A loadout too far

[Ian_Gere]

I don't want a kevlar helmet, Russ. I've got 2 and one of them I CBA to fix up

[Russe11]

So, the latest on this. I have emailed Cobbaton and they are just checking which parts of my shopping list they have and will get back to me with a price.

 

Had an email yesterday telling me that my smock had reached the stage of being packed. I'm guessing it will arrive eventually. They may be slow but at least they keep you informed

[Ian_Gere]

I emailed them Tuesday and they still haven't replied.

[Russe11]

If only you had kept the uniform and not sold it to buy alcohol eh Ian?

[Ian_Gere]

You cheeky cnut!

 

Puttees

[Russe11]

You cheeky cnut!

 

Puttees

I couldn't resist

 

They also have battledress jackets (but too small for me)

http://www.meanandgreen.com/army/Dutch_Army/WW2_Style_Dutch_Battledress_Jacket/2180/2952.html

[Russe11]

Found the smock I ordered from Germany here

http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/british-militaria/wwii-1940-s.html

Cheaper if you take into accound shipping.

[Russe11]

BTW, looks like the cheap Stens have sold out

http://www.landwarriorairsoft.com/acatalog/BSA-STEN-MKII-AS16758B.html#.UtnRBNLFKmw

 

Taiwangun.com http://www.taiwangun.com/en/agm-058

 

I have ordered a plastic American helmet from amazon. My hope is that if I reshape it slightly, I can get a cheap airbourne helmet that won't notice under some netting and scrim. It says suitable for Adults and Children, so I'm guessing it will be too small as a US helmet, making it about right

[Russe11]

Finally found some King arms mags http://www.airsoftarmoury.co.uk/acatalog/KA-MP40--1143.html

I did in the process discover that SRC makes MP40 mags in 110 and 280 round capacities. Not sure about compatibility though and the idea of winding a high cap with the gun tilted sideways doesn't appeal.

[Ian_Gere]

Sidewinder...? Balls mate. TBH it's just as well they've all gone - i've got too many projects on the go as it is and yeah, as much as i could cheerfully walk around in one of those Denison smocks, i wouldn't get much use out of the gun or the rest of the loadout and besides, fuck the boots. I tried a pair on once, back when i was about 17 and my feet were like goat hooves from all th walking around hills in boots i used to do - ammo boots 2 feet 0

 

I think that helmet idea may work. Just take the turned over 'brim' lip bit off and you're pretty much there. I think the MK2 may have slightly flatter sides than the yank lid, but it may be possible to shape the plastic with something cylindrical to mould it using boiling water. You'd want to have a practice run with the bits you cut off mind, because when plastic goes soft from hot water it happens in an instant and goes floppy in all directions - i'd imagine the best way would be to use some kind of ceramic mixing bowl and press it against one side, inside, squashing against the bottom of a bath - maybe get some help from someone else to dribble the water out of a kettle bit at a time.

 

If you want any authentic looking scrim I've got a listing in the Gear section of the Classifieds.

 

Edit: here be dra... helmet nets

[Russe11]

Yup, thats exactly what I had in mind, trim the lip off and shape it with a bit of heat if needed. Or possibly use some epoxy putty to reshape the whole exterior.

I will probably have the sten with me at OP: Shining light for you to play with anyway, I'm even toying with using it as my main gun and sticking to pistol for inside but the sensible side of me keeps telling me an MP5 is somewhat more conservative on ammo

[Russe11]

Helmet is almost sorted. I used a stanley knife to cut the lip at the front off, then trimmed the sides as well to make a straight edge whichever direction you look at it from. I will need a bit of foam to make it comfortable and a chip strap but at present it looks like an airbourne helmet even without netting and scrim. Not bad for £8 and 20 mins work

[Ian_Gere]

Let's have a look then?

[Russe11]

Let's have a look then?

Jeez, always wanting pics. I'll put my phone on charge and take a pic in a bit then.

[Ian_Gere]

Jeez, always wanting pics. I'll put my phone on charge and take a pic in a bit then.

That's what she said. At least I think it was her phone that needed charging...

[Russe11]

Jeez, always wanting pics. I'll put my phone on charge and take a pic in a bit then.

Note: I have not modified the interior or chinstrap yet and the photo makes it look smaller.

[Ian_Gere]

Pretty good! It'll definitely do. Would be better with some proper cargo net of course, which I'm afraid I've had to put up to £10 posted due to market forces.

[AirsoftTed]

Very nice Russe! By the time you get the proper netting and some Hessian on there, no one will be able to tell!

[Russe11]

Pretty good! It'll definitely do. Would be better with some proper cargo net of course, which I'm afraid I've had to put up to £10 posted due to market forces.

Don't you hate those market forces

 

I think I need larger mesh net than even the netting you have.

 

I have bids on ebay auctions atm for this webbing

and a sten gun sling both ending in the next 24hrs.

 

The webbing includes the entrenching tool but not the handle for it.

 

I will then just need a small pack and L straps, trousers, helmet net, scrim, chin strap.

I'm getting there slowly

 

There is a spin off loadout I'm considering, Aussie Jungle greens. Basically the same webbing with green shirt and trousers and a slouch hat.

 

I got the King arms mags. They are a pain in the arse. The catch that holds the bb's in is chisel shaped but sticks out too far so that when you try and load the mag, the hopup is pushing on the horizontal bit. If you fill the mag and push the catch in a millimetre then they go in nicely, otherwise it requires quite a slap so will probably break something.

 

Edit: have done a successful modification of the mags by glueing slither of plastic in front of the ribbed slider on the catch. some mags slot in really easy now, others are as stiff as the original ASG mag.

[Ian_Gere]

Not that that last makes much sense to us without... well, you know

[Russe11]

Not that that last makes much sense to us without... well, you know

You want one of these?

 

The white bit is the added slither of grey plastic. Incidentally, on some its glued to the mag, on others to the slider. Doesn't make any difference its just fiddly to get the glued side in the same direction each time

[Ian_Gere]

Aha! Thx for that, Russ. I had a D-Boys 1000rnd Quad Stack AK mag which wouldn't feed at all because that slider was too stiff = i clipped a couple of mil off the spring and that did the trick. You'd think that they'd notice these things and do something, wouldn't you? Well, so long as i can hold out against cynic mode, I would

[Russe11]

To get an idea of the size of the bit of plastic used. They are the numbered bits from the sprue of an airfix kit. Each number cut in half will do 2 mags.

[Russe11]

The original ASG mags have the opposite problem, if you take the speed loader out too fast, they spew half the mag before the catch engages. The ASG mags are very much better quality, but as King Arms are the only ones making 110 round mags, people will keep buying them. Over on the WW2airsoft forums, you can read about people who's mags had to be filed down to fit into MP40's. Apparently Stens aren't usually a problem, I guess I was unlucky.

[Russe11]

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/felt-bush-hat-product,7914

Kinda tempting