Airsoft International - Vol. 10 Issue 11

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IS THERE A SPARK? ELECTRIC EYE DO VIDEO CAMERAS CHANGE THE WAY WE PLAY AIRSOFT?

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

WE TALK TO A GENUINE CONTRACTOR SO YOU CAN GEAR UP RIGHT! PLASTIC FANTASTIC

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

THE BO DYNAMICS SHIELD LT. MIGHT BE AN ALL-PLASTIC GUN BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN’T GET BEHIND IT!?

NEW RANGE OF NUPROL WEAPON LIGHTS TESTED!

PAG E 72

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FIND OUT THE THINGS YOUR TECH DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW!

THE UGLY DUCKLING!

IS THE BEAUTY OF SOCOM GEAR’S NEW PLR-16 MORE THAN SKIN DEEP? FIND OUT INSIDE

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STRUGGLING TO FIND THE RIGHT BOOTS? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!

BOOTS ON THE GROUND - TRIED & TESTED

WE TEST EIGHT BOOTS FOR EVERY BUDGET INSIDE - PAGE 54 APR15 Cover.indd 1

TECH TIPS!

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A I R S O F T

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A DIRTY WORKS SLE MAKES YOUR AEG LAST LONGER!

THE IDEAL GBBR

ALL TALK ON GAS RIFLES

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FOREWORD WORD AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL VOLUME VOLUME910ISSUE ISSUE1 11

AIRSOFTERS M A G A ZINE OF CHOICE AI500

WINNER!

NG BOOKI EN! P O W NO OR VISIT 16 AND 17

T PAGES nphoenix CHECK OU om/games/falle g.c HOW TO www.ai-ma TEST INFO AND LA OKED E BO TH FOR TEAM AND YOUR THOUGH AS GET YOU QUICKLY ARE ES IN! MOVE SID BOTH PLACES ON ATCHED UP BEING SN !

VERY FAST

OF THE 2015 POPUL AIRSOFT PLAYERSAR CHOICE AWARDS

PAUL MONAF

CALL IT QUITS?

paul@ai-mag.com

Hello all and sundry and welcome to none other than Volume 9 of Allegations of “Price in UK something The Airsoft International!

Yes,Fixing” that’s right, weisare into our ninth year of problem is, other things this guy selling publication and it’s its true, fromrecently tiny acorns mighty oaks grow! Things that has reared head and something stuff out of the van doesn’t offer include; the have and progressed a lot over the years thatchanged commentators have begun stirring theand we like toability to talk to them about the product when think Ai as anabout. entity has evolved into something much more than gossip pot you need advice in the week, honour warranty what started with distributors and we certainly won’t be stopping any support or technical help. In fact, they retain It’swetrue thatout many have been time soon! Atathis notable juncture I’dthe like retailers to once again thank you the ability to simply vanish into thin air once enforcing MAP or MARP upon readers for your overwhelming support, enthusiasm and passion they have your money, leaving you high and dry. they sell products to. This isn’t “Price Fixing”, every step of the way, it simply couldn’t have happened withoutInyou! fact, when these people are only making a this is simply ensuring a market remains viable So then, why do people decide tohave call itaquits?

I’min not talking tiny margin on the retail price over the trade and those within the market choice about magazines here, but airsoft in general. Once in a while you’d price there’s not actually much impetus for products and also a choice in retailers. see a poster up at the local skirmish site “Quitting Airsoft Sale,them All to help you once the gun has left their MAP (minimum advertised price) means that Kit Must Go” and now you see the same in a digital medium. On hands.

That’s not to say that every upstart no matter what a business feels it canjust selllose interest and forums and Facebook.

What makes a person retailer is a crook, but if they are, you don’t product X for, part of the retailer’s agreement stop airsofting? Family situations I guess are a valid reason, kids, have much to go on. with theand distributor that it will at finances real life canisget in the way be andsold makefor it difficult to play least the but minimum price that much, surely just onceset. in a while even if it’s only once a A MAP ensures that all retailers sell a product for roughly the same price. This means the little year, it’s good toshops get out(the in the fresh air and blow out the cobwebs?

Legitimate ones that have phone guys can’t undercut established shops on price Health is alsopremises going to betoa actually valid consideration butand even then we numbers, visit, staff even if they offer a lesser service. know of guys that simply refuse to that quit and have played technicians) have overheads need to actually be CQB a wheelchair, pretty inspirational!

Now it might be tempting to support the paidinfor.

Here’s a that’s simple breakdown in “napkin I guess the provided main reason thatowner people of become and the“little guys” of the scene and it might feel like numbers” byisthe a UK bored store… passion diesabut it’s possible to prevent things becoming stale you are supporting airsoft at a grass roots level “Here’s little inside information for from you to by progressing things along. Back when I first started playing, my but really, you are not. Over the last couple consider: although there are variances, a typical biggest worry was being able to afford to keep my gun runningof anddecades airsoft in the UK has progressed margin is 30% for UK retailers. moreover, pay for fixes. I dreaded being out of action for a couple and become more and more legitimate. of months and having to spend the money I’d otherwise spend on The wish-list of most players is for a higher • I sell a gun at £300 BBs and walk-on fees on labour charges. My solution was to learn standard of facility, more recognition by the • The tax man takes I nowliberating. have £240 to fix things myself and it20% was truly Since then if my gun authorities and mod-cons like indoor ranges, • The gun cost me £200 from the supplier, so I has gone down fixing it isn’t a big thing, £10 on a spare part and a a standardised marshaling system and maybe now have £40of my time and I’m back in. couple of hours even a national league.

Things are always going to get stale if you only go to the same We’ve got halfway there now, we have Of that £40 I need to divide it up so a portion sites week in, week out too, so make sure you keep things fresh, goesnew to places each of visit andthe tryfollowing: new things. Even if you don’t really like“superstore” style airsoft shops compared to the days of old where you knocked on a what you find at another site, at least you’ll be thankful for what ■ Rent ■ Insurance you have at the “local”. New challenges are essential too; the discreetly marked side-door. Shops now have ■ Rates ■ The purchase of newtranslation stock very nature of airsoft makes for an awkward into neon signs proudly proclaiming “WE SELL Utilities pastime ■ Warranty a■ competitive so the one repairs person you should really be AIRSOFT!” A friend of mine once visited Hong ■ Phone is yourself.

■ Miscellaneous challenging If you are used to playing a game with 5Kong high and was bought almost to tears by the fact ■ Internet caps, try cutting down(vehicle to 5 mid fuel caps etc.) and test your shooting skills.

If that not just one shop existed, but a whole you try and achieve an objective, try it next time but try not to arcade get of boutique style stores had their doors If there is sufficient £40you’ll made each hit at all. Push yourself and soon findmonth yourselftouninterested open and had display cases of amazing products those cost, we may gethits into dizzy about games incover the trivialities of others taking or the complaining available for you to buy there and then. Now, do being unfair, you’ll betoo!” improving YOUR game. heights of wages we one day want to be going in that direction or Ultimately, is what keepsstuff things interesting and it’s do you want to pull airsoft back in the direction Obviously,progression a single guy selling out the the very that given Ai its longevity.

We’ve progressedwe as just came from where shady cash-only deals back ofthing a van athas weekends doesn’t have these time has gone so on and we’ve overcome new challenges overheads, could theoretically offer a muchand madein carparks, out the back of a car-boot are how new achievements without restingfor on a our laurels.

Try doing thatyou buy goods? I know what I’d prefer… lower price to the customer short period. yourself because it’s what makes airsoft such an engaging and absorbing hobby!

See you on the field!

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

The man that started it all.

He calls the shots behind the scenes.

BEN WEBB EDITOR

bwebb@ai-mag.com

A fresh face at the wheel, ready to steer Ai on to the next level.

BEN DICKIE ART DIRECTOR

designteam@ai-mag.com

The Rambo of shapes & colours.

JONATHAN WADE JAMES KENTON CONSULTANT STAFF WRITER

jonathan@ebcon.co.uk jay@ai-mag.com

A veteran of upgrading the Canadian Finding and theArmed perfectForces lends AEG ishis hisconsiderable holy grail. knowledge.

JAMES KENTON CONNOR JAMES STAFF WRITER

jay@ai-mag.com connor@ebcon.co.uk

Finding and upgrading the perfect With a wealth of knowledge under his AEG is hisa holy grail.addition. belt he’s welcome

FRENCHIE JACK BAXTER STAFF WRITER

frenchie@ai-mag.com jack@ai-mag.com

Our Frankiefor Boyle.

Hethings knowsapart, what’s Has own a penchant taking what and isn’t scared todon’t speakhave his mind! he’ll break stuff, so you to.

CONNOR JAMES BILL PRYCE THOMAS STAFF WRITER

connor@ebcon.co.uk bill@ebcon.co.uk

With a wealth of his knowledge his Bill joins us with technicalunder experience belt a welcome addition. and ahe’s ‘wild’ passion for ‘Namsoft!

CRAIG ATKIN ILLUSTRATION

craig_atkin@hotmail.co.uk

With a pen in one hand and a 1911 in the other, this talented guy has us covered!

STEPHEN DEMAGALSKI AI TEAM OPERATIONS

dddemo@ebcon.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS Away missions and excursions, Demo is SIGN UP TODAY AND GET AI IN BOTH HARD AND DIGITAL in and88our man on point.

FORMAT! CHECK first OUT PAGE FORkey MORE INFORMATION Order online at: www.ai-mag.com Or over the phone on: 01775 750005

PUBLISHING PAUL MONAF: SALES AND PUBLISHING DIRECTOR PUBLISHING paul@ai-mag.com

PAUL MONAF: SALES / PUBLISHING DIRECTOR SHARON MONAF: ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR paul@ai-mag.com

sharon@ai-mag.com

SHARON MONAF: ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

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TASTY TREATS FOR YOU AND YOUR GUN!

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A MIXED GRILL OF MOUTH WATERING CHOICE CUTS IN GEAR ZONE THIS MONTH TEAM WORK IN OUR NEW SECTION ‘SOLDIER SKILLS’ WE FOCUS ON FORMATION 416D RECOIL HOW DOES MARUI’S NEW REPLICA HOLD UP IN OUR FIELD TEST?

INSIDE UPGRADES WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ALL THOSE CRITICAL COMPONANTS FERRO CONCEPTS INNOVATIVE LIGHTWEIGHT GEAR FOR THE MODERN WARRIOR...

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SWORDS IN THE SAND GOOD GUYS IN BAD LANDS - GOING UNDERCOVER

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LOAD OUTS THAT WILL SET YOU APART ON THE FIELD

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WE ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE! SEE PAGE 68

GET YOU & YOUR TEAM RECOGNISED

YOUR PHOTOS IN PRINT

JUNE 2013 VOL-9 ISS-1 £4.25

The publishers of Airsoft International (Ai) magazine do not condone the possession of firearms, airsoft models or replica weaponry for illegal purposes.

The hobby sport of airsoft skirmishing is conducted at specialist skirmish sites or clubs throughout the world, in controlled conditions where strict safety policies are implemented.

Airsoft International magazine does not publish articles on real firearms or blank firing weapons. Airsoft replicas should not be confused with real firearms, air rifles or BB Guns.

In accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Home Office in the UK (overseas readers may be subject to different laws), airsoft replicas are not to be used or brandished by any individual in a threatening manner in public or in any way to cause a person to fear personal injury.

Airsoft replicas are recommended for use at professionally run skirmish sites. Individuals ignoring this advice will be breaking the law and can expect severe penalties imposed upon them from their local constabularies.

THE ONLY MAGAZINE MADE BY AIRSOFTERS FOR AIRSOFTERS

9

DISCLAIMER

V O L U M E

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of articles in this magazine, but the publisher accepts no responsibility for any errors contained in material from independent sources or authors.

Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustration in any form without permission from the publisher/editor is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, photographs or artwork. Airsoft International cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to unsolicited material. Please enclose a SAE if you wish your material to be returned. Competitions will be judged on the dates specified. No correspondence will be entered into and the judge’s decision is final. In the event of the published prize not being available due to circumstances beyond the control of the magazine, a suitable alternative of similar value will be provided.

ON THE COVER THIS MONTH JUNE UK Cover.indd 1

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READYROOM

29/04/2013 08:41

GEAR UP & GET YOUR TEAM RECOGNISED

SWORDS IN THE SAND - CHECK OUT PAGE 22

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CONTENTS INCOMING!

10/12 GALLERY

A great spread of action shots from around the world - Send us your best shots to editorial@ai-mag.com and get in the spotlight!

14-15 FRIENDLY FIRE

AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 11

66

ALL NEW!

The place your custom shooter could win you ÂŁ500 to spend at Fire Support.

16-17 VIPER EVOLVED More new gear from Viper Tactical!

18-21 NEWS

Monthly updates on the movers and shakers in the airsoft world.5

24-25 READY ROOM

Showcase your team, be it a hardcore Mil-Sim group or just a gang of loonies!

28-29 LOCAL LOAD OUTS

Your kit, your rules on these pages. Get involved us and tell us how you play.

32-35 ELECTRIC EYE

How have personal cameras influenced our beautiful game?

38-39 TAC HOUSE SPARTAN

38

The Gun Ho team give us the low-down on this CQB site.

FEATURED 42-49 PMC

We interview a genuine former PMC to find out how to pull off the look!

RECON

54-58 GEAR ZONE

Get a solid footing with our pick of the best boots for any budget.

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HEY, DO YOU SUBSCRIBE? SIGN UP NOW AND GET AI IN BOTH HARD AND DIGITAL FORMAT! CHECK OUT PAGE 108

ARMOURY

61 STAFF SHOOTERS

TM/Guarder Glock 17, Benno’s oldest shooter gets a spin in the limelight.

66-69 ICS G33

Futuristic, well priced and perfect for any would-be CQB bandit!

72-77 TOKYO MARUI HK417 RECOIL

The lightweight, polymer-bodied BO Dynamics SHIELD Lt 5.95 on test.

78-79 MY IDEAL... GBB RIFLE

This month Frenchie ponders what would make his ideal GBBR

82-85 THE UGLY DUCKLING Socom Gear’s PLR-16 GBB is given a going over.

GEAR LOCKER

88-91 TRIED & TESTED

Top gear given a working out by the Ai team. We try before you buy!

SIT-REP

94-95 FIRING POINT

Frenchie sticks his head above the parapet with this month’s rant.

SKILLS

97-99 THE WORKSHOP

We conclude Project Pallas and gives it a long awaited field test.

100-107 24 TOP TECH TIPS!

24 of our favourite top tech tips that you need to know!

INDUSTRY INSIDER

72

109 FRENCH LETTER

Another insight from north of the border from our favourite Scotsman!

AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL ONLINE AND RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

PICK UP A SUBSCRIPTION TO OUR DIGITAL ISSUES AND YOU CAN READ AI ON ALL OF YOUR DEVICES, FROM PHONES AND TABLETS TO DESKTOP COMPUTERS WITH JUST ONE QUICK AND EASY ONLINE LOGIN! CHECK OUT WWW.AI-MAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE

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AI READERS GALLERY YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT! - YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT! - YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT!

READERS GALLERY!

CLIFF BROCK - MOMENTS AFTER THE VAN WAS DECLARED OPEN AT RIFT COMS3 - BY C.TOOZE

A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY @ BATTLE LAKES

AI500 DESERT TEAM COMMANDER - EL HONGO

MARTIN HANDS SNIPING WITH HIS WELL L96

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS TO: BWEBB@AI-MAG.COM

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AI READERS GALLERY YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT! - YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT! - YOUR SHOTS IN PRINT!

THE GREEN TEAM TAKING IT IN THEIR STRIDE AT THIS YEAR’S AI500 WAR AND PEACE @ ANZIO

JEZ GETS CAUGHT DOING THE DIRTY...

ACTION FROM DAMAGE INCORPORATED BY MAX S

FROM MAX S @ DAMAGE INCORPORATED

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS TO: BWEBB@AI-MAG.COM

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it ’s back!

WIN £50 0

Our most popular competition, FRIENDLY FIRE is launching again! Your chance to win £500 to spend at Fire Support is back with a vengeance and we can’t wait to see what you have come up with this time round.

What’s this all about then?

We’re always showing you guns, AEGs, GBBRs and pistols, but we asked what you wanted and you told us.

You wanted a chance to show off your personal armoury and we heard you loud and clear, here you have it, Friendly Fire, your chance to show off your arsenal.

Not only do you get to see your shooter in print, but you’ll also get shortlisted to win a fantastic prize, £500 to spend at Fire Support! Simply send us your pictures following the guidelines below, and we’ll showcase them for the world to see.

Assault Rifle

This category is for the M4s, the AKs and the G36s and everything else of a similar shape and size.

We want to see custom though. Not just bolt-ons, this is about reworking that gun and making it turn some heads.

Sub-Machine Gun

Have you made a wild MP5 variant or gone to town on a gas blaster to make it something special? This is the place for you! Anything that fits between a pistol and a rifle should go in here!

Sniper Rifle/DMR

Made a long gun? Scopes? Silencers? Bipods? Sounds about right for this category. If you have a penchant for precision and have built a monster, enter it here!

Support Guns

Sometimes you need to break out the big guns! If you prefer box mags and blasting a wall of BBs, make sure you enter your custom gun in this section!

Pistols

They might be small, they might be easily hidden but that’s no reason you can’t make them something to show off when the time is right. If you love handguns, show off your creation in this category!

Shotguns and Launchers

Finally, shotguns and launchers is the category to show off anything with a big bore! 40mm or 12g replicas and anything in between, wheel out your cannons here!

Obviously, we all know what an M4 looks like, so anything custom, crazy or plain adventurous will stand a better chance of making it, so show us what you got!

The Categories

This time around Friendly Fire will be made up of several categories and you’ll have to select the one that fits your gun most. Each month we’ll pick a shortlist from each of those categories and after 6 months, those shortlisted entries will be sent forward to a public vote. This vote will then decide the overall winner of Friendly Fire!

Judging

Because the last round goes down to a public vote, the final decision is in the reader’s hands. To make it easier to decide, the Ai team will hand pick the shortlist. Performance is not a factor but each gun must be a functioning airsoft gun that fires either 6mm or 8mm BBs via any method of propulsion.

We’ll be looking for painstaking effort, attention to detail and uniqueness. We’ve all seen scopes clamped to RIS rails before so do yourself a favour and go one step further. It’s all about turning heads, catching eyes and making people’s jaws drop.

How to enter

Entering your gun is simple. Email your entry through to friendlyfire@ai-mag.com. To ensure your entry is valid, include at least one HIGH QUALITY image of the entire gun and perhaps a few close-ups if necessary.

Include your full name and a valid contact phone number and email address along with approximately 200 words on what your creation is, how it started life and how long it took you to build. The more details you can include, the better, because the story behind a gun is often as important as the end result!

It’s that simple!

Entries will close on the 13th June 2015 but may be accepted at any time prior to them. Shortlisted entries will be published in the soonest available copy of Airsoft International and all entrants will be notified of the start of the public vote, allowing you to garner as much attention for your gun as possible!

f r i e n d ly f i r e @ a i - m a g . c o m

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VIPER E VOLVED: FRESH NEW TAC TICAL KIT ON OUR R ADAR

MORE TACTICAL OFFERINGS FROM THE SPECIALISTS AT VIPER TACTICAL

THERE’S NO WAY YOU’LL EVER BE ABLE TO SAY YOU DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH WARNING ABOUT THIS, ONCE AGAIN WE ARE BRINGING YOU MORE UPDATES FROM VIPER TACTICAL WHO HAVE MADE SOME BIG CHANGES IN 2015. LAST MONTH WE LOOKED PRIMARILY AT THEIR NEW RANGE OF TACTICAL CLOTHING AND OUTERWEAR BUT THIS MONTH THE THEME IS LOAD CARRYING. FROM POUCHES TO PLATFORMS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, THE OVERHAUL IN COMPLETE AND ONCE AGAIN WE PRESENT YOU WITH VIPER: EVOLVED!

£65.95

VIPER

ELITE PL ATFORM

Viper Tactical once again enter the Plate Carrier arena with their new and fully featured Elite Platform, a comprehensive modern armour carrier system. Built around a 600D Cordura chassis the carrier features a Ventex liner to promote air circulation, cooling and comfort. Armour pouches on both the front and the rear can be used to carry ballistic or training plates or left empty for a lighter overall package.

Adjustable 15mm padded shoulder straps provide a comfortable, low bulk solution but also house cable and hose routing options to keep gear accessible, snag-proof and secure. The removable MOLLE cummerbund provides an adjustable waist closure system and also houses internal storage pockets, ideal for radios, first aid kits and other necessities.

Full MOLLE webbing coverage makes for an easily customisable and rapidly reconfigurable system suitable for any mission or requirements and velcro panels allow for the attachment of morale patches or unit ID badges.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

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VIPER EVOLVED: FRESH NEW TACTICAL KIT ON OUR RADAR

VIPER

DUO MAG POUCH

£19.95

The Duo Mag Pouch (Triple) is Viper Tactical’s solution for the mainstay of your chest mounted load carrying system.

Storing a total of 6 magazines in a 3-wide, 2-deep configuration, the pouch will fit comfortable in the center of your plate carrier or chest rig platform to give you a ready supply of ammunition where you need it most.

Just like the single-width Duo pouch, 600D Cordura provides the main material of the build again balancing weight with a compliant, easy to use flexibility. A full complement of bungee-toppers keeps your entire payload secure and safe until you decide it’s time to unleash it and total MOLLE coverage means that the flexibility you have when it comes to configuration is unparalleled.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

£14.95

VIPER

MODUL AR HYDRATION PACK

Viper Tactical’s new Modular Hydration Pack features a compact size and a sleek, contoured design that’s designed to fit neatly on the rear of most plate carrier platforms and provide a pouch to carry most hydration bladders on the market.

