Designate "Foxtrot Sierra Mike Tango"

[Ian_Gere]

Hi people...

I suppose I should explain the title, but I might get more interest in saying hello to me if I keep you in suspense, eh? :blink: Then again, there is that old saying about never testing your popularity

I only heard of airsoft a couple of months ago, which was fortuitous because I was unconsciously getting to a stage where an interest involving exercise was needed, despite the additional pain, over and above that of simply stretching unused muscles, I would suffer due to illness and physical problems of various forms. It was a sort of 'do it or die' subconscious mindset, because I have been wasting away, losing muscle mass and recently gaining fat, but only around my middle so if it carries on I'll look like an egg with matchsticks for arms and legs kiiddie-drawing. It's just not a fate i can cheerfully accept :-/

I already had some rugged outdoor gear and army surplus items and have bought some dedicated stuff after playing - more Woodland DPM, assault vests, masks, gloves - I went at it a bit too enthusiastically so I've got a few things for sale now :lol: and my UKARA registration is now filled in, ID verified and with Stef from Skirmish to send off so I'll soon be able to buy my 1st AEG new from a dealer if choose. I'm in 2 minds about that:

1st) I don't know much yet and have only fired 4 types - H&K G36c, L96 clone (I think), unknown all metal AK74 & yesterday an all metal basic M4 (I forget the make, but a good 1 apparently) so it might be best to spend less on a used AEG until I get more experience;

2nd) then again, it's difficult to learn a musical instrument if it doesn't sound appealing and, likewise, it may be that a used AEG with lower FPS & its previous owners' custom idiosyncrasies would bug me enough to get depressing;

so, with limited funds, it may be best to get a cheap-end of the market new AEG. I've got my eye on a few AK variants (they appeal to my aesthetic sense as well as being my favourite of the 4 I've tried so far); the CYMA ones seem to have the best reputation of the Chinese made TM clones and 1 review I read said they're better than the original. Then again, as much as I really want my own rifle yesterday, it might be best to wait until this arms fair in May...? On the fourth hand though (Or should I say paw? :lol: Perhaps claw, pad, or simply foot? Anyone know what tortoises have?), I'm an inveterate fiddler so whatever I get, it won't be long before it's in bits, so maybe I should simply impose my own idiosyncrasies onto those of a used rifle... It's a dilemma alright!

Then there's all the other stuff I want like a gas pistol, a shorty shotgun, holsters for both, better knee and elbow pads, better gloves, a full face mesh mask maybe, or perhaps a sci-fi looking plastic job, or both :lol: oh, and a sniper rifle, a light machine-gun, a machine-pistol, a wooden furnitured Lee Enfield .303 lookalike, etc., etc.

View attachment 3565

My 1st airsoft day - I couldn't see much out of that mask!!!

 

[M_P]

Welcome to afuk

From reading what you've said, your best option IS a cyma AK, they're great guns for the money and will last forever

 

[Ian_Gere]

Welcome to afuk
From reading what you've said, your best option IS a cyma AK, they're great guns for the money and will last forever

Thanks.

have you had a CYMA AK yourself?

 

[M_P]

No, but they have a very good reputation, despite being clones

 

[paperpirate]

hi mate, i'd say go for whatever you like the look of for your first rifle. range and accuracy wont matter to you right now, your first gun, you just want to spray as many rounds at bad guys as you can right!

if your sorted kit wise, a half decent gun (like the cyma AK) handfull of magazines and webbing would probably by less than 200 all in. keep an eye on the forums for gear you can always pick up a bargain or three

 

[Ian_Gere]

hi mate, i'd say go for whatever you like the look of for your first rifle. range and accuracy wont matter to you right now, your first gun, you just want to spray as many rounds at bad guys as you can right!
if your sorted kit wise, a half decent gun (like the cyma AK) handfull of magazines and webbing would probably by less than 200 all in. keep an eye on the forums for gear you can always pick up a bargain or three

Hi yourself! I take your point, but I seem to have got over my full-auto-to-the-max phase during my 1st day. Since then I almost always fire semi-auto groups - usually something like 1 ranging shot followed by 2 on-target, then groups of 2-4 with the odd adjustment ranging shots between; pretty much the only time I use full auto now is if I remember to flick the selector to shoot ahead of running targets or very close CQB moving around good cover where I'm only going to get 1 chance. I think the main thing that cured me was empty mags at important moments early on and how blasted annoying reloading and winding them from completely untensioned is (I'm renting a gun & 1 mag, 2 mags if there are enough going spare on the day) when you haven't been hit so you're just voluntarily out of the action but still vulnerable to being shot (twice now that's happened!).

