Airsoft Action - April 2019

AIRSOFT ACTION

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APRIL 2019 - £4.50

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LCT AK LTS MOSFET 101 UCAP VENDETTA ACTION ARMY T10 TACTICAL FLEECES AIRSOFT IN TAIWAN SHOT SHOW REPORT PLUS MUCH MORE....

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IN THIS ISSUE...

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AIRSOFT ACTION

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ARMOURY: LCT AK LTS

IN THIS ISSUE...

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PROUDLY SUPPORTING PILGRIM BANDITS

APRIL 2019 - £4.50

9 772047 348032

APRIL 2019

LCT AK LTS MOSFET 101 UCAP VENDETTA ACTION ARMY T10 TACTICAL FLEECES AIRSOFT IN TAIWAN SHOT SHOW REPORT PLUS MUCH MORE....

ARMOURY: AAC T10

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Editor: Nigel Streeter Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing Ad Design: Havoc Design Publisher: Nigel Streeter UK 13-issue subscription rate: £46.50 UK 6-issue subscription rate: £24.00 For overseas prices email: subs@airsoft-action.co.uk

KIT & GEAR: TACTICAL FLEECES Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL Tel: +44 (0) 1684 878 003 Web: www.airsoft-action.online

REEL STEEL: RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD

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INTERNATIONAL: TAIWAN

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FEATURE: COVERT RURAL OP

ARMOURY: HERA ARMS CQR

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 Editor: nige@airsoft-action.co.uk, write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

Contents APRIL 2019

CONTENTS 6

NEWS

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ROGUE’S GALLERY

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ARMOURY: LCT AK LTS

Airsoft Action readers doing what they do best!

Bill gets to grips with the AK LTS Keymod 9.5 from LCT airsoft and finds that the latest trends have revolutionised the classic Russian workhorse into something that can take pride of place on any range around the World!

APRIL 2019

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REEL STEEL: LETHAL WEAPON

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EVENT: BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW

When it comes to playing airsoft many of us live by the mantra that “it’s all about the guy next to you” and of course this is ingrained military doctrine too, as you rely on your “buddy” at all times. This month Bill takes a look at one of the best known “buddy movies”, one that set the bar high in many ways: “Lethal Weapon”.

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Les Lee has had a long-time passion for airsoft pistols so long as they are full-on, full-metal replicas …until someone gave him a TM to try!

ARMOURY: TM H&K MK23

In recent years it would be fair to say that airsoft has had somewhat of a “chequered” history in terms of the British Shooting Show but this year saw the re-launch of airsoft at the show as a fully-integrated part of the wider shooting sports community. Bill and Tom bring you their highlights.

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ARMOURY: ACTION ARMY AAC T10

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ARMOURY: ASG SP-01 ACCU SHADOW

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EVENT: SHOT SHOW 2019

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INTERNATIONAL: TAIWAN

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FEATURE: CROP

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ARMOURY: CA NEMESIS X9

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FEATURE: PISTOL CASE PROJECT

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ARMOURY: ASG/ICS HERA ARMS CQR

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LAST POST: MINE IS BETTER...

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SITE & PRACTICAL PISTOL DIRECTORY

Is the relatively new kid on the block a fresh new rifle? Or is it just another VSR? Georaga scopes it out...

With an attendance in the region of 65,000 visitors, SHOT Show in Las Vegas is the biggest event of this type in the world together with IWA in Germany and Femme Fatale, Kelly Hardwick, was there in person to bring Airsoft Action all the news.

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NEW SITE: UCAP VENDETTA

Nige didn’t have far to travel when he attended the opening game at UCAP Airsoft’s newest site, situated inside an 18th Century prison in Gloucester - but would they ever let him out again!

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KIT & GEAR: TACTICAL FLEECES

One of the most-overlooked bits of kit in the “tactical wardrobe” is the fleece but it’s actually one of the most versatile garments that you can own, both for airsoft and general use. Bill takes a look at some of the models he’s been using and abusing and brings us the benefit of his years of use and technical garment knowledge!

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KIT & GEAR: ELEMENT COMBO

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AIRSOFT 101: MOSFETS

Phil Bucknall takes a look at a couple of products from Element that work – and look good – in combination.

We all have an idea of what a MOSFET does but questions remain for many players. Here, Tom Hibberd takes a look at these little electronic marvels and provides the answers.

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FEATURE: SPRING IS DEAD

“Springers”… Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are the simplest of airsoft gun and Frenchie has a certain affinity for them, as he explains here.

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REEL STEEL: RAMBO

1982 was a good year if you like action movies, with some real blockbusters of the time hitting the silver screen. One that stood out though, a movie that still resonates, is “First Blood”, the motion picture that introduced audiences worldwide to “John Rambo”.

Georaga wasn’t completely won over by the original shadow but having fixed more than just the aesthetics, could this update change his mind?

Last month we were extremely privileged to have a direct report on the MOA Show in Taiwan from our good friend Stu Mortimer, who lives and works in Taiwan and has become fully immersed in the local airsoft scene. Bill concludes his interview with Stu by finding out what it means to be a part of “airsoft central”.

Being able to observe your enemy while remaining undetected is a vital part of any military strategy. Paul Yelland gives us some tips on how to construct an OP in a rural environment.

Classic Army is a brand that keeps riding the trends to bring us some stunning AEGs. Bill once again delves into his personal “history book” and checks out one of their latest models.

Phil Bucknall was looking for a better way of carrying his pistols to a game and spotted that the new NUPROL SMG Hard Case might just fit the bill.

If you are a regular reader of Tom Hibberd’s articles, you’ll know that he is a fan of Military Service Rifle replicas guns used by armies and police forces. So what would he make of the HERA Arms CQR by ICS and ASG…? Read on to find out!

If you have ever been on social media, or read posts in “forums”, you’ll have seen comments that denigrate and deride, sometimes using vile language, the poster’s views and/or opinions – and airsoft is no exception. Frenchie digs deeper…

Looking for a skirmish site, or your local Action Air Club?

Then we may have the answer, with pages of sites and clubs throughout the UK.

s w e N t f o s Air

AIRSOFT ACTION WINS AGAIN!!

AIRSOFT ACTION HAS ONCE AGAIN been voted winners of the Popular Airsoft Players Choice Award for Best Airsoft Magazine (Print and Digital)!

This is the third year in succession that Airsoft Action has won this prestigious award and what makes it really special to us, is that it is voted for by you… the players.

Airsoft Action has never been about just one genre of airsoft, we understand that airsoft players are as diverse as the game itself. So, whatever your preferred style and type of airsoft, from whatever past, present, future, real or fictitious conflict you choose to play, you will probably find it in Airsoft Action.

Airsoft Action has been going nearly 8 years (yes, it really is that long!) and in that time we have covered hundreds of events, reviewed nearly 400 guns and given away tens of thousands of pounds-worth of prizes and with our 100th Issue just around the corner, we have no intention of

changing any time soon!

So, I would just like to say a huge thankyou to all those who voted for us and to all the advertisers who have supported us over the years - our success is as much down to you as it is to anything else.

Finally, I want to give credit to our awesome team of contributors who, week in, week out, work incredibly hard to bring you the best coverage of all things airsoft – not just from the UK but internationally as well.

By the time this issue goes on sale we’ll be at IWA 2019, in Nuremberg, to both cover (what has become) the biggest and most important airsoft trade exhibition in Europe and to collect our award at The Airsoft Meetup.

I suspect we will, once again, be the only British airsoft magazine there.

Nige.

JUST TEASING! RECENTLY LANDED AT AIRSOFT ACTION HQ is the very latest ARCTURUS AK AEG model, the AT-AK04!

The team at www.taiwangun.com have been slowly but surely rolling out the models in the ARCTURUS range and have kindly sent over the very latest model for our resident “AK-aholic”, Bill, to check out in the workshop and on the range With top-end materials and construction this looks to be another strong contender for the “next-generation tacticool AK” lovers out there!

Always at the forefront of new trends in the market Airsoft Action looks forward to bringing you an exclusive look at this model in the next issue and to seeing where the ARCTURUS range goes next!

For more information on all the ARCTURUS models and parts, along with a whole host of airsoft goodness, head over to www.taiwangun.com

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APRIL 2019

s w e N t f o s Air VALKEN BUILDS IT’S UK SALES FORCE

Dogtag site on an airsoft day.

US giants, VALKEN SPORTS. have come a long way since their Paintball days and naturally, the demand for airsoft products has called for some serious reshuffling of its European staff. Specifically in the UK, where it has been decided that to meet this demand they needed to “refresh” their sales team and add some versatile dynamics, particularly with the recruitment of someone that knows airsoft inside out and has a strong desire to succeed.

Chris has embraced this opportunity and there is no getting away from his excitement in representing Valken in the UK and Europe, where he will join the existing team of John, Olly and Will.

Valken Sports have always been very pro-active in supporting related sites, teams and players and this programme, known as “The Valken Alliance”, has injected money into the sport and now Valken Airsoft (including Valken Tactical Gear) intends to bring their presence in line with the rest of Europe and the US. Hence the need for a staffing reshuffle and this is where Chris’s expertise and flair for airsoft shone above all others.

We at Airsoft Action wish Chris every success in this exciting new career opportunity.

Chris can be contacted at: chris.young@valken.com

Chris Young, owner of the ever-expanding shop 308Sniper, was quite literally “head hunted” by the Valken scout that came across the pond to find what, or more fittingly, who they needed. Will Bourgault made a “casual” visit to Dogtag Airsoft in Crawley, West Sussex, where Chris operates one of his 8 site shops in the south east. Dogtag have always had good relations with Valken through the Paintball arena, so it made perfect sense to visit Chris at the

SPEED AIRSOFT LINE OF TUNABLE TRIGGERS NOW AVAILABLE IN EVEN MORE COLORS! SPEED Airsoft has started to ship their line of M4 AEG triggers, including the M4 SE and HPA line of tunable triggers in colors. This provides more choices for customers and enables customers to color match the accents of their airsoft guns.

More and more players are customizing their airsoft guns with colored accent parts and to do it with SPEED Airsoft high performance upgrades will be a natural path.

The company behind a versatile rifle stock called the FRAMM® have confirmed that elite French police tactical unit, the GIGN, have selected the modular stock for their H&K G36 and HK-UMP rifles.

164 year old survival equipment manufacturers, BCB International Ltd, have brought to market the FRAMM®; an adjustable and foldable stock that allows firearms officers to comfortably shoulder, aim and discharge their firearms in all firing positions while wearing a ballistic helmet with the visor fully lowered.

SPEED Airsoft products are all in-house CNC precision machined from USA grade billet aluminum by SPEED Airsoft in Canada.

BCB International’s FRAMM® Project Manager, Philippe Minchin, said: “The FRAMM® is not your typical helmet rifle butt stock. It removes the need for both non-visored and visored officers to have to alternate between butt stocks to fit the situation they are faced with. At a press of a button, the FRAMM® enables an officer to switch from a classic straight alignment to a lowered setting of their choosing thereby eliminating the risk of their helmet visors or respirator masks interfering with the shouldering, aiming and firing of their weapon. The FRAMM® is the modular stock to suit all their mission requirements.”

All SPEED Airsoft products are available through your favorite airsoft dealers worldwide.

Production has been launched for the H&K G36, B&T 40x46 and HK-UMP variants of the stock.

For more info, visit SPEED Airsoft at www.SpeedAirsoft.com

For more information about the FRAMM® please e-mail: info@bcbin.com or visit: http://bcbin.com/product/frammweapon-stock/

SPEED Airsoft has also released a new line of colored SPEED Hi-Capa triggers, as well as colored SPEED GoPro Mask Mounts.

SPEED Airsoft colored tunable triggers and GoPro Mask Mounts are now available blue, gold, red, in addition to their existing black and silver colors.

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GIGN SELECT MODULAR RIFLE STOCK

APRIL 2019

AA GALLERY AIRSOFT ACTION PLAYER PHOTOS

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APRIL 2019

ROGUE’S GALLERY

AA GALLERY AIRSOFT ACTION PLAYER PHOTOS

As we took so many photos at the recent UCAP Vende�a Opening Game, we thought you might like to see some more!

You’ll find even more on our Facebook page.

Information Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email to nige@airsoft-action.co.uk or share on our Facebook page facebook.com/AirsoftAction along with a few words describing what’s going on in the image.

www.airsoft-action.online

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armoury LCT AK LTS KEYMOD

LCT AK LTS KEYMOD

STAYING WITH HIS BELOVED “AK PLATFORM”, THIS MONTH BILL GETS TO GRIPS WITH THE AK LTS KEYMOD 9.5 FROM LCT AIRSOFT AND FINDS THAT THE LATEST TRENDS HAVE REVOLUTIONISED THE CLASSIC RUSSIAN WORKHORSE INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE PRIDE OF PLACE ON ANY RANGE AROUND THE WORLD! “THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’…” - and thank all that’s Holy for that!

The “Automat Kalashnikova” of 1947 created by Mikhail Kalashnikov was a “game changer” (and I use that phrase without any irony whatsoever!) in the world of military firearms, allowing the user to wield a fast-firing, durable and, above all, reliable battlefield tool. The humble AK has come in many variants during its long service life, even within Russia but, when you

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take into account the number of models “based” on the AK but built under licence in different countries globally, the variations can become innumerable.

The AK, including all of its variants, has truly become one of the most widely manufactured and used firearm platforms in the world, of this there is little doubt; you only have to open a newspaper or browse the internet for the latest headlines and undoubtedly you’ll find an image of one style of “AK” or another. Wherever there is conflict you will find the “AK” and it’s been used as a symbol both of freedom and oppression in equal measure – even to the point , as we have mentioned in the past, that if features on the national flag of Mozambique!

But there’s also a “weather change” when it comes to the once-humble steel and wood AK and this particular brewing storm seems to be picking up some serious momentum! Both in military circles and, equally as important in my mind, in the hands of well-informed and well-researched civilian shooters, the “modern AK” is slowly but surely making some serious in-roads.

As I’ve mentioned before, when it comes to “modern AKs” I follow a number of AK groups online and often find myself going “wow” when I see some of the creations out there. I regularly check in to view the latest news from Marc Krebs, at www.krebscustom. com, to see his latest creations and the very latest AC18 rifles are certainly stunning to behold. My favourite source of “AK Inspiration” though, comes from a guy

armoury LCT AK LTS KEYMOD

called Jim Fuller, who runs an outfit called simply “Rifle Dynamics”.

In his own words: “Over a decade ago we fell in love with the AK. It was simple, reliable, and the most produced rifle in the world. It was also far from perfect and not well liked in the U.S. We’re shooters first, builders second. We used our combined years of experience in the field and the shop to retool the AK, producing the most reliable and performance-based tools possible: AK’s that handle with ease, are supremely reliable, incredibly accurate, beautifully crafted, and always deliver. We keep the

the joy of having in front of me as I write, the AK LTS Keymod 9.5, which stands tall amongst the current crop of outstanding “tacticool AKs” that are hitting the airsoft market in a thoroughly meaningful way right now!

TOO KOOL FOR SKOOL

So why, you might ask yourself, has someone gone to all the trouble of producing an airsoft replica of what is, essentially, a bespoke AK variant? The answer to this lies in LCT Airsoft themselves.

LCT have become a bit of a favourite brand for UK

“LCT AEGS ARE MADE FROM A MIX OF STEEL, WOOD AND HIGH-GRADE ALLOY; THEY ARE EXTREMELY WELL FINISHED WITH A HARD-WEARING COATING THAT IS MORE RESISTANT TO WEAR AND TEAR THAN NORMAL AIRSOFT AKS, WITH EXCELLENT AND REALISTIC COLOUR MATCHING.” nostalgia and history of the AK intact with each build and with an unmistakable flavor that can only be Rifle Dynamics.”

Whilst what you see if you visit www.rifledynamics. com are some superb stock models, like the “RD701/501 and the RD702/502”, it’s what appears in the “options list” that begins to give you an idea of what’s really going on behind the scenes, with parts listed like “Generation 3 Venom Tactical FSB/GB Combo, UltiMAK scope rail, RD FSC muzzle device, ALG AKT-EL Trigger, SLR Rifleworks 10.5” Rail Set (available in M-Lok or Keymod), Krebs Custom Enhanced Safety (w/BHO), Suppressor Tuning, Evolution Defense Group Stippled MOE Grip and/or Handguard....” The list can go on and on but basically, what Jim and his colleagues are creating, are “Next Generation AKs” built specifically for the discerning shooter.

Which brings me neatly to the AEG that I have

airsofters, including a number of the Airsoft Action team. LCT actually have vast technical engineering experience, as well as some years as an OEM and ODM. “Li Cheng Technique Business Company” was established in 2004 with the brand “LCT Airsoft” and they’ve been quietly making some superb airsoft replicas since then and their extensive range of “Soviet” rifles, carbines and SMGs is simply stunning and continues to grow.

LCT AEGs are made from a mix of steel, wood and high-grade alloy; they are extremely well finished with a hard-wearing coating that is more resistant to wear and tear than normal airsoft AKs, with excellent and realistic colour matching - in fact many high-end AKs from other manufacturers are actually originally made by LCT! Plus, although they are very well-priced (Fire Support are offering the version on test here for just £239!), they are of absolutely top quality.

The LCT AK LTS Keymod 9.5 AEG comes with a solid www.airsoft-action.online

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armoury LCT AK LTS KEYMOD

and durable metal body and barrel and benefits from a full metal receiver, barrel, full-length alloy Keymod rail system with contiguous top rail and muzzle device; in fact the distinctive muzzle device is a great

of battery fits easily inside the stock, although you can squeeze in a NUPROL 11.1V LiPo “stick” if you really try!

There’s a QD sling point at the rear should you wish to fit a sling and the control layout of the LCT is much

“EVERYTHING IS PUT TOGETHER LIKE A SWISS WATCH AND THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO CREAKS, GROANS OR WOBBLES APPARENT ANYWHERE. TO SAY THAT THE LTS KEYMOD 9.5 AEG IS “BUILT LIKE A TANK” IS ACTUALLY UNDERSTATING THINGS DRAMATICALLY.” take on the classic “KRINKOV” amp. Everything is put together like a Swiss watch and there are absolutely no creaks, groans or wobbles apparent anywhere. To say that the LTS Keymod 9.5 AEG is “built like a tank” is actually understating things dramatically; one word of warning though, as this LCT AK weighs in at a hefty 4.2kg!

Externally, the “tacticool” goodness continues as the Keymod rail is superbly achieved and comes with two longer and two shorter sections of rail as standard.

The top rail can be removed if you want the dust cover “smooth” and there’s a side-rail for optics too. The pistol grip is “SAW” style and very comfortable and the sliding stock of LCT’s own design looks great; it also functions well as a battery compartment as it can be hinged open to change the battery without removing it from the buffer tube. Internally things are equally as good; there’s 9mm bearings, a tried and tested gearbox, chrome-plated cylinder, CNC aluminium cylinder head with double O-ring, a plastic nozzle with O-ring, polycarbonate piston with steel teeth and a CNC aluminium piston head. This sounds all very well and in actual fact it is, as these components will give you superior performance from the get go!

IT’S GOT SOME LEGS!

Performance-wise, the LTS Keymod 9.5 AEG is spot on. The AEG comes with a 130 BB Mid-Capacity magazine, which is also of ribbed polymer construction; I did try it with other AK-47 and AK-74 magazines of different capacities and all fed very well with no jams or misfeeds. A 7.4v LiPo is recommended and this type 14

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the same as every other AK variant on the market. The charging handle cover hides a traditional sliding hop-up adjuster and the safety lever has three positions; top is “Safe”, middle is “Auto”, and the lowest setting is “Semi-Auto” just like the real thing. With the magazine fully loaded and a charged NUPROL LiPo fitted, running the LTS Keymod 9.5 through the chrono resulted in a very highly consistent and site-friendly 0.92 joule/315fps using .20g BBs. The rate of fire was also pleasantly “AK”, chugging along nicely on a 7.4!

With a relatively long inner barrel I thought the LTS Keymod 9.5 might have “some legs” in relation to both range and accuracy and once the hop and the iron sights were dialled in, that indeed proved to be the case. I witnessed an absolutely flat BB trajectory out to the extreme of the 30m range and I believe that this trajectory would remain the same for a good deal further out. At 30m prone I was able to easily hit a dinner plate-sized target with each and every BB sent down range.

LCT AKs have proved to be superbly effective skirmish tools and with the introduction of the new EBB system that Tom is testing, their line of AEGs looks to be getting even better! At the time of writing they’ve been teasing online with a potential new model release at IWA, which of course I’ll report back on as soon as I know more! For now though, the LTS Keymod 9.5 is a cracking addition to what LCT offer and if you favour the “thoroughly modern AK” feel, at the price these are an absolute steal. AA

My thanks go to Fire Support for supplying the review sample.

For more information on the LTS Keymod 9.5 along with other models from LCT please do pay their website a visit: www.fire-support.co.uk

armoury TM H&K MK23 SOCOM

IT AIN’T ALL ABOUT

HEAVY METAL

LES LEE HAS HAD A LONG-TIME PASSION FOR AIRSOFT PISTOLS SO LONG AS THEY ARE FULL-ON, FULL-METAL REPLICAS …UNTIL SOMEONE GAVE HIM A TM TO TRY! I’LL NEVER FORGET MY FIRST SIGHTING of a RIF, a Browning Hi-Power GBB at a local small bore range and was immediately smitten with the realism of what I was holding. It was cold, heavy metal, you could remove the magazine just like the real thing, rack the slide like the real thing and best of all, shoot it like the real thing (almost) and that was it, the bait was well and truly swallowed which ultimately began my passion for weekend war games.

As time went on I tried many different rifles, SMGs, LMGs, assault weapons and, of course, handguns. We

then I found myself being quite the purist, I wanted proper heavy steel in my hand-end of! I mean, how could a plastic slide feel satisfying on a GBB or a NBB? I didn’t like the toy-like weight and feel and I never gave this popular brand a chance until recently but I am so glad that I did!

Tokyo Marui is without doubt legendary in the world of airsoft. I have found that it is in a league of its own and it has taken me several years to bow to this authority, when Dan “the man” Sayer (a sniper guru of unrivalled notoriety) dragged me into the field at Dogtag

“I HAD A SPECIAL INTEREST IN PISTOLS, WITH A STRONG, A VERY STRONG FAVOUR TOWARDS REALISM. IF IT DIDN’T LOOK, FEEL AND PERFORM LIKE THE REAL THING THEN I WASN’T INTERESTED …IT WAS SIMPLY NOT FOR ME.” have all been through the “choosing” era, where you find what works for you and for me, for no particular reason (although perhaps my familiarity from past livefire experiences), I had a special interest in pistols, with a strong, a very strong favour towards realism. If it didn’t look, feel and perform like the real thing then I wasn’t interested …it was simply not for me.

