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Showing posts with label GFC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GFC. Show all posts
Gunfire Competition
News Archives
Photo Competition
Gunfire.pl have launched a phoyo competition for you ALL to get involved with.
Check out the details and get entering - you have until the 26th September 2014
Time to take out your camera out of the closet! The annual Gunfire Photo Contest kicks off!
Show us what's your idea of 'having fun'. Make a photo and send it to us. You have an opportunity to win one of our special prizes. All works should be sent before September 26th to e-mail photo2014@gunfire.pl
Lots of great prizes up for grabs!
Visit our fanpage to see more details:
http://on.fb.me/1vWtRuB
Don't forget Gunfire has loads of gear, offers and brands - so check the website for ordering.
Terms & conditions at www.gun-fire.com
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Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine Review
Armoury KitBag
SA-A07 Carbine
Review by Yosser
As airsofters we are bombard constantly with new versions of the ubiquitous M4 carbine. So when a new one comes along it has to be extra special and at a good price to get any attention at all. So what do we make of the Specna Arms SA-A07 carbine?
Firstly who are Specna Arms? Relatively new to the airsoft market, Specna Arms promise to deliver a series of brand new replicas to the marketplace at a competitive price, in rarely encountered version/configurations with features such as working bolt catch, laser engraved markings and trades, plus anodised receivers. Looking through their available model range you’ll find something in the M4 range for sure to take your fancy – this time around we are checking out their SA-A07 carbine for review.
Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine - click for larger images
The box is an unassuming brown package design with a large Specna Arms label on the front but once you open it you’ll notice the nice ‘additions’ they’ve added to the package which includes a 9.6v Ni-MH 1100mAh battery, cleaning rod, high cap magazine, lanyard and a spare main spring for your AEG. Well I say ‘spare’ but the AEG is fitted with what SA refer to as an ‘Enter & Convert’ system. Which in essence is a quick change main spring following the normal twist and quick change model. This means you can down grade quickly between lower powered springs for CQB games or a more powerful spring in woodland skirmishes, if your sites allow a difference between the 2? (generally in the UK CQB sites are a lower FPS than woodland sites due to the close proximity of players). The package also includes a charger and a small packet of BB’s – both of which as usual I wouldn’t waste any time on – remember to always use a quality charger and BB’s if you want to protect your investment in your equipment, this applies to most AEG’s with included charges but it is a nice touch should you be on a strict budget and can’t quite afford a separate charger when first starting out.
Pulling the AEG from its polystyrene box, I still get that degree of excitement like any bloke with a new toy to play with! Heft, feel and what I call ‘pointability’ it certainly satisfies on those counts. As for looks it’s one of the better AEG’s straight out of the box. This model comes standard with an ‘in built’ suppressor look, adjustable 5 position stock, full front RIS, metal receiver and adjustable rear sights.
Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine close ups- click for larger images
The upper and lower receiver is metal with a functioning bolt catch for those that like the lock & load treatment with laser etching on both sides. The LHS has the fire selector with the markings in large lettering whilst the magwell has a passable Marine Corps logo emblazoned on it, along with 5.56 NATO and a serial number marked underneath it. The RHS is plainer with no fire selector but does have a small Specna Arms Industries marking near the top of the lower receiver and the markings for the fire selector – handy if you decide to customise with an ambi fire selector at a future date. As usual the charging handle releases the dust cover and has a working bolt catch as mentioned earlier which of course covers the adjustable hop unit. It should be noted that unlike many ‘budget’ AEG’s this AEG has a metal hop chamber unit which should be a little more robust than some plastic ones you sometimes see. The pistol grip is pretty standard but does feel nice in the palm of your hand and not as plastic as some brands. The motor is of course housed in the pistol grip and has a nice heat shield to aid in quick cooling. Under firing conditions we did notice the motor heating up but nothing unusual in that when running it on a 11.1 lipo or fully auto for a period of time.
Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine - Airsoft Odyssey © 2014
The front end of the AEG has an suppressor fitted which gives it a ‘fitted’ look and feel and this goes into the full RIS front end which is numbered and should have plenty of real estate for torches or other gear you want to fit to it. I was impressed, as often these rails have some wobble, but it’s absolutely wobble free and feels very solid indeed. The RIS is continued on the upper receiver with a small gap from top receiver to front RIS. The rails are also fitted with flip up sights whilst the rear is adjustable for windage and elevation and nicely marked up whilst even the adjuster is easily accessible with players using gloves. The AEG even boasts a sling attachment point on the rear of the receiver/stock tube.
Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine close ups- click for larger images
Internally it features a strong gearbox fitted with 8mm bearings and a polycarbonate piston with steel tooth in order to increase durability. The spring as standard can pump out a staggering 410 FPS (not really UK site friendly for indoor or outdoor use) but the ‘spare’ is a more suitable 310 FPS but the quick change makes swapping that out a doddle. The instruction manual that accompanies the AEG is much better than the stand we are used to but seasoned airsofters won’t need it.
