Body Armor has existed in one fashion or another since the first weapons were created. From boiled leather, mail and plate, body armor has continued to evolve into the light weight bullet proof vests worn today, and the heavy duty SAPI armor plates carried in today’s plate carriers. As this sites main focus is on ballistic protection, we’ll focus on old flak jackets to newer tactical gear for body armor.

Body Armor Levels

Each tier also offers protection vs the rounds listed in the tiers below it.

Type I Body Armor

Type I bullet proof vests are made to stand up to light weight and low powered rounds like .22′s and .380′s.

Type II Body Armor

Type IIa is a bullet proof vest that can stand up to low powered 9MM, .40 S&W and .45 ACP rounds. Type II will handle high powered 9mm and .357 Magnum rounds.

Type III Body Armor

Type IIIa body armor is rated for .357 SIG and .44 Magnum rounds. Type III is engineered to withstand 7.62 NATO rifle rounds.

Type IV Body Armor

Type IV is designed to withstand armor piercing rifle rounds.

Soft Body Armor

Soft body armor can be thought of as a bullet proof vest. These are made of high strength Kevlar material. Kevlar was developed by Dupont in the 1960′s. If weight is equal to that of steel, Kevlar is up to five times the strength while maintaining flexibility. Kevlar is used in bullet proof face masks, tactical vests and helmets intended for combat use. Bullet proof vests made from Kevlar can also be stab resistant by both ice picks and knives, further protecting the wearer from penetration and blunt trauma injuries.

Soft Body Armor protects by using tightly weaved Kevlar material that tightens as force pushes in against it. The strands of material in the weave pull on all the surrounding strands further tightening and catching the object in a net of material.

Soft Body Armor is designated from Tiers I-IIIa and as such is typically light weight. Several materials several times stronger than Kevlar, such as Vectran (twice as strong) or Biosteel and other biologically developed materials (4 times as strong) are being looked into for alternatives. Further in the future, carbon nano-tubes may be a viable candidate. Currently that technology is far too rare, new, and expensive to be utilized in this fashion. Each of these promise to increase the ballistic ratings while potentially decreasing weight and bulk in the process.

Hard Body Armor

Hard body armor makes up the levels III and IV body armor, protecting from high powered rifles and armor piercing rounds. This is typically accomplished using plate carriers loaded with SAPI armor plate, ballistic steel or polyethylene inserts to provide additional protection.

SAPI Plates

SAPI stands for Small Arms Protective Insert. These ceramic plates are inserted in the sides, front and back of a ballistic vest or other plate carrier to protect against various rifle rounds. SAPI plates are composted of either silicon carbide ceramic or boron carbide like ESAPI.

ESAPI Plates

The E stands for enhanced, than thats exactly what these are. ESAPI armor plates are made to manage armor piercing rifle rounds. These plates are made from boron carbide, and a layer of Spectra which is stronger than Kevlar by 40%. With the added protection comes added cost however, with many ESAPI plates costing twice as much as the originals.

XSAPI Plates

XSAPI body armor promises to respond to high velocity rounds that even ESAPI is incapable of handling. Body armor falling under this standard promise to be scaled and flexible. Cutting edge materials allow for less weight and increased coverage for further protection.

Future Body Armor

The body armor of the future promises to provide increased survivability for the soldier on the ground. Many are being developed and are even commercially available.

Dragon Skin

Dragon Skin is a scalar body armor basically made up of scales of armor which deflects and causes the disintegration of the projectile. This armor is flexible and light weight and will stop armor piercing rifle rounds. The overlap from the scalar spreads out the impact, leaving the user bruised, but otherwise uninjured, even after multiple impacts. Standard ceramic plates shatter after impact, leaving the wearer vulnerable thereafter. This armor has not been adopted by the military as of yet, but is commercially available.

Magnetorheological Fluid Body Armor

The US Army is experimenting with Magnetorheological fluid for body armor. This fluid is added to another fluid like oil and can be controlled by applying varying degrees of magnetic field allowing it to react to input on demand. At the extreme, the magnetic field on MR fluid can make it visoelastic, causing it to grab at and slow impacts to the point of negation. This is obviously years away from being practical but is an interesting look into where things are going for body armor.

Body Armor is a post from: Airsoft CT

Choosing the right plate carrier or chest rig for your needs is something that should be regarded with some real thought and research. Many factors determine if a plate carrier will work for you or if you’ll just end up tossing it into storage or selling it. Which brand plate carriers provide the best quality product, at the best price and with the best service? Which tactical gear manufacturers take into account real world feedback and experience when developing their plate carrier models? We’ll go over some of the pitfalls of buying a chest rig or plate carrier that will both work for your needs, but also save you money in the long run and last through what ever abuse you manage to subject it to.

This article will be broken into several parts for easy reference for purchasing a plate carrier.

Plate Carrier or Chest Rig?

Which one, a plate carrier or chest rig, will you need? What are you planning to use it for? Do you need body armor protection, and if so how much? Do you have heavy loads to carry on your body, or do you need to be able to move quickly and quietly through terrain? How big is your favorite load out?

All these questions help determine what you will need. If you’re worried about small caliber fire only, you can likely get away with a soft body armor bullet proof vest, and cover it with a small chest right or tactical vest to stay light weight while still offering decent protection.

If you know you’ll be going into an area with the possibility of rifle fire, you’ll want a full blown plate carrier to carry Type III and IV body armor. This obviously adds to the weight of the plate carrier, but increases your survivability. Furthermore, most plate carriers have PALS webbing wall over their structure, offering tons of expandability to carry a large amount of gear.

Knowing your mission or job role will often determine what plate carrier you can get away with. As with all jobs, the right tool for the job is the often the best, and having several plate carriers and chest rigs will provide you flexibility a single option simply does not provide.

Lastly, just because you have a plate carrier, does not mean you need to run the SAPI plates all the time. If speed is more important than protection, this is often a reasonable solution.