Ultimately, my passion for airsoft gained momentum.

I joined Airsoft Action as a contributor six plus years ago, which sent me all over the South (and even abroad) carrying out site, event, shop and airsoft gear reviews which, in turn expanded my knowledge and lightened my wallet. However, I found that I had a rather challengeable dislike, one that most would say I was bonkers to depreciate. I had little doubt that the brand itself was well received and respected by many but in essence, they were plastic(!) and unless the “real” model was of a non-steel body, for example the Glock family,

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Airsoft and thrust this plastic NBB toy into my hands and said “Ere Lez, ‘ave a go with this!” So with initial thoughts of simply and courteously accepting his offer, took aim and squeezed the trigger. What did I hear?

Pfft!... and again, Pfft!... and after a few more rounds, I realised that my narrow-mindedness was indeed holding me back when I had asked myself “Why is Tokyo Marui so respected”? It has taken me eight long years to find out.

Most long-term ‘softers and purists of our warrior weekends swear by TM with their high level of productivity and high standards of reliability, performance and (also of great importance) the compatibility issues with this brand in the adaptive parts arena. Ask yourself, how many times have you seen the words “TM compatible” on a host of different makes and models, even though this brand is of Japanese origin and not the airsoft manufacturer capital of the

armoury TM H&K MK23 SOCOM

world, Taiwan.

Tokyo Marui has been around a very, very long time so it comes as no surprise that unicorn poo is more common than a product complaint on a TM RIF!

Tokyo Marui

Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd is a Japanese manufacturer of airsoft guns located in Adachi, Tokyo and are famous for pioneering the design of the battery-powered airsoft gun. Although their products are principally sold in Japan, fortunately for us, they are also exported worldwide.

Founded in 1965, TM began producing pew pews in 1992 and was the first company to introduce airsoft guns more commonly referred to as AEGs. As the interest for airsoft gathered momentum, the company

began in May 1996 to the Spec-Op units as designated.

With an effective range of 50 metres using the heavy. 45 ACP round, it was quite simply the most potent.

Field tests were extensive, rigorous and challenging with a variety of other reputable hardware and calibres, but ultimately the MK23 ticked all the boxes, even though it may not have had the range and accuracy of some of its competitors but I’m sure you can see how it would meet the needs of the operatives and simply get the job done.

As said earlier, US SOCOM needed an offensive weapon, so in 1989, US SOCOM began reviewing their equipment to see which gear would fit the needs of their special close quarters battle role. Studying small arms revealed that there were 120 types and configurations of infantry weapons in different units. The logistics of getting spare parts for all these

“I THINK THAT I’M PROBABLY NOT ALONE WHEN I SAY I LIKE REALISM. I LIKE METAL, I LIKE RECOIL AND I LIKE NOISE. IN OTHER WORDS, I NOT ONLY WANT TO HIT THE TARGET, I WANT A BUZZ OF ADRENALINE EVERY TIME I SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER BUT THIS CAN COME AT A PRICE.” had its own centre for airsoft sport, called Tokyo Marui BB Sports Field, which was operated during 2009 and 2010. Due to their absolute realism, TM guns have appeared in numerous movies and it has merchandising arrangements with many game centres across the globe.

H&K MK 23 SOCOM - The Real Deal

From Germany came the Heckler & Koch MK 23, MK 23 MOD 0, Mark 23, or US SOCOM MARK 23, a semiautomatic, large-frame pistol chambered in .45 ACP and designed specifically to be an offensive pistol. The US SOCOM version of the MK 23 came paired with a laser aiming module (LAM) and suppressor.

The US SOCOM MK 23 was adopted by the United States Special Operations Units as they had a job to be done, with zero room for errors. Development of the pistol began in 1991 as special operations representatives identified the need for an “Offensive Handgun Weapons System” and delivery of the pistols

weapons was overwhelming. In response, SOCOM decided to standardise small arms among all units.

One area of improvement was the pistol, undertaken by the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) competition. It would replace pistols like the 9mm M9, which was used by regular troops as a secondary weapon. SOCOM’s use of small units that operate “up close” means that pistols are more likely to be used as primary weapons.

WHY THIS ABOVE ALL OTHERS?

Quite an ambiguous question really but one that I will do my best to explain.

I think that I’m probably not alone when I say I like realism. I like metal, I like recoil and I like noise. In other words, I not only want to hit the target, I want a buzz of adrenaline every time I squeeze the trigger but this can come at a price. www.airsoft-action.online

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armoury TM H&K MK23 SOCOM

For starters, your enemy will almost certainly hear your location (not so much a problem in CQB) and accuracy is not going to be anywhere near as good as a well-tuned primary but this particular model is as good as most standard primary guns straight out of the box (in its own “straight out of the box” condition). That is a tough claim-to-fame to beat by any standard and obviously open to interpretation but this was what I found during my pre-ramped up days when I took it into the field as my primary (just for “shots ‘n’ goggles”).

moderate knowledge of the basics and an occasional YouTube channel visit. In its standard form, this is a superb sidearm, however, once tweaked and tuned to your liking, mine was firing .43s to some 50-70 metres away AND hitting the target - and all this without exceeding power and site limits while, most importantly, retaining stealthy silence throughout. For me, this pistol has gone from being a “not for me” to “why has it taken so long to find this”. Product reviews of any item are supposed to be of an unbiased nature but clearly my stubborn, Taurean character had me fixed on all-metal GBB handguns with a hefty recoil and some quality noise.

TO CONCLUDE

If you can get past the toy-like feel of the plastic and the absence of recoil and realism, I would urge you to try this gun out, preferably at a woodland site where it can perform to its best. If your main objective with a secondary is to stay in the game with full knowledge that you can remain covert and effective with equal firepower to the advancing enemy and their beefed-up AEGs with all the bells and whistles, this will put you in an enviable position of “less is more” - which needs to be experienced to enjoy the satisfaction of watching the enemy put one hand in the air and the other scratching their head whilst muttering “Where the hell did that come from?”

Les OUT! AA Admittedly, at first I didn’t exactly have a pee-my-pants moment of exhilaration but once the game commenced, things definitely changed!

It’s fair to say that with its standard included suppressor, you are more likely to hear a mouse fart two fields away! I don’t ever recall hearing such a quiet handgun and this was such an advantage whilst remaining completely stealthy, the enemy just kept on coming... and I kept on shooting them, and they didn’t have a scooby where it came from. And in equal measures, the accuracy was superb too, it spits BBs like a laser beam!

The price is reasonable, typically retailing for around £140, it comes in a quality plastic pistol case as standard and includes a 3 x AAA battery LAM (laser aiming module) specific to the USSOCOM model, the superbly silencing suppressor, a 25-round magazine and a few other bits and pieces, altogether a very good (silent) bang for your buck!

I’m not the only person that shares this satisfaction because as previously mentioned, Dan Sayer, a seasoned Dogtag veteran of shooting with both paint and now plastic shared his thoughts when I quizzed him for a second opinion: “I wanted a pistol that was quiet, reliable and silent.

The guys at Skirmshop all used the MK23, so I had a go with one and in a similar way to you trying mine, I was hooked. The pistol is really efficient and will easily outperform most other pistols and a lot of AEGs out there”.

There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that I concur with Dan on this.

Another great quality of this sidearm is the choice and simplicity of upgrades available - and for not a lot of money either. All can usually be done at home with

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Special thanks go out to 308Sniper for supplying the review pistol and a further shout out to Skirmshop for the upgrade parts on the test model. *Replica Docter sight is NOT included as standard.

0.20g

0.25g

3000pcs per bottle | 6mm | Precision Airsoft BB | www.hornettactical.com www.patrolstore.com/hornettactical

armoury ACTION ARMY AAC T10

AAC T10 IS THE RELATIVELY NEW KID ON THE BLOCK A FRESH NEW RIFLE? OR IS IT JUST ANOTHER VSR? GEORAGA SCOPES IT OUT...

I’LL START THIS BY ADMITTING one thing... VSRs bore me!

Now before you get all angry and get your knickers in a twist, just hear me out… I have zero issues with the brilliant performance you can get from a VSR platform since it’s arguably the most upgradable sniper platform on the market but when you physically look at it, it’s just a bit... dull.

For those of you that have read my stuff before, you know that I’m partial to a good sniper rifle; preferably more on the modern side and back in the day, the idea of a cool, slick, sexy sniper rifle was the VSR G-spec.

Nowadays though, the generic VSR look doesn’t do a lot for me, so when Action Army Company (who are renowned for their VSR upgrade parts) released their version of the updated spring powered VSR platform... I was extremely intrigued.

Before I go into this article any further, Airsoft World sent this out for us to have a look at and they threw in some upgrades that I think you really want to consider when you get this, so if you’re interested, head over to their website to have more of a gander.

EXTERNALS

The lower of the T10 is a high-grade nylon polymer,

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it has a slight texture so doesn’t feel too smooth and plastic-y like some polymer molds. The fact that its polymer means that it is lightweight and its larger stock with adjustable cheek-riser means that the overall rifle is well balanced, counterweighting the aluminium outer barrel at the front.

In terms of the way this gun looks? I love it. Well...

I love almost all of it but I’ll come back to that in a bit.

The modern lines and angles on this gun give it that sleek, clean and professional look. I dig the lack of rails too. Instead of laboring the sides and underneath with heavy, jagged pictanny rails, Action Army utilise these clever and unique-looking “divets” that on their own look cool but also act as rail attachment points, thanks to the threaded screw mounts. That means you get the choice to add rail segments to whichever part of the platform you want, without wasting a bunch of extra rail space and adding additional unwanted weight. It’s a pretty good idea. Thankfully they have, however, given us the very necessary scope rail... can you imagine if they’d gone full minimilist?

Another good idea is the placement of the four QD sling attachment points at both the front and back of the gun, so you can really mount this rifle to your body in the most comfortable way to you - especially as they’re on both the left and right side of the gun.

As I mentioned earlier, the rifle has an adjustable cheek-riser in case you decide that craning your neck to get a better look down your scope doesn’t do the job. The riser is sturdy but not uncomfortable and the adjustment is pretty easy and has a solid locking mechanism to fix it into your chosen position.

The grip of the T10 is hefty when you compare it to the angled, thin grip on a regular VSR but the straighter angle with which you manipulate the gun and engage the trigger is extremely familiar and comfortable with a large, flared underside which acts as a stabiliser when you need to place it down. It’s not quite the vertical position of an M4 grip but it feels natural enough to

armoury ACTION ARMY AAC T10

“…IT FEELS NATURAL ENOUGH TO WRAP YOUR THUMB OVER THE TOP AND EXTEND THAT INDEX FINGER... A PRECISION TRIGGER SQUEEZE AS OPPOSED TO THE “HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS THE GUN BOUNCES AROUND” TRIGGER GRIP OF MORE AUTOMATED PLATFORMS.” wrap your thumb over the top and extend that index finger... a precision trigger squeeze as opposed to the “HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS THE GUN BOUNCES AROUND” trigger grip of more automated platforms.

Speaking of which, you’ll be pleased to know that

the trigger is also slightly angled to match your wrist, allowing you easier access to the safety on the righthand side by the nice, big, easy to use charging handle and the trigger pull is very smooth and doesn’t have too much play.

I’m going to skip the magazine for the moment... I really need to go into that, so instead I’ll bounce back to the outer barrel. The finish on the barrel is great but it’s the threaded barrel plug that interests me as you can throw in an even longer inner barrel than the 430mm one already installed and using a G-spec barrel adapter you can choose to mount any 14mm suppressor.

Personally? I’d leave this one as is unless I wanted to poke the person at the other end of the field with it but hey, some folks out there really do like their extended barrels.

The hop-up adjustment can be found on the lefthand side of the barrel and like a regular VSR, it’s a short, sharp, slider adjustment. I’ve never been a huge fan of these adjustments because they’re quite tricky to adjust without feeling like it’s ripping into the thumb as you shift it forward or back... my preference would

be for a company to make it more prominent and purposeful. Just extending the panel and folding it over would give you more purchase with less sharpness, without adding too much to the profile of the unit.

Finally, on the externals, let’s go there... the magazines. Yes, “magazines” …plural!

For those of you that are coming across this platform for the first time, let me be the first to tell you that the magazine you see protruding from the underside of the AAC T10... is actually a fake! That’s right! Action Army, who as far as I’m aware, based this gun on... well nothing but their own design... added a mock magazine in a location that makes sense externally. You look at it and think, “yes, that magazine feels like it should go there”, until you realise that the magazine is hollow and serves only one purpose; to put an actual magazine in.

The T10 really uses standard 50 round VSR magazines, mounted in front of the mock magazine well.

Now, this is where I am legitimately in two minds about this gun. On the one hand, I can see why having

www.airsoft-action.online

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armoury ACTION ARMY AAC T10

extra storage space for a spare magazine within the gun itself can be handy and keeping the regular VSR mag in the normal position solves any abnormal feeding issues; and where I give my props to those guys for maximising their options; on the other-hand... why include it at all?

If this isn’t based on any other particular platform, from an aesthetic perspective you’re breaking up the nice thematic angles and shapes across the gun, with what is effectively a dull rectangular block sticking out the bottom... but more than that, from a playing perspective I have two major irritations.

The first, magazine changes. There is no way that changing magazines from this placement is faster than pulling from a pocket or mag pouch.

You have to first eject the real magazine, then eject the fake magazine, then pull out the spare magazine from the fake magazine, then replace the old magazine into the fake magazine and then insert both the new magazine and the fake magazine into their respective mag wells. It’s just a lot of work for a novelty mag pouch unless this is your last resort storage.

The second irritation I have is that in safe-zones all around the UK, as I’m sure is enforced internationally too, we are required to take magazines out of our airsoft weapons upon re-entry into the safe zone. I found that I ended up having to eject and store two separate magazines over and over because although perfectly harmless, the mock magazine made it look like the gun was loaded and ready to use. I know a few sites that ban immediately for mags in guns and with the

Thankfully, Airsoft World sent out an M130 spring and an Action Army steel spring guide to bring that up to around 428fps on 0.2g BBs, which means that it’s able to handle heavyweights much more effectively. I

will say though that when you take Joule creep into account, this rifle can only use a heaviest of 0.4g BBs; anything heavier and that velocity shoots way north of the legal limit so make sure you’re doing your own tests on your own set up. Even with the M130 spring, the charging handle is perfectly easy to pull back; it’s smooth and rarely jams; although it does happen.

The inner barrel that’s included is a 6.03mm diameter and it comes with a single barrel spacer which to be honest, still allows for quite a significant margin of motion after each shot. Again, Airsoft World had that covered by sending a pack of G-spec spacers. Throwing one of those into the end of the outer barrel, decreased the wobble and increased the accuracy of my shots.

SHOOTING

number of airsoft weapons at any particular game site, you can forgive the marshalls for not remembering that this one gun has a fake magazine. Interesting idea... just not necessary, in my opinion.

INTERNALS

The hop-up on the T10 is adjustable and it’s based on the original Tokyo Marui VSR design. It’s not bad but I’d maybe think about upgrading to one of Action Army’s premium hop-up chambers in the long run to get a bit more air-seal and more effective spin.

The trigger uses 90° sears and are made of metal which means you can upgrade the T10 power output and not worry about snapping parts in your trigger box and the trigger itself is adjustable, to adjust that pull we mentioned.

Speaking of power output, in its stock configuration this rifle was putting out a rather low 248fps on 0.2g BBs thanks to the weak spring and the plastic spring guide.

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I sincerely enjoy shooting this rifle. Dropping in those upgrades are a must if you want to get decent, competitive performance in my opinion because once you do, you’ll notice a significant decrease in shot variation, an increase in shot distance and a much higher consistency.

It’s not got the longest range, it maxes out for me at around 65-70 meters with 0.4g Longbow BBs but it’s got the accuracy for me to be comfortable taking it out into a game on a regular basis and for a mid-level sniper rifle at £275 (unless it’s on sale, currently £225 as I’m writing), with the sheer vastness of upgrade parts out on the market, I think it’s a pretty good platform.

CONCLUSION

I like the AAC T10!

Sure, that mock magazine irritates me, and you definitely have to buy the upgrades (the ones I mentioned are not expensive at all) but I think overall with the amount of potential this has and its beautiful aesthetics... I think I’m going to buy this one instead of sending it back! AA

Many thanks to Airsoft World for the review rifle.

For more information, head to their website: www. airsoftworld.net Photos by: Hannah Davis @theairsoftphotographer

international SHOT SHOW 2019 - LAS VEGAS

WITH AN ATTENDANCE IN THE REGION OF 65,000 VISITORS, SHOT SHOW IN LAS VEGAS IS THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THIS TYPE IN THE WORLD TOGETHER WITH IWA IN GERMANY AND KELLY “FEMME FATALE” HARDWICK WAS THERE IN PERSON TO BRING US ALL THE NEWS.

ONCE A YEAR, THE AIRSOFT and firearms community descend on Las Vegas, Nevada for SHOT Show 2019 the world’s largest gun show! Held at the Sands Expo Centre, each all and room is packed wall to wall with new releases and the most up to date tech and gear in the industry. I visited the city of sin to get the skinny on the new releases for 2019, and here’s what caught my eye!

REDWOLF AIRSOFT

This year at SHOT Show 2019, RWA announced that they are releasing the GBB B.A.D Rifle, it comes in two lengths - the carbine and CQBR, both have a keymod switch rail and a collapsible stock. Inside this badass GBBR is an upgraded Tokyo Marui MWS spec system so players can have faith in this being a performer and it features ambidextrous controls. This particular release will be available in March/April (TBC). Out of the box it comes in black but can be cerakoted using their new cerakote service! They are also releasing this rifle as an AEG as well - for the players who aren’t familiar or don’t like using a GBBR. The AEG B.A.D rifle has a 13 inch M-LOK switch rail, the same outer barrel as the GBBR, same ambidextrous controls but will have an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), rotary style hopup and an extended magazine release for easy reloads!

The 2018 SRS Sportline - this well-known bolt action sniper has a new mould design, a new feed lip to ensure that all the BBs will feed from the magazine, it also means that when you eject the magazine it will no longer drop. It features an upgraded piston and piston head so you can add an airbrake to gun - now what this would do is make the gun shoot quieter but will also lower the FPS so it is a bit of a tradeoff. The new Sportline comes pre-flat hopped - but it is proprietary, They have a lower price point than the 2018 SRS but has better performance.

Last year RWA debuted the prototype of the Agent 1 GBB pistol and this year, they are debuting another prototype - the Agent 2, which is also a collaboration between Nighthawk Customs and Agency Arms. It is

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INTERNATIONAL SHOT SHOW 2019 - LAS VEGAS

also based on a Tokyo Marui system, has a stainless steel outer barrel, cut outs on the slide (which are a VERY nice touch). The first release will be alluminium and will feature an MEU magazine which will be green gas.

If you have been watching the Femme Fatale Airsoft Instagram (@femmefataleairsoft - shameless self promotion plug) you’ll know that over the last few months I’ve been playing around with the Avatar grenade! This year at SHOT Show, RWA had the line of new skinz and of course the new cerakoting service.

The original skin now has the option to be cerakoted in a variety of colour ways and camp options. The new skinz featured included the Plasma with blue/green LED switch kit - you’ll recognise this if you’ve ever played HALO, the Tacphoon - which has two release ports and is the highest FPS skin yet, the Little Loud - which transforms the Avatar into a simple sound grenade and lastly the Agent skin with orange LED switch kit - which those of you who played the Division will recognise as the seeker mine.

The PCC9 - this is a limited edition build and using the ARP9 lower and upper receiver, has the 9mm ARP9 style magazine, a full metal 7-inch M-LOK rail system.

It also has a crane stock to put a nun-chuck battery in!

Also no ETA or pricing on these at the time of print!

This year a big focus for G&G is pistols, in 2019 alone they are bringing out 20 new pistols. What I’m really excited about is the GTP9 Full Auto, it differs from the GTP9 by having a new slide design with cutouts, it has a fire selector to move between semi and full auto and has the same hop up adjustment as the GTP9 (remove the key from the pistol grip and adjust through the barrel) The original GTP9 is also being released in a rose gold colour way - right up my alley!

RWA had a lot of new releases and prototypes for us to look at this year - and we’re really looking forward to seeing these new products come to fruition!

G&G ARMAMENT

This year G&G Armament had a tonne of new products to show us, and we can’t possibly write about all of them (as I don’t quite have the space) but here are a few that I’m really excited to see!

The PRK9 - this new AEG is an AK variant of one of their most popular rifles - the ARP9. It has a 9mm style AK magazine, AK style selector switch, tactical rails, a foldable stock and it features the new ETU and MOSFET. It also comes in the RTS model. There’s no ETA or pricing on them yet, but G&G hope to have them out later this year.

The GTP1911 CPC is a new pistol G&G debuted for this year, although it is based on a 1911 it has a new look to it that incorporates a full metal slide and gold accents - it is a really good looking gun. Their aim with the 1911s is to make them more customisable for the players so the trigger, outer barrel. The GTP1911

www.airsoft-action.online

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INTERNATIONAL SHOT SHOW 2019 - LAS VEGAS

also comes in a full silver colour way which is more understated if that’s the look the players wants to go for (as not everyone wants bling!) They have also brought out a MKI version of this pistol which also has the full metal slide but a different styled hand grip and a MKII version that features a moulded pistol grip which is a similar style to those that we see on the AEG rifles.

is the first we’ve seen from the collaboration between the two brands. The amount of detail that has gone into this sample is insane - it has the smooth texturing that we can expect from ballistic materials (however it should be noted that this helmet isn’t ballistic rated), it has a metal shroud, MLOK rails on both sides of the helmet for attachments and second to none padding on the inside - there’s two layers of padding which means it is adjustable. Although there is no date currently, PTS expect this product to be hitting the shelves soon!

There were scores and scores more of new pistols being released but, like I said, we couldn’t write about all of them.

PTS SYNDICATE

This year PTS announced a couple of products that I was really excited about! The EPM 1 and their new MTEK USA Helmet collaboration - the MTEK Flux!