Instead of a traditional square/rectangular design the new Hydration Pack features a curved and contoured pattern that looks cooler, sits more neatly and becomes snagged less. Additionally a velcro closure of the lid, a small MOLLE panel and a loop-field ID attachment space keep the level of features high, despite it’s low-profile design. Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

VIPER

DUO MAG POUCH-SINGLE

£12.95

Viper’s Duo Mag Pouch uses a MOLLE-compatible stacked design to enable you to store 2x M4/AR pattern magazines in a single width space. Using 600D Cordura material the pouch is built to balance strength with weight and flexibility in operation. The days of overbuilt 1000D Cordura pouches are over, there’s no need for that level of rigidity or stiffness and the supple, compliant nature of the lighter material gives a faster, smoother draw.

Fast-access bungee toppers give you the security you need for vigorous action but also a speedy, unhindered level of access to your magazines. A full MOLLE covering gives you the option to stack other MOLLE-compatible pouches or accessories over the magazine pouches for a truly unlimited number of configuration options.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

W W W.V I P E R K I T. C O . U K

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VIPER E VOLVED: FRESH NEW TAC TICAL KIT ON OUR R ADAR

£TBC VV IPPO UECRH Before you ask, the “V” is for “Versatile”. Viper Tactical’s new V Pouch is designed as a go-anywhere, do anything, pouch with uses only bound by your imagination. An emergency first aid kit, multi-tool, spare batteries or any other must-have items are easily stored and organised in this neat, unobtrusive and essentially useful pouch.

It can be fitted to a belt or mounted to a MOLLE platform to keep whatever you choose to store handy and the contents are secured from rattling around with an external bungee retainer.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

£18.50

VIPER

ELITE DROP LEG PL ATFORM

If you use an alternative weapon system with longer magazines, like the P90, the prospect of putting magazines on your chest space is unrealistic and cumbersome. Dropping them down onto your thighs makes for a far easier-to-manage system and you can also simply extend the amount of accessible storage space you have no matter what you need to carry. The Elite Drop Leg Platform is an ambidextrous, universal system to allow you to crate space below your belt.

Using a full MOLLE coverage the platform can be outfitted with your choice of pouches or holsters. With an adjustable height hanger and two non-slip stabiliser straps, you’ll find the platform is unshakeable in use.

Thanks to QD-buckles it’s easy to take on or off to scale your capacity. Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

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VIPER EVOLVED: FRESH NEW TACTICAL KIT ON OUR RADAR

VIPER

TABLET CASE

£16.95

With tablet computers becoming more and more accessible and tactical computing power becoming more and more in demand, the ability to carry a tablet into a tough situation is more and more necessary. The Viper Tactical Tablet Case is made from 600D Cordura with a soft, padded and screen-friendly fleece lining, incorporating elasticated retaining bands to keep your device safe inside. A removable carry handle and MOLLE compatible rear panel make the case modular and easy to incorporate into your existing storage system.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

£29.95

VIPER

BOOT BAG

Keep the snakes outta your boots with this new Tactical Boot Bag from Viper Tactical, or at least keep them in one place without stinking up the joint! Not only can you store the vast majority of footwear neatly, but thanks to an external utility pouch you can also store associated items close at hand.

Spare laces, a boot brush or deodouriser sprays can be kept together in one neat package that will save your car’s boot liner or the carpet back at home when you return from a hard day’s operation! Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

VIPER

ELITE WAIST BELT

£19.95

The new Viper Tactical Elite Waist Belt provides an extensive platform for pouches, accessories and holsters. Made from a 600D Cordura sleeve, padded and backed with a comfortable Ventex material to promote cooling and airflow, the Waist Belt also has 4 D-ring attachment points meaning that a suspender harness can be fitted to provide a slid and comfortable system even when heavy loads are carried. An adjustable internal webbing belt with QD-buckle provides the primary fitment and also makes the platform easy to put on and take off.

Available in Black, Green, Coyote or V-Cam.

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I N TT EHRE VPIIEPWE - LMI NAET T WFHRAOT M’ S SG KO NU N AK WB EO RH KO TS IUNK2 0- 1M5 A- TWT HFART O’ SMG SO KN NU NA KB W E OH RO TK SI NU

HOT NEWS! INCENTIVE DESIGN RELEASE MULTI-BANG GRENADE AFTER SOME DELIBERATION, WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT INCENTIVE DESIGNS WILL BE GOING AHEAD WITH THE RELEASE OF THE PROPOSED MULTI-BANG IMPACT BFG. Directly from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak; “We will have the first batch of 50 grenades in approx 4 weeks ready to dispatch. Rather than do a shot shell primer version and 9mm, we are now doing 1 grenade that can do both. It’s a 5 shot 6 position grenade with one position being the safe position. This eliminates the secondary safety pin and makes this grenade the safest one on the market.

Set in its safe position on the mag, safety pin in or out on the top, you could throw it as hard as you like at a brick wall and it would not go off.

It’s a very compact design again will be the world’s first original Multi 5 shot grenade and the smallest. Anodised aluminium body with a 6 flute detail designed to echo a revolver chamber on the classic 6 shooter pistol. You will have laser etched markings in each flute X, 1,2,3,4,5. The mag and all other components are stainless steel.”

By selling direct, incentive Designs hope to reach the market at a price of £110.

Here at Airsoft International we are lucky enough to have secured exclusive rights to prototype testing and the guys have promised to let us use and review the first ones off the production line!

W W W . I N C E N T I V E D E S I G N S . C O . U K

LIMITLESS GEAR OP-FOR MC-R MAGAZINE POUCHES WHAT STARTED OFF AS A CROWDFUNDING ON LNDIEGOGO BECAME AN INSTANT SUCCESS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PRODUCT. THREE AMERICANS WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WANTED TO CREATE A 21ST CENTURY PLUS VERSATILE AND DURABLE MAG POUCH. A mag pouch that can withstand the hard beating circumstances of an Operator and be as versatile as the common nylon mag pouch.

Well, TaskForceX is proud to announce that it will exclusively distribute the Limitless Gear OPFOR MC-R mag pouch for the European market.

The OPFOR MC-R is made of a polymer material that can withstand the freezing cold and won’t get a sunburn. You can even spray paint it.

The MC-R can be used for almost any NATO 5.56 magazine on the AR15/M4 platform, including P-Mags and Hexmags. You can stack them onto each other, or stagger them. Wear them upright or inverted, it doesn’t matter how you wear them, they are ambidextrous.

And don’t worry, you won’t be spending ages changing your mag pouches from carrier to carrier or have a bag full of mag pouches.

Simple and easy, that is how you swap the MC-R from your plate carrier or chest rig to your gear belt or the other way around.

The OPFOR MC-R is available in the color Coyote Tan and the colors Black and OD will be introduced later this year. Limitless Gear is also developing a duty belt adapter, so in future it can be used on a standard tactical belt up to 2” wide.

The ALL NEW Rapidly Scalable Equipment Ensemble (RSEE) allows for effortless attachment to any MOLLE/PALs surface in seconds. No tools, docks, or additional mounting accessories are required. With RSEE the OPFOR allows MOLLE to become truly modular. Users will now have the ability to scale or transfer their load outs the their specific mission requirements at a moments notice.

LIDLESS POSITIVE MAGA ZINE RE TENTION

The exclusive Positive Magazine Retention system locks your magazine into the OPFOR just like in a weapon’s magazine well. Simply twist and pull to easily withdraw the magazine from the OPFOR. Fully ambidextrous, the OPFOR combines all the benefits of a dedicated open top magazine pouch with the security of a traditional lidded pouch.

This foolproof retention system offers the user a smooth and consistent draw every time.

■ Price: €35 per unit

Distributed by TaskForceX. For more information on the OPFOR MC-R, please contact sales@taskforcex.ie or call +353. 86.210.5603.

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RO TK SI NU2K0 1- 5M- AWT HT AFTR’ SO M G O SN KN UA NBKE WH O RT KI NS 2U0K1 5- -MWA HT AT T F’ SR OG OMN SN KA UBNE KHWO OT RI NK S2 0U1K5

NEW GEAR! UKASL - UK AIRSOFT LEAGUE

COMPETITIVE AIRSOFT HAS LONG BEEN A PIPEDREAM BUT SOON IT’S COMING TO LIFE IN THE UK THANKS TO THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF UKASL. NOW, THE CONCEPT MIGHT NOT BE FOR EVERYONE, BUT YOU CAN BET THERE ARE TEAMS OUT THERE THAT WOULD LOVE TO TEST THEIR METAL IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT. OVER TO THE GUYS THEMSELVES TO FIND OUT MORE… WHO ARE UK ASL? YOU MIGHT BE ASK ING WH Y We’re a small company who has dedicated THIS IS NE W? AND WHAT ’S ourselves to creating a competitive league IN IT FOR YOU? for airsofters to showcase their skill and teamwork and be part of raising the airsoft world to the level of recognised sport.

We’re not trying to change the sport, just another arrow to its quiver. So to that end, we’ve organised our events, partners and sponsors to bring you a new gaming experience.

We bring you an onsite retailer, G-Tech Services, ran by a classically trained engineer to bring you hydro dipping, machined fabrications, custom kydex and a whole host of other interesting services, as well as all the kit you might need on game days.

We also have this exciting publication, Airsoft International to bring you quality reporting and a huge platform to share your success, as well as being sponsored

by Magnum Boots, Valken Airsoft (to name only a few) to bring you excellent prizes and special offers. We think we have you covered!

SO WHAT ’S THE LE AGUE? AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

It basically works as you would expect, there are clearly defined rules, regulations and game types and teams battle it out to work their way up the leader board to win themselves renown, prestige and prizes.

We have elimination rounds, tie rounds, single person games and a whole host of interesting league games that we think you’ll love. Each team is a maximum of 10 members, and if you don’t have enough and want more… We can help you network with other players, or even provide experienced and dedicated stand-ins on the day to follow orders and help you bring home the gold.

We’re hoping you would find such a challenge interesting. The dynamic of 10v10 games means that every loss is a real hit to the team and games can turn around rapidly… This means that your tactics, teamwork and communications become much more important and you really need to gel as a team… Pitting your skills against others is surely a worthy challenge, but having prizes added to that… We’re thinking that piques your interest.

WE AIRSOFT EUROPE

CUSTOM PISTOLS ARE COMING IN REAL HOT THESE DAYS AND BUILDING THEM USED TO BE A REAL PAIN IN THE ASS, GETTING THE COMPONENTS TOGETHER, ENSURING THEY WERE COMPATIBLE AND NO DOUBT DOING A BIT OF TECHY WORK. WE AIRSOFT EUROPE ARE ADDING A TOTAL OF 8 PISTOLS TO THE RANGE IN THE FORM OF A SELECTION OF E-FORCE EU-SERIES PISTOLS…

WHERE IS IT ? HOW C AN YOU GE T INVOLVED? WHERE C AN YOU FIND OUT MORE?

We run, and will continue to run around the UK in various game sites and settings.

Our trial games will be running until May to work out some minor details and really nail down our supporters and suppliers.

You can find us online at www.aslofficial. co.uk to register your teams, check out news, and keep up to date on the recent events. Or alternately you can email us at info@aslofficial.co.uk.

We would like to thank everyone for their on going support over the last month we appreciate all of your feedback and comments.

■ FACEBOOK

For legal reasons, we can’t say it expressly, but we all know what they look like. They are compatible with the Nuprol series of holsters and existing WE Airsoft Europe EU-Series magazines since they are internally based on those exact guns and the externals are of the same overall dimensions.

Custom features include slide serrations and cutaways, enhanced sights, stippled-style lower frames and oversize magazine catches to provide competition level handling and performance.

https://www.facebook.com/ukaslofficial ■ TWITTER

http://www.twitter.com/ukasl_

Check with your chosen WE Airsoft Europe dealer for pricing and availability!

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FA L L IN! GE T IN V OLV ED A ND GE T SEEN

TEAM SCENE! IF YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT’S BEEN KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES, YOU DESERVE SOME AIRTIME! WHETHER YOU ARE A LOOSE GROUP OF LIKEMINDED GUYS THAT GET TOGETHER ONCE A MONTH FOR A GOOD OLD SHOOT-UP OR IF YOU ARE A TIGHT-KNIT, WELL DRILLED SQUAD OF ULTIMATE BADASSES THAT SPENDS THEIR TIME TRAINING METICULOUSLY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

It’s simple to get involved and become a part of Ai whether you want to get yours faces known, are recruiting for new members or simply want a memento to treasure.

Step 1 is to fill out our short survey and tell us a few details about what you do, where you do it and how longs it’s been happening. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been together forever or have formed up recently, you are still valid!

■ TEAM NAME

■ FURTHER LINKS

What name you guys go by…

If you have websites, Facebook pages or social networks we can follow, hit us up with the links here! As many as you like, don’t be shy!

■ THE KEY MEMBERS Who’s who in your team organisation. What members are there, where do they come from and what roles do they play? Are some members of your team natural assaulters? Do you have snipers or marksmen or are you a full-on posse of total loonies? Also, what happens off the field? Who does the tech work? Who’s the guy that always has a spare battery and who keeps the rest organised. Go into a little detail here.

■ TEAM KIT Are you a team that uses a matching load out?

If so, what gear do you know, trust and use? Do you do impressions of real world units or are you all simply in it for yourselves taking what you need, when you need it. If you use more than one style of kit, that’s great! Tell us all about it because we want to know!

■ TEAM BACKGROUND

■ PICTURES We all want to see you in action so please accompany your entry with as many good quality images as you can, ok, no need for hundreds but between 10 and 12 works. The bigger, brighter and bolder the better.

Also, if you have a team logo, share it with us because it’ll look great in print!

We want to know what angle you are coming from. It doesn’t matter if you are a gang of ex-military guys looking for a blow-out at the weekends or if you are a group of computer-gamers that likes to get out and get some fresh air, it’s all cool! Tell us where you come from and what bought you together.

■ FAVOURITE SITES Give the places you love a shout-out here.

Where’s the best place you’ve visited? Do you like to travel or are you happy at your local site making the most of the games there?

■ FUTURE GAMES What are your upcoming plans and ambitions?

Do you have places to go and people to battle?

Do you dream of going overseas to play? Tell us what is next on your team’s agenda.

■ SENDING IT TO US! It’s dead simple to send your package over to us, simply bung an email together and point it towards Editorial@Ai-mag.com - Couldn’t be easier… Once we receive it, we’ll be in touch to let you know what is going on!

IT’S REALLY AS EASY AS THAT! SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET CREATIVE AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD!

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SE E N - GE T IN V OLV ED A ND GE T SEEN - GE T IN V OLV ED A ND GE T SEEN - GE T IN V OLV E D

SEND YOUR LOAD OUTS TO: EDITORIAL@AI-MAG.COM

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ROL L C A L L ! GE T IN V OLV ED A ND GE T SEEN

AI NEEDS YOU! YOU’VE SEEN OUR “LOCAL LOADOUT” PAGES BEFORE, IT’S YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE A WHOLE SPREAD DEVOTED TO YOU, YOUR KIT AND YOUR AIRSOFT, AND TO TAKE PART, WE ONLY NEED A COUPLE OF THINGS… A FULL-LENGTH PICTURE OF YOU, BOTH FRONT AND BACK, AND A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE KIT YOU USE.

■ THE PITURES We’re not expecting masterpieces when it comes to images, unless of course you are a consummate camera man, all we need is a clear, full length shot (with your feet and head in frame) of you, from the front and the back, just like the example pictured here. Don’t worry about any fancy photoshopping, our trained monkey does that! He will take time to ‘cut’ you out of your background, like the example pictured here.

Your image size needs to be as large as possible, so use a dedicated camera if possible. DSLR or Compact camera or mobile, it doesn’t really matter as long as you send us the FULL SIZE image, which may be around 5mb in size. Don’t worry, our email inbox can take the strain.

Please don’t send screen grabs from your phone or tiny images because we just can’t use them based on the way digital images are printed.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE A PROFES SIONAL CAMERA TO TAKE USABLE IM AGES, ALL YOU NEED IS SOME DE CENT LIGHT (HEA D OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY FOR BEST RESULT CLEAN BACKGROU S) AND A ND. TRY TO STAN D ON A FIRM, FL AT SURFACE, IDEALL Y CONCRETE OR SL ABS NOT GRAS OR SHRUBBERY S AND STAND SQUA RE ON TO THE CAMERA WITH TH E CAMERA LENS AT CHEST HEIGHT MAKE SURE YOU .

DON’T CROP YOUR HEAD, FEET OR ARMS OUT OF THE FRAME AND WATCH OUT FOR BLUR AS THAT WILL REALLY RUIN THE PART Y!

■ THE WORDS We don’t need a huge essay from you when it comes to words, it’s just a matter of filling in the blanks really, either copy the text from the bottom of the page, or download the document here - http://wp.me/p4Uh1B-7U

■ SENDING IN

HELMET/HEADWEAR:

When you have gathered your text and images, the next bit is simple, just attach it to an email and wing it over to us at: editorial@ai-mag.com - Easy!

Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

✓ Your name ✓ Your age ✓ Where you’re from ✓ Your airsoft Team ✓ Your home Site ✓ About Me The ‘about me’ section should be around 150 words about how you got into airsoft, where you play, your favourite game and who you play with.

UNIFORM/CAMO TOP: Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

EYE PRO: Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

PLATE CARRIER/CHEST RIG: Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

BELT RIG/HOLSTER: Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

BOOTS: Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

ANY EXTRA ACCESSORIES: Gloves, pads, comms equipment, backpacks, hydration etc… Make/ Model/Price/Why you use it…

UNIFORM/CAMO BOTTOM:

WEAPON:

Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

Make/Model/Price/Why you use it…

IT’S REALLY AS EASY AS THAT! SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET CREATIVE AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD!

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W! NE ALL

THE ALL-SEEING... OR NOT

ELECTRIC EYE THE RISE OF MOUNTED CAMERAS IN AIRSOFT

WITH THE ADVANCE OF TECHNOLOGY HAS COME SMALLER AND SMALLER DEVICES AND WHERE ONCE A “PORTABLE” VIDEO CAMERA WOULD HAVE BEEN A SHOULDER MOUNTED AFFAIR, THEY ARE NOW TRULY WEARABLE AND DISCREET WITH NO MORE OF A FORM FACTOR THAN A PACKET OF CIGARETTES. THIS, COMBINED WITH THE DRIVING DOWN OF THE COST HAS LED TO A PROLIFERATION OF SELF-FILMED MOVIES FINDING THEIR WAY INTO THE PUBLIC EYE AND AIRSOFT LOOKS SET TO FOLLOW THAT TREND. IS IT ALL GOOD PUBLICITY THOUGH, OR ARE WE POTENTIALLY WALKING INTO A TRAP?

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Back in 1982 Judas Priest released the tune “Electric Eye”, the inspiration behind the title of this piece, containing lyrics like,

“Up here in space, I’m looking down on you, My lasers trace, Everything you do…”

It’s not hard to see how this song has become strangely prophetic in the modern age. Not least when we consider the widespread use of drones in both military and civilian circles.

Cameras and their electric eyes are now everywhere and it’s easier and easier to share what they record in an instant. There’s no tapes to capture, just plug it in and whizz it off onto the internet… Maybe not even plug it in if you are particularly savvy. You can record and share footage from almost any events with alarming ease.

Almost every modern mobile phone handset has video capabilities and a growing percentage of players and any given airsoft site are using either these or a dedicated personal camera to record the action during their day. This recording seems to be used in a number of ways.

Much of it becomes selectively edited, set to a musical backing track and turned into a sort of personal promotion short. These make it onto Facebook pages and Youtube channels

and can sometimes make compelling viewing.

More often than not the footing becomes a laborious slog through several gigabytes of full HD window frame from close range, interspersed with the odd moment of action. I suspect though, that a great deal of the footage captured never really gets anything done with it, you see video editing is a time consuming process and to chop something down into a watchable, action-packed highlights reel takes some genuine talent.

This filming in itself is, on the whole, quite harmless. It makes little odds where the footage ends up and unless it’s a real stand-out piece, it will mostly only have much appeal to those featured within, who will doubtlessly scan through 15 minutes of dark corridors and heavy breathing to catch a brief, fleeting frame of their blurred form. Why then, should we be wary of cameras pervading airsoft? Personally, I have several reservations about the concept…

THE BLAME GAME

This reservation is definitely a double-edged sword. Players seem to be incorporating cameras into their regular load outs in order to encourage others to be more considerate about their play. This in itself isn’t a bad thing at all.

Cameras are all over the place these days to help with things like insurance claims, traffic accidents and of course security. After all, the camera never lies, does it?

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“ I’VE RUN A GO PRO FOR A YEAR OR SO, THE ONLY NEGATIVE I CAN THINK OF IS THAT I’M ALWAYS THINKING “IS IT TURNED ON” INSTEAD OF WHAT I’M ABOUT TO DO...” DAN STANGOE I cannot argue against the positive impact this could have in the event of an accident during a game or maybe even a dispute. Recently a video from the USA surfaced and caught what turned out to be a massive brawl erupting on an airsoft field. In itself this in anathema to airsoft and that sort of behaviour has no place within the game but the footage captured on camera, although only from one perspective definitely would have helped unravel what happened after the event, and indeed, apportion some blame on the guilty parties.

What I don’t like about this idea though, is the way it completely undermines one of the core values of airsoft, and that’s honesty. A camera isn’t and should never be a mandatory piece of airsofting equipment and the very basis of the game would suffer if players are only not cheating in case they thought it might get caught on camera.