How to Determine Plate Carrier Quality

RTFL.. Read the Label.. What’s the unit made of? 1000D Cordura is a recommended fabric for chest rigs and plate carriers. It’s high quality and highly resistant to wear. The vast majority of modern plate carriers or MOLLE setups are made from some version of Cordura, and the higher the number, the more abuse it will take.

Next, look at the stitching. Double stitching is almost a requirement for high quality and durability. Single stitching will eventually give out and if someone needs to drag you or carry you by your drag strap, it’d suck to have it break off in a high stress environment.

Look at the PALS Webbing.. Is it stitched evenly? How wide are the loops? If they’re too narrow or stitched unevenly, that’s a pretty good indication that this is going to be a nightmare to setup. Depending on how often you swap in and out your MOLLE pouches on your plate carrier, this may be something you can live with, or something that’s a complete deal breaker.

Finally, ask guys that own one.. many will be quick to complain about issues with their tactical gear or praise the plate carrier they love. If the faults of the plate carrier or chest rig are too much for you to live with, look elsewhere.

Testing the Fit of the Plate Carrier.

We’re all different sizes and not all tactical gear is sized for the same size person. Try on multiple chest rigs and check your movement. Can you move your arms freely? Does your neck rub on anything? Is the load balanced? Is there enough PALS webbing on the plate carrier to mount all the MOLLE pouches and tactical gear you need to carry? Will all that interfere with your movement? Is there padding to cover any straps or buckles?

You basically want to ensure that the plate carrier will not keep you from doing what you need to do. If you can’t properly shoulder your rifle, or move your arms freely or bend properly, it’s time to look at something different.

Heat Considerations for Plate Carriers

While trying them on, pay attention to the breath ability of the plate carrier. Some are known to retain heat extremely well, which is nice in a colder environment, but can be hell in a hot one. You don’t what to suffer from heat stroke when you’re on the move.

Built-in Options on Chest Rigs and Plate Carriers

You’ll find that many of the plate carrier models and chest rigs out there may offer some build in options. Some plate carriers offer built in hydration bladder slots (some even come with a bladder) saving you a few bucks, and yet still providing you with plenty of MOLLE real estate on your back.

Some also come with mag pouches built right into the front. If you carry 90-120 rounds on you, this is a nice option as you won’t need to purchase addition mag pouches for your kit.

Cummerbunds are also nice if included as they give your plate carrier options for side SAPI armor plates, more MOLLE real estate on the sides and allow the tactical vest to be more secure around your waist.

Plate Carrier Colors and Camouflage Patterns

Some of you are stuck with what you need to buy, others have options. If you ever plan on reselling a plate carrier, try to stay away from specific camouflage patterns as they limit resale value. For this reason, neutral colors, such as Coyote Brown tend to be favored as they go well with most camouflage and additionally don’t stand out to the naked eye.

What? What colors do stand out to the naked eye? Black. Nothing in nature is truly black and it stands out to even the untrained eye. A black plate carrier will outline your entire chest, and with some options, your neck, shoulders and groin.

Setting a Tactical Gear Budget

If you’re buying this yourself, obviously you want to ensure that you’re not over extending yourself with the plate carrier purchase. You need to think about not only the cost of the plate carrier or chest rig, but also the cost of the MOLLE pouches and other gear you may need to purchase to go along with it. You can easily spend 1000′s on a load out not even counting bullet proof protection. If you must spend the cash, try to spread out the purchase over time, and buy what you need first.

Country of Origin

The Berry Amendment basically states that government funding for any tactical gear needs to be appropriated to articles manufactured in the USA. TAA Compliancy dictates that the products are American made and can be purchased and used for government activities.

For those not bound by the law, this is a none issue. Patriotism dictates you purchase high quality nationally made products, but you and your wallet often decide which plate carrier you choose.

Tactical Gear Manufacturers

Look for a solid reputation in producing quality plate carriers. You don’t want to buy a plate carrier from some second rate company in China building them for airsoft play. The price may be great, but the quality simply can not compare to high end specialized US Manufacturers.

There’s always exceptions to that rule, however, you’ll want to fully research the plate carrier manufacturer to determine their philosophy when it comes to creating chest rigs. Are they just pumping out tactical gear for profit? Do they take into account end sure feedback? Have they had infield failures in the past? Read their websites, read online reviews, talk to people. A plate carrier is an important purchase, and you don’t want to buy something subpar.

In Closing..

In closing, choosing a chest rig or plate carrier is not a knee jerk acquisition. Please explore each option as if your life depends on it, as it very well may. Follow the guidelines above and purchase the best chest rig or plate carrier you can afford.

How to Buy a Plate Carrier is a post from: Airsoft CT

AAV

The AAV is a component of the US Marine Corps’s FSBE or Full Spectrum Battle Equipment system. Like the Interceptor Body Armor listed above, this plate carrier can take addition protective plates for the neck and groin, but has a quick release system similar to the RAV.

CIRAS – Combat Integrated Releasable Armor System

CIRAS plate carriers have a cable release system allowing a single pull release of the plate carrier system. These have cummerbunds as well as removable shoulder pads. These plate carriers also carry front, back and side SAPI plates.

Crye Body Armor

Crye Precision has a body armor that uses a contoured hard shell plate design on the front and back. It features PALS webbing as well. The is part of the Army Objective Warrior program. Not a plate carrier per say, but a good look at where body armor is going.

Interceptor Body Armor

Interceptor Body Armor or IBA is a plate carrier with removable protection for the throat, shoulders and groin. It has placements for SAPI plates and is covered in PALS webbing for MOLLE capable accessories. These plate carriers are currently in use by the US Military.

MBSS Plate Carrier Harness

These harnesses offer front and back plate carrier protection with PALS webbing. Many tactical gear manufacturers make these under various acronyms and with various features, but the general specs remain the same. Chest and back protection with a MOLLE system compatibility.

MOLLE Plate Carrier

Basically a plate carrier harness with detachable cummerbunds that provide protection for your sides. MOLLE accessories can be attached to every surface as well as a full compliment of SAPI plate armor.

