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ARMOURY: G&G GPM92
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SITES
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SURVIVAL: KNOTS
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IT’S A CLASSIC: COMBAT WEBBING
Contents FEBRUARY 2018
CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2018 8
ROGUE’S GALLERY
Cool photos of Airsoft Action readers. 12 ARMOURY: NUPROL JACKEL ALPHA Jerry Noone gets his hands on one of the new M4 Jackal Alpha models and comes away with a grin on his face… again! 16 ARMOURY: G&G GPM92 Georaga takes a look at G&G’s latest venture into GBBs to see if their new gas innovations make this pistol a viable winter wonder! 20 ARMOURY: DOUBLE EAGLE SHOTTIES Jerry Noone delves deeper into the DE range to look at just what is on offer when it comes to well-priced shotguns.
42 SPECIAL REPORT: TACTICAL JAVA These days you’re likely to see some very special coffee products taking pride of place at airsoft events. Angelo Di Vito and Bill Thomas give us the lowdown on two of the most popular brands to emerge.
66 WARRIORS: GERMAN WWII PARATROOPS Pioneering paratroop operations, the Fallschirmjäger of the Luftwaffe literally took Europe by storm in the opening moves of WWII. In his continuing “Warrior” series, Gadge takes a closer look.
45 REAL STEEL: COLT 1911 Ask any shooter to name a pistol and more often than not, the first that comes to mind is the ubiquitous Colt 1911. Tom Hibberd takes a look at this American-born icon.
70 AIRSOFT SCENARIOS: OP CONGO-RESCUE Billy Basics returns with a new series of articles that offer the basis of an airsoft scenario. Some are purely fictitious while others may be based on actual events…
46 SITE: WORTHING AIRSOFT Les Lee continues his site-seeing trip around the south of England and heads to Worthing, where he finds more than just bus passes, bingo and bowling greens…
72 THE LAST POST: I REALLY NEED IT! Give a young man access to his mum’s purse and put him in an airsoft shop to buy what he needs for his first game and there can be only one outcome…
24 EVENT: THE AULD ENEMY Scott Allan reports from the annual England v Scotland game, where the pressure is on England to redress the balance.
50 INTERNATIONAL: TURKEY Airsoft around the world is a very, VERY tight-knit community, and when Bill Thomas reached out to talk to a group in Turkey he discovered that he actually knew one of the guys already!
28 FEATURE: GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PISTOLS The subject of pistols in airsoft is one that has often been debated, both on and off the field of play. Here, Gadge Harvey gives us his views and thoughts on the subject.
54 FEATURE: KIMPOI SHOP Even the best things wear out in time and Andy Nightingale is surprised by what he finds when looking to replace some grips.
34 GITAG: AUG OWNERS GROUP Jerry Noone speaks to Chris P, the creator of the “Steyr AUG (airsoft) Owners Group” page on Facebook. 36 RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: TARGETSZONE Kelly “Femme Fatale” Hardwick visits an airsoft shop where hard work, perseverance and sheer determination has turned disaster into a successful business. 38 INTERNATIONAL: BELARUS Maria Litvinova reports from Belarus, where “fox hunting” takes on a whole new meaning for airsofters.
58 ARMOURY: KRISS VECTOR Diane Montagnier, knows a thing or two about airsoft weaponry but even she was perplexed when she read about a mysterious version of this well-known plastic-chucker. 60 LOADED OR UNLOADED: DUST MONKEY Following a very well received event that was run at Combat South in the South of England, Jerry Nooner felt it was time to revisit the theme of “The World Went Dark”! 64 SITE: THE PREY GROUND It has been a while since Andy Nightingale has strapped his kit on just for fun, so he was looking forwards to playing at the site where he can usually be found training others.
76 FEATURE: GAME CHANGERS Following a conversation with Gadge, Frenchie got to thinking about the real “game changers” in airsoft. 80 SURVIVAL: KNOTS It is doubtful that many players have ever considered the usefulness of being able to tie a decent knot but, as Paul Yelland explains, it is a skill that can be used in many tactical situations. 82 IT’S A CLASSIC: COMBAT WEBBING Since the introduction of the firearm, armies world-wide have striven to find the perfect system to carry the soldier’s ammunition and fighting equipment. Gadge Harvey takes up the story… 84 AIRSOFT ACTION STOCKISTS Where to buy your copy of The Players’ Choice Best Airsoft Magazine before it goes on sale in newsagents. 86 SITE DIRECTORY & PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUBS Looking for a skirmish site, or your local Airsoft Practical Pistol Club? Then we may have the answer, with pages of sites and clubs throughout the UK.
AA GALLERY READERS’ PHOTOS
ROGUE’S GALLERY
From England v Scotland. By Stephen Reynolds of Reynolds Films
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February 2018
AA GALLERY READERS’ PHOTOS
From Worthing Airsoft 10
February 2018
AA GALLERY READERS’ PHOTOS
xxxxx
From Turkey: Turgay Dansık
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ARMOURY NUPROL JACKAL ALPHA
DAY OF THE JACKAL WHEN THE GUYS AT NUPROL EMBARK ON A PROJECT THEY DON’T GO OFF AT HALF-COCK! JERRY NOONE GETS HIS HANDS ON ONE OF THE NEW TO MARKET M4 JACKAL ALPHA MODELS AND COMES AWAY WITH A GRIN ON HIS FACE… AGAIN! IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY that I was looking at the “all new” range of DELTA AEGs from NUPROL but in reality, time has obviously flown. We’re now on Issue 84 of Airsoft Action and my overview of the line first ran in Issue 70! Since their introduction the DELTA series has proved to be a huge success for our home-grown airsoft manufacturer, not just in the UK but overseas as well. Time and airsoft innovation, though, stands still for no one and so it was that last month I found myself revisiting “NUPROL
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HQ” to talk to Ross about the new additions to the line. Since that time Ross has kindly provided a test sample of each of the new models for me to get on the range with, confident as he is that they will stand up to my scrutiny. He actually asked me in advance if I could spend another full day with him when the latest models arrived to go through them all, so I looked back to my first report of “Wave One” and his comment to me at the time of the original AEG range release: “The heart of the series is the gearbox. Here at NUPROL, we have taken a different approach to crafting the “perfect” gearbox. The idea of these gearboxes is for them to be long lasting and high quality to a point of quality and reliability that they do not need to be “upgraded”. We did not want to use the saying “pre upgraded” as we feel that’s misleading because a product should never come “pre upgraded” it should be the best it can be from the start! “The gearboxes come complete with reinforced gearbox shell, high quality full steel toothed piston, strong and durable steel gearset, microswitch trigger for a satisfying “click” and added durability, steel selector plate and finally a piece of art in the form of the Delta QPQ Steel 6.03mm barrel. Put all these things together and you have the ultimate retail package for new and old players at a price to quality point that is unmatched at the time of me saying this.” With this in mind I have to say that his words have proved extremely true as the number of NUPROL AEGs I see in player’s hands, not only at my local sites but countrywide, is truly staggering. I’m certain that there have been “teething issues” as you just can’t have that many new AEGs out there and not have some returns, but both Ross and NUPROL Tech Mark assure me that the numbers are low. Add to this the number of
ARMOURY NUPROL JACKAL ALPHA
“THE SYSTEM COMES WITH A CONTIGUOUS TOP RAIL; THREE SHORT RAIL SECTIONS ARE BUILT INTO THE SHARP END JUST WHERE YOU NEED THEM AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL HEX-BOLTS PLACED STRATEGICALLY SO THAT YOU CAN FIT ADDITIONAL LENGTHS OF RAIL EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT THEM.” AEGs heading overseas (I know they do because I’ve seen Mark in his workshop hand-checking models heading to Germany!) and this is quite the success, and once again I have to say “fair play NUPROL!”
IT’S GOT TEETH…
Coming into the very latest models, retailing iro £250 my personal favourite of the new variants that I highlighted last month is the DELTA Jackal Alpha, which features a 6.03 tightbore “QPQ” steel inner barrel and an absolutely stunning accessory attachment system as standard. It is designed as a replica of the 14.5 Barrelled KAC SR-15 MOD.1 rifle, complete with the URX-3.1 RIS partially railed handguard and looks thoroughly “up to the minute” in terms of design. Ergonomically this is a superb AEG and with great internals and a long inner “QPQ” barrel the Jackal is going to have some teeth! This model also comes with a removable unique front and rear sight and a singlepoint sling plate, so it’s good to go from the box. You might well be wondering about the term “QPQ” so I’ll recap on this for you as it’s a bit of a key NUPROL feature and, to the best of my knowledge, this is still unique to NUPROL AEGs as they were the first to use the process relation to airsoft replicas. Salt bath nitriding, or Quench-Polish-Quench (QPQ), is particularly important when it comes to metal parts which operate for extended periods in highly corrosive environments, or are subject to high levels of friction. QPQ is based on a sequence of process events that occur directly following a nitrocarburizing cycle. It begins with a cycle of nitrocarburizing
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ARMOURY NUPROL JACKAL ALPHA
(a variation of the nitriding process), a salt bath quench, which produces a layer of epsilon iron nitride. The next step is a mechanical polish of the nitride layer, thus restoring the original surface finish. This may be accomplished by vibratory polishing, lapping, centerless polishing, or by other similar means. Finally, to optimise the corrosion resistance, the component is then re-immersed in the KQ5OO salt quench bath for 20-30 minutes, rinsed and oil dipped. The overall process gives the part a cosmetically appealing finish and extremely high levels of durability; to say that NUPROL have done their homework here is just a massive understatement! Thanks to CNC machining externally, the Jackal Alpha is absolutely first rate. This model is available in black or tan (and
as the Bravo with a 10.3 inch barrel) and the finish actually looks and feels much like Cerakote - and remember, this is standard out of the box! The furniture is perfectly colour-matched so everything melds superbly together. I chose the tan model to test and the juxtaposition of black and tan just “works” perfectly. The URX-style front end system is slimline and elegant and of course, is bang on trend at the moment. The system comes with a contiguous top rail; three short rail sections are built into the sharp end just where you need them and there are additional hexbolts placed strategically so that you can fit additional lengths of rail exactly where you want them. The rifle is finished with tone-on-tone accessories which include an A2 style pistol grip and CRANE style stock which can help conceal a larger battery if you so desire. I chose to just run an 11.1V LiPo in the buffer tube which works very well indeed. Internally things are just as good as the Jackal Alpha comes with that 6.03mm QPQ steel tightbore barrel, a quick change spring capability, reinforced V2 metal gearbox, full steel toothed piston and gears, a metal reinforced selector plate and is LiPo ready with high quality wiring throughout. A short M100 spring is used to give the Jackal some real “pop” and keep it happily UK compliant too. Ross has specifically chosen the plastic hop unit and rubber to give the most versatility and this attention to details has gone on everywhere. Each Jackal comes with a metal, STANAG-style Hi-Cap magazine, spare steel body pins, and a model specific instruction manual.
…AND IT BITES! “ON SEMI I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE A 50MM GROUPING AT THAT DISTANCE AND SWITCHING UP TO FULL-AUTO DELIVERED A STREAM OF BBS STRAIGHT TO TARGET.”
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In action the Jackal Alpha is an absolute snarler, chronoing at 1.13Joule/350fps absolutely on the nose using NUPROL’s new RZR .20g BBs. Moving it up to slightly heavier .25g RZRs the range was extremely consistent too, sending the BBs right to the extent of the 30m range. On semi I was able to achieve a 50mm grouping at that distance and switching up to full-auto delivered a stream of BBs straight to target. The Delta series carbines and rifles all come with a perfectly solid 370 BB HiCap which fed happily and unerringly through the Jackal throughout testing. I’ve come away from my time with the Jackal Alpha feeling massively happy yet again. There really is something for everyone to look at in the NUPROL line of AEGs and with keen pricing there are lots of options to play with. I believe that NUPROL have added some superb new variants that will make a lot of airsofters very happy indeed. They look great, feel great, and I can tell you that out of the box they perform pretty darn well too, as my original Recon Alpha is still running like a dream! You can’t ask for much more than what’s on offer here and I truly believe that once again NUPROL have brought something very, very special to the party that we as players can really benefit from. For more information on the entire DELTA AEG range and for stockist details, please do pay a visit to www.nuprol.com
ARMOURY G&G GPM92
WINTER BLOWBACK WITH WINTER UPON US AND TEMPERATURES DROPPING, ITS BACK TO PLASTIC BODIED GAS BLOWBACK PISTOLS... OR IS IT? GEORAGA TAKES A LOOK AT G&G’S LATEST VENTURE INTO GBBS WITH THE GPM92 TO SEE IF THEIR NEW GAS INNOVATIONS MAKE THIS PISTOL A VIABLE WINTER WONDER! I’M A HITMAN! Okay, not really!! Now, the M9… As a gun, I bloody ADORE the M9! It was the first real steel firearm I shot at a range over in the States (a Taurus M9 in chrome …oooh! Shiny!) and after several years and a variety of different pistols, the M9 is still one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced shooting. Anyway, back to airsoft…. Imagine it’s 2008. Its 11.55pm on October the 30th and it’s my birthday at midnight... I’m 17... Can you see where this is going? The clock counts down... tick... tock... tick... tock... 3... 2... 1... NOW! Basket full and card details already filled out, I dropped all my summer’s savings on my first airsoft haul. As an excited, about to be 18 year old, the selection on the market at the time was much smaller and the prevalence of cheap Chinaclones was definitely the most appealing way into the hobby; so I bought a JG M4 S-System, a JG M4A1 Carbine and my first (transparent) M9 by, I think, KWC (now trading under Black Viper). After a while I transitioned over to the Socom Gear M9A1 SOC, which came with a Gemtech Trident suppressor that made it look like it came straight out of the game Hitman 2 – Silent Assassin (the “9mm SD” for those old-school gamers like me). As a filmmaker on YouTube and thanks to its “Hitman” looks, it starred in a tonne of action videos across the YouTube film network I belong to, including my silly video “How To Be A Hitman”. However, as time went on and I actually played more 16
February 2018
ARMOURY G&G GPM92
and more, the lack of hop on that pistol started becoming an issue. It was time to sell it on to a new owner and keep an eye out for that next M9. Since that point though and although I’ve been tempted, I’ve not been enticed into parting with my dosh to get another one, I’ve opted to test out newer platforms and try out different ergonomics... until now! As airsofters, we’re always looking for the next innovation that makes playing, especially during winter, that bit better but pistols are always a point of contention in the community... do you go for practicality and performance over the way it feels? Or do you focus on the materialistic feel over how well it functions? You know what I’m talking about... PLASTIC v METAL! Now, to the utter dismay of many Tokyo Marui fanboys, I’ve always had a tendency to lean towards metal pistols. I prefer the kick and the weight that comes with the heavier material, which is why I haven’t been swayed by the nonblowback TM MK23 (yet). I do however have to agree that, logically, it just doesn’t make sense to run one in the winter thanks to the poor gas efficiency, unless it’s a really lightweight slide that doesn’t take much to gas to cycle it. That’s why I’ve been really interested to see if updating the way gas blow back systems work can help overcome these issues; G&G have made big claims, so it’s time to look at their GPM92 and see if it stands up to the scrutiny.
EXTERNAL BUILD
First things first. It comes in a really flashy gun case, has a clear pistol-mag sized speedloader and suffice to say, this is a heavy pistol; at just over 1KG with the magazine in, you really feel the heft of it. The frame and slide are completely metal, which add to that feeling that so many airsofters crave (the realism of a real steel gun), however, alongside that bulk you also notice the balance of the pistol. Once it’s seated in your grip, you don’t feel like you have to fight against it in order to maneuver it around; it isn’t front or back heavy which makes getting a good sight picture much easier and thanks to the shape of the pistol grip, which we’ll come back to, it feels like an extension to your arm - as opposed to an addition to your hand. It features an ambidextrous safety with a bright red dot to show when the gun is live; this also doubles up as a de-cocking lever for this single and double action pistol, allowing the hammer and trigger to be reset without firing. It has fixed front and rear sights, which are to be expected if we’re honest and which have some really bright, high-quality white dots painted on. These dots are actually recessed into the sight itself, giving more definition to the contrasting shades and protecting them from fading out. The finish on not only the sights but the pistol overall, is absolutely excellent and craftsmanship has clearly been a focus; the matte black paint they’ve used for the whole pistol has an extremely subtle shimmer (not shine) and I haven’t found an aesthetic imperfection anywhere on it. The slide has thinly cut serrations that make cocking the hammer back far easier: although thin, they’re comfortable and not sharp serrations like I’ve experienced on some other metal pistols and beneath the slide on the lower frame, we have a 60mm long frame integrated 20mm rail in case you want to run it with a laser or flashlight. A nice addition to the accessory potential of the GPM92 is that they’ve included a threaded barrel with an attached thread protector, something that very, very few pistols have straight out of the box. That means you can attach a mock suppressor or tracer unit without having to buy any aftermarket additions. Coming back to the grip, it has some extremely detailed textured polymer grips with a similar matte black finish to the frame, only this has a subtle grain to it which gives an almost “glittery” effect when you look closely at it. Its front, back and side textures give you enough purchase on the gun without being inherently rough on the skin. The grip, however, is where a point of contention comes into discussion for many people. I’ve heard it time and time
again that ”the grip’s just too big, I can’t grip it like a [insert preferred pistol here]” and where I can understand that for some people the width of the grip is wider than they’re used to, I have relatively small hands and it’s a very comfortable fit. Placing the grip comfortably into the web of my thumb allows me to wrap my fingers all the way around and also perfectly positions my index finger centrally on the trigger, reducing the chances of my shots pulling to the left or right as I squeeze. It also positions my thumb just under the slide-catch which means I can change the magazines over and release the slide, loading in the next BB, without having to canter the pistol or use my second hand to release the slide, unlike several 1911 variants on the market; it’s one of my bugbears and super irritating. On the topic of irritating, in terms of trademarking, which is a topic I’ve heard several claim “real steel or none”, the
“IT ISN’T FRONT OR BACK HEAVY WHICH MAKES GETTING A GOOD SIGHT PICTURE MUCH EASIER AND THANKS TO THE SHAPE OF THE PISTOL GRIP, IT FEELS LIKE AN EXTENSION TO YOUR ARM - AS OPPOSED TO AN ADDITION TO YOUR HAND.”
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ARMOURY G&G GPM92
pistol sports several G&G/airsoft specific logos and warnings that are engraved into the side of the slide, they’re deep cut and high quality. There are also serial numbers etched onto the side and underside of the rail specific to this pistol, as well as the prominent G&G logos in the side of the pistol grip. Again, the quality is top notch and I think the trades look quite understated.
INTERNAL BUILD
The internals are where we start changing up a bit. This pistol doesn’t field strip fully like most M9 variants on the market, you can’t pull the outer barrel out due to the extended threads and an issue with the outer-barrel coming up against a notch in the nozzle, instead you have a large latch holding your 116mm inner barrel fitter with a green “cold resistant” hop-up rubber in place. Just pull up the latch and pull out the inner and hop unit. It’s an interesting design but takes a bit of getting used to and in my opinion it’s a small shame that the outer barrel doesn’t completely field strip like the real steal counterpart; I prefer not to force things but don’t be scared to be a bit rough with it. That aside, the thing I was really interested in was what G&G are calling the “Whirl” valve. This new valve doesn’t change too much within the standard GBB system, the difference is that within the loading nozzle the whirl valve rotates quickly as the rapidly cooled gas passes through. These rotations stop the compressed gas from freezing to the insides of the cylinder, which then forces more gas out to propel the BB and directs the excess gas backwards to force the blowback cycle. This in itself is a pretty good idea but what G&G decided to do was combine it with another gas efficiency measure. Within the magazine, their gas valve has been improved to include a metal micro-filter. The micro-filter, according to them, is designed in such a way to do two things: 1) only allow gasified gas to pass through, keeping all liquified
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gas in and reducing that “cloud” we get from using cold mags 2) the metal is designed to crumple in emergencies, preventing the magazine from “blowing up” if there’s too much pressure build up. The combination of the gas valve and the whirl valve are, in theory, supposed to improve the gas efficiency of the pistol to a point where it’s useable even in cold conditions. Luckily, it is winter as I write this so I can actually test it! It’s currently 2 degrees Celcius outside and using Green Gas and 0.2g BBs I managed to get through 37 shots before it became unusable again. That’s 10 more than the 27 round magazine holds. Until the final 10 shots it was shooting consistently at around 310fps (+/- 10fps) which, although not the highest, tends to do a decent enough job and understandably started dropping off for those remaining few. I should also point out that at the end of the 27 round magazine, we didn’t have enough oomph to lock the slide back; in these low temperatures I’m not overly surprised.
CONCLUSION
That does, however, lead me nicely onto my one criticism of the GPM92 and onto my final thoughts. For all its efficiency saving innovation, its superb attention to detail and absolutely stunning quality... it’s not all that punchy. The blowback feels like it WANTS to be harder... but isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a decent action on it but when we look at the question topping this review, I don’t think the argument gets much clearer. If one of the main points of a metal pistol is the love of a harder kick and the main point of a plastic pistol being better gas efficiency... what do you choose when your metal pistol has great gas efficiency but lacks the harder kick? Tough one… Still, I’m highly impressed with the innovation and quality of G&G’s GPM92 and if this is a sign of what’s to come... well... I’ll be your target!
