Manufactured by EMG Under License from Daniel Defense INC Licensor
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Editorial Director: Bill Thomas Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing Ad Design: Deadshot Design Publisher: Calibre Publishing Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Tel:WR13Worcestershire,Malvern,Colwall,6PL,UK.+44(0)1684 003 Web: ©Calibrewww.airsoftaction.netPublishingLimited No publication may photocopying, without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to US ON… LETTER , IDEA OR QUESTION? Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the Editorial Director: bill@airsoft-action.co.uk, write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.
When Jimmy first started playing airsoft, just like many of you one of his first AEG purchases was a G36, and that same rifle is still with him to this day! Now of course he’s had his hands on just about every AEG model you can think of, but when he had chance to get his hands on the much newer, much more “tacticool” ARES G39 EBB, you can bet he jumped at it!
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8 ARMOURY: ICS DDMK18
26 ARMOURY: ARES G39 EBB IDZ
If you’re going for a thoroughly modern “SEAL” or generic USSF loadout and you want one of the very best platforms to complete your “look” then you need search no further than the MK18 CQBR! As a huge fan of this platform, Bill turns his attention to the very latest replica to (just about!) hit the market, and that’s the DD MK18 from ICS!
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Bill started keeping his detailed VORSK Diary at the back end of 2019 and when he first saw the initial pistols though, he knew that he was witnessing the manifestation of a project that he’d seen to from the initial concept through to reality… and then keep on rolling! With some new variations of the VORSK HI-CAPA now available, Bill now looks back, and forward at the program.
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ARMOURY: VORSK HI-CAPA UPDATE
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CONTENTS
96 RELOADED: EVOLUTION LONE STAR RANGER SBR Way back in 2013 Bill treated himself to a new AEG, the Lone Star Tactical (LST) Ranger Short Barrelled Rifle (SBR) from Evolution and he’s been running it pretty much stock since then with regular maintenance! Why is this AEG so important to him, and how is it running after nine years of use?
36 TOD: TENTS & BIVVIES Last month we took a long, hard look at “fast-set shelters” and how the ability to get one up and running quickly can be a major benefit when you’re in a MilSim environment. This month Bill takes this another step forward in his development program as he looks at bivvys and small tents that are ideal for hitting your favourite weekender!
86 AA LEGION: JAPAN Earlier this month we shared the news that LayLax in Japan are branching out, both geographically and with their new Channel! Thankfully one of the benefits for us is that our old mate Marck West has agreed to share his experiences in the Land of the Rising Sun via the AA Legion now that he’s been living, working and playing airsoft there!
32 INSIDE AIRSOFT: SHIELD SPORTS In our “INSIDE AIRSOFT features we always try to give you a little insight into the people and companies that drive our beloved game forward, and SHIELD should be a name that many of you will recognise already, but perhaps not in the format of SHIELD SPORTS that brings them fully into “our world of airsoft”!
44 THE CAGE: MAGAZINES We’ve been looking at what the members of The Legion look for when they come to set up their own AEGs and GBBs and why they choose what they do. We’re going to draw this CAGE-cycle to a close now and to conclude we’ll look at possibly one of the most important accessories to keep you effective in-game, and that’s MAGAZINES!
40 KIT & GEAR: PENTAGON TACTICAL Clothing and equipment brand Pentagon are one of the “quiet performers” when it comes to their athletically-inspired yet practical tactical gear! Bill takes a close look at what Pentagon have been up to recently and dives into some of their latest models as well as some tried and tested classics!
90 AA LEGION: SWEDEN Things are really returning to normal, whatever normal might be for airsofters, and this means that finally everyone in the AA Legion is heading back on out to play on a more regular basis! We’re really pleased to see that our good friend and “resident viking” Bjorn is back out to games, and this month he tells us all about one of the biggest fields in his native Sweden!
50 RED CELL: TACTICAL AK UPDATE It’s a little over a year ago that Red Cell first looked at their pick of “Tactical AKs”, and in the interim we’ve seen yet more modern variants come into being! The width and breadth of what’s available for the die-hard OPFORist just keeps on getting better, so now the team brings their evaluations up to date!
64 TECH: WETECH L85A2 GBBR
SEPTEMBER 2022 Contents
72 TECH: SHADOW 2 UPGRADES Stewbacca has been making progress on overhaul of his KJ Works CZ75 Shadow 2 GBB competition pistol. In line with our article on SHIELD SPORTS, he shares the upgrades he’s completed with the support of “Airsoft Surgeon”, Clarence Lai, through CL Project Design and KIC Airsoft who helped him with the excellent external refinishing work!
78 AA LEGION: TAIWAN Since heading to Taiwan Stewbacca has not only seen the prevalence of hardcore MilSim players who border on re-enactors or cosplayers, but also got involved in competition shooting in various guises and has even dabbled in SpeedQB. But what about when MilSim players want to hold something more competition-styled too? Enter 3QB…
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There are few firearms in the real-steel-realm that are as divisive and storied than the UK’s homegrown L85 series of rifles! With an undeniably bad first iteration that has led to notoriety among the many players including those in Taiwan (yes, he’s even seen the typical memes but in Chinese!) how does the airsoft replica hold up to the real deal?
THE EASYONLYDAY... SEPTEMBER 20228
IF YOU’RE GOING FOR A THOROUGHLY MODERN “SEAL” OR GENERIC USSF LOADOUT AND YOU WANT ONE OF THE VERY BEST PLATFORMS TO COMPLETE YOUR “LOOK” THEN YOU NEED SEARCH NO FURTHER THAN THE MK18 CQBR! AS A HUGE FAN OF THIS PLATFORM, AND AS SOMEONE WHO HAS TESTED JUST ABOUT EVERY AIRSOFT REPLICA OF THIS ESTEEMED AR DESIGN AVAILABLE IN AIRSOFT FORM, BILL NOW TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE VERY LATEST REPLICA TO (JUST ABOUT!) HIT THE MARKET, AND THAT’S THE DD MK18 FROM ICS!
It’s going to come as no shock to anyone that I’m a HUGE fan of the MK18 CQBR as I’ve tested and reviewed many of them in airsoft form, and thus far I haven’t found one that I’ve not liked! Over the years I’ve had many, many AR AEGs through my hands both in game and on the test range, and although I do own a number of mid and fulllength models these days, I still have a profound love for a And“shorty”.theMK18 really is, at least to me, the absolute epitome of what makes a good “shorty AR”, as of course IRL this is exactly what the platform was designed for, and as Daniel Defense (DD) don’t do things by halves at any point, their “shorty” has undoubtedly become one of the most successful “SF” AR designs out there! Yes, again of course we do still see the MP5 and the MP7 in the hands of USN SEALs for CQB purposes, but it’s the MK18 that really sets the tone for USSF hard chargers and door kickers! As I’ve commented before, the MK18 is even shorter-barrelled than the M4A1 carbine with that 10.3 in (262 mm) barrel, and upon introduction the upper receiver was designated the Close Quarters Battle Receiver(CQBR), while the entire weapon system was designated the MK18 Mod 0 by the United States Navy, and became a common sight amongst the USN VBSS units, NCIS, and USN SEALs. The purpose of the CQBR was to provide operators with a weapon of compact size, but one still capable of firing a rifle cartridge, intended for urban warfare and other close quarters battle (CQB) situations; one of two proposed “special mission receivers” that were planned for inclusion into the SOPMOD Block II kit, the CQBR has proved incredibly popular amongst its users. Even though I’ve also said this before, there is still confusion amongst many, as for some reason Daniel Defense also made the decision to call the RIS II the “MK18”! It’s beyond doubt that the RIS II was designed at the request of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for the Block II program, as they had a specific requirement “THE MK18 REALLY IS, AT LEAST TO ME, THE ABSOLUTE EPITOME OF WHAT MAKES A GOOD “SHORTY AR”, AS OF COURSE IRL THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PLATFORM WAS DESIGNED FOR, AND AS DANIEL DEFENSE (DD) DON’T DO THINGS BY HALVES AT ANY POINT, THEIR “SHORTY” HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BECOME ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL “SF” AR DESIGNS OUT THERE”
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SPECCED RIGHT As anyone who reads my reviews and articles will know, I’m also a huge fan of ICS, and indeed have been an honorary “ICS Captain” since 2015, but as much as I love their AEGs my own tastes have changed a little over the years, and I’ve become incredibly picky about the AEGs and GBBs that I add to my personal armoury. I like my “replicas” to be exactly that, replicas of real world firearms down, if at all possible, to the smallest detail. Now it is beyond doubt that ICS make some of the finest, high-performance AEGs out there, and their split gearbox has now become part of “airsoft lore”. They also go their own way when it comes to design, and as much as I love to see this (I mean, their ARK is a beauty!) as it’s a healthy direction for any airsoft manufacturer, it does mean that it is not always to my own personal taste, although I love it when they create something like the PAR Mk3/PROARMS ARMORY rifles. Every ICS AEG though is built with masses of QC and a lot of love, and they shoot brilliantly, it’s just that I do like my own platforms to be “real” these days… and their new certainly MK18 certainly ticks all my boxes, and more!
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ICS could have decided to make a replica of an out and out “mil” carbine and called it the “SpecNavWarrior” or some such, but they haven’t, and another point of interest here is a collaboration with EMG ARMS in the USA; the new ICS DD MK18 has been created under the EMG Daniel Defense Licence and as such is 100% fully-branded, and I do mean FULLY, even down to the correct font in the trademarks! It’s genuinely, drop-dead gorgeously RIGHT, and I’m basing this on those real rifles and carbines I saw at SHOT. Everything is where it should be on both the upper and lower receivers and 9.55” RIS II rail, right down to the NSN numbers, and along with these the overall finish of the AEG is just splendid, replicating the “chocolate tan” of the receivers and furniture that “THE NEW ICS DD MK18 HAS BEEN CREATED UNDER THE EMG DANIEL DEFENSE LICENCE AND AS SUCH IS 100% FULLY-BRANDED, AND I DO MEAN FULLY, EVEN DOWN TO THE CORRECT FONT IN THE TRADEMARKS! IT’S GENUINELY, DROP-DEAD GORGEOUSLY RIGHT”
ICS DDMK18 ARMOURY for a free float M203 solution, and Daniel Defense responded, designing a revolutionary product to meet the government’s and user’s need. Don’t get the two mixed up; it’s possible to have a “MK18 RIS II” on any AR platform, but that does not make said platform a “MK18 CQBR” as the latter is an entire carbine that is the sum of all its constituent parts, and all the more effective for that!
REAL STEEL DD MK18 ON THE RANGE IMAGE FROM PUBLIC DOMAIN SOURCE
It could be said that the MK18 AR15 style firearm is unrivalled when it comes to size, weight, and performance, and even the civilian spec model that you’ll see on the Daniel Defense website features the exact-same unique quad rail that they provide to USSOCOM; the RIS II, CNC-machined of 6061-T6 Aluminum and Type III Hard Coat Anodized, features a Bolt-Up System that has been rigorously tested at the sharp end by some of best military personnel out there, and the 10.3 inch Cold Hammer Forged barrel is the same length as that in use for the MK18 upper most commonly used for CQB operations. The civilian carbine also comes with the latest ergonomic Daniel Defense Buttstock and Pistol Grip, and the last time I visited SHOT I spent some time on the DD stand checking these out, but up until the ICS take on the MK18 I hadn’t seen these replicated in airsoft form (more on this later!), even though other manufacturers have created their own MK18’s under licence.
INSIDE TRACK
I was so taken with when I first saw it on the real models, and the “SF Bronze” of the rail is impeccable. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, and to me this is just gorgeous, although Jimmy is drooling just a little over the grey version!
I said I’d come back to the furniture later, so here it is… and this is definitely a first in the airsoft world to the best of my knowledge as the ICS AEG features some super replications of the latest ergonomic DD Buttstock and Pistol Grip, both of which are colourcoded to the receivers, but with a two-tone black inset that frankly looks the absolute business. On the real civilian-spec carbine these are “Glass Filled Polymer with Soft Touch Overmolding”, whilst on the ICS they are very high-grade polymer. Once again the finish if these parts is splendid, but with the grip accommodating the motor and the buttstock giving lots of battery space that is easily accessed via a “twist and turn” buttpad; the MK18 is rearwired with Deans. ICS call their take “ZETA” and the newly-designed “20°-Vertical” pistol grip offers both comfort and control; the QD bottom cap allows you to perform motor maintenance more easily too. With the real deal “iron” sights are sold separately, but ICS have been kind enough to fit their excellent flip-ups as standard so that the AEG just needs a battery to be field-ready.
What can I tell you about the internals that we also haven’t talked about before? Both Jimmy and I have sung the praises of the latest ICS internals from different perspectives, but the fact is that with minimal attention these days they are solid, reliable, and perform very, very well from the box. However, let me run down a few facts on what’s going on inside the MK18 as there’s a few points worth of note here. The unique ICS-designed Split Gearbox is still at the heart of this new AEG, and many of us have loved this since it was first introduced; it’s now a thoroughly tried, tested, and trusted setup that mimics the disassembly of a real AR but also allows easy disassembly for maintenance and upgrading if you feel that is necessary. It also makes it supereasy to access the QC spring function if you need to, so it’s easy to change to adapt to different field and game-day requirements. Inside you get what ICS refer to as “Performance Grade Reinforced Internals”, and these are composed of a Metal Cross Air Nozzle, Master Hop Tensioner Nub, 6061 Aluminium Cylinder and 6061 Aluminium Piston Heads, Full Steel Teeth Piston, and MIM Pinion and Bevel gears, and everything is driven along efficiently by an EVO motor that has high heatresistant magnets and ball bearings; ICS tell me that this has greater heat dissipation, offers increased power savings, and is able to achieve a higher RPM thanThebefore.MK18 I received for testing also benefits from the ICS SSS.III (Self-diagnostic Shooting System) E-Trigger that looks after all manner of internal functions, and protects your AEG from accidental “THE MK18 I RECEIVED FOR TESTING ALSO BENEFITS FROM THE ICS SSS.III (SELFDIAGNOSTIC SHOOTING SYSTEM) E-TRIGGER THAT LOOKS AFTER ALL MANNER OF INTERNAL FUNCTIONS, AND PROTECTS YOUR AEG FROM ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE.”www.airsoftaction.net
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Overall I am massively impressed with the ICS DD MK18. Although I’m yet to see a retail price at the time of writing I expect this to be competitively placed in the market, and it looks, feels, and shoots like something that will be worth the money whatever that may be! ICS replicas have always been good “bang for your buck”, but I honestly believe that the MK18 takes this to a new level. It’s got a cracking story behind it, and would be equally at home in a woodland setting as on a CQB site. Some airsoft companies seem content to just follow a single line of progression in relation to their designs but I have to say in the past few years ICS have not done this in any way. I’ve always been a fan of their split gearboxes which are reliable and easy to work on, and personally I’ve never had an AEG from them that has been anything other than exemplary.
ICS have pretty much always provided attractive and sturdy full-metal performance AEGs with first-rate internal parts and mechanisms. But as I commented earlier, ICS could have easily gone down a route and created something to look “similar to a MK18” in house, and they are 100% more than capable of this; it would have been a great little AEG. But they decided that indeed “the only easy day was yesterday” and have done things right rather than easily with their thoroughly-of-the-moment DD MK18, and it is, like the real deal better than just the sum of its parts! By working with EMG and obtaining permission to work under the Daniel Defense Licence the externals are completely righteous, and their internals, as ever, are as good as ever if not better than those we’ve seen before!
Now I have to admit that I’m not usually an EBBfan as I had some horrendous experiences with older AEGs that frankly convinced me that EBB was a “bad thing”; I’ll just point you to the original ARMY L85 that would strip its piston during the first game you used it in… you hear what I’m saying? However, I’ve been monitoring this technology and it would certainly appear that it has come on leaps and bounds, and ICS are one of the manufacturers at the forefront here. Their EBB system does indeed bring a little more realism to your shooting experience, but these days without sacrificing durability and performance; as the MK18 now enters the long-term test pool we’ll see how that continues over time, but Jimmy assures me it is now a more robust system altogether. DOWNRANGE So, externally lovely, internally sound, but how does the ICS DD MK18 actually shoot? In use the MK18 is every bit as good as I expected it to be, with performance living up to the promise offered by the stunning externals and solid, workmanlike internals. The MK18 comes with an ICS “Metal Mid-Cap Silent Magazine”; this is a super design as well as the magazine features a sound-suppressing mechanism that is just perfect for sneaking about in tight quarters quietly. Loaded up to 120 BB capacity with .20g RZR BBs and with an 11.1V LiPo battery fitted into the buffer tube I chrono’d the MK18 through my Xcortech at an incredibly consistent 1.03WithJoule/334fps.thehopset for .28g BBs the BB trajectory was incredibly, and I do mean utterly, incredibly, flat; at 10m I was easily hitting small spinner targets and at the maximum of the 30m range I was hitting “dinner plate” metals unerringly. There was zero drop-off at 30m so in my mind I think you’ll be hitting targets at far greater distances than that, and that’s with the gun straight out of the box. Switching up to full-auto saw BBs heading off downrange with alacrity and that “soft-touch” trigger function is just awesome! After each session of test-firing was completed I used the built-in ICS Spring Release mechanism; this actively protects the spring, piston and your hardearned buck! Whenever the SAFE mode is selected, the spring is automatically released, reducing wear on the spring and other internals, and I have to admit this is an ICS feature I have always loved.
ICS DDMK18 ARMOURY damage. The “smart trigger” is also able to distinguish whether it is time for Burst Mode (light touch) or Full-Auto Mode (long, deep press), and it’s also shortstroked with a pre-cocking mechanism that makes your shots-away lightning quick; I won’t dwell on the full functionality of all this clever wizardry, as although I’m most definitely a “greybeard” I am no “internals Gandalf”… I have “men for that” these days!
I have to commend ICS for once again for creating something that sings to me in every way possible, and if the need for “NavSpecWarGru” is strong with you, then this is one AEG that you will most definitely want to own. If you’re in the market for a new AEG generally though, then I would certainly take a very good look at the ICS DD MK18; if this is the shape of things to come from ICS in the future then I’m superexcited to see what they come up with next! My sincere thanks as always go to the lovely team at www.icsbb.com for providing the test sample as early as they did, and it is genuinely a pleasure to work with people that have such a passion for airsoft! AA
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LIVIN’ THE BIG “ V ” LIFE! SEPTEMBER 202218
A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE BILL STARTED KEEPING HIS DETAILED VORSK DIARY AT THE BACK END OF 2019, AND TIME SEEMS TO HAVE STRETCHED BEYOND BELIEF IN SOME WAYS! WHEN HE FIRST SAW THE INITIAL PISTOLS THOUGH HE KNEW THAT HE WAS WITNESSING THE MANIFESTATION OF A PROJECT THAT HE’D SEEN TO FROM THE INITIAL CONCEPT THROUGH TO REALITY… AND THEN KEEP ON ROLLING! WITH SOME NEW VARIATIONS OF THE VORSK HI-CAPA NOW AVAILABLE, BILL NOW LOOKS BACK, AND FORWARD AT THE PROGRAM.
Ido believe that every airsofter must dream of being involved, even if it’s just in a small way, with the development of something new in our wide world of 6mm shooting, and I’ve been very lucky and privileged to have had such an opportunity with VORSK. Now it seems that more and more (often paid for) of their own, and a small (at the time!) UK-based company having the audacity to enter the GBB market was a lazy and easy target for their “Dane geld” purchased ire. But my good friend Ross and the team behind VORSK did have the audacity, passion and the belief in their products to challenge the status quo, and if we look at the vast range of VORSK pistols now on offer it certainly appears to me that they were right to do so, and I’m not alone in believing this. If you check player conversations online they are almost exclusively positive when it comes to VORSK pistols amongst the user-base, from airsofters who actually play airsoft most weekends with an almost religious fervour.VORSK has undoubtedly become one of the leading GBB pistol brands throughout Europe, with its sights firmly set of the wider world, and it rightfully deserves its place there. I’ve been hammering every single model since their release, especially during the dark and lonely days of the pandemic when our airsoft adventures were curtailed and pushed back to simple, solitary range work if we were lucky, and with many thousands of BBs down their barrels they are all still performing exceptionally well with just minimal maintenance. And the VORSK range has caused me to have a little bit of a personal epiphany in that I have reembraced the Hi-Capa after many years of being a dedicated Glock and “not a” fanboi. I guess my personal airsoft tastes have changed as I’ve got older, and although I don’t skirmish or take part in MilSim games like I used to I still love to shoot, and as I’m lucky enough to have an outdoor 30m range that I use for all my testing in some private woodland owned by friends just 15 minutes-walk away across country from my front door, even during the lockdown I was able to get there without meeting a soul along the way, and once there I’m able to shoot for as long as I want to stay out! Nowadays I’m not going for that out and out
landmanyaplenty,sceneVORSKgladdenssocialskirmishofVORSKprovidedthenowyourselfairsoftersregularlikearealsoenjoyingopportunitybywithplentypositivevoicesondaysandonmedia,andittrulymyheart.Whenfirstappearedonthethereweredetractorsbutlet’sfaceit,thereareoutthereinunsocial-media-withvestedinterestsandagendas
“IF YOU CHECK PLAYER CONVERSATIONS ONLINE THEY ARE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY POSITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO VORSK PISTOLS AMONGST THE USER-BASE, FROM AIRSOFTERS WHO ACTUALLY PLAY AIRSOFT MOST WEEKENDS WITH AN ALMOST RELIGIOUS FERVOUR.”
