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Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Gareth “Gadge” Harvey Graphic design: Havoc Design Ad design: Havoc Design Publisher: Nigel Streeter Cover Photo: Ioan “Iggy” Roberts UK 13-issue subscription rate: £46.50 UK 6-issue subscription rate: £24.00 For overseas prices email: subs@airsoft-action.co.uk
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KIT: MULTI-TOOLS
LOADED OR UNLOADED: HYDE DEFINITION
CONTENTS MARCH APRIL 2016 2014
CONTENTS APRIL 2016
6 NEWS What’s happening in the World of Airsoft 10 ROGUE’S GALLERY Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers. 11 THE ADVENTURES OF MAG Mag continues his adventures in Airsoft Action’s exclusive cartoon. 12 ARMOURY: TOKYO MARUI AA12 Nearly nine months after it was first unveiled Scott Allen gets his hands on one of the most eagerly-anticipated airsoft guns, the new tri-shot AA12 from Tokyo Marui. 16 ARMOURY: UMAREX H&K MP5A3 GBB Jerry Noone takes a look at the gas blowback replica of one of his favourite airsoft replicas; the fully licenced Heckler & Koch MP5A3 from Umarex. 20 ARMOURY: WE 1911 DOUBLE Sometimes something so unusual comes along you just have to take a look, as Scott Allen explains… 24 INTERNATIONAL AIRSOFT: RUSSIAN 24-HOUR Airsoft Action’s Russian correspondents, Maria Litvinova and Alexander Levchenko, write about a series of 24-hour games that take place just outside Moscow and involve tanks, explosions and even members of the Russian military. 29 FEATURE: RUSSIAN KIT Having read our recent articles from Russia, we thought you might like to know how to source your own Russian Loadout. So, over to our resident expert Gareth “Gadge” Harvey… 34 UK LEGAL: POLICING AND CRIME BILL The first reading of the Policing and Crime Bill 2015-16 brought airsoft one step closer to being “officially” recognised but it is only a first step, as Nige explains. 37 EU LEGAL: EU FIREARMS DIRECTIVE As European bureaucracy continues to threaten the future of airsoft, Nige gives us an update and, hopefully, some encouraging news. 38 SPECIAL REPORT: HPA SYSTEMS SHOT Show 2016 saw a surprise hit in the form of the Wolverine HPA System-driven CZ EVO from ASG, so Jerry Noone, with the help of Jim Sephton from the Grange, has been delving a little deeper into what benefits such a system can bring to the airsoft world. 43 INSIDE AIRSOFT: THE GRANGE Jerry Noone recently took the chance to pop into one of the UK’s most well-known airsoft shops and had a quick chat with its owner, Jim Sephton. 44 ARMOURY: AIRSOFT LONGBOW When the world has run out of ammo and the zombies are still coming, all you have left is your wits, your knife and your trusty longbow… 46 SITE: WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Airsoft Action goes interstellar as Iggy Roberts investigates reports of a Stargate appearing just outside Warminster… 49 COLD WAR WARRIOR: SEALOUS SCOUTS Tracking enemy forces through brush, scrub and wasteland the Selous scouts were the eyes and ears of the Rhodesian armed forces. 54 EVENT: OPERATION CLAW HAMMER Oscar P heads down to Eversley to take part in an event and answer an often-asked question: “MilSim? What’s it all about, eh?”
56 KIT: MULTI-TOOLS Knives are not welcome on any airsoft site but they can have a role to play, as Frenchie explains in this first of a two-part series. 60 AA DEBATE: C CLAMP We’ve all seen the pictures and videos but does the “C Clamp” have a place in airsoft? Gareth “Gadge” Harvey asked the question and you gave us the answer… 65 PRACTICAL SHOOTING Nige heads out to cover two very different events at opposite ends of the country, as he visits Southampton Black Sparrow and The Madders Memorial in Burnley. 68 KIT: TRMR E-1 Kelly “Femme Fatale” Hardwick takes a look at the latest version of Concept Tactical’s TRMR grenade, now available in a range of stunning new colours. 71 KIT: BULLDOG TACTICAL GEAR When he’s not getting all unnecessary over the latest piece of airsoft loveliness, Les Lee also likes to make sure the kit he wears is up to the job and found just what he was looking for at UKMC Pro. 75 LOADED OR UNLOADED: HYDE DEFINITION A big fan of the camouflage patterns offered by Hyde Definition, this month Jerry Noone revisits their unique and effective GreenZone pattern as he prepares for the summer months ahead. 80 KIT: SEEK THERMAL CAMERA Nige gets all sneaky-beaky as he checks out a great little gadget that takes “night vision” to a whole new level. 83 GITAG: CUSTOM PATCHES Let’s face it, as airsofters we all have a little bit of a fetish about morale patches, don’t we? Jerry Noone delves looks at what goes into creating a patch from “just an idea”, through to creation. 86 AIRSOFT SKILLS: RELOADS Calibre Shooting’s Andy Nightingale takes us through a skill that is very rarely mentioned and yet can have a huge impact on the way we play – reloading. 89 KIT: NUPROL BOCCA RAILS Jerry Noone (quite literally) gets to grips with the range of BOCCA rails from NUPROL and outlines how simple they are to fit! 94 FAMOUS RAIDS: SON TAY – PART TWO Billy concludes the story of this audacious raid as, sitting hot and sweaty in their FOB in ‘Nam, the soldiers wait for the green light… 96 WW1: THE BRUSILOV OFFENSIVE Sniper One, Dan Mills, continues his journey through The Great War. 100 SITE DIRECTORY & PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUBS With the ever-growing popularity of Practical Shooting, we thought it was about time we started listing where you can go and take part - as well as over four pages of awesome airsoft venues! 106 DEALER LISTING: AIRSOFT ACTION’S ADVERTISER INDEX Find who you are looking for in our listing of all the adverts that appear in this issue. www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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AIRSOFT SHOWCASE UPDATE… REDWOLF AIRSOFT’S Chris Kong has today confirmed the Stand and Ticket prices for this year’s Airsoft Showcase. Entrance Tickets are £6 in advance and £8 on the door. For 16-year-olds and under, entrance is FREE. Retailer Stand Price: £50 +vat (yes, that does say just £50 +vat!) Sites and other non-selling companies (i.e. you will not be taking money on the day): FREE (and you can have pretty much, as much space as you want!) Second Hand Sales Stalls: £24. If you’d like to book a stand or space, you can download a Booking Form from here: http://goo.gl/nattNc For Entrance Ticket Sales, or any other information, contact RedWolf Airsoft on: 01684 273070
PROJECT TANK SIMON JAMESON IS A WELL-KNOWN airsoft player from Ireland who fights from a wheelchair due to a degenerative disability. Regardless, Simon is a proper airsoft player, like many of us airsoft is something he’s thrown himself into heart and soul. Unfortunately his current wheelchair is on its last legs and was never capable over rough terrain, so he’s crowdfunding to enable him to buy and modify a HexHog offroad wheelchair. He’s one of us so please donate and we can get him back out there in the field and laying rounds down.
Tank has had some great support so far, and even got on the radio, so crowdfunding has gone really well (half way there) but airsoft is still a small community so we need help from all over the world to get up to the final amount required. Link to Tank’s crowdfunding page https://www.gofundme.com/cqj26f4k Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Y8jsgv-Bo Merchandise http://www.redbubble.com/people/hiwez/works/20483299project-tank-2-0-fundraiser Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TANK-20-483684118393978/?fref=ts Every little donation will help.
NEW FROM 0241 TACTICAL 0241 TACTICAL HAVE ANNOUNCED two new Tactical Pullover garments: the Rain Pullover and Ripstop Operator’s Jacket. Simple in design and affordable for everyone, from airsofters to real-steal operators. 0241Tactical will be the sole seller (product sold from producer directly to customer). No distributors means no markup prices! Built using genuine Mil-Spec materials with quality American construction. Available in Multicam, A-TACS, MARPAT and PenCott patterns. DEPSOC patterns available soon. Limited quantities will be available, all orders are built as orders are placed. Current Sizes: Small, Medium, Large. For pre-orders please email sales@0241Tactical.com Features: • Large Hood • Arm Pocket x2 with velcro loop on pockets (Rain Jackets do not have arm pockets) • Draw string waist • Draw string hood …and nothing else to raise the price.
UNLEASH THE FIREDRAGON THERE’S A STORY ABOUT a handful of soldiers who got lost on a training exercise in the Alps. As the snow fell, they became disoriented. Every peak looked the same. Cold and hungry, they bickered in the fading light about which way to go. Then, a miracle. One soldier suggested that they camp down for the night to find their bearings. It was only when they were warm and well fed that the soldiers looked closer at the map. It was of the Pyrenees hundreds of miles away! The following day they found their way back to base. This story is a nice reminder of how warm 6
April 2016
food raises morale, energy and concentration levels but did you know that for the last 40 years British Soldiers were potentially producing and inhaling toxic fumes each time they used their issued hexamine fuel tablets? No? Neither did the British Army and when they found out, they did something about it. BCB International have developed a unique Operational Ration Heater Fuel made from solidified ethanol called “FireDragon”. Following extensive field trials and laboratory tests, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) have awarded BCB a four-year contract for the supply of FireDragon in 24-hour fuel packs, as well as an accompanying collapsible rations cooker.
The first shipment of the fuel has just been delivered to the MoD. If you would like more information and find out where to buy FireDragon, visit www.firedragonfuel.com
AIRSOFT NEWS
Inperspextive Display Custom Pistol Stands and Rifle Wall Brackets WHILST HAVING A STROLL along eBay High Street, I came across a place that manufactures and sells custom Perspex pistol stands and wall brackets at very fair and reasonable prices. As curiosity got the better of me, I stepped inside this virtual shop and met the guy behind INPERSPEXTIVE display units, Paul Moss. After having a chat with Paul, who has been creating items of mass production for 33 years, it turns out that he not only builds “standard-sized” pieces but he is more than happy to custom build to your requirements, whatever you may need and typically at no additional cost (unless it really is something big and time consuming). All stands are made in UV stabilised acrylic 3 or 5mm thick and because of the volume, these are manufactured from start to finish in around 25 minutes, plus all stands and brackets carry a one-year warranty. To date I have bought 24 pistol stands and four pairs of wall brackets (and I haven’t finished yet) for my rifles, which indicates just how good the quality of the finished product is and what great value for money these units are. If you are interested, take a look at Paul’s website: www.weapondisplays.co.uk or call Paul on 07790 400172 and you might just find that elusive stand for your drummagazined, twin barrel, scoped and silenced Desert Eagle race gun, complete with angled fore grip and 20,000 lumen mains powered floodlight – most probably at no extra cost. I think this is the first ever “made-to-measure” bespoke affordable gun display service for our precious weapons and remember… you heard it here first in Airsoft Action.
SKIRMISH CUP 2016 DETAILS OF THE SKIRMISH CUP 2016 have been announced. It takes place at Skirmish Airsoft, Billericay (Essex), on 2nd July and is for 6-man teams, 25 teams maximum. The main tournament format is the card game using the jump off points. There will also be a ‘Pistol Run’ tournament module. Trophies for 1st, 2nd & 3rd and Riflemen. Strict chronograph limits as per usual with penalty points given for hot guns on the field. Players not in a team will be matched up to make up extra teams on the day. This is how it works: All of the 6-man teams are allocated a different numbered drop-off point for each round and all teams (bar those on the pistol run for that round) are on the field at the same time. These are marked on our maps of the game zone which are available to download from our website at: www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk 8
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Once the teams are in position, the round starts and the object is to engage other teams to get their cards. Eliminated players must hand over their ‘Life’ card to the team that tagged them while keeping hold of any cards they have already collected. At the end of the round, team captains collect all their team’s cards and present them to the score judge back at the safe zone. 1 point per card is added to the team’s running score. Pistol run points are also added to the totals. Players party Sat evening, free camping Sat night and special rates for next day’s regular game if doing both events. Costs: £20.00 per player or £30.00 for both days. Written parental consent needed for Sat night camping for under-16s. Please register your team in advance as places are limited. We ask that you do not use abbreviations or acronyms please when entering your team name. Please email your team name to: jim@skirmish.co.uk
TIME TO GET TACTICAL TACTICAL CLOTHING is a new specialist in outdoor equipment and kit including Multicam Clothing, Molle Gear, camouflage clothes, and combat uniforms. We cover all the largest of brands and are continually adding to our range to include: Mechanix, Viper Tactical, Blue Force Gear, Flyye, Haley Strategic, Under Armour, Wiley X, Seal Skinz, Helikon, Jack Pyke, Hi Tec, Magpul and Fobus. Our aim is to be a complete solution to your outdoor needs from shooting, hunting, paintball, airsoft or just being a good outdoorsman. For more information, head over to: www.tactical-clothing.co.uk
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Photos from CZ75 SP-01 Roadshow at Double Tap
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Information Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk) or share on our Facebook page (/AirsoftAction), plus a few words describing what’s going on in the image.
From Paul Bennett
THE ADVENTURES OF MAG
CARTOON
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NEARLY NINE MONTHS AFTER IT WAS FIRST UNVEILED SCOTT ALLEN GETS HIS HANDS ON ONE OF THE MOST EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED AIRSOFT GUNS, THE NEW TRISHOT AA12 FROM TOKYO MARUI
IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN BOOM BOOM POW! Boom Boom Pow! No it’s not the Black Eyed Peas, it’s the latest Tokyo Marui game-changing rifle of triple shot white plastic death! It is rare when something so beautifully ugly can be so perfectly devastating but the AA12 is just that! If you have ever wanted a maximum carnage type of rifle, then look no further than this amusing skull-crusher and giblet remover. Of course I am excited to see this rifle, certainly after the videos from FPS Russia, Predators and Expendables, when the carnage dished out by the AA12 was put on glorious full show as it automatically fed and fired 12 gauge rounds into the targets. Thankfully the Airsoft version is somewhat less lethal than its real steel counterpart but does it mimic more than just its looks with the tri-barrel system – but more on that later Tokyo Marui is, in essence, Airsoft as we know it – everything else is just a copy. They took the pioneering steps 12
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forward to engineer the electric gearbox as it is known today. There are very few exceptions that show true innovation and even systems like the Systema PTW do lean toward the TM design. We have much to thank them for but they have almost no interest, nay they have absolutely no interest in the market outside Japan. So we know they are the masters, they know they are the masters yet they seem unwilling to expand outside the Japanese market. Clearly business sense isn’t their strong point, yet it remains that they make the finest and most reliable rifles in the world and they have the price tag to prove it. With production runs that vary over the year, the stocks and supplies ebb and flow like fat man in a canoe. The AA12 is really the first in its class. No longer an AEG (Airsoft Electric Gun) but a new classification AES (Airsoft Electric Shotgun), a fully automatic electric shotgun has never been done before. Most have dreamed and the smartest of
Armoury TOKYO MARUI AA12
those dreamers have hit many obstacles, with such issues as feeding and applying hop to three barrels. It is just all really difficult, especially when you want to run it fully automatic. How Tokyo Marui have achieved all of this was a wonder, until I cracked out the screwdrivers and started taking things apart - and that is when it got very interesting.
THE REAL STEEL AA12
The AA12, or Atchison Assault Shotgun 12 Gauge, was originally conceived in the 70’s and before that, in Vietnam, there had been considerable research into the automatic shotgun as it was much sought after. Sadly nothing much ever came from it on the mass production side. The design just kind of sat around for a long time until the midnaughties, when less than a dozen were produced for a military trial in the US, dishing out 12 gauge freedom fun. Of that tiny number produced, it is believed two found their way into the civilian market and it is those same two you see in every single movie or TV show that uses the AA12. This means they are definitely rarer than rocking horse poo! Reports say they do actually work really well, require little maintenance and can offer utter devastation to anything standing within range of the person who wields this fiery boom stick. It just seems very odd that the concept has never actually taken off. Another amazing thing about the design is the reloading system. Running an open bolt much like a high rate of fire SMG, the AA12 produces almost no recoil. It is said that the system absorbs so much of the recoil during the cyclic action that the user will experience a mere 10% of the overall shot recoil. That means more accuracy and shots on target – and that is a good thing when you are really in a bind. A common
“HOW TOKYO MARUI HAVE ACHIEVED ALL OF THIS WAS A WONDER, UNTIL I CRACKED OUT THE SCREWDRIVERS AND STARTED TAKING THINGS APART – AND THAT IS WHEN IT GOT VERY INTERESTING.” alternative to the AA12 is the Russian Saiga which is based on the AK family but for some reason though, the AA12 just seems to inspire and capture the imagination a little bit more. The 12 gauge round is a fantastically versatile cartridge: Buckshot, slug, rubber batons and the favourite for close quarters and clay pigeon shooting… high explosive! Effectively this gives you the ability to carry a man-portable, fullyautomatic, magazine-fed grenade launcher. This undeniably makes the AA12 one of the most lethal all round platforms ever developed and yet it still isn’t mass produced. The mind boggles.
BACK TO THE MARUI
Normally Tokyo Marui aren’t bad externally, they’re not jawdroppingly amazing but they’re pretty decent. This for me was a little bit of a miss sadly. I’ve not seen a real AA12 and neither will anyone who reads this magazine most likely but this just looks a little bit too “plastic” for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t awful, I just expected it to look different somehow. The magazine sports the text “SLEDGE HAMMER” and that is brilliantly well-suited for this model. The whole www.airsoft-action.online
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Armoury TOKYO MARUI AA12
of magazines to sort the hop up, which is easy enough. For magazine storage I found they fitted in the Haley Strategic H Chest Rig neatly and it kept a nice profile. The fire selector sits in a similar position to the M4, as does the magazine release catch. The whole thing is just easy to use although it is a bit on the fat side. Every time I pick it up I imagine I am Terry Crews charging down a hallway in Expendables, wrecking the enemy. That is silly of course …or is it?
ON THE GAME FIELD
thing is M16-sized although just a bit “chunkier” in a good way, although at 84cm long with a fixed stock it might be a little struggle in tight corners but if you do get someone in your sights they are in for a world of hurt. At 250 fps it isn’t going to do crazy damage to anyone thankfully but the rate at which it can empty rounds is quite impressive, there is also a hint of recoil without there being a recoil system installed. As stated, we found it producing around 250 feet per second on a 0.20g Blaster. It isn’t a huge number but then it does have a tri-barrel system, so everything you hit gets hit 3 times. We used a 7.4v Lipo and that produced a very respectable 600 cycles per minute (each cycle being 3 shots) and that gives you just 9 seconds of ammunition – ouch! The magazines are big and chunky, holding just over 90 rounds and you are going to need some form of 7.62 magazine pouch to take them, as M4 singles are just too small. Reloads I found to be quite quick and easy, not quite M4 fast but quicker than an AK certainly. The battery (small Tamiya connector) goes in the stock and the space was a little smaller than I had hoped
You would think that something like this would be a bit cumbersome in the CQB arena and outclassed in a woodland, yet in both areas it does very well. The spread at the far end of the range (that pushed out to 45 metres roughly) was three people wide but that just means you don’t have to aim as well. The magazines are large and at 90 rounds a little short on capacity, which means you may run into issues if you are trigger-happy. The overall size and bulk may be a little bit difficult for smaller players to use and manipulate and, at 4 kilos, it is about a third heavier than a standard rifle. So a little bit “pro and con” overall as anything that has a larger size is always going to be more of a handful than a slender M4. The tacticool airsofter will stand aghast at the lack of 20mm real estate across the smooth bodywork although the news that drilling and screwing rails in would be really easy.
CONCLUSION
It has been a good while coming and a bit of a technical milestone for Tokyo Marui in my eyes and with that in mind I can’t find any really big faults with the AA12. Okay it’s chunky, it’s a bit heavy and the mags are big but it’s an electric, tribarrelled shotgun with hop up. What more could you really want? At just over £400 the price is what I would expect and I would not have been surprised if the price had been nearer £500. One thing I did notice (and checking around the web no one else has posted about this ANYWHERE in the world) is that the gearbox had a really out of place little screw hole with nothing in it and on taking “THE WHOLE THING IS M16-SIZED ALTHOUGH JUST A BIT “CHUNKIER” IN A the motor cage off, it became GOOD WAY, ALTHOUGH AT 84CM LONG WITH A FIXED STOCK IT MIGHT BE A apparent the cage could be LITTLE STRUGGLE IN TIGHT CORNERS BUT IF YOU DO GET SOMEONE IN YOUR relocated using this unused screw hole. Why would you SIGHTS THEY ARE IN FOR A WORLD OF HURT.” do this you ask? Well, this would allow the gearbox to sit for but at 250fps it won’t draw a lot of power, so 1300mah in a different configuration. Bearing in mind this is an inverted batteries should last for quite some time. The spring that drives gearbox I turned it around the right way and laid it on top of the single piston is strong, as in “sniper rifle strong” and I’m a Marui Super 90 shotgun and… it fits, perfectly. Okay the unsure how the dynamics all work and if it would ever be able front tri-barrel section didn’t fit because it was now upside to produce a higher FPS, as the whole gearbox is a bespoke down but do not be surprised if this isn’t the last Marui electric design. More on that later on though. shotgun we see…. and remember, I totally called it first if it Getting into the guts of the AA12 proved to be tricky. does happen! With a gearbox case that splits into 4 parts, the gearbox being Airsoft Action exclusives before we even knew there was upside down and the piston having more teeth and an Esther anything to be exclusive about! Rantzen look-alike competition but, eventually, some cool discoveries where made Firstly, Tokyo Marui engineers are still the best in the world and the loading system is genius. Secondly, some things inside did things but I wasn’t quite sure how they did it! Thirdly, don’t ever take one apart… In all seriousness. They are tricky but not Single & Full Automatic Fire impossible. The single inverted (inverted sounds way cooler Adjustable hop up for each barrel than upside down) piston feeds onto three piston heads that fill three cylinders separately. The powerful single spring sits on Weight 4kg a nylon spring guide that has two very chunky nylon washers. Magazine 90 round AA12 Magazine The magazine feeds into a single tube hop chamber which has just enough space to fit three BBs before they are ejected down Length 840mm the 300mm AES barrel toward their unsuspecting targets. Power 350fps with Blaster 0.20g BB I have been looking forward to testing this out and while the overall finish did kind of surprise me a little bit, I was more Bespoke Gearbox than happy with the performance. Setting the hop up is quite a RRP £425 chore due to the “uh… which BB was that dipping before the other two?” scenario that developed. It still only took a couple
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JERRY NOONE TAKES A LOOK AT THE GAS BLOWBACK REPLICA OF ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE AIRSOFT REPLICAS; THE FULLY LICENCED HECKLER & KOCH MP5A3 FROM UMAREX
HECKLER & KOCH MP5A3 GBB IT IS OFTEN STATED THAT the most iconic and easily recognised firearm in the world today is the venerable AK47 and much as this might be true, in my mind it is very closely followed by the diminutive “Maschinenpistole 5”, first designed by Heckler & Koch GmBH in 1964. Pretty much every airsofter I know either owns, or has owned an MP5 replica during their airsofting “career” and said ownership is somewhat a rite of passage. I have owned early plastic versions, sold them and moved up to full metal versions - and there is still one lurking at the back of the gun room. It rarely comes out to play these days but that little electric MP5 has been with me an awfully long time and has been involved in some awesome skirmishes, both at home and abroad! So what makes this little SMG such a “must have” for any airsofter? The simple reason is that it has been used by military and police forces worldwide, has appeared in the hands of most screen “action heroes” and, of course, was the firearm carried by the SAS on that fateful day on May 5th 1980 when
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they stormed the Iranian Embassy. It’s been used by the SBS, by the USN SEAL Teams, GSG-9 and virtually every special operations unit in the western world and even today we see the MP5 in the hands of our firearms trained police officers. Whatever your style of airsoft loadout, the MP5 fits it.
NEARLY 50 YEARS ON!
During the early to mid-1960s it became apparent to security forces worldwide that the rise in terrorist atrocities was a trend that they had to counter and for this reason many police and military units started the hunt for a lightweight, accurate, pistol calibre sub-machinegun (SMG). The Germans of course had a bit of a history with SMGs and “machine pistols” and two companies, Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, in Ulm-an-Donau and Heckler and Koch (H&K) GmBH, in Obendorf-am-Necker were at the forefront of the development process. Initially the Walther MPL and MPK (basically a long and short version of the same firearm) seemed to have the edge, as
Armoury UMAREX H&K MP5A3
receiver by the user in the field, thereby allowing them to reconfigure it for varying mission requirements, mostly without resorting to tools. The real MP5A3 has an 8.85 inch barrel, is 21.00 inches in length with the retractable stock closed and weighs only 2.55kg unloaded. It can be fired in some of the variants in semi-automatic, 2 or 3-round burst or fully automatic mode depending on the trigger group mounted and at a cyclic rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute. The “Navy” variants of the MP5A3 can be fitted with optional suppressors which reduce the sound signature by more than 38 dB and allows it to be fired immediately upon emergence from the water. In repeated and exhaustive testing the MP5 has proven capable of firing more than 30,000 rounds without a single stoppage or parts failure and it is not uncommon to find MP5’s still serving with in excess of 500,000 rounds through the original barrel and receiver! Still regarded of as one of the most reliable and effective submachine guns in the world, after nearly fifty years has seen the MP5 become the choice of the worlds’ most famous elite anti-terrorist, special operations and special law enforcement organisations. While more modern submachine guns have been designed since the introduction of the MP5, it is still the user’s choice when lives are at stake. the design was already finalised in 1963. In 1964 though, the first designs of the MP5 from H&K started filtering through and the rest, as they say, is history. H&K looked at the successful G3 rifle designs and then adapted things so make use of the 9×19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. The MP5 was created within this group of firearms and was initially known as the HK54. First created in 1964, the H&K MP5 was developed as a pistol-calibre, blowbackoperated, roller-locked member of the H&K weapons system and, in 1966, it was officially adopted by the German Federal Police, border guard and army special forces. The model replicated in airsoft form by VFC under the Umarex brand, is the basic 9x19mm NATO (Luger, Parabellum) MP5A3, the workhorse in the extensive family of MP5 submachine guns. Like all H&K firearms the MP5 is a modular design that allows the assembly groups, including butt stock, trigger group and forearm to be exchanged on a common
“DEVELOPED BY VEGA FORCE COMPANY (UNDER THE H&K LICENCE HELD BY UMAREX), I AM GOING TO COME STRAIGHT OUT AND SAY THAT THEIR TAKE ON THE CLASSIC MP5 IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST I’VE EVER SEEN!”
