PTGairsoft

Trojan Olympus site review 23-11-2013

2013-11-23T22:26:00.000+00:00

So here I am again, hoping to start up this blog again. I don't want to make any promises, but things should be on the up.

So to begin, we have been visiting our new local CQB site for some late evening games.
We have been to Trojan Airsoft games in the past, and haven't been disappointed. It is run by Ben and Dale who are in my opinion, very passionate about the game, and this passion is conveyed through the fun games they provide and the work they put into their sites.

With a dynamic layout and multiple floors, Trojan's Olympus site makes for some excellent gameplay and some unforgettable battles.

Over the past few weeks, we have played at the Olympus sites multiple times, and each time, the layout has changed; this great as it is never the same, even for regulars.
A bonus about Olympus is that it is also home to Trojan's shop, which is stocked with pistols, AEGs, Shotguns, Snipers, Tactical gear, consumables and much more.

A nice collection of the
Airsoft guns on sale.

A range of Tactical gear can be purchased
on site.

Trojan Retail opening times.

I couldn't get an pictures of the actual site as I was too busy playing, and it was kind of dark... Very dark actually. If you intend on gaming at Olympus, you WILL need a torch, half of the building is in practically total darkness, which makes for some great ambushes and sneaky knife kills.

They even have a Ghillie Suit.

Overall, my experiences at Olympus and with Trojan as a whole have been excellent! As with most things in life, it isn't perfect, but it's getting there. With the hard working staff constantly improving the site and refining games, I'm sure this will be a venue that many airsofters will frequent and thoroughly enjoy.

Carmont's rating : 7 out of 10

I'm will certainly be returning to Olympus and hopefully can update this post with pictures of the game zone.

- Carmont

Trojan's Facebook - Trojan's Facebook Page

Welcoming Dan and Introducing Project A.A.D.S.

2013-03-19T21:41:00.000+00:00

Hi there guys,

First off let me introduce myself, I'm Dan and have been playing airsoft for little over a year with the guys from PTG. I'm hoping to get to more games over the spring and summer now that I am finishing my second year at University very soon.

Some time this weekend, I will be putting up some written reviews of my current load out and armoury for you to read and at some point, some guides and tutorials when I have extra time. Also as a programmer, I will probably get back on track building a dedicated website for PTG and get it up and running in the near future!

Carmont and I are actually working on a substantial project at the moment that we are not discussing amongst anyone but ourselves. We intend to publish an article at least once a week on the progression of the project and it should be rather exciting! We are naming it Project: A.A.D.S. and hope you will follow our progress and support us through our journey.

I'll leave you guessing what the project entails until next time.

Dan

Carmont's KJWorks KC-02 Update 12-02-2013

2013-02-12T00:46:00.000+00:00

Just a quick post to let you guys know, that I haven't forgot about this.

There have been some changes made to this rifle since my first post regarding it. And there are more to come. It's just taking longer than I anticipated.

To start with I thought I would tackle the thing that bothered me the most, which was that stock, it was almost a bathroom beige colour.
As a test I took the highest grain sandpaper I could get my hands on and got stuck in, and after around 40 minutes of sanding, the effort almost seemed futile. There was so much paint on that thing that it would of taken hours just to get the paint removed, then there is the prep for re-spray, then the re-spray, and all this seemed like far too much effort. So I looked around and I managed to find a pre-owned stock in pretty much mint condition for a great price.

Inaddition to the external improvements, I have changed out the hop bucking as the stock one seem to be sending the BB's flying out to the right, which just isn't practical at all, no amount of compensation could get the B's on target.
So I got myself FALCON Enhanced Hop Up Rubber (60 Degree) and now it is shooting like a dream again.

I will add some pictures of the rifle some time in the next few days, as I'm currently writing this at 01:00am.

Thats all from me on this matter,

Hopefully we will be hearing off Deck in the near future,

- Carmont

Trojan Airsoft Antics 06-02-2013

2013-02-06T10:56:00.002+00:00

Here is a little video we threw together of a few mischievous fellas and their booms!

Stay safe when playing airsoft!

- Carmont

Trojan Airsoft's Grand Opening 06-02-2013

2013-02-06T10:46:00.002+00:00

Trojan Airsoft is woodland site, that is ran by a top notch group of people, and over the weekend they held their grand opening game.

They have turned a bunch of trees into an awesome woodland battlefield which has everything from bunkers to a village, it even has a fort with moat!
Needless to say, this is one of the best woodland sites I have played at.

There were 3 games over the weekend of which PTG attended, and each one was more fun than the last. I did plan to spend a few hours filming over the weekend, but I was so engrossed in the game that I hardly turned my camera on!

The games they had set out were balanced nicely for both teams allowing for CQB and field tactics to be utilised.

Our experience as a team was plundered from the get go on day 1, as half of us were put onto the apposing team, (this was great for me personally, as I got the opportunity to shoot my supervisor from work, which I dont have to tell you is great fun).

All the staff that were there over the weekend were really friendly and were easily approachable, along with the staff from SWAT Paintball & Airsoft who came along to take lots of awesome pictures (Can be found HERE) and give a hand with the marshalling.

A big thank you to Ben and Dale for providing us with an awesome weekend of shooting! We will definitely be returning, and hopefully I can find the time to get filming done and take pictures, maybe even interview a few people!

Thanks

Carmont

Mil-Tec Carrier Vest 'modular System' 9-1-2013

2013-01-09T20:59:00.001+00:00

Here is my review of my newest purchase.

