E&L AKS-74UN TACTICAL MOD A AEG REVIEW!

Hey everyone!
Welcome back to the blog and another instalment of Project Crete! In this post I’ll be giving you the lowdown on my airsoft rifle of choice for Warzone 6 – the AKS-74UN Tactical Mod A from E&L kindly supplied to me by Nuprol! For our loadouts, myself and Bill (my fellow Airsoft Action writer) chose to run tactical AK’s and I needed something that was compact and had plenty of rail space, and this is where the E&L AKS-74UN Tac Mod came in!


First, let’s talk about the aesthetics, it is a classic AK style that has the tactical goodness of a rail system for accessories. The construction is mostly steel with some reinforced polymer components. I really like the aesthetics of the AKS74UN Tac Mod as it combines the classic look of the AK and the utilitarian rail systems of the M4 platform, in fact, there’s only one thing I would change – it comes with a collapsible skeleton stock which I found to be a little uncomfortable when shouldering the weapon, I think it would look even better with a carbine stock!

Other useful info? As it’s constructed of mostly steel it weighs in at just over 3kg, which is pretty heavy compared to the polymer AEGs I would usually use. The weight is comfortable to carry, but during extended games, I would recommend a sling to prevent your arms becoming too tired. It has semi and full auto firing modes with the Russian markings (pretty cool). The battery is easy to install – just pop the button near the stock, flip up the compartment and install – stick lipo batteries fit really well in this compartment.


FPS and performance? When we got to Warzone 6 I excitedly grabbed my new AK out of the box and headed to the Chrono line – looking at the documents inside the case, it should have been shooting around 330FPS with a +/- 5% (which is around 346 FPS) but when it came time to Chrono, mine was sitting at a steady 353 FPS - 3 FPS over the site limit (and obviously a big difference in what the documents said). As it was a brand new gun I figured the spring just needed to be worn in a little, so I decided to put a couple of mags through and sure enough, the FPS dropped down to around 348 FPS. I expect with time that the FPS will continue to fall as the spring gets worn in.
How does it shoot? I was really impressed with its performance! It had pinpoint accuracy once the hop up was adjusted (which was easy to adjust by the way), groupings were good and overall it was very pleasant to use. I did bring a Vortex SPARC AR to accessorise my AKS-74UN with but didn’t have the right mount for the job but this wasn’t an issue as it was easy to use just by sight.

Let’s talk about the internals! It has a CNC’d steel outer barrel, 6 x 9mm steel gear bush bearing, a CNC’s steel gear set, silver wiring, Air Seal nozzle, a one piece CNC’d steel cylinder, the spring guide is a silver latch with a Rotary Washer, and It has a high torque motor. The internals are of a high quality and I feel this is reflected in the performance of the AEG.
Overall, I really enjoyed using the AKS-74UN Tac Mod A at Warzone. I’m looking forward to customising it with some badass attachments and a new stock when it finally arrives back in the UK. I think it makes a great tactical AK addition to the armoury.
The E&L AKS74UN is available from a few UK retailers, and is on average between £400-£420.

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LUMBER-TAC: THE RISE OF FLANNEL SHIRT LOADOUTS!

Over the last year, unless you’ve been living under the airsoft rock you’ll have noticed the lumber-tac loadouts that have been taking over our social media feeds like wildfire! What is lumber-tac as it’s known? It is wearing flannel shirts in tactical loadouts and airsofters can’t seem to get enough of it!

I first donned a flannel shirt loadout for a MilSim style event called Uprising 3 at Hill 559 in California, USA back in April 2017 in lieu of a traditional insurgent loadout. It rapidly became a favourite of mine after I donned a green variation of that flannel shirt loadout for another MilSim style event called Tora Bora Raid hosted at The Rock in Dorset, UK by PAST & Spec Ops Airsoft in August 2017. The reason I decided to start utilising flannel in my loadouts is very simple – on MilSims where I was asked to play on the insurgent side, I needed a loadout that stood out from the traditional insurgent loadout so I took my inspiration from one of my favourite video games: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands! I loved the look of the operators in the game, and as there are so many patterns, style and colour variations of the shirts it’s pretty certain you’ll find a shirt that goes with your camo of choice.

PC: Snook Snaps

Whilst flannel shirts are pretty commonplace on the high street, brands such as 5.11 have cashed in on the popularity of this by creating their own line of flannel shirts and All Luck No Skill going even further to create a flannel combat shirt! It’s clear that flannel has been taken to a whole new level!

What do airsofters love so much about flannel?