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And so it should be! With a host of new colours in the VORSK Hi-Capa range that offer everything from extreme “tacticool” to “comp ready” you really now can make one of their Hi-Capas your own, and in fact I’m in the midst of creating something myself with a new VORSK 5.1 that I’ll return to at a later date!
Bottom line though is that there is genuinely something for everyone in the VORSK Hi-Capa range if that’s your platform of choice. My favourite from the line is still the Hi-Capa 4.3 and I’ve now been able to spend some really meaningful time with it. It’s been out with me in all weather conditions, from frosty early mornings to some hoofingly hot days up with a belt clip so that I can easily transfer it from belt to belt if I wish.
VORSK HI-CAPA UPDATE
I’ve been running the Hi Capa on VORSK V6 FUEL, using .25g VORSK PRECISION BBs, and the chrono still settles well at 1.01 Joule/330fps with a .20g BB, with little variance from new. Accuracy is actually getting
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ARMOURY “Mil” look that I ran for many years on the skirmish field enabling me to have a lot more choice when selecting my sidearm. Although I still love my Glock, if you were to catch me on the range these days you’ll often find me with a VORSK Hi-Capa in holster, or in hand. This is down to the continued reliability and performance I’ve seen from these models and I don’t see a change coming anytime soon.
MORE VORSK, MORE! Of course the VORSK Hi-Capa range continues to grow and grow, and at the same time it moves forward as tweaks and improvements are made at source as new materials and technologies become available. Over the years I’ve seen a “norm” where a manufacturer creates a new GBB pistol and brings it to market… and that’s it! Its then down to companies producing after-market parts (lawd bless ‘em!) and you, the airsofter, to make improvements on that basicNotmodel.sowith VORSK as development and improvement is a fundamental tenet of the entire program. Yes, of course existing older models are as they are given the materials and technology that were available at the time of their creation, but even existing models in the VORSK range are “tweaked” as new things appear, and newer models benefit from these improvements from the get-go.Ispoke to Tom about this and he told me; “We’re rather proud of the VORSK Hi-Capa range. The 4.3” & 5.1” models were part of VORSKs launch and as you know they’re excellent, consistent performers. I remember when we first put them in the hands of the public at the British Shooting Show in February 2020 (the last bit of fun before COVID shut everything down); we had a handful of these HiCapas being put through their paces again and again and again all weekend by the public and they never missed a beat. “Since then, we’ve grown the range with the introduction of the shorter “3.8” and the two “Split/ Slide” models, the 5.1 Split Slide and the 7.0 TITAN. Now we are starting to see customers modifying their VORSK Hi-Capas with aftermarket pieces from other companies and this makes us very happy, although we strive to create pistol models that are as good as they can be from the outset. “Although we designed the Hi-Capas to be great performers out of the box, the vast selection of models and colour finishes we’ve offered have been, and are, so everyone could find THEIR VORSK HiCapa, and seeing that extra desire for personalisation, well… it’s a special moment for us…”
“ALTHOUGH WE DESIGNED THE HI-CAPAS TO BE GREAT PERFORMERS OUT OF THE BOX, THE VAST SELECTION OF MODELS AND COLOUR FINISHES WE’VE OFFERED HAVE BEEN, AND ARE, SO EVERYONE COULD FIND THEIR VORSK HI-CAPA, AND SEEING THAT EXTRA DESIRE FOR PERSONALISATION, WELL… IT’S A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR US…”
ON THE RANGE
ARMOURY better the more I run it, and at 10m I’m now down to regular 75mm groupings when I really try; consistently at 10m it’s a breeze hitting a “Figure 11” each and every time, even when I’m on the move. Thus far the VORSK Hi Capa 4.3 has proved to be an exemplary and wholly worthy fighting-partner, and only recently did I need to change the original battery in the RDS! When I first got the 5.1 Split Slide in my hand I thought it to be a most eye-catching design, and at 900g it certainly feels solid and weighty, a pistol made to “get business done”. On the fixed, front part of the slide the “venting” is not only visually pleasing as a design feature, but serves a purpose too, in that you can mount a micro or mini-RDS on this fixed section for excellent target acquisition and retention of zero. When compared to VORKs standard 5.1 Hi-Capas, the CS VENGEANCE features an adjustable rear iron-sight, an extended magazine base plate and the inclusion of a floating BDS option. Using VORSK V6 FUEL and .20g VORSK BBs, from the box the when you run dry, and with the floating red dot fitted it’s supremely easy to track from target to target if you’re shooting plates or spinners. If you want to run a suppressor then it’s no bother at all, and fitting a taclite such as the NX300 is simplicity itself! The 5.1 Split Slide has also continued to perform very well at 10m on steels, and at 5-10m on the Attack Sense Smart Target System using .25g VORSK BBs, even on cooler days. In terms of the chrono, things are exactly where I hoped and expected from the outset; the pistol recorded a high of 1.01 Joule/329fps using .20g VORSKs and has settled nicely in the mid-320’s on the same weight BB. It does seem to be incredibly efficient on VORSK V6 FUEL, cycling the rear of the slide quickly and efficiently, and having no problem whatsoever emptying the entire 28BB magazine.Italsorocks when you fit it with a suppressor, and given that the front of the slide remains fixed in place it seems purpose designed for this! This is another fine example of how elegant and unique design can be married to the total understanding of how a GBB pistol works to create a pistol model that if anything shoots even better than it looks! And so to the “big boy” of the gang, the Titan 7! At over 9 inches long with a threaded inner and outer barrel (yes, the VORSK Agency Silencer does fit… beast-mode engaged!) this pistol is a real hand-filler designed in the same vein as the 4.3 and 5.1 counterparts, and I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t occasionally feel like running a proper “hand cannon” every so often at a fun Sunday Skirmish! The Titan 7 features a split-slide design that offers super-efficient performance for its size, and the pistol offers a truly LONG full-body length under-barrel rail with multiple optic mounting options; the optic rail is another VORSK development for this model that looks awesome and functions just as it should. Big as it is, the Titan 7 initially chrono’d in at 1.08 Joule/342fps on .20g VORSKs/V6 FUEL, but it seems to enjoy being fed .28g best. With this weight of BB you get cracking performance at 10m, with consistent power delivery through the magazine, and the excellent standard sights let you get on target quickly, and a crisp trigger break lets you stay on that target consistently too!
UPDATE
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VORSK HI-CAPA
“SO, MORE MODELS, MORE COLOURS, INCREASED PERFORMANCE AND GREATER LONGEVITY… WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR? VORSK HAVE 100% DELIVERED THUS FAR WITH THEIR HI-CAPAS (AND INDEED THEIR OTHER MODELS!), AND I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE THAT THERE IS MORE, MUCH MORE, TO COME.”
What I can tell you is that I’ve genuinely had fewer seal and O-ring failures using the VORSK FUEL than usual, so obviously their “special sauce” works; so again, bottom line, if you want to get the best from something then why not uses the full package it was designed to excel with? So, more models, more colours, increased performance and greater longevity… what more could you ask for? VORSK have 100% delivered thus far with their Hi-Capas (and indeed their other models!), and I can tell you for sure that there is more, MUCH MORE, to come. Overall this is another fabulous update to the VORSK GBB pistol line, and I believe that they have shown yet again that the VORSK range continues to move positively forward in many exciting directions, and I’m keen to see just where they move things on next… and of course I’ll report back when they do. For now though it’s another hard-earned WELL DONE to the VORSK team, and long may you continue to push design and performance for the benefit of all airsofters who love a Hi-Capa!
VORSK HI-CAPA UPDATE
ARMOURY know of course, every VORSK Hi-Capa is supplied with a 12/14mm thread adaptor that comes fitted to the outer barrel. This functional, yet also aesthetic inclusion comes fitted to every sidearm supplied but can obviously be removed should you wish – another sign of VORSK understanding the player’s needs.
Amongst the AA Crew there are now a number of us that favour a VORSK pistol, a testament to the brand given the “time-in-airsoft” for some of us, and even Jimmy now has one in his armoury; I’ll be working with him on that “special project”, but ultimately our choices for this have been influenced by aesthetics initially as much as performance; we know we’ll get the performance we’re looking for from VORSK, but sometimes, let’s face it, we all want “The Look” too… you’ll see what I mean when we reveal things later, but the fact that VORSK offer SO MANY colours means that you can go a bit “Gucci” in your loadout easily!But these days it’s not just about the pistols themselves, something that I again asked Tom about, and he told me; “VORSK is an airsoft brand that has grown consistently through the troubling times of COVID-19, and it is through the support of the airsoft community that this has happened, so we are very grateful to the love being given to these replicas. But it is not just replicas nowadays as VORSK has an extensive listing of BBs available in all different weights, types and counts.“Asyou’ve mentioned we also offer VORSK GBB Fuel to power these replicas. Designed and tested alongside the replicas themselves, we’re bold enough to say this is one of the best airsoft gasses on the market. Like most gasses, we’re supplying 300g of content within our cans, but unlike some other options available on the market, this is squeezed into a smaller 600ml container. The same amount of content in a smaller container means increased pressure, and therefore a faster expansion rate, exactly what you need in your GBB platform, VORSK or otherwise! Not to mention our gas has its own trade secret “KFC gravy” recipe, designed for peak performance whist maintaining all the seals and contact areas within the replica.”
THE FULL PACKAGE
I have to say from personal experience that although the VORSK FUEL is a little more expensive than some of the competition out there, it most certainly does deliver, and having now tested a number of “bigger cans” against it I can attest to the fact that the smaller VORSK FUEL cans continue to deliver longer, and apparently better; this is also something that I’ve asked the AA “Techs” to look at in more depth and we’ll report on this at a later date.
For more information on the extensive and exciting line of VORSK HI-CAPAS, along with their other excellent GBB pistols, accessories and consumables do pay a visit to www.vorskairsoft.com. AA
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VORSK HI-CAPA UPDATE ARMOURY Vorsk 4.3 Hi-Capa Vorsk 5.1 Hi-Capa Vorsk 5.1 Hi-Capa Split Slide Vorsk 7.0 Hi-Capa Titan Vorsk Vengeance 3.8 Vorsk Vengeance 5.1 www.airsoftaction.net 23
TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION
ARES G39 EBB IDZ ARMOURY TRICKS!NEUEWELPE...ALTER SEPTEMBER 202226
I do appreciate a G36 and I also like ARES products so the two go hand in hand naturally. This is an ARES and it has EBB, it has the EFCS, and it is fully trademarked, so what’s not to like? I guess being an H&K fan, Mr Stewbacca may like this also even though it isn’t gas blowback, but judging by his last H&K review I believe he secretly likes an EBB!
ARES G39 EBB IDZ ARMOURY WHEN JIMMY FIRST STARTED PLAYING AIRSOFT, JUST LIKE MANY OF YOU ONE OF HIS FIRST AEG PURCHASES WAS A G36, AND THAT SAME RIFLE IS TILL WITH HIM TO THIS DAY! NOW OF COURSE HE’S HAD HIS HANDS ON JUST ABOUT EVERY AEG MODEL YOU CAN THINK OF, BUT WHEN HE HAD CHANCE TO GET HIS HANDS ON THE MUCH NEWER, MUCH MORE “TACTICOOL” ARES G39 EBB THOUGH, YOU CAN BET HE JUMPED AT IT!
Upon my daily peruse through the internet I happened to come across a platform I had never seen before, the ARES G39 EBB IDZ which looked suspiciously similar to the newer HK233! Instantly grabbing my attention I just had to know more about it, so I sent in a request with HQ to see if we could acquire one for the purpose of review. Now I know some of you may turn your noses up at this as it is a Heckler & Koch G36 variant and the G36 is a very common platform. The real world version of the Gewehr 36 5.56mm, designed back in 1990, was the Bundeswehr replacement to the very well-known G3 7.62mm battle rifle and would serve its purpose well both with police and military across the world right up until 2022 when it was announced that the HK416A8 (but most definitely, and somewhat controversially NOT the Haenel MK556!) would replace it following the System Sturmgewehr Bundeswehr program. I think had the G36 not suffered from overheating and related issues it probably would have served a lot longer. In the airsoft world every mother and her son has a G36 of some flavour and they are a very common platform used by sites as rentals. There is a reason behind this they are cheap but they are also very reliable, especially the JG branded models. This is not a JG model under scrutiny, but an ARES so I had to wonder if it would be as reliable? Well, sit tight you’re about to find out exactly what I think.
My initial impression was ‘it’s a bit longer than I first thought’ and at 980mm, nearly 1 metre, yes it is long! It is quite slim in comparison to other G36’s, the handguard significantly slimmer. The polymer used is a stiff rugged polymer and sports the worldfamous Heckler and Koch trademarks which some airsofters strive for. From research and what others users have found there is a sticker on the side which is physically covering up one of the main H&K markings. As we do not own the rifle cannot remove said sticker therefore I am unable to confirm 100% this to be true. The handguard does look great, sporting both 20mm picatinny up top and giving up to 300mm“I DO APPRECIATE A G36 AND I ALSO LIKE ARES PRODUCTS SO THE TWO GO HAND IN HAND NATURALLY. THIS IS AN ARES AND IT HAS EBB, IT HAS THE EFCS, AND IT IS FULLY TRADEMARKED, SO WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?”
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ARES G39 EBB IDZ ARMOURY plus of rail, and the KeyMod offers up a vast amount of room for tactical accessories; being made of CNC alloy makes it much stronger than the standard plastic counterpart. Because the handguard is much thinner than normal, battery choice is crucial as there isn’t much room in there. I struggled to fit a Turnigy 1400mah 7.4v in and get the handguard back on, so maybe a dummy PEQ battery box might be a good option here.
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NIGGLY THING Removing the handguard to access battery storage is done by way of a flat tool to remove one screw and the handguard simply slides off. Housed in the handguard you get a 450mm one-piece aluminium outer barrel featuring a realistic mock gas block and piston. The inner barrel provided in this is a whopping 500mm which is made from brass, so let’s talk barrel shall we? Now it always pains me when I find problems with items that I like because I expect them to be good, and it is difficult knowing that I have to report my findings. Now what I found was a niggle that truly amazed me, that this could and did in fact happen! When test firing I discovered that the BBs were immediately dropping with little to no distance, so I attempted to adjust the hop up. To my dismay I was getting no change in the BBs trajectory which I found a tad odd seeing as though this is a box fresh item. I had to see what would cause this, and what I found was not a flaw in materials nor was it a flaw in the design, but, and this is a first for me, I have to say the barrel and the hop rubber were installed upside down strangely! There could be several explanations here, but it obviously happened during the manufacturing process. A part or parts like these will be handassembled, so it is human error sadly. We are humans after all, and we are not perfect, with the exception of me of course! It was a simple solution just spin it 180 degrees and reinstall; unfortunately due to the mishap the original hop rubber had been slightly damaged and for the purpose of testing I had to fit a new hop rubber which I conveniently had available. After discussion within the team and subsequently with the guys at iWholesales, we believe this to be a one off and no other stock item has been affected like this… it seems like even the mighty ARES suffer from “Friday Afternoon Syndrome” just like the rest of us mere mortals! NEATLY FEATURED
The CNC KeyMod handguard in conjunction with the unique and interesting IDZ adjustable stock gives the dated design a much more modern twist, I think that is why it appealed to me as much as it did with its modern appearance. The IDZ stock gives two- way adjustment both in length and height so you can tailor the overall length and set the cheek rest. You can still fold the stock but even with folding the stock it’s still fairly long. As I said earlier, perched up on top you get that 330mm of 20mm picatinny section, so there’s plenty of room for all manner of sights/dots/ optics and incorporated are iron sights, although these are very basic and non-adjustable so I would recommend “I HAD TO SEE WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS NOT A FLAW IN MATERIALS NOR WAS IT A FLAW IN THE DESIGN, BUT, AND THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME, I HAVE TO SAY THE BARREL AND THE HOP RUBBER WERE INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN STRANGELY!”
Using a 7.4v 1400mah LiPo battery it is pretty responsive due to the EFCS making semi-auto shots faster and on full-auto it will pump out 15 BBs per second. The two BB burst is great giving a double tap on one trigger pull, and is convenient just in case that first BB doesn’t contact. When firing there is the very satisfying electric blowback which operates the mock bolt; it would be nice if it were a bit louder and heavier like the EBB on my ARES UMP45; now THAT is very satisfying and gives a nice metallic sound.
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Another little feature I appreciate is the fire mode which many platforms do not offer, and that is the two BB burst; this is made possible due to the ARES EFC System which unlike the Amoeba platforms sits on the exterior of the gearbox. The gearbox being a V3 design looks to be quite a solid construction, almost over-engineered, and has a quick change spring for easy velocity adjustment, although it does require some level of disassembly to get to the spring, but it is very easy and comes apart just like the real thing.This is powered by what ARES claim to be a high torque flat motor, but upon inspection is just a standard ARES short shaft motor. Velocity stated was 0.8 Joule which is equates to around 290fps, but again this was not the case. Due to the barrel and hop rubber being incorrectly inserted it was down to around 230fps. After I had reinstalled a new hop rubber and got everything in the right way thankfully it was up to 315fps on a 0.20g Bushido BB.
ARES G39 EBB IDZ ARMOURY a red dot of some form at the least.
I haven’t been able to game test this yet sadly but the testing I have done in a controlled environment has shown that even though there are areas I am not 100% happy with, but even with the little issues surrounding the barrel and hop rubber it actually performs very well once properly set up. Due to the 500mm barrel it can really stretch a BB out there; on my 50m range it will easily hit a man-sized target all day long, but the downside is the 45BB magazine supplied as standard runs out very quickly which is very annoying! I am unsure at this stage as to whether there are higher capacity mags available. Range testing was done using 0.25g and 0.28g bushido BBs and both performed well, both finding the target although the 0.28g was considerably slower due to the amount of hop needed to get it flying straight. Would I own an ARES G39 EBB? Yes, it would make for a great outdoor rifle and with a little work I could squeeze much more distance from it and really utilise the length if the 500mm inner barrel. A massive “thank you” to the guys at www.iwholesales.co.uk for letting me check out this platform, and thanks for listening to my feedback as always when I reported the barrel/hop issue! I know it isn’t a “new hot” release, but as a G36 user already I liked the look of it; if you do too and you’re in the neighbourhood then pop on down to Bespoke Airsoft and check one out for yourself! AA
There are lots of features I do like on this platform, one of which is the EBB (electric blowback). Although opinions differ, even within the AA Crew, I personally think all AEG’s should have it for that added bit of realism, something all airsofters dream about LOL! This for me is a first on a G36 variant, a locking bolt, and it took me a while to figure it out but it works and makes hop adjustment easier. Just rack the charging handle and push the little button in the trigger guard to lock it open and to release pull the charging handle and let go, quite satisfying actually!
DOWNRANGE
30 Years on they are now a market-leading innovator, manufacturer and provider who are passionate about rapid target acquisition and ultra-efficient engagement… and indeed all things shooting for both the recreational and professional user! In recent years they have built Mini Red Dots for companies including JP Rifles (JPoint) and Trijicon (REDDOT), marketed under their own brands, and they were the first importer to bring in the hugely popular .22LR 15/22 Smith & Wesson Rifle to the UKin a meaningful way (again, there’s a couple of
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IN OUR “INSIDE AIRSOFT FEATURES WE ALWAYS TRY TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE AND COMPANIES THAT DRIVE OUR BELOVED GAME FORWARD, AND SHIELD SHOULD BE A NAME THAT MANY OF YOU WILL RECOGNISE ALREADY, BUT PERHAPS NOT IN THE FORMAT OF SHIELD SPORTS THAT BRINGS THEM FULLY INTO “OUR WORLD OF AIRSOFT”! So, SHIELD? Who are they, and why are they important when it comes to airsoft now? Any of you out there that are seriously into your MilSim or Action Air will know their name as SHIELD produce some of the very finest optics in the world, optics that grace the firearms of military, professional, and competition shooters alike! This is very much “real deal” territory folks, with prices to match, but anyone that owns a SHIELD optic knows just how very good they are, and understands that money spent equals some SERIOUS performance; a couple of the Red Cell crew run Reflex Mini Sights on their G-Series MOS pistols and love them! We spoke directly to Justin, their Business Development Manager (and a pretty darn impressive IPSC shooter too!) and he explained that SHIELD as an entity was was formed in the early 1980’s in Great Britain, and have developed a proven track record in providing SF Advanced Shooting Training and in developing innovative products, including specialist suppressed weapons for Special Forces, suppressor and folding stock capabilities for the Accuracy International British Army sniper rifle , electronic target systems and range construction, and of course their very own Mini Red Dot Solutions.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
the AA crew that own these excellent rimfires!). They also work with other top-tier brands such as Dissident Arms, JP Rifles, Vudoo Rifles, Nordic Rifles, RMT Triggers and Doveplates! We think it’s fair to say that if you are looking for “performance” in virtually any area of shooting sports then SHIELD have genuinely “got your six”, but the SHIELD team never stand still and they continue to design, implement, manufacture, and ably represent products that enable shooters of all flavours to “Hit the Target Earlier”, and for a fast-paced shooting sport like airsoft this is exactly what we are looking for!As always though, time moves forward and given the growth of performance shooting in airsoft, both in tactical and practical terms, SHIELD SPORTS was created to allow them to expand their portfolio of brands represented away from the core business of SHIELD and provide them with better visibility to their wider customer base… US! Having strong relationships outside of their red dot business has always been vital and through the SHIELD SPORTS Brand it has allowed them to increase and expand the company with exciting new brands coming on board regularly. Their aim is to be able to offer all customers the best products from the very best brands all conveniently located in one place. Representing some of the biggest names in the industry and including them alongside their range of airsoft products is testament to the level of quality they are able to bring to the table. By offering premium brands all in one place, the guys at SHIELD SPORTS felt it gave customers who may not have something specific in mind the ability to browse all the products, some of which they may not have considered in the past. At SHIELD SPORTS they are always on the look out for new and exciting brands to work with from all over the world and by doing so offer us the opportunity to buy kit otherwise much harder to source.
