Airsoft Action - May 2023

WE STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE 

ISSUE 149 - MAY 2023 

ISSN 2634-9515

CONTENTS 

8 ARMOURY: JW4 PIT VIPER 

You’d have to be deaf not to have heard the hissed whispers about 

out headline replica this month! We’re pleased and proud to have 

had access to the TT PIT VIPER - the very special movie-inspired 

handgun made especially for JOHN WICK 4 - for a while now so 

that we can talk about it from a position of knowledge based on 

range-use… and oh boy, what fun this hefty hand-cannon is! 

WE STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE 

ISSUE 149 - MAY 2023 

ISSN 2634-9515 

18 ARMOURY: ARES X AMOEBA AR308 

Over the course of the past few years Bill has become a true 

devotee of the “DMR”, building and shooting his own for fun as 

well as in-game, and he’s therefore delighted when a new model 

hits the market! At IWA he got together with the team from 

iWholesales who presented the latest offering from the ARES 

AMOEBA line, and now he’s had one on the range! 

Editorial Director: Bill Thomas 

Deputy Editor (Asia): Stu Mortimer 

Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing 

Ad Design: Deadshot Design 

Publisher: Calibre Publishing 

Web: www.airsoftaction.net 

©Calibre Publishing Limited 2023 

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted 

in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording or otherwise without the 

express permission of the publisher in writing. The 

opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those 

of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit 

submissions prior to publication. 

FIND US ON… 

24 ARMOURY: SPECNA ARMS X SERIES 

At IWA 23 we spent some quality time with the guys from SPECNA 

ARMS (SA) discussing a number of “skunkworks” projects that 

will become fact as this year progresses! One of the things that we 

most wanted to talk about though was the new X SERIES AEGS, 

and thanks to AA LEGIONNAIRE and SA AMBASSADOR Elvis, we 

can now provide the lowdown; Bill sets the scene… 

LETTER, IDEA OR 

QUESTION? 

Got something to say? A question for our 

experts? An article or article idea? 

Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the 

Editorial Director: bill@airsoft-action.co.uk, or talk to 

us on Twitter or Facebook. 

32 ARMOURY: ROSSI AIRSOFT PROFILE 

At IWA Bill had a great meeting with the team from Rossi Airsoft! 

Rossi are a brand that are extremely well-known in their home 

country of Brazil, and they have been marching forward steadily 

throughout European player communities, but what makes them 

special in an already well-subscribed market, and what is their 

remit for the future?

Contents 

MAY 2023 

38 KIT & GEAR: STOIRM CLOTHING 

Are you setting up for your summer 

airsoft adventures? Does the 

“contractor” look do it for you? If 

the answer to both these questions is 

“YES” then you’re going to want to 

read on as our “gear guru” Bill delves 

into a new clothing and equipment 

brand, STOIRM, whose kit seems 

pretty much tailor-made for airsoft! 

68 AA LEGION: PORTUGAL 

Some games that we attend are truly 

special, and whilst they are not all as 

large as OP KIA II – GOLD LORDS”, 

players everywhere are one as they 

remember the players that are no 

longer with us. Miguel reports back 

on an ANA APD-run game that pays 

homage to players past with a true 

military feel! 

44 THE CAGE: MILSIM 

Over the last couple of months we’ve 

been looking in detail at the personal 

gear used by the AA LEGIONNAIRES 

and slowly building up a picture of 

exactly what they use, and why they 

use it. This time we up the ante again 

from equipment that you may need 

for a simple “overnighter” to that 

which is useful when you start talking 

about those rare, but much-loved, 

multi-day scenarios! 

76 AA LEGION: TAIWAN 

At Airsoft Action we largely 

endeavour to steer clear of all things 

“politic”; however, we believe that 

you’d have to be deaf and blind not 

to see the undercurrent of threat 

towards Taiwan right now, and 

Stewbacca has been right at the 

heart of some of the “mainstream 

coverage” of preparedness training as 

“Airsoft Central” gets serious and we 

put our “serious head on” to look at 

what this means. 

48 RED CELL: 1911 UPDATE 

Back in Issue 119 (that’s TWO AND 

A HALF YEARS ago!) we kicked off a 

testing program in Airsoft Action the 

like of which had not, to the best of 

our knowledge, been seen before! We 

decided as a team that we were fed 

up with seeing reports and reviews 

of airsoft platforms “from the box”, 

all gleaming and new, that then 

disappeared as newer, shinier things 

appeared. 

84 AA LEGION: HONG KONG 

Larri is back with us this month to 

report on the latest developments 

in the “HK Scene”, and this time he 

takes us all on a journey to a site that 

was founded by a group of airsoft 

players that promises to make airsoft 

great again by offering a venue for 

the most passionate CQB players out 

there! 

56 KIT & GEAR: LAYLAX HOLSTER 

As someone who’s spent a large 

proportion of his entire “airsoft 

career” firmly behind a pistol, as well 

as being a notorious destructive tester 

and general klutz, who better to 

put a pistol holster through its paces 

than Stewbacca? After extensive field 

tests in various gaming environments 

and loadouts, Stewbacca brings 

us his thoughts on a somewhat 

unconventional but excellent product. 

88 AA LEGION: TAIWAN/ 

PHILIPPINES 

Following on from his introductory 

article about “Military” Anny Wu 

in Issue No. 148 April 2023, Stu sat 

down with her again to discuss her 

recent return to live-fire training in the 

Philippines, having been waiting with 

an ever itchier trigger finger to once 

again feel muzzle blasts and smell 

freshly spent powder! 

62 TECHNICAL: PDIK GEN3 

Jimmy continues his journey into 

the mystical world of HPA engines, 

and demystifies it as he goes along! 

To many of us HPA is just “another 

thing” but this time Jimmy looks at 

the results, consistency and reliability 

that are achievable with the Mancraft 

PDIK GEN3 when it comes to putting 

together a superior DMR! 

96 RELOADED: MODIFY PP2K 

Having initially covered the Modify 

PP2K GBB/PDW in his initial armoury 

article in Airsoft Action issue No. 

123 (March 2021) how has it fared 

since? With nearly two and a half 

years of service under its belt and 

some additions and upgrades, 

Stewbacca enlightens us on the 

progress of his testing regimen, and 

the in-game performance and other 

player’s reactions to the Russian’s MP7 

contender. 

PHOTO COURTESY KRIOS PHOTOGRAPHY

Facebook (Global): 

ICSBBAirsoft 

Twitter (Global): 

icsbbairsoft 

Youtube: 

ICS AIRSOFT 

Instagram: 

icsbbairsoft

ARMOURY 

JW4 PIT VIPER/SAND VIPER 

BE WICK-ED: 

THE NEXT CHAPTER! 

OKAY, WE BELIEVE YOU’D HAVE TO BE DEAF NOT TO HAVE HEARD THE HISSED WHISPERS ABOUT 

OUR HEADLINE REPLICA THIS MONTH! WE’RE PLEASED AND PROUD TO HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THE 

TT PIT VIPER - THE VERY SPECIAL MOVIE-INSPIRED HANDGUN MADE ESPECIALLY FOR JOHN WICK 4 

FOR A WHILE NOW SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT FROM A POSITION OF KNOWLEDGE BASED ON 

RANGE-USE… AND OH BOY, WHAT FUN THIS HEFTY HAND-CANNON IS! 

8 

MAY 2023

ARMOURY 

JW4 PIT VIPER/SAND JW4 PIT VIPER 

www.airsoftaction.net 9

ARMOURY 


I 

don’t believe I’ve ever come across a movie 

franchise that excites players from virtually every 

aspect of airsoft more than that of “John Wick”, 

and have we been waiting for “Chapter 4” or what? 

I do believe that pretty much every airsofter I know 

has been revved up about this latest instalment, 

especially given that Mr Wick inevitably has a few new 

favourite toys of his own to play with in every new 

movie! 

The relationship between Taran Butler of Taran 

Tactical Innovations and Keanu Reeves and his 

armourer seems to be a match made in heaven, and 

each new blockbuster appears to drive the real steel 

world onwards when it comes to firearms design! 

Okay, it’s the Pit Viper that we’re talking about here 

but a lot of the heavy lifting was done by the Sand 

Viper before anyone really knew about the new movie 

gun! 

With an asking price of nigh on US$7,000 and a 

waiting list of 20-30 Weeks, the TT website tells me 

that... 

“The Sand Viper was designed to be the ultimate 

2gun/3gun pistol. This firearm runs flawlessly with any 

factory or handloaded ammunition. With its extremely 

flat shooting compensator and low bore axis optic cut, 

point of aim will be nearly dead on at every distance 

from 5 yards to 50! This gun is already the sickest 

serpent on the planet holding the overall win at the 

USPSA 2gun nationals.” 

Now that’s one hell of a starting point, right? 

RIGHT! 

Building on the success of the Sand Viper, the Pit 

Viper spiel goes along the lines of (and I quote directly, 

you couldn’t make this shizzle up!): 

“Taran was called upon once again to create the 

ultimate pistol to help John, quite simply put, kill them 

all. The Pit Viper was created specifically for JW4, to 

be the apex fighting pistol. Not only is this gun poised 

to take the crown for the most badass handgun in 

Hollywood history, Taran sent it (incognito) to take the 

overall title at the first ever USPSA 2-Gun Nationals 

in 2021. The Pit Viper was designed before the Sand 

Viper, but had to wait in the shadows to strike until 

now. The Pit Viper let its sister take the limelight— 

which completely set the industry on fire with no 

Hollywood movie behind her... (yet)” 

“TARAN WAS CALLED UPON ONCE AGAIN TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE PISTOL TO HELP 

JOHN, QUITE SIMPLY PUT, KILL THEM ALL. THE PIT VIPER WAS CREATED SPECIFICALLY 

FOR JW4, TO BE THE APEX FIGHTING PISTOL ...THE MOST BADASS HANDGUN IN 

HOLLYWOOD HISTORY” 

10 


ARMOURY 


Again, with an asking price of nearly US$7K for 

the real deal, and for a pistol that’s not actually due 

to ship to customers until September this year, the 

replica of the hand-cannon that is the TTI PIT VIPER 

has already caused quite a stir in airsoft circles, and 

I’ve already seen conversations come up in relation 

to “whose Pit Viper will be bestest”… a LOT of 

conversations… all over the world… still ongoing… 

All I can tell you is that I’ve spent some loving 

quality time now with the “Jag Precision x Taran 

Tactical International Licensed JW4 Pit Viper” (jeez, 

let’s just call it The Pit Viper and be done with it!) and 

I can kinda see why this is a pistol that Mr Wick would 

be all over! 

IT’S A LOVE THANG! 

So as we’ve established the TTI JW4 Pit Viper is a highperformance 

pistol made by Taran Tactical Innovations, 

and it’s one of the new firearm stars of John Wick 4. 

The pistol that I’ve had the sheer delight of testing is 

the one made by Army Armament in cooperation with 

Jag Precision, and having had some really good pistols 

from Army Armament in my hands over the past few 

years I had high expectations for a pistol that would 

carry so much emotional baggage for so many fans. 

I’m pleased to report that after numerous range 

sessions, both on the short 10m range, and up in the 

woods on the 30m range I. LOVE. THIS. PISTOL! 

Okay, I’m an unashamed “JW Fanboi”, but the 

fact is that this is possibly the best GBB pistol that 

Army Armament has put together to date; combined 

with the obvious provenance that immediately makes 

you want to own a Pit Viper, the fact is that it sports 

a durable aluminium-alloy frame, CNC machined 

aluminium slide, and an alloy barrel so it feels solid 

as a rock in your hands. The use of alloys throughout 

gives it a lovely weight (1057g mag in) and feel, 

whilst the ergonomic design copied from the real deal 

(the location of the TTI-inspired slide-lightening cuts 

help the slide cycle faster) means that everything sits 

properly centred for ease of manipulation. 

The “Full Wrap Stipple” that appears on the real 

TTI pistol is also neatly replicated on the replica, and 

this comfortable textured grip provides a really secure 

hold; nobody will be taking this from JW’s hands, I 

“I’M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AFTER NUMEROUS RANGE SESSIONS, BOTH ON 

THE SHORT 10M RANGE, AND UP IN THE WOODS ON THE 30M RANGE I. LOVE. THIS. 

PISTOL!” 


ARMOURY 


“I KNOW IT’S NOT A REAL FIREARM BUT THE PIT VIPER MAKES ME IMAGINE, JUST 

FOR A MOMENT, THAT I HAVE THE REAL THING IN MY HANDS AND THAT THE HIGH 

TABLE BETTER WATCH OUT FOR ME WHEN I COME A CALLIN’…” 

12 

MAY 2023 

IMAGE FROM PUBLIC DOMAIN SOURCE

ARMOURY 


can tell you, and the reproduction of the TTI Carry 

Magwell just adds to that ease of retention! It’s said 

that the Pit Viper has been designed with both rightand 

left-handed shooters in mind, and although I’m a 

dominant-righty it does feel surprisingly good offhand 

too; it comes equipped with a fibre optic front 

sight and Taran’s signature “Ghost Profile” shrouded 

rear adjustable sight just like the real deal, and this 

provides ease of target acquisition and precise aiming 

with both eyes. 

Other features that I adore are the oversized mag 

release, and the big old beavertail that looks just like 

the “Ultimate Ergonomic Beavertail” fitted to the real 

thing. The bronzed accents to the outer barrel and 

hammer also sing to me, and the fact that I can still 

fit my X300 should I wish to is simply a great practical 

benefit. While I’m mentioning the barrel let’s not 

forget that the Pit Viper benefits from a non-tilting 

barrel design which ensures smooth cycling regardless 

of the compensator or barrel extension mounted to 

the end (the internal mock compensator barrel is 

11mm threaded for adapters). 

RANGETIME AT THE CONTINENTAL 

Now we’ve had a TTI Combat Master in our Red Cell 

pool for a while, and I have to say that it’s a FUN pistol 

in all ways (we’ll come back to that model in our 

“others” in due course), fun to shoot and fun to own 

too! The Pit Viper just moves this on in complete lockstep 

with the new movie, and I can see that it’s going 

to become a favourite with many for lots of reasons! 

Obviously it’s a gas blowback system, and one that 

gives a creditable amount of felt recoil. It also goes 

off with a properly good “crack”, and even dropping 

the slide on this bad boy makes you smile as it rams 

into place snappily and with real intent (okay, it’s the 

little things that make me happy right enough!). Add 

to that it just looks darn good with its V2 Black DLC 

coating which gives it a high gloss black finish, and all 

the right trades in all the right places (as far as I can 

see), and you have a potential winner in your hands! 

But would JW be getting out of Dodge (or indeed 

simply the Bowery, but no spoilers here!) with a Pit 

Viper in his hand? Perhaps I should rephrase that… of 

course our dear Mr Wick wouldn’t be using an airsoft 

pistol (although I’m certain Keanu would love one!), 

so does the 6mm Pit Viper have some fangs for use in 

game? 

Now I mentioned earlier that I’d tried the Pit Viper 

on both the 10m and 30m ranges (but very sadly not 

on the range at The Continental), and there’s good 

reason for that; the sample I had was kicking out a 

solid, spot-on 1.00 Joule/ 329fps on a .20g BB and 

the precise hop-up system was able to handle a .30g 

from the get go! On the 10m range it was physically 

moving the steels back with each and every shot 

(something that only usually happens with an AEG or 

GBBR!) so I knew it had some “go”. Moving up to the 

woods the Pit Viper was sending .28g BBs happily to 

the 30m extent, and I was actually hitting the target 

most of the time too! This thing rocks, in all the very 

best ways! 

So, what we have in the “Jag Precision x Taran 

Tactical International Licensed JW4 Pit Viper” is 

an airsoft pistol that can proudly stand up and be 

compared favourably to the performance firearm it 

replicates; okay I KNOW it’s not a real firearm but the 

Pit Viper makes me imagine, just for a moment, that 

I have the real thing in my hands and that The High 

Table better watch out for me when I come a callin’… 

alright, let me dump my little fantasy (Pop! There it 

goes, right there…) and say simply that the Pit Viper 

makes me smile… A LOT… and that’s a rare thing 

indeed when it comes to me and most run-of-the-mill 

airsoft pistols! 

Dare I compare the Pit Viper to my other GBB 

pistols? Not really as it’s pretty one-of-a-kind, although 

it stacks up incredibly well against all my favourites in 

both performance and sheer good looks. It’s very well 

made with high-quality construction throughout, it 

has a super weight and supremely balanced feel, and 

it offers both consistent power and, so far, reliable 

operation. Given its licenced replication the Pit Viper 

has some unique features and functions that provides 

things that other airsoft pistols don’t, and I am 100% 

certain that just because of what it is it will bring great 

joy (and a big smile like mine!) to airsofters all over 

the world. 

Now someone please make an airsoft version of the 

TTI Dracarys Gen-12 and I’ll be a VERY happy man! 

My heartfelt thanks go to the guys at www. 

iwholesales.co.uk for letting me get “hands-on” with 

the Pit Viper and Sand Viper at such an early stage; 

for more information on their entire range of “John 

Wick” replicas and their availability simply head on 

over to their website! AA 


ARMOURY 


14 


ARMOURY 



ARMOURY 

ARES X AMOEBA AR308 

BACKGROUND IMAGE FROM PUBLIC DOMAIN 

GOING LONG! 

18 


ARMOURY 


OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FEW YEARS BILL HAS BECOME A TRUE DEVOTEE OF THE “DMR”, 

BUILDING AND SHOOTING HIS OWN FOR FUN AS WELL AS IN-GAME, AND HE’S THEREFORE 

DELIGHTED WHEN A NEW MODEL HITS THE MARKET! AT IWA HE GOT TOGETHER WITH THE TEAM 

FROM IWHOLESALES WHO PRESENTED THE LATEST OFFERING FROM THE ARES AMOEBA LINE, AND 

NOW HE’S HAD ONE ON THE RANGE! 


ARMOURY 


The concept of “The Dedicated 

Marksman” in airsoft is one 

that constantly fascinates me, 

and the key word in my mind in 

that description is “marksman”. As a 

military designation “marksman” has a very precise 

meaning, but you could simply describe one as 

being someone who is skilled in precision shooting, 

a person who is able to hit a “mark” time and again 

without deviation in all settings and conditions. 

A marksman is not a sniper, although you 

could describe any sniper as being a marksman! A 

“designated marksman” is a shooter that carries a 

platform with greater capability than that carried by 

squad members and is able to use it effectively, say a 

7.62mm rifle over a 5.56mm carbine. But things can 

still be clouded in “definitive terms” as any US Marine 

is trained to marksman standard and they use at 

squad level the M27 IAR which is 5.56mm… 

So, where does this leave us in airsoft terms? 

Let me put it this way… as I get older I crave more 

unique and different experiences, and where once 

just getting out and shooting little balls of plastic at 

my mates both old and new in the woods captured 

my imagination and set my pulse racing, I find myself 

wanting “more” these days… more from games and 

scenarios, more from my personal preparation and 

fitness, and definitely more from the AEGs and GBBs 

that I play with, and it’s a litany that I hear repeated by 

many “veteran airsofters”, those that have stuck with 

our game for more than the usual two/five/five-plus 

year churn. 

There are many of us that desire development 

within 

airsoft, 

not just in 

relation to 

the platforms 

we use in-game, 

but more when 

it comes to what the game, and 

game organisers/site-ops, offer 

us. We vote with our feet and our wallets, searching 

out unique airsoft experiences such as battlesims 

and milsims, historical and themed games, and very 

special places to play; indeed my airsoft journey has 

carried me to other countries and to playing in some 

wonderfully unusual places, and memories are made 

from this! 

But I still want more… 

In a local pick-up skirmish game the “old but still 

bold” will not be at the front of the pack “door 

kicking”; nope, we’ll be more sedately bringing up the 

rear, checking the flanks, and setting up overwatch 

positions so that you young bucks can keep 

respawning and crashing headlong into battle! We’ll 

have platform setups that are designed for range and 

accuracy over “spray and pray”, platforms that we’ve 

toiled with long and hard both in the workshop and 

on the range to get our BBs hitting exactly where we 

want them! 

And this is where I return to that word, 

“marksman”, as in essence this is where a lot of us 

who’ve played for a while end up, and we inevitably 

end up with an AEG or GBB that fulfils this role. 

