FEATURE: THINGS GO WRONG

that the loose mag and my growing frustration had caused a double feed, to a point where BBs had split and had cut the bucking, which resulted in loss of accuracy. This was all on my head, operator error and had nothing to do with the actual rifle. (Once home I replaced the bucking with a Maple Leaf green 50’ and it is singing once again!).

CHANGING PLATFORMS

Not too downbeat and with a warm brew in my hand thanks to my Welsh Wingman, it was time to set up my second rig and my new build, an MP5 SD that you will read about in a future article. I had been in talks with VIPER, one of AA’s “good friends”, about a lightweight Plate Carrier that would work with the MP5 build and all geared around lightness and versatility. Again, you will be able to read about this fully in a future article, along with the MP5.

So, I pulled out all my MP5 mags, loaded them with BBs and started to set up the new Viper VX PC. I’d pre-set this up at home to run the MP5 mags and “Ready Rig”. Slim and light weight, I was feeling very comfortable to get back out into the thick of it. With the PC all set it was time to test fire the MP5 to make sure I hadn’t missed anything and finally show off my new pride and joy to Spencer. With my 7.4v battery plugged in and on Imperium’s test range I set out to fire the beast; the first 20 or so rounds where fine until a very high-pitched squeak and all pressure from the jet nozzle was lost! The beast was dead and no field stripping was going to answer my questions, so it was put back in the case. You can safely say my heart had dropped.

I thought all was not lost because the versatility of the VX PC is that it’s very interchangeable and the good people at VIPER had previously talked me through the AR platform add-ons, which meant I could change the VX MP5 pouches out to the AR Magazine ones they had sent me. Maybe all was not lost. As dusk was now well and truly setting in, my night rifle would be out to play hardball, my trusted KWA RM4. As I started to strip down the VX PC to ready it for the AR mags I realised something was missing for my kit, a clear plastic bag that held all of the VX AR mag add-ons - it had gone MIA! I searched high and low, in the car, out the car and even phoning my neighbour to check I hadn’t left them on my driveway but, sadly, they had vanished without a trace.

I sat back and took a minute to work out my next move. All my future articles had now been thrown into the air and what was I to do? I am a chap who believes in his morals and after all the help that Viper had given me, I didn’t want to let them down. So, in my next write up article I will go through all my kit that I took and used and all the kit that I didn’t get to use, along with its pro’s and con’s!

And for all of you that were wondering what happened to the clear bag with all the VX attachments went… well… it was in my car the whole time! When I lifted out the PCs to fold the seat down, it had slipped out from between the VX PC and I just hadn’t noticed it as I dropped the seat down in my haste.

Plenty of lessons were learned that OP can tell you!

“AS DUSK WAS NOW WELL AND TRULY SETTING IN, MY NIGHT RIFLE WOULD BE OUT TO PLAY HARDBALL, MY TRUSTED KWA RM4. AS I STARTED TO STRIP DOWN THE VX PC TO READY IT FOR THE AR MAGS I REALISED SOMETHING WAS MISSING FOR MY KIT, A CLEAR PLASTIC BAG THAT HELD ALL OF THE VX AR MAG ADD-ONS - IT HAD GONE MIA!”

TIME TO STRAP ON!

OVER THE YEARS, FRENCHIE HAS WRITTEN A COUPLE OF PIECES ABOUT WATCHES AND AIRSOFT - MAINLY BECAUSE WATCHES ARE ONE OF HIS PASSIONS, SO ANY EXCUSE! NOW HE LOOKS AT WHAT KEEPS THEM FIRMLY IN PLACE ON YOUR WRIST…

There are plenty of watches with solid military provenance if that’s your thing, but the days of generally-issued timepieces are now solidly behind us. By 2018, the UK’s Ministry of Defence was only buying a small selection of watches in numbers of a few thousand per year, these were mostly specialist items and most soldiers, especially those actually in the field, opt for; things like the Casio G-Shocks which combine functionality along with an almost indestructible build quality.

That isn’t what this article is about, however, as the demise of the issued watch has inevitably led to the demise of the issued watch strap. I accept that for many normal people, giving any thought to watch straps is at best an occasional pleasure, but there are some of us who spend an unreasonable amount of time considering these things! There is also a genuine crossover with airsoft, insofar as the aim of military watch straps is to ensure that your watch doesn’t go AWOL whilst being worn and to a lesser extent, ensure that it stays in one position on your wrist during periods of physical exertion.

The Ministry of Defence was responsible for one of the most enduring watch strap designs in order to meet these requirements and I’ll spend a bit of time discussing the history and use of the “NATO” strap. I’ll also introduce you to a French alternative which, in my opinion, is a much better option.

