Airsoft Action - April 2022

PROUD TO SUPPORT PILGRIM BANDITS CHARITY
ISSUE 136 - APRIL 2022
ISSN 2634-9515

TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION
TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION

CONTENTS
8 ARMOURY: VORSK OSIRIS
VORSK have undoubtedly secured a hard-won place amongst
airsofters that love a reliable, hard-charging handgun, with
each and every model they release. They’ve now turned their
performance-eye to another classic firearm, so Bill gets some BBs
downrange with their new OSIRIS, an “M9” but as usual with a
distinct VORSK twist!
PROUD TO SUPPORT PILGRIM BANDITS CHARITY
ISSUE 136 - APRIL 2022
ISSN 2634-9515
Editorial Director: Bill Thomas
Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing
Ad Design: Deadshot Design
Publisher: Calibre Publishing
18 ARMOURY: ICS LIGHTWAY DAGGER S3
There appears to be another surge of manufacturers looking to
polymer-bodied ARs to fulfil a variety of tasks, but ICS have taken
their time to create their most recent “take” on this style, and it
appears that in respect of the new LIGHTWAY models this time has
been very well spent indeed! Jimmy tells more…
Wyche Innovation Centre,
Walwyn Road,
Upper Colwall,
Malvern,
Worcestershire,
WR13 6PL, UK.
Tel: +44 (0) 1684 878 003
Web: www.airsoftaction.net
©Calibre Publishing Limited 2021
All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise without the
express permission of the publisher in writing. The
opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those
of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit
submissions prior to publication.
FIND US ON…
24 ARMOURY: CLPD A-PLUS 1022
Our good friend Clarence Lai, of CL Project Design, has been
intensifying his locally based efforts in design, manufacture and
collaboration, as well as improving his distribution channels across
the world in order to bring his new creations to the wider market
as promised; Stewbacca gets a first look and hands-on with his
latest bespoke creation, the CLPD A-Plus 1022!
LETTER, IDEA OR
QUESTION?
Got something to say? A question for our
experts? An article or article idea?
Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the
Editorial Director: bill@airsoft-action.co.uk, write to
us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to
us on Twitter or Facebook.
78 FEATURE: BOLSTER ARMOURIES
Who are Bolster Armouries? Why was Bolster Armouries formed,
what’s the brand mission? Following and extensive teaser campaign
for this new custom-oriented brand Bill got together with the guys
from Patrol Base to get the lowdown on everything that is Bolster
Armouries!

Contents
APRIL 2022
68 IWA SHOW REPORT
It’s that time of year again, the time when Airsoft Action hit the
biggest gun trade show in Europe, and what we found at IWA in
Nuremberg this year was an airsoft industry recovering from the
pandemic that has affected us all! 2022 though proved to be a
VERY special year, so Bill reports back on a show where there was
lots to see and even more to talk about!
32 GEAR: 5.11 4-BANGER
Frenchie turns his attention to the
somewhat interestingly named
4-BANGER from tactical-industrygiants
5.11 and finds it is very much a
case of “you get what you pay for”!
60 TECH: SIG MPX UPGRADES
While the reception to the new MPX
has been largely on the positive side,
there were a few things we wished to
see work to their maximum potential,
so Dan takes up the challenge!
36 TOD: PACK IT IN, RUC IT UP!
Last month Bill took a look at different
types of pack that will let you deal
with different airsoft scenarios in
an efficient and effective way, and
this time he turns his attention to
what you should be packing, and
indeed how you pack it to make it as
comfortable and safe as possible!
64 RELOADED: G&G SMC-9
Way back in Issue 112 (April 2020!)
we looked closely the SMC-9 from
G&G Armament. Now it’s time to
check out how this little cracker has
been performing in the long term test
pool! Bill updates now after giving his
own “Little Hammer” (as we’ve come
to call it) some thorough abuse!
39 ARMOURY: PISTOL POWER
Airsoft gas pistols average under
300fps, when we could have around
50 more in the UK. Steve T asks
“why?”, then canvases the AA team
to find himself persuaded that there
may be some good reasons after all…
86 ARMOURY: WETECH T91 GBBR
Every country is justifiably proud of
their issued service rifle and if you’re
putting together a righteous militarystyle
loadout then the correct RIF is a
must-have! Of course Stewbacca now
lives in Taiwan, so he thought it about
time he got his hands of the “local
rifle”, the T91!
42: THE CAGE: PACKING HEAT!
THE CAGE has always been about
gear that has been pushed to its limits
and stood the test of time! We use
the phrase “we break it so you don’t
have to”, so we thought it was time
to start looking at the GBB and AEG
platforms in the team as well as the
gear! As usual, Bill leads off…
94 SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
As promised we’re swinging back
into our usual format as there’s a
whole heap of airsoft-gun goodness
dropping into store right now, and
we thought you might like to know
what we’ve got on test that’s already
out there for you to pick up right
now!
46 RED CELL: 1911 & G-SERIES
In November 2020 we kicked off RED
CELL! Now it’s time to start landing
some proper results and look at how
some of the models we initially tested
have stood up to use and abuse as we
return to the beginning to check out
the most-used 1911s and G-Series
pistols!
96 HISTORICAL: LUMINOX
Our old friend Will Fowler returns
to the pages of this month’s Airsoft
Action with a brief and to the point
look at one of the timepieces chosen
by the elite USN SEALs, bringing us
his expert historical knowledge on the
equipment used by a unit where “The
Only Easy Day Was Yesterday”!
56 ARMOURY: SOPMOD BUILD
The AR and “M4” style of AEG has
proved to be the main choice of
airsoft players around the globe. Bill
recreateS, with the help of our friends
at NUPROL, what he believes lured
many a player into the “love of AR”,
a BLOCK 1 M4 SOPMOD!
98 LAST POST
The last couple of years have meant
small businesses have more stringent
budgets than ever before! The
pandemic has shown us that truly
committed people need to get paid
for what they create and this month
Frenchie addresses this in the wider
context of airsoft games and events!

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
OSIRIS
VORSK HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY SECURED A HARD-WON PLACE AMONGST AIRSOFTERS THAT LOVE
A RELIABLE, HARD-CHARGING HANDGUN! THEIR MODELS NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO EXCITE, BUT
ALSO TO EVOLVE AND GENUINELY GET BETTER AND BETTER WITH EACH AND EVERY MODEL THEY
RELEASE; AFTER RE-INVIGORATING THE LOVE OF THE “1911 PLATFORM” WITH MANY OF US, THEY’VE
NOW TURNED THEIR PERFORMANCE-EYE TO ANOTHER CLASSIC FIREARM, SO BILL GETS SOME BBS
DOWNRANGE WITH THEIR NEW OSIRIS, AN “M9” BUT AS USUAL WITH A DISTINCT VORSK TWIST!
8
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
Ah, the M9, another handgun that we would
love to love given its place in both firearms
and cultural history (Go Martin Riggs! Go John
McClane!), but one that in airsoft form has left many
of us wanting over the years. Whatever style of airsoft
them at that time were absolute crap!
This left a distinctly sour taste with us, and many
of us resorted to running a classic 1911, and therein
lies a story where airsoft does indeed mimic real life,
as the shortcomings of the real M9 were being felt in
adventure you
enjoy, the M9, in its myriad of guises,
should be a pistol that is in EVERYONES
armoury, but it’s not. It should be right
up there with the 1911 and the Glock
given its history… but it’s not.
If you’re a MilSim player, especially one that
enjoys recreating the “US SOCOM battle rattle” of
the 1990’s and early 2000’s then an M9 (or more
specifically the Beretta 92FS semi-automatic pistol)
is an absolute “must have”. If you’re into movies or
video games to inspire your loadout then again, a
Beretta must be high on your list for both “Die Hard”
and “Resident Evil” reasons. The sad fact is though
that “airsoft Berettas” really haven’t been all that
good, now have they?
I was living and playing airsoft in the USA in the
early 2000’s and for a number of events and longer
duration games we chose to run as simple “grunts”,
dressed in our ACU-cut UCP uniforms and gear
with either M4s or full-length M16s (tricked out for
marksman use with ACOGs), and of course in our oh,
so Gucci droplegs we needed an M9… OMG, we tried
LOADS of different brands, we ran them on green gas
and propane, we fettled them and tried to make them
reliable, we replaced slides when they cracked (or
indeed flew off the frame entirely in one memorable
incident!), and we treated the vent-when-we-feel-likeit
magazines with extreme care, but ultimately all of
the field, most
especially by
the SEAL team
operators!
The story
goes that the
Joint Service Small
Arms Program
(JSSAP), created
to pick out a
replacement for the
aging Colt 1911A1 semi-automatic pistols and Smith
& Wesson revolvers for the U.S. Military, had stringent
requirements for a new service weapon as you’d
expect. As an all-metal handgun (no polymers for the
US Military dammit!), the M9 had a steel slide atop
an alloy frame. It was a DA/SA model, with the first
shot being double action and follow-up shots single
action if desired. The Beretta met fully the US military’s
checklist of required features including the thumb
safety, de-cocker, and firing pin lock. Each magazine
held fifteen rounds of 9mm Parabellum, and a basic
load of ammunition consisted of three magazines with
“FOR ME AS A “PROPER GUN BUNNY” THOUGH, THIS IS WHERE THE STORY STARTS
TO GET PROPERLY INTERESTING, AND IT EVEN INVOLVES OUR “RED CELL SPIRIT
GUIDE”, SEAL LEGEND RICHARD “DEMO DICK” MARCINKO, BECAUSE WHAT VORSK
HAVE CREATED WITH THEIR OSIRIS HAS BEEN INSPIRED BY NOTHING LESS THAN THE
MYTHICAL DOLPHIN MODEL! ”
www.airsoftaction.net 9

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
“THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE DOLPHIN WAS NEVER A FULL-LINE MODEL RELEASED
BY BERETTA, BUT RATHER A MISSION-DRIVEN MODIFIED HYBRID CREATED WITHIN
THE LARGER SEAL AND FIREARMS COMMUNITY BY AN EXTREMELY SKILLED
ENGINEER!”
10
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
www.airsoftaction.net 11

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
12
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
a total of forty-five rounds; the pistol weighed in at
1179g loaded with fifteen rounds as opposed to the
M1911 which was 1286g with only seven rounds in a
classic single stack.
Research tells me, courtesy of an excellent online
article by Kyle Mizokami in 2017, that;
“The M9 served in the U.S. military for nearly
thirty years, though not without controversy. US Navy
SEALS, whose intense training placed a high round
count on their M9s encountered cracking slides,
including at least one injury, and ended up procuring
the Sig P226 for their own use. In a 2006 report by
the CNA Corporation, the M9 reported the lowest
levels of user satisfaction and soldier confidence.
Twenty six per cent of respondents claimed their
M9s had malfunctioned in combat, and fifteen per
cent claimed their M9s could not empty a magazine
without jamming at least half the time. Among
US small arms used in Iraq, the M9 was the least
favorably rated.”
See what I mean? IRL the same problems appeared
to exist almost exactly as we’d found with airsoft
replicas!
ENTER THE DOLPHIN!
For me as a “proper gun bunny” though, this is where
the story starts to get properly interesting, and it even
involves our “Red Cell Spirit Guide”, SEAL legend
Richard “Demo Dick” Marcinko, because what VORSK
have created with their OSIRIS has been inspired by
nothing less than the mythical DOLPHIN model! On
boy, can you already tell that I’m getting excited…
It’s said that the SEAL Teams were particularly
unimpressed with the issued M9 and that they found
it insufficiently robust for “Over The Beach” ops,
and this is where a commercial company, Phrobis,
entered the story as they came up with a thoroughly
unofficial upgrade kit in the form of the “Phrobis
Navy Slide”! These modified M9s were distinguished
in particular by this new slide, more robust than the
original, enclosed and featuring the ejection port
instead of the traditional open-barrelled slide of the
standard M9. The Berettas with the Phrobis upgrade
had been unofficially nicknamed the “M9 Dolphin”
(“Dolphin” being an obvious SEAL connection), and
it’s told that for a while Marcinko was actually running
and gunning an M9 Dolphin! If you check out the
old (and somewhat uninspiring sadly!) video game
“Rogue Warrior” the undoubtedly “Marcinko-esque”
main character (voiced by Mickey Rourke!) starts
every mission with an “SAP 9” which came with a
suppressor and an infinite reserve of ammunition…
this looks suspiciously like a DOLPHIN in video-game
form, and as Marcinko had direct input to the game…
well, who really knows?
The bottom line is that the DOLPHIN was never
a full-line model released by Beretta, but rather a
mission-driven modified hybrid created within the
larger SEAL and firearms community by an extremely
skilled engineer! That self-same engineer is said to
still own the copyright for the DOLPHIN logo that
appeared on his slides, and sadly to the best of my
knowledge this has yet to be licenced for airsoft
replicas. However, The OSIRIS is a Select Fire, GBB
Pistol brought to us by the team at VORSK and to me
the inspiration is clear, and stunningly achieved!
The OSIRIS is without shadow of a doubt designed
around the famous M9 platform but with a few key
design changes; inspired by the real-steel world the
OSIRIS comes with a reinforced slide and is also fitted
with a picatinny accessory rail; The most notable of
the enhancements is the solid slide which toughens
the OSIRIS for those “high-stress” moments when
unloading a full magazine on full-auto downrange,
and this will certainly help mitigate any potential
cracks developing, that fundamental flaw in both the
real and airsoft designs that I mentioned earlier. Gone
is the open-slide design, this being replaced by the
fully-wrapped “DOLPHIN-style” with the lugs above
the disassembly pin. This gives the OSIRIS a thoroughly
unique look with a healthy nod to the history of the
original platform, especially when in the hands of
some pretty righteous operators!
The ambidextrous select-fire controls have been
designed specifically for the OSIRIS allowing you to
quickly change between semi and full-auto. The rear
of the pistol features a low-profile hammer, a VORSK
branded polymer grip and a protective polymer
magazine baseplate for extra protection around the
fill valve (often a point of failure in other M9 models
I’ve had). Moving forward, the large trigger guard
provides plenty of room for gloved fingers and the
picatinny rail for lights/lasers is a single-slot design
that easily accepts all my pistol lights. A threaded
inner and outer barrel allows for the attachment of
www.airsoftaction.net 13

ARMOURY
VORSK OSIRIS
a suppressor (ooh, YES, “SAP 9, Marcinko-style”!),
plus there is a 12/14mm CW/CCW thread adaptor to
further increase the number of compatible accessories
that you can choose from!
I have to comment positively on the overall finish of
the OSIRIS too; I chose a plain black version (although
you can have your own OSIRIS in full Black, full Silver,
full Brushed Aluminium or full Dark Earth!) but had
all the models to view and the finish is, in my opinion,
one of the very best that VORSK have created to date!
The satin-black is absolutely impeccable.
DOWRANGE!
After a cursory de-grease and polish from the box
as usual I’ve now spent a few more hours working
with the OSIRIS on the Short Range (between 5
and 10m) and I’m really liking it; if you’re used to a
single-stack 1911 or G-style pistol then you will find
the pistol grip a little “chunky”, but this is as per the
design of the real pistol in order to accommodate that
high round-count! Externally the finish is standing up
well to going in and out of my old (OLD!) Safariland
M9 dropleg holster, and to date there is absolutely no
wear on the muzzle end or around the slide generally
as I would expect given the harshness of the holster
material; it’s pretty unforgiving to finishes unless they
are super-tough!
I’ve been running the OSIRIS on VORSK V6 gas
and to date I’ve had no issues at all with consistency
of power, and the magazine is really standing up
to being hammered time after time after multiple
reloads, with no leaks apparent. The action of the
pistol has been lubed after each range session, and
retains the smoothness that it had when it first arrived
with me; in fact, if anything the action cycles even
more efficiently now than it did from the box, and it
was pretty smooth in the first place. I did notice that
when dry-firing the trigger-pull seemed quite “long”,
but when you have it gassed up this changes, and it’s
very nice and crisp… and when you flick things over
and give the OSIRIS some beans on full-auto then it
matters not, and you can dump the mag super-fast…
ideal if you have one of those “get out of Dodge
quick” encounters!
In terms of continued performance I’ve now logged
in excess of 550 .20g, .25g, and .28g VORSK BBs
through the pistol; thus far it is still performing as
new at 5-10m on steels, with solid accuracy at that
distance; this is the realistic maximum distance I would
usually expect to use a “secondary” at, although it
does certainly have the ability to reach out further!
The OSIRIS has registered highest at 0.95 Joule/320fps
on a .20g BB, settling in at 0.92 Joule/315fps and
staying there. I’ve found that now it has “settled”
it does like .28g BBs as its regular fodder, and
this is most certainly the weight I will use in the
future, although it will happily handle .30g too. The
magazines feed very well indeed, and their additional
VORSK gas-efficiency is certainly in evidence,
especially when you start to drop BBs fast!
So, have I finally found an “M9” style pistol that
sings to me, and actually, you know, WORKS???
The OSIRIS is a GBB pistol that is most certainly well
made with scrupulous attention to detail throughout,
operates efficiently, and is 100% put together to last,
so I would say yes, it most certainly sings to me in all
respects, and if after your own testing you decide that
this is the pistol for you, I believe you will be getting
a whole heap of handgun-coolness for your money!
This is a great-looking, uniquely-designed GBB pistol
that has a real nod to the history of both a time and
specific users, but it’s also a pistol that will serve you
equally well in any a skirmish situation when the
fighting gets close-in and hardcore… I LOVE IT!
Thanks again to VORSK for providing the test
model; you can check out all the VORSK pistols and
accessories they have by visiting www.vorskairsoft.
com... Go on, you know you want to! AA
“THE OSIRIS IS A GBB PISTOL THAT IS MOST CERTAINLY WELL MADE WITH
SCRUPULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL THROUGHOUT, OPERATES EFFICIENTLY, AND IS
100% PUT TOGETHER TO LAST... IF AFTER YOUR OWN TESTING YOU DECIDE THAT
THIS IS THE PISTOL FOR YOU, I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE GETTING A WHOLE HEAP OF
HANDGUN-COOLNESS FOR YOUR MONEY! ”
14
APRIL 2022

TAP/CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION

TAP/CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION

ARMOURY
S&T ICS LIGHTWAY LEE ENFIELD
DAGGER S3
ICS LIGHTS
THE WAY!
18
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
ICS LIGHTWAY S&T LEE DAGGER ENFIELD
S3
THERE APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER SURGE OF
MANUFACTURERS LOOKING TO POLYMER-BODIED ARS
TO FULFIL A VARIETY OF TASKS, FROM ENTRY-LEVEL
BEGINNERS FIRST PURCHASES RIGHT UP TO SECOND
OR THIRD GUN OWNERS, BUT ICS HAVE TAKEN THEIR
TIME TO CREATE THEIR MOST RECENT “TAKE” ON THIS
STYLE, AND IT APPEARS THAT IN RESPECT OF THE NEW
LIGHTWAY MODELS THIS TIME HAS BEEN VERY WELL
SPENT INDEED! JIMMY TELLS MORE…
ICS’s motto is “be a game changer” and they
certainly know how to change the game. With
their recent line of both pistols and rifles they really
are spoiling us airsofters and I can confirm that I have
indeed become a big fan of theirs.
In 1995 the ICS founder, Mr Chu, entered the
airsoft replicas market with enthusiasm and ICS
became the first AEG company in Taiwan and
also the third AEG company in the world which
specialized in designing and manufacturing airsoft
replicas, leading the way in which many others
followed; that enthusiasm and attention to detail
has remained as high today as it was way back in the
beginning. The ICS portfolio is quite extensive and
www.airsoftaction.net 19

ARMOURY
ICS LIGHTWAY DAGGER S3
they are not shy about letting you know this. You can
read about the history on the ICS Airsoft website, and
for a little “airsoft lore” it’s worth the effort to do so!
I would personally wish to thank the lovely people
at ICS for sending these exquisite items, as for me it
is quite an honour to work alongside such a name.
For this issue I’ve had the pleasure of testing and
reviewing the latest Lightway Dagger S3 (the spicy
flavour!) and quite frankly it’s an amazing bit of kit
and a true out of the box performer. Designed for a
CQB environment it is light, due to the full industrial
grade polymer body, and fast, this being down
mainly to the new electronic advancements
inside.
Yes, polymer, you read correctly but don’t be
misled into thinking polymer means flimsy
as it is a very solid-grade polymer and fine
tolerances make it a very rigid platform.
We all like a full metal platform let’s be
honest but polymer is becoming more
and more prevalent within
the real firearms
industry so why
should it be any
different in airsoft?
Polymer definitely has some
major advantages over some of the cheap pot-metal
still being used today.
Let’s check out some of the basic specs:
• Length 660mm to 711mm
• Weight 2078g
• Velocity 328fps this is what ICS claim although I
was seeing 300fps on a .20g over the chrono
• Recommended battery for the SSS Version
11.1v or 7.4v it will happily operate on either
• Inner barrel length 186mm
• Magazine capacity 300 BBs
These are just some basic specs, but it does boast
some fantastic features that I believe many will love.
Let’s take a look at the externals of this carbine; we
shall start from the front and make our way towards
the rear… Starting off the typical birdcage style flash
hider; in the description it does state that it is a metal
flash hider but sadly this one is a polymer version,
although that could be down to the fact it’s an early
sample. This is quite a sacrificial piece to be honest;
it was tough to get off, but once I managed to get it
off the plastic threads were knackered so we won’t be
using that again, that will go in the bin.
Following on from that it has got a full metal
outer barrel and covering that is the industrial grade
polymer M-LOK 6 inch handguard and it’s got a nice
stippling effect to it for added grip. That is attached
to the standard style AR upper receiver sporting the
SSS3 logo as well as a functioning forward assist
button used for decocking the gearbox a feature that
I actually prefer over the fire select decock function.
The lower receiver sports the LIGHTWAY etched logo
along with an enlarged magazine release (so, easy to
use when wearing gloves!). Another feature which I
am a fan of is the ability to split the receivers
much like its real
counterpart by way of
removing the rear pin which from a
techs point of view makes life incredibly
convenient.
It offers up ambidextrous fire select; not
everyone’s a right-handed shooter so we
have to allow for the left handed shooters
also, right? A full metal buffer tube helps
to keep everything balanced but with a
slight twist as the rear wiring runs along
the underside of the tube itself which
sometimes can be a little bit of a pain
if you’re disassembling or you want
to get gearbox out, but on the plus it
makes for more room for slightly larger
batteries which is always a nice thing
to see.
READY TO ROLL
Now with the LIGHTWAY it comes in two designs; you
have the standard FET version and the SSS version.
The SSS version comes with a slightly different style
stock (they call it their Ergo Stock) as the FET version
“I KNOW SOME OF YOU OUT THERE ARE LOOKING AND SAYING “MEH IT’S JUST
ANOTHER AR STYLE RIFLE”! WELL YOU WOULD BE RIGHT IN SAYING THAT AS IT IS
ANOTHER AR PLATFORM, BUT IT’S AN AR WITH SOME RATHER LOVELY INTERNALS
AND VERY FAVOURABLE ATTRIBUTES…”
20
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
ICS LIGHTWAY DAGGER S3
comes with a CTR-style stock. The Ergo offers a
quick easy-access hatch for swift and simple battery
insertion which also gives you a little bit more room
for your wiring; if you can’t fit your battery in the tube
it can sit in the very rear section of the stock.
I know some of you out there are looking and
saying “meh it’s just another AR style rifle”!
Well
you would be right in saying that
as it
is another AR platform, but it’s
an AR
with some rather lovely internals
and very favourable
attributes… I am a
sucker for how things look
but ultimately for me it’s
what is under the hood
that real excites me.
Inside is a heap of
what I class to be
aftermarket
upgrades but
ICS have made
these OEM parts.
I previously
reviewed some
of these
aftermarket parts
and I was
and still am very
impressed with
them.
Inside you will find it is fitted with the Master Mods
Crosshair CNC 21mm o-ring nozzle, CNC double
o-ring cylinder head, CNC 8 vent piston head with
thrust bearing, full metal rack, high grade polymer
piston, metal injection moulded bevel and gears and
the brass hop up tensioner nub. All this makes for
reinforced internals as standard so no need to go
upgrading any of these parts as they are very high
quality. It would have been great to see the Master
Mods barrel and r-hop fitted, but sadly just a standard
brass barrel and standard hop rubber have been used.
From experience the Master Mods barrel and r-hop
give amazing range and accuracy as proved at several
games, enabling me to easily reach other players at
around 70 metres, and actual real metres not airsoft
metres LOL!
As it stands targets at 40 metres from a 186mm
barrel are easily reachable and even the standard hop
rubber doesn’t struggle to lift a 0.30g BB.
So what it is that makes it perform so well? Apart
from the components already stated, the new Smart
E-Trigger system coupled with the competition short
stroke trigger makes for a very fast response with the
help of the ICS turbo 3000 motor, and this AEG has
a very healthy ROF of 21rps on an 11.1v 15c LiPo;
this is a motor I do like and trust that much that I use
several one in other non-ICS platforms. The system
is designed so that after the first shot it
automatically goes
into precock,
allowing follow up
shots to be almost
instant and it will
operate in precock
continually until you
decock the gearbox!
On top of the precock
setting the smart
trigger system knows in
full-auto mode whether
you are holding the
trigger or if tapping the
trigger.
If holding the trigger
you will get
continuous full-auto but
if you tap the
trigger will give you a three
BB burst.
Let us not forget ICS unique split gearbox; while it
isn’t a recent it has stood the test of time and ICS are
forever making it better. This is what sets it apart from
others (anything else is just an imitation!) .I am a big
fan of the split gearbox, it makes life so easy when
having to work on the internals. Gone is the need to
remove the entire shell if, say for instance you want
replace a piston o-ring or service your compression
components, or upgrade your spring! They have even
adopted the quick spring change system, oh what
a joy, and a spring change can literally be done in
around 60 seconds .Okay, for the lower half removal is
a little more involved but once removed again so easy
to work on!
So, in conclusion the new LIGHTWAY series not
only looks the part, but it has been crafted with
perfection and operates flawlessly. It is my opinion
that the SSS.III versions are going to be very popular
indeed, and for those purchasing one you can be
confident that this platform will outperform many
others as standard. Next month I’ll be upping the ICS
ante with their latest MARS model which I currently
have in ongoing tests, and once again I would like
to thank ICS, especially Rita, for making this happen,
and please do follow ICS on both social media
(icsbbairsoft) and their website ICSbb.com AA
www.airsoftaction.net 21

