'Da da daaa...' Another great website that was popped across my email box is the Salamander Army's webpage that you can find here. Their website starts with a great and rather fun flash introduction (I'm not normally one in favour of Flash stuff, but I like this one a lot).

I've moved this news post up to the top, as I was informed by the website operator Spleen that the original news post could have been misread. I'm not one to put down someone else's hard work, or to make deconstructive comments here, and my original post was never meant as anything other than a compliment.

Anyways, my apologies to all at the S.A. they have a nice website, with some articles that I haven't seen anywhere else (such as the BlackHawk Industries Omega Tactical Vest-1 review). Please just put the original post as being a rush job, as had just returned from the planet P2Q-463 and was suffering from amnesia due to the locals using a chemical known as Dargol (okay...so I was watching Stargate SG1 on the telly while typing). :0)

Metal Body for M11A1: Stan over at Planet Airsoft has recently uploaded some images and a review of the metal body kit for the M11A1, and it's gorgeous. Head on over to take a look.

Swat Helmet piccies: Primus over at Airsoft Canada has put some images of his TOP Swat helmet:

"...Well since I finally got a digital camera I've put up a few pictures to accompany the TOP Swat replica helmet review. Nothing extraordinary but you can at least see what it looks like inside and out. Check it out...."

Recon Airsoft Team: Voodoo Sprout has also sent in a link to his team's website - there's not a great deal there yet, but what is there makes for fun reading, go and have a poke around.

How you can help: In light of the recent tragedies that have befallen the USA, I have added the a couple of links here, as I am sure that some of our readers will have been affected. The ribbon (to the left) links to a page that Lycos have created: "...Charities need money for supplies. Victims and their families need support and prayers. And people are talking about how the U.S. should respond. You'll find important phone numbers, community links and contact information for agencies on this page...."

Updates in from Nautilus: Our man over in Japan, Darren-Jon Ashmore (aka Nautilus), has sent in some more lovely odds and sods of news.

GBB MP5k release put back: The release of the Maruzen MP5k has been put back until November, as the suppliers don't want its release to clash with TOP's FN Minimi.

Nautilus up in ARMS too! Hey Nauty gets everywhere (I've finally found out that the article in ARMS is of the ASCS event that Nautilus was kind enough to cover here), if you look close enough at page 152 you should be able to spot 'im in the photos too. :0) (you can find a scan of one of the pages to the right)

FN Minimi / M249 in ARMS: Funnily enough the FN Minimi is also in the new issue of ARMS. The article covering the Minimi confirms that it uses a piston gearbox, and Marui M16 magazine compatability. (It's nice to be able to report on fact, rather than rumour about this specific release) Hmm I get the feeling that as soon as I get my copy I'll be scanning the bugger in to put the best bits up here. :0)

New product exclusive on Monday: On Monday we'll have some exclusive product photos for you (I'm not telling ya what yet though.. that's spoil it) again this is all courtesy of Nautilus.

The first new PDI Dragunov in private hands: Well you'll never guess who, but Sniper (Matt) has sent over images of his lovely new PDI Dragunov over to Pikachoad at AirsoftNetwork. I won't post the image, you'll have to visit AN to take a peek at the gorgeous replica (FYI: this is the first PDI Dragababy in private hands in the world). Here's what Matt had to say to me about it:

"...The gun is truly beautiful and all the pictures just don't do it any justice. It's made from real Chinese Drag parts (stock, full receiver, forearm and front sight/flash hider) with the only non-original outer part being the outer barrel. I think that gun has the most style [out] of all of my guns...well right up there with the WA2000DX."

"Jolly Green Mountain Rangers Batman!" Finally just to prove that all of today's news isn't from, sponsored or about Sniper (Matt) (hey he's a great guy, but I don't want him to get too much of a big head - he's already a legend). LT Mac has sent in news of his team's website: 'The Green Mountain Rangers', that has been updated with news and information of their new radios that they are using. Go on have a browse a read, it's a great website and well worth a look over.

More useless trivia for you - "Rangers lead the way..." reminded me so much of this quote: "Put the bunny back.". To what am I referring? (answers on a postcard...)

Airsoft Players special offer: AirsoftPlayers has a nice offer up concerning the TM M3 Shorty, supported by AirsoftShop, you'll have to login at AirsoftPlayers to read the specifics of the offer though...

Banzai! First Factory (yup the guys that make the custom APS parts among other things), are now selling KSC 92f Elites for the crazy price of 7800Yen which is about 45UKP. (Singing to the A-Team theme ) "If your lucky enough to have contacts over there, and if you can find them, maybe you can... buy one." Sadly this is an internet-order only offer.

Latest news updates from Sniper: News just in from Sniper (Matt Lutynski). The good news is that he's just picked up a new model PDI Druganov (they aren't going to be launched for a good bit yet), the bad news is that Matt is back on his way to the States on Sunday.

