Airsoft Action - March 2020

EVENT REPORT
SHOT SHOW 2020 - LAS VEGAS, USA
Strike Systems (as yet un-named) pistol
looked very cool indeed. Also appearing
on the EVIKE stand was the full range of
TITAN batteries but I’ll be hooking up with
Matt again at IWA to get the very latest
from them.
Just around the corner was G&G. I’ve
become used to their “mega stand” at
IWA but although their SHOT booth was a
little more modest it was certainly packed
with some 6mm loveliness! Although
models of the SMC-9 are rolling out and
getting into the hands of players, it still
featured front and centre of the G&G
display and I am waiting eagerly to get my
hands on one to test (any day now!). The
BAMF rifle that you’ll find reviewed this
month also looked great in their lineup and
once again I was teased by the “micro-
AKs”. these will not be to everyone’s
taste, but as an out and out AK “lover”
they have a certain something that grows
on me every time I see them! Their pistol
range is looking better than ever - and I
have to admit that I drooled a little over
the new VX9 MKV in Dark Earth. They also
put on a great show with their accessory
parts and consumables, both of which
we’ll be taking a closer look at soon!
A bit out on their own but in some
ways rightly so, were KWA. KWA have
always gone their own way with what they
create and the stand that they showed in
one of the firearms halls was absolutely
first rate! Pitched wholehearted towards
the “training market”, their LM4-D got
a LOT of approval from my real-steel
buddies, with much fondling, stroking and
coo-ing! It’s models like this that are really
persuading shooters of the real thing that
airsoft should be taken seriously as a part
of any training regimen and when minus
magazine, many of my friends had a hard
time believing that this was “airsoft”!
That’s not to say that KWA were neglecting
their airsoft fans though, as they had a
great display of the internals for both the
AEG 2.5+ and AEG 3 gearboxes, probably
one of the clearest and nicest I’ve ever
come across. I was particularly taken by the
QRF MOD3, and the Ronin 47 (their take
on the AR/AK “hybrid”) definitely looked
like it needed
to come home
with me! Overall,
KWA put on a
GREAT display that
appealed I’m sure
to everyone who
visited them.
…and speaking
of training, I am
going to return
to SIG and, more
specifically, SIG AIR.
We all know
that SIG have pulled
their models back
“in house” and
if you check on
their website they
are unashamedly
chasing the “6mm
Training” market -
with some success too, as their ProForce
P229 has become the official training
firearm of the U.S. Coast Guard! Both the
P229 and the M17 took pride of place
in their airsoft line, along with the MCX
VIRTUS which feels absolutely superb
and it was an real joy to finally see airsoft
featured in the “SHOT Daily” newssheet,
albeit thanks to SIG and their “safe
training” story.
The “training” story is one, as a shooter
of both real and replica, that I shall be
following with great interest and I have to
say that if others follow the lead that SIG
have taken, then we will all be in for some
righteous airsoft treats in the future!
IT’S A WRAP (AGAIN)!
Of course, what I’ve brought you here
is just the very tip of the iceberg, there
is SO much more exciting news that will
be coming by the time that IWA is upon
us and visiting SHOT show this year
has let us tap into it earlier than ever
before. We also spoke at length to more
manufacturers in the footwear, clothing
and equipment sectors but that’s a whole
other story which we tend to concentrate
on at IWA. Suffice to say, there’s a lot of
tactical goodness lined up for evaluation
and review, which will drop into Airsoft
Action in the coming months and I have to
give special mentions to both PTS for their
“M-TEK FLUX” helmet and to Helikon-Tex
for their new gear that is looking sublime.
Again, I’m meeting both manufacturers
again in Germany and will bring a better
look at everything soon!
SHOT Show is the largest trade show of
its kind in the world, attracting upwards of
61,000 attendees from100 countries and it
was truly great to see friends old and new!
Preparations have already begun for next
year’s SHOT Show, which will return to the
Sands Expo with an extension into Caesars
Forum (hopefully with a dedicated airsoft
area, who knows?) on January 19th to
22nd 2021. I hope to see you all there! AA
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