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Topics - M.S.-ARC

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1
Does anyone know if the lion claws event in June in Trenton is confirmed?

It has been confirmed that Operation Northern Light will happen once again in Trenton Michigan on June 24 to June 26.

This is the discussion thread for it.

2
Team Sections / Team sections - how to get one
« on: September 09, 2015, 01:39:43 PM »
If you are a part of a team and would like your own private password protected section where you guys can talk and plan things out, send a PM to luke213 along with your desired password and folder name (usually your teams name).

Once the folder is created, you can then give your password to your team-mates so that they can access the folder.  That space belongs to your team.  MIA rules do not apply there so post whatever you want.  



If you have any questions, post them here.


Once you submit your information we will go through and review your information and confirm your team prior to you getting your own private section.  We just want to make sure that the groups asking for sections are actual teams so that we don't waste anyone's time in creating sections.

3
Airsoft Discussion / Kill it with Fire aka "The ugly gun thread"
« on: July 16, 2015, 10:42:30 AM »
Lets get this started.

Found this on reddit.  It's a VSR with a functioning high cap pmag for when you need 400+ rounds when sniping.


4
FOR SALE



First up is a NIB Tri Shot with 2 shells:

This is a brand new spring tri-shot with two shells still in the box.  This was given to me over Christmas but I don't have a use for it since I already have one.  The only thing I've done with this is test it to make sure it functions properly which it does.







First to offer $45 picked up obo gets it.



Next up is a brand new with tags OD Molle Scabbard:

This is in excellent condition and is brand new with tags.  Was given it as a gift but don't have a use for it currently.






First to offer $25 picked up gets it (I'll give you a price break if you purchase this along with the shotgun.)



Also up is an OD sling:






First to offer $10 picked up gets it.



Next are Brand New cans of Green Gas:





First to offer $10 each picked up gets it.



Next is a Brand New Propane Adapter with silicone:





First to offer $12 picked up gets it.



Up next is a New TAN  RIS Hand Stop:





First to offer $10 picked up gets it.



Also up is a New TAN  Retractable Stock:





First to offer $20 picked up obo gets it.



Last is an MP5 500rd high cap dual magazine with dummy rounds:





First to offer $12 picked up gets it.



Before you send me a PM here’s a few things you should know:

1) I take Paypal (as a gift) but cash would work fine too if you choose to pick it up or meet somewhere (Strongly preferred).

2) Feel free to give me a FAIR offer if you don't like the price. NO LOW BALL OFFERS.

3) NO TRADES at the moment.

All items are located in 48154 and pick up is STRONGLY preferred.



For those who I haven't done business with yet check out MY RATING http://www.miairsoft.org/index.php?topic=37.0. 17 pages and 240+ POSITIVE FEEDBACKS & COUNTING.
I'm confident enough to say that I've got the best rating on MIA.  I've been here 7+ years without one negative feedback or one comment where I had to explain or defend myself for any reason.  I've done transactions with proven members as well as first time transactions with brand new members without any issues so far so don't be the one to ruin the streak.

5
Airsoft Discussion / Private Team sections are now available
« on: June 18, 2015, 01:22:38 PM »
This is where you will find them:  http://www.miairsoft.org/index.php?board=33.0

If you are a part of a team and would like your own private password protected section where you guys can talk and plan things out, send a PM to luke213 along with your desired password and folder name (usually your teams name).

Once the folder is created, you can then give your password to your team-mates so that they can access the folder.  That space belongs to your team.  MIA rules do not apply there so post whatever you want. 



If you have any questions, post them here.

7
Airsoft Discussion / TM just announced an AEG AA-12 shotgun.
« on: May 14, 2015, 10:32:33 AM »





Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=23&v=O9DdG0jFNVg


Here's what is known so far:

3 cylinder 3 barrels

semi and full auto

10 rps x3 barrels = 30 rps

90 round standard magazine and 3000+ round drum.

Each barrel has an individually adjustable hop so you can control the spread.

There is a FET already installed.

The two lower barrels have the hop on the sides allowing spread rather than lift.

Only the body, magazine and buttplate are plastic, it weighs 4.2kg.

Projected release summer/fall of this year.

Full article here:  http://www.hyperdouraku.com/event/hobbyshow1505/index.html

This is a game changer.  Looks to be a completely new type of aeg.

