Michigan Airsoft

Discussion Boards => Newbie Discussion => Topic started by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:16:30 PM

Title: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:16:30 PM
ORIGINAL THREAD:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/edit/7295

This entire article is credited to Chieh Allen Lee a.k.a. DumboRAT.  He asked that IF I made an adjustments, either wording or content that I adjust the font.  If I end up doing so, anything I change will be in red.
_____________________________________

All,
I’ve been involved in airsoft for about four years now, and even after having placed close to 9000 posts on the AirsoftZone Forums, some 3000 on the AirsoftPlayers Forums, 4000+ on the sadly hacked and destroyed (but now reborn) www.AirsoftOhio.com Forums and 1000+ on Arnie’s UK hobbyist Forums, I see every day that the SAME questions pop up again and again. You know, it’s the same:
“Which AEG is best?”
“Which GBB should I get?”
“Do I need a BlackHawk tac-vest to play my first game?”
The list goes on….
And with this set of newbie questions, comes the same remarks from most of the “veterans” on the various Forums and d-boards – “Do a search, the answer is already there.” Then, inevitably, the newbie will complain that they either already did the search, or are just in need of a simple, quick reply – whereby the veterans will then call the newbie lazy and ignorant…. Thereafter, predictably, a flame war ensues.
This is exactly what I wish to avoid.
I hope that this post will serve as a decent starting point for newbies seeking basic information regarding AEGs and GBBs, some basic gear and accessories info, and even basic reads about BBs and batteries. While I most definitely DO NOT know everything, and make NO such claims of being all-knowing, I am writing this FAQ with the best intentions in mind – that my very limited experience may help answer the questions of a newbie player.
What I have posted here is all from my own personal experience as an active skirmish player and collector, as well as knowledge passed on to me in a direct, first-person manner from TRUSTED, well-respected members of the local, regional, and even national/international on-line airsoft communities.
The information contained here, as far as I know, is completely true. If anyone feels that I may have been mistaken or have posted false information, please feel free to post replies in this thread and also to contact me privately at:
CXL77@po.cwru.edu
Finally, remember, this is just a beginner’s FAQ. There is much here that I did not cover, and what I have covered will, to the trained eye of the experienced player have many holes when more advanced considerations are taken into account. You, as the newbie, can trust that this guide will get you started on the right path, but remember that it is only a guide, and YOU must take it upon yourself to seek advanced knowledge as your own experience in any of the divisions/sections covered below increases.
Again, I sincerely hope that this reading will help you, the newbie player, transition in a smooth manner into the wonderful hobby of airsoft.
Allen
aka DumboRAT
========== Newbie FAQ ============
Contents:
Foreword – Why EVERYONE should SEARCH THE FORUMS
Section I – AEGs
- General info., TM, CA, ICS/AE, Academy/Y&P
- TM AEGs
a. Motor type
b. Battery considerations
c. Range/accuracy issues
d. Upgrade concerns
e. Durability, reliability, and maintenance
Section II – GBBs
- General considerations, durability and reliability
- The Hop issue
- So many choices, which one do I choose?
a. A. I want a cheap GBB, what’s out thereI want a cheap GBB, what’s out there?
b. Some generalizations
c. That question that always pop up: KSC and KWA, what’s the deal?
- Knowledge base
a. Gas type
b. How to fill your GBB magazines
c. Additional knowledge – mag maintenance, fill adaptors, and GBB cyclic function
d. More knowledge – GBB general maintenance
- Remembering that the retailers don’t always have your best interests in-mind
Section III – Mock suppressors (“silencers”)
- AEG sound suppression
- GBB sound suppression
- Mock suppressors and “accuracy”
Section IV – Sights, scopes, and lasers
- Mounting considerations
- The Scope/sight itself
a. General considerations
b. Let’s talk specifics, red dot sights
c. More specifics, “traditional” scopes
d. So, which one should I choose, red-dot or traditional?
- Protecting the Lens
- LASER devices
- Zeroing mistakes: aka “Help, I can’t get my sight to zero!”
- Where to shop?
Section V – “Shotguns”
Section VI – “Grenade Launchers”
Section VII – Understanding muzzle velocity/energy
Section VIII – BBs
Section IX – Gear
- A general word about gear for newbies
- Gear basics
a. The bare essentials – protection, hydration, and how to carry all that stuff
b. The same basics, but with a larger budget
c. The anchor and the weight bearer: the pistol-belt and the load-bearing suspenders
d. Holsters – you don’t stick a pistol in your pants crotch, so why would you stick it in a $15 POS holster?
e. The big one, EYE PROTECTION [Parents READ]
- Special considerations: low-light/night skirmish gear
a. Night vision gear
b. Flashlights
- Additional gear references and reading
Section X – Shopping advice [ Parents READ, especially “Legal concerns” section]
- Research first, buy later
- Who’s got the best prices?
- Which retailer can I trust?
- eBay or other auction and various private “classified” pages
- Legal concerns
a. Purchasing overseas and importing|
b. Ownership
Concluding notes
Post script (Special for Ohio airsoft hobbyists and players!)
Foreword – Why EVERYONE should SEARCH THE FORUMS :
Welcome to airsoft!

The first thing that I want to comment on is the absolute need for every newbie to do searches......

The problem with consistently answering the same set of questions is just that.
Eventually, it becomes boring to the one posting the answers -- and that boredom becomes laziness, and that laziness means that more than likely the information that's presented will get more and more truncated, more and more abbreviated (not necessarily more distilled).

Furthermore, any hobby will have turnover. It's unavoidable. We as human beings are awfully good at losing interest. And even the most dedicated hobbyists will, at times, simply meet upon situations outside their control which may take them away from that hobby, either for a while or, sadly, for good.

Either way, it represents a loss of knowledge.

Yes, new blood always brings with it new knowledge and new perspectives -- and new posts can help such new views prosper. But none of that makes up for what is lost. This is why we have books and texts. We've learned through the centuries that our knowledge must be documented so that it can be passed-down to the next generation. And although the various airsoft Forums are far from Shakespeare or Darwin, they are, nonetheless, a form of knowledge transfer, and every newbie owes it to himself or herself to try to learn as much as he/she can from these valuable databases.
In addition to this kind of personnel loss and rotation, we’re also plagued, as a digital information transfer society, with constant loss of data. It’s not like having a book that’s always on-reference at the Library of Congress; our material only exists in the digital bits and bytes that circulate on-line, and every once in a while, a lot of very valuable information is accidentally and unfortunately purged. A LOT of good information is now lost forever and will likely never be replaced (i.e. Wallace's PSG-1 "super huge battery" mod post on the hacker-destroyed old AirsoftOhio Forums, The Almighty’s picture and diagram-linked GBB magazine troubleshooting posts on X-Ring, Wallace’s and others' technical contributions to the running log I had kept on the old AirsoftOhio Forums regarding the CAW/MM Moscart shells).

I'm not so much disappointed for myself – certainly, I regret not having printed out some of those threads or copied them to my hard-drive for reference – but it’s not much of a loss to me as I still recall the discussions and data up in the pea that I call a brain. Instead, what I am most sad for is the loss of that information to the newbies – the loss of scores and scores of excellent posts that were made by members who are no longer posting or even in the hobby anymore.

With each "generation," it seems like we're trying to reinvent the wheel.

When I first got into the hobby, I literally spent a month reading through just about *_all_* of the past threads on the then popular (but now sadly totally defunct) AirsoftGuns.com d-boards, the again long-gone X-Ring d-boards, and the then-popular BlackRain7.com Forums. I soaked up as much as I can, figured out who would spew BS as soon as they got on the keyboard and whose words I could trust, and gradually increased my knowledge base.

Slow? Yes.

Painful? Yes.

Profitable? Definitely.
All the reading I did turned me away from un-necessary purchases, and helped me see what to do, and what not to do, under certain situations. They helped me understand how to go about making those tough first decisions as to what to buy. They told me who to buy from, and which shops to avoid.

By digging through all the old posts, you'll quickly come to see whose words you can trust, who writes stuff you have to kinda watch out for and take discount of, and who just plain spews crap.

That's important.
As a general word of advice, after having gone through college and graduate school, remember to taper your searches to be more and more broad after an initial focused search -- regardless of what search engine you're using or how specialized that engine might be (from Google and Dogpile to the smaller search engines that are found within each and every hobbyist Forum/d-board), the initial search should be focused, but a null result should prompt you to broaden your search parameters.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:17:04 PM
What do I mean?
Let’s say you wanted to look for potential trouble areas with a KSC Glock 18C that you’re looking to buy. So, to start with, I said you should go as narrow and as focused as you can – start with a specific search string, for example, search “KSC Glock 18C troubleshooting.” And now, as variations on the same theme, also search for “KSC Glock 18C trouble,” “KSC Glock 18C repair,” “KSC Glock 18C wrong,” etc.
But let’s say that this doesn’t return much – so you should loosen up your search criteria a bit – “KSC Glock 18C” is a good place to start. Also, what about “KSC G18C,” or even just the term “G18C.” Certainly those will return with a lot of results! Sure, you may have to do some digging after the results come up, but after you’re finished reading everything, I’d be willing to bet that you’d know more about the G18C than you ever thought possible!
That’s why doing a search is so important.
Pretty please, with sugar on top, do a search.
These tips should motivate you to get searches going on your questions – and hopefully also help you get some good search results. Trust me, the time you invest will be well worth it.

Section One, AEGs:
- General info., TM, CA, ICS/AE, Academy/Y&P
Typically, you’ll want to know about Tokyo Marui, or “TM,” Automatic Electric Guns – “ AEGs.”
This FAQ is limited in scope mainly to the “factory stock, OEM” TM models, and does NOT cover any newer (as of June 2003, the submission date of this article) models.
Also note that I do NOT know anything about the Korean-made models (i.e. Academy), and as such, I am unable to comment on them personally. However, fellow enthusiast and friend Tom Cruz (aka icruztn of AirsoftZone) of the well respected airsoft skirmish club/team The Virginia Rangers, had the following to say about these AEGs:
re : Academy guns
From a collector's viewpoint (i.e., you never intend to skirmish) these [author note: Academy, aka “ACX” AEGs) are not terrible guns. They do shoot, they have a very pleasant rate of fire (50 rounds in under 3 seconds) and they come in packages that pretty much give you everything you need to play with them (the one I got came with 2 standards, 2 hicaps, battery and charger). However there are serious drawbacks to purchasing an Academy gun. Upgrades are scarce to non-exist[e] nt (some retailers claim to be able to upgrade ACX guns with Tokyo Marui parts, but I have not tried one for myself [author note: the now-defunct AirsoftToys once upgraded/overhauled a Y&P/ACX FAMAS AEG for a local player, and their words, and I quote, is that they “will never do this again” due to the complexities of jury rigging necessary]), muzzle velocity is laughable (chrono'd around 180 fps with a .2g BB...that's enough to sail a .12g BB about 50 feet...if you're lucky), and their construction is almost entirely plastic (which means they are prone to breakage). In short, no one who is even considering playing a game should consider an Academy gun. The only people who should think about one are people with money to burn on a gun that can't shoot farther than 50 feet. If that sounds like you ..send me an email, and let's discuss giving ME some of that money :)
Furthermore, my knowledge is also relatively limited with respect to the popular, and quite highly-regarded Taiwanese/Hong-Kong made AEGs – namely, those made by ICS/Airsoft Elite (“ICS/AE”) and Classic Army (“CA”). For information regarding these pieces, I would highly recommend that you take the time to read the past posts about these pieces that are floating around on the various Forums/d-boards (keep in mind that there have been several iterations of these models that have been introduced).
What I will say with regard to these “pre-upgraded” ISC/AE and CA (now also associated with ArmaLite) is that in my opinion, they are only suited for the experienced player who has no problems opening up the mechabox of the AEG for repairs and upgrades, and who is looking to get a good bargain on a metal-bodied AEG.
Why?
First, their final assembly quality control doesn’t seem to be as tight as that of TM AEGs. Factory-faults and resultant premature breakdowns are rather more commonly reported for the ICS/AE and CA AEGs (the ArmaLite AEGs, as of this point, are too new to judge) than for the higher-quality TM AEGs.
Second, think of an upgraded AEG as a race-car. It performs at a higher level, but that’s because it is much more highly tuned and highly stressed. The reason why these race-cars are essentially torn down and rebuilt after each race is because of these very stresses – it makes the entire system less durable and reliable over time, so such rebuilds are necessary; otherwise, the risk for the car to blow an engine or throw its transmission at the next race is just too great. This simple mechanical law also applies to airsoft AEGs. Higher the stress, the more chances of breakdown. As such, with these “pre-upgraded” AEGs, unless you are comfortable servicing and repairing them, you should avoid them until a time when you’ve got such experience under your belt.
Yes, they’re very tempting because they supposedly perform better and also have attractive metal bodies – but trust me, all that won’t do you any good when you’ve got a broken AEG in your hands. Resist temptation.
- So, back to the topic, stock/OEM Tokyo Marui AEGs
Basically, ALL, that’s right, all Tokyo Marui AEGs share the same durability/reliability characteristics as one another – and furthermore, they all share the same typical performance characteristics based on a very few set of variables.
A. Motor type
Motor type is one of the major factors that will affect rate-of-fire (ROF). Honestly, while there are some differences in ROF performance based on motor type, unless you are doing a back-to-back or side-to-side comparison between two differently equipped AEGs, or are testing specifically for this variable (i.e. holding all other factors constant and “bench” testing the AEGs in a laboratory situation/setup), you’re NOT likely going to notice a difference. Let’s put it this way. ANY of these AEGs are capable of spitting out a near constant stream of BBs at upwards of 800 rounds per minute. And if that’s not enough for you to hose/suppress your target and keep their heads down, then you’d best spend the $3000 to get a The Q Project/PPP M134 Vulcan Minigun….. Of course, there are advantages to be had for having a higher ROF, but really, field-use during skirmishes, you more than likely will NOT notice this factor as based on application to the three motor types. And sure, when upgrading, this particular factor may be of some concern, but as a newbie, really, you shouldn’t be worried about upgrading, anyway (more on this later).
This is supported by what icruztn reports here:
re : Motor type
The EG 700 and the EG 1000 are near indistinguishable from each other in stock form. Only when upgraded springs and batteries are used does one begin to notice a difference. If we want to talk about opinions (and this is some hardcore gamer tech here), I prefer the EG700, especially in guns with anything less than a standard sized battery. I even swapped an EG700 into my M4. Why? The no-load current draw of the 700 is 2.3A, while the no-load draw for the EG1000 is 2.8A. This infers that the EG1000 does indeed have a greater ROF, but at the same time, the EG700 is going to draw less current than the EG700 while providing ROF that is very close to the 1000. Thus, smaller batteries will last longer given an EG700 motor rather than an EG1000.
This, of course, leads us nicely to the second variable….
B. Battery type, size, and capacity
Aside from how long your AEG will get juice to power its internals, this is also one of the determinants of ROF. Very, very basically speaking, the larger the battery, the longer it will last, and the higher the ROF provided. And what I mean by “large” isn’t necessarily a measure of the physical size of the battery, but rather, both its voltage (V) and capacity ( mAh, or milliamphours) – details about this set of factors and its impact on durability and ROF can be found in the various d-board and forums on-line, just search around.
V, or voltage, is what drives your AEG’s motor. Think about voltage as how wide you’d open the throttle when you give the car gas – more throttle (increasing voltage) means you’re spurring-on your car; less throttle (lower voltage), you spin the motor slower. While an AEG will function on 7.2V, the nominal voltage for operation of TM AEGs is 8.4V. At 1.2V per cell, you’ll see that this means you’ll need a 7-cell pack. With 8.4V, you can rest assured that you’ll have more than sufficient juice to run your stock TM AEG at its utmost potential. So, what about increasing voltage? You do see a lot of up-voltage battery packs out there – 9.6V, 10.8V, or even the tremendous 12V battery packs. These will increase your ROF, but without proper precautions, especially with the latter two, you’re like to do some damage to your internals. So, in a word, just stay with the 8.4V packs – there’s really no need to increase your power until you start upgrading the internals of your AEG, which, as a newbie, you shouldn’t be upgrading your AEG anyway (again, more later)…..
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:24:59 PM
Now, what about how long your battery lasts? Well, this is a function of the mAh value. The larger the mAh value, the longer the battery will last. Typically, your 600 mAh batteries will last anywhere from 400 to 900 rounds. Why such a big range? Batteries are very sensitive to temperature, and the lower the ambient temperature, the shorter your battery will last. For example, the worst I’ve seen is a 8.4V 600 mAh “mini” pack that only managed to last 200 rounds before needing a recharge – but that’s at a temperature of near 40 deg. F. Pretty darned cold! With a 1700 or higher mAh capacity battery, you can pretty much assume that you’re going to be able to crank out over 1200 BBs.
Note also that how long a battery pack lasts is highly influenced by player usage of the battery as well, icruztn had the following to say:
re : Battery life
Almost as important as temperature is the playing style of the person shooting the gun. I have noticed that players who continually fire long full auto bursts get FAR less life out of their batteries than those who keep their fires shorter. I witnessed a player drain a 9.6V 1700mah battery in about 1000 rounds, whereas I can keep my 9.6V 1700mah pack running for most of the day (1500+ rounds). So I would add that in considering the battery size of the gun, a prospective player should realize that a heavy trigger finger is almost as bad as playing in the cold when it comes to battery life.
In other words, it’s much the same again as driving a race-car. Putting the hammer down all the time will waste fuel, and you might not be going all that much faster, either – have a bit of restraint, and you’ll be rewarded with increased gas-efficiency. In this case, ease off the trigger, and your battery will last longer.
There are many battery pack sizes. There’s the flat “mini” along with its other 2/3 A-cell type sisters, the “stick” or “AK”-type, as well as the many custom-shaped packs designed for increased capacity that fit into “stock” locations. There are even more that are configured as 2/3 AA or ¾ AA, or AA-sized custom-configured/shaped packs that can cram into some seriously contorted spaces. On the other hand, there are the “large” or “standard” sized “Sub-C” type cell packs, too. With these “Sub-Cs” physically being much larger than the “minis,” many newbies often wonder if the physically larger battery packs will provide better performance. Again, as with motor types, unless you are specifically controlling to test for this “size” variable, you’ll likely NOT notice a difference either in overall capacity or ROF when comparing a “large” battery with a “mini” that BOTH HAVE THE SAME VOLTAGE AND MAH values.
What does all this technical mumbo-jumbo mean?
Basically, if you’re considering a solid-stock AEG variant over its retractable or folding-stock variant solely based on the type of battery -- “large” vs. “mini” – you actually don’t have to worry that much, and you can toss that consideration right out the window . AA-sized NiCd cells are now easily and readily available with up to 1700 mAh capacity, and there are custom shaped/configured “mini” packs for use in many applications as well. Furthermore, there are plenty of accessories and modifications on the market that allow you to relocate and replace your smaller packs with larger ones. With such setups, even the retractable-stock AEGs (which forces the battery to reside up front in the forend/foregrip/handguard of the SMG/carbine) can have as much electrical power as their full-stock counterparts that use “large” packs. As such, unless you are seeking the ultimate in battery capacity (i.e. 2400 or 3000 mAh, which are, so far, only available with the Sub-Cs in NiCd and NiMH format, respectively), you can rest assured that your performance, overall, between your smaller and a similarly rated larger pack will be nearly equal. You no longer have to decide on your choice of AEG’s based on their battery capacities.
Also, this question inevitably comes up – “Can I run my stock-OEM unmodified TM AEG on a 9.6V pack?”
Answer:
Think of this as grafting in a turbocharger or supercharger to you car.

Think about it -- it's unavoidable and incontrovertible physical law that a higher-stressed system will wear more, right?

As such, you will undoubtedly shorten the usable lifespan of the replica, but exactly how much damage you will cause is something that no-one can predict.

Will you destroy your stock mechabox in a day? Maybe, if something internal wasn't assembled to-spec at the factory, that definitely can happen in that short an amount of time. Will you have a problem in two weeks, two months, or after two years? All unknown.

Remember, for any upgraded system, you're running an increased risk.
Stock OEM TM AEGs only need 8.4V to run at their optimally designed ROF. More juice is not necessary.
And finally, the question of whether or not you need a fuse or if you should take it out – IMHO, keep the fuse.
Why?
Remember, just as your house, car, or even your battery charger has a fuse to protect it as a last-line defense against overload -- the fuse is your AEG's last line of defense.

Certainly, motors are cheap, but what about having to switch out the entire geartrain? What about having to change-out and re-solder fried wiring? What if the spike burns out your circuitboard?

The removal of the fuse is basically a "high-end" upgrade. You will get SLIGHTLY less resistance, provided that everything else is done right -- but just like that F1 race-car that’s running on the edge with few fail-safe systems, when something goes wrong, something goes wrong big time.

This is one of those modifications that can gain you a fraction more performance, but trades-off hugely in terms of overall reliability.
Also, some will make the argument that removing the fuse prevents against a primary fuse failure (read: the fuse being the item that malfunctions, with nothing else wrong with your AEG) from shutting down your day’s worth of gaming – but exactly how many times do you think that a fuse just pops on its own, without something in the wiring or motor, geartrain, or other such systems actually being the primary cause? And do you think that you know enough about your AEG to know the difference between a primary or secondary failure? Big problem, isn’t it? That’s why you should keep the fuse. Sure, if the fuse fails during a game, you might not have an AEG until you can get back to the safe-area/base-camp to install your replacement fuse (and all good players will carry a small packet of fuses with them, your local automotive store will have nice hard carry-packs in-stock), but being forced to use your sidearm is still better than trashing your AEG, right?