“A MARKSMAN IS NOT A SNIPER, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD DESCRIBE ANY SNIPER AS 

BEING A MARKSMAN! A “DESIGNATED MARKSMAN” IS A SHOOTER THAT CARRIES A 

PLATFORM WITH GREATER CAPABILITY THAN THAT CARRIED BY SQUAD MEMBERS 

AND IS ABLE TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY, SAY A 7.62MM RIFLE OVER A 5.56MM CARBINE” 

20 


ARMOURY 


We’re not per se 

interested in a manic 

ROF, but we are interested in trigger response. Hi cap 

mags and drums we can take or leave, what we’re 

after is magazines that feed 100% unerringly. Optics, 

again yay and nay… they’re lovely and make you rifle 

LOOK cool, but truth be told the longest hit I ever 

achieved (a touch over 100m on a moving target with 

my WE SVD GBBR!) was with the standard “irons”; 

understanding your rifle, maintaining it scrupulously 

and having it perform flawlessly time and again is THE 

THING. 

So, as much as I own a few “marksman” rifles 

these days, both gas and electric, I am always 

searching for something unique and different, 

something that touches my heart and makes me 

want to simply go out and shoot; when I first saw the 

latest ARES X AMOEBA AR308 models at iWholesales 

I definitely got a little tingle, and immediately knew 

that I had to get one out on the range! 

SHINY THING! 

Okay, we all love shiny things, don’t we, and the 

first thing that struck me was the finish of the 

ARES as it’s a really, REALLY smart-looking “SF 

Bronze”! The finish is deep and lustrous and 

100% uniform throughout… honestly, to me, 

it looks absolutely perfect. This main colour 

that encompasses the receiver set and M-LOK 

rail system is offset with black accessories, 

and it looks THE BOMB! The accessories 

included with the base rifle are simple 

yet attractive, with the excellent 

ergonomic pistol/high-torque motor 

grip we’ve seen from ARES before and 

the magpul-esque ARES PRO stock; I actually really 

like this design as it’s both easy to adjust and provides 

straightforward battery access. In addition you t some 

high-quality 

metal “irons” as standard, ad a striking steel muzzle 

brake that is fully compatible with the ARES AR-308 

QD Suppressor (more on this later!) but do note that 

the threading for the brake is 14mm CW rather than 

the more usual CCW. 

Overall the fit and finish of everything is 

impeccable; this truly is what I would refer to as 

a thoroughly modern “.308 AR” in every respect 

and the attention to detail from ARES is once again 

stunning, right down to the mock yet highly-detailed 

gas block hidden away inside the rail! There are three 

lengths of this rifle available, all with the same basic 

setup but with different length barrels and rail; you 

can choose between the full-length (long) with a 

14.5 inch rail, 12 inch (medium), or 9 inch (short) wit 

corresponding outer and inner barrels. All the rails are 

M-LOK style and beautifully finished, and the short 

variant also gets the ARES PRO Brace Stock” to keep 

the package neat and tidy. 

The control setup on all three models is extremely 

functional too though, and anyone that is familiar 

with an AR-style will feel immediately comfortable 

when it comes to the control interface as the fire 

selector, bolt release catch 

and magazine 

release are all ambidextrous 

“AND THE FIRST THING THAT STRUCK ME WAS THE FINISH OF THE ARES AS IT’S A 

REALLY, REALLY SMART-LOOKING “SF BRONZE”! THE FINISH IS DEEP AND LUSTROUS 

AND 100% UNIFORM THROUGHOUT… HONESTLY, TO ME, IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY 

PERFECT” 


ARMOURY 


and “AR-standard. The magazine release is also ambi 

with a pretty standard release on the left with a 

“Knights-style” paddle on the right. The fire selector 

features the standard S-F-A settings, but with an 

extremely positive 90 degree throw between them; if 

you intend to turn this fully to a semi-auto DMR with 

a physically obvious auto-cut-off pin there is already a 

raised “bump” at 90 which will let you position this 

correctly. 

But the new rifle of course benefits internally from 

the programmable ARES EFCS system which I like and 

have written about before, and here with a potential 

semi-only DMR setup it really comes into its own! Yes, 

you may wish to create an obvious external semi-only 

cut-off, and although this makes things very obvious 

for marshals at chrono it does mean drilling into the 

lower receiver carefully to position it… definitely a job 

for your local tech! However, you do have the choice 

to lock the AEG to semi using an ARES programmer 

if you don’t want to permanently change the rifle, 

and this may be a positive to you if you wish it to be 

your “one and only” and change out functions via the 

EFCS and power levels for different games using the 

quick-change spring function. 

So, all in all this is one exceptionally tidy package 

from ARES, and kicks their modern AEG series pretty 

much up to the level of finish that I’ve seen recently 

on their stunning historical models! I had the medium 

length rifle to test, and although shorter than I would 

usually pick for a DMR it puts me very much in mind 

of my old custom “MC51 SD” that served me well for 

many, many games; okay, this is a far more modern 

take on the shortened “.308/7.62mm” rifle than my 

trusted old campaigner, but with AR muscle-memory 

in place it felt immediately comfortable and intuitive 

to use and manipulate. 

DOWNRANGE 

I fitted the rifle with my usual testing optic for this 

style, a QD 1.1-4x25E MilDot, popped on some 

lo-profile M-LOK rail covers at the mid-rail-point for 

comfort of manipulation and retention, although in 

this instance I stopped short of adding a Harris-style 

bipod as I felt that given the overall length and more 

DA-feel of the rifle it was better without; however, 

there is a short four-slot section built into the lower of 

the rail should you wish to fit one. 

From the box the ARES 308M chrono’d very 

respectably at 0.93 Joule/317fps with .20g BBs, and 

once I’d reset the precise and easy-to-adjust rotary 

hop it was more than happy on .30’s although I felt it 

could actually hop heavier than this! I really liked the 

flat-face trigger which proved to be super-responsive 

even on a 7.4V LiPo, and the enlarged polymer trigger 

guard seems purpose made for use with gloves. The 

130 BB “.308-style” magazine fits and feeds perfectly, 

although I’ll give you the heads-up that this is again a 

“mid feeder” so you’ll need to find extra mags with 

great care as many of the box-set options out there 

are “front feeders”. 

With .30g BBs in the mag, hop dialled in and the 

optic zero’d to 30m for the woods range it was time 

to have at it, and the 308M sent BBs straight and true 

downrange to the steels without breaking sweat! 

Okay, 30m would basically be the MED for a decent 

DMR with a higher power level, but I was looking 

for accuracy on semi at CQB distances, and the ARES 

certainly delivered on that front; if you’re hitting 

300x400mm steels at 30m unerringly with a new rifle 

and your shooting technique is sound, then longerrange 

accuracy is pretty much a given, and I truly 

believe that this rifle could actually hit past 70-80m 

with little effort once bedded in and with a modest 

upgrade. 

And of course this is the MEDIUM variant, not 

the full-length LONG which should actually aid in 

increasing both range and accuracy at distance, and 

I’m told that the “L” offers iro 1.27 Joule/370fps on 

a .20g from the box too! I also said I’d come back to 

the ARES QD suppressor earlier, and I do so now as in 

addition to the three standard models ARES have also 

put together a rather nice “DELUXE” package which 

includes two 130 BB magazines, ARES own 1-6x24 

Illuminated Optic with an ARES Dual Ring Scope 

Mount plus the ARES QD Suppressor, so all you need 

to add is a bipod and you are 100% set… I have to 

say I’m yet to try the ARES optic myself on the range, 

but I does look jolly cool, and is finished almost the 

same colour as the “SF Bronze” of the rifle itself… 

sweet! 

In conclusion I have to say that in my opinion ARES 

have really upped the ante with their new .308 rifles; 

the shoot well from the box, and they look just dropdead 

gorgeous… being a shooter has never looked 

this good! All the rifles come in solid green polymer 

hard-cases which is a splendid touch and the whole 

presentation moves things on to a new level. The 

medium is a superb rifle, and I love the direction that 

ARES are taking these days… now I am very much 

looking forward to my planned range day with Tim 

from iWholesales and Neil from RACKNLOAD later in 

the Summer so I can get my hands on the DELUXE! 

Thanks as usual to iWholesales for providing the 

test model; you can check out all the ARES models 

they have by visiting www.iwholesales.co.uk AA 

22 


ARMOURY 



ARMOURY 

SPECNA ARMS X SERIES 

INTENSE 

X-CITEMENT! 

24 


ARMOURY 


AT IWA 23 WE SPENT SOME QUALITY TIME WITH THE GUYS FROM SPECNA ARMS (SA) TAKING A LOOK 

AT ALL THE NEW GOODIES THAT THEY ARE SET TO RELEASE SOON, AND DISCUSSING A NUMBER 

OF “SKUNKWORKS” PROJECTS THAT WILL BECOME FACT AS THIS YEAR PROGRESSES! ONE OF THE 

THINGS THAT WE MOST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THOUGH WAS THE NEW X SERIES AEGS, AND 

THANKS TO AA LEGIONNAIRE AND SA AMBASSADOR ELVIS WE CAN NOW PROVIDE THE LOWDOWN; 

BILL SETS THE SCENE… 

I 

first became aware 

of the 

SPECNA ARMS brand 

at IWA 

many moons ago now 

when a 

small selection of choice 

AEG models 

appeared with little fanfare on the side of the 

GUNFIRE stand; who would have known at that 

time that SPECNA ARMS (SA) would go on to 

become a true powerhouse in the airsoft industry, 

and one that shows little sign of slowing down any 

time soon! 

I’ve had the true delight of range-testing a large 

number of models from SA over the intervening 

years, and I’ve seen both their designs and use of 

cutting-edge technology drive not only their own 

brand AEGs forward, but pushed others to follow 

suit. Now I have said many times in the past that I do 

love a short-barrelled-rifle or “SBR” like the SA Mk18 

(that recently featured in video on the AA website; 

check it out!), and indeed own a number of models 

of that style with sub-10 inch barrels, but all of them 

have a traditional buffer tube and sliding stock; most 

usually these days I use a 14.5 inch carbine or an even 

longer-barrelled “.308” style rifle as these feel most 

comfortable with my “ape arms”! 

I have to admit though that being a big guy, 6’2 

and with long old arms I have somewhat of a “love/ 

hate” relationship with the current crop of Personal 

Defence Weapons, or PDW models, an area that 

seems to have become dominated by the minimalist 

sliding stock 

design and 

“9mm” style 

magazines. I accept 

that in 

terms of engineering 

the sliding 

stock design in its now 

myriad 

forms is a thing of 

beauty, but as I have what is known 

as a “positive ape index” (which means my 

arm span from fingertip to fingertip is greater 

than my height), really short, small carbines 

and SMGs like the old MP5K/PDW are usually 

uncomfortable for me to wield. 

However, I do appreciate that for physically 

smaller players than I that the PDW style can be a 

godsend, and that in a CQB environment this style 

also comes into its own in a major way! I know a 

number of players who totally rock their PDWs, and of 

course with effective airsoft ranges being somewhat 

more balanced than those in the real world, having a 

big old rifle gives you no added advantage other than 

that of personal comfort in terms of manipulation. 

DANGER CLOSE 

When it comes to “tight spaces” though, this is 

where the PDW style of AEG really sings, as ultimately 

this is exactly what they were designed for in their 

“real steel” form! “PDW” actually fully describes 

“I DO APPRECIATE THAT FOR PHYSICALLY SMALLER PLAYERS THAN I THAT THE PDW 

STYLE CAN BE A GODSEND, AND THAT IN A CQB ENVIRONMENT THIS STYLE ALSO 

COMES INTO ITS OWN IN A MAJOR WAY! I KNOW A NUMBER OF PLAYERS WHO 

TOTALLY ROCK THEIR PDWS…” 


ARMOURY 


the military role the weapon was conceived for, 

that of a compact yet effective (in terms of both 

performance and accuracy) platform that can be easily 

and discreetly carried by rear echelon personnel, not 

as combat troops expected to regularly engage the 

enemy, but as support elements who may need to 

defend themselves in an actively hostile environment. 

In this situation it’s all about an effective platform that 

is easy to use and deploy, but that provides sufficient 

firepower to suppress an enemy until the cavalry can 

arrive! Although originally designed for a military 

role, due to their compact nature, light weight, 

ease of operation and control, and their close-range 

effectiveness, PDWs are also 

now popular 

with special forces, tactical police units, and 

more recently PMCs and 

bodyguards. 

this might be “the one”, and our AA Legionnaire and 

SA Ambassador Elvis now takes over to give us all the 

lowdown on a stunning new PDW AEG! 

GETTING INTO IT! 

The long-awaited X Series from SPECNA ARMS is 

here! Beautiful news and an even more beautiful 

product! Let’s go in order, from impressions to 

performance. 

So let’s start right at the beginning; upon opening 

the box, I realized that I was dealing with a very, very 

different product and a replica at a new, higher level 

of craftsmanship and an exceptional impression 

of solidity, quality of surface 

treatment, the design of the 

body of the 

replica, 

In airsoft 

form, where our 

engagement 

distances are necessarily 

“danger close”, an 

SBR 

or PDW seems to me 

to be the 

perfect choice for an 

AEG for 

the very same reasons that it’s used in 

earnest, but the current crop of skeleton stock 

variant leaves me personally a little cold for a 

couple of major reasons. First up there’s the 

physical size thing that I mentioned earlier; 

they’re just TOO darn short for an old ape 

like me! As I’m also all about properly aimed shots, I 

also find that most of the current PDW stocks don’t 

allow me to get a proper cheek-weld when lining up 

iron sights; again, I’m not a huge fan of optics on 

something that’s designed to be small and compact, 

and deployable from concealment… 

So, when SPECNA ARMS announced the 

introduction of their new “X SERIES” models, with 

a new receiver which has been designed from the 

ground up to accommodate a new “9mm” S-MAG 

and many novel new features, I had high hopes that 

handguard 

(CNC 

manufacturing), PDW –style 

buttstock, exceptional precision in degrees of 

adjustment and solid construction. 

Next up was the new magazine; SA has done 

an extremely good job with the S-MAG series of 

mags, so they don’t leave us indifferent this time 

either. The new “9mm” style has an exceptional 

texture, high-quality polymer and 100 BBs guarantee 

good autonomy in CQB games. On this occasion (as 

is often the case with SA AEGs) the “X” comes with 

two mags, an M90 spring, an adapter to use tamiya 

connectors, decals (which we all love) and a card to 

program the Gate Aster unit that comes inside the X 

series as standard equipment. 

As for the X series itself, it is equipped with a 

strengthened and newer model of the ORION series 

gearbox. Also, the gears inside the gearbox are 

steel and extremely high quality, as is the default 

aluminium nozzle with a double O ring. The piston is 

also reinforced and this will guarantee a long service 

life. The precise barrel with the HELIUM flat hop 

guarantees extremely good grouping of hits, but 

we will talk about that a little later. The “engine” 

itself is extremely strong; the newer generation of 

“THE TEST OF THE AEG AS DELIVERED TO ME WITH 0.30G BBS GAVE ME AN AVERAGE 

OF 1.6 JOULE/340FPS WHICH MAY BE “TOO HOT” FOR SOME FIELDS, BUT THANKFULLY 

THE QUICK SPRING CHANGE SYSTEM MEANS THAT YOU CAN DEAL WITH POWER 

ISSUES QUICKLY AND SIMPLY” 

26 


ARMOURY 


motors with neodymium magnets guarantees 22 

turns per arm, and exceptional feature that offers low 

consumption. Great job Specna Arms! 

As for the front part of the AEG, the handguard, 

it is of aluminium construction with CNC production, 

with a license from Strike Industries, which guarantees 

us a replica with the official model of this real steel 

manufacturer. Underneath, on the lower part, there is 

a horizontal grip, also of high-quality CNC production, 

and this is extremely comfortable to use and gives an 

excellent grip in the palm itself, without difficulties 

and disturbances in terms of discomfort or the feeling 

of squeezing the hand, which some grips have. 

The body is exquisitely crafted with notches on 

the front lower part of the body, where many hold 

the replica, making sliding an option impossible. The 

9x19 marks let us know what the inspiration for the 

“X SERIES” was, a really amazing touch! A working 

bolt catch release is also standard on this model. 

On the other side we have a “9mm style open bolt 

unit” which hides the tried and tested rotary hop up 

chamber inside. The PDW stock, very well-known 

from before, fits extremely well and is easy to adjust; 

it also has precise adjustment points and like the 

previous series, and I can’t find any fault with it. 

The battery compartment is still small; a small 

brick battery can fit, but it also has a smaller capacity. 

However, SA and GUNFIRE provided me with a 

battery case extension, so a larger battery with a 

higher capacity also fits without problems, and this is 

an accessory I would recommend. You need to pay 

attention to the cables and how to put them back 

when everything is assembled ready to play. 

Now my favourite part that I purposely skipped at 

the very beginning is the GATE ASTER! Paired with 

the Solar Trigger unit this technology gives excellent 

results in the field. Personally, I can recommend 

this product as an upgrade for any replica, having 

personally used it for four years without any 

problems! You’ll love the 250 trigger sensitivity 

settings as well as the LED RGB notification when you 

program this advanced optical unit. Battery protection 

against reverse polarity is included. Goodbye bloated 

batteries, welcome ASTER as my gold standard in the 

SPECNA ARMS EDGE series. 

DOWNRANGE 

All good so far, but let’s go to the performance. I tried 

multiple batteries, Titan 3000 mAh Lithium Polymer as 

well as LiPo 11.1 1300 mAh (which I have been using 

for years in my replicas); let’s be honest, although 

sceptical initially, I now hold as tried and tested the 

Titan battery range. There is a great response on the 

trigger, the motor heating slightly on semi and full 

auto with no “pass on heat” to the battery. 

The test of the AEG as delivered to me with 0.30g 

BBs gave me an average of 1.6 Joule/340fps which 

may be “too hot” for some fields, but thankfully the 

quick spring change system means that you can deal 

with power issues quickly and simply; it also goes 

to prove that the “X” has been designed and built 

durably enough to handle even high levels of power! 

What is much more interesting is the constancy 

when grouping BBs; I had the test set at a distance of 

50m and at no point did I have a single “flyer BB”! 

Consistency, low battery consumption expending six 

used mags lets me know that the X SERIES approach 

was a level up in the design and manufacture of the 

AEG itself. 

The weight of the replica itself of 2400g says a lot 

about the material used in manufacturing, the overall 

strength and some exceptional craftsmanship. All 

in all this is a fine tool for CQB fields and even long 

range ones, an exceptional choice that will not leave 

even the most demanding of users anything but 

satisfied! 

Many thanks as always to www.gunfire.com for 

supplying the test AEG, and of course if you want to 

know more about SPECNA ARMS then head on over 

to www.specnaarms.com or follow their regularlyupdated 

social media channels. AA 

“THE WEIGHT OF THE REPLICA ITSELF OF 2400G SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE MATERIAL 

USED IN MANUFACTURING, THE OVERALL STRENGTH AND SOME EXCEPTIONAL 

CRAFTSMANSHIP. ALL IN ALL THIS IS A FINE TOOL FOR CQB FIELDS AND EVEN LONG 

RANGE ONES, AN EXCEPTIONAL CHOICE THAT WILL NOT LEAVE EVEN THE MOST 

DEMANDING OF USERS ANYTHING BUT SATISFIED!” 


ARMOURY 


“THE BODY IS EXQUISITELY CRAFTED WITH NOTCHES ON THE FRONT LOWER PART 

OF THE BODY, WHERE MANY HOLD THE REPLICA, MAKING SLIDING AN OPTION 

IMPOSSIBLE. THE 9X19 MARKS LET US KNOW WHAT THE INSPIRATION FOR THE “X 

SERIES” WAS, A REALLY AMAZING TOUCH! ” 

28 


ARMOURY 



ARMOURY 

ROSSI AIRSOFT PROFILE 

THE 

ROSSI 

REMIT 

AT AIRSOFT ACTION WE’RE CONSTANTLY 

SEARCHING FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS WHEN 

IT COMES TO AEGS, GBBS AND EVEN HUMBLE 

SPRINGERS, AND AT IWA BILL HAD A GREAT 

MEETING WITH THE TEAM FROM ROSSI AIRSOFT! 

ROSSI ARE A BRAND THAT ARE EXTREMELY 

WELL-KNOWN IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY OF 

BRAZIL, AND THEY HAVE BEEN MARCHING 

FORWARD STEADILY THROUGHOUT 

EUROPEAN PLAYER COMMUNITIES, BUT 

WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL IN AN ALREADY 

WELL-SUBSCRIBED MARKET, AND WHAT IS 

THEIR REMIT FOR THE FUTURE? 