So my experiance with Tac vest, carriers etc, has been somewhat interesting to say the least.

I first started with a chest rig which simply carried 6 M4/M16 style magazines, and with limited MOLLE real esate on it, things were simple.
Then I made the move into a plate carrier, with the hope of being able to set it up in such a way that I could carry a decent ammount of magazines (AEG and pistol), carry my radio, admin, hydration, and other airsoft essentials (snacks being the most important).

But I found that being built like a number 2 pencil, I couldnt get the Carrier to fit me. So I ditched it and played with my pockets, everything went in them. But I found that things started to impede my movement, things would fall out or get broken. So I set about looking for a solution...

And this is what I came up with...

I purchased this from Military1st and my god does it work wonders.

Pros:

Inside pockets for sotring maps, wallets, keys etc

D-rings for use with a Molle belt platform
Lightweight (I can hardly feel the thing)
Lots of Molle to mount whatever I like
Extremly adjustable (fits like a glove)

Con(s):
Lots of flappy straps (easy fix with cable ties or lecky tape)

All this for the sweet price of £35. Also with this I purchased a hydration pouch and bladder to keep myself hydrated during games, and its the perfect set-up for my style of play.

I would confidently recommend this for anyone who is just starting out in airsoft as it's easy on the wallet, nice and lightweight, and most definitely not complex to adjust unlike some other rigs out there.

Carmont

Carmont's KJ Works KC02 03-10-2012

2012-10-03T14:56:00.001+01:00

Right, I am going to be starting a "DMR' project. Something I have wanted to do, but never got round to doing.

So my base gun is going to be the KJ Works KC02.

I got this rifle in a trade on one of the forums I use, which all ready gave me a few things to work with.

As you can see in the picture (right) I got quite a few extras, including;

- 3 x 22rnd Mags

- Magpul Stock (I forget which model)

- LE style stock

- Aimpoint

- Magpul AFG1

- Mock Suppresser

- Selection of rail covers.

Now first things first, I want to get an NPAS fitted, to ensure I can make this rifle meet site FPS limits, which in it's self is a head ache.

Re-spray it, as that 'tan' is awful. Might even go for a mixed paint job.

Also I want to replace the already extended barrel to at least half way through the suppresser.

Upgrade the Hop as at the moment it is a bit naff.

Stick a nice compact scope on there like this one from NCStar.

So what I am asking of you is, if you have dealt with this rifle, what upgrades do you suggest? Brands, parts, BB weights.

I will try keep you guys updated on the progress of this rifle.

Regards

Carmont

*UPDATE*
NPAS Has been ordered, Krylon is inbound. I shall get a little video of each posted when I get time. I sense a lot of cut scenes and censoring the profanity while fitting the NPAS, only time will tell.

We're back! 11-09-2012

2012-09-11T19:13:00.001+01:00

So finally, after far too long, we are back online with a new computer.

I'll be uploading more content now, mostly blogposts, I still need to get the hang of Apple's editing software (I'm getting there slowly).

Remember, we are still very interested in all you guys and gals, so please feel free to submit a player profile to us via ptgairsoft@gmail.com.

So for now, fairwell

Carmont

The Stan - Optac 30-06-2012

2012-06-30T10:14:00.002+01:00

So a few of us headed down to Sheffield to play at the Stan on Sunday. Unfortunately there was only around 20 players in total and for the size of this site it was a shame that more didn't turn up, but we put that behind us and got on with it.

The site consists of the old Stanley factory, where they made Stanley knives and other products. An office block and a 6 story building which I assume was a warehouse. The place could do with a little TLC to clear up some broken glass and patch a few hole in roofs to stop leaks.

We play a variety of games. I particularly enjoyed the last main game in which we had a poker chip 'drugs' and the aim was to collect as many as possible; when you killed a player, you asked them for their chips. There were 3 teams, 2 trying to collect the chips and 5 police officers who would wander round with a case of gold. They would be on the look out for anyone pointing a gun at someone or taking chips, and of course any shooting. Right off the bat we encountered a lone officer... Let the fun begin! We crowed round him asking questions and being a general pain in the arse. Then one brave lad knife killed the officer - let me add, if you killed a police officer, they would then hunt you down for the rest of the game.
Nevertheless Merlin of PTG. Ended up with 4 gold bars and the rest of the team obtained 2 cases which won us the game. It was a good day and I would go back again.

Only bad points would be the dangers of glass everywhere and one of the office floors being flooded. They did have refreshments and snacks for sale and a few AEGs and pistols and a bit of gear.

Friendly marshalls and some excellent gameplay. Between myself and my brother we got some footage and I will be getting a video together as soon as my mac arrives. Not a massive post, but I thought id share this experience with you.

Click the link below to see their website;

OpTac

Carmont

Helikon Delta Jacket review. 26-04-2012

2012-04-26T20:46:00.000+01:00

So this, once again has been long over-due.

I bring you the Helikon Delta Jacket review.

This was kindly sent to me by Military1st to do this review, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for this.

So lets begin, the jacket is part of Helikon's 'Urban tactical line' and let me tell you now, it is AWESOME!
I wore this jacket to the Operation: Homeland game at Sennybridge and it served me well. It has the perfect amount of material to keep you warm, even when it's below zero degrees (along with your other clothing of course) and it still gives you an amazing range of movement.

It is made of a 'Shark skin fabric' that is laminated with a superfine fleece, which gives it a hydrophobic effect, letting water run off it to a certain extent.

