No. It’s not the 1st of April and that means that this story is true. The police department of the City of Alvarado in Veracruz, Mexico, got their guns confiscated by state authorities after most of its members failed to pass proficiency tests.

According to Newsweek, only 30 out of the 130-member police force were able to pass the tests, making the authorities confiscate their firearms until they have completed and passed their training. For the meantime, they are not fully accredited police officers. In protest,  claiming it to be a political move and that the police force is mainly made up of new recruits, the Mayor of Alvarado, Bogar Ruiz Rosas, decided to go for a low cost alternative to arm his police force--- with slingshots.

In a ceremony last 28 June, the Mayor was seen handing slingshots and bag of stones to the members of the police department. He said that this was a political vendetta against him before the recently held national and elections. He belongs to the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico which is an ally of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) which lost the presidential elections to Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) Coalition. The PRI has been the most dominant political party in Mexico since it was founded in 1929.

The governor of Veracruz, Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, is from rival political party, the National Action Party (PAN), and his son ran to replace him only to lose to Cuitláhuac García Jiménez of the MORENA Coalition.

Veracruz was left a very much impoverished state when its former governor, Javier Duarte de Ochoa, was said to have millions of dollars of public money in various shell companies. He was declared a fugitive and captured in Guatemala after six on months on the run. The slingshot ceremony was conducted at a location where 47 skulls were discovered in a mass grave and over 20 journalists have been killed in the state in over 10 years.

Should you disarm airsoft players who are inept at handling their airsoft guns? If you do, please do not equip them with slingshots as they will still do even more harm with them. Arm them with NERF guns, better yet, water guns.

Top Photo:Bogar Ruiz Rosa, Mayor of Alvardo, holding a slingshot (Photo Credit: Alvarado municipal government)

HPA airsoft users in the United Kingdom are in a quandary. The Policing and Crime Act that was introduced last year limiting the selective fire RIFs to 1.3joules/370fps and game sites limiting FPS to 350fps to ensure airsoft players play within the law’s limits, players and sites will be hesitant to use HPA-powered airsoft guns as they can be made to fire beyond the limits. The implication for this is that HPA-powered airsoft guns will always be suspected of violating the Act and classed as Section 5 firearms.

With HPA airsoft here to stay, it is a matter of working towards a technical solution to make HPA-powered airsoft guns to be compliant.  The United Kingdom Airsoft Players’ Union (UKAPU) are working to help HPA airsoft users and in this regard, have been in discussions with PolarStar Airsoft for a PSI regulator that can ensure that they will be compliant.

In a press release, UKAPU are enjoining their members as well as other airsoft players in the UK to answer a survey to find out the PSI settings that they usually set for HPA airsoft guns:

Hello members,

Ever since the introduction of the amended Policing and Crime Bill last year there has been a cloud hanging over HPA RIF users in the UK. Specifically that most full auto capable HPA airsoft replicas could be ‘readily converted’ to exceed the 1.3J airsoft threshold, or could be regarded as ‘capable of’ more than 1.3J in their stock form.

UKAPU have been actively pursuing a resolution for HPA users and as part of this ongoing effort, Vice Chairman Tim Haines, has been involved in discussions with Polarstar to address the aforementioned issue and as a result we are conducting a poll on behalf of Polarstar.

How does this help HPA users? Polarstar are producing a modular regulator, which will allow UK HPA owners to build compliant HPA powered RIFs. Polarstar will be producing piston regulator assemblies for multiple PSI settings, which we hope, will give us the means to ensure that selective fire HPA RIFS can be safely operated under the 1.3J legal limit.

We urge all of our members to share this poll; the greater the number of responses, the better the data.

The survey is available on Google Docs and you can click the image below to go to the survey. It is best that the survey is shared fast so that PolarStar Airsoft and perhaps other companies in the HPA airsoft business can immediately get to work to build that much needed PCA-compliant regulator.

(The Survey Form. Click on it to answer)

It’s time to search for another high-octane TV series as History Channel decided that the “SIX” series has ended its mission after two seasons. History Channel made the decision midway through the second season which according to Deadline, is said to be due to many of the cast members’ contracts expiring.

During the its 8-episode Season 1, “SIX” was a breakout show for the History Channel, getting strong viewership that a second season was ordered with a longer run of 10 episodes before the Season 1 finale. For the second season, the team was on a mission to find and destroy the terrorist network responsible for the shooting Richard “Rip” Taggart ,  their former leader whose role was played by Walton Goggins.

Olivia Munn joined in the second season as a smart and ruthless CIA operative who was also a shooter before becoming a high-level operations officer. She joined the cast already comprised of Barry Sloane, Brianne Davis, Dominic Adams, Edwin Hodge, Kyle Schmid, Jaylen Moore, Juan Pablo Raba, Lindsley Register, and Nadine Velazquez.

Apart from the contracts expiring, Season 2 was running almost below 50% of the Season 1 averages. Even with the addition of Olivia Munn, who is a big star on her own right, failed to match the previous season. It is also said that one reason is the gap between the two seasons which was big one.

The final episode of Season 2 will be on July 25, and it will also be the series finale. “Six” was created and written by William Broyles and David Broyles, who is a military special operations veteran. As for History Channel, it will have to explore other new series to replace it. But if you are looking for another SEAL TV series, then you still have the option to follow SEAL Team from CBS which has been renewed for another season.

Whilst we spend a good amount of money in our hobby and want to have it as a full blown sport, we are still nowhere to that level that airsoft is to be considered a sport that gives a big payday. So far, those who are having a big payday with airsoft are the manufacturers, retailers, game sites, and a sprinkling of airsoft YouTubers.

