Whenever we think of commercial or civilian drones, we always think about multi-rotor drones that hover and provide stability for aerial videos and photos.  Parrot, known for its affordable line of quadcopter drones, now thinks that fixed-wing drones are cooler and faster to fly and thus unveiled the Parrot Disco at the CES 2016 taking place right now in Las Vegas.

A “ready-to-fly” drone, the Parrot Disco is easy to fly and control even for a beginner, if we are to believe what Parrot says about their latest product. Out of the box, you just attach the wings and if the battery is fully charged, then it’s ready to be thrown and fly. With a 45 minute flight time, it can stay up in the air than many civilian hobbyist drones in the market. It can do this since it uses just a single motor as compared to the multi-rotor drones that will drain batteries faster.

Just like the other drones in Parrot’s line-up, the Disco can connect to the Parrot’s Sky Controller via Wifi and can also use the Flight Plan, following waypoints established by the owner using GPS.  With different sensors onboard Disco can straighten and smoothen its flight, making it an easy drone to fly and with its speed of 50 miles per hour, should be fast enough for those who need speed with their drones.  All the sensors also help avoid users into nose-diving, making it uncrashable.

As mentioned earlier, it is easy to fly Disco. Just shake the drone to reset the sensors, and with the rotor running, you just throw it up in the air and off it goes. As for landing it given that it has no wheels or landing skids, you can just select the type of landing you want.

For aerial shots, Disco comes with a 14 megapixel camera that takes 1080p resolution videos. It has a 3-axis digital stabilization that is found in Parrot’s BebopDrone. Disco can also loiter at an area that its owner will take interest in and can also be used with FPV.

The Disco on display at CES 2015 is still a prototype and the Parrot intends to release it later this year, so far no pricing has been indicated with this.

The Consumer Electronics Show 2016 in Las Vegas have a lot of interesting products to show, and we took the upon the task ourselves to find what product that airsoft players can take interest in. From drones to watches, you will drool with the coolest electronic products produced by the biggest and even obscure companies wanting to have exposure.

An interesting item that we can all take interest in is the Flir Scout TK. Made by Flir, the company that introduced the Flir One that you can use to convert your smarpthone into a thermal camera, the Flir Scout TK is the smallest and affordable thermal camera that is powerful and rugged enough for use in airsoft.

The Flir Scout TK is small enough, can take thermal videos and images and there is no need for a smartphone to use with it. It has a narrower field of vision than the Flir One, but has a range of 100 yards to see people, animals and objects. It is also weatherproof so it is perfect for the airsoft player who is looking for a thermal camera to use in night operations. At US$600, it can be something for the serious airsoft milsim player to save up for as it is inexpensive if compared to other thermal cameras in the market.

With 5-hours of continuous use, the Scout TK, can operate long enough for that weekend airsoft event. The battery is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack. It can store up to 1,000 thermal images (160 x 120) or 4 hours worth of thermal video.  Refresh rate is at 9hz.

With those specifications, the Scout TK is not marketed to professionals but hobbyists and outdoor enthusiasts (and perhaps airsoft players too). It can be used for personal security surveillance at home or for spotting animals approaching your camp in the forest.

Looking at the design of the Scout TK, it will need a rail mount that so it can be mounted on an airsoft gun. For those who make 3D-printed accessories, this might be a good project for them  to look into, making 3D-printed airsoft gun mounts for the Scout TK. The question is, will a good number of airsoft players want one of these?

According to Flir, the Scout TK will be launched worldwide in the first quarter of 2016.

We have been getting emails from concerned players in the U.S. about a proposed bill now filed at the 189th General Court of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, that when it gets passed and signed by the Governor, may effectively outlaw airsoft as a hobby and sport in the state.

Bill H.3476 filed by State Representative Daniel Cullinane (D, Dorchester), contains the following text:

Bill H.3476
An Act relative to imitation firearms

SECTION 1. Section 121 of chapter 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the figure “131Q”, inserted by section 19 of chapter 284 of the acts of 2014, and inserting in place thereof the following figure:— 131R.

SECTION 2. Said section 121 of said chapter 140 is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “Imitation firearm”, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following definition:-

“Imitation firearm”, any air rifle or hand gun, pellet gun or “B-B” gun or any device or object made of plastic, wood, metal or any other material which substantially duplicates or can reasonably be perceived to be an actual firearm, rifle, shotgun, air rifle or hand gun, pellet gun, or “B-B” gun, unless such air rifle or hand gun, pellet gun, “B-B” gun or device or object: (i) is colored other than black, blue, silver or aluminum; (ii) is marked with a non-removable orange stripe which is at least 1 inch in width and runs the entire length of the barrel on each side and the front end of the barrel; and (iii) has a barrel at least 1 inch in diameter that is closed for a distance of not less than one-half inch from the front-end of its barrel with the same material of which the imitation firearm is made. “Imitation firearm” does not include any non-firing replica of an antique firearm, the original of which was designed, manufactured and produced prior to 1898.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 140 is hereby amended by inserting after section 131Q, inserted by section 70 of chapter 284 of the acts of 2014, the following section:-

Section 131R. (a) No person shall import, manufacture, sell, hold for sale or distribute within the state any imitation firearm unless such device is imported, manufactured, sold, held for sale and distributed: (i) solely for subsequent transportation in interstate commerce; or (ii) solely for lawful use in a theatrical production, including a motion picture, television or stage production.