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Let’s be under no illusion that SHIELD SPORTS still has a foot very firmly in the “real steel world”, and we’ve included all the brands here to give this overview some fullness, and whilst not directly pertinent to airsoft, the fact that they offer a fabulous portfolio for the .22 shooter as part of their offering really shows that what they have for airsoft has a very solid backstop in shooting sports overall, and it’s refreshing to see a company acknowledging that airsoft is exactly that, a bona fide shooting sport! For example, SHIELD have been working for many years with KMR Precision Arms on the development of the newly released to the UK Market S01 Long Barrel pistol. In choosing to partner with an industry leading firearms manufacturer they gained the ability to bring to the UK a product with levels of support, and quality rarely seen in our small and very specific marketplace. SHIELD SPORTS now carry the long line of accessories and customisable products for the KMR Precision Arms line of firearms for those with a FAC. With a background in innovation and engineering it was just a matter of time before SHIELD decided to launch their own range of products, manufactured in the UK. To complement the ever popular KMR S01 they decided to offer a range of “Go faster” parts and make them available for sale. Traditionally parts required for .22RF versions of firearms had to be bought overseas and then worked on to make them function correctly. With the designs and specifications for their own products it enabled SHIELD to make parts that were ready to fit from the outset and needed no work. Moving on though, probably the name that we as airsofters will also recognise immediately is that of KRISS USA; in choosing to work with KRISS the SHIELD team felt it was a simple and extremely valid choice to bring into the UK market their range of innovative .22 Rifle Products. We’re told that their Vector and DMK rifles are a firm favourite for customers in the UK and sales continue to do well with the rifles often seen on the UK dynamic shooting scene. And of course with a direct line to KRISS USA, SHIELD SPORTS also have a fabulous connection with KRYTAC! As a division of KRISS USA and producer of some excellent airsoft replicas that have a huge player-
As shooters themselves at the highest level, just like all of us at Airsoft Action the guys at SHIELD SPORTS recognise “upgrade excellence” when they see it, not just in the real firearms world, but also in respect of airsoft replicas, and in the airsoft market “Airsoft Surgeon AKA Clarence Lai” is a legend! Regular readers of AA will know that we have a deep and long-term friendship with Clarence, but we love his creations and products not because of who he is (although this undoubtedly helps as he’s an awesome guy!) but because of the performance they endow on our GBBs and AEGs! His top-shelf pistols and rifles have for years been both inspirational and aspirational to most and cherished by those lucky enough to own them, and of course now after several years the brand has moved on to Clarence Lai Product Design (CLPD). Along with that change comes a host of new and exciting upgrade parts and even rifles from the man himself; we’ve already featured some of the new offerings both in terms of reviews from Stewbacca and Jimmy as parts and excitingly fresh RIFs have appeared, and we’ll continue to do so as the depth of the CLPD range develops forward. Again like us, the team at SHIELD SPORTS have recognised the innovative nature of CLPD products, and as the UK and European distributor they are able to offer the full range available from stock in the UK; this will undoubtedly be of HUGE benefit to all players in Europe as it removes some of the pain of international shipping, which quite frankly is still a major issue for many of us. Obviously we’re delighted by this arrangement, and we look forward to working even more with both Clarence and SHIELD SPORTS when it comes to thorough testing of all the products!
FIELD READY With their initial offering SHIELD SPORTS seem to have covered off many important areas of airsoft; obviously they have optics of the very highest quality, they have high-standard AEGs to offer, and some seriously good upgrade parts too! As far as we can see, if they find the right GBB brand to work with they’ll have an offering that is 100% killer, with no filler!
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A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
following globally, the decision to offer their premium range of AEGs was a simple one for SHIELD SPORTS, as with versions of their real firearms now available in an airsoft platform the move to offer them as well was a no brainer. SHIELD SPORTS offer the full range of products available under all of the KRYTAC brands.
Stewbacca and Jimmy will continue to look at parts for pistol upgrades as this range gets bigger, and as it’s no secret that we’re fans of the VegaForceCompany (VFC) GBB rifle and carbine models (there are several users of these within the AA Crew!) thanks to our friendship with Clarence we’ve actually had the A+ STUDIOS/CLPD drop-in upgrade kit in hand for a while, along with a rather splendid floating valve and a Crusader Tech 2-Stage that Clarence sent Bill as a gift for his BCM MCMR GBBR… and oh, boy, are they cool! The guys at SHIELD SPORTS tell us “we consider this upgrade kit a must have for anyone using the VFC platforms in airsoft games or Action Air”, and we couldn’t agree more!
But what about gear we hear you ask? Yup, they’ve got that covered too! Grey Ghost Precision have been making custom firearms for the US Military for many years with their origins dating back to the creation of their GGP S Series Heavy in .308. From there, and multiple rifle and pistol builds later, the decision was made to create Grey Ghost Gear (GGG) in order to apply those same manufacturing qualities and produce unique equipment tailored to the needs of a specific market. At SHIELD SPORTS they’ll be carrying a selection of GGG Field Kit and load bearing systems and hope to grow these lines to be able to offer their full range of products! For those that don’t know (and you really should, shame on you!) on their old website (it’s currently being updated) Grey Ghost Gear tells us that: “Grey Ghost Gear is a Service Connected Disabled Veteran owned manufacturer of Tactical Equipment for the individual operator. We remain relevant to the customer by being in constant contact with military front line users and first responders. Their feedback is the most important aspect in price point, gear design, andWemanufacturing.specializeinutilizing new fabrics and emerging camouflage patterns to ensure that our customer is afforded cutting edge designs and construction. Grey Ghost Gear realizes that we have the best customers in the world, with the most important job in the world.” This is righteous kit used by those at the “sharp end” that has been made available for more general use, and the quality shows no compromise for the tactical user. Bill has had some if their kit in his gear locker for a number of years, and if you see him out in his PenCott loadout he’ll undoubtedly be carrying his much-loved Lightweight Assault Pack, so we can already say that Grey Ghost Gear has been tried, tested, used and abused by us for some time, and has NEVER been found wanting in an airsoft setting! So, in conclusion the team at SHIELD SPORTS have small but beautifully formed collection of airsoft related products for us to take notice of, and if like some of us you’re also a rimfire shooter, then this offering is doubly important! Airsoft continues to grow and expand on a global basis, so you could ask if this is another instance of a company from the “real steel” side of things trying to jump on the back of a closely-related growth area? We’d have to say a categorical NO as although SHIELD are undoubtedly at the “tip of the spear” in the professional-user arena, what they have chosen carefully to offer in their airsoft range shows clear direction and real commitment along with a true understanding of an associated yet very different market!Their continued support and sponsorship for events like The Airsoft Surgeon Championship shows that they are genuinely interested in what we do, and not just coming at it from a wholly “all business” standpoint. Behind SHIELD SPORTS are guys that actually care about shooting in all its myriad forms, and they bring to the party a portfolio of products that will be of benefit to all of us as airsofters, and with so many “wannabes” appearing on an almostdaily basis it’s fabulous to see someone relatively new to our market doing it so right!
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For more information on SHIELD SPORTS and what they offer please do keep an eye on their social media channels for regular updates, and visit www. shieldsports.net
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT OUTDOOR
Returning to my old adage that “any fool can be uncomfortable” I’ll be ensuring that the guys and I have everything that we’ll need in hand before we set off; okay, “fighting kit” is down to the individual, but I will make certain that everyone has somewhere sheltered and dry to sleep, a decent sleep system, food, and above all lots of fluids. We’ll be looking at “team roles” in issues to come as a CAGE topic, but one of the most vital in my mind, and one that is often overlooked to the detriment of the team, is that of “quartermaster” or “the guy that looks after logistics”.AsIget older I like to bring my experience of many battles fought and many games played to the team; whilst I may not charge as hard as I used to, or indeed have the energy to kick doors at will, my experience of attending many games both at home and abroad can now be valuable to my younger team members who are now finding their own path in this respect. Add to this my many years in the outdoor pursuits/performance industry and I believe it’s fair to say I have a pretty good grasp of “outdoor livingNowskills”.whilst this is not overtly “tactical” those same skills do cross over into a game situation, and some of the basic decisions as to which bivvy or tent to choose, how and where to pitch said shelter, and how to operate from it effectively over an extended period of time all have a bearing on how well you as an individual will perform. Being able to get your game on for one day is fine, but how are you going to perform without decent rest, and a stable base where you can police up all your necessary kit?
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LAST MONTH WE TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT “FAST-SET SHELTERS” AND HOW THE ABILITY TO GET ONE UP AND RUNNING QUICKLY CAN BE A MAJOR BENEFIT WHEN YOU’RE IN A MILSIM ENVIRONMENT.
THIS MONTH BILL TAKES THIS ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN HIS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AS HE LOOKS AT BIVVYS AND SMALL TENTS THAT ARE IDEAL FOR HITTING YOUR FAVOURITE WEEKENDER! C’mon, who doesn’t love a good weekender? As I write I’ve just started getting the team set for the National Airsoft Festival (NAF) 2022 here in the UK, and we’re all really looking forward to spending some quality time camping over the Bank Holiday down in the New Forest at Ground Zero! Whilst this is by no means a “survival setting” (although some would no doubt disagree, but that’s “survival” in a very different way!), we will be creating our home for the duration when we arrive, and this will include everything you’d expect for three nights camping under the stars!
“WE’LL BE LOOKING AT “TEAM ROLES” IN ISSUES TO COME AS A CAGE TOPIC, BUT ONE OF THE MOST VITAL IN MY MIND, AND ONE THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE TEAM, IS THAT OF “QUARTERMASTER” OR “THE GUY THAT LOOKS AFTER LOGISTICS”.”
HOME FOR WEEKEND(ER)!THE
The Ionosphere flysheet is a lightweight 210t Polyester RipStop pu with a 5000mm waterproof polyurethane coating, whilst the inner is constructed of 190t Nylon and 50D Polyester No-See-Um-Mesh; all seams are tape sealed. Both poles are high-quality DAC Featherlite NSL anodized models with easy and quick to use pressfit connectors, made from TH72M aluminium, and there’s also some great alloy stakes included. Both inner and outer feature a single, angled door with two way zips. There’s also a small Repair Kit included should you need to make repairs can be made on the move (or indeed any time you’re away from home!).
The weight of the basic tent (Fly, Inner Tent & Poles) is a measly 1.2kg/2.64lbs with the total weight (Fly, Inner Tent, Poles, Stakes, Repair Kit & Carry Case) coming in at 1.52kg/3.35lbs. The Ionosphere takes up little space in your pack but offers a luxurious 240cm x 111cm x 96cm sleeping space once erected.
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT OUTDOOR IN GAME SHELTER
The fact is, in my experience that games where you are required to camp out overnight tactically are actually very few and far between unless you’re getting into the realms of full-on, hardcore MilSim. For many weekend games your camping site will either be out of game entirely, or at the very least in an area where the majority of the action will not be taking place. Even if your camping area is a quieter one “in game” where eyepro will still be required, for the majority of the time once you are actually inside your tent or shelter this will be inviolate, and “out of bounds” as long as you keep the door zippedWhenup.you head to a more social weekender like the NAF then the camping area is physically removed from the game area, and 100%-not-tactical-in-the slightest, but although you’re not going to need any form of cam and concealment the possibility of bad weather means that your requirements for a tent or bivvy are largely the same as if you WERE in game, so one actually equals the other in many ways. So, what IS the difference between a tent and a “bivvy”? These days the term “bivvy” is a bit of a catch-all description that covers everything from a simple fast-set shelter up to and including what is basically a single person tent. I looked at the classic “bivouac” last month, so this month I’ll look at the more hi-tech solution to the same problem, and that’s the hooped bivvy. The Airsoft Action team and I have worked with Snugpak a LOT over the years, and have huge respect for what they create, and as their gear is used, and much loved, by serving military personnel you can rely on Snugpak to get the job done each and every time. This is something we know to be true, as we’ve used the gear extensively around the globe in differing environmental condition ourselves, and we’ve never found Snugpak gear to be anything less than exemplary. To this end the bivvy I use personally is the Ionosphere. This is effectively an extremely compact and lightweight two pole, one person tent. The Ionosphere has an extremely low profile and is great for those looking for a stealthy sleeping solution sturdier than a basha, tarp, or bivvy bag but not as bulky and heavy as a traditional tent.
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The black inner is pitched first, and can be used on its own in dry, hot weather environments where you still need protection from biting bugs and nasties, and it’s simply a case of pushing the two individually marked poles through corresponding, colour coded pole sleeves and then pegging it out with the alloy stakes. If the fly is needed it has velcro attachment points which are affixed to the poles, and then this too is pegged out as well. Once you’ve practiced a few times you can get the whole thing up in a matter of minutes. Once up this is exceptionally sturdy, and although I haven’t yet used it in very high winds, given the low profile and amount of pegging/guy points I guessing that it would stay put once properly set. The angled inner and outer doors make ingress and egress straightforward, and there’s even enough space to drag in your pack with you. The minus side of the low profile though is that you’re not going to sit up straight once you’re in, but there’s certainly enough length for me to lay out flat, and I’m 6’2!
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT
This is a very impressive small and compact tent by anyone’s standard, and the design allows a free flow of air, negating condensation build up; for this reason only I’d have to say this is a three rather than four season design, but the fly certainly shrugs off even the heaviest of rainstorms as I found out in the Brecon Beacons on a number of adventures!
OUTDOOR
BASECAMP LUXURY!
SNUGPAK SCORPION 3 SEPTEMBER 202238
Now as good as the Ionosphere is if you’re more “in game” than out, I do like a little more space to play with if I’m going to be out more than a couple of nights! This is where my Scorpion 3 tent comes in, and this is most certainly what I’ll be taking to the New Forest with me! The Snugpak Scorpion 3 weighs in at just 3400g and is a nominal three-person base camp and expedition tent for when a semi-permanent camp is required. The Scorpion design is a ‘fly-first’ pitch that allows quick and easy set-up using an opposing pole design, protecting you all year round from severe weather conditions.
A tried and tested design that is a favourite of mountaineers, climbers and adventurers, the Scorpion 3 has an impressive floor space, measuring 2.25m long and 1.75m wide, as well as 1.1m of headspace, creating ample room for three people in a top-toe sleeping arrangement, or enough space for two people and all their gear; indeed, just for me it will be somewhat luxurious! In terms of “fabric technology” the Scorpion 3 is
OUTDOOR right up there with some of the best; the Flysheet is 210t 100% polyester ripstop with (5000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating, whilst the Inner tent is 190t 100% nylon inner fabric, with a 50D polyester No-See-Um-Mesh (1600 holes per square inch). With a high standard of outer protection the Groundsheet is 190t 100% nylon with (5000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating in a “bathtub” style, which means that water is not going to get in and soak you from underneath! Rounding things out the Scorpion 3 comes with industry-leading DAC® Featherlite NSL® Anodised Aluminium Poles with pressfit connectors, and these are colour-coded for ease of pitching.
BOTTOM LINE On both these models I’ve gone quite heavily into detail on the fabrics and components as I believe that what’s used by Snugpak is currently amongst the best you’ll find out there unless you get into full-on expedition-level gear. I hope that this will give you a few pointers on what to look for when it comes to buying a really serviceable hooped bivvy or tent for yourself.Thebottom line of course is that neither of these models is what you’d class as “cheap”, and of course if you’re only going to use this type of kit very occasionally then a simple, cheap-as-chips “pop-up festival tent will probably do you! However, if you have any intention of using your shelter regularly for airsoft, and indeed for other outdoor adventures then you need to look at your shelter as a longertermEveninvestment.anIonosphere or Scorpion 3 is going to set you back LESS than a baseline TM NGRS AEG, but in the right situation will mean that you’re going to be able to USE that cherished AEG more than you might think, for longer durations as you visit more sites, further away from home, and stay comfortably the night before, and even after, a game.
I’ll be taking a break from “TOD” next month as we have another special issue planned, but in October I’ll be back to talk about sleep systems that can serve you year round, but for now, for more information on the Ionosphere, the Scorpion 3 and all the other great kit offered by Snugpak please pay them a visit at www.snugpak.com AA IF YOU HAVE ANY INTENTION OF USING YOUR SHELTER REGULARLY FOR AIRSOFT, AND INDEED FOR OTHER OUTDOOR ADVENTURES THEN YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR SHELTER AS A LONGER-TERM INVESTMENT.”
The design also offers a spacious front porch for storing equipment and cooking in really bad weather. As it comes in simple olive green the Scorpion 3 is an ideal, fully waterproof and windproof design that’s ideal for airsoft weekenders, even during the winter months.
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TACTICAL
And now when it comes to “camo solutions”, Snugpak has a whole collection of products featuring the brand’s best-selling “Terrain Pattern”. You can now mix and match products to offer both a simple camping setup, and a more tactical one! A “Terrain” flysheet is now available for anyone like me who already owns an Ionosphere so that this really becomes an “in-game item”, and I’m hoping that Snugpak will soon also offer an upgrade for the Scorpion 3. I’ve just got the new flysheet and it marries up perfectly with my existing bivvy, and at a quarter of the cost of a new Ionosphere it means that my old bivvy now has a new lease of life… I just wish the same could be said of its user!
“...
OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT
Pentagon seem to be right at the very forefront of this; way back at IWA 2017 I saw some absolutely stunning kit on their stand, and I’m pleased to say that their focus on “hi-speed, lo-drag” clothing and gear continues to drive forward. The gear looks in some ways like that I have used for rock climbing and mountaineering, but with a “shooters” slant and extra features built in. Pentagon also look very closely at the colours they used in their palette, mixing brights (great for the “practical shooters” and PAMG crowd!)!) with different tones of grey and some visually appealing earth tones, giving us massive choice when it comes to “rangewear”.
TACTICOOL!MAX-ED
SEPTEMBER 202240
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT BRAND PENTAGON ARE ONE OF THE “QUIET PERFORMERS” WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ATHLETICALLY-INSPIRED YET PRACTICAL TACTICAL GEAR! BILL TAKES A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT PENTAGON HAVE BEEN UP TO RECENTLY AND DIVES INTO SOME OF THEIR LATEST MODELS AS WELL AS SOME TRIED AND TESTED CLASSICS! Agood part of my working life revolves around being at the range in the woods I’m constantly looking at gear and putting it through its paces. I’m on the range every week, testing new AEGs and GBBs and training too, polishing my “skills and drills” or getting in some target shooting for accuracy.
PENTAGON TACTICAL KIT & GEAR
Of course when I’m not testing I still enjoy “getting out there”, and these days I’m finding that I increasingly wear what I find comfortable and practical, and what works for me, both for airsoft and for more general “outdoor pursuits”. As always I look for high levels of performance from my clothing specifically as this forms my “first line of defence” against the elements. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; it’s all too attractive to go for the cheapest clothing option and then suffer for it later. Like any outdoor pursuit a day (or indeed multiple days!) playing airsoft or training can mean that you face varying temperatures and conditions, and if you take things into a longer operational situation where you’re going to be out overnight having the right kit will make all the difference. I really like the fact these days that many tactical clothing manufacturers are making kit that you can use both for playing and for use on and off the range; whilst the fabrics and technologies are still way up there in terms of performance, the design elements mean that you can have clothing that is not just going to give protection from wind and rain, but that actually looks kind of cool too!
“PENTAGONOS”, FIVE-ANGLED!
