airsoft-action-issue-172-april-2025

#STANDWITHUKRAINE

ISSUE 172

ISSN 2634-9515

TAP/CLICK THE IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION

TAP/CLICK THE IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION

8 ARMOURY: VFC FN OSW GBBR

Long term readers and followers of Stewbacca’s exploits will likely

be familiar with his love for the VFC FN ‘LAR’ FAL GBBR, given its

widespread service and adoption and basically cult of personalitylike

status especially among the ‘old and bold’! He saw the ‘OSW’

FAL variant at previous MOA shows and handled it, without

thinking about it too much or hanging on its release like some of

our friend at VFC’s other offerings… but when it finally did arrive,

and he got behind and his mind was quickly changed!

#STANDWITHUKRAINE

ISSUE 172

ISSN 2634-9515

Editorial Director: Bill Thomas

Deputy Editor (Asia): Stu Mortimer

Deputy Editor (USA): Dan Whedon

Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing

Ad Design: Deadshot Design

Publisher: Calibre Publishing Limited

22 ARMOURY: DOUBLE EAGLE DMP9 M924

It appears that the current crop of “PDW” AEGs out there just

keeps on growing, with some AR-inspired designs and some that

are a more than a little unique! You can pick from pretty much

all of our favourite and most trusted manufacturers, but it’s the

“curveballs” that are giving us more food for thought; Bill explores

this more as puts BBs downrange with the DOUBLE EAGLE DMP9

M924!

Web: www.airsoftaction.net

©Calibre Publishing Limited 2025

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reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted

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of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit

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Image courtesy Krios Photography

32 ARMOURY: NUPROL 2025 AEGS

After biting his tongue for many months Bill can finally bring us

his overview of the great new range of DELTA PIONEER AR AEGs

from NUPROL following their launch at IWA 2025! With some real

performance at a seriously tempting price, can NUPROL regain

their place in this highly competitive market after having been

meaningfully away for some time in respect of new AEG models?

Bill tells all!

Contents

ISSUE 172

42 TECH: TERRABB

More and more airsoft fields and sites are rightly asking players to

make use of biodegradeable BBs, but as airsofters we’ve always had

questions not just about the performance of “bios” in our AEGs and

GBBs, but also if they truly do degrade as we’re led to believe! After

a meeting with Stewbacca at MOA, Bill got together to speak with

Sakari from TERRABB at IWA to find out more…

48 RED CELL: 1911/2011 UPDATE

It’s that time of year again, so it must be time for RED CELL to comer

full circle to look at the “1911/2011” models, some of which they

first took to the range in 2020! These same models have been shot

on a regular and continuous basis over that period, and with a few

additions the team now report back on TWENTY test pistols that are

still raring to get in the fight… minus one!

62 KIT & GEAR: SATAC

At the beginning of this year we reported via our daily web news that

in a bold move Specna Arms brand have introduced the SATAC line of

equipment to go along with their massive and ever-improving line of

AEGs! As the new range of gear starts to roll out Bill has been casting

his eye over what’s new, whilst Miguel has already been out fieldtesting!

68 KIT & GEAR: RAINWEAR

Have you ever played airsoft in the rain? Sure, it can be demotivating

waking up early to go to a game, just to find out that it will probably

rain all day! But through the years Miguel has discovered that playing

in the rain is not the hard part… the hard part is gearing up while in

the rain, and then taking care of our gear after a game!

74 AA LEGION: TAIWAN - SPEEDQB

SpeedQB or ‘Speedsoft’ has been a somewhat divisive play-style in

many corners of the world. With HPA systems and their ilk just coming

to the fore in the UK as our man in Taiwan was leaving his homeland,

how has the landscape changed since then? Stewbacca caught up

with the scene and old friend ‘n00b_soft’ who started the whole story

in Taiwan but is now looking to step away and return to the US in the

short term future, leaving a vibrant community and specialised gaming

sites he helped build from the ground up in his wake.

84: AA LEGION: UK - GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW 2025

While MOA, SHOT and IWA dominate the annual show season there

are always other events to visit, as you never know what you might

find tucked away! Boycie once again took the lead as he made his way

to the 2025 iteration of the Great British Shooting Show, and found

that although it was disappointing in relation to airsoft specifically,

there were still some great things to see!

88 AA LEGION: EVENT REPORT: IWA 2025

As we start to round out our Show Season for this year, once again it

was time for the AA Crew to head to Nuremberg for IWA, and in its

51ist year the show promised to be a another very special one! With

airsoft having pretty much its own dedicated space, a show within a

show again, Bill, Jase, Miguel, along with new AA Legion recruits Sara

and Bruno set forth to find out just what was new and exciting, and to

set up the year ahead for Airsoft Action!

6

FUSION OF THE LEGENDS

• SSS.III E-trigger system (SSS only)

• Smart Trigger & Pre-cocking Function (SSS only)

• MASTER Upgraded Internals (SSS only)

• Metal Air Nozzle (SSS only)

• Lightweight M-Lok Handguard

• Tactical Fire Selector Lever

• Rear-lockable Bolt Plate

• QD Spring Guide Design

• Ergo-Tech Textured Grip

• SF1 Quick Response Stock

ICS-131 / ICS-131S3-1

IMD-131 / IMD-131S3-1

Facebook (Global):

ICSBBAirsoft

Twitter (Global):

icsbbairsoft

Youtube:

ICS AIRSOFT

Instagram:

icsbbairsoft

ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

VFC’S

SHORT

RIGHT ARM

8

AIRSOFT ACTION - ISSUE 171

ARMOURY

CYBERGUN/BOLT VFC BRSS FN OSW SCAR-SC GBBR

LONG TERM READERS AND FOLLOWERS OF STEWBACCA’S EXPLOITS SINCE HIS ESCAPE TO ‘AIRSOFT

CENTRAL’ WILL LIKELY BE FAMILIAR WITH HIS LOVE FOR THE VFC FN ‘LAR’ FAL GBBR, GIVEN ITS

WIDESPREAD SERVICE AND ADOPTION AND BASICALLY CULT OF PERSONALITY-LIKE STATUS,

ESPECIALLY AMONG THE ‘OLD AND BOLD’! HE SAW THE ‘OSW’ FAL VARIANT AT PREVIOUS MOA

SHOWS AND HANDLED IT, WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT TOO MUCH OR HANGING ON ITS RELEASE

LIKE SOME OF OUR FRIEND AT VFC’S OTHER OFFERINGS… BUT WHEN IT FINALLY DID ARRIVE, AND

HE GOT BEHIND IT HIS MIND WAS QUICKLY CHANGED!

The Right Arm of the Free World is arguably one

of the coolest monikers a firearm could acquire

due to turning up in basically half of the world’s

armouries, largely those allied with or supplied by the

western powers! With its European Belgian origins,

as with many platforms it received modernisation

efforts over time to try and improve upon it; even if

many of us have fond memories of the ‘original and

best’ or purist views, and such things informed my

initial musings regarding VFC’s announced offering

of the ‘OSW’ (Operator Specialist Weapon) or as I’ve

taken to calling it since getting properly hands on,

the ‘Oh Sh@# my Wallet’… you’re unlikely to want

to give it back once you try it for yourself!

As with many good things, the FAL was looked

at by our compatriots in the US, and while not

eventually receiving adoption in favour of the M14

(the shortest serving rifle in their history in the

end!) nonetheless, it similarly received a cult-like

following in the American civilian market and DSA

(David Selvaggio Arms) are basically the only people

still making them or derivatives thereof; the OSW

or SA58 using its technical designation follows the

original numeric system along with the ‘SA’ from

its creator’s latter initials. This cut down FAL variant

basically shortens its overall length and places the

muzzle end in line with the gas block and handguard

front end of the original full length FAL, 822mm as

opposed to the full 1095mm, cutting around 280mm

or 10 inches off the overall length and making it thus

a lot more manoeuvrable for use in tighter spaces.

Like many expeditious variants of things like the

L1A1 SLRs cut down by Aussie Special Forces in

Vietnam and made-full auto and fed from extended

30rnd magazines under the moniker of ‘the bitch’

for use in immediate action and counter ambush

suppression by the point man, or the later legendary

‘MC51’ half-length chopped-down variant of the

G3 rifle furnished to the UK SAS for use in vehicles

or covert operations in Northern Ireland, the OSW

is, as the name implies, a specialist variant for use by

folks at the very sharp end of the spear. It provides

handy but nonetheless very powerful, and no doubt

concussive and intimidating, firepower, given its

cut down 11 or 13 inch barrel, slightly more than

half that of the full size original FAL’s 21 inches, -

ensuring that everyone around you is going to know

where and when you’re firing it!

Much like the Colt M733 it provides a very visually

pleasing ‘rule of thirds’ assembly; with the folding

stock, receiver and front end forming roughly equal

parts which makes it very easy and comfortable to

handle as well as making it similarly an excellent

‘bag gun’ when the stock is folded. It only measures

610mm in the stowed configuration, around the

same as an MP5SD3 with the stock collapsed, and is

far more readily carried than its bigger brother!

“SUCH THINGS INFORMED MY INITIAL MUSINGS REGARDING VFC’S ANNOUNCED

OFFERING OF THE ‘OSW’ (OPERATOR SPECIALIST WEAPON) OR AS I’VE TAKEN TO

CALLING IT SINCE GETTING PROPERLY HANDS ON, THE ‘OH SH@# MY WALLET’…

YOU’RE UNLIKELY TO WANT TO GIVE IT BACK ONCE YOU TRY IT FOR YOURSELF”

www.airsoftaction.net 9

ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

REAL TO REPLICA

But what of VFC’s gas blowback incarnation? It

certainly handles very nicely; the M-LOK handguard

is surprisingly light and

comfortable, the

overall length is

perfect

general, and on my first outing with it at Linkou CQB

I managed to stack quite a few double or triple taps

on people at 15-30 metre ranges through windows

or around corners, moving quite easily with the

for my arm length and the handguard’s overall

dimensions make it comfortable and easy for me

to ‘C-clamp’ with my support hand, being slightly

narrower than the original FAL’s handguard due to

the lack of bipod channels and the general closer fit

typical of modern M-LOK slotted accessories. I took to

installing Amarok’s rubberised stick and peel attached

M-LOK grip panels; these are simple and quick to

press fit into the slots and come in 2 or 3 slot variants,

with a serrated grip surface that really allows you to

pull the platform they’re fitted to into the shoulder

and help control it, whether using bare or gloved

hands.

The folding stock necessitates the use of a different

bolt carrier system, given that the original FAL has the

recoil spring retained in the fixed stock (somewhat

like an AR system) in the case of the

reduced footprint of

the OSW, but loving every minute of

the action given the chonkeh 762

mags. I already had eight of my own

of, with previous use of my own FAL,

and in this setting I used a clone SRO

sight, with the picatinny mount and

a polycarbonate lens protector, giving

me a very responsive sighting setup

that also allowed for much better

situational awareness and reactions

in the closer quarters.

Aside from the

folding stock

which is

unlocked by

folding stock

airsoft variant, the

spring is mounted

to the back of the bolt

carrier and the somewhat

more diminutive spring size and

length and the lack of a ‘rat’s tail’

extension redirecting the recoil impulse

downward and rearward. It all makes for what

feels like a much snappier recoil and cyclic rate in

pressing the whole unit

downwards to release

the latching ‘tooth’

from its slot (much

FNC stock, but

the additional

manual locking

the front M-LOK

and full length

rail, much of the OSW is very

like the

without

fiddly

switch) and

handguard

picatinny

familiar or

“THIS CUT DOWN FAL VARIANT BASICALLY SHORTENS ITS OVERALL LENGTH AND

PLACES THE MUZZLE END IN LINE WITH THE GAS BLOCK AND HANDGUARD FRONT

END OF THE ORIGINAL FULL LENGTH FAL, 822MM AS OPPOSED TO THE FULL 1095MM,

CUTTING AROUND 280MM OR 10 INCHES OFF THE OVERALL LENGTH”

10


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

otherwise identical to the components of the full sized

FAL. The receivers, charging handles, striker system,

fire control group, selector lever, magazine and bolt

release/lock, and even the majority of the

bolt besides the

revised

recoil

FAL; pressing in the retaining button and turning it 90

degrees clockwise looking down the muzzle end…

just be aware that the shortened system and the

spring act a little more… keenly… than the original

and you might end up launching the gas plug across

the room compared to stripping the longer FAL! I

narrowly avoided that myself, and of course don’t

risk looking straight down the gun when doing so

to avoid a faceful

although

lever is the

that swings

instead of

the rear sight

a repetition of

sight with a flip

spring arrangement are

all taken from the

original variant,

the takedown

later version

upwards

rearward, and

is more like

the winged front

over ghost ring two range

of flying

components…

The pistol grip is the

more modern M249 SAWstyle

chunkier polymer version

which admittedly is a lot more

comfortable than the earlier setup

of the FAL or FNC, but being a purist

I wouldn’t want to bastardise those classics

with something

like this, despite the

obvious comfort and

handling benefits.

Like the VFC Glock

setting, rather

than the adjustable sliding rear

sight of the original. The trigger

pull also seems to clock slightly

higher at 2.5kg average over the

FAL’s 2kg pull; this doesn’t seem

all that noticeable as such and

certainly doesn’t seem to prevent

you from running it more rapidly in

semi auto mode.

The faux gas piston is also

carried over, accessed by removing

the same style gas plug as with the

Gen 5 series, the slightly

flared base of the grip really helps intuitively locate

and retain your hand in just the right place as well as

the wider ridged surface body giving you more grip

in general, all of which, coupled with the shortened

overall profile and slender M-LOK handguard really

gives you a controllable and fast moving platform; I

took to likening it to a SIG553 that happens to feed

from 762 FAL magazines, a louder and punchier

modernised meat-eater of a rifle.

The aforementioned full-length top Picatinny

rail makes for plenty of room to mount optics or

aiming devices on, along with the three full length

“THE RECEIVERS, CHARGING HANDLES, STRIKER SYSTEM, FIRE CONTROL GROUP,

SELECTOR LEVER, MAGAZINE AND BOLT RELEASE/LOCK, AND EVEN THE MAJORITY

OF THE BOLT BESIDES THE REVISED RECOIL SPRING ARRANGEMENT ARE ALL TAKEN

FROM THE ORIGINAL VARIANT”


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

12


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

M-LOK slots on the sides, bottom and diagonals of

the handguard giving you plenty of opportunity to

mount lights, switches, QD mount units, hang grips

or hand stops to your heart’s content. Aside from the

Amarok grip covers I left mine largely un-accessorised

as the overall length is very comfortable for me to

support hand grip it compared to many of the other

rifles or SMGs I usually end up sticking vertical grips

on to save my wrists the strain. The inclusion of the

DSA-style railed top cover installed from the factory

and including different internal mounting furniture,

eliminates the receiver bowing caused when adding

the earlier replicas to the full sized FAL; this new

version has more substantial metal spacer panels

inside that allow for riding on the rails of the original

receiver without clamping too strongly and deforming

them outward, and the whole assembly slides freely

off rearward in contrast to the more permanent

and annoying fixture method of the earlier version.

Similarly it’s a simple case of sliding the whole unit

back on again lining the runner inserts up with the

rails; I found dropping it vertically on from behind

made it easy to guide it on.

Aside from the SRO clone I used for closer ranges,

I also took to slapping an ACOG replica atop the rail

cover, which I thought really suited the more rugged

and industrial aesthetic - similarly to the FNC and

ELCAN atop it I reviewed previously, I quite liked the

overall look and feel it suits me a lot more than the

somewhat increasingly ‘clinical’ aerospace engineered

ARs that pad out my collection, and also look a little

more rough around the edges and less business like

than my beloved HK line up. The FNs really do look

like they belong in the jungles and bush-lands and

work for a gritty appearance, something reinforced

by media and pop culture, with the OSW featuring

in the hands of bad guys in quite a few films, as well

as another one that turns up in the Sicario franchise

in the hands of the drug enforcement agencies,

mentioned as it happens in ‘the 1911 syndicate’ on

Youtube featured the real steel OSW in one of their

pop culture rundown videos just as I was closing

up my review process. I’m convinced VFC are in

cahoots with ‘big guntube’ as every time I’ve gotten

the likes of the HK53, MP5SD3, M16A1, M16A2,

T91, FNC, OSW, one or more of the mainstream

firearms content creators have all of a sudden begun

featuring their real steel counterparts in their videos

I also enjoy watching! As per their assessment of the

7.62x51 firing variant, the airsoft equivalent is also a

comparatively loud, concussive and just downright fun

gun.

I honestly wasn’t all that interested in it initially as

a modernised variation of my much beloved classico

FAL full length which many of my teammates also

love and some of whom carried the real steel version

of in their various national services; with friends from

places as far flung as South Africa and Uruguay either

handling mine or buying their own and sharing fond

memories of the VFC replicas brought back of it being

a companion through their military exploits.

The OSW on the other hand has seen use mostly in

film and Mexican law enforcement; as with the FNC

it hasn’t seen the widespread adoption of the original

FAL, but it certainly offers a very attractive addition to

the collection, especially if you already have the FAL

and magazines. Having enjoyed the convenience of

magazine compatibility with the M16A2 and M733 at

POLK 4 last autumn reducing the amount of gear and

admin I had to deal with, the FAL and OSW pairing

with all the magazines I already have are a strong

contender for to field at the next POLK instalment,

giving me a backup gun if anything does happen to

go wrong with my primary selection. It must be said

that such things are less and less of a worry with VFC’s

recent years’ output and consistency and reliability of

everything I’ve been experiencing of theirs.

USE AND ABUSE

The only drawback I have encountered arose

immediately when I fielded it at the IPSC range during

its initial testing, and was something the Pentagon

centre guys had forewarned me about, but hasn’t

been much of a concern since I set it up correctly;

if you don’t perform an appropriate HOP setting

adjustment initially, you may find yourself having a

string of ‘baffle strikes’ off the muzzle break style

device. The holes are quite close cut, so any variance

in flightpath is liable to make the BBs strike the edge

of the holes in the baffles and cause a bunch of plastic

pellet shrapnel to rain out of your muzzle break! It

looks quite impressive to be fair, but isn’t all that

“THE SHORTENED OVERALL PROFILE AND SLENDER M-LOK HANDGUARD REALLY

GIVES YOU A CONTROLLABLE AND FAST MOVING PLATFORM; I TOOK TO LIKENING IT

TO A SIG553 THAT HAPPENS TO FEED FROM 762 FAL MAGAZINES, A LOUDER AND

PUNCHIER MODERNISED MEAT-EATER OF A RIFLE”

16


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

“WITH ALL THE EXTRA METALWORK INVOLVED THE WEIGHT OF THE OSW IS ACTUALLY

EQUAL TO THE FULL SIZE FAL AT 3.5KG, IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE IN A SHORTER

PACKAGE AND MORE WIELDY AS A RESULT ALBEIT FEELING BULKIER WITH ALL THE

WEIGHT IN A SMALLER AREA”

18


ARMOURY

VFC FN OSW GBBR

conducive to eliminating opponents downrange; this

appears to be a manifestation of ‘HOP slip’ where

the BBs don’t engage properly on seating and exiting

the HOP rubber and chamber, so ensure you adjust

the HOP setting in the same manner as the FAL by

adjusting the flat head screw on the underside of the

receiver just ahead of the magazine well.

One other minor note is to keep an eye on the large

retainer screw that holds the stock mount block to

the back of the lower receiver did come loose after

some use due to the recoil impulse of the gun; again

just tightening it removed any slop from the stock

and weaker threadlocker could be an option if it really

becomes a bother. This block also includes a sling

swivel to allow you to mount one off the stationary

stock mount rather than the folding stock, so I

installed my typical QD Fastex buckle.

I ended up defaulting to my now standard 0.43g

bio BBs I get by the sack load from one of my clients

and use in most of my long guns now, and haven’t

had many issues since; on occasion you may still get

odd fliers, but for the most part I’ve had much better

performance switching to heavier BBs and setting the

HOP appropriately, avoid using too light ammunition

and you should be fine.

With just a 208mm barrel versus the more typical

275mm or 320mm of the FAL or various AR

series, the muzzle velocity is slightly

reduced at around 110m/s (360FPS)

on a 0.2g BB, it isn’t clocking

quite as highly as the

125-140m/s of the

longer-barrelled

variants without

an NPAS included

making it

easier to

import to most

places; changing the barrel and/or installing an NPAS

unit would allow you to customise it further. The Joule

readout across 0.2g, 0.3g, 0.36g and 0.4g BBs didn’t

vary much with a 1.2-1.3J range, still a lot less than an

MP5SD3 with its full length barrel that drives 0.2g BBs

up to the high 130m/s out here in the tropical heat of

the “wild west out east”.

Taking things outside to the Xindian and Yangmei

jungle and dormitory sites respectively, the longer

ranges reached with heavier BBs really allowed me to

reach out with the ACOG replica, and the consistent

flight of the BBs made short work of some opponents

and I could reach out to around 60-70m without

much problem.

In some cases there was a bit more drop at those

distances, but I was once again consistently audibly

slapping rounds off the usual tree trunks at the flat

range area in Xindian, and I managed a few good

eliminations even shooting at uphill angles there; as

with the FNC it handles nicely and is an immense

amount of fun in that environment!

With all the extra metalwork involved the weight of

the OSW is actually equal to the full size FAL at 3.5kg,

it just happens to be in a shorter package and more

wieldy as a result albeit feeling bulkier with all the

weight in a smaller area.

So, despite me initial nonchalance or borderline

disinterest about the VFC FN OSW as it doesn’t really

scratch my ‘service rifle’ itch, and its lesser media and

pop culture impact, as with the FNC it’s kind of won

me over just by how handy and fun it is to run, as

well as the excellent performance it boasts! If you’re

in the market for a good DMR platform that isn’t

as cumbersome as some of the other front runners,

the VFC OSW could really give you the range and

consistency required, especially with some typical

internal tweaks.

