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CONTENTS MARCH 2016 2014
CONTENTS MARCH 2016
6 NEWS What’s happening in the World of Airsoft 10 ROGUE’S GALLERY Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers. 11 THE ADVENTURES OF MAG Mag continues his adventures in Airsoft Action’s exclusive cartoon. 12 ARMOURY: ARES METAL BADGER New Airsoft Action contributor, Steve Wright, get to grips with the latest “Badger” iteration from Ares. 16 ARMOURY: Y&P “STEALTH ASSASSIN” In the market for a well-priced airsoft pistol that performs well straight out of the box? Jerry Noone reckons you should check out the “Stealth Assassin” for maximum “bang for your buck”! 18 EVENT: SHOT SHOW 2016 Scott Allan headed over to Las Vegas (aka Sin City) to check out the largest gun show in the world. 24 Armoury: ASG DAN WESSON 715 As he has a love of pistols bordering on the passionate, Les Lee couldn’t wait to get his hands on this awesome-looking revolver – but would it live up to his expectations? 29 INSIDE AIRSOFT: FIRE SUPPORT Les Lee continues his journey round the UK’s Airsoft Retailers with a visit to one of the longest-established and most well-known. 34 CHARITY EVENT: MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT Team Rhino’s Angelo Di Vito reports from an event that was born out of the generosity and kindness shown to him by the Airsoft Community. 38 KIT: WEEKEND WARRIOR As a whole new year of airsoft lies before us Jerry Noone takes a close look at the gear you’ll need if you’re thinking of attending one of the many “Weekender” games in 2016! 42 SITE: GROUND ZERO Most ‘Softers will know Ground Zero as the location of the National Airsoft Event but what is it like on a “normal” game day? Iggy Roberts reports… 46 COLD WAR WARRIORS: RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES 1979 Largely forgotten today, the African Bush Wars were big news at the time. Steven Fairs and Gadge Harvey take a look at one of Rhodesia’s oldest military formations. 50 SITE: TAC HOUSE SPARTAN We’ve featured THS in Airsoft Action before but as “Femme Fatale” Kelly Hardwick found out, it keeps calling you back. 54 LOADED OR UNLOADED: OPFOR Last month Jerry Noone took a look at “Tan Team/ Green Team” options for identifying different sides in games; this time he delves just a little further by creating an OPFOR loadout on a tight budget! 59 INTERNATIONAL AIRSOFT: RUSSIA Airsoft Action welcomes Russian Contributor,
Alexander Levchenko, who runs a hugely popular YouTube channel and gives us an overview of the game he knows as “Strikeball”. 62 DEBATE: SAFEGUARDING AIRSOFT With the threat of EU Legislation swirling around airsoft, Gadge Harvey asks your views on how we should we best keep the game accessible to new players, while providing a sensible safeguard against abuse? 67 GITAG: CERAKOTE The Cerakote process was designed to provide a high quality, long lasting finish, with high corrosion protection and durability. It’s now available in the UK and Jerry Noone takes up the story… 72 ARMOURY: WE E FORCE EU17 With the furore surrounding Glock pistols, Frenchie gets his hands on a cracking little number from WE Airsoft Europe with a name that really doesn’t do it justice. 76 A SQUADRON: ROOM COMBAT As he slowly works his way through Bob Podesta’s courses, Paul Yelland takes part in day two of A-Squadron’s Counter-Terrorist Team Training. 80 BIG BOYZ TOYZ: U-BOATS AND GOLD! Ratty continues his exploration of what happened to the gold and other treasures appropriated by Hitler and the Nazis. 84 KIT: FOBUS ISW HOLSTER In his previous occupation, Andy Nightingale needed to be sure his holster was up to the job but as his old one was worn out he needed something to replace it – and found this… 86 BILLY BASICS: DARING RAIDS ‘Namsoft is a genre much favoured by many players and in the first of a two-parter, Billy writes about a raid that would make an excellent scenario for a ‘Nam-based game. 90 TEAM FORMATION: SPECIALIST RIFLEMAN Gareth “Gadge” Harvey continues his look at various roles within an airsoft team and turns his attention to probably the most popular, the Rifleman. 94 WW1: FOR VALOUR The Victoria Cross is the UK’s highest award for valour and Dan Mills writes about some lesser-known recipients of this honour. 96 AIRSOFT SKILLS: DRY FIRE PRACTICE We all know that practice makes perfect but practice doesn’t always have to be on the skirmish field, as Calibre Shooting’s Andy Nightingale explains. 100 SITE DIRECTORY & PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUBS With the ever-growing popularity of Practical Shooting, we thought it was about time we started listing where you can go and take part - as well as over four pages of awesome airsoft venues! 106 DEALER LISTING: AIRSOFT ACTION’S ADVERTISER INDEX Find who you are looking for in our listing of all the adverts that appear in this issue. www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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S W E N T F O S AIR NEW PRODUCTS FROM 0241TACTICAL Goggle Covers
Crawley Surplus Store donate £200 to Pilgrim Bandits CRAWLEY SURPLUS STORE are regarded as one of the industry leaders in Airsoft in the UK and such is their passion, Daniel Levene (the owner), decided to once again make a generous contribution to Pilgrim Bandits, Airsoft Action’s supported charity. Pilgrim Bandits Charity was established by a small group of Special Forces veterans in 2007, with the sole aim of using their unique training and experience to help and inspire wounded soldiers to live life to the full. The mantra “Always a Little Further” is core to the charity’s attitude, whether working with amputee men and women from the services directly or by utilising their experiences to inspire and encourage young people and children. Pilgrim Bandits don’t do sympathy but do offer the rewards of belonging to a team, along with encouragement, belief and the power of humour over pain. Daniel at Crawley Surplus Store expressed his gratitude by once again making a substantial donation, following a recent “Inside Airsoft” feature in the magazine and he can be seen here making the cheque presentation to Airsoft Action’s International Reporter, Les Lee, at their Crawley shop.
AIRSOFT SHOWCASE 2016 The 2016 Airsoft Showcase has been announced and will take place on Saturday 18th June – but at a different venue to last year. This year the Showcase will be at StrikeForce CQB, in Gloucester. StrikeForce CQB is the largest purpose built indoor Airsoft arena in Europe boasting a football pitch size playing area of 52,000+ square feet. So there’s loads of space and it’s all on one level. Details are still coming in but Airsoft Action understands that the costs for retailers has been drastically reduced and
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companies who are not selling, such as site operators, can attend for free. One of the first companies to book was ASG (ActionSportGames) and Paul Wignell, ASG’s UK Sales Manager, commented “ASG are delighted to support this event, as it is all about promoting airsoft and giving players the opportunity to see a wide range of guns and gear all under one roof.” For more information, to buy tickets or book a Trade Stand, contact Chris Kong at RedWolf Airsoft, on 01684 273070, or via their website: uk.redwolfairsoft.com
0241Tactical’s Goggle Covers have been redesigned with a new scratch resistant inner lining. This was done at no additional cost – price remains the same as it was in 2015. Part of 0241Tactical’s commitment to improvement and affordability for our customers.
Wet/Dry Mesh Bags 0241Tactical Wet/Dry Mesh Bags keep all your belongings secure and breathable. They keep a user’s possessions safe, clean, free of mould and importantly, organized for storage during transportation. These bags are excellent options for holding wet or soiled kit or clothing, great for wet or dirty clothing you want to keep separate from your other kit/ belongings. The 100% polyester mesh structural design, with 2mm hole diameter, offers high breathability and a unique camouflage look. This material is commonly used for concealing vehicles and creating lightweight and high strength tactical gear. Check them both out at www.0241Tactical.com
SPEED Airsoft releases gauge shroud for the SPEED HPA Regulator SPEED Airsoft is now shipping all SPEED HPA Regulators with a custom billet machined gauge shroud for the SPEED HPA Regulators. The gauge shroud provides additional protection to the dual reading BAR/PSI gauge found on all SPEED HPA Regulators, thereby preventing direct physical impact to the plastic bezel. Customers who have purchased a SPEED HPA Regulator without this gauge shroud, can now get a FREE SPEED Gauge Shroud upgrade from the dealer they purchased from. SPEED Airsoft products are all in-house CNC precision machined from USA grade billet aluminum by SPEED Airsoft in Canada. All SPEED Airsoft products are available through your favourite airsoft dealers worldwide. For more info, visit their website at www.SpeedAirsoft.com or contact them at SpeedAirsoft@ymail.com
AIRSOFT NEWS
West Midlands Airsoft new site opening event West Midlands Airsoft are pleased to introduce their new site, “Madeley Garrison”. As part of our continued expansion throughout the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Cheshire we are very proud to announce the opening of our second site, Madeley Garrison, and our Opening Event on 21st February 2016. This is an established site for you to test and improve your Airsoft skills and gameplay. We aim to provide a superb Airsoft experience and have established a reputation of excellence in our operations and as such we will continue to put our unique “West Mids” stamp on the game scenarios. On this site we will be introducing you to gaming zones such as GCHQ, The Viaduct,
Scrap Yard, Entrenchment, The Settlement and Fortress with further purpose built area’s coming into play in the future. For bookings and information please visit our website www.wmairsoft. co.uk or call Paul on 07861427553 SITE INFORMATION: FORWARD OPERATION BASE, Hollington Road, Upper Tean, Staffordshire ST10 4JT. MADELEY GARRISON, Manor Farm, Manor Road, Madeley, Cheshire CW3 9PS.
GET SHIRTY WITH SPEQ-SE! Some good(ie) news starting this New Year. Through our new partner Spreadshirt, we are able to offer you a range of garments and accessories with unique prints. We have started with “Opy”, our loyal operator who you might know from our logo. We have t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs and phone cases available. We even added the option for a custom text on the mugs, with our website address (you can customise this text to whatever text you wish). New designs, including “Merc” (our Mercenary) will be added over the next few weeks. We have male, female, toddlers, kids and teens garments available. So keep track of our Goodie Shop and our social media channels Facebook and Twitter. You can find these new items in our special Goodie Shop, at: www.speq-se.com/service/shirt-shop/#!. All orders are processed by Spreadshirt and you will receive an introduction discount of 15% using code ALLNEW15.
Propell BBs are coming to the UK Propell are bringing a new product to the UK market, a precision airsoft ammunition. Propell are dedicated airsoft ammunition producers, passionate about airsoft and passionate about providing you with a fantastic product and outstanding customer service. The bbs are manufactured to the highest standard with a hop rubber gripping lustre, a quality product designed to enhance the airsoft game playing experience, by offering amazing accuracy. The bbs are a consistent size of 5.95mm, with a tolerance of +/- 0.01mm, tested over a large sample number to ensure consistent excellent quality. Jim from Propell said “We are busy preparing for the launch. The product has been rigorously tested and I have to say I believe passionately in 8
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the quality of our ammunition. I‘ve been an airsofter for many years and it’s fantastic to see the growth in the sport. “Propell bbs are designed to support and enhance the precision of your weapon and I am confident airsofters will achieve a higher level of accuracy and better game playing experience using Propell bbs.” Propell airsoft ammunition will be launched in the UK in spring 2016 and available to purchase direct from www.propell-bbs.co.uk. Propell will be releasing further information in the run up to the launch about competitions, giveaways and discounts on Facebook. “Like” the Propell Airsoft Ammunition Facebook page to receive updates on the launch date and special offers for Facebook followers.
Bucket list… help needed Airsofters are part of a great community, one that bands together and shows its true spirit whenever it is needed and it is needed now. Please read the following and if you can do anything to help, I am sure it will be very much appreciated... A very good, very long-time friend called to tell me about a raffle he is holding at his site on the 13th March, to raise money in order to help someone tick as many boxes as they can on their “bucket list”, while they still can. When Ray and Jean Caine started Dragons Lair Airsoft, one of the first players to pitch up was a guy called Mark Wheelan and he has been with them ever since. Recently his wife complained of having fierce headaches and has been diagnosed (at just 36 years old) with stage four cancer. Neither Mark nor his wife are stupid and they realise what that means, hence the bucket list but, like most families these days, they don’t have a lot of spare cash and so have turned to Ray and Jean for help in raising the necessary funds, while there is still time - and that is where you can help too. On the 13th March, Ray will be holding a raffle at Dragons Lair, which is close to Billericay in Essex, to raise as much money as possible, which will be donated directly to Mark and his family to help his wife complete as much of her bucket list as she can. Raffle Tickets will cost £10 each and prizes include a Year’s Free Entry to Dragons Lair, plus 5,000 bbs each time as first prize, an ASG EVO3 Scorpion (donated by ASG), a G&G GR4 G26 (complete with laser and LED torch, donated by Airsoft Zone) and a year’s free servicing by “Darren”, one of the UK’s top airsoft techs. Each of these prizes also comes with an annual subscription to Airsoft Action (and we will be there on the day to cover the event). If you’d like to help by donating a prize to the raffle, or by playing on the day, or in any other way, please get in touch with Ray Caine on 01708 765036, or 07703 530189 and let’s show this family just what the “Airsoft Family” can do!
AA GALLERY READERS’ PHOTOS
SPONSORED BY
ROGUE’S G ROGUES GALLERY
All photos by Mike O’Neill ABIPP
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Information Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk) or share on our Facebook page (/AirsoftAction), plus a few words describing what’s going on in the image.
THE ADVENTURES OF MAG
CARTOON
www.airsoft-action.online
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METAL BADGER AKA ARES OCTA2RMS X AMOEBA NEW AIRSOFT ACTION CONTRIBUTOR, STEVE WRIGHT, GETS TO GRIPS WITH THE LATEST “BADGER” ITERATION FROM ARES LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM, Ares appear to be in the game for the long haul. With a number of new releases in recent years they are showing no signs of slowing down – which for the most part I consider to be a shame. I have never liked Ares stuff since the whole Ares/STARS debacle and all the hype (and anti-climax) of their original Honey Badger left me somewhat underwhelmed too. So who better (I suppose) to review their latest offering? If it can make me say “Yeah, I’d have one of those!” it is fair to say it is a decent bit of kit - but the mere thought of testing one fills me with trepidation and dread. At a distance you would be forgiven for rolling your eyes and muttering “Just another M4” and at a distance it IS just another M4. It’s only when you get up close you notice the subtle differences that actually make these sleek-looking rifles (dare I say this?) attractive. The rails are octagonal in shape (but I suppose you would have guessed that from the name of the gun) with the upper receiver being suitably shaped to keep with the theme. Based on the Keymod system there are mounting points to the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock faces and the traditional RIS ladder running across the 12 o’clock for the mounting of sighting systems. The rail butts up perfectly with the upper receiver, giving a continuous RIS ladder from the charging handle to the muzzle and I must say, it does look very good. Looks aside, having 12
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a smooth hand guard with holes cut into it offers some real bonuses too. You keep the rigidity and strength of a solid piece handguard but benefit from weight saving. This will allow you to hold the rifle in the aim for longer before fatigue sets in on your arms – great for those lining up the perfect shot, or for the MilSimmers out there who like to hold up in the aim whilst patrolling around. The smooth outer also offers a considerably more comfortable grip over the traditional RIS systems, as it is narrower and easier to fit into your hand with the further bonus of not cutting your gloves to bits on the sharp edges. To ensure you are not left without all your gadgets and gizmos (and possibly something to do with profit margins) Ares have a wide range of accessories compatible with all of the keymod rails. The obligatory torch mounts, laser mounts and expected vertical and angled grips, along with some of the stuff aimed more at civilian target shooters in the real world, such as hand stops and thumb rests. They also offer RIS ladders just in case you happen to have that one piece of kit you would never get rid of but isn’t keymod compatible, such as a quick release M203 launcher or your genuine Sure-fire that you paid a month’s wages for. With rail lengths of 7, 9, 10, 12, 13.5 and 15 inches, all available in either black or dark earth, Ares really have tried to make sure there is something for everybody. From the door-
Armoury ARES METAL BADGER
“SIMILAR IN LOOK TO THE FAMOUS MAGPUL CTR STOCK, IT OFFERS ALL OF THE BENEFITS BUT DOES AWAY WITH THE MAIN DRAWBACK… GETTING THE DAMNED THING ON AND OFF YOUR STOCK TUBE. THE DAYS OF SCRATCHING YOUR STOCK OR STABBING YOURSELF IN THE HAND WITH A SCREWDRIVER ARE OVER!” kicking, grenade-throwing lovers of CQB, up to the sneakier shoot and scoot tactics better suited to DMR platforms …and everything in between. Add into the mix that it is running on similar tech to that of the Honey Badger series, you can use the little box of magic to select battery type and fire modes. If you fancy rolling with the 15 inch (make your own jokes) as a DMR there is the option to select SAFE, SEMI, SEMI as fire modes. Most sites will accept this as a DMR and allow up to 450fps measured with a 0.2g BB. If you like to shoot on the run but are considerate and don’t want to overkill the other players, why not opt for SAFE, SEMI, BURST mode? If your site has no strict ruling on using semi auto then my new-found favourite is SEMI, BURST, AUTO. Using gas guns almost exclusively, I had forgotten just how much fun it can be to let rip a good burst of full auto. Of course, you could just keep it at factory SAFE, SEMI, AUTO and show some trigger discipline – but where is the fun in that? This release has the potential to be a one-stop shop for your chosen style of play. So externally the gun is pretty with a modern take on a tried and tested platform but what else does it have to offer? Why choose this over a competitor? It comes with a nice and sturdy quick release single sling adaptor as standard. Having seen a number of rifles hit the floor when being slung due to the failure of QR sling mounts, this is something I was keen to rubbish the gun on (remember I don’t like Ares, so any excuse to prove my point…) Sadly, Ares put me back in my box! The QR mount is possibly the best I have seen on an airsoft gun. Rather than going into a casting on the body of the rifle there is a metal mounting plate with the female receiver and annular grove machined into that. That means it should prove more durable than going straight into a casting. The male part of the QR actually forces the bearings out some distance, giving them a positive lock into the rifle
mount. With the sling mounted, a game of tug of war was played to beyond the rigors it would receive in normal use and it held firm giving me the confidence that it would not let you down. As a cautionary note, however, make sure it is fitted correctly before relying on it, as on occasion it needs a tweak until fully seated. We wouldn’t want any mishaps now would we? There is a variety of pistol grips that have clearly been inspired by the Magpul era and, to be honest, that is not a bad thing. They are comfortable and rubberised, giving good grip and stopping your hand from slipping or chafing. If you have ever suffered from a blister where your index finger rubs, you will be grateful for the attention to detail on the grips. Different grips come with different length rifles. I am sure that if you must have a different grip they will be available as aftermarket spares soon enough - if not already. The trigger comes as a straight edge “match” type as standard and being wired into the Ares electronics it has minimal travel, making for a very snappy trigger response. It’s not really my thing but having seen so many people “upgrade” to these types of trigger, it’s nice to see Ares have gone to the effort to save you the hassle. The trigger guard is once again clearly inspired by the Magpul generation and the 7 inch and 13 inch guns that I am reviewing have different style guards. What do they bring to the party? Over all I’m guessing not too much. They look funky and serve the same purpose as any other trigger guard. I don’t know if by design or luck but the trigger guard on the 13-inch variant can act as a magazine guide into the housing. Y’know, if Stevie Wonder ever wanted to airsoft and needed a swift mag change… The charging handle opens the dust cover giving access to the hop unit as we would expect but the hop unit is not the traditional M4 style with the gear wheels. Instead it is more www.airsoft-action.online
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Armoury ARES METAL BADGER
or replace the stock. It also has a mounting point for sling loop in case you cannot let go of Vietnam and must have a 2 or 3 point sling fitted to the rifle. Across the two models I have in front of me, they each boast a different style of flash hider and looking at the diagrams on the box It would appear each of the 6 models has its own. All are the typical 14 x 1.0mm thread common to airsoft and these are normal clockwise threads (righty tighty, lefty loosey). The one on the 7 inch variant is more akin to a muzzle brake than a flash hider but I like the look of it. It is very AK74. So on the face of it, the gun is flawless gem, right? Well, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that. It is bloody good but there are two minor issues that have irritated me. I was all set to slate this gun based purely on it being Ares and then it surprised the hell out of me for all the right reasons. Sadly, Ares have let themselves down on a few minor points which I would attribute to attention to detail.
“WITH RAIL LENGTHS OF 7, 9, 10, 12, 13.5 AND 15 INCHES, ALL AVAILABLE IN EITHER BLACK OR DARK EARTH, ARES REALLY HAVE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.” akin to what we would expect to see on AK, P90 and G36 variants, with a single rotating wheel operating a snail cam inside the unit. The bolt release is functional and allows the faux bolt plate to cover up the hop unit. This function allows you to have your dust cover open with the bolt on view but your hop protected from the elements…. Essential if you want to get those new Facebook profile pictures. The stock… Again, I am forced to concede defeat. It is well made, durable, functional, good looking but most of all it is easy to use. Similar in look to the famous Magpul CTR stock, it offers all of the benefits but does away with the main drawback… getting the damned thing on and off your stock tube. The days of scratching your stock or stabbing yourself in the hand with a screwdriver are over! The adjustment lever is where you would expect it to be, protected in the confines of the stock body and the removal pin is in the same place. The fundamental difference is having a sleek and non-obtrusive handle you can use without tools. It takes seconds to remove
The all-important Chrono results: Tested in my living room at 22°c (as it was sub-zero outside and I didn’t fancy that) with .25 ammo (as I cannot remember the last time I had any .20 knocking around the place) with a Madbull v2 Chrono. Results shown for .25 ammo are actual, result shown for .20 ammo are mathematical approximates.
13” version
7” version
.25 actual .20 conversion 295 330 299 335 293 329 300 336 299 335 393 329 295 330 289 324 295 330 305 341
.25 actual .20 conversions 301 336 316 353 315 351 315 351 302 338 317 352 320 358 320 358 303 339 317 352
My thanks go to iWholesales for the loan of the gun and I promised I’d include their contact details, so here they are: Tel: 01753 682686 Email: info@iwholesales.co.uk
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• The stock itself is great but on both models it is pretty slack around the stock tube. It has a bit of wobble and rattle. It really isn’t the end of the world but when you have gone through the effort to make such a lovely looking and feeling rifle why mess this bit up? • The iron sights/BUIS. Well what can I say? Throw them in the bin. My kid has better sights on his Nerf guns. They are moulded plastic and barely adjustable. Even if you could adjust them, the aperture is so small it may as well not be there. Perfect for cosmetic looks but about as much use as indicators on a BMW. • The magazines rattle about in the mag housing. Don’t get me wrong, they feed and work with no issues but as I am using their Amoeba Arms P mags and would have expected a better fit what with them being made for the same company and all. I tried a selection of mags and all suffered the wobble. Overall it is a nice looking gun with plenty of gadgetry on the inside to make it very usable in almost any game scenario you find yourself in. It is ergonomic, light and very comfortable to field. With the stock adjusted correctly it rolls into the shoulder with ease – more useful for target shooting than airsofting but the balance and feel of the gun is, in my opinion, lovely, so well worth a mention and credit where it is due. I started this review expecting to hate the gun before I even un-boxed it. In the interest of a non-biased review I took the gun to Wales for a game (the 7 inch version) and it held its own. It failed to feed on one magazine (I was set to SAFE, BURST, AUTO) and it fired one in three on burst and one in a few more on auto. I changed the magazine and it started to feed fine. Range was lacking but you have to remember this was a brand new gun out of the box. The first time it saw ammo was at the foot of Everest in Wales – okay, so I exaggerate, but it was a really big and steep hill)! However, the more I used it the more it bedded in and became a strong contender. I can assure you as I prepare to write the next bit, nobody is more shocked than I but it needs to be said… “Yeah, I’d have one of these!”
IN THE MARKET FOR A WELL-PRICED AIRSOFT PISTOL THAT PERFORMS WELL STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX? JERRY NOONE RECKONS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THE “STEALTH ASSASSIN” FOR MAXIMUM “BANG FOR YOUR BUCK”!
STEALTH ASSASSIN I’M EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE a number of very good airsoft mates who live in the USA and one, in fact, lives just a few miles away from MacDill Air Force Base, home of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM). His local “real steel” gun range is between his home and the base and he told me that you never knew who was going to be shooting on the lane next to you! Suffice to say it was my absolute pleasure when visiting on holiday to shoot every now and again with some very fit, very suntanned gentlemen, many of whom were passing through the base and just wanted to “keep their eye” in. We never asked (and they never told) but it was fairly obvious that these guys were not working in one of the hotels on the beach and many of them could quite feasibly have had their hands on the subject of this review, the “MK23 SOCOM” pistol. In 1989, USSOCOM began reviewing their equipment to see which gear fitted the needs of their Close Quarters Battle (CQB) role. Most units actually used different firearms, so the logistics of getting spare parts and ammunition for all these weapons was overwhelming. In response, SOCOM decided to standardise small arms among all units and one area to come under close scrutiny was the pistol. The study of this was part of the Offensive Handgun Weapon System (OHWS) competition. Regular troops had the Beretta M9 in 9mm as their secondary weapon but SOCOM’s operators do their job “up close and personal”, which of course means that pistols are more likely to be used as primary weapons. So thorough were the requirements and so exhaustive was the testing in the first round of the competition that only Heckler and Koch’s (H&K) submission was left to advance to Phase II! This second round of testing subjected the subjects to the strictest reliability strictures any pistol ever went through; three pistols completed a 30,000-round endurance test and maintained accuracy of 2.5 in (64 mm) at 25 meters; only the O-rings needed replacement after 20,000 rounds. The weapons
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worked in temperatures from -25 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit while exposed to mud, ice and sand. Phase III was the awarding of a production contract to H&K in June 1995. Their pistol was given the military classification of MK23 Mod 0, and 1,950 systems were ordered at $1,186 each. All pistols were produced in Germany and the first was delivered to SOCOM on 1st May 1996. The real Heckler & Koch MK 23, MK 23 MOD 0 is actually a complete system consisting of a semi-automatic pistol, a laser aiming module (LAM) and suppressor. It was adopted by USSOCOM for Special Operations units use throughout the duration of the 1990s, although some are undoubtedly still in service today.
GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS!