Firstly, that name, “NATO”. No, it’s not a NATO strap, it’s British and strictly should be referred to as the “G10”. This name seems to be a contraction of G1098, the form which had to be submitted to request one from stores. It’s probable that the “NATO” moniker arose as the strap was issued with a NATO Stock Number (NSN) and the term has stuck.

The specification for the G10 originated in 1973 as the “Strap, Wrist Watch” in the Ministry of Defence Standard Def Stan 66-15, (Part 1) Issue 1 – Strap (Nylon). As is normal with such documents, the specification was quite specific: the strap was to be made of nylon, would be 20mm wide and should have chrome-plated brass buckle and keepers. There was also a second, shorter strap attached at the buckle. Issued straps were only available in “Admiralty Grey”.

The function of the second strap seems to be frequently misunderstood. It is often assumed that it plays a key role in preventing the watch being lost should one of the strap bars fail. This isn’t the case. As was common at the time, military watches had fixed strap bars rather than the more common spring bars found these days. A pass-through strap such as the G10 was sufficient to ensure that the failure of one bar wouldn’t lead to the loss of the watch.

The second strap has arguably two functions; to minimise movement of the watch on the wearer’s

wrist and, at a time when the strap came in one size but watch lugs in many, to prevent the watch sliding off the strap when it wasn’t being worn. Originally produced with a width of 20mm, this has since been reduced to 18mm to accommodate the watches that the MOD is currently sourcing. The genuine G10 has been made in the UK Phoenix for the last 30 years. As an aside, the RAF version of this strap lacks the loop to prevent the watch moving on the strap and is a simple, singlepass version.

WHY USE ONE?

They’re cheap, generally around £10.00 GBP, widely available (everyone and their dog makes a version of this) and brilliantly functional. Their length, around 270mm will accommodate all wrists, they keep your watch secure, they don’t rot, can be run through the washing machine to bring them back to their best, and get better with age. They also have solid military roots should that matter and they are easy to change without tools. It goes without saying that I have a few…

Downsides are few: I sometimes find them a bit unyielding depending on the watch and the manufacturer of the strap. I often remove the keeper loop as it adds a second layer of nylon under the watch and with heavy watches that can make them a bit unbalanced. I personally don’t like wearing my watches too tight, so getting the balance right can take a bit of juggling but there is no getting away from the fact that they are cool as…

Final aside… The Royal Navy divers wore their Rolexes and Omegas on these straps, so if you’re lucky enough to own something like that, the G10 is still right at home!

And that, rather neatly brings us to the Maritime Nationale NCD strap. Yup, that’s the French Navy to you and me. The story of the G10 is one of standards and specifications, the NDC (Nageur de Combat - naval divers or combat swimmers, if you like) couldn’t be further from that.

In the 1960s, after a period of testing and evaluation, the French Navy adopted the Tudor 9401 “submariner” for issue to its divers. These watches were supplied without the normal metal bracelet and were worn on braided nylon straps or, more iconically, on elastic straps fashioned by the divers themselves from parachute straps and fittings. It is this second strap that has become famous as the “NDC” and is truly unique.

NDC SIMPLICITY

The NDC is astonishingly simple; a length of 21mm elastic, folded in half and with a flat steel hook stitched in place at the fold. The elastic would be threaded through the bars on the watch and then a flat steel loop was slipped over the loose ends of the strap. The hook was attached to this loop and the excess elastic tucked round the wrist. This made a strap that was hugely adjustable, flexible and held the watch exactly where the wearer wanted it.

Unlike the G10, this was never an issued strap, so there is no way of knowing how many were used, since they were being made by the users of the watch themselves. Versions of the NDC are becoming more readily available, however the design has been tweaked, I suspect to make them more acceptable to modern watch wearers. It’s this combination of military provenance combined with sheer functional effectiveness and comfort that for me makes the NDC a better option than the G10. Even with a heavy watch on this strap, you genuinely forget it’s there because there is no slop or movement thanks to the elastic, no matter how vigorously you move your arm (quiet at the back there!).

If you want a watch strap that is in keeping with all your airsoft gear and which actually does the job it’s meant to, either the G10 or the NDC will do the job, but for my money, the somewhat more obscure French offering wins hands down..AA

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP!!

AIRSOFT IS TRULY BACK UP AND RUNNING! WITH WORD FROM STORES, DISTRIBUTORS AND MANUFACTURERS ALL CONFIRMING THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING NIGH-ON RECORD LEVELS OF SALES AT THE MOMENT, IT APPEARS THAT AIRSOFT AT LEAST HAS SHAKEN OF THE DARKNESS OF THE PAST MONTHS AND IS ABSOLUTELY THRIVING! IT WOULD ALSO SEEM THAT A LOT OF THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY WHO HAVE BEEN SITTING ON “PROJECTS” ARE FINALLY BRINGING THESE TO FRUITION!

