ARMOURY DOUBLE EAGLE SHOTGUN OVERVIEW
Gun”, a pump action shotgun fits in almost every loadout! The principle of “shot” dates right back to the American Civil War when smoothbore “Napoleon” cannons made use of devastating “canister shot” to thin out massed ranks of infantry at close range in the most hideous (yet effective) manner! The Flintlock “Coach Gun” became, in time, the preferred deterrent against highwaymen and brigands. By the 1880s pump-action repeating shotguns started to become widely and commercially available and the “1897 Trench Gun” was adopted by the US military in WWI for service. This was a thoroughly formidable weapon that could still be fitted with the infantry sword bayonet and became known amongst its users as “The Trench Broom” for its undoubted effectiveness. From that point forward the humble pump-action found its home in not just the military, but also amongst police forces worldwide. The US Forces continued to use the shotgun through WWII, Korea, into Vietnam and even right up to this day as it proved the perfect weapon, first for jungle environments and then, of course, as a breaching tool. The SAS used the shotgun in both the jungle and then as a “breacher” and these days the sight of a Benelli M4 Super 90 in the hands of UK Forces has become a common one. From WWII US loadouts through the modern day and even extending to “Post-Apoc” loadouts the shotgun is a model that just “fits”!
A WHOLE LOAD OF SHOT!
Looking at the number of Double Eagle shotgun models that we have available today I have to say that there genuinely is something for everyone in the line. The build quality has improved further since I bought my original and although they are in majority made of plastic, I would once again direct your memory to the fact that once upon a time all RIFs were made of plastic! The feel of the up-to-date versions though is very solid indeed, especially the models with fixed stock and butts. You can still have a simple, single shot springer if you so desire but the fact of the matter is that many of the newer Double Eagle models are tri-barrels firing not from a “magazine” but from a 30 BB loaded “shot shell” that fits into the bottom trap, just like the real thing. Some models are
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still fixed hop, but others in the range now have, again as Frenchie pointed out, quite reasonable parts and adjustment and the accuracy I so loved from my original is still very apparent. Starting with the M309, this really is the “15 quid special” that I mentioned earlier. An extra tenner will get you the M401 “Breacher”, which is a super compact single shot BB-spitter, based on the M870 design that TM used with their gasser. This model comes with a 20BB extended magazine so it’s perfect for those “spring and gas” days at your local site. The M56 series, which neatly mimics the UK Forces Benelli, has three models (there used to be a fourth with sliding stock and full-length barrel) which comprise a “breacher” with no butt, a fixed butt model which is the sturdiest of the bunch and a sliding stock version which I have to say is my personal choice as it offers a “best of both worlds” solution. All three models are tri-barrel and feed from a “shell”, and if you’re into your UK Forces loadouts this model is a “no-brainer”; expect to pay between £50 and £60 for one of these. The M58 models, of which there are two, have to be my real favourites from the range though. Resembling that old Winchester 1897/Model 12 due to the heat shield over the outer barrel, this could fit anywhere from WWI to the “wastelands of the apocalypse”. Both now with full-length barrels the M58A (butt) and M58B (no butt) offer great performance for a great price; the M58A retails at just under £40, with the “B” variant very slightly cheaper. I won’t go into the M63 “SPAS 12” for obvious reasons, but if you’re in the market for your very first airsoft shotgun, or, like me you want yet another variant for the collection, then the Double Eagles are most certainly worth a look and are superb value for money! Don’t expect a “full metal, weigh your loadout down, might use it occasionally” wall-hanger for the money, but do expect an airsoft shotgun that you will come to love and use on a regular basis as that “clack-clack” rack becomes absolutely addictive once you have one! For more information on the Double Eagle range of shotguns and bolt-action rifles, along with stockist details please visit www.nuprol.com