I really don’t like this premise and I think that as an airsoft player, honesty and integrity should be fundamentally part of your mindset when entering the game. I’m not comfortable with it having to be enforced by technology and I think this concept takes away from the basic appeal and core of the game. I also feel similarly about an electronic “hit detection” system. For all it’s quirks and occasional frustrations the system of “taking hits” is definitely one of the charms of airsoft and something we should resists handing over to technology… After all, we might as well just play on our computers if we are going to do that.

DISTRACTION

The distraction factor, or maybe it should be called the “flirt factor” is definitely something to take heed of. If you have been reading Ai for any length of time, you might be familiar with the fact I used to be heavily into BMX riding before I got into airsoft, which took over as my primary pastime. One of the factors that drove me to move away from BMX riding (apart from growing up, not riding a kids bike and playing soldiers instead) was the fact that for every one or two riders or skaters you had at every park or ramp, you’d have 2 or 3 people filming the events happening.

Now, I don’t begrudge people the opportunity to log some footage of themselves for whatever reason, and the same applies to airsoft, but what you have to remember is that the primary reason for the day’s activity is to play the game. It’s not about creating the “YOU Show”. Everybody has paid and deserves an equal part in the game. Detracting from this because somebody with a camera desperately wants to get some cool footage is not on and this

is without even considering the attitude that this encourages in the approach to gameplay.

Airsoft is not staged. Airsoft games are fluid, unpredictable and no matter how bad-ass you and your team look, there will always be one time when a kid in a microphone-head mesh facemask and a bright orange rental gun pops up out of nowhere and makes you look deeply un-operator by lighting you all up. It’s funny how these moments rarely make it into the highlights reels…

Now, I’m not saying everyone with a camera is incapable of performing some whoop-ass moves, far from it, but what I have seen is some fine examples of teams of players desperate to make their footage look great, even to the detriment of what would be considered fair play. Just because “it will look cool in the edit” is not an excuse to charge through a building and ignore what probably was a hit from an opposing player. Everyone deserves a fair game and they should not be made to feel like they are extras in a movie you are making.

“ I HATE THEM, HALF THE VIDEOS ARE OF PEOPLE FUMBLING MAG CHANGES, STANDING AT THE BACK OF ANY ACTION AND NOT GETTING STUCK IN, I REALLY HAVE TO VET ANY VIDEOS I SHOW MY MATES TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE ALL ACTION.” SPIKY COBB W W W.AI-MAG.COM

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ELECTRIC EYE: THE RISE OF CAMERAS IN AIRSOFT - ELECTRI

“GOOD IN PRINCIPLE, IN REALITY, SIFTING THROUGH 100’S OF HOURS OF FOOTAGE JUST TO FIND A FEW MINUTES OF DECENT STUFF IS MIND BOGGLINGLY TEDIOUS THOUGH.” IAN VAN GAARDINGEN POOR TRANSLATION

Good airsoft is a language everyone speaks and that sort of translation is not the final reason for my slight disdain towards the proliferation of cameras in the game. The translation I don’t think quite makes the jump from live action to recorded video is the excitement of airsoft in motion to on-screen playback. Having dabbled a little in film-making and cinema, often to get the most out of a scene and transfer that excitement, impact and action to your audience is far, far more than just pointing a camera at the events that unfold.

Alternative camera angles need to be used and cut into each other to provide tension and drama, dialogue needs to be clear and well delivered so the audience understands what is happening and important details need focus. Unfortunately, a single first-person perspective rarely provides this level of engagement and airsoft videos can become quite monotonous quite quickly.

Then there’s sound. Sound has long been the sticking point of airsoft’s “realism”. For better or worse airsoft doesn’t quite deliver the earsplitting crack of genuine gunfire and there are few explosions sending things flying through the air. Probably a good thing really, as shrapnel isn’t a great thing to call in sick on Monday complaining of. This does

034

however leave airsoft rather lacking in the audio department and it’s almost laughable listening back to the lackluster “phut phut” of your average gun, even though in your head it sounded like a cannon going off at the time.

When all is said and done, there are very few airsoft gameplay videos that I’ve seen that I feel do any real justice to how the game actually feels to play yourself and I can’t help but think perhaps the excited jabbering of your friends encouraging you to go does more than any short video clip can.

LIGHTS, CAMERA… CONTEXT

It’ll be quite easy to read this monologue thus far and feel pretty down on cameras, or perhaps you don’t agree with me at all, which is fine. I am massively generalising though and for the sake of argument, I have extrapolated each negative point out. There are of course a massive majority of camera-using players that are minding their own business, capturing their own footage and duly uploading it to the internet for all to watch, and that’s great.

There are also individuals and players capturing compelling footage, discreetly and with minimal impact on the immersion and gaming experience had by all and there are even guys out there putting together impactful and eye-catching short movies that portray airsoft in a great light.

As ever though, there is always one thing to

bear in mind, and that’s context. The context in which these videos may be viewed once they are out “in the wild”. There has been some debate over whether the afore mentioned “brawl” video should have ever been seen by the masses and if it were better used as a discreet prompt to the powers that be in order to help them find the right decision.

You also have to wonder if many of the “name and shame” style videos apparently capturing a cheat in action really need to be out there. They are quite damaging and damning to what once was a very tight-knit community.

There’s also the apparition of the public opinion and what the tabloids make of these videos once they are out there hanging over us. As ever, it’s always been essentially to accompany every piece of outgoing airsoft publicity with a permanent reminder that what we do is as close as damnit to a sport, a wholesome, military-inspired but generally team-building activity that actually encourages friendships and dissolves barriers between social groups. NOT a terrorist training facility or breeding ground as many of the red-top papers would do their best to portray us as for a few extra sales. Although we desire a level of realism and recreation most of the time, it’s important to make it obvious that this is the case, lest our harmless fun be moved away from it’s context and used against us.

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CTRIC EYE: THE RISE OF CAMERAS IN AIRSOFT - ELECTRIC EYE GO-PRO HERO4 SILVER PRO-QUALITY CAPTURE WITH TOUCH-DISPLAY CONVENIENCE WHAT GO-PRO SAY...

Capture your world in an all-new way with HERO4 Silver, the first-ever GoPro to feature a built-in touch display. Controlling the camera, framing shots and playing back content is now ultra convenient—just view, tap and swipe the screen. HERO4 Silver captures 1080p60 and 720p120 video with lifelike clarity, plus 12MP photos at a staggering 30 frames per second. New experience-enhancing features include HiLight Tag, which lets you mark key moments for easy playback, editing and sharing, and QuikCapture, which allows you to power on the camera and start recording with the press of a single button. Waterproof to 131’ (40m), HERO4 Silver combines versatility and pro-quality capture with the convenience of a touch display.

CONTOUR ROAM SIMPLE AND FUN! WITH A SLEEK, AWARD-WINNING DESIGN WHAT CONTOUR SAY...

The ContourROAM is the ideal camera for a fun and easy experience capturing your adventures anywhere life takes you.

Just slide the record switch and you’re instantly filming beautiful HD video.

The award-winning design is tough, compact, waterproof to one meter, and versatile which means you can use your ContourROAM anywhere, anytime and capture all the action you want.

Record up to 8 hours of 1080p video (12 hours of 720p video) on a 32GB MicroSD card, then use the free Contour Storyteller App to easily transfer and share your videos with your friends and the contour.com community (32GB SD card sold seperately).

Our free, custom Storyteller App easily downloads and helps you assemble your video footage via Mac or PC. Once you’re done, it takes just a few clicks to upload and share your adventure on contour.com and other sites for your friends to see.

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SSITE I T EREPORT R E P OELITE R T TACTION A C H O GAMES: U S E S PSERIAL A R T A N40.- -T ELITE A C H ACTION O U S E SGAMES: P A R T ASERIAL N - T A40.

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IMAGES BY: SCARLET WHYSALL WORDS BY: TEAM GUN HO

TAC HOUSE

SPARTAN

EVER KEEN TO GET A VANTAGE POINT ON SITES THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE UK AND BEYOND, HE CONTACTED THE ILLUSTRIOUS NORTHERN UK AIRSOFT TEAM GUN HO FOR AN OVERVIEW OF TAC HOUSE SPARTAN, A NAME THAT FREQUENTLY POPS UP ON OUR RADAR. HAVING MET THE GUN HO LADS AT A FEW GAMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE ARE AWARE THAT THEY ARE A DISCERNING BUNCH AND IF SOMETHING TICKS THEIR BOXES, IT’LL LIKELY SCORE HIGHLY WITH THE MASSES… OVER TO THE LADS FOR SOME MORE IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS.

Tac House Spartan is held dearly in the hearts of many airsofters these days and it soon becomes clear why when you attend the site for the first time. If you’re craving close quarters airsoft this is the site for you. Now, let’s delve deeper into the inner workings of the Tac House Spartan experience.

FACILITIES

The site has a large car park with more than enough space to house all the players’ cars.

Toilets are on site. There is a small shop on site which sells basic airsoft equipment and ammo.

Location (from major routes) only a couple of hours away for us which is great, and pretty central for the majority of the UK which is a big help. Located reasonably close to the main motorways so not too much of a chore to find.

STRUCTURE

The site is very well set out offering a maze-like CQB environment, including hall ways, tight rooms and stair ways. Most major strongholds are complemented by two methods of ingress/ egress which helps movement into those areas

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flow. However there are some choke points but they can be beaten by coordinated team movement. The majority of play goes on inside the building complex made up of multiple stories but there is also a large concrete open space outside containing some vehicles and a makeshift helicopter which is great fun to defend and attack. This area can be used for moving between different areas of the site without being drawn into the firefights ringing out from inside. Players must constantly be on their toes as any drop in concentration will lead to being lit up by a flanking enemy. The majority of the rooms are dark, meaning that torches are essential, offering a different aspect to a lot of skirmish sites around the UK. As always with CQB sites there can be problems on busy days where you’ll end up with 20 people stacked on the same doorway or stairwell, but this is the nature of the game unfortunately. In the majority of cases there are alternative routes that can be taken, be it heading outside up a floor and across, which helps alleviate the problem somewhat.

GAME STYLES

Games are designed to force the players to think tactically and work as a team. Due to the nature of the close quarters environment it is impossible for one man to cover all the angles; teamwork is essential. A well-trained team can dominate objectives when competing against groups of individuals. The games begin with small areas of operation and expand from there.

This helps the players learn the layout of the entire site which comes in very handy when going up against regular players in the larger games were the entire site is in play.

Although Tac House mainly offer skirmish style gaming they now offer regular training classes that help improve a player’s skill set. We can confirm that these sessions are very informative and are well worth traveling the distance to attend should you wish to develop current skills and establish new ones. A guy known as “The Stig” gives the training. He has plenty of real-world knowledge and is more than qualified to instruct us mere airsofters. His training meshes perfectly with the Tac House games and can be transferred to any FIBUA environment.

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ACTION S P A R TGAMES: A N - T ASERIAL C H O U40.

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MARSHALLS & MANAGEMENT

The site marshals are very welcoming, making sure that all concerns are taken into account whilst keeping a keen eye on everyone playing.

All issues are resolved quickly and if any of the games aren’t quite to the players taste on the day that’s soon amended. The Marshall staff often looks for the players input when deciding which games to play later on in the day which is a nice touch as there are plenty of skirmish providers out there that have the odd poor game that you’d love to veto. However this isn’t as much of a problem at Tac House as all of the games are interesting and keep the player engaged throughout.

PLAYERS

The regular players seem to be of a high standard of play and sportsmanship. There are some instances of unsportsmanlike conduct but no more than you would expect from any other good quality airsoft site. The players are friendly and welcoming which makes for a pleasant experience should it be your first time attending the site. Tac House normally attracts large

turnouts which makes for plenty of kills but can make movement through stairs and hallways difficult. The majority of the players seem to live within a reasonable distance from the site but it has a healthy flow of people that are willing to travel further than usual to attend. This is purely down to the equality of skirmishing that Tac House provides.

TAC HOUSE SPARTAN As a skirmish site, Tac House Spartan is simply one of the finest Sunday skirmish and training experiences we have visited as a team. Due to the dedicated staff, friendly regulars and awesome site layout it is difficult to find a better way to spend your Sundays. If you’re looking for sneaky woodland warfare then this is not for you but if fast paced CQB door-kicking is your thing then look no further, Tac House Spartan has got you covered.

TAC HOUSE SPARTAN LOCATION Tac House Spartan, Goytside Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. S40 2BL TERRAIN FIBUA/CQB PRICE £25 Members £30 Non-members TIMES 0830 - 1700 HIRE GUNS Yes from £40 FPS LIMITS 350fps OTHER RESTRICTIONS See website SHOP BBs, Pyro, Gas. MORE INFO www.tachousespartan.co.uk Whilst we make every effort to check our information is correct, please check with the site prior to visiting, in case rules have changed etc.

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THE “CONTRACTOR” OR “PMC” LOOK HAS BEEN IN VOGUE IN AIRSOFT CIRCLES FOR SOME TIME NOW AND IT’S CERTAINLY A TOPIC WE HAVE REVISITED OFTEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE LOOK IS POPULAR BECAUSE IT GIVES THE PLAYER A LOT OF FREEDOM TO PICK AND CHOOSE FROM A WIDE POOL OF GEAR AND KIT TO ASSEMBLE THEIR LOAD OUTS. THIS CAN CAUSE QUITE A LOT OF CONTENTION THOUGH, WITH DEBATES OVER WHAT WOULD AND WOULDN’T BE USED IN ANY GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE AND INDEED, WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN’T “CORRECT”. TO GET A BETTER PICTURE OF WHERE YOU COULD HEAD WITH THIS STYLE OF KIT, WE’VE HEADED STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE AND SPENT SOME TIME TALKING TO A FORMER CONTRACTOR WHO HAS RECENT EXITED “THE CIRCUIT”.

This month, our regular Kit Up feature is a little bit different and more than a little bit special. We’ve interviewed Richard, a former contractor who has recently bowed out of “the circuit” of security and contracting work and walked back down civvy street.

As well as asking him a bit more about what the job entails and what you could expect, we’ve taken a few moments to quiz him on the sort of gear and kit you can expect to find in use when “on the job”.

We’re hoping this will give you, as well as us, a better picture of how to assemble not only an authentic, but also an effective PMC-themed airsoft load out. As such, we’ve divided the feature into two section, first you’ll be able to read the transcript of our interview with Richard, then we’ll spend some time putting together a load out using some fantastic new kit from Semapo Gear.

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AI: Hi Richard, it’s a pleasure to meet you! How are you today and what’s it like where you are?

RAS: Hi Guys! I am good and it’s a pleasure to be talking to you today. Life is good and its good to be back home living a normal life for a change.

AI: That’s great to hear! We’re obviously talking to you based on your experience of Private Military Contracting. It’s a clandestine kind of world that, from an airsoft perspective, is very intriguing… In simple terms, just what exactly is a Private Military Contractor?

RAS: A Private Military Contractor is someone with prior military or police experience that has willingly volunteered to work for a civilian firm (PMC).

There are a few reasons why people do this type of work, for money and because a lot of guys don’t want a normal 9 to 5 job back on civvy street when they leave the military and still want that life style and organized working environment.

AI: We understand that you have been all over the world in your role. We can imagine that you can’t quite divulge specific details about where that might have been or what you were doing there, but can you give us a vague indication of what stamps you have in your passport and where the most interesting places to visit were?

RAS: I have travelled quite a lot, mainly when I was serving in the British Army. During my time on the circuit most of my work was based in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Same as in the military, the company you are working for would choose where you would be posted.

I would say every location I operated in had a story to tell, In particular Afghanistan.

AI: Again, it’s probably a sensitive subject, but what sort of stuff are you asked to get up to when “on a job”? Is it as exciting and glamorous as it sounds or is there a mundane side to things?

RAS: Like all jobs you have your good and bad days. I wouldn’t say it was glamorous however I

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did enjoy my time on the circuit. I would say the highlight for me was when I was working in Iraq.

I was part of a Reconstruction Liaison Team.

I wont discuss my client but our primary role was to push into hostile areas to conduct reconnaissance missions on reconstruction project sites.

It sounds boring but when you have to give yourself a cut off time on site due to militia or insurgents moving to your egress routes to cut you off, it gets the blood pumping.

We would also pick up the occasional hearts and minds tasking, conducting meetings with local village elders or local security forces.

Conducting these small tasks would open up other routes not IED’d by militia or insurgents.

We would also work in support of our other C/S (Call Signs) providing over watch or QRF (Quick Reaction Force).

AI: As expected, it sounds extremely interesting!

OK, we’ll get the elephant out of the room early on… I think one of the most alluring aspects of PMC work is the cash-payout for the risks being taken. Is it really that financially beneficial and is it really as risky as it sounds?

RAS: During the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan war the pay was really good depending on what contract you were on. The gigs to get onto were mainly US Department of Defense contracts.

The US was throwing loads of cash around to aid the reconstruction efforts in Iraq & Afghanistan. I have heard rumors going around that some companies were paying $600 to $800 a day during the early days of Iraq.

As time has gone on and governmental agencies withdrew from Iraq and Afghanistan, those contracts disappeared and the money dried up.

There are still well paid jobs out there and wages are a lot better than jobs back home in the UK. AI: I think one of the biggest mistakes people can make is thinking you can just come in off the street, grab a gun and start working as a PMC in foreign lands. I’m willing to bet my wedding tackle it’s not that easy. What kind of credentials, training and experience do most

guys have before they enter this area of work and what did you do yourself?

RAS: The PMC or Security industry is a very competitive market. There are loads of guys out there trying to land good jobs and the recruiters can be picky nowadays.

The industry can also be very cliquey, for example; if you are an ex-serving Parachute Regiment guy attending a company interview and the recruiter was from the same unit you stood a very good chance of picking up a job.

The more military and combat experience you have, put you in a good position to land a good job.

Most companies want you to have as a minimum 8 years military experience with 2 combat tours under your belt.

You will have had to complete a recognised, SIA accredited Close Protection course and have some sort of supporting qualification such as FPOS-I (First Person on Scene Intermediate) or MIRA-1 (Medicine in Remote Areas).

If you have language skills that will support you in your area of operations, this will help too.

And finally be fit for role.

AI: When working as a contractor, did you work with military units or more on your own?

RAS: I wouldn’t say we worked directly with the military, however we were supported by the military with medical and QRF (Quick Reaction Force) for some jobs. We also had access to all military FOB’s (Forward Operating Base) and Patrol Bases should we need to gain access.

On one commercial contract we were totally on our own with regards to support and medical care. I tried to stay clear of these jobs but some times you can’t be picky, after all I had a life to support back home just like everyone else.

AI: As a Brit, did you find yourself working alongside other countrymen or did you work in teams of mixed nationalities? Did these groups work in different ways?

RAS: Every contract I was on had a multi national work force. The majority of guys were mainly from the UK and the US. With regards to tactics and training everyone

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IT IS TRUE YOU CAN TURN UP ON CONTRACT AND EVERYTHING IS PROVIDED... MOST GUYS WOULD BRING THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT, EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN PERSONAL PREFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO KIT.

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had their own experiences and ways of doing business however we had company SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures), which kept everyone singing from the same song sheet.

Teams would then adapt them to suit the AO (Area of Operations) and threat.

One thing that was awesome, you could take good training methods and tips from other operators who have had similar or different experiences to yourself .

On one project site we did a lot of training with the USSF and Romanian SEAL guys situated next door to us. They had their own integral range situated in their compound. They were really accommodating and I have made some really good mates from the whole experience.

After gaining their trust they even offered to assist us if we got into any bother whilst out in the bad lands. Top guys.

AI: Critically, and in light of some recent events, do you think airsoft avails you of any relevant skillsets, or do you think airsoft can be used to train skills that are fundamental so success in a combat environment?

RAS: Personally I don’t think you can gain any experience from your general skirmish, however the guys who have created Mil-Sim teams and have started to develop their own SOP’s/ Training can pick up a good basic standard.

These big simulated events that are being carried out are basically like a watered down military exercise. Guys have to think about semi-complicated situations such as green on green encounters or casualty evacuations, or even multiple enemy fire positions at night.

These scenario-based events can generate some really good basic skills.

I think the higher end airsoft weapons can generate realistic weapon skills, such as TM Recoil’s or gas blow back weapon systems.

Setting your mags to 30 rounds is an awesome way to get your drills heading in the right direction. This way you will have realistic mag changes, it will make you think about your rates of fire and how many mags you will have to carry during longer events.

The only down fall to airsoft weapons would have to be based on effective engagement ranges. You’re very limited on what you

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can achieve with regards to long-range marksmanship. You can however get some very basic fundamentals right.

AI: Before things get too heavy, let’s talk about gear and kit. Are you a kit guy that’s into the latest modern advances or are you somebody that will use what’s on hand to get the job done?

RAS: I am not going to lie I am a bit of a kit monster; I like to try different pieces of equipment such as holsters & rigs. Since joining the Army I have had to have the latest kit or new equipment fad.

I have taken my foot off the pedal lately but I can feel the bug creeping back slowly.

AI: As part of your jobs, did you get issued or supplied with kit, or was that your responsibility? We’ve heard stories of contractors having to head in-country with nothing but a wash bag and a handful of cash to get hold of whatever they could. Did anything like that ever happen to you?

RAS: It is true you can turn up on contract and everything is provided, it may not be the best equipment but it is enough to support you in your role.

Some jobs you are given a team float to supplement personal and team equipment.

However most guys would bring their own equipment onto contract, everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to kit.

AI: So, what is your most basic “do not go out without…” list of stuff when working? What would you never be without?