Matt has also sent over news of a new BB bottle that Excel are launching. The bottle is of a new design "...which uses a perforated "straw" inside which actually "organizes" the bb's so that they flow out instead of getting jammed up in front of a small opening...". Personally I can't wait to see it. =) Thanks for the info Matt!

Oh and for anyone who read or buys ARMS Magazine, do check pages 152 & 153 of November's issue, you might like the photos. Don't worry I'll be scanning in the pages when I get my own issue next week.

Latest news updates: Here's the latest updates from my friends over at AirsoftNetwork:

• AirsoftAtlanta website has updated with some new 'specials'.
• DENTrinity stock updated including: WA 1911 IED & Prokiller 2000F (Handgun), Carrot APC01 Biohazard Model (Collector), GB Tech M9 Silencer (New Release), GB Tech M203 Metal Outer Barrel (New Release), AS M11 & M9 Silencer (New Release), DTP M79 Metal Outer Barrel (New Release).

I'd have to say that the most interesting bit of kit (for me at least) is the metal replacement barrel for the CAW M79 Grenade launcher, but at 389USD, it's priced out of my range for the moment.

X-Ring updates: X has updated his webpage (X-Ring Airsoft) with the photos he took when he visited WolfArmouries (known affectionally as Wolf'sLair on the web). Sadly I couldn't make it to London when X was there, so you'll just have to put up with comedy photos of H (DolphiN#1) instead. :o)

X has also updated his page with news of a rather amuzing alternative pest control system - shooting angry bee's with an Airsoft Walther P99. On a serious note he's also added photos of a skirmish meeting with the Swat3 team from Sierra Studios, technically I think the term for that is 'Kudos'.

Latest news updates: Here's the latest updates from my friends over at AirsoftNetwork and at Squad-X:

Squad-X updates:

• New article covering BB's and Pyros.
• NAC's website has been updated.

AirsoftNetwork:

• AirsoftAtlanta website has updated.
• Pics of the new S.V. Infinity 1911 IED 6 inch @ ClubMichelle.
• Custom gun section updated has been updated at Sheriff's website.

The Infinity updates: For those of you that don't know, 'The Infinity' is a relatively new Airsoft retailer brought to you from the guys that run AirsoftRetreat. There's been a couple of updates over there recently, most notably:

• Live Online help available via MSN Messenger. SN: VAXC3
• Added Instant Purchase Section.
  

University of Calgary Team website updates: It's the start of a new academic year (among other things) in Calgary, and the University of Calgary Airsoft crew have updated their website. If you are planning on going to that university, what us Brits call 'Fresher's week' is about to start (Fresher's week is normally how students introduce themselves to their new campus by getting drunk every night and terrorising the local neighbourhood).

f you are looking to join their team you can find them on campus on Tuesday September 25, 2001 in room ST 145 (Science Theatres) from 6:00-8:00pm. Their website has also been updated with some new piccies from their last game at 'BraggCreek', which you can find here and here.

Takeru's Guns: Well it's strange what you find when you plough through your links looking for interesting titbits of news. I came across Takeru's page many moons ago but disregarded it as it was in Japanese, but after the careful use of a nice translator engine I was amazed at the contents of this site. (You can find the translated version here)

The page has reviews and imagery for over 200 Airsoft replicas, including some very rare items. The set of reviews are from a collection owned by three different people (Takeru and two of his friends): Takeru owns 158, 'K' has 85 and 'KS' owns 13. This gives you a total of 256 replicas to read through.

Imagery and reviews cover such rare items as the new Marushin Winchester rifle, the Maruzen Inox M500 shotty (custom fitted with a sadly horrible looking 4.5bar gas upgrade), and the Digicon 'Moose Gun' - these few that I've mentioned are in KS's collection... there's much more there. There's also a 'nostalgic guns' section which includes such rare items as the original Maruzen KG-9, and the first Marushin M1 carbine. Go on, have a drool!

Latest updates: Not much has been going on, but then again it has been the weekend, so we should all be out skirmishing. =) Here's the latest news in from both AD and WGC's Shop.

WGC Shop updates: There's quite a few new things in from WGC - WGC's Shop's "Promotion Level IV" will finish shortly, and they now have rpices in for the new WA IED and the PK2000F (yum). Here's the official spiel:

• Summer promotion IV will finish at 30 Sep, 2001 New promotion will come with Free battery only
• GB-Tech Metal Outer Barrel for Sun Project M203 ( 9" & 12 " ) USD115 In Stock Now
• Western Arms Prokiller 2000F USD195
• Western Arms 1911 6.0IED USD165
• Mil Force P90 Magazine Bag ( Black) USD35
• GB-Tech MK11 Conversion Kit USD480
• HurricanE Super Kick for KSC SP2340 / SP2009 USD15.5
• KM 345mm Reinforced Outer Barrel - 14mm Clockwise USD62.5
• SWIFT 30mm Red Dot Scope USD55
• G&P Universal Barrel Mount - UBM2 USD10
• KM Tracer Extender 39mm x 417mm USD90
• KM SMG Conversion Kit for G3 Series USD72
• PGC Metal Slide for WA Wilson Hi-Cap ( with Springfield Mark ) USD135
• GN-Tech AAC Scorpion Silencer with Outer barrel for G26 / G27 USD65
• GB-Tech M4 KAC QD Silencer with SR16 Flash Hider USD150
  Western Arms Striker.45 ( Shibuya Shop Version ) USD240 (Instock Again, Last 3 pcs only)

