Kit vs. Skill

I, and most of Task Force Kilo was out at Spokane Airsoft's 'Trigger Extravaganza', and I learned a lot.
One of the things that I have learned over my two and a half years playing this sport/hobby is the Kit/Skill debate that is ever present in the community.

Remember that first airsoft game you showed up to? I certainly remember the m4 magazines in the ABU pockets, the crappy DBOYS m4, and the 8.4v battery, and having a blast. But what was the next thing you did after you went to that game? Buy a Crossdraw vest, Why? Because you saw all the experienced players using MOLLE vests and all the fancy camouflage.

You may have not been as humble, "This is just like battlefield, dude, I TOTALLY got this." And you may have gotten a cold glass of reality in that first game where you didn't do too well. But I am sure you had a ton of fun anyway, and strived to become as good as the experienced players you played with and got shot by.

This is when the debate starts; Im sure you saw them on that first day, the people with 600 dollars worth of gear on, or the gun that looks like its from "COD". You said to yourself, "I want to be on THAT guys team", but why? You figured that equipment made him a better player, made him more effective on the field.

A dozen Airsoft games later you may have started to notice the real skill of the players, but not before you bought that cross draw and multi cam BDU's because it was what everyone else was wearing.

But did that make you a 'better' player? Did it make you more effective? Sure, it made reloads easier, and arguably harder to see than the ABU's you were wearing, but how you play really hasn't changed. You have added pounds of gear that doesn't make you play any better.

Its where that skill needs to come into play, skill doesn't weigh anything, skill doesn't slow you down, or make it more difficult to fit through doorways. But you cant buy skill, you can buy kit. You can spend 800 bucks on that CPC or that ridiculously upgraded AEG, but one of the great things about Airsoft is that ability to apply skill is more important than your ability to spend money.

Knowing what to do in a situation and doing it not only makes you an asset player, makes you a leader in the game. Makes you an asset to your team.

I like to challenge myself once in a while, instead of grabbing that AEG I will go for the 30 dollar tri-shot. That really makes you apply skills rather than the ease of use of an AEG. Makes you have to think through your movements and tactics, rather than trying to make up for a lack of that in a hail of bb's.

Whether you want to debate it or not, Airsoft is an Arms race, getting that new gun, putting in that new bucking. Always competing for the equipment used, when the best tool is the thing that fills that FAST helmet. Knowing the basics of firearms training and knowing how to apply real world tactics to Airsoft makes or breaks a team.

Finding what works for you is the most important thing, whats the most comfortable piece of gear, what  makes you feel the coolest using it. Lets face it, us airsofters are masters of self delusion, especially from the beginning, but we can see it into the seasoned players of the game. "Gotta get that polar star, that'll make me unstoppable."

There are so many layers to this internal debate in airsoft, because:
Magazine pouches are made to do one thing, HOLD MAGAZINES, Plate carriers were made to CARRY PLATES! HSGI's hold magazines, they do it well, but so does the BFG or even a lower quality Pantac pouch.

Your gear should never hold you back, it should allow you to harness your skills to the highest ability possible.

I try and use what works, and not buy into the all the KIT=Better player bias, but it can be hard to get away as it is deeply engrained in our mindsets. 

Singing praise of the JPC

I had my fill of bulky, heavy plate carriers; I had drug my Conderp Defender to Pegasus, and while not bad, it was not an optimal piece of equipment. Heavy, bulky, and HUGE were major issues, and with the 90 degree weather it was really, REALLY hot. Also, Conderp.

I have been through my fair share of different plate carriers: First Choice Armour, Matrix CIRAS, Condor Defender, TMC 6094..Probably a few I missed, but they all, (Arguable not the 6094) are extremely bulky and unwieldy indoors.

The bulk is arguably better for warmth, and it has the ability to carry quite a bit more than a super low profile chest rig or plate carrier with the added benefit of having the capability to carry a plate.

That is where the JPC comes in, designed by CRYE industries, it is the latest technology in plate carriers. The Crye was designed to provide the lowest profile possible in a plate carrier platform.
But the beauty of the JPC is the cummerbund, and the weight. The medium is a crazy 1.3Lbs, and it has the side carrying capacity of a cummerbund. Its really a modern marvel in the tactical gear markert. Arguable only bested by again, Crye, with their 'Airlite' model.

Only problem is the Crye is 250 dollars, and you have a hard time finding one in stock. As you guys know, I am not the high roller of our airsoft community, I am as budget minded as the noob. But one who does not want to look like a noob anymore.

So, the Flyye was the obvious choice. At 73 dollars, with the Flyye name, it was a steal.