I 

have to say that I’ve been following the 

Rossi Airsoft story for a few years now, 

since I first saw their name cropping up I 

international airsoft groups that I frequent. 

Those of you that know me understand that I 

have built up a huge number of airsoft friends 

around the world, and a number of them are in 

Brazil where I spent some quality time back in 

2003! 

I fell a little bit in love with the Brazilian way 

of life, and especially the food; I ate the very 

best steak I’ve ever had (EVER!), so much fish 

and seafood I staggered, and if you’ve not 

experienced a coxinha from one of the roadside 

shacks, you haven’t lived in my opinion! My 

journey took me from Rio down to Salvador, 

and then onwards to explore the coast of Bahia; 

32 


ARMOURY 


South Bahia’s coast is one of the most beautiful and 

untouched coastlines I have ever come across, and it 

stretches over 700 km! Yup, Brazil is a BIG country 

sure enough! 

Did I play airsoft there at the time? Sadly not, 

although my personal “airsoft journey” was already 

seven years underway… what I did learn though was 

that Brazil actually had a very interesting history when 

it came to producing firearms, and one name that I 

remember from that adventure to South America was 

“Rossi”. 

Amadeo Rossi SA, or simply Rossi, was founded 

in 1889 in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, and quite amazingly 

their first products were jewellery, cutlery and 

crockery! However the fine metalworking and 

engineering that first made their name allowed them 

to turn in a new direction, and in 1922 Rossi started 

to develop and produce firearms and ammunition. 

Although you will still find Rossi-branded firearms in 

the USA and North America to this day, in 2007 they 

stopped producing firearms and focused on airguns, 

and their development in this area eventually led them 

to start importing and distributing airsoft products 

under other brand names in 2012! 

Then with an understanding of airsoft products 

in place, in 2018 Rossi started to develop and sell 

airsoft replicas under its own name; let’s face it, Rossi 

built firearms for over 130 years, and indeed the 

Rossi brand represents a piece of firearm history and 

a tradition of excellence. Over the years, firearms 

bearing the Rossi name led the way in design and 

engineering, all the while remaining an affordable 

product without any sacrifice to quality, and for 

a while now now they’ve been producing airsoft 

platforms with that same drive. 

Rossi is still run by the same family, and the key 

people in Rossi Airsoft today are Eduardo (Rossi) in 

Brazil, and OVERGUNS in Spain where Rossi Europe 

are now based. They put that same dedication and 

innovation into every airsoft replica they now produce, 

and at Rossi, their “firearms” legacy” is alive and 

thriving to this day but now in airsoft replica form! 

The tradition at Rossi is more than just building guns... 

it is a family’s history and tradition! 

The ethos at Rossi Airsoft is all about bringing 

its customers (we the players) the best price/ 

performance ratio that they possibly can, aligning 

the latest technology with unique designs. All the 

airsoft developers at Rossi are also players, creating 

airsoft-model-configurations that can stand as equals 

alongside even the most expensive replicas on the 

field, and they tell me that “this is what excites us the 

most!” 

When I asked them where Rossi Airsoft models are 

physically manufactured, rather refreshingly they told 

me openly and honestly that “currently, the airsoft 

models that we are developing and creating are 

manufactured in various factories other than China; 

we look for where we can find the best price/quality 

ratio for users”. So many companies make a big old 

story about exactly where they manufacture, and such 

openness shows me that Rossi are all about being 

honest with their users from the get go… I like this a 

lot! 

ROSSI RANGE 

It must be said that, obviously, the most successful 

area for Rossi Airsoft is undoubtedly still the domestic 

Brazilian market, but from what I understand this, 

like the country itself, is a BIG market, bigger than we 

know! However, as I said earlier, Rossi is becoming 

more and more well known amongst the European 

player communities, and having distribution from 

OVERGUNS in Spain now makes their products more 

readily accessible, and this is a another “good thing” 

in my opinion. 

More choice for “we the players” is always a 

good thing; Rossi produce some unique models and 

more about them later! Their range is sensible and 

quite tight, with four product categories REDWINGS, 

NEPTUNE, SENTINEL, and STORM (and more to come!) 

which contain their key models and cover off the 

main areas of GBB pistol, Metal-bodied AEG, Polymerbodied 

AEG, and Spring-bolt-action models. 

You’ll see from the category names that there’s a 

definite inspiration from NAVSPECWARGRU; if you’re 

unaware of “OP REDWINGS” then shame of you, and 

of course NEPTUNE has an obvious connection to all 

things “SEAL”, and when you look at the models in 

detail there’s a few choice examples that carry that 

inspiration through to the finished product! 

The REDWINGS category is the home of Rossi GBB 

“SO MANY COMPANIES MAKE A BIG OLD STORY ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE THEY 

MANUFACTURE, AND SUCH OPENNESS SHOWS ME THAT ROSSI ARE ALL ABOUT BEING 

HONEST WITH THEIR USERS FROM THE GET GO… I LIKE THIS A LOT!” 


ARMOURY 


airsoft 

pistols, of which there 

are currently six very 

cool-looking “1911” style models, 

the REDWINGS GREY, BLACK and 

GOLD, and the REDWINGS OPEN 

CLASS in the same colours. The main 

difference between the two pistols is 

one of aesthetics, with the OPEN CLASS 

models having an extended compensator 

rather than a threaded outer barrel, but I would be 

happy to field any of them as they’re all strikinglooking 

examples of a classic design, and let’s not 

forget that the Brazilian Army used a version of the 

M1911 developed by IMBEL in 9×19mm Parabellum, 

designated the M973 so again… connections! Specs 

therefore for the pistols are largely identical apart 

from the muzzle device, but I’ll give them for the 

REDWINGS BLACK: 

• Body material: alloy 

• Inner barrel diameter: 6.03 mm 

• Inner barrel length: 112 mm 

• External barrel length: 128 mm 

• Overall length: 238 mm 

• Total weight: 776 g 

• Muzzle Adapter screwed and covered 

• Ergonomic polymer grips 

• Lower Picatinny rail 

• Extended gas magazine capacity 34 + 1 

• Dual power: CO2 and gas 

• Skeletal hammer 

• Light 

trigger 

• Unique 

serial number 

Moving on to the NEPTUNE Series of metal-bodied 

AEGs (some of which are already “Gen 2” models) 

which is my favourite category in the Rossi Airsoft 

range to date, there’s some designs that will endear 

them to most “mil players” straight away although 

there’s also a tasty “5.5 PDW” in the mix here too! 

The NEPTUNE 9” DEVGRU BRONZE and BLACK have 

a definite and quite accurate replication nod towards 

the much-loved “Koch” style with a very nice “A5 

G-style rail”, whilst the NEPTUNE 9” MARSOC BLACK 

and BRONZE wouldn’t look at all out of place with 

any “CQBR” loadout! And then there’s the NEPTUNE 

10.5” SAS BRONZE and BLACK which are 100% 

going to please players that want to create a UKSF or 

“O-W-N” style set of kit! 

For the main models there is again commonality, 

but I’ll give you the specs for the NEPTUNE 9” 

MARSOC as an example of what you get as standard, 

and it’s a lot! 

• Electronic trigger with active brake 

• Combined CNC gears 

• Piston with steel teeth 

• Bushings with 8 mm bearing 

• QD spring guide with bearing 

• 6.02 mm precision barrel 

• 25.000 rpm motor (Hi-Speed) 

• One-piece outer barrel 

• “MK18” CNC Light Bronze handguard 

• Folding metal sights 

• Metal stock tube 

• Nylon fibre stock 

• 2 x mid-cap polymer magazines 

• Length 720mm/800 mm 

• Weight: 2600 g 

The SENTINEL series is equally well-specced, but 

is obviously designed more towards the entry-level 

player or those on a budget, perhaps players who 

want a solid backup to their main AEG, or one to 

share with friends new to our beloved game. That’s 

not to say in any way that the SENTINEL models are 

not fully fit for duty and purpose as there are some 

very cool 9 inch and 5.5 

inch styles that any 

airsofter 

would be glad to 

own! The STORM 

category right now is 

just two variants of essentially 

“THE SENTINEL SERIES IS EQUALLY WELL-SPECCED, BUT IS OBVIOUSLY DESIGNED 

MORE TOWARDS THE ENTRY-LEVEL PLAYER OR THOSE ON A BUDGET, PERHAPS 

PLAYERS WHO WANT A SOLID BACKUP TO THEIR MAIN AEG, OR ONE TO SHARE WITH 

FRIENDS NEW TO OUR BELOVED GAME” 

34 


ARMOURY 


the same spring-powered bolt-action “M700” style at 

different spec levels (standard and PRO), but both look 

to be VSR-compatible which bodes well for the airsoft 

sniper that likes to upgrade and “fettle”! 

THE FUTURE OF ROSSI 

As I said initially it is a very tightly-focused range of 

models that concentrates on “of the minute” design 

aesthetics for the externals whilst ensuring that the 

internals are solid, durable, and dependable; in both 

areas Rossi appear to use the best components that 

they can find and develop, and that tight focus to me 

means that they are putting their efforts into creating 

GBBs, AEGS, and Springers that endeavour to 

offer superior performance straight from the 

box. 

I asked the guys at Rossi Europe where 

they saw things progressing in the future for 

the brand and they told me; 

“We dedicate ourselves in developing all 

our sub-brands equally, and soon we will have 

new designs for the NEPTUNE and SENTINEL 

series, and a new REDWINGS pistol model. Our 

focus now is developing new models, and soon 

we will be entering in the market in the USA. 

Being successful in the most competitive airsoft 

markets in the world is our goal and dream!” 

And I believe that success is truly within their 

grasp from what I saw at IWA! But ultimately is 

Rossi a brand that players can trust? To answer 

this I’d have to say that there are thousands 

of players that already do both in Brazil and 

with some 10,000 models sold in Europe 

closer to home as well, and that all the 

indicators from a technical perspective show 

that Rossi mean to ensure that their long 

history of excellence remains untarnished. 

The guys at OVERGUNS in Spain have already 

shipped us a test sample of the NEPTUNE 10.5” 

SAS which shows their commitment and belief that 

Rossi products are the best they can currently be, and 

I am very, very keen to get on the range and then 

in-game… I’ll come out and say it that although the 

upper/rail on this model is a two-parter rather than 

a monolithic, the overall impression is SO close to an 

L119A2 that after a paintjob and accessory “dressup” 

I believe that any player wanting it could have a 

REALLY cool UKSF-style carbine at a sensible price! 

I for one am extremely interested to see where 

the guys at Rossi Airsoft do head next, and as far as 

I can see Rossi most definitely have great technical 

ability, a huge heart and BIG dreams, and if they 

bring all of these together then I do believe that we 

may be seeing something pretty darn exciting as their 

development program kicks further into gear! 

I’ll be getting to grips with the NEPTUNE 10.5” SAS 

as soon as it arrives with me for the initial review, and 

then working with it to bring it fully “up to spec” in 

future issues; for those interested in this model, it’s 

already available with mainland euro stockists, and in 

the UK our mates at www.davescustomairsoft.co.uk 

have them on pre-order now! 

Many 

thanks to the team at 

www. 

overguns.com for 

helping 

me out with images 

to 

and 

support this article, 

for more 

information on all 

the models quoted 

head to www. 

rossieurope. 

com 

“ROSSI APPEAR TO USE THE BEST COMPONENTS THAT THEY CAN FIND AND DEVELOP, 

AND THAT TIGHT FOCUS TO ME MEANS THAT THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR EFFORTS 

INTO CREATING GBBS, AEGS, AND SPRINGERS THAT ENDEAVOUR TO OFFER SUPERIOR 

PERFORMANCE STRAIGHT FROM THE BOX” 


TOKYO MARUI 

L119A2 CUSTOM BUILD 

NEXT GEN RECOIL SHOCK CONTACT US FOR DETAILS 

THE L119A2 IS JUST ONE POPULAR 

EXAMPLE OF OUR CURRENT RECOIL 

MODELS, BASED ON TOKYO MARUI’S 

FANTASTIC SYSTEM - FITTED WITH 

THE ANGRY GUN RAIL SYSTEM AND 

REAL STEEL MAGPUL FURNITURE

KIT & GEAR 

STOIRM CLOTHING GEAR 

STOIRM 

WARNING! 

ARE YOU SETTING UP FOR YOUR SUMMER AIRSOFT ADVENTURES? DOES THE “CONTRACTOR” LOOK 

DO IT FOR YOU? IF THE ANSWER TO BOTH THESE QUESTIONS IS “YES” THEN YOU’RE GOING TO WANT 

TO READ ON AS OUR “GEAR GURU” BILL DELVES INTO A NEW CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT BRAND, 

STOIRM, WHOSE KIT SEEMS PRETTY MUCH TAILOR-MADE FOR AIRSOFT! 

I 

love new gear! I mean, we all love to add items 

to our personal “CAGE”, and indeed the search 

for said items can be every bit as enjoyable as 

actually getting them. Over the years (many of 

them!) that I’ve been playing airsoft I’ve built up 

quite a collection of clothing, boots, and tactical gear 

ranging from historically-themed through thoroughly 

modern to “post apocalypse” and every bit if gear 

that I have tells a story… of course there’s also the 

armoury to go with all the gear, and each and every 

AEG and GBB now has its own tale to tell too! 

But when it comes to loadouts there’s most 

definitely one that could simply be described as 

“multi-purpose”, and that’s the “PMC” style that’s 

been talked about many times before, so you may 

wonder why I’m bringing it up all over again and I 

would answer simply that that this loadout to me 

almost entirely embodies my own style of play, and 

I view it as one of the easiest to achieve but most 

versatile of any set of gear you will ever own! It’s 

also time to talk about it again as our friends at 

Military1st have been telling me all about a new 

brand, STOIRM, that they are carrying which seems 

tailor-made for a catch-all PMC loadout. 

This style of loadout is important to me as I’ve 

used a “contractor” set of kit for an uncountable 

number of games, from straightforward skirmishes 

to full on multi-day Milsims, from “Wednesday night 

under the lights” to post-apocalypse grindsters, and 

it’s one that has become almost a default setting to 

me. It’s incredibly simple to achieve, but done right 

can see you through playing everything in every 

setting, be it protecting civilians and supplies at your 

most altruistic to carrying out the darkest of ops for 

an evil mega-corp. 

Since I put my first set of “contractor” gear 

together of course the tactical world has moved on, 

and the “look” of the modern-day contractor reflects 

this. Although the way the guys appear is most 

definitely still individual, many aspects of their gear 

have been updated with really “lo drag” gear. Much 

of the time these days, even in the airsoft world, we 

are operating in urban environments, so in keeping 

with an ultra-low profile “look” the choice of gear 

will reflect this; jeans or civilian cargo pants, t-shirts 

and polos and performance gear from outdoor 

pursuits brands when necessary, along with tactical 

boots or hi-top trainers. Tactical gear is pretty simple 

and straightforward too as well, with some form of 

plate carrier and lightweight belt kit being thrown on 

when needed as things go “hot”, along with tactical 

gloves, a ballcap or helmet, and some “cool guy” 

ballistic shades. 

In terms of clothing I usually just use either a 

check long-sleeved shirt or a plain colour UBACS 

for the top half, and either jeans or some plain 

colour combat pants , but I’m always searching out 

good new gear at a sensible price to add to my 

“CAGE”, or replace things that have simply worn 

out! Remember here that although I don’t play as 

regularly as I once used to I am out on the range 

at least one or two days a week and I still like to 

get involved with a good training course when 

the opportunity arises. Of course for rangework or 

training the non-military “contractor” style is also 

perfect, so this type of gear gets a lot of use and 

abuse; I want clothing especially that will stand up to 

the kind of hard use it gets with me when I part with 

my cash! 

38 


KIT & GEAR 

STOIRM STOIRM CLOTHING GEAR 


KIT & GEAR 

STOIRM CLOTHING GEAR 

BREAKING IT DOWN 

So, with all of the points above in mind what makes 

me excited about the new gear from STOIRM? Firstly 

it’s the “provenance”; STOIRM are a brand that design 

and manufacture clothing and packs to meet all our 

needs in environments where high performance is not 

only required but a necessity, and all their clothing 

is made to keep you comfortable and protected 

whatever “old ma nature” may throw at you! 

STOIRM’s sustainable and utility-focused products 

were, so their website tells me, “inspired by Scotland’s 

arduous landscape, where you can experience four 

seasons in a day”. STOIRM’s clothes and accessories 

aim to “create an entire ecosystem to provide 

maximum protection and versatility, no matter the 

weather or circumstances”. To fulfil this goal and to 

kick things off their range is very tight and focused 

with just STOIRM jackets, trousers, T-shirts, and 

rucksacks in popular colours, such as Black, Olive 

Green, Grey and Coyote. 

To understand their “ecosystem” goal let 

start from the outside and work in, so 

first up is the STOIRM TACTICAL 

SOFTSHELL JACKET, and this this 

technical jacket is neatly designed 

and fully specified and aims to give 

you all-weather protection for allyear-round 

use. It’s made of 90% 

Polyester/10% Elastane with a 

bonded micro fleece material 

that offers a good hydrostatic 

head (weatherproof) rating 

of 5000mm, along with a 

Moisture Vapour Transmission 

(breathability) rating of 4000g/ 

m2. Along with a Teflon fabricprotection 

finish for added 

durability this jacket will 

offer you functionality and 

protection in all but the 

harshest, most sustained 

wet weather. 

Features are solid 

too with an integrated full-length storm guard 

under two-way front zipper, fully adjustable peaked 

hood concealed in fleece-lined collar, and twoway 

underarm side zippers for extra mechanical 

breathability. There are two large fleece-lined 

handwarmer pockets with zip closure, a concealed 

zipped chest pocket, and fleece and Tricot-lined bicep 

pockets with zippers and external loop for patches/ 

IDs… there’s also a neat internal zipped pocket 

with hi-vis zipper just “because”… Add to the mix 

adjustable and elasticated thumb-hole cuffs, an 

adjustable hem with elastic cord and cord locks, and 

solid YKK-branded zippers throughout and this jacket 

offers a lot for the money as well as looking pretty 

darn righteous too! 

In terms of trousers Militar1st are offering two 

models from STOIRM, the TACTICAL TROUSERS and 

the URBAN TROUSERS, 

and there are some 

differences between 

the two designs. The 

TACTICAL model is made 

from 63% Polyester/35% 

Cotton/2% Elastane, a 

durable Teflon-coated, 

woven-stretch-ripstop 

fabric with a weight 

of 220g/m2 so it’s nice 

and tough whilst still 

offering great levels of 

mobility. Features are as 

you might expect with 

waist/hip stretchable 

side panels for perfect 

fit extra movement, 

two hand pockets with 

reinforced inserts, two 

front knife pockets, 

two large side 

cargo pockets 

with internal 

organisers and velcro flaps, two 

back pockets with velcro flaps, lightly 

articulated knee panels, and a bottom 

hem with rear reinforcement. 

The URBAN model is a bit more 

“pared back” and not so obviously 

tactical, but they still offer and awful lot 

of functionality! Here you get a fabric 

mix of 53% Cotton/45% Polyester/2% 

Elastane with a slightly lighter weight of 

210g/m2, a Teflon-coated stretch Twill 

rather than ripstop for a neater look, 

but one that still offers great durability. 

Features are much the same as those of 

the TACTICAL trousers, but with two low-profile cargo 

pockets with internal organisers and zip closure under 

protective flaps that offer a neater, more “lo-drag” 

look. 

I’ve sadly yet to see the shirts, but STOIRM 

do currently offer two models of “range polo”, 

one a “professional” style which is made from a 

comfortable, high quality cotton and polyester blend 

40 


KIT & GEAR 

STOIRM STOIRM CLOTHING GEAR 

that offers moisture wicking properties and quickdry 

fabric which is suited to everyday wear, and 

another “performance model” that’s a more athletic 

style with a lightweight and quick-dry fabric which 

offers performance and comfort in “more active 

environments/scenarios”. 

PACKING IT IN 

In addition to their clothing models STOIRM also offer 

three sensibly-sized gear-slinger and back packs that 

in my mind could have been made with airsoft use 

specifically in mind as the sizes are 12L (gear-slingerstyle), 

25L and 40L (full packs). This to me covers 

pretty much all the bases other than full-winter load 

lugging as “12” will give you a 

great skirmish-day 

sustainment pack, 

“25” will cover 

you from full-day 

engagements, and 

“40” is my optimum 

size for multi-day 

(with replen) games 

of its properly and 

efficiently packed! 

