Duff Beer

I realise it doesn’t answer your question directly, but if you’re looking for recommendations for a decent sight as a replacement you can do far worse than a Holosun 403B. I’ve got one on the MP7 and it’s had about 3000 rounds through it without skipping a beat. It’s been used in 35° heat and -5° cold without issue, and it’s been clattered off walls in CQB. I’d definitely recommend a front lens protector though as having it shot out is an expensive day! Being a proper optic there’s no parallax so if you’ve got something capable of accuracy and consistency the shot will land where you put the dot regardless of whether you can have the perfect cheek weld or not. Between that and the MP7 I was able to consistently shoot helmets and hands peeking round doors at 15m (perfect for CQB ranges), but also through slim gaps and tight angles. I saw one in the classifieds recently for about £150 which is okay, but they’re £180 new so the warranty might be worth the extra?

Those pouches are exactly what I’m looking for, but in OD!

I just received an Action Army 90° Piston and Zero Trigger for my TM L96. Both are working perfectly, although just an FYI for anyone else looking to upgrade the trigger the safety doesn’t work at all; there’s no safety bar on the trigger (obvious in the photos when you’ve got the original trigger unit and the new one next to each other). I also bought a Tasmanian Tiger Essentials Pack II 9L to feed my TT addiction.

If I could do anything I’d go back and make myself buy the expensive things once, rather than the cheaper version before then buying the expensive thing. The old adage of ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ is definitely true and if I had just committed first time round I’d probably have saved 30% in the long run. As has been said before, decent eyepro and decent footwear is a must and the amount of money spent is directly proportionate to the comfort and utility. Carry an IFAK, and definitely make sure it’s got burn gel in it! A proper kydex or Safariland holster on a UBL is infinitely better than anything on a drop-leg rig. Universal holsters are universally average. Oh, and buy the proper Odin Speedloader not the knock-offs.

No worries! You can also get in touch with VFC for the rails if you’d rather deal with them 👍

No worries. Patrol Base have the A1 at £289 at the moment (check it’s the version 2 but I guess it is as mine was from 2019). MLE Mart is where I got my rail, but I had to contact them directly for a shipping quote for (apparent) PayPal reasons. They’ve always been good for me, but if you’d rather order direct from VFC you can do. I can’t stress this enough though, get the steel stock catch as the standard one will fail. It’s a £10-15 part and will give you piece of mind. Stock Catch https://www.mlemart.com/products/crusader-steel-stock-button-and-claw-stock-locker-for-umarex-vfc-mp7a1-gbb A touch of luxury https://www.mlemart.com/products/wii-tech-mp7-umarex-vfc-rubber-stock-pad The Navy Rail https://www.mlemart.com/products/vfc-mp7a1-navy-gbb-lower-rail-handguard-03-2 Side Rails (MLOK) https://www.mlemart.com/products/revanchist-v2-m-lok-rail-set-for-for-umarex-vfc-marui-kwa-mp7 Side Rails RIS https://www.mlemart.com/products/vfc-mp7-gbb-side-rail-set I have no ties to MLE other than they stock all the bits and I’ve ordered from them before.

The version 2 of either model were the same internally as far as I’m aware. The differences were the folding foregrip and the inclusion of the side rails in the box. My A1 is a version 2, and apart from the stock locking catch failing (a common fault, order the Crusader steel version immediately) it’s been good as gold. The foregrip came off mine really easily with a junior hacksaw (remove the folding section first my taking out the centre pin), and then as said above the G36 rails fit perfectly. If you want to go a bit niche you can put MLOK rails on instead of RIS. My OCD couldn’t handle a mix and match between the side rails and top rail though. Unfortunately there aren’t any 20/30 round mags for it. It’s a shame as running it super clean with 20 round mags would make it the perfect sniper backup (and give slightly more choice on the mag pouches as well). If anyone does find any let me know!

MLE Mart have the Navy rail, so you could get the standard MP7 and cut off the grip? That’s what I did with mine.

Fair enough! It was too good to be true

https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/fill-adaptor/ This looks like it should do the trick, and isn’t silly money. For those that aren’t familiar with Soto as a brand they make really high end camping stoves

If you’re looking for a holster I can thoroughly recommend HW Holsters. If you do want to run it with a torch they’ll do a custom one for you

Sorry, my autocorrect was working but wasn’t helpful. It’s a Flatline Fibre found here https://flatlinefiberco.com/product/the-mini-dump-pouch/

A Flatline Fibre Mini Dump Pouch. It attaches under a molle pouch so you can save space on the belt.