GOOD TO GO
As I stated earlier, the MP5 is probably one of the most popular airsoft replicas out there and pretty much every manufacturer offers at least one variant; some have been fabulous whilst others have most definitely been pretty sour lemons! Developed by Vega Force Company (under the H&K licence held by Umarex), I am going to come straight out and say that their take on the classic MP5 is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen! Vega Force Company (VFC) was founded in 2004 and quickly gained a reputation for a professional approach to creating highly realistic airsoft replicas. The reputation VFC earned was not only from the end users but also from distributors and license holders around the world. Following OEM experience of a half decade, VFC has a professional team that specialise in project management, inter-cultural communication and quality control. Starting with electric replicas, more recently VFC devoted itself to developing gas blowback (GBB) systems and attempted to make the replicas highly realistic with fully simulated firearms operation. Luckily for us, a number of their licenced replicas are based on H&K models. As well as the H&K MP5A2 (with full butt stock) and the MP5A3 (with sliding stock) they are also behind other MP5 variants, G36 variants and now the H&K 416 and 417. To say that they have made the most of the licencing agreement is surely a massive understatement! The MP5A3 offered by Umarex shows the result of all the www.airsoft-action.online
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Armoury UMAREX H&K MP5A3
labours put into creating a first rate replica as it is simply stunning. Everything – and I do mean the lot – is truly 1:1 scale and it weighs in at 2.59kg unloaded, just 0.4g heavier than the real thing! Unlike any battery-powered electric replica, there is no heavy motor and gearbox adding weight to the design but just a cleverly designed bolt which relies purely on the gas in the magazine for operation. If you weren’t told that this is a replica I believe you’d be hard pushed to know the Umarex wasn’t the real deal; in fact you can field strip it for cleaning as you would the original firearm. The entire upper assembly is of a pressed metal finish just like a real MP5. In addition to the enforced fibre frame which incorporates the pistol grip and the removable handguard, everything is finished to an extremely high standard. Going right down to the legend “Kal.9mmx19” on the left hand side above the magwell and an individual serial number, this replica looks extremely real with just a small “6mm BB” notation appearing on the top of the receiver. “IF YOU WEREN’T In operation the MP5A3 is very TOLD THAT THIS IS straightforward and intuitive. Safe, Semi and Full Auto modes are clearly indicated by A REPLICA I BELIEVE the traditional H&K “bullet pictograms” on YOU’D BE HARD either side of the body and the safety catch PUSHED TO KNOW THE is fully ambidextrous. Sights are simple too, with an enclosed post at the sharp end and UMAREX WASN’T THE a fully adjustable dioptre at the rear. The REAL DEAL; IN FACT sliding stock is essentially a one position YOU CAN FIELD STRIP affair, either open or closed but this is true of the real thing as well so you can’t knock the IT FOR CLEANING replica in this respect. The magazine release AS YOU WOULD THE catch sits directly in front of the trigger guard and is easily operated by the thumb of the ORIGINAL FIREARM.” supporting hand.
DOWNRANGE!
As always when you have a superb-looking replica you can’t help but mentally wince in case the performance doesn’t live up to the good looks; in the past I’ve seen some truly stunning looking replicas that ultimately spat BBs with all the venom of a lazy worm and the accuracy of a spud gun! Once again, luckily with the MP5A3 its performance is every bit as good as its rakish good looks. A 30-round gas magazine is included in the package (some quote 32 rounds but as the real thing uses 30 I’ll stick with that!) and ARMEX, the UK distributor, supplied me with some H&K branded gas for testing. Loading up is very straightforward… gas in, BBs in and you’re good to go. One slightly tricky part of getting the replica ready for firing is setting the Hop-Up prior to shooting. Rather than having the traditional wheel, drum or slide of an AEG, the MP5 hop is situated beneath the feed ramp inside the chamber. To adjust it you actually have to split the receiver from the body, remove the bolt assembly and use a special tool which comes with the
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gun to make any adjustment. I did this once when I first set the test gun up and after numerous magazines and hundreds of BBs through the MP5 it has stayed almost set in stone! With this set it’s simply a case of engage safety, rack back the action and place it held to the rear, insert the magazine and you are ready to rock n’ roll… and this is where the fun REALLY starts! I would always advise anyone with an MP5 electric replica NEVER to engage in the “H&K slap” used to release the working parts in the real thing due to the fragility of the cocking handle; not so with this GBB though as the cocking handle is built like a tank and slams forward with an audible “clack” when you slap it down! Using .20g BBs the MP5A3 gave a mean chronograph reading of 334fps which was very consistent and obviously perfectly site friendly. As with all gas replicas though, the power should be dependent on climatic conditions but for some reason the H&K seems largely oblivious to either hot or cold (perhaps it’s down to the “uber” H&K gas?) - although I
would still chrono it before any games just to be on the safe side. ARMEX also offer a C02 magazine as an accessory should you prefer that. Setting the fire selector to semi-auto and easing the trigger sends BBs downrange with an extremely satisfying “crack” and “click-clack” of the cycling working parts. For something with a relatively short inner barrel the MP5 is quite astonishingly accurate, hitting sandbag targets easily at 50m. Switching things to full-auto and… oh my goodness me! This thing is a little BB spewing beast; believe me, the first time you use this mode you WILL be shocked by both the rate of fire and the “recoil thump” you get in the shoulder. Do of course bear in mind that you will blow through gas if you go to full-auto all the time, one charge being just enough to get through the 30 rounds in the mag in this mode. Overall the VFC designed H&K MP5A3 from Umarex is one heck of a replica and I can really see it coming into its own in a MilSim or even training situation. It’s not the cheapest replica out there, as you can expect to pay iro £330 for one (with spare mags being relatively expensive too) but you are getting an absolutely tremendous amount for you money. The MP5A3 looks great, is superbly finished and put together and functions flawlessly. It’s honestly as close to the real thing as you’ll find in a RIF and this, I believe, will make it attractive not only to airsoft players but also to historical reenactors, as a good De-Ac is going to cost a whole lot more. Whichever camp you sit in, as a RIF the MP5A3 is nigh on perfect. For further information on licenced Umarex H&K products and for stockist details please visit http://armex-airsoft.co.uk
SOMETIMES SOMETHING SO UNUSUAL COMES ALONG YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK, AS SCOTT ALLEN EXPLAINS…
DOUBLE TROUBLE
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Armoury WE 1911 DOUBLE
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN do something doesn’t mean you should do something! I’ve always joked that the 1911 is the pistol they forgot to stop making. It’s over a hundred years old and while the technology is much the same as it always has been, there has been little serious change to the design… until now. This airsoft replica is brought to us by Wei Tech, or as they are more commonly known, WE. Based out in Taiwan they’ve been around for a number of years now and have produced some pretty nice things over the years. Their best models for me are their gas blow backs, both pistols and rifles. They offer a good value, no nonsense brand that are probably now the most common in the market. They do make electric rifles and they’re not half bad either but I mainly like their gas blow backs. They cover all the major rifle and pistol types and a number of variants of each too. I believe you really can’t go too wrong with WE for a good value, middle of the road shooter. This is an outrageous, double-barrelled 1911 – not some weird misprinted graphic. Yes, it is also a firearm too and before you start shouting about Airsoft being about realism and that would never happen, I want you to Google “AF2011 from Arsenal Firearms”. Someone thought the world really needed a double barrelled 1911. Why? Well I don’t care really. Is it pretty silly? Yes. But is it funny? Of course! Would I try it? Of course! So twice as many shots means twice the stopping power – provided you hit the target that is. Would I buy a real one? Probably not, there’s only so much freedom a man can handle. The AF2011, according to Arsenal’s website, is the very first industrial double-barrelled, semi-automatic pistol. You can either have two independent triggers, or have them linked. Sadly it is just two ways of achieving the same thing really. The whole idea is to increase the ballistic profile: Twice as many bullets = twice the stopping power! That said, you’re going to have to deal with more weight, more recoil and an awkward double magazine system. So is it a functional piece or is it a novelty? Admittedly I cannot fathom a single scenario in which this would be beneficial – except in Airsoft when you want to do something fun and silly. The 45 ACP is a solid, much loved calibre used from the 1911, to the Thompson Submachine Gun and even more modern rifles such as the UMP. It is a big lump of a round whose sole mission is to utterly ruin your day. WE have made a 1911 for over ten years now and in all that time I have never really grown to love them. The single stack magazine often struggles with the colder damp climate in the winter months, despite is nice looks and the very attractive price tag. This new 1911 naturally caught my eye immediately when it popped up on the radar the other month and I was
interested to see how it would work. The design, finish and magazine are all the same as the original 1911 by WE, with slightly new parts such as the double top slide and the magazines are two standard magazines with a single baseplate (good luck finding a magazine pouch for them!). The internal system is literally a double system which means the main parts are all common. It’s all quite
“THE DOUBLE SLIDE ISN’T MUCH HEAVIER THAN THE SINGLE SLIDE AND HAVING TWO MAGAZINES OF GAS DRIVING IT MEANS IT REALLY DOES SLAM BACK HARD WITH EACH PULL OF THE TRIGGER, MOST SATISFYING.” cool when you look at it and you would think that it would be horrible to hold but it’s not really. Okay, if you have tiny hands you will probably struggle but your average player wont struggle like you would think. I had been mildly concerned that the standard 1911 performance sometimes was a bit lacking, as the single stack magazine didn’t always seem to have enough gas to keep the system cycling at full tilt until the end of the magazine. Thankfully, the double slide isn’t much heavier than the single slide and having two magazines of gas driving it means it really does slam back hard with each pull of the trigger, most satisfying. Locating the magazines is a bit of a trick and yet not difficult. Loading them and gassing them definitely takes a little longer. It literally is two 1911s stuck together when you look at it, it is actually quite amusing and also very clever. The price may seem quite high until you add up the parts; 1911 magazines go for just over £20 normally and the pistol floats around £100. This version will retail somewhere just over the £200 mark that means it’s actually pretty fairly priced given that these are unlikely to be mass produced. You are not saving a great deal of money really but you are getting something unique which is the fun part. It’s hard to say how far WE will go with these
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designs but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a larger range of these appearing over the coming months. “Try getting a holster for that” I hear you say. Well there are holsters available in the UK right now for a reasonable price, so that is a big plus for the average Airsoft skirmisher. I haven’t seen any magazine pouches yet but undoubtedly they will appear too. It really is hard for me not to like this as much as I am trying to hate it, the joined hammer cocks both sides simultaneously and the double grip safety disengages allowing your finger to slide over the double trigger to squeeze of a walloping double BB shot – quite eyebrowraising and smiling-inducing. The magazine reloads aren’t extremely difficult once you get into the swing of it but I doubt you’ll be winning any IPSC competitions. I would be fibbing if I didn’t say I half expected – half wanted – this to be bad but really it’s not. Actually it is really quite the performer. It just isn’t overly friendly to use, store or hold and I seriously doubt you would be dual wielding them any time soon. If you do decide to go all out Hollywood I would advise you plan your reloads near a table or have a friend on standby because it’s going to be a fiddle to say the least. With the holster this is quite functional albeit a little bulky, so you could quite happily use it in a game. Ever since I saw the 100 foot banner at Shot Show a couple of years ago advertising the real version I wanted to have a go. At the moment I’ll have to be content with the WE version until a range in Vegas has the real steel version. Undoubtedly WE will plan to release more double pistols and a double Glock 18c seems like an obviously crazy choice high up on my list. I’ve already read a comment that someone wants the barrels to fire alternatively and that could be very cool but also problematic. I think this will live in the same place as chrome Desert Eagles and gold AKs for a while; fun but maybe not for most people.
CONCLUSION
It is a novelty there is no escaping that but it is a bl**dy good fun novelty! Most Airsoft novelty stuff can sometimes fall short of the mark when you weigh up all the pros and cons but the WE Dual 1911 does everything well; it works, it is fairly priced and you can get a holster for it. Okay for just over £230 it isn’t cheap but then if you wanted to save money you wouldn’t bother with a pistol in the first place and just go for walks in the woods with your Nan instead. Personally I couldn’t see me owning one but I’d always love watching someone chasing down a fleeing enemy using one. The continual double taps might wear thin one day but not today…
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features Full metal 1.5kg Double 1911 magazine design Double barrels with individual hops Double everything! Plastic grips 320 fps (single barrel shot) Blaster 0.20g BB on Nuprol 3.0 Gas RRP £230
S R U O H 24 R O M R A E R A F R WA
AIRSOFT ACTION’S RUSSIAN CORRESPONDENTS, MARIA LITVINOVA AND ALEXANDER LEVCHENKO, WRITE ABOUT A SERIES OF 24-HOUR GAMES THAT TAKE PLACE JUST OUTSIDE MOSCOW AND INVOLVE TANKS, EXPLOSIONS AND EVEN MEMBERS OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY RUSSIAN AIRSOFTERS INVITE YOU to spend a day of the armor of Russian military equipment! More than 30 units of real military hardware, tank shooting and grenade explosions, blank shooting and active participation of soldiers of the Russian army. For four years, thousands of participants from all over Russia came to airsoft events of the series “War-game: 24 Hours Armor Warfare”. Twice a year, 24hour games are being organized on the current training field of the armed forces of Russia, not far from the Russian capital Moscow. ”Several years ago we were able to make friends with a museum of military equipment. The museum has a variety of existing military hardware. Among them they even such rare and historic models like the T-34 tank. Not far from the museum there is a field, where airsoft games and historical reconstructions are being held. The combination of playing area and museum became a good reason to organize a series of games “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare”. At the first event there was an unusual combination of gaming equipment, a T-34 (tank of WWII) and modern artillery unit “Nona”, says Dmitry, aka Lavrik Lavrentiev, Commander of Russian airsoft team “Z.L.O.” (Moscow) and the founder of “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare”, where lots of real military equipment is the key to success. 24
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flag of their side. The 7th event started with the fact that the headquarters of the Republicans scored 600 in the Confederate rear (half of the active players of the side). Lacking a unified command, not knowing the area, northerner’s army was chased through the woods. The teams divided into small groups and had not achieved their objectives. They only managed to get Houston for a short time. In the first hour of the game, the Confederates conquered Pittsburgh and Albuquerque and also got very close to Jackson. Dima Dragon, a participant of the game “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare VII” (September 2015): ”The first two hours our garrison stayed in Richmond, than we tried to send the Yellow off from the woods near the Lincoln Plateau. Then in the late afternoon there were Pittsburgh and Jackson. It was, a little surprise by how hard Yellow threw fumes to military hardware. A lot of Confederate’s infantry hid behind their combat equipment, what they waited for was not clear. I know it’s scary to get out of the armor on the road but we kind of like fighting, don’t we? The eight hours conquer of Dallas by Yellow – it was a shame. If a number was at least a pair of blue men, the point could be sufficient to hold, the number of attacking northerners was not so great. But since just one fighter stayed on the point, Yellow won by the great number of players.... “ In addition to the basic forces, each side has a special operations team. During the event they come behind enemy lines to carry out their tasks, for example, delivering of reports to the headquarters, searching for the pilots of downed aviation or killing of an enemy commander. The traditional tasks of the main forces are not only occupation of enemy cities but also occupation of bridges, occupation of enemy fuel storages and destruction of combat vehicles of the opponents. BubliK, participant of the first game “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare” (May 2012): “The enemy has occupied our fuel storage, our several attempts to recapture turned into mini-
“A FANTASTIC PLOT OF THE EVENT IS TO TAKE ALL PLAYERS INTO THE NEAR FUTURE OF THE UNITED STATES, WHERE A NEW CIVIL WAR BEGINS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH, BETWEEN THE CONFEDERATES AND REPUBLICANS.”
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Photo by Andrey Krivenkov: akrivenkov.com
The last few events were held on “Alabino” existing military site. This is a major training ground of the Russian army, with different types of terrain (field, forest) and comfortable parking. It is here were the international competition tank biathlon was held in 2015. There is a large number of trenches and a few dilapidated buildings on site. The length of the gaming area is more than 15 km. To create an entourage of the game, organizers arrange additional trenches, bunkers, equip slots before each event and also invite the army. At the 4th game of the series there was a group of fire support, including real Russian army conscripts with original small weapons. The soldiers fired blanks to create the atmosphere of the game, with KPVT machine-guns and with blanks from APCs. For the American independence airsofters fighting on Russian soil, the game script is simple and at the same time it gives it a wide angle for action for both sides and individual participants. A fantastic plot of the event is to take all players into the near future of the United States, where a new civil war begins between North and South, between the Confederates and Republicans. The game is played “on American soil” and is not accidental – the organizers initially wanted to avoid dividing by the “light” and “dark” sides. So Russian airsofters conventionally call the team, who use Russian ammo and equipment (“light” side) and replicate armies of other countries (“dark” side). According to the plot of the first event “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare” (2012), the disagreement between the northern and southern states of America has become too much and open confrontation began. Every new event scenario depends on how the previous completed. In the story of the event there are 8 sites on the range. At the last, the seventh game, there were in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Richmond running Confederates and Republicans controlled Littlerock, Jackson, Pittsburgh and Albuquerque. To capture the cities, participants the players had to pick up and hold up the city
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Photo by Andrey Krivenkov: akrivenkov.com
battles. As a result, we returned our warehouse, but the enemy with heroic efforts stole all resources and took them to their base, despite the fact that our group tried to intercept it. After a series of assaults our side occupied the enemy ammunition depot. It was a fierce battle with constant participation of the reinforcement groups. As a result, we could get two boxes of ammunition and deliver them to our base ... Then the ammunition depot was lost. ... Two or three waves of attacks on the enemy’s fuel storage did not produce results, but it gave us time. Our combats returned, while the enemy had almost no time left on the counter-attacks ... Yellow made two attempts to attack the headquarters... At the same time we were able to occupy the entire military equipment of the enemy ... Exactly at 11.15 the entire platoon began to fight the enemy base and the ammunition depot. Only 9 volunteers stayed on our base. We could not occupy the base of the enemy. At this time, the yellow group of 3-4 persons managed through the forest to get close to the headquarter and come to the location, and if not a fighter from Kabany Team ... This might be the most fun defeat in my memory. “ Dmitry Abramishvili, commander of the Confederates, “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare VII” (May 2014):
“THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE SERIES “WARGAME: 24 HOURS ARMORED WARFARE” WAS ON MAY 2015. MORE THAN 4,500 AIRSOFTERS FROM ALL OVER RUSSIA AND NEARBY COUNTRIES CAME TO THIS GREAT BATTLE.”
”Atlanta is occupied by the enemy at the beginning of the game. Richmond is under heavy attack. We have to collect consolidated troops, appoint a commander and sent to fight right from the respawn. Fortunately, the men mobilized! The result - Atlanta is cleared in 20 minutes, the way for the tanks to Richmond and other points is open ... As response we received a counter attack with military hardware, and best of Tanks! When we made a counter attack, opposite tanks were destroyed quite successful”. Using of real military equipment is the main feature of the event “ Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare”. On the last game in September 2015 players get to respawn and back not only by the military Urals, but also on the real APC. The fighting was so intense that the Urals could not cope with the number of dead. Throughout the series of games each side had several tanks, in which the players went on the attack, defended, occupied and fought off heavy military equipment. Viktor Leontyev, participant of the game “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare VII” (September 2015): ”It was a desperate defense. Half a dozen soldiers against two tanks and two armored personnel carriers with troops. We were on the second floor of Memphis, when we saw them approaching. Our deputy commander immediately asked for support. Our valiant commander asked us to stay for about 10 minutes at least, and sent to us APCs, cars and landing”. Dmitry Abramishvili, commander of the Confederates, “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare VII” (May 2014): ”One APC lost traction immediately, one went with us .. Third stuck and blocked the way for the Urals with the soldiers.”
REFERENCE
Ural is Soviet-Russian truck for transportation of goods, people and trailers on all types of roads, it easily overcomes rough terrain. The Ural chassis has good ground clearance, so it is preferred in regions where roads are difficult to traverse due to sand or big rock, climbs up to 30%when fully loaded. In 2005, during the floods caused by hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (USA), rescue operations were carried out with military trucks Ural from the Mexican army. BTR-80 is Soviet armored personnel carrier. It is able to follow the tanks, overcome the trenches, ditches and water obstacles. They were used by the Soviet troops in the Afghan war, and since the 1990s is the main armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Russia and some other former Soviet republics and other countries. It is used in almost all major armed conflicts in the former Soviet Union. “Nona-S” is self-propelled artillery gun designed to defeat
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enemy personnel, artillery and mortar batteries, armored vehicles and other purposes. It has direct and indirect fire with mines and artillery shells. Used in the Afghanistan conflict, the first and second Chechen campaigns. MTLB is Soviet amphibious armored personnel carrier. Like the APC, it was used by the Soviet troops in the Afghan war, and after the collapse of the USSR was used in almost all the major armed conflicts in the former Soviet Union. Anti-tank gun of the sample in 1937 is the Soviet semiautomatic anti-tank gun caliber 45 mm. It was used in the first stage of the Great Patriotic War.
THE SHELLING FROM LAND AND AIR...
But tanks, military vehicles, and real weapons – that’s not all. In a few games there was aviation – powered paragliding tandem. Each airsofter could use the air attack aircraft and in tandem with an instructor make the air ride, flying with elements of extreme aerobatics, reconnaissance or combat mission with personal firearms and grenades. ”We have several years of preparing the background for the arrival to the game of foreign players. However, we did not invite them, because we believed that we had something to improve. We would like to show foreign players the highest level of organization. We believe that we have something to modify and correct now, but it seems like the time to turn “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare” in the international game has come without our knowledge. Thanks to the interest of foreign players to our game project”, said Dmitry Lavrentiev, commander of Z.L.O. airsoft team.
THE BASIC TECHNICAL RULES
Only teams can participate in the game, no single players. Each team must be personally acquainted with the organizers of the event or needs a guarantee of several respected teams. It is needed in order to avoid conflicts and other unpleasant situations. It is common practice in most Russian airsoft events. “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare” is very loyal to equip participants. The main and basic requirements are guns. Maximum BBs speed is 564 fps (for riffles with a single shooting for open areas). Usual guns are up to 492 fps in an open area
and up to 393 fps in buildings. Same requirements are needed with the most games in the whole territory of Russia. During night phases, participants actively use thermal imaging and night vision devices (which are considered mandatory to get any selfrespecting team) and tracers. It is also encouraged to use imitation knives, certified pyrotechnics (including army white smoke) and certified mortars, grenade launchers, rocket launchers. All this makes games as realistic as possible. Time for the respawn is up to 30 minutes. ”When you participate in such a big game, and you see face to face in airsoft battles of hundreds and thousands of people, pure adrenaline, you feel like in front lines, in the middle of actual combat”, says Dmitry Lavrentiev, commander of Z.L.O. airsoft team. The biggest event of the series “Wargame: 24 Hours Armored Warfare” was on May 2015. More than 4,500 airsofters from all over Russia and nearby countries came to this great battle. At the seventh game the organizers invite airsoft teams from all around the world. To explain them - what a true Russian airsoft battle means and feels like. Airsoft team Z.L.O. (Moscow) was organized in 2007. Team name means “Here people have a rest” and also “zlo” translates from Russian as “evil”. There are 25 people in the team, many of whom participated in the actual military conflicts on the territory of the Russian Federation and other states. Every year Z.L.O. team organizes 4-6 big airsoft events, including games and airsoft exhibition “Strikecon”. We hope you like reading about this event and maybe we will one day see you on the field of battle in Russia. Maria aka Marta Litvinova and Alexander aka Marty Levchenko.
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CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, BLACK
AIRSOFT ACTION_April 2016_210x297
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Feature RUSSIAN KIT
HAVING READ OUR RECENT ARTICLES FROM RUSSIA, WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO SOURCE YOUR OWN RUSSIAN LOADOUT. SO, OVER TO OUR RESIDENT EXPERT GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY… Words: Gareth Harvey (with invaluable help from Ian Stokes of Northern Pact) Pictures: Gareth Harvey & Maretta OVER THE LAST DECADE or so, airsoft has seen a massive increase in diversity in camo patterns and kit on the skirmish field. Whereas in the early 2000s it was unusual to see anything other than DPM, Flecktarn or US woodland on the field, nowadays almost anything goes and more and more players are looking towards Russian kit to give them the edge. Inspired by last month’s “From Russia with Love” article, Airsoft Action have set out this month to give you a crash course in collecting your own Russian-themed loadout. There are probably a few good reasons why Russian kit has taken a while to catch on in a big way in the UK. For a start it was pretty tricky to get hold of for some time, with ordering online being a bit “hit and miss” with unreliable suppliers in the former Eastern Bloc countries; secondly, back in the day Russian kit had a bit of a “poor quality” tag attached to it. Part of this could have been legacy of Soviet produced WWII and Cold War items, certainly in my airsoft experience this was the “first contact” I had with Russian kit. Back in the early days of WWII airsoft my friends and I ran and attended dozens of “Western Front” games but it wasn’t long before the “Eastern Front” games began and that led to a whole new problem for many players… where to source Russian kit?
