REALITY CHECK

Chinese Still Looking For Inspiration, Airsofters Go Nuts Asked For Suggestions

First important thing to announce is the fact that the Fenghuang FAL will be based on King Arms model - considering that they'd have to whittle the whole FAL front anew if they cloned the (hideous) CA SA58OSW and the STAR L1A1 is "off" due to being sized a wee bit differently ('cause it's a fucking incher), it's a good thing - while the L1A1 was used by four countries, Belgian FALs were used all over the fucking Africa by various "wild geese" mercenaries, not mentioning half of South America running around with it.

Second thing is the fact that the Chinese airsoft manufacturers are out of ideas again. And that says a really bad thing about their marketing departments - that they don't exist, and if they do, they're doing a piss-poor job. They can do a lot of things, some of them obvious, some not quite so, and the last (sic!) thing they should do is asking the airsofters an open-ended question. Why? Because some morons start spouting long lists of obscure guns they happened to see at Maxim Popenker's site (a pretty good guide to guns in itself - SecurityArms may have more models covered, but with not as much info), that turn a market survey into an endless wank fest. Did someone - ANYONE! - ask for the Chinese Winchester to be made? No. And what happened? People snapped up the first batch in less than 24 hours. If the Chinese ran out of ideas, I have three suggestions for them that should work:
a) copy something that is no longer made.
b) copy something that is already made and "debug" it by fixing its most common problems.
c) create something from scratch before others even think of it.
WE-Tech went the first way with their upcoming Browning HP - in addition, making it full-metal and reliable on propane (or so I suspect). And example of product made in the second way is the HFC M190 - they took a pretty mediocre gas pistol, slapped a rail on it, made it shoot reliably on propane and, as it proved over extended time, turned it into one of the most reliable guns on the market. The third one is pretty rare outside of Japan, but it happens - see the ARES Tavor for instance (or, way less spectacularly, the JLS Beretta Rx4). The next important thing is availability of source - that means, if there's any chance of getting your hands on the product to be copied or any blueprints, dimensions, technical drawings or the like of a real-steel weapon you plan to turn into an airsoft gun. The second case requires some imagination before investment - ie. a basic layout of the planned gun to check if you can fit standard airsoft parts (gearbox, battery, hop-up) inside - ie. if you can build the PPSh41 around a M14 gearbox.
And the last (and arguably most important) thing is the market viability - or, the answer to a simple question "Will it sell?". That one takes some time, as you have to trawl through various forums and discussion groups "testing the water": reading opinions, popular wishes, rumors, and stuff, and stuff. For instance, the market for World War 2 replicas features only German and US weapons, and not all of them, while Soviet and British ones (two major factions, for God's sake!) are completely overlooked. There's no PPSh. No Enfield rifle. One horridly overpriced, badly designed Mosin. One Sten that's out for, like, two weeks or so. And at least a good couple thousands of people around the world that would love to lay their hands on an airsoft replica of any of the four guns mentioned above. The "Enemy At The Gates" crowd. The "Call of Duty" crowd. Brits. Russians. Reenactors looking for inexpensive guns that look the part (Denix Tommygun costs over $200 here. And don't get me started on MGC model guns). If it's out, and it works, they'll buy it.

WALTISSIMO!!!

Or, How To Be Trendy In The Milsim Crowd

As I mentioned a couple of times earlier, Western airsoft is mainly about being up to date and up to style while posing for photos on which you look like you're on an assignment, fighting terrorists from the sinister Qaboom at-Turban organization somewhere in southeastern Turbanistan. Of course, if you feel even more milsim, you're going to black your face out of the photo, because, well, that's what real operators do. Or you look like a dope, one or the other. But the photo is only the final effect of being up to style - it's preceded by long and expensive preparations.

First and most important matter is the gun. Chinese clones are right out - you need absolutely the best and most real replica, for instance - Systema PTW. Why, yes, I do know it ain't worth shit, has shot consistency close to null and is horridly overpriced, but you're not going to actually shoot this thing, right? Oh, wait, you do. So, you want a G&P replica - heavy, with real markings, metal body, and things, and stuff. And, regardless of the manufacturer, it needs a shitload of sticklebrick. RIS rails, that is. What you also need is a nightvision aiming device, like the one actually used by the military - I doubt you're ever going to use it, unless you're ready to get mud on your Weesatch and spend the Saturday night patrolling some God-forgotten woods instead of getting a good night's sleep or partying, but it's your two grand (I doubt you're gonna spend much less on that one). Also, a fuck-off huge tactical light, the more mil-spec, the better. And a laser. Yes, laser is essential, especially if the dumb law in your country doesn't treat it as a verboten item (figure out WHOSE dumb law I have in mind, you have three guesses). Of course you're not going to use it, but it's cool to freak people out with a green dot (because red ones are demode), it also looks awesome on the photos in dusty places (sorry, you HAVE to get some dirt on your Weesatch to be trendy!). Vertical foregrip is also very important - no matter how you hold your weapon, it's ALWAYS better (read: more milsim) with a vertical grip. Also, you need a three-point sling, milspec one if possible. Two-point ones just aren't milsim enough. If you decided on a sidearm (why, of course, go for Western Arms, the fact that they're expensive should only assure you that they're reliable! And don't forget a metal body kit for it!), you need a holster, too. Get a milspec one, don't settle for less. Yes, of course I know there are knockoffs, but forget them - you don't want your gun badly scratched or jammed in that knockoff, right?