(b) A violation of subsection (a) shall constitute an unfair or deceptive trade act or practice under section 2 of chapter 93A.

(c) A law enforcement officer may confiscate any imitation firearm from a person in possession thereof unless the person is possessing the imitation firearm:(i) solely for subsequent transportation in interstate commerce; or (ii) solely for lawful use in a theatrical production, including a motion picture, television or stage production.

The text is very specific on only who can use airsoft guns in the state. The provisions in Section 3, , does not specify that those who use airsoft for sports or recreational purposes are not allowed to own and that the police can confiscate any airsoft gun owned by any person who are not engaged in (i) and (ii) in Section 131R.

As for the status of Bill H.3476, it is still in the early stages in the legislative process having passed the First Reading and been referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. The Committee held a hearing on the Bill last January 7, 2016, but so far, we have not seen any transcript or minutes of the hearing posted at the website of the State Legislature.

How can you help? If you are a resident in the State, it’s time to contact your local representative or senator to state your objections to the Bill H.3476. The local airsoft community and industry should quickly move to present a credible and organized group so they can be heard by the politicians. A reasonable discourse with the proponent of the bill and the committee concerned always helps to make them consider the points that they will raise.

Also, a petition is on Change.org.“Stop Bill H.3476” is gathering at least a thousand signatures that will then be presented to the Governor Charlie Baker and State Representative Daniel Cullinane. The petition proposes that “Instead of imposing such severe restrictions on replica firearms, we should increase the penalties against people who brandish these replicas in public.”

The airsoft community and industry of Massachusetts should act fast to prevent the passing of Bill H.3476. If the bill passes and signed into law, airsoft players will need to travel out of state just to play airsoft. If you think SB 199 in California, which took effect last January 1, 2016 is bad, then Bill H.3476 is really, really bad for the hobby.

We know you have been waiting for us the post the list of raffle prizes for the 6th Airsoft Players Choice Awards and we have to say these are some of the most sought after airsoft guns in the market today. These are airsoft guns coming from Tokyo Marui, APS Concept, E&L Airsoft, and Specna Arms. We also get some tactical stuff from brands such as ESS, SOCOM Gear, Armored Claw, and Rockets. All of these prizes are courtesy of some of our sponsors such as Tokyo Marui, iWholesales, SpecShop.pl, Airsoft Atlanta, and Gunfire.

For the 6th Airsoft Players Choice Awards, those who have nominated and voted will have their names/email address entered into the raffle draw twice, giving them twice the chance to win any of the raffle prizes. It is also our small token of appreciation that they did take their time to submit their lists of nominees during the Nomination Period and voting for the finalists in the voting period.

CLICK HERE TO START VOTING FOR YOUR FAVOURITES!

Here are the raffle prizes!

Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS Real Gas Blowback Rifle (2 Winners)

APS CAM870 Shell Ejecting Co2 Shotgun (1 Winner)
Also includes an 8-shell Pouch Set

Tokyo Marui M870 Tactical Gas Shotgun Wood Style (1 Winner)

Tokyo Marui M9 Gas Blowback Pistol (1 Winner)

PRIZES FOR EUROPEAN VOTERS

EL 74MN by E&L Airsoft + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Specna Arms SA-B14 KeyMod 12” Carbine + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Armored Claw Gloves + Rockets .25 Platinum BBs  Package (3 Winners)

More stuff to win:

Profile TurboFan Goggles - Foliage Green

SpecShop TactiCool Multi-Wrap

SOCOM Gear Patch - Tan

We'll post more if new raffle prizes come online.

Go now! Vote for your favourites and have fun seeing them go through the Awards process. Also, don't forget to visit the sponsors of the awards who have made it possible to make this more exciting, with their contributions and raffle prizes:

MAIN PRESENTER

GOLD SPONSORS

SPONSORS

The action camera market just got more crowded and tighter as another electronic behemoth jumps in --- Nikon. Revealed early this week at the CES 2016 is the Nikon KeyMission 360, an action camera that takes true 360° 4K Ultra High Definition video.  According to Nikon, the KeyMission 360 is just the first of the family of action camera that will be releasing, so that means the competition will have to brace themselves on what the prominent imaging company will be releasing in the future as a follow through with the KeyMission 360.

To get the true 360° video, KeyMission 360 is comprised of a dual image sensor and lens combination on the front and back of the camera. This configuration allows images captured to be processed and combined to create a 360° video.

As for its build quality it is tough, dustproof and shockproof as it can withstand drops of up to 2 metres. Without the need for a separate housing, it is waterproof up to a depth of 30 metres (100 feet). Other features is video/image stabilization with the built-in electronic Vibration Reduction; Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity.

As for other details such as frame rate, storage options, resolution options, mobile apps, video formats, image burst rate, are not yet known. Even pricing and release date have not been revealed.

With its build configuration, the KeyMission 360 cannot be mounted the usual way that airsoft players and other action oriented people would. Since it has a lens in the back, the mounting should always ensure that both lenses have an unimpeded view. This means that it has to be mounted higher, such as on top (not front or side) of any head gear. Better yet, it can be mounted on shoulders or airsoft guns provided that there will be mounts available for the KeyMission 360 when it gets released.

