EDcase

Depends how much you want to reduce the power. You can reduce it around 5 to 10fps by leaving the AEG semi cocked for a few days. Using AUTO do a quick trigger pull so it doesn't fully cycle so the spring stays compressed. (It only works if it doesn't have a MOSFET to complete the cycle) Leave for a few days and test again. Repeat if necessary

Welcome back 🖐 I didn't play as far back as 2006 but as Impulse said, the toys have likely improved in range and quality since then. Even the budget options like JG and Double Eagle perform adequately for game use. (I do remember seeing springer plastic replica gun kits back in the 80s but never got one) Have a look here for sites near you: UK Airsoft Map — PlayAirsoft

Monitors/TVs and airsoft pews don't mix well 😄

Salut and welcome 😁 Yes, its very common to have 'discussions' with the wife/girlfriend about airsoft purchases 😉 Unfortunately I think sending a 'gun' to France from here would involve a lot of paperwork and not guaranteed to arrive safely 😟 (Maybe someone knows better?) Have fun on the forum anyway 👍

@Beorn You can certainly get a good performer for under £300. Keep in mind that tweaking can improve or ruin performance. Best to wait until you have a backup before tinkering. Its not an exact science I'd suggest to find something that you like the look of and then search reviews followed by asking the forum for opinions. Remember that there can be variation in performance from different copies of the same model so take reviews with a pinch of salt unless there is a definite design flaw found. In theory the more expensive models should be more consistent between copies but up to a point. The performance of our airsoft toys is not linearly proportional to the price so don't let the cost influence you too much. The Honey Badger and Specna Arms Edge have good reputations so they both would be good options. ...Oh and as for space, after a few years you just keep them in a pile 🤣

I agree with searches when things go missing. Its an unfortunate necessity to deal with assholes who usually get away with it. The good thing is that if a site had the reputation of searches when things go missing, I bet that site would have fewer incidents.

I'd suggest one of these: Fencing Plus Ear Mask - Just BB Guns The most protection you can get without the heat. Might be worth wearing shooting glasses underneath if you're concerned about shattering BBs but I think its flexible enough that that's unlikely.

Oh I love the smell of GT85 😏 but aftershave is definitely NOT the first thing I associate

I've no specific knowledge of the Bolt but its definitely broken and would be hard to fix. There must also have been a spring keeping pressure inwards so that will need replacing too. Have you done a search for spares? EDIT: Maybe try here BOLT PARTS | Airshooters

Wow, she must have a seriously messed up sense of smell 🤣

Personally I would not support the use of anything larger than 209 and certainly not indoors. 209s are plenty loud enough for people in the 'kill' zone to know they are hit. 9mm and over is loud enough to cause hearing damage if it lands near someone

I'd spray a good amount of GT85 (Not WD40) into the gearbox via the nozzle. Best to keep them at the back of a wardrobe but if going into the loft then wrap them up in a sheet, towel or blanket. Shed or garage is the last resort for storage. The batteries should be kept indoors and either charged using 'storage' setting or taken off charge before being full. Pistols should be well sprayed with GT85 again. Mags are the hard part because they're unlikely to keep pressure for months so will need checking and topping up.

Wycombe Airsoft ask players not to shoot walking on the way to the game area (out of the safe zone) because they also have junior paintball games nearby.

The nozzle sticking a bit in the hop is a good thing and all pistols should do that. It shows a good seal until the reset. Many pistols I have with a hammer do the same. The hammer sits a bit out from its flush position. Other than that I can't really help. They are actually quite complex mechanisms. Make sure the reset bars work so that when you manually rack the slide the hammer stays cocked. Sometimes the sear faces get worn so things don't lock properly.

By 'gun sock' I presume you mean one of these An actual sock wouldn't stop a BB at all. That's the one good thing Absolute Airsoft insisted on having.

If M4 is the only platform considered then I give another vote for the Specna Arms Edge 2 range. (Still make sure to clean the barrel before first use)

Good luck and let us know 👍

Yes, that sounds about right. If the adjustment screw wasn't in at all then the gears must not have been in contact at all. That would also mean that it wouldn't matter if the motor was wrongly wired. I would guess the free spin of the motor must have overloaded some part of the MOSFET board. If its the MOSFET then it should be relatively easy to replace with a basic one.

Left is 1911 Right is Hi-Capa

If the pinion gear is engaged with the bevel gear which they should be when the motor is mounted in the handgrip then it cannot spin backwards because of the anti-reversal latch. OP said motor wasn't mounted correctly but I can't imagine how it would not have engaged the gears at all.

With a reverse motor connection I wouldn't expect the motor to spin but I guess its possible it could spin inside the pinion gear. That would likely blow the MOSFET.

Not really relevant anymore as I don't think they're still available but the recoil on my Lonex BAW (Orange cap) is so strong its a bit scary. I've used it in a few games and its so loud it has scared people next to me 😲 Its the only AEG I have that actually needs 11.1v LiPo to run. I duno how long it'll last but I'm enjoying it while it does. Not many videos of em unfortunately. Most videos I've found are showing the weaker version which was also available as an addon kit. (Red cap) This is the only one that comes close to showing the true power 😄