Next up, is the gear. Don't accept any substitutes - go for well-known brand names that supply the military. Original Crye Multicam uniforms are undoubtedly the paramount of milsim fashion, followed by issue ACU. If you decided to go as a PMC, 5.11 clothes are A MUST. Of course, you need to watch out for counterfeit items available for a suspiciously low price from shady EBay sellers - better to pay more and get the absolutely best than pay less and have it split in half over your ass during a photo op. Don't save on MOLLE vests either - why get a cheap, off-color knockoff sewn in some smelly garage in China, when you can get the real deal? They aren't illegal to own. They're just expensive, but remember - you pay for QUALITY! Also, communications gear - same rule applies here, don't buy knockoffs. They're cheap, and nasty, and definitely not milsim. And, also, cheap. If you know where to look, you can also get various little things real operators usually have on themselves - like, for example, plastic zip-cuffs. Of course you're not going to use them (or are you?), but they boost your cred. Considerably.

And finally, patches. It's a contested issue between two camps: the "Why, yes, of course, they're a part of MILITARY SIMULATION too!" camp, who are absolutely right, and "No way, kid, EARN those badges first!" crowd who are just jealous that you have all the fun while they have been kicked around by a psychopath in a Smokey Bear hat to get them. So, patches, to the max. You also need to know how to call them like the real operators would. The Special Forces emblem is an "Electric Butterknife". The 101st Airborne bird is a "Chokin' Chicken" or "Puking Buzzard". And the double "A" on 82nd Airborne stands for "Alcoholics Anonymous". Reading the list of real Army expressions should help you master the soldier-speak.

There. You know everything you need to be the quintessential milsimmer. Of course everyone will treat you like a pompous ass, and rightly so, but you shouldn't care and walk tall. Hooah!

A CHASE AFTER THE WILD GEESE

Chinese Looking For Inspiration, Airsofters Don't Know What To Expect

Things are getting interesting this summer, as rumors of Chinese airsoft manufacturers start their research on possible new models. One of them, a Sten submachine gun made by AGM, will be available shortly. What's more interesting are hazy things appearing on the horizon.

First is the planned FN FAL replica. For convenience's sake, let's call the manufacturer "Fenghuang" (which is a Chinese word for "phoenix"), as I have a suspicion that after the mind-numbing burnout caused by chucking out numerous M16 and/or AK variants people are less and less interested in, the FAL may be a rebirth for the company. The concept is clear: it WILL be a FAL. The realization, however, is less clear and people started asking around which of the three FAL models (King Arms FAL, Star L1A1, Classic Army SA58 OSW) is most reliable and most popular, and, what's more important, what are the differences between real-steel FAL variants, so that the production of different airsoft variants could be streamlined as much as possible (see - the M16 variants, based on the same "core" of V2 gearbox and M16A3 body. No Chinese manufacturer yet has made a M16A1 nor AR15 body and only JG bothered to make a M16A2 upper receiver). It's not laziness, but a matter of business viability - creating molds for one gun is an expense upwards of US$500,000 (if you ever have taken apart a decent airsoft gun, you know how many various little doodads, doohickeys and dunkydicks it has - and they have to be made somehow!), so the manufacturer first has to be sure that everything is correct, so even the geardos would be at least interested in a "properly looking" gun.