Releasable Assault Vest or RAV Plate Carrier

RAV is a modular plate carrier with a single point release system to quickly release your plate carrier from your body. These feature SAPI plate pockets in the front, back and sides for protection.

RRV

Rhodesian Recon Vests are a harness with a MOLLE Compatible frontal platform capable of carrying a single plate of armor. MBSS points are on the shoulders for further attachments.

SPEAR Body Armor

SPEAR body armor is issued to US Special Forces members across all branches. It’s a soft armor plate carrier with throat and groin protectors and PALS webbing.

Other Plate Carriers

Many tactical gear manufacturers have their own spins on the various designs offering different ergonomics, quality of products and features. We’ve listed some of the many available here. Many companies manufacture knock offs of these plate carrier and chest rigs.

Plate Carrier Models is a post from: Airsoft CT

What if you need to carry a good amount of gear, but don’t want the additional weight and don’t think you need the protection SAPI Plates offer? Chest rigs, also known as Load Bearing Vests ( LBV ) or tactical vests are the answer and a viable alternative to a heavy weight plate carrier. We’ve created a buyers guide for chest rigs for surviving some of the pitfalls and items to look for when choosing a chest rig or tactical gear manufacturer.

History of Chest Rigs

Ergonomics and ease of access have been paramount to soldiers on the battle field since the beginning of time. Strapped sheaths for swords and daggers have given way to satchels to carry gun powder and other essentials, which gave way to bandoliers and other equipment with the advent of cartridge based munitions. Eventually, magazine and clip fed firearms created the need for a better solution. Chest Rigs.

The M-1956 LCE (Load Carrying Equipment) replaced the M-1910 cotton setup used in both World Wars, and was used into the 1980′s with the US Military. This system allowed attachment of a standard load out for individual soldier’s gear along with additional add-ons depending on job role. This is still in use by some countries in Latin America and Asia.

The M-1967 ALICE ( All Purpose Light-Weight Individual Carrying Equipment ) system was put into military use in 1973 and is still in limited use with the US Military. This is a modular setup consisting of a combat belt, and suspenders capable of utilizing a modular variety of pouches that would clip on with metal or plastic keepers. You would pull up on a tab on the keeper opening it for insertion, then slide down to lock it in place on the belt or suspenders. This allowed soldiers to carry equipment all over their chest and distribute the load and ergonomics as required.

This has given way to chest rigs using the MOLLE system. These chest rigs use a nylon PALS webbing to allow attachments of MOLLE system pouches to a variety of clothing and gear. This system is currently in use with many modern military’s (although some forms gear are under different names).

Many of these can be purchased at your local military surplus store.

Modern Tactical Vests, or Chest Rigs

Modern chest rigs come in a variety of styles. Some chest rigs are simply a zip up (although no one in a combat situation would want zippers on their equipment) or clip together vest covered in PALS webbing. Other chest rigs are simply panels covered in PALS that mount over your shoulders and clip on the sides to offer just the amount of MOLLE space needed for high speed operations. Many plate carriers can simply have the SAPI plates removed to act as tactical vests or chest rigs.

Chest Rigs is a post from: Airsoft CT

The following I’ll be grouping together as they all seem to be similarly designed. Branding may be different and they may be made out of slightly better materials, but for the most part, they’re copies of one an another.  We are in no way associated with any of these manufacturers.

5.11, Inc Tactical Gear

5.11 Tactical is a United States based tactical gear manufacturer that produces gear for military, police and fire personnel. 5.11 aims to offer a high quality product at a price point that creates a value for the end user. 5.11 Tactical produces tactical pants, chest rigs, packs, pouches, holsters and many other forms of tactical gear.

Blackhawk! Tactical Gear

Blackhawk! has been manufacturing tactical gear for almost 20 years in the US. Blackhawk! tactical gear was dreamed up after the founder, former Navy SEAL Mike Noell’s pack gave out on him during an operation. He vowed to make tactical gear that wouldn’t fail in the toughest environment and set out to do just that. Blackhawk! tactical gear is now WIDELY sold and available at most retailers and is recognized as an industry leader.

Condor Outdoor Tactical Gear

Condor has been producing tactical gear for over 20 years. Their tactical gear is made internationally as well as in the USA. Condor is licensed to use Crye’s Multicam pattern and their tactical gear is sold widely world wide for both civilian and military use.

Pantac Tactical Gear

Pantac is a Chinese company that started out in the airsoft market. Pantac produces surprisingly high quality tactical gear that is sold and in use world wide by both professionals and the airsoft market they started in. They make their tactical gear products out of 1000 denier Cordura, YKK zippers, ITW and UTX buckles.

High End Tactical Gear

ATS Tactical Gear

ATS is another US Company made up of retired Military and LEO that sell high end tactical gear made to take the abuse you will find in the field.

Eagle Industries Tactical Gear

Eagle Industries is a US company that has been in business since the 1970′s producing high end gear for the civilian market before moving onto making some of the best tactical gear in the world.

High Speed Gear, Inc.

HSGI is made in the USA as well, and is a smaller company focused on making the gear their customers want to see.  They often incorporate customer suggestions into their tactical gear and use the highest quality products to make them.

Paraclete Armor Tactical Gear (MSA)

MSA has been around since the first world war, providing gas masks and other gear for the US Military.  They now manufacture ACH hemlets and MICH Comm’s along with plate carriers, body armor and other tactical gear.

Safariland Tactical Gear

Safariland is another US Company that started out in the 1960′s making thousands of models of holsters.  They’ve since branched out into body armor and other tactical gear.

S.O.E Tactical Gear

Special Operations Equipment is out of San Diego and and makes high quality tactical gear by hand.

S.O. Tech Tactical Gear

Spec Ops Tech is another American company that takes a no expense spared path to creating highly ergonomic and customer oriented tactical gear.

Other Tactical Gear

Please inform us if you would like listed any other manufactures of plate carriers and tactical gear.

Tactical Gear Manufacturers is a post from: Airsoft CT

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What is a Plate Carrier?