Is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. Just remember what you're trading off, and what you intend to receive in return, as well as how the ratio of the two is reflected.
Finally, recently, we’ve seen the move towards higher and higher mAh capacity packs – often packs which are NiMH in construct, that offer anywhere between 20 to 50% increased mAh capacities than their NiCd counterparts.
The question is whether or not these batteries are “worth it” for the newbie player.
IMHO, no, they’re not.
The problem with NiMH cells, in their current (as of June, 2003) state of development and their current usage really limits their potential usefulness and in exchange places heavy demands on the newbie.
Most apparent is that their cost is also typically 20-50% higher than the NiCd cells that they replace. But of more concern is the fact that they require special charging considerations as well as can, depending on the size of the cells and their particular application to different AEG internal setups, bring with them many more considerations than what I believe that newbie players should be forced to deal with.
Current-day NiCd’s are only bothersome in that they need to be properly discharged after use – to a value of 1.1V per cell – to prevent “memory.” Even then, field rapid recharges will not cause much harm to these cells even without such discharges – truly making such discharge cycles only maintenance concerns that need to be addressed once every few charge-discharge cycles. Aside from this factor, their charging and recharging considerations are few to be had. With such ease-of-care, and truly the ability “custom” configured packs to fit nearly every battery need and bring mAh capacity to a high enough value as to be comparable to “larger” cells, I honestly believe that for the beginner, starting out on NiCd packs is the way to go.
Once you’ve become a bit more experienced, and better understand the ins-and-outs of taking care of NiMH packs as well as understand how they may best benefit you in terms of usage and deployment, I think that only then is their added-cost worth the trade-off.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:25:31 PM
For more overall/general battery information, I highly recommend that you take the time to read through these linked articles:
http://www.blackrain7.com/faqs/battfaq.html - An excellent beginner’s intro, courtesy of BlackRain7.com – a highly respected west-coast enthusiast and player informational website.
http://www.technick.net/public/code/index.php?load_page=http%3A//www.technick.net/public/code/cp_dpage.php%3Faiocp_dp%3Dguide_bpw2_00_toc - Thanks to Wallace of AirsoftOhio (a long-time friend, very well-respected enthusiast and dedicated skirmish player) for pointing this one out to me! This is an EXCELLENT reference, written in “English” for players of all levels to understand.
http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/chem/niccad/index.html
http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/chem/nicmet/index.html
- Both of these are commercial links from Panasonic, but still offers considerable and easy to digest information for “The Everyday Joe.” It covers both NiCd and the NiMH types. Adobe Acrobat required for download.
http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_Battery.html - Directly off of the RepairFAQ guides. This stuff is written by NASA scientists and MIT professors and grads – a most excellent technical discussion. I guaranty that once you’ve read through this document, you’ll be a total expert!
The third and final variable to consider in your AEG purchase is inner barrel length. This is the ONLY variable you’ll need to consider with respect to:
C. Accuracy and range
The AEGs can be sub-divided in many forms based on their overall body structure as much one can do with their real-steel counterparts. However, a more accurate organization would be according to each AEG’s inner barrel length. Pretty much, the inner barrel length of the AEGs also fall conveniently into those very same categories as their real-steel counterparts. Therefore, they can be grouped into the following:
Compact sub-machine guns: H&K MP5K and PDW
SMGs : the rest of the H&K MP5 Series, IMI Uzi
Carbines: H&K G3 MC51 and G36C, FN P90, Colt M4A1, M4RIS, M733and SR16
Full-sized rifles (with or without folding stocks)/Bullpups/Semi-auto only sniper rifle
If you are interested in a particular model, check the inner barrel length on the page of vital statistics provided on the AirsoftZone.com “Gun Database.” (http://vettaserv.pct.net/aszone/gun_database.cfm)
As such, what are their respective accuracy and ranges?
At 30-40 feet, in an windless indoor range, all of these AEGs are capable of hitting a 1 inch tall by ½ inch wide target, repeatedly, with the help of an auxiliary sighting device (i.e. scope, laser, etc – as it is really very, very hard to see such a small target at that range, much less align it with ironsights).
This is pretty impressive, isn’t it?
Now, what about range? Well, rather than absolute range (how far the BB travels), I like to speak of this in terms of “effective range.” I consider effective range to be the ability of an AEG, loaded with 0.20 gram BBs and with the HopUp properly adjusted, to hit a moving, man-sized target, center-mass (i.e. as during a skirmish game). As I’ve said before, the best determinant of range on stock AEG’s is internal barrel length. Therefore, the following generalization can be made:
Compact SMGs: 60-70 ft.
SMGs : 70-80 ft.
Carbines 80-100 ft.
Full-sized rifles/Bullpups/SA sniper rifle (PSG-1): 100-120 ft.
So, as you can see, there’s not one AEG here that’s not suitable for CQB/CQC-type play, in terms of effective range (although to tote a full-sized assault rifle in CQB will surely be a feat simply due to the physical length of the rifle). Furthermore, even though there’s quite a bit of difference in the effective range between the SMGs and the full-sized rifles, you’ll note that such differences are not so tremendous as to make the SMG use too greatly disadvantaged in even open outdoor skirmishes – if a player is aggressive enough and can move smartly, a distance of 20 to 40 ft isn’t all that much of a tactical advantage.
So……….
Where does all this lead to in terms of your decision?
Simple, just about every one of these AEG’s perform similarly, especially when matched in their own sub-categories. Does that put you into even more of a dilemma? It really shouldn’t.
Basically, focus on what your needs are first. Do you want a small, maneuverable piece for close-in CQB work? Simple, get one of the smaller AEGs. Are you only 5’2” tall and are blessed with short arms? Fine, one of the smaller AEGs will do you well, too – and you’d not only look ridiculous with the meter-long SG-1, you’ll find that it would be awkward for you to handle! What if you’re a tall, lanky guy who’s looking only to play outdoor games? The full-sized rifles will do you just nicely. Not only will you be able to handle each just fine, thanks to those lanky arms – but you’ll also be able to use the additional range to good effect outdoors.
With that decision made, move on to the particular replica that cosmetically/ aesthetically pleases you the most. Are you looking for a long-gun with a long inner barrel, but are tired of the classic looks of most assault rifles? Fine, go for one of the bullpups. Do you dislike the M4A1 as it seems that everyone and their brother has one? That’s OK, too – just take the G36 instead.
Of course, the possible upgrade paths should be of some concerns as well , but again, as a newbie, this should be the LAST thing on your mind.
With that said…..
D. Upgrade concerns
Here’s what Kenny, aka 888 on AirsoftPlayers and Arnie’s Airsoft , UK – a good friend of mine and a old-timer of the hobby and skirmish game of airsoft – had to say:
I'm sure you notice that almost every newbie that gets into this sport want to start off with a fully upgraded AEG. Hard not to since this seems to be the big trend nowadays. I must admit I too after field playing with guys with maxed out guns, I wanted to have something that would hold up as well. Unfortunately, I went at it the wrong way and tore apart my gun with upgraded parts not knowing exactly what I was doing. Lucky for me, Inferno style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Verdana;font-style:normal'> [another well-known and very well-respected airsoft enthusiast ] helped me out NOT by cleaning up my mess for me, but by walking me through the correct process. So now, I have a better idea of how my internals work, and can troubleshoot minor problems. I have also learned that from the moment you take apart your mechbox, your durability of the gun goes WAY DOWN, even if you don't change anything. The higher the upgrade, the more often you'll end up taking apart your gun to fix whatever.
So, back to the original topic, ANY AEG with ANY upgrade will be prone to failure in a very accelerated time span . So what’s a newbie going to do when his first AEG that’s been upgraded fails? Most likely panic and asked every Tom, Dick and Harry what to do, how to do it, and even more likely post all kinds of troubleshooting questions on the board without even reading first. I have seen firsthand many of my friends who are new to airsoft go through this situation. Many have actually been so "bummed out" that they haven't even given the sport a chance and have given up. Of course you know that even a stock AEG will fail after a given amount of time. However, I think that time span is long enough to give the player more than enough time to really feel out the sport, and will give the player enough experience and information to strip down the gun when it is really needed. I personally think this is the best way in getting every penny’s worth out of your small investment in a really big hobby.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:26:03 PM
My personal take on upgrades.
First, I am definitely NOT the man to talk to regarding upgrading your airsoft replicas. I have performed very, very few internal upgrades on AEGs. This is definitely NOT my area!
However, as an experienced scientist by trade as well as an experienced airsoft hobbyist who owns and routinely maintains my own modest collection of 5 AEGs of various configurations and levels of upgrade, I am familiar with simple mechanical systems, as well as the basics of the “why’s and how’s” of the upgrade and modification of AEGs.
One of the concepts that everyone should remember is that the more you increase a system's performance, the more you will decrease its overall durability. The more you run your machine on the ragged edge, the more likely it is that it will experience failure from being pushed so hard. Inevitably, when you upgrade for performance, you will likely stand to lose a bit of durability and reliability.
As a newbie with likely only one AEG, the failure of such an upgraded piece will effectively put you out of the game, with no chance for a quick return . And if you're at a multi-day event for which you've traveled hundreds of miles for, this could indeed spell disaster. As such, having a stock AEG that has a known average durability and liability for failure, rather than having that factor being an "unknown" with an upgraded piece, will surely serve to somewhat settle your heart, not to mention improve your odds of not suffering such breakdowns. Additionally, once you have accumulated other, possibly upgraded AEGs to your growing arsenal, this first-purchase, internally stock AEG will still be a trusty "backup" piece, which is always nice to have at hand.
I always pack with me a stock, non-upgraded AEG to take to games. It’s good insurance.
Furthermore, as a newbie, you should really take the time to first allow you to get your heading in the sport prior to plunking down the dough for expensive upgrades. Unless you play through several game-days with your new stock AEG, you're not going to really have a feel for how well it really performs or have a good idea of *exactly* and *realistically* what an upgraded AEG is capable, or not capable, of doing (here, it's simply best to ask players with upgraded pieces to kindly let you "test" their replica at the range – this way, you'll get first-hand experience).
Finally, what many newbies do not realize when they first start out is that many teams, clubs, fields, and events impose strict limits with regards to velocity/hit-energy due to safety concerns. If you outright purchase an upgraded AEG that shoots a blistering 450 fps. with 0.25 gram BBs, but all the events that you are interested in attending only allow 350 fps. with 0.20 fps, then you've just wasted a lot of money; as well as caused yourself undue trouble .
For example, at a past multi-day skirmish that I attended, limits of 300 fps. were placed on SMGs and carbine replicas, with 350 being allowed for assault-rifles, and a top end of 385 for single-shot "sniper rifles." All this with 0.25 gram BBs. Imagine if you showed up for this event, after having driven hundreds of miles, with a brand-spanking-new MP5 that cranked out 400 fps. with 0.25 gram BBs, and was then not allowed to play because your replica was unsafe – talk about disappointment, right?!
As such, if you MUST have initial upgrades, check with your local team, club, or field – or look on the various d-board/Forums that you frequent for posts regarding velocity/hit-energy limits that have been set for PAST games/events in your area, or for those events that you plan to attend.
Honestly, I implore you, I *beg* of you to purchase your first AEG in factory-stock, non-upgraded form with regards to internals for the above mentioned factors.
But if you’re still intent on making upgrades, well, here’s something to chew on…it’s from Wallace:
I agree that upgraded internal puts more load on the gearbox, and then with higher capacity battery the increased speed would further stress the gearbox. What I want to convey is that stock internal, contrary to popular believe, is even more likely to sustain damage then upgraded internal.

To further clarify, lets classify gearbox failures in two categories – anticipated and unanticipated. Anticipated failure is normally stress/wear induced, such as worn out teeth, weakened springs, aged motors, etc. These can cause additional damages such as stripped gears if worn parts are not timely replaced. Unanticipated failures refer to unexpected, catastrophic damages, which can be caused by poor workmanship, misalignment, excessive force or out-of-spec impact, etc. The later part can damage a brand-new gearbox, and is generally the most feared.

That being said, upgraded gearbox will increase the chance of anticipated failure (i.e. shorter interval of each failure). As you’ve already mentioned, stiffer spring and higher speed puts more load and stress on each component of the gearbox, which causes them to worn faster. However, when professionally installed and properly maintained, upgrading the gearbox should NOT increase the possibility of unanticipated failures. All the upgrade components are designed to work together in such high-stressed environment, that although they require more frequent maintenance or replacement, they shouldn’t “quit” all-of-a-sudden during skirmish. That’s why I think upgraded gearboxes can provide the same durability (or dependability) as stock gearboxes.

A good analogy would be turbo charging your car’s engine. We all know that a turbo charger generally shorten the life of your engine as it induces more stress (anticipated failure). However, if not installed properly you could over-boost your engine hence toasting it (unanticipated failure). On the other hand, turbo charging your engine also requires certain prerequisite, such as upgraded exhaust and intake to allow sufficient airflow, and revised engine management or even additional fuel pumps / injectors to maintain proper air/fuel ratio. However, if you simply bolt on a turbo charger to a fully stock engine, without lowering the compression ratio and additional fuel delivery the engine will run too lean and likely overheat, causing catastrophic failure. This is exactly what a higher capacity battery can do to a stock AEG.

When gears are turning too fast, the gearbox can fail not because of rapid worn out, but something far more violent. When the force exerted on piston/gear teeth exceeds their specification, you could actually snap the teeth off the gears by running it too fast. Wear and tear can also cause the same to happen, but they usually appear gradually. Hence upgraded gearbox with stiffer spring can prevent these unanticipated failures by slowing down the gears, or even by replacing stock gear set with hi-torque gears (they are both stronger and cause the piston to draw back slower).

In short, stock internals are more “durable” because of their lesser stress, but not necessary more “forgiving” when excessive force (in this case hi-voltage hi-capacity battery) is applied. I hope it make better sense this time
Now, Wallace makes a very good point here, but remember – he speaks of proper upgrading versus improper or otherwise sub-optimal upgrading. But unfortunately, as a newbie, your knowledge about the complex inner workings of AEGs (as well as your relative inability to decipher the varying truths and lies of the many conflicting posts out there on the Forums/d-boards) will enhance your chances of NOT performing acceptably installed or otherwise correct upgrades. I am not saying this to belittle newbies, to degrade newbies in any way – I’m simply stating the fact that the relative inexperience of newbies with regard to general knowledge in this area will more than likely cause them harm, and that such problems can indeed be avoided easily by just being content with their new AEG in stock, unmodified, out-of-the-box, OEM format, and giving themselves a bit more time to learn the intricacies of the such replicas before making the jump into tackling the ultra-technical areas.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:26:37 PM
AEG upgrades are synergistic. The individual parts add together to make a better whole. However, just as these parts can work together to increase performance, their improper combination and installation can also work to totally wreck your AEG. Do you know exactly which parts work with what others? Do you know how to selectively increase torque or RPM? Are you even sure what spring to use with your planned upgrade? As a newbie, you have many other things to worry about – ranging from picking out a suitable GBB sidearm to picking out proper body-kit/gear. The last thing you need to further confuse yourself with is a crash-course in AEG tuning/upgrading. No amount of cramming will prepare you to undertake all the finer aspects of tuning your replica. Worry about upgrades some other time. Get your feet wet in the sport first.
E. Durability, reliability, and maintenance concerns
With that said, you’re now probably back to worrying about the durability/reliability of these models again. Once more, I’ll remind you that as TM AEGs, they all share approximately the same track records when it comes to these two factors.
Even though they share much in common, you should keep in mind that each model will differ slightly in certain mechanical performance, durability, reliability, and aesthetic areas. As such, you should either perform thorough searches on the Forums on AirsoftZone, the Forums on www.AirsoftPlayers.com, Arnie’s Airsoft (UK), the UKAN Forums, as well as at our own AirsoftOhio Forums to familiarize yourself with these special, model-dependent variables.
And again, I stress that you should DO YOUR OWN SEARCHES.
Why? Simple – depending on the players who post information as a response to your question for your sole source of information is plain lazy, not to mention dumb. Who’s to say that these people have actual experience with your chosen AEG? And even if they say they do, how do you know they’re not lying? Better yet, how can you possibly even be sure that they know what they’re talking about? And really, do the posts you receive truly reflect the status of the AEG, or are you just seeing a bunch of posts that, when totaled together, barely amount to enough cases for you to even begin to draw a conclusion? By DOING YOUR OWN SEARCHES, you will be able to see the complete picture – you’ll read about topics that you haven’t even thought about, and problems that perhaps no one else has even mentioned. Furthermore, you’ll get a “historical” perspective; you’ll get a feel for how many players are or have been satisfied with this AEG, and how many have had problems, as well as the extent of these problems, and if there have been any documented “cures.” To let go of such information is to chose to be ignorant, and to be so stupid will surely land you with an AEG that you’re not happy of once you receive it. Please, I beg of you, do your OWN searches before you spend your hard earned money to buy a replica.
One last item that you should keep in mind is that often, there’s a tremendous amount of production variability in even just one model line. For example, the infamous “chassis-flex” that plagues the TM H&K G3 SG/1 and the “barrel wobble” that similarly affects the TM Colt-series, while having been extensively documented by several players, has also been decidedly denied by others. Are these other players lying? No, they simply lucked out, and, for whatever reason, just received a better put together item off of the Tokyo Marui production line. It’s much the same as buying a car, or any other major piece of high-tech equipment. Sometimes, you luck out, and you get a piece that is drop-dead reliable; other times, your luck isn’t so great, and you wind up with a “lemon” that’s broken as soon as you take it out of the box. As with anything else that’s mass-produced, there’s a bit of production-line variability in quality of build to be expected with these AEGs.
And as for maintenance, simply follow what the Tokyo Marui manual that arrives with your AEG dictate. There’s enough English directions in there that you should EASILY be able to figure out what to do and when to do it. There is no secret here, the TM manual will teach you ALL that you need to know. Read it. It has English sub-text.
Get yourself a bottle of pure silicone spray or oil lubricant (AVOID any and all petroleum distillates [yes, some petroleum distillates are indeed safe for natural and artificial rubbers, but such products are very, very hard to find and/or, MORE importantly, are just about impossible make sure that they are indeed safe for use, as their “claims” might suggest] as it will harm your rubber seals/Hop bucking) – Team Associated Shock Oil, between 5 to 15 “grade” weight,” is an ideal lube/general purpose cleaner; you can easily obtain this item from any large hobby shop (it is used as the fill oil for scale-model remote-controlled car “RC-car” shock absorbers), and you’re set to go. There’s a bunch of information about maintenance and lubricants available on the various d-boards and Forums, and I again recommend that you turn to them for more complete information.
Basics aside, if you find yourself in serious trouble and you need to start learning about AEG internals, the following links will help:
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/manuals.asp - AirsoftPlayers’ list of true TM Technical Manuals for their AEGs. These are like those thick service-manuals that your mechanic has in his shop. These are much, much more detailed than the schematic that TM has given you in your owner’s manual, and are an invaluable asset for troubleshooting.
http://www.section6.fsnet.co.uk/aeg_upgrade.html - Section VI, a well-regarded group of enthusiasts and players in the UK , nicely put together this mechabox basic disassembly guide.
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/guides.asp - More mechabox tutorials, this time, from AirsoftPlayers.
Finally, look on AirsoftZone’s opening page. In the “Past Featured Articles” section, look at the style='font-size: 8.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>December 4, 1998 entry. It’s Skyfire’s (Francis Zhou) translation of the 1998 Airgun Custom Parts Catalog (Japan, Seibido Mook – now publishers of the ToyGun Tune Up File, the 2003 version, although it no longer contains the mechabox guide, has a complete disassembly guide of all TM AEGs plus several common GBBs, which is worth the price of purchase alone)

