Author: michaelo

Night Time Operations are incredibly fun for Airsoft Players because they don’t happen often. If you’re lucky enough to own Night Vision, you’re at a huge advantage. For those of us who aren’t as fortunate, we have to stick to our wits. Today, we’ll be offering some ideas on how to up your night time skills!

#5 – Know Your Surroundings

Not too often will you know the area you’ll be playing within at night. Meaning playing at night can be a pretty big handicap. If given the opportunity, scout the area when there’s daylight. Get an idea of the terrain, obstacles, building layout. Etc. Getting to know the area before you become blind helps a lot. If it’s your first time at that AO, scouting the area is a good idea. Attempt to operate at night without any prior knowledge of the area can lead.

#4 – Know Your Equipment’s Limitations

When playing airsoft, in any environment, you should know what your equipment is capable of. Not just how your gun holds up, but how well your gear will hold up. Is your plate carrier still in good shape? Do your boots still have sufficient tread? Are your backpack straps going to fail mid game? It’s one thing for your kit to fail in the middle of the day. You can go back and find the equipment on the field. At night you’ll probably lose whatever falls off of you. That can be a $5 or a $200 loss. Not including anything that may have been inside your pouch/bag that fell off.

 

#3 – Make Slow, Steady Movements

At night, your senses become heightened without your eye sight. Not only are your senses heightened, everyone in the area will have heightened senses. When your sight is gone, it seems like any noise you make is amplified. This is your body adapting to the loss of a key sense. Meaning your opponent can hear even the smallest of cracks and potentially your breathing. Making slow, steady, and calculated moves can prevent you from being detected. Using your environment to your advantage, move when there’s noise to drown your movements. Noises such as helicopters, trains, or even vehicles in the area. Be aware of any lights in the area, this’ll also prevent you from being detected.

 

#2 – Letting Your Eyes Adapt

As things get darker, you want to let your eyes adapt to your environment. When moving from outdoor to indoor, take a second to allow your eyes to re-adjust. Going from a dimly-lit moonlight area to a pitch-black house can make you temporarily blind. The Human Body is amazing in its ability to quickly adapt. It really only takes a few seconds to allow your eyes adjust. Slow down, adjust your vision, then continue moving.

 

#1 – Taking Advantage of You Opponents

In your heightened sense, it’s very easy to become distracted. The same thing goes for your opponent. Leaving simple traps or causing a distraction away from you can give you the edge. A trip wire dropping rocks can notify you of your opponent’s presence and give you the opportunity to take them out.

Night Time gaming can be the most fun you have playing airsoft. We all play to live out our Soldier fantasies. Being able to play out a “Night Time Operator” is something everyone has thought about. We’ve all played that one video game mission that occurs at night where you stealthily take out your enemies. For me that was the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare mission “Crew Expendable”. ***SPOILER ALERT*** If you haven’t played it by now then you really shouldn’t complain about spoilers. Taking place at night on a freight ship, you’re tasked with finding a particular container. Stealthily taking at the crew in the process. At a certain point, the crew catches on and your team goes loud. Up to this point, my heart was racing to quietly eliminate the enemies on board. There’s just something so satisfying about silently taking out enemies and completing your objective. Being able to live out similar scenarios in Airsoft is something that I absolutely love.

On our Last Blog, we discussed a few tips on what to do when upgrading your guns. Today, we’ll be looking at specific parts that you should change out or add when upgrading your gun. Now this is entirely our opinion but should be taken into consideration when upgrading your guns.

#5 – Gearset

Coming in at Number 5, is an upgrade that takes a bit more time to do. We have it at number 5 because your gearset is essentially the drive train of your gun. It heavily determines your rate of fire, trigger response, and reliability. It also will allow you to reliably increase your Feet Per Second output. Nowadays, the stock gearset in most guns achieve a very healthy rate of fire and allow for good trigger response.

#4 – Bushings / Bearings

Often the most overlooked upgrade. Having a good set of bushings is essential for high stress builds. Both High Speed and High Torque should get bearings or bushings respectively. Speaking from personal experience, I failed to replace the bearings in a high-speed build. This resulted in the stock bushings blowing out and the gearset ripped itself apart. Whenever getting your gearbox open, you should immediately upgrade your bushings to accommodate whatever build you do in the future. You’ll see instant results in your gun running smoother!