All the packs 

are “designed for 

everyday carry” 

and offer a full 

clamshell opening 

to the main 

compartment 

instead of 

traditional toploading 

entry. These 

clamshell backpacks 

feature a front loading main 

compartment with a zipper 

opening that spans three of the four sides. Made from 

tough 1000D material for protection against rips, 

wear and tear, and with padded straps and an EVA 

moulded back system they have a sleek look whilst 

retaining a tough construction. 

And I have to say that I absolutely love some of 

the little features that these packs offer, especially 

the easily-accessible hard shell eyepro pocket with 

two-way zipper, inner Tricot lining and external loop 

ID panel! I also like the fact that the packs offer hi-vis 

internal zips and straps throughout and feature a solid 

and durable top carry handle… it’s the simple things 

and attention to detail that really make a good pack a 

great one in my opinion! 

So, add some good supportive boots, gloves, 

ballcap and some tasteful accessories (don’t forget 

the “cool guy” shades!) to the STOIRM clothing and 

packs, and with your favourite AEG or GBB in hand 

you’ll be really good to go! The only thing here that 

costs a few meaningful bucks is a good plate carrier 

setup or decent chest rig, but these days you can find 

a very serviceable “buckle up carrier” model from 

a number of manufacturers that are very, very well 

priced so you won’t even get close to breaking the 

bank. 

All in all, the “contractor” loadout is relatively 

cheap and straightforward to put together, and 

works in many styles of airsoft scenario, including 

both BLUFOR and OPFOR at larger MilSim events if 

said scenario is a good and involved one. However, 

your choice of clothing and load-carrying gear 

for this style of loadout is just as important 

as when you’re going “full Mil” so take 

your time to get everything right; STOIRM 

offer some great gear in my opinion, in 

perfect colours for this type of “look”, 

so if you’re looking for clothing and 

packs that will see you covered through 

multiple “ops” then the brand is well 

worth a look! 

Ultimately airsoft is the adventure that 

YOU make it with your own choice of 

AEG/GBB and loadout, your own sense 

of fair play and honour, and your desire 

to hit “Game On” as well-prepared as 

you can be. If money is tight, as it is 

with any airsofter, then having spare 

cash to build a complicated and involved 

loadout may be beyond you, but there is 

NOTHING wrong with that! Airsoft is all 

about getting out there and playing the 

game, whatever your style may be, taking 

your hits and coming back for more, and a 

simple yet effective loadout is well within your grasp if 

you plan it right. 

If you’re like me and preparing for those longer 

spring and summer games ahead, then NOW is the 

time to be thinking about getting your AEG or GBB 

exactly as you like it, and making sure your gear is 

ready to work for you. Don’t overcomplicate things, 

find a simple set of clothing and gear that is unique to 

you and lets you play hard and fast from “GAME ON” 

to “ENDEX”! 

My thanks as always go to our good friends at 

www.military1st.co.uk for additional images used in 

this article; please do go and check out their website 

from the new STOIRM gear and much, much more! 

AA 


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THE CAGE 

MILSIM 

THE CAGE: 

UPPING YOUR 

GAME 

44 


THE CAGE 

MILSIM 

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WE’VE BEEN LOOKING IN DETAIL AT THE PERSONAL GEAR 

USED BY THE AA LEGIONNAIRES AND SLOWLY BUILDING UP A PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHAT THEY 

USE, AND WHY THEY USE IT. THIS TIME WE UP THE ANTE AGAIN FROM EQUIPMENT THAT YOU 

MAY NEED FOR A SIMPLE “OVERNIGHTER” TO THAT WHICH IS USEFUL WHEN YOU START TALKING 

ABOUT THOSE RARE, BUT MUCH-LOVED, MULTI-DAY SCENARIOS! 

Ultimately as airsofters we are NOT in the military 

(although we appreciate that some of you out 

there may have served!) so the thought of 

creating what is in effect a micro “deployment bag” is 

not something that we usually have to think about! 

For most games, even longer-duration events we’re 

talking about a couple of nights at most, and then 

often in a safe camping area where we can kick back 

with a BBQ and a cold one at the end of the gaming 

day. However, for those of us with a desire to spend 

longer in the field, and gain more immersion in our 

game than ever, then there are events that go to 72 

hours and beyond, and for those a little more serious 

consideration of your gear needs to take place. 

Over a long airsoft “career” I’ve been lucky enough 

to attend a few such events at home and abroad 

(the latter needing even more careful planning!), 

and when you’re talking about three days or more 

in the wild then your kit choices need to be on point 

from the get-go. Most games of this kind of duration 

will offer a degree of “replen” in the field for food 

and water, but then again some don’t. I’m going to 

make the assumption here that we’re talking about a 

scenario where you’re going to be 100% “in game” 

for 72 hours plus, but with in-the-field-replenishment 

and shelter provided. 

What you need to be looking at here then is your 

“snivel gear” as my American chums so delightfully 

call it, kit like your sleep and shelter systems, your 

cooking kit, and your hygiene kit… yup, you heard 

that right, HYGIENE you stinky apes! 

The first consideration here is hot food and drink 

so you’re going to need something to cook on; I’ve 

tried various ways of cooking in the field over the 

years, but have really settled on a gas system, and my 

absolute favourite cooker is the “Pocket Rocket” from 

Mountain safety Research (MSR). This is an ultralight 

backpacking stove that weighs just 73g (2.6 ounces) 

with a flame that easily adjusts from a simmer to 

a rolling boil; combine it with mess tins and you’re 

sorted! 

As darkness falls you’re going to need some light, 

not only to go about your admin and planning with, 

but also to find your way around as many sites are 

not lit; red and white light is a minimum requirement. 

I always carry a micro head torch in my Admin Panel 

but I beef that up by including a Petzl Tac Tikka in the 

top compartment of my ruc, with spare batteries for 

both. When you do get time to get your head down, 

then a good sleeping bag is a must, and many moons 

ago I invested in a Special Forces Sleeping Bag System 

from Snugpak, money that was well spent then, 

and still is to this day; add a lightweight Thermarest 

self-inflating mattress and it’s “sweet dream time” 

whatever the conditions 

Hygiene is one that folk laugh about when I 

mention it, but to me it really separates serious 

guys from the wannabes! Okay, I know that most 

weekenders are just a night or two and that you can 

rough it out knowing there’s a hot shower waiting 

when you get home, but I always try and look at it 

from the perspective that if you set yourself good 

discipline from the outset then that will aid you 

for longer periods. Keeping yourself clean is a very 

good habit to get into, not just for yourself but for 

those around you! I carry a small wash kit from Web 

Tex that contains the essentials, along with a small 

microfibre towel. With the wash kit I stow in a tiny 

sewing kit as you never know when something is 

going to get ripped or torn. 

Other than this I just use my usual skirmish gear, 

although I do carry extra socks and underwear, 

“FOR THOSE OF US WITH A DESIRE TO SPEND LONGER IN THE FIELD, AND GAIN MORE 

IMMERSION IN OUR GAME THAN EVER, THEN THERE ARE EVENTS THAT GO TO 72 

HOURS AND BEYOND, AND FOR THOSE A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF 

YOUR GEAR NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.” 


THE CAGE 

MILSIM 

spare trousers and shirt, and my waterproofs… and 

of course a few choice morsels and my “nosebag” 

tucked away for those long, cold hours “on 

stag”! 

TEAM TALK 

I’ve talked about this subject many times, 

and what I’ve included above is basically 

a précis of areas covered in fullness 

in the back issues section on the AA 

website. As usual though I wanted to 

include the experience of the guys in THE 

AA LEGION, and as we’ve already talked 

about our kit in terms of skirmish and then 

overnight situations I asked them “WHAT 

WOULD YOU ADD TO YOUR GEAR FOR A 

72 HOUR+ MILSIM EVENT?” 

Dan: I’d definitely have one or two 

spare changes of uniform, especially if 

the weather is adverse, as keeping 

warm and dry will be important. 

Spare socks and undies too. One 

thing I’ve noticed is during hot 

and humid weather, the 

accumulation of sweat 

and dirt can make 

you feel very 

grimy at the 

end of the 

day, to where 

you feel like 

you’re in a 

state of 

constant 

damp. This can make for an uncomfortable night too. 

A small packet of wet wipes is a life saver and will 

help keep the funk at bay. We have a few brands here 

in the USA sold in small package sizes, such as Grime 

Busters, which are a little more potent than a normal 

wet wipe. 

If you’re doing a lot of patrolling on your feet, some 

moleskin is handy to have if you start developing 

blisters or hot spots. This can also be used to alleviate 

chafing from straps or other annoyances. I strongly 

recommend buying good foot inserts. Buy the best 

ones you can. 

Iggy: Socks and underpants..... honestly! A very 

important bit of kit to have. Also a decent set of DRY 

fatigues ideally the same camo if you’re in camo. 

Stove burner, and depending on climate 2 or 4 hot 

meals, mobile/easy solutions that don’t need to keep 

kept fresh, then for lunch and energy throughout 

the day, sweets for moral and energy spike, TEA AND 

COFFEE usually with powdered milk. Warm kit for 

night sentry duties, waterproofs, ground sheet, roll 

mat, sleeping bag, bivvie bag… all are “must haves”. 

Spare batteries, and of course ammo! 

Stewbacca: This area again is not something 

I’ve had much experience of as of late, but usually 

additional changes of clothes, hydration and salt/ 

sugar sources; bagged boiled sweets, nuts and the 

like in easy access pouches for quick bursts or pick 

me ups. Depending on terrain or environment I might 

pack extra layers (not so necessary in the heat and 

humidity here. More water, less clothes). Camo cream 

compact perhaps, additional batteries for sights or 

other supplementary equipment (our new radios have 

huge batteries so not such an issue since coming to 

Taiwan, and to be fair none of my optics have needed 

fresh batteries yet it seems). 

Additional carrying equipment such as karabiners/ 

zip ties/bungees or string or even a lightweight 

strapped bag are sometimes overlooked, but 

can be a lifesaver if you have objectives to 

carry and want to 

46 


THE CAGE 

MILSIM 

stay hands free or have more convenience to handing 

them off or sharing the load around. 

Miguel: Extra socks, instant coffee, salty dry fruits 

like peanuts and cashews, power bank, meals that 

can easily be heated up. There’s also a lot that 

can be organized among the team, so we can 

distribute the weight. 

Robbie: So many possibilities; where, when, what 

is the theme, goals, etc. So in general, in addition to 

the base kit loadout, always an extra skivvy roll, a 

third pair of quick-dry socks in with sleep gear, 

some kind of high-calorie easy-eat foods, 

additional supplies for both the boo-boo 

and hygiene kits, a good pen and paper 

(the bigger the event the more notes 

you need to keep, and I regret not 

gathering names and contact 

info of some awesome people 

I have met!). Extra batteries 

for anything/everything and in 

modern times power banks. 

Night kit, sleep kit, and in the 

vehicle extra replicas, game 

supplies, and of course... stuff 

to loan, or give away to those 

in need. 

Boycie: Maybe a big-ass 

Command/Comms vehicle haha! 

Warmth, hot food, secure safe area for 

sleep and space for a butler! Seriously 

though, dry clothing, high energy 

snacks/drinks (dehydrated) are a must for 

me. 

Li’l Stu: Anything and everything as 

above… as long as the game isn’t based at 

Senny!!! (For our non-UK readers, “Senny” is 

the UK MoD Sennybridge Training Area in Wales; 

about 37,000 acres of sometimes inhospitable 

land famous for sorting men from boys!) 

Many thanks to Miguel for providing the 

images this month, and credit to @saduddles. 

photo for the images taken at their VIPER 

photoshoot; you’ll no doubt be seeing more of 

Miguel and Almeida, team-leader of the FOE 

Airsoft Team, in the weeks to come! AA 

“MAYBE A BIG-ASS COMMAND/COMMS VEHICLE HAHA! WARMTH, HOT FOOD, SECURE 

SAFE AREA FOR SLEEP AND SPACE FOR A BUTLER! SERIOUSLY THOUGH, DRY CLOTH- 

ING, HIGH ENERGY SNACKS/DRINKS (DEHYDRATED) ARE A MUST FOR ME.” 


RED CELL 

SPECIAL 1911 UPDATE REPORT 

RED CELL 

MR COLT’S BEST! 

SO, THAT’S IT, RED CELL IS COMING FULL 

CIRCLE AS THEY LOOK BACK ON THE 

“1911” MODELS THAT THEY FIRST TOOK TO 

THE RANGE NEARLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS 

AGO! THESE SAME MODELS HAVE BEEN SHOT ON A 

REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS BASIS OVER THAT PERIOD, 

AND WITH A FEW ADDITIONS THE CELL NOW REPORT BACK 

ON FIFTEEN LONG-TERM TEST PISTOLS THAT ARE STILL RARING TO 

GET IN THE FIGHT! 

48 


RED CELL 

SPECIAL 1911 UPDATE REPORT 

Back in Issue 119 (that’s TWO AND A HALF YEARS ago!) we kicked off a testing program in Airsoft Action 

the like of which had not, to the best of our knowledge, been seen before! We decided, as a team, that 

we were fed up with seeing reports and reviews of airsoft platforms “from the box”, all gleaming and 

new, that then disappeared as newer, shinier things appeared! 

The world’s collective attention span, it would seem, has shrunk somewhat dramatically during the past few 

years - so if you’re after a 30-second video of dancing llamas then you’re sh1t-out-of-luck with us, as we like to 

get into things in a bit more depth… Stop reading now if you’re uninterested in the benefit of experience and 

go enjoy those llamas! 

So... Still here are you? Cool! Let’s crack on! 

Most of us love a good “1911”, and why not as the venerable 

Colt pistol was formally adopted by the US Army on March 29, 

1911, and it’s a pistol model that is still going to this day and 

shows no sign of stopping! With well over 110 years 

of service history under its belt the “1911” is a true 

classic that is a pleasure to own and shoot, both in 

airsoft and “real deal” form. 

As I’ve said before, just as in the real world 

there is now an industry within an industry when 

it comes to airsoft “1911s”, with a plethora of 

aftermarket parts available for upgrades, from an 

upgraded trigger spring right through to full steel 

body kits! You can go completely classic with a super 

M1911A1, or come literally “bang up to the minute” 

with some of the newer designs that are currently 

available. You can stick to classic “single stack” models 

or head on into Hi Capa territory for that extra magazine 

capacity, but one thing that is shared amongst all the models 

is that wonderful geometry that makes the 1911 style so 

popular; it just sits perfectly in the hand whether it’s designed for 

competition or combat! 

In the initial Red Cell Shoot we decided to throw all the 1911 

models into one big, massively impressive (and ever-growing!) pile, no 

matter what their magazine capacity, although of course this could be 

a decider for you when you come to buy. All the pistol models that we 

test are owned, or have been owned, by members of the group, and they 

are all models that have been, or will be, used in game. Some have been 

owned for a considerable time, and this will always be noted in the data so 

“THE WORLD’S COLLECTIVE ATTENTION SPAN IT WOULD SEEM HAS SHRUNK 

SOMEWHAT DRAMATICALLY DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, SO IF YOU’RE AFTER A 

30-SECOND VIDEO IF DANCING LLAMAS THEN YOU’RE SH1T-OUT-OF-LUCK WITH US, AS 

WE LIKE TO GET INTO THINGS IN A BIT MORE DEPTH… STOP READING NOW IF YOU’RE 

UNINTERESTED IN THE BENEFIT OF EXPERIENCE, AND GO ENJOY THOSE LLAMAS!” 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

TOKYO MARUI 1911 MEU 

Price: iro £150.00 

Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 840g 

Length: 223mm 

Magazine Capacity: 28 

Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps 

Hot Chrono: 0.33 Joule/190fps 

Holster Compatibility: Good 

Taclite Compatibility: No 

Suppressor Compatibilty: No 

Available From: www.iwholesales.co.uk 

RAVEN 1911 MEU RAILED 


Age: 5 Years 

Weight: 1300g 

Length: 215mm 

Magazine Capacity: 15+1 




Taclite Compatibility: Good 

Suppressor Compatibilty: Good 

Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com 

WE AIRSOFT 1911A1 


Age: 10+ years! 

Weight: 1200g 

Length: 218mm 






Suppressor Compatibility: No 

Available From: www.weairsoft.com 

TOKYO MARUI GOLD MATCH 


Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 850g 

Length: 222mm 

Magazine Capacity: 31 BBs 


Hot Chrono: 0.78 Joule/290ps 


Taclite Compatibility: Yes 


Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk 

VFC TACTICAL CUSTOM 


Age: 2 Years 7 Months 

Weight: 840g 

Length: 224mm 





Taclite Compatibility: Dedicated 


Available From: www.vegaforce.com 

50 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

you can work out how consistent they have remained 

over their “service life”. We want you to be able to 

pick a GBB or AEG for yourself that is both worth the 

money, and worth placing your trust in. Ultimately we 

want you to have the information to be able to buy 

something with confidence, to obtain a model that 

you can own and cherish for years to come, and that 

will keep on working with minimal fuss and equally 

minimal maintenance as long as you own it. 

So, from my perspective how have our initial 

models fared, and what have we added to the mix 

since that started out with? All the pistols in the pool 

have now had a minimum of 2000 VORSK PRECISION 

BBs through them (chrono’d on .20g) using VORSK V6 

FUEL (apart from those that are noted as C02 driven), 

and minimal maintenance has been undertaken. 

We’ve basically changed out seals and o-rings where 

needed, and made sure that each pistol is stripped 

and mag-lubed after every 500 BBs or so. Nothing 

more has been done to them other than a regular 

barrel clean, so what you’re seeing is in the main 

bog-standard GBBs with zero upgrades. Notes have 

been taken during their “journey”, and these will 

become a part of our 5 YEAR PLAN… yup, that’s right, 

we’re only half-way through what we believe will be 

a meaningful test period, and we aim to have at least 

20 MODELS, with a minimum of 5,000 BBs through 

them, in each and every pistol category by the time 

we reach the end! 

RED CELL RUMINATIONS 

So, all of our test pistols are still alive and still 

performing well even after use; sorry, but we’ve 

actually had no major failures in the 1911 group, and 

that’s all she wrote! But the “airsoft 1911” is a muchtreasured 

beast, and in keeping with that I thought I’d 

ask the members of THE CELL about their relationships 

with this platform! 

Dan: The Tokyo Marui 1911 MEU was my first 

airsoft sidearm, which was purchased shortly after 

buying my first airsoft rifle, the TM Type 89. A 

weird mix, I know. I had opportunity to “try before 

you buy”, so the shop clerk let me run a few mags 

through several platforms to get a feel for things. 

With the MEU I was immediately impressed by 

the accuracy and range, and of course, being a 

lightweight plastic slide, it had a relatively decent 

‘snap’ to it, which stood in contrast to some of the 

heavier metal offerings. This was also in the era when 

Tokyo Marui was arguably the king of gas blowback 

pistols, and if you were in the market for a sidearm, 

you could certainly do a lot worse. 

I used the MEU for many years, often running 

straight propane, and it was pretty much dead reliable 

and trouble free, requiring only the usual cleaning 

maintenance and greasing of seals. One of the very 

first things I replaced was the Pachmayr grips, which I 

thought made the grip overly thick. I modified a pair 

of real steel wood grip panels to fit and this really 

improved the aesthetic and feel for me. 

Eventually my interests changed and I moved onto 

more modern platforms. I think I ended up trading it 

straight across for a G&P Colt 9mm SMG build, as I 

recall. But I still really like this model in particular and 

would have no hesitation in recommending it to new 

and experienced players alike. 

Iggy: The Tokyo Marui Gold Cup GBB pistol was 

how I first got into airsoft when I was 13 years old. 

After coming across one in the cadets; I approached 

the Sergeant that had the pistol and I asked what on 

earth it was he had. He showed me and let me have a 

few shots. I WAS HOOKED!!! 

It took four months begging and annoying my 

mum but at the age of 14 I went and got myself a 

Tokyo Marui Gold Cup GBB pistol and an MP5 A3. 

Since then I have mainly been a fan of the USP and 

USP compact but I have for many years had a TM Hi 

Capa 2011 and I also own a WE Tech 2011 Gel ball 

pistol out here in Australia! 

L’il Stu: 1911s ? Erm. Where to start... I’ve been 

a fan of 1911s for a very long time (early 1970’s) as 

I played with the toy versions available at the time. 

