Issue 06 - Feb 2012

ACT

ION

AIR

SOFTA

CTION

FEBR

UA

RY

2012

THE Airsoft Magazine

BETAPROJECT

Realsword svd BRDM-2 weapon customisation modern airsoft warfare

FEBR

UARY

201

2 -

4.25SKILLS

ROOMBilly B explains what it means to 'cover your arcs'

UMAREX/VFC HK416Ratty gets to grips with Umarex's newest GBB ri e

ICONIC WEAPONSHistory, movie credits and airsoft replicas of the MP40

WINA VFC/RA XCR WORTH 300

All-new Tactical AK: reviewed

02 January 2012

03www.airsoftaction.com

CONTENTSAIRSOFT ACTION - FEBRUARY 2012

6 READERS WRITE LETTER OF THE MONTH WINS TICKETS TO A GUNMAN EVENT!

8 AIRSOFT NEWS SHOT SHOW PREVIEWS, NEW SITES, COMPETITION RESULTS

12 RIFLE REVIEW EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT BETA PROJECTS TACTICAL AK

17 COMPETITION WIN A VFC XCR!18 MAW NIGE CHECKS OUT MODERN AIRSOFT WARFARE

22 FIELDCRAFT UNDERSTANDING ARCS OF FIRE26 GUNS N GEAR WEVE BEEN SPENDING OUR XMAS MONEY WISELY...

29 AMBUSH ADVENTURES RATTY GOES TO CHOBHAM FOR AMBUSH ADVENTURES 2011 XMAS GAME

RECOGNISE THIS PATTERN? TAKE A NOTE! YOULL NEED THE PATTERNS FROM ISSUES 1 - 12 TO ENTER OUR CAMO COMPETITION!

Editor: Nigel Streeter

Assistant editor: Anthony Platt

Art director: Chris Sweeney

Ad design: Ryan Dixon, Steve Dawson

Advertising: Hannah Benson

Operations director: James Folkard

Assistant publisher: Ruth Burgess

Editorial director: James Marchington

Publisher: Wesley Stanton

Full UK 12-issue subscription rate: 59.40For overseas prices visit:www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street

Leamington Spa.Warwickshire. CV32 5SZ

Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400

E: [email protected]

W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk

Blaze Publishing Limited, 2012

Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800

Copyright Blaze Publishing Limited 2012. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publishers in writing. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily re ect those of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.

ACT

ION

AIR

SOFTA

CTION

FEBR

UA

RY

2012

THE Airsoft Magazine

BETAPROJECT

Realsword svd BRDM-2 weapon customisation modern airsoft warfare

FEBR

UARY

201

2 -

4.25SKILLS

ROOMRupert G explains what it means to 'cover your arcs'

UMAREX/VFC HK416Ratty gets to grips with Umarex's newest GBB ri e

ICONIC WEAPONSHistory, movie credits and airsoft replicas of the MP40

WINA VFC/RA XCR WORTH 300

All-new Tactical AK: reviewed

004 February 2012

32 RIFLE REVIEW HANDS-ON WITH THE UMAREX/ VFC HK416 (GBB)

38 RIFLE REVIEW SCOTT ALLANS BEEN PLAYING WITH HIS SHINY NEW RS SVD

43 GUNMUNKI TURNING YOUR GUN INTO A WORK OF ART

46 BIG BOYZ TOYZ THIS MONTH RATTY INVESTIGATES THE BRDM-2

50 ICONIC WEAPONS JAY SLATER LOOKS BACK AT THE MP40, AND TAKES A LOOK AT REPLICAS ON THE MARKET

54 KIT TEST: BOOTS DANNY P GETS STUCK INTO THREE PAIRS OF BOOTS

59 RIFLE REVIEW PHEW, LAST ONE! RATTY ON VFCS BABY M4ES

Welcome to the rst issue of 2012 (yes I know it says February on the cover but thats just how magazine publishing works!). Anyway, I trust you all had a fabulous Xmas and New Year and the big fat fella brought you everything you wanted (new gun, new boots, new camo).

So, what has 2012 got in store for us? Well, if my diary is anything to go by it is going to be one hell of a year for airsoft and for Airsoft Action. Everything kicks off with a trip to the SHOT Show in Las Vegas in January (yeah, I know, its a dirty job), then the British Shooting Show at the end of February, followed by IWA in Nuremberg two weeks later!

Well be covering airsoft events and games in the UK and abroad and continue bringing you site reviews from all over the country. We wont be forgetting kit either, with some pretty awesome exclusives already in the pipeline, and some stuff we cant tell you about yet (but I promise, when we can youll be the rst to know).

I understand that there may be one or two non-airsoft related events going on in 2012, which is great with millions of people glued to their tellies, the roads will be clear for us to get to our own games. Tell you what though: when its all over, wouldnt the Olympic Park make a stunning airsoft site? Howd you fancy assaulting that spiral tower alongside the Stadium? (Hmm I wonder if we can persuade Mr Sugar to get his chequebook out?)

and with that thought, Ill leave you until next time.Keep safe,Nige

Find us onwww.facebook.com/AirsoftAction Search Airsoft Action

Letter, idea or question?Got something to say? A question for our experts? Or an article, or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the assistant editor ([email protected]), send us a letter at the Blaze Publishing address on the previous page or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

005www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

62 YOUNG GUNS JEZZ BLUME ON GROUND ZEROS LAST GAME OF 2011

65 BATTERIES: PART II BARRY COLLINS EXPLAINS WHY SIZE DOES MATTER

68 FIGHTING FIT DONT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING FIT

73 SKIRMISH BOOT CAMP NIGE JOINS IN THE FESTIVE FUN77 COLD WAR WARRIORS THE US ARMY AIRBORNE 82ND83 INSIDE AIRSOFT BEHIND THE SCENES AT AIRSOFT ARMOURY

87 TEAMWORK: SDM EXPLAINING THE SQUAD DESIGNATED MARKSMAN

94 MEDIA REVIEW WHY ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM WILL DEVOUR YOUR SPARE TIME

97 BOOKSHOP OUR SELECTION OF BOOKS HANDPICKED FOR THE AIRSOFT BOOKWORM

006 February 2012

READERS PICTURESWe want your airsoft pictures! Send in pics of yourself, your team, or whatever, dressed in your nest load-out or in the middle of the action! Well pick the best each month and print them right here, for the whole world to see.Email: [email protected]. Hard copy photos can be accepted at the address at the front of the magazine. Please include a stamped, addressed envelope if you want your pictures back!

READERS WRITE

SNIPER IN THE SIGHTSDear Airsoft Action,When I rst started playing airsoft I chose to be a sniper. Although loads of people told me it was a mistake it was what I wanted to do. You wouldnt believe how many people scoff at you when you take to the eld with your ghillie suit and bolt-action ri e.

What I want to know is, why is the role of the airsoft sniper demeaned? Theyre important in real life so why not in airsoft? Ok so we cant hit targets at 1,000m or whatever, but we can hit targets further away than the M4 army can!

I hope to see more articles dedicated to the airsoft sniper in future the one in the rst issue was a good start but I want to know more about kit, tactics and so on.

Sincerely,Paul Roland, Berks

AA: Hi Paul youre actually in luck! Well, sort of if you ick to page 87 youll nd an excellent article on the role of the airsoft designated marksman. This is similar to a sniper but combines the more exciting role of the infantry too. Hope that helps for now well see what we can do in future for you!

MONEY MATTERSHi Nige,Can I rst say it was great to meet you and the team at the Airsoft Arms Fair last October already looking forward to the next one, although God knows just how expensive it was last time!

Are you ever going to review any of the cheaper Chinasoft weapons that so many people (including myself) use? So far all the guns youve reviewed have been in the mid to high price range, and lots of us lowly airsofters are forced to stick to budget guns until weve saved enough for that G&G, VFC, TM, G&P, WE, KWA too many initials!

And I have another, far more serious complaint. Not since your rst issues competition have you told us who the winners are. I dont mean to be cynical but you must know people will begin to doubt the competitions even exist! So it would be nice if you could print the names of the winners some time.

Apart from that, I love the mag, and hope it stays around for years to come!

Thanks,Jon Marsh

AA: Hi Jon rst, your point on competitions has been duly noted if you ick to page 10 youll nd a full list of winners of competitions from November issue through Xmas issue.

And second, weve so far focussed on those sort of ri es because, after all, were the new kid on the block and have got a lot of catching up to do! But rest assured we will of course not ignore the cheaper weapons available, especially, as you say, for an awful lot of people they are the rst weapons they will own.

PICTURE PERFECTHey AA!Letters is all well and good but how about pictures of readers in their kit? I mean, if people like to see their name in print then theyll bloody love to see their faces!

Take care,Brian Littleworth

AA: Hey Brian! Well, tell you what, send us your picture and well print it! Hows that for fair? If we get enough we shall devote an entire two-page-spread to pics of our beautiful readership in all their glory (SFW only, please!)!

Got a letter, question, picture or something to make us giggle? Email it to [email protected] and you could win two tickets to a Gunman Airsoft event!

