March 2005

Over at AirsoftHandGrenades.com they’ve posted some news about some server and email issues that they are having. If you emailed them recently, best drop them a line again to make sure that they have got the message:

Due to a server and the new web problem from yesterday 9:23am we have nor web page online noor email server. All that write to the our habitual email, please do it again because surely we dont receive your message.

Sorry for the inconvenience. AHG

AHG’s website is also running very slowly at the moment most likely because of their ongoing issues which they should have sorted out shortly.

Aaron (aka Snicker) over at AirsoftRetreat has dropped over a line to remind me that they have two new articles online on their site. The first up is an article on FPS Distance & Time Article, and hte second

is an article that looks into the TM Glock 18c AEP. They are in the process of physically moving to a newly built server too at the moment, so site speed for them should improve drastically when that’s all complete.

If the new TanioKoba HW 5.1 slides don’t take your fancy Zeke have added some hice high resolution shots of their finished 6 inch ‘Eagle/V-16 Type’ 5.1 slides fitted to some TM pistols.

In the retail world AegArms have a new stock of StarAirsoft G36C magazines in at the moment.

Just time for some quick updates from around the world (more to come later).

The AirsoftHandGrenade website has been updated (English version here). Now as far as I can see there’s still no news on when their product is actually going to surface, but there is news of a new landmine style system that they are going to launch in the near future. According to their news pages the AG-01 is being packed at the moment ready for delivery.

Over at LA-Gunshop there’s two new products: the KSC M92 Elite II with silver slide and the KTW SPAS12 air cocking shotgun. The new KTW shotty comes with the scope mount as standard and retails at around 11,000 Yen. The new KSC pistol is due out on the 17th of March and comes with a silver finished slide and barrel. According to LA GunShop’s page it’s going to be a limited run product, but as we all know there’s “limited” and “limited”.

King Arms have added news to their site of a new SOCOM style silencer from them. The Socom MK23 silencer is 195mm
long and has a 14mm clockwise thread.

Over at Laylax there’s a new one piece outerbarrel for the M4S system available. The new barrel is similar in length to the TM M733 outer barrel and retails at 6,500 Yen.

Over at Mojji Sanken they’ve updated their GBTech pages with all their latest products. They currently have the original P90 (not the TR unit) metal upper receiver listed as being in stock too.

The 6 inch slides for the TM HiCapa 5.1 from TanioKoba have appeared on his site now. Priced at 25,000 Yen each the new slide is made of a heavy weight material and comes with a new outerbarrel, and recoil setup.

WesternArms are busy having a sale on their SCW Ver1 pistol lineup. Reading through their links I don’t remember seeing the chrome model (Colt Premium Edition) with the Pachmayr grips so thought I’d add a shot of that on here. I could well have popped across it at some point and forgotten after all the .45 range all look pretty similar from a caffiene induced haze.

In retail new War IV Toys International have updated their stock lists with selection of new products including the new Guarder LED torch (the M900 replica), the Star 140 and 470rnd G36 magazines, the Guarder OPS USSOCOM CQB Silencer,
and a series of King Arms Silencers and parts.

New in over at Wargamers are the Jet Custom E-Mag for AK ( 1000 Rds ), PGC Aluminium Frame & Slide Set for WA M1911 Military Model S.C.W., Prime Springfield MEU Kit ( SCW 2 Version ) and the GB-Tech M203 Masterkey Standalone Buttstock Module ( CNC ).

Last but not least X-Fire have launched a new lightweight outer barrel for the VSR-10 range (dead handy for those long skirmish events), and a new ‘SR-25 VAR’ style-up kit for the TM M4/16 range.

Coop over in the US has dropped over a line with an explanation as to the Armotech situation (as I just don’t get the time to keep track of Paintball companies as wel as Airsoft) -thanks for the update Coop. Here’s the latest:

Armotech LLC no longer exists… they were originally the U.S. distributor of Armotech Paintball Markers. Armotech LLC (at Armotech.com) lost this right, at the instruction of the manufacturer (who is overseas in Taiwan). Armotech LLC, now known as Ariakon Paintball continued making knock-off imitation Armotech Rifles out of lesser quality plastics (the real paintball markers are full metal). The name change to Ariakon is a result of the several month long court battle between armotech.com and armotech.us.

Armotech.us is the main distributor of Armotech Paintball Rifles in the United States and surrounding countries. Armotech.net is the west coast distributor who recieves his stock from armotech.us. As for the Armotech 5.1 Pistol, it is not an official product of any of the Armotech Companies (both real, fake, or the distributors) but is manufactured by the same Taiwanese Company that makes the Armotech Paintball Rifles. The Armotech Manufacturing Company (in Taiwan) has been wanting a part of the thriving Airsoft market for years. Their success is unknown at this time, as the Armotech 5.1 Pistol has only been recently released. Coop

I’ve been chatting to Andrew over in Florida about simulation equipment that’s kicking around at the moment from fields similar to Airsoft (such as Paintball and Lasertag) that could well be applicable across all sports. One area that seems to be a very viable cross-over are the applications for large ordnance simulation devices, more commonly called called Battlefield Simulation Devices. It’s dead easy to create a large pyrotechnic display, but here in the UK you need the appropriate licenses to operate pyrotechnics plus there is always some worry over safety.

One of the links of interest that I’ve been directed to include products from the guys at Weapons Cache who are based here in the UK. The guys there produce gear that’s designed to compliment things like
the MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Simulation) system. Looking across their site they can build pretty much anything that’s electronic although the site itself is sadly lacking a recent update.

Over in the USA Major Paintball (owned by Nathan Brock) make some interesting mine simulation devices. The devices vary in style but most can be set up either to dispense paint, or just to signal activation with smoke. I do remember seeing these devices a while back (the master mine is very familiar), but it’s always worth mentioning products again as, like me, everyone forgets things over time. There are two devices that are of interest, these being the M-80TR and the M-12TR; how they operate is actually quite simple:

The M-80TR Landmine and all new M-12TR use a new Patent Pending technology which generates a non pyrotechnic explosion by rupturing a replaceable “Explosion Tube” with the pressure from a 12g CO2 cartridge. Liquid “Marking Paint” or “Smoke Simulation Powder” is expelled from the mine along with a “VERY LOUD” report! (Major Paintball)

The M-80TR is a pressure release mine designed to by installed under foot that’s powered by a simple 12g cartridge producing a simulated explosion with smoke. If the device isn’t loud enough there’s also an optional burst tube attachment that reportedly produces a very loud bag.

There’s a video in both Quicktime and Windows Media formats on their M-80TR page showing the highly visible effect of activating the M-80TR.

The M-12TR is a tripwire mine that can be mounted anywhere where it can be physically fitted or mounted. Due to the design it’s very simple to operate and to setup.

There’s also a video (again available in both Quicktime and Windows Media formats) that showcases various applications where the M-12TR has been employed to booby-trap a pickup truck.

It’s worth noting that for both the M-80TR and the M-12TR you will need to buy replacement burst tubes if you want the additional blast effect as they can only be fired once. With a retail price of around 40USD for either the M-80TR or the M-12TR and given the cheap cost of CO2 capsules both solutions provide affordable simulation devices with a heap of different applications. Checkout their website for more details.