Some time in November 2006, whilst looking for new material for dEFCONAirsoft and new products to review, we were asked if we would like to review a copy of Airsoft Guide DVD, the television offering from Oracle Films devoted to, well, you guessed it… Airsoft. I’d been keen to see a copy of Airsoft Guide for a little while, so I jumped at the opportunity. As promised, Mark lent me a sample copy of Volume One in the series, so with popcorn on standby, I popped the DVD in the player and got comfortable.
It’s clear to see from the moment you press play on your DVD remote, that a lot of thought has gone into the production of the Airsoft Guide series, the opening sequence graphics have been cleverly created and the menu system works flawlessly, allowing you to navigate through the various sections of the DVD without getting stuck with no way back to the main menu. Take notice of the copyright message which is played before the main feature, in short it states that by copying or watching illegal copies of Airsoft Guide, you are stealing from fellow Airsofters. How true it is, Airsoft Guide needs your support to keep going, by paying for your copy, you are securing the production of future volumes.
Now, I’m no film critic, and sitting here staring at a blank page, it is difficult to know where to begin, so lets look at what’s actually on the DVD and I’ll give you my thoughts on each section.
| Airsoft Technical Tips | How to avoid common technical mistakes, How to perform technical work effectively, and more… |
| Airsofter’s Essential Toolkit | What every Airsofter should have in their toolkit, and why. From lubricant to customised-tools, and more… |
| AEG Takedown Guides | Covering… ICS MP5 series, TM MP5-A & SD series, TM Armalite original series (XM177E2, M16-A1, M16-VN), TM Armalite modern series (M733, M4, M16-A2), TM G3 series (G3, G3-SAS, G3-SG1, MC51) |
| Version 2 Gearbox Takedown Guide | Featuring detailed coverage of the take-down and rebuild procedure for this gearbox found in all of the AEGs covered above |
| Airsoft Abuse | “Airsoft under water” Does Airsoft and Water mix? Are your guns safe in the rain? What about if they get REALLY wet? Who will find the answers? We will! |
| The Kit List | (part 1) The kit that Airsofters use. What it does, how it works, and detailed data screens covering the most complicated items. |
| Troubleshooting | 1. Detecting and fixing low or zero HOP-UP performance,2. Fixing loose or wobbly G3 selector switch |
| Maintenance | Lubricating GBB replicas effectively |
The DVD lasts for approximately two hours, is shot in 16:9 widescreen, and is not region encoded although is available in two different versions, PAL and NTSC.
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Airsoft Technical Tips
| The Airsoft Guide’s Top 10 Technical Tips section is found at the top of the Technical Guides feature and is very useful watching indeed. Presented by Will (who does most of the presentation and narration on the DVD), he goes through some of the important factors you should bear in mind when attempting any kind of Airsoft gun rebuild yourself. A few of these are common sense, but some of the more important ones to remember are ‘Springs fly everywhere…’, how very, very true! And ‘Be prepared to finish what you’ve started…’ I am both guilty and a victim of these points which has hampered many an Airsoft rebuild in the past. I would highly recommend watching this segment before moving onto any disassembly or maintenance work, especially if you’re inexperienced in doing so. Approx Running Time: 3mins 46seconds |
Airsofter’s Essential Toolkit
| This section details the essential tools that any Airsofter should have in their toolkit, which includes items such as needle-nose pliers, Allen keys, a small torch, and… well, you’ll have to watch it if you want to find out more. A lot of people will already have these items in their household tool kit, and it’s well worth getting them ready before any rebuild or maintenance project. Although some of these items are not absolutely necessary, you will find carrying out any maintenance work a lot easier with them.Approx Running Time: 5mins 34seconds |
AEG Takedown Guides
