Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Which Airsoft Gun Has the Best Range?
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
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
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Classic Army P90 Sportline Firing Report
This little AEG provided surprisingly good accuracy out to 135' feet using .28 gram bbs.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Dogs of War after action report summary
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!
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!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
"The Zone" Pt. 1
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/
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Classic Army P90 Sportline TR with Metal Receiver
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.
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