I have been really impressed with the flyye, i've fielded it twice and can sense it is a keeper. (At least, for a while) Only problem I have encountered is the bungee cord magazine retentions breaking, but that can be easily remedied with mil-spec cord.

Its lightweightness and low profile makes it a dream to field, while in my current configuration being able to hold 5 M4 magazines + one in the gun, IFAK, Knife, and Admin pouch.

I will follow this up after a few more games to really try and get my opinion on the JPC design and my current setup, so stay tuned!

RIP Mikhail Kalashnikov

A matter much more important than the Christmas season has just came up, Mikhail Kalashnikov has died at the age of 94.
Mikhail Kalashnikov developed the modern 'Assault' rifle' for the 20th century.
The Ak47, firing its 7.62x39 cartridge, is still debated to be the best rifle even to today. 60 years since the dawn of its existence.

His only american counterpart is John Moses browning, and in my humble opinion.
John M. Browning < Mikhail Kalashnikov
People still have the 'Ak vs Ar' debate, and the AK was developed almost 40 years before the AR. Engineering at its best, when your product is still relevant 70 years after its birth, you have created a masterpiece.
If you want to read more about the Kalashnikov, scroll down to "The AK74".

Mikhail's first try at firearms design. A Sub Machine gun, (1941) was not adopted.

Ah, the Christmas season

The Christmas season, or 'The Holidays' for the easily offended Communists, is an interesting time to be an Airsofter. Its either you don't know what to get your friends and family who happens to airsoft, or you are worried you are going to get that crossman LPEG.
Either way its a frustrating, but also rewarding time for airsofters, as you get to give the gift of gear. ALLAH POTAT.
Some great gift ideas for the advanced airsofter in your life would be a gift card to their favorite airsoft store. You cannot go wrong, they know what they want/'need', but you dont. Its not lazy, it is smart.
Because getting something you don't need or even want is not fun. You have no idea what to do with it, and you feel bad selling it on Ebay or trading it.

If you still feel gift cards are lazy, even though I think they are the best option, you cannot go wrong with optics (Non magnified, Dot type) ,ammunition for their real firearms they may or may not own. A great gift is a box of ammo with a promise of a trip to the range.(Or other shooting location) Or even rail accessories, you are hard pressed to go wrong with anything magpul.

Another thing, take advantage of the Black Friday and Early christmas deals! Black friday is by far the best time to score a deal on some airsoft gear, but be careful, do your homework. A lot of guns that are priced low are there for a reason. They suck.

Buy early! Being lazy could cost you 47.50 in one day air shipping, or a crappy present. Give yourself at least two weeks of time till the big day.

Airsofters are finicky people, this makes gift buying really difficult. If they dont like it, they probably wont keep it. Dont be surprised or offended if they trade or sell it to buy another piece of gear.

But small, buy quality. Your gift does not have to be the newest and coolest gun, a small piece of gear made by a well renowned company will suit better if not the same. If you notice they are missing a glove, or just need a new pair of gloves for example, I would suggest buying a 23 dollar pair of Mechanix gloves.They will last for ever, and special forces members have been known to use them as well. A new sling, boots, eye protection, or even a pouch made by companies like Blue force gear, Crye, Oakley, will make an Airsofter VERY happy. They will use a piece of gear they like for a long time. When a product is built to last, and they like it, you have given a great gift.

Those are all my tips and tricks for surviving the holiday season with an Airsofter.

Them Feels. (Missing my GBBR)

If you read my "About me" Page on here, you would know I owned an upgraded WA GBBR recently.
I've always envied the GBBR users at our local fields, even while seeing their downsides. Cooldown, limited magazine capacity, COST. But I still yearned for one.
About three months ago, that feeling overtook me. I posted my baby, my VFC M16, on Airsoft Craigslist,'looking to trade for GBBR'. Took about three weeks, and many lame offers. Some offers were to good to be true also.  But when a guy offered an upgraded Western Arms GBBR, I took it.

When it arrived, the intense similarity to my REAL Ar15 astounded me. And the first time I shot it, I was hooked. He had put in a CNC aluminum bolt carrier, IA bolt (Nozzle), and NPAS,200% buffer spring and an steel lower parts kit.

The first time I shot it, WOW. Felt very foreign, as I was so accustomed to using an AEG. It felt..Awesome. The trigger response was literally instantaneous, and chrisp. And you could fire it on semi-auto faster than you could blazing away on full auto. The full auto was slow, at best, but it really allowed you to use it, and make those shots COUNT!

Magazines, were..EXPENSIVE, but the realism of having to dump close to empty magazines out of safety and reusing when all your other magazines were out was, Realistic. G&P Pmags hold around 35-40 rounds, giving INSANE realism, I had two.