I just wanted to add a bit more to this thread. Their website is charging £1k (yes, £1k) for postage to the UK because apparently PayPal doesn’t play nicely with us and them. They suggested contacting them directly for a quote and postage, which I did. I enquired about an MP7 Navy Rail to convert mine to the A2/Navy setup on Saturday 11th Feb, had a response and placed the order on Sunday 12th Feb, and had it installed on 20th Feb. Eight days from enquiry to delivery is exceptional!

I used to use a three point sling back in the day, but when I came back to the sport I thought I’d be tacti-cool and go for the ol’ nutcrusher 3000 (aka the single point sling). After jeopardising the possibilities of continuing the family line twice whilst trying to climb through a window I opted for an adjustable two-point. I went for a Ferro Concepts Slingster because: A - I’m a bit of a kit tart B - It won’t fail and drop the gun Adjustable two point slings are easily the best way to work. Someone at your local site will probably have a Magpul, Blue Force Gear, or Ferro Concepts sling but if not the Viper version looks like a fairly decent version for not so much cash. A link to some wisdom:

I was at the Defcon 3 weekender, and the one the year before. Somewhere along the road I lost both the patches. I wish I could find copies so I could have them remade

Sorry mate, you’ll have to speak up. I can’t hear a word you’re saying! Nick and the ACU lot at Chatham with their 12G Dynatec’s probably didn’t do either of us much good. I think the worst one I had was Solitaire‘s 9mm Dynatec going off next to my ear as I threw it. I hadn’t held the spoon down hard enough and off it went!

I was always (and still am) an Arnies user. I remember when Zeroone was a warehouse only, and Airsoft World was Airsoft Scotland. I was contrary and ran 0.23g Excel’s. I’ve still got about 4000 rounds of Super Grand Master 0.29g as well which I use up the L96. I’m pleased you stuck with it!

For me the golden age for a lot of things was the early to mid 2000’s. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that the quality of the guns, gear, and tactics is significantly better now than it was then, but the sport’s a little bit too ‘pro’ now. I started playing in 2004, and back then it was a bit more ‘underground’ a bit more amateur (in a positive way). Information was gained through forums, and there was a real sense of community. Everyone knew everyone at the sites on first name terms, and there was a lot more trust about chronoing and general play. People who has worked on their guns since the last game were keen to show off their work (usually a “look it does 16RPS now instead of 12!) and that was when they got chrono’d. Hit taking wasn’t an issue (not that I find it is too much these days anyway, but that could be because of the sites I go to), and deliberate headshots were frowned upon. There was more variation of kit and camo in the safezone too. It was a time before Multicam was a true thing, so you’d have almost everything represented. At Dover we had DPM, Fleckmuster, Australian, Cypriot, Flecktarn, US Woodland, UCP, M84, CADPAT, and civvies. Guns were just as varied with an AR platform being at max a third of the players. When was the last time you saw a P90 with a box mag in the field? Pistols were just as varied as camo patterns with people running all sorts. Has anyone seen an FN57 recently? What about a P99? There was a time when USPC’s and P226’s were all the rage, but Glock users were the minority (though you’d always get someone dual wielding G18C’s). Fully auto in CQB was also a thing. I suspect the combination of 1J max, low rates of fire, and 0.25g being the heaviest ammo people would run being a factor. You didn’t have HPA or DSG builds lobbing 30-40RPS down range to worry about. Yeah you’d always have the couple of guys that took it a bit too seriously when room clearing, but a 12 gauge dynatech (over arm!) usually calmed them down. As YouTube wasn’t a thing the tactical knowledge and general skill base of players was a bit more polarised. There were the regular players/teams who usually had someone ex-military or armed plod who would teach them a few bits, but the rest was down to people reading and researching. The better players used to take rentals/newbies under their wing and show them a few things during the games, and that’s something I don’t see anymore at the sites. Little stuff like waiting a bit longer for the opposition to get closer before engaging, or standing back a bit off cover to give yourself room to peek out with the weapon up was shown in the first round. There seemed to be more team play too. I guess it’s easier to huddle a group of 30 players before a round then 75. All of that being said, I suspect a lot of it is rose tinted mesh masks. Scraping together the money to buy more ammunition because I was a poor student, and only getting new gear when birthday’s or Christmas came around was tough. Tappet plate failures could mean financial ruin, and getting to games was dependent on the goodwill of teammates and the promise to buy them a hotdog at lunch. It was a fun time though, and I wouldn’t trade the memories for anything. “What am bestest Famas?”

