GBB | ARMOURER WORKS CUSTOM 'BLACK ACE' HI - CAPA!

Hey friends!

Welcome back to the blog. Today I have another Gas Blow Back Pistol first impressions for you, and in this one, we’ll be looking at the Armorer Works Custom 'Black Ace' Hi-Capa AW-HX2003 from my friends over at HC2 Airsoft.

Armorer Works products come straight from the factory upgraded. They are modified with enhanced features to increase their usability and the HX2003 is no different.

Let’s chat about its features: it has a full metal slide and upper frame, an enlarged competition-style grip with a honeycomb grip pattern, an enlarged flared magwell aids with the shooters reloading ability, left-side safety, functioning beaver tail safety to prevent accidental discharges, an exaggerated front and rear slide serrations make the weapon easy to manipulate under stress, a skeletonized, squared off, anodised red, competition style trigger, an under barrel rail for mounting weapon lights or other accessories and it also features front and rear fibre optics sights that allow for quick target acquisition in low light. It also has an adjustable hop-up unit.

The Armorer Works Custom 'Black Ace' Hi-Capa AW-HX2003 comes presented in a branded box with its 30+1 round green gas magazine. On getting the pistol out of the box, it has a good weight and the materials used give it a feel of durability. The flared magwell makes for easy reloads and it’s also compatible with KJW, WE, TM, and other similar Airsoft HICAPA series magazines so you don’t need to replace all your mags when getting this.

It shoots consistently and has a nice kick to it. It is comfortable to wield and easy to operate/manipulate, especially with the slide serrations. It shoots at around 325 FPS (with green gas at around 11 degrees). Check out my range test on TikTok here.

In the box, you get the Armorer Works Custom 'Black Ace' Hi-Capa AW-HX2003, a 30+1 round gas magazine and the manual. From HC2 Airsoft, it retails for £174.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

Photos by Charlie Chatwood

GBB | REDWOLF AIRSOFT NIGHTHAWK CUSTOMS GBBP

Hey friends!

Welcome back to the blog. Sorry, it’s been a hot minute - life has been a bit crazy with my trip to Texas and other life stuff, more on those in another post! Today I’ve got another first impression for you and in this one we’re going to be looking at the RedWolf Airsoft Nighthawk Custom War Hawk GBBP from my friends over at HC2 Airsoft.

The RedWolf Airsoft Nighthawk Custom War Hawk GBBP is Nighthawk Custom's interpretation of a cutting-edge 1911, officially licensed by RedWolf Airsoft and made into a gas blowback pistol. This pistol is equipped with modern features, including a 20mm pistol rail for torches/lasers, light-enhancing sights for low-light work, and a highly comfortable grip with thumb indentation. Crafted from sleek brushed aluminium, it combines functionality with style.

First, let’s chat about the Warhawks features! It has diamond texture side panels to aid the shooter with grip in cold and wet environments, a serrated and engraved slide, a straight back trigger, skeletonised hammer, Beavertail safety to prevent accidental discharges and slide/trigger lock safety. It also has an adjustable hop-up unit.

The War Hawk comes presented in a branded box with its 23-rnd green gas magazine. On getting the pistol out of the box, it has a nice weight to it and that weight feels evenly distributed. The diamond textured grip aids with grip without making it uncomfortable or biting into the palm. The controls are all within comfortable thumb-reaching distance which gives it a great level of usability and ergonomics.

So it’s ergonomic and looks great but how does it shoot? It shoots consistently and is really snappy, the straight-back trigger is sense. It is comfortable to wield and easy to operate/manipulate. It shoots at around 334 FPS (with green gas at around 12 degrees). Check out my range test on TikTok here.

In the box, you get the RedWolf Airsoft Nighthawk Custom Fully Licensed War Hawk GBBP and a 23-rnd gas magazine. From HC2 Airsoft, it retails for £154.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

Photos by Charlie Chatwood

AEG | ARCTURUS AK12 AEG PERFORMANCE ENHANCED!

Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog. In this one, I have another review for you and in this one, we’re going to be looking at the ARCTURUS AK12 AEG Performance Enhanced Edition!

The AK12 AEG PE is a modern looking AK from ARCTURUS that has been engineered to give the user elevated performance and exceptional durability making it a great choice for players who demand more from their replicas.

