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RED CELL: SBR UPDATE

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RED CELL

Short barelled rifle FTW!

WAY BACK IN ISSUE 124 RED CELL GATHERED TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AEG GROUPS OUT THERE, THAT OF AR SBRS. NEARLY A YEAR AND A HALF LATER THEY PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AGAIN TO SEE HOW SOME OF THESE TEST MODELS HAVE DONE - AND WHAT NEW ONES HAVE CAUGHT THEIR EYE AND BEEN ADDED TO THE TEST POOL!

The airsoft industry never sleeps! That’s for sure, and although we’ve been through some trying times, and indeed the world is still not fully recovered from challenges both medical and commercial, the manufacturers keep on delivering new models for our delectation!

Whilst the pandemic certainly put a big dent in all things airsoft, the ongoing issues with shipping and distribution thankfully appear to be easing at last. However, now I’m hearing from many friends in the retail side of the industry that given the economic pressures we are all facing the sales of new AEGs and GBBs have slowed right now, with more players spending what money they have on getting to games and keeping their existing replicas serviced and running to their best.

As someone who has lived through several global recessions this doesn’t surprise me at all, as when money is tight we all, as players, tend to keep spare cash for actually getting out to play, and the purchase of a new platform gets pushed back in favour of keeping what we already have going. It strikes me that this makes what we do in the Red Cell program even more valid than ever before, as many of the models we have “in test” are models that you own, and where we are beginning to encounter problems (or not!) then we can comment on the potential fixes for these very issues you may yourself be facing.

Bottom line is that EVERYTHING electrical and mechanical will eventually fail! We do all tend to give our replicas a proper hammering when we play, and even with the very best maintenance regime in the

“IT STRIKES ME THAT THIS MAKES WHAT WE DO IN THE RED CELL PROGRAM EVEN MORE VALID THAN EVER BEFORE, AS MANY OF THE MODELS WE HAVE “IN TEST” ARE MODELS THAT YOU OWN, AND WHERE WE ARE BEGINNING TO ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS (OR NOT!) THEN WE CAN COMMENT ON THE POTENTIAL FIXES FOR THESE VERY ISSUES YOU MAY YOURSELF BE FACING.”

world, parts WILL wear and eventually lead to the failure of a very complex piece of machine art. What we always intended to look at in Red Cell is when things fail in some very popular brand AEGs and GBBs and then come up with fixes for these; is it a simple, inexpensive fix, or something far more involved?

The fact is that none of us have a bottomless wallet (I wish!) and that we need to get the very best performance from our platforms, not just as new, but also in the long-term. This is especially true when money is tighter than usual, so that fact that some our test AEGs featured here are OLD we hope will give you a heads-up on where best to spend your money!

To set the scene for SBR ARs, and why they’re so important to us as airsofters I’ll refer back to my words when we first looked at this category; developments in doctrine and tactics mean that the carbine, and especially the SBR (Short Barrelled Rifle) has become the weapon of choice now for CQB/CQC. In USparlance and SBR is an AR (or similar) that has a shoulder stock, with a barrel length of less than 16 inches, although for the purposes of this article the Red Cell team decided to go sub-14.5 inch (“M4 carbine) barrel length. For CQB/CQC use a shorter rifle is easier to manipulate in buildings and vehicles and a shorter rifle is also easy to use and put into action. Shorter rifles can also be lighter and better balanced if they’re well set up.

