Check out our unboxing and review of the KWA 1911 MK1 airsoft pistol. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and Subscribe for more videos!

_____Welcome Komrades, today ve introduce superior Russian veapon to airsoft. The Tokarev 33 is the first Russian airsoft model KWA has released, with the KWA AK-74 series and the Makarov to soon be released. The real TT-33 was chambered in 7.62x25mm and had incredible penetration that was able to pierce many types of body armor. Amongst WW2 guns the Tokarev was made by every Eastern Bloc country at some point with a large amount of variations produced. It was designed to replace the C96 Mauser (or box cannon) that was used in World War II. Many believe the Tokarev to be a Russian rip off of the 1911, however it is actually engineered to be more robust and simpler. KWA has done a fantastic job of recreating the flair and feel of the TT 33, down to the cheesy grips (they feel exactly like the real one).

From Russia

_____When fight capitalists, state provide reliable Tokarev pistol with no silly tactical accessory problems; is pistol, not dress up doll. The entire pistol is full metal with an aluminum construction. Aside from the grips, feed lip on the magazine, some seals, the outer barrel and a miscellaneous part here or there, the KWA airsoft Tokarev is almost entirely metal and feels like a well oiled brick. Being made of aluminum, and being of rather thin stature, the Tokarev weighs only 1.6 lbs! For a comparison, most 1911 gbb pistols weigh one half to a whole pound more. The externals are streamlined, with nothing to snag on gear and beautifully beveled. Devoid of many tactical protrusions, this is a simple pistol, made for a simple people that want a gun to shoot right.

The KWA TT-33 grips feature the CCCP markings found on the real steel along with a variety of other trades along the left and right of the lower receiver and along the top of the slide. The sights are not adjustable, the lanyard loop is sturdy, and the slide action is like glass. There is no wobble to this airsoft pistol, aside from the hammer, slide, trigger and slide lock there are no other moving parts. Gone are the beaver tailed finicky second safeties, the lose-able loose sights, the excess screws and additional parts for disassembly, and the fire selectors that are so easy to bump or forget to turn to fire.

The rocking safety is a bit unusual, and almost goes unnoticed. Airsofters have questioned why KWA would include a pinned trigger that seems so loose? That is because the trigger pivots to turn the guns safety on and off. Both clever and subtle, to turn the safety on, pivot the trigger down, you will still be able to pull the trigger back, but the hammer will not fire. To turn it off, pivot the trigger up, and pull back to fire the Tokarev. For the unknowing this trigger action seems a bit odd. We recommend that when you want to fire, place your trigger finger at the top of the trigger and pull. This will fire the Tokarev whether it is safe or not.

Where single stack magazines have been small before, the Tokarev’s are tiny. The magazine uses green gas, and is single stacked, holding only 11 rounds. The majority of it is metal, except for the feedlip, with construction very similar to 1911 magazines. It also has a locking button when the follower is pushed down if feeding a single stack magazine wasn’t easy enough. The magazines are very thin, and many can be fit into a single pistol pouch. Some are vehemently opposed to a single stack mag, but a single stack lets you carry more mags, and means you will not be depending on a single gas source. Not depending on a single gas source means less cool down, more options in case something wasn’t filled all the way, and more milsim reload action on the field.

Simple, Foolproof, Reliable, Brilliant

_____Like most KWA pistols, the Tokarev has their radial adjustment Hop Up. The Hop Up can be adjusted with the provided, or any other KWA Hop Up adjustment tool. It sports a 104mm by 6.05mm tightbore barrel for exceptional accuracy. The Tokarev uses KWA’s notorious NS2 system for both reliability and consistency. The NS2 system also increases the gbb pistol’s efficiency letting the player get much more than a magazine worth on a single fill. The Tokarev shoots at a CQB friendly 340-350 fps with a .20g BB or 1.07 joules.When you field strip the pistol, you can see that KWA has miniaturized the typical 1911 gas internals, but the gbb pistol works the same way.

The KWA airsoft Tokarev field strips realistically like many other KWA pistols. First, slide the locking plate backward so that the slide-lock pin can be removed. Remove the slide lock pin and slide the upper receiver off of the lower. slide the slide return spring off of its guide on the barrel assembly and take out the spring (don’t forget the cap at the end!). Next, rotate the barrel lock 180 degrees and remove it from the slide. Rather than pulling the barrel out of the slide, the whole barrel assembly slides out the front (it is a tight fit), and you are done field stripping. Please note that when you are putting the pistol back together, you may need to push one of the tabs on the left of the lower receiver down to get the slide to come back all the way.

On Patrol

_____On the field this airsoft gun has a nice blowback seen on high end pistols made by KWA. It is simple, easy to use and fires very much like a leaner, sleeker 1911. With such a low weight you hardly notice it in your hand, and the extra mags are easy to store. Often the weight of carrying a gbb pistol side arm isn’t worth it in airsoft, but with the Tokarev you will hardly notice it is on you until you need a trusty back up. The safety takes some getting used to, but if you follow our recommendations on finger placement you won’t have any trouble (place the tip of your trigger finger on the top of the trigger, and when pulling slide along the top). If you do not, or if your trigger pulls are sloppy, your shots will not be accurate with this ww2 airsoft gun. Remember, this is a sliding trigger like a 1911, not a pivoting one like a USP or M9. 11 shots really weren’t that bad compared to the 14 seen on 1911s, but if you want lots of ammo, get an M9 or ATP with the 50 round clip. The mag held plenty of gas for one and a half mags (in warehouse weather), and the gun shot very straight with typical pistol range.