One thing that really pleased me and a few others, was the YKK zippers, which Helikon have added some nice little pull tabs that are easy to grab, even when wearing gloves. What makes these different from other pull tabs i have encountered, is the shape and the fact they are made of a solid plastic type material which have a stippling effect on them.

As you can see by the picture (Left) it has 3 external pockets, but it also has 3 internal pockets, which i found of great use to store things like my phone, a couple of allen keys and my GP-68 radio, although the radio was moved to an external pocket for easy access.

I loved the fact that it is so lightweight yet provided all the features I would look for in a fleece. Comfort, warmth and for me personally, coverage. I find that being tall can sometimes be an issue when buying jackets, shirts etc. but this is just right.

I am seriously considering buying this jacket, which can be bought from Military1st for £52.99 which I think is a very reasonable price for such a high quality jacket. CLICK HERE FOR THE PRODUCT LINK

OP: Homeland overview 10-04-2012

2012-04-10T21:50:00.002+01:00

Hello again guys and gals, today, I'll be writing about the awesome weekend that myself and PTG attended this weekend past.

Firstly apologies for the absence of images, as the MOD (Ministry of Defense) didn't want the public taking any pictures or video footage for this event. Although the C3 staff were given permission to take photos, they have yet to release them, I will get some posted as soon as they are available.

So for the basics;
We were at Sennybridge, an MOD FIBUA training site and my goodness, it is an outstanding place to battle. It is in the middle of nowhere in Wales, and although it's an understatement, it's cold!

OP: Homeland was basically a civil war in the UK, with 2 sides; The Royalists (the team we were on) who were a group of ex-military and civilians rising up against the government, fighting for queen and country, and the Parliamentarians, the government forces trying to quell the Royalists.

Unfortunately the numbers expected for the event were never met, so compromises were made, and eventually it all fell into place and we started enjoying ourselves!

The event ran between Friday 6th to Sunday 8th of April; 3 days and 2 nights of countless firefights, explosions, stealth missions and the 1000 yard stare all airsofter's are familiar with.

Thanks have to go out to the C3 staff for organizing the event, the crazy Golik brothers for providing amazing explosions and pyrotechnics throughout the weekend. Also to team Defiance who were by our side throughout the weekend, they are an awesome bunch of lads who gave it their all and then some!

I also have to give Kudo's to the D5 lads on the 'Parly' force. If any of you are reading this, it is quite a thing to see you lots chucking pyro, impact grenades and yourselves into buildings and having it cleared withing a few minutes.

I'm sure I speak on behalf of everybody that attended when I say we had an outstanding time, and still have ringing ears thanks to the ending of the game, with a whole building full of pyro going BOOM!.

I would recommend for anybody to get themselves to a game held at sennybridge in the future, as it's a great site to play at, and a great experience as well, with purpose built buildings, spent cartridges and burnt out tanks plotted around the site, you truly feel like your in a real life battle.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I will get some pictures posted as soon as they have been vetted by the MOD and are available.

Till next time,
have fun and keep safe

Carmont

Marksman's guide to player roles (Support Gunner) 03-03-2012

2012-03-03T19:03:00.000+00:00

The Support Gunner.

The Support Gunner provides the brute force for the team, they are the
hard hitters who can provide heavy covering fire and lay down a hail
of rounds quickly and effectively. Support Gunners are some of the
lesser used roles and aren’t as common as other jobs, this is normally
down to the types of gun they use and that they don’t appear at first
glance to be as fun as other roles.
However, Gunners can be a very helpful and useful asset and help
provide the rest of the player with a large amount of fire power
whilst still being able to move relatively quickly. A Support Gunner
should be able to use this you their advantage and be able to use
their large amount of ammo to help provide their team the opportunity
to move and do their jobs.

So what should a Support Gunner use, what does he need?

The choices for a support gun aren’t as wide as other types of rifles
in airsoft, though there is still a good amount to choose from. The
most popular are the M249 and M60 series which come in various
versions from different manufacturers. There are also the options of
Light support weapons such as the L86 and MG36. These often come
pre-fitted with a bipod which is a great help as they tend to be heavy
and this will take the weight of the shooter and help stabilise the
weapon. Optics can also be used but that’s down to the user. More
often than not, high capacity box or drum magazines are used which
gives the player a greater amount of ammo which will provide an
advantage when firing.

What should a Support Gunner wear and why?

As with the gear for most player in airsoft, what you wear really is
down to you. However you won’t need many pouches as you’ll probably
only need one mag due to the high capacity. Also, your primary weapon
will more than likely be heavy so a decent sling is a good idea and a
piece of kit that is worth having. You might decide that you don’t
want a vest or plate carrier or just a very low profile rig, this
might help you in terms of manoeuvrability as it will allow you to be
quicker and speed up your movement. You might want a small holster to
keep a side–arm in which will allow you in an event where you need to,
to let go of your primary and use a lighter weapon.

The Job?

The Support Gunner’s main job is suppression, this is the covering
fire that will be used to force enemies to get down or move out of
their positions because of the sheer amount of rounds coming their
way. It is an important role that not many people are interested in
but it can greatly boost the abilities of a team or squad and allow
the rest of the players who can then push up and secure objectives and
other places.
The support gunner should be capable of looking for and trying to
prioritise targets to suppress and hold up, this will give other
player the chance to do their respective jobs more quickly and easily.
You will however need to be prepared for a heavier gun but the amount
of ammo you can carry and put down range can counter that and make the
role a position that is widely useful in a variety of situations.

First weekender of 2012.

