Airsoft Reports Blog

Announcements

2009-09-23T16:02:00.003-04:00

Hello guys and gals,

I've got a couple of announcements to make about AirsoftReports and my newest website "TechsterHQ.com".

1. As some of you know I am a law student. Until recently I have been able to maintain my airsoft video production with some regularity. However, as I am now in my last semester and am currently studying for the Bar exam, my ability to produce videos will be severely diminished. I don't want anyone thinking that this is the end of Airsoft Reports, because it is not. Rather, this is merely a lull in the vids I will be making. Further, it is a fair bet that I will make at least one more video during the holiday season, though I've not decided which model to test. (Feel free to leave input on that topic).

2. Videos take a lot of work to film and edit, however, blog postings are much quicker and easier to produce. To that end, as a die hard fan of almost anything tech related I've launched "www.TechsterHQ.com" as an outlet for these interests. If you share such an interest in tech, gadgets etc...please hop on over and take a look.

All the best!

Konrad

New Airsoft Reports Site in the making

2009-08-19T13:04:00.003-04:00

Hey all you Airsoft Report fans!

We're in the process of making our new airsoft reports website with "Wordpress". The new tools give us the ability to categorize the site in a much more user friendly fashion.

For example, now all of our gun reviews are categorized under "Reviews" and within that heading are subsections for each brand. (I.e. Classic Army, Echo 1 etc...) Now you can simply click on the brand of gun you're interested in and then see all of the different reviews that we have under that brand.

As usual, you can also leave comments, subscribe and follow the blog and hopefully, you'll find the entire experience to be much more usable.

While we're not quite done with everything (And some videos aren't yet up), you can get a taste of the new site by clicking on the link:

Link to www.airsoftreports.wordpress.com

JG VSR 10 Quality Report

2009-08-05T23:07:00.001-04:00

New Site: Airsoft DNA

2009-05-17T23:15:00.002-04:00

In case anyone did not know, I like giving props to new airsoft websites that I come across or are brought to my attention (i.e. emailed to me). In this line, the guys at www.airsoftdna.com shot me an email recently telling me about their recently launched site and I've got to say that it is one glitzy hub.

The flash animation takes a little time to load, but once its up, you've got a very pretty looking hub for airsoft dis-assembly info compiled from around the web. While the selection is not huge, yet, it seems like they are trying to add more content all the time. What they do have is good stuff and worth a look, especially if you are looking for info about breaking your toys down.

Check them out at www.airsoftdna.com

How Do I Clean My Airsoft Gun?

2009-05-17T23:03:00.004-04:00

I receive an e-mail from a new airsoft player every once and a while about how best to clean their airsoft gun. This question could actually apply to several different elements of the airsoft gun, but it seems as if most new airsofters are talking about the barrel of the gun and not the rest of the internals.

Although in many cases, the internals are where the most cleaning needs to be done, this guide is intended to answer questions about the barrel of the airsoft gun only and is geard towards the "newbie" level player.

For those of you hoping to get info on cleaning the guts of the gun (I.e. the mechbox or valve assembly) I would strongly encourage you to take a look at either www.mechbox.com or the newer but promising www.airsoftdna.com. These sites will show you how to disassemble the guns to their individual components and cleaning is then simply a matter of you using your best judgment on how best to wipe the parts clean.

On to the guide!

There are a couple of different ways to clean an airsoft gun barrel but they all do the same thing; clean gunk off the inside of the smooth barrel which is in the airsoft gun. Because airsoft guns (usually) don't have rifled barrels (Barrels with spiral grooves cut into the inside of the barrel) you will not have to worry about getting crud out of these grooves. This means that the cleaning process is pretty simple. Basically, you are going to need to swab out the barrel using some oil and a cleaning patch (small square of fabric or paper). Bear in mind that the barrel of an airsoft gun is quite small (narrow diameter) and therefore, I have found that the best method of pushing the cleaning patch through the barrel is to use an airsoft cleaning rod. Generally, these rods come with the gun and are usually plastic. The plastic construction helps to prevent damaging the barrel and other parts on the and I would advise against using metal coat hangers or similar.

Before you get started, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS THINK SAFETY! This means making sure that your airsoft gun is completely unloaded, de-charged, de-gassed, de-cocked etc...

Once you've made sure the airsoft gun is safe begin the cleaing process:

#1 Turn the hop up off. That is, turn the hop up to the setting where the is NO back spin on the bbs. IF you don't do this, you risk damaging the hop up bucking with the cleaning patch/rod.

# 2 tear off a small piece of paper towel (approx. 1"x1") and bend it in half so it looks like a triangle. Thread one corner of the triangle through the eye (the slit) in the tip of the cleaning rod.

#3 Lubricate the cleaning patch with a few drops of silicone oil (DO NOT USE WD40!!!! as it can erode the rubber in the hop up and on the rest of the gun!!!)

#4 Using steady pressure, push the cleaning rod through the barrel from the tip of the barrel to the feed port of the gun. (I usually tip the gun on its back to see if the cleaning rod has reached the feed tube.) DO NOT APPLY TOO MUCH PRESSURE! if you feel an obstruction in the barrel, be VERY careful to make sure that the obstruction is a BB or something else. IF you feel the cleaning rod catch on something and you do not see the cleaning rod through the feed tube, you may have caught the hop up bucking and pushing too hard could ruin the bucking.)

#5 Once you've pushed the rod all the way down the barrel, pull it out and inspect it for dirt or other particulates. If the patch (the small piece of paper towel) is dirty, then remove it and replace it with a fresh cleaning patch, re-lubricate and repeat the cleaning process till the cleaning patches no longer come out of the barrel dirty.

If you follow these steps and use your common sense, you will be able to successfully, clean nearly any airsoft barrel.

Classic Army P90 Sportline Quality Report Pt. 1

2009-05-06T01:12:00.001-04:00

This is the first part of the Q-Report on the Classic Army P90 Sport Line Tri Rail with upgraded metal receiver.

Spartan Imports sent us the upgraded receiver to give us a taste of what might be seen in the Proline version of the CA P90.

Overall I liked what I saw, and the metal receiver certainly makes a nice upgrade. Although, the metal receiver produces no performance boost, it does seem to provide a more sturdy platform upon which to mount optics and other add ons.

The fit and finish was average with a noticeable seem running through the middle of the gun. The seem caused discomfort and chaffing so I dulled the edges with a razor blade. After this minor alteration, the unit has been quite comfortable.

The magazine does suffer from jams however, and that is the weakest point in the design in my opinion. The issue did seem to improve marginally with use, so it does seem possible that a "break in period" may exist.

Still, a decent mid-cap mag will probably solve the problem completely.

Many thanks to Spartan Imports for sending us this test model.

Classic Army P90 Sportline Quality Report Pt. 2

2009-05-06T01:08:00.001-04:00

This is the second part of the Q-Report on the CA P90 Sportline TL.

Overall, as a compact SMG replica, I liked the P90. My biggest complaints to date have been in the magazine which tends to jam from time to time.

The fit and finish was average, but then again it is the "Sportline" version of the gun.

Which Airsoft Gun Has the Best Range?

2009-04-28T21:58:00.007-04:00

This is a question I get asked a lot, so I thought I'd post a composite of the answers I've sent the fans:

Q: I want a gun with good range, so which one should I get?

A: The answer is pretty simple (fortunately). Get the most qualitative brand you can afford in the model of AEG you like the look of the best. Don't worry whether its a replica of an "SMG", "Assault Rifle" or "Sniper Rifle". Bear in mind that I preface this by saying I am referring only to fully sized AEGs and not AEP (auto electric pistols). In other words, don't worry abot range, go for quality and looks.

Here is why this is the best advice I can give the new airsoft buyer:
Nearly all stock airsoft guns from any of the major manufacturers have approx. the same range because they all operate within roughly the same physical parameters.

Here's is what I mean:

Echo 1 guns usually fire at around 300-350 fps as do most other stock guns from JG, TSD, Classic Army, G&G, ICS and so on.

Additionally, most major airsoft fields place limits on players and require that the max FPS be achieved by using .20g bbs. (This means you can't beat the FPS limit by using .30g bbs during the chrono session to drop your FPS within field limits and then switch to lighter bbs to achieve higher velocity later in the game).

What you're left with is a formula that has a .20g bb (on average) traveling at not more than 350 fps (usually) that's being fired out of a smooth bore (unrifled) barrel.

When you realize that most airsoft guns on the field are limited to these approximate operating parameters then you start to see that the cosmetic differences of the gun's make and model start to matter little. Taking aftermarket upgrades out of the equation, the only advantage an "assault rifle" style airsoft gun would have over an "SMG" styled model, would be SOME barrel length (3-8 inches depending on the gun). Even this advantage can be misleading as barrel length in airsoft does not matter NEARLY as much as in the real steel namesakes.

One thing a lot of new players forget is that they are using REPLICAS of real steel guns. In the reel steel guns, much of the difference in range is the result of different cartridges that fire lighter or heavier bullets using more or less gun powder that burns at different rates and of course the somewhat complex interaction that all these factors have with the barrel length. Hence an MP5 in real life will lose a long range target shooting match to an M14.

However, in airsoft all the bbs are (Mostly) the same weight and traveling at the same speed, your max range is going to be about 125-150 feet and there is only so much that barrel length can do to help or hurt range. The odds are good that 125' will be pushing it and you won't be able to hit targets past that with any regularity.

Before I get inundated with claims that "I hit a soda can off my fence with my M14 and I know that it was 200' away", let me just say that claims about range are a lot like claims about fish. The numbers tend to be exageratted and 150' can easily turn into 175' when you're just eyeballing it.

I too suffered from the trap of eyeballing and guesstimation and I was surprised at how litte range I actually had when I measured out the targets. Still, after having tested dozens of different makes and models of airsoft gun I can say with assurance, that 150' is the maximum distance at which .20g bbs can be fired accurately using a flat or semi-flat trajectory. Believe me, I've measured these ranges time and again. Further, the claims that an "upgraded" hop up unit and tight bore barrel can improve your range in any significant way should really be filed with the fish stories.

Grouping size can be tightened by these upgrades and there can be a modest FPS boost, BUT, the physics of the equation do not change (.20g bbs @ 350 fps = max. effective range of 125'-150').

Also, bear in mind that any airsoft gun can be upgraded up the wazoo with heavier and more powerful springs and made to fire rediculously heavy (For an airsoft gun) bbs to achieve greater range. But, this misses the point as airsoft is a fun and friendly sport not intended to maim.

Hence, the REAL question to ask yourself before buying is not "does this gun have good range", but rather, "Is this gun well made?".

This question too is somewhat subjective and of course you're budget will be the final judge of how much quality you can afford. Still, there are PLENTY of choices out there and buyers should have little or no trouble finding sufficiently qualitative brands at all price points.

If you ask this question of yourself, then your buying decision becomes much easier and its one of the few times where, once you've picked the reputable brand, you can let looks alone guide you.

Stay safe and play hard!

-Konrad

Classic Army P90 Sportline Firing Report

2009-04-22T20:08:00.001-04:00

This little AEG provided surprisingly good accuracy out to 135' feet using .28 gram bbs.

Dogs of War after action report summary

2009-04-05T01:50:00.003-04:00

Ok, its late so this will be short and sweet.

This was another great Mind Games Productions event and as usual, there was a lot of work and thought put into the entire op located immediately to the northwest of Cecil Naval Air Station.

The "Dogs of War" scenario game is still technically ongoing as I write this as it is an all night op that should last until tomorrow morning. I am not set up for night shots, so my encounter involved the Saturday afternoon of the 4th.

The weather decided to be perfect and the blue sky presented an ideal canvas for all the jet jocks to paint the sky with their contrails. On the way to the field I got to see a couple of AWACS taking off and landing, but the pair of FA-18s that were flying low really stole the show.

As if traipsing all over an abandoned military installation wasn't enough, the MGP crew, some how, was able to pull in at least two (maybe three) "deuces" which everyone knows the sight of from EVERY WAR MOVIE EVER MADE.These are the large troop/cargo carriers that form(ed) the backbone of many a military convoy. Riding in these beasts (big trucks) wasn't exactly pleasant, but they had a couple of things going for them. 1. It was cool to ride in one especially because I had never done it begore and their presence on the field really added to the realism. 2. given that the field was several hundred acres, the transports made the trek to and from locations quick and relatively painless.

There were also some additional trucks that were brought into service and they served as supplimental transports. On top of that there were some guys scooting around on some ATVs and there was even an "APC" (Armored Personnel Carrier) with a mounted SAW (Big machine gun).

Due to the sheer size of the field, the engagements were not as frequent as in some situations, but it forced the players to focus their resources and efforts more specifically. Plus, the realism of supply shortages became obvious to all quickly and seemed to add another layer of realism to the experience. Knowing that you really have to count your shots to conserve batteries and ammo as well as having to ration your water made it feel real.

The facility appeared to have many roles during its heyday, not the least of which was housing munitions in rows of bunkers. These bunkers, long vacant, where none the less, cool as all get out to oberve and play in/over.

From a topside view, you could have mistaken some of them for small, uniformly shaped hills as grass and briars had begun reclaiming the site. However, opening the large metal doors exposed a cavernous interior that once was home to hundreds and perhaps thousands of munitions of all sorts, including a few that apparently housed nucular material of some sort. (See my "green glow" as evidence).

All this and the firefights were unique and at the same time real in their feel. Due to the uniform set up of the base certain elements found themselves coming under attack from multiple directions because many positions had multiple roads coming from multiple directions. Such attacks frequently involved mechanized elements (Deuces, APCs, Armed Trucks etc...) and thus made for genuinely interesting game play. Several different battles and skirmishes took place with the tide of "battle" taking many unexpected turns. As if written by a hollywood script writer, re-enforcements would appear as if out of no-where just as their comrades were about to be over run.

Likewise, there were times when victory seemed all but inevitable as the sight of an approaching "Friendly" force rallied the players. Those hopes were many times dashed as the embattled defenders realized that what looked like friendlies from afar turned out to be hostiles up close.

There were varied objectives some of which involved breaking through fence lines, holding certain positions and even prisoner exchanges. It was the prisoner exchanges that always seemed to cause the most drama as at least one "prisoner" opened fire on his saviors. As it turned out the opposing side had simply dressed one of their guys up in some of the prisoner's garb.

Some of the larger battels invovled an apparently large battle for the centrally located "Airfield" in which a force close to 75 total players slugged it out.

A less epic, but no less interesting conflict occurred on the north side of the field as the General and his hired guns took on vaious forces who were attacking to take the Generals headquarters.

The attackers were stubborn and drove at the defenders with determination only to be beaten back by what seemed to be the will power alone of the General and his forces. At one point the order "smoke em if you got em" went around as what appeared to be overwhelming force was bearing down upon the tired and hungry General and his Mercs.

Infantry and mechanized elements were bearing down on the General from at least three sides and the situation was looking grim. To the West, a small but tenacious band of hostiles began picking off many of the General's crack body guards and some impressive showings were put out by both sides. At one point the two forces battled in close quarers with a couple of the General's Mercanaries taking cover in a bunker while the attackers attempted to smoke him out by dropping a smoke grenade throught he ventalation shaft. While they were dropping smoke, one of theirs took out one of the General's guys in the bunker with a quick shot from an MP5. Apparently relaizing his hopeless situation, the last remaining man within the bunker pulled the pin on his grenade, ran out and tossed it straight up and over the bunker scoring several instantaneous kills.

This exchange was not uncommon as all players demonstrated determination and valor in the face of stiff opposition. As water supplies began to dwindle on the field, tempers flared slightly, but all in all, sportsmanship ruled the day.

Props must be given a pair of hapless U.N. photographers who were taken hostage by the General's mercs. Their day didn't get much better as they were forced to load magazines and unfortunately for them, were ultimately executed after their own team expressed an ambivilance as to their status. They were troopers and remained good sports through it all.

As night began to fall, a massive explosion cut through the air and the Admin radios began to sqawk with alarm. There was talk of an overlooked shell having been inadvertantly detonated, or a live fire bombing excercise having been commenced on our positions.

Thankfully, neither mushroom clouds nor bombers were in sight and in fact it was "Mac V's" carbide cannon letting off a tremendous report.

As the last rays of sunlight were fading, the General and his troops could take comfort in knowing that they had held their ground against superior numerical forces and the invaders took comfort knowing that they had fought honorably against a well entrenched opposing force.

There were a few vendors on site including Airsoft Unlimited and TC Airsoft both of which had plenty of supplies on hand to keep everyone in the action.

It is undoubtable that any future games of this caliber will be quite an event and I for one am eagerly looking forward to them.

Special thanks for Mind Game Productions and all the players who put up with me (and didn't shoot me!)

ok...so maybe it wasn't that short a summary...look for the pics and video coming soon!

"The Zone" Pt. 1

2009-03-19T19:56:00.002-04:00

This was a great airsoft scenario game produced by Mind Game Productions and hosted by Wayne's World of Paintball in Ocala, FL.

There were several hundred players in attendance from all over the country and lots of fun was had by all.

Between the crazy costumes, the plot twists and the intense fire fights, the play was some of the best that I have seen.

If you haven't yet been to a game of this scale, it might be time to think about going. The entrance fees can vary from $30 - $80 per person, depending on when you register, but many times that fee includes lunch and a pretty good chance at winning some great prizes.

For more information on upcoming events from Mind Game Productions check out their site here:

http://www.mindgame-productions.com/nuke/index.php

Another helpful site for information on airsoft events in Florida is Florida Airsoft:

http://floridaairsoft.com/

"The Zone" Pt. 2

2009-03-19T19:50:00.003-04:00

"The Zone" Pt. 3

2009-03-19T19:50:00.001-04:00

Classic Army P90 Sportline TR with Metal Receiver

2009-03-04T23:53:00.018-05:00

When I got word from Spartan Imports that they were interested in sending us one of their Sportline P90 TR's for testing I was excited. I've always liked the compact bull-pup design and I had heard some great things about the CA P90 MPEG recently.