When the “Stealth Assassin” arrived with me it was immediately recognisable as a replica of a MK23, right down to its huge physical size and the long suppressor that was included as a part of the deal! Nowhere on the box or the gun though was any mention of the manufacturer though so some detective work was definitely in order. The only giveaway to its origin was a small cardboard cover for the included test batch of (rather dodgy) .20g BBs that bore the legend “Y&P, Made in Taiwan”; on further digging I discovered that Y&P are actually one of the oldest airsoft gas gun manufacturers in Taiwan with a range of models derived from HFC and KJ Works, so all good there! With that under control it was on to look at the pistol itself; One of the bigger handguns, almost as large as a “DEAGLE”, the “Stealth Assassin” comes in a simply illustrated box marked “Special Operation Stealth Assassin 1:1 Gas Non-Blowback Airsoft Gun”. The box gives the information that the pistol is 427mm (including the suppressor) in length, weighs in at 1,000 grams, has a magazine capacity of 28 BBs and can be used with .20g to .25g weights of ammunition. Although the box shows the MK23 replica with a suppressor and Laser Aiming Module (LAM), what’s actually in the box is
Armoury Y&P “STEALTH ASSASSIN” MK23 SOCOM
“NON-BLOWBACK GUNS ARE USUALLY A LITTLE MORE POWERFUL THAN THEIR BLOWBACK COUNTERPARTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT NO GAS IS USED TO MOVE THE SLIDE, BUT THE “STEALTH” SENT .20G BBS DOWNRANGE AT A HEALTHY MEAN OF 330FPS!”
the pistol and magazine, the suppressor, the small pack of .20g BBs mentioned earlier and a rather surprisingly well written English language instruction manual that contains an exploded parts list. It’s not provided with the LAM but TM LAMs come up regularly online fairly cheaply and could probably be fitted with minimum fuss if you want the full “operator look”. There are no trade or manufacturing marks whatsoever, not even a “Made in Taiwan” or “6mm” so it really is a “stealth” MK23 in all ways. It is predominantly made of a sturdy, matt black plastic with no obvious mould marks or blemishes; the finish is actually pleasingly crisp and clean. Metal parts include the magazine, trigger, inner barrel, hammer, magazine release and safety controls. The suppressor is actually quite a nifty bit of kit in itself; although it adds to the overall look of the pistol there’s a lot more going on here as it actually adds an additional 190mm to the inner barrel! I’ll come back to this later. While the pistol is a non-blowback model, you can cock the gun by pulling the slide or the hammer before firing. You don’t actually need to cock the slide as it’s really just the hammer that needs to be pulled back as this serves to load a BB into the chamber. There are two safety levers; the longer lever which is immediately above the trigger and the ambidextrous shorter lever which is located at the rear part of the pistol. The pistol needs to be made ready to fire with the hammer back before either will engage but this is a nice feature as you can have the gun made ready with redundant safety features in place. Once you have that magazine loaded and gassed up I have to say that the performance of the MK23 came as a little of a shock to me; non-blowback guns are usually a little more powerful than their blowback counterparts due to the fact that no gas is used to move the slide, but the “Stealth” sent .20g BBs downrange at a healthy mean of 330fps! When the suppressor was attached the chrono reading actually rose to a mean nigh on 380fps, which is going to be a little “warm” for most sites. That said the additional extra length of the inner barrel contained in
the suppressor shroud also increased the accuracy which means you could be taking shots from over the minimum engagement distance asked for by most, so I think you’d have to have a quiet chat to your local site operator about using this. I’d say that the “Stealth Assassin” is not an out and out skirmish gun, but like the real MK23 a precision tool designed to do a very specific job. Whilst it could happily be used without the suppressor in any environment, I would look at it more as a way of taking out sentries in a MilSim environment, given the range and accuracy. And here’s the very best bit; John at J-Tac Custom has them available right now for just £59.95, with spare magazines at £21.95 which means you can get a lot of gun for your money if you’re in the market for a new handgun! For more information please visit www.jtac-custom.co.uk or simply email them info@jtac-custom.co.uk
www.airsoft-action.online
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SHOT SHOW 2016
SCOTT FROM AIRSOFT ACTION HEADED OVER TO LAS VEGAS (AKA SIN CITY) TO CHECK OUT THE LARGEST GUN SHOW IN THE WORLD
WITH OVER 65,000 ATTENDEES VISITING the show, SHOT is very much a Mecca for all things shooting and hunting. From Crossbows to Tasers and every conceivable firearm in between, the show is a truly eye opening experience and I often found myself in awe – and occasionally a little shocked. The trade of firearms and the associated equipment and apparel is obviously colossal in the land of freedom and super-sized food. With hundreds of exhibitors there is a hugely diverse market on show and yet airsoft is only a very small part of it. So where does Airsoft fit into the world’s largest gun show? Admittedly, Airsoft is very much the poor cousin at the SHOT Show, so poor that often the people walking onto the stands don’t realize they’re not real firearms. “How is that possible?” I hear you ask. Well when you see a company selling a real Winchester, styled in Boba Fett colours you start to understand that weird and wonderful is often what sets you aside from everyone else. Last year for the first time I met Rudy Reyes, ex-Marine Recon and actor from the hit TV show Generation Kill. He’s definitely a quirky chap but knows his stuff undoubtedly, as he’s now an ambassador for Beyond Clothing. He only found out about airsoft just over a year ago and couldn’t work out why people played. Since then he’s learned more and, apart from being a game, it’s a great form of tactical training. This, coupled with firearms celebrities such as Chris Costa having even more ties with the airsoft market by attending events in Japan, only raises the bar and perception of our market – in some eyes anyway. Now that there is growing recognition from many real firearms manufacturers that the Airsoft market does show potential, it’s only going to get better – or worse, depending on where your opinions sit. The shooting industry is heavily profit driven in the US, not that it is a bad thing entirely. With colossal government contracts in the mix, some people stand to make a huge amount of money if they play their cards right. This is partly why the NRA is so powerful, they have large sums of support and money. You think if Donald Trump was an average Joe he would be running for President? Of course not! If you throw enough money at anything people begin to listen and it no longer is about being right or wrong. All men are equal it’s just that some are more equal than others. Like any pastime, from golf to building model aircraft, the more money you spend the more desirable product you will get. Spend a little and you will get a product that is largely available to the masses. If you spend a lot of money you will get a better quality (and occasionally, an artificially priced product). So walk along to the huge specialist firearms manufacturers and you will see high end prices being endorsed by big names such as ex-Magpul stars Chris Costa and Travis Haley, as well as dozens of pro shooting teams; Larry Vickers, The Gunny and many more I never even recognise. Names, advertising and marketing are the driving force that each of the big manufacturers use daily to punt their products in every walk of life. The SHOT Show allows all the different walks of life within the shooting/hunting trade to pour into one great big melting pot and cross-connect. This is why it is a great thing for
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event SHOT SHOW 2016
Airsoft as a sport. Once again this year’s show was a steady deals are made, impressions are given and new products are improvement over the year before and that shows a dedication launched. Sometimes they do well, other things you see nose and solidarity within the industry from the manufacturers. dive spectacularly. Many big names such as Colt, Samson, H&K, Mega Arms, So what was the low down this year? Fortis, Knights and Magpul take large sums of cash from Airsoft It was a solid set of stands from G&G, Krytac, PTS, ICS and manufacturers to use their names and you can understand why. Nuprol there showing the good side of Airsoft. The stands were Airsoft really does ride on the coat tails of the greatness that nice and professional-looking, thankfully less of a gulf between events like the SHOT Show have created. The civilian shooting what they have at IWA in Germany and this partly boils down market in the US is giant to say the least, well over 300 million “FOUR DAYS JUST ISN’T ENOUGH TO SEE EVERYTHING, NOT EVEN CLOSE. WE weapons are in the general public domain it is believed. This WALKED OVER 10KM A DAY AROUND THE SHOW AND I THINK I AM ONE OF means that the industry is worth THE FEW PEOPLE WHO EVER WENT TO VEGAS AND LOST WEIGHT!” hundreds of millions of dollars and Airsoft is another string to their bow.... or coin in their purse. to costs. SHOT Show is fantastically expensive due to tied up So why bother with Airsoft? union contracts that means you need three men to change a Well a nice clear example is the UK. We can’t own many light bulb – that’ll be $500 please! …and I am being serious. firearms due to our draconian laws that dictate that individual police firearms officers have the right to deny anyone they see UMAREX fit from having firearms if they do not think they need them. Speaking with Umarex, who distribute all of the H&K branded If you live in Scotland that could one day very soon extend to Airsoft rifles, was eye opening. We’ve seen very little H&K in Air Weapons too. Which means the chances of ever having the UK over recent months because the manufacturing plant a civilian range course is nigh on impossible – unless you are cannot keep up with demand. With less than 20% of the order willing to travel to the other end of the country once a year to being fulfilled, it doesn’t sound like this will change any time poke a hole in a piece of paper. soon either. It is a crying shame because after the success of Airsoft is our easy alternative to shooting and by rights the insanely expensive G28 it doesn’t look like there is anything we pay for the privilege, in license fees to the real steel on the horizon for the future that is new. This is partly because manufacturers the same way we pay for it in our Nike trainers H&K haven’t really made many new weapons, so do not expect (to have the latest successful athlete tell us we need the newest to see anything other than a restock in 2016. and greatest offering they have). Even though the chances are the last pair of trainers you had were just fine and you’ll only GUAY GUAY (G&G) wear them when dusting the house anyway. The G&G stand always pales compared to their IWA effort, The only serious alternative to licensing in Airsoft is what which boasts a largely interactive floor showing off a great the likes of G&G and ICS in Taiwan do; they make their own number of products past, present and future. Admittedly some self designed rifles which bear a very close resemblance to of these products seem to remain in the future or disappear some real firearms without being so close that they have to pay entirely before ever being released. This year the stand a licence fee. This keeps the cost down for the end user and was bigger and better. It showed off a few new interesting means they can produce new designs even faster. products. The successful Combat Machine range has had a So we have the choice that the manufacturers offer to us. revamp that we saw over 2015 and now they are looking at The SHOT Show is the mixing bowl where the ideas are born, really nice looking tactical AKs which will sport their electronic trigger. One of these AKs looks very similar to the Magpul Beta Project AK released a couple of years ago. Additionally two Honey Badger type rifles that also looked very high quality, with shrouded silencers and a nice compact stock.
www.airsoft-action.online
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event SHOT SHOW 2016
They did have a rifle with an HPA set up, which may suggest that there will be a P Star version released in the future but this has not been confirmed, only thought about. My concern is that a P Star set up is expensive, so it might make the rifle a much more expensive alternative. Their new hop up units were also on show and it looks like they’ve decided on a Madbull style hop up unit that is generally a good design. I did finally see a G&G MG42 on display that I always presumed was massively overpriced. I was totally wrong but it is probably over-engineered for Airsoft. The finish and materials are very realistic, yet at over £1,000 for the model, it’s a tough sell for the average collector. We did chat briefly about the lack of support weapons and it does appear to be in the G&G thought process, which probably means it will either never happen, or it will be released next week!
KWA
Distribution was the key area here again. There still isn’t anything firm at the moment for stockists other than importing from the Far East (or the Far West), which doesn’t help anyone in the UK. KWA USA are able to provide stock to Europe but it may not be the most costeffective path, meaning the end user pays twice the price of a WE pistol and Taiwan to US, then back to Europe seems to be a long trip. On display was the illusive
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AK ERG, that is apparently finished after all of these long years. It does look very good too but without the ability to test it, we couldn’t say for sure. KWA had their own take on a Magpul PDR last year (which didn’t appear this year) but they did have a “prototype” (possibly more of a mock-up) of a Thompson GBB – in a glass case with no real info. KWA the last few years seem to have stood still almost completely. I am unsure if the joining and then unjoining with Kriss Arms has caused a financial, technical or staffing problem but it certainly smells that way. All in all a little disappointing but at the same time fairly typical of the KWA brand. It is a crying shame because their pistols are by a country mile some of the best out there.
PTS SYNDICATE
PTS have made one of the best comebacks of any Airsoft company. Magpul PTS was their bread and butter and then it was gone in one swift stroke. In the last couple of years they released the Mega Arms MKM gas blow back rifle, the ERG rifles and a variety of their own branded Enhanced Polymer range. Their rifles are all being built by the same OEM manufacturer as KWA (hence the confidence in the KWA AK ERG) and the quality has always been very high. Now they are releasing the Masada ERG and a Mega Arms .308 GBB platform – the coolest version by far. There was also a more Centurion Arms M4 GBB style rifle range being released, which is slightly less exciting than an ERG platform for me. Also on show was a gas blow back Masada to be released later this year, this was a working sample and the finish was great. The Centurion Arms rifle range should be released this year too, to cover the standard M4 base for PTS. In short, PTS seem to be
HPA is still fairly small with in the UK so it’s a fairly small step forward. Personally I’d rather they did a Dark Earth version of the EVO first, as HPA just isn’t big enough. That said, the Wolverine kit is meant to be solid and reliable at a fair price point so it’s not all bad.
KRYTAC
Kraken Tactical are the new big boys, who also happen to be from KRISS Arms (who make the real Vector). They are currently the only firearms manufacturer who makes their own Airsoft gear and it bloody well shows! They have the right staff that are experienced in the Airsoft and firearms industries, which means they don’t waste time and money on licensing and loopholes. We were invited to the exclusive after show launch to check out the new Krytac range for 2016 and the electric Vector we told you about in 2015? Well there was a prototype! Full sized gearbox, 350fps with 120 round mid cap magazines. Very, very exciting. The Krytac range will be getting an overhaul too, with new styled parts – that is uncommon to see a manufacturer do. The finished LVOA Warsport rifles were on show and should be available by the time you read this magazine.
REDWOLF
steadily plodding forward with an expanding range of solid, well thought out goods. It is only a shame they are doing so much GBB, which largely excludes most UK players.
DYTAC
I had a good meeting with DyTac, who are keen to increase their market share within the UK. Good value M4 platforms are already available and DyTac have said they are looking to continue the improvement of the existing gearbox, to be a stronger contender in terms of reliability and performance. The low cost rails and spares they produce are already a huge hit in the UK, as good value alternatives to the likes of G&P and Madbull. New on the cards for them is the officially licensed Hex Mag, a funky polymer magazine that allows users to switch out coloured base plates for different uses. They now have their own rifle being built which should be out this year. Watch Airsoft Action for an exclusive preview of this rifle!
ACTIONSPORTGAMES
After the successful launch of the EVO, ASG are on a little bit of a high and yet nothing equally exciting has been seen for some time now. Last year they showed off the CZ805 Bren, which is apparently now closer but still not quite there. Again, like the EVO it has been worked from the original blueprints. It’ll be a modular system that will take the regular magazine, or an M4 magazine. It has an ambidextrous fire selector, swappable cocking handle and fully adjustable stock and although it is an unusual rifle, by no means is it ugly. As always it depends on price and the player’s response to the rifle. It isn’t being built in Europe like the EVO, which is a shame too. The EVO was on show with the Wolverine HPA kit pre-fitted, a nice touch yet
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We caught up with RedWolf who are getting more into the licensing and manufacturing game these days. They had their ever funky KG9 on display, which is quite nice but only does full auto, which is a shame for some indoor sites. Also on display were some crazy 3 Gun rifles by Airsoft Surgeon – stunning but out of the
event SHOT SHOW 2016
average player’s price range. A new licensed pistol type with Agency Arms was on show too, it looked very nicely made but definitely wasn’t in the budget category. It would seem that everything pretty at RedWolf is going to come with a chunky price tag!
ICS
The ICS range was much as previous, with the clone Masada and the fairly similar looking M4s from last year. They did have an interesting version of the Magpul PRS stock though, which fits onto a stock tube which is much easier and better than the
original airsoft version. They also had new pistols on show with the strangely named “Black Leopard Eye”. As well as these big names there were companies such as Evike there, who retail in the US who had their licensed Salient Arms shotguns and M4 electric and GBB rifle. These will definitely carry a hefty price yet look utterly stunning. All in all the show is always enjoyable and informative, the Airsoft side was stronger than last year and the new releases were interesting. I’m glad to see companies like PTS and Krytac expanding quickly, as these are the big names what we’ve been lacking for so long. It is also interesting to see retailers like Evike and RedWolf beginning to move up in the world too. Sadly four days just isn’t enough to see everything, not even close. We walked over 10km a day around the show and I think I am one of the few people who ever went to Vegas and lost weight! As always Airsoft Action will have the up to date reports and the latest release reviews of the biggest brands around. Next stop IWA in Germany!
www.airsoft-action.online
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SIX-SHOT HEAVEN AS HE HAS A LOVE OF PISTOLS BORDERING ON THE PASSIONATE, LES LEE COULDN’T WAIT TO GET HIS HANDS ON THIS AWESOME-LOOKING REVOLVER – BUT WOULD IT LIVE UP TO HIS EXPECTATIONS?
ACTIONSPORTGAMES (ASG) ARE THE ONLY company that, at long last, have produced a top quality revolver, in the guise of the Dan Wesson 715 6mm pistol with the single, most recognised reason that revolvers have not been favoured by ‘softers - and that reason is that this beauty has a hop-up! I will offer up some tech spec later but for now, I’m looking at the obvious. We all know that there are some great revolvers out there, some very powerful but all have that same characteristic that at the end of the maximum velocity stage, the BB simply starts its descent and that’s that! So unless you are in a CQB environment (with compliant FPS) then this will not be doing you any favours and so typically your revolver, as charismatic as they are, will most likely find itself on a shelf gathering dust, as the novelty of having a great looking gun eventually wears off in favour of practicality. Now in all honesty I am biased when it comes to guns, 24
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I love pistols but I REALLY love revolvers. Maybe it’s an age thing, maybe it’s because I have spent too many hours shooting Colt .45s during my many trips to the US, living the dream on ranches in Arizona - or it could be simply that during my Section One days I was fortunate to be granted a license (being a Servant of the Crown has its privileges) to own a Taurus .38/.357 long barrel revolver, which became my pride and joy. During the Action Shooting days at a club where I was a member, we were restricted on calibres but my LBR was within these limits so once a month I spent a day shooting at twisting targets with my Taurus. I started by using .38s and they were okay but then I started to use .357 Magnum rounds and my, oh my, what a huge difference! I felt like the hammer of the revolver was somehow connected to my adrenal gland and I had a rush of feel-good every time I pulled the trigger. I never did go back to the .38s.
Armoury ASG DAN WESSON 715
“WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE THE QUALITY OF THE DAN WESSON 715, FROM THE FULL METAL CONSTRUCTION AND THE SOLID PRECISION-ENGINEERED MECHANICS TO THE LONG-RANGE ACCURACY, YOU MIGHT INADVERTENTLY FALL HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH THIS BABY. THE DAN WESSON 715 IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE NEW BENCHMARK IN AIRSOFT REVOLVERS.”
Anyway, I digress but my history and experience with the real deal has made this pistol review especially rewarding for me, as I am one of the fortunate few that has owned a real .357 Magnum Revolver and delivered hundreds of rounds onto targets (so hopefully can offer an informed perspective, whether it’s delivering lead or plastic). Smith & Wesson (S&W) is one of the most historically renowned and respected names in the USA, in the manufacture of quality firearms. Founded in 1852, their pistols and revolvers quickly became the standard issue firearm for Police and armed forces throughout the world, in addition to sport shooters. Probably the most iconic was featured in the Clint Eastwood movie Dirty Harry, when Inspector Harry Callaghan wanted bad guys to make his day. The long-awaited .357 Magnum version of the revolver has a beautiful stainless finish and is renowned for its fit, finish and accuracy. It weighs in at a determined 3lbs with a six inch barrel (barrels are interchangeable) and this has a MSRP of $1,168, so be assured this is a sidearm of the highest quality. It also features a heavy barrel shroud which helps hold the muzzle of the gun down (a very desirable feature on any Magnum) and
the airsoft version is quite simply a beautiful emulation. The DW 715 double action revolver that is available to us Brits comes in two finishes and two calibres but, of course, we are only interested in the 6mm airsoft model which comes in steel grey (the high power version) or stainless, which is internally regulated and has an FPS of around 300, making it more skirmish friendly. The 715 is compatible with any other Dan Wesson shells (which are widely available) so if you are looking to buy one in grey and use it for airsoft, you will need additional “power-down” shells which will set you back about fifteen quid for six and reduce the power to about one joule. From the uber comfortable ergonomic Hogue-type rubber pistol grip (with a built in hex wrench), to the fixed front sight on top of the weighty six inch barrel shroud, this pistol is a pure breath-taking, pulse-raising stunner, made from the finest materials and which will give you years of reliable service. When you experience the quality of the Dan Wesson 715, from the full metal construction and the solid precision-engineered mechanics to the long-range accuracy, you might inadvertently fall head over heels in love with this baby. The Dan Wesson 715 is undoubtedly the new benchmark in airsoft revolvers.
www.airsoft-action.online
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CZ SP-01 SHADOW based on the latest generation of pistols from CZ
> CO2 & gas compatible > 1.5mm fiber optic front sight > Comfortable rubber grip > Front rail to mount accessories > A full metal body construction > Double stack mag – 26 rds.
ActionSportGames® is a worldwide leader in the business of replica firearms and accessories manufacturing – including Airsoft guns, Airguns, CO2 guns and firearms replicas.
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This pistol is lightweight and easy to operate, the ergonomic grip with checkered rubber grip panels makes it sit extremely well in the hand. It features a fiber optic front sight and an accessory rail.
WARNING! CAN SERIOUSLY INCREASE YOUR ACCURACY
Join us on Facebook – “Team ASG” http://www.facebook.com/actionsportgames
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The CZ SP-01 SHADOW is an exciting new pistol from ActionSportGames. It is based on the latest generation of pistols from CZ, which are designed from input provided by Law Enforcement, Military and Police communities worldwide, and with additional input from the world premier shooters of Team CZ.
27-01-2016 12:24:52
Armoury ASG DAN WESSON 715
Please, please, please… …take my advice when I say if (sorry, I mean when) you place your order for this breath-taking six shooter and make sure that you also buy a big handful of power-down shells if you are buying the steel grey version. Otherwise when you get caught (and you will get caught) at a skirmish, you will be dishonourably discharged, or in airsoft parlance, “kicked off the site for having a smoking hot gun”. This new puppy from ASG had a varied muzzle velocity of 435-455 (with .20s on a new Co2 bulb) when I put dozens of rounds through the chronograph today. It also comes with a hefty “crack”, which would soon have a Marshal’s head revolving 360 degrees and zeroing in on this unmissable firearm before stalking you with chrono in hand - possibly with the reluctant need to give you your marching orders. Airsoft Action wants every airsofter to have a great day out in the safest possible way and I am glad that I was the chosen one to product test such an incredible sidearm but with my balanced perspectives comes my absolute need to raise factual awareness on points that sometimes get overlooked and Health & Safety is something I won’t ever ignore. In the box you will also find six standard cartridges, a speed loader, two hex wrenches and of course the user manual. The smaller of the two hex keys is for the hop adjustment, which is a simple matter of locating the access point or “key hole” along the top, just in front of the barrel housing, inserting the key and turning anti-clockwise to increase, or clockwise to decrease the hop. This well thought out facility has the advantage of being able to keep the gun safely aimed and under control whilst making the adjustments. The larger of the two keys is primary for securing the CO2 bulb, which is housed in the grip, however, should you not have this allen key to hand then there is one fixed inside the rubber grip for fast acquisition. New DW 715 custom designed CNC aluminium rail mounts are also available should you choose to add some gloss to your gun in either silver, steel grey, blue or red.
DW 715 6” SILVER (LOW POWER)
Even when rules, regulations or safety concerns put limits on firepower, the silver Dan Wesson 715 will impress with its precision mechanics, perfect grip and solid feel. Add to this the adjustable hop-up for long range shooting and you have a field legal Dan Wesson 715 that uses the standard cartridge and stands out, in my opinion, as one of the finest airsoft guns on the market.
LOW POWER CARTRIDGES
If you choose to purchase the grey steel version, then these specially designed cartridges for the Dan Wesson 6mm Airsoft revolvers reduce the velocity more than 50%, allowing the 715 to be used in all skirmishes and on all shooting ranges. They are available in packs of six or 25 pieces.