 

#3 – Motor

Probably the easiest upgrade to actually do. The proper way to actually swap motors would be to remove the gearbox and shim your bevel gear to your pinion gear. Failing to do this could result in stripped gears or even a locked-up motor. Upgrading your motor can result in a snappier (High-Torque) trigger response or a higher rate of fire (High-Speed) for your gun. There are endless combinations on motors and gearsets that you could use in your builds and that will result in several different Rates of Fire, Feet Per Second, and how responsive your gun will be.

 

#2 – MOSFET

A lot of guns already come with a “MOSFET” but often it isn’t programmable. Companies such as Classic Army and G&G allow you to re-program your MOSFET straight from the trigger without having to take anything apart or attach an external controller to it. Another step up would be getting something such as a Gate TITAN MOSFET. The GATE will give you nearly instantaneous trigger response and levels of programmability that is unmatched by any other brand. While it isn’t necessary in anyway it is definitely an amazing upgrade that you will absolutely not regret.

 

#1 – Inner barrel Assembly

 

Our number one recommended upgrade is the inner barrel assembly. We say assembly because you might as well do everything while you have the unit out. Most hop up units are really good nowadays. Previously people would swap it for a Prowin or a Lonex Hop Up unit. Now the stock unit will work perfectly fine. The inner barrel can be upgraded to whatever you like. We recommend the Prometheus Inner Barrel for the best performance and consistency. Pairing the upgraded barrel with something such as a Flat Hop or an R-Hop will give you a night and day difference when it comes to range, accuracy, and consistency. While changing your barrel, bucking, knob, and hop up unit is fairly easy to do. It can very easily be messed up. Having the knob ever so slightly crooked, forgetting to put the c-clip on, or improper bucking installation are all things that our Tech Department has seen happen. It is very easy to do but take your time and make sure it’s done right.

Completely doing up your guns give you the best performance possible. There are several factors that go into having a solid build. Some parts don’t mesh well with others. Some parts don’t need to be changed at all. Every gun is going to be a different case. If you ever need help with building your dream gun we are always happy to help!

With the release of our Techie 4.0 Mystery Box, we wanted to give you a few tips when it comes to teching on your Airsoft guns. We here at Airsoft GI have been offering repairs for several years. We’ve also been an industry leader in quality of work for many years. Today, we’re going to give you a few tips when opening up your gearbox.

Take Your Time.

As with anything, you want to take your time when working on your guns. If you’re first starting out, you want to walk before you can run. If you’re working on your own gun, take your time and do it right. There’s no point going quickly, only to fail because there’s no Anti-Reversal latch. An Airsoft Gearbox is a fairly complex piece of machinery. Don’t put yourself down because you don’t get it the first time.

 

Have the Right Tools

Being able to complete any job requires knowledge and sometimes tools. Having the correct tools for the job will always help you. Depending on the brand, you might need, Allen Keys, some Screwdrivers, a couple of punches. Using the wrong tools might damage the components in your gearbox, leading to other issues.

 

Practice Shimming

Shimming your gearbox may be seen as an advanced technique but, it’s a basic skill that should be known. Learning how to shim will yield better results than putting in premium parts. Parts don’t mean anything if your drive train doesn’t mesh properly. Proper shimming also leads to a more efficient gearbox. Giving you a longer battery life and elongates the life of your parts.

 

Teching is a skill that is quick to learn but can take a lifetime to master. Take your time when doing your work and you’ll be ok. If you’re ever in doubt we are always happy to assist with our World Class Tech Department. There isn’t a single project that we can’t handle!

Here in Southern California, CQB Airsoft is a main stay. Featuring fast-paced game-play, high action, and very addictive. CQB Airsoft has been a staple of Southern California ever since the Zipper Factory days. Today we’ll be going over a few things to up your game when playing CQB Airsoft!

 

Pie The Corner

Pie-ing the corner is one of the very first steps to take to up your CQB game. This allows you to clear everything in sectors to prevent you from getting hit. Instead of turning the corner rapidly and bringing your gun up in separate steps, have the gun up ready to go. You’ll take less time to adjust your point of aim rather than bringing up an entire rifle to shoot. Pie-ing the corner also exposes you less to your opponents. Making you a harder target to hit.

