TECHNICAL: GBBR

together, as a UNIT, and their effectiveness will rise considerably when they are shooting and running contact drills as one cohesive whole to “win the firefight”. Suddenly one magazine of 30 BBs becomes four, 30

BBs immediately becoming 120 (and so on) and the ability to communicate clear target information (in the UK we call it GRIT and CLAP, look it up!) suddenly becomes of paramount

importance… “guy behind the tree in multicam” really ain’t gonna cut it! So, to paraphrase, you REALLY need to look at running a GBBR not as an individual, lone-wolf choice (although many “gas snipers” will do so, but that’s another story entirely!), but truly as a team one, and you REALLY need to pay attention to cover and concealment, along with your fieldcraft, skills and drills, accuracy and, above all, teamwork! Yes, you CAN run a GBBR on your own given their range and consistency once dialled in, but it’s going to be a whole lot more fun if you do it as a team that has trained hard together and is truly cohesive and effective in game!

But for many that’s what airsoft is all about, right, and who doesn’t love that moment in a game when ammo runs low and you need to pull something amazing? Just remember to make sure that your team magazines are compatible… just sayin’…

Robbie: “From a realistic (and RBT) use point of view I got rid of all my AEGs and only kept GBBRs and GBB pistols. Since we run only low-loaded mid-caps, run semi only, and love the ambush-style of gameplay, it doesn’t change game play much but it did take the training to its next level. Love my GBBR!”

Boycie: “I love a GBBR much for the same reason as Rob. I enjoy mixing it up by only using GBBR/ GSMG/GBBP as it makes me think more before I take a shot. Also, by having the restricted amount of ammo in a mag, compared to mid-caps, it does actually change how I play. I usually only run 80-120 rounds in an AEG mag, depending on the platform, so 30-40 is a lot of fun. I also tend to only run the same amount of mags (4 to 5 +1) with whatever I am using.”

Stewbacca: “I love using them almost exclusively since I moved to Taiwan. Basically, unless I’m evaluating an AEG for articles, I really enjoy the general realism, tactile and manual of arms and the way it forces you to work as a team more, time your reloads or cover each other and perform fire and manoeuvre more realistically, especially in CQB which I prefer anyway!”

TREAT IT RIGHT!

So, consistent performance can be up there with an AEG these days, and lower mag capacities can be offset by really working as a team but there’s still that question, MYTH #3, about maintenance isn’t there? Bottom line, in my opinion a GBBR is actually a whole heap easier to maintain than an AEG!

A GBBR, specifically an open, full-travel bolt model, is basically as close as you can get to a real firearm in terms of operation. There’s a big old bolt carrier group (BCG) that moves back and forth in the upper receiver, whilst the lower houses a trigger group, fire controls and a magwell… and that’s all she wrote (okay, a simplification, but you get my drift…)! When it comes to the cleaning I learned a LOT from Robbie and his “top tips” are:

“After break-in period or parts have been properly tuned-polished, clean your rifle! Degrease all parts (dash of dawn dish soap in hot water, clean cloth wipe away all grease and dirt, then remove any residue with rubbing alcohol (90%), especially barrels and any hop buckings after every use. Touch up, then remove excess; treat all seals with a cotton swab dipped in pure silicone and Teflon (Dupont is my fave) but don’t allow this on buckings (always degrease buckings!) or use it in barrels as it will affect consistency and accuracy big big!”.

So, in a nutshell what do you need to be doing in terms of maintaining a GBBR - and ultimately it’s pretty much the same as working with a real firearm - you need to keep your barrel clean and the working parts lubricated. You need to clean the platform after each use (not strictly necessary but it’s a good routine to get into!) and keep the outer parts lightly oiled, especially with steel models! You need to keep on top of your magazine maintenance and make sure that seals, valves and o-rings are all in good shape and make sure that you don’t overgas your mags in the first place.

Overgassing, just like with a GBB pistol, can be the downfall of many a user! All too often I see people just holding the gas can down onto the fill valve and giving it a LONG old punch of gas, but remember now what I said about different “gas mixes”? A constant stream of gas can not only chill things down and cause the mag to vent but can now also result in not getting the best “balanced mix” inside, so take your time and feed the gas in using smaller squirts with a