| There are many takedown guides on this DVD, all based on the version 2 gearbox, a full list of them are featured above. For review purposes, I’m only going to look at one of the more popular ones out there, the TM MP5 Series. The takedown guides give you the option to watch individual sections which include ‘Body Take-down’, ‘Gearbox Take-down & Rebuild’ and ‘Body Rebuild’, or the option to watch all three in sequence as a feature. Let’s start with the ‘Body Take-down’ section. In this example the Tokyo Marui MP5-A4 (solid stock MP5) was used. The entire take-down process is shot in virtually real-time, meaning you can watch and disassemble your AEG at the same time, using the pause button on your DVD remote where necessary. References are made to the differences between models, i.e. the MP5-A5, should you be working on a slightly different model in the MP5 range. Having owned both an MP5-A4 and an MP5-SD5, I can confirm the accuracy of the disassembly process, as shown by Airsoft guide. And to give you an example how quickly the gearbox can be removed from the gun, the takedown section lasts only 3 minutes and 22 seconds. Now, I’m not saying it can be done that quickly, as there are some obvious time gaps in the video, but these are just to make the sequence more ‘fluid’. Every screw that you are required to remove and clearly marked on screen with bright red ‘blips’, with tips along the way telling you which parts may go stray throughout the disassembly. This particular take-down guide, does not cover disassembly of the front section, including removal of the barrel and hop-up unit, it is however covered on the ICS MP5 take-down guide, as both versions are identical. Worth noting, as this is not mentioned at the time! If you do get stuck with any of the take-down guides, and need a detailed diagram, remember we have full take-down schematics for the AK, MP5, G3 and M4 series in our articles section.As for the rebuild, it is very much the same, but in reverse. They show you some important features to remember such as the correct location of the motor wires, body pins which may have become misaligned etc. Points to remember are to take care when sliding the stock back on that the wiring does not become caught between the stock and the receiver. Overall the takedown guides we looked at make it possible for any novice to disassemble their AEG with ease, the beauty of it being that you can pause, rewind and play again any parts that you did not fully understand or become stuck on.
Approx Running Time: 3mins 22seconds – Takedown Approx Running Time: 3mins 30seconds – Rebuild
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Version 2 Gearbox Takedown Guide
| The Version 2 Gearbox Takedown Guide is the same for each AEG featured in the Technical Guides section, which makes a lot of sense, as every Version 2 Gearbox is virtually identical, even from different manufacturers. I’ve disassembled a few Version 2 gearboxes in my time, and the first point on this technical takedown guide I found very interesting indeed. Airsoft Guide show you how to relax the mainspring using a special tool called a ‘non-reverse latch puller tool’, I guess you learn something new every day, as I’ve never actually done this. The reason you relax the mainspring before disassembly is to avoid the spring, held under tension, firing out from the back of the gearbox housing when separating the two halves. You can do this another way, by ensuring that the gun was fired last on single shot mode before disassembly of the AEG, but then, it is easy to forget. Airsoft guide make it seem very easy to disassemble and reassemble your AEG gearbox using only the two hands you were born with, I have sometimes needed the assistance of a second person (or third hand) when re-assembling the gearbox, but by following the instructions carefully, found it not to be a problem. It is important to note here that if you chose to disassemble your AEG, doing so will invalidate any warranty on that AEG, should you have one. Only perform the procedures outlined on this DVD if you feel comfortable undertaking the instructions shown. It would be a good idea to watch it a couple of times first until you feel sure.I was slightly disappointed that Airsoft Guide did not include enough information on the correct location of the ‘Shims’, the little metal washers that set the correct depth and distance between the gears themselves. These can sometimes be displaced when removing the gears from the gearbox housing, and it is very important they go back in the right place. If not, serious damage can be caused, and at the very least, a blown fuse. Although they showed you to reposition a shim if not correctly located, it wouldn’t help if they were removed completely. As there are different thicknesses of these ‘Shims’ it is important to know which ones go where. If you’re reading this review Airsoft Guide folks, it might be a good idea to include a feature on ‘Shimming’ in future volumes. Other than that, this section of the Technical guides is especially clear and informative, and most people should not have a problem performing these tasks.