The EPM 1 is a collaboration between PTS Syndicate and Odin Innovations, they’ve partnered with Odin to create a midcap magazine that has a functional load indicator - the load indicator begins at the top of the magazine when it’s full and as you go through ammo, it moves down the view window until it reaches the bottom, indicating that the magazine is empty. This means that players will know the condition of their magazines at all times. The new EPM 1 can hold 200+ BBs, meaning it carries more than the standard midcap magazines on the market! It is still made from the Dupont Zytel polymer that the original EPMs are made from making it just as durable as its predecessor. It

LBX TACTICAL

This year from LBX Tactical we saw the new Armatus minimap - the original minimap from LBX wasn’t meant for the Armatus system, but this one is and what is really cool about it is that players can stack other panels on top of the new minimap thanks to the velcro attachments running along the pack. They’ve even made an adaptive velcro panel for those who don’t run an Armatus but want to run the back panels.

Panels, panels, panels. This year LBX are bringing out a range of new panels for their Armatus plate carrier!

With the popularity of the 9mm SMG such as the Vector and the ARP9 LBX have created an SMG panel to be

has recessed sides to help with grip and of course an overmould on the bottom of the mag to ease with getting the mag in and out of pouches. Although it looks pretty finished, it still has another round of testing to go before it hits the market, and PTS are aiming to have the EPM 1 on the market later this year. There’s currently no price point announced.

Next up is the MTEK Flux, PTS announced their partnership with MTEK a couple of years ago but this 28

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INTERNATIONAL SHOT SHOW 2019 - LAS VEGAS

released this year, it has 5 9mm magazine pouches with bungee cord to keep them secure and it attaches via buckle clips and velcro.

We can also look forward to a ‘stretch’ panel that has 3 x AR magazine pouches made from the same stretch fabric that the Armatus stretch cummerbund is using.

The sample we saw at SHOT was hot off the sewing machine so we don’t have a release date or price as of yet but these details will be in ASAP. Another prototype debuted was the shotgun shell panel, each strip panel has 5 shell holders which are then attached to a full velcro panel meaning shooters can stack them up on the panel and have multiple shells on standby.

The new “admag” however is the one that really caught my eye at the show! The front admin pocket opens out to be able to carry medical equipment, navigation equipment, extra magazines (it already has some velcro loops for pistol mags) and it was discovered at SHOT that a magazine can be stored behind the admin panel, increasing the load it is able to comfortably carry.

loader and change the hopper style. It still has the same loading system (and same 12 BBs per revolution loading) but the new Odin will come with a PTW, MP5, G36 and AK mag lower portion to cover most of the popular platforms.

In regards to the hopper, players can swap out the large standard hopper and opt for a smaller hopper with a bottle thread so they can twist a bottle in and load directly from the bottle, there’s also the option to have a side bottle loader that has a universal mag loader. As for price, ZShot are hoping to get the new Odin to as close a price point as possible as its predecessor and bring even more value to the players.

ENOLA GAYE

Enola Gaye are the best in the business when it comes to smoke and bangs but this year we saw something new from them.

Many of you will know that EG has an extensive line of apparel for both on and off the field but this year we saw samples of something exciting - a range of tactical backpacks. We don’t currently have an specs or technical information but the bags feature a multitude of pockets and have mollie attachments on the sides and front pockets to enable players to fit more pouches onto them depending on their needs, they feature compression straps, grab handles and of course a good sized velcro space for those patch whores out there!

The samples we saw at SHOT Show were debuted in coyote, black and OD. We don’t have a price or a release date for these yet but hopefully we’ll have more information soon! AA

All the panels will be available in a modular version think most molle platforms.

ZSHOT

This year at SHOT Show 2019, ZShot Inc. had an exciting new release for us - the Odin 2.0! The Odin Innovations M12 Sidewinder changed the game when it was released in 2015 - the ability to load midcaps in under 30 seconds was something that players absolutely loved but, only coming in M4 mag option players wanted more! So the next generation is here: the Odin Innovations M12 Transformer! This is designed to allow players to customise the Odin to their own needs, previously you would use an adapter for the different magazine types. Now players chan swap out the mag www.airsoft-action.online

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SITE OPENING UCAP VENDETTA

UCAP: VENDETTA

NIGE DIDN’T HAVE FAR TO TRAVEL WHEN HE ATTENDED THE OPENING GAME AT UCAP AIRSOFT’S NEWEST SITE, SITUATED INSIDE AN 18TH CENTURY PRISON IN GLOUCESTER - BUT WOULD THEY EVER LET HIM OUT AGAIN!

THE HEAVY STEEL DOOR SLAMMED SHUT behind me and I stood in the gloom, waiting for the reverberations to die away before slowly raising my head and trying to catch a glimpse of the sky through dirt-streaked glass beyond the bars.

Turning to examine the claustrophobia-inducing space in which I now found myself, grey-painted metal bunkbed frames took up half the floor to the left, while an austere, stainless steel sink and toilet took up much of what remained to my right. Stretching out my arms, I could almost touch both walls and the ceiling seemed to press down upon me. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck start to crawl as an allpervading sense of hopelessness crept into the edges of my consciousness. The smell was of damp and decay, mixed with years of human occupation …and fear. Fear of never being free again… Fear of never seeing loved ones again… Fear of life ending here…

A loud hammering on the door broke my reverie!

“You want to come out yet, Nige?” a voice asked and as the door swung open I could see Andy Stevens standing outside my cell, with a broad grin on his face!

Although I had been inside only a few minutes it was still a relief to step outside. Looking left and right, the walkway stretched to the far ends of the building, while above and below me, I could see other levels of identical cells and the steep, open stairways connecting them.

Normally I wouldn’t want to spend any more time than necessary in a place like this but today was different, I was with Andy as he finalised arrangements to add HMP Gloucester to the ever-expanding stable of unique airsoft sites flying the UCAP banner …and just

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a few short weeks later I was back “inside” again, for the first game.

UCAP AIRSOFT

Run by Andy Stevens, UCAP Airsoft (“UCAP” stands for “Up Close And Personal”) is known for providing some of the most intense sites in the south of England, possibly the whole of the UK. All UCAP sites are designed to provide players with a CQB-style of play in environments not generally available elsewhere, such “UCAP Redemption”, a genuine Victorian prison in Portsmouth and “UCAP Bunker”, used by the Royal Navy during the Normandy landings with nearly two miles of tunnels buried 100 feet underground. Other sites include “UCAP GreenOps” for woodland CQB and “UCAP Vengeance”, a semi-submerged building at a former Police Training Centre.

“UCAP Vendetta” is situated in HMP Gloucester, an ex-Category B prison (not maximum security but where escape is made very difficult) opened in 1792 and substantially expanded until it finally closed in March of 2013. In its time it was named as one of the 20 most overcrowded prisons, it suffered riots, a siege and even flooding. One of its more notorious inmates was serial killer Fred West, who was held on remand at the prison. It was also where executions took place, although rumours persist that there are more bodies buried here than actually recorded and has recently been the venue for “ghost” tours and para-normal research.

Now it is open for us to enjoy as a truly superb airsoft site and I was delighted to be invited to attend the opening game on 10th February.

SITE OPENING UCAP VENDETTA

BANGED UP!

Arriving at 7:30am, I was met by Andy and his team of marshals and they quickly got to work finishing the preparations and getting ready for players to arrive.

As the guys were super-busy I volunteered to act as “Gate Marshal”, directing cars through the imposing entrance (no doubt following the route that many other “guests” had travelled before) into the Car Parking area, situated right alongside the Safe Zone. I have to say that the look on some player’s faces, as they eyed the tunnel leading to the interior of the prison, was priceless!

The Safe Zone is probably one of the most “luxurious” I have seen at any airsoft site, being situated in the Admin/Visits centre, a large, heated, lit, indoor room, complete with a small kitchen for tea, coffee and a hot lunch. No wind, no rain, no mud and easy access to the rest of the site, what more could you want?

Having only had a couple of weeks to get everything

from a pure safety point of view, there have been far too many instances where a knife-waving attacker has inadvertently flicked their victim’s eye protection off.

All of this is explained during the Safety Brief, delivered by Andy in his own inimitable style but in a manner that leaves you in no doubt that he has player’s best interests at heart and that he will not compromise for (what he refers to as) “idiots who don’t know how to play properly”. Quite sensibly, I thought, Andy also ruled that the day would be semi-auto only, until they had the chance to see how the site actually played and were able to make a better judgement with regards to full auto. Pyro were also allowed but not smoke, which would only have choked up the buildings and might have caused “consternation” amongst local residents.

With the Safety Brief over and any questions answered, the 150-odd players in attendance were split into Red and Blue teams, the Reds with armbands on

“THE SAFE ZONE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST “LUXURIOUS” I HAVE SEEN AT ANY AIRSOFT SITE, BEING SITUATED IN THE ADMIN/VISITS CENTRE, A LARGE, HEATED, LIT, INDOOR ROOM, COMPLETE WITH A SMALL KITCHEN FOR TEA, COFFEE AND A HOT LUNCH. NO WIND, NO RAIN, NO MUD AND EASY ACCESS TO THE REST OF THE SITE,” prepared for their opening game, I have to say that Andy and his team had done a remarkable job. “NoGo” areas had been effectively closed off, the exercise yards that were being used as car parks had all been surrounded with protection from stray BBs to prevent vehicle damage and signage had been created to give players a (bit of a) clue where they were. In fact, the only thing “lacking” was a few tables in the Safe Zone but as that was both bone dry and clean, players soon had their kit spread out on the wooden floor.

With everyone who had booked for this sold out event inside, the gate slowly rolled closed and we were all well and truly “banged up”!

their right arms and the Blue on their left arms. This simple method of identification not only distinguishes the teams colour-wise but also makes it easier to identify your opponents in a CQB environment – if you can’t see an armband on the same arm as yours, they are the enemy, shoot them!

BIG BOYS AIRSOFT

I have known Andy for a number of years, ever since I first reported from the now, very unfortunately, defunct UCSAP Sandpit (still one of my all-time favourite sites and if you never got to play there, you really did miss something quite special) and in all that time, he has never wavered from his attitude to the game, which he calls “Big Boys Airsoft”.

There are few things you won’t see at a UCAP site and principal amongst them is two-tone guns.

Andy’s view is that we play today because those in power agreed to let us have an exception to the VCR Act, based upon our stated requirement to “suspend disbelief” as we play and that brightly-coloured guns are the antipathy of that requirement.

Two other things you won’t find here are rubber knives and the “Bang Rule”. Sure, you can give an opponent the opportunity to surrender but, as in real life, if they turn around and shoot you don’t whinge about it – you should have shot them first. As for knife kills (who the hell brings a knife to a gun fight anyway?), the opinion is that as you have to be in line of sight to make a knife kill, you might as well use your gun and, www.airsoft-action.online

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SITE OPENING UCAP VENDETTA

GAME ON!

The first game was an “Attack and Defend” scenario, whereby the defenders were holed up in “A” and “B” Wing, with “C” Wing being the staging point for the attackers. A & B Wings are separated from C Wing by a narrow road that runs around the prison, although it has an interconnecting walkway linking the two buildings at first floor level and half a dozen other entrances that could be used for breaching.

I walked out with the defending team and as they

the volume of fire was tremendous, with “white wasps of death” ricocheting off the walls and railings all around us. Many defenders were glad of the presence of a marshal, who could confirm they had not been hit directly, as ricochets don’t count here.

The attack eventually faltered as defenders picked off their opponents and I took the opportunity to head off to other areas of the site to see what was happening elsewhere.

THE SITE

It is worth bearing in mind exactly what the site used to be; a Category B prison – a place that prisoners would find it hard to escape from. However, once inside, prisoners would still have to be able to move around, both inside the prison buildings and outside in the exercise yards, meaning these two, distinct areas had to be interconnected and this was accomplished with multiple exits into the high-fenced outdoor areas which, in turn, have additional gateways controlling access to other areas of the prison.

Internally, it is possible to walk from the reaches of C Wing, into A & B Wings and from there, throughout the rest of the main secure buildings. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, some areas are sealed off as they are either historically protected (remember, this place was entered the building, which was (for many of them) probably the first time they had been in a prison, an unusual “hush” fell and chatter died away as the realisation of just how “grim” it must have been to be imprisoned here, sank in. All that died away though as “Game On!” was called and players melted into shadowy doorways and cells. The silence was almost palpable but it wasn’t long until it was broken by the sound of gunfire and players running down corridors and walkways to get to the action.

It immediately became apparent that the simplest

way to get into A & B Wings, i.e. across the walkway, was most definitely not the easiest way, as defenders could position themselves opposite the other end and simply take out anyone who ventured across it – but the defenders didn’t have it all their own way.

I was standing in A Wing, alongside the entrance to the walkway, when the attackers made a concerted effort to break through and, even on just semi-auto, 34

APRIL 2019

opened in 1792), or unsafe due to works that have left rubble and trip hazards.

I must admit that it was my morbid curiosity that led me to stand in one of the cells on my previous visit, with the door closed and my eyes shut, just to get a “feel” for what it must have been like as a prisoner here – and I can tell you that it must have been a nightmare! A good friend of mine once said “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime!” and if ever there was somewhere to take someone to demonstrate what it would be like to “do the time”, this would have been it.

As a rough guess, each of the “single” cells are about 6 feet wide, ten feet long and seven feet high.

I am just over six feet tall and I had to duck to get through the door (which, I assume, also prevented prisoners from rushing out at full height) and once inside, the bunk beds, metal table, wash basin and toilet take up about 80% of the floor area – and remember, although called “singles”, these cells actually held two prisoners.

The majority of cells still have furniture in and this serves to add to the overall ambience which, when coupled with the all-pervading dampness in the air,

SITE OPENING UCAP VENDETTA

makes it somewhere you would not want to spend one night, let alone years!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Back in the Safe Zone it was lunchtime and as players enjoyed hot dogs, beans and a selection of chocolate from the kitchen I took the opportunity to chat to a few of them and get their “first impressions”. I am not going to print a load of comments but instead to summarise and that is easy because, if the old adage that “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” holds true, then I can safely say, without exception, that UCAP Vendetta had made one hell of a good first impression!

But enough of that! Lunch was over and players made their way back out for the next game, which turned out to be one of the most furious and enjoyableto-watch games of airsoft I have seen for a long while.

In essence, it was a variation on the morning’s theme but played out more through the open outdoor areas, using the road as well as the buildings to move around.

Blue team started in the south west corner of the prison, where their initial re-spawn point was located, with Red team in A & B Wings and their re-spawn point between the main exercise yard and games hall. I may be wrong but if memory serves me right, the Blues could re-spawn but the Reds only had two lives and once the Reds had been pushed back off their re-spawn point, the Blues could move theirs up to it.

The scene was set for some fast and furious play and although it seemed to start slowly, things really kicked off when a Red managed to sneak up and launch a thermobaric grenade at the Blues – then all hell broke loose! I can’t remember when I last saw as many BBs in the air at the same time, or heard so many Mk5s going off together, as both sides really poured it on.

At first, Blue team seemed to get pinned down on the corner of the Sterile Area (see the prison diagram), as Red players swiftly moved into the Boiler House and Kitchen and raked the area outside with concentrated fire and a veritable hail-storm of Mk5s. However, the weight of numbers slowly forced the Reds back and the Blues raced down the road leading to the Red’s respawn. Standing next to a marshal, we started counting the hits WE were taking but when it got to over thirty, I decided discretion was the better part of valour and left him to it!

With their re-spawn point lost it didn’t take the Blues much longer to push deep into A & B Wings and as the sound of firing became more sporadic, end-ex was called.

Although it wasn’t late in the day and with light just starting to fade, one more game was run, based on “Virus” and I took the opportunity to escape …sorry, I mean leave the Car Park before the rush… and headed home.

SUMMARY

It is always difficult to offer a player’s perspective when you are covering an event like this but, having played the game for as many years as I have, I can recognise when players are having a good time and can say, from what I saw and heard, that this was a good day for Andy and his team.

I said earlier that I wasn’t going to print any player quotes but I will end with just one, from a player who when I asked what he thought of the day, responded by saying: “Absolutely brilliant! You would not believe they have never run a game here before!” …high praise indeed!

At the time of writing, the second game at UCAP: Vendetta is already sold out but with games scheduled fortnightly, you shouldn’t have to wait too long to try this awesome new site. AA For more information about UCAP Vendetta and all the other UCAP sites, head over to their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/UCAPAirsoft or their website: http://ucap.co.uk

www.airsoft-action.online

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kit & gear WINTER ESSENTIALS TACTICAL FLEECES - PART 2

KIT & GEAR:

TACTICAL FLEECES

ONE OF THE MOST-OVERLOOKED BITS OF KIT IN THE “TACTICAL WARDROBE” IS THE FLEECE BUT IT’S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE GARMENTS THAT YOU CAN OWN, BOTH FOR AIRSOFT AND GENERAL USE. BILL TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MODELS HE’S BEEN USING AND ABUSING AND BRINGS US THE BENEFIT OF HIS YEARS OF USE AND TECHNICAL GARMENT KNOWLEDGE! IT IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION that when the temperature plummets, wearing the thickest clothing possible is the ideal solution but, in reality most technical users, including airsofters like you and I, can benefit from a variation on a layered clothing system.

I’ve covered the system itself in some detail in the past but this month I’d like to focus your thinking on one garment that is often overlooked when it comes to “Gucci” shells and softshells and that’s the (not-so) humble fleece.

As airsofters, like other outdoor users, we are often exposed to challenging weather conditions and thus need performance clothing. A fleece jacket or pullover

this means that when worn underneath an outer shell garment air is trapped in the “holes” and quickly warms up. These microscopic “holes” also allows moisture vapour to pass easily within your clothing system, transferring moisture away from your wicking base-layer, through the fleece mid-layer, to the breathable shelllayer where it can be dispersed, aiding massively to your overall comfort and performance.

Sometimes simply called “the insulation layer”, the mid-layer provides warmth and a mid-layer is usually either a fleece or an insulated jacket. Like a base-layer, a mid-layer should be breathable and able to retain heat; many insulated jackets will help to keep you warm but

“IF YOU LIKE, THINK OF A FLEECE LIKE A TECHNICAL STRING VEST! A FLEECE, BY ITS VERY NATURE, HAS A VERY OPEN STRUCTURE AND THIS MEANS THAT WHEN WORN UNDERNEATH AN OUTER SHELL GARMENT AIR IS TRAPPED IN THE “HOLES” AND QUICKLY WARMS UP.” is an incredibly useful and versatile garment because it provides insulation and can be worn either as an outer layer (in dry weather) or as a mid-layer under a shell layer (in wet or snowy conditions). Fleeces are very comfortable to wear, quick-drying, moisture-wicking and breathable and due to these qualities, they are perfect for wearing directly over a base-layer as a mid-layer.

They also provide good warmth even if they get exposed to moisture (high humidity, rain etc.) and are less expensive than many other insulated garments.

TECHNICAL STRING VEST

If you like, think of a fleece like a technical string vest! A fleece, by its very nature, has a very open structure and

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suffer badly in the breathability stakes once you’re doing anything other than standing still. A mid-layer is worn directly over a base layer when the base-layer alone can’t provide sufficient warmth. The main function of a mid-layer is to provide thermal insulation; mid-layers include fleece jackets, fleece sweaters, wool sweaters, down jackets and jackets with synthetic insulation.

Fleece fabric though is typically very breathable and comfortable to wear all day long; it also absorbs very little moisture (less than 0.4% in its own weight, unlike down!), dries very fast and efficiently wicks moisture away from the skin. Some fleece fabrics include stretch fibres to increase mobility.

Fleece garments are usually made of polyester fleece which is a soft and comfortable fabric that comes in

kit & gear TACTICAL FLEECES

different “weights”, normally from 100g/m2 to 300g/ m2 and different “weights” offer different levels of insulation. For example, a jacket made of fleece with a density of 100 g/m2 will be less warm than a jacket made of fleece with a density of 300 g/m2. When it comes to finishes, the latest trend is to use a “grid” pattern and it is a fact that fleece fabrics with a grid pattern (back to the string vest!) are better at trapping the body-warmed air and thus provide a better warmthto-weight ratio.

It is also important to understand that different “weights” of fleece can have a profound effect on your comfort; too thick and you’ll start to overheat, too thin and you’ll still feel cold! As a rule of thumb, I tend to go for “mid-weight” (iro 200g/m2) fleeces unless I’m heading somewhere super-cold as these do tend to provide a great balance of heat-retention against comfort. I actually own a “family” of fleece garments from different manufacturers though, as style and cut variations can add to the performance of the fleece fabric itself.

newer VIPER models as a dedicated layering garment, then this is probably the one you’ll want to look at, as the full front zip does make things easier in relation to mechanical venting. Should you feel that you’re overheating a bit then you can easily open the zip by increments to increase airflow around your body core.

If you want to stick with something more traditional yet still with a full range of features, then the VIPER Special Ops Fleece Jacket is going to tick all the boxes.

Made from a 250g/m2 polyester fleece, the “OPS” benefits from two zipped sleeve pockets with velcro

NO NEED TO BREAK THE BANK!

It may surprise many of you that one of my most favourite fleece garments, one that I wear almost every day (and that I’m actually wearing as I write), is the Tactical Fleece Hoody from good old VIPER. Constructed of a lightweight and durable fleece, it’s the absolutely perfect mid-layer, and although it does sport velcro on both arms it’s very low-key. It’s quite close fitting, which is technically correct to maximise breathability but the hood and “kangaroo” pocket means that you can really warm yourself up easily.

Also in the VIPER range - and offering excellent value for money - is the Tactical Zipped Hoody, which is essentially the full-zip version of the simple Hoody and it comes with two front handwarmer pockets and velcro on both sleeves. If you’re intending to use one of the

panels, one zipped chest pocket, two zipped lower front pockets, elasticated cuffs and an elasticated waist draw string. This is a classic “tactical” fleece that will work equally well under a shell jacket or plate carrier.

My personal favourite though, when it comes to “mid-weight” fleece jackets, is probably the Aviceda from Clawgear. This lightweight mid-layer garment is extremely comfortable to wear and the modern styling allows a full range of unrestricted movement. It’s made from a 100% polyester fleece fabric which both looks and feels great and high quality YKK zips are used throughout. The fleece itself is water repellent and breathes extremely well, making the Aviceda a superb layering piece. I especially like the low-profile hood which works perfectly in conjunction with a hard or softshell outer layer, effectively eliminating cold spots around the neckline.

The Aviceda also benefits from two lower, meshlined handwarmer pockets, pockets on both upper arms with velcro patches for team/unit patches and an inner pocket which allows routing for comms cables.