“settling gap” between squirts! Also, whilst heating a magazine may seem like an obvious move to get more performance, the very dynamics of gas mean that if you re-gas a warm mag you may not get a complete fill, so be wary of that too! Ryan: “In Japan or say Taiwan, GBBR-only is perfectly viable. I’ve recently changed to GBBR-only and as an ex-AEG tech, it’s a million times less of a headache, and being rough with my equipment is less of an issue. Plus, I do enjoy the added challenge against AEG players as a skill-building exercise. With the advent of magazine warmed pouches here, you can GBB year-round even on duster gas. GBB LIFE!” So, with all that said, what’s to stop you “Living the Gas Life”? I would say very little! In terms of safety, with a GBBR nothing happens until you load a magazine and charge the platform and indeed nothing CAN happen once your magazine is out, so even if there is a recalcitrant BB in the “chamber” there’s no way it can leave the barrel until you insert the mag again. Gas magazines though are really still the prohibiting cost factor these days when it comes to owning and running a gas rifle, carbine or SMG, as the price of the actual platform appears to be coming down and down! Sure, you’ll still pay a pretty penny for as platforms from WE, VFC, GHK, TM and Umarex but largely these days you get what you pay for, and that’s a gas platform that is ready to roll from the box! S&T have come in with gas models subUK£200, but these appear to still need some fettling to get right and are basically just a re-worked Western Arms system in a fancy frock. The same can be said for Golden Eagle but the latest models seem to be “good to go” from the box, which is encouraging! Ultimately “Living the Gas Life” is all about how you approach your airsoft and there most definitely will need to be a positive “attitude adjustment” if you want to live it fully. If you’re prepared to take that step and join those of us that love a gas platform, trust me, you’ll have an absolute blast when you do! Steve T: “On days when I’m looking for the experience, rather than the win, then a GBBR adds to the sensation of gunplay. Everything from the physical jolt of firing down to the lower mag capacity is that bit more involving, challenging and satisfying. And here’s a question for you: most people that try an AEP think, “How bland - where’s my gas pistol?” And yet AEGs continue to dominate the field. Why is that?” AA EVERYTHING FROM THE PHYSICAL JOLT OF FIRING DOWN TO THE LOWER MAG CAPACITY IS THAT BIT MORE INVOLVING, CHALLENGING AND SATISFYING. AND HERE’S A QUESTION FOR YOU: MOST PEOPLE THAT TRY AN AEP THINK, “HOW BLAND - WHERE’S MY GAS PISTOL?” AND YET AEGS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE FIELD. WHY IS THAT?”

LIVING THE AEG LIFE!

WITH BILL SINGING THE PRAISES OF GAS PLATFORMS, IT’S RIGHT AND PROPER THAT WE HAVE A COUNTERPOINT FOR THE JOYS OF THE AEG! WITHOUT DOUBT IT’S THE “ELECTRIC GUN” THAT HAS POWERED AIRSOFT FORWARD AND THE AEG CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST-USED PLATFORM BY AIRSOFTERS AROUND THE GLOBE, SO JIMMY PICKS UP THE CHALLENGE AS TO WHY, IF YOU DON’T ALREADY, YOU SHOULD REALLY OWN AN AEG…

It is a given that a vast majority of airsofters own an AEG of some description and, as it stands today, they are the most commonly used system in airsoft across the globe - but that hasn’t always been the case!

Back in the 1970’s most of the world had no clue that airsoft even existed. Airsoft originated from Japan in the early 1970s, when photographer Ichiro Nagata, an avid shooting enthusiast himself, thought about making model guns that shoot real projectiles that could not kill. These “guns” were trademarked as “soft air gun”, tailoring to the needs of shooting enthusiasts while still conforming to Japan’s strict gun control legislation. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that airsoft had spread into the UK, where they would be sold in separate pieces and would require a level of construction in order for them to be able to shoot!

Shortly after this time airsoft guns became available to the rest of Europe and north America and gained massive popularity across the globe. Airsoft guns generally fall into one of three categories of operating principle, spring, electric or a gas of some form but there’s only one that really interests me and that’s the electric type, or widely known as the AEG (automatic electric gun). So, if I were to say buy an AEG “just because”… would you?

I’m going to try and convince you as to why an AEG is the best platform for airsoft.

An AEG is for me the best, most user-friendly platform for any player and the market is so vast they cater for everyone, from the newest of players right up to the most battle-hardened veterans and they come in many wonderful and differing forms. Buying an AEG is like buying sweets; when standing at the counter looking at the veritable selection you just don’t know what to buy; then comes the decision “do I buy the small cheaper bar of chocolate, or do I buy the bigger more expensive bar?” Seriously the selection of AEGs is staggering and is forever growing, which brings new brands on the scene more and more, each with their own ideas and designs.

I feel lucky to have entered into airsoft at a time where most equipment is actually bloody good and works when it is supposed to. But what is it I love about electrically-driven airsoft, you may be wondering and well, I’d say there are many reasons I would choose an AEG over a springer or a gasser, and I feel the pros far outweigh the cons.