ARMOURY DOUBLE EAGLE SHOTGUN OVERVIEW
TRENCH BROOMS AND BREACHERS IN THE LAST ISSUE OF AIRSOFT ACTION FRENCHIE BROUGHT US A THOUGHT-PROVOKING REVIEW OF THE DOUBLE EAGLE M63 “SPAS 12” SHOTGUN. THIS TIME JERRY NOONE DELVES DEEPER INTO THEIR RANGE TO LOOK AT JUST WHAT IS ON OFFER WHEN IT COMES TO WELLPRICED SHOTGUNS THAT ARE NOW BEING MORE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN THE UK BY NUPROL.
LIKE MY OLD MATE AND COLLEAGUE, Frenchie, the “airsoft shotgun” holds a very special place in my heart! When I first started out in what was to become a long journey in the world of things that spat BBs, electric guns were still in their infancy in the UK, and everyone I knew owned a fair number of springers, especially pistols, as they were cheap and even back then reasonably accessible. When you’d got used to running around deserted buildings and damp woodlands shooting at your mates with a pistol that needed cocking for each and every shot the thought of having something “longer” with greater range and accuracy was a joy to ponder. Back then you could even buy airsoft spring “models” which you actually needed to put together like a gigantic Airfix kit - and I recall having an especially nice XM177 that I bought from my local model shop! In a day and age though where the sheer range of both electric and gas powered guns is jaw-droppingly staggering, you may well ask if the humble “springer” still has a place in 20
February 2018
our armoury, and in the case of the airsoft shotgun for me the answer would be an unequivocal “YES!” In recent years we’ve seen a move to both gas and electric-powered shotgun models, in some cases like the TM AA-12 making use of Hi-Cap magazines. Whilst these are most definitely airsoft works of art in their operation, as with all things electric-powered they can suffer from “issues” - and don’t even get me started on gas shotguns, especially the shell-ejecters! I am still the somewhat less-thanoverjoyed owner of an original Tanaka “M1897 Trench Gun”, which although being a thing of absolute beauty, has never really worked since the day I got it… then there’s the 8mm beast that is the ACM clone of the Marushin “M500” that hangs on my office wall… Okay, I LOVE airsoft shotguns, especially pump-action versions and my collection of G&P “Model 870 Wingmasters”
ARMOURY DOUBLE EAGLE SHOTGUN OVERVIEW
continues to grow! These to me, fixed hop and all, are the epitome of the airsoft shotgun world and are easy to live with and eminently upgradeable externally. They shoot like a laser with excellent range, and with full metal construction are built like tanks, even though the “magazines” can be somewhat fiddly at times. Like all things though, even the G&Ps are getting a bit rare as production is “sporadic” (read almost nonexistent!) at the best of times. Most players I know love the idea of an airsoft shotgun, and at the moment a number of us are pursuing the current trend of “Three Gun” shooting, not so much the regulated competition version, but more the “tactical” approach so notably highlighted by the Taran Tactical Innovations video of Keanu Reeves when he was training for “Wick II”. Even if your passion is out and out skirmishing or dedicated MilSim, the lure of shooting against your mates whilst also improving your shooting skills is a strong one, and of course for this you’re going to need a shotgun, and a Double Eagle model could well suit your wallet!
ENTER DOUBLE EAGLE
I will come right out and say this, Chinese-made Double Eagle airsoft shotguns are CHEAP! As Frenchie pointed out you can have yourself a perfectly workmanlike “SPAS 12” with (just!) change from 50 quid and that’s by no means the cheapest version from the manufacturer that’s out there, as you can have yourself a Double Eagle M309 single shot pump action from around £15! Yes, that’s right you can have an airsoft shotgun of your very own for about the same price as a decent bag of BBs and a can of gas! I will say that personally I wouldn’t touch anything with
“DON’T EXPECT A “FULL METAL, WEIGH –YOURLOADOUT-DOWN, MIGHT-USE IT OCCASIONALLY” WALL-HANGER FOR THE MONEY, BUT DO EXPECT AN AIRSOFT SHOTGUN THAT YOU WILL COME TO LOVE AND USE ON A REGULAR BASIS AS THAT “CLACKCLACK” RACK BECOMES ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE ONCE YOU HAVE ONE!” an electric motor from the brand if you actually paid me, but when it comes to their spring guns then it’s a different matter! I’ve had an original Double Eagle single shot M58 (which neatly resembles the “1897 Trench Gun”) for some considerable time and it’s proved to be a thoroughly sound little gun in every way. I bought it on a whim as it only set me back about 25 quid, but boy, for that money did it perform! Putting out somewhere in the region of 400fps when new the rudimentary hop-up meant that is was actually deadly accurate, and it impressed friends from the word go. I’ve now had several of this model (one actually purchased from Frenchie) and they’ve been chopped, cut down, sawn-off and painted as “faux-wood” to suit a number of loadouts. Let’s dwell on this also for a moment: As well as for “Three
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ARMOURY DOUBLE EAGLE SHOTGUN OVERVIEW
Gun”, a pump action shotgun fits in almost every loadout! The principle of “shot” dates right back to the American Civil War when smoothbore “Napoleon” cannons made use of devastating “canister shot” to thin out massed ranks of infantry at close range in the most hideous (yet effective) manner! The Flintlock “Coach Gun” became, in time, the preferred deterrent against highwaymen and brigands. By the 1880s pump-action repeating shotguns started to become widely and commercially available and the “1897 Trench Gun” was adopted by the US military in WWI for service. This was a thoroughly formidable weapon that could still be fitted with the infantry sword bayonet and became known amongst its users as “The Trench Broom” for its undoubted effectiveness. From that point forward the humble pump-action found its home in not just the military, but also amongst police forces worldwide. The US Forces continued to use the shotgun through WWII, Korea, into Vietnam and even right up to this day as it proved the perfect weapon, first for jungle environments and then, of course, as a breaching tool. The SAS used the shotgun in both the jungle and then as a “breacher” and these days the sight of a Benelli M4 Super 90 in the hands of UK Forces has become a common one. From WWII US loadouts through the modern day and even extending to “Post-Apoc” loadouts the shotgun is a model that just “fits”!
A WHOLE LOAD OF SHOT!
Looking at the number of Double Eagle shotgun models that we have available today I have to say that there genuinely is something for everyone in the line. The build quality has improved further since I bought my original and although they are in majority made of plastic, I would once again direct your memory to the fact that once upon a time all RIFs were made of plastic! The feel of the up-to-date versions though is very solid indeed, especially the models with fixed stock and butts. You can still have a simple, single shot springer if you so desire but the fact of the matter is that many of the newer Double Eagle models are tri-barrels firing not from a “magazine” but from a 30 BB loaded “shot shell” that fits into the bottom trap, just like the real thing. Some models are
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still fixed hop, but others in the range now have, again as Frenchie pointed out, quite reasonable parts and adjustment and the accuracy I so loved from my original is still very apparent. Starting with the M309, this really is the “15 quid special” that I mentioned earlier. An extra tenner will get you the M401 “Breacher”, which is a super compact single shot BB-spitter, based on the M870 design that TM used with their gasser. This model comes with a 20BB extended magazine so it’s perfect for those “spring and gas” days at your local site. The M56 series, which neatly mimics the UK Forces Benelli, has three models (there used to be a fourth with sliding stock and full-length barrel) which comprise a “breacher” with no butt, a fixed butt model which is the sturdiest of the bunch and a sliding stock version which I have to say is my personal choice as it offers a “best of both worlds” solution. All three models are tri-barrel and feed from a “shell”, and if you’re into your UK Forces loadouts this model is a “no-brainer”; expect to pay between £50 and £60 for one of these. The M58 models, of which there are two, have to be my real favourites from the range though. Resembling that old Winchester 1897/Model 12 due to the heat shield over the outer barrel, this could fit anywhere from WWI to the “wastelands of the apocalypse”. Both now with full-length barrels the M58A (butt) and M58B (no butt) offer great performance for a great price; the M58A retails at just under £40, with the “B” variant very slightly cheaper. I won’t go into the M63 “SPAS 12” for obvious reasons, but if you’re in the market for your very first airsoft shotgun, or, like me you want yet another variant for the collection, then the Double Eagles are most certainly worth a look and are superb value for money! Don’t expect a “full metal, weigh your loadout down, might use it occasionally” wall-hanger for the money, but do expect an airsoft shotgun that you will come to love and use on a regular basis as that “clack-clack” rack becomes absolutely addictive once you have one! For more information on the Double Eagle range of shotguns and bolt-action rifles, along with stockist details please visit www.nuprol.com
event STIRLING AIRSOFT ENGLAND V SCOTLAND 2017
THE AULD ENEMY ONCE AGAIN, SCOTT ALLAN REPORTS FROM THE ANNUAL ENGLAND V SCOTLAND GAME, WHERE THE PRESSURE IS ON ENGLAND TO REDRESS THE BALANCE. Photography by Stephen Reynolds of Reynolds Films IN ITS 10TH YEAR, THE AULD ENEMY game has become a UK highlight for 200 players. The stakes are high, the game is tough and it’s all or nothing. Stirling Airsoft are probably one of the most unique Airsoft events company in the UK, they do not have a “home” site like so many others. They don’t just frequent the same single game location either. They move all around the UK and Spain running Combat Mission (story driven games) and themed games which are fairly MilSim (although Stirling don’t like to think any of their games are “MilSim” per se). The Catterick training village that they have used exclusively for years has easily been one of my most favourite sites for a long time. The England V Scotland events score was currently at 3 - 6 in Scotland’s favour and, to date, no side has ever won five games in a row so England were determined to take Scotland down off their winning streak. The battlefield of choice is always Catterick Garrison training village, as used by the British Army for Infantry Training. The training village is an old housing estate converted for police and military training. It offers a great range of terrain in a compact format, from barbed wire filled assault courses, burnt out armoured tanks, houses, tunnel network and a purpose built multi-storey tower block that is famously difficult to take and hold. The perimeter of the site is light woodland with plenty of cover that allows great creativity with the tactics for teams to employ during a game. No single style of play suits the whole site, snipers work great out in the woodland but are hopeless inside buildings. The same with a standard AEG, great indoors and assaulting buildings but given some of the long firing lines available you won’t reach a sniper. From the very first year, playing in a foot of snow, the Scottish team has become more dynamic and worked harder
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and better. In the last few years the English have suffered a number harsh defeats to the relentless Scottish fireteams but that hasn’t quenched their hunger for the win, it’s only made them want it more! Airsoft, much like real life, is never 100% evenly matched but Matt Belgrove and his team do try to make it as level as possible. To prevent any single team being given a perceived advantage, coins are tossed for which camouflage is worn (greens or deserts) and which side of the site each team starts on. To the eastern side lies “Regen 1”, the main safe area and accommodation. To the west lies the “Regen 2” area, which has a slight advantage of being on higher ground and feeds wider across the site. The site is nearly the classic “keyhole” shape with Regen 1 being at the base and Regen 2 being at the top. The Regen points can be used by either team, when it is open for a team at one side the opposite side is open for the
event STIRLING AIRSOFT ENGLAND V SCOTLAND 2017
“THE STREETS SEEM DESERTED, THE ODD SOUND OF SHOOTING IN THE DISTANCE, A GRENADE OR A TORCH. EVERYTHING BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE PSYCHOLOGICAL FOR BOTH TEAMS.” other team. Then both shut for 5 minutes and switch around. This keeps the flow of battle moving and prevents a solid front line being formed. The battlelines are probably closer to Stalingrad than anything. Pockets of players dotted across the site, cut off, hiding, sniping in places you would never expect are all too common. Blue on blue or friendly fire are also equally commonplace despite the camouflage differences and people sometimes just react when tensions are running high. The scene is set, the players sign up then the most amusing part of the weekend begins. Players arrive and hang out in the court yard where HR4K were offering T Shirts and high quality black stuff from Black Rifle Coffee Company. The Land Warrior Airsoft store was also there as they sponsor the event, making sure players had the last few items they needed to enjoy their weekend. Sleep deprived (generally from someone snoring) and feeling a bit rough the next morning is not uncommon and can require a few more of those coffees to help you wake up fully. The social evening is an important part as airsoft is a fairly sociable game whilst being a competition. It gives friends from both sides of the border a chance to catch up before the gloves come off and the carnage begins. With 87 players signed to the English side wearing desert gear and 87 to the Scottish side in green gear the game kicks off at 11am on the Saturday. This gives time for the standard safety brief, which covers site specifics such as no full auto indoors and then there is a team specific brief just before game on. The way each team is managed is a personal choice of the commander. Ben Watt, the English commander and a good friend, has probably commanded more Catterick events than I have played and he has a Darth Vader approach to failure. Mistakes generally mean you end up on the back foot quickly and that’s when you lose points. The best plan is to push hard and not to stop, as soon as you stop you lose ground. Sounds easy doesn’t it? I head up the Scotland team alongside Stuart Anderson, both of us have played Airsoft for a very long time and love the big events Stirling offer. Holding key buildings at certain times scores points, all players have a list of these buildings and presumably they can tell the time. Think of it like orienteering for 18 hours, over two days, with very little sleep and everyone is trying to shoot you or blow you up.
GAME ON!
The start is always furious until the game settles into a rhythm, with players mad dashing around the site shooting the place up. It’s quite skirmish-worthy! Most of the afternoon was toe to toe fighting for both teams but Scotland wavered very early on with a lack of cohesion. England pressed at these points gaining slight advantages. The firefights formed, finished, moved and reformed very quickly. This is where a team can unravel and it was at this point in the last couple of years that Scotland would slowly pull away from England on the scoreboard. This year was different, Scotland didn’t pull away and England kept coming. Then England edged ahead slightly and continued to push hard into Scotland.
WINTER IS COMING
Being a December game you are always against the light but thankfully the weather this year was mild and bright. The insides of the buildings are dark early with very few windows having the wooden shutters opened, trying to play without a torch is almost impossible. Many players sport night vision of various types but these are not entirely necessary in my experience as it is all about adapting what you do at night. It’s not uncommon to see a Navy Seal wandering down the road, bobble headed in plain sight because he doesn’t realise everyone can see him. A quick BRAAAP! and they go back to regen. At night you simply move in areas you know are secure, if you suspect there is enemy in an area treat it as hostile and use your challenge and responses if you can. In the evening, almost every Catterick event is the same in that everyone seems to disappear. The streets seem deserted, the odd sound of shooting in the distance, a grenade or a torch. Everything
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event STIRLING AIRSOFT ENGLAND V SCOTLAND 2017
becomes a little bit more psychological for both teams. Scotland were narrowly behind at the end of the Saturday evening, they could see exactly where they were going wrong. They lacked the cohesion and the numbers to put a large enough push into the English positions. England were having the same issues yet were pulling enough numbers together to provide a larger force than Scotland. The later it gets on the Saturday the fewer players you’ll see. Many slink away presuming everyone else will just carry the line for them and order up food. It’s a frustrating position for both teams and the commanders. Oddly some of the worst off physically keep playing. One chap, Rab, from Scotland, actually has his legs braced as nerve damage years ago cut off all feeling to his legs. He was telling me over the weekend they told him he probably wouldn’t walk again when it happened and he is now up to 65% mobility. Rab is always one of the last players I see walking off that field on the Saturday night so I have little time for “my feet are sore and I’m hungry”. Suck it up buttercup.
FROM DUSK ‘TIL DAWN
There is something grim about getting up early in the cold and being worn out, to get dressed into heavily worn gear and to get ready to fight all over again and it’s still dark. Each country haul themselves up and onto to the site apart from the aches and the hardship. Admittedly it was a bright lovely morning and I’d had another Black Rifle Coffee from HR4K so I was feeling quite grand! The rest is still a chance to fully reset the team and have them fight on refocused. Historically, England have always faired better on the Sunday than Scotland but Scotland came out swinging hard this year. They still lacked cohesion and the objective buildings faltered back and forth every few minutes between each country. Sometimes time limits where hit and we still didn’t know who controlled the building. Sunday, as always, was a tightly fought shot for shot and grenade for grenade across the site. Like the evening, the numbers felt dwindled, partly due to the “let’s just go out and have a laugh” attitude some teams had, particularly on the Scottish side. You’d occasionally hear a team securing a non-objective building, or in patrolling through an unimportant area. The fighting was no less fierce and the teams still in the fight from both sides gave it everything they had.
“THEY TOLD HIM HE PROBABLY WOULDN’T WALK AGAIN WHEN IT HAPPENED AND HE IS NOW UP TO 65% MOBILITY. RAB IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE LAST PLAYERS I SEE WALKING OFF THAT FIELD ON THE SATURDAY NIGHT SO I HAVE LITTLE TIME FOR “MY FEET ARE SORE AND I’M HUNGRY”. SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP.” 26
February 2018
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END
Eventually at 11am, with what felt like the usual eternity, the final whistle is blown. The scores at this point were unknown but Scottish knew there was but a slim chance they’d closed the gap enough to make a difference. A draw was not out of the question either it was that close at times. England had a fair lead from the Saturday and had fought hard but the Sunday had seen the Scottish gain and put more pressure onto the defensive lines with their limited resources. At this point the Scottish and English had no idea if either had worked hard enough. Yet this was the year of England’s triumphant return and quite rightly so. They were the better team over the weekend. They worked hard and they wanted it more than the Scottish side. Scotland boasted a good team but had a little too much dead weight that didn’t contribute fully to the fight in a way that mattered. The final scores: England 140 – 100 Scotland The final briefing and congratulations all round by the staff that has the shield awarded to the victors and it’ll live for the next year in Combat South’s store. Cheers and handshakes all round as the guns are put down and everyone are good friends again. Scotland headed home disappointed but hopefully with valuable lessons learned until next year!
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01-11-2017 08:56:39
feature GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PISTOLS
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PISTOLS THE SUBJECT OF PISTOLS IN AIRSOFT IS ONE THAT HAS OFTEN BEEN DEBATED, BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD OF PLAY. HERE, GADGE HARVEY GIVES US HIS VIEWS AND THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT. Pictures: Gadge Harvey & Tom Hibberd THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS MORE a personal journey than any form of “technique guide” but please bear with me, as I’m sure, like me, many other players have never really got bitten by the “pistol bug”. For many players owning a pistol is rite of passage in airsoft. It’s often the second big purchase after their AEG and some even choose to use them all day in preference to a “long” weapon. But for me they were always a bit “meh”. I don’t
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know why I never got that “thing” about them but as they say, the times they are a changing and so am I, so read on. When I first started airsofting I was, and still am, mad about it. All my spare cash in the early 2000’s went on new accessories for my G36c or Gucci combat gear, I wasn’t into “themed loadouts” then so it was pretty much all about shiny kit and while I liked the look of pistols, it all seemed a bit of a faff compared to owning an AEG. For a start I live in the UK where it’s bloody cold a lot of the time, so I was dubious about owning a “back up” that was inherently unreliable due to the cold climate for potentially half the year. Add to that the embuggerance of maintaining the seals for the, often expensive and easy to break if dropped, magazines and I was already thinking “do I really need this?” But my pistol-wielding mates would be raving in the safe area about the experience of firing them and the “realism” of using a gas operated pistol and while it was a fair argument, it still wasn’t winning me over. For a start, I didn’t give a stuff that my AEG didn’t “cycle” like the real one or stop on an empty mag (all that Jazz was a future dream of designers in AEGs back then) so why did I need a pistol that did it? I mean who needed “realism” in “red vs blue capture the flag missions” where everyone was wearing whatever weird and wonderful outfit they had found in the wardrobe that morning, in a game where Stargate marines fought WWII Germans and Modern DPM-clad Brits?
Feature GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PISTOLS
POOR LIFE CHOICES
However, if I’m honest it was the gas issue that held me back. Looking through the early “Airsoft Dynamics” website (any other “old and bold” remember those guys?) I saw what looked like the perfect solution. A Tokyo Marui, batteryoperated (as in AA type battery) electric Beretta M92 and promptly ordered one. I can honestly say I’ve never had a more disappointing purchase in my airsoft career. This “electric blowback” automatic pistol wasn’t even worth considering a “joke”. Frankly it was dire and with a piddling FPS and chronically sluggish trigger pull you’d had been better off spitting BBs at the enemy! After this let down I ordered some cheap gas pistol (some sort of USP clone I think) but you get what you pay for and, predictably, it broke within weeks, which made me feel that my “anti-pistol” stance was justified and so I stubbornly avoided pistols for ages. The tide turned with Tokyo Marui bringing out a new (well two!) Airsoft Electric Pistols; the Glock 18 and the Beretta M92R. Two great PROPER electric pistols with a decent range, full auto capacity, standard and extended magazines and, in the case of the Glock, the option to mount a front flashlight that doubled as a 3,000 ma battery. All in all for a gas-o-phobe like me this was amazing stuff. They were a little underpowered but fine for CQB, they also lacked any slide moving blow back action but as previously mentioned, a lack of “realism” was
no skin off my nose. This was all well and good for a fair few years as I was mainly playing open days and modern MilSims but as my interest in modern events started to wain after six years in the sport and some likeminded friends and I were pioneering the WWII airsoft movement, a whole new problem occurred. To put it mildly there were hardly any WWII electric rifles and SMGs available (the only real choice for the early years was Maruis’ M1A1 Thompson) and there were no electric pistols suitable for WWII at all! It seemed that now was time to bite the bullet, or BB and invest in a gas pistol after all. In WWII airsoft events I usually played the British and the UK commander to boot, so needed a decent Brit handgun. I could have opted for one of the many 1911s available (or even tracked down a Browning Hi-Power) but the standard side arm of a British officer in WWII was the Webley service revolver. Sadly no one at the time made a commercially available Webley but my friend Yith made a nifty suggestion. Tanaka made a decent Smith and Wesson M10, which was a popular private
“NOT ONLY WAS I HAVING TO STICK TO USING A GAS PISTOL BUT IT WAS A GAS PISTOL WITH A MAGAZINE CAPACITY OF AROUND SIX TO SIXTEEN SHOTS, THAT WAS A PIG TO LOAD IN A HURRY AND HAD A BUILT IN GAS RESERVOIR!”