First, let’s talk about the external features. At the front of the rifle, we have a metal muzzle brake followed by the one-piece CNC aluminium outer barrel. The handguard has a 20mm RIS rail that also runs the length of the receiver - perfect for adding red dot sights. The receiver has an alloy construction with a polymer moulded pistol grip. At the back of the rifle, we have a 6-point adjustable stock that has a padded butt pad for extra comfort.

Internally, it has the ARCTURUS RS CNC Steel Machines 13:1 gear set, a high torque neodymium motor 21T w/ MIM steel pinion gear, ETU by PERUN x ARCTURUS, ARCTURUS V3 tuneable trigger stopper, reinforced polymer precision rotary hop-up unit and a precision 6.01mm tightbore inner barrel.

Other features include an electronic fuse to protect your rifle's internal electronics, a progressive trigger for a smooth and responsive trigger pull that includes a binary setting so you can deal double taps, adjustable trigger sensitivity with 5 levels of adjustment, a ROF reduction setting helping you control your rate of fire, a Li-Po alarm to help safeguard your Li-Po batteries and a diagnostic system that allows you to monitor the AK12 PE’s performance. I think it would possibly be easier to name the features it doesn’t have!

The ARCTURUS AK12 AEG PE comes presented in an ARCTURUS branded box, and on getting it out, it feels great in hand - no rattles or wobbles and it weighs in at 3.5kg making feel sturdy and durable. The battery is housed under the dust cover and whilst space is tight, it does fit a Nuprol stick Li-Po nicely. I think you would potentially struggle to fit a lithium-ion battery but again, it would depend on the shape. As I’m new to the AK platform, it did take me a little while to install the battery but I’m sure I’ll get quicker at this over time.

So how did this replica perform on its range test? It was consistent on both semi and full-auto. The 2 burst mode was also a nice surprise. I used a 7.4v Lipo as recommended. It sounded great and was overall a great gun to shoot. When I chrono’d this replica it came out at 339 FPS, which is perfect for any UK site. Check out my TikTok range test here!

Included in the box are two high-cap magazines, now whilst I’m no fan of high caps and wished these were mid-caps - it does mean that you have enough mags/ammo to play an entire game day without needing to buy extra magazines. You also get a sticker sheet, a connection converter and a patch (alongside the replica of course!) From Land Warrior Airsoft, this replica retails for £519.99.

Post sponsored by Land Warrior Airsoft

AEG | KWA RONIN RECON ML!

Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog. In this review, we’re going to be taking a look at the KWA Ronin RM4 ML from HC2 Airsoft.

The new AEG 3 RM4 Ronin Recon ML, is a part of the Ronin M-Series - a new line of modular AEG rifles.

As always, let’s first chat about the build. At the front of the rifle, we have a custom mock suppressor to cover the 14.5” outer barrel followed by an MLOK rail that has a 20mm RIS rail along its length. It features a branded metal receiver that has an enlarged trigger guard, ambidextrous fire controls and a PTS Enhanced Polymer Grip. At the rear of the rifle, we have a sling point and a PTS Enhanced Polymer Stock (EPS) which houses the battery.

Internally, this AEG features the new AEG3 gearbox, KWA Kinetic Feedback System, an improved high-torque motor, upgraded high-speed gear set, adjustable rotary hop-up and a switch life extender to prevent contact burnout.

The AEG 3 RM4 Ronin Recon ML comes presented in a KWA Ronin box (which as always looks great), I’m not a fan of the inner packaging - I firmly believe that polystyrene packaging should be reserved for Skegness market specials, but this is just a personal gripe and ultimately, it isn’t that deep. On getting the replica out of the box, she’s a long gal and has a nice weight to her - weighing in at around 3.4kg. As with all of KWA’s replicas, she’s well-built and sturdy - there are no wobbles or rattles. As I’m familiar with the M4 platform and the PTS EPS, it took me no time to battery up. For those who aren’t, you simply press in the two tabs on the stock and the padded butt pad will pop off. The EPS has great storage space to use the bigger Lithium Ion batteries such as Titan or Rebel.

It was consistent on both semi and full-auto - and as with the RM4 Q10, it was fun to shoot. Whilst I’m always impressed with KWA replicas, the kinetic feedback system adds a touch of realism which makes these really fun replicas to shoot. I tested it using a 7.4v Lipo as recommended (which I was sceptical about at first). It sounded great and was overall a great gun to shoot. When I chrono’d this replica it came out at 308 FPS, which is a little lower than expected but perfectly UK site legal. Check out my TikTok range test here.