Killer Studio coming alive: I've been keeping my eye on the new KillerStudios website for some time, and last night the first link was added. Sure enough this morning the rather 'orrible flash interface had some more buttons added to it. At this time the only page that is working is the news link. You can't really read much there at the moment, but I'd expect there to be some rather juicy images added sometime this week.

AirsoftShop updates: AirsoftShop have updated their website with a bunch of new kit, including a wealth of new addons that they didn't have before. Here's the latest offerings from their front page:

• Western Arms SV Infinity 1911-6.0 IED - $165
• Tokyo Marui AK47/G3SG1 IN STOCK NOW
• Maruzen P99 OD ( Limited Edition) - $170
• Western Arms Shibuya Custom SV Infinity 1911-5.0 (Limited Edition)- $230
• Western Arms SV Infinity Hybird 5" (Limited Edition) - $300
• Maruzen M1100 Defender Shotgun - $179
• DTP SR-15 Metal Receiver - $235
• Western Arms SV 50 Rounds Magazine - $53
• Tanaka S&W M629 Performance Center NATO Green Version - $195
• Western Arms Prokiller Mark II Full Auto F3.9" - $195

SV Metal Slide fitting guide: Matt (aka MobiusStrip), has just finished his latest article. This time the WesternArms guru has completed a well written and beautifully annotated guide to fitting a metal slide to just about any of the WA SV series. Anyone that's suffered a cracked slide (with the use of HFC22 gas) will be able to see the obvious advantage of this upgrade.

NB: If you are lucky enough to own a limited edition WA pistol, and the slide breaks, you will most probably find that the only replacement part you can fit is an aftermarket metal slide.

"...Aftermarket slides normally require 'minor' fitting and now having fitted 3 PGC slides of my own to date, I can tell you the following about them..." [Matt Dean]

G36 Gunsmikichi Garage Gun kit @ AD: James (aka Ghost Dog) over at AD has sent us in some more news, this time it's reference the G36C AEG kit that's been mentioned several times around a few websites, and caused a bit of a stir. It looks like AD have managed to get their hands on some, heres what James had to say:

New article up at ClubMichelle: Well this is a link that's rather apt given the latest reviews that have recently been added here (notes Nauty's new Ruger Mk1 review). ClubMichelle have added a page with some great images of the Marushin Sturm Ruger MAXI Standard (you can find a translation here).

A few points of note that are worth mentioning from the ClubMichelle article: The Sturm Ruger Mk1 is made almost completely from ABS, which has been blast treated to achieve a nice matt finish. The Mk1 disassembles like the real steel, but it is apparently rather difficult to do this. The reliability is also noted as being very high, which is put down to the very simple design (This is always a good thing).

Bulk price is listed as a mere 9800Yen which is roughly 56UKP or 83USD. Not bad for such a powerful and reliable NBB backup.

New Tech Manual up at AirsoftPlayers: Pikachoad has added the official "TokyoMarui P90 Technical Manual" to his website - but be warned the images are huge in size and download time (you can find the manuals here). This manuals should prove to be indespensible, especially for those not quite as adept at fixing/rebuilding AEGs as they are at either breaking/disassembling them. :o)

DEN Trinity updates: DEN have quitely added news that they'll shortly be adding the new KSC TMP model to their sales lineup. For the revolver lovers out there, if you check in the 'Handgun' section you'll notice that they now have in stock the new 'Tanaka M629 Performance Center Comp Hunter' for 199USD, which is yet another gorgeous M629 variant. (to be honest this new M629 variant looks rather wierd)

SR15 + P90 = P90TAC? I spotted that AirsoftNetwork beat me to it with this news post, before I could upload =) , so this one has been officially classified as their news.. Head1950 (you can find the translated article here), have just put up the new images of their SR-15 'look-alikey' front end addon for the P90.

The new kit includes a bunch of RIS rails combined with an outer barrel extension. The rather wierd looking additional foregrip is sold separately, as is the flashhider shown in some of the images. This kit is just wierd - but I'm sure that someone out there with a passion for RIS rails, and odd conversions will like it.

Arnie's Airsoft outages: The 'tech bods' have been upgrading our servers, so apologies if anyone has found the site to be offline today. Hopefully the last of the upgrades have been fitted and everything should be going back to normal.

