Rogerborg

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.

Them feels. The bend that we have to put in them does tend to weaken them. They're 2.8mm spade connectors if you need to ask or order. I'd avoid "fully insulated" ones as they tend to have a hard sleeve that you'll have to remove anyway and replace with heatshrink.

None, unless it's a real effect. I'm minded to believe that it is, but I'd still like to see a credible source. And even if it is, I'm not fussed by it, given the costs of batteries, cells and new Chinesium goods. Not that I'm big into throwing things out, I've recovered a forgotten laptop power pack that had gone below 1V per 18650 and it's... well, powering the thing I'm writing this on. But I prefer to deal with the problem when it arises, rather than spending time regularly fretting over keeping all my electronics at 60-80% in order to eke out an unknown number of extra power cycles.

Do you have a control group against which you're comparing? Or a reference? Really, I've seen this asserted over and over, but not once have I ever found or been shown a citation for it, that's not itself just more assertion. I'd love to read one.

I'm perfectly happy with a 455mm x "6.01mm" AOLS in a DMR. In conjunction with a full cylinder, it also lets me get >1.8J out of a slightly cut down M130 spring rather than anything more gearbox-stressing.

Thanks, that's the first time I've ever seen anyone actually provide an explanation for why you shouldn't leave a lithium battery fully charged. On the other hand, every other lithium battery in everything else that I own, including the laptop I'm typing this on, gets kept at 100% as much as possible. Why come none of them have gone critical? Do you have a reference for that?

Mmm, I only went for the AOLS because the ZCIs were out of stock, but I can't fault it. They do indeed come well oiled inside, is the only thing I'd note.

Mental, isn't it? Similarly in Scotchland, even if you've got a SGC or FAC, you still have to get (and pay for) a separate loicence to own an air gun. They'll give you a discount on it, mind, if you get or renew it at the same time as a SGC. I'm sure that ScotPlod must know how pointless that all is.

Er, I don't, any more than I discharge any other of the many lithium based grenades surrounding me each night, whether airsoft, phone, tablet or laptop. Are we talking these AEP lipos, the drop in replacements for the stock nihms? I guess if you reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally care, you could make a connection between the main battery contacts and the charger power lead. I'm seeing pictures of that Turnigy charger coming with a lead ending in a couple of crocodile clips. If you have that, or can fettle up something similar, you can stick the ends to the battery contacts with magnets - that's how I use my B6 to charge 18650s and similar. Heck, you could do it with a couple of bare wires and a clothes peg to hold them on. That's guaranteed to end in a towering inferno, but then you at least wouldn't have to worry about the potential for that any more.

What is it you need? 229mm? There's an AOLS in stock in that length, and I'm happy enough with the AOLS 455mm in my DMR, paired with a Maple Leaf Macaron. The bridge at the end is 1.3mm wide.

Hmm, that does seem pretty thicc. Just grabbing what's nearest, I'm measuring a ZCI correction an AOLS 6.01mmx455mm at 1.3mm and (I think) a stock CYMA barrel at 1.5mm. I'm actually surprised that they're so different from each other, let alone from yours, I'd never thought to measure them before. Both of them take a Maple Leaf Macaron without issues, and I can see why you'd be having a problem with a 2mm thick bridge.

I know, I know, ask the Firearms section at the Home Office. It's all a bit bonkers when you apply a moment's thought. There are sellers in the UK who will flog you (for example) an SRS with a spring that puts it over 2.5J, i.e. technically an air gun firearm, not an airsoft gun. Strictly speaking, they wouldn't then need a RIF defence for that (but should be following air gun laws, not that they do). But they do need a RIF defence for selling the exact same object with a fractionally less powerful spring in it. Although strictly strictly speaking, because it's not based on a specific real world firearm, it's not actually a RIF at all. Even though by any reasonable-person (non legal) definition it is, and sellers do ask for a defence. Unless the spring inside it puts it over 2.5J. In which case apparently the outside stops looking like a real gun, even though it has now become a real (air) gun. I know, I know... firearms legislation. 🤪

Do you have a reference for that position? It would be handy (for paintballers and air gunners) but I'm still struggling to see why they are exclusive, and why the same item can't be covered by two different Acts at the same time. Motor vehicles, for example, fall into a plethora of conflicting and overlapping definitions in multiple Acts, Regulations and case law, which are applied as it suits the State rather than us.

Sorry to hear that. Given how new(ish) those are, isn't that still under warranty?

I'd call it rather curious, and wonder what's behind that belief. Home Office circular 031 / 2007 only mentions airsoft. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-violent-crime-reduction-act-2006-commencement-no-3-order-2007-firearms-measures I always get twitchy reading that, as it's neither Act nor Regulation, it could vanish off of the interwebs at any point, or a court could simply decide not to find it persuasive given that it doesn't actually claim to be the direction of the relevant Secretary of State.

Very much site dependent. Folk play in wheelchairs and have fun, but that depends on what you expect from the hobby. Airsoft guns aren't that accurate, and YouTube videos are heavily edited. If you have limited mobility then you'll spend a lot of time either out of range, or getting closed down and hosed. If you don't enjoy getting shot (and over-shot) with bits of plastic then you're not going to have a great day. Only one way to find out though.

"Buy a TM recoil because it's got the best parts, then replace them all with bester parts." has a familiar ring to it. Where have I heard that before? 😕