more than adequate, and indeed are sturdily made of alloy, so the Noveske is ready to roll for “Production” straight from the box just by adding a battery and some BBs; Bill reckons that it’s quite good enough to handle the “Open” opposition, but we’ll see about that when the shootin’ starts!

GOING LONG

So far so simples, but there are two additional platform elements that you’ll need for PAMG and the first of these is a shotgun. Although Bill has quite a selection of spring and gas “pump actions” (he’s a bit of a shotgun loon TBH!) it’s quite odd that both he and I have chosen the same model to compete with, and that’s the CYMA M870 tri-shot that sits in the “Open” Class. We both chose this model simply because a spring shotgun is pretty hard to break and can be quite exceptionally accurate, and the CYMA ticks all the boxes from the get go, and doesn’t cost the earth! Both of us have Cerakoted a few components (red and “Bazooka Green” respectively) to tie in a colour scheme but there are no performance upgrades. That said Bill does fancy creating an all-gas PAMG setup with the VFC BCM MCMR and to use a gas-powered 870-style shotgun for more realism, but ultimately they’ll fall into the same categories, “Open” and “Production” whatever he does.

Now for me the “Long Gun” platform element is where all bets are off! This will be an “Optional” part of PAMG, but if you’re getting into it, you may as well go all the way, be it traditional bolt-action or more DMR-style! I have a modified A&K AK(SR)25.

This rifle has had a 6.03 tightbore barrel, Maple Leaf Bucking and Nub, M120 Spring, and Perun

Mosfet fitted; it’s also locked to Semi Auto only and has been completely cleaned and re-shimmed from factory. It has a Nuprol Optics 1.25-5x26 scope and a Nuprol “Harris-style” bipod for stability. As it’s modified it sits in the “Open” Class. As yet, I’m still looking into the best out of the box options, to purchase a “Production” Class platform.

Bill has decided to go properly “old skool” with his “long” and decided to stick with bolt-action for this element. He’s constantly fiddling with a “Production” model based on the APS/Hakkotsu M40A3 bolt action, which he’s fitted with a NUPROL 4x32EG optic and a “Harris” style bipod, although he’s told me he’s changing that out for the fancy Spartan Magnetic Attachment System bipod that he wrote about in Issue 133 … and yes, he’s also had the rifle Cerakoted “Bazooka Green”! Thus far he’s been feeding the beast .32g RZR BBs and it seems more than happy with these, although he has some .40g to see what difference that makes. Suffice to say that at 70m he’s making VERY neat holes in the paper, and his hope is to extend this accuracy out to 100m; I’m interested to see what the M40 is capable of stock and I’m still dreading the moment he decides to bring out that CYMA DMR of his…

I hope that this will give you some idea of what you’ll need in terms of your platform elements, but of course the important thing to bear in mind, and that I hope we’ve illustrated here, is that you do not have to spend vast amounts of money on “Competition Spec” equipment. You can use your skirmish/milsim platforms in a competition so there really is no need to go out and buy anything new… unless you want to of course!

PAMG was designed as an introduction into the world of competitive shooting and as such having fun is at the forefront; that said, we’re both keen to see how our chosen platforms perform when the shooting starts, and we’ll pick up again with the “PAMG Story” when we’ve had them out runnin’ and gunnin’! AA

www.airsoftaction.net

31

TOKYO MARUI

L119A2 CUSTOM BUILD

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KIT & GEAR VIPER UPDATE

Viper’s Nest

revisited!

HOW MANY OF US WILL ADMIT TO BEING GEAR SNOBS, EH? WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE LIKE AND A GOOD FEW YEARS OF RUNNING AROUND ON AIRSOFT FIELDS AND TRAINING AREAS HAVE SET EVERYONE AT AIRSOFT ACTION ON A COURSE WITH OUR GEAR, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR WHICH HAS BEEN TRIED AND TESTED EXTENSIVELY. INCREASINGLY THERE’S ONE BRAND WE ALL TURN TO - AND THAT’S VIPER!

I

f you head to any, and I mean ANY, airsoft game around the UK you’ll always find the guys with the absolute maximum of branded clothing and gear literally dripping from them, but you’ll also find the hard core of regular players who just want good, solid gear that’s dependable. Let’s face it, simple, straightforward army surplus gear was designed for our environment, is eminently affordable, and works very well for most situations.

One well-priced brand name continues to evolve, improve and consistently stand out from the crowd in the “works extremely well” category of tactical gear, clothing and footwear market, and that is VIPER. I’m sure, like me, at some point in your airsoft “life” you’ve owned a least one piece of gear from VIPER, even if it is just a simple sling or pouch, but these days it’s very likely that it will be more than just one piece, as the guys at VIPER have upped their game considerably, and some of their kit is now very much our first choice, and is indeed worn by all the members of Red Cell and the core AA crew (Elite Trousers Gen2 Woodland, Mesh-Tech T-Shirt Black, Mesh-Tech Armour Top Black, and Fleece Hoodie

Black)!

In the many years that the brand has been trading they have become renowned for an unsurpassed level of personalised service to the trade. They have friendly, knowledgeable staff always on hand to help get any order out quickly and efficiently. Although in the last year they have streamlined the sheer number of “units” they have in their line (and the line is the better for that!), they hold huge stocks to keep availability to a maximum; I know, I’ve been in their warehouse! Generally orders placed before 12 noon are dispatched the same day to their trade customers. They are constantly developing and researching new products to expand their ranges and enhance their brand, and their “Ambassador” program around the world shows that we in the UK are not the only ones that appreciate their designs.

The VIPER brand has have been involved in the military and airsoft market for over a LONG time now, so they have the experience, the knowledge, and the resources to offer all of us players fantastic equipment manufactured to the highest standards using quality materials at affordable prices.

“THE GUYS AT VIPER HAVE UPPED THEIR GAME CONSIDERABLY, AND SOME OF THEIR KIT IS NOW VERY MUCH OUR FIRST CHOICE, AND IS INDEED WORN BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF RED CELL AND THE CORE AA CREW.”

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KIT & GEAR VIPER UPDATE

But the team at VIPER have upped their game considerably again, offering a completely new range of seriously upgraded products in their line up, and I have to say that the products look very good indeed in the new versions which are absolutely ideal for those who need good gear and don’t want to pay the earth. It would have been an easy and cheap “out” for them to produce this new range based on existing products and designs, but instead they have gone for something completely new and taken their time about it too, concentrating not only on what works, but what continues to work over time!

The range is pretty tightly focussed on what the VIPER brand has done well historically, but has been honed to include new load gear, tactical gear, clothing, and footwear. We’ve worn and abused a number of the latest models extensively already, and have a number of the new pieces in for testing right now, so you can expect to see these fully and thoroughly covered in the coming months either in the magazine or via our website updates.

CONSIDERED PROGRESSION

When it comes to launching newly developed gear though, that’s no easy thing to do. Luckily the VIPER lineup has gone through a long period of design, development, and testing before they have even thought of bringing it to market. I first saw the new models some time ago in design concept stage, and as always I’ve been speaking to them ever since and therefore know they have held back certain of the latest designs for some time to ensure that in these current “shipment difficult” times that that the quality of construction is as good as it possibly can be, and that they can deliver on time, and in full.

I’ve worked in the performance manufacturing sector myself in the dim past and know the implications of this to any business; once you’ve gone through the design process and actually had the models mocked up as samples to show to the trade you’ve already racked up some pretty major costs, and it’s very tempting to get those products out and for sale as swiftly as possible to recoup that initial investment. Luckily for us they have not fallen into that trap with the newer VIPER gear. Instead they have taken their time, not only tweaking the original sample designs, but actually adding further models to the pack range, whilst branching out further to add to their already impressive tactical gear, clothing, footwear and accessory offerings.

What process has led them to this point you may ask? All I can tell you is that the last couple of years

have, in my opinion, seen VIPER products just get better and better with more quality in the fabrics chosen and more attention to detail in terms of how things are put together than ever before. To illustrate what I mean I’m going to highlight a few of the existing products that will go forward to form part of the new, wider range that I’ll be looking at in detail over the coming months as our testing procedure comes to fruition.

MOVING FORWARD

Let’s take a look at some of the recent additions to the VIPER range starting with their VX Buckle Up Carrier Gen2 again; a while back we looked to addressing the question of whether you actually NEED “gucci” kit where in fact something designed, built and priced with airsoft in mind is actually what will do the job nicely. Sure enough, “real” kit will have you covered, but these days the quality of “for airsoft” gear has moved up to offer equipment that is more than fit for our purposes!

What do we mean by “designed for airsoft”?

Well, a great example is the Viper Tactical Buckle Up Plate Carrier Gen2! A few of us on the team have been using this great rig from Viper for a while now

www.airsoftaction.net

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KIT & GEAR VIPER UPDATE

on range days, and Jon looked at it in some detail, concluding that “in my opinion, (this) is a great price for a whole lot of kit and quality kit at that! Will you be deploying to downtown Basra with it? No, of course you won’t. Will it be any good on the airsoft field? HELL YES and you’ll look good in it too!”

It’s available in multiple colours so it will work with most loadouts out there, and the VX Buckle Up Carrier Gen2 is a modular design that will host a variety of VX System and MOLLE compatible accessories. With quick release buckles throughout as well as multiple hook and loop panels, you can create a unique set up that fits your needs. Fully adjustable mesh vented sides with quick release clips and removable shoulder pads make this vest comfortable and easy to adjust. The shoulder pads also feature bladder / comms retention. On the inside they have added padded front and back panels to extend the comfort of the vest, and on the front of the Gen2 features a zipped admin pouch and hook and loop ID panel. Additionally you can customise the front using removable lazer cut MOLLE panel included with the product. On the back you will find a MOLLE panel allowing you to attach any MOLLE compatible hydration pack or the Viper VX Charger Pack. The carrier comes with two removable EVA dummy plates, and is fully VX buckle up system compatible.

And as much as the Gen2 IS fully compatible with all the VIPER pouch and accessory range, they’ve made it even easier now for you to get an entire set of “good to go kit” in one hit with three complete sets on offer! The VX SETS (SMG, RIFLEMAN, and DMR) consist of a VX BUCKLE UP loadout configuration tailored towards the user’s choice of primary. With the inclusion of the VX QUAD SMG MAG SLEEVE (SMG), VX TRIPLE RIFLE MAG SLEEVE (Rifleman), or VX DOUBLE RIFLE MAG SLEEVE XL (DMR) and VX DOUBLE PISTOL MAG SLEEVE you really shouldn’t need any additional pouches to use this gear immediately. The diverse VX system will allow you to easily customise and adjust for varied roles from game to game. All VX SETS offer a comprehensive and versatile loadout which is also cost effective by saving 26% on cost of the components when bough individually!

If you need more loadspace then VIPER have you covered with the VX Buckle Up Sling Pack, which is perfect for use both on and off the airsoft field.

In tactical use, the sling style allows you to wear it over one shoulder, completely out of the way, whilst allowing quick and easy access to your gear. With an approximate 5L capacity it has a surprisingly spacious main compartment allowing you to store small belongings and a 13inch tablet or notebook, whilst maintaining a discreet profile when on the move. The second compartment is a hook and loop slot thoughtfully placed at the back of the bag allowing the use of any combination of the Viper VX mag / pistol sleeves. On the front VIPER have added two zipped general purpose pouches, and inside each of them there is an internal mesh pocket ideal to separate your valuables. The right pouch also includes a short lanyard providing extra safety.

On the back of the bag you will find a large mesh pocket providing further storage. On both sides of the Sling Pack you will find MOLLE panels allowing for further customisation. The adjustable back strap with a removable sternum strap prevents excess movement whilst an adjustable MOLLE shoulder pad completes the bag giving you the ultimate in comfort. Whether you need an everyday pack or a dedicated go-bag, the Viper VX Buckle up Sling Pack is a perfect cross between a pack and a bag designed for all-day comfort.

Footwear is always something that VIPER have been good at, and their side-zip SPECIAL OPS BOOT was a bit of a classic! But fabrics, components and footwear trends move on apace (sorry!) and the new VENOM boots are really a step forward (my bad, sorry again!) from where they were. The new VENOM boots are bang-on with all the latest performance and comfort technology, starting with the soles which are aggressively styled and have 7mm deep, multi directional treads; these are durable yet flexible, so you can move around with confidence even when carrying a load. The heel of the boot has a moulded TPU heel stabiliser and internal nylon stabiliser shank which actually work well to support your ankle and the combination doesn’t hinder movement one bit.

On the foot they are SUPER comfortable thanks

“AND AS MUCH AS THE GEN2 IS FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH ALL THE VIPER POUCH AND ACCESSORY RANGE, THEY’VE MADE IT EVEN EASIER NOW FOR YOU TO GET AN ENTIRE SET OF “GOOD TO GO KIT” IN ONE HIT WITH THREE COMPLETE SETS ON OFFER! ”

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KIT & GEAR VIPER UPDATE

to the EVA foam midsole. The upper is 1000D Cordura and the sole comes up over the toe so you can be confident that they’ll take a fair battering traversing through all kinds of terrain. Internally there’s a moisture wicking lining and a waterproof

and breathable hydroguard membrane. That means you can be confident that you’ll have cool, dry feet in those soggy winter months. Another thing that we really like is the laces; I know they’re not usually a feature but the VENOM boots come with a really good, heavy-duty set of lace which after all helps to keep the boots on your feet, now doesn’t it?

On the clothing front we are loving the FRONTIER JACKET, a model that again has been chosen by Red Cell (in plain Black) for those chilly range days!

This versatile jacket acts as an effective quick-draw defence against the elements with rapid deployment from its stuff sack; it acts as a windproof and water repellent shield. The Viperlite lining lends its lightweight, breathable and thermal qualities to operate in mid to low temperatures. The jacket features two zipped side pockets, one zipped chest pocket and one zipped internal chest pocket to store your valuables. This jacket is a great choice for airsofters who need something light and with a small pack-size that they can carry with them at all times for when the temperature dips, or for when things go from more active “overt” to slower-moving “covert” ops. Once again Jon took a long look at this and concluded “available in Tan, Black, and V-CAM (pictured) overall this is a well-designed, well-cut, comfortable and practical addition to your kit. If worn correctly and in conjunction with other items of a layer system, this jacket could well save your skin on a cold day.”