008 February 2012

AIRSOFTNEWSAIRSOFTIRAIAIRAIRAIRIRRSRSRSIRRSAAAIAIAAA FTFTFTFTFTOFTTFTTOFSO TRSOSOOFOFSOSOFTRS T

SSSSSSSSSWSWWSWWSWWSWSWSWWWWWWWWWWWWWEWEWEWEWEWEWEWEWEEWEENENENENNNNENENENNNNN SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN WWWWWNNNNNN SSS

First and Only Airsoft has acquired a new Midlands-based site. The new site, The Garrison, is located in Malvern, Worcestershire (WR14) near the Three Counties Showground. The Garrison brings the total number of sites operated by First and Only to 12 (including The Armoury, Wrexham, which First and Only has received permission to reopen).

The Google Maps screengrab shows the area; First and Only has con rmed it will also use the wooded area to the south of the site, tripling its effective area.

The site was previously used as a US Army Medical Corp hospital until 1945. An intensive clean up is required before the site is usable, although the rst game is billed for February. The site was used for illegal ytipping of tyres; at one point more than 500,000 tyres were dumped there. The pictures say the rest!

Urban explorers provide more details on the site see bit.ly/UrbExWorcs.

For more details contact First and Only: www. rstandonlyevents.co.uk

FIRST AND ONLY: THE GARRISON

010 February 2012

Ambush Adventures has announced that 3 March will see the rst game of 2012 at the Longmoor Military Camp site in Hampshire.

The Longmoor site comprises several one- and two-storey buildings, gardens, alleyways, garages and cellars, as well as bridges, woodland, and even a train track.

Airsoft Action will be there to cover the 3 March game join us if you fancy playing this truly awesome site!

For details contact Ambush Adventures: 01252 315225, www.ambushairsoft.com.

AMBUSH ADVENTURES: LONGMOOR SITE

AIRSOFT ACTION COMPETITION RESULTSIts been pointed out weve not released the results of our competitions in some time. So here you go, the winners of competitions from our November to Xmas issues just so you can be jealous it wasnt you!

November issue: Oakley Monster DogsWinner: Graham Prosser, Leics

December issue: Gunmunki custom workWinner: James Peach, Warks

Xmas issue: Celcius MX2 CTWWinner: Gary Stratmann, London

Xmas issue: Estonia Real Steel Training CourseWinner: Keith Partridge, EalingFor details of this months competition, and to enter, ick to page 17. It could be you next time!

AIRSOFT NEWS

Pencott Snowdrift camou age has entered production. By the time you read this well have had a chance to get up close and personal with the innovative new pattern from Pencott at the 2012 SHOT Show in Vegas.

According to Pencott, the Snowdrift pattern features a natural, omni-directional and multi-scalar fractal geometry pattern. A unique three-in-one pattern design provides for greater blending and disruption, while the colour palettes used are optimised for a variety of environments.

Snowdrift is an attempt to break the mould of snow camo patterns. Designed to provide superior concealment in a wide range of snow-covered terrains, Pencott recognised that often this terrain is not a blanket of pure white as competitor patterns would have you believe.

Watch our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AirsoftAction) and Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/AirsoftAction) for more info as it happens.

For details: Hyde De nition, www.hydede nition.com.

KWA Performance Industries has released a tantalising teaser for the forthcoming KRISS-licenced KWA KRISS Vector Super V. It has also con rmed that this years SHOT Show will be our rst chance to see it in person so by the time you read this we should have had chance to handle it, talk to the guys at KWA and be able to bring you more solid details.

News of the KWA KRISS collaboration has circulated for several years, but actual news has been scarce since the collaboration was rst announced. A prototype was on show at the KWA stand in 2011, but was not able to be red. Sources state that KWAs KRISS Vector will be an exact 1:1 replica, and

utilise KWAs highly effective gas blowback system. The product

is already listed

on KWAs website, under SMGs, though no information has been added to the page.

Please note, image shows real steel KRISS Vector so you can decide whether this must-have spec ops SMG sensation is really a must-have for your airsoft weapons cache!

KWA Performance Industries: www.kwausa.com

NEW SNOW CAMO PATTERN IN PRODUCTION


KWA KRISS VECTOR AT SHOT

012 February 2012

Cue naked man sitting at an organ and the immortal words of Monty Python: And now for something completely different!

Over the years airsoft players have pretty much split into two main camps: those who own and love M16/M4s, and those who dont. For a long time those on the other side were limited to what they could do to accessorize their ll in the blank ri e. Either you didnt bother or, by the time you had spent a fortune on your after-market rail systems and other bits and hacked them around to t properly, you were sick of the sight of it after the initial Look what Ive accomplished. But despite that you couldnt

sell it on as everyone said, Well I really like this bit, but dont like that bit, and so on.

Nowadays things are a little different. Various companies offer versions of non-M4 based ri es already with rails and alternative stocks and what have you. But it is a relatively new company in the airsoft market that has grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns.

Beta Project has collaborated with Magpul PTS; the result is the Tactical AK. I know that AKs arent to everyones taste and I suppose this will be a bit of a Marmite gun youll either love it or hate it.

As I said, Beta Project is relatively new on the airsoft scene, and there is not a huge amount known about them. The Hong Kong-

based company has been manufacturing magazines (again Magpul PTS based) and other accessory items for a short time now, and its airsoft gun rack has been described as the best gun rack on the market.

Some of you may have already heard the Beta Project name, with regards to its M200 (Cheytac) spring sniper ri e. A good friend recently purchased one of these, so I am intrigued to see how he gets on with that. However, this seems to be Beta Projects rst AEG to hit the market. Magpul PTS (as we all know) has been around for some time now, and seems to be going from strength to strength. It has been (and indeed still is) on the cutting-edge of airsoft with its innovative and functional products.

BETA PROJECT TACTICAL AK

Beta Project is relatively new to the airsoft market, and not known for producing AEGs. Its Tactical AK is a collaboration with Magpul PTS but is it any good? Ratty gives it the once over

THE ARMOURY


OverviewThe box itself is very unassuming, plain brown with just a couple of labels on it to let you know what you have purchased but hey, its only a box, stop picking on it. But once you ip the lid, however, you will see that this is probably the best and most protective internal packaging for an airsoft ri e ever seen. There are two layers before you get to the gun itself, then the pre-cut layer that ri e sits in, and another two layers the other side of it. Alongside the ri e and the magazine is a simple but informative instruction sheet.

I couldnt help but be surprised by how chunky and solid-feeling the ri e felt as I took it from the box. It has a decent heft, weighing in at 3,500g. The other thing you cannot help but notice is how striking the ri e looks. At rst, surprisingly, I wasnt sure whether Id fall into the love it or hate it camp. Based on an AK74, its not just an AK with a rail system slapped onto it and called a tactical

version there is far more to it than that!The stock is a Magpul PTS CTR stock (in

black), which is tted onto an M4-style buffer tube. The CTR stock has been available on its own for some time, but for those of you who arent familiar with it, its main feature is a friction lock system which eliminates stock movement when locked onto the buffer tube.

The receiver is dark earth in colour and has ambidextrous charging handles (more about them later). The receiver itself is full-metal

and is another of the reasons this AK feels so solid. The release catch for the top cover works smoothly and, unlike many other AKs, the top cover clicks back down effortlessly, with or without a battery tted. I own a couple of AKs from two other well-known manufacturers and I wish they tted back on this easily. With the top cover off there is plenty of room to t an 8.4v stick type battery (to the point that you could quite easily t another cell in the space that is left). A 9.6v would obviously up your rate of re, but may well invalidate your warranty with the retailer! The small Tamiya connector is located at the rear, close to the locking catch itself. The magazine release catch is where you would expect it to be, just forward of the trigger guard.

The pistol grip (in black) is again something I have not seen tted to an AK. It is an M249 type grip, which adds to the overall chunkiness of the ri e, but does give an excellent feel. The safety switch/ re selector is solid, unlike many other AKs (which end up all loose and oppy), and it gives an audible click when it selects one of its three positions. For those that have not owned or used AKs before, safe is at the top, one click

down is full-auto and two clicks (fully down) is semi. It has standard AK front and rear battle sights.

As I said earlier, a unique feature of the Beta Project Tactical AK is the ambidextrous charging handles. Although this gun is not an electric blowback it does allow left- and right-handed users to get to the hop adjuster (located just inside the ejection port) more easily. The hop adjuster itself is a sliding lever and very simple to operate.

Based on an AK74, its not just an AK with a rail system slapped

onto it and called a tactical version there is far more to it

than that!

SPECIFICATIONSBeta Project AK TacticalWeight: 3,500gBuild: Full metal receiver, rail system and ash hider; ABS stock, pistol grip and magazineLength: 820mm stock collapsed; 900mm stock extendedGearbox: Version 3Hop up: AdjustableMagazine: 140BB AK74 Magpul PTS P-Mag mid capBattery: 8.4v stick typeVelocity: 340-349fps (hop off); 326-335fps (hop on)Price: Around 360

My only criticism is that there are no sling mounts as standard. I know that as an M4 style buffer tube there are plenty of aftermarket sling adaptors for end users to choose from, and same again with a front rail mount. I suppose that not having any as standard will allow the customer to choose from using a single or three point sling, whichever they prefer.