More info here:  http://imgur.com/a/6IwII

8
The Gallery / Russian Weapon User Club
« on: April 18, 2015, 03:31:29 PM »
Here are my real wood AKs.














9
Airsoft Discussion / MIA PATCH DESIGN 2015
« on: April 14, 2015, 08:27:49 PM »
As you guys now know we have moved to a community owned private (off pro-boards) forum which will be the new official home for our community.  This patch design competition is to raise awareness of the new site as well as raise some funds to maintain the new site.  Some of the members and mods have already spent their own money to get this site started but in order to keep it going we need to raise some funds to ensure that this goes on for years to come.  Knowing our community, I'm sure this is something that we can easily get done. By participating in this competition and purchasing a patch, you will essentially own a piece of the new forum.

 
Its time to get the 2015 patch design started.  Here are a few guidelines and due dates as you get started:


 

All designs must be submitted VIA PM to M.S.-ARC so that the designer stays anonymous.  Upload your design online to a site like imgur and send me the link.  Also let me know what size the patch is.  DO NOT POST YOUR DESIGN.  I will post them for you.

We want the contest to be about the design and not a popularity contest because of the designer.

 


DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:


The 2015 patches are to have a design both in OD and in TAN only (Same design, two colors).

Keep the shapes simple in order to keep the production costs down.

Minimize the amount of different colors used in order to keep the production costs low.

 

ALL designs are to have the words “MICHIGAN AIRSOFT” and the web site for our new forums:  “www.miairsoft.org”


These patches will be embroidered and have a merrowed edge so keep that in mind as you design.


Submissions that do not meet these minimum requirements will not be accepted.




TIMELINE:


You can start submitting your designs to me until April 30 11:59pm which gives us almost two weeks to get a variety of designs.  After May 1 we will set up the patch voting procedures to select the winning design.

 


 

PATCH SELECTION:



The submitted designs will be voted on by the MIA community similar to what we did for the last patch.  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/board/106/michigan-airsoft-patch-voting

 

The winner will receive one free patch in a color of their choosing as well as a year long pass to all airsoft events at Hole in the Wall Paintball (special thanks to Canto & Hole in the Wall Paintball).

 

 

Again the proceeds from the 2015 patches will go towards the costs of running and maintaining our new forum www.miairsoft.org which will be owned by the MIA community.  We will no longer have to comply with uneducated rules and restrictions and we will have a fully functional commerce section as well.

10
Seller/Buyer Ratings / M.S.-ARC
« on: March 12, 2015, 10:32:37 PM »
Original thread: http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/17080/arc?page=1


Quote from: @boredkender" source="/post/212403/thread" timestamp="1181624201
Great communications, fast shipping, all around a good experience. I look forward to more business with him.

Thanks for the Camelbak

11
GAS / Ultimate Source of Links & Info for the KJW M4
« on: March 12, 2015, 03:45:25 PM »
I've been compiling a list for myself and I figured I'd share since it could be helpful to you KJW M4 owners out there. 

Maybe we can make this thread the discussion point specific to the KJW M4.  Anyways, here are the links.  Feel free to add any other links or thoughts.  The more we compile, the better this will get.



KJW's web site:  They have a USA version web site but the Taiwan web site has more information.

http://www.kjworks.com.tw/main.php?lang=en


Basic info:

This first link is (to date) a 60+ page discussion about the KJW M4. Just about every question that could be asked has probably been discussed in there.
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=96773

This second link is a whole section in the gasguns forum that is dedicated to KJW. In addition to the M4, it covers other KJW products.  If you have any KJW related question, chances are its already there somewhere.
http://www.gasguns.info/forum/viewforum.php?f=61&sid=bb48e80eedb78b0dac789d1f6c16ddee


Basic photos: Just some good hi-resolution photos of a stock KJW M4.

http://www.intrudershop.com.tw/show_product_eng.asp?idproduct=1357#top



Manual:  In case you lost your manual, you can view and even download it here.

http://www.greekairsoft.gr/manuals/pdf/KJWORKS/KJW%20KJM4%20Manual.pdf



Range report:  Just a detailed comparison and test on the gun and what it can do.

http://www.gasguns.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=1653



Mag repair:  This is VERY useful if ever there is a time when you need to re-seal your magazine. It shows in detail how simple it is to do.