And to round out the latest additions to the line is the VIPER TACTICAL ROLLNECK TOP which is just landing in their warehouse as I write (three of the six colours are already here, and the remainder should be soon!). This simple yet effective shirt has been designed to be worn as a next-to-skin base layer and therefore features long sleeves, and is made from lightweight, 100% Polyester Mesh-tech wicking/ quick dry material. This will work technically to keep you comfortable in conjunction with a layered clothing system, and it’s stretch fit for even more comfort. It’s also a roll-neck design which I personally love as the neck can be pulled up and worn over the lower face; not only is this ideal for helping to keep off BB strikes, but of course in “C-World” it also works as an emergency face-covering!

I have to say that VIPER, who I already hold in high regard, have gone to some serious lengths to ensure that their new range of gear is fit for purpose in every way, whilst keeping prices sensible. As we roll into 2022 rest assured that you as players are going to have great new kit with which to continue your airsoft adventures, as I’m certain that the new models will be a huge success. All of the new items, along with even more superb looking additions to the clothing line have already been requested for testing, and as always you’ll see our test results in the future.

To keep up to date with the new VIPER TACTICAL products as they become available please visit www.viperkit.co.uk. You’ll also be able to find full stockist details there too. You can also follow VIPER TACTICAL via their very own social media pages (Facebook Viper Tactical @VIPERTACTICALUK, and IG viper_tactical #VIPERTACTICAL). AA

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OUTDOOR TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT

DESPERATELY SEEKING SHELTER JON IS CERTAINLY READY TO HIT HIS AO THIS YEAR, AND AS HE CONTINUES HIS TOD SERIES TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR OWN AIRSOFT BATTLES. THIS TIME HE LOOKS AT WHAT YOU MAY NEED WHEN IT COMES TIME TO GET YOUR HEAD DOWN!

Image licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

B

ooking and Preparation... Check!

Kit... Check!

Clothing... Check!

Food and Drink... Check!

Now, where are you gonna rest, take shelter and bug out quickly if you need to?

Let’s take a look into the options available to us as airsofters that are suitable for all weather and long game scenarios. As you’ve properly prepared for your game, you’ll know what to expect from your outing.

You’ll either have a FOB where you can perhaps have a few more luxuries or you will be on Green Ops where you have to be quick to respond and lightweight. This will change what you might need for that brief period of downtime.

We’ll look at a couple of scenarios and outline the kit required for it.

• Scenario One - Operating out of some kind of FOB or Village • Scenario Two - Patrolling the AO with no fixed abode.

SCENARIO ONE –FOB LIFE

Ah you lucky devil, you’ve got a FOB! Shame there’s no barracking for you to dump your kit and bunk

down in but hey, you can’t win them all. So then tiger, where are you getting your head down within the safety and sanctuary of these easily defended walls?

As you knew you’d be here, you’ve allowed for a few more creature comforts and luxuries. They might include a tent, lighting, bed, entertainment and more.

After all, all you’ve got to do is dart out to get on stag, or out of that front gate when the time comes.

If you are with friends, you can quite literally bring the kitchen sink. I’ve seen FOB’s where teams have a fully functioning camping set up with large stoves, multiple burners, camping tables, wash basins and more. I recall a tale from the Boss here at Airsoft Action of a hog roast and large BBQ’s at an event (okay, admitted that’s OPFOR but then that’s how OPFOR roll, right?).

The only way they could do this was by dividing up their kit among themselves and being pack mules. But what if you’re alone, you aren’t going to be taking all that by yourself are you?

Let’s have a look at a comfortable shut-eye set-up for a player in this safer environment.

Tents are an absolute luxury (and often a Godsend) in a situation like this as they are way more comfortable than roughing it. They offer protection from the elements and somewhere for you to safely

“SO THEN TIGER, WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR HEAD DOWN WITHIN THE SAFETY AND SANCTUARY OF THESE EASILY DEFENDED WALLS? AS YOU KNEW YOU’D BE HERE, YOU’VE ALLOWED FOR A FEW MORE CREATURE COMFORTS AND LUXURIES.”

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store your kit when you’re in the AO. The question really is what sort of size will you take? In my opinion anything more than a 2-3 man tent is unnecessary for this. You want enough room to be able to lay flat, enough room to store your spare kit and a space to chill and maybe cook up some scran. I like Highlander tents, they’re great value for money, lightweight, waterproof and roomy. The HIGHLANDER BLACKTHORN 2 in HTMC is a great piece of kit. It comfortably sleeps two, has a 2000mm Hydrostatic Head, has a built in living area

groundsheet, a storage area, taped seams, fiberglass poles, built in guy lines and packs down into a small, handled carry bag. At UK£76.95 it is a versatile bit of kit that you can get a lot of usage from.

If you’re not fussed about fanciness but still want some shelter over your head, a single man tent may be a better choice for you. The Mil-Tec Recom One Man Tent is big enough to fit a large individual comfortably, has a storage area, has a 1000mm Hydrostatic Head Inner (same applies for the groundsheet), packs down into a small drawstring bag and comes in at a reasonable UK£97.

Now let’s look at what you’re sleeping on and in.

This is where I’m torn between telling you that as you’re in a snuggly tent, away from the elements you don’t really need to worry about the sleeping bag and that any one will do. That’s not true though. In my opinion a four season bag is a must have piece of kit. It’ll keep you comfortable in the warmer seasons and toasty warm in the colder

months.

They do carry a loftier price tag but they’re worth their weight in gold. I’ve been in odd miserable

situations where I’ve grabbed the wrong bag for a camping trip or two and half frozen to death during the night. The Fox Outdoor mummy-style sleeping bag will see you well in temps as low as -10 degrees Celsius, has a ripstop outer skin and has extra padding at the shoulders for extra comfort. At UK£43.95 it’s a good buy.

As you are in a tent for the comfort factor, you may as well add a sleep mat; a sleep mat is great for making things a little more comfortable they also add a layer of insulation between you and the cold, hard floor. They come in a variety of designs and styles from roll mat types or inflatable mats (not a lilo or camping bed). They both do the same job, just with varying degrees of comfort and packability (an inflatable one will pack down smaller than a more rigid roll mat. A Highlander Roll Mat costs UK£10 and an Explorer Self Inflatable Mat will cost you as little as UK£40.

In the dead of night you might want to consider some form of lighting. We recommend a red/white switchable headlight and the Highlander Mira Headtorch at UK£10 fits the bill. It has for functions, Power, Regular, Red Flash and Red

for covert operation.

That just about covers the basic requirements for FOB sleeping. There are obviously plenty of other things that can be added but this would be my recommendation for a basic setup.

SCENARIO TWO – GREENSIDE OPS

Now what about those of you who are out on the field? Maybe you’re acting as a roving QRF or in the AO for patrol. Maybe there’s no FOB so everything needs to be on the fly, what then?

Obviously you will need to be as light and as fast to deploy or react as possible so your setup will differ greatly in terms of shelter. Some items will be the same, such as a good quality sleeping bag but you’re not gonna want to be setting up a tent. For your needs a Basha and a Bivi Bag are going to be your sleeper of choice. The advantage of this setup is its ease of getting it set up and torn down quickly. This is what you want, especially if you are being called www.airsoftaction.net

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OUTDOOR TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT

Image licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

into contact at any moment.

A Basha is essentially just a large square or rectangular tarp that has eyelets along the edges that allow you to tie it to objects with cordage. They are quick to erect and deconstruct, take up next to

Just a word on safety here; one thing that I’ve noticed over the years is that many players have removed their eye protection when they’re sleeping. I personally do not advise this. Yes you may be tucked up in a tent or bivi but that doesn’t mean that you won’t get shot. I strongly recommend some kind of strapped goggles for this situation.

So that’s it for shelter. Obviously you still need to be able to pack and carry this gear about so next time we’ll look at carry solutions, how best to pack and more.

In this article ALL of the items are available from www.military1st.co.uk but of course, you are free to kit up wherever you like! AA

no room in your pack and are inexpensive. There are loads of ways that you can make a shelter with a Basha. The Mil-Tec Multipurpose Plane Tarp comes in at UK£49.95 and is exactly what you’ll need. It’s worth watching videos on YouTube or reading a few Bushcraft books on how to set these shelters up and getting a bit of practice in.

To add a layer of protection to your sleeping bag you will want a Bivi Bag. This is essentially a waterproof cover that goes over your sleeping bag and protects you from the elements. They form a cocoon around you and you become completely enveloped by it once you’re inside. The Mil-Tec Modular 3-Layer Sleeping Bag Cover fits the bill nicely here as it has a

5000mm Hydrostatic Head, is breathable with a 500 g/m2/24h rating and internal bag fittings. As they slip over your sleeping bag you can have it fitted before you go and it’s instantly ready for you as soon as you deploy. The Mil-Tec is available for UK£63.95.

“FOR YOUR NEEDS A BASHA AND A BIVI BAG ARE GOING TO BE YOUR SLEEPER OF CHOICE. THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SETUP IS ITS EASE OF GETTING IT SET UP AND TORN DOWN QUICKLY. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BEING CALLED INTO CONTACT AT ANY MOMENT. ”

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THE CAGE NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

THE CAGE:

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

AS WE ENTER 2022 IT’S A TIME WHEN WE ALL LOOK BACK ON THE PRECEDING YEAR AND TRY TO WORK OUT WHAT WE MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE DONE A LITTLE BETTER OR PLAYED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. IT’S A TIME WHEN WE ALL MENTALLY RESET FOR THE AIRSOFTING YEAR AHEAD AND WORK OUT WHAT WE’D LIKE TO ACHIEVE… AND IT’S A TIME THAT WE MAKE THOSE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE KNOW WE’RE NEVER GOING TO STICK TO!

2

021 was again for all of us, all over the world, a bit of a darn rollercoaster… and not in a very positive way! With a rollercoaster you know that you’re going to be terrified one moment, and then totally elated the next, but 2021 seemed to give us all the terror but little of the elation as the frights just kept on coming!

One moment airsoft was ON and we started making plans and preparing our kit, but the very next moment airsoft was OFF again and if you’re anything like me you re-stored your gear with a heavy heart and a great deal of disappointment until the cycle commenced once again…

Luckily for us the UK National Airsoft Festival coincided with one of the ON moments and we were able to get out and meet fellow airsofters in a controlled yet thoroughly enjoyable setting; the sun shone, many thousands (perhaps MILLIONS!) of BBs got shot, a few adult beverages were sunk in the evenings around the firepits and everyone was

happy… whether or not that type of event is for you or not, the fact is that it was totally joyous to just be out and amongst fellow airsofters again, if only for a long weekend!

Like many of you, we have managed to get to some games and events, but far from the number that we would usually attend. Red Cell has been able to get together, but not every month as usual, and we’ve found ways to carry out our testing even if it has meant that “The Frog” has accumulated as many miles as usual simply ferrying around RIFs from one place, and one person, to another.

We’ve also found new ways of testing, and new venues for that to take place, even if it did mean that I personally spent many solitary days on the “woodland range” (spoiler alert… I was not totally “isolating” as the dog comes to the woods with me… bliss!). Gear testing was harder, and I for one missed our usual “mountain test”, although the guys have put in the miles making sure that what we recommend to you

“ONE MOMENT AIRSOFT WAS ON AND WE STARTED MAKING PLANS AND PREPARING OUR KIT, BUT THE VERY NEXT MOMENT AIRSOFT WAS OFF AGAIN AND IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME YOU RESTORED YOUR GEAR WITH A HEAVY HEART AND A GREAT DEAL OF DISAPPOINTMENT UNTIL THE CYCLE COMMENCED ONCE AGAIN…”

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THE CAGE NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

has really been put through the mill; this is something that would normally happen “in game”, but few games equated to little testing, so this had to be done differently.

All in all to create AA every 15th of the month became a HUGE challenge, but it became a challenge that every single member of the team rose to and embraced… we OWNED that challenge, and the knowledge of that helps us continue to drive forwards into a whole new 2022!

For me that drive will be threefold, and first on the list is regaining my usual standard of personal fitness that’s been eroded initially by illness, but subsequently by much lower levels of physical activity. Secondly I am as keen as many of you to actually get out again and PLAY AIRSOFT… I bloody miss my fix! Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is to be able to get back to being with my friends more regularly, and to spending more time with them… now this last one I have made a resolution for, and it is one that I WILL stick to!

TEAM TALK

Going back a couple of weeks I asked the AA Crew what their goals were for the coming year; “What are your AIRSOFT RESOLUTIONS for the coming year; please tell me what your hopes and dreams are for airsoft in 2022!” and this is what they had to tell me…

Stewbacca: I want to try and make more time for Airsoft, if that’s at all possible; I still feel like I’m being somewhat held back by my primary employment here which obviously for now has to take precedent, but would like to see myself interacting more directly with a wider base of manufacturers as well as continuing my close work with the nearby core group I know best.

Also want to forge ahead with both Action Air and potentially IDPA as I can see benefits in both styles, and hope to see their growth in Taiwan and a better public image and acceptance as a result.

Finally I hope to help the local community with our plans for more “basic training” and spreading of safe and sensible weapons handling culture and drills training to bring everyone in our team up to a competition circuit level; there are 5v5 squad tactics games on the horizon and I want to cut my teeth

“... FIRST ON THE LIST IS REGAINING MY USUAL STANDARD OF PERSONAL FITNESS THAT’S BEEN ERODED INITIALLY BY ILLNESS, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY BY MUCH LOWER LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. SECONDLY I AM AS KEEN AS MANY OF YOU TO ACTUALLY GET OUT AGAIN AND PLAY AIRSOFT… I BLOODY MISS MY FIX!”

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THE CAGE NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

along with my ex-mil US team lead who is taking on the tactics side while I handle the shooting skills side.

Lots to be done!

Robbie: My new years airsoft resolution... three things, Go volunteer to teach the kids at my old Tactical Airsoft Arena I built and sold 20 years ago that is still running!! Second go with my EOD mate to his games-events and help run his (gov-military grade) drone systems and pyro LOL, and third Go see Bill in the UK THIS YEAR and actually game there!