What sweetened the deal even more was the offer to include a metal receiver upgrade for me to take a look at. The P90 SL TR by itself is pretty slick and the heft that the metal upper receiver and rail system adds makes the gun feel really great. Bear in mind that at$85-$90 the metal upgrade isn't the cheapest part to buy, but its not as expensive as some rail kits I've seen.

Playing with the gun wasn't all roses and kittens however. As this model is a "Sportline" unit, there was a fair amount of average feeling plastic body work. I could look past the plastic finish, but what really bugged me was the seem which ran down the middle of the gun. The problem was that the seem created a ridge in both the handholds and caused some chaffing and scratches to my hands.

Luckily the fix was simple, quick and effective. I simply took an exacto and shaved down the portions of the seem where my hand came into contact with it. I am sure a bit of sand paper or a file would achieve a similar result.

In these pictures you can see the seem along with the fire selector switch and the hop up access port. The fire selector worked fine and clicked through its positions well. Interestingly I noticed that when the gun was in full auto mode the trigger could be consistently manipulated to fire in single fire much like the Steyr AUG (Pull the trigger in slightly for single fire and all the way for full auto). The hop was a little difficult to get to, but it hasn't yet required frequent adjustment so it did not concern me too much.

The next problem area was a bit more important to the gun's functionality. The high cap magazine was finicky and required several hard smacks during the preliminary firing tests to cycle properly.

Additionally, the mag would sometimes unwind because the bbs had gotten stuck in the reservoir and this required that the entire mag be removed and rewound. This problem is undoubtedly due to the P90's design which places the magazine in a horizontal position.

I don't fault CA per se as it seems to be part and parcel to the airsoft gun that is the P90. It would seem that, for these reasons, the average P90 skirmisher would do well to pick up some more conventional spring powered low or possibly high cap mags.

Aside from the metal receiver one of the coolest features on the P90 was the quick take-down feature which allowed for the upper receiver to be completely separated with ease.

Although obvious, another feature I liked was how well integrated the stock is with the rest of the gun. It made the gun feel very solid. Removal of the butt plate requires that you press the small button on the underside of the butt plate.
Once the plate is removed, a very modest battery compartment is exposed that could accommodate only a conventionally shaped 8.4v 1100 mah bat. or a custom fitted battery.

We have not yet completed our full firing tests, but the preliminary results look promising. The ROF with the stock 8.4v 1100 mah battery seem to be above average and the FPS has been clocked as high as 380. One strange thing about our test gun was the inconsistency of the bb velocity. A couple of shots would register around 330 and the next couple would spike to around 380 fps. This is a sportline model, so there may be some loose ends within the gearbox, but it is still strange to see such a variation in the velocity.

The accuracy has been good however, so whatever velocity spikes there are they don't seem to produce many flyers. I got tight groupings out to 100' with ease and I expect good performance when we start pushing this little gun's outer range limitations.

Thus, while our testing is not complete, there are some good and bad things to be aware of if you are in the market for a P90.

To see an excellent review of the CA P90 take a look at this review from Airsoftreview.net

For a great video on how to disassemble the P90 take a look at this guide from mechbox.com.

AATV Minute Review: CAW Revolver Grenade Launcher

2009-03-02T01:24:00.001-05:00

The informative and hilarious guys at AATV (Austrian Airsoft Television) have made another review about a mouth wateringly cool piece of airsoft tech.

If the words "Airsoft Grenade Launcher" sound the slightest bit interesting then you owe it to yourself to watch the vid.
It appears from that, as with many airsoft "grenade launchers" this unit doesn't actually launch the shells out of the tubes. Rather, the rig acts more like lean ,mean, multi-barreled, revolving, bb spraying, machine.

Its barely over a minute and a half long, so really, you've got no excuse for not clicking "play".

King Arms SIG556 Shorty

2009-02-28T13:26:00.001-05:00

This is another video that SlickAxe from www.NLairsoft.com alerted me to.

First off, very concise and too the point video and in a way thats refreshing.

More importantly, there are some REALLY cool features apparently available on this gun. The fire selector switch appears to be fairly heavy duty so hears hoping.

Next, I don't think there is enough rail space ;)

Further, the detachable top receiver is a great feature and should ease the disassembly process immensely. When they removed that top portion I was surprised to see such a long nozzle.

Finally of course, there is the blowback feature which looks pretty slick and apparently won't jam if the bolt is held closed. This should allow the more hardcore player to take advantage of this blowback feature as it shouldn't pose an additional part that could jam the action during a firefight.

Overall, looks impressive!

King Arms Galil ARM

2009-02-28T13:18:00.001-05:00

"SlickAxe" from NL AIrsoft (www.NLairsoft.com)

notified me of this video on the new King Arms Galil ARM. It looks to have much promise and I'm quite the fan of the Galil platform.

Marushin Glock 21 Review

2009-02-18T03:01:00.002-05:00

The great guys at RedWolf Airsoft have produced a very nice video of the the new Marushin Glock 21. The really slick part about this offering appears to be its realistic shell ejection system.

For those of you looking for a nice training tool this looks like a promising option.

Here is the link to their full review which includes a nice textual Pro vs. Con spreadsheet and the editor's opinion as well.

http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ReviewDetail?reviewID=211

Alleyway Airsoft Reviews

2009-01-29T19:35:00.003-05:00

We stumbled accross Alleyway Airsoft quite by luck, but we're glad we did.

As it happened they contacted us looking for a bit of info and I decided to check out their work.

I was absolutely amazed! They don't have too many videos ...yet... but what they've got really impressed me.

They offer an excellent review format and provide simultaneous views of the shooter and the target.

According to their "about us" page, these guys are pretty computer savvy and it shows in the level of graphics detail that they put into their videos.

I've got to admit that their operation motivates me to up my game as well ;)

Still, in the interest of letting the viewers know about grade A review material I would encourage anyone interested in airsoft to check out their site.

I've embedded one of their videos here for your enjoyment.

Toy Soldier Sports Awards

2009-01-21T20:43:00.003-05:00

The great folks from Toy Soldier Sports were generous enough to throw a wonderful party and hand out some very thoughtful awards.

We had a great time and want to thank Toy Soldier Sports from the bottom of our hearts!

2009 SHOT Show Photos V 1.0

2009-01-19T02:43:00.001-05:00

Here are most of the photos we took away from the 2009 SHOT Show.

Note, most of the pics here are not airsoft guns.

We've got the best of the Airsoft highlights coming soon in video form!

Pictures from "The Zone"

2009-01-15T23:27:00.002-05:00

Here is a photo slide show of "The Zone" hosted by Mind Game Productions held at Waynes World on Jan. 10th, 2009. If you haven't yet been to a full size scenario game, I encourage you to attend one ASAP as it is truly a fun and unique experience!

While small backyard skirmishes are always fun, there is something about having hundreds of airsoft guns exchanging fire with one another that produces a truly memorable experience.

Not to mention all the friends you make after the games have concluded. If you life anywhere in the Central Florida region you owe it to yourself to at least check one of these events out.

Even if you don't live nearby, its worth the trip as we talked to people from all over the country at this last event.

ASR Upcoming Events

2009-01-06T16:01:00.002-05:00

We've got some really cool events that we are planning on attending in the near future, so look us up if you're there!

1. Event: "The Zone"

Date: January 10, 2009
Location: Wayne’s World of Paintball, Ocala, FL
Event producer: Mindgame Productions

2. Event: 2009 SHOT Show

Date: January 15-18, 2009
Location: Orange County, FL Convention Center

Airsoft Sniper School Updates

2009-01-06T15:40:00.002-05:00

GySgt. Longrange has been hard at work on some great article for all your airsoft snipers out there.

I've gotten so many questions from patrons asking me how to zero their scope and whether they should go with a semi auto or bolt action over the lat couple of years. I've usually responded to these queries with emails, but never an article. Thats why I'm thrilled that Sgt. Longrange has taken the time to answer some of these questions in a well written and illustrated manner.

Even if you're not a "sniper" its worth taking a look!

1. Bolt Action vs Semi/Full Auto

2. How to properly use your scope

AirsoftSniperSchool.com

2009-01-05T00:42:00.003-05:00

I was searching for fellow airsofters on Twitter and I came across GySgt. Longrange and his www.Airsoftsniperschool.com site.

Generally, I am a bit wary of sites with titles like this because its easy for anyone who may or may not know anything to compile a bunch of menacing "one shot, one kill" graphics and call it a site on sniping.

This site deviates from that silly tradition and presents information on tactics and equipment in a straightforward and digestible manner.

Airsoftsniperschool.com seems to be getting its legs and doesn't have a ton of content, but whats there is good.

I would recommend that anyone who is interested in basic skirmish strategy take a look at the "Airsoft Basic Training" post. It takes some of the methods found in mil spec training manuals and ads some nice annotations and graphics and makes for more easy reading.

Also, there is some good commentary on ghillie suits and sniping tactics in general.

Take a look!

Classic Army AR-10 Quality Report

2009-01-04T13:08:00.011-05:00

Product Summary: Classic Army AR-10
Cost: $369.99 MSRP
Source: Spartan Imports
Gun Type: AEG
Average FPS: 400+ (.2g, .23g)
Max Effective Range: 175 ft
Pros: Excellent Range, good accuracy, great fit and finish with lots of metal parts, large battery compartment, fun and functional bolt release lever, beefy sights, lots of rails, average ROF.
Cons: Overly sensitive mag release button, some minor finish blemishes on plastic hardware, battery access somewhat limited, average ROF, heavy (might not be a con), multiple sizes of allen screw used in construction.
Editor's opinion: These days, if you've come in contact with the airsoft world even a little bit, you've probably seen the AR/M16/M4 variant done to death. Sure, its America's weapon of choice for good reason, but lots of airsofters want to make a statement. Some like to go all out and we see them on the field shirtless and sporting a mohawk as if daring the other team to install hundreds of extra nipples all over their bodies. For those of us who are happy with our stock nipple count, there is the AR-10. Sure it was originally designed by Eugene Stoner (Father of the M16), but its NOT an M16. Its the much lesser known, but possibly superior AR-10 with a facelift for the 21st Century. It looks like an M16 thats been hitting the gym, but its got some unique sight lines if you look closely enough. Its a sleeper and it will leave a lot of competition in its dust. If not for a few relatively minor quirks this gun would have aced the tests. That said, it has performed very well in actual skirmishing and will undoubtedly form a benchmark for future tests.
Final Grade: A-

Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments on this airsoft gun!

How to Remove the New Version Echo1 G36c Flash Hider

2009-01-02T20:33:00.001-05:00

I've gotten several questions on this topic and one of our viewers stepped up and decided to answer that question for the world.

The video is a little dark and a little shaky, but the info is solid and it should be useful for anyone in this type of situation.

The only I would add is the suggestion to wrap the flash hider with a cloth or other soft material before using the pliers to twist.

If you care about the stock flash hider, you'll want to avoid scratches and the pliers can leave deep gouges in the plastic.

Also, if you have followed the steps listed in the video and you still cannot remove the flash hider, try looking at the bottom of the muzzle tip for a tiny allen set screw.

Between, the hair dryer, plyers and set screw, you should be able to take off any flash hider you encounter!

WARNING: Conduct removal at your own risk!

RAP4 Bazooka Grenade Launcher Video Review

2009-01-01T22:37:00.012-05:00

RAP4 Bazooka Review Pt. 1

Product Summary: RAP4 Bazooka Grenade Launcher
Cost: $399.99
Source: Real Action Paintball
Gun Type: CO2
Average FPS: 150 (Nerf Darts, Paint Grenades, Potatoes)
Max Effective Range: 200 +ft
Pros: Can fire nearly anything that will fit in the barrel, good range, acceptable gas efficiency, good intimidation factor, very good fit and finish, fun.
Cons: Test model seemed to have a defective tank capacity gauge, rudimentary sights.
Editor's opinion: The RAP4 Bazooka Grenade Launcher is easily one of the coolest products we have tested to date. It feels solid, it is incredibly simple in its design and operation and it works very well. We were able to launch a reasonably diverse range of ammunition out of the barrel with relative accuracy and good range. The metal and wood construction made the unit feel very solid in the hands and the gas efficiency was not bad given the large volume of gas that was expelled during each firing. Having participated in many scenario games, I can say from personal experience that having one of these launchers can be very intimidating and effective against tanks, fortified positions and entrenched opposition. If you're in the market, I would strongly recommend taking a look at this offering.
Final Grade: A

*We are testing out the HD web hosting for the first time. If you cannot view the embedded video, please click on the heading above each video to view.

Happy New Year from ASR!

2009-01-01T01:24:00.002-05:00

2008 has been a good year to us here at ASR and we hope to have the same thing happen again in the new year.

We expect good things and great videos to come your way in the coming months, so stay tuned and stay safe!

What we've been working on

2008-12-23T18:26:00.002-05:00

Ok, so like most of you we've been crazy busy around here.

But! We've got some great stuff in the pipeline and we are very excited about them!

Here is what we've got coming very soon:

CA AR-10 = AWESOME! Thanks to Spartan Imports, we've been testing this gun heavily over the last couple of days and while there have been some minor bugs that we had to work through, the over all package has left us impressed.

The accuracy of this gun has so far broken through nearly all of the records we've come to hold as the benchmark for most airsoft guns.

The groupings out of the AR-10 are tight out to 150'! Whats more, you can hit a man sized target at ranges of up to 175'...STOCK using .20 gram bbs!!!!!

Although we have found that foregrip does shift a somewhat after having been abused a bit, a simple twist of the locking collar helps to tighten things back up.

Aside from the nominal and temporary fore grip shifting, the exterior finish is really nice and we give mucho kudos to Classic Army for this.

Its not cheap, but you are getting quality performance and good looks so its good to know that you're getting what you pay for. (MSRP $369.99).

RAP4 Bazooka - If fun could be made into a metal, the RAP4 bazooka would be made out of it.

Thats probably the best way to describe this cannon, because we could NOT STOP FIRING IT!

There is a tiny bit of technique required to ensure that the packing you are using sufficient to provide a good seal and good compression. But learning how to get it right is as much fun as getting it right. (We were fighting over who got to shoot it next!)

The bazooka is admirably simple in its design and it works. There are two pressure gauges on the rear of the tube. The first will be familiar to anyone who has used a paintball gun, because it shows basically how much air is in the CO2 tank.

The second shows how much pressure is in the firing chamber. In our case the gauge usually registered at right around 80 lbs.

The only malfunction that we encountered was that the first gauge (the one that shows how much air you have left) stopped registering the correct volume after the first bottle.

However, this glitch had no noticeable effect on the operation of the launcher as its performance remained flawless.

One other little trick we found was that you need to pull the trigger quickly, because squeezing it will result in air leakage around the valve, resulting in an insufficient release of pressure.

Also, RAP4 sent us alot of great stuff (Some cool shirts and caps) along with the Bazooka and we'll be giving away lots these goodies as a result.

Expect details to come out about several great giveaways in the coming days.

(BTW an airsoft gun will be part of that giveaway!)

Basically, the RAP4 bazooka is at your command and anything you can shove in its two inch diameter barrel, is fair game. (Not that we recommend everything! SAFETY FIRST!)

This is kind of like having your own personal cannon ...oh wait...it IS having your own personal cannon!

I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say that launching a nerf rocket at close to 200 fps at an effective range of nearly 200' is freakin sweet!

I can't say enough good stuff here...look for our video ASAP and you'll see what we mean!

2009 SHOT Show

2008-12-21T15:49:00.004-05:00

For whatever reason this major event has slipped my mind until just recently. Then I realized that this show would be going on in my back yard (Orlando, FL).

There should be some great stuff to check out and with a bit of luck we will still be able to register in time to get a pair of press passes.

If that's the case, Airsoft Reports will be able to bring you some good stuff from the show!

Here is the link to the SHOT show home page.

http://www.shotshow.org/App/homepage.cfm?moduleid=1968&appname=100300

Stay tuned!

POW AIRSOFT, SCOTLAND, BONNYBRIDGE 30th November 2008

2008-12-17T04:11:00.001-05:00

Here is one of the great clips from Scoutthedoggie and his gang of airsoft enthusiasts.

Airsoft Battle Videos

2008-12-17T03:53:00.004-05:00

Most of us can agree that we'd rather be playing airsoft than most other things. (I said MOST! ;)

However, most of us don't get to play quite as much as me prefer. Therefore, sometimes, the next best thing to dishing out long strings of stinging plastic, is watching airsoft battle videos.

Lots of times, one grainy, low res clip of something that kind of looks like a skirmish is all it takes to get the blood racing.

So now imagine if you could view an airsoft video that is filmed and edited and formatted at a professional level!

Too good to be true you say? We are doomed to suffer through a suffocating sea of dizzying, cell phone video clips filmed by 12 yearolds?

Enter, Scoutthedoggie and his terrific Youtube videos.

Scoutthedoggie (His handle) is a self professed enthusiast who, on top of his love of airsoft, has an uncanny ability to film airsoft battles with accuracy and precision.

Unlike many of the videos circulating online, you can actually see what guys in the film are shooting at! As an added bonus, and thanks to his almost magical filming technique, you can even see the perspective of the target as they are being hit! (Cool!)

The short of it is, there aren't better airsoft battle videos out there! Watch a Scoutthedoggie clip and you'll be as close the action as you can without actually getting whelts.

There isn't much point in me going on much more. Watch the videos for yourself and I would strongly suggest you subscribe to his channel. Simply click here to see his Youtube account.

We will be making his productions a regular feature here at Airsoft Reports as well, so one way or the other you'll get a good look at these fantastic productions.

Airsplat discount code!

2008-12-15T22:47:00.004-05:00

Airsplat is offering Airsoft Reports fans a special discount of %5.5 off any purchase of $150 or more!

Enter the code "ASR" and get your discount!

Also, Airsplat has some new specials and in the spirit of posting retailers' specials, we decided to let you all know about them.

"Classic Army 15% Discount on ALL Airsoft AEG Rifles!"

According to their blog, they've also got a slew of new stock in and thats good news because a quick check of the new inventory shows some exciting new product.

Enter the JG p90...I'm sure we'll be testing this model at some point per the overwhelming requests for an MPEG P90 review.

Also, some nice budget minded full metal AGM M4s and some good looking A&K products are also in the mix.

Its worth taking a look at.