Then about 23 years ago, I discovered airsoft, yes, that 

old familiar tale! I signed onto the forums that were 

around at that time and saw a review of a WA SVI 

hybrid; just fell in love with the look a straight away. 

I then saw an ad for Wolf Armouries, phoned ‘em up 

and asked if they had a Hybrid in stock to be told no, 

as even then, they were rare. But…. they did have a 

WA SVI 6 and would that do? Foolish question!!! 

And that’s how my WA addiction started. Double 

stack SVIs at first, until I discovered they did a proper 

“WE’RE ONLY HALF-WAY THROUGH WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE A MEANINGFUL TEST 

PERIOD, AND WE AIM TO HAVE AT LEAST 20 MODELS WITH A MINIMUM OF 5,000 BBS 

THROUGH THEM IN EACH AND EVERY PISTOL CATEGORY BY THE TIME WE REACH THE 

END!” 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

RAVEN HI CAPA 4.3 


Age: 4 Years 

Weight: 880g 

Length: 220mm 







Available From: www.rvnairsoft.com 

VORSK HI CAPA 5.1 SPLIT SLIDE 


Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 900g 

Length: 250mm 

Magazine Capacity: 



Holster Compatibility: Okay 


Suppressor Compatibilty: Good, Adaptor fitted as standard 

Available From: www.vorskairsoft.com 

ARMY ARMAMENT R501 


Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 1020g 

Length: 218mm 







Available From: www.taiwangun.com 

ARMY ARMAMENT R604 


Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 1030g 

Length: 225mm 








ARMY ARMAMENT R45A1 


Age: 4 Years 

Weight: 700g 

Length: 170mm 








52 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

single stack 1911. I’ve now got quite a few of WA’s 

1911 variants so far (not as many as Luke Dobson, or 

that very nice Matt Dean chap) but quite a few (15 or 

so I think?)… some are stock as they were intended, 

others have been “fettled” , mostly by some chap 

called Mobius Strip..... Yes, some will stay almost 

unused, others have been used far too often and still 

keep going. 

Usually to my great amusement when I get asked 

are they TM/WE/”insert brand here”, upon finding 

that they are WA, its often a case of “never heard 

of them” or “don’t they make AR rifles?” or “it’s a 

museum piece”. Currently though I’m shooting a 

RWA Nighthawk on C02, but I use it sparingly as it 

tends to be a little “warm” sometimes… but it hoofs 

a .36g quite happily, and it just don’t quit! Glocks/ 

USP’s/SIG’s… all very lovely, but at the end of the day, 

it’s the 1911 that holds sway. 

Stewbacca: Aah, the 1911. Somewhat Marmite 

for me being a fan of mostly German or at least 

European polymer-framed modern service pistols or 

different classical handguns (someone make a good 

HiPower Mk3 already!). I had a Marui 1911 more 

years ago than I care to count back when we were 

doing the whole “Namsoft thang”, and I kept hold 

of it for a while afterwards where it availed itself well 

enough in CQB encounters at the likes of the old SYA 

Proteus site when I’d managed to hide quietly enough 

for the enemy lines to pass me and allow me to stalk 

out and muller them from behind in hidden corners. 

Much fun. 

I found the magazine release tended to be a little 

too easy to operate and had to retrace my steps a 

few times, including on that very game day, luckily 

finding the lost magazines that dropped out during 

movements with a leather shoulder holster. More 

recently I’ve eschewed the Hi Capa crowd and their 

cajoling to join them in the competition arena, still 

settling for my CZ CLPD Shadow 2 or VFC PPQNPA; I 

was using them before it got cool, don’t you know? 

But that being said, hanging around the Archwick 

facility a lot I’ve had hands in with a lot of the Army 

R-Series pistols and quite like the ones with CO2 

magazines for their heft, feeling and triggers. Maybe 

I’ll eventually succumb to their charms... But not 

today… 

Robbie: The 1911 is a hit or miss with me. The 

real firearm is very much fun to shoot and tune/ 

gunsmith but I would never carry it again; I had a bad 

experience with a few real ones, and I now prefer 

Glock pistols for all my work and personal carry. 

With that said the airsoft versions are fantastic fun 

and I have had some amazing indoor CQB games 

with the full metal classic WE 1911 and low capacity 

magazines. If we count variations though the TM 

Hi Capa is in my “Top 3” airsoft replicas to own for 

tuning and shootability. 

Jimmy: Real men shoot a “45”… there, I said it, 

fight me on this! I am a massive fan of the “1911” 

although have become more than infatuated with the 

modern variation, the 2011 aka the Hi Capa which 

will always be my go to sidearm; you can always rely 

on the trusty 1911. From memory my first ever BB 

gun was a springer Ruger P85 and I thought I was 

super cool, moving forward in time to my first proper 

airsoft GBB pistol which was a WE 4.3 Desert Warrior, 

a modernised, very tactical take on the 1911 which 

served its purpose incredibly well. Constructed of 

mainly metal it was a lovely, weighty pistol and its only 

flaw was the sear spring would lose its power which 

resulted in full auto bursts! That was solved after three 

new springs when replacing with an AW sear spring, 

and the problem never happened again. 

My entry into airsoft was predominantly CQB and 

I would often run just my pistol with an Xcoretech 

tracer unit and a full 90BB speed loader! Being of full 

metal construction it allowed me to use a stronger 

RED gas giving a higher velocity at around 300fps on 

a 0.25g BB which for CQB is perfect. I had to stay on 

top of maintenance due to the abuse it saw. I ended 

up selling it for reasons unknown to me but because I 

had fond memories of it I just had to buy another, so 

now I have another box fresh one! 

My personal collection is mainly 1911/2011 models 

and I feel it is the perfect platform mainly because of 

parts availability, be it stock parts or aftermarket parts. 

Having owned and used many different 1911’s to date 

I can say there are some brands I detest but there are 

far more brands that I enjoy immensely. Marui for 

one is a brand I will always trust and I have my eye 

on a very particular model the Colt government 1911 

Mk IV series 70 in a nickel finish… ooh, that gets me 

“REAL MEN SHOOT A “45”… THERE, I SAID IT, FIGHT ME ON THIS! I AM A MASSIVE 

FAN OF THE “1911” ALTHOUGH HAVE BECOME MORE THAN INFATUATED WITH THE 

MODERN VARIATION, THE 2011 AKA THE HI CAPA WHICH WILL ALWAYS BE MY GO TO 

SIDEARM” 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

TM DETONICS COMBATMASTER 


Age: 10+ years! 

Weight: 634g 

Length: 178mm 







Available From: www.fire-support.co.uk 

VFC ULTRA CARRY 


Age: 2 Years 3 Months 

Weight: 711g 

Length: 176mm 







Available From: www.vegaforce.com 

VORSK VX-9 

Price: iro £140.00 (with extended inner barrel and suppressor) 

Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 873g 

Length: 220mm 


Cold Chrono: 0.70 Joule/275fps (no extension) 




Suppressor Compatibility: YES!!! 

Available From: www.vorskairsoft.com 

RWA NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM RECON (CO2) 


Age: 3 Years 

Weight: 908g 

Length: 220mm 







Available From: https://uk.redwolfairsoft.com 

ICS CHALLENGER 


Age: 1 Year 8 Months 

Weight: 970g 

Length: 220mm 






Suppressor Compatibility: Yes 

Available From: www.icsbb.com 

54 


RED CELL 

1911 UPDATE 

excited. Anywho, I digressed a little there. The 1911 

is and always will be a popular choice of pistol and at 

some point most airsofters will or will have owned a 

1911 of some description. Most modern changes to 

the platform are minor at best, all operating on the 

same similar design so it surprises me not that all the 

“pool pistols” are still rockin’ and rollin’! 

If I had to choose from all the 1911’s produced for 

airsoft though it would most definitely have to be 

the RWA 1911 Nighthawk Custom Recon, as this for 

me is the closest I have come to its real counterpart 

which, might I add, featured in the Magpul Dynamics 

videos and was used by both Chris Costa and Travis 

Haley (not forgetting the fact it was designed by Chris 

himself and used heavily through their instructional 

videos). The RWA is the heaviest of all the 1911’s I 

have tested and due to it being CO2-powered sports 

the heaviest recoil effect adding more to a realistic 

feel. 

Being made from heavy metal (sadly not the steel 

version!) makes it a very solid piece, and the only 

part not metal is the plastic grips (wooden ones are 

available). The use of C02 makes this a very efficient 

pistol and can see multiple reloads on one magazine 

keeping you in the fight for longer. The ability to 

easily lift a heavier than normal BB (this will lift over 

a distance a .28g BB but let’s be honest, most pistol 

engagements are at a close range so the use of a .30g 

BB is no problem) and you know the recipient will feel 

their hits. 

CO2 is a great choice for propellant, but alas some 

sites do not allow its use so “green gas” of some form 

is the other option. When looking at green gas pistols 

lightweight is your friend and lightweight comes 

in the form of a TM; looking back at our Red Cell 

test day the 1911 MEU was one I really liked and as 

everybody knows TM pistols are very efficient on gas. 

I know lots of players who turn their noses up at the 

fact TM use plastic slides but the truth is they work 

incredibly well and contrary to popular belief do not 

easily break. 

Jase: I’m straying off the main test group here, but 

the RWA Nighthawk GRP Recon - CNC Steel Limited 

Edition that Jimmy mentioned is a high-end airsoft 

pistol that features a CNC-machined steel slide and 

frame for added realism. This limited edition version 

is designed to replicate the look and feel of a real 

Nighthawk Custom GRP 1911 pistol, and it’s a great 

choice for the serious airsofter if you can find one on 

the used market now. We were lucky enough to have 

one to test, but sadly this did not remain in the pool 

as it was the “precious” of a trusting friend, and as a 

mainly “G-Man” to date this is my top 1911! It might 

Red Cell is supported by: 

be out of most airsofters grasp financially but it is a 

truly remarkable bit of kit, and every shot fired is a joy, 

crisp with a beautiful thump of the slides movement! 

Bill: From our initial pool we’ve added a couple 

of new models as friends on the manufacturing side 

have asked us to include their new creations in our 

extended test; the first of these was the VFC Tactical 

Custom, closely followed by the VFC Ultra Carry 

that joins the TM Detonics and Army R45A1 in our 

“Compact 1911” sub-category; I’ve managed to catch 

both these models up the BB count of the others 

during my weekly testing days, and both are standing 

up superbly! 

We’ve also added the ICS Challenger to the mix 

as our relationship with ICS is excellent, and they 

genuinely wish to know how one of their flagship 

models is going to perform over time. Jimmy has this 

model and is in the process of catching it up to the 

others as well, so there’ll be more on this at a later 

date. 

Of course our great friends at VORSK have been 

really cranking out their Hi Capa variants, and more 

have been added to the test regime in the form of the 

standard Hi Capa 5.1 and 4.3 models, along with the 

new VX-14, but the last three are playing catch-up 

still in terms of BB count so again comment will be 

reserved until this happens although thus far they are 

all performing superbly! 

Although I like each and every model in the 

test pool (and the RAVEN 4.3 still sings to me as a 

“fighting gun”!), and they’re all a joy to shoot, I have 

to admit that the more I use it, the more I adore the 

VORSK 5.1 Split Slide! It’s the slide that makes all the 

difference on this pistol, that Split-Slide design, which 

means only the rear half of the slide actually moves, 

dovetailing beautifully with the fixed front half so 

there is much less weight moving, making your gas 

usage massively more efficient, and the cycle time 

meaningfully less when it comes to taking follow-up 

shots; if you’ve not tried one of these for yourself then 

you’re missing out! AA 


KIT & GEAR 

LAYLAX MK23 NBB HOLSTER 

BREAKOUT 

SUCCESS! 

AS SOMEONE WHO’S SPENT A LARGE PROPORTION OF HIS ENTIRE “AIRSOFT CAREER” FIRMLY 

BEHIND A PISTOL, OR MULTIPLE ONES, AS WELL AS BEING A NOTORIOUS DESTRUCTIVE TESTER AND 

GENERAL KLUTZ, WHO BETTER TO PUT A PISTOL HOLSTER THROUGH ITS PACES THAN STEWBACCA? 

OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT LAYLAX MUST HAVE THOUGHT THE SAME AS THEY WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO 

GIFT HIM THEIR LATEST IN SPECIALIST HOLSTER RELEASES WHILE HE WAS VISITING THEM FOR THE 

KRYTAC OWNER’S MEETING AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. AFTER EXTENSIVE FIELD TESTS IN VARIOUS 

GAMING ENVIRONMENTS AND LOADOUTS, STEWBACCA BRINGS US HIS THOUGHTS ON A SOMEWHAT 

UNCONVENTIONAL BUT EXCELLENT PRODUCT. 

Strangely enough I’d never added a Tokyo Marui 

Mk23 NBB to my collection during all those years 

in the UK; I did end up with an NBB P99 which 

I managed to jam and break spamming the trigger 

in my typical destructive product testing manner, 

and then ended up forking out for a P99 GBB and 

never really returned to the NBB fold as a result of 

that money pit experience. Before I even started 

skirmishing I was an avid gas pistol collector as I’ve 

always loved handguns of all shapes, sizes and makes, 

and for most of my early days I resorted to fabric 

holsters for the likes of Glocks, Berettas, even my 

original Desert Eagle, and twin AEP Beretta M93Rs, 

given the sheer variety of platforms I accumulated, 

fabric holster solutions were more economical and 

adaptable at the time. 

With the advent of Kydex, rigid plastic or carbon 

fibre holsters I soon turned to the likes of model 

specific Blackhawk SERPA level I & II holsters for my 

Glocks, Berettas, Five-seveNs and even P99s… an 

expensive game to play, especially when you add all 

the QD platforms on to allow me to easily move them 

all around between different rigs… plus the SERPA 

name had become somewhat of a taboo in real steel 

shooting circles given their safety and durability track 

record. 

Since being in Taiwan I’ve accumulated a few 

more knock-off SERPAs for HK45/USP Compact use, 

as well as genuine Safarilands for Glock-specific and 

multi-platform use in the guise of the 6379 and 

579 models, the latter carrying basically anything 

I carry as a matter of course, but then I’ve rarely 

made use of optics on pistols since being here, and 

even less frequently fitted silencers or tracer units to 

sidearms, unless I’m using them exclusively in CQB 

environments. Like the good old latter days back 

home, however I can’t remember a time I’ve ever 

mounted a pistol light and been able to holster it; the 

Surefire Masterfire type system seems an interesting 

solution to that or perhaps the illumination unit 

locking Safariland models, but truth be told I haven’t 

gotten into a low light situation given the largely 

morning and outdoorsy nature of my gameplay as of 

these last few years with Team Taiji, so it’s never been 

a priority. 

“WITH THE ADVENT OF KYDEX, RIGID PLASTIC OR CARBON FIBRE HOLSTERS I SOON TURNED 

TO THE LIKES OF MODEL-SPECIFIC BLACKHAWK SERPA LEVEL I & II HOLSTERS FOR MY 

GLOCKS, BERETTAS, FIVE-SEVENS AND EVEN P99S… AN EXPENSIVE GAME TO PLAY” 

56 


KIT & GEAR 


MK23 SPECIFIC 

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, however, 

while at the Laylax KOM in Japan back in November 

2022 (See Issues 145 & 146 for more on that) the 

ladies and gents of our friends in the house of the 

wolf were good enough to give me their Breakout 

Holster for the Tokyo Marui Mk23 SOCOM NBB pistol, 

as well as their Nine Ball internal upgrades for the gas 

valve system, trigger improvement and outer barrel 

front adaptor section (more on those to follow in later 

issues once I’ve fielded them and made comparisons 

to the stock gun). So, upon my return to Taiwan I 

immediately went to KIC Airsoft (my closest and 

favourite supplier in Taipei) and managed to 

snap up one of their remaining Mk23 

NBB units as well as an extra 

magazine for the purposes 

of testing both the gun 

and its upgrades and the 

Breakout Holster. 

I have to admit I was 

initially a little sceptical 

when I first saw the 

marketing materials for 

Laylax’s Breakout Holster, 

with its side swinging 

chassis system that 

encloses and positively 

indexes the fixed top slide 

before swinging closed and 

locking the trigger guard and 

trigger itself in the stationary mount 

portion of the holster. As someone 

who’s spent years perfecting vertical 

or slightly canted axial draws from god knows 

how many conventional combat and competition 

holsters (especially since taking up IPSC three years 

back from time of writing) and having had issues 

using the CTM Glock holster which locks up in a 

similar manner but without the swinging cage, I did 

wonder how effective the setup would be. I managed 

to get hands on with Laylax’s tooled up optics ready 

custom slide version of the Marui Mk23 NBB at their 

facility in Osaka while the international guest crowds 

were producing their content, practising the draw 

and reupholstering motions before running through it 

with Ryan Sensei on camera for my own introduction 

video. 

At first it took some getting used to as you have to 

learn to swing the pistol in forwards and at a bit of an 

angle to seat the front face of the slide on the bottom 

supporting face of the holster’s swinging component, 

then push forward to align the spine of the slide 

along the rest of the holster before swinging it closed 

and latching onto the trigger guard. The draw-stroke 

is basically the reverse, enabled by depressing the 

serrated textured thumb drive latch button inboard 

of the pistol itself, and this motion gets surprisingly 

natural over the course of a few days of use, 

allowing you to swing the pistol (and the affixed 

standard silencer) clear of the main body and 

‘cage’ part of the holster and bringing it to bear 

in a fairly snappy wrist-flick movement. 

RUGGED RETENTION 

It’s also surprisingly rugged 

in terms of its retention and 

protection of the Mk23 NBB, 

as the silencer is the only 

exposed concern really as it 

sticks out the front of the 

holster in an unsupported 

fashion; your mileage may 

vary of course, but thus far I 

haven’t had many issues with 

it snagging when holstered, 

although I have long legs so it 

doesn’t come close to my knees, 

which offers it some protection 

from bumps and snags. Add to 

this I rarely go prone as such these 

days, but on occasion I would 

leave the silencer off and stow it 

in my plate carrier ready to screw 

on to the muzzle if I did encounter 

a need for the sidearm while 

running my PSG-1 on the longer range 

outdoor sites. 

The retention is also improved by an additional 

vertical sliding locking tab that blocks the movement 

of the front edge of the trigger guard and by 

extension the swinging cage section even if the main 

“NEVER ONE TO LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, HOWEVER, WHILE AT THE LAYLAX KOM 

IN JAPAN BACK IN NOVEMBER 2022 ...THE LADIES AND GENTS OF OUR FRIENDS IN THE 

HOUSE OF THE WOLF WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO GIVE ME THEIR BREAKOUT HOLSTER FOR THE 

TOKYO MARUI MK23 SOCOM NBB PISTOL” 


KIT & GEAR 


58 


KIT & GEAR 


thumb drive release is actuated; for me with my long 

digits it’s surprisingly intuitively placed and allows 

me to quickly snap it upward with my index finger 

before driving my thumb down and releasing the 

pistol. It’s certainly worth the extra momentary effort 

to my mind for the security, especially if you plan on 

going leopard crawling through long grass to get 

to an objective silently where the hush puppy Mk23 

would be best employed; the silencer makes a marked 

difference in muzzle report and I did manage to get 

the drop on three OpFor at one Hutoushan game 

while I was testing the VFC MP5k SEF and had already 

blitzed through all 60 rounds of the two mags I had 

for that, so I displaced, slung the MP5k and drew the 

Mk23 NBB, quietly peppering the bushes and getting 

multiple kills before someone on overwatch took me 

out. 

The additional retention latch is definitely advisable 

as well even in urban environments, the only retention 

failure I had during all my testing was when I was 

playing at our Yangmei CQB site and was in a 

somewhat awkward position rolling far right over my 

knee to try and aim down a stairwell I was about to 

descend (I died, as it happens. Stairs are hard!) but 

before descending to my demise I managed to drop 

my Mk23; the weird angle and extreme leaning over 

managed to actuate the thumb drive release button 

either on part of my load bearing gear or perhaps 

some of my own chonk, and the pistol went clattering 

to the ground, quickly retrieved in an “of course I 

meant to do that” like a pro moment, but from then 

on I decided to make use of the additional retention 

and it really hasn’t hampered the draw all that much 

for the added peace of mind. 

