Hello all,
Just a quick post to let you know about 2 up-coming reviews.
1. The A&K M249 SAW
2. The KART M14 EBR
In a few weeks, we'll have reviews on these two.
Working on the first podcast. Stay tuned for more info on that as well.
Keep on firin',
Carp
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Airsoft Websites and Shopping On-line
On-Line Airsoft Shopping
On-line is one of the most practical ways to locate and purchase your airsoft AEGs and gear. Below I've listed a few sites that I've spent some time on, purchased from, or heard about. I will cover this topic in a future podcast, but here's a little summary of the websites I've listed on the blog.
EBayBanned.com
This site is named this...I don't know why. I looked around on the net and couldn't find anything so I am wondering if it's not just as simple as what it sounds like - they were banned from EBay - maybe for what they sell, maybe for some other issue. Anyhow, I've just ordered a pair of goggles from these guys and am waiting for them to arrive - I'll let you know how it goes with them. The prices, as you can see, are often under the cost of what it would cost for you to get a similar item here in the States (they are located in Asia). The main thing that I hear about EBB is that you can get items that you can't find other places. The selection is pretty good - I'd reccomend them when it comes to tactical gear - there are better websites for AEGs, GBBs, etc. Oh, and shipping is included - this can save you major money compared to other Asian companies. One heads-up: Be aware of sizing - the site seems pretty confusing when it comes to figuring out what size to order your BDUs in.
EHobbyAsia.com
I don't remember how I found this site, but it also offers a good selection of airsoft gear, and quite a selection on AEGs as well. I like the layout of the site and the picture options for a number of the items. Their tactical gear ("combat gear" on their site) has a nice selection. When I have ordered from them, it was about 10 days to have my items arrive in New Hampshire.The major downside to this site is the cost of shipping. I am interested in purchasing a KART M14 EBR. From a U.S. retailer, I am looking at around $170-200. From EHobbyAsia, I can get the gun for only $128, but shipping will cost me $114. Compared to many other sites that offer free shipping for over $100, $150, or $200, this isn't much of a deal. The key to ordering from them - order enough to make the shipping worth it.
RSOV.com & GunnerAirsoft.com
I have spent some time on these sites. Again, like the above 2 they offer a good deal on some harder-to-find items, but shipping can get you. One example of a new item RSOV is offering is the new 'Vanaras' 11.1v Li-Po battery pack for peq-15 dummy box - a cool, smaller PEQ box. A little pricey, but very cool looking. I find RSOV a bit hard to get around, but if you have a little patience, you can find some deals. They both have a nice selection of AEGs, but unfortunately many of them are out of stock a lot of the time. I've ordered one part from RSOV (a replacement hinge for my D-BOYS SCAR) and it came within a week and a half and was just what I needed.
ShortyUSA.com
This is usually one of the first sites people find when they Google "airsoft". I've ordered a few things from here. I got a springer shotgun (I am a shotty- fanatic), a red-dot, and a few other things as well. Shipping is not free but is very reasonable. The items came quicky (they are located in Delaware - so New England's not too far) and were packed well. I find the photos on their site helpful - they take pics of items in a variety of angles/views. They are also on YouTube a bit and have some video reviews there. Overall a good site. Cost is a little lower than average.
TrinityAirsoft.com
I have only ordered one item from this site - a new Double Eagle M56DL shotgun. The shipping cost was reasonable and it came quickly. The site has good stuff - not a huge selection, but it is very nicely laid out. They also tell you what they have in stock, which for some sites (see evike.com) is a problem. In the little business I've done with them, I like them.
Kapowwe.com
This is a big site in the airsoft world. The site is nicely laid out, items are easy to find, and pictures are well-taken. BoomstickCole is a guy who many people know from his YouTube reviews which are also on the Kapowwe site. Shipping is average, selection is above average. I ordered a Jing Gong M16A4-R.I.S. from them. It came pretty quickly and was exactly as advertised. From what I hear, they are really great when it comes to customer service, but I haven't had the need to interact with them on that level.