ON TEST
Today’s test was done using .20 BBs on a Madbull chronograph. After inserting a brand new CO2 bulb I loaded the standard cartridges into the barrel and the first two mags averaged at 444 FPS before the power started to drop, however, I did get five mags-worth of power that was more than adequate before a bulb change was needed. The second part of the test was with the power-down shells and again, the first couple of magazines produced a skirmishable average of 247 and once again, enough CO2 left for three more chambers of lowerpowered shooting. In keeping with its reputation, the 6mm 715 had accuracy to match. Fixed on a work bench (thus eliminating human deviation) at ten metres the grouping with minimal wind produced a credible 7 inches (with two flyers) over 12 shots using the .20s, which is more than enough for a centre mass – in fact, 5 rounds were no more than 4 inches apart. Nice! When you take a good close look at this pistol, it’s hard not to notice just how much precision has been incorporated in its creation. I love the overall aesthetics, the beautiful symmetrical lines, the idyllic weight which oozes a “don’t mess with me” feel and every moving part does so with such purpose and promise, a promise which says “don’t worry, I won’t fail you”. So as I conclude this review, I have come to terms with the fact that I have developed a rather bizarre fetish, because I cannot seem to stop picking this revolver up, passing it from hand to hand and just feeling the love. Is that weird? Les OUT!
features Easy accessible adjustable hop-up system Unique front cylinder release latch functionality Impressive weight of more than 1.2 kilograms Hogue® imitation rubber grip design with embossed DW logo Precise drum lock design Discreet safety switch Integrated tool for tightening CO2 cartridge Smooth trigger pull Compatibility with existing Dan Wesson cartridges in the market Fully adjustable rear sight Rough patterned hammer design for improved thumb grip .357 Magnum engraving on the full metal heavy duty outer barrel A unique individual stamped serial number on each gun Double action function New design Expect to pay up to: £130.00
www.airsoft-action.online
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Inside Airsoft FIRE SUPPORT
FIRE SUPPORT LES LEE CONTINUES HIS JOURNEY ROUND THE UK’S AIRSOFT RETAILERS WITH A VISIT TO ONE OF THE LONGEST-ESTABLISHED AND MOST WELL-KNOWN BEFORE WE START, I WANT YOU to think of the first half dozen top UK Airsoft retailers that come into your mind and I will happily face a plastic firing squad if any of you didn’t think “Fire Support” amongst those six. Yes, Fire Support has been around and doing it well for many, many years and they are very good at what they do. The company was founded by John Dean and Frank Bothamley in 2003. They were both players, although John started a long time before Frank, who started in 1999. They met at a local site which, after just a short while, shut down but their friendship stayed intact. However, back then in 1999 there were only about 25 sites spread around the country and none were near them, so they started looking for places to play. Eventually they started running their own regular games on some nearby Forestry Commission land and they called the company “Free Fire Zone”. As is always the case, they found that they needed parts to fix guns and stock so like most others, they were importing them from Hong Kong. They also found that their fellow players, who were now becoming friends and acquaintances, also needed parts and they asked them to get them bits as well, so they started getting things in. It didn’t take long before John and Frank realised they could do more and so they invested a large amount of savings and made their first order of guns and magazines in 2003. Starting with just a website and online selling, they progressed to having a shop which now has over 9,000 different products in their range (presumably they mean their Stock Room, not their range… Sorry, author’s bad joke!) In my travels I have found that there are many different “type” of shop out there. I have even seen one airsoft
“OUT OF THE SEVEN STAFF, FOUR ARE REGULAR PLAYERS AND TWO ARE DEDICATED ENGINEERS WITH A COMBINED TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.” www.airsoft-action.online
29
“retailer” whose stock room-come-showroom is nothing more than a regular under stairs walk in cupboard - and this is out the back as the front and main shop sells products that couldn’t be any more disconnected from airsoft! There is nothing that shows that it sells airsoft RIFS and regular air rifles and pistols but they have been trading in “both” areas for many years. Then there are the state-of-the-art showrooms, like JD Airsoft, Crawley Surplus Store and many others, where there is wall to wall stock in a customer-friendly, custom-built store. What I’m saying is don’t judge a book by its cover because it’s not what’s on the outside but what is in the heart and soul of the people behind the name. Fire Support isn’t one of the biggest shops in the country, in fact I was rather surprised because the amount of stock, sales, services and “BUT AS THEY SAY “SIZE other facilities that they offer gave me DOESN’T MATTER” AND the impression that I was going to find FIRE SUPPORT IS BY FAR an airsoft warehouse and shop front to match. If I say “Tardis” you will AS TRUE AS CAN BE TO probably know what I mean. THAT CLICHÉ BECAUSE But as they say “size doesn’t THEY STOCK AND HAVE matter” and Fire Support is by far as true as can be to that cliché ACCESS TO MORE because they stock and have access PRODUCTS THAN THE to more products than the majority of retailers. I must add that my sources MAJORITY OF RETAILERS.” told me that Fire Support carries THE biggest and best range of parts and accessories in the UK, so when I asked Frank if this bold statement was true, he, without a moment’s hesitation replied “We are a dedicated Airsoft Shop and one stop shop for any Airsoft needs, we stock more parts and accessories for fixing and upgrading guns than any other shop in Europe”, so my sources were spot on once again! I will also add that there is ample free car parking and toilets to help with your excitement, just in case you have that dreaded “Tena” moment after fondling their wares. Out of the seven staff, four are regular players and two are dedicated engineers with a combined twenty five years of experience. Last but not least is the staff member that makes sure all of the mail orders are dealt with, packaged up and sent out ASAP, which is probably a lesser known role but is absolutely essential to the ongoing success of their retail
30
March 2016
services. Fire Support is the sole distributor for everything ICS in the UK and Ireland, so if you are one of the many ICS fans out there then look no further than Fire Support for whatever you want, however, other less common brands are stocked as well, such as Kong Power, Guarder, Gate, Mil Spec Monkey and LCT, in addition to the usual well known makes. I asked Frank to explain a little about these slightly lesser-known brands and why he carries them, he replied: “ICS - we are their sole distributor in UK and Ireland - they are a great gun, reliable, sold by people who have access to over 800 parts and accessories. Milspec Monkey… great patches and t-shirts. Kong Power batteries… great low cost reliable lipos. Guarder… great upgrade and repair parts for pistols and AEGs. Excel BBs… some of the best and most consistent BBs available. Magpul Real steel products… because they are the best and people love them. “ICS is by far the most popular brand that we sell, more and more players are choosing ICS because of its reliability. The ICS HOG and APE are the popular models at the moment.” Okay, by now I’m getting deep into the mechanical workings of Fire Support and the ethos behind it, and this is truly one of the most impassioned airsoft companies out there. This isn’t just a retailer that sells guns and kit, Fire Support is a heavy duty industry leader which caters for everything airsoft and now I am seeing just why they are so well respected and spoken about in such high regard in the airsoft world. If there is one thing that defines the devotion that Frank (in particular) has for airsoft, it is his relationship with the UKARA scheme. Like it, love it or loath it, it’s here to stay and from what I understand, a lot of us, myself included, might be up a very stinky creek without a paddle without it. So of course, I wasn’t going to let this opportunity of some insight into UKARA go un-checked, so I asked Frank for a brief explanation on the subject itself and Frank’s role within it. “I’m the chairman of UKARA and I think it’s a great service. All it does is facilitate the sale of guns by making the membership details of players be available online. It removes the need to have to contact a site owner to see if a player is able to buy a gun. “A myth is that it’s UKARA that made the “3 in 2” rule, that’s not true as it is the Home Office guidance. For example, let’s imagine this scenario without UKARA:
Inside Airsoft FIRE SUPPORT
“You want to buy a gun so you order one from a retailer, it’s Thursday morning and you want it for Friday as you have a game at the weekend… “The retailer has to contact the site to get a copy of their insurance documents and confirmation that you have played enough times to buy a gun, however, the site owner has gone away for a week’s holiday. The retailer can’t get hold of the site and therefore cannot sell the gun, the customer is not happy and the weekend plans are ruined. “Also, if you are a large site owner, do you want to be replying to 100s of emails and telephone calls asking for confirmation of a player’s eligibility to buy a gun? I guess the answer is “No” for most of them. “UKARA just makes the process simple. It’s a retail association that has created a database to store player details and site insurance details, so as to enable its members to sell guns and customers to buy guns with as little hassle as possible in the fastest possible process”. I think that summarises the UKARA system perfectly and sure, there are those out there that enjoy a great argument on this subject, you see it on the dreaded Facebook all the time with the “chairsofters” that know everything there is to know about British firearm laws but, like everything in life, there are always differences of opinion, different perceptions and interpretations that are taken out of context. In my opinion, UKARA is it is a simple, effective means of legitimately making a purchase with a valid defence in place. What I see is a group of responsible retailers that have simply created a central database to make things a whole lot easier for all of us, and yes, many may use the term “valid defence” but how many airsofters actually have an alternate valid defence which enabled them to buy their RIF? This debate could go on forever so time to get back on point. Fire Support are renowned for their first class friendly customer service and they also offer a great choice of guns
and accessories, not forgetting the huge stock of upgrade and replacement parts. The shop is always full of stock, which means that not all the gear is on display, so to combat this John and Frank have an “easy to navigate” PC for the customers to use at their leisure and quite often it’s just a simple case of a customer saying “Can I take a look at this one” and a quick trip to the stockroom makes it happen. The system is updated every single time there is a change to anything, no matter how minimal it may seem, such is their professionalism and integrity. It’s also worth mentioning that Fire Support they have incorporated probably the The Yard largest availability of manuals on line and Conquest Drove if you don’t believe me, check out: www. Peterborough Road fire-support.co.uk/category/airsoft-gunPeterborough manuals! PE7 3DH I also notice that their prices are very www.fire-support.co.uk competitive, which makes airsofters even sales@fire-support.co.uk happier! These guys are passionate about their shop, their service and their place 01733 247171 in the airsoft world in general and they will only ever treat customers in the way that they would want to be treated themselves, a concept that nobody can argue with. Last but by no means least, I would be failing in my feature if I didn’t mention that a lot of the credit should go to those behind the scenes, those fixing the broken guns, warranty repairs, upgrades and of course, two toning (done once a week on a Wednesday night) which means that the customer will be shooting it that weekend. All part of the Fire Support service! Les OUT!
Contact Details:
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LCT AEGS IN STOCK The famed quality, real wood and steel construction of LCT AEGs in now available from Fire Support.
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LCT LCKM-63 AEG LCT LCKM-63 AEG Airsoft Gun. Steel receiver, barrel and foregrip. Real wood pistol grips and stock. Front and rear sling points Single shot and full auto fire modes. Adjustable Hop-Unit includes 600rd hi-cap mag, Rear wired connector.
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LCT TX-63 AEG LCT TX-63 AEG Airsoft Gun. The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM. The rifle first saw service with Soviet forces engaged in the 1979 Afghanistan conflict. Presently, the rifle continues to be used by the majority of countries of the former USSR. Steel receiver, RIS System, Barrel, Flash hider, Gas block... Wood stock and Pistol grip. Front and rear sling points. Includes Hi-Cap Mag Battery 8.4v Stick (Type 05) not included..
LCT RPK NV AEG LCT RPK AEG The Real Steel RPK functions identically to the AK-47. It also uses the same 7.62x39mm ammunition. It has a similar design layout to the AKM and AK-47 series of rifles, with modifications to increase the RPK’s effective range and accuracy, enhance its sustained fire capability, and strengthen the receiver. Specifications: Built Material: Steel / ABS / Wood Gear Box: Ver.3 Magazine Capacity: / hi cap 600rds Weight: 3450g Battery: 8.4v Mini (Type 03) 9.6v Mini (Type 04)
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08/10/2015 16:46
TEAM RHINO’S ANGELO DI VITO REPORTS FROM AN EVENT THAT WAS BORN OUT OF THE GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS SHOWN TO HIM BY THE AIRSOFT COMMUNITY I WANT TO START THIS REPORT with a very short story that will give you the foundation for why I wanted to support such a great charity. Around March/April of 2015, I was made aware by my boy Sonny that the other kids in his class at school were going to bake cakes and sell them to raise money for Sonny to go on the end of school trip to Lockerbie. The reason for this was myself and Sonny’s mum were having a few financial problems and simply couldn’t afford to pay for him to go. I was really touched by the work the kids were prepared to put in to get their mate on the trip and I posted my feelings on Facebook. Well what can I say? The response to that post from the airsoft community was simply staggering! Now I must point out that sharing the story on Facebook was in no way a means of canvassing support or donations from anyone. The money raised for him not only paid for the trip but also outdoor kit like boots etc. for the excursions, with a little bit left over for souvenirs. So with this in mind I decided I wanted to give something back, by way of raising money for a charity and involving the airsoft community. So that is what we did.
I have been friends with Wayne Ferret and Anthony Gregory via Facebook for some time now. Through numerous conversations I had with Wayne, I was made aware that his wife Tanya had been suffering with breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy in 2014. Wayne, very understandably, was extremely proud of the strength shown by and Tanya and was incredibly grateful for the fantastic work the Macmillan nurses had done. This got me thinking about what we could do in the way of raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. After a brief conversation with Wayne we decided to arrange a charity shoot for the start of December. First of all we needed a site that was big enough, had good access and parking and was available. So after numerous offers from various site operators in the North West we decided on the Farmistan site near Manchester, which was run by Tony Gregory. This was after myself and Rich from Rhino went to one of their game days to survey the site and both of us were convinced that with a little bit of work it was ideal. The date was set… 6th of December. As if the lure of supporting a fantastic charity wasn’t
MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT 34
March 2016
Charity event MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT
enough to get the airsoft community prepared to dig deep, we decided to have a raffle too and a few spot prizes throughout the day. Now it was time to have our first strategy meeting at Rhino HQ to get things rolling. After approximately three hours we knew what each of us was doing and we got the ball rolling. Wayne was responsible for liaison with Macmillan, Tony was to supervise all things site-related and it was my job to promote the event and get some raffle prizes together and create the event on Facebook. At this point I would like to say within hours of posting the event up on Facebook the response was fantastic. We were inundated with offers of help from all aspects of the airsoft community and other sources. I now decided to move on to getting some great raffle prizes pledged from kit suppliers and site operators, again the response was simply staggering. Some of the prizes left all three of us gobsmacked; pistols, RIFs, game days and an enormous gift voucher were among the many prizes donated by a host of very generous companies and individuals. As the day approached I’ll admit I was starting to become quite nervous, as we had over 100 players who would be attending and I was really hoping we could give them a day to remember. As it happens 86 players actually turned up, which was still way beyond what we actually expected. The site itself is a farm site (hence “Farmistan”), located on the outskirts of Manchester and was very easy to find with the details supplied. The terrain is very open and reminded me certain bleak areas of the Falkland Islands, not that I’ve been there but we’ve all seen the documentaries. One issue we came across was the Safe Zone simply wasn’t big enough to accommodate all the players, so the landowner offered us a huge barn as an alternative which was a Godsend. Game day was a 6 o’clock start for Team Rhino and along with a few of our “other halves”, we headed to the site. Tony was on car park duty and did a fantastic job of routing the cars up to the Safe Zone to dump their kit then off to park their cars. I have to say at this point Tony and his staff did an incredible job with this, as it could have quite easily descended into chaos. My wife, Natalie and Mark’s wife, Lizzie, got everyone signed in and with the help of Tanya, Wayne’s wife, sold a ridiculous amount of raffle tickets. At this point Tony decided to throw in a curved ball and said, “If we can get £100 in this bag before the safety brief, I
will wear a skirt and tights for the briefing!” I must add that this is not normal for Tony, the whole “skirt” thing was started the night before on Facebook but put it this way; by the time Keith Fox had told everybody about this little bonus the £100 was raised within about 7 minutes!! It was time to address the masses prior to the safety brief, to offer my huge thanks for attending and to make sure no one lost focus of what we looking to achieve on the day - and the fact this was a family day and the shoot wasn’t to be taken too
“KEITH SHOWED A LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO THIS DAY OVER AND BEYOND WHAT WAS EXPECTED AND WAS EVENTUALLY FOUND LYING ON HIS BACK IN A STREAM, ONLY COMING UP FOR AIR.” seriously. And now (as Bruce Buffer would say) it was time for the man in the skirt to do the safety and game brief… Tony directed the games, as Wayne and I were too busy dealing with eating the lovely buns Sarah, Rich’s wife, had made – and also arranging the items for the raffle. The first game of the day, that would take us to lunchtime, was “defend/capture the base” affair, which everyone seemed to really enjoy and when everyone had eaten lunch we ran the raffle, which was greatly received by all. There was a Stark Arms pistol, an M&P pistol, KJW KP08, a Tavor and Firehawk AEGs, assault vests, various fee site memberships and game days and a whopping £300 gift voucher to spend on kit! With the addition of a load of spot prizes, brilliantly dispensed by our very own Spot Prize Elf S.P.E., who was Mr Mike Donnison himself. At the end of the raffle Natalie and Lizzie hastily got together a total figure for us, which came to just over £3,000 and which absolutely knocked us all for six, including Stacey from Macmillan.
www.airsoft-action.online
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Charity event MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT
In the afternoon Wayne took Stacey out for a tour of the site and to get a feel for the action, she even had a go which was great. I have to say Stacey was an absolute credit to Macmillan. The afternoon’s games came to a close with “Hunt The Fox”. This was an absolutely brilliant way to end what was a very emotional and exciting day. Basically, my good friend Keith Fox popped a fox hat on, grabbed a few of his team mates to act as bodyguards and went and lost themselves in the site somewhere. Now you know what’s coming next? Yes, the rest of the players had to go and get him without getting shot and bring him back to base. I have to say that Keith showed a level of commitment to this day over and beyond what was expected and was eventually found lying on his back in a stream, only coming up for air. Now folks we are talking about a very cold day in December, the poor lad was absolutely soaked and freezing cold when he eventually made it back to the barn. In summary, the Macmillan Cancer Support Charity Event showed everyone what fantastic work can be done by the airsoft community, not just in the North West but nationally. Some players travelled for many hours to be there and to contribute to the day. We were totally overwhelmed by the response. So to each and every one who helped or attended, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, you are incredible people. Thank You.
Raffle prizes were donated by the following: Patrol Base, Trojan Woodland, Trojan Airsoft, Milspec Solutions, Skirmish Airsoft CQB, Alpha 55 Airsoft, Dangerzone Customs, The Skunkworks, Gunman Innovations, Urban 6 Airsoft, Sitch me Up. Other donators wished to remain anonymous. People to thank: Natalie Di Vito, Lizzie Standrill, Sarah Stephenson, Tanya, Lish, Lauren and all the Gunman staff who made it all run extremely smoothly. If you would like to find out more, or get involved with Macmillan Cancer Support, visit their website at: www.macmillan.org.uk
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D N E K E E W … R O I R R WA
AS A WHOLE NEW YEAR OF AIRSOFT LIES BEFORE US JERRY NOONE TAKES A CLOSE LOOK AT THE GEAR YOU’LL NEED IF YOU’RE THINKING OF ATTENDING ONE OF THE MANY “WEEKENDER” GAMES IN 2016!
Y L L U F ! D E D A O L
“In Action” images courtesy of Jonathan from Sim Tac Airsoft in Ireland
AS A NEW YEAR STARTS I always get a little tingle of excitement as to what it will bring me in airsoft terms. Many of us continue to skirmish during the winter but it’s the thought of those longer days and lighter evenings that really get me thinking about which games I’m going to sign up for. I’m as fond of a good “Sunday Skirmish” with the team as any man and the occasional, fully immersive MilSim is always good to get you on top of your game but it’s the middle ground that I enjoy the most! A good “weekender” to me is the best possible form for an airsoft game as not only will it usually give two full days, possibly with a night game thrown in, of airsoft but it will also give me an opportunity to catch up with fellow players from different parts of the country. There will always be a bit of a “social” element to a weekend game with good friends slinging “plastic death” at one another all day long and then coming together for a barbeque and a “lemonade” when play ceases. Tactics from the day will be analysed, new kit will be discussed and rated and new RIFs will be drooled over; it’s always great fun, especially if it’s warm and fair and the evening is mild. But in the UK of course we must always be prepared for that “liquid sunshine” moment and the preparation of our gear, what we carry and how we carry it must always be a primary consideration. Of course you’re already going to have all the gear you would normally play in and that’s a very personal choice so I won’t go into that; what I am going to lay out is a format for what you need in addition to your “line gear” to make your weekend fully enjoyable!
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RUC’IN’ UP!
The real things to consider for a weekender are actually quite straightforward and can be broken down into eight key elements; Load Bearing, Hydration, Food, Cooking, Lighting, Sleeping, Hygiene and Comfort (I’m assuming here that most of us carry some type of First Aid Kit as part of our usual gear).
March 2016
First up is Load Bearing and what I mean by this is simply how you’re going to carry your gear. At many weekenders you’ll be able to camp directly next, or at very least close to the vehicle you arrived in, so have your kit packed and organised in a large haul bag, something like the Snugpak Subdivide Roller which gives you separate compartments to keep everything stored and ready to hand when you need it. However, there are some games where you can crash out in buildings onsite overnight and this will often mean that you need to carry everything on your back; indeed part of the scenario itself may involve you actually making a march in to a FOB which will become your “home” for the duration, so not only do you need to haul your gear in but you need to keep it squared away too. Therefore your very first consideration must be some form of Ruc or backpack. I usually try to look for packs that sit in the 40/50L volume range as that’s big enough (if you pack properly!) to hold everything you need without becoming overly cumbersome. Look for a pack that offers not only a good harness system with a sternum strap but also a good, solid belt harness too; anyone who has spent any time hauling a ruc will tell you that
Kit WEEKEND WARRIOR
by Ethiopians!) and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this at all, as the packs are designed specifically to provide all the necessary calories and nourishment to keep a soldier going in the field. Camping and outdoor stores are also a great place to find food that’s prepared with hauling it in mind and many of the “boil in the bag” meals are super tasty and can be eaten straight from their foil packets. I like to carry a “nosebag” too, basically a Ziploc bag into which I crumble digestive biscuits, nuts and dried fruit which is a good way to give yourself a quick boost without the highs and lows of sweets or chocolate bars!
SNIVEL GEAR
you actually want most of the weight distributed onto your hips rather than hanging from your shoulders – which becomes very tiring, very quickly. Two packs I’ve been testing over the past few months fit the bill nicely and neither of them are “wallet killers”! Available in four colours and coming in at under 80 quid is the VIPER Mission Pack, which is made of solid 600D Cordura and offers a 38.5L capacity. The pack has numerous compartments so it’s easy to organise your kit as you like it. The other model I like is the Condor 3-Day Assault Pack and as its name suggests, it’s a little larger, coming in at 50L; it’s also a little more expensive at £129.99 but with a total of seven compartments and a thoroughly thought-out layout you’re getting great value for money and comes in a whole bunch of colours. Hydration is the key to keeping going and keeping alert, especially when things get warmer but equally important at all times. I’ve been to games in the very height of summer where even in good old Blighty the temperature has been WAY up there and, at one particular weekender, I recall going through some twelve litres of water during the course of the day! Now there’s no way you’ll be carrying all of that on your back and you can usually rely on re-sup but I tend to have a two litre bladder mounted on my plate carrier and another inside the ruc. I also carry a stainless steel wide-mouth Nalgene bottle which I keep filled when I’ve dropped my ruc off; this is a great bit of kit which allows you to get liquids into yourself far faster than a bite valve. Food is also an essential; many players I know heading for a weekender will always stock up on good, old fashioned ration packs or MREs (Meals Rejected
When the shooting has stopped then you need to be looking at the other elements of the list and one of the best phrases I ever heard to describe this was from an American friend who referred to it as “Snivel Gear” and the first consideration here is hot food and drink so you’re going to need something to cook on. I’ve tried various ways of doing this over the years but have really settled on the Jetboil system. This is an all-in-one design, combining the burner and cooking cup in one compact unit as everything you need is stacked and stored inside the 1L cooking cup. The system lights with the click of a button and within two minutes provides boiling water for tea, coffee, instant soup or a tasty freezedried meal; if push comes to shove you can always drop your “boil in the bag” packet straight into the water and have sufficient liquid at the end of it for a hot brew. If money is tight though there is still absolutely nothing wrong with a hexamine cooker and a good old mess tin! I do tend to chuck in a plastic mug, bowl and plate, along with a “spork” as it’s nice to eat properly when you get the opportunity and the knife from my Gerber multitool serves yet another purpose here as well. As darkness falls you’re going to need some light, not only to go about your admin and planning with but also to find your way around as many sites are not lit. I always carry a micro head torch in my Admin Panel but I beef that up by including a Petzl Tac Tikka in the top compartment of my ruc, as that way I’ve got redundancy should one or the other fail (don’t forget to pack a few spare batteries either!). I also tuck away a Storm Candle which comes in a lidded tin; not only can this provide light but you’d be surprised how much welcome heat one of these will give off too. Remember to also pack some waterproof matches or a Storm Lighter (shows are always a good source for these as many companies have these on their stands as little “giveaways). The next element to me is a really important one and that’s how you go about sorting out your sleeping arrangements and my setup works equally well in a tent, basha, or chilly building. One investment I made many moons ago was a
www.airsoft-action.online
39
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www.vipertactical.co.uk
Kit WEEKEND WARRIOR
Special Forces Sleeping Bag System from Snugpak. The complete system gives you the Special Forces 1 Bag for use in above freezing temperatures and the Special Forces 2 Bag for use in temperatures right down to -10°C. Then, when you’re in extreme conditions, you place the Special Forces 2 Bag inside the Special Forces 1 Bag and join them together with the extra zip baffle, so you’re protected in conditions right down to -20°C. Ingenious! To protect myself from the cold ground and to prevent losing heat by pure conduction, I place underneath the sleeping bag a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite Small self-inflating mattress; this weighs in at just 230g but the streamlined shape makes it highly packable while continuing to provide the comfort you need. Over the top of both of these I place a Snugpak Special Forces Bivvi Bag which provides an extra barrier to moisture whilst helping to retain warmth. The last two elements I consider for my packing list are Hygiene and Comfort and I’ll take the latter first. If you’ve had a long, chilly day playing in the rain and have the chance to get dry then having clean dry socks, thermal underwear, a good fleece hat, neck gaiter and lightweight gloves to pop on can be complete luxury! I also carry a spare combat shirt (VIPER Warrior) and trousers (VIPER Elite) to change into. Added to that if I know it’s going to be proper chilly I’ll chuck in a Snugpak
MML6 smock which gives huge amounts of warmth, packs down small and weighs in at just 720g in size Medium. Again, dependant of the time of year I’ll also carry a waterproof hardshell (mine is a Wild Things Tactical eVent model) and there’s always a WTT Windshirt tucked into my hydration pouch on the plate carrier. Hygiene is one that raises eyebrows for many but to me it really separates “the adults from the stripling youths”. Yes, I know that most weekenders are just for a couple of days and that you can rough it out knowing there’s a hot shower waiting when you get home. I always try and look at it from the perspective that if you set yourself good discipline from the outset then that will aid you for longer periods; when you get into a MilSim for instance that lasts days rather than hours keeping yourself clean is a very good habit to get into, not just for yourself but for those around you! I carry a small wash kit from Web Tex that contains the essentials, along with a small microfibre towel. With the wash kit I stow in a tiny sewing kit as you never know when something is going to get ripped or torn.
KEEPING ORDERED
Once you’ve got all your elements gathered together then it’s time to test-pack everything. Think here about what you’re going to need immediately, like “hard routine” food and what will get used later, like your sleeping system or your cooker. Necessary items stay closer to the top of your pack and in external pouches and pockets, while spare clothing and the like can be packed lower. I break all my kit down into “groups” and then all items used together will go into individual dry bags which I mark with different coloured cableties for ease of recognition. With everything packed up, get your ruc on and go for a walk as you’ll soon find out if you’ve got everything balanced correctly and comfortably. Last but not least there are four essentials you should never head off to a weekender without; paracord which serves a multitude of purposes, gaffa tape ditto, a couple of bungees and… some loo paper in yet another Ziploc bag! However you roll when it comes to approaching a weekend game, get your kit sorted and believe me, it will be even more fun than you thought possible. Virtually all the kit featured in this article is available from “one stop shop” www.military1st.co.uk or from www.snugpak.com so go and pay them a visit!
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GROUND
ZERO I’VE PLAYED THE NATIONAL Airsoft Event a couple of times, so know what it’s like with 1,500+ airsofters having a blast, so I was intrigued to see what it would be like on a “normal” game day but first, the basics… The Ground Zero Airsoft site is located near Ringwood, in Dorset, just a short drive off the A31 and if you follow the directions on the website, or use the postcode in a satnav, then it’s pretty straight forward. The final part of the journey is along a forest track which is slightly potholed, you can easily drive a car along the track, it’s just a little bumpy and muddy. The site is located deep in the Somerley Estate. It’s primarily a forest site covered in hills and valleys, some of which are relatively steep-sided, which makes for some great (and challenging) skirmishes. There are a number of tracks that crisscross the site, some of which are large enough for off road vehicles to traverse, while others are just about wide enough to walk along and the multitude of bushes that grow across the
“THERE IS NO ‘BANG!’ RULE; FOR ANYTHING THIS CLOSE UP, A ‘KNIFE KILL’ RULE IS APPLIED. THE ‘HIT’ PLAYER IS EXPECTED TO SIMPLY RAISE THEIR HANDS AND QUIETLY WALK OFF TO THE DEAD ZONE, ALLOWING THE SNEAKY PLAYER TO CONTINUE ON THEIR NINJA-LIKE SPREE.”
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MOST ‘SOFTERS WILL KNOW GROUND ZERO AS THE LOCATION OF THE NATIONAL AIRSOFT EVENT BUT WHAT IS IT LIKE ON A “NORMAL” GAME DAY? IGGY ROBERTS REPORTS…
site can be crawled through by determined airsofters seeking to flank the enemy. Throughout this varied forest are structures, ranging from two level concrete bunkers to huts infringed by trenches and sniper nests and situated in the centre of the site is a village, made up of wooden huts which are surrounded by dense bushes and tracks. This creates an area of very intense fighting and even as a photographer I had to keep my head down, to avoid being lit up from all directions. Throughout the site you get a mixture of open fighting and close quarters. This site really has a bit for everyone, or if you’re like me, then the variety and size of the site will satisfy your inner adventurer.
