The Diary of a Rebel#2

Somewhere in the Moldistan Forest - December 2014

Well, a lot of things have happened since we last spoke.

The weather for one !! - the snow and ice have arrived. The camp is now carpeted in 100-150mm of snow and night time temperatures plummet to a bone chilling -20 Degrees C.

Nobody has any spare energy for fighting - its just enough to keep warm.

Mind you, before the bad weather came, we did manage to secure one last pre-winter success against Gretsky.

The trucks carrying the Titanium Ore from the mine have to negotiate an old steel bridge across the Chernyy River to reach the processing plant. Fortunately for us, it is poorly guarded by the MDF and one dark night between convoys, we were able to neutralise the guards at either end with our sniper rifles and then plant explosives under the main supports of the bridge.

We removed the guards from the road and let the next convoy safely cross. Suspecting that we didn't have long before an MDF Patrol arrived (the truck drivers will have reported the lack of guards to MDF headquarters), we got to work.

The explosives detonated with a huge concussion and the bridge which was built by the Russians during the war, fell into the river with huge splashes. Not only did we destroy the bridge but we also managed to block the river for boat traffic, which will stop the government sending patrol boats up to support their men.

The trucks now have to make a 75Km detour to cross the river. Our action won't stop Gretsky and his exports to Russia but it will hinder them.

Another piece of good news is that our beloved leader, Nikolay Jakov is now the proud father of a new daughter. Born only a few days ago. It won't be long before she has her own AK47 and is fighting alongside her father in the forest.

Our group are starting to prepare for Christmas and are collecting food for the womenfolk to make Moldistani delicacies ready for the big day. We celebrate Christmas on January 7th in accordance with the Russian orthodox religion, so we will celebrate New Year before Christmas, which may seem strange to westerners !!

Anyway, the Peoples Front of Moldistan wish you all a happy western Christmas and we hope that 2015 will bring peace and freedom to all.

The Diary of a Rebel#1

Somewhere in the Moldistan Forest - November 2014

Autumn is settling in fast and the temperatures are already dropping, here in the forests of Moldistan.

Things have quietened down considerably since our fierce battles with the government troops and the American interlopers some 6 weeks ago.
- Gretsky has run back to Krasvin.
- Back to his palace, his whores and his high life.

The Americans got their wounded man back from us and have also gone home. Of course, we tried to kill Gretsky, twice and we think the Americans even tried to help us, but that man has the luck of the devil.
He even survived our RPG attack !!

Now we are just left in the cold. We sit wrapped in furs, huddled around our log fires for warmth. The world no longer cares. The news has moved on.

We have developed elaborate fire pits with special chimneys to draw the smoke away so it doesn't give our position away to the government jets patrolling high above our heads.

The Titanium mine at Gorazh is fully operational now and is churning out the stuff for the Russians.
Every day, we see trucks loaded with ore, ripped from deep below us, making their way North to the land of the bear.
We tried attacking some of the trucks, but what can we do ?

We stop the truck and scare the driver off into the woods with our rifles. The Moldistan Defence Force just send more men to take the abandoned truck and its cargo away.  We achieve nothing, but the exercise keeps us warm - haha.

Soon the snow will come. We get very cold winters here, probably -25 Degrees C and several metres of snow. We will probably spread ourselves out for the winter, seeking shelter from the harshest weather in the barns of farmers, secretly loyal to our cause. Nikolay took over from our beloved Lukashenka, may God rest his soul. Comrade Jakov is young but has the heart of a lion. He is determined to beat Gretsky and hates him with a passion. We all look forward to the days when the sun returns to our meadows and people will no longer need to live in fear of marching boots or go to bed with empty stomachs.

Today, we secretly travelled to a farm way up in the North East. We discovered a mass grave - the farmer had reported hearing trucks and machine guns one night several weeks ago but had been too afraid to investigate. Probably more victims of the government cleansing - more citizens who were too vocal and critical of Gretsky, no doubt. It was impossible to estimate how many were buried there, but it could be as many as fifty dead.

The nights are long here, so we sit round the fire and tell stories of our forefathers and sing and dance. Petr is good with his violin. He plays gypsy songs and we drink, sing and stamp our feet in time.

We look forward to spring - warmer temperatures, longer days and the chance to strike back at Gretsky.
May God let us survive long enough to take our revenge.

Stay warm Comrades.

Yours

Micha

A Different Airsoft Grenade ?

This blog has reported on the different types of pyro and grenades before, but this grenade has just come to our attention. We would start off by saying that if you expect your grenades to explode with an 130dB+ ear shattering thump and send banks of smoke reeling across the battlefield, read no further. However, if you like to play Milsims which use a stated kill zone radius and where the game is not totally dependent on the sound level alone, then this could be of interest.

The grenade is available in two shapes, the more modern M26 "Lemon" one as shown above and the older pineapple shape reminsicent of the MK2 US hand grenades.

What it provides is a reasonably realistic, re-usable grenade that will sound with a "crack" when it lands on your enemies. The "crack" is designed to be loud enough so that anybody in that kill radius will hear that it has activated and will be able to see it land, so they can decide whether they are in its kill zone or not. It is activated by landing on any surface and isn't fazed by soft grass or mud.

How Does It Work ?

The body of the grenade is plastic and very lightweight. This is advantageous in that if you are throwing the grenade, it is unlikely to hurt anybody based on its weight alone (more chance of the spoon having somebody's eye out). If you want something a little more hefty for added realism, the body is hollow and could be filled with sand.
The quality of the external finish is okay - the body has a few moulding marks so it isn't as good as some resin replica's, but in some respects, its "horses for courses". Hey, it goes bang !!

The metal spoon and upper part of the unit simply screws on to the top of the plastic body. The body is just for show really and unlike the real thing, has no practical purpose - the mechanism is all up top.

If you remove both pins and lift the hinged spoon, you will see the back end of a spring loaded hammer.

THIS IS A CLOSE-UP - Although my grenade is new, there was a bit of light surface rust on the hammer, but I wasn't too bothered. The grenade is going to get thrown around anyway!!
You need to get your thumbnail under the hammer and swing it out and up against the force of its spring.

