BrightCandle

What is the issue with it? Presumably something is going wrong that makes you think the hop unit itself is at fault for what is happening?

They even charged you £30 for the privilege of going through customs without even looking at it, bargain!! /s

I have seen various reviews of BBs in the USA and there seems to be quite a wide variance in the groupings different types of BBs achieve. Unfortunately many of the brands they test aren't all that readily available in the UK. Worse than that we know that the underlying suppliers of them is constantly changing, at one point Goldenball were amazing and by far the best BB anyone could find, nowadays they are made by a different facility and are pretty poor. So any guides someone does produce on the accuracy of BBs quickly gets obsoleted by the industries constant shifting and moving to reduce production costs of popular brands and then runs those brands into the ground. So I think these days a good quality BB manufacturer doesn't really come with a good independent review, it comes with "they don't jam my gun, they appear to be reasonably accurate and looking at them I can't spot any imperfections but I haven't really compared all that many brands". So in the sea of that how do you determine what the best BBs actually? Worse yet different guns work with different BBs better. GG for example make a BB that is a little bit smaller than usual for its top tech guns, because they have tightbores (there is an optimal BB size to barrel size which we passed because a lot of people think tightbores increase accuracy, but the tests kind of show they don't, straightness and finish determine accuracy and the most accurate barrels are actually wider). so they need extra space for more accuracy. So you will often find that you need to try a load of different BBs and seem them in action to determine which is more accurate. Of course the difficulty is its hard to create a good control that can definitely prove one brand is better than another, especially if different batches differ. So in the end the answer is really friggin difficult just due to a whole bundle of factors. If you intend to find the best BBs for your gun then you'll need to experiment yourself and likely repeat that experiment on different batches and brands as time goes on.

When it comes to red dots you want something that isn't heavy and restricts as little of your vision as possible. The Eotech holographic replicas (551 and such) are quite small and light and the vision restriction isn't too bad. Personally I started with a bigger 30mm G&P red dot, but now I use a T1 micro red dot, its super light and restricts my vision minimally. Honestly a lot of its fashion which you choose.

If you are going to work on your guns yourself you need to buy a chronograph. Think about it this way, if you do determine that the airseal or something needs fixing, get some parts or do some mods to repair it then put it back together the next time you'll find out is right before a game when they are checking if your gun is allowed at their site. This is not the right moment to be finding out its shooting at 200 fps or 400fps. The right moment is when its back on your bench and you can test fire it and look at the results and take it back apart and determine the cause of the change. If you work on your gun yourself you need a chronograph. I went through the same thought process, I even paid a shop/site to chrono and then realised if I was going to do the work and learn how to I was going to need one. Essential purchase, have used it far more than I would have predicted. As to the airseal the easiest way is to just remove the pneumatic parts from the gearbox, that is cylinder, piston and nozzle and then take the piston all the way back while covering the nozzle with your thumb and push. If the piston just goes right to the end and the resistance to you pushing wasn't really very tough then your airseal sucks. The ideal is that when you do this you push and it a point where the air is compressed in the cylinder and held there and none is escaping and you can just keep it under pressure like that without it escaping. A little bit of escape is ok, but no apparent resistance is the normal for a stock gun. You should try this experiment with the nozzle both flush to the cylinder head and extended out, it will test how the nozzle seal differs to the cylinder/piston as this is a very common area where seal is lost. It can also be lost from the gearbox to the hop unit so you need to make sure these sit nice and flush on each other as well and you might need to replace the hop unit if its not sealing well. The way you can test that is having eliminated the gearbox internal seal now if the FPS is still going up and down by more than about 2 fps then you still have an airseal issue, could be the bucking, could be the hop unit onto the gearbox.

My T4-18 gen 3 started at 315 but its dropped to 295 after a couple of games. I suspect the airseal is to blame as I know these guns come with M100 springs. The airseal on my CM wasn't good so I suspect the toptech airseal isn't much better considering the parts that are in it. But I haven't yet cracked the gearbox open to see if that is the issue, just my suspicions after working on my other G&G gun and how the performance has dropped over time. I too have range issues, its not just the FPS however its also the core accuracy of the gun. At range it will spread out very wide and be very inaccurate. I initially thought it was the hop but I think its actually the inner barrel and airseal on mine.