Section Two, GBBs:
General considerations, durability and reliability
Hate to break it to all of you like this, but there are NO 100% reliable gas-blowback (“GBB”) pistol replicas. That’s right, NONE – not even the fabled Western Arms marque. Trust me, even the best of this genre, the true thoroughbreds, are temperamental bitches.
Empirically, GBBs are simply more prone to operational failures than their respective AEG counterparts. The GBB’s cyclic action is inherently harmful to its parts, and, moreover, the necessary containment of pressurized gas makes them constantly vulnerable to leaks. Additionally, they are arguably more maintenance intensive, requiring a much more regular diet of lubricant oils as well as attention to other types of mechanical cleaning.
But, on the other hand, this argument can also be reversed.
Since I wrote the first draft of this FAQ nearly 3 years ago, I've come to have a different opinion about the GBB vs. AEG durability/reliability issue.
The way I see it now, it's actually what the individual player himself feels most comfortable maintaining and repairing that makes the most difference in this matter -- as it is often a *_PERCEIVED_* lack of durability/reliability when comparing one genre to the other that is at the root of this debate.
For example, those who have messed around with electrical components all their lives – upgrading computers – or have messed around with R/C cars and planes, for example, may think that an AEG is a snap to repair. At the same time, they may cringe in fear of the high-pressure gas-containment systems that comprise the average GBB. On the other hand, someone who may have started off with paintball and its pneumatic systems would obviously feel more comfortable working with the straightforward pneumatics of the GBBs – and at the same time, they may not be as comfortable shimming gears and splicing wires.
Nevertheless, it still remains that NO GBB is 100% reliable…..
As such, my recommendation? If you carry a GBB as a skirmish sidearm, you should carry at least one additional spare magazine – or carry another GBB or NBB (gas-non-blowback) or even a springer (spring piston powered, single-cocking per shot) pistol as a backup. In the military, they’ve got a saying: “two is one and one is none.” That’s what it means to have a “redundant” backup. That’s what you need with GBBs.
- The Hop issue
More so than with AEGs, GBBs often offer the choice between having an adjustable Hop, a “fixed” Hop, or no Hop at all.
What’s right for you?
Let’s discuss Hop first.
What is Hop?
Simply put, it is a method of introducing variable friction to the surface of the BB as the BB shoots past, thus inducing “backspin” on the ball. As with a lob in tennis, this carries the ball slightly farther than a comparably discharged ball without Hop/backspin.
In theory, the Hop effect exists only to increase range, and will not be detrimental, as a “spin” factor, to the overall expected “accuracy” of the BB downfield.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:27:09 PM
However, in practice – in the real world – Hop is not without slight detriment thereof. In so much as Hop introduces a simple additional variable to the overall system, it causes a degree of uncertainty to be added, and that, unfortunately, degrades overall “accuracy” a bit. But the trade-off here is a greatly extended effective range.
Think of the trade-off in this way:
You’re shooting an arrow at a close-by target. Pretty easy to hit the bull’s eye each and every time, right? Now, I’m going to move the target way, way back – so far back that you have to “arc” in your arrows. What happens? You can still hit the target, but it becomes much harder to hit the bull’s eye every time.
Same idea here. You trade range for ultimate precision and accuracy.
This is why most times, GBBs without Hop are limited only to close-to-medium range activities, such as BB-IPSC target shooting. For these sporting contests, ultimate precision at short range is the name of the game. As such, taking Hop away from these GBBs results in increased overall consistency of the shots at such ranges.
However, when you have a skirmish-use GBB, trust me, you’ll want to have Hop.
Why? Because you need the increase in effective range more than you need a precision tack-driver at close range.
This can be explained by the following very, very dramatic (but true) example.
The super-extended inner-barrel “6-inch” variant of the Western Arms ProKiller 2000, when paired with high-pressure Taiwanese “Green Gas,” can easily launch a 0.20 gram BB with close to 500 fps. muzzle velocity.
However, it is barely able to match the effective range of a standard-configuration WA SVI, which, with a barrel length some 120 mm shorter than the above ProKiller and with a muzzle velocity of only around 350 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs using the above gas, you’d expect would actually perform much worse than the ProKiller in terms of effective range.
Why is this the case? How can the much shorter and much less powerful standard SVI equal the effective range of the ProKiller 2000?
The standard SVI has Hop. Hop helps it carry the BB farther than just sheer muzzle velocity/energy ever can.
So remember the following rule:
BB-IPSC/target-shooting (short-to-medium range) – go with a non-Hop system for maximum precision and accuracy.
Skirmish – go with an adjustable or “fixed” Hop system to maximize effective range.
Remember, skirmish = Hop!
- So many choices, which one do I choose?
As there are many, many more brands of GBBs than AEGs, one is led to the inevitable question, right-away, of: “Which brand do I choose?”
This is absolutely impossible to say.
Within just about ANY of the GBB makers, from Taiwan , Japan , or otherwise, both good and bad can be found. Basing your decision on any one “brand name” is liable to land you in a world of trouble.
What does this mean for you, the buyer?
Again, you simply MUST do your own homework. With the abundance of different models out there from different makes, unless you are well educated in the specifics of the particular make/model you are interested in, you can pretty much be assured that you will not make the best decision. Grab a cup of coffee or a bottle of soda and a snack, and get ready to just READ. Use the same resources as I’ve cited above for the AEGs – the AirsoftZone Forums, the www.AirsoftPlayers.com Forums, Arnie’s Airsoft Forums, and the UKAN Forums contain a virtual treasure chest of information regarding just about all of the various GBBs out there. As with AEGs, if you choose to not read these posts, you’d again be choosing to be ignorant and stupid – not to mention lazy. You owe it to yourself to be an educated consumer, hobbyist, and player. Please use the search functions available on these Forums and d-boards, and educate yourself.
With that said, I realize that some of you are after certain specifics as newbies – and have put down the following two generalized references to help you get started.
One of the first questions asked is often this:
A. I want a cheap GBB, what’s out there?
The problem here is that you’re focused on only one thing – cost.
Now I realize that some of you may only be 14 or 15 years old, and may be holding down jobs like mowing lawns during the summer or babysitting or dog-watching during the winter. Doesn’t pay much, and the parents’ allowance isn’t exactly a windfall, either.
But there’s just some realities here that you cannot escape. And one of these is the fact that you simply need to invest some money in order to return with a quality product. In my opinion, you can have an affordable, but still skirmish-capable (in terms of durability, reliability, and performance) GBB by setting aside at least $150.
For this price you should be able to get any of the following (listed in no particular order):
Full-auto:
compact SMGs :
KSC or KWA Ingram/Cobray M11A1
select-fire machine pistols:
KSC Glock 18C (stock) or KWA Glock 18C (stock or upgraded)
Semi-auto pistols:
sub-compact
Tokyo Marui (TM) Glock 26
compact :
KSC Glock 19 ( Japan or Taiwan version)
Kuan Ju Works (KJW) USP Compact
full-sized :
KSC Glock 17 (stock or upgraded) and M9 Elite
KJW USP, USP Tactical, and M9
KWC “high-grade” M92FS “Super” heavyweight or “high grade” Desert Eagle
TM M9 and Tactical Master
Some you might find for a discount. For example, there are routinely very good on-line specials offered for many of these models, with prices dipping down into the $80 range. In this case, you can easily buy one of these replicas plus a few spare mags, which is necessary for skirmish play.
Regardless, this is what is absolutely necessary as a MINIMUM investment. Sure, you can find $30 GBBs, but trust me, more often than not, they’ll break before you’ve even run a handful of BBs through them, and most will return with unacceptable field performance.
But with that said, there are indeed some generalizations that can be made….
B. Some generalizations
Tanaka Works, hands-down, wins for their gas-operated, NBB revolvers. No one else even comes close in terms of cosmetic or functional refinement -- and definitely not power, durability, reliability, or efficiency/consistency.

Western Arms wins in the category of most upgradeable 1911/2011-series -- and thus also takes the crown for being the base platform for a custom pistol of that genre of either skirmish or race/competition (i.e. BB-IPSC) orientation. KSC takes the cake in terms of cosmetic refinement of their 1911/2011-line, though. Note here that the KSC, KWC, KWA, and Maruzen 1911-type GBBs are all non skirmish viable for various reasons (the first three are totally deficient in terms of replacement parts access, the last simply does not produce sufficient muzzle energ – skirmish 1911/2011? WAs are your only ticket).

KSC and TM shares the crown for having, IMHO, the best and most affordable M9/92FS-genre replicas, including durability/reliability and upgradeability in terms of a bang-for-the-dollar comparison (the TM replica wins out if affordability of upgrades is taken into consideration). If you have an unlimited bank account, go for the WA to gain superior cosmetics.

Best Desert Eagle .50 is a split between KWC and TM. The former has an almost bulletproof replica, provided that you don't get a lemon to start with -- the latter has one that is much more cosmetically refined (durability/reliability/performance must wait until there's been enough time spent with the new version to assess, which will come in a few months' time at the earliest, until then, such judgements with the new TM are premature).
For the H&K USP replicas, KJW is the one and only that provides sufficient access to aftermarket replacement and upgrade parts. It’s not pretty, and there are known problems with it, but it’s better than either the rather fragile (and now defunct) Tanaka (persistent magazine leak) as well as the impossible-to-get Maruzen/Tanio-Koba (for that very reason).

In the full-auto category, KSC/KWA blows everyone out of the water. The old KSC M93Rs were nifty, but rather unreliable and non-durable unless extensively (and expensively) upgraded -- however, initial impressions from very experienced and very trustworthy sources all point to the new KSC M93R II as being totally different, for the better, in this respect (judgement on the new M93R II in terms of durability/reliability is pending this summer [20003’s] skirmish season). But even beyond that, who can contest the class-dominance of the KSC/KWA Glock 18C or the Ingram/Cobray M11A1? And please don't try to drag the WA SVFs or the WA M11 into this picture, neither are nor were sufficiently durable or reliable enough for true skirmish use and abuse -- the former assessment comes directly out of Mobius Strip, who is perhaps the Western world's leading SVF guru, and the latter, well, I can attest to as I own the last-generation variant of the WA M11, full “Special Kit.” Maruzen's offerings come close, but durability is a worry, as it the lack of availability of upgrade parts. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the tank that is the TMP, either!
For sub-compacts, no-one can beat the TM Glock 26.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:27:46 PM
Digicon in terms of NBBs, with Marushin's MAXI series trailing by a margin, although still worthy of mention. For a lower-priced piece, it's however near impossible to beat the TM H&K Mk23Mod0 SOCOM. Here, I should also note that the Digicon and Marushin MAXI series NBBs often produce dangerously high levels of muzzle energy/velocity, and is often NOT suited for skirmish use, particularly in the “pistol” fashion of the word in that close-range engagements may be very dangerous. The TM H&K Mk23Mod0 SOCOM would be a much better and totally safe choice.

Best “bang for the buck?” KJW -- all products; KWC -- specifically for their "high-grade" M92FS "Super" Heavyweight and Desert Eagle; KWA -- specifically for their Glock 18C and M11A1. None are particularly pretty or particularly refined, but they will be more than sufficient for the skirmish player on a budget. The KSC Glock 17 is also a sleeper.

Easiest to adjust Hop mechanism goes to KSC/KWA. However, Western Arms wins for having the most consistent -- if absolutely atrocious to adjust -- Hop mechanism.

Cold weather resistance goes to the proprietary-n.l.s. fitted current-generation Western Arms double-stacker 2011-type replicas.
But again, as you can see, this is very, very generalized information, and in no way covers all of your potential purchases. As such, in order to make good decisions, you’ll have to have some basic knowledge under your belt.
C. That question that always pop up: KSC and KWA, what’s the deal?
KSC Japan , KSC Taiwan, and KWA – what does all this mean?

First of all, I believe that if something works, then it's fine, it doesn't matter what trademark is on it or not. As such, the KSC/KWA M11, KSC/KWA Glock 18C, as well as the KSC Taiwan and KSC Japan S&W Performance Center M945 are practically the same, to me, in terms performance -- including durability and reliability. The only differences are cosmetic, if that.

Overall:

Currently, all speculation regarding the supposed link between KSC and KWA are based only on circumstantial evidence, at-best.

Even what Jinxx and myself found nearly 2 years ago, a "Made in Taiwan" etching under a faux trademark panel on our respective fully-trademarked, supposedly KSC, Glock 18Cs is, at best, only circumstantially representative of such arguments of the two companies having supposed ties.

The truth is, no official word of any such links have come from either companies.
No official shipping manifests or any type of duty documents have ever been provided to further reinforce or deny such claims. No hard, concrete proof has ever been offered, one way or the other.

All of the current "proof/evidence" has been from a "he-said/she-said" type of Internet media hysteria. “X or Y heard it from A or B retailer or reseller.” Or “A or B reseller/retailer hearing it from their Q or Z Hong Kong/Taiwan ‘supplier/wholesaler.’”
That's all the “proof” that you're going to get.

Is this supposed "proof" good enough?

My simple answer is no, it is not.

Remember back in the late 90's, when many US retailers were INSISTING that KWA M9s were "import friendly" WA Perfect Versions? Well, I dispelled that myth by going directly to the source -- Western Arms not only officially denied any such connections, but even provided proof of their having taken up legal action against KWA for copyright and patent infringements.

After I blew the top on that story, these retailers claimed that "their suppliers" said the KWAs were "import friendly" WAs -- much like what is said today of the link between KSC and KWA, is it not?

The truth of the matter is that we currently have no solid proof, one way or the other, regarding entire KSC/KWA relationship.

And with the way that the Far-Eastern marketplace is dominated by illicit and illegal clones and copies of all sorts of goods, we simply cannot take anything for-granted, as per my tale of WA/KWA above.

Until someone provides me with absolutely irrefutable proof, I will remain a skeptic, and I encourage the same from all of you.

As for whether if the KSC and KWA goods are actually one and the same, aside from this "claim" issue above, again, we're forced into a situation of conflict.

There have been VERY, VERY, VERY well-respected hobbyists on both sides of the fence. After having inspected the goods, there have been those who have said that they've seen distinct differences not only in design, but also in materials construct between the items from either company -- but there also have been similarly respected hobbyists who insist that the items are identical.

Again, if nothing else, this is once more simple cause for being cautious in saying anything at all about the supposed link between KSC and KWA.

---

What does this all mean?

To me, actually, not a lot.....

Why?

Well, if one replica works as well as the other in terms of performance, durability, and reliability, then what's to worry about?

The KSC M11 and KWA M11 practically have the same durability and reliability track-record (and with KWA's second-generation metal-bolt factory-OEM piece, this factor swings decidedly in favor of KWA, does it not? -- and to wit, why would KWA have such an item, but KSC not?); and the same goes for the Glock 18Cs (in this case, the latter-generation KSC product have a reinforced slide, but the KWAs do not, although the KWAs are supposedly also slightly more durable ...again, strange, is it not?).

[ Note, at the same time, watch out for the KWA M9's, they're still not up to par in terms of durability or reliability -- the KSC Elites are much better in both respects -- again, strange for a set of companies that's supposedly sharing one bed, is it not? ]

As long as you can tell which item suits your needs (i.e. trademarks, durability, etc.), I currently see no problem with purchasing from either.....

But until further proof, I'll still consider them separate makes, and again, I urge you to do the same.
- Knowledge Base
One sincere advice that I have for all newbies is to also become familiar with the various technical aspects behind the entire GBB genre.
A good place to start would be to become conversant about the various types of propellant gasses available.
A. Gas type
Please read my “Gas Primer,” found both on the AirsoftZone hobbyist discussion Forums (http://vettaserv.pct.net/aszone/forums/message.cfm?topic_id=533&forum_id=11#538420 - this URL is liable to change, if you can’t find it, simply log in to AirsoftZone, search for the term “Gas Primer” under the “Topics” criteria, turn the search date parameter back to “Last Year” to cover that length of time, set the search for only the “Gas Guns” Forum, you’ll easily find the post then) and the AirsoftPlayers Forums (http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=177&SearchTerms=gas,primer).
PLEASE carefully and thoroughly read through the entire contents of this guide. I actually would prefer that you use the AirsoftZone version, as the ensuing discussions there are much more complete, and offer the beginner an excellent overall perspective on what to expect. Focus specifically on these AirsoftZone replies to my original “Gas Primer” post:
1. my 10:30 PM July 28, 2000 reply
2. MrWhite’s question at 11:36 PM October 08, 2000 and my reply to that question on 10:09 PM October 09, 2000
3. my 11:16 AM April 08, 2001 reply
4. my 07:29 PM July 01, 2001 reply
So now you know what the gasses are – let’s now learn…..
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:28:21 PM
B. How to fill your GBB magazines
Once you have a good understanding of the basics of airsoft gasses, move on to this excellent post on the UKAN Forums:
http://forums.ukairsoft.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47714 - Meh-lindi’s initial 5 posts on that thread are absolutely excellent.
There, focus especially on the basics of GBB magazine filling technique. To this end, I will supplement with my own input here.

Let's first work to understand how the fill mechanism and the magazine fill valve work.

At the bottom of the magazine is where you typically fill the reservoir with propellant gas.

Here, this incoming gas fill valve is held closed by springs that seal it against its surrounding seals (no pun intended). This is the default position, and a tight closure seal is required for the gas reservoir to remain pressurized.

During a fill, what you're doing is essentially jamming the gas bottle -- which if you'll notice its nozzle is also spring-loaded -- against this fill valve, depressing the gas valve against its spring so as to open it for gas transfer; and at the same time also depressing the spring-seal assembly that otherwise seals close the bottle's fill nozzle so that it opens, thus allowing the liquid-gas dual-phase propellant to properly flow "down" and into the mag's reservoir.

You must be sure that you are bearing down hard enough on the twin assemblies that you are opening BOTH the nozzle of the gas canister, as well as the magazine bottom incoming fill port/valve.

So now you're filling, but how do you know when the mag is "full?"

Well, without X-ray vision, you pretty much can't see through the mag's aluminum body, right?

Think about being blindfolded and being asked to pour yourself a glass of water, and to make sure that you've got it to the brim.

What do you do?

You keep pouring until the glass overflows, right? That pretty much means that when you stop, your glass will be full, right?

Same idea here.

It's also the same idea for filling many stickshift/ manual gearbox or other transaxle fluids, you fill until a bit dribbles out of the fill/drain hole, and then stop -- it's "full by overflow."

=)

So, with the magazine fill, you simply keep going until it overflows -- that's full.

What will that be like?

During your normal fill, because of imprecise alignment angles between the fill nozzle and the mag's fill nipple, you'll notice a bit of spill of the liquid/gas coming out of its junction point, right? That's normal. Depending on the precise magazine, the mag valve's design, and the precise bottle nozzle -- and most importantly, your own "skill" at accomplishing proper fills -- you'll get varying amount of such spillage.

When you're full-up, this small spill will become a huge backward spurt. Trust me, you'll know. To demonstrate what this will be like, simply invert your fill bottle over a hardcover book, as though you are going to fill it with gas, and press down.

Now, many retailers and some hobbyists will recommend that you fill "no more than X seconds" or use other such "counting" procedures during your fill.

That simply does not work.

Think about filling your car's gas tank versus that of a truck's. Pretty large difference in fill time, right? Same goes for having different sized magazine gas reservoirs -- while it may well only take a nominal 3-4 seconds to fill your standard-capacity (BB-capacity, that is) G18C magazine, it can take upwards of 15 seconds to completely fill an extended 50-round M11 SMG magazine full of gas.

This logic further presents itself as fill times will vary depending on the pressure of the gas you're using, it's residual driving pressure in the fill canister, the ambient temperature and the specific temperatures of both your mag and the fill bottle, your skill/proficiency (in terms of side-waste), etc. and so-on. There's just no way anyone can tell you, for sure, that X magazine will take Y seconds to fill up.

And furthermore, "overpressure" or "blowing out your seal" RARELY, if EVER happens during the initial fill process. Think of it this way, the gas has its own pressure-temperature gradient, right? That serves as a consistent driving force as you fill the mag. And as the mag approaches "full," its internal pressure-volume relationship is going to closely mimic that of the fill bottle's, right? So in essence, your fill is self-terminating. Overpressure almost never happens from improper initial fills, so again, this blows the "never fill your mag for more than X seconds" theory completely out of the water, right?

Simple science and logic.