ARMOURY
ICS LIGHTWAY DAGGER S3
22
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
ICS LIGHTWAY DAGGER S3
www.airsoftaction.net 23

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
A THING
OF REAL
BEAUTY!
24
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN TAIWAN MID LAST YEAR AFTER LEAVING HONG KONG, OUR GOOD FRIEND
CLARENCE LAI OF CL PROJECT DESIGN HAS BEEN INTENSIFYING HIS LOCALLY BASED EFFORTS
IN DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND COLLABORATION, AS WELL AS IMPROVING HIS DISTRIBUTION
CHANNELS ACROSS THE WORLD IN ORDER TO BRING HIS NEW CREATIONS TO THE WIDER MARKET
AS PROMISED; STEWBACCA GETS A FIRST LOOK AND HANDS-ON WITH HIS LATEST BESPOKE
CREATION, THE CLPD A-PLUS 1022!
www.airsoftaction.net 25

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
Alongside his efforts to address
shortcomings of existing
manufacturers platforms (such as
the KJ Works CZ Shadow 2) I’ve been
giving Clarence plenty of my input
regarding, as well as testing out,
the new components as I use
my own heavily abused
Shadow 2 at Action Air
training
and
competitions; he’s
also been branching
out to established
manufacturers to work
together and make best
use of locally available talent
and resources in design and
manufacturing.
A-Plus Studio are a well-known
producer locally here in Taiwan whose CNC
machined hop up units and custom designed
hop rubbers are finding their way into an
increasing number of customised base guns,
as well as being used in standard in the likes of
Archwick’s L119A2 GBBR, and their quality speaks
for itself, as does its existing widespread adoption
by both end users and other manufacturers.
Clarence’s earlier collaboration with them was
the CLPD A-Plus BCM MCMR limited edition
GBBR with a bronzed finish receiver and internal
customisation, as I got to grips with back in December
2021’s Issue number 132 which really made me feel
like carbines were being made great again. It was
light weight, had a handy responsive, easily wielded
and superb to use over medium ranges with the
same A-Plus hop unit and inner barrel setup along
with Clarence’s gas system custom components that
help tune it to perfection, much the same as this new
offering.
In another limited edition run, once again as a
centrepiece technology demonstrator for longer
term more mass market offerings or separate
components used in the overall collectible package,
the CLPD A-Plus 1022 custom competition rifle is a
200 unit limited run of a modified KJ Works KC02
1022 platform, with purported accuracy out to 70m
according to Clarence’s own publicised testing videos.
I was once again lucky enough to go and see
the man himself on the way home from work one
evening in mid-February and pick up one of the only
two prototypes of this new platform in existence
at the time! That did also mean I had to do a quick
turnaround with it over that weekend and my
Sunday shoot with my team and get it back to him
for continued work by the next Tuesday! The CLPD
A-Plus 1022 was supplied in the same heavy duty
travel case familiar to me from the VFC HK PSG-
1; this is perhaps overkill for the much handier
1022, but it nonetheless ensured safe transit
back home where I proceeded to
photograph and understandably
drool over the gun.
FINISHED PERFECTION!
The layered wood finish of the
stock not only looks delightful
with its different grain shapes and
two tone staining (which immediately
reminded me of the Tikka rifles I’d seen
on ‘Bloke on the Range’s’ YouTube videos
from Switzerland, those
competition rifles being
used locally and by
the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police,
purportedly)
the
even
amazing!
The finish is
just beautiful but the
handling and contouring
is also excellent for a
variety of hand sizes
and shapes, it just
feels so intuitive to pick
up and control, as well
as being very handy and
lightweight feeling in the hand
and
wood
smells
“THE FINISH IS JUST BEAUTIFUL BUT THE HANDLING AND CONTOURING IS ALSO
EXCELLENT FOR A VARIETY OF HAND SIZES AND SHAPES, IT JUST FEELS SO INTUITIVE
TO PICK UP AND CONTROL, AS WELL AS BEING VERY HANDY AND LIGHTWEIGHT
FEELING IN THE HAND AND EMINENTLY POINTABLE.”
26
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
and eminently pointable. The
chrome finished barrel contrasts
quite nicely with the wood stock
and terminates in a matt black
finished compensator which
coupled with the supplied 35
BB long magazine and receiver,
trigger guard and butt pad all
work nicely to give a classic
aesthetic that is also very
functional.
The contouring of the butt
stock allows for ease of eye
alignment to the fitted optic; of
course the scope I had with it
is for prototyping purposes and
not included with the final sales
package, but this nonetheless
represents a good choice in
terms of general proportions and
capability. I tended to use it on
around the 1-4 magnification
settings myself given the ranges I was working
with and the familiarity with other optics in that
magnification for airsoft use.
Along with doing the
photography and general
handling I also of course
couldn’t resist some manual of
arms tests prior to being able to
field the 1022 that Sunday. The
trigger is very short and crisp,
with a rapid and close reset and
a low pull and break weight
that, in tandem with the shorter
bolt throw (akin to an MP7’s
50mm or thereabouts, given
that the real steel 1022 uses the
atypically short .22LR cartridge)
made for easy and quick follow
up shots when I fielded it.
I took the 1022 competition
rifle out that Sunday to
Hutoushan with my team and
put it through its paces with
them in an open-air mountain
environment to the Southwest of Taipei. Up in the
hills we were merrily plinking from our staging area;
of course I didn’t skirmish the 1022, it’s a prototype
after all, and the scope didn’t have a protector! At
“THE REPEATABILITY OF EACH SHOT WAS SOMETHING NEW TO ME DESPITE MY
EXTENSIVE USE OF MYRIAD GBBRS; WHATEVER CLARENCE AND A-PLUS HAVE DONE
TO THE INTERNALS, HOP AND BARREL, IT’S WORKING.”
www.airsoftaction.net 27

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
around GB£1100 per unit and being limited edition I
wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I’d damaged such
a beautiful piece!
DOWNRANGE
The 1022 proved itself excellent and as advertised was
easily putting 0.4g BLS BBs easily out to longer ranges,
using a simple hold on the lateral tick just below the
cross hair in the scope, I was easily and repeatedly
deflecting rounds one after another off a ribbon of
plastic tape stretched out between trees, as well as
printing a small group into a tree trunk itself at range.
The repeatability of each shot was something new to
me despite my extensive use of myriad GBBRs;
whatever Clarence and A-Plus have done to
the internals, hop and barrel, it’s working.
My team leader was taking the
opportunity to chrono all of our team’s
guns while we were out there and
I figured I might as well drop
some 0.2g BBs in and do some
science. Using standard 12kg
‘green gas’ that the majority
of people use out here in Taiwan,
the CLPD A-Plus 1022 was pushing out a
very stable 125m/s, with only a variance
of around 1-2m/s either way, again a
surprising level of consistency to me, no
doubt the man himself’s internal
magic at work again.
Many of my
teammates here are
of a Canadian or
US background
and
were
quite
impressed
with the
build quality
and handling
of the CLPD A-Plus
1022, some having
fond memories of
plinking with the
real steel counterpart
when they were
younger men, so they’re
obviously doing something
right given the resounding
positivity of all those who let
off a few rounds with it.
The only issue I encountered was initially
with the magazine; the fill nozzle seal
was a little leaky to begin with and I
couldn’t get a full load of 35 rounds
to run through on a single filling,
by the end of the day and a
of refills it seemed to have
in, something fairly typical
experience for brand
blowback magazines,
major
but
couple
settled
in my
new gas
and not a
long term
concern but
something to be
aware of. With a
few magazine loads
put through it and the
magazine seals and hop
unit seemingly well settled
it was easily throwing full
magazine loads
downrange
before locking
open on
empty. There
is no bolt
release as such,
you just need to slingshot the charging
handle to release it from the hold open latch,
which I would tend to do and ease springs on the
action while I reloaded the sole magazine I had to
ensure nothing found its way into the action.
Overall the CLPD A-Plus 1022 custom
competition rifle represents an excellent
demonstration of what’s possible with gas
blowback airsoft guns with the appropriate care
towards design, manufacturing and tuning, and while
this particular run of 200 were all already spoken
for before production was even finalised, there will
no doubt be more mainstream or wider market
applications of the components and technologies
Clarence and A-Plus are making use of in this limited
edition offering. But, if you have managed to secure
yourself one from the pre-orders then you have made
an enviable purchase; the final production offering
is also being made available in three different colour
options for the stock to suit the end user’s tastes.
As always I’d like to extend my sincere thanks
to Clarence for entrusting me with these precious
limited edition guns to try out and introduce to you,
and look forward to seeing and fielding further fruits
of his labour; judging by how busy he is there is
undoubtedly a lot he has in store! AA
28
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
CLPD A-PLUS STUDIO 1022
www.airsoftaction.net 29

TOKYO MARUI
L119A2 CUSTOM BUILD
NEXT GEN RECOIL SHOCK CONTACT US FOR DETAILS
THE L119A2 IS JUST ONE POPULAR
EXAMPLE OF OUR CURRENT RECOIL
MODELS, BASED ON TOKYO MARUI’S
FANTASTIC SYSTEM - FITTED WITH
THE ANGRY GUN RAIL SYSTEM AND
REAL STEEL MAGPUL FURNITURE

KIT & GEAR
5.11 4-BANGER
5.11 COOL
CARRIER!
WHEN IT COMES TO FIELD-READY AND FIELD-USABLE PACKS AND BAGS FRENCHIE IS NO STRANGER
TO WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T! THIS MONTH HE TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE SOMEWHAT
INTERESTINGLY NAMED 4-BANGER FROM TACTICAL-INDUSTRY-GIANTS 5.11 AND FINDS IT VERY MUCH A
CASE OF “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR”!
Last year I reviewed the Viper VX Buckle Up Sling
Pack (BUSP) and I was very enthusiastic about
it. It was, and is, good kit at a very reasonable
price. What I didn’t realise at the time was that it is
essentially a straight copy of the 5.11 4 - Banger, and
having discovered this I was determined to get hold
of the original and to compare the two. Thanks to
David Morton of 5.11, I now have the 4 Banger in my
grubby mitts and I am, well, perplexed.
At the risk of repeating myself, I’ll review the
4-Banger on its own merits and then compare and
contrast with the “homage”.
Features:
• Total Capacity: 5L
• Carries four 5.56 magazines and tactical gear
• Stable and secure mag retention
• Customisable, laser cut web platform
• Quick-prep, grab-and-go design
• Cross-body strap supports ambidextrous use
• Adjustable padded shoulder strap
• Dual zip storage pocket at front
• Concealed pistol compartment at rear
• Traditional flap and bungee cover options
• Specifications:
• 7”H x 15”: x 5.3”W
• 1050D tear-resistant nylon composite fabric
• Front loop supports flag or ID patch
• Weatherproof coating
• Self-healing YKK® zipper hardware throughout
• Genuine Duraflex hard points
• Moulded grip pulls on storage zippers
The 4 Banger isn’t a large or heavy bag. While
5.11 doesn’t tout it as a ‘bail out’ bag, it could happily
serve that purpose, and as a result it translates to daily
use with ease.
GETTING INTO IT
There are two zipped pockets on the front of the bag,
each with an internal mesh divider. These are ideal
32
APRIL 2022

KIT & GEAR
5.11 4-BANGER
for items you
need to
access
on a
regular
basis,
on the
street
or in
the
field. I
have
said
it before (often) but I’ll say it again, the quality of
the zippers used really matters. There is no point in
having an easy access pocket if access is anything but
easy and requires the use of both hands. Thankfully
that is not the case here and you can get to your gear
with speed and ease.
There is a looped panel on one pocket to allow you
to attach a patch or insignia should you choose.
Behind these pockets is a full-length, full- depth
pocket accessed via a double zipper. It’s worth stating
that the double zipper is not one of those “where did
I leave it” items as the moulded pullers sit at either
end of the track and both open and close the pocket.
This avoids any confusion and makes perfect sense
given the ambidextrous nature of the 4-Banger. This
is one of those small matters that make you go “ah!”
and differentiate good kit from the also-ran stuff.
There are a series of elasticated loops on the front
face of the pocket to secure small items of kit and
there is extensive loop material on the rear face
allowing for the attachment of equipment or even I
suppose a holster. In the bottom are two grommets
sewn into the base to allow water to drain out should
you
find
yourself
swimming or
in a monsoon. While the 4-Banger is constructed
from weatherproof material, I doubt it is completely
waterproof.
Behind this pocket we start to see a major
difference compared to the BUSP. This second fulllength,
full-depth pocket is designed to securely hold
four 5.56mm magazines and in order to do this there
are permanently attached flap covers and internal
elastic retainers. The flap covers can be folded out the
way and be replaced by bungee retainers which are
provided with the bag. While this represents quite
specialised storage, the fact is those flaps will serve
to retain most anything you put in here, so on the
street you have further stowage at your disposal. I’m
personally using one of the slots to retain a power
bank which fits nicely into the elastic loop! Finally, the
back of the bag is a simple mesh pocket with what I
took to be an internal hook and loop retention strap
which can be used for concealed carry. Wrong. It’s
actually a tensioning strap that runs through and
allows you to tighten or loosen the bag around
magazines to keep everything snug.
Leaving the storage behind, the design and
“IT’S WORTH STATING THAT THE DOUBLE ZIPPER IS NOT ONE OF THOSE “WHERE DID I LEAVE
IT” ITEMS AS THE MOULDED PULLERS SIT AT EITHER END OF THE TRACK AND BOTH OPEN
AND CLOSE THE POCKET. THIS AVOIDS ANY CONFUSION AND MAKES PERFECT SENSE GIVEN
THE AMBIDEXTROUS NATURE OF THE 4-BANGER. ”
www.airsoftaction.net 33

KIT & GEAR
5.11 4-BANGER
execution of the shoulder strap is worth a little time.
The clips which secure the strap to the bag are not
simply moulded plastic to which the shoulder strap
is permanently attached. They are held closed using
spring clips, and this allows the user to reverse the
strap to proper left or right handed use. This is
important, maybe obvious, if the stabilising strap is
to be used and to function as it should. The supplied
shoulder pad is firm and has good grip on the
underside, but as I always mention, I’m not a fan so
it was easily removed thanks to three hook and loop
straps. Likewise the stabilising strap, I don’t need
that in daily use because I am constantly moving the
pack to retrieve things, but were I using this in game,
it would be right back on there to keep the 4 Banger
just where I want it. It is essentially there to prevent
the bag from moving round your body when that’s
the last thing you need. The bag came set up for
right-handed use and that’s how I’m using it. On
the field, I would reverse that to put mags and gear
easily accessible by my non-gun hand.
There is a little laser-cut MOLLE available on the
bag - two wide, three deep on either end and two
wide, six deep on the shoulder strap. Other than
maybe a folding dump pouch I’m not sure what I
would usefully attach there, as it is, they serve as
excellent pen holders! This is one of these ‘better
to have than not’ even if you choose not to use
them. All the attributes I appreciated when reviewing
the Viper version are here as well, unsurprisingly,
but they are all done a little better, and the user
experience is correspondingly better. I’m finishing
this review coming off the back of a busy weekend
where the 4-Banger was a dog walking bag, camera
bag, document carrier and occasional shopping bag.
I’m sure it wasn’t intended for any of these roles, but
the fact that it performs them all with aplomb is a
testament to its superb flexibility.
CHOICES, CHOICES!
Finally it’s time to compare and contrast. The first
thing to know about the two bags is the similarity in
price: the recommended retail price of the BUSP at
the time of review was UK£60.00 although in the UK
you will find it being sold at around UK£54.00. The
4-Banger also retails for around the UK£60.00 mark.
Looking back at my
review of the BUSP I
make the point that
it would be worth
adding hook and
loop mag pouches
to stiffen the bag
up as the mag
pocket has no
form of closure
or retention.
That small
additional
cost means
the two
items are
essentially
identical in
price.
At this
point it
simply doesn’t
make sense to
recommend
the VX over the
5.11. Copying
is a common
practice across
all areas of
manufacturing
and while I fully
understand how
galling it can be, it can
be a godsend for cash strapped
airsofters. As I have sadly discovered,
in this case there is no such benefit to be gained
by choosing the ‘homage’; at the same price, the
original is simply a much better offering in every
respect.
I am a big fan of both brands, albeit for different
reasons. I really appreciate the design and quality of
5.11 gear. I am a fan of Viper’s normally outstanding
value for money, but in this case I’m afraid they have
missed the mark. If the concept of this bag appeals
to you, go 5.11.
It simply is the original and the best. AA
“THIS SECOND FULL-LENGTH, FULL-DEPTH POCKET IS DESIGNED TO SECURELY HOLD FOUR
5.56MM MAGAZINES AND IN ORDER TO DO THIS THERE ARE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED FLAP
COVERS AND INTERNAL ELASTIC RETAINERS. THE FLAP COVERS CAN BE FOLDED OUT THE
WAY AND BE REPLACED BY BUNGEE RETAINERS WHICH ARE PROVIDED WITH THE BAG.”
34
APRIL 2022

OUTDOOR
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT
PACKING IT IN,
RUCCING IT UP!
LAST MONTH BILL TOOK A LOOK AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PACK THAT WILL LET YOU DEAL WITH DIFFERENT
AIRSOFT SCENARIOS IN AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY, AND THIS TIME HE TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE PACKING, AND INDEED HOW YOU PACK IT TO MAKE IT AS COMFORTABLE AND
SAFE AS POSSIBLE!
All images used licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ultimately there are countless opinions of what
you should carry in your pack, and just like a
certain part of our anatomy, everyone has an
opinion! The same can be said for how all of that
gear should be loaded into said pack, and once again
you guessed it, the jury is out on this too!
I have my own set of guidelines that have been
built up over many years of carrying a small pack
every day, and a large (sometimes huge!) pack whilst
adventuring around the globe, and more importantly
and in context for this magazine, playing both short
and long-duration airsoft games. If you look at most
pictures of me “in game” there will usually be at
the very least a small sustainment
pack on my back, even if it’s just
to carry a hydration bladder, some
snacks, extra “ammo” and possibly
even some pyro. When it comes
to longer games though, and
most certainly for multi-day events
then that pack will be significantly
larger, although experience has
taught me exactly what I need,
and where to place it inside my
pack for both comfort and ease of
access.
I use the word “comfort” here
as this is what any pack you carry
needs to be; comfortable. If a pack
is correctly fitted and loaded it may
still be heavy, but if that weight is properly balanced
then specific-area fatigue at least can be avoided.
You will still be carrying the weight, but if your pack
is set up in such a way that it uses the body’s own
“pillar structure” you’ll be able to keep going for
longer, and further, and be switched on too!
The first step is to select a pack model that fits
the scenario you’re going to be in. As the old saying
goes “don’t take a knife to a gunfight” and the
same is true of packs… don’t take a massive 80L
multi-day pack to a skirmish day! Buy what you
need, and don’t buy an unnecessarily large pack,
or a one that’s too small! Even for longer, multi-day
36
APRIL 2022