Boycie: My airsoft resolution is to actually get out and play a few more games next year! To meet up with the Red Cell more often, one of those meet ups to be a live fire range day when we’ll get to shoot a number of ‘real steel’ weapons. Also to meet up with Dan and Rob in the USA during either 2022 or 2023, Covid dependant.

“Professionally” I am looking forward to being a part of a new project and more writing. Hopefully, along with the Red Cell, developing a product that a major manufacturer is looking to take up and possibly put into production Jon: Mine are Airsoft and New Job related. Need to massively increase my strength, conditioning and cardio for the new job will be far more physical potentially… Sooooo back on the sensible eating, heavy duty resistance training, medium cardio and

movement stuff. Yaaaay!

Dan: I feel like I say this at the end of every year, but in 2022, I am going to finally get started on expanding my tech shop. I desperately need more benches, shelving, gun racks, inventory storage, etc.

I’m looking forward to designing the new layout and putting it into motion.

Barring continuing supply and shipping disruptions, I’d also like to follow through on my plan to roll out a series of new custom builds to add to the lineup. I suppose I’d also like 2022 to be the least year I handle an HPA build. Sorry, not sorry, #theyhavenosoul!

Lastly, I’d love to work a little less, play a little more Airsoft, and get back on the rower and work off some of the dad bod that’s started a beachhead on my middle.

Hana: All the big events have been postponed many times in the past two years in China and I hope next year will be back to normal of all the events, so I can report more news of or beloved game in China for Airsoft Action.

This year with ONETIGRIS I shall be working more with SWAT and professional training instructors on tactical gear, they keep to test and provide feedback on our new gear during actual training or shooting.

Including other K9 gear for the heroic police dogs, they have been purchased for use in border forces and prison guards.

Next year as always ONETIGRIS aim to maintain excellent gear supply and design more military gear in line with the needs of real users with the cooperation of military and police; this will also become our regular way of testing cooperation and gear development in the next year. I certainly look forward to see you at the next SHOT or IWA show after COVID, then cheers! AA

“I SHALL BE WORKING MORE WITH SWAT AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING INSTRUCTORS ON TACTICAL GEAR, THEY KEEP TO TEST AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON OUR NEW GEAR DURING ACTUAL TRAINING OR SHOOTING. INCLUDING OTHER K9 GEAR FOR THE HEROIC POLICE DOGS, THEY HAVE BEEN PURCHASED FOR USE IN BORDER FORCES AND PRISON GUARDS.”

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TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION

RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

2021 MAY HAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR MANY AND IT CERTAINLY PROVED CHALLENGING FOR THE MEMBERS OF RED CELL! HOWEVER, “THE CELL” (AS IT HAS BECOME KNOWN IN-HOUSE) HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THEIR QUEST TO GET THE REAL LOWDOWN OF SOME OF THE BESTLOVED AEGS AND GBBS - AND FROM ADVERSITY GREAT THINGS HAVE COME. THIS MONTH THEY REFLECT ON THEIR FAVOURITE MODELS AND AFTER TESTING OVER 100 DIFFERENT MAKES AND STYLES IN THE LAST YEAR, IT’S WORTH READING ON…

I

start this month’s Red Cell with some news that has saddened us all, and that’s the passing of our source of inspiration for this testing group, Richard Marcinko, who finally set his sights on his place amongst the warriors of lore at the grand age of 81.

Posted on Twitter by his son Matt and the National Navy SEAL Museum, the following sad announcement was made over Christmas: “Last night, Christmas evening, we lost a hero, who’s also known as The Rogue Warrior, the retired Navy SEAL commander AND the creator of SEAL Team Six, my father, Richard Marcinko… His legacy will live forever. The man has died a true legend”, and we can only agree.

Richard Marcinko was born into a tough Pennsylvania coal mining community and dropped out of high school to enlist in the USMC; it’s said that this enlistment was refused due to his failure to complete high school and I can only see this as the Marines great loss, and an example of rules outweighing common sense! Instead he joined the Navy, and 46

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RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

subsequently the Underwater Demolition Teams, contractor acquisitions for hand grenades”! Marcinko graduating in class 26 in October 1961. Marcinko maintained his innocence and claimed that he was served with UDT-21 until he was selected for an officer picked on for his work with Red Cell and that the commission in 1965, and was commissioned as an fraud committed revealed further weaknesses of ensign. He was later reassigned to SEAL Team Two military security… after reading his own words on and went on to serve two tours in Vietnam; it was this, and understanding the nature of those that he during this time that he earned the nickname “Demo humiliated during his career over their own alleged Dick, the Sharkman of the Delta” due to his role in lack of competence, I personally am inclined to believe pushing forward to role of unconventional warfare him, as in every other instance he had his country and techniques in a largely conventional conflict. After this his fellow SEALs most definitely first and foremost in he became commander of SEAL Team 2 from 1974 to everything he did.

1976.

I’m pleased to say that I had the opportunity to Following the disastrous Operation Eagle Claw the meet and speak with Richard Marcinko at SHOT, and US Navy mandated Marcinko to build a SEAL unit that he proved to be a most generous and gracious man, could respond quickly to terrorist crises, and “Team although if I’m honest somewhat “forthright”! Like 6” was born; even though only two SEAL teams many great warriors and leaders, his like will not be existed (East and West seen again, and I, and all Coats SEALs), Marcinko of the AA Red Cell, wish called the new unit SEAL him clear skies and fair “MARCINKO WAS TASKED BY VICE Team 6, hoping that winds into the next life, ADMIRAL JAMES “ACE” LYONS, DEPUTY and our condolences go Soviet analysts would CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, TO CREATE out to his family. If you’d overestimate the size of the force! He handlike to know more about AN EVEN MORE SPECIALIST UNIT TO picked team members his life then I urge you to TEST THE NAVY’S SUSCEPTIBILITY TO from across the existing TERRORIST THREATS; DESIGNATED “THE grab a copy of his book SEAL and Underwater “Rogue Warrior”; trust NAVAL SECURITY COORDINATION TEAM Demolition communities, me, your time invested OP-06D”, THE TEAM BECAME BETTER which sadly made him in reading it will be KNOWN AS “RED CELL”.” a number of powerful amply rewarded, and enemies (not that he paraphrasing Marcinko’s cared, he had a job to own words, “Doom on do!) including counter-terrorist specialists from Team you” to those that don’t!

Two, codenamed MOB-6; Team Six of course would go on to work with other specialist units around the THE MAIN EVENT world, becoming a first-rate CT and HRT in its own I do not apologise in any way for taking so much right… a legend within a legend had been born ! space to talk about the man that inspired me to create Usually a two-year tour, Marcinko commanded SEAL the AA Red Cell, but of course what you came here Team Six for three years, from August 1980 to July to read about is the AEGs and GBBs that have also 1983. inspired us during 2021. Without further ado I’ll hand After handing over a fully-formed Team Six you over to the members of our own “AA Cell”!

Marcinko was tasked by Vice Admiral James “Ace” Jase: So as the year winds down and I sit with my Lyons, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, to create note pad, pen and coffee. It’s a perfect starting point an even more specialist unit to test the Navy’s to work out what RIF’s where my top for the last susceptibility to terrorist threats; designated “The year. Now, I didn’t get to play as much as I wanted Naval Security Coordination Team OP-06D”, the to during ‘21 but there was only one carbine at the team became better known as “Red Cell”. Marcinko top of my list, the Specna Arms SA-H12. Had I played continued to prove an inspirational if somewhat more, it would have still been top of the list. controversial figure; rules were broken where Now for those who have read my previous articles he deemed it necessary to ensure the safety and will know that yes, I had a few issues with this AEG security of the USA, and eventually those “powerful to start with but I’d like to say they were mostly user enemies” came back to haunt him. In 1990 Marcinko error and caused by the RIF being a wee bit picky with was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for mags. Now, because of the mag issues, I managed “defrauding the government over the price of to have some feed issues which manifested into a www.airsoftaction.net

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RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

SPECNA ARMS SA-H12 Price: iro UK£190.00 Age: New Weight: 3000g Length: 730mm/820mm Magazine Capacity: 300, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: Dedicated, SMR Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.gunfire.com VFC (UMAREX) HK416 Price: iro UK£435.00 Age: New Weight: 3000g Length: 730mm/820mm Magazine Capacity: 300, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.landwarriorairsoft.com G&G CMF16 Price: iro UK£190.00 Age: New Weight: 2530g Length: 673mm Magazine Capacity: 450, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.04 Joule/336fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.guay2.com DOUBLE EAGLE M907D Price: iro UK£106.00 Age: 1 Year Weight: 2650g Length: 730mm/810mm Magazine Capacity: 300, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.04 Joule/335fps (after spring change) Hot Chrono: 1.04 Joule/335fps (after spring change) Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com EVOLUTION GHOST L EMR CARBONTECH Price: iro UK£295.00 Age: New Weight: 2520g Length: 740mm/830mm Magazine Capacity: 120, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Hot Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: store.evolutioninternational.it VFC BCM MCMR (AEG) Price: iro UK£480.00 Age: New Weight: 2158g Length: 716/790mm Magazine Capacity: 120, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: https://bcmair.vegaforce.com

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FEBRUARY 2022

RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

ARMY ARMAMENT R17 V3 Price: iro £50.00 Age: New Weight: 700g Length: 200mm Magazine Capacity: 25+1 Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibilty: No Available From: www.allagesairsoft.com UMAREX GLOCK 17 GEN 4 Price: iro £160.00 Age: New Weight: 665g Length: 210mm Magazine Capacity: 24+1 Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibilty: No Available From: www.landwarriorairsoft.com RWA NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM RECON (CO2) Price: iro £140.00 Age: New Weight: 908g Length: 220mm Magazine Capacity: 17+1 Cold Chrono: 1.20 Joule/360fps Hot Chrono: 0.84 Joule/301fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: No Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: https://uk.redwolfairsoft.com ARMY ARMAMENT R501 Price: iro £80.00 Age: New Weight: 1020g Length: 218mm Magazine Capacity: 28 Cold Chrono: 0.80 Joule/295fps Hot Chrono: 0.70 Joule/276fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibilty: Good Available From: www.taiwangun.com RAVEN HI CAPA 4.3 Price: iro £90.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 880g Length: 220mm Magazine Capacity: 25 Cold Chrono: 0.96 Joule/323fps Hot Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibilty: Good Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com SIG PROFORCE M17 Price: iro £160.00 Age: New Weight: 769g Length: 203mm Magazine Capacity: 28 BBs Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Hot Chrono: 0.86 Joule/305fps Holster Compatibility: Good Taclite Compatibility: Good Suppressor Compatibility: N/A Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk www.airsoftaction.net

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RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

bugged bucking; like I said in my previous articles these where down to my frustration stemming from the mags. Once I fixed the issue this H12 was shooting straight as a die, power was consistent and reliable. Now it would be mean of me to say it shot like any other RIF but this was the case. What makes this H12 stand out from the rest was the build quality, it was simply flawless. I remember when I first clapped eyes on it; it was like looking at Scarlet Johansson, love at first sight! The chassis didn’t wobble or have play. Stock and grip where well-made but by far my favourite feature was the bolt stop release button, it was crisp and snappy but it was ambidextrous, I wish I had this feature on my LM4. From what I can see, prices of this H12’s are now a bit more expensive than when first released at about £300 here in the UK. Next on my hit list was the Sig ProForce M17. Now, I have to be honest and say that I have only been lucky enough to have shot this twice in the last year when at the CELL meetings. I’d love to get my hands on it to do a longer review over a few months or so but with what short time I had with it, I adored it. The build quality was fantastic, crisp, solid and properly snappy. Range get better the more it was shot but as this wasn’t my gun I couldn’t go tinkering with it.

What floats my boat in airsoft is the attention to detail with the RIF’s that copy the real thing and for me this M17 did not disappoint. I’d like to say a thank you to you the reader for supporting the magazine and to all the staff and writers at Airsoft Action, it’s been a good year, thank you. Let’s all hope for a positive 2022!

Boycie: My favourite pistols of 2021 still have to be my VFC (Umarex) Glock 45, 17 and 19X. I’ve been so used to using Glocks in both real and airsoft form since the early 1990’s that they feel as comfortable as a pair of slippers. But one that really challenged my love of Glocks (which I had the chance to review back in Issue 121, January ‘21) was the VFC (SIG AIR) M17.

Having owned a real SIG 226 as well as a TM version, I could never get on with how top heavy that they felt with all that slide before the sights. The M17 changed my mind and as a striker fired, single action only pistol it sits lower in my hand and sighting feels a lot better. Another huge bonus for me is that my M17 fits in the same Safariland holster as my Glocks, so less time wasted in changing over holsters if I want to run either the Glocks or M17.

Rifle- wise, it’s a much harder choice. I’ve had several favoured rifles thru 2021. There is the ‘Dream MCX build’ featured in April 50

FEBRUARY 2022

2020 issue which has undergone more changes but externally, the VFC HK416 that Red Cell’s Marcus rebuilt with a Jefftron Leviathan (Issue 121, Jan ‘21) and the KWA RN47 that we featured in November 2020, which has now had a few cosmetic changes.

One that technically is from 2021 is the first VFC (SIG AIR) MPX into the UK which is reviewed in this issue.

This could be a real challenger for my favourite if I were to count it but it wouldn’t be fair to as I haven’t had the chance to get out and field test it yet. So my favourite of 2021 has to be the VFC HK416, again from Issue 121, Jan ‘21. The work that Marcus put into it for me has taken it to another level and it’s the first rifle that goes in the hard case when I’m prepping for a skirmish day Dan: I get to work on a lot of guns over the course of a year, including the opportunity to see the occasional new release or two up close and personal. Out of everything that’s crossed my bench though the one new platform that did work its way into my personal collection was VFC’s SIG MCX. This has somewhat usurped the throne from the HK416 in my personal armoury, and I know it ranks up there for Boycie too. It has M4 ergonomics and styling influences, but it’s also not just another boring M4 format and is different enough in the aesthetics department to set itself apart from the herd; it’s “such a hip rifle” as one of my friends likes to remark. I love the system modularity, the 1913 attachment point, true quickchange spring guide, the whole SIG ecosystem designed around it, and the lightweight feel and handling of the rifle. It’s also a fun and easy platform to tech on and takes upgrades well, with just a few intrinsic quirks to overcome.

RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

Jon: For 2020 my favourite rifles have been from the Evolution International range. “Evo Int” are an Italian manufacturer that we have looked at in the CELL on our range day testing. I recently ran the Ghost (more specifically the EC35AR-ETU) which is the full size rifle in that range and I also run the CQB sized Recon EC34AR. The two AEGs are internally the same.

They sport a programmable ETU, have clever battery sensing and voltage warning tech, reprogrammable fire modes along with settings for pre-cocking and active braking. They both have an easy to operate rotary style hop wheel, which is essential for us gloved users. The only real differences are rail sizes, flash hider style and accessories supplied.

I’ll start with the Recon Hybrid - It’s a lovely feeling bit of kit. The upper and lower are metal and are of a more “classic” AR/M4 design. The stock is your run of the mill nunchuck battery style, retractable type but it’s comfortable, firmly clicks into place and has a snug fit which reduces rattle. Target acquisition and transition is super simple and fast thanks to the short (10”) MLok style rail and the provided stubby foregrip. Crowning off the business end of the rifle is an aluminium sound amplifier. The pistol grip is a Magpul-esq design and coupled with the monolith trigger guard and straight trigger, gives a good feel in hand. Seriously, it is a really comfy rifle and as they’re not super heavy, you won’t get too much arm fatigue when operating. I was reminded of the Ares Honey Badger, this being a little sleeker.

The Ghost is a full size rifle and it’s my favourite.

There’s nothing flashy looking about it from six feet away, but in the immortal words of Granny Wolf, “Come a little closer dear, let me look at you”. The upper and lower are of a contemporary angular design, with an angular molded pattern, faux cooling fins on the magwell that double up as extra grip.

The monolith trigger guard has a cut out along the bottom too for that sweet, sweet weight reduction. Speaking of weight reduction the upper and lower are ABS or as Evolution International calls it “Carbontech”. Fancy Stuff!

The rail is again of M-Lok design which allows for all sorts of customization.

Unfortunately they didn’t come with spare fittings but I had some laying around so I decked it out with a Nuprol PEQ-15 and a Sightmark Ultra Shot Reflex Sight.

It looks awesome in my honest opinion.

It comes with a slightly more angular styled (have you noticed the design theme here?) and narrower stock but it’s just as comfortable to shoulder. At the end of the 12” rail is your standard flash hider so not as fancy as the hybrid. It’s not as agile to manouver due to its extended length and unless you are a gym goer, you will suffer fatigue when shouldering for prolonged periods simply because your arm is more extended.

Overall, I like these rifles, they aren’t gaudy or too flashy, they are modern class. Think Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffanys” meets Scarlett Johannson as “Black Widow”.

As for pistols, I’ve been using my Army Armament R17. It’s a direct Marui clone so has spec for tons of future upgrades and fanciness. We reviewed it back in 2020 in our “Glock” Pistol Review and I was sold on it there and then (It also ranked highly in our list). It’s a budget friendly piece with excellent gas efficiency and reliability. It feels great in hand and so far (all bar a return spring bending due to bad refitting) I’ve had no

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RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

issues with it whatsoever. As a little treat I’ve had the Ghost and the R17 Cerakoted in Kobalt Green and Titanium Grey, They look stunning and I love them.

Stewbacca: Whilst I’m evidently not known for being a regular handler of AEGs since I left the UK for the tropical climes of Taiwan, and my entire collection of twenty something guns I’ve already accumulated here are all gas blowback, I was nonetheless very impressed

by G&Gs CMF16 HK416A5 styled AEG that Rick Huang sent me shortly after I visited their facility for my article.

Having run it pretty hard out of the box in a short space of time over a few different skirmish scenarios from Linkou CQB’s close to medium ranges of indoor fighting to the heavy fire throw down that was dabbling in SpeedQB after usually using GBBs and wiping the other team out pretty much single handedly thanks to its out of the box dead on iron sights and a great pairing with my Acetech Lighter S tracer, I made the best use of my time behind the CMF16 and can certainly see its appeal to those in colder countries. It is a lightweight, tough, handy carbine with great ambi controls that are very positive and the trigger and on board electronics are ludicrously responsive compared to the AEGs I left behind when I emigrated. It’s laser beam consistent with mid weight ammo like the 0.3g BLS I habitually use, and although I had a few minor teething issues with the high cap provided it would work excellently paired with a light chest rig of mid caps and a simple red dot.

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If we’re talking GBBRs you would think I would be tempted to say the PSG-1 because emotionally involved reasons. But. If I’m honest, in terms of a mass market option many could obtain I would hands down go for the VFCBCMMCMRGBBR. Outstanding fit, finish, feel and performance out of the box, I’m really impressed by how well they look and run out of the box and VFC have really turned it up a notch with them. Try one if you get the chance. Buy one if you feel the same!

Pistol-wise, I have to say the Action Army AAP01 has really blown many things out of the water, or at least disrupted the market quite effectively. Again I was gifted mine by a friend and it might not have been something I would have purchased as a puritan type who likes his realistic replicas, but again fielding it for SpeedQB or in general skirmishing you really can’t fault it for the price point, accuracy and consistency due to the minimal moving parts, and the sheer ecosystem of parts and options such as carbine kits or other components that have sprung up around it Bill W-R: Rifle... As a member of Red Cell, I have had the privilege of trying out a lot of different rifles this year. My number 1 is the ICS CXP-ARK, however, I’m not going to pick that for this article as a reloaded will be appearing soon. So I would have to go for BPT’s M4A1 WE GBBR. For a 6 year old gbb it didn’t miss a beat and I’m truly gutted that it didn’t come home with me!

Pistol... The SIG Proforce M17 was an amazing bit of kit but still out there being used every game day is my tan Army Armament R501. The thick stippling on the handle has kept the pistol steady in my hand all weather. It is a cheap pistol but it proves you do not need to spend mega bucks to have a reliable and consistent side arm. On a side note I took delivery of a double bell 416 short for Christmas and look forward to teaching this myself having never fully stripped a gearbox before.

Jimmy: We have had such a plethora of AEGs to test over the last year and there are a few I have been equally impressed with it’s a difficult choice it really is but out of all of them I going to say my favourite was the underdog. It is probably the cheapest AEG we’ve had in the pool and it really was a shocker as to how good it actually was. The Double Eagle M907D really impressed me and was the favourite over all the others and proved how a brand I once knew to be real cheap and really quite bad could make something worth talking about. Up against some big competition the likes of G&G, VFC, ICS, it held its own and yielded some fairly good results for what I class to be a budget gun. I was shocked to see one of my

RED CELL FAVOURITE 2021 MODELS

friends Luca had purchased one and the fact he also said just how good it was, this from a guy who would religiously spend upward of £600 on a RIF! There was a lot about this platform that really appealed to me but one thing that really caught my attention was the falcon fire control system. An electronic trigger which offered a degree of programmability and safety features.

I honestly think other manufacturers could take a leaf out of Double Eagles book here. If I had to give the M907D a score out of 10 I would give it an 8.5/10 purely for the fact that the hop rubber let it down very early on and saw a dramatic lack of range, quick hop rubber change and it was back to fully operational.

Pistols… Ahh pistols! I often carry one into games and as such will try and use it as often as I can. If I haven’t needed to draw on my pistol then for me it’s a bad day! I am a self-confessed Marui fanboi when it comes to pistols and my favourite is undoubtedly the Hi Capas, more so the Gold Match 5.1, possibly the best out of the box airsoft pistol ever made. It is a very popular pistol but from the Red Cell pool I would have to go with the RWA Nighthawk M1911; now this was a pistol that I really took a shine to, so much that I just had to have it. It’s a very heavy full metal pistol with a heavy recoil effect and it’s CO2 powered meaning it will be more reliable and efficient over say a green gas powered pistol and won’t suffer from cold fatigue as quick. Being a 1911 what is there not to love about it. I haven’t had chance to get it on site yet but it has seen a fair bit of action at my local airsoft shop range and it hasn’t skipped a beat although it could do with some choice upgrades just to bring the accuracy in a

tad and get the groupings tighter. I think I shall make a point and get out to a game with it very soon.

Bill: To wrap this up I’m going to sound like a song on repeat, but I have to say that all the AEGs and GBBs we tested during 2021 brought me a huge amount of joy, and even more so when I saw how the rest of the crew were relishing the opportunity to get their hands on so many different makes and models! The experience of different manufacturer’s offerings has REALLY grown in the team, so as we enter another year of testing they have ALL THAT to refer back to!

As I’ve said many times, I have years of experience of testing and hundreds of models under my testing-belt, and I’m overjoyed that the AA “CELL” have started that journey as well.

And talking of things that bring me “joy” I have to reflect on two models that have been standouts for me personally, and although there have been some stupendous models in the test pool my favourites are really “no brainers”! For the rifle/carbine category it may surprise you that I’m going to choose an AR, and it can only be the BCM MCMR from VFC. I now have both the AEG and GBB versions of this fabulous-in-every-way carbine, and both thrill me in different ways! The operation in both is superlative, range and accuracy are superb, and when it comes to ergonomics and ease of manipulation then frankly, as far as I’m concerned, it’s in a league of its own!

The pistol I have found myself using most regularly recently is the simple-yet-effective RAVEN Hi Capa.

As I’ve spoken at length about my love for this functional, reliable and just downright easy-to-shoot pistol in my review of the new 3.8 version already in this issue I won’t go into depth here but I will say that if you haven’t yet tried one, you REALLY should!

Thanks so much to all of you out there for the feedback you’ve given us on the Red Cell Program to date and, rest assured, there’s a LOT more to come in 2022! AA

www.airsoftaction.net

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TECHNICAL

NO TAPPET...

NO WORRIES! A.P.A.C.H.E.

AUSTRALIA STILL HAS AN ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO AIRSOFT AS WE ALL KNOW, AND OUR FELLOW PLAYERS “DOWN UNDER” CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR GAME! HOWEVER, JUST BECAUSE AIRSOFT GAMES THEMSELVES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD DUE TO THE ONGOING LEGAL SITUATION, IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT NEW INNOVATIONS AREN’T FORTHCOMING, AND LEGIONNAIRE IGGY BRINGS US UP TO DATE WITH THE VERY LATEST!

W

AHOO!!

I have been excited to write this one. For some time in Australia, the forgotten country when it comes to Airsoft, Aztech Innovations has been working hard on something quite spectacular that they have now brought to fruition; they have designed and now sell a tappetless cylinder head!

The Air Pressure Activated Cylinder Head Engine, or APACHE as it’s referred to, is the brainchild of the team at Azraels Armoury. The concept came about in December 2020 as a result of Shakka the head technician reaching his wits end with altering tappet plates for high end gel ball DSG builds. After altering a tappet plate for the 50th time to get perfect timing with a respectable FPS he threw the tappet plate through the office divide window at Brent Alderton the business owner whilst shouting, “tappet plates suck, we need a tappetless system.” Together they tried to find an option. Brent mulled over the idea at home over the weekend and by Monday had a few designs to show Shakka.

From that point they went through six prototypes

before the initial gel ball APACHE was available to the public in May 2021. After an initial slow release their popularity has boomed in Australia.

Gel ball, although shunned as a kids toy in most of the airsoft world, and you could say understandably so, in the last 3 years has evolved astronomically from the woeful blasters that were initially available to people in Australia. Due to the law in Australia, gel ball is the only option for the people in Queensland and South Australia when it comes to anything even vaguely like airsoft, and consequently the demand and drive for better has been the catalyst for improvement.

The team at Azraels Armoury have a lot to do with this improvement through innovating and redesigning products from the airsoft world to suit gel ball and up the quality.

The in stability of the gel itself will always be the Achilles heel, so with that in mind the playing style puts far greater demand for perfection in the builds.

People want extreme rates of fire of 45 rounds per second and higher at varying muzzle velocities from 300 FPS to over 400 FPS. This in turn puts more and more strain and demand on the internals meaning

“THE APACHE ITSELF COMES WITH AN ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE THAT WILL FIT MOST V2 STYLE AEG’S BUT THERE ARE A SELECTION OF FIXED NOZZLES FROM 17.90MM TO 19.90MM ALLOWING PEOPLE TO USE JUST THE FIXED SIZE SPECIFIC TO THEIR AEG.”

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TECHNICAL A.P.A.C.H.E.

“SO, ALTHOUGH AUSTRALIA MAY NOT YET BE KNOWN FOR AIRSOFT PER SE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY INNOVATIONS ORIGINATING FROM “DOWN UNDER” THAT MAY WELL HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR BELOVED GAME GLOBALLY! ” there is very little room for error in the builds. This demand for better has enabled Azraels Armoury to come up with the APACHE to improve gel ball blasters and allow gel ballers to enjoy the only skirmish sport they are allowed to play.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING!

After the success of the APACHE in gel ball, they realised that with minor modification the APACHE could be used in Airsoft and mitigate against timing issues. Initially there were five prototypes for the airsoft variants sent out to Airsoft technicians around the world. After their feedback the altered version was sent to a further ten airsoft companies and eventually, they arrived at the version that is available today. The prototypes included different base types and a fixed nozzle length. All were tested to breaking point and redesigned before arriving at the current model.

The APACHE itself comes with an adjustable nozzle that will fit most V2 style AEG’s but there are a selection of fixed

nozzles from 17.90mm to 19.90mm allowing people to use just the fixed size specific to their AEG. The APACHE was designed to mitigate against the timing issues in high end builds by bypassing the tappet plate and return spring. Due to it being powered by air driven by the piston it is self-timed by the piston speed and cycle, which in turn takes away the resistance on the sector gear. This also has added benefits of fixing feeding issues and creates a uniquely satisfying sound.

The APACHE cylinder head is internally sealed. As the pressure builds in front of the piston when fired the APACHE nozzle is driven forward into the T-piece/ hop housing creating a nice tight seal. Once the piston is retracted by the rotation of the sector gear, the APACHE internal spring retracts the nozzle to allow the next BB/Gel to load into the barrel. Then the cycle repeats.

