magicaldr

Well the good news is I now have my clearance, but its been a painful experience all round. Rather ironic that this sort of view forces so many of us to 'hide' our hobby to protect our jobs as shown by the posts above. Since I would have thought a security check that finds I have a 'hidden' life would be concerning than one that shows I am open honest person who happens to play a game with RIF's. Thanks for all the views and the supportive PM's, they made the difference and let me keep my sanity.

Thanks, I cant go into my profession as I don't want anyone to link this back to anyone involved, although ironically its not related to the guys I work for who have been great, its a tenuous link to say the least with a potential supplier. Pain not being able to go into detail, but its looking like someone who is just uninitiated in the ways of airsoft and just doesn't like 'guns'. They may have good personal reasons, but I dont think that should have a professional bearing. I have written a careful and gentle introduction on what it is, how its legal and how we play including 'loadouts' that I hope will resolve the concerns. I think I can say I don't work with the general public or public facing (not that they should be hunting my personal photo's down either), so this check should be more about someones ability to coerce me or illegal activity than anything else. Its not like I am ashamed of any of my pics, nor could any of them imply any threat to anyone or have any hold over me. I have chosen to take down all images for my own sanity, but I am concerned on the precedent here. So I suppose this is as much a warning to my fellow players who work in the business world, be very careful what you post with a 'Public' view tag. This includes backgrounds, profile pics (both of which are always public) and potentially posts from other airsofters. This is liable only to get worse as we go on, I wish I had the ability to be a fighter for freedom of speech but I have taken the cowards way out. Some may say its a sensible one, but its still something I do with a heavy heart.

Hi, I am looking for some advice (please feel free to move if the wrong place). I will not include any names here for obvious reasons but I am being denied clearance currently at work for 'unprofessional' behavior as there are airsofting photos of me on facebook which can be publicly seen. All photo's are either in my garden of load outs, or at professional games and were during my active airsofting phase (while I held UKARA). Also 1 shot of me with a real firearm (in the US) target shooting. The argument appears to simply be that having photo's of yourself with a 'weapon' is unprofessional / unacceptable. Is there any legal basis I can defend myself with? Has anyone else had similar challenges with work and this hobby? While I can simply remove all the photo's I feel this is unfair, this was a part of my life, this is a legal hobby and I don't want to live in a country where I have to self censor because of public opinion. Ironically I am sure recent events are the driver (maybe I look too scary), but free speech is what the recent events are really all about.

Hehe, yes in this case the location was deliberate as its acting more as belt with yoke than chest rig. Mainly as I wanted to keep the dump 'pocket' at belt height. I have some ideas for a matching belt kit which once I sort would allow this to move up to the more normal 'chest' position, since it would add a 'proper' dump pouch and holster on the belt level. Although I am still experimenting with what feels right So may once i get going end up pulling it up a bit anyway.

Well just put together something 'special' for the killing house game on Wednesday. Its a spring and gas only, so I needed a loadout focussed on making my ASG tri shot very usable. I am a bit of a US 5.11 nut, so this is 5.11 boots, trousers, shirt and hat, stuff I wear day to day actually as its so good. The chest rig is Bulle lightweight brought for the job, as is the 12 shotgun shell pouch molle linked to the front. Both highly recommended based on testing around the house over last couple of days (drilling shell loading from pouch and using dump pocket). Will see how they actually perform under fire tomorrow. The usual 'mag section' in the middle is housing my tornado grenade and smokes, while the side pouches are doubling as a FFD / med kit (with attached double pistol mag for my PX4) and the other left empty as a 'dump' pouch for spent shells. PX4 in IMI holster on my belt (not visible) and as last ditch my 'knife' fits neatly under the molle strapping. (Obviously wont work for a 'real' one, if anyone knows where to get a suitable molle holster for a training knife pls PM me) So US survivalist / local marshal look for the next game If this all works as hoped I will be adding a hydration pouch on the back, a proper dump pouch (either on back or folding molle linked off un-used side pouch) and a radio pouch to left shoulder.Plus changing the med kit pouch zipper pull strings to red with a subdued 'red cross' patch. Just want to properly battle test before spending more on tan coloured gear.

Old school starter? Looks like start of something quite special

Fixer upper bits: New hop and a tri rail top mount for the AK which should see it back in working order Pile of XT60 connectors to swap out all my guns / batts A fire selector for my MP5 (recently rebuilt by a friend).

Mike Cripps custom hi-capa and a slightly broken (no hop) tactical AK

Well just been sorting my kit for the xmas bash on Sunday, not all battle tested yet so will see how this works on the day. Uploaded with ImageShack.us ATACS FG top and trousers Webtex vest (From my CQB loadout, testing with P90 mags) if works will be chatting to vest guy Helmet and goggles from CQB, if they carry on working well will get Atacs cover Primary: TM P90 with sniper tape, 4 mid caps, 3 in vest Secondary: Px4 Hard holster and 2 mags in pouch hidden under jacket

Ok review as promised here: http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/13465-we-np-xw40-gbb-pistol/ Pics for you pic lovers out there of new toys: Tornado impact grenade Christmas bundle, wifes new N&P and my new Hi Capa ready for more money to be spent on upgrades May have been lucky but they replied within 24 hours, great on telephone and next day delivery for £9! So for me all been very positive Oh and they hope to have a UK website early next year (finally)...