OUTDOOR
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT
games it’s usually sufficient to use a pack with a
usable size of 40 to 60L. In general a 405L “patrol
pack” should have enough space inside to hold
everything including your sleeping bag for well over
72 hours, especially if you’re getting a replen in the
field.
Packing a pack correctly and efficiently, with a
“hierarchy of need” (no, not Maslow’s, but close
to it!) is fundamental to how well you can react to
changing environments and scenario-dictated events.
A well-packed pack ensures maximum comfort,
and therefore allows you to say in the game, in all
ways, for longer. In a perfect world, your gear will
all be “hi-speed, lo-drag” and be as lightweight as
possible, but the world is sadly imperfect, and our
bank balances can only sustain so much!
Many mountain athletes go for ultra-lightweight
gear, and modify even that to make it lighter still;
when I was active in mountain sports I even knew
folk that would cut the shaft of their spork down
to save a gram or two! The fact is that even ultralightweight
gear adds up, especially on long walkins.
Longer multi-day games mean that you can
potentially be wearing your pack for longer periods;
shorter duration games are easier with a small or
medium sustainment pack, but the longer the game
the more you need to concentrate on what goes
in your pack, and where, to ensure comfort and to
keep fatigue at bay… airsoft is supposed to be fun,
right?
BREAKING IT DOWN
So, let’s look at what really needs to be included in
a larger, multi-day pack. The items/gear you need to
carry will include:
• Clothing
• Windproof/Waterproof/Rain gear
• Sleeping Gear
• Shelter Gear
• FAK (First Aid Kit)
• Cooking Gear
• Food
• Water
Clothing: Always use synthetic quick dry clothing
as cotton is heavy when wet and takes time to dry;
even mix poly-cotton is better than pure in many
environments. All together you should allow up to
2kg for clothing; a spare baselayer, socks, watchcap,
buff and gloves should add little more than 500g to
this. Normally protection is vital for he core of the
body (where all your vital organs usually reside!),
so a fleece or lightweight insulated jacket will add
another 500g to your back. A Fleece/Synthetic Fill/
Down jacket is light and provides adequate warmth;
the weight should be within a kilogram for jackets
of this type. A windproof upper with hood is also
a must-have bit of kit, and then you can add your
waterproofs…
Sleeping Gear: All sleeping bags are rated with a
temperature rating, and bear in mind here another
old mantra, “pack light, freeze at night”, and buy
one with a rating commensurate to the conditions
you expect to encounter, but remember that for
emergencies you can use clothing inside while
sleeping. Synthetic/Down filled sleeping bags weigh
up to 2kg, and with a carry mat a little more.
Shelter Gear: This can be anything from a simple
lightweight bivvy-bag that will weigh no more than
1kg, right up to a full tent which will be significantly
more! If you’re going down the tent route it’s
probably best to split this between you
and your buddy… add a head torch for
use in your shelter; a Petzl TacTikka is just
85g!
First-Aid/Medical Kit/Food/Water:
Keep your FAK simple yet effective;
aim to add a maximum of 500g. Keep
some energy food handy! A few energy
bars, dry fruit mix and a small pack of
Glucose is good to have, but again keep
this to about 500g maximum. Allow
up to 1-1.5kg for food above this as an
absolute minimum. Water is vital yet
heavy, so check with the game organiser
what will be available to you in the field.
You should always bank on carrying a
minimum of 2L of water; water weighs
www.airsoftaction.net 37

OUTDOOR
TACTICAL OUTDOOR DEVELOPMENT
around 1 kilogram per litre…
PACKING IT UP
When packing your gear lay your pack
HORIZONTALLY with the harness straps on the
ground; this helps eliminate heavier items from
shifting during the packing process. Ultimately you
want to avoid weight all on one side or the other, or
spread unevenly, which will put stresses unequally on
your body and lead to fatigue more quickly.
Pack heavier gear towards the bottom of your
pack; this will reduce stress on your shoulders. You
want the weight to pull down towards your hips and
your hip-belt to make carrying more comfortable and
avoid uneven weight pulling you over if you stumble.
Make sure to place gear you will need to access
regularly near the top of the pack for ease of access.
Place gear you may need during your walk-in at
the top so you can get to it quickly. Ensure your
waterproofs and your gloves, etc are handy; in the
style of pack I use myself they always go in the big
flat pocket on the front. Roll your extra clothing
to save space, and make sure everything is in a
waterproof bag, then place this in the middle of your
load; you won’t need to change your shirt or socks
until you reach your overnight position!
I put my sleep system inside my bivvy bag, and
then compress the lot; this goes middle/bottom for
me. My main food and cooking gear goes middle/
top so that I can easily get to it if I have chance to
get a quick brew on. If you use a hydration system
this goes either inside your pack, or if you’re going
to need to refill it on the go, at the top with the hose
over your left shoulder (if you’re a righty, reverse if
you’re a lefty!) and hooked to the left shoulder strap
for easy access, and to keep it clear of your rifle/
carbine. Ensure your pack is balanced once packed;
put it on and take a walk to feel out any unbalances
or shifting; stabilise the shifting or unbalanced items
by stuffing some soft gear around them.
So, that’s a simple guide to what to pack, and
where to pack it! There are far more exhaustive
guides easily found online, and most good
mountaineering stores/outfitters will have a variation
of what I’ve outlined on their website. Bottom line
is that with everything packed you should be aiming
for about 10-12 Kg, and you should get into the
habit of carrying it comfortably. Every gram matters.
Quality ultralight gear is often expensive, so I would
always advise that you buy your gear over time, and
refine it as you go. Find out what everything does,
and how you use it, and then USE A PACKING LIST!
Virtus Soldier System - British Army
“MAKE SURE TO PLACE GEAR YOU WILL NEED TO ACCESS REGULARLY NEAR THE TOP OF THE
PACK FOR EASE OF ACCESS. PLACE GEAR YOU MAY NEED DURING YOUR WALK-IN AT THE
TOP SO YOU CAN GET TO IT QUICKLY. ENSURE YOUR WATERPROOFS AND YOUR GLOVES, ETC
ARE HANDY”
38
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
PISTOL POWER
DEAR PISTOL
GODS, WHERE’S
MY EXTRA
50+FPS?
AIRSOFT GAS PISTOLS AVERAGE UNDER 300FPS, WHEN WE COULD HAVE AROUND 50 MORE IN
THE UK. STEVE T ASKS ‘WHY?’ THEN CANVASES THE AA TEAM TO FIND HIMSELF PERSUADED THAT
THERE MAY BE SOME GOOD REASONS AFTER ALL…
We test airsoft gas pistols day-in, day-out here
at Airsoft Action and it’s safe to say that
they average about 280 to 300FPS on a
.20g, give or take 10FPS here or there, which is ‘fine’
but also in the region of 50+FPS shy of the limit for
most UK sites. Which begs the question from one of
your British correspondents; where’s the rest of our
FPS?
Going into this article, I was firmly in the camp that
if site limits allow for 350FPS, then I want as near
to that as manufacturers can achieve. Why should
I give up those last FPS to save a couple of quid in
manufacturing costs? If it’s to ensure reliability, then
why not safeguard pistols against the upper limit so
that players can purchase the very best hardware
possible? One of the reasons I value being part of this
very experienced team is that I’m happy to learn from
people with more insight gathered over many years
in active service as well as shooting toy guns. Stick
around, you might learn a thing or two… I know I
did…
My initial premise was that if a thing can be done,
then it should be done. In other words, if I can run
a pistol at just under 350FPS in the UK, then why
aren’t the manufacturers giving me what I deserve as
a consumer? Why must I settle for something in the
mid-high 270s if there’s so much potential being left
on the table? Those average numbers were initially
based mostly on my own records of tested GBB pistol
performance using similar gas and BBs in a centrally
heated room. They’re also borne out in the most part
by the findings of the AA team.
It seemed a sound starting point for questions as a
premise, but I have to concede that power does not
always equal precision, as some of my most accurate
pistols have also been amongst the lowest powered
I’ve used. In particular, it has to be said, Tokyo Marui.
With that in mind, one AA contributor that has
asked not to be named observed that for the most
part GBB pistols, “Are based on the old TM models
and limits - that is the reason… 280 is close to their
limit”. Similarly, Jimmy Davison acknowledges that
with his preferred Marui pistols, “FPS is always going
to be lower”.
IS “OKAY” GOOD ENOUGH?
Slavish observance of an out-dated design isn’t
enough to convince me that okay IS good enough,
but Jimmy went on to make an excellent observation.
“I carry a pistol most game days, but if I need to draw
my pistol, it’s because I either ran out of ammo on my
primary or I’ve managed to get close enough to draw
it”. Or as Bill puts it, “Sidearms for me in game are
really just a case of last resort, if everything REALLY
goes to sh1t-pancake time!”
Most players can relate to panic stations at
some point in their airsofting career, but you could
www.airsoftaction.net 39

ARMOURY
PISTOL POWER
argue that it would be mitigated by carrying more
magazines most times. But even when it would be
quicker to draw a pistol rather than re-arm a primary,
the deeper question is a regard for the people that
you play against. As Jimmy says, “If I get within 15
metres, then I have enough respect for the people
I’m playing against to get them with a lower velocity
weapon. I never crave for a high FPS on a pistol”.
It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by another AA
contributor Boycie who says that, “For me, the
relatively lower power reflects the scaled up range
difference in real steel”. I had honestly never thought
about it in those terms. Mind = blown!
This is such a simple differentiation that it never
occurred to me; “if can, then do”, remember?
Extracting the maximum from any given set of parts
makes perfect sense from an engineering point of
view, which is how I’d approached the situation, but
of course a sidearm should be penalised in terms of
power versus a primary in airsoft! Many of us strive
for some kind of realism in the sport and this is a
great example of it in practice.
Yes, CO2 pistols raise the upper figures,
sometimes by too much, while being more expensive
to run. Boycie makes the excellent point that
while some sites allow up to 500 FPS for semiauto
weapons, would you want to meet a pistol at
that level around a blind corner? No, me neither.
Stewbacca also argues the case for lower pistol FPS
when he says that, “One of the reasons is that a lot
of players and sites see pistols as the ‘soft’ option for
close-in shots that aren’t overkill. So unless you’re
running one as a primary, people aren’t expecting
top limit output and performance”.
Jimmy agrees saying that, “It’s a sidearm, aka
“secondary”, designed for close quarters. It doesn’t
need the velocity to reach out to greater distances.
I pride myself in reaching the limit when it comes to
rifles, but I don’t care for velocity with pistols”. And
just in case you don’t remember back as far as when
airsoft replicas dumped gas everywhere and when
spring was king, Jimmy reminds us that we should
“be thankful you have a pistol that can empty a full
mag and doesn’t ruin your day with the cloud of
disappointment that is the gas dump”
.Maybe that’s exactly what contributor Bill W-R
had in mind when he said that, “I believe that we
are coming to the end of GBB pistols and that EBB is
where we will all be heading”.
Maybe he has a point, but despite having
pondered previously why electric guns rule the AR
roost versus the more kinetic felt-energy of gas
replica pistols, I’m not so sure that skirmishers are
ready to give up their GBB sidearms so soon! The
truth is that pistols are very much an afterthought for
the vast majority of players and I am definitely in the
minority that will happily troop out of the safe zone
for a short game armed only with a sidearm just
because I enjoy the sensation and the challenge.
TOTALLY SOLD!
I found this discussion amongst the AA team really
interesting, not least because I came into it with a
firm conviction that was easily defeated, but also
because it sheds new light on the very different
ways that players engage with airsoft as a hobby. I
could argue the case that airsoft GBBs underachieve
against market restrictions as a ‘want it all’
consumer, especially as a player that actively enjoys
using pistols over SMGs or ARs on game day just for
the fun of it.
But as a player with a preference toward the
Mil-Sim side of airsoft, I’m happily persuaded by the
arguments for differentiation between airsoft primary
and secondary weapons, where there must be a
meaningful distinction between pistols and rifles that
are both governed by the same set of rules.
Should I be disappointed when my next pistol
measures under 300FPS? Definitely not. Of course I’d
be delighted to discover that I’d acquired a 345FPS
hand cannon on one level, but on another, the AA
team has made me see that relatively low-powered
pistols are actually a welcome wrinkle to this
beautiful pastime that we call airsoft. AA
40
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
PISTOL POWER
GBB FPS TESTED PERFORMANCE
Combining the results from a number of different
Airsoft Action reviews, Red Cell and group tests and
personal data of green gas pistols with .20 BBs, the
average result is 290FPS. (Presented in alphabetical
order.)
NB: All pistols were tested by various members of
the AA team across numerous dates, sites, conditions
and chronos. As such, this is not empirical data, but
an illustrative sampling.
Make Model Av FPS
Action Army AAP-001 297
Army Armament R604 288
Army Armament R45A1 228
Army Armament R17 V3 312
ASG CZ Shadow SP-01 280
ASG CZ 75 Classic 303
ASG CZ P-09 262
ASG CZ Shadow 2 306
Cybergun FNX45 278
G&G Beretta GTP-9 302
G&G Piranha Mk1 260
G&G Beretta GPM 92 304
ICS BLE BM9 274
KJW Sig P226 288
KWA Beretta M9 PTP 340
KWA H&K HK45 305
Raven 1911 MEU 273
Raven Hi Capa 4.3 319
Raven Hi Capa 5.1 318
Raven EU18 288
Raven R226 285
Raven EU17 285
Sig Air ProForce M17 313
Sig Air P320 298
Swiss Arms P226 289
Tokyo Marui 1911 MEU 233
Tokyo Marui Detonics 230
Tokyo Marui G17 Gen 4 305
Tokyo Marui USP 9MM 283
Tokyo Marui PX4 230
Umarex Glock 17 Gen 4 313
Umarex Glock 45 276
Umarex Glock G19X 260
Umarex Walther PPQ 269
Umarex Walther P99 261
Umarex Glock G19X 315
Vorsk Hi Capa 5.1 Split Slide 339
Vorsk VX-9 267
Vorsk EU17 Vented 321
Vorsk EU18 Vented 325
WE 1911A1 285
WE G17 Gen 5 MOS 318
WE G19X 318
WE MK25 293
WE G17 295
WE GP1799 293
www.airsoftaction.net 41

THE CAGE
PACKING HEAT!
THE CAGE:
PACKING HEAT!
THE CAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE GEAR THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE AIRSOFT ACTION
LEGION USE THEMSELVES, GEAR THAT HAS BEEN PUSHED TO ITS LIMITS AND STOOD UP TO THE
TEST OF TIME! WE JOKINGLY USE THE PHRASE AMONGST OUR GROUP THAT “WE BREAK IT SO
YOU DON’T HAVE TO”, SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO START LOOKING AT THE GBB AND AEG
PLATFORMS IN THE TEAM AS WELL AS THE GEAR! AS USUAL, BILL LEADS OFF…
How many RIFs do you own?
This is a question I regularly see come up in
airsoft groups all over the world, and let’s face
it, there are some pretty cool collections out there!
But is a “collection” simply that, a number of AEGs
and GBBs that you own because you just love them,
or is your personal armoury set up specifically for your
in-game needs?
For me it’s a little of both, and to say that the
collection I have gathered over my years in airsoft has
become something more than “extensive” is about
right! Even if I had bought just one AEG and one
GBB each year that would be putting me towards 60
models… but it’s never just one AEG or GBB a year is
it? I mean, c’mon, I’m an airsofter!
I have to admit that once I bought specifically for
what I needed “in game” and my collection was
small, sweet, and very much to the point. Over the
years though I have dabbled in many different airsoft
genres, so one AR became several (one for CQB,
one for the woods, one for Nam games, one for the
range…) and in turn, several became even more… of
course I need an M16A1 for Nam games, but also an
XM177, possibly a Mod 607… oh, and a Stoner for
those SEAL moments… and although I have a very
serviceable Mk18 AEG of course I need to replicate
that as a gasser…
This same pattern has been replicated on AK (both
classic and modern) models, along with springers
shotguns and bolt-actions, AEGs and now GBBs that I
simply HAD to have and I am somewhat embarrassed
to admit that not all of them have been used in game,
they just hang on the wall of my personal CAGE to be
admired and occasionally taken out to shoot.
I am not telling you this to big myself up, merely
to illustrate that if you’ve been in airsoft for a good
few years then your personal armoury will continue to
grow… and GROW! I know some committed players
that are exceptionally disciplined when it comes to
their armoury… but it ain’t me! I somewhat easily
justify my collection as it has “historically important
models in it”, and that I need to have them so as to
be able to comment fully on newer models… who am
I trying to kid?
TEAM TALK
With all this in mind I thought it might be fun to
find out what some of the other “Legionnaires” had
“EVEN IF I HAD BOUGHT JUST ONE AEG AND ONE GBB EACH YEAR THAT WOULD BE
PUTTING ME TOWARDS 60 MODELS… BUT IT’S NEVER JUST ONE AEG OR GBB A YEAR
IS IT? I MEAN, C’MON, I’M AN AIRSOFTER!”
42
APRIL 2022

THE CAGE
PACKING HEAT!
in their armouries, what gets them excited when it
comes to their own AEG, GBBs, and accessories, and
over the next couple of months we’ll delve into this
deeper. To get this party started though I asked them
“What do you have in your personal airsoft armoury,
which platforms (AR, AK or something else? Gas or
AEG?) to you prefer, and why do you favour certain
styles?”
Stewbacca: My current personal collection is all
GBBR:
• WE Tech G36C, HK416, MP5A5/A6, MP5K
PDW, T91, L85A2, Luger P08, M17, M92F
• VFC HK PSG-1, PPQ NPA, Glock 18C (With
Archwick USW-G kit & replica ACRO)
• KSC/KWA HK45, USPc, MP7, M11A1, Vz61
Skorpion
• KJWorks CZ75 SP01 Shadow, CZ75 Shadow 2,
USWA1
• Modify PP2K
• Action Army AAP01
Recently I have been mostly shooting the PP2K,
MP7, MP5A5 and T91 for the majority of games
where I’m not evaluating something that isn’t mine,
and typically run the PPQ NPA as my go to sidearm
as of late. In the “old days” loved my old Real Sword
SVD, I could just dominate the field with it given its
ridonculous inner barrel and cylinder capacity, and it
was a lot lighter and easier to handle than the M14 as
it’s mostly spindly barrel out front.
Chris: For me it’s mainly all AEG apart from my
pistols!
• 2 x Block 1 M4
• G&P Stoner 63
• AUG (and enough parts to build 2 more!)
• 21 year old Marui MP5, now honourably
retired!
• WE 1911
• Marui USP9
• WE Browning mk3
• Steyr Scout.
• 2 x M203
Mine all fit a theme or loadout, the Scout I just have
as I absolutely love the design. The AUG is one I also
love; design, feel and function are all great, a timeless
classic considering how old the design is now, and
with training its one I’ve come to really appreciate! It,
alongside the Scout is my go to long arm. (or shorty
for CQB) The M4’s are there for mainly re-enactment
kits, I don’t tend to take them out a lot. The M203’s
generally only come out for re-enactment events too,
fitted to my AUG and M4 due to having grenadier kit.
I go for AEG over GBBR mainly due to the weather,
www.airsoftaction.net 43

THE CAGE
PACKING HEAT!
and my experiences with GBBR’s has been a bit
lacklustre; price and functionality for the amount of
time we can realistically use them a year is not that
great IMHO and I’m loathe to go HPA.
Dan: My mains are:
• Real Sword SVD Dragunov
• LCT AK-105
• VFC SIG MCX
• KWA VM4A1 (configured into a Troy M7A1
PDW)
• Real Sword Type 56-2 (set up with a AKS-74U
front end)
• VFC MP7 AEP
• A&K PKM (currently disassembled for a project)
• RWA Agency NOC G17
• Custom TM based G17
The SVD has always been my “grail” gun, and I’ve
been running this Real Sword for over 12 years now
without fail. It’s the one I reach for the most and has
become pretty much my signature gun that everyone
knows me by. It’s been well tuned and upgraded, and
I love that I can reach out with a .48g and just wreck
lives outside of the reach of everything and everyone!
The LCT AK-105 and MCX are my two main carbines
that I run when I don’t feel like sniping or if the field
conditions don’t allow for it; the AK because it’s a
tank and superbly accurate, and the MCX because I
love the aesthetics and modular design and wanted
something that took M4 mags, but wasn’t an M4.
To a lesser extent I sometimes use the Troy M7A1
PDW build, which is done off a KWA VM4 base. I’ve
always been a fan of that particular design and its
unique look. Other than the sidearms, everything in
my collection is AEG based. I’m not really a fan of
GBB performance in our colder climate up north here.
Dabbled with HPA a bit, but having played Paintball
for over 15 years prior to Airsoft, I have no desire to
return to an HPA platform again.
Jimmy: Well then, where to begin! My collection is
ever-growing although not a the rate I’d like mainly
because I haven’t got bags of money and let’s face
it, airsoft isn’t getting any cheaper. It’s true what
people say about addiction and airsoft, I purchased
one and that’s where it began. I tend to prefer the
more modern platforms mainly because of how they
look. My collection is very AEG orientated with the
exception of my sidearms which are GBB. There’s
something about electronics and mechanical systems
occupying the same space that intrigues me and I
can’t help but want to tinker with so for me the AEG
platform is perfect… which is why 90% of my AEG
platforms have some form of upgraded electronic
44
APRIL 2022

THE CAGE
PACKING HEAT!
device inside. I appreciate GBBs for what they are;
they offer the player a feel of realism but for my
game style it just doesn’t suit to be honest. 30 BB
magazines… paaah! Give me a box mag with 2600
BBs, wind me up and watch me carve a path much
like Mac in the film “Predator” with the minigun…
lol, you all know that scene!
My collection thus far in no particular order:
• G&P Spec Ops M4
• Dboys Spec Ops M4
• Ares AM-014 Honey Badger
• G&G GC16 Predator
• G&G PCC45
• ASG CZ 805 Bren (really King Arms)
• Specna E06
• Specna E12 PDW
• Classic Army M249 Mk1 (now a SAW)
• Saigo Defense Ronin PDW (KWA wannabe)
• Umarex Ares UMP45
• Nuprol Romeo Recon Bravo
• BO Dynamics LK595 CQB
• Double Bell 416
• VFC Sig MCX
• VFC Sig MPX
• Krytac Kriss Vector
• Asg Scorpion Evo A1
• Cyma Platinum CM.097
• JG MG36
• JG G36c
I’ve missed one or two I’m sure I have… GBB
sidearms now…
• ASG Dan Wesson 715
• ASG CZ Shadow 2
• TM 4.3 Hi-Capa
• TM 5.1 Gold Match Hi-Capa
• TM FNX 45
• TM G17 Gen 4
• TM Vorpal Bunny
• TM M92 Biohazard Albert w 01
• TM 1911 4.3 Strike Warrior
• Golden Eagle 1911 4.3 Strike Warrior
• Army SAI G17
• Army 1911 R32 Nightstorm
• WE Hi-Capa Dragon 7
I don’t really have a specific I mainly use, so come
game day I usually end up spending an hour deciding
which to go for! That said My Specna E12 PDW has
been heavily used over the past year, as it seems to
tick all the boxes and is suited for both outdoor as
well as indoor. When it comes to pistols my TM Hi-
Capas tend to get a fair amount of use as they work
all the time, every time, and I love finding myself in
a situation where drawing the side arm is the only
option!
Stu: Mains are:
• KWA QRF MOD3
• G36C
• AUG
• Several AKs (Cyma, E&L, Real Sword)
• TM NGRS Scar H - set up as an DMR (it’s an evil
bit of kit!)
• KWA LMD4 GBBR M4
• KWA PTS Radian GBBR M4
• KWA PTP 1911 MKV
• RWA Nighthawk 1911s x 2 (Co2 for the odd
game where they are needed)
• Umarex/VFC Glock 17
• KWA/KSC CZ75
• Western Arms SVIs x 6 (yes, SIX!)
• Western Arms PO1445
• VFC/Cybergun FNX45
You’ll see I do love a Western Arms pistol! Granted
that they all had upgraded metal slides already fitted,
then apart from having to be sent to Mr Dean for the
odd repair and service, all I’ve done is feed them gas
and BBs. They work; it’s as simple as that! AA
“IN THE “OLD DAYS” LOVED MY OLD REAL SWORD SVD, I COULD JUST DOMINATE THE
FIELD WITH IT GIVEN ITS RIDONCULOUS INNER BARREL AND CYLINDER CAPACITY,
AND IT WAS A LOT LIGHTER AND EASIER TO HANDLE THAN THE M14 AS IT’S MOSTLY
SPINDLY BARREL OUT FRONT.”
www.airsoftaction.net 45