When the hammer is as far back as it can go and under tension, you insert the little "L" shaped pin which is supplied with the grenade and called a Detonator Stay, through the housing to hold the hammer in place (stopping the spring bringing it down again). In the photo above, you can also see the supplied 5mm M.G. Caps (PF Caps) on their card. The grenade comes with 50 of them and these give the grenade its bang. Note the familiar grenade pull ring also visible in this photo.
Where the hammer has swung up out of the way, you can now see something resembling a firing pin protruding from the centre of the upper housing.

Next you place one of the little green plastic PFC caps over the firing pin, so the red/brown coloured material inside the cap sits on the firing pin itself.

 CLOSE-UP:

Close the spoon down and insert the grenade ring to make the unit safe and secure.

You can remove the Detonator Stay but be careful as the ring can easily fall out. It might be a good idea to wrap a small piece of insulating tape around the end of the ring pin so it prevents this if you are moving around. (NB - I think I will leave the Detonator Stay in as well, as an added precaution when carrying these around in pouches).

When you are ready to use the grenade, hold the spoon against the body of the grenade with your fingers and pull out the ring with the other hand. Unlike real grenades, the spoon is not spring loaded. The suppliers instructions actually tell you to slowly ease the spoon outwards until its about 30-40 degrees from the vertical plane of the grenade. You will hear one click as you start to ease it out and then another as it moves into the primed position (there is a little retainer on the inside surface of the spoon that catches the hammer as it starts to travel down to strike the firing pin through the cap). If you now toss the grenade, even the most gentle landing force will force the spoon out, allowing the hammer to strike down and the grenade to "explode".

Actually, I found it was more realistic to just pull out the pin, with my fingers holding the spoon in the safe position and then throw the grenade conventionally. The force of landing still moved the spoon sufficiently and the grenade detonated.

When I opened the parcel that came in the post and first saw the M.G Caps, I was a little disappointed. They reminded me of the percussion caps that I used as a child with my toy guns. However, when I actually used them, my spirits lifted.
Not as loud as a Mk5 pyro, they are used in the replica guns used by re-enactors etc and they do flash and smoke a little on detonation and send a clear message to the intended recipient of your grenade. I'm no expert, but they seem a lot safer than normal pyro, especially if you are wearing eye protection as you should be in Airsoft.

I can't find the spare caps on Ebay, but you can buy them from the supplier of the grenade for £8.50/100.

All in all, I can see a potential for milsims and look forward to using them in mock anger !!

The price is £27.50 including 50 bangs and 2nd class postal delivery in the UK.

Home James

Land Rover have announced that they are stopping the production of their renowned Defender vehicle, after over 60 years of production.

The Land Rover has been the mainstay light transport of many a military force over the years. For example, during the Iraq conflict, the British SAS used Land Rover WMIK vehicles.

Before Land Rover and during World War 2, the LRDG successfully used unprotected and heavily armed Chevrolet off-road vehicles to carry the fledgling SAS into the North African desert for reconnaissance patrols and raids.

The ever-present IED threat, wider mission profiles and increased amount of equipment of more recent wars has changed the requirement for vehicles.

In practice a varied range of motor transport is used by coalition special forces, including motor cycles, small ATV's and heavier vehicles like Bushmasters. However, the successors to Pinkies and the WMIK have become vehicles like the Supercat Jackal/HMT400 as shown above. These are available in many versions and a number were purchased for use by the British SAS, US Delta Force, Danish and Australian special forces during the war in Iraq.

One of the main requirements for this type of vehicle is that it can be loaded up the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

The Jackal can, but not easily.

Supacat have now developed their Chinook compatible LMV400, which is derived from an off-road racer and this was launched at the DSEI Defence Show in London last year. With a top speed of over 100 mph and a range of 600 miles, it is a serious multi-purpose vehicle.

LMV400 - Courtesy of Supacat Ltd

Competitors in this field include the Defenture ATTV from Holland and the US General Dynamics Flyer. The latter is also available in an Osprey V-22 compatible version.

It is envisaged that more vehicles will be developed to meet the V-22 requirement due to the growing number of global forces adopting the aircraft. Even Boeing who build the V-22, have developed their own solution in the shape of the Phantom Badger.

These vehicles are largely custom engineered to meet specific defence contracts and operational requirements. As efficient and sleek as they may be, I have a feeling that I'm going to miss the old Land Rover...

Okto Eight Milsim - The Plot Thickens

More Intel on the OEM Facebook page

We announced in our post last week that Okto Eight MilSim would be organising Operation Skylight in September 2014. As an experienced British MilSim company and events organiser, they have launched the concept of these 8-hour military simulations with a twist in the tail.

The concept of MilSim has been with us for some time - "a military simulation conducted by civilians for entertainment purposes, using Airsoft weapons to simulate military scenarios and tactics".
We also have Filmsim, which is a form of role play or re-enactment, where the contributing players can use Airsoft weapons to 'act out' pre-organised and dynamic military scenarios, creating an involvement and experience similar to participating in a movie storyline.

What Octo Eight appear to be offering is a modern day immersive story which revolves around the sleepy fictional former soviet republic of Moldistan and its discovery of a huge concentration of Titanium-bearing Limenite rock.

The initial background was laid out in the form of a "newspaper report" carrying the headline "Moldistan Teeters on The Edge" published on March 22nd. Since then, the story has started to take twists and turns as the updates are published on their Facebook page in an almost serialised thriller-like fashion.

Okto Eight advise that their intention is to continue with the storyline and "leaked" intelligence reports until booking for the game opens up next month. After that time, the public version of the story (what the public might read in their newspapers) will continue on the Facebook page for all to see, but the undercover intelligence (reports, sightings and other insider information similar to the sample shown above) will only be available to those who have booked to play the weekend in September.

We suppose it could be described as a 5-month on-line cyber thriller where you can take part in a real world action finale at the end ?
Okto have already said that if this first event is successful, the outcome of the finale will be carried across into the second serialised chapter with another game prospect at the end of that.

More information can be found on the Okto Eight Facebook page here:

Okto Eight Milsim 

Member of Peoples Front of Moldistan

Okto Eight Milsim

We are pleased to announce that the Summer 2014 Milsim, codenamed Operation Skylight will be organised by Okto Eight Milsim.
OEM are an experienced British Milsim company and events organiser and they have recently launched the OEM brand to cover their 8-hour Milsims.