If you, as an airsofter want to earn money shooting other people in a competitive manner, for now, the only way is through video games. eSports shooter games such as Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege have turned into big money events. Some prizes run into millions and players get the chance to earn over 6 figures just playing their favourite shooter game.

But to turn one video game into a big eSports event is a combination of players who either are influencers via their social media channels, a player managing an eSports team, or the player who is at the frontline battling it out for the prize money and bragging rights at being one of the best in the world at eSports. Together with the support of the video game company, they push an event in eSports on one of the biggest gaming titles on the planet.

In the case of Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft unveiled during the E3 2018, their documentary called “Another Mindset” as they celebrate a milestone of having 35 million Siege players:

Two and a half years after its release, Rainbow Six Siege is 35 million players strong. Content creation is at an all-time high and the esports scene is now entering a state of maturity. As the game and the community keep growing together, we took some time to reflect upon some of its famous members.

During 9 months, we followed 8 community members in their daily lives and at Rainbow Six events, from the Pro League finals at GamesCom 2017, to the finals in Sao Paulo, and finally to the Six Invitational 2018. They are professional players, coaches, managers, commentators, analysts or Twitch streamers. To their families, they are Alexis, Nicolle, Niklas, Thomas, Alex, Niclas, Andre and Maciej; but to millions of Rainbow Six fans, they are Lil_Lexi, CherryGumms, Willkey, Shas, Z1ronic, Pengu, Meligeni and Macie_Jay. How did gaming become more than an entertainment for them? These are the stories of those with another mindset.

It is interesting to watch the documentary which will be released next month. Can we learn something from this documentary to make airsoft a lucrative sport for serious airsoft players rather than be a constant money drain that sometimes affects relationships with friends and family? For airsoft manufacturers, it is something to learn from the eSports, which is a familiar area for many airsofters as a big percentage are gamers themselves.

Airsoft being a sport that awards generously is still a distant dream. Sorry, our dear players, shooting and earning prize money is via the digital realm for now until a formula can be found for airsoft. Below is a teaser for Episode 1 s0 we can all look forward to full release of the documentary in August 2018:

Soldiers will soon need to take a more strenuous fitness test, regardless of age that will evaluate their readiness in combat. It will replace the Physical Fitness Test that has been in place for 38 years and based on a pilot that was conducted over 6 years that was known as the Combat Readiness Test.

Around 2,000 soldiers participated in the pilot program and by the beginning of October 2020. All soldiers, regardless of gender and age, will need to take the test.

In a news report at the Army.mil website, Maj. Gen. Malcolm Frost, commanding general of the U.S. Army Center of Initial Military Training, said, "The Army Combat Fitness Test will ignite a generational, cultural change in Army fitness and become a cornerstone of individual Soldier combat readiness. It will reduce attrition and it will reduce musculoskeletal injuries and actually save, in the long run, the Army a heck of a lot of money.”

The Army Combat Fitness Test will have 6 events that will need to be completed in order by soldiers and can take anywhere around 45 to 55 minutes. The Army.mil website lists these as:

Strength deadlift: With a proposed weight range of 120 to 420 pounds, the deadlift event is similar to the one found in the Occupational Physical Assessment Test, or OPAT, which is given to new recruits to assess lower-body strength before they are placed into a best-fit career field. The ACFT will require Soldiers to perform a three-repetition maximum deadlift (only one in OPAT) and the weights will be increased. The event replicates picking up ammunition boxes, a wounded battle buddy, supplies or other heavy equipment.

Standing power throw: Soldiers toss a 10-pound ball backward as far as possible to test muscular explosive power that may be needed to lift themselves or a fellow Soldier up over an obstacle or to move rapidly across uneven terrain.

Hand-release pushups: In this event, Soldiers start in the prone position and do a traditional pushup, but when at the down position they release their hands and arms from contact with the ground and then reset to do another pushup. This allows for additional upper body muscles to be exercised.

Sprint/drag/carry: As they dash 25 meters five times up and down a lane, Soldiers will perform sprints, drag a sled weighing 90 pounds, and then hand-carry two 40-pound kettlebell weights. This can simulate pulling a battle buddy out of harm's way, moving quickly to take cover, or carrying ammunition to a fighting position or vehicle.

Leg tuck: Similar to a pullup, Soldiers lift their legs up and down to touch their knees/thighs to their elbows as many times as they can. This exercise strengthens the core muscles since it doubles the amount of force required compared to a traditional situp.

2-mile run: Same event as on the current test. In the ACFT, run scores are expected to be a bit slower due to all of the other strenuous activity.

Soldiers are given 2 minutes of rest after each event with the exception of the 2-mile run as they are given a 5 minute rest before they go with their. As for scoring, there will be a maximum of 100 points per event, with a maximum total 600 points. There will be a minimum score per event which may change depending on the soldiers specialty with soldiers doing tougher jobs may just face tougher minimums.

The new test will be part of the a Holistic Health and Fitness System that is designed to produce fitter and healthier soldiers.

Perhaps this is something for serious airsoft milsim teams to follow to ensure that their members are as fit as Army soldiers. If you need a physical regimen that is being used by a major military organisation, then this new fitness test can help. Who knows? Your team members may be called up by the army, especially if they are reservists or conscripts, then they will be ready to meet the test and be combat ready.