For starters, you can pick up a very respectable and reliable gun reasonably cheaply and out of the box you can have endless amounts of fun with it. Manufacturers have really upped their game and certain brands who were once considered cheap and nasty are now thought to be great contenders, offering performance and quality at respectable prices meaning some of the bigger market leaders have got to be on their toes the whole time. I’m not here to be promoting any single brand but as an example, take

Double Eagle. My first airsoft gun was a Double Eagle many years ago, specifically an M85 (best known as a G36) and quite frankly it was pants! But compare it to their new range of full metal rifles with the Falcon Fire Control and they are worlds apart!

There have been some serious changes and Double Eagle have climbed from the bottom rung, putting them on my list among many others as a good subUK£200 gun for either a new player or someone looking for a cheaply priced platform to use as something they can upgrade or customise. I think where airsoft is at the moment, to go out and spend UK£600-UK£1,500 on an AEG is ludicrous, and that player is out to boost an ego and seeks validation that their overly expensive gun is the dogs b@##$%s! There is no need to be going that mad - and this is coming from someone who loves aftermarket parts and customisation!

Which brings me to my next point: AEGs have become a product where the internet has led people to believe that, in order for that AEG to be good you need to throw a further £600 at it and adorn it with all the shiny parts from all the top-rated brands which, in my eyes, isn’t the way to do it. The beauty of AEGs is the amount of manufacturers who are constantly bringing us great aftermarket parts for the price of peanuts (peanuts of course being an analogy as you can’t really buy stuff with peanuts… maybe monkey nuts though, who knows lol!). Most AEGs can (and will) benefit from these parts and you’ll be amazed at how little they cost.

For example, you buy a UK£200 gun and it will work fine out of the box but there will come that time where you require a little more performance, so for a further UK£35 we can squeeze out some great range and accuracy by way of replacing the standard brass barrel and standard hop rubber. I can pretty much guarantee it will be shooting further and straighter than most out of the box UK£400 guns! There is so much to choose from these days regarding aftermarket upgrades and there really is no limit other than your budget and just how far down that rabbit hole do you want to go!

Other reasons I like AEGs are things like magazine capacity. Don’t talk to me about 30rd mags, I’m really not that interested in mid-caps either if I’m honest. I am known for being frivolous with ammo and I like nothing more than a large capacity mag and drum mags. I don’t play to tiptoe around and choose my shots, I want to quite literally shoot everything and I will spam on that trigger all day long! Drum mags… because reloading is stupid! Joking aside though, having to reload puts you at a disadvantage against those that don’t, and AEGs suit this style of play and generally give a higher ROF.

One thing an AEG will never suffer from is cold fatigue, or the dreaded “gas dump of death”! You know the one I mean, that moment you pull the trigger and due to cold all you get is a click followed by a big cloud of disappointment, then the humiliation of being taken out by a guy wielding an AEG with a whacking drum mag! AEGs tend to handle the colder weather much better.

Maintenance is a thing and while I’m able to maintain all my own rifles with an AEG, maintenance intervals are much further apart. Play with it, put it away, take it out play with it again and unless something breaks there’s no need to do anything really, other than maybe a barrel clean every few weeks. I tend to service mine once a year, if, however, I was using one gun every weekend I would be doing that every six months but I jump between guns and even on game days I’ll take two, sometimes three guns and alternate between them.

Certain AEGs are very picky when it comes to battery space, which can be annoying especially as you need to buy yet another battery (that is one of the cons with them). As your collection grows so will your selection of batteries. This is why I favour the M4/ AR style, due to the battery space being much more forgiving than some I have battled with. Trying to cram a battery and all the wiring into a place that has been designed for nothing bigger than a fairy sneeze is a tad frustrating!

Here are a few thoughts from some of the guys from the Legion; these are experienced guys who have been part of airsoft for far longer than I.

Robbie: “Back when I used and worked on AEGs, low cost #1, and the ability to be tuned and upgraded.”

Johnathan: “I love the military look and was was never into fitting stupid accessories!! Or speed soft colours either! I only used accessories that I would use or was useful!! Functional and lasting is what I’m after and an AEG provides this.”

Bill: “I do like a licenced AEG when it’s done properly but most of all I look for durability, as I know it’s going to take a hammering! I use mine mostly with midcaps and on semi-auto, so the internals need to be able to handle that. I’m happy using most AEGs “stock” from the box but overall I would say that the benefit of an AEG to me is that you can “tune it” for a specific task and use it in all conditions year round. I do love my gassers but in the past they have