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=112548


KJW parts catalog

http://www.kjworks.com.tw/photo/13742015503.pdf

Cradle upgrades:  This is the web site of the company that developed upgrades for the KJW M4 and allowed for the FPS to be regulated.

http://www.cradleairsoft.com/product-category/kjwtk-m4

Video guide for the V1 bolt & piston


Video guide for the V2 bolt


Review from Dahm about the upgrades:
http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=29387



Stock mods:

PRS Stock: http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=144168
UBR Stock: http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gas&action=display&thread=33413



Bolts:


Version 2
http://www.gasguns.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=7497
http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gas&action=display&thread=41863



Inner Barrel Mods


Here's some talk about the possibilities of doing an R-hop mod:
http://www.gasguns.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=9771




Video Reviews worth watching:


From our very own Puckhunter

12
Newbie Discussion / Newbie FAQ UPDATED 6/12/03
« 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.

13
Newbie Discussion / Typical n00b tendencies from a former n00b.
« on: March 11, 2015, 09:14:01 PM »
ORIGINAL THREAD:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/18691/typical-n00b-tendencies?page=1

If you are new to the sport of airsoft I suggest you read this.  I know it’s long but it might help your transition into the sport go smoother. 

I am writing this to help clear things up for those who are new to the sport of Airsoft.  Just about every day we see new guys follow the same tendencies and patterns when they first get into the sport.  Keep in mind that I am not doing this to rip on anyone and that this is based on what I have seen and what I myself went through when I first got in.  I label myself as a former n00b but in a lot of ways I’m still a n00b.  Also keep in mind that the steps people take varies from person to person but I will try to cover this topic in the common order that I’ve seen and that I went trough.  Of course there are the rare exceptions to the rules every now and then like military trained personel or the even more elusive new guy that is actually a decent sniper (although I haven't seen one yet).  Feel free to add your experiences as well about what you went trough when you first got started.

Introduction to Airsoft.

More than likely the first introduction to airsoft a n00b gets is from a small skirmish whether in someone’s back yard or a in friends house.  From that introduction you are then inspired to get into it yourself and you try to find the best gun (to your knowledge) for the best price.  Often times n00bs turn to what they know first and so the search for a gun starts at Wal-mart or Meijer’s.  This is the first big mistake anyone new to the sport can make and you will learn why shortly.

From Backyard Battles to the Forums.

Now armed with your new Meijer Brand gun you engage in battle with your friends.  If you have somehow found your way to the forums it is because you have discovered that you really like the sport and have a somewhat “decent” skill set (at least you are the best one when compared to your buddies i.e. you never get shot and you always kill everyone else).  You probably Googled “Michigan Airsoft” or “Michigan Airsoft Fields” with the hopes of finding a better place to play after seeing all the airsoft videos on YouTube.

Introduction to “The real” Airsoft.

After making your introductions to the forums you find your way to some events and there you are introduced to the real sport of Airsoft.  You quickly realize that although your plastic gearbox Meijer brand gun is the best when compared to what your buddies have, you are vastly outgunned.  Here’s what you see after your first event.  Your once amazing gun is a piece of crap when compared to every one else’s because its true that you get what you paid for.  You are completely lacking in the gear department i.e. uniforms, vests, boots, extra magazines.  You realize that you are not as good as you think you are, in fact you probably suck and you sometimes resort to cheating by not calling your hits.  This is the second big mistake anyone new to the sport can make because it often times resorts in you getting banned and your reputation as an airsoft player is shot.  This is a good way to weed out those who really don’t belong in the sport.

Making up for your shortcomings.

After experiencing your first real airsoft game and you find that are still around and actually played an honorable game and did not get banned you try to regroup and make adjustments to make up for your shortcomings.  Often times n00bs come back to the forums asking to be recruited on a team.  I think that this is a natural step because by being on a team, that hides a lot of the mistakes you might make on the field and it somehow validates you as an airsoft player because you feel that you are wanted.  This is also a point where a n00b can make their third big mistake of forming your own team.  Being a n00b in airsoft and forming your own team will only attract other n00bs who weren’t good enough to make it on other teams and it creates “the blind leading the blind” situation. 