Top photo: Soldiers pulling a 90-pound sled for 50 meters as part of the Combat Fitness Test pilot. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sean Kimmons)

Last April, we featured the Black Variable H-Mag, an adapter that will allow you to use AEG magazines with gas blowback rifles powering the rifles with HPA. This means that rather than use the more expensive gas magazines, you can already use the cheaper and readily available magazines, even better, you get higher capacity magazines to use rather than be limited to 30 round gas magazines.

Whilst, no one’s stopping you from getting your own gas magazines, it’s the option that you can use AEG magazines with gas blowbacks that makes the Black Variable H-Mag a product to look forward to.

The developers of the magazine adapter, knowing that they have potentially good product, went to Indiegogo to raise funds in order  to make see it come into fruition. The response was good until Indiegogo decided that the project decided to close it, citing that “This campaign has been closed by Trust and Safety due to a violation of our Terms of Use. The campaign will no longer be accepting contributions, and the Campaign Owners no longer have access to the campaign.”

But, don’t you worry, especially if you are waiting to be an owner of the adapter, the Black Variable H-Mag project is still running. The developers have sent us an update, so it’s best for you to read what they have to say regarding the project:

Hey everyone! We have some good news, some bad news. The bad news is more of an inconvenience, but we'll explain below.

Good news! We are still alive and accepting orders. While our website states that there is a 2-4 week production lead time, we have a few fully assembled H-Mags for your WE M4- these are ready for immediate shipment.  From the people who have already ordered; thank you!

Bad news: Indiegogo froze our account and suddenly refunded all backers on our campaign a while back. The freezing of our account makes us unable to post updates to the campaign to explain what happened. Furthermore, the campaign has been wiped from the search listings on Indiegogo last we checked.

Indiegogo states that our campaign and account were frozen due to violating Indiegogo's Terms of Service, particularly regarding the clause in their ToS stating "Campaign Owners are not permitted to offer or provide any of the following as a Perk: ...weapons, ammunition, and related accessories". Despite this, there have been and are several knife and airsoft-related campaigns being hosted or previously hosted on their platform. Knives are also included as being against Indiegogo's Terms of Service.

We immediately brought this point up to Indiegogo Support, but they have not responded back to us; we do not expect that they will. As a frank word of warning to others looking to crowdsource on platforms like this: this kind of thing can happen, so make your decisions carefully.

Hey everyone! We have some good news, some bad news. The bad news is more of an inconvenience, but we'll explain below.

Good news! We are still alive and accepting orders. While our website states that there is a 2-4 week production lead time, we have a few fully assembled H-Mags for your WE M4- these are ready for immediate shipment.  From the people who have already ordered; thank you!

Bad news: Indiegogo froze our account and suddenly refunded all backers on our campaign a while back. The freezing of our account makes us unable to post updates to the campaign to explain what happened. Furthermore, the campaign has been wiped from the search listings on Indiegogo last we checked.

Indiegogo states that our campaign and account were frozen due to violating Indiegogo's Terms of Service, particularly regarding the clause in their ToS stating "Campaign Owners are not permitted to offer or provide any of the following as a Perk: ...weapons, ammunition, and related accessories". Despite this, there have been and are several knife and airsoft-related campaigns being hosted or previously hosted on their platform. Knives are also included as being against Indiegogo's Terms of Service.

We immediately brought this point up to Indiegogo Support, but they have not responded back to us; we do not expect that they will. As a frank word of warning to others looking to crowdsource on platforms like this: this kind of thing can happen, so make your decisions carefully.

The situation with the Indiegogo campaign does not interfere with our production- we already have a batch of CNC machined parts, as well as a new H-Mag for a new GBB platform! More information on this new H-Mag (compatible with our Lowers) to come soon.

More good news: We are offering a special discount program for those who have already ordered from us: receive a unique 10% off coupon when you post a picture or video on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Youtube) using our products. Send us a message on Facebook with the post and we will send the code to you!

The situation with the Indiegogo campaign does not interfere with our production- we already have a batch of CNC machined parts, as well as a new H-Mag for a new GBB platform! More information on this new H-Mag (compatible with our Lowers) to come soon.

More good news: We are offering a special discount program for those who have already ordered from us: receive a unique 10% off coupon when you post a picture or video on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Youtube) using our products. Send us a message on Facebook with the post and we will send the code to you!

So, there is no need to worry then. Their website is up and is now accepting orders, and you can have a choice which adapter to use, for the standard M4 AEG magazine, and for the M4 Drum AEG magazine. Just remember that these adapters can only be used with M4 gas blowback rifles that use the WE Airsoft GBB system. Also, you will have to be bit patient as they need a time allowance of 2-4 weeks as these are built to order.

If you remember about a gun mounted computer for the FN F2000 AEG that I wrote about last April, it will soon become available for other rail mounted airsoft guns as its developer has decided to raise funds on Indiegogo.

Calling it the Tachyon, Martin Hrehor, also known as Delta129 on Reddit, has already raised the required funding for the project, and the first kits, if on time, will soon be delivered this month. Even if all the perks have been sold out, Hrehor says that he will still be making the Tachyon as long as there is demand. If you want an airsoft gun computer, then you probably would like to own a Tachyon.

So, what does the Tachyon offer? Well, if you like to have a high-tech looking airsoft gun just like those you see in sci-fi movies or video games, then you will like the Tachon as it has the following features:

1. Ammo Counter
2. Battery Indicator
3. Clock
4. Customizable such as the colour scheme other settings

Too bad it won’t be able to make coffee for you, but you can play around with it, if you are familiar with Arduino and can program it. It is an open source thing so with a USB interface, you can modify the whole Tachyon to suit your needs or even expand on its features. With a simple I2C expansion bus, you can add more features and Hrehor intends to add GPS and a magnetic compass module in the future.

