Airsoft
Tactical Review written
by James Elliott
(aka Walking Target)
- Friday, April 5, 2002
I arrived in the United States hoping to continue skirmishing, but obviously I would be without any equipment. The US Customs Service is not exactly keen on people bringing Airsoft replicas with them into the country (due to the recent political climate), no matter how well documented they are. I found myself in an unfamiliar environment. I have only ever really bought one AEG (I am a poor student) which is my ancient third hand M4A1, I had never actually bought a brand new shiny AEG from a retailer. I considered all the options and checked out a number of the US retailers before making any kind of decision. Obviously, I thought about buying direct from HK, but it turned out that it was going to cost me just as much to get it bought and shipped as it would just to buy direct from a US retailer. Airsoft in the United States is not a big thing. It mostly takes place on the West Coast in places like California and in the South in Florida. The main reason for this is paintball; paintball and Airsoft do not get on well here at all. Paintball is a very commercial and politically acceptable sport over here, where as Airsoft is not. Paintballers here are very stuck in their ways and anti Airsoft. I have spoken to a number of them and a lot of them accept that Airsoft is superior in many ways, but they are unwilling to change. This hampers the growth of Airsoft in the States. Another factor is the lack of decent Airsoft suppliers. There are only a very small handful of competent retailers in the US, less than the UK. Most of them are massively over-charging the community as they have a monopoly in the sport, this is something that will change as the sport develops over here. For instance, one company I looked at was charging $450 for a FAMAS F1!! Enter Airsoft Tactical (http://www.airsofttactical.com). I found Airsoft Tactical whilst looking for suppliers on the net, the website caught my attention. Some Background The shops founder, J (he doesn't give his name out too often), is a former SWAT instructor. This is to say that he has "trained several tactical units in close quarter combat, explosive entry, building searches, and rescue deployment" to quote the site. This caught my attention straight away. I am a sucker for people who know what they are talking about when it comes to real-steel. AT is supplying a number of US Government agencies with Airsoft equipment for training purposes; this caught my attention as well. To enable the shop to do this, they have to be a certified supplier by the US Government which means they have all the appropriate permits etc, basically making them official. Airsoft dealers in the US tend to be unprofessional bodies running an internet shop out of their bedrooms. They are often unreliable, over priced and generally unprofessional. AT is the exact opposite, they sum up what an Airsoft supplier should be: reliable, affordable and most of all knowledgeable. J knows what he is talking about. The Website and Service The site is crisp, clean and easy to use. One of the few US retailers with a decent site. Ordering the products is easy and efficient with an option to become a member of the site to save your shipping information. Online Credit Card transfers are quick and authorization comes quickly, receipts sent to your e-mail account. My only criticism of payment stuff would be the lack of PayPal, which is something they should definitely consider. Product wise, AT is supplying the usual Mauri, TOP and Classic Army series of guns and usually has most of them actually in stock. Shops in the US do not tend to keep anything in stock, so this is a refreshing change. The quality of service I have received from AT has been impeccable, J was available on e-mail to answer my many questions right the way through my orders and went out of his way to help me out. I have now ordered two AEGs (a CA MP5SD5 and FAMAS F1) from AT and I have been most impressed with the quality of service I have received. The AEGs both came double packed i.e. the AEG box within another larger box, with half a tonne of packing to keep the products safe and sound. Orders can be shipped using a variety of mechanisms including UPS, who as usual, offer superior service. Product Lines While the current product lines in areas like pistols are limited, J is able to get whatever you need on demand that you can't find on the site. No complaints there. He has the usual HK wholesale contacts so getting the products shipped quickly is not really an issue. Spare parts wise, the majority are aimed at the CA line of AEGs, but J promises he is able to get the whole selection of Mauri spares as well. Conclusion: Probably the best value Airsoft dealer in the US with superior service and knowledge. I cannot fault Airsoft Tactical in any way. Everything was pretty much perfect with my orders. J is well and truly switched on and sets you straight on issues quickly and efficiently. I only hope that US retailers take a page from ATs book. Scores:
written by James Elliott (aka Walking Target) External Links: Airsoft Tactical (http://www.airsofttactical.com) Comment on this review in the forums Last modified: Saturday, January 11, 2003 8:20 PM Copyright 2003 ArniesAirsoft
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