CONTENTS
Editorial Director: Bill Thomas
Deputy Editor (Asia): Stu Mortimer
Deputy Editor (USA): Dan Whedon
Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing
Ad Design: Deadshot Design
Publisher: Calibre Publishing
Web: www.airsoftaction.net
©Calibre Publishing Limited 2024
All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to publication.
8 ARMOURY: WELL PRO WE10-2 AEG
WELL are not a new name in airsoft, but the Chinese-brand are definitely making some in-roads with players at the moment, and their latest WELL PRO AEGs are most certainly full of surprises! After checking out the GBBR version of the MCX Rattler at the start of this year, Bill closes out 2024 by taking a close look at the WE10-2, and likes what he sees… a lot!
16
ARMOURY: G&G STP45 PRO 8”
It’s incredibly interesting to see fresh new designs and new technology hitting the market, concepts and realisations created by airsoft manufacturers themselves; Bill has been living with the new G&G STP45 PRO 8” GBB for a couple of months and now drops his verdict on this unique pistol design, one with some cool new directions in place!
24 ARMOURY: CYMA CM.138 TTI COMBAT MASTER AEP
As it’s our Christmas Issue we thought it apt to look at something this month that’s perfect for the colder months of Winter, and as December has AAHQ firmly in its icy grasp then what better to get on the range than CYMA’s latest AEP, the EMG/TTI-licenced COMBAT MASTER! Bill lays down some BBs and finds a pistol that he believes would warm even Mr Wick’s frosty heart…
30
AIRSOFT INSIGHT: MOVIE GUNS
As we head towards the season of gratuitous screen-binging Bill heads back to his other love to take a look at some famous “movie guns”, and how virtually all of them can now be found in 6mm form… and of course with a changing landscape when it comes to what movie armourers may look at providing for the stars onscreen, this is an increasingly exciting area!
36
SPECIAL REPORT: DARK ROC TRAINING
Training for airsoft is something that you know we embrace at Airsoft Action, and ongoing skillset and safety training is of paramount importance wherever you may be in your personal “airsoft journey”! However, how does this same training transfer to the “silver screen”, and how is this achieved? Bill spoke to Ty from DARK ROC TRAINING to try and find an answer…
42
AA LEGION: CHRISTMAS WISHES
It’s been another busy year for the members of the AA LEGION with games, events, and range days all going on at pace, so as we head towards the end of the year we thought it would be a good time to look at what we’d all love to find under the AA tree this Christmas!
48
RED CELL: FAVOURITE AEGS 2024
We’re heading on into the winter months here at AAHQ and that means that for us the days are increasingly foreshortened, and even a simple skirmish day is going to end up being played out as darkness falls… but don’t despair if your airsoft budget doesn’t stretch to milgrade NV, as NITESIGHTS may have the answer even for those that are cash-strapped! Bill tells more…
60 AA LEGION PORTUGAL:
DYSTOPIA 2
2024 has been a year filled with great events, but the most anticipated one for Miguel and his fellow GHOSTs was, without a doubt, Dystopia 2. The first edition was probably the best game of 2023, a great combination of the game itself, the field, the props and all the extras. So the hype was real! Miguel now reports in…
66 LEGION USA: AMS ARSENAL II
We’re always trying to extend our coverage of “airsoft good practice” from around the globe, so this month we’re super-happy to be joined by our latest AA LEGION recruit in the USA, Matt, as he brings in his report from the behemoth game that was ARSENAL II courtesy of the righteous crew at AMERICAN MILSIM!
74 AA LEGION EVENT REPORT: EXPOAIRSOFT 24
Late last month Bill set off on his “airsoft adventures” again, this time travelling to Portugal to meet up with Miguel and attend the EXPOAIRSOFT 2024 in Lisbon, where teams, associations, and interested parties showed off airsoft in the most positive light possible! They now report back on their experience of a first-rate event, and Miguel leads off…
82 AA LEGION SHOW REPORT: MOA 2024
I t’s the beginning of the big show season once again, and of course Taiwan is closer to the international date line and a good eight hours ahead of the UK and Europe, so they get to go first! The Military Outdoor and Airsoft (MOA) Show is in its seventh year of growing from its inaugural show that occurred just after our man in Taiwan Stewbacca landed in-country, and 2024’s show is back to what 2019’s reduced domestic-only show was originally intended to be! Five years later it’s back on track, and Stewbacca brings us his report.
‧ Bolt-Action
‧ Stainless Steel 61cc Cylinder
‧ TDC Hop-up Adjustment Dial
‧ CNC Machined One-piece Metal Hop-Up
‧ Master Mods Inner Barrel, Gbb Rubber
‧ Inner Barrel Stabilizer
‧ Quick-Detachable Hop Up & Outer Barrel Assembly
‧ Quick-Detachable Spring Guide
‧ Top Feeding Magazine (50 rounds)
‧ Trigger Safety
‧ 3-Height Adjustable Cheek Rest
‧ Quick-Detachable Rubber Butt Pad
IT’S GOT FANGS!
WELL ARE NOT A NEW NAME IN AIRSOFT, BUT THE CHINESE-BRAND ARE DEFINITELY MAKING SOME IN-ROADS WITH PLAYERS AT THE MOMENT, AND THEIR LATEST WELL PRO AEGS ARE MOST CERTAINLY FULL OF SURPRISES! AFTER CHECKING OUT THE GBBR VERSION OF THE MCX RATTLER AT THE START OF THIS YEAR, BILL CLOSES OUT 2024 BY TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THE WE10-2, AND LIKES WHAT HE SEES… A LOT!
At IWA 2024 Jase and I spent some time on the WELL PRO stand and were actually pretty impressed by what we saw they had lined up for this year… but iF wishes were fishes… The fact is that they have 100% lived-up to the promise that they showed at the show, and the majority of the new models they showcased have now hit the distributors and stores; from what I’m seeing in the various online player groups I belong to the reception for these new AEGs from China has been very largely positive, with few of the “new model, new tech” gripes I usually see!
This in itself is pretty darn impressive in its own right, as usually there will be someone bitchin’ and moanin’ about something that is wrong with the design, or has gone wrong with the OS after use… thus far I’m not seeing that, and although the storestock-penetration seems to be quite low at present it seems like WELL are steadily making more widespread inroads.
With a cracking little range of “replica” models and designs of their own too, WELL are covering off the bases slowly but surely for both BLU and OPFOR use, and their WE09 AK design certainly interests me… that said there’s some BLU performers in the mix too, and the one that has got my attention is the WE10-2, their take on the MCX Rattler!
Over the course of the past couple of years we’ve tried hard to follow the roll-out MCX, MCX VIRTUS and MPX airsoft models coming onto the market, and both Boycie and Dan have done sterling service in this respect; we’ve looked at the stock models, and also at custom builds, so isn’t the MCX Rattler just more of the same… well, yes and no to be honest. In essence it’s still an MCX, albeit the shortest CQB-focused and (in my opinion) punchiest of the bunch so far, there’s a few things going on that make this particular model a
little bit special.
Doing my “due diligence” about the real I came across an interesting article that takes Garand Thumb’s comment in his excellent video of the Rattler about “being in inventory” with USSOCOM as step further; first seen on “Task &Purpose” I read the article on “The National Interest” and it told me that...
“
Hot off its new contract with the U.S. Army, Sig Sauer has unveiled a new compact carbine which the company claims is its most “discreet platform” ever: the MCX Rattler. The Rattler, a compact personal defense weapon built at the request of “elite military units,” is based on the Sig Sauer’s popular line of MCX gas-operated piston AR-15-style rifles. But MCX has the benefit of not needing a buffer tube in the stock like a conventional AR-15, allowing the rifle to host a more compact folding stock. As a result, the company claims that the Rattler is “shorter than any M4 ever produced.
“Sig Sauer’s new carbine goes even further, with a short 5.5-inch barrel and a specialized PDW upper giving the carbine an overall length of just 16 inches when the stock is folded. The Rattler offers “M4 ballistics in a subgun-sized package,” the company says, a manageable weapon just three inches longer than the ultra-compact MP5K.
“In March 2017, SOCOM released a Request for Information calling for a new PDW conversion kit chambered in primarily .300 Blackout cartridge, but also the standard 5.56x45mm round. The command is apparently looking for a kit that can convert a standard M4A1 lower by adding a new upper receiver, a PDW that weighs no more than five-and-a-half pounds and extends no longer than 26 inches with its stock folded.
“The Rattler meets all of these requirements.”
So, it would appear that the Rattler has some
“OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE’VE TRIED HARD TO FOLLOW THE ROLL-OUT MCX, MCX VIRTUS AND MPX AIRSOFT MODELS COMING ONTO THE MARKET, AND BOTH BOYCIE AND DAN HAVE DONE STERLING SERVICE IN THIS RESPECT”
potential military/MilSim legs which is a complete win as far as I’m concerned, and makes this model even more desirable, and the fact that we’ve already seen it crop up with some law enforcement agencies also means that this appeal is more widespread when it comes to airsoft loadouts; it’s also been seen in TV series such as SEAL TEAM and SWAT so there’s extra loadout inspiration for you there too!
SOLID OUTSIDE
With that out of the way, let’s have a very close look at the platform itself, and well offer two base models for you to choose from! The WE10-1 has a very nice take on the real sliding “collapsible/telescopic” stock offered by SIG themselves, whilst the model that took my fancy and appears here, the WE10-2, has the rearpicatinny side-folder and is closet in look to the real Rattler LT although the M-LOK system is half a slot shorter.
Externally the 10-2 is impeccably finished; put together in high-grade, robust lo-weight polymer throughout with alloy elements where they should be, it looks great and appears to offer a perfect balance of weight/durability which of course means it will be easy to run with and manipulate and still take a battering; its compact design, with an overall length ranging from 410mm to 760mm, means the Rattler will provide lots of options in any tactical situation. The finish to all external parts is first rate, a solid
satin black throughout, and it actually feels superb too. With a full length 270mm railed upper there’s space to easily mount your optic of choice, and the replica comes with a PEQ-015 battery box as standard, as there’s not a lot of space in the two-slot M-LOK rail for a battery (read “no space at all”, more on this later). The M-LOK setup however does offer further accessory option-points and 3, 6, and 9, so you can run a stubby foregrip and the battery box where you like, along with a scout light or other accessories. There are no “irons” included in the box with the 10-2, so if you want them you’ll have to add some yourself… this is a slight minus to me these days, but then the 10-2 has obviously been priced as keenly as possible, so this can be forgiven…
Controls are ambi and suitably “AR” so no issues there at all, and I like the slightly oversized ambi mag release a lot.
The M-LOK system at the sharp end also offers QD sling points L and R-side, and these are replicated at the rear in the lower, in a position just forward of the super-neat CNC minimalist folding stock that will be ideal if you choose to run a singlepoint, which to me would be the perfect carry-solution.
The muzzle device, again polymer, is chunky and aggressive, and threaded 14mm CCW, so if you want to fit a suppressor or tracer unit then you’re good to go; one word of warning though, I have an old SIG-style “training-blue suppressor” from J-TAC that I know was made to the specifications of the real, and if you want to run something like this you will need a short outer barrel extension as the muzzle threading fits flush to the handguard.
Overall in terms of “look” and build-quality the 10-2 is a great little platform, and looking at detail images of the “real” the only thing that screams out to me is the difference in the pistol grip on the WELL take. I am slightly bothered by the fact that the 10-2 comes with full, and I mean full, SIG trades as I’m not certain what the licencing status, but the fact is that they are well achieved, and it gives the platform a fully-rounded Rattler-appearance.
“IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE RATTLER HAS SOME POTENTIAL MILITARY/MILSIM LEGS WHICH IS A COMPLETE WIN AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, AND MAKES THIS MODEL EVEN MORE DESIRABLE… IT’S ALSO BEEN SEEN IN TV SERIES SUCH AS SEAL TEAM AND SWAT SO THERE’S EXTRA LOADOUT INSPIRATION FOR YOU THERE TOO!”
SWEET INSIDE
Internally things look pretty darn cool too, and the OS is sweet, as the WE10-2 features a programmable ETU (Electronic Trigger Unit) from Eshooter. I was lucky enough to spend some time with Tim from Eshooter at IWA, and this meeting took place on the WELL PRO stand, so there is obviously a strong connection in place, although as many will know Eshooter components are appearing in many quality AEGs these days.
Obviously given the full title of the WE10-2 there’s
I’ve gotta say, that’s pretty much as straightforward as it can be, and when it comes to the WE10-2 it means that you get a faster and more consistent (adjustable) trigger response, pre-cocking, programmable firing modes, such as semi-automatic, burst fire, and full-automatic, improved battery efficiency by regulating current flow, and improved rate of fire control, all crucially backed-up with component protection; it’s a crazy little package in a tidy little platform, and it works well!
but luckily Eshooter explain this quite simply:
“Let’s clarify the difference between ETUs and MOSFETs. An ETU is an electronic control system that replaces the traditional mechanical trigger. At the same time, a MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) is often built into ETUs to protect the gun’s electrical components and improve battery efficiency.
“Both are crucial to modern airsoft guns, but they serve different functions. For example, when an ETU and MOSFET work together in an airsoft gun, they provide improved trigger response and programmable firing modes while protecting the gun’s electrical components and optimizing battery life.”
10-2 from the box needs an external power source as there is absolutely no room for a battery in the handguard… speaking to some existing owners of the 10-2 a couple of them have removed the gas tune inside the handguard in order to fit a small microstick LiPo, and they’ve told me that there is no loss of structural integrity should you attempt this.
As a solution this can work, and I’ve done it myself in the past (King Arms FAL), but if you don’t want to hack up your Rattler, and external box with a tiny bit of exposed wiring is it (tip, get your local store to black-heat-wrap the external wiring!). I had a MAWL C1+ battery box on hand, so I decided to run with that as it just looks cool!
I decided to run the WE10-2 for testing on an
“INTERNALLY THINGS LOOK PRETTY DARN COOL TOO, AND THE OS IS SWEET, AS THE WE10-2 FEATURES A PROGRAMMABLE ETU (ELECTRONIC TRIGGER UNIT) FROM ESHOOTER. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH TIM FROM ESHOOTER AT IWA… THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A STRONG CONNECTION IN PLACE”
11.1 800 mAh 15C micro-stick-battery to gauge performance; there’s low-resistance wiring with a T-Deans plug so make sure you have the right connections in place! I loaded the 100 BB middy up with .20g BBs and it was off to the chrono and I was happy with a mean over a ten-string registering at 0.99 Joule/327fps…. happy with that, especially for an AEG that’s the perfect CQB-tool, and is of course designed specifically for that IRL!
As usual, next was to check out range and accuracy; the WE10-2 comes with the 100 BB mag mentioned earlier as standard, although I found that it was quite happy to feed from all my usual ARstyle mags… win! With the easy to adjust rotary hop re-dialled in and with the mag reloaded with .30g it was onto the range, testing solely using one of my T1s; sadly as I also said earlier, the 10-2 doesn’t come with any kind of iron sights, but a good red dot or holo works perfectly, although some of you might wish to add a riser as the folding stock cheekweld is quite low. Testing for “up close and personal” on the 10m range I was able to make some consistent noise on the 300x300mm steels which is perfect for a CQB-oriented platform, and pushing things out to 30m on the woods range I was getting “good thuds” on sandbag targets with each shot, which is perfectly respectable, especially for a “shorty”!
At under £UK200 the WELL PRO WE10-2 “Rattler” is a hell of a package as far as I’m concerned, and overall it is outstanding for what I would consider a “budget” AEG; to put this in context, a decent aftermarket picatinny side-folding stock will cost you about 50 quid on its own! The only negative I can personally see is that of battery storage, and I’d be looking to move this WE10-2 up-spec to “Canebrake” which turns the Rattler into an MCX fully and integrally-suppressed system with a longer handguard…
That aside (or with that perhaps in mind), I can definitely see a 10-2 being added to my personal AEG armoury as I totally love the size, weight, general ergonomics, performance and handiness of it; this little AEG is well (or should that be WELL PRO!!!) worthy of your consideration if you’re in the market for a new CQB-tool, as the WE10-2 “Rattler” most definitely has some fangs! If this is where WELL are heading with their “budget models” then their future, and indeed the future of cash-strapped airsofters both new and old who want something properly cool, looks bright indeed!
For more information on the WELL PRO WE10-2 “Rattler” and much, much more please pay a visit to www.iwholesales.biz; my sincere thanks to them for providing the sample for evaluation. AA
“TESTING FOR “UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL” ON THE 10M RANGE I WAS ABLE TO MAKE SOME CONSISTENT NOISE ON THE 300X300MM STEELS WHICH IS PERFECT FOR A CQB-ORIENTED PLATFORM, AND PUSHING THINGS OUT TO 30M ON THE WOODS RANGE I WAS GETTING “GOOD THUDS” ON SANDBAG TARGETS WITH EACH SHOT”
UNSUNG HERO
ALTHOUGH “AIRSOFT REPLICAS” OF REAL FIREARMS ARE STILL AMONGST THE MOST POPULAR AEGS AND GBBS THAT WE ALL BUY IT’S INCREDIBLY INTERESTING TO SEE FRESH NEW DESIGNS AND NEW TECHNOLOGY HITTING THE MARKET, CONCEPTS AND REALISATIONS CREATED BY AIRSOFT MANUFACTURERS THEMSELVES; BILL HAS BEEN LIVING WITH THE NEW G&G STP45 PRO 8” GBB FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND NOW DROPS HIS VERDICT ON THIS UNIQUE PISTOL DESIGN, ONE WITH SOME COOL NEW DIRECTIONS IN PLACE!
Ireally don’t see as many G&G ARMAMMENT
pistols here in the UK as I’d like to, and for the life of me I don’t know why, as every pistol model that I’ve personally had hands-on from the Taiwanese manufacturer has pleased me greatly.
I’ve had the GTP-9 and the Piranha in various guises, and the SMC-9 based on their gas pistol technology is still a fabulous design and great to shoot, but their 1911s and 2011-style pistols… nope, not seeing a lot of those where I live although G&G create a large range of this type of pistol.
