TheGrover

I had a chance to hold someones ICS L85 yesterday at Anzio camp, and i have to say that it doesnt feel like its almost twice as heavy as the G36C that i had been carrying round all day. It may well be heavier, but it is so well balanced (not literally) that it felt light. As the weight sits behind thr magwell, th weight can easily be supported by your shoulder using the well fitting butt-pad. And aftet hearing his imoressions of the gun, i certainly want one now

A bit of a thrashing with some wire wool and a nail and THEN, it is the dark side

I already have combat clothing, a vest, face protection, good boots and a few starter goodies, plus a red dot sight that i currently use on hire guns, so once i have a gun, battery and a few mags, there isnt much else to buy until i start upgrading and customising. Although to be fair, ive got all my kit so far for under 150 (just ) i

hmm. was thinking of buying a pistol for myself as a christmas present, but i could ask my relatives to buy me a BFG and a bunch of shotgun primers for me... not sure my grandparents would understand why i'm asking them for shotgun primers... might lead to some arkward questions

Thanks for all the input guys, i really do appreciate the help and opinions; One of the best things about airsoft is how every skirmisher ive met is ready to help however they can. After a few weeks researching dozens of guns, gearboxes and bits and bobs available, i can only agree fully with the idea that the best gun for a new skirmisher is some type of M4. To others reading this asking a similar question to my original post, the last few posts here are just thr answer you're after. I think im going to go with a more exotic gun anyway; im an engineer by trade and the prospect of having to learn and understand the guts of a non-standard airsoft gun seems like a hobby rather than a chore. I dont mean to disrespect anyone, i always would have bought a more exotic gun, but now i feel as if i can make the decision well-informed, rather than hastily. Thanks a bunch gents, hope ill see you on a field soon

I bought mine from zero-one airsoft, but therr are loads of places. I cant fault zero one or the products (although they did mess up my order and send me a more expensive vest than i ordered ) As for high cap rattle: yes, they rattle, and no, unless you buy your own mags, you wont have any mid-caps. Its not a big issue however, as a bottle of bbs that isnt full will rattle way more anyway. I got round this by using a zip tie to hold thr screw cap of a bottle in the top of a sports sock. Fits nicely in my vest top pouchand wont rattle at all

I have everything but a gun and mags right now, and trust me, one high cap is enough if you avoid using full auto all the time, just make sure you have a bottle/sock of bbs to refill the mag whenever you regen or at each brief. To help conserve ammo, i bought a G&P red dot sight (other brands are available ) and i just whack that on the hire gun when i go. This lets me target distant hostiles easier than using iron sights so i can make use of semi and work on my marksmanship rather than emtying my battery (F and O use some big batteries by the way, they wont die easy) and my mags.

Nice to know about the TARs, thanks. And i think ive just about decided on an L85 now, unless i try one some time before i get UKARA and find it doesnt suit me ergonomically. My initial plan is to buy the ICS L85A2 with a rail converter for my G and P tube sight (sorry ed) and swap the 6.08 barrel for a good tightbore. That should be just within budget, and i can add the DD rail later if i find i need the rail space, and a 'FET later on if i feel the gun could use one. I still do want to try some more guns before i buy anything though, especially an l85 to feel just how heavy it is, and ive got between now and December to change my mind if i find one somewhere that suits me well. And who doesnt want a laser accurrate CQB gun at 20 rps with an effective range of 200m for less than 400 quid? If you do find any, save me two

The normal package includes a camo jumpsuit, G36C, one full high cap mag (about 300bbs) and face protection. With the extrs tenner, you get a second mag, a bottle of bbs and a light chest rig to hold it all. The only thing you need is the spare bbs, but they cost a tenner anyway, so you might as well get a bunch of hire gear as well

Just another quick question: whilst most 'Fets are designed to fit a certain gearbox, if i use, say an ICS L85 with a custom, bespoke gearbox, could i just buy any old 'fet, and wire it between the battery and motor, with the signal wire (or two) up to the trigger contacts and it work fine? does the specific version of the gearbox alter the performance of the 'fet besides the way it might fit inside the casing? and if there is a difference, how do i work out whether to use a v2 or a v3 'fet ina bespoke gearbox? Thanks

I played my first game there (followed by F&O at Anzio) and can't fault it at all, I can't fault the staff or the other players. my best advice is GOOD BOOTS. trekking through the lovingly named "Bog of Eternal Stench" in some old hiking boots left me with wet feet for the rest of the day. any half-decent pair of boots should be fine unless the bog is truly waterlogged (the bog does a good job of holding its water unless theres standing water on top of it), just make sure you have a spare pair of socks and shoes to go home with. Still, it wasnt a day-ruiner, and the previous post about the staff not allowing you to fall back to re-arm and reload is plain old bullshit, the shop is open all day, they sell everything you could want (bbs, gas, GBB pistols, mags, protective gear), and you can peel off any time you want (or hide in a bunker to fill a couple of mags) food is supplied in your fee (double hot dog, crisps and drink), you might want to bring a little extra if you eat like i do. the hire guns are G36Cs by the way, absolutley fantastic, well maintained and you get a full brief at the start of the day if you need. and on top of that, the guy that runs the place, whilst very opinionated, will go out of his way to help if you ask, along with every marshal i spoke to. Hopefully ill see you at the next one