I’m certainly sold on its fun factor at least, and it’s

yet another one I’m thinking I’ll have to make space

for on the gun wall, likewise many of my teammates

who got hands on were impressed with it.

Many thanks to VFC and their Pentagon Service

Centre staff for facilitating the review. AA

“IT’S KIND OF WON ME OVER

JUST BY HOW HANDY AND FUN

IT IS TO RUN, AS WELL AS THE

EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE IT

BOASTS! IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET

FOR A GOOD DMR PLATFORM THAT

ISN’T AS CUMBERSOME AS SOME OF THE OTHER FRONT RUNNERS, THE VFC OSW

COULD REALLY GIVE YOU THE RANGE AND CONSISTENCY REQUIRED”


TAP/CLICK ANYWHERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

TAP/CLICK ANYWHERE FOR MORE INFO!

ARMOURY

DOUBLE EAGLE DMP9 M924

ATTACK

AND

DEFEND

22


ARMOURY


IT APPEARS THAT THE CURRENT CROP OF “PDW” AEGS OUT THERE JUST KEEPS ON GROWING, WITH

SOME AR-INSPIRED DESIGNS AND SOME THAT ARE A MORE THAN A LITTLE UNIQUE! YOU CAN PICK

FROM PRETTY MUCH ALL OF OUR FAVOURITE AND MOST TRUSTED MANUFACTURERS, BUT IT’S THE

“CURVEBALLS” THAT ARE GIVING US MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT; BILL EXPLORES THIS MORE AS PUTS

BBS DOWNRANGE WITH THE DOUBLE EAGLE DMP9 M924!

The term “PDW”, as in “Personal Defence

Weapon”, has caused quite a debate

amongst the AA Crew for some

considerable time, as the “AR” models

that

we

look at are

now not just brought

together by that sliding

minimalist stock design,

but now also by some cool,

picatinny-mounted sidefolders,

so there’s some friendly

argument as to whether we

now need to start looking at

things as “true PDWs” or in

fact AR “pistols”.

But

what does this really mean?

What makes a “Pistol Calibre Carbine/

PCC” different from a “Sub-Machinegun/SMG”, and

a “Personal Defence Weapon/PDW” different from a

“Short Barrelled Rifle/SBR”? This is something that I

believe that many, including us, struggle with when it

comes to airsoft platforms, and to be honest it does

my head in!

As I have noted in the past to be fair, US legislation

tells us in relation to real firearms “The NFA defines

the term “firearm” at 26 U.S.C. 5845(a) to include

“(3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16

inches in length;” (“short-barreled rifle”) and “(4) a

weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified

has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a

barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length”

(“weapon made from a rifle”) and this

would indicate most of the AR-inspired

“PDW” airsoft models fit into that

category.

But, it would appear that many

airsoft “PDW” designs are similar to

what we might see as an “SBR” in legal terms, so

what are they really? And we can take this further,

as when you start to throw “PCC”, or Pistol Calibre

Carbine, into the mix too things get even more

muddled. Many of us will see the original MP5k as

a “PDW”, but you could also class this as a regular,

smaller, sub-machinegun that shoots pistol calibre

rounds and is used offensively in fully automatic fire

mode over very short (CQB/CQC) distances.

However, to me a “PDW” should be classed more

as a compact platform that designed specifically for

individuals who aren’t generally in an aggressive

“door kicker” stance, and you can go right back to

the Parker Hale PDW for an older example of this as it

was originally designed for military drivers and “gear

in the rear” guys! In essence though a “PDW” by its

very name and description should be designed from

the get-go as more of a defensive-centric platform

than an offensive one, and therefore in the “real

world” a handgun-calibre design is probably the

thing!

But then you get further and deeper into the mire

as many, including me, would say that “the best form

of defence is offence”, taking the initiative and the

opportunity to push hard and neutralise potential

“IN ESSENCE THOUGH A “PDW” BY ITS VERY NAME AND DESCRIPTION SHOULD BE

DESIGNED FROM THE GET-GO AS MORE OF A DEFENSIVE-CENTRIC PLATFORM THAN AN

OFFENSIVE ONE, AND THEREFORE IN THE “REAL WORLD” A HANDGUN-CALIBRE DESIGN

IS PROBABLY THE THING!”


ARMOURY


threats

as swiftly as

possible, often before

they become a threat in

the first place… so, suddenly

that “defensive” platform

is now one that will be used

“offensively”…

But I digress and head

further down one of my

personal rabbit-holes, and to

make things easier the general

consensus in the AA Crew is that a very short “PDW”

platform with a retractable or side-folding stock is

simply an ultra-short-barrelled carbine (possibly of

pistol calibre), and on that basis the term “PDW”

actually does fit, as such a compact platform in the

real world would undoubtedly be built for personal or

home defence.

What I will say is that ultimately is that all the

“PDW” models that we’ve seen in the past are all

great AEGs, consistent, accurate over foreshortened

engagement distances, and

certainly

ideal for

CQB/CQC use although most of them

will hold their own outdoors as well!

So, bottom line is, if you are a smaller

player, or someone that just likes

REALLY short platforms, then you’re

going to have a hard time choosing

between “PDW” models out there

already!

MAKING LIFE EASY

And it would appear that Double Eagle

have now made that “airsoft life decision” even

easier, or harder depending

on your

point

of view, as the latest DMP9 M924

that I’ve been testing for the last few

months is a cracking little AEG, but one

that is quite unique in its appearance!

It appears to marry up some very MP5-

like SMG features with some that are

undoubtedly AR, but it’s a mash-up

that I believe works, and works well

though!

With an overall length (sidefolding

stock deployed) of 630mm

and weighing in just shy of 2,000g

thanks to the high-grade polymer construction,

the DMP9 really is a nice compact little package

that comes into the shoulder well; when you close

or remove the picatinny-mounted stock though,

this goes down to a

measly 430mm, and you

still get a 180mm inner barrel

so not too shabby at all (and

that takes you into “AR pistol”

territory… Mmmm...)!

Moving from the sharp-end

you have a simple yet attractive

14mm CCW muzzle device/

flash hider on a metal outer barrel

that sits inside a wide 150mm M-LOK handguard

that feel really positive in the hand. The top of the

handguard is a standard rail, and this continues

uninterrupted to the rear of the upper receiver where

you’ll also find an AR-style charging handle; lots of

space for optics and accessories even on a small-

“THE LATEST DMP9 M924 THAT I’VE BEEN TESTING FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS IS

A CRACKING LITTLE AEG, BUT ONE THAT IS QUITE UNIQUE IN ITS APPEARANCE! IT

APPEARS TO MARRY UP SOME VERY MP5-LIKE SMG FEATURES WITH SOME THAT ARE

UNDOUBTEDLY AR, BUT IT’S A MASH-UP THAT I BELIEVE WORKS, AND WORKS WELL

THOUGH…”

24


ARMOURY


“THE TOP OF THE HANDGUARD IS A STANDARD RAIL, AND THIS CONTINUES

UNINTERRUPTED TO THE REAR OF THE UPPER RECEIVER WHERE YOU’LL ALSO FIND AN

AR-STYLE CHARGING HANDLE; LOTS OF SPACE FOR OPTICS AND ACCESSORIES EVEN

ON A SMALL-FOOTPRINT PLATFORM”


ARMOURY


footprint platform. Front and rear “irons” come as

standard on the top rail, and although they’re polymer

they appear to be sturdily made, and of course it

means that the DMP9 is fieldable straight from the

box. The whole front-end/upper receiver combo has a

really chunky look to it, but again I think it looks pretty

cool.

So far so AR-inspired, but the lower is where things

change out as this is much more “MP5”, in fact using

an MP5-style magazine housing that accommodates

a 130 BB, slightly curved magazine… it looks almost

identical to a regular MP5 mag, but it’s not as it’s

slightly longer and wider, and the feed lips are

different… I tried all of my MP5 mags from different

companies and they just rattled around the magwell,

and most certainly wouldn’t fit to feed! This is a

shame as there are many of us with

a collection of MP5 mags, and I feel

that compatibility here would have

been a real bonus.

Controls on the lower though

are fully ambidextrous, and a

reconfiguration of the magazine

release means that it’s more “AR

than Koch”. The selector switch

is positioned just above the

“Gunfighter” style ergonomic pistol

grip on both sides of the receiver

and this has a full and positive

90-degree rotation between fire

modes. The end plate that mates

the receivers is a picatinny design

which means you have a lot of

potential options for the side-folding

stock aftermarket, although the

stock that comes with the DMP9

is solid as a rock, well-made, and

obviously could be swapped out

between platforms if you have more

than one of this style… A win here

then!

the attractive and workmanlike outer parts is where

the true magic happens; I cannot believe that what’s

included as standard these days!

Double Eagle have obviously created a very neat

CQB-ready platform in appearance, weight, and

overall size… but it’s the Kestrel V2 ETU that really

kicks things up a considerable notch!

I’ve spoken about this before, but the Kestrel

V2 offers programmable fire modes via the trigger

including three-BB burst and binary, adjustable precocking

with SIX levels to choose from and several

protection functions such as low battery warning

and cycle completion. The result of bringing all this

together is a remarkably snappy trigger when precocking

is set, and the DMP9 becomes incredibly

versatile once you have everything set up just the way

INSIDE THERE’S MAGIC!

Considering the sub-UK£200

pricepoint for the DMP9, inside

“THE END PLATE THAT MATES THE RECEIVERS IS A PICATINNY DESIGN WHICH

MEANS YOU HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR THE SIDE-FOLDING STOCK

AFTERMARKET, ALTHOUGH THE STOCK THAT COMES WITH THE DMP9 IS SOLID AS A

ROCK”

26


ARMOURY


“COUPLED WITH THE ESHOOTER APP, YOU CAN CUSTOMISE FUNCTIONS REMOTELY BY

SETTING PRE-COCKING, TRIGGER SENSITIVITY, AND SELECTOR MODES, PROVIDING A

REALLY PERSONALISED SETUP; THE SYSTEM ALSO SUPPORTS BRUSHLESS MOTORS

AND CONTROLS THE RATE OF FIRE WITH HIGH BATTERY VOLTAGE TOO”


ARMOURY


YOU want it!

Coupled with the ESHOOTER app though, you can

customise functions remotely by setting pre-cocking,

trigger sensitivity, and selector modes, providing a

really personalised setup; the system also supports

brushless motors and controls the rate of fire with

high battery voltage too.

Overall the DMP9 features some solid internals for

an AEG in this price range; a V2 gearbox with 18:1

ratio steel gears on 8mm ball bearings, a durable hop

unit and functional rubber, and a 6.04mm inner barrel

come in addition to the Kestrel V2, so once you have

everything set as you like it, you are 100% good to

go.

One interesting little (quite literal!) twist on the

DMP9 is the battery compartment, and you’ll find

this neatly tucked away inside the handguard. Unlike

many shorter AEGs though you don’t need to remove

the handguard to change the battery, as to access the

compartment there is a removable plate just beneath

the front of the handguard which, by twisting the

mock gas-plug, can be removed to find behind it quite

a generous space for a small stick LiPo via a Deans/T-

Plug connection. I actually like this as a batterystorage

solution on a small-footprint AEG a lot, and

when the battery is in and the plate put back in

place, the battery disappears completely so the DMP9

continues to look very cool!

DOWNRANGE

The MP5-style “9mm” magazine is again a sturdy

polymer, and although dedicated to the platform, it’s

lightweight so it’s easy to carry a lot of them; it loads

and feeds well. The DMP9 M924 comes as standard

with a rotary hop-up (a durable composite-plastic

one-piece design) which I’ve found to be easily and

precisely adjusted.

Testing with .20g BBs resulted in a respectable and

immediately usable average of 0.84 Joule/301fps

through the chrono, which means this AEG is usable

straight out of the box for most sites, and is going

to be a little more “CQB engagement friendly” than

some!

Moving up to .28g, once the hop was re-adjusted

and set (easily done as it’s just behind the correctlysized

ejection-port cover) the little DMP9 was reaching

out accurately to the 30m extent of the woodland

range and punching sandbags just using the “irons”

that are provided with it.

In my opinion it will be a great little platform

for CQB encounters where engagement distances

are more intimate, though eminently usable in a

woodland game too.

My time so far with the DMP9 thus far then has

been a fun and positive one; I’ve tried many a “PCC/

PDW” now that have been upgraded quite heavily

and the Double Eagle gives them a run for their

money as a stock gun, so I can’t really say anything

negative at all about this super little AEG, other

than the lack of magazine compatibility with similar

platforms. Although Double Eagle have been a little

quiet of late after an initial glut of models it’s obvious

that this more relaxed period has been “time well

spent” for them, and I will say a big “GOOD JOB!” to

Double Eagle for moving things forward again with

their range of AEGs.

So, is the DMP9 M924 a “PDW, PCC, SBR, or

SMG”? Frankly, take your pick how you want to

describe it, but the bottom line is that this is actually

a very capable little all-rounder of an AEG! The

combination of light weight and minimalist size makes

the little DMP9 easy to manipulate even in the tightest

of spaces, and the downrange performance has

proved that it’ll be no slouch when you need to get

double-tapped BBs away quickly, whether you’re’re

attacking or defending!

Based on my experience with Double Eagle AEGs in

the last couple of years, and what we’ve found from

other models that we’ve tested to date, I’m expecting

nothing less than excellent performance from this

beautiful little example of innovative engineering as it

beds in, and I believe that we’ll be seeing MUCH more

from the Double Eagle brand for some considerable

time.

As always my thanks go to Tim at www.iwholesale.

biz for providing the test sample of the DMP9 M924.

For more information on this model and other models

in the Double Eagle line-up, visit their website on a

regular basis as there are new things arriving every

week! AA

“THE COMBINATION OF LIGHT WEIGHT AND MINIMALIST SIZE MAKES THE LITTLE

DMP9 EASY TO MANIPULATE EVEN IN THE TIGHTEST OF SPACES, AND THE

DOWNRANGE PERFORMANCE HAS PROVED THAT IT’LL BE NO SLOUCH WHEN YOU NEED

TO GET DOUBLE-TAPPED BBS AWAY QUICKLY, WHETHER YOU’RE’RE ATTACKING OR

DEFENDING!”

28


ARMOURY


“BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH DOUBLE EAGLE AEGS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF

YEARS, AND WHAT WE’VE FOUND FROM OTHER MODELS THAT WE’VE TESTED TO

DATE, I’M EXPECTING NOTHING LESS THAN EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE FROM THIS

BEAUTIFUL LITTLE EXAMPLE OF INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING AS IT BEDS IN”


TAP/CLICK IMAGES FOR MORE INFORMATION

ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

BACK

TO THE

FUTURE

32


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

AFTER BITING HIS TONGUE FOR MANY MONTHS BILL CAN FINALLY BRING US HIS OVERVIEW OF THE

GREAT NEW RANGE OF DELTA PIONEER AR AEGS FROM NUPROL FOLLOWING THEIR LAUNCH AT IWA

2025! WITH SOME REAL PERFORMANCE AT A SERIOUSLY TEMPTING PRICE, CAN NUPROL REGAIN

THEIR PLACE IN THIS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE MARKET AFTER HAVING BEEN MEANINGFULLY AWAY FOR

SOME TIME IN RESPECT OF NEW AEG MODELS? BILL TELLS ALL!

NUPROL JACKEL 7”

Many months ago now when I was paying

one of my regular visits to the NUPROL HQ

my old mate Ross and marketing-guru Matt

quite literally rocked me back on my heels when they

announced that NUPROL would be re-launching their

range of AEGs, not just with one model but an entire

range!

They did have some renders and designs to show

me, and what I saw at that stage was a very tasty

looking AR CQB model, and a longer field model. At

this point in time I was sworn to secrecy.

NUPROL are certainly no strangers to creating

well-researched AEGs that offer great performance

at a sensible price, and I’ve been running one of the

old NUPROL AEGs for some considerable time now;

although in fairness it would be remiss of me not to

mention that some players did experience problems

with the trigger in the older models, NUPROL as

always addressed this quickly and efficiently, and mine

has stood the test of time with some careful, and

regular, maintenance.

My time with the RECON ALPHA from the original

range has always left me feeling massively happy;

there really was something for everyone to look at in

that old NUPROL line of AEGs, with keen pricing and

lots of options to play with. I believe that NUPROL

created some superb variants that made a lot of

airsofters very happy indeed, and even with a few

“teething issues” I know that there a lot of them

out there that are still going strong after many years

of skirmish-action! The initial ARs looked great, felt

great, and I can tell you that out of the box they

“I WAS PAYING ONE OF MY REGULAR VISITS TO THE NUPROL HQ MY OLD MATE ROSS

AND MARKETING-GURU MATT QUITE LITERALLY ROCKED ME BACK ON MY HEELS

WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THAT NUPROL WOULD BE RE-LAUNCHING THEIR RANGE OF

AEGS, NOT JUST WITH ONE MODEL BUT AN ENTIRE RANGE.”


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

performed pretty darn well too, and that original

RECON ALPHA of mine is still running like a dream,

and still looks great too! NUPROL brought something

very, very special to the party that we as players really

benefitted from, and many continue to do so to this

day.

As I’ve told you before, I’m very privileged in many

ways as I do really get to see what goes on behind

the scenes (as I did back in 2016 with the original

NUPROL AEGs… jeez, where does the time go???),

and as Ross and I are friends outside of work as well

as in I knew for a fact that he had been clocking up

the air miles travelling back and forth to factories in

the Far East for the last few years.

Many of you may not know but Ross started

out as a player and gun tech so he knows darn

well what needs to go into an AEG to make

it sing, and he has gone on to dominate

some areas of the UK and wider

market market with the

gas creations

too. Ross asked me if I could spend some “quality

time” with him when the production models arrived,

and this will happen now that not only have the new

AEGs had their “official launch”, but stock is in-hand

and ready to hit your local stores! Our intent will be

to strip some of the AEGs back to component parts

so that I can really see what makes them tick over the

course of the next couple of months the some of the

AA Crew will be getting “in depth and personal” with

the individual models, but for

those of you who

that he and his team

have come up with.

If he, and the team at

NUPROL were going to put

their reputations behind a

line of AEGs again, they had to

be the very best that they could produce, and

I’ll tell you right now that they put their heart

and soul into every single step of creating the new

models that I saw at IWA earlier this month.

Even as renders the designs looked right up to the

minute, with a few “classics” thrown into the mix

haven’t

yet seen

the details

yet, let me

walk you

through the different models

that are now on offer in the

reinvigorated and re-imagined

NUPROL AEG range!

“IF THE TEAM AT NUPROL WERE GOING TO PUT THEIR REPUTATIONS

BEHIND A LINE OF AEGS AGAIN, THEY HAD TO BE THE VERY BEST THAT

THEY COULD PRODUCE, AND I’LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THEY PUT THEIR

HEART AND SOUL INTO EVERY SINGLE STEP OF CREATING THE NEW MODELS THAT I

SAW AT IWA EARLIER THIS MONTH”

34


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

POWER IN THE NAME

Given that the old NUPROL AR AEG range

set a tone in their naming system, the

new DELTA PIONEER AEGs carry the

tradition forward!

Available in

Black,

NUPROL SOPMOD

FDE and Two

Tone (for those

new players in

the UK that are

awaiting their

Defence in Law)

the three NOMAD

models vary in raillength

at 7, 10, and

13 inches and look

externally bang-on with

their M-LOK systems.

The JACKAL 7 and RECON 7

inch both have URX-style rails, while the M4SD

and SOPMOD are both more traditional with Picatinny

setups. All the models have very tidy high-grade

polymer receiver sets, flip-up sights as standard, and

CRANE-style sliding stocks.

These new AEGs are designed to offer both

new and experienced players a choice of highly

manoeuverable platforms. Crafted from highdensity

polymer (HDP), the frames and rails provide

a lightweight yet

durable design, perfect

for both beginners and seasoned

veteran players; with seven variants

available there’s something for everyone,

ensuring you can find the perfect aesthetic

to match your style. Each model features a

power of 1.0 joule/330 FPS, making them well

within UK-legal, site and safety limits.

The entire range has been updated from the

previous NUPROL AEG range to fully-modern spec,

and they all benefit from Gen II triggers and Gen II

gearboxes paired with 18:1 gear sets and a 19.5k

RPM motor, offering consistent performance while

allowing for easy upgrades in the future.

The metal gearbox is designed with simplicity in

mind, making maintenance straightforward, and

there’s even a quick-change-spring function; goodquality

springs are used throughout to give the AEGs

some real “pop” and keep them happily UK compliant

too. Parts descriptions are cleverly engraved on the

outer gearbox shell for easy identification, which is a

detail that I have to say I really like, and should help

ensure hassle-free upkeep. To maintain accuracy,

all models in the new range are equipped with a

6.03mm tightbore inner barrel and a rotary hop unit,

giving you the ability to precisely adjust your hop for

consistent, accurate shots every time.

The HDP rails across the range vary from M-LOK

to Keymod and RIS, with a variety of accessorymounting-point

options at the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock

positions. All rails come with a 20mm Picatinny rail at

the 12 o’clock position, providing plenty of room for

accessories like optics, LAMs, and taclites. Each model

will come with a polymer mid-cap magazine which

will be colour-keyed to the body (Black/FDE), and

“THE THREE NOMAD MODELS VARY IN RAIL-LENGTH AT 7, 10, AND 13 INCHES AND

LOOK EXTERNALLY BANG-ON WITH THEIR M-LOK SYSTEMS. THE JACKAL 7 AND

RECON 7 INCH BOTH HAVE URX-STYLE RAILS, WHILE THE M4SD AND SOPMOD ARE

BOTH MORE TRADITIONAL WITH PICATINNY SETUPS”


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

these look great too.