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CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, BLACK
Helikon-Tex @patrol Line#AIRSOFT ACTION 12-2017
JOURNEY TO PERFECTION
WWW.HELIKON-TEX.COM
Feature GETTING TO GRIPS WITH PISTOLS
purchase revolver during the war for British officers and looked close enough to a Webley… well it was a revolver anyway and despite the fact the cylinder broke out sideways rather than the pistol breaking across the top, looked the part. The problem here though, was this was the worst of both worlds for me. Not only was I having to stick to using a gas pistol but it was a gas pistol with a magazine capacity of around six to sixteen shots, that was a pig to load in a hurry and had a built in gas reservoir! To be fair it did me proud for years and as head honcho of the allies I rarely had to fire it in anger but it would have been a different story if I needed it as a backup as a squad member. I think the built-in magazine of sixteen rounds would have been a serious handicap compared to, say, carrying a 1911 with external separate mags all gassed up and ready to go. The main thing was, however, was that I’d broken through my dislike of gas guns. If I could keep a Tanaka M10 going for a year I’d be able to deal with anything else.
FROM WORLD WARS TO STAR WARS
A few regular readers might know that I’m a big Star Wars fan but not many know that I’m actually one of those obsessive saddoes that cosplays Star Wars and have my own Tie Fighter pilots outfit (yeah I know, tragic isn’t it?). The one thing I didn’t have though, was a “blaster pistol” but that was easy enough to fix. As any Star Wars fan will tell you, George Lucas did an amazing job of turning classic WWII and Cold War firearms into laser guns and blasters by gluing “greeblies”, as the random buttons, dials and lights to make them look “sci-fi” are known, all over them to change their shape. One of the most iconic of these guns is Han Solo’s “DL44 Blaster Pistol”, which just so happens to be the same pistol used by Imperial Tie Fighter pilots so I thought “I’ll be having one of those then!” The DL44 is based on the old “broomhandle” Mauser C96 pistol of 19th century heritage and used by the Germans in both WWI and WWII and luckily, HFC made a fairly fun airsoft replica of one of these. In much the same way as the Tanaka, however, I wasn’t likely to get much use out of this in terms of skirmishing. Aside from back yard plinking this beauty was only really going to
miss but this one has been excellent) the more I loved it. To be fair I was actually struggling to remember why I’d been so down on gas pistols before. In fact I’d got so comfortable with my Makarov that after my main AEG went down at a recent open day I played the rest of the event with just my trusty pistol… the times had most definitely changed! So there you have it, I’ve come full circle and definitely got to grips with gas pistols on a 17 year long journey. To many of you you’ll be wondering why it took so long but I know out there, there are a lot of new players with the same reservations I had. Sure stuff might be better made right now but despite being mechanically that much simpler, gas pistols are so much more daunting to the luddites among us. But if you’re a new player who, like me at the time, can’t get your head around the “pistol thing”, I urge you to give it a go – you’ll find it’s a gas!
“SMALLER PISTOLS HAVE TO RUN ON GAS AND UTILISE, LIKE MOST PISTOLS, THE PISTOL GRIP AND MAGAZINE TO KEEP THE AMMO AND THE GAS RESERVOIR AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, I WAS BACK TO USING A GAS PISTOL ONLY THIS TIME I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING TO USE IT.” stay in its holster at comic conventions! Around this time I was also getting heavily into Cold War Airsoft and while I was playing on the Brit side I was able to use a cheap (ish) Chinese made electric 1911 and dropped off the gas gun circuit for a while but, after switching to Soviet after a few years I once again found I’d have to get back on track. To put it bluntly, the Warsaw Pact don’t have a lot of pistol options... there is the standard Makarov PM side arm and well... the standard Makarov sidearm made under license in different satellite states (yeah, OK, they had Tokarevs in the early days as well!). So the choice of pistol was easy, it had to be a Makarov and it being a Makarov meant it had to be a gas pistol. This is mainly because the Makarov is a TINY pistol. Think of James Bond’s Walther PPK. Yep, it’s like that; you can fit it in a pocket. This small size, however, means that there is no room for the gearbox and battery required by an AEP and the magazine as well. These smaller pistols have to run on gas and utilise, like most pistols, the pistol grip and magazine to keep the ammo and the gas reservoir and so, once again, I was back to using a gas pistol - only this time I was actually getting to USE it. The more I used my WE Makarov (and I know they are a bit hit and
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GITAG STEYR AUG OWNERS GROUPV
JERRY NOONE IS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT UNIQUE GROUPS THAT EXIST WITHIN OUR GREAT, WIDE WORLD OF AIRSOFT. THIS MONTH HE SPEAKS TO CHRIS P, THE CREATOR OF THE “STEYR AUG (AIRSOFT) OWNERS GROUP” PAGE ON FACEBOOK.
STEYR AUG (AIRSOFT) OWNERS GROUP ALL OF US HAVE OUR favourite model of RIF, often dependant on what our personal loadout dictates and this is most certainly true if you are going to “geek out” and go after a very specific “look”. Unique RIF models do tend to generate “fans” and even “fan clubs” as the “EVO” group has proved! One model of RIF that often gets overlooked for some reason is the Steyr AUG. The AUG (“Armee Universal Gewehr” or “Universal Army Rifle”) was adopted by the Austrian Army in 1977, and since its inception has gained great popularity, being adopted by the armed forces of Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Oman, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and others. It was also widely purchased by various security and law enforcement agencies worldwide and has proved to be a popular model for both TV and movie use; in fact I’ve just gone through my annual pre-Christmas viewing of “Die Hard” and of course it even features there! 34
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Several years ago my good friend Rob and I went through the process of looking at airsoft AUGs from a whole group of manufacturers and, in general, found that they were all firstrate RIFs in terms of accuracy, performance, and build quality. Back in Issue 73 of Airsoft Action I took a good look at the ASG model and really liked it but at the end of the day, I’m not an AUG user. You might wonder what happens to sample RIFs that come through to the magazine for review and the truth of the matter is that the large majority of them are returned to the supplier once we’ve had a good look. Sometimes though the manufacturer or supplier says to us “just keep it” and those models go either to long-term testing, or get used for a charity fund-raiser or competition prize and no, seeing as you ask, we don’t get to keep them! In the case of the AUG from ASG though, I knew of a worthy potential owner as my friend Chris, a keen living historian and airsofter, was in the process of putting together a modern-day Australian Army loadout, so of course he needed an AUG. I knew that he would do it good justice so asked ASG if I might pass the sample on to him and thankfully they agreed but neither they, or I knew at the time that it would ultimately lead to a completely new “user group”, the “Steyr AUG
GITAG STEYR AUG OWNERS GROUP
have planned. The third F88 I want to put together is the Tanpainted front half rifle that acts as the interim rifle before the Australian Forces were issued the new F90, this would be for a 2014-2016 Loadout. “That’s just my personal motivation/project. As the AUG is still in service with many forces/units worldwide and, of course, is extremely popular in movies and TV series, the sky really is the limit for “build inspiration” and the group members certainly have a LOT of great variants to show!” AA: How do you see the Steyr AUG group evolving in the future?
(Airsoft) Owners Group”! AA: So Chris, why the Steyr AUG??? Chris: “The AUG has been on my “must buy” airsoft replicas list for over a decade, and as I collect Australian Army equipment when I was offered the chance to own one I leapt at it. AUG’s are a lesser seen rifle nowadays on skirmish days as many now favour an AR variant for example; the AUG tends to stand out as it’s still a great looking rifle for the designs age and extremely modular at a flick of a switch almost.” AA: What led you to set up a page specifically for Steyr AUG Owners? Chris: “The AUG owners page was bizarrely non-existent before I had a brain wave to set it up, although it appears that I wasn’t the only one too think there was a need for it either, and after a couple of conversations with a fellow AUG owner I put the page together. Just like any owners club I wanted it to be a place where we can discuss problems with our AUGS, show them off, offer advice to new and existing users and sell or buy much sought after parts, which is what I personally am after to build three versions of Australian F88 AUGs.”
Chris: “What I would like for the future of the page is for it just to keep growing, with the level of helpfulness and lack of silly posting remaining at its current rate of zero! The page has turned out better than I could hope and I just want everyone involved to keep doing what they are doing. “If anyone would like to join us then simply just find us on Facebook and press the “join group” button. We welcome all AUG users and even have a couple of potential owners that have joined us to get as much info as they can before they select their own AUG.” AA: If someone reading this article likes the sound of what you offer, what should be their next step? Chris: “https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1973430202935082/?fref=ts; Given how social media is with pictures of firearms, even RIFs right now, this is a closed group but if you are already an AUG owner or are thinking about getting one then please just submit a request to join you’ll be amongst kindred spirits!”
AA: Are there key people involved? Chris: “It’s open to one and all! AUG owners are not elitist, they know they are part of a very small minority of airsoft players. Some of our members though own over 10 AUGs and are still collecting parts!” AA: What are the key discussions on the page and how do they benefit players? Chris: “Discussions tend to be about magazine issues, as although all AEG AUG parts are cross-compatible, the mags tend to throw up issues for people with lack of feeding or ill-fitting from one brand to the next. My personal ASG brand AUG tends to only feed well with (annoyingly) ASG or APS Hi-caps instead of Marui, ASG, King Arms mid-caps which are my preferred magazine. Yet someone else’s AUG say, by JG will feed flawlessly, but the issue may be the mag well is too loose. “So far this group is pointing people in the right direction for bits that work with their brand of AUG, which is what it’s all about.” AA: Do you look to work with specific retailers and brands? Chris: “As for Brands and Retailers, we all have our own sources for AUG parts; maybe one of us will find a supply of much wanted parts, for example the Metal Feed nozzle for the magwell, we would then post the finding on the group for others to buy the part if they need or want it. “The main AUG brands used by members of the group are Marui, JG, ASG and APS with some GHK AUG (Gas Blow Back) owners joining us to show off their own rifles and make us all drool…” AA: You’re already working on a number of unique projects; what are they? Chris: “I currently have the parts for A1 and A2 AUGs, both plain rifle and with M203 and this covers both the late 1990’s and 2010-13 2 Battalion Royal Australian Regiment loadouts I
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Retailer Spotlight TARGETSZONE
KELLY “FEMME FATALE” HARDWICK VISITS AN AIRSOFT SHOP WHERE HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE AND SHEER DETERMINATION HAS TURNED DISASTER INTO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
IN THE
ZONE
TARGETSZONE IS AN ARMY SURPLUS store based in Oldbury, Birmingham that is a retailer of military equipment, army surplus, security clothing, knives/swords, air rifles, field sport equipment and, more recently, airsoft. The story of Targetszone is one of trials and tribulations that have been turned around and into a success story. Targetszone began around 9 years ago and was founded by Rob and his partner Lynsey by selling a variety of toys and gadgets at a local Car Boot sale, on a paste table. Their first stock included gadgets such as pistol crossbows (which they still sell to this day) and seeing that the weapons sold well, Rob started to stock more crossbows and expand into knives and military surplus kit. The business expanded very rapidly and the weekly car boots turned into Rob giving up his full time job to focus on Targetszone and doing around 3-4 car boots a week. They expanded so rapidly that they started to invest in market stalls around their local area. With the market stalls performing well they eventually made the decision to open an indoor shop inside Oasis, in Birmingham city centre. The shop was open all week and they carried on 36
February 2018
doing market stalls at the weekends. In August 2012, however, disaster struck whilst packing away at Wellesbourne Market, as Rob suffered a stroke. His doctors found 8 blood clots in his brain which resulted in a hospital stay of a few weeks followed by a long recovery. Unfortunately, because of the stroke Rob was unable to work for months, suffered bad memory problems and had double vision. Due to Rob’s ill health his girlfriend, Lynsey, suddenly had the weight of the business on her shoulders. She had to quickly learn about weapons and kit of all descriptions, including Airsoft kit which they had just started to stock. Rob returned to the business after 6 months and a year later Targetszone left Oasis and moved to their current shop in Oldbury, which is thriving. Despite being faced with huge adversity, they have pulled it back. The Oldbury shop is located on Causeway Green Road, which is a 20-minute drive from the city centre of Birmingham. It has a large, distinctive sign so it’s easy to find and there is street parking located outside the shop, or if that’s taken, there is also a car park just down the street with ample parking. The shop is really conveniently located for those in the Midlands! The store is a fully stocked with racks and racks of different camouflage patterns but it’s not just about the military surplus kit, the walls of Targetszone are lined with air weapons, crossbows, airsoft weapons, optics and accessories of all descriptions. Brands stocked include Cyma, Ares, KWC, JG, AGM, Kombat UK, Armourer Works, Enola Gaye, WE Airsoft, Zoxna and there are more being added all the time. So from boots, gloves and hats, to gas masks and face pro, batteries,
Retailer Spotlight TARGETSZONE
pyro, sights and scopes, tactical kit to rifle cases, packs, bags and even camping equipment such as tents, the store is a great all round one stop shop for everything a beginner player could need. Unfortunately they do not stock the higher end gucci kit that is more geared towards intermediate and experienced players…yet! As Rob is from an engineering background, he has taken a keen interest in the internal workings of AEGs and GBBRs etc. and Targetszone has recently started offering repairs, upgrades and customisations on airsoft weapons and has received great feedback thus far. One thing I really like about the 247 Causeway Green Road Targetszone store is that they have Oldbury, B68 8LT a great security system in place. 01216 798216 The store’s entrance operates on www.targetszone.co.uk a button release system, meaning Rob and Lynsey are passionate about what they the only people who go in and info@targetszone.co.uk do and this is reflected in the attention and out of the store are those that hospitality they show to their customers. Nothing have been buzzed in by the staff. I is too much hassle for them, they are engaging, enthusiastic think, especially during the current climate, this is a really good and they are knowledgeable in their product range. measure to take and can help prevent any incidents that could Lynsey and Rob have done a fantastic job on evolving the arise. I have only ever seen this level of security on one other shop into what it is today and the team at Airsoft Action wish airsoft shop and I definitely think more airsoft stores should Rob and Lynsey all the very best for Targetszone and their follow suit. future. After being in the store for just a few hours, it’s clear that
Contact Details:
www.airsoft-action.online
37
International BELARUS
FOX HUNTING IN BELARUSIAN FORESTS
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MARIA LITVINOVA REPORTS FROM BELARUS, WHERE “FOX HUNTING” TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING FOR AIRSOFTERS. To stink out the foxes is the purpose of Belarusian airsofters already for 7 years. Every year they organize a massive intelligence-tactical game, “Fox Hunting”, in the dense forests near Brest. Beginning as an ordinary training of one of the Belarusian teams, today this game collects an impressive count of airsoft players from all over Belarus. At the last “Foxes” there were came 25 teams. Commando-type reconnaissance is one of the most popular trends in modern Belarusian airsoft. To check your stamina and tactical skills, to accomplish the task by collective team power – this idea attracts to this event airsofters from around the country.
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February 2018
Aleksei “Legionnaire”, organizer of “Fox Hunt 7”: “Fox hunting is hunting for secret subversive groups, they are the same foxes who must quietly perform their tasks while hiding in the forests. We have had cases when SOF-side (the Forces of Special Operations) drove us, like hunters. We could not catch our breath and rest. Such games are really hard. At one of the event we did not arrange a day rest and walked 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) with heavy backpacks behind. And it was on a 30-degree by Celsius (86 by Fahrenheit) heat with a terrible number of mosquitoes. Another event we walked in the fall, slept under the icy rain without the possibility to build a fire. And one day in the middle of the night we got into a swamp where we could not even turn on the lights, because we were looking for and could find out. At that time it was especially difficult for beginners who could not cope with the physical and psychological stress. But for me personally this is the main thrill - to endure all the hardships and successfully accomplish combat tasks at the same time. This is the main challenge for the RSG (reconnaissance and sabotage group) teams.” The event takes place at a range of 8 square kilometers (3 square miles) with trenches and difficult-to-access areas (it was used for military exercises). 32 hours of activities without the possibility to make a break or spend the night outside the playground. Each group acts autonomously and independently. There is no access for the additional food. As the organizers point out in the rules, “take as much as you want, you still need to carry it.” During this event you can use only midcap mags, you can carry only full mags. Additional rounds are only allowed for players who constantly use a backpack of more than 30 liters and weighing not less than 10 kg. Additional charging is allowed only in specially designated places. All this is done in order to maximize the game conditions to the real ones. All participants were conditionally divided into two sides. MTRs provide security for 5 beacons. The task of saboteurs (4 independent groups) is to capture and hide the beacon. In
International BELARUS
this case, each beacon can be located on one of 22 points, the location of which is known only to the forces of the Special Operation. Alex: “The MTR is more of a guard and patrol service. And for some airsofters is the biggest challenge. 3-4 hours sitting still, looking in one sector, waiting for an attack of RSG are very difficult. Therefore, I prefer to be in groups of saboteurs. One of the games we had a case where the SOP group was sitting for 4 hours awaiting an attack and literally before the change of guard we flew at them from cover. 2 minutes and then we captured the beacon. While MTR reinforcements arrived, we had already disappeared into the forest.” Barkas, participant of the “Fox Hunt 7”: “I liked the 7th Fox! The rules are relatively simple. “Fox” is really not a predictable game, especially for the forces of the MTR (to shoot or not to shoot – this is the question). Because if the point of MTR is not accessible, there is no reason to wasting time and energy of RSG.” 1.5 days of the event are divided into 3 phases. The basic game actions begin on the first day, when the RSG groups start to search of beacons. On this day they are still full of energy and try not to waste time on rest. Most often, events go according to a free scenario. Also, the organizers issue certain combat tasks to the participants to add activities to the day phase: for example, the MTRs must transport the beacons from points to their base, find in the forest the downed pilot and the “black box”. Alex, organizer of “Fox Hunt 7”: “The most difficult thing in an organization is to create an atmosphere. To make people immerse in the process and spent a day with interest. This is achieved through careful scrutiny of the scenario for each side, which has been done for many years. On the one hand, there must be clear tasks, and on the other hand, players should be able to improvise. And if something goes wrong, something breaks, then they had the opportunity to act alternately and not lose interest in the game. For example, the beacons should have been brought to 10 am, but the car broke down and it was brought to noon. It seemed that this is a non-game situation. However, it positively influenced the course of the event, as it introduced some unpredictable moment and
“IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WE GOT INTO A SWAMP WHERE WE COULD NOT EVEN TURN ON THE LIGHTS, BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING FOR AND COULD FIND OUT. AT THAT TIME IT WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR BEGINNERS WHO COULD NOT COPE WITH THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS.” encouraged the teams to improvise and perform other tasks. Therefore, we, as organizers, always prescribe alternative tasks and provide an opportunity for choice. We also try to add new elements to each event. For example, this year there was a transport aircraft that flew in, landed an ordinary field near the forest and landed RSG, which moved to perform their tasks. Next year, we expect that the plane will drop the RSG with a
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International BELARUS
“NEXT YEAR, WE EXPECT THAT THE PLANE WILL DROP THE RSG WITH A PARACHUTE OVER THE PLAYGROUND, WHICH OF COURSE WILL BE VERY COOL FOR ENTOURAGE AND ATMOSPHERE. OF COURSE, THEY ALL HAVE TO GET THE NECESSARY PREPARATION BEFORE THE JUMP.” with force, and sometimes with cunning. There have been cases when the scouts changed into the MTR uniform and so went to their base. Now, however, the MTRs are taught with bitter experience and introduce their own passports and passwords for passage into the base. During the game, participants say, there are other curious cases. Alex: “For each night each RSG team has two squares (500x500 meters). This is done in order to ensure that the raiding groups of the MTR have a chance to find scouts. Otherwise, in a huge forest area, at night, it is impossible to find people sleeping in sleeping bags under the foliage. Although, one of the event there was a case when the sleeping scouts were found by focusing on their snoring!” The final phase begins early in the morning. At this time, the RSG groups should be evacuated from the given squares with the obtained beacons. To do this, they must first penetrate the square during two hours. Each square is preceded by the forces of the MTR in advance. parachute over the playground, which of course will be very cool for entourage and atmosphere. Of course, they all have to get the necessary preparation before the jump. We do not stop and will continue to introduce new interesting moments into our game.” Marshal, participant of “Fox Hunt 7”: “Foxes” is the unpredictable event. Every “Foxes” has common points, but they are individual in their own way. For so many years there have been complex, insidious, simple or not very bright parts. All is like on the roller coaster - up and down. Thanks to the Brest region for teamwork and cooperation. Thanks for Minsk for help and support.” During the night phase of the even RSG side, most often, storm bases and strongholds MTR. Sometimes
Aleksei “Legionnaire”, organizer of “Fox Hunt 7”: “We had games when scouts came to square and “died” there by the whole group, losing all the beacons got by hard labor. If the MTR group has a competent command, then they cordon the square with a solid chain of fighters – every 20-30 meters. And keeps an additional emergency group ready to send it to the place where the RG tries to break through the cordon. And to break through such protection is very difficult. It used to be that only one soldier from the whole group, having broken through the inside of the square, simply tried to hide in any pit and wait for the time of evacuation.” “Fox Hunt 7” gathered more than 120 people from all over the country. By Belarusian standards for this format of the event it is an impressive amount!
