Gigueand
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Posts posted by Gigueand
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Ah, yes, that creek at Hole in Wall will sneak up on you if you're not careful. I used to play there all the time, but haven't been in several years.
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That SIR is sick, sir.
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I attached some scrap boards vertically along the studs and then attached the pegboard to the boards. So there's a bit of stand off between the pegboard and the wall itself.
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My gun wall over the years:
From top to bottom:
G&P M4A1 (Polarstar FE)
Tippmann M4 Block II
G&P M653 (Polarstar JACK)
LCT AK-105
From top to bottom:
G&P M653 (Polarstar JACK)
G&P M4A1 (Polarstar FE)
VFC HK416C (Polarstar JACK)
From top to bottom:
G&P M653 (Polarstar JACK)
G&P M4A1 BLOCK II (Polarstar FE)
M723 Aero Precision "AR15-Airsoft Hybrid Thing" (Redline Hurricane)
G&P M4A1 Upper Receiver with early GWOT accessories
From top to bottom:
Aero Precision BLOCK II upper receiver for the "AR15-Airsoft Hybrid Thing"
Aero Precision M4A1 upper receiver for the "AR15-Airsoft Hybrid Thing"
Doublestar M16A2 upper receiver for the "AR15-Airsoft Hybrid Thing"
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Its pretty unbelievable the level to which many, fairly large groups of guys are going for MSW events here in the U.S.
Sure, there's your odd .MIL person here or there, but a lot of these are civilian dudes who are going above and beyond. Not only are they building very solid impressions, but they are also acquiring the appropriate sustainment gear plus the equipment needed for successful night antics (NVGs, IR devices, etc).
I attended Ruins of Saratov in November and our platoon of 50(ish) dudes had 47 guys with NVGs, 1 guy with thermals only and only two guys who had nothing NVG-wise.
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Speaking as someone who remembers the "old days" of both airsoft (at least in the U.S.) and Arnie's, there's definitely an evolution that longer term players go through. Definitely reminds me of this somewhat famous graphic from paintball.
In general, most airsoft players are in the hobby for a season or two - just a couple of years. The primary demographic of airsofters, in my experience, is the 14 - 18 year old crowd. Kids who are old enough to afford the hobby and who are relatively immobile life-wise. They're usually living at home, finishing their undergraduate education and they drift away from airsoft once they leave home and go to university/college.
The folks who survive this tend to stick around longer and go through several phases.
Speaking for myself, I came over from paintball and into airsoft nearly 15 years ago after having played a decade of paintball. I was, frankly, shocked by the amount of gear and other gucci nonsense people were carrying around (MICH 2000s, CIRAS vests, etc - you can guess the time period...) and I built purely lightweight, functional loadouts. Then as I got more into the hobby and more interested in kit I started buying more gucci stuff (Mayflower, Crye, ATS, TT, etc). Eventually transitioned into building impressions which didn't always work out very well. Nowadays I'm far more interested in having lightweight, functional kit that is comfortable to wear and let's me keep up with the kids. What I've got is still nice (Velocity Systems, PVS-14, etc), great for milsim events, but also totally fine for your average rec play with 12 year olds running to and fro.
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And, in my experience, the level of discourse is significantly higher...
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Well, Titleist did get into some legal trouble for shipping ITAR restricted parts to a member of a biker gang in Finland so...
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Joined in 2006 and been playing somewhat regularly since then. It is too bad what Facebook has done to many of the great airsofting communities of old including Arnie's but also places like Airsoft Canada and my own local forum. Arnie's was truly a great community back in "the day" with all sorts of characters - TheCrunchBunny, Sledge, Stealthbomber, Magz, MasakariJoe, Titleist, DarkLite, CKinnerly - some of whom are still around. The days of the "Clone Wars" where a new replica was released every month and the forums were filled with people posting the latest build trends (Art of Tactical Carbine!) have sadly passed us by.
There's a lot to be said for the convenience of Facebook and while the 101 airsoft groups on it are great for some niches (Gothic Serpent kit, early GWOT kit, Polarstar Owners Group, etc) there's a big hole when it comes to having one cohesive community.
edit: Is it actually possible anymore to see a full members list for Arnie's?
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So the AngryGun version isn't very good then? Where is the C&C version available?
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Is that an actual URGI or the AngryGun replica?
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I was the one who mentioned via FB that the forum was performing very slowly. My guess at this point is that it has to do with my connection as the forum loads quickly on 4G.
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Photobucket decided to kill all of my images. Here's a link to the pics re-hosted.
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I'm not sure it's the responsibility of the forum to police transactions between members. Yes, it is undesirable to know that potential scammers might join Arnie's to take advantage of people, but to what degree was scamming a problem in the past? Is the value gained by keeping out a minimal number of scammers worth more than value that would be gained by attracting new members via the commerce section?
My local forum was forced to hop from (free) Proboards to a privately funded server due to Proboards' restrictive ToS and our current board has yet to recover. The commerce section is what brings people in, but it's the content that gets them to stay around. Arnie's has great content, but isn't incentivizing people to join by using a popular and active commerce section.