Is it that the market for the venerable Sam Coltinspired GBB is over-subscribed? Let’s face it, there are literally hundreds of variations on this theme out there already, and more each and every year, and for a manufacturer best-known for their AEG tech is it too far a reach for retailers to add pistols from them when they already have a wide offering, models from existing manufacturers with a proven track-record that they know will sell over and over? This may be the case, but I have to say that based on my experiences over the past couple of months with the latest Hi Capa from G&G, the STP45 PRO 8” that they may be missing a trick… big style!
Now some may say that after my trip to Taiwan to the G&G CQB World Cup last year that I am somewhat biased towards the brand, and the fact that I now have a very close friend inside the business means that I will always be positive towards the brand, but this is not the case. Every manufacturer finds their place in Airsoft Action down to merit, and the truth is that G&G do continue to at least really attempt to innovate and bring new directions to the market… each and every year!
I am always excited when IWA rolls around as I know I will be able to get together with G&G, and
that there will ALWAYS be something that raises my eyebrow, good or bad, but over the years this experience has been almost entirely positive. Whilst some aspects of “G&G tech” have indeed needed updating for some time (looking at you G&G original Mosfet…) it is without doubt that they have made a HUGE effort to go their own way in terms of design and performance, and as I write we’re seeing another AEG model, the TR16 GMSII MK1 LWP, hitting the stores complete with the GATE ASTER II Bluetooth system!
So G&G are basically now looking to “best practice” when it comes to internal spec and advances, and collaborating with new partners to push their own AEG program forward yet again! I’ve been spending some real quality-time with the TR16 GMS MK2 13.5” which has the GATE ASTER SE in it, and I’ll be dropping my evaluation on this model next month after six-months of shooting it regularly and hard… spoiler alert… it’s a great rifle!
So, G&G AEG rifles and carbines once again hit the sweet spot, but it still seems deadly quiet on the GBB pistol front in spite of their very best efforts, and I am genuinely bemused by this; Jase and I saw the new STP45 models at IWA early this year, and Jase said in our show report::
“The next new offerings were the STP45 pistols. These pistols are based on the hi-capa style, with a 30 BB magazine, gas or C02 as you like; they were pretty light in the hand with a unique-style hop unit that has a nifty hidden allen key hidden at the front of the slide! Once taken out, it is used to adjust the hop via an access hidden in the trigger guard, then in the same area is another access point which can be used to adjust the reach of the trigger, both very cool adjustment options. I was told that these will be TM
“EVERY MANUFACTURER FINDS THEIR PLACE IN AIRSOFT ACTION DOWN TO MERIT, AND THE TRUTH IS THAT G&G DO CONTINUE TO AT LEAST REALLY ATTEMPT TO INNOVATE AND BRING NEW DIRECTIONS TO THE MARKET… EACH AND EVERY YEAR!”
compatible, and they’re pretty cool pistols for sure!”
And now the STP45 models have been out there already for some time… there are a
are to me merely a way of making sure the platform arrives with the owner in one piece… however, I’d be totally remiss if I didn’t mention
FULL SPECTRUM
Although there is a full spectrum of variants in the STP range, both full-metal and polymer, the STP45 Pro 8” was the one that I most wanted to get my grubby little shooter-hands on as it looked to be a very cool, thoroughly modern-looking “2011” with a solid, tacticool design. Now I don’t usually mention “the box” as the cardboard ones, nice as they can be,
benefits from the unique design-flair that G&G appear
retention feel. As you’d expect on this type of pistol there’s a manual and grip safety, which means you need to properly engage and control the STP45 before taking a shot, and the skeletonized trigger and slightly oversized trigger guard add to this feel of control and safety.
Down below on the front of the frame there is a short Weaver accessory rail for taclites or other
“ALTHOUGH THERE IS A FULL SPECTRUM OF VARIANTS IN THE STP RANGE, BOTH FULL-METAL AND POLYMER, THE STP45 PRO 8” WAS THE ONE THAT I MOST WANTED TO GET MY GRUBBY LITTLE SHOOTER-HANDS ON AS IT LOOKED TO BE A VERY COOL, THOROUGHLY MODERN-LOOKING “2011” WITH A SOLID, TACTICOOL DESIGN”
accessories, and aiming is taken care of neatly by way of the rear and front sight, the latter featuring an orange fibre. There’s also an optics-ready plate
DOWNRANGE
I set the STP45 up with .20g VORSK BBs for chrono in the 30 BB magazine (this is very slightly
entire system and design of the STP 45 as a whole. With fine-tunable adjustment capabilities, the PAI system is able to be adjusted a total travel distance of 0.74 millimetres, easily and simply optimising performance when using different weight BBs, and G&G claim that STP45 Pro 8” airsoft replica is suitable for BB weights of up to .40g!
lightweight modern design, and a lovely thing to behold, at the end of the day it’s how it performs that we all want to know, and to be blunt it shoots as well as it looks! As I’ve often stated, for me a handgun is a backup, and certainly one that needs to excel on the 10m range, and as I’d hoped, at this distance the STP45 has some serious grunt.
Once you’ve set the PAI hop with that useful little
“THE NEW PATENTED PAI HOP-UP SYSTEM IS ANOTHER OF THOSE G&G “BIG STEPS FORWARD”… STANDING FOR “PRECISION, ACCURACY, AND INNOVATION”…
TUNABLE ADJUSTMENT
WITH FINE-
CAPABILITIES, THE PAI SYSTEM IS ABLE TO BE ADJUSTED A TOTAL TRAVEL DISTANCE OF 0.74 MILLIMETRES, EASILY AND SIMPLY OPTIMISING PERFORMANCE WHEN USING DIFFERENT WEIGHT BBS”
“AND AS MUCH AS THE STP45 IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE, LIGHTWEIGHT MODERN DESIGN, AND A LOVELY THING TO BEHOLD, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT’S HOW IT PERFORMS THAT WE ALL WANT TO KNOW, AND TO BE BLUNT IT SHOOTS AS WELL AS IT LOOKS!”
WINTER WICK-ED!
AS IT’S OUR CHRISTMAS ISSUE WE THOUGHT IT APT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING THIS MONTH THAT’S PERFECT FOR THE COLDER MONTHS OF WINTER, AND AS DECEMBER HAS AAHQ FIRMLY IN ITS ICY GRASP THEN WHAT BETTER TO GET ON THE RANGE THAN CYMA’S LATEST AEP, THE EMG/TTILICENCED COMBAT MASTER! BILL LAYS DOWN SOME BBS AND FINDS A PISTOL THAT HE BELIEVES WOULD WARM EVEN MR WICK’S FROSTY HEART…
I’ve always been a GBB pistol-user as I just love them, the form, the function, and generally speaking the performance, and my pistol collection has continued to grow and grow over my 30 years of airsoft-related hi-jinkery… I just can’t help myself! Just when I think “I have more pistols than I could even use…” another model comes along, and that shiny, gas-driven loveliness grips me all over again!
In truth I have but two pistols that I use on a regular basis for skirmishing and MilSim, namely a VORSK Hi Capa 5.1 for general use, and a Umarex G17 Gen IV for training and “milsoft”… that said I tend to pick a different pistol each time I head to the range, either one from the Red Cell pool for continuation testing, or one from my own collection just because I love to shoot every single one of them… again and again…
And this goes on year round, whatever the weather… I’ve got enough “time in” with all my pistols that I know which works best at which time of the year, and which gases (or indeed when I need to change to CO2 mags with some) I need to use with them to get the best performance, even on the coldest days of the year. I keep saying it but although the GBB technology in our pistols continues to advance (as my evaluation of the G&G STP45 this month illustrates) so too do the gases we use to drive them along, and you need to work out which is best for the pistol that YOU use regularly.
However, one thing I have never resorted to until recently was the AEP, although some in the wider AA LEGION swear by them in the winter months. I’ve always thought the AEP to be somewhat anaemic and clinical compared to the raw grunt and recoil impulse of a gasser, but a couple of models I’ve had my eyes on recently show that the humble AEP has
moved on again, just like everything else! First up was a JG MAC, which in fairness is an SMG rather than a pistol, but it’s an AEG rather than a GBB and the way it’s put together is more pistol than SMG… and it’s a LOT of fun!
More dedicated as a pistol model is the CYMA GRACH, specifically the CM.136 EBB MOSFET EDITION; I’ve been trying to get my hands on a good GRACH for my OPFOR collection, a bit of holy grail as the GBB versions to date have been somewhat lacking, and watching the videos online of the CM.136 made me think… “Mmmmm, it’s an AEP, but it has a blowback function, and it looks like it actually shoots well…”
That got me to thinking more generally if I have been a little unfair to AEPs, and although the GRACH remains elusive here in the UK, when Tim at iWholesales offered me the latest CYMA TTI COMBAT MASTER AEP to try I jumped at the chance… it might not be the model that I actually want to buy for myself (or so I thought) but it is one of the “next gen AEP” models, and a chance to check out what it could do was too good to miss!
And of course, it’s a “WICK gun” too… who wouldn’t want to shoot a new “WICK gun”???
AEP
V GBB
In Red Cell we’ve had a close look at the GBB variants of the “TTI Combat Master” in some detail, and continued to do so, and Jase said way back that... “the Army Armament and the ASG Combat Masters both have good solid trades from the manufacturer with the ASG having the slight edge over the AA. Other than that, gas efficiency was good and both shoot well… on the whole two
“I TEND TO PICK A DIFFERENT PISTOL EACH TIME I HEAD TO THE RANGE, EITHER ONE FROM THE RED CELL POOL FOR CONTINUATION TESTING, OR ONE FROM MY OWN COLLECTION JUST BECAUSE I LOVE TO SHOOT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM… AGAIN AND AGAIN…”
fantastic pistols.”
My experience of both pistols has been equally positive and enjoyable, and in the real world the relationship between Taran Butler of Taran Tactical Innovations and Keanu Reeves and his armourer seems to be a match made in heaven,
to punch it back and forth, and even with 220psi gas it chugs a bit in the cold…
So, enter the CYMA electric version of the same pistol, and upon receiving it I was actually very impressed, and a little surprised, at how well it stacks up in looks, weight and dimensions to
definitely the TTI STI 2011 Combat Master in Chapter 3: Parabellum that really seemed to get everyone talking, and I shudder to think just how many of these have been sold in airsoft form, as I see at least one at every game or event I turn up at!
Okay, full disclosure, I too own one of the Army Armament versions of the JW3 Combat Master, and I love shooting it; it’s stood up insanely well to regular range abuse, and sends a .30g BB accurately out there even now… but, it is NOT a pistol for the winter in my opinion, as the sheer mass of it means that the heavy (all things are relative!) slide takes a lot of gas
“IN THE REAL
WORLD
designed and inspired for the speed and utility of competition shooting, all the controls are slightly oversized for faster manipulation; essentially what you get is polymer magazine releases, polymer safety, polymer grip safety, polymer hammer, polymer dummy slide catch (more on this later!), polymer outer barrel, a metal red fibre-optic front sight and metal adjustable rear sight.
But of course where the CYMA is unique right now is in its “OS” or operating system; based on the Tokyo Marui AEP system the CYMA offers up a robust and reinforced Metal AEP Gearbox for durability while the integrated MOSFET provides greater efficiency and
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TARAN BUTLER OF TARAN
TACTICAL INNOVATIONS AND KEANU REEVES AND HIS ARMOURER SEEMS TO BE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, AND EACH NEW BLOCKBUSTER APPEARS TO DRIVE THE REAL STEEL WORLD ONWARDS WHEN IT COMES TO FIREARMS DESIGN!”
protects the internals. You get both semi and fully auto modes, and unlike a “full-chat-gasser” (oh how I’ve come to hate these!) the full-auto function works just like that of a larger AEG, and that is, consistently. An easily accessed, fully adjustable hop allows for precise BB placement too, ensuring accurate and consistent shots.
DOWNRANGE
As I said earlier we’ve had the gas TTI Combat Masters in our Red Cell pool for a while, and I have to say that they’re FUN pistols in all ways, fun to shoot and fun to own too, and thus far my time with the CYMA AEP version has offered the same amount of enjoyment! One thing I will get out of the way though is the lack of blowback function, and efficient as the CYMA undoubtedly is, I do miss the slide-slam of a GBB… that said, in all ways the CYMA has proved to be an exemplary pistol, performing well and more to the point, completely consistently even on the coldest and frostiest of frosty morning so far this year!
So, setting that hop and fitting the dedicated AEP battery… REALLY simple… in fact one of the simplest setups I’ve ever had on any pistol! I said when talking about the polymer parts that I’d come back to the dummy slide catch, and this is where some of the ease-of-use magic happens. The slide catch does actually move up and down as usual, but in the case of the CYMA pushing it down releases the metal slide and lets you lift that straight up, forward and off. Once you’ve done this you can easily access the battery compartment, and the supplied battery just slides on in with enough space to easily tidy the wiring away too. The hop wheel sits directly and obviously above the trigger, and is easy to adjust while you have the slide off… with the battery in and the hop adjusted, simply reverse the process to get the slide back in place… done!
The 29 BB magazine is a stick-type which means you’re not going to carry more of them in a regular pouch, and it sits inside a dummy “outer mag” in front of the motor; I found this okay to work with, but as I have “muscle memory” for regular-sized magazines reloads took a little getting used to. One other thing to note is that the “1911-style Grip Safety
Paddles” on the CYMA are actually your fire controls; on the right hand side is the safety catch, up for safe, down to fire, while on the left you have up for semi, and down for full-auto… not the most instinctive of setups, but it does work.
I’ve tried the AEP Combat Master on both the 10m and 30m wood ranges, and there’s good reason for that as even though the sample I had was kicking out just 0.42Joule/213fps on a .20g BB, the precise hop-up system was able to handle a .25g; on the 10m range the CYMA was tack-driver accurate once the hop was set, and when I took it up to the woods, reset the hop and tried it with .25g BBs it was happily sending them to 20m+, and I was actually hitting the target most of the time too! Full-auto is fun, but that’s not really my bag when it comes to pistols, although I will say it works a darn sight better than the fullfunction on gas pistols…
I have to admit that the CM.138 TTI COMBAT MASTER AEP has made me smile… A LOT… and that’s a rare thing indeed when it comes to me and most run-of-the-mill airsoft pistols! Dare I compare the CYMA AEP to my other GBB pistols? Not really as it’s ultimately a different beast, although it stacks up incredibly well against all my gas favourites in both general performance and sheer good looks. It’s well made with good-quality materials throughout, it has a super weight and a great, balanced feel, and it offers both consistent power and, so far, is reliable operation in all conditions.
Priced around the UK£120 mark this is a lot of very-usable pistol for the money; given its “OS” the CYMA has some unique features and functions that provide things that other airsoft pistols don’t, and I am 100% certain that it will become a popular model with airsofters all over the world. What I know is that it has convinced me to delve into AEPs and take another look, as it’s an impressive piece of work… and it makes me want the CYMA GRACH all the more!
My thanks go to the guys at www.iwholesales. co.uk for letting me get “hands-on” with the CYMA TTI Combat Master AEP; for more information on their entire range of “John Wick” replicas and their availability simply head on over to their website! AA
“WHERE
THE CYMA IS UNIQUE RIGHT NOW IS IN ITS “OS” OR OPERATING SYSTEM; BASED ON THE TOKYO MARUI AEP SYSTEM THE CYMA OFFERS UP A ROBUST AND REINFORCED METAL AEP GEARBOX FOR DURABILITY WHILE THE INTEGRATED MOSFET PROVIDES GREATER EFFICIENCY AND PROTECTS THE INTERNALS”
AIRSOFT ON SCREEN!
AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE SEASON OF GRATUITOUS SCREEN-BINGING BILL HEADS BACK TO HIS OTHER LOVE (OTHER THAN AIRSOFT OF COURSE!) TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME FAMOUS “MOVIE GUNS”, AND HOW VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM CAN NOW BE FOUND IN 6MM FORM… AND OF COURSE WITH A CHANGING LANDSCAPE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT MOVIE ARMOURERS MAY LOOK AT PROVIDING FOR THE STARS ONSCREEN, THIS IS AN INCREASINGLY EXCITING AREA!
It will soon be upon us, that “season to be jolly”, but for me I’ll pass on the jollity and go straight to the chillin’ and binge-watching of my favourite movies and TV series!
Much as I try to keep physically fit as I get older the lure of a comfy sofa with the log burner burbling in the background, a glass of pop and some suitable savoury snacks by my side, and one of my favourite blockbuster action movies on the TV is very strong indeed…
But things, as always, they are a changin’, and although many actors will now train with the “real steel” platforms that they use on-screen (looking at you especially Mr Reeves!), recent tragic events (more on this in my Dark Roc interview…) mean that there’s been a change in what movie armourers are having to consider using when it comes to equipping their action heroes… indeed, it has become common knowledge that certain studios and production companies are mandating that “prop weapons” are exactly that, props, and not even deacs!
So where can those poor old armourers look? What could they possibly find out there that looks just like the “real steel” down to the finest detail, but that can in no way be deemed a “lethal weapon”… no, the platforms, not the 1987 movie with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover… although I shall undoubtedly watch that this Christmas!
Increasingly it would seem that armourers are looking to our world of airsoft for inspiration and utility, and if like me you have an interest in this, then no doubt you can list a bunch of action movies where airsoft platforms have been spotted… there’s the obvious, now infamous catches like those seen in The Walking Dead (brand unknown M9, but you can see the fill valve!), Agents of SHIELD (WE Hi Capa), 28 Weeks Later (Classic Army M4), Hardcore Henry and The Raid (Maruzen M870), Green Zone (G&P M16/ M203), Salt (KJW SIG 229), and of course Resident
Evil… the last one of course even has a dedicated airsoft replica in the shape of the M92 Biohazard Virus Samurai Edge!
Coming more up to date one of my favourite series recently was The Peripheral, and oh boy, does airsoft feature here! The custom grey 226 carried by “Burton Fisher” is most definitely a Raven R226 with RDS, “Deputy Tommy Constantine” uses a RWA Agency Arms EXA, and a WE bullpup FN SCAR-L is carried by some of the “US Marines” in several of the episodes! I did some digging and it appears that the armourer, Alamo Arms, used Raven and Vorsk pistols on The Peripheral, and that these were further modified to work for film and TV; they no longer fired a BB so they were as safe on set as they possibly could be… now that’s a professional screen armourer doing it right… super-cool-looking shooters, but 100% safe for the actors and crew!