HISTORY
The Site manager, Howard, also known as “H”, tried airsofting with a few of his friends after hearing about it when airsoft first started to grow in the UK. They played a few sites and had a
Site GROUND ZERO AIRSOFT
mixture of good and bad experiences. After all this H decided to set up his own site alongside Neil Collins, who runs the Zero One Airsoft shop. They decided that the site would come under the Zero One banner but be run by H. After some time searching around, they came across a venue on the Somerley Estate and in February 2003 the initial game was held. This was a free event and attracted 200 players which soon settled to a regular number of 60 people. Initially, games were run by “Game Commanders” and all orders to the teams were done verbally but this was changed to a set of paper orders that each player could have, this way everyone knew what was going on and where. This change in game structure also increased the regular player turn out and since then H has seen a steady increase in numbers attending. An “average” day on the site now sees between 150-250 players turning up. In addition to the main site at Somerley Estate, there was an alternative urban site for some time. This was also very popular and until its sale and consequent development, they held a Saturday game there and a Sunday game at the main site. After
good day. This is done without any prompting from the staff; the regular players have so much pride in their site that team creation and the games almost run themselves. This results in little issue with hit taking because anyone that comes to the site and tries to cheat will stand out (this makes marshalling the games a lot easier). The marshals are trained to work on a non-confrontational style of marshalling and any in-game marshal cannot selfmarshal a situation that involves them. This is done to avoid any rash decisions whilst they may be seeing red, or accusations of one-sided marshalling.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE
A few of the marshals are avid mil-sim airsofters and Ground Zero are looking at hosting more MilSim-style games, as much of the infrastructure of the site is already suitable to support such an event. Construction on a two story shooting range has already begun. The design is geared toward riflemen and side arm shooting on ground level, while DMRs and snipers can be zeroed on the top level. One of the locations within the site, known as “The Prison Camp”, is being upgraded to a “Prisoner of War” camp, turning it into a much bigger objective. The plans include construction of seven cells, some of which will have hatches to them for alternative entrances and exits. The aforementioned Village is to have a CQB area built within it, which will add to the mayhem of the location, which is already very popular, as well as adding to the diversity of combat situations in the site. For those players that seek protection from a higher plane, the construction of a church is planned on one of the high ground points as a new objective (although I think this is very unlikely to bring any calm to the chaos).
NATIONAL AIRSOFT EVENT
the closure of the urban site H decided to run Saturday games at the main site and although this was initially criticised, it is now as popular as the Sunday game. The Saturday and Sunday games do differ somewhat. Saturday’s games are a selection of shorter, “attack and defend” style of gaming, with breaks for refreshments and lunch, whereas the Sunday game is a single objective-based game, played throughout the day. There are no breaks (officially) but players are welcome to grab a bite to eat at their convenience throughout the day. Most players do this whilst they have to do time in the dead zone after they are hit. That said, most dead zones are 5 minutes waiting time, depending on how the game is going, however, if one side is doing particularly poorly then there may be an instant respawn at certain dead zones, for a set amount of time, so “eating on the hoof” is probably the order of the day. At first, Ground Zero had to share the land with a clay pigeon shooting company and could not run a game every weekend, until they started the Saturday games. Now there is a game on every weekend running the alternative Saturday and Sunday throughout the year, plus during school holidays and half terms they also hold a Wednesday game. The site adapts from player feedback and over the years they have designed games focusing on “player experience”, rather than one side winning. Out of this has grown a pride in their customer experience and H and his team constantly strive to do the best they can to give every player a good day. This is very much a “fun experience site” and is run on rules and game designs that are constantly enhanced to keep it that way. New players are invited to join the more experienced players on their side to enable them to get used to the site and have a
Ground Zero, along with Zero One, host the National Airsoft Event, a weekend long “Sunday-style” game with three teams all competing for timed objectives throughout the event. On the Saturday night, should you have the energy (and can stay away from the large amount of “socialising” that takes place), there are a series of short night games to tie you into Sunday’s continuation of the big game. Initially Ground Zero hosted two of these weekend games a year, one in March and the other in August but the March event was never as strongly attended and was therefore abandoned. However, the August weekend event has grown from strength to strength since 2004 and last year had over 2,000 players. During the event there is a large tented stall selling everything airsoft, while other attractions include a fully stocked bar, outdoor cinema, second hand sales area, numerous food stalls and portaloo facilities dotted throughout the vast camping ground. The game itself is run from a central command tent with team leaders out on the ground. This gives constant feedback and allows for game play to be adapted at short notice and lets Rob, the game designer, keep the flow of the game going and avoid all the players ending up in a stalemate shoot off.
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Site GROUND ZERO AIRSOFT
start the day’s skirmishing. This way they can see the distances marked out and use them to aid in judging the minimum engagement distances. There is no “BANG!” rule; for anything this close up, a “knife kill” rule is applied. The “hit” player is expected to simply raise their hands and quietly walk off to the dead zone, allowing the sneaky player to continue on their ninja-like spree.
SUMMARY
CQB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Ground Zero also select and train the British team for the Airsoft CQB World Championships, held in Taiwan and sponsored by G&G. They are in the process of planning a training course for the competitors to go through their paces and where the selected team will train, before flying out to Taiwan. If you’d like to know more about this event, contact Ground Zero and also read Airsoft Action’s exclusive coverage of the 2015 competition in the January issue, written by Les Lee.
SITE RULES
Unlike most sites who set limits based on what is the accepted “norm”, the site muzzle velocity limits at Ground Zero are set by what the marshals have decided they would be happy to be shot with, so an AEG is 350 fps, any semi-auto weapon (such as a DMR) is 350–425 fps (with a 30 metre minimum engagement distance) and bolt action sniper rifles are 500 fps (with the same minimum engagement rule). Marshals are very hot on the minimum engagement distances and advise all players to visit their range before they
“‘THE PRISON CAMP’, IS BEING UPGRADED TO A ‘PRISONER OF WAR’ CAMP, TURNING IT INTO A MUCH BIGGER OBJECTIVE. THE PLANS INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF SEVEN CELLS, SOME OF WHICH WILL HAVE HATCHES TO THEM FOR ALTERNATIVE ENTRANCES AND EXITS.”
It is obvious from the moment you arrive that the prime aim at Ground Zero is that players enjoy themselves and everything H and his crew do is focussed on making that happen. Of course things don’t always go to plan and there will always be minor disagreements and differences of opinion but, from what I have seen whenever I have played here, the marshal team make sure the situation is quickly defused in a professional manner. To get best out of the site, come prepared with a good attitude, a sense of fun – and a strong pair of legs if you intend to tackle some of the steeper slopes!
Contact Details: Phone: 01329 849818 Mobile: 07951 415188 e-mail: info@groundzeroairsoft.com Website: www.groundzeroairsoft.com The Site postcode is: BH24 2DF Ground Zero’s day games cost: £30 for an adult £25 for an adult member of the site £20 for a Junior Rental Kit is: £15 on top of the game price. This includes a full face mask, gun and 1,000 bbs £5 for additional clothing hire (CS95 shirt and trousers).
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LARGELY FORGOTTEN TODAY, THE AFRICAN BUSH WARS WERE BIG NEWS AT THE TIME. STEVEN FAIRS AND GADGE HARVEY TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF RHODESIA’S OLDEST MILITARY FORMATIONS Words: Steven Fairs and Gareth Harvey Pictures: Steven Fairs and Gareth Harvey
RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES 1969 TO 1979 TAKING THE FIREFIGHT to the terrorists in “fireforce” missions, The Rhodesian Army took on superior numbers in a three way war for over a decade! While today they are largely forgotten, the Bush Was of the 60s and 70s dominated world news as various revolutionary movements sought to throw off the shackles of their colonial overlords. One such conflict was the intense three way battle known as the “Rhodesian Bush War” (and sometimes known as the “Zimbabwe War of Liberation”, depending on your viewpoint). The country of Rhodesia had been founded as a white colony in Southern Africa, by British imperialist and businessman Cecil Rhodes in the 1890s, who utilised the nation’s mineral wealth and dominated the local tribes living in the region of the Zambezi River. The area was in fact called “Zambesia” but Rhodes was such a public and popular figure among the colonists, they soon named the state after him. Rhodes was (at the time) considered one of the world’s “great men” but popular opinion in a post-colonial age sees him in a slightly less flattering light. Throughout the following decades Rhodesia would follow the pattern of many African colonies, with the ruling white elite holding most Government, senior military and professional posts and with black nationals enjoying a substantially less affluent lifestyle. In the wake of the disassembly of the Empire after WWII, the British government eventually made broad
“THEY WERE ABLE TO RETAIN MOBILITY AND SWITCH THE “CONCENTRATION” OF THEIR MEAGRE FORCES TO WHERE THEY WERE NEEDED MOST AT SHORT NOTICE – A VITAL SKILL WHEN VIRTUALLY SURROUNDED BY INSURGENT GROUPS AND HOSTILE NEIGHBOURS.” 46
March 2016
promises in the 1960s to grant independence to all of its colonies. After all, it would be hypocritical to save Europe from Nazi occupation and then occupy an empire of subjugated peoples yourself.
CHAOS AND BLOODSHED
Fearing chaos and bloodshed (as had happened in other fledgling independent African states such as the Congo), the ruling classes of Rhodesia declared themselves independent of Britain in an attempt to hold onto their minority power base (and in their eyes avoid a bloodbath and anarchy) but few nations recognised this independence; only their neighbours in South Africa and the Portuguese government who administrated the neighbouring region of Mozambique. Rhodesia thus found itself largely alone and a “rogue state” of sorts amidst growing militant national indigenous groups, many inspired by Marxist philosophies that were espoused by the then powerful Soviet Union. Most of the native people’s sense of injustice, however, was well deserved. While it was legally possible for black Rhodesians
Cold USHWar Warriors B RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES 1969 TO 1979
to hold office in many posts (and the army was primarily composed of black lower ranks), in reality the white settlers owned most of the property and the best and most fertile farmland, forcing the indigenous peoples to farm difficult and barren areas. Out of this sense of injustice two nationalist guerrilla movements arose. The first group were known as ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), which had a militant “armed” wing known as ZANLA and comprised mainly of tribes who spoke the “Shona” dialect. ZANU were initially lead by the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole but later by the more well-known current ruler of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. The other resisting faction led by Joshua Nkomo comprised mainly of blacks from the Ndebele peoples of the area and were known as ZAPU (Zimbabwe African Peoples Union) and they too had their own armed element, known as ZIPRA
nationals but many white settlers volunteered (and were later conscripted), following in the footsteps of their fathers and often serving in NCO and officer roles in predominantly black units like the RAR. As an “unrecognised” state and suffering an arms embargo, the Rhodesian’s often had to make do with whatever kit and equipment they could source or manufacture and be sparing with their resources. All the same, they often presented a well-equipped and well-armed show of strength to the rebels. Our rifleman is wearing kit intended for a short “fireforce” operations. Fireforce missions would rely on spotting enemy concentrations from the air, or via intelligence gathering recce units and then quickly descending upon the foe via a helicopter assault while a land-based “tail” moved in to mop up the last of resistance. Using this revolutionary technique the Rhodesians were able to engage and destroy forces far superior to them with minimal loss. Most importantly, they were able to retain mobility and switch the “concentration” of their meagre forces to where they were needed most at short notice – a vital skill when virtually surrounded by insurgent groups and hostile neighbours. His basic uniform in the pictures where he is armed with his G3 rifle consists of a Rhodesian camo peaked cap (often given an uncomplimentary name we can’t reprint here!), shirt and shorts with Veldschoen shoes for comfort. The webbing is an interesting mix of privately purchased “Fereday & Sons” general purpose pouches, British Pattern 44 water bottles and pouches, as well as a locally produced belt and yoke with Portuguese
A WAR ON ALL FRONTS
While the Soviet Union and China have always stated their belief in aiding independence from Imperialism and the spread of Marxism, it would have been an added benefit to play havoc with a “western-siding” nation by supporting the rebel’s intent to destroy it - and so Rhodesia became a major pawn in cold war politics. While China supplied economic and military aid to ZANLA, the Soviet Union supported the rival ZIPRA. Both “sponsors” were hoping for Marxist revolutions and must have been dismayed to see both rebel groups occasionally divert their efforts from attacking the “imperialists” of the Rhodesian forces, to wage war on each other in a truly chaotic tripartite conflict. Thus the Rhodesians found themselves fighting a war on several fronts, against two mutually hostile forces who just could not see eye to eye. The Soviet Union and China were the principle supporters of the rebels but other countries, such as North Korea, provided more discrete aid and with both South Africa and some Britons clandestinely aiding Rhodesia, even more nations became embroiled into this cold war “cauldron”. Our Cold War Warrior this month represents a regular soldier of the Rhodesian African Rifles, one of the country’s oldest military formations. Demonstrating kit and equipment worn in the many stages of the bush war, his kit is somewhat informal and well suited to combat in scrubland and light woods under the heat of the African sun. The Rhodesian Army was well regarded by military experts and considered highly trained and well equipped by African, if not global, standards. As aforementioned, most of the rank and file of Rhodesian Army units would be made up of black
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Cold USHWar Warriors B RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES 1969 TO 1979
ammunition pouches. His personal weapon is a 7.62mm German G3 rifle, also supplied via Portugal. In our second interpretation of an RAR rifleman, our soldier represents a support gunner equipped for standard patrols of the bush. His uniform consists again of the standard issue Rhodesian cap and combat shirt, with plain green shorts intended for physical training sessions rather than the rigours of combat. Equally “causal” is his footwear; in this case black hockey boots known as “Bata Takkies” by the troops. Webbing for the patrol is minimal; a Rhodesian 64 pattern belt with a privately purchased “Fereday & Sons” general purpose pouch containing 100rds of 7.62mm non-disintegrating link ammunition, two British 44 pattern water pouches with Rhodesian 64 pattern water bottles and a FN Browning Hi-Power in a webbing holster (as close range back up should his MG suffer a stoppage). Lastly, our man would carry his combat rations and basic kit in a “Fereday & Sons” backpack with the lightweight sleeping bag rolled and tied underneath.
BRITISH INSPIRED EQUIPMENT
Our final interpretation of a Rhodesian soldier takes us back almost a decade to 1969 and here we have a Rhodesian Regiment rifleman from an independent company. Once again the ever-popular patrol cap is worn but this time longer standard issue camo trousers in the same pattern are worn with a green bush shirt akin to those worn by British troops of the period. Footwear in this case is far more sturdy and consists of brown leather lace up boots with attached buckled anklets (a popular style originating with the US army in WWII and filtering into many post-war armies). Weaponry at this point was the South African made Vektor R1 rifle (with a full synthetic stock and grenade sight), or the Belgian FN FAL (wooden butt, synthetic hand guard and no grenade sight) and ammunition for the personal weapon (as well as other essential kit) is carried in his Rhodesian 64 pattern webbing. The 64 pattern system followed the style of most NATO webbing of the time and was an almost identical copy of the South African 61/64 webbing, which in itself was a lightweight and lighter coloured copy of British 58 pattern webbing. For close combat an R1 bayonet is attached to the loops of the right hand ammunition pouch. So there you have it. Three very unique “Bush War” loadouts, showing how you can utilise a lot of the same core items to create interesting airsoft or re-enacting impressions without having to splash out on entirely new kit each time. At Airsoft Action we felt that these impressions were among the most “skirmishable” we’ve shown for UK summer gaming, as many of our Cold War impressions feature quite heavy insulated clothing… ideal for surviving in North West Europe but inviting heat stroke on the skirmish field. Where we have shown “lightweight” impressions in the past, it’s often been of an “arid” nature and in sand and cream tones but with Rhodesian camo, you can see that it’s a good match for UK woodland. Not only is the kit really cool but the ability to use a variety of weapons (including captured rebel AKs if you fancied it) is too good to turn down. So if you fancy something a bit different this summer (when it eventually arrives) why not lace up your takkies, grab your G3 and go on a bush patrol! www.airsoft-action.online
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THIS IS
WE’VE FEATURED THS IN AIRSOFT ACTION BEFORE BUT AS “FEMME FATALE” KELLY HARDWICK FOUND OUT, IT KEEPS CALLING YOU BACK
SPARTA!
ON MY TRAVELS TO AIRSOFT SITES around the UK, one that I keep coming back to over and again is my “home site”, Tac House Spartan. Tac House Spartan is a 90,000 square metre CQB site located in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Originally a cotton mill, it is around 50 miles from where I’m based, however, it is easily accessible from the A38 and M1. The drive takes me roughly an hour but is always well worth it. It is located on Goytside Road, which is just a 5 minute walk from Chesterfield’s town centre and all the major transport links. Tac House is owned by Martin Bargh (who is the Operational Trainer for the Derbyshire Police and National SPEAR Trainer for multiple forces) and operated by Charlie, who is also the Risk Assessor, Fire Marshal and Morale Manager alongside their team of marshals. The site is also the home to Zombie Uprising, one of the premier Zombie experience day providers in the UK - and it is also one of the very few airsoft sites that offers CQB and battlefield first aid training. The site has changed significantly since I started becoming a regular face, which shows its versatility as a venue. It currently features a very complex ground floor that is a dark, vast labyrinth of rooms and open areas - it has a covered “street scene” to fight through that is full of tarp structures and vehicles, including two caravans that leads into the garage – a hot spot during extraction games! Its ground floor also boasts
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Site TAC HOUSE SPARTAN
a maze and a brand new skills room - which is a where you can take part in breach and clear competitions and CQB training – and is comprised of 10 rooms with various targets to take out. Tac House has a massive outdoor space that includes a courtyard, a sangar, plenty of water barrels, a dig in and tyre structures to take cover behind. It also has a few on-site vehicles, including the infamous “VanCopter”. The outdoor element to the site gives it an urban feel and helps switch up the gameplay amongst games. Overlooking the courtyard is a 2 story, 10-room kill house with plenty of sniper windows! The kill house has a similar set up to the skills room and has a top floor with a plethora of rooms to take. The kill house also leads into the top floors of the main complex - the disused factory building which is full of stairways and derelict rooms containing tarp structures and cover. The very top floor is home to the “Sniper Nest”, a structure built around the third floor sniper window. My favourite areas for gameplay are the courtyard and the factory building. I enjoy playing in the courtyard because of its size and it offers many different styles of gameplay. It’s challenging to both attack and defend because of all the different entrances, vehicle insertions and obstacles on the field. The Factory building is brilliant because it is very dark and this changes the whole feel of the game. The fact that it is such close quarters and you have no idea what’s around the next corner because of the lack of light, is exhilarating and really gets your adrenaline pumping! The site boasts a 5 lane, 25m firing range full of targets, which is very cool and helps the marshals chrono the players efficiently. The site’s limit is average for sites of its type with a maximum of 350 FPS for AEG, GBBRs and pistols, 400 for DMRs and 450 for sniper rifles – it is worth mentioning that even though the site has a huge outdoor space, the site runs on semi auto only! Tac House has a purpose-built safe zone which is very spacious, so has plenty of space for all the players and gear – however it can get a little cramped on busy days but this is tackled by the team opening a second safe zone. The safe zone
has heating powered by a generator (which is a lovely treat in the winter) and the on-site shop is well stocked with BBs, pyros, patches, gear such as boots and BDUs and even RIFs. It has a dedicated smoking area and onsite toilets (although don’t expect The Ritz – they are a place to relieve yourself with no frills, which is really my only complaint about the site). The walk on price is £30 for non-members and £25 for members and although this does not include lunch, for a reasonable £2.50 you can buy a hot dog, a can of pop and a snack, so be sure to take an extra few quid to buy lunch or bring a pre-packed one with you. Tac House also cater for rentals and these packages start from £40 and include full face pro and a wide choice of hire guns, including G36C, MP5, M4,
“THE FACTORY BUILDING IS BRILLIANT BECAUSE IT IS VERY DARK AND THIS CHANGES THE WHOLE FEEL OF THE GAME. THE FACT THAT IT IS SUCH CLOSE QUARTERS AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S AROUND THE NEXT CORNER BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF LIGHT, IS EXHILARATING AND REALLY GETS YOUR ADRENALINE PUMPING!” www.airsoft-action.online
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Site TAC HOUSE SPARTAN
AK47’s and Tri shot Shotguns! If you can’t get your pew fix on a Sunday, Tac House runs a midweek Wednesday night game at a reasonable price of £15 for walk ons and £20 for rental packages! Booking is pretty easy and is done via the website or by calling the site. On a regular game day, the games played consist of mix of Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed and Search and Destroy which are all good solid game choices that encourage fast paced, adrenaline-fuelled teamwork. My personal favourite game mode is “Snatch” which consists of two teams fighting and defending a Land Rover, which is needed to transport intel from extraction points to the dump boxes. Tac House also run a number of special game days, such as “Gangster City” and “Black Hawk Down” themed days. I attended their first birthday game which was a “Black Hawk Down” Filmsim special, where the game play, as the event title suggests, revolved around the storyline of the film Black Hawk Down (for those of you who haven’t watched it - I highly recommend you do!) There were 3 teams - Rangers
“I ATTEMPTED AN ESCAPE - I KILLED A FAIR FEW ENEMY PLAYERS WITH MY IMPACT GRENADE BUT MY ESCAPE ATTEMPT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IN DOING SO I HAD ACCIDENTLY TAKEN MYSELF OUT – BUT IT WAS ALL GOOD FUN!”
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which my team was part of, Delta and the Somalis. We had missions that included defending the downed chopper, extraction, domination and capturing hostages. The marshals and site owners played “Special Characters” from the film, such as Osman Ali Atto, Mohamed Farah Aidid and Michael Durrant and were in play for a lot of the games. My name was on the Somali’s kill list and I was actually recognised by one of the players (because he follows me on Instagram!) and was captured whilst trying to medic a team mate – doh! Whilst in their custody I attempted an escape - I killed a fair few enemy players with my impact grenade but my escape attempt was unsuccessful because in doing so I had accidently taken myself out – but it was all good fun! The games that day were well run and kept us entertained until the end of day. The only thing I would change about the specials is possibly condensing the game briefs, so objectives are clearer as the games are more complex than those on a regular game day. I haven’t yet had the chance to play any of the “Gangster City” series but have heard great things about it. The onsite staff are very friendly and always willing to help, especially with gun issues and are very approachable. Their upbeat personalities and sense of humour mean the game days are light-hearted and full of banter and you can really tell that they are passionate about their jobs and their site. One thing I love about the Tac House marshals is that they dot themselves about during the games so they do not interfere or get in the line of fire, which is a welcome change! You can usually find them on the side lines, or driving around in one of the various vehicles used on site. A massive deciding factor on how I feel at the end of the game day (and I always take this into account when reviewing a site), is the quality of the other players. Cheat callers and non-hit-takers can easily ruin a game day but I am pleased to say I have not encountered this from the regulars at the site. They are honest regarding their hits and are very friendly and welcoming of new players - the atmosphere in the safe zone after each game is very warm, friendly and usually filled with banter. “Lots of killing on the field - but everyone is friends in the safe zone” is Tac House’s motto and it works very well. If you want to try Tac House Spartan for yourself there are a few little bits of advice that I would give you; as a lot of the site is darkness, bringing a torch is advisable - not having a torch for the darker parts of the site will limit your gameplay options. TRMRs and other BFGs are great tools for clearing the killhouse and really help progress the game along so if you have one of those, be sure to bring it along. As the site is very close CQB, it is advisable to wear gloves and also bringing some sort of lower face protection is a winner but it is only under 18s that must play with full face protection – I have seen more than a handful of teeth lost at Tac House! Overall, I would highly recommend this site to both seasoned and experienced players alike. The site’s varied terrain opens a vast array of options for different gameplay styles, from close quarter pistol duels all the way through to sniper opportunities. Even though it is a CQB site, it offers so much more than your “typical” CQB games. Every time I have played at Tac House Spartan I have left happy and wanting to go back for more.
OPFOR
LAST MONTH JERRY NOONE TOOK A LOOK AT “TAN TEAM/GREEN TEAM” OPTIONS FOR IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT SIDES IN GAMES; THIS TIME HE DELVES JUST A LITTLE FURTHER BY CREATING AN OPFOR LOADOUT ON A TIGHT BUDGET!
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Loaded or Unloaded OPFOR
IN MY TIME PLAYING AIRSOFT I’ve tried pretty much all styles, the OPFOR bribe the other “company” to let them sneak into from full on speed-skirmishing to out an out MilSim and it the FOB where we were with the VIP; suffice to say not only always amazes me just how much time, effort and (in some did we come under attack from members of the OPFOR but cases) money, players put into creating their loadout. Certainly also from the other “contractors” who were supposed to be if you go to any form of historically themed game, be it Wild working hand in hand with us. We managed to extract the VIP West, WWII, Nam or Cold War then you’re going to come and a handful of us got away but many of my team mates took across some visually stunning loadouts that would be right at that look walk… home in a living history group! I love a good scenario where not only are you physically Bringing things bang up to date though, if you head to challenged but also need to be mentally on the ball; MilSim any of the MilSim games run by the likes of Stirling Airsoft is not a “skirmish”, it’s an immersion into something that or the Combat Airsoft Group (CAG) then you’re going to see mimics the real world as closely as possible and, to my mind, some absolutely cracking takes on current day kit. I really like it this means that you can get involved in two ways. Study the when I see a well thought out and achieved modern loadout, mission briefs when they come up and it may be that you can especially when you see someone stepping away from the “operator” look and just doing a cracking infantry set of kit and rolling out with “NOT ONLY DID WE COME UNDER ATTACK FROM MEMBERS OF their L85A2 in hand. THE OPFOR BUT ALSO FROM THE OTHER “CONTRACTORS” WHO Many folk interested in getting into MilSim territory have told me that they’ve been quite WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH US. WE nervous about it, questioning if their kit will be MANAGED TO EXTRACT THE VIP AND A HANDFUL OF US GOT AWAY good enough and I can understand it when they BUT MANY OF MY TEAM MATES TOOK THAT LOOK WALK…” see pictures online of guys wearing head to toe CRYE Precision clothing, rockin’ Blue Force Gear tactical nylon and shooting a highly customised GBBR just dripping with “gucciness”. I am not for one moment get involved as a “contractor” where all you’ll need is civilian saying that there is anything wrong with having the right gear clothes, a chest rig, your RIF and some realcap mags; financially and many, me included have spent years refining our personal that’s not going to break the bank is it? kit. Even if you decide to take things further and do a full-on I can sympathise completely though and I’d rather see OPFOR loadout this can be effectively created on a budget. someone getting out to play well, with an open mind to learn Many modern day MilSim scenarios take place in a fictional and a whole gutful of honour wearing the cheapest gear middle-eastern country and there’s a lot of pictorial reference possible; let’s face it, we’ve all been there and everyone starts available as to how the “locals” dress. Before I go into the somewhere, it just about taking that first step! loadout proper though let’s have an “ethical pause”. There is one thing that most people tend to forget about though and that’s the fact that even in a MilSim setting there WHEN IS IT TOO MUCH? are always two sides and in some cases more than that if the Over the years I’ve been involved in many debates about how scenario writer is a “tricky dicky”. I’ve played in scenarios far you go in creating your loadout and arguments still rage where there have been straight “good guys and bad guys” but online over whether it is acceptable to for instance wear a I’ve also been involved in scenarios where there’s been “Task red “Para” beret with “Pegasus” proudly on display, rank and Force White”, Opposing Force (OPFOR) and then two separate unit patches. I’m going to stick my neck out here as from my teams of “Contractors”. Allegiances can switch like the wind; perspective this is not acceptable; I’m firmly in the camp of I remember one game I played where my “contractor team”, don’t wear it unless you’ve earned it. all decked out in check shirts and blue jeans, was tasked with But things get “clouded”, don’t they? Many historical protecting a visiting VIP whilst the other “contractor company” scenarios will have an element of living history to them, all in green BDUs, had the task of perimeter security. much more so in my mind than a modern one and I’ve seen Unbeknownst to us the scenario guru had decided to let some absolutely corking “base camp” loadouts when play has ceased. When I play a ‘Namsoft scenario my kit will be completely unbadged and it’s only when I’m not shooting BBs that I will don a fully badged set of fatigues and that will be 100% fully accurate historically. It’s a tough one really, when is it acceptable to badge up and when not? Let your conscience guide you. I believe the answer here lies somewhere in the middle as always; I think it’s fine to emulate a real unit and aim for the feel of it in what you create but do so intelligently and sympathetically. Honour the soldiers and unit that you are emulating but leave the finishing touches to the re-enactors. Of course, when you’re creating a middle-eastern “local” feel to your loadout look for something generic rather than trying to create something specific. There are some key pieces of clothing and gear that will give the right “feel” without in any way being disrespectful to any individual or group and you can even mix in gear that you already have.
