Rogerborg

Huh, that is what it looks like, even down to being slightly dry and rough looking (e.g. rubber, "Perfect for using with R-Hop") rather than slick texture (silicone, for direct contact). But I've got no record nor recollection of ever getting one, or why I'd have done so. My DIY'd flat hop bucking was done to use with an S-hop (tried and abandoned), and I have no other use for one. @Adolf Hamstercould be right, I might have acquired it some other way than retail, but I'm struggling to think how, as all my AEGs (pauses to check...) were bought new. Maybe I've just acquired enough Bits in the Box that they are now attracting random parts from hyperspace?

Hmm, I can't think of any candidates, and it clearly requires use of a flat hopped arm and a thicc eraser nub, or an S/R-hop patch to work at all - it would be (and is) instantly noticeable when used with a standard arm and nub. I've only got one flat hopped AEG arm, and I did that myself, along with one rubber, and it's not this one. Good point, the damage on it (the lips and near the shoulder) look like rubber, rather than the smooth splits you tend to get on decent silicone when it gives way. I'm pretty sure that I've found the ZCI 70 now, and it's better quality than this. That just makes it even weirder. Why would you manufacture a flat hop rubber (a premium / upgrade piece) out of sub-standard materials? Small issue, big head scratchings.

No, the ridge is around on the other side, this is where the contact patch should be. Those lines are just barely visible but not tangible. Now that I think about it, they're probably just from pushing the rubber on, then the nub trying to push it through the barrel window. Oh, and I've found what is likely to be the ZCI 70 (apologies to Mr M4), so I suspect this is indeed a factory flat hop rubber. I just have no idea how I got it, or from where.

They didn't. To be clear, it's got a an unmodified and distinct keying ridge on it. It's exactly how you would make a factory flat hop rubber, I just can't find any evidence that I bought it as such.

Yup, I removed the ridge on the other rubber. If I'd modified this one, I'd have done it here as well, so I'm pretty sure it came this way. Yup, again. If someone is selling flat hop rubbers, and I've bought one, this is what it would look like. But I can't find any evidence that I did, or anyone selling them. Oh, I probably did that while turning it inside out with a set of ridged surgical forceps because sod it.

When I FOI'd them a few years back, they didn't even have records of how many times (or even if) they'd checked UKARA numbers. That doesn't mean that they don't, and they may have cracked down now, mind.

Curious stuff. I threw an M90 spring, a short barrel, a random hop rubber into my DMR'd Specna Arms and took it to a CQB site. All good, except for a complete lack of hop. OK, no worries, I'll just pop in the spare random hop rubber that I thought to bring and... no hop. Well, no biggie, it was the backup-backup-backup AEG. But why no hop? On examination today, it turns out that I'd flat hopped one of the buckings, with the contact bump and most of the keying ridge clearly sanded off, with just enough of its memory remaining to fool me on site in a hurry. I mention this to make it clear that I know what a flat hopped rubber is and what it looks like (inside out, in daylight). The other, well, it has a clear keying ridge, no signs of cutting or sanding anywhere, but no contact bump. There's a rectangular section visible where it should be, bounded by straight, very slight lines running along and across it, but they don't look like anything I did or could have done. It seems like the contact bump is just missing, like it's been pre-flat hopped, but retaining the keying ridge. The rubber, inside out, showing where the contact bump should be (the ridge is on the opposite side). And highlighting the very faint lines. The cratery bit near the shoulder looks like a tiny moulding imperfection, it's not the result of cutting or sanding, I couldn't do work that fine without scuffing up the whole area. What sorcery is this? I've checked my purchase history but can't found that I've bought a "flat hop bucking" or anything similar. What I think this might be, based on the hardness, is a ZCI 70 degree bucking bought from @ak2m4 (and not fitted, it was bought as a backup in case I got DMR Maple Leaf feed issues onsite) although I'll go through my bits box to see if I can find that still packaged elsewhere. [CORRECTION] No, it's not that, the ZCI has been found and is perfectly fine. Either way, a bit of a puzzler. Does anyone make and sell rubbers like this, or have I just ended up with a mutant?

Ahoy and welcome back to the money-sink.

Word. I'd just note that at this point your only real concern isn't possession of a RIF or how you got it, but possession in public. Firearms Act 1968 section 19 makes it an offence to possess any imitation firearm (realistic or otherwise) in public, without a reasonable excuse, the proof whereof lies with us. In other words, only have it with you when you're on your way to an insured airsoft skirmish site, ideally with pre-booking, and have the site details to hand. Other than that, you're golden. Or, black.