For the moment I have left the cant angle basically 

vertical or near as putting the silencer down my thigh, 

but you can rotate the holster body relative to its 

mounting paddle to your heart’s content by releasing 

it from the paddle section and snapping it back into 

place in the appropriate orientation where the myriad 

radial striations on the surfaces of the paddle and 

holster will interlock once more and keep the holster 

in a rigid alignment to your taste. 

I’ve also found carrying the whole setup slightly 

past the three-o’clock position helps in some 

situations, putting the barrel and silencer slightly 

behind your thigh to minimise the amount of 

gun sticking out sideways and provide a bit more 

protection from hang-ups or otherwise keeping it 

further out of any mud you go prone in. 

CONTINUATION TESTING 

Thus far throughout all my testing, using the Laylax 

Breakout Mk23 SOCOM NBB pistol holster has been 

an almost entirely positive experience barring that 

one retention failure in a bit of an odd situation, 

but certainly I can see this having great utility for 

snipers who want to use a discreet NBB platform as 

a backup and have it solidly retained, but in a readily 

accessible manner. In fact the outward and then 

rearward swinging draw stroke might actually be 

more comfortable and useful in such situations, as you 

don’t have to worry about clearing your plate carrier 

or any obstructions along the axis of the gun itself as 

with other holsters when lying prone behind your long 

gun. 

The fact that it locks up on the slide and trigger 

guard internal faces also means that your accessory 

rail and muzzle are unencumbered for the addition of 

the LAM or other illumination options as well as the 

standard silencer, or any other silencer or even tracer 

unit of your choosing if you make use of the Laylax 

Nine Ball replacement front outer barrel threaded 

unit, which I’ll be availing my own of and putting 

that through its paces perhaps indoors with a suitable 

Acetech tracer unit for disco CQB funtimes over the 

coming months to bring you further reviews alongside 

the Laylax Nineball softened trigger spring and 

magazine gas valve systems. 

I must once again extend my thanks to Koshida 

sama, Ryan, Marck and the rest of the fine folks at 

Laylax for entrusting their upgrade parts and holster 

to me, no doubt knowing the abuse they’re likely to 

endure at my hands! If you’re in the market for a very 

specialised but effective holstering solution for the 

Marui Mk23 SOCOM NBB or similar variant pistols, I 

can certainly point you in the direction of this product. 

For more information on Laylax holsters and all 

the other good things mentioned in this review don’t 

hesitate to pop on over to www.laylax.com... Prepare 

to drool just a little if you do! AA 

“I MUST ONCE AGAIN EXTEND MY THANKS TO KOSHIDA SAMA, RYAN, MARCK AND THE REST 

OF THE FINE FOLKS AT LAYLAX FOR ENTRUSTING THEIR UPGRADE PARTS AND HOLSTER TO 

ME, NO DOUBT KNOWING THE ABUSE THEY’RE LIKELY TO ENDURE AT MY HANDS!” 


TECHNICAL 

PDIK GEN3 

NEXT GEN 

MANCRAFT! 

JIMMY CONTINUES HIS JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTICAL WORLD OF HPA ENGINES, AND DEMYSTIFIES IT AS 

HE GOES ALONG! TO MANY OF US HPA IS JUST “ANOTHER THING” BUT THIS TIME JIMMY LOOKS AT THE 

RESULTS, CONSISTENCY AND RELIABILITY THAT ARE ACHIEVABLE WITH THE MANCRAFT PDIK GEN3 WHEN IT 

COMES TO PUTTING TOGETHER A SUPERIOR DMR! 

So as the Mancraft series continues my next port 

of call is the brilliant new PDIK GEN3 and in 

true fashion this latest engine is the pinnacle 

of mechanical HPA engines; if you are looking to 

create an effective and reliable DMR setup that you 

can cherish and use for years (such as Bill describes 

earlier in his ARES review) then this is the engine for 

you, undoubtedly the best mechanical engine on the 

market for the job in my professional-tech opinion! 

But why I hear you ask? There are many reasons 

why, 

and I am here to tell 

you those reasons. Firstly 

though I thought I would 

give a brief insight as to why 

I love Mancraft. Being an avid airsofter and a lover of 

tech it is my belief that for both the tech and the enduser 

airsoft doesn’t need to be complicated. What 

Mancraft have given us is something that is incredibly 

easy to work with and even easier to use and for 

some the thought of having to programme something 

can become quite daunting and not completely 

understood, so for some the experience can be jaded. 

Even I have had to learn how to properly 

programme FCU’s and trigger boards and I find myself 

still having to revert back to manuals. 

Mancraft have provided many different 

engines catering for many different 

platforms but they have 

made them so everybody can 

use them and enjoy them 

being able to focus on the 

game rather than ‘is my rifle 

setup properly’, it is a true plug and 

play arrangement. 

Once fitted you simply need to plug in your 

airline, setup your regulator to give you the power 

you need (site legal of course) and just go and have 

fun. As mentioned these mechanical engines make 

building a DMR as easy as 123 or ABC. It’s the 

simplicity that I love, simplistic but oh so effective. 

It would be such a joy to see Mancraft produce a 

mechanical engine that offers selectable fire; I’m 

“BEING AN AVID AIRSOFTER AND A LOVER OF TECH IT IS MY BELIEF THAT FOR BOTH 

THE TECH AND THE END-USER AIRSOFT DOESN’T NEED TO BE COMPLICATED” 

62 


TECHNICAL 

PDIK GEN3 

sure it could be done with some form of direct 

impingement system but I’m no engineer so what do 

I know but someone smarter than me could make it 

work I’m certain of that. 

WHY CHOOSE MANCRAFT? 

Why Mancraft? Because CNC aluminium! If you 

don’t look at something that has been created from 

a billet of aluminium and instantly want it, are you 

even human? Let’s be honest, airsofters love CNC’d 

components. Mancraft make most of their products 

from the CNC process and the quality is absolutely 

perfect; strong, lightweight, attention to detail, cost 

effective, reliable. Most things airsofters look for and 

one company can provide these. 

HPA builds are notoriously expensive and a lot are 

the wrong side of UK£800 and if you are looking 

to create a DMR than a lot of features from most 

of the other engines on the market are going to be 

wasted, so for a fraction of that cost a mechanical 

build will meet your needs more and be better value 

for money. If money is an issue then the mechanical 

choice is so much more economical; to some it may 

still seem expensive but for anyone who is thinking of 

upgrading a rifle to DMR-level the cost is roughly the 

same if not more for an AEG build when you factor in 

all of the components plus the extra labour costs of 

having it built and fine-tuned. 

Another pro with the Mancraft kit is as mentioned 

the lack of electronics which can be achilles heel 

for a lot of platforms. Want to play in the rain but 

worried your precious electrics will get damaged? Buy 

a Mancraft PDIK engine problem solved. PDIK engines 

laugh in the face of water and there is proof of this on 

their website, talk about put your money where your 

mouth is. 

FITTING FOR PURPOSE 

Fitment of said engine is a simple process providing 

your receiver will accept the casings as we all know 

gearbox shells are not all made equal. I had initially 

decided to fit the casing into my Specna E06 but that 

was thwarted by the fact Specna have used a slightly 

thinner shell than that of Mancraft and it simply 

would not fit. Fortunately I had another long rifle and 

that fitted perfectly. 

“IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO CREATE A DMR THAN A LOT OF FEATURES FROM MOST OF 

THE OTHER ENGINES ON THE MARKET ARE GOING TO BE WASTED, SO FOR A FRACTION 

OF THAT COST A MECHANICAL BUILD WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS MORE AND BE BETTER 

VALUE FOR MONEY” 


TECHNICAL 

PDIK GEN3 

I fitted it into a Arthurian M16VN with little effort 

and it lined up very well with the hop unit which is 

something you need to pay attention to when fitting 

aftermarket components such as a HPA engine. I 

did not need to purchase any extras as the standard 

Arthurian safety lever, selector plate and trigger 

fitted although I opted for a different trigger. The 

replacement was sent from Mancraft and it felt a lot 

smoother than the original and it looked a whole lot 

nicer being CNC’d from alloy and it did not require 

any shims. 

You can fit your own AEG nozzle should you need 

a different length but that was not an issue either as 

it would happen to be a perfect length for the hop up 

already in the M16 (I will probably swap that out for a 

Retro Arms unit at some point. Nozzles are very easily 

changeable and can be done in a matter of minutes, 

but always remember after disassembly to use a 

small drop of loctite to secure it; I’m sure Mancraft 

recommend 542. The entire engine is fully serviceable 

should it require any additional love over time, and 

this can be done using basic tools; any service parts 

are available on request. 

I haven’t yet had to the chance to field the newbuild 

rifle but I have had time on a short range and to 

date I am very happy with its performance. It has what 

I believe is the new trigger valve making trigger pull a 

lot lighter than its predecessors, so less finger fatigue. 

I have been powering this using a Balystik HPR800 

regulator; I was given the new MMR regulator but 

due to not having the right fitting I haven’t been 

able to use that as yet. I have US foster fittings and 

that requires EU fittings I will eventually get a hold of 

some. 

Even with the Balystik reg the power/pressure 

readings are pretty much the same as those given by 

Mancraft and operate anywhere between 7bar or 

100psi and 16bar or 230psi for my setup and barrel 

length; I’m pushing 105psi giving me 1.85-1.87j using 

a .36g BB, and I would like to test on .40g but my hop 

at present won’t support that. Being a much lighter 

trigger follow up shots are much faster than the 

PDIK3. Due to its closed bolt nature it makes for a very 

accurate and efficient unit… less air more fun. 

If you are someone thinking if converting your AEG 

rifle to DMR and longing for accuracy over longer 

range the PDIK GEN3 is a serious must, it’s a no 

brainer in my opinion. What are you waiting for you 

know you want one… and perhaps with this I might 

even convert Bill to HPA! 

From the team at AA we would wish to say a big 

thank you again to all the guys at Mancraft, but 

Michal and Radoslaw especially for providing some 

fantastic products and giving us the opportunity to 

test the latest models; keep up the good work chaps! 

Please do go and check them out on social media and 

give www.shop-mancraft.com a browse, I know you 

won’t be disappointed! AA 

“IF YOU ARE SOMEONE THINKING IF CONVERTING YOUR AEG RIFLE TO DMR AND 

LONGING FOR ACCURACY OVER LONGER RANGE THE PDIK GEN3 IS A SERIOUS MUST, 

IT’S A NO BRAINER IN MY OPINION” 


AA LEGION 

PORTUGAL 

OP KIA III – 

GOLD LORDS! 

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AA LEGION 

PORTUGAL 

SOME GAMES THAT WE ATTEND ARE TRULY SPECIAL, AND WHILST THEY ARE NOT ALL AS LARGE AS OP 

KIA II – GOLD LORDS”, PLAYERS EVERYWHERE ARE ONE AS THEY REMEMBER THE PLAYERS THAT ARE NO 

LONGER WITH US. MIGUEL REPORTS BACK ON AN ANA APD-RUN GAME THAT PAYS HOMAGE TO PLAYERS 

PAST WITH A TRUE MILITARY FEEL! 

When the year started, the ANA APD (one 

of Portugal’s Airsoft associations) released 

their calendar and the first event was 

“KIA III - Gold Lords”. It was the third edition of the 

already yearly series, a more skirmish-like game that 

launched the association 2023 events. 

Now, what makes KIA a special event for the 

Portuguese community? KIA, as many of you know, 

means “Killed In Action”, and this game aims to 

remember those of our community who passed 

away. Before the briefing, the president of the ANA 

APD (Vitor Conceição) reads the names of all those 

from the community who are no longer with us, 

over the low sound of army drums and a heavy 

silence from all those present. But, this is airsoft, and 

even those who can no longer share some BBs with 

us would like to see a good game and the players 

having some good fun! 

We arrived early to the check in zone, and 

although the grey sky was threatening us with rain, 

the organization was ready to welcome us under 

tents and tarps. So after checking our tickets and 

parking, we started the old slow ritual of gearing 

up, and some time after, little by little we started 

heading to the chrono area. Here the ANA APD 

had several chronos ready with several different BB 

weights to measure the replicas, and after that there 

was a second check in where the players could pick 

up their game kit, which was composed of a set of 

dog tags, ANA patch, game map and other trinkets. 

While the rest of the players were arriving and doing 

their check in, it was time to meet with a lot of faces 

that we’ve known for years. Since there were teams 

from all over the country, it was great to see some 

old friends. 

With briefing time getting close, the players 

were almost all ready and although it had rained a 

bit we were looking forward to the event. At the 

determined hour, the staff started calling the players 

to begin the briefing and everyone gathered around, 

since the event had a special military aspect (that I 

will explain a bit later) before anything we had the 


AA LEGION 

PORTUGAL 

raising of the Portuguese flag, and like I wrote 

previously, after it the president of ANA 

APD made an address about all those who 

were no longer with us, a moment highly 

respected by all who were present. After it, in 

a lighter ambiance, the organization handed 

out some prizes to some players, like the one 

who travelled the most, the first that got a ticket 

and even the oldest player present. 

The briefing was light and straight-forward 

since an online briefing was made a few days 

before, giving the players time to share their 

doubts and questions beforehand, and we also 

got to meet in person both faction commanders, 

who are active, highly decorated members 

of the Commando forces in the Portuguese 

Army. And after a few words from both 

commanders, it was time to “march” to 

the field with the sound of army drums. 

FIRST CONTACT 

After we hit the field both factions 

headed toward their own base, 

and it was time to get ready for 

the first missions. The event was 

called “K.I.A. III Gold Lords”, so 

we already had an idea that 

the main focus of the event 

was the fight for gold that 

would probably be around the 

field. This wasn’t far from the 

truth, but there was a bit more 

to it. Our commander started his 

work by breaking the faction into 

three Companies (instead of the initial 

two), and these Companies were composed 

of several different Sections and their respective 

leaders. In our case, we were part of the First 

Company, Charlie Section. As during the game every 

Section would have a special task at determined 

hours, and ours was early in the game, our first 

assignment was to hold a position with gold close 

to the base while the other Sections, with missions 

later on, moved further into the field. 

This was a straightforward tasking; as we 

predicted, we were close to our main HQ and the 

field was big enough so that the enemy would have 

some difficulty to reach that position so early on. 

So close to the time of our special task, we moved 

back to our HQ and entered the commander’s tent 

for a small briefing. The task was simple, collect the 

dog tag of a fallen soldier from a previous battle, a 

request from the “family” of said soldier. Although 

70 


AA LEGION 

PORTUGAL 

the task looked simple, the location was not, it was 

really behind enemy lines, so at first we planned to 

move around the limits of the field and get as far as 

possible without enemy contact, but with over 300 

players in the field we knew it was impossible. 

KICKING THE HORNETS NEST 

After a while and already behind the enemy lines, 

we got into a prolonged fight, and we basically 

kicked a hornet nest, as enemies started to appear 

from everywhere and we had no chance. So not 

long after, it was time to regroup in the advanced 

respawn and plan a new approach. We decided to 

try to advance a bit more in the woods; we found 

resistance once again, but this time we got the 

upper hand, we were able to break the enemy line 

and move toward our objective. A bit further North 

we got to the coordinate we wanted and started 

searching for our goal; since there were many 

“crosses” around the field from previous fights we 

had to find the right one and bring it back. After a 

few minutes, we found the dog tag we were looking 

for, and it was time to head back. Luckily, we were 

able to get back to our HQ with close to no contact 

and deliver the dog tag to our commander, mission 

completed. 

Our next assignment was to relieve a defending 

team who were going to get their special task soon, 

so we took our positions and rested for a while. 

More downtime, and some of my guys even went to 

help out a group of our faction in pushing back the 

enemy from the location of the gold dealer. After a 

while, we were requested to help some members 

of First Company in completing their special tasks, 

and since the location was close to the one we’d 

completed we knew the area. Since we knew that 

the enemy was focused around the gold dealer, we 

were able to move with little resistance and got to 

the location fast. We stayed, protecting our retreat, 

but for some reason the team that had another dog 

tag to collect lost the name of the fallen soldier... 

Finally, after some phone calls, they got the name 

of their objective and collected it. When we started 

back, an important order was given, all Sections 

had to report to the HQ before 14h00 for the final 

mission, so it was time to hurry up and get back! 

FINAL COUNTDOWN! 

We were able to arrive on time, and it was time 

for the final briefing; the goal was simple, secure 

and hold the gold dealer location, so we started 

moving as soon as the green light was given! The 

First Company had the objective of creating an inner 

circle around the area, while the Second and Third 

created an outer circle. We were the first to arrive 

at the area and started doing what was requested 

of us, but soon after the enemy contacts started 

showing up here and there, and unfortunately the 

other two companies were slow on their arrival, so 

the enemy was able to push against the inner circle 

before the other players had the chance of getting 

into a defensive position. 

A huge confrontation was taking place, with both 

sides trying to push the other and the staff using 

smoke grenades to create smoke screens. It was s 

sight to behold, 300+ players all fighting for the 

same objective! Unfortunately, around 15 minutes 

before the end of the game, there was a “NO PLAY” 

situation, where a player broke his ankle and the 

staff rushed to the location. He was well taken cared 

off, and soon there was a vehicle there to pick him 

up and carry him to the ambulance. And with that 

the game was also over, since it was already pass 

1500. All the players started their walk back to the 

check in area for some well deserve grub… 

The check in area was now turned into a concert, 

with an open market for players who wanted to sell 

some of their gear and of course, a catering area 

where a company was serving the players. Time to 

get some food in and then head back home, ending 

our K.I.A. III experience. 

I was able to speak with the ANA APD after the 

event, and they kindly told me; 

“This is the most difficult event of our yearly 

calendar. Not because it is our biggest event in terms 

of number of players, or because it has a massive 

operational structure to accommodate all the 

experiences we provide to players that day. 

“No, it is the harshest because this is where we 

salute and remember all the Portuguese airsoft 

players that have passed away during the years. 

The friends of our community that are no longer in 

this earth to play alongside us. This event is where 

“NO, IT IS THE HARSHEST BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE SALUTE AND REMEMBER ALL THE 

PORTUGUESE AIRSOFT PLAYERS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY DURING THE YEARS. THE FRIENDS 

OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE NO LONGER IN THIS EARTH TO PLAY ALONGSIDE US.” 


AA LEGION 

PORTUGAL 

we present our yearly homage to them, a moment 

that gets its symbolic peak when the military 

tune presents its memorial service while the ANA 

President recites their names. We salute you, and we 

miss you! 

“But after this initial sad moment, we bring the 

spirit up with a really engaging game! Every event 

of ANA has its own identity. The “Killed in Action” 

series is all up to military stuff! We bring military 

elements to the experience, from the Military band, 

to active military personnel as part of the game, to all 

the props involved. It’s all about merging airsoft and 

real life military environments. But the game is just 

one part of the day. As usual, ANA events are more 

than playing airsoft. We aim to create true Airsoft 

Festivals! 

“In KIA 3, players had food stands with several 

free-of-charge options (vegan included), a photo 

spot dressed in military scenario for their team photo 

(with dedicated photographer), a trading market 

where they would be able to trade and negotiate 

their no-longer-used airsoft stuff, a stage for all the 

speeches and briefings, a spot to get free merch, 

and a ROCK BAND! Yes, after the game, the lounge 

opened with a Rock Concert. What better way to 

heal the bounds with the “enemy” than a free beer 

and a rock concert! 

“This was “Killed in Action III”, and the series 

will be back in 2024! We hope to see you all there, 

or at any of our 2023 events. Check out our events’ 

calendar for the best airsoft experiences in facebook. 

com/anairsoft”. AA 

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AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

AIRSOFT 

CENTRAL 

GETS REAL 

WE UNDERSTAND THAT AIRSOFT IS MEANT TO BE A FUN ACTIVITY, AND AT AIRSOFT ACTION WE LARGELY 

ENDEAVOUR TO STEER CLEAR OF ALL THINGS “POLITIC”; HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT YOU’D HAVE 

TO BE DEAF AND BLIND NOT TO SEE THE UNDERCURRENT OF THREAT TOWARDS TAIWAN RIGHT NOW, 

AND STEWBACCA HAS BEEN RIGHT AT THE HEART OF SOME OF THE “MAINSTREAM COVERAGE” OF 

PREPAREDNESS TRAINING AS “AIRSOFT CENTRAL” GETS SERIOUS AND WE PUT OUR OWN “SERIOUS HEAD 

ON” TO LOOK AT WHAT THIS MEANS. 

76 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

With the continuing war in Ukraine grinding 

seemingly inexorably on, and with no 

immediate resolution in sight the whole 

world is increasingly getting involved by proxy and 

has been affected by the knock on consequences. 