A Different Kind of Model

_____The Tokarev is a very different model than KWA’s other awesome pistols. It does not have the strength of the HK USP series, but can compete with the 1911, ATP, M9 and KZ75. It does not have the Magazine capacity of the ATP, USPs, or M9s but you can carry as much or more mags as the 1911. It does not have the second safety, the de-cocking options, or an ambidextrous mag release, but it is reliable and easy. Ultimately this airsoft pistol is for the player that wants a reliable, light weight back up with all the quality of KWA or for those players that want to complete their Red load out. The TT33 has the power of most pistols, weighs less, lets you fit more magazines, and does away with everything but the essentials. It is a beautiful period piece that is also functional, skirmishable, and a joy to shoot. Bring a new flavor to the battle field and a little WW2 history as well with the KWA Tokarev TT-33.

Specs

Velocity = 104-107 MPS [340-350 FPS]
Energy Output with 0.20g BB = 1.07 Joules
Magazine Capacity = 11 rounds
Inner Barrel Length = 104 mm
Inner Barrel Diameter = 6.05 mm
Overall Length = 19.5 cm [7.68"]
Overall Height = 13 cm [5.12"]
Weight = 0.75 kg [1.65 lbs]
Caliber = 6 mm
Gas System = NS2
Propellant = Gas
Adjustable Hop-Up
Lanyard loop
Full metal, aluminum alloy construction
Realistic construction and field stripping

_____That’s right, after months of waiting it’s here. The KWA LM4 PTR OMG BBQ has arrived. After years of making top quality pistols and AEGs, KWA has released their first foray into the magical realm of Gas Blow Back Rifles. The LM4 Professional Training Rifle lives up to its name. Everything about this rifle from the breakdown, to the internal mechanisms is eerily similar to a real AR-15. The blowback is fast and crisp, the recoil hard, the full auto terrifying and then we realizes it’s been more than worth the wait for a GBBR M4 of this caliber.

Externals

_____Externally the KWA LM4 is an exact replica. Remember all those little fake pins and bumps? On the airsoft LM4 they are real. Gone are the fake external pieces used to make the air soft guns look real, now they are functional, tangible, purposeful. Many of the external parts are real steel compatible. While you will not need a gas tube, the KWA LM4 will take real steel grips, hand-guards (you will not be able to take it off without a tool), and the jury is still out about whether you can use AEG outer barrels. The finish is matte black and looks fantastic, with laser etched marking bearing the maker (KWA), the model the lower receiver came on, the caliber and the serial number with country designation. There is absolutely no wobble and the only non-metal parts are the same non-metal parts found on the real steel (but someone will want a metal pistol grip).

The dust cover is now functional also and absurdly superior to the AEG dust covers we see everywhere. Like the real steel, you will not want dust and grime getting in to mess with the bolt (that’s so mil-sim). The bolt locks back with a powerful click, and will slam forward when released. The Hop Up is similar to those seen on KWA gas pistols with a series of teeth around the bucking, and a matching pair on the tool used to turn the ring actuating the Hop Up. The charging handle works like the real steel version, without the sketchy wobble of springs. A six position collapsible stock comes stock on the rifle and again there is no wobble, nor from the buffer tube that mounts again like the real steel (not airsoft compatible). The forward assist works as well but do not hit it when an empty mag is loaded or you risk damage to the bolt. Otherwise it has all you’d expect; adjustable sights, removable carry handle, -14mm threads, semi and auto firing modes, with a pair of self retaining (thank you KWA) pins for the lower receiver.

The Magazine

_____So far KWA only has a green gas compatible 40 round magazine. The majority of the mag is metal, and rather heavy. The feed lips and follower are metal so you will not need to worry about being too rough with it. The magazine looks a bit long, and when inserting it into the gun it does lock in place, but it might take a bit of use to smooth out it locking in a high stress environment. That we know of currently, the LM4 mags are dedicated and there is no cross compatibility.

KWA LM4 Internals

_____Being so like the real AR-15, the LM4 PTR breaks apart in the same way. Eject the magazine, push the rear body pin out, pivot the upper receiver forward and remove the forward body pin to separate the two receivers.  The lower contains the buffer tube with buffer spring, buffer, trigger assembly, bolt catch and body pins. The Trigger assembly works exactly like the real steel (compatibility is still unknown) with all the pieces being metal. The hammer has a ball bearing on the top which is a nice touch and helps to preserve the life of the trigger system.

On the upper receiver you will find the bolt, charging handle, Hop Up, barrel and everything else you would expect on an M4. The charging handle and bolt are removable, both looking almost identical to the real steel parts (compatibility on the charging handle may be a possibility). The bolt of course, is ATF approved and does not contain a firing pin so it cannot fire center fire bullets. The Hop Up can be adjusted with the bolt locked back and the dust cover open using the provided tool. Should dust or debris prevent the bolt from cycling forward all the way, KWA have made the forward assist functional to overcome such obstacles (user should be careful not to damage the bolt when using this).

Performance

_____The airsoft LM4 uses KWA’s new FV system that is remarkably strong and efficient. When we test fired the rifle the action was strong, with no noticeable cool down as seen on most full auto GBBRs. The fps was in the 400 range with green gas and a .20g BB. Out of the box the LM4 is tuned to fire at 13+ RPS, but we for see various mods to increase the rate of fire. The LM4 comes with a 6.05mm tightbore barrel that is 370mm long giving the GBBR great accuracy. While the clip size is limited to 40 rounds, spare magazines are available. Just be prepared to be a bit more milsim than the super Hi-cap wielding lipo users.

The LM4 is out and we are excited to see the players get a hold of this masterpiece. KWA has been pushing the limits of the game for years and we believe that this new line of rifles will revolutionize the sport with its superior quality, reliability and accuracy. With new models on the horizon and the great potential of one of the most realistic airsoft rifles on the market, this year is sure to be full of exciting releases and games, all thanks to KWA’s dedication to outperform.