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feature TACTICAL JAVA
THE RISE OF
TACTICAL JAVA
ONCE UPON A TIME AIRSOFT GAMES OPERATED ON COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF “NATO STANDARD” TEA, BUT THESE DAYS YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE SOME VERY SPECIAL COFFEE PRODUCTS TAKING PRIDE OF PLACE. ANGELO DI VITO AND BILL THOMAS GIVE US THE LOWDOWN ON TWO OF THE MOST POPULAR BRANDS TO EMERGE. “One Shot Military Stimulation” – Angelo NOW AS MANY OF YOU probably know I have been writing reviews on many different types of airsoft products and sites for some years now. I have covered many different products from the hardware like RIFs, to consumables like gas and BBs and also many different types of site, covering pretty much all scenarios. However, this review is something new for me but it is about a subject I do know quite well, this review is all about the brown stimulation liquid known to most as COFFEE! A few months ago I was contacted by Nick Woodhead from Airsoft Imports about reviewing a few airsoft products for him and also a new product he was bringing to the airsoft marketplace. At first he was a little tentative to reveal what it was, due to the fact there would be obvious comparisons made to a very similar operation in the real world of the military namely The Black Rifle Coffee Company which Bill will talk about in more detail later. 42
February 2018
Coffee is a subject I am very familiar with as my father imported it for many years, along with many other products but coffee was the big winner. So I guess you could say it’s kind of running in my blood and until I’ve had my first cup of the day, let’s just say I’m a little “unresponsive”. One Shot Coffee Company… First of all its coffee, secondly it’s linked with guns (albeit not real ones) but more importantly, for every purchase a donation goes to Scotty’s Little Soldiers. This incredible charity is there to support children and their families through the aftermath of losing a parent in military conflict. A link to the charity will be at the bottom of this review for you to go and check out. After quite a few conversations with Nick he informed me that he was thinking of releasing several different blends of coffee, from the more flavoursome to the downright boot-upthe-arse-caffeine-kick! There would also be merchandising to help market the products, tin mess cups, T shirts, flags etc. etc.. Well, you get the picture. Below you will see a list of the various blends and what I thought of them. But please remember one
Feature TACTICAL JAVA
thing each time you take a sip or a gulp and that is part of what you paid for the coffee is going to help a fantastic charity. All the blends are created using the finest Latin American Arabica beans blended with others that will remain a secret and are available in whole bean or ground format. And there’s even some very convenient sachets. • One in The Chamber: This was the first of the samples I received and I’ll have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. It has a really nice full flavour with a definite hint of caramel or toffee. • Belt Fed: Another very full bodied blend that was quite dry with a woody taste to it and definitely had more of a kick than the first sample. • One size Fits All: Now I really liked this one, an every day quaffing coffee that was quite mild but still had a full flavour. • Fubar: If you like your coffee to plant a size 10 boot up your arse then this is the one for you. A genuinely big stimulating hit from this after the first couple of gulps. • Yippee Ki Yay: Die Hard, Bruce Willis? This was actually my least favourite of all the blends. I like my coffee to be all about flavour, if I get a good kick off it then that is a bonus. This one seemed a little bit flat to me. • Coffee Sachets (bags): These were a huge hit with the lads from Rhino on a recent weekender up at Section 8 Airsoft earlier in the year. Pop the bag in a cup and add boiling water, leave for about three minutes and add sugar and milk to taste. Some of the lads were getting up to three cups from one bag. They were from Yorkshire so I’ll forgive them for that! So there you have it, a totally different product that’s out there for you to try and also help a good cause. I personally think it is a fantastic idea. Think about it, what most of us do with our toy guns at the weekend is copy or simulate what the military do then there’s no harm in having a coffee to go with it.
“Green Eyes, Black Rifles” – Bill I’ve purposely chosen to use the title of Kyle Lamb’s excellent book in relation to my look at “tactical java” as there’s so much synchronicity between where he comes from and where the guys at Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) originate - and it just so happens that Viking Tactics are also a partner! In the words of Founder and Owner of Black Rifle Coffee Company, Evan Hafer: “I started Black Rifle Coffee Company to provide a highquality, roast-to-order coffee to the pro-2A and veteran communities. Between deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I worked to refine both my coffee roasting skills and my firearms skills. I have spent over a decade researching coffee, refining my roast profiles and (of course) drinking what I roast. Black Rifle Coffee is quite literally the combination of my two favorite passions. I take pride in the coffee we roast, the veterans we employ and the causes we support.” Black Rifle Coffee Company is a premium small-batch, roast to order, veteran-owned coffee company, and just like One Shot, BRCC support veterans, their families, and other veteranowned businesses in the USA so money from your purchases of your favourite “black nectar” goes directly to support
those that have served and their families. As I’ve spent time living, shooting, and playing airsoft in the USA I have many friends who are either serving or prior-service, so this is pretty important to me personally. Add to this that I’m an absolute “caffeine bitch” who starts his day, each and every day, by grinding my own beans and making a pot of the finest brew and you can see that I’m not going to endorse a coffee just because it has an AK on the packet… although that is of course a consideration! I’m the guy that will take a grind, and grind it even further to get the best possible depth of taste, not to mention STRENGTH! At BRCC they import their highquality coffee beans from Colombia and Brazil, then they personally blend and roast every one of their ass-kicking coffees and ship directly to you. They develop each of their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they implemented as Special Forces Operators serving their great country. All BRCC blends are available in whole bean and ground which is absolutely perfect for me! JUST BLACK: No frills, no froth, no foam. Just. Black. Sourced from Central American and Colombian Supremo beans. AK-47 Espresso: The AK-47 never fails to deliver a reliable dose of wake the hell up and is, of course, my personal favourite! A blend so fine even Kalashnikov himself would be proud, built with Colombian Supremo roasted dark, it’s the indestructible espresso! SILENCER SMOOTH: Let other sub-par coffees clamour for your attention. Silencer Smooth operates on another level; the quiet professional. 100% Colombian Supremo roasted to precise specifications for a complex flavour. BEYOND BLACK: In the words of BRCC themselves… “The colour black brings to the psyche power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery. An enigmatic colour, associated with fear and the unknown. We took this challenge and charged headstrong. Now we are beyond black.” CAF: The only blend of coffee worthy of its name, “Caffeinated As F**k” is designed for the coffee head who needs to pull out all the stops. This contains twice as much caffeine as an average cup of coffee and (seriously) comes with a disclaimer! Drink at your peril! As Angelo said earlier I can think of no better reason to buy coffee like this, as opposed to a “high street” brand than that money actually goes to the veteran communities. Far from being a “fad”, buying and drinking this coffee actually MEANS something. Angelo would like to than Nick from Airsoft Imports for the samples and also Alex Bailey for the help with the merchandise. Bill sends his thanks to Ben at Hereford Kit Company for his help with the background of BRCC. To find out more about those mentioned pleases do visit http://scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk, www.oneshotcoffeeco.co.uk, and www.hr4k.co.uk
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TACTICAL
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RUBBER ICON PATCH VELCRO PATCH
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Real Steel COLT 1911
ASK ANY SHOOTER TO NAME A PISTOL AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE FIRST THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE UBIQUITOUS COLT 1911. TOM HIBBERD TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AMERICAN-BORN ICON.
REAL STEEL:
COLT 1911
THIS MONTH WE PRESENT A true icon in the firearms world; John Browning’s seminal work, the M1911, is American as apple pie and the Stars and Stripes. This handgun is a singleaction, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol, chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. It fires from a single stack removable box magazine of seven rounds. The 1911 was the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986 and although formerly replaced with more modern pistols, it is still in service with some specialist units of the US military and with countries around the world. Originally designed in the early 1900s, it didn’t spring into life fully formed but evolved as a result of a series of trials run by the US military. These trials came about as a result of American units in conflict with Moro guerrillas during the Philippine–American War, where US forces using the Colt Model of 1892 revolver found the .38 Long Colt cartridge lacked stopping power, especially as the Moros often used drugs to dull pain. To counter this U.S. Army changed back to its older pistols in the .45 Colt, as the heavier bullet was found to be more effective against charging tribesmen. Needing a new pistol to fire the heavier round, trials of new designs began and were finished in 1910 with the prototype 1911 beating out its two closest competitors, Savage and a .45 ACP version of the Luger.
The pistol was widely copied and the operating system became the preeminent type of the 20th century and of nearly all modern centrefire pistols. The gun has both a grip and a manual safety and cannot be fired unless the hammer is cocked or by racking the slide. This is different to many hammer fired semi-automatic pistols, which will also cock the hammer when the trigger is pulled. Being both a complicated and expensive pistol to produce is something of a drawback with the 1911. Parts are largely not interchangeable without some degree of hand fitting and gunsmithing US Marine firing 1911 and it makes extensive use of timeconsuming machining due to the basic manufacturing technology available at the time. In the 1970s the M1911 was beginning to show its age and existing pistols were wearing out. A decision was made to replace the weapon with one firing the NATO standard 9mm cartridge and after a great deal of controversy and legal shenanigans, the M9 Beretta was adopted in 1995. The 1911 has had a long and distinguished career. It was carried by US servicemen throughout WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. In WW2 it served on both sides as European licenced produced versions, in both 9mm and .45 ACP, were used by Axis forces. Post-1991, the 1911 soldiered on in specialist units such as the Marine Corp and SOCOM where sufficient training was available for the users to mitigate the recoil of the powerful round. Recently though Weight: 2.44 lb (1.105 kg) even these units have made the switch to Length: 8.25 in (210 mm) 9mm pistols, favouring large magazine capacity Barrel length: 5.03 in (127 mm) over fewer more Cartridge: .45 ACP powerful rounds. It Action: Short recoil operation lives on though in the civilian market where it Muzzle velocity: 830 ft/s (253 m/s) is prized for its accuracy, Feed system: 7 round standard detachable box history and stopping power. magazine
M1911 Specifications
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site WORTHING AIRSOFT
OLD SCHOOL AIRSO F LES LEE CONTINUES HIS SITE-SEEING TRIP AROUND THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND AND HEADS TO WORTHING, WHERE HE FINDS MORE THAN JUST BUS PASSES, BINGO AND BOWLING GREENS…
OLD SCHOOL AIRSOFT ROCKS!! I have never started a site review with a conclusion before, but Worthing Airsoft deserves this accolade - and some! Over the following pages I will explain my rationale for saying this and as the story unfolds, hopefully everything will become clear. Around 20 years ago, a few airsoft enthusiasts got together and decided to take things to the next level at a paintball site known as “Splat Sports”, based in the dense West Sussex woodland on the outskirts of sunny Worthing. It was becoming clear that Paintball was losing its impetus and airsoft was now the way forward for those wanting more realism ...and less messy combats! Initially, the late Tom Andrews (RIP) was the sole driving force behind this new venture and when he was joined by Jim “Jimbo” Torrent and James “Wolfie” Washington, their offer to assist with the day to day running proved invaluable as it was clear that Tom needed more hands on deck, due to interest building up at such a rapid rate. Jimbo took the reins with overall managing of the game-days while Wolfie adopted the role of Head Marshal and managed the field work, mission objectives and oversaw the gaming aspect. Jimbo made sure that the safe zone was functioning effectively and safely and that players, old and new, were made to feel welcome and that all of the administration, team divisions and criteria was being met. And then there’s the legendary “Jimbo Burger” but more on that later. As the months and years went by, the interest (and thus the membership) grew and grew and it quickly became obvious that they were doing it right. Encampments were being built, structures, bunkers and barriers were being formed mostly from the natural surrounding resources and game zones were being firmly established. Probably the biggest attractant at Worthing was the topography of the 55 acres which was split over two levels. This allowed for a variety of battle theatres which offered something for everyone. I have to say, the terrain, which is a natural mix of deciduous and non-deciduous woodland, is some of the best and most varied that I have ever seen and ranges from thick jungle to dark forest canopy to open bracken fields and a zone of hillsides (complete with a superb and almost impenetrable ridge line) which will challenge even the fittest. More recently, a sizeable man-made CQB arena has been assembled for those adrenaline warriors that like to get cosy with the enemy and encourage more of those little red bruises that give bigger and better bragging rights post-game. Early days were hosting 12 to 16 players per game but as time and passion prevailed, a typical game day now sees numbers around the 60 to 80 mark, which not only speaks volumes for the enthusiasm and work that has gone into the site. The majority of ‘softers enjoy this platoon-sized number of players because it keeps the battles manageable for the team of very pro-active Marshals that keep 46
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the participants in the game with motivational directives and enthused instructions. The quality and quantity of “objective hardware” is indeed impressive and the scenarios are very well thought out in this diverse woodland. Areas and bases above the ridge line include Tower (the oldest game play area), Sandbag Bunker (heavily rebuilt), Ferns, Ewok Wood, Darkwoods, Compound (the newest regenerated area) and not forgetting the very challenging Ridgeline itself. Below the ridge you have Treetops Tower, Baldy’s Base, The Bowl, Bridge Island and Paradise (ironically named but totally awesome if you like dense jungle warfare). I asked Jimbo if he could describe his typical day over a cuppa ...and he said “There isn’t enough tea!” which kinda made me feel we might need a couple of chairs set around the fire pit. We might be here for some time. ”I like to arrive on site early and so I tend to be the one to open up, put the cones out by the entrance and drive up into the safe zone, usually I go over to the other entrance and put out the sign that says “Airsoft 100m” so that I know that any early players will find the entrance easily. Shortly after, marshals and regulars start to turn up and we set up the safe zone, big gazebo if it looks like rain and all the tables in the admin area. Shortly after this the guys from Allsorts Airsoft turn up and begin setting up their stall. If it’s cold I usually put a brazier in the centre of the safe zone as everyone likes to warm their hands around a real fire. Ian the site tech will have arrived by now and the generator will be up and running for the battery charging facilities and of course the urn goes on for the free tea and coffee that is available all day. “My job since Tom passed away is the smooth running of the safe zone, greeting players and guests and helping them get booked in, talking to parents of new players and making sure everything is running smoothly. There will be marshals chronographing weapons, a marshal booking people in and usually someone spare to help with parking, meeting and greeting or helping the rental players to make sure they know what they are doing. An important aspect I believe is to greet as many as possible personally so they know that the personal touch continues.” Having seen with my own eyes just how hard these guys work and their intense enthusiasm for airsoft, it’s no surprise that Worthing Airsoft is thriving more now than ever before. My first step into airsoft was here at Worthing several years ago and I didn’t have a Scooby what was what but Tom, Jimbo and Wolfie soon guided me in the right direction and that was it! I was hooked! I also asked Wolfie for his operational take on Worthing Airsoft; ”Worthing isn’t just a site, it’s a family. Our players are our life blood, our customers and our friends. We make sure to provide
“I HAVE TO SAY, THE TERRAIN, WHICH IS A NATURAL MIX OF DECIDUOUS AND NON-DECIDUOUS WOODLAND, IS SOME OF THE BEST AND MOST VARIED THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN.”
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Flash Grenade 3.0
DEALER ENQUIRIES ENOLA GAYE READING, UK 01189 714470 ENOLA GAYE LAS VEGAS, USA ENOLAGAYE.COM
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value for money and ensure that they go away happy, be it a first time rental or seasoned walk on player. We’re not just a lazy bunch going through the motions each Sunday and taking people’s money. Each and every one of us have green gas and BBs in our blood and this is converted into pure, unadulterated passion for our sport and our Worthing Airsoft family of players. I didn’t know Jimbo before I started playing at Worthing and now Grandpops Jimbo and Nanny Pat (his amazing wife) are my little boy’s third set of grandparents. On that note, something I’m immensely proud of is our site team, Team Beans. Now I’d like to be clear that Beans aren’t a home team or a detrimental “smash the newbies” kind of thing. When our team players go anywhere else, be it another site or a big event, we play as one team, Team Beans. We ONLY play as a team at away games and because of our honour, sportsmanship and integrity (and maybe a bit of notoriety thrown in) we are a recognised and well respected team with great banter and a very wrong sense of humour, so if you think you have what it takes, come and see us, join the club, prove your commitment and you might be joining us at events in the new year. Like I said, we’re a family, a big dysfunctional, airsoft addicted one!” In January 2015 the original site owner and highly respected, Tom Andrews, sadly passed away and the responsibility of running the site fell to Jimbo and Wolfie. Not only did Tom develop and run the site, he facilitated sales of just about everything related to the game so that everything a player needed was all in one place. With Jimbo and Wolfie committed 100% to giving the site all they had, this left no time for selling kit. Enter Liz and Ray from Allsorts Airsoft. To cut a long-ish story short, they not only run a hefty site shop but have also opened a retail shop just a few miles west of the site. (**If you would like to know more about Allsorts Airsoft, please grab yourself a copy of the January 2018 issue where you will find a full three pages of information and photos of this new shop.) Worthing Airsoft is predominantly a skirmish site. They offer skirmish-style games with added elements and games they would want to play themselves. From standard Attack and Defend, rolling assaults (fall back) games, multi base domination and the odd bout of silliness like Zombies, however, they do like to change things up regularly to keep scenarios fresh. A
valid point was made that in the current climate some people look down their noses at general skirmish-type play, but Jimbo let’s not forget the roots and why we bought our first boots, battle belt and Email: jimbo@worthingairsoft.co.uk BBs… because we love airsoft and the Telephone: 07877 210898 airsoft lifestyle, as it has become for so many. Wolfie Worthing Airsoft has a superb gun tech on site who goes by the name of Email: wolfie@worthingairsoft.co.uk Ian Dinsmore. Ian is truly devoted to Telephone: 07939 013630 everything airsoft and has been a part of his own workbench for nearly a million years. On a personal note, having known Ian since day one, this is one cracking guy. He always makes time for everyone and nothing is too much trouble for him. I’ve never known him to say “No, I can’t do that…” and his reputation has grown roots which stretch as far as Allsorts Airsoft, where he works every Saturday. If you are still wondering what my interest was about the “Jimbo Burger”, I cannot put into words just how tasty this meaty concoction is. In all my years on the road visiting every site in the south-east and beyond, only one other (somewhere in Kent) has come anywhere close to matching the taste of a Jimbo Burger. If you spend all morning getting killed over and over again, don’t worry about it because the best is yet to come - and it is on the griddle waiting for you back at the safe zone! Check out the new Worthing Airsoft website for details and of course, social media but I am compelled to close this review by saying that it’s a rare site indeed to see so many people having so much fun. The smiles, the banter, the sportsmanship and the overall site dynamics that are all so fully immersive. Our thoughts and prayers must go out to Tom who literally built the site from the ground up and his legend lives on in the form of an English Yew Tree planted in his memory, a fitting tribute on how to make something spectacular grow in such feral surroundings. Yes this is old school “thoroughbred” airsoft at its best - and it does indeed ROCK! Les OUT!
Contact Details:
A TRIBUTE TO TOM ANDREWS Our first experiences of Tom was a baldheaded chap who turned up in an old army Land Rover, took our money and told us to get on with it. He’d see
us at lunchtime. He was always cheery, liked a good laugh and cooked a terrible burger. Over the many years that we played at the site Tom became a great friend and mentor. He was a very private man who rarely talked about his home life, but the moment he came onto the site he came alive. He was an engineer with the heart of a young boy who loved blowing things up. Tom’s van was a thing of legend, packed full of new guns and kit from top to bottom. He would always have a new gun or some new pyrotechnic device that he had made. Being
allowed to paw through the contents was a special treat reserved for the few and only those who could be trusted to repack it. Most people will be unaware of the quiet but important role Tom played in the background of airsoft. From writing letters to members of the House of Lords when the first attack on airsoft happened, to being a sounding board to those publicly fighting to save airsoft. Like we said Tom was a very private man and we were surprised when his partner Sonya appeared. She was a lovely lady who brought stability
to Tom’s life, put a spring in his step and was with him right to his sudden passing. We were devastated to hear the news but immediately decided that the site should continue in the way Tom had always run it. We planted an English Yew tree several months later with a tribute plaque. Sonya brought Ben, Tom’s dog along and a few words were said, a small service and discreet …like Tom. Tom Andrews played a big part in all our lives and as long as we are on site, we will ensure his memory continues. RIP Tom. Jimbo and Wolfie
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International TURKEY
AIRSOFT AROUND THE WORLD IS A VERY, VERY TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY, AND WHEN BILL THOMAS REACHED OUT TO TALK TO A GROUP IN TURKEY HE DISCOVERED THAT HE ACTUALLY KNEW ONE OF THE GUYS ALREADY!
