Ai Volume 8 Issue 1

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Welcome to Airsoft International Volume 8 Issue 1!

The good, the bad and the Aussies…

Ever ended up with one of those guns that just won’t work properly, no matter what you do? I’ve got one right now. It’s a G&P SR-25 and for some reason I just cannot get it to feed reliably no matter what parts I change, BBs I use or magazines I jam in it… I’m pretty sure it’s cursed!

Anyway, with that little rant off of my chest, we’ve got some big news this month. If you follow our Facebook page (facebook.com/airsoftint) you might already know, but Ai500: OP COBRA STRIKE is open and available for booking in now! Skip over to page 6-7 for the exiting storyline and the details on how to book in for this intense game at one of the best CQB sites in the UK, the MOD’s Rype Village.

In addition to that good news, we’ve also got a little less exciting news to pass on. Due to pending Royal Mail price increases, we have been forced to incrementally increase the cost of a subscription to Ai. To give you more choice though, we’ve added a new option to the process, if you’d rather subscribe and save some cash, you can now opt for second-class postage as opposed to first. We are all sorry to have to increase anything at all, but unfortunately this increase was unavoidable. Your individual, off-the-shelf copies will stay fixed at £4, just as they always have been.

That’s the good, the bad, now what about those Aussies? Well, as you might have noticed, our cover features a stonking SASR load out from reader Alex Griffin. He and his buddy Jamie Fox have spent the last few months piecing together the Australian SF load outs and we just had to showcase them. You can read the whole story on pages 24-29. If you think you’ve got a load out worthy of the same treatment, we’d love to hear about it, drop me a line on bwebb@ai-mag.com with some details and perhaps a few snapshots and we’ll take it from there.

Right, now back to that SR-25… Let’s see if we can’t get you in shape…

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Ai Volume 7 Issue 12

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Welcome to Airsoft International Volume 7 Issue 12!

Walking on eggshells…

Hello and welcome to Volume 7, Issue 12! As we conclude our 7th year of Ai and look to Volume 8 it’s hard not to reflect on how far we have come, not only as a publication but also as airsofters; a great deal has happened in the last 8 years, possibly the most impactful being the VCRA act. Without substantial lobbying from within our community it’s likely airsoft as we know it would have been banished from the shores of the UK by way of legislation, leaving us either running round with 2-Tone guns as a mandatory regulation, or even worse, playing paintball. Although we were successful in rescuing our hobby and passion from the crushing jaws of defeat that time round, it’s painfully obvious to anyone with their ear to the ground that airsoft has always managed a “tolerated” status at best.

The fact of the matter is that to outsiders, the act of running around playing soldiers with realistic looking toys guns is going to be a sensitive subject and total acceptance is unlikely in the society we live in. It’s also particularly pertinent in today’s world of instant and far reaching media publishing, with the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Co, that we don’t know whose eyes might fall upon the pictures we publish and the activities we take part in, and what context they might view them in. A joke or light-hearted posed picture of airsoft action, taken out of the realms of those it was intended for, could well be interpreted in an entirely different manner, especially to those that might seek to sensationalise or do harm for their own gain.

As airsofters, it’s our responsibility to regulate the public image of our hobby, after all, the Home Office did put it firmly in our hands to regulate ourselves, and make no mistake, their mercy could well be revoked at any time if those irresponsible or short-sighted enough give them reason to. We might have achieved a delicate balance in the eyes of the law, but with careful management and participation by us, the people that love airsoft, there’s no reason that in years to come you shouldn’t be reading and introduction to Volume 20 of Ai in over a decade’s time!

Enjoy the issue, and see you in the safe zone!

Ben Webb

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Ai Volume 7 Issue 10 – DPM’s not dead!

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Welcome to Airsoft International Volume 7 Issue 10!

This month we have taken a dig through the gear locker and pulled out some old favourites. Here at Ai DPM isn’t dead and with our two load outs, we’ve given it a whole new lease of life.

In the reviews section, we bring you the results of our long-term test on the Tokyo Marui Next Gen. Recoil M4A1, along with looking at the G&G range of two-tone guns, all coming in at under £200.

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Ai Volume 7 Issue 9 – Ai PMC Team

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Welcome to Airsoft International Volume 7 Issue 9!

This month we’ve looked at the idea of a “team load out”. To kit the whole gang out and get them looking the part is MUCH easier said than done, but 5.11 Tactical sure made it a little easier to get done!

Elsewhere, we’ve reviewed the Beta Project Tactical AK, a daring AEG idea with a liberal sprinkling of goodies. It;s set to be the flavour of the month.

Elsewhere we show you step-by=-step how to build your own MOSFET, one for the tech geeks out there. Soldering irons at the ready!