Specs

Overall Length (Retracted) = 77.47 cm [30.5"]
Overall Length (Extended) = 85.73 cm [33.75"]
Outer Barrel Length = 38.1 cm [15"]
Inner Barrel Length = 370 mm
Inner Barrel Diameter = 6.05 mm
Weight = 2.86 kg [6.30 lbs]
Barrel Thread = -14 mm
Caliber = 6 mm
Magazine Capacity = 40 rounds
Rate of Fire = 13+ RPS
Velocity = 118-125 MPS [390-410 FPS]
Energy Output with 0.20g BB = 1.49 Joules
Gas System = Force Velocity
Propellant = Gas
Adjustable front and rear sights
Removable carry handle
Functional bolt release
6 position collapsible stock
Adjustable Hop-Up
Semi and Full Auto select fire
Realistic construction & field stripping

Etha Reviewed

_____When we first got our hands on Planet Eclipse’s new Etha, we thought entry level marketing was a joke. This electro pneumatic marker emits an aura of excellence on par with markers more expensive than my car. This is Entry Level? Planet Eclipse has always been known for raising the bar, going the extra mile and producing many of the best markers to grace pro level tournaments. Now they’ve set a new standard for entry level, why start at the bottom when PE can make you compete with most high end markers? The Etha’s are put through a rigorous testing program designed by PE to make or break paintball guns, and ensure the absolute best quality.

In many cases the Etha uses similar or exact parts from many of PE’s higher end (non ‘entry level’) markers and is machined to the same tolerances as the Ego, Geo, and the Etek. The machining is simpler, but keeps all of the high end materials and quality seen on Planet Eclipse guns. If you’ve ever held or tried out a Geo or Geo 2, you’ll have a good idea how this marker plays without the insane price tag. From birth, every Etha is assigned a unique barcode that is used to track its performance before it even leaves the factory. The Etha’s are tested for fps, how it feeds, and for any leaks. This testing combined with Planet Eclipse’s quality and reliable service make this an incredible buy that will last you years on the field. Etha’s are made to shoot in any condition, at any time, with any paint, and always work. No mess ups, no chops no excuses.

The Frame

_____Among paintball markers the Etha’s frame is streamlined, exotic, predatory. This Planet Eclipse marker is like a giant glass reinforced nylon fiber cat ready to redecorate its prey’s new jersey with a different color. The Etha’s frame is a mixture of glass reinforced nylon fiber and T6 6061 Aluminum. The body and barrel are made of Aluminum while the frame, feed, and eye clovers are all high impact and resilient nylon. Planet Eclipse took after the Etek 3 LT’s design when making the Etha, using the same nylon construction to reduce both weight and cost while not sacrificing structural integrity. While there are those that are still skeptical of anything that doesn’t have a full metal frame, their beliefs are unfounded and shattered by the Etha’s fantastic build quality.

The frame uses a contoured dual density grip set at a 156mm pitch. The grip panels are sunk into the frame to prevent dust, dirt, mud, paint, whatever from getting in and messing with the board. The grip panels themselves use a dual density rubber to provide the best rigidity and flexible grip. They also have a quick locking tab that requires undoing one screw to get it off, and swap out the battery. The grip has some nicely rounded finger grooves making the Etha easy to hold and manipulate. On top the Etha’s feedneck is the same nylon used for the body being an adjustable clamping style. It can be swapped out for the latter model Ego or Geo feednecks but there really is no point swapping the nylon for aluminum. Lastly for the body, the trigger pivots on a pair of sintered brass bushings (its some crazy metallurgy process that means the bushings were made in a very high quality mold). After all that the Etha (with barrel, feed, battery and ASA) weighs in at 2.05 lbs.

Etha Trigger

_____The trigger design for the Etha is marvelous. It uses a spring return trigger with three means of adjustment (pull length, return length, and spring strength). The reverse curve style trigger is light and sleek matching the rest of the marker, hitting a micro-switch to fire letting the slightest tap blow away the competition.The trigger uses a fully adjustable leaf spring similar to the ones found in Ego 11′s. Everything for the trigger is externally adjustable, Planet Eclipse has gone so far as to make the Etha’s trigger removable without taking apart the frame. Simply remove the grip, loosen the trigger set screw (the 45 degree angled one), remove the trigger rocking pin, and take out the trigger. This takes the sting out of clean up, but PE can’t do anything about your paint covered fingers.

Etha Bolt / Drive Train

_____Planet Eclipse secret contract with JPL have developed the inline blow forward dual stage dual force pneumatic bolt combining paintball with the finest aerospace engineering. Or at least it looks that way, the Etha uses the Inline blow forward type bolt with a special rubber tip and the defteck feed system. The bolt moves in two stages after it is fired, the first slowly (relatively) picks up the paintball then accelerates when loading the ball into the barrel. To cushion the ball, the bolt has a ramped rubber nose that also acts to prevent double feeds. The defetek feed system uses rubber finger detents to guide the paintball into the BBSS (break beam sensor system) to further reduce breakage.

A pull poppet spool bolt system is used to release air from the firing chamber. This is PE’s first time using a spring to return the bolt system thus simplifying the pneumatics of the marker. The whole drive train unscrews out the back of the Etha, much like the Geo, and takes out the entire assembly including the spring and soft tip bolt. The bolt is fired by a high pressure solenoid valve regulated by Planet Eclipse’s SL3 regulator.

Etha Regulator

_____Using the SL3 regulator from the SLS and then on the Geo2, Ego 11 and the CSL, Planet Eclipse has given their ‘entry gun’ and amazing reg system. The SL3 runs on high pressure, medium pressure, and low pressure, without the need for any adjustment. You can literally jumping between all those random HPA tanks you have or a friends and see no difference on the chrono between the different pressures. Etha’s regulator threads onto the body with female threads on the reg and male on the Etha, reducing the profile of the marker. The SL3 is an awesome reg, but it CANNOT RUN ON CO2 (not sure why you would try with a gun like this), and in case things do go bad with HPA it has a replaceable and reversible main seal.