RAS: First on my list is my weapons and ammunition, plenty of it. We would generally operate in teams of 4 to 8 men depending on task so the more ammo we carried allowed us to throw as much lead down range to win the fire fight.

Second would be good quality medical equipment, plenty of C.A.T tourniquets.

Water, emergency rations and good working communications are last. We would generally prepare for worst case scenario and cover all of the What If’s.

AI: In terms of weapons, what sort of stuff have you used? Was there a variety or were you bound by restrictions? In either case, what’s your favourite weapon and why?

RAS: This was all company and contract driven. Most department of defense contracts would supply US weapon systems such as Glocks, M9’s, M4’s, 240 & 249.

Commercial contracts you would mainly use AK variant weapon systems, however on one commercial contract I worked on we were issued Sig Sauer 551 & 552’s.

During my last year contracting in Afghanistan I decided to get myself a nice 10.5 Inch upper for my Daniel Defense M4. I also added an Aimpoint M4 with x3 magnifier, for emergency use I added Magpul back-up sights.

This allowed me to engage out at distance whilst also keeping a CQB capability whilst moving in and around project buildings.

We also had access to fragmentation grenades, flash bangs, smoke grenades & thermo baric grenades. The thermo baric grenades were used to dispose of downed vehicles.

On some missions we carried a couple of M72 (66mm) disposable launchers. Due to operating in small teams out side of QRF support we would use anything and everything to extract the client from the fight and to a safe area.

My favorite weapon system would have to be the 249 or as the Brits call it the Minimi.

Reasons for this are it has a massive rate of fire to keep the enemies heads down, but also allows you to engage targets out at range. You could also use team M4 magazines if needed.

An awesome bit of kit.

AI: Equally, what’s your least favourite weapon and how come?

RAS: My least favorite weapon system would have to be the AK variant or Russian made weapon systems. The ammunition we were supplied was unreliable and on several occasions caused breach explosions.

AI: Let’s get a bit gear-geek and talk a bit about what contractors really use on the

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ground. Is it true that you are not allowed to wear camouflage uniforms to distinguish yourself from military personnel?

RAS: That is correct, most contracts have a dress code. It was either Tan or Green, sometimes a mixture of both.

I have however seen teams and individuals wear military camo patterns on several sites.

Personally my team only mixed clothing when on the range or hanging about our personal compound.

AI: What sort of thing do you look for in basic clothing, like trousers and shirts?

RAS: I would basically look for clothing that was light, durable and would not fall apart after one month. Rotations were long; on my last contract it was four months on, one off so equipment needed to last.

I would also look for something that offered room for maps, medical equipment (CAT tourniquets) and administrational items such as a notebook and pens.

5.11 were issued on all contracts. I found it comfortable but the pockets did not offer much room for items I required.

My first purchase I got myself a set of shirt & pants from Woolrich Elite. Awesome price and I worn them until they had fallen apart.

Tru-Spec, I found cheap to buy but did not last very long. The zips fell apart and the stitching come away after only one months use.

I decided to put my hand in my pocket and go with the more expensive option and buy Crye Precision.

I bought a mixture of the G3 Field Pants & Shirts. I found it very comfortable to wear and the pockets provided me with much needed space for med kit, maps and other items.

Boots I have always stuck to AKU and ASOLO Fugitive GTX’s, awesome footwear and comfortable.

I suppose it is true, buy cheap buy twice.

AI: Did you find yourself using armour vests at all? If so, what sort of thing did you use?

RAS: Totally, you would have been stupid not to wear armour. My preferred armour carrier was

the Warrior Assault Systems DCS plate carrier with level 3a soft armour and Level 3+ plates to the front back and sides. The DCS was small light and really well put together.

To add extra protection I used the Warrior-AS frag belt with the level 3a soft armour insert.

This allowed me to protect my lower half and still add needed equipment such as ammunition and medical equipment.

For head protection I used a Ballistic Ops Core Fast helmet. This allowed me to run my communications; lighting and other bits ok equipment more efficiently with comfort. The only down fall to the Ops Core fast was if you wore eye pro with frames and the tightening dial full secured, it would create pressure points on the side of your head. Other than that it was awesome.

On some missions we tried to adapt a low profile approach so I would use A SKD PIG carrier with armour under a field shirt and a Mayflower chest rig to support all my tactical equipment. This worked really well when you added clothing over your rig.

AI: In terms of holsters and other extras, are there specific brands you have grown to trust?

Is there anything you think the airsoft world should be aware of?

RAS: The two main holsters I have grown to like are the IMI Defense and the Blackhawk SERPA CQC. Some of the guys had G-Code holsters and swore by them, but I did not get chance to get one myself. Maybe in the future I will get myself one and have a blast.

For airsofters I would say check out the Warrior-AS universal pistol holster, top bit of kit. The holster will fit most if not all types of pistols, this is one of its best points as not all airsoft pistols fit real world holsters.

AI: How do you think tactical gear has advanced over the last few years? Do you subscribe to this cutting-edge technology or are you more drawn to a more tried and tested formula?

RAS: Tactical gear has come on leaps and bounds over the past 5 to 8 years. In particular tactical medicine advancements have gone

through the roof.

Ballistic armour is getting lighter and people are developing new lighter rigs. There are some really genius designs out there. Back in the day if your kit did not work it was a get on with it attitude, now people are asking “how can we make it better?”.

In the end it all comes down to how much paper you have in you wallet, tactical rigs and clothing are expensive if you want the top end line.

AI: We hear you are intending to use your experiences to bring a new face into the airsoft industry in the form of Combat Airsoft Group?

What’s the deal there and what are you setting out to do?

RAS: Combat Airsoft Group started in June 2014 when I left contracting in Afghanistan. Whilst trying to settle in to a proper civilian life I found myself getting itchy feet.

Knowing I had to make a go of it back home and spend some much needed time with my family I came across the idea of forming a tactical training company for the everyday airsoft player and local milsim teams.

We started off training some of the guys from Northern Alliance Airsoft which then lead on to meeting some of the Gun Ho team members who have been training with us for about 4 months.

The concept has now grown into combat simulated events, based on experiences from my time in the military and on the circuit. I have several guys from my military unit helping me on this project.

We plan to launch the website in the near future with a 72hr combat simulated event. If guys are looking to be tested both physically and mentally, at the same time gaining an awesome experience the CAG will be the place to come. For now you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 2015 is going to be a big year for us.

I just want to give a big shout out to Jack, Tom and Will from NAA for all their support, also to all the guys who have been attending my events.

Thanks for having me guys.

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SEMAPO GEAR MADE IN KOREA

GEARING UP

Thanks to Richard’s input, we’ve been able to put together a full load-out using some of our favourite kit. If you noticed, Richard mentioned some top brands we have covered here in Ai in the past, the likes of SKD, Crye Precision and Mayflower as well as the well-familiar Warrior Assault Systems. Instead of taking a shot in the dark, we’re now able to start building an effective load out with proper guidance.

It’s interesting to hear that tan or green kit is generally the uniform colour. That’s great news for players of Mil-Sim games (or Ai500 attendees) that split the teams according to Tan/Green colouration.

UNIFORM As luck would have it, our friends over in Korea at Semapo Gear have recently released their Crye Precision replica uniform set in plain tan or “sand”.

We know well from checking out their previous efforts like the AOR1 set we used to build our “SEAL Team 6” that this kit is top notch so we wasted no time in sourcing some.

As you may well be aware, the Crye Precision design of uniform is a highly evolved set of combat-oriented, direct action clothing and provides practical, useable space for the kind of items that Richard has mentioned. Critically it also comes packing additional features like space for integrated knee pads and is comfortable under armour and during high-output activity thanks to the selection of specialist materials used in different areas of the garments.

Semapo Gear’s efforts at replicating exclusive SF-issue-only variants of the uniforms are second to none thanks to detailed and precise computer controlled pattern cutting and high levels of attention to detail when it comes to stitching.

Considering these are a replica, the prices are high but the quality and authenticity keeps pace. You will struggle to find the materials used to create these garments outside of the genuine articles so if you are the sort of player that demands a combination of the right look and also performance to match, there’s no need to look any further than Semapo Gear.

Semapo Gear Deluxe 3D Uniform in Tan/Sand costs $238.75 but is on sale at the time of going to print for only $193.85

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MOST CONTRACTS HAVE A DRESS CODE. USUALLY EITHER TAN OR GREEN, SOMETIMES A MIXTURE OF BOTH. I HAVE HOWEVER SEEN TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS WEAR MILITARY CAMO PATTERNS ON SEVERAL SITES.

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DURAFLEX

Genuine Dura-Flex material in a contrasting tan colour compliments the tough rip-stop material and makes for a tough yet highly flexible uniform that promotes unrestricted mobility.

ZIPPER

A quality Âź length zip is sewn accurately into the shirt collar to provide easy donning and doffing as well as ventilation in hot conditions.

KNEE LOOP

Short pile velcro loop material on the inside edge of the knee pad insert window keys in with the small patches of hook material found in the corresponding area of genuine Crye Precision Airflex knee pads inserts. This makes them much more resistant.

MATERIALS

The torso of the combat shirt features a fine cotton stretch material which compliments the harder wearing ripstop material that the collar and sleeves are made from.

PADDED WAISTBAND

A thickened, padded waistband gives the trousers a more comfortable supportive feel, especially when combined with a loaded battle belt or stiffened gun belt. This feature is often omitted or executed badly on inferior replicas.

NAVY CUSTOM

Amongst other details the Navy Custom pattern uses buttons in addition to velcro closers on the pockets of both the shirt and pants.

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C M P ARMOUR + LOAD CARRIAGE

Another not-to-be-missed treat from Semapo Gear is the long-awaited NCPC plate carrier in a Medium size. The NCPC is a US Navy-customised variant of the Crye Precison CPC or CAGE Plate Carrier, one of the most advanced armour vest system available today.

Using an internal padding and harness system, the NCPC holds the “plate bags” that contain the armour itself slightly away from the body, promoting a cooler, easier to wear experience. It really does make a vast difference. We’ve been lucky enough to give the NCPC a full two days use so far using genuine steel-core ballistic plates and the carrier truthfully is far more comfortable than any previous option we have tried.

The NCPC isn’t all about armour either, it comes complete with an integrated pouch system that is built into the plate bags. Primarily you have a 3-mag capacity kangaroo-type front pouch built in. Above this is a full width admin pocket divided up inside with an elasticated

MATERIAL

Genuine Multicam 500D Cordura Material is used throughout the construction of the Semapo Gear NCPC giving a lightweight yet durable end product.

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divider system. The flanks of the armour carrier also have built in pouches that can be configured to hold a radio system, as shown, or used to store magazines in their own right.

These pouches are also covered in MOLLE-spec webbing and can be stacked upon with other pouches. Additionally, elasticated “stretch pouches” can be incorporated onto the flanks of the carrier giving even more magazine space.

Part of the scalable package includes an additional “airlite” style skeletal cummerbund that can be used to “overwrap” the flanks of the carrier. This gives even more flexibility in MOLLE-mounting accessories and equipment.

We’ve used it here to mount a Blue Force Gear SSE pouch and two Semapo Gear pistol magazine pouches. The rear plate bag, as well as being covered in MOLLE webbing itself also includes zip-on/off back panel integration, making the vest capable of rapid reconfiguration depending on mission parameters. Based on preference here, we’ve MOLLE’d on three single, flap top Semapo Gear M4 magazine pouches on the front of the

INTERNALPADDING

A removable internal padding system promotes great airflow in hot conditions and can be adjusted for a precise, tailored fit for every individual.

HARNESS

carrier for a more traditional reload.

In addition to the internal padding system within the NCPC, there is also a shock-cord matrix system that allows the whole carrier to be cinched to fit a little like a corset or girdle. Being shock cord this also allows for a little expansion in use to prevent it being restrictive. A quick-release buckle on the left shoulder provides and easy don-and-doff system and there’s even a dual rip-cord emergency breakaway to rapidly remove the vest should you need to. Just don’t tell your skirmish buddies about this as it’s a real pig to reconstruct afterwards!

The quality of manufacture and materials used in the construction of the Semapo Gear NCPC is up there with what we have come to expect and the stitching and construction is holding up well to the strain of being used even with heavy ballistic plates inside.

The Semapo Gear NCPC Plate Carrier in Multicam is available priced at $424.37 but is available at the time of going to print for a sale price of $346.72.

A shock cord harness system within the NCPC allows you to further adjust the fit but also allows for expansion and contraction under use.

BREAKAWAY

Dual breakaway cords allow you to rapidly disintegrate the vest in an emergency situation. After use it can be rethreaded and reassembled.

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CONTRACTOR - GEAR UP LIKE A PRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTOR WARRIOR DCS PLATE CARRIER

We’ve really enjoyed giving the Semapo Gear NCPC pictured here a trial run but we can’t deny it’s a very expensive piece of kit. If you want something cheaper but still a legitimate choice, why not follow in Richard’s footsteps and pick up one of Warrior Assault System’s DCS plate carriers? They are a modern, compact and highly capable armour vest that is extremely well priced when you consider how well it’s put together. A base system will cost you £114.95 from www.uktactical.com

FROM

£1 14

HARD HOLSTERS

During our interview with Richard, he mentioned a few options for pistol holsters along the way, including IMI, BLACKHAWK! And G-Code. These holsters are available from www. tactical-kit.co.uk for a large variety of pistols and light combinations. Because they are molded to fit specifically, they can only rarely be used for different pistol models. We’ve used a tried and proven Safariland Sig P226 with Surefire X300 light drop leg holster here as it has proven to be a nigh infallible piece of kit over the last few months of use.

SHOULDER RELEASE

The left-hand shoulder features a large QD buckle that allows you to smoothly remove the vest without removing headgear.

UNIVERSAL HOLSTERS

Richard’s pick of universal holsters is the Warrior Assault Systems Universal Pistol Holster which uses a unique design to accommodate a wide range of pistols. It uses a velcro system to wrap around and secure the pistol and can be fitted to any MOLLE platform.

The WAS UPH is available from www.uktactical. com for just £24.95.

FLANKS

Integrated pouches are incorporated into the flanks of the NCPC allowing for adaptable storage. Additional stretch pouches can be fitted at will.

CUMMERBUND

OUR LOAD OUT KIT LIST ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Hazard4 Privateer Cap (Coyote) Condor Multi-face Wrap (Multicam) Semapo Gear Deluxe 3D Uniform (Tan/Sand) Semapo Gear NCPC (Multicam) Semapo Gear DEVGRU Sling (Multicam) Semapo Gear CP Style M4 Pouch x3 (Multicam) Semapo Gear CP Stlye Pistol Pouch x2 Semapo Gear NVG Battery Pouch x2 Mayflower R&C Assaulter’s Arm Board (Black) Mechanix Originals Gloves (Multicam) Intelligent Armour Riggers Belt (Tan) Safariland P226R Holster (Tan)

An additional airlite cummerbund can be fitted to provide wrap-around MOLLE space for traditional pouches of your choice.

ZIPPER

Genuine YKK zipper channels provide the ability to attach back panels for rapid mission-specific reconfiguration.

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BOOTS BOOTS ON THE GROUND! - 8 ESSENTIAL PAIRS OF BOOTS

A PAIR OF BOOTS FOR EVERY BUDGET! PICKING A NEW PAIR OF BOOTS CAN BE A REAL MINEFIELD. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PAIRS TO CHOOSE FROM ALL SPANNING VARIOUS DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS. ASKING FOR ADVICE CAN BE DIFFICULT TOO AS WHAT WORKS FOR ONE PERSON MIGHT NOT FOR ANOTHER, AFTER ALL OUR FEET ARE ALL UNIQUE.

To give you a real insight into what’s out there, here’s a small selection of boots that the Ai team have found to prove their worth regardless of the price tag. Whether you have a little budget to play with or you are looking to splash some cash, you should definitely check out this range because there’s something for everyone.

TYPES OF BOOTS

APPROACH SHOES:

They resemble running shoes, and are low-cut with flexible midsoles excellent for short, high-speed use over good terrain.

HIKING BOOTS: Slightly more substantial footwear that will have a mid-to-high cut, ideal for use in fine conditions over the slightly rougher stuff, or for longer durations.

MILITARY BOOTS:

BOOT CUT

WATERPROOF LININGS:

The “cut” of the footwear you use is critical depending on the terrain and conditions.

Boots labeled as “waterproof” feature uppers constructed with waterproof/breathable membranes (such as Gore-Tex® or eVent®).

They work well to keep feet dry in wet conditions. Keep in mind that the leather on these boots should be still treated with a waterproofing product.

LOW-CUT: Only to be used on solid, firm surfaces in fine, dry conditions. Low cut shoes do away with weight and bulk at the cost of support and protection from the elements.

MID-CUT:

FITTING YOUR BOOTS

A good compromise for general use. A mid boot will support your ankles and keep your feet comfortable in most conditions.

How a boot fits is without a doubt the most important factor of boot selection. A good fit correctly addresses the 3 dimensions of your foot. The following bullet points should always be taken in to consideration when choosing your new footwear...

HIGH-CUT: High-leg boots for use in foul conditions or extended, heavyweight periods where maximum protection and support is required.

BOOT MATERIALS + CONSTRUCTION Materials impact a boot’s weight, it’s breathability, durability and water resistance.

Common options to choose from are...

FULL-GRAIN LEATHER: Excellent durability and abrasion resistance; plus good water resistance. Most commonly used in backpacking boots built for extended trips, heavy loads and rugged terrain.

SPLIT-GRAIN LEATHER: Usually paired with nylon or nylon mesh to offer lightweight, breathable comfort. Lower cost but less resistant to water and abrasion.

NUBUCK LEATHER:

Usually a robust piece of footwear with a high, supportive ankle, solid off-road and rigid sole for maximum support and safety.

Resembles suede. It is very durable and resists water and abrasion.

MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS:

Polyester, nylon and so-called "synthetic leather" are all commonly found in modern boots. They are lighter, break in more quickly, dry faster, and usually cost less.

Designed to handle low, low temperatures and extreme terrain and associated equipment, like crampons and ski bindings.

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SYNTHETICS:

LENGTH: Toes should wiggle easily inside the footwear and not touch the toe cup. Probably best to trim those toenails before you try anything Cinderella!

WIDTH: Feet should not slide around or lift inside your footwear; nor should they be compressed from side to side.

VOLUME: The "bulk" of your foot should fit securely inside a boot’s interior.

When a boot fits properly there shouldn’t be any play in it whatsoever; you shouldn’t slip around or feel your feet bang into the boot at any point. When looking for a pair of hiking boots we recommend shopping for them in person instead of buying them online .

A common mistake made is not wearing the right socks when you go boot shopping.

Always wear the same socks that you will wear when using the boots on the field as you might find your favoured thicker socks change the fit considerably compared to your thin, everyday socks.

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S A L O M O N £155 QUEST 4D GT X The Salomon Quest 4D is a fast-paced hiking boot that’s transitioned over into military and law enforcement use and for good reason! It’s a stable and comfortable boot best suited to those that require a wider fit.

A Gore-Tex membrane keeps your feet dry whatever the weather, from brief immersion in deep puddles to dew-soaked grass but you’ll also find breathability is maintained to keep your feet from overheating.

An EVA midsole provides cushioning on hard surfaces but the “4D Advanced Chassis” provides rigidity and support over uneven terrain to provide a planted feeling no matter what. Rubber heel and toe-caps provide bump protection and a lasting barrier against abrasion.

COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

£79 SVPIEPC IEA RL O P S Want Special Ops looks for Kindergarten Cop prices? Viper Tactical’s Special Ops boots bring full Multicam coverage to your feet for that operator style.

It’s not all show and no go though. A tough suede outer teamed with 1000 Denier Multicam Cordura makes the upper of this boot and a full lacing system allows you to adjust the fit however you require. Once sorted there’s no need to upset the lacing though, a full-length side zip makes it quick and easy to kick off these boots after a long, hard day.

CUSHIONING YOUR FEET IS A STURDY EVA SOLE UNIT TO PROVIDE TRACTION ON A MULTITUDE OF SURFACES. THESE BOOTS ARE INTENDED FOR FINE WEATHER USE THOUGH, SO DON’T EXPECT TO BE TRUDGING THOUGH ICE AND SNOW IN THESE BAD-BOYS. COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

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PILGREM

A K U £189 HL GT X

Developed in conjunction with Special Forces personnel the Pilgrem is an evolution of the AKU Seal boots, this time designed to bring the unprecedented quality to the temperate hills of Europe. The Seal was a hot-weather, high speed boots made for rapid assaults in the desert.

THE PILGREM IS A MUD-PLUGGING MONSTER MADE TO TAKE ON THE WORST CONDITIONS AND COME OUT ON TOP OF THE PILE. SURE IT’S EXPENSIVE BUT YOU’RE BUYING INTO A BOOT THAT WILL PROBABLY OUTLAST YOUR DESIRE TO TRY AND KILL IT. A full Gore-Tex liner and gusseted tonged keeps the Pilgrem watertight and the slight heel provides ideal traction on ascents and descents even in mud, rain and snow. Should you manage to wear the sole down, don’t worry, the pilgrim features a standard Vibram unit that can be replaced. They might not be the most stylish of boots, but those that know footwear will respect your decision.

COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

THE GTX PILGRIM MODEL FROM AKU IS PERFECT FOR ANY SITUATION THAT DEMANDS TOTAL WATERPROOFNESS AND ENHANCED BREATHABILITY.

£125 5R E.1C O1N

DESERT

Built from a rough-out suede and durable RipStop Nylon, the Recon Desert 8” boots from 5.11 offer superior control, comfort and mobility in virtually any environment.