It says on their Facebook page:

"Okto Eight is the phonetic for the number eight when radio atmospherics turn to little more than mush. The number eight is key to an organisation that creates eight hour Milsims; military simulation games involving Airsoft Replica Imitation Firearms, uniforms, movie roleplay and a fair smattering of smoke, props and things that go bang. 

Total immersion is the watchword and Okto Eight Milsim engage their clients months before the action begins, with news reports and intelligence, building up to an action packed climax.

Join in now, leave your day job and stress behind and become somebody else for a while. Take on the mantle of a rebel freedom fighter, governmental soldier or private military contractor for a straight eight hours in the battlefield; blood, guts and victory - then go home, have a hot shower and sleep soundly in a soft bed (until the next time).

Our next adventure, Operation Skylight is starting now. The tension is building towards the Battlefield day in September. It will be held at a secret location, within one hours drive, North of London".

Okto Eight are already living up to their word. Following an initial newspaper report dated the 24th March outlining the initial story, they have followed on with another news clipping updating the plot and cranking up the heat.

It seems that immersion really is the key !!

Okto Eight can be found on Facebook here:

Okto-Eight-Milsim on Facebook

The Airsoft SOFSIM 2014 Milsim is Coming !

Airsoft SOFSIM are pleased to announce that they are planning a soft MILSIM for 2014.

It will be held in the summer just outside London and is designed for Airsoft skirmish players who want to get into a MILSIM or for those milsimmers who want an 8-hour MILSIM where milsim rules will apply but it's not necessary to carry everything in a bergen on your back for the duration and you can get a hot shower and a soft bed after the game.

To kick it off, here is the background. To keep abreast of developments and receive future news updates and intel, check us out on Facebook.

MOLDISTAN TEETERS ON THE EDGE

Trouble is looming in the tiny Republic of Moldistan following the botched attempt to rescue kidnapped politician Artem Novik.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union almost 25 years ago, Moldistan has quietly soldiered on as an independent republic. The sleepy largely undeveloped country, which is still covered by dense woodland for over 40% of its surface area, rarely rates a mention in the worlds press.

One month ago, Mr.Novik, the Moldistani Minister of Trade and a close friend of President Aleksandr Gretzky, was kidnapped by insurgents when his car was ambushed as he travelled to a state visit at the Gorazh National Mine. The Moldistan People’s Front or MPF claimed responsibility for the abduction and demanded the release of MPF political prisoners from Krasvin Jail in exchange for his safe return.

Although the exact details are unclear, it is believed that government troops attempted a rescue attempt after negotiations broke down. In an official state press release at the time, it was claimed that Novik had been tracked to a remote woodland location and the Moldistan Defence Force safely snatched the minister from the clutches of the rebels.

Unfortunately, it seems that Novik had been fitted with a concealed improvised explosive device and both he and his rescuers were killed when the device accidently detonated. Inside sources have hinted that a hidden proximity sensor triggered the explosion when the rescuers tried to evacuate Novik by helicopter.

It seems that international interest in Moldistan has been heightened recently after a US-led corporation cooperating with the Moldistan government discovered a huge concentration of Titanium-bearing Ilmenite rock just North of Krasvin.  The traditional exports of Moldistan are timber and tractors, but the discovery of such a large source of Titanium could transform the small agricultural republic into an industrial giant.

Due to their high tensile strength and corrosion and fatigue resistance, Titanium alloys are used in aircraft, armour plating, naval ships, spacecraft and missiles. As Titanium is non-toxic and not rejected by the human body, it is ideal for use in a gamut of medical applications including surgical implements and implants. However, despite its increasing widespread use, global oversupply has caused the price of Titanium to fall on the international metal markets by some 30% in the last 2 years, eroding profitability for the mining industry. The recent large scale find of Titanium in Moldistan could completely destabilise the world market and threaten the major producers in countries like South Africa.

News Today is led to believe that when kidnapped, Artem Novik was travelling to visit the source of the Ilmenite find at Gorazh. We also understand that only a few weeks earlier, officials from both Washington and Moscow were engaged in talks with Novik concerning a future trade agreement. Eye witnesses present at the site of Novik’s failed rescue have indicated to our reporters that the Moldistan Defence Force were assisted by English-speaking special forces operatives who arrived at the scene in a black western-built Sikorsky helicopter. Official sources have rejected this as nonsense.

A Can of Worms

Airsoft legislation changes from country to country, but a can of worms is being opened in the UK.

In 2006, the UK government published The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (Realistic Imitation Firearms). I suspect its main function was to curb crime, especially "armed" robberies where replica firearms were being used to intimidate victims. Unfortunately, these controls inadvertently affected a lot of people in the UK who use realistic imitation firearms (RIF) as an intrinsic part of their sport or pastime.

In a subsequent compromise, various amendments were made to try to accommodate law abiding citizens who like playing with toy guns as part of a legitimate hobby, such as war re-enactment fans and Airsofters.

The new Act effectively made it illegal to sell, manufacture or import RIF's in the UK. To avoid destroying peoples recreation and probably more likely, thriving tax-paying industries, it was agreed that there could be exceptions, exemptions or defences which would, in some circumstances allow RIFs to be sold to adults in the UK. One of these defences related to those involved in Airsofting and this was covered under the heading of "Permitted Activities". Manufacturers, importers and vendors of Airsoft RIF had to demonstrate that they were only supplying people aged 18 or more, who were genuinely engaged in Airsoft skirmishing.

The United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association (now more commonly known as UKARA) was formed to meet this need.

As they say on their website:

"UKARA is an association of UK Airsoft Retailers brought together to protect themselves from prosecution and enable a safe method of selling Realistic Imitation Firearms ( RiF's ) to the largest of the permitted purchaser groups in the UK, Airsoft Players.

The onus is on the seller of a RiF to make sure they only sell to a legitimate purchaser, prosecution could result as a failure to do this.

The Governments desire was to have a third party system in place which would track sales to legitimate purchasers of RiF's, checking their eligibility".