Remember the Airsoft Reports discount code is "ASR" (Just the letters, no quotation marks).

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline Firing Report

2008-12-12T11:49:00.006-05:00

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline
Firing Report

RAP4 Promos

2008-12-11T20:38:00.005-05:00

Hey guys and gals,

with the holiday season in full swing we thought we'd pass on all the deals that we become aware of.

One such offer was passed on to us from the guys who have supplied us with the Bazooka.

Here are some of the deals from RAP4.

Paintball Harness (ACU) $29.95
Value Paintball Harness
FREE with a total purchase of $200 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREEHarness at check out and get this item FREE.
$35.00
Value Marker Bag
FREE with a total purchase of $300 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREEBag at check out and get this item FREE.

$50.00
Value Digital Woodland Paintball Vest
FREE with a total purchase of $400 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREEVest at check out and get this item FREE.

Tactical Ten Paintball Vest (ACU) $99.00
Value Tactical Ten Paintball Vest
FREE with a total purchase of $500 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREETacten at check out and get this item FREE.

T68 CQB Paintball Gun $379.00
Value T68 CQB Paintball Gun
FREE with a total purchase of $1000 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREET68CQB at check out and get this item FREE.

T68 Gen4 - Magazine Fed Paintball Gun $450.00
Value T68 Gen6 - Magazine Fed Paintball Gun
FREE with a total purchase of $1500 or more. Use promotional coupon code FREET68Gen6 at check out and get this item FREE.

Testing RAP4 Bazooka Paintball Grenade Launcher Video

2008-11-26T18:16:00.002-05:00

Here is the video of the RAP4 Bazooka Grenade Launcher in action!

RAP4 Bazooka Incoming!

2008-11-26T17:35:00.006-05:00

You're heart is pounding and time has slowed to a crawl. You look around and all you feel like you're in a dream. Rounds are spraying everywhere and you're men are being hit left and right.

You and your team have been assigned to storm the emplacement and the enemy is putting up fierce resistance.

Their positions are well dug in and your weaponry can't penetrate their fortifications. You're position is precarious at best and you're team's numbers are dwindling. All looks to be lost, until you remember that there is a way forward.

You just happen to have a secret weapon and you pull it off your shoulder. Before you can bring hell to the enemy, you've got a quick decision to make. Which round are you going to use?

You evaluate the situation;

You see that the target bunker with the largest number of enemy troops has a half circle fence that is preventing your men from getting a good bead on the enemy. What you need is a method of delivering an effective payload in a non-linear manner. In other words you need to lob a round up and over the fence.

Enter the RAP4 Bazooka. This lean, mean blasting machine can do the job of both a rocket launcher and a mortar. It runs off of CO2 just like a paintball gun and it can launch paintballs, paint grenades and nerf rockets.

Right now, you need your shot to count and the grenade is just the munition for this job.
You drop the round in the tube, attach it to the pin remover and place in the paper towel wadding so as to allow for smooth compression.

Its go time and bbs are flying around you thick and fast. There is no time for second guesses as you run out into the open for a clear shot. As if in slow motion, you see the enemy guns start to swing inyour direction. You can see the bbs as they are tracing their way through the dirt towards you. You raise the muzzle for an arcing trajectory and just as the first bbs start to kick up dust at your feet, you pull the trigger...

A resounding "Thump!" is let out as the payload clears the tube and is lifted skyward. As the paper wadding falls to the ground, you see that your gamble paid off. The grenade landed right smack in the middle of a dozen bewildered enemy. Before any of the stunned opposition could react the grenade cooked off and sent a spray of paint in a 15 foot diameter.

As a collective cry of disgust goes up from the bunker, you realize that you've just taken out %90 off the opposing force from 75' away!

Your forces regroup and triumphantly storm the emplacements. You've just turned the tide on the enemy and drawn victory from the jaws of defeat. You've got the RAP4 Bazooka grenade launcher.

OK ok, so MAYBE...we exaggerate a bit and as always we will have to let the facts play out as they will. But! based upon the video we have seen of this rig in operation, we expect that the above scenario will not be too hard to replicate.

Thats right ASR fans, if all goes well we will be testing the Real Action Paintball Bazooka Grenade Launcher before the year is out!

We'll try to contain our drool until the package arrives. Rest assured that we will be posting a video review of this piece as soon as we can!

Mechbox.com

2008-11-25T18:33:00.004-05:00

If I had to choose the single best resource for getting to know the inner workings of an airsoft gearbox, it would be www.Mechbox.com without any question.

Why? Ill tell you.

This site is run by some crazy talented guys and they deliver the content in a friendly and easily digestible way.

They don't just do gearboxes either. They show you how to GET to the gearbox which can sometimes be equally daunting. Dis assembly of the body is not always an easy thing and Mechbox.com has you covered!

Plus they've got some great reviews so you really can't go wrong.

I can't even count how many times I've had a gun in front of me with a blank and somewhat stupefied look on my face trying to figure out how to break a gearbox down. The cure has always been Mechbox.com.

I pull up one of their videos and viola! That dumb look goes out the window and I'm rocking the gearbox like a pro. (OK, maybe the dumb look stays with me but I can't have it all).

I've used their resources so many times I thought it was only fair to give credit where its due.

So www.mechbox.com I salute you! Keep up the good work!

To those of you who just bought that shiny new bbs slinger (After having seen one of our videos on it of course ;) take a look at their site. The 10 min you'll spend watching one of their videos will save you oodles in repair costs later.

Meeting Buddy

2008-11-25T18:22:00.004-05:00

I don't usually post off the Airsoft topic, but there are a couple of products that I've had such a good experience with recently that I wanted to give a shout out to them.

These are both cell phone related:

#1. ZAGG Invisibleshield - This outfit uses some type of industrial (Military they say) grade clear film that has an AMAZING resistance to scratches. I've outfited my new HTC Touch Diamon with it and I am glad I did. At $10 bucks for a front shield its in line with other products on the market and it really works! Additionally, they offered me GREAT customer service and sent me out a replacement when I screwed up the initial intallation. All they asked of me was that I pay shipping and return the original unit. Great people and very respectful! A+

#2. Meeting Buddy - This is a piece of software designed by a guy named Nashant Pant. Nashant's operation is modest but grade A!. This software allows anyone with a Windows Mobile accelerometer equipped phone to lock and unlock their touch screen with ease. All you have to do is shake it. On top of the great program is the great price. Its only $5. Still further, Nashant gave me some of the best cust service I have seen. He was quick with solutions when I had issues with the install and stayed respectful and paitent the whole time. Check his site out and take a look if you're in the market!

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline Quality Report

2008-11-25T11:39:00.008-05:00

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline
Quality Report

Pt. 1

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline
Quality Report

Pt. 2

ICS MP5 A4 Sportline
Quality Report

Pt. 3

ICS MP5 A4
Quality Report

Pt. 4

Product Summary: ICS MP5 A4 Sportline and Deepfire M120 Spring
Cost: $154.95 (AEG) and $11.95 (Spring) MSRP
Source: Airsplat
Gun Type: AEG
Average FPS: 335 (.2g bbs)
Max Effective Range: 140 ft
Pros: Good fit and finish for a plastic body, useful rear sight assembly, excellent gearbox good long range accuracy selector switch is provides more tactile feedback than many, full metal magazines that cycled a large number of bbs.
Cons: Test model came with a bad spring and required replacement before max. FPS was achieved, the fire selector switch could have more positive click in.
Editor's opinion: The ICS MP5 A4 Sportline was a mixed bag for us. The spring issue was a great dissapointment as this was the first ICS product we've tested. Based on our research ICS has an excellent reputation and thus, we have conlcuded that our model's malfunction was an isolated incident. Further, when the spring was replaced, the gun functioned flawlessly. We suspect that the gun may have been shipped from the factory with the spring inadvertently compressed, causing it to lose some of its tension by the time it reached our shop. Once the spring was swapped out this AEG performed well. We would give the gun slightly above average overall marks rating at a B- though it would have recieved an A grade but for the spring issue.
Final Grade: B-

ICS SIGs

2008-11-24T02:28:00.003-05:00

Lol, i know it says its been released but you wont see it in the US for another month or two.

2 Million Served!

2008-11-14T03:36:00.002-05:00

Whoo Hoo!

We recently hit the 2,000,000 view mark on Youtube! Just wanted to say thanks to all you airsoft lovers for being such great fans!

We're on our way to another million views! 3Million here we come!

Sweet New AEGs Coming From China!

2008-11-03T23:22:00.009-05:00

http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/news2/4751#more-4751

The biggest surprise, an affordable AEG Barret M82 .50 cal sniper! Yeah, you read that right. It has a high cap......ha ha wow. IMO, that's an insult to snipers everywhere. A high cap of that size could probably hold at least 600+ rounds. (my guess, around 800+)

Hopefully, MAGPUL doesn't go after the Masada, they are known to go after companies. (kinda like Glock...)

Hopefully, A&K's M60 is priced similar to their M249. I can see that being a big hit.

Just thought I'd share that

(I didn't find this btw, saw it on ASF. Credit to Psychobunny on ASF)

Classic Army AR-10 First Impression Video

2008-10-31T17:13:00.008-04:00

Here is our Quick Take video of the new Classic Army AR-10.

CA AR-10 First Look

2008-10-30T19:10:00.014-04:00

Step right up boys and girls we have a genuine, bonafide Classic Army AR-10 in the work shop and lots pictures for all!

We literally got the package in this afternoon from Spartan Imports.

After eagerly tearing open the packaging we were face to face with new, full metal AR-10 in all its glory.

Want rail? You got it! Lots of it actually and its not going ANYWHERE. Not a trace of barrel wobble!

Want to have some fun slapping the bolt back into battery after pulling it back to expose the hop up. HAVE AT IT!

Want to shoot .2g bbs at 430 fps STOCK?!? Just pull the trigger!

In fairness, we are always excited about every new airsoft gun that makes its way into our eager hands.

Not withstanding some initial excitement, our initial impressions are good, but they are still being fully formulated. So far the only fault that we have found with the design is the magazine. For some reason the magazine does not seat within the well easily. Its possible that this problem is one that will go away as the break in period passes and we'll keep you updated on that issue.

Aside from that concern, the rest of the gun is beautiful! The fore grip feels like it is solid enough to hit home runs with and the trademarks are well placed . The switch gear, both functional and otherwise, has positive engagement with tactile and auditory "clicks". The sights are just cool and of course the charging handle bolt release will never get old.

Granted, this hardware isn't exactly found in the clearance bin. For roughly $380.00 this offering had better have its act together. Still, good is good.

We don't usually go into the real steel history of an airsoft model's namesake, but given the relative obscurity of the AR-10 we decided to deviate from this path for this review.

In case you've never heard of the "AR-10" there is a decent entry on Wikipedia on the subject with its list of citations.

In short the AR-10 was/is the 7.62mm American version of a redheaded step child.
The M14 and M16 made it onto the front lines the most, with production numbers that dwarfed that of the AR-10.

However, it appears that the AR-10 was actually unfairly reviewed during military testing and was in fact a superior weapon. Reports show that its design was inherently accurate and of course it utilized a more powerful cartridge than the new 5.56 AKA .223 "Poodle Shooters".

Now Classic Army has released what we like to call an "Updated" version of the AR-10 platform, so all you re-enactors will need to scrounge up some retro fore grips if you want to get your "Nam" on.

The rest of us will be rocking an old school name in a decidedly modern manner.

Stay tuned for the video "Quick Take"!

TSD M4 RIS

2008-10-21T23:32:00.015-04:00

Product Summary: TSD M4 RIS
Cost: $198 MSRP
Source: TSD
Gun Type: Average FPS: 350
Max Effective Range:130'
Pros: Metal Rails, Metal Gearbox w/ Metal Bushings, Good FPS, Large Battery Compartment
Cons: Barrel Wobble
Editor's opinion: The TSD M4 offers a good performing, if somewhat plain option for the airsoft enthusiast. There is some barrel wobble, and while it can be a minor annoyance, it has not detracted from the performance of the gun.The metal rails offer great customization options and the battery compartment will accommodate a nice large battery. It has proven itself in our skirmishes and seems to be a worthwile choice in the MPEG market.

ASReports news #17 Attack of BB M4

2008-10-20T20:55:00.005-04:00

News, and good news at that!

All news from Airsoftnews.eu

1. Tokyo Marui EBB M4A1, and Hi-capa Xtreme

TM has finally released Pics of there Blowback system in there M4a1 model. So far it looks to be very intriguing. Tm is also releasing A Full Auto version of a Hi-capa pistol. Video below!

Note the Sytema PTW aspects of the M4a1...hint hint stops firing when out of ammo!

2. Classic Army Blowback M4A1

So far it looks weak. The ROF is extremely slow, but this is probably due to the demonstrators not using a fully charged battery....i hope.

3. Real Sword SVD accuracy Tests!

I was extremely impressed with the their tests. Thats not to say that other airsoft guns cant do it. But i doubt many can do it stock.

Tooth Pick test
Lighter Test

Airsoft MD Phased Launch

2008-10-15T00:25:00.002-04:00

We are in the beginning of a phased launch of our new sister site, www.airsoftmd.com.

The new site is dedicated to trying to help airsoft owner with their airsoft related technical questions.

We have two techs (Overmedicated and Turion) who have volunteered and will be helping to answer your questions about airsoft related tech.

The phased rollout will allow us to tweak the design and function of the site as the publicity increases.

If you have a design idea or would like to apply for an Airsoft MD tech position go to the site and use the contact form to reach us.

CA AR-10

2008-10-15T00:15:00.003-04:00

We will have to wait to see the gun in our shop, but right now things look good for a Classic Army AR-10 review in the coming month or two!

Here is a picture sourced from off of the CA wholesaler, Spartan Imports website

Word has it that there is a functional forward assist button and stock FPS of 400+!
Stay tuned for the updates!

HK "Navy" aka "SEF" Trigger Group Defined

2008-09-20T19:18:00.007-04:00

I'm in the process of completing a new video review of the recently released ICS MP5 A3 - plastic body.

As part of my SOP I always do a final scan of the web before I conduct a video review.

During my last check, I came accross the website, www.HKPRO.com which had a great page on the different types of HK trigger groups that have been made.

I cannot say for sure if this is an exhaustive list, but there are several variations to look at.

This site is of course dedicated to the real steel weapons that HK makes, but the diagrams and trigger group explinations are replicated in airsoft form in many cases.

You might impress a couple of folks at the next skirmish if you spit out the German translation of "SEF".

According to HKPRO the words are the abbreviations of the German words for "Safe", "Single fire" and "Full Auto". (Noooo... really?)

Now assuming you've geeked out really hard and everyone is giving you stink eye, you can take solice knowing that you know the half dozen or so trigger groups AND their German pronunciations and they don't!

On a related note, even though airsoft does not have all the trigger variations that HK has produced (stock anyway), you may be able to simulate your favorite trigger setting by installing a computer chip it in your guns circuitry.

If you're interested, I'd recommend looking http://unconventional-airsoft.com for some good places to start.

If you're interested in what Wiki has to say about the MP5 click here.

Airsoft Silencer Legality

2008-09-17T22:36:00.011-04:00

!Disclaimer!

I am not a lawyer and the following is not legal advice! It is merely a compilation of the applicable law, cases and correspondence that I have found scattered accross the web! I bear no responsibility to anyone who misuses this information!

!End Disclaimer!

Contrary to popular belief silencers are not illegal per se, in the US, but there are A LOT of regulations that govern their ownership.

Here's why this is important to me as a member of the airsoft community;

ANYTHING which COULD be used to reduce the report of a firearm could be considered a firearm silencer! Thats right little Johnny, that carboard tube you just taped to your AEG barrel could land you in the federal pen! (OK, this is an exaggeration, but not as much of one as I would have thought!)

For example, according to an October 2005 letter from Carl J. Truscott to a would-be paintball silencer maker, anything that can reduce the report of a "portable firearm" is considered to be a firearm silencer. Apperantly, regardless of whether or not significant removal and modification would be required to make the part work with a real firearm.

Its important to note that this is a letter from the director of the ATF (At least in 2005). It contains ambiguous statements that COULD be interpreted very differently from either side.
But, even if the Fed's have the wrong interpretation, they could still make your life unpleasant for a while.

Basically, Mr. Truscott seemed to be saying that the sample paintball barrel that his office received was NOT a silencer, BUT that it could be, if removed from the rest of the barrel (HUH!?!).

I don't know for sure, but it seems that the ported paintball barrel was OK. But there seemed to be a sub text which basically implied (Strongly) that adding any type of modification that COULD in some way be used on a real gun was a no no without the proper licensing.

If you're confused, then its time you join the club, because no one seems to know exactly what this means. From my perspective this is a yes and a no in one sentence.

Remember! Its not illegal to own the silencer as long as you get the proper license. However, under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) it is illegal to MAKE the silencer without first obtaining ATF approval, registering and properly marking the device AND paying the $200.00 registration fee! (See the Truscott ATF letter)

Registration of a silencer is apperantly something that Michael A. Crooker forgot to do. In 2004 Mr. Crooker was arrested by the ATF for attempting to send a large bore airgun through the mail with a silencer included. The ATF determined that the silencer (designed for a .44cal airgun) was capable of suppresing the sound of a real steal firearm.(Which does make sense).

Mr. Crooker was unfortunate enough to be found guilty of violating 18 U.S.C.S. Sec. 921(a)(3

by transporting a firearm silencer. This has landed him in federal prison for the mandatory 15 years!

This is not a small potatoes deal! Thats serious prison time any way you look at it!

I am certain that Mr. Crooker is appealing this conviction, but it does not change the fact that his life has not likely been too pleasant since this incident.

Now I cannot give anyone legal advice at this point in my career. BUT! I can tell you that I certainly will not be going anywhere NEAR trying to alter any faux suppressor that I come in contact with! Based on the Crooker case, it looks like taping on paper towel tube to the end of the barrel of an airsoft gun could result in federal prison!

Even though there is some room for interpretation on the issue of what constitutes a silencer/suppressor/muffler the potential risks are high.

Whats the lesson I'm taking away from this?