ASA

_____OOPS, they did it again. Actually, the new OOPS ASA system on the Etha came from the Ego 11 and Geo 2.1′s POPS system that was a push button. This new style on off inline purge system is a step up from the old design, the Eclipse Etha‘s ASA is a twist off with venting to the front of the marker. OOPS uses the same parts as the POPS ASA, with a straight macro line connector it puts less stress on the macroline itself. The ASA mounts via the T slot system, with the whole unit and the Reg being extremely low profile and streamlined.

Etha Barrel

_____The barrel on this masterpiece is Autococker threaded (if you even want to grab an aftermarket barrel). It is a two piece barrel with a .693 inner bore standing in at 14.5″ in length. The two pieces of the barrel are connected by the Shaft 4 threads first seen on the Geo 2. The rear piece has male threads at both ends, with the threads being different enough you won’t have to worry about any accidental cross threading. The rear piece is also rather long compared with most two piece barrel designs, this results in a better efficiency for the marker and a long control bore length for more accuracy. The PE Etha’s barrel is compatible with the Boost Kit and 16″ tip, stock though it has minimal porting so it’s no as quiet as some ‘holier’ barrels.

Boost barrel kit

Etha’s Board and Electronics

_____One of the most noted features found on the Etha is the multicolored LED display. This large display flashes between purple, yellow and blue. It will notify the user of the status of the Break Beam Sensor System or BBSS, what firing mode the paintball marker is in, the battery life, and is used to display feedback when programming the board. The PCB is fully adjustable for the firing mode, the dwell, and the rate of fire. The Etha also comes pre-programmed with 10 debounce modes, and semi, ramping capped or uncapped firing modes making this marker preset for tournament play. For tournaments, the interface also has an easy single push tourney lock. PE recommends the Etha uses a PP3 9V battery to power the 8-bit 2MHz processor (5V) and the solenoid (9V).

The Green Case

_____Planet Eclipse paintball markers all come with a high quality plastic case for storage and transportation. The case on the Etha is one of the best yet, with the hard foam inserts pre-shaped for everything you need, with a hard hardy plastic exterior. This case closes with a pair of plastic latches and comes with a set of tools for the Etha, a gorgeous manual that has everything you’ll ever need to know, some spare parts, a tube of Planet Eclipse grease, and a high quality Planet Eclipse Sock. The spare parts are mostly O-rings found throughout the gun (NBR 70 except for one NBR 90), a pair of grip screws, some other seals, a pair of springs and a few other miscellaneous parts.

Firing Operation

_____When the Etha is all ready to go and on, the marker starts in the idle position. Held back by the bolt spring, the bolt is held back as the bolt guide is pressurized directly from the SL3 regulator. The firing poppet keeps the bolt sealed by its spring and maintains a ‘steady state’.

When you hit the trigger, the micro-switch sends an electrical signal to the solenoid that fires and sends air to the rear of the firing poppet.  The air is stronger than the spring tension that pushes the poppet forward, pushing the firing poppet to its rear position. This opens the bolt guide’s exhaust port to the bolt and seals the air off from the reg.

With the pressure now i the bolt, it forces the bolt forward against the bolt return spring, pushing the ball into the breach and sealing the feedneck. The stem of the bolt is then pushed out of the bolt guide, opening the exhaust port all the way, blowing the pressure through the bolt, and through the barrel firing the ball.

As the pressure decreases, the springs overcome the pressure and reset the bolt back into the bolt guide and against the bolt bumper. The solenoid keeps the firing poppet in the rear position until the dwell time expires. When the solenoid stops, it lets out the air holding the firing poppet back, letting the spring reset the poppet forward closing the exhaust port. This repressurizes the bolt guide and the Etha is ready to fire again.

This is Planet Eclipse Entry Level

_____Planet Eclipse has taken all of their hard work, technology and many of the amazing parts seen on their $1,400+ guns and made an incredible marker for the entry player. Blowing most mid-level paintball markers out of the water, the Etha is a fantastic entry level marker for the tournament beginner. If you have a high level maker already and need a back up this is a fantastic marker that will work with your existing set up. It is streamlined, easy to use and comes with many of the more expensive parts seen on the Ego and Geo. The Planet Eclipse’s support, and quality control, you know you will be getting a great marker that will last and outperform for years to come. Take the power and performance of a $1,200 gun to your game for a third the cost, and all the benefits. This is entry level, your entry to pro, tournament, and excellence.

Videos

Official trailer for the Planet Eclipse Etha:

Specs

Below are the Etha’s Specs direct from Planet Eclipse, including the Etha manual:

Dimensions
Weight – 930g/2.05lb Including 14.5in Shaft4 Barrel, Battery, Feed Tube, POPS
Length – 539mm Including 14.5inShaft4 Barrel
Height – 212mm
Width – 33.5mm

Materials
Body – 6061-T6 Aluminium
Barrel – 6061-T6 Aluminium
Frame – Glass Reinforced Nylon
Feed – Glass Reinforced Nylon
Eye Covers – Glass Reinforced Nylon

Electronics
Interface – Single Push Button plus Tourney Lock
Display – 1 x Tri-Color LED Indicators
Solenoid voltage – 9Volts
Processor voltage – 5 Volts
Processor – 8-Bit 2MHz
Power Supply – 1 x 9V (PP3) Battery

Hardware
ASA Mount – T-Slot mounted adjustable rail with Front Exit OOPS (On/Off Purge System)
Trigger Methods – Micro Switch
Trigger Mechanism – Leaf Spring
Trigger Pivot – Self Lubricating Sintered Brass Bushing
Barrel – 2-Piece Micro Honed Shaft4 14.5in length 0.693 Bore
Feed Tube – Lever Operated Clamping Feed

Pneumatics
Operating Principle – Inline Blow Forward Bolt
Solenoid Type – High Pressure Solenoid Valve
Drive Mechanism – Dual Force Pull Poppet
Bolt Mechanism – Rubber Tipped CS Bolt

Ergonomics
Grip Type – Contoured Dual Density Grip
Grip Pitch – 156mm

Firmware
Firing Modes – Semi and Ramping Capped and Uncapped
Debounce Modes – 10 Debounce Modes

When getting into the sport of paintball you quickly start to realize there is a lot more to the sport than just going out and shooting your friends. After purchasing your marker the question of air source is the next purchase that needs to occur, either Co2 or HPA. Either option serves the same purpose, however, each have their own advantages and disadvantages. To better understand which paintball tank would better suit your needs lets look into the characteristics of both options.