Additionally, the APACHE “pop” that you get as a result of installing one is superb. It really makes your AEG a head turner, and we have often been asked if we are running a HPA set up in many of our own builds. You certainly know when someone is running an APACHE. So, although Australia may not yet be known for airsoft per se, there are certainly innovations originating from “down under” that may well have a profound effect on our beloved game globally! Only time will tell on games themselves here, but with outfits like Azraels Armoury looking to provide unique parts that will increase your AEGs performance edge, then Australia will most certainly have its say in the international airsoft marketplace!

For more information head over to their website at www. aztechinnovations. com AA www.airsoftaction.net

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TECHNICAL CLARENCE LAI PROJECT DESIGN - CLPD

WE’RE LUCKILY NO STRANGERS WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SOME OF THE VERY BEST IN THE GLOBAL AIRSOFT INDUSTRY, AND TO SAY THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CLARENCE LAI IS A CLOSE ONE WOULD BE A DEFINITE UNDERSTATEMENT! AS HIS NEW UPGRADE PARTS HIT THE MARKET FULLY WE’LL BE REPORTING ON THEM IN FULL, AND JIMMY KICKS OFF THIS COVERAGE WITH AN IN-DEPTH OVERVIEW.

D

o you like your pistols with or without spice?

Recently I have been given an opportunity and it’s an opportunity which I am truly blessed to have. I’ve been lucky enough to have been sent a selection of “Clarence Lai Project Design” parts that have been designed for competition shooters but are equally at home in the hands of any skirmisher or milsim-er and it has been my job to test said parts and let you the readers know all about just how good they are! Sucks to be me, right?

I’ve worked with some big brands to date but for me being able to work directly with Clarence really is an achievement. When it comes to pistols I believe this guy to be one of the best and I am not alone on that opinion. Some of you will remember the name “Airsoft Surgeon” but recently there have been a few changes; I’m not going to go into the politics of it all to be honest, but now he operates under a new name which is CL PROJECT DESIGN. CL PROJECT DESIGN is the home of all and only genuine Clarence Lai products. Yes you read that correctly! Clarence Lai how very exciting, it is a true honour to work with Clarence and I aspire to be as

good as he. I’m slightly jealous of Stewbacca, one of my fellow AA contributors, as he lives in Taiwan where Clarence operates from, and Stu has met the man in person and worked on some of Clarence’s rifle projects. To learn more on Stu’s adventures please check out Issue 132 (available in Back Issues) as you can find the full low down on this and it is well worth a read.

Clarence kindly shipped us over a nice collection of some of his latest creations and I have to say these have made a massive difference to all the pistols that I have fitted them to. It soon became apparent as to why he is still known as the “Airsoft Surgeon”.

We got parts for Hi Capas/1911, Dan Wesson 715, Chiappa Rhino and the CZ Shadow 2, a veritable selection or springs, hop rubbers, mag feed lips, nozzles and the like!

PROPERLY PREPPED

I already had at my disposal a Hi Capa but we needed the revolver and the Shadow in order to test; having some great contacts in the industry I managed to acquire them for a very good price which was mighty

“THE HOP RUBBER OVER THE STOCK RUBBER GAVE AMAZING RESULTS SENDING BBS OUT TO AROUND 70M WITH ACCURACY, AND FOR TESTING I USED CLPD BUSHIDO BBS (OF COURSE I DID!), THE 0.30G, AND IT HANDLED THAT WEIGHT COMFORTABLY. GIGGLE FACTOR 12 SEEING BBS DISAPPEAR OFF INTO THE DISTANCE!” 58

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TECHNICAL CLARENCE LAI PROJECT DESIGN - CLPD

cconvenient!

I started on the Hi Capa which already had some minor upgrades in the form of recoil spring, short stroke buffers and a nozzle spring.

CL parts fitted were the new hop rubber, leaf spring, thumb rest and the winged safety catch. All of these parts made one hell of a difference, and I forget how many times I said “Wow”!! The hop rubber over the stock rubber gave amazing results sending BBs out

to around 70m with accuracy, and for testing I used CLPD BUSHIDO BBs (of course I did!), the 0.30g, and it handled that weight comfortably.

Giggle factor 12 seeing BBs disappear off into the distance!

The leaf spring made everything much lighter to operate, and of course lighter means faster!

The trigger pull became lighter being as little as 1lb 2oz and the distance of pull had also been made shorter, making for lightning response and super-fast follow up shots. The leaf spring combined with my minor upgrades transformed the Hi Capa tenfold I couldn’t believe how fast this was operating. The addition of the thumb rest and the winged safety completely altered how I handled the pistol.

Due to the positioning of these parts the pistol sits in such a way that when you bring your pistol up it aids with sight alignment meaning target acquisition is much easier; through testing my personal accuracy increased substantially and I look forward to some competition scenarios to see how I fair up under pressure of the clock.

Next up would be the ASG Dan Wesson 715; I would never have thought a six-shot revolver would be used in Action Air pistol shooting. I’ll take this opportunity to mention that ActionSportGames (ASG) have joined forces with CL Project Design to create fully licensed upgrade parts for their products, so it’s all good.

Now, having never even thought about upgrading a revolver, I first felt a little out of my depth but for the purpose of science I needed to put that worry aside and crack on. Fortunately for me, Clarence has drafted a set of www.airsoftaction.net

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TECHNICAL CLARENCE LAI PROJECT DESIGN - CLPD

CLPD Ambi Safety with Wing

pictorial instructions which were incredibly helpful and very easy to follow. I never actually realised just how easy the 715 revolver is to work on; six screws and it’s apart in no time. All of the original springs need to be removed and I recommend following Clarence’s instructions step by step.

So I replaced the cylinder spring, cylinder release catch spring, trigger spring, hammer spring and gas release valve spring. Before any tinkering I did some weight tests on the trigger and initial results were very disappointing, the double action trigger pull was off the scale at over 8lbs and single action was

I believe this is causing a few issues with the slide return. I know it works fine on green gas and makes the use of green gas a lot more efficient. The modified feed lips are working a treat over the standard ones, and with the standard feed lips I was experiencing some feed issues due to BBs sticking. I switched out to the CL modded one and not a single problem as it now feeds impeccably. There are some additional parts which have been manufactured, for example steel slide catch and CNC steel trigger bars, but sadly we didn’t receive these as they were still under production at the time. Knowing what I know I can safely say these will be a great compliment to the pistol.

CLPD Shadow 2 OEM Hand Polished Magazine Lip

TEAMWORK/DREAMWORK!

CLPD Dan Wesson Competition Spring Set

a little over 4lbs. After all the upgrade springs were fitted I retested the weight of the trigger and what a transformation. It has gone from slow and heavy to light and speedy with a new double action trigger weight of 4lb 2oz and a single action weight of 2lb.

You can reel out six BBs in under three seconds it is rapid. For anyone who is thinking of or currently using a Dan Wesson revolver for competition I strongly advise you to get this spring kit, as it will be money well spent.

There are other parts in the pipeline which complement the 715 even further. Check out Clarence’s social media for all the latest on this.

With the CZ shadow I tested the new recoil spring which I believe has been designed to work in conjunction with green gas, but as I’m using CO2

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Stu Mortimer, AKA Stewbacca, our Taiwan correspondent has been using CL parts for a while now and he is enjoying his pistols working properly; Stu labours his pistols quite hard and is constantly training and also competing in IPSC/IDPA so he needs to ensure his equipment works right every time. Stu tells me: “I’m really enjoying making use of the manually fettled magazine feed lips on my magazines and Clarence gave me a whole goodie bag at the IDPA event recently including his new fibre optic front sight block with red and green fibres, new CNC barrel, tuned recoil spring and other accessories”.

These parts and many more to come will be widely available from many outlets, to stay up to date with the latest and greatest please do visit www.clprojectdesign.com where you will also find information on all of the dealers and where you can purchase these amazing products. Clarence has asked I mention UK SHIELD who recently became the UK distribution centre for all official CL Project Design upgrade parts, so congratulations from us all as we at Airsoft Action are also very pleased to see a UK-based outlet.

I’d like to once again thank Clarence for offering me this opportunity, and thus far I have enjoyed it immensely! AA

COMING IN EARLY 2022!

TECHNICAL VFC MP7

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

FEW AEG RELEASES IN RECENT HISTORY HAVE BEEN AS TUMULTUOUS AS THAT OF THE VFC MP7 AEG JUST ILLUSTRATING THAT, REGRETTABLY, EVEN OUR FAVOURITE MANUFACTURERS DIDN’T GET IT RIGHT EVERY TIME! MANY OF US DROOLED OVER THE MP7, BUT THE VFC MODEL SEEMED BESET WITH ISSUES FROM THE GET GO. OUR US-BASED RED CELL MEMBER, DAN, WANTED TO MAKE THIS MODEL THE BEST THAT IT COULD BE THOUGH AND NOW DETAILS HIS QUEST OF CREATING A LITTLE DIAMOND FROM THE ROUGH!

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F

rom the very beginning when early access release photos of VFC’s MP7 started trickling through the internet revealing key design details criticism seemed quick to follow. Despite heavy marketing hype and the promise of this being a true “AEG” with 1:1 dimensions, what was ultimately revealed proved to be little better than a glorified AEP with beefed up internals stuffed into the best approximation of a 1:1 shell we’ve had yet.

This would have been a forgivable lapse of marketing had the platform actually, you know… worked. What followed, however, was an epic disaster as numerous early and eager adopters of this new MP7 quickly found their guns dying straight away on game day. Not just in single digits or randomized samples of one, either, but in droves.

I’ve seen it reported that some users had their guns RMA’d upwards of NINE times and still the issues were not fixed. On my end, it was apparent that this was no isolated issue after legions of these started showing up for repair; the gun was barely a month

fresh on the retail market, no less! And finally, after hounding one of the sales reps at Elite Force here in the USA for spare parts and hearing him casually remark that they had piles of boneyard MP7’s stacked up, it became clear that there were serious design deficits at play.

Broken tappet plates. Broken or dented air nozzles. Shattered delayer chips. Piston rack cave-in.

Broken microswitches. Jammed magazines. The list of symptoms was extensive and typically manifested themselves as a cascade of failures. What is known now is that most of these failures usually stem from the magazine first, and reveal the design defects next.

Starting with the magazine; the relatively long 3-piece follower is unable to transition through the tight hairpin curves inside the magazine body; this causes it to jam in place. Unfortunately this jamming behavior often tends to dislodge the air nozzle from the tappet plate, owing that the fit between these two parts trends on the “sloppy” side. In some cases,

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it also breaks off the retaining shoulder of the air nozzle. VFC later admitted the fit between these parts was not good, but their proffered fix was to apply superglue to the interface to build up the surface and create a tighter fit. Hardly what you’d expect from a US$424 gun.

Nozzle fit aside, the tappet plate itself was designed poorly and had a major weakness in the center portion, which was where it inevitably snapped in half. Similarly, the original design of the plastic delayer chip tended to fracture in half, which caused additional problems. There were other issues too. The piston head is affixed by a screw threaded into plastic and has never seen a drop of Loctite. From many examples I’ve seen, this would sometimes rip free of the screw or come unthreaded during operation.

There were several microswitches of varying design and some were especially prone to breaking due to misalignment. The hop up arm was a flimsy piece of plastic that torqued over at an angle when hop up was applied, thusly curving shots to the right. The MOSFET was a bulky, needlessly complicated design.

There was more…

Again, all of this would have maybe been forgivable if the gun had even possessed a shred of parts commonality with stuff that was already commonly available in the aftermarket. At least then one could hope to repair it and make it better. But it did not, in fact, the VFC MP7 is proprietary as hell, save for a handful of parts that can be counted on one hand.

Adding insult to injury, the “Gen. 2” release only rectified a couple of these issues, while completely ignoring some of the major ones.

Owing to the myriad issues with the MP7, one would almost think this gun was forever destined for the trash heap of failed designs. On my end, I stopped accepting them in for work. They were breaking as soon as they were repaired and this made them negative-gain job. There was poor parts support, and for close to a year after release, there was zero aftermarket options available to fix it with.

GETTING DOWN TO IT

But oh, how I wanted this little AEG to work, and the particular MP7 shown in this article is one I inherited after we burned through numerous tappet plates, air nozzles and microswitches. Eventually the owner said

“eff it” and we moved on to getting him outfitted with something else that was reliable. I was originally planning on just blowing it out as a boneyard, but never quite got around to posting it up. So there it lay for months, collecting dust. Occasionally I would get a bee up my butt or an idea and tinker on it some.

Usually I would run up against the same issues as before and get frustrated and bin it again for several more months.

Eventually VFC released their improved Gen. 2 tappet plate and delayer chip design. This was substantially stronger than the original version,

and seemed to solve the issues of snapping. It unfortunately required some milling of the tappet rail guides on the Gen. 1 gearboxes in order to fit it. But it was a step in the right direction. Likewise, the new delayer chip, which was now made of (presumably MIM) metal, was also substantially better than the fragile plastic version. Rather bizarrely though, the issue of the air nozzle not fitting well persisted. Now when experiencing a magazine jam, you didn’t outright destroy the tappet plate or delayer, but you would dislodge the air nozzle or break off the retaining shoulder. In many ways, the Gen. 2 improvements felt like a “hotfix patch” one experiences with a new game release that is quite buggy at launch. Solving some things, but leaving many stones unturned.

Over in Russia, on the aftermarket side, BullGear was simultaneously releasing their new CNC tappet plate. This was a flashy red anodized aluminum tappet plate that was both immensely stronger, but equally as important, also gripped the air nozzle tightly. This included a nice delayer chip that was machined out of a solid piece of aluminum too. These two items largely solved the major failure components on the gearbox side, though the rest of the issues would prove

“AFTER HOUNDING ONE OF THE SALES REPS AT ELITE FORCE HERE IN THE USA FOR SPARE PARTS AND HEARING HIM CASUALLY REMARK THAT THEY HAD PILES OF BONEYARD MP7’S STACKED UP, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS DESIGN DEFICITS AT PLAY.” 66

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themselves to have to be solved in a different fashion.