And the final best bit? These new DELTA PIONEER

AEGs will be both affordable and accessible, with

prices ranging from arounbd UK£99 to UK£125

MSRP, the new line offers a budget-friendly option

for new and seasoned players entering the sport

without compromising on quality! So even the 13

inch NOMAD will only be 125 quid! Site Rental AEG

for filed operators? 125 quid! Backup AEG or one to

hand off to a mate in an emergency? 125 bleedin’

quid!!! These have to be a bargain in anyone’s book…

GOOD TO GO!

So there you have it, and what a line-up it is!

There really is something for everyone to look at,

and with such keen pricing there are lots of options

to play with. Internally all the models make use of

high-quality NUPROL-chosen parts; they already

have a name for their upgrade parts so why

would they not use the best they can in

the new AEGs? NUPROL have even

specifically chosen the rotary

hop unit and rubber to

give the most

proud of what my friends, a truly great British

company, have achieved here… again! I’m going

to stick my neck out and say I believe that they’ve

created a superb new range that will make a lot of

airsofters very happy indeed.

They look great, feel great, and thus far I can tell

you that out of the box they should perform pretty

darn well too; I have earmarked a new NOMAD to

take out to the woods range and I am certain it will

run like a train.

As I said earlier I’ve been very happy with the

NUPROL AEG that I got

versatility, and in fact this attention to detail has

gone on everywhere.

I’ve come away from IWA and my first proper

look at the latest NUPROL AEGs feeling massively

impressed again, and I can’t help also feeling insanely

some years

back now, and I

believe that the new range of DELTA

PIONEER AR models will set a new

tone for NUPROL in-house AEG models

going forward from here.

“CRAFTED FROM HIGH-DENSITY POLYMER (HDP), THE FRAMES AND RAILS PROVIDE A

LIGHTWEIGHT YET DURABLE DESIGN, PERFECT FOR BOTH BEGINNERS AND SEASONED

VETERAN PLAYERS; WITH SEVEN VARIANTS AVAILABLE THERE’S SOMETHING FOR

EVERYONE”

36


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

NUPROL M4SD

One thing

that I know is that

I’d be happy to have any

of the new models in my armoury,

and I’m sure that any of you will be too…

NUPROL AEGs are back, and they’re back with a

bang!

For more information on the entire DELTA PIONEER

AEG range, and for stockist details, please do pay a

visit to www.nuprol.com AA

NUPROL NOMAD 7”

“AND THE FINAL BEST BIT? THESE NEW DELTA PIONEER AEGS WILL BE BOTH

AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, WITH PRICES RANGING FROM AROUND UK£99 TO

UK£125 MSRP, THE NEW LINE OFFERS A BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION FOR NEW AND

SEASONED PLAYERS ENTERING THE SPORT WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON QUALITY!”


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

“I BELIEVE THAT THE NEW RANGE OF DELTA PIONEER AR MODELS

WILL SET A NEW TONE FOR NUPROL IN-HOUSE AEG MODELS GOING

FORWARD FROM HERE. ONE THING THAT I KNOW IS THAT I’D BE

HAPPY TO HAVE ANY OF THE NEW MODELS IN MY ARMOURY, AND

I’M SURE THAT ANY OF YOU WILL BE TOO…”

38


ARMOURY

NUPROL 2025 AEGS

NUPROL RECON 10”

NUPROL NOMAD 13”


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

TECHNICAL

TERRABB

GETTING

BIOS RIGHT!

MORE AND MORE AIRSOFT FIELDS AND SITES ARE RIGHTLY ASKING PLAYERS TO MAKE USE OF

BIODEGRADEABLE BBS, BUT AS AIRSOFTERS WE’VE ALWAYS HAD QUESTIONS NOT JUST ABOUT THE

PERFORMANCE OF “BIOS” IN OUR AEGS AND GBBS, BUT ALSO IF THEY TRULY DO DEGRADE AS WE’RE LED

TO BELIEVE! AFTER A MEETING WITH STEWBACCA AT MOA, BILL GOT TOGETHER TO SPEAK WITH SAKARI

FROM TERRABB AT IWA TO FIND OUT MORE…

Have you ever thought about how long it

will actually take for the BB to completely

decompose? I have, and I’ve tested this myself,

with many brands, over many years in airsoft!

When I first moved to the USA in 2012 there was

already call from some airsoft fields for compulsory

Bios, so I “planted” a few different brands of “BIO

BB” in our yard planters… and guess what? Even after

four years in the soil of the planters in what some

would define as “perfect environmental conditions”

for the BBs to degrade naturally… THEY WERE ALL

STILL THERE… and still recognisable as BBs!

For years now there has been a competitive market

for airsoft BB’s that are made of a plastic formula

called “PLA” and marketed as “biodegradable”,

telling both players and site operators that when these

BB’s are shot and left on-site they will decompose

“naturally” and disappear.

The TERRABB blog tells me though that...

“Many of the “biodegradable BB” brands say they

fulfil a standard that tells they are biodegradable.

Often the referred standard is ISO-14855. The reason

for the controversy is that ISO-14855 standard is

based on the definition that a product with this

standard decomposes in industrial composing, which

means a temperature of 58°C (±2) degrees.

This means that there’s no guarantee the PLAbased

airsoft BB would decompose when shot

outdoors as the temperature it faces there is far

from the temperature of industrial composting. The

biodegradation standards aren’t exactly created for

stuff that is meant to be left to the soil.”

It is also important to note that the process of

the BB breaking down, in one way or another, isn’t

necessarily “decomposition” in its true sense; the

BB might break down into smaller pieces, but this

is mostly caused by erosion, which means the BB is

exposed to physical damage caused by, for example,

soil and rock movement, or water degradation. In this

circumstance though, the BB breaks down but doesn’t

decompose fully, it becomes microplastics, tiny plastic

particles that can cause damage in many ways in the

ecosystem - as we’re finding out more and more these

days!

There are (of course!) different standards in the

chemical industry that describe the decomposing

abilities of the substance. Until now there has been a

wide selection of PLA-based airsoft BBs in the market

that are marketed as “biodegradable”, and many

of these brands say their BB meets the criteria of a

standard that tells they are biodegradable, namely

ISO-14855.

Among airsoft players there has been a general

understanding that there’s no reason to worry about

“THERE HAS BEEN A COMPETITIVE MARKET FOR AIRSOFT BB’S THAT ARE MADE OF A

PLASTIC FORMULA CALLED PLA AND MARKETED AS “BIODEGRADABLE”, TELLING BOTH

PLAYERS AND SITE OPERATORS THAT WHEN THESE BB’S ARE SHOT AND LEFT ON-

SITE THEY WILL DECOMPOSE “NATURALLY” AND DISAPPEAR”

42


TECHNICAL

TERRABB

the environmental impact of airsoft as PLA BBs fulfil

the biodegradation standard, but even unscientific

testing will show you that this is not the case.

What is less well-known is that, for example, the

ISO-14855 standard is based on the definition that

a product with this standard decomposes when

subjected to an industrial composting process, which

means a temperature of 58°C (±2) degrees. This

means that there’s no guarantee a PLA-based airsoft

BB would decompose when shot outdoors, as the

temperature it faces there is far from the temperature

of industrial composting!

Then what are TERRA BBs made of?

TERRABB consists of a polymer called PBS,

polybutylene succinate. It can be made from

sugarcane, cassava or corn for example, when it

is called BioPBS, or it can be made synthetically,

resulting in a chemically similar material called PBS.

Certain types of PBS decompose in natural

temperatures, so when it comes to airsoft BBs and

the question of decomposing in “the wild”, it doesn’t

matter if the polymer is BioPBS or regular PBS, as

long as it is such type that decomposes naturally.

As a result of careful research committed by the

team at TERRABB and their partners, they have

created a material that is based on PBS polymers and

various fillers that can be naturally found from the soil.

This way they’ve created a BB that starts decomposing

in just a couple of months in summertime, even in a

relatively temperate environment. Using these fillers

they can both improve the quality of the product as

a high precision airsoft BB as well as enhance the

biodegradation properties.

INSIDE OP!

So, who are TERRABB, and what is their solution?

TTERRABB is a product of Terra Composites, and

Terra Composites is a Finnish company that specialises

in renewing bioplastics!

TERRABB was born when enthusiastic airsoft player

and entrepreneur Sakari Vyyryläinen was studying;

some of you may know Sakari already from his time

spent as an active airsofter, when he ran games

at Linnasoft in his native Finland, from his retail

experiences at Atom Airsoft, or from meeting him at

shows (Stewbacca met him at MOA) where he now

preaches the efficacy of truly biogradeable BBs!

Having now met him myself, and having got a

measure for his technical knowldge and enthusiasm

to do something meaningful, I understand that it was

as a product development engineer that he noted that

many bioplastics don’t actually decompose naturally,

not in the way we players often understand it. This

sparked the idea of a company that could renew the

way and the method bioplastics were approached

in the airsoft industry. The first product that the

company started to work on was, of course, airsoft

BBs due to Sakari’s background.

The TERRABB team now includes a dedicated

group of people who have a strong expertise in both

airsoft and bioplastics production, but I wanted to

know more, to really find out what made TERRABB

tick, so I took the opportunity at IWA to speak face to

face with Sakari, and asked him a few more detailed

questions to get “under the skin” of TERRABB:

AA: Sakari, thanks so much for speaking to me and

answering my questions! What was your inspiration

to create TERRABB? How did the brand come into

existence?

SV: Thank you so much for the opportunity! This

“AMONG AIRSOFT PLAYERS THERE HAS BEEN A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT

THERE’S NO REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF AIRSOFT AS

THE PLA BB’S FULFIL THE BIODEGRADATION STANDARD, BUT EVEN UNSCIENTIFIC

TESTING WILL SHOW YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE”


TECHNICAL

TERRABB

sounds excellent I’d be happy to share the full story

behind TerraBB, as it stems from years of dedication

and insight.

I started playing airsoft in 2005 and have been

actively involved in the Finnish airsoft community ever

since. Together with a group of fellow enthusiasts, we

founded a local airsoft association called Linnasoft,

which is now a significant game organizer in Southern

Finland.

My hobby gradually turned into a profession as I

became interested in repairing and upgrading airsoft

guns. This led me to establish Atom Airsoft, an online

store, in 2010. What started as a side project slowly

evolved into a more serious business. In 2013, I

began studying mechanical engineering at Tampere

University, but airsoft remained an integral part of my

life.

In 2018, I took a course focused on composite

structures, which included lectures on biodegradable

materials. At the same time, I was developing a PLAbased

bio BB brand for Atom Airsoft. During a lecture,

I realized that I actually knew very little about the real

biodegradability of PLA plastics; my understanding

was based mainly on airsoft BB manufacturers’

marketing materials. It became clear that PLA does

not decompose in natural conditions, which is a

significant issue for both the environment and the

future of airsoft.

This moment marked the beginning of TerraBB’s

development. I discussed the matter with a university

professor and began researching whether it would

be possible to manufacture airsoft BBs from materials

that genuinely break down in nature. Over time, we

found suitable partners and started testing different

combinations of polymers and fillers.

We designed our own injection mold and tested

various materials until we finally discovered a

combination that provided a real solution to the

environmental problem caused by airsoft BBs. We

patented this technology, and the first patent was

granted in 2023. We are now awaiting approval for

international patent applications.

AA: So, what Makes TERRA BB Different?

SV: TerraBB is not based on secrecy, we openly

share everything on our website and in our patent

applications. TerraBB BBs consist of a bio-based

polymer and a mineral filler that enhances their

weight and mechanical properties.

The polymer we use is PBS (polybutylene succinate),

which decomposes into water and carbon dioxide

in natural conditions. This is a crucial difference

from PLA-based bio BBs, which require an industrial

composter with a temperature of 60°C, high humidity,

and specific microbes to break down. These conditions

do not exist in nature, meaning PLA BBs do not

decompose in open environments.

The filler materials, such as calcium carbonate, have

been carefully chosen to be naturally abundant and

environmentally safe.

AA: I commented earlier on the international

standard as it stands, ISO-14855; why is there no

standard for BBs?

SV: Knowing these aspects of decomposing

standards you might wonder why there aren’t better

standards to describe the ability of a substance

to decompose in the nature – in natural outdoor

temperatures – as it would seem much more useful

knowledge among products that are meant to be

used outdoors and left to the nature after use. Our

understanding is that these technologies – both

the market for it and solutions, like PBS – are so new

“THE POLYMER WE USE IS PBS ...WHICH DECOMPOSES INTO WATER AND CARBON

DIOXIDE IN NATURAL CONDITIONS. THIS IS A CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE FROM PLA-BASED

BIO BBS, WHICH REQUIRE AN INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTER WITH A TEMPERATURE OF

60°C, HIGH HUMIDITY, AND SPECIFIC MICROBES TO BREAK DOWN”

44


TECHNICAL

TERRABB

that the chemical industry hasn’t simply had time to

develop a new standard yet. Establishing a standard is

a complicated and time-taking process that requires a

lot of research.

The world of bioplastics is yet a bit wild and

searching for it’s ways to adapt to new demands and

technologies. TerraBB is ahead of its time, bringing

a new kind of airsoft BB to the market that actually

decomposes while also offering excellent quality

features as a high precision airsoft BB.

AA: What are your future plans for TERRABB?

SV: Our goal is to set a new standard for

biodegradable airsoft BBs. TerraBB exists to ensure

that airsoft can continue even as environmental

regulations become stricter. We have launched the

mass production of our 0.20g TerraBB BBs, and our

first priority is to make them widely available to

provide players with a sustainable alternative. Other

BB weights will be introduced later.

We aim to expand our product range and

offer environmentally friendly options to airsoft

players worldwide. We are continuously working

on development and are focused on bringing our

products to the international market.

DO THE RIGHT THING

With all this in mind I feel that those, like Sakari,

with a proper scientific and engineering background

and true understanding of how plastics interact with

nature, are at last starting to influence the business

of not just airsoft, but how airsoft affects the natural

environment. Many of us love our time in the woods

playing airsoft and slinging “plastic mayhem” at one

another, so perhaps it is now time that we tried to at

least have an understanding of how airsoft impacts on

the natural world we enjoy so much!

My thanks go to Sakari for giving his time to

answer my questions and allow me access to his blog,

and now of course it’s time to try the new BBs out

in a multitude of AEG and GBB platforms to see just

how they perform; that said I believe that I, and we,

will be speaking to Sakari in more detail over time as

TERRABB roll out more BBs in different weights, and

I for one will look forward to hitting my woods range

with the new BBs knowing that I’ll be at least trying to

do the right thing! AA

“MANY OF US LOVE OUR TIME IN THE WOODS PLAYING AIRSOFT AND SLINGING

“PLASTIC MAYHEM” AT ONE ANOTHER, SO PERHAPS IT IS NOW TIME THAT WE TRIED

TO AT LEAST HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW AIRSOFT IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL

WORLD WE ENJOY SO MUCH!”


TAP/CLICK ABOVE FOR INFORMATION ON ALL GUNFIRE PRODUCTS


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

RED CELL

FULL ON .45

FIGHTIN’

IRONS!

Image courtesy Krios Photography

48


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, SO IT MUST BE TIME FOR RED CELL TO COME FULL CIRCLE TO LOOK

AT THE “1911/2011” MODELS, SOME OF WHICH THEY FIRST TOOK TO THE RANGE IN 2020! THESE

SAME MODELS HAVE BEEN SHOT ON A REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS BASIS OVER THAT PERIOD AND,

WITH A FEW ADDITIONS, THE TEAM NOW REPORT BACK ON TWENTY TEST PISTOLS THAT ARE STILL

RARING TO GET IN THE FIGHT… MINUS ONE!

them down to really do them justice, and the selection

that you’ll see here is all about the pistols that we

have used the most, or added to the program because

we’ve come to love ‘em!

We’ll keep it short here this time,

as the space is better used for the

guys to have their say, so without

further ado it’s over to the RED CELL

testers to have their say on all things

“1911/2011”!

As I said at this time last year, back in Issue 119

we kicked off a testing program in Airsoft

Action the like of which had not, to the best

of our knowledge, been seen before! As we said at

the time, “we decided as a team that we were fed up

with seeing reports and reviews of airsoft platforms

“from the box”, all gleaming and new, that then

disappeared as newer, shinier things appeared”, and

we’ve continued to test and evaluate some key airsoft

models to make sure that what you’re buying I truly fit

for purpose!

Since we started off with RED CELL certain

manufacturers (Vorsk and ICS particularly, stand

up and take a bow!) have continued to create new

models, and there are some stunning variants that

have entered the test program! That said we find

ourselves with SO MANY 1911 and 2011 Hi Capa

models now in the program that we’ve had to split

TEAM TALK

Li’l Stu: 1911s? Where to start? From playing with

toy guns as a nipper, I’ve always had a thing for

1911s, don’t know what it is, just that the shape,

form and feel of them is just perfect (for me at least).

So, when I got into airsoft (thanks Gary!) and found

there were a number of 1911s available, that was it

for me.

After reading an online review of a Western

Arms (WA) SVI Hybrid (around 2001 if I recall ),I was

hooked. A quick phone call to Wolf Armouries and I’d

ordered a WA SVI 6; yes,its a double-stacker, but still

based on a 1911 platform, and even for my hands, it

fit and handled fine.

Fast forward a few years; I now have many 1911s,

both single-stack and double-stack. All but one

of them are Western Arms, a brand which hasn’t

made the main RED CELL list not down to lack of

performance, but more to overall lack of availability

other than in Japan these days, and I know, yes, WA

was never as well supported as TM, but I’ve never

been one to follow the herd… or I must be a glutton

for punishment! Thankfully, I do have a fair amount

of spares which allow me to maintain them, so that’s

good.

95% of them are custom/one-off’s, lots of which

I’ve been lucky to acquire, and many of them have

been “fettled” by a certain Matt Dean. 5 inch/6

“WE FIND OURSELVES WITH SO MANY 1911 AND 2011 HI CAPA MODELS NOW IN THE

PROGRAM THAT WE’VE HAD TO SPLIT THEM DOWN TO REALLY DO THEM JUSTICE, AND

THE SELECTION THAT YOU’LL SEE HERE IS ALL ABOUT THE PISTOLS THAT WE HAVE

USED THE MOST, OR ADDED TO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE’VE COME TO LOVE ‘EM!”


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

inch/4.3 inch/3.9 inch, any number of SVIs/Kimbers/

Springfields and a lot of magazines!

I’ve skirmished many of them with no issues at all.

They’ve never let me down. Add to that, I’ve been

lucky enough to visit the USA for the past three years

of Shot Show, and while there I’ve got to shoot a few

1911s of various calibres and ammo types… a dream

come true for me! And the Kimber’s at this year’s

Show? Oooh boy; too many to choose from ! Pretty

much my favourites are all there and after getting

to shoot the new double-stacker 2K11 at the Range

Day… let’s just say it put a huge smile on my face…. I

can but dream….

Jase: Over my many years in the sport the only two

1911-esq pistols have been a TM Hi-Capa 4.3 and my

current TM Desert Warrior (DW). The DW is an airsoft

replica of the iconic 1911 pistol, designed for realism

and performance, and as with all TM products, out

of the box it just works. I always wanted a DW or an

MEU, just for the coolness of the magazines.

I remember on my first game, seeing this player

with two mags poking out of his plate carrier and the

chrome finish sparking in the sun light... Ah nostalgia!

Why do I love the Desert Warrior so much? Well,

it’s a very modern twist on an old historical and

recognisable pistol that appeals to all players. The

attention to detail in design and functionality makes

it feel very close to the real firearm, which enhances

the overall experience. Its reliability and accuracy

in gameplay is one of the main things that make it

enjoyable to use because you know it’s never going to

let you down. Power out the box is about 280/300fps

and each mag holds around 20 or so BBs.

Ultimately, it’s a combination of preference,

performance, and the cult nature that

contributes to my love for it!

As this pistol is still new’ish to me, I have

only fielded it a handful of times but as I said

above, it’s a solid reliable sidearm. In its most

recent outing the temperature didn’t get above 5

degrees and of the 20ish BBs it managed to get off

a respectable 12/15 which I thought was very good

all considered. The other plus about the TM 1911

platform is the amount of upgradable parts that are

on the market, because let’s face it, we all love a

cheeky upgrade now don’t we chaps?

I’ve finally been able to get some lovin’ time with

the Vorsk VX-14, and given it a good hammering! It is

a beautifully presented pistol, and straight out the box

it’s perfectly fine, it just needed a little clean up and

wash up on the rubber and I was happy to field it; this

is just my preferred routine with a new shooter.

The finish is very cool indeed (I have the grey/black

model) and all the features are thoroughly functional

and good to go. The only niggle I have is with the

barrel extension going into the suppressor as it

doesn’t always mate up perfectly, but that’s more user

error and lack of watching what I’m doing; I need

to be “Smooth Jase” in this so practice will make

perfect!

As I’ve been more recently a SIG/G-Series kind of

guy for MilSim then the layout of the 1911-style has

taken a bit of getting used to again, but I’m looking

forward to seeing what this baby can really do longterm!

Jimmy: Ah, the iconic M1911; who doesn’t love a

single action semi auto .45 ACP fighting iron?

Designed by the brilliant John Browning, a man

who was responsible for some of the 19th and 20th

century’s most popular small arms, even in today’s

climate the M1911 is still a popular choice, and

despite its age it is a choice favourite among not only

civilians but for competition use. It is still used by a

selection of special forces units and sports a long

history of military use making it possibly one of bestselling

pistols of all time!