Just because you might not be using the sound suppressing device on a real gun, doesn't make it legal unless you are willing to notify the ATF, request approval, fill out the form(s) and pay the $200.00 big ones!

Given that the "report" on the average airsoft gun is already close to the decibel level of suppressed, real steel guns, its hardly worth it to me.

And now you know!

!Disclaimer!

I am not a lawyer and the above posting is not legal advice! It is merely a compilation of the applicable law, cases and correspondence that I have found scattered accross the web! I bear no responsibility to anyone who misuses this information!

!End Disclaimer!

Unconventional Airsoft

2008-09-17T01:38:00.005-04:00

I wanted to make a special post on this website because the folks who run this should (IMHO) be commended for the grade A content.

The site is www.Unconventional-Airsoft.com. (remember there is a dash between the first and last word).

You have only to read one of their posts to realize that there is a tremendous amount of know how behind the really cool projects they post about.

Everything from chips that provide 3-round burst fire and MOSFETs to home made, automatic airsoft turrets (Yes an auto turret!)

All I have to say is, this is freaking cool!

If you get a moment, take a look at their site.

Also, if you (Like me) feel like you're in a little (Or a lot) over your head with some of their useful projects, don't fret. In addition to providing your with the resources to do it all yourself, they have some of the projects pre-assembled and ready for sale.

Their shop will be down through the 29th of Sept. 2008 (according to their site) but there is lots of info to take a look at till then.

Upcoming products tests

2008-09-14T20:42:00.003-04:00

Allrighty boys and girls,

here is the projected line up of reviews coming out of ASR.

Firing Reports for the TSD SD87 and SD88 Shotguns
ICS MP5 A4 Quality and Firing Report
"Night Vision" Night Vision Monocular

Expect to see these videos before Christmas...I know thats a long time, but its a really conservative estimate.

I plan on whipping through things when I get a little down time. I will be working on the ICS MP5 Vid this coming weekend and the TSD Firing Reports SHOULD be up this week, although I have had some minor technical problems with them...so fingers crossed.

The night vision scope review is something that I'm really excited to bring you guys (and girls) because its the CHEAPEST ($109.00!) such monocluar I could find and its readily available at your local Wally World.

Its cheap, but it works! At least it will provide you night gamers with a better alternative than randomly spraying the darkness or exposing your position with flashlight!

The only hangup so far is getting an acceptable image into video form and posting it.

So far, the image is barely visible so we will have to see what I can come up with.(Anyone with an idea, please share!).

Thats all for now, as you can lots of good stuff coming soon!

ASReports news #16 Return!

2008-09-13T14:32:00.004-04:00

1. Airsoftnews.eu is Back Up

Airsoftnews.eu is back up and working. No really noticeable changes to the main page, or anything else for that matter. Expect more news from them as well as us! Airsoftnews.eu

2. PoweredgeUSA returns

I know it's been back for about a month, but i've forgotten to mention it until now. Updates to their selection include the sale of Real Steel excessories as well as PowerEdge Upgraded/Custom AEGs and Sniper rifles. Poweredgeusa.com

In Memoriam

2008-09-11T22:37:00.005-04:00

As you know today was the 7th Anniversary of the worst attack on American soil since Dec. 7th 1941 at Pearl Harbor.

ASR, honors the fallen and their sacrifice.

Our greatest thanks go out to the fallen and we wish them strength on this a day of remembrance.

Sincerely,

Konrad and all of Airsoft Reports

ASReports news #15 Lack there of...

2008-09-10T00:15:00.005-04:00

News from Arniesairsoft and Airsoftnews respectively.

1. Airsoftnews.eu Down...

As im sure most of you know, Airsoftnews.eu has been down for maintenance.

2. WE Gas Blow Back M4A1

"WE will launch their new product - Gas Blow Back M4A1 Carbine (Full Metal) at the end of September, 2008. This great and powerful rifle will be available at the new airsoft shop call "Airsoft Buddy". "Airsoft Buddy" is the one and only dealer of this item and they will start their business in the next week. This GBB M4A1 is full metal and can use Top Gas. CO2 magazines will be available after the rifle launched

. Now, you may take a look for the demo version's photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kcyauwil

The price is more reasonable than other similar products on the market. You may put all the real stuffs on it without any modification. A demo video will be out within a few days. Thanks"

3. Madbull Chronograph V.2

New Features include Rechargeable batteries (2xAAA), or use a USB cable to charge it with your computer. For additional info go here ---> MadBull Black Chrony

Ghillie Suit Supplies

2008-09-07T01:49:00.002-04:00

I have had a few people ask me about ghillie suits and supplies and I figured I post this link to give readers some food for thought.

www.ghilliesuitsonline.com

They have a great selection and they provide all the stuff you would need. (Although let it be known that your local fabric store should also carry the burlap and glue).

There are many excellent reviews and how tos on the subject of building youe own suit so I won't try to re-invent the wheel on this. What I will do is relate the highlights of my own personal experiences with the ghillie and a few things to be aware of.

#1, the intimidation factor of a ghillie suit is priceless. I know this may sound silly, but I found I enjoyed the interaction with the strangers I met at games more, simply because I didn't get as much smack talk and the usual jockying for the highest spot on the pecking order. BUT! Be prepared to have much more limited mobility, so you will need to reconsider your tactics if you go ghillie.

#2 , if you really, REALLY want to feel the pride of building the ghillie yourself then by all means build it yourself. Just don't think that because you're building it yourself, that your saving money.

The truth is, that with the mistakes you'll make, the extra fabric you'll buy and the gas you'll use driving back to Wally World 3 times in a night because you forgot something, will at least balance out the cost of buying a nice new ghillie from a retailer.

So think about buying at least a kit if you can't swing the fully assembled suit. Remember that whatever you get needs to be "Battle ready". This means to ACTUALLY TEST the suit before playing. You will be amazed how equipment that you "Want so badly to work" will fail you in the heat of a fire fight. The burlap needs to be FIRMLY ATTACHED to the base platform as does the netting. If it isn't you can see you entire suit comeapart because of one to many thornbush snags.

#3, as I mentioned in my "Airsoft Sniper" post, make SURE to invest in the proper hydration. If this means tying a string around the neck of a water bottle then DO IT! If you've got a little more coin to spend, then get a backpack water bladder with a drinking hose. This will allow you to remain nice and hidden and free up your hands.

Remember, people can't really see you so if you pass out from heat stroke, finding you will be a lot more difficult!

#4, don't forget to wrap the gun! If you spend the $ on the ghillie, spend a little extra on the gun wrap! The whole point is to break up the sight picture and while the opponent might not see the guy, they'll recognize the outline of a gun in an instant! FYI, it doesn't take much at all to accomplish the gun camo. Seriously, you could get away with making a burlap bag with holes at both ends and shredding a little bit of it. (Of course you could also get WAY more creative but simplicity sometimes it the best option).

Conclusion:

Budget $250 for the entire setup. I know this may sound high, but don't kid yourself, this number is the bottom line, not the price of just the suit before shipping.

$250 should get you a decent suit, a gun wrap, a hydration set up and of course the shipping/ cost of building it yourself.

Check out Ghilliesuit.com because they have some great pictures and it should give you an idea of what the prices are going to be.

There is a lot to like about ghillies, but just make sure you know what to expect!

Regards,

Konrad

Echo 1 Mini-Gun Teaser Demonstration

2008-08-31T03:40:00.002-04:00

The next time you're wondering how to arm that helicopter gunship for battle airsoft style, keep this little puppy in mind!

I think this might be the definition of "Spritual Creamyness" in airsoft form.

My oh my! This would most certainly "bring the rain".

TSD SD 87 and 88 Shotgun Review

2008-08-30T19:46:00.015-04:00

Here is the video guys and gals!

These little babies turned out to be pretty slick pieces of hardware.
Enjoy!

TSD SD 87 - Tri Shot

Quality Report

Product Summary: TSD SD87 - Three Shot Burst
Cost: $98.00 MSRP
Source: TSD
Gun Type: Pump Action, Spring Powered
Average FPS: 220-230 (.2g bbs)
Max Effective Range: 80 ft
Pros: 3 shots per trigger pull! Good fit and finish, nicely painted sights, metal barrel and loading tube and a great shotgun shell saddle holder.
Cons: Cocking effort is on the heavy side, FPS and accuracy are low, no adjustable hop up potentially cumbersome maneuverability.
Editor's opinion: Its a shotgun and it performs in that role pretty well. Don't get the SD87 to hit the bulls eye, rather, get it to hit the whole bull. Throw in the ability to slam fire (go easy on this feature) and you've got yourself a potent room clearer! Don't worry about the velocity, because at close range you won't need any more.

TSD SD 88 - Single Shot

Product Summary: TSD SD 88 - Single Shot
Cost: $48.00 MSRP
Source: TSD
Gun Type: Pump Action, Spring Powered
Average FPS: 370-380 (.2g bbs)
Max Effective Range: 125'
Pros: Surprisingly good accuracy and power, relatively light pump action, capability of firing multiple bbs, decent included extras, good maneuverability.
Cons: Sub par fit and finish, noticeable seems, poorly painted sights little or no metal external parts.
Editor's opinion: The old adage of "you get what you pay for" is applicable to this offering. But don't let looks alone be the deciding factor. Its surprisingly accurate and very maneuverable due to its short barrel. The power handily out flies many AEGs and the (unofficial) ability to load multiple bbs by partially racking the slide makes for a decent "shotgun" type airsoft gun. Further, you can slam fire the SD88 and although we've heard that this can wear out the parts pre-maturely, we have yet to encounter a failure. For such a low price this offering is something to be looked at as a backup, or even just a really fun backyard plinker!

TSD SD87 and SD88 Firing Report

ICS MP5 A4

2008-08-30T03:35:00.004-04:00

The good people from from www.Airsplat.com have sent us a brand new toy to test! The ICS MP5 A4 looks like it will go far in our test stable and at $154.95, its not a bad deal considering that it is apperantly identical to $249.95 metal bodied counterpart.

First, this will be the first ICS product to grace our tests and we are excited to put the good name to through the ringer.

The package arrived yesterday and so we have not had much time to really put this little baby through the full battery of tests.

However, off the bat the offering is shooting a consistent 300 fps +/- 1 fps. In my experience, consistent velocity is the hallmark of a quality airgun. While we have not yet taken advantage of the quick disassembly feature, my guess is that the ICS unit will have nice compression in the cylender and good seals both in the nozzle and the hop up unit.

The ROF was not 950 ROF, however, that is almost certainly due to the fact that we simply slapped a hald charged battery in the stock.

Speaking of the stock, it can house a full sized 1800 Mah/8.4 volt battery although its a bit of a squeeze, its really nothing too bad. Plus unlike many other battery compartments, this one is nice and rectangular, so the battery fits in without any crazy maneuvering.

The "Heat sink" on the bottom of the grip is a neat idea and well have to see if it has any noticable affect on the extended performance of the motor. Still we like where ICS's head is at.

Any one who has been around the sport for a bit will immediately recognize the classic lines of the MP5, and this one does not stray from the norm in that regard. However, where the ICS offering leaves some of its competitors is in the fit and finish department.

The ICS MP5 has a finish that seems to be a cut above some of its competition and the infamous selector switch beats both Echo 1 and Classic Army in the positive engagement category. Our test model provided an tactile and audible "Click" when it was moved from the various positions.

As many MP5 airsoft owners know this can be a major source of irritation if the switch is not engineered properly. Time and testing will tell if the ICS can hold on to this advantage after the testing process is completed.

Look for some video and pictures to be coming soon!

Regards,

Konrad

Well L96 Airsoft Sniper Rifle

2008-08-29T19:58:00.006-04:00

Well L96

Product Summary:
Cost: $139.95
Source: www.Airsplat.com
Gun Type: Bolt Action, Spring Powered
Pros: Good FPS, range, lots of extras
Cons: Accuracy could be better, some paint chipping on receiver
Editor's Opinion: This offering is just plain cool. However, be prepared to put in a tightbore barrel to tighten the groups. For best results try using the .25-.28g bbs.

ASReports news #14 Sorry for the wait!!!

2008-08-18T02:33:00.003-04:00

It's been weeks since we've had a new News bulletin, so here it is!

1. MadBull Airsoft Gains New License deal

MadBull obtained two more license rights- Tromix and Daniel Defense. News courtesy of Simon:
Dear friends,

It is our pleasure to announce that we now have official licensing fromDaniel Defense and Tromix.
Expect high quality licensed Daniel Defense(from MadBull Airsoft and SOCOMGEAR) and Tromix (from ECHO1) replicas for the Airsoft market within 2 months.

Only Mad Bull (ISGK) has Daniel Defense's blessing to produce their replicas.

In the mean time, we will try our hardest to stop illegal copies. Please support legal and licensed products and help us stop copycats!

*Our replicas come modified so they are not able to be applied on real firearms.

May we expect a Tromix Licensed Galil from Echo1? We'll find out in two months i guess

2.New Products from Modify

Ruby Chien, (Modify Co.) has sent in photos and details of their latest products:

Dear Sirs,

We produce airsoft gun custom part and some other related products, here is our website, www.modify.com.tw Also, there are few more products still in the developed process.

We are pleased to announce you our new products, new piston head for PSG-1 and AK74MN and new Bore-up Cylinder Set for P90 released.

If you are interested in our products, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards, Ruby Chien, (Modify Co.)

A Guide to Becoming an Airsoft Sniper

2008-08-09T20:04:00.009-04:00

I get a lot of questions about what is the best "Sniper rifle" and how to become an airsoft "Sniper" and I thought I would post some of my answers here so that others could benefit.

First off, I'm not going to get into the semantical definitions of what real "Sniping" is.

I define airsoft sniping as utilizing camoflauge , stealth and precision airguns to hit targets selectively.

My definition hinges on my belief that most aisoft guns operate within roughly the same parameters.

I have ranted about this lots of times, but here is the gist of my point.

Most people use .2g bbs in their AEGs and shoot them at not more than 350 fps. This means that most AEGs will have similar max effective engagement ranges and accuracies.

Now, the world of spring/gas power can take players closer to the world of "Sniping", by offering higher speeds. However, even utilizing .28g bbs (the heaviest that I have tested to date) the max effective range does not top more than 200 ft effetively. At ranges greater than that wind, and hop up start to play havoc on the trajectory of the bb.

For me this means that while the bb CAN land past 200', it is difficult to do so accurately.

Before the flame descends, bear in mind that I have seen the youtube videos of people using ultra exotics firing at ranges in excess of of 200'. HOWEVER, I do not consider this to be the norm given the costs. I am choosing to use the middle of the bell curve of airsoft players when I write this.

OK... So thats out of the way now here is the advice I have given to many.

Looks:

As I just said, most Airsoft guns are very similar or identical internally. This fact negates the performance differences that occur in real life. (I.e. Sniper rifle vs. Sub machine gun). When you accept this it will change the way you look at the buying decision and you can basically get whatever gun you think is prettiest! (Assuming you pick a reasonably reputable brand)

Brand:

Don't let this be too much of a consideration. There used to be a lot more products to watch out for. But now, for the most part the brands that have survived all have decent reputations (And each one will produce its share of lemons). Thus on the higher end you have G&G, ICS, TM and possibly CA. Mid ranged you have A&K, CA, CYMA, DBoys, Echo 1, ICS, JG, TSD and Well. (There are more than this). On the low end, youll find all sorts of names. Price is the deciding factor and I consider anything $80.00 or below to be low end.

My best advice is to do keyword searches for problems relating to the brand(s) you are interested in. Then, tally the number of positive and negative comments and you will get a pretty good esitmation of whether the brand is right for you.

Total Cost:

Remember that an airsoft rig is more than just the gun. Sort of like a video game console requires more than just the console.

Be prepared to purchase accessories like extra magazines, batteries, charger, scope, bi-pod, and the recommended upgrades. The upgrades include a tightbore barrel, battery, a stiffer spring, a set of high torque gears to accommodate the increased resistance and the camo.

Finally, remember to get GOOD, HEAVY ammo! While the Wally World bargain container will get you by, I find high gloss, precision ammo to provide the most consistent accuracy and velocity.

Once you tally all this stuff up you can easily double your expenses. (Sometime triple!)

Prioritize:

If you're on a budget here are some things you can skimp on.

Battery: An upgraded battery will help your ROF and can keep your gun firing longer. BUT, if you are looking to save, the truth is, all you need is a battery that can power your gear box. You won't be laying down oodles of fire, so having a huge amped up power source doesn't really matter to you as much.(Note, if you upgrade your gear box and spring, you may HAVE to upgrade your battery if the gearbox requires the extra oomph to cycle the mech box).

Bi-pod: This add on is a nice thing to have, but if you don't have the coin, you can do with out. The bi-pod will add extra weight and bulk to your rig and many times you won't even use it. I can personally tell you that when crawling through the brush, the last thing you want to have is one more thing to snag on vines.

Magazines: If you're sniping then your skill is in the quality of your shots, not the volume. This means that you can get by with inexpensive low or mid cap magazines. In fact, low/mid caps will probably be better than the high caps because you will have more reliable, constant feeding.

Scope: Remember what you need. You're not going to be shooting wings off a fly at 1,000 yards. You want to have a scope but you don't need a $700.00 UBER optical.

The Ghillie Suit:

To me this is the #1 tool of the mil sim "Sniper". Heck it may be the same in real life, but most people focus on the gun first. The ghillie gives you a HUGE edge in the conealability department! I have literally had people step on me and even then didn't realize what they were stepping on.
( You could be using a springer pistol and wear the suit and you will be called "Sniper" all day long;)

Plus, the intimidation factor is HUGE and this can make your games more enjoyable. I have found that a burlap suit made out of BDUs with a boonie hat (Also outfitted with burlap) added easily 6 inches to my total perceived height and the entire thing makes you look huge. Definitely a plus in a testosterone charged environment!

When you make the suit for yourself, be sure to make one for your gun. A disembodied rifle will be confusing at first, but your opponent will quickly realize that there is a person attached to it and start shooting.

Don't go nuts, but don't skimp on the camo. Be prepared to spend $100.00-$150.00 either by buying a pre-made one or making it yourself. (Yeah, even the home made ones can get to be that expensive!)