A Plate Carrier is a type of load bearing vest used by military, police and other martial professionals to carry bullet proof SAPI armor plates and other kinds of body armor for personal protection. This kind of body armor offers protection from high powered rifle rounds to armor piercing rounds, depending on the type of plate used. Modern plate carriers and chest rigs are modifiable, thanks to a nylon PALS webbing that helps make up the MOLLE system of pouch and tactical gear attachments. Not only do plate carriers offer ballistic and blunt force trauma protection, but they put everything a soldier requires to do their job with in easy reach. Several branches of the US Military are working on their own specialized vests like the Eagle Industries MBAV for the US Army Rangers, or the Modular Body Armor Vest, and the Scalable Plate Carrier with the US Marines. There are many types of plate carrier models, chest rigs and other tactical gear out on the market. You can find modular additions for tactical vests with protective plates for the groin, shoulders and neck as well as the chest and sides. Many companies make variations of the same style of plate carrier, all with varying quality, durability and end users in mind. I’ve written up a short list of tactical gear manufacturers here and a guide of pitfals and things to look for when purchasing a plate carrier. As time allows, I will add to that list and begin fleshing out their product offerings so you can find everything in once concise location.

What is MOLLE on a Plate Carrier?

MOLLE Stands for Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment. The MOLLE system uses high strength nylon PALS webbing that gets stitched a plate carrier or other load carrying piece of equipment to allow the attachment of accessories and pouches that are made for this system. MOLLE helps bring more functionality to a plate carrier by offering a means to attach magazine, medical, grenade, radio and other pouches along with backpacks, and hydration bladders. Users can then take this assortment of pouches and mount them on a plate carrier in the most efficient means possible for their task at hand.

For instance, Most people working in an environment requiring heavy plate body armor installed in their plate carriers, would want easy access to ammo. Putting magazine pouches in an easy to reach location, usually on the lower front of the plate carrier, saves critical time and allows for the most efficient manner of reloading available. Someone working as a medic however, may want quicker access to medical supplies and may want to have the more treatment oriented pouches in an accessible location. PALS webbing can be on just about any outer surface making plate carriers highly customizable for job roles.

What’s PALS on a Plate Carrier?

PALS is yet another acronym for the Pouch Attachment Ladder System. It’s simply the horizontal nylon webbing stitched to a plate carrier and other MOLLE pouches and rucksacks that was mentioned above. PALS was initially invented by the US Army and has spread to other forces due to it’s easy of use and after market support. Attachment of MOLLE pouches occurs using a variety of fabric straps that get interwoven through the PALS webbing or older style ALICE attachment clips. Smaller items, such as tactical flashlights, buck knives, surgical scissors, and utensils can also be weaved into PALS webbing on your plate carrier or other tactical gear for easy access.

SAPI Plates or Armor Plates for Plate Carriers.

SAPI stands for Small Arms Protective Insert. These are ceramic armor plates that are made to withstand impacts from high powered rifles that can be inserted into the front back and side panels (if the tactical vest has a cummerbund capable of carrying armor plates) of a plate carrier. This adds a layer of protection to vital organs. These armor plates are made of boron carbide ceramic, or silicon carbide ceramic. Both are exceptionally strong, however the boron carbide armor plates are what the new ESAPI or Enhanced SAPI armor plates are being made out of. Most SAPI Plates are rated for Tier III body armor allowing it to take a hit from a 7.62 NATO round, while the ESAPI plates are rated for armor piercing rounds, like 30.06.

SAPI armor plates can weigh up to just over 7 lbs a piece, and are once again slipped in the internal pouches of the plate carrier.

You can learn more about various kinds of SAPI plates and other kinds of bullet proof and blunt force trauma resistant body armor for plate carriers here.

Plate Carriers is a post from: Airsoft CT

As most airsoft players know, camouflage is developed for different environments, and the user needs to keep proper concealment techniques and their immediate environment in mind when wearing it, or it’s pointless.  In this article, we’ll go over some of the various camouflage patterns that we end up seeing on the local airsoft fields here, and comment on their proper usage.

Basic Camouflage Every CT Airsoft Player Should Own.

• BDU‘s -  BDU or Battle Dress Uniform is the classic 1984 Woodland style camouflage worn by the US Military up until modern replacements like ACUPAT and MARPAT replaced them.  It’s made up of various patterns of over lapping browns, greens and blacks.
• DCU‘s – DCU is the classic Tri-Color desert camouflage worn by the US Military up to the mid 2000′s for most branches of the US Military.

With those two patterns, you can play at the vast majority of airsoft games as the airsoft teams are typically divided into tan vs green based camouflage patterns.  Many people mistakenly think that classic woodland BDU is a better pattern for Connecticut’s natural environment, however, that may not always be the case.  In forests of oak or sparse ground cover, we find that the DCU pattern works wonderfully against rocks, dry leaves, bare winter trees and fallen pine needles.   These environments are often just as easy to conceal ones self in in the summer as they are in the winter.  Woodland patterns, obviously, will want to blend in with greenery and more earthen colors.

Other Camouflage Patterns in Use in CT Airsoft.

• Chocolate Chip Desert or 6 Color Desert Camouflage – This was used in the late 1980′s, early 1990′s around the time of the first Iraq war and has been since phased out.  Many other countries militaries still utilize it as well.  You’ll occasionally find this on the field, but I find more often than not that it gets excluded from allowable camouflage patterns for airsoft games.
• Tiger Stripe – This has been in uses in one form or another for decades and continues to be used by some militaries.  Alternating bands of color, stretch across the wearer, simulating different light levels that make it through a thick overhead canopy.   You can find this in both desert and woodland patterns.   The newest US Airforce camouflage is more or less an alternating blue digital tiger stripe pattern as well, known as ABU.  These all work better in heavily shaded areas with variable light patterns as the sun passes through branches.
• Digital Camouflages – From ACUPAT, better known as ACU to Woodland and Desert MARPAT and finally to the new NWU (Navy Working Uniform), you’ll find these to various degrees on our airsoft fields.  Occasionally you’ll find someone in CADPAT which is a far greener version of the patterns described above.  If I had to wear one of these, it’d be either of the MARPAT vs the ACU patterns.  ACU stands out like an illuminated pastel ghost in our environment.  It needs to be incredibly dirty for it to remotely work.
• Flecktarn – In use in Germany, this is also a popular choice and you’ll occasionally see both woodland and desert varieties on the airsoft field.