More BlackHole 2001 articles: There's a couple of articles that caught my eye, both cover the BlackHole 2001 event, which we have already mentioned here in the news. One is from AirsoftShop which you can find here, and the other is from BBGunLand (you can find the translation here) which includes a couple of images of the shortly coming Glock19. If you are looking for some more imagery covering the latest offerings form Marui, KSC and TOP (to name a few), you should find the images alone more than interesting.

Sci-Firearms under new management: Kurtis Harris, the great bloke who runs Sci-Firearms has handed over the running of the website and associated content to David Ramsay, as he doesn't have the time to update everything himself at the moment. Here's a copy of the email from Kurtis:

"...I apologize for not doing any updates lately, but if you have read the recent posts on the sites, you know why.

I am currently in the process of transferring the sites over to David Ramsay, who runs TrooperPX, a site dedicated to Starship Troopers. He is going to keep the sites as separate entities and do updates when possible until I can take them back over, which will hopefully be in about a year. As soon as the changeover is complete, information will be posted here and on the sites.

If for any reason you should need to contact me directly, my e-mail address has changed to kharris12@houston.rr.com. Thanks for your support...."

Airsoft-Links officially online: Pikachoad officially started Airsoft-Links yesterday. This new website replaces his links section over at Airsoft Players. The new site uses a new script for sorting and indexing URLs that have been submitted. The link database is driven by user input, so if you have a link that you'd like to add then do stop by and add yourself.

Housekeeping: I've been adding new info and images that have been sent in recently. You'll now find the Pulse-Rifle project page has some added info concerning the M56 rifle, and the M203 pistol page now includes a technical diagram. Thanks go out to those who submitted the information and images (Nial Orr and Marc Newell). General tidying has gone on too, but I won't bore you with the spelling errors and bad links that have been corrected. :0)

Updates: Right here we go, as promised, I've edited everything that DJ Ashmore (aka Nautilus) has sent over, and put the first copy online. I'm not quite happy with the way I have published the layout of a few of the articles, so I'll tweak them a bit later. (ever the perfectionist, that's me..).

Nauty Boy @ First Factory! Anyway, I have one article that us limey's (and a lot of you 'softers out in the US) will be drooling over. Nautilus has been over to First Factory, and being the cunning gent that he is, he took his camera and terrorised the staff there for hours on end on our behalf... and loved every minute of it! For those of you who don't know First Factory are the bods, who make all those custom parts for AEG's, APS2s and the like. You can find Nautilus's report here. Oh did I mention he'd sent over exclusive images of the new KSC TMP, and some entrants to the BioHazard competiton held by ARMS Magazine - you can find those in the First Factory article too... :o)

WA Colt 1911a1 Military review: Just to keep me on my toes, Nautilus has also sent over two new reviews. The first review is of the Western Arms Colt 1911a1 Military, which sadly, and previously mentioned here, is no longer being produced by WA, so get them while you can folks! "...So, I’m looking for a WWII pistol to go with the Sten and, though that top blokey Ash Nichols supplied me with a wonderful Tanaka Browning, because I could not locate an airsoft Webley for the life of me in a fit of depression I started looking at Western Arms guns for something to do. Then the words of good Sheriff Dean came wafting across my mind: 'Remember the tooth….no, strike that…. Remember the 1911a1'..."

Marushin Sturm Ruger Mk1 review: The second review, is slightly shorter, but no less engrossing. For the film buffs out there you may recognise this replica from such films as 'Assassins'. "...Truth be told though there is not a very great deal else you can say about guns like this. No blowback mechanism to fiddle with, no extensive metalwork to criticize and such a simple operating fashion that I was really stuck as to where to begin. That is until Young Fred – of Sanko Sannomiya – simply dragged it out of my hands and proceeded to brutally double hole drinks cans. MAXI. It says it all, and a 9,800 yen gun that can outshoot my Pro-killer as far as power goes certainly has my attention from the start..."

New review up at RedWolf Airsoft: RedWolf, in their usual style, has posted a rather comprehensive review of the new Maruzen Uzi Pistol. There's been several reviews out there for this specific replica which, although good, sadly don't come close to the quality of this review (nice one RW).

"...Long sought after by many as the machine pistol of choice, Airsofters previously had little choice but to adopt the gas powered variations of the Uzi Pistol for compact auto-fire capabilities. They can hardly be blamed for being such devout worshippers, for the Uzi Pistol's extremely small footprint offered versatility that few other pistols could match. Unfortunately the previous versions often required clumsy gas hoses hooked to external tanks which did little to help versatility and flexability of use..."

We received an email from RW on Sunday regarding courier issues surrounding the WTC disaster which is also noteworthy:

"...Due to the unfortunate events that have occurred at the World Trade Center in New York, world-wide shipping schedules have been disrupted and we ask for your patience should you experience delays. For our customers in the US, we have been informed by our shipping couriers that schedules will gradually return to normal after the significant backlog has been cleared. Customers in other parts of the world may also be indirectly affected due to routing through the US. We would like to express our support for the victims of the incident and hope that peace will prevail...."