LOOK TO THE MOTHERLAND
For a long time in the UK Russian kit had been tricky to get without looking to the “motherland” directly. Rusmilitary. co.uk supplied a lot of modern “Chechen War” era kit and was fast and reliable but not so good for WWII kit and for Cold War collectors and they only had a limited stock of that. Over the following months players placed orders with a number of stores in Russia and the Ukraine promising “wwii soviet equipment” with mixed results. While most players got their Great Patriotic War (as the Russians called WWII) kit promptly and as ordered, some orders arrived with items looking very different to those advertised, wrong sizing, post war items instead of WWII originals and some items never even arrived at all. All in all, for some time ordering from the former Soviet
GO EAST
YOUNG MAN! SOURCING YOUR RUSSIAN LOADOUTS www.airsoft-action.online
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PRIVATE PURCHASE COMBAT KIT
Union was very much a lottery. Thankfully, now that seems to be as much a thing of the past as the hammer and sickle over the Kremlin. These days players are spoilt for choice for reliable and reasonably priced suppliers of Russian kit (although there are still a few pirates out there so try and order from our recommended suppliers!) whether you want to be a rifleman defending Stalingrad, or one of the “polite green men” recently seen in the Crimea. Buying Russian kit (interchangeably known as “Rus Fed”, “Former Soviet Union/FSU” and “Confederation of Independent States/CIS” at various times in the past) is, however, quite unlike buying Western combat gear in many ways. For a start, you’re going to have to get your head round a totally new “sizing” system and find out whether you are a 48-6 (thin and very tall), or a 56-2 (wide and short), or something in between! As aforementioned, pre-1991 made “Soviet” era gear can be basic, utilitarian and, due to centralised production on a “not for profit” basis, sometimes completely lacking in any worthwhile quality control. Soviet kit is, however, basic but bomb proof, whether it was designed for WWII or the invasion of Afghanistan it’s probably still in use somewhere in some reserve unit in Russia today. Following the breakup of the Soviet union, kit standards in Russia improved somewhat but many units used old Soviet kit and government produced items still seemed very primitive by western standards; for example the mid90s “flora” pattern uniform issued to the army and interior troops is in no way as well made as, say, Germany’s “flecktarn” uniforms of the period, or the UK’s “Soldier 95” system.
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It’s here in the tumultuous period of the 1st and 2nd Chechen wars, however, that the revolution truly begins for Russian kit. With an end to centralised production quotas and “state norms” many units, particularly special forces and interior army forces, were allowed to purchase privately made combat gear from a growing number of specialist kit suppliers in the newly established capitalist economy. Companies like SPLAV, ANA and Magellan began improving existing Soviet designs, utilising elements of western design and even creating their own unique items for a growing market of military operators given freedom of choice. Some, especially MVD, units were even able to be “sponsored” by these manufacturers, leading to a wide diversity of kit and camo patterns suddenly hitting the scene. It’s certainly interesting to look at pictures from the ill-fated Beslan school siege of 2004 and see half a dozen different patterns of combat vest, in a myriad of camo patterns, on the same squad atop their BMP combat vehicle. Conspicuous and notable in pictures of the siege are images of MVD troops wearing what appears to be US woodland and UK DPM combat fatigues but these are in fact a “camo option” on the uniforms made by the company SPLAV and known as “Nato” and “Smog” respectively. Around this time I’d founded a new “Russian themed” airsoft team and we all ordered “bekas” paratrooper suits in a green tiger stripe pattern known as “kamysh” (and a set in the blue tiger stipe urban pattern for good measure!). It was clear that while the “bekas” was based on the Cold War Soviet paratrooper and special forces “mabuta” suits, that all the stops had been pulled out and we were looking at top notch combat gear. Given that each suit cost about £50 posted (brand new) they were of amazing quality with user friendly features that put issue western combat gear to shame. It’s clear to see with only a cursory bit of internet research, that the Russians are certainly giving the west a run for their money with regards to modern field gear. In the last four or five years the various Russian defence departments have adopted excellent digital camo patterns as well as highly effective wwii derived “SS oakleaf”-type patterns (something perhaps western armies would be reticent to field) and improved versions of the old odd (but highly efficient) Soviet stairstep KLMK suits, in the form of the “sumrak” suits in the “berezka” or “birch” camo pattern. Most recently, the “Little Green Men” of the Russian army and airborne have been seen in the current troubles in the Crimea wearing the newest “digital flora” pattern of the “ratnik” (warrior) combat clothing system. With modern ballistic helmets, armour vests, knee pads, tactical gloves and digital camo these “polite people”, as they are known, are the epitome of a modern combat force. If you’re going down this route it’s probably worth checking out the excellent “Grey Shop” in Russia for your uniforms and tactical kit, as they do a “full army issue” package at a fair price. So with all this fantastic kit to choose from, it is a good idea to do some research before buying any and chat to fellow fanatics to check that what you’re aiming for is what you need. In this respect the UK airsofter is well served. Several excellent Facebook groups and forums exist to help guide new players, including the long-standing “Red Alliance”, the excellent “Northern Pact” and the ever-helpful “Bolsheviks”. Many of these groups organise gaming events as well and are happy to welcome new players, so
Feature RUSSIAN KIT
Recommended Russian Kit Suppliers: For WWII/GPR kit: Tom Christie. Www.lenfront.co.uk More ‘cold war’ and modern era kit can be found on their Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/LenFrontShop/ For soviet to ultra-modern Russian kit: https://www.facebook.com/GreyShop-Motherland-Supply-1551918165079583/ For Chechen War and Modern Russian kit https://www.facebook.com/ Demychs-gear-bakery-1090312437654135/?fref=ts For FSB and MVD kit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ ViperFSBshop/?fref=ts For Soviet’ Afghanistan’ era kit: http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/alexcatfish09
Recommended Facebook “Russian” enthusiast groups: https://www.facebook.com/redalliance.net/?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/Northern-Pact-811004668982616/?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/The-Bolsheviks-961007473963063/?fref=ts
long as “new recruits” do at least a little reading up first and don’t expect to have their hand held too much during their expedition into the East.
SHOP SMART
Whatever era fits the bill for you, making sure you get what you pay for is still the key to collecting Russian kit. Firstly, only deal with those suppliers recommended by other players (and many of the most reputable you can find in the side bar to this article) and use PayPal when you can. Any reputable Russian dealer will be listed with PayPal and, just like a credit card purchase, YOU are protected if anything goes wrong. Recommended sellers will be able to converse with you in English, should anything happen to your order, or should you have a question and many of the recommended vendors are key members of the main airsoft forums – it’s not only their business but their personal reputation on line, so you know your money investment is safe. Avoid going for things that seem too cheap or “too good to be true” on eBay and be wary of anything sold as “spetsnaz” as it’s likely to be a regular airborne or infantry piece of kit with
“BUYING RUSSIAN KIT (INTERCHANGEABLY KNOWN AS “RUS FED”, “FORMER SOVIET UNION/FSU” AND “CONFEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT STATES/CIS” AT VARIOUS TIMES IN THE PAST) IS, HOWEVER, QUITE UNLIKE BUYING WESTERN COMBAT GEAR IN MANY WAYS.” an inflated price tag! As with everything in airsoft, a day spent doing some image searching on Google and reading a few forums can save you a fortune. Read, digest, and ask for advice if you’re not sure and buy right the first time; it’s all too easy for some sellers to pass “cold war” off as WWII, or “modern” off as “Soviet Issue” to the unwary but if you stick with our recommended links you should be fine. Lastly, it’s important to remember that while all the vendors Airsoft Action suggest in this article are decent and trustworthy, they, like us are at the mercies of the Russian postal service – which is frustratingly erratic. Don’t be surprised if you order an item from one supplier and it arrives in less than a fortnight but you’re still waiting for something you ordered over a month ago from someone else, it’s just the way it goes with Russian post! So there you have it, if you’re looking for something a bit different to stand out from the hordes of multicam (although not for long as some Russian units are now using multicam!) why not check out some of the “Russophile” Facebook groups and go East!
www.airsoft-action.online
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LCT AEGS IN STOCK The famed quality, real wood and steel construction of LCT AEGs in now available from Fire Support.
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LCT LCKM-63 AEG LCT LCKM-63 AEG Airsoft Gun. Steel receiver, barrel and foregrip. Real wood pistol grips and stock. Front and rear sling points Single shot and full auto fire modes. Adjustable Hop-Unit includes 600rd hi-cap mag, Rear wired connector.
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LCT TX-63 AEG LCT TX-63 AEG Airsoft Gun. The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM. The rifle first saw service with Soviet forces engaged in the 1979 Afghanistan conflict. Presently, the rifle continues to be used by the majority of countries of the former USSR. Steel receiver, RIS System, Barrel, Flash hider, Gas block... Wood stock and Pistol grip. Front and rear sling points. Includes Hi-Cap Mag Battery 8.4v Stick (Type 05) not included..
LCT RPK NV AEG LCT RPK AEG The Real Steel RPK functions identically to the AK-47. It also uses the same 7.62x39mm ammunition. It has a similar design layout to the AKM and AK-47 series of rifles, with modifications to increase the RPK’s effective range and accuracy, enhance its sustained fire capability, and strengthen the receiver. Specifications: Built Material: Steel / ABS / Wood Gear Box: Ver.3 Magazine Capacity: / hi cap 600rds Weight: 3450g Battery: 8.4v Mini (Type 03) 9.6v Mini (Type 04)
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08/10/2015 16:46
AIRSOFT RECOGNITION THE FIRST READING OF THE POLICING AND CRIME BILL 2015–16 BROUGHT AIRSOFT ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEING “OFFICIALLY” RECOGNISED BUT IT IS ONLY A FIRST STEP, AS NIGE EXPLAINS
ON FEBRUARY 10TH 2016 THE Policing and Crime Bill 2015-16 had its first reading in the House of Commons but why is that important to us airsofters and what could it mean for the future of airsoft in the UK? The reason this Bill is so important to anyone involved in UK airsoft - and I do mean anyone, be they player, site operator, retailer or distributor – is the impact of what is being proposed has far-reaching and long-lasting consequences. However, on this occasion I am of the opinion that it is a good thing, apart from one point that needs clarification and another that needs to be reconsidered (in my opinion). First up though, we need to take a(nother) look back (in anger?) at that most-often misquoted and misinterpreted piece of Legislation, the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (VCR Act)… The VCR Act bans the importation, manufacture and sale of realistic imitation firearms into and in the UK, however, a defence is provided under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (Realistic Imitation Firearms) Regulations 2007 that allows for this under certain conditions, namely: “a) the organising and holding of permitted activities for which public liability is held in relation to liabilities arising from or in connection with the organisation and holding of these activities; b) the purposes of display at a permitted event.” A “permitted event” is “a commercial event at which firearms or realistic imitation firearms (or both) are offered for sale or displayed” and a “permitted activity” means “the acting out of military or law enforcement scenarios for the purposes of recreation”. Although there was much doom and gloom when the VCR Act came into force, it did give some (albeit tacit) recognition to airsoft and to be fair, has not damaged airsoft in the way that some forecast. If anything, it may even been the start of what might become a legal definition of an airsoft weapon. So what makes the Policing and Crime Bill so important to airsoft? It is this… Section 57(1) of the Firearms Act 1968 states: “In this Act, the expression “firearm” means a lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged…” In the Policing and Crime Bill, under Part 6 – Firearms, section (5) states (referring to the Firearms Act 1968): “After section 57 insert— 34
april 2016
“57A Exception for airsoft guns (1) An “airsoft gun” is not to be regarded as a firearm for the purposes of this Act. (2) An “airsoft gun” is a barrelled weapon of any description from which only a small plastic missile, with kinetic energy at the muzzle of the weapon that does not exceed the permitted level, can be discharged. (3) “Small plastic missile” means a missile that— (a) is made wholly or partly from plastics, and (b) does not exceed 6 millimetres in diameter. (4) The permitted kinetic energy level is— (a) in the case of a weapon which is designed or adapted so that two or more missiles can be discharged successively without repeated pressure on the trigger, 1.3 joules; (b) in any other case, 2.5 joules.”” Essentially, what this means is that for the first time in Law “airsoft guns” are being clearly identified, classified and defined and this means we will no longer be beholden to the whim of whatever flavour of Government we have but written into an Act of Parliament. However, as I mentioned earlier, there is one small (actually, it is quite large) flaw in the above exception, where it states “from which only a small plastic missile” and that is the word “only”. I can see it now… Twenty heavily-armed “Officers of the Law” smash their way into “Joe’s Airsoft Shop” and seize his entire stock of airsoft guns because they’ve been told by Mr. Ipokemynoseintoeveryoneelsesbusiness, that he’d bought an airsoft gun and had managed to fire an orange pip from it, so it must be a firearm, not an airsoft gun as the Law says “only a small plastic missile” can be fired from an airsoft gun and as he had fired an orange pip it must be a firearm… Well, maybe not but I am sure you can see that this is open to “interpretation”, which we really do not need, or want. Personally, I believe the simplest thing to do would be to remove the word “only”. An alternative might be to change the wording to something along the lines of “a barrelled weapon of any description that has been designed to fire
Legal Matters POLICING AND CRIME BILL 2015–16
a small plastic missile”. Either way, I think this needs to be clarified. The other point that I am not 100% with is 3(b), which does not allow for the relatively few in number (but they exist nonetheless) 8mm airsoft guns, which is a bit of an oddity.
WHERE DOES ALL THIS LEAVE US?
Well, for now at least, exactly where we were before, nothing has changed and nothing is likely to for some considerable time yet – and the reason for that is simple. All that has happened so far is the Policing and Crime Bill has had its First Reading and that is nothing more than a formal stage which takes place without any debate. MPs will not consider the Bill until its second reading and no date has been set for that as yet. If it gets through that, then there are three further stages (Committee, Report and Third Reading) in the House of Commons before it goes through the whole process for a second time in the House of Lords. Then there will be a stage where any amendments will be considered before it is given Royal Assent and passed into Law. Yes, this is positive news but we should not be flying the flags from rooftops or cracking open the champagne just yet, we have a long, long way to go and there is also the little matter of what our unelected Lords and Masters in Brussels are cooking up – although based on current Polls that might become largely academic after an EU Referendum. If (and it still is “if”) this Bill gets through without any amendments that adversely effect airsoft, I believe it will pave the way for a more prolific and secure future for airsoft. All we then need to resolve, is the bizarre situation we have at the moment where (simplisticallyspeaking) anyone over 18 can walk into JD Airsoft and buy a £2,000 air rifle and yet, if they unable to provide a defence, cannot be sold a £50 plastic pistol. …and just in case you are wondering why that is so bizarre, consider this: An air rifle can legally fire up to an impact pressure of 12 foot pounds, measured at the muzzle. The average weight of a bogstandard .177 airgun pellet is approximately 8.25 grains. 8.25 grains is approximately 0.54 grams. The muzzle velocity of a 0.54 gram airgun pellet at 11.73 foot pounds is 800 fps!! ** 12 foot pounds equates to approximately 16 Joules. So keep on writing to your MPs and MEPs, sign the European Petition if you haven’t already done so, support your local airsoft shop and keep playing the game safely, fairly and with honour. **Source: http://extorian.co.uk/shooting/ pellets.html
For more information about the Policing and Crime Bill 2015-16, visit: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/policingandcrime.html
www.airsoft-action.online
35
CZ SP-01 SHADOW based on the latest generation of pistols from CZ
> CO2 & gas compatible > 1.5mm fiber optic front sight > Comfortable rubber grip > Front rail to mount accessories > A full metal body construction > Double stack mag – 26 rds.
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27-01-2016 12:24:52
! N NO
Legal Matters EU FIREARMS DIRECTIVE (91/477/EEC)
AS EUROPEAN BUREAUCRACY CONTINUES TO THREATEN THE FUTURE OF AIRSOFT, NIGE GIVES US AN UPDATE AND, HOPEFULLY, SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS SOMETIMES, JUST SOMETIMES, I see something come out of the European Parliament that actually makes me sit up and take notice. This doesn’t happen too often so when I saw a video of my local MEP, Dan Dalton, stand up and call for “common sense” (two words that I do not normally associate with the bureaucratic behemoth that is the EU), I watched with growing interest – not least because what he was talking about applied to every single airsofter, throughout the European Union. Dan Dalton MEP is a member of the Internal Market Committee and he was speaking about the proposed changes to the EU Firearms Laws, arguing that they place far too much emphasis on further restricting legal owners and not enough on tackling illegal firearms, which pose the greatest threat to our security. The Commission’s proposals include a complete ban on private ownership of fully deactivated “Category A” weapons, normally ex-military firearms, which are used widely by historical re-enactors and the television and film industry. It also seeks to set up a central register of all deactivated weapons, replicas and other non-live firing weapons, an enormous and hugely expensive administrative burden with no obvious purpose and it is here that we need to understand what they mean by a “replica” weapon. According to the EU, airsoft guns are replicas and, as such, would be placed into “Category C” of the legislation. Category C is “Firearms Subject to Declaration” and imposes a number of restrictions, such as the need for all weapons to be serialised and registered, details of every sale or transaction to be recorded (including: type, make, model, calibre, serial number and the name and address of the supplier and buyer) and distance-selling (internet sales) would be banned – and this would also apply to members of the public, not just trade! So you can see why I was so intrigued when I heard Dan Dalton use the words “common sense” and why, a few weeks later, I had a face-to-face meeting with Dan to discuss what’s going on.
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
Say the word “politician” and you get an instant image of what a politician looks and sounds like, normally backed up by a barrage of party-approved soundbites and the inability to point with an extended finger (have they all been to the same “School of Politeness” to learn that??). I am delighted to say that Dan Dalton certainly breaks that preconception and his comments, along with his way of thinking, really was a breath of fresh air. We met at Birmingham Airport and only had an
Dan Dalton MEP
hour but managed to cover a great deal of ground, however, it was one of the first things that Dan said that sticks with me the most – that none of the MEPs in the group he was with thought the proposed changes made sense and they had very little (if any) chance of being adopted. That doesn’t mean they won’t be at some point and it is because of that that we (and by “we” I mean everyone that wants airsoft to survive) must keep the pressure up! So, if you have not yet signed the Euro Petition, do so now and if you know who your MEP is, lobby them as well and put our side of the argument across. As I write this, I have just heard that Mr. Cameron has had his Cabinet Meeting and will be campaigning to stay in the EU. On the preceding pages I’ve written about what is happening in the UK, so we have to fight this battle (for that is what it is) on two fronts but if everyone (and I do mean everyone) faces in the same direction, we have the opportunity to not only secure the future of airsoft in the UK but maybe help to do so throughout Europe as well, whatever the outcome on 23rd June! If you’ve not signed the petition yet, this is the link you need: https://www.change.org/p/council-of-the-european-union-eu-youcannot-stop-terrorism-by-restricting-legal-gun-ownership
www.airsoft-action.online
37
HIGH PRESSUR
SHOT SHOW 2016 SAW A SURPRISE HIT IN THE FORM OF THE WOLVERINE HPA SYSTEM-DRIVEN CZ EVO FROM ASG, SO JERRY NOONE, WITH THE HELP OF JIM SEPHTON FROM THE GRANGE, HAS BEEN DELVING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO WHAT BENEFITS SUCH A SYSTEM CAN BRING TO THE AIRSOFT WORLD. ”Action Pictures” of Matt B courtesy of James Brunnen
A LONG, LONG TIME AGO in a country far, far away some very clever boffins were taking the humble spring-powered BB gun and looking for alternative sources of power; during the mid and late Eighties a number of Japanese airsoft companies began developing guns using the BV, or “Bullet Valve” system. BV used a direct flow of gas from an external tank, usually CO2 or compressed air, to power a mechanism which allowed the guns to fire in semi and full-auto mode. Companies like JAC and Asahi led the way with Maruzen updating many of their old spring guns with the BV system as well. Asahi and JAC, who often worked in conjunction with each other, developed airsoft versions of many guns, such as the British Sterling (and Oh, how much did I want an Asahi Sterling back in the day!!!), the M60 and MG-34 and JAC made many new guns like the M1 Thompson and M3 Grease Gun. During the mid-Nineties though, the Japanese economy crash-dived into recession and JAC and other large companies who had invested in large factories and expensive specialist machinery were unable to support the debts incurred and were forced to sell up. This spelled the end of gas-driven airsoft as we then knew it then, with a long list of formerly successful Japanese airsoft manufacturers disappearing completely.
38
april 2016
Special Report HPA SYSTEMS
URE AIR Contrary to popular belief, Tokyo Marui was not the reason why these other companies failed, as during the recession of the Nineties even the mighty TM was only given a 50/50 chance of survival! Other manufacturers had already ventured into the electric gun market with limited success and TM’s “hop up” system was still only at the developmental stage. Customers and retailers were already familiar with gas systems and were reluctant to change to an essentially unproven motor driven system using batteries, especially in a time of economic uncertainty. So essentially the market was still wide-open and the late Nineties saw a resurgence of the “compressed air gun”, as companies like Youth Engineering and Sun Project began developing new guns using an updated form of the old BV system. These guns made only a small impact outside Japan but proved that a compressed air, or High Power Air, system was still a viable alternative to batteries and electric motors. More recently, Escort began a campaign to market new, externally powered guns by developing new guns in-house, such as a series of MP5s. These guns offered more appeal to those formerly sceptical about external power sources as many of the new Escort guns used the very same magazines that AEGs did, negating the problem of locating often very rare magazines for the guns.
BANG UP TO DATE
I have to say that although many of the old replicas using external power sources were actually quite good, they certainly weren’t that robust. As battery technology improved so the batteries themselves became smaller and even more efficient; sturdy full-metal guns started to become the norm and batteries hidden somewhere in the main body allowed untold levels of realism. This really was the “golden age” of the AEG as, although spring-powered sniper rifles and gas pistols were still very much in evidence, “electrick” pretty much killed High Pressure Air systems. Suddenly though, we witnessed the re-invention of the HPA system! According to Jim, who has really been a trailblazer for the new HPA systems in the UK: “HPA in its current incarnation, as it’s been around as long as airsoft itself, adds a level of consistency and reliability to RIFs that electric, spring and gas systems cannot offer. In the case of the FCU controlled systems it reduces everything down to a
single moving part, removing all of the potential issues found in a standard AEG gear box. With pneumatic HPA systems you get everything good about a GBB airsoft gun, with none of the cool down, temperature dependence or loss in pressure as the magazine empties.” Todays’ HPA innovations break down into two groups; those controlled by Fire Control Units (FCUs or simply mini computers) and those that are purely pneumatic. FCU-based systems all require a donor AEG for the system to be installed into. Polarstar were the trailblazers, reintroducing HPA to the mass market of airsoft. Their systems are exceptionally reliable and offer a level of programmability and customisation well beyond what any other system on the market offers. Wolverine are a much younger company but are rapidly closing on Polarstar as the key player in the market. Their rate of innovation and product development is incredible! Their systems are based on the premise that airsoft should be fun, it should not require you to spend hours in the safe zone fixing your guns or tweaking and resetting things, that you should just be able to pick up your gear and play and know it will work every time. There are also new players entering this market such as Mancraft and Protech. Tippmann is currently the largest player in the pneumatic system market, with their M4 platform. This is a prebuilt system with no capacity to run in anything other than the original receiver but there’s plenty of scope to customise the front and back end of the gun. This system is analogous to a GBB but without any of the temperature issues, creating a highly reliable and consistent platform for those looking for recoil in their RIF.
“WITH PNEUMATIC HPA SYSTEMS YOU GET EVERYTHING GOOD ABOUT A GBB AIRSOFT GUN, WITH NONE OF THE COOL DOWN, TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OR LOSS IN PRESSURE AS THE MAGAZINE EMPTIES.” Escort, as stated earlier, were the first real player in this market but went very quiet for years and have only just re-emerged onto the scene with their MP5-based system. Daytona Gun are the other key player here. Unlike the others, who provide a fixed pre-built platform, Daytona provide a drop-in kit that converts an AEG to a pneumatic HPA system. Valken have taken both the Polarstar and Tippmann systems and created their own clone versions, so although they are not true innovators but, potentially, because of this they are able to produce cheaper versions of the systems. A sub group of the pneumatic systems are the HPA valves for GBB guns. Created by CQB Russia but now manufactured by multiple companies, including WE, these swap the magazine gas fill valve for a HPA quick disconnect valve, allowing the magazine to be powered by HPA rather than green gas. This gives a standard GBB all the benefits of a HPA pneumatic gun, other than being able to run on AEG magazines.
PUTTING TOGETHER AN HPA RIF
As Jim has had a huge amount of experience in putting together some righteous custom airsoft replicas, including his very own steel and hardwood MP5 (Norwegian military style) with a V2 Polarstar engine, a Redline regulator and a Guerilla Air carbon-fibre air tank, I asked him what I would need to set up my own and he told me: “To change an AEG to HPA basically requires four items.
www.airsoft-action.online
39
TACTICAL
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With multiple adjustment features these trousers can be modified for individual fit and comfort. The built in ABS knee pads, with neoprene lining, also offer comfort and durability for any scenario.
