TacMaster

Switch the rifle to Deans if you want to use LiPos. Their advantage is negated by mini tamiya connectors

Yes, you can show up with it.

They can be owned if you're under 18, purchase is the limited aspect.

Tend to swap out my OD shirt with an OD 'tactical' fleece in colder weather. Same deal for headgear, nice warm Jack Pyke fleece hat.

The main consistency and reliability advantage HPA has over normal GBB systems lies completely in the regulator, simply filling a gas mag with HPA would create no improvements.

What? So having a speed loader and a battery box included (besides ordinary stuff like unjamming rod etc) makes this gun untrustworthy?

No such thing as an out of the box DMR. You need to buy a base AEG/GBB and spend a lot of cash upgrading it. It's easier to do with a GBBR but you will have a lot of temperature inconsistencies, unless you use an HPA system like Polarstar (expensive) Daytona Gun (also expensive) or the Wolverine SMP. If you're going to use that as a base gun, see if you can buy it without all of the accessories. You're better off spending the extra cash on internal parts. Chances are that the accessories are more expensive in that package than they are when purchased individually.

It would be great if there were polycarbonate or perspex gearbox cases on the market, would make it easy to diagnose mechanical problems without opening the gb up

Haven't you already got a thread open about plate carriers and load carrying gear? You don't need to keep bumping them either, it's not a sales post. You've had advice from myself and others in the existing thread, but the main thing is to look around and see what you like the look of that will be practical for both. If you can't find something you like which can be used for both cadets and airsoft, stick with the issued kit for cadets and use something airsoft orientated for skirmishes.

How's the eye relief and target acquisition with the sight mounted so far back?

Looks like a Magpul Masada style rifle. As several manufacturers make their own versions (including A&K, PTS and WE) I don't think it's possible to identify the manufacturer from a photo.

Am I one of the few who prefer Beretta 92 / M9 replicas with wooden grips instead of synthetic ones? I mainly see the synthetic ones and wooden gripped ones just look brilliant to me!

Nah the Chest Set is not a chest rig or PC, it's kind of like an assault vest-webbing hybrid. I'm just advocating the use of a battle belt as it looks a bit more like PLCE webbing so you're less likely to get in trouble for having non-issue kit. Also it's a little more survival-orientated as there's space for loads of utility pouches to fit all of the stuff you want in it. The exercises run by my company seem to be much less 'by the books'. I decided to have something lightweight for this sort of thing, and it paid off as I took part in a scenario where we used an RAF Merlin to extract a 'VIP' and we needed to move around quickly. Ultimately it's your choice, I just had to suffer the use of webbing and the terrible Cadet Training Vests for several years before getting my own load carrying gear.

If you've got a UKARA no. just buy one from Taiwangun or Gunfire. Both are based in Poland and orders come in within 4-5 days.

I wouldn't get an SAAV. No modularity at all. If you do get one, get the real deal- if you can find them they're not too expensive and the quality increase over the Viper copies is massive. PLCE is last ditch IMO. I've used it, it's bulky and heavy and only good for keeping enough kit and rations in to support you for 24h. Good for fieldcraft and exercises but overkill for airsoft. Have a look at some of the Condor kit as well, it's cost effective and brilliant for both airsoft and actual use. I believe there are images floating around of UKSF wearing Condor plate carriers and other assorted kit? I use a Condor chest set for airsoft as part of a 'heavy' loadout, and it's what I use with cadets as well. I've had mine for 2 or so years- some tough use and a few modifications later and it's still in good nick. Quite a few of my mates were impressed enough at it that they bought their own sets

Bring an older mate/parent along with you to games- chances are they'll get hooked, get their UKARA defence and you'll be able to 'buy' a gun through them. I say buy in loose terms as it has to be a gift, but you may be able to come to some unofficial arrangement with them. Alternatively you can get yourself a 2tone through them and then spray it black/tan/olive drab when you get a site membership or UKARA defence.

Don't use a PC for cadets, you'll just get laughed at- plus they're really impractical for fieldcraft. Get an Osprey Battle Belt set, they're pretty good quality and some places will sell them with 2x ammo and utility pouches. A friend of mine bought a set for £60 and it's decent stuff. Covered in MOLLE so there's plenty of room for additional pouches of any brand.

As it's in the Autumn I'd suggest adding a bivvy bag (waterproof gore-tex/canvas outer layer for sleeping bags): I'd also put together a basha kit (waterproof poncho/tarpaulin in the appropriate camo, 2x bungee cords, 2x tent pegs and a roll of 'green hairy' string). My personal one is packed for the Reading festival this weekend so I can't demo how one can be put up, however here's an idea: The standard format is like this; one end is pinned down by tent pegs while the other is held up by bungees wrapped around trees/hedges/fences etc. They can be tensioned by using string attached to a poncho's hood/tarp's centre webbing straps. In the daytime you'll want to take it down completely if the weather's ok, but if it's pouring it down just lower the basha on it's bungees until it touches your bergan and covers your sleeping kit completely. You can also run a line of string between 2 trees and peg the basha down at all four corners with the string holding the centre line up. This is referred to as an 'officer's basha' and it means you need to carry more tent pegs- also more difficult to get in and out of if you're attacked in the night and you need to stand to. If you've already decided to take a small tent then disregard this, however buying all the fixings for a basha usually works out cheaper than buying a decent 1-2 man tent. Basha kits are pretty lightweight too and take up much less room when packed up, mine is roughly 15-20cm by 12cm, 4cm thick in it's stuff sack. Most new basha tarps/ponchos will come in a little stuff sack which you can fit the pegs, string and bungees into easily. Aside from that just take all of the kit Aengus has mentioned, some real no-brainer stuff on there which is difficult to forget.

Stupid. At least woodland DPM, ATACS FG, US woodland etc work in woodland environments effectively and to a certain extent in urban environments. UCP is too light to work in the gloom of most urban sites- if the overall tone of it was darker it would be far more effective.

I had one a while back. Without upgrades they're pretty crap, the low FPS and the terrible trigger response make the gun pretty annoying. I believe that Eagle6 sell pistol size LiPo batteries that fit CYMA and Tokyo Marui pistols, as well as better springs.

I've seen photos of the Virtus system on the Army's Facebook page. What exactly is the purpose of that adjustable plastic spine section on the back of the carrier? It's got some sort of pneumatic system to adjust it, which doesn't look very squaddie proof

Short answer: no. Long answer: Nearly all cheapo guns can't be upgraded in many ways as sometimes the parts are proprietary. As well as that, when opening the gun up you could potentially break some of the internals as they would probably be pretty cheap and fragile. TBH something as cheap and plasticy as the D68 isn't worth it in the long term, an actual gearbox to replace the original would cost almost the same as a new D68. If you did go ahead and replace every part with an actual component from manufacturers such as ASG, Prometheus, MadBull, Lonex etc. you would have probably have spent enough to buy a new G&G Combat Machine.

Ffs, even Warrior Assault Systems vests can cost less than £130 and WAS produce some of the most suitable gear for airsofters!

I meant manufacturers as a whole. I've not heard anything about VFC's pistols, do they make the Stark Arms G17s?