SETTING THE SCENE
Now I could go on and on, but the fact is that most of the airsoft models listed above (and there are many more!) have been identified due to the fact that when the platforms were used there was little or no attempt to disguise them, so manufacturers markings like the G&P logo on the M16/M203 combo used by Matt Damon in Green Zone were very clearly visible… and let’s not get onto the fact that in many cases a magazine winding wheel or gas valve were left on show even after post-production!
Things though have moved on in our airsoft world though; midcap or realcap mags for AEGs have no winding wheel visible. Many manufacturers are now hiding the gas valve on pistol magazines with a cover, or placing them on the side (like VFC) of the mag for rifles and carbines so that they disappear into the magwell. Fully licenced, true 1:1 replicas are more and more common now, right down to the cage numbers and armourers marks.
“INCREASINGLY IT WOULD SEEM THAT ARMOURERS ARE LOOKING TO OUR WORLD OF AIRSOFT FOR INSPIRATION AND UTILITY, AND IF LIKE ME YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS, THEN NO DOUBT YOU CAN LIST A BUNCH OF ACTION MOVIES WHERE AIRSOFT PLATFORMS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED”
these days in considerable numbers! Many real pistols have been quite stunningly replicated, and indeed are used already by historical re-enactors because they are so beautifully made, and more and more are available every day it would seem… just take a look at the “Wick” movie franchise and virtually every handgun, especially the TTI variants, used by our favourite on-screen shooter is now available in 6mm form… and it’s said that even some of the platforms we see used by extras in the “Wick” movies are actually airsoft and not real!
I’ve included alongside my words in the article a bunch of images that I found easily in the public domain, images of quite famous actors with the necessary platforms that were required to make the movies and TV series “sing”; take a look at them and tell me honestly if an airsoft replica of them all doesn’t exist!
So, when it comes to the choices that are open to the armourers, airsoft would appear to be an open door for them to walk through, and the platforms that they need are readily available, accurately re-produced down to the most minute detail, and above all safe; even without changing anything, if there are no BBs in the magazines, and no battery installed or gas filled, then as we jokingly like to say the platform just becomes a very expensive paperweight… but cost I hear you say? Even the most expensive licenced airsoft platform out there is going to be cheaper than a deac or blank-firer!
“AND
SMGs, carbines, rifles, shotguns, MGs, and grenade launchers easily within the budget of even the smallest movie-maker, and with the correct training of the actors they can make even a poorly-financed production look amazing when it comes to “gun-fu”.
Again many of you will of course say that AEGs and even GBBs will suffer when it comes to realism, as they lack full recoil, muzzle flashes, and ejecting spent cases… think on this for a moment too! Quite apart from the fact that CGI can create effects postproduction these days that are frankly downright amazing in terms of muzzle signature creation, openbolt GBB systems do provide some recoil impulse, an effect that will transfer well to screen, minimizing studio edits.
OF COURSE GBBS, GBBRS AND OTHER MORE REALISTIC OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE THESE DAYS IN CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS! MANY REAL PISTOLS HAVE BEEN QUITE STUNNINGLY REPLICATED, AND INDEED ARE USED ALREADY BY HISTORICAL REENACTORS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFULLY MADE”
And ejecting spent cases? I’d point you towards RARE ARMS, airsoft platforms that frankly are of little use in a skirmish setting due to the fact that they… eject cases… but that are perfect for on-screen use, avoiding a studio having to edit-in flying brass at a later date, and possibly even getting a reaction from the actor using the rifles! I know for a fact via my friends at iWholesales (who have a long history with the UK movie studios dating right back to Sterling SMG “Blasters” for a certain sci-fi phenomenon and beyond!) that they recently received a shipment from RARE ARMS and that every single one of these rifles went to the movie and TV industry.
We may also scoff as players at things like the RARE ARMS rifles or the APS CAM 870 shell-ejecting shotguns, but the fact of the matter is that they certainly have a home on-screen, and it must be noted and accepted that some of the technological advances made in these systems filters on through to some of the platforms that we end up using for regular airsoft gaming… you may write them off as “skirmish tools”, but oh boy, do they have a place in our overall world, darn straight they do!
The fact is that sometimes, the only difference visually between a high-quality AEG or GBB and its real steel counterparts are the external indicators and markings, and if you remove these, the platform can easily be mistaken for the real thing; it’s why we all have a legal responsibility to ensure that our “RIFs” are handled with due care and diligence so as not to terrify the flaky and uninitiated!
The use of airsoft guns in movies and TV makes a lot of sense to me; we demand realism in our AEGs and GBBs more and more, and when we watch something on-screen I am sure that you, like me, are hyper-critical of bad drills and obvious “gun mistakes”. The fact is that any movie armourer worth their name can now source beautifully replicated airsoft versions of pretty much any platform they
need, be it current-use, historical, or even sci-fi… I mean, just look at the “BCM MK III and MK IV” carbines with HERA ARMS furniture used in The Tomorrow War… no, not actually airsoft but all the parts are available should you wish to build a 6mm version!
So, this Christmas I shall sit back and watch my favourite movies all over again, but this time I’ll be looking even harder to see if I can find any “airsoft tells”, or indeed if the platforms used could be replicated in airsoft form… I’m pretty certain that all of them could be!
For now though, I’ll just sit back and think “Ho Ho Ho! Now I have a machine gun”… and yes, Die Hard is 100% a Christmas movie! AA
“THE FACT IS THAT SOMETIMES, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE VISUALLY BETWEEN A HIGHQUALITY AEG OR GBB AND ITS REAL STEEL COUNTERPARTS ARE THE EXTERNAL INDICATORS AND MARKINGS, AND IF YOU REMOVE THESE, THE PLATFORM CAN EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR THE REAL THING”
TAP/CLICKIMAGESFORMOREINFORMATION
MAKING MOVIES REAL!
TRAINING FOR AIRSOFT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WE EMBRACE AT AIRSOFT ACTION, AND ONGOING SKILLSET AND SAFETY TRAINING IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE WHEREVER YOU MAY BE IN YOUR PERSONAL “AIRSOFT JOURNEY”! HOWEVER, HOW DOES THIS SAME TRAINING TRANSFER TO THE “SILVER SCREEN”, AND HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED? BILL SPOKE TO TY FROM DARK ROC TRAINING TO TRY AND FIND AN ANSWER…
One of the things that we all love to moan about, and I am completely 100% guilty of this myself as my poor long-suffering wife will attest, is how firearms and their use are portrayed on-screen! C’mon, we’ve all done it… when a firearm appears in a movie or TV show, how many times have you groaned out loud when safe handling is portrayed badly, or indeed (if you’re me!) shouted at the screen when a firefight kicks off and you see drills that “IRL” would get the “super-operator” portrayed nailed after they first step from cover… Conversely, how often have you nodded sagely when things are done right and muttered “Good drills...”?
Yup, we’ve all done it I’m certain, but there’s an entire industry out there involving some righteous people who try their hardest to ensure that what we see on-screen is portrayed well, that safety is paramount, and that the “skills and drills” are of the standard we would genuinely expect to see from someone who is supposed to be “Tier 1”!
Ever since I attended the FAST TACTICAL training course at the Silverstone CQB Training Centre a while back I’ve been speaking on and off to one such person; it was my great pleasure whilst there to be introduced by Ratty from VIPER to Ty and Redd from DARK ROC (DR) who are active in the training of actors to “get things right”; part of my ongoing conversation with Ty has been trying to get him to spill the beans about what really goes on with such training, and of course what the challenges are when dealing with some potentially huge egos!
So, when Ty graciously agreed to tell me more (spoiler, no “who did what “secrets will be shared here… probably!) I had some questions for him, and I’ll share here what he had to tell me!
AA: So, Ty thanks so much for agreeing to speak with me as I’m certain that this will be of great interest to many players and non-players alike! First off, what was your own route to working within the
movie/TV industry?
DR: I came from a lifetime of doing private security. It took me a little while to figure out that the film industry was the next logical step! Having a unique skill set which is portrayed in some form or another in every action film meant that it seemed like a natural progression. Having no contacts, I had some professional pictures taken, researched and joined the best supporting artist agencies and then got on set to learn how things worked.
“IT WAS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO BE INTRODUCED... TO TY AND REDD FROM DARK ROC (DR) WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THE TRAINING OF ACTORS TO “GET THINGS RIGHT”; PART OF MY ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH TY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET HIM TO SPILL THE BEANS ABOUT WHAT REALLY GOES ON WITH SUCH TRAINING”
Three years in and I’ve been involved in some amazing productions doing action, stunts and armoury, even making it into the trailer of the FAST X movie…but you’d never know it was me!
AA: Please tell me a little more about DARK ROC; what kind of things do you get involved with, and who do you work with?
DR: DARK ROC evolved from looking at the filming industry from within and seeing that tactical action could be done better, through training developed specifically for performers. We train actors, action performers and stuntsfolk how to ‘sell’ their firearms performances through training firearms fundamentals, CQC, tactical rappelling, fighting, firearms and other elements. Supported by Viper Tactical and Flash Bang Smoke, we immerse people in their training environment. We also work with production companies to advise and design tactical action and recommend performers for specific tactical scenes. Redd and I are also armourers with Section 5 Trusted Servant status. This mean we can work with practical weapons (front-venting blank firing) on set as well as airsoft, rubbers and deacts.
AA: You say on your website that “DARK ROC IS LED BY INSTRUCTORS WITH EXTENSIVE MIXED BACKGROUND & ON-SET EXPERIENCE”; without going into specific details of the individuals concerned, could you expand on that?
DR: DARK ROC has three dedicated instructors; two have real-world firearms experience, two have film and TV experience, and all three of us understand how to bring out the best firearms performance in people. Redd, the co-founder of DARK ROC comes from a career in the film industry where she specialised in action, doing armoury, action performing and stunts. “J” is ex-military with frontline operations tours. In my old career I used to specialise in high risk / tangible threat, training for the deployment of firearms in high-stress environments. Coming from this type of background really helps people understand how we interact with firearms and importantly, the mindset you need to be in. Helping performers how to get that ‘edge’ when on set is sometimes the difference between being at the back of a tactical stack and being the number two to main cast, judged only by the way you hold and interact
with your firearm.
We’re also able to explain the ‘why’. This helps performers to understand what they are doing and gives them more options when they are on-set and get instructed to ‘do something tactical’.
AA: Where do airsoft replicas come into the picture?
DR: Airsoft guns area being used more and more in filming. For DARK ROC, we needed a solution that was safe, cost-effective and realistic so RIFs were the simple answer.
We were armourers on a film where we used airsoft guns for all the action. Due to the unique filming style which was mostly shooting long scenes, we couldn’t cheat or pad gun drops….so these guns were taking some hard hits and drops! You could often catch me wincing behind the monitor during a take every time I heard a gun hit the floor hard! But credit to the
“THREE YEARS IN AND I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME AMAZING PRODUCTIONS DOING ACTION, STUNTS AND ARMOURY, EVEN MAKING IT INTO THE TRAILER OF THE FAST X MOVIE…BUT YOU’D NEVER KNOW IT WAS ME!”
makers, these guns held up impressively well!
AA: With quite obvious recent, and wellpublicised, on-set tragedy in the USA, what are your thoughts on the safety aspects of training, and is this the place you start with people that have little or no firearms experience?
DR: This incident had a huge impact on how firearms are used in films in the UK. Many US production companies completely stopped using practical firearms, even though the UK has always had very strict rules and procedures in place around their use and there has never been an incident like that here.
All our courses start in the classroom where we go over safety and familiarisation regardless of pervious experience. Training is always conducted as if firearms are real. We continually enforce this message throughout the training. It’s not just about how people move and perform. They may find themselves on location in a street or building that the public have access to, so it always looks better if they can handle firearms like an expert.
AA: Again without going into specifics, what do you aim to teach those that you train? What does a “normal” (if there is such a thing!) training day look like for you?
DR: The aim is to make people look like they know what they are doing. We often have performers who have very limited experience with firearms and by the end of day one, they are confident and already look like they know what they are doing.
Actors and stunts people need to learn different things as their jobs while similar are different. It’s important to both identify and understand this when delivering training at an individual level. Our training method is based on what the real-world teaches. There are a few basics that when done correctly, will make them stand out on set.
The outcome of our courses is that performers will look like the armed operator, police, solider, etc that they have been cast to play. The videos we use
to market DARK ROC are all performers who have various different capabilities and experience around firearms. They are doing the courses so this is what you will look like!
You get out what you put in! We have people who train with us regularly. Similar to martial arts, firearms is something you continually train. We have performers who have now done 60+ hours of tactical firearms training with us and you can see it’s paying off!
We are fortunate to have worked with people from some well-known military and police units and they have been surprised at how we can get people to such a high level after just two days! Testament to actors being able to learn and adapt to things quickly!
AA: How do you find working with production companies? Obviously they are after “big action”, but we all know that real life ain’t like that… how do you balance reality with on-screen?
DR: The line between fiction and reality is always constant on set. We try and make the directors vision come to life so sometimes you are limited in your
“HELPING PERFORMERS HOW TO GET THAT ‘EDGE’ WHEN ON SET IS SOMETIMES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING AT THE BACK OF A TACTICAL STACK AND BEING THE NUMBER TWO TO MAIN CAST, JUDGED ONLY BY THE WAY YOU HOLD AND INTERACT WITH YOUR FIREARM”
performance. Sometimes there will be an advisor on set who will give you directions but most of the time you will just take scene direction from an assistant director. Lighting and camera position can also impact the authenticity of a performance. I tend to start at real-world level and work backwards from there.
AA: I have to ask this… are there any “actor shenanigans” that you can share with us?
DR: It’s very boring… any shenanigans must happen when my back is turned!
AA: Finally, big, question, do you believe that those involved in actually making action movies and shows should have an understanding themselves of what it really means to work with firearms as we often see an apparent disconnect between those that do, and those that create?
DR: Interestingly I’ve just arranged for a producer and a director who make action movies to come to the range to shoot guns for some upcoming movies!
I think where this falls down is that sometimes productions rely on someone who may not have the right background, understanding or skillset in the action they are shooting. There is some misunderstanding or confusion around firearms and action, where some people think that if you shoot or have been in the military, then you must know everything about tactical action. For me, a firearm was
a very specific tool to do a very specific job. I never shot at targets to get the quickest draw or the most points. The training that went into that was for a very specific outcome. The mindset was for a very specific action. My experience around this type of filming action is quite relevant but might not necessarily be identified as being a specific requirement at the start of a production.
Authenticity is becoming more prevalent within the industry and I’m always more than happy to talk to productions about action all day long!
AA: My sincere thanks indeed to Ty for taking the time to talk with me about an aspect of airsoftplatform-usage that has fascinated me for some considerable time! As the article prior to this one this month has been all about airsoft IN movie and TV productions I thought that speaking to someone within that industry would be insightful and illuminating, as I believe that more and more said productions will feature airsoft platforms as a matter of course.
Now of course, as Christmas approaches and we’ll all be sitting down to watch those blockbusters, I’ll throw the gauntlet firmly down… if you catch a RIF being used in anything you watch over the festive period then be sure to drop us a line to let us know!
AA
“YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN! WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO TRAIN WITH US REGULARLY. SIMILAR TO MARTIAL ARTS, FIREARMS IS SOMETHING YOU CONTINUALLY TRAIN. WE HAVE PERFORMERS WHO HAVE NOW DONE 60+ HOURS OF TACTICAL FIREARMS TRAINING WITH US AND YOU CAN SEE IT’S PAYING OFF”
UNDER THE AA TREE!
IT’S BEEN ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE AA LEGION WITH GAMES, EVENTS, AND RANGE DAYS ALL GOING ON AT PACE, SO AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT WE’D ALL LOVE TO FIND UNDER THE AA TREE THIS CHRISTMAS!
It really has been another brilliant year of airsoft hasn’t it, and as much as we love certain bits of kit and gear they do have a habit of wearing out, and this time of year is a great time to send your letter to Santa in the hope that they might be replaced or upgraded!
I thought it would be fun therefore to get with the members of the AA LEGION to find out what in terms of kit and gear they are looking to replace or enhance for 2025; this isn’t a ’Christmas List” as such, as we hope that by now your seasonal airsoft-from-Santa lists are already complete, but if you’re anything like me then there will be a little airsoft-related “gift-toself” lurking somewhere under the tree…
I know that with the miles I put in each year on the range, covering games and events, and at shows that one key bit of kit that I need to replace every couple of years is footwear, and this year my two main “LPCs” or “leather personnel carriers” are both in need of replacement at the same time! I’ve found over the years that certain brands and models fit me, so I’m hoping that Santa will be kind and bring me another pair of LOWA ZEPHYRS (this time the MkII GTX!) and also some SLOMON SPEEDCROSS that I wear every day!
My existing Zephyrs have done me sterling service over the past five or six years, and have travelled with me all over the globe in my airsoft
split even after careful maintenance so the next thing to go will be the GTX membrane… not bad at all for the time I’ve jad them, and if they fit you I can thoroughly recommend them. I tend to get about two years-use from the Salomons; they’re a fabulous every-day wear and range-shoe, but they are lightweight, and as I abuse them on a daily basis I believe that two years is good enough… I’ll be replacing them with another identical pair as I love them so much!
But what else for me?, What do I want that’s not a necessity… well, what would I like to find under that tree? I’d like a new RAGNAR RAIDS SIGURD HYBRID JACKET!
This is a cool-looking bit of kit that I’ve had my eyes on for a while, in fact ever since
hoodie is specially designed to be an urban garment but one which can also provide the user with a neck warmer in incorporated into the hood itself, both with the hood on and without it, a neat little feature; the neck warmer itself can also be used for face protection purposes either for airsoft or in harsh weather.
“WE HOPE THAT BY NOW YOUR SEASONAL AIRSOFT-FROM-SANTA LISTS ARE ALREADY COMPLETE, BUT IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME THEN THERE WILL BE A LITTLE AIRSOFTRELATED “GIFT-TO-SELF” LURKING SOMEWHERE UNDER THE TREE…”
Made of polyester that provides increased breathability, and elastane to give the fabric 4-way flexibility it’s also technically competent, which I love!.