PyramydAir.com
This site is actually geared more toward airguns than it is toward airsoft. The vast majority of their stuff is not for airsoft, but their airsoft selection is decent and growing. This site offers a limited selection when it comes to tactical gear, but it does offer a nice selection of AEGs. They carry some Classic Army, TSD, Echo 1 and other brands - a nice mix of higher end and entry-level AEGs as well. I've found their customer serice to be great. I ordered some gear from them and they forgot to include one piece in my order. When I called, they told me they'd send the item immediately and they didn't give me any hastle at all. The site is average when it comes to navigation. One nice thing about PyramidAir is that they box things and ship them well. It's a bummer when you finally get your AEG and it's cracked because of poor packing. Not the case with PyramidAir - they pack and ship well.
AirsoftGI.com
This is another site that I've spent some time on, but I haven't ordered anything from them yet. My buddy Ox did order from them and said they were great with him - good customer service and good items. The site has a really nice selection of items - both AEGs and tactical gear - and the prices are right about middle-of-the-road. With limited knowledge of them, I'd say they are generally well-liked in the airsoft community.
Evike.com
This site is one that I've spent a lot of time on. I find their layout to be very easy to navigate, the pictures to be very helpful, and the prices to be some of the lowest around. They offer free shipping on all orders over $100 (don't forget to input the free shipping coupon code when you place your order). There's a nice range of AEGs, GBBs, and gear - really higher end to the lower end and everything in between. A few things to note: I've placed 3 orders with them where items were not listed as "Out Of Stock" on the website, but they were either out of stock or discontinued completely (which I found out a few days after I placed my order). That's somethiing to keep in mind. They will, however, send the order immediately and then when the out of stock item comes in, they ship it to you at no cost. Also, I ordered my SCAR from them and they just wrapped the D-BOYS box in brown paper and sent it along. When I opened it, the hinge was broken. I was going to send it back, but it was easier/faster to just buy a new hinge. So if you buy anything fragile. maybe think about getting a few other items so they will put them all in a bigger box together. Overall, I like this site a lot and would reccommend it.
Well there you have it. There are certainly a ton of other sites out there, but these are some ones I've spent time on. Hope this is helpful.
Keep on firin',
Carp
On-line is one of the most practical ways to locate and purchase your airsoft AEGs and gear. Below I've listed a few sites that I've spent some time on, purchased from, or heard about. I will cover this topic in a future podcast, but here's a little summary of the websites I've listed on the blog.
EBayBanned.com
This site is named this...I don't know why. I looked around on the net and couldn't find anything so I am wondering if it's not just as simple as what it sounds like - they were banned from EBay - maybe for what they sell, maybe for some other issue. Anyhow, I've just ordered a pair of goggles from these guys and am waiting for them to arrive - I'll let you know how it goes with them. The prices, as you can see, are often under the cost of what it would cost for you to get a similar item here in the States (they are located in Asia). The main thing that I hear about EBB is that you can get items that you can't find other places. The selection is pretty good - I'd reccomend them when it comes to tactical gear - there are better websites for AEGs, GBBs, etc. Oh, and shipping is included - this can save you major money compared to other Asian companies. One heads-up: Be aware of sizing - the site seems pretty confusing when it comes to figuring out what size to order your BDUs in.
EHobbyAsia.com
I don't remember how I found this site, but it also offers a good selection of airsoft gear, and quite a selection on AEGs as well. I like the layout of the site and the picture options for a number of the items. Their tactical gear ("combat gear" on their site) has a nice selection. When I have ordered from them, it was about 10 days to have my items arrive in New Hampshire.The major downside to this site is the cost of shipping. I am interested in purchasing a KART M14 EBR. From a U.S. retailer, I am looking at around $170-200. From EHobbyAsia, I can get the gun for only $128, but shipping will cost me $114. Compared to many other sites that offer free shipping for over $100, $150, or $200, this isn't much of a deal. The key to ordering from them - order enough to make the shipping worth it.