2012-02-22T22:19:00.000+00:00

So, whilst Skirmish days are all well and fun, sometimes you just need a weekend long game to get your fix, and me and the rest of the PTG lads are going to make a trip down to Sennybridge to bring the pain. C3 Tactical are putting on Operation Homeland taking place 06.04.12-08.04.12 Here's the run down;

Royalists (DPM and civvie mix) vs Parliamentarians (Multicam and Desert DPM), it's a British civil war theme.
It's going to be a milsim event so ammo restrictions will be in play
There's a command structure in play and the squad leaders will be given comms to chat with command
Real world missions (I already know one but cannot say, but it does look cool)
Night gaming so NVGs can be used but I know me and the other PTG lads will be bringing tac lights (it will also be a full moon so NVGs will be in their element). However comms will need to be kept spot on.
Both teams already have their own pages on FB to get people planning and what not.
I've had a PDF emailed to me after I paid for my place that is very very well put together
It's Sennybridge man.
PTG will be getting some footage.

All in all I'm looking forwards to this weekender, well thought out, good time of the year, all I need is more Parliamentarians to shoot please.

http://www.c3tactical.co.uk/homeland.htm

-Decktron

Miniview Flyye Law ENF Chest Rig - 12-02-2012

2012-02-12T13:46:00.000+00:00

Hey guys we've been lucky,

Military1st have been kind enough to send us the Flyye Industries Law ENF Chest Rig to review. So here's Carmont's thoughts on it.

Firstly, this is extremely lightweight, I own a TMC chest rig, and it feels like a car on your chest compared to this.

It is really comfy as far as chest rigs go, and is fully adjustable for height and width, so no matter what your size, you will be able to use this product with ease. This is extremely helpful for me, being 6ft5 poses a couple of issues when adjusting my plate carrier, but with this, I can have it as low as my belt right up to my chest (hence the name chest rig) I like to wear mine kind of low, to accommodate my long arms, and with the Law ENF chest rig, I can do that.

Features;

- 1000D Cordura,

- One size fits all,

- Made to military specs,

- 3 Open top M4 magazine pouches,

- Map pouch,

- Duraflex quick release buckles,

- Only weighs 700grams.

I really like the magazine pouches, I've seen open top pouches before, but none like these. They are lined with a rubbery plastic, with a felt like layer. This combination holds the magazines in there with ease, the only way those magazines will come out is when you pull them

I personally would add a single M4 mag pouch to the left side of the rig, this would give you the reassurance that you have enough ammo to last.

For £39.99, this is definitely on my wish list to replace my current chest rig.

All in all, this is a brilliant bit of kit, and should be in all of your hands, whether you are a vet or a newbie, this will serve you well.

Check out Military1st for lots of awesome gear!

Youtube Channel, Game footage. 05-02-2012

2012-02-05T17:28:00.000+00:00

So I finally got my Contour HD camera, and took it along with me to SWAT Area 51. And the outcome, well to be honest, wasn't brilliant.

To start off with, I had to borrow some goggles off a friend to mount it, as the strap on my mesh goggles just don't cut it.
So I got a few clips to start off, just to align it (with the integrated dual lasers). then when it came to game time, I flipped it to record and we were off.

Then I had the problem of the little safety clip rattling around making so much noise next to the microphone, I will have this taped down from here on out.

But as soon as I got hit, I turned it off so there wasn't masses of me walking around and not a lot of action. And because the camera itself is so god damn light, I forgot I was wearing it and kept forgetting to record.

So the results are in, and I've done a quick shabby edit and uploaded to our Youtube channel, which you can find a link on the right hand side of the blog, or at the top of the page.

Needless to say, I shall have to get used to having this thing recording.

Marksman's Guide to player roles (Rifleman). 03-02-2012

2012-02-03T20:35:00.003+00:00

I enjoy helping the newer players and those who need it so i thought a
series of guides to expand on my first is a good idea. These will
hopefully cover all aspects of the game and be of use. The first few
will outline the basic roles that can be played in airsoft and how
they work.

The Rifleman.

The rifleman is the mainstay of any team, the building blocks that
allow all other roles and members to play effectively. It may appear a
role that could be seen as boring or an option that may not interest
you but they are needed more than any other role. And they are
actually one of the best roles to take and do get most of the action.
The rifleman is the most versatile role in the game, you need to be
adaptable and capable of fighting in all possible situations, his kit
should reflect that and be tailored to make the job easier for the
player. A rifleman has to be versatile and use kit that will allow him
to be able to be helpful in all situations.

So what should a rifleman use, what does he need?

Well, funnily enough a rifle. Which type is up to himself but
something along the lines of an M4, g36 or similar style gun,
customisation of the rifle can easily be done, most have readily
available RIS and rail kits to add the likes of fore grips and
attachments. Optics can also be used, a simple red dot or reflex style
sight is more than good enough and can aid with target acquisition.
There isn’t a need for magnification but ACOG’s and similar are
popular and can help with looking at long ranges.
A sidearm can be of use but a lot of the time they are not needed,
some people use them, some have them and dont use them and others dont
see the need. Its up to you whether you feel as though it will help

What should a rifleman wear and why?

This can’t really be answered by someone else, it needs to be
something that won’t hinder you, and it needs to be easy to use in a
stressful situation. They need to be able to carry all their kit
comfortably, and try to keep weight down. There are a lot of options
for carrying your mags, ammo, radio and any other equipment you need,
plate carriers, assault vest and all load bearing kit in between can
be used, it’s just as earlier stated, down to the user as there are so
many different types available. The best thing to do is look around
and find something that can hold everything you need that you like the
look of and can work with together with your rifle

The Job?