If you go ghillie, also be ready to make sure you are properly hydrated. Again, it may seem like common sense until you've had to go without. Take it from me that being in anything but freezing weather, you will be close to passing out from the heat if you don't have LOTS of hydration. I found that a back pack water bladder worked the best. (Another $40-$60).

A final safety concern involves the flammable nature of the suits. All that burlap (coated in bug spray) can be like wearing a huge mobile tinder box. If you smoke, or around fire in any capacity, be VERY CAREFUL! I have not had any accidents with mine, but then, I don't smoke and I wasn't around any open flame during my ghillie games.

AEG or Spring/Gas

Most people automatically think bolt action, spring or gas powered airsoft sniper rifle. I don't know why people think this, but I'm guessing its because bolt action dominates this field in the real world.

In airsoft, you will have to realize that the engagement ranges are MUCH closer than in the real world. Thus, you will need to be prepared to fight up close and personal. For some, using a bolt action sniper rifle is fine in ALL circumstances. For others, simply relying on the camouflage to keep them out of sight is sufficient.

In my experience, the best option is to be able to lay down suppressing fire en masse when the situation calls for it. In airsoft this is relatively easy, because you can make an AEG just about as effective as a Spring or Gas powered sniping system.

You will sacrifice some trigger response and of course stealth, but when it hits the fan, you can switch to full auto and bring the rain.

That said, some people LOVE the ability to pick off targets and not give away their position at all. (It is fun, just plain fun!)

There is something about having to cycle the bolt and find the target in your crosshairs. Taking the shot and having the other targets completely oblivious as to where the fire is coming from. ;)

If this is your game then go spring/gas. (Gas can be slightly louder however and I have seen some pricey high end gas gun malfunction).

Spring is by far the simplest and most reliable approach but Gas makes the whole process easier by easing the cocking effort required.

If you do go bolt action, I would definitely consider getting a back up gun thats small and capable of a higher ROF. (Think Glock 18c, MP5K or MP7 or even a Mac 10/11). If you can't spend the $ on one of these, try a good hi-cap non-blowback pistol. YOu can easily find them new for as little as $40.

Tactics:

Once you've decided on your set up, the only other thing you can do to hone your skills is tactics.
Anyone can have the gear, but what will set you apart is your strategy. Its no good wearing the ghillie and carriying the 15 pound shooting system if you are going to charge bunkers and bust through doorways.

You need to train yourself to become invisible. This means, altering your ghillie (and gun camo) to suit the terrain, moving slowly and deliberately, and using the light to your advantage. (Try to keep your targets back lit, OR use shadows so that you disappear.

You will need to be VERY VERY patient and learn to scan the surroundings carefully and efficiently.

Frankly, its hard work but there is a level of satisfaction that is unmatched by any other style. Its like hunting, actually it IS hunting, but this time the prey can shoot back. So when you get that "kill" it feels just that much better.

Good luck and safe shooting!

Tactical Vest = Must Have

2008-08-08T01:38:00.004-04:00

To those of you who have about $50 bucks to plop down on a worthwile investment in their airsoft gear, I strongly suggest you buy a tactical vest.

Airsplat has been kind enough to send me a "Tac Force" model in black and I wonder why I didn't get one sooner.

It really makes your life so much easier on the field. I used to run around with cargo pockets full and bulging with bb baggies and extra mags. Not to mention the flashlights, radios, pocket knife and anything else I had to carry.

I lost mags left and right and spilled countless bbs until I started using the vest.

Not only does it look great, it provides real world useability and makes your play much smoother.

Having a good velcro pocket for a mag and extra ammo keeps me going quicker and longer. I don't lose stuff nearly as easily and I can carry more stuff with me. One great thing about this model is the fact that I can carry nearly every type of mag in this vest. Pictured I've got the AK47 hi cap securely in the pocket, but it can easily accommodate AUG , G36, M4/M16, M14 and MP5 magazines. Basically, you will be hardpressed to find a magazine that will not fit the Tac Force vest.

To me the tac vest is really underrated.

If you can get one ASAP!

Airsplat has great prices and I can personally vouch for the quality and durability of the model I have tested. However, you can find these items nearly anywhere including military surplus stores and of course the web.

Regards!

Konrad

Classic Army vs. Echo 1

2008-08-08T01:29:00.003-04:00

I get asked this question a lot from the Youtube crowd.

First, off "Better" is subjective so you may disagree with my conclusions.

In my eyes, there is little about Classic Army that makes it worth the extra money over the Echo 1 offerings. So far our Echo 1 G36c and MP5 have kept pace with or passed the Classic Army offerings in the same models.

Our CA G36C has run into some mechanical trouble in the form of a pulled battery wire and a floppy fire selector switch. These are not major issues, but the E1 has not fallen victim to the same problems and has been in our test stable longer.

The CA does have a higher ROF, however, its FPS is lower than the E1, so in this regard, it really boils down to what you are using the G36C for. If CQB is your game then the CA is the better choice. However, if you require a little extra range and shrub penetration power, then E1 is likely the tool to use.

Where, CA wins without much effort is in its exterior fit and finish. When you pick up the CA , it feels like you are handling the real deal. By contrast the E1 is now shiny with wear and definitely looks more like a toy.

This may or may not matter to you, but odds are you'll want your gun to look its best and if thats your number 1 priority than go CA.

Ugradability should be identical on both models given that they are TM clones, however, lots of people have stated that CA internals are "better". Without having inspected the internals of either, I cannot comment. But based on eaches performance in stock form I would say that they are at least equal.

In the end its really a question of personal preference. If you'r budget is tight then stick with the E1. It will be better, to use that extra money for a tactical vest and an extra mag or battery.

However, if you are in a better financial position then you can afford to buy the nicer fit and finish and the more prestigious name.

For what its worth the observations that I have made on the G36C apply to the Mp5 CA vs E1 debate as well. However, neither MP5 has suffered a mechanical failure.

Long term test results

2008-08-08T01:08:00.003-04:00

After having many of our guns for a while now, I figured I would update everyone as to the latest on our test results.

-A&K M249 SAW PARA - Going strong with nary a whiff of trouble. The electric box mag is FLAWLESS! It has fed easily 10,000 bbs since we got it and is still on the first set of 2 AA batteries. We have put a TSD tightbore barrel in it and this has helped the accuracy even more. This is my favorite piece and is my skirmish weapon in woodland games.

-CA G36C - The selector switch has come loose and is now non functioning on the right side. The battery compartment wiring also got pulled apart. This may have been user error, but it has not happened with any other gun we have tested. Also, we had its mag break so that the nub that keeps the bbs from spilling out has no tension on it. (The spring broke the plastic mount that kept it in place). This has rendered the mag less useful. The fit and finish of the gun remain intact and when it does fire, it remains steady at about 300 fps with ROF higher than some at around 16 -18 bps (Estimate).

- E1 G36C - This is one of our first airsoft guns and it has not let us down yet. Its accuracy, velocity and reliability have made it a favorite on the field.

-E1 M14 Socom - This offering definitely provides some "Intimidation" on the field as it looks ready to rumble. For the most part this seems deserved, as our test model has gone through many hands in many skirmishes and continues to provide reliable and accurate performance.

-JG AK Spetz - The comeback kid of the test arsenal. Our test model suffered from some quirks early on in the testing and died at the end of one of our videos. A disassembly, cleaning and reassembly have brought the slick gun back from the dead and it is now functioning great!

-JG Steyr AUG - Our second AUG has been nothing but good to us until our last skirmish. It started to misfeed and jam on us. It is possibel that the magazine is worn out (As we have used it A LOT) but as of right now the cause of the malfunction is unknown.

-TSD M4 RIS - The gun has performed well during the games that we have used it in. However, through no fault of its own, it is currently in drydock for upgrades. Will update when the upgrades are done.

- TSD UMP - An unknown problem has struck our UMP and it fires sporadically. It has not been abused, but it has been unused for some time. We will be inspecting it internally to determine the cause of the problem.

-TSD M9 GBB - Our test model has seen better days. Partly this is due to the fine florida sand in which our test model has been dropped. Due to the open slide design that Beretta utilizes, the fine sand granules have fouled up the works. Luckily a thorough cleaning helped, but the gun is still not functioning perfectly. More cleaning is necessary and I am considering disassembling the entire gun and soaking each part in a lubricant bath.

- TSD SD87 3-Burst Shotgun - We havn't had these testers for too long, but we have skirmished with them several times now. The tri-burst function on the 87 is fun to use and funcitonal in CQB situations. It shoots a little lower than advertised, (225 FPS) is what we clocked, but that doesnt concern us given that the shots are consistently at the 225 fps mark and bc it is a cqb type gun, it should not have high velocity anyway for saftey reasons.

TSD SD88 - This compact shotgun surprised us with its accuracy and power. It isn't the prettiest belle at the ball, but it performs well for the money. It has turned into our favorite plinker because of its accuracy and its power gives most AEGs a run for its money. As a shotgun, it may not be the most effective at spreading bbs, but you can rack the slide several times and create a "Shot" pattern of 3-6 bbs. They won't be traveling all that fast, but in close quarters, you won't need them too. Also, the gun has withstood a decent amount of "Slam firing" without complaint. Only time will tell how much the gun will take this treatment, but after all, thats what we want to know.

ASReports news #13

2008-07-06T00:08:00.004-04:00

News taken from Arniesairsoft.co.uk

1. Issue 11 of USASOC out! (and free!)

Hey guys, It’s that time again, and I just wanted to inform you all that our 11th issue is out now. Download your FREE copy today.

What’s in our 11th issue?

-WE Colt 1911 GBB Pistol Review-Guarder Force-Recon Tactical Vest Review
-Kart Mk 14 Mod 0 Review
-King Arms M4/M16 Accessories Review-Tactics: CQB Shooting & Signaling
-Interview: Mil-Pictures
-Retailer Spotlight: Airsoft Extreme
-Event Review: North Carolina Airsoft Expo
-SPECIAL! Airsoft & Action Figures…A Connection?
-Plus News, Photos, Events, Teams, Websites, & Much More in the 140+ Paged Issue!

Thanks guys for the support and all of yall in the States, have a great July 4th!

P.S. Attached is the cover photo.
God Bless & Best Wishes,
www.officialusasocmagazine.com
Nick Petrus-Owner/Main Editor

2. OP Sudden Strike 2 trailer, August 15-17, 2008

Want to check out a little bit of the field for OP: Sudden Strike 2? We have made a small teaser video to refresh some memories… check it out below!

This is a teaser trailer for OP: Sudden Strike 2, the sequel to the Rocky Mountain Region’s largest airsoft event. This year we have secured Sgt. Major Ed Bugarin a former Delta Force Operator to run the US Forces.

The event is August 15-17, 2008 on the Colorado/Wyoming Border. We have registrations from across the country. Sign up today!

Thank You,
Casey Meraz
Chief Operating Officer
Colorado Milsim LLC.
PH: (303) 809 0992
ColoradoMilsim.com

Airsoft 101

2008-07-05T23:55:00.004-04:00

There are LOTS of great resources across the web and if you're reading this you probably want the most important things to know.

So here the list of things you'll need to know to hit the ground running.

Safety is absolutely paramount!Acts of foolishness are easy to guard against and sometimes impossible to recover from.
Airsoft guns are also known as "Soft air" guns and they fire small bbs (Usually) 6mm in diameter.
3 power methods: Spring (Requires user to manually cock before each shot), Gas (CO2, or Propane aka "Green Gas"), Electric (Batteries power an electric motor which cocks the gun automatically before each shot). The electric models are also known as "AEGs" which stands for Automatic Electric Gun.
Airsoft guns usually fire at a velocity of between 200 and 350 fps. Spring powered pistols are usually on the low end of the spectrum whereas the spring powered and electric models usually top the scale. (Note there are models that will exceed these numbers but they are generally the exception).
Hop up is a term for the internal mechanism which puts back spin on each bb fired. Imaging "Slicing" a tennis ball to get it to spin. The mechanism is designed to increase the range of each bb.
Low cap, mid cap and high cap refer to "Low, mid and high capacity" magazines. The low cap usually have one single channel into which the bbs are inserted. (Picture a drinking straw filled with bbs with a small spring on the bottom pushing the bbs upwards). Low caps usually hold 10-100 (at most). The mid caps generally use clockwork spring mechanisms that push the bbs from an internal chamber to the feed tube that attaches inside the gun. The high caps use the same kind of clockwork mechanism, but larger and require more winding. The low caps excell in providing constant feeding of the bbs. The mid caps provide more ammo capacity but require some winding (Though not as much as the high caps). The high caps provide the best ammo capacity but require frequent winding.
MPEGs - A term used to describe the airsoft guns which cost less than the higher priced offerings. Stands for Mid Priced Electric Gun.
Brands - there are MANY MANY brands of airsoft gun, some of which can easily mislead. Many times different brands are put on identical guns and sometimes the price difference is substantial. A&K, Classic Army, CYMA, Echo 1, T$80-$300 depending on the model.
Effective range: This is a point that many will disagree about, however, based on my own tests and experience I have found most airsoft guns can accurately hit targets at no more than 150 feet. There are many factors involved in accuracy, but most airsoft players use bbs that weigh .2g and fire at a velocity of around 300 fps. Within these parameters the laws of physics tend to prevent flat trajectories at and tight groupings at ranges greater than 150'.
Which gun should you get? First, there is no right answer but here is what I tell everyone who asks me: First decide which "look" you like. For some people this is the classicm H&K MP5 style. For others its a more exotic bullpup design like the Steyr AUG. Once you decide on the style, choose a reputable brand. (A&K, Classic Army, CYMA, Echo 1, TSD etc...) research the brand and model on the web forums. You will find all the info you need on the make and model you have your sight set on. The biggest thing to remember is that the accuracy and range are nearly identical accross the airsoft world. Remember the above point, the bbs fire at about 300 fps and weigh .2g, whether your using a "Sniper" style rifle or a SMG style AEG, your range will not vary much more than a few yards. When you remember this point you will be able to get the gun you really want because virtually any airsoft gun can be upgraded and tweaked to offer improved perfomance.
Speaking of upgrades here are the basic ones to consider: Tight bore barrel - because the bb literally bounces from side to side through the barrel installing a tight bore barrel will limit the bouncing and tighten your groups somewhat. Additionally, it will provide a better seal between the bb and barrel preventing excess air from escaping and being waster. This helps to increase the velocity of the bb as well. Battery - Most stock batteries operate at a lower voltage than the internals can take. An increase in the voltage can result in increased Rate of Fire or ROF. Wiring - Most stock AEG wiring can be changed and swapped for a larger gauge which can yeild higher ROF and battery efficiency. Hop up - this is usually a small piece of silicone or rubber that touches the top part of each bb to put backspin on it. In many less expensive models, the rubber is tough and sometimes uneven which can affect accuracy.More in depth upgrades include a stiffer spring, re-enforced gears, polished, metal and re-enforced spring guide rods, pistons, piston heads, cylinders (ported and otherwise) and air nozzles. To get familiar with the latter upgrades be sure and familiarize yourself with the gearbox internals. Take a look at www.mechbox.com for an EXCELLENT resource on this topic.

This article really doesn't begin to cover the more in depth issues that you will hopefully learn through increased exposure to the sport. The best method of learning about the details is to frequent forums like www.airsoftretreat.com or www.arniesairsoft.com.

We have gained invaluable knowledge from both and of course you might stop by our forum as well. We have many experienced and helpful enthusiasts who would be happy to try to answer your question.

Go www.airsoftreports.com and click on the "Forum" link.

Remeber to always respect airsoft guns and understand that though they are technically "toys" they can cause tremendous harm if used improperly. Saftey is what keeps this sport fun so please always be as safe as you can be!

M249 SAW PARA- Quality Review P. 2 of 3

2008-07-05T23:51:00.006-04:00

M249 SAW PARA- Quality Review P. 3 of 3

2008-07-05T23:51:00.005-04:00

M249 SAW PARA- Quality Review P. 1 of 3

2008-07-05T23:50:00.002-04:00

ASReports news #12

2008-06-26T23:45:00.003-04:00

News from Arniesairsoft.co.uk and Airsoftnews.eu respectively
1. OPSEC Airsoft Radio episode #105

We had to shift our broadcast schedule a tad which turned into two weeks of shows. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but it is what it is. In 105, we talked about painting airsoft weaponry and covered the listener requested topic of in-game chow. Overall a pretty good show... and we gauge that by how much fun we had making it. 105 has been posted and for those interested, the show is available for download via iTunes (search for “opsec” in the Music Store: Link) or via direct download at the below link:

*Episode 105*
- National Airsoft Events- New Items of Interest
- Main Topic: Painting Airsoft Weaponry
- F.U. Line Calls
- Sub Topic: In-Game Chow
- Shameless Plugs
*Right Click to Download*
33.5MB, 1h:23m:45s
Show Notes

2.G&G SIG550 Announced

Only pictures at the moment, when info is released you will see it here.

3. New Tanaka Gas system "CASYOPEA"

The shells are removable, but instead of filling the gas into the bottom of the grip, each individual shell is charged with gas that is used to propel the BB held within the shell. Preorders for shells and pistol are being taken at Redwolfairsoft

Shell link

Pistol link

New TSD Shotguns inbound!

2008-06-24T00:32:00.006-04:00

Mike with TSD has just informed me that TSD will be sending us some of their new "economical" shotguns with the 3 shot burst feature.

There are two variants, the "Tactical" model (Product ID SD87TLFB) and the "Sports" model aka "TSD Sports 88-Pistol Grip Shotgun ".

The former fires at a reported 280 FPS while the latter (Model 88) fires at a reported 380 FPS.

While the products are so new that TSD does not yet have pictures up, the Tactical model is described to have a metal barrel and rubber grips while the model 88 is described as having a "Black" finish.

The Tactical version is listed for $98.00 and the Sports model lists for $44-$48.00 depending whether you get the pistol grip, retractable stock or solid stock models.

Both models are heralded as being economical airsoft shotguns that offer the coveted 3 round burst function . Each model will come with four 30 round magazines and a "Holster". Each model is listed as being capable of using TM shell style magazines. Both models feature adjustable hop up units.

