THE CAGE: THE KISS PRINCIPLE

AMONGST THE AIRSOFT ACTION “FAMILY” WE HAVE A COMBINED “AIRSOFT AGE” THAT LITERALLY STACKS UP INTO A WHOLE HEAP OF PLAYING YEARS (MORE THAN SOME OF THE MEMBERS WOULD RIGHTLY LIKE TO ADMIT) BUT ONE THING WE ALL SHARE IS A LOVE OF THE “KISS” PRINCIPLE AND SOMETIMES IT’S TRUE THAT THE SIMPLEST THINGS ARE THE BEST, MOST USEFUL AND INDEED, THE MOST TREASURED!

Federov Avtomat: The First “Assault Rifle”?

It is a well-worn descriptor, often used by shooters the world over to identify a type of gun but just where did the term “assault rifle” come from and what was the first one? Frenchie explains…

Licensed To Rock Your World!

The march towards licensing in the airsoft world continues unabated and although there are some great designs out there, when you want something to look as close to “the real” as possible then it’s licensed models that will do it every time - right down to the smallest detail. Bill continues his adventures into the world of the “licensed aeg” this month with the all-new barrett rec7 di carbine.

Push To Talk Over Cellular: The End Of UHF Radios?

As airsoft events continue to grow in popularity and attendance, more people are using radios for communications. Players are beginning to see the challenges that come along with that growth; limited frequencies, low-quality gear and open networks result in congestion, weak signals, and communications security (comsec) issues. Our “legionnaire” sean, from blackline simulations in canada, looks a potential alternative - using your smartphone!

WRONG WORD – WRONG IMPRESSION!

IT IS EASY TO USE WORDS THAT GIVE THE WRONG IMPRESSION, HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO “GUNS” AND “WEAPONS” WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT, AS CALIBRE SHOOTING’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE EXPLAINS…

THE MEN BEHIND THE STEN

AS HE CONTINUES HIS AIRSOFT JOURNEYS IN TAIWAN, STU “STEWBACCA” MORTIMER VISITS NORTHEAST AIRSOFT AND CHATS TO THE GUYS BEHIND THEIR ICONIC GBB STEN.

THE CAGE: BETTER DAYS AHEAD!

AT LAST, WE ARE SEEING A RETURN TO AIRSOFT GAMES AROUND THE GLOBE AND ALTHOUGH GUIDELINES VARY IN SPECIFICS FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY, IT SEEMS LIKE WE’RE GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL… WITH A MASK ON! BILL’S BEEN WATCHING THE ROLLOUT OF SITE RE-OPENINGS AND HAS EVEN BEEN OUT TO A GAME BUT ASKS THE QUESTION: “WILL THINGS GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE?”

RATNIK: WAY OF THE WARRIOR

WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF SO MANY VARIETIES OF AK12 AND RPK16, MORE AND MORE AIRSOFTERS ARE LOOKING TO RUSSIA FOR INSPIRATION FOR KIT. IAN “TAZ” STOKES TELLS ALL…

HECKLER & KOCH HK33

AT AIRSOFT ACTION WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS, AND EVERY SO OFTEN WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A REPORT ON A NEW AEG MODEL THAT HAS COME DIRECT TO US FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WE ALSO KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO WHEN IT COMES TO UNUSUAL MODELS, SO THIS MONTH WE’RE JOINED BY OUR FRIEND LAWRENCE FROM STRIKEHOLD.NET TO INTRODUCE LCT’S LATEST CREATION!

DARING TO BE DIFFERENT

AS OUR REPUTATION FOR TRULY INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE CONTINUES TO GROW, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO REPORT FROM THE HEART OF ONE OF AIRSOFT’S BEST-KNOWN COMPANIES, G&G ARMAMENT. OUR MAN ON THE GROUND IN TAIWAN, STU “STEWBACCA” MORTIMER, WAS INVITED TO HAVE A GOOD LOOK ROUND AND TALK EXCLUSIVELY TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS HUGELY SUCCESSFUL AIRSOFT BUSINESS.

AIRSOFT ARREST: A KIND OF BLUE

HAVING SPOTTED A PIECE ON SKY NEWS, REGARDING THE ARREST OF A YOUNG BOY SEEN PLAYING WITH A TWO TONE PISTOL, FRENCHIE EXPLORES THE QUESTIONS IT RAISED IN THE UK.

Trouble In Paradise: Firearms Law Reform In Taiwan

Airsoft action legiionnaire, stewbacca, reports from taiwan, where new legislation, similar to the UK’s violent crime reduction act back in 2006, threatens the industry and airsoft in general - with potential global repercussions.

Small Is Beautiful

Bizarrely, bill has actually been enjoying his “lockdown time” just a little too much, as its forced him to spend more time with his pistols - and a model that has surprised him the most is the g&g gtp-9! He explains why…

Multi-Tools: The Choice Is Yours!

When buying a multi-ttol there are literally thousands to choose from! Frenchie returns to a subject he has written about before, as he wades through tool-related conundrums.

RAGIN RUSSIAN

IN EARLY 2019 BILL GOT HIS HANDS ON A CRACKING “TACTICOOL AK CARBINE” FROM THE THEN EMERGENT BRAND, ARCTURUS AND HAS BEEN PUTTING IT THROUGH ITS PACES EVER SINCE. BUT OPFOR PLAYERS HAVE BEEN WAITING EAGERLY FOR THE ARCTURUS “TAKE” ON THE AK-12 AND FINALLY WE BRING YOU THE LOWDOWN ON THIS EXCITING NEW AEG!