Forward of the receiver is the 240mm metal rail system (in black) which is standard 20mm Picatinny style. The top rail is just over 170mm in length, but the four rails provide all the space you will need to mount every accessory you could possible require in a game. The aesthetics are topped off with an AK74U-style ash hider. The magazine supplied with the ri e is a 140BB AK74 Magpul PTS P-Mag mid cap. This is quite transparent, so you can see how many rounds you have in the mag at any point, and has a dark earth base plate.

In Use By now, having given the exterior a good and thorough going over, I gured it must be time to see if the Beta Project V3 gearbox (and the rest of the internals) was built to the same high standard. With a fully charged 8.4v 1300mAh stick battery tted and the mag lled with Madbull Precision Grade 0.2g BBs, off I went to my test area. I set the stock to suit me and locked it in place.

As it was brand new out of the box, I ran through 10 mags with the hop just slightly turned on. Flicking it between full and semi-auto, the selector still felt sturdy and showed no sign of intentions to loosen up. Doing a succession of double taps on semi, the trigger response was surprisingly good. On auto the AK just kept chucking out round after round, as it should. After 10 mags I set the hop roughly where I thought it should

be and tried a short burst. All the BBs were hitting my targets at both 100ft and 120ft, so I selected semi again and red some more double taps. These were still thwacking into the targets. Rather impressive I thought Better whip out the chrono!

The blurb for the of cial UK spec version (distributed by Edgar Brothers) says that the Tactical AK should be running between 360-370fps. With the hop turned fully off I was achieving 340-349fps, which is probably even better. After resetting the hop to where I had it earlier, I was getting 326-335fps.

SummaryAs with most things in life, rst impressions count a lot! Beta Project, as a relatively new company, has a lot riding on this AEG, but what a way to make an impression. First its a well-thought-out and manufactured AK; second, the collaboration with Magpul PTS makes for a totally unique and funky-looking ri e, setting it apart from the rest. The more I used it the more I could feel the quality. The weight is spot on so you wont get tired lugging it around all day. It feels so sturdy and robust that you wont worry about it breaking when it falls over in the Safe Zone or when you clonk it into a door frame when room clearing. It res really nice and consistent and the fps out of the box means you shouldnt get any grief on any game site I can think of.

So if you are looking for one ri e that isnt an M4 but will cover all of your gaming requirements and allow you to mount all your goodies, then look no further!

What else can I say? I really, really like the Beta Project Tactical AK but then again I do love my Marmite on toast!

014 February 2012

016 February 2012


COMPETITION

WIN...WIN...WIN...

ON ARMS XCR COMP

eel Robinson Arms XCR designed?

2004 2006

Postcode

Competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing,treet, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. [email protected], quoting G&G e. Entries received after 15 February will not beold. Winner will be rst correct entry pulled from

e to keep you informed of other offers ande if you would NOT like to be contacted by post

How would you like to own your very own VFC/Robinson Arms XCR, reviewed in the January 2012 issue of Airsoft Action? If the answer's a resounding yes, then you're in luck:

just answer the question below, by ticking the box beside the answer you think is correct, and send us your completed entry form (by post or email). Weve got one to give away first correct answer pulled from the editor's hat takes the rifle. Go go go!

VFC XCRAS SEEN IN LAST MONTH'SAIRSOFT ACTION!

I am not my best at 08:00, especially when Ive been driving for nearly three hours, but the welcome I got at Modern Airsoft Warfare (MAW) could not have been warmer. Coffee and

mince pies were particularly well received this was, after all, MAWs Christmas Bash!

MAW is based just outside Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, on the site of the old Asfordby Gun Range. Its one of those I wish I could step back in time to see what it was like then places. Unfortunately there is not much history available but so far as I can tell it started life in 1918 as The Holwell Proof Butts, and was used for servicing and testing heavy calibre guns. The guns were dry red into long tunnels built into the hillside until it was closed in March 1971 after local residents protested that the vibrations were slowly demolishing their homes!

The website says: Guns, grenades, pain and sweat. This is the promise. No frills, just fast paced simulated military combat. Pain and sweat? Best we let Nige check this one out!

MODERN AIRSOFT WARFAREMAW

018 February 2012

Most of the buildings have subsequently been pulled down but there are quite a few that remain. Theres also a raised walkway that leads off into the trees which gives this part of the site an almost Myst-like feeling and makes it perfect for the rst game of the day a Zombie warm-up!

The site operator, Jay, had told me that he expected about 30 players for the day and, although I didnt do a head-count, there seemed to be quite a few more than that. As it was MAWs Christmas Bash some players had arrived in costume, including four Santas, a Christmas Cracker and (no, I am not joking) a 6ft Turkey! Fair play to these guys, as they wore their out ts for the whole day!

I was really pleased to see that rst things rst meant putting every gun over the chrono. Each was then tagged to show this had been done no tag, no play. Once

chronoing was nished Jay called everyone up for a very good safety brie ng and outlined the order of play, starting with the aforementioned Zombie warm-up which would start over at the Railway Station and use the walkways into the forest.

The Four Santas would start as Zombies so the rest headed off into the trees and buildings along the walkway. Zombies could not be killed and any player hit had to go back to the regen point where they instantly became Zombies and returned to the game on the other side. Needless to say this led to some pretty frantic (and sometimes very funny) action but the game served its purpose and got everyone acquainted and ready for more.

This is very much the MAW style. Jay likes to start the day with short, theme-based games before moving into longer, objective-

SITE REVIEW

of other marshals on-site throughout the day, play is kept moving and any disputes very quickly (and amicably) resolved.

Back out on site it was time for the Red Team to defend the Hilltop Bunker, a sealed, underground water-storage tank built at the highest point, surrounded by trees and approachable from all directions. The defenders had to stay within a boundary

line painted on the trees while the attackers had full range. To win,

though, the Blue Team had to be in possession of the bunker at

game end, with all Reds accounted for.

based scenarios which test endurance and strategic aptitude and there is plenty of room on this site to do just that.

MAW covers about 55 acres and is full of both natural and man-made features. Some of these like the Hilltop Bunker and Missile Silo are the result of its previous use, while others have been constructed more recently, such as District 9 and the Rebel Camp. All appear well thought-out, with emphasis on being playable rather than just functional great for airsofters!

The second game was an attack and defend scenario in the same area, before players made their way back to the Safe Zone to re-arm and grab a coffee (and another mince pie). MAW runs a points system, with points awarded for winning games as well as to individuals for outstanding play and, just for today, prizes for best fancy dress. With player marshals on both sides and a number


only a few minutes respite between each sub-objective and plenty of trips to regen. The Blues were the attacking side but, within spitting distance of their nal objective and despite a last-minute charge, the whistle was blown for game-end.

One last game was played, but with the heavens open and light failing play came to an end, with the Reds winning 11 points to eight although (as I have so often seen) the points didnt seem to matter. What really mattered was that every player had a really good day, playing

safely on a well-run site, thoroughly enjoyed themselves and, to a man, said they would come back again.

For me, thats all that needs to be said!

their way into the bunker. Unfortunately a single Blue player spoilt their victory by remaining hidden at the back of the bunker and effectively picking off a good number of Reds right up to game end, resulting in another draw.

Back at the Safe Zone for lunch there were Pot Noodles and chocolate bars for sale (although some of the regulars, with the bene t of experience, had brought sausage and beans plus a cooker along). Afterwards Jay called everyone back together to explain the afternoons games. This would be a longer, more involved scenario and would use a much greater area of the site, starting from the Hilltop Bunker and working all the way round to the House of Death. It also involved a box full of Alien Eggs which had to be carried (very carefully, mind) by two players; points would be awarded for the number of eggs to arrive at the objective in one piece.

I have to say this worked really well and encouraged almost non-stop action, with

Pushing up the slope the Blues made a good advance, but were stopped by very accurate re from the Reds above them. Although they made some inroads into the defence they simply didnt have suf cient numbers at any time to mount a full-scale attack. The Reds prevailed, managed to repel the attacks and were still in possession at game end, when the roles were reversed.

This time the Reds felt the force of a determined defence and it wasnt until the last few minutes of the game that they nally managed to breach the Blue line and force

020 February 2012

some players had arrived in costume,

including four Santas, a Christmas Cracker

and (no, I am not joking) a 6ft Turkey!

MODERN AIRSOFT WARFAREMelton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14PricesWalk-on: 20 (15 if paid minimum seven days in advance)Themed Days: From 25 (20 if booked in advance)Ri e hire: Not availableContact: www.modernairsoftwarfare.co.uk07562 479966

PRIZE WINNERSOutstanding PlayTodd Wilson and Alex GreenFancy DressSteve Beasley (6ft Turkey) and Gillon Tompkins (Santa/Reindeer love-child, complete with red tinsel garrot)All prize winners received a free game day voucher and a bottle of Blaster BBs.

022 February 2012

FIELDCRAFT COVERING YOUR ARCS

Anyone who has put on a military uniform, be it as a TA Soldier, a Regular or as an airsofter, will have heard the term Cover your arcs

sometimes as a quick reminder in a brief, sometimes in a harsh tone from the Section Commander or Squad Leader encouraging you to switch on. But what does it actually mean? How do you do it, and why?