A rifleman’s main job is to be the driving force for the team; they
will be taking objectives, holding positions and pushing forwards.
They are the ones who make up the main part of the team and are the
ones who are relied on to be at the forefront of the battle and
enabling the rest of the player to be able to do their jobs. Without
the rifleman a team won’t be able to function properly.

The rifleman should be ready for anything; he needs to be capable of
recognising opportunities and helping other members of his group to be
able to do their jobs. They need to be versatile and be able to adapt
and change according to the situations that there in. A team wouldn’t
be able to work without them due to the help they can provide.

Cheap, tatty, but oh so practical, Decktrons new bag - 27-01-2012

2012-01-27T21:19:00.000+00:00

Ok, so myself and Carmont are in town today picking up a couple of new toys and I see this beauty. It was love at first sight and I needed it, so I got it, I've been looking at grab bags for a while and nothing really struck me. How ever I'm a sucker for a bargain and at £8 for this respirator bag my imagination ran wild.

So for a quick run down of the guts of this bag. First up there's a flap that has a pocket you can fit a BFG in along with a few blanks or something else you don't want to get wet. Then there's two pockets on either side with a divider that can be un Velcro'd for larger objects but with divider they're perfect for bottles of water, radios, smoke grenades, m203 shells, tornado grenade, cans of coke, what ever you want. The main compartment has enough room (when filled with bottles of water, m203s etc) to fit 7 or 8 M4 magazines and at a rough guesstimate 5 or 6 AK mags.

So here it is loaded with 5 M4 mags, 1 bottle of water, a smoke grenade, gp68 pmr, and a tin of deodorant pretending to be an m203 shell, in the closable pocket I've put an orange in because I don't have a BFG at hand.

So seeing as I've put my PMR in the main compartment I decided to set up my PTT so I can run my bowman.

To make sure that the wires didn't get in the way of the magazines I ran them through some loops on the back of the bag.

there's another pocket on the side that you can shove an M4 mag in (magpul optional) for quick reloads for when you're caught with your pants down.

A mod the previous owner done to this bag was to attach carabina clip to a loop at the bottom to attach to a belt loops to avoid the bad swinging about when running which in my opinion is genius.

In conclusion I'm more than happy with this purchase and the fact that for £8 I can carry a days worth of skirmish gear in a surprisingly convenient package. Definitely going to be running this at SWAT this weekend.

Buy your own here http://www.action-station.co.uk/hardware-and-kit/miscellaneous-army-surplus-mil/showitem-RESPIRATOR-BAG.aspx at £9.50 online including postage it's a steal.

Thanks for reading

Decktron.

*Update*

So I used this at SWAT Urban on Sunday and it held its own, all round, seeing into the bag was slightly difficult to see into the bag whith goggles on. The bag didn't flap around thanks to the clip and it held enough mags for a few hours of fighting. It didn't get in the way of my one point sling either. I'd happily pay twice as much for this. The only problem is that it was sometimes difficult to get mags back in after reloads. Next game I'm just going to use it as a dump pouch in conjunction with my FSBE.

Beginners guide to airsoft - 26-01-2012

2012-01-26T18:34:00.000+00:00

Marksman's Guide to airsoft.

The Beginners Guide To Airsoft
In this guide I will be writing to try and help people who are new to the sport and help them to make the correct decisions.

Before you go off and start buying anything, the best thing to do is to go and play a few games first, that'll let let you know how you want to play and if it is something that you are sure that you want to spend money on- an believe me this is not a cheap sport.

YOUR GUN

Now it is first important to understand that getting a specialist rifle, such as a sniper rifle is NOT a good idea as you may quickly become bored or annoyed at not having the adaptability of assault rifles.

This is undoubtedly the part of your kit that you want the most, and it’s important to choose the right one for you as you will be using this lot, you should take time choosing one that right for you

There are many types of guns, as you should already know, but choosing a good gun to start with narrows it down a bit. Ideally you need one where you can easily get spares and upgrades very easily. You also will need magazines that are readily availaible, so the following rifles are probably the best to start with:

M16/M4's
http://t0.gstatic.co...cVfwC_DL0yW_C4Q

G36's

MP5's
http://t3.gstatic.co...3i4SQRRGbkVriHQ

AK47's.
http://t0.gstatic.co...uFiVVL8onisS75g

You should NOT get a gbbr (gas blowback rifle) for your first gun as they require more maintenance and looking after than AEG's (automatic electric guns), and as such are not advisable

These are guns recommended to new players.

The low end, cheap recommended makes are:

For M4's: Classic Army Sportline, ICS plastic series, G&G

For G36's: SRC, Jing Gong

For MP5's: Classic Army Sportline, Jing Gong, G&G

For AK's: Classic Army Sportline, G&G, Cyma

These are all good versions of each of the guns that won't hurt the wallet, but be aware that they won't be up to the same standards as their more expensive versions.

Magazines
You need to decide what mags (magazines) you want- low, mid or high capacity.

High caps have wheels on the bottom that you have to wind but you get much more rounds in them normally between 300 and 450

Mid caps have no winding, but are loaded from a speed loader and hold from 75 to around 150

And lows have no winding, but are loaded from a speed loader and hold from around 30-50

Batteries
Batteries should also be taken into consideration, do you want a larger one that'll last all-day but need a large place to put it (solid stock etc.) or smaller ones that don't need a full stock or to be seen.
Larger batteries are often put inside full, solid stock whereas the smaller types are normally kept in handguards.
you will also here about Lipo's (lithium polymer batteries)- I personnaly do not recommend these for beginners.