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
RED CELL
WHAT GOES
AROUND COMES
AROUND!
IN NOVEMBER 2020 WE KICKED OFF A NEW REGULAR FEATURE IN AIRSOFT ACTION… AND “RED
CELL” WAS BORN! NOW IT’S TIME TO START LANDING SOME PROPER RESULTS AND LOOK AT HOW
SOME OF THE MODELS WE INITIALLY TESTED HAVE STOOD UP TO USE AND ABUSE AS WE RETURN TO
THE BEGINNING TO CHECK OUT THE MOST-USED 1911S AND G-SERIES PISTOLS!
In the months since the Red Cell test team first
met we’ve been through a global pandemic with
numerous lockdowns and travel restrictions,
members have been poorly and in isolation, but we’ve
always managed to bring a report in to land, and
some of them have been pretty major! The Team has
looked at a veritable host of handguns, ARs and AKs,
SBRs, PCCs, SMGs, and even a couple of “historical
specials” and I believe it’s fair to say that our own
appreciation and understanding of the platforms we
use, both AEGs and GBB, has come on leaps and
bounds!
I’ve been personally lucky enough to look at literally
hundreds of RIFs over the years, but during the Test
Program so far, the rest of the Team now have a huge
pool of airsoft knowledge to benchmark against
when they see a new model. We hope that it also
means that any of you reading this will be able to
check out our reports and immediately have access
to information on some cracking models before you
go out and buy one, and to some small degree we
hope that our efforts will give you some degree of
confidence in choosing the right model for YOU!
Is this the end of the Red Cell Program? No, not at
all, it’s merely the end of the beginning as we now
start to look back at the most-used models, how
they’ve stood up to abuse over time and hard-use,
and why they are still “most-used”. From this point
onwards we can start to land some REAL data as to
how power levels have settled, how parts have worn,
and where we’ve needed to maintain and/or repair
the individual platforms, what has been needed, and
what has it cost us.
I’m pleased to report that thus far with our
Test Pool of GBBs and AEGs we’ve had no really
catastrophic failures thus far, although there have
been a few niggles for sure! Although not fully used
in a skirmish situation due to the Covid restrictions
as much as we would have hoped, all the Red Cell
members are keen range shooters too… if you saw
“I’VE BEEN PERSONALLY LUCKY ENOUGH TO LOOK AT LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF RIFS
OVER THE YEARS, BUT DURING THE TEST PROGRAM SO FAR, THE REST OF THE TEAM
NOW HAVE A HUGE POOL OF AIRSOFT KNOWLEDGE TO BENCHMARK AGAINST WHEN
THEY SEE A NEW MODEL.”
46
APRIL 2022

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
the number of BBs Jimmy alone gets through down
on the range you’d understand what I’m saying (we
don’t call him “Drum Mag Jimmy” for nothing…)!
So, where does Red Cell head next? Easy answer,
honestly we really have only just begun to get properly
into our stride! We’ve already started getting new
models for the Test Pool and have been promised
many more, especially after our meetings at IWA.
We’ve not yet touched bolt-actions, DMRs and
support guns so we’ve still got that to go at this year,
but as I said, we’ll be intermingling full tests of new
models with ongoing data updates of the old ones
during the course of this year to keep bringing you
all the information you need, and we’re discussing
a “Red Cell Special” where we bring ALL of these
reports into one place so that you can access this
easily on our website, FREE TO READ as always.
After over a year of testing and reporting so far
we’ve also now got manufacturers that we are
working with directly, feeding data and information
back to them regularly, especially where we find a
problem starting to develop. The manufacturers,
the good ones that give a sh!t anyway, are listening
to what Red Cell tells them, and in some instances
problems we have analysed have already been
actioned so that you guys don’t have to be the ones
to find out something doesn’t work when you buy it.
THIS is what Red Cell is all about, and you can look
forward to a LOT more coming from the Team during
2022!
1911: A TRUE VETERAN!
Well, on returning to the initial test models, and
indeed a couple that we’ve subsequently added to the
long-term test pool, it was generally our “techs” that
had the most to say, that’s for sure, but first up, let’s
look at some of the 1911 models that we tested way
back in November ’22, and skirmisher Bill W-R kicks
things off!
I’ve been using the Army R501 extensively; this has
been my go to primary sidearm, replacing my GTP9
as my preferred handgun of choice. This gun has
required only lubrication and a replacement valve on
one of the magazines. Considering it has been used in
all weather’s and lots of different environments I can’t
see me replacing this for some years to come. A low
price does not always equal a poor GBB!
Little Stu: RWA Nighthawk... I have two of ‘em as
overkill is under-rated! They keep going. Solid feel and
build, nice kick on them. Good accuracy also. And
they can handle heavy ammo as well, which is nice!
Jimmy: Ah, the .45ACP, my favourite!
“While strolling through the fields of time
There are many things to see,
But nature is the greatest sight
That there could ever be
The greatest of them all to me
Four Five ACP!”
So, the M1911, the staple of every airsofters
arsenal; looking back at the 1911 test day my
attention was drawn to three models, one of which
I have managed to spend some time with. I have
come to the conclusion that it is possibly the strongest
heaviest 1911 on the market today and one that
is money well spent in my opinion; The RWA
Nighthawk. My initial
thought was “WOW
take my money” and Danny at
Redwolf UK did take my money as I
now own that pistol!
If you are looking for competition
style pistol this isn’t for you, but if you
are looking for realistic aesthetics and
a heavy recoil with efficiency to boot
“IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR COMPETITION STYLE PISTOL THIS ISN’T FOR YOU, BUT
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR REALISTIC AESTHETICS AND A HEAVY RECOIL WITH
EFFICIENCY TO BOOT THEN THIS IS A PISTOL TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. ”
www.airsoftaction.net 47

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
then this is a pistol to seriously consider. Powered by
CO2 you get a heavy recoil effect and can easily see a
third reload per caplet. One flaw I did find is the heavy
trigger pull; while offering a realistic feel it can slow
the performance down a bit which I discovered at a
game day as I was outperformed by a faster-operating
WE Hi Capa ( a great little one on one!). This hasn’t
deterred me one bit from using it and loving it
though. I might see if CL Project Design’s new sear
spring will help with that. It will lift a .28g BB perfectly
but does struggle to lift anything heavier (I’ve had a
.30g bb drop early but the 0.28g is perfect for close
quarters). I have discovered it doesn’t like heavy oils
like the GHK silicon- based oil; it prefers something a
bit thinner so I have been using Maglubes Magload
oil. With CO2 I always pop a drop of oil on the caplets
before insertion to ensure the seals stay supple. Back
on the testing day I also had a look at the TM MEU
1911 and the TM Detonics 45, but due to not being
out as much to games with Bill who owns these
unfortunately I haven’t had any field time with those.
As a whole though I do like a “45 pistol” and respect
the 1911; lets be fair it’s served a purpose for many
years!
Bill: When it comes to 1911s there are actually
quite a few models that stand out for me! It’s been
a great couple of years for 1911-lovers, and the host
of new models has actually brought a few back to
the 1911-style platform (including some awesome
Hi Capas!) in a very positive way, myself included! If
I’m pushed though to pick a couple of models (apart
from the RAVEN Hi Capa which I absolutely adore and
know have three of!) then top of the list would have
to be the VORSK VX9!
Having now shot extensively with my own pair of
VX-9s what can I tell you? Simply put, in my opinion
this model took the Vorsk line from being great to
being 100% awesome! The finish and quality of the
VX-9 is simply stunning, the silver pair having a superb
overall finish, not just in terms of the slide and frame,
but all the finishing touches like the mag baseplates
being “colour coded” on both on the regular and the
extended mags that come with the boxed set, the
woodwork and rubberised panels inset to them being
beautifully formed, and the inner and outer barrel
extensions fitting perfectly!
The effort that has gone into the extended inner
barrel and the “suppressor” alone is obvious as
they fit together with the main inner and outer
impeccably… you might even thing they had been
designed to work together haha! And this does have
a profound effect on performance too; I’ve continued
to test the pistols with and without the extensions,
and using NUPROL 2.0 gas and RZR .20g BBs I got
a consistent chrono of 0.72 Joule/280fps without
extension, and 1.07 Joule/340fps with! I also noticed
that with the extension I was able to nail the 25mm
bull of my paper targets from 10m more times than
not, although without the BBs were still firmly within
“the black” 75mm circle!
And for me the other standout model was from
VFC; as I said when I first got the pistol in my hands
the VFC 1911 Tactical Custom is a striking looking
pistol! It aimed to break a few moulds in both looks
and performance, and it has proved to do both very
well indeed. The pistol is beautifully finished in every
respect. In use this 1911 is all about smooth cycling,
and all the positive ergonomics you would come
48
APRIL 2022

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
to associate with the 1911
platform. With the new
hop up design that allows
you use the guide rod for
adjustments, the GuideHop,
you can incrementally and
exactly adjust the hop on the
go if necessary, allowing a full
range of adjustment without
removing the complete slide;
all you need to do is hold the
slide to the rear and turn the
guide rod itself to increase
or decrease the hop with
series of “clicks” that you
can both feel and hear, then
release the slide forward to
keep shooting! The 20BB
magazine is extremely gas
efficient, and I’ve found that
many single-stack 1911 magazines in my collection
work in the pistol (almost!) as well as the VFC original.
The power output on green gas as quoted by VFC
is iro 0.83 Joule/300fps for the 1911, and they’ve
got this pretty right; I tested and re-tested (as well
as giving the 1911 regular run-outs on the range)
using NP 2.0 gas and .20g RZRs and have continued
to get between 299 and 302fps which is pretty tight!
Accuracy on the 10m Short Range has improved as
the 1911 has bedded in, and I’m now hitting that
“headspace” more times than not, so regular centremass
shot-placement really shouldn’t be an issue at
normal pistol ranges!
NOT A GLOCK!
Now let’s get to grips with a few of the G-Series
models that have been with the team for a while, and
here I’ll let our newest member of the extended Red
Cell Team, Dan, in the USA, get things rolling!
I have some experience with the Umarex Glock 17
Gen 4, as far as repairing and tuning them (and a lot
more with the Gen. 3 model 17 and 19, which I have
personally owned).
All of the examples I have used generally chrono’d
around 300 - 315 w/.20g on average, out of the
box. The stock accuracy is highly variable, and
unfortunately mostly poor, which I attribute to the
internals being highly lubricated from the factory;
so by extension, the hop up bucking and bore is
usually absolutely soaked in oil. If keeping the pistol
largely stock, I would recommend deep cleaning it,
do selective lubrication on key points, cleaning the
bucking and resetting it.
There have been issues with slide binding/excessive
resistance on the Gen. 4 and 3 models. Usually
this is due to the locking block sitting too high,
which causes a significant amount of drag and loss
of efficiency. Some of these have struggled to fire
through a complete magazine on a full charge of gas
as a result. Filing down the height of the locking block
and polishing the rail guides can increase efficiency
substantially. I have seen improvements of up to FOUR
full magazines per single gas charge afterwards.
As for upgrades, much like the weird disinformation
that surrounds KWA, there is a myth that these can’t
be upgraded. Presently speaking, a lot of the pistol
has TM parts compatibility, and more specifically key
components such as the barrel, hop up bucking, hop
up arm, adjustment wheel, etc. are TM compatible.
What parts that are not TM compatible, already have
an aftermarket analogue made for it. It is to the point
where 99% of the pistol can now be refitted with
different parts if so desired. As far as I know, the only
thing still not able to be upgraded is the piston lid
(I would need to check and see if there’s been any
“HAVING NOW SPENT SOME TIME ACTUALLY USING A “NOT A GLOCK” I HAVE COME
TO LOVE THEM, AND MY SALIENT ARMS G17 IS PERFECT, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
PISTOL TO THE R17 I MUST SAY. THE MARUI WAS A GREAT PERFORMER, AGAIN SO
MUCH I PURCHASED ONE, SPECIFICALLY A GEN. 4 AND IT HASN’T LET ME DOWN.”
www.airsoftaction.net 49

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
TOKYO MARUI G17 GEN 4
Price: iro £150.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 709g
Length: 202 mm
Magazine Capacity: 25+1
Cold Chrono:0.89 Joule/310fps
Hot Chrono: 0.83 Joule/300fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: No
Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk
RAVEN EU17
Price: iro £85.00
Age: Three Years
Weight: 700g
Length: 200mm
Magazine Capacity: 24+1
Cold Chrono: 0.75 Joule/285fps
Hot Chrono: 0.75 Joule/285fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: Good
Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com
UMAREX GLOCK 17 GEN 4
Price: iro £160.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 665g
Length: 210mm
Magazine Capacity: 24+1
Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps
Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: No
Available From: www.landwarriorairsoft.com
ARMY ARMAMENT R17 V3
Price: iro £50.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 700g
Length: 200mm
Magazine Capacity: 25+1
Cold Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps
Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/310fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: No
Available From: iwholesales.co.uk
WE G17 GEN 5 MOS
Price: iro £120.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 770g
Length: 186mm
Magazine Capacity: 25+1
Cold Chrono: 0.95 Joule/320fps
Hot Chrono: 0.92 Joule/315fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: No
Available From: www.weairsoft.com
50
APRIL 2022

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
TOKYO MARUI 1911 MEU
Price: iro £150.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 840g
Length: 223mm
Magazine Capacity: 28
Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps
Hot Chrono: 0.33 Joule/190fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: No
Suppressor Compatibilty: No
Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk
ARMY ARMAMENT R501
Price: iro £80.00
Age: 20 Months
Weight: 1020g
Length: 218mm
Magazine Capacity: 28
Cold Chrono: 0.80 Joule/295fps
Hot Chrono: 0.70 Joule/276fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Good
Suppressor Compatibilty: Good
Available From: www.iwholsales.co.uk
VORSK VX-9
Price: iro £140.00
Age: New
Weight: 873g
Length: 220mm
Magazine Capacity: 15+1
Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps (without extension)
Hot Chrono: 0.62 Joule/258fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: No
Suppressor Compatibility: YES!!!
Available From: www.vorskairsoft.com
VFC TACTICAL CUSTOM 1911
Price: iro £130.00
Age: Two Years
Weight: 805g
Length: 225mm
Magazine Capacity: 20 BBs
Cold Chrono: 0.83 Joule/300fps
Hot Chrono: 0.83 Joule/301fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: No
Suppressor Compatibility: No
Available From: www.redwolfairsoft.com
RWA NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM RECON (CO2)
Price: iro £135.00
Age: 18 Months
Weight: 908g
Length: 220mm
Magazine Capacity: 18 BBs
Cold Chrono: Joule/380fps
Hot Chrono: Joule/377fps
Holster Compatibility: Good
Taclite Compatibility: Yes
Suppressor Compatibility: No
Available From: www.redwolfairsoft.com
www.airsoftaction.net 51

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
progress on that front lately).
Boycie: On the VFC/Umarex
Glocks, I think the fact that I
own four, in different variants,
speaks for the fact that I really
like them with only one being
slightly modified from box
standard. What I really like on the
more recent offerings is the new method of adjusting
the hop without having to take the slide off. Generally
I find that the range is good and accuracy is okay
especially as I only tend to draw my pistol if indoors
and then the range to target is usually below 15-20m.
The Raven EU17 I was quite impressed with
during the tests, so much in fact that I bought one
so that I could extend the test. I could have asked
to use the exact one from the test but as the Red
Cell is spread over the country, plus then the Covid
problems, it made getting to meet up and further test
quite awkward. For a pistol which has quite a low
price point, this is good for the new player. For the
seasoned player like myself, plus I have an engineering
background, I tend to look quite closely at a pistol for
fit and finish. Whilst the quality of the Raven is not the
same as a VFC variant, I think it’s still good, especially
for the price point.
Jimmy: I was never really a fan of the G-Series to
be honest as I preferred the look of the 1911, but
since the first test day I find myself now owning three
of the buggers! The two brands that really made an
impression on the day were Army Armament and
Marui and my opinion has since changed regarding
the Army Armament R17. On the day we had the
opportunity to range test, but had done no real
longevity test; since then I have seen my local airsoft
shop sell quite a few Army’s and 75% of them all
came back with very similar issues, the main issue
being nozzle springs and hammer problems. This is
a shame as they performed fairly well initially, and
indeed are still performing well for some of the team,
but I just can’t get past that return rate!
Having now spent some time actually using a “Not
A Glock” I have come to love them, and my Salient
Arms G17 is perfect, a completely different pistol to
the R17 I must say. The Marui was a great performer,
again so much I purchased one, specifically a Gen. 4
and it hasn’t let me down once. It is completely stock
and requires very little
maintenance other than
a few drops of Maglube
every couple of weeks and,
as Dan said before, keeping
the barrel clean and the hop
rubber oil free. Power-wise
on green gas around 275fps
but I’m not going to grumble
over that; there’s a hype in airsoft and
many claim to never run a stock TM on green gas
and initially I was sucked in and only used NUPROL
“White Can” gas… due to our climate here in the
UK I’ve found that NUPROL “Green Can” gas works
just fine and I am yet to see a Marui fail on green so
I shall keep walking that path. One of the Glocks I
wasn’t a fan of was the Umarex (strangely, as this is
a fully licenced model!) and this was largely due to
efficiency and the large baseplate which needed to be
removed in order to gas the mag, but of course that’s
a personal thing! It’s funny how things work out isn’t
it? For a pistol I didn’t like when we started testing, I
now own several!
Bill: So, as a serious long-term fan of the Glock,
and as someone that has owned many G-series
replicas, and even a real G17, suffice to say I love
this platform! Although Jimmy was not totally
complementary about the Umarex G17 I have to
admit that this is actually one of my favourites, purely
because it’s fully licenced and carries all the correct
“trades”.
The Glock replicas created by Umarex have always
been okay, but the latest generation has really moved
things forward again! After years without an official
“6mm” option licensed by Glock, Umarex finally
“IN THE CASE OF THE RAVEN PISTOLS MANY HAVE STATED THAT THEY BELIEVE THE
PRODUCTS TO BE SIMPLE RE-BRANDS OF EXISTING MODELS, BUT ONCE AGAIN I HAVE
TO TELL YOU THAT THIS COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.”
52
APRIL 2022

RED CELL
UPDATE: 1911/G-SERIES
sealed the deal and subsequently assigned Vega
Force Company (VFC) to manufacture pistols for the
brand; regular readers will know that we rate VFC
training platforms highly, so this to us is very good
news! Since VFC started working with Umarex they
have taken every best possible advantage with the
licence, and who could blame them? To the left of
the slide is engraved not only the Glock logo, but also
“17 Gen 4”, “Austria” and “9×19”. The right of the
slide carries a serial number that matches the one on
the ejection port. Unlike copycat versions, you’ll also
find the Glock logo to the bottom left of the grip,
while the right side reads “Officially licensed product
of Glock”. One neat touch we particularly like is that
the butt of the magazine also shows the Glock logo;
to recharge with gas, you’ll need to press in a small
button in the magazine baseplate to slide it forwards,
revealing the gas fill valve. It might sound like a pain,
but not only does it help make the pistol look even
more real, it also only takes a second or two to
achieve.
I’ve been running the
Glock 17 on NUPROL 2.0
“green bottle gas” and
to date I’ve had no major
issues with consistency of
power, and the magazines are
really standing up well to being
abused on a regular basis. In
terms of continued performance I’ve now logged in
excess of 3000 RZR. 20g, .25g, and .30g BBs through
the pistol, and the G17 has registered highest at
0.92 Joule/315fps on a .20g RZR, settling in at 0.86
Joule/305fps and staying there. I’ve found that now
it has settled in it does like .30g RZRs as its regular
fodder, and again, this is most certainly the weight I
am now using.
I do like the WE MOS just because it’s a solid
replica and continues to shoot and perform well, and
particularly because I can mount my SHIELD RMR to
it directly, but just to be contrary though I have to
admit that the other G-Series I LOVE and use regularly
is another of the “un-traded” models, and that’s the
RAVEN EU17 BDS. In the case of the RAVEN pistols
many have stated that they believe the products to be
simple re-brands of existing models, but once again
I have to tell you that this could not be further from
the truth; working directly with the factories in the
Far East the RAVEN team have scoured the best parts
that are available and put them together in their own
unique way to bring us their new series of pistols that
are quite unique to them. There are many “tell tales”
for the experienced player that show the RAVEN’s
are genuinely new models; if you look in the box for
instance when you receive your new EU17 you’ll find
a set of interchangeable backstraps (you might say
here “Gen 4” style…), a little bag containing spare
O-Rings and even a spare nozzle! The red-dot BDS
is an excellent addition to the pistol, and this makes
target to target acquisition super-quick… and I’m
STILL running this on the original battery!
On the range the EU17
performs satisfyingly well; using
RZR .20g BBs and NUPROL
2.0 Gas the pistol comes in at
a healthy 0.84 Joule/301fps.
These readings are a “mean”
over some 2500 BBs and there
is still very little drop-off from first
to last which indicates to me that the gas mech is very
efficient. In terms of accuracy the pistol is consistently
knocking down the plates at 10 metres. The EU17 is
very well made, functions smoothly and efficiently,
is superbly presented, and performs every bit as well
as I’d hoped it would. Priced sensibly for an airsoft
secondary, and available in numerous colours (a very
attractive and up-to-the-minute black/tan for mine!)
the EU17 will be a great addition to your armoury as
either your first airsoft pistol or if you need an extra,
reliable backup! AA
www.airsoftaction.net 53