One aspect I really like about this replica is the cut-off when empty feature, it definitely adds another element of realism to the game and is perfectly paired with the Kinetic Feedback System.

In the box, you get the AEG 3 RM4 Ronin Recon ML replica, a set of MLOK rail adapters and a KWA MS120 magazine. From HC2 Airsoft, this AEG retails for £440.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

AEG | KWA RONIN RM4 Q10 AEG!

Hi friends!

 In this review, we’re going to be looking at the KWA Ronin RM4 Q10 AEG from my friends over at HC2 Airsoft!

The Ronin RM4 Q10 AEG from KWA Airsoft is the facelift version of their flagship RM4 model, featuring the new AEG3 gearbox and an electric recoil system (that mimics GBBR).

Let’s first chat about the build. At the front of the rifle, we have a polymer muzzle brake mounted on a CCW 14mm thread followed by a familiar quad Picatinny rail which allows for the player to customise their rifle with torches, PEQ boxes, grips etc. It has a 20mm RIS rail that runs along the handguard and the receiver. It has a KWA-branded full-metal receiver, an enlarged trigger guard ambidextrous fire controls and a PTS pistol grip. At the rear of the rifle is a 6-point adjustable stock that houses the battery. Included in the box is also a set of the PTS Enhanced Back Up Iron Sights which are a nice touch.

Internally, we have KWA’s new AEG3 gearbox (which has the cut-off when empty function), a quick change spring system, a Kinetic feedback system for simulated recoil, One piece rotary hop-up and a Switch lift extender that prevents the burnout of trigger contacts.

This AEG comes presented in a branded KWA Ronin box and on getting the replica out of the box, it has a good weight to it and it feels sturdy. There are no wobbles, or rattles - which is always a good sign. As I’m familiar with the platform, it didn’t take long to battery up - simply press the two tabs on the butt pad of the stock and the butt plate will come away. The battery space is spacious enough thanks to the 6-point adjustable stock, but I used a small Nuprol stick battery, which fit well. 

It was consistent on both semi and full-auto - and was fun to shoot. Whilst I’m always impressed with KWA replicas, the kinetic feedback systems add a touch of realism which is really fun. I tested it using a 7.4v Lipo as recommended. It sounded great and was overall a great gun to shoot. When I chrono’d this replica it came out at 343 FPS, which of course is perfect for pretty much every UK airsoft site/event. Check out my TikTok range test here! 

In the box, you get the KWA Ronin RM4 Q10 AEG replica, an unjamming rod, a VPS tool and a KWA MS120 Midcap magazine. From HC2 Airsoft, this replica retails for £419.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

AEG | G&G ARP556 2.0!

 Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog, today we're looking at another G&G airsoft replica - this time the ARP556 2.0 from my sponsors over at HC2 Airsoft.

The ARP556 2.0 is the latest iteration in G&Gs 556-styled PDW. It’s constructed mostly from a high-density polymer making it tough and lightweight. Pair this with how compact the rifle is and you’ve got a great option for CQB.

At the front of the rifle, we have a polymer flash hider mounted onto a 14mm CCW thread followed by an MLOK handrail that has a hand-stopper already preinstalled for convenience. It has a G&G branded receiver, a full-length Picatinny rail for optics and an ergonomic pistol grip. At the rear of the rifle, there is a PDW-style stock that houses the battery.

  

Specs:

• M-LOK Handguard 
• PDW style stock 
• Inline MOSFET 
• Ver 2 Full Metal gearbox 
• G&G pre-upgraded internals 
• 25,000 RPM high speed motor 
• Adjustable hop-up

Range test: During our range test, the chrono did jump between 300 FPS and 310 FPS, which is perfectly site-legal with the room to be upgraded. Despite the variance in FPs, its performance is what we would expect from G&G - consistent with good accuracy.

In the box, you get the G&G ARP556 2.0, a 450-round G&G branded Magazine and the instruction manual

From HC2 Airsoft, it retails for £309.99

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

AEG | G&G ARMAMENT ARP9 3.0

 Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog. Today, I have another first impression for you in this post - on the G&G ARP9 3.0 from my friends at HC2 Airsoft.

The ARP9 3.0 is the latest iteration of G&G's iconic SMG, this time featuring a side folding skeleton stock and a new MOSFET integrated gearbox that is smaller and more efficient than its predecessor.