In the real world this means that you can have the benefit and higher penetration of a .223/5.56mm round, but of course many SBRs can still handle the newer 6.8mm ammunition and cartridges like the 300 Blackout to give a real performance edge! However, there is a downside to an SBR, namely that “rounds down” from a shorter barrel are going to start losing velocity when compared to a “regular length” carbine and rifle length. Velocity loss means you are going to get a serious dent in terminal ballistic potential at longer ranges, and potentially the “muzzle blast”, both visible and auditory can be huge unless a suitable suppressor/muzzle brake/ blast deflector is used. Barrel length pretty much makes an SBR a medium-range weapon at best or close quarters rifle for most, but of course in trained hands with the correct “bolt-ons” the SBR comes into its own as a short-range platform that will defeat (or at least seriously hinder those

“THE FACT IS THAT NONE OF US HAVE A BOTTOMLESS WALLET (I WISH!) AND THAT WE NEED TO GET THE VERY BEST PERFORMANCE FROM OUR PLATFORMS, NOT JUST AS NEW, BUT ALSO IN THE LONG-TERM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN MONEY IS TIGHTER THAN USUAL”

wearing) body armour whilst still maintaining the ability to reach out further.

This is why we now see so many military and police units ditching (in the main) their pistol calibre MP and SMG models in favour of platforms like the L119A2, HK416A5 and MK18 CQBR, and if your taste in airsoft replicas is more “mil” then an SB-AR will undoubtedly be high on your list of must-haves. This is also true if you’re a dedicated CQB player as the additional manipulation utility offered by short-barrelled carbine will prove invaluable!

THE ONLY EASY DAY!

Also as I said before, with all of that as a background of course in the world of airsoft, and the engagement distances we encounter, the barrel length of our replicas is not so important, and although we might fit a suppressor or blast deflector for a cosmetically pleasing look, we aren’t having to deal with “signature” either, so a shorter rifle for indoor or urban use is going to be something that we always look at seriously.

With this is mind the Red Cell team once again got their heads together to review suitable “SBRs”, models that we have now used in game and can comment on with “time in”, or those that have impressed us in testing and have now entered the test program; suffice to say that for these AEGs “the only easy day was yesterday!”

Dan: One of the platforms I happen to specialize on through my work is KWA’s, so I have naturally accrued a lot of experience with the Ronin T10 in particular. As far as recoil based AEG’s are concerned, it is my humble opinion that KWA’s ERG system represents the best in class for sheer robustness of design, felt recoil and ease of disassembly and upgradeability. For end users on this side of the pond in the USA, the base rifle is 1.49J ready without requiring the extensive investment in upgrades that its nearest competitor, the Tokyo Marui NGRS, requires in order to be reliable at higher velocities. The majority of internal components are compatible with standard V2 parts, which allows for a lot of pathways to upgrading. KWA also offers excellent parts support, to which end someone could literally build the entire rifle from the ground up if ordering up every component separately through them.

Contrary to popular misconception the recoil is not “electronic”, but is purely mechanical; being driven by the rearward movement of the piston and mainspring, which drives a large brass recoil weight inside the buffer tube. It’s a very robust and simple design, which is not prone to breaking. Slightly unique to the T10 is the change in gearbox design, known as the “AEG 3.0” which allows for it to accommodate the hugely popular Gate TITAN electronic trigger unit. Preceding designs, such as the RM4A1, which is based off a traditional 14.5” M4 style rifle offer the same ERG recoil system, but are fitted with a gearbox that has last round cutoff capability. KWA’s current system of rifles embraces a modular type of design, in that it is possible to transfer the cutoff-capable gearboxes to the T10 platform and vise versa. In a similar vein, one can also convert the gun over to the Variable Performance System (VPS), which is a more traditional quick-change-spring style setup that allows for fine tuning the FPS output.

Moving to the exterior of the rifle, we have ambidextrous selector switches and charging handle. The charging handle in particular is a solid one-piece T-shaped design blows

“AS FAR AS RECOIL BASED AEG’S ARE CONCERNED, IT IS MY HUMBLE OPINION THAT KWA’S ERG SYSTEM REPRESENTS THE BEST IN CLASS FOR SHEER ROBUSTNESS OF DESIGN, FELT RECOIL AND EASE OF DISASSEMBLY AND UPGRADEABILITY.”

the Radian and similar designs out of the water for sheer strength. A slim 10” M-LOK rail and bespoke 2-port custom muzzle brake round out the front. The Ronin comes outfitted with the excellent PTS EPG-C motor grip and EPS stock, which offers impressive battery space as well as durable nylon-fiber construction. PTS backup iron sights are also fitted as standard.