Given that we have yet to get our hands on these products we will not say much more. Also, in light of the price points we will review the guns based on the class of airsoft gun that they would compete with. However,we have been generally impressed with TSD and we hope this latest offering will be in line with existing levels of generally good workmanship.

Either way, Mike from TSD has been very helpful and has generously kept Airsoft Reports supplied with high quality products and ammo. Thanks Mike!

Stay tuned for pictures and of course the videos!

Echo1 G36c Review, By Stealthmaster14

2008-06-12T01:43:00.008-04:00

Table of Contents

(1)Ordering
(2)Real Steel History
(3)Manufacturer
(4)Why I bought this gun
(5)First impressions
(6)What’s in the box
(7)Gun’s Body
(8)Sights
(9)Hop-up
(10)Magazine well
(11)Battery compartment
(12)Performance
(13)Internals/disassembly
(14)Pros and Cons
(15)Accessories recommended
(16)Conclusion

(1) Real Steel History

The following paragraph was shamefully taken from wikipedia with some editing by yours truly

The G36 is a German 5.56 mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by a team of engineers from Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK) and accepted into service with the German Army in 1995, replacing the 7.62 mm G3 automatic rifle.

The G36C, otherwise known as the G36 "Commando" or "Compact" is a smaller version of the G36. While it is about the same length as an MP5 A4, it is an assault rifle. It is a very reliable, accurate, and powerful gun with low recoil. It features a foldable stock that folds to the side which makes it ideal for CQC. The G36C (C – Compact) is a further development of the G36K. It has a short barrel and a shorter (than the G36K), 4-prong open-type flash suppressor. The use of a reduced length 228 mm barrel forced designers to move the gas block closer to the muzzle end and a shortened gas piston was used. The handguard and stock were also reduced in length and the fixed carry handle (with optical sights) was replaced with a carry handle with an integrated MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail. The carbine was equipped with rail-mounted iron sights that consist of a hooded front post and a flip rear aperture sight.

HK G36C

(2) Ordering

I ordered this gun at airsoftgi.com and I received it exactly on time. Since I live on the west side of the United States, I received this gun in only two days from when it was shipped. The total order took about 4 days, but it may take longer for other people since ASGI is located in California. They were quick and easy to deal with. I cannot comment on their customer service since I did not have any issues, which shows they are an ideal retailer.

(3) Manufacturer

Echo 1 is a company that rebrands guns otherwise known as a "rebrander." It is often speculated that Echo 1 rebrands JG/other brands and adds trademarks and some internal parts such as metal bushings. They are known for high quality guns for a very low price. While quality is not as good as brands such as TM, they are great guns for beginners and people who want a great performing, cheap, reliable gun.

(4) Why I bought this gun

I was in need of a good gun and I didn't want another springer or cheap AEG that will only last 3 months. I saw E1 AEGs on shortyusa and found reviews of them on youtube by Airsoft Reports. Since it was the overall best performer out of the MP5 and M4, I decided to buy it. I like the look of the G36C and it has great features such as the foldable stock which is why I decided to purchase it. I was leaning towards the M4, but after seeing how it was not as good of a performer as the G36C, I decided I would not buy it. While the M4 is more powerful, the accuracy is not very good. Since the M4 shoots only 10-15 fps higher, I decided to get the G36C because the accuracy is quite a bit better. The M4 is also not as durable as the G36C which was one of many other reasons why I decided not to purchase it. For instance, the M4 has barrel wobble and the battery compartment is not very well put together. The M4 mag also holds less and the mags do not clamp together. For those of you who like the M4, it is a great gun, it just didn't fit my needs.

(5) First Impressions

Box

Manual, pretty decent with hardly any Engrish. (really only grammatical errors)

Echo 1 Trademark

The box is a nice shade of dark blue with a picture of a G36C on the front. The box is labeled “X36C” for licensing reasons. Thankfully, the manual was written in decent English. (not great, but easy enough to understand) It was very helpful for explaining some features of the gun. A great manual for new airsofters because it describes processes well, such as installing the battery, maintenance, ect. The gun was in perfect condition and fortunately no items were missing. I was very impressed at the weight and overall solid feel of the gun. No creaks or bends on this rifle, because it's solid as a rock. The body looks like it can take some serious abuse, but this shouldn't make you be careless with your gun. Take care of your gun and it will last a while. I was also impressed with the E1 emblem that was placed on the rear sight. It is a faint, silver, white color that does make the gun more appealing. Overall, I am very pleased.

(6)What's in the box

The box contained a 450 round high capacity magazine, a wall charger, an 8.4 volt 1100 MAH battery, some cheap, low quality bbs (don’t use them), a manual, and a jamming rod. I suggest you get a smart charger so you don’t overcharge your battery and fry it.

(7) Body-

Stock extended

Magazine removed

Stock folded

Right side of the gun with stock folded

Stock release button and rear sling mount

Front sling mount (ambidextrous)

Fire selector switch (ambidextrous)

Trigger assembly

The bolt is ambidextrous

When the bolt is pulled back it reveals the hop up

Very sturdy, no creaks or bends. The ABS plastic feels VERY durable and there is a decent amount of (diecast) metal on the gun. Though there are few metal parts on this gun, it's not that big of a deal because the ABS plastic is extremely durable and it is more like the real steel than anything else. No need to spend extra $$$ on a metal body, unless you just like the feel and look.
The metal parts include: muzzle, trigger, front sight, rear sight, stock release button, bottom R.I.S. rail, fire selector switch, and front sling mount. One thing that disappointed me was that the carrying handle was plastic. It's not really an issue since you don't use it a lot like an M4, but it would have been nice for it to be metal. It has been holding up great so far.
The charging handle is made of cheap plastic that feels rather flimsy, but has held up even though I mess with it a lot.
The selector switch is a little sloppy, but it can still be locked it in to place. It’s just a little tough to set it from safety to single because it doesn't "click" in very well. It can be bumped out of place, but it doesn't usually happen since the switch is a little bit of a reach. It does lock in enough to where it won't just flip between firing modes.
The trigger works great with no lock ups and is very smooth. It is made of diecast metal and is a quite large trigger that feels great. This gun will work very well for people with big hands.
The stock is solid as a rock and won’t go anywhere when it is extended or folded. When it is folded to the side, it locks into place on a “nub” and feels very sturdy, no wiggling around whatsoever. This gun is great for CQC because it is very compact, especially when the stock is folded.
The charging handle is ambidextrous. To expose the hop-up, simply pull back the charging handle and the hop-up is inside a metal “door” on the right side. The charging handle is not very strong, so I wouldn't recommend snapping it forward a lot. (it is fun to snap it forward though) There are two R.I.S. rails; one on the bottom of the foregrip and the carrying handle. There are holes for screws to mount more rails on the sides of the gun which is a nice thing to have if one wants to mount a laser or other accessories.

(8)Sights-

These are the two different apertures (the one on the bottom is off-centered just to let you know)

Decent sights that get the job done, but I recommend some sort of an optical attachment such as a red dot scope.
The apertures are almost identical and they seem to be meant for quick sighting in close quarters. The front and rear sights are metal which is good, but they really do not give the user very precise shots. I can shoot a lot more accurately with a red dot sight.

(9) Hop up-

Hop up wheel

When the bolt is pulled back the hop up is revealed

Very easy to adjust and dial in, but it may be a little awkward in the heat of battle because you need to hold the cocking handle back. For some reason, the hop up "wheel" on my gun is a little bit stiff, but it still works fine. After removing the barrel and reinstalling it, the wheel loosened up. This gun is pretty accurate and has good range. (about 180 feet) The gun is very accurate within 100 feet, but then starts to lose quite a bit of accuracy. You can still engage targets up to about 120 feet without too much trouble. (I have made several kills from about that distance using around 3 shots on semi auto) With the hop up turned up all the way, I'd say the gun shoots at least 190 feet with .25s. (not accurately of course)

(10) Magazine and mag well

Mag well

Right side of the mag

Left side of the mag

Top of the mag

Winding wheel

Mag release switch

The G36C comes standard with a 450 round high capacity magazine which requires a fair amount of winding. What is unique about this magazine is that one full wind is all you need. (You can fire the whole mag) The last 20 shots don’t feed, so it really holds only 430 or so. (keep in mind all high caps do this) This is the best high cap mag I have seen/used because you do not have to wind it every 30 shots. The only thing I don't like about the mag is that it is black. The real G36 mag is transparent, this one is solid black. Not a big deal, but it makes it less realistic.
What's nice about all G36 mags is that you can clamp them together, so you don't need a mag clamp or a mag pouch. One thing to not, while I had two mags clamped together, I accidentally dropped them and the tabs broke. The stock mag tabs aren't very sturdy so beware. They still feed fine though. Out of the box, my gun was not feeding well on full auto, so I sprayed some silicon lube into the feeding well and the mag itself. It now performs flawlessly.
The magazine well holds the mag in perfectly with almost no wobble. The mag slides in and out of the well very smoothly. Beware, if the mag switch is pushed, the mag will drop out. (some gun's mags will stay in unless you pull them out) While sprinting like a mad man, I accidentally bumped the switch, causing the mag to drop out. Do not fear, the switch is located in a convenient spot, so bumping it will most likely not happen. (So far it has only happened three times, but I that was when I was running around like crazy letting my gun fly everywhere)

(11) Battery and battery compartment-

Battery compartment

Fuse

Image showing correctly placed battery

Battery

This is designed very well and the wiring is thick and looks of high quality. The fuse is easy to access because it is located in the battery compartment on the right side. A very nice feature. I found it hard to push the cotter pin out and to lock it back, but after doing it several times, it wore in and became very easy. (You still have to use something like a jamming rod to push it out) It is tricky trying to put the battery in for the first time, but is easy after a couple of tries. One of the reasons why it was hard to put the battery in, was because I had the safety plug on the end of the barrel. This makes it harder to slide the front part of the gun back on. Just remember to pull the plug off when installing the battery. (The manual is also very helpful on installing the battery)

The battery is decent. It works well and the ROF is pretty good. (about 800) I would not suggest a 9.6 because it will wear down the gearbox faster. A new 8.4v will work just fine. The stock battery lasts about 1100 rounds before needing to recharge. Like all cheap batteries, after several charges, the ROF begins to decrease. (I'm using a smart charger, so I am not over charging it) I suggest you purchase a new battery.

(12) Performance
One of the first things people ask is how fast and accurate does the gun shoot?

Shazam poor cell phone

Entry

Exit

I tested the gun's fps using the poor man's chronograph. Since I do not and will not have any coke cans, I used a Hansen's root beer can. I would assume a soda can is a soda can, but maybe coke cans are stronger, so this test may not be as accurate.

Carrying on; the bb sliced through both sides of the can with ease and managed to hit the wall behind the can, which was located about 20 feet away. It almost penetrated the bottom; it gave it a very good dent and ripped it a bit. It's safe to say my gun is shooting at around 350-360 fps using .2 gram bbs.

This gun performs very well and will probably be able to hit man-sized targets at about 120 feet. From 75 feet, I can hit a 4 inch target almost every time with .25 gram bbs. Make sure you clean the barrel when you get your gun because it makes the gun MUCH more accurate. Just get a cleaning rod, attach some sort of cloth, (I only had TP ) spray some lube on the cloth, and run it through the barrel a couple of times. The ROF is about average with the stock battery and is perfect for me. (not too fast where you run out of ammo instantly and not too slow) The ROF with the stock battery is in the ranges of about 800-850.

(13) Internals

The E1 G36C uses a Version 3 gearbox (V3) and comes standard with an M110 spring, steel gears, poly carbonate piston, metal bushings, and 16 gauge wiring. (Taken from Shortyusa.com)

I will now describe the internals of the gearbox in detail

Gearbox

Gearbox (notice the E1 logo on the top left side of the gearbox)

Case

This is the case of the gearbox after it had been cleaned off. As you can see, E1s come standard with metal bushings if they are the "V3" models. Unlike many other clones that I have read about, the grease on this gearbox wasn't smeared all over the place and it wasn't a funky type of grease. It wasn't white lithium, but it looked like standard grease. (a blackish color) I could not see any wear on the case itself, which is a good sign. Overall, it was greased well and the case is holding up great.

Gears

I could not find any wear on the gears after about a good 30,000 or so rounds. The gears seem to be pretty sturdy and have held up so far with all the stock internals/battery. I did not test the shimming of the gears, but inside the whole gearbox there were only 4 shims. I'm assuming it came with a bad shim job like other clones. Overall, I was impressed and surprised that the gears had absolutely no wear, even with a bad shim job.

Piston

As you can see, the last tooth of the piston is metal which is nice. The piston is supposedly a poly carb and has shown little or no wear at all. Again, I was impressed.

The piston head is plastic and the O-ring is pretty thick. The gun seems to have pretty good compression.

Close up on the gears in an assembled gearbox

This is what the gearbox looks like fully assembled internally

I was impressed with the internals other than the spring guide which seemed pretty cheap. (it has held up great so far) The spring guide had no bearings, just one washer at the base. The gearbox has held up great and has only needed a few motor adjustments.

Now onto disassembly. I recommend you watch this video if you want to take apart your gun because it is very helpful and they can tell you how to do it better than I can. http://www.mechbox.com/g36/g36c-disassembly

This gun is very easy to break down which is very nice for people who are new to airsoft guns. This gun has many removable parts which include, front sight, rear sight, carrying handle (swap it for a G36K style scope), hand guard, etc.

First I will start with the stock. The stock is removable by pushing a large pin out of the stock hinges. Sadly, the pin that holds the stock on my gun falls out if you fold the stock halfway. It slides out very quickly and easily, so beware. I don't know why it started doing this, but it can be easily fixed by gluing it into place. (hot glue would work) Other than that, the stock is solid.

Stock and pin

Barrel and hop up assembly

The stock hop up bucking is pretty poor in performance, I recommend you replace the bucking. The stock bucking must be set almost all the way up to get a good hop. I also recommend you replace the barrel if you want this gun to perform very well. Not a terrible bucking or barrel, but not great. The unit itself is pretty durable.

Finally, the gun totally disassembled. These are all the removable parts without opening up the body of the gun. It took a little bit of time to get it back together.....

(14) Pros

Great quality high cap mag
Comes with a decent battery
Accurate
VERY powerful (350-370 fps using .2s)
Compact
Strong body
Foldable stock
Some metal parts
Average ROF (I prefer to not have a gun with an extremely high ROF)
Cheap price for such a high quality gun ($145 at airsoftgi.com including shipping)
Good quality gearbox
Rails for mounting scopes and foregrips
Perfect weight, not too heavy
Rubber pad on stock
Very comfy to hold
Hop up is easy to adjust
Mags clamp together
VERY easy to take down (got to mechbox.com for step by step instructions)

Cons-

Sights are decent, but not great
The real G36 mag is transparent, this one is solid black
Not a whole lot of metal
Charging handle feels flimsy (Mine broke when I pulled back hard)
It has a “plastic” look to it, meaning it doesn’t exactly look like a real gun.
Mag tabs break easily (I just used electrical tape to hold them together)
Average ROF (pro or con)

(15) Closing Comments

This is a great weapon and is in my opinion the best out of the M4 and MP5 (not including Vector Arm guns) I would probably not buy this weapon again or any other JG/E1s. These guns are great for beginners, but the performance between other models of E1/JGs is very similar. Although I am very satisfied with this weapon, there are other guns out there that are more expensive, but are well worth the money.
So far it's holding up great and I've put about 20,000-30,000+ rounds through it. The gun is accurate and powerful, so be cautious when handling this rifle. Everything is still running like the day it came out of the box other than the rof being slower due to the cheap battery. It is a great gun that needs no upgrades for the gearbox other than a metal spring guide and possibly a new piston. (If you plan to use a 9.6) It will last a long time if you keep it stock. I suggest you upgrade the hop up bucking and the barrel. Just a new bucking will make a good improvement

Overall, I'd give it a 8.5/10 as far as MPEGs go.

(16) Accessories recommended

Red dot scope
Side arm could come in handy
Extra mags (the high caps are great)
New battery, the stock battery is decent.
New hop up bucking
New barrel

A bigger battery (for people who play longer games) (I believe the stock battery lasts about 1100 shots, maybe more)
Make sure you buy lots of bbs (KSCs are great. Airsoft Elites are good also)

They can be purchased at shortyusa.com

Red dot scope- $30

Foregrip- $15

My gun with a full metal Leapers Red/Green Dot sight and a UTG foregrip. They both work excellently and the scope is more accurate then the iron sights. I actually prefer the gun without the foregrip because it doesn't make the gun any more stable and adds weight to it. It is pretty useful for when the stock is folded though. (slightly less shakey) Perhaps if I had a lighter foregrip it would feel better. I would personally just buy the scope.

They can be purchased at shortyusa.com

Leapers Red/Green dot scope- $30

UTG Foregrip- $15

Thanks for reading

ASReports news #11 (small update)

2008-06-09T19:29:00.005-04:00

JG up and coming models!

Info from Airsoft Scotland

Info on how much these will be is uncertain (the Scorpion would be 150USD converted from euros, and the AUG over 400USD)

Vz61 Scorpion

Metal lower receiver and ABS upper.Features Include:METAL Bolt, front/rear sights, trigger set, inner/outer barrel, stock, fire selector mag catches and magazine.
250FPS (TBC) using 0.20g quality BB's.80rd metal magazine.
Available in black and 2-Tone.
Awesome range!
Including battery and charger.

AUGa3

The RIS front end is CNC machined aluminium!.
Very heavy duty ABS composite body.
330rd hi-cap mag, battery, charger, cleaning rod and manual included.
Available in black and 2-Tone.
340FPS using quality 0.20g BB's.
495mm precision inner barrel, 770mm overall length.
New black/chrome high performance reinforced 'SYSTEM 2008' gearbox.

ASReports News #10 + ASR VIDEO News, and SGT. Reviews news

2008-06-02T21:33:00.004-04:00

K0NRAD has done it again! The full series of TSD M4 RIS vids are out. They follow in order below.

Sgt News: Today My RK02 (Dboys Ak74) arrived. Ive taken many photos, and a video or two already. You will be able to find the Pics, and vids on the forum in the next day or so.