Approx Running Time: 14mins 35seconds |
Airsoft Abuse
| Ah yes, one of my favourite pieces on the DVD, Airsoft Abuse! Now, if you’ve ever seen the television programme ‘Brainiac: Science Abuse’, you’ll probably know now to expect some pretty bizarre, yet entertaining events to occur. As Will puts it, this section is to ‘answer some of the unusual and usually pointless questions asked by the Airsoft Community…’, and unusual they are indeed. In this episode we see an AEG and a GBB meeting what could be certain death in a tank of water. ‘Professor Yams’ keenly demonstrates that the effects that H2O + AEG = … Well, you’ll have to watch to find out I’m afraid, but you most certainly won’t be disappointed, if not a little surprised! The Airsoft Abuse feature is an excellent addition to the DVD, and I can’t wait to see what the guys get up to next.And now a serious note, DON’T try this at home! The examples shown on the DVD are certainly extreme and not what your average Airsofter are likely to encounter on any skirmish site. Still, sometimes it’s nice to know what an abundance of water will do to your shiny new toy. So if you want to know, pick up a copy today and find out!Approx Running Time: 6mins 25seconds |
The Kit List (Part One)
| The kit list is especially good for any Airsofter starting out in the sport, as it covers the majority of items most of us will want, if not need to play Airsoft. This menu screen has been cleverly put together to allow you to play the main feature, or select an item from the table with your DVD remote for more detailed information, i.e. Selecting the picture of the charger will display an information page about battery chargers and some tips on battery charging… excellent stuff!The main feature is presented by good old ‘Professor Yams’, as he goes through a variety of interesting and mainly essential kit, such as magazines, batteries & chargers, eye protection (very important!) and of course BB ammunition. This section is both informative, yet short and concise. Most of us that have been playing for any time will probably have a lot of the items shown already, but as mentioned previously, this section is especially good for the beginner.Approx Running Time: 9mins 53seconds |
Troubleshooting
| The troubleshooting guides are found on the third screen of the Technical Guides feature, and include troubleshooting poor hop-up performance and fixing the G3 selector switch, which often becomes lose on most of the G3 models. The hop-up troubleshooting section is excellent, as not only does it show you how to fix problems if they’re experienced, it also explains in detail how the hop-up unit actually functions, again a generous helping of science and computer graphics demonstrates nicely. Airsoft Guide unravels the mysteries behind poor or malfunctioning hop-up and show you how to put them right. Something of use to any Airsofter who uses an AEG (although some of the tips apply to GBB owners too).The G3 selector switch section is fairly straight forward, and obviously only applicable to those of you who own any of the TM G3 series.
Approx Running Time: 7mins 38seconds (Hop-up Performance) Approx Running Time: 2mins 06seconds (G3 Selector Switch) |
GBB Lubrication
| The GBB Lubrication sections is an especially important one for all GBB owners out there, as stated at the start of the sequence ‘To keep any gas blowback gun functioning it needs lubricating or it will wear and break…’ and how true this is. The example they use is a KWA Glock 19 with a metal slide, but the procedures they show are equally applicable to any gas blowback pistol. Two main types of oil are used here, both silicone based. It is important to remember that we only use silicone based oils when lubricating any Airsoft gun, this is because Petroleum based products such as WD-40 will cause rubber parts such as the piston seals and hop-up to perish and fail.Although this lubrication guide is very informative I did feel some information on lubricating the valves and seals in the magazine needed to be included. They did cover the main rubber seal which fits snug with the gas blowback mechanism, which is how gas is fed into the gun, but did not pay attention to the gas filling valve (on the bottom) or the release valve which the hammer actuates. A minor criticism, but something worth looking at when lubricating your gas pistol.Approx Running Time: 5mins 53seconds |
How Did We Do That?
| And last but not least, the ‘How Did We Do That?’ section, which are sort of the end credits of the production. Airsoft Guide give their thanks to all those who assisted with the production, and show you who did what. If you’ve taken the time to watch this DVD, please spend a few minutes to watch this feature, as it gives you a sneaky peek at how Airsoft Guide was made. |
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Conclusion
Well, it’s certainly been some interesting watching over the past few hours, and I’ve learnt a lot of things that I didn’t know previously, considering I’ve been into Airsoft now for over six years. As a technical resource the Airsoft Guide series is excellent value for money, and offers advice and tips you simply can’t get anywhere else. It’s always good to have a schematic diagram to assist you in turning an AEG, into a pile of nuts, bolts and gears, but to have video guidance to assist you along the way, well that’s even better! It’s apparent that although Airsoft Guide is what could be called an ‘amateur production’, it is VERY professionally put together indeed, and an awful lot of work has gone into creating both a throughally entertaining and technically priceless DVD that no Airsofter should be without. I was lucky enough to be lent a sample copy of Airsoft Guide by Mark of Airsoft Direct, and whilst it is not something that I would need on an every day basis, it would definitely be useful to refer back to when performing any maintenance work on V2 gearbox model AEG’s. It’s also useful to show your friends if they are considering getting into the hobby, as this DVD is packed with information that any beginner will find useful, and it’s been produced in such a way as not to be patronising.
I’ve enjoyed watching Airsoft Guide Volume One, and I’m sure you will too. It’s also given me some good ideas for future material for dEFCONAirsoft… perhaps video footage to accompany a review? Definitely something worth considering.