For those who want to create virtual reality footages, either they purchase expensive commercial grade 360° cameras, or put a 360-rig comprised of a good number of action cameras, then Nikon’s  KeyMission 360 would be an affordable option. Now, airsoft game site owners can create VR representation of their facilities that they can put online for potential customers to view.

I hope the “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” craze hasn’t worn off you yet. The movie juggernaut has been setting box office records left and right ever since its release last December and with its release in China just this month, everyone is waiting for it to break the box office record set by “Avatar” on being the highest grossing film of all time.

But the story today is not about that film franchise started by George Lucas, and now owned by Disney, that has captured the hearts and minds of the movie-going audience since 1977. It is about a U.S. Marine, Sgt. Matthew Callahan, who has created a series of photographs called “Galactic Warfighters.”

In a series of photos, you see the Clone Troopers which formed the Republic’s Army during the Clone Wars.  They are the precursors to the Imperial Stormtroopers and seen in Star Wars Episodes II and III, in action fighting battles, which perhaps as part of the expansion on what is to be known as the Empire ruled by Emperor Palpatine and enforced by Darth Vader.

But what is fascinating about these photos is that the Sgt. Matthew Callahan used action figures for those realistic shot. And with a great eye for creating realistic-looking photos using toys, he came up with the fine “Galactic Warfighters” series which have garnered a big following on Instagram. But how did a U.S. Marine become a photographer of Clone Troopers?

According to War Is Boring, Callahan was recovering from a snapped leg which he got whilst on patrol in Afghanistan. During his recovery and rest period, he learned photography which was part of his public affairs training at Maryland’s Defense Information School. One class assignment he had was to capture motion with blur and freeze. Using his friend’s 6-inch Star Wars Stormtrooper toy for the photos, he liked the results of his assignment and decided to do even more.

Experimenting scenes with action figures, and given his training as a Marine with actual experience in combat, Callahan has created haunting photos, mainly captured in black and white, of Clone Troopers going about their missions. There is drama, there is tension, there is anxiety, and of course a more realistic way of treating the Clone Troopers like soldiers of present. Each photo has a caption of the scene and what goes in the trooper’s mind.

Wanting to see more of his photos? You can visit his website and Instagram page for updates.

Do you still remember the first person shooter “Homefront” that was released in 2011? If you almost forgot about it, I don’t blame you, I as almost barely recall the game. But then, checking my DVD cases, I found the old “Homefront” and indeed, memories came back and I found it to be a good first person shooter game, albeit it only had a short single player campaign.

The new publisher of Homefront, Deep Silver, a subsidiary of Kock Media that bought Homefront from THQ when it filed bankruptcy, has been developing a sequel of “Homefront” with game developer Dambuster Studios. "Homefront: The Revolution" takes place four years after the Korean People’s Army (KPA) were defeated in the Battle of San Francisco in “Homefront”. The KPA invaded and occupied the USA in 2027, but were pushed back in the West Coast by the resistant movement in coordination with whatever remained of the U.S. military.

In "Homefront: The Revolution", the KPA focused their attention in conquering the Eastern States, which were free during the “Homefront”, eventually putting up their main base of operations in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, with the story revolving around an underground movement formed led by Resistance leader named Dana, and its youngest member, Ethan “Birdy” Brady. How they will take back Philadelphia and pave the way for the liberation of the Eastern States, only when the game gets released will we find out.

The Resistance, as shown in the gameplay trailer, will involve missions devoted to disrupting the operations of the occupying forces.  Some will involve high-tech and some will involve low-tech solutions such as destroying security cameras with bricks, rather than use a high-tech device.

After some issues affecting the Cytek, the original game developer for “Homefront: The Revolution”, Dambuster studios finally announced that the release will be on the 17th of May 2016 in the USA and the 20th of May 2016 for European Union.  A closed beta, only for the Xbox One platform, will be done in February 2016.

"Homefront: The Revolution", when it gets officially released, will be available for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

One of the devices that got our attention amongst the reports from the recently concluded CES 2016 was the Casio WSD-F10 Smartwatch. We gave always been looking forward to having a smartwatch than can be used in the outdoors and at milsim events as most of the smartwatches out in the market do not exactly fit the bill, including the Apple iWatch. With Casio, which has a history of making some of the toughest and high-tech watches in the world, then we finally have a smartwatch that we can trust to toughen it out with us in the field.

Casio is no stranger to creating “smart” watches for decades and with their G-Shock line of tough and sensor-filled watches, it is the most logical thing that company would try its hands on Android Wear. Casio is already familiar with Android, having developed the tough Casio G'zOne Commando smartphone years back.

The Casio WSD-F10 is water resistant up to 50 metres and thus can be used in water activities (except swimming). According to G-Central, it meets the MIL-STD-810G standard: drop, random vibration, humidity, solar-radiation, non-operating altitude, operating altitude, non-operating high temperature, non-operating low temperature, temperature shock, and icing freezing rain.

Unlike other Android Wear smartwatches, which have 1 button, the WSD-F10 has three to allow the use of Casio’s own custom apps apart from the apps that can be used with Android Wear.