PC: Snook Snaps

They’re casual! One thing I personally really like about wearing my flannel shirts for airsoft is just how casual they look. You can wear them on the way to the field, or at the pub after a long days skirmish with your camo trousers and not look too out of place in the real world. They also give a loadout a really effortless look.

They’re great for team identification. I like being able to recognise my teammates at a glance on the field so when me and the lads are running around a CQB site at the speed of light, seeing that flash or red/green/blue flannel in my peripheral vision tells me I’ve got back up.

Camouflage isn’t necessary for CQB because of the nature of the environment so if you’re playing a CQB game donning a colourful shirt is a non-issue! I’ve seen a lot of comments saying that there is nothing tactical about flannel and it doesn’t camouflage well but from my own experience, the right colour/pattern can go unnoticed in dense, thick woodland areas.

Through trial and error, I’ve found there’s a flannel for every camo, my green flannel goes great with Ranger Green, Olive Drab and M81 whilst my red flannel goes really well with MultiCam Black, Desert Marpat and AOR1. I’m still trying to find the right colour/pattern for my MultiCam loadout but I figure it won’t be long until I track one down!

PC: Snook Snaps

They’re cheap as chips! One of the awesome things about flannel shirts is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on them or buy the big name brands - my green flannel shirt that I wear the most often is a £10 shirt from Primark (that came in an extra small so bonus!) and I picked up my red flannel shirt for $3 at a Goodwill store on my first visit to the States. Bargains but work as well as their expensive counterparts!

PC: DesertFox Events

Are there any downfalls?

Heavy flannel is hot and takes a while to dry so it’s important to get the right kind of shirt for the weather/climate you’re playing in – if it’s sunny and warm out, wearing a heavy flannel shirt will be really uncomfortable to play in and take ages to dry the sweat out. Too thin and you’ll be too cold during break periods.

Bright colours are unsuitable for some game sites. In the UK, we don’t tend to use dead rags so red flannel isn’t really an issue in this respect, but I feel it would be discouraged at a game site abroad where red dead flags are used because players could mistake you for a dead player. Of course, in CQB camouflage doesn’t really matter too much but red shirts in say, a woodland environment could also make you stand out like a sore thumb which can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether you want to be seen or not!

PC: Kirsty Rose Clifford

I asked the online community what you think about tactical flannel on the Airsoft Action and Femme Fatale Airsoft Facebook pages and here’s what you said:

Tacmastermike: Love it! It’s what I wear 90% of the time!

Scot Mackenzie: Tactical lumberjacks are the future.

Chris Fearn: Not for me. Though I’ve seen a few pull it off well. It’s a tactical bush for me!

Nate Gains: Doesn’t a company make flannel combat shirts now? Would definitely rock one!

Aryan Alipour:  I think only Robo pull it off, being Canadian Lumberjack and all. Sorry (RWA) Marck!

Ole Blomgreen: There is nothing tactical about flannel. It’s just plain stupid.

Kieran Sifford: Tac flannel is always a winner

Stefan Heymann: Myself and my teammate have been rocking flannel for a few weeks now, we love it!

Viktor Urban: Hmmm... me likey! My friends too!

Chris Fitzgerald: Hipster airsoft

Dustyn Ates: I'd be down to use it for a speedsoft loadout


Hardwick, K. (2018). Lumber-Tac: The Rise of Flannel Shirt Loadouts. Airsoft Action. 87 (June), 80-81.
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'SMALL SIZE...BIG PROTECTION' LBX TACTICAL 0300S MULTICAM

Over the last few years as a person of small stature in the sport, one of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced is finding tactical kit that fits - plate carriers! However whilst in the US last year, I discovered a brand that not only makes high quality, mil-spec kit but has created a carrier to cater for smaller operators! The brand is LBX Tactical and the carrier is the Small Modular Plate Carrier 0300S.


 Firstly, who are LBX? LBX are named after their parent company London Bridge Trading (or LBT as they are more commonly known), who are a Virginia based tactical kit manufacturer. LBX stands for London Bridge "X", the X in the name stands for the unknown variable, and this represents the multitude of possibilities within the tactical world that their kit can be utilised for. LBX was conceived as a tactical brand that would create mil-spec gear that combines modern design and versatility. Whether you're current or ex-military, a PMC or an airsofter like myself, LBX Tactical aims to offer a huge variety of products made for tactical situations that mix and match for endless custom load-out capabilities.