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Special Report HPA SYSTEMS
• A regulated airline as manufactured by Redline Airsoft, Ninja, Wolverine, Bayliss or Speed Airsoft. • An air tank; this is a standard paintball-style tank. • A mini battery, usually a 7.4v 250mah Lipo battery with jst connector. • An HPA system.” The HPA systems are of two types, either drop-in or gearbox replacement units. The Polarstar fusion engine and the Valken V12 both replace the existing gearbox in the gun. All other systems drop into the existing gearbox shell, sitting where the piston used to be. For the drop-in unit, all of the gearbox internals are removed, the shell thoroughly cleaned of grease and the unit installed. Other than ensuring you’ve got your hop unit lined up correctly that’s pretty much all there is to installation. Jim also commented: “With HPA all your costs are up front. A complete set up will cost between £380 and £655 depending on which mix of options you are looking at between the FCU and pneumatic systems. However a fair chunk of that is the regulated air line etc. which is a one-off purchase and can be moved between
guns, so all future systems will cost considerably less. Where they really come to the fore is running costs. High pressure air is very cheap, and repairs-wise there’s nothing to break. Almost all of the issues we have seen with these are down to either poor installation or the hop unit not being aligned correctly, rather than faults with the HPA units themselves.” Essentially then, a good HPA system once put together effectively pays its own way and offers great consistency in use. There’s no battery to run out or green gas to dump from the magazine at the worst possible moment but there is one downside - and that’s the fact that you’re going to need to carry an air tank somewhere on your kit and run an air line. Obviously there is an expense to setting your system up in the first place but returning to my starting point, if ASG are going to bring their Wolverine-based EVO to market as a complete unit then that’s at least one part of the puzzle solved; we’ll be checking the new EVO out fully at IWA and we’ll bring you the very latest news on it as soon as we have it! My thanks again to Jim for his input to this article and please do visit www.grangeairsoft.com to see the very latest additions in relation to HPA airsoft systems.
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Inside Airsoft THE GRANGE
THE GRANGE JERRY NOONE RECENTLY TOOK THE CHANCE TO POP INTO ONE OF THE UK’S MOST WELL-KNOWN AIRSOFT SHOPS AND HAD A QUICK CHAT WITH ITS OWNER, JIM SEPHTON
IT WAS AT THE VERY first Airsoft Arms Fair at the Grange that I first properly met Jim Sephton but our paths have crossed at virtually every show I’ve attended in the past few years since then. Jim and his knowledgeable and committed team, have been involved in airsoft for longer than many and the longevity of “The Shop at the Grange” attests to just how very well they have done things. If you do visit “The Shop” then I’ll tell you straight out that you’re probably going to come across both RIFs and gear that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in the country, which makes it pretty darn unique in my mind! From Wild West revolvers to the very latest cutting edge HPA systems, Jim carries some pretty outrageous kit, some of which has to be seen to be believed. When I spoke with Jim I posed him a numbers of questions, the answers to which I’m delighted to share with you. AA: Why did you set up an airsoft shop? Jim: “We started as a skirmish site and offering products to our shooters was a natural place for the business to go.” AA: Who are your key members of staff? Jim: “Me (Jim Sephton), Andi Coulton and Marie Knight.” AA: What are your key brands of replica? Jim: “Although we stock Tokyo Marui, WE, Specna Arms, Umarex, Classic Army, LCT, KWA, KTW, Escort, Tippmann, Cyma, GFC, and JG as key brands, we’re always on the lookout for new things so as best to serve our customers. Giving them the broadest possible selection of quality RIFs.”
AA: Do you also run, or have connections with, a skirmishing site?
AA: Which are your best-selling models and why?
AA: Where do you see airsoft heading in the future?
Jim: “As we’ve been pretty much the front-runners in HPA Systems in the UK, PolarStar and Wolverine. The growth in HPA airsoft has been huge over the last couple of years with people sick of the regular failings of AEG gearboxes and moving to a more reliable platform.”
Jim: “Yes, but only for HPA airsoft and GBB pistols.”
Jim: “Airsoft has (and will always have) an issue with the antigun lobby; it means that our sport lives under constant threat. That being said, we’re seeing new faces entering the sport all the time and it’s clearly growing in the UK. With the huge upsurge in competitive airsoft practical pistol shooting (AA note: Jim is actually one of the “founding fathers” of practical airsoft shooting in the UK!) to stand alongside Milsim and skirmish style airsoft, I’d say on balance things are looking good for the sport as a whole.”
AA: Do you offer a range of accessories?
AA: Thanks Jim. Short and to the point, just how we like it!
AA: Do you offer a technicians service on site? Upgrading? Customising?
Jim: “Yes we do. We offer peripherals and parts for guns but very little in the way of tactical gear these days, preferring to concentrate on what we do best!”
Jim: “Yes we have a skirmish site at our retail shop site, as well as a large woodland site east of Stoke and hopefully very soon, a superb CQB site in Birmingham.”
If you’d like to know more about The Grange, you can find them online but, take it from me, a visit to The Shop is well worth the effort, if only to stand a gawp at some of the incredible pieces of airsoft art they have hanging on the wall!
CONTACT Details Shop Address: The Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Midlands, CV7 7FP Telephone Number: 01676 532384 Email: sales@grangeairsoft.com Website: www.grangeairsoft.com
Opening hours: Monday 10am – 9pm Tuesday 10am – 5.30pm Wednesday Closed Thursday & Friday 10am to 5.30pm Saturday & Sunday 8.30am – 5.30pm Year established: 2007
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READY FOR A
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE BACK AT THE END OF JANUARY I received a message on the Airsoft Action Facebook page which stopped me in my tracks. I had been sent pictures of a guy rocking what looked like an “airsoft longbow”! I kid you not, the pictures were of a longbow that had been adapted to fire bbs! With images from “The Walking Dead” running through my mind, I contacted John Bourner, the man behind the bow
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WHEN THE WORLD HAS RUN OUT OF AMMO AND THE ZOMBIES ARE STILL COMING, ALL YOU HAVE LEFT IS YOUR WITS, YOUR KNIFE AND YOUR TRUSTY LONGBOW…
(figuratively and literally!), to find out more. This is what he told me… Being a big fan of airsoft for many years now and part of a large community, sometimes it’s hard to find a weapon that either stands out or you can enjoy. I had been trying for ages to find a weapon that matched my fighting style but could never get it quite right. After having a year off from the sport (due to becoming a father), I was determined to come back in style with the “Phantom” bow. Previously I always used to go with a sniper and carrying my side arm but for some reason I always ended up in the front line once the adrenaline kicked in and with the objective in sight. However, even after I swapped and changed my load out to match my fighting style I was never happy with what I had… until now! The birth of the bow came to me as a present from my fiancée for Christmas (along with the deal that I will marry her one day). After researching on it like a mad man, it almost became an obsession as she helped me to find and acquire the weapon. Finally, bow in hand, I felt like I would stand out in the crowd. The bow itself is called the “airow gun” and is part paintball weapon and part compound bow. After more research and watching a few videos on YouTube I realised it was possible to convert it to airsoft. Finally I had a weapon I could take to a site and people would not ask “is it like this gun” or “a bit like this
Armoury AIRSOFT LONGBOW
“THE BIGGEST QUESTION I HAVE HAD IS, “HOW THE HELL DO YOU USE THAT IN GAME?” WELL IT’S SIMPLE REALLY, I USED TO OWN AN INTERVENTION AND IF YOU CAN PULL THE BOLT BACK ON THAT, YOU CAN PULL A BOW!” other one”? Just no, it’s not!! My regular site has always been Frontier Airsoft in Staffordshire, where I enjoy the unique stories and missions that are not conventional to ordinary skirmish sites. I was in full contact with William Newman about the ideas of bringing a bow, to make sure this would be site legal and I must give credit to William, who was just as excited as me with my new weapon of choice. With the all-clear given, it was now show time! After checking the fps on the bow I was surprised how consistent it was and with no sight I had the added challenge of learning to self-aim to a target but the biggest surprise was the range, as it was managing to go further than standard rifles on the site. That was it, after testing I was buzzing! The biggest question I have had is, “How the hell do you use that in game?” Well it’s simple really, I used to own an Intervention and if you can pull the bolt back on that, you can pull a bow! Seriously though, the bow is great for being at a distance but does work really well close up to. I have referred to pulling the bow back as “a bit like needing arms like Popeye” but when you switch to side arm or have a break between games you don’t really notice. After the first hour of gaming I started to notice I was getting a little bit of attention from a few people, some asking about price. Others asking to have a go but the biggest attention came from site photographer and marshal, Gaz Ward, who kept finding different angles to take and kept asking the kind of questions I liked, for example. “Can I have first dibbs when you get bored?” To be honest I knew he would like it as he also gets bored with seeing conventional guns in the playing field. When the final end-ex was called for the day that was it, I was hooked by the bow and I knew that I had made the right choice of weapon. To be completely honest I think the whole site and marshals were also hooked. Ok enough about me and my excitement, how does it work? The bow works exactly the same as any conventional bow; the bow strings are real and work as it would if you actually fired a real bow. There is slight recoil when fired as the piston hits but there is a stabiliser that can be added to the bow to
stop this. The few changes I have made is the barrel and the unit on top that would normally have the hopper connected for paintballs. The hopper is replaced to hold bbs instead, which allows the bbs to be gravity-fed and can hold about 30 rounds. When the bow strings are drawn back the hopper has already loaded the next round due to the gravity-fed unit, so being mindful that if you choose to move and let go all of a sudden this is something to remember. It’s kind of the same as moving position with your finger on the trigger, just on a larger scale. The argument some people will have is that there is no hop up unit for this at all. From using it consistently I can say it does not need one, due to the real bow needing to fire a straight high velocity round. When talking about the subject some people have been heavily geared to attack the “no hop” aspect but yes, it does work and tampering with it at this time would not be advised. The bows fps is currently holding at 320 and using 0.20 bbs it can easily get to around 200-250 feet. Although the bow has been set to this, the bow’s cylinder can go a lot higher as it can be adjusted. I will soon be using heavier bbs with the bow to test the accuracy of it and to also see what kind of range the bow can actually produce at a safe level. The bow can also incorporate optics onto its body, which I would recommend as I currently have to use just my eyesight to see the bbs and the problem I am having is it is currently is watching them leaving the barrel. I will be enjoying the bow for The Phantom bow is an exclusive a long time to come, long live the with Frontier Airsoft. For more Phantom bow – and watch out information, or to contact John, zombies! they can be found at: John Bourner www.frontierairsoft.co.uk
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AN OFF-WORLD SKIRMISH
AIRSOFT ACTION GOES INTERSTELLAR AS IGGY ROBERTS INVESTIGATES REPORTS OF A STARGATE APPEARING JUST OUTSIDE WARMINSTER…
LAST YEAR I HEARD RUMOURS of something out of this world; an interstellar teleportation device had appeared in the woods at Warminster Airsoft. I had to investigate and discovered that yes, they had installed a Stargate, which was quickly followed by Dial Home Device (DHD) – and they are not just dormant props! Ok, so it falls short of actual interstellar travel but it can be activated and lights up along with an alarm sound to signal when the gate is “open”. It all started around Spring 2015 with a regular player who owns a specialist prop company, Podpad Studios. They built a Stargate for a customer and came to an agreement to build one for Warminster Airsoft using the same mold. The Stargate was a huge success and with growing popularity, the site commissioned Podpad to build a DHD to go along with the gate. Now a year on, the Stargate and DHD have survived the elements through all seasons, as well as the weekly barrage of airsofters. The gate and DHD is built from marine ply and sealed with a tough, waterproof specialist paint and the power is supplied by a bike battery located in the DHD (of course, all the cables are also sealed and
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weatherproofed). The ramp was built by the site and is designed (and has been tested) to carry over 50 players fully geared up. It also has an anti-slip surface (which is a musthave due to the terrain) but does not have any railings. This was done to prevent anyone from trying to climb up the sides, potentially resulting in player injury and damage to the prop. The standard way to operate the gate is to install the three missing crystals in the drawer of the power unit to the DHD. Once all three crystals are in place, shut the drawer then activate the gate by hitting the clear dome in the centre of the DHD console. Shortly after the installation of the DHD, the clear dome was smashed by a player in the heat of the battle when they struck it with the butt of their rifle. Now they have replaced the clear dome with a customised heavy duty replacement that has survived the months since. This was the only issue that they’ve had with the Stargate since its arrival. With the dome hit, the DHD and gate itself light up, accompanied with an alarm to represent an opened gateway, while a marshal pops a blue smoke to represent the event horizon. The Stargate offers a range of game plans, some simple and others more complex and designed to last longer. The simpler game plan just uses the gate as an entry and exit point into the game, meaning the game itself can therefore be anything. The more complex game designs tend to have a far greater depth of background story, along with missions based on the Stargate
Site WARMINSTER AIRSOFT
film and series. There are three main complex games. The first starts as if the Star Gate (SG) team had completed a mission on another world and were heading home. However, in order to do this the SG team has to find all three crystals to operate the gate and the three crystals are located at various enemy strongholds, or buildings throughout the site. Once the SG team has captured the three crystals, they then have to fight their way to the gate, insert the crystals and operate the gate – all without being taken out. Another game plan involves the SG team securing the gate and receiving up to three “Naquadah” bombs at various times during the mission. These bombs are to be used to destroy set targets in the site. The third game plan is based on a VIP escort. The VIP arrives through the gate (off world) and is taken to a meeting. Along the way they are hunted by tribal groups and after the meeting the escorting SG team literally have to fight their way to the gate. The objective is to get the VIP safely through the gate. These three are just the beginning and could lead to endless game designs based on off-world missions, however, Warminster Airsoft don’t intend to stop there, as there are plans to commission another Stargate and DHD to be built and added to the site. The idea is accompanied with the intention to move the Stargate to a location on the site which has mains power. This will allow the use of a smoke machine to create an event horizon, by pumping blue smoke into the eye of the gate from different points within the gate’s circumference when it has been opened. Warminster airsoft regularly holds Stargate game days, however, if you are traveling from afar, then it is worth checking before you travel. You can do this by visiting www. warminstersirsoft.co.uk, where you can check the site’s events diary and even contact the site manager. Warminster Airsoft also has a couple of Facebook pages which can be accessed by searching for “Warminster Airsoft”. So if you like your airsoft with a touch of off-world adventure and peril thrown in, forget “Stargate: Atlantis”, head for “Stargate: Warminster”!
“WITH THE DOME HIT, THE DHD AND GATE ITSELF LIGHT UP, ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ALARM TO REPRESENT AN OPENED GATEWAY, WHILE A MARSHAL POPS A BLUE SMOKE TO REPRESENT THE EVENT HORIZON.”
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cold war warriors SEALOUS SCOUTS
PAMWE CHETE © theselousscouts.com
TRACKING ENEMY FORCES THROUGH BRUSH, SCRUB AND WASTELAND THE SELOUS SCOUTS WERE THE EYES AND EARS OF THE RHODESIAN ARMED FORCES
THE SELOUS SCOUTS WERE ONE of the most renowned reconnaissance units of the 20th century, who earned their mighty reputation during the latter stages of the ten year long Rhodesian Bush War. Between 1973 and 1980 the scouts would achieve “elite” status among the world’s military forces, only to be consigned to the back pages of history mere years after losing their war against nationalist guerrilla forces. Though they briefly did serve as part of the victorious army of Robert Mugabe, they were very swiftly axed in his regime’s sweeping reform of the country. For those that missed last month’s feature on the Rhodesian African Rifles, here’s a quick recap as to the situation in Rhodesia in the 1960s and 1970s… Rhodesia was a colonial African state with one of the highest discrepancies in wealth between the native black population and the white colonialists. While black people could work in the military, government and police forces and reach relatively high positions, in reality nearly all the wealth was in the hands of the white minority. Unhappy with their position two rebel movements sprang up, the Soviet backed ZIPRA (Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army) and Robert Mugabe’s Maoist Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, supported by the Chinese. Things looked bleak for the Rhodesians facing off against two communist guerrilla armies, fortunately for the colonials both rebel groups found their ideological differences led them to fight among themselves as much as against the security forces. Only by utilising revolutionary tactics and top rate intelligence gathering techniques did the Rhodesians stand even a fighting chance. Their position was made worse by the fact they had declared themselves independent from their former association with the British and were currently an unrecognised state and unable to buy arms and equipment easily, while their opponents were supplied with massive amounts of military equipment by their communist sponsors. This tripartite war was horrifically costly in terms of casualties to all sides. For example in 1976 3,244 people were killed (234 security forces, 1,904 guerrilla fighters, 66 white civilians and 1,040 black civilians) while the death toll for the
following year was almost as horrific. 1977 saw 3,067 deaths (197 security forces, 1,759 guerrillas, 56 white civilians and 1,055 black civilians). For a small country like Rhodesia this war of attrition was devastating for all sides. The Selous Scouts provided the tip of the spear for the Rhodesian ground forces, claiming more terrorist “kills” than the rest of the Rhodesian army put together! Starting out in 1973 as the “Tracker Combat Unit” the force was soon renamed “Selous Scouts” in honour of Frederick Selous. Selous www.airsoft-action.online
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had been a close friend of Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist and businessman who had founded Rhodesia, and was seen by the colonists as something of a folk hero.
BLACK OPS
The main role of the Selous Scouts was firmly fixed in deep penetration intelligence gathering and “turning” captured guerrillas to join their side with the promise of better pay and conditions than the rebels could offer. Those “turned” would help the scouts in infiltrating guerrillas units, spreading dissent and defeatist rumours between enemy units and also provide them with vital enemy call signs, codes and locations of “dead letter drops”. Some of the activities of the Selous Scouts could be interpreted as “black ops” in so much as they often were almost indistinguishable from the tactics employed by those they regarded as terrorists. While activities such as bombing attacks on private residences, assassination, blackmail and extortion were not unknown, it is for their skill as combat reconnaissance troops that the Selous Scouts are remembered. Commanded by their inspiring leader Colonel Reid-Daly, the Selous Scouts were recruited from blacks, whites, mixed-race
“AS WITH ALL “SPECIAL FORCES”, MEMBERS OF THE SELOUS SCOUTS WERE HIGHLY TRAINED, EXTREMELY WELL MOTIVATED AND TOUGH INDIVIDUALS. MANY OF THEM HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS HUNTERS AND TRACKERS LIVING IN THE AFRICAN COUNTRYSIDE AND QUICKLY TURNED THEIR SKILLS TO HUNTING A MORE DEADLY PREY THAN THE LOCAL WILDLIFE. ” citizens and even European/US volunteers; while most initial recruits were white, sheer necessity in a brutal war of attrition meant that towards the end of the war a growing number of blacks would serve in the unit. While an independent unit and a “regiment” of sorts, in reality, at its peak the force would have been more akin to a reinforced battalion of around 700 men. They exacted a toll on the enemy far greater than one would expect from a unit of their relatively small size. The unit usually operated in small close knit fire teams known as “sticks” of four or five men who would operate independantly of the Rhodesian army for long protracted periods of time behind the enemy lines. The scouts frequently disguised themselves as terrorists to pass unnoticed through settlements or infiltrate enemy camps and on occasion white members would disguise themselves as East German advisors, many of whom were attached to train and guide communist guerrilla groups.
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SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING
As with all “special forces”, members of the Selous Scouts were highly trained, extremely well motivated and tough individuals. Many of them had previous experience as hunters and trackers living in the African countryside and quickly turned their skills to hunting a more deadly prey than the local wildlife. The scouts natural skills were honed and supplemented with more military skills including battlefield medical techniques, radio operating/code breaking skills and unarmed combat. All members of the unit were also trained as combat parachutists and able to drop from as little as 500 feet in a combat drop and while the technique was rarely used on operations, the skill of High Altitude Low Opening jumping was mastered by some members of the unit. Perhaps the biggest handicap the Scouts faced (and a similar one faced the Rhodesian army as a whole) was the lack of military equipment available. As mentioned earlier the communist guerrilla forces could draw on the immense reserves of the Chinese and the Soviets but the arms embargos on Rhodesia and its status as a “rogue state” meant that military equipment had to be either made domestically, or sourced from their only allies - South Africa and Mozambique (via the Portuguese). The main weapon used by the Selous Scouts was the reliable 7.62 FN FAL battle rifle (the NATO standard fully automatic version of the British SLR rifle) although the German G3 rifle (also 7.62mm and capable of selective fire) was also seen in Selous Scout sticks. Both of these battle rifles are somewhat heavy and cumbersome for a light reconnaissance unit and later in the campaign lighter M16s would be utilised alongside captured rebel AK47s.
cold war warriors SEALOUS SCOUTS
Our Cold War Warrior this month represents a Selous Scout “stick” member on a reconnaissance patrol. He is lightly equipped but still prepared to fight his way out of any contact with either ZANLA or ZIPRA guerrillas. Selous Scouts were perhaps infamous for the lack of uniformity (and the lack of uniform) they presented in pictures of the unit during the war. Officially the Selous Scouts were supposed to wear the regular Rhodesian Army uniform. Unit policy, however, seemed to be that each man was to choose the clothing and equipment they felt made them effective in patrolling the bush and this is clearly reflected in our Scout. Our scout’s head is protected from the African sun by a standard issue Rhodesian army cap as worn by the regular army. Many of the scouts wore (and were in fact encouraged) heavy beards and while our scout is not “camouflaged”, many archive pics show Selous Scouts covering their bodies and faces with black camouflage cream to prevent them being obviously “white” members of government forces by any settlement or camp they approached.
MINIMALIST KIT
Lightly clothed in a khaki t-shirt and short green army issue shorts our Scout is able to quickly move through scrub and brush land without snagging on foliage or overheating, he wears lightweight “desert boots” on his feet and rolled socks. Certainly, without his fighting equipment he presents a less than “military” appearance and dresses in the same way as his guerrilla quarry, which would aid in the sticks’ attempt to get close to enemy units before being recognised as government troops. It is, however, his fighting load that marks him out as a
professional soldier. His FN FAL battle rifle is fed by 20 round magazine held in a locally made chest rig, which has been hastily “camouflaged” with military green paint. On a minimal belt kit out scout supplements his fighting kit with a British style webbing belt and water bottle pouches, locally made webbing pouches (quite likely made by the Rhodesian firm “Fereday and Sons”, as with last month’s warrior) contain personal essentials, iron rations and perhaps a field dressing. Many Cold War Warrior impressions require quite specific (and occasionally quite expensive) kit, this loadout however is more or less there if you own a t-shirt and some shorts! The expense lies mainly in the AEG and perhaps in sourcing a few authentic webbing pouches. Certainly there is incredible latitude for kit customisation and most items shown in last month’s feature on the Rhodesian African Rifles would probably fit in here, either in part or as a full uniform. This is without a doubt the most “minimal “cold war warriors loadout we’ve ever presented and whether it is effective to skirmish in probably depends on how “nails” you think you are but the author would not like to try it on most sites with nettles, thorns and sharp stones… but the Selous Scouts fought a bitter guerrilla war in baking scrubland in this minimalist combat kit. You have to wonder quite how tough these men were. Tougher than me that’s for sure!