I CONSTANTLY SCOUR THE INTERNET for interesting groups outside the UK to speak to, and it’s really weird just how many times when I see some unique game pictures and send an enquiry that I end up speaking to someone I already know! Many years in the world of airsoft reporting means that I’ve been privileged to attend numerous trade shows and a good number of training courses overseas, and it’s at this kind of event that you meet people from near and far! So it was when I approached a group in Turkey that had shown some very interesting pictures of a recent game to see if they would be interested in an interview for Airsoft Action. The response I got was a simple one, along the lines of: “Hey Bill, this is Turgay, the ICS Captain of Turkey. We met at IWA a couple of years back…” I’m very honoured to have been made an Honourary ICS Captain and Turgay and I had indeed met when the project first started. As we got talking it struck me just how unique Turkey is, not just in relation to airsoft, but in terms of geography and culture. Without going into politics, Turkey is where East meets West, where different cultures meld and, of course, as it shares a border with Syria it’s a real-world front line in its own right. I was really interested to hear more about it and this is what Turgay kindly shared with me. AA: Hi Turgay! Please can you tell me a little about how airsoft has developed in and the current state of things in Turkey? Turgay Dansık – Airsoft Pro Team Captain: “Hello everybody. The airsoft hobby in Turkey has been around for about 18 years now. Initially it started with small groups/teams and of course this process has turned into big teams and even organizations with new players coming day-to-day. At the moment I think there are more than 5,000 people in Turkey
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who play airsoft. There are a number of large groups with more than 50 players and they are constantly growing their player numbers. “Airsoft games are made with many large and small teams in cities such as Istanbul, which has a population of around 15 million, and Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, and Izmir, the 3rd big city of Turkey and Bursa, Samsun, Adana, Gaziantep, Eskisehir and Antalya cities.” AA: As a group can you tell me a little more about yourselves? Turgay: “We, as the Airsoft Pro team, have been playing airsoft as a group since 2014. Currently we have 6 division teams and 40 players in total. Our games are held every 2 weeks on Sundays. In addition, the games that we organise are also attended by a large number of guest teams or players from outside our group. “Most importantly, we are the first and only team for the time being, which has our own field in Turkey. We are called “Airsoft Pro Arena” and we have a total area of 144,000 square meters. For CQB-style games, we have a large building with an indoor space and also wide range of landscapes where all kinds of scenarios can be arranged, including a large forest. “In addition, with videos and intensive social media activities, we inform the beginners, the players and all its components and try to direct them to the right products. We have Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages, channels with the name Airsoft Pro and on average we have more than 4,000 followers.” AA: Do you have many established outdoor sites in Turkey now? Could you tell me a little more about them? Turgay: “The theme of the “site” is that our country still has not found a solution. Most of the sites are abandoned buildings and publicly owned forests and landscapes. As I mentioned
before, we are the only group with its own dedicated site. Apart from that, there are areas where one or two private company build and make the ground available to hire.” AA: Do sites and players have any legal restrictions to contend with? Turgay: “In Turkey airsoft has not yet been settled on a legal basis. So we have to be careful about airsoft RIFs and the clothes we carry with us in our vehicles and cars when we go to the games. For example, RIFs must be (muzzle) plugged in with their orange or red flash hiders, their invoices must be by your side and your magazines must be removed. “It is also VERY important that you do not come to the games with military clothes on, as this can be a problem in any security control you may encounter when you come and go to the games. Besides this, we are trying not to use military clothes worn by our country’s armed forces, because using an official uniform can be a misunderstood by security forces!” AA: What’s a normal game day like for you? Turgay: “An airsoft day for us starts on Sunday morning at 6 am when we leave home. We pay attention to the preparation of all our equipment one day ahead of time. We charge our batteries, we control our RIFs, we prepare our clothes and place our kit like BB and gas on our bags. We are at our site at 08.00 or 08.30 in the morning and we start our preparations then. At 09.00, we will have a briefing about the game before the first game and information about the rules that the old and new players must obey. Our games usually end after-noon at 14:00 or15: 00 and we will return to our homes in a happy, tired and stress-free manner.” AA: What is a popular style of play in Turkey, regular skirmish, MilSim or both?
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TACTICAL
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Turgay: “Our favourite game styles are Mil-Sim in outdoor areas and CQB in indoor areas. We also have Airsoft Pro, a game that we play with our own production checkpoint device. We made 7 pieces of this device and use 2 to measure the duration of the game, 4 of the others place different points in our CQB area, and there are referees on the sides of the devices. As the Red and Green teams, the participants are given two pieces. During the game period, the team that holds the most of the field for most of the time is the winner. “Field seizure work is done with the buttons on the devices and in the colours of the relevant team. If the field is neutral, the player can only hit and seize the button in his own possession. In order to turn the field that the other team has taken over to its own side, the button in front of the player is pressed first and the field is neutralized and then pressed again. In this game, both we and all the guest players enjoy the incredible and wonderful battles taking place.” AA: Do airsofters train either as individuals or teams? What avenues are there for training?
Turkish review videos all other brands. “We can also say Tokyo Marui, LCT, ASG, KWA, WE, JG and VFC even EMG and more brands among the widely used brands in Turkey. But honestly my best brands are ICS and Krytac.” AA: Do your sites have rental facilities if someone is visiting from overseas?
Turgay: “As educational activities, there are activities that we organise from time to time in the team. The vast majority of the trainings consist of RIF engagement and hop-up arrangements, team coordination, building seizure, and teaming activities. “Unfortunately, there is no professional training available for Airsoft from outside.”
Turgay: “Yes, it is possible. We can arrange everything that is necessary if we have friends from abroad who have the desire to play, if they can reach me or their teammates before a reasonable time. We can help them in almost every aspect, such as site, accommodation, spare RIFs and BBs and Green Gas. “We can even organize a barbecue party for those who come in accordance with Turkish hospitality. [Smile]”
AA: Like us you have an unusual range of annual temperature and weather conditions to contend with; what’s important to you in relation to your gear?
AA: If anyone is visiting Turkey and is interested in visiting a site for a game day, or wish to attend a larger game, where should they head for information?
Turgay: “For us the real difficulty in games is the summer. It’s really hard to play in hot weather while you have a lot of equipment on you. We are trying to get over the summer by wearing lightweight clothing like t-shirts in spite of this difficulty and the possibility of our light injuries caused BBs. It’s a bit easier in the winter because it’s not hard to wear everything you want. “
Turgay: “Those who have a wish in this regard can reach me and my teammates the easiest by sending a message from our Facebook page. (www.facebook.com/airsoftprotr). We regularly check messages from here and try to make quick returns to all messages.”
AA: What is the situation with airsoft and tactical gear in Turkey; is it easy to get hold of?
Turgay Dansık – Airsoft Pro Team Captain: “Many thanks for your interest Bill, I hope that too!”
AA: Thanks for answering all my questions Turgay; I hope to see you at IWA in Germany again in 2018!
Turgay: “As you know, bringing whatever you want from shopping sites like AliExpress or UKTactical is no longer so difficult. But in the country there are not many special productions in this style, so we have to bring most products from abroad. Our biggest challenge in this regard is the excessive increase in exchange rates; we buy almost every product in dollars or euros and then have to multiply the price by 4 to pay with Turkish Lira.” AA: Turgay, I know that you, like me, have the honour of being an “ICS Captain”, but are there other particular brands and models of airsoft replica that are important to you? What brands do players like? Turgay: “The ICS brand is indispensable for me and a lot of my friends, but this does not constitute an obstacle to experiencing different brands and models, and as Airsoft PRO we do lot’s of
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kit KIMPOI SHOP
GETTING A (CUSTOM) GRIP! EVEN THE BEST THINGS WEAR OUT IN TIME AND ANDY NIGHTINGALE IS SURPRISED BY WHAT HE FINDS WHEN LOOKING TO REPLACE SOME GRIPS.
WHILST LOOKING THROUGH MY COLLECTION of revolvers I decided that a few of them needed a little TLC. Not that I don’t look after them, I take great care and attention over them, but some of them have started to look a little under the weather. The mechanics are sound and the finish on them is as good as the day I purchased them but the grips looked a little worn and grubby. I don’t particularly like to use solvents and harsh cleaning fluids on any part of my replica firearms, so I decided to renew some of the grips to make them look like new again. A quick search on the internet brought home the realisation that this was not going to be a cheap fix. Reproduction grips, made for reproduction firearms, was a no go from the start. Some of the grips I found as replacements were a little short of the cost of a new RIF. I have a Beretta 92 that is worth around £160.00 54
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kit KIMPOI SHOP
new but the replacement grips were a staggering £85.00 - and they were the cheapest I could find. After doing some more research I started to look at real steel grips. Some of these grips were a little cheaper but still at a high price. I was also informed by some of the suppliers that the grips may not fit imitation firearms and that a little alteration work may need to be done. Back to square one then I suppose! After another search and not wanting to be beaten, I headed down the dreaded (anti)social media route. It wasn’t long before I was told that I was never going to get what I wanted and to make do with “old wive’s tale” fixes for my beloved collection. Then I came across the holy grail of handgun wood grips in the form of KIMPOI SHOP. I got in touch with Didang Fadil (Didang to all that know him) and asked if he could help. To my surprise he had exactly what I had been looking for and I was sent a wood replacement grip for my ASG Dan Wesson 715. When it arrived I could not believe my luck. This was the best wooden grip I have ever seen and it fitted a treat! Kimpoi shop only make grips for replica firearms so you can be guaranteed a perfect fit every time.
Kimpoi shop is situated in Yogyakarta, a special region in Java island Indonesia and has been making custom grips for the Airsoft and Airgun community since 2012. It all started when Didang decided to replace the grips on his GBB 1911 and had the same problem as myself in finding what he wanted. So he set to and started to make his own and Kimpoi Shop was born. Now 5 years on and Kimpoi shop employs 7 workers that include four skilled carpenters, as well as a designer, courier and marketing staff. Kimpoi Shop focuses on the production of replica wood grips using quality hand-picked Teak and Rosewood to either replace old existing grips, or to enhance the looks of any handgun. Didang found that most replica firearms have very similar
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kit KIMPOI SHOP
to work with, Kimpoi Shop have up to 5 designs to choose from as well as their custom workshop. If you are looking for something special, or want your own mark on your grip, then you can send Didang a sample and he and his team of fine craftsman will do their best to meet your requirements. It takes around 3 days to make one of Kimpoi Shop’s excellent grips, so providing they are in stock customers can expect a delivery within 10 - 14 days from ordering. They usually have the grips in stock but due to high demands some models are sold very quickly. Kimpoi Shop sell to customers around the world with Indonesia’s bestseller being the Dan Wesson series, WG 731 and KWC M36, whereas in France they supply mostly 1911 and Beretta series. The UK market has seen a trend in DW and DW 715 sales. After receiving my first set of grips, I had to get in touch with Didang and learn more about his company. I soon found Didang to be very pleasant and extremely helpful and he sent me other grips to review for Airsoft Action magazine. As expected the grips were just as good as the first. The attention to detail in the craftsmanship is exquisite. These truly are a beautiful grip that makes the handgun’s appearance stand out. Fitting the grips is a very simple operation that takes only a matter of “KIMPOI SHOP FOCUSES ON THE PRODUCTION OF minutes to do. Once fitted the grips fit perfectly to the gun’s frame with REPLICA WOOD GRIPS USING QUALITY HAND-PICKED no visible gaps or movement. The TEAK AND ROSEWOOD TO EITHER REPLACE OLD EXISTING only problem I have now is convincing GRIPS, OR TO ENHANCE THE LOOKS OF ANY HANDGUN.” the wife that all my handguns need new grips! dimensions to the real steel counterparts such as the 1911, So how can you get your very Beretta M9 and Sig 226 to name but a few, and his grips would own Kimpoi Shop wood grips? Well due to Airsoft being semi also fit these too. However, Airsoft and Airgun revolvers that banned by the government in Indonesia, Kimpoi Shop doesn’t use a CO2 capsule have a completely different construction and actually have a shop but you can find them on social media to this is where Didang initially found his market. Not only do they view the catalog of products. They can be found on Facebook produce excellent handgun grips but Kimpoi shop also make here: https://www.facebook.com/KimpoIshop. Ordering is superb presentation cases and wooden stocks for Cyma/Dboys simple; just drop Didang a personal message and he will AK series and Sniper longs too. get back to you in no time. Payment is made via PayPal and Kimpoi Shop makes grips for around 80% of Airsoft brands communication with Didang is excellent. on the market as many have the same frame. They produce One thing’s for sure… Calibre Shooting can highly around 1,200 - 1,700 grips each year, with production hitting recommend Kimpoi Shop and will definitely be ordering more around 200 grips per week. With around 25 handgun models of these quality grips in the future.
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ARMOURY THE “KRISS” VECTOR
AA’S FRENCH CONTRIBUTOR, DIANE MONTAGNIER, KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT AIRSOFT WEAPONRY BUT EVEN SHE WAS PERPLEXED WHEN SHE READ ABOUT A MYSTERIOUS VERSION OF THIS WELL-KNOWN PLASTIC-CHUCKER.
THE MYSTERIOUS “ ” KRISS VECTOR AEG AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY, I read a strange and curious article on Popular Airsoft blog and different other Asian airsoft blogs and websites. All talked about a Kriss Vector AEG, that was not a Krytac or an A&K. At that time, I was really puzzled by this airsoft gun. What was it? No information, no way to order this replica. Finally, I had forgotten the idea to own this mysterious airsoft gun when suddenly… It appeared to me in a French shop! Immediately, I ordered one! I was my last chance to discover this mysterious and rare AEG. This “Kriss Vector” is called (or manufactured by?) “Coyote G2”. It is delivered in an ordinary cardboard box and inside there is also 2 magazines, a short mag (55 bbs) and a long mag (125 bbs). A 4 page manual is showing very summarily how to install the battery, how to set the hop-up and other minor information. A tubular bb loader, a cleaning rod, a foldable grip and mechanical sights are provided. The main mystery is about the marks. Indeed, there is some “Kriss” and “Vector” marks on the body, but the more surprising information is about the Glock marks on the mags! I can imagine that the manufacturer didn’t care about the license with Kriss Vector and Glock, and it is probably why the manufacturer is still unknown. The external is very clear, plastic burrs are missing. The stock and the body are made of polymer. They look very strong. Only
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ARMOURY THE “KRISS” VECTOR
the flash hider and the rails are made of metal. It’s possible to fix a 14mm CCW silencer. The fire selector is ambidextrous, a chance for the lefthanded people like me! There are a single fire mode, a burst mode and a full auto mode. The security is this kind of selector lever just before stock. It’s ambidextrous too. The stock is foldable thanks to a button on the left side. Kriss and Vector marks appear on both side of this airsoft gun, even a .45 ACP mark! The battery takes place just behind the magazine well. A pin has to be removed to open a flap. There is enough place to put a battery that doesn’t exceed 105mm length. On both sides of the stock and the body, there are locations to fix rails. Unfortunately, no rails are provided and at that time, I don’t know if Krytac or A&K rails are compatibles. The magazines are made of polymer and look very different at first sight from Krytac’s magazines. They have “Glock” and .45 ACP marks. They look very strong regardless their polymer fabrication. The replica weighs 2,9kg and it is 62 cm long, 40 cm with the stock foldable. I spent 430 Euros (£385) for this airsoft gun and its 2 magazines. I bought a supplementary long mag for 30 Euros (£27) just in case. It looks like a big budget for a special Kriss Vector, but it seems that the price is quite higher than the Krytac Kriss Vector price! So: basic package, basic manual, no information about the manufacturer… This Kriss Vector looks very nice but I cannot stop there, what is inside?
HOW DOES IT WORKS?
Good surprise! It’s really easy to disassemble and reassemble. Some pins of the body have to be removed in order to separate the upper and the lower. Be careful, a small connector connects them, it has to be detached. It’s the micro switch for the trigger. The gearbox could be easily removed outside the body, it’s a specific gearbox shape. Hop up block and the inner barrel are inside the gearbox. It means that to change the inner barrel or hop up the rubber, the gearbox has to be opened. The metal rod under the inner barrel is an hop up setting. It can be adjust just under the flash hider with a screwdriver. The electronic circuit board is outside the gearbox. It controls the fire modes and the battery connector is a standard Tamiya Mini. More good news! This gearbox has a QD spring guide. It can be removed before opening the gearbox. It’s really interesting to open a gearbox, there are a lot of clues inside. All the pieces seems very familiar to me. They are really close to Amoeba’s or Ares’s pieces, but they probably come from the same factory. A lot of mechanical parts are standard AEG: 18:1 gears (with this specific Amoeba’s delayer and magnet), piston with 15 metal teeth, piston head, cylinder, inner barrel (made of brass and 135mm length) and an AEG hop up rubber. The specific parts are: cylinder head, nozzle, tappet plate and of course, this strange hop up block. The engine, a short type and normal Torque, is located with the battery, not in the grip. I used a Lipo 7,4V for the first shoots, which were very conclusive. I had about 320 fps and, as I like to custom my airsoft guns, I changed the motor for a SHS high torque and
“I SPENT 430 EUROS (£385) FOR THIS AIRSOFT GUN AND ITS 2 MAGAZINES. I BOUGHT A SUPPLEMENTARY LONG MAG FOR 30 EUROS (£27) JUST IN CASE. IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG BUDGET FOR A SPECIAL KRISS VECTOR, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE PRICE IS QUITE HIGHER THAN THE KRYTAC KRISS VECTOR PRICE!“ the reactivity was definitely better. The original spring is close to a M120 spring. As the inner barrel is really short, the power of this Kriss Vector is very low, in spite of the power of the original spring (415 fps in a standard M4 AEG). It’s possible to use a Lipo 11,1V, but only for semi and burst modes in my opinion. The shooting distance is honorable, close to standard AEGs (40/50 meters) and this Kriss Vector’s shots sound great!
CONCLUSION
It cost me a lot of money to satisfy a whim! It works very well, most of mechanical parts are standard and the disassembly is really easy. It offers nice marks, not real ones but really close. We will probably never know who is really the manufacturer, but there are some clues. To conclude, I am really satisfied by this mysterious and rare airsoft gun. Many thanks to airsoftbackstage.over-blog.com who gave me the right to use his mechanical photos.