Co2 Tanks

Co2 tanks have been the go to air source for years in the sport of paintball due to its ability to store a high amount of Co2 in a smaller sized, lower pressure tank. To better understand the reasons Co2 is used, it’s important to realize Carbon dioxide can be found as both a gas and a liquid, and when filled into Co2 tanks it is filled as a liquid. Co2 as a liquid is very cold and the environmental temperature can cause the pressures within the tank to change drastically. Since it is very cold as a liquid you will notice after quickly firing 10-20 shots your marker and barrel will start to get cold. As shots are fired from your marker, some of the liquid in the tank evaporates into a gas within the tank allowing your marker to use the gas to propel the paintball. Unfortunately since Co2 tanks are most often directly attached to the marker, liquid can be leaked into the gun if pointed downward often times causing excessive wear on the internals of your gun. Due to how cold your gun can get, Co2 is known for causing your marker to fire more inconsistent, however, with the use of a remote coil it makes it nearly impossible to have the liquid Co2 to reach your marker helping to negate the inconsistencies. On the upside most 20oz tanks will retail for about $20 making it a cheap air source for lower end markers. As an added note Co2 tanks are not able to be topped off, it is important to use them till they are empty before filling.

High Pressure Air (HPA) Tanks

In more recent years HPA tanks have been a much more common source of air in the sport of paintball due to its ability to provide consistent shots all day and does not cause excessive wear on marker internals due to the extreme temperature drops. HPA tanks come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and offer a wide range of regulators with very customizable features. Most high end guns do require the use of high pressure air only, however, with your high end guns you are trying to keep the gun as accurate and consistent as possible so an HPA tank should be sought after. Most high pressure tanks are made of carbon fiber to keep the tank as light as possible and the pressure can be as high as 4500psi within the tank. When making the move to a HPA tank a remote coil would be a worthwhile investment so you don’t have to deal with a bulky tank on the end of your gun allowing you to quickly maneuver your gun during a fire fight. The one downside to HPA tanks is they are generally more expensive since they require higher end materials so they can handle the high pressures. Although if you look hard enough you can will find a 48ci / 3000psi HPA tank for $40-$50. Even though HPA may be more expensive initially you will potentially save money in the long run because HPA does not wear on gun internals as heavily as Co2 does. A big advantage to HPA tanks is the ability to top off your tank between games with the quick connect fill nipple at one of the fill stations, whereas Co2 generally needs to be filled by a staff member and cannot be topped off.

Regulators

An important aspect to any tank is the type of regulator fitted to the tank, most Co2 tanks have a basic pin valve regulator whereas HPA tanks can come with a wide array of regulators with state of the art assemblies creating very consistant shots. Some HPA regulators allow you to change the level of pressure released by the regulator allowing the tank to provide the ideal pressure needed for your marker increasing your air efficiency and giving your more shots per tank fill. One of more recent sought after features on HPA regulators is low recharge rates, meaning that after a shot has released from the tank the time until the air pressure is back to the normal rate is very short. This is huge for guns that fire 12+ BPS because you do not want an inconsistent pressure of air for each shot, this can result in broken balls and a loss of accuracy and range. Another huge advantage to HPA regulators is that it features a pressure gauge allowing you to monitor the fill level within the tank, unfortunately you cannot monitor this with Co2 tanks.

Overview

As far as results are concerned there is no competition between the use of Co2 and HPA, the high pressure air provides a more consistent shot with a shorter recharge time without any extra wear on your gun’s internals. Co2 tanks will work just fine with your lower end markers and have been used very regularly on paintball fields all across the nation for years. One advantage to Co2 is the price, its very cheap to get a tank and fills are relatively inexpensive also if you do have a lower end gun an expensive HPA tank with top end features is not exactly necessary. Ultimately it really comes down to the marker you have and the requirements of it, pretty much all guns would benefit from the use of HPA but cheaper guns don’t require it. However higher end guns do require it and you should not risk using Co2 in them due to potential internal damage. When it comes down to it the HPA tank is the only choice for those players who want to have every advantage they can and this is one that can make a huge difference.

_____There are few MP5s that provide truly tactical options. Often a rare and specially made RAS system or claw type mount must be purchased for the use of aftermarket parts and accessories. More often still, the Mp5s and look-a-likes have a partial metal body, or are made of a shady plastic. Echo1 saw an opening and threw not one, but two guns at it! Enter in the SOB (Special Operations Branch) mark I and II. These MP5 based electric air soft guns have all the tactical accessory mounting options you could ever need, with the added familiarity of M4 stocks.

SOB 1 (Long)

_____The Mark 1 is the field version of the Echo1 SOB series. It features a 6 position adjustable crane stock to house the battery, and an integrated RIS system built into the full metal body. The SOB 1 uses a longer inner barrel than it’s little cousin, and is meant for the field. With the barrel, the RIS system has also been extended to fit even more stuff on your M4! I mean SOB1! The telescoping stock is fixed, but is compatible with other M4/M16 style stocks for those that want something a little different without much hassle. The SOB 1 will give you more fps and accuracy, at the cost of a less compact package.