There is a huge misconception that you have to be on a team in order to get a little more respect on the fields.  That is far from the truth.  There are plenty of great airsoft players around here that run solo and lend their services to different groups at different events.  If you really insist on being a part of a team, join one.  Don’t make your own because joining an established team (although it will take time) opens you up to a wealth of information that will better develop you as an airsoft player.  If you choose to run on your own that is fine too but I will advise you to do as much research as you can.  Ask questions between down times.  You will find that a lot of the guys love talking about their guns and gear.  It’s always good to ask in person too.  Don’t ask really basic questions on the forums because we get it all the time.  For that I suggest using the search button otherwise you might get flamed (not by me though).

I want to be a sniper.

Now that you have started (and I stress the word started) your research, the typical scenario that usually happens is that you finally take the plunge and invest in a decent gun whether it is a clone (Echo-1, JG, D-boys) or even a higher-end airsoft gun (TM, Classic Army).  To make up for your shortcomings and based on your experience of being out gunned. It is at this point where a n00b makes their fourth big mistake.  You take on the role as a sniper.  You quickly look for a gun that shoots 400+ FPS and a quick Google or eBay search will lead you to a bunch of affordable sniper rifles.  They cost more than the Meijer brand and you remember that you get what you pay for so you are convinced that this will be a good buy and that you will be able to shed that “n00b” label.  I can go on talking about why this is a big mistake for five more pages but in order to keep your attention I will try to narrow it down to just a few things. 

It is true that you get what you pay for but when it concerns getting into the role of a sniper the bar is significantly raised.  You have to invest a lot more time and money (two or three times the amount or more) to play the role of an Airsoft sniper efficiently.  Often times a $100 sniper rifle (with very little exception) when compared to a “true” sniper rifle is like comparing a Meijer brand gun to a TM.  Also you really have to have more experience playing airsoft in order to begin to understand what it takes to be a decent airsoft sniper.  Sure you can still roll with your sniper rifle during ops because we see that all the time but I hope you realize that without the understanding you need to be a decent airsoft sniper you will again find yourself outgunned and outmatched every time.  My advice is start off as a rifleman and through experience work your way to be a sniper if you think you are up for it.  Ask advise from experienced snipers on the field during down times.

Lessons learned...So far.

These are some of the things that I have learned so far after seeing and sometimes going through the experiences I mentioned above.  First of all airsoft is not about how much FPS you have.  It is not the case that the higher the FPS the better player you become.  It’s all about the development of your skill.  If you really develop your skill as an airsoft player you can get kills with a straw and a bb.  Instead of investing lots of money into upgrading your gun to shoot 400+ FPS, invest it in some extra mid or low cap magazines (having a lot of high caps can be a sign that you are a n00b) as well as some decent gear.  When it comes time that you have problems with your gun then maybe its time to think about investing into upgrading it or investing in a higher end brand. 

When you are at events ask questions.  Use the search button here on MIA and if you can’t find the answer, Google is your friend.  Search and search again and as a last resort if you can’t find it anywhere then go ahead and create a thread and ask the question to all of MIA because chances are that question needs to be asked. 

Get to know people.  A good way of making it on a team is to just get to know people and make friends and let your actions on the field do the talking for you.  Remember that the guys playing airsoft are there to have fun so don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t make yourself out to be better than you really are.  Just follow the rules that have been set (like calling your hits) and you’ll be fine. 

Also remember that there is a certain tone of realism that we are trying to set here so don’t play airsoft the same way you would when you are playing paintball.  They are two completely different things and is like comparing apples and steak (I said steak for more contrast). 

Another good thing to know is airsoft has a lot to do about looks.  Pay attention to how you maintain and “design” your guns and your gear also keeping in mind the realism factor and you should do well.

Learn from mistakes made by others.  I could have used a guide like this because it would have saved me so much time and money.  I must have spent hundreds of dollars on really crappy guns and gear that I could have otherwise used to buy a TM or Classic Army.  I took the impractical and expensive route.

MIA etiquette for n00bs.