The ARP9 3.0 is mostly constructed from a high-density polymer making it tough and durable. At the front of this compact SMG is a short MLOK hand guard, followed by the G&G branded receiver (that has a full-length Picatinny running along its length) and at the rear of the rifle, we have a side-folding skeleton stock that also houses the battery.

Specs:

• M-LOK Handguard
• Side folding skeleton stock 
• MOSFET Integrated Gearbox 
• QD spring guide to allow for easy power tuning 
• G&G pre-upgraded internals 
• Ifrit 25K Motor-Short Axis orange (25000rpm)
• Adjustable hop-up

The ARP9 3.0 features G&G's upgraded MOSFET system, which is more compact and efficient than its predecessor. Additionally, it has a QD spring guide for effortless power tuning without gearbox disassembly. Retaining G&G's renowned pre-upgraded internals, it still houses the impressive 25,000 RPM high-speed motor, ensuring the ARP9's signature rapid-fire rate.

Range test: During our range test it averaged around 312 FPS, perfectly site legal with the room to be upgraded. Its performance is what we would expect from G&G - consistent with good accuracy.

In the box, you get the G&G ARP9 3.0, a 68-Round Mid-Cap FCCM Magazine and the instruction manual. From my friends at HC2 Airsoft, the ARP9 3.0 retails for £339.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

AEG | G&G FAR9!

Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog. Today we're back with an AEG first impression, and in this one, we'll be looking at the G&G FAR9 from my friends over at HC2 Airsoft.

The FAR9 from G&G took IWA 2023 by storm and we finally have it in hand. The FAR9 is a 9mm style SMG airsoft rifle that folds down to a 3rd of its size for easy storage and transport. It features an MLOK handguard and a side folding stock.

The FAR9 folded away:

Specs:

• Ultra-lightweight polymer receivers 
• M-LOK handguard 
• Picatinny / 20mm RIS rail 
• 8mm ball bearing gearbox 
• G&G MOSFET 
• ETU 2.0 system 
• Rear-wired CHFS folding stock 
• FCCM 68-round magazine 
• G&G Ifrit 25K long axis motor (25,000RPM) installed 
• Rear-mounted loop for mounting slings 
• Flip-up front and rear iron sights

Range test: During our range test, it chrono'd at 285 FPS, which is perfectly site-legal with the room to be upgraded although m,much lower than expected. Again, its performance is what we would expect from G&G - consistent with good accuracy.

In the box, you get the G&G FAR9, 68 Round Mid-Cap FCCM Magazine and the instruction manual. From HC2 Airsoft, it retails for £259.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

GBB | VORSK VMP-1C!

Hi friends!

Welcome back to the blog. Today we're back with a GBB first impression, and in this one, we'll be looking at the VORSK VMP-1C from my friends over at HC2 Airsoft.

The VMP-1C from VORSK is the compact version of their already compact GBB SMG. It’s made from a high-density Polymer and has a QD sling socket at the rear rather than a folding stock making it tough, lightweight and perfect for CQB.

Specs:

• High-density polymer construction 
• 6.03mm Tightbore inner barrel 
• 14mm CCW Male threaded outer barrel 
• System 7 adjustable HOP-up unit 
• 20mm Picatinny railed receiver 
• 20mm Picatinny rail at the 6 o'clock position 
• Removable/repositionable 20mm side rails 
• QD Sling socket at the rear - QD Sling swivel pre-installed 
• VORSK's unique stipple texture on the pistol grip 
• Compatible with VORSK VMP-1 Magazines and ASG/KWA/KSC MP9/TP9 magazines

Rangetest:

As you can see from the video, we just decided to press full f*cking send and record this SMG in full-auto mode which was really fun. Of course, you wouldn't be able to use full-auto in CQB but this would be fun for a woodland game. On semi-auto, it performed well, fed well and was pretty accurate once we adjusted the hop. The only thing I will say is the magazine struggled a little because of how cold it was (we recorded this during the cold snap in January).

In the box, you get the VORSK VMP-1C GBB SMG, a 45rnd Green Gas Magazine, the Quick Start guide, a Spare Nozzle, PVC Patch and the HOP-up adjustment tool. From HC2, the VMP-1C retails for £169.99.

Post sponsored by HC2 Airsoft

Photos by Charlie Chatwood.