So much for the FAL. The other things are even more interesting - namely, a delegation of Chinese airsoft manufacturers visiting a museum of World War 2 weaponry in the UK. What for? Guess. I don't know what kinds of guns were in that museum, but considering the fact that we already have a MP40, K98, StG44 and Sten out, with MG42 stuck in the pipeline, one might predict some new designs that no-one dared to try before (or, tried and failed.) - with PPSh41 being the star of popular speculations (I mean, what the hell - M14 gearbox, Thompson hop-up, drum magazine. Dick simple, you just have to be sure that people will buy it.) and Lee-Enfield rifle coming second by a really narrow margin (I'm not surprised, though, as the news came out at Arnie's, a British forum). I wouldn't be surprised if they copied the VFC BAR1918 either, they just have to WANT to do it. And we have to hope that their idea won't get derailed by design screw-ups and ill-advised cost-cutting measures that effectively killed the JLS F2000. Chinese manufacturers have to see the need for innovation, even if it raises the costs - because if there was a "proper", decently made F2000 with correct selector and standard gearbox (it's not that hard, really!), I'd readily pay as much as $500 for it (that's how much the Ares TAR21 goes for, and TAR21 has an important price-raising feature in the red-dot/lasersight it's fitted with). Airsoft guns are luxury items, no matter how we look at it, and a lot of people are willing to pay more for better quality and innovative features.

Looking at that, I wonder what drives the ideas behind copying rare and peculiar guns like the JG Thundermaul and the recent Winchester 1892. Those two feel at home in Japan, where people collect airsoft guns because real firearms are forbidden (which also explains why companies like Tanaka and Marushin produce non-military and/or downright gimmicky guns - for collectors!) and rarely get out onto the international market (suffice to say, Poseidon Models, the company responsible for original design of the "Thundermaul", doesn't even ship their model kits abroad!), but in the West, people are more interested in military guns, due to the whole "milsim" crowd that likes to strike poses and occasionally get mud on their Weesatches. Collectors and people who enjoy twirling their SAAs or playing cops (or robbers) with .38 Detective Special replicas (not mentioning the folks who want to own an 8-inch M629 because Travis Bickle or Dirty Harry had one) are, sadly, a minority. To them, airsoft is all about the fun. They want to own the replicas not because they're used by some special forces from halfway around the world, but because of the grin factor or Rule of Cool. The 6-incher chromed Beretta Cutlass from KSC was made for the Rule of Cool, only because Revy, the badass female protagonist of "Black Lagoon" anime uses it (akimbo, no less!). Same goes for the limited edition Resident Evil guns from Marui and Tanaka. I wonder if the Chinese manufacturers will risk catering to this minority on a larger scale or not.

CHINESE WINCHESTER 1892 RIFLE - DO WANT!

NEW SCOOP FROM AGM

Armalite, Armalite, Armalite, and a... MEIN GOTT!!!

Here we go: some photos of new toys from AGM. Including the one everybody waited for the most: Sturmgewehr 44! I won't bother you no more, here's the HK416, some Armalites with lots of sticklebrick and StG44.

OH BOYI OH BOYI OH BOYI...

And Some JG Too.

So, here are the promised pics (sorry, had a crazy weekend, couldn't get'em faster). Here they are: Boyi SR16, KAC PDW, SCAR-H and EGLM, no watermarks except mine, since there's this one guy who steals my info and posts them as his own, along with the photos. Enough to say he snatched my red herring word for word a few months back.
The offerings from JG aren't that tasty, but nonetheless interesting. At least their new model of Howa Type 89 is. Maybe they'll fit it with a MOSFET in the future, but now it's not a very hot item. Interesting, well, yeah, but not something people would start killing each other over.

Yes, those AKs do have blowback. And I don't know what for, either.

CHINESE STEEEEEEL!!!

Cue The Rob Halford Voice, Boyi Gets Back In Gear!

So, since the winter is really harsh in some places lately, Boyi went along and is preparing the first batch of steel-bodied AKS74 (RK-02) and AK105 (RK-08). Both original Soviet AKMS (RK-10) and Romanian AIMS (RK-15) are on their way, but with no clear release date. As for the other, more democratic weapons, both HK416 and M16A4 should appear in two weeks, but that's nothing - Boyi has begun working on a replica of (cover your eyes!) Knight Armament Corp. PDW. In my country, KAC means "HANGOVER", which ideally describes the weapon in question. It surely was designed by someone heavily hungover.
Well, that's all for today, more info in two weeks or so.

....