The base rifle will generally provide many years of workhorse-like performance, but end users may wish to upgrade the stock bucking as it is often not ideal for environmental conditions outside of the high humidity and heat of its native Taiwan. For anyone looking to select a solid out of the box rifle – with recoil - that can be skirmished with right away, the Ronin T10 is an excellent first choice that can be maintained and upgraded well into the future.

Bill: It’s fair to say that I have a bit of history when it comes to the HK416 in airsoft terms as I’ve been running my Gen1 VFC since 2007! When I moved to the USA in 2006 I wanted to keep on playing airsoft, but as many of you old-time readers of AA know I had to replace my entire armoury thanks to shipping constraints at the time. Long story short is that I ended up buying a then-new 416 from AEX in California, and it’s been with me ever since, returning with me to the UK courtesy of British Airways in 2011!

This has been a fabulous AEG in all ways, and after a few niggly-wiggly wiring issues as new (not something we have to contend with majorly these days thankfully!) it’s continued to run and run! I have had it serviced professionally twice in the intervening years, and in fairness it’s probably overdue for another bit of TLC again (please Jimmy!) but other than o-rings and seals, hop-rubbers, bucking, and one new spring it has been a faithful and reliable partner-in-crime since new. It’s also had a new, shorter inner barrel as I decided that its final form would be as a “DEVGRU-style” CQB-length variant… and the outer barrel extension ended up on my longer L119 anyway! I have thought about getting it upgraded from time to time, but the fact is that the 416 “as stock” has never really needed it in my opinion as I get a solid ROF, along with decent range and accuracy as it is. I’ll hand off to Boycie now as he decided that it WAS worth going the extra mile… Boycie: I had the VFC 416 for a year or so before I handed it over to Marcus and Jimmy to work their magic on it. While it was working fine and I was happy with it, I thought it would provide an opportunity to try one of the, then new, Leviathan fets, along with one of their flat triggers. The build was featured in the Tech Talk section of the January 2021 issue of AA. When I got it back from Marcus and Jimmy, there was a stratospheric change in performance, compared to the normal standard performance that I tend to prefer. One of the first things which took me a while to get used to was the near instantaneous trigger to cycle time that the 416 now had. The travel of the trigger was about 1-1.5mm and lets me quickly loose off 2-3 rounds.

“WHEN I GOT IT BACK FROM MARCUS AND JIMMY, THERE WAS A STRATOSPHERIC CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE, COMPARED TO THE NORMAL STANDARD PERFORMANCE THAT I TEND TO PREFER.”

ARES X-CLASS AR-091E

Price: iro UK£390.00 Age: New Weight: 2600g Length: 690mm/770mm Magazine Capacity: 140, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.12 Joule/348fps Hot Chrono: 1.12 Joule/347fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

BOLT B4

Price: iro UK£350.00 Age: One Year Weight: 2000g Length: 530mm/630mm Magazine Capacity: 190, will accept most STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 0.83 Joule/300fps Hot Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290fps Taclite Compatibility: Magpul-Style Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.nuprol.com

CYMA CM.097B

Price: iro UK£155.00 Age: 3 Years Weight: 2770g Length: 730mm/815 mm Magazine Capacity: 160, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 109 Joule/344fps Hot Chrono: 1.09 Joule/344fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com

EVOLUTION E-416

Price: iro UK£295.00 Age: 17 months Weight: 2,920g Length: 700mm/780 mm Magazine Capacity: 130, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 109 Joule/344fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: store.evolutioninternational.it