This is another thing that distinguishes the n00bs from the MIA veterans.  If you are new to this forum or to the SEMIA forum you have to understand that there are rules that you must follow if you want to continue being a member of either forum.  Just like in airsoft, if you want to play the game you have to play by the rules otherwise you will be removed.  If you are new, before you post anything be sure to read most if not all of topics with a sticky on it just like this:   These are stickied for a reason and you will find that these things will answer most of your questions as you are starting out.  Start with these:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rules&action=display&thread=8089
http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=newb&action=display&thread=7714
http://miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=r-n-r&action=display&thread=6786

Also be aware that there are certain rules to how you are supposed to post.  You have to use proper grammar, capitalization and spelling.  There is no chat or text speak allowed on MIA.  You might say that they allow that stuff in other forums but the response to that is “so what?”.  Other forums can do what they want but if you want to continue to post here you have to go by the standards that are set here.  Just keep in mind that your online personality often translates to how people view you at events.  If you post like you just learned English yesterday then when people see you on the field they will assume that you’re probably a little slow.  If you post like a n00b no matter how good you think you are on the field people will likely still consider you a n00b.  Also before you post, read the last page or two of the previous comments so that you get an idea of where the topic is going.  That way you don’t say anything that has already been said and your posts would actually contribute to the topic.

Welcome to Airsoft and to MIA.

With all that said, welcome to the sport and to MIA.  I hope that this will help you as you get started and that this will help you learn from the mistakes that I and others have made.  People here on MIA care about the advancement of the sport and if you are serious about getting involved in airsoft then MIA will be a great tool to help you get to where you need to be. Your transition into the sport of airsoft can be as easy or as difficult as you make it to be.  Good luck and see you on the field.

14
Newbie Discussion / Newbie FAQ (updated 10/29/08)
« on: March 11, 2015, 09:04:32 PM »
CREDIT goes to TEX for creating the original thread:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/18703/newbie-faq-updated-10-29

Newbie F.A.Q.
 

A little info on myself:
I've been into this wonderful sport of Airsoft since 2003, I dabbled into it a bit before hand with springers and the like for many years prior, but unlike most of the new airsofters, I don't consider that airsoft. I've made a couple thousand posts here and there on various forums but chose to primarily stick with my local Michigan Airsoft forum. Also over the time I started opening up gearboxes, and becoming a little better known for my ability to fix and upgrade replica's. Having spent year repairing and upgrading Airsoft replicas for nearly a decade, I have expanded my knowledge considerably and would like to share it with you. Over these past years honestly, the same new guys come on with the same questions…
"What gun is the best?"
"Which one should I get?"
"Gas or electric?"
"Do I need camouflage to play?"

I could go on and on and on with the frequently asked questions. I have found myself occasionally telling them to Google it or to look in the forums like 5 posts below their own since the question was already answered. And I tried directing them at some of the other FAQ's that I had found, but none of them seemed to do the trick. Thus, this FAQ was created.

Now hopefully this will answer most of those basic questions that I dread to read on the forums. However, I may be wrong in one of my statements and if so, PLEASE, correct me. This is just a compilation of things I have learned over the years both first hand and from others. I don't know everything about Airsoft there is to know, actually there are a few subjects I don't know very much about, but I have a firm understanding of all the basics, which will be included in this FAQ.

Any questions/comments/etc. please don't not hesitate to contact me at cgyarring@gmail.com

Thanks, and enjoy the read.
Caleb
a.k.a. Big Texas



 
 
 
 
 
 
**************Newbie FAQ************
Contents:

Preface – Why everyone should search the forums!!

Section 1 – AEGs
a. Basic Overview
b. High End AEGs
c. Low End (Clone) AEGs
d. AEPs
e. Upgrades

Section 2 – GBBs
a. Basic Overview
b. GBB/NBB
c. Gas Choices
d. Upgrades

Section 3 - Springers
a. Basic Overview
b. Spring Pistols
c. Stock Spring Replicas
d. Upgraded Spring Replicas

Section 4 – Accessories
a. Mock Supressors
b. Reddots
c. Scopes
d. Flashlights/Lasers
e. M203s

Section 5 – Gear
a. Eye Protection
b. Camouflage
c. Vests and Pouches
d. Holsters
e. Slings
f. Boots
g. Gloves

Section 6 – Events
a. How to Find Events
b. What to Bring
c. Event Etiquette
c. What Not to Do
 
 
Preface: Why everyone should search the forums![/u]
 
Possibly the most important thing you can do as a new and veteran player to this sport, is to utilize the search function in your various forums and on Google. Why you ask? Because honestly, the question you have was almost definitely asked before, the answer is out there, and all you have to do is look. We don't mind giving out the answers to obscure or even basic questions, but, when a question has been asked 5 times in the previous month, we tend to get a little aggravated, if not pissy when such a question is asked again.