© theselousscouts.com
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Airsoft A4 v5.indd 1
01/02/2016 09:31
OPERATION CLAW HAMMER OSCAR P HEADS DOWN TO EVERSLEY TO TAKE PART IN AN EVENT AND ANSWER AN OFTEN-ASKED QUESTION: “MILSIM? WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, EH?” MILSIM? WHAT’S IT ALL about, eh? Sitting in a ditch, watching someone else crouched behind a stack of pallets, who’s been given the job of watching you? Getting an uberl33t tasking that’s as real as it can be? Getting a taste of what it’s like to be on the front line? No. We are not, collectively and pretty much exclusively, people who have ever, or will ever, go through the things that brave men and women do, day in and day out. Like getting shot at and, you know… injured. Or worse. This is airsoft. It’s a game… and so is “MilSim”. MilSim is about taking part in a story – not just rocking
…and I’ve found one! Back in December, I got a call about a series of games run under the banner “Okto 8”. For the uninitiated (which includes yours truly) “Okto” is a bit of standard radio comms lingo for when the radio signals get duffed up by the atmosphere. The “8” in this case refers to the fact that the games run for eight hours straight, two days in a row. Players kit up and head out into the field, coming back to camp at close of play, working from a fairly fluid set of harbours. The two-day setup means, of course, that the events are generally weekenders, played at a number of sites around the country, “FROM THAT STARTING POINT PLAYERS HIT THE FIELD AND TAKE IT with a social on the Saturday evening. The event I’m at is being played at FROM THERE (OR IN THE CASE OF THE RUSSIAN FORCES, ARE DROPPED Gunman’s Eversley, near Fleet, a very, INTO THE FIELD BY A CRAZY MINER IN A VAN SINGING ELO AT THE TOP very good woodland site. In terms of character, they’re a OF HIS VOICE) AND THEN IT’S OVER TO THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT.” modern-day setting, with a fairly straightforward “Dessie vs Greens” up to a skirmish. It’s about writing the script; living inside setup - broadly Nato vs Sovbloc - with the usual wide choice of the narratives you get from films, TV and novels. It’s about weapons that implies. So far, so good… and this is where the buying into the landscape you’re playing in. The characters, important bit kicks in. the factions, the animosities that lie behind the two sides that The event I’m at is the latest instalment of a story that’s are slinging plastic at each other, lobbing pyro and slogging been evolving for a year or so, meaning players start the game through mud, dust, rain and anything else Mother Nature hurls with a cracking backstory and a lot of friendly rivalry already at you. built up. That’s fuelled by a nicely organised Facebook page and A good MilSim is one that gives you a reason to be fighting groups which feature post-game write ups and reports framed the other team; not just because Colonel Bob needs you to sit as newspaper articles, or propaganda pieces for the various on his map-pin. factions… as well as reports on some key characters in the 54
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Event OKTO EIGHT - OPERATION CLAW HAMMER
story; notably President Gretsky of the Government forces and Jakov of the rebels. Perhaps it’s not a surprise that the comments sections are full of players setting out their plans to defeat the other side – or to scrag the Opfor’s leadership! Note that last bit carefully… Players are setting their own agendas. That’s an approach that runs through the event; the organisers set broad mission goals, throw in the odd mission or event to nudge things along, like a group of mining engineers needing to be escorted to certain points, a radio transmitter to find, or a spy to extract and there are also a number of non-player characters beetling around to jolly things along. Eversley also has a sizable built-up area (for the purposes of this event, known as the “Village of Tsiara”), which is populated with various characters who interact with any players that might appear… and whether they do is entirely up to them. Players are set objectives, then have to figure out what to do. It’s a light touch set up and works nicely. Want to ignore Sergei the Squirrel hunter? Up to you, Gov! Light up the NordOil engineer before hearing what he’s got to say? On your head be it! It is up to you. All of this was going on under the umbrella of the main storyline, set in the fictional state of “Moldistan”, the economy of which is dependent on a thumping great titanium mine… and as is to be expected, where there’s money there’s mayhem! The government, under the aforementioned President Gretsky, had recently lost control of the mine to a rebel faction under the infamous Jakov. The government have a cadre of NATO on side and, quelle surprise, there’s a Russian contingent weighing in with the rebels. From that starting point players hit the field and take it from there (or in the case of the Russian forces, are dropped into the field by a crazy miner in a van singing ELO at the top of his voice) and then it’s over to them to figure it out. Over the course of the day I witness breach, clear and booby trap in a bar; a very slick HVT extraction by a squad of Russians, watch NATO securing a mine, trip over a length of comms wire linking outposts and nearly set off a claymore guarding a rebel strong point. Luckily I didn’t because the locals in Tsiara are more interested in taking pictures of injured soldiers on their shonky blackberries than actually helping with the wounds! But I don’t actually see many big gaggles of players, or wintess big set pieces being orchestrated. The woods are quiet and what action I see is short, sharp and brutal. And you know what? That’s absolutely fine, because they are off doing their own thing, thinking about where the mission is taking them and building the story. By the end of the weekend, the Government’s retaken the mine and the rebel leader Jakov has been off’d by a well-timed airstrike… and it was all down to the players to choose what to do, and how. The outcome was truly down to the way they played the game. That’s what MilSim should be about. Living the operation, taking control of the experience, figuring out WHAT to win, as well as how to do it. Okto 8 are onto a good thing with their story, their approach to MilSim and the community they’re building. Why not take a look at their website (some of the factions have even got recruiting videos!) and think about how you could fit into the story? For the latest Okto 8 news and updates, head over to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OktoEightMilsim
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TOOLING UP PART ONE
KNIVES ARE NOT WELCOME ON ANY AIRSOFT SITE BUT THEY CAN HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY, AS FRENCHIE EXPLAINS IN THIS FIRST OF A TWO-PART SERIES IT IS ALMOST AN ARTICLE of faith that knives have no place on airsoft sites and many sites enshrine that in their terms and conditions. It is equally true that you will find plenty of knives on airsoft sites (just ask if anyone has anything to cut a bit of paracord in the safezone) and more usefully you will find lots of multitools. Since nearly all multitools include a knife blade technically they should fall under the prohibition on anything with an edge but they are so damned useful that most sites – and most players – choose to ignore the fact. Given this, it makes some sense to look at what’s available and what’s worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Writing as someone who has owned (and owns) far too many multitools, I’m well placed to cast a critical eye over what’s good and what’s not – and God knows there are plenty of them out there to choose from! There is simply no way to round up everything that’s available so I’ll concentrate on some of the better known and frankly better made options. I’ll also look at what each tool contains and how well they do their allotted task. There is no point in having 56
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a variety of screwdrivers in your multitool if they fail every time you use one, or if the pliers are capable of only crimping a chocolate bar. Price isn’t always a good guide to suitability or quality although there is some correlation, for instance the Gerber Suspension tool can be had for as little as £31.00 and change, while the Victorinox Swiss Tool X will set you back in the region of £100.00. You can obviously spend less (and much more) should you wish but the question is does the extra money buy you extra functionality? Many years ago, if you wanted to carry a tool box in your pocket you needed either very large pockets or a “Swiss Army knife”. The Swiss knife did many things well but it had a number of shortcomings and for many people, including one Tim Leatherman, the greatest shortcoming was a lack of pliers. Leatherman went on to design and market the first proper multitool and the company he founded continues to lead the field in many respects to this day. As with all good ideas it wasn’t long until others saw the potential and started offering their own visions of this useful tool. Gerber have always offered a wide range of multitools, as have SOG, Schrade, CRKT and many other lesser-known manufacturers. Leatherman still stand head and shoulders above the rest, at least in terms of sheer range but opinions are (as ever) divided as to the “best” tool out there. It should, however, go without saying that the “best” tool is a matter of personal preference, what I
KIT MULTI-TOOLS
favour may not be what you favour but we can be reasonably objective about a number of qualities they all share. Two of the tools I’ll be looking at broadly follow the Leatherman template, with butterfly opening handles which conceal a set of plier jaws. The Gerber takes a rather different approach. The handles contain the rest of the tools, be they blades, screwdrivers or something more esoteric. In the original Leatherman tools the blades etc. lived inside the handles and the tool had to be at least partially opened to access them. This also meant that when using the pliers you held the open side of the handles rather than the smoother, solid side. As a design it worked fine. I have a Leatherman PST which must be at least
“I HAVE USED MINE FOR EVERYTHING FROM EXTRACTING A BB STUCK IN A PLAYER’S EAR-HOLE, TO RE-ATTACHING THE DOOR OF A LAND ROVER USING NOTHING MORE THAN FOUL LANGUAGE AND LEATHERMAN JUICE.” 25 years old and it continues to put up with use and abuse. It wasn’t long, however, before others realised that it might be a better arrangement if the blades could be accessed without having to open the tool and Leatherman wasn’t far behind in this thinking. It is now more common than not to be able to access screwdrivers or blades without opening the tool. I’m going to pause just briefly here to try and explain my enthusiasm for these things. For many of you they are a fact of life, like a reunited Germany or rain. For those of us of a certain vintage, especially those familiar with tools, their use and being able to sort things for ourselves it is hard to convey the sheer wonder that discovering those first Leatherman tools occasioned. Since then I have used mine for everything from extracting a BB stuck in a player’s ear-hole, to re-attaching the door of a Land Rover using nothing more than foul language and Leatherman Juice. This was real power, freeing the owner from having to have even a basic tool kit to hand. Pardon an old(er) man’s raving but these things are epic! Right, back to the task in hand – what works for airsoft? First off, there are no multitools that are specifically aimed at airsofters. If there were, they would have a 10 inch Phillips head screwdriver blade for tightening up M4 stock tubes as a matter of priority, so let’s be realistic about what is worth having and what you can do. The basics you should be looking for are a decent pair of pliers with wire-cutting and stripping ability, screwdrivers (both flat head and Phillips), a decent knife blade and a file, which is surprisingly useful. Anything beyond that is in the “nice to have” category. Whilst flat head screwdrivers are usually not a problem, many manufacturers do seem to struggle with a decent Phillips head, some resorting to adding a bit holder and a separate selection of bits. Personally I have never been a fan of this approach because it leaves you reliant on additional parts to do the job, parts which can be lost rendering the whole thing useless. It’s a personal view but for that reason I have avoided any such tools here. If that’s your thing and it works for you, great! Of the various makers, Victorinox and Leatherman
have always provided excellent cross-head screwdrivers, others not so much and on cheap tools these are an utter waste of time. I am going to look in detail at the Victorinox Swisstool X, the Leatherman Wave and the Gerber Multiplier 600. Price-wise these cover quite a lot of ground – the Gerber can be had for around £60 whereas the Swisstool and the Wave are either side of £100. My reasons for picking these three are varied but importantly I have owned all of them at some point, so I have lived with them and found their foibles along the way. They are also representative of the most common styles of multitool available today, with only the Gerber eschewing the butterfly opening of the other two. The Multiplier represents Gerber’s earlier foray into the world of multitools and for my money, it’s still the best design they have come up with. Fortunately they are still available.
GERBER MULTIPLIER 600.
For brevity’s sake I will abbreviate that mouthful to “MP600” otherwise we’ll be here all day. First the basics from the Gerber web site: Flick of the wrist one-handed opening Needle nose pliers Wire cutter Wire crimper Straight knife blade Serrated knife blade Cross point screwdriver Small, medium and large flat head screwdrivers Can opener Bottle opener File Lanyard ring The unique feature of this series of Gerber tools is the manner of opening, which can be a bit confusing if you have never encountered it before. Rather than separating the www.airsoft-action.online
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KIT MULTI-TOOLS
“THE BASICS YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR ARE A DECENT PAIR OF PLIERS WITH WIRE-CUTTING AND STRIPPING ABILITY, SCREWDRIVERS (BOTH FLAT HEAD AND PHILLIPS), A DECENT KNIFE BLADE AND A FILE, WHICH IS SURPRISINGLY USEFUL. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS IN THE “NICE TO HAVE” CATEGORY.” handles you just grip them and flick the tool away from you. The plier jaws will slide forward and lock into place. In my experience it can take a little while for things to loosen up to the point that this works flawlessly but it is a great system and the MP600 is the only one of three under review that can be truly opened one-handed. That’s fine if you want to access the pliers but for anything else it gets a little slower. You have to deploy the pliers to part the handles and you will then find the various other tools inside the handles waiting to be folded out. Each blade locks into place and is release to stowage via a pair of large, easily manipulated plastic slides one on each handle. As a result of this design the MP600 is compact and light however it is also tough and in all the years of owning and using this design I haven’t managed to break one of these, which is not something I can say for all Gerber multitools.
From an airsoft point of view the Gerber is competent but not perfect. The pliers and wire cutter are great, with decent reach and the ability to apply a fair bit of force should it be required. The knife blades are the usual Gerber razor sharp and do their job very well. The file is a file and has both coarse and fine surfaces but the screwdrivers, although well-formed are a little short for my liking. For general use this isn’t much of an issue but if you need to tighten something that isn’t mounted on the surface you may curse that lack of length. This is something that all multitools are prone to, not something that Gerber are particularly bad at but since I’m looking at these with airsoft firmly in mind, the MP600 might not be right at the top of my list. If I was going to rate the Gerber I would give it a solid seven out of ten. It’s compact, tough, reliable and fairly easy to use. Experience suggests that it will last as long as you look after it and it has great blades. For me the short screwdrivers are less than optimal but acceptable and for the asking price it is excellent value for money. Next month I’ll complete the reviews and suggest my favourite out of the three tools but before that, a quick word about multitools and legality. All the tools on test feature locking blades, which means that you shouldn’t carry them unless you have good reason to. Going to a skirmish might well constitute such good reason and I personally have never had any trouble with the Law in all the years of using and carrying. Common sense prevails – don’t take it to a football match for instance, or to a particularly rowdy pub or club – that’s asking for trouble. There are plenty of decent resources about UK knife law and do not be put off by Amazon reviews that state “OMG! YOU CANNOT CARRY THIS WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW!!!!!” The law just isn’t that simple, nor is it that restrictive. That might be the basis for a further article but not now. Next month: The clash of the Multitooltitans – Victorinox vs Leatherman. www.airsoft-action.online
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WE’VE ALL SEEN THE PICTURES AND VIDEOS BUT DOES THE “C CLAMP” HAVE A PLACE IN AIRSOFT? GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY ASKED THE QUESTION AND YOU GAVE US THE ANSWER…
C CLAMP: FAST OR FAD? THIS MONTH THE BIG DEBATE in the Airsoft Action offices was the increasing popularity of the “C Clamp” shooting grip, as popularised by the renowned Chris Costa. For those of you that don’t know about it, it’s a firearms shooting technique most commonly seen in target shooting competitions where the hand that would normally grip around the magwell, or under the barrel is used as a “clamp”, with the thumb around the top of the barrel and furniture and with the fingers close to the foresight. It looks odd to a traditional “shooter”, it certainly looks uncomfortable to many others but a growing number of “real steel” shooters swear by it and it is beginning to be seen on the skirmish field. Proponents of the technique believe it has several key benefits over a ‘traditional’ shooting stance. Firstly the “C
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Clamp” technique allows you, or so they say, to quickly transition from one target to another as the rifle “follows the thumb” - point your thumb at the target and you should be on target with the rifle as well. Secondly, the stance is believed to reduce muzzle climb and assist in controlling recoil, a very desirable effect on a “real steel” shooting range. So this month we asked you whether “C Clamping” was all about getting a fast aim in, or was it just a fad? We wanted to know whether you felt there was any need for this shooting stance, designed to reduce recoil, in the airsoft hobby where even the most “realistic” of AEG recoil systems does not provide the kick of a real round and where even top end PTW gas blow backs are hardly bucking broncos that you struggle to control?
Debate C CLAMP
Military and sports shooting techniques adapt over the years by taking on actual combat experience; some of these techniques transfer nicely into airsoft but is this one of them? While many popular visual styles, techniques and tactics enter the airsoft realm of “playing soldiers” from the real world, most of them seem to be “combat” techniques rather than “sports shooting” techniques. But at the end of the day, we are just “playing soldiers” so does it really matter if the shooting style you use doesn’t really affect the control you have over your AEG, or in the eyes of some “makes you look daft”. There will always be someone who feels something is “silly” on another players kit/team/ site… be it two tone guns, unit patches, wearing too much kit or wearing too little kit. You simply can’t please everyone all of the time so we thought we’d open this one up to the floor. On the whole most of you felt that it was probably a valid “real steel” technique but questioned its use in the game. Some of you felt it made you easier to hit as you were essentially waving your hand round the corner before you fired, whereas others felt the stance would tire you out. But it was not a one sided debate and a few of you felt it was a useful technique to have in addition to the traditional repertoire and some of you felt it was just plain cool! Without further ado then, we’ll let you ‘have your say’... Angelo Di Vito: “For me it’s the single most entertaining thing in the sport. When someone comes round a corner holding
“FOR ME IT’S THE SINGLE MOST ENTERTAINING THING IN THE SPORT. WHEN SOMEONE COMES ROUND A CORNER HOLDING THEIR GUN AT THE END OF THE BARREL LOOKING DEADLY SERIOUS AND ALL OPERATOR, I USUALLY BURST OUT LAUGHING AND GET SHOT.” their gun at the end of the barrel looking deadly serious and all OPERATOR, I usually burst out laughing and get shot.” Mark Law: “Their hand becomes a target before they have even made it in the door.” John Murray: “It just looks cool!!” Martin Rome: “Useful in firearms. F***ing geardo in Airsoft.” Tom Fullwood: “Looks stupid but we all play ultimately to have fun. So if they are having fun running round like that then good on them. I defiantly have fun seeing them when I play.” Dave Skinner: “Completely depends on what works for you. Most of the people that bash on it (and for that matter most of the people that actually try and do it) in airsoft don’t have the first clue what it’s actually for. Very few “operators” actually use it. “I don’t use it myself, I use vert grips as a handstop but tbh the incessant whining about people doing it bugs me way more than the actual clampers themselves.” Sam Mitchell: “I use it on my rimfire AR15 in competitions and it works excellently. I use it in Airsoft purely for muscle memory. I also built a KWA ERG RM4 based off my rimfire AR15 for practice. If it looks stupid but works, it ain’t stupid!” www.airsoft-action.online
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Debate C CLAMP
Brendan Robb: “I can never get the hang of it. It feels like my thumb is going to break, so I just stick to using a foregrip.” Muzz Chad Wages Murray: “I’ve only ever seen the “C Clamp” used in airsoft and on “controlled” Costa’esque tuition and range days. I have seen guys mess about on the range with it but I’ve never personally seen it in a real world, real time application. It’s not easy to debus from transport and adopt the mechanics of that grip. But...this is airsoft and as such, don’t really have any kind of real recoil but we each pay our money to enjoy the hobby how we want to enjoy it. It you want to run around trying new things then you go and enjoy yourself. “My personal training and drills have always concentrated on vert grips or conventional forward grip positions, so, I would never automatically go for a “C Clamp” type grip as I feel it could restrict my left peripheral vision. “But if it’s the only way I can get the drop on Angelo Di Vito, then I may have to try it!” Callam Daniels: “I think it’s what works for you at the time. For me, depending on what RIF I’m using, like an L85, I use a grippod forward grip but if it’s like an M14, AK or AR style RIF, then I vary between holding the mag well and conventional supporting the gun on the forward hand guard/rail. I’ve seen people use it but it’s not for me.” Darren Pamplin: “All nonsense ITS AIRSOFT!!! It’s about one thing and that’s “HOP”.” Zed Woodman: “Clamping can help with accuracy by reducing over travel when transitioning from target to target. If people want to use the method on the Airsoft field then let them, it’s not hurting anyone!” David Puddefoot: “I think this C Clamp needs to be defined... I hold my barrel sometimes with my thumb on top as it’s a comfortable for me and I’ve probably been doing since before this whole operator fad came in to play. I don’t block my vision by having my arm up like a bird, I just grip my barrel and at the
same time been told I’m imposing the c clamp style. At the end of the day, however, it doesn’t matter as long as they’re playing fair and getting stuck in. I would rather play with a so-called “operator”, than someone who likes to just stand at doorways with their rifle in the way blocking players from getting stuck in.” Martin Cummins: “Thing about airsoft is that people most of the time want to be as authentic as possible. If that means holding a device in the same way as its real steel counterpart, then so be it.” Julian Wilson: “I find it horribly uncomfortable, especially if you play anything for any length of time. I stick to a vertical grip with a la rue grip, feels comfy and I can use it all day. A recoil hold is only any actual use in competition/target shoots in real steel. If you find it comfy fine, just don’t swan around bludgeoning people about accuracy and I don’t have an issue with it.” Andrew Cunningham: “As it is a sport, do how you feel.” Marcus Andrews-Mackay: “If it’s comfortable then do it, it’s only a game after all!” Paul Hutchinson: “Some interesting comments. I don’t do airsoft myself, only teach firearms. I don’t teach the C Clamp for a number of reasons, same reasons I don’t teach guys to hold the Mag or mag well. It was designed for competitions. For a one-way range with targets which are facing you. In the real world, targets come from all angles so to move quickly (tracking left or right) you have to use your core stability, which slows you down! If you grab the mag it’s the same issue, you use core stability and not your arms. Think of it like this... you don’t drive a car like with your hand too close or too far away from the wheel. Listen to your body... Simples!” Craig White: “It’s airsoft. Use the technique that’s effective and works for you.”
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Practical Pistol BLACK SPARROW
BLACK SPARROW NIGE TRAVELLED DOWN TO SOUTHAMPTON TO ATTEND THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY MATCH OF THE BLACK SPARROW AIRSOFT PRACTICAL SHOOTING CLUB REGULAR READERS WILL KNOW that I have covered quite a few airsoft Practical Shooting matches, from those with just a couple of teams right up to the Airsoft Surgeon European Championships, where over 100 shooters compete to be crowned the best in Europe. However, I think I can say without hesitation that the welcome we received at the Black Sparrow match was one of the warmest, friendliest yet. I had hitched a lift with Chris Kong of RedWolf Airsoft, who was sponsoring the event and providing some of the raffle prizes and from the moment we arrived, our hosts could not do enough for us. So, with coffee in hand I set to chatting with the competitors and finding out about the event. Southampton Black Sparrow is one of eight Airsoft Practical Shooting clubs under the banner of the London Practical Shooting Airsoft Association and shooters from some of the other clubs had also made the journey down to take part in this first anniversary match. Members of the club are predominantly Filipino but they welcome shooters from everywhere, not just of Filipino origin, however, their culture certainly influenced the day – and that was all to the good! The Black Sparrow venue is a local Scouts Hall and it was interesting to note that the preconception most have, i.e. that this would not be possible to arrange, was completely wrong – the Scouts are happy with the arrangement. The Hall is not overly large and there were just two courses of fire, or “Stages”, set up but to say that these were deceptively difficult might be just a little understatement. For example, I spotted what looked like a multi-armed device, with a small metal target at the end of each arm. Difficult enough on their own but as soon as one was hit, the whole device started to rotate under the combined weight of the others – and, as successive targets were knocked down, so the balance shifted and it rotated in a different manner!
With all shooters signed in and ready, the Chief Range Officer gave a briefing into the event, Squads were arranged and the competition got underway. I do not have the space here to go into blow-by-blow account of the day but there were one or two highlights that I must mention and the first is a young lad by the name of Kiko. Kiko is just nine years old and, without a shadow of a doubt, he is his father’s son! Both of them were shooting and talking to Kiko’s mum, she said he absolutely loves it – and so does his dad, Dyak (pronounced “Jack”). On top of that, he was not phased in any way, shape or form when shooting against adults twice his size and proved that age (at either end of the scale) is not a barrier in Practical Shooting. The other thing I simply have to mention was lunch. Throughout the morning, the smell of cooking was wafting from the kitchen next to the shooting area and as lunchtime approached I started to wonder what could smell so delicious. Pretty much on the stroke of 1pm all shooting stopped and, as if by magic, one of the stages was cleared, tables and chairs appeared and the most amazing spread was produced that seemed to contain an entire menu! The only unfortunate thing was that Chris and I had to leave and so after the raffle was drawn we left Black Sparrow to finish their match and headed back to Tewkesbury. Before we left we had the opportunity to speak to the guys behind the London Practical Shooting Airsoft Association and I hope to meet with them again soon, to produce an article on how they came together and what the future holds for what must be the UK’s largest Airsoft Practical Shooting club. Thanks to Black Sparrow and all the other LPSAA clubs for making us so welcome – and for the great lunch – it was very much appreciated.
Results Junior Category
Kiko Almanza
Senior Category
Rene Carcasona
Ladies Category
Loverne Apaya (1st) Marianne Gundayao (2nd) Rhoda Pena-Montaniel (3rd)
Open Category
Nick Dita (1st) Marlon Onal (2nd) Rudy Pedro (3rd)
Standard Category
Mark Apaya (1st) David Gray (2nd) Paul Elquiero (3rd)
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Practical Pistol MADDERS MEMORIAL
MADDERS MEMORIAL NIGE VISITS A MATCH HELD IN MEMORY OF MALCOLM DOWDING, A MUCH-LOVED, RESPECTED AND MISSED GENTLEMAN AND ONE OF THE UK’S TOP SHOOTERS BACK IN ISSUE 49 I wrote: “When I first met Malcolm Dowding I had no idea of just how much he meant to so many people. Sure, I had been briefed that he had a very “interesting” history, in that he’d spent many years as an armed officer in the Police and, now that he’d retired, he kept up his shooting skills at The East Barnet Shooting Club - and I have to tell you that his skills were pretty damn awesome!” After Malcolm died suddenly, “The Malcolm Dowding Challenge Cup” was created in his memory and the second memorial event took place over the weekend of 20th-21st February. Unfortunately, because of prior commitments I could not make the 20th so I headed up to Burnley and the Northern Practical Pistol Club early on the Sunday morning. The NPPC is housed in one of the big old buildings close to the centre of town and although it has clearly seen better days, is an ideal venue as it offers a dry, wind-free environment in which to shoot. With nearly fifty shooters taking part (including a team from Belgium) and thirteen stages to get through (and considering it was both blowing a gale and raining), “dry” and “wind-free” were both definite advantages! Some shooters from Saturday had already completed the stages and headed home, while others arrived on Sunday to take part so the organisation had to cope with quite a bit of “flexibility” but this didn’t seem to cause any problems and shooting had already started by the time I arrived at just after 9:00. It was really good to catch up with so many of the shooters I have met over the last few years and the atmosphere, as always, was one of friendly rivalry. Don’t get me wrong though, practical shooters are fiercely competitive and every stage is shot as though their lives depended on it, however, they are also more than willing to help other competitors if they have a problem, even to the point of lending them kit.
The stages were a good mix of both technicality and speed, with some requiring just a few shots to complete, while others necessitated a large amount of movement and four mags to get through. I particularly liked the concept on one stage, where the lights were turned out and competitors had to shoot by the light of a hand-held torch. I’d not seen this at any other event (and it did mean I couldn’t photograph it), although it did remind me of a certain US police drama (Hawaii Five-0 actually - McGarret et al have a lot to answer for)! As is often the case, a raffle was held to raise funds for a local charity, with prizes ranging from a Hi-Cappa donated by Mike Cripps of Elite Shooting, to gas, bbs, chocolate and even a remote-controlled Leopard 2 tank! Like everyone else, I really wanted to win the pistol but the tank would have been pretty cool as well. I managed to grab a few minutes with the guys from Belgium to chat about next year’s World Shoot in Hungary and found out that one of their number, Jurgen Ronsse, is planning to shoot in the IPSC World Shoot 2017 in France and then come to Hungary afterwards. So far as I am aware, this will be the first time a shooter has competed in both the Real Steel and Action Air versions of the same event. Jurgen and the guys will also be competing in the Airsoft Surgeon European Championship later this year, so I’ll no doubt get an update from him then. I’ll finish by saying a big thanks to those who took part and especially to those who travelled many hours to get there. You all did Malcolm proud!