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Loaded or Unloaded DUST MONKEY
THE WORLD ” WENT DARK
“
LAST YEAR JERRY NOONE GOT TOGETHER WITH THE MULTI-TALENTED CALLUM FROM DUST MONKEY TO CHECK OUT JUST WHAT GOES INTO CREATING A RIGHTEOUS “POST-APOCALYPTIC” AIRSOFT LOADOUT. FOLLOWING A VERY WELL RECEIVED EVENT THAT WAS RUN AT COMBAT SOUTH IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND, WE FELT IT WAS TIME TO REVISIT THE THEME OF “THE WORLD WENT DARK”! I FIND MYSELF MORE AND MORE turning to the “PostApocalyptic” genre for not only my airsoft, but also in what choice of books I read and movies I watch (I’ve just watched the entire six-movie run of “Resident Evil” back to back… again!) and even in what games I play. Gadge wrote a very interesting article a while back on the relationship between playing airsoft and playing miniatures games like “Warhammer” but my tastes tend to be a little more esoteric, so recently I’ve been looking at the new Osprey Games “Gaslands”, whilst BETA testing a yet unreleased “Mad Max” style game. Since my interview with Callum a year ago I’ve been following not only his own “DUST MONKEY” page for inspiration for my own gear, but also other pages which come up on his feed, and it’s both amazed and delighted me how far some folk have taken things! We all like to think we do a good job with our loadouts, be it historical, topical, or just plain “out there”, but some of the images that I’ve seen just take things to a whole new level. I really like the idea of putting a righteous “Post-Ap” loadout together but my motivation for this is often linked 60
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Loaded or Unloaded DUST MONKEY
to a specific game. My local site does from time to time run games with a futuristic theme, but again it was the pictures of “The World Went Dark” event that Callum and his friends put on at Combat South recently that really got my juices flowing and sent my personal “design head” into overdrive. Given this, I thought it high time to take another look at this insanely interesting side of where “Airsoft meets LARP” and find out even more about what it’s all about! I asked Callum to recap on DUST MONKEY for me for those that missed it first time round, and he told me: “I had been making props and costume and painting airsoft guns for years, mainly for myself but also I painted guns for a while when I worked at Wolf Armouries in London. Eventually enough people I knew were asking me if I could do this or that for them that I decided to set up Dust Monkey as a page initially mainly to share what I was working on at the time. Quite quickly it grew into something else with people regularly getting in touch about kit they would like making.” I have to say that this has grown and grown, and it obviously shows that Callum is not alone in his desire to create something different and unique. The reports I read online about “The World Went Dark” event were absolutely gushing, and it sounds like everyone that attended had a thoroughly brilliant time, so I asked Callum to tell me more. “For years I was desperate for a really good Post Apocalyptic immersive event to exist in the UK but nothing really quite ticked the boxes of what I was looking for. So after a particularly wordy rant on Facebook I had a number of people tell me to do something about it and stop moaning… So I did. The end result became a 3 day immersive LARP event that used airsoft for all the guns as I find airsoft to be the best option for ranged combat currently available. The game setting borrowed heavily from “Mad Max” but set within the UK; we really tried to make the players feel for those three days they had stepped into another world. From the last three years of events the feedback thankfully seems to indicate we have managed to do
just that!” Of course, as I know myself, one person doesn’t make an event happen, so I asked Callum about the team behind it, and who the key people involved were; “I have a fantastic team that I work with for the event who fulfil a huge range of jobs. As anyone who has run an event can attest to, no one person makes an event a success. There is the plot team whose primary role is to write the plot for the event, I think for the last event we ended up having 30-40 A4 sides of plot notes aimed at specific players and the player base as a whole! Then there are the logistics roles such as electricity at the event, prop management, wardrobe management, set dressing the site etc. “Ultimately, in many ways the event reflects a film shoot so I would like if I can, to thank the amazing team which at the upper level consists of- Russell Bruce, Laurie Webb, Stuart Webb, Heather M Clayton, Samantha Blanchette, Lucas Cairdeas and Mitch Jamerson. Of course we have in excess of 50 volunteers at each event who assist in all manner of ways but I suspect listing every single person might be excessive!” All this brought me back to my starting point, and the remit for “Loaded or Unloaded”, which of course is how to create a really imaginative loadout, and Callum advised that as with anything the best place to begin is the setting material, what sort of loadout does this world require? It is roughly 70 years since the world ended in their storyline so one of the most important design elements is the weathering. Everything needs to look really well worn. There is absolutely no allowance for clean or new looking kit. In Callum’s words again: “Beyond that the only limits are your imagination, we have had all sorts of kit designs at the event, from a post-apoc take on a Viking inspired biker, to armour made from car parts including a clutch, right through to a pair of Swedish “murder hobos”, who actually travelled all the way from Sweden for the last event!” In terms of “key features” for a “Post-Apoc” loadout I was advised further that it really depends on the setting for that loadout; one of the joys of Post-Apoc is that the genre is very varied of course, and just to take some big examples for inspiration there is Fallout, Metro 2033 and Mad Max. Each has a totally unique visual aesthetic for their own takes on what a “Post-Apoc World” would be like and thus a loadout for each one would differ quite strongly from one another. Overall though, the basics for a loadout would be that it looks worn and weathered, but still functional. Nothing worse than something looking amazing but hindering you when you need to grab that spare mag and reload in a hurry!
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Loaded or Unloaded DUST MONKEY
INSPIRATION AND TIME!
To get an better idea of this I asked Callum when he started putting together his personal gear, and what was his inspiration, and he told me; “For me every costume or loadout is different; for example a loadout I created this year was heavily inspired originally by photos of my grandfather from World War II. He was a rear gunner in a Lancaster and I wondered what a post-apocalyptic airman might look like. So I started with the flight jacket and the loadout slowly built itself around that one starting point. “My two current projects are both inspired by World War One; the first is inspired by frontline British Infantry and the second by the infamous Lawrence of Arabia. I seem to get inspired a lot by British forces, which in part is a reaction to a lot of Post-Apoc loadouts and costuming leaning heavily on German and Russian kit for its inspiration.” Callum offers real inspiration and advice for interested players via his regularly updated Facebook page; he also offers a “bespoke” service to create particular pieces of clothing and gear, selling a few “standard” items via his Etsy page but everything else he makes for customers is bespoke, from a really unique paint job for an airsoft gun right through to an entire loadout design. In fact in the near future he will be finishing a ground up loadout build heavily inspired by the mercenaries in the films Elysium and District 9 for a customer, which I can’t wait to see! I asked him who he sees as a target customer for his services and he told me: “I have done a mix of loadouts all the way from full “Mad Max Fury Road” style to more subtle work like light weathering of airsoft guns, or making a plate carrier look like it’s been through a two day firefight. So the target customer is anyone who wants their loadout to stand out that little bit extra. I know a lot of people like their kit looking new, but for those who prefer it to look worn, used, fought in and lived in then there is Dust Monkey. I did a recent commission for someone whose brief to me was “post-apocalyptic Captain Britain meets special forces operator”. It was a lot of fun to do as I had to design it keeping in mind it needed to be functional and not just look aesthetically cool.” Right now he has a myriad of projects on the go, and other than finishing the customers loadout he mentioned above he’s also working on a “Metro 2033” inspired loadout, another favourite of mine, which obviously incorporates a lot of Russian kit, which he told me is “a big plus for me as my airsoft kit is all Russian as well.” He’s also adding the finishing touches to his WWI inspired “trench fighter” loadout which hopefully one day he will decide is finished and actually show off! Lastly he’s working on a new loadout for the “Wasteland Warriors” which is inspired by “Army of Two”, and he’s just finished painting up a 3D printed claymore which is being attached to the front of the plate carrier. If you’re interested in speaking to him about ideas of your own then, from my own experience, he’s always happy to talk to people about their ideas and offer advice from a full loadout right down to a little addition you may want for an existing
one. Contact him via the Dust Monkey Facebook page, and he always replies within the hour of receiving an enquiry and the speedy nature of communicating on Facebook is much easier he tells me for understanding a person’s idea than the slower medium of email.
A DARK FUTURE
Of course now I’m embarked on my own loadout I asked Callum what the plans were for the future of “The World Went Dark”: “There most certainly will be another instalment! We just finished our opening trilogy which spanned from 2015-2017, we are taking 2018 out to give ourselves a break but also to really make sure that the next trilogy opens the right way. So we will be back in 2019 hopefully working with Combat South again as the owner Russ was an absolute joy to work with. If anyone is looking for fantastic site owners to work with for their events I would recommend them in an instant (I have to agree from my own experience – Jerry). In the meantime we will be taking our special brand of wasteland madness to the Infiltration Ops games, hopefully with a few vehicles in tow to give the players at those events something a bit different to shoot at!” Once again it was a real pleasure talking to Callum and I shall certainly keep tuned in to his Facebook page for inspiration! Thanks also to Kieran Kerrigan from “So Say We All Photography” for supplying some of the images for this article.
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Site PREY GROUND
LET US PREY IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE ANDY NIGHTINGALE HAS STRAPPED HIS KIT ON JUST FOR FUN, SO HE WAS LOOKING FORWARDS TO PLAYING AT THE SITE WHERE HE CAN USUALLY BE FOUND TRAINING OTHERS. IT’S BEEN A FEW YEARS since I was last at a skirmish, so I was quite excited to be asked by a friend of mine to pop along to a relatively new site and see what all the fuss was about. I took time off from Calibre Shooting to make my way to what, I was told, would be a great day. Having owned and run an Airsoft skirmish site of my own in the past I was looking forward to seeing how the Prey Ground was managed. The Prey Ground Airsoft Club is located on Prospect Lane in Rixton, Warrington and is run by Lee Durney and Matt Allen. Lee is a very good friend of mine and let’s Calibre conduct training on his ground, so the site, for me, wasn’t anything new. The ground itself is an existing shooting range for shotgun and Airgun enthusiasts but is closed to the public on Airsoft game days. To register for a game, players can either pre book via the internet at a cost of £30 or you can just turn up and pay a walk on fee of £35. The Prey Ground also offers a membership scheme and membership is awarded once you have attended a minimum of 3 game days. Once on site all you have to do is pop into the site office and let them know you’re there and settle up your fee. The site does have a good selection of hire kit for those that may need to arm themselves for the day. This ranges from basic M4 @ £15, an upgraded M4 @ £20, Shotguns @ £10, Snipers @ £20 and M249s @ £35. All hire kit comes with, as you would 64
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expect, BBs and face protection. There is also a selection of kit available in the site shop, just in case you have left something at home or you decide to stock up on the consumables. Like most game days this time of year the weather could have been better. Rain was forecast, temperatures low and a bit of wind just to make things worse. As I arrived on site more than 50 players were gathering in the safe zone for the ever so important safety briefing, after having their weapons put through the chronograph and tagged to indicate they were safe to use. Matt later told me that numbers were low due to the weather and on average the site usually sees in excess of 80 players on game days. The safety briefing is conducted by one of the marshals and even though most of the players were regulars to the Prey Ground, all stood in silence to listen to what they had heard before. For those that had not been before, questions were asked and answers from the marshal was clear and to the point. To be honest it’s one of the best safety briefings I’ve heard in a long time. Teams were given a coloured arm band rather than a strip of coloured sticky tape and made their way into the game arena. The arena itself is a maze of acoustic huts and high fences that divide the firing points on the ranges. Fencing cannot be climbed nor can you shoot through or over them, or indeed throw any pyrotechnics over them. The marshals are quick to spot anyone breaching these rules of unfair play. The surrounding areas are wooded, giving the Prey Ground a very well structured gaming area providing woodland and CQB all in one. Due to its location smoke and dets are allowed on site and the safe use of these is covered in the safety briefing. Before the games began the teams were divided into 2 and introduced to the rest of the marshals, six in all for this day. Each game, as you would expect, is given their warning orders, an explanation of the task to be performed. The first game titled “Infection” was a simple warm up game to get the players ready and hungry for the more challenging games later. The game consists of a couple of players hunting the rest
Site PREY GROUND
of the group. As you can imagine the Infected can’t die. If an uninfected player is shot then that player then also becomes infected and joins the Infected team. This goes on until either time runs out or all the players become infected. Game 2 was called “Bomb Voyage”. This game called for a team to locate a bomb at one location and a primer in another location. Once the bomb had been primed the team had to move it to a third location before it detonated. Of course the enemy had to stop the bomb from reaching its intended location of detention. This turned out to be more challenging than expected with fierce fights at all of the locations. “Domination” was the third game of the day. This consisted of three locations that had three different coloured flags in each location. The players were divided into three teams and were tasked to head out to locate the flags and erect their own colour flag. If another team’s flag was erected then that could be lowered and your colour raised. This was a fantastic run for all the teams with flags being raised and lowered several times at all locations. At the end of the game the winning team was the one with the most flags flying at end ex. All the games were reversed so that everyone had a chance of attacking and defending throughout the day. As for the players, there was a mixed bunch of seasoned vets to first time warriors. One thing I did find was that everyone seemed to have time during play to help out those with little or no experience of Airsoft. One chap had even given a young lad a bottle of bbs because he had run out. Now that’s what I call game etiquette. As for calling hits, everyone was on the ball when it came to honesty. Even those that were not sure if they were hit called it and made their way to the regen point. One lad even called a hit to his head until a sharp eyed martial told him it was one of the branches of a tree that had touched his hat. There was no tension between players at all, just as it should be, a real pleasure to witness. Halfway through the day play stopped for lunch. Many had brought their own snap however there is a chance for you to grab some hot food in the safe zone, lovingly prepared by the Prey Ground staff. Breakfast is also available at the start of the day. After hot chow and batteries changed (there are battery chargers on site for those who need to add some go go juice to their weapon), it was off for round two. At the end of the day I heard nothing but words of praise for the team at the Prey Ground, and I must admit they sure know what they are doing. As this is a relatively new site there is a lot in the pipeline for development. Lee told me that there are plans for a professional type Kill House, Vehicles and lots more props to further enhance the quality of game play, and if I know Lee then you won’t be disappointed. There are also plans to hold competitions and other events in the near future. This is a great game site and one that I will be visiting again.
“ONE THING I DID FIND WAS THAT EVERYONE SEEMED TO HAVE TIME DURING PLAY TO HELP OUT THOSE WITH LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE OF AIRSOFT. ONE CHAP HAD EVEN GIVEN A YOUNG LAD A BOTTLE OF BBS BECAUSE HE HAD RUN OUT.”
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Warriors GERMAN PARATROOPS OF WWII
FALLS C
HUNTERS F
“
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warriors GERMAN PARATROOPS OF WWII
S CHIRMJÄGER:
S FALLING FROM THE SKY
”
PIONEERING PARATROOP OPERATIONS, THE FALLSCHIRMJÄGER OF THE LUFTWAFFE LITERALLY TOOK EUROPE BY STORM IN THE OPENING MOVES OF WWII. IN HIS CONTINUING “WARRIOR” SERIES, GADGE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK. WHILE PARATROOP OPERATIONS HAD been first concepted by the Russian prior to WWII, the “airborne coup de main” concept, in which paras would capture key objectives behind any lines ahead of the main ground assault, really struck a chord with German strategists and generals. Airborne assaults were incorporated into the German strategy of “Blitzkrieg” (lighting war) and in the early years of WWII the Fallschirmjäger would conduct daring raids on key bridges, defensive installations and air fields, knocking them out of action to allow the panzers to roll across Europe without hindrance. Perhaps the most daring of these early missions was the raid on the Belgian fortress of Eben Emael. The imposing concrete fortress was state of the art for the late 1930s and boasted formidable defences including retractable reinforced gun cupolas, flamethrower turrets and a network of murderous machine gun positions. It was sited to dominate the key bridges over the Albert Canal and its mere existence gave the Belgians a heady sense of security. To attack the fort by road would be suicide so instead an air assault was given the green light as part of, “Fall Gelb” (Case Yellow) the plan to steamroller over the Low Countries. A force of just under 500 men in over 40 DF230 gliders took off on the 10th of May 1940 and after being towed to position, detached from their tugs and glided silently towards the fort. While some of the gliders fell short the key elements landed on the roof of the position and quickly began a devastating assault using shaped charges to knock out the automated turrets and blow a way into the fortress. While sustaining over 100 wounded and killed in action casualties the tiny assault force soon overwhelmed the 1,200 strong defensive force and earned a place in history.
LIGHTNING STRIKES
The capture of Eben Emael was among one of many audacious lightning strikes by the Fallschirmjäger but Hitler’s reliance on his elite “hunters from the sky” would cause them to take horrific casualties in the battle for Crete. The island of Crete was an allied bastion in the middle of the Mediterranean and its mere existence prevented the Axis getting the upper hand in the region. The German’s battle plan, called “Operation Merkur” (Operation Mercury), involved an ambitious scheme to take the island from the British, Greeks and Anzacs by simultaneously airdropping the Fallschirmjäger formations directly onto allied airfield to knock them out and allow transport planes of airlanding infantry to reinforce the battle, while also moving mountain troops and a panzer unit by sea to take the Island’s coast and move inwards. The Fallschirmjäger would ultimately be successful but it would be a pyrrhic victory. The paras at this time landed with only a pistol or SMG on their person and had to retrieve their
heavier equipment from separate drop canister and many German soldiers found themselves landing directly among Allied formations, woefully under armed and having to fight their way to their rifles and machine guns. The tenaciousness of the Fallschirmjäger, however, allowed them to carry the battle but their losses horrified Hitler so much he forbade the use of mass para drops and ended “air assault” as an option for the Luftwaffe.
ELITE INFANTRY
For the remainder of the war the Luftwaffe’s paratroops would fight as elite light infantry and with great distinction. While some small raids were carried out by paratroops (notably Otto Skorzeny’s commando raids to capture or assassinate key figures in the war), the days of parachute or glide operations were over and the Fallschirmjäger began to be equipped much like any other infantry unit with their own heavy mortars, field guns, anti-tank guns and perhaps most oddly for an air force unit, their own StuG tracked and armoured assault guns! Our Fallschirmjägers this month represent a pair of airborne warriors fighting in the French “Bocage” (dense hedgerows), fighting to prevent the allied breakthrough from the beachheads of Normandy. Both men have been issued the Luftwaffe “grey blue” uniform of jump trousers and “flieger bluse” (flight jacket) of the Fallschirmjäger but in the typical cavalier style of the airborne forces one man wears a wool sweater and the other a scarf in a pattern popular with the paras. Both men wear lace up ankle boots rather than the traditional German high leg jackboot. Early German paratroops wore side lacing boots but later on these became more traditionally laced but these were still more practical than jackboots for jumping in. Both men wear late pattern jump smocks in “splinter” pattern to offer both camouflage and protection from the elements. These smocks, known as “bone sacks” to the men, were originally designed to protect the wearer from wind during a jump and to be worn as an overall to retain equipment but soon became worn as combat jackets. Early models were plain green and required the wearer to “step
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SKELTON BOOT • ADDED COMFORT WITH SOFTWAIRTM MEMORY FOAM SOCKLINER • EVA MIDSOLE FOR EXTRA CUSHIONING AND FLEXIBILITY • ENHANCED GRIP ON VARIED SURFACE CONDITIONS
ATTEND BOOT • ADDED COMFORT WITH SOFTWAIRTM MEMORY FOAM SOCKLINER • EVA MIDSOLE FOR EXTRA CUSHIONING AND FLEXIBILITY
AVAILABLE AT
warriors GERMAN PARATROOPS OF WWII
in” to them as they were almost like short legged overalls. Later models simply buttoned up at the bottom when needed for a jump. It is interesting to note that both the early side laced boots and the step in jump smock were directly copied by the British when they formed their own paratroop formations (although later they would develop their own uniforms) as at the time very little thought had been put into air operations in the UK. A further piece of equipment unique to the Luftwaffe’s airborne forces is the German parachute helmet worn by both men. The para helmet differs from the infantry model in so much as it has the flared neck and ear guards removed and the helmet brim reduced and presents much more of a “bowl” shape. This was done to prevent the hard edges of the helmets rim from interfering with rigging and parachute lines, potentially cutting through them and again was a feature copied by the British in their parachute helmets later in the war. Both men have camouflaged their helmets and changed the dark grey factory finish to a more subtle grey and sand shade by adding camouflage paint intended for their supporting STuG armoured vehicles and have also attached loose weave camouflage nets to aid in breaking up the helmets profile with local foliage. As the paras are fighting in a light infantry role their combat equipment is minimal. Both men sport leather combat belts with Luftwaffe pattern metal buckles supported by leather “y straps” from which they hang their Spartan equipment. Between them they carry there ammunition pouches for their K98 rifles, their bread bags to carry their rations and their bayonets in their frogs while one man has attached his field canteen and his mess tins to his bread bag. Interestingly, despite no longer having to fight their way to their drop canisters to retrieve their rifles, both men have retained their 9mm Luger pistols and stowed them in hard leather cases on their belts. Without a doubt if you’re playing the “bad guys” at a WWII
airsoft game, German Paras are a good “go to” choice. They are a little more “rough and ready” than line infantry, have that elite unit “cool” and look a little less “Nazi Stormtrooper” than a Heer or SS soldat. They are a great choice when starting out as a German as the bone sack can hide almost all the upper uniform meaning you can save some pennies and just wear a t-shirt under it while you’re starting off and get the jacket later on. Equally, on the subject of saving pennies, collecting FJ kit can be relatively cheap. While it’s true that you get what you pay for, the popularity of German Airborne impressions means that a plethora of budget priced reproduction uniforms are available for reasonable prices online. Quite often in “warriors” the basic kit can be easy to source but the personal weapons either pricy of hard to find. Once again this time you’re in luck. Several companies produce both K98 rifles and Luger pistols to a variety of prices to suit your pocket. So if you fancy giving WWII airsoft a go as part of the Axis forces, or want a slightly more controversial open day outfit why not give the German Paratrooper look a go? Airsoft Action would like to thank the members of FJr5 Re-enactment Group for their help with this article.