CHOOSE YOUR SHOOTERS!
A real starting point for any OPFOR loadout can be the choice of RIFs that you make. If you’re going down the “contractor” route an M4 or MP5 is absolutely spot on and your trusty SIG or 1911 will be in no way out of place. If however you are going “local” then there really is only one choice of “long” and that’s some form of classic wood and metal AK. AKs seem to www.airsoft-action.online
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be having a bit of a resurgence recently which I’m very pleased to see as I’m a big fan of both the real thing and the airsoft replicas! Every manufacturer has at least one style of AK in their line-up and companies like LCT Airsoft have a whole family of them at reasonable prices and you can pick up a basic CYMA these days for silly money. I however do like my GBBRs and as you’ll see in “Geek” this month I’ve been refurbishing a WE Airsoft Europe (WEAE) AK74UN ready for my OPFOR role later in the spring, when I’m heading to STANTA with CAG. I’m also in the process of retroing one of their AK “PMC” open bolt gas models back to true AKM trim, so I’ll have a fall-back and a really first rate, high quality wood kit from W&S Airsoft specifically for the “PMC” has just arrived from www.milspecsolutions.co.uk for it; I’ll detail the fitting process of this in a future issue. Luckily I can stick with WEAE for my pistol as well given that they offer both the TT33 (Tokarev) and their new Makarov. As I already have a brown mock-leather Makarov holster (you can pick these up online for peanuts!) I decided that was the one for me. The WEAE Makarov features a really strong gas blowback action and is constructed almost entirely from high quality alloy, with a full metal frame and slide with neat black polymer pistol grips. It features a slide lock safety as well as a lanyard point for securing it to you securely and a bottom clip-held magazine release with a double stack 16 round magazine. In its basic form the Makarov will chuck a BB downrange at a friendly 270fps using .20g BBs which makes it great for close range encounters. The pistol though features a really unique and impressive barrel extension mechanism, where to increase the length of the inner barrel and increase the power you can simply screw in the supplied barrel extension using the threading in situ. Over this screws on the fake suppressor which hides the barrel extension entirely! Without the barrel extension fitted the Makarov is only 160mm long and this rises to 265mm with the suppressor fitted, adding an impressive 115mm to the inner barrel; the weight though is not an issue as without the extension the Makarov comes in at 633g and with at 736g. With the extension you’ll get another 20+fps from the pistol but the accuracy, whilst good in the basic form, becomes pretty exceptional once you’ve got the hop dialled in!
GEARING UP
With my choice of RIFs sorted it was time to get to grips with the kit itself. Obviously given the AK connection, the choice of basic gear is simple, namely
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a cheap and cheerful “ChiCom” chest rig; once again you can pick these up online used for not a lot of dosh, or you can order a new repro one from Military1st if you prefer the “clean look”. As I already had the Makarov holster in hand I just added a brown leather belt. I also picked up a four magazine RPK mag bag online which serves perfectly for holding some water, snacks and a couple of bits of pyro. As with all MilSim games you’re going to need to drag all your kit for the duration of the scenario in with you; of course you can use your normal ruc for this as it will be dropped off at your base but in keeping with the theme I’ve chosen to make use of an old canvas WWII Commando Bergan that I have. If you want to go down the canvas route then Military1st offer a good range of bags in this material for very good prices. For the base of my loadout I decided to stick with some VIPER Elite trousers that I already have, in plain OD green, along with a plain OD Under Armour base layer shirt, as what would come next would effectively hide these two garments. The “kameez”, or full body shirt, is a traditional garment originating in South Asia. It’s effectively just a long shirt or tunic, often seen with a Western-style collar and might be worn with pyjamalike trousers as well, for comfort. Some kameez styles have side seams (known as the chaak), left open below the waistline, giving the wearer greater freedom of movement and are typically made from light linen. I managed to pick up a cream coloured kameez online for £10 shipped and it does give a very distinctive look quite removed from what we would normally wear to play airsoft.
Loaded or Unloaded OPFOR
It’s actually superbly light and comfortable; the version I chose has the open side seams so although it hangs down to almost knee length there is no restriction to dynamic movement at all. The fabric is quite thin but for occasional use that’s fine and for summer use it will be perfect with just a baselayer T-shirt underneath. The kameez is often accompanied by a Peshawar cap, turban, Sindhi cap or pakol as traditional headgear; the pakol is a soft, roundtopped men’s hat, typically of wool and found in any of a variety of earthy colours like brown, black, grey, or ivory. Before it is put on, it resembles a neck gaiter with a round, flat bottom. You simply roll up the sides nearly to the top, forming a thick band, which then rests on the head like a beret or cap. As the game I’m attending is in April and temperatures could go either way the pakol seemed like a good choice as you can always roll it down to cover the ears if it gets cold and mine cost just £6.99. Bargain! Indeed, as the weather could be chilly in April I’ll also chuck in a wool sweater, my green Helikon Malamute Vest and my plain OD Snugpak Sleeka jacket. Images often show the “locals” in cast off army jackets so you could keep things nicely on a budget by using an old DPM combat jacket or woodland pattern M65 field jacket instead. In terms of footwear you can simply wear a good pair of mountain boots, which will give you all the necessary support and protection you need without looking overtly military; I’ve got some Gore-Tex lined Salomon XA Pro Mids in to test and they fitted the bill nicely as they are lightweight yet waterproof and the “Iguana Green” colour worked well with the rest of
the olive green gear (yes, say “tart” now if you like!). If you want to use gloves to protect your hands from both the elements and BB strikes then you can either use a tactical pair in a block colour, or a cheap pair of wool ones which you can find easily and cheaply. To round everything out I added an OD shemagh and that was job done! Realistically if I’d been building this loadout from scratch I could probably have pulled it all together for under £50 (that of course is assuming I’ll use boots, trousers and a baselayer that I already have) which in terms of airsoft gear is absolutely nothing. It is, however, quite solid enough a loadout that it would be perfectly welcomed amongst OPFOR players and certainly the guys running the game will be pleased to see you, as normally most folk seem to only want to “gucci things up” and be on the “operator” side. Now I’ve got everything together I’m actually quite excited to try this loadout out in earnest and right now I’m off to finish rebuilding the AKM! As always I’ll sign off by saying spend your pennies wisely and get out and play airsoft!
WHERE to BUY www.viperkit.co.uk VIPER currently make some of the most cost effective tactical clothing and equipment available and their quality just keeps getting better and better. Keep an eye on their website and there’s bound to be updates on new products from them on the way soon!
www.top-of-the-range.co.uk To check out the full range of Tactical Under Armour products give the TOTR website a visit. They’ve also got some other great tactical brands in their portfolio and you’ll find full details tech specs and stockist details.
www.military1st.co.uk Need tactical gear? Military1st is pretty much your one stop shop in this respect.
They stock an enormous range of gear from all the best manufacturers and you’ll find the AK chest rig is on their website, along with so much more.
www.hueys.co.uk HUEYs are fast building a fabulous reputation for both the products they offer and for their excellent service. They stock a number of the boot models from Salomon along with kit from many of the “big names”.
www.varusteleka.com Varusteleka are a bit of an oddball; established in 2003 this Finnish military surplus shop has to be seen to be believed! They stock literally thousands of interesting items from all over the world including a whole load from all
of Eastern Europe. They also have a cracking sense of humour and offer incredibly cheap international shipping!
www.weairsofteurope.com For more details on the Open Bolt AK gas models, the Makarov and the full range of NUPROL consumables and gear please pay my friends at WE Airsoft Europe a visit!
www.fire-support.co.uk If you’re looking for a quality AK AEG, or a RIF of any description, then head on over to check out Fire Supports website as right now they are featuring pretty much the entire range of replicas from LCT Airsoft!
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West Midlands Airsoft - www.wmairsoft.co.uk - 07861 427 553
We are proud to annouce the opening of our second site
madeley garrison
opening event 21st Feb 2016 This is an awesome site covering 60 acres of Woodland, although this is a woodland site it does have that urban feel to it due to the amount of structures and buildings that will be in play. This site will both facilitate and enhance your gaming experience. We aim to provide a superb Airsoft experience and have established a reputation of excellence in our operations and as such we will continue to put our unique West Mids stamp on the game scenarios at Madeley Garrison.
We will be introducing you to the following gaming zones: GCHQ, The Viaduct, Scrap Yard, Entrenchment, The Settlement and Fortress. We will run a wide variety of game styles from the very intense and immersive to the longer objective based games. Our games styles will be inclusive of ALL player ability and styles from the new player to ex SAS!! Come and get involved we guarantee you will get a gaming experience to remember.
BOOK THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WMAIRSOFT.CO.UK
Madeley Garrison, Manor Farm, Manor Road, Madeley, CW3 9PS Staffordshire Militaria is a small family run business that specializes in all aspects of Airsoft and Military goods.
Staffordshire Militaria Limited Staffordshire Militaria Limited, 15-17 Huntbach St, Hanley, ST1 1BL Call Rob on 07510 127056
Regardless what your needs are I’m sure we will have the products for you. Come down and check out our New Shop.
International RUSSIA
AIRSOFT ACTION WELCOMES RUSSIAN CONTRIBUTOR, ALEXANDER LEVCHENKO, WHO RUNS A HUGELY POPULAR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND GIVES US AN OVERVIEW OF THE GAME HE KNOWS AS “STRIKEBALL” HI COMRADES AND WARM GREETINGS from Russia with love! My name is Marty; I am the author of the most popular Russian airsoft YouTube channel «Marty Airsoft». Today I will tell you about airsoft in Mother Russia. My real name is Alexander Levchenko (Marty is the nickname), I am 29 years old and currently I live in the city of Krasnodar, that is located on the South-West of Russia. Before that, I used to live in Volgograd (Stalingrad in the past). I started playing airsoft 6 years ago after serving in the Russian army. I had my own airsoft shop, I was organizing small- and big-sized games for 100-200 players that were involving usage of military cars and armored vehicles. In 2013, I started making reviews for goods from my shop and uploading them to my YouTube channel. In one more year, my channel became very popular and I decided to close my shop. If in the past my YouTube channel used to be only my hobby, now it is my main job. Today I have about 150,000 subscribers. I cooperate with many airsoft gear, accessories and airsoft goods producers. I practice making Russian Style and Russian equipment more popular in the world of airsoft.
AIRSOFT GAMES IN RUSSIA
First thing you need to know is that in Russia and other postSoviet countries (Belorussia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others) the word “airsoft” is rarely used, whereas we mainly use the name “Strikeball” instead of it.
Strikeball is the MilSim version of airsoft. Usually airsoft is practiced on the sport play-fields like paintball. However, it is mostly unknown in Russia, we play strikeball only. Games are mainly established in the woods or in the abandoned buildings. According to the strikeball rules, all players must use camouflage and be as similar as possible to military units or police units. Copying of real military units is highly welcomed. We call it “reconstruction” or “modeling”. “Killed” player uses red bandage to indicate himself as “killed”. Other rules are the same as in the usual airsoft. In Russia there are no laws about airsoft, therefire no one uses red indicators on their guns barrels. In different Russian regions, there are gun limits for power and velocities: usually they are 120-150 m/s (350-450fps) for assault rifles and 172-200 m/s (500600fps) for sniper rifles. These velocities are measured with 0.2g BBs and are the maximum allowed on site There are three main types of games based on their scale: weekend-day games, daylight games and large 24-hour games.
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Photo by Andrey Krivenkov, akrivenkov.com
“BIG 24-HOUR GAMES LAST 24 HOURS WITHOUT BREAKS AND ARE ORGANIZED ON BIG FIELDS. THERE ARE MANY PLAYERS FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED UP TO THOUSANDS. THE BIGGEST GAME EVER WAS CALLED “24 HOURS ON THE ARMOR” AS IT COUNTED MORE THAN 4,000 PLAYERS.”
Photo by pecherichki
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The weekend-day games are held on Sundays mainly. Generally, these are small-sized games without a special scenario with only one task like capturing enemy’s flag. The game is divided into several rounds, 1-2 hours each. All players who have needed gear are allowed to participate. Usually there are 30-50 people. Daylight games are several hours long and have scenarios as well as some missions to accomplish during the game. Teams and players with a good reputation are allowed to take part in such events. Usually there are 50-100 people. Big 24-hour games last 24 hours without breaks and are organized on big fields. There are many players from several hundred up to thousands. The biggest game ever was called “24 Hours on the Armor” as it counted more than 4,000 players. Regularly only teams with good reputation are allowed to participate in these events; therefore, it is hard or almost impossible to enter the games of such scale for single players. These events have well-planned scenarios, numerous missions, large bases with fortification constructions and even special headquarters. 24-hour games often include wide usage of military vehicles, armored vehicles and even air forces. In addition, there are games that last 2-3 days or even more in a row, but they are quite rare actually.
International RUSSIA Photo by Andrey Krivenkov, akrivenkov.com
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT RUSSIAN AIRSOFT PLAYERS
Russian strikeball is first of all a team game. Many teams tend to be similar or absolutely copy actual military or police units of different countries. Copying is not only external but they use same playing style, tactics etc. Naturally, the most popular thing to copy are Russian Armed Forces, especially special intelligence units because they use very comfortable clothes and gear for our climate. In addition, copying of U.S. Armed Forces, German, UK and other countries military forces is highly popular too. Many teams tend to buy additional team equipment like grenade launchers, mine-throwers, tripod machine guns, and even armored vehicles. Therefore, the games in Russia are very spectacular and impressive. In Russia, airsoft replicas cost a fortune in comparison with European countries and the USA mainly because of the depreciation of Russian national money – ruble. In addition, this causes problems with buying original American and European equipment. That is why Russian airsoft players are in general wealthy people. Just about several years ago, you could
find fine airsoft shops only in Moscow. Whereas today you can find at least one of these or a special workshop in each large-sized city. Airsoft business is permanently growing here in Russia. The most popular airsoft firearms replicas are represented by AK franchise (AK74, AKM, AK105) made by CYMA, LCT, E&L. Replicas of popular special firearms are highly popular as well. These are VSS, AS Val produced by LCT. If we are talking about M4/M16 series, the most popular brands are CYMA, D-boys, G&P, G&G. Our airsoft players do not use only imported replicas. In Russia, there are several companies that produce airsoft goods. For example, NPO AEG company makes expensive and similar to real ones replicas of Russian firearms for special military units: VSK-94, 9A-91, VSS, AS Val etc. The TAGinn (TAG-innovation) company produces high-quality airsoft pyrotechnics, which is used by airsoft players from the entire world. These are usual grenades, grenade launchers replicas and grenades for those. There are other companies too but these two are the most popular and famous in other countries. Several Russian Special Forces use airsoft to train their soldiers. In large-sized airsoft games, there are many real police officers and soldiers as participants. Army To subscribe to Alexander’s and police often take part in organizing YouTube channel and check out large-sized airsoft games; they frequently his current videos, head over to: provide good and military vehicles. https://www.youtube.com/user/ In airsoft, they do not actually like marti080386 players who apparently do not look like real soldiers or police officers. If a player does not have inappropriate appearance, such as playing in jeans or tracksuits instead of camouflage, he or she is called “drisch” (literally translated as a skinny, weak person). If an airsoft player has militarized appearance, but does not copy a specific unit, they call him or her “Pokémon”. It is not offensive because the majority of airsoft players are essentially pokémons. I hope you liked this article. If you want to have more information about Russian gear and the Russian Style subscribe on my channel and Facebook. Photo © Gross Natalia, neatary@mail.ru
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U O N NOT O LAST MONTH WE RAN a critical page in Airsoft Action highlighting the current situation airsoft finds itself in and the threat to the hobby from Brussels “Law Lords” and while we can appeal for common sense, we’d also like to know what you personally thought was the “ideal solution”. If we accept that the increasing worry worldwide over “security” and the inevitable knee-jerk reactions may well cause further restrictions on the hobby, if not now then perhaps in the future, what do YOU feel would be a sensible compromise? How as an industry would we best keep the game accessible to new players, while providing a sensible safeguard against abuse? Would you support a paid “licence” for your AEGs with a government register of ownership? Would you favour a system akin to de-acs, in which each RIF has a certificate proclaiming its inability to ever fire real ammunition? Would you, shock horror, be content with a two-tone game if that was the only option, or do we need to take a leaf out of the “paintball” manual and “demilitarise” the hobby and change our terminology from guns to “taggers” and move away from replica AEGs... or does that totally kill airsoft for you? Quite surprisingly we found that several of you would support some form of ‘’gun licence” but others felt this could make it easier for the game to be “shut down” in one fell swoop. In a similar manner, the idea of a “de-ac”-style certificate to prove your RIF could never fire a real round was seen to be problematic, due to the intrinsic nature of
“customisation” of airsoft AEGs and the like, not to mention the difficulty of putting a permanent serial number on a plasticbodied RIF! Perhaps most interestingly, one enlightened chap suggested we should all grow up and join the army… at least that’s what we THINK he was saying, as he had a somewhat tenuous grasp on spelling and punctuation. A few worried readers felt that the “writing was on the wall” for the sport and the warning signs have been there for some time… but enough of our views at Airsoft Action, here’s what you had to say: Michael Jones: “Small fee paid licence and get rid of the £99 mega deals on dodgy websites.” Phil Taylor: “Leave the EU!” David Puddefoot: “It would be easier to make airsoft rifles and airguns a class in their own and try to track possession of them by registering them and making it an offence to own one without it being registered to the owner and its location. At least it will take cheap crap off the market... This could potentially help the market by allowing them to only be purchased within the UK and requiring a trade licence to import and sell and possibly another for construction with guidelines which can hopefully create some jobs and put some money in to the sport.” Scott Allan: “There is no proof that Airsoft as we know is in anyway involved in crime. That would suggest that no changes should be made to a sane person. There are a few options: You come up with a firearms dealer type scenario which cuts out the small market traders. You have some form of license, which we almost have anyway at the moment. You make them look awful, which no one wants.” Gaz Perkins: “Just bear in mind that once there is a license database with owners and RIFs listed on it, airsoft becomes a lot easier to ban in the future. This is because they will have a convenient list of where to find all those registered RIFs and owners. As we have seen over and over again, the authorities would be happy to use that for statistical figures rather than policing the unregistered ones or other items actually used in crime.” Ross Patrick: “I think a government managed scheme that works in basically the same way as UKARA’s criteria would be about the best choice. The only major change I would make to the criteria is that the minimum 3 games can be played at
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debate SAFEGUARDING AIRSOFT
! H C T UR WA “Much easier than going after actual criminals with actual guns.” Matthew Philpott: “Gun crime is predominantly with illegal weapons. An illegally sourced firearm is sadly rather easy and cheap to get hold of. Why bother using a reproduction that fires bits of plastic when you can get the real thing usually cheaper. “The two tone argument is another perfect example, if you’re set on doing something illegal with a AEG I’m pretty sure that you won’t feel particularly guilty about spraying over the neon. “Legislation as it stands is good enough and shouldn’t need messing with.” Matt Chubb: “Leave it alone it works(ish), so chill.” Maree-Louise Slater: “Didn’t we say all this was going to happen a few years back and we received dozens of abusive messages. Sadly airsoft in the UK does not need outside forces against “IN ALL HONESTY, it. Wish it was not the case but LEAST I’D LIKE TO there you go.”
multiple sites, rather than the same one. “The way Airsoft sales works with UKARA and site membership is actually pretty solid. The issue is the fact it is not legally backed.” Andrew Lane: “I would not mind a licence system as any proof of use of an airsoft gun for its correct purpose would make our position in law stronger. “There has been an increase in incidents involving BB guns this year saw a man from France dumping a MP5 replica in a bin at Gatwick bringing the airport to a standstill. “I think there should be tightened controls on buying and selling and maybe more secure storage as any stolen RIF just add to the problem.” David W Brown: “It’s funny really, I can buy an air pistol that looks like an M9 without needing anything more than a credit card to prove I’m over 18 and I’m certain they can do a lot more damage than my M9 that fires plastic BBs, so how about they leave the laws alone. We aren’t (all) lunatic enough to wield a RIF in the street/rob a bank with our guns and I think it works as is.”
AT THE VERY SEE THE CHEAP MARKET STUFF BANNED AS IT MAKES MY SKIN CRAWL - IT IS CHEAP TAT THAT BRINGS AIRSOFT BAD VIBES JUST BY BEING ASSOCIATED WITH IT.”
Robbo Peterson: “At the end of the day AEGs are not Firearms, they are for want of a better word just toys, they fire a 6 (or 8) mm plastic ball... not that far. The masses need educating as to their lack of danger... they may look scary to someone who has no clue of real firearms, but in this case “Looks can’t kill!”
Barnes Kno Al: “If we begin on the road of compromising because of what they deem to be fair, then the next step in restricting guns will also be a compromise that, at the time seems fair. Then, again, more compromise and so on until we’re left so mired in restrictions and regulations shooting sports die completely. We must always push for our governments and politicians to succeed in combating the criminal use of weapons. Not continue to give up our liberties because of their fear and our capitulation as law abiding people.” Tony Delaney: “Half the problem is the gaps in the law. At 18
Mark Law: “Isn’t it just that we are a largely law abiding soft target… “We got all these replica guns off the street” headline grabber.
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Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, GL20 8JH. United Kingdom. Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JH. United Kingdom.
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debate SAFEGUARDING AIRSOFT
“YOU CAN WANDER INTO AN OUTDOOR SPORTS STORE AND PICK UP A 177 PISTOL THAT LOOKS LIKE A SIG OR A GLOCK OR A .22 AIR RIFLE, THINGS THAT CAN DO SERIOUS DAMAGE AS THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR HUNTING, WITHOUT ANYONE BATTING AN EYELID.”
you can wander into an outdoor sports store and pick up a 177 pistol that looks like a Sig or a Glock or a .22 air rifle, things that can do serious damage as they are designed for hunting, without anyone batting an eyelid. So why is there so much issue around realistic-looking but far weaker rifles? “So either the law needs to be tightened across the board or loosened, this is for air rifles and pistols too. Either you have the equivalent of your shotgun licence, in that when you join your club site it’s in your membership fee and you are registered on a government database, not private and you follow strict rules. Break the rules you look at fines or even jail time. “Or you loosen then to where you just need to be over 18 but still heavy punishments for using them in an unlawful manner.”
Billy Gumbrell: “In all honesty, at the very least I’d like to see the cheap market stuff banned as it makes my skin crawl - it is cheap tat that brings airsoft bad vibes just by being associated with it. From there, I’d like to see everything sold as a black gun (RIF) under the current guise of the VCRA with Airsoft having its own specific defence under Sect. 37. “I don’t want to go down the genuine licencing road because it will undoubtedly incur another unnecessary cost to the game but more than ANYTHING else, I’d like people to get to grips with the fact that UKARA is not a damned licence! “That said, some kind of ID card would be a simple sale/no sale choice which would clear up any ambiguity.” Dave Doodson: “Why do we want any licensing at all? Other countries manage fine, why wouldn’t we?”
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GITAG CERAKOTE
CERAKOTE FINISHING
FROM FLYING TIGER COATINGS
THE CERAKOTE PROCESS WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY, LONG LASTING FINISH, WITH HIGH CORROSION PROTECTION AND DURABILITY. IT’S NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK AND JERRY NOONE TAKES UP THE STORY…
1 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I truly love about airsoft is building (and re-building) custom replicas, in my case often based on a real firearms used by SF units around the world. Of course that means I’m usually looking for “donor” AEGs and BBBs that I can transform into something unique and that also means I’m in the market for guns that have been broken, abused, or generally ill-cared for that I can buy for a price, or trade something for. Last year, for various reasons, I decided to let my AK replicas go to new homes. Two AK47s and AK74 and an AK74SU all found happy new owners and the resultant cash raised was put aside for a future unspecified “project”. Some of the money was spent on a number of parts which I stored away for when I was ready to get into building a new AK (or two) and the rest saved until I found the donor gun I was looking for. Having tested and reviewed one a while back (and being quite impressed), I made the decision that I would work with an “AK PMC” open bolt gas blowback model from WE Airsoft Europe (WEAE) but at the moment I’m still waiting for one to come up for sale at the price I want to pay… I miss my AKs! Trawling some of the “Airsoft For Sale” sites though I did chance upon one of the WEAE versions of the 74SU, which they call the UN; this has always been one of my favourite AK variants so after a little haggling I managed to trade some tactical gear for a rather battered, badly painted and generally abused UN. When it arrived it functioned and shot perfectly but oh my, externally it was a right mess; the paint job was terribly done, the foregrips had been removed and replaced with an ad-hoc rail held on with super-size jubilee clips and the distinctive flash hider replaced with a Russian-style “sound hog”. Some parts necessary to hold the foregrip in place were actually missing entirely and for a little while I wondered if I’d bitten off rather too much! (Pics 1–2)
2 Not one to be deterred though, I once again hit the interweb for a bit of detectoring and very soon all the parts I needed were inbound from retailers and fellow airsofters around the globe. When everything had arrived I gathered it all together and thought about how to bring the little “bitch” back to her former glory – and at this point I knew in my heart it really was time to “Give It To A Geek”!
BAD PAINT JOB TO PERFECT FINISH!