Results Classic
1st – Dave Rose 2nd – Andy Inglis
Open
1st – Jurgen Ronsse 2nd – Mark Farrar 3rd – Wil Sykes
Standard
1st – Matt Wyborn 2nd – Andy Williams 3rd – Craig Meegan
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TACTICAL RELOADABLE MARITIME READY KELLY “FEMME FATALE” HARDWICK TAKES A LOOK AT THE LATEST VERSION OF CONCEPT TACTICAL’S TRMR GRENADE, NOW AVAILABLE IN A RANGE OF STUNNING NEW COLOURS SO CONCEPT TACTICAL HAVE done it again! From the creators of the original TRMR comes the next generation in the TRMR family – the vibrant TRMR-E1. Over the last 2 years we have seen many generations of TRMR; the original, the multi-shot, the x4 and now the E1. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the TRMR, it stands for “Tactical Reloadable Maritime Ready” and was originally designed as a multi-purpose munitions system, for use on maritime vessels by law enforcement. But for us Airsofters, it is one of the fastest and safest inertia fired impact grenades on the market to date. It uses a “twist to arm” safety system (T.T.A.S), meaning it is completely safe until armed and it deploys a wide variety of commercially available blanks that create a bang and a flash of light. The munitions the X4 E1 can deploy are as follows: .209 primers, 9MM blanks, 8MM blanks 12 gauge and the new “Magflash” rounds, which means it boasts probably the most universal base on the market. They are currently stocked by JD Airsoft, the “UK’s largest 68
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Airsoft Retail Superstore”, based on Green Lane in Cannock, West Midlands and they are priced at £84.99 for all colours. The multi-shot base can be purchased separately for £29.99 but is only available in black, however Concept Tactical have plans to roll them out to more retailers in the near future. Let’s talk about facts! The new E1 is the enhanced version of the TRMR and has significant improvements on its predecessors, including a new firing mechanism that is 30% more sensitive and gives an enhanced kinetic energy transfer to its firing pin. This means the TRMR can now operate from a drop height of just 30cm, rather than the 50cm we are used to. It has a new tri-lock bearing safety system that completely locks the firing pin until the T.T.A.S is within 2mm of the full arm position, so no matter how hard the device is bumped, or even if it is unintentionally dropped, it will not go off unless it is armed. It also features a new stainless steel base cap with a new profiled pin hole to make using the multi-shot easier! I have used every generation of the TRMR, from the original to the multishot and one problem I found with the
KIT TRMR E-1
multi-shot base is that when the TRMR is deployed and .209 primer detonates, the primer would swell and make it difficult to move the selector but the new profiled pin gives the primer more space within the chamber and should therefore remedy that issue. The E1 measures around 4 inches from base to firing pin and fits in standard 40mm grenade pouches. The new E1s come in an all-new range of vibrant colours: Obsidian Black, Viridius Green, Citrus Green, Rosso Red, JD Orange, Battle Brown, Tyrian Purple, Royal Blue and Aureus Gold. Although I am disappointed to see there isn’t a pink TRMR in the range, there is no doubt that the new colours are absolutely stunning – “too good looking to chuck” is an understatement! The overall aesthetics are greatly improved and aid the usage of the device. The enhanced mid-body texturing and machined cut-outs give you added grip and assist with reloading. One of the most notable new additions to the enhanced E1, is the dual machined shield sections that are located on the top of the device, which have been designed to aid users remove the device from pouches and to aid with single-hand arming and deployment. These shield sections can also be engraved with team logos and names etc. by JD Airsoft for an additional fee. Now those are the facts… but how does it look, feel and perform? I love the new look. It still retains the TRMR’s signature
“IT HAS A NEW TRI-LOCK BEARING SAFETY SYSTEM THAT COMPLETELY LOCKS THE FIRING PIN UNTIL THE T.T.A.S IS WITHIN 2MM OF THE FULL ARM POSITION, SO NO MATTER HOW HARD THE DEVICE IS BUMPED, OR EVEN IF IT IS UNINTENTIONALLY DROPPED, IT WILL NOT GO OFF UNLESS IT IS ARMED.”
shape but everything from the colours to the new machined details, it is a stunning piece of kit and with the new shield sections, the engravings are clearer, sharper and this means that more detailed designs can be achieved, so you can really make it your own! One thing that makes the TRMR stand heads and shoulders above the competition for me, is its clean design and the fact there are no pins or levers to lose/damage (the T.T.A.S removes the need for these) is a major plus. It has a good weight behind it thanks to the aircraft grade aluminium and stainless steel. The X4 base is anodised and the firing pin is hardened to milspec standards, so it can be loaded with a variety of munitions without compromising the integrity of the device and all these little details add to the look, feel and reliability. The new texture helps aid with grip – especially when wearing gloves and arming it singlehandedly. I tested the TRMR in both a skirmish situation and also in a controlled environment and I am seriously impressed with how it performed! In the earlier generations of the TRMR there have been situations where I’ve thrown my armed TRMR and it has failed to deploy and, although these were few and far between, it was still an issue. With the new firing mechanism, I’m pleased to say this didn’t happen. I deployed my TRMR around 12 times over the course of the day and it performed flawlessly - but 12 throws isn’t enough to base a review on, so I took the TRMR and a pack of primers into a controlled environment and set about putting some rounds through it! Now throwing the device 50 times, without the rush of
CQB wasn’t the most exciting task, I admit but after each throw I was more and more impressed with the reliability of the E1! It failed to detonate just once out of the 62 throws it went through that day! Very, very good odds! Overall, I am seriously impressed with the new generation of the TRMR and I have found it difficult to find any negatives. My only complaint is that it doesn’t come in pink! It is an affordable impact grenade (adding the mulit-shot base does make it a little more expensive) and to my mind, the most versatile on the market, along with the safest! It is easy to use – both to reload and deploy and I’m extremely impressed with the reliability thanks to the improved internal mechanism! I am really looking forward to putting this Online at: www. through more skirmishes and even using the jdairsoft.net Magflash rounds in my next or instore at: MilSim! JD Airsoft Unit 5 Virage Park Green Lane Walsall Road Cannock Staffordshire WS11 0NH
Purchase details:
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kit BULLDOG TACTICAL GEAR
BULLDOG TACTICAL GEAR
WHEN HE’S NOT GETTING ALL UNNECESSARY OVER THE LATEST PIECE OF AIRSOFT LOVELINESS, LES LEE ALSO LIKES TO MAKE SURE THE KIT HE WEARS IS UP TO THE JOB AND FOUND JUST WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR AT UKMC PRO
DURING MY MANY VISITS to UKMC Pro in Southsea, I found that many of my purchases and interest was steered towards a brand of tactical equipment and clothing labelled “BULLDOG TACTICAL GEAR”. I later found out that it is designed and built based on demand by the numerous military personnel that buy from (what is probably) the South Coast’s leading military equipment retail showroom and online purchase facility. Bulldog Tactical Gear (BTG) are manufacturers of modern Military and Police Equipment. A British brand, their mission and main aim is to provide battle-ready Military and Tactical equipment that does not cost you the Earth. Working together with seasoned military professionals, BTG have tailored their pouches, tactical bags, belt kits, chest rigs and tactical equipment to be exactly the right kit you need when you find yourself up against the many dangers a modern professional may have to face. So after many purchases of this brand over the years and the longevity of the quality of this gear, I felt it only appropriate to share my findings with our loyal readers. Now I am as skeptical as the next person when it comes to own brand products, whether it be lemonade or laxatives but be assured... be very assured, that BTG is in a class of its own simply because, for me, it ticks all the right boxes. On a personal note, I purchased a pair of their top-ofthe-range MTP combat pants around three years ago, mainly because of the flexibility of the fit and okay, I’m no Damien Scott or Michael Stonebridge but they get worn every time I go Airsofting and there is still not a single sign of wear and tear. Perhaps they are just a little faded due to washing but that’s to be expected so I for one am very pleased and at around £70 at the time, this was clearly money well spent. All Bulldog clothing is a lightweight, durable Rip-Stop 65/35 PolyCotton blend and pre-washed to avoid shrinking. In addition, BGT use mil-spec double and triple stitch construction, YKK zips and Duraflex buckles. Nylon Equipment (plate carriers, pouches, chest rigs, etc.) and of course bags are made from heavy duty but flexible 1000D Cordura Nylon, or 600D Cordura Nylon for some of the lighter bags. Again these pieces are furnished with YKK zips and Duraflex buckles, with a mil-spec triple stitch construction. Clearly, these products have had some serious testing before they are made available, with the end user in most cases being military, who’s lives could depend on their ability to use any piece of equipment fluently and without any compromise or
failure in the process of dealing with some of the most bad-*ss bad guys in the world. The range of products is simply massive, so to give you some idea I have selected some of the more frequently used pieces to give you a general overview which should give you a fair and balanced perspective of what BGT has to offer but of course, like all retail products, I would urge you to drop in on their website for a better insight across the whole range.
Bulldog Elite ECU2 Combat Trousers in MTP
These super comfortable trousers offer the perfect balance between quality, modern design and price. Complete with built-in knee pads, removable for when being washed and designed and built to a modern tactical layout with 4 pockets on the back and 2 smaller ones on the front. The following specifications should give you some idea what you can expect: • Made from a lightweight yet durable ripstop 65/35 poly cotton blend. • Pre-washed to avoid shrinking and fading (recommended cold wash) • Available in MTC Camo, Black, Olive Green or Coyote Tan • Built-in flexible rubber knee pads for protection in the field; sewn on to a neoprene base to provide high levels of comfort. • 4-way stretch material offers total freedom of movement & increased levels of comfort • Located inside both thigh pockets are straps used to adjust the height that the knee pads sit at for a custom fit. • Velcro adjusters on back to tighten or loosen the knee pads. • Fits all leg lengths between 30–32” inch
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two buttons; the green circle indicator confirms when the buckle is fully inserted and ready to go. The Tactical Riggers Belt provides the ultimate in stability and will not lose tension even with heavy loads. With the double tension offered by the buckle and additional Velcro you can rest assured that it will not budge.
• Modern 8 pocket design; 4 on rear, 2 on the front & 2 standard hand pockets. • Large pockets located on back to aid freedom of movement. • 2 smaller pockets on front to house smaller but important items that need to be kept easy to hand • Padded waist belt for increased comfort when wearing a combat or MOLLE Belt. • 4-Stretch material on lower back to increase freedom of movement and off superior comfort levels. • Large belt loops to accommodate most combat Belts • Zippered fly with Velcro closure top • Built-In waterproof lining on the bottom of the legs act as gaiters when wearing boots. • Textured rubber knee pads provide a non-slip stable base for various shooting stances. • Gusseted crotch allows total freedom of movement, great for hand-to-hand combat or breaching. • Mil-Spec double stitch construction with a double seat for durability. With an outstanding overall specification and build quality, it is clear to see that these are made for professional use as they offer all the features and benefits of their rivals but at a fraction of the cost. Based on Bulldog’s original ECU Trousers but with a whole load of improvements designed to provide a fast action combat trouser for tactical use by Military and certain Law Enforcement Units.
Bulldog Cobra Tactical Riggers Belt, 1.75 Inch
This 1.75” tactical belt is designed for Special Forces & Military use. Made using mil-spec nylon webbing which is ultra-lightweight yet highly durable. The new Cobra style buckle makes removing or putting on the belt a 2-second job, eliminating the need to constantly undo the Velcro and buckle. Simply use your forefinger and thumb to quickly release the buckle with the aid of
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Bulldog LMR Chest Rig; more lightweight, more versatile, more durable
The LMR Chest Rig is Bulldog’s brand new and vastly improved design. Can be worn with or without body armor. It provides mobility and freedom of movement over protection with only a front plate option. The LMR can also be worn over a nonMOLLE plate carrier to add tactical versatility, and it weighs in at only 995 grams! Made from lightweight yet durable 1000 Denier Nylon which adds little weight to your load, it is curved to match the shape of your body. This makes for a comfortable fit but also makes the Bulldog LMR less restrictive than its rivals, providing a fast action rig that excels when surprise is key to success. It also holds a low profile so can be concealed if required. With integrated open-top bungee mag pouches the Bulldog LMR can hold 8 x M4 or AK47 magazines which are stored comfortably, securely and in the perfect position for a quick reload. Reinforced with tough Bulldog exclusive SKIN material to protect high wear areas where there is contact with the mags, also aids in holding the mags securely in place. With 3 rows of MOLLE across both the top and bottom of the LMR Chest Rig, adding MOLLE pouches is a piece of
kit BULLDOG TACTICAL GEAR
cake. Compatible with all MOLLE pouches with the option to attach extra mag pouches (if required) and / or utility pouches, dump pouch and much more. The BTG LMR Chest Rig has a large pocket (actually, make that a HUGE pocket) behind the mag pouches with heavy duty zipper closure. Internal MOLLE for attaching MOLLE pouches which is great for storing documents, knife, multi-tool, light sticks, tactical light, even a pistol or other smaller items that are required easy to hand. It also houses the cord locks used to adjust the integrated mag pouches. Utilising customer feedback and demand, this is one very well made battle belt and I can assure you that this is a seriously interesting and versatile piece of kit. My array of G5 magazines weigh almost as much as a small bungalow but the pouch spacing and design really helped spread the load and it didn’t make me feel like I was going to take a nose dive the moment I stopped walking like a limbo dancer in reverse.
Bulldog Rip Away MOLLE Panel in MTP
Now this piece of equipment is probably one of the most practical items in the Military market that has potential in so many ways. The Bulldog Tear Away MOLLE Panel has really impressed me a lot! It enables the operator to quickly and easily remove a pouch from your belt or other MOLLE gear. Great for the CMT Medic Pouch, Medic Utility pouch or just about any other type of pouch that you can fit on an area roughly the size of a typical admin pouch designated platform. Measures approx 14 x 18 cm and consists of 5 x 3 rows of MOLLE. It has a reinforced pull handle in red for easy identification when needed and with a simple pull of the handle you can remove any pouch and lay it in front of you, or throw it to someone else. I was so impressed with this unique piece of kit that I bought one myself and now run around with a first aid kit on my back that would be the envy of most Paramedics. Compatible with all MOLLE equipment including belts, rucksacks, vests, plate carriers & more.
Bulldog MK2 MOLLE Webbing Set in MTP
The new and improved version of Bulldog’s top selling MOLLE Webbing Set is a big step forward in performance with improved load stability with the addition of 2 extra points of
attachment. Now with a 6 Point system and an improved integral belt with Cobra “THE POUCH SPACING Buckle to ensure that once set it will not AND DESIGN REALLY budge. A highly versatile piece of kit, the Yoke HELPED SPREAD THE and MOLLE belt can be used together LOAD AND IT DIDN’T or individually. The padding can also be MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I removed from the belt and the interior belt used as a standard combat belt if you WAS GOING TO TAKE A choose to do so. Designed to be worn NOSE DIVE THE MOMENT over the British standard issue plate carrier, I STOPPED WALKING it can form the base of a modern MOLLE webbing system with the addition of LIKE A LIMBO DANCER IN Bulldog MOLLE Pouches (also compatible REVERSE.” with issue Osprey Pouches). It is ultra lightweight so adds very little weight to your already heavy load and is durable as it is made from 1000 Denier Nylon. The MOLLE Yoke has a vented back panel to provide ventilation to aid in keeping you cool. A chest strap ensures a snug fit to your back and a 4-point connection between the yoke and belt ensures load stability and improves overall load balance. The MOLLE Belt is made up of 3 sections of material instead of just the standard 1 piece design and this vastly improves the flexibility and offers you greater freedom of movement. It moves more naturally with your body and causes less restriction – and it weighs in at only 900g in total. So after an intensive study, microscopic scrutiny, personal experience and feedback from some individuals that I know that have bought and use Bulldog Tactical Gear regularly, I have to conclude that BTG is making a substantial difference… a difference that ultimately allows any member of a Delta Team, Navy Seals, SAS or even more demanding, an Airsofter, to buy a premium quality piece of gear at an affordable price and have that peace of mind that it won’t let him or her down any time soon. Les OUT!
Contact: UKMC Pro 69 Elm Grove Southsea Portsmouth Hants PO5 1JF 02392 838800 www.ukmcpro.co.uk sales@ukmcpro.co.uk
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Loaded or Unloaded HYDE DEFINITION
IN THE
GREENZONE A BIG FAN OF THE CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS OFFERED BY HYDE DEFINITION, THIS MONTH JERRY NOONE REVISITS THEIR UNIQUE AND EFFECTIVE GREENZONE PATTERN AS HE PREPARES FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS AHEAD
A GOOD WHILE AGO NOW I took a close look at some great kit offered in the PenCott GreenZone camouflage pattern, as it is extremely effective in UK woodland during the summer months when the vegetation is at its fullest and brightest. I will admit though, that even less than two years ago I struggled a little to find a full set of gear in the pattern but I’m pleased to report that this situation has changed completely, with more and more manufacturers getting on board with GreenZone. To recap; Hyde Definition is a camouflage design company that was founded in England by Dominic Hyde in 2008. Dominic’s lifelong interest in the art of concealment, having experimented with different camouflage techniques and patterns since childhood, has led him to design over two thousand camouflage patterns for clothing and equipment, vehicles and infrastructure installations, as well as the internationally successful PenCott Multi-Environment Camouflage Pattern Family. PenCott is actually now a family of patterns for year round, multi environment use, consisting of GreenZone (Temperate), BadLands (Semi-Arid), SandStorm (Arid) and SnowDrift (Arctic) patterns. The original PenCott variant for verdant terrain, GreenZone, was first trial-launched on a very limited scale in the UK in late 2009. Fast forward to 2016 and all of the patterns are most firmly established with GreenZone leading the way. The patterns are also getting exposure in some pretty unique places in relation to the media as well. I asked Dominic and Lawrence at Hyde Definition about this and they told me; “We’ve had some interesting experiences with being onscreen. The first time that one of our patterns was going to be used in a movie, the camera operator discovered that he couldn’t get his equipment to stay focused on the guys wearing PenCott - something about the complexity and the disruptive effect of the pattern messing with the cameras. So they refitted everybody with a different, more popular, pattern. “Last year, however, PenCott patterns did appear onscreen in two different productions; one was the Ridley Scott produced “HALO: Nightfall” movie (which extensively featured our BadLands pattern) and the other appearance was in an episode of the Netflix series “House of Cards” (our BadLands and GreenZone patterns were both used as stand-ins for
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Russian Army camouflage BDUs).” With exposure like this I’m certain that a lot more of you will be looking into the PenCott patterns and now you’ve got more choice in clothing, tactical gear and accessories than ever before so let’s take a look at who’s doing what!
CLOTHING OPTIONS
PenCott GreenZone is getting much easier now to create a “top to toe” set of gear in and you’ll have no problem now sorting out a full loadout. More and more manufacturers are taking the pattern up, so as time marches ever on the availability just gets better and better. To start the ball rolling let’s look at what’s out there in relation to GreenZone clothing. My first port of call is again going to be UFPRO and if you’ve not yet come across this excellent manufacturer from Slovenia, then you REALLY need to go and check them out at www.ufpro.si. I’ve been using some of their gear for a couple of years now and they really are right up there with the very best of the innovators and producers of tactical clothing. I’ve long been a fan of their “Striker” combat uniform and the third generation of this superb shirt and trouser was released earlier this year and is getting MAX review time online! The XT Combat Shirt has been seriously upgraded in the latest generation and some important components have been changed in the new model that considerably improves wear comfort and functionality. In the torso area, the mix of polyester and merino wool offers extraordinary durability, maximum comfort and odourinhibition. The cut of the sleeve and the slide-in pockets have been ergonomically improved so that you will always land on their own D3O® elbow protection. It’s a beautifully fitted and well-made shirt which makes the most of cutting edge technology in ALL ways. Likewise the matching XT trousers; these give you a significant increase in fit and efficiency. Already a great design the latest version has been developed further. The stretch areas have been expanded and new and ergonomically perfected two component knee protection has been introduced. This is made using an intelligent combination of hard and soft technologies that enable highly efficient protection of the knee and tibia areas without the use of a restrictive Velcro strap. The widthadjustable lower leg area enables the effective fixing of objects in the lower leg pocket, including during rapid movement and the large cargo pockets with inner compartments can be accessed in two ways, from the top or side which is great if you’re sitting in a vehicle The stretch areas in the hip/ buttock area and above and below the knee protection are made of an extremely resilient Schoeller®-dynamic stretch material and if you want to carry these over to the Winter months then a Gore WINDSTOPPER Lining can easily be zipped into the Striker XT Combat trousers, as in all UF PRO trouser models.
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UF PRO also offer a very well detailed combat shirt and an excellent mid-layer garment called the “Hunter Sweater”. The Hunter is the perfect piece of equipment for cold, windy or wet days. It provides superb comfort during outdoor activities in uncertain weather conditions. As it is light and nicely packable, it perfectly qualifies for longer outdoor activities and can be worn under tactical equipment or simply as “stand alone” whenever it’s getting cooler; if, like me you want it to sling on over your gear then I’d advise going one size up as the fit is athletic. The majority of the Hunter is water resistant, whilst the side stretch panels offer great movement and breathability. The whole thing is very snug though as it’s lined with 37.5™ COCONA microfleece. Overall this is a cracking bit of kit, to the point that I’ve actually bought one for myself after sending back the test sample! If you’re looking for task specific gear then it is well worth taking a look at the UF PRO “Silent Warrior Sniper Jacket”. It is part of a multi-layer garment system which has been designed to fulfil the high demands of professional snipers. As the outer layer it has to provide total functionality, protecting against insects and supporting additional camouflage elements in the best possible way. The jacket is tailored slightly wider than usual for ease of movement but can be easily adjusted to fit you perfectly. For a reliable protection against insects, the jacket has an integrated mosquito net in the hood and an insect barrier at the sleeve´s hem. Ventilation openings, which are also mesh lined, provide air circulation but also prevent insects from entering your clothing system. The jacket can be upgraded with UF PRO® Flex- Protectors in the elbow area for additional cushioning and impact protection. For durability and abrasion resistance, the elbow area of the jacket is reinforced with CORDURA® fabric. Additional vegetation can be fixed to the loops on the shoulder and upper back area and there’s matching trouser model to go with the jacket. If however you’re looking for something more weather protective, then the “Monsoon Smallpac” jacket and pant will fit the bill very, very well. Whilst UFPRO are by no means the cheapest option available, all their garments are in the “Rolls Royce” catchment of combat gear and are truly worth every penny. If you’re looking for other uniform options then UR-Tactical, Leo Kohler and Helikon-Tex are also worth checking out; in my opinion Helikon-Tex’s CPU boonie is one of the best examples of its type on the market!
LOAD CARRYING OPTIONS
Not so long ago the choice of load-bearing gear in GreenZone was extremely limited but I’m pleased to tell you this situation has changed utterly! If you’re after a plate carrier, pouches, or a chest rig then UR-Tactical have a good range to choose from and Tactical Tailor have some interesting pieces as well. Whiskey Two Four in the USA are making some absolutely stunning bespoke pieces of tactical gear too. When it comes to packs you can choose from Grey Ghost Gear, Wisport and Direct Action as they all offer multiple options. For my first line gear I kept
Loaded or Unloaded HYDE DEFINITION
things uber simple with a great MOLLE mesh pouch and a clip for keys. A flat SICC Belt from www.platatac.com; the compartment on the back with zips on Soldier’s Integrated Combat Cobra the sides has yet more antenna/comms Belt allows you to integrate multiple ports in both upper corners and an platforms onto one belt. Manufactured even flatter zippered pouch on the from MILSPEC high breaking strain back is great for storing notes, maps, or para-tape and tube tape throughout even a notebook computer. Last but it’s the perfect belt to use with a not least is a zipped compartment on vehicle safety lanyard. To this I simply the bottom which houses an OD Green added a UR-Tactical OPS dump rain cover. pouch, a utility/first aid pouch from The MISSION has acres of MOLLE Whiskey Two Four and a custom webbing and some velcro patches Kydex holster made by my mate for insignia on the outside. The main Phil at Clearwater Holsters. compartment can be compressed For all my second and third with side straps for secure line gear though I went to carriage of varying loads and Tasmanian Tiger in Germany. there is a comfortably padded As a premium supplier of back with an internal support professional military and police frame. The ergonomic shoulder equipment, all Tasmanian straps are well padded and fully Tiger products are made of adjustable both at the top and the very best quality and with bottom for a comfortable set-up. the best functionality. The There’s a sternum strap with a comprehensive development neat emergency whistle buckle work is always based on and a padded waist belt with two the user’s specific needs and small zippered pouches, also fully requirements. From prototype removable. to series production, all Last but by no means least and again made in products are manufactured in the 500D Cordura, the “ESSENTIAL” pack is a small 6L all-round company’s own production facilities. This ensures that a consistently high level of “OUR PATTERNS GIVE THESE GUYS TWO DISTINCT TACTICAL ADVANTAGES: quality is maintained. Every FIRST, THEY ARE SUPER EFFECTIVE; SECONDLY, THEY’RE NOT STANDARD step in the production process, MILITARY ISSUE, SO IF THEY DO HAPPEN TO BE SPOTTED SOMEWHERE IT from purchasing materials to manufacture, to the final WON’T BE IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS WHAT COUNTRY OR UNIT THEY ARE WITH. checks, is precisely defined and checked regularly by independent test centres to international standards. Every product is checked before it leaves production and is given a serial number that is then stored in the company’s own database. My first choice was a “TT CHEST RIG MK II PC”. A real quality chest rig made in 500D Cordura, it comes with four integrated magazine pouches and two utility pouches and on top of that you can of course attach an infinite number of additional MOLLE compatible pouches to meet your own, personal requirements. The four integrated magazine pouches with adjustable velcro flaps, can hold the majority of magazines currently in use and the two utility pouches on the sides can each handle a one litre water bottle. The rig is designed with the option to carry ballistic side plates and is covered with MOLLE webbing for attaching extra pouches; Tasmanian Tiger offer an extensive range of different pouches to go with the rig. There’s a large map pouch on the inside, a removable bib with a small document pouch on the inside and the whole thing is lined with 3D mesh. The H-style shoulder straps feature quick release buckles on both ends and there’s a generous amount of adjustment in both height and width. In terms of packs Tasmanian Tiger offer three models in GreenZone. The “MKIII RAID” is their flagship “gear lugger” and it’s a classic military backpack with their new V2 plus carrying system. It extends the application range and flexibility with a removable hip belt and the greater adjustability of the back length. The “MISSION Pack” constructed in 500D Cordura is (at 37L) a bit of a classic patrol pack with enough space for a few days-worth of operational equipment. It offers a large main compartment, a large zipped compartment with an attaching point for a hydration bladder on the inside; an exit point for the hydration tube is found on the top, just beneath a sturdy carry handle. On the front is another large compartment with four antenna/ cable ports, three open compartments, a zippered
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Loaded or Unloaded HYDE DEFINITION
daypack. It features two compression straps around the whole pack, MOLLE panels on the back and side, a webbing carry handle and comfortable yet now-profile shoulder straps again featuring the sternum strap with an integrated emergency whistle buckle. The pack is simply one large compartment with a hydration bladder pocket and makes a superb “grab bag”; the fact that it weighs just 480g is a bonus in itself!