This system has now been in place for nearly 8 years. UKARA constructed their own scheme where a set of rules were created by them to illustrate to the government that they were only supplying people genuinely engaged in Airsoft skirmishing.  Most UK airsofters are familiar with these rules although there is a lot of confusion and urban myths amongst players and people often talk about UKARA licences, memberships and so on. In reality, if players meet the desired criteria, they are entered on to a UKARA database. Retailers wishing to supply these individuals can check the database to confirm the buyer meets the criteria and this furnishes the retailer with a defence against prosecution from the VCRA. The hoops that players have to go through are largely defined by UKARA.


As UKARA is effectively maintained by the trade to protect the trade, there has been some criticism of the scheme, particularly by smaller retailers who felt that their interests weren't best served by the current arrangement.

Now the British Airsoft Club (BAC), a registered non-profit making company has been registered in the UK and they are creating an alternative system which will directly compete with the existing UKARA scheme.

There are some key differences in the two schemes. UKARA charge the retailer and player registration is free. My understanding is that the cost to the retailer has prevented some smaller retailers being able to afford to join. Although player registration is free, some skirmish sites charge the player to administer their application for UKARA registration on the basis that it takes them time and effort to complete their part of the paperwork. Also, it usually means that new players have to play at least three games at that site to reach registration status.

BAC provide their defence scheme free to the retailer, but make a charge of £6.99 per annum to the player. Logically, this would encourage more retailers to join (potentially opening up competition). It also allows players to use different sites in order to qualify for the three game status. This reduces the three game hold that sites have over new players wishing to get to a position where they can purchase their own RIF.

At the the time of writing, BAC have just launched their scheme at the British Airsoft Show and are busy signing up retailers and sites.

With this scheme, the player has to record where and when they have just played, on their own private page using the online BAC database. Their attendance stored in this game log is then confirmed by the site who receive an automatic e-mailed link requesting their confirmation that the player was there. Once the resultant record shows at least three games played in no less than 2 months, it forms a time proven defence for any retailer looking at the database.

Another scheme is also being discussed, currently called Project Luther. This is a scheme set up by a group of Airsofters who are attempting to create yet another alternative which would be controlled by the players rather than a retailer interest. The details of the scheme are still crystallising although it would appear to be modelled on a more techical solution than the others and which might offer some form of digital sign-in/recognition for players at sites, speeding up registration for player and site alike.
Again it is intended that the player would bear the cost and a yearly fee of £5.00 has been talked about.

Another issue that is often ignored concerns the 1968 Firearms Act which states that it is an offence to be in a public place with a RIF without a valid excuse. All of the Airsofters that I've met are very responsible and only take their RIF outside their homes when they are going to a game. Even then, the RIFs are stored in their original boxes or special gun cases, so as not to alarm anybody.

However, it is always a concern for me when I am driving to or from a game with my RIF in their gun cases in the boot of the car. What if I get stopped by a police officer for a routine motoring matter or I break down on the motorway and a police car stops. Will I get the opportunity to fully explain before they look inside the case ? will they overreact or panic - will I end up at the police station for the RIFs to be examined by firearms officers before they are satisfied they are only toys ?

In February 2012, a member of a historic re-enactment society foolishly left a replica machine gun on the back seat of his parked car. When he returned to his vehicle, he was surrounded by armed police and arrested. A passer-by had seen the RIF and called the police thinking it was real.

Re-Enactment Enthusiast Arrested Over RIFs

As you can see, he ended up in court because he didn't want his valuable RIF destroyed.

I carry a membership card from my regular Airsoft site which is a laminated photo ID card with a holographic seal like a credit card. Although I imagine these could be easily faked if somebody could be bothered to go to such lengths, it at least adds credence to my verbal explanation that I am a member of an Airsoft club and that the realistic looking guns they are about to find in my car boot are only toys that fire 6mm plastic balls at about half the muzzle velocity of the average air rifle.

It occurs to me that apart from a defence being used as a historical game record to protect retailers, it also has a very valid use as a defence for the player, to prove that they have a valid excuse to transport their RIFs in public.

This point has been made to both BAC and Project Luther.

Another viewpoint, from the police directly this time:

The Thames Valley Police on Replica Guns


So, has UKARA had its day or is there room for three or more competing schemes providing a defence ?

Only time will tell....

Is It Time for an MP7 ?

UK MOD POLICE WITH MP7

I freely admit to being something of an H&K fan, having admired them from the inception of their MP5 with its now famous and iconic cocking lever "slap". I revel in being able to say Heckler & "Cock" which is how the Germans pronounce Koch, when my American colleagues always defer to a more polite "Coke".

The MP5 is an old sub-machine gun now - it entered service in the 1960's. The fact that it is still used all over the world, fifty years later, says a lot for its classic design.

I love Personal Defence Weapons or PDWs as they are called.

Small, light and deadly.

You can carry them on a sling while you run, climb or fast rope. Yet when you need them, they are easily deployed and can be fired pistol-like or from the shoulder like an assault rifle. They are ideal for close protection work and can be easily carried in motorcades.

The MP7 came into being around 2001 and immediately went head to head with the Belgian FN P90. The problem in 21st century conflicts is the widespread use of body armour -  the 9mm Parabellum round used by the MP5 and most nine-mil pistols, struggles against body armour.

The MP7 was introduced to use a 4.6mm supersonic round which will penetrate the specimen NATO CRISAT armour target consisting of 1.6mm Titanium plate supplemented by 20 layers of Kevlar. This target is intended to replicate the personal protection used by former Warsaw Pact countries. The competitor to this is the FN Herstal 5.7x28mm cartridge and there has been exhaustive tests to examine the comparative merits of these two unusually sized calibres. The German military who not unsurprisingly, are an avid user of the MP7, use the armour piercing DM11 Penetrator round. This has a 2g copper plated solid steel bullet which can penetrate CRISAT at 200m or 9mm thick mild steel plate at 50m.

Personally, I'm not a great fan of bullpup rifles, so the P90 doesn't curry favour with me, but I absolutely love the MP7 series.