RSOV.com & GunnerAirsoft.com
I have spent some time on these sites. Again, like the above 2 they offer a good deal on some harder-to-find items, but shipping can get you. One example of a new item RSOV is offering is the new 'Vanaras' 11.1v Li-Po battery pack for peq-15 dummy box - a cool, smaller PEQ box. A little pricey, but very cool looking. I find RSOV a bit hard to get around, but if you have a little patience, you can find some deals. They both have a nice selection of AEGs, but unfortunately many of them are out of stock a lot of the time. I've ordered one part from RSOV (a replacement hinge for my D-BOYS SCAR) and it came within a week and a half and was just what I needed.
ShortyUSA.com
This is usually one of the first sites people find when they Google "airsoft". I've ordered a few things from here. I got a springer shotgun (I am a shotty- fanatic), a red-dot, and a few other things as well. Shipping is not free but is very reasonable. The items came quicky (they are located in Delaware - so New England's not too far) and were packed well. I find the photos on their site helpful - they take pics of items in a variety of angles/views. They are also on YouTube a bit and have some video reviews there. Overall a good site. Cost is a little lower than average.
TrinityAirsoft.com
I have only ordered one item from this site - a new Double Eagle M56DL shotgun. The shipping cost was reasonable and it came quickly. The site has good stuff - not a huge selection, but it is very nicely laid out. They also tell you what they have in stock, which for some sites (see evike.com) is a problem. In the little business I've done with them, I like them.
Kapowwe.com
This is a big site in the airsoft world. The site is nicely laid out, items are easy to find, and pictures are well-taken. BoomstickCole is a guy who many people know from his YouTube reviews which are also on the Kapowwe site. Shipping is average, selection is above average. I ordered a Jing Gong M16A4-R.I.S. from them. It came pretty quickly and was exactly as advertised. From what I hear, they are really great when it comes to customer service, but I haven't had the need to interact with them on that level.
PyramydAir.com
This site is actually geared more toward airguns than it is toward airsoft. The vast majority of their stuff is not for airsoft, but their airsoft selection is decent and growing. This site offers a limited selection when it comes to tactical gear, but it does offer a nice selection of AEGs. They carry some Classic Army, TSD, Echo 1 and other brands - a nice mix of higher end and entry-level AEGs as well. I've found their customer serice to be great. I ordered some gear from them and they forgot to include one piece in my order. When I called, they told me they'd send the item immediately and they didn't give me any hastle at all. The site is average when it comes to navigation. One nice thing about PyramidAir is that they box things and ship them well. It's a bummer when you finally get your AEG and it's cracked because of poor packing. Not the case with PyramidAir - they pack and ship well.
AirsoftGI.com
This is another site that I've spent some time on, but I haven't ordered anything from them yet. My buddy Ox did order from them and said they were great with him - good customer service and good items. The site has a really nice selection of items - both AEGs and tactical gear - and the prices are right about middle-of-the-road. With limited knowledge of them, I'd say they are generally well-liked in the airsoft community.
Evike.com
This site is one that I've spent a lot of time on. I find their layout to be very easy to navigate, the pictures to be very helpful, and the prices to be some of the lowest around. They offer free shipping on all orders over $100 (don't forget to input the free shipping coupon code when you place your order). There's a nice range of AEGs, GBBs, and gear - really higher end to the lower end and everything in between. A few things to note: I've placed 3 orders with them where items were not listed as "Out Of Stock" on the website, but they were either out of stock or discontinued completely (which I found out a few days after I placed my order). That's somethiing to keep in mind. They will, however, send the order immediately and then when the out of stock item comes in, they ship it to you at no cost. Also, I ordered my SCAR from them and they just wrapped the D-BOYS box in brown paper and sent it along. When I opened it, the hinge was broken. I was going to send it back, but it was easier/faster to just buy a new hinge. So if you buy anything fragile. maybe think about getting a few other items so they will put them all in a bigger box together. Overall, I like this site a lot and would reccommend it.
Well there you have it. There are certainly a ton of other sites out there, but these are some ones I've spent time on. Hope this is helpful.
Keep on firin',
Carp
AirsoftGI Deal
Hey all,Check out http://www.airsoftgi.com/ for a great deal. Right now, you can save 10% on your order with the code "gitv", PLUS get free shipping on all orders over $100.