The word arcs (in the dictionary: an unbroken part of the circumference of a circle or curved line) refers to the 360

Billy Basics: Doing the basics well is the foundation of all soldiering

horizontally surrounding your location (which must be observed if you are to guarantee your security). Another term you might have heard is all-round defence which speaks for itself.

That might be when youre out patrolling, in an offensive role, or in a static base location. Even in an ambush situation, despite the fact that its an offensive patrol it is still a patrol with not unlimited repower, and therefore potentially vulnerable. The ambush group would still have its arcs covered, with the left cut off/right cut off

ful lling their roles, the main killer group facing the expected direction of the enemy approach.

But what about the rear area, behind all the repower? What if an enemy patrol ahead of the main force to be ambushed, stumbled into the rear of the ambush group? Contact to the rear? Confusion would reign. So this is where we nd the oft-forgotten rear protection, which will have the important task of guarding the Bergen cache or day sacks. Theyll be keeping an eye on the rear and hopefully they wont be

arcs need to be interlocking, or in laymans terms overlapping, so that there are no gaps in your vigilant watch through which a cunning enemy can approach

SKILLS ROOM


rustling sweetie papers. The rear protection commander will also have comms with the overall ambush commander, because its no good having eyes all round if the commander has no way of nding out whats going on around him.

The 360 around your roving patrol or location are broken down for simplicity, into four 90 angles. Each of you will be allocated an arc to watch, or if there are more of you then the Commander might do it by eye, the situation will dictate. Dont forget though that the arcs need to be interlocking, or in laymans terms overlapping, so that there are no gaps in your vigilant watch through which a cunning enemy can approach.

And so when youre asked, ever so politely and in a reasonable tone, to cover your arcs, you should watch your 90 section, and where possible do it over the sights of your weapon. That way youll be in a position to engage the enemy quickly, thus denying him the element of surprise.

So by covering your arcs youre keeping your eyes open for the opposition. And this is not a technique that was thought up by

the British Army either its a basic of any military unit. The Roman Army were so impressed with the vigilance of geese they encountered in the wild that they used them to guard the perimeters of their forts over 2,000 years ago.

While hunting them for food the Roman soldiers observed that, while the majority of the ock were heads down, eating grass, there were always smaller groups of threes and fours standing watch on each of the corners, and without any noticeable communication they would occasionally swap duties, thereby always maintaining a constant watch over the ock, who were exposed on the fens and mud ats. So the Romans caught live Geese and stationed groups of four or ve at the corners of their forts and camps, and during the night the ever-watchful geese would call out in alarm if they were approached. Effective, and considerably cheaper than drones and computers and they could eat them too!

So if you nd yourself static or in a base location, and you havent remembered to bring the geese, its down to you. While out

patrolling you still have to cover your arcs, but you have to do it on the move, so how do you divvy up the duties?

You divide up the arcs using your line of march or advance, so the soldier at the front is responsible for the 180 to his front, and obviously the rear man is responsible for the rear 180. The rear man cant walk backwards otherwise hed be forever falling over, so what he does is every so often walk swiftly up to the man in front of him, and then turns to face the rear and have a good scan of his arc for 10 seconds or so, and then continue his march.

The soldiers in the patrol will then alternately take the left and right, but all will look to cover the whole of the ank 180 and not just 90. The guy at the front has the hardest job, and the most stressful; he is probably the most vulnerable, depending on where you think the enemy is, and he will be the rst to get it if he stumbles into an

024 February 2012

enemy position, so ensure that you rotate people through this job on a regular basis so the lead scout gets a chance to rest within the patrol.

So does all round defence mean you have to be facing outwards all the time? Well not necessarily; you can be creative and use your imagination. If youre in a small

group and decide you want to pause for a short halt for a water stop or a breather and you need to discuss something between the patrol, you can sit facing inwards and keep watch over your opposite numbers shoulder. Its not perfect, but nothing is in soldiering, is it? Otherwise it would be easy.

COVERING THE ARCS

All round defence

Order of march

Sitting in a circle

026 February 2012

Scopes, clothing, tools and guns: Santa was good to us this year!

PAO 1X30 RED/GREEN DOT SIGHT 40Professional Airgun Optics (PAO) is a fairly new face in the world of weapon sight systems. The company produces ri e scopes, range nders, night vision optics and, of course, the 1x30 red/green dot sight featured here! This 1x magni cation dot sight allows the user to choose between a red or green dot, and will t any 20mm weaver rail system. Provides for ve brightness levels in both red and green settings. Made of aircraft-grade aluminium, this is a robust, well-priced optic suitable for both pistols and ri es.

Surplus Store, 01293 525880, www.surplusstore.co.uk

DEERHUNTER SNEAKY 3D CAMOUFLAGE Around 50 check your local stockist We tested this awesome camo over suit at a woodland skirmish. Despite being incredibly lightweight, and made of thin material, the suit is resistant to tears and snagging and durable enough you wont worry about it being ripped apart. Deerhunters own Innovation pattern emphasises the 3D effect to provide for impressive camou aging properties. Features elasticated waistband and pull cord fastening. Our only gripe is with the buttons, which are prone to popping off a bit of tape on the inside soon sorted that out.

Deerhunter, www.deerhunter.dk (products available from hunting

outlets)

MAGNUM SIDEWINDER HPI (MULTICAM) 189.95In development with the aid of UK, US and other SF personnel for more than 12 months, the Magnum Sidewinder HPi features Crye Precision-licensed Multicam pattern. They still have Magnums own ion-mask technology though, which provides resistance to water, blood-borne pathogens and other chemicals. They are not waterproof, so take care to keep those feet dry! A breathable lining keeps things fresh though and the whole thing is very well-constructed, using durable materials, and should survive a good amount of use.

Stringtown Supplies, 01323 488844, www.stringtownsupplies.org.uk

AAINSPECTED

KIT BAG


TRIJICON ACOG 4X32 (REPLICA) 54.99This authentic replica of the Trijicon TA31 with bre optic across the top (non functional) features high quality full-metal construction and can be mounted onto 20mm or 11mm (weaver or dovetail) rails. Crystal-clear optics and a 32mm objective lens provide for quick target acquisition and top-notch accuracy. Plus, ve brightness settings allow for adjustments for different conditions and preferences.

Flashlight Heaven, www. ashlight-heaven.co.uk

KWC 24/7 75.99Occupying a comfortable price bracket, KWCs CO2 powered pistols are excellent entry pistols. The 24/7 is a replica of the Taurus PT24, with metal slide and ABS frame, and ideally suited to younger or new players (or just those on a budget!). The 24/7 we got to play with is a non-blowback version without any Taurus trademarks. The grip is rubberised and textured, and while the look might not be to your taste the stippling does improve grip. The magazines are a pain to source though. Be prepared to buy overseas, if not from the dreaded eBay. We found this to be well short of its stated 1.4J power, giving an average of 50 shots at 278fps but perfectly serviceable nonetheless. A great bit of kit, but we advise you to work out where your mags will come from before you commit to buying it!

Highland Outdoors (UK distributor), www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk

GERBER DIESEL MULTITOOL AROUND 70Gerbers Diesel is a multitool built to last. Featuring Gerbers patented one-handed opening system, a ick of the wrist unveils no less than 13 components, including several sizes of screwdriver, pliers, wire cutter and partially-serrated blade. This isnt cheap, but then its not your run of the mill multitool with a closed length of almost 13cm this is one big, tough bit of kit. Drop it into your bag before heading for the skirmish eld but please remember not to take it into the game! Realism has its limits actual knife kills fall just outside those limits. Just. Please note, pictured here is the Diesel in Mossy Oak pattern but this isnt available from UK retailers, who stock it in silver and black only.

Gerber, www.gerbergear.co.uk

AAINSPECTE

D

028 February 2012


EVENT REVIEW

If you live in the South of England and have played airsoft over the last few years, there is a fair chance that you have played at Ambush Adventures Chobham site. This 46-acre woodland

site has been running for some 15 years now, originally as a paintball site but for the last 10 years or so as an airsoft skirmish site so you could say it is fairly well-established!

Having played there myself on and off over the years I have seen the site develop, with more features added, some old ones taken away and thankfully some new drainage

Taking a break from reviewing ri es, Ratty went down to Chobham in Surrey for Ambush Adventures Xmas Bash

trenches dug! Some of their Christmas bashes in years gone by have reached almost legendary status for their fun- lled, tongue-in-cheek games and of course some outrageous fancy dress costumes. So on the last Sunday before Christmas 2011, I thought it time to review this Xmas tradition

Already 18 December seems an age ago, and its not even the New Year at the time of writing this. The morning of the event started off cold and murky but by the time I arrived the sun had decided to come out, which usually guarantees a good turnout. The ground was

frozen underfoot and the Safe Zone itself was pretty much deserted apart from head marshal Dave and Theo from Airsoft QMS setting up his on-site shop. On game days he sells all manner of accessory items and tactical gear. Of course under my of cial capacity I was busy setting up my mobile Badger Tac shop, selling a selection of ri es and pistols, as well as other kit from the shop, for those who had some money left over after their Christmas shopping!

