FreeFrag.UK

Couple of springs to get my P-90 down into UK limits (the testing label says 340 fps on 0.2's... erm... yea...). I've also ordered a sling attachment point from ant-supplies for it too.

Thank you once again for the replies and update @EvilMonkee I was actually looking at Grey Shop for sourcing the uniform and spotted the body armour too. I'm not sure if they're the best source for the uniform. I know they wouldn't be strictly accurate but I intend to carry on with my regular boots, given they're tried and tested. I think I need to sit down and cobble together a purchase a list at this stage once finalising some research. Admittedly I'm eyeing up an AKS-74U given I read this was issued to both vehicle crews and some Spestnaz although it's my understanding the latter weren't overly keen on it so tended to stick with their AKMS's instead. One of the things I spotted in the gallery you linked were the huge s%^t eating grins of the guys wielding the RPG-7

TBH I enjoy themed games and organised events far more than your average dust up although the latter can be enjoyable and good to get that between event fix. As far as Soviet stuff goes I tended to hit a wall when searching for the harder to find bits and pieces which I was looking for although there are always workarounds I suppose. I'm just a bit of a stickler for detail as I enjoy the kit building aspect which a major factor in my original question so that I can better assess the viability of a British kit. Given representation sounds quite balanced it would seem pertinent to work with what I already have. Some of the kits shown are truly impressive, admittedly the Soviet kit where the chap with the beard is in the khaki uniform with body armour and helmet is more or less what I was originally looking at when I first started looking at Cold War events. One of the kits I was looking into early on was either a motorised infantry kit or airborne infantry kit, due to having the AKMS and AKS-74 , as I was looking to put together a kit which featured body armour.

@Stratton Oakmont Appreciate the info, cheers. Definitely opens up options. Part of me was considering saying "sod it" and picking up an M249 Mk1 but from the little bit I can recall off of the top of my head these were first used by SAS patrols in Desert Storm.

@EvilMonkee - Unfortunately I don't use social media, however, I'll pick your brains nonetheless as it would be rude not to. Out of curiosity how do you find the faction split for Cold War events at Gunman, in terms of player population. Is there any consistent shortage for one side or the other? From what I've on the grape vine the Cold War events seems to be quite popular so I can't imagine it being a huge issue. To be honest I could more readily jump into a Soviet kit just by virtue of having an AKMS and an AK-74 but I'm somewhat more keen to pursue the NATO angle at the moment. If the scale tends to be tipped in favour of NATO players as opposed to WARPAC then that makes it a far easier decision to switch it up. In terms of M16 viable Brit forces, I'd only really seen the SAS (and presumably SBS) wielding them but admittedly I know little about what the RMC were wielding around that time beyond the obvious use of the SLR in the Falklands.

It's entirely possible but the only ones I know of which LCT supposedly have in the works at the moment are a series of MP5's. My understanding is that the KA L1A1's are more or less like rocking horse poo these days? The sterling is certainly an option but it's admittedly a bit of an unknown to me in terms of reliability etc. Admittedly I love my SMG's. Haha, while the Gustav sounds awesome it's somewhat limited in use

Hi All, I'm currently looking at throwing together a British Cold War loadout and I was weighing up options in terms of weapons. Ideally I'm looking for a good quality L1A1 but I'm acutely aware that the Ares is the only version widely available. Is it possible to turn the Ares into a good performer? Are there other options to consider from other manufacturers? I've looked and the only one I came across was King Arms but sadly these are very rare. Are there other viable platforms or other systems worth considering? From what I've read the Sterling was given to some units but I've found little regarding it's actual usage. Overall I'm just looking for a bit of feedback and assistance in the development of the above loadout. Admittedly I'm half tempted to look at a West German or even French load out just for sake of ease in terms of weapon although I suspect getting the actual kit would be a bit of a nightmare. I briefly considered Canadian Army (maybe Anzacs would be an option?) but even then, I suspect weapons and clothing/kit might be an issue. Admittedly I know the above is a bit vague, I think the biggest issue is trying to find something that isn't Russian or American that is actually viable. At least in terms of what is available in airsoft and accessible in the surplus market.

Thought I'd poke my nose in this morning to see if there had been any developments or improvements, sadly not. To be honest I think it's a shame as this is one of, if not, the last bastions for airsoft discussions in an organised and easily navigable format. As a further aside, I'd also argue that the lack of action or response from the antagonist in this instance speaks a lot, at least in respect to their attitudes towards the wider community.

Same. Hopefully this is gone/resolved come next week.

While I have no issue with ad's it becomes an issue when it impacts the usability and accessibility of the forum.

Sadly it appears as though I can't nuke the advert without losing the forum for some reason. It's a pain in the arse as it's not far of being blinding... let alone the fact that I can't stand Nobritsch. Normally I use the dark theme to aid in readability but as it stands I guess I'll be reducing my visits until this is resolved as it's rather uncomfortable on the eyes.

