Speedbird_666

Dare I say it, it looks like a very cool concept. I shudder to think how much it'll cost. Integrating a brushless motor into the lower Gearbox, is pretty clever. As 'normal' AEGs are a touch wider than real steel, I wonder if other manufacturers will pick up the concept for more mainstream use.

Spent 5 minutes looking at the FB group. Wow...just...wow. I'm not a fan of KM, but to join a FB group just to shit on him? That's mental. Then you've got an egotistical Admin who thinks he's the savior of UK Airsoft by imposing more restrictions? This 'Siggi Langnasen' character can, quite frankly, get fucked.

This is where Systema confuses me. They had the high-end market by the balls ten years ago, yet they don't seem to give a shit. A website that looks like it hasn't been updated in years. A laughably bad social media presence. I guess they had a big contract with the Japanese military for PTW Type 89s which had them distracted? They could most likely spit out a fuck tonne of TW5s if they wanted to, and it sounds like there's still a demand for them, but noooope. I knew TM could be funny buggers, not really giving a shit about markets outside of Japan, but Systema seems to be on a whole other level of indifference. All this talk of PTWs does actually make me want to get one, just to experience the high-endy-ness (yes, I made that word up). But I'll need to sell off a kidney and my first born child beforehand.

Fire Support don't even list the base guns on the website anymore. If they are not being used anywhere nearly as much on game days, and they are not even visible on retailer websites, how will the user base for the platform expand with new blood? Christ, I don't think I've even seen one on a gameplay YouTube video in years come to think about it. You can't even find the clones anywhere to pique people's interest either. So I go back to my original point - relevance. They are the play thing of a small number of enthusiasts and collectors no doubt, but as a product in the wider Airsoft Industry space, they are but a footnote now. The world has moved on, and Systema has been too slow to catch up (IMO). No malice intended towards anyone who owns and enjoys the platform, just throwing in my 2 pennies for a bit of civil discourse. Have fun.

Fair enough. It's just that I see far more Scorpions, NGRS, HPA etc than PTWs. In fact, I don't think I've crossed paths with a PTW at any game day I've played in the last 5 years. A decade ago, there was always at least 4-5 PTW users. I mean, where can you even buy a PTW from in the UK? None of the major retailers stock them anymore. I doubt there will be a resurgence in the platform though, even with the new gearbox. But the existing user base will lap it up I'm sure.

Genuine question, in a world of TM NGRS, MWS, HPA, Electronic Trigger Units, DSG etc.....are PTWs even relevant anymore? I'm sure existing owners will swear blind that they are, but with with so many alternatives, a lack of UK retailers stocking them properly anymore, a very high price tag and questionable 'out of the box' reliability, I struggle to see how. Not a hater. I would of had one if I could of afforded one - ten years ago when they were still a 'thing'.

I found a 2-tone KWA from a vendor with ‘BB’ in their name. Not managed to find an all black one though.

Yeh, they have published the game types and areas on their website. Who knows how it’ll actually play until they start running the games. But I reckon it’ll be fine. I doubt they have sold up their paintball guns though - their parent company is Powerball who’s owner has a large stake in Arrow Precision (a paintball gun manufacturer) and Sterling Paintballs (they make their own paint in the UK). I should think this is a side project for them to make use of their sites. And Papa Johns Pizza for lunch, which is a nice touch. The Safe Zone is one of the best around, in both Paintball and Airsoft. They run a slick operation there, I hope that carries over to the Airsoft days.

Well, Paintball has been hit pretty hard over the years so it makes sense that existing sites diversify into Airsoft to top-up the coffers. So, with that in mind, here is a company that will start Airsoft walk-on days when (if??) lockdown is lifted at their two sites. http://www.camouflage-airsoft.com/ I've played paintball at the Bournemouth site some years back (I live 10 minutes away), and it was nicely setup - great safe zone, although the playing area was not exactly huge it does have some interesting features. It sounds like there a ~30v30 player cap so I reckon it'll be good for a giggle. I appreciate it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's nice to post something about an Airsoft site opening up rather than closing down.