 

Practice reloads

Being loaded at all times is an obvious thing in fire fights. You may come across a time when you run dry mid fire fight and in CQB, it almost always results in getting hit. Being able to reload quickly and smoothly can save you from getting hit. Practicing reloading can be key. While you’re under stress anything you thought you could do, you might not be able to do. You might stumble, drop your mag, and completely miss. Repetition is key to getting quick, stressful reloads down to a T.

 

Rapid Target Acquisition

When playing CQB Airsoft, target heavy environments are the norm. Even though games are typically never more than 20-30 people on the field at a time. There will be times when you turn the corner and see several targets at once. It’s very easy to get over excited and mesh every single shot and end up walking away without hitting a single opponent. If you turn the corner and see 5 enemies take your time. They more than likely don’t notice you and move target to target taking your shots precisely.

 

Be Light As Possible

Being light in CQB will only benefit you. There is really no need for a plate carrier and shedding as many ounces off of your body will give you a slight edge. The lighter you are the quicker you’ll be. The ability to play in just a chest rig, battle belt, or even just a leg rig will give you a slight speed advantage.

 

DO NOT STOP IN THE FATAL FUNNEL

When playing CQB, room clearing is a given and will occur 99.99% of the time. Step 1 in clearing most rooms is getting in the room. If you stop in the doorway, the entire breach will get stalled and likely fail. If you’re the front man you have to make it a point to get in the room. Don’t be afraid to get shot because it will happen. If you are shot don’t take up space in the threshold. That leads to safety issues for everyone involved.

 

All in all, CQB is a very fun environment to play in and often molds some of the best players. Being able to snap between targets quickly, return fire quickly, and being fast on reloads gives you an edge at any field. CQB is an amazing place to start when trying to become a better Airsoft player.

The Classic Army Nemesis Line has redefined what a premium AEG should be. The Classic Army Nemesis debuted in the airsoft world in late 2016. Today, we’ll be looking at how the Nemesis started and where it is today.

 

The Genesis of Classic Army

Classic Army has been around for over 25 years. They were one of the first companies within the US. Classic Army is known for making the first production Full Metal guns. Previously, you’d purchase a base gun, purchase a Guarder, Hurricane, etc. receiver and swap everything over. Classic Army flipped the script and allowed you to purchase a high-quality metal body gun straight from the factory in a time when that was impossible. Their story began with innovation, and this common thread follows them through every year of their existence.

 

The Scarab, the Beginning of the Future

Classic Army reset the standard many years ago and they’ve done it again. In mid-2016, they released the Scarab and started redefining premium airsoft guns. The Scarab was a unique design that retained M4 familiarity but with fresh aesthetic twist. It retained the same fire controls, bolt catch, and magazine release as an M4. What made it different was the one piece upper and unique PDW styled stock. When it was held, you could feel how robust and rugged the Scarab was. Just from holding it, a user could tell that this gun would last through abuse. Some might say it was a little heavy but that didn’t stop players seeking performance.

 

Internally is where the Scarab truly shined. It featured Classic Army’s brand new Electronic Control System Trigger Unit (Or ECS). The ECS is a digital trigger that allowed for programmability and near instant trigger response. It wasn’t the first digital trigger, but the ECS didn’t require a separate module to program it. The Scarab features a 6.03mm barrel and a metal rotary hop up unit. This allows for great range, accuracy, and consistency. The gearbox comes heavily upgraded as well. Featuring a full metal rack piston, 9mm bushings, and ultra-torque gears, the Scarab also features a true quick-change spring guide. Remove one pin, slide the stock off, and you have access to your spring guide. With the ultra-torque gearset, the Scarab was capable of pulling back a 150 spring. This gives the end user the option to make a high FPS build with minimal effort or tech knowledge. The only downside to the gun was the rate of fire, as with such a high torque gear set, you could pull a heavy spring but you couldn’t do it very fast.

 

The Birth of the Nemesis

With the success of the Scarab, Classic Army wanted to bring the same performance to their M4 Line up. With a few adjustments to their Proline M4’s, the Nemesis Line was born. They made the buffer tube threaded, instead of pinned in place with a washer and screw. This allowed for a true quick-change spring guide. Before this change, as most brands do even now, the gearbox has to be removed to change the spring. Classic Army also stuck with a PDW stock to make their model stand out. Compared to the Scarab, the battery compartment was much easier to access in the Nemesis as you no longer needed to remove screws to reach your battery. The Nemesis Line featured four new rail designs in a variety of lengths. Every Nemesis also included a new motor grip that was easy access. Motor swaps and motor connector checks have never been easier. Originally, the Nemesis internals were the same as the Scarab though, which meant you still maintained the rate of fire issue from the early models of Scarab, but Classic Army’s history of innovation came through to take care of that too!