GLOCK: THE INVISIBLE GUN

WHILE CASTING AROUND FOR SUITABLE CANDIDATES TO WRITE ABOUT THIS MONTH AND FOR NO PARTICULARLY GOOD REASON, FRENCHIE LANDED UPON GLOCK.

The Fresh Prince Of Action Air

Airsoft action’s “man in Taiwan”, stewbacca, continues his journey into Taiwanese action air.

TUNING THE MIGHTY TUNA!

WITH YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPERS IN HIS ARMOURY OUTPERFORMING THE VENERABLE F2000 AS STANDARD, STEVE T SENT HIS TACTICAL TUNA OFF FOR A THOROUGH FETTLING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO PUT IT BACK ON TOP.

THIS IS MY M4 PT7: THE FAT FINGER SHUFFLE

AFTER YEARS OF MAKING MINOR MODIFICATIONS TO RIFS WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS, STEVE GOES ALL-IN ON HIS MWS TO FIND OUT JUST WHAT AN INEPT HOME TECH CAN ACHIEVE. THIS MONTH: TRIGGER GUARD, CHARGING HANDLE AND MAG SKINS.

WA03 3D PRINTED TRACER ADAPTOR

PHIL B PUTS A 3D PRINTED TRACER ADAPTOR, CREATED BY A FELLOW AA CONTRIBUTOR DURING LOCKDOWN, THROUGH ITS PACES.

SPRINGTIME FOR THE M16A1

FRENCHIE GETS TO GRIPS WITH WRITING ABOUT AIRSOFT DURING THE UK’S COVID-19 LOCKDOWN AND FINDS INSPIRATION FROM THE MOST UNLIKELY QUARTER…

THE “GREATEST GENERATION” CARBINE

IT SEEMS THAT LEZ LEE HAD BEEN WAITING AGES BUT FINALLY HE MANAGED TO GET HIS HANDS ON ONE OF THESE BAD BOYS... BUT WAS IT WORTH THE WAIT?

ARMY ARMAMENT OLD SKOOL NEW KOOL

SOME AIRSOFT LOADOUT IDEAS GO ON FOR YEARS UNTIL THE RIGHT ELEMENTS CAN BE ASSEMBLED AND BILL IS FINALLY DRAWING CLOSE TO COMPLETING A “PET PROJECT” HE’S BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE. IN THE PROCESS HE DISCOVERS A NEW MODERN PISTOL DESIGN FROM ARMY ARMAMENT THAT HAS REALLY GOT HIS ATTENTION!

SMG OR PDW? THE FUTURE OF AIRSOFT “9MM”...

AEGS WITH A SHORT OVERALL LENGTH ARE IDEAL FOR THE NUMEROUS CQB/CQC SITES THAT HAVE STARTED UP IN RECENT YEARS AND THIS MONTH BILL DELVES INTO A QUESTION THAT’S AS VALID IN THE “BB WORLD” AS IT IS IN THE REAL ONE, BY LOOKING AT TWO OF THE LATEST RELEASES FROM INDUSTRY VETERAN ICS THAT SHOW CHANGING DIRECTIONS AND NEW INNOVATIONS.

GEAR FOR THE GOOD GUYS...

AT SHOT IN JANUARY, BILL GOT TOGETHER WITH THE FOLKS FROM HELICON-TEX TO CHECK OUT THEIR NEWEST GEAR. INTERNATIONAL READERS MAY ALREADY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME AND THIS POLISH MANUFACTURER OF TACTICAL GEAR AND CLOTHING HAS BECOME A GREAT PARTNER FOR AIRSOFT ACTION - A RELATIONSHIP THAT CONTINUES TO GROW! BILL HAS BEEN CHECKING OUT THEIR LATEST GARMENTS AND DESIGNS.

AIRSOFT IN JAPAN

THE AIRSOFT ACTION LEGION CONTINUES TO GROW, BRINGING IN STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND SO ILLUSTRATE WHAT A TRULY GLOBAL AIRSOFT COMMUNITY WE REALLY HAVE. FOR THIS ISSUE WE ARE JOINED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY RAI TO BRING US HIS “AIRSOFT OVERVIEW” DIRECT FROM JAPAN, THE “CULTURAL HOME OF AIRSOFT”!

Airsoft In Lockdown

With the country still (mostly) “confined to quarters”, frenchie poses a simple question: “when the country is in lockdown, where do you play airsoft?”

NO COMMS, NO BOMBS - THREE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

USING RADIOS IN AN AIRSOFT GAME IS SOMETHING THAT MANY ASPIRE TO DO WELL BUT IT’S A PERISHABLE SKILL LIKE ANY OTHER THAT NEEDS CONSTANT PRACTICE AND UPDATING. OUR “LEGIONNAIRE” SEAN, FROM BLACKLINE SIMULATIONS IN CANADA, GIVES US SOME POINTERS ON HOW TO ENSURE YOUR COMMS ARE EFFECTIVE AND HOW YOU CAN GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM.

LT COLONEL THOMAS MOORE AKA “CAPTAIN TOM”

MILITARY HISTORIAN, WILL FOWLER, TAKES A BRIEF LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF A MAN WHOSE DETERMINATION EARNED HIM THE GRATITUDE AND RESPECT OF AN ENTIRE NATION.

THE FRESH PRINCE OF ACTION AIR

AIRSOFT ACTION’S “MAN IN TAIWAN”, STEWBACCA, GETS HIS GROOVE ON AS HE WRITES ABOUT HIS JOURNEY TO TAIWAN AND INTO ACTION AIR