Squad-X updates: Squad-X have been doing some updating last weekend. News over there includes some better graphics and organisation for their news, and a review of the ICS AE5, and a few new articles. All this can be found on their website here.

Got spam? Has anyone else out there been receiving loads of emails about the new M4 R.A.M. (previously mentioned here)? Well just so you know who they are coming from (and who to blame), they have been sent out from Asia Paintball Supply Ltd. DolphiN#1 informs me that the M4's are actually constructed by G&G Armament, who are now in partnership with YickFung (otherwise known as Classic Army).

So, if you're interested in this new 1:1 Airsoft-Paintball hybrid replica, then keep an eye on ClassicArmy's website. Just so you know (again this is straight from the source), the complete kit is going to come in at $599 for a single 'set' (R.A.M./Mag/Ammo/Gas).

Updates: Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have 2 new reviews on the way, and a huge article from DJ Ashmore (aka Nautilus) that he's written (Thanks DJ), so stay tuned. Anyway it's a Sunday, you guys should be out relaxing or skirmishing, what you doing in front of a pc? :0)

With everything going according to plan, the new articles adn reviews should be up tomorrow (i.e. Monday). "I love it when a plan comes together..."

Just the one snippet of news for ya: Well ok then.. Eric over at Airsoft Canada has a new article up covering airsoft gases, which you can find here. Well worth a read, so go and have a look.

"...thanks to your continued business and support we are now able to employ our first full time member of staff. Paul Jones (A.K.A Triton), one of the founding members of Airsoft Dynamics we be in the office answering calls from 10:00 to 19:00 Monday to Saturday but we will often answer the phone till 21:00.

He will be taking telephone orders, for those of you who prefer to order over the phone, dealing with queries and gererally improving the response times and customer service of Airsoft Dynamics.

This does leave more time for people like myself to concentrate more on web work and updates so expect more from these pages in the near future, as well as new product pages and other great Airsoft Items!

A quick word to all our customers, please be patient while waiting for some of the rarer items you have ordered, we can not keep all products in stock all the time and some parts may take longer to aquire than others. Thanks to everyone for their continued support!..."

MFC Supplies: Hey up! The MFC Supplies website has now gone online (their website has been in development for some time), with currently over 600 items listed. MFC is a UK supplier of ourdoor kit, and surplus equipment covering everything from BlackHawk products through to rucksacks and tents.

1/5 - M1100 mag shortage: Maruzen have run out of M1100 magazines (such as those found in the new M1100 Defender). A sudden rise in demand has meant that Maruzen have none left. New supplies are not expected to be available until December!

2/5 - WA 1911 Military Model to cease: Western Arms are now selling out of the M1911 Military Model. No more stock is expected and WA are not planning on any more production runs, so grab one while you can. (I notice that WGC do have some in stock, REF: WA-PS-1911A1 if you are after one - Arnie).

3/5 - MG42/MG34/MP40/FG40 AEG Conversions: Anyone with gold in their veins for blood can have a real steel MG42 AEG conversion for 420,000 Yen from Nordland (MG34 for 320,000 Yen. MP40 for 120,000 Yen. The FG42 price has not yet been anounced). All of these conversions use TokyoMarui Mark 3 gearboxes and Systema parts.

4/5 - KSC TMP news: The new KSC TMP goes on sale on the 14th September. Nautilus has fired one at First Factory himself (piccies coming shortly) and will only say "...The new KSC TMP is a big improvement (especially in recoil and sound) and bound to be popular with the TombRaider hype surrounding it...I is having one!"

5/5 Winchester faults: There are reported to be some teething problems with the newly released Marushin Winchester 1892. A lot of returns have been reported recently, citing problems with the gas tank leaking. Best advice at the moment is that UK Airsofters should hold off on purchases until the problem has been identified and addressed or refuted. More news will be coming on that one as and when Nautilus get's it...

Tanaka Ruger Super RedHawk exclusive! I should have known the second that I decide to buy a PEGASUS equiped Tanaka revolver, that a newer drop-dead gorgeous model would come out of the woodwork less than 24 hours later. Well here we go folks, thanks to our resident WA/pistol guru, and general all round nice guy Matt (aka Mobius_Strip) - we can bring you the first images and information (that I have seen) of the Tanaka Ruger Super RedHawk. The images below are that of the 7.5inch model. (Matt is hopefully awaiting the release of the 9.5inch model)

Now what more can I say.. if you don't know about the PEGASUS gas system from Tanaka (gas and BB's stored in the cylinder), you really should read this page more =) . It's a beautiful piece of kit, and it's powerful too (84.1fps). It would appear from the images above that the revolver can be field stripped correctly. It looks like this is a 10 round model, but that's my best guess, the RRP is listed as 19,800 Yen. Happy drooling.