 

2018 Revisions

Just like any other brand, the Nemesis Line wasn’t perfect in its first generation. Classic Army took information from airsmiths, retailers, and players themselves on how to improve their newest creation. After taking in all of the advice and recommendations, Classic Army made a few key changes. The biggest issue being tackled was battery space. They removed the PDW stock in favor of a standard buffer tube design, allowing for more customization and battery storage solutions. Due to the design of the PDW stock, it also lightened the gun substantially. Classic Army also switched from a metal hop up unit to a polymer unit, which allowed for a better seal between the nozzle and the hop up unit. This meant that Nemesis guns could function at the same performance levels as they used to, with lighter springs, and more consistent feet-per-second ratings, ultimately increasing performance and reliability exponentially. This had an added benefit of helping correct the rate-of-fire issue as well when combined with upgrades to their thirty-one thousand RPM motor as a standard part in the Nemesis lineup.

Before the next wave of new gun styles hit the market (more on those later), Classic Army made another update to the Nemesis Gearbox. Opting for an 18:1 gear set and stronger magnets in the 31k motor, the new parts paired with the ECS to give the Nemesis line an even better trigger response than it already had. These updates have become standard for any rifle to bear the Nemesis banner, including some of the new-comers to Classic Army’s lineup for 2018.

 

 

Expansion of the ECS Trigger

The ECS was originally only featured Classic Army’s highest-end Lines. Classic Army, once again sensing an opportunity for innovation, decided to install the ECS into their highly popular Skirmish Line of airsoft guns. The Skirmish Line was already neck and neck with the best starter guns available, but with the addition of the ECS, it rose to the top of the class. Following the start of the ECS Skirmish Line, Classic Army announced 2 guns that were in production, The DT-4 and the X9, both featuring all of the same internals as the Nemesis Line in two new designs.

The DT-4 is a double barrel M4 with 2 separate barrels and magazines. Both, of which, are powered by one gearbox and one motor. You’ll be able to send double rounds down range in a still manageable package. Due to its unique design, it doesn’t suffer the same downsides as other systems either, as when one magazine runs into an issue such as a jam or running out of ammo, the second barrel and magazine set will feed with no issues! Couple this with the ECS and you can get lightning fast six or ten round bursts down range!

The X9 is a 9mm Pistol Caliber Carbine design with an incredibly compact front end utilizing the manual of arms of the AR-15 style of rifles. Classic Army has stepped back into the CQB game, with this compact corning cutting beast. Featuring CNC Wire cut gears and a built-in amplifier at the muzzle, it is not only reliable, but packs a bark as loud as it’s bite. The ECS becomes a major factor here as well, as the microswitch style trigger it employs, coupled with its ability to lock the gun into a semi-auto only mode means that you never have to worry about accidentally hosing your friends-turned-targets and get your shots off as fast as you can pull that trigger!

 

What’s to come?

Classic Army has announced a new PDW Style M4 for 2018 as well. Featuring a similar stock to the X9 and ECS Skirmish Line internals, The AR4-SBR is a unique compact M4. Classic Army is installing their ECS Trigger into several other different models of guns too. A working prototype of the M110 featuring the ECS Trigger has already been produced and spotted in the wild. Representatives from Classic Army have talked about bringing the ECS to several models previously only loaded with the pro-line internal components. Currently there are no other confirmed models with the ECS that the Classic Army representatives were willing to go on record with but, regardless of which series gets it, it’s sure to be a welcomed addition to the Airsoft Market.

 

The ECS Trigger started in a small section from Classic Army, originally intended to be a niche product to be iterated on and improved over time. Not only has it redefined premium AEGs, it is quickly redefining the standard for internal parts quality. I doubt it will be long before other manufacturers follow Classic Army’s innovative example. They set the standard for external parts in the 90’s with their initial releases of metal bodied guns. Now they have pushed the envelope and set the bar even higher for what we as consumers should expect in our internal components as well.