New Airsoft Field to Open in Los Angeles

Five years ago there were almost no dedicated places to play Airsoft in the Los Angeles area. Now there are more fields popping up every day and a lot of options for the SoCal airsoft player. Tac City (formerly Airsoft Playground) continues to run one of the most exciting indoor CQB fields around and they have a dedicated player base. Jericho moved a little farther out of LA but now have even more impressive fields as well as running extremely fun vehicle games on the last weekend of every month where players can take aim at enemies form the back of a moving pickup or fire a vehicle-mounted heavy Airsoft machine gun.

Giant Paintball has also entered the fray and begun constructing Airsoft dedicated fields at their various paintball fields. SC Village was the first in the area with their SC Viper complex. It is a large outdoor field modeled on an Afghan village and contains some unique props and bunkers as well as a two-story building. Recently Santa Clarita’s own California Paintball Park opened a field for airsoft as well, known as Airsoft City. It is a fairly large field with a pretty high bunker density, and it is very fun. In eight days, Giant Paintball is set to open yet another Airsoft dedicated field, this time at Hollywood Sports Park. It will be known as HSP Combat Center.

Hollywood Sports Park has been serving paintball players for a number of years now with their friendly staff and extremely fun fields. The fields are actual movie sets from films such as Godzilla, Starship Troopers and Saving Private Ryan. They run some fun scenario games as well and overall it is a great paintball experience. They are located off the I-91 and Lakewood Boulevard, towards Long Beach. Hollywood Sports Park has a great track record with the paintball community and they have been extremely successful since they opened. The complex also contains a massive arcade, BMX racing, indoor soccer and even an RC racing track.

The new Airsoft field opens on Sunday, December 11^th and you can play for free from 9am to 4pm as part of a grand opening event. The following description of the field is taken from the HSP Combat Center Website. “The HSP Combat Center, located just off the I-91 and Lakewood Blvd in California, is a state of the art Airsoft complex centrally located to Los Angeles. Housed in a specially custom-built facility at the legendary Hollywood Sports Airsoft Park, the HSP Combat Center features a full M.O.U.T.-style Afghan village complete with 2-story perches, city streets, and building to building firefights. The concourse was designed and constructed by the world-renown field/map developers of Giant Airsoft, who were also responsible for building the hugely successfully SC Viper complex at the SC Village Airsoft Park in Corona, CA. The HSP Combat Center is perfect for elite airsofters looking for the most realistic urban combat operational zone in all of the West Coast.” They failed to mention, but Giant also built the field at California Paintball Park.

The HSP website features a virtual tour of the new field and from the pictures to looks to be an exciting experience. As someone who has spent some time on their paintball fields I can say that I have the utmost confidence in their new Airsoft field. As if playing for free on Dec. 11^th wasn’t enough, they will also be having free giveaways, prizes, a vendor village and military simulations. It should be a party and I’m sure it’s worth the trip. Field rules don’t seem to be available yet but there will be a 350FPS limit and the field is apparently available seven days a week for private party rentals. Any new local Airsoft field is cause for celebration, and HSP Combat Center seems like it will become one of the most exciting fields in Los Angeles. So head on over to HobbyTron.com and pick up some Airsoft guns and we'll see you on the field.

The Life of Harry Houdini: Part 1

Harry Houdini is, without a doubt, the most famous magician in history. His illustrious career as a performer, producer and actor spanned almost three decades and he inspired millions with his illusions and feats of strength. From humble beginnings in a first generation American family Houdini launched himself into the world and became an entertainment mogul the likes of which have scarcely been seen before or since.

Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary on March 24, 1874. His given name was Erik Weisz and at the age of four his family immigrated to America on the S.S. Fresia. The Weisz family settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. Houdini would claim it as his birthplace throughout his life. Houdini’s family changed their name during the process of immigration, as many do. His surname became Weiss and Erik became Ehrick.

In 1882 Harry became an American citizen and in 1887 he moved to New York. He began his performing career as a trapeze artist. He became a magician in 1891 under the name Harry Houdini. The surname was a tribute to the famous French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, who was one of the most famous magicians of his time and one of those to blaze the trail that nearly all modern magicians would one day follow.

Houdini was only 5’5” and had a high pitched voice. He once listed Hollywood, California as his favorite city and Auld Lang Syne as his favorite song. His brother was New York’s first X-ray technician and Harry would let his brother practice on him quite often. He was possibly sterilized by this habit as he never had any children. Houdini was also extremely athletic and a successful cross country runner in his youth.

Houdini started with card magic but soon found his true calling with escapism. In 1898 Houdini created the “Challenge Act”, whereby he would escape from any set of handcuffs produced by the audience. He then met a man named Martin Beck who was impressed with his handcuff act and became Houdini’s manager. In 1900 Beck arranged a European tour for Houdini. In Europe he traveled to major cities across the continent and asked to be arrested by the local police force. He would then be shackled and placed in their jails, only to escape. In Moscow Houdini escaped from a prison transport van that could only be unlocked in Siberia.