You can mount on any airsoft gun that has a Picatinny rail, which most airsoft guns nowadays have. Even if you use a gas blowback rifle, Tachyon can be  powered externally with a battery. An infrared sensor is attach at the front end of the barrel, which means you will have to remove the flash hider or mock suppressor. You can mount the Tachyon’s IR sensor without the need of a thread.

As Hrehor prepares to deliver the Indiegogo orders, you can contact him at the page how you can place an order. You may have to wait more as the priority are the backers who snapped up the perks on Indiegogo. But as long as there are other airsoft players ordering, then you will have the chance to own one.

The U.S. Army’s search to replace the M249 continues and it has finally selected Textron and 4 more companies to help develop the Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR). In its requirements for this new weapon, it wants that it be lighter than M249.

According to Military.com’s Matthew Cox, writing for the Kit-Up! Blog, single contracts were awarded to AAI Corporation/Textron Systems, General Dynamics-OTS Inc., PCP Tactical LLC and Sig Sauer Inc.  FN America LLC, the U.S.-arm of FN Herstal, the maker of the M249, has been awarded two contracts.

Textron is mentioned here, as previously it was in the news developing a Cased-Telescoped (CT) Weapons & Ammunition that will be able to help lower the weight of the NGSAR as based on the requirements of the U.S. Army. With the additional companies, this will help the U.S. Army able to harness the best possible weapon design.

The companies are expected within 12 months, to submit one weapon, a fire-control system and 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

Army Pvt. Michael Rojas fires an M249 light machine gun during in Djibouti, 2 May 2017
(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas M. Byers/Source: Defense.gov)

The full requirements of the U.S. Army for the NGSAR is that it should weigh no more than 12lbs., the fire control system to be less than 3lbs, and the its length should be at a maximum 35 inches. The ammo should we less than the current brass ammo, which the CT from Textron should be able to meet, can have a sustained fire of 60 rounds per minute for the 15 minutes.

So far, there is no mention of what caliber the weapon should be. The U.S. Army are looking for a replacement to the 5.56mm and they have not yet settled on, though the 7.62mm round seems to be a strong candidate as the 5.56mm round may not be effective to penetrate body armor of potential enemies of the U.S.

Top photo:  U.S. Army Spc. Shane Storey fires his M249  in Afghanistan (Source: Wikimedia)

3D Printing is really doing wonders in airsoft, especially for the smaller airsoft design shops. A good number of designs in airsoft are coming out from the smaller shops, either as conversion kits or even as complete airsoft guns. One example is Kinetic Action LLC, owned by mechanical engineer Brian Liu, for him to design products for use in airsoft.

Whilst what he does magazines and magazine adapters for airsoft guns such as gas blowbacks from GHK and WE Airsoft, he does dabble in actual airsoft designs, and he reveals, via USAirsoft, his prototype of an airsoft SIX12 Modular Shotgun.

The SIX12 Modular Shotgun is from Crye Precision which first appeared in 2014 at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. It has come as a surprise as most of us know that company, which owns the Multicam Pattern, is more known for tactical gear. The SIX12 Shotgun is its first foray into the firearms world, and this shotgun is available for civilian and MIL/LE markets.

Just like the real SIX12 Shotgun, Brian designed the prototype airsoft SIX12 to be modular. It can be used as standalone weapon as a rotary-fed, semiautomatic breaching shotgun, reminding us that is a shotgun that is like a revolver. It can broken down and used as breaching tool like a Masterkey, mounted to the under rail of a rifle, especially an M4 rifle.

His work, even with the 3D Printing, looks impeccable and he tries to be as faithful to the original SIX12 using whatever photos and information that he can lay his hands on make his prototype. The airsoft shotgun shells he uses are the APS CAM870 shells, so this makes it to be a CO2-powered SIX12 airsoft shotgun.

Brian also made a replica of the SilencerCo Salvo 12 Shotgun Silencer that has two tracer units inside though he did not mention the brand and model those tracer units are. Load up all the CAM870 Shells with Tracer BBs and we expect it to be light show showing all BBs spreading out upon exiting the muzzle especially in the dark.

To be clear, the variant he made was designed for a video game, Rainbow Six: Siege SIX12 SD variant with some minor changes.

Brian mentions that it is a personal project of his, devoting hundreds of hours doing CAD modeling to come out with this prototype. Will he do this as a full blown airsoft product for mass production? We do not know, but he will have to get a licence from Crye Precision. With Crye Precision open to having their products have versions for the airsoft market, such as the agreement they have with ZShot.

If you like what you see, why not tell what you think by sending him a comment or a message at the Kinetic Action LLC Facebook Page. Who knows, we might get to enjoy playing with a fully licensed SIX12 airsoft shotgun in our fields.

NERF is known for its foam darts, those somewhat harmeless projectiles fired from NERF Blasters (of course). They are fun and safe to use and for airsoft players wanting to satisfy their itchy trigger fingers but nowhere near an airsoft game facility, can always resort to NERF wars as they can just happen anywhere, though they may have to watch out for paranoid police who think that they are real guns.

But they also have a Laser Tag line which they launched some years back. Called Lazer Tag and they were to use. No need for vests as the hit sensors are on the Lazer Tag guns themselves. Now, Hasbro updates the laser tag offerings called the Laser Ops Pro that looks like the company took some hints from the first person shooter video games.