I don't think I would want all the features an ultimate grenade might have, because it will make it heavy. Most sites already require an under arm throw of the grenade to avoid cracking skulls and it would be nice to have a lighter and less dangerous reusable grenade. Would also be nice to have them be easier to load especially with gloves on. A decent dispenser for shotgun caps would be nice to go along with this as well, compatibility between the two items so reloads are super simple would be great. I have always liked the idea of a genuine M203 launcher for under barrel use which gives me the ability to launch smoke and grenades afar, its certainly a tactical element of airsoft that is missing. But due to the whole heavy flying projectile thing I fear its going to always be impossible as its unsafe.

Sounds good to me, I can make 6pm.

Not only does it work but given the right tools from hunterseeker you might even improve the barrel itself. A decent lapping on the inside, crowning with a slight inner flare just like the Orca barrels and you can have a barrel that is better than the stock one came. But its going to require a quality lathe.

Could also be as its gone back in the gun the hop unit hasn't made good contact with the gearbox. You loose a lot of FPS there unless that is nice and tight and on some guns there is a bit of a knack to getting them back together properly. My CM16 has that issue, the hop just doesn't push back well whereas on the top tech it always does.

The best battery is basically the biggest one that will fit in your battery area and that has a voltage your gearbox can take for a decent period of time. Lipo's definitely get the energy density in so you get a lot more shots for the same as a nimh. They are also easier to charge properly as well as they don't need discharge cycles, they can just be topped up. They also dump current really well for the motor, the bigger they are the better they do that.

Arma 3. By the far the most realistic combat simulator you can get in game format. Its obviously PC only because of all the buttons, best played with at least 20+ mods and with a minimum of 5 friends. Great place to learn tactics and one of the best FPS games ever made for those that like realish combat.

With both my G&G guns (CM16 carbine and top tech T4-18) I have tried a P-MAG and in both cases they didn't feed a single BB. The guy who asked me to try it also had a G&G gun and couldn't get it to work so I asked if I would try it also. It didn't feed so we came to the conclusion that P Mags don't work in G&G. However I have seen people on these forums claim theirs do work, so I don't know if its incompatibiility with new guns or new mags or if the EPM will work or what. But they are mighty pricey so if you do try them then do please please please let me know if it works.

DO NOT BUY THE G&G MAGS. They are completely thrash and actually don't work in G&G guns, heck they don't work in any guns well. The follower is a great feature but I have had two magazines lock now requiring disassembly and they regularly misfeed and uggghhh they are just awful. Avoid avoid avoid. MAG is working but they are cheap plastic and have no follower for feeding all the BBs. While I haven't had any feeding issues if doesn't really fit my criteria for the magazines I want. But that just leaves me telling you I don't know which magazines to get, because I haven't found anything really good yet.

Yes the weekend after looks fine for me.

Turns out I can't make the game tomorrow after all.

This weekend I am going to head down to billericay Skirmish again, which is a Saturday game and it leaves London from Liverpool Street and Stratford. I will be on the 8:02 from Stratford (which is 7:55 from Liverpool street), it changes at Shenfield and then there is a cab in Billericay to the site which is about 5 minutes. So if any one fancies joining me on the platform at Stratford is one place or the if you get on at Liverpool Street it would be probably Shenfield unless we pre arrange which carriage. Its short notice so no worries if no one fancies rushing out, I need to test my Tar 21 gun so I need to play a game and see what I need to fix now its working and I play most weekends anyway. Otherwise I propose next week for a beer, I am free Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Since I mostly work from home I have to travel into the centre so its probably better to choose a pub near someones work. Without any preference I would otherwise choose something in and around London Bridge for convenience for me since its on the train line I would likely travel in on.

At any given FPS a heavy BB has more energy and will fly further. You have to keep in mind that switching from 0.20g BBs to 0.30g BB's will reduce the FPS as well. A 1.14J 0.20g BB will fly leave at 350 fps and fly 169 feet. But a 1.14J 0.30g BB will fly leave at 265 fps and fly bewtween 130-145 feet. So actually a heavier BB will fly less far given the same energy input, because its travelling slower which is only somewhat compensated for by its increased density that counters air resistance better. But if the BB has more energy and starts at the same speed then the increased density will allow it to counter air resistance better and travel further, or rather it started at higher energy and hence has to loose more before its speed substantially drops. Air resistance is effectively the same force in both cases, but the input force given the same speed for a heavier BB is much higher.