Ive been having another look at the L85 option, and although its a full kilo over my desired weight, i think i may just have to man up and buy the big boy's toy My plan is to stretch my budget a little, buying an ICS L85A2 carbine version, because 410mm of inner barrel is enough, 500mm+ on an AR is true overkill for airsoft, then swap out the handguard for an RIS (either a real DD one with a conversion kit or a cheap knock-off, so long as its metal) with a battery box to run with a normal mini battery, i saw a nice one with an integrated laser which would be great for those dark CQB engagements. has anyone had any experience with an L85 carbine version? is it possible to fit the DD RIS system around the shorter barrel without butchering some bits? Thanks

As long as the base gun and upgrade parts are within budget, i dont mind working a little bit, but my tool selection is a little limited at the moment, and to be quite honest, i dont know where to start :pj

Ill take a look at the scar, it might well be what im after. I dont really prefer the bullpup platform for a great accurrate weapon (i know the barrel length is negligible once you get above about 250 or 300mm), but they are usually more compact than comparable traditional platforms (great for CQB inside buildings). I got the criteria from where i plan on playing. The CQB requirements come from Anzio camp, a disused MOD (or similar) training facility. Lots of fightng indoors to control the structures, and some very long range fighting as well. First and Only (the game operators) hire out G36c's which are about 2.5kg, and those feel like just the right weight to be carrying round all day. And im not a big fan of the m4 family because everyone and their mother seems to have one or two (and i understand why), but they just arent for me. Does anyone here own an Ares gun or an APS? What kind of quality (internal and external) can you expect? I had never heard anything bad about the Ares TAR-21 until i asked at a shop and the chap there said that Ares tend to make guns for cosplay and re-enactment, not necessarily good airsoft guns, but i think this may bean old impression of Star or a young Ares brand

Hey guys, im hoping some experienced airsoftere can lend me some ideas for my first gun based on some requirements i have. Budget: £400 (including necessary upgrades) Intended use: must be accurrate for outdoor use using single fire, and compact to use in CQB games. A bullpup platform is ideal (and i prefer the bullpup method anyway) Other criteria: -the weapon must accept m4 style mags -the weapon must not be an m4/m16 or similar -total weapon weight (with mid-cap and battery) must not exceed 3kg (a little variance is allowed here) -build quality is important, a 400 pound gun needs to feel and perform like its worth -the weapon must have rail space for at least an optic -ideally, be easily servicable/upgradable (eg. MOEFET, new barrel/hop, motor etc.) I have already had a look at the Ares TAR-21 as one option and thr APS UAR as a bit of an upgrade project. Can either of these be reccomended to a newbie? And of course, alternates are always welcome. Thanks guys TheGrover

Sorry for the necro-post, but i didnt want to start a new thread. Has anybody bought the second version of the UAR? It supposedley fixed the mag issue and moved the batteries to the stock so it fits a mini type, was just wondering about peoples impressions Thanks

Was liking the look of the APS UAR (Version 2), but this was more of a general question as most of the guns i like the look of don't have the luxury of extended aftermarket outer barrels, so a faux suppressor hiding a longer barrel seems the only way to me

As for the spring release, i was thinking of setting the semi on the gun to a pre-cocked semi auto, then full auto to a standard full auto, so that when returning to the safe zone, just giving the gun a short burst of full auto with no mag (to clear the chamber) will ensure that the spring is not under tension, easier to do than fixing a manual spring release up. and i do like the idea of using a micro switch in place of a mechanical trigger. does this also overcome the arcing issues and carbon build-up (leading to the death of a traditional trigger mechanism)? Thanks

If I want to extend the length of my inner barrel, do I simply fit a longer internal barrel than stock, then install a suitably long flash hider (or more likely, a dummy suppressor) to cover the inner barrel, then pack the space between the two to prevent any wobbling? is there a better way to do it? Thanks in advance

great, thanks man. i checked the BTC spectre, and it seems that its only available for a V2 gearbox, is there a similar model that fits a V3 without fiddling?

I totally agree, which is why the Ares Tavor -21 (which features the pre-cocking system as standard) has a spring release which can easily be knocked to prevent that. Nice one. can a MOSFET also solve the spring release issue as highlighted above? such as holding the trigger on semi for a few seconds to release the spring tension? or will it take a bit of hardware work to install a manual spring release? Thanks gents

Hey all, hopefully this isnt too much of a "Pain-in-the-arse" question. I understand the basic workings of a MOSFET, basically bridging the trigger contacts, relegating them to carrying a signal current, rather than the torrent of power from a LiPo. What i wonder, is if a MOSFET system can be used to change the cycle of a gearbox, to create a much better trigger response. Basically, the picture in my head of the perfect gearbox cycling system, is that on a trigger pull, the gearbox first releases the spring, then draws it back so that it is primed to fire at a a moments notice, so that the next shot is very snappy, and you don't need to go to unrealistic rates of fire to get a nice trigger response. A couple of safeties are required, firstly that the gearbox is forced to finish its cycle to prevent any half charged springs, and that a quickly accessible spring release is on hand (Ideally something similar to the Ares TAR-21, a button on the stock that releases the spring tension easily) so that when not firing for a period of time, you can reduce strain on the main spring. I understand that some higher budget guns, like the Ares Tar-21 and either the ICS or G&G L85-A2 (or both, can't remember) have some or all of this functionality as standard, but could it be possible to make minor modifications, no more complex than fitting a MOSFET or shimming a gearbox, that will grant this functionality to a more traditional AEG? Thanks for reading TheGrover

Good to hear, though i expect a 400 pound gun to work that way anyway

Until now ive never heard anything bad about the Ares TAR, i thought internally it was pretty good like most Ares guns (except the Ares special designs which are hard to find replacements for), though i do not yet own one,and may well be proven wrong. Could it just be a bad rifle of the batch or is it a design issue that lets it down?