Lyn Haywood (site cartoonist, and WW2 fanatic) It is my sad duty to inform you, the readers of this website, of the untimely loss of Lyn Haywood (aka StG 44). Lyn was recently taken seriously ill, and unfortunately passed away at 4:20pm on Sunday the 29th of July. Lyn was a good friend to a great many people around the world, he was a self-professed WW2 fanatic, and a man of many talents. He will be greatly missed by all here. Matt (Mobius Strip) has produced a small article covering Lyn, which I highly recommend you read, you can find the article here. -NEW!

Terrorists strike United States: I won't even begin to try and cover the recent terrible events that have befallen the USA, I live in the UK and therefore feel that I really cannot make any adequate comments, other than to express my sorry and grief to anyone affected, and my outrage at those who shamelessly orchestrated the attacks..

I won't contribute to the hysteria around this topic, instead you can find all the latest news reported here at NBC. Needless to say, with these events you can expect there to be huge delays in air shipments to the US and (possibly) Canada.

Project 'Tribute to Castor Troy' FAQ added: Because of the sheer amount of emails we've received asking much the same questions about Matt's (aka Mobius_Strip) custom gold painted SVs, Matt has typed up a small FAQ, which I have added to his wonderfully written project page. The topics covered are mainly to do with the paint used, and how it was applied, including general hints and tips. Remember folks, this work was carried out by a trained Airsoft-smith, so do take care if you try to reproduce this work, we won't be held responsible for people trashing otherwise perfect WA SVs. :0)

Club Michelle updates: Looks like ClubMichelle have read my mind (reasons for which will become apparent later on in the month), as they've added reviews and images of the WilsonCombat Striker .45 Standard (translation), the Tanaka S&W M49 .38spl Bodyguard (translation), and the Tanaka M29 Performance Centre FlatSlide (translation).

The WilsonCombat Striker .45 Standard is a single stack Wilson Combat featuring a 20mm weaver rail mounted to the lower frame and (optional) wood grips (originally modelled on the Springfield Armory "TRP Operator" it has now been designated Striker by Western Arms). Mag capacity is that of a standard single stack mag (15), and the barrel length is 108mm, so expect the power to be around that of a standard 5 inch Western Arms replica. (The ClubMichelle review shows photos with the optional M3 flashlight)

The WilsonCombat Striker .45 is available in two versions, the standard and a limited edition version (the 'Shibuya Shop Version', is only available in limited numbers, and has some added extras such as mag well, improved sights and more...). The main visible difference between the two versions, is that the standard version comes with wood grips, whereas the Shibuya Shop Version comes with black SV style grips (I have had reports that both come with the cheaper SV grips, so please beware). The images at ClubMichelle show the standard version, and the RRP is listed as 190USD for the standard, and 240USD for the limited edition.

The Tanaka M29 Performance Centre FlatSlide was mentioned below so I'll just cut 'n paste what I previously typed: "...This replica pistol uses the same PEGASUS gas system as all of the latest revolvers from Tanaka do, and as such reliability and power are very impressive (should be about 280-300fps with 0.2's). The PC29 is rather compact with a total length of 22cm (slightly longer than the Walther P99), it features a 15 round capacity and has a total weight of 680g...." . The replica features wood grips, and has original markings including '44 Magnum' marked down the left side of the barrel and a functional cylinder release lever. List price is 182USD.

Now for the last item from ClubMichelle , the Tanaka S&W M49 .38spl Bodyguard. My understanding from the translation is that this replica has been made popular by a Japanese drama where a Takayama detective sports the M49 as a backup, direct translation for the drama is "The detective who is not the horsefly"... answers on a postcard to me for that one folks. The rubber grip and the holster in the photos are both aftermarket accessories. Other info gleaned from the article, is that the M49 is based on the Tanaka M36 series, and hence has a 10 round capacity. oh and another thing.. does anyone why on earth 'Tanaka' translates into 'Shelf Mosquito' ? Bulk price is listed as 15,800 Yen.

Server downtime: Heads up, news from our tech gurus - If the website disappears for a couple of days next week, please don't worry. The servers that we run off are overdue for some essential maintenance, which is now going to be carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, the 18th and 19th of September 2001. I'll do my best to get everything moved in time by then to avoid any downtime.

New supporters: Observant people out there may notice the new banner to the left. Well we now have two large supporters of our website, who help us provide you with the latest news reviews and information. WarGamer's Shop (affectionally known to us by the acronym 'WGC') have now joined TokyoHobby in supporting us. Hopefully we'll have a few new and interesting bits for you to see reviewed shortly from them.

TokyoHobby have sent over a TM DE EBB and a CAWS M79 wood version for review, I can't review both right away, so I leave it to you, the readers to vote for which you'd like to see reviewed. Please go and vote for which one you wish to see reviewed in the forums here. I'll close the voting in a few days, and then review the winning item for all you lucky folks. :0)

M249 / Minimi news: If you've read the forums here recently, you'll know about this, but for those that haven't this news is brought to you straight from Japan by DJ Ashmore (aka Nautilus) c/o DolphiN#1 and now edited by myself into this 'ere spanky news post.