I’d also like another KYDEX CUSTOMS G-SERIES LIGHT-BEARING MID-RIDE HOLSTER, and of course a full VORSK VMP-2 GBBR modular kit, but I believe those will have to wait until 2025! Now I’ll hand over to the members of the AA LEGION so that they can share what they want… what they really, really want…
Jimmy: I have wanted one of these for so long
Santa!
Stewbacca: To be honest, Christmas always takes me off guard... I’m in a very fortunate position that I somewhat want for nothing out here, and furthermore have limited space for any more new guns. That being said, I’m still eagerly awaiting the local release of the VFC Walther PPK, and their Strike Industries P365 as
you believe in knows we need some of that above all else... I hope you find yourself in good company and good spirits, wherever you are and whatever your beliefs may be.
CHRISTMAS WISHES
things, it happens, that’s my life and I’m happy with it, but if I had more time I would most definitely be playing more airsoft before my knee’s give up the ghost. More time to do cool things… now THAT would be great!
All that remains is for me to add my own little seasonal greeting to wrap things up for this issue, and indeed for this year! To all of our readers, thank you so much for continuing to follow our airsoft adventures, and I sincerely hope that you have a
Please note: Xmas Tree image found in the public domain. AA
“AS A GROWN UP WITH A JOB, PLAYING AIRSOFT FOR SOME 13/14 YEARS NOW I HAVE ALL I NEED… WANT? WELL THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME! IF I WAS TO ASK SANTA FOR ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE TIME… IF I HAD MORE TIME I WOULD MOST DEFINITELY BE PLAYING MORE AIRSOFT BEFORE MY KNEE’S GIVE UP THE GHOST. MORE TIME TO DO COOL THINGS… NOW THAT WOULD BE GREAT!”
RED CELL ELECTRIC DREAMS
So, 2024, what a GREAT year! It’s been a full-on churn from most the big manufacturers again this year, and the majority of what was promised at the shows has come to pass, and I know that there will be a LOT more to come in 2025 from what I’ve already been told! HPA may be making in-roads, gas is till cool, but when it comes to the “King of the Field” for many the AEG is still very much the monarch!
It has been a fabulous year for the GBBR side of things, and HPA systems continue to get more and more interesting; this of course is very much set to
THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR ROLLS ROUND, AND WHAT A YEAR IT’S BEEN FOR NEW AEG RELEASES, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND NEW DIRECTIONS! AIRSOFT ACTION, AND PARTICULARLY THE MEMBERS OF RED CELL, HAVE BEEN ON TOP OF THINGS AS THEY’VE HAPPENED, BUT WHAT ARE THEIR FAVOURITES, AND WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN USING MOST THEMSELVES DURING 2024? AS ALWAYS, BILL LEADS OFF!
continue, but let’s not forget it’s also been a superb year for new AEG models! G&G, LCT, Specna Arms, CYMA, BOLT, ASG, and EMG to name but a few have all had some very noteworthy and exciting things going on, and we’ve definitely seen the emergence of brands like Double Eagle and Double Bell, along with more recently WELL on the ASEH front… some, like NUPROL and ICS have been a little quiet on this side, but from conversations had behind the scenes I believe that 2025 will have some AEG news from them too!
MOA has already been and gone, as has MaruiFest
in Japan (more on that next issue!), SHOT and IWA are literally lurking on the horizon, and I am 100% certain that some of the manufacturers will have saved up new airsoft-goodness to wow us with at the shows to come… and of course the AA Crew will be there to cover the news and stories off as they emerge.
But for now, our 2024 efforts are almost complete, and as I reflect on all the AEGs that I’ve had the pleasure to shoot and evaluate this year, it really has been a great year, and I’ve spent more time on the range than ever before, testing four or five new models each and every month! That’s quite a tempo, and when you add to this mix that Stewbacca has much the same level, that Dan and Jimmy see countless AEGs and GBBs in their workshops, and that the rest of the crew are shooting just as many airsoft platforms as they can get their hands on, and I believe that you’ll start to see the depth of airsoft-knowledge that truly resides in RED CELL.
And RED CELL itself? When we initially kicked things off in 2020 (Oh how long ago that seems!) we had the dream of compiling a true list of how both AEGs and GBBs fared over time; it was always set to be a five year program, and as we enter the final year (yes, we’ll be publishing our overview this time next year!) we’ve tracked not only the models that we started with, but also changes within the industry, along with improvements in both durability and performance as new models have entered testing. I can only thank the manufacturers that have stuck with us during this time, and I believe that when we finally get to those long-term results they’ll be worth reading!
Once again, this is NOT meant to be a “this am bestest gnu” kind of deal as we all love different things for different reasons, but simply an overview of what we use ourselves outside of the test program, and a celebration of “stuff what works for us”!
TEAM SHOOTERS FTW!
So, let’s get into the meat of things for this, our Christmas ’24 issue, as we unwrap the AEGs that we’ve seen and used most this year, and for me I have to say that the ICS Mk18 still ranks right up there for me. It’s by no means a cheap option, but oh my, it is a
bit special!
I am still firmly of the opinion after many years that ICS make some of the finest, high-performance AEGs out there; okay they have some serious competition these days, but when they get it right, oh boy, do they get it right. Like all manufacturers they have made the occasional mis-step and I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say this, but overall their AEGs have always delighted me, and again if I’m honest I have a fair few of them in my airsoft armoury.
The Mk18 is a platform that I truly adore when it comes to ARs, and the fact the ICS version is licenced (via EMG) means that it looks absolutely bob-on, and in terms of performance pleased since I first set up on the range. The Mk18 still kicks through the chrono at 1.03 Joule/334fps , and all the mags that I’ve thrown at it have fed flawlessly, clanging the small steels out to 60m-plus consistently on .30g. Nuff said, this one is “a keeper”.
Sticking with ARs to throw in a bit of a wildcard this year, and what an AEG it is, one that anyone with a desire to create a “modern UKSF” loadout would want to own, as the ROSSI NEPTUNE SAS 10.5 is obviously inspired by the L119A2! Although there are some absolutely great “SF” style carbines on the market in both AEG and GBBR form, if you do want to take the “UKSF high ground” then frankly nothing
“THE MK18 IS A PLATFORM THAT I TRULY ADORE WHEN IT COMES TO ARS, AND THE FACT THE ICS VERSION IS LICENCED (VIA EMG) MEANS THAT IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY BOB-ON, AND IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE I’VE BEEN UTTERLY PLEASED SINCE I FIRST SET UP ON THE RANGE”
The carbine chrono’d as new at a perfectly acceptable mean of 1.0 Joule/330fps on a .20g BB and has stayed. Pushing up to .30g and resetting the hop, with targets out at 50 metres I’ve been able to get very solid prone groupings on semi-auto, and had great fun ringing those plates at the same range on the move when I’ve switched the selector up to full; I’ve not mucked about with the programming to be honest as I’m more than happy with the performance in “classic” mode!
ROSSI NEPTUNE
is a great quality “119 inspired” AEG that could well become a trusted companion for the majority of your “airsoft life” if you look after the “proper” platform to work with a “UKSF” loadout!
I’ve used this AEGs extensively now, and with care and maintenance I believe it will probably outlast me, although right now I’m thinking again about rolling out next year with a “119” and continuing to “fly the given the chance! but by no means least in the AR category there is still one AEG though that to me is the pinnacle, and BCM MCMR 11.5 from VFC; I just love shooting this thing! For anyone that has a love of firearms and specifically the AR platform, the name of BCM will be instantly familiar. If you speak to other “aficionados” they will soon tell you that we’ve
been fitting “BCM-style” parts to our AEGs and GBBs for some considerable time!
VFC worked hand-in-hand with BCM under their “BCMAIR” program, even down to using the original design specifications of the “real deal” to provide a replica with a completely authentic look and feel. Each MCMR comes with authentic BCM markings throughout: on the unique “MOD 1 SOPMOD” stock, the ergonomic and nicely-stippled “MOD 3” pistol grip, both upper and lower receivers, on the rail itself and even on the “MOD 0 - 5.56” compensator at the sharp end, all of which means that this is a tried, tested and FULLY licenced replica; the MCMR just looks plain cool because of this.
Now set to UK-spec at Joule/336fps on a .20g, I use .30g with the MCMR, and it continues to perform superbly. I am constnatly impressed as the AEG easily cracks BBs out to the 30m extent of my woods range, with no fliers or drop-offs at all, n and even at 50m-plus I get a nice solid ring from the steels with each and every shot when I’m on longer ranges. The 120BB “Silent Mid-Cap Magazine” feeds perfectly and I’ve had no problem with any of my other mags in the MCMR either.
I have to say that this is every bit the AEG I hoped it would be and for those of you that have been waiting to get your hands on one (looking at you Sam!), you will not be disappointed. From my “modernshooter” perspective, and from my love also for all things “Black Powder Red Earth” I love it in every way possible; the MCMR is simply a stunning RIF, so if you fancy something unique, that’s high quality and really delivers on the performance front, then I’d urge you to check out this model,
Stewbacca: Not just as a virtue of the fact I barely engage with AEGs out here aside from LCT’s in general, but just on its own merit of being a handy, pointable, adaptable and compact little workhorse used happily by a few of my team since I got hold of it from our friends in Changhua, the LCT AK MOE is an obvious winner for me. Just need to get the iron sight mounted rail to slap an SRO or other minimal red dot on to avoid the sighting issues I found during my review of it.
The stubby tracer unit, included interchangeable 9mm/5.54mm magazine wells and magazines and
“STICKING WITH ARS I’M GOING TO THROW IN A BIT OF A WILDCARD THIS YEAR, AND WHAT AN AEG IT IS, ONE THAT ANYONE WITH A DESIRE TO CREATE A “MODERN UKSF” LOADOUT WOULD WANT TO OWN, AS THE ROSSI NEPTUNE SAS 10.5 IS OBVIOUSLY INSPIRED BY THE L119A2!”
ICS DD MK18
Price: iro UK£500.00
Weight: 2877g
Length: 726mm
Magazine Capacity: 120 BBs
Cold Chrono: 1.03 Joule/334fps
Hot Chrono: 1.03 Joule/334fps
Taclite Compatibility: Railed
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.icsbb.com
VFC BCM MCMR 11.5
Price: iro UK£500.00
Weight: 2158g
Length: 728/802mm
Magazine Capacity: 120 BBs
Cold Chrono: Joule/336fps
Hot Chrono: Joule/334fps
Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.vegaforce.com
ROSSI NEPTUNE SAS 10.5
Price: iro UK£280.00
Weight: 2500g
Length: 740/810mm
Magazine Capacity: 2 x 120 BBs
Cold Chrono: 1.0 Joule/330fps
Hot Chrono: 1.02 Joule/332fps
Taclite Compatibility: A”-Style, Partial Rail
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.davescustomairsoft.co.uk
SPECNA ARMS SA-P23 PRIME
Price: iro UK£375.00
Weight: 2700g
Length: 780/830mm
Magazine Capacity: 2 x 125 BBs
Cold Chrono: 1.02 Joule/332fps (with Spring Change)
Hot Chrono: 1.04 Joule/336fps (with Spring Change)
Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.gunfire.com
JG MP5K PDW
Price: iro UK£
Weight: 2200g
Length: 385mm
Magazine Capacity: 100 BBs
Cold Chrono: 1.01 Joule/33fps
Hot Chrono: 1.02 Joule/333fps
Taclite Compatibility: Not as Standard
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: “Second Hand”
the picatinny rail rear trunnion allow for great adaptability and use of other accessories in LCT’s line up, and despite lobbing rounds out to medium ranges.
: Without question, the one AEG I’ve reached for the most this year has Arcturus PP-19-01 Vityaz
. Since writing my review for it in last November’s Issue 156, I’ve been running it as my “main” for most events in 2024. The only changes I have made to the platform was to install a Warhead 30K brushless motor and eventually a new bucking. The Warhead motor made for a
I can now get a whole day of heavy trigger spamming on a single 11.1v 1200mah LiPo. While
with the stock bucking - and I daresay it performs very well for an OEM bucking - I needed to properly evaluate the new Gen. 3 TruHop bucking purposes. So the Vityaz was a natural choice as it was seeing continuous heavy use. In
native TDC rotary chamber, this has transformed this AEG into a true tack
Aside from this, I bounce back forth between the stock DTK-2B muzzle brake and a 5KU Delta-Tek muzzle device, which
conveniently holds an Acetech BlasterM tracer unit. The Delta-Tek wins points in the aesthetic department, but certainly adds some chonk to the front end so I sometimes take it off if I want to keep it lighter. With a Holosun 403R riding atop the B22 mount and a Surefire Vampire, this has also proven to be an exemplary night fighting platform too. I love this little Vityaz so much that I’m trying to talk myself out of not buying a second one... “for reasons!”
Bill: Yeah, it had to be here, one for the OPFORinclined that like me love a good AK-inspired platform and it although there are now many, many good OPFOR-options to choose from as Dan and Stewbacca have illustrated, for me the crown still belongs to the LCT ZKS-74UN!
If you want a thoroughly “MIL-looking” short and punchy AK, then look no further than this AEG; weighing in at 3500g and at 770mm (667mm stock folded) this neat little model comes pre-fitted with all the “modern” base goodies that you could possibly want, like the distinctive side-folding ZPT-1 stock (I’ve always wanted one of these, and I bloody love it!), ZTK-2 muzzle brake, and the ZB rail system; it’s basically a “Modern Tac SU” in a box and just needs an optic and taclite added to be good to go!
This is a really serviceable, bomber-tough AEG that’s quite unique in its look and feel for an “SU”; it’s short, easy to move around, and with the DTK-2-style brake it looks nice and aggressive. The only addition I would like to have seen here is the inclusion of the ZRK motor grip, but that’s easily remedied. The bonus of course with this little AEG is that I can use all the AK mags I already own which helps to keep costs down, and a side rail for an AK mount means I can run any optic I choose as the cheek riser on the ZPT-1 stock is fully adjustable.
In my experience airsoft SUs have amazingly, given their relatively short 250-ish-mm (255mm on the LCT) inner barrel, been really accurate, and it’s one of the reasons why I love them so much. With the 130BB mid-cap magazine topped off the ZKS74UN-AEG goes off with a right “crack”, sending BBs straight downrange to target, and cranking up to full auto just ups my smile quotient! I’ve had extensive experience with LCT AEGs, and I’ve always found their performance solid, even “box fresh”. My own models
“WITHOUT QUESTION, THE ONE AEG I’VE REACHED FOR THE MOST THIS YEAR HAS BEEN THE ARCTURUS PP-19-01 VITYAZ ZTAC PE. SINCE WRITING MY REVIEW FOR IT IN LAST NOVEMBER’S ISSUE 156, I’VE BEEN RUNNING IT AS MY “MAIN” FOR MOST EVENTS IN 2024”
G&G MXC9 ENHANCED
Price: iro UK£350.00
Weight: 2570g
Length: 610mm
Magazine Capacity: 130 and 170BB supplied… and DRUM AVAILABLE!
Cold Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps
Hot Chrono: 0.99 Joule/328fps
Taclite Compatibility: M-LOK
Suppressor Compatibilty: 14mm CCW
Available From: www.guay2.com
LCT ZKS-74UN
Price: iro UK£400.00
Weight: 3500g
Length: 467mm
Magazine Capacity: 130, will accept most AK-style
Cold Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps
Hot Chrono: 1.01 Joule/330fps
Taclite Compatibility: Railed
Suppressor Compatibility: Dedicated Muzzle Brake
Supplied By: www.nuprol.com
ARCTURUS PP-19-01 ZTAC
Price: iro UK£650.00
Weight: 2987g
Length: 480/775mm
Magazine Capacity: 95 BBs
Cold Chrono: 1.04 Joule/335fps
Hot Chrono: 1.05 Joule/337fps
Taclite Compatibility: Railed
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.arcturustactical.com
LCT AK MOE
Price: iro (Pre-Order) US$360.00
Weight: 2200g
Length: 370mm
Magazine Capacity: 50 BBs (Drum Available!!!)
Cold Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290fps
Hot Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290fps
Taclite Compatibility: Nope
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.lctairsoft.com
ARES VZ58
Price: iro UK£245.00
Weight: 3100g
Length: 650mm/860mm
Magazine Capacity: 160 BBs
Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/321fps
Hot Chrono: 0.98 Joule/325fps
Taclite Compatibility: Not as Standard
Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW
Supplied By: www.bespokeairsoft.co.uk
have seen many thousands of BBs through their hops and down their barrels, and they continue to please me greatly every
: I recently acquired a second, I never was a MP5 fan but this has warmed up to me as iconic, as they are and really made famous by our beloved first and best special forces in the world...the SAS! Now the standard looking MP5k is more commonly known to be used by the bad guys in movies, but once you throw some furniture on it, it starts to look rather top- tier-kinky....and that’s exactly
I took it out a couple times to get a feel for it and soon realised it had seen better days, but it still plays a good game...this will be a “Jimmy Project” in the long-term; I can’t give my honest opinion and thoughts on running this AEG as if I got it brand new and running smoothly out the box, but I can say it’s still running pretty well and I’m enjoying a cheeky slap!
...yes I am a “tart” as Bill eloquently put it lol! It needs some TLC so I’ve brought her a pretty dress and shoes, then I’ll fill her stomach with some new goodness and teach her to sound proper in the New Year; this is a little project that I shall return and report back on, being then able to give a better opinion and overview.
I’ve already used the MP5k a lot this year, and next year I’m going to enjoy turning this street-rough-girl into “My Fair Lady”!
Rich: The ARES VZ58 is, in my humble (and slightly biased) opinion, one of the best out of the box AEGs you can buy and I bought my first one in 2016. It’s well built, robust and with one simple mod an extremely useable AEG able to sling BBs with ease.
The selector is on the right hand side and, while not ambidextrous, is easy to use once you get used to it. Safe is straight down and your finger will feel it, turn it towards the rear and you have semi auto, push it to the front and you have full auto. The fire modes are programmable though using the ARES programming box; mine are set to safe, semi, semi, and safe, semi, three round burst. The hop is easy to get to, just pull the bolt back and turn the top mounted rotary wheel, and the hop unit is easy to work on. To change the nub you just lock the bolt back, remove the top and change the nub. No need to dismantle the Rif at all. The gearbox is proprietary with the Mosfet board being fixed to the outside of the box and all the wiring is outside the box so no danger of any wires getting chewed up by the gears.