Having the hit sensor as a translucent dome on top of the Laser Ops Pro eliminates cheating as players cannot cover the Laser Ops Pro guns during game play as compared to wearing vests with hit sensors. Just like the other laser tag guns, it is actually infrared red, not some laser beams that we usually see in sci-fi movies.

Now what sets the NERF Laser Ops Pro apart from other laser tags? It actually comes with an app that can be installed on iOS and Android smartphones. For FPS video gamers, it is familiar territory as they can track their performance, earn power ups, customize the blasters, and even keep tabs of the opposing force during a game.

With the app, you can also play by yourself with Augmented Reality (AR) and that means you can still get trigger time even if your usual laser tag friends are not around.

The available Lase Ops Pro blasters at the NERF online store are the AlphaPoint and Deltaburst. The AlphaPoint are pistol versions while the Deltaburst is a rifle design which has an LCD screen that shows ammo and health. If you want to get some Pew pew pew time with a friend quickly, you can grab  2-Pack AlphaPoint and get blasting quickly.

So in between airsoft games, having some play time at home or at the office with the Laser Ops Pro can keep you from being bored. You can pew, pew, pew all the time.

Magpul, perhaps the friendliest brand to airsoft, decided that the market still needs another eye pro supplier and announced that it will be releasing its own line-up. Having a very strong brand in the tactical and airsoft communities, it surely will have willing buyers for these products.

In its press release, Magpul explains why they released Eyewear products:

We build products for the real world, with every item designed for a unique mission that provides more value, simplicity, and features than anyone else. At Magpul, we’ve always felt strongly about eyewear because the need for reliable eye protection is rooted in our daily lives. Whether we’re at work or at play, we understand the demand for good-looking eyewear that protects us as across the range of activities that we and our customers engage in every day. As a result, we’ve created ballistic rated eyewear that’s engineered from quality materials and finished with an enduring design.

The first three eyewear products that they unveiled: Explorer, Terrain and Summit will give customers various options on how they want these to be. There are a lot of colour options and combinations as well as they can choose polarized and non-polarized models.

Apart from such options, the important thing to note is that they are rated to Z87.1 ballistic impact protection which will make airsoft players and shooters at ease as they can handle projectiles and flying objects that may just stray and go for their eyes. It uses the strongest thermoplastic material for eyewear, and follows the TR90NZZ design making these lightweight and at the same time very durable without using a metal frame.

With Oleophobic treatment the Poycarbonate lenses provide liquid and other chemical protection. It also makes them added scratch resistant. The anti-reflective coating on inside of lenses minimizes distracting reflections. The padded low profile temples allows them to be smoothly integrated under helmets, communication headsets and over the ear hearing protection which make very much mission compatible. Magpul had the rubber nose and temple pads overmolded to the frame for durability.

For sizing, the Terrain is best for medium to large faces while the Explorer is suitable for most faces. The Summit is best for small to medium faces. We do not know if they have an Asian fit, which usually is about the frame designed to sit higher on the bridge of the nose, but they might just consider such as they also have a good following amongs airsoft players in East Asia.

The Explorer is being retailed at US$139 while both the Terrain and Summit are prices at US$149.00. These are now being shipped to authorized dealers and retailers.

J.J. Abrams’ latest film project is a War Horror Film. Set in D-Day during World War II, “Overlord”,  a group of American paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines with the objective of infiltrating a village. What they stumbled upon is top secret experiment of Nazi scientists that, unless stopped, will have Nazi zombies conquering the world for the Third Reich.

When it was first revealed, many were speculating the movie that is part of the “Cloverfield” franchise which is produced by J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot Productions, which is also a partner in “Overlord.” However, Abrams it was not the case and that production was kept secret leaving observers to speculate what the movie is all about, with the exception that it was a World War II supernatural film.

J.J. Abrams initially conceived the movie a decade ago with screenwriter Billy Ray writing the script and Paramount Pictures acquiring the rights to the film in 2007 according to Variety. However, the project took only a year ago when production started in 2017 with Julius Avery ("Son of a Gun") directing the film.

The trailer reminds of the “Wolfenstein” first person shooter, specifically “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” (2001) in which the games main character, William "B.J." Blazkowicz, discovers “Operation Resurrection”, a diabolical plan of the Nazis’ Paranormal Division, which is about raising the dead to create the Übersoldaten (super soldiers) and also trying to harness supernatural elements as part of the plan to win World War II. In “Overlord” the paratroopers need to survive by beating the zombie soldiers that have awakened and are coming after them.

The cast is comprised of Wyatt Russell, Jovan Adepo, Jacob Anderson, Dominic Applewhite, Pilou Asbæk, Iain De Caestecker, John Magaro, Mathilde Ollivier, and Bokeem Woodbine.

“Overlord” is set to be released on 9 November 2018 in the United States.

One of the contenders for the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System Program, the FN 509, chosen as Shooting Illustrated 2018 Handgun of the Year, now has a new member in the series, the FN optics and suppressor ready FN 509 Tactical.

The Striker-fired FN 509 Tactical incorporates the requirements of the MHS program, which is that it should be able to use a suppressor as well as have an extended magazine. Apart from that feature, it has the company’s patent-pending Low-Profile Optics Mounting System allowing small red dot sights to be mounted on the pistol, such as the RMR.

“The FN 509 Tactical and the FN Low-Profile Optics Mounting System are another leap forward in the optics-ready pistol market,” said John Keppeler, vice president of sales and marketing for FN America, LLC in a press release.