So who's been out and seen the film Swordfish? Anyone remember Travolta standing in a TVR Tuscan S at high speed firing an M249? (image to the right courtesy of WarnerBros)

Well to make all you M249 punters happy, TOP have finished their M249 replicas and are now releasing them four months early. For anyone interested in real steel info, the original firearm is used as the main infantry machine gun by US forces and will take M16 mags but can usually be found with a box mag that holds 200 rounds of chain linked 5.56 NATO. Just to confuse you, in Belgium the rifle is known as the FN Minimi, and in the USA it is known as the M249, so there's no need to call it an "M249 Minimi". :0)

The good news is that the Airsoft version reportedly also takes Tokyo Marui M16 mags, and TOP will be releasing a box mag in the near future. The bad news is that there will only be 500 of these beauties released between now and December; in October and November 200 replicas will be released, and then 100 in December. I gather that First Factory and Mugan have already filled their pre-order list. TOP will be starting a production run of the standard version in Feburary 2002, and these will be released with the box mags.

The M249's RRP is listed as 124,800 Yen, and the sustained fire support tripod which is sadly not included is available as an option for 50,000 Yen. I suggest you get out there and pick up a limited run M249 ASAP unless you want to wait till Feburary.

KSC TMP news: DolphiN#1 (our resident UK retail spy..ahem) asked me to post about the iminent release of the KSC TMP:

"...On the 15th of September, KSC are all set to bring out a NEW! version of their Classic TMP! It will feature a new Enhanced Blowback Unit that will increase the rate of fire, upgraded HardKick valves, upgraded magazines, and the replica will come with a 55 round mag as standard! Rumours have it, that the new TMP will have some sort of 'Noise maker'mechanism to make it even more noisey then it is!..." (DolphiN#1) Info Courtesy of WolfArmouries

New airsoft search engine: Tom (aka OD) over at Squad-X emailed in to remind everyone about the new search engine that he's just launched, which to me sounds like a very great idea to me:

"...Quick email to let you know about my new site, the first Airsoft Search Engine. It actually goes out and crawls airsoft links for search stuff, so when you search, the search is accurate!..." [OD]

WA IED 6.0 Article: Matt has again kindly sent over a scan of the new Western Arms SV IED (Infinity Extended Dustcover) 6.0 inch. You can find this image to the right, and a larger version can be found when clicking on it. List price is given as 19,800 Yen and the weight as 928g. The new replica has a measured fps of 82.1m/s (measured with HFV134a), and features a single stack mag capacity of 15rounds. Expect this replica to come with all the goodness and precision that you expect from a WA Infinity.

This truly looks like it will be the most powerful and accurate full-auto Airsoft pistol available today, so if you have a hankering for all things mean and powerful, then this is the WA replica for you. Personally "it's not really my cup of tea", but then again I like Tanaka revolvers and Maruzen shotties, 'stupidly fun but pointless' - that's me that is. :o)

Tanaka PC29: Tanaka the 'WesternArms' of the Airsoft revolver world have recently released the Performance Centre Flat-Slide M29 (PC29). This isn't hugely new news, but it seems to have been overlooked by everyone, so I thought I'd bring it to your attention.

This replica pistol uses the same PEGASUS gas system as all of the latest revolvers from Tanaka do, and as such reliability and power are very impressive (should be about 280-300fps with 0.2's). The PC29 is rather compact with a total length of 22cm (slightly longer than the Walther P99), it features a 15 round capacity and has a total weight of 680g.

Tanaka have also released the S&W 8 Inch Magnum, several variants of the M629 and a bunch of other S&W replicas. You can find all these new Tanaka releases at your local Airsoft retailer(s).

Update: M40A1 Review @ AirsoftPlayers: Whoops.. in my rush to get things online here the news about the review of the gorgeous Asahi M40A1 was slightly incorrect.The Asahi M40A1 is owned and was reviewed by Matt Lutynski (aka Sniper) - sorry Matt. =)

If you don't know who Sniper is, then I recommend that you go and hide in shame in the corner for a bit, then read the interview of him that has been posted at AirsoftPlayers. I won't even bother to list his entire collection here, the news page just isn't big enough :0) , but I will say that he owns a lovely WA2000, and an M134...

"I'll be back": I said I would be.. and I am - well I'm back from me hols.. and it looks like things have been very busy while I've been away. We have some more in house updates to add, but I'll add them to the news section later on.