The only exception to this rule is that with KJW magazines, you really do have to count seconds of fill time – this is because KJW magazines’ fill valves utilize a special seal within its outer diameter that makes the transfer near air-tight. Therefore, there would be no spillage, and by that, no “spurt back” or overflow to indicate that you’re full. Usually, about 4 to 5 seconds will give you a “full” fill with the KJW USP and M9 magazines.
C. Additional knowledge – mag maintenance, fill adaptors, and GBB cyclic function
While you’re at it, you should also check out these links:
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11484 - AirsoftPlayers Forum post regarding care issues for your GBB magazine. Specifically note my 05/25/2003 10:56:38 original post and my 05/26/2003 10:11:38 reply to xevilforce and Kage_genin’s questions immediately preceding.
http://qphreak.iwarp.com/airsoft/butane.htm - Adaptors for “duster gas” canisters, fashioned out of butane lighter refill canister adaptors, from the respected Kevlarman.
http://www.virginiarangers.com/pictures/GBB-dustermod/dustermod.html - Yet another adaptor idea, this time from the guys at The Virginia Rangers – a highly respected skirmish team/club on the east-coast.
http://www.dentrinity.com/Topics/magna.htm - From the DEN Trinity commercial website. Discusses the basics of the WA GBB cycle, however, it also is an excellent overall cycle reference that will allow you to understand the basics of any GBBs function.
D. More knowledge – GBB general maintenance
For general maintenance on GBBs, reference the silicone oil cited in the above AEG section. Typically, while most “true” airsoft gasses (again, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, please reference my “Gas Primer” post) such as those marketed by various Japanese and Taiwanese airsoft manufacturers (i.e. Tokyo Marui, Western Arms, HFC, UHC, “Top Gas/Toy Jack”) contains a very small percentage of silicone lubricant, the content is NOT sufficient to effect lubrication and cleaning of the GBB – it’s only there to serve as an extra dose of “protection” during normal use/cycling of the pistol’s mechanical components. You MUST perform routine oil lubrication as well as cleaning with supplemental silicone oil to effect complete and proper protection of your replica.
Apply anything from 5 to 35 grade/weight silicone oil to any area specified in the GBB’s manual. Again, I know that it’s most likely in Chinese or Japanese, but still, there should be enough figures and illustrations to point you in the right direction, should you read carefully. Additionally, make sure you apply the lubricant to any area of the GBB’s internals that may make frictional contact with each other – such as the contact points between the slide and the frame, etc – also, a thin layer should be applied to any and all rubber components. Furthermore, the lubricant, especially of lower viscosity, such as 5 to 10 weight, can easily be used as a cleaning solvent for the bore of the barrel and even as a general cleaning solution .
One item of note is that with the lower weight oils, should you use them in warmer weather, they may “run” excessively. A heavier grade weight, such as between 20 and 35 weight, or even a silicone “grease,” may confer more protection to the slide/frame frictional interfaces. However, keep in mind that such high-viscosity oils or grease may cause “binding” should it start to solidify under extreme-cold conditions. So, as you can see, you must use your own best judgment to select the proper lubricant grade. An IMPORTANT side note is that furthermore, under NO circumstances should you use such viscous oils/grease as a barrel cleaning solvent – you’ll have a very hard time getting your barrel bore and Hop cleared of residual excess oil/grease!!!!
The final item to note is that should you desire to use “substitute” airsoft gasses, such as “computer duster gasses,” you will need to supplement the “dry” gas with a bit of the low weight grade silicone oil to effect lubrication of the magazine and its various seals. The process is well documented in the “Gas Primer.”
In short, This is VERY easily done by dropping one or two drops of silicone oil (or spraying a small amount) directly onto the incoming gas fill nipple at the bottom of the magazine, and subsequently immediately introducing fill gas into the magazine as typical of gas fills.
This process forces the lubricant present at the opening of the nipple into the magazine, and causes sufficient atomization of the lubricant oil into the magazine gas reservoir, which is then spread throughout the GBB during discharge -- just as with "true" proprietary airsoft gasses.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:32:31 PM
There's nothing wrong with simply spraying or dropping in a bit of silicone oil at the incoming gas fill port at the bottom of your magazine immediately prior to each fill as I've suggested. If anything, when done properly, it will most likely actually introduce much more than the small percentage of lubricant actually present in the proprietary airsoft gasses. You can even "test" this by visualizing the thin layer of lubricant that forms on the surface of the rubber gas route packing at its exit point at the top of the magazine; it will be as lubricated as with use of true airsoft gasses.
- Remembering that the retailers don’t always have your best interests in-mind
Again, I must emphasize that each GBB, regardless of brand of make, is an individual onto itself. Each individual GBB will have specific performance, durability, reliability, and gas-efficiency characteristics that are unique to that pistol itself, and cannot be generalized to include any other replica pistol. So instead of asking about comparisons in various posts and such, simply sit down, search, and read as much as you can about the replicas that you’re interested in – it’s the only sure way to go.
One important item to note about GBB’s is that regardless of what many retailers may say about their supposed durability – i.e. “x or y model can take a or b gas, straight out of the box” – NO GBB IS IMMUNE TO THE GENERAL LAWS OF MECHANICAL OBJECTS. This means that the more you stress the system, in this case, the GBB, with “higher-powered” gasses, the more likely it is that you will experience some kind of catastrophic mechanical breakage of a critical component, and for sure, you will experience increased wear and tear as compared to a counterpart GBB that’s been treated only to exclusive use of the “lower-powered” gasses.
If you are having a hard time believing me, just think of it this way: race cars.
These things are tuned to provide the most performance with commensurately the most stress placed on their parts – and while they are reliable enough and durable enough for the span of the race, they routinely get full engine and other critical items replaced, many, many times per season due to excessive wear on critical components. Furthermore, they are also much more prone to having a breakdown than our everyday commuter cars. Another example? Think of the “higher-powered” gasses as “nitrous” for your GBB. Sure, you can run your car on nitrous all the time, but I’d be willing to bet that sooner rather than later, you’re going to blow your engine. So please, unless you are a “power hog” and are willing to deal with the consequences of having a broken GBB due to use of the “more powerful” gasses, just stick with HFC134a or the other lower-powered alternatives. Don’t come crying to me later – ‘cause I’ll just say “I told you so!”

Section Three – Mock suppressors (“silencers”)
- AEG Sound Suppression
I've often been sighted on-line lamenting the state of our relative lack of airsoft knowledge -- true objective knowledge -- as Western enthusiasts. After having a look at some of the Japanese airsoft-hobby print magazines, it's quite easy to see that we truly lag behind their objective understanding of "performance," through true objective testing and organized data, by about 5 to 10 years.

And sadly, this applies to the tremendous hype generated about "suppressing" or "silencing" an AEG as well.....at this point, we Western hobbyists have only anecdotal tales and empiric evidence to go on, but it looks like our Far-Eastern brothers have already tired of such guess work and rumor, and decided to take things to the next level.

An article in the a past issue of the Japanese hobbyist magazine Arms (May 2003, issue number 179) detailed a laboratory-test of sound suppression for the P90.

Of course, I could not read Japanese (remember, I'm Chinese!) -- but hey, the graphs and pictures are easy enough to interpret regardless!

For this tech article about "silencing" the P90, they used an aftermarket mock suppressor (looked to be a KSC Knight's Armament Corp. suppressor for the KSC Mk23 Mod0 SOCOM GBB) and even stuffed the mechabox area full of rubber chips and also cotton padding. They also sealed, using tape and even plastics, various "holes" in the mechabox assembly that could emit noise before re-installing the mechabox and supplementing the suppression with the above-cited rubber and cotton insulation.

Result?

53 db. of noise at 50 meters.

Absolute noise reduction at around 35 meters went from a high of 82 db., stock, to -- get this, 80 db. with all of the sound-suppressant.

Not much difference at all, huh?

The true effect shown with their test was apparently from a much greater discrepancy in the frequency of the sounds emitted. This was also documented in graphical form from their testing equipment. The spectrum analysis changed towards a much lower frequency with the sound-suppressing measures installed, with reductions in the higher-frequency noises registered.

This would pretty much confirm the fact that these "suppression" methods would do very little good for our airsoft replicas in terms of having an OBJECTIVE noise-level suppression -- and instead, that it is our subjective inability to pinpoint the altered muzzle discharge noises (frequency change), combined with most likely a re-routing/re-directing of the muzzle discharge noises to be emitted along a different axis (i.e. instead of directly down-range, now more dispersed to either side due to the fact that the mock suppressor is "canning" the barrel), as the TRUE reasons why suppressors "work" for airsoft replicas.

Again, I'm not making this up -- this is from the latest issue of Arms magazine, a hard-core Japanese airsoft enthusiast magazine. Got problems with these findings? Go take it up with them!

What does this all mean for you?

Well, if you are really up-close and personal outdoors, or if you are indoors at all (with highly sound-reflective walls, furniture, etc.), you might as well discount any supposed advantage you have. The objective level of true noise reduction is just insufficient.

Rather, it is outdoors, at-range, where the alteration of the tone and direction of your "suppressed" replica's sound output that will truly give you a tactical advantage.

Use your advantage to GET close, but once you're there, as with much of everything that's airsoft, it is "violence of action" that's going to take the day.
- GBB sound suppression
Most airsoft GBB replicas will have aftermarket products designed to allow them attach aftermarket mock suppressors.

However, they will not affect much at all of your overall noise signature.

Why?

Do this simple test with your GBB - any GBB.

First, gas-up your GBB.

DO NOT, I repeat, do *_- NOT -_* load with BBs.

Instead only "gas-fire" the replica, placing the slide "ejection port" cut out next to your ear. Trigger off a round.

If your ear isn't ringing, I'll print out this FAQ and eat it.

Unless you can physically "lock" your slide and keep it from cycling, you'll get that gas-output noise from the magazine main outlet area right next-to/within the "ejection port/breech" each and every time, whether you have a mock suppressor on the muzzle or not.

If you want a truly "sound suppressed" gas-operated replica, look towards the purchase of a NBB as your starting platform.

GBBs just won't do it. Physically impossible.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:33:19 PM
It'll look good on a GBB, and again, just about any GBB will have some kind of aftermarket attachment available, but it will not function as a true suppressor.
- Mock suppressors and “accuracy”
Search around a bit, and you’ll undoubtedly find references, discussions, and questions about the ability of a mock suppressor to add to the effective range of a replica – be it GBB or AEG – in that it adds either range and/or “accuracy” at-range.
Is this possible?
Certainly, but let’s examine this in closer detail.
If you’ll recall from our discussions above, the main determinant, holding all other factors to be equal (same Hop engagement, same BBs used, same spring or gas propellant used), that affects effective range is inner barrel length.
The longer the inner barrel (very important: within certain technical limits) the better the overall effective range.
So, then, if we extended an inner barrel actually though the bore of the mock suppressor, in essence using the mock suppressor as a place to cosmetically hide and to physically protect an inner barrel extension for our new barrel setup, we’ll have an excellent way to extend the inner barrel, right?
And that’s precisely how you would seek to gain better accuracy from the use of a mock suppressor.
However, there are also some precautions.
If the inner barrel ends before the muzzle opening of the mock suppressor, you must absolutely make sure that the path through which the freely-exiting BB takes through the bore of the mock suppressor is clear of any interference. If you’ve got some foam padding or some washers in there to try to absorb some of the muzzle noise, be sure that your exiting BBs won’t come into contact with it – if they do, you’ll get deflection of the BB from its intended flight path, and that will spell disaster for your replica’s accuracy.
Second, also remember that much of what’s gained through a barrel-extension is done so because of the extra time the BB spends in the bore of the inner barrel. Thus, if you have a secondary inner barrel in the bore of the mock suppressor which screws on and attaches to the primary inner barrel (such as the current KSC M93R II mock suppressor unit or the KSC KAC SOCOM mock suppressor unit for the KSC H&K Mk23Mod0 SOCOM GBB), the “gap” between the primary and secondary inner barrels can also introduce a bit of variance. And however small that may be, it can also negatively impact final overall accuracy.
Section Four – Sights, scopes, and lasers
- Mounting considerations
First thing to decide is how to mount your chosen optic – it is also the easiest to sort out, as it is totally up to you to decide. Your personal preference.

Some things to consider as you make this decision include whether your facial/eye protection will let you get a good cheek-weld to the buttstock. This is particularly important if your mounting rail is close or along the same vertical plane as your cheekrest. The best example of this is to think of the TM KAC SR-16, whose flat-top receiver sits directly in-line with the buttstock. This is as opposed to the setup of the TM H&K G3 SG/1, for which a distinct “riser” over by the cheek is needed to raise your eye in-line with a scope mounted to the receiver. Together with this consideration is the actual height of the mount and/or the rings, which you should carefully consider so that you can achieve proper eye-alignment and still have good cheek weld. For example, a too-tall set of rings will result in you having to lift your face off the buttstock (which may be advantageous depending on your facial/eye-protection preference above), while a setup that is too short in profile may cause an impossibly low cheek-weld. Remember that some of this will have to do with the scope’s objective lens and/or eyepiece bell housing – the larger this housing, the more clearance you must factor in.
Another factor to consider as well is whether or not you'd want to keep the stock "ironsights" in-place as a close-range or backup-use sight. Often, you can purchase scope mounts or rings that allow you to sight-through via specialized cut-outs, should you desire such as setup.
- The Scope/sight itself
A. General considerations
First thing to consider is the scope housing (main body tube) size, which is usually listed directly on the product spec's page. If not, then ask this of your seller/retailer.

This, as you know, is critical to meet the requirements of the particular mount RINGS that you've chosen.

For airsoft use, most mount ring BASES will be 20mm, aka Weaver, aka Picatinny RIS/RAS. The RINGS themselves will usually be either of 1 inch or 30mm diameter, depending on the scope tube size we are speaking of here.

Either 30mm or 1-inch versions are fine, but you will find that the 30mm tube diameter is much more common with higher-end items, and thus both the scope and its rings will be much more expensive. 1-inch rings can be had much more readily, and also will tend to be much, much cheaper.
Also consider the following:

(1) A larger objective diameter is excellent as it both lets in more light as well as allows for a larger downfield view (FOV), thus decreasing "tunnel vision" (whereby the shooter is so focused on the picture that’s within the tube of his sight/scope that he/she completely loses total field-awareness) – but it also drastically increases your chances of incoming BBs causing damage to your optics’ lens( es). Consider the question of how to protect your scope before you buy (to be addressed later in detail).

(2) Eye relief.

This is one of those factors that should also be listed in the spec's. Again, if not, ASK your retailer/seller.

You'll want something with AT LEAST 3-inches worth of eye relief. This is because of typical US gaming requirements by clubs, teams, fields, and events to wear full-sealing goggles.

Eye relief is the distance from your exit pupil (in other words, your eye) to the eyepiece lens. As such, when you're wearing eye-protection, especially goggles, you'll want to insure there's enough space to accommodate this.

And no, don't think that because your goggle is only one-inch "deep" that you can get a 1.5 or even 2-inch eye-relief scope. Since you're not able to literally get in that close, with one item butting up right adjacent to the next, you'll need more eye relief than you think.

Think of 3 inches as a minimum.
(3) Consider your magnification needs as based on your muzzle energy/velocity. For a 400 fps. with 0.20 gram BB setup, you'll only need 3x to 6x magnification to be "effective" in an airsoft "sharpshooting/sniping" sense. Anything above 6x, and you're looking at using that for "spotting" or otherwise scanning downfield for recon. Even up to 550 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs, 6x to 9x is more than sufficient, and even then, the higher magnifications are much more useful for scanning the length of the playing field in a scout format more than it is useful being an actual aiming aid, as your magnification factor can often exceed the consistency of your BB.
Optical aiming aids can be had in several different forms -- from red-dot sights to the more "traditional" optical scopes.

Both have limitations as well as advantages, however, you can typically obtain well-equipped models (which address airsoft needs) of either genre for well less than $100.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:34:17 PM
B. Let’s talk specifics, red dot sights

Red-dot sights typically offer only low-magnification (2x multiplier) or no magnification (which, given even airsoft "sniper" engagement distances, is typically sufficient for use). Although variable-magnification models are available (such as the Leupold MkVI CQ/T), they are often only available for a dear premium (the aforementioned Leupold has an MSRP in the $650 to $750 range, within the US).

For this lack of magnification, in-trade, the red-dot sights will usually offer larger down-range field-of-view (important as it helps [1] avoid "tunnel-vision," and [2] aids in faster target acquisition) and unlimited eye-relief.

Disadvantages include the previously mentioned low/no magnification, as well as a possibility that even with high-powered models, the "red dot" itself may be drowned ("washed out") by bright ambient lighting and projection over a brightly colored target. Usually, this is minimized by electrically very high-dot-intensity models or, on the other hand, ironically NON-electrically powered models which amplify ambient light (but in areas where ambient light is low, and the sight is not powered, these sights will then be, of course, inoperable; again, a trade-off -- this is actually the reason why Trijicon recently implemented their TriPower or TX30 model, which offers electrical-power backup for these particular cases of wash-out). The OEG, or "Occluded Eye Gunsite," which will be covered below in more detail, is yet another way to bypass this wash-out issue, and with most standard "tubular" shaped red-dot sights, the use of an OPAQUE flip-up scope cover can render the sight into OEG-use, by literally covering the objective with its non-see-through cap.

The larger objective lens area that can typically be found on these sighting devices as compared to traditional optical scopes may contribute to a lager chance of receiving damage from incoming rounds - but of course, the larger the lens, the "better" the overall view down-field (and of course you will tend to pay more for models with larger objectives, which will wrap this argument around in that it will cost you more money should it be damaged).

Finally, parallax error is often more of a concern with red-dot sights than with traditional scopes, especially on the lower-priced red-dot sights -- however, proper usage will just about eliminate this problem, and as we tend to engage targets at much closer range than would real-steel, this subject is of minor import, anyway.

One special word of caution on red-dot scopes is that a sub-genre of these scopes, the occluded-eye sight (i.e. Armson OEG), may not be suited for use with all players. It relies on a simple optical principle that, for some players, due to their particular anatomy or physiology, simply does not work. If you are interested in these sights, which offer extremely fast target acquisition and the ability to "sight-through" an item that may be blocking the immediate front of the sight itself (i.e. another supplemental sighting device, such as a bi-level scope mount), and also virtually eliminates wash-out concern, then I strongly urge you to first try out these "OEG"-type sights before you purchase. Fortunately, though, the vast majority of players have no problems resolving the dot apparent on *standard* (i.e. non-OEG-type) red-dot sights.
Yet another sub-genre of red-dot sights are "reflex" sights.

Unlike the classification with the OEG-type sights, however, the use of the term "reflex" is much more based on semantics.

Typically, its usage is limited to red-dot sights that offer a single stand-alone lens assembly, unlike our more traditional concept of "scopes" in their tubular shape, which has both an objective lens and an eyepiece lens.

Although it is typically easier for your eye-brain to resolve and acquire in a more speedy manner a down-field target with the single-lens "reflex" setup due to subjectively less perceived overall blockage/narrowing of the sight-picture from its free-standing single-lens (and thus single "frame") assembly, this should *-NOT-* be too, too much of a concern as the proper use of red-dot sight systems should have you using a "both eyes open" technique, thus reducing ANY red-dot type sight, regardless of semantic classification, into a sight you can use upon your “reflexes.”

Sights like the OK(O) Reflex (which is what is being cloned by Umarex and is marketed as various G&P/G&G/Walther/Maruzen/PSA "Reflex" sights), items from C-More, the ATN Ultrasight and Digital Ultrasight, Trijicon Reflex, MeproLight Reflex, and Mojji Reflex are what is typically regarded as "reflex" type red-dot sights and are among the best known. But again, compare anything outside of their physical construct/setup, and functionally, you'll see that they're just as much the same old "red-dot" type sights as any other.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:34:57 PM
Also, remember that dot intensity will greatly affect your perception of the dot as well. There's a reason why multiple intensities are offered, and it is not only so that you can see the dot in bright surroundings, but is ALSO VERY IMPORTANT in that this feature allows you to set the sight to a low-enough setting in dimmer ambient conditions so that you will not receive excess glare from the dot, which can cause the dot to visually "blur" and make your shots less accurate.
Finally, this is something that all of the top IPSC shooters, even Brian Enos, have said – if you’re using a red-dot sight, there’s virtually no reason for you to be focusing on the actual dot itself. When you’re looking at the target, because your eyes are naturally focused on it, there’s no way you’re going to also be able to focus on the dot itself, therefore, it automatically seems a bit “blurry.” But in-use, that blur should not matter, as once the dot is superimposed over the target, you should be on-target, assuming that you’ve judged your range and leading considerations properly and correctly. Now, this may see a bit un-natural to ironsight shooters, but this is the proper way to use red-dot sights. And as such, that slight “blur” of the dot that you’re complaining about in your red-dot unit? Don’t even worry about it.
C. More specifics, “traditional” scopes
Even when it comes to just having a scope, debates will rage as to whether so much or so little magnification is "needed" or is "nice to have." To wit, we've got the 1.5x of the "Military" model TM AUG being cited by many of its users as being near-perfect for airsoft engagements, but yet, others prefer still either no magnification or even higher.
And similarly, with the red-dot sight, we can also sit here and argue for days as to what kind is most suited for use - and whether if some magnification is good.

Just remember this sentence:
There's no right or wrong here -- it's all personal preference.

In my opinion, with "traditional" optical scopes, you run into the problem of perhaps having too much magnification for airsoft needs. Typically, players will purchase scopes made for air-guns or shotguns, as they both offer lower magnification values. More often, however, you'll find that players will purchase scopes with variable power objectives. This allows the player to utilize a low zoom/magnification factor for normal sighting ( 2x to 4x), with the option to crank up the magnification to offer "zoom" of far-away, and often much out-of-rage, targets (9x to12x).
Even at 400 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs, 6-9x is essentially all that you will EVER need to "self-spot" your shots at-range (150-200 ft. downrange). Usually, anything higher than 6x is typically considered non-useful for any type of "assault" role, and is instead reserved more for either the ultra-high energy/velocity "snipers/sharpshooters" or is used instead as a "spotting" scope as I’ve mentioned above, which can come in handy for recon on larger fields.

Eye-relief is a further limitation with traditional scopes as our game requires eye protection that's oftentimes bulky – making it hard to achieve the required relief distance from the end of the eyepiece to your eye (usually, as I’ve cited above, anything with a relief under 3 inches makes for more difficult sighting than ideal in skirmish situations). As such, make absolutely sure that your scope offers proper eye-relief -- the website or catalog you're ordering from should have this critical figure listed in/on their specs page or product description.

Finally, if you decide to go with a model that has a small objective, you will likely experience greatly reduced FOV, which not only increases your risk for "tunnel vision," but can also make target acquisition and tracking quite a bit slower in comparison. Of course, as with red-dot sights, the larger the objective, the greater the amount of money you'll need to spend – and also remember that the larger lenses also mean greater area for incoming BBs to hit and damage, again, a trade-off.
Finally, a word on "illuminated reticule riflescopes," which use electricity/light-amplification mechanisms to help light up the crosshairs.

This does *_not_* mean that you're getting effective "night vision" If anything, the illuminated reticule will work AGAINST your natural physiologic night vision, and make things even worse (as it will be lighting up the foreground of the view, with the background still being pitch black).

Such scopes are only effective during the rather more well-lighted hours of late dawn and early dusk, where it helps bring contrast between the scope's crosshairs and the more subtle background under those specific conditions.