The improved MP7A1 came in 2003. It can take an extended 40-round mag, is incredibly light (1.9Kg) and feels more like a large handgun - the 4.6mm ammo is said to also reduce recoil compared to larger calibres. The charging handle is at the rear, there is a two part split trigger safety not dissimilar to that used in the Glock pistol and there is plenty of rail space for furniture like the standard H&K Hensoldt RSA-S Reflex Sight, laser or a tactical torch. Unlike the 20th century MP5, the 21st century MP7A1 is mostly polymer and has a three position extendable buttstock and flip up sights which can be used either down or in the raised position.
The real steel weapon is not quiet in operation, especially when used with the supersonic ammunition, so it is often seen with the H&K suppressor.

It is in use with the US SOCOM, the UK MOD police who protect military assets (MP7-SF Semi Auto version), Norwegian Special Forces, the German GSG9, French Special Forces and the police and SWAT teams of about 6 or 7 other countries.

In Airsoft, the two market leaders are Tokyo Marui and KWA with their gas blowback replicas. At this years SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas, VFC Vega Force launched their own GBB entrant and this is already appearing in the UK retailers.

Cost £265 - £350 in the UK depending on maker

Going Out With a BANG - Part 2

In Part 1 we discussed Airsoft Pyrotechnics. To add realism to Airsoft games, these provide a weaker version of the "real steel" smoke grenades and flash-bangs, that are used in real life situations by law enforcement agencies and the military.  Like fireworks, these are activated by an igniter of some description and emit smoke, light or bangs until the chemical mix is used up and they burn themselves out.

In this post, we are going to cover the subject of Reusable Grenades.

These are grenades which go bang (rather than the smoke or flash type) and as the name suggests, they can be used again and again. Their main advantage is a lower "through-life-cost", although some initial investment is required to buy the hardware.

There are many types and variations but they all commonly use some form of explosive cartridge or propellant, loaded in the grenade, to create the bang.

Some players feel that reusables are also more realistic-looking than their cheaper pyro counterparts.
The main disadvantage is that once your grenade has gone bang and you have achieved your desired "kill", you have to go and retrieve the unit. Sometimes this isn't easy in the heat of battle and occasionally they do go missing or get lost in the undergrowth. If you are careless, the high replacement costs do not necessarily make them a cheaper option.

For the purpose of this comparison, we are going to focus on grenades requiring an initial outlay of less than £100.

Reusable grenades can be powered by gas (usually Carbon Dioxide or Propane) or primer cartridges.

In terms of detonation, some work on impact (by striking a hard surface such as a wall or floor inside a building) and some work on a timer basis. It should be noted that the impact type often need a hard surface, so they aren't always a good choice if you intend to play on grass, the forest floor or soft indoor flooring such as carpet tiles or crash mats.

This blog post will also concern itself primarily with grenades that you throw. There are also grenade launchers and mines which although related, are a slightly different subject and probably best left for another day.


PART 2

OHSHIBOOM - IMPACT BFG

The OSB Shock is a relatively new Blank Firing Grenade or BFG, designed by a couple of British Airsofters.
This is an impact grenade and so has to strike a solid surface. It can work with either shotgun blanks or 9mm blanks and is available in a wide range of colours.

The head is designed to wobble on its mounting and it can be a bit fiddly to get the safety pin in. The makers suggest using a coin or expended blank to help.

Cost: £65 - £78

TRMR - IMPACT BFG

The TRMR or Tactical Reloadable Maritime Ready is a real steel device designed for use by maritime boarding crews countering piracy and other bad guys at sea. It can withstand being submersed in salt water and can carry a range of munitions from the real stuff down to Airsoft blanks. The UK supplier, JD Airsoft offers shotgun primers for airsofting use.

Although still an impact grenade, intended to be thrown on to a ships deck,  one of the advantages of this design is its simplicity. There are no pins to lose or spoons to worry about. The unit opens into two parts, allowing the blank to be inserted. It is then armed by just twisting the two halves. Reloading is therefore easy and rapid re-deployment can be achieved.

Some users have stated that it's easy to get the material of your gloves or skin caught between the two halves if you are a bit enthusiastic with the twisting, so care is needed. However, on the plus side, they say the mil-spec quality provides a solid, well engineered product.

Cost: £80

THUNDER-B TIMED GRENADE

These grenades use CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) 12g cylinders and they work on a timed basis once the pin is pulled. These are more cost effective than the BFGs and they operate like a real grenade in that you have to pull the safety pin, release the spoon and throw them. They usually detonate about 3-5 seconds after release.
As shown in the photograph above, you can buy them as a kit comprising of one mechanism (one striker head, cylinder cover and pin) with 12 disposable plastic outer shells. The mechanism is reusable but you will destroy the plastic shell  with each detonation and have to replace the CO2 cylinder each time.

The Thunder-B grenades are very loud (130dB) and you will need to be very careful of damaging peoples hearing if you plan to do CQB in confined spaces with them - they are possibly better for open air games. I have also heard comments about them being a little temperamental.

Cost: £40 for 12 plus approx £7 for the 12 x CO2 cylinders

TORNADO IMPACT GRENADE

These are powered by the same type of gas as you would use for a GBB Airsoft weapon and scatter around 200 BB's at your enemies with each detonation. They are reusable and you just have to charge them with gas each time and load the BB's.
These aren't very loud when compared to the previous type of reviewed grenades but the BB's disperse typically around 5m from the detonation point. If you believe the reviews you see on You Tube,  they should also explode on softer surfaces like grass . The trigger mechanism takes a little time to reset and the process is a bit finicky so this is probably best done in the safe zone rather than the field. You need to ensure you don't lose the pin and keep them scrupulously clean for reliability.

Cost: £80

Note: There is also a timed version at the same cost.

SWAT BFGX IMPACT GRENADE

This is another BFG. Its very simple to load - you simply unscrew the top, insert the blank (9mm), replace the cap, take the pin out and throw !!

This SWAT model is made in the UK and needs a drop of 1-3 feet on to a hard surface. Once discharged, the pin is easy to get back into the cannister. The BFGX needs to be struck on the nose end and I've heard reports of these not going off if they land on their side. It's also worth attaching the removable pin to a lanyard connected to your body (not supplied with the unit) - this will avoid you losing the pin.
An ejection tool is usually included with each BFGX to help you get the spent cartridge out.
Don't let these get wet or lubricate them as this will affect reliability.