The answer is out there! I promise you this. And why do I know it? Because, I've answered them all way too often. It may not be on this specific forum, but I can almost guarantee you that it is on another!

Now as time goes on, facts change. CA is no longer a poor choice for replica's as they have upped their QC significantly since the days of their infamous gear stripping. Systema's Red Polycarbonate piston still has major issues. Now, I didn't find these out first hand. I found these out by researching! There is so much information out there, and yes, it may take a while to find it, but you find out so many other things along the way while you read through the forums.

The difficult part, is judging whether or not the person who answered the question is full of crap, or outdated. Outdated is simple, if it's 3years old, there's a likeliness that something has changed, and you should find yourself a more recent answer. And always, try to find the same answer twice, if you do that you are much more likely to get the correct answer, rather than a 13yr old kid spouting off BS. Never trust a retailers website. What is written there is to sell their product, and not always factual.

All in all search; if the first one comes up with nothing, search again! But be less specific and use broader terms such as "kjw airsoft gbb", something quite broad but should give you information about that KJW P226 you saw some guy selling for cheap. And even if your question is not answered, I guarantee you will know a lot more than you did before if you read through all the results that closely match what you're looking for.

With that in mind, remember; search before you ask your question. Not only will others appreciate it, but you will become much more knowledgeable in the process.
 
 
Section One – AEG's
 
a.   Basic Overview

 
What is an AEG? An Automatic Electric Gun, or in laments terms an airsoft replica which is powered by a battery. An AEG consists of a few key parts the battery, the motor, the gearbox, the magazine, the hop up, the barrel and the body. Each piece working together in order for the replica to function properly. Typically, these replicas have the ability to fire on full auto, and are the primary weapon for at least 90% of those who play Airsoft.

How they work – Essentially, the battery sends power to the motor when the trigger is pulled, causing the motor to spin. The gear on the motor, then causes the 3 gears inside the gearbox to spin. These gears then cause the piston to pull back against the spring, drawing air into the cylinder. Once the piston is fully back, the gears release it, and it is pushed forward by the spring. This process quickly releases the air that was sucked into the cylinder through the small air nozzle. This air pushes the bb which is sitting directly in front of the air nozzle through the hop up and out the barrel.

Now, as with everything you can buy these days, there is a wide range of quality and with such, a wide price range. There are the originals, and cheaper Chinese clones of them. Yet, they are still all AEG's, this section will hopefully allow you to determine whether the AEG you are looking at is worth purchasing or not.
 
b.   High End AEG's
 
The most common high end AEG's on the market as of 2008 include: Tokyo Marui (TM), Classic Army (CA), I Chih Shivan (ICS), Guay & Guay (G&G), VFC, and STAR.

Note: Systema's are not normal AEG's they are in a category of their own as they use a higher lvl of technology in their replica's and are widely known as the best replica's on the market.

These AEGs are your best choice in terms of durability and quality. They are typically around $200 and up for their replicas many of these include metal bodies and all have high quality internals. The Tokyo Marui is hands down the best AEG on the market when it comes to longevity. A stock TM is known to easily last 5 years without problems (granted it is well taken care of), and I even know of several TM's upgraded with metal bushings and an PDI 150% spring that also lasted 5 years of continuous use with no break downs.

The Classic Army is a very popular choice especially for the Armalites which combines a metal body and nice Armalite trades with quality internal parts. ICS is known for it’s split gearbox design on the M4 series which has been hit or miss in terms of quality, getting better in recent times of course. G&G is making great steps towards being a top dog amongst other airsoft companies putting out some really high quality products at affordable prices.

All in all, if you pick up any of the high end AEG’s you will likely be happy with your purchase. Just remember, there are some models that each company puts out that have a lot of issues. Be sure to do your research before making an investment and purchasing any replica!

 
c.   Low End (Clone) AEG's
The most common low end AEG's on the market as of 2008 include: Echo1, JG, Dboys, A&K and Cyma.