The Small Modular Plate Carrier or 0300S as it’s known in the community is the smaller version of their popular Modular Plate Carrier. It has modular webbing on the front panel, back panel, and cummerbund meaning you can custom the carrier on all sides with various pouches and panels. The top rows of webbing on the front have hook Velcro to allow operators to add their favourite patches (and we all know that airsofters LOVE their patches, myself included!)

Although the 0300S doesn’t come with plates included, it can accommodate 8x10 plates. I have so far chosen to run both of mine without plates so far, but I am thinking of picking up a couple of foam SAPI plates to help keep its shape when not in use. The carrier also has a heavy-duty drag handle which I feel is more applicable for real-world application than airsoft and hydration/comms guides on the front and rear panels to keep your drinking system and communications looking tidy and to prevent any loose cables being snagged during use!

The carrier is fully adjustable with the cummerbund being adjustable between 32" and 46", my waist is 29” and it fits pretty snug but still gives me enough wiggle room to wear it over a softshell or hoodie. The cummerbund has Velcro closure so the carrier can be securely fastened. The 0300S also has adjustable shoulder straps so you can adjust where it sits on the torso. The straps both have padded strap coverings which makes them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time even when the carrier is loaded up with mags and other gear. So it’s adjustable, but how does it fit? This is the main selling point for me, I’ve found very few plate carriers that can comfortably fit my small frame and contour my waist and chest but the 0300S does the job. As I’ve said, the cummerbund fits my waist pretty snug but still leaves me enough room to be worn over a light jacket or hoodie. The overall size looks/feels right on my torso and without plates it fits the contours of my body. Would it fit as well with plates? I think if SAPI training plates were inserted and worn in, the carrier would still fit the contours of my form but it could be a little bulky when they were fresh.


The LBX Small Modular Plate Carrier or 0300S comes in a variety of different camouflages and block colours including MultiCam, MAS Grey, Black, Coyote and Wolf Grey. It retails for $159.95, which is around £114 to us Brits from LBX although it is worth noting that shipping and customs charges are applicable when it reaches the UK so that is another element to think about. What is great is that the camo options are the same price as the block colourways which isn’t always the case with gear manufacturers. The price, in my opinion, is really reasonable for the quality and fit, especially when compared with other manufacturers.

My LBX MultiCam 0300S has replaced my Warrior Assault Systems Recon PC in the Shooters Cut as my go-to tan team tactical vest because of how well it fits! So far I’ve customised it with a Warrior Assault Systems One point sling, a Warrior Assault Systems Triple Open Mag Panel and also the Ferro Concepts Dangler pouch. Like I said, I’ll more than likely be adding SAPI training plates to the carrier too in the next coming months! I really like the aesthetic of the carrier and its versatility!

Overall, I think LBX have done a fantastic job on the 0300S in regards to the range of colours/camo that it is available in, the quality of the materials used, its overall size and versatility! I’m also ecstatic to see brands catering to smaller players as finding well-fitting tactical kit is something that I and others have struggled with. My only complaint with the LBX range is that it can be quite hard or expensive to get a hold of in the UK, I would love to see the LBX brand and products more readily available in the UK for our player base!

Hardwick, K. (2018). Small Size...Big Protection. Airsoft Action. 87 (June ), 38-39.
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WISPORT SPARROW 20 II RUCKSACK REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to the blog and to the next instalment of Project Crete! In this post I’m going to give you the lowdown on the backpack I used for War Zone 6 in Arkadi, Crete! Released in 2016 as part of Wisport’s new collection of survival packs, the Sparrow 20 II Rucksack was developed as a part of a collaboration between Wisport and Polish Military Forces to optimise carrying space whilst still being compact and comfortable for the end user. To match our loadout, we opted for Pencott Greenzone.


The Sparrow 20 II is a 20L pack, made from 500D Cordura Nylon. It has two roomy, independent chambers that are both secured with tough Wisport branded zippers and multiple MOLLE attachment points. The main compartment has a two-way clamshell zip opening, two internal zipped mesh pockets, a hydration sleeve that is fully Camelback compatible (there is a hook to attach a hydration bladder and a passage hole for the hydration hose) and four internal attachment points for security. The front admin compartment features the same two-way clamshell zip opening, sleeve organiser pockets, elastic loops, a zipped mesh pocket and a D-Ring/carabiner to keep your keys safe!




The front of the pack has a loop Velcro panel for identification patches, a zipped pocket with zipper track cover. The front and side panels are also covered in MOLLE which allows the user to mount a variety of MOLLE accessories such as first aid kits and other pouches and numerous Nylon straps permit the attachment of much bigger items such as compressed sleeping bags and roll mats. This means that the overall carrying capacity is a lot greater than the nominal 20 litres stated.