The outer pockets are neatly trimmed with black fabric, giving the jacket a visually stunning appearance as well.

Weighing in at just 410g, the Aviceda is easy to pack and takes up minimal space in a pack, so it’s absolutely www.airsoft-action.online

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TACTICAL

get the tactical advantage FLEECE HOODIE n 250 gms polyester fleece n 1 x Front pocket n Drawstring hood Colours: V -Cam, Titanium, Coyote, Black, Green Sizes: S-XXXL

SPECIAL OPS FLEECE JACKET

SRP

n 250 gms polyester fleece n 2 x Zipped sleeve pocket with Velcro panel n 1 x Zipped chest pocket n 2 x Zipped lower front pockets n Elasticated waist draw string n Elasticated cuffs Colours: V-Cam, Titanium, Coyote, Black, Green Sizes: S-XXXL

£23.95

SRP

£29.95

THUMB HOLE

RUBBER ICON PATCH VELCRO PATCH

UPDATES / STOCKISTS / CATALOGUE

www.vipertactical.co.uk

kit & gear TACTICAL FLEECES

ideal if you want to stow it away “just in case”. Overall, it’s a superbly designed jacket made of high-end fabrics and components and the finish of it just oozes quality and attention to detail.

HEAVYWEIGHT!

A “heavy” fleece garment is just the thing for when it gets REALLY cold but I use that term only because the garments in question are “heavier” than their mid-weight counterparts! By way of illustration, the Clawgear Milvago MKII hooded jacket weighs in at just 750g and offers a whole heap of warmth! Clawgear have really worked their “technical knowledge magic” of fit and function into the Milvago; this heavier-weight fleece mid-layer garment is again extremely comfortable to wear, and styled with a dynamic tactical end-user in mind.

The Milvago also benefits from two lower fully-lined handwarmer pockets, pockets on both upper arms with velcro patches for team/unit patches and an inner pocket which allows routing for comms cables, plus the outer pockets are very low profile which gives the jacket a visually stunning appearance as well. Like the lighter-weight Aviceda, the Milvago is water repellent and breathes well; for me the hood is a great addition and it works amazingly well as a liner beneath an outer shell garment, giving seamless coverage up and over the neck.

If you want to look at the “grid” style of fleece though, then Helikon-Tex are real masters when it comes to fleece products and I’ve had one of their heavyweight hooded Patriot jackets in my gear locker for over eight years now and it’s still wearable! They offer a fabulous selection of performance fleece products in various weights within their range, so you can custom tailor your gear to your own performance level or task.

The Alpha Grid Fleece is a superb example. This 100% polyester fleece is warm, comfortable and a part of Helikon’s Urban Tactical line. It features a high collar with chin guard and a strong full-front YKK zipper, which can be fastened high around the neck. It also has one zip chest pocket with a comms port inside, two lower zip pockets and an elastic drawstring with cord locks on both sides sewn into the waistband. The cuffs are elasticated, tight enough to keep the arms from riding up, but not as tight as to be uncomfortable. The majority of the sewn seams are flat-locked there are zero abrasion points. The front face of the jacket is also mesh lined, adding to the overall insulative properties and giving some degree of wind protection. The collar is double thickness to again keep the elements at bay.

The fit of the all the fleeces featured here is quite technical, all of them fitting snugly to avoid creating

cold “dead air spaces” when you wear them as part of a layering system. I’m normally an XL in jackets and in all the garments I’ve described sizing is spot on. If, however, you are still carrying a few “extra pounds” you might consider going up one size!

Excellent fleece garments are easy to find in good retailers (both dedicated tactical and good outdoor stores) and having a couple of different weights to choose from is certainly worth your investment. All the models I’ve quoted in this article are available in solid block colours, which means they are just as wearable for daily use as they are at a MilSim or on the skirmish field and if you look after them, they’ll give you great service for years to come! AA

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39

KIT & GEAR ELEMENT PEQ/M600 COMBO

ELEMENT AIRSOFT: PEQ/M600 COMBO PHIL BUCKNALL TAKES A LOOK AT A COUPLE OF PRODUCTS FROM ELEMENT THAT WORK WELL – AND LOOK GOOD – IN COMBINATION. ELEMENT HAVE BEEN AROUND for absolutely ages in the airsoft market place now. I can remember seeing them first come out with some alright internal parts for various AEG gearboxes as well as some “clone” parts, taking “advantage” of the less than stringent copyright and trademark infringement laws in operation in China.

I’ve used quite a few of their internals (and some of their clone external parts) and over the years the quality has slowly increased and now, even though the products are copies of more expensive well-established shooting brands, they do actually hold up to the rough and tumble of an airsoft game much better than they used to.

That is especially true of the electronic devices like the PEQ-15 and, to a lesser extent, the M600 torch. The older versions would frequently be impossible to zero the laser and the contacts weren’t the best so if the box was used on a recoil AEG or a GBBR, it could switch itself off from the shaking! I’m glad to report that the newer generation ones don’t suffer from this, as the four or five I’ve had have all been used on KWA ERGs or my Tokyo Marui MWS GBBR. They get plenty of shaking and are still zeroed as well as they were when I put them on for the first time.

THE REAL THING

The Real PEQ box, or the “AN/PEQ-15” to give it its full designation, is a US Army visible and IR laser pointer/ aiming module with both a visible and IR illuminator. It

high price of the civilian model, it is no wonder that there is a booming market for cheaper clones of it.

THE ELEMENT VERSION

For the majority of players, the Element PEQ-15 is more than suitable and it costs considerably less than the real thing, at about $60. For that price don’t expect the same features, however, when it comes to things like battery life or waterproofing, or even build quality and quality of the components and wiring used.

This is very much a functioning device but built to a considerably lower price point and it does show. That’s

“OVER THE YEARS THE QUALITY HAS SLOWLY INCREASED AND NOW, EVEN THOUGH THE PRODUCTS ARE COPIES OF MORE EXPENSIVE WELL-ESTABLISHED SHOOTING BRANDS, THEY DO ACTUALLY HOLD UP TO THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE OF AN AIRSOFT GAME MUCH BETTER THAN THEY USED TO.” is made by L3 Insight and they also do a civilian model, which uses the same housings etc. but runs lowerpowered lasers to conform to civilian specs.

If you have the funds and it absolutely has to be real steel kit on your gun, then be prepared to fork out around $1,500 for one and that’s if you can find someone who’ll import one into the UK for you! With issues like ITAR controlling the Army spec PEQ and the

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not to say that it is unusable because it isn’t; not by any stretch. The more expensive element versions even offer an IR laser and you can get red or green visible laser units too. All of mine have red lasers and I have some of the older ones and the newest UHP iteration, which has a few differences including designation, as it is called “LA-5” - basically a PEQ-15 on steroids for SOF operations.

KIT & GEAR ELEMENT PEQ/M600 COMBO

The LA-5 version in real life has higher power everything and also features raised turret dials to make adjusting the illuminator easier but has flush adjustment dials for the lasers so they cannot be easily knocked off zero, when fast roping for example. These are faithfully recreated on the element version but the dials for the illuminator are for show only.

I bought my set from Aliexpress for around £85 including shipping and it came with the LA-5 unit, the M600 torch with a built in RIS mount and a dual switch to control both. The whole package came in a nice plastic protective box with a thin layer of foam under which was the instruction manual and the sticker sheet, which you apply yourself depending on whether you want black or tan/gold coloured ones on your PEQ. The instructions are perfectly adequate for what they are and the stickers are nicely done with a decent enough adhesive. It has always been a pet peeve of mine that the stickers supplied with things like this often have an adhesive backing that’s not much better than the gum on a cheap envelope, meaning you either loose them entirely or have dog eared corners after about ten minutes of use. Not so here though, a few weeks in and they are still well stuck with no signs of them lifting.

for permanent on. The same single/double-click works with the remote switch and this can be mounted to any RIS rail, MLOK or Keymod rail system easily with the supplied hardware. The switch is a really nice little unit, it isn’t too large and doesn’t stick out a lot from wherever it’s mounted on but has a sufficient length of cable for both the PEQ and the torch. Incidentally, if you buy this for a torch PEQ combo you have already, then be aware that the attachment for the torch is the newer push fit rather than a threaded connector but it does come with a push button end cap too if you decide to run it as a stand-alone torch. The finish on the M600 torch is a really lovely bronzy-gold colour, which pretty much matches the finish on the hugely popular Tokyo Marui HK416 Delta, including white Surefire trademarks, which look the business and seem to be a more than reasonable facsimile of the real ones, thus giving an overall appearance of a much more expensive item which I guess is the goal. Clone or not, one thing you can’t argue with is the brightness of the torch! it is like looking into the sun if you make the stupid mistake of looking into it to see just how bright it is - like I did! (The white spots do eventually fade and then you can get back to playing with your set up...)

VERY ILLUMINATING

SUMMARY

The plastic casing of the unit has some pretty awful mould lines evident but apart from that, it feels like a robust well put together unit. The battery cap and the bezel of the torch module are metal and finished well and the RIS mount is secure enough to tighten nice and snug without fear of stripping the threads.

The switch to change modes moves with a satisfying click and enough resistance to prevent it shifting if knocked. The flat head screws to adjust the zero for the lasers are present and, again, move easily enough to allow fine tuning but won’t spin freely. Sometimes I have had issues with zeroing the laser to whatever optic I’ve got mounted and the point of impact but the later element models seem to have just about enough built in adjustment to make it doable and, as I mentioned earlier, even with recoil they haven’t shifted aim or drifted away from where they were zeroed.

Given its size you’d think the illuminator module wouldn’t be very bright but it is and is more than capable of lighting up quite an area but the beam is much more diffuse than, say, a dedicated torch. The laser is also surprisingly bright and visible in day time but even then if you’re aiming at something quite a distance off, I found lost the point quite quickly. Close in or in a building this isn’t a problem, however and it is all powered by a couple of CR123A batteries.

With everything set you can activate the desired mode either by pressing the rubberised button on the top of the unit once for momentary on, or double-click

Overall, what you are getting is a very competent set up which looks like it cost a lot more than it does but performs more than well enough to be useful in games, rather than just set dressing. One thing I haven’t been able to confirm is the function the IR laser but I hope I can do that as soon as I can borrow some NODs to see the beam.

Would I recommend these? Yes, I would! I mean I have five of the PEQ boxes and three of the torches so you could say I believe in the products and their functionality. The clone market for PEQ boxes is quite a congested place and there is a plethora of manufacturers turning these out but it is genuinely hard to beat the Element offerings. AA

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AIRSOFT 101 MOSFETS

AIRSOFT 101:

MOSFETS

WE ALL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT A MOSFET DOES BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN FOR MANY PLAYERS. HERE, TOM HIBBERD TAKES A LOOK AT THESE LITTLE ELECTRONIC MARVELS AND PROVIDES THE ANSWERS. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS asked on Airsoft groups is “Should I fit a MOSFET?” However, this can be a more complicated matter than it first appears.

These devices are also known by a variety of names such as micro-processor MOSFET, ECU and FCU. In this edition of Airsoft 101 we’ll have a look at what it all means.

WHAT IS A MOSFET?

MOSFET stands for Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor FieldEffect Transistor. To put it in simple terms, a MOSFET is an electronic switch that, on receiving a low input current from your trigger, allows a much higher current to flow to your motor. They are in every microchip that we have in our devices and around the home. You will have billions upon billions in your phone for example!

“WHEN THE TRIGGER CIRCUIT IS CLOSED A SEPARATE HIGH CURRENT CIRCUIT IS OPENED TO THE MOTOR. THIS MEANS THAT THE FULL POWER OF THE BATTERY CAN BE UNLEASHED VIRTUALLY INSTANTANEOUSLY, ALLOWING FOR A FASTER TRIGGER RESPONSE.” Traditionally, MOSFETs have been used to protect trigger contacts from arcing and burning and to improve trigger response. This didn’t used to be much of a problem but, with today’s high discharge rate batteries, this is increasingly an issue. These days, what we call a “MOSFET” can actually be a sophisticated unit with a whole heap of features.

PLUG AND PLAY

The simplest way of installing a MOSFET is the “plug and play” method, where the device sits in between the battery and the rest of the wiring in the gun. Whilst the easiest method, this leaves a lot to be desired. Whilst the MOSFET still acts to protect the trigger contacts the full motor current runs through the trigger. This can actually slow down response as the MOSFET doesn’t feed the full current until the trigger is fully closed. Whilst a plug and play MOSFET can offer some additional features, these are limited when compared with a wired-in unit.

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WIRED-IN MOSFET

In this case, the battery current doesn’t pass through the trigger. Thin signal wires are soldered to the trigger contacts along which is passed the low current voltage. When the trigger circuit is closed a separate high current circuit is opened to the motor. This means that the full power of the battery can be unleashed virtually instantaneously, allowing for a faster trigger response. As this involves some technical knowledge we recommend that it be carried out by a qualified technician, unless you are sure of what you are doing.

Wired in MOSFETs whilst more efficient and also allow for a richer feature set than a plug and play device.

MICRO SWITCH TRIGGERS

Some MOSFETs don’t play very well with microswitches, as microswitches can “bounce” when applied, causing an “on-off-on-off…” signal to go to the transistor.

AIRSOFT 101 MOSFETS

More advanced MOSFETS with additional processors can detect this with software and ignore it.

of HPA and GBBs. It’s especially popular with DMR users and players that shoot mostly in semi auto.

Burst Fire This allows for number of shots to be fired on a single trigger pull. This is normally achieved by allowing the motor current to flow for a predetermined amount of time. Commonly, the length of time can be adjusted by the user by programming it but in some applications this is set at the factory. Most ECUs don’t actually know how many shots have been fired unless they have cycle detection…

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Once you start adding more features then the device stops being a simple MOSFET so, for the sake of sanity, we will call them “Electronic Control Units” (ECU) if they are outside the gearbox, or “Fire Control Units” (FCU) if they are mounted inside and have trigger and cycle detection.

Battery Protection One of the first additions to a MOSFET was battery protection. This looks at the voltage of the battery and if it drops below a nominated value will shut off and/ or produce an audible or vibration alarm. This isn’t a problem with older NiMh packs but it is with LiPo and LiFe batteries that, in extreme circumstances, become damaged or even catch fire if too deeply drained. Most AEGs aren’t really efficient enough for this to be a big issue but it’s a good idea to have battery protection if you are using modern batteries.

Cycle Detection and Lock-Up Prevention Some “in-gearbox” FCU, such as the GATE TITAN and BTC Spectre, have “cycle detection”, which means that the FCU unit counts how many times the gearbox turns over. In most cases this is done with a sensor on the cut-off lever but this can be also done optically, with the device looking at the teeth on the sector gear. This feature can be used to assist Pre-Cock, Active Brake and Burst Fire.

Cycle detection has the huge additional advantage of preventing Lock-Up! I’m sure we’ve all had the problem where, on semi-auto, our AEG stops firing and (hopefully) a quick switch to auto solves it. In the worst cases this can mean having to manually release the antireversal latch! With a cycle detection feature you won’t have to worry about this again.

Trigger Sensors Within gearbox FCUs also replace the traditional trigger contacts entirely, with either a microswitch or an optical sensor. This can have the added benefit of reducing the amount that a trigger needs to move before firing a shot and the reset between shots. The Gate TITAN has multiple optical trigger sensors so the position at which it fires can be changed to suit the user and application.

Active Brake An active brake ECU works by reversing the polarity of the current going to the motor when a firing cycle is completed. This stops the motor faster than just stopping the current completely. When firing in full auto this will be when the trigger is released, whilst in semi when one shot has been fired. This can be quite hard on a motor.

Pre-Cock With Pre-Cock, the ECU will continue to cycle the gearbox partially after a shot has been fired, holding the piston and main spring back in a compressed position.

When the trigger is pulled subsequently the gears don’t have to turn very fire to complete a shot, thus improving trigger response. In most MOSFETs with this feature you will have to tell the device how long to cycle with a process of trial and error. Starting a gearbox under load can also put a greater strain on the system and shorten the life of your parts. You will generally have to turn PreCocking off after playing to make sure that you don’t effect the spring power over time.

A combination of Active Brake and Pre-Cock can allow for extremely fast trigger response, rivalling that

PROGRAMMABLE MOSFETS

Some ECUs and FCUs come from the factory preset and can’t be altered by the user. The FCU in the ASG Scorpion EVO 3, for example, uses an FCU for its three round burst and other features, this is part of what makes the EVO such a fun platform for many players.

Other units can be programmed by the user and this is done in a variety of ways, such as trigger presses

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AIRSOFT 101 MOSFETS

and a button that is clicked a set number of times. These methods require you to either remember the specific sequence that is required to change a feature, or to have the manual close to hand. Some more advanced devices have a visual programming card with the available options on them. The newest and easiest to use FCUs can be plugged into a computer, or even your phone via a cable and simply programmed that way. Some of these have a whole host of features that we couldn’t dream of a few years ago and even keep track of statistics!

Having used a number of different MOSFETs, ECUs and FCUs over the years I’ve now fallen in love with the convenience of a unit that I can programme on my laptop!

AEG (even before you pay for installation), whereas some new trigger contacts would cost just a few pounds if they do indeed ever burn out! If you are the sort of player that wants instant trigger response and plays a lot with semi-auto fire, then it’s more likely to be a product for you. If you play more on full-auto and volume of fire is your thing, then it may be worth giving it a miss for now.

If you do decide you want a MOSFET it’s probably worth having it wired in to maximise the benefits of using one and if your budget can stretch, the new generation of in-gearbox FCUs can really make a huge difference to how your Airsoft guns feels to use. When I’m buying or reviewing a new AEG, compatibility with FCUs is a major consideration and some manufacturers are calling that a “feature” even if it doesn’t come with one as standard.

I hope one day all AEGs will come with an FCU as standard and we can all enjoy them, until then we have to consider whether it’s worth it or not. AA

WHICH MOSFET IS FOR YOU?

Before you fit a “MOSFET” of any sort think about what features you would like to have available. More advanced units can cost a similar amount to a starter

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feature SPRING IS DEAD

SPRING IS DEAD: LONG LIVE SPRING! “SPRINGERS”… LOVE ‘EM OR HATE ‘EM, THEY ARE THE SIMPLEST OF AIRSOFT GUN AND FRENCHIE HAS A CERTAIN AFFINITY FOR THEM, AS HE EXPLAINS HERE. AIRSOFT GUNS AREN’T TOYS. There are some people no longer active within airsoft who have gone a long way down the road with HMRC to argue this point and lost. Since those heady days, we have had legislation North and South of the border which has gone further than ever before to define airsoft guns. I begin with this explanation because this month I want to take a fond look at the most toy-like of airsoft guns, the spring pistol. Those of you who have put up with my ramblings over the years know that I have a thing for springers – it’s not that I think that they are superior to electric or gas – I just think they have a simple charm which is lacking in more serious guns.

So, forgive me my reminiscences and let’s look back at what was.

Spring pistols, or “springers” as they were frequently called, are the simplest of airsoft guns. Nearly always

would make it’s break for freedom down the barrel.

Rinse and repeat.

Of all the forms of airsoft guns, the humble spring pistol was the most ubiquitous, primarily because it was the cheapest to produce, the cheapest to sell and, until the advent of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (VCRA), they were commonly sold as toys, being lowpowered. It would be fair to say, that whatever the total number produced, a huge percentage of that was cheap, inaccurate, lowpowered rubbish.

Occasionally they looked OK but didn’t shoot worth a damn.

Many were entirely fictitious, based on someone’s idea of what a pistol looked like, or should look like. They were not serious contenders for skirmishers even back when skirmishing was in its infancy.

That isn’t entirely accurate because I was not alone in carrying a spring

“OF ALL THE FORMS OF AIRSOFT GUNS, THE HUMBLE SPRING PISTOL WAS THE MOST UBIQUITOUS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT WAS THE CHEAPEST TO PRODUCE, THE CHEAPEST TO SELL AND, UNTIL THE ADVENT OF THE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION ACT 2006 (VCRA), THEY WERE COMMONLY SOLD AS TOYS, BEING LOW-POWERED.” based on automatic pistols (yes, there were a few revolvers, we’ll get to them) you loaded the magazine, pulled back the slide compressing a spring behind a plunger and when the trigger was pulled a single BB 46

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pistol for many years. To understand why that was, you must remember that there was time when AEG was synonymous with Tokyo Marui and there were very few other choices. Gas pistols were, err… “interesting”.

feature SPRING IS DEAD

If they were fixed-slide they might work quite well, blowback gas pistols were quite hit or miss, especially in Scotland where the average temperature could be “chilly”. Although slow to use, springers were reliable and it is difficult to overstate how much of an advantage that could be.

The other consideration was cost. I’m thinking of a time when a Tokyo Marui AEG would cost you the better part of £300 and that came with a single magazine – often of 60 rounds capacity. Batteries, hi-cap magazines, slings, frankly everything cost extra – airsoft was simply more expensive. Spending £30 on a decent springer as a last ditch sidearm make perfectly good sense. You hoped not to have to use it but if all else failed you knew it would work.

Since I have mentioned the mighty Tokyo Marui, their springers, like all their other products, went through several upgrades over the years. Originally hop up was unheard of, but it came in due course. Finish was ok, but not great. Reliability was nearly always top notch.

Other firms made decent springers, KWC most notably, but beyond that you were right into “market stall” territory.

I just checked their website and although it is a pig to navigate, Marui are still producing some springers; rifles, shotguns and pistols. There is hope for the world!

Performance varied as widely as quality. My last Marui pistol was a 1911 and with 0.25g ammo would shoot as far and as accurately as many of the AEGs of the time, with the added advantage of being pretty damned stealthy. It did sterling service until my son, who I had persuaded into the sport dropped it into a very wet, very muddy puddle. I rescued it, stripped and cleaned it and he promptly lost it in a “puddle” that was practicing to be a pond and it was never recovered. I confess that I still miss that gun.

I’m going to guess that there is a lower level to prices but in the heyday of WE pistols, it was easy to find a perfectly serviceable “not Glock” for about £80 and that was from respected, well-established retailers. The “bedroom brigade” could be cheaper still.

Although I doubt Marui lost any sleep over it, as they were selling their cracking gas blow backs by the truckload, the relative cost of their springers crept up, effectively pricing themselves out of a market that no

longer needed them. If my memory serves, I paid £45 for that last 1911 and that was quite a few years ago.

The previously mentioned VCRA rang the deathknell of springers as toys, freely available to anyone and the spring pistol became if not an antique, certainly something of a fond memory from years ago.