A standard, mini type battery
http://t2.gstatic.co...qBbC91zD_kXW1xw

Your physical size maybe a point to look at, if you’re small, an mp5 maybe better for you than a full stock m4 or AK47

SNIPER RIFLES
I cant stress this enough, getting a sniper rifel for your first gun isn't a great idea, it greatly limits the possibilities of what you can do with your gun and leaves you with one option- to snipe.
This is bad for new players as it is slow and you need a lot of patience, it is also frustrating being able to only use single shot guns. Most people get bored of them after 1 or two games and then have to pay more to get another AEG.

That's enough for rifles for now; let's move on to pistols, and handguns

PISTOLS
Ok firstly it is important to note that getting a pistol as a beginner it won’t see much use unless you set out to use it, so unless you desperately you should spend any money you have for a pistol on either A, a better rifle or B magazines/batteries/accessories for your primary weapon.

There are many makes of pistols, as well as variants and designs. Again if you are choosing a pistol you should spend time thinking about what type and model you want. The models for pistols i reccomend are m1911's and Hi-capa's, these have a lot of after market support, should something go wrong

M1911
http://t0.gstatic.co...g-yVdmAVm4DpbZU

Tokyo Marui, are usually a very good choice when it comes to pistols. When it comes to reliability they are second to none, however expect to pay more than you would for other makes to get one. They normally have plastic slides but they are great quality and plastic slides are often far more reliable.

WE, one of the cheaper makes of pistols are often praised for being cheap but maintaining a good quality for their price. Most of these are also full metal, including the slide unlike tm. This means there will be more kick- due to the weight but less economic with gas, using more for each shot.

Socom Gear, This company makes some great pistols, they are normally upgraded versions of the WE pistols, however, expect to have to pay for it.

Ammunition

The BB's you choose to use can affect the performance of your gun, and it is a good idea to try different weights and brands to find the best for you

Firstly, never use any weight below 0.2g, they will be lower quality and not as good

0.2g are the lightest, and cheapest but are affected by wind and other background conditions more than heavier ones
The heavier they are the less theyre affected by other conditions like rain etc, but after some point, the weight will decrease range
I normally find that 0.25 provide the optimum performance and range- however obviously there will be people who disagree, and that's because different guns like different weights.

Another thing with choosing your ammo is the make/brand. I would suggest the madbull and excel bb's and these are my most used and trusted makes. Excel is widely believed to be the best make of bb's. Blaster, also make very high quality bb's

Glasses, goggles and face protectors.

This is the single most important piece of kit you will own, do not buy cheap.
We were all new once, so I understand people not wanting to fork out on expensive face protection as it can be expensive.
Do not be lead down this road, you only get one pair of eyes, dont risk them by using rubbish face protection

The safety ratings/marking you should have on the eyeware are: ANSI Z87 (US Safety rating) or EN166 (European Rating also known as BS EN 166:2002) This will show that they have been approved and safe for usd

For glasses ESS ice 2.4, or 3.0 both are brilliant and not too expensive.

If you would prefer to wear goggles I reccomend the ESS V12's

Masks, I don't think masks with plastic Windows are helpful, they tend to steam up and be a pain, I suggest using the black bear mesh masks as I have seen them shrug off multiple high powered shots in quick succession and that is what a good masks should be capable of

Brands to look at: ESS, Bulle, Guarder, Heroshark, Black bear
I cannot stress this enough. SAFETY first, safety is the most important thing to remember

Boots

These are another extremely important item that should not be skimped out on, they will save your ankles someday, I believe that everyone has different tastes in boots etc, so I can't say the single best make.

What I would do is try waking boots, anything with good ankle support and/or head to your local army surpluses store and check their stuff out,
I find magnums to be of very good quality, however so looking at them may be a good idea for you.

Tactical vests, rigs and equipment

If you are new and just starting, the best vest for you I think will be a viper vest, they are cheap at less than £30 but will do the job until you fork out for a higher end product.

I have seen many of the older players using these and I have used one myself, I believe these easily sort out this problem.

this is a viper vest you can get for £20-30
http://t3.gstatic.co...Ud7V4fhWaJJzpHA

Combats/bdu's (battle dress uniform)

Quite simple really, head to your local surplus store and pick up some dpms (disruptive pattern material)- the british army style which can be found very cheap, look on ebay too.

If you want a specific type of camo, Google is your friend.

Look on land warrior airsoft too as they have some very uncommon unique camo styles on there for decent prices. These are good for teams to looks unique and as a group as most of these are not bought by most people. Most tend to buy multicam/dpm etc.

DPM ubacs (under body armour combat shirt)
http://www.premiersu...&ref=0634&save=

Thanks for reading.

Marksman

Marcus Parker - New Blogger 26-01-2012

2012-01-26T18:14:00.001+00:00

So guys short post today, we have a new member on the PTGairsoft blog team.

He's called Marcus 'Marksman' Parker, and will be contributing towards the posts. And from what I know his first post will be a nice little guide for beginners.

Check out his bio http://ptgairsoft.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html

Thanks for reading

Carmont

Contour 1080p HD 24-01-2012

2012-01-24T15:04:00.000+00:00

So, as some of you may already know, we are going to be getting hold of some Contour 1080p HD cameras, so we can get game footage for your entertainment.

One of these little beauties.