I don’t think anyone’s suggested it but if you’re playing indoors or anywhere where pyro is frequently used I’d suggest some decent ear protection. It doesn’t cost a hideous amount (a pair of Earmor M32’s is £75) but it will save your ears (and also protect them from being shot which stings like nothing else). Of all the kit I’ve bought over the years I wish I had access to active hearing protection back in the day. I can’t believe we used to play in the chapel at CAGE with all the pyro going off like we did and not use any. Apart from that decent boots, decent eye protection, and a pair of decent gloves (Pig Deltas for dexterity, OR Ironsights for a bit more abrasion protection) and you’ll be sorted.

https://www.lannertactical.com/product-page/magpul-bipod-for-1913-picatinny-rail-fde £137 https://www.livens.co.uk/product/magpul-bipod-for-1913-picatinny-rail-in-black/ £139 if you want it in Black Is it me or would you expect it to be about the £120 mark (tops) considering it has no warranty, and was won in a competition?

Green gas is absolutely fine, I just found gas with lube really reduced accuracy and consistency. Ultrair doesn’t have any in, and I’m sure there are others too. Propane is cheaper for sure, but I can’t stand the fart smell so I use Ultrair as that’s pretty neutral.

I’ve set the NPAS for lower power and reliable cycling in the cold, but if memory serves it was doing about 275fps (0.88J) on a 0.25 on Sunday morning with the ambient about 4°C with the internals absolutely stock. In the summer I had it set to about 290fps on 0.25’s, but you can of course set it hotter than that. Just make sure you use gas without lubricant in it. The hop rubber is very consistent when it’s clean/dry, but the second you add some lube in the gas it becomes about as accurate as Farage is with numbers. Don’t forget though if you’re chopping and changing the power between indoors and outdoors you’re going to have POI shift so you’ll need to re-zero.

No worries, I did ramble a bit 😂 If memory serves the V2 has a metal outer barrel (unscrew the flash hider and pop off the front cap to check) as well as the NPAS (take both body pins out, slide the bolt assembly out and look down the nozzle). I bought mine in 2019 at the British Shooting Show, so I’d be very surprised if a new one from a retailer was a V1 Edit: I’ve just had a look at the description on the link you gave. I don’t know what they’re talking about with the follower snapping the feed lips; I’ve let go of mine a couple of times and the worst that’s happened is that it pinged a BB out. Definitely don’t drop the mag’s though or the baseplate will fail and you’ll need to order a new plate, spring follower, spring, and BB follower. This is the voice of experience, but at least they’re cheap. You’ll need to import from Hong Kong (no bother MLE Mart carry them all and they arrive in about two weeks), but if you order a few you’ll be sorted. When I dropped my mag it dented the corner of the base of the mag but it’s still perfectly gas tight.

I mentioned the VFC/Umarex version further up the thread, but mine’s been really good. I’ve got the Version 2 (like the AEG’s the version two ironed out the niggles from the first version. I use it with Ultrair, and I used it indoors in November and December where ambient temperatures were hovering around 0°C (and sometimes lower), and it worked absolutely perfectly in semi. The Black Site doesn’t allow auto, so no idea how that would have faired, but even sticking a semi burst down I had no issues. The version 2 has an NPAS so it can be tuned for the conditions which is a bonus. The mags have been gas tight for the last couple of years since I got them, and I don’t really do anything over and above the norm to maintain them. They’re not cheap though, and because it’s 1:1 you have to make sure you’re buying pouches for real steel rather than Marui if you go kydex. The mags are super easy to load from the bottom rather than through the feed lips, and although they say they’re 40 rounds you’ll get about 44 in there without any issues. The only part that has broken was the stock lock catch which is a known failure point due to being cheap pot metal. A steel replacement part is about £15 and took all of 10mins to change. The bolt release and safety are held on with the worlds smallest grub screws, to definitely locktite them. It’s a faff to take apart for barrel/hop changes, but to be fair for CQB/FIBUA it’s perfect as stock so I won’t change either. I bought the rubber butt pad because the standard one is cheap plastic. That was about £10. I’d happily recommend it to anyone based on my experience.