Cost: £80



NOTES:

1. Unless it expressly says so, the costs shown above excludes the gas or blanks required for detonations.

2. Costs are taken from various UK retailers at time of writing and are designed to provide a comparative guide. You may pay more; you may pay less.

3. Reusable grenades are quite expensive compared to primary devices. Its worth sticking reflective tape on the outside to make them easier to recover in low light and dark corners (if you use a torch, the light should reflect off the tape !!).

4. Timed grenades aren't much use if the enemy can see you about to throw it - they will try to run - use an impact grenade instead !!
It's better to use the timed type if they do not see you. As the timed type don't need to be dropped on to a hard surface, you can stealthily roll them into a room and catch everybody unprepared.

5. Do check with your Airsoft site to see if you will be allowed to use specific grenade products. It can vary.

6. Give some thought as to how you will use your grenade - will you always have two hands available ?
If your Airsoft rifle or SMG is not attached to you on a sling, will you be able to activate your chosen grenade type, one handed ??

After reading this brief description of the different types, its worth drawing up a short list of the models that appeal most and then watch all the You Tube reviews online in order to hone your opinion, before placing orders.

Happy Hunting..

Going Out With a BANG - Part 1

Pyrotechnics (or Pyro's as they are affectionately known by "softers" everywhere) is an interesting facet of the hobby. Although not directly connected to the Airsoft weapons themselves, they are used to enhance game-play and the Airsofting experience.

In the real military world, explosives generally take the form of a measured explosive charge. Many explosives are pretty inert until they are matched with something like another chemical substance or a form of detonator.

In Airsoft we have a more basic range of non-lethal things that fizzle or go bang. Prior to Airsoft, I thought of the word pyrotechnics as being primarily related to fireworks, distress flares or the things that special effects guys use on movies or on stage.

The Airsoft industry has developed and adapted a range of pyro's to meet the growing need for realism.

These range from smoke grenades, through to thunderflashes that go bang and on to fragment grenades that spray BB's or dried peas around them when they explode.

The main conundrum with these is juggling the need for realism and effect with the requirement to be safe. Airsoft is about fun - there is no point having pyro's that are so powerful, they pepper you with BB wounds like buckshot or make your ears bleed with the percussion.

Here is a guide that I made for my own education which sifts and sorts the various types of Airsoft pyrotechnics available in the UK where I live and play Airsoft.

Part 1 covers pyrotechnic devices which are designed to be used only once.
Part 2 which will come at a later date, will cover devices which can be reloaded and reused.

PART 1

DISTRACTION

Flash Pyro's make a bang and sometimes a little light. Many sites count these as having the same effect as a grenade and will impose an imaginary kill radius. For example, you might consider yourself hit if one of these goes off 5m or less from you.

Examples:
Mk5 Thunderflash - loud bang (typical 120dB at 10m range) using a friction igniter
Flash Grenade - white flash and  loud bang (typical 120dB at 5m range) using a friction igniter

Typical cost £2-3 each

FRAG GRENADES

Sometimes also called a Ball Grenade, these explode and shower clay BB's or dried peas all around.
Some products are bio-degradable.  Grenades tend to use either a friction igniter where you have to strike the inside of the cap (striker plate) across the fuse on the top of the main body or a ring pull igniter.
Typical range of 4-5m. Most sites will impose a kill radius of 5m, irrespective of whether you get "fragged".

Typical cost £3-4 each

THERMOBARIC

By definition, "real steel" Thermobaric devices typically use the surrounding Oxygen to "stoke" the chemical reaction. Thermo = Heat; Baric = Pressure. In Airsoft these low power versions are typically used indoors in a CQB environment as they produce more of a thud, but they have the benefit of a bright flash.
Apparently, they're ideal for room clearing. The igniter is also of the friction type.
Some manufacturers also produce a multi-bang version which provides the initial thud and flash followed by some thunderflash bangs which are similar to a Mk5 response.

Typical cost £3.50 each or £5.50 for the multi-bang.

MULTI-BURST

These are more expensive than the Thermobaric devices mentioned above, but they have a realistic spoon pull, just like the real thing and provide smoke, flash and multiple bangs. Again these are primarily designed for room clearing in CQB. They are about £12 each, so more for the hard-core or wealthy Airsofter.
Just to confuse the issue, it is also possible to buy the standard Thermobaric in this cannister type (i.e. with the spoon) but the cost is still over £10 each.

Don't confuse multi-burst and multi-bang.

SMOKE GRENADE

Smoke Grenades are designed to provide cover and effectively smoke screen you from the other team. Some sites also use the coloured ones as poison gas and if you come into contact with the smoke as it drifts downwind, it can be regarded as a hit. Alternatively and to save confusion, some sites just use a kill radius to define a poison gas hit.

There are different colours, intensities and ignition types available on the market.

It is often crucial to make smoke quickly, especially in the heat of battle when an assault or escape is needed and different models have variable make smoke delays and different burn duration times.

Be aware that smokes can be single or twin sided. The single side ones vent smoke from just one end while the twin side devices vent smoke from both ends. Normally the twins start smoking quicker and are more intense in their smoke generation.

You can also buy burst smokes which erupt smoke very quickly and some high output ones which are designed to bridge the gap between a standard smoke and the real military ones (e.g Enola Gaye EG18).

As well as the standard friction cap igniters, It's also possible to get wire or ring pull igniters.

Typical cost £2-5



On July 4th 2013, CE marking came into force and now any new pyrotechnic product has to be CE marked before it can be sold in Europe

CE marking means that samples of the product have to be physically tested by an independent body who declare that it:

* Conforms with the declared design
* Contains only chemicals that have been declared in the design
* Is safe
* Functions correctly and safely even after being submitted to thermal and mechanical stresses.

Some manufacturers and importers have been obliged to modify their products to get them CE approved.

From a safety point of view, it could be a good idea to check for a CE mark before you buy, especially if the price seems cheaper than expected. Also, different skirmish sites have different rules for pyro's, so always check they will allow you to use your chosen device before you waste your money.

COMING UP in Part 2 - Reusable Grenades

Lone Survivor Movie Review - Potential Spoiler Alert

No guessing how this movie turns out - it's all in the title. It's the getting there that is the interesting part.