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Airsoft Scenarios OP CONGO-RESCUE
OP CONGO-RESCUE PART HAVING BEEN ABSENT FOR A WHILE, BILLY BASICS RETURNS WITH A NEW SERIES OF ARTICLES THAT OFFER THE BASIS OF AN AIRSOFT SCENARIO. SOME ARE PURELY FICTITIOUS WHILE OTHERS MAY BE BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS… THIS IS PART ONE OF TWO. A GROUP OF SIX YOUNG French Medical volunteers working for an NGO has gone missing (presumed captured) in an area of Cameroon and are believed to be being passed from Insurgent group to insurgent group, on their way to a camp in the Congo where it is assumed they are going to be auctioned to the highest bidder probably for public execution online. This has been a common occurrence recently, with Internationals being grabbed by opportunist bandits and being offered rich rewards by groups whose intentions grow darker the further down the chain the captives travel. The mixed group of bad guys are believed to be an offshoot of Boko Haram from Nigeria, who have teamed up with other wandering and leaderless members of Islamic State as well as local “conflict entrepreneurs” who thrive from the lack of stability and Government control in the country. By way of historical perspective, ten years ago, a young Army Lieutenant in Cameroon (codename Bruno, not his real name) was bought to the attention of MI6 as a potential future leader of the country and useful source of influence for the UK Govt. He was duly invited to attend the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst where he was befriended by several officers, then handled and subsequently recruited by MI6. Now a serving Colonel back home in Cameroon, he alerted the UK Govt to what had happened. MI6 alerted their colleagues in the French Govt and offered to grip with it promptly, as the French had few assets in that area. The French gratefully accepted until they were in a position to mount their own rescue bid, however, it was also agreed that they would not encumber or interfere with the Brit operation if it were bearing fruit. The Cameroonian Col Bruno, using all the assets at his disposal has set up a Forward Mounting Base consisting of 70
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ONE
a tented ops room and canteen, rudimentary living quarters for the planners and comms team, just inside the border with the Central African Republic (as far in as he dare – without upsetting the local bigwigs that have been rewarded for their cooperation and silence). His men have prepared a helipad for two Pumas and an additional emergency helipad on a metalled road a few kilometres away has been earmarked as a backup. The local roads are not good. A team from the British Army who were on a training task in Cameroon have been hastily rerolled, equipped, briefed and inserted by vehicle and on foot to observe the jungle compound. The compound was initially identified by pulling together various intelligence threads from France and the UK, including social media posts from those believed to be involved, from which photos were drawn and analysed and corroborated by the local officials. It is in a no-go area for the local cops and the locals steer clear of it, local girls have been kidnapped and abused there in the past and the gang members routinely rob local merchants on the road. The British team have patrolled in over the last three days and now have eyes on the compound, the team are lightly armed with Claymore mines, a Minimi and M16 assault rifles and Glock 17 pistols. They each carry x8 mags and smoke, red phosphorus grenades, signal smoke plus 4 cigars and a packet of B&H which they will enjoy at the end of the mission - assuming they all make it out alive. By way of comforts they carry a waterproof jacket, a softie warm jacket and two ’66 rocket launchers each. Back in the Ops Room just inside the border with the Central African Republic, a crackling buzz comes through the
Airsoft Scenarios OP CONGO-RESCUE
“‘CHARLIE THREE ZERO THIS IS ZERO, SAY AGAIN OVER.’ NO ONE HAS TO SAY A THING, BOOKS ARE PUT DOWN, BREWS ARE LEFT TO GO COLD, EYES ARE RAISED TO MAPS ON THE WALL AND THE OPS ROOM ARE AWOKEN FROM THEIR SLEEPY STASIS. IT’S SHOW TIME!” radio and the already stiflingly hot room tenses, a harsh hoarse whisper followed by a “wait out”, the radio operator almost spills his coffee, resets his headphones, takes a moment to gather his thoughts, hunches over the log book in front of him pencil in hand. “Charlie Three Zero this is Zero, say again over”. No one has to say a thing, books are put down, brews are left to go cold, eyes are raised to maps on the wall and the Ops Room are awoken from their sleepy stasis. It’s show time! The radio signal with a short delay has bounced of the satellite hovering above the jungle back down to the soldiers in the mud. Miles away in the jungle mud, where nothing much moves, it’s just too hot for even the wildlife, sit four soldiers. They are almost indistinguishable from the surrounding canopy in greens and browns as the four men go about their routine. It has taken them over three days and nights of patrolling to get within sight of their objective, they are exhausted but they have now established an Observation Post within a short distance of a low walled mud compound.
The four lightly armed men have sufficient food and water for 5-6 days but are prepared to be in position for over two weeks, their job is to keep eyes on target until the larger assault force has been assembled, briefed and is ready to assault the shabby compound. Back in the Ops Room various people are being interviewed and questioned, members of NGOs are asked about the disposition of the gang. Who’s in charge? Do they smoke drugs, if so when do they normally do this? Where are the toilets? Do they adhere to the local customs regarding prayer? Are there any fractures within the group? Are they disciplined, what are their routines, seemingly pointless, unconnected questions to someone not in the military but it all adds to an overall picture of life in the camp. In the bushes two are on watch and two rest or sleep, there is nowhere to lie down so the men sleeping bungee themselves to a nearby tree and doze as best they can. To be continued…
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The Last Post NEEDS AND WANTS
GIVE A YOUNG MAN ACCESS TO HIS MUM’S PURSE AND PUT HIM IN AN AIRSOFT SHOP TO BUY WHAT HE NEEDS FOR HIS FIRST GAME AND THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE OUTCOME…
BUT I REALLY, REALLY NEED IT! DOG WALKED, WIFE’S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS wrapped, now I can sit down and address this. I’ve just got home from another day at Landwarrior Airsoft. I work there three days a week primarily doing tech stuff, gun work and the like although I am also the chief culprit where guns of an unrealistic colour are concerned. As a result I popped through to the shop late this afternoon to have a brief chat with a young man and his grandmother who had come in to pick up a G36 I painted yesterday. I do occasionally stray from my work bench and in this case I was almost encouraged to do so as this young man has visited the store a few times. He’s 11 years old …just! I was in a fortunate position as I had to leave at the end of day, 5pm, but in common with a lot of neophyte airsofters, this lad had a million and one questions and some very clear ideas about what he needed before his first game in the New Year. Emphasis must be placed on “need” here, because the gulf between what he needed and what he wanted was vast and became central to our conversation. Let me 72
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be quite clear, I’m not having a punt at him, either for his enthusiasm or his youth, both are commendable even if you can only really take credit for one of them. It was his grandmother who was really driving the “need” side of the conversation, as I strongly suspect she was the purse holder for the young man’s mother. He, on the other hand, was utterly convinced that he needed EVERYTHING!!! (Think Gary Oldman in Leon here). He didn’t and he doesn’t but explaining why took some time and, frankly, I’m quite sure he didn’t believe either me or my colleague at the end of it. He has a rifle, a gun case, a plate carrier, two batteries, a charger, face protection and BBs. It was clear from talking to him he already has his Multicam. He has a sling for the rifle. In short, he literally has everything he needs to turn up and play. He wanted a suppressor, a knife, a pistol and maybe a shotgun too. He needed a million magazines and pouches in which to carry them all. I was genuinely astonished that he didn’t ask for some kind of Uber L33t optic for his G36, but I’m sure he’ll get there. We patiently explained why the suppressor was a bad idea on his particular rifle (plastic outer barrel), why a pistol wasn’t really necessary (desirable possibly but neither Neal nor I are big pistol users), why the knife is at best window dressing for a new player, why he didn’t need a million magazines or pouches
The Last Post NEEDS AND WANTS
infectious stuff. Hopefully airsoft will live up to his expectations and he will derive real pleasure from it as well as learning a thing or two. I like young players although there are some in airsoft who are less keen on them. Although they can be gobby I generally find (as someone who ran a site for years) that they are less trouble than menopausal men – and that’s worth its weight in gold. I also understand why he wanted all the shinies – all airsofters want all the shinies, they just tend to become more expensive shinies as you grow into the pastime. From the depths of his whole eleven years I must have seemed like someone who first airsofted on the Ark and I don’t hold that against him, he’s half the age of my youngest. Fortunately granny had the nous (and the purse) to focus on what was necessary rather than what was desired. So when he does make it to our site next year, he will have enough kit and the right kit to have a great time. That won’t stop him wanting more but that’s ok, until he can actually fund his own hobby he has a Christmas and Birthday every year to fill with airsoft.
TaurusArmed.net
or indeed a Bazooka. This took time as you can imagine. He remained unconvinced, you could tell from his eyes, he was struggling to understand why we weren’t selling him everything… The answer to that is complex – he was spending someone else’s money for a start and he genuinely didn’t need this stuff. He’s 11 for God’s sake, he has plenty of time to acquire it; at one particularly sticky juncture I pointed out that I had been involved with airsoft for nearly twice as long as he’d been alive – I don’t think it helped. Common sense won out, or rather his grandmother’s trust in what we were telling her won out, he would have bought the entire shop if he could have just as well he couldn’t see the warehouse!! I’m not sure if this has any particularly relevant point; I found it amusing and it’s a conversation I have had so many times over the years. I really appreciated his enthusiasm; it’s
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feature GAME CHANGER
IT’S A GAME CHA N “Game Changer: a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way.” Mirriam-Webster Dictionary
FOLLOWING A CONVERSATION WITH GADGE, FRENCHIE GOT TO THINKING ABOUT REAL “GAME CHANGERS” IN AIRSOFT.
THERE IS A CHARACTER WITHIN airsoft in the UK who has a tendency to refer to everything new as a “game changer”, regardless of how innovative or otherwise it actually is. This overuse of hyperbole came up recently when Gadge Harvey and I were chatting, as both of us have been involved in airsoft for many years and have seen many “game changers” come and disappear, although very few have actually had any real staying power. I got to wondering if there ever had been anything truly radical and revolutionary in the field of airsoft technology, or whether improvements and changes were invariably evolutionary. The very core of airsoft is guns. Many players are attracted to it because it allows them to play with things that look like guns and, to an extent, function like guns without the downside of potentially doing great harm. In part this is a direct result of our domestic legislation, I do wonder whether a more
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permissive environment, where it was easier for us to shoot real firearms safely, might siphon off a significant number of players, past and present. However, that is idle speculation on my part at present and airsoft guns are what we have. So how revolutionary has been their development? I would argue that the last true revolution occurred when Tokyo Marui introduced the FAMAS - the first true Automatic Electric Gun (AEG) and effectively sounded the death knell of the external air power guns we now regard as “classic airsoft”. As if that wasn’t enough, Marui followed that up with easily adjustable “hop up”, dramatically increasing the range of AEGs without having to massively increase power output. It is true that others had produced technologies designed to impart backspin to BBs, but none were as successful nor as accessible as Marui’s. With these two innovations Marui completely changed the face of airsofting. No longer were players tied to their air tanks and useable ranges increased dramatically. Airsoft guns became far more viable skirmish weapons. It might be tempting to equate the current interest in High Pressure Air kit with the guns of yesteryear but they are very different in many respects. Today’s HPA offerings nearly always drop into existing guns, usually AEGs and benefit from all the other improvements to be found therein. Along with the first generation of electric guns we saw the introduction of high capacity, clockwork magazines. These days some players may revile them as noisy and somehow unsportsmanlike or unrealistic (as opposed to the “realistic” 120 rounds in a mid-cap) but they too were a vital ingredient in making skirmishing viable at a time when nearly all magazines had been, at best, low capacity mid-caps. A reliable gun powered by rechargeable batteries, married to a relatively
Feature GAME CHANGER
A NGER! affordable method of carrying and feeding a reasonable amount of ammunition, freed players from the need to be constantly recharging either their power source or their ammo supply. Games could cover more ground - literally - players could more easily access reliable, cost-effective airsoft guns and expect to get useable performance out of them. The world of upgrades and performance improvement began to be more commonplace. Airsoft changed. For players who have got into the pastime more recently (or even in the past 10 years), it is probably difficult to realise just how much influence Marui had. At work, one of my colleagues told me he had never fired a Tokyo Marui gun - ever! There was a period when it was difficult to find anything other than Marui on the skirmish field. Other manufacturers saw that Marui were onto something and began to copy their guns. Marui were notable for not using metal in the construction of receivers and companies such as Classic Army were fairly quick to capitalise, producing replacement parts in metal first and then moving towards producing complete guns. While doing this they introduced new features; all-steel gear sets, reinforced gearboxes, heavier and stronger outer barrels. It’s a long list and it is worth noting that many of today’s big players started off making replacement parts for Marui guns. Since then we have seen the robustness of guns improve while their cost in real terms has reduced but if you open up
most of today’s AEGs, you will find the underlying technology has changed little in 15 years or more. Innovations such as electronic trigger systems, while technically fascinating, are basically scratching the surface. I can (and have) written many words about the advantages of such equipment but the truth is most players, and I include myself, require that a gun fires when we pull the trigger and are really not terribly bothered about the mechanism which causes that to happen, as long as it is reliable. One of the biggest changes (and this is close to revolutionary) is the power source of AEGs. Back in the mists of time this was the Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) battery, which was limited in its charge-carrying capacity and, at the time, expensive. Since then we have passed through the more
“I DON’T EXPECT TO SEE RADICAL CHANGES TO OUR EQUIPMENT, JUST A SLOW, STEADY IMPROVEMENT. THIS ISN’T NECESSARILY A BAD THING AS IT TELLS US THAT WE ARE IN SOMETHING OF A GOLDEN AGE OF AIRSOFT GUN TECHNOLOGY.”
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Feature GAME CHANGER
reliable and efficient Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery and onto Lithium Polymer (LiPo). Lipo was the real sea change - it’s not perfect but its combination of small size and respectable capacity has actually influenced gun design, as manufacturers can now squeeze sufficient power into ever smaller spaces. This has made our guns more realistic and more economical as the price of decent batteries has fallen consistently over the past decade. Even the ASG Skorpion, rightly lauded as Europe’s first homegrown AEG, builds on all that went before. Its trigger unit was a variation of the established Airsoft Control System Unit, internally it is fundamentally unchanged from the Maruis of yore, as is the hop unit. It’s a fine gun and I have saluted ASG in the past for having the balls to develop it but you would be untrue to yourself if you thought that it changed anything significantly. For obvious reasons, HPA isn’t revolutionary, in many respects it is reactionary and exists (in my opinion) only because there is as yet no good solution to the problem of making effective, reliable gas-powered rifles. Until the technology and design evolves sufficiently to put the supply of compressed air in the gun without the need for tethered tanks, it will remain the niche that it is today. There is an argument that rolls on and on in many forums and Facebook pages regarding the US Army’s M4. When FN introduced the SCAR, a vocal majority opined that it should replace the M4, with all its well-known issues. The same thing happened with the HK 416. The arguments for and against are very similar to those which apply to airsoft. Are the SCAR and the 416 better than the issued M4? Arguably, yes they are. Are they more expensive? Demonstrably, yes they are. Are they sufficiently better to justify the additional cost? In my opinion (and presumably that of the US Army), no they are not. They all fire the same round, for about the same distance, with the same terminal effects. The problems with the M4 have largely been recognised and in many instances corrected, one way or another. There is little to be gained by spending huge
sums of money to achieve the same ends. I suspect that change will come when there is something sufficiently better to justify the cost, or when the limits of the current design are reached. All of this is true of airsoft guns. Since Marui redefined what an airsoft gun was, all changes have been incremental and evolutionary, there have been no further revolutions. You can convince yourself that a beautifully machined aluminium hop unit is a real step forward but if the plastic hop unit in your Combat Machine is capable of exactly the same, or better, performance, where’s the change? Unlike firearms, we airsofters do not need our guns to improve in ballistic performance - there are limits on how far you can throw a light plastic ball, and there are very good reasons why performance cannot increase constantly - in the UK there are now solid legal restrictions.
The AEG, as Marui created it, is still capable of fulfilling those criteria and everything that is derived from it does the same. There may be a revolution one day, at present I cannot see an overwhelming need for it and without that there is little incentive for companies to devote money and resources to developing one. Our current guns do what they do well and efficiently. Even the cheaper guns perform well out of the box and it is not difficult or expensive to improve their range, consistency or rate of fire. Evolution occurs where there is a clear need or challenge to the status quo, in airsoft at present I cannot see where that need is. Without it I don’t expect to see radical changes to our equipment, just a slow, steady improvement. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it tells us that we are in something of a Golden Age of airsoft gun technology. Affordable yet capable of delivering what the player needs. You can reasonably expect any decent gun to perform and to give you minimal hassle. Technological revolution has its place but in airsoft at present that is often only in the utterances of those who need something exciting to sell.
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Survival KNOTS
A KNOTTY PROBLEM IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT MANY (IF ANY) PLAYERS HAVE EVER CONSIDERED THE USEFULNESS OF BEING ABLE TO TIE A DECENT KNOT IN AIRSOFT BUT, AS PAUL YELLAND EXPLAINS, IT IS A SKILL THAT CAN BE USED IN MANY TACTICAL SITUATIONS.
OVERHAND KNOT
BASIC KNOTS
IT IS PROBABLY NOT THE first thing that springs to mind when thinking about airsoft, but being able to securely tie objects together can actually be quite important. From fastening down equipment to setting up an abseil anchor, knowing a few different knots is always handy for anyone engaged in tactical based activities. When I was younger, my knowledge of knots was pretty awful. I would always use the same double knot for tying everything which wasn’t always the most secure or easiest to undo after being put under stress. As time passed, I began to learn a few more basic knots that would be suitable for a number of different tasks. In this article, I am going to discuss some of the more common types of knot and explain when they might be useful and how to tie them.
PARTS OF A ROPE
Certain terminology is used to describe the different parts of a rope. When learning to tie knots, it is helpful to be familiar with these names to make following instruction easier.
Possibly one of the first knots anybody learns as a child and is one of the easiest to tie. On its own, the basic overhand knot isn’t very secure and will work loose. However, the overhand knot does form the start of other knots such as the reef and fisherman’s knot. In climbing, a double overhand knot is sometimes used as a ‘stopper’ knot after a figure of eight has been tied. The overhand knot is created by making a loop in the rope (1) and bringing the working end through the loop (2) and then pulled tight (3).
REEF KNOT 1. Working end (The end that is held and makes the knot) 2. Loop 3. Bight (A length of rope doubled up and held together) 4. Standing part (The surplus rope) 5. Standing end (The end opposite the working end)
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Well known by any first aider, the reef knot will lay flat against the skin once tied and is reasonably easy to undo – even after the knot has been pulled tight. The reef knot is started by tying a basic overhand knot, and then a second overhand knot is tied but in reverse order. Remember the saying ‘left over right and under, then right over left and under’. I have found that the reef knot can slip undone over a period of time.
OVERHAND LOOP
This non-tightening loop is useful for securing objects to pegs or stakes. Tying the loop follows the same principle as the basic overhand knot, but this time a bight of rope is taken to form the knot instead of a single length. Once the knot is tied, a loop will protrude from beyond it.
Survival KNOTS
CLOVE HITCH
FIGURE OF EIGHT KNOT
This is a trusted knot that is used when rock climbing because it is secure and easy to untie. The figure of eight knot can be tied into a section of rope (1) and the working end fed around an anchor point and returned to the knot (2). The working end is then re-tied back into the knot whilst following its original line (3). Once the working end has been double fed back into the figure of eight, the knot is then pulled tight. For extra security, a ‘stopper knot can be tied into the remaining short (working) end just in case it pulls back through the knot.
The clove hitch is very useful for tying rope or cord to a post. The working end is looped around a post once (1) and then crossed over to be wrapped around the post again (2). The working end is then fed back under the last turn so that it points in the opposite direction to the standing end (3). An alternative is to tie the clove hitch into the bight of the rope. To do this, make a loop in the bight of the rope. Then, make a second loop of the same size next to the first. Bring the second loop in behind the first one and slip the clove hitch over the desired post and pull tight. IN BIGHT CLOVE HITCH:
DOUBLE FISHERMAN’S KNOT
Used for tying two ropes together, the double fisherman’s knot is a sturdier variant to the standard fisherman’s knot. Hold two lengths of rope together with the working ends running in opposite directions (1). Loop the first working end twice around the standing part of the other length of rope (2). The second of these loops should overlap the first loop and cross over both lengths of rope (3). The working end is then passed back through both loops (4). This process is repeated for the opposite working end of the other length of rope. When tied, both ropes can be pulled together and the knots tightened creating a join between the two ropes (5).
QUICK RELEASE KNOT
FIGURE OF EIGHT LOOP
The figure of eight loop is tied using the same technique as the overhand loop – but is more trusted and easier to untie after loading. Take a doubled bight of rope and tie a figure of eight knot reasonably close to the bend in the rope. A small loop will now protrude out from the top of the figure of eight knot and can be used for clipping into anchors.
This is a really handy quick to tie knot for hanging up kit to keep it off the ground. Take a bight of cord or rope and loop it around the selected branch / post. Make a second loop in the standing part and pull it through the first loop. Now make a third loop – this time in the working end and slide it through the second loop. Finally, pull on the standing part to tighten the knots grip. To release the knot, pull on the working end and it will quickly untie.
PRUSIK KNOT
This is a great quick knot for attaching cord to items of equipment such as a torch or compass to keep them secured to a lanyard. Take a bight of cord and loop it around the object. Then take the standing line (which will be doubled) and feed it through the loop. Small items will be secure with just one pass, but if further grip / friction is required, a second pass can be made with the standing line through the loop.
