MrTea

The hop unit from AirsoftPro arrived and was installed. Went in like a treat with none of the issues from the Wiitech one. What I didn't do is change the nozzle to the AirsoftPro one because I was short on time and just wanted to see if the hop unit fit. I decided to do some testing to get some initial FPS readings and it's not good. The single highest FPS reading I got was 274.4fps on 0.36g (1.26joule) which is 368.3fps on 0.2g. In addition to the low FPS, it's also massively inconsistent with a ~50fps difference between the highest and lowest FPS reading. I'll have to go back into the gearbox and use the AirsoftPro loading ramp and nozzle to see if it makes a difference in the FPS in testing. The airseal from the compressions parts (with the nozzle on too) was great when I tested during installation so I know that's unlikely to be the issue. For reference; the limit on 0.36g is 313fps (420fps on 0.2g) or 1.64 joules. As long as i'm over 300fps on 0.36g with a max variance of 3-5fps i'll be happy. Fixing the inconsistency is key in my mind. If the FPS was consistent but low, I wouldn't mind. Boosting FPS is easy through spring strength, it's the inconsistency that's got me wondering. In other news; the spring guide for the A&K Masada SPR is a non-standard size. I ordered a QD bearing spring guide and that's also too big. I measured it with calipers and cannot find any spring guide with a similar size. I've also 'shimmed' the inner barrel to the outer and that thing is rock solid now, zero movement at all.

Same. The Specna polymer is great. I'd wish they'd bundle these with a MOSFET and it'd be perfect. Even better when their 100 round mid-caps are only £9 each. Edit: Patrolbase are sold out of the black mags already, only grey and tan left.

I'm pretty sure EG used sell a bandolier so you can carry 6 at once. I was planning on grabbing a few of the EG18s to try out, might just got for the X versions.

Not yet! I think i'm going to be stocking up on pyro again next month as my box of pyro & smokes is starting to get low again. As I understand it, the X version just dumps all of the smoke in half the time?

Not necessarily. Frags, as in single use pyro loaded with dried peas/BBs, are worth it as they're usually the only type of ball grenades available IIRC and as I said earlier, you can roll these really easily and catch people off guard rather than having pyro sail through the air. Enola Gaye have the best smokes IMO. Referring to @Tommikka chart, the EG18 is where it starts to get real expensive at £10-£15 per smoke. The Mil-X and CM75 are stupid expensive but it's unlikely you'd be able to get your hands on them anyway. Most people use the TP40 size as they have the best price/performance balance.

I'll do my best to describe what i've used but i'm sure i'll forget something. Flash Bang Smoke - Disposable; Ball Grenade (loaded with dried peas/BBs) - These can be striker tops like the Mk5 Thunderflash or ring pull. These actually roll really well for indoors and you can bowl them across flat surfaces pretty easily to catch people off guard. Cylinders (loaded with dried peas/BBs) - These act like the ball grenades but are cylinders. Not ring pull, only striker top. Non-Thermobaric Multi-bangs. Great fun. Cylindrical. These are bangs only, not loaded with projectiles. Thermobaric single and multi-bang. These are a bang and bright flash. No projectiles. Also fantastic fun. FBS offer striker top, ring pull and fly off lever options on some of their devices but considering they're dispoable, it's not worth the extra cost for FOL options. Enola Gaye - Disposable; Mk5 Thunderflash - These are the thin cylinders with striker tops. The single cheapest and most common type of pyro in airsoft. 99% of retailers wont sell you (and most sites wont let you use) Mk7 or Mk9 Thunderflash due to the increased sound level. EG67 - These works exactly like the FBS Ball Grenades above. Flash 3.0 - Loud bang, sparks, flash. Come as a cylinder with wire pull igniter. Both FBS and Enola Gaye offer smoke grenades but, IMO, Enola Gaye has the better offerings however they get quite expensive. Reusable Pyro; Blank Firing Grenades - There's loads of different offerings on this from impact grenades to timed and in different calibers too. .209 primers are the cheapest, 9mm (.380) next up and then 12 Gauge blanks being the most expensive. A lot of BFGs only tailor to .209 for airsoft but there are a few still floating around that let you use 9mm and 12 gauge but you've got to be careful with 12G as they can (depending on what you buy) be too loud for indoor use. I'm personally getting back into using my BFGs now i've found a supplier for Magflash which are just as loud as regular pyro but way more fun. Charge/Legit training grenades - Things like the Virtus AG-40 Training grenade are A. Expensive B. Hard to find and C. The charges are incredibly difficult to get a hold of. While they're cool, they're probably not worth it. Gas Grenades - I've never dabbled with them as i've always seen reviews saying seals go bad after a year and it's usually tricky to get hold of spares to fix them and that's without looking at their mediocre performance. Most sites operate a rule where if a grenade detonates inside a certain radius, you die, regardless if you get hit by a BB from the pyro or not. I think the only exception to this rule would be Thunder Bs but they use CO2 catridges and disposable plastic shells which aren't cheap either. They're supposed to be stupid loud too. As a note; I'd avoid using reusable pyro outdoors as they're easily lost and due to their weight, can only be thrown under arm below waist height to avoid serious injury to other players. I'd also mention Taginn grenades. As Emergencychimps says, their disposable pyro is expensive per unit and louder than most sites will allow. Taginn (I think) are the only manufacturer who actually have pyro that can be launched from a underbarrel grenade launcher which is cool but crazy expensive when you start looking into it.