Links updated: I have updated our comprehensive link database - as several websites have now changed their addresses or bought up new domains. If you run a website and it's not listed there (or if there's some kind or error with it), then do email me and I'll update your information. To the best of my knowledge we have the largest and most comprehensive Airsoft link database on the web, and your help helps us keep it up to date. There's still more work to be done on our links page, but I just see it as a 'running project'. :0)

3 new reviews up at Planet Airsoft: Stan, the webmaster of PlanetAirsoft, has emailed me about 3 new reviews that he's just bunged online. New to his site you'll find reviews of the SunProject M40A1, the KJW Glock 27, and the CA M4 metal receiver 2nd version - I highly recommend having a read of all these!

ESS TTC Goggle review: My pals over at Airsoft Canada have a new review of the E.S.S. Tactical Turbo Cam Goggles online. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the review. The goggles actually are mist and fog free!

"...The most advanced and efficient anti-fog tactical goggle in the world: The patented 2 speed fan exhausts humid air inside the goggle in less than one second insuring clear vision in the most demanding conditions. Select a fan speed of 15,000 RPM or set the slide switch for silent operation. Two AAA batteries last over 50 hours and the L.E.D. light will indicate low battery power. The Tactical Turbo C.A.M. is equipped with a 1.6" wide elastic strap with silicone beading on the inside to prevent slipping when worn either with or without a helmet. A rear strap clasp makes donning the goggle exceptionally quick and easy..."

M40A1 Review @ AirsoftPlayers: Another piece of kit that I'd just love to get my hands on! Sniper has submitted a gorgeous review of his Asahi M40A1 to AirsoftPlayers. The Asahi M40A1 is a true collectors piece - read the full review to find out why.

Airsoft Commerce launched: Pikachoad's latest baby is online. New to Airsoft on the web is Airsoft Commerce. The new website is an online auction site, much like eBay, but specifically for Airsoft related equipment. I would write more about the site.. but for some reason it's offline at the moment, but I'll just blame the downtime on my own ISP. =)

Update: Pikachoad was kind enough to update me regarding Airsoft Commerce; the project is part of the AirsoftPlayers network, but it is run by Ricky Smith (aka Mr. Jungle), there are some teething troubles with the ISP that hosts it, which should be fixed shortly.

New KSC M11 review @ Florida Airsoft: Florida Airsoft have a great review of the KSC M11A1 online, which is another great read, and comes highly recommended. Here's a (slightly edited) quote:

"...When you take this replica out of the box, you notice a few things straight off. [firstly] as black, it's indistinguishable [from metal] until you touch it...[secondly] this airsoft [replica] is solid. ...Unlike many replicas, the KSC M11 does not feel like a plastic gun in the least. Also thanks to the internal metal parts, switching the weapon to fire and racking back the bolt produces wonderful metal on metal contact sounds not heard often in airsoft...The stock isn't really necessary since recoil is almost non-existent, but it rounds out the gun's look very nicely..."

Custom Radios: LT has informed me of some news of interest. The Green Mountain Rangers have managed to lay their hands on some military radios (CPRC-26 military man pack radios), which have been converted to accept a standard Panasonic FSR radio. The general idea is to bring more realistic radio equipment to the Airsoft scene, something that LT pointed out seems to be rather (sadly) lacking at the moment.

The alternative DIY tac radio: To make your own highly expensive Airsoft radio more 'militarily realistic' simply strip all the useful buttons off, turn squelch off, and place it inside a huge green box (the larger the better), and stick a large antenna on top of it, so that people can see you coming from 5 miles away.

Oh.. the Green Mountain Rangers website has also been updated too - have a read. =) Thanks for the info LT.

DENTrinity updates: Den have a few new bits of kit in, these include a larger mount base for the TM P90 with 3 mounting sides, a re-inforced aluminium piston unit for the M93r made by OK, and a new metal silencer for the FN-P90. Also, coming soon from Den are two new armalite accessories, the SR15 free floating RAS with Silencer, and the M4A1 QD silencer with flashider

WGC Shop updates: There's just a few new things in from WGC - WGC's Shop's "Promotion level III" has now finished, and their new upgrade charge is listed as 45-250 USD. There is also a host of ICS offers from WGC, these are listed below:

• Until the end of September all ICS AEG's come with 2x50rds mags.
• From now till the end of Sep, All AE AEGs come with a G&P MP5 Tactical handguard with flashlight or Hurricane scope mount for MP5/G3 series + Walther point sight.
• Airsoft Elite AE5 Series AEGs ( USA Only ), Shipped directly from Airsoft Elite's Warehouse with a 60 Day US warranty.
• GB-Tech MK11 Kit Coming Soon
• GB-Tech G26 Silencer Coming Soon
• G&G MK11 Kit Coming Soon
• G&G O.T.S. Silercer Coming Soon
• G&G M82 Type Flash Suppressor for PSG1Coming Soon
• G&G Height Extension Mount Base Coming Soon
• G&G Flash Suppressor for M60 Coming Soon
• Hurricane Super Kick for KSC SP2340 / SP2009 USD15.5
• Systema Area 1000 Series Available Now