Featuring bonus additions like the unique “Rope Ready Zone” provides extreme protection and control, should you ever need to drop out of a chopper, or just climb a ladder while a useful concealed knife pocket at the ankle enhances effectiveness. An 8mm heel-to-toe drop makes the boots feel quick and sporty, while a molded exoskeleton structure together with extremely comfortable OrthoLite insoles significantly enhances durability and support.

THE RECON DESERT 8” BOOTS ARE A PERFECT CHOICE FOR EVERYONE WHO IS LOOKING FOR MILITARY QUALITY FOOTWEAR DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS AND TACTICAL ACTION SITUATIONS. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

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ZEPHYR

L O W A £125 DESERT MID

One of the most popular premium boots on the market, the Lowa Zephyr Mid is an ideal lightweight desert boots for fair conditions. Again, its heritage is out on the hiking trails but it’s crossed over to become a go-to piece of kit for high-speed military personnel.

This model, without a Gore-Tex membrane allows the Zephyr Mid to be light, comfortable and airy but with all the grip and support you could ever ask for and a slipper-like feels straight out of the box.

A breathable upper is mated to a solid sole unit with in-built stabilizer technology to give you an unprecedented “planted” feel on all terrain. The Zephyr might be a light boot with only a mid-height ankle but the high rubber bumpers around all sides protect your feet from abrasion, rubble and knocks like armour. They also give the boot a distinctive modern look.

COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

THE LOWER ZEPHR DESERT MID BOOTS ARE OUR GO-TO BOOTS HERE AT AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL. NEARLY ALL OF US HAVE A PAIR AND IF LIKE US, YOU’RE INTO COMFORT, WE RECOMMEND THESE LIKE A TRUSTY PAIR OF COSY SNEAKERS!

IL- C O M £37 M PATROL BOOTS Is budget your primary concern? If so there’s still no need to go without suitable footwear. The Mil-Com Patrol boot is a simple, no frills, no fuss boot that’s made to support your ankles and protect your feet.

A BLACK LEATHER AND STURDY CORDURA OUTER PROVIDES DURABILITY AND A SIMPLE, NONSENSE FREE APPEARANCE THAT WILL SUIT ANY LOAD OUT. THE BOOT IS LINED WITH THINSULATE MEANING YOUR FEET WILL BE WARM IN THE WINTER AND COOL IN THE SUMMER. A thick rubber sole will provide you with grip and cushioning and the internal stiffener with ensure you stay comfortable. Additionally a removable EVA insole provides even more cushioning. There are not many places you can get a boot this versatile for this kind of money.

COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

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M A G N U M £89 VIPER PRO 8.0 Solid, dependable and well-priced, definitely words we’d use to describe the Magnum Boots range. The Magnum Viper Pro 8.0gives you a high-cut boot with modern yet smart styling that will look the part with any uniform.

BALANCING A SOLID BUILD QUALITY WITH WEIGHT AND DURABILITY, YOU CAN REALLY COMPETE WITH MAGNUM AT THIS PRICE POINT. A DEPENDABLE, GRIPPY SOLE CUSHIONS YOUR FOOT AND RETAINS ENOUGH RIGIDITY FOR LONG-TERM COMFORT ON HARD TERRAIN WHILST THE RUGGED UPPER ENSURES THE BOOT WILL PROTECT YOUR FEET AND ANKLES FOR A GOOD LONG TIME. A smart outward appearance is given off with these boots with a clean, leather outer that’s suitable for buffing to a parade shine.

COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

EB-TE X £74 W PRO-X T II COMBAT Solid boots that can handle the worst of the weather need not cost the earth and Web-Tex’s Pro-XT II Combat Boots are the ones that fit! A full grain black leather upper with a high rubber sole gives these boots an old-school, proven look so will be a great choice for historical load outs without compromising performance.

A COMBINATION OF TRADITIONAL RINGS AND LACE HOOKS MEANS FASTENING THESE BOOTS IS A SPEEDY PROCEDURE AND YOU CAN TAILOR THE FIT TO JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT. INTERNALLY A THINSULATE MEMBRANE PROVIDES INSULATION AND BREATHABILITY TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATE OF YOUR FEET WHILST KEEPING THE WORST OF THE WEATHER OUTSIDE WHERE IT BELONGS. COMFORT SPEED DURABILITY PRICE

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STAFF SHOOTERS INSIDE THE AI ARMOURY

Ai STAFF S R E T O O SMH ARUI/GUARDER GLOCK 17

AH, THE HUMBLE GLOCK 17… WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THEM? PROBABLY THE MOST PREVALENT PISTOL IN AIRSOFT AND ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY USED IN THE REAL WORLD, “GLOCK” IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME WITH MORE TV SCREEN TIME THAN ALL OF THE CAST OF EASTENDERS PUT TOGETHER. IT’S SO POPULAR THAT “GLOCK” IS GETTING CLOSE TO BECOMING SYNONYMOUS WITH THE WORD “PISTOL” OR “HANDGUN” IN POPULAR CULTURE. This particular Glock 17 here belongs to our esteemed designer, Ben D. and it is in fact one of his oldest airsoft possessions, staying part of his collection where other items were sold on, traded or swapped out for new goodies. It’s something of a “Trigger’s Broom” though because very little of what it once was remains part of the gun today. That’s thanks to a full Guarder upgrade kit.

From the frame up the externals of this gun have been replaced. The shiny TM plastic lower has been switched out for the more realistic and accurately trade-marked Guarder nylon fiber one.

On top of this lives a Guarder steel slide and barrel, again accurately trademarked and realistically coloured thanks to the metallic build. Thanks to all this metal, the gun is markedly heavier.

The main issue though is that now it’s been fitted with this kit, it might feel and look more convincing as a replica but a massive toll is taken in terms of performance. Ben just recently was complaining how it barely ever works and struggles to get a magazine emptied without venting or simply running out of puff. Unfortunately lessened efficiency is a side effect of heavier slides and

inner barrels and good lubrication and high-pressure gas is a must. The day we shot these photos a full field strip, clean and re-lubrication was carried out. To get through the last of the winter months we also swapped out the metal outer barrel for a lighter plastic one, hopefully giving the gun a better chance of performing acceptably in the colder weather.

Recently Ben has also picked up a neat Predator Gear Inc kydex holster to take his Glock out onto the field. Being a form fitting and simplistic molded holster it naturally retains and protects the gun from the elements whilst at the same time having low bulk and weight to drag you down.

Despite fitting the plastic outer barrel, the Glock still wasn’t shooting absolutely spot on, so we are going to head back to the workshop and see how some shim under the gas routers in the magazines work out. We’ll get back to you with a progress report if all goes to plan!

USER: BEN DICKIE GUN: TM/GUARDER GLOCK 17 PRICE: £200+ OWNERSHIP: OVER 7 YEARS! USAGE: GANGSTER NINE

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GUN RE V IE W S T HIS IS HO W W E DO I T !

WHAT WE DO YOU ARE USED TO SEEING GUN REVIEWS IN AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL, FOR MANY OF YOU THAT’S THE WHOLE REASON YOU PICK UP THE MAGAZINE EVERY MONTH. THE REASON OUR GUN REVIEWS ARE LOVED AND TRUSTED IS SIMPLE, WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE A GOOD GUN, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN WE ALSO KNOW WHAT MAKES YOU GUYS TICK AND THAT’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

It’s not fair to review a WW2 submachine gun from the perspective of a tacticool Navy SEAL wannabe. You can’t rate something like that down for now being covered in RIS rails and lasers so when assessing guns, we take into account who is going to be interested in it and review it on that criteria. Before we put pen to paper though, there’s plenty of testing that has to be done first. And this is how we do it…

■ RESEARCH

■ TESTING

Most airsoft guns are based on a real firearm, that’s part of their charm. If a gun is made to specifically replicate a certain gun, we look into the real-steel counterpart in depth. When was it made? Who used it? What does it look like and how does it shoot? This doesn’t have any bearing on the airsoft gun as such, but it’s great to know a bit about what you have in replica form!

Where it does come in handy is where airsoft manufacturers go to the lengths of putting trademarks and markings on their replicas. It allows us to see how well they have done their homework and in the end, how realistic the replica is at all.

We do two types of testing here at Ai… Firstly it’s range testing. That includes putting rounds down out 70m test range and also chrono testing with .20g BBs to work out how consistently the gun shoots.

If the weapon passes these tests with a reasonable level of performance, the next step is to take it out on the field for some practical shooting.

Sometimes a gun will score highly on the range and chrono but might be an absolute nightmare to haul around the field, or visa versa. Some guns don’t shoot all that impressively but on the field they are simply a riot. These are things we look out for!

■ BUILD QUALITY We give the gun a once over straight out of the box to see how well it is made. We check if it is well packaged and if it comes free of scratches, blemishes, dents and kinks. If the thing has suffered inside a box, it doesn’t bode well for how it will fare on the field, does it?

We also take into account the manufacturing techniques used. Is the plastic molded well? Has the metal been machined crisply and are any threads and details cut precisely and properly cleaned up? These things are important because it generally reflects on how well the gun is assembled and how long it will last. Even with the best will in the world, you need to take something apart once in a while and if bolts and threads are stripping left and right, well, you’re not going to be a happy bunny are you?

■ INTERNALS We take a look inside the gun to see what it is made from, the quality of the components and how well they are assembled. If they are covered in horrible grease, badly shimmed or even bone dry, that’s something to take into account. If you are handy with your tools picking up a bargain gun that needs a little love and attention is no hardship, but if you want something to let rip right out of the box, well that changes everything.

■ STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY We pride ourselves in bringing you crisp, clear and high-quality images of the guns we review. An Ai review is the next best thing to holding a gun in your own hands so take your time, soak up the details and appreciate the eye-candy we give you!

■ WHAT’S A CHRONO? We use a chronograph to test our guns here at Ai. A chrono simply measures the speed of the BB coming out of the end of the gun.

If each shot is at a similar power level, you can generally assume the gun is working efficiently. By measuring the speed, we can also make a calculation to work out the power level the gun fires at to let you know if it will fit into your local site limits.

LETS FIND OUT WHAT DESERVES A SPACE IN YOUR ARMOURY! 064

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ICS G33 -AEG REVIEW-

IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ICS HAVE TAKEN A NEW DIRECTION BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF LEGISLATION THERE IS SURROUNDING TRADEMARKED GUNS. THIS NEW ANGLE HAS BOUGHT US A FEW INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS AND THE ICS G33 IS ONE OF THEM. IT’S NOT EXACTLY A COPY OF A REAL WEAPON, BUT IT’S VERY CLOSE. MANY OF THE CHANGED THAT ICS HAVE MADE ARE ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE AIRSOFTER WHO HAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NEEDS TO THAT OF THE REAL-STEEL SHOOTER, SO LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE G33 AND FIND OUT WHAT IT’S GOT TO OFFER. It doesn’t take an encyclopedic knowledge or firearms to recognise that the ICS G33 looks a lot like the G36C, that’s the compact version of Heckler and Koch’s rather futuristic assault rifle. Before we go too much further, I’m going to spend a little while explaining why I think the G36 is a sorely under-rated piece of kit. Believe it or not H&K “borrowed” the gas system out of the G36 to put it in the HK416 which is currently the fan-boy’s favourite. They even scaled it down to fit in the MP7, another pretty popular little blaster.

Your average geardo is probably salivating over these weapons right now but the poor old G36 get’s left to the noobs and rental gunners even though really and truly, it’s the progenitor of all this cool stuff. Not only does it have some pretty swanky tech in real life, the practical application of a polymer fore-end with bolt on rail sections makes for a lightweight, low profile gun that’s super adaptable. Even looking at the charging handle, magazine release and fire selector, there’s a distinct improvement over what has become know as the defacto standard of the “M4”.

Need proof? Just look at the Masada or the ACR, they are supposed to be “next generation” weapons and the G36 has had those features for a long time. So why isn’t it more popular? Amongst other reasons, I’m pretty sure the basis of thestigma of the G36 is it’s the gun you often see brightly painted in lurid green or blue and it’s made mostly of plastic. The real thing? Well that’s a high quality composite material but it’s very easy to replicate it in something with the structural integrity of an empty margarine tub. Ok, rant over, suffice to say that I think the poor G36 is sorely under-rated, but let’s get back to the G33…

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AEG REVIEW: THE ICS G33 - AEG REVIEW: THE ICS G33

EXTERNALLY, THE G33 IS VERY NICE AND COMFORTABLE TO HOLD AND AIM PLUS IT’S LIGHT ENOUGH AND COMPACT ENOUGH TO BE USED BY SMALLER OR YOUNGER PLAYERS OR JUST THOSE THAT DON’T WANT TO GET BOGGED DOWN WITH CUMBERSOME GEAR. THE MODEL SHOWN HERE IS OBVIOUSLY A “TACTICAL TAN” COLOUR BUT MORE TRADITIONAL ALL BLACK IS ALSO AVAILABLE. EXTERNALS

To put it succinctly, the G33 looks like a G36C that got modeled for a futuristic computer game. The basics are there but the peripheries have been changed slightly so as to sufficiently avoid the wrath of H&K’s lawyers and that’s no real bad thing unless authenticity is your bag, again, something we will come back to shortly.

Externally the G33 is made from a good quality fiber-reinforced polymer. Now this stuff isn’t creaky or hollow sounding. In fact it’s pretty damned tough and it feels good in the hand. The whole gun sounds and feels solid including the side-folding stock. If you force it, there’s a degree of flex coming from the hinge and catch just like pretty much every folding stock I’ve ever encountered, it looks like it would probably snap if you really gave it an abusive whack. Fortunately, the main body of the gun is constructed in a modular manner.

The main receiver section incorporates the “upper”. The lower chunk is push-pinned in position and houses the fire-selector, pistol grip and trigger guard and the magazine well is a separate piece. The rear of the gun, including the hinge and catch for the stock is again another piece (so easily replaced should it get broken, with spares being one of ICS’s huge strongpoints) and the front handguard is removable and stores the battery inside.

The stock itself is loosely based on the G36

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stock but with some considerable differences.

Firstly, it’s very narrow. The rubberised butt plate is little more than an inch wide. This makes the gun feel compact and maneuverable in use and allows it to sit neatly in the shoulder even if you are wearing armour or a vest of some sort. Even though it’s a low-profile design, the stock still has 4 length of pull settings and a cheek raiser that can be set high or low. In addition to this there’s a metal QD sling point attachment built in to the base of the stock, which is accessible from both sides.

Thanks to a contoured upper surface, the cheek weld on the G33 is exceptionally comfortable and to be honest, better than a lot of “real steel” stock ergonomics.

Up front the slim polymer handguard has a textured surface from grip and upper and lower polymer RIS rails. Additionally there are two removable rails on the sides. The feel of the front end is vaguely reminiscent of the Magpul MOE furniture lineup, just not quite as finely textured so a little more slippery. It’s held in by a spring-loaded push-pin making battery changes a tool-less task. Despite being only held in place by one pin, guide lugs and corresponding hooks on the hand guard provide a rock solid attachment point.

Underneath the handguard the outer barrel of the gun is cut away to provide a greater space for a battery and the mock gas parts of the

gun provide rigidity for the muzzle and flash hider device.

The receiver itself is rather simple and slab sided with the G36-style charging handle pulling back to retract the mock-bolt and allow access to the hop unit for adjustments. On top of the receiver the upper carry handle/rail is clamped, being G36C-style this is a full rail with a lower profile and instead of the built in optic found on the G36K, this features metal iron sights fixed at both ends. Being a little higher than your average rifle, this allows easy aiming even with masks or goggles on.

Attached to the bottom of the receiver is the trigger and fire selector mechanism with the pistol grip built in. It’s all ergonomically contoured and the grip is shaped like that of an MP5 yet ICS have added a little more texture to aid in grip. The sleectors itself is ambidextrous, made of black painted metal and clicks positively between the safe, semi and auto positions marked out with H&K-style red and white pictograms. The trigger is also black

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S G33 - AEG REVIEW: THE ICS G33 - AEG REVIEW: THE ICS G33

painted metal and is a nice, wide design that feels positive and is easily operable with gloves on.

In front of the pistol grip is the magazine well, one point when authenticity is ditched in order to boost practicality. Although the real G36 shoots the same 5.56mm ammo and the M4 and similar guns, it uses a proprietary magazine that is a little bulkier than the M4.

Here ICS have modified the magazine well in order for the G33 to feed effectively from regular AEG M4 type mags, including the “thermold” style 300rnd hi-cap included with the gun. There are two ways to release the magazine with this system and one is to push the AK-style magazine release catch under the trigger guard. Additionally there is also an M4-style “button” release that achieves the same effect on the right hand side of the gun.

Again, authenticity isn’t carried through here and for some reason ICS made the button itself in a deep, serrated style so it feels like 3 small buttons instead on one big one, which makes it very difficult to tell if your finger is covering and pressing the button effectively. Of all the features on this gun, that button is probably my least favourite.

Externally, the G33 is very nice and comfortable to hold and aim plus it’s light

enough and compact enough to be used by smaller or younger players or just those that don’t want to get bogged down with cumbersome gear. The model shown here is obviously a “tactical tan” colour but more traditional all black is also available.

INTERNALS

Inside the G33 there’s more good news. It runs on the standard ICS Version 3 Gearbox. It’s not a split design and is therefore compatible with a whole host of spare and upgrade parts should you wish to tinker around. With a full metal casing, 7mm bearings and quality ICS gears the internals of this shooter might not be the most elaborate or fancy, but they will work hard for a long time. You can guarantee a solid airseal in the cylinder and thanks to it being mated to one of ICS’s one-piece polymer hop units, the good performance is continued.

Should you need to, any standard 250mm long AEG barrel will fit and you’ll be able to change the hop rubbers to just about any you desire so upgrades are on the cards without hassle.

Admittedly the motor isn’t the most fearsome piece of kit we have ever come across but on a 7.4v LiPo it still cycled reasonable quickly on semi auto and put out around 15 rounds per second reliably. With .20g BBs passing through the chrono at around 330fps, you are fit to hit the field straight away.

SUMMARY

ICS’s G33 isn’t going to appeal to players that demand authenticity and realism but it’s not aimed at those guys. If you are a beginner or newcomer to the scene and simply need a reliable gun that’s great to shoot, comfortable to use and will see you through your first couple of years airsofting, there are far worse choices you can make. The quality external build of this gun doesn’t scream “real firearm” but it’s definitely a well-made airsoft gun and internally, it’s a robust and practical as they come. Thanks to the M4 style magazine well, you’ll be sharing with the most abundant group of players on the field and for under £170 right now from Fire Support, well, there’s not much to complain about at all!

VITAL STATS

■ PRICE: £168 ■ LENGTH: 516-746 ■ CAPACITY: 370rds

■ WEIGHT: 2,550 ■ HOP: Adjustable ■ FPS: 330fps

THE GOOD STUFF

Cheap as chips, comfortable and compact.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF

Not much to jazz up externally.

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AEG REVIEW

BO DYNAMICS

SHIELD LT.595 -PLASTIC FANTASTIC!NOW, FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT… WELL, ON THE SURFACE IT’S A PRETTY RUN-OF-THE-MILL, SHORT-BARRELED M4 WHICH IS NOTHING SPECTACULAR AT ALL, BUT THIS ONE HOUSES A FEW INTERESTING TREATS THAT COULD WELL MAKE IT VERY INTERESTING CHOICE, NOT LEAST THE FACT IT HAS A PLASTIC BODY…

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PLASTIC FANTASTIC! BO DYNAMICS SHIELD LT .595 - PLASTI

BO DYNAMICS

SHIELD LT.595

IF THERE WERE EVER TWO WORDS THAT WOULD MAKE AN AIRSOFTER RECOIL IN HORROR, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE “PLASTIC BODY”. IN OUR ONGOING QUEST FOR REALISM, “FULL METAL” FOR WANT OF A BETTER TERM, HAS BECOME A NECESSARY BULLETPOINT ON THE SPEC LIST. MOST MANUFACTURERS HAVE TOWED THE LINE AND PROVIDED US WITH THESE “FULL METAL” GUNS AND FOR BETTER OR WORSE, A SUPPOSEDLY DECENT GUN IS OUTFITTED WITH ONE.

Classic Army kicked it all off back in the days when choice was limited and Tokyo Marui were deep into their “plastic everything” phase.

Then came the tide of aftermarket bodies from the likes of Guarder and G&P, some of them utter pigs to fit around the internals of the guns we transplanted them with. Why? Because it was “more realistic”, maybe “higher quality” or perhaps “more strongerer”… Truth be known though, if real firearms manufacturers could get away with using plastic, they would and indeed technology has advanced to the point where as much polymer or composite material is used in the production of firearms as possible. Just look at Magpul Industries…

Why is this then? Plastic is easier to form into the kind of complex shapes required to build most popular types of gun, especially those of the AR variety. It’s more forgiving, far easier to cut and shape and above all it’s cheaper. Sure, bounding advances in the available technology aside, metal will not be replaced in some applications of firearms design, but for others, plastics of some sort will become more and more prevalent.

Now we have to ask why we have become obsessed with metal parts for our RIFs. Apart

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from them feeling a little more realistic (read: cold), they don’t often LOOK that more realistic because instead of the materials used in the manufacture of real weapons, we get this weird alloy material, kind of like metallic expanded foam. It’s brittle, heavy and in reality, not that strong at all in any aspect. Given the practicality of an airsoft gun, plastic of some sort is most likely a more suitable material for nearly ALL components in a gun. Good plastics are cheaper, lighter and arguably tougher than bad metal, so is it time to finally let the “full metal” thing go?