Modern Camouflage Patterns

• Multicam – Crye’s proprietary pattern is in use world wide for one reason, it works, and works in multiple environments.   This pattern was scientifically developed to do one thing, and that is to cause the human brain to bypass it.   Crye’s engineers determined that when there is too much going on in one area, the human brain blends it to just see the overall picture, basically ignoring the area the pattern is in.   My first experience playing Airsoft against someone utilizing this camouflage;  I was running, with the enemy pacing 15 feet from me, until I got shot.  I never saw them running with me, I never saw them shoot me, and I never saw them leave.  It wasn’t until after the game I learned that they were pacing me the entire time, merely feet away from me, and that they were under the belief that I knew they were right there.   I switched camouflage patterns that day.  I’ve had the same experience time and again, and I’ll pulled similar stunts on others since switching.

• ATACS – Advanced Tactical Concealment System -  This is the newest camouflage pattern to come out.  Initially, this could only be purchased in a desert pattern.  It features various shades of tan and grey and green streaked across the pattern in a nicely blended fashion. The pattern provides a natural looking depth between the various shades in it that hides the natural lines of a human being.  It works well in heavily shaded areas, but does stand out against greenery.  As we go into the fall in the north east, I’m sure this will become a far more useful pattern, but for blending in in multiple environments, it’s lacking at present.  They also offer a Woodland pattern called FG that should work better in our environment, but I have yet to see anyone in this camouflage.

Camouflage Used in Connecticut Airsoft is a post from: Airsoft CT

It was brought to my attention that there is no real description of the Bo’s Wounded rule in use through out the North East and other area’s. That kinda blows my mind as I could have sworn it was up here at one point, but a search showed up nothing, so for all those who care, read on. Bo’s Wounded Rule is the most commonly utilized hit rule in CT’s airsoft scene.  It’s used at all of the outdoor airsoft fields in the state as well as several outside the state.

In short, if you come out to a game, your going to be required to have a red rag, or something that stands out that signifies your out of play if you get hit.

There’s several variations as to what counts. Some fields regards any hit to your gun as a hit, where as at Strategy Plus games, that is over looked. Hits to any of your gear however count as a hit and you are out of play at that given moment.

Once out of play you are to stay, for a set period of time, in place with either the red rag on your head or white sock over your barrel. This is usually for 5 minutes which is why a watch or some means of tracking time is a requirement for these games.

During this down time, you CAN still communicate with team mates. While useful, there’s nothing that says the guy 40 feet from you can’t light you up for giving away his position either. You need to determine if it’s in your best interest to give an enemy position away.  Always keep personal safety and the safety of others in mind.

Up until time runs out you are considered “Wounded.”  Any of your team mates can come and rescue you during your wounded time. To do so, they simply need to run up, grab on to you, and never break contact until your time runs out. If either of you gets hit during this time, you are both considered dead and will need to walk back to respawn. Due to this, most veteran players, will only tag someone back in who has about 30-10 Seconds left on their wounded time. This minimizes the risk that either of you will be hit during the remaining time.  The last 30 seconds is not a rule, it’s a recommendation.  If you want to drag someone around for five minutes, that’s fine if you think you can both not get hit.

Once your time has elapsed, you have to walk back, with out talking, to respawn. There you can load up again (You should use your 5 minutes to reload) or just hop back into game play.   Remember, dead men tell no tales, and we’re not CSI.

If the enemy tags you while your wounded, you are considered dead and are required to walk back to respawn. Be careful when doing this to your opposing forces however, as that just sends them back into the game that much sooner. Sometimes it’s better to have one more gunner not firing than to send him/her back.

Other Airsoft “Death” Rules

Other rules require you to write your name on a pad at respawn. If you die a certain number of times you run out of respawns and must sit out. I kind of like this method. It forces people to work together to keep people from dying. It also shows that everyone gets hit. None of us are invincible, so everyone should have their name on there at one point or another, unless your just sleeping on the boundary of the field.   I’ve not seen this used in years.

National games revolve around dedicated medics and squad based tactics. These medics get a set number of bandages for their squad.  As you go about your business, you’ll eventually get hit.  A medic then comes and bandages you and you’re back in the fight.  Once your squads medics run out of bandages you have to sit in place until everyone on your squad is wiped out.  At that point, as a squad, you walk back to respawn, get more bandages, gear up, get your next orders and proceed onto your objective again.  This promotes team work and adds an element of resource management to the game.

And another airsoft death rule yet another deals with death cards. Everyone is issued 3 death cards from a deck. Every time your wounded, the enemy has the opportunity to come up and grab your death card. Depending on what it is, determines how many points each of your deaths are. Once yours is taken you walk back to respawn. When you go back to respawn, the ref gives you another card and after a set amount of time, your released back into the game. If you die 3 times, you sit out the rest of the round until the next starts.

That should cover the jist of it. Just remember, call your hits, play by the rules, and everyone will do just fine.   And always remember, PLAY SAFE.

Bo’s Wounded Rule and other Airsoft “Death” Rules. is a post from: Airsoft CT

This letter is addressed to any parent whose son or daughter has shown an interest in airsoft.  While this site openly promotes airsoft safety, airsoft sportsmanship and honorable play as well as airsoft stores and airsoft fields, we keep seeing avoidable tragedies in the news.   We need your help to ensure that your children do not end up the next tragedy due to law enforcement mistaking an airsoft gun for a real firearm.

Airsoft Related Tragedies in the News

While the following articles do not portray airsoft guns being used in an appropriate fashion, they do portray young teenagers showing a fatal lack of judgment in several regards.