Charlie and Christine, who own and run Ambush Adventures, were next to arrive with their van lled with not just the rental

AMBUSH ADVENTURESXMAS GAME 2011

equipment, BBs and the burgers and hotdogs for lunch, but also mince pies and the Xmas raf e prizes. The rst few players arrived and it was plain, even at this early stage in the day, that todays event could be called Clash of the Santa Hats. More and more groups of skirmishers arrived and soon the Safe Zone was awash with different camou age patterns, mostly topped off with the seeminly obligatory Santa hats. A few fancy dress out ts had also started appearing, some festive and others not so a guy in full Rourkes Drift regalia instantly springs to mind!

With everyone booked in and in possession of their free Xmas raf e ticket, those that were renting guns were shown how to use them.

The next scenario was slightly harder, as both a three-phase game and a timed event. There would obviously be a role reversal as well. The rst phase would see the attacking team starting in the little woods, advancing into the village to locate the ammo box hidden in one of the huts and being defended by the dug-in opposition. Once this had been captured and the defenders pushed back over the bridges, phase two was to get the ammo box itself over one of four bridges. None of the attacking team could cross any bridge until this was completed. From there, the third and nal phase was to plant the ammo box into the fort located at the far end of the site. The attackers had unlimited regen while the defenders regen would be closed when the bucket sitting on the tank was hit by a BB from the attacking team. For the attackers, the ammo box could only be moved when carried by two people.

Once Dave had explained all this and the other nitty gritty (twice for those players wearing Multicam and ACU!) it was time for blue team to set off to their start point in the little woods while the red team sorted out their defensive positions.

As I walked around the battle eld there were plenty of the Blue Team with their hands held high heading back to their regen point before re-entering the combat zone. A browse around the Red Teams defensive positions showed the Blues attempts being successfully repelled all over.

But all of a sudden they got a break and retrieved the ammo box. In the midst of in-coming re, a plan was formulated and the two guys carrying the ammo box, along with a protection force, hot-footed it down the bridge at the far end. The battle raged for a while longer but soon the cry went out, letting the team know that the box was successfully over the bridge. The Blues pushed and pushed until they managed to knock out the Reds regen point. From there it was just a matter of time before they achieved their main objective and the box was carried by its handlers through the door of the fort. It was back to the Safe Zone for a quick coffee and bomb up before going out again.

The Red Team, attacking, seemed to have a slightly more organised plan of attack, although initially they were fought off wherever they went. Obviously the Blues werent going to give up without a ght (if only the same could be said of Wycombe Wanderers!) but the Reds were relentless. Eventually the Blues regen point was destroyed and, after a last stand at the fort, they were all killed off. As the Red Team relaxed they were reminded that it was

030 February 2012

This done, all 123 players gathered together in the Safe Zone for the obligatory safety brief. I know these can be time consuming, and regular players get complacent because theyve heard it all before, but if you dont pay attention to anything else throughout the day at least make sure you listen to this. Charlie injected his usual humour while running through the safety points and the dos and donts of the site. Then it was over to Dave to get the rst game going. With the sun now beaming through the tree cover the frost was clearing and the ground was softening up nicely. About 45 minutes later, with the initial warm up game completed, a few of the faces coming back into the Safe Zone were the same colour as their hats!

AMBUSH ADVENTURES: CHOBHAMChobham, Surrey GU24 8SLAmbush Adventures uses its Chobham and Southampton sites on alternate weekends. Ambush also runs some special events, as well as hosting some practical pistol shooting. PricesWalk on: 20Ri e hire: From 40Contact: 01252 315225, www.ambushadventures.co.uk

have a massive smile on their face by the time the whistle went. And although most of his manliness was on view, Terry had been hit surprising few times.

Time was getting on and with the temperature staring to drop the last game of the day was announced: Players v Staff!

Anyone who had worked for Ambush Adventures throughout the last year was immediately put on the Staff team. By now I dont think anyone really cared what the exact rules of engagement were; just the chance to shoot Charlie or any of the staff members was too much to resist. Again, all the players were still in high spirits and trotted out to their start points. What ensued was 30 minutes of mayhem I think Overkill may have been shouted on more than one occasion!

As the sun set over Chobham, Charlie and the team thanked the players. The rst game date of 2012 was bellowed and people packed their gear and, still wearing their Santa hats, headed off home.

All in all a great day, with a mixture of serious skirmishing and some very light-hearted games designed to make everyone laugh and have a good time. Then again, isnt that why we all play airsoft skirmish in the rst place?

EVENT REVIEWnot over until the ammo box was carried inside the fort. With the clock still ticking and some expletives being shouted the Red Team had to hunt around to nd where they had left the box. It was while laughing about this oversight with one of the marshals that I got shot in the back of the head! Buggers!

With everyone back in the Safe Zone I noticed all the mince pies had gone and the results were announced. Despite their last-minute mistake the Red Team still triumphed, completing the mission in just over 27 minutes. It was time for lunch and then, once everyone was fed, time to do the raf e.

There were loads of prizes, from bottles of BBs through vouchers and a couple of ASG pump-action shotguns. There were some very happy faces when certain numbers were pulled out the box. It was then that the two players who had brought hot weapons into the Safe Zone at some point during the morning were given their punishment. Head marshal Dave stood over them and,

in his best drill instructor fashion, started them off on their 10 push ups, military style! You could tell it was Christmas though Dave didnt make them do them in a muddy puddle!

And for the rest of day everyone took their mags out and cleared their weapons long before entering the Safe Zone! Afterwards it was announced what the next game was going to be

A donations box was put on the counter to raise money for Help for Heroes and, depending on the pot of money raised, regular player Terry Robinson would don his thong, and along with his team of 19 bodyguards would be the objective. A total of 115.30 was deposited, so it was on with the thong for Terry! The sight of our Terry in his thong with his wig, glasses and gold chain was slightly disturbing, and I couldnt help wondering whether this was perhaps his normal Sunday attire! Everyone

got into the spirit of it and game on was called. What followed was

a complete hoot and there wasnt one person that didnt


032 February 2012

The Heckler & Koch 416 series has become a bit of a legend in its own right. There have been airsoft versions of varying quality around for some time.

While there will always be the debate about whether to go for an AEG or GBB version of any ri e or SMG, when offered the chance of reviewing this latest offering from Umarex I jumped at it.

HistoryFor some years now Heckler & Koch has been at the cutting edge of modern rearms development and manufacture. From icons such as the MP5 series to the ultra-modern G36 series, its products have always been held up as reliable and very well-manufactured.

Delta Force and Heckler & Koch got together to develop a new carbine.

H&Ks view was to cure the M16/M4 series of all their problems, inherent to its 40-year-old design. The company used its experience from the recent (and very successful) upgrade programme of the British Army SA80/L85A1 ri es, as well as its development on the G36 series. At that time the G36 had just been adopted by the German Army. The new project was originally designated the HK M4, but was changed owing to a suit led by Colt Defence over trademark infringement.

The main improvement made by H&K was to use its patented short-stroke gas piston system, which operates a seven-lug rotating bolt and is also found in the G36 series. This system replaced the direct gas system of the standard M16/M4, so no powder residue remained in the receiver even after sustained shooting sessions. This new system is self-

regulating and works reliably with any barrel length. It also reduces malfunctions and increases the life of parts.

Other improvements included a new buffer assembly, improved bolt and a cold hammer forged barrel with a 20,000-round service life. The cold forging process provides a stronger barrel for use in extended ring sessions and generally improved safety.

The 416 also features a free- oating handguard which helps improve accuracy, with integral Picatinny-type rail system on all four sides. The 416 has a new style, ergonomically-designed pistol grip, an adjustable (six position) telescopic stock, and interestingly the shoulder pad can either be concave or convex. It also features storage space for accessories such as batteries and small maintenance tools. As standard they come with folding front and rear sights too.

UMAREX/VFC H&K 416 GAS BLOW BACK RIFLEShakespeare could have written AEG or GBB? That is the question. But he didnt so we asked Ratty if Umarexs HK416 has the answer

THE ARMOURY


Originally the 416 programme was developed to be a drop in upper receiver assembly that would t any M16/M4 type lower receiver. Customers do indeed have the option of buying the new upper receiver, buffer and drive spring to refurbish their existing M4s. H&K also started manufacturing its own lower receivers (made of high grade aluminium alloy), allowing the end user to buy a complete system off the shelf. These lower receivers retain all the familiar M16 style controls: last round bolt hold open device, rear-based charging handle, magazine release button on right-hand side of the mag well and the combination safety/ re selector. This is ambidextrous so the weapon can be used by both right-handed and left-handed operators. In true H&K fashion, the selector options are pictorial rather than wordy.

At this time the complete H&K 416 is available in four barrel lengths: 10.5in, 14.5in and a 16.5in carbine, as well as a 20in barrelled ri e. As of October 2010 the 416C, an Ultra-Compact (9in barrel) version became available. Designed for CQB situations or use as personal defence weapon or close protection operators, this sub carbine shares a lot of the components used in its bigger brothers, although it does have a new retractable stock and buffer system.