SHIELD LT .595

With that sizeable preamble out the way, let’s move on to the case in point, the BO Dynamics Shield LT .595. You may be familiar with BO Dynamics and it’s important to differentiate between them and BO Manufacture. The latter is concerned with creating limited, custom-type, super-high-end airsoft guns for the absolutely discerning buyer. BO Dynamics, although under the “BO Umbrella” is about putting more affordable but still high quality weapons on the airsoft market for the PLAYER, not necessarily the COLLECTOR.

As such the Shield LT is produced for BO Dynamics by Lonex Technology and they make no secret of this fact. The receiver is permanently emblazoned with the Lonex logo as are many of the other parts of the gun. BO Dynamics bring these products into Europe, so what are they giving us here?

EXTERNALS

As we’ve made a point of mentioning, the Shield comes with a polymer body, in this case tan in colouration. The lower is not dissimilar in styling to the ever-popular Magpul-type

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ASTIC F

NTASTIC! BO DYNAMICS SHIELD LT .595 - PLASTIC

LONEX PROVIDE THE QUALITY POLYMER FURNITURE INCLUDING THIS SMOOTH, ERGONOMIC PISTOL GRIP.

receivers found on the KWA ERG line with a few subtle styling changes. The Upper is very reminiscent of the JP Rifles style. We won’t labour the description of these parts because, well, there are pictures to look at.

These parts are injection molded and as such, have a seam line around them and also inlet and outlet points where plastic has been flowed through the mold. At a couple of subtle points, you can see where these bits of excess plastic have had to be broken away. They look a little unsightly but you can clean them up with a craft knife. As for the actual quality of the material, it’s very high. Less flexible than the stuff you’ll find G&G using on their Combat Machines most likely because it’s simply thicker. The actual finish is very matte and pleasing to the eye, not the sort of stuff that goes shiny after use. Thanks to the plastic being well formed and high quality, the parts fit is exquisite and probably more accurate than all but a CNC machined metal receiver

set. This is the sort of benefit you can look forward to if you can simply let go of the “full metal” attachment.

Interestingly, the RIS unit at the front of the gun is also polymer. It’s just as good in terms of quality of manufacture as the body, although because of the nature of it’s design, presents a slight amount of flex. This only really presents itself if you are deliberately trying to test it though and a little flexibility means it’s less likely to outright snap. The front end marries up to the receiver a little like the CASV system in that it braces along the top of the receiver, which effectively creates an uninterrupted monolithic upper rail. Inside the rail system is a stubby 7” all-metal barrel that is fitted to the receiver with a hardened steel barrel nut. Although the gun has a plastic body, it has tough extremities and fitting, that’s for sure.

To the rear of the receiver, there’s a high quality metal buffer tube that’s fitted in an unusual manner, similar to the Tokyo Marui Next Gen. Recoil system, it uses a combination of a castle nut to tension the buffer tube and what we can tell from the instructions provided, a screw-on buffer tube. We have to

refer to the diagrams as we couldn’t perform a full takedown of this area because Mr Lonex had decided to go to town with the Loctite, making the screws on the underside of the buffer tube (which hold on the lower rail in a similar manner to that of a Marui Recoil) impossible to remove… Seriously, we rounded 7 allen keys before giving up on this. Not wanting to apply too much heat to damage the wiring before we got a chance to test the performance, we had no choice but to leave this for the time being. The plus point here is that the screws themselves held out fine, unlike the equivalent ones on the Marui gun that tend to round off quite easily.

This is all done so that the wires can be routed OUTSIDE the buffertube and although not fitted here, this is ready to accept the Lonex “Blowback Adaptive Weapon” recoil system. This is, like many of the M4 recoil systems on the market, a weight that moves in relation to the pistol when the gun fires, simulating recoil. Since this system isn’t fitted to this gun for reasons we assume are based on cost, we can’t really evaluate it but it’s very interesting to see a modular system in place. ☞

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☞ The buffer tube itself aside, we are happy to find in residence not only one of the thickest dual-sides sling mount points we’ve ever seen, but also a high quality polymer crane-style stock that is capable of storing batteries. Elsewhere the gun is ready-fitted with an angled fore grip, some flip-up iron sights and an ergonomic polymer pistol grip.

The rest of the body ancillaries are finished in a graphite black colour to contrast with the rest of the body.

Once again, if you are not put off by the lack of an “all metal” on the spec list, this is basically a very well put-together piece of kit on the external side of things, so let’s look at internals.

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INTERNALS

Within the Lonex-made Shield LT, you’ll unsurprisingly find a whole host of Lonex parts.

Given that not so long ago, they produced aftermarket parts for other guns, they have a ream of parts to select from and gun technicians the length and breadth of the land know and trust these bits.

Interestingly, the gearbox casing is slightly different from the Lonex one that ASG use to fulfill their ULTIMATE V2 line-up. Because this is a Blowback Adaptive Weapon, you guessed it, it’s fitted with an additional blowback system.

It’s essentially similar to the old Classic Army design and it appears to be pretty robust,

pulling the mock bolt back in time with the piston on every cycle of the gun using a simple linkage of metal parts. If for some reason you don’t want the mock bolt cover thrashing back and forth, you can also clip it back behind the functional bolt catch, which is pretty cool!

The gearbox itself runs on large 8mm bearings and houses quality steel gears and a metal bearing spring guide along with a full selection of other Lonex parts. Given that this is the stuff that many people opt to upgrade their existing parts with, you can rest safe in the knowledge that this is going to see you right.

The motor is unbranded but given its build, it appears to be one on Lonex’s offerings and it snappy enough on both single shot and speedy enough on auto to make for a very competitive gun. We did find this worked out best on a 11.1v with no over-spin or ill effects.

The hop unit is made of plastic, again not a bad choice in this application at all, and it’s mated to a 6.03mm steel barrel, which if anything like the rest of the barrels fitted to BO’s guns, is custom made for them in Italy.

With a large cylindrical adjuster, the hop id easy and accurate to make changes to and the airseal provided by the hop is improve by using a spring around the barrel instead of the standard small one above the barrel, meaning

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a more even tension is pushed back against the nozzle, which should make for greater consistency. This was proved when we ran the gun through a chrono test, getting results between 335 and 340fps over the course of a 30 round magazine. On an 11.1v battery, the cyclic rate of the gun is around 1000 rounds per minute, which is plenty rapid enough to keep heads down in any environment.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the Shield that we haven’t covered yet is the price, which, at 299€ RRP, works out be about £220, so expect to see it on shelves at around £200 from competitive retailers. That’s not a massive amount of cash in this era, even if it is a “plastic” gun.

If you were to pick one up, the potential upgrade path we have in mind would be firstly fitting something like an ASCU to increase trigger response, add burst modes and even, when teamed with the right hop unit, allow empty magazine detection. After that, there’s no reason you couldn’t fit the full “Blowback Adaptive Weapon” kit from Lonex to give a full recoil weapon. To do this, you are still looking at less than £400 all told.

The pretense of a full metal gun in aid of realism has been with us for long enough…

BO DYNAMICS

SHIELD LT.595 ■ PRICE: £220 RRP ■ WEIGHT: 1,900g ■ LENGTH: 516-746 ■ HOP: Adjustable ■ CAPACITY: 25rnds ■ FPS: 330fps

THE GOOD STUFF

Cheap as chips, comfortable to use and a nice and compact size.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF

Not much to jazz up externally.

Maybe it’s time to finally admit we can get a better piece of kit for less money if we just make a small compromise. The result is a lighter, better internally spec’ed and arguably stronger gun… Seems like a no brainer when you think about it!

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TAL K ALL

GAS BLOWBACK TALK MY IDEAL GAS BLOWBACK RIFLE - MY IDEAL

My

L /deA

GA S BL OWBACK RIFL E FOLLOWING Liquefied gas is the most common, most of us are ON FROM LAST familiar with it in our MONTH’S PIECE ON AEGS gas blowback pistols.

We squirt liquid I'M GOING TO REFLECT ON GAS gas into a pressure BLOW-BACKS. UNFORTUNATELY, vessel, normally IN SOME RESPECTS, MUCH OF WHAT the magazine and when the gun is I HAVE TO SAY IS EMBODIED IN fired a certain BEN’S REVIEW OF THE REDWOLF amount of that gas is released and allowed GRP IN THE CURRENT ISSUE, to resume it’s gaseous HOWEVER I SHALL DRIVE form, which means a ON MANFULLY. sudden increase in volume.

Gas blowback or GBB is the holy grail of airsoft, which is actually a little odd when you consider that lots of ingenuity and no small amounts of money have been put into trying to reduce or eliminate recoil from real firearms just Google “reducing recoil” to see what I mean. However airsofters seem to be obsessed with Newtons Third Law, which put succinctly states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. As a result we are seeing many interesting facsimiles of recoil being built into electric guns but frankly none of them are convincing. An elliptical weight being agitated inside the receiver would achieve much the same effect.

No, if you want recoil, you need gas, and if you need gas that means you get all the undesirable side effects that come with that. I’ll start by recapping briefly where we are now.

There are three principal methods of using gas as the motive force in airsoft guns – liquefied gas such as 144a or Green gas (propane), carbon dioxide (CO2) and high pressure air (HPA)...

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This provides the force to project the BB from the barrel and to cycle the weapon. This is neat, relatively simple and widely accepted but it comes at a price. The rapid change from liquid to gas is an endothermic reaction, that is it relies on absorbing heat from the environment.

Perversely this is why the gas and the magazine cools down. This cool-down reduces the efficiency of the reaction (less available heat) so rapid fire in typical British conditions will see the efficiency plummet evidenced by decreasing velocity and possibly the magazine venting as the pressure drops.

However this system works well enough most of the time to be far and away the most common form of blowback.

CO2 simply replaces the gasses above with carbon dioxide, which has a much higher volumetric pressure. It is also less affected by temperature, although that doesn’t mean unaffected. Most commonly you’ll find CO2 guns using 12g capsules, the same as used in some air weapons. Generally the magazines have been valved to keep the muzzle velocity within the bounds of what is acceptable for airsoft although it’s worth checking. The original KWC CO2 powered Uzis were brilliant and dangerous, running at about 400 fps or higher. Your site will not love you! My KWC CO2 powered Desert Eagle starts about 350 fps with a new capsule and settles down about 320 where it stays for a while – roughly one magazine worth. It then drops off further until exhausted. Generally CO2 guns will have better cycle times – they’ll be snappier and the recoil will be more noticeable – and they’ll be more consistent. They are slightly more expensive to run than canned gas, but many, including me, think it’s worth the cost.

They aren’t impervious to cold and the capsules themselves will often have ice on the surface if emptied by rapid firing, but overall it works well. One major downside is the tendency of some players to crank the capsules into the magazine or gun far too tightly which damages the seal at the top of the magazine making for leaks. This could be addressed by the makers adopting better methods of securing and puncturing the capsule.

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It is possible to use CO2 to fill “normal” magazines, but this is rare and in my personal experience more trouble than it’s worth.

Finally HPA. Although it’s very much the ‘gas du jour’ it is the oldest method of powering airsoft guns, after simple spring power.

High pressure air is fed into the gun from a tank where a trigger mechanism releases a pre-set amount to fire the BB and cycle the mechanism. The big positive is the consistency – there is no cool down as the gas is always gaseous so velocities can be very consistent.

The downside is the need to tether your gun to a gas tank, which means a hose from the gun to the tank. This notwithstanding the popularity of PolarStar conversions and the entry of paintball giants Tippman into the field of airsoft HPA suggests that there is sufficient interest in this form of power.

Right, let’s build a perfect gas blowback.

As with AEGs I want to see proper metal throughout, I don’t want to spend the cost of the gun again replacing pot metal trigger units which wear out in no time at all. I would like, and should get, realistic action and stripping.

Gas guns require far more regular maintenance, this shouldn’t be harder than looking after the real world equivalent. The big discussion however is about power.

HPA seems the most sensible solution but it is a little inconvenient. Not massively so, but not perfect. Since the previous Government

changed the law to make Self Contained Air Cartridges illegal (effectively) the perfect solution of compressed air in a cartridge isn’t possible. Second best would be a magazine capable of being charged to a high enough pressure to fire all the ammo held in it at consistent and usable velocity. I’m not aware of anyone who has even tried this and may not be possible, the pressures involved are scary to the uninitiated. Let’s look briefly to the world of airguns. For many years airguns used a compressed spring to drive a piston which compressed air ahead of itself and fired a single pellet. It’s simple and it works. The earliest airguns however used reservoirs of compressed air, many of which could be changed in the field as they were used up. Scary fact? Even 200 years ago they could generate sufficient force to project a half-inch lead ball with sufficient force to kill a human. They were amongst the first rifled weapons since they could be breech loaded and they were seen as legitimate weapons of war. Fast forward to the 20th Century and the same principle began to be applied to modern air guns. Reservoirs of high pressure air fitted to the rifle provided the motive force. These tanks were often filled to 200 bar – roughly 3000 pounds per square inch.

That’s how you provide enough energy to fire a decent number of rounds. Some of these tanks however were little wider than the buffer tube on an M4 – see what I’m thinking?

Rather than an external air supply, store the air inside the gun itself! The magazine then just has to hold and feed BBs – perfect.

Not quite. Skinny pressure vessels simply don’t hold enough air and need to be changed regularly. More of a problem, in AR-15s, the buffer tube is integral with the recoil system, so we can’t use that, although in full-stocked guns like AKs and M16s we could. There is a plan coming together here. The truth is that some guns lend themselves to accommodating a tank and others simply don’t so the technology will determine where it can be used and where external tanks will continue to be necessary. On the upside, the requirement to generate about one-foot pound of energy at the muzzle in an airsoft gun as opposed to nearer 12 foot-pounds in and air weapon should see far more shots per fill for the plastic slinger, even allowing for the gas used in cycling the action.

It is possible to make a completely electronic trigger in a HPA system since the valve can be operated by a solenoid rather than by a mechanical release. Again this has been done in airguns and would have some value to players who wanted to adjust their trigger pull to their exact liking. The majority would probably be happy with a decent mechanical trigger, and we’ll stick with that in this little fantasy.

To sum up so far then – proper metal, good construction, powered by replaceable high pressure air reservoirs which are contained within the gun itself. So far so good. We could in theory have a fixed gas reservoir, but this means refilling from a divers bottle when it becomes exhausted. How practical this would be would be wholly determined by the number of consistent shots you could get from it. I’d suggest that if it were possible to get between 600 and 1000 rounds from a fill, it might be viable, but being able to carry and quickly change gas tanks would still be far more desirable.

The thing about this fantasy is that it is probably achievable, the technology is out there, what is lacking is the desire or the will to bring it all together to produce what would be a frankly awesome gun. They wouldn’t be cheap – have a look at the price of PCP (pre charged pneumatic) airguns to get an idea, but nor would they be prohibitively expensive. If, and it is a very big if, someone was to make such a gun and it became popular with airsofters, chances are you would see sites offering tank recharging facilities in the same way that many have battery chargers on hand. Unfortunately I won’t be holding my breath. There are some talented people out there who could, I reckon, build me a gun like this but lacking the necessary lottery win for such a one-off project it’ll have to live in my head a while longer.

In truth the tank/hose combination isn’t so bad and can be made better by a careful choice of accessories. Tippman’s entry into the market, bringing long experience of HPA powered paintball markers is interesting and could, for a number of players, change the way they play. Well engineered but not too expensive (around £300 - £400) these guns offer a glimpse into what a gas blowback rifle can be. I doubt they’ll ever become the majority on our sites, but I for one would accept them as a stepping-stone towards my airsoft nirvana.

J O I N T H E D E B AT E W I T H 4 3 0 K O T H E R S O N O U R FA C E B O O K PA G E : FA C E B O O K . C O M /A I R S O F T I N T

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GAS BLOWBACK

KEL-TEC PLR-16

THE UGLY DUC KLI NG “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?” WAS OUR INITIAL REACTION TO THE KEL-TEC PLR-16, POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST AESTHETICALLY CHALLENGING GUNS EVER TO GRACE THE WORKBENCH HERE IN THE AIHQ ARMOURY. PRODUCED FOR SOCOM GEAR, IT’S AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PRODUCT WHICH IS PRIMARILY POLYMER, USES WE GEN. 2 GBBR M4/AR MAGAZINES SO EVEN IF IT HAS LOOKS ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE, THERE’S DEFINITELY SOME LEVEL OF APPEAL IN THERE.

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GAS BLOWBACK REVIEW - THE UGLY DUCKLING: KE

THE SOCOM GEAR KEL-TEC PLR-16 BALANCES DIVISIVE LOOKS AND STRANGE HANDLING WITH A STURDY BUT LIGHTWEIGHT BUILD, EASY-TO-FIND MAGS AND EVEN A SOLID SELECTION OF SPARE PARTS Kel-Tec make some curious looking bits of kit, that’s for sure. From their bizarre folding rifles like the SUB-2000 to the odd ‘70s sci-fi styled PMR-30 pistols the styling is certainly divisive.

I’m sure there are just as many guys out there that love the things as those that hate them.

The PLR-16 itself fills the category of “pistol” technically, since in standard configuration, it has no stock and a short barrel. The firearm is chambered in 5.56mm NATO and feeds from AR-pattern magazines placing it firmly in the same ballpark as the “AR pistol”, a type of stockless, short AR designed to circumvent the legislation and restrictions in place in some states in the USA. Because of the ergonomics of such a weapon, it’s a little more difficult to shoot them accurately and mitigate the recoil and muzzle climb generated with nothing to brace against, but in airsoft circles, where such things have a lessened effect, the compact size and low weight of an AR pistol is beneficial. Most manufacturers are putting out shortened or stockless versions of their M4-based guns to cater to this end of the market. Despite accepting M4 magazines though, the PLR-16 isn’t an AR at all and it shares no real parts or design features.

EXTERNALS

The body of Socom Gear’s PLR-16 replica is made from fiber-reinforced polymer making for a lightweight package. This is the same as the real thing. The barrel and bolt are made from metal along with the controls and pins dotted

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around the gun.

On terms of quality, this polymer is great. It feels tough, grippy and comfortable to hold and the metal components are neatly coated and well machined/formed so there are no complaints to be made in that respect.

The receiver is comprised of two parts but it’s a little misguiding to call them halves. One piece houses the trigger mechanism and grip and this pivots around the larger “top” end, which houses the bolt and magazine well. This part completely encapsulates the bolt, which must be extracted through the underside of the receiver once the trigger mechanism is pivoted out of the way. In terms of dimensions, it’s roughly the same size as an AR receiver set, if anything, a little larger. Thanks to the molded in pistol grip and trigger guard, it’s ergonomic to grasp and there are no sharp edges. The level of ergonomics doesn’t extend much further than this point though, but we’ll deal with that in due course.

In terms of controls, the PLR-16 is pretty simple. There’s the trigger, obviously, and being a GBBR, it feels great to use compared to most AEGs with a proper break point and a little slack to take up first. Then you have the magazine catch, a fundamental control when it comes to using gas guns and their very low-capacity magazines. The catch used is rather similar to that found on the AR platform, a simple square button on the right hand side, easily reached by the index finger of the right hand. The fire selector on the other hand is a totally different

beast. It’s a combination safety and selector and it’s a push-thru style control, a little similar to that you’ll find of shotguns or rifles. To be frank, it’s a pretty weak design and difficult to operate quickly and accurately. Pushing it through all the way to the right puts the gun in safe. Pushing it through all the way to the left puts the gun in full auto and there’s an indistinct point somewhere on the middle that accesses semi-auto. It’s so indistinct, it actually required a browse of the manual before we realised it was even there, we figured this thing might well be full-auto only. Once found though, you get semi-auto and with low-cap mags, that might well be the preferred mode.

The last control, and something you’ll need to get used to, is the cocking handle. It’s a rudimentary cylindrical knob on the right side of the bolt that allows you to pull it back and chamber a BB. When the bolts locks back on empty, there’s no release catch, you simply just pull the knob back again and let it go forwards. You can’t swap the side of the charging handle and it most certainly reciprocates with the movement of the bolt itself. This makes the handling of the weapon a bit more like that of the AK. This brings us neatly back to the subject of ergonomics… Whilst physically holding the PLR-16 is comfortable thanks to the textures and smooth-shaped grip, that’s kind of where

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: KEL-TEC PLR-16 - THE UGLY DUCKLING: KEL-TEC PLR-16

VITAL STATS

■ PRICE: £229.95 ■ LENGTH: 450mm ■ CAPACITY: 25rnds

■ WEIGHT: 1,630g ■ HOP: Adjustable ■ FPS: 370fps

THE GOOD STUFF

Compact, light and with a hard kick.

Officially licensed and uses common magazines.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF

Looks are not everyone’s cup of tea and it’s hard to shoot without a stock, plus it’s a bit hot out of the box.

PERFORMANCE + SUMMARY

the fun ends. Without a stock and with the standard hand guards in place, the gun is, well, odd. It’s tough to aim and being much bigger than a pistol, you generally want to hold it with both hands to steady it. There’s nowhere to get a cheek weld and you’ll find yourself squinting down the gun trying to acquire the sights at arms length. Holding the magazine well or using the inbuilt accessory rail to fit a fore-grip feels a bit more natural, but only a bit!

Speaking of accessory rails, the PLR comes with a 2-piece handguard that is held on by a threaded cone that screws back against them on a correspondingly threaded portion of the barrel, the lower surface has a RIS rail system.

You can remove the entire handguard and use the gun without it if you desire.

As for sights, there’s the most basic of removable notch sights we have ever seen clamped to the rear of the receiver, adjusting simply by opposing screw tension on the rail clamps. The front is a basic hooded post sight, a little similar to the AR style figure-4 sight. There is plenty of rail to allow you to clamp a different sight on, but swapping out the irons will be difficult as they are very low profile.