Since it uses Android Wear smartwatch, the WSD-F10 is meant to work with a smartphone. This means theres is no built-in GPS in the WSD-F10 as it will use the GPS of the smartphone. But the watch has a plethora of sensors: air pressure sensor for altitude and weather forecasting, gyrometer, accelerometer, and a compass. It is also an activity tracker, as it can be used with Runkeeper. A feature seen in the G’zOne Commando, the ability to display sunrise/sunset, and tides, is also in the WSD-F10.

There are pre-installed apps in the WSD-F10 aside from Runkeeper, is ViewRange for navigation, altitude and waypoints; Yamap for trekking; MyRadar for weather and Casio Moment Setter + that handles timing activities and alerts.

One big problem with smartwatches is the atrocious battery life. To skirt around this, Casio installed two displays: an LCD color and LCD monochrome. The monochrome display does the timekeeping to save on power and when information needs to be displayed, then it’s the function of the color display. If just using the LCD monochrome, the battery will last a whole month.

As for connectivity, it uses Wifi and Bluetooth. Call and message notifications and other standard fare Android Wear apps can work and installed on the WSD-F10.  Casio also has some custom watch faces for it and I would rather suggest that you stick to the watch faces the company releases as other third party watch faces might not properly run on the WSD-F10, especially with the need to use all the sensors built-in the smartwatch.

The Casio WSD-F10 is expected to be released in Japan in March 2016 while in North America it will be in April 2016.  Price is at US$500 and models available will be WSD-F10GN (green), WSD-F10RG (orange), WSD-F10BK (black), and WSD-F10RD (red).

The ambitious video game project, Tom Clancy’s The Division, after its dates, including beta test, kept on getting push back, finally gets to have the Beta phase on track. According to Ubisoft, the Beta is set for the 28th of January 2016. The Beta will initially start on the Xbox One platform, with the Sony Playstation 4 and PC to follow 24 hours after.

The Beta is comprised of story driven missions to help you establish your foothold in New York City. It is an Open World game, and thus even for the Beta phase, there will be a lot exploration to do:

In the Tom Clancy’s The Division Beta, you will be one of the first to play the revolutionary next-gen experience that brings the RPG into a modern military setting for the first time. In the wake of a devastating pandemic that sweeps through New York City, basic services fail one by one, and without access to food or water, the city quickly descends into chaos.

As an agent of The Division, you’ll specialize, modify, and level up your gear, weapons, and skills to take back New York on your own terms. Xbox One players will have 24 hour early access to The Division Closed Beta, starting on January 28th. The beta will start on January 29th for PS4 and PC players.

For those who are interested in joining the Beta, please take note that this is a Closed Beta and there are three options to join. If you have pre-ordered from a participating retailer, you get a guaranteed spot. Also, if you register at the website, you may join the waiting list and get lucky to be given an invitation. The third option is to follow them on their social media pages where they will be giving away beta keys.

The Beta period will be brief, ending on the 31st of for all platforms. So far, Ubisoft seems on track to release the game on the 8th of March 2016 as the date remains unchanged.

We are now on the third week of the 6th Airsoft Players Choice Awards Voting Period! And boy! This so far the most competitive voting period as a good number of our finalists are really rallying their fans to vote for them. They are making online posters, appeals, and even video campaigns just to really get their fans to visit the Awards website to vote for them.

For the finalists who are defending their “crowns” in their respective categories, we do have an urgent advice for you not to be complacent given that some of the finalists are really determined to win the categories. There is a high possibility of close calls and upsets in this awards.

Whether you are a “defending champion” or the strongest contender, this is no time to relax. With just two weeks remaining in the voting period, your fans will determine whether you win the coveted title in being the best in your category in the biggest online airsoft event.

EVERYBODY! VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO START VOTING FOR YOUR FAVOURITES!

Just remember! There are prizes waiting for the lucky voters and below are the raffle prizes from oru sponsors:

Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS Real Gas Blowback Rifle (2 Winners)

APS CAM870 Shell Ejecting Co2 Shotgun (1 Winner)
Also includes an 8-shell Pouch Set

Tokyo Marui M870 Tactical Gas Shotgun Wood Style (1 Winner)

Tokyo Marui M9 Gas Blowback Pistol (1 Winner)

PRIZES FOR EUROPEAN VOTERS

EL 74MN by E&L Airsoft + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Specna Arms SA-B14 KeyMod 12” Carbine + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Armored Claw Gloves + Rockets .25 Platinum BBs  Package (3 Winners)

More stuff to win:

Profile TurboFan Goggles - Foliage Green

SpecShop TactiCool Multi-Wrap

SOCOM Gear Patch - Tan

We'll post more if new raffle prizes come online.

Go now! Vote for your favourites and have fun seeing them go through the Awards process. Also, don't forget to visit the sponsors of the awards who have made it possible to make this more exciting, with their contributions and raffle prizes:

MAIN PRESENTER

GOLD SPONSORS

SPONSORS

If there is a will to play airsoft, then there is a way to play airsoft. For Irish airsoft player, Simon “Tank” Jameson, that will to play airsoft is even greater. The 27-year old suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare form of muscular dystrophy. This condition made him wheelchair bound for most of his life. Even with this condition, Jameson is not to be stopped from playing airsoft, converting his wheelchair into the famous “Tank 2.0” and makes him loved and respected by airsoft players from all over.

He has been playing airsoft for 9 years now and has been to many airsoft events in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Whilst, he enjoys and loves playing airsoft, being in a wheelchair does put some limitations on him from enjoying it to the fullest.