SOB 2 (Short)

_____If an MP5k had rails and a telescoping stock we’d be calling it the SOB 2. This branch is optimized for close quarters engagements or use as a back up weapon. It has a side folding, telescoping, skeletonized stock that folds out of the way and stays there under tension. But if you want to lighten the little AEG up a bit (it is heavy from all that metal), two philips screws removes the stock, or for lefties, swaps it over to the left (you’ll need to re-orient the buffer tube).

The battery is somehow fit (its easy) into what would be the gas tube. 3 pins need to be removed to take off the stock and the RIS rails so you can slide the, up to 9.6v, stick battery to the front and connect the Tamiya plugs in the RIS system. Some longer stick batteries, or those with more cells won’t let the stock clip back in. Note, that with the provided 9.6v in the SOB2, you cannot use the charging handle (its aesthetic, hop up is adjusted via a bar on the left of the gun).

Special Operations Branch

_____Both guns have a full metal upper receiver with a reinforced nylon lower. These parts are thick, and where the AEG gets most of its weight (there is a noticeable difference without  the stock on the SOB 2). These SMGs are begging for some sweet optics to grace their full length top rails. Each AEG comes with a battery and charger, as well as 2 Hi-Cap magazines! At 200 rounds each, these guns are ready for the field using an unusual straight Mp5 style magazine (your curved mags will work). Every part of these guns felt rock solid with the exception of some slight stock wobble. They wre shooting pretty hot for CQB, topping out close to their specs at 396 fps with a .20g BB. This is a pair of fantastic guns from Echo1 USA, if you need a good back up, something compact, or just a gun for CQB few are better suited than the SOB series!

Also check out our video review of the SOB 2 (Flash cards got mixed up lol):

If you have been in search of a top of the line, fully customizable regulator with the ability to rotate the gauge in any direction needed, then look no further because the Ninja PRO Regulator is here. Ninja Paintball has been on a quest to design the ideal regulator for any players needs no matter how particular their gun’s needs may be. Ninja is so confident in the design and customizability of this regulator, they believe they have built the last regulator you will ever need to buy

Customizability

We seem to be in an age of upgrades and optimization, why settle for average when you can modify what you have to be top of the line? The new Ninja PRO regulator includes many features never before seen on a regulator including a quad-adjustable active pressure valve. This air system allows you to adjust the active pressure of the tank from 450psi to 550, 700 and all the way up to 800psi and its as easy as removing a shim. With the ability to fine tune your gun to it’s ideal working pressure your able to increase the efficiency of the gun while reducing any excessive pressure on your marker’s internals. The PRO Paintball Regulator also comes in a SLP (Super Low Pressure – 300psi) and SHP (Super High Pressure – 1100psi) version allowing ANY marker to use this outstanding regulator. Just another feature the Ninja PRO regulator has is a micro fill nipple and smaller pressure gauge to maintain a low profile.

Twist Technology

This paintball regulator features a 360 degree rotatable fill nipple and gauge allowing you to get a quick tank fill without needing to rotate your marker. With this paintball regulator you will no longer need to play through a whole day of pain with a fill nipple or gauge digging into your hand. The Ninja PRO comes standard with a swivel collar allowing you to rotate the tank in any direction and features 3 set screws so when you find a comfortable and accessible position you can tighten them down to prevent the tank from rotating any further.

Efficiency

With the ability to suit your markers exact pressure needs the Ninja PRO is able to allow you to get more shots per tank than a standard regulator with a fixed pressure. Ninja Paintball also incorporated their Belleville spring stack and a Gen 2 SRT (Sonic Recharge Technology) piston into this PRO regulator which virtually eliminates regulator shootdown and dramatically reduces pressure spikes after shots. This spectacular regulator also features 2 o-rings at the top of the bonnet to ensure an air tight seal to prevent any leakage.

Overview

Ninja Paintball has been at the leading edge on their regulator designs for some years now but the PRO series regulator has raised the bar for all its competition. With it’s never before seen features, incredible air efficiency, and quick recharge rate the PRO is the ideal regulator for any player with any marker. We are anxious to see players get what they need out of a regulator that is likely to be the last one they will ever need to buy and most importantly from a product that is proudly built here in the U.S.A.

Camouflage. With hundreds of patterns and different styles to match an infinite number of environments it can be hard to pick just one. We take some of the best and most popular camouflage patterns available and put them to the test. Woodland, Desert, and MultiCam collide, where we expose each patterns strengths and weakness while also revealing the best way to use it.

Woodland

More specifically the common M81 US Woodland camo pattern and seen on BDUs. With the surplus of this iconic camo pattern you can get a set pretty much anywhere. Meant for areas with high vegetation, woodland camo is best used in… well…. Woodlands. In 1981 the pattern was changed and enlarged on the battle dress to work better at range. Additionally the engineers increased the contrast of the pattern thereby limiting its effectiveness at close range, but enhancing the effects from longer distances. Woodland is ideal in areas with a fair amount of green, and is most effective in the shade where the shadows tone down the contrast.It is also recommended to use gloves and some kind of mask since the skin stands out sharply against the pattern. M81 is cheap, and tactical clothing can be found almost anywhere and has a very large amount of accessories including, pouches, helmet covers, gloves, etc. in the pattern.

Best Area: Woods, fields, green areas

Best Use: In shadows

Range: Far

Predominate Colors: Black, Brown, Light Tan, Green

Desert

Three color desert or Desert Camoflage Uniform (DCU) is a desert adaption of the woodland camouflage meant for desert and arid use. It was designed to replace the six color desert or cookie chip camouflage, since the cookie chip was deemed unsuitable for most desert areas (and it gave the troops cravings). The DCU uses a low contrast pallet of colors and it has been found to be most effective outside of shade, so that it can blend with the well lit areas. Desert camo is best used in arid or dry areas that have a lot of light tan. This camo works great in river bottoms and the desert but sticks out like a sore thumb in the woods. Like the M81 woodland, three color desert works best at range and is pretty obvious up close. It is not as easy to find accessories and items in desert camo, but they can be found, the uniforms are easy to come by.