Much as I might wish it otherwise, they won’t be

“SPENDING £30 ON A DECENT SPRINGER AS A LAST DITCH SIDEARM MAKE PERFECTLY GOOD SENSE. YOU HOPED NOT TO HAVE TO USE IT BUT IF ALL ELSE FAILED YOU KNEW IT WOULD WORK.” I have taken a bunker held by a player with an AEG with nothing more than an unshakeable belief in my own immortality and a spring Ruger 85. He must have been an awful shot as he missed me completely as I charged him, I hit him with the very last BB in the magazine. Of such things are memories made!

Pre-VCRA, springers were a great way to collect replicas, something that is now all but impossible and it was the inexorable march of Taiwanese and Chinese manufacture that was to put paid to the springer on the field.

TM paved the way with their “hard kick” blowbacks, redesigning their gas guns so that they were no longer sad, unreliable anaemic apologies for pistols. Taiwan “borrowed” these improvements and added features like metal frames and slides, while also undercutting the price as if there was no tomorrow. What these companies were doing to pistols, they were also doing to AEGs and as the price dropped it cost far less to buy your gear, consequently it became far easier to swallow the £100 or less that a decent gas blowback would cost.

back. If any of you have holidayed in Europe, you’ll know that they are still widely available, that’s less true here. The disadvantages of having to cock for each shot make them unattractive to generations of airsofters who have become used to relatively cheap but effective gas guns and let’s be honest, given converging pricing alone, why would you turn your back on a decent blowback?

No, spring is now firmly relegated to shotguns and bolt action rifles. I mentioned revolvers, and there were a few available but they were harder to cock than a real gun and because of the design of the real-steel pistol, tended to be weaker that well-watered beer. They were a niche product.

Those of you who remember when springers were common may, like me, do so with a genuine fondness but today’s players are better served and better equipped than could have been imagined at that time.

Although they are still out there, the spring pistol has long since had its day on the skirmish field. We shall not see it wielded in force again. The “pop” has left the building. AA

www.airsoft-action.online

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REEL STEEL RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD

RAMBO FIRST BLOOD

1982 WAS A GOOD YEAR IF YOU LIKE ACTION MOVIES, WITH SOME REAL BLOCKBUSTERS OF THE TIME HITTING THE SILVER SCREEN. ONE THAT STOOD OUT THOUGH, A MOVIE THAT STILL RESONATES, IS “FIRST BLOOD”, THE MOTION PICTURE THAT INTRODUCED AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE TO “JOHN RAMBO”.

IT’S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THAT a movie that is now some 35 years+ old still has a place in the hearts of so many - and has even introduced a style of airsoft play!

To “Rambo it” simply means going it alone, of taking the fight to the enemy and succeeding against all odds and, when it comes to airsoft, I am certain there are many who dream of this exact thing!

What makes “First Blood” so timeless in my eyes though, is the underlying message that the changing face of modern warfare is exactly that, changing. Whilst former soldiers may have served in wars and battles fought many years ago, the frenetic pace of change in operational environments means that younger soldiers are faced still by the same evils and dangers but in radically different environments and circumstances.

In many ways “First Blood” is a movie set in (and of) its time. It takes the fact that many Vietnam Veterans were shunned and vilified when they returned home to the USA and that many “at home” could not comprehend the horrors that young soldiers had faced in South East Asia. It’s also a story of the loss of comrades, not through war itself but from the hidden terrors unleashed in a “new type of war” that they weren’t prepared for or advised about.

It’s a movie that already, although it does not use the term itself, explored the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a pretty meaningful way, as during the abuse meted out to him by less-than-understanding small town cops, Rambo suffers from “flashbacks” which ultimately trigger his return path into darkness.

The story is well-known to most; after his discharge, Vietnam War veteran John Rambo travels by foot to visit one of his old comrades but learns during his “pilgrimage” that his friend has died from cancer, due to Agent Orange exposure during the war. Rambo 48

APRIL 2019

continues to wander, lost in his memories until he arrives at small town of Hope, Washington. He is intercepted by the town’s Sheriff, Will Teasle and when Rambo asks for directions to a diner, Teasle drives him out of town and tells him not to come back. After Rambo stubbornly returns, Teasle arrests him on charges of vagrancy, resisting arrest and possessing a concealed knife (yes, the “Rambo” knife!).

Teasle’s officers abuse Rambo physically, triggering flashbacks of the torture he endured as a POW in Vietnam. When they try to dry-shave him with a straight razor, Rambo finally loses it and fights his way outside displaying a brutal, “in your face” fighting style.

Once he regains his knife he flees into the forests and mountains of the surrounding area. Teasle organises a search party with automatic weapons, dogs and a helicopter to recapture him. During the search, it is revealed that Rambo is a former Green Beret and received the Medal of Honor for his service. Deputy Galt spots Rambo and shoots him from a helicopter in defiance of orders, which leads both to Galt’s demise

REEL STEEL RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD

and further violence, even though Rambo himself, now coming to his senses, pleads with Teasle that he “wants no more trouble”.

Things escalate from this point, with Rambo now in his element as a former Special Forces soldier. First he deals with the police deputies, not killing them but certainly taking them out of the game, and telling Teasle “I could have killed them all. I could have killed you.

In town you’re the law, out here it’s me. Don’t push it.

Don’t push it or I’ll give you a war you won’t believe!”

The National Guard is called out to hunt him down but once again Rambo proves his mettle. Rambo’s mentor and former commanding officer, Colonel Sam Trautman, arrives and contacts Rambo by radio to persuade him to surrender peacefully. Rambo recognises Trautman’s voice but refuses to give up, condemning Teasle and his deputies for their abuse and noting “They drew first blood!” before signing off.

After an extremely tense final showdown back in the town of Hope, where Rambo makes good use of an acquired M60 to mostly destroy it, he finally confronts Teasle and as Rambo prepares to kill him, Trautman arrives and warns Rambo that he will be shot if he doesn’t surrender, urging him to consider, as the last survivor of his elite unit of Green Berets, that he wouldn’t want to close that chapter in disgrace.

Rambo collapses in tears and talks about the events that happened to him in Vietnam and after his return. Teasle gets transported to hospital for medical treatment, while Rambo surrenders to Trautman and is taken into custody.

This makes a great end to a motion picture and, of course, left the door open for many “Rambo” sequels. It may interest you to know though, that in the 1972 novel of the same name by David Morrell, Trautman actually shoots and kills Rambo at the end and returns to the mortally wounded Teasle. Teasle relaxes, experiences a moment of affection for Rambo and then dies, succumbing to his own wounds… Not such a happy ending, but one which perhaps rings truer.

C’MON WITH THE RIFS!

“First Blood” is a movie that I can watch again and again and although we might laugh now whilst “Rambo’ing it” ourselves, at the time it premiered it originally received generally very mixed reviews, with several critics noting that “the plot lacks any sense of credibility”! Contemporary and retrospective reviews of the film have been positive though and it is considered

by many as one of the best films of its genre. It was noted that “it seems impossible to imagine anyone other than Stallone in the part and his capabilities as an actor should not be dismissed”.

When it comes to the “First Blood” armoury though, everything is solid as a rock! Let’s get “The Knife” out of the way as it’s not really an “airsoft thing” (although I’m certain there’s a rubber replica out there somewhere).

Rambo’s knife is a huge survival knife with a screw-open hilt filled with a suture needle and thread, a compass, and has gnarled teeth to cut barbed wire; it is so sharp it can cut paper like butter, as is demonstrated in the movie itself. The knife for this movie and its sequel “Rambo: First Blood Part II”, were designed by famed knife-smith Jimmy Lile. It, again, may be of interest that in a 2011 article for Blade Magazine, by Mike Carter, credit is given to Morrell and the Rambo franchise for revitalising the blade industry in the 1980s, due to the presence of the Jimmy Lile and Gil Hibben knives used in the films. In 2003, Blade Magazine gave Morrell an industry achievement award for having helped to make it possible!

FIREARMS

Firearms actually play a very minor role in “First Blood” but when they appear they do make an impression.

Although numerous handgun models are shown, it’s really only the Smith and Wesson Model 66 used by Teasle and the 1911 used by Trautman that get any significant screen time. As I’ve noted before, Tokyo Marui make some spot-on “S&W” revolver replicas and when it comes to “Classic 1911s” then simply take your pick from your favourite manufacturer!

Several of Teasle’s deputies use AR-15/SP1 rifles to mimic the issue M16 but when fired in the film the guns are semi-automatic, further hinting that they are civilian rifles. When they fire on fully auto, they switch to M16A1s. “True” M16A1 rifles are used by several members of the National Guard as well as by law enforcement while they hunt down John Rambo.

Rambo himself also returns fire on the National Guard with a captured M16A1. Once again, I’m pleased to point to both the G&P “recoil” and the WE GBB M16A1 as excellent airsoft replicas but I’d be remiss if I didn’t throw in the model from Classic Army - and the new “veteran” model from new-kid-on-the-block, Arthurian Airsoft, which looks very nice indeed!

A number of civilian hunting rifles and shotguns (the Remington 870 which I won’t go into again) appear in

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REEL STEEL RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD

“First Blood”. A Remington 700 is held by the young boy who is confronted by Rambo in the forest and Deputy Sergeant Arthur Galt first attempts to fire his Winchester Model 88 lever-action rifle at Rambo during his escape from the station. While riding in a helicopter, Galt is later seen attempting to snipe Rambo with

“protect and serve” as a “model” of how things could go wrong. It was a turning point, and one that raised many questions about veterans in general and for this alone it should have its place amongst the best movies.

Rumour has it that there’s still a possibility of Rambo returning, as in May 2018 a fifth film titled “Rambo V: Last Blood” was announced and is scheduled for a fall 2019 release…

In the words of Rambo himself “Nothing is over!

Nothing! You just don’t turn it off!” AA

the rifle. Also seen briefly in the gun shop scene is a Winchester 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine. Although the Model 88 is going to be a tough call in airsoft form, a VSR will happily stand in for the Model 700 and of course the A&K Underlever Winny is there if you want to make a purchase from your local gun store!

One of the more esoteric models that appears in the movie is the Heckler & Koch HK93A2, as used by Sheriff Teasle when he and his deputies hunt for Rambo in the forest. The HK93A2 shown has the classic curved box magazine, all-metal lower receiver and full stock. For this I find myself once again returning to Classic Army as their CA33E AEG is an absolute ringer for the movie rifle.

A MOVIE STAR

Of course, other than Stallone there is another absolute star in the movie, one that would feature heavily in subsequent “Rambo” stories and that is the M60. An M60 machine gun is the major firearm used by John Rambo in the film; he first removes it from the back of a National Guard truck and uses it to shoot up various buildings in town, including the electrical transformers to plunge things into darkness and the police station.

The single-handed use of the M60 by Rambo is an enduring image, one that adds to the mystique of the man himself. Simply put, although there are many M60 airsoft replicas out there if you’re on a budget, then the A&K version is well worth a look.

Ultimately “First Blood” saw a change in perspective of how veterans should be treated, using the abuse suffered by Rambo at the hands of those who should www.airsoft-action.online

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event BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW

IN RECENT YEARS IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT AIRSOFT HAS HAD SOMEWHAT OF A “CHEQUERED” HISTORY IN TERMS OF THE BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW BUT THIS YEAR SAW THE RE-LAUNCH OF AIRSOFT AT THE SHOW AS A FULLY-INTEGRATED PART OF THE WIDER SHOOTING SPORTS COMMUNITY; BILL AND TOM BRING YOU THEIR HIGHLIGHTS. BILL

I’ve attended the British Shooting Show over the years and I have to admit that, like many, I’d become somewhat “jaded” with the way in which airsoft had historically been dealt with when the show was tucked away at Stoneleigh. Airsoft was seemingly treated like a secret and guilty pleasure at the show and both airsoft exhibitor and visitor numbers certainly fell from the first time I was there to the last. When I heard from a

enthusiasts worldwide! If you pay a visit to the “new show”, in one single massive, well laid-out and well-lit exhibition hall, you can see a vast range of shotguns, rifles (even Accuracy International!), pistols, air rifles, optics, night vision and thermal imaging equipment, hunting knives, bushcraft, wildfowling, gundogs, game-keeping, clothing and footwear. There is also ammunition and reloading equipment on offer, historical arms collections to drool over, gunsmith and engraving

“WITH FORMER-SAS AND PMC “BIG PHIL” CAMPION RUNNING HIS SHOOT HOUSE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AIRSOFT AREA RIGHT NEXT TO NUPROL AND IWHOLESALES THERE WAS A CREDIBLE “DRAW” TO BRING SHOWGOERS INTO “OUR WORLD” AND I DIDN’T HEAR A SINGLE NEGATIVE COMMENT FROM ANYONE.” number of individuals in the airsoft industry that they would be supporting the “new show” at the NEC in Birmingham, I thought it only prudent to go along with Nige and Tom to check things out for myself and oh boy, am I glad that I did!

“The Great British Shooting Show” is wellestablished now as a part of the UK show calendar, bringing together the shooting industry and the shooting community under one roof. The warm and friendly atmosphere created has made this one of Europe’s largest and most popular events of its kind and in the space and setting of the NEC, I believe it’s finally found its “home” for the foreseeable future.

The finest shooting sports industry brands are showcased across the show. Visitors are offered every conceivable shooting-related product, covering all disciplines, backed by 170+ manufacturers, distributors and retailers servicing the requirements of shooting

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demonstrations along with arena displays to watch and shooting associations and schools pitching for your business. And, of course, a strong airsoft presence is a draw for OUR community as a true part of the larger whole.

Unlike Stoneleigh, which frankly was a pig to get to when the old show was in full swing and required a 4x4 if you missed out on early car-parking, the NEC is located bang in the middle of the UK’s motorway network. In fact, statistically speaking, 75% of the UK can reach the venue within a threehour drive, the car parking

EVENT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW

on site is free (over 16,500 parking spaces are available) and within easy stroll of the exhibition halls. With excellent rail and even airport connections too, it’s genuinely never been easier to get to the show!

Far from the (literally!) agricultural setting of Stoneleigh, the British Shooting Show has been moved lock, stock and rifle-barrel to the luxury of this dedicated show space and whilst it is still a show that is devoted to the “real steel” and airgun shooter, airsoft has been fully integrated into the main body of the show and those retailers and distributors that exhibited all did so in a thoroughly professional manner.

us to drool over (they had a LOT more but I’ll leave that to Tom to talk about!)

With former-SAS and PMC “Big Phil” Campion running his shoot house as an integral part of the airsoft area right next to NUPROL and iWholesales there was a credible “draw” to bring showgoers into “our world” and I didn’t hear a single negative comment from anyone. In the past when airsoft was hidden away more there would be rumblings form the “real shooters” but having everything in once place seemed to do away with any thought of that.

For me the “new” British Shooting Show set a new standard, not just in the way airsoft is portrayed but for the entire shooting community in the UK and it was incredibly heartening and positive to be received so well by everyone that we saw, both old friends and new! I certainly expect there to be more in terms of airsoft the 2020 BSS and with the support of the show organisers, I feel it could well become an excellent meeting place and forum for UK airsoft in the future. I shall certainly be going back, and next time it won’t just be for the day!

TOM NUPROL were on hand with a super display of not just their RIFs (the new ROMEO series got a LOT of cooing over!) but also a full range of their excellent gun cases. These proved to be a real draw not just for airsofters but for all shooters, just proving that a product range initially aimed at the owners of replicas has now got a real following in the wider community. Trent and Danny were on hand to talk folk through the options and looked to be doing great business all day long. Rishy and Tim were also busy on the iWholesales stand next door and their choice of RIFs on show was obviously well thought out in advance, as the SLR, Sterling and L85 all got seriously “fingered” by shooters “of a certain age” who had a serious soft-spot for their former military firearms. Their display of pistols was also very, very well received but as usual some who had firearm certificates seemed a little bewildered that they couldn’t buy an airsoft pistol!

Scott and the Land Warrior team also were hard at it and as usual in addition to some righteously “Gucci” top-end RIFs and kit to show, the LWA “Predator” got some serious attention and had to be one of the mostphotographed things at the show! Bespoke Airsoft and Patrol Base had great displays and some seriously nice kit on their stands, which were busy all day long. Tactree were on hand with a “full spectrum” range of 5:11 gear and Scott Country had their range of Cannae Pro kit for

Following an early start (for me) I headed off to the NEC, not being a fan of driving in rush hour traffic around Birmingham I elected to take public transport and arrived by train. The NEC (National Exhibition Centre) is accessed by Birmingham International railway station that also connects to the airport. It’s very easy to get to, as suits a major conference centre and exhibition space.

Following a short walk (a chance to stretch my legs after sitting down for a while) I arrived at the entrance and fairly quickly got inside, the staff were efficient and queues were minimal, which is a pleasant change from some shows I have attended. Events at the NEC are well lit, laid out properly and have good facilities which allows the attendee to have a pleasant stroll around whilst not feeling too constrained by the crowds, the coffee isn’t too bad either and there is a range of places to eat and drink!

Whilst there are a huge variety of real steel manufacturers, outdoor gear companies and lots of tweed and wellington boots, my interest was piqued by the huge variety of optics on display. It’s not often you can peer through a £300 low power variable and a £3,000 scope side by side and see the difference in optical clarity.

SCOTT COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL https://www.scottcountry.co.uk My first stop was with Scott Country International. They are specialists in Night Vision and Thermal Imaging as well as running some more conventional “tactical” and sporting optics and they had come in force, with a great stand and trailer. Assisting their normal sales team were Matt and Ben from Stirling Airsoft who have extensive experience of using Night Vision in a tactical environment.

Scott Country had had a range of Night Vision Goggles, Binoculars & Monoculars from FLIR as well as the Breach Thermal we have previously reviewed here at Airsoft Action. There also was a great range of products from Pulsar who make thermal scopes primarily for the hunting market.

Probably the most exciting new product for Airsoft www.airsoft-action.online

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COVERT BOOT n Durable slip/oil resistant outsole n Suede/Cordura upper n Leather finish on Achillies and collar n Non metallic 7 stage eyelet lace fit

TACTCIAL ADVANTAGE

n Padded internals/tongue for added comfort n Heat treated Viper logo on ankle and rear BROWN

BLACK

TITANIUM

SRP: £49.95

vipertactical.co.uk

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was from Sightmark, this was the Wraith Day Night Vision Riflescope. It features colour imagery by day and night vision using a 1920x1080HD sensor, providing clear crisp viewing at 200m with a detachable IR illuminator. There are 10 reticle options and 9 color choices to fit the needs of every shooter, 4.5-hours of battery life with 4 AA batteries and an external

MicroUSB port for added power. Last but not least, Wraiths also allow recording and video export. We’re looking forward to bring this to you in a review soon!

PRIMARY ARMS https://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk One stand that immediately caught my eye was Primary Arms, I watch a lot of US gun and Airsoft YouTube channels and they are frequently mentioned. Primary Arms make relatively lowcost real steel optics and they are well regarded for creating reliable products.

I have, over the last couple of years, tried to find a UK distributor and haven’t managed to find one until now! Sportsmans Gun Centre have agreed distribute Primary Arms in the UK and the USbased company had sent over some of their knowledgeable staff to answer our questions and display their range.

These were very well priced and, depending on the warranty, could compete with the likes of Vortex and Sightmark for the Airsoft optic market. The Primary Arms CLxZ is a small “T1 style” red dot with a removable mount with good clear glass and a crisp fine dot. Depending on what mount you need, this will be available for under £100. Most Primary arms scopes either come with a basic low mount or without a mount allowing you to choose what is the right solution for you from their extensive range or use your

existing solution. Some of the range, like the Primary Arms SLxZ, have night vision settings which (for those with NODS) is extremely useful. We also especially like the Primary Arms SLx1 Compact 1x20 Prism Scope, this has an etched reticle making it useful for people with astigmatisms and problems focusing on normal red dots. Their rugged Primary Arms SLx3 Compact 3x32 magnified prism scope would also work well within Airsoft ranges. I’m looking forward to seeing these close up and putting them through their paces.

NEWPRO (UK) (PhoneSkope/Skoped Vision) http://www.newprouk.co.uk NewPro (UK) are Distributors of PhoneSkope and Skoped Vision, these products allow you to get images and videos with your Smartphone through your spotting scope or binoculars. A special case is added to your phone and a range of adaptors allow it to align with the lens on your scope or optic.

Phoneskope’s new Skoped Vision riflescope adapter allows you to capture high quality pictures and video through your riflescope with your smartphone’s camera.

The design gives you the ability to look through the riflescope as you would normally and capture the footage with your phone mounted on your riflescope in a Phoneskope Smartphone case.

These products have a number of applications, you’ll be able to send or show detailed visual intelligence at a Milsim event, film through your night vision devices and capture your long-distance sniper eliminations without a need for mounting or buying additional cameras. We’re very interested in PhoneSkopes products for bringing you pictures and video for our reviews and they’ll no doubt prove to be very useful for your own games as well.

NIGE

Having seen the growth of airsoft at the British Shooting Show, first at Newark and later at Stoneliegh, only to watch as the perception of airsoft being treated as a “3rd Class industry” increased, I was intrigued to see how it would be represented at BSS 2019 – and I have to say that I was very impressed!

I have always argued that the only way for airsoft to be “integrated” into the wider shooting community (and for the wider shooting community to accept airsoft), is for airsoft to be physically integrated at shows where both are represented. As Bill said previously, at this show that is how it was and the foot-fall in, around and through the airsoft stands was certainly equal to any other stand (and, in some cases, probably greater).

A couple of those I spoke to felt that the British Shooting Show could become the UK’s equivalent to IWA in Germany. To be honest, I don’t see that happening, not least because IWA is a Trade Only event but also because IWA encompasses far more than just shooting sports – but maybe the seeds have, at last, been sown.

As with all shows, I guess the proof of the pudding is whether it is viable for a company to exhibit and that will only be known in the fullness of time. For me, the British Shooting Show 2019 certainly took a step-change in the way airsoft is presented and it will be interesting to hear feedback from those that attended. AA

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armoury ASG CZ75 SP-01 ACCU SHADOW

ASG CZ75 SP-01

ACCU SHADOW Photography by Hannah Davis @theairsoftphotographer

GEORAGA WASN’T COMPLETELY WON OVER BY THE ORIGINAL SHADOW BUT HAVING FIXED MORE THAN JUST THE AESTHETICS, COULD THIS UPDATE CHANGE HIS MIND? ALRIGHT, LET’S GET IT OUT THERE straight away, the original SP-01 Shadow was good… but that chrome trigger… YUCK! It’s a small thing but it is such a nicelooking piece and then they throw this garish, shiny, plastic chrome looking trigger into it.