My first proper airsoft pistol was in fact a M1911,

albeit a modern variation the WE Desert Warrior 4.3.

It’s no secret

that most

airsofters own or

have owned a M1911 of some

description as it’s still a very

popular pistol design. I chose the

WE Desert Warrior initially largely

“I’VE SKIRMISHED MANY OF THEM WITH NO ISSUES AT ALL.

THEY’VE NEVER LET ME DOWN. ADD TO THAT, I’VE BEEN LUCKY

ENOUGH TO VISIT THE USA FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS OF SHOT SHOW,

AND WHILE THERE I’VE GOT TO SHOOT A FEW 1911S OF VARIOUS CALIBRES AND

AMMO TYPES… A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME!”

50


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

based on its appearance; with its tan

finish and the rail section it really

does look the part. The fact it is full

metal is a bonus and gives a very nice

weighty feel. Despite being shorter

than a standard 1911 it performed

incredibly well and yielded an impressive range.

I ran it as a primary mainly for indoor CQB games

for around a year with zero issues, and even on cold

days it didn’t seem to waver. I did find though that

one gas charge would only last for on stack of BBs

and if memory serves me right it would hold 17BBs

and 1 up the spout, so not the most efficient, but

for CQB and a primary I carried multiple mags as

reloading a magazine mid-game isn’t really the best

idea, especially in fast-paced encounters!

After that first year of use it developed a few issues;

light striking, half cocking, gas dump and random full

auto bursts. I benched that pistol and purchased a

WE M1911 Hex cut. This thing really did look the part

with its shiny finish and aggressive hex lightening-cuts

on both the slide and the grips; again the looks won

me over but the performance was just bad compared

to the Desert Warrior. Out of the box this one suffered

cold fatigue and would regularly dump gas even on

warm days.

I now had two wall-hangers and this was the point

my addiction for collecting pistols really started. I kept

buying pistols in search for one without flaw which is

when I stumbled across the TM M1911 government

in a nickel colour. I kept hearing the Name Tokyo

Marui pop up on a regular basis and just the name

alone sounds pretty cool… I had to know more. I

was serious about buying a TM 1911, but that was

before I caught a glimpse of the Gold Match 5.1 Hi

Capa, and man this thing looked bad ass. Not only

did it resemble a 1911 but it had a much higher

capacity magazine allowing for more gas and more

BBs. Without hesitation I parted with my money and

I am glad I did, as it is quite frankly one of the best

pistols…. ever! Several years on and it is still in my

opinion one of the best. My personal one is a far cry

from the OEM version nowadays, not that it needs

any upgrading or modifying; I was just seeing more

and more companies manufacturing aftermarket parts

and my want became overwhelming. If I am ever

asked to

recommend

a pistol

though, I

always say “Gold

Match” without hesitation!

Ben: Ah yes, the 1911,

everyone’s classic fan-favourite

pistol, iconic from both World

Wars right through to the

modern-day movies, everyone

should have one in their

collection even if it’s just a “shelf

queen”! We all can admire its

simplicity and just what an outstanding platform this

legend in its own right is.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have fired and

played with a few of the models featured in the RED

CELL list from various companies and even their more

“modern takes” on the 1911, and first of all every

single one has that “just sits in the hand right!”...it’s

that overall shape that gives you that; individually with

our opinions we all have different taste and feelings

with regards to the looks of the grip’s be it the classic

smooth warm wood, or a more modern textile feel

given that little extra in hand grip.

The real meat of it though is that satisfying recoil

kick we all love; that’s when you forget about

everything and enjoy that moment! However, once

you’ve tried out a few different makes you then start

to be picky on what it is that you prefer...a hard kicker

giving you that feel of overwhelming force that effects

your aim! Or perhaps you favour the more subtle

model with a hyper-smooth slide action allowing for a

faster post-recoil control to stay on target and get as

many BBs downrange on target in the quickest time!

Now, in my opinion, when it comes to what do

I like and am currently using, I prefer the subtle,

hyper-smooth slide and haven’t come across anything

smoother than the action of the new ICS Legacy!

“WHY DO I LOVE THE DESERT WARRIOR SO MUCH? WELL, IT’S A VERY MODERN

TWIST ON AN OLD HISTORICAL AND RECOGNISABLE PISTOL THAT APPEALS TO ALL

PLAYERS. THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY MAKES IT FEEL

VERY CLOSE TO THE REAL FIREARM, WHICH ENHANCES THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE”


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

TOKYO MARUI 1911 MEU

Price: iro £150.00

Age: 4 Years

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.iwholesales.co.uk

RAVEN 1911 MEU RAILED

Price: iro £80.00

Age: 6 Years

Weight: 1300g

Length: 215mm

Magazine Capacity: 15+1




Taclite Compatibility: Good

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good

Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com

WE AIRSOFT 1911A1

Price: iro £90.00

Age: 11+ years!

Weight: 1200g

Length: 218mm






Suppressor Compatibility: No

Available From: www.weairsoft.com

TOKYO MARUI GOLD MATCH

Price: iro £160.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 850g

Length: 222mm

Magazine Capacity: 31 BBs


Hot Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290ps


Taclite Compatibility: Yes


Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk

VFC TACTICAL CUSTOM

Price: iro £130.00

Age: 3 Years 6 Months

Weight: 840g

Length: 224mm





Taclite Compatibility: Dedicated


Available From: www.vegaforce.com

52


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

Honestly this little beast is well worth it and then

some, fires like a wet dream (without any of the

aftermath mess lol), has never jammed, misfired nor

let me down, so my hat’s off to ICS on this beautiful

piece of airsoft artistry!

In relation to models

that I have enjoyed

playing around with and

shooting, that would be

the Tokyo Marui Hi Capa Gold Match and

the Armorer Works take on the Deadpoolstyled

1911; these I found to be decent and

all-round satisfying ...and, well, you can’t go

wrong with a Marui right!? They have that

out the box “pixie dust” on them that is just

astonishing with accuracy and performance

smothered in the usual Marui quality and

reliability.

With the Armorer Works Deadpool you just

forget about everything that you look for with the

pistol and enjoy the themed vibe it gives off,

although it’s very much still a decent

preforming gun but that just floats

away when all you mind can see is...

I’m Deadpool!

There are most definitely other good

shout-outs, such as Vorsk’s VX-14

which is definitely an excellent budgetfriendly

starter pistol, but also perfectly fine for a more

intermediate player! Mine is still running well. I also

quite like the WE 1911s as they give that more classic,

old school look and preform as a good mid-level pistol

with a solid recoil kick…

There are actually so many out there we’re spoilt for

choice really, but like I said at the start it’s really down

to individuality on what you’re looking for in a pistol.

If it’s just going to be a “shelf queen” then I’d say

get the best looking classic 1911 you can find as it’s

for you to admire and enjoy, but for performance?

Well, I’m sticking to my ICS Legacy ...but you do

you! Find out what your kinky is, whether you prefer

the hard-kicker or subtle and smooth; neither one is

wrong or right but you’ll just know once you start

popping the BBs out!

Bill: I won’t get into my latest “2011” as I

only reviewed the G&G STP45 PRO in Issue

169, but I will tell you that ‘t’s a very fine

pistol; if you’d like to know more then please

just head on over to the BACK

ISSUES section on the AA website!

I am going to follow up on Ben’s

comment above about ICS though, but

with one of the other new models, the

Carnotaurus!

I’ve made no bones about the fact

that I love a split-slide design, and the

Carnotaurus has performed consistently

well at 10 metres on steels too,

using.30g BBs, even on cooler days.

However, it does appear to be superefficient

on VORSK V8 FUEL, cycling

the rear of the slide quickly and

efficiently, and having no problem

whatsoever emptying the entire 30 BB

magazine at a solid, consistent power

level.

As with other designs of this

style it also

rocks when

you fit it

with a suppressor (all three

models are delivered with a

muzzle adaptor), and given that

the front of the slide remains

fixed in place it seems purposedesigned

for this! Overall, with a

taclite and the suppressor fitted it

looks very cool indeed, and with

“HONESTLY THIS LITTLE BEAST IS WELL WORTH IT AND THEN SOME,

FIRES LIKE A WET DREAM (WITHOUT ANY OF THE AFTERMATH MESS LOL), HAS NEVER

JAMMED, MISFIRED NOR LET ME DOWN, SO MY HAT’S OFF TO ICS ON THIS BEAUTIFUL

PIECE OF AIRSOFT ARTISTRY!”


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

RAVEN HI CAPA 4.3

Price: iro £90.00

Age: 5 Years

Weight: 880g

Length: 220mm






Suppressor Compatibility: Good

Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com

WE DESERT WARRIOR 4.3

Price: iro £110.00

Age: 8 Years

Weight: 995g

Length: 202mm




Holster Compatibility: Okay



Available From: www.alphadeltaairsoft.com

ARMY ARMAMENT R501

Price: iro £80.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 1020g

Length: 218mm







Available From: www.taiwangun.com

ARMY ARMAMENT R604 (FAIL)

Price: iro £95.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 1030g

Length: 225mm








ARMY ARMAMENT R45A1

Price: iro £45.00

Age: 5 Years

Weight: 700g

Length: 170mm








54


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

the fast cycling you can certainly “double

tap” to your heart’s content! As I’ve said

before with other similar designs, this is

another fine example of how elegant yet

aggressive and thoroughly unique design

can be married to the total understanding

of how a GBB pistol works to create a

platform that if anything shoots even

better than it looks!

As regular readers of AA will know, I’ve

been following the magnificent VORSK

story right from the very beginning, and

indeed from the very first of their pistol

models that landed in the UK! After

some initial question-marks the player

community in both the UK and now

in Europe has REALLY embraced

the VORSK brand, not only for

the performance they give from

the get-go, but also because of

their unique and thoroughly modern

styling!

Moving on, whether it’s attractive

(ultimately performance-related)

design touches, hi-vis “irons” as

standard, suppressor-ready

threaded outer barrels, green

gas or C02 compatibility

as the norm (with all the

necessary parts included in

the box!), or indeed as in

the case of the VX-14

an extended

inner barrel

and accompanying suppressor as part of the

deal, VORSK pistols continue to impress and offer

us simply…. MORE! None of us that play airsoft are

made of money (c’mon, we play airsoft, it’s a money

pit!) so it’s vitally important that what we spend our

money on not only does the job intended, but does

it in an exemplary fashion, and all those extras that

come as standard with a VORSK pistol mean that our

money is being well-spent.

I’ve been continuing to shoot all the VORSK models

in the RED CELL long-term test pool on a regular

basis, and all of them have now undergone some

basic maintenance (just a tidy up and an application of

MAGLUBE where required to be honest…) and seals

on the magazines have been replaced the original

models are still rocking.

One of my “go to fightin’ irons” is the Vorsk Hi

Capa 5.1; when my ICS Mk18 arrived and I looked

around for a complementary pistol in a deep “SF

Bronze”, the Vorsk pistol really jumped out

at me! The addition

of a slightly longer

pistol to my armoury

(I usually run with an 4.3) means

that I can have a specific sidearm for

general field use, one that is easily

capable of delivering BBs beyond my

usual “10m rule” if necessary, but

that is in operation one that I have

“muscle memory” for. It also meant I

could use my existing Hi Capa magazines

(WIN! No new mags needed!), my existing Kydex

Customs Holster, and have a secondary that matched

up beautifully to my new shiny primary… yeah, that’s

me being a true airsofter right there!

And when it comes to performance the Vorsk 5.1

Hi Capa is impressive! It chrono’s consistently using

their own V6 gas and .20g Precision BBs and on the

10m range it’s 100% dead-on! I’m currently running

the 5.1 absolutely stock… well, almost! I have made

a change in that the stock bronze model comes with

a very cool FDE wrap-round grip and trigger guard

assembly, but all the accents on my Mk18 are black!

A quiet word with the ever-patient-with-me Mark at

Vorsk though saw a black assembly on its way to me,

“I’VE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME LOVIN’ TIME WITH THE VORSK VX-14, AND

GIVEN IT A GOOD HAMMERING! IT IS A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED PISTOL, AND

STRAIGHT OUT THE BOX IT’S PERFECTLY FINE, IT JUST NEEDED A LITTLE CLEAN UP

AND WASH UP ON THE RUBBER AND I WAS HAPPY TO FIELD IT”


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

TM DETONICS COMBATMASTER

Price: iro £105.00

Age: 11+ years!

Weight: 634g

Length: 178mm







Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk

VFC ULTRA CARRY

Price: iro £150.00

Age: 3 Years 2 Months

Weight: 711g

Length: 176mm







Available From: www.vegaforce.com

VORSK VX-9

Price: iro £140.00 (with extended inner barrel and suppressor)

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 873g

Length: 220mm


Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps (no extension)




Suppressor Compatibility: YES!!!

Available From: www.vorskairsoft.com

RWA NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM RECON (CO2)

Price: iro £140.00

Age: 4 Years

Weight: 908g

Length: 220mm







Available From: https://uk.redwolfairsoft.com

ICS CHALLENGER

Price: iro £190.00

Age: 2 Years 7 months

Weight: 970g

Length: 220mm






Suppressor Compatibility: Yes

Available From: www.icsbb.com

56


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

and this was easily and quickly fitted by Jimmy! My

5.1 now marries up to the Mk18 perfectly… and I

love it!

But, I am sad to report that (at last) we have had

one “catastrophic failure” in our 1911/2011 pool, and

that’s the ARMY R604…

Yup, the slide decided it had

encountered quite enough of

our combined abuse, and, after

some 4,200 BBs through

it, the poor old ARMY just decided

enough was enough!

It was shooting fine, until one day

the slide locked back, and closer

inspection revealed that the slide had

cracked around the hammer-housing

beneath the red dot, and cracked enough

that it had deformed and locked against the hammer

itself, damaging that too.

In essence that would mean replacing the slide (if

one could be found), the hammer, and the associated

springs; it appears that the metal beneath the red dot

plate-area was thinner, and therefore not quite up to

handle the long-term impact of the slide action.

So, for the first time we decided to “retire”

the R604, although the R501 without the red dot

mounting-option is still very much alive and kicking!

This means that over the testing period of the RED

CELL program we have only had one major failure,

something that says a lot about the quality of airsoft

pistols, and most certainly 1911/2011 designs, that

are available to us these days.

We’ll now compile all our notes with a view to

commenting on ALL the models we’ve tested and

look to get this information out there later in Q4 of

this year! AA

“I AM SAD TO REPORT THAT AT LAST WE HAVE HAD ONE “CATASTROPHIC FAILURE” IN

OUR 1911/2011 POOL, AND THAT’S THE ARMY R604… YUP, THE SLIDE DECIDED IT HAD

ENCOUNTERED QUITE ENOUGH OF OUR COMBINED ABUSE, AND AFTER SOME 4,200

BBS THROUGH IT THE POOR OLD ARMY JUST DECIDED ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH”


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

ICS LEGACY

Price: iro £180.00

Age: One Year

Weight: 886g

Length: 205mm

Magazine Capacity: 30BBs






Supplied By: www.icsbb.com

ICS CARNOTAURUS

Price: iro £190.00

Age: One Year

Weight: 962g

Length: 220mm







Supplied By: www.icsbb.com

G&G STP 45 PRO

Price: iro £190.00

Age: 6 Months

Weight: 820g

Length: 203mm







Supplied By: www.guay2.com

VORSK HI CAPA 5.1

Price: iro £140.00

Age: 3 Years

Weight: 250g

Length: 900mm








VORSK VX-14

Price: iro £120.00 (Tan, Black £110.00)

Age: 2 Years

Weight: 872g

Length: 223mm (342mm with Suppressor)






Suppressor Compatibility: Yes, supplied


58


RED CELL

1911/2011 UPDATE

Red Cell is supported by:


TAP/CLICK DESCRIPTIONS TO VIEW ON MILITARY1ST.CO.UK

KIT & GEAR

SATAC

SATAC

KICKS IN!

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR WE REPORTED VIA OUR DAILY WEB NEWS THAT IN A BOLD MOVE

SPECNA ARMS BRAND HAVE INTRODUCED THE SATAC LINE OF EQUIPMENT TO GO ALONG WITH

THEIR MASSIVE AND EVER-IMPROVING LINE OF AEGS! AS THE NEW RANGE OF GEAR STARTS TO

ROLL OUT BILL HAS BEEN CASTING HIS EYE OVER WHAT’S NEW, WHILST MIGUEL HAS ALREADY BEEN

OUT FIELD-TESTING!

It’s something that, in fairness, we have seen before,

a manufacturer of airsoft platforms turning their

attention to the world of tactical gear to provide a

“full spectrum offering” for players worldwide, and in

some cases this has been massively successful!

Specna Arms are the latest to take the gear-route,

and knowing that they now have some folk in their

“design mix” that understand fabrics and equipment

Construction, it’s no real surprise that they’ve thrown

their hat (or should that be plate carrier?) into this

already highly-contested arena!

I’ve long been of the opinion that, as airsofters,

as much as we may like the “real-deal-gucci”, there

are now sufficient manufacturers offering dedicated

load-bearing solutions that we really don’t need to be

dipping into the supply chain of the “real”, especially

when we know that a good deal of real gear is

desperately needed elsewhere!

To illustrate my point, I politely turned down

numerous invitations to visit ENFORCE TAC this year

as it’s my personal belief that the companies supplying

the professional users, “the guys at the sharp end”,

whose lives depend on their gear shouldn’t be

wasting their time with someone who creates an

airsoft magazine.

THE GEAR

However, I did most certainly spend some time at IWA

to talk to them about the new SATAC (Specna Arms

Tactical) gear, gear designed by airsofters for airsofters

(sound familiar?), and their new QR II Plate Carrier is

an ideal solution for those looking for comfort and

reliability in difficult conditions.

Made from high-quality 500D CORUND fabric,

the carrier is designed to carry two M-Size SAPIstyle

plates (not included), and with some innovative

features such as the quick release system and

compatibility with a yet-to-come “Buckle Up” system,

the carrier provides very good functionality and

comfort.

The QR II Plate Carrier features:

• Quick release system - two polymer QD buckles

allow the carrier to be quickly removed in

seconds

• Laser cut MOLLE Laser Cut system – this

reduces the weight of the carrier whilst

maintaining full functionality

• Compatible with MOLLE/PALS system – you

can attach additional pouches, pockets and

accessories easily on Velcro or via the MOLLE

system

• Flat pocket with organiser - convenient storage

of small items on the front panel

• Velcro fasteners for patches and insignia -

located on the front and back of the carrier

• Evac handle - allows the carrier to be grabbed

“SPECNA ARMS ARE THE LATEST TO TAKE THE GEAR-ROUTE, AND KNOWING THAT THEY NOW

HAVE SOME FOLK IN THEIR “DESIGN MIX” THAT UNDERSTAND FABRICS AND EQUIPMENT

CONSTRUCTION IT’S NO REAL SURPRISE THAT THEY’VE THROWN THEIR HAT (OR SHOULD

THAT BE PLATE CARRIER?) INTO THIS ALREADY HIGHLY-CONTESTED ARENA!”

62


KIT & GEAR

SATAC

or carried quickly in an emergency

situation

• Space for M-Size and

Side SAPI inserts

- dedicated for

protective inserts

(not included)

• Elastic

cummerbands

– for ease of

adjustment of

the carrier to

virtually any

body shape

• Comfort Pads -

velcro-fastened

cushioning

inserts protect

the cover from

perspiration

and improve

air circulation

between the

body and the carrier

• Two front panels - two panels included, one

plain to allow any configuration of pouches

and the other with three integrated magazine

pouches

To kick the range off, in addition to the QR II

and some basic pouches (with more to come I

understand), there are two excellent “gear luggers” to

look at.

Whilst we all want gear to actually

play in, we also need reliable

equipment to transport our game-gear

and keep it squared away in the Safe

Zone, and Specna Arms have addressed

this from the get-go!

The 120L SATAC gear bag is a

durable, roomy option designed to

carry equipment, easily accommodating

a plate carrier, helmet, belt, extra

clothing, batteries, BBs, gas, and much

more. The bag has been designed

with the user’s comfort in mind, offering the

ability to transform it into a backpack thanks to the

adjustable straps with comfort

pads.

Key features:

• Large capacity -

80x50x30cm of pace

provides enough

room for equipment

and tactical

accessories

• Adjustable

straps with comfort

pads - allows the bag to

be worn comfortably as a

travel backpack

• Velcro-backed carry

handles - provide additional

options for transporting the

bag

• Side zip pocket - allows

for secure storage of small

items

• Side carry handle -

makes the bag easy to carry

• Compatible with MOLLE

system - allows additional pouches to be

attached

• Velcro on bag flap - ideal for attaching

nametapes or team patches

• Three mesh organisers inside the flap -

perfect for storing small items such as wallet,

documents, keys

“I DID MOST CERTAINLY SPEND SOME TIME AT IWA TO TALK WITH

THEM ABOUT THE NEW SATAC (SPECNA ARMS TACTICAL) GEAR, GEAR DESIGNED BY

AIRSOFTERS FOR AIRSOFTERS (SOUND FAMILIAR?), AND THEIR NEW QR II PLATE CARRIER

IS AN IDEAL SOLUTION FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR COMFORT AND RELIABILITY IN DIFFICULT

CONDITIONS”


KIT & GEAR

SATAC

The 40L SATAC pack has been purpose-designed to

organise and carry tactical equipment and accessory

items, both in

the Safe Zone, and out

in the

field for longerduration

games;

it offers a

spacious

solution for

organising

all the

equipment

you may

need to

carry into

a fixed

position

or FOB.

Thanks

to the

adjustable

straps

with

comfort

pads,

the 40L

pack offers

comfort and

convenience

even when

worn for longer

periods of time.