Yup, the moment he turns 18, he's automatically legal to buy and be sold an IF. He's also legal to buy and be sold a RIF as long as the purpose is for use at an insured airsoft site (and one way of demonstrating that is site membership or a UKARA number). If the site won't even start his membership qualification until he turns 18, then in practice the minimum age for getting a membership or UKARA defence rises to 18.15384615384615384615384615384615 (I discount leap years here for the sake of simplicity). That may be a specific site's policy regarding membership, but it's not part of the UKARA scheme - that's a minimum of 3 games over a minimum of 8 weeks. There's no maximum mentioned in the scheme itself ( http://ukara.org.uk/ ), and indeed it doesn't even mention expiry or renewal although there seems to be a policy of expiring after a year. Although even at that, I wouldn't be convinced by the scheme runners' competency to do any such thing, or that retailers or Border Farce actually bother checking anyway as long as the number looks legit. Try it and see.

You'll never get a job doing product demos for BBgunz4less with that attitude.

I do have to flag up "Not played yet, want GBBR" as a potential way to see another couple of GBBRs appear in the classifieds. We usually recommend AEG -> gas pistol -> GBBR / HPA in about that order as you start sinking your kids' inheritance into this hobby. Find out if you like it first playing in easy mode before switching to hard mode or buying premium gear.

Sure, if by 0.2g you mean 0.36g or heavier. Because it's not 1999. I'd even argue that CQB sites with a 0.25g or so limit should test with heavier BBs, because, as above, the assumption that players have any idea what they are doing, or would care if they did, is wildly optimistic. If they're going to load heavy BBs despite being told over and over not to, at least try and ensure that they won't be shooting hot with them. This can all end when fps dinosaurs unconditionally surrender to the Master Metric of Joules. Resistance just prolongs the conflict and costs millions of lives. 👌

This post, right here, is why everybody should be thinking and talking in terms of Joules. Because I guarantee you that there are folk turning up spunking 0.36g at 350fps and when they get asked it they're "Using twos" at chrono, will say "Yeah, sure, I guess." If you're assuming that any given player has the remotest clue what they're doing, well, see this thread, and Ex-Workmate Eddie just got tugged for describing his green gas pistol as CO2, because, I dunno, CO2 is a gas, innit, and he puts gas in it.

Inspiring stuff. The couple of filmsims that I've managed to get to have been far more involving and enjoyable than a typical skirmish day, even if they involve less shooting. Granted, they are a lot more work for the organisers compared to the usual day of "Reds... no, blues.... wait, who attacked last time?"

You should be fine on a typical AEG. I have had issues on a plastic MP5K where the front end can flex, and when putting a long suppressor onto an AEG with a chewed up thread (huzzah for Chinesium pot metal). Normally though, no problem.

Wut, no, I make it up as I go. Asking for citations is just a habit from my day job. Verifiability is everything, or else you're just operating on faith. To be clear, I wasn't desbelieving, I really was just after an explanation and confirmation. Those sources look pretty compelling, thanks for providing them.

That does surprise me about the Platinums. It's not as though rotaries are going to cost more to make, and they work very well. It's curious that CYMA have stuck with dial hops even in their higher spec guns.

From the look of the table, he maybe has delusions of being a purfessnul teknishun, and thinks he's actually adding value by meddling with it.

Maple Leaf rubbers, yes. 60 or even 50 for 1.1J. Personally I'm not hugely sold on the omega nubs, but plenty of folk love them, and Gear Parts do a knock-off for a lot less. Prowin, nah, ZCI plastic rotary hops do a great job for a tenner. Sadly, some YouTube celeb bought up most of the UK stock a while back and they're still hard to find. Barrels, I've never spunked Prometheus money on one, I'm fine with ZCI and AOLS which perform well enough. I don't know how "precise" that CYMA is, but all airsoft QC is essentially random anyway. There's no right or wrong answer, or a magical way to get more than a few metres of effective range, it's all about what makes you feel good.

That's true, and I agree that they're the cheapest AEGs that are actually competitive in both CQB and woodland, and with a battery and charger included. It's just that for a bit more you're into Lancer Tacticals and Specna Arms Cores, with rotary hops, quick change springs, better wiring, all the good stuff. Granted, you need to buy batteries and a charger for them, but you'll want to upgrade the CYMA ones anyway. But no argument, if your budget is under £100, CYMAs will get you out there and playing.

We could execute the million most verminous inhabitants of the UK, and not one single thing of value would be lost.

Ahoy and welcome. There seems to be a fair bit of crossover between airsoft and biking, I'm constantly telling myself to cut the gear bag down to something bike-portable. Great to hear that you're back into it again, and yes, even entry level stuff these days is pretty decent.

Eh. They're robust, put BBs downrange, and the air seal can actually be got spot on even with the stock components, a bit of stretching and some lube. But the hop unit, rubber, barrel, and motor are all just about adequate, and can do with being swapped out, and the plastic is very toyish. I'd say OK, fine even, a decent way to start on a budget, but "great" is a stretch.