Now, to be fair as fair, every time I talk to the guys from ASG and have my little moan, they’re quick to remind me that ASG have the licenses to replicate CZ as close as possible and so the fault of the chrome trigger actually rests solely with the real steel version of the CZ75 SP-01. Still, it’s one of those things that has bugged me for an age, so when I saw the announcement of the ACCU come out from IWA 2018, I was excited to see they’d remedied that flippin’ thing and immediately earmarked one with Combat UK who made sure one was available to buy as soon as they came in (cheers Jason and Ed).

I’ve now spent a few months with it and here are my thoughts.

In the same way as the original, this ACCU version of the Shadow is based again on the real steel design; this one is by CZ Customs. It’s been redesigned for better efficiency in practical shooting competitions like the USPSC and has a few seemingly small, but rather important changes.

It is also, quite frankly, bloody lovely to look at and hold... but we’ll come onto that more in a bit.

Firstly, for anyone not familiar with the SP-01 line of pistols, this is a gas blowback, full metal, 26 round double stacked pistol, that runs primarily on CO2, although it can be used with Green/Red/Black gas magazines also - kind of.

On the topic of magazines (actually because I know I’ll forget to mention it), there is one other thing I found pretty annoying about the Shadow... the mag wobble.

There’s a fair bit of wobbling in the originals and spoiler, it’s not fixed, so grab some electrical tape and stick it on the inside of the magwell.

WHAT’S NEW

It has a gorgeous matte black powdery finish that is smooth and even all over, although I will note that with regular use these pistols tend to wear aesthetically quite quickly, revealing their metallic core around friction points. So, if this is to be a collector’s piece (and I can understand why it could be), it’d be best to avoid holstering and drawing too often.

Luckily, this is a practical based performance pistol for me and I know plenty of players that actively seek that “weathered” look.

The first time I saw the CZ75 SP series, the slide to frame ratio felt odd with its shallow, slighter upper but the more that I shot the pistols, the more I realised how snappy and sharp the recoil was. It does, however, make

“WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WENT BACK TO TRYING THE ORIGINAL SP-01 AGAIN THOUGH, WAS UNEXPECTED. I ACTUALLY FOUND IT UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WASN’T JUST THAT I PREFERRED THESE NEW GRIPS BUT ALMOST AS IF I HADN’T REALISED BEFORE HOW MUCH I ADAPTED TO FIT THE PISTOL, INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND.” 58

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armoury ASG CZ75 SP-01 ACCU SHADOW

cocking the pistol using the serrations feel different to most other pistols on the market, due to the smaller surface area; that’s positively countered by the fact that the slide takes less effort to pull back.

The pistol comes in quite heavy, at 1.14kg which is about 40g heavier than the original Shadow thanks to the upgraded steel internals and the new aluminium grips, which replace the contoured rubber grips of old. The pistol feels well-balanced for the most part, although I’ve always thought these were a slight bit rear heavy once the magazine is in. It’s not too bad but noticeable if you’re used to other platforms,

grip I enjoyed. What happened when I went back to trying the original SP-01 again though, was unexpected.

I actually found it uncomfortable. It wasn’t just that I preferred these new grips but almost as if I hadn’t realised before how much I adapted to fit the pistol, instead of the other way around. The contours actually detracted from the comfort of the pistol and removing them allowed me to pay closer attention to the way they were connecting with my palm and impeding my form.

Suffice to say, I’m now a believer in these new grips!

Moving on, you have all the same large external controls as previous versions; the ambidextrous safety doubling as a thumb rest, enabling a really secure grip with the pistol comfortably seated in the crook of the thumb and fingers; an easily accessible slide release; a prominent mag release button and then my favourite bit, that sexy trigger! I’m often not a fan of straight triggers in terms of comfort but they often give much better performance and reduce the length of the trigger pull. This one has combined the comfort I love from rounded triggers with the adjustability and pragmatism of speed triggers... plus they fixed that awful chrome look with this new straight and rounded stainless-steel trigger.

This is no longer a double-action pistol which allows the trigger pull to be dramatically shortened and the reset to be adjusted too. That means you can set it up to fit your personal preference; I’ve adjusted mine to be

“IT’S LIKE DRIVING A FORD FIESTA, THEN HOPPING INTO A FORD GT. THEY BOTH DO THE SAME JOB AND ARE BOTH ARGUABLY PRETTY GOOD AT IT...

BUT LET’S BE REAL... PUT THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER AND AIN’T NO ONE ARGUING THAT THE FIESTA WINS IN THAT SCENARIO.” The aluminium grips, attached using hex screws, are sleek and smooth surfaced with aggressive angles and a stippled section to make sure you have some grip to go alongside the smooth draw. The pistol is advertised to come with grip tape to add to the pistol if you feel like you need more – although my pistol didn’t seem to have any.

I’ve gone through an interesting transition with these grips. Originally, I loved the old rubber grips because they felt like they seemed to fit my palm nicely and moving to these smooth blockier grips felt like I was not only losing width to the gun but also losing that molded

the shortest trigger pull and reset possible to get those sharp successive follow-up shots and believe me when I say it makes a huge difference. It’s like driving a Ford Fiesta, then hopping into a Ford GT. They both do the same job and are both arguably pretty good at it... but let’s be real... put them against each other and ain’t no one arguing that the Fiesta wins in that scenario. When it comes to everything trigger related... the ACCU takes the competition!

Now where the trigger created the most appreciation in conversations, the bits that have cultivated the most debate among the SP-01 lovers in my circles... are the sights.

Where the red fiber-optic front sight has remained a steadfast companion to this pistol, there are now two of them. There is one taller and one smaller front sight to switch between depending on if you’re using this as a skirmish pistol or as a practical shooting pistol. The taller of the two is the default sight and is great for faster target acquisition in a competitive environment due to its height from the frame but it suffers from needing a more thought-out holster. It can easily snag and will likely snap if there’s enough force behind a draw so it’s definitely more suited to a speed holster rather than a universal.

The smaller of the two is great, however, for everyday shooting and far safer for generalised use.

Interestingly, it’s not the front sight that has caused

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armoury ASG CZ75 SP-01 ACCU SHADOW

“THIS IS ABSOLUTELY, NO DOUBT, 100% THE BETTER PISTOL AND FOR ME; THE FEATURES WE’VE MENTIONED ARE WAY WORTH CHOOSING THIS ONE OVER THE OTHERS BUT I WOULDN’T SUGGEST THAT IT’S SO MUCH BETTER THAT YOU’LL LOSE A BB WAR OVER IT.” the debate but the adjustable competition rear sight.

Using an allen key, you can adjust the height of the sight to match the one that you’ve chosen on the front... which on paper is great... it just... it looks a little dull in comparison to the rest of the pistol. This obviously comes with the acknowledgement that this is a competition-based platform, being judged by primarily skirmishers and collectors. In my humble opinion, after spending time with it and actually moving toward precision shooting, I don’t mind it at all; I’ll likely be switching it out with an RMR shortly anyhow.

Our final stop on the externals brings us to the outer barrel setup and, at first glance, it wouldn’t be remiss to think that both versions are similar. You’d be wrong.

PERFORMANCE

The ACCU features a new front end, which makes take-down easier too, by utilising a stainless steel front barrel bushing and reversal plug. Using the small tool supplied (or your fingers if it’s not too tight), push in the reversal plug and screw off the barrel bushing which releases the plug and the spring, making the take down of the steel outer barrel, upgraded steel spring guide much, much easier.

What I thought was a brilliant idea is that this is actually the method of changing the front sight too.

Once the bushing is off, the sight slides right out and you can change them round. Field stripping the pistol like this also reveals the upgraded steel components in the trigger assembly.

CONCLUSION

It’s no good having a competition style pistol if it doesn’t perform well. This is where we need to talk about the magazine. Although the pistol accepts the green gas magazines of previous; THIS IS A CO2 GUN! Due to the weight of each portion of this pistol, even running on black gas, this pistol is sluggish. You really don’t get any of the benefits running it on anything less than a CO2 capsule because the pressure output is so dramatically different. I did some testing with fresh CO2 bulbs and Red Gas in order to see what the ideal weight BB is for this pistol.

• Red Gas: 0.2g = 285fps = 0.75J • CO2: 0.2g = 315fps = 0.92J • Red Gas: 0.25g = 248fps = 0.71J • CO2: 0.25g = 269fps = 0.83J • CO2: 0.28g = 302fps = 1.15J As most sites in the UK chrono pistols to the AEG joule limits, I worked to the lower limit of 1.3 joules.

I wanted to see the heaviest weight BB I’d be able to run is and it looks like 0.25g on CO2 is my optimal choice in terms of velocity output versus the potential environmental factors like cold and wind. The hop-up performs as expected and I’m getting decent accuracy at the 30-35 metre mark which is likely the regular distance I’ll need this for. It was reaching further but as with everything, we start sacrificing consistency.

Alright, so is this pistol worth it? It’s between the £180£200 mark so it’s definitely priced as a premium pistol.

For me? Yes, yes it is but what about for someone that owns one of the other versions of the SP-01 Shadow?

You know what? Stick with that for now unless you’ve got the expendable income.

This is absolutely, no doubt, 100% the better pistol and for me; the features we’ve mentioned are way worth choosing this one over the others but I wouldn’t suggest that it’s so much better that you’ll lose a BB war over it. A good gun is nothing if it’s in the hands of a bad shooter. AA

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international TAIWAN - AIRSOFT CENTRAL

LAST MONTH WE WERE EXTREMELY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A DIRECT REPORT ON THE MOA SHOW IN TAIWAN FROM OUR GOOD FRIEND STU MORTIMER, WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN TAIWAN AND HAS BECOME FULLY IMMERSED IN THE LOCAL AIRSOFT SCENE. BILL CONCLUDES HIS INTERVIEW WITH STU BY FINDING OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PART OF “AIRSOFT CENTRAL”.

EVERY SO OFTEN I’M LUCKY ENOUGH to meet a kindred spirit and work with them to bring something truly unique to Airsoft Action and so it was that Stu “Stewbacca” Mortimer agreed to work with me on the MOA Show report that we brought you in the last issue.

Having lived and played overseas myself, I’m always extremely interested to hear from others who have done the same, to hear their stories of how they came to live “elsewhere” and especially to learn more about the airsoft scene where they now call “home”.

Of course, Taiwan has, in many ways, become “airsoft central” with a wealth of manufacturers based on the island and having their own show in the form

how you came to be living in Taiwan?

Stu: “I first started skirmishing in airsoft when I joined the original Nottingham Trent University Student Airsoft Society (NTUSAS) back in 2005, while studying Mechanical Engineering and Computer Aided Product Design at NTU. I had been collecting springer and gas blowback pistols for years before then but hadn’t played with them in a combative environment.

“From those early days it really became an addiction.

We started off playing at the original First & Only Matlock site way back in the day, with the likes of Tom and Gadge of existing (and past) Airsoft Action notoriety, among many others like Justin who went

“WE STARTED OFF PLAYING AT THE ORIGINAL FIRST & ONLY MATLOCK SITE WAY BACK IN THE DAY, WITH THE LIKES OF TOM AND GADGE OF EXISTING (AND PAST) AIRSOFT ACTION NOTORIETY, AMONG MANY OTHERS.” of MOA makes total sense to me. What interests me further though, is how other manufacturers from around the Far East are being drawn to Taiwan to showcase their new wares and innovations and my thanks again go to Stu for providing some valuable insight.

But as always, it’s about “boots on the ground” and the player’s community in any place that really means the most, so once again I spoke to Stu about this. Here’s what he had to tell me and I sincerely hope that you find it as interesting as I did!

AA: So, Stu please could you give our readers and little more information on your airsoft background and 62

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on to become equally prominent contributors and supporters of the community, with him now running The Gaol as well as having continued on previously with Matlock Combat Games. Our team grew and we played all over the Midlands as well as travelling further afield for one off events, or big MilSim things like Brit Tac’s Copehill games or the National Airsoft Event, which were always a great blast and a good way to spend a long weekend having a roadtrip and a bit of intensive themed gaming.

“Having had some of our team move further afield and others growing up and getting adult responsibilities I’ve been actively avoiding, things started to tail off a bit

INTERNATIONAL TAIWAN - AIRSOFT CENTRAL

for me in more recent years, although I’d been playing with “The Cell” guys as well and keeping up some attendance to games just before I left the UK in August 2017.

“I finally decided to emigrate after years of travelling to Mainland China and visiting old friends and flatmates, who had either moved there to teach English or returned home there after studying. With the seemingly hostile environment towards airsoft in the UK and Europe in general, it seemed like a good time for me to move on as I had been thinking about going to Asia for years by that point. I retrained in a CELTA for English teaching during 2016, got a job sorted in 2017 and off I went, leaving most of my possessions behind and selling off the majority of my gear. I started afresh in Taiwan.”

AA: How do you find the airsoft community there compared to the UK? Stu: “Taiwan was the perfect choice really, not just in terms of a very airsoft-positive environment and mentality, with a wide player base and plethora or manufacturers and retailers based there but also in terms of quality of life and opportunity. I quickly integrated into the local airsoft community and my limited but functional Mandarin helped me get around.

In the end I attracted colleagues or other like-minded English speakers already playing over there and formed the “TaiWan Anglophone Team” with some of them as a result.

“Since moving there I’ve been playing far more regularly, sometimes every weekend in a month or multiple times a weekend due to it being so much more accepted and accessible over here, as well as being much cheaper to play and purchase equipment and consumables by comparison.

“I’ve been getting well known (as a pretty obvious 2 metre tall sarcastic white guy who stands out) and have already made a huge network of friends in the industry there from players, bloggers, media and manufacturers,

as well as collaborating with Combat King Monthly since their manager, Eric, discovered my existing work covering his events for my other blogging activities with TacticalTwo beforehand.

“In general the language barrier isn’t much of an issue; playing styles and rules are pretty universal in all the countries I’ve played in. There are a wide variety of sites all over the island and airsoft is pretty much unregulated for the most part. FPS limits are a little higher, around the 400fps mark, given that a lot of the guns are made here and in terms of GBBs the tropical ambient temperatures make them run a little hotter but more reliably all year round, which is great because I use them exclusively here. A lot of places use semi-auto only rules and “hit and out” gaming to minimise the overkill

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INTERNATIONAL TAIWAN - AIRSOFT CENTRAL

and keep games turning around quickly, although there are still some larger sites running more MilSim style regen games with hundreds of players attending.

“The community is widespread, friendly, accepting, good spirited and easily approachable, as are Taiwanese people in general, I’ve found. So it has been easy to integrate and expand my network here and fit in as well as help spread English language content, reporting from the island for the likes of TacticalTwo or yourselves at Airsoft Action, as well as helping information flow the other way, working well with the likes of ICS Airsoft and their sales and marketing team who I’m in regular contact with and see at events or play alongside in Taichung based games. They’ve had an obvious interest in my 12 years of experience of the UK airsoft community and market as well as the shifting legal situation there which I’ve been trying to keep my finger on the pulse of.

“It’s great to be able to help out with communications between both sides of the world and hopefully give something back to the airsoft community

being well, which I’ve done all the English language article work for and I should hopefully be doing a lot more work with them throughout the year for their 2020 AACG and the possibility of a monthly English language release of their monthly magazine too.

“TacticalTwo has been growing since Piotr and Dave brought me on board back before I came out here, with increased viewership over Facebook, Instagram and our own website, although we have all been busy with our “day jobs” and other concerns in life a lot this year. We are hoping to keep the brand and blogging activities going and I’ve been reviewing and in-depth evaluating a lot of my own equipment since I moved here and still have plenty of content to offer.

“Aside from using my words I’m also looking into capitalising on both my experience in manufacturing and industrial design in the longer term, with ideas for airsoft related products at various stages of imagining or development and an ever growing network of in industry contacts, I’m hoping to bring a lot more to the table and the market, in terms of airsoft, the community,

“IT’S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUT WITH COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE WORLD AND HOPEFULLY GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE AIRSOFT COMMUNITY ON A WIDER SCALE, IN TERMS OF HELPING MANUFACTURERS UNDERSTAND THE MARKETS OVER IN THE WEST AND WHAT TRENDS OR THEMES I’VE SEEN IN GAMING STYLES, LOADOUT TASTES OR THEMES AND WHAT PEOPLE WANT OR NEED.” on a wider scale, in terms of helping manufacturers understand the markets over in the West and what trends or themes I’ve seen in gaming styles, loadout tastes or themes and what people want or need.”

AA: From a personal perspective what does 2019 hold in store for you airsoft-wise?

Stu: “More. Lots more, hopefully!

“My collaboration with Combat King Monthly seems to have started off well and Eric and his team are happy with my efforts so far. Our 2019 Annual Airgun Consumers Guide should be on the market in both Asia and the West around the time of Chinese New Year all

products, East and West relations and collaboration, as well as playing and making gameplay videos for my YouTube channel Stewbacca117, of course.

“It’s certainly looking up for me in the long term over here, and I’m loving the adventure so far!”

My sincere thanks to Stu for giving us the lowdown, and I shall certainly be following his progress in Taiwan with great interest. For Airsoft Action I can see that this could be the start of a “meaningful relationship” and I look forward to working with Stu to bring more reports and articles “from source” in the future! AA

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feature COVERT RURAL OBSERVATION POSTS

COVERT RURAL OBSERVATION POSTS

BEING ABLE TO OBSERVE YOUR ENEMY WHILE REMAINING UNDETECTED IS A VITAL PART OF ANY MILITARY STRATEGY. PAUL YELLAND GIVES US SOME TIPS ON HOW TO CONSTRUCT AN OP IN A RURAL ENVIRONMENT. A COVERT OBSERVATION POST IS a concealed position from where a small group of soldiers, or security team will watch a specific target. Covert observation posts (abbreviated OP for short) are conducted for both military and law enforcement purposes and can be sited in rural and urban locations. The actual objective of the OP is not always about taking out a target, but instead to gather intelligence that can be used to plan future operations or gain evidence to help secure a conviction against criminals. I am going to look at how a covert rural observation post is constructed, what equipment is required to build one and what it is like to occupy and carry out an OP. Once a requirement has been identified for an OP to take place, the team will need to be briefed and some planning undertaken before setting off. It is not unheard of for specialist surveillance teams to stop washing a few days prior to the operation to avoid smelling of soap and deodorant. If the area is unfamiliar, the location of any potential OP site will need to be identified using maps and satellite imagery, but if the decision to stage an OP is ‘hasty’ whilst already out on the ground, then the team will need to use their best judgement and locate a suitable hide using whatever information they have available at that time. There are two types of OP – above ground and underground. Out of these, the above ground option is easily the quickest to prepare but does depend on what natural cover is available and without hard cover, will not offer any ballistic protection.

The underground OP will give hard cover but is far more 66

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labour intensive to construct and will require certain building materials to be carried into the area with you.

If your team has four or more members, then the construction of a rest area located to the rear of the observation post should be considered to allow for down time and sleep. The duty team would occupy the actual OP whilst the others either provide security for the team or rest. A stag system is set up and the manning of the OP is rotated between team members to prevent fatigue. However, the establishment of a rest area is not always practical due to the cover available or lack of time so the rest area might have to be at the back of the actual observation post.

EQUIPMENT

The equipment taken on an OP will depend on the actual tasking and the planned duration of the operation, but could include the following: • Camouflage netting • Radio • Hessian • Spare batteries • Chicken wire • Rations • Basha / Waterproof sheet • Flask • Secateurs • Hot food container • Pruning saw • Plastic bags • Shovel • Note pad • Cord • Warm clothing • Binoculars • Sleeping bag • Spotting scope • Maps • Night vision equipment • Medical kit • Camera

feature COVERT RURAL OBSERVATION POSTS

FIELDCRAFT

Camouflage, concealment and tactical movement are very important considerations when it comes to covert rural surveillance. Slow and stealthy is the aim so good individual skills are a must – it only takes one mistake and a lack of concentration from a team member to compromise the security of everybody.

obvious and are easy to locate and search. The route into and out of the position should be as concealed as possible by using natural features and no sign should be left by the surveillance team during movement into the location.

ABOVE GROUND OP

Use camouflage cream.

Remember these key points for personal camouflage: • Shape • Shine • Shadow • Smell • Sound • Silhouette • Spacing • Speed Apply camouflage cream to bare skin and break up the shape of your head and shoulders by wearing a ghillie suit. On the approach, use dead ground and natural features such as woods and hedges to make your movement less obvious. Tactical movement like crawling might also be required. The ideal time for inserting into an area to carry out an OP is during the hours of darkness and this is when the hide should be built.

SELECTING A SUITABLE OP LOCATION

The above ground option relies heavily on naturally occurring cover. It is relatively easy to cut your way inside a thick gorse or blackberry bush and to then thin out the interior where it would become a suitable position to operate from. Enter the chosen bush from the rear to avoid being seen and use secateurs to make an entrance to crawl through. It may be necessary to use a small folding saw to cut through thicker branches – especially when working with gorse bushes but be aware of making loud noises when sawing through the wood. Once a space has been cleared inside the hide, netting / hessian and chicken wire needs to be pushed upwards and tied in place to create a ceiling within the position. A basha placed underneath the net will offer some protection from the elements and give additional concealment plus aiding as a backdrop to prevent the team from being silhouetted when inside the OP. Any gaps in the camouflage will need to be filled by adding extra matching foliage that has been carefully cut and brought from a location some distance away.

Lots of consideration needs to be given to where the observation post is sited. Firstly, the chosen area needs to be checked to see if it is clear of threats. The position

Clear inside the gorse bush and fill in the gaps with extra foliage.

must have a good view of the actual target with no areas of dead ground to the front that could hide the movement of hostile patrols. The OP should be within an area of dense cover such as the inside of a tree line or heavily overgrown areas – but not isolated features such as single bushes in the middle of fields as these are more

Cut branches to make space inside the hide.

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TACTICAL

get the tactical advantage PATROL GLOVE

RECON GLOVE

VENOM GLOVE

n Polyester/spandex n Micro fibre palm n Webbing finger pull

n Polyester/spandex nP added micro fibre palm nO ne piece rubber knuckle guard nR ubber/Velcro wrist fastening n Thumb/finger grip

n Polyester/spandex nM icro fibre palm with reinforcing nR ubber finger impact protection nH ardshell knuckle protection nR ubber/Velcro wrist fastening nG love puller

Colours: V-Cam, Titanium, Coyote, Black, Green Sizes: S-XXL SRP

Colours: V-Cam, Titanium, Coyote, Black, Green Sizes: S-XXL

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WEBBING FINGER PULL

UPDATES / STOCKISTS / CATALOGUE

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feature COVERT RURAL OBSERVATION POSTS

remember security is extremely important so someone should always be on watch and everybody having their weapon within an arm’s length – ready to grab should the need arise.