GreenZone now, I’ll close by saying not only do the Hyde Definition patterns work, they’re being used by the movie and TV industries as well as some very “special” units out there as well. Again the guys told me; “We don’t donate free stuff or money in order to get photos of our patterns being worn by special units or “tactical celebrities”, so it’s always an authentic pleasure when we see elite units and tactical professionals using our patterns. We also know that there are special units using our patterns that DON’T want their pictures to be publicized for OPSEC/PERSEC reasons. “Our patterns give these guys two distinct tactical advantages: first, they are super effective; secondly, they’re not standard military issue, so if they do happen to be spotted somewhere it won’t be immediately obvious what country or unit they are with. So, that means the camouflage patterns are doing exactly what they’re supposed to do: make it more difficult for the wearers to be spotted and also make it more difficult for them to be identified if they are.” I can think of no reason better than this to give you in relation to the efficacy of PenCott camouflage! My thanks go to Dominic and his team at Hyde Definition for all their help in the preparation of this article. You can find out more about the PenCott family of patterns and get a full listing of manufacturers they are working with by visiting www.hydedefinition.com.
IT’S A WRAP!
In terms of accessories once again there are a number of smaller, specialist manufacturers who seem to have taken GreenZone to their hearts. BE-X Combat Gear, available from Begadi GmbH and Lesovik Outdoor are both producing tarps for bashas and other accessories. Over in the USA 0241 Tactical are also making tarps, along with a comprehensive range of cold weather hats, shemaghs, neck gaiters, goggle covers and pack covers; at the time of going to press I’d just been advised by 0241 Tactical that they have developed two jacket models (their first ever clothing!) due to hit the market imminently. Also just released at SHOT 2016 were some great new boots from SixKa in both GreenZone and BadLands, care of 707 Tactical Gear in Miami. With such a wide variety of kit to choose from in
WHERE TO BUY www.military1st.co.uk
http://ufpro.si
http://shop.0241tactical.com
Need tactical gear? Military1st is pretty much your one stop shop in this respect. They stock an enormous range of gear from all the best manufacturers including some great GreenZone products from Helikon-Tex, Direct Action and Wisport.
The innovative team at UFPRO have become very good friends and they continue, in my opinion, to bring some of the very best tactical clothing available to the market, most especially when it comes to GreenZone. Go and check them out if you haven’t already!
My mates at 0241 Tactical over in the USA are really rolling at the moment as they’ve just released their first ever jacket! They offer a full range of all the accessory items you could ever need, either directly or via www.tactical-kit. co.uk
www.hueys.co.uk
http://en.tasmaniantiger.info
www.wtfidea.com
HUEYs are fast building a fabulous reputation for both the products they offer and for their excellent service. They stock a great range of PenCott products from the likes of UF PRO and UR-Tactical.
Tasmanian Tiger are getting better and better known in the UK due to the outrageous quality in what they offer; these guys really are right up there with the best when it comes to tactical gear! If you head to their homepage you’ll be able to follow a direct link from the home page to all the GreenZone products they offer.
Again in the USA Whiskey Two Four make some really unusual pieces of gear in PenCott GreenZone and their designs are fabulous! Many of the bits of kit of completely bespoke or made in very small production runs so if you see something you like, get on it fast!
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Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, GL20 8JH. United Kingdom. Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JH. United Kingdom.
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THE HEAT I NIGE GETS ALL SNEAKY-BEAKY AS HE CHECKS OUT A GREAT LITTLE GADGET THAT TAKES “NIGHT VISION” TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL IT WAS A PITCH BLACK NIGHT as the patrol moved silently into the alleyway and the inky blackness enveloped them, protecting them from the watchful eyes of sentries and lookouts. Switching to NV they moved slowly forwards, all the while scanning in a figure of eight, watching for any sign of a threat. They felt safe in the knowledge that their enemy did not have access to the same equipment, they could not be seen; they would not know they were coming but they were still hesitant. The patrol seemed on edge, it felt that someone was watching their every move but it simply wasn’t possible… Incoming rounds ripped through the darkness, seemingly from nowhere… and everywhere. Trapped in the alley the
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patrol didn’t stand a chance and within a few seconds all had their hands in the air and were heading for the Safe Zone, wondering how the hell they’d been spotted? How did the opposition manage to possess more sophisticated Night Vision than they did? What had gone wrong? As the players trudged away two figures emerged from the shadows, each with a big smile bathed in the dimmed glow of an iPhone. They hadn’t used light to spot their prey, they used their prey themselves – or rather, the heat they emitted. Plugged into each iPhone was a SeeK Thermal Camera, they didn’t need light to see the patrol, they could see the heat coming off them and, although the image wasn’t pin-sharp, it
Kit SEEK THERMAL CAMERA
was enough to know exactly where they were and watch their every move. They simply waited until the patrol was trapped in the alley and when they reached a pre-determined point, ripped into them. Job done!
SEE THE UNSEEN
The SeeK thermal camera is a small device that simply plugs into the Lightening connector of an iPad or iPhone that uses the same connector (which I believe is post-iPhone 4 and iPad2), or mUSB-equipped Android device and with the aid of a freely downloadable app, turns your device into a thermal camera capable of capturing both still and video images. I will say right up front that you should not expect pinsharp, hi-resolution images. The camera on test recorded a maximum of 32,136 Thermal Pixels, which translated to an image resolution of just 464 x 824 pixels but was more than enough to clearly see what was being detected.
THE SCIENCE BIT
Unlike NV units that generally use either image intensification or active illumination, both of which (simplistically-speaking) are dependent on some form of illumination, thermal cameras work by detecting the difference in temperature between an object and its background. They do not need light to work and so can be used in total darkness, under certain circumstances
probably wasn’t intended for but are very handy nonetheless. For example, on one occasion, using a Lightening extension cable allowed me to poke the camera around the corner of a wall unobserved and on another, I could see whether an unreachable vehicle had been used recently by checking its temperature. I didn’t get chance to explore the “temperature” function fully but I can think of quite a few potential uses, like during a MilSim if you want to check for residual heat at a location (which might indicate recent occupation). The camera also has a “split screen” option that allows you to see the thermal image on one side and the regular image on the other and while at first I could see no obvious use for this, I can envisage situations where this might be useful. For example, to identify the location of someone hiding in a wooded area by comparing the normal image to the position of their heat signature. Obviously, you could also use it for more mundane things, like checking to see if your home is properly insulated, or looking for the source of a cold (or hot) water leak, or just to take some rather wacky images of people, places and objects. The SeeK app allows you to select from nine different colour schemes, including Black/White and White/Black (the first colour being “hot”), with the rest being high-contrast colour. The SeeK CompactXR is not cheap, retailing as it does at around £265.00 but it is a good piece of kit that can be used in both daylight and at night. Is it a replacement for traditional NV? No, I wouldn’t say it is but it does make a very good addition if you have a use for it (and it doesn’t have to be mounted on a head or helmet rig either), plus you can use it with an extension lead to take that sneaky look around a corner …and I can think of many, many times I wish I could have done that!
T IS ON! they can even “see” through walls and are used for night vision in aircraft, where they are more commonly called “FLIR” (Forward Looking InfraRed) cameras.
SEEK THERMAL CAMERAS
SeeK produce a range of three thermal cameras and the one we looked at was the SeeK CompactXR – the “XR” stands for “Extra Range”, in that it is more suited to outdoor use with a range of 1,800 feet, as opposed to the “SeeK Compact” which has a range of 1,000 feet. They also produce the “SeeK Reveal”, a hand-held device which includes a built-in IR illuminator, is packaged in a rugged, rubberised casing, has a 240 x 320 pixel display and a range of 500 feet. As I mentioned earlier, the camera we used was the Seek CompactXR and it is provided in a nicely styled box that contained the camera and a pocket-sized waterproof carry case. Setting it up was simplicity itself… Download and install the app from the App Store, start it up, wait for the “Connect camera to enable thermal imaging” message, plug the camera in and away you go. It really is that easy! Using my iPhone 6S, the screen immediately changed to a thermal image and it was only after I adjusted the focus and saw a large, facial image with blank eyes staring back at me, that I realised I’d plugged it in facing me. A few days later I was lucky enough to be invited to a training day, so I took the opportunity to try out the camera for real – this time with more than just my ugly mug as the subject! As you can see from the images here, while they are not 100% distinct, they are more than adequate to identify figures moving through the darkness – and that they are “carrying”. There are other ways that the camera can be used that it
The SeeKXR was loaned to us by Speq-SE and can be found on their website, along with loads of other useful products: http://www.speq-se.com/other-cool-stuff/
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GITAG CUSTOM PATCHES
STITCH ME UP! LET’S FACE IT, AS AIRSOFTERS WE ALL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A FETISH ABOUT MORALE PATCHES, DON’T WE? THIS MONTH JERRY NOONE THOUGHT HE’D DELVE INTO WHAT EXACTLY GOES INTO CREATING A PATCH FROM “JUST AN IDEA”, THROUGH TO CREATION! Images Courtesy of Leon Dee Photography. PATCHES ARE SOMETHING WE all love whether they are funny morale patches, or dedicated team patches. The whole “patch thing” has really become a bit of a phenomenon with many players having huge collections; indeed, some “short run” patches change hands for considerable sums of money! Over the last year or so in my neck of the woods I’ve found I’ve been playing more and more often with the same bunch of guys from along the South Coast. Although we normally roll out together, it wasn’t until relatively recently that we decided to formalise things a little and create our own team. Not only do we play airsoft together but as mates we socialise off the field and take turns to host “build nights” where we all get together to works on our RIFs and gear, with usually a cold beer, a pizza and a good action movie to finish off with. Speaking to many teams out there, this is a pretty common occurrence and just goes to show how airsoft can really build up strong personal links, transforming fellow players into true friends! When the topic of turning ourselves into a “team”, the first thing that had to be decided was what would we call
ourselves? As many of the guys are based in Kent we looked for a symbol that would give a nod to where we came from and the White Horse carved into the hillside just outside Folkestone proved to be a winner. It’s a striking image and also has a tie-in to the prancing “Invicta” that is properly Kentish, along with a military connection to The Royal West Kent Regiment who wore “Invicta” as a cap badge. Once we’d decided on a name, “White Horse One One” and a symbol, it was time to combine the two into a team patch so I jumped onto a couple of online pages and forums to seek advice on who would be the best people to create it for us. Very quickly one name came up from several trusted allies; “Stitch Me Up”, so I got in touch with them with a few questions about who they were and how they went about creating a bespoke patch. Airsoft Action: Firstly, thanks so much for speaking with us! Could you tell me a little about the history of “Stitch Me Up” and what you do? SMU: “Stitch Me Up was started in 2011 by Nicola “Stitch” Clarke” www.airsoft-action.online
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“As a family, we have been Airsofters for a number of years and after being a part of various teams over that time, we experienced how frustratingly difficult it was to get custom patches made. After putting out many enquiries to various places, most of which did not even respond, there always seemed to be an obstacle in the way. Minimum orders, digitising costs, extra charge for backing and sometimes extra charge for just having a higher quality! “The other option was to source them abroad, mainly China. However most of the above problems were also present, added to which were the amazingly long time to receive them and the fact that when they eventually came they were such poor quality, using very flimsy material and dyed thread that the colour came out in the rain. “So “Stitch Me Up” was born, with the first machine in place and with Nicola’s tireless work so began the process of learning how to make patches. The obstacles seemed insurmountable at times, with learning how to digitise, what thread worked and what didn’t, what backing, fabric, stabiliser etc... the list was endless. However after a year of trial and error (and many late nights) it all started to fall into place. “By 2013 our popularity was growing. We were making it easier for people to get what they actually wanted... custom patches! And as our business grew, new industrial machines were added. Aaron Clarke became the first family member to work full time for Stitch and the business was able to add clothing to the growing portfolio. Soon personalised t-shirts, hoodies and Softshell Jackets were in demand as well as patches. “In mid-2014 Stitch had become more successful; this enabled Simon Clarke to give up his full time Managerial Role in Sales and Marketing, to Join Nicola and Aaron to make it a true family business.” Airsoft Action: What is the usual process in creating a custom patch? I know I supplied an initial image and then you did a mock-up very swiftly but once an order is placed, what happens next? SMU: “Once an image has been supplied we use specialist software to help us convert the design into stitches. This is where we get to see what will or won’t work and make adjustments accordingly. This then creates the digital version of how the patch may look and is the image we show to customers for proof confirmation.”
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“Once agreed then we take the relevant fabric and prepare it for use with our embroidery machines.”
“This is then transferred to the machine itself for it to work its magic.”
GITAG CUSTOM PATCHES
“Once the design is complete it is cut from the fabric backing. The patch then needs to be made stronger and more durable by attaching an extra layer of patch backing using a heat press.”
“The finished patch is then inspected for quality control and a photograph is always taken and shown to the buyer.” “Each embroidered patch goes through the same process, involves the whole team and takes over an hour each on average dependant on the design.” Airsoft Action: When I started speaking to “trusted allies” about custom patches your name came up several times in succession as the “go to” supplier; to what do you attribute your success?
“Once the patch has cooled it goes to have the backing attached by hand, in this case Velcro.”
SMU: “Well that’s great to hear! “We are a family of Airsofters, so we understand what is needed in this industry, like knowledge of fabrics, camo types and latest innovations such as infra-red or thermal image patches. “We have spent a great deal of time in researching the best combination of materials that would provide the best end product and we pride ourselves on our reputation for delivering a quality product within a rapid timeframe. “As we provide bespoke products, communication is key. We understand what our customers want, respond quickly, listen to them and come up with rapid solutions. We make ourselves readily available through our various contact points during business hours and we aim to respond as quickly as we can. We believe this is vital as it lets the customer know that we are on the case, builds up trust and gives them less to worry about. We are very aware that people are making wiser informed decisions about where to spend their money, so we try to ensure that they get the best experience possible. “It also helps that we love what we do, and we hope it shows in our attitude and end products.” Airsoft Action: Where do you see “Stitch Me Up” heading in the future?
“Then the patch will go for “finishing”. This process involves snipping out stray thread, sealing the edges of the patch with heat and colour matching the border using fabric dye.”
SMU: “This is difficult as we have always been more focused on the present. “Stitch Me Up has evolved naturally since its conception. As we have grown we have re-invested in modern machinery, always with the aim of producing a better product. We have not advertised or pushed ourselves through social media we adopted a “word of mouth” approach and let our patches do the talking. We did not want to start at point A then look to point Z and get there at any cost as it loses sight of who we are as a company. “We realise that having personal bespoke patches made needs a personal bespoke service and that is how we will continue to operate. “However global domination of the patch world is always at the back of our minds!” Airsoft Action: If someone is interested in having a custom patch created what should their first point of contact be? SMU: “We can be reached via our Website www. stitchmeup.biz , contact us on our Facebook page www. facebook/stitchmeup.biz or via email to design@stitchmeup.biz. We are confident that if you have an idea or design, and it’s readable, then we can provide a patch solution.” Airsoft Action: Thanks so much for answering my questions, and I’m sure the readers will be amazed at the level of work that goes into creating a patch! Thanks so much for creating the “White Horse One One” team patch for the guys and I, and it really has been an absolute pleasure to deal with you, and I’m really pleased that I chose in this instance to “Give It To A Geek”!
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D A O L RE
O L E R R O L RE CALIBRE SHOOTING’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE TAKES US THROUGH A SKILL THAT IS VERY RARELY MENTIONED AND YET CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE WAY WE PLAY – RELOADING IN LAST MONTH’S ISSUE OF Airsoft Action we looked at some very basic manipulation drills, with some dry fire practices as well. In this article I want to go through something one of our readers asked me to write about; reloading. So I’m going to introduce you to the two basic reloads that will get you back into the fight with the minimum of fuss, plus some dry fire drills that you can practice at home or at the range. Before we start we need to look at the safety rules in respect of any training: 1 Treat all guns as if they were loaded.
2 Do not point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3 Keep your finger off the trigger until you intend to shoot. 4 Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Loading and making ready on the range, whether it’s shooting card targets or before you go hunting Tangos, is quite a simple task… Take a loaded magazine, insert into the gun, cock and fire. Simple! But to load, or in this case reload, under duress when the plastic comes flying your way is a different matter entirely. How effective or productive our reloads are depends on the way in which we set up our kit. It is a rule of thumb that we should locate our magazines in the same general location, no matter what load out we have on or circumstance we may find ourselves in. There has been many times I have witnessed people searching for a fresh magazine to load into an empty
weapon because they have forgotten where they have stored them. It is sad to say I have seen this on a live two-way range as well. Keeping your magazines in the same location, such as weak side hip or strong side chest for example, promotes “muscle memory”. In the heat of battle, muscle memory takes over and you start to perform important tasks without having to think about them. That’s not all of course. The way that we insert the magazine into its pouch or holster is also important. The most common (and most productive) method is to place the magazine upside down and with the rounds facing forwards. This serves two purposes; firstly turning the magazine upside down ensures that a minimum amount of debris can enter the magazine and foul the spring’s procedure of loading the next round into the gun’s chamber. The second is when under duress and in a low light shoot out, the operation is verified as to which way round the magazine is by the shooter being able to feel the top round in the magazine – and this also verifies that the magazine is not empty. Retrieving the magazine also has a set procedure. As you grasp the magazine, do so by locating your weak hand index finger along the front of the magazine - that is along the spring and follower. If you cannot feel the BB at the top of the magazine with the tip of your finger, you will almost certainly feel the feed lips. Pinching the magazine body between your thumb and middle finger and the base plate in your palm, you will have created a sure (and secure) hold on the magazine that will allow you to insert it into the gun with ease. This method is the most used method of reloading through-out the world. So, with your magazine stored in the same location every time and with them orientated correctly you can now practice your loading and reloading the same way every time. If this method is new to you then practice slowly. If you take it slow to begin with you will develop a smooth load and the smoother the load, the quicker you will become without trying. SLOW = SMOOTH = SPEED. When you are happy with the process of loading the weapon you will need to understand and practice the two most common reloads, the Emergency and Tactical reload.
EMERGENCY RELOAD
The emergency reload is one that you will come to dread. This is every operator’s, law enforcement and soldier’s worst nightmare - when the gun fails to fire because it’s empty! Having an empty gun in a gun fight renders you with a very short club. There is only one solution and that is to get the gun up and running and getting back into the fight. To begin with, you will tend to look to see what has happened to the gun when it stops firing. With a real weapon you will notice that the slide will have locked back leaving the
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D
SKills RELOADS
D A O LOAD RE D A LO top of the magazine exposed through the ejection port. This may not always be the case with an airsoft device, where the first indication might be a noticeable change in the noise it makes. Either way, on inspection you will see that there are no rounds in the magazine and the corrective process is simple… perform a reload! The reason this is called an emergency reload is the fact you are now in your adversary’s line of fire and you can’t fire back. If at all possible, find cover then perform the reload. With practice you will not need to look at the gun to see what the problem is when it stops firing as you should be able to tell by the recoil, or sound it makes. A good drill for this is if you have several magazines, have someone else load them for you with different amounts of rounds in them. Load the first and fire at a target until you run dry. Concentrate on the felt recoil and/or sound it makes. Don’t look at the gun when it fails to fire but instead notice how the recoil felt, or the sound changed.
DRY FIRE DRILL ONE
Practice 10 strong and 10 support hand emergency reloads. Place a blanket or other soft service under the magazine and practice “ripping” the magazine from the gun. Remember to follow all the dry fire safety rules when practicing.
TACTICAL RELOAD
This is sometimes referred to as a “combat reload” and differs from the emergency reload in the sense that the gun will still have rounds in the magazine when the reload is performed. At some point there will be a lull in the fighting and this will be the perfect opportunity for you to “top up” with fresh rounds. This will, in turn, mean that you can get back into the fight knowing you have a full gun. Now I know what you might be thinking “you should count your rounds” and this may be so but, when the brown stuff hits the spinny thing, counting is the least of your worries! Trust me I’ve been there, done that and have never got past “three”.
The tactical reload is no different to any other reload when it comes to the actual method of taking out the used magazine and inserting a new one. So what to do with a partially loaded magazine? Just like any other reload the old magazine MUST be retained. Empty magazines can be reloaded with ammunition when you get the chance and partially loaded
“THE EMERGENCY RELOAD IS ONE THAT YOU WILL COME TO DREAD. THIS IS EVERY OPERATOR’S, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOLDIER’S WORST NIGHTMARE WHEN THE GUN FAILS TO FIRE BECAUSE IT’S EMPTY!”
magazines can be topped up as well. There is also the chance that you may run dry and have to re-insert a partially spent magazine to stay in the fight. It’s no good dumping a magazine with some rounds left in it only to find you desperately need those rounds later. So always retain your magazines but place empty magazines in a separate location to your loaded ones.
DRY FIRE DRILL TWO
Load all your magazines to capacity and engage a target. Have a partner call “lull” at any time during the drill. This will indicate the time for you to seek cover and perform a tactical reload. If you do happen to run dry during this drill don’t stop. Perform an emergency reload and carry on with the drill with your partner calling “lull” whenever they feel like until you have no rounds left in any of the magazines. Remember to store empty magazines in a different location to the other magazines. A sense of panic tends to set in when you remove one empty mag only to replace it with another empty mag. Repeat this drill with both the strong and weak hand and again, take things slowly as this is the only way to make sure you get it right every time. Remember SLOW = SMOOTH = SPEED.
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SRP £75.00
PLATE CARRIER
SPECIAL OPS
TACTICAL
Material: 600D Cordura Size: One Size, Fully Adjustable
n Lazer MOLLE webbing panels n Shock band shoulder strapping n 3 x Magazine compartment n Velcro ID panel
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V-CAM
n Front chest admin compartment n 3 x Robust webbing side panels n Velcro sizing adjustment on front n Bungee retention size adjuster on rear n Adjustable padded shoulder straps n Padded Ventex internals n Front & rear armour compartments n Velcro outlet retainer
>GET THE
TACTICAL ADVANTAGE
TACTICAL
STOCKISTS / CATALOGUE
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KIT BOCCA RAILS FROM NUPROL
NUPROL
BOCCA
RAILS
JERRY NOONE (QUITE LITERALLY) GETS TO GRIPS WITH THE RANGE OF BOCCA RAILS FROM NUPROL AND OUTLINES HOW SIMPLE THEY ARE TO FIT! WHETHER YOU CALL IT A Rail Interface System (RIS) or Rail Attachment System (RAS) your “rails” are essentially there to let you bolt on accessories such as taclites, laser designators and aftermarket foregrips to your rifle or carbine. Many manufacturers fit some form of rail system, even to their entry level RIFs these days but some of these are made from plastic and don’t stand up particularly well to the regular abuse they see at an airsoft site. After a while, as they are damaged relatively easily, they lose their effectiveness and you’ll need to replace them with something a little more solid. Rail systems effectively come in two styles; a “drop in system” that uses the existing “delta” ring and front sight plate to hold the rail in place, or a “free-float” system that attaches directly to the upper receiver and allows the front sight to be removed entirely. Whilst the “drop-in” option is certainly easier to install, in the real world there are benefits to a “free float” system, which is why you see so many of them. Essentially, on a real rifle or carbine, a sling or anything else that places forces or additional mass on the barrel, like a heavy “A Profile” front sight unit incorporating the hand guard, will change the barrel harmonics during firing. A change in harmonics means a change in point of impact. By free-floating, you can get the same point of impact regardless of how you stabilise the rifle, so long as nothing touches the barrel like a sling, foregrip, bipod, or firing from a barricade rest. It also means that you can use whatever setup you like such as a taclite, laser, taclite and laser combination, or sling mounts without changing the point of impact for each combination as the accessories will not place forces on the barrel. You could argue from a ballistic point of view that the
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same could be said for a RIF but I have to say that, in general terms, you’d be pushing things a bit; free-floats just look cool as hell! As players themselves, the team at NUPROL have all gone through the process of externally upgrading their own RIFs and the net result is that they recognised the market really needed a great quality but well-priced family of rail systems for different length builds and, in their inimitable style, they went about creating yet another range of superb products. After much to-ing and fro-ing with their factories to ensure that stringent quality control checks were in place, the BOCCA family of rails was born.
BUILT TO LAST!