So for newer players that may not have come across this brand before, let me recap a little if I may; who are Pentagon and where have they come from? Well to start the ball rolling their name is actually pretty cool in itself. Pentagon (pentagonos) is a noun of ancient Greek origin meaning “five angled”. In the Pentagon logo the five angles symbolise the human form itself with the head and four limbs, along with the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Pretty cool, Pentagongearofright?Intermsmakingthoughhas been active in the field of military clothing and accessories since 1991 when the
GOOD GEAR FOR GOOD PEOPLE! With an established presence in both the tactical and outdoor markets Pentagon are not a manufacturer to sit on their hands, and the latest models that Jase and I saw at IWA take things a step further in all ways! Pretty much gone are the “square cut cargo pants” and “boxy field jackets” of old, replaced by some really cutting edge design elements designed for fast-paced, dynamic users. One area that is often overlooked in relation to your clothing system is that of the next to skin, or “base” layer. Pentagon have addressed this with a number of updated styles but my personal favourite is the LEVANTES CREW NECK SHIRT. The Levantes (along with the accompanying Levantes buttoned Henley) is a breathable, lightweight and stretchable short sleeve activity shirt made of quick-drying 190 g/m2 Micro-Pique cotton material, with comfortable fit. Offering maximum freedom of movement and comfort all day long, the Levantes is perfect to wear as a tactical base layer, at the gym, range, or when out and about in the great outdoors. A relatively new addition to the line, the RANGER TAC-FRESH SHIRT is a classic UBACS style with the Pentagon slant! Designed to provide maximum comfort while wearing heavy body armour systems and assault vests, the shirt features a classic collar, quarter zip front closure, forearm pockets secured with zippers, hookand-loop adjustable cuffs, and Mademovement.freedomremarkablegussetandarticulatedfullyelbowsunderarmprovideoffromahighly breathable 215gsm Ripstop material that incorporates mechanical stretch yarns, it provides enhanced performance and agility during periods of increased activity, while the flexible main 65% Polyester 35% Cotton body ensures enhanced moisture control and a compressed fit throughout the day. The Ranger Tac-Fresh Shirt was explicitly designed for use in a variety of environments and seasons which make it a perfect partner for your airsoft adventures!AsIwrite we’re experiencing a milder period after the intense heat of the past few days, and I’m most definitely not needing a full fleece, so the PENTAGON THESPIS SWEATER VEST is an absolutely perfect “halfway house” for cooler evenings. Made from lightweight and breathable PolyCotton material, the Thespis Sweater Vest features a full front YKK zipper, high collar, a large hood for added protection, two seamless hand pockets and soft inner lining for added comfort. The Thespis Sweater Vest offers excellent freedom of movement with good protection against the wind and cold weather and is
PENTAGON TACTICAL KIT & GEAR company started in Germany as a modest retail shop selling new and used military surplus goods. In 1993 the business moved and expanded with the opening of a new wholesale warehouse in Northern Greece. In the late 90’s a new generation of customers were showing up searching for military and law enforcement clothing and gear with technologically advanced fabrics, new and improved pocket arrangements and contemporary well-fitting styles. Most of these products demanded could only be found in recognised outdoor sports brands and in colours that were not appropriate for the military and law enforcement sector. That is when Pentagon decided to fill this gap, and they started by looking for manufacturers and partners that were producing gear for leading outdoor companies so as to acquire a thorough understanding of the technology of modern fabric construction and material functionality. They invested in the art of pattern making so they could achieve the perfect fit for high-intensity activities that also provided high levels of comfort and an aesthetic which was missing from the classic military and law enforcement products at the time. Finally after many years of research and development and working closely with Military, Police, Fire Fighters, Rescue and Security teams they developed a totally new product series which came to be known as “Tactical Sportswear™”. This was their answer to an advanced military clothing and gear concept which incorporates quality, technology, design and aesthetic all in one package and their motto to complement all this is “Gear Up!™”
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keepsjacketwarmthinsideandofferssuperbprotectionagainstreallycoldandwindyweather.WithmultipleYKK zipped pockets, elasticated cuffs and adjustable bottom hem, the Geraki Jacket is ideal to carry in your pack for those chilly moments or for extra, immediate warmth if you’re stuck on a cold, windswept range. Made of a lightweight and breathable fabric, the MONLITE JACKET comes with a high collar with chin guard, three-point adjustable hood and a full front YKK zipper with a glovepull. The jacket feature two large, zipped hand pockets with mesh lining and two internal sleeve pockets for documents, keys, or other personal belongings. A TPUlaminated membrane with a waterproof rating of 8000mm/24h and breathability 5000g/ m²/24h makes this shell jacket suitable for rainy, windy, and even snowy weather conditions, while the underarm ventilation zippers offer optimal comfort and temperature management. Ideal for adventures and everyday outdoor use as well as airsoft, the Monlite Jacket provides great protection against internal moisture build-up and inclement conditions while remaining highly functional and comfortable. In terms of trousers Pentagon have been really looking at fit and function; the latest iteration of their popular BDU 2.0 PANTS are the ideal counterpart to the Ranger TacFresh Shirt; these upgraded, heavy-duty and comfortable classic BDU 2.0 Pants feature triple stitching for extra durability, multiple storage pockets, reinforced knees and seat, as well as genuine YKK zipper hardware and heavy duty PRYM snap buttons. Made from hard wearing 215gsm Ripstop fabric these are definitely pants that will stand up to all you can throw at them!
PENTAGON TACTICAL KIT & GEAR perfect as “off duty” casual wear as well as on the range. Although this is not a new design, it’s one I’m pleased to see still in the line as it’s proved to be a real winner year-round. If you do need to start layering up against the cold though, Pentagon offers some really great options and I have two models to recommend here. The ARKOS FLEECE SWEATER is a comfortable tactical sweater featuring a double backed super-fine fleece for added warmth, high collar and durable full YKK zipper with a chin guard. The HERCULES FLEECE JACKET 2.0 takes things up a notch, and comes with double-backed super-fine for high levels of warmth, collar with large protective hood, and a two-way full front YKK zipper with a chin for added durability!
If you fancy something a bit more “technical” with a real hardcore-PMC look then I’d recommend you check out the HYDRA CLIMBING PANTS! These have been designed to be strong enough for highly demanding outdoor
SEPTEMBER 202242
The GERAKI JACKET is a model that’s been in Pentagon’s line for a while now, but I have to say that it is one of my favourites! The Geraki is a warm and ultra-lightweight down liner jacket with duck down insulation, super soft Nylon Taslon RipStop patches and genuine YKK zipper hardware. The
forearmssoft-shellbottomadjustableventilationunderpockets,featuresHerculesAdditionally,guard.theFleece2.0multiplegussetedarmswithzippers,cuffsandhem,andreinforcedandelbows
Add to what I’ve highlighted here that Pentagon also offer a solid range of headgear, accessories, packs and luggage, and all in all you’ve got a very varied yet extremely logical offering. Each year Pentagon seems to add new fabrics, designs and technologies to their range, whilst at the same time updating and improving what they already have. My Pentagon Geraki down jacket has seen some seriously hard abuse, being used on a daily basis in the Winter months, and accompanying me on numerous range days, camping trips and outdoor adventures; it’s proved to be a great investment, and now it’s beginning to show signs of wear I’ll need to think about replacing it… and I will most certainly be replacing it with another Geraki, perhaps this time in tacticool Coyote Tan!
KIT & GEAR applications yet comfortable and stylish enough for casual everyday use. The trousers feature two deep hand pockets with reinforcement, two rear pockets with zippers, and spacious side cargo pockets for spare mags, maps, tools or personal accessories. What’s more, the pants come with internal ventilation system with mesh protection for extra breathability and comfort. With the main body made of 100% Polyester soft-shell and additionally strengthened with Nylon Ripstop fabric with 2way stretch elasticity, the Hydra Climbing Pants are a must-have gear for those who are interested in getting tough jobs done and the mission completed! In addition to their clothing, Pentagon also offers some pretty cool footwear and although they have numerous outdoor and tactical style on offer like the excellent ACHILLES models that a number of the AA Crew swear by, I have to talk about the HYBRID TACTICAL BOOTS as Jase recently got himself a pair! These “fashionable” (really Jase?) and lightweight boots have a durable, breathable lining and anti-slip,reinforcedrubber makes them absolutely ideal for rangework, although I feel they might struggle support-wise on harsher terrain… although Jase tells me that they’ve worked well for him in most conditions so far!
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PENTAGON TACTICAL
To conclude I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “GRASSMAN”, Pentagon’s latest camo! Pentagon say that “other camos Blend... PentaCamo® GrassMan™ “ Fuses “ with the environment...” and it certainly looks very effective from the images I’m seeing! Based on, but evolving from, their existing PentaCamo® pattern GrassMan™ is another “multiterrain” pattern that looks to highlight the greener end of the spectrum, and from the images I’ve seen it is definitely very good in a verdant woodland environment, which should make it ideal for use in many countries. The range of products in the new pattern is still small but features some of Pentagon’s best tactical designs and a couple of items of field gear right now, but I’ll be watching this carefully to see how they roll things out!
NEVER STOP DEVELOPING
From personal experience, and the feedback I’ve got from other members of the team Pentagon really should be a brand to put on your radar, and you can check out all the very latest models by visiting www. military1st.co.uk AA
MAGAZINES THESEPTEMBERCAGE202244
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT WHAT THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGION LOOK FOR WHEN THEY COME TO SET UP THEIR OWN AEGS AND GBBS AND WHY THEY CHOOSE WHAT THEY DO. WE’RE GOING TO DRAW THIS CAGE-CYCLE TO A CLOSE NOW AND TO CONCLUDE WE’LL LOOK AT POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCESSORIES TO KEEP YOU EFFECTIVE INGAME, AND THAT’S MAGAZINES! So, you’ve finally got the AEG or GBB that you’ve always wanted, you’ve set it up just as you like it with a decent optic and all the accessories that you ever dreamed of having, and you’re good to go. You load up with BBs of your favourite weight, and you’ve chorno’d and tested your new love and joy with the magazine that came with it, and everything is set for the best day of airsoft EVER! Now you’re on the field and having a ball, and your new baby is performing like no other airsoft platform you’ve ever owned, and you’re getting kills aplenty! You blaze through that new mag, scream “MAG!” and then “UP!” to your team-mates and prepare to re-engage, and then… nothing happens or you just hear that deadly “thunk” rather than a solid “pew”. C’mon, it’s happened to all if us in our “airsoft life”, and if it hasn’t happened to you yet, one day it WILL!
The fact is that not all airsoft magazines are equal, and whilst some will fit and feed perfectly in one AEG, they don’t feed at all in another, or wobble about like a mad bobblehead! Should we therefore just give up and buy proprietary or “same brand” magazines to feed our shooty-beasts, or is there another way? There sure is, but it takes time and effort to get right, and means that you’ll have some disastrous failures as well as screaming successes. Over the course of my time playing airsoft I’ve tried magazines from just about every manufacturer out there, and my own collection for a multitude of platforms is quite vast. But, and this is a big old but, I know from experience just which magazines work best with which platforms, and if I’m taking a particular AEG out then I know just which mags to load up and place in my pouches for that day; I totally understand that this isn’t a luxury that everyone has, especially if you’re new to airsoft.
“THE FACT IS THAT NOT ALL AIRSOFT MAGAZINES ARE EQUAL, AND WHILST SOME WILL FIT AND FEED PERFECTLY IN ONE AEG, THEY DON’T FEED AT ALL IN ANOTHER, OR WOBBLE ABOUT LIKE A MAD BOBBLEHEAD!”
THE UP!MAGCAGE:
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My personal advice to you is not to go for the magazine brand that appears the most “Gucci” on that particular day, or that which has been endorsed by an “influenza” of dubious provenance because they’re getting paid by Brand X this month… go back to that old adage of “try before you buy”, and work out which brand fits with YOUR AEG the best. When you go to site and have a range to play with ask other players politely which brand they use, and ask them if you can spin a few BBs downrange with their mag to check it; most airsofters I know will be happy to let you kick out a few BBs, especially if you’re admiring their mags and are interested in getting some yourself.Bigtip though; don’t try a find it doesn’t work in YOUR AEG tell the owner that “those mags are sh1t mate” as the mags in question probably work flawlessly in THEIR AEG… this has actually happened to me, and it’s a real “DBAD moment” where your behaviour can lead to making new friends… or new enemies! Bottom line here is take the darn time to find out what works best with your own AEG; my AKs all love the old MAG 120 Middies, and I generally use NUPROL 30/125 N-MAGS for my ARs and I use these both as a benchmark for testing as they fit and feed in pretty much anything! That said, I have mags from so many manufacturers, a collection that’s built up over 25-plus years of playing, and I can normally find something to fit and work in even the most recalcitrant and picky platform… apart from that one CYMA AK “waffle” that doesn’t fit ANYTHING other than the AEG it came with. For my GBBRs I do tend to stick with buying mags from the platform creator, as sadly there still seems to be next-to-zero commonality across the gas systems out there! Hopefully one day this will change, but given that the manufacturers in this specific arena are all chasing performance through their own innovation, I don’t see it anytime soon…
TEAM TALK As always though I don’t expect you to take my word as gospel any more than I’d advise you to just check online to find out which mag am bestest, so as usual I’ve thrown some questions out to the AA Legionnaires, and this month it was “What are your go-to magazines? Do you prefer Drums, His, Mids, or Realcaps? Do you stick with one brand, or do you shop around for different mag brands/models, especially for different platforms?”
If you’re going to avoid that dreaded “thunk” moment though, trust me when I tell you to test ALL your mags with the SPECIFIC platform you’re going to be running before you hit the field… you’ll thank me when those around you are running dry!
Larri: As a dedicated CQB Hi-Capa user I use ProWin aluminium-made magazines with around 40 BB capacity. Robbie: I prefer reduced midcaps (reduced in that I’d add a bit of extra spacer to increase the spring tension some). In the end I was running 90BB Mids for the AK, and or Realcaps. As for brand or whatnot, it always depended on what ran best in which replica. Pistol and GBB mags; again what worked in the replica, but in almost every single case I found I had to redo the valves. I guess my question to go along with this... gas mags, factory, stock, or aftermarket, they all mixed well. At the end of my active playing time in Florida I was only into GBB replicas. If I return to airsoft (now I’ve moved) I’m pretty sure it will be only gas tuff… but if I bust into the UK next spring I’ll use whatever I can borrow!
“MY PERSONAL ADVICE TO YOU IS NOT TO GO FOR THE MAGAZINE BRAND THAT APPEARS THE MOST “GUCCI” ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, OR THAT WHICH HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY AN “INFLUENZA” OF DUBIOUS PROVENANCE BECAUSE THEY’RE GETTING PAID BY BRAND X THIS MONTH…”
Dan: For my shop, I have a bit of everything on hand. So, if a customer has some specific requests and says they need it to run with Elite Force mags or BAMF’s, etc. I can be sure to fully test it with such. But sometimes it’s often the inverse and I’ll have to come up with some alternative magazine options for their gun that will play nice with it. Much like in real steel, bad magazines can be the source of so many woes. To my never ending amusement (and exasperation), I have alwaysoftheirfoundmagstheirfirst born lol. They get weirdly attached to them and it never occurs that they can wear out or be of such poor quality as to inhibit feeding.
For my personal use, I’m strictly a Midcap kinda guy. I use PTS EPM’s or Ares AMAG’s for anything that takes an AR-style mag, though I also run the original PTS P-Mag 30/60’s in my KWA guns that have the last round cutoff. The AK’s are typically running CYMA Mids because they just plain work. I still am sitting on a nice stack of unobtanium Real Sword Mids for the 47 pattern stuff. The VFC MP7 takes it’s own mags, which are modified with PTS springs and followers. The only “hicap” I use is on the PKM, where I have the Bullgear insert providing a 7000 BB capacity; go big or go home as they say! Chris: Midcaps, Midcaps for all! The only gnu I have a boxmag for is the Stoner. For the AUG I use Standard TM 80 BB mags or the 170 BB MAG midcaps, and generally I take a mix of both out with me. For my ARs I have some NUPROL 120 BB Mdcaps Jimmy: I have a mountain of mags, all of which differ in capacity. First off I like to carry a large “TO MY NEVER ENDING AMUSEMENT (AND EXASPERATION), I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND RECOMMENDING THAT CUSTOMERS REPAIR OR UPGRADE THEIR MAGS TO BE LIKE ASKING FOR THE BLOOD OF THEIR FIRST BORN LOL. THEY GET WEIRDLY ATTACHED TO THEM AND IT NEVER OCCURS THAT THEY CAN WEAR OUT OR BE OF SUCH POOR QUALITY AS TO INHIBIT FEEDING.”
Turgay: I use mid cap. 70-120 BB cap. My brand choice is like this; 1- AMOEBA, 2- KRYTAC, 3NUPROL. I also like KWA mags, but they sometimes have a problem fitting on other brand AEGs
Stewbacca: For me there isn’t much of a choice. With the exception of Glock-based things there is rarely any interchangeability with GBB mags, so it’s a case of real or low capacity sticks or bananas for everything. Yeah, you can get drums for some GBBRs but they’re just a bit of a ballache to my mind, not exactly easy to store or utilise with gear if you do end up having to change between them or reload, and for most of my gaming a few hundred BBs on me at any one time is fine. Also, I hate tactical maracas like Boycie, so in the event I do touch an AEG it’s Midcaps all the way! I basically have at least four mags for every gas gun I have, some like the WE L85, T91 and HK416 can share AR mags as they’re interchangeable, as are my WE MP5s, but everything else is basically proprietary to each platform. They REALLY should make a STANAG-style gas system arrangement for gas mag compatability though… All my gear is basically stock until something breaks. I’ve had a few mags I’ve had to reseal every so often, and sometimes the valves wear, shear off or the floating bit gets jammed so they need replacing, but otherwise things tend to work reasonably well. I do find narrow mags like the PP2K or Vz61 have issue feeding and firing a full load in some cases, guess there just isn’t enough gas volume in them. But it does vary by age/maintenance at times too. Some will, some won’t… basically we inject gas in and hopefully our hopes and dreams don’t leak out!
MAGAZINES THESEPTEMBERCAGE202246
Boycie: I use standard mags of between 30 and 120 BBs depending on what rifle they are for. For the KWAs I use their mags and for my other AR-based platforms I use HexMag or Lancer AWM. For me half the fun is reloading and having to be aware of how much ammo is left rather than carrying a huge maraca of a Hicap. Also I only tend to carry five or six primary mags, mostly not using them all in a one hour or so game Miguel: Well, in Portugal a lot of bigger events don’t allow Hicap mags, except for LMGs, so from early on we got used to using Mid or Lowcaps. I’ve been using the Specna Arms S-Mags for a while since they feed all my SA AR replicas; I never had issues and I even have spares. A good way to keep things simple!
MAGAZINES THE CAGE www.airsoftaction.net 47
quantity of BBs as I love playing the role of support. It doesn’t matter what the WILL give support for my team members. In order to do this you will need either a good amount of Hicaps or my favourite, the drum/box mag. I have a drum/box mag for most of my platforms ranging from 1500BBs right up to a whopping 3000 count! Drum mags, because reloads are stooped haha! I occasionally run with Midcaps which can house 150 BBs but it isn’t often that happens if I am honest. The major bane of airsoft, the reason I own so many magazines is due to the vast collection I have compiled over the years and there doesn’t seem to be any kind of standard, so there is no such thing as “one mag fits all”. So many manufacturers are adopting their own designs so you have to buy more! I am thankful for the G&G M4/M16 drum mag as this thing just fits every M4/AR platform I own… which is a bonus and it is cheaper to buy one drum mag than EIGHT Hicaps at £30 each… that’s my logic anyhoo! AA
VENOM BOOTS ■ Lightweight ■ Rubber toe protector ■ Moulded TPU heel stabiliser ■ Internal nylon stabiliser shank ■ Integrated EVA midsole ■ Aggressive, multi-directional grip, rubber sole ■ Moisture wicking lining Material: 1000D Cordura upper Sizes: 7-12 Black / Dark Coyote / SRP: £89.95
IT’S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THAT RED CELL FIRST LOOKED AT THEIR PICK OF “TACTICAL AKS”, AND IN THE INTERIM WE’VE SEEN YET MORE MODERN VARIANTS COME INTO BEING! ALTHOUGH THE AR IS UNDOUBTEDLY “KING” STILL WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT AIRSOFTERS BUY, THE WIDTH AND BREADTH OF WHAT’S AVAILABLE FOR THE DIE-HARD OPFORIST JUST KEEPS ON GETTING BETTER, SO NOW THE TEAM BRINGS THEIR EVALUATIONS UP TO DATE!
RED FIGHTERS!FREEDOMCELL
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The magazines are nicely made from molded polymer and have clear viewing windows with round count markings on the exterior. Overall, these feel slightly larger than conventional 74 style magazines, but do seem to feed well and lock in solid to the gun. The bottom of the magazine was redesigned to have a flat base for better using the magazine as a support when firing from the prone. Much like the real AK-12, this replica features a 4-position selector switch. On the real version, this would be safe / full auto / burst / semi, but on the Arcturus, the burst position is actually full auto as the gearbox lacks any hardware to create an actual burst function. I personally am not a fan of the selector design on the Arcturus as it is indistinct and too loose. The backside uses a piece of tack-welded metal with a stamped detent, which is technically supposed to index into the notches on the side of the receiver. It’s not a very positive and tactile feeling arrangement. On “NO LONGER IS THE HUMBLE YET VENERABLE AK RELEGATED TO THOSE WHO WISH TO CREATE A BACK-TO-BASICS OPFOR LOADOUT, BUT INSTEAD IT IS ONCE AGAIN BEING VIEWED AS A TOOL OF THOSE MODERN-DAY WARRIORS TAKING UP ARMS TO PROTECT THEIR OWN FREEDOM”
Dan: Of the “Big 3” who manufacturer AK-12 replica’s, LCT, E&L and Acturus (I’ve not mentioned the G&G as obviously this is only just hitting stores!), the Arcturus is the more unique version amongst these. This modernized AK replica features a full stamped steel body, with cast steel accoutrements. Where it departs from its competitors is in the use of an aluminium outer barrel, which will be disappointing to some looking for more authentic detailing. The muzzle brake is an interesting design that can be removed to reveal a threaded crown for directly attaching 14x1mm muzzle devices. Unfortunately, many examples that have come across my bench have these brakes jammed on severely tight from the factory and they require some fine hand-fitting in order to be easily removed without the assistance of tools.