It is not his condition that is limiting him, but it is his present wheelchair that prevents him from joining other airsoft events that occur on more uneven terrain. So far Tank has been able to play at events that are urban/MOUT in layout and if is woodland, the terrain is mainly flat and there are paved paths for him to use his wheelchair.

He needs a wheelchair that can do all-terrain, enabling him to reach many areas which are inaccessible for him right now. But the problem is that, whilst that kind of a wheelchair does exist, it is expensive for him to acquire. He will need to raise €20,000 to get the HexHog, an all-terrain off-road wheelchair.

For him to raise the needed amount, he has put up a page on GoFundMe where so far has already raised almost €2,000 in four days. If you believe that anyone, regardless of condition, can and should be able to play airsoft, then perhaps you want to chip-in to help Tank get his HexHog to convert into what he may call the “Tank 3.0”.

It would be interesting to see his plans to convert the HexHog into an all-terrain airsoft wheelchair, or perhaps you have suggestions to him. But first things first, help him get the HexHog by going now to the Project Tank GoFundMe page and pledge whatever amount you want.

The SHOT Show 2016 in Las Vegas has officially opened and we do have some updates from various airsoft and tactical news sources for you. We’re pretty sure that what we have posted today is just a small part of what those on the exhibit floor have spotted, and we’ll add more in the news section if we find more interesting SHOT Show 2016 news.

First up, Action Sports Game (ASG), and we have Jonathan Higgs of Airsoftology talk about the ASG Scorpion EVO 3 A1 that is HPA-powered using Wolverine Airsoft’s Inferno Engine. He also shows the Bren 805, Shadow pistol, and gas-powered M40A5 Sniper rifle:

To know more, ASG released press releases for the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 Inferno and CZ SP-01 Shadow Pistol Series.

Brian Holt of Echo1 USA and also from JAG Precision, was busy too and in this Jag Precision video, he interviews Ross from E&L Airsoft about the products the company has and will be releasing this year:

Command Arms Accessories (CAA), which already have a name in the airsoft market through its partnership with King Arms, announce at the SHOT Show about brand relaunch and using the tag-line "Gear Up". It now uses a lion emblem as part of their logo and a brand new website found at www.CAAGEARUP.com.  Will the new logo of CAA be used in the CAA Airsoft Division too?

Also, CAA announced LTC (Ret.) Mikey Hartman as the new CEO of CAA USA and International.

Our friends from Sweden Airsoft.nu/AirsoftDB are at the SHOT Show as well. Expect more reports and videos from them as well in the next days.

If you remember about the Magpul Ronin motorycyle that was seen in the previous SHOT Show? Soldier Systems reported that a Multicam version is up for raffle to raise funds for special operations forces charities. This can be seen at the Crye Precision at booth #32403.

(Magpul Multicam Ronin. Photo by Soldier Systems)

Stay tuned for more updates in our news section.

More reports from the SHOT Show 2016 happening right now in Las Vegas. What we will be posting here will be a mixture of Day 1 and Day 2 reports so we can include what we have missed out on the first day when the flood of SHOT Show reports came in. Also, this will be a mixture of real steel and airsoft news that we hope would surely interest you.

First up is what Kalashnikov USA that may just divide the opinions of AK enthusiasts around the world. They unveiled at the SHOT Show the AK Alfa Rifle. It doesn’t look like an AK design as we know it, and it is a thoroughly a 21st Century design. Rest assure that it still functions as what an AK should be, chambering the 7.62 x 39 and existing AK magazines, including those made by Magpul and USA Palm will work with it.

It will be available in two versions: the 16.338” AKL and the 12.362” AKS.

Airsoft Outlet Northwest reports about the new KR Series from KWA Performance  Industries  which is a line of KeyMod AEGs available in 4 different lengths. Also, s:KWA revealed prototype at the SHOT Show:  a Thompson M1A1 Submachine Gun Gas Blowback; and 4” and 6” Six-Shooters modeled after the famous .357 Magnum Colt Python.

Airsoftology is very much busy on the exhibit floor with more video reports such as products from PTS Syndicate and G&G Armament.

Other stuff that we want to see have their airsoft versions are the Beretta M9A3, the IWI Tavor X-95 and here they are on display at the SHOT Show:

Expect more SHOT Show 2016 reports in the news section.

When the doors of the SHOT Show 2016 opens today, it marks the third day where all the exciting products, whether old and new, have been seen by most visitors. For airsoft players visiting the show, most probably they have their minds on some real steel firearms that they wish would be made for the airsoft market.

For us, we have just one in mind: the Juggernaut Tactical Rogue-X Rifle.

The Juggernaut Tactical Rogue-X Rifle is a complete rifle which turned the M14 rifle into a bullpup rifle. For those who find the M14 rifle to be too long, then the Juggernaut Tactical Rogue-X Rifle is something that they might want to look into. We have seen too many reiterations of two platforms, the AK and the AR platforms, and we wish that there is more done on the M14/M1A rifle. So far, in the airsoft market, we have seen the SOCOM, EBR, and of course the standard M14. Do you think it’s time for another M14 design?