*News from Airsoftnews.eu*

1. OPSEC Airsoft radio episode #103

Did you miss us? Yea... didn't think so! We are on the new schedule, scaling back our broadcasts & updates to every other week, giving us more time to tune the show as well as a breathe a little. Last weekend was Lion Claws 7 and what an event it was. In this episode, we talked with Eclipse, Game Control for LC7. He dug down and talked about what it took to pull the event off. We also discussed on how to deal with inept leadership at milsim events... a pressing issue for anyone big on milsim or is planning on attending a milsim event. 103 has been posted and for those interested, the show is available for download via iTunes (search for “opsec” in the Music Store: Link) or via direct download at the below link:

*Episode 103*
- National Airsoft Events
- New Items of Interest
- Main Topic: LC:VII In A Nutshell
- F.U. Line Calls
- Sub Topic: Coping with Inept Leadership
- Shameless Plugs

*Right Click to Download* 37.9MB, 1h:34m:40s
Show Notes

2. Madbull LFP batteries, available June

Gents,

We “cook” this project about 1 year and treat this project as our top secret. (one of many…) Now, LFP batteries will be released in June!

ALEEES is one out of 5 companies who can produce LFP batteries and is the only one who has soft pack for RC and Airsoft. MadBull is proud to be the solo partner with ALEEES in Airsoft and RC industries.

LFP batteries is one of the latest Lithium batteries and it is “totally” safe! LFP is non-explosive and non-flammable.

In order to keep cost low, MadBull will *sell directly* to end users at low price.
3 types will be available:
PowerX-01: $50
EnergyX-01: $35
EnergyX-02:$35

Charger / balancer: $50

You can check link here now.

More information available soon!

Best Regards,

MadBull Airsoft

ASReports news #9

2008-05-20T18:15:00.003-04:00

1. ICS Version 2 AKs and Mp5 Sportline
ICS site

Click on Pics for details on the models

Ak74M-

Aks74u-

Mp5 Sportline-

2. AEX (Airsoft Extreme) Memorial sale, and new products...

Memorial Day SALE!

10% OFF and FREE ground SHIPPING for any order over $99
Online Code: aexmem08
Valid now till 5/27/08

NEW Classic Army AEG's in stock
CA RPK-7
CA M14 Match (Walnut)
CA M14 Match OD
CA CA33E KA3
CA53 A2
CAMP5 A3 SEF Sportline Value Package

ALL NEW Javelin BB's

NEW Systema TW5 in stock!
The all New Systema MP5 Training weapon and accessories
http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3664

http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3666

http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3665

http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3667

http://www.airsoftextreme.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3695

VFC AK AIM PMC

DB Custome 6.01mm inner barrels

ASReports News #8

2008-05-19T17:08:00.002-04:00

1. Tokyo Marui Posters
Todays news courtesy of Airsoftnews.eu

Just some posters of their upcoming models and recently released Mac11.

2. CA Posters

More posters, this time of Classic Army's next few guns. This will be released in the next month (June).

-Sportline AK47 models
-Proline Mp5K
-1911a1, full metal
-Ar10
-Glock 26, metal slide

3. OPSEC Airsoft Radio episode #102

We're back with yet another podcast release update... but the good news is that you get a break next week as we will be skipping our May 22nd broadcast to record live from Operation: Lion Claws VII on the 24th. Nothing too special, just a break from the routine. This week, we talked about how large airsoft operations have changed how airsoft is played. We also touched on building, maintaining, destroying and rebuilding your airsoft reputation. 102 has been posted and for those interested, the show is available for download via iTunes (search for “opsec” in the Music Store: Link ) or via direct download at the below link:

*Episode 102*
- National Airsoft Events- New Items of Interest
- Main Topic: Ops Impact on Airsoft
- Weather From On High
- Sub Topic: Airsoft Credentials
- Shameless Plugs

*Right Click to Download* 37.4MB, 1h:33m:36s

Show Notes

TM P-90 RDS Review

2008-05-15T20:55:00.000-04:00

Tokyo Marui P-90 RDS Review
By Airsoftguy

Table of Contents

Why I purchased this AEG

Real Steel History

Purchasing this AEG

First Impressions

Magazine

Sights: RDS and Iron

Battery Compartment

Selector Switch and Trigger

Hop Up

Break Down

Disassembly

Performance

Battle Field Test

Conclusion
--------------------------------------
WHY I PURCHASED THIS AEG

I have thought P-90s were cool ever since I first saw them in my favorite TV show, STARGATE SG-1. When I got the chance to handle a TM P-90 at my walk-in store, I found that it was very compact and easy for me to handle. I knew I had to have it. Then I looked at the price tag.
So I went home, forced to do my best with my UTG shotgun, and I eventually got my Echo 1. But once I could afford the $300, I wasn't going to miss the chance to buy the Marui.

Real Steel History

The P-90 was developed in the 1990s by FN. Firing the 5.7 x 28 mm armor piercing round (which is exclusive to the P-90), it is used by over 20 military and law enforcement agencies around the world including the US Secret Service. Unlike other automatic weapons, the P-90 allows its empty casings to fall straight down instead of ejecting them out the side. This is an advantage, because the casings will not hit other people. The 50-round horizontal loading magazine makes the P-90 one of the most compact weapons available, but also makes it difficult to change mags under fire. Another downside of the magazine, is that it will not fit in a pouch designed for MP5 or M4 magazines.

FN P-90:

History of the Tokyo Marui P-90

Tokyo Marui is a Japanese company that invented the first Automatic Electric gun, the TM FA-MAS. Since then, there have been countless AEGs manufactured by many companies.

The P-90 was released to celebrate the ten year anniversary of TM's release of the first AEG, and as a new addition to there BulPup series. Tokyo Marui produced two versions of the P-90; the RDS (Red Dot Site) and the TR (Tri Rail). In an effort to differentiate it from the Red Dot Site version, TM made the TR a dark gray color, instead of the realistic black. While not selling as well as other AEGs in general, the Tokyo Marui P-90 has become extremely popular among Stargate fans.

PURCHASING THIS AEG:

I called my walk-in store only to find out that my P-90 was no longer being stocked, and that I would have to special order it. Though it meant putting off my next game of airsoft for another week, it was faster than ordering on line, so I went down and prepaid. When it arrived at my store, I went down to get my new AEG along with 2 batteries and a sling. When I got there, I was pleasantly surprised that they had installed an upgrade spring free of charge! Reminded of the reasons I do business with my walk-in store instead of internet retailers, I went home to test my new AEG.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

I now know why TMs are so expensive: the box! I have never seen a gun that came in a box as nice as this. The foam is covered with fabric, making it look very professional. The box contains a P-90, 68 round magazine, a box of BBs, a very long speed loader, a cleaning rod, some small paper targets, and a users manual written completely in Japanese. (Ok, there was one sentence written in English)

The fit and finish is very good, there are no squeaks or wobbles at all. The gun has trade marks, which I find interesting, if not very useful. Somehow, I got one that did not have any of the trade marks removed. I like having the realism of the "trades", and its also nice that it doesn't have any of those melted spots where they did a poor job of removing them.

MAGAZINE:

I was very impressed with the realism of the standard magazine. The 46 fake bullets (Yes, I counted) look very real. The magazine holds the advertised 68 BBs, but you can get 70 by placing 2 in the magazine well. My favorite thing about this magazine is that, unlike most other mags, it fires every single BB! It is possible to remove the magazine and, by turning it upside down, see how many BBs remain unfired. If you purchase the P-90, I highly recommend getting yourself a few extra mid caps. Overall, the P90 magazine gets one of my highest ratings.

The High Cap, on the other hand, disappointed me. It does NOT fire all 300 BBs with one winding as advertised, and must be taken out of the gun to be wound very often. It is more unrealistic that the mid cap, but one nice thing about it is that you can see how many BBs are left because the mag is transparent. Also, the BBs do not rattle around because of a spring pushing them toward the winding gear. It's not terrible, however I would invest in some standard cap mags instead.

TM P90 High Cap Magazine

The magazine release is adequate, if a bit difficult to use at first. I suppose that it's only a little harder to release the mag than on the MP5, but you have to pull down two buttons on opposite sides of the gun. It is a little bit difficult to insert the the mag back in the gun, but it becomes much easier with some practice, and you will eventually have no trouble at all.

SIGHTS: RDS AND IRON:

I was relieved when I found I was getting an RDS version, because there was a chance it would prove impossible to get anything but the TR. The red dot sight is very nice. It has three settings; off, 1, and 2. I usually use it on one, because it works well enough and uses less power, but it is sometimes nice to have the brighter dot. It's really your preference. It runs off of 2 AAA batteries. I always carry a few extra AAAs in my tactical vest. To install the batteries, push down the button at the front of the RDS that says "Push down", and insert batteries.

The gun does have iron sights; one on the right, and one on the left of the red dot. I am almost certain they were meant as nothing more than a back up, and I would always use the RDS when possible. The sites are a simple "blade" style site similar to what you would find on a pistol. There is no way to adjust them at all, because they are built into the RDS mount, and are not very accurate because they are not centered.

BATTERY COMPARTMENT:

When I saw the size of the battery I was being forced to use by the limited compartment space of the P-90, I started feeling a little depressed. However, there was a very simple solution. I purchased two batteries. If one saw the need, he could get the j shaped battery, however I do not see how you would manage cramp it in, because all the space that is not being used by the battery, is taken up my the wiring.
If you have a charger designed for a large battery, you will need to purchase an adapter. They are fairly cheap, around $10-$15, and without it, you will be unable to charge you're battery.

The butt plate is very secure, and will not come off accidentally during a battle. To remove, press down the button at the bottom of the butt plate, and simply slide it off the rest of the stock. Putting it back on is a little more tricky, as you must place it at the right angle and then slide it one. It is not to difficult, but when you are trying to hold down the wiring and attach the but plate, it can be a bit frustrating.

My only real complaint is that the battery can sometimes be heard rattling when the gun is moved quickly. If that aggravates you, it can easily be fixed by placing some sort of foam around the battery.

SELECTOR SWITCH AND TRIGGER:

I had heard negative comments about the selector switch, but I don't really see anything wrong with it. I find that it works much better than the one on my MP5, even though it's a little stiff. The reason for the stiffness however, I believe is simply the way it works. Where the MP5 switch worked by making different connections with the selector plate, the P-90 appears to allow the trigger be pulled back to different points. On safe, the trigger is prevented from moving, on semi, it can be pulled about half way back, and on full auto, it is pulled all back the way.
Therefore, like the real steel, it is capable of firing on semi, when set to full auto by having the trigger pulled only half way. When firing short bursts, it is easy to under pull the trigger, causing only one BB to fire.

The selector switch's three setting are designated by a white "S", a red "1', and a red "A". I had heard that the paint came off very easily, but so far that does not seem to be the case. It might come off if you were to scratch at it, but under normal use I see no need to worry.

The trigger itself is very nice, and is fairly easy to pull, however it may take some getting used to for those used to a more traditional trigger of an M4, MP5 or G36.

HOP UP:

I am quite happy with this hop up: It is easy to adjust, it is very precise, and it is hard to see by a casual observer. To access the hop up adjustment wheel, turn the gun upside down, and slide back the "door". The wheel is very nice, and, unlike many other hop ups, tells you which way is hop. This is not very important, but it could make it easier for a beginner who doesn't know a hop up from a mag release. The BBs, when the hop up is adjusted correctly, fly very straight and accurately. Overall, one of the nicest hop ups I have seen. Now I know why the Marui hop up is famous.

BREAK DOWN:

The TM P-90 has a very nice-field stripping feature. Simply remove the magazine, locate the button about two inches from the magazine well, press it down, and slide the upper receiver, barrel, hop up, and rails off the rest of the gun. This is very useful, because it enables you to unjam BBs, upgrade the stock barrel to a tight-bore barrel, fix the hop up, or just adjust the hop up more easily. Also, it is realistic, since the real steel P-90 also does this.

DISASSEMBLY:

The P-90 is probably the easiest gun in the world to disassemble. To get to the gearbox, you must first field strip the gun. After removing the upper receiver, locate the two metal rods which connect to the trigger. You will be able to lift it out of place. Now, remove the butt plate and take out the two small screws. Lift out the plastic plate, and the mechbox should just slide out.

PERFORMANCE:

The performance of the P-90 impressed me a lot. The accuracy is excellent, and is still in a tight grouping at long ranges. This is probably thanks to the Marui hop up. The rate of fire is also very good, probably around 850-900 RPM, even with the upgraded spring. With the upgraded spring, the FPS is around 350. If you purchase, but do not upgrade your P-90, accuracy should be about the same (I know because I left the spring compressed for about 2 weeks and the FPS went down to below 300, but accuracy and range were almost completely unchanged), ROF will be a little better and FPS will be around 280.

Tokyo Marui P-90 BB grouping at 70 ft. with a 7 X 7 3/4 inch target. Actual diameter of target is 4 inches.

BATTLE FIELD TEST:

Since the point of purchasing an airsoft gun is (usually) to play airsoft, I was very excited when I arrived at the field to use my P-90 for the first time in a game. The compact size and shape of the P-90 makes it perfect for CQB, but it has accuracy and range as good as most M16s making it just as good for woodland, which is what I use it for. I prefer it to longer M4s and even the G36 because the BulPup design allows you to fire at a target without exposing as much of yourself. My kill to BB ratio has gone way up compared to my MP5. I find I can get the same number of kills (sometimes more) while using a third of the BBs.
The only downside is that the red dot site can be very difficult to use with a full face mask. If you use goggles, you will have no trouble, but I finally modified my mask to make aiming easier.

CONCLUSION:

I would recommend the Tokyo Marui P-90 RDS to anyone looking for a compact, easy to handle AEG with good performance and externals as good as you are going to find with a plastic bodied AEG. I did have the spring guide break, which could be because I upgraded the spring and nothing else, so if you upgrade your P-90 I recommend getting a metal spring guide too. If you are just getting into airsoft and do not want to spend much, this may not be the gun for you. But if you have $250 + to spend on a gun, the Tokyo Marui P-90 will meet all your airsofting needs.

Review by AirsoftGuy

SHIZUOKA Hobby Fair

2008-05-15T17:21:00.004-04:00

The Shizuoka Hobby Fair has begun, and already people are surprised to see what companies like Tokyo Marui have been cooking up.

Thanks to Airsoftnews.eu

First is the TM news-

Tokyo Marui

whats in this pic you may ask! well this is what has been spotted and named.
- Aks 74u with Marui's blowback system
- M4 PMC (RAS similar to the ICS M4 cqb)
- M.E.U pistol
- NOVAK (pistol) sights
- Mac 10 AEP
- Px4 (for those of you who dont know the Px4 is a new Berreta pistol. Parts such as the mag release are interchangeable for Left handed users. Hopefully TM mimics the Px4 down to the original as they can get it.)
- FN Five-seveN (note its in the display case along with the "Px4")

Marushin

Marushin's line-up:

- Glock 21
- Bren Ten
- 2007 Mateba (revolver)

This will be updated with more pics and what not as we find it, enjoy!

For better coverage visit X-Fire.org

A&K M249 has arrived!

2008-05-13T23:49:00.007-04:00

Well after a few minor delays we have an A&K M249 SAW Para in our workshop.

Although we have yet to fully test the SAW, we do have some pictures and basic stats to report.

First the available raw data:

Price: $249.95
Source: Airsplat
Length: 31.25"-35.5" (Stock collapsed/ extended).
Weight: 14.5-15 lbs (Loaded/unloaded)
FPS: 340-360 (.2g)
ROF: 16 bbs/sec or 960 bbs/min using the stock 8.4v 1100mAh battery

As you can see this is not a light airsoft gun tipping the scales at almost the same weight as the real thing (Unloaded). We will almost certainly be utilizing a sling of some kind. The reason for the bulk is primarily the significant amount of metal used in the construction.

Most people who order the SAW will likely have gotten it because they enjoy the role of support gunner. I.e. they dont mind the weight. That said, the finish is pretty good, not "Wow" but pretty good.

The "Para" model comes with a shortened barrel and a collapse able stock.

We requested this model because we figured it would be the most maneuverable of the three model types offered. (MK1, MKII and the Para).

Our video review will cover all of the unique details of this offering but in summary here are the coolest features:

The mech box spring quick change feature:

ASReports news #7

2008-05-13T18:51:00.004-04:00

1.OPSEC Airsoft radio episode #101

Arniesairsoft.co.uk

Another week, another episode… and this one makes it 101. We originally had much more planned for the show, but the topics ran away with themselves, forcing us to save it for the next one. On 101, we explored how seriously airsoft takes itself and the joy of trademarks. We also announced our intention to record a show on-site at Operation: Lion Claws on the 24th of May… which should be interesting to say the least and most likely jam packed with tech issues. 101 has been posted and for those interested, the show is available for download via iTunes (search for “opsec” in the Music Store: Link) or via direct download at the below link:

*Episode 101*
- National Airsoft Events
- New Items of Interest
- Main Topic: Does Airsoft Take Itself Too Seriously?- Sub Topic: The Joy of Trademarks
- Shameless Plugs
*Right Click to Download*
43.1MB, 1h:47m:43s
Show Notes: Link

2. New KSC M9a1

Airsoftnews.eu

KSC announced replica of Beretta M9A1. M9A1 is latest in the line of Beretta's service pistols, based around M92 frame. KSC's product is compatible with all previous magazines for KSC Berettas. Basic data:

Length: 216mm
Weight 820gMagazine capacity 24 +1 BBs
ETA 5/19
price: 21.000 Yen (131.28 EUR).

3. New Well R2 Pics (Vz61 Scorpion)

Aisoftnews.eu

Sorry if the pic in the original article did not work. along with any other pics. I hope these will work now.

Note that the Chrono says 71.3 mps. This equals 234 fps.

ASReports News #6

2008-05-10T17:03:00.002-04:00

1. Jing Gong T3 RAS (G3SG1 RAS)

Airsoftnews.eu

Gun-fire.com

JG is releasing the T3 RAS in two colors, OD green and Black. It may be awhile before we see this in the US. Though HK (Hong Kong) retailers will be stocking it soon. Models should be shooting approx. 360fps, and come with a 500rnd hi-cap.