Key features:

• Large capacity - the working space of the

backpack provides enough room for equipment

and tactical accessories

• Adjustable shoulder straps with comfort pads

- allows the pack to be worn comfortably,

ensuring all-day comfort

• Velcro-connected carry handles - an additional

option for carrying the pack

• Side zip pocket - allows for secure storage of

small items

• Zipped compartments - designed to organise

items in the pack

• Compatible with MOLLE system - allows

the attachment of additional pouches and

accessories

• Velcro fastener on the front of the backpack -

perfect for attaching nametaps or team patches

• Three mesh organisers inside the flap - ideal for

storing small items such as wallets, documents

or keys

So, having now had my hands on the new SATAC

gear at IWA, I will say that they are very competently

designed and made with the user in mind, and the

500D CORUND fabric ( a new fabric to me and many

of my “fabrics friends”!) does appear to be extremely

tough and durable. As ever though, the proof of this

will become apparent “in the field” very quickly, and

thankfully Miguel has been able to test some of the

new SATAC gear out in the wild, so I’ll hand things

over to him!

USER PERSPECTIVE

During 2024 it didn’t take much paying attention

to understand how much Specna Arms grew!

They attacked the market with many new AEGs,

new accessories, BBs, brand-new and innovative

technologies, and their biggest launch until today, the

PRIME series. Almost every two months, there was

something new coming out!

So maybe in 2025 things would calm down, but

nooooo...! The word “brake” doesn’t exist in the

brand’s dictionary, and just a few days into the New

Year we started seeing the word “SATAC” (Specna

Arms Tactical) and we were into another new

adventure!

So it goes without a doubt that I had to get my

hands on some of these new items, and the good

people at Specna Arms were kind enough to send

over one of their new plate carrier models, in this

case, the QR II.

The name itself kinda gives away what kind of plate

carrier we are talking about, a Quick Release model,

that follows one of the trends that see in the tactical

gear world.

Focusing on the main feature of this QR II model,

there are the elastic cummerbands with a quick

release system.

This system not only lets us put the vest on and

take it off without the use of velcro (like we see on

older models), but the elastic sides will adjust to our

body easier, and if they are well-adjusted, they can

“SO MAYBE IN 2025 THINGS WOULD CALM DOWN, BUT NOOOOO...! THE WORD “BRAKE”

DOESN’T EXIST IN THE BRAND’S DICTIONARY, AND JUST A FEW DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR

WE STARTED SEEING THE WORD “SATAC” (SPECNA ARMS TACTICAL) AND WE WERE INTO

ANOTHER NEW ADVENTURE”

64


KIT & GEAR

SATAC

even help support part of the weight; just don’t have

it too tight, or it will become uncomfortable after a

while, especially if you are carrying something in the

cummerband’s pouches, like mags or a radio… and

pay even closer attention if you use a combat shirt.

An issue that I found is that the laser cut here are

not large enough to fit MOLLE pouches... I’m not sure

if this is by design, and these are only meant to hold

small objects, like a pen, or a chemlight, but it would

be interesting to have the option of adding smaller

pouches to the side, like a pistol magazine or grenade

pouch.

The QR II comes with two options for the front

panel; you can choose the normal panel, where

you can later add mag pouches or anything to your

liking, or you can use the with three integrated mag

pouches. These integrated mag pouches can easily

fit AR/M4 or AK magazines, but in the case of M4

magazine (even the PMAG style ones) they don’t really

stay snugly in place, so it’s better to use the retention

cords… there is a bit too much space between the

integrated elastics that hold the pouches.

The laser cut does give it a modern and sleek

design though, while helping to reduce some overall

weight. There is still the topic of is being sturdier or

not, comparing to regular MOLLE, and that might

come down to the material used. In this case, Specna

Arms claim to use a material called Corund, and

to be more specific Corund 500D. To be honest, I

never heard of this material, and no search helped me

to get any info about it, so I guess time will tell how

good it is.

As many other plate carriers, the QR II comes with

two shoulder pads that are easy to set up, so if you

also adjust the vest for height (like I did), remember to

set up the pads correctly! For some reason, I’ve seen

more and more players completely ignoring this after

adjusting their vest.

One (literally) cool feature that I like are the

comfort-pads inserted in the inside part of the

vest; these aim to offer more comfort and improve

air circulation to the wearer, especially for those

prolonged games, and at the same time they help the

QR II keep its form. Since it doesn’t come with any

fake SAPI plates, that’s a plus.

The other thing that came to mind is that these

might be washable, so after a good while using it,

you can just remove the pads and throw them into

the washer, or just have them sit in water. As a slight

minus, one aspect that disappointed me is the storage

space in the front pocket. It’s normally the space

where I like to keep my smartphone, but this one is

just too small… and my smartphone is not even that

big!

I do believe that Specna Arms is onto something

here, and don’t think they are stopping, more

products will be released!

The QR II Plate Carrier is the brand’s take on more

modern models; it’s built in Corund 500D, which

looks sturdy, but nothing like the test of time. The

fact that it’s quite comfortable and light is a huge

plus, since we like to play in some longer games, and

everything counts!

Right now the most of the new SATAC range,

including the QR II, can be found in OD, Tan, Black,

Multicam and Wz.93. But, more patterns are on the

way! Our thanks to our friends at Specna Arms for

letting us test this new product first hand, and if this

interests you, you can already find SATAC gear in your

Specna Arms stockist or at www.gunfire.com! AA

“ONE (LITERALLY) COOL FEATURE THAT I LIKE ARE THE COMFORT-PADS INSERTED IN THE

INSIDE PART OF THE VEST; THESE AIM TO OFFER MORE COMFORT AND IMPROVE AIR

CIRCULATION TO THE WEARER, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE PROLONGED GAMES, AND AT THE

SAME TIME THEY HELP THE QR II KEEP ITS FORM”


KIT & GEAR

RAINWEAR

DANGEROUS

WHEN WET!

HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED AIRSOFT IN THE RAIN? SURE, IT CAN BE DEMOTIVATING WAKING UP EARLY

TO GO TO A GAME, JUST TO FIND OUT THAT IT WILL PROBABLY RAIN ALL DAY! BUT THROUGH THE

YEARS MIGUEL HAS DISCOVERED THAT PLAYING IN THE RAIN IS NOT THE HARD PART… THE HARD

PART IS GEARING UP WHILE IN THE RAIN, AND THEN TAKING CARE OF OUR GEAR AFTER A GAME!

Playing airsoft in the rain can be challenging, but

it can also add another level of “immersion”

to our games which some, including me,

will embrace! Just remember, it’s important to dry

everything that was some sort of electronics in it

(replicas, radios, red dots, etc.), to avoid any future

issue with humidity!

But, I’m here to talk about the game part!

Although the rain won’t bother us that much while

we are moving, doing objectives and skirmishing

around, as soon as we stop, it will get to us. If we

lack any sort of rain protective layer, sooner or later,

we will start to feel discomfort, and the humidity will

ingrain through our light soft shells, combat shirts,

and footwear, and it will bother us, especially if it’s

windy and cold. And here is where a good jacket

comes into play.

Adding that extra layer that will protect our upper

body from the weather, be it rain, cold or even both,

and can make a huge difference in-game. It doesn’t

matter if it’s a smaller skirmish or a bigger game, a

good jacket will free us from most issues regarding

bad weather.

It’s also important to mention that these reviews are

based on the weather that we find in Portugal, which

normally allows us to play all year round, but today,

with the help of our friends at Military1st, I will show

you four jackets that are great options to bring to the

field every time the good-weather gods refuse to bless

our airsoft time.

LIGHT IS RIGHT

Let’s begin with two lighter options, and the move

on to the heavier ones later; the Tramontane and

Windrunner (a favourite of Bill’s I know), both from

Helikon-Tex. Since both are quite similar, I’m going

to do a global review and then point out the few

differences.

“ALTHOUGH THE RAIN WON’T BOTHER US THAT MUCH WHILE WE ARE MOVING, DOING

OBJECTIVES AND SKIRMISHING AROUND, AS SOON AS WE STOP, IT WILL GET TO US. IF WE

LACK ANY SORT OF RAIN PROTECTIVE LAYER, SOONER OR LATER, WE WILL START TO FEEL

DISCOMFORT”

68


KIT & GEAR

RAINWEAR

The Tramontane and the

Windrunner are what we usually

call “windcutter” jackets, which

are normally very light

while offering suitable

protection against the

weather. Both have a

layer that repels water

up to a point, so

don’t expect these

jackets to offer

much protection in

a downpour. But,

let’s be honest,

playing in heavy

rain is quite

rare, since most

organizations

tend to stop or

cancel the event

in such conditions!

So most of the time we will face light rain and

for these conditions, both these jackets are a great

option. But, do keep in mind, that after a good while

the water will

find its way

in, so what

I did was

spray them

a bit with a

hydrophobic

spray… and it

worked quite

well!

One of the

main aspects

that I like

about both

these jackets

are the selfstorage

inner

pockets. With

these you can

have stuff the

whole jacket

in a small

(almost) hand-size pouch, and they only weigh around

120-140g. This way you can always have a jacket

ready to use in one of your vest pouches or backpack

during the rainy season, and, when it’s not needed,

it won’t take that much space in our already huge

airsoft storage (*whistles to the air*).

Both jackets also share other similarities, like

elastic cuffs, both are made with ripstop nylon,

have an adjustable hood and YKK zippers. But,

when it comes to their differences, it’s mostly

from design; while the Windrunner has a halftorso

zipper and two front pockets, which are

connected, along with reinforced elbows and

under arm mesh area for better breathing, the

Tramontane has a full front zipper and one chest

pocket (with is also used as the self-storage).

There is not that much to go over in both

these options, they are light, can be stored easily

and offer sufficient protection against light

rain. It’s still a good idea

to use a

fleece or a combat

shirt under,

because after a while

the water

that stays on the

jacket might find

a way in. But,

at least here in

Portugal, for

the weather

that we

usually have,

both the

Windrunner

and the

Tramontane

are great

options.

These

are also

jackets

that

come in the most options

like Coyote, Alpha Green (kinda like a

Ranger Green), Flecktarn, Tiger Stripe, Black, Shadow

Grey, Desert Night and WildWoods, along the M81

Woodland that I’m using.

“ADDING THAT EXTRA LAYER THAT WILL PROTECT OUR UPPER BODY FROM THE WEATHER,

BE IT RAIN, COLD OR EVEN BOTH, AND CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN-GAME. IT DOESN’T

MATTER IF IT’S A SMALLER SKIRMISH OR A BIGGER GAME, A GOOD JACKET WILL FREE US

FROM MOST ISSUES REGARDING BAD WEATHER”


KIT & GEAR

RAINWEAR

LAYERING UP

Now let’s get the next jacket on, and following the

trend, this one is the middle

point between light and heavier

options. The next up is the MFH

US Softshell Jacket Level 5 in

OD green, and since it’s a big

name, let’s go with MFH Level

5.

After testing this jacket for

a while, I consider it simply a

slightly bulkier waterproof soft

shell, since it mostly has the

same characteristics as one. The

hook and loop in the arms and

chest for patches, nickname,

and even rank and the fullfrontal

zipper, which also has

what they call a storm flap,

so water doesn’t slip through

the zipper. But I don’t mean

it as a bad thing, I’m used to

wearing soft shells, especially

during the winter, so if I can

have something that’s similar,

but works as a protective layer against rain... that’s

awesome!

Now, as we

during

MFH

are talking about jackets to use

rainy days, of course the

Level 5 also falls into

that category.

It’s built with

water and

windproof

capabilities,

but, at the

same, time

it’s quite

breathable;

I can even

say that it

won’t help

that much

in keeping

us warm! So,

it’s a good idea to

bring an interior layer according to the cold weather

that you are up against. Against rain it will work

wonders though, and that’s

the main goal here. The nylon

and elastane construction is

well done, and you will be safe

against light and/or moderate

rain… but against a heavy

downpour... I’m not so sure.

But again, like I mentioned

before, rare are the events that

go on in those conditions.

The MFH Level 5 comes

with a few more details, like

an adjustable hood that can

be stored in the collar, two

concealed front mesh pockets,

which, due to their design and

location, can still be reached

while using a plate carrier.

I know that there is still one

jacket to go... but, overall,

the MFH Level 5 would be

my pick as the best solution

among all four jackets; in my

opinion it’s the best of two worlds, it’s light enough

to just be a normal piece of uniform, but at the same

time it offers great protection against the majority of

bad weather that we find in events. Not only that, but

it’s also breathable and can easily be used in a normal

game day, expect summer of course. The MFH level 5

can be found in OD, Tan and Black.

It’s now time for the final entry on our list, and

the heaviest option on the list, which is the Tactical

SoftShell from STOIRM.

As you would expect from a quality soft shell, it

will offer top-notch protection against both the cold

and the rain. One of the main features is the Teflon

coating, which adds an extra layer against what the

weather throws at us, but at the same time, keeps the

jacket light enough to be considered a viable option

to use in game.

The interior is lined with fleece, and as you can

guess, works wonders to keep us warm, but at the

same time we have two under-arm zippers that we

can open to help ventilate. Some rainy days can be

“THE WINDRUNNER HAS A HALF-TORSO ZIPPER AND TWO FRONT POCKETS, WHICH ARE

CONNECTED, ALONG WITH REINFORCED ELBOWS AND UNDER ARM MESH AREA FOR BETTER

BREATHING, THE TRAMONTANE HAS A FULL FRONT ZIPPER AND ONE CHEST POCKET (WITH IS

ALSO USED AS THE SELF-STORAGE)”

70


KIT & GEAR

RAINWEAR

very humid, and if

that humidity can

only vent up, it will

end up fogging our

eye pro, so having

extra means to

keep the body not

too hot is a good

idea.

The hood that

we find stored in

the collar also has

the same Teflon

coating, but the

zipper that opens

the collar is a bit

too small, and

with gloves it will

be hard to find;

maybe it would

have been a good

idea to have a

string or something

similar. On the

other side, the zipper for the interior pocket comes in

bright orange, which helps a lot to spot it if we

need to

use it! All the pockets come

with YKK

zippers and are also lined

with

fleece.

This soft shell

comes with

a total of six

pockets, two in

the arms, two

in the waist,

one in the

chest and

one interior

pocket. And

it comes to

no surprise

that we also

have the

good old

hook and

loop in the

arms for all our patches, and, if you look

closely, there is even a small insert where

we can place a pen.

This Tactical SoftShell from STOIRM also

features a few more details, like an interior

storm flap, so rain doesn’t pass the zipper,

adjustable cuffs and waist. And, something

that is seen more and more, elastic thumbhole

cuffs, which are great to help keep the

hands warm.

It’s no question that this is a great jacket,

but I don’t see myself using it in-game;

it’s bulkier, and it will get warm really

fast. Of course, I’m speaking from my

experience, since here we rarely have very

low temperatures, so the need for warm

jackets are rare. Now, for day to day use,

it’s just awesome! It has a good and simple

design, with plenty of pockets, and great

protection against the rain and cold.

I want to thank our friends at www.

military1st.co.uk for sending over these

jackets for this special article. AA

“OVERALL, THE MFH LEVEL 5 WOULD BE MY PICK AS THE BEST SOLUTION AMONG ALL FOUR

JACKETS; IN MY OPINION IT’S THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS, IT’S LIGHT ENOUGH TO JUST

BE A NORMAL PIECE OF UNIFORM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT OFFERS GREAT PROTECTION

AGAINST THE MAJORITY OF BAD WEATHER”


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

SPEEDQB:

THE LAST

DANCE...

SPEEDQB OR ‘SPEEDSOFT’ HAS BEEN A SOMEWHAT DIVISIVE

PLAY-STYLE IN MANY CORNERS OF THE WORLD; WITH HPA

SYSTEMS AND THEIR ILK JUST COMING TO THE FORE IN THE UK

AS OUR MAN IN TAIWAN WAS LEAVING HIS HOMELAND, AND THE

MORE ATHLETIC AND PAINTBALL-ESQUE PLAY STYLE LANDING IN

HIS NEW FOUND HOME NOT LONG AFTER HIS ARRIVAL, HOW HAS THE

LANDSCAPE CHANGED SINCE THEN? STEWBACCA CAUGHT UP WITH

THE SCENE AND OLD FRIEND ‘N00B_SOFT’ WHO STARTED THE WHOLE

STORY IN TAIWAN BUT IS NOW LOOKING TO STEP AWAY AND RETURN TO

THE US IN THE SHORT TERM FUTURE, LEAVING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY

AND SPECIALISED GAMING SITES HE HELPED BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP IN

HIS WAKE.

74


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

When I cast my eyes back over the now years

of work I’ve got behind me here in Taiwan

(literally hundreds of reviews, events,

competitions I’ve covered, and all recorded in my

typically nerdy spreadsheets I have for everything),

covering the SpeedQB scene

was actually the first thing I

did after the inauguration of

the Airsoft Action Legion!

My “Island Insider report

No. 001”, way back in

issue 112, was “Live and

let DYE”, covering the

very first SpeedQB Taiwan

competition back in the

(now unfortunately defunct)

Action Bunker underground

game site, in the east end

of Taipei.

This was back when

my original TaiWan

Anglophone Team

(TWAT) were beginning

to transition largely into

that play style before

the dark times of the

WHO-Flu takeover ruining

everything, and I was dabbling in the game style

myself as it was burgeoning in Taiwan.

Myself and my fellow TWATs played off against a

number of other teams in the inaugural competition

n00b had pushed the organisation of, along with our

help - and that of the other teams - to bring a true

community-driven feel to the whole thing.

As in the UK, the advent of SQB had caused

the usual ripples and raised eyebrows from the

predominantly hardcore MilSim crowd (which I have

always admittedly been more a part of) and shifted

into team Taiji in the end as a result of my TWAT

teammates going more into the SQB side of things full

force, or otherwise people having kids or other adult

responsibilities that drew them away from the game.

This was alongside COVID shutdowns and

distancing eventually reaching Taiwan, and despite

the otherwise stellar job at holding out against its

spread internally while we watched the rest of the

world suffering. To be fair, we were the only game

in town for a lot of things going on in the world as

most players were shut in at home and focusing on

maintenance, gear, upgrading or testing as and when

they could.

Nonetheless, I look back on that initial foray as well

as Issue 119’s follow up, “A Good Day To DYE Hard”,

a few months later where I’d been

working on

the side at

Action Bunker

in my own time

in exchange for

free gaming.

Given just how

much time I

spent there in

my early years,

setting up the

firing range and

helping design

the ‘covers’ or

obstacles that Steve

and his woodwork

suppliers would

deliver to bring

the ‘second strike’

to fruition, playing

within TWAT again

as well as

covering the event

meant I was all over the shop taking photos in the

arena and dodging fire, as well as hanging out in

the crow’s nest to get oversight of the game rounds I

didn’t have to participate in.

But the growing community and its spirit buoyed

things along, and I’d later revisit and dabble in

“Going Dark” in issue 138; their foray into a full-auto

night game down in the outskirts of my earlier native

Hsinchu where I spent my first two years in country,

at the recently closed 6 Highlands outdoor site

with its dedicated CQB area. Suffice to say, despite

drifting further from the scene in my years and being

increasingly too busy with covering and taking part

in all manner of shooting competitions for IPSC and

IDPA, or MilSims all over the main island and outlying

ones, when I heard about “The Last Dance” I knew I

had to go and revisit the crowd once again and be a

part of it.

“MY ISLAND INSIDER REPORT NO. 001 WAY BACK IN ISSUE 112 WAS ‘LIVE AND LET

DYE’ COVERING THE VERY FIRST SPEEDQB TAIWAN COMPETITION BACK IN THE NOW

UNFORTUNATELY DEFUNCT ACTION BUNKER UNDERGROUND GAME SITE IN THE EAST END OF

TAIPEI”

76


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

A GRAND FINALE

Held at the now thriving ‘Speed Battlefield’ in the

industrial area outskirts of northern Changhua

(just south of Taiwan’s second city Taichung in

the midlands), the grand finale was being held

on Sunday the 15th of December and having

wrapped up my MOA coverage and IPSC

competition in November (earlier in the year

than the past few instances), I had a bit more of

an opening in the calendar to cover something

different.

Taking the Taiwan High Speed Rail to

Taichung on the Sunday morning followed, by a

bus that happened to pass the end of the road

the site is on, I arrived just after the briefing

wrapped up in time for the 10:00 kick off.

Nine teams would field their five-person

squads, pooled usually from an overall team

size of 6 or so where possible to give some

redundancy. 38 rounds in total would see

every team face off against every other,

before gradually sorting out the highest

performers to take each other on in the

semi and final rounds to decide who would

walk away with the champion title.

A leviathan task, to be sure, but the ‘Pew Logic’

crew were already hard at work, with many familiar

faces from my MilSim and IPSC exploits manning the

observation stands or sides and corners of the field,

adjudicating on gameplay

and any discrepancies, adorned in

high visibility vests, flashing head/arm/wrist bands

and full face protection. Some even sporting riot

shields to minimise their inadvertent exposure to the

furore of tracer BBs blanketing the arena as soon as

the game on electronic whistle went off!

Many of the original teams I’d played alongside

way back “when we was comin’ up” were out in full

force, with previous champions OPS, who formed

from members of TWAT before some of them left

the game and absorbed others as well, and KSJV

alongside the ‘Filipino death squads’ of Task Force

141 and their spin off team PYB, who we tend to

encounter practising at some of the same sites we run

CQB games at and are no less nimble or athletic than I

remember from my earlier days!