EDITORIAL

GRIN FACTOR

Odd Thoughts About Gun Picks

The selection of a "right" airsoft replica depends on many factors. People consider manufacturer, size, ergonomics, magazine type, compatibility with loadout... And some people also think about the "grin factor".
The grin factor is, in the basic terms, the fun of owning, holding and/or shooting the replica, no matter how heavy, fault-prone or useless it is. For example, let's take the KSC (or other brand) Ingram M11A1 GBB. It's inaccurate (I couldn't hit a 8"x8" box from seven feet!), has fragile stock internals (plastic bolt carrier that breaks after hitting rear of the body a couple thousand times) and needs more lube than a gaybar darkroom - but when you shoot it, the grin factor kicks in. Why? Because this tiny bugger is a BULLET HOSE. It barks out 50 BBs in two seconds and a half, making it a pocket equivalent of MG42, also known as the "Hitler's Buzzsaw". If you happen to dual wield those ghetto blasters, don't be surprised if your opponents tend to avoid you.
Another gun with a high grin factor is the Wa Shan Mad Max shotgun. Basically, it's a miniature airsoft grenade launcher - two shells filled with BBs (seven each, if I remember correctly) don't give much tactical opportunity, but if you're a desperado or some other kind of show-off, you can try to take out an opponent or two. Plus, it's full metal with wooden furniture and looks cool.
When it comes to support guns, M249 is kind of bland. Yes, it's big, yes, it has a huge magazine, but not much apart from that. The king of bling in this category, regardless and maybe even contrary to reality, is the M60. Why? It's the Rambo gun, for god's sake! Yes, it's huge. Yes, the real deal was a failure. But Hollywood is never wrong and when you have the possibility of going Animal Mother on your opponents, you just do so - for the grin factor.
Desert Eagle is unwieldy as fuck. Even I have trouble holding it comfortably and I'm no girly-handed midget. The undeniable benefit airsoft versions have over the real steel is the fact that even with metal kit, the Eagle weighs less than four pounds - but it's still a pain in the ass to hold with its large grip and absurd size (it's nearly a foot long, mind you!). Anyway, Hollywood is never wrong (see above) and with numerous examples of utterly pimp-tastic chromed and gold-plated Desert Eagles, it's hard not to grin if you have one. Adding the fact that Tokyo Marui "Hard Kick" model is still the most popular and its strong, loud blowback is one of the reasons for it, the Desert Eagle is definitely a high grin factor gun.
Those are the obvious "grin factor" guns. Apart from those, there are also others, either linked to some sort of fad inspired by anime, movies or video games (F2000, Springfield Operator, gilded M1911s, Masamune Shirow-inspired "Thunder Maul" carbine) or just having some grin-inducing construction features (i.e. the blowback of Tanaka/KJW USP series or "criminally" awesome Cassiopeia shell-loading system in Tanaka SAA). And no matter what people say - no-one can steal your grin!

THE CURSE HAS BEEN BROKEN!

Blaaaaack is the wind...Ahem! Ahem! Ahem!

So, no more Curse of the Snake now. I have a nice STABO rig that had to be assembled all over the world - webbing from California, rings and carabiners from the UK, sewn by a local tailor (living somewhere in the south of Poland) using schematics from Japan. Wheesh. No photos yet, I have to get my camera back. Or buy a new one.

CURSE OF THE SNAKE

Or How I Decided To Get A Cheaply Made STABO Rig... And How The Universe Turned Against Me

Today's Top Gearbox is a wee bit different. Instead of choking the shit out of my new KJW USP Tactical (which, on a side note, is doing fine), I'm gonna talk gear. More exactly: a STABO Rig - rare as rocking horse shit, hard to find a repro and absolutely necessary for the right impression of Naked Snake. Yeah. Naked fucking Snake. I have the hair, I have the voice, I nearly have the uniform. What I need is a decked-out M56 or LC1 belt (Davis wire buckle a must) and a STABO for a good start.
I managed to find a guy who would put it together for me cheaply - if I sourced the materials, of course. My girlfriend (not anymore, fuckdammit!) reportedly got the materials and reportedly sewn the harness herself - of course, it was all real like a nuclear strike against fucking Saudi Arabia. So, suddenly, I was on my own. Like a real Legendary Soldier. So, I had a contact to US-based shop that, as I soon found out, was all fucking out of two important pieces of stuff: black v-rings and silver snap hooks, so I couldn't put a harness together until mid August. What's worse, it was selling the necessary webbing for over 100 bucks a 100-yard roll, which was waaay above my needs - all of that rounded up equals one real nasty case of a Curse of the Snake. Soddin' buggeryfuck.
I started frantically searching everywhere. The first part - hefty 70 feet of webbing, just enough to make two harnesses, for me and my good friend Scotty Killingsworth - cost me 75 bucks shipped, which is an equivalent of an arm, a leg and a kidney, but if you split the costs, it's $37.50 for each one of us - which still leaves over 120 bucks for snap hooks, v-rings, adjusters and other minor shit like work fees and small but important amounts of 1" webbing (we set ourselves a goal not to go over $100 on a single rig). Locating an UK-based company dealing in aforementioned hardware seems to be another sign of breaking the curse - if only they can be arsed (as the limeys say) to ship my wee little order to Central Europe, where I can pack it up along with the just-ordered webbing and toss it all at the tailor.