2.Battlesim: CQB competition

If airsoft competitions is your thing, this may be of interest. News courtesy of Marshall (Battlesim):

WHAT: CQB Competition
WHO: Insights Training and Battlesim.com
WHERE: Western Washington
WHEN: July 2008 - exact date TBD

Battlesim has hired Insights Training to run our first CQB Competition in order to create the most realistic Airsoft CQB Competition ever. Recognized as one of the top training companies in the United State, Insights will provide a level of realism and professionalism unrivaled in the airsoft sphere.

InSights Training Center has been teaching quality, fast-paced, informative courses around the country since 1990. They offer the most complete self-defense, firearms, and tactical training available to the Private Sector, Law Enforcement, and Military organizations. They have taught more than 10,000 students– private citizens, Law Enforcement officers and instructors, SWAT teams, corrections personnel, security officers, and Military Special Operations personnel.

Their professional instructors come from highly specialized and thorough backgrounds in Law Enforcement, Military Special Operations, and the Private Sector. They have all received extensive instructor development training from Insight's own master trainer, Greg Hamilton, in addition to high level training from numerous national academies. Greg (and John Holschen) are the only two-time winners in the history of the National Tactical Invitational and have been recognized as "Master Tacticians" and "Master Trainers" by the American Tactical Shooting Association. Insight's operational experience and teaching expertise combine to insure you a positive learning experience while increasing your personal security awareness and skills.

InSights Training Center has been recognized by numerous organizations and publications as one of the top firearms and self-defense schools in the world. They continue to offer world class training from world class trainers. They are one of the select few schools consistently designated as being among the best of the best.

Here is a video preview of the facility:

Tokyo Marui Glock 17 review, By Sgt. Hartwig

2008-05-10T04:48:00.004-04:00

Glock 17 3rd Generation
Review written by: Taylor Hartwig
Review guide by: UwS-patriot

01- Intro
As the title states, this review is of Tokyo Marui’s Glock 17. Tokyo Marui is a well known if not the most popular airsoft gun manufacturer to date. Having created the first AEG, they have led the way for other companies. Their product line consists of many models for instance the HK PSG-1, M1A1 Thompson, and a numerous ammount of Gas Blowback (GBB) pistols.

I purchased my TM G17 from www.poweredgeusa.com . Poweredgeusa was the leader in Tokyo Marui prices for US retailers. Unfortunetly Poweredgeusa has since gone out of business, and closed up shop. I was lucky enough to have purchsed my G17 for the low price of 115 USD, along with an extra magazine, which was 29 USD. Shipping was 10 USD for Flat rate UPS ground shipping. Oddly enough though, My package came in a FedEx box. This didnt really matter, the package was in very good condition, with only the corners being a little scrunched or crickled up.

-Box with Poweredgeusa paper wrapping, clearly states UPS

-FedEx shipping box, notice scrunched edges

I had ordered my gun on a friday night knowing that it would not be processed or shipped until Monday. Reasonably, i had figured it would arrive 3 days after being shipped meaning it would arrive on Thursday. To my surprise when i recieved the tracking information it stated it would get here Wednesday! So extremely good shipping on their part.

Everything i had ordered was neatly packed, along with a numerous ammount of packing peanuts. Taking out the box containing my Glock, I quickly noticed one thing. All the official Glock trademarks on the box had been cut out. I must thank Poweredgeusa for taking the necessary precautions so that my order would not be confiscated by Customs. Opening the Tokyo Marui box, i peered upon my Glock17, a magazine, un-jamming rod, small package of approx. 100 bbs, night sights, barrel plug, and the usual assortment of papers (manuals and the Tokyo Marui catalog).

-G17 box, and extra magazine at the bottom. Notice on the G17 box, trades have been cut out.

-inside G17 box

02- First Impressions
So the time had come, i reached and lifted my new pistol out of the black styrofoam (or poly-something) box. First things to note, it seemed top heavy, or front heavy but i was sure this was only because the magazine had not been inserted into the grip. Another thing i looked for were TM’s infamous molding seems in the plastic. They were present, but no where as horrid as i thought they would be, and the RS Glock being comprised of mostly plastics and most likely having seems of its own, i was 100% fine with the seems that were present.

03- Grip
First off im going to have to say it’s EXTREMELY comfortable. It fits my hand perfectly, and its wonderful to hold. The grip accommodates many hand sizes. I had my friend who has small hands test it to see if he could get to the slide release latch and the magazine release. He was able to reach both just fine.

04- Sights
This is where Tokyo Marui disappointed me the most. The stock sights that are already on the gun are perfectly good. I could use them with out any problems of alignment. But the pistol also came with the optional night sights, which would glow in use at night games.
The manual that Tokyo Marui provides shows how to install the night sights. So i went ahead and tried to install them myself. This proved fruitless, though not because I was incapable of doing it myself, but because the screws used in the stock sights were to big for the night sights! I searched the little plastic container, which held the night sights, for some extra screws that they might have provided. I found none. So for the moment the extra night sights are useless.

05- Slide& Frame
The slide is plastic, but with a metal backing. This allows the energy created by the blowback to be distributed into the metal, instead of the plastic slide. So the chances of breaking your slide from use on Green gas or stronger gases are pretty low. Also on a side note found without the magazine inserted that most of the weight is contributed to the slide.
The frame is also made of plastic, but this is inevitable since the RS Glock’s frame is also made of plastic. I have no complaints on the weight or of the plastics being used. Unless they prove to be insufficient (they break in some way or another) then they are pretty much perfect and suit the pistol very well.
The Tokyo Marui has full Austrian Glock trades. Trades were even located on the top sides of both the night sights, and stock sights. Other locations for trades are the grip, and of course on the slide and outer barrel. All the trades on my glock had been covered up by Poweredgeusa. They were nice enough to use a black tape which was easily peeled off without harming the trades underneath (note that they only covered up the Glock logo, not the serial numbers). All trades are molded into the plastic, and so I must really thank Poweredgeusa for not removing them in a way that would harm the frame or slide.

-Slide, Glock trades

-Grip, glock trades

06- Hop-up
I had always heard that Tokyo Marui had the best stock hop-up. When i first took my gun out for some quick plinking i found that the trajectory of the bb was flat for the short distances i was shooting (no more than 50 ft at the time). So to test the how far it would keep its flat trajectory i got to the farthest corner of my back yard and took some shoots into the other corner. Slightly amazed, i took off the slide and adjusted the hop-up all the way up, and fired once. The bb went no more than 15 ft and then went straight up. The pistol when i received it was perfectly set, and needed no adjustment. I must say overall i was amazed at how effective the hop-up was on the pistol. Tokyo Marui definitely got the hop-up right in this pistol, and it seems as though rumor hold true, their stock hop-up is great.

07- Muzzle, Trigger, and Magazine
I have found that the trigger on Glocks are quite interesting.
“The Glock features a triple safety system that secures the weapon against accidental discharge and consists of three independent safety mechanisms: an external trigger safety and two automatic internal safeties – a firing pin safety and a drop safety. The external safety is a small inner lever contained in the trigger. Pressing the lever activates the trigger bar and sheet metal connector. One of the internal safeties is a solid hardened steel pin which, in the secured state, blocks the firing pin channel (disabling the firing pin in its longitudinal axis). The firing pin safety is only pushed upward to release the firing pin for firing when the trigger is actuated and the safety is pushed up through the backward movement of the trigger bar, the second, drop safety guides the trigger bar in a precision safety ramp that is only released when a shot is triggered by pulling the trigger right back. The safeties are systematically disengaged one after another when the trigger is squeezed and then automatically reactivated when the trigger is released. This triple safety system guarantees safe handling of the pistol with a cartridge introduced into the chamber, reducing the time required to deploy the weapon. This allows the user to concentrate on tactical considerations, rather than manipulation of levers, hammers or external safeties found in other, conventional handguns. This design however does not allow the pistol to be decocked in case of a squib round.” -Wikipedia

-Trigger safety; its the small piece that looks like it's sticking out of the trigger.

-Primary safety, this is the extra safety which Tokyo Marui must include by Law. Simply shift it forward and the trigger can not be pulled.

TM was good enough to add all of those safeties plus one. TM’s safety being part of the serial number. You simply push it into position and it stops the trigger from being pulled when the trigger has been engaged. Tokyo Marui’s trigger is made out of the same material as the rest of the gun, and suits it perfectly. I don't know how much trigger pull there is but it’s much better than my old GNBB glock, which had horrendous trigger pull, as most GNBB guns do.

Onto the barrel. The outer barrel of course is plastic, same material as the body. One fine detail about the barrel is that it slightly curves up when the slide is locked in the pulled back position. This is the same for the RS Glock as well. As for the rest, the inner barrel is a stock TM barrel. Probably constructed from brass, and also probably 6.08mm in diameter. The length of the inner barrel is about 9.7cm (97 mm for those who may be interested in a tight bore).
Next is the magazine. The magazines are rock solid, quite literally. The mags weigh 293g without bbs and 296g with bbs (0.2g). The magazines are full metal, except of course for the base plate and loading tip where the gas and bbs are released. Each mag holds 24 bbs (that's the most i could stuff into mine).

-This picture exhibits the bent appearance of the barrel when the slide is locked back.

08- Performance
To start off this is a GBB replica. Its recommended you use HFC 134a, because its weaker and thus decreases the wear on the slide and internals. I use Green gas, and this model can definitely handle it. FPS with Green gas is approximately 310, with 0.2g bbs. Gas usage is approx. 2 mags per 5 sec gas charges. I haven't been able to thoroughly test it because my current gas can is leaky and i haven't been able to successfully fill my magazines completely. But i have had times (such as that in the accuracy video) where i almost got two full mags use of bbs, this leads me to believe i could definitely get 48+ rounds off with 5 seconds of gas fill.

Video Segments-

Accuracy video:

Dis/Reassembly video:

ASReports News #5 + SITE REVIEW of TM Glock17

2008-05-08T23:28:00.002-04:00

To start I have finished my review of the Tokyo Marui Glock 17! I hope you all enjoy it, and that it helps with anyones next purchase of a GBB replica. Also the "Review" section of the site will soon be done. You may find our up and coming user reviews there. Now onto the real news...

1. Airsoftgi.com promotion!! Yes theyre stretching your dollars...

Enjoy your savings lol!

2. Well Vz61 Clone

Original source

Gunnerairsoft is now carrying Well's clone of Tokyo Marui's Vz61 AEP. It comes with the hi-cap drum mag, RAS rail, metal reciever, trigger guard, and adjustable sights, and steel wire folding stock.

Gunnerairsoft.com

TSD Propane Adapter

2008-05-07T22:48:00.003-04:00

Recently we received a shipment of equipment from TSD and one of the parts included was their new propane adapter that now has a built in silicone chamber.

To any airsoft enthusiast who has used a gas gun (Other than CO2) knows that green and red gas can sometimes be hard to acquire. The solution has been to utilize a propane adapter nozzle which allows the user to use camp stove propane cannisters to fill their airsoft guns. The difference between the product known as "Green Gas" and propane is mostly air freshener and silicone lubricant according to most web sites.

Up until this point adding silicon oil could be done with a small amount of effort by adding a few drops to the inside of the adapter before attaching it to the propane bottle. No problem right? Not if you plan on using your gas powered gun more than a couple of times. TSD seems to have this problem more or less in check by offering an adapter that has a small chamber in the side into which the silicone drops are now added.

"Ah, but does it work?" The short answer? Yes. It works just fine and we have several magazines worth of smooth operation to prove it.

Perhaps a small innovation, and not earth shaking per se, but then again, we can all agree that sliced bread is a definite improvement over the unsliced variety.

Maybe a silicone chamber isn't on the same level as sliced bread, but its a great improvement and it works well.

We whole heartedly recommend it!

A&K M249

2008-05-07T12:56:00.007-04:00

As of 4-6-08 I have received notification from Airsplat that an order was put in for our A&K M249. At this point it is unclear which exact model we will receive but in the grand scheme of things it is irrelevant as internals appear to be identical throughout the three model variants.

The delay in acquisition has been due to apperantly astronomical demand for this model. And I don't blame people, from the sound of things, there is a lot to like!

Arnie's review was more or less positive citing lots of positives with a smattering of negatives. Apperantly there are some issues and complaints such as some wobble in the foregrip and carry handle, but according to the reviewer it was over all an impressive offering especially considering the price point. ($250). To see Arnie's review click here.

There has been speculation that the foregrip across the model line will accommodate a full sized battery and of course we will be looking to do just that.

Additionally, the gear box allows for the relatively quick replacement of it spring and guide rod (If you have the inkling). By all accounts this is a gearbox that is interchangeable with V2 style gearbox parts. Although, if the gearbox is anything like the CA version, the positioning of the gears is not what you would see in a V2. Frankly, if this is true, it was a VERY prudent move to make as there are so very many V2 internal parts available.

Of course anyone in the market for a SAW style airsoft gun will have come across the usual suspects including (Most likely) the Classic Army version. The word on the Web is that A&K has (Not surprisingly) copied CA's design and internals. If this is true, then this excellent article on the CA M249 style gearbox will be quite helpful.

Another Classic Army Review can be found here.

Moving on to the A&K version, another interesting feature is the quick change barrel function. Now, in the realm of real firearms it is quite obvious why having the ability to swap out overheated barrels would be advantageous. In airsoft alas, the practicality is diminished. Although being able to more easily clear a jam can truly be a blessing. The down side is that there is the potential to damage the rather vulnerable hop up assembly. I.e. the Steyr AUG which is also endowed with a "Quick" barrel takedown feature and can suffer from this very problem. We will reserve judgment until closer inspection of the actual assembly. In the mean time we found this short clip on Youtube to help you get a better idea of the function we are talking about.

The SAW is really at its core a support weapon. That is it is intended to lay down suppressing fire and thus ROF will be an important part of this offering. Based on our findings online the ROF appears to be above average, not by much but above average. The fact that the M249 is equipped with a sound activated 2400 round box mag will definitely help in terms of volume of fire. But we wanted to see how it performed stock. Here is a clip we found that should demonstrate the M249's capabilities until we get our test model in the shop.

Of course a little fiddling and a larger battery will undoubtedly increase this. If we find the M249 to be as well liked in our shop as it is elsewhere, we might just take the time to go even higher with some upgraded wiring, re-enforced gearbox, probably a weaker spring and who knows maybe well go MOSFET.

There have also been some concerns about certain key parts in the M249 such as a trigger switch with an unnecessarily long throw and the box mag that was shoddily constructed. Airsplat has assured us that the model we will be getting is the latest model which hopefully will have addressed some or all of these issues. Obviously we wont know till its in our hands, but even if we do have to contend with some quirks, based on our research, I am confident that a little minor tweaking will bring things into true.

ASReports News #4

2008-05-07T12:56:00.005-04:00

1. Classic Army Claymore mine

airsoftnews.eu

Classic army will be releasing a replica claymore. It appears to be a clone of the Escort type gas model.

ASReports News #3

2008-05-06T22:30:00.003-04:00

1. Lih Yng: T86 Compact

www.airsoftnews.com

Lih Yng, a Taiwanese manufacturer that has specialized in replicas of domestic assault rifles, has announced their release of a Compact T86.

ASR News - 5-5-08

2008-05-06T01:14:00.001-04:00

1. Classic Army now using Heckler& Koch Trades

http://www.stormtec.com

2. OPSEC Airsoft Radio Episode 100

*May 1st Program*
- National Airsoft Events
- New Items of Interest
- OPSEC Airsoft Station News
- Main Topic: Airsoft Governing Bodies
- Weather From On High
- OPSEC Airsoft, the firs 99 episodes…
- Shameless Plugs
*Right Click to Download*
39.5MB, 1h:38m:41s
Show Notes: Link

Cheers, Radar (OPSEC Airsoft Radio)

Skirmish Report - TSD M4 R.I.S.

2008-05-06T01:12:00.001-04:00

Monday, May 5, 2008

We had a great skirmish on Sat. (5-3-08) and by all accounts a lot of fun was had.

The games consisted of simple team deathmatch and attack and defend scenarios and the night ended up pretty close to even.

The TSD M4 RIS was put through its paces and it shined. The battery lasted the entire period of play (Roughly 3.5 hours) and there was not too much drop in ROF. (Most likely due to the large 1500mah bat).

We will be using this gun as a project gun and TSD sent us one of their tightbore barrels in addition to an upgraded piston, piston head, spring and hop up. Accuracy was good stock, but we wanted to see how things improved with the TB istalled.
With the 6.03mm tightbore barrel the accuracy was pretty good with max effective range around 150'.

FPS was consitant at around 335 with very little fluctuation and this was actually quite impressive.

With the exception of the foregrip "Slop" this offering was a very solid performer.

Over all the skirmish went nicely and there was a great mix of guns in play. From the standard fare M16 and AK to the M14 and the AUG.

Perhaps even more importantly, we were able to get a small glimpse of what this AEG can do.

Things look promising and I expect to keep the TSD M4 RIS on its toes with games to come.

-Konrad

Airsoft Reports News 4-28-08

2008-05-06T00:54:00.001-04:00

ASReports News Submission #1

1.BE-Tech Type 89 out at RSOV

http://www.rsov.com/product/0/1731/p_Both-...-burst-M89.html

The BE Type 89 is full metal. Plastic parts are rubberized like RS, and mechanical 3rnd burst.

2. New Classic Army Models

http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/news2/2774

For more info on models contact:

web: www.spartanimports.com mail: sales@spartanimports.com phone: (650)589-5501

3. OPSEC Airsoft Radio April 24th show

http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/news2/2783

For those interested, the show is now available for download via iTunes (search for “opsec” in the Music Store: Link) or via direct download at the below link: *April 24th Program* - National Airsoft Events - New Items of Interest - OPSEC Airsoft Station News - Main Topic: Positive Airsoft Growth - F.U. Line Calls - Sub Topic: Campsite Etiquette - Shameless Plugs *Right Click to Download* 33.1MB, 1h:22m:50s Show Notes: Link

OPSEC URL: http