I must add that in play and to some players the trigger pull could seem a little hard, but for me I don’t like a hair trigger so the trigger pressure required was good and so far I’ve yet to find a standard M4 magazine that this AEG won’t take. The RIS accommodated a torch easily along with a host of other accessories. It kept going for the full day despite long sessions in semi-only firing mode and with a Lipo installed will empty your average hi-cap very quickly indeed. I also had no misfeeds or jams which can be unusual for a new airsoft aeg straight out of the box with little to no adjustments having to be made. It’s fair to say I really like this aeg and would recommend it to anyone looking for a value aeg on a limited budget.
Specna Arms SA-A07 Carbine - click for larger images
Yosser says: Out of the box this AEG was a dream to use. Flawless in operation, it didn’t miss a beat all day. I was seriously impressed by the quality of this AEG for its price point at a little under £170 – yep that’s right a top quality AEG for sub 200 quid – what a result and available from our friends at Gunfire, they even put in a full inspection and fire test report before shipping it to you. – I will definitely give Specna Arms AEG’s serious consideration for future purchases and beware other manufacturers – you will need to raise your game to keep up with these bad boys of airsoft. For price and quality you’ll be hard pressed to equal them. Recommendation – add a SA aeg to your armoury!Check out the Airsoft Odyssey video review of this AEG HERE!
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Introducing Smart Gas
ArmouryQuarterMaster
SMART GAS
Airsoft Green Gas
- Reviewed by Yosser
This gas comes in a variety of handy sizes offering a great deal of options for kit bags or in game quick carry packs for your airsoft needs. It is available in a small compact and very useful as an in game carry 100ml size which easily fits in a pouch. But if you’re after a larger capacity also comes in 400 and 1000ml sizes. Although you might have some difficulty carrying the larger capacity around in a pouch, unless it’s a hydration sized pouch or backpack. Definitely one for leaving in the safe zone I think.
The gas is a green gas with extra added silicone. The advantage this offers over a standard gas is the extra lubrication which gas blow backs require for the continued smooth fault free operation, The silicone also helps keeps those gas seals in the magazines and parts in the pistol operating in tip top condition as most will dry out and fail without it. In general use, you should never leave a magazine totally empty due to the possibility of the seals drying out as this will lead to leaky magazines.
Now this gas is advertised as offering up to a 20% more power at lower temperatures – this was not something I could test given the time of year but what I did notice was a more consistent FPS from the pistol I used to conduct the testing. Using a ‘standard’ gas for the first shot I achieved a reading of 290 fps with most shots falling between 270 and 280 with a significant drop off in power as the magazine was expended with a few shots falling below 260 then rising back to 274 fps. Using the Smart Gas, fps was a more consistent 277 pretty much throughout the whole magazine being expended, but as you would expect the final shots as it ran out also dropped off significantly. Nothing unusual in that, but I was impressed by a good steady power output on average using this gas.
Yosser says: Compared with other more colourful gases available these are in danger of being overlooked as they kind of look like furniture polish cans from the 1970’s, BUT don’t let that fool you, as you’d be overlooking a fully functional gas for your GBB pistol or rifle that might just cut down a little on the maintenance of the weapon and help save those seals. As for the price – it’s one I’ll be using as it stacks up against other gases and cheaper too!Follow new posts on AIRSOFT ODYSSEY via TWITTER:
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E&L 104 PMC-B Review
Armoury KitBag
PMC-B Assault Rifle
Review by Yosser
E&L are a relatively new entrant into the airsoft AEG market space and have set themselves the admirable goal of creating the highest possible quality replicas available which resemble their real steal counterparts as closely as possible. To this end they even tell us that their AEG’s are produced in the same factory as the real deal firearms, so hopefully this will give them a head start. Keeping this in mind, I’ve now got my hopes up for what otherwise to me is yet another AK in the airsoft world. Will this live up to its own high standards & hype?
E&L 104 PMC-B - click for larger images
The E&L 104 PMC-B AEG & magazine arrived secured in its rather plain looking brown cardboard box by thick gauge zip ties, which seemed rather old fashioned when so many AEG’s come in colourful boxes, nestled securely in custom cut out foam. I say plain but the box did have a sticker with the E&L logo and QR code, very modern looking. But I’m all for paying less and if this keeps the production costs down which can be passed onto me, the consumer, in the form of cheaper prices I’m all for it. Who needs the marketing blurb and pretty pictures on a box you’ve already decided to purchase anyway? Note, the AEG doesn’t come with a battery or charger, which on many AEG’s I would probably throw away anyway, but I did like the manual included which is pretty good for a Chinese manual to be fair. It included the usual guidance notes PLUS comprehensive take down diagrams and a parts list fully annotated with part numbers, should you need to replace anything in future you will have a full parts number diagram to refer to. The manual even includes a Quality Certificate fully stamped with details of its first shots on a chrono at the factory noted with the AEG’s unique serial number. Gunfire.pl who supplied this AEG will down grade any UK bound AEG’s to ensure they are UK site safe which means changing the spring to ensure it fires under the generally accepted site limit of 350 FPS.