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EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Klarus XT11 Tactical Light

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Price £74.95 (inc delivery and batteries) From: http://www.taclight.co.uk

Tested by: Jack Baxter

As a long-term user of the superb Klarus XT10, I’ve got to admit I was a bit unsure as to what a new model could offer. The XT10 gives a 470ANSI Lumen beam for over two hours, with a unique User Interface (UI) that allows instant access to the variable frequency strobe whether the torch is on or off. No memory means that the flashlight always turns on in full-power mode – a regularly requested feature by police and military users.

The XT11 is an evolution of the 10, with the exact same UI, a very similar (but slightly beefier looking) 24.3mm diameter body (perfect for rail mounting) along with IPX-8 dust resistance and 2m waterproofing. The difference is with the output – Klarus have managed to squeeze out a huge 600ANSI lumens, with only a tiny drop in output.

The other change of note is the new, removable stainless steel strike bezel – besides looking fantastic, this tough head can be unscrewed and replaced with a range of Klarus filters – I’ll certainly be investing in the red one, as these are great for preserving your natural night-vision, but green, blue and a white diffusion are also available.

So what’s it like in use? First impressions are of a very well-made piece of kit, and my excellent experience of the XT10 just boosts my confidence that this is a quality lamp. The beam is whiter than the 10′s, and the tweaked reflector design gives a slightly better spread. It’s hard to see any difference in the long-distance reach of the beam, but the XT10 already gave a very good mix of spread and throw.

With the XT10 remaining available, you now have a choice of two rail-mountable, high performance, tactically orientated torches – the 10 costs £62.95, which is superb value for money given the performance… however, the addition of the stainless bezel, compatibility with filters and the higher power makes the £12 premium of the XT11 worthwhile.

If you’re in the market for a flashlight with this kind of performance (and it’s great both on and off the field, so no problems justifying it for the household budget!), I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the Klarus range. I’ll be using this torch rigorously for the next few weeks, so expect an update, and a full comparison of runtimes and performance (yep, I’ve built a data-logging rig to test them) in an issue of Airsoft International soon…

Package includes:

  • KLARUS XT11 Tactical Flashlight
  • Removable stainless steel bezel
  • Removable body clip
  • Removable anti-roll tactical/ combat ring
  • KLARUS heavy duty holster with belt loop and D-ring
  • Lanyard
  • Spare O-rings
  • User Manual with 24 Month Warranty
  • 2x CR123A Batteries FREE

 

Specification

  • Dimension: 148mm (Length), 34.9mm (Head), 24.3mm (Body)
  • Weight: 132g (without battery).
  • Finish: Tough, sealed body with HA Type III anodising.
  • Reflector: Orange peel to provide a smooth, flawless beam and good throw.
  • Lens: Toughened, ultra clear glass

 

Runtimes (based on 1x 18650 Battery):

1. High Mode: 600 ANSI Lumens (2.3 hrs)

2. Medium Mode: 150 Lumens (7.3 hrs)

3. Low Mode: 10 Lumens (295 hrs)

Strobe Mode: 600 Lumens (4.4 hrs)

Ai Volume 7 Issue 8

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Welcome to Airsoft International, Volume 7 Issue 8!

To kick off the new year, we’ve paid homage to the mighty FPS game, Battlefield 3 with out two loadouts, one assaulter and one recon. Elsewhere in the mag, Jack Baxter lifts the lid on the mystery of the Systema PTW and demonstrates how simple it is to perform your own fabled “Hop Mod”. Modding doesn’t stop there either as we show you how to quickly, easily and cheaply stipple your pistol grip for some added skirmish cred!

We also review the Real Sword Type 97 AEG and the KJW KC-02 gas rifle. This is in addition to heaps more of the usual features from Ai that you have come to know and love.

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Kel Tec KSG Shotgun

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Think you’ve seen some tactical shotguns? Think again, the forthcoming KSG from Kel Tec is reportedly as compact as US laws allow and we think it looks awesome.

It’s going to be officially unveiled at SHOT 2012 and we cannot wait to see some airsoft replicas of this!

Check out the Kel Tec site for more information about the KSG Shotgun

Airsoft International – Volume 7 Issue 7 – MOH:T1

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This is our December issue and over the years we have picked up a few things about skirmishing in winter, obviously, it gets cold, it rains and that means you get uncomfortable and have less fun. With our Medal of Honor: Tier 1 themed loadouts, you’ll be warm, dry and still look the business on the skirmish field this winter!

Elsewhere, we’ve reviewed the fantastic Evolution Airsoft LR-300 along with the G&G GR4 G26, is it the best place to start your airsoft adventure? You’ll have to read on to find out!

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Airsoft International – Special Issue 2011 – 38 guns reviewed!

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It’s that special month where you get more Ai for your money! Yes, that’s right, Ai publishes a total of 13 issues per year and we devote one of those issues to a particular subject every time. This year we’ve chosen to do our most comprehensive overview of the AEGs on the market, from AKs to M249s, we’ve looked at the best of the bunch to let you know where to spend your hard earned money.

Check it out here:

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