He adds that, “FN set the trend for factory optics-ready pistols with the release of the FNP-45 Tactical nearly a decade ago and we’re set to do it again with this release. From barrel to base plate, the FN 509 Tactical really is the ultimate tactical pistol.”

The pistol touts a 4.5-inch, cold-hammer forged, stainless steel barrel with 1/2 x 28 threads that can accept most 9mm suppressors in the market. The thread cap also comes with an integrated O-ring that prevents loosening during use. The 24-round magazine is nearly the same length as the slide as well.

Retail price of the FN 509 Tactical is US$1,409.00 and is available for commercial, military and law enforcement customers.

Phew! It is abnormally hot and dry this summer in the Northern Hemisphere, 30 degree weather in Europe as well as in Northeast Asia. Even in airsoft, many are admonished to keep themselves cool under the sweltering heat or risk heat stroke. It would be really cool, if access to ice on the airsoft field is easy, especially during 24-48 hour milsim events.

For the U.S. Army, it may just become a reality soon. In early 2013, Time Magazine reported that the Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center in having remote basis having the capability to have bagged ice capability. Operations of soldiers usually take place in locations with extremely hot weather which they usually resolved by having a continuous supply of bottled water airlifted to the frontline troops, but even then, the water are hot rather than be refreshing and cold ones.

Soon, this will become a reality. Soldiers will have readily bagged-ice to use to cool their drinks as well as cool their overheating bodies ice packs. The Army are now evaluating the Containerized Ice Making System (CIMs) if it can meet the original requirements, which if it can successfully generate and bag 3,600 lbs. of potable ice per day and also store 1,200lbs of what it produces for future use.

In an Army.mil article Will Feather, a mechanical engineer with Product Manager — Force Sustainment Systems’ Food Service Equipment Team, or PM-FSS FSET, and CIMS lead project officer said,  “Ice is a valuable commodity on the battlefield. There is a cost and security benefit to the government if we can create an organic ice making capability that will enhance the Soldier’s day-to-day life by providing all the other support that ice creates, including cold drinks, medical applications, mortuary affairs uses, and increased morale.”

Photo: Containerized Ice Making System or CIMS (Credit: Jeffrey Sisto, U.S. Army)

The CIMS is a a tricon style, containerized ice plant that generates ice, bags the ice, able to seal the bags, and stores store up 1,200lbs internally. It has three modes; Ice Production, Cooling, and Sanitation and one can select which mode from a digital menu displayed on a control panel installed to the outside wall of the CIMS.

The CIMS can be easily transported and can help the U.S. Army generate savings rather than regularly transporting ice from the main base to the remote bases as they can organically generate ice on the spot rather than wait for the next resupply.

Two units of the CIMS were used at a Spring exercise in Fort Bragg, finally testing the system in field conditions. The Army plans to test the system further and will make a design decision next year.

Top Photo:Soldiers pass bags of ice from the Containerized Ice Making System, or CIMS, during a spring training exercise at Fort Bragg.(Credit: Jeffrey Sisto, U.S. Army)

3D Printed Guns will soon be available to anyone in the world who has the knowhow, materials, and a 3D printer. According to news reports, the U.S. State Department has settled with the Defense Distributed, the organization setup by Libertarian, Crypto Anarchist and 3D Printed Gun Designer Cody Wilson, that will allow the latter to be able to post 3D Printed Gun Designs at its DEFCAD website.

Cody Wilson hit the headlines in 2013 when he announced that he designed and 3D printed a gun called the “Liberator.” The U.S. government immediately acted to stop it from distributing its designs which it claims violates the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The DEFCAD website was launched in preparation for the 1st of August 2018 when it will be open for business to allow downloads of 3D-Printed Gun Designs after reaching a settlement agreement with the US Department of State, which ended a multi-year federal lawsuit. Defense Distributed also proudly proclaimed that “the age of the downloadable gun formally begins.”

Gun control advocates in the U.S. and worldwide will watch in alarm as any Tom, Dick and Harry (yes, also Louise and Linda) who might be a convicted criminal or a history of domestic abuse will build a 3D Printed Gun for himself or herself. Countries which have strict gun control laws might have to worry that anyone in their country be able to print firearms in their own homes.

Designs from DEFCAD can be turned into firearms with the Ghost Gunner CNC Mill also from Defense Distributed. It is built mainly on open source work, grbl g-code motion control, and popular microcontrollers. It can manufacture mil-spec 80 percent lowers to completion and there is no registration and serialization required. It costs US$1,200 making it an affordable machine for those who want to build their firearms quickly.

Indeed, it is a new area in which every government and civil society will have to watch carefully. 3D printing technology promises from simple crafts, to rapid prototyping, to medical applications, and even to battlefield applications. Will it cause a proliferation of 3D printed guns that can just be used by just anyone around the world? Many will cross their fingers on the 1st of August.

But before one can download the designs out of curiousity, they might want to check their own countries' laws on this. It will be easier for U.S. citizens, but for other countries, they might already have some laws in place that might make it illegal to do so.

Top photo:Defense Distributed Ghost Gunner 9mm AR Platform at SHOT Show 2018 (Source:Ghost Gunner Instagram)

Yesterday, it’s about downloadable 3D-Printed Gun Designs, today we talk about something that was before in the realm of science fiction, the availability of a 3D-printed Coilgun or also known as a Gauss rifle. There is no need to use a projectile encased with gunpowder, it will harness electromagnetic power to propel it out.