My curiosity now piqued, I started to feel a glimmer of hope that this ill-fated MP7 might actually be resurrected. Revisiting the gearbox again, I went back over it with a fine tooth comb. The piston and tappet guides were polished out to make them as smooth as possible. The bearings were bonded to the shell halves with Loctite 638 to ensure they didn’t wander out of their recesses and foul with the shimming like they previously would. Then each and every gear was shimmed and adjusted, starting with the pinion-tobevel, to the final sector gear. In pure stock form, the gear shimming tends to lean on the tight side, owing largely to the bushing sleeves on the shafts leaving little or no room for shimming. To rectify this, I had to carefully turn down most of the sleeves so shims could be applied and the gears spaced out properly. This effort paid off nicely as it completely eliminated the characteristic AEP-like whine of the gearbox.

The piston head was replaced with a Lonex POM piston head, which has a t-shaped threaded aluminum insert for the screw; the latter of which is affixed with

Loctite. The metal rack on the piston body itself was epoxied in place. AOE is the one thing that VFC did well on these, so that was well enough left alone. I would have liked to replace the cylinder head with a better fitting unit, but no options exist presently. The fit with the cylinder is a little loose for my tastes, so I installed a thicker o-ring to help out here.

I also took the opportunity to outfit the gearbox with a Real Sword Type 56 anti-reversal latch and drilled the top rail so the latch could be tripped with an allen key or similar. The Real Sword latch has an extended tail which allows for one to press against to

trip the latch and release pressure on the gears. This is a feature found later on the Gen. 2 guns, but was not present on the Gen. 1’s. With the gearbox side taken care of, I moved on to tackling the rest of the gun.

MOVING ON UP

The original aluminum inner barrel was replaced with a Lambda One 6.01 cold forged stainless steel barrel.

Originally I wanted to R-Hop this setup, but found that the stock hop up arm was ill-suited to this task.

As previously mentioned, when hop up is applied, it torques the hop up arm over to the right at a severe angle. There was simply no way around this issue that I could see. This actually proved to be a big wrench thrown my way as even with traditional aftermarket buckings, the issue of curved shots proved very persistent. And speaking of buckings, this gun was a picky bastard.

I experimented around with a lot of different buckings and eventually I settled on a 60 degree Maple Leaf Mr. Hop. This is essentially a bucking with an R-Hop style concave contact patch; 90% of the result with only 1% of the effort. As chance would have it, I discovered through Google image search that someone in South Korea had designed some CNC’d aluminum hop up arms for this gun.

Going simply by “YT”, this was reported to solve the torquing issue of the arm and to provide a nice little spot for holding in a round nub. Ideally, I reasoned, I should be able to make an R-Hop work with this new hop up arm. Obtaining it wasn’t easy though, as the designer does not have a website, and only sells inexplicably through Twitter, AND at a princely sum to boot. As it was later revealed, most of the cost was wrapped up in shipping charges. The tiny arms arrived in a small plastic canister suspended web-like with tape inside a large ramen noodle box. Cue the Drew Scanlon meme.

Despite working substantially better than the stock hop up arm, the YT arm ultimately proved unsuitable for R-Hopping. The recess for the nub is too shallow to allow for much a nub to be used, in fact, I had to go with a carefully cut KWA nub, which trend on the www.airsoftaction.net

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smaller diameter size. Attempting for a bit of M-Nub or pink eraser was not really feasible due to the short length of the arm and the subsequent sharp angle at which it comes down. So in the end, I stuck with the Maple Leaf Mr. Hop, but at least my curving issue had been solved.

been a great deal of experimentation with resolving the magazine jamming issues. Solutions have ranged from using PTS NGRS followers to cutting, sanding, shaping the stock followers to the 3D printed. From what I have seen, many of these ideas work, albeit every magazine seems to require an individualized approach, with the main goal being to eliminate any binding of the follower on the curves of the channel.

In some cases it is also necessary to do some light sanding and polishing of the channels themselves.

FINISHING OFF… FOR NOW!

Moving onto the external side, the muzzle end was outfitted with a RGW SOCOM flash hider and mock suppressor. This is a copy of the Surefire flash hider designed for the MP7. The can itself holds an Acetech Blaster tracer unit with a bit of foam to quiet the pop.

For night shoots, the Acetech Blaster looks hella cool with its simulated muzzle flash.

From there I hit the remaining trouble points.

The stock MOSFET and corresponding electronics was a tentacled morass of wires and plugs that was ultimately removed entirely. Keeping It Simple Stupid, I wired in a compact little Gate PicoSSR3 with a 30A fuse, which situates nicely alongside and under the outer barrel. 16AWG AlphaWire EcoWire was used for the rewiring, and a Deans plug fitted. The magnetic cutoff switch from the hop up was removed as was the other one nearby the trigger. Didn’t want it. Didn’t need it.

With the old MOSFET out of the way and the setup greatly simplified, there was a fair bit of wasted dead space now inside the gun. VFC uses a plastic ‘chassis’ of sorts that wraps around the gearbox and sandwiches around the outer barrel. I took to cutting away all of the supporting structure for the old plug interface and sanding it smooth. With all of that removed, I was able to stuff in a lot bigger battery – specifically an 11.1v 1450mah buffer tube style LiPo fits right on top now.

Over on the MP7 Tech Group on Facebook, there’s

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The folding grips on these have less flex than the Tokyo Marui MP7’s do, but they still possess a fair amount of the Gumby. I elected to cut off the grip to make room for a copy of the Wilcox MP7 rail.

This particular item was sourced from KIC Taiwan for around US$28 and when coupled with a Magpul RVG, provides a rock solid base to hold onto. Since most of my stuff is now M-LOK oriented, I decided not to go with the traditional 1913 style side rails and used the Revanchist M-LOK rail sections instead.

Technically, the use of rails, M-LOK or 1913, is still optional as the Wilcox style mount can be used without them.

Off the top rail I kept the stock VFC irons. These are nicer than the Tokyo Marui versions, but don’t feel quite as nice as KWA’s. If I got adventurous with my wallet, I might opt for the Strike Industries MP7 rail which has low-profile integrated sights that can be flipped out for use. I also added on a Fortis QD socket adapter just in front of the rear sight. This makes a great attachment point for a one-point sling.

TECHNICAL VFC MP7

For optics, a Holosun HE403R on a Scalarworks 1.57″ mount rides on top. Technically this is just high enough for passive aiming use with night vision. But I could see maybe going with the taller 1.93″ version due to the height of the rear sight. And here, the Strike Industries rail would be absolutely perfect too (I’m passive-aggressively convincing myself…)

While the overall scope of this build has lasted well over a year of back-and-forth on-and-off tinkering while adding on the few upgrades that eventually became available, the payoff has finally, exhaustingly… been worth it. This gun is now an

absolute laser beam at a crispy 28 rounds per second.

With a full power spring, FPS sits right on the dot at 377 w/.20g’s and using a cut spring, I can easily drop it down to 330 FPS for full auto legal CQB use on those fields that allow for it.

The VFC MP7 is admittedly a cool gun, leveraging heavily on the iconic and visual history of the real version, especially as an AEG that is out of the hands of all but a relative few. In many ways, it follows the old VFC template of producing, until very recently, stellar externals with admittedly variable quality internals. More regrettably though, it follows the more modern software-esque template of using the customer base as beta testers; eking out problems to eventually be solved by incremental generational releases is a model that I’m very relieved and pleased to see that VFC have moved beyond, and all power to them! It’s just a shame that with the original MP7 what should have been a home-run out of the park has required an untold amount of dedication by the customer base to make operable examples of.

While there are a few areas I would still like to see improvement on, the lone remaining trigger switch being a primary concern, a stronger outer barrel assembly, an improved cylinder head and cylinder, this is the closest I’ve ever been to having a truly fieldready VFC MP7, and I’m eager to put it through its paces next season! AA

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KRYTAC...

MEET PERUN PERUN VECTOR MODULE

PERUN HAVE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF NOISE VERY RECENTLY IN THE AIRSOFT WORLD AND ARE PROVING TO BE A MAJOR CONTENDER IN THE WORLD OF AEG ELECTRONICS. OVER THE LAST YEAR JIMMY HAS INSTALLED AND TESTED SEVERAL OF THEIR PRODUCTS AND HE’S YET TO BE DISAPPOINTED! NOW HE GETS HIS CAPABLE HANDS ON THE VERY LATEST PIECE OF PERUN GENIUS SPECIFICALLY MADE TO FIT THE KRYTAC KRISS VECTOR AND TELLS ALL!

U

p until now I’ve seen from PERUN (and indeed worked with) the AB++, ETU++, v2 & v3 hybrids and their latest offering is exciting as it’s a new electronic trigger system specifically made to fit the Krytac Kriss Vector and replace the stock electronics, and yes it has been made to fit only the Krytac version, so it’s absolutely a dedicated item, but all the better for that!

The Kriss Vector has been about now for a few years so it begs the question, why now? And why the Vector? One thing I do know since the release of the new mosfet is that the lesser-spotted Vector has now all of a sudden become very popular and I’m starting to see more and more of them. I once looked at the Vector and instantly dismissed it… that is up until I managed to acquire one from the lovely people at

Crawley Surplus Stores. I feel the new Krytac-specific mosfet has done exactly what the etu++ has done for G&G platforms, and that is to give the user the ability to unleash the full potential of the rifle. Both were held back by very basic mosfets offering up very limited functions. The Vector out of the box is set to semi, 2 BB burst and full-auto, which while it worked seemed a bit laboured.

WORK READY

The device comes packaged in the very recognisable white card box all neatly nestled as usual. You will find a sheet which contains a nice selection of PERUN stickers, two programming stickers, a diagnostic sticker and a sticker which goes on the outer of the gearbox to keep the wires tidy and also shows you

“I FEEL THE NEW KRYTAC-SPECIFIC MOSFET HAS DONE EXACTLY WHAT THE ETU++ HAS DONE FOR G&G PLATFORMS, AND THAT IS TO GIVE THE USER THE ABILITY TO UNLEASH THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE RIFLE.”

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the wire orientation so you can be sure you have routed them correctly.

The programming and diagnostic sticker are for you to conceal somewhere so you have them with you at all times should you run into any issues out

on the field. This sheet also includes the QR code

which when scanned takes you straight to the PERUN website for installation guidance.

Next you will find the signature Ace plastic playing card giving you clear instructions for programming which you can conceal in a wallet or pocket.

Included is a 30amp fuse which is recommended you use over the stock 20amp fuse. Also in the box are four selector stickers should you mess one up, or if it becomes unstuck you have a backup.

Then you have the circuit board itself wrapped in the antistatic plastic wrapper.

You’ll see the board is the same size as the stock Krytac board but without the two fire-select switches; these have been deleted and replaced with micro optical sensors one for 2 BB burst and another for full auto.

Installation of this device is incredibly easy and it is a job that can be done in around 20mins; however as I always recommend if unsure or not tech confident please do seek the help or services of an experienced tech. If you are confident in installing yourself always

remember to ensure your battery is disconnected and your magazine is removed, safety first!

Disassembly of the Krytac is relatively easy to separate the upper from the lower there are four pins that you punch out; be careful of the spring guide pin it has a security screw which I found to be quite tight, so it can be easily stripped if using the incorrect screwdriver. Remove the four pins, remove the spring guide and pull apart the two halves. Place the upper over to one side and deal with that later.

Now you need to remove the gearbox from the lower. Don’t panic, you will not have to open the gearbox, there are several screws holding the gearbox in, but be cautious of the screw holding the charging handle spring as it is under tension and can ping off.

Once all the screws are removed you can just slide the gearbox out of the lower.

In order to remove the stock board you will want to remove the wires from the motor, and you might find it easier by unscrewing and removing the motor plate; make a mental note of the wire routing from the motor to the board. On the board you will see two yellow wires leading to a plug on the board, this is for

“INSTALLATION OF THIS DEVICE IS INCREDIBLY EASY AND IT IS A JOB THAT CAN BE DONE IN AROUND 20MINS; HOWEVER AS I ALWAYS RECOMMEND IF UNSURE OR NOT TECH CONFIDENT PLEASE DO SEEK THE HELP OR SERVICES OF AN EXPERIENCED TECH. ” www.airsoftaction.net

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your cut off switch and needs to be uncoupled from the board. You will see one screw which holds the board in place. Once removed you can then lift out the stock board and manipulate the wiring making removal easier.

Now you have successfully removed the stock board you can install the PERUN. Feed the attached wiring through the hole and screw the board back down, reinstall the cut off wiring; take note on the orientation of the plug as it only fits in one way you will need to ensure you have the plug the right way up. Do not force this plug, if it is the wrong way you will damage the connection and render it useless.

can be found via the QR code. You should have successfully calibrated the PERUN to the Vector and now you will need to attach the motor wires and button up the two halves.

Be very mindful of the motor wires when offering the upper to the lower as the ejection port sits incredibly close and can pinch the wires should you try rushing it. After you have completely assembled you rifle now you can start the programming should you so desire. I had to have a few attempts to get this right as I was confusing the fire control settings with other settings, but once I had got my head around it all it became as clear as day. I didn’t really alter much from the stock settings other than a bit of extra active breaking as I found the stock settings to be okay and so will run with that for a while.

The PERUN has been designed to meet the needs of most builds so can accommodate even the most demanding of airsofters needs. I am seriously looking forward to getting some games in using the Krytac and seeing exactly how the PERUN handles it; I’m definitely looking forward to trying out some pre-cock especially as I have the Laylax speed trigger fitted I think it’s going to make for a formidable AEG.

SPECS FOR THE WIN

Route the motor wires neatly in the shell and fit the wire holding sticker. The sticker shows which side the wire should sit. Push the motor in and route the wires to the correct tabs and screw the motor plate back on over the top of the wires ensuring correct wire placement, but do not connect the motor wires just yet as you will need to do the calibration process shortly.

Next is to fit the sticker to the selector; you can do it without removing the trigger box but it is much easier if you do remove it. To remove the trigger box you will need to push the top rail off the upper to access two more screws; remove the safety screws, fire selector screws and the ejection port cover screws.

The trigger will now slide out. Be sure to give the fire selector bar a clean before applying the sticker and ensure you fit it the correct way round, otherwise you will need to repeat the process to refit it should you happen to get it wrong on the first go!