Externally they look the part with an aluminium receiver, fold down stock and polymer foregrip, though with a bit of filing you can fit real steel furniture. One of mine has the real steel Beaverbarf stock and foregrip though the real steel stock/receiver adapter won’t fit the airsoft receiver so you’ll need a different adapter. The only real problem with this AEG is the EFCS board being weak and to be honest you’ll struggle to find one in the UK so I order direct from Ares. I like this platform not just because it’s good straight from the box or that it’s easy to work on; I like it because it’s different, it’s not an M4 or AK variant and it gets a lot of looks and questions!
Jimmy: For some time now my favourite has been one I haven’t even seen in the flesh but I know I am going to love it. Anyhoo, moving forward I have seen and used many AEG this year but none have impressed me as much as the G&G MXC9
I covered this little number a while back now and gave it an outstanding review with zero flaws. After a lot of time spent using it I still cannot find fault. Based on the original PCC45 they created something I would
“THE ARES VZ58 IS, IN MY HUMBLE (AND SLIGHTLY BIASED) OPINION, ONE OF THE BEST OUT OF THE BOX AEGS YOU CAN BUY AND I BOUGHT MY FIRST ONE IN 2016. IT’S WELL BUILT, ROBUST AND WITH ONE SIMPLE MOD AN EXTREMELY USEABLE AEG ABLE TO SLING BBS WITH EASE”
consider near perfect with the MXC. their “skunkworks”, but this shot-to-shot consistency is becoming the norm for them, as I’ve had the same level of consistency when I’ve tested other recent G&G models, and this is obviously perfectly site friendly for the majority of countries legally. I’ve been running the MXC-9 mostly on my usual .28gs “in game”, and the hop is easy and simple to adjust even wearing tactical gloves. With all the controls on the MXC9 being ambidextrous (another thing I’ve come to almost expect with newer G&G models), it makes operation extremely simple and comfortable for all potential users.
Miguel: So... what is my favourite replica of 2024? That’s really easy to answer, it’s, of a doubt, the Specna Arms SAP23 PRIME, one of their models from the new PRIME range. This is not just something new, the new range shows to be the result of improvements and evolution from previous ranges, specially the EDGE 2.0.
I’m talking about Matter brushless motor, which offers an excellent trigger response. ASTER II, the evolution of the ETU previously used, but now with Bluetooth, a new Magnus hop up, much in the style of many high-end hop ups, and the Aether gearbox, a major evolution from the old Orion. And this is to name but a few reasons why it is my choice.
In my opinion, Specna took what they learned from
“MOVING
FORWARD I HAVE SEEN AND USED MANY AEG’S THIS YEAR BUT NONE HAVE IMPRESSED ME AS MUCH AS THE G&G MXC9. I COVERED THIS LITTLE NUMBER A WHILE BACK NOW AND GAVE IT AN OUTSTANDING REVIEW WITH ZERO FLAWS”
years with the EDGE and EDGE 2.0 ranges, added some strong, and I mean STRONG, upgrades and launched the PRIME replicas, which, for their price range, considering all that’s in it, it’s probably the best out-of-the-box replica out there to finish this year!
Bill: And that’s a wrap for another year, and many thanks as always to Josh at www.kriosphotography. com and “Jerry” Wu Cheng Yi in Taiwan for their continued help with images!
We hope that whatever AEG platform you use gives you as much joy as the ones we have highlighted here that we use ourselves, and all that remains is for me, on behalf of RED CELL and the entire AA Crew, to wish those that celebrate it a very
HAPPY CHRISTMAS, and to wish all of you all the very best when it comes to your airsoft adventures in 2025! AA
Red Cell is supported by:
NEW WORLD ORDER
2024 HAS BEEN A YEAR FILLED WITH GREAT EVENTS, BUT THE MOST ANTICIPATED ONE FOR MIGUEL AND HIS FELLOW GHOSTS WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, DYSTOPIA 2. THE FIRST EDITION WAS PROBABLY THE BEST GAME OF 2023, A GREAT COMBINATION OF THE GAME ITSELF, THE FIELD, THE PROPS AND ALL THE EXTRAS. SO THE HYPE WAS REAL! MIGUEL NOW REPORTS IN…
As we approached the date for Dystopia 2, ANA (the association behind the event) started to tease the community with little clips, photos and releasing some info here and there, but most were still wondering where will the game be?
It’s the type of game that can’t be done in a woodland area, or a small field. Unfortunately, the field from last year was no longer available, the team that had the authorization to use it lost the access... it’s something that happens in Portugal.
But, finally, a video teaser was released, and we learned that the second edition of the event would take place in a mythical field known by many. It’s an old gunpowder factory that is quite famous in our community. I’m talking about a huge field, with several buildings of different sizes spread around (due to the old explosion hazard), woodland areas between them and even roads. Luckily, this field is really close to our area of “operations”, so throughout the years we have had the pleasure of playing there numerous times, and we do keep in good memory some games that were organized there. But, for a few years now, no one has been able to organize events there, due to some issue with the people in charge of it. So, it came as a surprise when we learned that Dystopia 2 would be held on that AO!
As we approached the event, there were still some preparations to be done; first we had the online briefing, which has been a normal procedure now. It gives the players the chance to ask questions directly to the staff or to rewatch it on a later date. And, for more questions, it was created a Telegram chat that the players could
join by reading a QR code on their ticket, truly a great example of organization. The guys and I were part of the Z (Zulu) faction, and like last year, the game was to be fought among three factions, and within our faction we got inserted into the Z3 sub-faction. The different sub-factions were created to ease the coordination within the main groups, since we had a radio frequency assigned to us and only a few were needed to talk with the faction commander. Anyone who wanted to hear the faction channel could do it (if they had dual-band radios), but it was mostly used to priority communication.
We were also lucky to have many friends on our faction, so we joined up with F.O.E., B.T.A., GOAT and U.S.A.C. and filled the Z3 group really fast!
HITTING THE FIELD
Gameday, and we hit the field around 1000, passed the first check-in while still in our cars, where the staff checked our tickets, and headed towards the parking space. There we geared up, tested our replicas and radios, and stored everything extra needed in bags.
For this event I was rocking the new Specna Arms Prime P23, as for gear I was using the Invader Gear
“FINALLY, A VIDEO TEASER WAS RELEASED, AND WE LEARNED THAT THE SECOND EDITION OF THE EVENT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN A MYTHICAL FIELD KNOWN BY MANY. IT’S AN OLD GUNPOWDER FACTORY THAT IS QUITE FAMOUS IN OUR COMMUNITY”
Predator in stone desert pattern, the special ops shirt in OD from Viper Tactical and my trustworthy VX plate carrier. After it was all done, we headed to the shuttle pick up area and waited for transportation towards the “village”, a place where the safezone was set up.
up.
As scheduled, a bit before game time, ANA held a short briefing, with some safety tips and other important info, but as the main briefing was already done online, so it was part of our responsibilities as players to know it. During the briefing we had some words from the commander of the local Fire Station, since the game had a charity side, aimed to offer a semi-automatic defibrillator and a carbon bottle. After it was done, the factions started moving toward their designated headquarters. It was finally game time.
After a short and bumpy (but quite fun) trip in the back of a van we arrived in the village and went to complete our check and chrono our replicas. Of course, I also took the chance to meet up with many players, some who travelled, and it’s been some time since I last saw them. This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite aspects in airsoft, meeting new people and seeing old faces, exchange experiences and stories. Once we had everything from the check in area done, we chose a spot to leave some of our gear and sit down for a while. There were still people doing their check-in, so we had plenty of time to enjoy some sopa da pedra (stone soup), a traditional soup from a region of the country, that was part of the game ticket.
As we waited for the game start, we stopped by some spots that were available for all; first, the photo stand with some zombies from the Produções Imersivas. Then, the drone capture spot, which was coordinated by the guys from the Drone Crew, who were doing photos and drone clips for the teams. As the time for the welcome briefing approached, we headed back to the village to get our bags and ready
Like last year, Dystopia 2 follows a character called TechMerc, a hacker from the future who travelled to our time after a heist. But not only did he get trapped in our timeline, he also got followed by a Task Force whose mission is to locate and arrest him. Last year the story ended with TechMerc being contained but not completely controlled. In this year’s edition, the hacker was able to upload his conscience in order to escape, so the Task Force is once again asking for our help in stopping this menace.
When we arrived at our HQ we had to wait a bit for our commander, and even after he arrived everything was a bit chaotic. Giving out missions and objectives should be done to team leaders and/or subfaction commanders, this way there are fewer people blocking the view and making noise. So, the start of the game was a bit confusing.
When the first missions got released, we started moving, like last year the game was designed so we had to gather a certain quantity of an item to unlock a main mission. This year we had to find “energy cells” and then deposit them in three available points where an Ares Alpha ATB was present. The box would read the present of the item, and we were good to go. We quickly unlocked the first mission and since it was close to our location at the time, we rushed to the location and met the first “character” from the game story, the Captain.
“LIKE LAST YEAR, DYSTOPIA 2 FOLLOWS A CHARACTER CALLED TECHMERC, A HACKER FROM THE FUTURE WHO TRAVELLED TO OUR TIME AFTER A HEIST. BUT NOT ONLY DID HE GET TRAPPED IN OUR TIMELINE, HE ALSO GOT FOLLOWED BY A TASK FORCE WHOSE MISSION IS TO LOCATE AND ARREST HIM”
MISSION PROFILE
After a small briefing from an actor who was part of the Produçes Imersivas company, we got two missions. The first was to destroy a server in order to stop TechMerc from escaping and contain him in this location. The second was to find a code from an agent who stopped all communications and bring it to the HQ.
Destroying the server was easy to do, the location was near, there was no opposition in the area, and we had already passed next to the object in question. So, via radio, I gave the order and a group of my guys headed toward the location to destroy it, which was done in a few minutes.
The mission to find the code proved more challenging, when we reached the area there were already enemies approaching, and to make things worse, zombies were wandering around, so we had to move careful, or we risked getting their attention. But, still under pressure, we were able to find the body of the missing agent and recover the code. After getting back to our HQ, we got the second part of the mission, which was to input the code in the middle antenna (one of the Ares ATB). Luckily, I had a few Ghosts together with other members of the Z3 group close to the location, and they headed there to complete the mission.
As the game progressed, I noticed some points there not working as well as last year; the mixed respawns were timed too close, so each faction had enemies respawning behind them five minutes after, and due to the mechanic of the zombies, where if you did not
make sounds or movement, they would ignore you. Sometimes you would find yourself hold position because of the wandering zombies and a few minutes later enemies would show up close to you.
The fourth faction in the game also turned things a bit confusing; the Amigarines were a group under the command of TechMerc, who were immortal, but the way to deal with them wasn’t well explained by the faction commander. When we completed a mission to make them ignore our faction, they would still attack us on sight.
As light started to fade, we were involved in more missions, in particular the one involving the medic, who charged us with collecting some reagents in order to create a way to fight the zombies. We raided a building filled with smoke effects and wandering zombies, and after getting the box, we had to get it back to medic. But, with the sun already gone, the confrontations were pure chaos. In our attempt to reach the target building, we all got eliminated except for me. So I had to hold position waiting for the team to respawn and come back. As I waited, I was able to eliminate some players with the bang rule, but soon some players of my faction arrived, and we were able
“THE MISSION TO FIND THE CODE PROVED MORE CHALLENGING, WHEN WE REACHED THE AREA THERE WERE ALREADY ENEMIES APPROACHING, AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, ZOMBIES WERE WANDERING AROUND, SO WE HAD TO MOVE CAREFUL, OR WE RISKED GETTING THEIR ATTENTION!”
to hold position.
But, due to a long wait, since our guys with the objective were unable to progress much due to enemy presence close to the HQ and respawns, we ended up being eliminated. So it was time to head back to the HQ, since the last mission was going to be launched soon. But, my guys (who were on the way) were able to complete the mission.
The last mission came and to be honest it was a bit chaotic; a character arrived at our HQ and just said that the green faction was helping TechMerc, so we had to head over to the building in flames to stop them. We started moving and found the location easily, since it was one of the field’s main buildings, and it had several fire service trucks, from the local fire station, with lights on. But when we arrived there, we found no one. So we stayed in position for a while, wondering what was happening. A bit later we got the information that it wasn’t the building we were on, but the next one…
After arriving at the front of the next building, we all watched a small role play of TechMerc emerging from the smoke, with the captain of the Task Force, who turned out to be a traitor, holding the medic hostage. And from the looks of it, the hacker was back to full strength, and next year we will be back to hunt him down!
As the game ended, we headed back to our cars to drop our gear and then drive to the village for the “endgame party”. We had pig on a spit and plenty to drink (from beers to soft drinks) and of course the traditional giveaways, and once again, I want to thank Viper Tactical, for sending gear to be part of the giveaways.
As usual, I’ll conclude this report with a few words from the ANA staff;...
“And on this event it happened... expectations were off the roof, but some execution was failed, and that reflected on the game itself. And that, sometimes, is good to happen. It allows us to reflect on errors, and readjust our planning, but most importantly put the team on the path of focus again.
Don’t get me wrong! Dystopia had amazing things! An unbelievable field to play airsoft, an urban environment with stunning playfield spots; it had 40 actors to perform the zombies, the Cyborgs, and the in-game characters, as Dystopia is a narrative experience; it had amazing special effects, as done in TV and movies, to build a dystopian setting and transport players into that environment; it had drone capture spots for players to share their team’s video on social media; it had firemen and fire trucks to help build a night setting of destruction; this being a futuristic game, it had amazing technology like our classic props, Ares Alpha technology and new props built specifically for this event; It had a great after event party with DJ, food, and giveaways; and it had amazing partners and sponsors!
But we were unable to push the game to its maximum potential. And that is the most important part of an airsoft event. It had some great moments for some, but not for all! And ANA always push for near perfection, and most importantly, for all players to end the game with incredible memories of the game/event and smiles all around. But the execution on key parts of the game was not on point that day, which reflected on the overall experience.
But this is essential for us, as organizers. As it allows us to reflect, adjust, but most importantly give us a strong strive to push it even harder! And the “G’ana!” to put Dystopia where it can be: one of the most original and out-of-the-box game series in Portuguese airsoft! And I know, for sure, that Dystopia 3 will reach that status once again!
Follow us on social media to check all our other events and activities and be sure to put Portugal on your airsoft calendar, as we, the Portuguese community, are pushing the airsoft boundaries! We have amazing organizers and teams that are doing amazing things! Come check for yourself! Have a great holiday season! Love, from Portugal!” AA
“WE ALL WATCHED A SMALL ROLEPLAY OF TECHMERC EMERGING FROM THE SMOKE, WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE TASK FORCE, WHO TURNED OUT TO BE A TRAITOR, HOLDING THE MEDIC HOSTAGE. AND FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, THE HACKER WAS BACK TO FULL STRENGTH, AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE BACK TO HUNT HIM DOWN!”
SCENES FROM THE DAY
WE’RE ALWAYS TRYING TO EXTEND OUR COVERAGE OF “AIRSOFT GOOD PRACTICE” FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, SO THIS MONTH WE’RE SUPER-HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY OUR LATEST AA LEGION RECRUIT IN THE USA, MATT, AS HE BRINGS IN HIS REPORT FROM THE BEHEMOTH GAME THAT WAS ARSENAL II, COURTESY OF THE RIGHTEOUS CREW AT AMERICAN MILSIM!
We failed to hold the school on the grounds. Rear security went wrong. For our sins we were told to go back and take it, and in my dash across an open field I was the first past the defensive line and back into the building, chasing down Tans in the second story hallways with propane-compelled gunfire.
People told me they could hear me fighting the field over, split second moments where I was the centre of the world, the rest of the team is behind me, clearing the lower floors.
I chased them down like dogs, my ears ringing until, at last, I found roof access and rise, three stories above the world where below me I see the marching of conflicting armies and the dragging of the dead.
Downstairs, my platoon leader gathers up enemies knocked out of action, and, after much consensual talk, decides executions are in order.
I stand and listen to manifesto and the gunshots that follows, looking to the autumn-dawned east to the sunken houses that serve as a slice of calamity and wondering how far past that the explosions of grenades are.
When I pass back down stairs, I see a body of a Tan, taped to a chair, his head hung back, feigning that final sleep as my squad leader finally holsters his Colt.
In a market, designed to be like that of the Afghan stallways, where either side hold deep alleys and two storey buildings with windows and doors to stare out of with guns and eyes, I climb up to the second floor of a building that faces out to the destroyed construction site, and there yet again is another man. His name is Logan, and he props himself looking out through an open door at this construction site that has fallen to the enemy, and as he does so we realise that we are far, far behind enemy lines.
For an hour, this southern boy holds the line to nearly thirty kills from the second floor of an Afghani market building as enemies climb ruins to try and get a shot on us. Logan smiles through it, jokes and laughs and wonders how it is him and I that got caught behind enemy lines as he reloads his magazine and sees the long line of a dozen breachers trying to take us on. We live.
“FOR AN HOUR, THIS SOUTHERN BOY HOLDS THE LINE TO NEARLY THIRTY KILLS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR OF AN AFGHANI MARKET BUILDING AS ENEMIES CLIMB RUINS TO TRY AND GET A SHOT ON US. LOGAN SMILES THROUGH IT, JOKES AND LAUGHS AND WONDERS HOW IT IS HIM AND I THAT GOT CAUGHT BEHIND ENEMY LINES”
There is a hospital on these grounds. Wards and levels and floors that each by themselves are of lesser fields and auxiliaries.
I have seen events in the past take place entirely in buildings this size. Outside, a technical circles the building; it’s not friendly. In our hunkering and in our clearing we walk in this place where door frames are oppressive and the threats within are unspoken in their hypothetical millions. As others fight for roof access to fight off the incoming enemy, some of us wade down, down into complete darkness, into a metal morgue where open doors of fridges are like wings, and in the dark as we flash our white light we see two plastic eyes stare up at us from the sockets of a playpen creature. We stare, and it stares back, as before it lies the red-caked design of a five-sided star, and the blessings of Lord God suddenly seem very quiet in that place of death.
Someone turns on the light, and we move on from that place.