In 2004, Delta Force replaced its M4s with H&K 416s after testing. It has also been tested by other parts of the US military and is in use with some law enforcement agencies and special operations units, including NASA Emergency Response Team. The Norwegian Army, after extensive testing, has adopted the 416 as its standard ri e too. It is in service with 15 countries including Australia (Special Operations Command), Germany (KSK), Japan (Maritime Defence Force) and Slovakia (5th Special Forces Regiment) to name a few.

In December 2009, a modi ed variant underwent testing by the United States Marine Corps as the M27 Infantry Automatic Ri e. After testing at the Marine Corps Fort McCoy and Camp Shelby for dust, cold and hot weather conditions, an order for 458 IARs was placed to equip the four Infantry Battalions and one Light Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.

034 February 2012

There is a larger version of the 416, chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO ri e cartridges. This H&K 417 is basically an up-scaled version of the 416 and is again ergonomically similar to the M16/M4 series. They take G3 style magazines. Enough on the 417 though, as that is another article in its own right.

There are other variants of the H&K 416 for the American civilian market, again in 5.56 and 7.62. These versions, renamed the MR556 & MR762 accordingly, are semi-auto only.

Umarex/ VFC HK416 GBBVFC has been making high-end airsoft AEGs for some time now. The ri es VFC produces have generally always been robust and very well-put-together, so when it started to manufacture gas blowback (GBB) ri es my hopes it could replicate this reliability with an alternate power source were high. As I said earlier, there will always be the debate about AEG or GBB? As with everything, both have their pros and cons. In the past gas has always been at a disadvantage here in the UK owing to our climate, which is normally too cold to make a GBB a reliable, year-round airsoft primary. On top of that, early gas ri es were closed bolt, which took away the realism and thus the whole point of owning such a ri e! However, when WE brought out its new open bolt system and we had the G39C running faultlessly at -6C, I hoped this meant that gas ri es had turned a corner.

I have used some early VFC M4 open bolt gas blowbacks and had been rather disappointed by some catastrophic failures that took some time to rectify. However, when Umarex launched its MP5 gas blowback SMGs (again made by VFC), I was pleasantly impressed with build, rate of re and reliability. This, to me, redeemed VFCs reputation. So when the Umarex HK416 GBB turned up on my desk I really couldnt wait to give it a good going over.

First impressionsUpon opening the very smart and now-familiar H&K logod box, I was presented with the 14.5in-barrelled version, which in all honesty is my favourite version in the range. Also in the box is a 35-round magazine, comprehensive instruction manual and a pistol-type BB loader. As I took it out of the box I could already feel how solid and weighty the Umarex HK416 is and once it is out of its protective plastic wrap you have to admire how much thought and detail there is on this version.

The ABS stock, while familiar-feeling, is quite different to a normal M4 type (or many other crane stocks out there, for that matter). It is solid with very minimal wobble in any of its four position settings and has a chunky rubberised butt pad, which sits nicely when the weapon is shouldered. The stock also incorporates rear sling mounts on both sides.

The curved pistol grip is ergonomic and feels great when in hand. Again, made of quality ABS, it gives you the feel that it wont fall apart in the rst 30 minutes.

The metal receiver is very solid and robust. It has an ambidextrous safety/ re selector with options in international (picture) format and, just like the real thing, you cannot select safe unless the weapon has been cocked, with or without a magazine tted. On the left-hand-side of the receiver there is a working bolt release/hold open catch and a unique serial number, and on the magwell is the H&K logo with the model type (416D) etched into the body. My only gripe here (and I know I speak for many other airsoft players) is that the calibre is etched in as 6mm BB. While I know that this is in fact what it is, when you

are paying for top-end licensed products, purely so you can have the realism, the suspension of disbelief is sort of lost when 6mm is etched in big white letters down the side of your pride and joy. The same can be said, albeit to a lesser degree, about having the Umarex holds the worldwide exclusive HK trademark and exterior design spiel. This appears on the right-hand-side of the receiver in much smaller script, on the magwell under the Heckler & Koch marking. The mag release catch and bolt assist is also on the right-hand-side of the receiver.

The dust cover is made of ABS but the bolt itself is metal, and again has a HK logo on it. Things like that are a particularly nice touch and take your mind off my earlier comments. The charging handle at the rear of the receiver is metal too and feels robust enough to take

a reasonable amount of abuse. The upper receiver is a at-top type with a rail for mounting a sighting system. It comes with a H&K-style rotating rear battle sight that can be easily removed with a Phillips screwdriver.

The front free oating rail system is full-metal construction

and comes with a xed front battle sight that can also be removed. On the lower section of the rail, just in front of the magwell, is a bolt that can be undone with an Allan key. Once loosened, this allows the whole rail system to slide forward.

And why would I want to do that? Well, because located beneath the rails is the hop adjuster, which I must admit I am really impressed with, in terms of how easy it is to use. Although this process sounds quite ddly, it isnt at all as dif cult. It shows up the one-piece metal outer barrel, which ends with a standard M16A2 style ash hider.

The mag, as you would expect, is a standard VFC M4 gas blowback magazine, an all-metal construction with a capacity of 35 rounds.

when WE brought out its new open bolt system and we had the G39C running faultlessly at -6C, I hoped this meant that gas

ri es had turned a corner


THE ARMOURY

SPECIFICATIONSUmarex/VFC HK416Weight: 3,100gBuild: Metal receiver, barrel, free oating rail system; ABS stock and pistol gripLength: 810mm (stock collapsed); 889mm (stock extended)Inner barrel length: 415mmSystem: Gas blowbackMagazine: VFC M4 35-roundVelocity: 305fps (Abbey Predator Ultra, cold day);348fps (using ASG Ultra Gas on cold day)393fps (of cial stats: Green Gas, warm day)Price: Around 300

In UseOld habits die hard, so

the rst thing I did was put a quick squirt of silicone

spray into the bolt and breech area as well as onto the seals

and valve of the mag itself. I lled the pistol BB loader with

some Madbull Precision Grade 0.2g BBs then loaded up just over 30 rounds into the mag. Once I had gassed up the mag (not forgetting that the mags have a large reservoir) with Abbey Predator Ultra Gas, I was ready to go.

Something Ive experienced with VFC M4s before is that, when loading the rst mag, the best thing is to have charged the weapon rst and thus have the working parts locked back to the rear before inserting the magazine. This just helps keep wear and tear on the parts to a minimum. Again, as with the real thing, you have to rmly insert the mag. If you dont make sure its properly locked in dont be surprised if the rst time you pull the trigger the mag falls out. Funny for everyone else, but not for you.

I hit the bolt release, the bolt slid forward with a reassuring metal thud. With the selector on semi I pulled the trigger. There was click, a hiss and a BB rolled out of the end of the barrel. Not the best of starts. After a fair bit of fettling and a few strip-downs and rebuilds, I tried again.

With the mag in and the weapon loaded I pulled the trigger and felt the 416 push back into my shoulder. The BB shot out and the bolt did exactly as it should, thumping back to the rear, returning forward to collect the next BB and loading it into the chamber. After a few rounds I started double-tapping and found the trigger crisp and responsive.

A quick ick onto full-auto and I dumped the rest of the mag in what seemed like no time at all. On the last round the bolt locked

back to the rear, as indeed it should. Happy with that, I thought, so I re-loaded and re-gassed and headed back to my test area.

The wind had picked up and the temperature had dropped. Bad thoughts started lling my mind. Cold Windy Gas ri e Full-auto

Once again I started off with some double-taps and all was well, so onto auto again with no problem. With the third mag I went straight onto auto and we started to struggle after about 20 rounds on short, three-round burst re. With a large hiss the mag vented its gas and a BB rolled out the end of the barrel. An Oh, arse! was muttered, and then after locking the working parts to the rear and removing the mag I checked to make sure that the 416 was clear. The mag was absolutely frozen, so it was back to the of ce to warm everything up again.

After an hour or so, after the mag and 416 had warmed up enough, I tried again. It coped well this time round.

SummaryThe build quality on this 416 impressed me massively. I really wanted the gun to work faultlessly anyone who knows me knows that I love the gas open bolt ri es and SMGs that are available on the market.

Although I had a few teething troubles, reminiscent of earlier experiences with VFC M4s, once it was working properly the 416 put a huge smile on my face.

If you are playing a lot of MilSim style events and are looking for something that is very realistic, modern-looking and is not an M4, then this has to rank high on your list of possibles. With 35-round mags and bolts doing what they should, you cannot get much more realistic than this. Only the marks on the receiver let it down on that score.

As a second weapon, if you already own an AEG (maybe another 416!) then it is simply fantastic. Bear in mind though that if its your only gun, to run all year round, then you will have issues with its gas power source (unless you only play in those two weeks that we call summer).

If I owned one I would certainly be running it on 0.25g, maybe 0.28g, to do it justice.

But overall, a great gun. Good on Umarex, and if you can get VFC to sort out the regular issues then it would be the mutts.

And of course, the Gas v AEG debate rages on probably forever.