ARMOURY
M4 SOPMOD BUILD
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NUPROL
BIRTH OF
THE BLOCKS
THE AR AND “M4” STYLE OF AEG HAS PROVED TO BE THE MAIN CHOICE OF AIRSOFT PLAYERS
AROUND THE GLOBE, AND INDEED IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE RANGE OF VIRTUALLY ANY
MANUFACTURER OUT THERE IT’S GOING TO BE THE AR-STYLE THAT IS DOMINANT! BILL CASTS HIS
MEMORY BACK TO THE EARLY DAYS OF HIS OWN AIRSOFT JOURNEY TO RECREATE, WITH THE HELP
OF OUR FRIENDS AT NUPROL, WHAT HE BELIEVES LURED MANY A PLAYER INTO THE “LOVE OF AR”, A
BLOCK 1 M4 SOPMOD!
Most of us will have one or more ARs in our
personal armouries, and for some much
time and effort is spent recreating some
very specific builds, both military and civilian, that
have appeared “IRL” or onscreen. When I first
started playing airsoft you couldn’t buy a decent
AR-style AEG, and decent GBB models were still
many, many years away! However, airsoft itself, and
the industry, moved forward! In the early 2000s
brands really started to get on the “AR Train” as of
course the M4 had been introduced into full service;
the news was awash with images from “Operation
Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan, especially those
of “Spec Ops” units carrying some very (to us at
the time) “tricked out” M4s, and of course every
airsofter worth their salt at the time wanted a piece
of that in their lives! It was a time when many of
us, just like many of you guys these days with your
Multicam, hovered up desert tri-colour and US
woodland clothing and coyote tan gear, and we all
wanted a “proper M4” too, sprayed up and with all
the bits and pieces bolted on!
My first “SOPMOD” was a Classic Army AEG, and
I scoured high and low for the right parts to build it!
In 2006 I moved the live in the USA and sadly I’d had
to sell my beloved CAs (yes, by that time plural!) as
shipping from the UK to the USA for anything that
resembled a “military carbine” was a strangely a
definite “no”. Luckily by that time I’d already built up
some good international contacts, and my old friend
and then-airsoft-mentor John Lu put me in touch
with Andrew Ho at AEX, and a new VFC HK416 AEG
and a couple of Glocks arrived at my new home in
Florida.
I became heavily involved in the “Florida Scene”
and played every single week in one way or another,
and the DPM that I’d taken with me was soon
replaced with the M81 and Coyote (and indeed a bit
of proper “old skool SEAL ERDL”!) worn by my new
“teamies”. That in turn changed over to ACU in the
controversial Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP),
and throughout my years playing and running games
in the USA there was usually a BLOCK 1-style “M4”
in my hands.
Time does indeed move on, and these days we
have so much choice when it comes to building a
“Dream M4”, and although in terms of gameplay
I have definitely embraced the “OPFOR Life”, I still
love to build a good AR, and indeed I’m working
on my “BPRE” project right now. However, I found
myself hankering again for a good old “BLOCK 1”
after re-watching “12 STRONG”, and decided that I
“I FOUND MYSELF HANKERING AGAIN FOR A GOOD OLD “BLOCK 1” AFTER RE-
WATCHING “12 STRONG”, AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD PUT TOGETHER BOTH A
COUPLE OF CARBINES INSPIRED BY THE SOPMOD M4A1 AND MK18 MOD 0 TO PLACE
IN MY COLLECTION”
56
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
M4 SOPMOD BUILD
would put together both a couple of carbines inspired
by the SOPMOD M4A1 and MK18 Mod 0 to place in
my collection, and along with Jimmy I’ll be detailing
the build over the next couple of issues!
HISTORY TIME!
I’ll unashamedly paraphrase here from an article I
wrote a little while ago, as the history don’t change,
but I’ll focus on the “Birth of the Blocks”… In 1988
Colt had already begun work on a new carbine design
called the XM4 combining the best features of the
Colt Commando and M16A2 rifles. The XM4 was
given a longer 14.5-inch barrel with the M16A2’s 1:7
inch rifle twist in order to be able to use the heavier
62-grain M855 rounds. The extended barrel improved
the XM4’s ballistics and reduced muzzle blast even
further. In 1994, the U.S. military officially accepted
the XM4 into service as the M4 carbine to replace
M16A2s in certain roles.
Designed specifically for lightweight mobility,
speed of target acquisition, and potent firepower
capability the M4 delivered on all counts. The M4
could be comfortably carried, yet be instantly available
to provide the level of firepower, dependability and
accuracy of a 5.56mm rifle at the desired “combat
effective” range. The Colt M4 Carbine served as the
United States Armed Forces’ weapon of choice and
the weapon of the 21st century warfighter worldwide.
In April 2012, the U.S. Army announced its
intention to buy over 120,000 M4A1 carbines in
addition to their initial order of 37,000 to start reequipping
front line units from the original M4 to the
new, even further improved M4A1 version. In October
2015, Commandant Robert Neller formally approved
of making the M4 carbine the primary weapon for
all infantry battalions, security forces, and supporting
schools in the U.S. Marine Corps. The switch began in
early 2016 and today the M4 is used by the entire US
Armed Forces!
By the time that those original M4 carbines started
being issued to regular line units, of course it had
been in the hands of the “Spec Ops” community
for FAR longer! You can easily find most of the
information online these days in open source but if
you’re looking at the M4 specifically then the Special
Operations Peculiar MODification (SOPMOD) program
to provide the elite warfighter with a truly modular
weapons platform “dates back to September 1989,
when the Special Operations Special Technology
(SOST) Modular Close Combat Carbine Project was
founded. The Material Need Statement (MNS) was
signed on May 1992, and by September 1993, the
Operational Requirements Document (ORD) for the
program was validated. Responsibility for the program
was then assigned to the Naval Surface Warfare
Center Crane Division.”
For those that know only of the “SOPMOD or
CRANE” stock fitted to many AEGS it may interest
you to know that the Naval Support Activity Crane
(NSA Crane) is, amongst other things, the home of
the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC). NSA Crane
was originally established in 1941 under the Bureau
of Ordnance as the Naval Ammunition Depot for
production, testing, and storage of ordnance under
the first supplemental Defense Appropriation Act, and
the base is actually the third largest naval installation
in the world by geographic area and employs
approximately 3,300 people!
Now whilst personnel at NSA Crane do a lot of
“interesting jobs”, it’s the work done there on the
SOPMOD program that most interests me, and us, as
Crane produced what would essentially become the
“blueprint” for what we now refer to as the “Blocks”,
1, 2, and now 3 (or I, II, and III of you prefer)! In
original documents now in the public domain that
date back to the early 2000’s it is clearly stated by
those clever people at Crane that:
www.airsoftaction.net 57

ARMOURY
M4 SOPMOD BUILD
“The SOPMOD Program Management Office
(PMO) at NSWC Crane, IN, will provide standardized,
versatile weapons accessories to meet needs across
SOF mission scenarios. These accessories will increase
operator survivability and lethality by enhanced
weapon performance, target acquisition, signature
suppression, and fire control. SOPMOD PMO will
provide these accessories when they are operationally
suitable, affordable, sustainable, and funded.”
Under “SOPMOD ORD 5 - Core Small Arms” it
was stated that the main program core recipients
would be the M4A1 and the M203 grenade launcher,
but it went on to encompass as “annexes” models
such as the SCAR, CQBR (Mark 18), MK46 LMG/
M249 SAW Machineguns, MK48/ M240-N/M240/
M240-B Machineguns, M14 and Mark 14 Enhanced
Battle Rifle, Mk-19 40mm Launcher, M2-HB .50 Cal
Machinegun, M72 LAAW, AT4-CS, MAAWS, MK11,
MK12, MK13, & MK15 Sniper Rifles, M-24 Sniper
Rifle, and even the AK-47/AK74 Series Assault Rifle!
BLOCK 1 BUILD
Now of course individual “operators” set up their
carbines as they wished, to make them as effective as
possible, and it wasn’t unusual to see “SF carbines”
with commercial optics and “COTS” accessories
fitted. Crane though analysed the “capabilities”
needed, especially those required by dedicated Special
Operations and Special Forces units operating in small
teams, and documented that these “capabilities”
needed to encompass a family of modular weapons
accessories, that could be added to the basic M4 and
M4A1 and would enable even a very small team of
highly-trained operators to REALLY lay down some
pain in a meaningful way!
To achieve my own SOPMOD M4 I’ll reflect again
on the components for the first official “BLOCK”
or group of modular enhancements to the basic
“infantry M4”. The components for this (the list is
now also easily available in the public domain if you
look for it!) included all of the following:
• Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) Rail
Interface System (RIS)
• KAC vertical foregrip
• KAC backup iron sight (BUIS)
• Trijicon Model TA01NSN 4x32mm Advanced
Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG)
• ECOS-N optical sight (a variant of the Aimpoint
CompM2)
• Tactical Ordnance and Equipment Improved
combat sling which allows for secure cross
body/patrol carry.
• PRI Bracket mount for AN/PVS-14 night vision
• In addition to these elements the “BLOCK 1
KIT” also included (in limited issue numbers):
• Insight Technology AN/PEQ-2 Infrared Target
Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Laser (ITPIAL)
• Insight Technology Visible Light Illuminator (VLI)
• Trijicon Model RX01M4A1 reflex sight
• KAC quick-detach sound suppressor (QDSS)
• KAC quick-attach M203 grenade launcher
mount
• Quick-attach sight for use with the M203
• M203 with a 9-inch barrel
• Insight Technology AN/PEQ-2 or 5 visible laser
sight
• AN/PVS-17A mini-night vision sight
• AN/PSQ-18A M203 night sight
Although this provides a really great list to work
from if you want to create a good replica of an “early
model SOPMOD M4” it’s is by no means exhaustive;
as an ongoing program even within the “BLOCK
1” auspices there have been numerous changes,
additions and enhancements that have been seen in
the wild such as the EoTech 551 and 552 optics, the
Crane (Sloping Cheekweld) Stock, the M26 Modular
Accessory Shotgun System and the M320 grenade
launcher. Basically the SOPMOD kit allows for the
attachment of any rail-compatible accessory so within
reason, anything goes, but for a proper “BLOCK1”
build I’d stick reasonably closely to the list above!
Considering those parts of course I first needed
a solid base for the build, and as I had a Specna
Arms SA-E03 already in hand from my “Last Ship”
pandemic-loadout project (along with the shorter
Specna Arms SA-E04 that I’ll get to next month when
I look at the MK18 Mod 0) that seemed a good place
to start as apart from a couple of small discrepancies it
makes a pretty reasonable basic “M4” to work from.
I still had a basic black AN/PEQ-2 battery box in hand
from long ago (although I’ve ordered a couple more
from Daves Custom Airsoft) so that was a start!
NUPROL NAIL IT!
It was time to get into the meat of adding the rest of
the accessories, and I remembered that my friends and
NUPROL offered a huge range of accessories, optics,
and now even a suppressor that was just right… they
truly have become a “one stop shop”, even when it
comes down to a quite specialist build!
Accessories first; a simple NUPROL VERTICAL GRIP
– BLACK gave me what I needed for the basic build,
although the NUPROL PRESSURE PAD VERTICAL
GRIP – BLACK gave me an option when running a
VLI (Visible Light Indicator, or taclite to you and I!);
more on this shortly… Rail covers were simple as they
58
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
M4 SOPMOD BUILD
came with the AEGs, and CRANE stocks? They’re
pretty much standard fare on base AEGs these days,
although if you want to go “proper old skool” then
you’ll need to find an XM-style stock!
Two of the things that I kept from my earlier BLOCK
1 builds so many years ago were the G&P Scorpion
Series VLI X9 Illuminator Combat Light (with Pressure
Switch) which is a great copy of the real one from
Insight Technology Inc., and my original Guarder KAC
Style QD Silencer With Flash Hider. The VLI to me is a
key “historical” part, but you’d be fine running with a
Scout light like the NP NX600L WEAPON LIGHT these
days, and I’m pleased to tell you by the time you read
this NUPROL will have those “KAC Style” suppressors
as an in-stock item… boom, or should I say “pffft”!
Onto optics and, apart from the NV models like
the PVS-17A and PSQ-18A, NUPROL once again have
things covered with one caveat; they do produce a
nice replica of the Aimpoint COMP M2 in the shape of
the NPOINT HD-1 RDS SIGHT, but with the angled riser
rather than the straight one, so this riser I still need to
find. The COMP M4 is also replicated well as the NP
POINT HD-8 RDS SIGHT, and both the E0Tech 551 and
552 can be found in their range as the NPTECH 881
and NPTECH 882 HOLO SIGHTS.
I have some photographic evidence that early
DELTA SOPMODs also made use of Trijicon’s Model
RX01M4A1 reflex sight, and indeed this appears
in the list, and thankfully the NUPROL NPCON RDS
works really well here and looks great; this is probably
going to end up on the Mod 0, although it’s a tossup
between this and the NPTECH 881 as back in
2007 I treated myself to a real 551 and this saw me
through my entire US “M4 airsoft life”! The NPCOG
4 X 32 works pretty much perfectly to replicate the
early-model Trijicon ACOG, and for the “field-ready
SOPMOD M4” this is my definite choice. In terms
of magazines NUPROL offer metal 140 BB MidCaps,
370 BB HiCaps and 330 BB Flash Mags in the classic
STANAG style; I’ve used all of these and they’ve
proved to feed very well indeed in all the ARs I own.
All that remains of course is the “big badda boom”
option that screams SOPMOD to everyone, and that
of course is the M203 40mm under-barrel grenade
launcher! The model specified is the 9-inch barrel
model, and again NUPROL can provide both a long
and short “203” under their S&T distributorship, and
in the same vein if you want to add a SUREFIRE M910
A VERTICAL FOREGRIP WEAPON LIGHT (that was seen
in some of the early “SOPMOD Kit” images) then
that’s there from S&T courtesy of NUPROL too!
So, with all the parts in one place the basic layup
of the “BLOCK 1 M4” was ready, with both CQB and
“field” options. In the next part I’ll look more at the
MK18 Mod 0 components, and Jimmy will be looking
at how you can get best dependability and accuracy
from both… and then we’ll look at getting the “M4”
properly sprayed up! AA
www.airsoftaction.net 59

TECHNICAL
SIG MPX UPGRADES
POTENTIAL
FULFILLED!
ISSUE 134 OF AIRSOFT ACTION MAGAZINE SAW US TAKE AN EARLY PEAK AT THE HOT NEW RELEASE FROM
VFC: THE MUCH SOUGHT AFTER SIG MPX. WHILE THE RECEPTION TO THE NEW MPX HAS BEEN LARGELY ON
THE POSITIVE SIDE, THERE WERE A FEW THINGS WE WISHED TO SEE WORK TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL,
SO DAN TAKES UP THE CHALLENGE!
As previously reported, both John and I were left
a little unimpressed with the anemic response
on our independent examples of stock MPX;
this is owing largely to the nominal 18:1 gear ratio
and now-ancient 19 TPA ferrite motor on top of some
tight shimming. Considering the price point, it was
also a little disappointing that this gun did not
come outfitted with the higher end Avalon
gearbox. In this tech article, I’m going to
pop open the hood again and see if we
can’t turn our stately compact sedan into a
zippy little street tuner!
This MPX is being prepared for a
customer who requested that
it have improved trigger
response, whilst being
a good “balanced
/ decent ROF”
build that
could be used at
US field velocities
and not come in
expensive. While I
love to have
“maxed”
too
would
truly
this one out,
there’s
scarcely any MPX’s on this side of the pond
and won’t be for some months yet, so I have to work
within the parameters of what’s passed onto me for
upgrade.
I won’t needlessly dig into disassembly again as that
was previously covered in Issue 134. However, one
interesting anecdote worth passing on is I’ve since
learned that it is not necessary to remove
the magazine release to extract
the gearbox. This is actually
retained by the lower
receiver and not
the traditional
loop
on the
gearbox;
similar to
current generation
KWA’s.
Moving straight
away then to
prepping the
gearbox shell: we
start with knocking
down the posts for the wires and
radiusing the cylinder cutout
on the front of the shell. The
former is being done as
this
will be fitted with a Gate
TITAN
and it is necessary to
file the
posts down so the
shell can be
fully closed without
damaging the
heavier 16AWG wire
the TITAN uses.
The latter is a common
stress reduction
technique used to prevent
cracks from forming in the corners of square cut
windows due to impact from the piston coming
home.
60
APRIL 2022

TECHNICAL
SIG MPX UPGRADES
GETTING IT READY
Before this prep work kicked off though, I happened
to notice one of the bearings under the spur gear
side was looking a bit warped. I believe this was due
to the spur side being shimmed too tight, which
put excess lateral pressure on the bearings. Rather
than risk the whole foundation to likely failure, I
opted to knock out the bearings and install a set of
8mm FLT bushings. These are some of the very best
bushings on the market and conceivably will outlast
even the gears. FLT’s fit very tight in the VFC shell
and consequently required the assistance of a Modify
bushing installation tool to seat them properly. One
can do it ‘old school’ and pound them in with a
punch, but without properly supporting the backside
of the shell fully, you risk bending it out of flat when
pounding in tight fitting bushings.
Next up is a quality motor: in this case, that would
be the excellent Action Army R30000, which is a
16 TPA Neodymium magnet motor. This motor has
a more traditional body design as opposed to CNC
construction on the comparable ASG Infinity series,
which can be tight in some motor grips. I already had
some reservations about available space in the MPX’s
motor grip (which held true, as I later discovered), but
as I quite liked the feel of this grip, I was determined
to see if I could make it work.
I’ve upgraded the gears in this build with a set of
SHS 16:1’s (which are actually a true ratio of 17.28:1).
These have been short-stroked three teeth off the
pickup side. In conjunction with a trimmed Guarder
SP130 spring, this will bring the gun right into US
field velocities while avoiding any possible issues
of premature engagement of the piston due to the
higher cyclic rate and a steady diet of 11.1v LiPo’s.
The stock cylinder was replaced for a ½ ported
style, which is more appropriate for the tiny barrel
length as fitted in this AEG. An SHS piston with the
rack AOE corrected and epoxied was fitted next, with
the stock ported aluminum piston head retained.
As reported in the previous article, despite being
new, the cylinder head on this example already had
evidence of hairline fracturing stemming from the air
nozzle downward to the 6 o’clock position. This is
an endemic problem with VFC cylinder heads, so it
was replaced with a Lonex double o-ring aluminum
cylinder head. On the backside was affixed a 70D
AirPad which assists with both AOE correction and
further shock reduction.
I’ve retained the stock tappet plate and the
excellent VFC O-ring air nozzle. VFC’s tappets have
fortunately swung back into reliable territory again,
and this is usually the best one to stick with if you’re
planning on keeping the stock nozzle and hop up
chamber and want to avoid
dancing around nozzle
feeding and compression
issues. The front face of
the tappet was lightly filed
down to seat the nozzle
slightly deeper and improve
air seal. The tappet spring
was also trimmed 2 coils and
re-looped. By shortening the
tappet spring you can increase
the tension of the spring on
the tappet plate and also help
reduce instances of “midcap
syndrome” whereby the stack
pressure of a fully loaded
midcap magazine forces the
nozzle out of alignment,
leading to a loss of FPS and
poor range and accuracy.
“MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE MOTOR GRIP PROVED SPOT-ON; WITH THE LARGER 16
AWG WIRES FROM THE TITAN, IT TOOK A LITTLE FIDDLING, CAREFUL POSITIONING AND
LIGHT MODIFICATION OF THE MOTOR PLATE TO MAKE IT CLOSE UP PROPERLY.”
www.airsoftaction.net 61

TECHNICAL
SIG MPX UPGRADES
Finishing up the gearbox is a front-wired Gate
TITAN Advanced ETU and the lovely E-Type MAXX
CNC tuneable flat trigger. This is my preferred
ETU and trigger combination as they’re very
complimentary products to one another. I absolutely
love the ability to set the desired amount of
overtravel on the trigger after the firing point and
reducing or eliminating the dead space thereafter.
Moving over to the barrel side, I’ve fitted a short
155mm Prometheus 6.03 stainless steel barrel fitted
with an R-Hop and modified Maple Leaf bucking. As
previously noted, the hop up chamber in the MPX
is the standard VFC Ver. 2 rotary design; only fitted
with a larger hop up wheel so one can easily adjust
it through the relatively small ejection port window,
which only opens a few millimeters. It is probably
possible to use something like the MAXX CNC rotary
chamber in this gun, but I think you would struggle
to adjust the hop up easily due to the smaller wheel;
something to consider for later experimentation, no
doubt.
FIT AND FUNCTION
Now that the internals were wrapped up, it was
time to reassemble and check the MPX for function.
My concerns about the motor grip proved spot-on;
with the larger 16 AWG wires from the TITAN, it
took a little fiddling, careful positioning and light
modification of the motor plate to make it close
up properly. Suffice it to say: there is a technique
for putting it back together. The bolt release lever
itself is also a little fiddly to reinstall. This involves a
combination of depressing the bolt catch with a tool,
keeping the two wires bent out of your way and
working the bolt release around until it indexes into
the bolt catch on the gearbox. On a related note, the
design of the lower receiver on this gun means that
the wires stay neatly out of the way of the magazine
well. So something like the Laylax wire guard is not
actually needed on the MPX; whereas I feel it is one
of those “must have” upgrades for the larger MCX.
The TITAN does clean up the inside of the
handguard area a bit for just a simple pair of
62
APRIL 2022

TECHNICAL
SIG MPX UPGRADES
quick-connects and a Deans plug. A 21 x 16x
116mm 11.1v 1450mah buffer tube LiPo fits in the
surprisingly spacious area above the barrel. I have
no doubts that dual-panel or tri-panel LiPo’s would
similarly drop right in too.
Taking the MPX to the range for testing shows
the upgrades made a dramatic felt improvement in
responsiveness on this gun. Gone was the previous
sedate and sluggish rate of fire, then clocking in at
18 RPS with an 11.1v, now exchanged for a crispy 25
RPS. Also pleasing is the stock magazine is capable
of keeping up with the higher rate of fire as well.
Despite the short barrel, with the R-Hop and .30g’s,
this gun is capable of easily slugging it out at 250+’
with quite excellent accuracy to boot. I’ve tuned
the FPS output to sit at 370 FPS with .20g’s, which
accounts for the joule creep experienced with the
short barrel. With a .28g we’re sitting right at 335
FPS / 1.46J, just a hair under field limits on my part of
the USA.
On the external side, she’s been dressed up with
the original retractable stock from the VFC MCX,
which I feel looks more appropriate on this little SMG
than the stock it ships with. A real SIG 3-prong flash
hider, modified for 14mm CCW threads is also fitted
and looks the part better than the ol’ A2 birdcage.
An EOTech XPS2 and some Surefire, Modlite and
BCM goodness round it out.
Having all of it now, the only thing we are truly
lacking for is extra magazines! As of early 2022,
there is still a distinct lack of spare magazines
available for this gun. So as much fun and as
effective and competitive a build it is, it still
regrettably remains somewhat of a range toy until
that void is filled. That being said, when those
inevitably start filtering in, this little beast will be
ready to hit the field with the best of them!! AA
www.airsoftaction.net 63