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It’s a Classic COMBAT WEBBING
IT’S A CLASSIC:
COMBAT WEBBING SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FIREARM, ARMIES WORLD-WIDE HAVE STRIVEN TO FIND THE PERFECT SYSTEM TO CARRY THE SOLDIER’S AMMUNITION AND FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. GADGE HARVEY TAKES UP THE STORY… FOR YEARS MUSKETEERS AND RIFLEMEN carried their ammunition in cartridge cases and their bayonet in a loop known as a “frog” suspended from cloth or leather belts. In the 19th century most armies had moved to mounting the cases on broad leather waist belts, or carrying shoulder mounted bandoliers with loops allowing individual rounds to be slotted into them. The advent of WWI, however, would revolutionise combat equipment. Shortly before the outbreak of the Great War the Mills Equipment Company in the USA developed a machine that could create tough, hardwearing and closely woven straps of “webbing” that was easy to fashion into belts, straps and cartridge carriers. After the Boar War the UK commissioned Mills to make a more practical set of load-carrying equipment and the end result was the 1908 pattern webbing system consisting of belt, braces, cartridge carriers, a back pack, bayonet frog and carriers for both the water bottle and the entrenching tool. Across the pond the United States would quickly adopt a similar but slighter set, known as the US M1910 System. Well designed
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and constructed, the 08 Pattern and M1910 set would see the alley armies through WWI and, in some cases, into the early years of WWII. While the US improved the M1910 system for WWII, the UK developed a totally new battle webbing system called “37 pattern” early in war and by the end of WWII the allied armies had begun to produce pre-dyed webbing sets in jungle green shades. The UK went on to develop the improved “44 pattern” webbing system. 44 Pattern was originally intended as an improved replacement for the ageing 37 pattern but was developed far too late to have any impact on the war, it would instead serve as the UK’s “jungle webbing” for decades, due to its dark green shade, resistance to rot and lesser water absorbance. Post-war the US and the UK would independently develop very similar webbing systems to last out the early years of the Cold War. M56 (US) and 58 Pattern webbing (UK) both utilised an “H-shaped” yoke to spread the load of the equipment to the shoulders and a broad webbing belt that allowed different pouches such as ammo carriers, water bottle carriers, utility pouches and the like to be directly attached to the belt wherever the user required them to be. While WWII webbing had been issued to the troops “raw” in a sand/khaki colour (the
It’s a Classic COMBAT WEBBING
British had issued “blanco”, a poster paint-like paste used to change the shade of the webbing to green to aid camouflage), the commonwealth 50s webbing came pre-dyed in dark green and had metal fittings in a dull green or black finish to reduce “shine” that could give away positions - a move that was well received by soldiers tired of polishing brasswork to a perfect finish! Other NATO armies, such as West Germany and France, began to adopt webbing systems using a mixture of woven webbing with metal fixtures and cloth, rubberised fabric or plastic pouches, while many NATO countries such as Denmark and Italy chose to use older UK and US WWII-era webbing. Across the Iron Curtain the Warsaw Pact armies tended to adopt webbing systems more akin to the German leather “webbing” of WWII but, in fact, made out of rubberised cloth webbing for the belt and “Y” shaped shoulder yoke. This provided a leather-like look for the “belt and braces” but the ammunition pouches, canteen holders and first aid pouches were made from coarse cloth webbing fabric (often with fake leather closures or tabs). By the late 70s many NATO armies were experimenting with replacing the cloth webbing components with nylon webbing as it was both lighter when wet and, unlike cotton, possible to decontaminate after a chemical attack. While the US quickly adopted “All Purpose Lightweight Carrying Equipment” (ALICE) webbing, the UK persevered with their 58 pattern design until the 1990s, as the experimental “72 pattern” webbing was found to be unable to hold its position on the wearer during manoeuvres, with the metal clasps and buckles slipping on the nylon straps. Some elements on the 72 Pattern set would stay in service (namely the respirator pouch and bergans) but on the whole the project was shelved. While “webbing” had served well since WWI, by the 1980s military operations were increasingly vehicle mounted, either in Landrovers and Jeeps, APCs, or helicopters and belt mounted webbing, traditionally centred with large pouches around the waist and rear, was often unsuitably bulky for mobile operations. Since WWII the British and Americans had been experimenting with “battle jerkins”, “combat waistcoats” and “bren vests” but these were largely unpopular with the troops who were, at the time, usually fighting as “leg” infantry and marching to combat. By the ‘80s, however, a host of combat vests and chest rigs had been developed (some issued and some private purchase) for the modern infantryman that were ideal for the fast, mobile operations of the late 80s and 90s. By the 2000s the emphasis on webbing was very much in decline in NATO armies, with the UK and US both employing various “operations vests” or systems by which the soldier’s equipment pouches could be directly mounted onto his body armour. Despite the practicality of “Ops Vests”, Osprey armour or Molle loop fitted plate carriers, it would soon become apparent that there was still a need for the traditional “belt and braces” approach to combat webbing. As an increasing need was
found for lengthy foot patrols, many soldiers found that vests and plate carriers were both cumbersome for reconnaissance missions and also uncomfortable and hot. The fact that nearly every top end combat equipment manufacturer now supplies a “battle belt and suspenders” option to carry the fighting man’s kit only goes to show that, despite being over 100 years old as a concept, combat webbing is indeed a classic that is still going strong today! Gurkhas wearing 1990s PLCE webbing
Tommies wearing WWI 1908 pattern webbing
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Surplus Store Unit 2, Access House Stephenson Way Three Bridges, RH10 1TN 01293 525880 www.surplusstore.co.uk
The Gaol Events Oakham Enterprise Park Ashwell Road, Oakham Leics, LE15 7TU 07976 457602 www.thegaolevents.co.uk
JD Airsoft Unit 5, Virage Park Green Lane, Cannock WS11 0NH 0845 600 5144 www.jdairsoft.net
Invicta Battlefield Airsoft Pook Hill Wood Farm Wilden Park Road, Staplehurst, TN12 0HP 07876 263290 www.invictabattlefield.co.uk
Johnsons of Leeds 2, Vulcan Foundry Haigh Park Road Leeds, LS10 1RT 0113 277 5237 www.johnsonsofleeds.co.uk
TacTree Unit 3, Stag Business Park Donnington Wood Telford, TF2 7NA 01952 565670 www.tactree.co.uk
Sell Airsoft Action in your shop or on your site and get a FREE ADVERT on these pages! Contact Nige on 01684 878003 or by email: nige@airsoft-action.co.uk for details.
Buy Airsoft Action from any of these shops or sites - and get your copy before it goes on sale on the High Street! Combat-UK 13-15 Market Place Stevenage Herts, SG1 1DH 01438 362922 www.onlyairsoft.com
Phoenix Airsoft Gleadthorpe Breck Plnt. Budby Road Cuckney, NG20 9JX 07956 587213 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
Stormforce Airsoft Longbarn Farm Bardy Lane Rugeley, WS15 4LD 07515 937633
Leicestershire Airsoft Unit 3 Melton Road Industrial Est. Queniborough, LE7 3FP 07526 372108
308 Sniper 66 High Street Chatham Kent, ME4 4DS 01634 921278 www.308sniper.co.uk
Socom Tactical 70 Reading Road South Fleet Hampshire, GU52 7SD 01252 616 868 www.socomtactical.net
Gunman Airsoft Tuddenham, IP28 6DF Eversley, RG27 0PX 07711 774461 07711 774401 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
Airsoft Plantation Goatsmoor Lane Stock, Billericay Essex, CM4 9RS 07771 556395 www.airsoftplantation.co.uk
Badlands Airsoft Woodberry Lane Rowlands Castle Hants, PO9 6DP 07534 465589 www.badlandsairsoft.co.uk
BBGuns4Less Unit 1, Keepers Cottage Buckles Lane South Ockendon, RM15 6RS 01708 853232 www.bbguns4less.co.uk
Allsorts Airsoft 9 Arundel Road Littlehampton BN17 7BY 01903 714688 www.allsortsairsoft.co.uk
Red Alert Airsoft Hartshill Copse Burdens Heath Bucklebury, RG7 6SX 07941 087070 www.redalertpaintball.co.uk
www.stormforceairsoft.co.uk
www.leicestershireairsoft.co.uk
Looking for somewhere to buy Airsoft Action? Your local Newsagent sold out? Then why not visit any of the fine airsoft companies listed here? They all keep Airsoft Action in stock and while you are there, don’t forget to have a good browse round to see what else they can tempt you with...
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
SYMBOL KEY
IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY! UKARA MEMBER
SHOP ONSITE
WOODLAND
PYROS ALLOWED
URBAN
BATTERY CHARGING
DESERT
REPAIR SERVICE
Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing
ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER
Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales. Tel: 07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT ASYLUM
ALPHA 55
AIRSOFT COMMANDOS
ALPHA ELITE GAMING
North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com
Sutton, near Ferrybridge andyace@ntlworld.com
ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT
Maidenhead, SL6 3SS Tel: 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk
ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES
Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 Tel: 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES
Tong Wood, Newport Road Wolverhampton TF11 8PN Tel: 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT KGB
Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com
AIRSOFT PLANTATION
Goatsmoor Lane, Billericay, CM4 9RS Tel: 07534 636289 / 07771 556395 www.airsoftplantation.co.uk Email: apairsoftplantation@gmail.com
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH
Stoulton, WR7 4QW Tel: 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
ACE COMBAT
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB
Kent, TN12 7DG Tel: 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk
Studley, B80 7LY Tel: 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB
ALL ARMS AIRSOFT
Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 Tel: 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com
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February 2018
Near Trawden, BB8 8SN Tel: 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk
Halkyn Wood, North Wales CH8 8DF www.alpha55.co.uk
Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 Tel: 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je
AMAZON EVENTS
Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL Tel: 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk
AWA HERTS
Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ Tel: 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com
BADLANDS AIRSOFT
Rowlands Castle, Hamps PO9 6DP Tel: 07534 465589 www.badlandsairsoft.co.uk
BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE Tel: 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM
BATTLETEC AIRSOFT
AMBUSH ADVENTURES SOUTHAMPTON
BETTER BATTLES
Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL Tel: 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW Tel: 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP Tel: 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com
ARENA AIRSOFT
Grimsby, DN31 3JD Tel: 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com
La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 Tel: 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk
Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH Tel: 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com
BLACKDAGGER AIRSOFT
Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronfield, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk
BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT
Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB Tel: 01296 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
BORDERLINE AIRSOFT
51 Green Road, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim Northern Ireland, BT39 9PH Tel: 028 9303 7030 or 07729219341 www.borderlinecombat.com
BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX Tel: 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – RIVOCK EDGE
COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND
Keighley, BD20 0LS Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
Fareham, PO17 5ND Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – SHEFFIELD WOODLAND
CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL
Sheffield, S6 6JE Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 Tel: 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk
COOL UNDER FIRE BRISTOL AIRSOFT Bristol, BS1 2HQ Tel: 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE WORKS (URBAN)
Off Badger Lane, Hipperholme, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8PL Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT Sheffield, S2 5TR Tel: 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com
CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT
Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk
BUNKER 51
Charlton, SE7 8NJ Tel: 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk
BUSH VALLEY AIRSOFT
Runham Woods, Lenham ME17 1NQ Tel: 07786 448608 Email: bushvalairsoft@gmail.com
CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH Tel: 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE COMPLEX Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE OUTPOST (WOODLAND) HPC, York Road, Flaxby, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG5 0XJ Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE SANDPIT (DESERT)
Bolton Wood Quarry, Bolton Hall Road Bradford, West Yorkshire BD2 1BQ Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
COMBAT AIRSOFT
Just off the A11 outside Thetford Norfolk follow signs for Combat Paintball Tel: 07703 045849 www.combatairsoftgames.co.uk
COMBAT READY CQB
38 Full Street, Derby DE1 3AF Tel: 01332 493258 Email: info@combatreadyairsoft.co.uk www.combatreadyairsoft.co.uk
Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA Tel: 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk
DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT
CORNWALLS ELITE AIRSOFT
ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING
Truro, Cornwall, TR2. Tel: 07863 240153 www.cornwallseliteairsoft.co.uk
COTSWOLD AIRSOFT
Bourton Woods, On the B4479, Blockley Near Bourton-on-the-hill www.cotswoldairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07724629140
Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com
DANGER CLOSE AIRSOFT C3 TACTICAL
DRAGON’S LAIR
Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL Tel: 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk
CUMBRIA AIRSOFT Combat Street, Felthorpe, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 4DR. Tel: 07748 023832 www.facebook.com/combatactiongames
Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4SE TEL 01293 852 314 www.holmbushpaintball.co.uk/airsoft
Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS Tel: 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk
Corby, NN17 3BB Tel: 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk
COMBAT ACTION GAMES
DOG TAG AIRSOFT
Ellough Lark Raceway, Benacre Road, Ellough, Norfolk . Tel: 07455 906132
Worthing, BN13 Tel: 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
ELITE BATTLEZONE
Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX Tel: 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN Tel: 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk
FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS Lewisham, SE13 5SU Tel: 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk
DARKWATER AIRSOFT LTD.
Mobile: 07947 558433 www.darkwaterairsoft.co.uk Email: darwaterairsofthythe@gmail.com DARKWATER AFTER DARK C.Q.B, (Battlezone Building), Britannia Lane, Kingsnorth, Ashford, TN23 3NA facebook.com/afterdarkcqb DARKWATER SITE, Dering Wood, Church Lane, Shadoxhurst, Ashford. TN26 1LZ facebook.com/darkwaterairsoftdarkwater
FIFE WARGAMES
DELTA TEAM 3
FIREBALL SQUADRON
Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT Tel: 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk
Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA Tel: 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com
DOGS OF WAR
FIRST & ONLY: ANZIO CAMP
St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com
FINMERE AIRSOFT Buckingham, MK18 4JT Tel: 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com
COMBAT READY OUTDOOR
Middle Wildpark Farm, Wildpark Lane, Brailsford, Ashbourne DE6 3BN Tel: 01332 493258 Email: info@combatreadyairsoft.co.uk www.combatreadyairsoft.co.uk
COMBAT SOUTH URBAN Portsmouth, PO6 3LS Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP Tel: 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk
Leek, ST13 8 Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
www.airsoft-action.online
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SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
FIRST & ONLY: BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST & ONLY: KHE SANH
WOODS
Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST & ONLY: MANCHESTER
WOODLAND
Bolton, BL7 9TS Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE
Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ Tel: 0161 727 8863
FULL METAL AIRSOFT
Cilyrychen Quarry, Llandybie, Ammanford, Camarthenshire, SA18 3JG Tel: 01269 850404 www.fullmetalairsoft.co.uk
HILTON PARK AIRSOFT Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU Tel: 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com
HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT GASS AIRSOFT – PENN Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 Tel: 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 Tel: 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com
Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT Tel: 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft
HUMBER AIRSOFT North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07792 680297
Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG Tel: 0161 727 8863
FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF Tel: 0161 727 8863
Bravo One Birmingham, 93–99 Holloway Head, B1 1QP Tel: 0121 643 2477 info@grangelivegaming.com www.grangelivegaming.com
INVICTA BATTLEFIELD Wilden Park Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0HP Tel: 01622 831788 / 07876 263290 www.invictabattlefield.co.uk
FIRST & ONLY: THE ASYLUM Kidderminster, DY10 3PT Tel: 0161 727 8863
FIRST & ONLY: THE OUTPOST Kidderminster, DY11 5SA Tel: 0161 727 8863
FIRST & ONLY: SLEEPY HOLLOW Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5LS Tel: 0161 727 8863
GROUND ZERO WOODLAND Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com
FREE FIRE ZONE
Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH Tel: 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk
FRV AIRSOFT
Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ Tel: 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com
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ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 Tel: 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
GREENZONE COMBAT Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE Tel: 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com
Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG Tel: 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS The Grange, Frogmore Grange, Balsall Common, Coventry CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532 384 info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk www.giairsoft.co.uk/Skirmish-days
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 2 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
MIA
Cornwall, EX23 9JL Tel: 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk
Abbey Cwm-hir, Midwales, LD1 6PG Tel: 07497 480243 www.facebook.com/Midwales-airsoft
MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Wrightington, WN6 9PL Tel: 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk
MILSIM UK
Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS Tel: 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk
NCIS AIRSOFT
Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk
NOMAD AIRSOFT
Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY Tel: 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com
NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ Tel: 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk
LAC SITE 3 Saxillby, LN1 2JW Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
NORTHFLEET CQB
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA Tel: 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
LAC SITE 5 Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – EVERSLEY The Welsh Drive, Fleet Road (A327), Eversley, Hants RG27 0PY Tel: 07711 774461 (Doug) or 07711 774401 (Josh) www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk/gunmanairsoft-eversley/
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 Tel: 07793 404346 1midaw@gmail.com
LAC SITE 1
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – TUDDENHAM
Cavenham Road, Tuddenham, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6DF Tel: 07711 774461 (Doug) or 07711 774401 (Josh) www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk/gunmanairsoft-tuddenham/
MAW
LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT
GUN HO AIRSOFT
Guisborough, TS7 0PG Tel: 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW Tel: 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com
MIDWALES AIRSOFT
GRANGE LIVE GAMING FIRST & ONLY: THE ARMOURY
MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES
LINDSEY AIRSOFT Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE Tel: 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk
NPF AIRSOFT, NPF BASSETTS POLE
Trickley Coppice, London Road, Bassetts Pole, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA Tel: 0121 323 1000 info@npfairsoft.com www.facebook.com/npfairsoft
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
NSC AIRSOFT
RED1AIRSOFT
NTAC
RED1AIRSOFT CQB
Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 Tel: 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk
Durham, DL4 2ER Tel: 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk
Chislehurst, Bromley BR7 6SD Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
Red1 CQB. Kings Langley, WD4 8RN Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
OBAN AIRSOFT – ILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 Tel: 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com
RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
STIRLING AIRSOFT
Coventry, CV3 6NX Tel: 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com
STORMFORCE AIRSOFT
Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD Tel: 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB Anglesey, LL71 www.ottairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07731 744471
PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 Tel: 02380 899369
PHOENIX AIRSOFT
Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road, Notts NG20 9JX Tel: 07956 587213/01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
PLATOON 1HQ
Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ Tel: 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk
PLAYERS OF WAR
High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD Tel: 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk
PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF Tel: 02897565651 / 07825169631 www.predatorcombat.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT
Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB Tel: 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SG1 COMBAT GAMES Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA Tel: 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk
SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY
Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX Tel: 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk
SKIRMISH EXETER Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 Tel: 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk
SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT
Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR Tel: 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com
Slinfold, RH12 Tel: 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk
Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu Tel: 07703 177756
Mold, CH7 4 Tel:07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk
THE WARGAMES CENTRE Lundholm Road, Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN www.thewargamescentre.com wargamescentre@gmail.com
THUNDER PARK AIRSOFT
Luxulyan, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL305FA Tel: 07751808055 www.thunderparkpaintball.co.uk Food & drinks available on site.
TA EVENTS
Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB Tel: 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk
TORRENT WARFARE
Co Tyrone, BT71 4DY Tel: 07922 377131 Facebook: search ‘Torrent Warfare’
TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS Tel: 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk
TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL Tel: 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk
TECH BRIGADE
Newgate Street, Hertfordshire. SG13 8NH Tel: 07841 713356 www.techbrigade.org
TROJAN AIRSOFT
Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB
Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
UCAP AIRSOFT TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 Tel: 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk
Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP GREEN OPS THE BUNKER
RAVEN’S NEST
Suffolk, IP8 4 Tel: 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk
Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
Aberystwyth www.aberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07841 462806
RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT– THE ROCK
THE DEPOT
Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
THE EX SITE
S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH
Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ Tel: 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk
Redford, DD11 Tel: 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk
SUSSEX AIRSOFT
OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT Tel: 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk
THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT
Glasgow, G45 9SB Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.thedepotglasgow.com
Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY Tel: 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
www.airsoft-action.online
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SITE DIRECTORY
Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing
FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
URBAN ASSAULT
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 Tel: 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk
VIKING AIRSOFT
Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk
WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk
PRACTICAL PISTOL DIRECTORY AIPSC
The Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Midlands, CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532384 www.aipsc.co.uk Facebook: A.I.P.S.C info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk. Every Monday night 7pm– 9pm (except bank holidays). £5 or £10 with pistol and shooting rig hire. UKPSA-qualified coaches. UKPSA-qualified Range Officers.
COBRA ONE ZERO AIRSOFT Unit 9 Imperial Buisness Centre Mortimer Road, Hereford, HR4 9SP www.cobraonezero.co.uk Facebook: cobra one zero Airsoft
WATFORD PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB
XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST
WatfordPPC@gmail.com
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END
StrikeForce CQB, Morelands Trading Estate, Bristol Road, Gloucester GL1 5RZ Facebook: www.facebook.com/ Double-Tap-Practical-Shooting-Club979585958732937/?ref=hl doubletappsc@gmail.com
Dunstable, LU6 2EE Tel: 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
High Wycombe, HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
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February 2018
DOUBLE TAP PSC
EBSC
MOD-approved gun club PP, IDPA, IPAS, IPSC, 3GUN UKPSA Coaches UKPSA-qualified Range Officers Equipment hire available www.ebsc.co.uk ebpracticalpistol@gmail.com 07752 713 970
HALO MILL
The Penthouse, Colne Valley Business Park, Manchester Road, Linthwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5QG Tel: 01484 840554 www.halomill.com
XSITE PRACTICAL SHOOTING Fryers Farm Lane, High Wycombe, Bucks HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
SOUTH WEST PRACTICAL SHOOTERS (SWPS)
Action Air IPSC Club Based at The Tunnel Target Sports Centre near Charmouth The Tunnel, Axminster Road, Charmouth, Dorset DT6 6BY Contact: SWPSClub@Outlook.com
WETHERSFIELD AIRSOFT TARGET SHOOTING CLUB (WAT SIC)
Wethersfield Village Hall, Braintree Rd (B1053), Wethersfield, Braintree CM7 4EB. https://www.facebook.com/WATSiC/ Open Thursday & Friday evenings. Set-up from 6:30pm. Club shooting commences by 7:30pm. Pack-up starts at 9:30pm if you can stay to help. Contact via FB or 07939557029. Indoors. Club offers Action Air plus 2 & 3 Gun training and events.