Nah - I'll just let him think it'll be his gun, but in reality it'll be mine. Like I say, he has an interest in it, and you're right, he'll probably get bored and go back to his M4. Then I get to keep the G36 for myself. Just need justification for the missus, she's been quite accommodating with my spending, but a third gun turning up this month without an excuse will not go down well. I had a JG G36 way back when chinasoft guns first became a thing. They get the job done and are easy enough to work on. But they just don't feel as good in the hand as the nicer-plastic models. It's got a microswitch trigger, so I would class it as proprietary.

My son likes G36s and wants one. Cool, I don't have one in my collection so I have an excuse to add one, plus I don't see a lot of G36 love these days. So in true 'what am bestest gnu' style - what is the best out of the box G36 AEG? Some Caveats: - I don't want a shiny ABS bodied version, so that rules out JG, CYMA, Umarex Sportline and TM. - I'm not bothered by trades, but I do want rock solid plastics. - Happy to do some basic upgrades such as hop rubber and motor. - Upper limit £250 - from UK suppliers only. Short list: - WE 999 G39 AEG - G&G GEC36 - Ares G36/Umarex Licenced versions thereof Honourable mentions: - Specna SA G12 (plastics look good, I doubt the internals are though) - Classic Army (do they even still sell these anywhere?) - S&T.....? The Ares version is on sale at PatrolBase for £170, so cheapest out of the short list. But it's made by Ares - looks good on the inside, but the EFCS fire control - well, who knows how long it will last for? Any help or feedback on the guns above would be appreciated.

It would be interesting to see if they've fixed the QC issues with the Edge 1.0 guns. Did I see somewhere that the Core series will start being shipped with X-ASRs as standard?

You shouldn't need to mention the downgrade in the commentary - there's a button on the product page to specify your output before adding to cart. Otherwise, just your UKARA number and downgrade FPS and you should be fine. Be prepared for VAT + Import Duty + Handling fee from the Courier when you are actually able to order. Otherwise, if it's a relatively common gun, consider a UK supplier - the price difference will not be as big anymore.

This. I'm not (nor will never likely be) a PTW user, but the TRH blog is excellent for 'in the wild' references for builds along with PTW product updates. Nice build BTW - tastefully done.

Don't rule out an air seal issue. I had a gun do something similar - turned out that there was way too much grease around the piston head/cylinder and the ports to expand the o-ring would randomly block and the o-ring itself was sticking inside the piston head. I was getting 80-100fps drops in 1 in 10 shots. Noise signature changed too. Sometimes it's the simple things. Worth cleaning out all the lube in the piston/cylinder and testing the piston head with just the lightest smear of grease.

When it comes to Star Rainbow Company the old saying 'In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king' springs to mind with your examples....😜 I shall counter with - the XM8.

Doesn't really matter what gen the gun is though, because it's an SRC. They are all pretty shit*. I wouldn't pay £2.50 for it. *I'm sure there are a few people that will spout on about how their SRC has been amazeballs. I have yet to see a decent one in the real world.

When I was flying quads and planes, I used a sealed 'Garden' battery from halfords. Much cheaper and safer to leave in the car than a large capacity LiPo. It would be fine for your needs. But I personally prefer just to take a fuck tonne of LiPos and leave the chargers at home: I have to pack enough for 4 people - two batteries each for swapping at Lunch time and a couple spare in case a battery gets damaged or dies unexpectedly.

Well, four of the grub screws go here - the screw in from the front to lock the rail to the delta ring.

Yeh - that's a big part of it I think. I think I'm starting to see guns more as tools rather then collectors items these days. If my £150 budget blaster can hold it's own in a normal skirmish day, why pay more I suppose? Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the allure of having a gun the feel more real with bolt stops and recoil etc. I get why people want Titans and other fancy electronics. But I'm struggling to justify the cost, even though I'm in a very fortunate position right now and got my permission slip signed by my long-suffering wife. Maybe it's just Lockdown Malaise, taking a slightly nihilistic 'what's the point?' view of the world at the moment. Thanks all, like many of you have said I just need to pull my head out of my arse and not rush into anything. I'll take my time and see if anything takes my fancy. I think I'll also get myself to my nearest Airsoft showroom (sadly, it's Z1, but it's a nice, well-stocked showroom nonetheless) and have a fondle when they reopen.