Want to use a scope at night? You'll either have to have a powerful light (SureFire is among the leaders in low-light sniping both in terms of supplying specific-task hardware as well as offering training in this respect for LE/military applications) or will have to have TRUE night-vision/thermal equipment. Otherwise, you're just lying to yourself. [We’ll discuss night-vision basics in the “Gear” section.]


D. So, which one should I choose, red-dot or traditional?

As to which of these devices is "better?" - well, that's up to you to decide. I can tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each, but I cannot tell you what will be the right choice for you, individually. You must make that decision for yourself, based on your own personal preferences and your specific needs.

- Protecting the Lens

Regardless of which option you choose, you should think about possible damage that may occur to the delicate optics of these sights should they be hit by an incoming BB discharged from your opponents.

To shield your expensive optical lenses from damage, it's best to purchase a pair of inexpensive (less than $5 per pair, if you look in the right places) "scope covers." Several types, such as the Butler Creek "Blizzard" caps, are available with a clear lens-cap, which allows you to sight through the protective cover, with the option of removing such protection when you decide to try for more accurate shots (removes a bit of parallax error induced by having the frame of the cover superimposed over the sight-picture). These are available from just about *_ANY_* Stateside firearms accessories retailer, hunting-supplies retailer, or tactical equipment retailer, and even often from airsoft retailers. While the clear lenses on the Blizzard caps can be shattered by a point-blank shot with a 0.20 gram BB traveling at a bare 280 fps., it will significantly disperse the initial shock energy, acting like a “sacrificial” lens unit, thereby physically saving your underlying lens from damage.
You can also very easily purchase lexan, plexiglass, or other clear plastic sheeting for very reasonable prices from any major home-improvement retailer in the US, such as Lowes or Home Depot

Basic plasticworking techniques of cutting and heating/bending the plastic will allow you to make these items into perfectly viable lens shields that are in the vein of the FreedomArt lens protector, with your only additional task in figuring out how to properly attach the shield to your sight/scope.

Also, airsoft-specific “lens shields" such as the FreedomArt Lens Protectors, available in a variety of sizes and easily trimmed with a craft-knife (i.e. "Xacto Knife"), can offer even more sturdy protection, also at a reasonable price. The FreedomArt lens protectors can often be found through high-end US retailers, and definitely can be "special ordered" through them – alternatively, they’re almost always on-call at any of the larger HK retailers.
Their measurements, each, are:

Large -

6.5 cm wide at widest point

6.7 cm tall, plus another 1 cm for the base
1,5 cm “deep” (I'll explain more about this later)

Medium -

5 cm wide at widest point

5.7 cm tall, plus another 1 cm for the base

1.5 cm "deep"

Small -

3.5 cm wide at widest point

4.7 cm tall, plus another 1 cm for the base

1.5 cm "deep"

The "depth," if you'll notice from pictures of this product that you can find on-line, is how the "L" shape at the BASE of each unit is configured. You can thus have two different mounting methods, with the "L" facing "in" towards the sight, or with the "L" facing “out.” This offers you two choices as to how closely you can mount the lens protector to the actual lens of the sight/scope.
A similar product is also offered by Just and ICS, both of which are Taiwanese airsoft marques. They each basically consist of an L-shaped hard-mount secured to the circumference of the scope via a single “Zip Tie” – the shield, which covers the lens, then screws into this secured mount.
A final alternative is the Tenebraex Kill-Flash (note that there are now several different clone/imitation makes, each with its own individual fitting requirements). You will often see this device affixed to the objective lens of the scopes that grace high-end real-steel tactical law-enforcement sniper-rifles or military field-use AimPoint Comp-series red-dot sights. Their main purpose is to eliminate reflections from the lens of the optics that they cover – as effective field concealment. The Kill-Flash accomplishes this by superimposing a fine honeycomb network of baffles over the lens, which when viewed through the optics from your end, is practically invisible (much like those cool one-way windows on city busses that seem opaque, but are actually not). With the Kill-Flash devices, you can also expect a damaged Kill-Flash, with an "embedded" BB in its honeycomb, but again, what's important, your optics, will be saved behind it. It’s also a “sacrificial lens.”
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:35:48 PM
- LASER devices

LASER aiming devices are yet another option. Many would argue that it is one of the most efficient and quickest for target-acquisition. However, there are several practical disadvantages, the most important of which is possible eye-damage to your fellow players – which can even happen with very short-interval eye-exposure, especially if you are using higher-powered lasers.

As such, you MUST exercise care and discretion in the use of these devices. Avoid, as much as possible, shining the sight into other players' eyes, especially if they do not have goggles on (even with goggles, you should take care NOT to do this) or if they are using a magnified optical scope on their replicas (DO NOT purposely shine your laser into anyone’s magnified optical scopes/sights!). Also, ask for the agreement of other players to your use of such devices – and abide by their wishes.
Secondly, most laser-sighting modules do not generate enough light amplification energy to be used in outdoor daylight situations. Sunlight is particularly overpowering - and those units that generate enough power to overcome such situations are likely VERY unsafe for gaming use, as they pose EXTRA dangers in terms of potential eye damage due to their incredible power output. Similar dangers of being extremely eye-hazardous applies to various IR laser designators (used in conjunction with night-vision devices) as well, and should be completely avoided in gaming use (unless they are specifically rated as eye-safe).
Third, with lasersights, you MUST find a mounting solution for them that is sufficiently rigid so that they will not “wobble.” The mount must itself maintain the laser in-alignment and zero’ed at all times (this is easy, just be sure that your mount holds on to your lasersight unit tight, and without wobble), as well as, more importantly, you must make sure that the area to which the mount is attached must be free of variance, too.
What does this latter consideration mean?
For example, with my old MC51 setup, I had a Beamshot 1000x lasersight clamped to my FIRST Enlarged Foregrip via a Beamshot proprietary mount. The mount was very secure, and attached my laser to the foregrip without any noticeable wobble or other such variance. However, what was troublesome was that the foregrip itself would wobble a bit on the body of the AEG – and that this, in turn, would throw off my lasersight’s zero.
Remember that not only must your mount be secure, but the area to which you’ve attached the mount must be secure as well. Think about it this way. You reach out with your hand to grab a glass. That glass is now secure, right? But what if you had a broken ARM or dislocated SHOULDER? – the glass is no longer “secure,” right? Same idea here!
What this translates to most often is that various trigger-guard fitted “adaptors” for pistols are NOT of sufficient “rigidity” to serve as proper lasersight mounts. Stuff them into a holster or accidentally knock into them during your draw, and you’ve got an off-zero sighting system. Instead, look for hard-mounts that attach to your replica pistol’s integrated under-frame RIS/RAS system for a solid lock.
With mounts on long-arms, or even an SMG, look for hard-points on the replica’s body that will not wobble or change its alignment with respect to your barrel assembly. Various airsoft and real-steel mounting options exist for such items, and are available either as proprietary mounts, such as the Classic Army imitation/clone Weaver/Picatinny RIS/RAS full-sized Glock mount for their replica SureFire L72 or the ICS MC74A mount adaptor, or can be as common as specific or even generic “scope rings” or “barrel clamp” devices, such as that is demonstrated here: http://www.lasersale.com/catalog/display_item.asp?id=1570 -- or can even be a dual laser and light mount system as is seen here: http://www.pages2go.com/lmt/order.htm.
[ For more discussion on mounts, please see the “Flashlights” division within the “Gear” section, Section IX.. ]

Finally, with lasersights, zeroing can be of particular concern, even real-steel zeroing with lasers requires great skill and patience, and doing so for airsoft, in terms of divergence, etc., will take even greater patience and time to perfect.
Speaking of zeroing…let’s talk about this a little bit –
- Zeroing mistakes: aka “Help, I can’t get my sight to zero!”
I will not cover the basics of “how to zero” a sight/scope here. For this, you can find much better guides on-line than anything which I can describe. Fire up your favorite search engine, such as Google or Dogpile, and have at-it.
However, what I will talk about a bit is precisely the above scenario, which I’ve seen many airsoft hobbyists run into in the past – the call for “help, I can’t get my scope/sight to zero!”
More often than not, this can be traced back to the following:
That you simply need to back up, and re-zero.

You're too close. At, say, a favorite “indoor” zero distance of 10 to 20 ft. (i.e. in your bedroom, away from the complaints of your parents), unless your sight and barrel axes are within a few millimeters of each other, you'll *- ALWAYS -* net a separation/divergence and not be able to achieve zero.
Why?

I want you to actually do this experiment. Actually do it, not to just think about it.......

Take out a piece of paper. Draw a perfectly horizontal line down the middle of the page.

Now measure two inches above that line, and mark that. Draw a perpendicular straight up from your original horizontal, keep the two-inch "height" mark intact and noted, however. Designate this two-inch height marking as point S.

Now, from the intersection of those two lines (your original horizontal and now your perpendicular, measure out six inches along the horizontal. Mark and connect with the two-inch height to make a right triangle. Designate the apex you've just drawn (at the 6-inch measure) as point T.

Think of point S as where your sight is, the horizontal line as the your barrel bore, and point T as your target.

This illustrates to you a system in which, at 6 inches distance, the sight axis and barrel bore intersect to hit target T.

Now, raise your index finger, imagine it to be your fellow skirmish "enemy," and put it over point T for a "center-mass" shot -- say, between the first and second knuckle.

I want you to now move your finger, keeping its relative same "center mass" location, TOWARDS point S (the shorter leg of the right triangle, in other words).

What happens?

You'll see that your point-of-aim, the line extending from S to T, starts to shift "up" while your barrel bore axis remains the same, right?

You're effectively seeing this in the real-world with your current sighting-in procedure.

You're so close that no amount of sight adjustment or Hop adjustment (more on this in just a second) will help. It's a physical impossibility to co-align the barrel bore with your sight bore so far above.

However, when you back away to, say, 35 ft., or even 55 ft., you'll now easily see that you can precisely "zero" your sight/scope.

Remember, "zeroing" is only good for the set distance where you've established the "zero" -- at any other distance, various ballistics and even, as you can see in your own example above, the physical constraints of the sighting-system can come into play.
Now, the Hop consideration is precisely why I finalize "zero" at the range, on the day of the event/game. Because various factors will cause you to alter your Hop setting, it is nearly impossible to "zero" your sights without first determining exactly what your BB flight-path will be.

Thus, your first objective at-home is to achieve sufficient horizontal-axis (i.e. windage) zero. Getting a decent vertical-axis (elevation) zero is next.

Once you get to the range on your game day, set your Hop with your gaming-use BBs so that your effective range is "optimized." Now, and only now, finalize your elevation setting on the sight/scope and set "zero" at your desired distance.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:36:26 PM
- Where to shop?

For some of the better deals on various optics, I would recommend that you start your search at the following sites:

www.cheaperthandirt.com
www.tapco.com
www.cabelas.com
www.sportsmansguide.com
www.natchezss.com
www.swfa.com

All of these US-based discounters and retailers offer excellent deals on scopes and various sighting accessories – but as always, I highly recommend that you shop around for the best deal. As with shopping for your AEG or GBB, the different Internet retailers will often have very different prices on the same product, and you can never predict when one retailer will run a special sale.

Should you be interested in something that's a bit more exotic, consider starting your search here:

http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Guns/Accessories/Optics/

And finally, for those of you who REALLY are interested in obtaining any kind of sighting optics, I highly encourage you to read the following post:

http://vettaserv.pct.net/aszone/forums/message.cfm?topic_id=5100&forum_id=14#56192

Section Five – “Shotguns”:
There are two basic airsoft shotgun replica types to choose from – I’ve narrowed down your choices to these two as I feel that other variants, from other “lesser” brands, do not offer sufficient durability, reliability, and/or performance for suitable skirmish-field use .
First, there’s the spring-cocking/spring-powered variant from Tokyo Marui. These replicas use a near-coaxial tri-inner-barrel design that is configured so that the three BBs that are simultaneously discharged with each trigger pull will hit nearly the same focused area at the same time.
Second, there’s the Maruzen gas-operated replicas – these are either fed either through a “magazine” or are fed via mock “shotshells” that must be individually loaded with BBs, cycled, and ejected per shot. Shooting anywhere from 3 to 10 BBs per shot through a single inner barrel, these items offer much more “spread” than with the TMs – and furthermore, are also quite a bit weaker in terms of muzzle energy/velocity, and thus deliver shots that are shorter-ranged. There are also Maruzen shotgun replicas that are spring powered, which deliver less BBs per shot to-target.
Now, your foremost consideration with regard to shotgun replicas is that you'll have to make some decisions as to your playing style.

If you're looking for a replica that's suited for outdoor use, where you likely need a good effective range (at least that of stock Tokyo Marui AEGs) and minimal spread of the BBs (so as to effect accurate shots at-range), then the Maruzen gas-operated versions are simply NOT for you.

In the above case, the Tokyo Marui shotgun replicas, either the M3 or the SPAS, will fit your bill much better.

However, if you're looking for a short range area-saturation item, then the Maruzen is your ticket. With the TM shotguns, their tri-inner-barrel design, while offering superb individual BB flight trajectory (which translates into stock AEG-level effective range) really effectively minimize BB-shot spread as to make it, for all practical purposes, non-existent. Sure, it's great to use outdoors, where the triple-shot on what is essentially one center location will help penetrate thick undergrowth and thus effectively increase your chances of scoring an elimination, but without spread, you don't really get the "shotgun effect."

With the Maruzen M870, even at a range of 10-15 ft., with use of HFC134a gas and six to seven 0.20 gram BBs, the spread of the BBs will literally fill a 2-ft. diameter circle.

Combine that with a muzzle velocity that's likely in the range of 150 to 180 fps. (for each BB) with such a load, and you get an item that is perfectly suited for indoor CQB "corner clearing" or "door breaching," as the multiple low-velocity projectiles will saturate a decently large area, while the low-velocity will virtually guaranty that your opponent will not be hurt by the massive number of BBs traveling his way.

With use of Taiwanese "Green Gasses" or other higher-powered gasses, at a range of 15 ft, all 6 to 7 BBs from the Maruzen will hit an area no bigger than 3 inches in diameter. Back up to 30 ft. in such a situation, and you will see an impact radius of more than 3 FEET in diameter. And as most BBs tend to fall within the 25 to 30 ft. area, with only a few making it all the way out to the 30 ft. mark, best effective-range with this piece, when using a load of 6 to 7 0.20 gram BBs and Taiwanese "Green Gas," is likely somewhere just over 25 ft. At that range, maximal shot patterning can be expected.

The full-sized M1100, with its extended inner-barrel, can easily push this range out to well beyond 40 ft., with some hobbyists reporting an effective range of nearly 60 ft.

Meanwhile, with a TM M3 or SPAS 12, you can expect a tight, almost spot-on shot out to well in excess of 80 ft.
Figure out this difference – what it is that you are seeking, how you wish, exactly, for your “shotgun” replica to perform, and you’ll instinctively make the right purchase choice. Don’t lie to yourself, thinking that you can use the TM M3 to fulfill the Maruzen M1100’s job and to meet the latter’s performance parameters just because you like the way the M3 looks will land you in a big mess. This is about how each item truly performs, figure out what you want, and you’ll be happy. Lie to yourself about this, and I can guaranty that you’ll be putting the replica up for sale on eBay the very next day.

Section Six – “Grenade Launchers”:
The reason why I decided to place this section after the shotgun replicas is simple.
Basically, you can think of the Tokyo Marui spring-cocking M203 grenade launcher replicas as simply a mechanical carbon-copy of their shotgun replicas.
And similarly, you can think of the SunProject gas-operated M203 unit as a much larger Maruzen gas-operated shotgun.
Simple, right?
Well, the technical considerations for their use is much the same as well.
Because of the tri-inner-barrel design, as an area-saturation piece, the TM absolutely fails. However, as its internal construct is the same as any of the TM shotties, it is a completely and truly devastatingly effective skirmish piece given the expressed purpose of effecting precision shots (since it co-aligns with the AEG's main barrel, this can be easily achieved) at-distance.

The SunProject, regardless of which shell is chosen, is totally ineffective in providing precision long-range shots, and is only useful as an area-saturation piece -- and even then, only at closer ranges.

To debate the effectiveness of each piece as an absolute – without context as to how it is to be employed – is virtually impossible; that's akin to comparing a TM spring-powered shotgun to a gas-powered Maruzen without first considering the all important question of why or how you plan to use it.

Their expressed purposes are different, and instead of me telling you which one you should purchase, it should be your decision based on YOUR specific usage needs.
Now, with the Tokyo Marui M203, its expressed purpose is easy to determine – it is designed to be used by those who want to place accurate long-range shots as a viable backup to their “co-axial” primary AEG.
With the SunProject, this is a bit harder to decipher, because there are quite a number of different “cartridges” available for its use. Here, I think that one of the most complete and best presentations comes from Stinger, a well-known and well-respected American hobbyist who currently resides in Japan – the author of the well-known and well-read Rising Sun Recon airsoft news report:
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:37:05 PM
The Sun Project M203 is a single shot "grenade" launcher which is realistic in that it takes realistic looking cartridges, loading them the same way as the real steel item. However, the function of the cartridges, the "grenades" themselves is, with one exception, completely unlike a real grenade launcher.
Before I get into that let's talk about the launcher itself. The Sun Project M203 has two main parts, the receiver and trigger assembly, and the barrel. The receiver and trigger are made of metal. It is a simple design that I have found to be rock solid. There is hardly anything on it to break. The barrel is plastic and has been criticized for its appearance (it's shiny) but I don't mind at all. The two pieces fit together well and so far I have had no mechanical problems with it at all. [ To-note here is that there have been sporatic reports from players in the UK and US regarding the safeties on the SunProject M203 being field-ineffective, causing the loaded grenade round to be prone to accidental discharges. This is actually even a consideration that’s been reported from our soldiers in Iraq , who were weary of the practice of a live round in the chamber of the real-deal M203. Although the two use distinctly different firing mechanisms, this is still something that you might want to consider pre-purchase. If you want an “always ready-to-go” point-and-shoot M203 replica, the TM might be more your ticket. ]
To load it, you depress the locking lever on the left side and slide the barrel forward. Insert a ready shell and close the barrel by pulling it back until it locks. Flip the safety down over the trigger because it is now ready to fire. The safety is easily [dis]engaged even when you need it in a pinch.
It fits on most M-16 variants, using an adapter set you must buy separately. Sometimes, installing the adapter may take a bit of filing, as it did on my M4.
Now, when talking about the performance of the SP M203, what we are really talking about is the performance of the individual shells. Each shell is a self-contained unit using Hfc134gas (I don't recommend higher pressure gas but some people use it I know) One type of shell fire a foam "grenade" and the others fire BBs. I'll describe each type below, in the order they were released (which is an evolutionary progression):
Ang s 1st generation - These grenades fire 18 BBs from 6 barrels machined into the "warhead" of the grenade. They looked more like expended cartridges because they were designed to be used with the Angs or CAW Hop barrel set. The gas valve mechanism is a one piece affair and very simple.
Ang s "Long" type - These grenades look more like a real shell and have slightly longer barrels machined into the nose. It is also an 18 shot grenade.
The valve in the Angs grenades must be manually reset after firing, by pushing it back into place with the loading rod. These grenades sell for around 6,000 yen.
FIRSTt Hi-Pressure grenade - FIRST Factory released this grenade and it is a significant improvement over the Angs cartridges. The gas reservoir was moved from the base of the shell (as in the Angs shells) to the "core" of the grenade. The valve system redesigned and spring loaded so that it resets automatically after firing. The design also allows for more pressure with less gas than the Angs design. The First grenade has 7 barrels and fires 21 BBs (3 BBs per barrel). The First grenade goes for about 5,000 yen and drove the price of the Angs grenades down when released.
CAW/MM - With the release of their own M79 CAW (Craft Apple Works) kicked out their own grenade (which works with their M79 and the SP M203) in conjunction with Mosquito Molds. So far the CAW grenade is proving to be the most powerful and efficient design. I believe it can fire 24 BBs from 6 barrels (4 BB per barrel). It is also the cheapest at less than 4,000 yen. [Newer releases of the CAW/MM “40mm Moscart” rounds include a 24-BB capacity x 6mm caliber Hop-enabled cartridge, an 18-BB x 8mm caliber cartridge, and an 18x 8 Hop-enabled, and a monstrous 165-BB capacity 6mm caliber “BB-Shower” Moscart shell.]
[ Additional notes: (1) Most recently, GB-Tech introduced their 108-BB capacity x 6mm caliber 40mm shells for the SunProject M203. These are extraordinarily detailed, closely mimicking the real M433 HEDP and M381 HEVN 40mm shells, with a cosmetic copper-metallic “cap” on the end which needs to be removed before you can successfully discharge the BBs. Of note is that this cap should NEVER be discharged at a fellow player or within the context of ANY skirmish games due to its potential injury hazard as a heavy metal weight traveling at substantial velocity. There are accounts of this item, which presents sufficient mass and density, denting metal and wood doors even at skirmish-effective ranges between 25 to 50 ft. That kind of a shot to the head or even to a hand/foot would be devastating! (2) Classic Army has recently brought to pre-production their own “Shower” shell, performance and durability/reliability is currently unknown. ]
Ang s foam grenade - The only non-BB firing cartridge shoots a foam "grenade". It was one of the first designs and uses the old Angs valve system. I have seen it and fired it and was singularly unimpressed. You aren't likely to hit anything you shoot at with it, and quite likely to lose the expensive little thing. It doesn't have much range unless you put a lot of trajectory on it (which is admittedly realistic). Fun to have maybe, but not much use at all in a skirmish. [ To truly be skirmish-viable, this round would necessarily be a “simulation” round in which its impact to a hard-point structure would be judged as a “game hit” by the field marshals or line judges, and would take the form of simulated destruction of that structure and role-play elimination of players in defilade. ]
I have the Ang s "Long" grenade and the First Hi-Pressure grenade. I plan on getting some CAW grenades as well. The valve design of the Angs grenades is clearly inferior; it uses a lot more gas and often leaks. All these grenades perform best in warmer temperatures. Pull the trigger when it is cold and usually all you will get is a feeble pop or hiss and nothing more.
Using the M203 (or M79 for that matter) is a challenge because first you must discard the idea that you are using a "grenade launcher". It does not fire a projectile that explodes. The M203 and M79 in effect are shotguns. In fact they are more like shotguns than [the spring powered] "airsoft shotguns" like the M3 or Spas-12. When you pull the trigger, you get a blast of BBs that will spread about a meter or so at around 30 feet (much less [spread ] if you have the Hop barrel set installed). [ Note that with sufficient practice, due to the low muzzle velocity of the individual departing BBs, you actually can train yourself to “lob” BBs with the various SunProject M203-use gas shells. Sufficient practice and with enough luck on-field, you can actually eliminate players in direct defilade (i.e. hidden behind a dirt-berm “bunker”). And yes, you can even “adapt” the use of various blade and quadrant sights for this purpose as well. ]
In play I have never fired it at anyone over 30 feet away. In fact most of the times I have used it were in assaults and I was closing on my target, or as a "panic button" when ambushed. I also never need more than one shot per game and often don't even have a chance to use it. I carry at most, 2 shells, since my M4 is really the main weapon in the M4/M203 system. Those with an M79 by necessity need to carry more shells. I have also never scored a multiple kill (more than two kills at once). If you install a hop barrel set you get a tighter group and more range, but unless you carry a real load of grenades I don't see it really making a difference in the way it is employed.
I don't think it's instructive to compare the TM and SP launchers in anything except for appearance because in function they are worlds apart. The TM launcher is more of a back up weapon to use when you run out of ammo or you have a malfunction of some kind. The SP launcher gives a little more 'oomph' to assaults and is good to use defensively when they're right on top of you.
The SP or CAW launchers are expensive to equip (cost of grenades) and perhaps a little difficult to use properly and effectively in a skirmish, but the distinctive sound of the grenade firing, the whoosh of gas, and the girlie scream of the poor unfortunate you paste are well worth it!
[W] hether you like it or not depends on what you want out of it.
Want a big spray of BBs at close range targets? SP M203
Want a longer ranged "back up gun" that gives multiple shots? TM M203
I like the realism of the SP and I'm not concerned with it's practicality. I like the devastating one-shot effect. I don't rely on the SP M203; it's not a main or even a back up weapon. It's purely a one shot panic button or something to add insult to injury when you're assaulting. An extra bit of kick, so to speak.
For installation on M4s and A2s, you need to buy an adapter, which may need a bit of filing to get it to fit.
No English instructions.
So, as you can see from Stinger’s own words above, with these various gas-operated SunProject M203 shells, all aside from the Ang(u)s, are essentially just larger “buckshot” Maruzen gas-shotgun shells, in essence.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:37:50 PM
One caveat, though, as I mentioned previously, is that you *_can_* effectively use the various airsoft “buckshot” shells (for the gas-SunProject M203) to score defilade-effective hits, to a degree, with plenty of practice and a bit of luck.