I don't really know if any of the airsoft sights are suitable for use on an air rifle. They kind of rubbish with regards to genuine recoil. The term you are probably looking for is DR sights, they are the ones with either both a CQB and telescopic part like the elcan or they are small red dots that can be attached to another scope. Can't say I have ever tried any of them but if you look around for those it should be bring up some options.

The tar 21 doesn't have to kissing steel because it redirects the shells forward. Indeed the F2000 even ejects the shells gently out the front, this isn't a general complaint against the bullpup design in general only against particular implementations. Switching mags is mostly only an issue on the ground or if you wear a lot of gear that gets in the way, I have no issues switching mags on a bullpup. Bullpups are far from clumsy and slow, a lot of experts will tell you having the weight behind the trigger makes the gun feel light, feel more balanced and point much faster , its just physics. Bull pups are not inherently flawed, they have a lot of advantages and once the design process on them is 100 years mature like the carbine its faults will have been mitigated as well. Yes pistols are basically bullpups, because its important for them to be short and get as much barrel length in that short space as they can to maximise accuracy and minimise the weight and length. Its not a surprise a lot of the design decisions for pistols and bullpups are similar, because they have similar goals (being good in an urban environment and close spaces).

I wear a pair of Viper special ops boots. Big fan of these boots, very comfortable. Only issue I really have with them is being suede and nylon the outside is a pain in the backside to clean. http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/viper-special-ops-boots-multicam-product,15053

I am se London myself so I play bunker 51 and total warfare Airsoft quite a bit, know quite a few of the regulars in these sites. I also public transport my way to sites so I have worked out how to get to quite a few like Billericay skirmish which for me at least is a similar time to TWA and is a really good woodland site. I would really like an experienced buddy team member to play with so depending on if we get on it could be good to get us both playing buddy team tactics. I want to go to the mall at some point its just a long journey that requires an overnight for me. But b51 is nearby and TWA and ucap sandpit are well within reach as are a few Essex sites. I think I am up for seeing if it can work and to what extent. Almost feels like I am arranging a blind date here.....ummm awkward question but shall we do a beer perhaps or you want to just meet me in camo with my guns on Saturday morning in a train station?!

The site was originally designed and tested for 5v5. It had a load of electronic stuff in it for different game types and a whole manual for the games and how they should be played. Most of the electronic stuff no longer works, the site has been damaged by the paint ball as it was designed for powder ball and its even to the point where the aircon doesn't work anymore. Its also expensive (£25) and the biggest problem is that its completely packed (40 players) every time its on. You have to book more than a week in advance to go. The best game I played there was one which they set up just 3 days before it ran, it was only about 20 people and the gameplay flowed a lot better. I can well see 5v5 being pretty fun in there with pistols and the electronic gizmos (which are still about they just don't work). Bare in mind this isn't all the fault of wolfarmouries, the sites state itself is all down to Bunker 51, but the large numbers I suspect are the only way its economic due to the price of laser tag being for like 15 minutes gameplay it doesn't translate too well to airsoft pricing for games of 4 hours.

This is the one problem I have with the UKARA requirements, it doesn't cover someone who plays across a wide range of sites. Admittedly its not too much of a problem to play on one site in a a year 3 times but still its kind of a pain that it has to be done that way. This system might be better administered if instead of the retailers adding you to a database with a start date they instead just sent your game date, name and postcode. Then you would be able to play across many more sites, at the loss of quite a bit of privacy if the database was hacked (which it would be!). This is UKARA's one weakness with its rules and there must be a way to solve it.

Noticed a few rule changes this weekend. - They have added a bang rule for close up kills. I actually used it last night and I feel bad about it, while I had him dead to rights at like 3 feet. Feels wrong and dirty to say bang, what am I 5?! - Thermobarics are back on the menu and boy did people use a lot of them. The smoke slowly accumulates and it becomes a bit hard to see, not sure I am fan myself. Still overcrowded IMO.