OCCUPATION AND ROUTINE

Start to add the camouflage netting, then tie a basha in place underneath it.

The view from inside the OP.

DIGGING IN

The underground OP involves digging a hole and covering the top with roofing material and camouflaging it. Construction of an underground OP is more demanding on time and energy. Digging can also be noisy, especially when the shovel strikes a stone.

Any signs of digging need to be hidden which involves concealing the excavated soil by filling sandbags and emptying it away from the hide.

The first task is to mark out an area that is long enough to lie in. Remove the top soil / turf and put it to one side and start to carefully dig down. Work from inside the trench to avoid disturbing the ground around the sides. The depth of the hole should be around 60 cm – enough to cover your body but not so deep that you cannot see out without straining. Make extra

The roof of the underground hide is completely invisible.

allowances for space if you are using optics such as spotting scopes. Once the hole is ready, a roof should be constructed from chicken wire, camouflage net, poles and a basha. The soft roof is covered over with leaves and other light debris and nothing heavier as it is certainly not weight bearing. The entrance can be made at the back of the hide through a movable piece of chicken wire on the roof – again covered in a cam net and leaves.

It is very important to avoid disturbing the front of the observation post. Any ground disturbance or obvious cutting of branches could be noticed by the target so every effort has to be made to limit this. Also,

Life inside the observation post is going to be uncomfortable – more so over longer periods. If your clothing is soaking wet, then change into some warm dry kit just before settling down in the hide. Line the mud floor with a ground sheet and lay on a foam roll mat for insulation. The cold, wet and muscle cramps will have to be endured, but the greater test is going to be psychological. Boredom and loss of concentration can lead to mistakes. Being able to remain alert and focused in these sorts of conditions for prolonged periods means that this role is certainly not for everyone. The general rule for operating within an observation post is to adopt a ‘hard routine’ which means no cooking or fires and no torchlights. So, unless you have a thermos flask, meals are eaten cold. Toilet facilities – urination and defaecation are into glamourous containers and plastic bags. All rubbish, including human waste must be carried out when the OP is vacated so that no sign of your presence is left to be found. This may seem over the top for a mil-sim event and can be ignored, but in real life situations with a serious threat posed against your life if caught – it certainly cannot be.

Naked lights and smoking in the OP should be avoided.

Your job once the observation post has been set up is to do just that – observe and report on the target’s activities. This can involve using cameras, video recorders and night vision equipment. Make sure that you are familiar with how to operate these electronic devices before needing to use them in the OP because it is gutting when you get back to base after carrying out an OP and find that nothing has been recording or the photographs have not come out properly.

Communication equipment could be required between your position and other units, so this also needs to be tested. Panoramic sketches can be a very useful tool when recording information about the area under surveillance. You don’t need to have a degree in art to draw one and with a bit of practice reasonable sketches can be made for use as a reference or in the planning of future operations. Once the OP is over, exit the area in the same fashion that you entered it – by stealth so leave no sign that you have been there.

Covert OP work is unique and comes with risks, but it is a very important role because of the information that it can provide. You can get quite a rush of adrenaline when there is a possibility of getting caught and that danger sharpens your senses which helps you to switch on and stay focused on the task in hand – to get in, gather the intelligence and get out unseen. AA www.airsoft-action.online

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armoury CLASSIC ARMY X9 SMG

CLASSIC ARMY

NEMESIS X9 OVER THE LAST TEN-PLUS YEARS WE’VE SEEN NUMEROUS AIRSOFT MANUFACTURERS FLARE INCANDESCENTLY FOR A WHILE, THEN FADE TO BLACK, HOWEVER, CLASSIC ARMY IS A BRAND THAT KEEPS RIDING THE TRENDS TO BRING US SOME STUNNING AEGS. BILL ONCE AGAIN DELVES INTO HIS PERSONAL “HISTORY BOOK” AND CHECKS OUT ONE OF THEIR LATEST MODELS. IT SEEMS SUCH A SHORT WHILE AGO that I was writing a review of a new Classic Army AEG and somewhat bemoaning the fact that their “glory days” seemed to be behind them. In fact, nearly a year and a half has passed since I looked at their (then) new to market “Nemesis” AEG, which proved to be a thoroughly workmanlike rifle and got my personal “thumbs up” at the time.

That was the back end of 2017 and since then, although I saw them at IWA 2018, Classic Army hasn’t really grabbed my attention. This is a little saddening to me as my personal history with “CA” goes back some considerable time. As my tastes for airsoft play

As I said a while back though, a truly innovative and highly competitive market never stands still and as airsoft continues to grow in popularity, more and more brands from the Far East have piled into airsoft shops and appeared online. New manufacturers have entered the market, not only with full metal AEGs (once CA’s strong point) but also with a vast array of new and unique models that would please any player. Classic Army was, as an established and trusted brand, at the forefront of things but inexorably their lead has been whittled away.

Whilst other established manufacturers were heading

“NEW MANUFACTURERS HAVE ENTERED THE MARKET, NOT ONLY WITH FULL METAL AEGS (ONCE CA’S STRONG POINT) BUT ALSO WITH A VAST ARRAY OF NEW AND UNIQUE MODELS THAT WOULD PLEASE ANY PLAYER. CLASSIC ARMY WAS, AS AN ESTABLISHED AND TRUSTED BRAND, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THINGS BUT INEXORABLY THEIR LEAD HAS BEEN WHITTLED AWAY.” have changed over the years, Classic Army always had something for me; for “USSF” I had a MK16 (SCAR L) in a super flat tan colour; for ‘Nam games it was a pretty good, era-correct M16 closely followed by an XM177E2 and for CQB it was a CA-51 that, thanks to FireSupport, soon became a rather wonderful “MC-51 SBS” using the front end of a CA SD6. To give you some idea of the quality of the Classic Army range at that time, both the XM and the MC-51 are with me to this day and both still run like clockwork!

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in new directions with electronic blowback systems and then recoil mechanisms, CA produced solid, workmanlike AEGs but they were still deemed “pricey”, as more keenly priced offerings bit even further into their market share. Recently though, my friend and team-mate, James, turned up with a lovely-looking “AR SMG” which stopped me in my tracks and made me immediately ponder on whether CA are taking the initiative again. When I last met with them they had “ideas” and whilst my attention has been elsewhere it

armoury CLASSIC ARMY X9 SMG

appears that Classic Army are back with some fabulous new models - and new technologies to boot!

“AR SMGS”

Although Classic Army themselves have seemingly crept in under my personal radar, the trend for short, CQB-length “9mm” AR-style AEGs has not escaped my attention and there are a number of cracking models out there to choose from right now! Some “purists” seem to write these models off disparagingly as “video game guns” but in actual fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth as back in the 1980’s Colt surprised everyone in the firearms industry by entering the (thenbudding) domestic 9mm submachine gun market, which was utterly dominated at the time by the H&K MP5.

Most said they didn’t have a chance, that the MP5 was so good that Colt’s new SMG wouldn’t last more than a couple of years.

As it happened, Colt’s new model not only survived but it prospered! Called the “Model 635”, the weapon was based on the venerable AR15/M16’s triedand-tested design. In fact, with the exception of its blowback, rather than gas, operating system, it retained all of the M16’s physical characteristics, which meant that it was part of a fundamental design family, or “system” within which all weapons operated and fieldstripped the same way. The intent, of course, was to allow maximum operational and training efficiency with as little idiosyncratic variation as possible between the weapons themselves.

Light and well balanced, it carried and shouldered quickly and with relative ease. The sights were rugged, well-protected, highly visible in all reasonable light conditions and easily adjusted. No weapon in the world had a selector switch better located, with the lever literally right under the shooter’s firing thumb. It was available with either the CAR-15 retractable or more conventional fixed buttstock, thus satisfying even the

most demanding aircraft/maritime/vehicular storage and operational requirements. The use of the 9mm round prevented “over-penetration”, which in tightly confined urban environments with restricted sight-lines and ranges proved a real winner.

Colt production models are the R0635 which features a Safe/Semi/Full Auto selective fire trigger group and the R0639 which features a Safe/Semi/3-round Burst selective fire trigger group. Both are equipped with a 10.5 inch length barrel. The 633 was a modified compact version with a 7 inch (180 mm) barrel, hydraulic buffer and simplified front sight post used by the DEA. The most common model is the 635, the latest versions of which are simply marked SMG 9mm NATO; this model is currently offered by Colt for military and law enforcement users. It was/is used by numerous police agencies in USA, as well as by US Department Of Energy Nuclear Plants Security Units, US DEA, US Marines and “some others”.

And it’s not just Colt themselves that offer a 9mm variant, as the popularity of the “pistol calibre round” has found many adherents, with some cracking models available from the likes of Wilson Combat.

The Wilson Combat AR9 (which is compatible with the most popular 9mm service pistol magazines from Glock and Beretta) has been specifically designed for superior reliability and maximum accuracy, while retaining the familiar handling and controls of the AR platform. Wilson Combat work with The Department of Homeland Security, US Border Patrol, HQ SOCOM, US Marshal’s Service, US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Diplomatic Security Service, Texas Rangers and many more elite law enforcement and military units worldwide.

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armoury CLASSIC ARMY X9 SMG

“IF YOU LOOK UP THE DICTIONARY DESCRIPTION OF “NEMESIS”, ONE SUCH IS “AN INESCAPABLE AGENT OF SOMEONE’S OR SOMETHING’S DOWNFALL” AND HAVING NOW HAD THE LITTLE CA 9MM IN MY HANDS I CAN SEE WHAT THEY’RE ON ABOUT.” It would appear that the “9mm AR” is not such a “dreamer’s gun” after all…

INESCAPABLE!

If you look up the dictionary description of “Nemesis”, one such is “an inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall” and having now had the little CA 9mm in my hands I can see what they’re on about; more of that later!

better trigger response, it also allows for programming of 3 to 5 round burst (easy to set and for once very well explained in the Instruction Manual!) which mimics the operation of the real-world Colt R0639.

Through the chrono the X9 was absolutely spot-on for the UK registering a really friendly 1.0 Joule/329fps using RZR 0.20g BBs. With many of their current AEGs, Classic Army recommend that you should use a 20C LiPo irrelevant of voltage, as anything higher than 25C will cause damage to the electronic components, so I ran it solely on a suitable battery just to be on the safe side and it ran very nicely indeed!

QUICK CHANGE

The Nemesis X9 does have a true quick-change spring system that you can access without having to take out the gear box, so that you can quickly and easily upgrade or downgrade your spring to change the power level, although personally I would happily leave it as stock.

With pretty much 330fps on the nose out of the box I can see no benefit whatsoever in “fettling it” in any way.

ACCURACY The Nemesis X9 is Classic Army’s foray to meet the demands of players who want an uber-compact “9mm AR SMG” for close-in play. To the best of my knowledge, it’s one of the first of its type on the market to offer a full metal receiver, CNC machined out of aluminium in painstaking detail to resemble an aggressive machined billet style. Going back to the heyday of Classic Army, the “all metal body” was a real winner for them and it’s great to see them working to a traditional strength once again! The Compact Stock System offers two positions and locks tightly and tucked away between the stock bars is a generous battery compartment that’s easy to use “in game” should you need to. I’ve tried a number of “AR SMG” models and the battery compartments have either been fiddly to access or sized to make fitting a decent battery almost an impossibility. The X9 gets top marks for this alone in my opinion.

AMBIDEXTROUS

There’s ambidextrous “everything” on the X9 including charging handle, stock release and fire selector, along with a flat “race-style” trigger and a nicely textured pistol grip. As well as a nifty M-LOK handguard, with side and bottom panels you get a full length 20mm RIS/ RAS Rail on the upper and the X9 comes pre-fitted with removable flip-up iron sights. Internally the X9 features high-quality silver wiring throughout, a reinforced gearbox with 9mm bearings for added performance and has a quick-change spring facility. The trigger feels nice and snappy thanks to Classic Army’s ECS MOSFET trigger system; not only does the ECS system provide

Surprisingly, given the miniscule inner barrel, the X9 does offer phenomenal range and accuracy and the setup of stock, ergonomic pistol grip and the lovely smooth front end makes it easy to shoulder, shoot and generally manipulate. At 20m on the range it was easy to hit dinner-plate steels each and every time with the iron sights and I believe that adding a mini red-dot optic would enhance this further. Basically, it’s a “point/ shoot/hoot” joy of an AEG! The X9 comes with a tough 120BB polymer magazine which feeds perfectly and I understand (although I didn’t personally test this) that it’s compatible with ARP9 magazines, including the drum if that’s your thing!

SUMMARY

In conclusion this is a really, REALLY nice little AEG and one that performs superbly from the get-go. The attention to detail, right down to the “micro-amp” muzzle device is stunning and the build quality is solid as a rock. With the Nemesis X9, especially with the addition of the ECS MOSFET trigger system, I honestly feel that Classic Army are back on track again and with an asking price iro of £260.00, its great value too! AA

For more information on the X9, along with other models and the entire Classic Army range, do please do pay a visit to www.classicarmy.com The test models pictured here came from www. patrolbase.co.uk

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kit & gear PISTOL PACKING PROJECT

PISTOL PACKING PROJECT

PHIL BUCKNALL WAS LOOKING FOR A BETTER WAY OF CARRYING HIS PISTOLS TO A GAME AND SPOTTED THAT THE NEW NUPROL SMG HARD CASE MIGHT JUST FIT THE BILL. I’M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE a few pistols and, until recently, they were kept in a couple of briefcase-sized hard cases that had “pick and pluck” foam in them, inside a rifle case with a couple of carbines, or in my game day range bag, which has everything I need for a day’s play in it.

Having them in various bags and cases meant that 1. they were obviously all spread out and if I didn’t take all of the cases with me, I could end up leaving the pistol I wanted to use at home. It also meant that I had to pack more stuff than I probably needed and 2. they

trunk/another rifle case, even maybe using a soft bag and that would’ve been the least palatable option and one of last resort.

So, what exactly did I want? I wanted a single case big enough to hold all of my pistols and magazines, plus a few extras like torches. It had to be tough and secure so that the contents were safe in transit but also secure enough to store them in long term. Ideally, I wanted the pistols to be laid flat rather than standing vertically, for a little bit of pizzazz too.

Recently, I saw a post on Facebook from NUPROL

“THE SMG CASE HAS AN INTERNAL HEIGHT OF 90MM AND INITIALLY THE PLAN WAS TO HAVE A SINGLE LAYER BUT AFTER PLACING THE PISTOLS ETC. IN THE LAYOUT I WANTED, IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT THE GAPS BETWEEN EACH GUN WOULD BE TOO THIN AND WOULDN’T OFFER THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED.” took up space in the rifle hard case and my range bag that I could’ve used for other items, plus it annoyed me they weren’t all kept in one neatly organised case. This wasn’t a driving reason for deciding to make a change but it was always there at the back of my mind.

NO, the biggest reason for doing this was that after a few years use the pistol cases were looking decidedly shabby as the foam had started to rip and the nicely defined individual cut outs for each pistol were no longer doing their job. It was even worse if all of the slots weren’t filled as everything just shifted around, causing the foam to get to the point that it wasn’t actually doing anything useful and the contents of the cases just did what they wanted, risking damage to the guns or the magazines - as you can see from the photo!

I mean I could’ve just got new pick and pluck foam and redone it but it would’ve just gone the same way again.

Because of this I hadn’t done anything about it until now, as the available options simply didn’t work for me.

It meant using either individual pistol cases, which goes against what I wanted in the first place or getting a big 74

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announcing a new SMG-sized hard case. When I checked the dimensions I thought this could be the solution I’d been holding out for, as it checked most of the “must-have” boxes! A quick message to the amazingly well-connected Mr. Pryce-Thomas and he told me he’d spoken to the friendly people at Nuprol and one of the SMG cases would be winging its way to me for this little project.

NUPROL SMG HARD CASE

So, a little bit of info on this new case…

It’s medium in size and can easily accept most SMGs on the market today. Like it’s larger brothers, it has a very rugged construction with four very robust catches that have a very positive click when closed and two padlock holes, so it is really secure both for transport or storage.

It’s rated to IP67 for dust and water resistance, just like cases costing a considerable amount more. To make it easy to move around there are wheels and a retractable handle akin to a roll on suitcase so it can be pulled along

KIT & gear PISTOL PACKING PROJECT

- useful if there is some weight in it - or carried using either of the other two other handles; one on the side where the latches are and the other on the same end as the retractable one so carrying it is no issue.

In short order the case arrived and it had “eggshell foam” in it. For those that don’t know what it is, eggshell foam looks like an egg box and it is very soft, softer even than pick and pluck, so that came out

and sharp otherwise it can snag on the foam rather than cut giving a messy finish. The idea is to let the blade do the work rather than trying to drag it through the foam.

Due to the thickness you need to make two passes

straight away. I then got onto the old inter-web and a company I have used before when doing gun cases with foam cutouts to source the closed cell foam I was planning on using. The company I use for such endeavours is eFoam and I cannot recommend them highly enough for their great range of foams and customer service that’s second to none. Add in free delivery and its “winner, winner, chicken dinner”! If you need any foam then check them out.

FOAM LAYERS

The SMG case has an internal height of 90mm and Initially the plan was to have a single layer but after placing the pistols etc. in the layout I wanted, it soon became apparent that the gaps between each gun would be too thin and wouldn’t offer the support they needed. In fact, they could’ve ripped completely so rather than getting one piece of the full thickness, I ordered two at 40mm and two at 10mm. The idea being that each would make a “tray” with the thinner piece stuck to the bottom of the thicker foam, which would have the cut outs in it but each layer would be able to lift out and because the foam is high density it

has a decent amount of strength to it, so it shouldn’t flop once it is all done. The total thickness is 100mm so that the foam in the lid really presses down on the base to further secure everything in place.

I marked out the locations for each pistol and their corresponding magazines and then used a VERY sharp scalpel to make the cuts. It is vital that the blade is fresh

normally to cut all the way through but make each pass as smooth as possible; avoid a sawing action at all costs and the edges will be fine. You can also use a hot wire cutter to give a smoother finish in most instances and I used this method with some of the cuts as a comparison. It is more time consuming and you need to take your time. With a lot of cuts, you will have to work in short periods allowing it to cool down completely between uses.

With all the cuts done, each cut out layer was glued using a hot glue gun to the solid base layer to make a two-tiered storage system in a compact hard case. BE careful with this as the glue is surprisingly hot; I know right? Who knew?! Using a glue gun means you do need to do it in stages otherwise it’ll set before you can stick the layers together. You’ll have to roll the thin base layer onto the top one so if you can get another pair of hands to assist then that’s the best way. At a later date I

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kit & gear PISTOL PACKING PROJECT

may make a couple of holes at either end to pass a loop of paracord through creating handles so the top layer is easier to remove but I’ll see how it performs first as it is before I do anything else.

Overall, this isn’t the easiest way to do things. You could just chuck all your pistols in the Nuprol SMG case with the existing eggshell foam and it would definitely work to some degree but I wanted something a little bit more special. eFoam do offer a custom foam cutting service if you provide the dimensions but for me there are too many potential errors and it isn’t cheap - the cheapest I’ve seen is £70 for a single cut out and the price only increases with complexity and number of cuts.

However, if your measurements are spot on you will get a very professional finish. For a two-level set up, you’d have to double the price as well and it soon ramps up.

Overall the cost for this was around £55-60 (excluding the SMG case), so still cheaper than going the full professional custom route and with a little investment in time (approx. 2-3 hours) and money for the foam you’ll

them round a bit. Secondly, even though the foam is pretty firm, with the weight of the guns and mags a harder base layer would probably be a good idea. I did look at getting a plywood board if I ever change it to stiffen things up and it would give a good mount for the paracord handles. With all that though, it has still worked really well and I am happy with it.

The foam was from www.efoam.co.uk and the NUPROL SMG case can be found in any NUPROL Stockist. You can check sizes and dimensions at www. nuprolairsoft.eu AA

get something very close.

Having completed it and used it a bit now, there are things I would do differently if I was to do it again.

Firstly, I wouldn’t underestimate the amount of work it would be! I genuinely thought I’d be done in about half an hour! I would make the cutouts bigger and use more straight edges as the curved cuts were killers to do neatly. It would also mean that maybe more pistols would fit should I decide to sell any and swap

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77

armoury HERA ARMS CQR

HERA ARMS

CLOSEQUARTERRIFLE IF YOU ARE A REGULAR READER OF TOM HIBBERD’S ARTICLES, YOU’LL KNOW THAT HE IS A FAN OF MILITARY SERVICE RIFLE REPLICAS - GUNS USED BY ARMIES AND POLICE FORCES. SO WHAT WOULD HE MAKE OF THE HERA ARMS CQR BY ICS AND ASG…? READ ON TO FIND OUT! THE HERA ARMS CQR is a joint partnership project between ActionSportGames and ICS Airsoft. It was designed and developed using original blueprints and drawings provided by HERA Arms and features components custom made for Airsoft by HERA Arms themselves. The AEG is built on the ICS CXP AEG platform, for proven reliability and performance.

As many of you will know ICS was founded in 1983. They are a first class developer and manufacturer of Airsoft rifles and pistols and the first company to produce Airsoft electric rifles in Taiwan.

ActionSportGames (ASG) is a worldwide leader in the business of replica firearms and accessories development/manufacturing.

A SHOW GIRL

The HERA Arms has been a popular exhibit at gun shows, both in its real steel guise and the airsoft replica. The RIFs first starring appearance was at Shot Show in 2018, where the distinctive airsoft-specific CQR Riflestock and CQR fore grip were shown in rapid prototype form. It caught the eye of the world’s airsoft media and the excitement began build. Skip forward to Shot Show 2019 and the finished gun was one of the most popular items on show, again with lots of content creators and retailers stopping by to see it and feel the ergonomics on offer.

THE REAL DEAL Pictures courtesy of ActionSportGames

HERA Arms designs and manufactures high-grade weapon accessories and equipment, including everything from complete weapon conversion kits to small mounts. Founded in 2006, focusing on the sportshooter market, they have increased their product-line to meet the needs of law enforcement and military services across Europe. Hera Arms are known for developing products based on input from shooters, police departments, specialists and official Agencies. All Hera GmbH products are designed, tested and manufactured in Germany, with the highest possible standards of care

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and attention to detail.