The BBs are discharged in both sufficient quantity and also at sufficiently low velocities that having them literally arc over and behind defilade is possible -- and there have been many US hobbyists who've used these items with both quadrant as well as blade sights ("adapted" for airsoft engagement-ranges, of course!) to such effect.
So what good, then, is the TM? Again, it’s much the same as the above arguments for the TM shotgun replicas – the primary use of these M203 replicas is that they serve as a viable backup that is instantly co-sighted and co-targeted with the primary (i.e. no need to draw your sidearm if SHTF situations during reloading of the primary). Also, thanks to their tri-inner-barrel design, their effective range far exceed that of any current SunProject M203-gas-use round -- and even can provide service as a viable multi-shot (instead of single-shot) secondary when, say, entering a CQB-environment when your primary AEG is considered "too hot" by your field/event rules for close-range engagements.
It is thus the explicit purpose for which the replica is chosen that makes either the TM or the SunProject "superior" above the other.

Taken away from that context, neither stands alone as being superior or inferior to the other in terms of durability, reliability, or performance.

Just like as the difference is to be had with the TM spring-powered shotguns and the Maruzen gas-powered pieces, the true determination of which one is superior depends on their particular application.

Each one has its own strengths and deficits -- and must be mated to the task at-hand. Just as you would not drive a F1 car to a CHAMP or IRL event and expect it to win, the same cannot go the other way around, either. The best tool is the one which simply suits the purpose at-hand.
The only thing that can *_truly_* be said is that due to the much greater effective and absolute range of the Tokyo Marui M203, it makes it virtually impossible to properly "lob" BBs, especially at medium to closer-range targets -- and that due to the much lower end velocity/energy with which BBs are discharged from the various SunProject M203 gas-use shells, it makes such "over the top" lobbed-shots at least CAPABLE of being accomplished, albeit with TREMENDOUS practice.
A word of caution, though – if you’ve been shopping around for these M203s, RedWolf's description of the CAW/MM “Moscart” shells may be right as to how the item operates, but it is SERIOUSLY flawed otherwise....

CAW/MM never meant for their 6mm or 8mm Moscart cartridges (aside from the monstrous 165 BB-capacity “BB Shower” shell) to contain anything more than 24 to 18 BBs, each. This is clearly designated on the product packaging as well as with CAW/ MM's official on-line advertising, press-releases, and catalogue.

Furthermore, it is also published directly by CAW/MM themselves that their Moscart shells are NOT intended for use with any gas other than true HFC134a (see below-referenced Arnie’s Airsoft article by Darren-Jon Ashmore), and even then, there is a highly graduated fill-to-temperature ratio that MUST be maintained to prevent main seal malfunction.

Using higher-powered gasses such as Taiwanese “Green Gas” or as RedWolf suggested even “Red Gas” will practically guaranty early failure of these shells -- and is well documented in the various technical posts made by fellow enthusiasts and players on-line.
In order to retrofit/upgrade your CAW/MM Moscarts for field-reliability, all that’s really needed is to replace its internal main seal. This is covered in-detail below, in the reference link that takes you to Blake’s airsoft hobbyist site.
Here are the reference articles --
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/reviews/m79/moscart_review.htm - Darren Jon-Ashmore’s excellent assessment on the CAW/MM Moscart shells to be read with -- http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/reviews/caw_barrelset/caw_barrelset_review.htm -- which contains a more detailed technical assessment. Pay special attention to CAW/MM’s recommended fill time (with HFC134a ONLY), for these shells.
http://www.geocities.com/blakes_airsoft/old/m79so/m79so.html - Blake, who is a true OG and a fixture of the on-line airsoft community, authored this excellent CAW M97 review – what I find most valuable is his technical article on the Moscart shell further down the page.

Section Seven – Understanding velocity/energy:
If you come from a paintball background, you undoubtedly are familiar with safety rules as they apply to velocity capping your marker.
Let’s talk for a moment about why they did this.
The easiest way to think of it is to take a baseball as an example.
Let’s say that we’re sitting at the dinner table, and I “rolled” the ball at you. It hits you in the chest, and you laugh because that was a pretty funny and unexpected stunt.
Now let’s say, instead, that I chucked/pitched the ball at your chest as hard as I could. That’s going to hurt, right?
Why? Because of this simple physical equation……
Force = Mass x Velocity
We hold the mass of the object, the baseball, the same.
We’re changing the velocity – or how fast the baseball travels – in this case, it changes from my rolling it on the table to my hurling the ball at you. The latter is much faster, right?
Thus, it produces more force.
With paintball, it’s the same. Each paintball comes off of the factory line being limited in terms of size – .68 caliber, and weight (mass) – around 3 grams; thus, if we can limit how fast it goes (limit the velocity), we can control how much force, and therefore damage, it will produce.
But for airsoft, as you will see in the next section, we have a wide selection of BB gram weights, and thus our MASS varies. With our airsoft replicas, because the FORCE that they produce is constant as long as you keep the same spring, this thus means that your observed muzzle velocity will vary depending on your BB mass.
Example:
We’ll say that you’re the spring – the amount of force you can produce is pretty consistent, correct? If you were to, say, bench-press a maximum of 250 lbs. now, you’ll probably still be benching, max, 250 lbs. tomorrow, right?
OK –
So now I’m going to ask you to push a 1,500 lb. race car down the street, as fast as you can possibly make it go. Not too bad, right?
What if I asked you to push a 5,000 lb. SUV?
Even if you could get the SUV rolling, you’d find that it is going to be rolling along much slower than that light race-car that you just pushed before, with the same amount of force and effort.
Same idea here.
Put a heavier BB into your replica, and you’ll notice that its muzzle velocity will decrease – however, because the SYSTEM PROVIDING THE POWER has not changed, the total ENERGY OUTPUT, or the total FORCE, will not have changed.
This means that with your replica, if you see a velocity of 500 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs or 2.32 Joules of force-energy, when you substitute-in .36 gram BBs, because you’re still pushing with 2.32 Joules of force-energy, your muzzle velocity will drop to 372 fps.
Pushing a heavier BB with the same force– so you get less velocity.
So how does this tie-in with safety?
Well, with paintball, because the mass of each paintball is constant, we can regulate how much force the marker puts out by turning down velocity. When velocity goes down, force decreases. And as it is force-energy that inflicts damage (think about the difference in FORCE that I exerted in the first example with the baseball, at first, I just softly rolled the ball at you, and with the other instance, I forcefully threw the ball at you – force hurts!), it is actually this factor that we’re controlling for.
With airsoft, because the mass of the BB can be changed (different gram weights), velocity itself means nothing without a reference to the specific BB mass you are using.
In real world terms:
Say a field has rules of 500 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs as their upper limit. AirsoftOhio events are limited like this specifically for “sniper rifles” (full-auto capable replicas must chrony at lower levels). This means that your energy limit is 2.32 Joules.
So you start to soup-up your sniper rifle replica, and give it a test.
With 0.20 gram BBs, you see that you’re shooting at 550 fps., or 2.8 Joules of force-energy! Oh no! This exceeds AirsoftOhio limits! So what do you do? You remember the above equations, and substitute in a 0.25 gram BBs – and presto, your velocity drops to 490 fps. Perfect, right?
WRONG .
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:38:47 PM
Why?
Because your replica is still putting out 2.8 Joules of force-energy (550 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs). If you did the math, 490 fps. with 0.25 gram BBs actually equals 550 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs (you can easily “do the math” with The Cimmerians’ FPS/Joules Calculator, referenced below). You’re still exceeding the safety danger limit.
Remember, in airsoft, our limits are based on a combination of mass and velocity.
This is why when tuning or upgrading a replica, you have to be sure to test the velocity with the same gram-weight BB that the rules specify – i.e. with AirsoftOhio rules and events, you “test” your replica by shooting 0.20 gram BBs . It doesn’t matter what you choose to use later in-the-field during the skirmish, because the heavier round will naturally decrease your velocity (think of the case of you pushing the race-car versus the SUV). But to artificially chrony in at a lower velocity by using a higher gram-weight BB than specified is both dangerous and outright cheating.
To help you with calculations of Joules force-energy with different gram weight BBs and velocities, here’s a very useful item to have bookmarked -- The Cimmerians (a very well respected airsoft team/enthusiast club on the west coast) has this very nifty utility: http://www.cimmerians.org/FPS_Converter.html
So now that you understand the difference between velocity and force-energy, let’s move on to BB selection.

Section Eight – BBs:
Which is best, and which are worse?
If you’ve done any searching at all, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that there several heatedly debated threads about just this topic that already exist on the various Forums and d-boards. And if you’ve actually read these threads, you’ve undoubtedly also noticed that while some players will vehemently denounce one make and/or grade as being totally unacceptable (for whatever reasons -- from lack of BB consistency to breakage/splitting in the barrel), others will, at the same time, highly praise the very same BBs and swear by their use.
Why this inconsistency?
It’s the same as with the varying reports of performance and durability with the AEGs and GBBs – some players simply have had better luck with one make than the other.
Similarly, you may notice claims of BB superiority from a specific retailer that markets their own “brand” of BBs – the problem here is that they neither provide quantitative raw data for analysis by the skeptical, nor do they, per se, provide even qualitative data for review by the shopper. Instead, they just make blanket claims with minimal cited backing data, which are often “pseudo-scientific” in nature, and often designed to make you think that their item is better, for no true reason…...
What can you do? Here, there’s simply no substitute for your own experience. Until someone can step in to do a truly quantitative study with statistical power, there’s simply no way for you to be sure that any claims are true until you’ve taken the initiative to try the BBs in question for yourself.
As for the various gram-weight of BBs?
Here’s a short blurb taken from a past www.AirsoftPlayers.com Forums, from a player named “Mirage,” although by no means authoritative nor complete, it does give you, the newbie player, a good bit to go on:
.12gm - best used in shotguns or for weak handguns [i.e. “springers”] - they have very low accuracy at ranges beyond 30ft and will deviate wildly [beyond this range] (Additional note, various “generic” branded “tracer” BBs are of this variety.)
.20gm - the standard round used for bench-testing [muzzle velocity/energy] and normal indoor skirmishing - they are decent rounds for use outdoors but they are not too accurate beyond 30yds - best used in indoor guns/handguns or high volume of fire type guns * see notation/discussion from icruztn below (Additional note, TM “Tracer” BBs are of this variety.)
[ . 22gm – Western Arms, new to Western markets since FAQv.1.2. Intermediate between .20 and .25 gram. Same reasoning as .23 variant below.]
.23gm – new [ er] round [more] recently released - designed to be a compromise between the velocity los[t] from using .25gm rounds and the low[ er extended range] accuracy of .2gm rounds. I have tested some and they performed very well- better than .2's for sure. Best used in any gun.
.25gm - Standard round for outdoor skirmishing - They maintain flight path accuracy better than .2's especially in the presence of a cross-wind. Best used in any gun to gain accuracy. * see notation/discussion from icruztn below
[ . 28gm – ToyJet, new to Western markets since FAQv.1.2. Intermediate between .25 and .30 gram. Same reasoning.]
.30gm - Good round weight to use in upgraded gun for an excellent level of accuracy on the field. They have a much better ability to punch through veg[e] tation than lighter rounds.
.36gm - Round typically used in [velocity/energy-enhanced] sniper applications. They carry a good part of their momentum for a better downrange impact force and they maintain stability even in the presence of a good wind. The Straight series of Teflon BBs are very good and help preserve the life of you sniper barrel. Typical guns this round will be used in: PSG-1, APS, M40, M24... typically shooting over 450fps with .2gm BBs.
.39gm - Again another round that would be used almost exclusively in sniper rifles. A further step up in accuracy and stability but the higher weight requires a strong setup and good HopUp to get good results. Expect to get consistent shots and wind should only play a part when engaging targets beyond 80 yards. I would not recommend this round for a gun shooting slower than 450fps [with 0.20 gram BBs]. Again the round will be Teflon coated for better barrel life.
.43gm - The highest weight round currently available and only made by Straight. It is an extremely heavy round in comparison to normal skirmishing rounds. Expect the .43 round to maintain flight stability well beyond 100yards. I would only be concerned with wind if you are engaging targets at 100yards+ because in all honesty this round flies exceptionally true. Again this is a Teflon coated round. Only use in rifles with a base velocity over 500fps [with 0.20 gram BBs].
Hope this helps a bit. I have tried all these rounds in guns with velocities ranging from 180fps to 600fps so I know what I am talking about - I'm not feeding you second hand info.
( The original thread for the above can be found here: http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=893&FORUM_ID=11&CAT_ID=6&Topic_Title=Airsoft+bbs+and+sizes%2E&Forum_Title=General )
To this, we will add the following notation/discussion from icruztn:
re : BB weights
My team plays almost exclusively with .2g BBs, outdoors in a woodland environment. We have noticed the greater stability that .25g BBs provide, but we are not willing to accept the two tradeoffs inherent in switching to the heavier round. One, less of them per bag. Hey, a 1700 round difference is a lot, especially when the two are the same price. Two, a loss of effective range. I distinctly recall a teammate shooting at a bad guy with a magazine full of .25's; the rounds dropped at his opponents feet, and the opponent was able to take cover. My teammate changed mags to a hicap filled with .2's though, and was able to nail his opponent center of mass when he stepped out from cover. Just a thought on the .2's vs .25's debate.

After having read that, you should be able to decide on what gram-weight BBs to use. Generally, as a beginner, you’ll want to reserve your 0.12 gram BBs for your spring-powered pistol replicas, and use 0.20 to 0.25 gram-weight BBs in your AEGs, GBBs, and other high-grade replicas.
But there’s also something new that has just peeked over the horizon – 8mm BBs.
Today’s “new” 8mm caliber BBs, coming in .34 and .45 gram versions, fitting specific-applications like many of Marushin’s NBB replicas and even the Smokey’s Gun Factory Barrett .50 (M82A1), presents somewhat of a visceral attraction for newbies. However, before you think that bigger must be better, let’s have a look at a few facts.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:39:14 PM
Even though they are relatively heavier than their 6mm counterparts, these large-caliber BBs unfortunately also present a much larger overall aspect to the physical forces that a BB typically encounters on its way out of the barrel – specifically, wind resistance. Due to their larger overall area, not only will they simply catch more wind, but their actual “density” is less than that of a comparable .36 or .43 gram 6mm BB, and this makes them even more susceptible to deviations caused by such factors.
This is borne out in even close-ranged target-testing, of which the Marushin Taurus Raging Bull 444 was tested by both myself and friend and fellow enthusiast Snowman(40) of the UK in recent “accuracy tests” (found on his private hobbyist page here: http://www.snowman40.8m.com/). Both of our results conclusively demonstrated the above academic supposition/hypothesis regarding the 8mm BBs’ susceptibility to external conditions.
Taking this into consideration while also factoring in skirmish-safety muzzle energy/velocity limits as we have discussed above just previously in Section VII, we can come to the objective conclusion that the 8mm genre is ill-suited as a skirmish-use BB, and is instead meant either just for show (i.e. a “paper tiger” if you will, serving only to impress your friends with its big gaping barrel bore at the bar or at the range), or should be taken to “terminal” upgrade levels (levels of which are unsuitable for skirmish gaming use, and should only be reserved for demonstration-purpose or competition target-shooting pieces) in order to show its real advantages, if any, over the 6mm genre.
Finally, the last “aberration” that we need to touch on in terms of BBs have to do with biodegradability.
Until recently, we’ve all been under the supposition that Excel BBs are biodegradable. This is, unfortunately, far from true. As you can read for yourself from the following thread, http://forums.ukairsoft.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32219&highlight=excel, respected enthusiast Reverend G of the UK conclusively tested the Excel BBs and revealed, along with information from other enthusiasts, that the traditional Excel’s are “biodegradable” in essence under the specific context and provisions of certain Japanese environmental and industrial law, and are not truly “biodegradable.” More recently, Excel and Tokyo Marui have both introduced their “True Biodegradable” BBs, and this field is also now being entered into by an European company, BioVal (whose products have yet to be seen here, Stateside, and whose claims of biodegradability and unknown-reason muzzle velocity/energy increases have yet to be independently confirmed by hobbyists – as of 05/2003).

Section Nine – Gear:
- A general word about gear for newbies
If you are coming into this truly "serious" about skirmish gaming, you'll want to see if you can hold-off on gear for a while.

Why?

Well, it's simply just very hard for newbies to figure out exactly what piece of gear will be "right" for them....

Until you get a few full game *_DAYS_* (not just individual games) under your belt, it will be hard for you to get a good feel for what you, as an individual, would prefer.

Sure, you can think, academically, that you'd like to have a full tactical vest, and that one with a cross-draw holster would be “cool.” But say you eventually turn out to be a “crawler” or prefer something that's less heat-retentive -- you'll quickly find out that the spiffy looking vest you bought not only does not meet your needs, but can specifically hinder your movement and totally be the opposite of what you desire.

As a newbie, it’s hard enough for you to figure out what kind of gear you need (i.e. a vest or a load-bearing harness? a drop-leg thigh holster or a belt-holster? do I want to carry my mags on my chest or on my legs, or at my waist?) without also needing to contemplate ancillary considerations such as “how much should I spend?” or “how good do I need for my gear to be?” at this point.

Without knowing what your preferences are or what your budget happens to be, this choice is virtually impossible.

For a newbie who is serious about beginning, just focus on the basics.
Just go for the bare-minimums at this point, as once you truly settle down, you're likely to go through several major gear configurations, and having you, at this early point in your hobby career, spend hundreds of dollars on "high-speed gear" would be a waste if you're just not going to be happy with them later.