Jamie Gonzalez, Age 15  Killed – January 4th, 2012

Chris Penley, Age 15, Killed – January 13th, 2006

15 Year old Student Arrested in Seymour High School – November 30th 2011

4 Teenagers Arrested for Shooting at a Police Officers House – July 28th 2011

Teenagers shooting random people in Derby – August 2, 2011

A short search on the web would likely find more examples of poor judgment and lack of respect for people and firearms.   The point of this letter is to keep your children out of the news papers, jail, and, God willing, the cemetery due to improper use of an airsoft gun.  Airsoft guns are illegal for purchase for those under 18 years of age in Connecticut.  To be sold, airsoft guns are required to have an orange tip on them.  After the sale, those tips are no longer required, and once removed or painted over, airsoft guns look like authentic firearms.

How Airsoft is Viewed by the General Public and Law Enforcement

Police officers cannot tell the difference between airsoft replicas and real firearms until they have an airsoft gun in their hands.  In most cases, there is no outward indication that these are replica firearms which fire plastic bb’s, not bullets.   Held in an improper environment (anywhere but a legal airsoft field) they are deemed a threat.  Ordinary citizens will (rightfully) call the police at the sight of one, and police will treat them as a real firearm, with use of deadly force authorized in the event that the child does not cooperate with the officer’s commands.  After a rash of school shootings worldwide in recent years, police are particularly responsive when one is discovered on school grounds.

Due to the articles above, law-makers have actively pursued legislation in at least three states attempting to limit or flat out ban airsoft sales.  Every time this occurs, it takes a massive effort of the airsoft community to get them put down.  Most of the time, the laws are overzealous and lack merit, thus being defeated on those grounds, but rest assured, more and more will spring up with every headline made due to poor choices of individuals.

Examples:

New Jersey Senate Bill SN810

California Senate Bill  SB798

Your Children ARE Interested in Firearms

If you’re reading this, chances are that your child is curious or interested in firearms.  Perhaps you’re not, but if they are, you may as well get involved in ensuring that the pursuit of their interest is under appropriate guidance, especially if you plan to purchase, or if they already have airsoft guns.  With out this guidance, they are free to form their own ideas on where and how these airsoft guns can be used and shown.   As the examples in this article point out, those choices can have deadly ramifications.  Here’s how you teach them to handle airsoft guns responsibly.

Sign up for a Firearms Safety Course

You will find no better way to satisfy a child’s curiosity than to provide them with first-hand training in how to respect and use firearms.  The video games and movies they are accustomed to is a far cry from the sound, physical impacts and other sensory impacts a real firearm has when fired.  This is often a real eye opener for most kids.   Weapons, even bb guns and airsoft guns, require the utmost care and respect when it comes to usage and you’ll find no better instruction than with an certified NRA instructor.   I’d recommend that parents speak with an instructor and schedule some course time with their children.  It will provide a great family experience as well as provide a solid foundation for future handling of any firearm. For information on selecting an instructor, check out CT Gun Safety.com.  Most of these courses are designed to qualify citizens for their pistol permits, however, the training in fire arms safety provided applies to all fire arms.

Attend Airsoft 101 Courses and “Young Guns” Games

While the airsoft season now runs year round, these events were generally considered the season openers.   Every year, there are Airsoft 101 courses which are held before a scenario game that are used to teach new players the basics in proper etiquette, sportsmanship and honor on the field.  These courses also teach the importance of the various safety gear required for airsoft as well as why they should always play on a legal and insured airsoft field.   Once the course is over, the players are sent into a scenario based airsoft event and allowed to go head to head with the opposing team, utilizing their new found skills.   This not only reinforces safety rules, but builds confidence and introduces them to the community as a player that cares about the game being played safely.

Other Airsoft Courses

Throughout the year, various groups (with military, security and law enforcement backgrounds) teach other courses, further reinforcing those skills learned in Airsoft 101.

Play WITH your Child

I love nothing more than seeing a parent out on the field playing airsoft with their child.  Even more-so for the parents that also bring and watch their kid’s friends.  My hats go off to you for your involvement in your kids lives.  Those kids are often some of the most courteous, and well behaved people on the field, due to having the watchful eye of a parent not far from them.  Fact of the matter is this sport, while intended for adults, has about 50% of its players at games under the age of 18.   While behavioral issues, including unsafe or abusive behavior, can occur with any age group, we find more instances of it with excitable and hormone driven youth.  Having parents on site usually keep that in check.  Bringing your children to the legal fields also shows them that there is a proper place and time to use airsoft guns.

How to Deal with Airsoft Guns in Your Home.

Deal with airsoft guns the way you would deal with any firearm when not in use; LOCK THEM UP.   Keep them under lock and key when not used and monitor their usage when they are not locked up.  Unless you’re working on an airsoft gun, there is no reason to have it out of lock-up unless you plan on taking it to an airsoft event or store for repair.

Purchase Gun Cases for Airsoft Gun Transport

Do Not allow your child out the door with an exposed airsoft gun.   Gun cases can be purchased at airsoft stores, firearms stores and most sporting good stores for under 20 dollars.  These cases provide a safe, and protected way to transport the airsoft guns, and can be locked with a padlock.

In Closing:

At airsoft games and online, we, as a community are constantly trying to preserve our sport by constantly pushing safety gear and best practices.  The Connecticut Airsoft Community has seen very few airsoft injuries and has had no major incidents with law enforcement, but there are those that lay outside our reach.  There are those individuals that do not play at legal fields, have no intention of playing this as a sport and lack the judgment to use airsoft guns in a safe and controlled environment.  We need YOUR HELP, to ensure that this is curbed.   Please, help us, help your kids not suffer from an unfortunate life event and enjoy airsoft safely.

-Airsoft CT

An Open Letter from Airsoft CT to Parents – Preventing Tragedies is a post from: Airsoft CT

Age’s Air-Smithing Guide (shimming, greasing, AoE, MOSFET’s, etc.)