At first we will only have the one camera (owned by Carmont) which will be mainly mounted as a head cam, but will also have the option of mounting it as a gun cam. Logic says that when your taking a building, or an area where there are hostiles, you would have your gun up and ready to fire, we are going to utilize this and hopefully get you some good action footage while not having to look at the ground 90% of the time.

Now over time, we are looking to acquire maybe 1 or 2 more mountable cameras (most likely Contours) so we can give you a much wider spectrum of gaming, from all different angles.

If you have any tips on using a Head/Gun Cam, or is there is a viewing style that you prefer (Once again head/gun cam) please let us know in the comment, or alternatively, send us an E-mail (our address can be found in the Contact us page)

Carmont

Highs and lows of Shot Show. 22-01-2012

2012-01-22T13:24:00.001+00:00

OK so during what I seen of Shot Show I saw some awesome products as well as some items that made me lose a little faith in man kind. I may touch on some of the really bad things in another post but for now I'm just gonna list some stuff I'm excited about.

The Magpul PDR, was seen at Shot Show last year as a non working prototype and again this year as a working prototype. This is going to be one of my definite purchases this year as I love myself a CQB weapon.
THE MOTHER FLIPPIN' KWA KRISS!!!!!! Now in case you've just been defrosted here's a bit of info. This is one that splits people due to it being featured in a certain FPS game, how ever it was in a episode of Future Weapons donkey's years ago. Again another definite purchase.
Now here's one Carmont is in love with and I sure can admire, deep breath party people, ASYMMETRIC WARRIOR® ASW338LM Precision Sniper Rifle System, I know very little about this apart from it looks cool and I probably won't buy one but I wouldn't blame anyone for doing so.
KWA Makarov, now I'm not that big on Russian weapons but i'd defiantly pick one up one day.
CZ Scorpion, some space age SMG that Carmont will be more than happy to fill people in on, would look mighty fine with a Five seveN.

Curious to hear what everyone else is excited about in the heavily underused comments section.

Peace out

Decktron

So here are my thoughts on the guns that Decktron has mentioned.

KWA Kriss Vector GBB, This could potentially replace most GBB's in a CQB environment due to it's popularity. I think it is a great looking gun, and have done ever since it was shown on Future Weapons. What concerns me about this gun, is being able to do a quick mag change, as it seems the mag release is situated quite far from the magazine it's self, do it could be quite tricky. so practice would be in order. All in all though, I will definitely be getting myself one of these with a bunch of mags to rain noisy gassy hell on the OpFor
MAGPUL PDR, Now when I first saw this, I nearly hurled everywhere, but now, the more and more I see it, the more I like it. The fact that is a small compact gun, that takes standard M16 magazines is brilliant, It means you don't have to go purchasing a load of new magazines if you already have an M4/M16 already (Like I do). Will definitely be keeping an eye on this.
As for the ASG ASW338LM sniper platform, I think this looks fantastic. To me it is like the good looking cousin of the M14 EBR series. I also really like the carbon fiber rail system, although i personally would have the whole gun in black.
And finally the CZ EVO Scorpion. This fantastic little rifle is also going to be a big contender in the CQB realm. nice compact platform with a nice amount of rail space for mounting all the little goodies we like to add. I did notice the real steel version comes with four different firing flavors. safe, semi, 2 round burst and full auto, I do hope they bring this to the airsoft version, I'm sure some of you will already know if it does have this feature, I just haven't been following this gun as much as some other gear.

So the boffins behind airsoft have treated us well with all these cool new products, lets hope they live upto the hype.

Please leave a comment about what your most excited about.

Carmont

The Airsoft Exchange 20-01-2012

2012-01-20T22:25:00.003+00:00

Hello again guys, just wanted to do a little post about a brilliant forum we have been using recently.

It's called The Airsoft Exchange, TAE for short.
It has been live now for a few months, and I personally have been using it for roughly a month now, and have really enjoyed being apart of the community.

It is run by a really good bunch of lads, who know how to have a laugh with the game, but also know their stuff. I have learnt quite a lot thanks to their tutorials that are created by other members of the forum, and also laugh my socks off at the banter that goes on.

The layout and design of the website it extremely user friendly, to the point where a technophobe would be able to get around and use the forum with ease.

The mod's on there are really friendly and patient, and are very quick to reply to any queries you may have. Also they let you have freedom of speech (with in reason) you can name any retailers you want to, unlike some other forums, where they are 'associated' with a retailer and ban any talk of the competition.

So why not give it a go, and discover a brilliant ad active airsoft community. I did, and haven't looked back.

Click the TAE banner below to go over to their website.

Carmont

ICS M1 Garand AEG 19-01-12

2012-01-19T12:09:00.000+00:00

So I saw something mentioned on a retailers Facebook page about an M1 Garand AEG and just didn't quite believe it, I thought it may have just been something mentioned by someone who walked a guys dog or what not, until Evike posted this. For those of you who don't want to or cannot be bothered sitting through an Evike video for various reasons here's the low down:

It's going to be using an M14 gearbox so if you're familiar with one of them you're in luck.
There's going to be an affordable imitation wood stock version and a pricey wood stock version.
It's going to hold more than 8 rounds.
Adjustable hop up.
Large type battery in the stock.
Semi auto only (like the real thing)

Personally I'm sortta excited about this as the M1 Garand AEG would be perfect for WW2 players as well as 'Nam Softers who are going for an early 'Nam load out. I'll post more info as I hear about it. I'm glad Evike posted the video.

Decktron.

*Update*

It's going to be 8mm, sortta disappointing.