Newcomers were also joining the ranks, with DUC,

SNAP, LBPS, ODBS and FWRY filling the ranks in an

array of cool looking matching team jerseys with a

variety of HiCapas, AAP01s, and other dedicated

speedsoft guns, most of them with hoses linked to

“NINE TEAMS WOULD FIELD THEIR FIVE-PERSON SQUADS, POOLED USUALLY

FROM AN OVERALL TEAM SIZE OF 6 OR SO WHERE POSSIBLE TO GIVE SOME REDUNDANCY.

38 ROUNDS IN TOTAL WOULD SEE EVERY TEAM FACE OFF AGAINST EVERY OTHER BEFORE

GRADUALLY SORTING OUT THE HIGHEST PERFORMERS TO TAKE EACH OTHER ON IN THE SEMI

AND FINAL ROUNDS”


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

their backpack tanks. Everyone was certainly running

some serious kit and doing their best to look the part,

an interesting and expressive departure from the usual

fare of camouflage-clad impressions of military gear

you’ll normally find me stumbling through the sweaty

jungles of Taiwan in with team Taiji and friends!

Many of the newer teams are composed of earlier

players who split off into their own groups, or new/

younger players who were drawn in by the indoor and

intense play style, which is certainly a bit more in-yourface

and action-packed than a typical Sunday morning

for most of my current team and our crowd.

Speed and marksmanship are still essential aspects

alongside the ducking, diving, dodging and floor

sliding more associated with the sport, and of course

everyone was running tracer units on whatever their

particular weapons setups of choice were (to make

it easier for the Umpires to track their shots and help

make calls in terms of eliminated players who may

have missed impacts on them or their gear); it’s easily

enough done - especially in that kind of intense arena

environment!

Each face-off followed the typical SQB rule set

of grabbing the flag-rag hung in the centre

and getting it to the

opponent’s

spawn point, as well as points

for eliminating opposing players,

maintaining possession of the

flag-rag throughout or even

managing to get it to the

opponent’s spawn before they

were all eliminated, followed

by a switch of ends and the

potential for a third deciding

round if there was any doubt

over who was leading.

However, for the most part

it was all over very quickly

in most cases and very few

rounds required such efforts,

as clear winners tended to

arise from the nature of

the action and just sheer

eliminations.

“SPEED AND MARKSMANSHIP ARE STILL ESSENTIAL ASPECTS ALONGSIDE THE

DUCKING, DIVING, DODGING AND FLOOR SLIDING MORE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPORT, AND

OF COURSE EVERYONE WAS RUNNING TRACER UNITS ON WHATEVER THEIR PARTICULAR

WEAPONS SETUPS OF CHOICE WERE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE UMPIRES TO TRACK THEIR

SHOTS”

78


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

I immediately donned my eyepro, lower

facemask and a hi-vis as well as some of the

flashing bands and inserted myself right into

the action as I had for the previous iteration;

you don’t get the good stuff hiding on

the sidelines outside the arena, although

there were a few windows for ‘civilians’

and teams not in play to watch the action.

Of course, I avoided getting in the way

whilst still trying to get in the thick of it to

absorb the atmosphere and the inevitable

stray rounds… nothing I’m not used to!

Throughout everything I saw the

crowd was what I have come to expect

playing and observing all aspects of the shooting

community and its different facets here in Taiwan;

friendly, jovial, welcoming and well-executed in

their sportsmanship and I didn’t personally see any

tantrums or cries of foul play throughout the day.

Despite what the internet clickbait videos you see

from other corners of the world show, it is possible to

play competitively and remain civilised, and from what

I witnessed here and in the vast majority of my

travels and gameplay, overall the

atmosphere and adjudication seemed to be positive

and clean.

The whole experience was also being live streamed

for the international crowd thanks to the efforts of

the support crew and the various cameras and phones

distributed

throughout the field,

with n00b giving a running commentary

through his phone from behind his riot shield and

getting into the middle of the action as well to give

the overseas or other remote viewers a good show.

IT’S NOT ALL CLICKBAIT!

Every round would begin with noob’s briefing at

the centre point, with each member of the teams

shaking hands and breaking to their respective

start points (all players inside the bounding

box and with guns touching their respective

backboard) which of course leads to some

interesting twister arrangements of trying to get

the best advantage of breaking and running

while still having everyone’s muzzles touching the

backstop, and of course many of the players were

sporting DYE masks with the highly reflective

visors that make for excellent photos and

particularly reflection shot close ups.

All my post-processed photos of the day

are already uploaded to my ‘Stewbacca Island

Insider’ public facebook page at time of

writing so you can feel free to check them

out at https://www.facebook.com/media/

set/?set=a.962294845956885&type=3 but suffice

to say I managed more than a few cool tracerstreak

mid-flight shots among all the other related

excitement.

The guys and gals of the SQB crowd certainly know

how to put on a show, and there were a number of

“DESPITE WHAT THE INTERNET CLICKBAIT VIDEOS YOU SEE FROM OTHER CORNERS OF THE

WORLD SHOW, IT IS POSSIBLE TO PLAY COMPETITIVELY AND REMAIN CIVILISED, AND FROM

WHAT I WITNESSED HERE AND IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY TRAVELS AND GAMEPLAY,

OVERALL THE ATMOSPHERE AND ADJUDICATION SEEMED TO BE POSITIVE AND CLEAN”


AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

awesome plays with people stalking behind enemy

lines and wiping half a team (or

more), as well

as the

floor skidding exploits and

other actions that just watching made my old

man knees sore!

Aria of DUC in particular is a very petite and fast on

her feet front-runner and she managed to duck and

dive the length of the field popping up and pistoleliminating

opponents before charging and diving at

the opponents backstop and damn near breaking her

hand in the process; thankfully it seems it wasn’t quite

so serious an injury after the fact, but, anything for

that awesome play and war story eh?

As the Heats wore on the teams would take 15

minute breaks to rest, re-arm and take stock of the

proceedings before returning to the furore against

new Opponents, until the afternoon wore on and

the leaders of the pack began to emerge from the

spreadsheets and scoreboards.

I took the opportunity to amble around the prep

area and catch up with old friends as well as local

airsoft YouTuber, QMoer, who has a habit of showing

up at the same events as me, being local media in

the same niche. Hopefully I’ll catch up with him again

early in 2025 as we have more to discuss in terms of

the overall Taiwan scene and a player’s organisation

similar to UKAPU in the UK we have been discussing

for a while, to try and cement the legitimacy of

shooting hobbies in Taiwan outside of the more

formalised international bodies such as IPSC or IDPA

that are more recognised.

The evening began to draw in and the sun started

setting, not only on the competition, but Pew Logic

and n00b’s personal involvement in the continuation

of such efforts. I’m sure, nonetheless, that the

community he helped build with many of us on the

island will endure as he has to take a step back and

prepare to return to the US after his long stint here in

his more spiritual homeland. Of course, the memories

and friendships always tend to endure after the fact

and even overseas, as I’ve personally experienced in

my time in this worldwide shooting community and

the ‘united nations of airsoft’ I regularly run as a

small part of in my new homeland here.

As the scores were collated from the final

matches and the leaders decided on for the semi

and final rounds, old school originators and

previous champion teams OPS and KSJV went on

to duke it out against the younger blood of ODBS and

FWRY.

Once the dust settled, old salts and brightly dressed

previous champions KSJV had once again come out

on top, with youngsters FWRY and ODBS on their

heels in second and third place. The awards were

presented along with the obligatory raffle of all the

supporting sponsor’s prizes and the typical swag in

the form of velcro patches and other trimmings that

everyone looks forward to collecting and adorning

their gear or patch walls with.

As the night drew in I hung around and went to

the post match hotpot dinner with noob, his wife,

John and KSJV and had a good feeding and a few

beers before we all decided to get a somewhat earlier

night and said our goodbyes.

I took a cab to Taichung central and availed myself

of a hotel there which I’d booked earlier in the day; I

had more business to attend to on my way returning

north the next day which you’ll find out about in a

future article…

Many thanks to n00b_soft for his continued

friendship and support of shooting habits in Taiwan

and helping to grow the hobby and its following

along with his Pew Logic crew. It’s always sad to see

when folks have to step back and turn over a new

leaf, but that is the way of all things in life and I’m

sure he won’t get away from me, or the rest of the

community he helped build, that easily! AA

“AS THE SCORES WERE COLLATED FROM THE FINAL MATCHES AND THE LEADERS DECIDED

ON FOR THE SEMI AND FINAL ROUNDS, OLD SCHOOL ORIGINATORS AND PREVIOUS CHAMPION

TEAMS OPS AND KSJV WENT ON TO DUKE IT OUT AGAINST THE YOUNGER BLOOD OF ODBS

AND FWRY”

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AA LEGION

TAIWAN: SPEEDQB

“THE EVENING BEGAN TO DRAW IN AND THE SUN STARTED SETTING NOT ONLY ON THE

COMPETITION, BUT PEW LOGIC AND N00B’S PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONTINUATION

OF SUCH EFFORTS; I’M SURE NONETHELESS THAT THE COMMUNITY HE HELPED BUILD WITH

MANY OF US ON THE ISLAND WILL ENDURE AS HE HAS TO TAKE A STEP BACK”


AA LEGION

UK: GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW 2025

JUST ADD

AIRSOFT…!

WHILE MOA, SHOT AND IWA DOMINATE THE ANNUAL SHOW SEASON THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER EVENTS

TO VISIT, AS YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND TUCKED AWAY! BOYCIE ONCE AGAIN TOOK

THE LEAD AS HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE 2025 ITERATION OF THE GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW, AND

FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS DISAPPOINTING IN RELATION TO AIRSOFT SPECIFICALLY, THERE WERE

STILL SOME GREAT THINGS TO SEE!

84


AA LEGION


Standing in the queue to collect my ticket from

the Box Office, there’s a sense of déjà vu... Only

a month ago we (that’s l’il Stu, Steve and myself)

were prepping to fly to Las Vegas for Shot Show, now

I’m back the Box Office, this time at the Birmingham

NEC for the Great British Shooting Show!

The show organisers tell us:

“The British Shooting Show is a rifle shooter’s

paradise. From “out of the box” factory rifles for

target shooting, deer stalking and pest control, to

the finest specialist custom builds, the choice is wide,

varied and almost endless.

Right across the show there are thousands of

brand new and used rifles for sale along with all

the current and brand new models on display from

the manufacturers. For those who are looking for a

competition rifle there are also an abundance of guns

available from tactical .22LR semi-automatic rifles right

through to the beautiful and mighty .50BMG rifles

of Accuracy International. The British Shooting Show

is the only civilian show of the year where Accuracy

International display their incredible rifle platforms.”

This is the UK’s version of Shot Show, covering all

things hunting, sports shooting and all the accessories

that go along with all the different disciplines in the

shooting world, although, sadly, airsoft still appears to

be somewhat “the poor relation” when it comes to

shooting sports events in the UK, even though airsoft

continues to grow year on year!

After being part of a big team at Shot Show, I

couldn’t help looking round to see if I could find Stu

as he’s usually my photographer. Even though he lives

not a vast distance from the NEC, unfortunately his

day job prevented him from being able to attend.

Similar with Steve too, so I collected my wrist band

and headed in to the show halls but this time “flying

solo”.

When you’ve been to Shot Show you realise just

what scale the American show is! At near on 900,000

square feet of floor area, Shot Show would most

certainly swallow the Great British Shooting Show

around six times. That being said, the GBSS is still

quite big; major distributors like Highland Outdoors,

Umarex and Sportsman Gun Centre usually have large

stands, as does Viking Arms, who were sadly not

exhibiting this year.

There were also lots of medium stands like Flash,

Bang, Smoke/Specna Arms, DNT Optics, Pellpax and

other smaller stands which included Cotswold Classic

Arms and Firing Solutions, along with a large number

of bespoke Moonshine and Vodka makers, “Ms Tita”

which is a Jamaican coffee company, and numerous

stands selling pork pies, pasties and other foodstuffs.

AIRSOFT SPECIFIC

My first stop is now getting to become a bit of a

ritual, that being to stop by the Umarex stand and

meet up with “me old mate” Scott Allan from Land

Warrior Airsoft (and other companies he owns).

We usually catch up after Shot Show and compare

notes but this year Scott had decided not to go all the

way to Vegas. That said, we had a really good chat

and have a few projects in the pipeline… Watch this

space!

Next, I sought out Airsoft Action’s good friend Trent

Halligan of “Flash, Bang, Smoke” and also importer

now of Specna Arms. Trent showed me some of

the new products coming soon to both the airsoft/

“THIS IS THE UK’S VERSION OF SHOT SHOW, COVERING ALL THINGS HUNTING, SPORTS

SHOOTING AND ALL THE ACCESSORIES THAT GO ALONG WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT

DISCIPLINES IN THE SHOOTING WORLD, ALTHOUGH SADLY AIRSOFT STILL APPEARS TO BE

SOMEWHAT “THE POOR RELATION””


AA LEGION


reenactment and professional pyrotechnics markets.

We also discussed some possible future projects

utilising the FBS products.

Time for a coffee and whilst walking the floor,

seeking out stands that I would like to go back to

later in the day; this is what the team usually does

on day one of Shot Show and it works well. As I was

walking round I spotted a small stand, and the gent

on the stand was selling coffee from a

twenty-seven-strong group of growers

on Jamaica. With Steve and L’il Stu’s wife

Lucy being big coffee fans, the least I

could do was pick up some for them!

CLEAR VISION

One area of the GBSS that I feel is really

of interest to airsoft shooters is that of

optics, and there was a LOT to check out

in this respect! Most shooters, regardless

of discipline, will use some kind of rifle

scope or optical device on, or with their

guns, and there’s a lot to look at (and

through!) at the GBSS.

These days it’s not just rifle shooters

using optics, as shotgun shooters and pistol shooters

are also taking advantage of the abundance of

new technology available to them including major

advances in thermal and night vision optics… as are

we airsofters!

So, after my usual trip to O’Donnell’s Moonshine

stand where I sampled some of their latest “adult

beverage” flavours (and bagged one of their

Pomegranate Jars!) I moved on to DNT

Optics.

This company brings in high quality

and pocket friendly Optics and

Thermal sights from Arken. I know of

these products through my day job

and I stood talking with one of the

US representatives of Arken who I’d

also spoken to whilst at Shot Show. I

mentioned that the sights are fantastic

I did say that what I’d like to see is

Arken supplying equally as high quality

mounts for their sights. I was told that

these were in development and would

likely be out this year.

I then went back to the PARD stand,

a company that is another making

high quality Night Vision and Thermal sights. I had

hoped to meet up with Tessa, who I know from the

previous company she worked with, but unfortunately

she couldn’t attend this year.

Next was a visit to the Edgar Brothers stand. Whilst

Edgar Brothers are most well-known for Military,

Police and Civilian shooting products, they are also

the importer of SIG Air products. I met up with my

contacts Sam, Jake, Paul and Will who showed me

various products from the EB portfolio. What really

impressed me (with my “real steel hat on”) were the

“ONE AREA OF THE GBSS THAT I FEEL IS REALLY OF INTEREST TO AIRSOFT SHOOTERS IS

THAT OF OPTICS, AND THERE WAS A LOT TO CHECK OUT IN THIS RESPECT! MOST SHOOTERS,

REGARDLESS OF DISCIPLINE, WILL USE SOME KIND OF RIFLE SCOPE OR OPTICAL DEVICE ON,

OR WITH THEIR GUNS, AND THERE’S A LOT TO LOOK AT (AND THROUGH!) AT THE GBSS!”

86


AA LEGION


Svemko Moderators. This company, based in Norway,

are manufacturers of really great suppressors made

from Titanium and amongst their customers are the

Norweigian Armed Forces…hopefully someone will

make these in airsoft form soon!

When we were looking at similar suppressors at

Shot Show they were priced around US$1,200 per

unit. The Svemko suppressors start at around UK£500,

which is comparable to that of Aluminium suppressors

available in the UK. One set they showed me was

supplied to the Norwegian Armed Forces and can

handle up to .338 Laupa Magnum ammo! Coming

in at around £2,100 for the boxed set, inc. a torque

wrench and all the tools required to fit and service the

‘can’, as well as a heat shroud, all presented in a nice

Peli case, it’s pretty good value.

On then to talk with Paddy from Umarex Boys Club.

The group promotes air shooting for everyone from

young to old and all abilities and this meet-up was

most important, as Paddy and the group are visiting

the range that I work at in early March. Rounding off

the day with a trip over to the Highland Outdoors

stand to have a chat with (redacted) about the MDT

products which are on show and coming soon; there’s

a really nice chassis system coming soon for the Ruger

10-22, which could be of interest to those who run

the ASG Special Teams Carbine.

WRAPPING IT

All in all the day was worthwhile for me with a lot

of networking opportunities; as my background is in

practical shooting like IPSC and UKPSA I was hoping

to have seen more representation by more companies

associated with those disciplines but there were only a

tiny amount of small stands relating to that part of the

sport.

Really even more disappointing at the GBSS was

the lack of more airsoft-related stands. Okay, there

was the Tactical Training Area at the show that was

put together and built to simulate hostile target,

or multiple hostile target, encounter scenarios.

The Tactical Training Area enabled you to navigate

corridors engaging targets using airsoft AR rifles and

gas blowback pistols kindly supplied by NUPROL

under the instruction of ex-SAS and Private Military

Contractor Phil “Big Phil” Campion.

However, I know that this is what most shooters will

immediately envision when they think about airsoft,

the quasi-military “force on force” aspect shown in

the Tactical Training Area, but there is so much more

to our “6mm world” that I believe is being missed,

and the GBSS seems to me to be a great window of

opportunity to show this off to our friends in other

parts of shooting sports along with “joe public”. Right

now though, it is very much a missed opportunity…

I may have missed a couple of smaller stands but

the only airsoft-specific ones I saw and stopped by

were Trent with Flash Bang Smoke/Specna Arms, and

Scott & Alan from Land Warrior Airsoft, based on the

Umarex main stand.

Whilst there is much to see that will be of interest

to airsofters as part of the wider shooting sports

world, I do hope that the show organisers will make

an effort to have “more 6mm” for next year. Airsoft

is a part of UK shooting sports that right now is very

much un-represented, and I feel that the show is

lesser for this!

Adding more airsoft to the already successful GBSS

mix would certainly enliven things in so many ways if

we could really show shooters from other disciplines

what we are really about, and all the different types of

airsoft shooting that exist. I hope that they will speak

more to airsoft importers and distributors to provide a

better and more representative window for airsoft in

the future.

Of course it’s not that simple, it’s a “chicken and

egg” situation… if there is more airsoft on show

at the GBSS then more airsofters will attend, but if

airsofters are not attending then there’s no reason for

“6mm” distributors or retailers to be there!

What I would say, is that there is enough on show

in relation to optics and accessories to make a day at

the GBSS worthwhile for many airsofters, and if our

numbers increase then there WILL be more airsoft at

the show in years to come… It’s up to you what you

make of any event isn’t it?

But that’s MOA covered by Stewbacca, Shot Show

covered by myself, L’il Stu and Steve, and now The

Great British Shooting Show covered too… I now pass

the torch for our show reporting to Bill and Jase for

their comprehensive coverage of IWA in the March

issue of AIRSOFT ACTION! AA

“THE TACTICAL TRAINING AREA ENABLED YOU TO NAVIGATE CORRIDORS ENGAGING TARGETS

USING AIRSOFT AR RIFLES AND GAS BLOWBACK PISTOLS KINDLY SUPPLIED BY NUPROL

UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF EX-SAS AND PRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTOR PHIL “BIG PHIL”

CAMPION”


AA LEGION

EVENT REPORT: IWA 2025

RETURN TO

EXCELLENCE!

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AS WE START TO ROUND OUT OUR SHOW SEASON FOR THIS YEAR, ONCE AGAIN IT WAS TIME FOR THE AA

CREW TO HEAD TO NUREMBERG FOR IWA, AND IN ITS 51ST YEAR THE SHOW PROMISED TO BE A ANOTHER

VERY SPECIAL ONE! WITH AIRSOFT HAVING PRETTY MUCH ITS OWN DEDICATED SPACE, A SHOW WITHIN

A SHOW AGAIN, BILL, JASE, MIGUEL, ALONG WITH NEW AA LEGION RECRUITS SARA AND BRUNO, SET

FORTH TO FIND OUT JUST WHAT WAS NEW AND EXCITING, AND TO SET UP THE YEAR AHEAD FOR AIRSOFT

ACTION!


AA LEGION


I’ll kick things off by saying that IWA 2025 was

a very proud moment in the history of AIRSOFT

ACTION, and also in my personal journey as a

writer, editor, and now company Director, as it was

the only the first time that I have attended with the

company I run day to day as a fully-fledged Media

Partner to one of the biggest shooting sports shows in

the world!

I know that I have talked about this before, but

being the first-ever airsoft magazine to be recognised

by such a majorly important show is a big old feather

in anyone’s cap, and it really is a recognition of the

continued joint efforts of a bunch of players who got

together to create something very special.

I’m insanely proud to lead up a team of some of

the very best airsoft writers out there, and once again

the “AA Crew” looks set to expand even further!

Heading off to IWA this year I knew that it would

be a different show for me personally this year, as

obviously I was there to meet with our industry

partners on a “B2B” basis in order to secure the

budget that every business, including AIRSOFT

ACTION, needs to stay rolling. Thank you to everyone

that I met with over the three days, and to our longerterm

partners who have recommitted support for

the coming year, and new partners will certainly be

secured once negotiations are completed.

In fact, AIRSOFT ACTION now has more potential

partners wishing to work with us than ever before,

but, as I have a commitment to all of you that

follow us, that advertising space will never exceed

30% of the total pages each month, I am left with

the decision as whether we should go up in page

numbers… again… to include even more content…

“I KNOW THAT I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT BEING THE FIRST-EVER AIRSOFT

MAGAZINE TO BE RECOGNISED BY SUCH A MAJORLY IMPORTANT SHOW IS A BIG OLD

FEATHER IN ANYONE’S CAP, AND IT REALLY IS A RECOGNITION OF THE CONTINUED JOINT

EFFORTS OF A BUNCH OF PLAYERS WHO GOT TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING VERY

SPECIAL”

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it’s a balancing act, but rest assured the relationship of

ads to content will remain unchanged.