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I’m going to keep my intro short for once, as the Red Cell Crew strangely had a LOT to say about the modern AK variants they’ve been using and abusing since we first looked at them in Issue 127! Of course we’ve seen some new members join the ranks of our testers like Dan and Stewbacca, and some new models come into the mix like the excellent ICS AEK and G&G GK-12 that I looked at in depth recently, and already love! These new Red Cell members are proving their depth of knowledge in “all things airsoft”, and the new models have been added to the long-term “torture-testing” program, and we’ll no doubt return to them in due course!
The stock assembly is based off an AR-style buffer tube, and folds nicely to the left, while locking in place securely in both the folded and unfolded positions. It is also adjustable for length of pull and has a nicely textured rubber buttpad that grips the shoulder well. This is where Arcturus has a nice leg up on the competition as their receiver design allows for a true quick-change spring guide that doesn’t require lifting the gearbox out to access.
As many have noted the “tacticool AK” has really opened the doors for more general fielding of what was perhaps seen as only an “OPFOR gnu”, and although recent events in Ukraine are still horrifying out in the real world, what we have seen is some very good guys doing very good things… with a modern AK! No longer is the humble yet venerable AK relegated to those who wish to create a back-to-basics OPFOR loadout, but instead it is once again being viewed as a tool of those modern-day warriors taking up arms to protect their own freedom, and from my perspective there is no better reason than that to fully embrace the “AK Life”. However, with that said, Red Cell have really got into it this month with twelve AK AEGs coming under the spotlight in one of our biggest reports to date! Although we’ve not been able to go into tiny detail on every model that’s in the test pool this time, we will come back to them all as the program moves ever-forward. For now though, if you want the real lowdown on some of our faves, read on!
a traditional AK, you would simply slightly bend the selector to apply more pressure against the receiver and increase the positivity of indexing. But on the Arcturus, this is not recommended due to the metal of the detent plate being rather brittle. It’s also not something that can be easily swapped out to say, the LCT selector, without changing all the selector linkage and axle in the process too. Unfortunately, much like soldiers have been dismayed to discover in the field, the replica shares the same design defect as the real AK-12 in that you can overshoot the final selector position and render the gun inoperable. In this case, what happens is the internal selector axle will fall off the selector plate and can’t pick it back up, despite rotating the selector to any other position. In order to remedy it, you have to pull the gearbox and realign the selector axle and selector plate. Airsoft manufacturers have a golden opportunity here to address this design defect and implement a simple fix, which could be as easy as a travel limiter on the gearbox or a flange that comes up the side of the receiver such as on a standard AK47/74 style platform.
SEPTEMBER 202252
“OVERALL, I FEEL ARCTURUS HAS ITS FEET FIRMLY PLANTED IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN REASONABLY SOLID BODY CONSTRUCTION AND HAVING BETTER INTERNALS THAN CYMA, BUT IS PERHAPS MORE LIMITED ON UPGRADE POTENTIAL WITHOUT INCURRING ADDITIONAL EXPENSE”
Love em’ or hate em’ the Arcturus comes equipped with a Version 3 “hybrid” style gearbox. This uses a microswitch in lieu of the more traditional mechanical trigger switch and is basically a copy of the setup found on the Umarex UMP. The big downside to the hybrid gearbox design is that it prohibits one from fitting an aftermarket Electronic Trigger Unit, such as a Gate TITAN or Perun. Fortunately, most any traditional Ver. 3 gearbox will fit inside the body. So while it does incur the additional expense of a gearbox shell swap, users desiring an ETU do have options available to them.The rest of the gearbox internals are standard Ver. 3 components. I would say the gears, piston and compression components are very reminiscent of King Arms internals in general quality and finish – or ‘above average’ . I find the motor to be slightly better than the LCT’s, with more torque theseIntriggerbyslightlythoughresponsiveness,andit’smutedthemushydesign.myexperience,tendtoshoot a little hot out of the box, with most seeming to clock in around 1.6 –1.7J (420 – 430 FPS) with .20g bbs. The betterisThemagazines.inlockingproperlyassistblockathatuprotaryanareversionsnewestofthesenowsportingexcellentstylehopchamberhasbuiltintointhebuckinglittlethan
Dan: Standing as direct competitor to the Arcturus in the same pricing bracket, the LCT AK-12 is perhaps the most prominent and well-known example on the market as it was amongst the first replicas of the AK12 available. These are outfitted with a stamped and riveted steel body, and a mixture of cast and stamped external fixtures, including the outer barrel, which is made from a solid tube of steel. The fit and finish of the externals is top notch, with everything being tight and nary a wobble in sight. It soon become apparent that this is a replica that can take a serious beating and brush it off like it’s “just another Thursday.”
designs.competitorasgearboxwith
Moving to the selector switch, we again have a “FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A USER, AND L LIKE THE “REAL DEAL” THE ARCTURUS AT-AK12 IS SOLID AS A ROCK, AND WEIGHS IN AT A HEFTY 3480G; IF LIKE ME YOU’RE USED TO A “CLASSIC AK” THEN THIS WEIGHT FEELS “RIGHT”; THIS IS A BRUISER OF A RIFLE WITH STEEL AND ALLOY USED THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION.”www.airsoftaction.net
Bill: Now in fairness I have written about the AK-12 history before, and Dan has really commented fully on what he’s seen on the workbench now this model has been around for a while. From my perspective as a user, and l like the “real deal” the Arcturus ATAK12 is solid as a rock, and weighs in at a hefty 3480g; if like me you’re used to a “classic AK” then this weight feels “right”; this is a bruiser of a rifle with steel and alloy used throughout the construction. Like the “real deal” the receiver cover is another unique feature of the design as it has a permanently affixed top Picatinny rail where the rear sight assembly mounts directly to the cover; this of course means that the rifle is all ready for an optic should you desire to fit one, and this is mated firmly to the dust cover.
As an AEG it shoots fast, well, and accurately, it’s built like a tank, and it’s a great length for both CQB and woodland use (700mm stock folded/880mm stock open/950mm stock fully extended). With the two magazines that come with it you’ve got enough capacity from the box to get in a game straight away, and in my opinion you would have to go a LONG way to find as good a thoroughly modern AK for under UK£300.
LCT’s AK-12 magazines are probably the main weakness of this replica, being not as nicely made as Arcturus and possessing LCT’s traditionally weak magazine springs. They lack the bullet window design and the body material feels more like plastic than polymer. In my experience, most end users of these typically swap to different brands of magazines in order to rectify feeding issues.
a placeholder and benefits from replacing. The inner barrel is a 6.02mm diameter bore and made from steel that is QPQ processed – a sort of nitrocarburizing hardening that inhibits corrosion. With a quality aftermarket bucking or R-Hop it turns in great results.Overall, I feel Arcturus has its feet firmly planted in the middle between reasonably solid body construction and having better internals than CYMA, but is perhaps more limited on upgrade potential without incurring additional expense, namely a gearbox swap if one wants to use an ETU. On the whole, the platform will be more eminently accessible for the user who might need to immediately downgrade their spring to meet site limits and isn’t familiar with the processremovingof a
The stock assembly locks up very securely, and the release button tends to require some extra force until it’s truly broken in well. Unlike the Arcturus, there is no access to the spring guide from back here, however. While the gun does come with a quickchange spring guide, there is a reinforcement bar extending across the top of the receiver, prohibiting one from accessing it without lifting out the gearbox.
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ARCTURUS AT-AK01 Price: iro UK£185.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 3300 g Length: 800/880 mm Magazine Capacity: 120,will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.03 Joule/334fps (After Spring Change) Hot Chrono: 1.01 Joule/331.8fps (After Spring Change)
E&L ELAKS74UN-A MOD A PLATINUM Price: iro UK£440.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 3140g Length: Magazine495/735mmCapacity:120, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315.1fps Hot Chrono: 0.94 Joule/318.2fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
Taclite Compatibility: KeyMod Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com
Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com
NUPROL ROMEO NOMAD BRAVO Price: iro UK£299.00 Age: Four Years Weight: 3500g Length: 805/875 mm Magazine Capacity: 500, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.02 Joule/332.9fps Hot Chrono: 1.03 Joule/333.5.9fps Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.nuprol.com ICS CXP-ARK Price: iro UK£365.00 Age: One Year Weight: 3365g Length: Magazine638/884mmCapacity:520, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 0.87 Joule/307.4.1fps Hot Chrono: 0.88 Joule/307.8fps Taclite Compatibility: Railed Polymer Foregrip Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.icsbb.com CYMA CM.076A Price: iro UK£135.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 3000g Length: Magazine530/740mmCapacity:450, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.0 Joule/328.9fps Hot Chrono: 1.02 Joule/332.9fps
G&G RK74E ETU Price: iro UK£299.00 Age: Three Years Weight: 2980g Length: Magazine690/810mmCapacity:115, Proprietary Magazine Cold Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps Hot Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps Taclite Compatibility: KeyMod Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
SEPTEMBER 202254
TACTICAL AK UPDATE RED CELL
DYTAC SLR AK105 Price: iro UK£320.00 Age: One Year Weight: 3200g Length: Magazine625/800mmCapacity:500, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.06 Joule/338.1fps (After Spring Change) Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340.2fps (After Spring Change) Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail and M-LOK Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk ARCTURUS AK-12 Price: iro UK£220.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 3480 g Length: 700/880/950 mm Magazine Capacity: 30/130, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.13 Joule/336.3fps Hot Chrono: 1.1 Joule/337.9fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Sections Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com LCT LCK-12 EBB Price: iro UK£480.00 Age: Two Years Weight: 4215 g Length: 865 - 955 mm Magazine Capacity: 130, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.08 Joule/336.7.9fps Hot Chrono: 1.08 Joule/338.1fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Sections Suppressor Compatibility: Dedicated Supplied By: www.nuprol.com TOKYO MARUI AK102 RECOIL Price: iro UK£450.00 Age: Seven Years! Weight: 2960g Length: 602 - 848mm Magazine Capacity: 90, 480 Hi-Cap Available Cold Chrono: 0.95Joule/320fps Hot Chrono: 0.97Joule/324fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Sections Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk G&G GK-12 Price: iro UK£480.00 Age: MagazineLength:Weight:New3585g880-985mmCapacity:120, will accept most AK-style Cold Chrono: 1.06 Joule/339fps (After Spring Change) Hot Chrono: 1.06 Joule/339fps Taclite Compatibility: Standard Rail Sections Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.guay2.com
RED CELL SPECNA ARMS SA-J10 EDGE Price: iro UK£140.00 Age: One Year Weight: 3370g Length: 800 - 885mm Magazine Capacity: 130 (2), will accept most AK style Cold Chrono: 1.08 Joule/342.3fps Hot Chrono: 1.09 Joule/343.9fps Taclite Compatibility: None (AK105-Length Rail Will Fit) Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.gunfire.com
TACTICAL AK UPDATE
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4-position safe / auto / burst / semi design true to the real AK-12, with the last two positions actually being ‘auto’ and ‘semi’, respectively since there is no provision in the gearbox for an actual burst mode. This selector functions much like a true AK selector does in that it slightly curved to apply tension against the receiver. Thusly, it enjoys distinct and positive indexing, while being a superior and simpler design to Arcturus’sRegrettably,offering.however, our design defect is also readily apparent here, as the LCT version can also have a selector plate failure induced by overshooting the selector position. This issue also exists even if equipping the gearbox with an ETU, such as the Gate TITAN – although I feel it’s exacerbated as the change in wiring position allows the selector plate to slide forward even more. To wit, if you have the selector switch just slightly past the last semi-auto notch, and tilt the rifle muzzle down or give it a light tap on the buttplate, you can cause the selector plate to slip out of position. I’ve largely fixed this by gluing a physical stop to the side of the gearbox shell to limit the amount of forward travel possible by the selector plate. But ideally, I would like to see LCT and Arcturus implement a long-term fix by incorporating a hard stop into the gearbox molds or changing the trigger guard design to have an extended flange like the 47/ 74 series Movinghave.tothe interior, we have a traditional Version 3 gearbox design with the inclusion of a quick-change spring guide and we’ve bumped up to some beefy 9mm bearings vs. the usual 6 and 7mm stuff more commonly found in Version 3’s. Upgrade-oriented individuals will be happy to note that these can accept pretty much any aftermarket ETU’s too. LCT’s sport a strong steel gearset, albeit they still suffer from overly thick axles that require a good deal of leverage to extract from the bearings. The compression parts are honestly quite good for a stock gun, featuring a CNC aluminum piston head, aluminum double O-ring cylinder head and a POM air nozzle, which also has an O-ring. These all greatly contribute to the largely excellent air seal and FPS consistency of LCTs. The piston is of reasonably good quality and has a sintered steel rack. A ball bearing steel spring guide is also standard. I would like to see LCT incorporate a thin backer plate to prevent spring guide tilt, which is a problem on these, but for now, users can use the flat screw from Retro Arms to address this. The motor is an old design and pretty lackluster in light of modern Neodymium and brushless fare. LCT has greatly improved the quality of their inner barrels since their first inception and now feature a 6.02mm bore diameter with reasonably good internal finish. Like essentially every AEG ever, the stock bucking is nothing to write home about. That being said, it’s balanced out by what I feel is the best OEM AK chamber made, aside from Real Sword. At the same price point as the Arcturus, it would be understandably hard to pick between the two. The LCT is probably the “best buy” for the end user who wants something eminently upgradable with lowered expense as you can retain many of the stock components. It also has a more genuinely constructed steel body, and realists will appreciate the steel outer barrel. It’s held back from true greatness due to various minor quibbles, most notably the magazine and anemic motor, as well as the selector switch flaw. Fortunately, these are all addressable after the fact, and amongst upgraded AEG’s, the LCT can be fashioned into a true beast, easily harnessing the intrinsic accuracy of the Version 3 design.
Bill: Again Dan nails all the crucial points when it comes to the LCT “take” on the “12”, and my experience to date with the LCK-12 has been largely positive. As usual the team at LCT have done a cracking job by bringing us not only the AK-12, but also the “larger calibre” AK-15, which of course in our world will fire the exact-same 6mm BB… I’m not knocking this as it’s great to have choice, and perhaps some folk will look to the “762” as a base for some kind of DMR, but for me at least the AK-12 is the all-important one here! LCT have looked at the major design details that make the LCK-12 different to its forebears, and again as usual, they’ve done a pretty fabulous job! Although I am certain that some out there will find fault (like the laughable “trunnion” debate that came up when the AEG launched… yawn…) but the fact is that LCT have delivered their take on the latest Russian military rifle, and a bloody good take it is too.
The only criticisms I can make is that I wish that “DAN NAILS ALL THE CRUCIAL POINTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE LCT “TAKE” ON THE “12”, AND MY EXPERIENCE TO DATE WITH THE LCK-12 HAS BEEN LARGELY POSITIVE.
AS USUAL THE TEAM AT LCT HAVE DONE A CRACKING JOB BY BRINGING US NOT ONLY THE AK-12, BUT ALSO THE “LARGER CALIBRE” AK-15, WHICH OF COURSE IN OUR WORLD WILL FIRE THE EXACT-SAME 6MM BB…”
TACTICAL AK UPDATE JULY 202256
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Stewbacca: As it happens I acquired my TM AK102 EBB 7 years ago to the day from writing this. My teammate Lewis and I did a large order twodirectlyintodirectEchigoyaJapantoimportAK102sone for each of us, and he also got the M4 NGRS as well, just arriving in time for a big Copehill weekender which was also somewhat of a team reunion for some of our further flung members who had moved countries since our heyday. I ran my AK102 EBB all weekend without any issues as such, I had already acquired four very small 7.4v LiPo battery units to fit in the pistol grip of my QBZ97 which is also a pain for battery space. With the TM AK102 EBB the battery compartment is in the front of the upper gas tube and accessed by swinging up the takedown lever used on the real rifle to release the gas tube. Thankfully the small batteries I already had were also a perfect fit for this space so I had interchangeability between my main guns in terms of power source.
“THE ONLY CRITICISMS I CAN MAKE IS THAT I WISH THAT LCT HAD ADDED THE TWOROUND BURST SETTING OF THE REAL THING AND FITTED A SLIGHTLY MORE ROBUST MOTOR; YUP, THAT’S IT, MY ONLY CRITICISMS FROM A USER PERSPECTIVE!”
LCT had added the two-round burst setting of the real thing and fitted a slightly more robust motor; yup, that’s it, my only criticisms from a user perspective! If you like the OPFOR role then the LCT AK-12 will be the right RIF for you; it has all the benefits of existing AKs with the added utility of a thoroughly up-to-theminute design, along with all the benefits of a topquality AEG!
SEPTEMBER 202258
Running a 6094 style plate carrier with a shingle magpouch I carried the eight 75 round midcap magazines in pairs taped together at the bases to make “jungle mags” which worked excellently for fast reloads and making the most of a triple mag shingle by storing three pairs of mags with the front ones hanging out in free space and the rear ones fully retained in the pouches which made for stable carrying and very easy retrieval seeing as I had the whole front mag exposed, obviously if you were using this setup in a less CQB environment you might worry about messing up your mags or going prone either due to the sheer bulk, or getting the exposed mags dirty, but for my purposes this wasn’t an issue and I tended to use the setup from then on until I left the UK as it was very convenient and comfortable.
There are also 300 round hicap mags available and I had two black and one of the classic orange AK74 style ones to supplement or replace the mid-caps should their more limited ammunition proveTheinsufficient.recoilmechanism was somewhat of a novelty for me at the time, and having not had any gas guns aside from pistols back then it was something I quite enjoyed, however in hindsight it wasn’t all that strong or convincing now when compared to the likes of LCT’s more recent offerings with much heavier recoil weights inside, or a gas gun of course. Performance wise I continued to use the AK102 at the likes of The Gaol and regularly posted 0.2g rounds through roughly A4 paper sized holes in the cover available there from as much as 30-40m without too much difficulty.Theside folding stock was relatively stable and comfortable, and the addition of the sight mounting shoe did enable me to make use of an ACOG style scope to reach out and stretch the legs of the platform effectively in many cases, I also had an RMR mounted the rear sight replacement rail as well as a torch and laser on the side stub rails of the tactical grip.
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TACTICAL AK UPDATE RED CELL Aside from the typical issues with getting used to the AK mag reloads (as this was the only one I ever owned throughout all my time in airsoft so I never really acclimatised to rock and lock mags aside from when using the SVD as well) I did however find it to be a very consistent and effective AEG, unsurprising from Marui, I suppose, and it was ideal for MilSim weekenders and CQB room clearance with its shorter overall profile and folding stock along with the optics and illumination I added to it. Certainly not a bad gun by any measure, although the charging handle did eventually shake loose from the bolt body on mine as it was a separate piece rather than an integral piece of the geometry, but aside from that failure it never had any other issues to speak of in my years of fielding it. Bill: Love them or hate them Tokyo Marui are still a name to be reckoned with in the airsoft market, and woe betide any manufacturer out there that doesn’t keep a careful eye on what they’re doing. Although TM are notoriously bad at speaking to airsofters outside their native Japan (although these days at least they are trying…), many players love them for good reason; somehow they imbue their AEGs with a little “unicorn dust”, performing stupendously out of the box even if the power level seems low. I’ve always found that TM AEGs perform amazingly, and to this day I STILL have NO IDEA how they manage to get the range and accuracy they do! I ‘ve been running the TM 102 through the chrono regularly on .20g RZR BBs and recorded a massively consistent and site friendly 0.95Joule/320fps over an extended period. Using just the iron sights, which are indeed easily adjustable, and .28g I am easily able to hit targets and group pretty tightly at the limit of the 30mNowrange!Idon’t know exactly what refinements TM have made to the 102, but the system does deliver a far stronger recoil than their “74” and indeed other EBBs I’ve had from them in the past. Is it up to the par of a GBBR? No, not even close, although with each “generation” TM seem to coax just a little more from their internals! The real plus of the TM system v a GBBR though is that even when it’s warm, firing a GBB rifle will eventually have cool-down effects that will affect your overall performance, rate of fire and range; with the TM 102 you get all the benefits of the gasser WITHOUT the cool-down which makes it a year-round rifle! Boycie: The RN47 I reviewed, thank you again KWA, is still going strong! I really like the AR feel with the way the AK style mags lock in to the magazine well. Since the review, back in issue 119, November 2020 of Airsoft Action, internally it remains the same as when I received it, except for a hop rubber change to suit our UK climate. I’m regularly getting good range and accuracy from the RN running my currently preferred RZR .28 BBs. My usual preference is to carry only four of the KWA 120BB mags, with an AE-sized speedloader as back up for the longer games. I also really like that I have the ability to swap uppers with other rifles in the KWA range like the TK45 & TK45C. This gives me the option to pick whatever set up appeals for the days play. I only have one AEG with a ‘fet fitted but I think after a good amount of use it’s time to open the gearbox to have a look at how the internals have held up, but also that may be the opportunity to fit a Titan inside and give it a few other light tweaks Externally the RN now sports a longer rail and outer/inner barrel; this only adds a couple of inches over all to the rifle in standard form. The balance, to me, feels better with the change of front end components. I’ve also changed the muzzle device. It still runs a PTS MOE foregrip and Element PEQ15. In order to slim the RN47 down from the original review build, I now rarely run the Nuprol NX600S light. Where I need some light indoors usually the PEQ light is enough or I will switch to my trusty Umarex Glock 17 with taclight if I need that little more illumination. Over the lockdowns I have been quietly working on a new addition for the RN47 which is the KWA recoil effect. Some may have already added recoil with the standard RM4-type recoil set but this is where I made something a little different. I really like the slither-style stock and this is where the challenge came in… more to come on that modification in a future issue!