Happy to review once I get 5 mins with it Its really for wife (and my daughter who also after it) I want to get wife out airsofting but she "Doesn't like guns", so a purple one is a good back door since its not fitting her definition of a "Gun". Wont try to understand, if I can get her out plinking I am hopeful it will grow on her and I will get slack to buy more toys. Hehe... So on that front it a winner already. Its pricey compared to the Hong Kong price (coming on double) but it had to be purple so what choice does one have. Redwolf HK are out of stock anyway, but luckily the UK arm had some. Total cost was just over the £100 mark for gun with mag + £9 postage from Redwolf UK.

ok pre Christmas binge, brought the wife her first GBB in purple... New gun, so new you cant get mags yet! Looks rather fun from Redwolf UK who had it in stock in her favourite purple colour. Will post pics once it arrives (hopefully tomorrow) WE N&P XW40 GBB - Purple And as I was on with them seemed a waste not to make full use of the postage, so a Mr Cripps recommended Hi Capa + the Tornado impact grenade christmas pack (Grenade, Gas Can and Propane adapter kits) also (cough) accidentally got ordered as well...

That gun (and indeed the site) look really cool. Sense hole forming in wallet again...

Add: 1 TM P90 for Daughters birthday + red dot, spare mags and lipo batt: For myself, a magpul pistol grip for my ICS M4 (machined to fit an ICS by previous owner). A front flip up sight for same so I can finally also fit my Magpul hand guard which has mysteriously disappeared... (Suspect wife involved there.) Also as the above gun came with the 2 silencers, the burlap one shown in the pic on the P90 is now on my M4 with the p90 back to its original TM black one. So adding in the recent Px4, the Atacs and this I think I need to re-mortgage now...

Just picked up a set of ATACS FG to go with my new modern look. PX4, spare mag and hard holster, will play with the G36 or M4, no webbing, light n fast. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Opposite to my current 1980 British Forces look

Speaking of my 1980's load out thought a pic may help. Pat 68 DPM trousers and smock Pat 58 Webbing set (Yoke, Belt, left and right ammo pouch, water bottle holder, kidney pouches, bum roll, holster and torch) TM G3 WE Browning Hi-Power Still to go, helmet, gloves, stuff in pouches and if I can get it appropriate FAL Falklands rifle in place of the G3 + Law 72 to sling across my back. First time taking it all out to play at Ambush last week, amazed at how well the camo worked as well as how practical I found the webbing.

Well if anyone has an older steel helmet I on scrounge for one to supplement my 1980's era load out...

4 weeks ago: Load of cheap DPM, trousers of which turned out to be old pattern I wanted for 80's late Falklands era load out. (Ebay) 3 weeks ago: WE Browning HP (Forums) 3-9 50mm scope (Ebay) 2 weeks ago: SAS early 80's smock (Friend) 4 scrims of various types (Friend) Last week: Right angle D cell 80's torch (Ebay) Today: Full load of Load of Pat 58 webbing (Ebay) Still on list, hat and NI gloves. Once webbing / gloves are here will look at starting a thread on it. Also just got ICS black reinforced fibre body kit for the M4, ICS folding stock, magpul trigger guard which adds to front grip and angle foregrip brought earlier. M4 almost usable now, but G3 still better out of the box... Wife is right, spending way to much time / money on this hobby and I love it

Ok start of a new load out, one I have wanted to do for some time but didn't think I would get the parts as in pat 68 smock. Luckily for me a friend at work has given me his old cadet kit, which you guessed it included to my surprise a Falklands era SAS smock! A recent buy of some basic DPM trousers on ebay for £5 (expecting soldier 95) turned out to also be 1968 DPM, so I now have a full outer kit. For Falklands you need an SLR, but I own a G3 so for now this will be just after Falklands load out. Based on special forces, since to my limited knowledge the G3 would not be in general use. I am also lucky enough to have a WE Browning HP. Missing stuff: NI gloves Yoke and belt order Boots Hat Torch - On order from eBay Some tape and a couple of field dressings to tape on As well as gradually sourcing stuff to put in the belt order. My new shots are all in the back garden, not had time to take the full kit out for a play yet. I made it black and white to hide this fact, one of my friends is planning to photoshop this for me into a better effect but I only have freeware on the laptop so this is basic editing Here is my friends photoshop quick snap for me, more appropriate background: Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Hmm lets see: TM G3 - Just love it... came with loads of gas (just need pistol now) and BB's 7.2 lipo, charger, fireproof bag thingy and cables - First of many Lipo's after test fire this afternoon on 3 of my rifles Folding stock for the ICS M4 (adds to the Magpul fore grip which is waiting on new front sight so I can fit it ) Full DPM loadout, so with my G3 heading for Falklands era style (ish) So all I need now is a gun rack (4 big rifles and an Mp5), some tight bores, and a decent scope, laser, torch combination...

Ooo I got one of those, they are seriously fun

Well 5.11 boots arrived today, so i now have boots, trousers, shirt, belt and mag pouch 5.11... Just socks and underwear to go... On more exciting note, SRC G36 was put in post for me today so should have that in a short while as my MP5 remains waiting my transformation to gearbox king which is a long wait. Pics of both once the G36 arrives, will also review shoes if anyone interested. Brought them more for work than airsoft, at least thats what I told the wife

19 minutes to spare...

Helmet from ebay arrived yesterday, originally tan an evening with some spray paint has left me with a new helmet for my main loadout. Unlike my armour its not real steel, but will cover until I see an old 'real' one go past in my size: Uploaded with ImageShack.us Thinking of installing some fans above the goggles, might integrate my goggles with the helmet as well and now on scrounge for some ear defenders which this helmet is designed for

I could see it, looking good.