Q: Can anyone recommend a set of long reach allen key sets? I've had a brief look and while I've seen some which maybe suitable, I'd certainly appreciate a recommendation.

@Neptune - It does indeed appear to be a Model 607 I've seen. Admittedly I like the look of it as it's something very different to what I've seen in use elsewhere. Despite it seeing very limited usage (from what I read last night it was more or less a prototype that just saw limited trials) it at least makes it an option. I had spotted the Cyma although I've not read a lot about it and I've not found it available in the UK. I was going to order it from TG the other week, however, I have reservations due to reported shipping issues. As a further side note (apologies if this is derailing the thread, please advise if so and will take it to its own thread) I noticed SoF produce a Vietnam era flak jacket. I realise these were a bit patchy in terms of use due to the jungle conditions but this is something I'd definitely be looking to incorporate into any potential kit.

Admittedly I've been considering a Vietnam themed load out (due to lack of a decent SLR) but unfortunately I've not been able to track down a decent M16A1. I've seen a CAR-15 variant which is very short along with a sliding stock (not the usual buffer tube design seen on later rifles) but I've not come across any information on whether it saw action in the wild. I suppose it's something I'll have to do a lot more research on before sticking my hand in my pocket. @EDcase and @MandalShArK - both excellent kits. Admittedly I'm a sucker for the original M60.

Well this is not the development I was hoping for. I was (evidently naively) hoping that we may see some resumption of stable delivery service from those involved with shipping from Taiwan Gun (is Gunfire in the same boat?) by now but evidently this isn't the case. Unfortunately I can see this getting worse once the "transition" measures that are still in place are no longer in effect. Hopefully you guys can get your orders sorted, it's beyond a joke that UPS' level of professionalism is akin to a newspaper delivery boy who decides to dump their papers due to it being wet and chilly.

Based on what I've read I'd avoid the LCT EBB guns. From all the reviews and feedback seen (one of the best examples being from Tom at Anvil Airsoft) the LCT AK EBB's seem to smash themselves to bits. They were meant to be resolving this "problem" but by all accounts they still destroy their own internals from the physical stress of the EBB system. At the moment a considerable number of international airsoft companies are still refusing to ship to the UK. If you're willing to be patient I'd strongly recommend going down the GHK route. If you're unable/unwilling to wait then I'd strongly suggest just getting a normal (non-ebb) AK.

Sadly I missed the day this went up otherwise I'd have grabbed it. C'est la vie.

If you've got a big enough wallet it can be yours 😉 Never mind, it looks more like a bit of re-enactment kit as opposed to a functioning airsoft gun.

Cybergun are responsible for the best available FAMAS release at the moment, if memory serves there are two versions of it and it's reportedly half decent but this is based on remarks I've heard in passing. Ares product the B&T APC-9 which I think Negative Airsoft made a video of work being done to one recently. SRC produce the XM8, I believe one of the forum members (name escapes me, @Asomodai perhaps?) owns one or two. ICS and G&G both still produce various iterations of the SG55x and GHK also produce a GBBR version of the 553. I think there are a few other companies that produce Sig SG55x's too but I can't recall which off hand. A lot of it falls down to availability and which retailers are stocking what. I have a G&G Sig 553 which is an incredible gun (at least externally) but getting hold of magazines is pain in the arse and usually quite expensive. While a most of the pistols you have mentioned don't have airsoft version (at least from memory) the HK45 definitely has an airsoft version (I owned the Tokyo Marui HK45) and I think there is a version of the IWI Jericho from KWA but it's NBB if memory serves. Regarding the 5-7 comment, I know someone who has ran a Tokyo Marui FN 5-7 for quite a few years now without issue although I also followed a re-build on reddit last year which has left me very tempted to pick one up for myself.

I think the main issue with the clip you referenced that the site is using "surrender kills" as a substitute for a "bang kill" but this is an American site so perhaps less said the better on that one. If we work on the assumption that the surrender kill must be taken at that site then logic dictates you have to have the target in your sights. The player in question clearly didn't and seemed to trying to use the "surrender" kill as a substitute for either a grenade or a blunderbuss (but even then I'm sure it would have missed as he was so far off target). I'm yet to encounter "bang kills" or mandatory surrender kills on any site in the UK but I've been told they are out there. Personally I'd avoid such sites as the bang rule has a well established history of generating a considerable amount of conflict and frequently being abused. The surrender option is meant to be just that, an option. Much like in real life it's up to you if you're going to surrender when given the chance or if you're going to play your hand in the hope of a win, just don't complain when you get shot. Personally I like the surrender rule and depending on the situation I will give the other play the option. By all means call me silly but I tend to look at the surrender rule as being good sportsmanship and showing respect to your fellow player, at least when it comes to the option of shooting someone at point blank. Knife kills are another option and they certainly have their place in the hobby but in lieu of Covid this will no doubt have to change in the interest of social distancing. Admittedly it's somewhat satisfying whispering "knife" to someone when placing a hand on the shoulder while also often resulting in a "well played" after the brief drop of the head when on the receiving end. As far as dummy grenades are concerned, I think they're best left out of it. At the end of the day these could/will just lead to arguments as from what I've seen there is little to nothing to actually indicate when one lands in the room with you unless it happens to be in your field of vision.