Developed by NIC Industries Inc, Cerakote Firearm Coatings offers custom gun finishes, including high temperature coatings, Gen II coatings, clear ceramic coatings and dry film lubricant coatings. Customers can learn about gun coating training, get answers to Cerakote firearm finish questions and view hundreds of Cerakote Firearm Coating pictures and Cerakote Firearm Coating colours at Cerakoteguncoatings. com. There you can check out hundreds of firearm finish colour options, including examples of custom colours and camouflage patterns, unique coating applications, information on Cerakote Firearm Coating and locations of factory trained and certified Cerakote coating applicators worldwide! (Pics 3–4)
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NIC Industries Inc provide their state of the art firearm coating services to select members of Armed Forces elite units, Government Departments and top tier gunsmiths. Their stated mission is the embodiment of art and methodical perfection in every part treated. The result is uncompromising quality with unsurpassed attention to detail at a competitive price. Simply put, Cerakote finishes provide excellent corrosion protection, outstanding abrasion resistance, extreme hardness and unmatched durability. Cerakote surpasses Teflon based coatings for wear resistance by well over 60% and has self-lubricating elements incorporated throughout the coating’s matrix, allowing guns to function with little or no fluid lubricants. Cerakote is available in two compounds; “C” series which is an ambient cure coating and “H” series, which is a thermal cure coating. Unlike Teflon-based gun coatings, the “C” & “H” series of Cerakote offer unequalled levels of hardness and abrasion resistance because of their unique ceramic backbone. The “C” series ceramic gun coatings were designed as a single component ambient air cure system. As higher temperatures 7
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are reached, the “C” series will flux, becoming harder and more abrasion-resistant. After a full cure this coating provides excellent resistance to most cleaning solvents and chemicals. The “H” series was designed as a two part thermal, ovenhardened curing system. It provides a very high quality, long lasting finish with high corrosion resistance. It offers unparalleled levels of abrasion resistance and hardness because of the two part component system. Flying Tiger Coatings (FTC) in Suffolk, run by my mate Mark, have completed the hands-on Cerakote training program to become a Factory Trained and Certified Cerakote Applicator. They apply Cerakote to an array of firearm and industrial applications with the new skills of applying the oven-cure, aircure and clear coats. Through the use of stencilling techniques, the guys at FTC offer complete customisation capabilities in ceramic coating not only of firearms and RIFs but any items manufactured from metals, woods, plastics and polymers. They say: “Flying Tiger Coatings aim to provide the highest quality and attention to detail at an affordable price. If you’re looking for something special, not just the norm, come to FTC. We have many years of experience as real steel armourers and as specialist custom painters so your pride and joy is in safe hands when you send it to us!” So, without further ado the AK74UN was stripped right down to constituent parts and handed off; Mark was the man to show me exactly how things went. The first step is to ensure that the parts to be coated are absolutely 100% clean and free of any existing finish or extraneous muck; this is achieved initially by bead blasting which strips the component back to bare metal. This is fascinating to watch as the blasting strips away any existing paint or bluing in a matter of minutes. This is a little time consuming but vital to the final finish. As Mark told me, “The final finish is all in the preparation!” (Pics 5–6) Once everything was fully back to bare metal, it was degreased. From this point on Mark wore rubber gloves as he told me that even body oils could cause contamination! The next step was a blast with Grit Oxide, a part of the process that “keys” the surface of the metal so that it will accept the coating perfectly. Only 100% clean grit is used. Once the metalwork was completely clean it was into the application room. The parts were carefully hung in the spray area and then degreased once again with a high pressure degreasing gun; fresh degreaser is used every time and the gun is used as tank soaking might mean that contaminants have been left in the tank. This part of the process is almost surgical in its precision! (Pic 7) At this point the prepared parts are popped into the “baking oven” for about 20 minutes; this is to leach out any impurities and gases still present and to pre-heat the metal in preparation for the coating application. Time for a coffee…
GITAG CERAKOTE
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With coffee and a doughnut out of the way it was time to get down to the business of applying the coating. From this point on it was safety masks on as the mixture of coating and hardener really gives off some ammonia fumes! Mark stressed that the correct preparation of the coating mix is absolutely critical to the finish. He explained that the finish can be varied from matte to high gloss by changing the ratio of hardener to coating; basically put, the more hardener used, the more gloss the finish. (Pics 8–12) Once the coating was mixed it was time to apply it to the fully prepared parts; again this is a high pressure spray job. This was carried out with minute attention to detail, with numerous visual checks to ensure that the coating reached every nook and cranny. It was wonderful to see bare metal being transformed before my very eyes and the coating goes on so precisely that no original detail is lost. If you have anything, like a receiver with trademarks, every detail will be kept as the coating really is only microns thick! (Pics 13–16) The now fully coated the parts were then placed back in the oven. Two hours later a good to go set of parts in a great matte shade of black was revealed; Mark had even refinished the magazine shell to the correct “Bakelite Orange” which really rounded things off! At this point the AK could have been immediately reassembled but Mark advised to leave it for a day or so to let the finish fully harden. (Pics 17) Overall I was very impressed with the final finish. The process is a painstaking, highly skilled job and not for the ill trained or faint hearted! Mark went on to show me how camouflage patterns could be applied over the base coating via the use of shaped stencils and I’ll tell you straight out, that this takes a very, very steady hand to achieve the excellent results he does. (Pic 18) The Cerakote coating is available in all military and camouflage colours, as well as some striking and slightly wacky
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ones too; the Blaze Orange has to be seen to be believed! Essentially if you can think of it, it can probably be done, the only consideration being the price. If you have an idea for a finish pattern it’s worth giving Mark a call or dropping him a PM via the FTC Facebook page to get a quote. One word here; if you want to send in your guns 18 as a whole then FTC will strip it down to components for you but obviously there is an additional cost for this. My advice would be to strip it down yourself and only send them the components you wish to be treated!
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With all the parts now fully refurbished it was time to reassemble the little AK and my advice to you here is really take your time; test fit everything before re-fitting all the screws and body pins as even though the Cerakote finish is very, very thin you may find you need to do a little judicious sanding and polishing to get the final perfect fit. If you’re unsure about how to put everything back together correctly then there are couple of great videos for this on YouTube. (Pics 19–21) As the final part of the refurbishment I decided that I wanted to go properly “old skool” with the AK and replace the polymer foregrips that come as standard with the UN, for some nicely finished real woodwork. I managed to secure a set second-hand for a tenner and refurbish it myself but if you want to do this and have a really superb finish then Milspec Solutions (www.milspecsolutions.co.uk) have a great kit from W&S Airsoft for just £39.95; I just picked up the AKM kit from them (watch this space!) and it really is absolutely first rate! (Pics 22–24) I’ll sign off this month by saying that I’ve really, REALLY enjoyed this project and it just goes to show that there are people out there who are absolute experts at what they do and this should never be underestimated. Mark truly excelled in every aspect of the Cerakoting side of things (as well as being a thoroughly top bloke!) and I can’t thank him enough for his sublime work. My AK has now been fitted with a webbing sling and is ready to return to service; if you would like your own RIF worked on by Flying Tiger Coatings then I truly recommend you “Give It To A Geek”! (Pic 25) For more information please drop FTC a line via info@flyingtigerpaintwork.co.uk or visit their regularly updated page on Facebook.
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IT’S ALL IN THE NAME
WITH THE FURORE SURROUNDING GLOCK PISTOLS, FRENCHIE GETS HIS HANDS ON A CRACKING LITTLE NUMBER FROM WE WITH A NAME THAT REALLY DOESN’T DO IT JUSTICE WHEN I SAT DOWN TO WRITE this review I didn’t really expect it to turn into a bit of a detective job. “I’ll just jump onto to the WE website and confirm the model number...” Err, no! None of the Glock-style pistols appear on the Wei Tech website, which is odd but I smell a touch of copyright fear there. Rather, you’ll find them only on the WE Europe website, where the review model goes by the exotic name of “E Force EU17 Pistol Bk” Snappy eh? Seldom has the official designation of a pistol been more inappropriate since the aforementioned Force is nothing less than WE’s rendition of a Salient Arms Glock 17. Surely a slightly more exciting name is in order? Stepping away from my obsession with semantics what do we have here? It’s a tale of two halves – the appearance of the gun and the gun itself. Additionally we are looking at one 72
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of the NUPROL holsters specifically designed for airsoft Glocks; more of that later in this article. First, a quick history lesson… The Glock G17 emerged in response to a 1980 requirement from the Austrian Army for a new service pistol. From a standing start in 1982 Glock, a company that specialised in cutlery and tools, produced a working prototype in 3 months and astonishingly beat off all-comers from Europe’s major manufacturers to win the contract. The G17 was a unique pistol making extensive use of polymers in its construction, leading to claims that the plastic pistol would be invisible to airport security measures. I can recall reading a Sunday Times article about this years ago, when I was a good deal younger and smaller! As is so often the case, the
armoury WE E FORCE EU17
brass rather than blued steel, bringing a point of light to an otherwise forbiddingly black frame. At the bottom of the grip is a matching silver alloy magazine well extender. The purpose of these is to make it easier and quicker to get the magazine into the gun and are found more often in practical pistol shooting. Since the Glock isn’t the hardest of guns to load, its inclusion here has more to do with looks than function but, damn, it does look good. This is matched with a reworked magazine baseplate although ironically, the end result is to make it slightly harder to ensure that that magazine is properly latched, a reasonable slap isn’t out of place here. The top end is where the real magic has been worked, however. The silver slide is ported and lightened, showing off the gold outer barrel within. There are three ports, a large one immediately behind the foresight and smaller ports in the shape of rounded parallelograms on each side of the slide, about an inch back from the front of the slide. Instead of the functional grooves normally found to aid cocking, the Force has a series of almost fish-scale shaped indentations which are not only utterly practical but also serve to reflect light as it falls on the pistol in a positively sensual manner. Where is that bucket of cold water when you need it?! Both side of the slide are indented, the left hand side bearing the legend “WEI-E TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSAL” while the right hand side, indented vertically to accommodate the ejection port, repeats the WEI logo and has “WEI-E” towards the muzzle end. The gold outer barrel has extensive markings with a “serial number” on the left hand edge of the chamber, the WEI logo on top and most bizarrely of all “WET” in large letters along the top of the barrel itself. It stands of course for “W E Technology” but it does look a little strange.
Press’ panic was ill-informed, as the metal slide and action of the G17 would show up very clearly on x-ray machines. The G17 went on to achieve astonishing success, being bought by military users, police services and private shooters in huge numbers. A combination of simplicity of use and rugged dependability proved to be a winner for Glock and they have never looked back. Now available in a bewildering array of sizes, calibres and capacities it’s difficult to imagine a word without the black pistol. “MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY ARE RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE; A BASIC WE have been making Glock-styled pistols for a long time. They are by and GLOCK 17 WILL SET YOU BACK ONLY ABOUT £90 FOR THE GEN 3 large reliable and serviceable, if lacking in VERSION AND A TENNER MORE FOR THE LATEST GEN 4 VERSION.” the authentic markings that some players desire above all else. Most importantly, they are relatively affordable; a basic Glock 17 will set you back The pistol has a set of iron sights equipped with a form of only about £90 for the Gen 3 version and a tenner more for Tru-Glo sights; acrylic rods that gather the available light and the latest Gen 4 version. They are based broadly on the Marui cause the round end facing the shooter to glow. The foresight design but feature a metal slide rather than the plastic found is green, the rear is red and it’s a system I am a big fan of on the Japanese guns. They thrive on a diet of green gas and because it’s simple and it works very well indeed, aiding fast shoot as well as you have a right to expect from a pistol. So target acquisition. far, so good, albeit a bit lacking in excitement. It’s that last There is one final addition found in the box; an extended ingredient, so vital to so many airsofters that the Force serves beavertail along with the longer frame pin required to up by the bucket-load. attach it. No matter which way I tried it, looked at it and At its heart it is a WE Gen 4 Glock replica and functionally the two are pretty identical. But, unlike the almost Spartan appearance of the original, the Force delivers enough bling for the most discerning, or ostentatious player. The review sample is based on the black frame of the Gen 4 model, however, the finish is much more akin to after-market stippling of more than the moulded grip areas of the original. This is applied to both sides of the grip, plus the front and the backstrap. It has also been applied to the side of the frame just ahead of the take-down catch, presumably to give the user a firm tactile response when keeping the trigger finger off the trigger. On the right hand side of the frame where you would expect to find Glock trademarks you’ll see “Made in Taiwan, Tactical Co Ltd” and the atom-like WE logo. Under the railed front end is the serial number plate which also serves as a manual safety. Glocks have no applied safeties, not in airsoft or in real life. On most airsoft versions, however, you will find this inconvenient sliding catch which locks the trigger against use. It is wholly useless as a functional safety and really I can only see it being of use to secure the gun when being stored. The trigger itself is a miniature work of art – cast from alloy with a very straight leading edge, slightly scalloped on either side. The functioning trigger safety is bright red and this sets of the silvered alloy of the trigger beautifully. The trigger pin that runs through the frame immediately above the trigger is www.airsoft-action.online
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and reliable. I was pleased to see an allen key included, which allows you to alter the angle at which the holster sits on your belt. I like to angle the pistol slightly forward with the butt high and it is very easy to achieve this and then to lock it down solidly. It’s very easy to write a lot about kit that doesn’t work, much harder when it does and this holster does. Despite the differences in the design of the Force it fits well and draws easily. My most violent efforts couldn’t persuade it to leave the holster unless the catch was depressed and it sits well on a belt. Simple and at £19.99 very affordable. The Force retails for £109.99 from Landwarrior, who provided the review sample. That makes it £10 more expensive that a standard Gen 4 Glock-alike from WE. That’s peanuts providing it appeals to you and there is the rub. Under its killer good looks the Force is no better or worse than the plain black Gen 4 pistol. It is all about the look. If you love it, the little extra dosh is well worth it. If shiny isn’t your thing you won’t touch this with a pole, regardless of price. If you want something that looks like a Salient custom but baulk at the price of branded parts this is perfect. I unashamedly adore it. It looks fabulous, it feels fabulous and I just want to sally forth and bring plastic mayhem down like rain (in a completely responsible manner of course!). I’m really not a fan of fancy guns, real or airsoft but this has won me over. If you like its looks, it may well win you over too.
thought about it I could not for the life of me understand why WE included this. It seemed unnecessary and uncomfortable and added nothing whatsoever to the pistol. The Force isn’t a military handgun, if you need a Glock for your loadout and you want it to be accurate, this isn’t the Glock for you. If, on the other hand, you love the work done particularly by Salient Arms, you will be all over this like a rash. You’ll have gathered long before now that I was – I like Glocks but this was just gorgeous, looked better, felt better thanks to the “I LIKE GLOCKS BUT THIS stippling and just demanded to be picked up and played with. WAS JUST GORGEOUS, Over the chrono things were LOOKED BETTER, FELT quite interesting. Using Blaster BETTER THANKS TO THE 0.2g ammo throughout I tried a number of different gasses: NUPROL STIPPLING AND JUST Green, NUPROL Black and Abbey’s DEMANDED TO BE PICKED Vertex gas, their new high-powered offering. Both the NUPROL gases UP AND PLAYED WITH.” returned results between 320 and 340 fps, with no significant drop off throughout the magazine. The Vertex delivered a high of 352 fps with the price of a more noticeable drop off as the magazine was emptied. All readings were performed using a Skan chrono. Hats off to Abbey, that stuff is really rather potent but if you need to keep things a bit more friendly the NUPROL Green is probably the best choice – there was little to choose between that and their Black gas. I also grabbed one of NUPROL’s moulded holsters to compliment the Force during the test. This is a fairly small moulded plastic holster with a belt clip which allows it to be easily attached and slightly less easily detached from your belt. Rather than being a retention holster, it uses a manual lock to keep the pistol in place, released by a large paddle that sits exactly where my trigger finger falls when going to draw the Force. There are arguments for and against manual release holsters but for airsofters this will be more than sufficiently secure 74
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A SQUADRON
ROOM COMBAT AS HE SLOWLY WORKS HIS WAY THROUGH BOB PODESTA’S COURSES, PAUL YELLAND TAKES PART IN DAY TWO OF A-SQUADRON’S COUNTER-TERRORIST TEAM TRAINING AS I SAT AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE in my hotel, with my forehead steri-stripped together following the previous days Counter-Terrorist Team Training, I could not help but to feel a buzz. Yesterday’s CTT2 – Primary Weapon course was extremely good but what I was going to be doing today seemed to be on another level. As I sat at that breakfast table, I looked around the restaurant and clocked all of the other people who were sat in the same room. There must have been people there who were on weekend trips, visiting friends or going to weddings – you know, “normal” things. I started to feel like the odd one out. If only those people knew what I had been doing the previous day - and if only they knew what I was going to be doing in a few hours time… Counter-Terrorist Team Training – Room Combat. Now, I am starting to write this article almost one week after the ISIS terrorist attacks in Paris and it is not lost on me that the people who I was sharing breakfast with in my hotel in Hereford, were doing exactly the same as those people who were killed and wounded during the terrorist attacks in Paris; getting on with life and having fun. When terrorists strike and attempt to kill and injure innocent people just like those families who were sat with me in the hotel, Counter-Terrorist teams are called in to carry out what I truly believe must be a privilege to do – Hostage rescue. As before, the course venue was located just outside of Hereford, so after a short drive from my accommodation, I arrived at the site and hooked up with A Squadron’s Faith and Bob. There were some new faces on today’s course, which
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was great to see and you could sense the enthusiasm coming from everybody. I have noticed that the A Squadron courses are pretty sharp when it comes to time keeping and course schedules. There is very little waiting around involved with Bob, so when a course is listed to start at 10:00hrs – then it will start at 10:00hrs. This suits me down to the ground as I find nothing more irritating than waiting around because of poor course planning and preparation. A Squadron’s promptness must be put down to Bob’s lifelong military career and Faith’s eye for detail. The course was opened with a presentation about the aims of the CTT3 Room Combat course and as I sat there, listening intently, I started to appreciate the knowledge that I had previously gained from attending the CTT1 and CTT2 courses. As Faith and Bob started to explain what was meant by room combat, it felt that the A Squadron training had just moved up a gear. There was quite a lot of reference to the Iranian embassy siege, as this is the counter terrorist operation which made the Special Air Service world famous. Like everyone, I have watched the documentaries on the siege and felt that I had a reasonable understanding about counter terrorism and what went on during the actual siege but after listening to Bob talk about what is involved in carrying out a counter-terrorist operation, it proved that I knew squat. The prep work involved in planning an operation is vast and the legal investigation post-operation into anybody that the SAS has killed is a detail that is often not given much thought by outsiders. Apparently, after the Iranian Embassy siege the regiment was inundated with applications to join by nut jobs who thought that they
A Squadron COUNTER-TERRORIST TEAM TRAINING
were going to be given black kit and a gun and start swinging around on ropes shooting people. What anyone attending the CTT 3 course will quickly learn is that the issue of storming rooms with guns is not as straightforward as it sounds and there are many considerations to take into account. When dealing with hostage situations involving terrorism, the reaction from the authorities is not somebody just saying “let’s send the goodies in to kill the baddies and save the hostages”. Apart from the lives of the captives and security forces being put at risk from any attempted rescue operation, there are also political issues to consider. In addition to this, the relationship that is being formed between the terrorist(s) and the hostages needs to be taken into account, as there could be sympathisers for the terrorist’s cause who are sat amongst the hostages. The condition called “Stockholm Syndrome” is well documented and describes the bond and affection which can develop between the terrorist and their captives. This “bond” could complicate any rescue that is attempted by the security services and as such, is a serious consideration when handling hostages who have just been rescued. Following this discussion, Bob then went into more detail about the role of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Team within the Special Air Service and how the regiment responds to terrorist incidents. We were then introduced to the main part of the course – Actions On. Bob explained to us how the SAS are mobilised to a Hostage situation and the type of planning that is required to deal with such an incident. From this moment on, the course became more practical. The students were all taken into a large indoor area which contained a multi room set up. Bob showed us all how to enter and clear a room whilst operating in two, three and four-man teams. Each of the students had an opportunity to enter a single room whilst taking up different places within the entry team formations. So far, this training was being carried out “dry” but as everybody quickly mastered the drills we moved on to using loaded weapons. The entry techniques are intensely rehearsed to ensure that nobody moves across another team member’s line of fire and to maintain 360 degrees of security, just in case a terrorist (known as x-ray) appears from an unsuspecting direction. I soon started to appreciate the constant repetition of these drills because it was proving easing to forget your positioning during an entry and exit from a room. Everyone on the course was loving this practical element, we just could not get enough of it. The rush of adrenalin, increased ability and confidence made everyone slicker and intensely focused. Bob and Faith had placed Figure 11 targets inside some of the rooms and as a twist, some of these targets had been identified as hostages so we had to be careful not to shoot them in the rush. That was one thing that Bob did try to emphasise; it was important to move quickly but not at such a speed that results in the group fragmenting and becoming scattered amongst the different rooms. If this was allowed to happen, somebody might find themselves entering a room
“WHAT ANYONE ATTENDING THE CTT 3 COURSE WILL QUICKLY LEARN IS THAT THE ISSUE OF STORMING ROOMS WITH GUNS IS NOT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS IT SOUNDS AND THERE ARE MANY CONSIDERATIONS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” without their mates as extra firepower behind them. The next tactic to learn was multiple room clearance. A four-man team was used to clear three rooms in succession. It was important that the flow of the team from room to room was seamless to maintain momentum for the assault. Again, targets had been placed inside the rooms for the teams to take out. We all had a chance to go over these drills time and time again, until they started to become second nature. The actual drills are not difficult themselves, the hard bit is trying to remember your individual positioning which can get overlooked during the buzz of the assault. Once we had become competent in multi–room clearance drills, Bob talked us through the procedure for a multi–team assault on a building containing a number of rooms and open areas. This is the point where things can get confusing and in the real world; dangerous because there is a very high risk of a blue on blue incident between the different assault teams. Therefore Bob couldn’t stress enough the importance of prior planning and communication between the different teams during the actual operation. Before this assault took place the different teams held a briefing to discuss the objective of the raid and the areas of the building that the different teams would be responsible for clearing. Limits of operations were set for each team, meaning that there were certain points within the building that they could not cross into. This was to prevent www.airsoft-action.online
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A Squadron COUNTER-TERRORIST TEAM TRAINING
the different teams from wondering into another’s area and possibly being shot by mistake. As we carried out this part of the training, it was evident that as well as getting the speed correct, communication, especially between the two teams was essential, so that meant lots and lots of shouting when rooms were cleared or terrorists where identified and killed. The course soon reached its climax and with everyone pumped and primed, it was time for the final exercise. We vacated the main building which housed the room combat set up and headed for another small building which was to be the planning room. We all sat and listened to Bob
to race around my body. Although only an exercise I could feel the pressure of getting the details right; remembering the room clearance drills and which formations to adopt. We had also been taught about prisoner handling so were all keen to get our hands on the target. On the order “Go, Go, Go!” the target building was soon flooded with the three counterterrorist teams. There was some caution by the teams during the first moments after effecting entry but we all quickly got into the swing of things working through all of the rooms and taking out any targets whilst concentrating on not shooting any hostages, or the wanted subject. My team had worked down to the end of our section of the building with all of those rooms now clear and no sign of the target. There was then a “I REMEMBER MY HEART THUMPING AS THE ADRENALIN STARTED TO loud shout out from one of the other RACE AROUND MY BODY. ALTHOUGH ONLY AN EXERCISE I COULD FEEL teams, who were clearing another part THE PRESSURE OF GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT; REMEMBERING THE of the building. They had found the target and had arrested him. We all ROOM CLEARANCE DRILLS AND WHICH FORMATIONS TO ADOPT.” rushed back to line the route out and in turn the prisoner was firmly handled who gave us the mission background and main objective. The down this line and out of the building. As I grabbed hold of the situation was that a terrorist cell had been operating from prisoner (Bob) and pushed him forwards towards to next team a remote farm building which had been under surveillance. member in the line, I noticed that Bob was covered in dust and Intelligence suggested that one of the highly wanted terrorist straw. He did prove quite hard for the other team to find and commanders was now present inside the target building and as it turned out the reason for this was that he decided to hide such, needed to be captured (the identity of the target seemed himself underneath a tarpaulin! very much like Bob!). The area was considered to be hostile The raid was a success and at the debrief we discussed how with other armed terrorists occupying the building. Bob then we thought the assault had gone. It was the general consensus opened the floor up to the course students to devise a plan of that it had gone well and had been thoroughly enjoyed by action. A team leader was appointed and the group was split all but it was not lost on us that had Bob been armed whilst into three teams. The structure of the building meant that the hiding under that tarpaulin, then the team would have taken occupied area was on the first floor level. It was decided that casualties – so, lesson learnt Bob. the assault would comprise of a multi-entry into the target I was surprised about how much we had all actually learnt building with teams simultaneously entering the building via an during the course and it was not until doing the final exercise external stair case, ladder and a fire escape which was situated that I appreciated actually how much information I had retained to the rear. Each team was given its area of responsibility and throughout the day. to make things clear, a floor plan was drawn and the rooms If somebody had told me that morning whilst I was sat in numbered. The teams were given a few minutes to kit up and the restaurant having breakfast that come the end of the day, then the message came through for the counter-terrorist team I would be able to confidently carry out this type of counterto stand to. On that command, we all rushed into our preterrorist operation I don’t think that I would have believed assault positions and waited for the order to go in. them. But I suppose that’s what happens when you are taught I remember my heart thumping as the adrenalin started by A Squadron – you get quality training.
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Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Northway Lane, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8JH. United Kingdom.
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U-BOATS AND GOLD!
RATTY CONTINUES HIS EXPLORATION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GOLD AND OTHER TREASURES APPROPRIATED BY HITLER AND THE NAZIS THE DREADED U-BOAT FLEET WAS the scourge of the oceans, sinking plenty of naval and merchant vessels. However, towards the end of the war, what better way could there be to make good your escape and take a load of your “acquired” goodies that would make a great nest egg to start your new life somewhere in South America with you. Today, there are many stories (some of mythical proportions) still about sunken U-boats that contain gold, jewellery and more. In 1943, a German agent was arrested on Gibraltar and interrogated by MI5. His name was Ernesto Hoppe, who, under interrogation, let out a whopper of a secret that the Nazis, even then, were planning for a possible quick exit to Argentina if the Third Reich were to be defeated.