In this thread I will show you how to properly tune your AEG, build a MOSFET, and other tricks. If you are not comfortable doing any modifications to your AEG I would recommend having someone experienced do it for you. I myself along with all other members, moderators and administrators of Airsoft CT will NOT be held responsible if you screw up or otherwise fail at upgrading or modifying your AEG or any other type airsoft gun.

AOE

AoE Stands for Angle of Engagement, which refers to the angle that the sector gear engages the pickup tooth (the very first tooth) on the piston.

On stock guns, it is usually very poor, and looks like this.

As you can see, the sector gear engages the pickup tooth at an upward angle which puts an unnecessary amount of force on the piston which will increase wear and tear.

To solve that issue, we need to adjust the angle to which it is engaged by the sector gear. To do that, we need to space back the piston so that the sector gear engages it at a more appropriate angle.

How do you space back a piston? There are two ways.

The first way is to place washers in-between the piston body and piston head as shown below.

The last, and my favorite way, is to install extra padding (preferably sorbo pad) on the cylinder head as shown below. I like this way the most as it is a 2-for-1 deal (sometimes 3). Not only does extra padding correct AoE, it also reduces stress on the front of the gearbox shell (and in some cases reduce the muzzle report).

The next step, is to shave teeth on the piston. You need to shave down the second tooth, and partially shave down the third tooth (only shave down as much of the third tooth as necessary, do not shave off more then 2/3).

On top is a properly modified piston, with the second tooth removed and the third tooth shaved down to about 2/3 of it’s original length. On the bottom, is a piston with both the second and third tooth completely removed. You do NOT want to completely remove both teeth, that will compromise the structural integrity as there would be no third tooth for the gear to transfer to, which would mean the pickup tooth is engaged for to long which would increase wear and tear.

Shaving down the teeth is required for proper AoE. If you do not shave down the teeth, the sector gear will not be able to pass through and it will get caught on the wrong tooth as shown below. This will, quite obviously, damage the piston.

Once the teeth have been properly shaved, use enough washers and/or sorbo pad to space back the piston so the sector gear engages it at a flat angle, like this.

As you can see, the teeth now engage at a flat angle, like this // . Since the teeth engage each other at a flat angle, the energy is spread out on a larger surface area, thus increasing the life span of your piston. This modification has been around for many years, and it is a tried and true way to greatly increase the lifespan and durability of your piston. Do this properly and your piston will last a long time.

Shimming

Shims are little spacers that are placed on the gear axles. These are used to space the gears in a way so they line up correctly and do not grind against other gears or other internal components.

*Note* Other guides tell you to start with the spur gear. Those guides are incorrect and should be ignored. There no such mechanical application in which you start in the middle. This is how you are suppose to shim gears in all other mechanical applications, airsoft is no different.

First, take the pistol grip with the motor and the end cap, then screw it onto the top half of your gearbox shell with only the bevel gear installed. If you have a v3, v6 etc. just screw on the motor and motor cage.

Adjust the motor hight so the pinion gear makes full contact with the bevel gear just like this (obviously it would be inside the gearbox, but this is just so you get a good view of the what it should look like).

Then, place enough shims of the top face of the bevel gear so that it has enough clearance to avoid grinding against the gearbox shell and meshes well with the pinion gear. The bevel and pinion should be making as much contact as possible without hindering the movement or causing to much pressure.

Now that the bevel gear and pinion gear are aligned and meshing properly, you can remove the motor and pistol grip or motor cage.

Now place enough shims on the bottom of the bevel gear so it prevents the bevel gear from riding to low.

Screw the gearbox shell together and test the movement of the bevel gear. If shims need to be removed or added, do so to the bottom of the bevel gear, not the top face. If you alter the shims on the top face it will effect the way the pinion gear meshes with the bevel gear.

Next you install the spur gear. Put enough shims on the bottom of the spur so it has just enough clearance so it doesn’t grind against the face of the gearbox shell, the anti reversal latch notches on the bevel gear, and also the bevel gear’s bushing or bearing.

Then put enough shims on the top of the spur gear to prevent it from riding up. Screw the gearbox shell together and test the movement. Add or remove shims from the top of the spur gear if need be.

Then install the sector gear with enough shims on the bottom so it has enough clearance from the spur gear and cutoff leaver, and also makes as much contact as possible with the teeth on the piston.

This is wrong. The teeth are not fully contacting each other.

This is correct. The teeth are fully contacting each other.

Then put shims on the top of the sector gear to prevent it from riding up. Screw the gearbox shell together and test the movement. Add or remove shims from the top of the sector gear if need be.

All the gears should have as little play as possible, yet spin freely and without hesitation. I take my time shimming, and I shim gears to the point where they don’t move side to side at all, so you may mistake them for being to tight considering you cannot feel them move from side to side, however they spin incredibly well when you move them and you can’t even hear them spinning. That’s the kind of precision and high tolorances you want, so take your time a get it right.

Greasing the gears (greasing the compression components is different, so please scroll down for that)

For gear grease, you need to use white lithium grease, which you can buy at hardware stores.

You don’t need to put grease on the back of gears (the flat faces). The flat surfaces don’t make contact with anything, so greasing them is pointless and will only make a mess. Yu want grease on areas that make contact with other components, like the gear teeth, piston rails, etc.

To apply grease, I would recommend to apply small drops to a cotton swap…or you can use your own hands if you don’t mind getting dirty.

First, apply a small amount of grease to the face of the bushings and/or bearings.

Next apply some grease to teeth of the spur gear.

Then apply grease to the spur gears top axle

Flip it over and grease the bottom axle.

Then apply grease to the teeth that bevel out on the bevel gear.

Then apply grease to the next section of teeth as well as the axle.

Flip it over and grease the other axle.

Next, you grease the teeth on the sector gear and the axles.

Flip it over and grease the other axle.

Now put some grease on the rack gear (some call it piston teeth, but technically speaking it is considered a gear, more specifically a rack gear). Don’t overdo it, you don’t want excess grease falling off into the cylinder.

The final step is applying grease to the piston rails. Again, don’t overdo it for the same reasons as above (you really don’t want to overdo it anywhere for that matter).

And here is your finished work.