Dunno that I am completely sorted for kit, but yeah I'm doing ok with it. Just been over to the classifieds forum to put 2 shirts and a vest up for sale - wow, there's some great stuff going over there! If I had more money I'd need a whole extra room for all the kit I'd like!

 

[Deva]

Welcome to the forums

 

[Ian_Gere]

Welcome to the forums

Cheers mate!

 

[SgtTalbert]

Welcome Welcome,

 

[Ian_Gere]

Welcome Welcome,

Thanks mate!

Love your siggy.

 

[mark2191]

welcome to the forum

 

[TPI]

Much the same

 

[Ian_Gere]

Thanks Mark & Craig... much the same :lol:

replied to your PM Mark - perhaps I didn't make myself entirely clear here - I am doing ok for kit, just not completely sorted

If anybody is interested, kit wise things that I would consider swapping my excess assault vest and shirts for include a black chest rig designed for AK mags, and possibly a black drop-leg holster that has a platform and holster as separate items. Actually I could do with another OD pistol belt too - the newer velcro type b/c my Alice System one is getting pretty trashed looking these days.

This is me last Saturday @Skirmish:



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All my own kit except the M4.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Ahh, I remember you now, you had a G36 with a grip-pod when I played against you.

You seem to have more dedicated kit than I do already lol, what is that bum pad thing you had? Me and my brother were trying to figure it out... Arse protection? A custom, arse moulded, highly mobile seat? We couldn't agree lol.

I tend to just spend crazy amounts on the guns and then cobble kit together out of cheap bits until it looks right, you seem to be doing it properly, well done. I wish I could've done that, but camo gear never seems to fit me properly.

Waiting for the arms fair would be a good idea, I'll hopefully be heading down there on the Sunday as well, still need to book my place, but fingers crossed. I might see you down there.

There's lots of deals and discounts to be had there so it's certainly worth the trip. Though it is basically a museum of guns and you will leave feeling sad. You know you can never own all of it lol.

Last year when I went I could've HAPPILY bought absolutely everything there, you really need to win the lottery before making the trip.

 

[Ian_Gere]

It is a seat - damp-proof and insulated! I've got a neuropathic problem that causes constant pain in my extremities but worst in my feet. There are times when I just have to sit, pretty much regardless of whatever the ground is like. I've used it for walking before and just coloured it DP with indelible markers for airsoft. I've got it on elastic so it works great, you just can't see it on that pic above.

I haven't spent that much on kit actually, I've picked it up by scanning a lot of auctions on eBay and dropping out when the price went above dirt cheap lol! Although I already had some stuff from being into camping and walking. I did go mad on assault vests though and ended up with that Web Tex one in the pic, a current US issue lightweight one that I sold to Wardy for about £1 more than I paid and the South African one I'm trying to sell to get the money back to put towards a gun... Oh yeah, Marko gave me that 1/2 face mesh for the price of a brew!

The thing with military kit is it doesn't fit anybody, mate. It's made to be an approximation for a range of people so for me for eg, if I get shirts that are the right label size, they're a little tight across the shoulders and short in the arms, but jackets tend to be ok on the shoulders and loose around the hips + there's always too much seat in the kecks - you just have to find the sizes that work best and put up with what doesn't. Hey, I just got a British Army issue Kevlar helmet with original WDPM cover and all webbing etc. intact - £16 including P&P! I haven't seen 1 go for less than twice that + P&P before!

Yeah, I just don't know if I can wait until May lol. There's a really tasty CYMA AK going now that I can't really see how it could be any cheaper, but I'm still waiting for my UKARA number to come through so I may have to.