This film is based on a real mission which occurred in Afghanistan in June 2005.

The lone survivor, Marcus Luttrell wrote a book about his experiences in 2007 and this has now been made the subject of the film, released in UK cinemas on 31st January 2014.

The essence of the story is that a team of four US Navy SEALs were fast-roped into Afghanistan from an MH-47 to form an OP and provide intelligence on the strength, location and movements of a group of Anti-Coalition Militia led by their leader Ahmad Shah.

Compromised by a goat herder stumbling over their LUP, they were forced to make the decision to terminate the compromise for their own safety or abort the mission and try to make it out to the exfil position, knowing they would most likely be pursued by the people they were there to watch.

The film Lone Survivor is basically the story of the insertion, compromise, the fire-fight that ensued and how Luttrell became the only survivor, being rescued by US forces some five days later.

On the surface, its a good film for military buffs and lovers of war films, but there is also a secondary human story there too. With a lot of controversy about the accuracy of the film compared to the real mission, it's important to remember that the movie is only based on reality - its not a documentary.
It seems that Hollywood has added and embellished slightly, as it is often prone to do in the interests of entertainment.

Mark Wahlberg plays Luttrell and does a sterling job, although I don't think they look much alike. Comparing the photos of the other guys in the team and the actors portraying them, I think casting otherwise did a pretty good job.

The real story of Operation Red Wings is a much longer and more complex story and I feel that the movie makers have focussed on just a part of the whole story and simplified the tactical nature of the mission to make it more graspable in the 2-hour run time. I understand that the four-man insertion formed only the first phase of what was intended to be a five-phase mission.

Filmed in New Mexico, the photography in Lone Survivor is superb. The mountains and coniferous woodland representing Sawtalo Sar in the "Stan" are beautiful and the camera work is excellent.

I know of people watching this film in advance of the official release date, but in my opinion, it was worth waiting for it to come to the big screen. I don't believe you would get the same full effect watching it on a computer.

As I say, there are some disputed discrepancies. One of these relates to the number of enemy killed by the SEALs. Depending on what you read, the number of the enemy facing them fluctuates from about 35 up to 200. In the film, its certainly clear that an AK47 with iron sights is no match for the US M4 SOPMOD weapons with their zeroed optics and grenade launchers.
I understand that the director, Peter Berg even studied autopsy reports, such was his desire for accuracy.
However, watching the SEAL team being hit by repeated enemy fire, it's hard to accept that the human body could take this kind of punishment from 7.62mm AK rounds before succumbing - I never saw any evidence of body armour. The fire-fight sequence has to be the longest I've ever seen in a movie. The sequence where they slide down the rock face, thudding into things, had me squirming on my seat. The contact engagements had me wanting to be there, helping them to return fire, such was the quality of the action.

The top lying message in the film is that there are bad people in this world and good people often have to put their lives on the line so that the masses like you and I can live in peace and safely do everyday things like write movie reviews for our blogs.

It's a story about people making humanistic decisions even though it would be easier and safer to take the path of least resistance.

Were the members of the SEAL team brave ? - yes I think so.

All four SEALs were decorated for their actions by the US Navy. The leader Lt Mike Murphy who it is believed made the mission changing decision and who it is said, sacrificed himself to get a much needed satellite mayday call out, posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Watching the film, I wonder if I would have done the same as them - would I have taken the easier way out when coming face to face with a goat herder who would give my position away to a large group of armed people wishing to kill me ?

You could argue that special forces know the risk of these missions, but what is tragic, is the loss of life involved in trying to rescue them. Sixteen more servicemen were killed when their rescue helicopter crashed trying to get to them.

Although the reality and the film plot seem to diverge quite a lot in the way that Luttrell came to be rescued, what is binding is that he was undoubtedly saved by Afghan villagers who lived by the Pashtunwali code.
Invoking Nanawatai, the villagers protected him from the group that had killed the other SEALs until he could be rescued by US Forces. Mohammed Gulab, the Afghan who helped Luttrell has arguably paid the greatest price of all, with a family member killed, threats of violence and having to be relocated in Afghanistan for his own safety. Will he, his wife and their ten children ever be able to stop looking over their shoulder for doing what they felt was the right thing ?
Luttrell has brought Gulab to the states to visit his home and he has repeatedly tried to get him a green card.

Ahmed Shah was killed 3 years later in a shoot-out with Pakistani police.

Lone Survivor is worth watching. It's a good film on a number of levels and is thought provoking. Just don't expect a gung-ho feel-good movie. I came out of the cinema admiring the bravery of those concerned but nevertheless feeling sad about the waste of human life that war involves.

I don't like War - I Love it

Courtesy Fox35

I seem to keep hearing from young aspiring Airsoft players who say their parents don't like guns and don't want them to play Airsoft.

Far be it for me to interfere with how people bring up their children, but it seems a shame.

It's a shame that some parents see no problem in spending hundreds of Pounds on buying their offspring gaming consoles together with games that are designed for adults (rated 18+) and then let them play those games for hours on end, until they emerge from their bedroom looking pale and withdrawn, like vampires in search of a snack.

When you consider that there is a growing child obesity problem in many countries, it seems a shame that parents won't allow their children to play a healthy, harmless sport.

In European countries where real firearms are generally speaking, carefully controlled, is playing Airsoft really liable to turn your child into a blood crazed killer ?

Having played some battle simulation games like Battlefield and Call of Duty, it occurs to me that Airsoft, with its 6mm plastic BB projectiles and gentlemanly rules is far more civilised than many sports. The only blood I see on an Airsoft field is the occasional clipping from a BB when a player fails to cover their exposed skin sufficiently. Actually, I've seen more blood on a Rugby field after a match.

So, what do parents really object to ?

I suspect that they see the Realistic Imitation Firearms (R.I.F) that are used and the detailed cosmetic appearance worries them. Perhaps they fail to understand that these are electric toys which have a muzzle velocity only about half as powerful as an air rifle and that the hobby is strictly controlled by safety rules ?
Perhaps they don't realise that running around chasing your fellow players and shouting all afternoon, powered by Adrenaline, is actually quite good for you. Certainly better than slouching in an armchair all day gripping a game controller and exercising just your finger and thumb in a virtual on-line death match with another child doing the same thing in another country.
Perhaps they don't realise that talking face to face with a wide range of other players of all ages and learning to be socially adept whilst being taught sportsmanship and strategy is also quite beneficial for a developing young person ?