Within the BOCCA range there are three styles of rail, all built from excellent quality metal, with three lengths in each style. You can also have each and every model in either black or a very tasty “SF Bronze” which, personally, I think will be insanely popular! Ross at NUPROL told me that they’d chosen the tone of the “bronze” very, very carefully to get exactly the right “look” and in my mind they’ve succeeded superbly. All of the rails also come with all the fittings you will need to attach it to your RIF and stabilise it and all the correct allen keys are included as well; effectively all you need to fit your chosen rail is in the very attractive box! The “Series One” rails are a very attractive free-float system that comes in 7, 10 and 12.6 inch lengths. The accessory rails themselves a very well defined, with all placement points defined in white so you can easily tell top, bottom, left and right as well as length. The top rail extends all the way so that you end up with a contiguous system which exactly mates with (and extends) the rail on the upper receiver. The Series One also has three attachment points for a QD sling stud; I added a WEAE stud which holds extremely solidly. The rails come complete with “I THINK NUPROL HAVE GOT YET two steel barrel nuts to fit ANOTHER WINNER ON THEIR AEG and GBB guns and HANDS WITH THE BOCCA RAILS also include all mounting hardware and shims as AND IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET required, so no messing FOR A NEW ONE THEN I URGE YOU around when it comes to TO CHECK THEM OUT, SOON AS!“ fitting them! “Series Two” rails come in 7, 9 and 12 inch lengths and are a little lower profile and “mil” looking than the Series One. Once again everything is very, very well defined and the markings clear. The top rail extends to meet the upper receiver rail again but the Series Two also benefits from left and right anti-rotation lugs. Fitting is slightly different to the Series One (I’ll explain this in a moment…) in that a plate replaces the barrel nut and “delta” ring and the rail itself bolts directly onto that, giving a really solid attachment point. The rails come complete with two steel barrel nuts to fit AEG and GBB guns and also include all mounting hardware and required. “Series Three” BOCCA rails are quite unique, in that they are what I would call a “semi drop-in, semi-free-float” system. Although the profile is similar to that of the Series 2 rails, S3 versions fit directly onto the existing fittings so there’s no need to remove the barrel nut! The rail simply plugs in and is secured using screws and anti-rotation studs to give a firm attachment; you don’t need to rely on the support of the front sight so that can be removed if you like. Once again the top rail is extended to run over the “delta” ring to form a contiguous top-rail. The Series Three rail is also available in 7, 10, and 12 inch lengths.
FITTING
All three styles of rail are extremely straightforward to fit. Series Three effectively just drops in to your existing fittings so that’s the easiest of the lot. Series One and Two require you to remove the barrel nut, spring and “delta” ring which is quite simple to do if you have an “AR” wrench or tool; if you don’t, ask around as someone at your local site will undoubtedly have 90
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one and will probably help you to remove the necessary parts. Once you’ve exposed the thread on the upper receiver you can properly get to work of fitting your new rail. I decided to make things tricky for myself by fitting the Series One 12.6 inch rail to a Tippmann M4; the S1 rail is the most involved to fit as it needs shimming to get it just so and the Tippy uses a split washer to hold the outer barrel in place - which is a bit of a juggle to say the least! Removing all the parts from the box the first thing to do is work out which barrel nut you need to use; these come oiled and wrapped in plastic (PICTURE 1) to prevent any rusting of the part in the box when stored (nice touch that NUPROL!) so it’s just a matter of wiping them down and fitting the correct 1
2
KIT BOCCA RAILS FROM NUPROL
3
5
4
6
one. Once you have it ready you’ll need to work out exactly how many shims you need for your particular M4 and then screw the barrel nut over both the shims and in this case, the split washer (PICTURE 2). Once you’re happy with the fitment you can fit the barrel nut properly and tighten it down, making sure that the bolt stabilising bolt holes line up as they should (PICTURE 3). Now with the barrel nut in place you can test-fit the rail itself, sliding it over the barrel nut (PICTURE 4) and ensuring that the slots in the rail for the stabilising bolts line up exactly with the holes in the barrel nut; you might find yourself reshimming at this stage to get it all perfect! (PICTURE 5) Once you’re completely happy with the fitting then you can add in the stabilising bolts, screwing them directly into the holes in the barrel nut using the provided allen key; I tend to work left, top, right, and bottom and then reverse that for the second series of bolts.
With everything solidly fitted and screwed tightly into place you can simply pop in a QD sling swivel stud (you’ll need to buy this as an accessory) and you really are good to go! (PICTURE 6) Once again NUPROL have really come up with the goods as airsofters for airsofters! We all like a tasty rail system and the BOCCA models really fit the bill in that respect. And the greatest thing of all? The price! The 7 inch Series Three rail starts in Black at just £39.99, with the Series One 12.6 inch in Black at £49.99 (expect to pay a little more for the bronze versions) which is just absolutely tremendous value for money for a beautifully finished, full metal rail. I think NUPROL have got yet another winner on their hands with the BOCCA rails and if you’re in the market for a new one then I urge you to check them out, soon as! For more information on the BOCCA Rails and the rest of the extensive NUPROL range of consumables and accessories please visit www.weairsofteurope.com.
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SON TAY RAID: OP KINGPINPART 2 BILLY CONCLUDES THE STORY OF THIS AUDACIOUS RAID AS, SITTING HOT AND SWEATY IN THEIR FOB IN ‘NAM, THE SOLDIERS WAIT FOR THE GREEN LIGHT… IT WAS THE NIGHT OF November 21st 1970 in a hot, sweaty, steamy but ostensibly friendly Forward Mounting base in Laos across the border from Vietnam. One of the most audacious (and yet largely unknown) and daring raids was about to unfold over the mountains and into enemy territory. I have been a fan of these kind of exploits my entire life, from sitting reading 50p “Commando” on Bournemouth beach, to watching the SAS smash into the Iranian Embassy as a 11 year old. So I was genuinely surprised not to have come across this one before, we’ll find out why in the following pages… Waiting for the “green light” from President Nixon was a sizeable force of US Special Forces soldiers, Intelligence types, pilots, radar eggheads and other specialists selected for their attributes, initiative and fighting spirit. Chosen by Col “Bull” Simons, himself a living legend in the US Army, they were going to attempt a rescue inside Vietnam whilst the United States were at war with that country. The “Bull” had decided not to give the job to the Marine Corps because he wanted every man to have the freedom to act on initiative, rather than just slavishly following orders of the man above him. This was going to be a fluid, confusing fight and he wanted a certain kind of group to carry it out.
“THE FIRST OF THE MINI GUNS OPENED UP AND THE GUARD TOWERS THAT HAD BEEN SHROUDED IN BRANCHES DISAPPEARED IN A TEARING, GRINDING, SPLINTERING ORGY OF DESTRUCTION AND CRASHED TO THE GROUND.” 54
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They Bull’s task force were poised over the border in friendly Laos to fly across the border during a routine “maintenance window”, in which the Vietnamese radar would be switched off. Once all the echoes of the whooping and hollering and the HUAs had faded into the night, the lads went back to their bed spaces and began their final preparations before they flew into Vietnam. Weapons were given a final wipe down with oil, some probably wrote last letters to loved ones, mags that had been resting with the rounds out to let the springs recover were refilled with live rounds and the final wait began. President Nixon, who was in International talks at the time, was needed to give the actual “go ahead” but the window of opportunity was fast approaching and it must have been a very tense time for the planners. The mission had been approved weeks back but the complicated nature of International relations meant that the Commander in Chief, the President was to have the final word. If it didn’t suit him (or the interests of the USA) then it wouldn’t happen and all those months of work would have been for nought. The word finally came that the President had given the go ahead and the men emplaned. In the arc lights and on the edges of the air base in the shadows quiet, purposeful men took their places, or patiently waited to climb the ramps. Pre-flight checks were carried out and radios were checked again. There must have been a strange sense of déjà vu among the group, after all they had done this very same drill many times. In total there had been 170 rehearsals, so despite the knowledge that this was it, there must still have been doubts that it was going ahead and that this was just another practice. As the helicopters were started up one by one and the distinctive smell of aviation fuel wafted through the air (which still makes me feel slightly nauseous and excited at the same
Famous Raids SON TAY RAID: OP KINGPIN
time) the noise must have been deafening and with it, all doubts must have been dispelled that this was not just a drill. From 7 different airfields across the region over 117 aircraft lifted into the night sky simultaneously to support the mission. In the South China Sea (to the east of Vietnam) a massive bombardment and light show was under way. Three entire Carrier groups began a huge diversion to draw the gaze of the enemy away from its sedentary western border, over which the Jolly Green Giants and C130s were slipping unnoticed across the dark, wet hill tops as the radar was powered down for 15 minutes. This truly was the first joined up Joint mission involving multiple agencies of its kind in US military history. When the Vietnamese radar maintenance had been completed the systems were powered up and the lonely watch continued as the airborne raiding party passed unnoticed into Vietnam. The SOF troops had been given strict instructions that they were to have “boots on the deck” for no more than 30 minutes, or nobody would be getting out alive. To the east of the Son Tay camp and no more than 5 miles away were over 12,000 NVA troops and as soon as the choppers alighted the clock would be ticking. Bearing in mind there were supposed to be a total of 61 POWs to liberate and get onto the helis, discounting any resistance they might come up against, 30 minutes was not much time. They were going to be up against it. Closer and closer they crept to the landing sites, the soldiers anxiously peered out into the darkness keen to find some landmark to fix their bearings onto but all they saw was the jungle canopy passing tens of feet below them as they hugged the contours. The C130s had long since peeled away and the Giants were on their own. The first kinetic action was at the guard towers, as the NVA guards at Son Tay slowly became aware of the approaching helis - they were probably thinking “whose are they?” The first of the mini guns opened up and the guard towers that had been shrouded in branches disappeared in a tearing, grinding, splintering orgy of destruction and crashed to the ground. The game was up and the clock was ticking for the troops, only 29 minutes left and the first chopper had not even alighted yet. In a whirl of dirt and debris and noise the first assaulters landed and fanned out, they were immediately engaged from the compounds and fired back, which they had been expecting, but something was wrong. As more and more muzzle flashes appeared at the windows and doors of the buildings and the US troops entered their own personal zones that men use to deal with incredible violence. They realised they weren’t at the right place, they had rehearsed so many times that the guys knew that they were off course. But that was not the big issue, they were facing a determined foe and as they moved towards and through the objectives overcoming their enemies, the word got around on the comms. Doors were kicked in, stun grenades were hurled, the enemy were identified as not being the hostages and taken down but the guys they were dropping weren’t NVA troops they were Russians and Chinese! They had landed at a school building a few hundred metres from the main Son Tay camp and had inadvertently stumbled into a group of Russian and Chinese military advisers to the NVA - all of them were killed in the action. Meanwhile the
camp itself had been cleared by the SOF troops and not a single hostage had been found. The raid had been a failure, there was no sign of their captive brothers in arms and it didn’t look like they’d left in a hurry either. 30 mins was up in the blink of an eye, and the commanders were screaming at the men to get the hell back to the choppers right away. Some of the team wanted to keep searching, not accepting that their comrades weren’t here. “We’ve got to keep looking!!” But eventually deflated, disbelieving the teams boarded and flew back to Laos empty handed. On the face of it there was much to celebrate, there had been some spectacular successes, bravery and technical innovation in the way they got all the Jolly Green Giants over the mountains on the wings of the C130s. It was audacious and ballsy! But was it actually a failure? Was it a mistake that that helicopter landed in the compound a few hundred metres from the real target? Or was it the real objective after all? Did the CIA already know that the POWs had been moved (one estimate says that they had been moved four and a half months before, which is quite shocking) or were they just caught out by faulty Intelligence? Whatever the real reason in the coming months the CIA was to go through a root and branch reform and some soul searching, which was to change the agency permanently. What in fact had been the purpose of the mission? Had it
“IN TOTAL THERE HAD BEEN 170 REHEARSALS, SO DESPITE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS IT, THERE MUST STILL HAVE BEEN DOUBTS THAT IT WAS GOING AHEAD AND THAT THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER PRACTICE.” been the intention all along to kill all the Chinese and Russian advisers? I guess we’ll never know. The raid had not bought home any POWs but it had drawn the world’s attention to the horrendous conditions they were held under and this did lead to the conditions improving. So, in a small way, it was a victory for the men still held in captivity and “Operation Kingpin” became one of the best raids to ever be forgotten.
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THE BRUSILOV OFFENSIVE: JUNE–SEPTEMBER 1916 SNIPER ONE, DAN MILLS, CONTINUES HIS JOURNEY THROUGH THE GREAT WAR. AFTER A MAULING AT THE end of 1915 the Russians were rebuilding their massive army, weapons were being manufactured, men recruited and trained and equipment sought. Much was gifted to them in lieu of Russian help in the fight against Germany and her ally, Austro-Hungaria. Like back in the early days of the Great War, Russia reacted to the call before she was refitted and ready, back then she swiftly attacked Germany from the North whilst her allies fought to stop the advancing grey hordes of 1914 carrying out the Schlieffen Plan. The Eastern Front, Galicia in particular, seemed somewhat more pacified to the German General Erich Von Falknehayn, particularly because of the mauling he gave Russia, so much so that he felt confident in removing some of his forces, sending them off as you have already heard to “Bleed the French White” at the Battle of Verdun. The German attack on Verdun had messed things up royally for the French and British, who had been massing for a large offensive that summer. Because of it, much needed resources were redirected to Verdun and of course we know the French then demanded British action immediately to distract German forces away seeking the same, towards the Somme for example. Thus, the same expectant call was demanded of the Russian Bear still reforming. Having witnessed some German units disappear from the East for the West, the war council asked General Alexei Brusliov what action he could take.
ATTACK
Warfighting usually works better at the odds of 3 against 1 in order to achieve an objective but the celebrated horseman Brusliov sent all four of his armies against the enemy at once. Numerically the troops facing him were the same but one thing was in his favour… surprise. Most military plans at the time concentrated the main force on specific points in order to break
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through and exploit the area beyond, usually after an artillery bombardment lasting several days. Brusilov, however, whose armies massed along the south west of the front, launched his attack along the whole front line, all on the same day. There was a bombardment of the front line positions but this was at selected strong points only and lasted less than one day. On top of this, using his only reserve troops, an entrenchment was dug along the front and the reserve was hidden within. Before the attack went in this area was secretly filled to the brim with troops prepared to go over the top and better still, much of the enemy trench was less than 100 metres away. On the signal to attack, once the short, sharp curtain of munitions went in, the attackers went over and sprinted across using maximum surprise. This caused utter chaos for the Austrians, used to piecemeal attacks spreading through the area they could not move back and forth, counter-attacking the advancing Russian hordes. Instead they had to fight with what they had at each point with only localised reinforcements to call upon. On June the 4th the attack started, using artillery curtain bombing, designed to screen the rear of each trench to block any escape and stop support and reinforcement, the defenders were held in the now isolated trench position and forced to fight without support trench help. The Russians simply advanced and walked forward onto each trench line killing those that did not surrender. The Russian advance broke through on the Austrian line in a big way, they swept aside almost two hundred miles of resistance, a remarkable feat. The Austrians, whom previously thought themselves impregnable surrendered in large quantities. By the third day over 70 guns, 134 machine guns, 900 Officers and 40,000 men were in captivity! The advance gathered in momentum largely because of capitulation and retreat and soon Brusilov’s combined armies advanced up to 65 miles inland within the month. In what is today areas of Ukraine, he captured the important towns of Czernowitz, Lutsk and Dubno. The Russian leadership were astonished and quickly transferred priority and fresh troops (though very limited in number) and supplies to Brusilov. One problem Russia did have, was its lack of railways to feed the area complicating matters somewhat, shortages of manpower and equipment also inhibited progress. Although Austrian troops retreated in panic, German troops were a different matter. They did so in an orderly manner, choosing fall back positions and only giving up ground when it was absolutely necessary. This discipline helped slow the
World War One THE BRUSILOV OFFENSIVE
advance whilst Falkenhayn rushed more men into the fight. Germany did not have the same infrastructure difficulties as the Russians and could quickly divert troop reinforcements from other areas, which they did successfully. Germany blocked and slowed down the advance and spearheaded a counter-attack in the north of Brusliov’s line. Fighting went on for several months with German rapid reinforcements degrading their opponents bit by bit and, with no more soldiers to replace casualties, Brusilov’s men ground to a halt at the Carpathian Mountain Range in August 1916. Brusilov was so far ahead of his supply chain and infrastructure he became dangerously over exposed and it was now that the might of the German Artillery struck. Falkenhayn brought up numerous machine gun units and, along with the artillery, massed open fire on the now static Russian foe. Russia lost many men that they could ill afford, almost one million to be exact, with Germany losing but a fraction. Along with that casualty rate Russia now had a new problem; the Romanians entered the war against Austria. This caused the Russian lines to spread out ever more thinly on the ground and with no or little supplies reaching where they were needed, the advance halted and turned stagnant, much like the Western Front. Germany had expected this of Austria and had secretly planned and prepared forces to act. Romania, acting on an
“USING HIS ONLY RESERVE TROOPS, AN ENTRENCHMENT WAS DUG ALONG THE FRONT AND THE RESERVE WAS HIDDEN WITHIN. BEFORE THE ATTACK WENT IN THIS AREA WAS SECRETLY FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH TROOPS PREPARED TO GO OVER THE TOP AND BETTER STILL, MUCH OF THE ENEMY TRENCH WAS LESS THAN 100 METRES AWAY.” irresistible impulse to win and having taken about two years to decide which side to join, joined what they thought (and certainly was at the time) was the winning side, Russia. It turned out to be big mistake! Germany sent in armies from two directions at the same time and smashed the Romanian opposition, taking back the land newly taken, Transylvania. Approaching in a pincer-type attack on the left wing and the Black Sea territory, the Romanian troops were soon trapped. By early December Bucharest (and with it Romania) had fallen. Brusilov had earlier said that he was prepared to take mass casualties and devastation but Russian will began to break, too many people were dying for little long lasting gain, seeds were already spreading for a revolution. Brusilov had, however, achieved his goals. Germany had indeed been made to react and transfer forces from its attack on Verdun, thereby giving much needed breathing space to her allies. What was originally intended as a distraction so other Russian commanders could act quickly, became Russia’s largest success to date. The tactics used were noted by the French and German armies, particularly the latter’s, who used the shock tactics and small bands of “Stormtroopers” with amazing success in their last offensive. These tactics then made for a base to build on for German units during their “blitzkrieg“ of World War Two. www.airsoft-action.online
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BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE Tel: 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
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BORDERLINE AIRSOFT
51 Green Road, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim Northern Ireland, BT39 9PH Tel: 028 9303 7030 or 07729219341 www.borderlinecombat.com
BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX Tel: 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com
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Just off the A11 outside Thetford Norfolk follow signs for Combat Paintball Tel: 07703 045849 www.combatairsoftgames.co.uk
Portsmouth, PO6 3LS Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND
Fareham, PO17 5ND Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
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Off Badger Lane, Hipperholme, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8PL Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
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FINMERE AIRSOFT Buckingham, MK18 4JT Tel: 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com
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FULL METAL AIRSOFT
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GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 Tel: 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
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Guisborough, TS7 0PG Tel: 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT
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MAW
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MIA HUMBER AIRSOFT North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07792 680297
ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT
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Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 Tel: 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
FREE FIRE ZONE
Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG Tel: 0161 727 8863
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF Tel: 0161 727 8863
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Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 Tel: 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG Tel: 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
Cornwall, EX23 9JL Tel: 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk
MIDWALES AIRSOFT
Abbey Cwm-hir, Midwales, LD1 6PG Tel: 07497 480243 www.facebook.com/Midwales-airsoft
MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Wrightington, WN6 9PL Tel: 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk
MILSIM UK
Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS Tel: 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk
LAC SITE 1 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 2 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 3 Saxillby, LN1 2JW Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 5 Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
NCIS AIRSOFT
Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk
NOMAD AIRSOFT
Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY Tel: 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com
NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ Tel: 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk
NORTHFLEET CQB
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA Tel: 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
www.airsoft-action.online
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NSC AIRSOFT
RAVEN’S NEST
Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 Tel: 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk
Suffolk, IP8 4 Tel: 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk
NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER Tel: 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk
RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ Tel: 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk
OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 Tel: 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com
RED1AIRSOFT Chislehurst, Bromley BR7 6SD Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT Tel: 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk
OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB Anglesey, LL71 www.ottairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07731 744471
PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 Tel: 02380 899369
PHOENIX AIRSOFT Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road, Notts NG20 9JX Tel: 07956 587213/01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
PLATOON 1HQ Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ Tel: 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk
RED1AIRSOFT CQB Red1 CQB. Kings Langley, WD4 8RN Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB Tel: 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SG1 COMBAT GAMES PLAYERS OF WAR High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD Tel: 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk
PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF Tel: 02897565651 / 07825169631 www.predatorcombat.com
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APRIL 2016
Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA Tel: 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk
SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX Tel: 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk
SKIRMISH EXETER Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 Tel: 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk
SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT
Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR Tel: 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com
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
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH
THE BUNKER
Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
Aberystwyth www.aberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07841 462806
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT– THE ROCK
THE DEPOT
Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
STIRLING AIRSOFT
Coventry, CV3 6NX Tel: 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com
Glasgow, G45 9SB Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.thedepotglasgow.com
THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 Tel: 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk
STORMFORCE AIRSOFT
Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD Tel: 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk
THE EX SITE Mold, CH7 4 Tel:07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk
SUSSEX AIRSOFT
Slinfold, RH12 Tel: 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk
S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT
Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu Tel: 07703 177756
TA EVENTS
Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB Tel: 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk
TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS Tel: 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk
THE WARGAMES CENTRE Lundholm Road, Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN www.thewargamescentre.com wargamescentre@gmail.com
TORRENT WARFARE Co Tyrone, BT71 4DY Tel: 07922 377131 Facebook: search ‘Torrent Warfare’
TROJAN AIRSOFT Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL Tel: 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk
Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
UCAP AIRSOFT Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP GREEN OPS Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP SANDPIT Bean, Kent, DA2 8 Tel: 07590 818881 / www.ucap.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY Tel: 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13 Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN Tel: 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK Wood Street, Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 3AB www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN ASSAULT
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 Tel: 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk
VIKING AIRSOFT
Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk
WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE Tel: 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
PRACTICAL PISTOL DIRECTORY AIPSC
The Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Midlands, CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532384 / www.aipsc.co.uk Facebook: A.I.P.S.C info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk Every Monday night 7pm– 9pm (except bank holidays). £5 or £10 with pistol and shooting rig hire. UKPSA-qualified coaches. UKPSA-qualified Range Officers.
DOUBLE TAP PSC
StrikeForce CQB, Morelands Trading Estate, Bristol Road, Gloucester GL1 5RZ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Double-Tap-Practical-Shooting-Club979585958732937/?ref=hl Email: doubletappsc@gmail.com
EBSC
MOD approved gun club PP, IDPA, IPAS, IPSC, 2GUN www.ebsc.co.uk ebpracticalpistol@gmail.com 07752 713 970
HALO MILL
The Penthouse, Colne Valley Business Park, Manchester Road, Linthwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5QG Tel: 01484 840554 www.halomill.com
NORTHERN PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB (NPPC)
Tanner Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 1NA Tel: 07816 992417 www.northernpracticalpistol.co.uk 4 indoor ranges
WATFORD PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB Watford WatfordPPC@gmail.com
XSITE PRACTICAL SHOOTING
Fryers Farm Lane, High Wycombe, Bucks HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
www.airsoft-action.online
105
DEALER LISTINGS
ADVERTISERS INDEX
Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft
Inside FrontCover Cover Inside Front Inside Front Cover 2
33 +++ 64 79 3 52 79 57++++48 79 3+ 19 Airsoft Zone 7 + Inside Back Cover Airsoft Zone 7 + 37 Airsoft Zone Inside Back Airsoft Zone 77++Inside BackCover Cover JD Airsoft 9 + 33 + 102 75 JD Airsoft 9 + 23 + JD Airsoft Airsoft 9 ++ 23 JD 9 23++102 102 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE AirsoftWorld Europe 15 Airsoft 23 Urban Airsoft Mega Store 19 A2 Supplies 19 FireSupport 28 + 29 A2 Supplies 19 Helikon-Tex 28 BadgerTac FireSupport 28 + 41 29 FireSupport 28++33 29 Support Fire 32 Silvermans 44 BadgerTac 36 ActionSportGames 36 VIPER Tactical 36 +44 74 Crawley Surplus Supplies ActionSportGames Tactical VIPER 40 + 40 88 VIPER Tactical 46 + 47 BadgerTac 40 VIPER Tactical 45 + 57 The Grange 42 Pro Airsoft Supplies 52 ActionSportGames 45 Gunman Airsoft 48 Helikon-Tex 49 Helikon-Tex 57 Urban Airsoft Mega Store 46 Northern Shooting 52 eHobby Asia Show 60 Pro Airsoft Supplies 64 Gunman Airsoft 50 ActionSportGames iWholesales 53 +66 93 Gunman Airsoft 70 Airsoft Surgeon Euro Championship 79 A2 Supplies 58 Helikon-Tex 66 NoVAT 83 Gunman Airsoft 87 BadgerTac 62 Pro Airsoft Supplies 72 Dragon Valley 83 Airsoft Subscriptions 90 WorldAction Shoot 2017 66 IPSC NoVAT 83 Military Outdoor 83 Sly Photography 91 Pro Airsoft Supplies 70 BombUpAirsoft 91 Dragon ValleyShop 83 Tactical Airsoft 83 Silvermans 74 NoVAT 91 Military Outdoor 83 Airsoft Action Subscriptions 86 Crawley Surplus Supplies 74 Dragon Valley 91 Tactical Airsoft Shop 83 Silvermans 93 NoVAT Combat 82 Military Outdoor 91 Dragon Valley 82 Crawley Surplus 93 Silvermans 93 Action Air UKSupplies 95 Martys Airsoft 82 Airsoft Action Digital Subscriptions 98 Airsoft Action Digital Subscriptions 98 Crawley Surplus Supplies 93 Tactical Airsoft Shop 82 Percy Publishing 100 Hueys Action Digital Subscriptions 99 Airsoft 98 Advertisers 106 Skirmish Cup Index 92 Elite Shooting Centre 105 Elite Shooting 105 1st Centre 107 AAMilitary Digital Subscriptions 98 Military 1st Outside Back Cover Airsoft World 108 Military 1st Outside Back Cover Armex Members Club 99 Elite Shooting
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OD8J 2014
Military 1st
105 Outside Back Cover