A story of brotherly love, ending in tragedy: In the shadow of a building complex created of shipping containers, two soldiers fight a failing defense. One is shot. Maybe by me. I hear the screaming and I follow it. Past the wreckage of a Huey helicopter, past the wreckage of the AH-1, past the parked fire trucks who in the light gleam and radiate with a warmth that I stick to,
not out of coldness, but because they are hard cover against the building defenders shooting down on us. The fallen man is dragged away, but I am too fast as I round the corner and on his knees is the survivor. I shoot him, and so far away is a single defender, four stories above me, is my witness. I look back to hold this moment for as long as it would last, how how it feels, and then I turn away as he raises his gun to try and avenge his fallen upon me.
In a parking garage, beneath white phosphorus light, in a car crunched by some design, four kittens huddle together as I walk silently through and then shoot a civilian militia member in the back. Their mewing echoes starward as finally at last, an LMG finds my silhouette and peppers my side and I die in the dark on the grounds built in the shadow of a War on Terror.
HOPES AND DREAMS
The dream of airsofters is comprised of battlefield and land; whereas the pickup fields constructed of balsa wood and industrial material suffice for weekend firefights and classic speedball, there are places then where
“AS WE FLASH OUR WHITE LIGHT WE SEE TWO PLASTIC EYES STARE UP AT US FROM THE SOCKETS OF A PLAYPEN CREATURE. WE STARE, AND IT STARES BACK, AS BEFORE IT LIES THE RED-CAKED DESIGN OF A FIVE-SIDED STAR, AND THE BLESSINGS OF LORD GOD SUDDENLY SEEM VERY QUIET IN THAT PLACE OF DEATH”
we stretch out even further beyond tire stacks and dilapidated cars. We are emulating a particular type of activity, that takes place in a particular type of place.
Make no mistake, rolling through undeveloped forests and abandoned malls or mills where America has depreciated beyond all working form is cooler than your local speedball arena (of course, all the love toward them!), but to get to the apex of this hobby and sport then is to go to places in the world where real and play blur together.
The Muscatatuck Training Center (referred after in this article as MUTC) in the United States, nestled within the Indiana heartland, built by prison labour and American taxes is one such place where by design reality is blurred for emulation and simulation for the sake of government agencies ranging from the military to rescue services. For us airsofters, however, we use it for a certain type of libation.
This place is no stranger to airsoft, and airsoft is no stranger to this eternal story that frames this event: Green versus Tan. The Coalition of Sovereign Territories (Green) squared off against the United Federal States (Tan) and the Civilian Defense Forces (Plaid) at the MUTC as part of a long running story that American Milsim maintains to provide context to all that they do; something was there, and all involved would kill each other over it.
As a videogame writer whose job is to provide said context in order to facilitate gameplay, I can always appreciate how cute it is when such organizers try their hand on lore and story, but as I’m sure we all know, at the end of the day all of it falls away to that cardinal story of green versus tans and how well or not the organizers manage the game as it manifests.
For me, these are always underlying questions. The pomp of circumstance will never outweigh the
fundamental experience of playing airsoft and the questions that have to be answered by organizers toward those ends; are the points of contention well spaced out? Are the respawn rules fair and unobtrusive? How do medic rules work? Is reloading allowed out on the field? Where are you allowed to actually go? How many refs per player? How many refs per sector? These quiet, unseeming questions are often the meat of the issues that arise in the day to day of milsim, and ones that I ruminate on going toward events and leaving them.
For American Milsim’s Arsenal II however, my thoughts wandered to a different particular topic and that was the AO, because there was no contention for the game itself for once. At risk of sounding like a military contractor selling the facility for tax money, the MUTC is a fully-designed space meant to encourage or enable certain tactical situations bounding off of each other. A Motel sits across the street from a school, a kill house meant for CQB
simply being told to the user that they are, hospitals and administrative buildings and offices and markets, tucked well within several acres that is in itself, smaller than some Milsim AOs, but densely feature rich.
Like the condensed pictures of ecosystems in
“THE DREAM OF AIRSOFTERS IS COMPRISED OF BATTLEFIELD AND LAND; WHEREAS THE PICKUP FIELDS CONSTRUCTED OF BALSA WOOD AND INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL SUFFICE FOR WEEKEND FIREFIGHTS AND CLASSIC SPEEDBALL, THERE ARE PLACES THEN WHERE WE STRETCH OUT EVEN FURTHER BEYOND TIRE STACKS AND DILAPIDATED CARS”
science books where all life that could possibly exist within a biome is shoved into a single diagram, that was the condition of MUTC, and then some more.
As funny as it might seem, there is novelty in the idea that walking into a hospital, knowing enemies are within, that one could still turn the lights on and off with a switch; that in the basement of that hospital was a morgue with the body stretchers and fridges in pitch black wait. Packaged calamity; in another part, a small portion of a town, underwater, shaken up by earthquake, the parking garage and the construction site both able to be climbed for sake of firing position and a firefight that truly felt like out of a warzone. CQB, field work, all.
This place is a dream airsoft location, built with money and resources and thought that could only be wielded by the government, and not any private field owners. Not the usual place by far. Not an airsoft field by design or intention but perfectly suited nonetheless.
Beau, American Milsim’s representative, running the show there for Arsenal II spoke to this during a safety brief. This man, who had seemed straight out of a long line of people who made their livelihood selling combat as commodity and offering, salty beard, trucker cap, wrap-around sunglasses indoors and all, had said with a swipe of his hand. “They didn’t want us to come back.” but he explained further, miming a phone in one hand, speaking of American Milsim’s previous work at that AO running Arsenal I. “But I told them, I begged them, put me on the line with the
guy in charge and give me five minutes.” There was of course understandable concern: facility staff, which are military, had not been totally sold on repeat experiences with airsofters, the underlying fear as reported being that a certain sanctity of MUTC would be sacrificed if it was turned into a place of play, as, in the end, Airsoft is. However Arsenal II was still on, and, as proudly Beau reported, we were there playing airsoft. His five minutes were enough to convince whoever had been in charge to give Airsoft a chance, not only for AMS, but also for Milsim West the following week.
GETTING TO THE POINT
The night prior to action, amidst a car park of enemies and allies we sat beneath a camping lamp as the squad leader, a personal friend, outlined the initial objectives as tasked to us for this one and a half day op. I won’t bore you with the procedural orders that are common here as they are in every milsim op. That’s not the point of this article. I have no story about the orders or the line of battle because they were typical flows of the game masquerading as military manoeuvers. To me it did not matter that Green or Tan won, insomuch as what mattered was the fight itself, and I suspect most airsofters aren’t
of this article was to tell you about time and place and scenes of what airsoft is when brought to location meant for force
“A MOTEL SITS ACROSS THE STREET FROM A SCHOOL, A KILL HOUSE MEANT FOR CQB TRAINING IS OFF A FLANK OTHERWISE OCCUPIED BY PATHED-OUT JUNKYARDS AND STRUCTURES MEANT TO BE CLEARED BUILT OUT OF CONNEX CONTAINERS; BUILDINGS, ORGANICALLY MADE, THAT IS ONE COULD IMAGINE THEM FUNCTIONING”
on force; things I could say that could only take place at this op, in this area, and perhaps tell you that all of this could be your experience as well.
I will tell you of the rush against a technical whose mobility has been taken from it by a well-placed launch of a grenade, where a platoon of Green much like wolves descended upon five men in their metal coffin beneath the shadow of a water tower.
I will tell of the stand we made in a church, amongst the pews and the overlook, where the enemy came flooding in and met first hand, staring down the barrel of lightning and thunder by grenade and by gun, and how they had to drag me out of there fighting, the glass still reverberating.
I will tell you of walking in the midnight plains as thermal scopes watch us from the brush, and having to stay so close to the ground that even the daisies cast their shadows on us.
I will tell you that American Milsim knows how to run an event. I will tell you that their rules are so tuned that fighting is encouraged but a good position is never permanent, and that the medic rules are immersive and that there exists a dead simple idea; that control points are places in the AO that fighting is drawn to because they are control points. American Milsim understands where they go in their events and bring the opportunities for these scenes, every minute of every Op as concerns these places in the world, and you spend time not thinking about the game, but rather the experience of.
Fighting not only took place at MUTC, but at specific places at MUTC that were unique to that place and our experiences, and throughout the population of four hundred in attendance of that event, you could feel it in the air, that brevity. You could see squads who were dead taking their time and walking through these fake real places; a church, an academy, a bus stop, a subway, and so much more. You could hear it dreamed up in the words of those playing: that this was the next step for airsoft as a whole.
Beau said that their ability to be at the MUTC was something for all airsoft, not just for them as an event promoter, but for all the hobby. And perhaps those of us who attended Arsenal II saw what he was talking about, that the ability to walk these grandconstructed spaces was our future that we were
glimpsing now and proved that we were worthy and responsible. We walked in this future dead and alive, in the shadow of buildings built for what we were doing in a way that none other in their consideration had ever done so before. Although we were not its intended audience those who were consul at its origin were not so far away from our own desires, and there we saw perhaps then a place in the world that was for us.
We were there, we will return, and maybe one day we’ll build a place like this again.
Airsoft Action Magazine would like to thank all sponsors and distributors present at American Milsim’s Arsenal II, including G&G, Laylax, PTS, and Amped Airsoft for their participation and support. AA
“I WILL TELL YOU THAT AMERICAN MILSIM KNOWS HOW TO RUN AN EVENT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THEIR RULES ARE SO TUNED THAT FIGHTING IS ENCOURAGED BUT A GOOD POSITION IS NEVER PERMANENT, AND THAT THE MEDIC RULES ARE IMMERSIVE”
COMMUNITY SPIRIT +
LATE LAST MONTH BILL SET OFF ON HIS “AIRSOFT ADVENTURES” AGAIN, THIS TIME TRAVELLING TO PORTUGAL TO MEET UP WITH MIGUEL AND ATTEND THE EXPOAIRSOFT 2024 IN LISBON, WHERE TEAMS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND INTERESTED PARTIES SHOWED OFF AIRSOFT IN THE MOST POSITIVE LIGHT POSSIBLE! THEY NOW REPORT BACK ON THEIR EXPERIENCE OF A FIRST-RATE EVENT, AND MIGUEL LEADS OFF…
As many of you know, I’ve been playing Airsoft for some years now, and in these years I’ve met some good people. And among these there is Nuno (Stuntman) Tavares, a player who has organized tons of events, played in other countries and is always involved in something positive for our community, a true community member.
In 2017, we were present for the Airsoft Summit; this was the first attempt at a fair that aimed to bring together different aspects of our community, but unfortunately it did not work as we hoped. Although it was also well organized, with interesting panels and show, it was during a really hot weekend, so not many showed up.
Fast-forward to 2024 and the EXPOAIRSOFT appeared, again organized by Stuntman, with the same goal... Let’s bring the community together, showcase what we do and present projects! And, trusting in his work, we signed up to have our own stand again. Why? Because we know, this type of initiative, always aims to create something positive in the community.
As the date approached, we learned about the location, that all stand slots were filled and everything was coming along well. So, good news all around! And, it was around this time that I launched the challenge to Ian from Viper and our own Bill… well, it wasn’t a direct challenge... things just followed this path! Unfortunately, our friend Ian was unable to
“FAST-FORWARD
attend, but, Bill, being a true veteran in this world, kept to his goal. True enough, Friday before the Expo, I was picking him up from the airport, a quick stop at the hotel, and we went to get some dinner… I’m sure he has some more details on that, so over to him!
Bill: Airsoft for me is all about the experience, not just the experience of playing in a good game with a great AEG or GBB in my hands, but the experience as a whole… and the most important aspect of this for me is the people! And not just my fellow players, but those good folk involved that make our shared airsoft experiences worthwhile, like those that write the scenarios and organise the sites and fields, those that support and marshal the games, and indeed those behind the scenes that provide both the AEGs/GBBs we need and all the kit that goes with them!
And it is people that make a community isn’t it?
Good people can create a community that has great values and a sets a tone where we can all enjoy airsoft as we always hope it will be, full of fast and furious action but with a steel core of understanding, fair play, and as we say every week in “SFTW” a whole heart full of honour. Sure enough, bad people can chip away at our communities, and we should have zero tolerance for “toxicity” in any shape of flavour…
I’ve been lucky enough to have met so many great airsofters over the years, not those that you
TO 2024 AND THE EXPOAIRSOFT APPEARED, AGAIN ORGANIZED BY STUNTMAN, WITH THE SAME GOAL... LET’S BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, SHOWCASE WHAT WE DO AND PRESENT PROJECTS! AND, TRUSTING IN HIS WORK, WE SIGNED UP TO HAVE OUR OWN STAND AGAIN”
see online that shout loud about how good they think they are, but those that have airsoft truly in their hearts and strive, as my friends in Greece once said to me “To give their opponents the best game possible”, not just on the field, but in every aspect of their airsoft lives.
As regulars here will know we devote a lot of space in AIRSOFT ACTION to stories about different communities around the world, and one of our own, Miguel (or “Homer” as he’s known in his native Portugal… every Portuguese airsofter has a callsign!) shares many values with me and has always epitomised to me what understanding “community” truly means, as everything he does both here onpage and on the field is rooted in the belief that airsoft should be as good as possible, in every way, for every player.
You can imagine therefore, that several months back when he told me that there would be a community event, the EXPOAIRSOFT, in Lisbon that would encompass players, retailers, associations, and even be supported by a handful of airsoft brands you’d better believe that this was something I wanted to personally support!
And so it was that I found myself winging my way to Lisbon, to check out a new event in a place where airsoft still has its fair share of “challenges”. I’d spoken briefly with the main organiser Nuno, and it was apparent that a great deal of organisational energy had gone into pulling the event together, from securing a suitable venue to bringing together disparate parties to create something that would be quite unique and absolutely special.
WINNER WINNER… FRANCHESINHA DINNER!
HITTING THE GROUND IN LISBON late on Friday it was immediately obvious that Miguel and his colleagues from the GHOST OPS team were going to do everything they could to make my stay with them worthwhile.
Straight from the airport it was a quick check-in at my hotel and then straight out to dinner with the team; we were joined by the F.O.E. and B.T.A. and U.S.A.C. Teams, along with two other ambassadors from Viper, Miguel Almeida and Miguel Barata (TOO MANY MIGUELS!!!), and what a dinner it was…
“AIRSOFT FOR ME IS ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING IN A GOOD GAME WITH A GREAT AEG OR GBB IN MY HANDS, BUT THE EXPERIENCE AS A WHOLE… AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS FOR ME IS THE PEOPLE!”
The “Francesinha” is a Portuguese sandwich made with layers of toasted bread and layers of meat such as steak, ham, sausage, or chipolata over which sliced cheese is melted by “the ladling of a near-boiling tomato-and-beer sauce called Molho de Francesinha”… challenge accepted, and overcome!
After much lively talk about life, airsoft and everything with the GHOST OPS and their airsoft friends I was offered a ride back by members of the BTA team to my hotel, and found myself yet again in a car, in a city I didn’t know, with a cool bunch of fellow players that I’d only just met… but there it is… trust among fellow players… and the first evening really set the tone for the rest of what would be a most illuminating weekend!
But this story isn’t about me, it’s about the Portuguese airsoft community, and how they came together to create something totally unique, impressive, and empowering that I’ve certainly
never seen before in all my years of airsoft; the EXPOAIRSOFT!
This was not a “sales show”, far from it! Bringing together many interested parties from their own community they went about setting up some very professional-looking stands to showcase what their individual teams or associations do (they actually run all the games!) and what equipment is used for airsoft… and then they opened the doors to the public! Yup, that’s right, the event was publicised so that anyone with any interest in airsoft whatsoever could come along and find out more, and it was BRILLIANT!
I mentioned earlier that like many other airsoft communities around the world, the Portuguese teams and players face “challenges”, and the most pressing of these is legal. The fact that they opened the doors of EXPOAIRSOFT to anyone meant that members of the police or government were able to come and educate themselves on airsoft, and I have to say that the event was so safely run and professional that I would challenge anyone to go away unimpressed… anyone that had a stand at EXPOAIRSOFT went out of their way to show airsoft in its best possible light, and in my opinion they were a credit not just to their own community, but to airsoft itself.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND
Miguel: During the Expo I was able to introduce Bill to several stands, luckily in Portugal many are able to speak English, so the process went smoothly! And it was quite interesting having his take on what we do here, how the games are organized, how the teams run themselves and our struggles with the law, among other topics.
Bill: Portugal, and airsoft there specifically, appears to be unique in many ways, and as far as I could see most of them are largely positive!
Let’s get one thing out of the way straight away… the yellow painted parts… this is a legal requirement in Portugal, the way that players can own AEGs and GBBs, and it is the law. However, it’s a strange law as far as I can see as when not in-game “RIFs” are not to be on public display, and when in-game these parts can be covered… so the only people to see your RIF are you and other players… Hmmm…
“STRAIGHT FROM THE AIRPORT IT WAS A QUICK CHECK-IN AT MY HOTEL AND THEN STRAIGHT OUT TO DINNER WITH THE TEAM; WE WERE JOINED BY THE F.O.E. AND B.T.A. AND U.S.A.C. TEAMS, ALONG WITH TWO OTHER AMBASSADORS FROM VIPER, MIGUEL ALMEIDA AND MIGUEL BARATA (TOO MANY MIGUELS!!!)”
Okay, I get it, if the police wish to check that your RIF is that and not something more “serious” then it’s as easy as viewing the rifle or pistol… but… from my time in the USA (orange tip and all that) I’ve seen how this can be abused by the criminal fraternity, so I had a lot of conversations with Portuguese players about power levels and legality rather than painting their beloved replicas.
A note here, though, to players who may visit Portugal to play in one of their awesome games… you don’t have to paint YOUR RIF as the law applies only to Portuguese residents, not visitors!
But they say that “necessity is the mother of all invention” and one thing I saw was a thriving local market for 3D printed muzzle devices (legal yellow) with suppressors designed to fit straight over them perfectly and securely. I spoke to GHOST OPS Dino and his partner Sierra (thanks for your kindness and interpretations too!) who showed me the range of suppressor models he had created STLs for, and boy… massively impressive! There were even models in his range that I’ve struggled to find elsewhere, and I’ll be speaking more to him in 2025 about this…
Props… Oh my, props for games in Portugal are 100% “a thing”, and virtually every team stand had a few to show off, mostly awesome-looking and electronic in nature! Sure, there was ARES ALPHA, but I spent some time speaking to a lovely guy called “Reaper” who specialises in home-grown electronic props and to say that the workings of his mind must be seriously arcane is an understatement! Keys, codes, puzzles, electric contacts… buzzers, klaxons, whistles
and bells… countdowns and count-ups… the array was mind-boggling, and it appears that props are an integral part of any game in Portugal and I loved them all.