RELOADED
G&G SMC-9
LITTLE
HAMMER
WAY BACK IN ISSUE 112 (APRIL 2020!) WE LOOKED CLOSELY AT A NEW MODEL FROM G&G
ARMAMENT IN THE FORM OF THE SMC-9, AND NOW IT’S TIME TO CHECK OUT HOW THIS LITTLE
CRACKER HAS BEEN PERFORMING IN THE LONG TERM TEST POOL! BILL UPDATES NOW AFTER GIVING
HIS OWN “LITTLE HAMMER” (AS WE’VE COME TO CALL IT) SOME THOROUGH ABUSE!
Without a doubt the G&G SMC-9 has really
become a firm favourite with many GBB
users I know, offering stellar performance
and superb durability all wrapped up in a stunning
little package! With all the talk now of “PCCs”
G&G 100% got in at the right time, and after a
few little wobbles with
international power-levels,
hit the market with a GBB
platform that many have
come to love, cherish, and
skirmish with regularly.
When it comes to GBB
“longs” in a skirmish
situation they are still a
pretty rare beast, and
huge respect goes from
me to all my fellow users
out there that work with
“real or real-ish” ammo
loads and still hold their
own! I love a GBB rifle or
carbine, and whilst they
are perfect for a scenariodriven
game or MilSim, you have to be right on top of
your game to use one for a general skirmish day!
To paraphrase unashamedly from my original review
of the SMC-9, it’s pretty common knowledge that
the SMC-9 has at its heart the super G&G GTP-9 gas
pistol, and even on the grip of the SMC-9 you’ll find
the pistol markings. This is
no bad thing at all, as the
GTP-9 of course has the
G&G Whirl Cylinder Valve
which spins when fired to
break up “frost” deposits
inside the nozzle with the
net result of enhanced
performance. And then
there’s the clever new hop
adjustment which is easily
accessed at the muzzle,
making fine tuning a
snap. The SMC-9 has
been designed as a single,
efficient platform, and
although you could drop
in the lower frame and
“TO PARAPHRASE UNASHAMEDLY FROM MY ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THE SMC-9, IT’S
PRETTY COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE SMC-9 HAS AT ITS HEART THE SUPER G&G
GTP-9 GAS PISTOL, AND EVEN ON THE GRIP OF THE SMC-9 YOU’LL FIND THE PISTOL
MARKINGS.”
64
APRIL 2022

RELOADED
G&G SMC-9
gubbins from your GTP-9 into the “carbine kit” that
G&G now offer, the SMC-9 comes fully assembled
and good to go.
Externally the SMC-9 is still a beauty, slim and
light at just 1550g and just 420mm long with the
stock folded (610mm extended). Even with this low
weight and diminutive size though you still get a 7’’
M-LOK handguard with eleven attachment points, a
full length top rail for attaching optics, front QD sling
mount, a unique full metal flash hider (removable to
reveal a 14mm CCW threaded outer barrel), a sidefolding
polymer stock with rubberised buttplate, and
removable flip-up front and rear sights.
In terms of controls you have Safe, Semi, and Auto
firing modes, and then ambidextrous EVERYTHING!
That’s ambidextrous magazine release, slide release,
selectable left or right ejection port covers, side
selectable sling loop, and a non-reciprocating charging
handle! The push-through safety is positioned well
above and to the rear of the trigger, whilst the
selector itself is a separate push-through button
sited to the rear of the ejection port. You also get a
comfortably textured pistol grip with interchangeable
backstraps for different sized hands, and a two stage
“safety trigger”. All in all it’s a very, very tidy package!
PERFORMANCE UPDATE
After extensive use now (mainly rangework due to
the pandemic restrictions, but also one memorable
skirmish day!) as I said before, the SMC-9 reminds
me of all my favourite SMGs, the Israeli Uzi, the H&K
MP7, and the B&T MP9 where you get that functional
“hand meets hand” style of reloading, and the
50BB gas magazine (you can also use standard 27BB
GTP-9 mags, and I have!)) supplied with the carbine
is styled perfectly to make the most of this. Spare
magazines are not hard to get hold of now, and if
you search thoroughly you get some great deals on
them; I actually prefer the GTP-9 mags in the SMC-9
as although they have a lower round count you can
easily carry a bunch of them just on your belt kit,
and if you use the G&G pistol too you have complete
compatibilty.
Initially the SMC-9 posed somewhat of a challenge
when it came to actually holding onto it, as that 7”
M-LOK rail at the sharp end is occluded a by the
ambi charging handle! In my review of the SMC-9
as new I said that I haven’t got the biggest of hands,
and I found it hard to get a good control-hand grip,
and so I added a G&G M-LOK foregrip to give me a
solid reference point and this helped. I also added
a short NX600S taclite with a rat-tail pressure grip,
and although this does load-up the front of the rail it
actually helps with a solid and easily-referenced grip at
the front end.
For additional accessories I will admit fully to being
a bit of a “tacticool tart” with the SMC-9 as I decided
that I would go all-out in tan to counterpoint the plain
black of the platform itself; I added an EoTECH-style
holosight (I have always loved this style for CQB, and
I still do!) and an FMA PEQ-15 box with red laser. The
optic and the laser are both co-witnessed to each
other and the original and very usable iron sights on
the SMC-9, so whatever aiming tool I am using will
always work… redundancy is a good thing here, and
this setup gives me lots of options for doing work in
differing light levels.
LIGHT THE NIGHT
The only other addition I’ve made is a G&G Midnight
Hawk Tracer Unit as the SMC-9 really cries out for a
suppressor to me! You do need to be a little careful
how you set this up due to the muzzle-hop, but it
can be done, and when you get it right, it REALLY
works well! Now I know “After Dark” airsoft is not to
everyone’s taste but I have to admit it’s something that
I very much enjoy; with the right site operator a night
game can be a real experience to remember!
“I INITIALLY SET THE SMC-9 UP WITH .20G BBS FOR CHRONO TESTING, AND GOT
A PLEASINGLY CONSISTENT AND PERFECTLY PLAYABLE 1.04-1.07/335-340FPS
OVER THE COURSE OF THE MAGAZINE ON NUPROL 2.0 “GREEN BOTTLE”; THIS HAS
REMAINED PRETTY CONSTANT TO THIS DAY, ”
www.airsoftaction.net 65

RELOADED
G&G SMC-9
The Midnight Hawk still comes in as one of my
favourite tracer units, and it resembles a short
suppressor at just 125mm long, and weighing in at
just 160g, it’s not going to add too much weight and
bulk to the muzzle (again important due to the muzzle
hop). It’s threaded 14mm CCW so that means it will
just screw onto most AEGs or gassers without any
fuss, and a small grub screw keeps it securely in place.
Unscrewing from the back of the shell reveals the
battery compartment and a mass of intricate circuitry
which is all CE rated. The unit itself, unlike the old
G&G fixed, rechargeable battery unit, is powered by
four cheap and easy to find AAA batteries, and once
these are fitted the unit is activated by depressing a
small button on the rear, and you’re “good to go”…
when you let rip on full-auto with it on the SMC-9 I’s
impressive to say the least!
I initially set the SMC-9 up with .20g BBs for chrono
testing, and got a pleasingly consistent and perfectly
playable 1.04-1.07/335-340fps over the course of
the magazine on NUPROL 2.0 “Green Bottle”; this
has remained pretty constant to this day, although I
usually run it now on .30g for games. Once you’ve set
the “muzzle hop” with the clever little tool that you’ll
find secreted behind the pistol grip to your chosen
weight of BBs, at 10m it’s deadly accurate on semiauto
which makes it an absolutely ideal CQB tool, but
where my pistol would start to fade a little beyond
20m, the SMC-9 is still bang on the button, and it’s
good now its bedded in for 40-50m!
Although I would still class the SMC-9 as a carbine,
and indeed what many have referred to as a “carbine
kit” as it essentially contains the GTP-9 as the “driving
force”, it is so much more than that. For now though
I’ll conclude by repeating what I said initially; I do
completely love the SMC-9! It’s a GBB that I will
continue to thoroughly enjoy, and I look forward to
using it in-game more now that we can get out and
play regularly again!
My thanks go to G&G (www.guay2.com) for
providing the original GBB sample for evaluation, and
to NUPROL for facilitating this as my country G&G
distributor. AA
“ALTHOUGH I WOULD STILL CLASS THE SMC-9 AS A CARBINE, AND INDEED WHAT
MANY HAVE REFERRED TO AS A “CARBINE KIT” AS IT ESSENTIALLY CONTAINS THE
GTP-9 AS THE “DRIVING FORCE”, IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.”
66
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
IWA 22:
EMERGING FROM
THE DARKNESS!
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, THE TIME WHEN AIRSOFT ACTION HIT THE BIGGEST GUN TRADE SHOW
IN EUROPE, AND WHAT WE FOUND AT IWA IN NUREMBERG THIS YEAR WAS AN AIRSOFT INDUSTRY
RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC THAT HAS AFFECTED US ALL! 2022 THOUGH PROVED TO BE A VERY
SPECIAL YEAR, SO BILL REPORTS BACK ON A SHOW WHERE THERE WAS LOTS TO SEE AND EVEN MORE TO
TALK ABOUT!
Okay, picture the scene if you will; two fairly
big lads (namely Smooth Jase and I) piled into
a car filled with tactical-style packs and gear
rocking up at the Channel Tunnel check in! To say that
both immigration and customs gave us more than a
cursory glance would be lying… this was one hell of
a road-trip, heading on to a 1,700km there and back
to the IWA Outdoor Classics Show 2022, the first
big show for us since the very first lockdown! This is
always my favourite event of the usual show season,
and although SHOT is still bigger there’s a certain
something about the show in Germany that always
brings a heady mix of excitement and expectation
for me, and of course after no shows at all for some
considerable time, this one was even more special!
Normally held in early March every year “IWA” brings
to Europe the very best in firearms, optics, accessories,
clothing, and gear to the trade.
Alongside IWA, EnforceTac has always been a
separate entity from the main “civvy” show and
was created from the traditional Official Agencies
Day at the start of IWA Outdoor Classics and already
has a solid reputation. The growing interest in an
international and above all discreet exchange of views
on law enforcement, security and tactical equipment
led to the premiere of EnforceTac as a separate
restricted exhibition and conference in the congress
centre of NürnbergMesse in 2012. These days besides
firearms, ballistic accessories, optronics and tactical
equipment, the exhibitors at EnforceTac present
operational clothing such as bullet-proof vests, stabproof
vests, body protection, face protection, shields
and helmets to their core professional customers and
users.
The main “IWA” Show is slightly (just slightly!)
more relaxed in relation to visitors, and continues to
be a very special event, although this year of course
we still had Covid-safety requirements to take into
account, and these were exceptionally stringent... in
honesty this was a small price to pay to be actually
able to see old friends again, and meet new ones!
When I first started attending the show many years
ago the airsoft and tactical side of things had only
really just begun to make its mark, but since then
I’ve seen a sure but steady influx of companies and
each year the show just gets better and better for
our industry; “tactical” now dominates a hall of its
own, and although airsoft was scaled back due to the
absence of many “big names” from the Far East who
usually exhibit in person, it was still the “place to be”
“PICTURE THE SCENE IF YOU WILL; TWO FAIRLY BIG LADS (NAMELY SMOOTH JASE AND I)
PILED INTO A CAR FILLED WITH TACTICAL-STYLE PACKS AND GEAR ROCKING UP AT THE
CHANNEL TUNNEL CHECK IN! TO SAY THAT BOTH IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS GAVE US
MORE THAN A CURSORY GLANCE WOULD BE LYING… ”
68
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
even in a “just out of pandemic” year!
For the 2022 show, although the event was an
unusual one in the context of the current geopolitical
situation and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a
total of 856 exhibitors from 53 countries took part
in this eagerly awaited return to the sector gathering
in Nuremberg. The Leading International Trade Fair
for Hunting, Shooting Sports, Outdoor Activities and
Security also drew 19,500 trade visitors (international
contingent just under 60%, representing 111
countries) to Nuremberg between 3 and 6 March,
and I would be the first to say that the ably-enforced
hygiene strategy worked, with exhibitors and visitors
observing the relevant regulations.
Sadly this year though the airsoft side of things
was hit harder than most, as of course many of the
exhibitors we would normally see there are based
in Taiwan and the Far East, and getting to Germany
was out of the question for them. Even some of the
European manufacturers and distributors were either
absent or had smaller than usual stands due to the
strictures of “the pandemic years”, but for those who
did attend, and certainly behind the scenes, things
were rocking! A good few companies, although not
exhibiting, were in attendance, and many meetings
were had “off the show floor”. However, there were
definitely some new faces in evidence, and new
products there were aplenty!
IWA is where tactical and airsoft writers like
me can stand toe to toe with manufacturers from
around the globe, discuss their plans, check out all
their latest products, and provide feedback to them
from the community.
Whilst nobody at Airsoft
Action would deem
themselves to be “the
voice of the community”
we are of course “one
voice” involved with
many groups, and make
note of any genuine
problems we see; we
also see and test a large
number of RIFs and a
huge pile of gear every
year, so amongst the
20+ “Legionnaires” we
have a pretty good overview of what has worked and
where problems exist, and believe me, we DO share
these problems with the manufacturers!
Hitting Nuremberg late on Friday after a 880km
drive for some and a flight for others, the doors to the
show proper opened bright and early on the Saturday
morning for Jase, Boycie, Little Stu and I, and after
a brief visit to the professionally run Press Room (I
discovered I’m not the only one on the AA team to
run on caffeine and cake!) it was time to get rolling;
as much as I like to see as much as possible when I
visit IWA, experience has taught me that you need
to make a schedule and stick to it. It’s simply just not
possible to see everything, but with so many friends in
attendance there was a constant “heads up” flow of
information in relation to exciting new products.
GOOD TO GO!
So, enough of my musings and on to what you really
want to hear! Our first meeting of the show was “off
floor” with the excellent guys from Gunfire, and we
managed to catch up on a whole host of topics!
As you will all know we have some members of the
“AA Legion” that are also Ambassadors for Gunfire
and Specna Arms, and we hope that this program will
enlarge so that we can bring you airsoft stories from
more and more countries, stories from fellow players
that are deeply and intimately immersed in their
own airsoft communities! We also discussed future
products and development projects, so you can expect
to see this news hitting both the web news and the
“monthly” as the year progresses!
“HITTING NUREMBERG LATE ON FRIDAY AFTER A 880KM DRIVE FOR SOME AND A FLIGHT
FOR OTHERS, THE DOORS TO THE SHOW PROPER OPENED BRIGHT AND EARLY ON THE
SATURDAY MORNING FOR JASE, BOYCIE, LITTLE STU AND I, AND AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO THE
PROFESSIONALLY RUN PRESS ROOM (I DISCOVERED I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE ON THE AA TEAM
TO RUN ON CAFFEINE AND CAKE!) IT WAS TIME TO GET ROLLING.”
www.airsoftaction.net 69

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
Next up was Umarex, and again this was more
a development and marketing meeting rather than
a product-specific one, although I can tell you that
there will be more to come from them soon.
G&G also always have something fresh and this
year was absolutely no exception; although their new
products were professionally introduced by the team
from Jolly Softair (their partner from San Marino)
the MXC9 which not only looks great but offers
some clever new internal features… off the record
(NOT!) we even saw a couple of the guys from
ASG checking it out as this new model could well
give their EVO a run for its money! Add to this the
updated MIG enhancements to the Combat Machine
line and it looks like G&G are going to make 2022
an exciting year for us!
Eraldo and his crew turned out to be brilliant, and
these guys are most definitely in the “new friends
made” category, and I look forward to speaking
with them more! G&G new products in fact blew
many, us included, away especially with their new
G3 SYSTEM SGR 556 Carbine! We’ll report on this
new technology in full next month, but suffice to say
it is a MAJOR step forward by our friends in Taiwan!
We also got “hands on” working models of both
their GK12 (Little Stu and I drooled quite a lot…) and
their stunning LE4 MKI; both of these look ready for
production at last, so fingers crossed!
What we didn’t know about was their extension
to the COBALT Kinetics BAMF line, with some more
skirmish-oriented models (the FDE BAMF looks
amazing!), and we loved the new BAMF STEALTH
CQB-length version! There’s been a major design
facelift to the ARP9, and this is joined now by
Talking of ASG as always they were “loud and
proud” and rightly so! Certainly a few new things
to report, but their STEYR Scout and Accuracy
International licenced models were getting some
attention (we’ve tested both if these… good guns!)
and of course the EVO-train just keeps on moving
up the tracks. We did notice a new AR in the form
of the ASG M4 Long and CQB variants, along with
a fine looking GBB Steyr L9A2, and it looks like
there may be a couple of additional new handguns
under their CZ and ISSC licences; so along with
their B&T APC 556 Carbine AEG it looks like their
“skunkworx” is still in full flow.
Our steps took us onwards to Cybergun. Whilst
their display at the show was of largely existing
products, they actually had LOADS going on, and
they gave us a very warm reception! First up were
some very cool looking Armorer Works “G-style”
“NOPE, STILL NOT DONE WITH CYBERGUN… AN FN “M4” GBBR? YES, BLOODY LOVELY, AND
WITH A LOVELY TRIGGER! A GBBR MP38/40 WITH THE “BAKELITE” LOWER? I’LL TAKE ONE
PLEASE! A NEW VERSION OF THE STG44… NICE! NEW MODELS OF KALASHNIKOV… RIGHT ON!
ALL IN ALL CYBERGUN WERE ON IT THIS YEAR IS ALL I CAN SAY.”
70
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
www.airsoftaction.net 71

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
72
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
www.airsoftaction.net 73

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
74
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
pistols with numerous unusual design features, but
it was the licenced CANIK TP9 ELITE COMBAT replica
that REALLY grabbed all of us! This unique handgun
is a collaboration between CANIK and Salient Arms
International so it’s just a little bit special, and there’ll
be more to come on this I am certain! Along with
some beautiful wooden custom grips for the 1911,
a classic Swiss Arms 1911, the ARCHON Type B, and
a couple of Tangfolio GOLD CUSTOM pistol models
to view, it was a solid handgun offering (and I won’t
mention their Gen 5 Glock… oh, sorry, I just did,
sadly this is purely for the French market…).
This, of course, is before we reached their “longs”
selection, and the first thing to make us go “ooooh”
was the SCAR H TPR! For 762/308 fans like us this
was a definite “WOWSERS” moment; although the
finish as a pre-prod was a little ragged in places the
overall rifle, and especially the unique stock, is a thing
of beauty that I believe many DMR users like me will
long to have in their collection. Directly alongside
this and distinctly at the other end of the spectrum
was the SCAR SC which Little Stu went a bit wonky
over; this is definitely a “shorty” (the AEG, not Stu,
we know that already!) that will definitely tempt
CQB-lovers and between the two models I believe
these may well introduce the SCAR platform to newer
players in a meaningful way!
Nope, still not done with Cybergun… an FN “M4”
GBBR? Yes, bloody lovely, and with a lovely trigger!
A GBBR MP38/40 with the “Bakelite” lower? I’ll take
one please! A new version of the StG44… nice! New
models of Kalashnikov… right on! All in all Cybergun
were ON IT this year is all I can say.
Talking of “AKs” a trip to see new BOLT models
with the guys from FREE SHOT in Italy revealed their
own take on this, and what a take it is! That said,
what really took our interest in relation to BOLT recoil
AEGs is their increased focus on the training side of
things; this really did have pride of place under the
banner “TRAINING DIVISION” and my thought here is
that this is a market that they will be actively targeting
in 2022! What does this mean for the airsofter? In my
mind it means enhanced build-quality and even more
performance so I’ll be keeping my eye on BOLT in
this respect. Also on show at FREE SHOT were some
stunning custom-finish BOLT models which just show
what can be achieved if you have a mind to do so…
Usually airsoft continues to expand at IWA, and
thankfully Redwolf were all over this, leading from
the front as always, although we were saddened by
the absence of Danny, Herman, Marck, Max, and the
rest of their “HK Crew”. Their stand as always was
absolutely chock-a-block with airsoft goodness and
innovation but one thing that particularly caught my
eye was the new range of TITAN Lithium Ion batteries
which are superbly cutting edge; I look forward to
having a closer look at these with Ronald from TITAN
EUROPE in due course. Also on their stand was Matt
from VIRTUAL SHOT showing off the very training
system that we’ve been talking about for some
considerable time now, and we’ve got to say a HUGE
WELL PLAYED to him as he’d come all the way from
Australia!
Of course the real “showstopper” for many of us
was their own stunning Nighthawk models, and even
those were surpassed by their EXA pistols; also their
continued collaborations with Agency Arms and Battle
Arms Development means that there are again a few
more absolutely righteous looking RIFs on the way
soon!
Whilst I was spending some quality time with the
lads on the Novritsch stand who turned out be
friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable,
Boycie, Stu and Jase went to have some fun with the
guys at Jefftron.
Boycie told me after their meeting...
“I’m always interested in tech and innovation so I
wanted to make a visit to Jefftron’s stand. I’ve run a
Leviathan in my (Umarex) HK416, and. I’ve really liked
the way they work alongside their app for adjusting
performance and settings. I wanted to have a look
at the Jefftron stand as I was interested in the new
“Scylla” universal ECU which was on display as the
first working prototype aimed at RIFs like the P90,
M14 and others with restricted space in the gearbox
shell. This looks much like the “plug and play” fets
that have been around for some time but this is where
the similarity ends.
In place of using the RIF’s standard trigger contacts,
Jefftron use a circuit board with the optical sensors
where the standard contacts sit. Then trigger wires go
through the gearbox to plug into the main circuitry
in the stock tube. The prototype already looks quite
small but as the Jefftron guys told me, they are
working on making the size of the main control
module substantially smaller. Also they explained that
“AND OF COURSE I HAVE TO SAY THAT IN RELATION TO THE “SHOW TEAM” WE’RE
ULTIMATELY WE’RE ALL BRITS, SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC TO MEET UP WITH OUR
OLD FRIENDS FROM SHIELD WHO WERE THERE IN FORCE AND REALLY HAVING AS GOOD A
TIME AS WE WERE.”
www.airsoftaction.net 75