Here is Gun Carrier with a video of the Rogue-X Rifle:

Airsoft Atlanta promised to upload video reports when they are that show, and they delivered, reporting on the new guns of ASG and KWA. It is interesting to see the KWA MP40 Gas Blowback and the KWA AK ERGs. KWA is now the second airsoft manufacturer to have recoil on AK AEGs, which Tokyo Marui introduced almost 10 years ago with the Tokyo Marui AK74MN Blowback and Recoil New Generation AEG:

The Fox Airsoft crew is still busy, and they went to the Elite Force booth to look into the Heckler & Koch VP9 airsoft pistol:

If you want to know more about optics, then AR15.com has a video report for you. They went to the Aimpoint booth to check out the 3x and 6x magnifiers. Now, we all we have to do is wait until someone makes a replica for the airsoft market:

More SHOT Show 2016 news can be found in our news section. Enjoy!

Yesterday was the final day of the SHOT Show 2016, closing what is the biggest small arms event in the world where gun enthusiasts, hunters, practical shooters, and airsoft players around the world converged in Las Vegas to see the latest in the small arms development.

As for us, we were on the lookout for stuff that we want to see made for the airsoft market as based on what bloggers, vloggers, airsoft and tactical news media reported. Nothing really ground breaking this year except that KeyMod is now the dominant handguard design for rifles, and many manufacturers, real steel and airsoft alike, are designing sleek and lightweight guns that use the KeyMod open source design.

In terms of airsoft gun technology development, nothing ground breaking has been announced. But what we will consider notable at the SHOT Show 2016 are the following:

1. KWA has finally released an AK ERG
2. ICS Airsoft is now making airsoft pistols (blowback and  non-blowback)
3. KRYTAC is making good on its promise of a KRISS Vector AEG that has a full, semi, and two-round burst fire modes as it unveiled a prototype at the show

As for something from the real steel world that we are interested in being made into an airsoft gun, we found another one --- the New Frontier Armory EXTAR EXP-9. New Frontier Armory are known for the lightest 5.56 AR pistols in the world the EXTAR EXP-556. The EXP-9 still follows the design philosophy of the EXP-556 but this time it uses the 9mm round. For airsofters looking for an AR-style rifle that uses a 9mm-style magazine, then they will just have to wish an airsoft manufacturer picks-up a license from New Frontier Armory.

The Gun Collective gives us a quick look of the EXTAR EXP-9 in this video:

Stampede Airsoft, together with Merlin’s Airsoft News are at the SHOT Show 2016 as well and here is their report of their visit to  G&G Armament, Jag Precision, ASG, Wolverine Airsoft and Merlin’s Day 1 report:

Still more videos from Airsoftology as Jonathan Higgs reports about the releases from Palco Sports, RWA, and Valken:

Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical got some interesting stuff to also report from the show, visitng Raven Concealment, Colt, and Blue Force Gear to find out what they have on display:

Those wrap up the SHOT Show 2016, but expect a stream of news and video reports in the next few days as we are expecting more. And they will be posted in the news section.

The next big event similar to SHOT Show 2016 will be the IWA Outdoor Classics 2016 in Nuremberg, Germany in March. Popular Airsoft will there so expect first hand reports from us. See you there!

We rev up our call to Popular Airsoft readers and the airsoft communities who have not voted for the 6th Airsoft Players’ Choice Awards to vote now. We’re now into the final week and we have to say that this is Voting Period has already surpassed the votes cast in the previous award period. This means that even more airsoft players have made their decision to choose who they want to win in the categories.

If you are a voter rooting for certain finalist or if you are a finalist yourself, better get moving as this is the final stretch. Other finalists have already put out their call to their fans in social media and making their video appeals for you to vote for them. This is how serious they take the awards, as it is about appreciation, prestige, and of course loyalty of their fan bases.

It’s time to cajole those you think who have not voted yet to cast their votes. No time should be waste now. Tell them to be part of the biggest online event in airsoft.

VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO START VOTING FOR YOUR FAVOURITES!

Just remember! There are prizes waiting for the lucky voters and below are the raffle prizes from oru sponsors:

Tokyo Marui M4A1 MWS Real Gas Blowback Rifle (2 Winners)

APS CAM870 Shell Ejecting Co2 Shotgun (1 Winner)
Also includes an 8-shell Pouch Set

Tokyo Marui M870 Tactical Gas Shotgun Wood Style (1 Winner)

Tokyo Marui M9 Gas Blowback Pistol (1 Winner)

PRIZES FOR EUROPEAN VOTERS

EL 74MN by E&L Airsoft + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Specna Arms SA-B14 KeyMod 12” Carbine + Promotional Gadgets (1 Winner)

Armored Claw Gloves + Rockets .25 Platinum BBs  Package (3 Winners)

More stuff to win:

Profile TurboFan Goggles - Foliage Green

SpecShop TactiCool Multi-Wrap

SOCOM Gear Patch - Tan

We'll post more if new raffle prizes come online.

Go now! Vote for your favourites and have fun seeing them go through the Awards process. Also, don't forget to visit the sponsors of the awards who have made it possible to make this more exciting, with their contributions and raffle prizes:

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The Internet, many say, is a double-edge sword, you can do something really good with it, or something really bad. It will make you famous, or it will make you infamous. But just like many things that we use nowadays, they can be put to good work or do bad actions as humans are morally ambivalent, having the tendency to do good or bad. In airsoft, that is also true.