INTERNALS

As with most gas guns, and part of their appeal, there’s not a massive amount of “stuff” inside the PLR-16 and it can be stripped back to most of its major components with few tools at all.

Pushing the main body pin out allows you

to pivot the grip and trigger out of the way as described earlier. The main gas tube along the top of the barrel can then be pulled forward, rotated slightly and then the whole bolt and tube will slide further backwards inside the receiver. At a certain point you can simply lift the cocking lever out of the bolt due to a cut out in the receiver and then the bolt and loading nozzle assembly comes completely free of the gun. The hop unit can be adjusted through the breach which requires the use of a small allen key which is supplied, or the entire barrel can simply be removed by unscrewing two parts, so that’s all of the major internals easily accessible for adjustment or maintenance.

Any parts that could conceivable get broken or worn are common with WE pattern GBB guns including the nozzle and hop unit, which is a saving grace. Often, unique guns can be shunned in favour of something you definitely know you can get spares for.

The customary chrono and range testing of the Socom Gear Kel-Tec PLR-16 revealed that when using green gas, this thing will thump a .20g BB out at close to 370ps at a little cooler than room temperature. When it’s warmer you can expect this to rise. To make sure it’s skirmish-safe, I would definitely recommend the use of an NPAS valve kit to reign in the power, which should be an easy fix. The rate of fire ISN’T astonishing as the bolt moves quite a way during the cycle, however the upshot of this is an intensely satisfying recoil action. This is probably due in part to the low weight of the gun overall with the bolt contributing a respectable amount to the overall mass. With this amount of recoil and the ergonomics of the gun, it’s difficult to say how accurate the thing is. It’s certainly not easy to get pin-point precision from and unsupported standing position… Consistency of hop-up and velocity is good though, so the gun is up to the task if you are!

Personally, I can’t get on with the stockless design; it’s just not my thing.

The good news is that a stock adaptor system is available and allows you to fit your choice of AR-style stocks to the gun. This, in my eyes, would make the thing more practical and also more aesthetically pleasing. Coming at it from an impartial point of view, the Kel-Tec PLR-16 is actually a pretty solid gun. It runs reliably on widely available magazines that fit into widely available pouches. The gun itself is simple, robust, adaptable and lightweight with a degree of modularity. To top it off, it’s well priced at just under £230.

THE KEL-TEC PLR-16 BY SOCOM GEAR MIGHT INITIALLY STRIKE YOU AS AN UGLY DUCKLING, BUT IN THE RIGHTS HANDS, THERE’S NO REASON IT CAN’T DEVELOP INTO A MAJESTIC SWAN!

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23/05/2014 17:52

TRIED & TES TED W E T R Y BEF ORE Y OU BU Y - W E T R Y BEF ORE Y OU BU Y - W E T R Y

TRIED AND TESTED

ANOTHER MONTH AND EVEN MORE GREAT GEAR UNDER OUR BELTS! THIS MONTH SEES THE RETURN OF WARRIOR ASSAULT SYSTEMS WITH SOME INTERESTING NEW PRODUCTS ADDED TO THE LINE-UP. NUPROL ONCE AGAIN HAVE A NEW RANGE BOLSTERING THEIR GROWING CATALOGUE IN THE FORM OF SOME WEAPON LIGHTS AND THE GUYS AT FIRE SUPPORT SENT US OVER AN INTERESTING LITTLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO TRY OUT. CHECK OUT WHAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE OVER THE NEXT FEW PAGES!

£17.95

WARRIOR A SS AULT S Y S TEMS NE W POLYMER MAG POUCH R ANGE

Just when we thought hard polymer magazine pouches had all but given way to the elasticated likes of Blue Force Gear and the often-copiedbut-rarely-replicated HSGI Taco, Warrior Assault Systems blast onto the scene with a new range of polymer magazine pouches and some of the simplest and most effective yet.

The concept is simple, no flaps, no lids, no bungees. Just a friction grip on the magazine inside the pouch so to reload the process of use is “grip it and rip it”. To enhance the feature set, the WAS Poly Pouches feature a moulded MOLLE interface system that uses two flat sticks that handily feature hooked ends so you can actually use them as tools to aid threading on and removing further pouches. There’s also a 360– degree rotation system to allow you to orient the pouches on your platform as you see fit. We’ll go

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over the pros and cons of these systems but first let’s discuss the retention system.

Unlike ITW’s Fast-Mags, the retention on the WAS product is a simple metallic spring around the upper edge of the magazine. It wraps all the way around but applies pressure on the magazine via a single point front and center. WAS claim that the level of retention is adjustable on their website but short of bending the spring around, we can’t work out how they intend you to. Regardless, the amount of “grab” on each magazine is just about perfect on the regular metal STANAG-type magazine we tried even upside down. Regular P and E type magazines were also no problem.

The MOLLE mounting system, although a little fiddly to get set up, is rock solid in place and nothing like as much hassle as the MALICE clips used by some similar products. The 360-degree

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W E T RNEW Y B EAND F O RWHERE E Y O UTO BGET U YIT -- WHAT’S W E T RNEW Y BAND E F OWHERE R E Y OTO U GET B U ITY --WHAT’S W E T NEW R Y BAND E F OWHERE R E Y OTOU GET B UITY WHAT’S

rotation system however, isn’t so great. Because each pouch rotates around a fixed point quite high on the mount base, if you wish to invert the pouches, you may as well simply mount them upside down. Tilting the pouches to either side is also possible but spread out the MOLLE footprint of the pouches. We also found it was pretty tough to really crank the fixing screw down tight enough to eliminate all wobble and nearly rounded one of the screws out completely. We wonder if it might have been better to eliminate the rotation system altogether in favour of a lower profile and sleeker, flusher profile against the surface of the platform they are mounted to.

The pouches also come in a simpler pistol variant that uses a metallic spring inside each pouch to apply tension. These pouches accept the vast majority of double stack pistol or submachine gun magazines we had on hand to try.

They are quitegame as different as the Tracer BBs are a great way to track your rounds in the darkness of not a night M4 sized pouches inIR design but their glow needs charging up by a dedicated tracer unit that emits light.and concept when to existing These units can be fitted inside the gun or often arecompared fitted in the form ofproducts, a tracer but they are great way to carry magazines securely but unit silencer that contains the LEDs required insideathe tube, batteries and all. These two Army Force options cater for quick with rapid access. detach systems and also the more traditional Both variants of the pouch are made from thread on solution. With either one high-impact polymer and coated metallic fitted, you’ll be able to components. Both have subtle but distinctive track your rounds direct to the target. This also WAS branding and water/debris drainage slots. works both ways and the target will be able to The rotation system leaves a little to be desired track the rounds directly back to you but when it but is arguably a little superfluous and it’s a looks as cool as it does, nobody really cares! pity that they can easily be directly mounted to a belt. Other than those minor points, we PRICE: FROM £49.99 are very happy to see this new product on the From: SOCOM TACTICAL market as a different alternative to the host of similar systems out there. Avaiable in Dark Earth and Black.

THIS MONTH WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF TOOLS AND GOODIES ON SHOW IN GEAR ZONE, MOSTLY SUPPLIED VIA SOCOM TACTICAL BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF TREATS IN THE MIX FROM THE LIKES OF FERRO CONCEPTS. AS WELL AS COOL-GUY GEAR WITH ALSO FOCUSSED ON SOME PRACTICAL TOOLS AND UTILITY ITEMS LIKE CHRONOS, STUFF THAT’S OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE SO MUCH EASIER.

WHEN DARKNESS FALLS

ARMY FORCE TRACER/SILENCERS

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

WEAPON MAINTENANCE TOOLS PRICE: £17.95

PRICE: FROM £14.99

From: SOCOM TACTICAL

PACK-A-PUNCH

ARMY FORCE CO2 CHARGER

Need your gun to pack an extra punch? Don’t let the colder winter months sap your enjoyment of gas blowback with this 12g CO2 bulb adaptor. It’s made from reinforced metal with a bleeder valve for safety and can withstand high pressures over a massive temperature range. Simply screw the CO2 bulb into the charger and then fill your gas magazines directly with it, it’s been engineered specifically NOT to leak for long periods and is much more compact and easy to carry than a larger green gas can at just over 16cm long. You’ll have to make sure your weapon can withstand the higher pressures exerted and it goes without saying you should check the peak FPS on a chrono before skirmishing.

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Certain when assembling, disassembling or maintaining your airsoft guns can be a real pain FROM:jobs UKTACTICAL.COM in the butt if you don’t have the specific tools for the job. You’ll find they take FAR longer and you drastically increase the risk of damaging parts or injuring yourself if you attempt to bodge something together. If you find yourself frequently working on your guns, why not ditch the hackjob methods and start working like a pro?

A simple armourer’s wrench will allow you to keep the critical locking rings and barrel nuts on most M4s nipped up good and tight and thinks like motor pinion presses will allow you to fully strip, salvage and repair AEG motors. Good tools are worth investing in because before long, you will find them paying for themselves.

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TRIED & TES TED W E T R Y BEF ORE Y OU BU Y - W E T R Y BEF ORE Y OU BU Y - W E T R Y

UPROL WE APON LIGHT S £39.99 N E XCLUSIVE RE VIE W - LIGHT UP M Y LIFE! FROM

The irresistible tide of Nuprol goodies keeps crashing in and this month there’s some more new items to check out in the form a of a host of weapon lights. Ranging from variants intended to be fitted to pistols, there’s a building range culminating in an “LLM” style light/lazer combo that we will be taking a closer look at next month.

Ahead of their release there’s been a little feedback about them simply being rebranded clones of Surefire kit, and yep, the outer shape of most of these lights definitely fits this formula. Internally though, although these lights are great for airsoft use, they don’t match up to the tricky tech you’ll find in real-steel kit which is great as it allows for a massive price differential.

Being modeled on the Surefire lights gives you the look of a lot of the real kit you see out there and also the compatibility with accessories like holsters which you wouldn’t get with an “original” design. Let’s take a look at each light in the range.

NUPROL NX LIGHT S

The NX200 is the smallest, simplest weapon light in the range, most suited to use on a pistol.

Its construction is primarily metal but with a removable RIS rail mount made from plastic to allow you to change the plastic rail interface catch. This gives compatibility with standard RIS rails but also with the slightly off spec “accessory mounts” you find on some pistol frames. A little trial and error is required to find which one mounts the light most solidly on your gun. The NX300 shares much of these design features but instead utilises a longer, slightly crenellated head and the NX400, although similar in shape uses a different body to incorporate a laser sight and also a more precise screw-clamp to ensure the laser itself doesn’t loose zero in use.

The finish is a matte black annodise with white Nuprol NX200, NX300 and NX400 etchings on either side. The battery compartment houses 2x CR123 batteries, the orientation of which is clearly marked, and seals using a positive catch system. The light emitter in the lights is a simple CREE LED housed in a plastic conical reflector made from white material, silver may have resulted in a brighter, more focused beam.

Ahead of the LED in the NX200 and 400 is a 3mm thick lens than CAN be easily removed, replaced or switched out for an impact-resistant polycarbonate version. Although the lens itself is thick and the impact area is small we can’t rule out the possibility of it breaking from a BB impact. At least they are easy to switch out. The NX300 uses a slightly different lens arrangement that seems to be a lot les robust.

Instead of the white conical reflector, the NX300 uses a deeper, silver design.

THE LIGHT’S MAIN COMPONENTS SCREW TOGETHER AND ARE SEALED WITH O-RINGS, AS IS THE MAIN BATTERY COMPARTMENT HATCH, BUT THE FRONT LENS IS NOT SEALED SO NONE CAN AT BEST BE CONSIDERED WATER-PROOF AND ARE AT BEST SPLASH PROOF. IN TRUTH THE O-RINGS PROBABLY EXIST TO PROVIDE AN INTERFERENCE FIT FOR THE THREADED PARTS STOPPING THEM FROM RATTLING UNDONE IN USE.

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The controls of all three lights consist of a simple, ambidextrous rocker switch that when pushed up or down from either side switch the light into a constant on mode. When pushed slightly, the lights engage a momentary on mode and turn off when released, very useful for tactical applications. Because of the red laser targeter on the NX400, the control system is slightly more complex. As well as zeroing adjusters on either side of the laser to achieve a point of aim, point of impact correlation, there is an additional switch. To the extreme left and right the user can totally deactivate the light.

You can select from light only, laser and light or laser only from the notches in between. In truth this does seem a little too easy to knock to one side or another in use and switching back may prove a hindrance in a tactical situation.

In terms of light projection, it’s difficult to gauge what level they are in lumens. Although they are not as astonishingly bright as some of the higher end lights on the market these days, there’s enough output to work usably in a CQB environment when too much light can prove dazzling to the user as well as the target.

The NX200/400 share a similar pinpoint center spot with most brightness, gradually and softly falling off into the periphery. The NX300 has a tighter, brighter projection concentrated on the center a lot more harshly.

IN TERMS OF INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION, ALL THREE LIGHTS ARE NEATLY FINISHED AND SOLDERED WELL, UNLIKE SOME CHINESE-MADE VERSIONS OUT THERE.

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PRICE: FROM £39.99 FROM: NUPROL STOCKISTS

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WE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY - WE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY - WE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

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£19.00

SWIT CH LIFE E X TENDER

IT ’S DIRT Y WORKS, BUT SOMEONE ’S GO T T O DO IT!

Trigger contact burn-out is an issue that has become more and more prevalent as higher and higher powered batteries are used in our AEGs. If you use LiFe or LiPo packs and are keen on the trigger, you may well have suffered a burnt out contact in the past. It’s not a massive issue to fix up if you have a common gun from a “mainstream” manufacturer but if you have something a little more exclusive, sourcing new trigger parts can become a pain in the butt.

The be all and end all solution to burning out trigger contacts is to install a MOSFET device into your AEG. You may have heard of these devices since they are all the rage right now. Trigger burn-out is called by “arcing” or put simply, sparks as the two sides of the trigger close and the electrical current “jumps” between them. Gradually, this arcing eats away at the metal that the contacts of made of leaving you with a pitted, corroded switch that has poor conductivity.

MOSFETs work by essentially bridging the circuit and detecting when the switch is closed and the main body of current can flow through.

This means that no arcing occurs and the only wear you have to contend with is what is physically incurred by the switches rubbing against each other.

MOSFETs are also a bit of a pain in the butt too. They arguably burn out with just as much regularity as a physical switch, plus you need to ensure there is room for them in your gun, find somebody or work out how to fit it yourself and then hope if doesn’t malfunction which CAN cause a fire hazard or even a “runaway gun”.

Dirty Works from Japan have come to our aid with the simple, inexpensive SLE or “Switch

Life Extender”. This diminutive little device is fitted neatly and quickly to your motor without you really even needing to take it out of your gun. From then on, it’s rice-grain sized lump of electrical wizardry provides a sort of “loop-back” for the current in the circuit that otherwise causes arcing and sparks. Less arcing and sparks, less trigger wear.

We didn’t want to take this for granted though and without firing THOUSANDS of rounds it can be difficult to tell just what sort of effect the SLE might have so in true Mythbusters style, we built a test rig.

The test rig was a simple circuit that mimicked the circuit inside an airsoft gun. It consists of a battery, a motor and a mock switch made from two paddle-shaped copper contacts that we intended to wave near each other in an effort to produce sparks. The motor of course needed to be clamped down to prevent it from flapping around like a fish out of water when the switch was closed, so we simply clamped

it gently in a vice. Taking care not to touch the insulated parts of the circuit, the switch contacts were bought together rapidly to close the circuit. As expected, this caused quite a few sparks and pitting was evident on the edges of the contacts within just a few passes.

With the test rig set up, the SLE is literally so easy to install on the motor, all it took was to remove the base-plate screws one by one and fit the SLE contacts taking care to observe the correct polarity. This was literally a 30 second job and then we could easily re-run the testing.

As promised, the level of arcing was MASSIVELY reduced. There was still a little when we really tried to make a spark by edging the contacts close together at the corners but on the whole, it was a lot less violent and bright. Take a look at the accompanying images… Without the SLE quite large, bright sparks were easy to produce but with it, it was hard to get even a comparatively small one to show on film.

Although the SLE doesn’t provide the same level of trigger switch protection as a MOSFET, it’s less than £20 and requires utterly minimal disassembly of your gun to fit, plus it should fit in pretty much ALL guns. This is achieved by the various types of SLE on sale, from M4 to AK and even AEP, although the later requires a little extra work as it needs to be soldered in place. Dirty Works claim the SLE works best when fitted to Marui EG1000 or 3000 motors but a set of insulated plastic screws is available to make them work with other kinds of motor.

All in all, for less than £20 this could be an ideal preventative measure to get more life out of your trigger switches if you worry about burning them out or use high voltage batteries.

PRICE: £19.00 FROM: FIRE-SUPPORT.CO.UK

SLE: FITTED

WITH THE SLE IN PLACE THE ARCING IS MINIMAL, CAUSING LESS WEAR ON THE CONTACTS

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SLE: NOT FITTED

WITHOUT THE SLE, THE ARCING BETWEEN THE SWITCH CONTACTS IS SUBSTANTIAL, DEGRADING IT RAPIDLY

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04/02/2014 10:26

SELL ME AIRSOFT!

WRITTEN BY FRENCHIE - ILLUSTRATED BY CRAIG

LIFE IS FULL OF CLICHÉS AND STEREOTYPES. ONE OF THOSE THAT SEEMS TO BE AFFLICTING A NUMBER OF US AT AIRSOFT INTERNATIONAL IS A CERTAIN ENNUI WHERE AIRSOFT IS CONCERNED. THIS IS NOT GOOD, ESPECIALLY SINCE AIRSOFT IS RATHER OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, SO I WAS TASKED WITH SELLING AIRSOFT AS A PASTIME. NOT THE EASY TASK OF SELLING IT TO NEWBIES, NO BEN JUST ISN’T THAT KIND. HE ASKED, SPECIFICALLY, THAT I SELL IT TO JADED OLD PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT AND ARE NOW FEELING A BIT LIMP ON THE WHOLE SUBJECT OF SHOOTING THEIR FELLOW MAN AND WOMAN WITH LITTLE PLASTIC BALLS. WHY THANK YOU BEN...

In fairness I am feeling reasonably well qualified to approach this, and it is probably timely to do so.

Airsoft, as I have remarked before, has a reasonably high churn rate, players come and players go on a roughly three year cycle by my personal reckoning.

Finding players who have stuck with it for many years isn’t rare, but neither is it common. One of the problems with this, if you hang around is that you lose your peers over time, life, marriage, kids, jobs or lack of them all take their toll. Some players just enjoy their time and then move on to something new.

You can find yourself feeling a bit like the old guy in the pub, everyone says “Hi” but fewer and fewer of them sit down for a chat.

Added to this is the sense of having done it all and still having to watch others do exactly the same old same old. For myself, I have never really been a stitch bitch so I confess the whole ‘building a perfect load out’ thing passed me by. Had I spent more time playing and less time running games that might not have been the case. Many players have and there is a limit to how often you can be bothered to hunt down those little pieces which make the difference between good and spot-on!

That’s not to mention the sheer cost of some of this stuff. Even if you were happy do a DPM-based British Army load out, if you want to do it properly you’ll be scouring military fairs and trade shows for all the little bits that make it just right. The correct rifle cleaning kit, the correct bayonet frog, the right helmet and helmet cover. The period-correct comms

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kit. This list isn’t endless but it is long. All of this takes time and money. When you’re utterly in the thrall of airsoft neither seems too much but as the years pass and you are constantly having to find room for a load of gear in your home you may just start to ask yourself if it’s really worth the effort.

Then there are the guns, the very core of airsoft.

How many do you really, really need? When you start playing and for some time afterwards that is answered by the formula “Guns needed = n+1” where ‘n’ is the number of guns you currently own.

This is science so pay attention. (As an aside I find this formula works equally well for things like guitars, basses etc., indeed pretty much anything that is desirable). As your knowledge grows you become more discerning, thinning down the collection to replace quantity with quality. You may get some of your guns properly upgraded to maximise performance, you may become utterly enmeshed in the enigma that is Systema’s PTW range. Ultimately you’ll probably find one or two guns or styles of gun which really work for you and you may only have one of each. You may decide that it’s time you added a support gun or a sniper rifle to your kit locker. This may bring with it the need to revisit your other kit to allow you to properly support and exploit this change.

Time, both infinite and finite. Enthusiasm goes a long way to determining what is worth your time, where it should be spent. As the years spent in airsoft pass you may start to question it’s place in

your list of priorities. Others may start to question it for you. It might be pointed out that perhaps there are other things that could usefully occupy your Sundays spent playing and all the other time spent chasing, buying and lusting over kit. Inevitably these two divergent points of view start to converge as you, by now long past the first passionate flush of infatuation, start to ask yourself if maybe the questioner doesn’t have a point.

The final factor is age. We all get older and as we do the majority of us get a bit slower. Aches and injuries seem to take that little bit longer to go away, the other players all seem younger, and faster, and more committed and you begin to ask if you can keep up. I know this doesn’t apply to all of us, but it was a major part of my decision to step away from playing for a bit. The final nail in the coffin for many experienced players is what is generically referred to as “politics”. In truth it’s a combination of bitching, in-fighting, moaning, grumbling and all-round bellyaching and name calling. I have written on this aspect of airsoft many times over the years so I shan’t bore you by revisiting it all again, but it has ever been thus and one factor of age and experience is a certain reduction in your ability to give a s*** and a general increase in your lack of tolerance.

All of the above combine until you one day realise that frankly the thought of playing isn’t filling you with joy, in fact it’s no longer a compelling reason to even get out of bed. What happens now is up to you.