Apparently, some parents object to having to run their children to these events as they have busy lives. Some cannot afford the £20-30 that it costs for a days entertainment. Certainly in the UK where I live (and where my Airsoft experience is limited to), there is usually an Airsoft site within 10 miles or so. It rarely involves a long drive to get to the local site. £20-30 is a lot of money if you don't have it, but it's not bad for an entertainment medium that keeps little Johnny or Jane occupied for eight hours and ensures they will probably sleep soundly when they get home. You can buy them their own two tone Airsoft weapon for less than half of a PS4 console and the cost difference will probably allow them to finance quite a few skirmishes at an Airsoft site.

Of course, in the real world, many Airsoft playing children want to play Airsoft on Sunday and war simulation computer games for the rest of the week to hone their reflexive skills.

I wonder what these children who complain about their parents not playing ball, would say if they got this ultimatum from their elders:
Airsoft or a Gaming Console - you can't have both ?

Perhaps the Airsoft industry in the UK should make more of a concerted effort to highlight the benefits to young people of playing outdoor games like Airsoft. Perhaps we need some role models playing - sports personalities or a pop star or two ?

When I was a child, we played "war" regularly in the local park. We ran around holding imaginary tommy guns and making noises like sheep on artificial stimulants to mimic the sound of staccato gunfire. Our friends would fall and roll around, dying dramatically, aping the old black and white war films we saw on the TV.  Passers-by ignored us for what we were - innocent children playing a simplified and sanitised game of goodies and baddies. War without politics. Mind you, playing outside without adult supervision to protect us against the nasties of the world, was the norm at that time.

These days, perhaps Airsoft is one of the few opportunities that allows modern children to enjoy that kind of freedom in play ??

Small Gun - Big Gun

The Israeli company CAA Tactical is a manufacturer of arms accessories. They make grips, stocks, magazines and a few years back, they launched their RONI product. This is a carbine frame which fits around a normal 9mm pistol, converting it from a side arm to a primary weapon in 5 seconds.

As you can see from the example above, a ambidextrous charging handle fits on the tail of the pistol slide, which is then clamped into the two halves of the RONI.

The manufacturer claims the RONI improves the accuracy of the pistol by reducing its recoil and muzzle jump, whilst weighing less than a 9mm sub-machine gun. For example, with a Glock inside it, the RONI weighs 30% less than an MP5.

The extra real estate and rail space of the RONI solution means that its easy to add sights, tactical lights and even a spare magazine on the stock.

Since its inception, CAA have produced a RONI variant for nearly all the well known "real steel" pistols.

Recently, they formed an Airsoft division of their company and sell the Airsoft version of the RONI.

At the time of writing, Hong Kong based Tiger 111 HK were offering a TM and WE SIG226 compatible version at a special offer price of USD 84

Tiger111hk CAA-RONI-Pistol-Carbine-Conversion-For-226-Series-GBB-(Black)

CAA also offer another version suitable for Airsoft Glock pistols.

CAA Airsoft have just announced the launch of their new Beretta compatible version which works with the M92 and M9 Airsoft pistols.

Tupperware Guns

The name Glock is synonymous with Polymer handguns and many in the Airsoft and real steel shooting world think that Glock produced the first plastic gun.

Not true. Apparently, Remington introduced a 0.22 rifle called the Nylon 66 back in the late 1950's and it is often thought that this was the first use of a plastic frame.

Heckler & Koch came with their Polymer VP70 9mm pistol in 1968. Designed by the great H&K designer Helmut Weldle, it really was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, they only made around 400 units so it never really caught on.

The Glock 17 followed in 1985 and Gaston Glock certainly seemed to accelerate the use of Polymers in the firearms arena. Now in the 21st century, most weapons manufacturers have adopted the use of Polymer in their designs to some extent.

Polymer allows the weapon to be lighter and cheaper to produce.

It is argued by real steel "gun-buffs" that you get a greater muzzle lift when firing a Polymer weapon because of the different inertia and so they are less accurate. Also, there is talk of them being more susceptible to overheating with the potential for expansion and cracking due to temperature variations. Some critics say that metal shooting components sitting on top of the lighter Polymer frame and grip, raise the centre of gravity and this makes it harder to keep a handgun on target.

However, it seems to be generally accepted that their lighter weight, lower cost and greater short term durability in terms of resistance to corrosion means that they are here to stay. Certainly, Polymer is gaining popularity in the personal weapons market in countries like the USA where owners seem to prefer carrying something lightweight and are voting with their wallets.

Doubting Thomases have been vocal about the projected service life of Polymer, stating that as a relatively new construction material, its longevity is unproven and ask, will it last as long as a steel or alloy gun ?

Modern Polymer guns are modular and although it has been said that the plastic frame might crack or deform with age or misuse, its relatively inexpensive to buy a new replacement plastic part.

As was mentioned in an earlier post on this blog, Gaston Glock began in the plastics industry in his native Austria and entered the military world by supplying plastic entrenching tools to the army. His expertise in plastics probably brought a fresh eye to the subject.
There is a mystery around the exact make-up of the Polymer used in Glock pistols, but it is believed that he doesn't use glass strands in his material, in order to minimise problems in the extreme cold. Also, the flexibility allows some recoil to be absorbed by the flexing itself, so there is less "felt recoil" for the shooter.

As we go forward, new assault rifles coming on to the scene are making increasing use of Polymers, mainly to reduce weight. When an infantryman has so much else to carry over long distances, every little reduction counts.

Polymer is also being used to produce rifle magazines and it is even being used in the tips of bullets to aid flight and energy transfer on penetration.

As a material in the firearms industry, its definitely here to stay and no doubt, technology advances will yield improvements in plastic gun construction over the coming years.

Personally, I have Airsoft weapons like the H&K UMP in my collection where the upper and lower receiver, stock and mag is Polymer. Its light and works well, but as a traditionalist, I prefer the heavier feel of a steel and wooden model.

If I had to carry it everywhere with me, all day - well that would be different wouldn't it ??