Just look at all the airsoft imitation/clone tactical gear (Guarder/IS, MilForce, Swat Systems, etc.), the USGI issue gear, the mid-to-high-range "real-deal" tactical gear from Eagle Industries, Tactical Tailor, and BlackHawk Industries, to the really high-speed gear offered by makes such as HSGI, SOTECH, SOE, LBT, and others, and you can see that the variety offered is mindblowing and that the cost ranges from tens to literally hundreds of dollars per piece of kit.

Take it easy at this point, and have an eye out for the future, that's what's important as a newbie.

Don't fly off the handle and waste your money right off pursuing gear that you have little understanding of, and have even less knowledge about whether if YOU, yourself, will like them in the end.
As a new player, unless you are entering into a VERY well-established team/club (i.e. The Cimmerians), there’s really no absolute and necessary and required load-out you will need to bring to your first game. And even if you did join one of these established and highly disciplined/rigorous teams/clubs, chances are that should you make contact with the players/organizers. They will either exempt you from having to have such complete gear, or, alternatively, give you a complete list of exactly what’s required and where to go to find them – to make life easier for you.
While this means that you likely won’t have to go all-out and spend the big bucks on tactical gear when you first join these teams/clubs (on pieces of gear or clothing which you may or may not need later), or, should you be joining a club that has more relaxed dress-codes or perhaps even one without a guideline as to what your load out should be, you should still be prepared to spend about $20 to $50 to equip yourself with the “bare essentials” of skirmish play.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:39:48 PM
- Gear basics
A. The bare essentials – protection, hydration, and how to carry all that stuff
A set of BDUs that match the skirmish environment (a look at what the regular players for the field like to wear will be a good start – look at the AirsoftCleveland Team TAC page for a perfect example of this; note that everyone is wearing USGI Desert Tri-Color…why? because the field is mostly of those colors!), decent boots, perhaps a pair of knee and/or elbow pads and maybe even an athletic supporter with protective cup, gloves if you desire. Do you need a cup and/or elbow/knee pads? That’s up to you to decide, we all prefer different levels of protection. Athletic supporters and protective cups are usually of minimal cost, and cheap foam-filled “volleyball” elbow and knee pads can be had for less than $10 per set – hard-shelled “rollerblading” pads for around $20 per set. Should you decide to splurge on neoprene or even rivet-secured “tactical hard pads,” the cost is still unlikely to exceed $30.
One critical item that I will address later is proper eye protection . It deserves its own section. Just know that you should set aside anywhere from $30 to $120 for this CRITICAL item. Remember, you only have two eyes, and even the loss of one is devastating (life insurance pays the same for the loss of an eye as for the loss of an entire arm or leg – why? because the loss of an eye is a tremendous handicap) .
Along this line of “critical” gear should be some kind of a basic first-aid kit. Military surplus kits sold through the various gear discounters are an excellent and very affordable choice. No, they won’t help you much when and if you have a heart-attack or allergic-anaphylactic reaction out there on the field, but they will help with basic medical needs such as cuts and scrapes, and can help you save either your life or someone elses.
A cell-phone (with service in that area) in a hard-case should also be available to at least one game participant or the gaming organizers/field marshals for emergency contact needs.
One important item that you should not forget is that you’ll need some kind of hydration equipment. Traditional military canteens work just fine, and there’s now even special cap adaptors and flexible drinking tubes that can attach onto these models to facilitate drinking on-the-go, without having to actually remove the canteen from its pouch. Of course, you’ll still get noisy liquid slosh, but at least it’s cheap, at only around $10 to $20 for either a canteen and pouch, with the drinking straw attachment. Alternatively, CamelBack or other such systems are very popular – they offer both excellent storage capacity as well as the ability to “collapse” as you drink, minimizing any liquid slosh sound. Cost is a bit higher, though – a bladder itself, with drinking straw attached, can run anywhere from $20 to $40, depending on size, and the holding pouch/pack, along with a bladder, can run from $40 to upwards of a hundred bucks.
For those who are on a tight budget, you’ll likely have purchased only one or two extra high-capacity magazines to supplement your AEG purchase. You can either stash these extra magazines in your pocket, or, alternatively, you can purchase a single 2-3 magazine capacity magazine pouch from a used/surplus military supplies retailer for around $5 to $10.

If you feel that load-bearing equipment is a must, look toward getting just a basic set of used (or new) USGI genuine military surplus or import imitation MilSpec or non-MilSpec (i.e. “commercial”) load-bearing harness/vest or other such inexpensive gear. Gun-shows and flea markets are great resources, as you can typically find used USGI pistol belt, H or Y harnesses, and one or two of the standard 3-pot plus two frag-grenade US military mag-pouches on-sale for anywhere between $15 to $30. On-line, The Sportsman’s Guide and Cheaper Than Dirt, both of which I’ve cited above in the “Optics” section, will carry many of these items. Also, don’t forget www.AirsoftArms.com, which we Ohio enthusiasts hold dear to our heart, and who truly provides excellent service and very competitive pricing. Again, shop around to find the best deal.
B. The same basics, but with a slightly larger budget
Should your budget be higher, and you’ve decided to obtain a cache of standard-capacity magazines, you’ll need both a number of the standard magazine pouches, as well as a “spent-magazine dump pouch” (most players use either GI “Butt Packs” or some kind of large-capacity [i.e. a 6x30-round M16-magazine or SAW Gunner’s Ammo pouches] magazine pouches for this purpose) – set your budget for at least 2 of the previous magazine pouches to store your loaded mags, with about $15 to $25 set aside for the “dump pouch.” Total here for the more extravagant spenders would be between $25 to $65, depending mostly on the number of “full” magazine pouches you need. Whatever you do, should you desire to use standard-capacity magazines, DON’T decide to skimp and not get a “spent magazine dump pouch.” Trying to shove spent mags back into their original spots during an engagement is slow and frustrating (especially in the dark), with a high chance for loss – and the same can be said for trying to stuff them into your BDU pockets, too.
An alternative to a dump pouch is to use tape and Paracord to fashion a home-made “Magpul” device on the bottom of each mag. In addition to serving as a pull (which will also help keep your mags from rattling against each other when in their mag-pouch), it will also allow you to quickly “clip” the spent mag onto a carabiner that you’ve got locked to one of your vest/harness D-rings.
Remember, whatever method you choose to store the spent mags, it’s only temporary. It’ll be noisy – so when you’ve disengaged from the opposition, remember to take some time to re-configure your mag-pouches to secure these spent mags.
C. The anchor and the weight bearer: the pistol-belt and the load-bearing suspenders
Now, if you haven’t gotten a pistol-belt with your purchase above, you should remember that you’ll NEED a proper pistol belt as “anchor” for all of your body gear – top and bottom. Go to a surplus store to purchase a genuine military pistol belt, or alternatively, hit a tactical supply shop to purchase a 2 inch or wider police duty belt. You’ll need the width and rigidity of this type of belt to truly support your tactical load. Look to spend between $5 to $15 on this item. If you have a slightly bigger budget ($5 to $15 more), you should think about a set of suspender harnesses for your belt – which will take the weight of your load off your hips and evenly distribute it over your shoulders. Should your budget be even bigger than that, again by about $10, and you are a serious multi-day scenario player, you should seriously think about obtaining a pad set for your pistol belt, which will GREATLY enhance your overall comfort.
Speaking of pistol belts, what should you purchase to hold your sidearm?
D. Holsters – you don’t stick a pistol in your pants crotch, so why would you stick it in a $15 POS holster?
While it is tempting to purchase one of those el-cheapo, $5 belt holsters or an el-cheapo $15 thigh rig, trust me, DO NOT do it. I’ve seen more than enough players having their day totally ruined by losing their expensive GBBs in the field, after it falls out of their cheap holsters. Why would you trust your $200 GBB to a $15 holster? I could never figure that one out.
When purchasing holsters, look for its retentive capabilities. Police “duty holsters” are especially good for this, as many offer double or even triple retention protection. Should you be a very active, highly mobile player who likes to jump and run a lot, this, along with holsters that offer an additional outer “flap” (i.e. “airborne” or “assault” holsters) that can close down over the entire pistol to further secure it (in ADDITION to also having a traditional thumb-break) or holsters with a supplemental securing system (i.e. look at the various “jump” holsters by Eagle Industries and High Speed Gear Incorporated, and also the aftermarket-addition BlackHawk Holster Bungi/Bungee Retention Strap) will provide you with the best protection.
With belt holsters, you really don’t have to worry so much about the gun flopping about as you run – however, this will be an issue with both shoulder holsters and tactical thigh-rig holsters. For the former, choose ones with tie-downs that latch on to the pistol belt for stability. For the latter, look for DUAL adjustable and/or elastic thigh straps, or one really broad strap/base-plate (the BagMaster BTR2-L and the HSGI Saddle Holster are excellent examples).
Look to spend at least $15-$20 for a good belt-holster, and at least $40 to $80 for a good shoulder or thigh rig.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:40:25 PM
E. The big one, EYE PROTECTION
Of utmost importance , eye protection.
DO NOT think that simple “safety glasses,” “lab goggles,” or “shop goggles” will suffice. These items may or may not offer sufficient impact resistance, and most do not provide enough of a “seal” around your facial bones to totally enclose your eye sockets. Several well-respected teams/clubs here in the US have already banned the use of such eye-wear at their skirmishes.
Instead, choose eye-wear that will actually “seal-in” your eyes.
Paintball goggles from JT style='font-size: 8.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>USA , Scott USA, and Brass Eagle are all highly impact resistant, and have withstood repeated testing by many clubs/teams – gaining wide acceptance for just about all skirmish events nationwide. Many would even debate that these are indeed the current “standard” eye-wear for airsoft. With paintballs impacting the lens at upwards of 12 Joules of force-energy (for a .68 caliber, 3-gram weight average paintball traveling at 300 fps.), it is easy to see why these paintball goggles more than suffice for even a very hot 3-Joule airsoft hits.
Alternatively, you can use actual “tactical goggles” that meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 1989 impact resistance standards (this claim should be enclosed with the goggle, printed on the box, or described in the catalog you are ordering from). Made by such noted names as ESS, Bolle, Oakley, etc., these items will offer more than sufficient protection for airsoft, as long as they are truly full-sealing around the perimeter of your eye-cup area, and as long as they meet the above ANSI standard.
In any case, either going with paintball goggles or with true tactical goggles is NOT necessarily an expensive proposition – paintball goggle-and-mask sets can be had at discounters such as “WalMart” for around $20, and many such impact resistant tactical goggles can be had for under $30 from a large number of on-line tactical equipment retailers.
If you have more money to spend, spend it first on getting either a set of goggles that have anti-fogging properties, or, alternatively, an anti-fog lens for your goggle set. Should you have even more dough in your wallet, get a set that offers a built-in fog-reducing vent fan (i.e. ESS TurboCAM), or, an aftermarket miniature fan (such as the JT fan, for JT paintball goggles). These last two areas are critical for players who tend to sweat a lot (chemical anti-fogging, in the form of liquids or solid wipes, may also be necessary), and the fans are an excellent addition for those who wear prescription eyeglasses under their goggles (here, note that certain Bolle and ESS models offer a supplemental prescription lens frame insert within their outer goggle shell, and can be fitted for a supplemental prescription lens).
Actually, here’s what I recently wrote about this very topic, covering the issue of fitting goggles over the frames of prescription glasses as well as regarding the issue of “fogging” –
Much of this OTG ("over the glasses") fit issue depends on exactly what type of prescription eyeglass frame style you have.

With the large "aviator" frames, there's practically no goggle system that will fit comfortably over them.... However, if you have a smaller, lower profile set, as is what is popular "style" dictate today, you can rest assured that all but the most low-profile and highly contoured systems (i.e. Wiley-X SG-1, etc.) will work just fine for you.

Also, there are designs of USGI "combat eyeglass" frames which offer a low-profile "curve" around your face, yet still will retain a rather large (almost "aviator" in style) lens -- these items typically can be had from surplus or military-supplies stores, and includes a jig in the kit for you to take to your ophthalmic doctor or lensmaker to get a proper set of lenses with your prescription.

In terms of actual protection:

With ANSI Z87.1 1989 compliant/meet-exceed "tactical goggles," most of the ESS and Bolle systems will clear smaller-framed eyeglasses just fine. Both also further offer specific prescription insert frames (which you take to the lens-making opticians to get one made that is the same as your prescription every-day wear), should you desire a specific-for-application fit.

As for paintball goggles, most actually will clear small to even medium framed glasses just fine, with several of the larger makes offering specifically "OTG" goggle/mask systems that are cut more generously to allow clearance of even the largest-framed glasses.

If fogging is a worry for you (and every person is different), here’s an algorithm that you can follow:

First, you should look for goggles that utilize either a inner-aspect anti-fog "coated" lens or one that has a dual-pane lens setup (such as the soft acetate lenses that you see of "thermal" systems with JT USA and others' paintball goggles).

Should your goggle/mask system, regardless of paintball or tactical origin not have such lenses installed, you should seek replacement upgrade lenses or consider the self-installation of the "Fog City Fog" inner acetate lens (which has a foam-backed self-adhesive lined border that renders your single-pane goggle lens into a double-pane setup in the critical vision areas), which can readily be purchased on-line for around $10 per insert.

Next, if that is not sufficient to clear your fogging problem, you should consider applying supplemental chemical anti-fogging solution.

The key to making this effective is to make sure that you're applying the solution properly, and to regularly and religiously re-apply the solution every chance you get -- that means EVERY time you come back into the safe-zone after being shot-out or during breaks. EVERY TIME. Just as any chemical protective coating on a hard surface will wear off (you do re-wax your car every once in a while, right? what about lubrication for your GBB or AEG? what about remembering to wipe down your handgun or rifle and re-applying bluing solution? oiling down your favorite sword or knife blades? same idea here!), you must REGULARLY REAPPLY these solutions for them to properly confer fog-protection.

Apply to goggle lens AND your eyeglass lenses!

Playing in adverse weather conditions will greatly increase your need to re-apply such solutions, and you should be well-advised to decrease your time-intervals between such application to-match. Again, do so as often as you can, as regularly as you can.

Be careful with the inner acetate lens of the two-pane systems. They are very scratch prone, so use a proper "lens cloth" to clean and to apply anti-fog solutions to them. No, “tissues” aren't soft enough, you'll still scratch. Trust me on this.

Also, if you wear contacts, be careful -- these solutions work by depositing a physical microscopic particle barrier on the lens surface, and by their very nature, are volatile and "boil off." This often creates a vapor within your goggle/mask assembly, and can be an eye-irritant (I've found that RainX brand anti-fog makes my eyes water a bit when I first apply them, but, for example, the JT USA paintball-mask anti-fog solution does not -- depending on your own sensitivity as well as the particular chemical you use, this will differ) -- and the ability of contacts to physically concentrate through "edge-effect" the deposition/accumulation of such solution vapors on the surface of your eyes can be a serious concern.

If this still doesn't do it for you, you can next/then try ADDING forced air induction or extraction TO THE ABOVE METHODS. The ESS TurboCAM is a perfect example, and JT USA also makes a fan system that specifically fits to their brand's paintball goggle/mask systems.

Finally, as another consideration, I've found the BLOK airsoft-specific mask system to be tremendously fog-resistant. I don't know why -- just that it does work. And this will clear most small-framed glasses just fine.

--

In addition to these considerations, remember the following general principles that should always be applied.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:40:58 PM
(1) Inhale through your nose -- exhale through your mouth while using your lips to direct your moist exhaust air down and out of the mask, away from the goggle portion. Even if you're not wearing a mask lower portion (i.e. just wearing goggles), this will still help.

(2) Make sure that your eye-cup portion is properly sealed. Often, with African Americans, Asians, and other ethnicities that have an anatomically lower nasal "bridge," you can see/feel a gap where the goggle frame doesn't seal properly in this area. Cutting a bit of foam or other such padding to fit and block-up this area can help improve the "separation of air chambers" effect, and help keep your goggle free of the moist exhaled air, especially if you're wearing a mask lower section.

(3) Don't block air exchange holes/vents from your goggle frame -- they're there for a purpose, and the design/development staff have gone through great pains to optimize flow via these holes. Beware of any head gear (especially bandannas and hat brims) or even your long hair covering up these critical exchange holes, particularly from the top.

The exception to this is with rain/snow -- top-cover is a must to avoid water-logging....you'll have to seek a compromise based on your specific conditions and your specific needs.

(4) Consider not wearing headgear. An extraordinary amount of your body heat is exchanged through your scalp -- blocking heat-exchange from this area means that you'll start to sweat much more profusely as well as exchange heat wherever else you can. This can also lead to goggle/glasses fogging.

All of this comes from some decad- and-a-half's worth of paintball and airsoft play (which, if counted separately, would add up to nearly 20-year's worth of hard-won experience) -- I'm one of those guys who sweats like no tomorrow, so I FOG like no tomorrow as well. Trust me when I say I know fog.
Whatever you do, DO NOT short-change yourself on proper eye-wear. You only have two eyes, and even the loss of one will leave you PERMANENTLY impaired (loss of depth perception and a HUGE portion of your overall field-of-vision, try going around a day with an eye-patch over one of your eyes, you can get opaque eye-patches from your local pharmacy/drug-store). DO NOT FUCK AROUND HERE, SPEND THE MONEY AND GET A GOOD SET OF GOGGLES – IF YOU CAN AFFORD THE MONEY TO GET A GBB OR AN AEG (or if you can afford to get your child an AEG or GBB replica), YOU CAN AFFORD TO SAVE YOUR (or your child’s) EYES.
Proper eye protection is a – MUST – .
- Special considerations: low-light/night skirmish gear
A. Night vision gear
Night vision?
Not necessary, but definitely a consideration now that more and more hobbyists are making efforts to attend and organize night-skirmish games.
A word to the wise – this is likely the LAST piece of gear that you’ll need. Get yourself all set up otherwise before you even think about pursuing night-vision.
So what are some considerations here? Well, here’s a post that I put up on AirsoftOhio’s Forums:
I'll start this one off by saying that I hate snobs.

I hate those guys that jump on the Forums and tell everyone that their imitation body gear by Guarder/IS or MilForce is just not good enough -- that they "need" to go out and get SOE or SOTECH stuff to skirmish. I hate those guys that jump on the Forums and just start yelling that "all Taiwanese replicas suck," etc.

With that said, unfortunately, here, with night-vision devices, they're right....to an extent. And unfortunately, I have to become a snob…

Before you buy night-vision, consider for yourself what, exactly, your needs are -- as well as, even more importantly, what the opposition is bringing to the game.

Why? Simple.

If you've got a set of "starlight/moonlight"-amplification Gen.I night-vision binoculars or riflescope with you on a moonless night under cloudy skies, you'll basically be relying on your IR illuminator to help you "see" with the scope/binocs. Guess what? Everyone else with night-vision will also be able to see your IR flashlight "beam." It would be just like if you were to use your natural vision and scan the operational area with a regular flashlight or spotlight in your hands.

And what's more, if someone has a "better" night-vision device than you do -- for example, someone with "total darkness" Gen.II or Gen.III (or even higher) technology -- then he'll be able to spot you much sooner than you'll spot him, as you'll be flagging him down with your IR illuminator beacon, while he can see just fine even without.

Take into account what your opposition is using before you buy.

Also, take into account the field/event/club/team's policies regarding "tactical white lights" or other spot-light and field-lighting use and policies/rules. Think about what will happen to your night-vision device's tube when someone suddenly shines a 500-lumens SureFire directly into its lens....without overload protection, you'll have burned the unit permanently. Before you play, be sure that your item will survive its intended use -- there was some confusion about this a few years earlier on the west coast, at Operation Savage Garden II, where some players complained about their Gen.I units being burned out by players using tactical lights. If your field allows free-use of tactical lights, be sure that your night-vision device will auto-shut-off or otherwise amp down such inputs so as to prevent permanent damage.

Before you buy any Gen.I equipment, in addition to the above brightness-cut-out concern, you should also realize that among the night-gaming crowd, there is some debate as to the true usability of these units.

Certainly, being able to see even just "movement" with the aid of night-vision will help, but there are many night-vision enthusiasts who maintain that on moonlit nights, it is just as easy to use your natural night-vision (think about getting up to take a piss in the middle of the night -- the room which looked so dark as you first closed your eyes to fall asleep is now strangely "lit" and bright, isn't it? same idea, you develop natural night-vision as your eyes accommodate to the lower ambient light level) as the Gen.I units often have an excessive noise-to-signal level that makes distinguishing targets very difficult at-best. Ironically, many say that this is further worsened by the use of the IR illuminators, which tend to "flare" the surroundings, especially as reflected IR light would shine off trees/walls and other objects, making the signal too noisy to offer good use. Furthermore, this is also ironic in that using such light-amplification units will also kill your natural night-vision to a certain degree/extent.

Finally, think about the different advantages and disadvantages to be had for a head/helmet-mounted binocular unit, a monocular unit, and a riflesight unit. With the binocs, you will have better depth-perception than with the monocular setup, however, it will be bulkier and heavier, and may require a special head-mount and wear-configuration that may impede the use of your normal sighting device(s) on your skirmish "weapon." With a monocular unit, you lose depth-perception in trade for a more easily handled and lighter/more streamlined unit. With a weapon-mounted unit, you trade being able to constantly scan the horizon for an item that will be specifically well-suited for actually accurately engaging the opponent.