What other features does it have? Well hold onto your seats because it just keeps on giving - it has a durable top carrying handle, adjustable shoulder straps with loops, elastic bands and hydration hose mounting brackets with redesigned dirt resistant padding on back and shoulder straps for added comfort, the ACS (Air Comfort System) quick detach carrying system, chest strap with quick release buckle, strengthened back section, sewn-in hip belt attachment points, side and front compression straps, bottom attachments for optional compression straps.

It retails for £79.95 from Military 1st and comes in an extensive range of camouflage options/colourways including Pencott Greenzone, ATACS-AU, Polish Woodland, Pencott Snowdrift, Pencott Badlands, Olive Green, MultiCam, Graphite, Coyote, Black, ATACS-LE, ATACS-iX and RAL 7013 so there are plenty of options even if you wanted it for casual everyday use rather than airsoft. It also has a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty which is great value!
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DIRECT ACTION HURRICANE HYBRID CHEST RIG REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to the blog, and to another instalment of the Project Crete series! In this post, I’m going to review my chest rig of choice for War Zone 6 – the Hurricane Hybrid Chest Rig from Direct Action in Pencott Greenzone!


It is a low profile, adjustable rig made from laser-cut laminated, 500D Cordura so you know it’s built to endure tough environments! The softshell interior construction also makes it a comfortable rig to wear for extended periods of time. The harness is well constructed and feels sturdy even when the rig is loaded up. It has a reinforced drag handle which is more applicable to real-world scenarios rather than airsoft but it’s a handy feature.


Not only is it comfortable and well-constructed in general but it is also full to brim with essential pouches including integrated, adjustable mag pouches with paracord retention that adjust to fit: eight (!) AR mags, four AK mags or even four SR magazines. It also includes a number of fixed external pouches for other mission essentials: two adjustable pouches, a sealed zipper pouch and a Velcro flap pouch for when you need to access items quickly.

What I really like about the Hurricane is that you aren’t just limited to the pouches on the chest rig! As it not only features the integrated and fixed pouches but 9 PALS slots on the sides of the rig which are perfect for radio, medical, utility pockets and horizontal PALS slots under the ammo pouches for items such as tourniquets, pistol mag pouches and 40mm pouches etc. If you choose to run comms, the fixed pouches are a great size for a Baofeng radio and the rig has comms/antenna routing to keep everything tidy and prevent wires getting caught.



Is it easy to adjust to fit? The harness is completely adjustable via the buckles and to keep the excess material tidy it has Velcro wraparound straps – bonus! It has a split front, zipper design as well so you don’t need to adjust it every time you remove it which is really handy. After adjusting, I found it fit well and was comfortable to wear even when loaded up with mags and radios. My only gripe was that the laser cut material was quite rough and did rub my inner arms when I was only wearing a t-shirt because of the hot weather. I didn’t have this issue wearing my combat shirt and I suspect it was because it was brand new, out of the packet. I would expect the material to soften over time and this to subside.

The Hurricane comes in a fair few different camouflage options including Adaptive Green, Black, Coyote Brown, Crye MultiCam, Pencott Badlands, Pencott Greenzone and Urban Grey so there is a camo option for. How much does it retail for? €239 which is around £210 at the current exchange rate so it is pretty pricey but the quality definitely warrants the price in my opinion. 

Patrons: Oskar Engstrom, James Smith & David Harris.
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PROJECT CRETE: WARZONE 6 PENCOTT GREENZONE LOADOUT!

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to the blog! Also my apologies for being so quiet the last week or so, life caught up with me on my return from Crete so I had to take a few days out but I'm back and ready to drop 6 new blog posts! Today I'm going to run through my WarZone 6: Pencott Greenzone loadout that you've been seeing on my social media over the last few days! For WarZone 6 we played on the United Nations team and needed a suitable loadout up for the task, check it out below:


My friends over at Military 1st very kindly sent over the Helikon-Tex CPU combat shirt and combat trousers in our camo of choice Pencott Greenzone! I'll be doing a separate review on these at a later date but you can check out the process of tailoring these to fit here!


For my gun, I used an E&L AKS-74U kindly supplied to me by Nuprol!


My chest rig for the weekend was the Hurricane Chest Rig by Direct Action! I'll be doing a full review of this soon too!





To carry all my bits and bobs, the Wisport Sparrow 2.0 in Pencott Greenzone from Military 1st


Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming reviews!
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