These things aside though the main thing that hit me about EXPOAIRSOFT was just how seriously the teams and associations took their chance to showcase airsoft to the public; each stand was meticulously laid out with displays of kit and some fine examples of airsoft platforms, many with videos of games running too. As a visitor I found every single person I spoke to friendly and approachable (and their English was excellent… humbling…), and in one instance where there was a MC-BLACK/MC loadout on display and I shared a good laugh with the guys as this is a loadout that we often run ourselves… we’re all different, but in some ways we’re all the same… airsofters!
So, was EXPOAIRSOFT a success? I’d say yes, and that it will grow further in the future! Although the public did indeed come to look, quite often as entire families from what I saw, the main positive to me was the interaction between the teams, the associations, and the retailers that were present. Plans were discussed, game ideas shared, information exchanged, and friendships reinforced face to face, all of which gives positive strength to any community!
I was massively impressed by everything I saw (and I REALLY wanted to bring a buggy home!) and by the sheer enthusiasm and community spirit that I saw in evidence in Lisbon; if we were to look for a “model” for how a community event should be run, then EXPOAIRSOFT was most unquestionably a brilliant example.
“THIS WAS NOT A “SALES SHOW”, FAR FROM IT! BRINGING TOGETHER MANY INTERESTED PARTIES FROM THEIR OWN COMMUNITY THEY WENT ABOUT SETTING UP SOME VERY PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING STANDS TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEIR INDIVIDUAL TEAMS OR ASSOCIATIONS DO”
Hats-off and massive thanks to Nuno and his team for arranging this, and I sincerely hope that this will become an annual event, one that I can return to time and again to meet with new friends, enjoying everything that airsoft has to offer among enthusiastic players.
Again, my sincere thanks go to Nuno and his team for creating such a fabulous event, to Miguel and his fellow GHOSTS for being such awesome hosts, to “LM”, “Frost” and “Snow” just for being righteous dudes, to AirsoftGirls.pt for their enthusiasm and humour (The Duchess, Geraldo and “Jose” will be stuck in my mind for some time to come…), to “Primeira Dama” and Marshall for allowing me to speak on the ANA livestream with Miguel, to Reaper for putting up with all my questions about props, to the Drone Crew for showing me some super-cool toys, to and… well, to every single person I spoke to basically, as I could go on and on!
Miguel: The Expo itself was a hit, it was great to see the community come together and build something to demonstrate what we do better. We had teams, shops, associations, and projects present, each showing their own world, sharing experiences and answering questions from any who visited. It’s important to mention that that Expo was opened to everyone, players and non-players. The entrance was mostly free, visitors could bring some food and dry goods items for charity, to help a local association.
But, for me, one of the most special parts of the Expo was seeing so many known faces, even some who are no longer active players. I spent a long time speaking with so many people that I lost count. There is just something special in laughing after changing experiences and remembering past games! AA
“THEY
SAY THAT “NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF ALL INVENTION” AND ONE THING I SAW WAS A THRIVING LOCAL MARKET FOR 3D PRINTED MUZZLE DEVICES (LEGAL YELLOW) WITH SUPPRESSORS DESIGNED TO FIT STRAIGHT OVER THEM PERFECTLY AND SECURELY”
“THE MAIN THING THAT HIT ME ABOUT EXPOAIRSOFT WAS JUST HOW SERIOUSLY THE TEAMS AND ASSOCIATIONS TOOK THEIR CHANCE TO SHOWCASE AIRSOFT TO THE PUBLIC; EACH STAND WAS METICULOUSLY LAID OUT WITH DISPLAYS OF KIT AND SOME FINE EXAMPLES OF AIRSOFT PLATFORMS, MANY WITH VIDEOS OF GAMES RUNNING TOO”
“THE EXPO ITSELF WAS A HIT, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND BUILD SOMETHING TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT WE DO BETTER. WE HAD TEAMS, SHOPS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PROJECTS PRESENT, EACH SHOWING THEIR OWN WORLD, SHARING EXPERIENCES AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM ANY WHO VISITED”
EXPOAIRSOFT ‘24 EXHIBITORS
Associations
Associação Nacional de Airsoft (ANA)
Associação de Praticantes de Airsoft
Português (APAP)
Associação de Praticantes de Airsoft
Português (APACORP)
Associação Lusitana de Airsoft (ALA)
Associação Portuguesa de Milsim e Airsoft (APMA)
Associação Portuguesa de Paintball
Recreativo (Paintugal)
Teams and Clubs
Alcateia Airsoft Clube
Associação Airsoft Estreito
BEAR
Clube Killer Bees
Clube Legião Estrangeira AT
Deadly Destruction Team
F.O.E. Airsoft Clube
F.O Airsoft / Clube Airsoft Fafe
QDR Quinta Nova – Phoenix Tactical Team
Ghost Ops Airsoft Team
Hostile Operations Team
Unidade Especial de Airsoft Clube
Wildskulls
Projects
Airsoft Girls Portugal
Bif’ANA’S e Bbs
Bordae&Cia
Drone Crew
Jornal 6mm
Raider 21
Reaper Props and Airsoft Inovations
Safezone podcast
Shops
ANA shop
Blackhawk Airsoft
Combate Virtual / Rossi
Estratego / Umarex
NACD
BIGGER AND BETTERMOA 2024!
WITH THE TAIL END OF THE YEAR APPROACHING, IT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE BIG SHOW SEASON ONCE AGAIN, AND OF COURSE TAIWAN IS CLOSER TO THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE AND A GOOD EIGHT HOURS AHEAD OF THE UK AND EUROPE, SO THEY GET TO GO FIRST! THE MILITARY OUTDOOR AND AIRSOFT (MOA) SHOW IS IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR OF GROWING FROM ITS INAUGURAL SHOW THAT OCCURRED JUST AFTER OUR MAN IN TAIWAN STEWBACCA LANDED IN-COUNTRY, AND 2024’S SHOW IS BACK TO WHAT 2019’S REDUCED DOMESTIC-ONLY SHOW WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE! FIVE YEARS LATER IT’S BACK ON TRACK, AND STEWBACCA BRINGS US HIS REPORT.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m a closet introvert masquerading as an extrovert at times here; the day job tends to drain my social battery and use up ‘all of my spoons’ for dealing with people on a day to day basis, with decompressing alone in my Stu-dio being the best part of my week a lot of times.
That being said, when it comes to mingling with ‘the beautiful people’, I nonetheless find the energy to plough through the three days of the long-weekend MOA show (plus the days and nights either side and during it for being a social butterfly of sorts), surviving as usual on energy drinks or gels, M&Ms and the various snacks that people kindly throw at me like a performing seal or passing dog who’s heard a packet being opened from across the room. I revel in the otherwise overwhelming sights and sounds of the show, the new shiny things and the familiar and friendly faces of industry and community folks alike.
This year was truly a statement from the industry and community writ large in Taiwan, with Shot Show and IWA seemingly sometimes not knowing exactly how to frame airsoft within their larger real-steel activities and potential overlap or conflict between divisions in the manufacturers and end users that straddle both, MOA’s focus almost exclusively on airsoft replica firearms and peripheral accessories make it a more homogenous (and increasingly humongous!) trade show that represents not only the cross-section of Taiwanese industry and what it has to offer, but also those of local neighbours and other outfits and interest further afield. So, as always, huge thanks and congratulations to Eric Chu and his team at QRF. mag for putting on an ever better show! As I said to him and others a few times, the increase
in general scale with it taking over a whole additional side hall space was also joined by a much calmer and easier to navigate general feeling, a far cry from the inaugural 2017 show in a Xinzhuang sports hall, with the narrow alleyways that prevented people moving around as soon as anyone stopped at a booth or stall. This was an airy, chilled out pleasure to navigate and a lot of the booth design itself was also aimed at ease of thoroughfare and mingling or stopping to talk without ever feeling you were in the way of others trying to pass or see things… as the kids are saying these days ‘we are so back!’.
Prep work for me, as ever, started months in advance with securing the time off work as soon as the dates were fixed; they do have a tendency to mess poor Eric around and have shifted the dates on him in past years to accommodate other shows and their shifting needs too. As for weekend of November 8th-10th approached visitors from overseas started arriving, from my fellow media bods such as good friends Vic from Popular Airsoft, and Medard & Paulina from WMASG in Poland, the Swedish airsoft. nu team and their local assistants, Hyperdoraku from Japan and even US Airsoft - Scott, who I first met at the Laylax Krytac event in Japan a few years back (see
“LIKE A PERFORMING SEAL OR PASSING DOG WHO’S HEARD A PACKET BEING OPENED FROM ACROSS THE ROOM... I REVEL IN THE OTHERWISE OVERWHELMING SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE SHOW, THE NEW SHINY THINGS AND THE FAMILIAR AND FRIENDLY FACES OF INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY FOLKS ALIKE”
Issue 145) whose visit was sponsored by some of the manufacturers and crashed at my place while he was in town. Of course the obligatory traditional Thursday night shenanigans after work and heading straight to my usual pub haunt to get a few welcome beers and food in and being joined by ‘uncle’ Allen of Kriss/ Krytac and meeting Sakari of Atom Airsoft who joined us too, along with new friend Derek from the big apple area who Allen introduced me beforehand as well.
As seems customary, the rainy weather descended upon Taipei in lockstep with the show, even a cavalcade of typhoons grazing the South coast and worrying our international visitors with the prospect of delayed arrivals or delays, but it seems everyone landed largely unaccosted or at least made it in time to catch the majority of the proceedings. With Friday morning rolling around we peeled ourselves out of our beds and headed on the MRT to Xinyi in the shadow of Taipei 101; arriving just after 0900 to allow us to get the obligatory birds-eye view pics from the balconies overlooking the main exhibition hall floor,
as well as catch up with other friends in the foyer and sort out or media passes before the queues of ‘civilians’ got too hectic.
Doors opened at 1000 and having already briefed myself on the general layout with the online provided maps (and with paper copy in hand as well as having studied the large one on the wall at the front gates) I made a beeline in an anti-clockwise inward spiral of
sorts, departing from previous year’s traps of getting talking to the big names first and potentially missing the independent and new folks in the right lower ceilinged part of the hall, stopping by my friends at Archwick on the way there.
B201 - ARCHWICK, QUANTO, RAVEN Evolution
This year the Archwick guys have been hard at work not only growing their range of B&T licensed BT AIR gas blowback replicas of the APC9 series (see Issue 168 for my full review of the APC9SD2 I now have for myself) with further models arriving soon including APC9SD, APC9 PRO and even Law Enforcement (LE)
variants specifically replicating extended M-LOK rail units for US police forces. There are also some variants being made available in sand/FDE colouration, as well as their AEG and now even HPA variants being brought to market too! They had a firing range to the front end of their large booth using Acetech targets to showcase their latest iterations, as well as sharing their booth with Quanto who are at the forefront of HPA systems.
I was talking at length with Michael of MechLabs who is another escapee and collaborator who came from the US nearly 30 years ago and became an R&D whizz kid who’s behind their exceptionally well thought our ‘Nexus’ drop in V2 gearbox-sized HPA system which runs well even on lower inlet pressures and is modular for a wide array of gun types thanks to specific selector plate adaptors to suit each gun
“ARCHWICK WERE ALSO SHOWCASING THEIR NEW SIG M17 COMPATIBLE LICENSED ‘KILLER INNOVATIONS’ RED DOT SIGHT READY PORTED AND STYLISED SLIDE KITS WITH THREAD ON COMPENSATORS THAT REALLY LOOK THE BUSINESS, AS WELL AS THEIR GROWING RANGE OF EMG LICENSED DANIEL DEFENSE M-LOK RAIL KIT COMPONENTS”
class’s fire selector setup; many people were taking an interest in their turnkey SQB style gun setups, as well as their drop in HPA units and other components which will be inside Archwick’s offerings too. Archwick were also showcasing their new SIG M17 compatible licensed ‘Killer Innovations’ red dot sight ready ported and stylised slide kits with thread on compensators that really look the business, as well as their growing range of EMG licensed Daniel Defense M-LOK rail kit components, as well as turnkey DDM PDW and DDM V7S GBBR platforms, which make use of their own A-Type MWS internals offerings. Also in their booth were Raven Evolution, a Canadian based outfit visiting to try and help put their nation on the map for domestic development, with an existing line up of AR AEGs and bolt action spring powered guns made from premium materials.
B116 - ITP AIRSOFT
Just behind Archwick’s larger shared booth, ITP (Innovative Tactical Productions) had returned following their initial interest last year; with a growing array of very nicely constructed niche components such as their huge ultra-realistic drum mags for Marui Saiga 12s, sporting realistic shells on their outside
surface which attach onto their more traditional drum mag internal unit. Scott and I also revisited later to check out their interesting bullpup ‘Groza 12’ Saiga adaptor kit with side swinging pistol grip that allows the long magazines to be loaded or unloaded by
moving the grip to the right out of their way. I was also quite taken by their 120 BB drum mags for the KWA Vz 61 Skorpion, which I have hanging on my wall and not seeing much use lately.
B115 - BANG BANG AIRSOFT
Over the strait from Hong Kong again, I was pleased to see Ines was joining the fray, dreadlocks and tattoos in full force, it was a pleasure to see her joining Jan to bring an array of brands such as Revanchist,
Hephaestus, Bear Paw, Hypertek and Roxyvon, covering all manner of products from competitive pistol components and 3D printed competition gun slides, machined components for bolt action sniper rifles, AK GBBR custom components, and weapon lights, with Holosun also sharing the rear portion of their booth and showcasing some of their interesting weapon optics and night vision scopes.
B118/9 - NUPROL & VORSK
Of course it was a pleasure to stumble on our friend Jean of Nuprol who was busying himself tying up one of the latest iteration of Vorsk’s VMP-2 platform to hang from the overhead sections of the booth, and I took a gander at the latest wares. The longer variant certainly looks swish, not that the original SMG/ PDW style variant isn’t of interest already, but I really like this direction of a single SMG style magazine and receiver system with varying setups allowing for commonality in support gear and parts, but a tailored
“OVER THE STRAIT FROM HONG KONG AGAIN, I WAS PLEASED TO SEE INES WAS JOINING THE FRAY, DREADLOCKS AND TATTOOS IN FULL FORCE, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO SEE HER JOINING JAN TO BRING AN ARRAY OF BRANDS SUCH AS REVANCHIST, HEPHAESTUS, BEAR PAW, HYPERTEK AND ROXYVON”
solution to different environments as with the B&T APC system replicas.
B204 - WOOD & IRON / Knife Creation Taiwan
Moving towards the right side of the show I happened upon everyone’s favourite lady shooter, our girl ‘Military’ Anny Wu was working with our friends from the Bade street event featured back in Issue 167 - Wood & Iron; not only do they run a food wagon that does slap up meat sandwiches, but they have some expertise in custom knife making and outdoor
equipment manufacture as well as selling an array of useful products from other companies on their booth for the avid outdoors person. My Saffa friends here also picked up and tested some of their waterproof
matches among other widgets later in the show, as well as of course lots of animal pelts which both myself and Anny were putting to good use for comical effect over the weekend; I also happened to see A Hien and Uzi of Himalaya works featured in Issue 164 hanging around there later on in the show too.
B209 - TRENCH AIRSOFT
The guys of Trench have been growing their product range since they first entered the market a few years back, focusing on some beautifully finished wood furniture and full turnkey-solution rifles both of older school variants of bolt action WW1/2
flavours, with Moisins, MAS, Gewehrs and Garands hanging alongside grease and tommy guns, although personally I was also quite taken with their full wood VFC M16A1 compatible triangular handguards, butt stock and pistol grip setups which really look well presented.
ROC MILTIARY RECRUITMENT
At the right side of the show was the food court, Yongjin beer stall (which I spent some time at to support local breweries, of course!), and the large RoC military recruitment area, with a full on anti-aircraft gun displayed, as well as myriad other missiles and small arms and special forces equipment along with the usual recruitment desks. For now it seems I have to keep my efforts on such fronts civilian, hopefully they won’t need my services in any official capacity…
“THE GUYS OF TRENCH HAVE BEEN GROWING THEIR PRODUCT RANGE SINCE THEY FIRST ENTERED THE MARKET A FEW YEARS BACK, FOCUSING ON SOME BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED WOOD FURNITURE AND FULL TURNKEY-SOLUTION RIFLES BOTH OF OLDER SCHOOL VARIANTS OF BOLT ACTION WW1/2 FLAVOURS, WITH MOISINS, MAS, GEWEHRS AND GARANDS”
on that note…
B107 - TAIWAN SUPPORTS UKRAINE
Once again our friends Alex and his team of the Taiwan supports Ukraine local charity effort had a stall setup to maintain attention with the locals and also help share stories, lessons and produce from the ongoing war front, so of course I spent some
time toasting with their very nice Wishnivka cherry liquer, and made a few donations to secure myself an awesome patch of and X-Wing overlaid on the Ukranian trident (the resistance of the ‘rebel alliance’ continues - Slava Ukraini, as always!). Alex later told me they did a roaring trade and raised a substantial amount for sending more medical and armour
equipment among other aid.
B130 - AMAROK SPORTS
Next up was a visit to an up and coming brand I first met during POLK IV where they were showcasing their first offerings in the shape of ‘MAG 250’ polymer magazines; these are PMAG like but stylised differently and have a growing array of external cassette and feed head colours, as well as two different outer case texture styles.
They’re already garnering a lot of attention locally and overseas through a grassroots advertising campaign via the players and social media users spreading their positive experiences of their fast and reliable feeding and easily loaded 250 BB mid cap magazines, I have a bunch of samples from them to make use of with Team Taiji, many of whom have already purchased their own, along with a whole hell of a lot of local and visiting players it seems. They also have BBs and rubberised M-LOK rail covers that add a great amount of grip as well as preventing dirt ingress into handguards (I would have really benefited from that at the PengHu MilSim!) and now my VFC T91 SOC is covered in samples! I’ve been following their rise closely and should hopefully be doing a more detailed feature on their company sooner rather than later.