Because of this I didn’t see as many of the new

products first-hand as I would normally do, but

having an enlarged team this year ensured that

the show report would be comprehensive, both in

terms of the new products and also in relation to the

very experience of IWA! Thank you so much to my

expanded team of Jase, Miguel, Sara, and Bruno for

all your efforts pounding the many halls of IWA for

four long days and digging out new products and

stories… You did yourselves and AIRSOFT ACTION

proud!

But why is IWA so important to me?

For more than 50 years, the entire shooting sports

industry has been meeting once a year in Nuremberg

to present the latest trends and innovations in a

dedicated, state-of-the-art setting. As one of the

world’s leading shooting sports exhibitions, which

showcases German and international exhibitors in

a myriad of exhibition halls (as well as an exclusive

supporting programme) IWA really is a true highlight

in the industry calendar.

Around a million visitors have visited during the

fifty years of IWA OutdoorClassics, and the show

opened its doors in Nuremberg for the first time in

1974 with just under 100 exhibitors; this year there

were well over a thousand! Over four days, exhibitors

from around the world presented trade visitors new

products for shooting sports, outdoor performance,

self-defence, professional use… and of course

AIRSOFT!

Enforce Tac, which runs right before IWA for

the Military and LE visitors, brings together leading

“AROUND A MILLION VISITORS HAVE VISITED DURING THE FIFTY YEARS OF IWA

OUTDOORCLASSICS, AND THE SHOW OPENED ITS DOORS IN NUREMBERG FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN 1974 WITH JUST UNDER 100 EXHIBITORS; THIS YEAR THERE WERE WELL OVER A

THOUSAND!”


AA LEGION


exhibitors and trade visitors to exchange ideas on

technological developments, trends, and current

challenges. It is a meeting point for experts and

decision-makers from around the globe who face

critical security challenges in their professional roles.

Both events are not open to the public at all; they

are pure trade fairs, to which only trade visitors from

the corresponding industries and specialist media are

admitted. This enables the IWA team to ensure the

quality of what is presented for visitors and exhibitors

both.

TEAM ASSEMBLE!

As I have said many times before, IWA

OutdoorClassics (or simply IWA) in Nuremberg is

undoubtedly my favourite show of the year, and

its appearance on our schedule always gives me

a boost in so many ways; I’ve been attending the

show in Germany for many years now, and have

seen it, most certainly for airsoft, develop and evolve

into something pretty wonderful as manufacturers,

distributors, trade customers and the airsoft media

descend en masse to see the very latest that’s on

offer… and will be on offer for this year, and indeed

coming years!

With around 30,000 visitors over four days, the

world-leading exhibition for the entirety of shooting

sports once again emphasised its importance, and

although it appeared that footfall at the Nuremberg

Messe was a little down on last year, it seems that

the people and companies that visited the Airsoft

Hall were really, truly interested and invested in the

latest developments of AEGs, GBBs, clothing and

gear, as many of our industry partners told us that the

show had been a very successful one for them, with

a couple of them reporting that IWA 2025 had been

their most successful show in Germany ever! Thanks

to the newly-developed method of registration, visitor

quality was noticeably better, and more focused.

And visitors from 126 countries came to Nuremberg

this year, most of them from Germany, the Czech

Republic, Austria, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Great

Britain, Switzerland, France and Spain, but also from

the USA, The Far East and further-flung realms.

Exhibitors were enthusiastic about the busy and

high-quality atmosphere of the exhibition, and the

networking among experts and the close co-operation

of all industry participants on relevant topics from the

whole of the shooting sports industry was seen as

particularly important.

IWA is simply a great show that brings people

from the shooting sports world together, and in my

experience good things happen when like-minded

people with a drive to succeed and the flair to

make this a reality are in one place at one time; the

atmosphere can be truly electric, and what we do at

IWA has a positive impact on the year ahead!

And it’s not just me that feels this way! Jase has

been my trusted “wingman” now for four years, and

while I now have to concentrate largely on running

AIRSOFT ACTION as a business, he gets down to the

nitty-gritty with the manufacturers to dig out more

detail on new and future airsoft developments. For

2025 though, he was joined by regular AA contributor

Miguel, along with Sara and Bruno who I met when

I was in Portugal at their own Expo… and what a

dynamic this proved to be!

For this year’s report I’ll be adding in their

comments to give some flavour to my dry

presentation, and I believe you’ll get a real feel from

them of just how much fun, as well as hard work, a

major show can be!

FIRST STEPS… OF MANY!

After an exceedingly early “stupid-o-clock” start,

and the long haul to Nuremberg Jase and I arrived

at the Messe to check in and grab our Press Passes.

We then spent the afternoon meeting up with old

industry friends, catching up with Rob from airsofter.

world, Lisa “Skinny Bitch”, Pete and the guys from

Patrolbase in the UK, Charlie S who has now found a

new “airsoft home” with Novritsch, Ivo and the team

from Heavy Recoil Club, Sakari from TERRA BB,

Dave and Wilf from TAG-Shop®, our friends Luuk,

David and Dionne from the Netherlands, and then

new friend Alek from Specna Arms, and there were

many more! Later I had an opportunity to speak with

Victor and the ANA guys from Portugal too, which

was a delight.

We then took a look at the Airsoft Shooting Range

as this returned in the same centralised format, a

great feature where manufacturers and retailers could

“VISITORS FROM 126 COUNTRIES CAME TO NUREMBERG THIS YEAR, MOST OF THEM FROM

GERMANY, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AUSTRIA, ITALY, POLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, GREAT

BRITAIN, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE AND SPAIN, BUT ALSO FROM THE USA, THE FAR EAST AND

FURTHER-FLUNG REALMS”

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focus on the product experience associated with

all aspects of the participating brands, and Airsoft

Helden did a fabulous job with their “Shooting

Parcours” and Video Stage, providing an additional

point of contact for specialist retailers and interested

parties who wanted to get closer to airsoft. The good

folk from Specna Arms had invited us to dinner, but

after a long-slog of a day we sadly and tiredly asked

for a raincheck before grabbing some food and

crashing out!

Arriving back at the Messe bright and early the next

day, after greeting our old mates from iWholesales

and seeing the new ARES HPA kit, along with all the

new models that will be coming into stock for the

UK and euro market imminently, we set off for our

now-traditional first meeting of the show with fellow

UK-ers NUPROL. There we saw their new all-polymer

AEGs that looked simply fabulous, but I won’t dwell

on these as I’ve detailed them at the start of this issue.

Vorsk next and... Oh! My word... Along with their

extensive pistol range, as part of the display was an

amazing custom-painted VMP-1 courtesy of Chris

Hobbs! We were also excited as the new VMP-2 has

now landed with us (more to come on this next issue),

but already they’re onto the next part of the program

with the VMP-2S, SC, and C, and the littlest of these

has already really grabbed at my heartstrings … I want

one! This moves the entire Vorsk Modular Platform

forward into “shorty” territory, and I am really looking

forward to trying one of the new models… soon!

But that wasn’t all, as I got my first look at the

VMAR, the Vorsk AR GBBR, and this too looks

amazing! Whilst still in the pre-production phase

the VMAR moves Vorsk into new territory yet again;

Ross and Matt told me that it’s a whole new, highly

efficient gas-system that promises some stunning

performance (let’s face it, they’ve proved they know all

about this from their pistols and the VMP program!)

utilising a VSR-spec inner barrel and a new TDC hop

design. Although it appears it will be MWS magcompatible,

the QD trigger box and a bolt design are

new designs, and with fully-ambi controls and realsteel

dimensions I feel this is going to please a lot of

GBBR users. There will be three variants to kick things

off, but due to development time needed I don’t have

a timeline confirmed yet…

I headed on to SPECNA ARMS to meet with Piotr,

Olga and Kamila, and their awesome team. After

sorting our future schedules we took a close look at

what’s to come in their SATAC range of gear, before

checking out their 3D printed design concepts and

a rather tasty AK rail and stock system… before we

looked at their proposed pistols, MP5 and SCAR H!

The Specna Arms guy are cooking on gas right now

and they ain’t letting up anytime soon from what I

saw!

“VORSK NEXT AND OH MY WORD, ALONG WITH THEIR EXTENSIVE PISTOL RANGE, AS PART

OF THE DISPLAY WAS AN AMAZING CUSTOM-PAINTED VMP-1 COURTESY OF CHRIS HOBBS!

WE WERE ALSO EXCITED AS THE NEW VMP-2 HAS NOW LANDED WITH US, BUT ALREADY

THEY’RE ONTO THE NEXT PART OF THE PROGRAM…”


AA LEGION


The stand looked

probably the “best

in show”, and their

“Chillout Zone”

with an old pickup

dripping with gear

was simply superb;

this was where they

hosted their “Booth

Party” later… and

what fun that was!

We’ll be working

closely with Specna

Arms going forward

as they have a lot

planned for the

coming year and

beyond, and you’ll

find details of all new

items in AIRSOFT

ACTION as they

appear.

Onwards to ASG!

ASG have been a

bit quiet in recent

years but this year

they REALLY got back into the game! I won’t go into

the cool products here, as there are quite a few (and

frankly Jase took better notes than I!), but the thing

that impressed me the most was the sheer joy and

enthusiasm for airsoft that I encountered on their

stand this year (along with the new CZ and Modify

TRINITY pistols!)!

I genuinely thought they were heading all

“Corporate” on us, but the work that they’ve done

on their existing and new platforms is awesome, and

their sheer joy at showing them too us was 100%

infectious! Thanks so much to Clark and Jordan for

showing us everything! And also more news for ASG

(already featured in our Daily Web News), as they

also signed off on a distribution deal with DELTA

ARMORY! Yeah, you heard it from us…! This is

brilliant news and we wish the two brands all the very

best in their new relationship.

And DELTA ARMORY… Yeah, still loud and proud,

and after the launch of their FREYA AEG last year at

the show they displayed their pistol range which is

looking very cool indeed! Also new for this year is the

“Stribog” SMG. Like the FREYA, this is an AEG based

on “the real” from Grand Power, this time their AP9,

and it looks really cool… again, I look forward to

working more closely with Jan and getting hands-on

with one of these!

On to ESHOOTER, and again... Wow! I met with

Tim again and he graciously walked me through all

of their new technologies and the partners that he is

working with… what a list! We’ll be speaking a lot

more about ESHOOTER as their tech spreads even

further into our airsoft world, and I’m looking forward

to working even more closely with Tim and his team

Immediately adjoining the ESHOOTER stand was

that of GOLDEN EAGLE, and I have to admit that

one of my favourite things of the show was their

BLITZ Quick Ejecting Grenade Launcher! This is still

in development but it looks like SO MUCH FUN, and

many thanks to Ben for his time, good humour, and a

fabulous demonstration, as well as showing me some

righteous new products that I am definitely looking

forward to covering soon!

I had a great conversation with Ronald from TITAN

EU, and they will have some great new things to

share with us soon. Bumping into Chris from AMNB

was a pleasure as always (and we will be collaborating

even further!) as was meeting with Scott from Land

“THE SPECNA ARMS GUY ARE COOKING ON GAS RIGHT NOW AND THEY AIN’T LETTING UP

ANYTIME SOON FROM WHAT I SAW! THE STAND LOOKED PROBABLY THE “BEST IN SHOW”,

AND THEIR “CHILLOUT ZONE” WITH AN OLD PICKUP DRIPPING WITH GEAR WAS SIMPLY

SUPERB”

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Warrior, and then Amanda, Randy and Ryan from

G&G. G&G were, for once, not exhibiting at IWA,

but instead talking about their amazing new 6mm

Training system. Again, I won’t go into it here but it

is superb and I will be reporting on it is full at a later

date.

I really enjoyed meeting my friend Rita at ICS. I’ve

been massively impressed with their pistol program so

far and there will be more to come on this in 2025,

but they also have some amazing plans for a licenced

TTI rifle that I know people will love!

We checked in with WOLVERINE, those masters of

HPA; there was a bit of a buzz surrounding them this

year as they were showing their QUAKE HPA Recoil

Stock… actually at points you couldn’t get on their

stand due to the sheer amount of people wanting to

try the QUAKE out… More on this to come…

After visiting Hall 6 to speak with EARMOR who

we’ll be working with directly soon, we checked in

with my old mate Darren at SNUGPAK, and then with

new friend Chris at PENTAGON… There was so much

to see in the other show halls, but the guys will cover

There’s some exciting news here too, as not only

will this appear in AEG form, but also as a GBBR

using MAXTACT magazine tech which is fabulous

news for two close industry partners and friends of

AIRSOFT ACTION! I spoke to James from MAXTACT

at the show too, and I’ll be speaking more to both

him and ICS to find out more about this awesome

collaboration! I do believe we’ll be viewing ICS

differently in the future…. watch this space!

Sticking with tech, Jase and I then met with

ACETECH, and Jase was every bit as taken by the

ACEHIVE system as I have been! What REALLY took

our eye though was the VOLCANO which truly makes

the most of the ACEHIVE system… OMG, this thing

ROCKS!

this off in more detail later!

We’ve been keeping well up to date with our old

friends at LCT AIRSOFT, and as we’ve had detailed

coverage of their releases to date (oh that MOE!) I

won’t dwell too much on them here, although as

always their stand was amazing and it was a pleasure

as always to meet with Kevin, Bella and Benita

(especially when they bring me Pineapple Cakes!)…

I have to mention that not only do they have their

new Hi Capa well on the way, but it appears that we’ll

also be seeing an MP5 and a FN FAL from them too!

Suffice to say that there will be more to come from

LCT later in 2025 and we’ll be right on things as they

happen!

Old friends VFC (more Pineapple Cakes, thank you

“I REALLY ENJOYED MEETING MY FRIEND RITA AT ICS; I’VE BEEN MASSIVELY IMPRESSED

WITH THEIR PISTOL PROGRAM SO FAR AND THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME ON THIS IN

2025, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME AMAZING PLANS FOR A LICENCED TTI RIFLE THAT I KNOW

PEOPLE WILL LOVE!”


AA LEGION


Ray!), just like many airsoft companies right now, are

cranking out the goods, and seem set to continue

doing so! VFC are really having a ball at the moment,

and both Jase and Bruno fell in love with the LAR

OSW. As an old-skooler, it was their PPsh that took my

fancy, but the continuation of the BCM MCMR line,

and the new MAXIM DEFENSE MDX:505 and PDX-

SD AEG models that Ray showed me really whet my

whistle… I definitely NEED a PDX-SD!

I had a quick but productive meeting with Rafa

from ROSSI , and then Jase and I then re-convened

for our final “formal” meeting of the show, another

“tradition” which in fact turned out as usual to be

particularly, very pleasantly informal!

The guys at EVOLUTION AIRSOFT from Italy are

super-nice and I will be honest that once again I made

this the last meeting for us, as I was promised a glass

of prosecco and some fine cheese by Veronica! Joined

by Sergio we took a look at their newly designed

M-LOK-style system and adjustable stock, and got the

lowdown on their new internal VIPER tech too; there’ll

be more to come from EVOLUTION and I’ll report back

as soon as I have confirmed news!

Now I could go on and on, but much as I did

manage to see many shiny new things, it was Jase,

Miguel, Sara and Bruno that hit the show halls

proper… So I’ll now hand over to them for their

individual “takes” on IWA 2025!

THE TEAM TAKE

Jase: The merry-go-round starts once again in a

super-busy Stansted Airport! As I sit and sip my coffee

and the boss (Bill ‘The Old Wolf Of Airsoft’) flicks

through his notes and schedule for the up and coming

weekend. I stare out onto the Departures Hall with

hazy eyes, as I watch all the people going about their

business at 05:00. I clock a few faces that I know

from within the industry and that little fuzzy feeling

hits me in the feels, the feeling of seeing friends and

the great enjoyment that the IWA show brings. This

year our show team will be Bill, myself, Miguel, Sara

and Bruno. I was excited to meet my Portuguese

colleagues for the first time after hearing so many

good things from Bill.

Wheels up fifteen minutes early we jetted off into

the blue crisp sunny skies above London, and we

roared our way towards Germany. This year as we

landed, we were greeted by snow showers and a very

chilly overcast Nuremburg Airport. We quickly made

our way to the city where we deposited our bangs

at the accommodation and then onto the Messe

convention centre for the IWA Outdoor show.

Passes acquired, lanyards round our necks, Bill and

I set off with purpose towards Hall 2 where the main

airsoft trade stands are situated. As we made our

way to the Nuprol stand I was excited to see not only

our friends but the new offerings from Nuprol. Matt

showed us around stand.

New to the show this year was the launch of the

VORSK VMAR. This is Nuprol’s take on the gas AR

platform we all love. It has an ambidextrous design,

TDC hop unit, mags will be of the MWS design, will

hold between 42/48 BBs and Matt told us that they

will be planning three variations of this AR’s length.

At this moment in time the price cannot be confirmed

but we could see it sit between £299/350. I’ll be

looking forward to this when the production samples

land, very cool.

Before flying out I had just taken delivery of my very

own VMP-2D, I was pretty familiar with the product

but really happy to clap eyes on the VMP-2S, 2SD,

2C & 2MCR. Of the four new models I already have a

“NEW TO THE SHOW THIS YEAR WAS THE LAUNCH OF THE VORSK VMAR. THIS IS NUPROL’S

TAKE ON THE GAS AR PLATFORM WE ALL LOVE. IT HAS AN AMBIDEXTROUS DESIGN, TDC

HOP UNIT, MAGS WILL BE OF THE MWS DESIGN, WILL HOLD BETWEEN 42/48 BBS AND MATT

TOLD US THAT THEY WILL BE PLANNING THREE VARIATIONS OF THIS AR’S LENGTH”

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AA LEGION


soft spot for the 2MCR. These rifles will all have the

same architecture as the original VMP-2’s and will

be in the market place by the summer with the VMP

2MCR following along after but a date could not

be confirmed and should ship with a different grip.

Like my own VMP-2D, all felt very sturdy in hand and

will provide great bang for buck for players and new

players looking to get into the GBB scene, as Ross

from Nuprol says, ‘get your gas on’!

Matt then ran us through the new budget Delta

Pioneer lines. These sport line riffles have a good feel

to them for the very little you can pick them up for,

starting at UK£99 they are a great starting point for

new players or players on a budget. V2 gear boxes

and rotary hop units... all a growing boy needs!

One small detail I liked with these models was

that floating rails have a spacer between the outer

barrel and rail, keeping things snug on this polymer

platform. I know they will not set the world alight but

that is not the point with these types of RIF, great to

see this refresh to the range. For me, the SOPMOD in

FDE was my favourite.

I enjoyed looking through the VFC stand, they

always have some real quality products on display and

this year was no exception. Bruno was quick to show

me the Strike Micro Pistol. What a wee little thing it

was. For such a small pistol it felt really good in the

hand. This small compact unit can fit a SIG Romeo

optic on the slide meaning you will always be able to

tag your target. Magazine holds 20 Bs with one in the

chamber.

Next along the counter was the Stark Arms SA320.

At first, I was a bit underwhelmed by this pistol but

to be fair to it, it felt good in the hand but on close

inspection noticed that it had an adjustable trigger

which I did like because as this pistol is aimed at

shooters, allows them to fine tune the trigger pull. It

has ambi features and a fixed inner barrel.

As I placed the SA320 on the counter, looked up to

see a beaming Bruno with a PPSh-41 in his hand, he

looked in love!

This classic Soviet era WW2 SMG was a chunkymonkey

in the hand with is full wooden body and

steel receiver. With its CNC machined bolt, it really

had some clunk behind it. Ray was very kind to show

Bruno and myself the inside workings on the drum

magazine which was very interesting. Capacity was

around 120 BBs we were told and the reservoir could

hold enough gas for two refills of BBs.

Then I moved onto ‘my’ rifle of the show, the FN

LAR OSW Mk1. This rifle is a true thing of beauty.

VFC has done an absolutely amazing job on creating

this, the level of detail is amazing. Everything about

it feels spectacular. Out of the box we are told that

power is about 1.2/1.3J, uses a TDC adjustor from

under the bottom of the receiver, utilising an up and

over pressure bar, I thought that was pretty neat. The

body is of course steel with alloy rail. The rifle will also

come with its very own special-all-in-one tool for hop

adjusting and take down. Airsoft Action’s very own

Stewbacca has just done a review of this rifle, so I’ll let

you read his article for a more in-depth review.

Over the course of the show Bill and I visited the

good people of ASG at their stand in the main hall.

It was great to see Clark who was very excited to not

only show us around the new lines on offer, but to

inform us of the new partnership with Delta Armory

and Army Action.

“I MOVED ONTO ‘MY’ RIFLE OF THE SHOW, THE FN LAR OSW MK1. THIS RIFLE IS A TRUE

THING OF BEAUTY. VFC HAS DONE AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING JOB ON CREATING THIS, THE

LEVEL OF DETAIL IS AMAZING. EVERYTHING ABOUT IT FEELS SPECTACULAR”


AA LEGION


The first pistol placed in my hand was the Modify

Trinity. This 1911/Hi-Capa pistol is aimed at the target

shooter with its natty hop adjuster tool, I really liked

this. Its alloy slide and poly grip felt good and well

weighted in the hand. This pistol will run on green

gas and chuck plastic death down range at about

310/315fps. Then we looked at the CZ TS2 pistol. This

thing was a heavy old girl in the hand. This pistol is

again aimed at the target shooting community with

its duralumin sliver grips, they did feel good. For me

this was a bit on the heavy side but I’m not their

demographic for this pistol.