Think through these considerations VERY carefully before you buy. That $150 you're thinking of using for a Gen.I unit could just as well be spent on a very, very nice SureFire tac-light that may actually be much more well suited for your skirmish gaming goals and purposes, particularly, say, if your opponents already own Gen.II or even Gen.III+ equipment.

Be sure you think this through before you buy.
But what about something more basic, you ask? What about something like “tactical” flashlights?
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:41:29 PM
B. Flashlights
Flashlights are what I consider essential low-light/night skirmish gear.
Why?
Not only is it useful for a variety of gaming purposes, but it is also essential for many “real-life” circumstances, such as first-aid or even helping you find your way back to the base-camp/safe-zone, should you become lost.
What is “necessary?”
Think about carrying one of today’s many “long-run time” LED-based flashlights. This can be something as small as a Photon Microlight to something as large as an Inova X5 or Lightwave 4000.
This is a basic survival tool should you become lost/hurt. It will put out enough light so that you can either see what’s sticking out of or into your leg or to help you trek back to base-camp, and will also help you signal your friends, if needed. But also, this item doubles wonderfully as a general-use light, giving you something to use when you need to go to the latrine at night or help you find things in your tent/car. Its long battery life, plus near fail-proof “bulbs” makes these items something that you should always carry.
But aside from this tool, why carry a flashlight?
Flashlights are also indispensable “tactical” instruments.
Now, before we go any further, let’s define this word – tactical – in terms of flashlight use.
The most common meaning of the words “tactical light” refers to the manner in which SureFire – what is perhaps the world’s leading manufacturer of high-speed “tactical” handheld and weapon-mounted flashlights – defines “tactical.” In this case, it’s something that’s bright enough to temporarily blind and daze/disorient a subject on the receiving end of the light’s output beam. SureFire defines this level of output to be at least between 60 to 65 lumens of objective light output.
However, “tactical,” as defined in Webster’s, means simply (1) of tactics, esp. in military or naval maneuvers, or (2) of or showing skill in tactics – which is itself defined as only “a means to gain an end.”
Now, then, what if this “tactic” is to be as stealthy as possible? Is stealth not a viable tactic of military maneuver?
In this case, then, wouldn’t the best “tactical” light be one which you can use – to, say, read a map of your Area-of-Operations or to signal your linemate – without giving up your location by “light compromise” by being overly bright, as with the “tactical” lights of SureFire’s definition?
Certainly it would!
Thus, we have two types of “tactical” lights, with two distinct and separate purposes.
Want a stealthy light?
Again, the LED’s work well, especially one with a shroud, such as the Photon Microlight III + Shroud. Get one with a red LED, and you have something that you can easily use to read maps of your AO night while maintaining your natural night vision and minimally disclosing your position to opposition squads patrolling the surrounding forest. Want something with a lockout to prevent accidental light discharge? The Arc AAA will fill this purpose just fine. Look around a bit – just about every major flashlight and tactical light maker now has a complete line of such LED-light units available, for a variety of prices. Just remember your purpose, and how you want these lights to perform as you look at their options (color, output power, lens shielding, switching, etc.) and you’ll be fine.
What about a more powerful light?
One capable of lighting up a relatively large area so that you can clearly determine threat level – one that has enough light output to temporarily dazzle, daze, and blind your down-field target?
Unfortunately, despite their claims otherwise, that Mini MagLite that you see rigged to the front of some players’ AEGs, that Tokyo Marui “Tactical Light” (which is nothing more than just that very same Mini MagLite, only in slightly different cosmetic construct), and the various LED-based flashlights all simply do not produce enough light output on an OBJECTIVE level to fit this bill.
SureFire , for good reason, defines this type of “tactical” use with the need to put out at least 60 to 65 lumens – or around 10,000 candlepower – as a minimum.
Unfortunately, this is a level of objective light output that no current LED-based flashlight can measure up to. Even the “brightest” of the bunch, such as the SureFire KL3 head (1W LuxeonStar emitter) fitted 9V-systems (producing a total of around 20 lumens, max) or the LightWave 4000 or the Inova X5 (both of which fall far short of this mark) is simply insufficient to fill this job description. [Note, as of 05/2003, we are still awaiting the introduction of SureFire’s promised 80-100 lumens 5W LED-based systems; similarly, Streamlight, which has come forward with several LED-based “tactical lights” – note the similar tone of the claim as Inova puts on their products – has ironically and cryptically not disclosed the lighting output of their lights, thus making one wonder exactly how applicable or capable their lights are in this context.]
To truly go “tactical” in this sense, at this present day and time, outside of custom-built LED projects, we are left with incandescent lighting as our one and only choice.
But exactly how bright is such as system?
To figure this out, one has to realize several different considerations.
Remember first that lumens and candlepower are two separate measures, and that they cannot be either mathematically nor realistically/practically converted.
Candlepower, as defined by Streamlight, is “a measure of the brightest spot in the focused beam. It is a function of both the output of the lamp and the efficiency of the reflector.”
Lumens, meanwhile, is a measure of “the entire light output of the flashlight regardless of beam focus.”
But to us, the end-users, neither figure really means all that much.
Instead, to get a better picture, we have to take into account both how much light there is, as is seen with the above two measures, as well as how “focused” the light happens to be. This is the only true way to get a useful practical measure.
Think of it this way.
That 60-Watt desk lamp that you’re using to help you read this post?
That lamp puts out over 800 lumens.
It lights up your room pretty well when you remove the lampshade, right?
But look outside your room door, down the hallway. I bet that after about 30 ft. or so, you can barely even see your German Shepard sneaking into the bathroom for a quick drink from the toilet.
As such, we have to rate these lights according both to how much light they throw out, as well as exactly how they throw that light.
Have a look here, at Brock’s excellent comparison page:
http://www.uwgb.edu/nevermab/flash.htm
Look specifically at the “Focus” and the “CP@ 7 meters” columns. To judge a light for our use, it becomes imperative that we consider both how much light is thrown out towards our target at a distance (the latter measure), as well as exactly how that light is dispersed (the former).
With that in-mind, let’s look at some of those lights.
First of all, let’s get a good feel for what, say, one of the “standard benchmarks” of this genre – the SureFire 6V system, with their standard P60 (65 lumens output) lamp and reflector unit can do. Scan down until you find the entry that reads “SureFire D2/P60” and now compare that with some entries right below – the MagLites. See how the “relative brightness” of the SureFire unit, which is about ½ to 1/3 the size of the corresponding 3 “D-cell” and 5D MagLites, slots in? That, my friends, is how “powerful” such a small SureFire light can be. It has the “lighting power” that, for all intents and purposes, is the same as a 4 “D-cell” MagLite.
Does the 4D MagLite attain “tactical” levels of brightness? By SureFire’s own definition, certainly. But at somewhere near 3 times the size, the MagLite is going to be awfully burdensome to drag around with you during skirmishes, and furthermore, it is going to be an absolute bear to mount to your AEG or even GBB when compared to the svelte SureFire!
And have a look at this:
To wit, the Mini MagLite that is also the basis of the Tokyo Marui “Tactical Light?” That only has an objective light output of 2,200 candlepower – the Mag 2AA on Brock’s page doesn’t even register a “relative brightness,” does it? That’s why these items are totally a joke when it comes to being used as “tactical lights” in the SureFire coined sense of the words.
So, with all that said, what, you ask, is a suitable “tactical” flashlight?
If you used Brock’s chart, basically, we have an arbitrary cut-off at the 10 CP @ 7M mark, and that will do it. Everything above that, OK. Everything below, no go.
Out of these, currently, perhaps the absolute “best deal” that you’re going to find for such “tactical lights” is the SureFire G2 Nitrolon. This polymer plastic bodied light is a near carbon-copy of SureFire’s legendary original P-series, and will support either the P60 (65 lumens) lamp (with about an hour’s run-time per set of 2 CR123 lithium batteries) or the high-output P61 (120 lumens, with about a half-hour run-time) lamp/reflector units. At under $25, this is an incredible bargain. Add to this an el-cheapo one-inch diameter Weaver-based scope ring, and for less than $30, you can have a nice, hard-mounted tactical light on your AEG (the P61 lamp will cost you about another $15 extra). Getting a little fancy, spend another $20, and you can easily buy the G&P remote pressure-pad tailswitch assembly, which will give you the ability to use a pigtail to actuate your light.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:42:09 PM
The only downside?
You can’t keep the unit on for long – especially with the high-output P61 lamp. The heat generated will literally blister and then melt the plastic lens that’s on the G2s. Also, your on/off switch will not lock-out, so you must be careful not to incur accidental light discharges, which can easily compromise your position in low-light situations.
This unit serves just as well as a handheld as it does a weapon-mounted light, and is a bargain to-boot. I own three, with one mounted to my loaner AEG that I give to my friends, one that I give to them as a handheld, and one that I keep for myself as a backup light to my SureFire Z2 Combatlight.
Other options?
In terms of low-cost lights, those that fulfill the above minimum performance criteria (but are not cited already in Brock’s comparison, i.e. the Streamlight Scorpion and the Brinkmann Legend LX are both not mentioned here as it already has been cited above) include:
- Various “generic” tactical lights offered by both airsoft (i.e. “Walther,” G&P, G&G,
Guarder/IS, ICS, etc.) and generic hunting-supplies makes (such as the products that
you’ll find in the “Cheaper Than Dirt” or “The Sportsman’s Guide” catalogs)
- Copia products (incandescent, remember the LED units are not bright enough), usually
purchased through airsoft retailers like Wargamer’s Club Shop (WGCS, Hong Kong ),
for between $60 to $120, depending on options and configuration
- Smith&Wesson Magnum Force Spotlight, ~ $60-$70
- Galls HALO and Shooter Light, between $60 and $100, with various options
- Tac-Star WLS-2000 (6500 cp), which has an integral pigtail remote, ~ $90
- TACM-III (100+ lumens), bundled kit with a pigtail remote and mount, ~ $110
- AimShot TX65 Nova Tactical Light (6500 cp), kit with pigtail remote included ~$60
Mounts:
The TACM-III has a proprietary set of mounts.
Other than that, most mounts, you’ll see, especially for the 1-inch diameter lights, can easily be had by using a single or a pair of Weaver (thus Picatinny compatible)-based 1-inch diameter scope rings (for those who fancy a Q/D design, yes, high-dollar ARMS rings will work – and as a matter of fact, SureFire’s MU system is based off of such a design). Alternatives?
Lite Mount Technologies : http://www.pages2go.com/lmt/order.htm
Fobus
Knight’s Armament
SureFire
Various airsoft-specific flashlight mounts (including those which clone the items cited above) – FIRST Factory, Just, G&P, G&G, ICS etc. Some of these even offer very specialized mounts, such as the FIRST Factory Front Sight Post Mount (note here that their lasersight unit of this designation is actually usable as a stable lasersight mount platform, as it is much more secure than the shoddy Tokyo Marui unit).
If you don’t mind their size being a bit bigger -- for example, if you’re going to use these units as handheld units only and not “weapon-mount” -- you can try any of the options that Brock’s mentioned in his chart already. This means that all of the high-powered (and high cost! unfortunately) SureFire units such as the Millennium M6, M3T Turbohead Combatlight, etc. (all of these can cost upwards of $200, easily – but you should try on eBay and surf the ‘Net for “specials” and sales that may drop the price of the lesser-performance units down into the $150 range) and even the brighter MagLites 4D (and above, which would be a more economical approach).
As for batteries, yes, the 3V CR123 lithium cells – commonly known as “camera batteries,” are expensive. But if you are smart and shop around a bit, you can get them very easily for around $1 per cell, which is not bad at all, considering that your local drugstore/pharmacy or supermarket grocery store probably charges 5 to 10 times that cost! Regardless, if this $1 per cell seems a bit high for you, you should remember that these batteries, by their physical nature, will “self recharge” during non-use cycles. This means that with the typically rapid “on-off” blinks (and for that matter, more “off” than “on”) of “tactical” usage of these lights, your average true run-time is greatly extended from the above estimates by SureFire. Besides, compared to D or C-sized cells, these diminutive CR132 units are cost-matched, and are much lighter and smaller in size, giving you additional benefits.
Are rechargeable units available? Certainly, specialty recharge units are available – and are a favorite of many law-enforcement agencies due to continued issue-spending. However, these units are going to be costly as an initial investment (with the trade-off being, of course, that they’ll be much more economical in the long-run, particularly if you take good care of their battery cells). Items to look at here include:
- SureFire 10X Dominator (unfortunately, easily upwards of $300)
- SureFire 8AX and 8NX models ~$130 to $170, depending on model (note that if more
power or longer run-time is desired, a 9AN version is also available for added cost)
- MagLite MagCharger, ~$100
- Streamlight
Stinger HP and XTHP ~$100 to $150, depending on model and charger options
UltraStinger ~$120
Stinger, with optional XT bezel unit ~$120 altogether
SL-20X and SL-35X ~$110 to $160, depending on model and charger options
Pelican M11
- Copia (various units – again, look at their incandescent lighting units)
Whatever you choose, remember, these lights also are vulnerable to BB attack, just like your scope’s lens. Some protection in the form of a sacrificial lens or a lenscap will help you avoid such damages, but may alter the performance of your light – so keep this in-mind as you shop for such lens protection.
Finally, remember that in the field, an “accidental light discharge” is just about as bad as lack of fire-discipline with your replica or lack of fieldcraft. Look for models which offer a lock-out on-off switching device or, alternatively, use various means to effectively disable/contain light output from the lens should your light be accidentally tripped. There are plenty of makes of specialty “flashlight holsters” out there, from SureFire themselves to nearly all of the various tactical gear makes ( BlackHawk, Eagle, Spec Ops Brand, etc.) to specialty Kydex products makes (anything from the big manufacturers such as Fobus to the high-end “little guys” like Cen-Dex and Blade Tech), just fire up your favorite Internet search-engine and have at it! These products will not only help you securely carry your high-dollar tactical flashlight, but will also, many times, be designed so as to specifically either “contain” or outright avoid light ADs.
- For further gear references and reading
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/gear/index.asp - An excellent article, “Gear, the Paco Way ,” hosted on AirsoftPlayers. Paco is a friend and a well respected airsoft enthusiast and long-time skirmish player, belonging to the MAA.
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/webbing/webbing.asp - Yet another nice load-bearing equipment digest on AirsoftPlayers.
http://www.wolfpackairsoft.com/projects/lbe.htm - An extension of the above, this time, by enthusiast, fellow player, and gear-nut MadMorbius at WolfPack Airsoft. Excellent companion read.
Additionally, I would urge you to consult the following threads on the AirsoftPlayers Forums for information regarding the load-out of various players:
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10563
and
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10564 - Are a pair of excellent sister-posts which detail the looks and the why’s and how’s of various players’ load-out kits.
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=106 - And this is what started the above two threads – and from here, you can literally visualize the “evolution” of many players’ kit……newbies, take heart, this is why you should go easy on gear and body wear until you know for sure what it is that you’re looking for. Look at some of the well-known names on this thread, we’ve got my friends and noted gear-nuts The_Edge, Haji, and others who’ve changed their load-outs many times as they’ve “grown” as players. This stuff is expensive, and unless you have a good deal of funds to devote to constantly change your setup, you’d be much better off to simply play a few games with just simple USGI surplus gear that you got from the local flea-market, and figure out exactly what it is that you like BEFORE you spend the big bucks.
Title: Re: Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
Post by: M.S.-ARC on March 11, 2015, 09:43:03 PM
Section Ten – Shopping Advice:
- Research first, buy later
Do NOT first buy an item from a retailer or bid on an item on eBay and -then- come on-line to ask “Hey, I’ve just bought X AEG or Y GBB, is it any good?”
You’re too late.
If you’ve lucked out, you may have made a decent buy. But if not, you’ve already made a mistake that you cannot undo.
Research and do your homework FIRST and THEN shop and buy.
Anything else is outright stupid .
You wouldn’t buy a car without first test driving it or reading in the magazines what they thought of the car, right? Same idea here.
- Who’s got the best prices?
Finally, having done all of your homework, you’re ready to make the purchase. Now, then, who has the best prices?
Again, here, a simple-minded “can anyone tell me who has the best prices” post will only land you in more trouble.
Prices change rapidly in today’s highly competitive airsoft market – retailers and private re-sellers/brokers are now in the practice of running “specials” all throughout the year. As such, you can never be guaranteed of getting the best price if you simply trust someone’s word for it (it may have been the cheapest place for him a month ago, a week ago, or even just a day ago – but the prices may have already changed in the interim).
Use the “Soft Links” on the AirsoftZone, the www.AirsoftPlayers.com “Seller Ratings” section, or the Arnie’s Airsoft (UK) “Web-Links” page to take you to the various retailers’ commercial websites. Spend a moment and look through their pages and note down their prices on a piece of paper (don’t forget cost of shipping!), and then, e-mail a few for a complete price quote, including shipping – and to check for item availability. Only by doing your own leg-work can you be guaranteed to get the best prices.
- Which retailer can I trust?
AirsoftZone offers a “Retailers” section. Fire up the AirsoftZone Forum search-function to help you locate past posts in this “Retailers” section that bears your interest. Remember, it does no good to just post a question asking about a particular retailer – by doing so, you’re at the mercy of a few members who deem it worth their while to respond to you. Instead, take the time to search the past posts to see what has been posted about these retailers IN THE PAST. It’s the history of each retailer that counts.
Similarly, check out AirsoftPlayers’ “Seller Ratings” section. It’s on their pull-down navigation menu off the main page. Give each of your potential retailers’ ratings section not only a cursory look to see how many positives and negatives they’ve accumulated, but rather, pay attention to what has ACTUALLY BEEN SAID about them within those rating posts.
Regardless of where you get your opinions from or where you eventually decide to shop from, remember that there will always be those who complain about retailer X or Y. It’s an unavoidable part of business – no one can satisfy their customers 100%, all of the time. This is particularly true of the Internet, where everyone and their uncle can come in, stand on the soap-box , and put their own two bits out for everyone to hear, no matter how right or how wrong.
Just look at on-line reviews of even top-notch hotels like The Ritz Carlton and The Four Seasons.
World renowned service, yet, people still complain. Why?
Because you always remember that one red traffic light that you hit on your way home from work or school.
Same idea here – the negatives, no matter how small, tend to stand out – while unless you get absolutely stellar service, you just don’t seem to remember, as clearly, your positive experiences.
Look not only at the individual complaints, but rather, look at the larger picture.
If a retailer has had 100,000 orders filled, and has 1000 complaints, is that any worse than a retailer who has only filled 1000 orders, but has had a 50-complaint history? The first case has a error-rate of only 1%, but the second retailer has had a 5% complaint history. Lower number of complaints doesn’t mean much – it’s how many complaints were made against how many orders were filled that’s the true concern.
Sure, you may hear that Wargamer’s Club Shop, RedWolf, or DEN Trinity may have had a number of complaints against them, but considering that they’ve been in-business for so many years and have served so many hobbyists to their complete satisfaction, the few complaints that you hear is next to nothing in terms of significance. So what if a smaller retailer has their entire past history of 100 orders perfectly? These larger retailers have filled tens of thousands of such orders without trouble.
Remember this difference during your research.
- Buying off eBay or off hobbyist Forum or other enthusiast website “classified” pages
When buying off eBay and other such auction pages, the same rule would apply to your airsoft purchase as any other purchase. Look at the seller feedback ratings.
When buying from a website “classified” page, check the AirsoftZone “Arms Deals Seller/Buyer Reviews” sub-Forum and JayKay’s Airsoft Buyer/Seller Review Forums (at: http://www.jkcns.com). Both will offer feedback on potential sellers and buyers.
Don’t skip this homework – failure to research your seller/buyer is the surest way to get scammed.
- Legal concerns
A. Purchasing overseas and importing
First and foremost, currently, import purchase of any type of airsoft replicas is fully legal for the United States at the federal level.
The less-scrupulous Stateside retailers will tell you that such import may be illegal (i.e. within the past year, a well-known US retailer was noted to have cited that GBB replicas are illegal – which is completely and utterly false) or may be very high-risk. That is just simply not true at all. Airsoft is legal, in all forms, for import into the US by individual retail purchase. And provided that the items satisfy US import codes (covered briefly and basically below), their entry is virtually guaranteed.
The only provisions required for legal importation of these goods, purchased from overseas retailers, is that they bear muzzle orange (with respect to color, depth/length, and "permanency") and that their offending trademarks are properly covered or obliterated to-specs.
However, much of this compliance with barrel/muzzle orange paint and trademark coverage issue depends highly on the variable interpretation of such laws by individual Customs inspection officers.
Example?
Western Arms actually has a true “International License” pertaining to their Strayer Voigt Infinity, Beretta, and Wilson Combat replicas. These goods bear trademark rights that actually are truly “international,” and should allow their entry into the US . However, from most retailers, they are still are covered-up. Why?

Although *_WE_* might know that the goods carry actual licensed trademarks, and the individual retailers might know, too – the Customs Inspector checking through our replicas may not be aware of such a special circumstance.

Unless something can be done to improve their knowledge, I truly do not think that having such items pass-through with full trademarks is a worthy risk for any consumer here in the US .

Legal or not, your inspecting Customs agent just might not know better -- and this has happened many more times than I'd care to count. As such, when importing goods, always ask your retailers to properly cover the trademarks (if desired, most of these coverage methods, just as with most barrel-orange painting, can be 100% “restored” to “collectors’ condition” once you’ve received them).