Just like this video posted by username “Get Wrecked Kid” on YouTube (thanks to Merlin’s Airsoft News) in which he shoots an airsoft player oin the back with a high ROF PolarStar Airsoft rifle at SC Village:

He shot the airsoft player because the victim “Burned my patch and talked shit for a bouta year…” [sic] talk about hurt feelings. And he shot the airsoft player before the game started, which is one of the most dishonorable things that you will do in airsoft, a sport or hobby where honor is totally valued.

While many debate about the incident (which spilled to speedsoft vs milsim, to banning PolarStars. Oh the wonders of internet comments, always going off-topic), let me be clear, what the perpetrator did in the video is PLAIN WRONG. Shooting the kid (the victim is said to be 13 years old) because he burned a team patch and “talked shit” for a year is just an act of revenge, and that is not how airsofters should act, if they think of themselves to be honorable people.

End of debate. No airsofter has the right to hurt another fellow airsofter, even if it is over hurt feelings.

For those who lamely explain that the perpetrator can shoot the victim because they are in an airsoft game, please stop playing airsoft and go home, that’s not how it works. You can only start shooting other airsoft players when it is “game on” and that video shows the incident took place before a game was about to start.

According to Bear Degidio, the CEO of Giant Tactical and Director of Development at Giant Sportz that owns SC Village,“they have banned the player and possibly his team as well” and that they are now working with authorities.

As to what is the violation of the perpetrator, especially that he has also put up a video incriminating himself, it is most probably a battery as defined in California’s Penal Code 242[2]. This is defined as willfully and unlawfully touching a person in a harmful and/or offensive manner and can be fined US$2000, jailed for up to six months, and other penalties.

Merlin’s Airsoft News, which has a commentary on this incident, delves on another concern that can affect airsoft’s legal standing in the U.S. as well as in other countries and its growth as a sport. Politicians proposing legislation that will either ban or put too many restrictions on airsoft can use this video as a proof that it is a harmful sport:

“This video, and the many others about getting back at cheaters or overshooting in revenge for some perceived slight on the field are just plain BAD. The legislators need only shows this video, along with a few other pretty violent videos that have appeared over the past 2 years, and airsoft will quickly have little in defense to fight of major legislation. Remember, if the NRA, a multimillion dollar lobby FOR Fire Arms is having a rough go of it against the Legislators, what do you think the kids playing with toy guns community is going to do?”

Just think about Bill H-3476 in Massachusetts. If this video is used by supporters of the proposed law, then it will cause the banning of airsoft (and other affected sports) in the state, leading to a loss of jobs and livelihood to those who make a living on airsoft.

This video is just so wrong.

Today, according to opponents of the bill, concerned airsoft players in the State of Massachusetts and the rest of the U.S.A will have to wait what the state’s House of Representatives will do with Bill H.3476 as proposed by State Representative Daniel Cullinane (D, Dorchester). After the Joint Committee On Public Safety and Homeland Security came out to be favorable with changes, the Bill will be on the House Floor for First and Second Readings; and vote if this bill will proceed to the Third Reading.

Usually a proposed legislation that is approved to be favorable will then be read on the floor for the First Reading and referred to either the Committee On Steering and Policy or placed in the Order Of Calendar without debate for the Second Reading. This probably where the Bill H.3476 will be in the legislative process today for the members of the House of Representatives will debate  and where it will be subject to amendments and motions before voting on if it will proceed to the Third Reading or not.

In a news report by Telegram.com, Rep. Harold P. Naughton Jr., (D, Clinton), House chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, said that, “It is not the intent of the bill to ban imitation firearms such as airsoft and paintball guns.” He also said that they will introduce changes to text of the bill “to allow imitation firearm enthusiasts to continue to enjoy these replicas for recreational use.”

That’s good news, but still the text of the bill remains the same as far as the website of the 189th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is concerned. If there have been changes to the bill, then it is best to know now.

As for airsoft players in the state, they will need to lobby harder now and will have to email or meet their representative in their respective districts. For them to contact their local representative or State Senator, they can find their contact information here. The Save Massachusetts Airsoft (FIGHT Massachusetts BILL H-3476) will need to come out with a template for airsoft players in the state to use when they email their representatives to come out with a unified message.

So far, the petition which is ongoing right now will have to meet at least a good number for legislators to take notice. With just about almost 1,300 petitioners in state, they still have a long way to go.

Also, the campaign should also endeavor to reach out the Police Chiefs as they are invited to Committee hearings and their inputs are taken seriously. If they Police agrees on ways to make it safer without banning airsoft in the state, then they will propose any changes to the bill.

The action required is now for airsoft players to focus on their representatives to help prevent the Bill from moving forward with the original text and introduce amendments to address concerns about the safety of replica firearms. No amount of comments on Facebook and social media networks will influence the legislators unless airsoft players will reach out and state their objections and concerns.

Right now as I write this, a few good men and woman stand in the Massachusetts State House in Boston waiting to hear the house vote on the bill that would effectively kill airsoft in Massachusetts. HB-3476 is just another in a series of attacks on the airsoft industry and community that are growing in momentum. By the time you read this we will know the fate of the bill and how much closer Massachusetts is to losing airsoft all together. If the bill passes through the house, the senate will vote followed by the governor deciding whether to sign it or not.

How did we get here?