It is without doubt that the conversations in and 

about Taiwan addressing its situation in the wider 

geopolitical landscape on the international stage 

have turned towards continued comparisons of the 

two countries and their opposing aggressors. 

Once again I find myself straying into addressing 

unpleasant realities that somewhat tie into my replica 

firearms activities in Taiwan as well as those of many 

others in the community here. With continuing shifts 

in the Taiwanese firearms legislation situation and 

even more tightening of restrictions on importing 

anything airsoft-related from overseas it seems we’re 

more between a rock and a hard place for anything 

firearms-training-related despite the fact many 

people are of the opinion the government should be 

actively encouraging such things rather than leaning 

on all things gun-related in an attempt to stem minor 

gangsterism related activities of illicitly reactivating 

prop guns or other real steel pistols. 

Back in November 2022’s Issue 143 I touched on 

the activities of Polar Light, the outfit closely linked 

or overlapping with IDPA Taiwan and VFC here 

and their weapons handling courses among other 

training being made widely available. However they 

aren’t the only ones getting in on the act. Kuma 

Academy are a civil defence training advocacy 

organisation offering various classes in medical/ 

triage and casualty care training, information warfare 

and propaganda awareness, as well as the likes of 

Taiwanese semiconductor magnate Robert Tsao who 

wants to donate a large amount of money to raise a 

cadre of local rifle-trained defence reservists, having 

given up his Singaporean citizenship and reverting 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

to Taiwanese nationality under the increasing and 

shared disillusionment with anywhere remotely tied 

to the People’s Republic of China and its influence 

operations. 

his team who I met at MOA2022 selling Ukrainian 

themed souvenirs or delicacies to support their 

compatriots back home as well as maintain awareness 

and co-operation with the local populace. 

The support for the Ukraine is also evident in the 

community here given the empathy towards their 

situation in relation to our own, with PVC patches of 

the national flag as well as ‘Saint Javelin’ and ‘Saint 

NLAW’ floating around many of our own and other 

team’s plate carriers or BDUs, as well as events being 

held by locally-based Ukrainians for fundraising and 

aid donation, with the likes of Alex Khomenko and 

Taiwan has also continued its more official 

diplomatic efforts as a political entity with donations 

of resources and even domestic manufacturers 

donating body armour, ballistic plates, plate carriers, 

and other relevant equipment and medical supplies, 

while still other Taiwanese natives with military 

experience have even made their way all the way 

to Ukraine as volunteers for their foreign legion, 

“TAIWANESE SEMICONDUCTOR MAGNATE ROBERT TSAO WHO WANTS TO DONATE A LARGE 

AMOUNT OF MONEY TO RAISE A CADRE OF LOCAL RIFLE-TRAINED DEFENCE RESERVISTS, 

HAVING GIVEN UP HIS SINGAPOREAN CITIZENSHIP AND REVERTING TO TAIWANESE 

NATIONALITY UNDER THE INCREASING AND SHARED DISILLUSIONMENT WITH ANYWHERE 

REMOTELY TIED TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND ITS INFLUENCE OPERATIONS.” 

78 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

with some such as “Jonathan” Tseng Sheng-Guang 

unfortunately paying the ultimate price for their 

support. He sadly succumbed to wounds from 

combat back in November 2022 and was repatriated; 

Ukrainian representatives helped conduct his final 

resting services here in Taiwan and commended his 

efforts and his family for their sacrifice. Evidently 

Taiwan is maintaining its positive light in the 

international setting and showing that despite all 

the odds and what we are staring down here, it can 

still be a force for good in the democratic world and 

maintain a level of decorum in the face of our day to 

day reality. 

TRAINING DAYS 

Many of my competitive shooting compatriots have 

also been travelling to Thailand and of course the 

Philippines (I’ll tell you all about Military Anny’s realsteel-adventures 

in a related article soon!), and while 

some of this may be purely recreational at this point 

and an effort to put their airsoft-related pistol training 

to better use rather than an effort in preparation for 

a worst case scenario, it nonetheless punctuates the 

growing interest in skill at arms many people from a 

wide spectrum of life in Taiwan are actively seeking. 

Such efforts inevitably attract more like minded 

participants; Team Taiji has been actively involved 

in our own training regimen of range command 

style activities, skill at arms, small unit tactics, 

communications and usage of hand signals, 

navigation and command structure over the past year 

or so just as a basis of getting our newer members 

(some of whom don’t have any official past training 

on real steel platforms or military environments like 

some of our older guard members from foreign lands, 

or native former Taiwanese national service personnel 

among our ranks have encountered) up to speed on 

general safe handling and best practices, but also 

more advanced cross training from our array of skilled 

members from various corners of the world and 

background. 

This has also tied in nicely with the activities of 

CAMP 66 (who used to operate a part militaria 

museum, part skirmish site and training centre with 

all-terrain vehicles) staffed by former Taiwanese and 

USMC personnel. They have taken up residence in 

the same building as the TaiWan Airsoft & Airgun 

Association I covered previously in March 2022’s Issue 

135; evidently, many spheres of influence within the 

local communities, manufacturing and representative 

bodies as well as civilian and military interests are 

all increasingly coalescing in a somewhat unified 

direction and mindset. 

Some of our keen-eyed friends already spotted 

myself and a large cadre of Team Taiji in some B-roll 

and one of our younger members Mike giving a short 

interview during a BBC 2 segment “Taiwan; standing 

up to China” aired in late March, our part of which 

was actually filmed back before Christmas and I had 

already mostly completed this write-up before it finally 

dropped; timing, as they say, is everything, but NDAs 

are also “everything”! 

Likewise Anny had just returned from the 

Philippines and her live fire training there before 

jetting off again to the outlying Kinmen island a few 

“TAIWANESE NATIVES WITH MILITARY EXPERIENCE HAVE EVEN MADE THEIR WAY ALL THE 

WAY TO UKRAINE AS VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR FOREIGN LEGION, WITH SOME SUCH AS 

“JONATHAN” TSENG SHENG-GUANG UNFORTUNATELY PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR THEIR 

SUPPORT. HE SADLY SUCCUMBED TO WOUNDS FROM COMBAT BACK IN NOVEMBER 2022...” 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

miles off the coast of Mainland China to witness 

some live fire artillery drills and engage in her usual 

mix of military tourism and historical research and 

article writing regarding restricted access installations 

and museums. She was also approached by both a 

local media outlet and a French magazine’s team for 

interviews about her experiences and training from a 

Taiwanese woman’s perspective. 

With so many people from different walks of 

life using their own time and paying out of their 

own pockets to undertake medical or casualty care, 

weapons handling, communications or even high 

risk entry training, clearly the people living here want 

to develop a more active role and capability in civil 

defence for the event that the worst does come to 

pass, and throughout all of this, the media has been a 

constant presence, of course. 

Even just our own team’s activities over at least 

three separate days of training scenario sessions held 

in the basement car park of the TWAAA/CAMP 66 

building, and airsoft-driven range work in its top 

floor training range and classroom have coincided 

with multiple news crews being on site from the 

Netherlands, Germany, Japan, the UK, as well as 

Foreign Policy magazine among numerous other local 

and international coverage in print media from the 

80 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

world over regarding various activities on island aimed 

at improving preparedness in uncertain times. 

THE ROAD TO… 

While I have lamented at the negative impact the 

external news stories may have on friends and family 

overseas given the disparity of experiences or opinions 

within Taiwan compared to some of the unrealistic 

or sensationalist misrepresentations in foreign media, 

we also have to face the reality that the global and 

local situations are progressing, and the CCP/PLA 

are apparently increasingly actively providing aid to 

Russia in its continued efforts to bring an end to the 

war they started that suits their ends, while poorly 

pretending to be a mediator and peaceable force 

for good. All the while they are taking notes on the 

responses, military equipment provided and sanctions 

brought to bear, and further trying to insulate their 

own economy and grow their own conventional 

and nuclear military capacities, as well as rather 

chillingly beginning to use the same “special military 

operation” lexicon for describing their own intents 

towards Taiwan and related sabre rattling. We have 

seen them increasing their information warfare and 

taking notes from Russian propaganda to make their 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

efforts more nuanced than their previously poor and 

laughably obvious attempts. 

With all this going on in international and local 

media, the feeling of urgency here seems to be 

intensifying despite most people’s attempts to live 

life as normal, and with the international community 

increasingly looking to align and support Taiwan 

given its history of supporting other nations through 

the global pandemic and just on the basis of moral 

and ideological alignment, finally it seems the 

local government and defence apparatus is also 

beginning to realign priorities to support more of 

these homegrown movements. As well as the US 

arms increase and domestic manufacture of drones, 

medium range missiles, and even exploration of 

submarine co-operation with the UK and wider 

AUKUS umbrella, and with the recent announcement 

of increased US service personnel presence on island, 

news from the Ministry of Defence that the domestic 

national service term will be increased back to one 

full year from the current four months for all those 

men born in 2005 or afterwards is quite obvously 

an attempt to shore up the arguably beleaguered 

services. 

As to the global mainstream media’s coverage, 

some of our team are understandably mistrustful, 

and in general some members with past foreign or 

domestic service histories prefer to wear face covers 

and avoid talking to the mainstream press in any 

great length or at all. It’s no secret that those in the 

halls of the political or military circles over the strait 

have openly talked about ‘kill lists’ or people requiring 

eliminating if the day comes; I myself kind of got 

cornered a little in an interview that didn’t make it 

to the current cut of the BBC documentary. Perhaps 

the progression of the news cycle hasn’t come 

around again to make it relevant, or I deliberately 

avoided framing things how they wanted them to 

be presented; again we have concerns about the 

way they might present or cherry pick our activities 

and the realities of the situation here for their own 

ends, but nonetheless, at least the continued willing 

participation of the broad spectrum of people here 

is encouraging to domestic audiences and the wider 

world that sees our efforts to improve preparedness. 

AIRSOFT AVENUES 

Of course many might detract from the efficacy of 

82 


AA LEGION 

TAIWAN 

using airsoft for training compared to real combat 

drills, but until the local MoD or legislature make 

changes that make live fire more accessible to civilians 

there’s not much else we can manage. At least our 

work towards communications, small unit tactics, 

general physical exertion and acclimatisation to it in 

the tropical heat and humidity, and just familiarity 

with load bearing equipment and manual of arms are 

all positive outcomes we can easily accomplish under 

the legal and practical restrictions we are faced with. 

CAMP 66’s team along with others from the likes of 

G&G have been engaging with all manner of classes 

of people from teenagers on site in school outreach 

programs, as well as office staff and other non-military 

services such as emergency responders, giving them 

introductions to basic weapons handling skills and 

marksmanship principles using electronic targeting 

systems and AEG or GBBR platforms in the guise of 

the national service weapons the T91 AR, the T75 

variant of the Beretta M92 and the National Police 

Authority’s PPQ NPA models all helping to familiarise 

anyone who cares to join the classes with typical 

weapons systems they may encounter locally in a 

worst case scenario. 

Our own team Taiji training sessions at the TWAAA 

/ CAMP 66 have centred around force on force actions 

using patrol and room clearance activities, aggressive 

entries using Polaris all-terrain vehicles as well as fire 

and manoeuvre tactics using empty magazines and 

dry firing to avoid shooting up any of the camera 

crews or their equipment! This obviously added to 

some of the complication in determining who was 

eliminated and we had to improvise to some extent 

and face the realities that a lot of it was obviously just 

for show compared to our normal ‘live’ training or 

gameplay activities. 

The classroom side of things upstairs looks toward 

familiarising participants with current body armour 

technologies and options available from domestic 

producers such as HTTI who make level IV plates with 

live-tested examples on hand showing the penetrative 

effects of different calibres and their spall or 

deformation on the plates, there’s also a plethora of 

replica weapons of various eras and origins on display 

for people to get comfortable handling, as well as the 

latest in OpFor weapons in the guise of the QBZ97 

and QBZ191 small arms training models with dummy 

rounds for familiarisation with PLA firearms. 

The threat seems to intensify ever more of late in 

cross strait relations, with the PLA allegedly severing 

subsea internet cables to outlying Taiwanese islands 

to isolate them, as well as high profile ‘civilian’ 

drone incursions over RoC military facilities, ongoing 

encirclement and navigation operations by the PLA 

Navy and incessant and intensifying aerial incursions 

by the PLAAF into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification 

Zone (ADIZ). There are also influence operations in 

New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the Pacific Islands 

to weaken diplomatic and military cooperation in the 

area, and while the outside world seems to finally 

be waking up to the nature of mainland China’s 

political leadership and the consequences of leaving 

them unchecked, there at least seems to be some 

movement in a more positive, unified and productive 

direction by the people here who want to stand up for 

their freedoms and each other if the day does come 

where it becomes a necessity to do so. 

Hopefully the poor performance of Russian 

forces in what was supposed to be a simple threeday 

steamroller surprise attack, coupled with 

the international reactions to it, and the added 

topographical difficulties Taiwan presents will dissuade 

the noisy neighbours from going truly loud and 

kinetic. 

But if the day comes, hopefully we’ll be better 

prepared to look after each other and continue 

to triumph and flower under adversity, and our 

humble and beloved airsoft, along with the efforts 

of a number of enlightened Taiwanese airsoft 

manufacturers, will have undoubtedly played its part 

in this preparedness. AA 


AA LEGION 

HONG KONG 

LANDING 

ZONE 2.0 

LARRI IS BACK WITH US THIS MONTH TO REPORT 

ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE “HK 

SCENE”, AND THIS TIME HE TAKES US ALL ON A 

JOURNEY TO A SITE THAT WAS FOUNDED BY A 

GROUP OF AIRSOFT PLAYERS THAT PROMISES TO 

MAKE AIRSOFT GREAT AGAIN BY OFFERING A 

VENUE FOR THE MOST PASSIONATE CQB PLAYERS 

OUT THERE! 

The premises rental fee in Hong 

Kong is one of the highest in the 

globe without doubt! Facing such a 

challenge right from the start of creating 

any site gives a lot of airsoft venue 

businesses a tough time operating their 

business, and this was especially true during 

the pandemic time. Airsoft in Hong Kong 

is mostly a weekend “thing” and during 

weekdays, especially 9 am – 6 pm, all sites 

face the challenge of getting consistent 

player numbers except corporate clients. 

84 


AA LEGION 

HONG KONG 

To maximize their income and 

use of the site, airsoft venue 

owners run a lot of weekday 

service campaigns like public 

games, corporate training and 

the like However, to absorb 

more players, the best 

approach would be to go 

for vertical expansion which 

helps a lot to get more 

players playing at the same 

time. So this month, let’s 

take a deeper look to 

see how the team at 

Landing Zone upgraded 

their venue. 

Landing Zone was founded 

by a group of airsoft players from venue 

settings wishing to introduce new game modes, 

and foster new communities; their aim is to “Make 

Airsoft Great Again”, and to make airsoft become 

an even more popular sport in Hong Kong with more 

sustainable player numbers. 

It was founded in 2020, and the first version was 

mixed with Kill House and Market Zone. As it has a 

high rooftop which is unique in the market and great 

for competition arrangements, as I have mentioned in 

an earlier issue, SpeedQB has become more popular 

in Hong Kong, so the venue has also modified its 

Market Zone to a SpeedQB setting to cater to this 

market, which helps a lot in SpeedQB Competition 

development. 

PLAYER LED 

In my own UBCA game day experience, the 

capacity can be up to 50 

people, 

which is 

pretty good for an 

airsoft game HERE, but if 

we go for a large-scale CQB event or maybe a 

competition a larger venue is welcome! In July 2022 

we had great news that Landing Zone had created a 

partnership relationship with War Zone & Tact Zone, 

which has led to even more new upgrades in the 

venue, and more still to come! 

The venue was basically demolished, and based on 

player experiences and feedback the previous setting 

was changed to create a better playing experience; 

they also installed a lot of air conditioners, which 

helps a lot, especially in the summertime! 

This upgrade took almost 

two months, from September 

to November, and as we first 

headed into the new game 

zone, there was a huge briefing 

room session with an audio 

system and chrono device, 

which made pre-game briefing 

and testing much more userfriendly; 

if you want to test or 

zero your airsoft guns, they 

also provided a gun range 

rental service as well. 

There were two exits, 

which lead to different 

insertion points, so people 

would not mix, or bunch 

up easily. Both game 

zones are rwo2 stories high, 

and a lot more choking points need to be covered 


AA LEGION 

HONG KONG 

since there are a few staircases in the middle which 

helps for a surprise attack. During the first launch 

of “Landing Zone 2.0”, there were several rooms 

with no cover and empty rooms. As they gathered 

feedback, the owners installed doors or a window 

which brought us new challenges to get everywhere 

covered in a 40 people game. As many of you are no 

doubt interested to hear, the major capacity of the 

new setting I believe will be up to 60 people; if it is a 

team “Death Match” game mode I think it can be up 

to 70 people… 

As they had kept the SpeedQB game zone for the 

community, they have upgraded the area to become 

larger with more barricades, and we are looking 

forward to seeing more SpeedQB competitions 

coming in the 2023 Summer! 

NEW GAMES, BETTER SERVICE! 

During the past couple of years, the owners have 

also invented new game modes, and I have tried one 

which is called “High Noon”. As the name suggests 

it is a 1 v 1 competition, and each competition last 5 

rounds and whoever wins more will be the champion. 

In this game mode, each person could use only one 

magazine per match, and they also provided a game 

referee! It is great to experience, a western cowboy 

duel in tactical gear… at this moment they are finetuning 

the game mode, so I strongly believe we will 

be seeing this game mode or event again soon. 

For their staff service, they are passionate and 

friendly too, they are keen on all preparation work, 

especially when it comes to safety issues. They require 

every player to check their power levels before the first 

game and issue a “hand string” as a recognized tool. 

Before each game, their game coordinator will check 

the player’s hand string at the starting point again 

before it starts to ensure that power levels remain safe 

an acceptable. Besides their weekday public game 

coordination by their community coordinator, they 

have also formed an online booking system on their 

website, so players can check for vacancies and book 

easily. 

So, in my opinion, Landing Zone is fun to play and 

it is great for large-scale airsoft events. People who 

enjoy the “kill house style” should try this venue as 

the whole layout brings you a milsim experience. Also, 

the venue is adding more barricades and upgrading a 

lot of minor details every month, so I wish them great 

success so that they can bring more great experiences 

to airsofters. 

As border restrictions are getting clear now 

hopefully we can meet AA readers in Hong Kong 

when they visit someday; I, and my fellow HK ‘softers 

have a LOT to share with you! Finally, for those 

who are interested in the venue, please check out 

our gameplay video at https://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=oXGwlqjiwcs 

My thanks for the official venue photos by the 

Landing Zone crew and action photos by Photo.Lok! 

More information on Landing Zone can be found via 

their social media channels https://www.facebook. 

com/landingzonehk, https://www.instagram.com/ 

landingzonehk/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/ 

UCXv-X1Ed9hVIk4StGQyBaNA and via their own 

website https://www.landingzonehk.com AA 

86 


ARP9 2.0 

EGC-ARP-9V2-BNB-NCM 

7” M-LOK Handguard. 

Combat Machine Airsoft Gun. 

New GOS-V9 Retractable Stock. 

170 

5 POSITIONS 

RETRACTABLE 

Stainless steel material 

RAPID DEPLOYMENT 

EXTENSION UNIT AVAILABLE 

[G-05-062] 

ARP9 2.0 ST 

EGC-ARP-9V2-SST-NCM

GETTING PERSONAL 

“MILITARY” ANNY WU - GOING LIVE! 

“MILITARY” 

ANNY WU - 

GOING LIVE! 

STEWBACCA ISN’T THE ONLY TAIWAN-BASED SHOOTER AMONG OUR RANKS WHO HAS TAKEN THE 

OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF COUNTRY ONCE RESTRICTIONS WERE FINALLY LIFTED! FOLLOWING 

ON FROM HIS INTRODUCTORY ARTICLE ABOUT “MILITARY” ANNY WU IN ISSUE NO. 148 APRIL 2023, 

STU SAT DOWN WITH HER AGAIN TO DISCUSS HER RECENT RETURN TO LIVE-FIRE TRAINING IN THE 

PHILIPPINES, HAVING BEEN WAITING WITH AN EVER ITCHIER TRIGGER FINGER TO ONCE AGAIN FEEL 

MUZZLE BLASTS AND SMELL FRESHLY SPENT POWDER! 