Bill: From the moment the “white prototype” version of the NUPROL ROMEO came into being Ross kept me fully in the loop with development, and it was more than exciting to see his “Project AK” take its first faltering steps into the light of day. Once “LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM TOKYO MARUI ARE STILL A NAME TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE AIRSOFT MARKET, AND WOE BETIDE ANY MANUFACTURER OUT THERE THAT DOESN’T KEEP A CAREFUL EYE ON WHAT THEY’RE DOING.”
TACTICAL AK UPDATE RED CELL again, Ross, Mark and I pored over details, and I know for a fact that the two of them argued over even the tiniest parts! Fast forward to November 2018 and, knowing that the container from the Far East was finally due in, you could cut the tension with a knife. “Nuprol Project AK” had finally come of age, and the “ROMEOs” were born! Again, Ross sent me a picture of the very first ROMEOs to be unpacked from the container at the Nuprol warehouse and I sat back in my office chair and breathed a sigh of relief as the finished production models looked to be absolutely stunning! Are the ROMEOs what I hoped to see from NUPROL? Yes, they are, and more! If I still lived in the USA this is pretty much exactly what I would build for myself in 7.62x39mm, right down to the neat little sling plate under the buffer tube! The models feature superb high-strength and high-quality parts that have been used to the very best effect, and the net result, in my mind, is a stunning, up-to-the-minute AK. I 100% believed at the time of release that the ROMEO (the BRAVO NOMAD for me!) Series would be another roaring success for NUPROL, and I’ve been proved right in this given the number of friends I see rockin’ these splendid “tacticool AKs”; in the words of my favourite AK meme, “Nyet! This isn’t the 1940s any more Grandpa!”
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On the left side of the receiver you will see an offset bracket allowing for another mount giving the user a slightly higher mount, so should the dust cover need to be removed your zero will not be affected as it is fixed to the receiver. One thing in particular I am not a fan of is magazine wobble in any platform, and I have experienced a fair few AK variants that have very wobbly magazines. This is not the case with the Nuprol Romeo and the mags sit very snug thanks to a very neat little spacer plate that comes as standard! I’ve found that the Romeo does not accept some mags although it’s happy with most, but then this is airsoft and no two mags are the same! I can confirm STAR 90BB midcaps fit in it perfectly, but it’s just a shame they are 90BBs lol! I do however have a CYMA drum mag which fits very well now it has been slightly modified… of course I do, I have a reputation to uphold! Bill: I’ll bring things to a close this month by focussing on what must be my most regularlyused AK, and that’s the E&L ELAKS74UN-A MOD A PLATINUM! Although I’m a huge fan of all of the family “Automat Kalashnikova”, and as much as I like my custom-CYMA (which is still a brilliant skirmish-AK itself!), I have to say that my personal favourite both in real and replica form is the smallest member, the AKS 74U. Over the years there has always been one of these in my personal airsoft collection, although the one that I find myself returning to time and again for “in-game” is the little E&L. With a retail price iro UK£300 this is one hell of a performer; okay, I am biased because I love the SU so much as a model, but after owning many I have to tell you that this is genuinely one of the very best AEG versions I’ve ever encountered. The externals are absolutely spot-on and rock-solid, the internals are the very best they can be, and the performance is first rate; in truth I can say that I will never buy another modern SU-style AEG as this has seen me through many a game and is still every bit as good as when I first got it! AA
I recently acquired my own “tacticool” AK in the form of Nuprol’s Romeo Recon Bravo and I can honestly this thing is a great bit of kit, as it looks the business and gets the job done. Having owned it now for nearly a year I very happy with its performance; there are a few small changes I have made but nothing that will detract from what it really is. The main body is rather heavy and with that weight comes rigidity; I have felt some AK’s which don’t give any confidence in strength. Having the fixed buffer tube allows me to fit any AR stock that I desire and gives an amount of adjustability that’s perfect to get that “feel” just right. I love the handguard it is a chonky piece of CNC alloy with a top 20mm Picatinny and KeyMod mounts on the sides and underneath allowing for whatever attachments you see fit to use. The dust cover offers a full length 20mm Picatinny rail also for mounting dots or optics.
Jimmy: There was a time when I loathed an AK, I will not lie, and I would have happily chosen an AR platform over one any day of the week without hesitation. They say over time the human palate alters and food you once disliked will eventually become something you enjoy, and well, this for me has come true on both the food side of life and my approval of an AK Thatplatform!saidI’mstill not completely converted mainly because I am not really a fan of the old skool styling of what many know to be an AK. By old skool I mean AK’s in the original form. I prefer a more modernlooking rifle and my love today for an AK is focused mainly on the modern tactical styling which appeals heavily to me. Give me a buffer tube with a sliding stock, a monolithic tactical rail system and a chunky grip and you’ve sold it to me.
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HOW DOES THE AIRSOFT REPLICA HOLD UP TO THE REAL DEAL? STEWBACCA FINALLY RELENTED AND SUCCUMBED TO NOSTALGIA AND BOUGHT HIMSELF A WE L85A2 GBBR TO FIND OUT!
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THERE ARE FEW FIREARMS IN THE REAL-STEEL-REALM THAT ARE AS DIVISIVE AND STORIED IN THEIR ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF SERVICE WITH A NATION’S MILITARY THAN THE UK’S HOME-GROWN L85 SERIES OF RIFLES! WITH AN UNDENIABLY BAD FIRST ITERATION THAT HAS LED TO NOTORIETY AMONG THE MANY PLAYERS INCLUDING THOSE IN TAIWAN (YES, HE’S EVEN SEEN THE TYPICAL MEMES BUT IN CHINESE!)
WITHLIFE ARMALITE!MARMITETHE
Thus the earlier concept of the Enfield Weapons System was revisited with new zeal and eventually the L85 platform was borne of considerable development, albeit not always focused on the right places, as anyone who’s watched Forgotten Weapons’ long episodic saga of the whole process will be well aware! Personally I also had a former colleague who worked for Royal Ordnance at various facilities prior to being at one of my previous employers and we had many a conversation about his apprenticeship and motions through the company and its various
The SA80 (Small Arms of the 1980’s programme) was intended to modernise the British Armed Forces Individual Weapon, or primary service rifle, towards a more controllable and usable assault rifle, especially given the trends in urban conflict such as that seen in Northern Ireland where the venerable 7.62x51 L1A1 was reliable, but perhaps oversized and more importantly overpowered for use in essentially civilian environments. Use with vehicles and in buildings and with people you don’t want to be shooting in the AO, given its greater penetrating capability the SLR proved a bit of a pain to wield in close quarters or when being ferried around in APCs land rovers or helicopters; it made the SLR somewhat the wrong rifle for that environment.
Despite its reputation for being much loved (especially by my old man who served in that whole situation which is essentially how I came to be, like many other children of that conflict) the times were a-changin, and the UK defence establishment had already been looking at low calibre high velocity solutions as far back as the end of WWII with the EM1 and EM2 systems which then moved towards .280 British and 4.85mm cartridges. This is suspiciously similar to what we’re all apparently headed back towards now seventy odd years later following the whole political debacle of the US defence establishment forcing all and sundry to switch to 7.62x51 before promptly realising their own error and coming up with the new 5.56mm anyway and leaving everyone else holding the bag of overpowered cold war battle rifles; not that they’re at all bad as such, just not ideal for urban combat you might argue.
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The bullpup configuration and elongated barrel certainly have a visible effect in a GBBR replica, its 460mm internal barrel is actually a good 100mm longer than that of their T91 I elected to use for rifle competition shooting here in Taiwan when I had the chance to partake in it. During my first few outings with it I managed to throw BBs down fairly far and fast, soon running my magazines dry and having to “PERSONALLY I MAY HAVE BEEN MARRED EVEN EARLIER BY DAD’S VOCIFEROUS DISLIKE OF BEING FORCED TO HAND OVER HIS SLR IN FAVOUR OF THE NEW BACK TO FRONT PAPERWEIGHT, OFTEN DERISIVELY REFERRED TO AS THE ‘CIVIL SERVANT’ AS ‘IT NEVER WORKS AND YOU CAN’T FIRE IT!’”
GIVING IT GAS So, fast forward two decades and I was finally allowing the nostalgia of my days in a blue beret and Soldier 95s to overcome my perhaps overly bitter resentment of the backwards boat anchor, and at the tail end of January 2022 I purchased a GBBR L85A2 from KIC Airsoft, my usual go to gun shop, in the West of Taipei. Amusingly enough, it lived up to my expectations of realism, experiencing a stoppage on its very first magazine load and string of fire as I was test firing it at the shop’s small firing range. Well, at least the weight and handling are true to real steel!
Soon enough, the old ways came flooding back to me, and despite the teething issues and having to get used to not transitioning it fully into my left shoulder, or at all if possible (I heard at least one story of a cadet gouging their teeth out by being big and clever and trying to fire the real deal left handed despite warnings!) I was actually quite enjoying the handling and performance of WE’s incarnation, especially in the CQB environments it was ostensibly intended to work well in, although of course I always had to try and take the right hand corners on room clearing or corridor work!
TECHNICAL departments and projects, especially regarding the L85 and the eventual engagement of Heckler & Koch and how they went about upgrading and fixing the thing with the A2 series. Personally I may have been marred even earlier by dad’s vociferous dislike of being forced to hand over his SLR in favour of the new back to front paperweight, often derisively referred to as the ‘civil servant’ as ‘it never works and you can’t fire it!’, coupled with my own experiences in the RAF Cadets during my latter school years where we were introduced to the A1 iterations; the L98 cadet GP, L85, and L86 LSW along with the Lee Enfield No.8 which I was always quite fond of given its more classic appearance and manual operation. In short, the L85 has been around as long as myself, and I wonder which one of us has had a more irksome long term effect on the old man! Undoubtedly for many, it will always be the ‘Marmite Armalite’; you either love it or hate it, depending on when you were introduced to it, whether you had the L1A1 beforehand, and which iteration you experienced. I remember jokingly adding a “made with pride in the UK” to the end of one weapons handling instructor’s “don’t forget to tap the bolt handle forwards to make sure it’s fully in battery” ...evidently my cheek preceded my airsoft shenanigans. Nonetheless, many would argue that the original Armalite series also suffered numerous setbacks and a horrendous reputation and public relations disaster with the US forces during and after their involvement in Vietnam, and arguably as a result of people up top cutting corners, costs, or otherwise interfering with our lord and saviour Stoner’s wonderful contraption; it just had a two decade head start on the L85 series! Much the same as the familiar AUG of Austria which was adopted in numerous other countries, and the FAMAS of France, the L85 was intended to be a more wieldy bullpup solution that would rationalise and replace the infantry rifle, carbine and submachine gun all in one, and thus reduce the supply chain and overall costs and greater ease logistics, deployment and training.
An immediate benefit, however, is the compatibility with the rest of WE’s AR range; I had already had the HK416 and T91 for over a year and was not only very familiar with their insides (and the issues they present as per my reviews of them in AA issues 125 and 136 respectively) but also had a decent number of magazines they were already sharing, so the initial investment was at least less of a pain for me. With the L85A2 itself just shy of 10,000 NT in country, which translates to around 250 of your pounds Sterling directly, I soon insisted on adding a ruggedised ELCAN optic for a further 80 quid or so which thankfully just dropped onto the proprietary optic rail and tightened up nicely, I had contemplated the G&G SUSAT but it wasn’t in stock at the time and I figured the ELCAN was what was being used more recently anyway, albeit not the exact version I’d chosen, it seems.
WETECH L85A2 GBBR
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The real steel tales of plastic woes related to the furniture were soon revisited with the cheek piece finding its way loose all too easily if caught slightly or otherwise pushed forwards; again not a dreadful show stopper, and if you were that bothered or inclined you could no doubt permanently glue it in place or secure it internally somehow with additional fasteners or retention wires that wrap around the plastic locking tabs, it was just somewhat surprising when it happened the first time to me during a
WETECH L85A2 GBBR TECHNICAL do the familiar duck behind cover and high port to strip the empty and put in a fresh one. The standard threaded muzzle also allowed me to affix my Acetech Lighter S tracer unit and make use of it to help with tweaking the HOP unit and zeroing the ELCAN to the point of impact. This in itself was not the easiest undertaking, with the HOP unit and general internals following those of WE’s AR system, the small grub screw at the top of the barrel extension and mock trunnion that the aesthetic bolt head ‘locks’ into can be a pain to access with a small Allen key, and I would typically break open the HK416 or T91 and pull the bolt carrier group out to get easier access to it. In the case of the L85A2 however it’s basically a case of field stripping the gun each time and trying to dial the HOP in between strings of fire, unless you have a nifty tool of some sort to reach in through the ejection port and turn it with some form of universal joint like action; I’ve seen such ideas floating about and have my own in mind too.This of course reminded me of the proper handling and use of the not-as-captive-as-you’d-like Trigger Mechanism Housing (TMH) pins. There are many tales told of active service personnel field stripping the L85 and forgetting to cup their hand over the rear as they separate the TMH (or lower receiver, essentially) from the upper receiver, and the recoil spring assembly subsequently goes careening out of the rear, usually into some unsuspecting compatriot, or in the worst case scenario out of the window of a moving vehicle never to be seen again!
The whole process is at least as realistic as you’re going to get; that is one of the things I love about GBBRs, the field stripping procedure is as close to real steel as you’re likely to find and it makes them somewhat easier to work on compared to AEGs that can sometimes require detail stripping from around a troublesome gearbox depending on how long you have been playing or how well thought out the manufacturer’s design intent was. This recoil mechanism was one of the first operational issues I encountered, however, with considerable recoil and related vibration being experienced in the L85 the retention pins of the two main rods eventually worked their way loose and fell into the fire control mechanism incurring stoppages and ultimately getting totally lost. Not ideal, but not a deal breaker as such, I personally would have had them inserted and biased from the top of the assembly so that they couldn’t fall out during use and would be passively retained by the very nature of being inside and under the upper receiver body itself. In the end I just hammered in some spring pins the guys at Archwick had lying around and they’re unlikely to come loose any time soon at least.
WETECH L85A2 GBBR TECHNICAL game. The safety bar is somewhat stiff to begin with which ensures you do your ‘idiot’s wave’ safety drills appropriately and are very deliberate with taking it off safe when ready to fire, although I also found the trigger and transfer bar don’t always reset fully; you sometimes have to push on the back face of the trigger body to fully seat it forwards, and while this doesn’t affect the operation during firing, it can make it even harder to push the safety cross bolt back to the safe position without manually reseating the trigger forward.
OPERATING SYSTEMS The operation of the firing mechanism is at least crisp and consistent, and of course also reminiscent of the other WE ARs I have, albeit the recoil may be a little more pronounced due to the different shape and bulk of the bolt carrier, and the fact that the ejection port is right next to my ear so it can be pretty loud at times! I’m grateful I managed to dig out my in-ear throat mic comms set for the last game I used this at, it’s probably saving my hearing somewhat, but that’s all ‘part of the fun’ for me I suppose… you have to get used to the smell of gas too, I might add! The bolt head and gas blowback parts themselves are basically the same as the other AR platforms I have, I haven’t put my callipers on them as yet but visually there’s nothing much between the HK416 and L85A2 bolt heads aside from the carriers they’re mounted in. The L85A2’s does, however, seem to have a habit of sticking or binding more perhaps due to the carrier’s shorter body and thus likely its less stable movement compared to the smooth telescoping of the HK416/T91’s within the machined surfaces of the AR15 style receivers, the upward force of the magazine in place and movement of the bolt carrier on the guide rods makes the nozzle slew upwards and bind a bit, liberal use of low viscosity silicone oil can help, although I’m also considering an RA Tech magnetic locking NPAS adjustable bolt unit to improve not only the cycling and feeding function but also allow better power output adjustment. In terms of stock power output I chronographed the L85A2 using a variety of ammunition weights and the same somewhat industry standard ‘12kg’ green gas I use for all my GBBRs here in Taiwan. Running a 10 round string of BLS 0.2g BBs resulted in a range from 121.3m/s - 132.2m/s (398 fps - 433 fps) with the majority of shots in the 127m/s region (416 fps) - this translates to around 1.5 Joules. Using 0.3g BLS BBs the velocity dropped to 98.6m/s - 111.6m/s (323 fps - 366 fps) again around 1.5 Joules on average, and finally 0.4g BLS BBs gave a range of 83.0m/s - 96.1m/s (272.2 fps - 315 fps) again around 1.5J - somewhat odd that I didn’t experience more Joule creep with the reasonably long barrel and heavier ammunition, as I have seen be far more pronounced in the VFC PSG-1 during my testing of it with similar ammunition weights. Nonetheless, a throttle nozzle or NPAS valve would likely be required to make it more compliant for fielding.Theslewing bolt head is what seemed to cause the very first failures or stoppages, and also tends to wreak havoc with any magazines that develop even slightly loose feed lips. As anyone who’s seen the 12th player’s choice awards by Popular Airsoft will have seen, I opened my video segment with a stoppage that saw my entire magazine load of rounds spewing out of the ejection port; the sticking of the bolt gas nozzle causes it to rest right against the rounds in the feed lips at times and facilitate them all flying out loosely at once, or sometimes individually during a firing cycle, which then leads to stoppages and other issues being incurred. The latter caused a pretty messy stoppage at one of my more recent games fielding the L85A2 for this reviewing process, and I ended up having to drop the mag, shake a few loose rounds out, and then rinse and repeat when it still didn’t work properly after I thought I’d cleared it. At least I had plenty of good cover and teammates, and bad language!Againthis is also an issue I’ve encountered in the other WE AR’s and largely a case of keeping an eye on your magazine feed lips and changing them as they wear out. The benefit of the L85A2 at least is that due to its AR18 heritage rather than AR15, it has a boxy stamped sheet steel receiver with plenty of free space around the barrel extension and trunnion, so at least those loose BBs floating around in the bolt carrier’s workspace have some chance of escaping more
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The dust cover is another source of irritation at times, the metal pin it’s mounted upon has a tendency to move too easily within the folded metal retainers at either end, especially under recoil or repeated use, and thus the plastic dust cover itself can get a bit gnarled up or cause stoppages by inhibiting the full and free movement of the bolt, I’m looking at fixing this properly with an S shaped piece of wire that won’t unseat as easily, and there’s really no reason to remove it in the long term anyway so hopefully I can retain it in place properly and maintain the full and proper functionality.
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WETECH L85A2 GBBR TECHNICAL benignly down the sides of the barrel instead of being mashed into the trunnion and preventing the bolt closing at all… although I have had them land on the edge of the ejection port and get mashed and lodged there too, Similarly,somehow.evenifthat does occur, the receivers aren’t prevented from being disassembled as a result, because the bolt doesn’t have to be fully in battery to clear a buffer tube and allow the receivers to be hinged open ala an AR15; that whole setup does at least make it somewhat easier to clean and maintain in that respect as well as better avoiding those horrendous hard failures that eventually require detail stripping to thoroughly clean the bolt and trunnion faces of all the utterly mashed and pulverised BBs that end up jammed in the small spaces.
DOWNRANGE Mounting the ELCAN definitely stretches the legs of the platform, allowing you to clearly see targets out further with the 4x optical magnification, and the familiar single obelisk-like pointy-post indicating your point of aim. At Linkou CQB I did manage to nicely post some long shots through small windows in the killing house style structures and get some eliminations, so it can certainly perform well enough when it functions properly, I did however have to jam the optic all the way to its left extreme of adjustment in order to get the sight picture and post on target, so I’m not sure if the barrel is misaligned or the mounting shoe on the top is, but you might need to use up a lot of your range of adjustment to get the thing zeroed depending on your optic. Being from a somewhat international team here in Taiwan a few of the other guys like going full Brit battle rattle, and I was fortunate enough to grab some pictures with Barrie and Lu at one of my more recent outings with all three of us sporting L85A2s. They both have the G&G AEG variants, but for the photo ops it was nice at least to have us all visually matching, and I’m also aware that our friend Well of PAF Airsoft has a personal penchant for Brit Kit among some other players on the island, and he was one of the first to start bringing in such things and meet the “BEING FROM A SOMEWHAT INTERNATIONAL TEAM HERE IN TAIWAN A FEW OF THE OTHER GUYS LIKE GOING FULL BRIT BATTLE RATTLE, AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GRAB SOME PICTURES WITH BARRIE AND LU AT ONE OF MY MORE RECENT OUTINGS WITH ALL THREE OF US SPORTING L85A2S.”