Okay, we did say last month that we’d be talking more about clothing and gear this month, but there’s a couple of things that we’d be massively remiss not to draw to your attention, and the first of these is very exciting, not in relation to the product itself per se (although it does look great “on paper”!), but more in terms of what it means to the legitimacy of airsoft amongst the wider world of shooting sports in terms of firearms training!

UMAREX/GHK G17

The long-awaited release of the Umarex/GHK collaboration on the latest licenced GLOCK 17 is here at last! Now we have to admit that is looks awesome and, knowing GHK as well as we do, it should be an ass-kicker - the specs are certainly impressive! • Power Source: Gas • Magazine capacity: 20 BBs • Trigger : Single Action • Safety: Automatic Trigger Safety • Energy: < 1,0 J • Velocity: 100 m/s (328 fps) • Hop-Up: Yes, adjustable • Length: 204 mm • Weight: 660g

Why is this Glock 17 so outstanding? Umarex told us in their Press Release that:

“Top-quality materials are one big reason. The most striking feature is the matt black CNCmachined steel slide with original markings. Thanks to optimized distribution of the propellant gas, this pistol delivers a particularly strong blowback effect. Players feel a stronger, more realistic recoil with every shot. The Glock 17 is also superior when it comes to precision. The pistol is suitable for high-pressure gas up to 150 PSI and delivers constant performance

with a maximum energy of 1 joule. Players have the advantage of an adjustable sight that is compatible with original accessories. The trigger’s let-off point can be clearly felt at 2.8 kg, and the hop-up is adjustable.

With its weight of 660 g and authentic dimensions, the Glock 17 is a perfect counterpart to the real steel original and fits securely in all standard holsters. Also for realism, the black body of the 20-round magazine has a dummy loaded chamber indicator that is modeled on the original pistol. A speedloader is included.”

BUT… Oh WOW! This is not cheap!!!

We’re seeing prices from US$499 (the same price as a REAL 9mm G17!) and have managed to track one down at UK£360, but that’s still a whole pile of moolah compared to existing prices! However, we believe there’s a bit of a giveaway in the Umarex description that may give an indication of why the price is as it is …and that is:

“the Glock 17 is a perfect counterpart to the real steel original…”

We’ve long been of the mind that the big firearms companies are slowly but surely realising that there is a BIG market for their “replica 6mm” products as training tools and, as we’ve already seen SIG take ownership of their 6mm offering and successfully have it adopted by government agencies as a “trainer”, it’s really no surprise that the mighty Glock may be following suit and have had a product developed to start filling that niche themselves. So, the price may be indicative of this… only time will tell! GHK certainly have a LOT resting on the new pistol and we’re hoping that the new G17 will indeed be something rather special!

TOKYO MARUI MP5

Also long-awaited is the latest NGRS model from Tokyo Marui, their MP5! Having now had our hands on one we can tell you that the weight and feel are incredible, and the quality is every bit what we’ve come to expect from our friends in Japan! It has to be said that as a number of the AA crew are UK-based that we have somewhat of a love for the MP5 (given its history with certain UKSF units) and, as always, we’re thrilled when a new model hits the market! The recent crop of tactical models have really given some impetus to the “Rise of the Five”, and it’s great to see the little “Maschinenpistole” again as a firm skirmish favourite!

Like many of you, we’ve been waiting for more news on the release of the very latest take on the MP5 from Tokyo Marui and having had hands on their GBB AKM over the weekend (FABULOUS!) we’re now keen to get the MP5 in our grubby little mitts!

Good news is that we’ve now seen that the release has moved outside the Far East market and Land Warrior Airsoft (LWA) have been in touch to let us know that they are now accepting pre-orders for October ’21 delivery! They told us:

“One of the biggest releases of 2021 to date, and one that has been highly anticipated for a long time; the Tokyo Marui MP5, featuring their iconic Next

Generation Recoil Shock system! With every triggerpull, a weight of about 300g that imitates a bolt operates at the same time as firing, and the strong recoil

generated inside is transmitted to the whole body. In addition, it is equipped with an auto-stop system that stops firing when the magazine is empty, and a bolt release mechanism that releases the auto-stop by pulling the bolt handle. This RIF has a serious focus on realism for both operation and looks!”

Although full dispersion of the new MP5 is still a little time away, having had one in our hands thanks to a friend, we can tell you that it features the new “M-System” which has been newly developed so that a microcomputer (MCU = microcontroller unit) comprehensively monitors and controls FETs, FC (Fire Control),