Best Area: Desert, river bottoms, arid areas

Best Use: In sun

Range: Far

Predominate Colors: Light Tan, Brown, Light Green

MultiCam

MultiCam is the Swiss army knife of camoflage patterns. It was meant to be a multi-season, multi-elevation, multi-light conditions, muti-environments, one camo to rule them all. But, in 2004 it lost the race to ACU when replacing the Desert and Woodland patterns. It is a seven color pattern, that can be used in any situation to some effectiveness. While this multi-tasker is better than any one camo pattern in all environments, it is never as good as any individual pattern in the environment it was meant for. It is a good camo at close range, but tends to blur into a flat blob from far range. Like three color desert, it is better used in the sun than in shade, and is best used in a mix of lightly forested areas. Though expensive, MultiCam can be found at most major supply stores, with a large volume of different accessories and pouches or even vests in the camo pattern.

Best Area: Anywhere, lightly forested/arid area

Best Use: In sun

Range: Close

Predominate Colors: White, Light Tan, Brown, Light Green, Green, Dark Brown, Dark Yellow

Digital Camouflage

Not to be left in the dust, both Woodland and Desert got a modern adaption. Based heavily off of the Canadian CADPAT camo pattern, the MARPAT camo was made to take the place of both Woodland and Desert camo in the military. The pattern uses a pixelated pattern of camo that uses the eye’s natural tendency to smooth patterns to its advantage eliminating the close range draw backs of Desert and Woodland. With a slight re-color, MARPAT or digital Woodland and Desert is a superior alternative to their respective operating environment. Authentic MARPAT is expensive, but there are knock offs for the budget airsofter, with some tactical gear accessories that can be found.

Best Area: Woodlands : Deserts

Best Use: In shade : In sun

Range: Any

Predominate Colors: Light Tan, Brown, Light Green, Dark Brown : Black, Brown, Light Tan, Green

What to Wear

Common since dictates to buy the camo that best suits your environment, preferably digital. However, if you are only going to get one pair of camo we suggest MultiCam or Woodland. MultiCam was made to work in all environments, but if Woodland is used well in shade, it can be a suitable substitute. When comparing MARPAT with its tan or green pattern and Desert or Woodland, it is obvious that MARPAT comes out on top. Ultimately, it matters how dedicated you are to one particular pattern, or one particular set of terrain. Use the keys above when evaluating your area, and see which will work best for you.

_____So you’ve been to a few games, maybe ran up against another player that wasn’t running stock, or are just looking for an edge against the opposite team. Eventually, all airsoft players look at airsoft upgrade parts for their airsoft guns. Upgrading can be a rough and difficult process, there’s the potential to loose parts, mix in incompatible pieces, and always miss align a critical component. Modifying airsoft guns or airsoft teching requires a degree of skill and an attention to detail that is often learned after several attempts have been made. While as a blog we cannot provide that hands on experience, we can provide a set of guidelines for stable airsoft builds.

Repairs

_____Repairs can be both straight forward, or outrageous. Often, you get into the gearbox and find that something specific has broken. The piston is stripped or the metal teeth have caved in, the pinion gear is smooth as glass with metal flakes everywhere, your wires have spontaneously disintegrated. Making repairs for those kinds of issues is relatively easy, you replace the part, test it a bit and get back onto the field. For the less obvious issues, see below for some of our tips and tricks. Always make sure that all the airsoft parts will slide nicely, that everything is aligned properly, and that the gearbox will sit flush against itself without force (no gaps in the shell).

Problems when upgrading are a different story, especially when only upgrading a single part. Upgrading one part, or two, will cause stress on all the other stock parts. Upgrading a single component will work for a time, and then break causing you to repeatedly repair the broken parts until the gearbox is properly tuned. But, provided you don’t deviate too far from the table below, you should be ok. Should upgrading prove too much of a hassle, there are always airsoft replacement parts.

Upgrading

_____Gears are the most important aspect of upgrading or downgrading springs. Without the right ratio of gears your motor won’t be able to pull back and use the spring. The spring, motor and gears can be attributed to the different parts of a car: the load (spring), gear (gears), and the motor (you guessed it: motor). In an airsoft gearbox the motor works just like a car motor with the speed being how much gas (or voltage) is given to the motor. When you pull the trigger, it’s just like flooring the gas pedal of the car. The motor speeds up to maximum and continues until the pedal or power is let off. The gears work just like the gear is in a car, but instead of being able to change between the gears, the airsoft gears are stuck. A stock AEG acts as though it is running in 3rd gear, it can pull some weight, and still get up to a high speed. When you upgrade the strength of a spring, you increase the load. In a car this would mean you would need to drop down into 2nd so you have more torque or power to pull the heavier load. If you are trying for a speed build, you would decrease the spring strength, and ramp up to 4th gear letting the car go faster because it doesn’t have to pull as much.You can run your car with a light load in 2nd gear, but that defeats the purpose of running with a light load. In this case the motor and gears will be supplying more torque than is needed to pull the spring back. However if you have a heavy load and try running the car in 4th, you are going to hurt your motor, or in the case of airsoft: lock back. In this case the motor and gears start pulling the spring back but when it gets near the end the cumulative spring tension is too much for the motor and gears which locks the spring in place (because of the anti reversal latch that makes the gears only spin one way).

Gear Ratios

_____So, to upgrade, one must first find out what gears they need  to pull a certain power of spring. Conversely a player may try and find what maximum their gears can take for a simple upgrade. To find the gear ratio, you need to count the ration of the teeth between the gears and then find on the supplied graph (Below) what other parts are needed to handle your upgrade path.