036 February 2012

Real Sword has one ethos and it is really, really simple dont make it just like the real thing, but the same as the real thing. From the markings, materials

and manufacturing process, Real Sword made the most exciting ri es and then worked backwards to make them usable for airsoft.

Having met Real Sword on several occasions over the past few years, one thing was clear: it is not necessarily interested in the mass market. David Huang, CEO of Real Sword International Industry, said that when he played he wanted the most realistic weapon he could get without exception. Many companies have made full-metal, real wood kits but they have

never been as per the real version. So David set out to do it right, by the book, on mainland China. This may well be an impossible task (as airsoft guns are illegal on the mainland) but somehow he did it!

There are only six models in the Real Sword armoury: Type 56, the Chinese variant of the AK47 with a full stock and under-folding bayonet. Type 56-1, the same ri e with a fold-under stock like the AK47s. Type 56-2, the slightly more modern AK with polymer grips and side-folding stock. Type 97, a bullpup ri e similar to the FAMAS. Type 97B, a compact version of the bullpup. RS SVD, the Chinese version of the Dragunov.

Every ri e Real Sword makes is a masterpiece in its own right. Individually certi cated with FPS readings from the factory, Real Sword shows an unmatched level of care and attention to the ri e.

Real Swords SVD took a long time to produce. Like all stunning ri es, the more you wanted it the longer it seemed to take to arrive. I have always been dubious about semi-auto sniper ri es; its not that I have a major issue with the higher FPS on a semi-auto ri e, I just have never believed they performed as well or as consistently as their spring counterparts.

And then I ate a sizeable chunk of humble pie.

REAL SWORD SVD Is Real Sword the closest thing to a real steel ri e in airsoft? Scott Allan discusses the company and takes a look at its SVD ri e

038 February 2012

THE ARMOURY


SPECIFICATIONSReal Sword RS SVDWeight: 4,100gBuild: CNC steel body with real surface treatment; one-piece steel outer barrel; real wood kitInner barrel length: 690mmGearbox: RS-T3 metal gearbox, high-precision steel gear set, 7mm bearingMagazine: 96-round magBattery: 7.2v/8.4vVelocity: 430fps (M120 spring)Price: 549.99Available from Land Warrior Airsoft: 0131 654 2452 www.landwarriorairsoft.com

040 February 2012

I

rst opened the crate of these and thought, Oooohhhh! Shiny! Then I thought, I have had shiny. I have had a VFC 8mm M82 Barrett Prepare to be burned! It felt a good ri e to pick up and I could not wait to try it out and then I tried to t the battery. It was, to say the least, a bit of a nightmare, but once you have done it a few times it is not a long procedure.

The RS SVD is a whole 200g lighter than the real version and exactly the same length. I used the M120 version, which does have a fair bit of whack behind it. Using Blaster 0.2g BBs I got nice consistent readings:

430.2; 430.5; 431.0; 428.7; 431.5.In fact I would go as far to say as this is the

only dedicated electric semi-auto sniper ri e that does what it is meant to do, straight out of the box. Now I have seen our technicians put these up to 580fps and they still ran ne so if you are a power-hungry beast then the capability is there.

If you are not impressed already then the price will change that. The UK retail price is

550. Before you baulk, throw your combat teddy out of the pram and jump on the nearest forum to complain, just think about it! Look at the above information and consider what has happened to bring these ri es to the market. Low production runs, endless research to overcome technical barriers and development (the model has been updated twice already) and unparalleled attention to detail. It is said that top manufacturers often test one in 10 ri es, but even at that I would be surprised. We have had entire batches of ri es that have required full strip-down and rebuilds, without getting so much as a sorry from the manufacturer. I think in all the years we have worked with Real Sword we have had one issue out of the box, and it was a tiny bend on the inner barrel. Just one ri e out of nearly 100!

I know of one player who bought two of these, one to use tting modern real polymer parts and one to keep as a showpiece. There is a growing RS fanbase out there that sees these ri es purely from a collectors perspective.

Every ri e Real Sword makes is a masterpiece in its own right. Individually certi cated with FPS

readings from the factory, Real Sword shows an unmatched level of care and attention to the ri e

The battery lives in the front handguard and is probably not suitable for changing in the middle of a game. If I was going to complain about anything it would be that... and the 96-round magazine. I think 30 rounds is more than enough for a sniper ri e but then again you could always just put 30 rounds in, nowhere does it say you absolutely must ll it to the top! (Oops, Im having a Clarkson moment!)

The hop unit was recently changed from a bi-directional to a mono standard hop. I can only assume that this is yet another further improvement to the design, though I never found any issue with either hop version.

Upgrading is easy enough: everything is steel, silver-plated wire and the highest quality parts you could hope for. A big spring is all that is required though I would personally be tempted to leave it at the 430-mark as it shoots a sizeable distance anyway.

If you feel you need a scope, Real Sword makes a lovely copy of the POS-1 scope, or for similar money you can often nd a real Russian issue one. Alternatively you could t something like a Cobra Scope which would undoubtedly be better for day-to-day use on your local skirmish eld.

So to sum up, the RS SVD is by far the best, and most realistic, airsoft SVD available today. Its manufacturing emulates the real thing and involves 100 per cent quality assurance testing. The ri e features unique serial numbers, and more steel than a Transformers movie. Plus it can use the real issue Russian scope. What more do you want? It really doesnt get much more realistic than this.

There are cheaper SVDs out there and I know this will not be for everyone. But I would still urge you, at the very least, to appreciate what went into the production of the RS SVD even if, like me, you will probably never own one.

042 January 2012


WORKSHOP

GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY

Gunmunki teaches us how to make our shiny new airsoft weapon look like its been through the wars

Authentic guns corrode over time and show natural signs of aging such as browning or patina.

Unfortunately, when attempting to age airsoft guns you cannot really use the same techniques used on reproductions or real steel firearms. This is because airsoft weapons are often not made of steel, brass and wood, and many are ABS plastic where metal or wood should be.

As a result you need to be creative.If you are after a weather and war torn

look then the first thing you have to ask yourself is why?

There have been several occasions, especially during WWII MilSim games, where sandpaper, hammers and wood

stains have been used to remarkable effect, only for the owner to be later informed that in the actual time period the guns were probably brand new and wouldnt have any wear at all! So take the time to decide if you need to bother.

Points of wearOkay so you want to give your Vietnam M16 a Tour of Duty look, or perhaps your AK is a little too clean for your Spetznaz. Not a problem.

Obviously, if a rearm has been through the wars it will have taken a knock or two but the main noticeable wear will be in the areas that have been in contact with your hands, shoulder or cheek. If youre not sure pick it up, shoulder it and take note of how you hold it.

Real metalRight, first off well deal with distressing metalwork.

To do this you will need wire wool of different grades or wet and dry paper of different grades, or a dremel if possible.

The majority of metal airsoft weapons are either painted or powder-coated so removing this layer of paint will reveal the bright metal beneath. Areas where your hands grip or rub the metal will eventually wear away over time, but as we cannot wait that long we need to remove it faster.

As mentioned in our previous painting guide, practising on a metal magazine is a good idea, so you dont ruin your gun on your first attempt.

Simply rub wire wool or wet and dry paper across the high points around areas where you want your aging effects. Work though the grades of wool or paper, from coarse to fine, until you have the desired smooth finish.

On your magazines you can almost rub down the high points on the entire thing as they are gripped and bashed about probably more than any other part.

044 February 2012

On an early M16, for example, you would age areas around the trigger, trigger guard, the section of the lower receiver at the top of the handgrip, selector section (making note of the half moon area where your thumb rubs against the lower receiver), magazine release, the magwell, cocking handle and areas of the upper receiver close to the triangular grip where it is held.

There would also be wear on the duckbill flash suppressor, carry handle/iron sights and other sticky out bits, so dont forget to give them a bit of attention too.

Browning metalworkOkay, you could leave the bright metal as it is. Or you could age it further by browning.

Browning is obviously the name of a very famous weapons inventor and manufacturer, but it is also the effect caused when steel rusts slightly between periods of oiling a real rearm.

Over years of use this builds up a beautiful effect on real steel weapons and we can cheat this effect by using opaque brown paints or inks.

Simply paint or ink the bright metal and wipe off any excess to give a slight brown stain to the metalwork. Easy!

ABS plastic effect metalSo you have an ABS plastic gun and want to achieve the same aging on the metalwork? Dont despair we can forge this effect too.

The technique used is known as dry-brushing, as many model makers will already be aware. Taking a silver/gun metal acrylic paint and a fairly stiff bristled brush, simply sweep across a rag until almost all of the paint is gone from the brush head. Then apply lightly to the same raised points of the gun. This should pick out the areas of wear and give your ABS plastic weapon a seriously mean look.

Again, if you want a browning effect then simply mix a little brown or ochre into the gun metal paint before applying.

You can spend hours putting layer upon

Browning is obviously

the name of a very famous

weapons inventor and

manufacturer, but it is also

the effect caused when steel rusts

slightly between

periods of oiling a real

rearm


layer to get exactly the desired effect, just have a go. When youre happy with your work it is a good idea to seal the paint with a light spray of matt lacquer.