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
if a user runs a number of platforms with the internal
board fitted, that they can simply unplug the main
board module and swap it over to another rifle. This
can really reduce the cost of converting a number of
RIFs. We’ll talk more about their rangefinder at a later
date.”
Drawing towards a close on products I’ll mention
briefly a couple of the optics companies we met with,
the first being Sightmark. We were really impressed
with their “AR setups”, namely the ULTRA SHOT and
SOLAR models with the XT-3 TACTICAL MAGNIFIER.
We also drooled over the LOPRO COMBO LAM which
offers another low-profile laser/whitelight/IR aiming
option and is even directly compatible with their MINI
SHOT optics!
And of course I have to say that in relation to the
“show team” we’re ultimately we’re all Brits, so it
was absolutely fantastic to meet up with our old
friends from SHIELD who were there in force and
really having as good a time as we were. These guys
are shooters just like us with massive experience
in the real-steel world, and they’re now bringing
this experience to the airsoft-side of things too, not
just with their knowledge of optics, but as the UK
distributor of the Clarence Lai PD custom parts as
well!
We took great pleasure in checking out their new
RMSx and AMS optics, but I’ll keep this tight here as
I’ll be speaking to them in detail in next month’s AA!
THERE’S NO I IN TEAM!
So, that’s what caught our “collective eye”, but
as usual the guys were keeping their eyes peeled
individually!
Boycie told me after we got home:
“I really enjoyed IWA 2022. The best part was
that I was able to attend alongside my “brother
from another mother” Stuart, who was also helping
me with his photography skills. Seeing so many
manufacturers there brought back a lot of memories
of the days when we, in the UK, were permitted
to own pistols and self-loading rifles other than in
.22LR. One of the first stands we looked at was Glock
and the first chance I had to handle a real Glock
since October 1997 when the UK Handgun ban was
enforced. Then Tanfoglio seeing ‘in the flesh’ how
much their range had changed since I owned one
back in the late 80’s. The show was a great chance to
compare airsoft to the real thing which will provide
excellent reference points when writing about the
airsoft replicas. Over the whole show we took around
500-600 photos. The social aspect of the trip was
great as previously when we’ve (the AA Red Cell) been
together it was mostly for a one day activity but this
was three full days, meeting up at certain points in
the day then going our own ways to cover as much of
the show as possible. On the final day, I tallied up how
many real weapons we had the chance to handle and
if we were in the UK, handling what would be Section
5 firearms and the 5 year jail sentence that could be
handed down for each we could have been serving
285 years! An awesome trip and I’m really looking
forward to stepping it up to a whole new level with
SHOT 23 in Las Vegas next January!”
Now as much as we were there to meet with the
airsoft industry people who had made it to Germany
this year, my aim at IWA is also to concentrate on the
“soft” side of the industry, namely clothing, gear,
and footwear too. Having worked alongside some of
the “big names” in the performance gear market I
do tend to be quite hard on people, especially when
they try to blind me with the “science” I’ve worked
with for many, many years! We actually managed
to spend a full day on this side of things, so next
month we’ll bring you the lowdown on what’s new
and “tacticool”, although I will say that “Camo
of the Show” must go to MAPA this time… it was
EVERYWHERE and I’ll be taking a much closer look at
this next month too!
As always any report like this can only show
“the tip of the iceberg” and we spoke to so many
people, and saw so much goodness that I can only
apologise to those not mentioned; I would say a
huge thank you to all that took time to speak with
us. I did finally manage to sit down and have a face
to face conversation with my good friend Chris from
the Airsoft and MilSim News Blog that I, and AA,
have worked with during the pandemic, and the
outcome is that we have agreed to collaborate even
more closely on some joint projects in the coming year
which should be awesome!
In conclusion I’ll just say that IWA 2022 was a
tremendous show both for me personally, for Boycie,
Stu and Jase (as “cherries”!), and for Airsoft Action
as a truly international publication which continues to
get even more recognition a global scale! I hope to
see many more friends from the international airsoft
and tactical community in Nuremberg next year, and
I do sincerely hope that we’ll see friends return to
Nuremberg to exhibit again at the show from the UK,
from the USA, and from the Far East… guys, you were
VERY MUCH missed!
IWA has already been fixed for 2nd to 5th March
2023 (EnforceTac in the days before) so get it in your
diary and the AA crew look forward to seeing you in
Germany next year! AA
76
APRIL 2022

SHOW REPORT
IWA 2022
www.airsoftaction.net 77

FEATURE
BOLSTER ARMOURIES
CUSTOM
INNOVATION
WHO ARE BOLSTER ARMOURIES? WHY WAS BOLSTER ARMOURIES FORMED, WHAT’S THE BRAND MISSION?
FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE TEASER CAMPAIGN FOR THIS NEW CUSTOM-ORIENTED BRAND, BILL GOT
TOGETHER WITH THE GUYS FROM PATROL BASE FOR THE LOWDOWN ON EVERYTHING THAT IS BOLSTER
ARMOURIES!
If you’re an airsofter in the UK then it’s probable
that at one time or another you will have made a
purchase from Patrol Base, either in their old “bricks
and mortar” store in the North of England, or morelikely
via their comprehensive online store. I’ve met
the guys at shows over the years and always found
them grand company in person and, just like us, they
live and breathe airsoft, although their business is
exactly that, business-like and professional.
If you pay a visit to www.patrolbase.co.uk you’ll
find that they offer a comprehensive range of
everything that is airsoft, and they’ll happily tell you all
about it via their regular podcast or on their YouTube
channel! Their range is staggering and features
many of the very best brands in airsoft, and although
I’ve never experienced it myself I am told that their
technical work is first-rate!
Which brings me neatly to Bolster Armouries, their
new “custom gun” offering!
Having spoken to them about this foray into new
territory the guys told me that Bolster Armouries has
been founded with one primary mission; to provide
airsofters with a range of RIFs which have been
fine-tuned to provide the absolute peak in attainable
performance together with breath-taking external
quality. They state that each and every one of the
GBBs and ARGs will be hand-assembled by some of
the most experienced airsoft gun-techs in the industry
and will be built to an exacting standard.
They also told me:
“Conceived with the modern airsofter in mind,
Bolster Armouries RIFs sport some of the finest
internal and external upgrades available on the
airsoft market today, and are guaranteed to provide
unparalleled performance. Every Bolster Armouries
RIF is issued with a dedicated extended warranty
and service package to ensure you get the complete
experience the creator of these RIFs intended.”
Now with that whole array of premium airsoft
brands to pick from, the Team at Bolster Armouries
will go out of their way to ensure their RIFs are at
the absolute utmost level of both performance and
external build quality. But there’s more, as Bolster
Armouries’ after sales service will underline the
smooth running of these hand-built RIFs and their
enviable performance in the long term.
The Bolster Armouries service programme involves
carrying out standard routine maintenance along with
a thorough testing regime to ensure every Bolster
GBB or AEG continues to run flawlessly. To show full
commitment to their products, the first service/health
check of your Bolster Armouries RIF will even be
performed free of charge! Again they tell me;
“We offer a 24 month warranty with every gas
pistol and a 24 month or 200,000 BB (whichever
comes first) warranty on our AEGs.”
Now this all sounds great to me, and is a logical
step forward to extend the great range of airsoft
“BOLSTER ARMOURIES HAS BEEN FOUNDED WITH ONE PRIMARY MISSION; TO PROVIDE
AIRSOFTERS WITH A RANGE OF RIFS WHICH HAVE BEEN FINE-TUNED TO PROVIDE THE
ABSOLUTE PEAK IN ATTAINABLE PERFORMANCE TOGETHER WITH BREATH-TAKING EXTERNAL
QUALITY.”
78
APRIL 2022

FEATURE
BOLSTER ARMOURIES
models that are offered via Patrol Base; you have the
guns, you have the parts, and you have the experience
in the technical side on hand, so why not move things
forward to enlarge and complement what you already
do very well?
I believe this is a bold and assured move from an
experienced airsoft business, but ultimately exactly
WHAT can we expect to see?
SHINY, SHINY THINGS!
Let’s start by having a closer look at the Bolster
Armouries CAPA Series. Comprising of four stunning
Hi-Capa GBB pistols hand-assembled by their resident
IPSC Shooter using the best parts available from
the biggest names, including Cow Cow Technology,
Airsoft Masterpiece, JL Precision, CLPD, and many
more, the CAPA range is designed around efficiency
and accuracy, with internals mapped out to offer
primary weapon-worthy performance in a myriad of
styles to suit any shooter.
QUARTZ HI-CAPA
Features:
• Comes with Vector Optics Frenzy
• Custom stippled grip
• Tuned Trigger
• Reliability
• CNC slide
safety, grip safety, slide release)
• JLP AMPHIBIOUS RED-DOT SIGHT MOUNT
• MAPLE LEAF CRAZY JET 113MM
• CL PROJECT DESIGN REINFORCED NOZZLE
• NINEBALL VSR-10 HOP RUBBER
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE BRASS HOP-UP BASE
FOR HI CAPA
OBSIDIAN HI-CAPA
Features:
• Complete CNC slide, frame and grip
• Tuned trigger
• Reliability
• Threaded outer barrel
• Mounting ris rail for attachment
Which of those parts are worth shouting about?
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE BRASS HOP-UP BASE
FOR HI CAPA
• MAPLE LEAF CRAZY JET 113MM
• NINEBALL VSR-10 HOP RUBBER
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE Steel Controls (thumb
safety, grip safety, slide release)
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE S STYLE TACTICAL
SLIDE KIT - BLACK
• CL PROJECT DESIGN REINFORCED NOZZLE
Which of those parts are worth shouting about?
• VECTOR OPTICS Frenzy-X 1x20x28 RD 3MOA
IP6
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE INFINITY IMM CROSS
VER.5 MAP - BLACK/GOLD
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE Steel Controls (thumb
MOONSTONE HI-CAPA
Features:
• Aluminum grip with grip tape.
• Fibre optic front and rear sights
• Complet CNC slide, frame
• Tuned trigger
• Reliability
“HAND-ASSEMBLED BY THEIR RESIDENT IPSC SHOOTER USING THE BEST PARTS AVAILABLE
FROM THE BIGGEST NAMES, INCLUDING COW COW TECHNOLOGY, AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE,
JL PRECISION, CLPD, AND MANY MORE, THE CAPA RANGE IS DESIGNED AROUND EFFICIENCY
AND ACCURACY, WITH INTERNALS MAPPED OUT TO OFFER PRIMARY WEAPON-WORTHY
PERFORMANCE IN A MYRIAD OF STYLES TO SUIT ANY SHOOTER”
www.airsoftaction.net 79

FEATURE
BOLSTER ARMOURIES
Which of those parts are worth shouting about?
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE BRASS HOP-UP BASE
FOR HI CAPA
• MAPLE LEAF CRAZY JET 113MM
• NINEBALL VSR-10 HOP RUBBER
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE Steel Controls (thumb
safety, grip safety, slide release)
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE SHAY AKAI GATOR
CLASSIC 2017 STANDARD KIT (SILVER)
• CL PROJECT DESIGN REINFORCED NOZZLE
MOONSTONE Limited Edition HI-CAPA
Features:
• Cerakoted in Northern Lights
• Fibre optic front and rear sights
• Compleat CNC slide, frame, grip
• Tuned trigger
• Limited Edition
Which of those parts are worth shouting about?
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE SHAY AKAI GATOR
CLASSIC 2017 KIT NORTHERN LIGHTS
• MAPLE LEAF CRAZY JET 113MM
• NINEBALL VSR-10 HOP RUBBER
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE Steel Controls (thumb
safety, grip safety, slide release)
• CL PROJECT DESIGN REINFORCED NOZZLE
• Cerakote finish
• AIRSOFT MASTERPIECE BRASS HOP-UP BASE
FOR HI CAPA
The Moonstone provides a stylish and graceful
solution to your skirmishing needs but has
been designed to also be perfectly at home in
a competitive event. The Moonstone [Limited
Edition] will dazzle your friends and foes alike with
its beautiful and bombproof Cerakote finish, and
the Quartz is a pure-bred plate ringing machine,
equipped for undiluted performance with precise yet
aggressive styling. Whether you need a high-speed
race gun, or a cold, calculating combat pistol, Bolster
Armouries’ CAPA range has you covered!
Then there’s the ONYX Series which Bolster assure
me has been designed to be the best performing
AEG on the market, reliable, versatile and just
downright stunning, both to look at and to shoot.
Built around some of those “ultimate” parts that I
mentioned earlier, these rifles and carbines will be
put together to operate at an unquestionable level of
efficiency.
The ONYX platform has been designed around the
stunning Krytac Barrett REC 7, a model that I tested
out and reported on in Issue 117, and is widely
regarded as having some of the highest quality core
external parts available. The only parts retained from
the original REC7 in the Bolster Armouries lineup
though are the outer barrel, receiver, buffer tube,
and handguard; everything else has been stripped
to make room for the Bolster Armouries’ internal
and external magic, including but not limited to
a massive PTS and Magpul furniture overhaul,
Warhead Brushless Motor, and a pre-tuned GATE
TITAN.
The ONYX range will come in two variants, the
9.5” SBR, perfect for any situation, compact but just
as powerful as its big brother, and the awesome 15”
“THE ONYX PLATFORM HAS BEEN DESIGNED AROUND THE STUNNING KRYTAC BARRETT REC
7, A MODEL THAT I TESTED OUT AND REPORTED ON IN ISSUE 117, AND IS WIDELY REGARDED
AS HAVING SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY CORE EXTERNAL PARTS AVAILABLE. ”
80
APRIL 2022

FEATURE
BOLSTER ARMOURIES
Carbine, with all the elegance you expect from a longrailed
powerhouse. To give an idea of exactly what’s
on offer here:
ONYX SBR Carbine
Features:
• Accuracy
• Trigger response
• Range
• Reliability
• Unique Design
distributors and retailers (we’re about testing and
not selling!), Bolster Armouries holds the promise of
something pretty special; if it wasn’t a retailer with
the experience and depth of stock behind the new
brand I might scoff a little at the claims being made.
However, with some clearly defined goals, some greatsounding,
commercially-viable initial models, and the
determination to take what they have to the next level
I believe that Bolster Armouries could be a winner for
the airsofter looking for “that little bit more”.
Which of those parts are worth shouting about
GATE TITAN Drop In MOSFET V2 Advanced Set;
Rear Wired
• Warhead CNC M Long Shaft Motor
• Prometheus Inner Barrel
• Prometheus Purple Hop Rubber
• Maple Leaf Omega Nub
• Genuine Prowin M4 CNC Hop Up Chamber
• Magpul genuine CTR Stock, Black
• PTS Furniture
• Cerakote Finish
FINAL WORDS
This is certainly looking mighty impressive to me,
but of course the “proof” will be in the models
themselves which I, and we, are yet to see. However,
Patrol Base do have a habit of coming up with the
goods and seeing through every project they embark
upon fully, so I see absolutely no reason why the GBBs
and AEGs put together under the Bolster Armouries
auspices should be anything other than righteous.
Although we don’t always see eye to eye with
I wanted though to leave the final words here to
Chris at Patrol Base himself though, and he told me;
“Over the past 13 years we have seen airsoft grow
in popularity. The technology and quality has also
improved greatly. Even though quality has improved
we believe there’s a need for a range of airsoft RIFs
where no aspect of the build could be regarded as a
compromise. We believe we have identified the areas
of weakness and through our own user experience
taken steps to minimise any points of failure and
realistically enhance performance beyond that of
an ‘off the shelf’ product. Our confidence in our
custom builds is clearly evidenced by our warranty
commitment.
Our in-house gun techs have some of the most
hands-on airsoft experience in the country and they
have spent the last 12 months researching parts and
building a new line of RIFs that will perform out of the
box. No upgrades needed, just add your attachments
and go.”
More information can be found at www.patrolbase.
co.uk/bolster-armouries. AA
“... WITH SOME CLEARLY DEFINED GOALS, SOME GREAT-SOUNDING, COMMERCIALLY-VIABLE
INITIAL MODELS, AND THE DETERMINATION TO TAKE WHAT THEY HAVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL I
BELIEVE THAT BOLSTER ARMOURIES COULD BE A WINNER FOR THE AIRSOFTER LOOKING FOR
“THAT LITTLE BIT MORE”.”
www.airsoftaction.net 81

COMING
IN EARLY
2022!

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
GOING
NATIVE!
EVERY COUNTRY IS JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF THEIR ISSUED SERVICE RIFLE, EVEN IF IT IS A
PROBLEMATIC ONE SUCH AS THE L85, AND IF YOU’RE PUTTING TOGETHER A RIGHTEOUS MILITARY-
STYLE LOADOUT THEN THE CORRECT RIF IS A MUST-HAVE! OF COURSE STEWBACCA NOW LIVES IN
TAIWAN, SO HE THOUGHT IT ABOUT TIME HE GOT HIS HANDS OF THE “LOCAL RIFLE”, THE T91!
86
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
Having been “in country” three years,
gotten a further three year work visa and
temporary residency card granted, and with
Taiwan’s ‘double ten’ 10th of October National Day
celebration fast approaching I decided that seeing
as they don’t seem to be sending me packing any
time soon that I might as well start ‘going native’
and grab a gas blowback replica of the Taiwanese
armed forces’ standard infantry individual weapon;
the T91. Manufactured by WE Tech in this case, it
was purchased from KIC Airsoft in Cailiao, Western
Taipei, as are the vast majority of my guns, spare
parts and other such things.
The T91 as a real steel solution was adopted in
2002 (the 91st year of the Republic of China – 1911
being year one, as such, following the abdication of
the last Emperor and the fall of the long standing
dynastic rule of ‘China’ as a political or cultural entity,
with the itself RoC then relocating to the geographic
entity of Taiwan in the late 1940s after some…
heated disagreements). In external appearance
it follows on from the likes of the other generic
Armalite rifles of the area and era, a somewhat
shortened AR15/M16 looking platform with a more
trapezoidal front handguard, rather than the truly
triangular affair of the earliest M16A1s the likes of
which served US forces in Vietnam and seem to be
littered around Asia ever since; I fired the real deal in
Cambodia back in 2015 which was an experience!
The T91 replaced the earlier T65 (1976 adoption)
service rifle which looks more akin to a Daewoo
Korean K2 service rifle or an AR18 of sorts, but
external appearances aside, both the T65 and T91
are actually amalgamations of the best parts of the
AR15 and AR18, with the general profile, break
open receiver construction, rotating multi-lug bolt
in a cylindrical carrier with the buffer tube retained
recoil spring of the AR15, however making use of an
arguably more reliable modified version of the AR18
gas system up front in the upper receiver.
This meeting of Armalite platforms apparently
provides the best compromise for the local Taiwanese
climate and related concerns ensuring easier
tolerance of ammunition or environmental variations
which is especially important given the original AR’s
www.airsoftaction.net 87

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
teething troubles in the dank jungles of Vietnam. With
this being fairly fresh in the minds of the local state
arsenals and developers when the T65 was originally
incarnated to supersede the hand me down M14s
that the US furnished the RoC armed forces with to
begin with (some of my older teammates, and indeed
even Mr Liao of G&G as a Marine and special forces
soldier of that era) all trained on that earlier US made
platform prior to the arrival of the T65, and now many
of my younger teammates and local friends have
equal familiarity with this hybrid child of the times.
Wherever I go, I appear to be sandwiched between
Armalite derivative service rifles, eh? – My recently
acquired WE Tech L85A2 GBBR being an example
closer to home, that will no doubt get its own article
at a later date.
WORKING UP THE T91!
So, for the sum of around 6000 NT Dollars at the
time, (just 150 of your English pounds) I took home
the WE Tech T91 GBBR and got to work sorting it out
ready for fielding; until the acquisition of my VFC HK
PSG-1 GBBR it served as the longest barreled option
available to me as well as being magazine and parts
compatible with my WE Tech HK416 GBBR which
has been somewhat useful in terms of maintaining
serviceability.
I acquired the typical mainland Chinese made
EOTech clone optic with ballistic screen protector
insert that I use for my carbines, already having 552
replicas on both my WE Tech G36C and HK416 and
liking the sight picture, reticule and operation of
them. This was where I encountered my first problem,
however, due to the more traditional front handguard
geometry of the T91, there is no continuous picatinny
rail running the length of the receiver and rails as with
the G36C and HK416; there do appear to be threaded
inserts in the top face to allow the attachment of
additional rails or other accessories, however these
would undoubtedly sit higher than the integral rail
along the top of the upper receiver. Thus, to maintain
the same eye relief and familiarity with my G36C and
HK416 EOTech setups I had to elect for the shorter
558 style replica with a transverse CR123 battery,
rather than the coaxial AA battery pairs; to be fair this
has actually been less problematic as the recoil doesn’t
cause the same battery contact interruptions as with
the other two carbines, and I managed to source
rechargeable CR123 batteries, not that I’ve had to
change any of the batteries in any of my EOTechs thus
far, to be honest… double plus good, as they say!
With the familiar optics arrangement in place
the only other thing I really was a vertical foregrip
under the front end. There is a stub picatinny rail
section on the underside of the gas block and front
sight arrangement here which I imagine is intended
specifically for such a vertical grip as it’s too short
for anything else that comes to mind; I elected for a
replica of the longer KAC style vertical grip as used on
my G36C, whereas my HK416 uses a stub BCM style
one as I can wrap my hand around the RIS system
more easily on that and don’t need the full grasping
space as a result. The KAC works nicely for the G36C
and T91 however as they have much chunkier front
handguard profiles which necessitate a whole handed
hold on the vertical grip.
“I DECIDED THAT SEEING AS THEY DON’T SEEM TO BE SENDING ME PACKING ANY
TIME SOON THAT I MIGHT AS WELL START ‘GOING NATIVE’ AND GRAB A GAS
BLOWBACK REPLICA OF THE TAIWANESE ARMED FORCES’ STANDARD INFANTRY
INDIVIDUAL WEAPON; THE T91.”
88
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
The only remaining addition was my typical single
point sling Fastex plastic QD buckle setup that I use on
all my guns which interfaces directly with my integral
custom slings on my plate carriers, allowing me to
comfortably carrier and easily transition the guns from
right or left hold, as well as throw them over my back
and secure the front end with a larger QD buckle on
around my waist for when I need to use my sidearm
or otherwise run my primary gun dry and don’t want
it flapping about in front of me or want to have to
ditch it; also has a bonus tacticool look! The T91 has
a double eyed castle nut plate that allows clipping
on, or in this case threading through, of slinging
equipment on either side of the lower receiver to suit
your needs, while the front end has a sort of sling
loop built into the left side of the gas block retention
swiveling pin.
I chose to avoid using this as it seems like more of
a cosmetic and plastic component on the WE replica,
so instead I just wrapped a length of nylon strap with
appropriate Fastex QD buckle
on its dangling end around
the front handguard’s front
end and tied it off with the
appropriate sliding buckle
hardware. With all that in
place the only thing that
was left to do was remove
the rear iron sight block, as
it’s somewhat chunky and
obtrusive and would be totally
in the way of my sight picture
through the replica EOTech’s
window. This is somewhat
stubborn in its attachment
and required the spring pin
across it’s body to be lifted out
of engagement with the slot
in the picatinny rail beneath
it on the upper receiver,
allowing it to be slid off
backwards; it is adjustable for
windage and has a flip over
arrangement of two apertures to select from, but I’d
already found the retention pin on the dial somewhat
wanting and in fact it wandered off so I ended up
bashing a nail through in its place as a quick fix… not
a deal breaker as I had no intention of running the
irons, but not ideal either really.
ACTION (BUNKER) TIME!
With all of the preamble preparations taken care of
I merrily headed to Action Bunker to give the T91
GBBR its first field outing, the magazine and general
parts commonality meant support equipment outlay
was also minimal, using the same magazines I’d
already acquired for my HK416, which also meant
carrying both to a site at the same time allowed me
for different options or a back-up gun as such; more
on that ‘theory’ later! But off the bat I was loving the
T91’s handling and particularly the slight advantage
the longer inner barrel gave me over my other
carbines, albeit with the obvious downside of having
to remember there was more sticking out in front of
my support hand than usual, and thus I clouted my
muzzle and affixed tracer unit on the scenery on more
than one occasion while playing.
Nonetheless I was fast falling in love with the feel
of the recoil, the snappy bolt cadence and follow
up shots which seemed smoother than that of my
HK416, perhaps due to internal spring differences,
“I WAS SOON TUNING THE HOP UNIT IN AND ZEROING THE EOTECH REPLICA TO SUIT,
ONCE AGAIN ALLOWING ME TO ACCURATELY POST SINGLE SHOTS THROUGH THE
NARROW GAPS OR WINDOWS THAT LITTER ACTION BUNKER’S SITE IN A MANNER I
WAS ALREADY ADEPT AT WITH MY MP7, G36C AND HK416.”
www.airsoftaction.net 89