SPECNA ARMS MK18 SA-E19 EDGE

Price: iro UK£230.00 Age: 18 months Weight: 2675g Length: 700mm/785mm Magazine Capacity: 125 (2), will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.04 Joule/335fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.gunfire.com

VFC (UMAREX) HK 416 D CQB V2

Price: iro UK£430.00 Age: 15 YEARS (for the Gen 1)!!! Weight: 3074g Length: 705mm/805mm Magazine Capacity: 320, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.09 Joule/344fps Hot Chrono: 1.09 Joule/344fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard rail/SMR on A5 Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.landwarriorairsoft.com

SPECNA ARMS RRA SA-E04

Price: iro UK£175.00 Age: 2 Years, 6 months Weight: 2600g Length: 700mm/780mm Magazine Capacity: 125 (2), will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps Hot Chrono: 0.98 Joule/325fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.gunfire.com

SPECNA ARMS SA-H12

Price: iro UK£190.00 Age: 18 months Weight: 3000g Length: 730mm/820mm Magazine Capacity: 300, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: Dedicated, SMR Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.gunfire.com

EVOLUTION RECON M EMR A ETS

Price: iro UK£260.00 Age: One Year Weight: 2200g Length: 650mm/740mm Magazine Capacity: 130, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Hot Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: store.evolutioninternational.it

VALKEN KILO

Price: iro UK£150.00 Age: 18 months Weight: 2494g Length: 620mm/700mm Magazine Capacity: 300, will accept most STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps Hot Chrono: 0.98 Joule/325fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.308-sniper.co.uk

KWA VM4 RONIN 10 SBR 2.5

Price: iro UK£375.00 Age: 18 months Weight: 2900g Length: 724mm/794mm Magazine Capacity: 120, will accept most STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.09 Joule/344fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Taclite Compatibility: KeyMod Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

G&G SR30

Price: iro UK£360.00 Age: 14 months Weight: 2760g Length: 700mm/770mm Magazine Capacity: 90 (G2), will accept most STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 0.98/325fps Hot Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.nuprol.com

I’m not a full auto hoser so the semi trigger to cycle time is a real bonus. The re-shim whilst the Leviathan was being fitted had also reduced the noise from the gearbox and all I hear on firing is the “zip, zip, zip” that used to only be heard in Systema PTWs in past years. The 416 has also now gone through some cosmetic changes with a new front rail and a few other small parts. I usually run 11.1v to power the rifle but even on a 7.4v I get around 13rps with auto selected.

One of the really cool options now is that I have the ability, thru Bluetooth, to change the settings, read off how many rounds have been fired and loads of other data, all kept on my “smart” phone. This is a great advantage over some other fets which you have to change selector and pull the trigger to change settings. When I manage to get out on the field and play, the 416 is my “go to” rifle, and since Marcus and Jimmy worked their magic I’ve had people asking “what the heck have you done to that” and I usually get a big smile from folk when I offer them the chance to go and give it a run!

Bill: Sticking with 416-style models I was very impressed with the new E-416 when we first received it for initial testing. Evolution have come a LONG way since I first met them, and I’d have to say that the E-416 DEVGRU is a fabulous amalgam of everything that they’ve learned about airsoft over the years, handily placed into one excellent, great looking package! Externally their full-metal take on the 416 looks not only great, but with the anodized CNC machined aluminium “SF Bronze” rail it’s drop-dead gorgeous, and everything, right down to the keyed-colouration of the polymer parts gives an overall impression of a project where everyone involved has given their all.

As I concluded at the time I first looked at it “After spending so many “easy yesterdays” with my existing 416 I have to say that any contender for the title was going to have to be exemplary from the get go, and I have to admit that after not touching an AEG from

Evolution for far too long, the new

E-416 DEVGRU ETS has once again opened my eyes to how far airsoft carbines and rifles have come in such a short time! It has some classic and unique features externally that I love, and internally it’s set up not only to protect the tech and ensure its continued operation, but to provide more than sufficient operating choices to keep any user satisfied for some time to come”… and the user of the Test Pool 416 is Jimmy! Jimmy: So looking back at the Evolution E-416 my first impression on this platform was that it is an awesome piece of kit and I couldn’t really find fault with it; a very solid well-built package.

The black and the bronze really appealed to me that and the fact it came factory fitted with their ETS system, I’m a sucker for an electronic trigger. When I first encountered this platform it was a bit of an unbox review with very little range time, as you don’t need weeks of testing to see if something is initially good.

There are times when a flaw can immediately stand out but with the E-416 this wasn’t the case. Having now

“EVOLUTION HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE I FIRST MET THEM, AND I’D HAVE TO SAY THAT THE E-416 DEVGRU IS A FABULOUS AMALGAM OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY’VE LEARNED ABOUT AIRSOFT OVER THE YEARS, HANDILY PLACED INTO ONE EXCELLENT, GREAT LOOKING PACKAGE!”

fielded the 416 on numerous occasions I can safely say my opinions haven’t changed since the first day.

There are a few things I would change though; this isn’t due to fault it is more down to personal preference really, things I have found I like and one is a shorter trigger pull. The ETS system gives the user a degree of adjustability and one of them is trigger sensitivity, so for me I would like and adjustable trigger to compliment that parameter. I would also change the motor grip for something a little chunkier due to my hands being quite big; I have become a big fan of the SPR-style grips. Like I said these choices are personal to me and not a prerequisite so please don’t muddle my words by thinking that they need changing immediately!

Out on the field it performs perfectly and accommodates a selection of different magazines, Nuprol mid-caps, Saigo mid-caps, G&G 2500 BB drum mag, Battleaxe 900BB… they all feed with no issues whatsoever. The Nuprol mid-caps and the Battleaxe hi-caps had a little bit of movement to them but nothing significant enough to cause feeding issues. On an 11.1v 15c lipo BBs were feeding at a rate of 18rps which is perfectly acceptable in my opinion and one fully charged battery can almost see a whole day gaming as the 416 isn’t power hungry.

Range and accuracy are what you would expect from an ootb platform with its brass 6.03mm inner barrel and standard hop rubber it is effective out to around 45-50m, easily hitting a man-sized target; I wouldn’t be trying to get inch groupings but a hit is a hit in my book so tight groupings aren’t something I worry about and if you can hit a player at 50m consitently then that is good enough for me.. I have really enjoyed playing with the E-416; it looks great, works perfectly, isn’t overly expensive and has withstood the abuse from me. Would I recommend to others? Oh yes.

Bill: And there’ still another 416 to go at! We’re now seeing more and more images of operators with the HK416, and especially now the HK416A5, and although there are a few airsoft versions out there already, they haven’t exactly been aimed at the “starter end” of the player market with price tags heading way up there and that’s before you start adding all those “necessary” accessories!

“IT IS EFFECTIVE OUT TO AROUND 45-50M, EASILY HITTING A MAN-SIZED TARGET; I WOULDN’T BE TRYING TO GET INCH GROUPINGS BUT A HIT IS A HIT IN MY BOOK SO TIGHT GROUPINGS AREN’T SOMETHING I WORRY ABOUT AND IF YOU CAN HIT A PLAYER AT 50M CONSITENTLY THEN THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME..”

When it comes to CQB-length AEGs, Specna Arms had an undoubted success with their “MK18 CQBR” at the back end of 2020 (more on this shortly!) and they’ve moved things along nicely with two new models that step firmly into the

NSW replica arena whilst keeping things real when it comes to pricing. The SA-H11 and H-12 are without any question “416-alikes”, and as they’re both priced sensibly this puts the “operator primary” well within the reach of those on a budget, and that is fabulous! The H-12 variant arrived with us late in 2020, with our first look after initial testing early in 2021; since that time it’s been with our resident “MilSimaholic” Jase!

Jase: H12, it’s still a nice RIF to just look at just hangin on the wall, and it’s prived to be a pretty cool shooter in all respects, and the build quality of this fine example of the H&K is one I’m happy to have in my arsenal! While the H-11 is pretty much a “standard” A5 with the usual railed HK system with integrated flip up sight, the H-12 takes things up a notch with an “Geiselle SMR” style system, and it’s a fabulous slimline rail that brings down the front-end weight and bulk of the carbine. The H-12 benefits from ambidextrous operating controls; bolt catch, magazine release, safety/fire selector lever and charging handle, the rounded “winter” trigger guard for use with gloves and cold weather clothing, contiguous top rail for use of optics and aiming accessories, a redesigned ergonomic pistol grip (there’s no storage compartment for a field stripping tool of course!), an enlarged bolt catch lever and protective barrier against accidental use, and the latest slimline multi-position sliding stock; all in all a VERY tidy package!

I’m pleased to tell you that in operation the H-12 that was provided for testing is, if anything, even better than other heavily-upgraded HK416s I’ve tried… from the box! Last year I had issues with magazines not sitting properly in the magwell and only last month I actually got round to trying to address the issue. With the help of some Velcro (soft side) added to the mag well and it for seem to have fixed the issue, so now I just need to head out onto the playing field to give it a run out again!

Bill: Now I mentioned the Specna Mk18, and this is STILL an AEG that I am totally in love with! Okay, I have my 416, but as I’m a closet NSW-fan I had to have me a Mk18 AEG for general play to go alongside my VFC GBBR version that is lovingly held back for training and MilSim. Both platforms are set up exactly the same so that I can go from one to another without any issues!

The Specna Mk18 has been with me for nigh-on 18 months, and with zero work done still performs like new! We’ve seen some great looking new AEG AR models from Specna, but also their super everyplayer-can-own-one- priced M249, some great new programmeable technology for the future, and to really put the icing on the cake now theor licensing collaboration with Daniel Defense … and what resulted was the Mk18 CQBR!

The first observation I would make is that this AEG is a “looker” that will please players that favour a more “military” model. I like to use the phrase “fighting gun”, and the Mk18 (or E19 in Specna parlance) is most certainly that; there are no frills, no

“IT’S STILL A NICE RIF TO JUST LOOK AT JUST HANGIN ON THE WALL, AND IT’S PRIVED TO BE A PRETTY COOL SHOOTER IN ALL RESPECTS, AND THE BUILD QUALITY OF THIS FINE EXAMPLE OF THE H&K IS ONE I’M HAPPY TO HAVE IN MY ARSENAL!”

bells and whistles, just a solidly made short AR AEG that’s immediately ready to BB-up and get out onto the field with. The Mk18 has been manufactured in cooperation with EMG Arms in the USA, and every part appears to have been made and fitted with the utmost care and attention to detail.

In game it has proved to be a real tack-driver with no issues to report so far! I really do love the Mk18 as it’s proved to be an exceptionally tight package both inside and out; care has obviously been taken to provide something in AEG form that’s fully worthy of carrying the Daniel Defense name!

I won’t comment here on the other Specna that I’ve had for a couple of years now, the E04, as you’ll find more on this particular SB-AR in our “BLOCKS” article this month, but suffice to say that after a little love it’s cranking on nicely!

Jase: I’ll continue the love for licensing here as another of the test models I’ve had access to is G&G take on the Knights Armament SR30! My first thoughts on the SR30 were “impressive”. The immediate quality of this RIF was good. It felt solid, really solid! Apart from the stock giving off a wee rattle, the whole platform did not make a noise. I wasn’t expecting this. In the years I have been a player in the community, I have fettled with my fair share of AEGs from expensive to cheap so I know what a good RIF feels like. Back in the day, a few of my team ran G&G Combat Machine M4’s which were budget orientated (which you cannot fault them for) but they were a spot on the ropey side, so when I was tasked a with this G&G review, I was not holding out much hope in the quality department. How wrong I was!

I have been treated with plenty of well trademarked RIF’s of late so I was eager to see how well G&G had engraved this SR30. Talk about a good job, from what I can tell this is the spitting image of the real thing. The trades are super crisp, and I’d go as far as to say laser engraved as they look so nice. When I compared this with photos of the real Knights SR30, apart from the missing CTR stock and slightly different pistol grip, this was a damn fine Knights Armament replica.

The G&G Knights Armament SR30 has been really nice to use too, I’ve had zero issues or gripes. The SR30 comes fitted with a programmable Mosfet as standard and it’s great to see G&G moving this

“APART FROM THE STOCK GIVING OFF A WEE RATTLE, THE WHOLE PLATFORM DID NOT MAKE A NOISE. I WASN’T EXPECTING THIS. IN THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN A PLAYER IN THE COMMUNITY, I HAVE FETTLED WITH MY FAIR SHARE OF AEGS FROM EXPENSIVE TO CHEAP SO I KNOW WHAT A GOOD RIF FEELS LIKE.”

along; their “take” on this gearbox/ Mosfet combo offers really handy features! Here in the UK this SR30 is competitively priced for a solid, wellmade, beautifully “traded” AEG.

Would I recommend this G&G SR30?

So far it’s a “Yes”. Bill: As Jase has so ably made the argument for a properly licenced model I feel it’s only fair to conclude with something that is still relatively new, and unashamedly airsoft through and through… and that’s the ARES X-CLASS AR-091E that I looked at in Issue 137, and this is another AEG that I’ve already come to respect greatly! I seem to have spent a fair amount of time with new ARES models on the range in the last year, but there’s one series that both Jimmy and I got a little excited about, but for very different reasons, and that was their new

“X CLASS”! So, what’s new and interesting about the new X CLASS variants, of which there are a few ranging from the 555-650mm Model 6 “PDW” up to the 850-930mm Model 15? Basically put ARES have created a line of AR AEGs that are designed from the get-go to be a reliable yet stylish, up-to-the-minute choice for players. In the case of the 091-E this premium AEG has thoroughly modern styling with a Radian Arms-inspired lower receiver, and a “Geisselestyle” rail system, one which seems to be very popular in airsoft circles at the moment! The high-grade alloy CNC 6063 handguard fitted as standard to the X CLASS looks very much like an M-LOK Super Modular Rail MK4, but without the additional picatinny sections at 3 and 6 o’clock, and it looks great!

The flip-up sights that come fitted as standard to the 091E are more than adequate for most situations, so the AEG is ready to roll straight from the box if you add a battery and some BBs, although for full testing I added my favourite holosight and a foregrip. At 30m unsupported it’s easy to get hits on a 400mm x 400mm torso-sized target with each BB flying straight and true. Now it’s been out in earnest for longer range testing, the carbine performs superbly on .28g BBs, easily and accurately sending them to target at 50-60m now it’s bedded in; not too shabby at all, and I’m looking forward to seeing just how well this new AEG performs over time!

We’re running out of space this month, but suffice to say that the CYMA 097, BOLT L4, Valken Kilo and the Evolution Recon are all running as they should! Posh (Evo Recon) is currently on an “airsoft hiatus” due to a new job, and sadly Bill W-R (Valken Kilo) is still recovering from an illness; I’m sure you’ll join us in wishing him a speedy recovery to full health, and we’ll update all these models in “RELOADED” articles at a later date. AA

Red Cell is supported by:

“...IT’S BEEN OUT IN EARNEST FOR LONGER RANGE TESTING, THE CARBINE PERFORMS SUPERBLY ON .28G BBS, EASILY AND ACCURATELY SENDING THEM TO TARGET AT 5060M NOW IT’S BEDDED IN; NOT TOO SHABBY AT ALL”

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