How do we get to a point where the dominoes are starting to fall and airsoft's future is in one of its darkest hours?

The community from the player level has become selfish with everyone in a quest for fame. Players now worship the companies like gods in the hopes that they will get something for free. The industry sits on Mount Olympus watching, living off the love and prayers of those below reaching up with their hands open. Instead of helping secure the community and grow they just spit out a new product pedaled by players. All a new player sees now is the next great thing in the hand of the famous player. How can anyone be surprised that players do not understand the concept of a larger community when all they see is buy this, use my product, look what we have new for you. No leadership what so ever from the industry.

We are here because the community and industry as a whole sit more divided than ever. We are so far apart now that it is easy to pick us off state by state until there is nothing left. This is at all levels of the hobby/sport, however you see it. It is from the young kid on the field making videos and becoming popular through acts of stupidity to the big companies that sell you the products sitting silent. It is neglect and immaturity of the community as a whole that got us here.

As long as airsoft stays so deeply divided we will continue to see the fall. Small bands of players and well intentioned folks have tried to rally people. Pages have formed and petitions have been created. Awareness has slowly spread but with limited reach. This is not enough to stem the much stronger government tide that sees those individuals as nothing more than a distant noise they can ignore. At the local levels teams try to cultivate a better attitude and local shops fight to revitalize the small communities that are where all players would start as the best examples of how the game should be played. But it is not enough in a time where the marketing machine of the industry has gripped players so hard that they no longer get that this is about them being sold a product.

Those that make the most off the community have become the least interested in joining the fight to stop the sport from dying. You would think this is stupid and not possible because it means they lose money too. Not really, they fought in California to preserve their asses in the short run knowing what is coming in the long run. Make the money now when they can because as the dominoes fall they can just retire or move back overseas. Rather than join the fight everywhere an anti airsoft bill is introduced they sit on the sidelines. They will spend more time arguing over who is going to lead a loose confederation to fight these bills than actually getting anything done. This is where the real change needs to come from.

The everyday joe and small business cannot compare to the power that the industry itself can wheeled. Because lawmakers will always listen to business and money before they listen to the call or email from an enthusiastic player. It is clear the industry will not make a choice to move towards helping defend airsoft. They are all just hoping to be the last ones to cash in as the fall happens.

So how do we turn things around?

We have a community wide awakening about how we see each other, competitors and those we once may have hated. We need to remember why we started playing in the first place. We also need to remember that in an industry looking to sell you so hard, the power of the purse can change the minds of those we have become obsessed with worshiping. It is up to the community to not just put pressure on the local government to stop these bills, but the greater fight is the one to pressure the manufacturers, big box stores and their sponsored players to get off the side lines. You need to pressure the sponsored players to talk openly about these bills to their sponsors. You need to pressure the big box stores to pressure the manufacturers of the product they sell. You need to pressure the manufacturer reps to talk to their bosses about getting involved to unite the community and fight for the protection of the sport.

It will not be until the community turns its anger and disapproval to the airsoft industry itself that things will change up top. It is time to tell them that your money is for the companies that care to join the fight to preserve airsoft, not just profit off it. It is never too late to join and you are never too small to try. We just need back up and the big kids on the block need to be told that. The industry can bring everyone together. Massachusetts may fall and your state will be next if there is not a national awakening changing everyone's attitudes. A shift from being just competitors, factions and simply consumers to that of a community invested in each other needs to happen now.

Just one grunt's opinion,

Javier "Darkhorse"

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About The Author

Javier "Darkhorse" Franco, formerly from This Week In Airsoft, runs his own Airsoft Blog on Facebook called"One Grunt's Opinion." This article has been posted here with the author's permission.

The U.S. Military’s experimental research division, the DARPA, have confirmed that they are working on a project to greatly enhance the capability of soldiers to interact with computers. To do this, they are working on a chip that will be implanted in soldiers that will provide a direct neural pathway for them to directly connect to computers.

The program, called the Neural Engineering System Design (NESD), aims to produce a biocompatible device that is one cubic centimeter in size and “would serve as a translator, converting between the electrochemical language used by neurons in the brain and the ones and zeros that constitute the language of information technology.”

If you say that this is tantamount to turning soldiers into “cyborgs”, you may not be really off the mark. This direct interaction between man and computer via neural pathways will greatly enhance a soldier’s capability to act on information and it will be faster than clicking the mouse or a swipe of a finger.

DARPA thinks that the problem lies on how the datalink is done between the human brain and the computer and find the cables used in previous experiments were too simple. What they want is a better way of transferring data between the brain and the computer at which should be a super fast speeds.

“Today’s best brain-computer interface systems are like two supercomputers trying to talk to each other using an old 300-baud modem,” said Phillip Alvelda, the NESD program manager.

In order to that, what is required are integrated breakthroughs in neuroscience, synthetic biology, low-power electronics and medical device manufacturing. The NESD program will partner with industry leaders to achieve this, which then will be able to implement the outcomes of the program for commercial and other research applications.

I’m pretty sure that whilst you’re reading this, you may have already been thinking of the brain plug in “The Matrix” movies. How I wish that it will be something that can be done. Just imagine, information and skills can be acquired by just plugging in to interface with a computer. Just upload the information to your brain and work like someone who already has years of experience.

Why go to school when you can just quickly learn kung fu how to fly a helicopter by just plugging in?