B210 - RED SEA TRADING
RST are a very new brand who are just a few months
“ONCE AGAIN OUR FRIENDS ALEX AND HIS TEAM OF THE TAIWAN SUPPORTS UKRAINE LOCAL CHARITY EFFORT HAD A STALL SETUP TO MAINTAIN ATTENTION WITH THE LOCALS AND ALSO HELP SHARE STORIES, LESSONS AND PRODUCE FROM THE ONGOING WAR FRONT”
old and were showcasing their launch products in the guise of VFC SCAR H compatible upper receivers, which have improved M-LOK rail systems as well as bolt carrier groups with actual roller bearings fitted to the corners which make for an unbelievably smooth and efficient operation. They are co-operating with James Chan of Max TACT, who I’m already very familiar with through our good friend Clarence Lai,
and at the time of writing I’ve already been to visit their facilities in Taichung and had a good chat about their exciting CO2 / HPA powered accessories which will no doubt make a splash in worldwide skirmishing and competition circles when they fully come to market… watch this space for more information on all that.
B124 - DEF LAB / BWSK
Opposite Amarok Sports were my old friends from the unfortunately now-closed-down TMC Taipei store who are also part of the 62SF team that caused us the hardest fight of POLK IV on the second day, as well as organising the GBBR LARP I went to covered back in Issue 151. They were supporting their teammate’s custom equipment shop, ‘Bean’s Workshop’, makers of all things tacticool for IDPA and MilSim use in terms of custom Kydex holsters, magazine carriers, belt kit setups, as well as showcasing night vision devices and related mounts and equipment. The majority of their team are exceptionally well equipped and train regularly as well as just being a great group of guys
who play and work well in general.
B110 - UNICORN AIRSOFT
Further around as I worked my way towards the centre of the show again was Unicorn Airsoft, a local small custom works who make an ever growing array of precision barrels for GBBR and AEG use. Being a local sponsor of a great many IDPA players who make effective use of their barrels and high hardness HOP buckings (as have I in my PSG-1 to great effect), I’ve
been extensively testing some of their products myself for a long overdue revisit article of the PSG-1 and FAL, and I’m eyeing up more options for my APC9SD2 on the strength of my successes with their other products.
“RST ARE A VERY NEW BRAND WHO ARE JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD AND WERE SHOWCASING THEIR LAUNCH PRODUCTS IN THE GUISE OF VFC SCAR H COMPATIBLE UPPER RECEIVERS, WHICH HAVE IMPROVED M-LOK RAIL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS BOLT CARRIER GROUPS WITH ACTUAL ROLLER BEARINGS FITTED TO THE CORNERS WHICH MAKE FOR AN UNBELIEVABLY SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT OPERATION”
Local airsoft influencer lady Sally Chou was also working their booth and it was nice to see her once again after being greeted off the boat by her at PengHu, and I nabbed one of her self-styled anime keychain fobs as well as a black unicorn plushie to go with last year’s white one; I’ll be doing a more in depth article on Unicorn Airsoft in the future after chatting with Wayne about my experiences of his products.
B101 - MWC - MODEL Works Custom
Model works are a gun shop as well as a hybrid gunsmith and custom kit operation in the northeast of Taipei who have been producing an array of kits
and turnkey custom rifles for years and have made a variety of VFC and MWS compatible systems such as T91 and T61 Taiwanese service rifles before their more mass manufactured equivalents were available. More recently they have evidently decided to ride the wave of the US military procurement effort and have a very nice XM5 NGSW replica in different overall length kits alongside their more established MCX and AR Cerakoted offerings.
D311 - 4UAD SMART AIRSOFT
Around the corner were the boys (and girls) of the 4UAD squad, showcasing their growing range of maintenance products, lubricant, grease, sealant and thread locker pens which I’ve had a few samples of and bought more of personally due to my good
“AROUND
experiences with them thus far, as well as of course their 4UANTUM HOP buckings which I have samples of but still haven’t gotten round to using.
However, the ones I gave my teammates have been receiving a lot of praise, especially when using heavier ammunition which is something I am personally wonton to. Now they’re also bringing to market their own custom Glock trigger units and CNC HOP units, they were having a roaring trade of bringing in people to play their horseshoes style giveaway game; it’s also really past time I go and see them properly, again I should have some time coming up where I’ll be in Taichung anyway for another event.
D312 - ACETECH
I happened upon Derek at this point, who’d made his way in from the ticket lines and was hanging around the Acetech booth just as I arrived, so we got the lowdown from Leo & Shawn on what the latest products were! Of course the Volcano gas grenade tracer system is an impressive setup which is very well designed and thought out, albeit a niche use case, but I can certainly see it being interesting in MilSim and particularly night ops for shock and awe; with the side break action, additional shell holders and optics or grip mounting options, along with the ability to mount a stub pistol grip and mount it as an under barrel launcher on a rifle and even a dedicated belt holster attachment system, it has a raft of features to make it more useful in game. You can check out
THE CORNER WERE THE BOYS (AND GIRLS) OF THE 4UAD SQUAD, SHOWCASING THEIR GROWING RANGE OF MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS, LUBRICANT, GREASE, SEALANT AND THREAD LOCKER PENS WHICH I’VE HAD A FEW SAMPLES OF AND BOUGHT MORE OF PERSONALLY DUE TO MY GOOD EXPERIENCES WITH THEM THUS FAR”
Nonocat & Thunderspear’s excellent review video for more details about it, similarly they were also demonstrating their specially designed tracer unit that fits into the FMG9 folding machine gun system. Their new target system was of most interest to Derek and I, however, a zeroing target unit which registers the impact point of BBs accurately and displays them on a paired phone or tablet device, similar to the Swiss electronic firing ranges I envy so much. I’m genuinely interested in testing and perhaps even buying one as it makes gun zeroing and accuracy testing just so much easier than messing around with paper targets and traipsing back and forth to check and patch them; I have already visited them once again with Scott just after the show and should hopefully get a larger focus article out about them and their products in future too.
D206 - KTC - KINGDOM Tech Co.
Along with their KG99 / TEK 9 GBB SMGs that made a splash last MOA, KTC had an array of further derivatives on show as well Glock-like pistol offerings, but actually the most interesting thing to me was also one of the most simple, but effective; they gave me a sample of their Glock magazine style speedloader, which also features a clip on ‘shoe’ at the mouth which interfaces with the follower of pistol magazines, allowing you to up-end the magazine, lock-the-shoe onto the follower, drag it upwards to the bottom of its travel, then use the speedloader thumb slider to drop rounds in before removing the loader to release
the follower to work under normal spring tension. It’s a simple idea, but such an interesting and applicable quality of life improvement… especially for someone like me who’s a competition shooter and skirmisher with over a hundred gas magazines to make use of!
D315 - PAF - PENGHU Armament Factory / YunHe Tech
At the rear of the show was Well Hsu’s shared stand with Richard Chung of YunHe tech (I’ve covered Well’s exploits before in Issue 127), and he once again had an array of heavy weapons on display; M2HB training and airsoft systems with integral tracers, the T91 Brass catching device for real firearms training with AR platforms, as well as the AGS17 grenade launcher he’s working on.
“AT THE REAR OF THE SHOW WAS WELL HSU’S SHARED STAND WITH RICHARD CHUNG OF YUNHE TECH (I’VE COVERED WELL’S EXPLOITS BEFORE IN ISSUE 127), AND HE ONCE AGAIN HAD AN ARRAY OF HEAVY WEAPONS ON DISPLAY; M2HB TRAINING AND AIRSOFT SYSTEMS WITH INTEGRAL TRACERS”
He also had YunHe’s training system set up at the rear; an immersive projector and prop-gun-based system similar to the Small Arms Trainers of my youth in the UK RAF cadets, as well as the same systems I saw the RoC armed forces using here at TADTE 2023; a variety of weapons systems are replicated from rifles to rocket launchers and I was merrily drilling virtual targets with a GBBR style AR rifle as well as an AT4 launcher against tanks… third time’s the charm in terms of figuring out the sighting and lead on that, I’m interested to visit him more and learn about VR/ Airsoft gun crossover training which I know local police and training outfits have already been using.
D217 - CTM TAC
At the rear left corner of the show was CTM TAC’s booth, with a vast array of their very-wellselling AAP01 and HiCapa pistol kits on show, with everything from setups geared towards SQB players with AR AEG magazine HPA adaptors and highly
customisable pistols to suit the flair of the player, but also body kits that make shoulder carbines or even MP7-alike systems out of the pistols to make a wider magazine-compatible alternative that looks just like the HK offering aside from the grip section, along with side folding stock solutions for picatinny rail mounting and other magazine related products. Again at the time of writing I have a visit with them imminently so I’ll be seeing more of what they’ve been up to the last few years.
D204 KIZUNA WORKS
This year Kizuna Works had a really nicely laid out and well-presented booth with neon signage of their snake and rat logo as well as an array of GBB pistol and rifles for the OpFor players among you, with their Russian KW 15K and MKW pistol platforms on the front of the display, which are very well made with tight tolerances and smooth actions, while the
SVDs and AKs adorned the rear wall with an array of custom furniture components fitted. Again, it’s about past time I go and see them, or hopefully let Anny go to get a story at some point.
D202 - NORTHEAST AIRSOFT
Northeast had their usual understated business-like
“THIS YEAR KIZUNA WORKS HAD A REALLY NICELY LAID OUT AND WELL-PRESENTED BOOTH WITH NEON SIGNAGE OF THEIR SNAKE AND RAT LOGO AS WELL AS AN ARRAY OF GBB PISTOL AND RIFLES FOR THE OPFOR PLAYERS AMONG YOU, WITH THEIR RUSSIAN KW 15K AND MKW PISTOL PLATFORMS ON THE FRONT OF THE DISPLAY”
booth with the signature grey sofa in effect, with hanging display stands of STENs, their FAMAS and Uzi GBBRs, as well, of course, as their next model in the series… the recently announced mini Uzi! Again I’ve already visited them with Scott since the show and will bring an update whenever I finally get hands on with some of their more recent platforms, the FAMAS has been in high demand and low supply due to the licensing realities of it, so grabbing one in Taiwan hasn’t been easy but I’m keen to get another bullpup service rifle GBBR that isn’t an L85A2!
D208 - PTS SYNDICATE
I’d been contacted by PTS recently on the run-up to MOA after Nonocat kindly recommended they seek me out as a content creator in country rather than one overseas, so I went over to have a look at what is on offer or nearing release.
Their Unity family of mounts is of particular interest to me as I’ve been trialling many different optics and magnification systems and setups over my years in Taiwan and before in the UK too, having the magnifier flip to centre/drop down is a great idea in terms of lack of exposure to the side with the older FTS style
QD mounts, as well as avoiding any off centre weight issues. However they also have their own GBB pistols in the works too in both Glock / P80 and Staccato style footprints with their own stylish suppressors attached with threaded outer barrels as well as red dot footprint plates and cutouts on the slides, and
a family of suppressors for APC9 and AK series platforms in a similar styling as well as having QD attachment muzzle devices.
D203 - LCT AIRSOFT
Gravitating towards our friends with all of the stamped steel cold war excellence in AEGs, I was surprised to see a mock-up of a gas gun as their centrepiece! LCT Airsoft did mention to me way back when I first met them and then brought their story to the readers of Airsoft Action back in Issue 138 that they were contemplating a shift into gas guns eventually, however it was a few years away. Now it seems that next MOA could see a functional prototype or possibly wider release of their PTK-1, a highly stylised Hi Capa type pistol with a split slide and stationery ‘island’ at the front above the threaded barrel which has a red dot mount as well as a rotary wheel style TDC HOP unit just behind it and also a red dot mount plate in the slide itself if that setup is preferred.
I look forward to seeing what their entree into the gas gun world brings and will no doubt get hands on one whenever it’s ready. AK-wise they are bringing to market a modernised skeletal stanchion style stock the PK246 that fits on their picatinny stock rail adaptor trunnion and even had a pair of gold-plated AKMs to go along with their earlier stainless steel variants, so of course I had to grab those!
“GRAVITATING TOWARDS OUR FRIENDS WITH ALL OF THE STAMPED STEEL COLD WAR EXCELLENCE IN AEGS, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A MOCK-UP OF A GAS GUN AS THEIR CENTREPIECE… LCT AIRSOFT DID MENTION TO ME WAY BACK THAT THEY WERE CONTEMPLATING A SHIFT INTO GAS GUNS EVENTUALLY… NOW IT SEEMS THAT NEXT MOA COULD SEE A FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE OR POSSIBLY WIDER RELEASE OF THEIR PTK-1!”
D307 - VFC - VEGAFORCE Company
Over the main central path was VFC’s usual large split booth which was highly stylised this year with different zones; the Cold War island to the left featured their Western Bloc Vietnam and follow-on AR GBBRs and launchers, as well as the OpFor Eastern Bloc AV74 variants, Stetchkin pistol and PPSH41 SMG, while their main booth area was emblazoned with a 20th anniversary headpiece in the style of the 20th century fox logo, and an array of licensed BCM variants as well as their FAL OSW and M110 models on a ‘saloon’ style bar area! With the VFC collaboration with Maxim Defense to make modern
AR AEGs and GBBs on the opposite face behind a more cyberpunk looking desk, the display cases elsewhere also contained their various accessories as well as the Walther PPKS that is still unavailable here unfortunately, although over on the Umarex stand nearby there was a Walther PDP T4E 11mm model on display, I hope a 6mm variant is added to the line-up as well, to supplement my PPQ NPA. Similarly their SIG Legion and Strike Industries 365 were also on display, yet more pistols I look forward to the release of.
D308 - ACTION AIRSOFT
Action Airsoft (that gets very confusing with working for Airsoft Action!) were adjoining VFC and had an array of their very interesting ‘Marksman’ K2 South Korean service rifles on display; with a very sturdy construction in general there are an array of earlier
variants with later tactical types on offer, as well as the DOE R0633 Retro mini AR that will appeal to niche folks no doubt, also on show were MCX Rattlers and Spear LT models for the US forces imitation crowd, they look and handle very nicely, but will set you back a bit, all compatible with VFC’s existing AR ecosystem which at least helps cut down on added magazine costs.
D360 - CL-CUSTOM DESIGN (CLARENCE Lai Project Design)
Of course no visit to MOA would be complete without hanging out at our good friend Clarence’s booth; again growing since last year, surrounded on 3 sides with glass display cases filled with his growing custom components for CZ Shadow 2s, CZ P10Cs, and various revolvers as well. Evidently he’s doing a roaring trade,
“WITH THE VFC COLLABORATION WITH MAXIM DEFENSE TO MAKE MODERN AR AEGS AND GBBS ON THE OPPOSITE FACE BEHIND A MORE CYBERPUNK LOOKING DESK, THE DISPLAY CASES ELSEWHERE ALSO CONTAINED THEIR VARIOUS ACCESSORIES AS WELL”
and rightly so, again I’ve been in contact with him a lot in general recently and he’ll be refurbishing my IPSC Shadow 2 Orange with his dedicated optic cut slide soon enough now that (at time of writing) I’ve also just gotten back from the Kaohsiung Level 3 Competition, so now I can have him furnish it with the latest in his line of components for me to crash test; of course there were lots of familiar faces in the TW/HK/Philippines competition circuit hanging around all weekend.
D302 - RATECH / MAPLE Leaf
I swung by our friends at RATech to see what’s new and their main focus was on their WE AR V3 internal parts kits; full steel triggers, sears, valve strikers as well as their ever popular magnetic locking NPAS enabled bolt carrier groups with steel bodies and plastic loading nozzles as is becoming their standard these days. They had similar offerings for the GHK V3 AK series in the guise of full-travel steel bolt carrier kits and nozzles too, and their SR47 that I first saw with Bill is also nearing readiness, with a long barrel and handguard variant on display this time, again running off the GHK magazine and internally compatible system.
At the other end of their shared booth, James of Maple leaf was cordially running me through two of their latest platform offerings, one I had seem someone at VFC running at their Pentagon Centre a few days before during a visit; a bolt action GBBR AR upper receiver system that converts your semi auto
gas rifle into a more powerful bolt action only setup for long range precision work with the advantage of familiar handling and magazine commonality, which is an interesting if niche concept.
The real point of interest for me though was their modular GBBR AR kit which rapidly disassembles for easy storage in three receiver length components, as well as allowing rapid changeover of handguard and barrel length setups based on the same receiver and telescopic stanchion stock; the whole idea seems like a great kit setup for ease of discreet transport for those using public transport to get to sites without a long ‘I’m obviously a gun bag’ carriage method which always garners attention for me here… coupled with my height.
D301 - BOLT AIRSOFT
And finally back around to the front of the show I stopped by Bolt Airsoft to see our friends Tomy and Wilson and check up on their heavy recoiling hardened MWS derivative entry to the GBBR market, their MAS, or Mega Airflow System; it’s nearing completion and they had an exploded array board
of its components on display as well as dry firing prototypes available for testing out! The Picatinny rail M4A1 and licensed DD Mk18 variants will be the first to release followed by M-LOK handguard AR platforms later down the line, and of course we’ll no doubt get some of them for testing among Team Taiji as we have a good relationship with Bolt.
“AND FINALLY BACK AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE SHOW I STOPPED BY BOLT AIRSOFT TO SEE OUR FRIENDS TOMY AND WILSON AND CHECK UP ON THEIR HEAVY RECOILING HARDENED MWS DERIVATIVE ENTRY TO THE GBBR MARKET, THEIR MAS, OR MEGA AIRFLOW SYSTEM”
WRAPPING IT UP
That about wraps up the most attention grabbing parts of the show for me this year, again trying to shine some light on the little guys more this year, this is already topping 5,000 words and there’s just too much to cover in great detail!
Of course my public Facebook page will have all my photos uploaded to it at some point soon for more detailed looks at booths and products.
As always, many thanks to our industry partners and friends for the plethora of samples and gifts (and snacks!) that meant I had to carry a bloody great box of things home with me at EndEx! Well done to Eric and his QRF team for continuing to pull off an ever improving show; MOA 2025 is going to be four days!
Until next time, fellow shooters! AA
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