These replicas are dubbed “clones” because they typically are a cheaper copy of a more expensive replica out on the market. Normally the company they choose to copy is Tokyo Marui. They are made in factories in which quality control is not as much of a concern, so not all their replicas are the same, some have a little too much grease, others too little, the same with the sizes of o-rings, strength of springs and amount of shims on the gears. What seems like small things that could easily be checked for actually save these companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Most of the clones have plastic bodies similar to that of a TM, however, they are much cheaper plastic and more prone to breaking. As for the clones with a metal body, they are made of extremely cheap, thin, pot metal, and you are far better off with the plastic bodied clones.

These replicas do come with a much lower price tag, typically for under $150 you can get a replica, battery, charger and high capacity magazine and get yourself out onto the field to play this awesome sport without spending too much money. However, you do not get the longevity that you would get from purchasing a high end AEG. More often than not I see younger people get into this sport with a clone, and quit just a few months later because their replica took a crap and they don’t feel it’s worth it to try to fix.

So be careful when you purchase a clone, research it thoroughly before you make your choice so that you get the best one on the market. For instance the JG G36c is an amazing clone and entirely worth purchasing if you like the G36 rifle. On the other hand the Dboy’s M4 is a worthless piece of scrap metal.
 
d.   AEPs

AEPs (Automatic Electric Pistols) are a new type of AEG available on the market today. These are similar to AEGs in that they use a battery as the main power source, but differ as they are much smaller, and use 4 gears in the gearbox as opposed to the typical 3.
Since the AEPs are so much smaller than AEGs they lack the FPS of their larger counterparts. A typical stock AEP will fire at about 220-230FPS at a decent rate of fire. They are very nice to use in the winter when gas replicas do not perform very well, and the ability for full auto is a nice touch. The downside to the AEP is that they lack the realism that a GBB does as the slide does not blow back at all.

There are a few upgrades you can do for durability, accuracy and power to your AEP, but the only one that I suggest is to upgrade your battery and barrel, all other internal upgrades have proven moderately useless. Perhaps increasing the spring power to get up to 265FPS is worth it, but on a pistol, range is not a big deal and I would suggest keeping it stock for longer life.

AEPs are very effective in close quarters and a very smart purchase for those who have winter months in which the typical gas blow back pistol is ineffective. I highly suggest AEPs to all airsofters, they are great investments!


e.   Upgrades

There are TONS of upgrades available for you AEG. There are some very quick, affordable upgrades, and then there are the extremely expensive ones that involve a complete gearbox rebuild. I will give you a brief overview of them, and divide them into two categories: External and Internal Upgrades.

The most common upgrade is the External upgrade. The most popular of which are silencers and optics. Others include metal bodies, custom stocks, RIS and RAS kits, Vertical Grips PEQ Boxes, etc. The list goes on and on. But the thing they all have in common is that they are outside of the replica and very quick, and easy to do by yourself. You by no means need to have any of these things professionally installed, other than the metal body which some people may have problems with. They external upgrades can be as cheap as $10 and can cost upwards of $1000 for full kits. There’s really a lot you can do to your replica and it is encouraged that you do so to make yours look different from the rest.

Internal Upgrades, my personal favorite, and expertise. The most common internal upgrade is the simple spring upgrade, which will instantly increase the FPS (feet per second) that your replica fires at. It is so common because it increases the range of your replica, something almost everyone wants to do. The down side to this is that it increase the stress on all the internal parts of your gearbox, leading to premature breaking of parts. In order to counter act that, most people add upgraded gears and pistons that are more durable, in order to keep their replica lasting for a long time. For those who have nylon bushings, upgrading to metal ones is a must, it will improve the life of your replica drastically.

For those who wish to upgrade to rather high FPS, many of the stock parts need to be replaced to ensure long life. The gears, piston, piston head and motor are the parts of main concern. The spring guide, cylinder head and gearbox shell are often upgraded as well, but not necessary unless extremely high FPS is being attempted (over 420fps).

The easiest and best upgrade you can get for your AEG is a tight bore barrel. It requires basic disassembly of your replica, and gives you a considerably improved performance. It will give you a slight increase in your FPS, and a considerable improvement to your accuracy. When you do upgrade to a tight bore it is suggested that you start using higher quality bb’s in order to prevent jams which sometimes occur with cheaper bb’s that sometimes have small burs on them.