E&L 104 PMC-B firing video - Airsoft Odyssey © 2014
I cut the zip ties and ripped out the AEG from its box. I was keen to get my mitts on this AK after seeing some of the video’s on Youtube showing off just how tough it is, I wasn’t about to subject it to the same harsh treatment. The smell of gun oil and steel hits you as soon as you open the packaging, it helps to protect the AEG during storage and transit and I think adds to the overall unpacking experience especially to anyone who’s ever handled real deal firearms, it will be just so familiar for some.
Weighing the gun in my hands, it just felt so right, heft, look, feel and balance was just so good. I did think that the LMT style stock looked so off par with the rest of the AEG. Although the six position stock is a good addition for a PMC style AK I think this might the first thing that I’ll be changing on it, but at least with the M4 style stock tube fitted I get that option. The weight lends an element of authenticity with a steel outer barrel aiding in the AEG’s balance. 104 models have a shorter barrel you will notice from the standard AK model which results in a more compact look and feel and aids in the PMC look, not forgetting how much more inconvenient longer assault weapons are when operating from vehicles. This 104 is fitted with a ‘Spetnaz’ (AK74U) style flash hider with gas pipe and integrated foresight which help add to the overall tactical feel of the AEG.
E&L 104 PMC-B close ups
Purists will miss the wooden elements of a more traditional AK but the materials used in this AEG are spot on and can definitely compete with other manufacturers in the market place currently and some components are even interchangeable with the real steel components due to coming off the same production line. Where possible parts are made as 1:1 copies, although some materials will differ (obviously). Even the steel body of the E&L AK104 is oxidised which makes the overall appearance more realistic and should wear over time very nicely indeed just like the real thing. Losing the wood has made the AEG more tactical for the addition of tac-lights and more. The RIS helps with the tactical look and feel a lot and at last your AK can be as tactical as an M4, is that a good thing, I’m not sure. But I was never a fan of the full wooden AK look anyway, always opting for a more ‘modern’ look. Let’s leave the wooden furniture for the 1st half of the twentieth century shall we! The receiver has been stamped with minimal marking for the firing selector and even on the LHS just below the top cover/battery cover including the weapons unique serial number – all subtly marked and not in your face, nicely understated you could say. The rear sight is fully adjustable and marked up and I notice even the LHS of the receiver is equipped with a dovetail mount, suitable for the dedicated optical sights available (including the original, designed for this firearm), as well as mounts allowing transition to a standard RIS.
E&L 104 PMC-B attachment points and RIS
Now I was never a fan of the AK’s normal pistol grip, in fact I hated them but this version has a very nice polymer grip, rather reminiscent of my SIG552 pistol grip, and along with the polymer fore grip the materials used are again top quality. In fact a few people who have looked over this AEG have been mildly impressed with the build quality and over-all look and feel of this E&L 104 PMC-B offering and those more experienced with AK’s stating the build quality goes way beyond many models they have seen from other manufacturers.
For field stripping the makers have tried to keep it all tool free and strip down just like the real deal firearm. Everything is based on pins and levers for a tool-less take down.
Internally they have installed a version 3 gearbox powered by high torque motor with neodymium magnets. Even the gears show some thought to performance with less resistance and reducing risk of failure – overall it promises in short, greater performance, smoother working and a greater rate of fire. When I measured this on a Chrono with a UK spring fitted outputting approx. 320/330 FPS I was getting around 1198 rounds per minute, so no slouch for a stock AEG.
The EL-104 PMC-B is fitted as standard with a 6.04mm tight bore barrel which does go some way to improve groupings but hey it’s a spray weapon not known for accuracy in real life, why do you think the AK has become so widely used by largely untrained irregular forces. It come delivered with a flash mag style highcap which is quickly wound but it did take a bit of getting used to locking in the mag to its well with the large mag catch on the AEG but it’s just because I wasn’t used to it.
Over all a very nice addition to the AEG collection and it did look rather sparse without an AK in the group, but more than that it is a very skirmishable and practical AEG. For quality and price point I sure you’ll be hard pressed to find much better in this kind of AK platform.
Yosser says: With the growing popularity of PMC loadouts these weapons are bound to become more popular – I hope they do, as nearly everyone has an M4 lately – this is a definite contender for looking different at your local skirmish event and the shorter configuration is a bonus for CQB. I love the weight in this AEG and the weapon is ideal for a large capacity lipo just above that receiver and easy to fit and change to. The update to the AK platform is nice and the M4 style tube fitted means you can add a load of after-market parts meant for the M4 plus QD sling connectors – so if you have an M4 and want a spare with something a little different this might be a nice addition.Follow new posts on AIRSOFT ODYSSEY via TWITTER:
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