Another minor note from the outset is the lack of a functioning manual bolt hold open lever, I’m not sure if it’s just a case that WE didn’t do their research and know what that lever is for, but it was originally spring biased to turn the wrong way and not attached to anything mechanical inside anyway. I had already considered designing a fix myself when thankfully Ben over at TheEnglishKiwi channel sent me his own design files to allow me to 3D print his own solution in the form of an additional arm that attaches around the otherwise non-functioning axle of the manual bolt hold-open lever on the right hand of the receiver, and then kicks up the hold open stopper on the left side, thus allowing you to do the appropriate drills and clear your chamber or otherwise lock the working parts to the rear when required. Of course the integral automatic bolt stop and manual release on the left side were properly replicated so it will lock open on empty and allow you to reload and drop the bolt without reaching over to grab the charging handle again, again it’s essentially only a small detail, but it’s a creature comfort to have it function.
market desires of others; when I first met him on the initial PengHu MilSim I covered for CKM magazine he was decked out in head to toe MTP with a Mk6 on top and his usual mischievous moustached grin to boot!Whilst there’s clearly a market for impressions and impersonations for the L85A2, regardless of my personal hang ups and history with it, would I recommend the WE GBBR? A new teammate recently asked me that question in fact, as he was contemplating bullpups in general and I told him I haven’t had problems with the other ones such as the P90, F2000, AUG, QBZ97 or Tavor that I’ve owned or used just because they’re bullpups, it’s a case of training and they can have real benefits even in airsoft as this one has proved to me with its increased range and performance, despite the drawbacks of not being able to fully shoulder it left handed. I was discussing the matter with Scott from Landwarrior as well and he related that he refuses to carry and sell them, and that sometimes people will purchase them by other means, and bring them in to show him, before the inevitable despairing failures that he isn’t obliged to fix having not sold the guns to them. I think it’s difficult to say, personally, I have only seen one other player fielding the WE GBBR version in all my time out here, and to be fair all my WE ARs have similar issues (as do many gas guns in general) but if you are a hardcore enthusiast of both British guns and gear, and GBBR platforms, I wouldn’t dissuade you from purchasing what is actually a very fun gun to run, I begrudgingly admit! But buyer beware of the typical failure points I’ve mentioned, and if you’re relying on a new gun purchase as your first or only GBBR, I’d be inclined to send you somewhere else personally as it really is somewhat of a Marmite Armalite! AA
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STEWBACCA HAS FINALLY BEEN MAKING PROGRESS ON THE LONG OVERDUE OVERHAUL OF HIS LONG SERVING AND SUFFERING KJ WORKS CZ75 SHADOW 2 COMPETITION GAS BLOWBACK PISTOL THAT HE’S USED SINCE HE ACQUIRED IT IN LATE AUGUST 2020, AND REVIEWED HIS OPERATIONAL WINS AND WOES RELATING TO IT IN MORE DEPTH BACK IN ISSUE NO. 129!, IN LINE WITH OUR ARTICLE ON SHIELD SPORTS HE NOW SHARES THE UPGRADES HE’S COMPLETED WITH THE SUPPORT OF CLARENCE LAI, “THE AIRSOFT SURGEON”, THROUGH CL PROJECT DESIGN, AS WELL AS KIC AIRSOFT WHO HELPED HIM WITH THE EXCELLENT EXTERNAL REFINISHING WORK!
As anyone who’s followed my “Fresh Prince of Action Air” exploits either in Airsoft Action or on my social media will know, I’ve been staunchly resistant of my teammates continued cajoling to “just buy a HiCapa” or at best “get a Glock” and be like everyone else in the local circuit!
Successful, I suppose, but, I’ve always had a leaning towards European pistols and particularly service weapons from the likes of H&K, Walther and CZ, with a plastic fantastic modernist mentality, and just want to avoid “fudd guns” (forgive me Bill!) and just do my own thing in general; as with Jon’s own PAMG efforts, I want to add more to the sum total of knowledge, and try something different and learn something new that I can also share with the community at large through my efforts, rather than just win through already thoroughly treaded paths. As a result I’ve always tried to stick to ‘service
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Clarence has produced an evergrowing array of internal upgrade components that address the extreme wear and tear I informed him about experiencing with mine, addressing issues such as the double action system failure, magazine bumper plates flying off when dropped and the more difficult to acquire stock front sight which doesn’t have a true fibre insert as such but a plain plastic version. He’s also lightened and strengthened a lot of the internal components, adjusted and optimised spring rates, and worked his magic to improve accuracy and efficiency.
KJS2ISS: complete factory internal spring set Clarence was good enough to give me not one but two entire sets of the internal springs which obviously will fatigue over time and lose their ability to exert the required force on the components they’re fitted to for reliable functioning; each set includes Part Nos. 64 - trigger return spring 65 - sear return spring 66 - trigger transfer bar support spring 67 - magazine release spring 68 - striker arm return spring 69 - striker head return spring 70 - magazine release retention spring 71 - safety selector lever retainer spring 75 - gas valve return spring 92 - gas nozzle return spring
KJS2TRGB: reinforced CNC machined steel trigger transfer bar (‘bow’)
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INTERNAL SLICKNESS
CLPD reinforced CNC machined steel hammer connector hook This is Part No.11 on the parts diagram and is a hook that is connected to the right side of the main body of the hammer and interacts with the trigger transfer bar to enable double action functionality, Clarence has created a reinforced steel version with a better surface finish that should hopefully reduce the wear and tear on it seeing as my original sheared off during one training session and unceremoniously dropped out of the magazine well upon unloading.
CLPD KJ WORKS SHADOW 2 UPGRADES
So, what has the Airsoft Surgeon done to the original platform that KJ Works released?
KJS2CTRIG: CNC machined competition trigger ARRAY OF HIS PROTOTYPE AND PRODUCTION COMPONENTS TO TRY OUT IN MY WEATHERED EXAMPLE AND ENSURE PRODUCT EFFECTIVENESS AND SUITABILITY; I’M GETTING THE IDEA THAT IF I CAN’T BREAK IT, NOBODY CAN, AND PERHAPS THAT’S MY CALLING IN LIFE… #IBREAKSHITSOYOUDONTHAVETO!”
“...AN
INCREASINGLY
One of the early issues I encountered with both my Shadow 2 and earlier SP01 was wear on the trigger transfer bar or ‘bow’ as Clarence terms it, Part No.10 which is the stirrup device that goes around both sides of the magazine and connects the trigger to the sear system behind. This is initially a shiny cast alloy component that soon wears out on its rear upper faces and then lessens the effectiveness of the double action function coupled with the breakage of the hammer axle bearing chassis, Part No.4, and the weakening of the transfer bar support spring, aorementioned Part No. 66 as well as Part No. 11 all of which break or wear down and prevent the double action functionality from working properly. Since replacing all these parts it has returned to full functionality so now I can use the Shadow 2 properly in production division.
TECHNICAL sidearms’ in both my skirmishing and my action air exploits; yes, the Prague police run Shadow 2’s, apparently, so I can still get away with that one! Until Clarence recently released his turnkey Shadow 2 solution, it seemed me and only one other competitor in the entire of Taiwan have been fielding them for Production division, but since Clarence arrived and I told him all of the problems I’d been having with the stock pistol he’s set about diligently working the same magic he’s applied to HiCapas and Glocks for a lot longer, and has been very generous in supplying me with an array of his prototype and production components to try out in my own weathered example and ensure product effectiveness and suitability; increasingly I’m getting the idea that if I can’t break it, nobody can, and perhaps that’s my calling in life… #IBreakShitSoYouDontHaveTo!
CLPD KJ WORKS SHADOW 2 UPGRADES
TECHNICAL
KJS2SSS: reinforced CNC machined steel slide stop/ release lever
Clarence has also produced a new flatter form of trigger for competition use - to replace original Part No. 9 - which dramatically improves the general feel of the trigger pull as well as allowing its travel to be controlled through use of the twin grub screws in its face. The lower grub screw mimics the action of the original trigger’s similar screw Part No. 113, which allows control of the over-travel of the trigger after the break point by screwing it in or out. The additional upper grub screw can also be installed if desired to allow the user to limit it to single action only by preventing the full forward return movement of the trigger to its point of reset, so for standard or open divisions the trigger pull can be made a lot shorter and faster as a result. Available in both black (BK) and silver (SV) versions.
The original blowback unit in the Shadow 2, Part No. 15, is a single die cast piece, which is somewhat heavy at 28g, so Clarence has provided a 75% reduction in component weight with his 7g CNC machined aluminium equivalent which is in fact in two separate pieces which are then held together by the insertion of the replacement firing pin channel bolt Part No. 76. This allows for a much lighter overall slide weight and thus reduced gas consumption and a smoother and faster cycle time due to the lowered reciprocating mass involved, especially in conjunction with the optimised magic recoil spring and magazine feed lips. He’s also given me his re-contoured rubber piston seal unit that fits on the front of this unit and provides a better seal effect due to its more complicated front geometry where the gas impinges upon it during firing.
KJS2INB: CLPD A+ Studio 6.01mm inner barrel and HOPOnerubberofthe easiest and most immediately effective upgrades to basically any airsoft gun is the HOP and internal barrel, and in conjunction with A+ Studio, a well-known name in Taiwan whose HOP units and rubbers are well regarded here and also used by the likes of Archwick and other high end manufacturers in their own OEM products, the 6.01mm tightbore brass inner barrel and the A+ revolution HOP rubber are undoubtedly going to improve your range and consistency, judging by the use of similar components in the CLPD 10/22 and Archwick L119A2 GBBRs I’ve experienced. I will of course do further more in depth gun science tests over the long term comparing the
The slide stop release lever in the Shadow 2, like in a large number of Browning action style pistols, holds the barrel and slide onto the frame, and can thus experience quite a bit of wear as the slide cycles rearward and the barrel tilts up and down out of engagement with it, so Clarence has designed a reinforced steel replacement equivalent for the original Part No. 13 available in both black (BK) and silver (SV) variants.
Along with the internal functional components
KJS2ALSLBBH: enhanced CNC machined lightweight anodised aluminium blowback unit
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KJS2HPML: CLPD hand polished OEM magazine feed lip units
KJS2BPAD: CLPD CNC machined 7075 aluminium anodised magazine baseplates One of the most common and irksome failings of the Shadow 2, particularly in a competition and training setting is the magazine baseplates or ‘bumpers’, Part No. 37, which are fitted to the bottom of the magazines and are retained by Part No. 38 in the bottom of the magazine’s ammunition channel and have a tendency to fly off or break all too readily when they are dropped on the floor during rapid reloading, thankfully Clarence has come up with anodised alloy replacements that are not only retained positively by a grub screw that locks into the magazine feed channel, but also have a much better geometry and texture with slide serration style ridges that allow for easier handling during reloading, which are available in black (BK), silver (SV), red (RD), gold (GD) and purple (PP).
KJS2ALMB: CLPD CNC machined 7075 aluminium anodised magazine release button
Along with the base plates and slide stop/release Clarence also has replacement magazine release buttons, in anodised aluminium available in black (BK), silver (SV), gold (GD) and purple (PP) - while these are primarily aesthetic and just a replacement for the original Part No. 145 they nonetheless add a finishing touch along with the other coloured control components.
In conjunction with the softened magic recoil spring, Clarence has given me enough of his hand polished OEM feed lips to replace all of my 8 magazine’s original Part No. 34, which have noticeably widened front apertures where the BBs feed from during the loading cycle - this increased opening drastically reduces the friction and resistance to feeding and thus allows a weaker recoil spring to overcome such resistance and thus allow for higher gas efficiency.
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KJS2ALGRP: CLPD CNC machined 7075 aluminium grip panels
TECHNICAL stock barrel and HOP rubber with and the CLPD/ A+ setup with with both standard BLS and CLPD Bushido rounds for comparison, but this should certainly be high on your priority list for easy and early upgrades should you run a Shadow 2 competitively.
To further improve gas efficiency and cycle speed of the top slide in general, Clarence has redesigned the main recoil spring to use a progressive or noncontinuous pitch of spring along with a different softer overall rating to allow for lesser force to push the top slide rearwards and cycle the action, improving efficiency and cycle time for faster double taps - however please note that this MUST be used in conjunction with his hand polished OEM feed lip units to allow proper function as these have a lower resistance to rounds feeding from them.
CLPD KJ WORKS SHADOW 2 UPGRADES
KJS2CUK: CLPD magic recoil spring
CLPD KJ WORKS SHADOW 2 UPGRADES
TECHNICAL As with the magazine release button, the grip side panels are largely an aesthetic choice but do provide a further personalisation to your competition gunpersonally I went with the purple finish for these and the magazine release button and baseplates although I have always liked the original electric blue of the side panels - Parts No. 30 & 31.
BACK IN THE GROOVE
BUSH: CLPD Bushido Master Grade BBs
So with all of these components made available to me as Clarence was developing and releasing them I finally found time where I didn’t need my Shadow 2 for competitions and could detail strip it on camera to produce my own maintenance video before sending the frame, slide, rear sight block and all eight magazine bodies for shot blasting and cleanup as well as Cerakote refinishing in matte black thanks to KIC Airsoft where I tend to buy the majority of my guns and components these days. With the external finish redone to a very nice degree and all the required upgrade internal and external components from CLPD I set to work reassembling my own gun on camera to produce detail reassembly videos for my channel, and will soon be back to regular practise with my IPSC team following a few injuries and having to move place and workplace over the last few months; I’m very much looking forward to fielding it again and getting back into the swing of things. I’d like to sincerely thank Clarence for not only taking on board all my concerns, ideas and experiences of using the Shadow 2, but also furnishing me with so many of his excellent upgrade components for trial and evaluation, as well as KIC Airsoft for supplying my gun and magazines in the first place but also refinishing them to such a great standard after well over a year of utter abuse in my competition exploits. Feel free to visit them at https:// kicbbgun.com.tw/; KIC are also the local dealership of CLPD parts, as well as selling internationally, but for a local supplier local to yourselves please check https:// clprojectdesign.com/ for dealers. AA
KJS2FFS: CNC machined 7075 aluminium front sight blade with 1mm fibre insert
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A final functional addition to the KJ Shadow 2 is the replacement front sight blade and insert, which replaces the original Part No. 84 and 84-1 which actually has a narrower 1mm fibre collimator insert provided, with both pink and yellow-green inserts provided to allow the user to fit and crop their preferred colour upon installation. This improves the aiming capability of the Shadow 2 by using a finer but more visible front dot on the front sight post.
One final but readily transferable upgrade to the Shadow 2, or in fact any of your airsoft guns is what you feed it - Clarence has released a whole range of Bushido master grade BB rounds of various weights0.20g, 0.30g, standard types, 0.32g, 0.40g bio BBs, and 0.20g and 0.25g tracer BBs there’s something for every end user, personally I standardised the vast majority of my guns on 0.3g as I can get BLS white, black and tracer in the same weight, so I acquired some sample packs of CLPD Bushido in 0.3g for a direct comparison, these all have a much tighter of 5.95mm +/- 0.01mm tolerances allowing for much better consistency.
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Airsoft, if nothing else, seems to be ever evolving and diversifying, as are the tastes of its players and thus the manufacturers serving their interests and developing products pertinent to such shifts; G&G certainly seemed to land things well with not only their ARP9 and SSG1 AEG platforms, likewise Action Army with their AAP-01, all of which seem to have rapidly become the mainstay platforms for SpeedQB players worldwide but particularly noticeably in Taiwan where they’re produced and Speedsoft or SQB is a growing, albeit as everywhere else contentious, demographic. More recently SpeedQB has seen further division in its playing style and the rise of purpose-built or at least more dedicated and suitable arenas in Taipei in the North, Tainan in the Southwest and Kaohsiung in the very South of the island, all ideal indoor fields for fast-paced close-range 5v5 or even more recently 3v3 and 1v1 competitions in a similar vein to PewLogic’s ‘Going Dark’ outdoor tracer night game I covered back in June 2022’s Issue No.138 that saw us lighting up the skies in the midlands of Hsinchu with a green glow.But what about players who are still rooted in MilSim equipment and platforms, as well as tactics and arenas, who want to do something a bit competitive or small squad based, but don’t fancy stretching to all new equipment and the powersliding fence hopping antics of the SQB crowd? This idea certainly appeals to me, with my ageing knees, focusing on personal marksmanship and our team’s increasing training in small unit tactics and making good use of communication and cover. Thankfully it seems yet another slice of the pie that is airsoft culture has been cut out for such people; I’d recently seen QMoer, a prominent local Taiwanese airsoft Youtuber who I’ve met numerous times when covering the same events across the spectrum of our interests and industry shows, mentioning his push in the southern counties and cities of Taiwan for ‘Airsoft Battle Matches’ which take the concept of SpeedQB and short, fast and close-range competitive small team force on force game modes, and open them up to the more typical crowds of MilSim players THE EVER-SHIFTING TIDES APPLY JUST AS MUCH TO OUR HOBBIES AS THE WORLD AND ECONOMY AROUND US DO, AND AIRSOFT IS NO EXCEPTION! SINCE HEADING TO TAIWAN STEWBACCA HAS NOT ONLY SEEN THE PREVALENCE OF HARDCORE MILSIM PLAYERS WHO BORDER ON RE-ENACTORS OR COSPLAYERS, BUT ALSO GOT INVOLVED IN COMPETITION SHOOTING IN VARIOUS GUISES AND HAS EVEN DABBLED IN SPEEDQB AND OTHER BURGEONING STYLES. BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN MILSIM PLAYERS WANT TO HOLD SOMETHING MORE COMPETITION-STYLED TOO? ENTER 3QB… ALL GOING
TAICHUNG!3QBSOUTH...IN
I was more than happy to divert my attentions away from our usual team Taiji MilSim activities for one Sunday in late July after having been invited along to cover just such an event at a relatively new (or at least previously unknown to myself) site in Taiping, right down at the south east corner of Taichung, Taiwan’s central and second city and its surrounding area where a large amount of airsoft manufacturers such as ICS, G&G, LCT, KWC, and King Arms are all based, in the foothills of Taiwan’s central mountain range, not far from where some of my AIPSC and other skirmish exploits have taken place a little further north in the past.
MAKING TRACKS
‘Military Anny’ is another prominent airsofter and media representative here in Taiwan, having recently appeared on local television discussing national service and training in light of the growing threat of cross-strait relations, a story I’ll be digging into in more depth in due course as well, but you may also have seen her appear in at least the last few Popular Airsoft player’s choice awards; she’s well known and liked on the island and further afield and has a wealth of experience in both replica and real firearms usage so makes an ideal spokesperson as well as being our local Specna Arms representative.
WITH HER AS SHE WAS ALREADY PLANNING ON COVERING THE EVENT FOR HER OWN BLOG AND MEDIA ACTIVITIES, AND IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD EXCUSE FOR ME TO GET OUT OF TOWN AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT”
or casual airsofters.
This is sadly not always the case here in Taiwan where things are a lot more fast and loose in general due to the lack of regulation and player’s arguable tight-fistedness in terms of pay-to-play attitudes; they tend to spend a lot on guns and gear and play for free in abandoned places that you have to be ‘in the know’ about or get referrals regarding and our own team TaiJi cycle between such places on a weekly basis and rarely play at paying or officially organised sites. These are definitely the exception, rather than the rule here in Taiwan, or certainly in the north at least; many of the midland and southern sites tend to be operated by gun shops or with the support of manufacturer’s or other entities behind the scenes, with many of our past games in the area being hosted and operated by the KUI Airsoft shop team I cut my teeth with in Zhubei when I first arrived, or ICS’ own staff team who I haven’t seen in far too long, and many of whom have since moved on it seems.
“ANNY WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DRAG ME ALONG (KICKING AND SCREAMING, OBVIOUSLY!)
Anny was good enough to drag me along (kicking and screaming, obviously!) with her as she was already planning on covering the event for her own blog and media activities, and it seemed like a good excuse for me to get out of town and do something different as well as cover a new topic, try out a new site, and of course meet old friends and make new ones. So I took my leave of our usual Sunday team outing and planned my weekend around leaving work immediately on Saturday evening with my 5.11 Rush 72 pre-packed to the gunwales with my ‘lightweight’ gear options in the form of my Modify PP2K GBB PDW, VFC PPQ NPA GBB pistol and associated tac gear, helmet, GoPro and other support gear, in case I could get stuck in to the action myself (spoiler; he did, in fact, get stuck into the action after the main competition was finished!). Straight onto the MRT then the HSR bullet train halfway down the country in no time at all, and out for dinner with Anny and the first of my new friends I’d meet, her local policeman pal Chien, who would be joining us the next afternoon and providing some assistance withHavingtransport.stuffed ourselves with Japanese food and talked shop about ourselves and our personal histories, we all retired to our respective hotel rooms/ home and finalised our prep for the morning; it would be a fairly early doors start as we had to grab breakfast and taxi it out to Taiping out on the city limits where the ‘BaoDao’ (Treasure Island) airsoft site is located.Awarm welcome awaited us, both from the people and the weather; it was already hitting the mid thirties by around 0800 and Anny and myself dropped our bags and grabbed our eyepro, cameras and some hi-vis vests to start our walk-around of the site and competition area. The site itself is fairly expansive despite being wedged in by the foothills to the east and an industrial estate surrounding the rest, with an array of structures, fences, drum stacks, abandoned vehicles of various shapes and sizes, containers with doors and windows cut out of them and even killing house style rooms created from metal frameworks and corrugated fence panels; the operators have certainly invested a lot of time, effort and money into making an excellent gaming arena!
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This well maintained and laid-out setting proved ideal for the game style and themes planned, the Airsoft Battle Match, or ‘3QB’ as I coined to simplify the concept, is basically what the portmanteau of acronyms sounds like; 3 Vs 3 CQB competitive gameplay! The Treasure Island regulars had formed their own sub-teams of three players each and turned out in force, fielding a total of 32 initial squads all competing in a typical elimination tree until the remaining two squads would battle for the ultimate champion title.