The other extremely easy upgrade, for an AEG is a higher voltage battery. Now it won’t increase accuracy, durability or power of your replica. But it will increase your rate of fire, and if you get a higher mAh battery, it will make it last for more shots on each charge of the battery.

In closing, leaving a replica in its stock form is usually the best in order to keep it running for a long time. I typically only upgrade once one of my replica’s breaks and needs a part to be replaced, because, hey, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!




Section 2 – GBBs

a.   Basic Overview


What does GBB even stand for? “Gas Blow Back.” This is normally used when referring to pistols as GBB rifles are far and few between. These gas replica’s are the closest to the real steel counter parts that you can get because of the added realism of blow back that they have.

These are hands down the most common side arms in airsoft and are available for about $40 to $300 or more. Many of these come with metal slides and frames and sound amazingly like their real steel counter parts when the slide is racked.

How they work – The magazine is filled with gas and bb’s and inserted into the mag well. When the hammer is cocked back and the trigger is pulled a burst of gas exits the magazine and flows upward both propelling the bb forward and forcing the slide backwards (this also re-cocks the hammer). The slide then is pushed forward by the recoil spring, loading a bb into the chamber and is again ready to fire. That is the basic mechanics of how they work, and enough to give you a general grasp on how they function.

b. GBB/NBB

While GBBs are the most common of gas replicas, there are also some NBBs or “Non Blow Back” replicas on the market. These include a handful of pistols, shotguns, and long rifles. They use the gas in a much more efficient way simply using it to propel the bb forward and not having to use any to rack a slide back. These often have higher fps and get a lot more shots per magazine fill.
The downside to NBBs in terms of pistols is the lack of realism that they have in comparison to the GBB. They also tend to have a very heavy trigger pull. This is because on a NBB, it does not automatically re-cock the hammer with every shot so your trigger pull ends up cocking the hammer for you. The bolt action sniper rifles and shotguns that use gas however are very realistic, and extremely fun to use! The only downside is that they are not very reliable in cold weather.

c. Gas Choices

There are a few different options on the market for gas to use in order to fuel your GBB or NBB. The most common is Green Gas or Propane and they are the “middle” of the three power levels of gas on the market. You can buy these in ready to use Green Gas cans which have the adaptor on them to fill your magazines along with an added fragrance to cover up the smell of the gas. Propane is simply Green Gas without lubricant or scent added to it. It can be bought in just about any grocery store and at many gas stations. You will need to purchase a propane adapter as well as some 100% silicone in order to use it, but it is cheaper than green gas in the long run. You just need to remember to add silicone when filling up your magazines otherwise the seals will dry out and your magazines will no longer hold gas!

Next, is HFC134a and Duster Gas, these are the lower powered gas on the market. 134a gas can be purchased just like Green Gas in ready to use containers, which Duster gas is simply the compressed air you buy at Best Buy or Meijer for cleaning out computers. You will need an adapter in order to use the Duster Gas in an airsoft replica, silicone is also suggested!

Next, is red gas. It is rarely used and is the highest powered gas on the market. Very few GBB replica’s are reinforced enough to use it, and it is primarily used in sniper rifles and other NBB platforms.
The last, is C02, the same stuff used by paintballers. These are becoming slightly more popular because of how affordable the C02 NBB pistols are on the market. Unlike the other gases C02 can only be used in specific replicas because of how it is used in the magazines. A small non-reusable cartridge filled with C02 is inserted into the magazine and once the gas is depleted, the cartridge is thrown away. C02 is more powerful than Green Gas and Propane, yet still less powerful than Red gas.

d. Upgrades

There are a few common upgrades to the typical GBB. These include, tight bore barrels, metal frames and slides, as well as outer barrel and high-flow valves. Upgraded recoil and hammer springs as well as various other accessories like grips, mag wells, sights, silencers, tac lights. There are a large amount of options out there, and with each of the performance upgrades comes a side effect. For instance, high-flow valves increase the FPS output of your replica, but, use a lot more gas per shot. Metal slides will need an upgraded recoil spring, otherwise the recoil may become sluggish if it was intended to be used with a plastic slide.

Adding externals like a tactical light, and grips and the like will not alter the performance and once more are extremely suggested in order to make your replica custom and unique!

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