straffham

I think I read it as it was intended, as a spoof on innacurate media reporting on anything gun related. Made me laugh!

Cyma are fairly good these days, as well as being easily upgraded if and when you when you want to. As a back up the MP5K should tick all your boxes, and ideal for CQB.

if you're running a scar-H, pattern 58 webbing is super cheap and will fit the larger 7.62 mags, just a suggestion?

This. Its often overlooked but an important point. No good having all the gear if you're going to be outpaced by light weight practical loadouts and even the new kid with only a hire G36 and 1 mag.

Cyma are fairly good these days, as well as being easily upgraded if and when you when you want to. As a back up the MP5K should tick all your boxes, and ideal for CQB.

Thing to remember when painting is that surface prep is the most imortant factor. Needs to be completely free of dirt and grease, running some fine wet and dry abrasive paper over it, clean it again with detergent (washing up liquid, diluted, rinse, dry, then ideally use IPA (isoproyl alcohol) and a lint free cloth to give a final clean, before spraying several LIGHT coats of paint from about a foot away, leaving a few minutes between coats. Fewer coats the better. Applying varnish after will not protect the paint if it hasn't been applied correctly to start with. Preparation is key to a decent finish. Also don't mix different types of paint (acrylic with enamel for instance) or you can end up with paint finish resembling crazy paving!

Thing to remember when painting is that surface prep is the most imortant factor. Needs to be completely free of dirt and grease, running some fine wet and dry abrasive paper over it, clean it again with detergent (washing up liquid, diluted, rinse, dry, then ideally use IPA (isoproyl alcohol) and a lint free cloth to give a final clean, before spraying several LIGHT coats of paint from about a foot away, leaving a few minutes between coats. Fewer coats the better. Applying varnish after will not protect the paint if it hasn't been applied correctly to start with. Preparation is key to a decent finish. Also don't mix different types of paint (acrylic with enamel for instance) or you can end up with paint finish resembling crazy paving!

Krylon is very good, Plastikote can end up looking satin rather than flat matt if you put too much on. Another good alternative is Humbrol acrylic sprays available from good hobby shops, they do a huge range and cost about a fiver, though its a smaller can.
Whatever paint you use it will wear and scratch over time though.

D'OH! So , Taiwan Gun are Polish company, and Specna Arms are manufactured in Asia, confusing lol! Well OK I know virtually all of it is made in Asia but hey!

Nice one, glad you sorted it! If it does end up too loose you could always replace the pin with a locking one! Be interested to know how you get on with repairing the crack.

TaiwanGun isn't actually in Asia, it's Polish. So you won't be charged VAT or import tax AFAIK. I would have them put your UKARA number on the box though! If you want you could contact them and ask them to do it before you order but you can also write it in the business line of your address so it should be on the package already.

I think I read it as it was intended, as a spoof on innacurate media reporting on anything gun related. Made me laugh!

either that or they're aiming by looking down the side of their barrel and walking their BBs onto the target, not nearly as effective as just zeroing your sights and aiming properly.

I hold my gun how you should normally hold it.

I hold it like a proper gun. Why wouldn't you?

Its good that Umarex are licensed though as said the licensor in most cases would have had little if any input into the end product. Basically it stops the chance of Umarex being sued for copyright infringement. It does however push the price up and many of the trade markings on the gun are far removed to those on the real steel firearm .

This. If your gun is working properly, the difference in performance between 330 and 350 should be negligible.

Airsoft Edinburgh do private skirmishes at set prices for set times. They are extremely expensive though, for 1 hour, it's like £15 per head which isn't that long. It goes up to around £80 per head i think for like 6 hours maybe.
 
Honestly, just play a regular game and have walkie talkies amongst your friends.

Ok, so my Ares M4 suffered terminal gearbox failure. Even though it hasn't been used a lot in its 4 years, the monkey metal used in the original shell has disintegrated around the cylinder head. I emailed Ares for prices for a new shell, came back as 73USD posted, plus customs and admin fees when it arrived no doubt. As I wanted to keep the repair as cheap as possible, coupled with my doubts the new Ares shell would survive any longer than the original, made me seek an alternative.
 
The options available were:
1) to buy a standard V2 shell and swap the Ares internals into it; problem here being the Ares trigger / microswitch won't fit into a standard shell designed for standard switch parts, also the spring guide is different as the Ares box has a QD spring guide;
2) buy a complete V2 gearbox such as the ZCI or Specna Arms ones which can be had for around £50;
 
However Forum member ak2m4 suggested a third option; a ZCI shell which is essentially a clone of the Ares shell design, and comes with trigger, microswitch and wiring, plus spring guide. Costing £30 this seemed the best value option so one was ordered from his website with a couple of other bits. Great value and great service too!
 
The shell is a budget one but seems pretty well cast in fairness. The original Ares 8mm bearings and bushings dropped in fine, I had to remove a couple of the Ares shims to get the gears turning freely in the new shell. Whilst apart I fitted a new "Core" vented bearing piston head (I always fit a bearing piston head or bearing spring guide to my gearboxes to remove spring torque) and fitted the cylinder / cylinder head / piston / tappet plate / air nozzle. No fiddling about with the trigger and switch required, they're already in the new shell and deceptively simple in design, as is the selector plate and safety (which worried me slightly initially). All that was needed was to reroute the wiring as its fitted for a rear set up, but my gun needs a front wired arrangement. After a check everything was in place, and a relube, the gearbox was closed up, the spring and spring guide fitted and tested for free movement and function, as per the pic below.

The Ares pistol grip and motor were then fitted and the whole assembly tested electrically, and hey presto, all worked perfectly, safety, single shot and full auto!
I was advised by Pete (ak2m4) some minor filing may be needed; I found I did have to file a tiny amount where the hop unit locates in the front of the shell as it wasn't quite "round", and a little casting flash from on top ot the shell where the 2 halves meet, plus open the holes out slightly where the small receiver pin passes through the gearbox above the trigger but nothing else otherwise.
Time will tell how it stands up to use but I'm pleased to have fixed my M4 at fairly low cost AND been able to retain the quick release spring feature, and it still fires around the original velocity of 325FPS.
 
I would particularly like to thank (and plug) Forum member Pete (ak2m4) for bringing the ZCI shell to my attention, his website www.ak2m4.co.uk is full of useful parts at reasonable prices.

My Mrs doesn't mind me going at all in my "playing out clothes" as she puts it, says to play nice and remember to have juice and a biscuit at break time lol! (I'm gradually winning her round to come for a game one day!) (PS I'm 44 not a school age noob!)

just made this very crudely in paint to show what I mean. OBVIOUSLY it would not look like this, but everything would have to be re-engineered. but just to give you the idea.. cred for the two pics I cut together goes to airsplat and redwolf airsoft
 

Looks not unlike the Brit WW2 Boyes recoil-less anti tank rifle if I recall?!

Looks not unlike the Brit WW2 Boyes recoil-less anti tank rifle if I recall?!

Looks not unlike the Brit WW2 Boyes recoil-less anti tank rifle if I recall?!

But they don't need to be made.