News Update - KWA Kriss Vector GBB 17-01-12

2012-01-17T17:01:00.006+00:00

So this is what everyone has been waiting for! The KWA Kriss Vector GBB.

We have all been drooling over the thought of owning one of these since KWA announced it at Shot Show 2011, and now that the Shot Shot 2012 is kicking off, KWA have released much sought after pictures and information on this outstanding piece of kit!

Here is a post that the guys at KWA posted on their Facebook

KWA Kriss Vector GBB

‎"KWA Unveiled The KRISS Vector GBB Plus Updates New Product Pricing And Availability

Las Vegas, NV and City of Industry, CA – January 17th, 2012 – KWA unveiled the highly anticipated KRISS Vector GBB and updated pricing and availability for new products at the 2012 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference (SHOT Show) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The previously announced TT-33, HK45, 945C pistols as well as the upcoming AKR ERG (Electric Recoil Gun) Series have passed field-testing and are in production for a spring release.
SHOT Show 2012 attendees who visit the KWA booth at SHOT (Booth 20515 – Level 2 Law Enforcement & Tactical Gear Section) will get a sneak peek of the near-production KWA KRISS Vector GBB prototype. The KWA KRISS Vector GBB is the exclusive training counterpart to the .45 ACP KRISS Vector submachine gun and mimics every feature found in the firearm, including the patented KRISS Super V system. Law enforcement and military professionals will appreciate the authentic replication of the external controls down to the field stripping procedures. The KWA KRISS Vector is undergoing extensive field-testing, with production and delivery scheduled for this summer. Street price for the KWA KRISS Vector GBB is estimated to be below $400."

So for us in the UK we are looking at paying anywhere from £260 to around
£320 at a guess. Which in my honest opinion is a steal for this gun.

We really like the different fire modes they have added to this gun, Single shot, 2 round burst and fully automatic. and it has a separate safety lever.
Also we have noticed the serial number, which seems to be unique, but we can't tell for sure. It also has a functioning bolt catch which im sure all you milsim junkies out there will love.

All in all this looks like a really nice product by KWA, and I can't wait to get my dirty little mits on one of these. and will be bringing you guys a full in depth review when they are released!

We will keep you guys posted with any upcoming information on this product.

* Disclaimer* All photos in this post are property of KWA, as is the information posted on facebook.

Carmont

*Update*

According to this video mags will hold 50 rounds unlike the previous video that wrongly stated 70 rounds, whilst 70 rounds would be awesome, 50 rounds is still a nice amount for CQB which is usually played semi auto only. Also has anyone noticed the two screws under the charging handle? I think they'll be bringing out add on rails too.

Update v2:

KWA have released some spcifications on the Kriss Vector.

Specification

Overall Length (Retracted) = 40 cm [15.75"]
Overall Length (Extended) = 63 cm [24.80"]
Overall Height = 17.5 cm [6.89"]
Inner Barrel Diameter = 6.05 mm
Weight = 2.83 kg [6.24 lbs]
Caliber = 6 mm
Magazine Capacity = 24 [50] rounds
Rate of Fire = 20+ RPS
Velocity = 110-116 MPS [360-380 FPS]
Energy Output with 0.20g BB = 1.2 Joules
Gas System = Force Velocity
Propellant = Gas

Special Features

Adjustable Hop-Up
Folding Stock
Accessory Rails
Semi, 2 round burst, and full auto select fire
Closed Bolt, simulated KRISS Super V System delayed-blowback
Fiber reinforced polymer upper and lower receiver
Aluminum alloy inner frame
Realistic construction and field stripping

Decktron's Vest set up, Bulle FSBE 12-01-12

2012-01-12T19:47:00.000+00:00

So here we have my vest, same old vestin the video here but a different set up, this is for the up coming game at SWAT Urban as it's my first game in what feels like ages (a month haha) and I'm far to stoked for it and have been sorting out all of my kit (more about that later).

The vest it's self is extremely well made, a fair amount of MOLLE (seen more, and seen a lot less, just wait for my next vest review) being Bulle the quality is what you'd expect (good) and the colour is spot on unlike some of my pouches on it.

So here's the general lay out, TMC open top mag pouches for a total of 8 m4 mags, g-code holster for my WE 1911, admin pouch with element PTT, name tapes, and pork eating crusader patch (a tad un P.C but I do enjoy eating pork and crusading), and Condor pistol mags. You can also see my replica bowman headset to the left as well as my dog who decided he wanted to be in the picture.

Round the back is my TMC radio pouch with my GP68 which is used by the rest of the team, Here you can see the Tan Bowman replica.

Here is a better view of my G-Code holster (may do a better review as it is a piece of kit I haven't seen in the UK despite the reasonable price and insane build quality, there's a video of this thing being run over). It's Kydex made, has a quick release feature, allows a full grip when drawing pistol and is just plain nice.

Here we have a better view of the PTT which is there because I lost the clip on the back of it. The comms set up is still to be tested as I have extremely bad luck with everything electric (M4 is a perfect example) and therefore haven't had a chance to use the PTT or Bowman, however Alias has a similar comms set up and has found it reliable. I like to run an admin pouch so I can keep money, keys and stuff where I know it is as well as showing off patches :P

Overall the vest itself is spot on and this set up has used almost all of the MOLLE on the front whilst not being too to heavy, for extra support I've inserted polystyrene SAPI plates just to make it a tad more rigidity. This is just a general guy with a gun set up, nothing to fancy, practical for outdoor play (lots of ammo) and light enough for CQB play which is perfect for SWAT Area 51 as games usually go from outdoor to indoor.