Both my SOTAC and Holy Warrior XPS3 replicas have adjustable zero. It takes quite a lot of winding (they don't click either) of the adjustment knobs/screws to get it where I need it but it does work. I'd guess the 'cheap' replicas have the adjustment features there but possibly don't work? I adjust my zero indoors where there's no wind or anything effecting the BB flight but as many others have said; airsoft isn't an exact science.

That's a nice harness Gav, where'd you get it?

Curve to the left could be something as simple as you holding the gun canted. A lot of people make this mistake. It's possible you twisted the barrel in the hop when reinstalling so it's not applying hop evenly to the BB. As for range, how short are we talking? A lot of people expect their AEG to be shooting 100m+ when they should be expecting about 50-60m for a well tuned, well maintained AEG. I always use 0.28G BBs when playing outdoors and have no issues with range.

Nothing too exciting just some ludicrously expensive, and hard to find, bits of plastic. What with the shortage of "heavy" BBs?

It's actually insane how fast you have to be to get a good deal. I was lucky once and snagged a Nuprol Operator 60L Duffle Bag for £15. It's a way better fit for me and my gear simply because of the internal dividers and backpack straps. Carrying a 50L holdall in one hand is a right pain because of how bulky it is especially when you have a rifle bag in the other hand.

Whenever he restocks his motors, I buy up a few ready for future projects because they sell incredibly quick. Last time he restocked I picked up 3x of those SHS High Torque motor with the fans.

Don't Lancer Tactical use a Zion Arms Nebula MOSFET inside the Gen3 AEGs? Could it possibly be a LT rebrand? It would be interesting as LT already have a PCC, the LT-35 Battle X. £210 off PB for a full metal PCC base sounds like a half decent deal and i've read good things about the MOSFET from the LT Gen 3 reviews. For me, I'm not a big fan of the receiver design. I was hoping to find it elsewhere but it looks like it's a PatrolBase exclusive thing.

Last owner gave them away for free. I've kept two and i'm selling the other three, which I don't need, there's nothing wrong with that. Wouldn't be the first piece of gear i've flipped in airsoft either.

I have (what appears to be) a 36" Condor Double Rifle bag which has many different clones from different brands. A 46" generic Amazon tan rifle bag for my longer guns. A 8Fields Tactical double rifle bag which is what I take to games. These three bags are all made of the thicker 600D material but only the Condor bag has the internal seperator flap thing. The Amazon one has a large internal space for your main rifle and then a smaller pouch on the front (36") for your secondary. The 8Fields bag doesn't have a seperator/flap but has space for two medium rifles and are secured by provided molle loops and velcro straps on the inside. For storage I managed to get 5x generic Amazon rifle bags. I have them for sale for £25 ea. inc postage if you're interested

I've got an MP9, Masada/ACR and L85A2 so list goes; L86 LSW F2000 Tavor WA2000 Scar-H VorpalBunny AM.45 and P90 just because it annoys people and they're rare. Often used as wall hangers rather than in games APS CAM870 AK12 MP5SD The amount of people who've asked about my MP5 when I've played with it has me thinking they're considered rare in the UK.

