During research for an upgrade for an AGM M4 GBBR it was noted that the Element MagPul CTR stock might be able to fit the commercial spec buffer tube that was going to be used in the upgrade. A quick run to the local airsoft store netted a new in the box CTR stock to test with.



Top – Element CTR; Bottom – MagPul MOE



First Impressions Having handled a real steel AR-15 maxed out with MagPul MOE furniture it was noticed that the stock was an exact copy. Not a single detail was left out including the casting marks on the left side. Other than a few small items that were not exactly the same the stock was easily mistaken for the real deal. The color was a slight mismatch but when not next to a real MagPul item it was nearly impossible to know.



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I am always on the lookout for new technology to add to my kit. I was intrigued by the FastMAG clones that are abundant on the market right now. The design looked amazingly simple and rugged. Being ever the one to see something first hand to judge it, I ordered a pair of them from Panhandle Airsoft for a nice low price of $20.

 



 

Initial Impressions Pulling them out of the package, they were noticeably light. After weighing them it showed that the Molle one (the one with the two tabs at the top) was 3.5oz, the duty belt version (minus the tabs) was 3.3 oz. I had expected a bit more considering they are going to be holding onto a 1lb 12oz AGM GBBR magazine (or 1.7oz real steel magazine). The rubber straps that hold the units to the Molle or belt are pretty tight with excellent elasticity and good resistance to stretch. When released they return...

What can I say, I have been bitten by the Magpul bug. I recently got a real Magpul hand guard for my AR-15 and knew that I had to get one for my replica as well. With no budget to buy another full set of MOE furniture for the replica it was down to clone parts to do the job. Luckily the crew over at Panhandle Airsoft was able to supply a hand guard to satiate the hunger for MOE parts.

 



 

First Impressions Having used the real Magpul components on my real steel AR-15 to excellent effect there were high expectations for the clone parts to meet. Though as always with clone equipment there are concerns with quality and reliability it really wasn't that tall of an order for a mere hand guard. Pretty simply it is a static piece of plastic that should do nothing more than hold its position as much as possible.

 

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Now I have been running gas replicas for the better part of the 10+ years that I have been playing airsoft and I love them… I really do. But there is just something about the reliability of those electrics that always has me keeping one or two in my collection for those cold winter days or close quarter games where I need super reliability for every shot. Having only recently gotten into the CQB fad of replicas I found that my super short M4 was severely lacking comparative to the standard 'BB hoses' that are now the norm. Raptors Airsoft was there to remedy that problem though. They were nice enough to let me review the Element High Speed motor for the M4 (Long type V2) and to get my shorty ready for the upcoming OP: FEAR.



First Impressions

 

This is a very solid motor. For the first few rotations by hand I was almost sure that there was something wrong with the magnets on the inside as it was very hard to turn over. Once I applied power to it I was shocked that it spun quite as fast as it did. Turns out that the reason it is hard to turn is that the magnets are more powerful and different spacing than a regular or high torque setup that I am used to. The build quality is excellent all over. With a plastic bell housing holding a bearing for the axle it is at least as good as a Systema motor in that respect. The plastic is very heat tolerant. Application of a red hot metal pin does not cause a lot of damage, in fact it practically absorbs all of the heat immediately and retains excellent shape. This is a requirement for heat dissipation from the bearing....

As quoted by the Raptors Airsoft on Ebay here is a description of the Army of Two mask that was purchased.



These Masks are durable, light weight, and are one of the most intimidating masks on the market. Features:   Eyes are made out of 22 gauge wire mesh to prevent a BB from Penetrating. Foam cushion pads located inside the mask provide a comfortable fit Spider type 5 point strap Designed to allow for maximum airflow Is rubber coated on the interior to avoid a "fiberglass smell" Never fogs up because of mesh design Mask comes matte-black so you can easily paint it. Note:You must wear goggles or safety glasses under the mask.



 

I got this mask for an all indoors CQB game where full face protection is required. The only other times I have used full face masks was my MCU/2P gas mask with the protective lens cover. Considering that this game was for a summer...