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Two vessels, U-977 and U-530 have stories which themselves have helped to add to the myth about Nazi hierarchy on the run with stolen loot. Although, even to this day, many details are still unclear about U-977’s journey, it is clear that on the 2nd May 1945 it set sail on its first combat patrol. Its mission was to head to Southampton and sink as many British ships as possible. Not three days later (5th May) Admiral Donitz ordered all attack submarines to stand down. Married members of the crew were offered to return to shore and on 10th May, 16 chose this option and were put in dinghies off the coast near Bergen. From there, it made a supposed 66-day submerged journey to Cape Verde, then onto Argentina arriving on 17th July, a total of 99 days at sea. After surrendering themselves to Argentinian authorities, the boat itself was seized by the US Navy and sank in 1946 when used as a target on a naval live firing exercise. Along with U-530, stories about landing top Nazis (including Hitler himself in U-530’s case) along with gold, artwork and other artefacts to
Big Boyz Toyz NAZI GOLD – PART 2
surround themselves with, as well as live and fund the Fourth Reich!! U-196 has an even more interesting story surrounding it. In its early career, it had set what was to become a record for the longest patrol by any submarine in World War II; 225 days from 13th March – 23rd October 1943. It was deployed to Malaysia in late 1944 with the task of operating in waters around Australia. Three months after arriving in Malaysia, U-196 set off on a patrol but no sooner had she set off, she disappeared, after which she was stricken from records. There is a theory that this boat left Malaysia packed with Nazi gold with the aim of burying it somewhere for use later after the war. It is then suggested that the crew, in cahoots with 13 high ranking Germans, who joined them on this voyage, set off with an alternative agenda. Surfacing at a secret base at La Palma, Mexico, after refuelling and fresh supplies aboard they then headed north to exactly where, no one knows. There has never been a wreck found of U-196, so all of this pure hearsay. Did the crew and its cargo of Nazi’s bailing out early taking with them enough gold to give them a comfortable new start, land somewhere in the USA or Canada? Most of you will probably think “what a load of ole tosh”, never happen. OK, so throw into a mix a story of a young man, with an interest in history, travelling around America…. In an antique shop in the small town of Jerome, Arizona (about 300km north of the Mexican border) he found a very weathered gold ingot that had some markings on it. After quizzing the old-age shop owner about the ingot, who said that shortly after the end of World War II a young dishevelled man lived in an abandoned shack on the outskirts of town, who spoke with an accent came into the shop wanting to sell this ingot so he could return home. When asked where home was, he replied “Germany”. Our young traveller tried to negotiate a price on the ingot but was far higher than the market value of the gold’s weight because of its history. So he took a pencil rubbing of the markings and sometime later had the markings authenticated by a specialist, who informed him that they were the Imperial Seal of Japan. This meant that the gold ingot was the property of the Emperor of Japan and was 999.9 pure! According to the “specialist”, German submariners had come up the Sea of Cortex with a hoard of Nazi gold that they buried along the US/Mexican border on the US side. Over the years since the war these bars would show up occasionally, which meant that somewhere the main hoard is still buried. Much closer to home, German submarine U-534, launched on 23rd September 1942 and commissioned on 23rd December in the same year. Now on display in Birkenhead as part of the
U-boat story, she is 1 of only 4 preserved surviving U-boats in the world. On 5th May 1945 U-534 was sailing north as part of a convoy with three other U-Boats on the surface of the Kattegat Sea in an area that was too shallow for crash diving when they came under attack from British B-24 Liberator bombers. In the ensuing battle, nine depth charges missed and U-534 actually shot down one of the bombers which crashed three nautical miles away killing all its crew. However, she then received a direct hit to the aft section and started taking on water. Out of a crew of 52, 49 survived. For nearly 41 years U-534 lay on the sea bed, until, in 1986, she was discovered by a Dane, Aage Jensen, a wreck hunter. With stories rife about this convoy making a run for it packed with a gold, amid much hype, a consortium was put together, backed by a Danish media millionaire to raise her. On the 23rd August 1993 she was successfully raised by the Dutch Salvage company Smit Tak. However, once raised, the stories about the Nazi gold proved unfounded, U-534 was empty of any loot. In 1996, she was transported to Birkenhead docks to form part of the Warship Preservation Trust collection. In 2006 the Museum closed but U-534 was acquired by the Mersey Travel Transit Authority and was displayed at the Woodside Ernesto Hoppe Ferry Terminal. From there, she was cut into 5 sections, of which 2 are now re-joined to allow visitors better visibility into the U-Boat. U-534 is now on view in its sectioned form at the U-Boat Story exhibition which opened on 10th February 2009.
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Big Boyz Toyz NAZI GOLD – PART 2
OTHER HUNTS FOR POSSIBLE TREASURE:
Ok, so these are just some examples of either stolen Nazi loot being recovered, or the main subjects relating to myths surrounding where much of it could possibly be. There are many more but are they the truth or just local legends? At another Lake, Lake Solpsee, a 988 acre lake north of Berlin, the story goes that some 18 crates of gold and platinum may lie in its depths. Eyewitnesses say that back in March 1945, up to 30 concentration camp prisoners unloaded heavy crates from lorries, that were then ferried out into the middle of the lake and thrown overboard. When the last crate was thrown into the lake, once the prisoners returned to shore, they were all lined up and shot and along with the boats, all dumped into the lake itself. Zbiroh Castle located in the Czech Republic, was once a haunt for the SS. Throughout the war, aircraft landed nearby and wooden cases were transported to the castle. That is fact. The castle built in the 12th Century has, under it, a massive network of secret tunnels and caverns, many undocumented and a great number sealed up with concrete by the Nazis. During the last days of the war, the last of the SS fled the area, leaving behind their uniforms along with everything else. What happened to these boxes and what was in them? Rommel’s Gold relates to the gold and other artifacts stolen by the Afrika Corps from Tunisia and other countries in North Africa. A British researcher, Terry Hodgkinson has spent over 15 years searching for the whereabouts of Rommel’s hoard. He strongly believes that he is confident he knows of where the £10m worth of gold and jewels are hidden. In Deutschneudorf, Germany the son of a former Luftwaffe signaller who said he was involved in stashing up to 2 tons of Nazi gold in a cavern has been busy trying to locate the missing loot. Petr Kaspar believes that he has found the site of more Nazi treasure. The “Stechovice hoard” as it was known was allegedly hidden at the end of the war in various locations. In another case, using RAF surveillance photos from the period, historians believe that they have found a secret Nazi bunker in the Leinawald forest near Leipzig, containing one of
the Third Reich’s gold reserves. Historian Burkhart List, using acquired German documents, believes that he knows the whereabouts of a large amount of missing artwork stolen by the Nazis. He thinks that the art, by Monet, Manets, Cezannes amongst others could be worth up to £500million was hidden in 2 underground galleries in the Erzgebirge Mountains. Florian Bautsch, a certified metal detectorist, found 217Nazi-era gold coins near Luneburg. Whilst out metal detecting, he first found 1 coin, then after removing some foliage, he found 9 more. After contacting a local archaeologist, a 2 week search was carried out in which another 207 coins were found, with a net value of around 45,000 euros. In June 1945, as Berlin lay in ruins, the Red Army embarked on a secret mission to spirit away back to Russia, Nazi treasures, including gold, silver jewellery dating back to the 5th and 8th centuries and cultural artifacts. 3 chests containing 1,538 items were loaded onto a plane bound for Moscow. From there these items were not seen again for over 60 years, German experts had no idea where these items had gone to, or indeed had they been destroyed by the war itself. Then, out of the blue, many of these missing pieces that were last seen in Berlin in 1939 were brought out of their hiding place at the Moscow’s Pushkin Sate Museum. There are plenty more stories but too many to recount here I’m afraid... and we still don’t know everything about the supposed Nazi Gold Train found in Poland. To write this feature, I could hardly contain my own excitement. The thought of uncovering something so valuable that has been missing for so long is one of those things I have always wanted to be involved in, since I was a youngster.
“ALONG WITH U-530, STORIES ABOUT LANDING TOP NAZIS (INCLUDING HITLER HIMSELF IN U-530’S CASE) ALONG WITH GOLD, ARTWORK AND OTHER ARTEFACTS TO SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH, AS WELL AS LIVE AND FUND THE FOURTH REICH!!”
At the time of writing this story is still not over. Is it all one big hoax? Are Koper and Richter going to be very well off indeed with a 10% finder’s fee on 300 tons of gold from the train? Are we going to hear about another atrocity that the Nazis carried out? Maybe we will be staggered at how advanced they were with their Chemical weapon or even Atomic weapons programme? Who knows? I certainly can’t make a judgement call, although I do really hope that it is full of glorious gold. That way, it still gives me some sense of wellbeing that all the other stories of possible deposits/dumpings/ hidings of Nazi loot have just a shred of hope. So, I am signing off here, with a train ticket to Poland in one hand, shovel and pick in the other!!
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FOBUS UNIVERSAL
INSIDE WAISTBAND AND AN HOLSTER IN HIS PREVIOUS OCCUPATION, ANDY NIGHTINGALE NEEDED TO BE SURE HIS HOLSTER WAS UP TO THE JOB BUT AS HIS OLD ONE WAS WORN OUT HE NEEDED SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT – AND FOUND THIS…
I HAVE JUST TAKEN STOCK of the FOBUS Universal ISW (In Side Waistband) holster, as my old ISW has seen better days and when scouring the Internet for a new one, I came across this particular model. I’ve used a few different ISW in the past and have always favoured the leather ones above the more ridged, man-made material models, such as Kydex. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with plastic ISW; they are, in most cases, fine and more than up for the job, it’s all down to personal preference. I have use Kydex in the past and find them (for me) a little uncomfortable after long periods of time. Leather, on the other hand, I find rather pleasant to wear during long details so I have tended to stay away from the more modern ISW holsters. Fobus, however, have tried to create a hybrid ISW. They wanted to use the ridged properties of Kydex (for ease of reholstering) yet have the comfort that a leather holster provides. Using a more flexible man-made material, the Fobus universal ISW holster affords both advantages. My first holster was a Vega holster with metal belt clip and although the construction and quality of workmanship was sound, the holster was, for me, useless. It had no support whatsoever as it was made of thin leather and, every time I drew my weapon, the whole thing just collapsed in on itself and went flat, making re-holstering impossible. The next holster I tried was a custom holster from Dynex. This was a small custom holster workshop that produced Kydex-style holsters for the civilian market. Again, I had no qualms over the quality and workmanship but the holster was just too uncomfortable during a detail of more than 4 hours, when in the field I was wearing ISW for an average of 12 hours. My attention was drawn to the Price Western Leather ISW holster, as I have been using Price Western strong side hip holsters for many years now. This was to date the best I had come across. It is made from a good quality grain of leather
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Kit FOBUS HOLSTER
(turned inside out so the smother side is inside and the rougher is next to the skin), with an extra strip of leather around the mouth of the holster to help stop the holster from collapsing after the weapon has been drawn. Although it’s not the best holster on the market, it is a good quality ISW for the price and it has never let me down. Opting for the Fobus was a chance that I was prepared to take as the holster was marked up at only £28.00 (on eBay). It arrived in the post in a polythene gripper bag with an instruction sheet and a catalogue of other Fobus items. Being “universal”, Fobus have tried to cater for all sizes and shapes of handgun and there are 2 sizes available: ISWS and ISWL (S being for small frame and L being for large frame handguns). As my handgun is a Glock 17 I chose the ISWL model. The construction on first examination was quite good and I was pleasantly pleased. I have used Fobus outside waist band holsters in the past and have never had any issues whatsoever with build, quality or performance so I was hoping for the same from this model. That was about to change. I fitted my Glock 17 into the holster and was quite disappointed with the fit. There was just too much room in the holster and it just swallowed up my gun (I have always used gun-specific holsters in the past). There was no way that this holster was going to secure my gun in place and it wasn’t until I fitted the holster to my belt, that I was convinced it was the right tool for the job. Once the holster is fitted, the backing (the bit that sits next to your skin) conforms to the shape of your body tightening the grip on the gun and the pressure of the belt (when tightened) secures the gun in place. This, along with an antislip texture, makes for an ideal retention that can be altered by simply adjusting the belt. I was now convinced that Fobus had got the design right! The backing is wide enough to give plenty of support and is covered in small holes to help the skin breath during use. I have never been a fan of wearing a holster directly next to my
skin and have always worn a T shirt between my skin and the holster. On my first trial I wore the holster for 10 hours straight and not a sign of any sweat, so I can safely say that the breathability is great. The backing is also cut for comfort and is high enough to keep the weapon away from your skin, reducing the chance of moisture on the gun (thus reducing the chance of rust) and after 10 hours I could have almost forgotten that I was carrying a concealed weapon. During normal activities the holster never let me down the whole time I was carrying. Normally when in a car I have always sworn about wearing an
“AFTER 10 HOURS I COULD HAVE ALMOST FORGOTTEN THAT I WAS CARRYING A CONCEALED WEAPON. DURING NORMAL ACTIVITIES THE HOLSTER NEVER LET ME DOWN THE WHOLE TIME I WAS CARRYING.” ISW holster, as I can feel the gun pressing against my body. The Fobus Universal ISW holster, however, still felt comfortable during driving. The fitting of the holster to the belt is made simple by the way of two clips either side of the holster shell, that secure the whole unit in place. As the holster is stated to be universal I decided to try my Sig 226. With a slight adjustment of my belt the 226 was secured in the holster as much as the Glock was. This is a great holster for those that own several handguns but don’t want to own several holsters! What FOBUS has to say: “The holster shell, while having a degree of flexibility, is non-collapsing and allows for one-handed re-holstering. Fobus is currently offering two new models: the IWBL for large frame pistols and the IWBS for small frame pistols. Both are universal IWB holsters that do not require replacement of shells when used with different similar sized pistols. The holster’s unique flexible backing is impervious to moisture and features numerous ventilation openings. It also provides a mild, non-slip surface on both sides that serves to prevent lateral movement of the holster around the user’s waist, as well as a retention surface against the pistol. The holster firmly grips the pistol between the belt tension on the holster shell on one side, and the flexible backing that conforms to the wearer’s body contour on the opposite.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! Just one point to remember though: In the UK it is illegal to carry any weapon concealed without good reason, such as travelling to and from the range.
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SON TAY: OPERA ‘NAMSOFT IS A GENRE MUCH FAVOURED BY MANY PLAYERS AND IN THE FIRST OF A TWO-PARTER, BILLY WRITES ABOUT A RAID THAT WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT SCENARIO FOR A ‘NAM-BASED GAME I WILL ADMIT TO YOU, dear Readers, that rather shamefully I do not know nearly enough about the Vietnam War. So it was a real treat whilst flicking through a book of photos recently to discover the details about this raid while I was researching it. I’d also like to add that during my research I had not expected to read something and sit back from the screen and say out loud (in front of my 3 year old daughter sitting drawing on the comfy chair in the office next to me) “Holy S**t!” but I did when I read about the raid on the Son Tay POW Camp in 1970 by US SOF Troops. If I think of all the raids that I have written about thus far, this one really takes the crown (but that’s just my opinion and it may well be because I had not heard of it before) and we’ll see if I still think that when this series reaches its natural conclusion (when Ed’s texts me and says “Enough with the raids already!”) Anyway read on and see for yourselves. In 1968 during the Vietnam War it became apparent to the planners and Intel Officers that a number of US POWs (Prisoners of War) were being held at a camp called “Son Tay”, about 5 miles west of Hanoi.
They were being held in truly terrible conditions; you probably remember the scenes from the Hollywood film “The Deer Hunter” when the main characters were being tortured in captivity by the NVA. If you haven’t seen it go and see it, it’s a great movie, but not a rom com so don’t make it a first date. An interesting point here is that the American Senator, John McCain, was a POW at the time (not believed to be at Son Tay) and his father, an Admiral, was one of the layers of bureaucracy the planners had to get through to get approval for the mission. They anticipated that after the raid there would be reprisals (harsh treatment for those left behind) in other camps, regardless of the outcome. So for a father it would have been a really tough call to make, but he gave the go ahead after asking “Is John in there?” and a fellow officer was heard to remark that it was the “Noblest thing I ever saw.” After months of detailed research and studying everything they could lay their hands on, the planners concluded that a raid could (and should) be mounted on Son Tay. There were, they estimated, 61 US POWs being held there and some of
“AFTER LENGTHY NIGHT FIRING PRACTICE, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE NUMBER OF HITS ON THE TARGETS WAS ONLY 25%. ONE OF THE YOUNG LADS WHO HAD NO ACTUAL COMBAT EXPERIENCE BEFORE BUT WAS A TOUGH BLOKE AND AN ACCOMPLISHED HUNTER, SUGGESTED THAT THEY MIGHT TRY A LASER POINTER THAT HE’D STARTED USING ON THE FARM. THEY BOUGHT A LOAD, TRIED THEM OUT AND THE HIT RATE WENT UP TO 95%!” 86
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Billy Basics DARING RAIDS
RATION KINGPIN them were in dire need of rescue. Col Arthur “Bull” Simons was chosen to lead the mission and he personally interviewed each and every member of the team. Over 500 volunteers were asked to commit to a moderately hazardous mission, for no extra pay, at an undisclosed location. For the Bull (a formidable character and veteran of some cheeky actions) to refer to it as “moderate” everybody knew it was going to be “kinetic” to say the least! It was decided from the outset to exclude the Marine Corps from the process and recruit from US SOF Troops. Col “Bull” Simons wanted to choose the right men on merit, not just the right ranks and he believed that SOF Troops (rather than Jarheads) had the flexibility and initiative, not just the ability to slavishly follow orders. Each approach has its own merits, sometimes you need soldiers to follow orders without question and sometimes you need soldiers who think creatively and are not afraid to speak up. And he was proved right when towards the middle of the training after lengthy night firing practice, it was noted that the number of hits on the targets was only 25%. One of the young lads who had no actual combat experience before but was a tough bloke and an accomplished hunter, suggested that they might try a laser pointer that he’d started using on the farm. They bought a load, tried them out and the hit rate went up to 95%! With the selection of the personnel made, bags were packed, kit palletised and the group moved to Elgin Air Force Base where they would conduct planning and rehearsals over
the next few months. By the time of the operation launch well over 175 rehearsals had been carried out, from dry drills using blank rounds all the way to several full dress rehearsals to iron out any problems. Upon arrival at Elgin a detailed model of the camp was made out of timber and plywood on the ranges and the team were given a detailed brief and tour of the model. They went over entry points, cover and of course arcs of fire and how to best assault whilst not shooting either the hostages or one another. While the boys were studying the building the adults were studying the air photos of the camp and all intelligence they could gather. They quickly realised that because of the tree cover they had absolutely no idea what was in the guard towers at the main gate. They were not taking any chances and a helicopter gunship was detailed with taking them out before any troops got boots on the ground. In the event they were not armoured and just had a bloke in a box on stilts… but why fire 5 rounds to neutralise a target when you can fire 5,000 and it wasn’t likely that they found much left of the poor sod on guard that night, he got a sustained burst from several mini guns. Two further problems presented themselves to the planners; the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) had a sophisticated radar set up which would alert them with enough time to respond with deadly force knocking out the choppers. But worse than that, the helicopters were quite slow moving and would present an easy target travelling in such a large formation for that distance. When a problem like that pops up, human ingenuity and problem solving skills sometimes come up with brilliant solutions. They discovered that it would be possible for the helis carrying the assault force, to ride on the wake or the wash created by the wings of C130s as they flew along, greatly increasing their speed to the target. On the night of the first trial, the helis set off to RV with the C130s (he lads on board had not been told the whole story). One of the lads was looking out of the heli window as the C130s approached from below and they got closer, then closer and then closer still, until they were 20-30 feet from the bottom of the helicopters. It must have been terrifying for those onboard and required the utmost concentration www.airsoft-action.online
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Billy Basics DARING RAIDS
from the pilots to keep both their nerve and the birds steady and on track. However, they had found their optimum method for getting the rotary wing assets (the helis, which could manoeuvre in close to the target and support the troops with door guns) across the hills and back again. The solution to the radar problem was also found. Intelligence uncovered that the radar systems were routinely shut down at a specific time window for maintenance by the NVA, which would allow the task force to slip through unnoticed. Speed and Surprise were sorted now they just had to work on the “aggression” and finish those rehearsals. In excess of 170 rehearsals were carried out and it quickly
“WHY FIRE 5 ROUNDS TO NEUTRALISE A TARGET WHEN YOU CAN FIRE 5,000 AND IT WASN’T LIKELY THAT THEY FOUND MUCH LEFT OF THE POOR SOD ON GUARD THAT NIGHT, HE GOT A SUSTAINED BURST FROM SEVERAL MINI GUNS.” became apparent that the Bell Hueys were just too small and cramped for the long hours of flight. During the first full length rehearsals the US SOF soldiers’ legs had gone to sleep and upon touch down they literally fell out of the helis as they alighted. A rethink was required. The Hueys were swiftly replaced by the much larger and roomier “Jolly Green Giants”, which allowed the lads to sit in seats and to stretch their legs out. The Giants also performed well wash hanging on the backs of the C130s and the clock tick-tocked away until the day of the race was almost upon them. The Task Force packed up and moved to an FMB just across the border in friendly Laos for the green light, the SOF Troops had little idea of what the mission was all about. On the night of the raid a tense room filled with every member of the team, from the pilots to the youngest trooper, sat in silence as the “Bull” strode in to the room. “We’re going into Vietnam to a place called Son Tay to rescue our POWs” he said…. …and the crowd went absolutely wild, they probably heard the “HUAs” (Heard Understood Acted Upon) in Vietnam itself!! They were going in that very night November… 21st 1970.
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GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY CONTINUES HIS LOOK AT VARIOUS ROLES WITHIN AN AIRSOFT TEAM AND TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO PROBABLY THE MOST POPULAR, THE RIFLEMAN
THE SPECIALIST
RIFLEMAN IN OUR HOBBY, WHETHER YOU PLAY as a casual Open Day player, or a MilSim operator, most of us take on the role of rifleman and it’s the building block of any successful team. In previous issues we’ve looked at the Team Commander (who must be an exemplary rifleman himself) and the Scout and the Medic, who both need to be able to hold the line when needed. This month we’ll be looking at the role of rifleman in the section but more specifically, how your role changes when you decide to become either a grenadier or support gunner. Both essential components of the rifle section but implementing very different tactics to assist the group as a whole.
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In a real world situation, historically, the rifleman has been the core of most infantry formations. Vital in being able to both take and hold ground and necessary to put enough of a volume of fire down to allow his section or platoon comrades to advance in safety. From the 1st World War onwards the increasingly propensity of increasingly lightweight machine guns made the rifleman the “manoeuvre” element, while the “gun group” pinned the enemy in place. In today’s warfare (and by extension our games and, in particular, in no ammo limit open days) every rifleman is, in essence, his own machine gunner. Although, as we will see, a dedicated light support weapon, medium machine gun or even heavier machine gun will dominate the firefight more effectively than a player with an assault rifle. Equally, the role of a grenadier in an infantry battalion is as old as Napoleonic warfare, where the tallest men in the regiment would hurl fused hand bombs over the front ranks to break up the enemy. Technological advances led to better fuses, higher yielding explosives and viciously fragmenting cases but the principle of lobbing a small bomb at the bad guys remained the same until the invention of the rifle grenade launcher. At first these were simply steel “cups” mounted to the end of standard rifles, with a blank round being used to propel a grenade distances much further than the soldier could achieve through the strength of his arm. By the 1960s more efficient under-barrelled grenade launchers had been developed, that allowed the soldier to still use his rifle to engage with small arms ammunition. Now most modern armies equip at least one soldier in each rifle section with some form of under-barrel
Team Roles THE SPECIALIST RIFLEMAN
grenade launcher, like the US M203 or soviet GP25. And here too airsoft teams excel when they know how to successfully implement hand grenades, smoke grenades and moscart BB shower UGL grenades into their game plan. While every rifleman in your team should be able to operate well with either accurate semi auto fire or with bursts in the assault, it’s the fully automatic role of your support gunner that is most often poorly employed by airsoft teams. In real combat, while the squad automatic weapons can be used directly to target the enemy, their most useful role is to create a “beaten zone”; in essence this is an area around the enemy position that is filled with fire from the LMG making it hazardous (or even fatal) for the enemy to stick their heads up, or move from the position while the rifle section advances. All too often the airsoft team’s LMG is wasted as “just another gun, only heavier” and in many games with unlimited ammo it’s easy to understand why. But in milsim, historic and FilmSim games the LMG gunner is often given considerably more BBs per “life” than an assault rifle-armed team member. A canny team will utilise this fully to put down harassing and pinning fire in a wide area around the position, while the rest of the guys move up. We’ve all been there, hiding behind cover with the BBs pinging off the trees and sheet metal, in a MilSim game the capacious ammo limit on the squad gunner (often courtesy of an electric winding box mag) can keep up that hail
of fire much longer than his compatriot using real cap or mid cap magazines. The trick for the “useful” gunner is not to simply hold down the trigger and “spray and pray” but to stagger short bursts around the position, covering it seemingly randomly but comprehensively; sticking to a pattern of target areas allows your enemy to pop up as he predicts your fire is about to move from his area. Playing the role of support gunner in a wellrun MilSim or FilmSim will add a tremendous amount of “intimidation factor”. I’ve seen whole squads of GIs dive to the ground after a cry of “MG42!!” from their lead scout, as a good LMG gunner can keep a whole section pinned down and if he’s lucky to have an assistant loader, it can be a long time before that section gets a chance to move. Equally essential to a well-run squad is the team’s grenadier, especially in urban environments. While a well-placed “bang” grenade can greatly help in a woodland skirmish, every veteran player knows that in CQB they are a game-changer. Whether it’s the shock and awe of a MK5 going off before you storm a room, or
“A DEDICATED LIGHT SUPPORT WEAPON, MEDIUM MACHINE GUN OR EVEN HEAVIER MACHINE GUN WILL DOMINATE THE FIREFIGHT MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN A PLAYER WITH AN ASSAULT RIFLE.”