88 




I 

set the scene in the article just before this one that in Taiwan right now training is very much to the fore; 

it’s not just about airsoft drills either, and just like those of us who wish to train properly with real firearms 

Anny has travelled to perfect her shooting art! I had the opportunity to get together with her to discuss this 

is more depth recently, and I was able to get the lowdown on her recent trip to the Philippines where she was 

fully able to “get her gun on”! This is what she had to tell me… 

FIVE DAYS, THREE NIGHTS, AND A FEW CRATES OF 

AMMO! 

My long-awaited return to live ammunition training officially 

started in early March this year after last travelling to 

the Philippines for shooting adventures in 2020 prior 

to the pandemic; I arrived at Taoyuan Airport early in 

the morning and waited to board a Philippine Airlines 

flight, preparing for a 4-day, 3-night journey. On 

this occasion, I would also be accompanied by airsoft 

players and members of the National Fire service’s Taoyuan Bade 

division who I met for the first time, comprising two men Yu-Hung 

Pan, Ming-Yi Chien and one woman, Pan; during the flight out we 

chatted and I found that Pan, who was travelling with her partner, would be 

handling a real gun for the first time - she was both excited and nervous. The flight 

to Manila lasted around two hours, and we quickly passed through customs and retrieved our 

luggage; being the national airline, it has independent take-off and landing terminals, customs, and other 

preferential arrangements and thus we did not need to queue up with other airliners to wait for the 

plane to land, and the otherwise long waiting times for customs clearance and baggage claim… this 

certainly makes the travelling far more painless! 




Greeting us at the airport was Mr William Shi, a 

practitioner who has participated in shooting sports 

in the Philippines for many years, and who speaks 

Chinese, Cantonese, Taiwanese, English and Filipino, 

making him an excellent host and adept guide for 

many. Following a quick stop off for supplies and 

refreshments it took two and a half hours to drive to 

the Batangueno Gatilleros Firing Range; be warned, 

if you travel during peak commuting times, you will 

encounter terrible traffic jams! Luckily there were no 

stops for the likes of shopping or sightseeing required 

for our group, we only went to shoot! 

After arriving at Batangueno Gatilleros Firing Range 

and completing the check-in procedures, the chefs in 

the shooting range prepared delicious local Filipino 

cuisine for all of our three-meal-a-day requirements, 

and after dinner, our first night of training started. 

Regardless of whether participants had live 

ammunition shooting experience or not, the coach 

instructed the students on the safety rules of safe 

firearms handling; even for those well versed in such 

things, it never hurts to review them again! Before 

dry fire practise with their pistols, the participants 

first removed their magazines, cleared the guns, and 

began learning the basic actions of proper handling, 

practising with an empty gun in order to ensure the 

foundation and muscle memory would transfer to the 

live ammunition training the next day. 

The training schedule of 4 days and 3 nights 

would consist of live ammunition training for two 

consecutive days; after eating the breakfast prepared 

by the shooting range, the basic training started at 

0800 following gearing up with our range attire. First, 

the guns and ammunition are separated into different 

areas; magazines are taken to the area where the 

ammunition is kept, and the prescribed number 

of rounds are loaded by the shooters themselves. 

Prior to the start of the course, students were issued 

Glock pistols, without magazines or rounds, and 

began once again going through basic training 

movements. The instructor would inform the students 

how many rounds were to be loaded, and then 

commence shooting paper targets at fixed points, 

with the instructor then assessing the targets with the 

students, and each individual’s shooting conditions, 

giving relevant suggestions. 

Following several hours of training, the basic 

grip and shooting essentials of the rifle were then 

addressed; after the students learned to load the 

rifle ammunition, they began again with shooting at 

fixed points, with drills in safe usage being impressed 

upon the students; after firing single shots the 

weapons were to be immediately put back on safe, 

then following subsequent fire commands taken 

off safe, a single shot discharged, and safeties reapplied. 

Regardless of previous experiences and 

whether or not you are a novice or a veteran, such 

“REGARDLESS OF WHETHER PARTICIPANTS HAD LIVE AMMUNITION SHOOTING EXPERIENCE 

OR NOT, THE COACH INSTRUCTED THE STUDENTS ON THE SAFETY RULES OF SAFE FIREARMS 

HANDLING; EVEN FOR THOSE WELL VERSED IN SUCH THINGS, IT NEVER HURTS TO REVIEW 

THEM AGAIN!” 

90 




re-indoctrination training ensured the safety 

of subsequent movements on the range. The 

afternoon saw us move to further advanced drills; 

training in transitions between different targets and 

primary and secondary weapons, as well as further 

situationally pertinent training. 

Training from 0800 to 1700, with an hour break 

for lunch, the whole day’s training was actually 

very intense; after all, this is very different from 

experiences of using airsoft replicas! During dinner, 

the students began to exchange thoughts and 

reflect on the day’s training experience, and later in 

the evening everyone began appropriate firearms 

cleaning and maintenance training; the firefighters 

shooting live ammunition for the first time carefully 

learned how to disassemble and wipe down their 

issued platforms, throughout which Batangueno 

Gatilleros Firing Range also arranged for a masseur 

to come to the range to work their magic on each 

student in turn at their own expense of around 700 

Philippine pesos per hour, excluding gratuities… 

certainly a welcome experience after a whole day in 

range gear and handling weapons in the heat and 

humidity! 




On the final day of the live ammunition training, 

the shooting range had already set up various 

assessments; after the simulation training from more 

basic handgun only to rifle only drills, we progressed 

to training with pistols and rifles together, and 

then to the more complex situational training akin 

to simplified three gun stages in the afternoon, 

finally the trainees were allowed to relax a little and 

partake in more fun activities such as balloon shoots, 

water bottle plinking and other amusing shooting. 

Nonetheless our enjoyment 

was soon 

coming to a 

close; the inevitable arrival of 

the famous Filipino whole hog roast for dinner drew 

near… despite being very tired, my 

eyes suddenly lit up at the prospect 

of tender and delicious meat! 

On the evening of the last day, 

we returned to Manila Airport and 

flew home to Taiwan again by 

Philippine Airlines; however that 

morning, some of the trainees 

were still keen to undertake 

some final self-sufficient training 

and rented guns and bought 

further ammunition from the 

Batangueno Gatilleros Firing 

Range at their own expense; 

with a full 4 days and 3 nights 

of training under our belts we 

made our departure. 

check through your tactical gear, personal equipment, 

clothes, shoes, and other effects to make sure empty 

casings have not found their way into anywhere, as is 

their wont. If you have accidentally embedded them 

anywhere, it’s extremely important to declare them 

to the range and have them disposed of properly; 

casually bringing them back to Taiwan or other 

countries is undoubtedly illegal and very problematic! 

Finally, it’s 

important to remember to 

sign the visitors book at the 

shooting range to confirm 

that you have been doing 

live-fire training here 

for the past few days 

in case of any further 

questioning or follow up 

procedures. 

During the course 

of our training we had 

the pleasure of using a 

variety of modern and 

more classic firearms 

ranging from Glock 

17s (both fourth 

and fifth generation 

models) as well as 

the G19X, and even 

Norinco Chinese made G17 

imitations, PT92 Beretta clones, Colt AR carbines, 

CZ Scorpion EVO carbines, Stribog SP9A3 carbines, 

a Taurus Raging Hunter .357 Magnum and S&W 

.38 revolvers, a Winchester M1894 lever action rifle 

and a MetroArms Firestorm Contender .45 M1911, 

making use of box-loads of 9mm 

Parabellum, 

MORE BRASS THAN SENSE! 

Of course an important reminder to everyone at this 

point is that before packing your luggage, first of all, 

92 




5.56mm NATO, .357 Magnum, .38, .45 ACP and 

12 Gauge shotgun rounds… is there anything more 

enjoyable than turning ammunition into noise? 

THE RANGE 

Batangueno Gatilleros Firing Range is about 2 

and a half hours’ drive from Manila Airport, in the 

Philippines; on-site gun rental and bullet purchase 

services are provided, while there is also an 

independent accommodation space in the shooting 

range, with double bed, single bed and bunk bed 

rooms for four people, with the largest room being 

a bunk bed with additional mattresses, which can 

accommodate up to 8 people - with each room 

having its own independent bathroom, and basic 

toiletries being provided. 

As it happens, during our stay and training on 

site, Philippine military units also held a 2-day live 

ammunition shooting competition as well; there 

were also Filipino soldiers with live ammunition on 

site, guarding the entrances and exits, and generals 

came to the scene, along with resident singers 

performing; my photos of their event were taken with 

kind permission. 

MY METROARMS FIRESTORM 

CONTENDER 

The MetroArms Firestorm Contender gun factory in 

the Philippines mainly provides firearms to military and 

police units in the United States, but also retail to local 

shooters, those who meet the requirements to acquire 

a real firearms licence. Additionally, the renowned 

action martial arts star Steven Seagal was once invited 

to be the spokesperson of the gun factory! 

When I first came to the Philippines for live 

ammunition training in 2017, I was fortunate 

enough to visit the MetroArms firearms factory, 

and I was Immediately drawn to the ultra-tamped 

MetroArms Firestorm Contender .45 pistol. From 

the serial number to the grip panels and shape, it 

was completely designed according to the user’s 

hand shape. When I came to 

the Philippines for training, 

I also came to check on the 

progress of the pistol; after 

waiting more than a year the 

gun licence application for this 

gun was finally granted and 

I could get my hands on my 

very own MetroArms Firestorm 

Contender .45 pistol, which is 

now exclusively available to me 

when I visit the Philippines for 

live fire training! 

My own custom .45 features 

my English initials along with 

my birth month and date as 

“AFTER WAITING MORE THAN A YEAR THE GUN LICENCE APPLICATION FOR THIS GUN WAS 

FINALLY GRANTED AND I COULD GET MY HANDS ON MY VERY OWN METROARMS FIRESTORM 

CONTENDER .45 PISTOL, WHICH IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE TO ME WHEN I VISIT THE 

PHILIPPINES FOR LIVE FIRE TRAINING!” 




the serial number, along with my own unique “Anny 

Taiwan” handwritten signature being engraved on 

the slide. The Metro Arms logo is centred in the 

skeletonised hammer, along with the skeletonised 

trigger adjusted to my preferred pull weight giving a 

low key but fashionable flair to its aesthetic as well as 

a comfortable trigger pull and break for my own taste. 

The grip texturing is designed directly into the panels, 

which are sand coloured with green inlay checkering 

as well as having a specially thickened grip ridgeline - 

which not only look great but improve controllability 

in my hand - the magazines are single stack ACT-MAG 

ITALY PSI USA offering 8 rounds of capacity; further 

information is available with this article https://anny. 

cc/2019-03-18-113/ 

I’d like to once again thank Anny for her time 

and introducing her exciting overseas adventures 

and experiences, and no doubt Bill is also equally 

jealous given her similar tastes in classic handguns! 

We’ll have more to come from her in future as we 

continue to work more closely together and integrate 

her perspective both as an airsofter and a “real deal” 

shooter into Airsoft Action! AA 

94 





RELOADED 

MODIFY PP2K 

BACKUP 

BEAST 

HAVING INITIALLY COVERED THE MODIFY PP2K GBB/PDW IN HIS INITIAL ARMOURY ARTICLE IN 

AIRSOFT ACTION ISSUE NO. 123 (MARCH 2021) HOW HAS IT FARED SINCE? WITH NEARLY TWO AND 

A HALF YEARS OF SERVICE UNDER ITS BELT AND SOME ADDITIONS AND UPGRADES, STEWBACCA 

ENLIGHTENS US ON THE PROGRESS OF HIS TESTING REGIMEN, AND THE IN-GAME PERFORMANCE 

AND OTHER PLAYER’S REACTIONS TO THE RUSSIAN’S MP7 CONTENDER. 

As I said in my initial article I was originally 

somewhat divided over my opinion of Modify 

Airsoft’s entry to the GBB arena; it’s a bold 

statement of intent and a niche and very atypical 

platform to launch a totally new venture into an 

otherwise untouched division of products for a 

manufacturer to take the risk on, but, nonetheless, 

the best part of three years after its release, I’ve seen 

them fielded here in Taiwan in the hands of others on 

more than one occasion, especially in the Russian kit 

and ballistic shield operator crowds. 

The PP2K is ideal for that kind of role really, being 

a pistol-grip- mounted-magazine format keeps 

their overall length down as well as the straight 

long magazines keeping the encumbrance to a 

minimum aside from if you have to go prone with 

them for some reason; I’d honestly go to a crouch 

or kneeling position myself more often than not for 

better mobility, but the ease with which you can 

single-handedly wield the PP2K and make use of 

your support hand for other objective based props 

or in game actions, coupled with the 56 BB capacity 

means that it’s ideal for building entry purposes and 

I’ve made excellent use of it for doing just that in 

the confined and darkened corridors of the Yangmei 

dormitories site we tend to use for CQB training and 

games. It makes clearing 

rooms and leaping 

through doorways or 

hugging corridor walls 

and peeking out 

from cover with 

a very minimal 

cross section 

visible a breeze, 

and the trigger continues to 

be the glass-rod like-break and reset which I 

also mentioned before. 

I did, however have initial teething 

troubles with the magazines and their gas 

efficiency and while I managed to get it 

running reasonably well with long fills of the 

stick mags, I later found out through more 

knowledgeable folks that the first batch of 

a few hundred had encountered some issues which 

were later corrected. Luckily those same folks in the 

know were able to help me strip down and modify 

the appropriate internal components and after that 

intervention the efficiency and performance have 

been nothing short of stellar, I have to say, with the 

gun reliably feeding all 56 BBs in each of its now four 

long magazines I’ve acquired and sending them flying 

“THE EASE WITH WHICH YOU CAN SINGLE-HANDEDLY WIELD THE PP2K AND MAKE 

USE OF YOUR SUPPORT HAND FOR OTHER OBJECTIVE BASED PROPS OR IN GAME 

ACTIONS, COUPLED WITH THE 56 BB CAPACITY MEANS THAT IT’S IDEAL FOR 

BUILDING ENTRY PURPOSES” 

96 


RELOADED 

MODIFY PP2K 

straight and true out to a quite surprising range! This 

is something I’ve put to the test at our more open 

jungle warfare sites such as Hutoushan or Xindian, 

and scored some pretty reasonable eliminations with a 

few BBs tapped out on a short string. 

FIELD EXPEDIENT 

The magazines themselves did present somewhat of 

an issue initially, especially once I ended 

up with more of them; their very 

slender cross-section 

made them 

fashion, alongside two other pouches to carry sidearm 

magazines or speedloaders. 

This has greatly improved the general field 

performance of the whole platform, making it far 

easier for me to run and gun, with much more reliable 

reloads and no worries about shedding magazines 

when diving around in the long grass and dodging 

the local eight legged monsters that hide in the 

trees. It’s become a joy to use the PP2K, and now it’s 

almost replaced the somewhat 

heavily worn 

somewhat 

unsuitable for my typical 

TMC Skorpion Gen 2 

Fastmags that I’ve used 

faultlessly for basically 

all my pistol and SMG 

mags since coming 

to Taiwan; in the end 

I decided to take a 

different path and 

alongside a couple of 

other amendments 

to my load bearing 

gear I set up three different 

custom placard systems 

to clip on easily to any of 

my three different camo 

scheme JPC clone plate carriers, with one specifically 

for PP2K / MAC11 / Glock long magazines that are 

very slim. I made use of four columns of PSI Gear 

taco pouches with the floor panels cut through to 

allow the magazines to go straight through and be 

effectively held by their floor plates resting on the 

tops of the pouches in a very stable and reliable 

and arguably less 

reliable and responsive KWA MP7 

as my go to ‘back up’ or lightweight 

‘backpack gun’ I tend to take 

packed with my plate carrier in my 

main backpack for use in case my 

larger rifles or carbines in dedicated 

gun bags give me any problems. It’s 

just very lightweight, allowing for a less 

encumbered field load when getting to games and 

even during them; it was definitely easier using it 

in the POLK 2 MilSim environment I covered back 

in Issue 144 (December 2022) as its short and 

lightweight footprint was far less prone to snagging 

on everything else carving me up in that hellish jungle, 

and the ease of carrying it certainly prolonged my 

endurance compared to others. 

It’s also been a popular choice for some of my 

teammates as a backup gun when their primary 

platforms have failed them but mine have not, as 

well as being ideal for a beginner. When Military 

Anny joined us on our last trip to Hutoushan she 

brought her friend ShanShan along who had also 

previously worked as a booth girl at MOA shows and 

was interested in trying out the hobby for herself; I 

let her use the PP2K as she has a somewhat more 

petite frame and the relatively high capacity meant 

she had less need to deal with reloading (although 

she was a fast study and managed to get the manual 

of arms down relatively quickly in all fairness to her!) 

and she seemed to enjoy fielding it and got through a 

few magazines in more than one of our rounds. The 

ease of handling is a real benefit in such situations, 

“I LET HER USE THE PP2K AS SHE HAS A SOMEWHAT MORE PETITE FRAME AND THE 

RELATIVELY HIGH CAPACITY MEANT SHE HAD LESS NEED TO DEAL WITH RELOADING 

(ALTHOUGH SHE WAS A FAST STUDY AND MANAGED TO GET THE MANUAL OF ARMS 

DOWN RELATIVELY QUICKLY IN ALL FAIRNESS TO HER!)” 


RELOADED 

MODIFY PP2K 

as well as 

the 

performance at a lower 

muzzle energy negating the 

need for her to lug around a 

sidearm for the day too. 

CHANGE IS GOOD 

Since the initial first few 

months of playing I moved 

the Eotech 558 replica 

permanently to my T91 

replica and replaced it 

with the Aimpoint T1 

style red/green dot I’ve 

pretty much standardised 

on all of my SMG/PDW 

platforms, and it’s now 

a lot slimmer as a result, 

with the optic being about 

the same profile as the 

gun itself, rather than 

the chunkier Eotech 

overhanging it either 

side and obstructing a 

lot more of the user’s 

peripheral vision. 

The only real issues 

I’ve had have been 

very recent and no 

doubt likely to my 

typical menacing lack of 

appropriate preventative 

maintenance… it gets a lot harder when you have 

multiple lives to juggle and thirty odd GBBs and at 

least four of each platform’s type of magazine! The 

trigger continues to break crisply however the reset 

has become a bit sticky and ShanShan had a few 

instances of having to push it forwards manually to 

reset it during some of her game rounds on its last 

outing; no doubt I just need to more thoroughly 

field strip and clean and re-lubricate it because it’s 

had very little care or attention in the entirety of its 

service with me. The surface finish has tarnished 

slightly on the operating rod (no doubt due to 

friction and wear upon the steel which has since 

rusted a bit); aforementioned woeful maintenance, 

coupled with Taiwan’s horrendous heat and humidity 

conditions is no doubt to blame. 

The later issue magazines have had some internal 

geometry and design changes made to them it 

seems, and again I was beset by doubts when I first 

loaded them up and found I had all manner of feed 

issues, hangups and ‘side by side’ stacking of BBs 

at the bottom of the magazines. As it happened 

I took them to MOA Campfest in April 2022 and 

talked to the folks at Modify on their booth and 

showed them the issue, they got on the phone to 

their engineers there and then and described and 

alleviated the problem immediately; due to a change 

in the magazine feed column the overall ‘length’ 

of the stack of rounds has actually shortened, so 

as long as you only load 56 BBs into them they will 

still function fine, but there’ll just be a larger empty 

space beneath the stack where the feeding entry at 

the bottom front face of the magazines is. This is just 

something to be aware of and I’m very thankful for 

Jane and her team addressing the issue on the spot 

for me! 

These minor recent issues aside I’ve been 

immensely impressed with the performance and 

downright dependability of the whole system, the 

ease of HOP adjustment with the long allen key 

going through the hole in the trigger guard and 

receiver make it a non-issue to adjust your BB’s 

flight, and the efficient delivery of rounds all the 

way through the magazines out the barrel with each 

string of fire makes it something I keep coming back 

to time and again. AA 

“THE ONLY REAL ISSUES I’VE HAD HAVE BEEN VERY RECENT AND NO DOUBT LIKELY 

TO MY TYPICAL MENACING LACK OF APPROPRIATE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE… IT 

GETS A LOT HARDER WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE LIVES TO JUGGLE AND THIRTY ODD 

GBBS AND AT LEAST FOUR OF EACH PLATFORM’S TYPE OF MAGAZINE!” 

98

Airsoft Action - May 2023

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