Maximizing Air-Seal

Maximizing your air-seal is important for your AEG’s performance, consistency and efficiency. You will need some silicone gel, silicone oil and teflon tape (aka PTFE tape)

First, take the cylinder head and wrap teflon tape (aka PTFE tape) around the cylinder head. This will make it a tighter fit which will help the seal.

Then, apply a small amount of silicone oil or silicone gel to the piston head o-ring, and wrap it around an old cylinder. Heat it up with a heat gun or lighter. Don’t burn it (the silicone oil or gel will help prevent burns). This will expand the o-ring which will increase the air seal. Another thing to do would be to buy a #14 o-ring from a hardware store.

Then apply a small amount of silicone gel to the piston head o-ring and spread it around evenly (silicon oil won’t work well for the piston head o-ring and cylinder). The grease on the piston head will spread around the cylinder, so you don’t really need to put any in the cylinder.

Next, remove the tappet plate and shave down the front face around the area of the air nozzle.

Before.

After

Now that the tappet plate is thinner, the air nozzle will move forward a bit further as shown below. This allows it to press harder against the lips of your hopup bucking, thus increasing the seal. This area of the tappet plate is exposed to ZERO stress, so don’t worry about a thin tappet plate face breaking off, because it won’t (unless you break it on purpose). You also don’t have to worry about feeding, this won’t effect feeding in any way, so you don’t need to worry about that either.

Before

After

Inner Barrel Stabilization

Stabilizing your inner barrel is important to increase accuracy and consistency. When you fire an AEG, the energy that the piston makes when it slams into the front of your gearbox has to go somewhere, and what’s in front of the gearbox?…the barrel. This energy will cause the barrel to vibrate, which will throw off your accuracy. Stabilizing your barrel will help prevent this. All you need is some teflon tape, and possibly silicon oil.

This mod is very simple, all you need to do is wrap teflon tape around the inner barrel, which will make it a tighter fit. Since it is a tighter fit, it will not vibrate as much as it did before, thus increase accuracy and consistency. Since it is a tighter fit, it may tricky to re-insert the barrel, so silicone oil can help. Just apply a small amount to the OUTSIDE of the inner barrel (NOT the inside, you don’t want it there AT ALL), that will help it slide into place.

MOSFET’s: what they are and how to make your own

What is a MOSFET? MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semi-conductor Field Effect Transistor. These devices completely remove the load from your conventional open trigger switch, thus preventing it from burning up when using a powerful battery such as the common 11.1v LiPo. MOSFET’s are vital upgrades if you plan on using a powerful battery. When using powerful batteries, your trigger contacts will arc and burn up. A MOSFET will prevent this and fix the problem 100%. Without going to deep into how these work and boring you to death as I probably already have (but hey, at least you may have learned a thing or two in the process) I’ll just show you what you need to make your own. With all the different MOSFET units on the market ranging from $25, $40, heck even $100+, you may think this is going to be expensive…wrong… Fact of the matter is, MOSFET’s are dirt cheap, they just happen to have a very high resell value which is why you see these go for more then twice what they are worth. You can build a basic MOSFET using only $5 worth of basic electronic devices.

What you need;

-Various sizes of shrink tube

-Some good wire for the main wire assembly (I prefer silver coated multi-strand wire with either PVC or silicone insulation. For size, I use 14awg or 12awg when I can, but in some guns with tight spaces, you may need to bump it down to 16awg or 18awg. Don’t use anything thinner then 16awg in an upgraded or high performance gun)

-Some extra-thin wire for the gate (size doesn’t matter, so to save space use something thin such as 22-24awg)

-30k ohm resistor

-100 ohm resistor

-IRL3034 MOSFET chip

-Soldering equipment

Pic of everything.

Caution: Do NOT over heat the MOSFET chip, so try not to hold the soldering iron to the MOSFET for more then a second or two, let it sit and cool down if necessary. Do NOT cross-wire the leads (with the exception of soldering the resistor to the two outside leads).

Other things you should know: The MOSFET chip has three “leads” or “prongs”. The first one on the left is called the gate lead, the middle is called the drain lead (goes to the motor) and the final lead on the right is your source lead (goes to the battery). There are different MOSFET types and styles, I like to use the basic 3034 MOSFET as it has enough load tolerances to meet our high standards. Years ago, people used weaker MOSFET’s such as the 1404, but remember we did not have as high standards then, lipo’s were not popular, 400fps was about the max anyone dared to push, etc. Now a days, people have guns shooting 600+fps reliably and people have started using powerful batteries such as 11.1v, heck even 14.8v LiPos, so the 3034 is what you should be using.

The first step is to cut a piece of shrink tube and insulate your 30k ohm resistor as shown.

Then you want to bend the rods so it fits the two outside leads on your MOSFET chip.

Then solder them in place.

Now take your 100 ohm resistor and solder it to the lead on the left side. This is your “gate” lead. Note: you may need to trim the rods on your 100 ohm resistor so it isn’t to long.

Now solder on your thin piece of wire to the end of the 100 ohm resistor. This is your “gate” wire.

Once again, insulate your work with some shrink tube.

Now solder on a piece of your larger main wire to the right side lead, or the “source” lead. This is now your “source” wire.

Insulate it with shrink tube, then bend it back so it faces upwards. Be carful not to be to rough or you’ll snap the lead.

Now solder on another piece of wire to the middle, or “drain” lead. This is now your “drain” wire.

And again, insulate your work with shrink tube.

Now all you have to do is insulate the entire unit with one large piece of shrink tube.

You are finished! Here is a picture of your finished work. For size comparison, a deans connector has been placed on the side. As you can see these are very small and take up hardly any space.

Here is a diagram on how you wire the MOSFET into your gun (follow the SW-S diagram), thanks to extreme-fire. I’ll create a more in depth guide on how it should be wired when I get the chance, probably in a few days.

Last edited by Age on Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:07 pm, edited 12 times in total.

Age’s Air-Smithing Guide (shimming, greasing, AoE, MOSFET’s, etc.) is a post from: Airsoft CT