From pistols we moved over to the rifles. Clark

happily shows off the new FLCN 556. This polymer

beauty will be priced at around £225 mark and it’s

got some nice details. Externally, the FLCN 5.56 has

polymer monolithic upper receiver that is rigid and

light weight. The rail in of the M-LOK variety and

lower is an ambi design. A 6-position collapsible and

folding stock with a 4-position adjustable cheek rest

which I am a fan of gives me that Masada vibe.

There was a new version of the Scorpion EVO 3 A1

Value Pack, this time it’s a price pointed sports line

variation. We all know this model series well, so the

small variations include losing the three round burst

but you will get an 11.1v battery in the box. Clark did

say that later in the year we could see some quality

ASG branded optics joining the line-up, and the latest

STRIKE SYSTEMS models certainly looked impressive!

The one thing this IWA had in abundance was the

volume of optics companies. Three years ago, we did

start to see a rise in these companies and this year

was no exception. Some of these companies have

gone from small booths to really big commanding

booths showing optics of many varieties like thermal,

digital and analogue NV. Hats off to them. Some

optics were questionable to say the least but with help

from Miguel, Bruno and Sara we managed to find

some diamonds in the rough; hello PARD Pantera 256

Q-thermal imaging scope!

The Pantera 256 Q pairs a compact, 30mmcompatible

tube design with a 1024x768 square

display and an upgraded side-focus mechanism. Its

cutting-edge performance making it a perfect tool

“THE ONE THING THIS IWA HAD IN ABUNDANCE WAS THE VOLUME OF OPTICS COMPANIES.

THREE YEARS AGO, WE DID START TO SEE A RISE IN THESE COMPANIES AND THIS YEAR WAS

NO EXCEPTION. SOME OF THESE COMPANIES HAVE GONE FROM SMALL BOOTHS TO REALLY

BIG COMMANDING BOOTHS SHOWING OPTICS OF MANY VARIETIES LIKE THERMAL, DIGITAL

AND ANALOGUE NV”

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for those seeking innovation. Other features include

picture-in-picture, gyroscope, e-compass, hot track

and recoil-activated recordings. So all in all, a very cool

optic that will be priced at around UK£700 and will be

dropping mid-summer this year.

Holy Warrior was another optics company that

had some very interesting products on show, like

their HWO SZ1 which has electronic heads-up display

with twelve different aiming reticles and can show

information about your surroundings and bearings in

your line of sight. Id quite like to get my hands on one

of these to test all this out!

This year some of the larger clothing brands where

not showing making it a bit harder to find interesting

bits to report on but Pentagon with a very minimalistic

stand did have some nice offerings, catching my

eye was the Wolf Combat lines. These pants to the

look and touch had a great feel and looked to have

plenty of features with a very reasonable price ticket

of UK£120ish for the pants and UK£85ish for the

matching top.

My notebook could tell a hundred more stories of

product and cool items seen over the four days of

the show but I think I would bore you lovely readers

to death. So instead, I shall close with my feelings on

the show. As Bill has said earlier, the show was slightly

down on footfall this year but it didn’t take away

the hard work and efforts put on by the vendors and

IWA staff. This is what makes the show, along with

seeing “our airsoft family” Firstly, a massive shout

out to EVERYONE at Nurpol for all your hospitality

and kindness, Clark at ASG, Chris Bravo, Tim at

iWholesales, all the team at Specna Arms, and Bill

our captain who works so hard, to name a few

because it is a very long list.

Special thanks this year goes out to our

Portuguese contingent, made up of Miguel,

Bruno and Sara. From going into a show

without knowing you, to saying our good byes

at the train station, it left me feeling like I have

known you for years, it was the blessing of new

friendships. Thank you.

Airsoft is a game we all love to play but I say

this every year, it is about the friends we make

along the way and adventures we have that I

cherish, this year is no exception. Go out, play,

have fun and take those hits. Jase out.

NEW TO IWA… WHAT IT’S REALLY

LIKE!

Sara: Going to a convention that is related to

firearms, knives, airsoft and more? If you would have

asked me before IWA began, I would have said I was

curious, but not really interested. Being a female

player has been in contact with the airsoft world just

to accompany her boyfriend, I’m not really the person

to talk about the topic. For four years now, I have

been in contact with airsoft mostly when I have to.

One of my hobbies has been accompanying Bruno

to his airsoft games every weekend to take pictures. It

has been a routine for us for the past four years now,

since we started dating.

Every weekend you’ll find me in a flashy yellow

jacket or vest going around the field capturing the

airsoft moments through my camera lens and enjoying

the surrounding nature. But Bruno? You’ll find him

very pleased going around as part of the group, with

an airsoft replica in his hands, strategizing and doing

the best he can to play an honest and fun game. That,

if you don’t find him speaking with someone about

which replica brand and model they have or fixing an

issue that him or someone else had with their replica!

When the opportunity arose for us to be part

of the “IWA Crew”, Bruno was over the moon, as

expected of Him. Honestly, I’m pretty sure he didn’t

really believe it was happening until the moment

they checked his ticket and allowed him to enter the

perimeter...

Me, on the other hand, I was mostly exited for the

flight and visiting Germany again, but IWA…? I was

“WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE FOR US TO BE PART OF THE “IWA CREW”, BRUNO WAS

OVER THE MOON, AS EXPECTED OF HIM; HONESTLY, I’M PRETTY SURE HE DIDN’T REALLY

BELIEVE IT WAS HAPPENING UNTIL THE MOMENT THEY CHECKED HIS TICKET AND ALLOWED

HIM TO ENTER THE PERIMETER... ”


AA LEGION


curious to what I was going to see, as I wasn’t sure

what to expect, but overall, that was it. It would have

never been my guess that it would turn out to be such

a blast!

The hotel and flight booking experience was

overall the most stressful part of the trip, as normal,

because there’s always a struggle to manage our

expectations in comparison to what we can afford.

However, looking back, there wasn’t really a need to

get so concerned, as Nuremberg is a city with a huge

variety of public transportation, all very organized.

With IWA’s ticket including a free pass for all public

transportation, our bigger concerns were addressed.

As the day of the trip came, all three of us (me,

Bruno and Miguel - our airsoft team captain, but also

the person who helped us get into IWA with AA and,

personally, a friend) were excited and ready to face

whatever was coming, as none of us had ever been to

IWA or an event like it.

The overall trip went very well and it was evident

from the time we entered the flight onwards that

Germans are always willing to help whenever they

have the possibility to (if they knew how to speak

English that is), as they always guided us whenever

we asked for instructions (which happened A LOT!).

Getting off of the train on first day of IWA, I felt like

I was about to enter a new world, once again, not

knowing what to expect, the only thing we were left

with was our imagination and

curiosity… and it surpassed

ALL my expectations. I was

concerned about how I would

be bored every step of the way

and I couldn’t have been more

wrong.

When we entered, I went

back to the first time watching

Jurassic Park, with its theme

song and all. The halls were

so much larger than what I

had in mind and all the lights

and booth’s placements were

aligned in a way that made the

overall first impression grand

and magical. That was my point

of view. I can’t even begin to

explain what Bruno might have

felt at the time, but his exterior said something like

“There’s so many cool stuff around me that I might

actually explode”! He didn’t know where to turn,

everything was calling up to him and he wasn’t sure

what to prioritize, as everything looked amazing. He

actually ended up comparing that feeling to what

he imagines would be like visiting the Willy Wonka

factory, and any sweet toothed person can start to

imagine what he was feeling at the time with that

description.

Personally, IWA was an amazing experience. From

the already existing technology (that you can’t even

think about trying out because sometimes you don’t

have the means to, whether due to price ranges

or even country laws), to new technology coming

out that you wouldn’t ever imagine possible, to the

heart-warming people you meet on every stand

from all around the world that share the interest and

excitement you feel for airsoft, night visions, optics,

weapons... it ends up just being a once-in- a-lifetime

experience that you must have at least once and then

never deny it again… Because you will want to come

back!

During the trip, we managed to get together with

Bill again, whom we first met on the Portuguese

Airsoft Expo in November, and met Jase for the very

first time. Both are such lovely and welcoming people,

who made the whole experience even better, as they

“WHILE THE “BIG BOYS” WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF EVERY SINGLE OBJECT

THEY SAW IN FRONT OF THEM, I WAS GIVEN THE TIME TO CAPTURE THE MOMENTS OF PURE

HAPPINESS THAT WERE WRITTEN ALL OVER THEIR FACES WITH MY CAMERA… AND THAT

WAS MY BLESSING”

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included us (me and Bruno) as part of their team,

welcomed us and showed us around, telling us about

their previous experiences and sharing their interests

and insights.

Being part of this wonderful group and being

able to experience their contagious excitement was

definitely the turning point for this trip. Seeing how

everyone got along and was willing to check the same

booths and try the same things, made it feel like we

were all there for the same purpose. Not being as big

of an enthusiast for weapons and technology did not

ruin the fun. While the “big boys” were talking about

the specifics of every single object they saw in front of

them, I was given the time to capture the moments of

pure happiness that were written all over their faces

with my camera… and that was my blessing. Every

single picture you see from those guys (and even every

single person around them) during the four days of

IWA shows the most utter satisfaction and content in

being there.

I couldn’t have been sadder when we got home;

in the end, it was such an extraordinary experience.

I arrived home with my heart full, a big smile on my

face and a lot of new crazy stories to tell. It makes

me so happy when I see people getting together for

common interests and sharing what they love and

motivates them. Seeing that IWA

gathered 30,000 people with the same

interests (which was visible in every

single conversation we had during the

show) just makes me feel peace… and

a definite will to go back!

Bruno: Going through my

memories of what I saw and

experienced in Nuremberg this year,

IWA was my very first time attending,

so I knew I had to visit every booth in

every hall. It never crossed my mind

how exhausting it would be to actually

see everything!

On the very first day, as soon as I

stepped into Hall 1, I was completely

overwhelmed by the sheer amount

of information around me. Being

someone with ADHD, it was incredibly

hard to focus on my mission to spread

the word about what the magazine

stands for. But beyond that, I was also there to learn

more about each brand.

After wandering through Hall 2, checking out new

gadgets and replicas from various brands, I found

myself getting off track again. It’s crazy how easily I

can get distracted, but considering this is my passion,

it’s not surprising. And just like that, I ended up in

an entirely different hall. That was also the day Sara,

Miguel, and I were expecting Bill and Jase; I was really

excited to see Bill again and finally meet Jase. When

we met, I immediately felt a great vibe with him.

By the end of the first day at IWA, I felt like I had

wasted it. I knew I had to do something about it.

So, once I got back to my hotel room, I emptied

my pockets, sat at the desk, and opened the IWA

exhibition guide. With a pen in one hand and my

phone in the other, I started going through the list of

exhibitors one by one, checking each brand’s website

to decide if it was worth visiting. By the time I was

done, I had marked at least 80 booths! After finalising

my list, I studied the hall maps to pinpoint the location

of each booth. It was quite the mission I didn’t get

to bed until 02:00, but it was worth it! A big thanks

to Sara for going over all my work to check for any

mistakes in my booth markings.

On the morning of the second day, I grabbed my

“WE RAN AROUND CHECKING ALL THE BOOTHS WE HAD PLANNED TO VISIT, EVEN EARNING

THE NICKNAME “…A PAIR OF TWIN DURACELL BUNNIES…” WHICH, HONESTLY, FELT LIKE

A PRETTY ACCURATE DESCRIPTION! SARA HANDLED THE PHOTOGRAPHY BUT ALSO HAD

ANOTHER IMPORTANT JOB KEEPING US ON TRACK. WITHOUT HER, I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY

LOST MY WAY”


AA LEGION


exhibition guide and set off. With a solid plan in hand,

I knew the day would be much more organized ...and

it was.

I met so many amazing people, had conversations

with those as passionate about the technical aspects

as I am, and felt truly welcomed. Jase and I were just

talking with each other like we had met before, our

energy matched perfectly. We ran around checking

all the booths we had planned to visit, even earning

the nickname “a pair of twin Duracell Bunnies”

which, honestly, felt like a pretty accurate description!

Sara handled the photography but also had another

important job keeping us on track. Without her, I

would have definitely lost my way.

The third day followed the same goals as the

second... building connections, meeting more people,

and strengthening relationships. By the fourth day,

I could barely feel my legs. We had already walked

countless kilometres, but we kept pushing through.

There were still meetings to attend and plenty of

goodies to collect. Even an hour before IWA came

to an end, we were still scouting for potential

partnerships and taking notes on upcoming products.

It made me realize that four days just weren’t enough

to see everything.

Without a doubt, IWA was the most unique

experience I have ever had and one to repeat for sure!

Miguel: Let me get straight to the point!

I won’t bother you, the reader,

with how was the flight, or how

was the weather in Nuremberg.

Let’s go to the fair right to the

first day, as we entered Hall 1 and

that atmosphere crashed down

on our group.

It was our first time in IWA, or

any show of that kind, so for us,

everything was new.

As soon as we got to Hall 1 we

stopped immediately at Holosun’s

booth, even knowing that I

wanted to go directly to Specna’s

booth at Hall 2. But, who can

resist optics, thermals or NVGs?!

So we tried a few of their new

sights, and we were delighted!

Got to get back in track!

So, we moved onward to Hall 2, where most airsoft

booths were present, and we visited Specna Arms

right away. It was thanks to them that I was able to

embark on this adventure, so I wanted to start by

thanking them, and of course, check some of their

upcoming news.

Let me begin by their main surprises; they officially

announced their MP5 and SCAR H series! I’m

particularly stoked about their MP5, which have been

one of my all times favourites. I tried to say “Hi!”

to everyone and even got a guided tour around

the whole booth. Checking out more of the SATAC

gear, the Kpyk (it reads crook) partnership for their

upcoming PRIME J-Series, for accessories like stocks

and handguards. I got a sneak peek into the new

pistols coming out, and some other news that for now

must be kept in secret. Damn them for teasing such

news! My thanks for not only the warm welcome, but

also for being the initial force behind my presence at

IWA.

After spending some quality time on the Specna

Arms booth, we decided to go around the rest of Hall

2. And there was so much to see... VFC, Well Pro, LCT,

Golden Eagle, Double Bell, Invader Gear, Arturus, S&T,

Evolution, Rossi, Nuprol, Novritsch, Lancer Tactical,

Terra BBs, ICS, Delta Armory, and that’s just throwing

around some that were present.

Some veterans mentioned that some brands were

“IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME IN IWA, OR ANY SHOW OF THAT KIND, SO FOR US, EVERYTHING

WAS NEW. AS SOON AS WE GOT TO HALL 1 WE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AT HOLOSUN’S

BOOTH, EVEN KNOWING THAT I WANTED TO GO DIRECTLY TO SPECNA’S BOOTH AT HALL 2.

BUT, WHO CAN RESIST OPTICS, THERMALS OR NVGS?!”

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missing and that the airsoft area

is not as big as before, but for

us, it’s all new. So we had plenty

to see. So, we visited booth

to booth, checking out what

was new, what caught our eye,

had some good conversations,

traded some ideas and of course,

collected several goodies!

Because, what’s IWA without a

good haul of freebies?!

But... I wasn’t alone at IWA,

I had two team members with

me, Bruno “Dino” Nunes, one

of our more techy guys, and

Sara “Sierra” Agostinho, our

official photographer. They were

not just awesome company, but

while Bruno asked all sort of

technical questions, Sara made

sure we had good media cover with her camera and

her phone. And later on we meet up with Bill and

Jase, who are true veterans of IWA, and so the Airsoft

Action team assembled!

Bill had a filled schedule, with meetings planned

for almost the whole fair, since this is the perfect

place and time to gather more support to this

amazing magazine. So, with Bill busy with meetings,

Bruno, Jase, Sierra and I kept on checking out Hall

2, revisiting some booths, now that we had a new

member with us. And it was interesting to get Jase’s

input in many of the novelties coming out, especially

since he has different experiences in airsoft.

Day 2 was quite important to me, since I had two

meetings with Specna Arms. One was about the

Ambassador program, where I was able to hear about

what’s coming and also offer my input in what’s

good and what can be improved, and there’s nothing

like a face to face meeting for such topics. It was

great to meet Krzysztof, who is now in charge of the

ambassador program, and talk some shop.

The second meeting was regarding the Airsoft

Action magazine, but there my main objective was to

support Bill; If Specna Arms wants to keep growing

safely, especially with how social media has been

behaving, then having a presence in the magazine will

always be a great option. After lunch, we also had

a scheduled meeting with the guys at Vector Optics,

one of the brands that I collaborate with. We were

welcomed by Curtis, with whom we had a good talk

in order to reinforce our ongoing partnership.

This day also had a few special events; there was a

raffle at Vector Optics booth, with our group winning

THREE out of FOUR prizes, with Sara taking the main

prize, the Constantine LPVO! What a haul! And this

adding to the monocular that they had already won

from the puzzle challenge early that morning!

This was followed by a beer party at Specna’s

booth, where I tried Polish beer for the first time! It

was good! But Portuguese beer is still better! Sorry!

And, later on at night, we were present at the famous

MealSim event, a group dinner gathering people from

many brands that became a tradition, with its own

unique patch every year. Another busy day!

Since we had already seen pretty much everything

we wanted to in Hall 2, it was time to check out the

other halls. Although the majority have almost no

connection to airsoft, we still had some interesting

talks with many representatives.

We checked out optics, guns, tactical gear and a

bit of everything that caught our eye. And of course,

more freebies in the bag! It was also on the third day

that we meet up the team from ANA, it was great to

see some known faces and to talk a bit of Portuguese

“AFTER SPENDING SOME QUALITY TIME ON THE SPECNA ARMS BOOTH, WE DECIDED TO

GO AROUND THE REST OF HALL 2. AND THERE WAS SO MUCH TO SEE... VFC, WELL PRO,

LCT, GOLDEN EAGLE, DOUBLE BELL, INVADER GEAR, ARTURUS, S&T, EVOLUTION, ROSSI,

NUPROL, NOVRITSCH, LANCER TACTICAL, TERRA BBS, ICS, DELTA ARMORY, AND THAT’S JUST

THROWING AROUND SOME THAT WERE PRESENT”


AA LEGION


with other people. At night, they decided to organize

an unofficial Mealsim, since there was a change in the

original date, and some people were unable to attend

Friday. So, we gathered many of the Portuguese

present at IWA, and covertly got them in the event!

During the last day, we checked the booths that

caught our eye and that we hadn’t visited yet, and

afterward we headed back to Hall 2 just to hang out.

And at that time, our legs were already warning us

about the high number of kilometres already done

throughout the past days. So we kept it simple until it

was time to return.

But do you think the adventure ends here? Of

course not...! The trip to Nuremberg went without an

issue, but the trip back was another story...

First there was a huge delay with all trains around

Frankfurt, and at a point it was impossible to reach

our flight on time not only for us, but for many IWA

visitors who were there as well. Luckily, Lufthansa

took care of the issue professionally.

While we were still on the train, we got an email

informing us that our flight home had been rescheduled

and that we had a free night at a 4-star

hotel. All we had to do was getting into the airport

shuttle, and it was a short way. So, even after all that

initial stress we were presented with a good hotel,

buffet dinner and breakfast.

Buuuuut... That’s not all. Monday morning, at the

airport, we got stopped at the baggage control gate,

due to the miniature 1911s that were among the

freebies. Everything was checked by the police, but

since that wasn’t enough we got an armed escort to

an office where they checked the toys more closely. In

the end there was no issue, and during the all process

everyone was respectful, and we even had some good

talks with the officers. With that we boarded our

flight and got home safe and sound!

For me, IWA 2025 was a great

experience, especially since it was my first

time being there. It was something that I

always wished to do, and now I’m hungry

for more. I do hope I’m able to attend it

next year!

ANOTHER YEAR… ANOTHER

SUCCESS!

Once again IWA 2025 lived up fully to the

expectations I have for the show, and it

was simply fabulous to see so many friends

both from the manufacturing and media

side of our industry and community in

Germany.

As usual the team at IWA were as efficient and

friendly as ever, and having airsoft represented largely

in one hall again made seeing everything easy and

straightforward for us, hoever, before closing I must

make an apology…

While in Germany we suffered some “comms

issues” that meant we missed out on our final daily

report (it also meant I missed most of MealSim as I

was stuck behind the laptop…)! These things happen,

and I hope that this report has more than made up for

it!

And that was it! Four days of hard work, lots of

kilometres covered, 28 meetings both formal and

informal for me, and a whole host of new stories,

reviews, and new content lined up by Jase, Miguel,

and Bruno, and some awesome photography landed

by Sara!

I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks for all of

those that took time to meet with us, and rest assured

2025 is going to be a GREAT year for airsoft in

general, and for AIRSOFT ACTION!

We’ll continue with our expanded team in 2026,

and I look forward to seeing everyone in Germany for

IWA next year, where we’ll all get “Eyes on Target”

again, 26 February to 1 March 2026! AA

“AND THAT WAS IT; FOUR DAYS OF HARD WORK, LOTS OF KILOMETRES COVERED, 28

MEETINGS BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL FOR ME, AND A WHOLE HOST OF NEW STORIES,

REVIEWS, AND NEW CONTENT LINED UP BY JASE, MIGUEL, AND BRUNO, AND SOME AWESOME

PHOTOGRAPHY LANDED BY SARA!”

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“I’D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT THANKS FOR ALL

OF THOSE THAT TOOK TIME TO MEET WITH US, AND REST

ASSURED 2025 IS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR FOR AIRSOFT IN

GENERAL, AND FOR AIRSOFT ACTION! ”



airsoft-action-issue-172-april-2025

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