First you calculate the ratio of the pinion gear (on the motor) to the beveled teeth on the bevel gear. In this case 10:30 or 3.

Pinion gear on motor and bevel gear

Second you calculate the ratio between the small set of teeth on the bevel gear and the outer ring of teeth on the spur gear. For these 10:40 or 4.

Spur gear and bevel gear

Third you calculate the ratio between the inner ring of teeth on the spur gear and the full ring of teeth on the sector gear. On these it’s 20:32 or 1.6.

Spur gear and sector gear

Last you multiply the three ratios to get the overall ratio of your gears. For this example 3*4*1.6 = 19.2.

When upgrading a part of a gearbox, that part puts stress on all the other components in the system that is used to a weaker part. Often when upgrading the FPS of an AEG, the spring, gears and motor will all need to be upgraded. Other parts that may need to be upgraded are the battery for more power, the piston to handle the greater force, the spring guide to stabilize the spring and other parts as needed. Upgrading an airsoft gun is a complex and difficult path, but not impossible.

Problems

_____Because there are always going to be problems. Most problems encountered when a gearbox is upgrade are either miss installation or use of the wrong airsoft parts. In the case of a miss installation, be very careful to make sure every part is aligned properly and it all meshed together well. In regards to parts, this is usually the case of trying to push a gearbox farther than it can go with the current configuration. In both cases consult and airsoft technician. Below is a list of common problems and solutions (assuming the diagnosis is correct).

Continuous lock back – This is where the gearbox will begin to fire then lock2 up and not fire again. There will be a distinct click from the motor trying to engage each time the trigger is pulled. This occurs if the spring is too strong for the gears and motor, the motor is not getting enough power (low battery power or voltage), the motor is not strong enough (too low quality or not enough torque), or something is getting stuck (check the movement of the piston in the gearbox and ensure the spring guide fits inside the piston).

Piston wont move or is stuck – This is often a problem with the gears, something is blocking them or out of alignment. This problem is often coupled with over heating wires.

Grinding or whining sound – This can either be caused by the gears grinding inside the gearbox, a lack of grease or more often the motor not being set to the correct height. In the case of the motor height problem adjust the screw at the bottom of the motor or grip.

Low fps – In the case of low FPS the seals will need to be checked. These include between the bucking, inner barrel and hop up. The space between the hop up and gearbox (hop up should be pressed against it). The seal between the air nozzle and the bucking. The seal between air nozzle and cylinder head. The seal between cylinder head and cylinder. Between piston head and cylinder, and on the actual piston head itself. All should be checked for leaks, and that they have good compression.  Note that shorter barrels have a maximum fps they can produce.

Wires heat up – This will occur when current is flowing into the motor but the motor cannot turn for whatever reason. Likely a lock back or a short in the gearbox. A lock back will make the motor click and engage audibly, a short will not.

The motor will only pull the piston back part way every time the trigger is pulled – This is usually a short or a damaged knife switch. Check your wires and pull out your knife switch to make sure the contacts are good and even. This is different from the problem above in that the piston will move back, so it is not the motor or gears.

No semi auto – If the trigger mechanism is taken apart, it needs to be reassembled in ‘full auto’ so that the semi auto disconnect is beneath the knife switch flap, and the selector plate s correctly aligned. Sometimes this can occur if there is a short that keeps the circuit from closing.

Wont load BBs – This is a hop up or tappet plate problem where the tappet plate was not aligned in the gearbox properly, is stuck, or the spring is missing. In the case of a hop up problem make sure that the mag is feeding and attempt to realign the hop up.

Double feeding – If the anti reversal latch isn’t installed, this will allow the gears to spin the other way and rock the piston back and forth feeding excess BBs.

The Table

_____Note that this table provides builds that have been known to be in a stable configuration with a reasonable success rate. It only takes into consideration the motor, gears and spring other parts may need to be upgraded to handle the extremes. The Rate of Fire is with an 8.4v NiMh battery, and the fps is the mean expected velocity. This is not an absolute guide, but should help the new player as a reference.

_____There are not too many air soft MP5′s in the US. This is partly due to licensing and the high cost of MP5 AEGs. ICS airsoft has produced an mp5 look alike AEG to meet the demand of mp5 airsoft enthusiasts. The ICS GSG 552 is a budget grade airsoft gun meant to excel in CQB fields. With the same ergonomics as an MP5 this aeg will take all mp5 gear and accessories while providing a unique body for the rifle.

High Speed Low Drag

_____This AEG is light, far lighter than most AEGs on the market today. Where speed is critical, being light and on your toes is key. The GSG 552 is able to bring the full force of an electric airsoft gun to the fight while being as compact, and much lighter than the standard airsoft sub-machine gun. The entire body is polymer (and not the cheap kind either), and splits into a lower and upper receiver. The stock is sturdy, with three different positions for use. On top of the ICS is a picatinny rail built in for optics, lasers and flashlights so no special or hard to find adapters are needed for your favorite accessories. The charging handle is functional but purely aesthetic, with the hop up adjusted via a lever on the left side of the weapon for use on the fly. Unlike most MP5 AEGs, the GSG 552′s selector is very solid with no wobble and a nice crisp snap into each firing position (of course being ambidextrous). One of our favorite features about the rifle is the enlarged mag release allowing for rapid reloads and ease of use in high stress situations.

This is a good beginner gun for new players, or those looking for a good CQB gun. Taking MP5 parts, this AEG is built to last and provide an alternative to this high priced MP5s.

Features:

• 250 round HiCap mag
• Adjustable slider stock
• 315 FPS
• built in RIS rail for optics
• GSG trademarks
• Sling Mounts
• Ambidextrous Select Fire
• Adjustable MP5 style rear sight
• Full 1:1 size
• Metal gear box