CALLIBRATE AND PROGRAM

Reassemble the upper and the lower as now you will need to start the calibration. Full calibration instructions are in the instructions which as stated 72

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• Freely programmable firing modes – Set any firing mode you like on any of the selector positions independently. Available modes are: safe, semi, binary, TWO to FIVE BB burst and auto.

• Active brake - active brake stops the motor after each shot preventing spring compression or in case of replicas with high rate of fire, overspin (double shot problem).

• Precocking - Fast trigger response can be a matter of victory or defeat, especially in CQB situations.

With precocking enabled, piston will remain in rear position after each shot with the spring already compressed, ensuring that next shot will be fired immediately after you pull the trigger.

To release the spring after using precocking, pull and hold the trigger. A second shot will be fired after THREE seconds, with no precocking and fully braked.

• Rate of fire reduction - Reduce the rate of fire in automatic or burst fire to save ammo or make the replica shoot in a more realistic fashion.

• DSG mode- if you so feel the need to run a DSG gear the DSG setting needs to be active to control the gear better and control precocking more efficiently • Low battery voltage alarm - Dedicated for Li-Po and Li-Ion batteries. Should the battery voltage fall

TECHNICAL PERUN VECTOR MODULE

to a dangerously low level, user will be notified by short sound signals that are repeated every minute. This may also be freely switched on and off.

• Diagnostic system - Constantly monitors the replica and the mosfet itself. In case of any problems, immediately lets you know what it might be, making troubleshooting much easier.

• Electronic fuse - Will save your replica and battery in case of a major malfunction. It will automatically disconnect the battery if a short circuit or blocked motor is detected.

Programming of all the settings is done solely by using the trigger and selector, in easily memorable and quick sequences. Programming is supported by sound signals and multicolour LED diode; this allows changing the settings in a moment, in a matter of seconds to be honest, even under enemy fire! The PERUN module for the Krytac Kriss Vector works without problems with any battery from 7V to 17V (or so I’m told!). It can also be used with most extreme setups, without any limitations as to the spring rating.

I’d like to personally thank Jakub and the PERUN team for once again sending out their latest module for us to test and review, it really is a pleasure to work with them as they’re not only totally professional, but

friendly and approachable too.

In conclusion I have to say that I’m always impressed by PERUN, they always make things work so much better over stock operating systems and at a price that is incredibly appealing. So if you have a Krytac Vector I seriously advise spending out on the new PERUN, you won’t regret it, I promise. If you want to go that little further fit the Laylax speed trigger as it really is an amazing compliment to the PERUN! AA

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TAKING NAMES, GROWING NUMBERS

IF YOU CAST YOUR MIND OR EYES BACK TO AIRSOFT ACTION ISSUE NO. 120 OF DECEMBER 2020 (OR READ IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR “BACK ISSUES”), YOU’LL REMEMBER STEWBACCA’S INITIAL FORAY INTO THE WORLD OF IDPA TAIWAN. NOW, AS WE START 2022, HE BRINGS THINGS UP TO DATE WITH A BANG!

B

ack when Ray Chang of VFC invited me along to meet with Max Chiang of local training group ‘Polar Light’ as well as many of the other VFC employees, along with live firearms users who are serving or ex-police and/or military within the ranks of Taiwan’s services, as well as an already growing number of purely civilian enthusiasts, all of whom were embarking on their own journeys within the then only recently instituted Taiwanese chapter of the IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association).

As I mentioned back in my initial article, IDPA is one of the younger disciplines among the likes of longer established IPSC competitive ‘practical’ shooting styles, although having already spent nearly two

years at this point within the local Taiwan Practical Shooting Association’s Action Air / Airsoft IPSC, I might contend IDPA is perhaps more genuinely rooted in the ‘practical’ aspect while IPSC has had longer to evolve into a purely race or match style environment which is purely against the clock and your own marksmanship, while IDPA has a more real life setting to its stages with back story scenarios and more inconvenient starting conditions… being seated in a restaurant when an active shooter event occurs, for instance, and you have to draw from concealment while seated and begin engaging perpetrator targets with judicious marksmanship and immediate action planning or dealing with the closest threats first, while

“THIS FOCUS ON REAL-WORLD APPLICATION HAS MADE THE REAL STEEL EQUIVALENT A POPULAR TRAINING PLATFORM FOR CONCEALED CARRY USERS AND SERVICE PERSONNEL ALIKE IN THE LIKES OF THE US OR OTHER PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR DEFENSIVE FIREARMS CARRY.” 74

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still avoiding the no-shoot civilian targets.

This focus on real-world application has made the real steel equivalent a popular training platform for concealed carry users and service personnel alike in the likes of the US or other permissive environments for defensive firearms carry. In terms of Taiwan, the same core group of service personnel and hardcore firearms enthusiasts are rapidly being joined by a growing number and cross section of local civilian society. When I first met with Ray and Max at Linkou CQB for the regional qualifier a year ago they had already begun with the 100 core members required to institute their local Taiwan IDPA organisation, transfer the rules sets to make use of airsoft guns, and accumulated a further 100 or so other members at the time and were expecting to breach the 300 registered practitioner mark in the near future.

Fast forward a year, and, despite the minor COVID related lockdown which seems to have hurt Action Air’s membership as per my Fresh Prince of Action Air article in the previous issue, Taiwan IDPA have excelled in their efforts and exceeded their own expectations!

Now boasting in excess of 600 practitioners, tens of locally based Safety Officers spread around the major cities of Taiwan, and are fast growing to be the largest Asian chapter.

This is excellent news all round, and alongside our various other activities here with the likes of the Taiwan Airgun and Airsoft Association (TWAAA –

which I’ll be covering in more depth after their special event I attended on Christmas Day!) and various skirmishing team alliances in promoting growth of the various shooting related sports/hobbies as well as a more positive public image and general beneficial culture. Local media were also present at this year’s 2021 National Championship matches over the weekend of the 18th & 19th of December.

NO MOA, BUT OMG!

As I’m still working a long day on Saturdays in my day job and had already taken the previous weekend off for MOA 2021 (which was also unfortunately a casualty of local ongoing lockdown restrictions on indoor public events and thus didn’t go ahead) I’d been unable to take the full weekend off again and had to make my way out once again to Linkou’s Taiwan CQB Club, where the local police and SWAT teams train during the week and airsofters descend upon in the off hours, early on Sunday morning following a sunrise awakening and my usual commute out that way to where I work in the week, and a further taxi ride up to the site, and got myself involved in the bustle of the National Championships.

Over the full weekend in excess of 150 practitioners from all over Taiwan participated in a total of 12 separate stages with an array of layouts and matching scenarios, with representation by the local Taipei teams of VFC’s own shooting club, Taiwan shooter’s

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union, 165 Shooters and 32D shooters as well as other teams from further south in Taichung and Kaohsiung, who were also joined by an array of services personnel and independent or media related folks such as myself and some other local YouTube content creators trying our hands at the action and helping to spread the good word locally and further afield.

I myself had the privilege and pleasure of being attached to Squad 8 which was comprised primarily of local active service Republic of China Armed forces personnel, who were of course competing in their full service gear, albeit it many of them using their own personal airsoft Glock replicas in favour of their real T75 sidearms (a locally licensed produced variant of the Beretta M92 series) as well as being joined by local YouTubers Jeff Lu (Jeff The Kid) and Syrena (akl. syrena) who are both involved in airsoft gameplay, gun reviews and online gaming crossover and training related content respectively.

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We were allowed to tag along with the RoC Army gents and undertake stages 5,6 and 7 at the far end of the indoor arena’s various layouts. I ran all the stages dressed in suited and booted order, “Hitman” style red tie and all (and my hairline now moving towards Die Hard 4.0 or otherwise matching agent 47’s!) with my VFC Walther PPQ NPA pistol in my genuine Safariland 579 adjustable universal holster as well as spare magazines on the other side of my belt, all conveniently concealed by my suit jacket as per civilian class shooter regulations.

I was also allowed to dabble with my WETech MP5A5 on stages 6 and 7 as we had some time left over while the Army gents were cycling through the other stages following our initial run-throughs of them for the cameras and our own footage and experience. Sufficed to say I had a whale of a time shooting in formal wear with a replica of the local police agency’s sidearm. I also managed to do fairly well in terms of marksmanship, albeit with some early procedural issues on the first stage given my sudden transfer out of my usual IPSC environment.

Stage 5 comprised of a seated start, with your hands cuffed together, and your pistol loaded in condition one and your spare magazines along with it, all concealed in a folding pistol bag on the table in front of you. In an interrogation breakout style scenario, the shooter had to retrieve their sidearm, shoot two targets right in front of the table flanking a no shoot, then engage three targets on each side of them at increasing ranges, again minding the two no shoots in among them, one on each side in the middle ranks. I picked up a procedural error here for engaging the furthest left target before engaging the midrange one, I was unaware of the rule beforehand but that was a rapid learning experience, and I did reasonably well with only one miss on the far-right target and some opening up of shots at distance.

Not terrible, I felt, given that I’ve barely fielded my PPQ NPA since getting it and trying it once at IPSC stage practise; the trigger is much longer and four times the pull weight of my usual Shadow 2, and the magazine release is far less intuitive as it is a twin narrow paddle release, nonetheless I soon got back into the hang of accurate controlled shots with

ACTION AIR IDPA TAIWAN NATIONALS MATCH

quick follow ups on the paper targets, and on stages 6 and 7 I shot them entirely clean with the pistol and got some more thumb pad sized pairs on some of the targets, and even managed to pull a bit of a ‘Collateral’ Mozambique drill on the first target of stage 7, drilling two almost dead centre chest and one square in the centre of the head having to draw from concealment and fire from the hip before bringing my Walther up to properly sight in and move on to the next target.

I was really happy with my pistol performance on all the stages despite some other procedural errors where my clown shoes strayed over fault lines taped out on the floor to demarcate cover positions, something I will have to get used to in terms of considering my footwork; in IPSC we use raised fault lines which give a tactile register with your shoes, or outright trip you up, however we never have to consider return fire and maintaining appropriate cover, something I very much like the idea of in IDPA. With the MP5A5 I ran stages 6 and 7 with it (I did witness one of the 32D shooter club guys run his MP5SD5 in the handcuffed stage 5 fairy effectively but it seemed a lot more cumbersome than I was willing to dabble with at the time!) and again I did reasonably well although the last round dead trigger function didn’t work perfectly each time so I had a few dry fires that I had to reload and make up for, then I realised I’d drilled through one target and tagged the no shoot in the distance behind it as the www.airsoftaction.net

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rounds continued on; it was easier to lean out of alignment with a pistol on the first run to avoid that, again, something to consider, the height over bore issue of the sights on the MP5 at such short ranges also placed my shots lower than I would have liked, again, something to think about longer term. My MP5 run on stage 7 was much slicker, unfortunately my GoPro didn’t capture it so you’ll have to take my word for it; sad times, I always miss the best video opportunities!

CELEBRATION AND EXHAUSTION!

With all my own dabbling in the shooting done I hung around while the remainder of Squad 8 and the guys from the RoC Army and 32D shooters team finished up their run-throughs of the stages and took plenty of photos and videos of them to add to my event collection. Following this Ray escorted me back out of the firing arena to the safe area and I settled in to a much appreciated coffee and started having an in depth discussion with Jeff regarding firearms laws and policies of the UK versus Taiwan and our experiences of both.

Lunchtime soon rolled around and we all broke

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for a very nicely put together buffet followed by the breakdown of all the stage equipment, team photos and eventually all the awards ceremonies on the stage erected at the side of what is usually the main safezone area, with a much more extensive array of different classes than I’m used to seeing; IPSC is limited to the basic Production, Standard and Open divisions due to the smaller scale of our membership, so there aren’t even sub-divisions for optics within each division as such, and while we also engage in occasional TSMOC operated rifle competitions we rarely mix the two in one event.

The IDPA Taiwan National Championship comprised of myriad different shooting divisions, with not just pistol and even revolver use, but Pistol Calibre Carbine with PCC’s like my MP5 and others being used, as well as different sub-divisions for ladies, juniors/ high school, service personnel and other such sub-categories. This meant the awards ceremony was somewhat more involved, and coupled with the raffle that broke up the time between each round of awards, a lot of happy faces went away clutching medals as well as many shiny new toys that were being given away – one lucky winner landed a VFC

ACTION AIR IDPA TAIWAN NATIONALS MATCH

“VFC HAD A STALL EXTOLLING THEIR LATEST WARES THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHICH GOT SOME SALES TRAFFIC IN THE FORM OF PEOPLE PICKING UP THE LATEST LICENSED GLOCK PISTOLS, AS WELL AS EYEING UP THE MORE RECENT IDPA BRANDED M1911 AND THE MUCH AWAITED MK48 MAXIMI LMG AEG.” BCM MCMR GBBR, and Patty of team Spring Rain / 165 Shooters walked away with an MP5k PDW which she seemed duly ecstatic about.

Clarence Lai and Katherine also turned up during lunchtime so I had some time to chat once again with them and acquire the latest raft of CLPD replacement components for my KJW Shadow 2 while some others were gifted his latest revolver or Hi Capa components to test out as well, and they were talking at length with many of the seasoned shooters who are long lost friends or new acquaintances. VFC similarly had a stall extolling their latest wares throughout the day which got some sales traffic in the form of people picking up the latest licensed Glock pistols, as well as eyeing up the more recent IDPA branded M1911 and the much awaited Mk48 Maximi LMG AEG, and even the Carl Gustav shower shell launcher unit which appears to now be a joint venture between PengHu Arms Factory and VFC.

With a long and somewhat exhausting day for myself and many others finally tied off, I said my goodbyes and headed back homeward bound to deal with the inevitable sugar and caffeine crash that these events usually entail; good footwear is always advisable for being on your feet all day, my Lowa Zephyrs are an excellent choice, so I might have to share my thoughts on those in greater detail.

Once again I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Ray and Max as well as Sam who was an excellent Range Officer for our group and the wider SO team with IDPA Taiwan, and congratulate all the competitors and organisers for a stellar performance under what are still difficult conditions to deal with lately. I may even have to check out VFC’s newly opened IDPA shooting club during some of my nonIPSC training nights after work.