A small startup founded by David Wirth and Jason Murray called ArcFlash Labs announced that a 3D-printed coilgun is now available for purchase. If you have been hoping for a rail gun in the form of a rifle than a gun that can only be carried by a battleship, then the coilgun from ArcFlash Labs is the closest thing to owning one.

The Arcflash Labs EMG-01A or the Electro-Magnetic Gun – 01 Alpha  is an 8 stage, IGBT switched, low voltage capacitor augmented fully automatic coilgun. Each of the IGBT stage has an independent infrared optical gate with the  fire control and sequencing of the coils controlled by a nanosecond-precise microcontroller switching IGBT gates which allows for firing up to 4 rounds per second at >45m/s.

As for the projectiles that can be fired by the EMG-01A, it has been configured to fire dowel pins which are 0.25×0.75” steel projectiles. They recommend the dowel pins from 2575 Magnetic Armatures, but any 0.25×0.75” dowel pin should work with the EMG-01A.  It ships with a 9-round coil spring magazine and in full auto can fire up to 6 rounds.

As for the power source, it uses a 1500mah 6s Lipoly Battery which can allow up to 100 shots before recharging.

The Coilgun looks under powered, but it is more of a proof of concept that it will be commercially available.  For those interested in owning an EMG-01A, they will have to take note that it is an Alpha Tester version, which requires you to signing a separate alpha tester contract. As an Alpha Tester, there will be issues that will be discovered as the product will be further refined as it is an early stage commercial product, and even if it further matures, it will have to be a Beta product after Alpha testing.

There are few EMG-01A units remaining, but if you have the US$950, you can get one of the units for further testing if Coil Guns are the future of firearms.

We all know by now that SIG Sauer won the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System competition, besting the offerings from tough competitors such as Glock, Beretta, and FN Herstal. Based on the SIG P320 Pistol, the MHS pistol, now known as the M17 with a compact version called the M18, is now being issued to various U.S. Army units, starting with the 101st Airborne.

To commemorate the M17, SIG SAUER are releasing M17 Commemorative Edition Pistols for a limited run of 5,000 units. For those wanting to own an Army M17 rather than the P320, then this is what they should be saving up for. This is different from the commercial version called the P320-M17 which was announced previously and with a price of US$768, this limited edition M17 release is more expensive and aims to give civilian owners the feel and look of the Army M17 pistol.

The M17 Commemorative Edition is priced at $1,122.00 and is packaged in a cardboard box. But if you want a better box to display the pistol, an M17 Collectors Case will be sold separately and will cost US$199.99.

No airsoft edition of the M17 or the P320 is available yet. But we do hope one should be available soon. Press release from SIG SAUER below:

SIG SAUER Manufacturers 5,000 M17-Commemorative Edition U.S. Army Service Pistols for Purchase

NEWINGTON, N.H., (July 19, 2018) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to announce the limited release of the M17-Commemorative Edition of the U.S. Army’s M17 official service pistol, a variant of the SIG SAUER P320. The M17-Commemorative pistol shares the same components, coatings, and markings as the firearm that was awarded the U.S. Army contract for the modular handgun system (MHS).

Only 5,000 M17-Commemorative Edition pistols have been produced for sale, and each SIG SAUER M17-Commemorative pistol is serialized M17-0001 through M17-5000 and includes the Army’s required unique identifier (UID). The M17 is sold in the same cardboard packaging as delivered to the U.S. Army. From the pistol to the packaging, the M17-Commemorative Edition is identical to the U.S. Army’s official M17 service pistol.

“The U.S. Army’s selection of the M17 earned the SIG SAUER P320 a place in history. It’s regarded as one of the world’s most influential firearms as it enters service with America’s Armed Forces across the globe,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The M17 is the culmination of SIG SAUER’s steadfast commitment to providing the military with the very best, and our determination to never settle. We are excited that collectors and civilians have an opportunity to participate in this history.”

Upon registration of the M17-Commemorative pistol, the purchaser will receive an official certificate of authenticity and commemorative challenge coin, both with serial numbers matching the purchased M17-Commemorative pistol.

The M17-Commemorative is a 9mm, striker-fired pistol, and comes with two 21-round magazines and one 17-round magazine. The pistol features a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide with the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, coyote-tan colored controls just like the original pistols shipped to the 101st Airborne, and a manual safety. The M17 is equipped with a SIGLITE front night sight and removable Night Sight rear plate. The M17-Commemorative comes with a coyote-tan carry-length grip module.

The M17-Commemorative Specs:

Total length: 8″
Barrel length: 4.7″
Weight (including 17rd magazine): 29.6 oz
Height: 5.5″
Width: 1.3″
Sight radius: 6.6″

MSRP M17-Commemorative Edition Pistol: $1,122.00

The M17-Commemorative is shipping to stores in August 2018.

To complement the M17-Commemorative, an exclusive M17 Collector’s Case is available for purchase separately at sigsauer.com/store.  The case is a solid cherry box, with dark mahogany stain, a tempered glass top, a brushed nickel latch, and a keyhole back for optional wall-hanging.  The M17 Collector’s Case features a slate-grey flocked foam insert with an affixed US Army logo, and precision laser placement cuts for the M17 pistol, the official serialized M17-Commemorative Certificate of Authenticity, and the serialized M17-Commemorative Challenge Coin.