Given the opportunity I'll be picking up the FAL from King Arms as I'd love a reason to put together a Cold War British Forces kit. It would also be good for some Cold War events once we're back at that stage.

Dredd's Lawgiver or Deckard's pistol have to be on the list. Come to think of it I'd also throw in Malcolm Reynold's pistol from Firefly.

@125cc - Thank you for the compliment, it's greatly appreciated. Supply has been an issue for some time but previously retailers would get restocks, varying in size, throughout the year. While this often resulted in products being unavailable for significant lengths of time, it was understandable when considering minimum order requirements set out by some suppliers, stock availability at a supplier/distributor level and other considerations such as how long will item x sit on the shelf as dead money. The majority of airsoft goods come out of South East Asia (be it China, Hong Kong, Taiwan etc.) which have clearly been heavily effected by Covid. This issue has been exacerbated by closures and restrictions applied to postage/logistics routes which have even gone so far as to extend to no shipments to the UK (and various other countries). Further to the Covid-19 problems you have to take into consideration the wide ranging and significant number of issues as a direct result of Brexit. This has negatively impacted import and export across a huge array of sectors and it's worth noting that we're still to fully implement all required checks/procedures required, as we are still within the grace period. This impact doesn't just effect availability of RIF's but also availability of accessories, clothing and other items associated with the hobby. It's also worth noting that distributors in many sectors have switched from using ports based in the UK to ports in EU. The final major issue, at least off of the top of my head, are companies such as Nuprol who end up taking on the role of middle-man between the manufacturer and distributor. Nuprol have stuck their fingers in many pies and as a result there have been steep price hikes across a number of product lines with availability being severely hampered well before covid-19 became a factor. The easiest reference for this being when Nuprol became involved with dictating price and availability of LCT in the UK. Following Nuprol signing the deal with LCT availability quickly dried up and LCT products were out of stock for many months. LCT products then became available after a lengthy absence but supply was short and prices had risen by an average of 50% with increases of over 100% in some cases. edit: Just thought I'd throw in a quick clarification here. The above is my interpretation of the current situation. Stock has always been an issue due to batch manufacturing and business decisions. This is something others have stated following my post but I thought it worth clarifying.

Wishlist. At the moment I'd love to see a return of a decent line of FAL's, specifically an L1A1 SLR. If the Ares was half the price then I'd probably grab it simply due to a lack of options but given the plethora of known issues it's a firm pass. Admittedly I wouldn't mind picking up an M-16A2 but these seem nigh impossible to find, especially with trades. I'd love to see a GPMG/FN Mag but if I'm being completely honest I probably wouldn't buy one myself. I'd like to see a decent Browning Hi-Power but based on the most recent WE Hi-Power Mk.3 I suspect it's another case of keep on dreaming. I can think of a few other hand guns I wouldn't mind seeing (be it due to them not being produced or due to wanting to see it from a better manufacturer) such as a Tokyo Marui Sig P228 or P229. Beyond that the main stuff on my wishlist would be accessories such as an LLM 03 (maybe we'll see one from Element in the not so distant future?) or the accessories required to throw together late 80's to early 2000's impression kits. That's not to say that these accessories can't be found, at least the early 2000's stuff, but it is very challenging to find at times. I'd also like to see the UGL front end for the L85 re-released, even if it came from Angry Gun (think it's AG) who currently make the RIS for the L85 platform. The boring stuff. I think part of the issue is that as soon as you start to stray out of the immediate realms of your average Nato/Russian grunt or "Tier 1" Operator then options start to diminish rather rapidly. While there is certainly a demand for airsoft kit that falls outside of the last 10 - 20 years of usage, this demand seems to diminish rapidly as you move further back across the years and/or as you move progressively further away from the big NATO countries and Russia in terms of armaments. Thus creating products outside of this range gradually increases the likelihood of incurring a loss. I think some other major issues worth considering are clashes in terms of trademarks, design copyright, import/export issues and distributors. Another growing trend in recent years is the seeming increase in various unnamed companies pursuing the purchase of licensing rights which in turn only further hampers things, be it through companies facing potential lawsuits or due to inferior products at a premium price all for the sake of a name. I'd also argue companies such as Nuprol are a major issue in the UK/Euro market at the moment as they seem to be causing significant price hikes while simultaneously throttling supply.

Finally found an airsoft version of the SA80 Bayonet. It fits my ICS L85A2 with repro Surefire flash hider and in theory I should still be able to fire with it on the rifle although I suspect it will largely live in a sheath. Now I just need to get a surplus MTP sheath for it and the black plastic component (think it's referred to as a bayonet frog?). Once I've sorted out the sheath I guess I'll finally sort out my comm's and a batch of new mag's for my L85.