Real woodCertain gun models have wood grips, stocks and foregrips, such as the M1A1 Thompson, the M14 and almost the entire AK range.

To age wood it is usually easier to begin by sanding them back to remove any varnish or wax coating. This will give you a base starting point to begin distressing.

With wood you are trying to give the appearance of wear through staining the areas where sweat and oils from the skin will have built up. Gross, but factual.

To achieve this, slowly apply wood stains, dark at first then gradually lighter. Between each depth of stain lightly sand back areas of body contact. These should remain lightly coloured and be surrounded by a graduated darker wood effect.

Wood also takes the odd knock or scrape,

which you can do with a careful tap with a hammer or score with a file. Dont go crazy or your woodwork will end up looking like a chainsaw victim.

To make these marks stand out, use darker stain on them and then sand the surrounding area before using lighter stain on the entire surface.

As with paint effects staining is a personal thing, if you like it go with it. Once you are happy with the overall look a good rub over with beeswax will seal the deal.

ABS fake woodThis is the effect that people find the hardest to attempt, and I can understand why. Creating a realistic aged wood effect is not easy, but well try to make it less difficult.

The trick with this is how to apply the acrylic paint.

The first layer should be a dark brown. Allow this to dry thoroughly before the lighter shade is applied.

Now take your lighter shade and coat the surface. While the paint is wet run a stiff bristled brush, such as a toothbrush

or even a hairbrush, across the surface in the direction that the grain of the wood should be. This should (and you may need to practise this a few times before working on your gun) bring out the darker brown beneath as a wood grain effect.

The more you practice this the better the outcome, as you begin to add branch whorls and knot holes. Finish up with a light coating of satin or gloss lacquer.

And now you can roam the wilderness safe in the knowledge that your weapon looks as rough and ready as the rest of your kit!

046 February 2012

Back in the 1980s the Cold War was still in full swing, and there was a real threat of Warsaw Pact forces popping over the border and not just

for a shopping trip to Germany! As a young trooper serving with a tank regiment based not too far from the East German border, besides keeping the vehicles maintained and battle ready we spent many hours in the classroom doing armoured ghting vehicle (AFV) recognition. We werent just studying their stuff either, but ours too. Not much point going to battle if you cant differentiate between friendly forces and the enemy!

We were shown various spy shot photographs, models and video footage of Soviet kit, as well as books with photos and pro les

Thankfully he didnt see them up close and personal while stationed on the frontline in Germany, but now Rattys got a BRDM-2 parked next to his shop!

BRDM-2of all their wheeled and tracked equipment. Occasionally, the American Red Ball Express would arrive with captured Soviet armour and we were allowed to crawl over it, examining the weak points. The world changed when the Berlin Wall came down a few years later; con icts such as Operation Desert Storm, Bosnia and so on meant that not only was there more contact with former Soviet kit, but we were now allied and working with former USSR nations such as Poland. This meant we could play with their stuff as well!

Obviously, serving on main battle tanks I already had a massive interest in tanks and

armoured vehicles in general. Nowadays there is plenty of former Soviet armour on

the open market, so when a good friend bought a BRDM-2 and asked if we

could store it I was more than happy to oblige.

HistoryAfter World War II, and with the implementation of the Iron Curtain, the Soviet Military Machine went into overdrive. A huge array of new vehicles was developed for various tasks on the battle eld. The BRDM-1 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, which means Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle) had only been in service since 1957 but its limitations and drawbacks had quickly become apparent and a replacement had to be found. The design team set to work

The BRDM-2 had to remain a lightly armoured, wheeled, amphibious reconnaissance vehicle. But the few years since the BRDM-1 had entered service had changed things and the design now needed to incorporate an NBC protection system, night vision equipment for the crew members as well as some form of armament for protection.

The nished design was known under the designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08. This vehicle, like many other Soviet designs, has been exported widely and is still in service with nearly 50 countries. It entered service with the Soviet Army in 1962 but was not publicly seen until 1966. Because the BRDM-2 in all its variants was so popular, production carried on until 1989 with over 7,200 made.


BIG BOYZ TOYZ

DesignExternally the BRDM-2 was designed with a box-like hull and boat-like bow to improve its amphibious capabilities. It was designed with a crew of four in mind (a driver, co-driver, commander and gunner). There are two pairs of chain-driven belly wheels which allowed trench crossing when lowered by the driver. An early centralised tyre pressure regulation system was also tted to help when crossing various types of terrain. This can be used to adjust the tyre pressures in all four tires at once or individually to suit the terrain as required. The engine (a GAZ-41, 140hp V8 petrol) is situated at the rear and separated from the crew compartment by an armoured barrier. An NBC lter system was tted too.

The armour on the vehicle itself is composed of welded steel, with a maximum thickness of 14mm, that protects fully from small arm re and small shell fragments. However it cannot withstand hits from .50 calibre rounds or larger armaments. As with all wheeled vehicles of this vintage the tyres are not protected and, while vulnerable to punctures from small arms re, the tyre pressure regulation system could keep a tyre in ated for up to a maximum of seven rounds! There is also a winch mounted internally with a 30m cable and a four-tonne capacity. This winch was designed for use for self-recovery when stuck in dif cult terrain.

The engine also supplies power to a circular water jet, which is equipped with a four-bladed propeller at the rear of the hull. This is covered by an armoured shutter while on land which needs to be removed before entering the water (and doubles up as extra frontal protection when on land). The water jet allowed a speed of 10km/h for up to 19 hours. There is a trim-board stowed under the nose of the hull which again has to be erected before entering the water.

For the driver and commander, who are both seated at the front of the crew compartment, a (supposedly) bulletproof windscreen was provided for protection. There are two armoured shutters which could be lowered over the windscreen when going into combat. When in the open position these shutters also protected them from being blinded by sunlight, snow or rain. For more surround vision they could use their periscopes, which could also be swapped out for night vision scopes when required. To that end, the BRDM-2 is also tted with an IR (infrared) spotlight and four IR driving lights.

The turret (BPU-1) was originally designed for the BRDM-2, but this design was also widely used in other later Soviet vehicles. It is unusual in its design as there is no top hatch. The turret allowed the two weapons systems (a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and a coaxial mounted 7.62mm PKT) to elevate between -5 to +30 degrees. The

gunner is in the turret during battle, but when travelling normally is seated inside the hull. The crew mounts and dismounts the vehicle via two hatches located over the drivers and commanders stations. This proved to be one of the aws in the design as it meant the only exit for the crew in battle was in front of

TECH SPECSType: Amphibious armoured scout carCountry of origin: Soviet UnionDesigner: V K RubtsovManufacturer: Gorkovsky Avtomobilnny Zavod (GAZ) in Nizhny NovgorodProduced: 1962-1989Amount built: 7,200In service: 1962-PresentWeight: 7.7 tonnesLength: 5.75m (18ft 10in)Width: 2.37m (7ft 9in)Height: 2.31m (7ft 7in)Crew: Four (Driver, Co-Driver, Commander, Gunner)Armament: 1 x 14.5mm KPVT Heavy Machine Gun and 500 rounds; 1 x 7.62mm PRT GPMG and 2,000 roundsProtection: Welded steel armour (minimum 3mm - maximum 14mm) Engine: GAZ-41 V8 petrol 140hpTop speed land: 100km/h (62mph)Top speed water: 10km/h (6.2mph)Fuel capacity: 290 litres (64 imperial gallons)Operational range: 750km (470 miles)Ground clearance: 430mm (17in)

048 February 2012

the turret itself. However, this shortcoming was recti ed in the later Polish BRDM-2M 96 modernisation programme and its successors. A common Polish modi cation was to mount the spare wheel on top of the turret.

Service historyThe BRDM-2 series was extensively used by Warsaw Pact forces throughout the Cold War. Since the break-up of the USSR it has been modernised by some of these nations. In Russia itself, BRDM-2s are being replaced by BTR-60 as a divisional reconnaissance vehicle. Poland bought 450 BRDM-2s of different variants; by 2004 this gure had risen to more than 600, and it was Poland that kept updating the original design with its BRDM-2M series. It remains in service in many former Soviet Bloc countries including the Ukraine and Romania. Like all Soviet equipment the BRDM-2 was also sold to many Arab and African countries. What made it so popular for the export market was its ease of operation and reliability and it was cheap to buy and run.

BRDM-2s have been seen in many theatres of battle and were used by Soviet forces in their war in Afghanistan. The

vehicles that were captured, as well as some derelict ones which were restored, are now in use by the Afghan National army. It saw service with Egypt and Syria during their wars against Israel, and the Iraqi Army also had some during the rst Gulf War. They were also used in the Croatian war of independence by the Yugoslav Peoples Army and then by the Yugoslav Army against the KLA during the Kosovo War.

Can I Buy One?Due to the large production gures there are quite a few available. While still in service with 49 countries they tend to only operate smaller quantities. With the breakup of the USSR there are many sitting around in scrapyards and storage facilities which have not been made available on the open market. It is important to

Issue 06 - Feb 2012

Documents

Transcript of Issue 06 - Feb 2012