Keep on firin',
Carp
Keep on firin',
Carp
DOUBLE EAGLE M56 DL - THE REVIEW OF THE WEEK
Double Eagle M56 DL Shotgun
You'll pick up this trend from the reviews on CQB Radio, but I am a shotgun junkie. I'm not sure why I am so interested in them, but I seem to tend toward those links on websites that talk about the latest and greatest in these old stand-bys. In this review, you'll get a little more info about a new line of shotguns from Double Eagle.The M56DL is based on the Benelli M4 shotguns used by the U.S. military. This model is a longer-barrel version put out by DE, though they also have the M56 A, AL, B, and C (check out http://www.gunnerairsoft.com/ and click on the "shotgun" link). Now onto the review.
When the gun first arrived from Trinity Airsoft, the gun came in your standard box. If there was any doubt that airsoft companies were working together (you may have heard about JG and Echo 1 being closely related) just check out UTG's M3L box and you'll see that the cover looks very much like this Double Eagle box. No biggie, but interesting to note.
In the box comes: 1 shell for the gun, a sling, a speed loader, instructions, a hex wrench, and some free BBs (toss them out - they are usually low quality and may break inside your gun). The shell holds 30-round (1o shots), the sling is not bad for a free-be, and the speed loader is your standard that you get with many airsoft guns. The hex wrench can be used to adjust your rear sight. There is a rail on top of the gun (see below) that you can put optics on. I chose to add a Leapers reflex sight that ran me about $12.
The retractable stock is adjusted by turning it to the right and then pulling back. It does scratch the metal tube slightly when you do this, but not terribly. Right off the bat, I noticed the gun is about medium weight (5.75 pounds) and it felt notably lighter than the UTG M3L that I have - the UTG has a non-adjustable, full stock. There is a nice mix of metal (barrell, pump tube, stock tube) and non-metal parts (pump action, pistol grip, cheek rest), but overall it feels solid. The length is about 40 inches when fully extended and about 36 when full retracted.
Like the UTG and TSD models that are similar to this one, the main advantage of this shotgun is that is fires 3 BBs per shot. You'll probably need to get some extra shells if you plan on using this in a skirmish (UTG shells work) and you'll note that I did add the Blackhawk shotgun shell holding sling. A shell holder does not work o on the stock since it is not full and is also adjustable. You can store a shell inside the grip and it fits quite snuggly. I recommend a dump pouch to toss your empty shells in during a skirmish as well. The gun does have a safety, but does not have an adjustable hop-up.The rear site is adjustable, but you can also add optics on the rail. I'd say that the weapon is accurate to just under 100 feet. I used .2s to test it, but I think I'll be moving to .25's for greater accuracy. The FPS clocks in around 300 - 320. The grouping per shot were fairly close to around 45 feet, but after that they began to spread out a bit.As for the internals, I take my perspective from a Kapowwe airsmith who said that he doesn't take guns apart until they need to be taken apart. Thus, I can't tell you about the spring, spring guide, etc. If I do disassemble it sometime, I'll post about what I find.Would I recommend this weapon? Well, I haven't had it in a skirmish yet, but I think I can still say "yes". It's accuracy is decent, and if you've never used a shotgun in a game before, you'd be surprised how fast you can empty 30 rounds. It's certainly not a SPAS 12, but for the money, it's a great buy. I'd say that in a CQB, this would be a great piece of weaponry. Overall, a good buy at around $60 from Trinity Airsoft. The sling ran me about $20 total with shipping, and the sight ran me about $18 total. Shells are availble on-line at 6 for $15. Out of 10, I give this shotty a 8 for value, a 9 for looks, 7 for quality of contruction, and I'll let you know how it holds up on the field.
Keep on firin',
Carp
Welcome to CQB Radio
If you're reading this blog, you probably have some interest in airsoft or are already an avid fan of this great sport. I started this blog for a few reasons. First, I've really enjoyed airsoft and I wanted to place to post pictures, share insights, and so forth. Secondly, I thought I'd do a variety of gear reviews, tactics tips, updates about local (New England), national, and international events. Lastly, I'm in the process of putting together CQB Radio - The Podcast - and this blog will be a place to see photos of the gear, guns, and other things that we talk about on the blog.Check back often - hope it's helpful to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)