The production started with innovative stock and pistol grip conversions for the H&K SL8/G36 (I would love to see these being made for airsoft) and the H&K USC/UMP. HERA Arms also developed Carbine Stock systems for popular handguns like the Glock Series and have recently offered a complete AR15 system with the recently released THE15TH.

THE CQR

At the heart of the HERA Arms is an ICS CXP AR style receiver which uses ICS’s proven split gearbox design.

Upon separating the upper and lower receiver you can easily remove the top part of the gearbox, which houses all the compression parts (spring, spring guide, piston, piston head, cylinder, tappet plate and nozzle), allowing you to work on or replace these parts without having to disturb any of the gears, trigger and motor which live in the lower section of the gearbox. The upper gearbox also comes with a true quick-spring change cylinder and, unlike many “quick-change” springs, this one actually lives up to the claim! Like most airsoft AR replicas, once the receivers are split it’s also easy to remove the hop unit and barrel for cleaning.

The version of the CQR we tested also featured the ICS Self-Diagnostic Shooting System (SSS) - a Fire Control Unit MOSFET with an electronic micro switch

armoury HERA ARMS CQR

trigger. The SSS features active brake, pre-cocking, battery monitoring and an optional burst mode and as the SSS also features cycle detection, it is virtually impossible to lock the gearbox up. With pre-cocking turned on and after firing a few shots for the processor to learn the piston’s position, the CQR features a very crisp and immediate trigger response. Very rapid follow-up shots can be hindered a bit by a relatively long reset but you soon learn to deal with this. To activate the three round burst mode, you simply switch to semi and then press and hold the trigger for 10 seconds. When you feel a vibration the gun will then shoot a three round burst when placed in full-auto mode. Though not fully programmable like some FCUs, this is a great addition to the CQR and totally changes the feel of an airsoft gun over one that doesn’t have an FCU like the SSS fitted.

Of course, all this is hidden away and what really draws the eye is the CQR Riflestock and CQR Foregrip. CQR stands for “Close Quarter Rifle” and indeed close quarters is where this AEG really shines! The stock and fore grip are very stable and allow the user to get a tight grip on the gun and maneuver it easily to the intended target. The fore grip especially allows for a wide variety of hand positions for use in different situations and features a grippy rubber overmoulded section that aids retention. The grip also has some real QD sling sockets and moulded in sling loops, as well as a section that can be removed to allow drum mags to fit.

The stock is unusual because it’s permanently attached to the pistol grip.

In the real steel world this is normally done because of local restrictions in the type of

firearms that are allowed for civilian ownership. In some countries a separate pistol grip and stock would be banned whilst the same gun with a stock like the CQR would be considered a sporting gun and be legal. Luckily in airsoft we don’t have to deal with these restrictions!

However, the stock is very distinctive and comes with real QD sockets, real sling bars and is adjusted in length of pull by adding or removing some spacers. The battery is stored in the stock tube and would need to be of the stock tube or slim AK stick type. At the base of the stock is a rail onto which you can attach a monopod for a DMR build. Just like the fore grip there is a soft rubber over moulded section to improve grip.

The CQR Foregrip is attached to the IRS rail which has been CNC machined from aluminum. This is a really stiff, well-made rail with M1913 rails onto which you can attach your normal tactical light, lasers and PEQ boxes. The IRS rail also features a pair of QD sockets, so you are spoilt for choice.

PERFORMANCE

Airsoft Action took the CQR for our normal 10m accuracy tests and found that a 10m test very closely approximates how accurate a RIF will be at longer ranges. For our test we went to Combat Ready Airsoft in Derby and used a section of their CQB facility. We loaded the CQR’s ICS hi-cap with ASG 0.28g Devil Blasters and fired 6 sets of 10-shot groups at targets that were positioned 10 metres away. Once we had settled down the CQR was capable of printing 10 shot groups of around 1 inch in size - impressive for a stock gun and is one of the most accurate that we have tested.

The range of the CQR is fairly standard for a UK Legal AEG and will launch BBs out to around 50-55m without much trouble. It had no problems hopping 0.25g and 0.28g BBs though will need a few thousand BBs through it to bed in the hop rubber. Like a lot of stock guns that originate in the Far East and are designed for higher power levels than the UK, it could probably benefit from a softer hop rubber in the long run. The trigger response is very good and it is a pleasure to shoot. Even if the gun isn’t slung it’s easy to transition to pistol due to the design of the foregrip.

SUMMARY

Due to it’s quirky aesthetic I didn’t expect to like the HERA Arms CQR, however, the more I used it the more I liked it. I wouldn’t take it to a hardcore Milsim as my primary but if you are looking for an AEG that is a bit different, then it’s well worth taking a look at and having a fondle. It’s not for everyone and is probably a bit of a “Marmite gun”. I see it as being most attractive to those players who are fans of Sci-Fi and indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns up in movies and TV shows as a prop gun.

Performance-wise it is no slouch and due to the proven ICS split gearbox and SSS FCU, will be easy to look after and maintain. The price point at time of writing is expected to be £350 which, for what you are getting, is a bit of a bargain.

For our video review of the ASG/ICS HERA Arms CQR head on over to our YouTube Channel Airsoft Action TV: www.youtube.com/airsoftactiontv AA www.airsoft-action.online

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last post MINE IS BETTER THAN YOURS!

MINE IS BETTER THAN YOURS!

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR READ POSTS IN “FORUMS”, YOU’LL HAVE SEEN COMMENTS THAT DENIGRATE AND DERIDE, SOMETIMES USING VILE LANGUAGE, THE POSTER’S VIEWS AND/OR OPINIONS – AND AIRSOFT IS NO EXCEPTION. FRENCHIE DIGS DEEPER… AWAY FROM AIRSOFT, MY ABIDING PASSION is music and although primarily a bass player, I also have way too may electric guitars (and a few acoustic instruments as well). On a recent trip to Newcastle (great city, if you’ve not been, go!) I accidentally (read: not even slightly accidentally) picked up a new acoustic. I bought it because it sounded good, I liked the look, the price was right and it met the criteria I had in my head. I was more than happy.

Once home and with a little time on my hands, I looked up online reviews, as you do. Overall, they were good but they were also written or posted by people who would want you to know the product was good, i.e. sellers. One video stood out though, the reviewers liked the guitar but the comments were full of hate… I mean loads of it! Now, the video wasn’t great but I have

review was decent; quality was good, sound was good, the presenter knew what they were talking about and were articulate and engaging; a perfectly produced review if you will. It would appear that there was nothing to get upset about, until you look at the comments…

Some will be supportive: “Thanks for the review”…

“Interesting stuff’… However, there will be some where you would think that the reviewer had launched a deeply personal attack on the commenter’s religious beliefs, lifestyle or family: “You dumb mother******!

That’s the biggest pile of **** ever sold! You must be in the pay of Big Airsoft! How can you even post that for other people to see? Why don’t you just die?!!!!!!”

And breathe…

“MAYBE WHAT HE BOUGHT WAS ACTUALLY ALRIGHT BUT BECAUSE HE HADN’T DONE A BIT OF RESEARCH, HE BOUGHT SOMETHING THAT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIS NEEDS; A BOLT-ACTION RIFLE WHEN REALLY, HE SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT AN MP5 - AND THAT, OF COURSE, ISN’T HIS FAULT, IT’S EVERYONE ELSE’S!” the thing and I know how it sounds, so why were there so many folks getting exercised about it?

The same phenomenon can be found in airsoft and I wonder if the causes are the same?

You have all seen them when someone reviews a gun, or a piece of kit online. Let’s assume that the

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APRIL 2019

I’m going to have to hazard a guess as to their motivation but I suspect it’s not a million miles removed from some of the other nonsense we see online. Maybe “Mr. Ranty” bought one but got a bad one or suffered poor service from the seller, so he’s railing against the inequities of life and his words have nothing really to do with the review he’s just watched. Maybe what

LAST POST MINE IS BETTER THAN YOURS!

he bought was actually alright but because he hadn’t done a bit of research, he bought something that was inappropriate for his needs; a bolt-action rifle when really, he should have bought an MP5 - and that, of course, isn’t his fault, it’s everyone else’s!

Possibly our irate poster is a member of that lessthan exclusive group, the “Review Queens”. These dedicated individuals will read and watch reviews until they are simply bursting with information and opinions.

The problem (as I have acknowledged in the past) is that reviews are rather subjective, opinions even more so. Mr Ranty is now a seething repository of other people’s poorly thought out ideas and misconceptions about airsoft equipment and generalised stupidity. As an aside, why, oh why do people like this never get their information from decent reviews? It’s always the truly awful ones made by 13-year-old airsoft neophytes!

However, none of this will stop him from regurgitating these opinions at the drop of a hat. Occasionally they may even be relevant to the item being reviewed but that isn’t important. The upshot is that the comments become polluted with a tidal wave of ignorance; we have no evidence that the Rantys have any experience of the subject of the reviews, or is even an airsofter or, for

of this phenomenon; an interesting consideration but futile, because if experience has taught me anything, it is that there is no hope. I know you would like to help, to correct their wayward fumbling but frankly it’s pointless. Better to go and have a lovely cortado and let it go.

My last thought is that perhaps Messieur Ranty is simply showing off. Since leaving his house is a literal step too far, he fills his days with a larger than life version of himself, splattered across the web like roadkill at the Indy 500. Sad… very sad!

Does any of this really matter? Well, actually, I suggest that it does. It matters because it gets in the way of those who are genuinely looking for information by muddying the waters badly. It can be hard enough tracking down reviews that have genuine value, presenters who know what they are talking about and reviews based on experience and a degree of expertise without having to wade through a veritable mountain of cack as well. Pointless commenting is like white noise while you are trying to listen to your favourite band, or something on the radio. It makes it harder to hear what is going on and spoils your enjoyment. Mindless

“EQUIPPED WITH A LAPTOP OR PHONE AND A FINE CONCEIT OF HIS OWN IMPORTANCE, HE ROAMS THE WILDERNESS OF THE INTERNET DEPOSITING HIS UNTIDY PILES OF FATUOUS OPINION WILLY-NILLY, LIKE AN INCONTINENT HYENA.” that matter, is a member of the human race! But they have views and their opinion is as valuable as anyone else’s! (Hint… It’s not!!)

An alternative explanation might be that Mr Ranty is a huge M4 fan and is possessed of the view that anything that isn’t an M4 is rubbish or even worse worse, an offence against God himself! He will therefore launch into a coruscating attack on anything that is reviewed simply for what it isn’t, with little regard for the actual content of the review. He may not even have watched the review, just gone “It’s not an M4!

Baaaaad!” There is little that can be done here sadly.

Now this is an attitude that is far from limited to online comments but like so much that is slightly silly and base, we all tend to see it far more where there is at least a veneer of anonymity to cower behind.

Maybe, just maybe, Mr Ranty is simply a bit of a fool; odd I know but it is just possible! Equipped with a laptop or phone and a fine conceit of his own importance, he roams the wilderness of the internet depositing his untidy piles of fatuous opinion willy-nilly, like an incontinent hyena.

A long time ago I was gainfully employed in IT security and computer viruses were a big thing at the time, which kind of dates the “when”. A subject that occupied the industry press at the time was why anyone would write a virus and release it, bearing in mind that many viruses really didn’t do anything but spread themselves. One of my favourite explanations was that it was a bit like graffitiing the entire world, a sort of global “I was here!” I sometimes mull on the possibility that the serial ranters and posters are the modern iteration

negative commenting exacerbates the problem of knowing what to believe or whose point of view has genuine value. Should you trust the nice young person who has just spent 20 minutes telling you about the pros and cons of a new rifle or listen to the manic howling going on in the comments section? Maybe they all know something the reviewer doesn’t. Maybe they are more experienced? How are you meant to tell?!

A bit like entry-level positions which demand that you have relevant experience (what?!) telling the wheat from the chaff takes time and experience. As a rule of thumb, I would suggest that the more hysterical the opinion, the greater the chance that you should probably ignore it, assuming you haven’t already decided to avoid the comment section all together. It may be that there are nuggets of truth buried in there, or practical experience which could be helpful (reviewers seldom get to spend long enough with review subjects) but overall, I would leave the comments for those quiet evenings when you want a laugh.

I have no problem with constructive comments, positive or negative; if they are relevant and to the point you can learn something, whether or not you chose to be influenced by it. My problem is with idiots whose language, attitude and views add nothing to our understanding or knowledge. None of this will help you determine which reviews are worth watching but your opinion on that is as relevant as mine. You’ll find what you like and choose to believe them but remember, the comments section is a bit like a mosh pit – full of sweaty bodies, hurling themselves at each other for the sheer hell of it rather than to illuminate or add value. Happy days indeed. AA

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ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER

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AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM

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APRIL 2019

New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW

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Tel: 01252 315225

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87

SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

FINMERE AIRSOFT

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FIRST & ONLY:

Tel: 0161 727 8863

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FREE FIRE ZONE

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FIRST & ONLY:

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THE OUTPOST – KIDDERMINSTER

Tel: 01269 850404

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FIRST & ONLY:

Tel: 0161 727 8863

LAC AT COMBAT ZONE

Tel: 01676 532 384 info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk

LEEDS AIRSOFT: THE FOUNDRY CQB Haigh Park Road, Stourton, Leeds LS10 1RX Tel: 0113 277 7707 / 07968 258952

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

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www.gassairsoft.co.uk

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MAW

Tel: 08000 354490/ www.paintballuk.com

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Uplands Coppice, Off B4363, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 5LS Tel: 0161 727 8863

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

HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT/ Tel: 07971 560249

MIA

facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft

Cornwall, EX23 9JL : Tel: 01288 331748

FIRST & ONLY: STEALTH WOODS – OTLEY Stealth Woods, Dob Park, Norwood Bottom Road, Otley LS21 2NA Tel: 0161 727 8863

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www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

MIDWALES AIRSOFT Abbey Cwm-hir, Midwales, LD1 6PG 01686 627594 www.facebook.com/Midwales-airsoft

88

APRIL 2019

SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

OBAN AIRSOFT – ILL ARGYLL

RED1AIRSOFT CQB

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT– THE ROCK

Argyll and Bute, PA37 1

Red1 CQB. Kings Langley, WD4 8RN

Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG

Wrightington, WN6 9PL

Tel: 07967 710185

Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069

Tel: 07984 656947

Tel: 01942 514724

www.argyllsurplus.com

www.red1airsoft.co.uk

www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS

RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3

STIRLING AIRSOFT

Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT

Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ

Coventry, CV3 6NX

Tel: 07964 990831

Tel: 07751 586781

Tel: 07831 429407

www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk

MILSIM UK Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS

www.op-tac.co.uk

www.riftairsoft.com

Tel: 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

NCIS AIRSOFT

www.stirlingairsoft.com

OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB

RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM)

Anglesey, LL71 8VW www.ottairsoft.

Cambridge, CB24 8RL

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

github.io / Tel: 07895 478634

Tel: 07751 586781 / www.riftairsoft.com

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD

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

NOMAD AIRSOFT Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY

Tel: 07515 937633

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

Former RAF Camp Sopley/Merryfield Park,

Tel: 07974 026517

www.nomadairsoft.com

NO LIMITS AIRSOFT Unit 4, King Street, Gatehead, NE8 2YP info@nolimitspaintballandlaser.co.uk

Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB www.s8airsoft.com

SUSSEX AIRSOFT Slinfold, RH12 Tel: 020 8150 9284

Hants, BH23/ Tel: 02380 899369

SG1 COMBAT GAMES

Tel: 07904 998250

www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

PHOENIX AIRSOFT

Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA

Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road,

Tel: 07713 273102

S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT

Notts NG20 9JX

www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire,

Tel: 07956 587213 / 01623 812483

CH64 3TB

www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

SHROPSHIRE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES

Tel: 07703 177756

PLATOON 1HQ

Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169),

TA EVENTS

Tel: 07464 482410/ 0191 441 4574

www.swatairsoft.eu

Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ

Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8

Tel: 01634 829063/ www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

Tel: 07786 192832 / www.aceairsoft.co.uk

Tel: 07894 059794 /www.ta-events.co.uk

Tel: 01845 565465

PLAYERS OF WAR

TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT

www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ

Tel: 07767 203979/ www.playersofwar.co.uk

NORTHFLEET CQB PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES

Tel: 07968 448475

Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF

www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

Tel: 02897565651 / 07825169631 www.predatorcombat.com

Trickley Coppice, London Road, Bassetts Pole, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA Tel: 0121 323 1000 info@npfairsoft.com www.facebook.com/npfairsoft

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

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ

NSC AIRSOFT

Tel: 01900 85645

Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0

www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk

Tel: 07983 333521 / www.nscairsoft.co.uk

RED1AIRSOFT NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER Tel: 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk

Tel: 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA

NPF AIRSOFT, NPF BASSETTS POLE

Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX

Chislehurst, Bromley BR7 6SD Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk

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

SOUTH COAST CQB Browndown Road, Lee-On-Solent PO13 9UG Tel: 07533 434203

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

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU Tel: 07984 656947

Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB

Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS Tel: 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL Tel: 0203 490 8008/07983 657093 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

TAZ AIRSOFT Farr, Inverness IV2 6XB Tel: 07848 448408

TECH BRIGADE Newgate Street, Hertfordshire.

SG13 8NH Tel: 07841 713356 www.techbrigade.org

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 Tel: 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

www.specopsairsoft.co.uk www.airsoft-action.online

89

SITE DIRECTORY

Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing

FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

THE BUNKER

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST

FPS ACTION AIR IPSC

Aberystwyth www.aberairsoft.co.uk

Dunstable, LU6 2EE Tel: 01494 881430

24 Scarrots lane

Tel: 07841 462806

Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY

www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk

Newport Isle of Wight PO30 2JD

Tel: 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

THE DEPOT

THE EX SITE Mold, CH7 4 Tel: 07840 001975

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD

Tel: 01494 881430

www.4dsportsclubs.co.uk

Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH

YORKSHIRE TACTICAL AIRSOFT - THE MANOR

EBSC

Church Lane

PP, IDPA, IPAS, IPSC, 3GUN

Sheffield

UKPSA Coaches

www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

URBAN ASSAULT Lundholm Road, Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN

Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 Tel: 01733 247171

VIKING AIRSOFT Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN

THUNDER PARK AIRSOFT Luxulyan, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL305FA

Facebook:@fpsiow

S75 3DQ 01226 414004 To Book

www.urbanassault.org.uk

www.thewargamescentre.com wargamescentre@gmail.com

www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

Tel: 01726 858613 or 07590 030887

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT

www.thunderpark.co.uk

Warminster, BA12 7RZ

Food & drinks available on site

www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk

TORRENT WARFARE

WEST MIDLANDS AIRSOFT

Co Tyrone, BT71 4DY Tel: 07922 377131

F O B (Woodland), Hollington Road, Upper

Facebook: search ‘Torrent Warfare’

Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT

included, free tea and coffee available all

Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ

day. Site memberships.

Tel: 07428 024874

Tel: Paul – 07861427553

www.trojan-airsoft.com

Email: paul@wmairsoft.co.uk

S72 8RE 01226 414004 To Book

YORKSHIRE TACTICAL AIRSOFT - THE PINES Great North Road Bawtry, Doncaster, DN10 6DG 01226 414004 To Book

PRACTICAL SHOOTING DIRECTORY

Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate,

AIPSC WEST MIDLANDS AIRSOFT High Command (CQB),

Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP

Doulton Trading Estate, Doulton Road,

Tel: 07428 024874

Rowley Regis B65 8JQ

www.trojan-airsoft.com

On site parking, HPA top-ups, secure safe

UCAP AIRSOFT Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR Tel: 07590 818881

www.ucap.co.uk

Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

APRIL 2019

Tel: 01676 532384 www.aipsc.co.uk Facebook: A.I.P.S.C info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk. Every Monday night 7pm– 9pm (except bank

included, free tea and coffee available all

shooting rig hire. UKPSA-qualified

day. Site memberships.

coaches. UKPSA-qualified Range Officers.

Tel: Paul – 07861427553 Email: paul@wmairsoft.co.uk

WORTHING AIRSOFT Arundel Road, Worthing Tel: 07877 210898 www.worthingairsoft.co.uk

90

West Midlands, CV7 7FP

holidays). £5 or £10 with pistol and

www.wmairsoft.co.uk Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7

The Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common,

zone, male & female toilets, hot lunch

UCAP GREEN OPS

Equipment hire available ebpracticalpistol@gmail.com

HALO MILL The Penthouse, Colne Valley Business Park,

www.wmairsoft.co.uk

TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB

UKPSA-qualified Range Officers

Engine Lane, Shafton, Barnsley

On site parking, HPA Top ups, covered safe zone, male & female toilets, hot lunch

MOD-approved gun club

www.ebsc.co.uk

YORKSHIRE TACTICAL AIRSOFT - THE PIT

Bawtry Forest

TROJAN AIRSOFT

Open five nights a week 7pm-10pm Info@islandrecon.co.uk

www.theexsitewales.co.uk

THE WARGAMES CENTRE

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP

Glasgow, G45 9SB Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.thedepotglasgow.com

07964 751047

WATFORD PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB WatfordPPC@gmail.com

DOUBLE TAP PSC StrikeForce CQB, Morelands Trading Estate, Bristol Road, Gloucester GL1 5RZ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Double-Tap-Practical-Shooting-Club979585958732937/?ref=hl doubletappsc@gmail.com

Manchester Road, Linthwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5QG Tel: 01484 840554 www.halomill.com

XSITE PRACTICAL SHOOTING Fryers Farm Lane, High Wycombe, Bucks HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430

SOUTH WEST PRACTICAL SHOOTERS (SWPS) Action Air IPSC Club Based at The Tunnel Target Sports Centre near Charmouth The Tunnel, Axminster Road, Charmouth, Dorset DT6 6BY Contact: SWPSClub@Outlook.com

WETHERSFIELD AIRSOFT TARGET SHOOTING CLUB (WAT SIC) Wethersfield Village Hall, Braintree Rd (B1053), Wethersfield, Braintree CM7 4EB. https://www.facebook.com/WATSiC/ Open Thursday & Friday evenings.

Set-up from 6:30pm.

Club shooting commences by 7:30pm.

Pack-up starts at 9:30pm if you can stay to help.

Contact via FB or 07939557029. Indoors.

Club offers Action Air plus 2 & 3 Gun training and events.