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That is freakin' awesome.
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Ah nice, someone actually got one.
Is the standard PALS front flap removable and can you take off the cummerbund and route other ones through the back as per the back panel of a 6094?
The front flap is entirely removable.
The cummerbund attaches through channels in the rear plate bag. It's not the same style of design as the EPC, 6094 or the like.
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Canteen pouches: Ships worldwide.
Velocity Systems SCARAB Light
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Man, I wish more people enjoyed older kit.
Too bad no one is making a decent replica of the BALCS vest these days.
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Unknown. I never purchased a Crye panel in order to test.
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It was sized a bit too large for me. I had to tighten the thing down to its smallest size in order to get it to fit appropriately. The should covers were super tight, but once they were on they weren't going to go anywhere.
No idea how the vest is holding up. I sold it quite a while ago.
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And purchased!
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A Review of the Velocity Systems SCARAB Light Plate Carrier
By Gimpalong
5 January 2016
Introduction
This review focuses on the SCARAB Light plate carrier designed and released by Velocity Systems in 2014. Based out of Dulles, Virginia, Velocity Systems is best known for its collaboration with Mayflower Research & Consulting in the development of the Assault Plate Carrier (APC). Those familiar with the popular APC platform will find a lot to like in the SCARAB which offers a lightweight, minimalist design, but with some additional features that the lower-priced APC lacks.
The carrier featured in this review is in size "Medium" with a cummerbund labeled "M/L" and was purchased by the author. This review is entirely unsolicited and the author has received no compensation or endorsement from Velocity Systems or any other retailer.
Full view of the PC with the detachable front flap removed.Initial Impressions
The SCARAB is both small and light. While certainly much lighter than my EPC, the SCARAB is not in quite the same weight class as the Crye JPC. The carrier fits snugly with room for adjustment in both height and width. I am 5'6" 145 lbs and the medium SCARAB fits me with room to scale up or down. A Crye AVS with medium harness, by contrast, barely fits me when cinched all the way down. I had initially toyed with the idea of purchasing the SCARAB in size small and am glad that I went with the medium as the medium already seems quite tiny. The cut of the carrier is such that it does not impede shouldering a rifle and the shoulder pads, although narrow, are comfortable and nicely padded. The mesh padding inside the plate bags is very comfortable.
Overview
The SCARAB follows the traditional configuration of most modern plate carriers featuring front and rear plate bags and a cummerbund. The plate bags are sized to SAPI plate sizes (S, M, L, XL).
The front plate bag features a velcro loop field for attaching patches, two vertical loops for mounting Swift Clips, a kangaroo pouch and a detachable front flap that secures inside the kangaroo pouch. The detachable front flap is 6 PALS columns wide by 3 PALS rows tall (6x3) on the medium version. Underneath the front flap, the body of the SCARAB is loop velcro with an 8x3 distribution of PALS webbing. The Swift Clip system allows for the mounting of Mayflower Placards or chest rigs such as the Mayflower UW or the Haley D3CR systems. The rear plate bag features zippers on either side to mount a zip-on panel. The only zip-on panel that works with the SCARAB is the one made by Velocity Systems. Neither the Crye nor the Tyr zip-on panels are compatible. The top of the rear plate bag also has a velcro loop field for attaching identification patches. The interior (chest side) of both plate bags is composed of a padded mesh grid which is very comfortable and something I've only seen elsewhere on the Ferro Concepts PC. Each plate bag has an interior plate pocket with a single 1.5" wide strap that attaches via velcro in order to position the plate at the correct height for the wearer and prevent it shifting around inside the bag.
Front of PC with front flap removed.
Rear of PC.
Kangaroo Pouch. The removable front flap velcros into this and then folds over the front of the PC.
Swiftclip system with Mayflower R&C Placard installed.
Swiftclip system with Mayflower R&C Placard installed.
Rear view of the PC. Note the zippers for adding Velocity System's proprietary zip-on panel.
Interior of PC. Note the padded mesh lining.
SAPI plate height adjustment strap.
The SCARAB's cummerbund is a two-piece design and has a distinct mesh construction presumably to facilitate cooling. Although I have heard some concerns about the durability of this cummerbund design, the mesh design seems sturdy. Unlike most conventional carriers which have a cummerbund that either velcroes or ties together inside the back plate, the SCARAB's follows a slightly different design. Rather than tying together with elastic or paracord or attaching via overlapping velcro, each section of the cummerbund has three "cummerbund fingers" that integrate into the inside of the rear plate via a series of channels or "button-holes." While this system is secure it can be a bit of a pain to adjust when either shortening or lengthening the cummerbund. The cummerbund itself is available in four sizes (S, M, L, XL). The smallest cummerbund has a mounting area of three columns of PALs, the size medium has four, the size large five and the size extra large six. The front of the cummerbund that seals under the carrier's front flap has a square cut out in it. At first I thought that this was solely to make it easier to grip and pull up, but I think it is also designed to let the front flap "grip" through the cummerbund to the actual body of the plate carrier. This could, I suppose, offer a more secure way of holding the cummerbund in place. One nice feature is that PALS webbing is sewn on both the inside and outside of the cummerbund.