Eat, Shoot, Sleep, Repeat! AA

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EVENT MOCK UP 3

“PLAYING” ...FOR REAL!

WITH A WHOLE NEW YEAR OF AIRSOFT ADVENTURES AHEAD AA LEGIONNAIRE MIGUEL BRINGS IN HIS FIRST REPORT OF 2022 ON A VERY SPECIAL EVENT PLAYED ON A UNIQUE AO IN PORTUGAL FOR A VERY GOOD REASON, AND SHOWS AGAIN THAT AIRSOFT CAN BENEFIT NOT JUST THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES BUT ALSO THEIR COMMUNITIES! 84

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EVENT MOCK UP 3

D

o you know that feeling of going to a game and coming back with a sensation of fulfilment? Well, that’s what happened to us after our last game. Why? It’s quite simple in fact!

Last year, on November 28th, my team got a chance of taking part in an event called “Mock Up 3”, an event that takes place in the Portuguese Army School of Arms, the location where many Portuguese units train CQB and Urban warfare before taking part in NATO missions in Africa. Here military units preparing to ship out will practice using a multitude of different buildings with different designs and even recreating the famous “favelas”, where buildings have irregular shapes and are really close to each other. It also serves for infantry basic training of new recruits joining the Portuguese Army.

Now onto Airsoft! Firstly, it was great to see a lot of older airsoft players, with whom we have been sharing games and airsoft fields for many years now.

The team organizing the event is one of the oldest in Portugal, so their games are really famous and many players want to attend them.

After checking each vehicle at the entrance of the base we were escorted to the parking spot, where we started gearing up, registered at the checkin, and chrono’d our replicas. It was our second time at the field but the experience is unique, so expectations were high. We knew that this was a one-of-a-kind field, with a layout and infrastructures that we would not find anywhere else, some of our guys played in the first series of this event and everyone had great memories of it. After gearing up, we got to the briefing area where the organizers explained the game module, the rules, and the safety points.

The game module itself was simple, as some of the best scenarios are; one-third of the players defended the complex, while two-thirds attacked it and tried to capture several small plastic cones hidden in all the buildings. Each game had a duration of one hour and a total of three games were played, that way everyone defended once and attacked twice. During the first game, my team was in the defence group, and we were charged with defending two of the buildings in the west flank. We were the first group that the attackers found and as we already had experience of the field we knew a few sweet spots to make the life of the attackers really complicated! Then during the second and third games, we were on the attack group and the games occurred as you expect, a lot www.airsoftaction.net

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of confrontation, BBs flying around, teams pushing and trying to conquer one building at a time, grenades being used, and so on.

Every game was packed with adrenaline and everyone had a blast.

The games finished with no issue and we all had a superb airsoft experience; it will certainly be a game to remember and in the future, if the chance presents, we will come back. I would also like to mention that in this game the organization, the Hostile Operations Team (aka HOT), raised over 800€ to help the institution “Ajuda de Berço”, which aims to help children in need. It was a great honour to help this institution once more.

To keep up to speed with all the events and games that Miguel and the GhostOps team attend be sure to follow then on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GhostOpsPortugal. AA

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KIT & GEAR SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP!!

SO, A WHOLE NEW YEAR BECKONS AND WE’RE ALL VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT 2022 WILL BRING! WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF MANUFACTURERS HAVE BEEN SITTING ON NEW GUNS N’ GEAR DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WE ALL FACED AT THE BACK END OF ’21, AND EVEN IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY WE’VE BEEN AMAZED BY WHAT WE’VE SEEN SO FAR! LET’S DIVE ON IN AND FIND OUT WHAT’S CAUGHT THE COLLECTIVE EYES OF THOSE AT AA AND SEE WHAT’S EXCITING SO FAR!

F

irst up we have to talk about VIRTUAL SHOT as this new firearms training app has REALLY got our attention over the Christmas break, and a number of the AA regulars have been trying it out!

First brought to our attention by AA veteran Iggy, he told us that practicing and learning to shoot as a civilian is hard, because ammunition is not always available, getting to a range can also be difficult, and the current simulation systems were not easily accessible. He further explained that along the way Daryl and the team behind the App also realised that their simulation system also worked perfectly on 6mm platforms. Not only this, but it could also teach someone to shoot effectively with an airsoft platform and that the skills they could teach with Virtual-Shot and a “6mm Trainer” could translate to real marksmanship skills, meaning you could effectively almost learn to shoot a rifle without ever firing a live round! It is basically a whole shooting range on your phone, 88

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making it the most accessible and affordable virtual shooting system in the world in my opinion!

Once you have bought Virtual-Shot from your App store of choice: • First – you download the Virtual-Shot APP to your phone • Then connect the specialized mount to your chosen platform via the rail and attach your smartphone. Your phone becomes a portable shooting range!

The App tracks the precise movement of your rifle in real time and detects the “shot” when you dry-fire.

The simulation includes an advanced range that lets you adjust target distance, target movement, and the wind conditions. The built-in ballistics system mimics real world bullet trajectories allowing you to shoot with real world bullet drop effects. In addition to all this it also includes a full interactive video course taught by a veteran army sniper to give you the theory for all skills you need to become an expert marksman!

Jase, Jimmy and Jon have all been giving the App a go so we’ll be reporting in full from different player perspectives soon… for now though, if you like to know more then simply visit https://virtual-shot.com Okay, let’s get on to some cool guns n’ gear now, and we’ll start up by talking about the latest model to head our way for testing from our friends over at ICS, the new ICS Lightway-Dagger! This super little AEG has been designed for close quarter “ops” and is light, robust, and compact. Much like some of the more recent ICS releases it will be available with

KIT & GEAR SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP

different internal operating systems, Mosfet or the SSS Control Unit; the SSS is programmed with third generation internals and comes with a short stroke trigger, pre-cocking and smart trigger.

What this means is that just tapping the short stroke trigger with pre-cocking will greatly reduce the shooting cycle giving the user a brand new experience of rapid trigger use and control. This is just about to start field-testing with us, and we’ll be sure to bring you our usual “under-the-hood” report just as soon as testing is complete!

Specna Arms are also going the “shorty” route and after months of teasing they’ve finally released full images of the SA X-Series prototype, and mighty fine it looks with

some really cool design elements!

Obviously it’s their unique take on the “PCC”, and although that’s as far as the information goes right now we’re sure that you’ll agree that it looks VERY interesting, and we can’t wait to learn more!

And sticking with the “PCC” theme we just got the heads up that the The PTS EPM-AR9 Magazine is finally shipping! This is a midcap magazine with 140 BB capacity and has constant-curve internal geometry for reliable feeding. PTS’ signature EP texture has been implemented onto the shell to give the magazine a positive texture for better grip and tactile feel. The marking matrix is incorporated onto the shell for magazine identification use.

Features: • BBs bullet full load indicator • EP dot pattern texture for better grip • Extended polymer baseplate with dot matrix • PTS signature follower prevents BB jams Onto gear and the guys at GUNFIRE have been in touch to tell us that they’re now stocking a new collection of tactical uniforms produced by the Polish company MASKPOL SA which offers the user a comfortable and functional cut combined with a unique and the only example of the MAPA® (Multi-

environmental Adaptive PAttern) masking print on the market! Both the combat jacket and pant are made of a fabric that’s composed of 50% cotton / 50% polyester, with additional reinforced areas with a Rip-Stop weave, which increases durability and wear and tear resistance.

The combat shirt is made of 50% cotton / 50% polyester, additionally reinforced with a Rip-Stop weave, but here the body is made of a thermoactive fabric 95% Polyester / 5% Lycra, which breathes well and is quick-drying. As well as the uniform pieces GUNFIRE also have on offer accessories and tactical gear in this unique pattern, and we certainly hope to see more in the future… there’s some of the clothing on its way to us right now for full evaluation, and we’ll be reporting back in full soon!

And news just in… finally the S&T Lee Enfield has landed for range testing, and what an absolute beauty it is! S&T’s Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk III Rifle with Real Wood has literally just landed with us and our initial impression is WOW! We’ve yet to get into the operating details fully but we’re hoping to find a smooth action allied to a power level of 110-120 m/s on a .20g which equates iro of 400fps

at the higher end, which is what has been promised! We can confirm though that the replica looks and feels gorgeous, featuring an innovative black oxide finish, real wood furniture, and some neat looking features; on the face of it this is looking MIGHTY enticing, and we’re certain that potential collectors and historically-themed players will be drooling just a little right now!

That’s it for this month, and we’re back in the groove and raring to go! For now, whatever flavour your own airsoft may be, enjoy it to the max! AA

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last post IT AIN’T EASY

IT AIN’T ALWAYS EASY!

WITH THE SLOW PACE OF AIRSOFT OVER THE HOLIDAY PERIOD, FRENCHIE STRUGGLED TO FIND SOMETHING OF (AIRSOFT) INTEREST FOR THIS MONTH’S COLUMN AND HIS THOUGHTS TURNED INWARDS. WE’LL LET HIM EXPLAIN...

H

appy New Year one and all! I realise this piece may well appear after the event but it’s the first piece I have written in 2022, hence the good wishes. I’ve had a whole month to contemplate a subject for this issue and I have failed miserably. A whole December of nothingness, the muse has definitely decided to take some time off.

Now granted, preparing for family Christmas may have got in the way a bit, my one unvaccinated child contracting flu was a bit of a distraction (for the record, he actually managed to catch a non-Covid related flu bug - they still exist it seems!) and finally the fact that airsoft as a sport and industry doesn’t actually move particularly quickly, all conspired to leave me banging my head off the table.

I even resorted to trawling through my files of previous articles, looking for inspiration or a subject that needed to be revisited because of significant changes. Nope, nothing. Comms remain comms, multitools are still useful, upgrades are still worth doing sometimes and BBs are still spherical. Major events just don’t happen that often in airsoft if we’re being honest about it.

I’m not knocking the sport itself. Quite apart from shooting myself in the foot, that would be like complaining that football games are always played in the same way, or that they haven’t embraced the excitement of a cuboid football. The game persists, each one the same but each one different because

none of us play the same way every time; situations are different, challenges are different, players are different, but the broader airsoft universe remains largely unchanged around us.

I have mentioned the slow pace of technological innovation before, and in fairness there are good reasons for that, mainly because when Marui invented the AEG, they got it pretty much right the first time.

(As an aside, there is probably an article or two about

“I’M NOT KNOCKING THE SPORT ITSELF. QUITE APART FROM SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE FOOT, THAT WOULD BE LIKE COMPLAINING THAT FOOTBALL GAMES ARE ALWAYS PLAYED IN THE SAME WAY, OR THAT THEY HAVEN’T EMBRACED THE EXCITEMENT OF A CUBOID FOOTBALL.”

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how much they got right, but I’ll save that for later in the year). Electronic triggers, full steel gear sets, metal receivers and recoil units are all incremental improvements and while welcome, I am struggling to see areas where there is likely to be radical change.

Airsoft guns as we know and use them have reached a point where they do what the majority of us need them to do at a price that is acceptable to the majority of players.

Spare a thought, therefore, for the poor reviewer who is faced with new guns that really don’t differ from what went before, but has to find something to say about them that isn’t just a list of parts and specifications. Years ago I had a period where I had a series of gas blowback 1911 pistols to review, five of the damned things. They were different models; original, MEU, ‘Tacticool’, but they were all made by the same company. Functionally they were identical, and for months I had to find new ways to describe a gun I had effectively described the month before. I’m certainly not seeking sympathy, but sometimes this gig isn’t easy!

Legally, at least as far as the United Kingdom is concerned, we are unlikely to see any significant challenges to our hobby. The key issues have been addressed, specifically the issue of lethality and how that relates to muzzle energy, and to be blunt, there are far more pressing matters for this current crop of incompetents to deal with.

This all sounds like a lament but in truth, it isn’t.

Rather it reflects a sport and its associated industry which has achieved a certain degree of maturity. I questioned the nature of that industry previously, but the simple fact is that whatever its merits or failings, it is sufficient unto its task. It supports a reasonable player base, there are enough sites of sufficient diversity to offer players a decent amount of choice, enough established retailers to keep players old and new well equipped and supported, sufficient airsoft guns to equip a good sized army and a steady stream of new players to replace those who inevitably move on to pastures new.

Like middle aged parents, airsoft has reached a state of respectable contentment, even if there will always be those who find the very idea of it as the antithesis of respectability. Those people are outside the sport and frankly are probably the selfsame people who think that golf is a proper use of

an adult’s time and resources. Each to their own I suppose, although obviously such people are utterly wrong in their beliefs. The whole affair is well enough established and managed (as far as that goes) to weather most storms that might beset it. Alternatives like Speedball will probably remain a bit niche (my personal opinion); one of the key attractions of airsoft is, and always has been, the excuse to play soldiers, with the addition of cool kit and realistic looking ‘guns’. During the discussions with the Home Office back in 2006-ish, it became necessary to define airsoft. We came up with “The acting out of military and law enforcement scenarios for the purposes of entertainment”, or as my then teenage eldest son put it, “playing soldiers for fun”. He was right, but we sadly couldn’t use his definition in the Statutory Instrument. That desire seems to be enduring; young men (mostly) have done it for centuries before they decide, or are forced by circumstance, to do it for real.

I’m going to guess that there are very few players still active who I first met as a callow newbie, but the game itself endures and at present shows no sign of struggling for new recruits. The current pandemic has played havoc with it, but that doesn’t make it unique in this day and age sadly.

Fortunately for me someone will do something either spectacular or spectacularly stupid relating to airsoft at some point, hopefully in the not too distant future, that will whet my vitriol and allow me to have a damned good rant. However, until that inevitability comes to pass, I am forced to concede that, all things taken into account, airsoft in the UK, and indeed most places around the globe, is probably in as good and as stable a place as it ever has, and if that means that I have to search a bit harder for subjects to expound upon I really shouldn’t complain, should I? AA

“FORTUNATELY FOR ME SOMEONE WILL DO SOMETHING EITHER SPECTACULAR OR SPECTACULARLY STUPID RELATING TO AIRSOFT AT SOME POINT, HOPEFULLY IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, THAT WILL WHET MY VITRIOL AND ALLOW ME TO HAVE A DAMNED GOOD RANT.”

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