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Team Roles THE SPECIALIST RIFLEMAN
“WHILE A WELL-PLACED “BANG” GRENADE CAN GREATLY HELP IN A WOODLAND SKIRMISH, EVERY VETERAN PLAYER KNOWS THAT IN CQB THEY ARE A GAME-CHANGER.” the threat of a moscart shower liberally spraying the staircase you’re covering, the cry of “Grenade!!” is usually enough to cause most players to retreat to safer ground. It’s useful for all your team members to be familiar (and hopefully own) most types of airsoft grenade, from the card “flashbang” type, to Blank Firing Grenades (BFGs), to “tornado”-style BB projectors but a true grenadier will know when to take the right tool along for the job. In a woodland game BFGs are a risky venture, while they are cheap to reload compared to conventional pyro the risk of losing them in dense undergrowth is seldom worth it (for similar reasons “tornado” grenades work much better in a CQB game) and its best to stick to disposable flashbangs and smoke. In the close quarter battle arena, however, a well-equipped team can bombard the enemy with a barrage of grenades and it’s here that BFGs and (to a degree) tornados really come into their own. As aforementioned, many players will vacate their previously held defensive positions as soon as they see or hear a grenade being thrown into the room… whether it explodes or not. This can, of course, cause a great deal of frustration as some players duck behind a door to reappear seconds after the grenade has gone off. In real combat many soldiers “cook off” grenades before “posting” them into enemy positions, by allowing a second or two of
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its fuse to expire before throwing it, in essence to give the enemy less time to exfiltrate (or even to throw them back). In airsoft this is seldom a good idea, as many pyro grenades do not have the same dependable fuse time of military grenades and a “short fuse” could mean a missing finger or, at the very least, some nasty burns! Even the more reliable BFGs grenades with “timer” fuses rarely have a fuse longer than 3 seconds and “cooking off” one of these usually means an embarrassing “own goal” team kill and the walk of shame back to the regen area. If you’re after an instant kill, far better to opt for one of the many impact detonated grenades and give the enemy no time to get into cover. The last thing we’ll look at in this article is the “moscart” type multiple BB launchers. These can be as simple as “flare gun” type pistols, under barrel military style rifle accessories or even dedicated grenade launchers like the US m79. It’s safe to say that while these are amazing fun and look great in all their guises, they seem to rarely result in an airsoft “kill” in game unless you’re lucky enough to completely get the drop on someone. Part of the reason for this is that the BB shower is often at a low speed when it encounters many players and they simply do not think they have been hit. Additionally, unlike BFGs and card MK5 type grenades, they are relatively quiet and players not paying attention may be completely unaware they have even been fired to clear a room. One neat “fix” to this we’ve seen at some sites, is for the operating player to shout “moscart” as they fire the device into a room and for it to count as an “explosive” kill, as if a BFG or similar had been thrown in; certainly a nice way to make sure moscart users actually get some “bang for their buck”! So there you have it, over the last few issues we’ve looked at the key roles found in most airsoft teams across the globe and you may now have more of an idea of exactly how YOU fit into the team dynamic. We’re constantly hearing about new teams all over the world, so if you’re in a team and particularly if you have a strong theme, distinctive look or unique play style, why not get in touch with us an see you and your buddies in the pages of Airsoft Action.
FOR VALOUR THE VICTORIA CROSS IS THE UK’S HIGHEST AWARD FOR VALOUR AND DAN MILLS WRITES ABOUT SOME LESSER-KNOWN RECIPIENTS OF THIS HONOUR
“…AWARDED FOR MOST CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.” A few issues ago I wrote about Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse VC & Bar, MC, the only person to receive the Victoria Cross twice during the Great War, which got me thinking about others that have received this award that you might not have heard about. India and the surrounding countries have a long tradition of service and honour within the British armed forces and none more so than during the 1st World War. Not much is recorded about these individual recipients but they have earnt a mention – and our respect.
Lala VC (20th April 1876 – 23rd March 1927)
…was a British-Indian recipient of Britain’s highest bravery award. He was born in the village of Parol, Kangra, in Hamirpur District, of Himachal Pradesh, India in the year 1876, entering service in the Indian Army during February 1901. He was a career soldier serving in the 41st Dogras, an infantry regiment raised in Bengal at the turn of the century. 41st Dogras saw service in China from 1904 to 1908 before deployment to the Western Front and Mesopotamia during the Great War. It was in Mesopotamia that Lala earnt the Victoria Cross as a 38 year old Lance Corporal (Lance Naik), for most conspicuous bravery. His citation reads: “His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to confer the Victoria Cross on No. 501 Lance Naik Lala, 41st Dogras, Indian Army, for most conspicuous bravery. Finding a British officer of another regiment lying close to the enemy, he dragged him into a temporary shelter, which he himself had made, and in which he had already bandaged four wounded men. After bandaging his wounds he heard calls from the Adjutant of his own regiment who was lying in the open severely wounded. The enemy were not more than one hundred yards distant, and it seemed certain death to go out in that direction, but Lance Naik Lala insisted on going out to his Adjutant, and offered to crawl back with him on his back at once. When this was not permitted, he stripped off his own clothing to keep the wounded officer warmer, and stayed with him till just before dark, when he returned to the shelter. After dark he carried the first wounded officer back to the main trenches, and then, returning with a stretcher, carried back his Adjutant. He set a magnificent example of courage and devotion to his officers”. — London Gazette, 13 May 1916.
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He later achieved the rank of Jemadar (Platoon Commander). Lala died from Polio in 1927, his last words were “We fought true.”
Chatta Singh VC (1886 – 28 March 1961)
Chatta Singh VC was also a Victoria Cross recipient of the British–Indian Army, serving in the 9th Bhopal Infantry he won his VC aged 29 in Mesopotamia, at the Battle of The Wadi. Sepoy (Private) Singh won his award when rescuing his wounded Commanding Officer fighting on the Tigris Front on January the 13th 1916, during the Great War. The citation reads: “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in leaving cover to assist his Commanding Officer who was lying wounded and helpless in the open. Sepoy Chatta Singh bound up the Officer’s wound and then dug cover for him with his entrenching tool, being exposed all the time to very heavy rifle fire. For five hours until nightfall he remained beside the wounded Officer, shielding him with his own body on the exposed side. He then, under cover of darkness, went back for assistance, and brought the Officer into safety.” — London Gazette, 21 June 1916. He later rose to the rank of Havildar (Sergeant).
Karanbahadur Rana VC (21 December 1898 – 25 July 1973)
…was a Nepalese Gurkha aged only 19 years old when he was awarded the VC. He was serving as a Rifleman (Private) in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles during the First World War, sent as part of the Indian contingent that was to play a vital part in support to the British units already fighting there. On 10th April 1918, at El Kefr in Egypt during an attack, Rifleman Karanbahadur Rana, along with several other men,
World War One VICTORIA CROSS AWARDS
crept forward with a Lewis gun experiencing heavy enemy machine gun fire in order to knock it out. The number one on the Lewis was shot instantly after opening fire, Rana took control of the gun and opened fire taking out the enemy MG position. He then silenced enemy bombers and infantry working towards his location. For the rest of the day’s fighting he did excellent work on the gun and at the end covered the unit’s withdrawal, up until the enemy were about to assault his position.
Khudadad Khan VC (20 October 1888 – 8 March 1971)
Khan was born in the village of Dab in Jhelum District, Punjab on October 20th 1888, he was a Sepoy (Private) in the 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis. During the first year of the German offensive part of the Schlieffen Plan was to capture the vital port installations in France and Belgium, had they done this Britain would most likely have been knocked out of the war. The Old Contemptible’s had suffered greatly in the fighting so far and many units were sent to help out or reinforce the British, one such unit was the Duke of Connaught’s Own. During October 1914, in what was to become known as “The First Battle of Ypres”, the newly arrived Baluchi’s were thrown into the line to stem the tide. Khan’s unit found itself at Gheluvelt greatly outnumbered and being over-run by the advancing German Army, suffering many casualties. Sepoy Khudadad Khan’s machine-gun team, along with one other, kept their guns in action throughout the day; preventing the Germans from making the final breakthrough. The other gun was disabled by a shell and eventually Khan’s own team was overrun. All the men were killed by bullets or bayonets except Khan who, despite being
badly wounded, had continued working his gun. After the Germans had passed by, shooting and bayonetting them all he was left for dead. Under the cover of darkness Khan crawled back to his own lines nursing his wounds. Thanks to them the line had held until further reinforcements arrived, the Worcester’s amongst others drove them back with a glorious bayonet charge across open ground to the chateau. For his matchless feat of courage and gallantry, Sepoy Khudadad Khan was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation reads: “His Majesty the King, has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned soldier of the Indian Army for conspicuous bravery whilst serving with the Indian Army Corps, British Expeditionary Force: — 4050, Sepoy Khudadad, 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis. On 31st October, 1914, at Hollebeke in Belgium, the British Officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other gun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though himself wounded, remained working his gun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed”. — London Gazette, 7 December 1914. Khudadad Khan retired as a Subedar (Captain) and died in 1971 aged 82. He is regarded as India’s first VC recipient.
Baddlu Singh VC (13 January 1876 – 23 September 1918) …was another British Indian Army recipient of the Victoria Cross, this one being awarded for actions in Palestine. Singh was born in Dhakla Village, Rohtak District in Haryana India. He was a Risaldar (Cavalry equivalent to Subedar (Captain) in the Infantry) in the 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers, attached to the Deccan Horse. His action which cost him his life and the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross took place on September 23rd 1918 at the Khes Samariveh, Jordan River, in Palestine. The citation reads: “His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer: — Ressaidar Badlu Singh, late 14th Lancers, attached 29th Lancers, Indian Army. “For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the morning of the 23rd September, 1918, when his squadron charged a strong enemy position on the west bank of the River Jordan, between the river and Khes Samariveh Village. “On nearing the position Ressaidar Badlu Singh realized that the squadron was suffering casualties from a small hill on the left front occupied by machine guns and 200 infantry. Without the slightest hesitation he collected six other ranks and with the greatest dash and an entire disregard of danger charged and captured the position, thereby saving very heavy casualties to the squadron. He was mortally wounded on the very top of the hill when capturing one of the machine guns single-handed, but all the machine guns and infantry had surrendered to him before he died. His valour and initiative were of the highest order”. — London Gazette, 27 November 1918
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WE ALL KNOW THAT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT BUT PRACTICE DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON THE SKIRMISH FIELD, AS CALIBRE SHOOTING’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE EXPLAINS
RUNNING DRY IN PAST ISSUES I HAVE talked about training and manipulation of the handgun, now I want to share some training exercises with you to help develop and enhance combative shooting skills that could win the day at your next skirmish. Remember, it is your goal to perfect your physical technique and to accept nothing less. I am going to include some training routines for you to follow that will greatly enhance your performance but to begin with, you will need your handgun, two magazines, a holster, a magazine pouch and a suitable belt. You will also need protective eye wear and a dry fire target. Once you have all your equipment to hand, start your training session by conducting a “dry fire safety check” as follows... First follow the 4 basic rules of gun safety: 1. Treat all guns as loaded. 2. Do not point your gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you intend to shoot. 4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond. These safety rules are applicable in tactical situations as well as on any range. You should make them a part of your everyday routine when shooting. When dry firing there are a few other rules that we should abide by. 1. You should set a reasonable time limit for your training of 30 minutes maximum but if your concentration begins to wander before this, it’s time to stop training. 2. Choose a dry area where all practice will take place. 3. Make sure that you unload your weapon and all the magazines. 4. Place all ammunition in another room. Do not allow any ammunition into the dry fire practice area. 5. Only display the dry fire practice target in the practice area and remove it immediately after the session ends. 6. You are now ready to mentally enter the dry practice area. You must avoid all distractions. If you do encounter any distractions such as a knock at the door or a phone call then 96
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stop the dry fire practice immediately. If you decide to carry on with your training then you must return to step one and conduct the safety checks again. 7. When you have completed your dry fire practice you must mentally leave the session. Remove the dry fire target and leave the practice area. Then say to yourself “dry fire practice is over”, three times. Some of you may find this a bit tedious but I can assure you that this is necessary from a liability and safety prospective. More negligent discharges occur during routine and dry fire practice than at any other time. These are a few simple dry fire drills for you to follow.
DRILL 1
Face the target with the handgun in a ready position. Your visual focus must be on the target at centre mass. 1. On command bring the handgun up to intersect the target. Mentally think the word “pause”. 2. Align the sights and obtain a correct sight picture. Close the non-dominant eye and at the same time prep the trigger by taking up the slack. Mentally think the word “verify”. 3. With your focus on the sight picture, begin a slow and steady pull on the trigger until the hammer falls without disturbing the sight picture. You should note any lateral movement of the front sight as the shot breaks. Mentally think the word “press”. 4. Focus on the front sight for a moment after the trigger break. Mentally think the word “recover”. 5. Now bring the handgun back to the ready position and bring your focus back to the target. Remove your finger from the trigger and place it along the index point (along the frame) on the handgun. Keep your eye on the target as if it was a real adversary. Mentally ask yourself the question “Did I hit it? Did it work?” Now break target focus and conduct an after-action assessment. Repeat this drill at least ten times.
Airsoft Skills DRY FIRE PRACTICE
DRILL 2
This drill is identical to drill 1 except it starts with the handgun holstered. 1. On command, obtain a correct grip on the holstered handgun and move the support hand in place to intercept the handgun. Keep your eyes on the target at all times and your finger off the trigger. Mentally think the word “grip”. 2. Lift the handgun clear of the holster, finger is still off the trigger. Mentally think the word “lift”. 3. Roll the strong side shoulder back to lock the handgun in to a close contact ready position. The finger is still off the trigger. Mentally think the word “lock”. 4. As the handgun is pushed forwards the support hand intersects to form a two handed grip. Finger still off the trigger. Remove any safety device at this point. Mentally think the word “present”. 5. Bring the handgun up to intersect the target. Mentally think the word “pause”. 6. Repeat steps 2 - 5 in Drill 1. 7. Don’t look for your holster when returning the handgun as you should still be focusing on the target and surrounding area. Re-holster carefully with any safety devices applied. Repeat this drill at least ten times.
DRILL 3
This drill builds on the previous 2 drills. Place the dry practice target to your left. This is done by simply taking a half turn to your right. You will be engaging the target directly from the holster. Left handed shooters simply reverse the procedure. 1. Begin with the dry fire target at 90 degrees to your left. Your visual focus should be on the target’s centre of mass at this point. On command, step forward with your strong side foot and gain a correct grip on the handgun. 2. As you maintain focus on the target, pivot on the balls of your feet so that when you have completed the turn you are face to face with the target. As you start the turn, start your presentation. 3. Bring the handgun up to intersect the target. Mentally think the word “pause”. 4. Align the sights and obtain a correct sight picture. Close the non-dominant eye and at the same time prep the trigger by taking up the slack. Mentally think the word “verify”. 5. With your focus on the sight picture, begin a slow and steady pull on the trigger until the hammer falls without disturbing the sight picture. You should note any lateral movement of the front sight as the shot breaks. Mentally think the word “press”. 6. Focus on the front sight for a moment after the trigger break. Mentally think the word “recover”.
7. Bring the handgun back to the close contact ready position and make a final check of the target before re-holstering. Don’t look for your holster when returning the handgun as you should still be focusing on the target and surrounding area. Re-holster carefully with any safety devices applied. Repeat this drill at least ten times.
DRILL 4
This drill is the same as drill 3 but with the target set to the right of the shooter.
DRILL 5
This drill focuses on the target to the rear of the shooter. Again you will be presenting the handgun from the holster, after you have completed a 180 degree turn that brings you face to face with your target. As you will be facing away from the target at the start of the drill, you must strive to get your head round as soon as possible to look at the target. Begin with the target set to the rear. 1. On the command, you must step across and slightly forward of your support side foot with your strong side foot. At the same time you must turn your head to face the target whilst obtaining a correct firing grip on the handgun. 2. Pivot on the balls of your feet so that you line up face to face with your target. As soon as you can identify a point of aim, begin the presentation of the handgun. It is important NOT to draw the handgun from the holster until the turn is complete to avoid sweeping the muzzle at everything but your target (safety rule number 2 never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy). 3. Pause… Verify… Press… Recover. 4. Bring the handgun back to the ready position and bring your focus back to the target. “Did I hit the target?” “Did it work?” 5. Conduct an after-action assessment. 6. Don’t look for your holster when returning the handgun as you should still be focusing on the target and surrounding area. Re-holster carefully with any safety devices applied. These simple dry fire drills are real world practice drills that have served me well in preparation for tactical deployment and, once mastered, can be re-run as live fire drills with BBs to verify your progress. CALIBRE Shooting runs tactical Make sure that you follow all the safety training programs for the rules at all times, whether you firing dry Airsoft community. If you would or live. In the next issue of Airsoft Action like to train with Calibre or would we will look at reloading and developing like more information on their speed and accuracy. training programs, contact them on calibreshooting@gmail.com or Stay safe and happy shooting. phone 07788 501184.
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Badger Tac Tuesday - Friday 12:00 - 18:00 Saturday 10:00 - 17:00 01296-658600 | www.badgertac.com enquiries@badgertac.co.uk
Serving Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and beyond.
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Taking you beyond 350fps!
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SYMBOL KEY
IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY!
ATROOP AIRSOFT Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP Tel: 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk
ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales. Tel: 07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk
ACE COMBAT
Kent, TN12 7DG Tel: 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk
AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 Tel: 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com
AIRSOFT ASYLUM
North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com
ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT Maidenhead, SL6 3SS Tel: 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT COMMANDOS Sutton, near Ferrybridge Tel: 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com
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
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UKARA MEMBER
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WOODLAND
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REPAIR SERVICE
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH
Stoulton, WR7 4QW Tel: 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB Studley, B80 7LY Tel: 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL Tel: 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES SOUTHAMPTON
New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW Tel: 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
ALL ARMS AIRSOFT Near Trawden, BB8 8SN Tel: 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk
APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP Tel: 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com
ALPHA 55
Halkyn Wood, North Wales CH8 8DF Tel: 0845 257 6937 www.alpha55.co.uk
ARENA AIRSOFT
ALPHA ELITE GAMING
AWA HERTS
Grimsby, DN31 3JD Tel: 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com
AIRSOFT KGB
Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com
AIRSOFT PLANTATION
Goatsmoore Lane, Billericay, CM4 9RS Tel: 07534 636289 / 07771 556395 www.theofficialairsoftplantation.co.uk theofficialairsoftplantation@gmail.com
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
Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ Tel: 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com
BADLANDS AIRSOFT
Rowlands Castle, Hamps PO9 6DP Tel: 07534 465589 www.badlandsairsoft.co.uk
SITE DIRECTORY
Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing
FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE Tel: 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
BATTLETEC AIRSOFT
La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 Tel: 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk
C3 TACTICAL
COMBAT AIRSOFT
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE COMPLEX
COMBAT SOUTH URBAN
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH Tel: 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk
Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
Just off the A11 outside Thetford Norfolk follow signs for Combat Paintball Tel: 07703 045849 www.combatairsoftgames.co.uk
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
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
BRISTOL AIRSOFT Bristol, BS1 2HQ Tel: 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com
Portsmouth, PO6 3LS Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
Sheffield, S2 5TR Tel: 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com
Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP Tel: 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk
DRAGON’S LAIR 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 SOUTH WOODLAND
Fareham, PO17 5ND Tel: 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 Tel: 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk
COOL UNDER FIRE CERBERUS AIRSOFT – RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT – SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Sheffield, S6 6JE Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS Tel: 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk
CORNWALLS ELITE AIRSOFT
Truro, Cornwall, TR2 Tel: 07863 240153 www.cornwallseliteairsoft.co.uk
COTSWOLD AIRSOFT CERBERUS AIRSOFT – THE WORKS (URBAN)
Off Badger Lane, Hipperholme, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8PL Tel: 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT
Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk
Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA Tel: 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk
DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT
Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL Tel: 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk
DOG TAG AIRSOFT
Bourton Woods On the B4479, Blockley Near Bourton-on-the-hill www.cotswoldairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07724629140
CUMBRIA AIRSOFT BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT
Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT Tel: 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk
DOGS OF WAR
BETTER BATTLES
Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH Tel: 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com
DELTA TEAM 3
Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com
Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 4SE TEL 01293 852 314 www.holmbushpaintball.co.uk/airsoft
ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING 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
DANGER CLOSE AIRSOFT BUNKER 51
CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT
BUSH VALLEY AIRSOFT
COMBAT ACTION GAMES
Charlton, SE7 8NJ Tel: 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk
Runham Woods, Lenham ME17 1NQ Tel: 07786 448608 Email: bushvalairsoft@gmail.com
Corby, NN17 3BB Tel: 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk
Combat Street, Felthorpe, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 4DR. Tel: 07748 023832 www.facebook.com/combatactiongames
Ellough Lark Raceway, Benacre Road, Ellough, Norfolk Tel: 07455 906132
FIFE WARGAMES
DARKWATER AIRSOFT
FINMERE AIRSOFT
Hythe, Kent CT21 5SL Tel: 07947 558433 www.darkwaterairsoft.co.uk
St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com
Buckingham, MK18 4JT Tel: 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com
www.airsoft-action.online
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SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
FIREBALL SQUADRON Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA Tel: 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com
FIRST & ONLY: ANZIO CAMP Leek, ST13 8 Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST & ONLY: BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.firstandonlyairsoft.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
FULL METAL AIRSOFT Cilyrychen Quarry, Llandybie, Ammanford, Camarthenshire, SA18 3JG Tel: 01269 850404 www.fullmetalairsoft.co.uk
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 ARMOURY
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
Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com
GREENZONE COMBAT Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF Tel: 0161 727 8863
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
HILTON PARK AIRSOFT Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU Tel: 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com
HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT Tel: 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft
HUMBER AIRSOFT North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07792 680297
ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 Tel: 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT
Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG Tel: 0161 727 8863
FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY
Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 Tel: 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
LINDSEY AIRSOFT
Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE Tel: 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk
MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES
Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW Tel: 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com
MAW
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 Tel: 07793 404346 1midaw@gmail.com
MIA
FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE
Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ Tel: 0161 727 8863
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH
LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG Tel: 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE Tel: 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com
LAC SITE 1
GUN HO AIRSOFT
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
Guisborough, TS7 0PG Tel: 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 Tel: 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS RAF Honiley/The Grange Frogmore Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Mids CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532 384 info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk www.shop. suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk
LAC SITE 2 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 3 Saxillby, LN1 2JW Tel: 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 5 Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
Cornwall, EX23 9JL Tel: 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk
MIDWALES AIRSOFT
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
NORTHFLEET CQB
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA Tel: 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
www.airsoft-action.online
103
NSC AIRSOFT
RAVEN’S NEST
Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 Tel: 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk
Suffolk, IP8 4 Tel: 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk
NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER Tel: 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk
RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ Tel: 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk
OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 Tel: 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com
RED1AIRSOFT Chislehurst, Bromley BR7 6SD Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT Tel: 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk
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
RED1AIRSOFT CQB Red1 CQB. Kings Langley, WD4 8RN Tel: 07956 522691/01727846069 www.red1airsoft.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL Tel: 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB Tel: 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SG1 COMBAT GAMES 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
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March 2016
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
TECH BRIGADE Newgate Street, Hertfordshire. SG13 8NH Tel: 07841 713356 www.techbrigade.org
TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 Tel: 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH
THE BUNKER
Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
Aberystwyth www.aberairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07841 462806
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT– THE ROCK
THE DEPOT
Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG Tel: 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
STIRLING AIRSOFT
Coventry, CV3 6NX Tel: 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com
Glasgow, G45 9SB Tel: 0161 727 8863 www.thedepotglasgow.com
THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 Tel: 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk
STORMFORCE AIRSOFT
Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD Tel: 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk
THE EX SITE Mold, CH7 4 Tel:07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk
SUSSEX AIRSOFT
Slinfold, RH12 Tel: 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk
S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT
Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu Tel: 07703 177756
TA EVENTS
Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB Tel: 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk
TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS Tel: 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk
THE WARGAMES CENTRE Lundholm Road, Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN www.thewargamescentre.com wargamescentre@gmail.com
TORRENT WARFARE Co Tyrone, BT71 4DY Tel: 07922 377131 Facebook: search ‘Torrent Warfare’
TROJAN AIRSOFT Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL Tel: 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk
Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP Tel: 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
UCAP AIRSOFT Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP GREEN OPS Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 Tel: 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP SANDPIT Bean, Kent, DA2 8 Tel: 07590 818881 / www.ucap.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY Tel: 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13 Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN Tel: 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK Wood Street, Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 3AB www.urban6airsoft.com
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
XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE Tel: 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
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. UKPSAqualified coaches. UKPSA-qualified Range Officers.
HALO MILL
The Penthouse Colne Valley Business Park Manchester Road Linthwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5QG Tel: 01484 840554 www.halomill.com
NORTHERN PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB (NPPC)
Tanner Street, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 1NA Tel: 07816 992417 www.northernpracticalpistol.co.uk 4 Indoor ranges
WATFORD PRACTICAL PISTOL CLUB Watford WatfordPPC@gmail.com
XSITE PRACTICAL SHOOTING
Fryers Farm Lane, High Wycombe, Bucks HP14 3NP Tel: 01494 881430
www.airsoft-action.online
105
DEALER LISTINGS
ADVERTISERS INDEX
Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft Land Warrior Airsoft
Inside FrontCover Cover Inside Front Inside Front Cover 2
33 +++ 64 79 3 52 79 57++++48 79 3+ 19 Airsoft Zone 7 + Inside Back Cover Airsoft Zone 7 + 37 Airsoft Zone Inside Back Airsoft Zone 77++Inside BackCover Cover JD Airsoft 9 + 33 + 102 75 JD Airsoft 9 + 21 + JD Airsoft Airsoft 9 ++ 23 JD 9 23++102 102 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE Airsoft Europe 15 WE AirsoftWorld Europe 15 Airsoft 23 ActionSportGames 26 A2 Supplies 19 FireSupport 28 + 29 A2 Supplies 19 Helikon-Tex 28 BadgerTac FireSupport 28 + 41 29 FireSupport 28++33 29 Fire Support 32 Silvermans 44 BadgerTac 36 VIPER Tactical 36++44 74 VIPER Tactical 40 88 Crawley Surplus Supplies ActionSportGames 40 iWholesales 93 VIPER Tactical 4636++47 BadgerTac 40 VIPER Tactical 45 + 57 Pro Airsoft Supplies 52 A2 Supplies 44 ActionSportGames 45 Helikon-Tex 49 Helikon-Tex 57 Gunman Airsoft 48 Urban Airsoft Mega Store 46 eHobby Asia 60 Pro Airsoft Supplies 64 Urban Airsoft Mega Store 53 Gunman Airsoft 50 ActionSportGames 66 Gunman AirsoftAirsoft 70 West Midlands 58 Airsoft Surgeon Euro Championship 79 Helikon-Tex 66 IPSC World Shoot 2017 66 NoVAT 83 Gunman Airsoft 87 ProAirsoft AirsoftSupplies Supplies 72 Pro 70 Dragon Valley 83 Airsoft Action Subscriptions 90 NoVAT 83 Elite Centre 75 Military Outdoor 83 SlyShooting Photography 91 Crawley Surplus Supplies 75 BombUpAirsoft 91 Dragon ValleyShop 83 Tactical Airsoft 83 NoVAT 91 NoVAT Combat 82 Military Outdoor 83 Airsoft Action Subscriptions 86 Dragon Valley 91 Dragon Valley 82 Tactical Airsoft Shop 83 Silvermans 93 Military Outdoor 91 Martys Airsoft 82 Crawley 93 Silvermans 93 ActionSurplus Air UKSupplies 95 Tactical Airsoft Shop 82 Airsoft Action Digital Subscriptions 98 Airsoft Action Digital Subscriptions 98 Crawley Surplus Supplies 93 Northern Shooting Show 98 Percy Publishing 100 Hueys Action Digital Subscriptions 99 Airsoft 98 BadgerTac 99 Advertisers Index 106 Elite Shooting Centre 105 Elite Shooting 105 Silvermans 105 Military 1st Centre 107 Military 1st Outside Back Cover Military 1st Outside Back Airsoft World 108 Military 1st Outside BackCover Cover
RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft
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OD8J 2014