I suspect the majority of players who reach this point just give it up and get on with their lives. I do see a number of posts on forums and Facebook running along the lines of “I’m totally fed up with airsoft, it’s boring, other players are total knobs and I want to kill them, it used to be loads of fun, now it’s not what can I do?!” To their credit, those who respond tend to offer very sensible advice, and it’s this which lies at the heart of my attempt to infuse you with renewed enthusiasm, so here goes...

Ask yourself what it is that has made you fall out of love with airsoft. If it’s one facet maybe you can address that and rekindle the love. Is it the site you

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play at? Your kit? These are fairly simple fixes.

Take a break. No harm in it, step back from airsoft and go and do something else instead. I have rediscovered my love of playing guitar and bass, for you it might be fishing, or shopping or hang-gliding, anything. You’ll either find you’re hankering for the field once more, or maybe you won’t. Either way it’ll tell you all you need to know about your relationship with airsoft.

Rediscover the joy of playing. At it’s extreme I would suggest dumping all of the awesome kit you have acquired over the years, really strip your load out down to the bare necessities. A gun and a couple of hi-caps? Why not, that’s probably how you started.

Maybe just a pocket full of mids then if you really cannot stand the rattle. Divest yourself of all the junk, no matter how good the junk is, even if it’s just for a game or two. Now go and play. Don’t worry about all the cool stuff you’ve learned over the years, get back to the basics – shooting lumps out of the other side. I have done this myself a few times, once with an AK another with an SVD-S set to around 330 fps so that I could engage point-blank if necessary. In both cases it helped. I was freed from all the clutter I used to carry (and compared to many I ran light) and all I had to do was get the best out of what I had. Don’t think I even carried a side arm. At one point I ended up advancing over open ground with a few like-minded players delivering volley fire a la “Zulu” onto the opposition.

Damn me if it didn’t work too!

The aim is to try and reconnect with what grabbed you initially, what made airsoft wonderful before you learned all about tactics, guns, gear, how to set up your MOLLE just so. It might help or it might not.

Many people write about airsoft being fun, I think it should be exciting. The moments I remember are things like being pinned down and being literally dragged into cover by a team mate who got hold of my webbing. Of inching my way round an obstruction completely unaware of what awaited me but knowing I had to go anyway. The fun follows the excitement, so look for that. Seek out the things that get your heart racing and the adrenaline

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pumping. Free yourself from the baggage of experience and expectation. Go somewhere new, do something new. There is excitement and fun to be had but when you’ve been there and done that for a long time you have to go looking for it again.

Cynicism is a heavy load to carry, so dump it.

Don’t overlook your friends. Airsoft is a funny business. We men, in general, are a solitary bunch but the airsoft field is the only place I know where I see guys helping each other get their kit to fit properly, doing up each others gear and generally acting like, well, girls to an extent. That’s a good thing and it’s to be encouraged as it forms friendships and trust between players. It’s quite easy to lose that, or to lose sight of it’s importance to the overall experience of the game. I’ll admit it’s harder to get back but if you’re feeling really jaded, speak to your airsofting friends, they might just be able to give you the lift you need.

No matter what we do in life, you are indeed fortunate if you never get stale. Airsoft is no different. Do it long enough and the gloss will rub off. It may be that it has run it’s course for you and it’s time to move on – that can be difficult to admit sometimes. It may be that you need to step away from what has become all too familiar and to come back at it from a different perspective.

They do say a change is as good as a rest and I know that latterly I was increasingly paring my load out to the bare bones and finding that the lack of gear didn’t actually diminish the fun, quite the contrary.

It’s difficult to sell something to someone who no longer wants to buy. You have to get creative, you have to find out what motivates them or what is causing resistance. I cannot do that for you, you need to find that out for yourself. Although I have stepped back from playing, and done so quite publicly, I haven’t said ‘never’, because one day I know I’m going to get the urge to grab the AK and the ChiCom rig and my glasses to go off and rattle some poor unsuspecting OpFor player. And I’ll grin – how I’ll grin!

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OUR PRO JEC T! M 4 GBBR PRO V IDED B Y W E A IR SOF T E UROPE - M 4 GBBR PRO

IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT PROJECT PALLAS HAS PROBABLY BEEN OUR MOST INVOLVED PROJECT TO DATE, REQUIRING MORE TIME ON DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE THAN ANY PROJECT BEFORE (YES, EVEN THE DSHK WAS A QUICKER BUILD THAN THIS!), BUT NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT LOOKS IT HAS TO FUNCTION OUT IN THE FIELD OTHERWISE IT’S JUST A WALL-HANGER, AND WE HERE AT AI ARE SKIRMISHERS, SO WE’RE NOT JUST INTERESTED IN THE “SAFE ZONE QUEENS”, WE WANT KIT THAT WORKS, AND KIT THAT WORKS WELL.

RANGE TEST Needless to say, before we actually took the gun out into the woods and fields of our private test site we wanted to make sure that it was accurate and consistent, so we headed off to our range to put some ammo through it, however, before we started we thoroughly cleaned the inner barrel and Hop-up rubber.

We worked our way through a selection of ammunition – from 0.29g Maruzen SGM’s (Super Grand Masters) through to 0.43’s from the likes of WE (the Nuprol range), Madbull, and some old Digicon 0.43’s that we’ve had knocking around for a while. All BB’s were washed before use (yes, that may be a bit over the top, but we’re trying to remove variables, and crap on a BB is a variable), and they were run through a set of go/no-go gauge blocks we manufactured a while ago to ensure that all the BB’s we used were of a consistent size (you’d be surprised just how much they can vary). Given that testing was on a windless day we had no problems with BB’s travelling off course due to crosswinds, and by the end of the range session we were happiest with the SGM’s. Aside from the incredibly expensive custom sniper ammo from BB Bastard, these are the most consistent BB’s we’ve come across in both size and weight.

That said, if the wind was up we probably would

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have chosen a heavier BB, even if we did have to sacrifice the consistency of the SGM’s for added weight. As to the gas we broke out a big selection – Guarder black, Nuprol 3 & 4 and Coleman propane. All of these ran absolutely fine at the range, all being more than capable of giving us 500fps with a 0.2g bb - so in the end we went for the Coleman propane purely on a cost basis. If it was really cold, we would have swapped to the Nuprol 4, which would have allowed us to use the rifle quite happily below freezing, but as it was +5oC Coleman propane worked just fine.

Once the ammo and gas was sorted we then popped off 5 round groups at targets placed at 40, 50 and 60 metres and (perhaps optimistically) 70 metres. This being a “real world” test, not a case of paper punching we used the standard Figure 11 target, 44 inches high by 17 inches wide, instead of the usual “bullseye” style targets. At 30, 40 and 50 metres all 5 round groups hit the target with no problems, at 60 metres 4 of the rounds hit the target and at 70 metres, again, 4 of the 5 rounds hit the target – which we’re pretty happy with. Is it fantastic? No, but this is the first time we’ve put the rifle to serious use, so it’s acceptable.

STALKING With the range testing out of the way, it was onto the next task – how easy was it to stalk with the rifle, and for the uninitiated, what the hell is stalking?

OK, stalking 101 for Airsoft. The first thing is that it has nothing to do with following your ex girlfriend around or obsessively checking her facebook page. That’s not Airsoft stalking, that’s you’ll-probably-end-up-witha-restraining-order stalking. When we use the term stalking in the context of Airsoft we mean tracking down the opposition and getting close enough to them to successfully engage them.

That may mean you end up crawling to your firing point through bog, field or down ditches in order to get to your firing position without being seen. Why is this important? Because it’s what proper Airsoft sniping is about. It’s not just about toting a 500fps sniper rifle and using it as artillery - that requires little skill. It’s about the rifle, camouflage, fieldcraft, and the right mindset.

So why is it important that we test our project rifle for how it handles during the stalk? That’s simple – some rifles are a lot easier to handle when low crawling through a bog to your firing

position than others – and we all want to make our lives easier, right? To that end we sorted out a little course, just 300 metres long, but containing scrubland, some very dense coppice, a bit of a bog and a ditch – all of which would be traversed whilst on our bellies, whilst wearing ghillie suits (we didn’t want to make it too easy, did we?). What we discovered was that Project Pallas has both strengths and weaknesses when it comes to stalking. The upside of the design is that the 16” barrel means it’s quite a compact rifle to stalk with, but the Harris bipod does tend to catch the undergrowth a little. Mind you, that’s a problem with the vast majority of bipods, be it a Harris, a Parker-Hale or an Atlas – they all have nooks and crannies that seem to collect crap when you’re stalking through the undergrowth. At the other end of the gun we have a few “crap traps” as well, but that’s hardly a surprise given the nature of the stock. That said, the counterweight that we added to the stock makes it’s presence known during this test, and it’s an extremely balanced rifle to lug around (and shoot!). All in all? Not a bad performance. Not as handy for stalking as,

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say, a VSR10, but certainly a damn sight more practical than a Beta Project M200, Socom Gear M82a1 or the incredibly long Ares AW 338.

USER EXPERIENCE OK, so we know how well it shoots on the range and how easy it is to stalk into position with, but what about the user controls?

For a start, it’s very, very easy to use – especially if you’re already a user of an M-4/ AR-15 type AEG/GBBR. The same magazine release, the same fire selector, the same grip and trigger set-ups. All very simple as the “muscle memory” kicks in. Cocking the rifle is extraordinarily easy as well, not just due to the size of the knob on the cocking handle, but also that it projects out from the gun a but, so you’re not scrabbling around for a small bolt handle that almost sits flush with the side of the gun, say, as you’d find on an M700. It’s nice to be able to use standard WE magazines as well, and considering we have a few WE M4 GBBR variants sitting around as well means that we don’t have to go and spend a packet on specific

magazines. Given the eye watering prices of some bolt action gas sniper rifles, for example the Ares DSR-1 gas mags at over £70 each, or the Tanaka M700 magazines at nearly £60 each, that makes for a big saving.

WRAP UP So there you have it, our project sniper rifle is done and we’re pretty happy with it. It’s not outstanding in any single way, but it’s a one off – who else has built a rifle like it? It’s accuracy is OK (but could be improved – so we’ll investigate an R-Hop install for it), it stalks reasonably well, and it’s easy to use. All in all, it’s a satisfactory performer. That doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t change anything though (most of which we discussed last issue), but another idea has popped up. Would it be possible to create a sniper rifle upper receiver set that could drop onto only a slightly modified lower, so you could stalk into position with a semi/full-auto GBBR and then swap the upper receivers over for the accurised sniper top end once in the final firing position. Now there’s food for thought...

JU TO A W YO

■ SWEDISH ■ USED BY THE US ■ FORMERLY USED BY THE BRITISH ■ JACK-ALL-TRADES ■ THE BASIC DESIGN IS OVER 65 YEARS OLD

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

THINK YOU’VE GUESSED RIGHT? WELL YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL NEXT ISSUE TO FIND OUT!

TH HA

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OUR NEXT PROJECT JUST BEFORE WE SIGN OFF, WE’LL TIP YOU OFF TO OUR NEXT PROJECT, AND IT’S GOING TO BE A SILLY ONE. OK, SO YOU WANT A CLUE AS TO WHAT IT IS? OK, TRY THIS FOR SIZE AND SEE IF YOU CAN GUESS....

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P O T H C E T !

S TIP

24 RICKS T L A I T ESSEN ECHS DON’T HE T OW! THAT T T YOU TO KN WAN

WORKING ON AIRSOFT GUNS ISN’T A DARK ART OR A COMPLEX SCIENCE. ALL IT REQUIRES IS METHODICAL WORK AND A LITTLE TIME AND PATIENCE, THAT’S NOT TO SAY THOUGH, THAT A FEW LITTLE TIPS AND TRICKS WON’T GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING YOUR LIFE EASIER AND YOUR GUN WORK EVEN BETTER! BASIC TOOLS

Most airsoft guns don’t require too many specialist tools to work on, but a few items really are essential to getting your way into them and then putting them back together again.

ALLEN WRENCHES

These are the must-have tools for working on your guns. Get a decent set of Allen Wrenches, preferably extra long ones with ball-ends for working in those hard-to-reach spots.

SCREWDRIVERS

A decent selection of Phillips screwdrivers is another essential.

You don’t come across many flat-head screws these days, but having a couple of drivers about won’t hurt.

PIN PUNCH

A punch is ideal for knocking through pins that hold many parts of airsoft guns and magazines together. A selection of different sizes will help you work neatly and avoid damaging parts.

SPECIALIST WRENCHES

Many airsoft guns require a special wrench to remove particular parts and you can either use a tool known as an “Armourer’s Wrench” or sometimes a simple crescent wrench.

GREASES AND LUBES

Lubricating greases and sprays will help you assemble your gun and get it running smoothly. Silicone Grease is great for using on rubber components and gear grease is ideal for metal on metal components.

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WORKSPACE

You can’t expect to get anything productive done if you are hunched over a gun on the floor.

Your bedspread is an equally poor arena within which to do battle with a gun. Sort yourself out a proper, clear and organised workspace that is well lit and out of the way of family and pets where you can concentrate and take your time.

02

TAKE CHARGE!

When testing your gun, make sure you have a healthy and fully charged battery. It’s all too easy to plug in a drained pack and lead yourself to believe there’s a problem with the gun if it won’t cycle, when all it needs is a bit more juice!

03

TOUGH TORQUE

You’ll cause yourself more trouble than it’s worth by over-tightening screws and fixings. Most airsoft guns are made from less than the toughest material available and you’ll easily round things out and strip threads, which can be an expensive habit. Hand-tight is the key. You rarely need to tighten anything excessively.

04

TOOL UP!

Proper tools are essential and investing in a quality selection of screwdrivers and allen keys is the way to go. Using stuff you got out of Christmas crackers will lead to failures and make simple jobs harder then they need to be. Give yourself a chance by using proper kit.

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TOOLS FOR THE TASK

Just as important as having quality tools is the importance of using them correctly. Using your precision screwdrivers as levers will ruin them so don’t be a cowboy and ease off on the bodges!

06

BOARD STIFF!

Use a piece of cardboard to retain screws when you remove them from a gun to keep track of where they come from and where they need to go back. Simply draw a rough diagram on a piece and punch the screws through the card to keep them in place until you need to reassemble.

07

ANIMAL MAGNETISM

Magnetise the tips of your screwdrivers by stroking a magnet along the length of them. This will make awkward screws easer to get in and out of recessed holes found on most guns.

08

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE

If you are working on a gun for the first time, photograph or video each step on your phone so you have something to refer to when it comes to putting it all back together again.

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WELCOME MAT

Get a rubber anti-skid, anti-roll work mat to put on your work surface. Not only will it protect it and the finish of the gun you are working on but the rubber textured surface stops screws and springs from rolling away onto the floor when you are working on stuff.

10

HELPING HANDS

Sometimes when you are soldering it can make you feel like you need three hands.

Investing in one of these “Helping Hands” stands can help you neatly solder any wiring joints or connectors required in your gun. They are about £6.99 from Component-Shop.co.uk and are worth their weight in gold!

11

RING PIECE

Another inexpensive yet invaluable little kit you should have in your toolbox is a selection of O-Rings. You can get literally hundreds in all shapes and sizes for about a fiver on eBay and they come in a neat box with dividers to separate the different sizes so you can fix any air-seal issues in an instant.

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TUB THUMPING

Airsoft guns disassemble into and alarming amount of small pieces and it’s easy to loose track of what went where and the order things need to go in. Fishing tackle boxes with internal dividers are a perfect option for this. Failing that, next time you order a Chinese, save the plastic tubs the food comes in and use them to organise the chaos of a gun takedown by dropping the parts from each stage in a separate tub!

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SHRINKING VIOLET

Use heat shrink instead of electrical tape to insulate your wiring joins or repair and nicks in the wire insulation itself. It’s neater, more secure and less bulky plus it doesn’t turn into a sticky mess!

14

BUDDING HERO

The humble cotton bud is a great device for cleaning and accurately applying lubricate to the inside of small, intricate parts.

15

OPPOSITES ATTRACT

Placing a powerful neodymium magnet underneath the gearbox shell when you are assembling or dismantling it helps to hold many of the small, spring-loaded parts in place making the job much easier.

16

MAINTENANCE KIT

The Nuprol Maintenance Kit is a small package full of invaluable extras designed to make your life easier, from lubricants, cleaners and useful tools, it’s an ideal and inexpensive companion to stock up your workbench with.

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KEEP IT SHIMPLE

When shimming the gears in your gearbox, mark down the number of shims on the outside of the gearbox, next to the bearings by using a fine tipped marker pen or even a metal scribe to scratch it into the surface. This way, if you have to disassemble the gun again you’ll be able to but the same gears and shims back in in the right order quickly.

18

SMOKING BARRELS

Use cigarette filters to push through barrels and give them a deep clean.

Don’t be tempted to try and shoot them through though, as they may cause a jam and lead to stripped piston teeth.

19

REFER TO THE MANUAL

When you get a new gun, they often come with a small owners manual. In many cases these are an illegible mess of poorly translated English but there is usually a reasonable exploded diagram.

Keep these because they can be useful for tracking down part numbers and even working out how the gun bolts together. Manufacturers are great at hiding away tiny grub screws that aren’t immediately obvious.

20

KEEP YOUR COOL!

The number one cause for stuff getting broken is hasty, rushed work or simply getting angry and impatient with something. If you feel yourself getting wound up, down tools, take 5 minutes and go and stick a brew on until you have chilled out. Fiddly airsoft guns needs methodical work and brute force never usually ends well!

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french letter

PRIORITIES Just to prove that we are a well organised bunch here at Ai, I read the article on airsofting on the cheap and thought “oh bums, that’s just what I was going to write about”. Then I remembered that actually it wasn’t. What had been winding me up a week or so beforehand was something quite different. I suppose it’s best characterised as priorities, what do you spend most money on with regards to your airsoft kit and your attitude towards it.

As usual this had come about courtesy of a customer whose gun, if I remember correctly, had turned up for repair in what can only be described as a poor state of cleanliness.

You would be entirely correct if you were to imagine that I used slightly more colourful language to express my opinion, and went on – at some length – to expostulate about the possible failings of this airsofter in particular and all airsofters in general. Pretty normal day in the office really.

My point really was this; airsoft can cost a lot of money. Well, it can if you want it to or if you find yourself unable to resist all the lovely shineys out there. That’s fine. Golf probably costs more, running a Formula 1 team definitely costs more, it’s all relative. You can, should you wish, spend hundreds of pounds on genuine Crye clothing – top of the range utterly awesome stuff. You have the choice to search out genuine real-steel plate carriers and pouches from any one of the many excellent manufactures of such apparel. You can stuff said plate carrier with real plates capable of stopping a 7.62x39mm round – 6mm BBs

shouldn’t be a problem then!

You can purchase the finest replicas of the worlds finest guns and furthermore get them tweaked to your personal preferences. Optics obviously have to be real, it’s the only way to get the performance you demand from them.

There are many excellent FAST helmet replicas out there, but so much better to buy a real one and then to adorn it with God-knows how many pounds worth of night vision, beacons, tactical lights etc. It really wouldn’t be doing your load out justice to do anything else.

Obviously there are areas where you can save money should you choose, say by not buying a gun bag. Or by not bothering to ever clean that astonishingly expensive gun, time is money after all.

Why? I mean really, why? What you do with your gear is utterly and completely up to you, but I’d just like to know – why? Have you run out of money after getting all that awesomeness? Do you have a deep-seated phobia about bags and gun bags especially?

Is your manservant on annual leave?

I’m not having a go at anyone in particular

in case you’re sitting there feeling hard done by and just because these aren’t choices I would make doesn’t make them invalid, I just cannot understand how people can do that.

It’s probably my upbringing (it’s definitely my upbringing but we’re not going into that – ever) but I find it really difficult to see things abused for no good reason. By all means subject your valuable equipment to a hard life on the skirmish field, but surely the corollary of that is it gets extra TLC when it gets home? It’s done it’s job, through mud, rain, sweat and sleet so isn’t it entitled to expect a little love in return? Clearly not in some peoples eyes.

It actually makes me cringe. And rant. A bit. There is a measurable percentage of the work done by all gun techs which is entirely due to carelessness and laziness. That exact percentage is “too much”. Don’t get me wrong, we really appreciate the work, we particularly appreciate that you went out of your way to create the work for us, but if it’s all the same to you, how about we explain the concept of ‘taking care of your kit’ and you save a bit of money. You could buy more ally kit with the saving.

In the case in point we, for I was not alone in my astonishment, couldn’t help but wondering if the person involved might not have better served himself by spending a little less on Gucci gear and a little more on protecting his investment. The upshot of the discussion was essentially the article Ben produced last month about how to gear up for less, and I think that would have been too far in this case but the principle holds good. Or it would if you assume a fixed budget. If airsofter A has a fixed budget he may well try to strike a balance between gear, guns and extras. If airsofter B has no such restraints, well, why should he care?

And breathe. It’s not for me or anyone else to police other peoples habits, as the old dictum has it, people who live in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones, or if your tastes are more biblical, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. In short, I’m far from perfect so I’m really just venting here because although I understand that it is anyone’s right to behave towards their own possessions any way they see fit, I can’t get my head around it. Maybe he hated that gun, or maybe he just didn’t care much at all. It takes all kinds to make airsoft...

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AY SPECTER M4

AN ALL-PLASTIC, £130 AEG DOESN’T SOUND LIKE THE IDEAL BASIS FOR A HIGH-PERFORMANCE PROJECT SHOOTER BUT WE’VE GOT BIG PLANS. JOIN US NEXT MONTH FOR A FULL REVIEW AND A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF THIS UNASSUMING BUT UNIQUE SHOOTER!

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