Cummerbund profile.
Cummerbund attachment.
The shoulder pads of the SCARAB are noticeable slimmer than traditional PC shoulder pads which tend to be wide and set at fixed geometry. One of the frequent complaints of the APC design is the very wide shoulder pads that tend to cut into the unprotected neck. One criticism of the Crye JPC is that the shoulder pad are set far apart and feel like they are sliding off the shoulder. The SCARAB solves both these problems with skinny pads that attach via a D-Ring built into the front of the plate bag. Velocity System's calls these pads "ULTRAcomp" and they articulate on the D-Ring to suit the body type of the wearer. An accompanying padded sleeve slides over the straps themselves and is surprisingly comfortable. The sleeve is made of a slightly stretchy material and I encountered no issues sliding my comm wires and hydration tube through the sleeve over the shoulder strap.
Shoulder strap with padded sleeve pulled back.
Shoulder strap. Note the D-Ring on which the strap articulates for better fit.
Shoulder strap and sleeve.
Fit
The following photos give an idea of the size of the SCARAB in comparison to a Flyye replica of the Eagle PL in size S/M.
For comparison, I am 5'6", 145 lbs.
The Flyye EPC and Velocity SCARAB Light in comparison.
The SCARAB is quite a bit smaller, but the plate-bags on the EPC are designed to take MBAV-Cut armor and are wider as a result.
EPC.
SCARAB.Construction
For a detailed overview of the SCARAB's stitching see the following review:
https://primaryandsecondary.com/2015/09/what-is-quality/
To briefly summarize, both the plate bags and the cummerbund have a full width bartack on the PALS webbing. General stitching on the SCARAB is 8 stitches to the inch in comparison to 4 or 5 stitches per inch on lower quality gear. The PALS webbing is dimensionally correct and properly aligned. Lower quality products often have uneven distances between loops of PALS which can make mounting pouches difficult. This is not an issue on the SCARAB. Overall, the construction seems solid.
Criticisms
One of my criticisms of Mayflower APC was that the 500-denier cordura used in the design tended to wear and fray over the life of the carrier. My APC had seen fairly light use during its life and had a few worn spots when I sold it on. The SCARAB features similar construction and I've already noticed that the padded mesh inside the plate bags is starting to fray in a few places.
While most PC designs use heavy duty hook-and-loop velcro, the hook-and-loop used in the SCARAB seems somewhat flimsy. The loop velcro in particular seems soft and weak. When securing the carrier I always take extra time to make sure that the front flap is securely holding the cummerbund to the body of the PC.
It is unfortunate that Velocity Systems chose not to add a built in admin pouch. This was a convenient feature on both the Crye JPC, AVS and Mayflower APC.
The rear plate bag does not feature a drag handle of any kind. This is kind of unfortunate as the absence of one on the APC was a source of criticism. The lack of a drag handle, however, is not uncommon on many lighter weight PCs. The SCARAB also has no release system to quickly dump the entire PC such as the JPC 2.0s "Emergency Doff" system.
Conclusion
I have long been a fan of Mayflower's APC design and I noted the SCARAB when it was released in 2014. Despite being a mid-to-high priced carrier, the only information I could find about the SCARAB was limited to a few blog posts. Prior to this writing there existed, to my knowledge, no detailed review of the SCARAB.
The SCARAB is a well-built plate carrier with many modern features. The padded plate bags and ULTRAcomp, articulated shoulder pads are both comfortable and innovative. The biggest drawbacks are the light-weight velcro used on the cummerbund and carrier body and the lack of a built-in admin pouch. The SCARAB retails for $325 and is priced to compete with the LBT 6094 ($350), Crye JPC 2.0 ($359) and Crye AVS without harness ($300+), Ronin Assaulter Lite ($325), Ferro Concepts PC ($250+) and Tactical Tailor Fight Lite PC ($300). In comparison with these similarly priced PCs, we can see that some basic features like a quick-detach front flap, Swift Clip system and ability to take zip-on panels are pretty standard. The SCARAB complements these features with nicely padded plate bags, unique and comfortable shoulder pads and the overall low-weight, low-profile cut of the PC. Unfortunately, limited availability in the retail market and long wait times direct from Velocity Systems make procuring a SCARAB a bit of a chore. In the end, however, the wait is worth it.-
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Looks like a huge improvement on the original.
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These look like great guns, but I've been holding off making a purchase in light of some of the issues I've seen crop up. Specifically issues with spotty full-auto functionality, poor hop-up function and some body leaks.
Granted it seems like some of these issues are user error or reflect the failure of the user to read the manual and Tippmann does offer an excellent warranty.
Any word on how well these perform with the CO2 magazines? I already own a Polarstar, so my principle interest in the Tippmann is as a more reliable GBBR compared to other traditional GIM systems like WE, KWA, WA, GHK, etc.
M14 Picture Thread
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That is an incredible collection. Woah.