@AlphaBear It's a slippery slope though - first it will be 'just' a spring, then new gears, a Titan and then a plethora of Prommy parts. Forget Covid, TM Upgrade-itus is real and symptoms start as soon as you open the damned box - your bank balance will have a 99.9% mortality rate. And just as soon as finished with one gun...you will hear a calling....'buy a TM SCAR'....then it all starts again.....😜 Nail on head I think. I also feel guilty for thinking about spending so much money. That is, until I found this in UK stock: Yes, yes, it's another AR. But its a sort-of M653/M733 Fixed carry-handle AR with proper slim hand guards. Made by E&C so the gearbox will be decent and only half my budget. Old Skool is cool again, right? As a slightly...*ahem*...'portly' gentleman, me dressing up like a Seal Team 6 'operator' would be somewhat akin to lipstick on a pig.

TDLR summary: - Got Promoted at work today - Got an unexpected bonus - My Missus said 'why don't you use £500 for a new airsoft toy' (seriously - no joke) - First time said permission has been granted to purchase anything over £100 in nearly a decade for 'toys' (her words). - Should be jumping and down with joy at the thought of buying a higher-end blaster (all of my modest collection are sub-£150 cheapos, but they work great TBH) So I start looking, and things go downhill from there: - TM NGRS - a chance to finally join the master race! Then I look at the 'basic' upgrades required. Money Pits. Nope. - ASG Scorpion - Something different. But wankery with new mags, can't be arsed. - Kriss Vector - An normal AEG stuffed into an abnormal shape, with the added wankery of new mags and a stupid price tag. Moving swiftly on. - Krytac guns - look cool. *Goes to watch some Negative Airsoft's Videos*. Nah, I'm good thanks. - KWA - not seeing how they are any better than other M4s or PCC types on the market. - Sig MCX Virtus - remembered that they are made by VFC *Checks Negative Airsoft again*, 'nuff said. - HPA setup - Remembers the 'joy' of gas bottles, scuba tanks, filling stations and Hydrostatic testing from my paintball days. *Sigh* - GBB Rifles - good for about 3 months a year (OK - slightly exaggerating). But I'm not paying £50-odd quid for a 30rd mag. So what am I left with? a sea of unremarkable M4s, uninteresting and over-priced PCC types, a few LCT AKs that only partially float my boat and the usual niche guns that really only suit those who want a specific loadout or match a video game but in reality are a bit shit to live with. There is nothing that really excites me anymore. First world problems I know - I think I'll go back to looking at cheapo CYMAs and use the money when PS5s are available for sale again. No point to this thread - congrats if you read this far. #Apathy

Rather than create a new thread, I though I should necro-post on this one with my thoughts. I picked one of these up from the princely sum of £85 thanks to Patrol Base's January sales, making it the cheapest AEG I've ever purchased either new or second hand. The intention was a cheap'n'cheerful loaner or 'backup to my backup' gun. I've got to say, so far I'm really quite impressed. There's nothing I really disagree with in @mightyjebus excellent write up. Other than the loose stock on the buffer tube (solved with velcro), there are no wobbles or creaks. The rail is pretty sturdy as is the plastics in general. I don't think it's quite G&G quality but it's certainly not low end. The trigger response in semi is good, but full-auto ROF is a touch slow at around 11rps. I don't run 11.1v LiPos in any of my guns, so I'm unlikely to have the battery issue affect me. I'm not planning upgrades other than replacing the stock hop rubber/nub and the polishing the barrel. I think that the only significant issue is the pricing. I was very lucky to get one for the price I did. Back last year these could be had for £110, plus shipping from TaiwanGun, this was of course prior to Brexit - even then, there was stiff competition in that price bracket, with only a few quid more getting you a full metal CM.045 AK or a DE M904. Fast-forward to today and these go for up to £170 from UK sellers, which prices them out of contention for most people, especially with the likes of metal-bodied Specnas et al readily available in the UK. It's a shame, but I don't think I'm going to see many of these about in future. But if you see one for less than £100 on sale, and it tickles your fancy, I say it's worth a punt. I've thrown on a few parts that I had knocking around in the spares box to liven it up a bit.

Good to know. 🙂

Yeh. I keep looking at the SD6 Blue Edition, but I've heard a couple of stories about the sliding stock shearing off/breaking - it seems they used aluminum/pot metal for the stock rails. Not heard anything bad about the Solid/UMP-stocked versions though.