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
or just a difference in perception due to the overall
bulkier handling of the T91. Out of the box, and
considering the longer barrel, the T91 was running
right at the upper chrono limits Action Bunker allow,
typically hitting the 120-124m/s mark on the majority
of shots with a 0.2g BLS BB and 12kg ‘green gas’,
albeit with good consistency, and accuracy over the
CQB ranges and I was soon tuning the hop unit in and
zeroing the EOtech replica to suit, once again allowing
me to accurately post single shots through the narrow
gaps or windows that litter Action Bunker’s site in a
manner I was already adept at with my MP7, G36C
and HK416.
With the indoor arenas proving quite comfortable
an environment for what was then the longest gun in
my growing collection, I decided to see how it dealt
with more extreme ranges; back in February 2021’s
Issue 122 I shared my experiences of the Taiwan
Pinoy Airsoft charity shoot which took place down
at Hill Fox Tactical’s excellent outdoor mountaintop
arena overlooking Taichung in the central region of
Taiwan’s West coast; I fielded the T91 there as the
longer barrel afforded me the range advantage over
my other available options to ensure I could continue
to throw rounds out far enough to make a difference,
even given the disadvantage of running a GBBR with
limited 30 BB real capacity magazines, albeit with five
of them on my rig and a sidearm to boot! I really got
the T91 running nicely out to 50m ranges and even a
tad more at times, posting single shots or short strings
through building windows and hammering it quite a
lot given the number of mags I was carrying and the
intensity of the action, and heat, that day.
Fast forward another few months, and a few
outings, later, and I was getting on fairly happily
with the T91, to the point where it made the ideal
choice for a new form of my adventures here in the
Taiwanese airsoft scene; while Taiwan’s IPSC Action
Air scene is still somewhat narrowly focused on the
pistol competitions I’ve already been experiencing
and reporting on for two years, I have managed
to squeeze in something a little more abstract and
exciting in the intervening time. Back in March
2021 the Taiwan Shooters and Match Officials
Confederation, TSMOC, were holding one of their
events in Taichung along with support from the locally
based retailer KUI Airsoft (I spent most of my first two
years in Taiwan hanging around their Zhubei store
whilst posted there before moving to Taipei, so, plenty
of old friends and whatnot!).
The KUI/KBST/TSMOC rifle and carbine shoot was
thus far the one and only opportunity I’ve had to put
a long gun up against paper and poppers – TSMOC
usually focus their operations, and in particular their
rifle competitions, in the southern areas of Taiwan
which I don’t get chance to frequent as often as I’d
like in all honesty, thus I jumped on the chance to go
against the clock with a replica that presented a new
marksmanship challenge, as well as putting the T91
itself to the test in a different environment.
It did not disappoint! Some of my SPPT Action
Air teammates that day lost out to me due to gun
malfunctions against the clock, but thankfully the T91
ran like a dream and I took home third place with it,
my first podium finish in any competition; evidently
I’m just better with a long gun eh? Over four stages
of varying layouts and target counts the WE Tech T91
GBBR fared very well, with some great accuracy and
tight grouped shots on paper targets as well as easily
leveling the many metal poppers presented, indeed
the only failings that day were my footing, fumbling
of reloads to a minor extent, and also the considerable
height over bore I had to account for with the EOTech
sat atop the upper receiver and with running the
gun at reasonably close range in many instances;
nonetheless, I was chuffed with my performance and
the gun’s.
FEEDING FUN – NOT!
So far so good; I’d fielded the T91 with great success
in indoor CQB, outdoor long range skirmishes, and
outdoor mixed range and intensity competition
stages, and it hadn’t missed a beat yet. Towards the
tail end of 2021, however, both my T91 and HK416
began to misbehave somewhat, particularly with
misfeeding issues. As per my HK416 review back in
May 2021’s Issue 125, the same problems began
rearing their head in both my WE AR based platforms,
albeit a little later in the T91 at least.
Nonetheless, I was soon swearing into the same
jammed up action on both platforms, and with the
“I FIELDED THE T91 AS THE LONGER BARREL AFFORDED ME THE RANGE ADVANTAGE
OVER MY OTHER AVAILABLE OPTIONS TO ENSURE I COULD CONTINUE TO THROW
ROUNDS OUT FAR ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, EVEN GIVEN THE DISADVANTAGE
OF RUNNING A GBBR WITH LIMITED 30 BB REAL CAPACITY MAGAZINES, ALBEIT WITH
FIVE OF THEM ON MY RIG AND A SIDEARM TO BOOT!”
90
APRIL 2022

ARMOURY
WE TECH T91 GBBR
problems having been ongoing until recently I think
I’ve finally worked out the issue, although I’d like to
get some slow motion footage of the actions cycling
and bolt carriers and nozzles feeding rounds at some
point, you know, for science reasons! It seems the
feed lips in the WE AR / STANAG M4 style magazines
tend to weaken or loosen over time and in all honesty,
I should probably have coined that earlier, given the
sheer hammering most of my guns take; however, the
G36C is my oldest GBBR carbine and doesn’t exhibit
any such issues.
I think the combination of the more open bolt face
and trunnion geometry allow for the loose rounds
shaken out of the worn magazine feed lips to smash
into the gaps around the main feed nozzle of the bolt
carrier group as well as the fake annular locking lug
slots of the trunnion. I’ve had a few occasions where
both the T91 and HK416 have had the same failure
within minutes of each other, having ditched one and
picked up the other only to have it drop its guts in the
same way; so much for that aforementioned ‘spare
gun’ theory eh? Twice the failure, twice the anguish.
For some reason the G36C’s bolt face is smaller than
the AR platforms, despite them all being essentially
the same real steel action – the L85A2 GBBR also has
the very same front nozzle as the T91 & HK416, so
I’m not really sure why the G36 series has a different
size and shape to be honest, but it doesn’t suffer this
delightful BB mash jamming issue as a result.
As with the previous HK416 review, any rounds that
fly out of the magazine during the recoil or bolt travel
cycle then tend to bounce around inside the open
space left by the bolt carrier as it travels rearward,
then get mushed into the slots in the trunnion or
bolt carrier and prevent the whole system going fully
forwards into battery, thus causing light strikes or
entirely dead triggers and failures to fire once enough
BBs misfeed to hold the bolt too far open. If you don’t
realise and catch it soon enough you have a godawful
pulp of numerous pellets that needs gouging
out of the trunnion and bolt face annular slot… lovely.
This again prevents the bolt going fully into battery,
which prevents you hinging the receivers open, and
you have to remove the buffer tube and dismantle
the whole set up for cleaning; I ended up leaving an
outdoor game early in a bit of a nonplussed mood at
the tail end of last summer as a result, and dismantled
both the T91 and HK416 to thoroughly clean them
out.
In the recent game where I took the photos for this
article and having surprisingly been able to acquire
Taiwanese DCCU digital camouflage in my size for
added ‘going native’ effect, I managed to leave one
of the more troublesome magazines in my loadout
along with the ones I’d already replaced the feed
lips on; it was not a fun day as a result, that one
magazine furnished me with more misfeeds and jams,
as well as some truly hilarious stoppages where BBs
somehow managed to get behind or under the bolt
carrier group and lodge themselves in the fire control
group, jamming the main hammer and sear system
as a result… as I said at the time ‘at least they’re
all data points!’ This problem also extended to my
second fielding of the L85A2 GBBR which I also tested
with the same suspect magazine with similar
results; at least the take down procedure
wasn’t impeded by the blockages, and the
more open receiver allowed loose rounds to go
down the side of the trunnion instead of being
trapped against it. It’s definitely a magazine
maintenance issue to be watchful of as the
ones with new feed lips haven’t had such
issues since.
Regardless the WE T91 GBBR has been an
excellent replica of the Taiwanese armed forces
individual weapon, and again I’d impress upon
readers the sheer abuse and level of use all
my equipment undergoes, so you shouldn’t
necessarily let my experiences colour your
decision making; remember, I’m running things
hot and hard out here, and doing it for the
science #IbreakShitSoYouDontHaveTo! If you’re
looking for something a little different and are more
diligent with your maintenance and observations than
me, I certainly wouldn’t pass off the chance to at least
have a go with a WE Tech T91 GBBR, if not pick one
up for yourself! AA
www.airsoftaction.net 91

www.kydexcustomsuk.com
UK-BASED KYDEX HOLSTERS AND EQUIPMENT
Manufacturer of products for
police, military and airsofters
around the world!
- Holsters
- Light-Bearing Holsters
- Magazine Carriers
- Magazine Inserts
- Grenade Carriers
- Radio Carriers
- Shotgun Carriers
- Knife sheaths
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING AVAILABLE
sales@kydexcustomsuk.com
@kydexcustumsuk
Kydex Customs

KIT & GEAR
SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
SHOP ‘TIL
YOU DROP!!
LAST MONTH WE HAD A LOOK AT THE LATEST MAGNUM BOOTS, BUT AS PROMISED WE’RE SWINGING BACK
INTO OUR USUAL FORMAT AS THERE’S A WHOLE HEAP OF AIRSOFT-GUN GOODNESS DROPPING INTO STORE
RIGHT NOW, AND WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE’VE GOT ON TEST THAT’S ALREADY
OUT THERE FOR YOU TO PICK UP RIGHT NOW!
Okay, occasionally we like to give space to one
very special product, but “occasionally” is
the word, so it’s back to talking about the
AEGs and GBBs we all love! First up this month is
the latest KWA AKR-74M AEG3 that’s now in stock
and live on their site! The KWA AEG 3 AKR-
74M is the second model in the new 3rd gen
AEG family. This updated ERG now shares the
newest features of the recently introduced AEG
2.5 system, PLUS simulated recoil with KWA’s
patented Kinetic Feedback System. Highlighted
by a Switch Life Extender to minimize the
wear and tear on trigger contacts, the AEG 3
combines ultimate AEG rifle with a more costeffective
training solution to provide players
and professionals the best airsoft experience.
Additional features include magazine cut-off
compatibility combined with a
quick-change spring for you to
customize your KWA AEG rifle.
The AKR-74M is also
equipped with a reinforced metal
gearbox utilizing KWA’s unique 9mm ball
bearing bushing combination and
case hardened, upgraded precision
metal gear sets. Heavy duty springs
and an upgraded high-torque motor are
matched for optimum results. The KWA
AKR-74M was engineered to outperform,
offering ultra-high performance and
training simulation straight out of the
box!
Moving onto ARs we’ve finally got our hands on
the ARES M4 X-Class courtesy of iWholesales which
is the latest lineup of AR AEGs that are designed to
be a reliable yet stylish choice for players. The X-Class
features a billet style ambidextrous lower receiver,
flat-faced trigger, and uniquely designed
CNC handguard and steel QPQ flash hider.
In addition to this, the X-Class comes
standard with a set of flip-up front and
rear sights and a redesigned stock. The
stock itself is slimline and can be attached
with a magazine carrier attachment for
the carrying of extra magazines. For better
control, the X-Class comes with a slim pistol
grip, angled straighter for a more natural
shooting experience.
Internally the X-Class
comes with the ARES tried
and tested programmable
EFCS gearbox and is
compatible with other V2
gears and parts. As an added
bonus, the X-Class guns now
come standard with Airsoft
T-Plugs and works ideally with
Titan Batteries!
Features include:
• 12” CNC M-LOK Rail
• Flip-Up Front and Rear Sights
• Redesigned Stock
• Ambidextrous Controls
• Slim Motor and Slim Grip
94
APRIL 2022

KIT & GEAR
SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP
• Programmable EFCS Gear Box
• Barrel Threaded 14mm CW
• Airsoft T-Plug (Deans) Ready
We’re already liking the look of this, and our initial
test was completely positive. However, we’ll continue
to run it through the mill and report back in full next
month!
Also from iWholesales is a classic replica of the MP-
18 SMG from Snow Wolf! This is an SMG, possibly
even the “daddy of all modern SMGs” and we are
100% certain that it’s going to appeal to every WWI
and WWII collector out there! The gun full stock and
butt are all made from a good-quality wood (with a
nice colour for once!) whilst the upper is all steel and
alloy, including the trigger guard and the distinctive
MP-18 multi-hole
vented barrel
shroud, a common design feature
found on historic models like the PPsH and
Lanchester, and the underside of the shroud features
a sling loop to fit a period sling to really finish it off.
The mag well is located on the side of the AEG and
accepts a 130 BB MidCap magazine, and the hop up
unit is easily accessed by pulling back the mock bolt.
Again, this is something a bit different as we haven’t
really covered a proper “old skool” model for a while,
and we’re REALLY looking forward to giving this some
range time!
Features include:
• Real Wood Body
• Steel Upper Receiver
• Sling Mounts
• Tamiya Connector
• 130 BB MidCap Magazine
When it comes to GBB pistols we also picked up
from our trip to see the iWholesales team the latest
Armorer Works VX9, along with the APS Mantis
X these cd no be re different in their design and
intended user
but they both
really took our
fancy, and again we’ll be “range
test reporting” in due course.
Quick snippet on the clothing
side that we saw at IWA is for the
Snugpak TOMAHAWK
jacket, and we
thought we’d better
get this in now
while you can still
benefit from
it in colder
weather…
and it is
on their
website
and with
Snugpak
stockists
right
now!
Available
in OD
and
genuine
Multicam
this is
a cold
weather
insulated
jacket with an insulated
hood and
scooped back that’s ideal for the Safe Zone or when
you’re more static; as we usually say with this type of
jacket it is absolutely ideal if you’re acting as a range
officer or marshal when you need to stay comfortable
in all weathers!
Features include:
• Extended scooped back
• Exclusive Softie® insulation
• Brushed polyester lined neck warmer for added
comfort and warmth
• Fold-out chin guard
• Deep hand warmer style pockets lined with
brushed polyester for added comfort and
warmth
• Hook and loop adjustable cuffs
• Arm pocket with zip
• Internal and external chest pocket with zip
• Concealed YKK® front zip with fabric baffle
behind
• Elasticated drawcord-adjustable hem - helping
trap warm air and aid insulation
• Windproof, breathable & water repellent
Okay, so that’s the space gone for this month…
after IWA we have so much to tell you about in
relation to gear so make sure to check in for Issue 137
for our “Gear Special”! AA
www.airsoftaction.net 95

HISTORICAL
LUMINOX WATCHES
SEAL
SELECTED
OUR OLD FRIEND WILL FOWLER RETURNS TO THE PAGES OF THIS MONTH’S AIRSOFT ACTION WITH A BRIEF
AND TO THE POINT LOOK AT ONE OF THE TIMEPIECES CHOSEN BY THE ELITE USN SEALS, BRINGING US HIS
EXPERT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE ON THE EQUIPMENT USED BY A UNIT WHERE “THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS
YESTERDAY”!
Okay, so it’s a wrist watch, so what’s so special
about it? What in marketing jargon is its
“Unique Selling Point”?
Well it’s rugged and light, with a black carbon fibre
case. It has a Swiss quartz movement. The hands and
face markers have Tritium illumination that provides
consistently reliable illumination for up to 24 years. It
is water resistant up to 200 meters.
There’s got to be something else – right?
Right!
The watch was developed by the Luminox Watch
Company (Lumi is Latin for light while Nox is Latin for
night). The California-based company was formed
in 1989, driven by a commitment to offer cuttingedge
luminescence and readability in its line of highperformance
sports watches.
But then came the breakthrough that makes
Luminox watches special.
In 1992 Nick North, a retired US Navy Petty
Officer and the Assistant Officer in Charge (AOIC)
for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation
(RDT&E), West Coast, for the US Navy Special Forces
unit (universally known as SEALs) saw a Luminox
96
APRIL 2022

HISTORICAL
LUMINOX WATCHES
watch at a trade show. He liked what he saw and
together with the Luminox founder, Barry Cohen,
worked to develop a watch specifically for the
SEALs for their operational role on Sea Air and Land
and so the Navy SEAL watch was born. With this
endorsement Luminox could feature the distinctive
US Navy SEAL insignia on the back of the watch case
and use it in promotion and marketing – one heck of
a USP!
In 1994 after Luminox
provided the watches to
the SEALs, and their time
pieces became ANU or
“Authorized for Navy Use”,
more elite units contacted
the brand directly, including
the U.S. Coast Guard, New
York City Police Department,
Singapore Air Force, Special
Military Forces Israel and
many other law enforcement
groups. In 2007 Luminox
launched the Navy SEAL
Colormark 3051 Series, the
evolution of the original
Navy SEAL timepieces, which
soon to become the bestselling
series of Luminox
timepieces. 2011 saw the
launch of the first Luminox
RECON series with the Point
Man 8820 Series black
with a rubber strap and
CARBONOX Case.
As an indication of the
innovation driving the
company in 2020 Luminox
launched its first sustainable
watch where the case, bezel
and strap are made from
100% recycled ocean waste
plastic. Luminox is now a
Swiss company and remains
at the forefront of design
and marketing; however I
have a soft spot for my Navy
SEAL watch with its clear
unfussy face . Some “military” watches may have
Tritium illumination and a fancy black face but they
are chunky and heavy on the wrist.
As you would expect Luminox watches are not
cheap; at a discount online warehouse an original
Navy SEAL watch comes in at UK£295. However for
the money you get quality, reliability, a rugged design
and a friend for life! AA
“LUMINOX IS NOW A SWISS COMPANY AND REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF DESIGN AND
MARKETING, HOWEVER, I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR MY NAVY SEAL WATCH WITH ITS CLEAR
UNFUSSY FACE.”
www.airsoftaction.net 97

last post
WHAT’S MY TIME WORTH?
WHAT’S MY
TIME WORTH?
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE MEANT THAT EVERYONE AT AIRSOFT ACTION HAS BEEN REQUIRED
TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND, LIKE MANY SMALL BUSINESSES OUT THERE, TO MORE STRINGENT
BUDGETS THAN EVER BEFORE! IF ANYTHING, THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN US THAT TRULY COMMITTED
PEOPLE NEED TO GET PAID FOR WHAT THEY CREATE AND THIS MONTH FRENCHIE ADDRESSES THIS IN THE
WIDER CONTEXT OF AIRSOFT GAMES AND EVENTS
Well, it seems it is time to return to a topic
that reared its ugly head a while back, the
value of other people’s skills. Let’s begin
with the *theoretical (*not even slightly theoretical)
instance that brought this to our attention… again.
You’re arranging a game, something a little out
the ordinary, and you contact a ‘supplier’ for want of
a better description. Let us say that they are military
vehicle enthusiasts, just for the purposes of this article.
They are enthusiastic about your idea and respond,
laying out what they can do and, importantly, what it
will cost. This is the response they get:
“I’m a little surprised that you’re charging for the
people side, we assumed that this is also your hobby
and that’s why you wanted to be involved. The guys
like XXXXXX are going to get to play parts of it and
would get to have a free event. I don’t take a salary
for doing all the planning stuff, it’s a part of the
hobby. I shall pass this on to the boys...”
There is so much to unpack here!
They’re surprised that they are charging for the
‘people side’. I work for myself, so relatively late in
life I have developed a much keener appreciation of
the value of people’s time. If one of my kids needs a
hand with something, cool, happy to help no question
of charging. If one of my clients needs a new leaflet
written, or their website content refreshed, cool, I’ll
prepare them an estimate based on the value I ascribe
to my time and skills. The only people who would
be “surprised” here are cheapskates and those who
don’t understand that our time and skills are valuable
assets and that we give them free of charge only
when we choose to.
“We assumed that this was also your hobby”. I
mean WTAF? What has that got to do with the price
of fish or anything else in the great wide universe?
Assumed is doing a lot of work here and it is telling
us a whole lot about the person using it as well.
It apparently never even occurred to them that
conflating a person’s leisure pursuits with a business
proposition might be a bad idea. Okay…
“XXXXX will get to play parts of it…” Is that
because Quintuple X wants to play, or because to
deliver whatever the service is, they have to play?
It’s not clear, but I’m just going to wander out onto
this here limb and suggest that it’s almost certainly
the latter. I’d put a small wager on a necessity being
98
APRIL 2022

LAST POST
WHAT’S MY TIME WORTH?
represented as a benefit here. If Quintuple X preferred
to sit in the zone knitting a new scarf for his granny,
would the service still be delivered? I bet it wouldn’t.
And finally, we come to the kicker, the bit upon
which all else is founded; “I don’t take a salary for
doing all the planning stuff, it’s a part of the hobby,
mate.”
Just you hang on there while I let off some
fireworks! You choose not to take a salary. That’s
big of you, especially since you choose not to take a
salary for “all the planning stuff”. You don’t often
come across bifurcated salary structures, some work
you get paid for, some you don’t. Especially when you
just know that this distinction is one the writer was
making themselves. Of course, they pay themselves a
salary for the “planning stuff”, but for the purposes
of this faux outraged, passive aggressive nonsense,
they don’t.
A liar or a fool, or possibly both? This is a golden
example of where airsoft is a less than mature
business. Make your mind up time; is it a business
with all the costs associated in order to deliver
excellent product, or is it a hobby from which you
expect to recoup no more than running costs and
maybe an occasional pint? It cannot be both. If
it’s the latter, then own that and be honest when
asking others to participate ‘we would love to have
you take part but there is no money for it’. That’s
mildly insulting (check out Reddit for many excellent
examples of working for exposure!) but clear. To get
all pissy when someone responds to your approach in
a professional manner is never a good look.
The last time I covered this was in respect of a site
looking for a photographer to cover an event, but
the same rules apply. If you need a service to enhance
what you’re doing, or to make it happen at all, then
you should budget for that service, and you should do
so at market rates.
I’ll accept that that is an ideal state of affairs and
not always achievable, if you run a small site, you
literally may not have the budget to pay the going
rate. In that case, it would be polite to approach a
provider and explain that. You may be in a position
to offset the lack of cash with other benefits, and it
is possible that the person you approach is willing
to accept your offer. If they choose not to, they are
making that decision based on a clear understanding
of the facts.
My point here is that it isn’t just up to you, as the
party seeking the service, to dictate the terms and
conditions, especially if your idea of what constitutes
a ‘reasonable’ offer may just be a bit skewed by an
overweening sense of entitlement or just because
you’re a complete chancer. As the kids say, “check
your entitlement”. I understand that a lack of selfawareness
might colour your thinking here and sadly
there is nothing that I or anyone else can do about
that.
One of the spin-offs from the Covid pandemic has
been the rise in ‘antiwork’ sentiment. Depending on
who you listen to this is all about not having to work
at all for the basic necessities of life, or it’s all about
the value of labour being properly recognised and
recompensed. As an aside it strikes me that the whole
thing is a bit socialist and I am deeply comfortable
with that; comfortable because a purely capitalist
economic model tends to undervalue those who
do the work and create the value, seeing them not
as a benefit but as a cost to be managed. Avoiding
that trap is, in my slightly humble opinion, to be
avoided regardless of where your enterprise sits in
the pantheon of business, not purely for economic
reasons but because it predicates treating human
beings like, well, human beings.
If we return to the *theoretical premise of
this month’s rant, a bit of honesty and a bit of
understanding from the individual looking to engage
the specialist supplier would have gone a very long
way.
I don’t know what the outcome of that exchange
was but if I were the recipient of that email my
response would have been swift, finely crafted and
incapable of misinterpretation! Asking for something
is absolutely fine; assuming that you are entitled to it
is something most of us try to teach our children not
to do when they are very young.
PLEASE NOTE: All pictures used in support of this
report were taken by members of the AA Crew at
military vehicle shows and do not represent the group
under discussion. AA
www.airsoftaction.net 99

TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION