Lozart

I'd very much like to know where you're getting your numbers from and if you've considered the source and story behind the numbers? Australia's rape rate is not much different than the US or UK so I'm not sure how you get "extremely high"? from here: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rape-statistics-by-country It's much the same as comparing "violent crime" between the US and the UK. We have a FAR wider definition of violent crime so comparing the straight up numbers isn't a fair comparison - https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/violent-crime#:~:text=Violent crime covers a variety,one person unlawfully kills another. our definition includes everything down to common assault which is basically shouting threats at someone!

All these tales of peoples grandfathers that served in WW2 is making me feel old! My Dad served in WW2 as an airframe fitter for the Fleet Air Arm in Malta. HIS Dad served in WW1 in the Royal West Kent Reg as part of the lot that went to India. Apparently my Mums Dad served in tanks in WW1 but he was long gone before I came around so details are sketchy at best.

Aliexpress. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003856710646.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.35.736a5e62yguufk&algo_pvid=8e800871-2d61-47bf-8711-c4f74395486e&algo_exp_id=8e800871-2d61-47bf-8711-c4f74395486e-17&pdp_npi=3%40dis!GBP!16.79!12.76!!!!!%402145280e16865686249332035d0749!12000027495284634!sea!UK!759559025&curPageLogUid=OuOGD2LS5OJA

If you look at the first picture you can see that the end bell is drooping slightly. Which is EXACTLY how I bent mine!

You're correct it's not a hard fact. It's not even a soft and squishy fact, when you look at gun deaths per capita by state and compared to the level of firearm legislation it's a very different picture https://www.criminalattorneycincinnati.com/comparing-gun-control-measures-to-gun-related-homicides-by-state/ Yes, lies, damned lies and statistics, but when there is such an overwhelming volume of evidence in support of better gun control I'm still gobsmacked how many people say more gun laws make places LESS safe. As to your other point, from what I've gathered it seems that most of the people in favour of tighter gun control want just this; to stop that guy getting his hands on a gun. This pretty much sums it up:

Have you seen the requirements in Switzerland? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearms_regulation_in_Switzerland despite being one of the most liberal sets of legislation, they have much tighter control on the sale of ammunition and the actual use of guns. The issue in the US isn't the guns, it's the fetishisation of gun culture among a relatively small section of society and the huge number of guns in the hands of criminals. Add to that a lobbying movement with huge coffers that has a vested interest in maintaining a multi-billion dollar industry and you end up with a country that offers little more than hopes and prayers when school kids get shot but woe betide you if you're not a straight, white, conservative. I think the most telling stories about guns come from people that have left the US for other countries and then one day suddenly realised that actually, maybe the rest of the world was right after all!

Far too much blame is laid at the feet of "mental health" when it comes to the big headline grabbers like mass shootings. Mental health is more of an issue in that something around 60% of gun deaths in the USA are suicides. Not because there are more suicidal people in the US but because they have such ready access to a very effective means of succeeding. A very high percentage of first suicide attempts in this country that fail end up with the person feeling completely differently within hours of the attempt, not an option with firearms. As for the situation as a whole? That goes beyond the actual guns and is entrenched in the fibre of US society, particularly the vocal 2A crowd (from both sides of the political spectrum). My personal opinion is that the reliance on the "keep and bear arms" part of the 2nd Amendment is fine and well, but that it's taken WAY out of context and the "well regulated militia" bit gets glossed over. Everyone and their dog seems to want to interpret the constitution to suit their own agenda and hold that everything written in it is cast in stone with no consideration for the fact that modern society is (and should be) COMPLETELY different to the world that the founding fathers lived in. In the UK, legislation changes to reflect the times and yet the constitution is treated as if it's some immutable gospel, despite the fact that the very thing that they're arguing over IS A CHANGE. It's an AMENDMENT. It CAN be changed if it's needed!

That's the dirt cheap bag of dicks range. Released quite a while later to give an even more "budget" range.

In that case it may have been dropped/fallen on so the lenses might not line up properly if the tube itself is bent. If it's a purged scope and you strip it then you'll lose any seal and potentially start getting condensation inside the sight. If you can adjust it to hit what you're pointing it at then just leave it be.

If you can find it elsewhere pretty much everyone else sells it around or under £200.

Cheap new or cheap second hand?

THE VFC clones are MUCH better made. The TM clones are as creaky and plastic as the TM originals. (for reference I owned a Cyma 045 for a while and it was built like a tank, had to fix my friends 028 and it was horrible).

The VAST majority of guns used by criminals come from theft of legally owned weapons. If there are less legally owned guns there will be less illegally owned guns. As for the "good guy with a gun" theory, it's been disproved plenty of times. The "2.5 million a year" figure has no actual evidence to back it up.

Bridgedale Trekker socks, 1000 Mile socks or Thorlo Light Hiker socks would be my recommendation. Don't cheap out on socks, it's a false economy. If you want better pricing, get a GoOutdoors membership (like £5 a year or something) and get discount on EVERYTHING they sell.

Given the availability of firearms, I'd guess the latter.

They're cheap because they're surplus. Decent enough boots though. I also have feet that are wider than they should be for length but I find that Merrell boots fit me well. I usually size up as they can be a little snug but that's me. I currently have the MOAB GTX Tactical 8" boots for airsoft and a pair of MOAB 3 GTX walking boots for general stuff. While I agree that you don't need to spend an utter crap ton on boots, you do need to not be cheap. Object lesson - my mate Lee that recently started airsoft bought a pair of boots from Amazon for about £30 and they split across the toe after two days of airsoft. In good weather. Much like all the gucci tactical shit we convince ourselves we need because reasons, you don't NEED Lowa Zephyr GTX mids (as lovely as they are) et al unless you're doing the kind of mileage they're designed for. Of course, if you can afford them and you want them, fucking go for it! As always - make sure you at least acknowledge the wisdom of Vimes when it comes to boots... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_theory

So basically the US version of the VCRA then.

It's a V2 gearbox with added pneumatic blowback. All the internals will be pretty standard but the cylinder will have a hole at the top to bleed off air to make the flappy bit of metal rattle about. You could replace it with a standard cylinder and ditch the annoying clacky thing.

Been there, done that. Modifying the TM delta ring is the wrong route, you have to swap it out for a proper style one with the star ring in the middle (as discussed). If you file the lugs off to make the TM outer barrel fit you'll be fine, the rest of it is "standard". It's exactly what I did with mine.

Why not?

Good lad!

Source? Please? Pretty please?

I'd say try the Namsoft pages on FB, they will probably have more direct experience. There aren't going to be any goggles from Bolle, ESS, Revision etc that are designed to work with an M1 because that's just not a thing. Maybe a set of ESS Advancers (based on being similar shapewise to the ASG ones you mentioned. Otherwise, what about a FogEx blower attached somewhere inconspicuous?

You have a couple of options, either file away the lugs on the outer barrel or just bin the outer barrel completely and get a solid one that doesn't come in three parts. That also has the benefit of making the whole front end more stable! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Airsoft-Inches-Aluminum-Barrel-Extension/dp/B07GCK9774/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/260-1342477-8989408?pd_rd_w=QDzdW&content-id=amzn1.sym.efc89c20-c5a9-4620-b6cd-2f4e51bac956&pf_rd_p=efc89c20-c5a9-4620-b6cd-2f4e51bac956&pf_rd_r=CA1Q46N2ATP9DRTRAZJT&pd_rd_wg=KhQf6&pd_rd_r=36e3011f-5103-46f3-81b8-45088ff13695&pd_rd_i=B07GCK9774&psc=1 NOTE - you CAN get them cheaper than this (the cyma ones are good) this is just one that's in stock. I may actually have a spare one, I'll drop you a PM if I can find it!

I have/had one of those. I say had because it's still in my possession but much like Triggers Broom it bears almost no resemblance to the original. Anyhoo, you will probably need to fit a "standard" style delta nut which has a toothed inner ring instead of the two lug version that Marui fitted. Super easy to do, buy one from here: https://www.bullseyecountrysport.co.uk/element-delta-ring-black-m4-series-11705-p.asp, remove the outer barrel, take off the old delta ring (remove the handguard, push the inner part of the ring down and rotate to line up the lugs then it should come off then unscrew the inner nut part from the receiver), then screw on the new one (an armourers wrench is handy but not essential for this as they have a bnit that locates in the toothed section of the new nut). Then all you need to do is find a suitable KAC rail and whack it in.