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BLACKED-OUT OPS
Using around a quarter of the total site which had been cordoned off as well as had a large black sheet fence erected down the long edge of it to keep it separate from the remainder of the field which would continue operating the regular morning skirmish during the competition; there were ample angles and obstacles to hide behind and perform small team fire and manoeuvre tactics with, without getting ‘lost in the weeds’ or stalemated too easily. The whole setup seemed very well thought out and proved to force the action well and keep rounds from running on too long, although there was an upper time limit established just in case the last men standing were feeling overly cautious, this didn’t seem to happen all that often
the atmosphere remained jovial and good-spirited; the whole operation ran very smoothly with squads prepping in the main safezone area and players rarely being late or disorganised as their team names were called to the entrance over the loudspeaker. The organisers ensured fairness and controlled conditions by supplying the AEGs to be played with; a mixture of the site rental guns, many of which seemed to be Arcturus AK variants along with your typical ARs; everyone was issued a gun of their choice, and a single midcap of 150 BBs to last each bout, with some BBs usually being expended in testing and ensuring magazine function and sighting in as the guns went between players constantly and the organisers had boxes of midcaps and Odins on the go to keep them reloaded and game rounds progressing smoothly.Withall six players of each bout having tested their AEGs there’d be a paper-scissors-stone (or the local Taiwanese variation thereof) to decide who chose the starting ends, and whichever team was going slightly uphill would then retire to their start point at the far end of the arena from the entrance area. Marshalls would accompany them and ensure everyone was prepared before the ‘game on’ was announced, whilst Anny, myself and two other photographers were ambling around in hi-vis vests to get the best action shots of squads moving together or the last men (or in some cases women, there were some in attendance!) standing circling each other as quickly or quietly as possible to gain the advantage and land the final killingGamesstroke.continued unabated for most of the morning, with a brief break to rearm and ensure everyone had taken on fluids after each of the elimination stages between heats where the victorious half of the previous rounds would progress to fight off each other and get to the next stage. The sun was getting high overhead by the time the final rounds arrived and everyone was looking fairly well cooked, myself very much included! Bear in mind I hadn’t even donned my own gear yet as such and had already saturated my lightweight t-shirt and 5.11 trousers in sweat, not that that’s anything new for me here, but some of these lads and lasses were clad head to toe in BDU’s, plate carriers, and even balaclavas or in the case of one girl an EOD suit, complete with shield, although I think she was helping organise things and wasn’t taking the shield in game as such… they don’t do things by halves out here! All in all, around thirty rounds later the final two teams ‘SAB’ and ‘HT’ were facing off as the lunchtime siesta was very much ready to kick in for everyone else, and after some excellent and hard fought final gameplay ‘HT’ squad walked away as the final victors. I have to say I hadn’t seen any issues whatsoever throughout the day, everyone was in great spirits, playing and working together well as both teams and opponents, and taking everything in their stride, all this despite the top prize being 10,000NT, basically 100USD for each of the three players on the winning team, with other not insignificant cash prizes for the runnersTypicallyup.in the competitive shooting I’ve been involved in cash prizes are expressly forbidden due to the obvious corrupting influence they pose, and yet everyone involved seemed to just get on with it and take the decisions and outcomes without a second “THROUGHOUT THE DAY THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINED JOVIAL AND GOOD-SPIRITED; THE WHOLE OPERATION RAN VERY SMOOTHLY WITH SQUADS PREPPING IN THE MAIN SAFEZONE AREA AND PLAYERS RARELY BEING LATE OR DISORGANISED”
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All the adventuring, photographing and sheer sweating done with we packed our gear up and Anny looked into organising exfil out of Taichung; as it was most of the HSR trains had gotten booked up so she decided to stay in the city overnight and I took my chances and took the train out to the high speed rail station and got an unreserved seat ticket; I was lucky enough to land a seat despite the Sunday night rush, but I am truly sorry to the unlucky folks who had to share the neighbouring seats with me… I was less than fresh by the end of all that, homeward bound into yet another sunset and with more war stories to share!I’dlike to extend my sincere thanks to the organisers, and regular players at BaoDao; as always the welcome in Taiwan is as warm as the weather and the language barrier seems to be ever-reducing as I spend more time here, even QMoer was commenting on my ability to share my ideas in more depth as we’ve progressively happened upon each other over the years, so I guess I’m going native eh? And of course many thanks to the lovely Anny for inviting me along and organising the accommodation and transport, as well as Chien for helping us back to the train station and just for being an all-round solid player and person. ‘Til next time! AA
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With the last heat decided everyone retired to the fairly comfortable covered safezone to enjoy the typical ‘bian dan’, a Taiwanese rice lunch box with meat and veg atop, as well as copious bottled water or energy drinks to stave off the perpetual risk of heatstroke. By the end of the day I was still feeling a bit of a headache despite the guys telling me their fridge was my fridge and I’d sunk about 5 litres of various fluids as a result; welcome to the tropics, fellowWithshooters!everyone else’s appetite for battle (and my clothing) thoroughly whetted the winners and runners up were announced and trios of trophies handed out along with the red envelopes of prize money to the top four teams, followed swiftly by the somewhat customary prize draw supported by local manufacturers and retailers, with many players walking away with a raft of TMC tactical gear in the shape of plate carriers, chest rigs, hats, gloves, as well as BDUs; one team seemed to get outfitted entirely with new Flecktarn trousers by the time all the ticket numbers were called! While others walked away with an array of gas pistols, AEG AKs, and even a few bolt action rifles and oversized pillows in the shape of grenades and radios, again, spirits and banter remained high throughout it all.
NEW FRIENDS; GAME ON! With that all done with, many of the teams and also the players who had been doing the morning session’s skirmish alongside began filtering out again, and the remainder were our media group, the site organisers and the true hardcore players who were hanging around also joined in the afternoon skirmish session, soon to be joined by Chien I’d met the night before and a few others. As 1400 rolled around about eight to ten of us geared up with our own equipment and headed out to ‘enjoy’ (or endure?) the insanity of the afternoon heat; I threw on my plate carrier and helmet and began GoPro filming our exploits. As with the morning session, I found the standard of play and sportsmanship of the regular guys to be excellent and devoid of any drama, we all just got really stuck in, communicated in a mix of English, Chinese and hand signals to call out or opponents locations and just had some all-round great fun moving and shooting in pairs or four man teams through the vehicles and containers littered around the site.
The PP2K really has been playing on form since my friends in the know took a look inside with me, and I’ve since set up a specific placard for my interchangeable rig that nicely holds all four of my stick mags for it that were previously an utter embuggerance to store and reload on the fly with, so I was in my element and even managed to singlehandedly wipe out most of the opposing team in one round.Finally as the numbers of players still able to stand and fight dwindled and the clock hands moved toward 1700 four of us decided to just use our pistols and play 2v2 in the same cordoned off arena the 3v3 players had used in the morning and again my long standing adventures in gas pistols and more recently IPSC & IDPA paid off with me getting some excellent double taps in on the guys… albeit accidentally on my own teammate at one point that kind of hamstrung myself and left me alone against the other two!
AA LEGION TAIWAN EVENT thought or any protest, which I must say was excellent to see. I’m not sure if that’s an artefact of everyone involved being well known to each other, as regular players of the same site, an artefact of it being early days in the game format, or the fact perhaps the prizes weren’t announced beforehand, but regardless of the motives or lack thereof everything seemed to be organised and executed very well with the minimum of issues throughout; pretty good drills, for my mileage and the things I’ve seen over the years.
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T U R N YO U R P H O N E I N T O T H E M O S T A F F O R D A B L E V I R T UA L S I M U L AT I O N S H O O T I N G S Y S T E M . W O R K S W I T H R E A L F I R E A R M S , G E L B L A S T E R S A N D A I R S O F T.
EARLIER THIS MONTH WE SHARED THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT OUR FRIENDS AT LAYLAX IN JAPAN ARE BRANCHING OUT, BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND WITH THEIR NEW CHANNEL! THANKFULLY ONE OF THE BENEFITS FOR US IS THAT OUR OLD MATE MARCK WEST HAS AGREED TO SHARE HIS EXPERIENCES OF AIRSOFT IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN VIA THE AA LEGION NOW THAT HE’S BEEN LIVING, WORKING AND PLAYING AIRSOFT THERE!
A ODYSSEY!AIRSOFTJAPANESE SEPTEMBER 202286
Airsoft in Japan has always been slightly shrouded in mystery for me. Even though for the past many years I lived in Hong Kong, the thought of coming to Japan and playing has always been one of those things you talk about. When 2019 came along and I had a chance to go to the Krytac Owner’s Meeting as a guest, my eyes were truly opened!Airsoft in Japan; well, the hobby has been around for many years since it’s the birth place of airsoft as we know it. Due to this fact, the community as we see it today has developed into a relatively mature subculture with different branches. There are those that love cosplaying and use airsoft as an outlet to play in their costumes, there are those that love the Speedsoft and sporty aspect of the game, there are those that love more MilSim style of play, and there are those that are very much into their impression kits and load outs. Much of this is very familiar to us who have played airsoft for any significant amount of time but there’s something about how the player base or community does it here that exemplifies how far airsoft has come. No matter what people do or what they enjoy, take cosplaying for example, they are very comfortable in doing or being themselves while they
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GETTING YOUR GAME ON
With all that said, I am sure by now you all probably want to know the most important aspect of my experience, gameplay itself. Many of the sites I have played at so far are essentially “CQB” sites, inside warehouses or similar facilities; it’s quite fun, especially for a guy like me who actually quit CQB in HK (maybe this is a topic for another day). Corners were not always tight and there was a good variety of rooms and locations within each site that made the fighting interesting. There was never at any point a feeling of “well that lane is camped so we are not going anywhere” and the sites I’ve been too lent themselves well to having good flow. The players themselves are usually quite friendly but typically shy at first. However, going back to the feeling of escapism, they quickly open up and
play. For many of the people I have come to know, it’s truly escapism at its finest. They get to, for a few fleeting hours of their week, dress up and be something or someone else. I think it’s this feeling of escapism that really allows the players here to dive deep into what they do. This also applies to the ladies as well, not just our fellow dudes. Many ladies I have seen play take what they do quite seriously and often times dole out the pain just as proficiently as the guys (take my word on this one, I have been on the receiving end!). There’s a real sense of empowerment for them and they are quite confident when adorning their gear.
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fist bump you on a good hit or laugh with you if they missed a shot. The honour system is adhered to strictly and rarely do you see people not call their hits. Most of the time people who do not call their hits are due to the low power limit; many times you just can’t feel it! This has not happened much though in my experience; if someone doesn’t call their hits right away, I will just shoot a few more times until they feel it and they do promptly leave the zone. All in all playing here feels very familiar but doesn’t at the same time. Many of the rules and game types are the same but just how the people play makes its uniquely “Japanese”. What sets the Japanese community apart is probably the bar of entry is a bit higher than what we see in the West or other countries because you need to be 18+ before you are able to buy an airsoft gun. Not to disparage younger players or kids in our sport, but airsoft here is simply a far more mature hobby; when you go and play airsoft in Japan you will not see children or people incredibly younger than you are. For me personally, it’s quite refreshing being able to play with adults, not because I don’t like spending time with the younger base, but sometimes it’s refreshing to be around people of similar ages and walks of life. So, airsoft in Japan. It’s about what I expected it to be.It’s great escapism and a great community to be a part of. There’s something for the casual player and something for the ultra-hardcore! Much of the toxicity we often see in the West or other countries doesn’t exist as prevalently here because if you don’t like one group or style of play, there’s so much more out there for you to try and be a part of. Airsoft here truly has something for everyone, and I think this is something we should be able to do better in the West! AA
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NEXT ARMAGEDDON!!LEVEL SEPTEMBER 202290
THINGS ARE REALLY RETURNING TO NORMAL, WHATEVER NORMAL MIGHT BE FOR AIRSOFTERS, AND THIS MEANS THAT FINALLY EVERYONE IN THE AA LEGION IS HEADING BACK ON OUT TO PLAY ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS! WE’RE REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT OUR GOOD FRIEND AND “RESIDENT VIKING” BJORN IS BACK OUT TO GAMES, AND THIS MONTH HE TELLS US ALL ABOUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIELDS IN HIS NATIVE SWEDEN!
Stråssa is one of the biggest fields in Sweden and its based at an old sintering plant. It’s owned by a Company called Batalj (www.bataljevent.se) and has been in the industry for more than 20 years! To give you an idea of what they do here’s some info directly from their page that gives you an idea of how big the area really is! ”The scenario facility at Stråssa mine consists of a large number of old industrial buildings and service buildings, where the mining office (>6000 sq m) and the ball sinter plant (>15,000 sq m) stand out as the largest. In the area, we also own over 4 ha of land, where the track is built and the service parts are located. Additional land is leased and used at the larger events. In the facility you will find a lot of exciting things. For example virus labs, morgues, office landscapes, machine rooms, power stations, warehouses, residential quarters, trenches, bunkers and much, much more. For the larger houses, we currently have about 95 40-foot containers and concrete houses, many with several floors. The facility is developed to be able to arrange battle scenes from smaller groups in scenario games to large-scale games with hundreds of participants. The facility is particularly well suited to Apocalyptic Lives. Construction is ongoing all the time in Stråssa and is therefore increasing both in size and service level.
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GAME ON! The games consisted of some really fast and tight “capture the flag” games that every airsofter loves; three games with three teams, red, blue and yellow all trying to reach the other teams nest to snatch a flag! If you lost one of yours you could still try to take it back and also take another, so it was constant attack and defend all at once! In this game you really have advantage if you know the area as you can
The conditions were excellent, cloudy but warm with high humidity that made us sweat! I was running steel plates in my plate carrier from OneTigris and a Geigerrig water system, so I wasn’t running light!
TV series such as Dystopia and Hide and Seek have been recorded here and of course a lot of music videos.They”usually have as many as 500 players at the field on a Saturday game, and this field has everything! High ground perfect for sniping, sneaky dark areas where you need a light to manage because it’s pitch black, tight CQB areas, dunes of sand, forest areas, small roads… I could go on, but I think you will get the picture! So, last month I went to Stråssa together with one of my old friends, and I was hoping there would be more people but as Berget “Broken Arrow” 2022 was still running the amount of players was greatly reduced. About 60-70 players showed up, which is small for Stråssa as the last game there was over 300! Of course that ,eant there was more space for those of us playing, and the organisers really made thatEverybodywork… has to chrono their weapons with the BB weight they use and get a coloured tape to show what class their primary falls into and its safety distance. Inside the big Sinter-plant you are only allowed to fire CQB Class (max 1 joule) but you are allowed to shoot out through the windows from the second floor and up with any gun you like as long as you keep the safety distance. If you know you have a stronger primary or sniper rifle I highly recommend you bring a sidearm.
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sneak up and around the opponents, but it’s also a great game to show newcomers a lot of the site too. I must say I had a few good runs because of this “prior knowledge” ha ha… As a bonus there was a flagpost near the centre that if you held it when the end signal blew you could get 5 extra points, but this was more difficult than you’d believe! At one point we had “dead” players from all teams laying around that pole at the end signal. Everybody was 100% giving their best! Then we also tried something new that they called “Fortnite”. Only CQB Class (1 joule) were allowed for this game as you had to get really close-on on each other. You teamed up in pairs and then scattered over the field and every time a signal sounded the field shrunk, and if you didn’t move to the next level within 60 sec you were out! This got really messy in the end, but was a fun game! Although we had a great day of airsoft as usual at Stråssa, it’s no wonder they regularly host one of the biggest post-apocalyptic LARPS over there, “Blodsband Reloaded” (or BBR), with Mad Max-inspired cars and bikes, people in awesome costumes, and a mad-good storyline! I had the opportunity to be let inside on the game area as a photographer during the 2019 BBR LARP just before the Rona struck us; usually nobody gets in without being in the game as a character but they lent me some clothes so I could blend in better, and on boy, was it a BLAST! If you’re a fan of apocalyptic role-playing/LARP you definitely should check this out by visiting www. bbreloaded.se They try to arrange one LARP per year at Stråssa and one is coming up soon; don’t be afraid to go there just because you’re not Swedish as we already had some friends from the UK and the USA visiting over here, but do be aware that although airsoft guns are a part of the event, it is not an airsoft game in itself… it’s FAR BIGGER than just a game, it’s a whole new world! If you ever come to Sweden and want to play airsoft then I strongly recommend you to make a visit to Stråssa, and let us know if you are as we will arrange a big old Swedish welcome for you! AA
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THE L119A2 IS JUST ONE POPULAR EXAMPLE OF OUR CURRENT RECOIL MODELS, BASED ON TOKYO MARUI’S FANTASTIC SYSTEM - FITTED WITH THE ANGRY GUN RAIL SYSTEM AND REAL STEEL MAGPUL FURNITURE TOKYO L119A2MARUICUSTOM BUILD NEXT GEN RECOIL SHOCK CONTACT US FOR DETAILS
OLDGOLD!BUT WAY BACK IN 2013 BILL TREATED HIMSELF TO A NEW AEG, THE LONE STAR TACTICAL (LST) RANGER SHORT BARRELLED RIFLE (SBR) FROM EVOLUTION AND HE’S BEEN RUNNING IT PRETTY MUCH STOCK SINCE THEN WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE! WHY IS THIS AEG SO IMPORTANT TO HIM, AND HOW IS IT RUNNING AFTER NINE YEARS OF USE? SEPTEMBER 202296
Essentially the front rail system was a replica of the CASV-EL system from VLTOR; there were no trademarks on this but the setup was unmistakeable, and the CASV system for you youngin’s out there was a freefloat dropin accessory “rail”, and the smooth main body allowed mounting points to be easily set up in multiple configurations. As with the real deal the replica came with a set of rail sections which could be simply screwed onto the main body just as you liked.
EXTERNALLY UNIQUE
EVOLUTION LONE STAR RANGER SBR
RELOADED reinforced piston, 7mm radial bearings, metal Hop Up, yuppity-yup, again all present a correct. All in all the LST’s were internally a pretty tight package; agreed nothing was going to set the airsoft world alight as Evolution have done with some of their more recent models, but everything was functional and hard wearing, just what you want from a gun that’s going to be used week in, week out. What none of this addresses though is what you really got for your money and there was a lot more going on here if you looked closely. One of the pre-requisites in the licencing agreement between Evolution and Lone Star Tactical in the USA, who made top-notch real firearms for competition level use, was that any replica bearing the Lone Star logo should be constructed to the very highest level of quality in their build. Hefting the Ranger SBR you were immediately aware that you were holding onto something that was built to last, and this has totally proved to be the case!
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The last components which made the Ranger SBR alone cost about US$240 at the time, and you’ll pay far more was a solidly built carbine with some workmanlike Okay, the Ranger SBR has had some love over a hard
The upper and lower receivers, and all logos and trades were very well achieved. The external parts were where things really started to get interesting though, because what you got was pretty surprising and somewhat unique at the time!
At the back end of the carbine it was a similar story as there was a very nice take on the VLTOR ModStock as well. Again this was unbranded but it was definitely a copy of the AIB-MCB IMod with a QD sling swivel included. This came with two sets of cheek pieces which were easily changed out to give a very personal fit. Even now there is next to no movement between the stock and the buffer tube, which offers six positions so once again it’s easy to personalise.
I’ve had my own Ranger SBR for some considerable time now and over the course of many a-days gaming I’ve experienced no issues with it whatsoever; at no point has it stuttered or misfed, each and every BB leaving the barrel with a satisfying “crack” courtesy of the sound amplifier. If you didn’t fancy this then the outer barrel was threaded 14mm CCW which means that any suppressor or flash hider could be easily substituted, and I’ve done so when the scenario called for it, but of course this is just “aesthetics”Myyearsto date with the Lone Star Ranger SBR have proved to be a very positive experience; I’ve a number of SBRs which are pretty heavily upgraded and the Ranger SBR gives them a run for their money as a stock gun, so I can’t really say anything negative about this super little AEG. I will say well done to Evolution Airsoft, as the growing reputation that they had in 2013 for starting to build quality airsoft replicas has certainly been cemented and indeed surpassed by their latest creations, although even by today’s standards the Ranger SBR is still a kick-ass little AEG! AA “OVER THE COURSE OF MANY A-DAYS GAMING I’VE EXPERIENCED NO ISSUES WITH IT WHATSOEVER; AT NO POINT HAS IT STUTTERED OR MISFED, EACH AND EVERY BB LEAVING THE BARREL WITH A SATISFYING “CRACK” COURTESY OF THE SOUND AMPLIFIER.”
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Once the hop is set this little carbine will “range” accurately out to a good 40+m on .28g BBs, and has proved to be great for CQB where engagement distances are lower, though it’s eminently usable in a woodland setting too. All accessories have slotted on perfectly to the supplied rail sections, and the only real change I made to the carbine was a personal one in that I fitted a singlepoint sling plate; this was easily done in about ten minutes by simply releasing the buffer tube and replacing the standard plate.
“service life” so far with me, and I’ve had it professionally serviced twice with the usual hop rubber and seal replacements, but other than that and some attention to the electric components it’s still going strong! Testing now with .20g BBs still results in a respectable and usable average of 0.97 Joule/324fps through the chrono which means this AEG has been usable at virtually every site local to me, and a good few further afield too!
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