The plastic lower and upper receiver that came on the WA, were disappointing at best. Plasticy, almost toy like, a metal replacement would cost around 200 bucks! LOLNOPE. I had broken the trigger guard, but had 'fixed' with super glue, and the upper receiver threads were. Stripping.

I loved it anyway. But I guess I loved Airsofting in the winter more, because as winter approached, I knew I wouldn't be able to use it. :(

So, I packaged it up, and shipped it off for an Ares TAVOR (Read below)
To be honest, I will probably be picking up another GBBR at some point. Beginning of summer 2014??...Maybe. Likely.

The AK74

The venerable AK47, Developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947, it has become the worlds most popular service rifle. The long stroke gas piston design makes an incredibly reliable, and tough firearm. The rifle being able to fire even while minor dust and debris that would stop a weapon using a gas impingement system in its tracks.  Accurate enough, though not capable to deliver MOA standards set by the AR, it is a rifle capable of modern firefight engagements. The round fired by the AK47 is that of the 7.62x39, this round, in Kalashnikov's own words, is "The best service cartridge for modern war". Its large, 30 caliber, 128 grain bullet that moves at an impressive 2500 feet per second. This makes the Ak47 arguable difficult to control on fully automatic, but is still useable in rapid firing.

In the 70's, as the Russians watched the Americans switch from our well-renowned M1 Garands to the new M16. The M16 firing the 5.56 round,puny by 7.62x39 standards. The 5.56 flings a 55g, 22 caliber bullet at 3,000 feet per second. (Read more the 5.56 BELOW) The russians were intrigued by our switch from our even larger than 7.62x39, 30-06 round. They saw we had found that the smaller cartridge had led to a soldier's ability to carry more ammunition, and discharge a full magazine with greater speeds.

And the Ak74 was born! Kalashnikov did not want to switch to a smaller caliber for the AK, but he was influenced by the russian government. The round they created was the 5.45x39, its a very similar cartridge to the 5.56 NATO.

AK's in airsoft mean the russian crowd, they have developed more of a subculture rather than a group. The 'Russian Crowd' are in a whole, quite picky on the gear and their choice of weapons. For them, it seems, its AK or nothing at all. It may be the Russian philosophy that leads them to cling to the AK. Basic, Effective, No BS.

Unless you have a death wish, don't bring the AK into 'modern' times, unless it is with the approval of Kalashnikov himself. (Cite the KREBS AK)
http://www.evike.com/products/35760/ If you use this monstrocity, there without a doubt, will be your family, gathered around the table, writing your obituary.

I recently picked up a quite old echo1 AK74, the price was right, and I needed a backup gun. I was especially excited when I magnet tested the receiver and they tested positive for steel. This means, in my limited knowledge, that this is a DBOYS made from old VFC molds.

Im excited to get out and try the new AK. I haven't played in about 4 weeks, and it feels like a lifetime!

Task Force Kilo

Task Force Kilo, the team which I currently reside, Is something else. It stands apart from every other team, and our list of applicants proves that. We have people applying all the time, with new players sitting in for our training days pretty regularly.

Yesterday was a TFK training day, and it was awesome. I had brought a friend from school airsofting for the first time. I set him up in my 6094, cammies, and my recently worked on Ares Tavor. (Which is shooting AWESOME By the way!) I wish I had been set like that to play a game when I started. I would've been hooked from the start!

I set my friend free to mingle with the local airsofters while I played the UN photographer. I wore Khang's Blue U.N Helmet with an orange safety vest and a camera. I was told it was the most accurate UN loadout to date!

I got some AWESOME photos from the game and training, link:This Album Here

After a couple games, we started training. It went awesome, and I eventually ended up yelling at Rob my favorite quote from 'Full Metal Jacket', "I WILL GOUGE OUT YOUR EYEBALLS AND SKULL*UCK YOU!" Everybody was surprised at my channeled aggression, i'm a pretty calm, collected person, but Khang told me to get angry. So I did.

We did vehicle stoppages and personal searches exclusively, though we also hit on some basics like formations and bounding. "Would you like some goat milk?" The two new people to the team, Matt and Steven, went through training with us. They did pretty good for a first time, but communication and techniques need to be worked in. At one point we were running a drill and Matt was hit, but I think he called for medic once. So we left him behind. We had bounded probably 300 feet from him before I even took notice he was gone. "Where the hells Matt?!" "Think he got lost?"

Other than that, they did great. Better than I had expected, and we are lucky to have them on the team. We are getting to the point where we are running as a fluid team, even at this stage I think we are FAR ahead of any other local team. And I am ready to start throwing bb's again next weekend!