M17 Collectors Case MSRP: $199.99 (sold separately at sigsauer.com/store)

In airsoft, many would love an AEG that has a high ROF and accuracy. But in video games, sometimes such a powerful gun would generate complaints as it gives an unusual advantage to whoever gets it. In Fortnite, players rush to grab the Compact SMG that was just recently released as it can be give them a leg up. It does more damage and is very accurate that if a player can get hold of one, he/she can easily mow down other players and their buildings with it.

The Compact SMG, based on the rapid fire and handy P90, which is a favourite amongst airsoft players, was added in Fortnite update V5.10, last 25 July, announcing players to “Unwrap the newest weapon in Battle Royale. Engage in close quarters combat with the high capacity, fast firing Compact SMG.”

But then, the complaints started coming in, players feeling that they are outgunned by those who get hold of the Compact SMG. Rather than have player rage quitting in the middle of the Battle Royale game frustrated that they don’t have a chance against anyone wielding a Compact SMG, Fortnite developers, Epic Games, immediately went to nerf the weapon, reducing accuracy, damage, range, and fire rate.

The values have been adjusted and confirmed via Reddit’s r/FortniteBR:

SMG Balance Changes from r/FortNiteBR

Fortnite celebrated their first year, first as a “Save the World” player vs environment mode. The Battle Royale mode was then introduced in September 2017 as this mode is getting more popular amongst online gamers as proven by PlayerUnknown’s BattleGrounds Battle Royale game.

The other releases is that The Playground mode for Battle Royale is back apart from the release of the Compact SMG and for “Save The World” a quest to unlock Birthday Brigade Ramirez and Uncanny Valley in which the player tries to uncover its secrets and explore the new Arid Biome with friends.

The venerable Japanese airsoft company, Tokyo Marui, gather wins in the gaming and pop culture world as they chalk up deals and collaboration left and right with some Japanese gaming companies for cross promotion of their products. For their latest cooperative promo, they team up with Axel Game Entertainment in which four Tokyo Marui airsoft gun models will appear in the“World Cross Saga: Time and Girls and the Door of the Mirror” RPG game.

World Cross Saga is an RPG game for mobile phones and it is available for both Android and iOS smartphones. First released in 2016, it is a super strategic type battle system that anyone can enjoy ding online battle on a 1 vs 1 or cooperative battle mode allowing up to three friends to help you accomplish the game.

As mentioned in the story's title, there are four Tokyo Marui airsoft gun models that will replicated in 3D detail for the game. For now, two are just mentioned, the upcoming Tokyo Marui MTR16 Gas Blowback Rifle, and the Tokyo Marui Scorpion Mod M AEG. The latter is already available in the airsoft market whilst the MTR-6 is expected to be released this summer, and will be the 4th Gas Blowback Rifle that will be released and is an in-house design by the company rather than basing it on a weapons manufacturer’s design.

From the 31st  July up to the 31st of August 2018, "Army Tamamochi Front" and "Army Red Riding Hood" will be the characters that will be carrying these guns and Tokyo Marui enjoins every World Cross Saga player in Japan to get them and make them active in the game.

To commemorate this collaboration, Tokyo Marui will be raffling an MTR16 Gas Blowback Rifle during the collaboration period. Open to players 18 years old and above, they will need to have a Twitter account and follow @TM_Airsoft after logging in. They will them click “Tweet” raffle followers for the message. This promo period started last 23 July 2018 and will end on the 26 August. The winner will get to own the MTR-16 plus the Tokyo Marui Gunpower HFC 134 gas. The winner will be messaged via Twitter by the company.

To learn more of the mechanics of this promo, click here.

You can get the World Cross Saga at the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

If you have been waiting for another blockbuster coming out of Southeast Asia and something that would remind your lust for non-stop bloody action when watching the Indonesian surprise hit “The Raid,” then come the 1st of August, a movie from the Philippines may just be the big one that you have been waiting for.

“Buy Bust” is about an elite anti-narcotics squad that went for a “Buy Bust” or sting operation in a Manila slum and it everything just went wrong. The members of the team will have to fight their way through gang members and slum residents out for vengeance for their relatives how have become collateral damage in the government’s war on drugs. If it is a commentary of the Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, it sounds like it is making a strong statement of condemnation of the Filipino strongman’s who is accused by his critics to be running an incompetent government and kowtowing to China.

The story is about a police officer, Nina Manigan, played by Anne Curtis, who is more known for rom-com films rather than action flicks, who previously survived a disaster operation in which her team go wiped out was sent to join a new team on a mission to capture a big drug boss via a gang member that was caught before. The target failed to show up and the team was instructed by the snitch to meet him inside the Gracia ni Maria slum, which looks like hell on earth.

There in the Gracia ni Maria slum, all hell break loose. The big boss charged into the meeting with his henchmen and it was the start of the shootout. Nina survives the initial skirmish and together with another surviving team member, Rico, who is played by MMA fighter Brandon Vera, work together and fight through the dizzying maze of the slums.

Then the body count starts to go up and with all the blood and gore and all types of objects that can be turned into weapons. Both Nina and Rico have to fight for their lives fending off the gang members and slum dwellers out for the heads of any police officer who have devastated their lives with lost loved ones, innocent or not, in the drug war.

Directed by Erik Matti, a famous Filipino director who says this is his full-on action film. He is a critic of President Duterte and the release of the “Buy Bust” in the Philippines would surely generate controversy, especially among the fanatical followers of Duterte who still commands high approval rates even if he has lost some support amongst the populace.

“Buy Bust” will be shown in the Philippines on the 1st of August 2018 and will be distributed in the USA by Well Go USA and will be released on the 10th of August.