Gonna have to get the calipers out tomorrow and size up the battery space inside the L85A2 TMH and see if they have an 11.1v Lipo that'll fit in there because the PEQ battery solution I originally came up with kidna sucks.

What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I've been involved in numerous secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills. I am trained in gorilla warfare and I'm the top sniper in the entire US armed forces. You are nothing to me but just another target. I will wipe you the fuck out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this Earth, mark my fucking words. You think you can get away with saying that shit to me over the Internet? Think again, fucker. As we speak I am contacting my secret network of spies across the USA and your IP is being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You're fucking dead, kid. I can be anywhere, anytime, and I can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that's just with my bare hands. Not only am I extensively trained in unarmed combat, but I have access to the entire arsenal of the United States Marine Corps and I will use it to its full extent to wipe your miserable ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little "clever" comment was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have held your fucking tongue. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot. I will shit fury all over you and you will drown in it. You're fucking dead, kiddo. Should've sent him this back.

EPMs can cause feeding issues due to the strength of the sprint in some AEGs. I just use generic mid-caps from Nuprol and they've worked fine. I've heard about these Daniel Defence mid-caps getting popular in place of EPMs. I'm not sure if they're prone to the same issues or they're just EPMs in a different shell. I'd happily take 150 round mid-caps that have an extended follower. There'll be a certain someone by soon to recommend the Double Eagle M904.

When you're getting chrono results of 350 FPS on a 0.20g BB i'm guessing that the hop is either completely off or on very slightly which is why it's barely having an effect on the BB. This is normal. Using heavier BBs is going to drop your FPS. This is why the max FPS limit decreases as you increase BB weight as it's the energy (joule) measurement that you're working from universally. Heavier BBs will travel slower but lose less energy than lighter BBs the further they go. 350 FPS on a 0.20g BB is the same energy (joules) as 276 FPS on 0.32g BBs. Applying hop and dropping to around 240 FPS on 0.32g BBs sounds about right to be honest but without testing I couldn't say for sure. From memory, on my last chrono using 0.28g BBs I was getting about 280 FPS with is the same as 330 FPS on 0.20g BBs. I'd suggest trying a standard hop unit. I've heard plenty of issues with Maxx hop units having tolerances that are too fine and begin to cause issues. I would also suggest using another brand of hop rubber in case it's a compatibility issue with the hop rubber, hop unit and barrel.

Distrct 23. Sunday afternoon/evening session. Around 20-25 players. Fantastic session. MP5 ran like a champ all session but man I need to find a better sling setup. Gameplay was great and everyone had a laugh. Rentals had fun. No complaints. @Tugger During the break we introduced the marshal to Magflash as he was also interested in them. The "mini" flashbang that was sent as a tester is what I used first and was the single loudest piece of pyro i've ever heard, holy shit. I've never felt a shockwave like that from any pyro, no wonder they're still in the testing phase. Testing the three other flashbangs (small, regular, large) was a success and they're much quieter than the first; these three are about the same sound report as a Mk5 Thunderflash where the small, regular, large appears to relate to the amount of flash/sparks effect each flashbang provides. The marshal has approved them for use downstairs only as the upstairs of the site is made primarily of wood and he wants to reduce the risk of fire caused by the sparks as much as possible. The "mini" flashbang might need a bit of tweaking but can't say for sure as I only took one of each for testing/approval.

Fucking Patrolbase lmao. They even damaged it further when attempting to repair it. If you contact citizens advice, make sure to mention all of this and take pictures.

Patrolbase are lying is what i'd say. There's no way they chrono at 345fps and then you can't get a BB further than throwing it. You can't take the gearbox apart to see if they've changed anything because (i'm sure) that voids your warranty. If they're unwilling to take it again (or you're unwilling to wait for them to fix it again) send it to a reputable tech; I can personally vouch for TheCageAirsoft who will take guns (and parts) via post and do fantastic work. My MP5 they worked on is a powerhouse. To sate my curiosity, can you look up into the magwell? If there's a sticker there has it been cut/split? If it's there and it's still intact then they haven't been inside the gearbox to do the work they claim they have.

Question about your flash hider, I have one of those Airsoft Artisan ones and only just got around to putting it on the G&G L85... where the outer barrel isn't threaded. The standard flash hider just slides on and there's a pin that secures into a groove on the outer barrel. Are G&G doing strange things with their L85A2 and do the ICS ones have a threaded barrel?