Everyone runs into a situation once in a while that just can't be solved with a real capacity magazine, or a mid cap, or even a hi-cap. Once in a great while you just need a drum or box magazine to get things done. Well in search of a great deal on a rarely used component (for me that is, your mileage may vary) I came across something I just HAD to try. 5000 rounds at my disposal sounded too good to be true for the low price it was selling for so I had to try one out.







First Impressions

After giggle for a few minutes when I opened the box I finally picked it up and it was light… very light in fact. It felt like it was missing some parts. Nothing rattled or made any undue noise and it appeared that all the parts were there but it just felt off. I have felt TM hi-caps with more meat than this box. Does it affect performance? Not at all, in fact...

Overview of how the NPAS works

The NPAS system of nozzles for GBB rifles is an interesting design. Normally the nozzles that come stock in GBBRs are of a positive system meaning that the valve inside the nozzle is kept in an open state during the initial firing of the BB until the pressure in the barrel drops enough that the gas pressure overcomes the gas/spring pressure that is keeping it open. Once the valve moves forward and closes the system will begin to push the bolt carrier to the rear and begin the cycle. What the NPAS does is allow the distance and spring pressure that the valve has to move to be adjusted. When adjusted fully open the valve is further from the closed position and will allow more pressure to flow into the barrel and thus give a higher BB speed before the valve closes off. The reverse is true when the NPAS has been adjusted to an almost fully closed state. Less gas is directed into the barrel and before it begins the carrier cycle.

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The latest craze in airsoft is the GBB rifle lines. If you have been on any site in the past year you have seen the news of them go from pure skepticism, evolve into amazement and awe, then finish in disdain since it is a new and different design than the standard AEG.I, personally, am still in the 'amazement and awe' phase of them. My first experience with them was seeing one that was broken during an impromptu torture test. Initially I was seeing them as nothing more than a toy, even by airsoft standards. That has since changed as will be evidenced in the next few paragraphs.



Externals As a shooter of M-4 (during military service) and later AR-15 rifles I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to the external feel of the airsoft replicas. Once of my biggest complaints of the AEG market is that the...

 

First Impressions

 

After reading much about this capable replica, I was overjoyed to find one in my area for a decent price. Though it is used, it was in good shape and was almost completely original. KWC is not producing this model anymore and it is becoming rarer to come across. Upon first view, it appears to be a little ungainly looking. It seems that the hand guard is entirely too short to be used with the full stock that is common on these models. It would appear a little more at home with a collapsible stock similar to the M4 editions. Other than the first appearance, it has a good presence as an Armalite. Most details are correct for the rifle and many of the parts are metal straight from the factory. Having been an AEG user for most of my airsoft time, I was unaccustomed to seeing a gas inlet coming out of the stock and it was a little hard...

 

First Impressions

Well to start, I ordered the gun from Airsoft Atlanta for $89.99 and received it within one day with basic shipping. I must say that Airsoft Atlanta shipped my package in a very timely manner. The rifle arrived inside its packing box and that was inside a shipping box. I found the packing to be sufficient for its shipping and then some. The packing of the gun within the Styrofoam packing was tight and quite secure. Along with the packed parts came instructions, a warranty card, two paper targets, and a warning pamphlet. The instructions were easy to read, quite direct, and covered most all aspects of the assembly and operation. So in short, the initial impression was good to this point. Most all parts of the rifle had clean edges and smooth seams. I was particularly impressed that the mold seams had been sanded smooth on the stock. It was not a perfect job, but it was quite good enough...

First Impressions



After receiving this replica from Airsoft Atlanta ($9.99) we immediately noticed that is was almost identical to the gas blow back edition. The frame and slide are both made of plastic and seem fairly tough. Unlike some of the other HFC pistols, this replica has many of the parts made out light duty plastic. To belay the claim that this replica is one of their heavyweight editions, it felt more like a replica you might find in the toy isle at you local department store. It gave us the impression of being shoddily built right from the start. When we first cocked it to fire a dry shot, it felt weak and sounded almost sickly when the trigger was pulled. Some of the parts on the exterior of the replica were metal, like the barrel shroud, guide rod, trigger, hammer, and magazine release button. Though the amount of metal still didn't help the overall replica's feel, it did help a bit with the weight. Right at the start we were not very impressed with this piece at all....