Houdini returned to America in 1904 a rich and happy man. At this point in his career he was famous as a vaudeville performer in America and an escape artist throughout Europe. He had come a long way from the struggling magician who once offered to sell all his secrets through a newspaper ad for $20. Once back in America, Harry would continue his path to becoming the greatest magician ever known.

Check our extensive Magic Collection at HobbyTron.com.

RC Icons: The Sand Scorcher

An Original Tamiya Sand Scorcher

Sometimes a product transcends what it was originally intended for. Certain moments and technologies just change things forever. Inanimate objects can become heroes and timeless icons. The Sand Scorcher from Tamiya is one of those products. It was released in 1979 and the RC world changed forever. Without the Sand Scorcher, RC cars today would be very different and probably much less popular. The Sand Scorcher changed people’s perceptions of what an RC car could be and spawned a new class of RC vehicle built for off-road racing.

2010 Tamiya Sand Scorcher Remake

Until the release of the Sand Scorcher, RC racing was done exclusively on tracks. RC cars of the time did not have working suspension, and the hobby was loosely associated with slot car racing in the early days. The Sand Scorcher introduced new technologies that would allow off-road RC racing to become a reality. The popularity of off-road racing skyrocketed and it is now the most popular class of RC racing. This also dramatically increased the popularity of RC racing as a whole.

The Sand Scorcher was a 1:10 scale RC car, the sixteenth model made by Tamiya. Some of the revolutionary features included working suspension modeled on that of the Volkswagen Beetle, shared parts with the Rough Rider, another early off-road model, mostly metal components and a waterproof case for the on board electronics that made driving through water possible. Even today, only top of the line off-road beasts have waterproofed electronics. The Sand Scorcher also had metal, oil-filled shock absorbers, ribbed front tires and paddle-type rear tires and a chassis constructed of a fiberglass plate with metal supports.

The Sand Scorcher’s influence was so great that original models fetch prices of up to $5000 at auction. The Sand Scorcher was also featured in the Australian cult film Malcolm about a man who robs banks and also enjoys his hobbies. In the film he uses a Sand Scorcher with a gun and camera attached to rob a bank. Tamiya even commissioned a full sized version of the Sand Scorcher to be built in 2010. The impressive final product was an exact replica of the Sand Scorcher, down to the recognizable tires and the iconic sticker job.

The popularity of the Sand Scorcher is so great that last year Tamiya decided to produce a 30 year anniversary edition. The re-release was almost identical to the original Sand Scorcher but contained a modern electronic speed control instead of the mechanical one used in the original, and a few more die-cast parts. The re-release coincided with re-releases of two other classic Tamiya models, the Rough Rider and Buggy Champ, the latter of which shares its chassis with the Sand Scorcher.

The Sand Scorcher has a pedigree of the type usually reserved for actual, full sized cars. It revitalized RC racing, spawned an entirely new type of off-road RC racing, starred in an Australian film, was made into a giant and dominated competitions. Without this vehicle, the entire world of RC racing would look incredibly different. So pay your respects and raise your glasses, to an RC car that did more in the last 30 years than most people do in their entire lives. 

Make sure to come and visit HobbyTron.com to see all of our exciting RC Buggies.

Early History of RC Cars

Every important thing to ever come out of the country Wales has come from a little coastal town called Swansea. Dylan Thomas, who inspired countless individuals with his poetry in the early 1900’s came from Swansea. Catherine Zeta-Jones, the incredibly attractive Hollywood star, is also from Swansea. Howard Marx, who was at one point the biggest hashish smuggler in the world and had his life turned into a major motion picture is from Swansea as well. And in 1967, in a model shop in Swansea, one of the first ever remote control cars was on sale. It came from an Italian company called Elettronica Giocattoli, and it was a 1:12 scale model of a Ferrari 250 LM.

Ferrari 250 LM

The model was popular enough for a second one to be produced, this time a 1:10 scale replica of the Ferrari P4. It was shown at the Milan Fair in 1968. The world of RC cars was about to begin. The next major company was a British one named Mardave. They still produce RC cars made in the UK to this day. A race was held at Berk Hampsted in 1971 and their model won. The next year in Leicester they built the world’s first permanent RC racing track. The early 70’s would see numerous small American companies enter the fray as well, and it seemed as if RC cars were on the map. At the time, the scene was dominated by 1:8 scale nitro cars.

In 1974 a company by the name of Jerobee developed a 1:12 scale nitro car. Soon other companies started developing parts for it and it became extremely popular. It was a major influence in the creation of a 1:12 scale racing circuit, which eventually became very popular. It was also at this point that individuals began building their own cars from scratch. RC racing had remained relatively the same for its ten or so year existence, but that would all change in 1976 when the Japanese company Tamiya decided to try their hand at the world of RC.

Traxxas Jato 3.3 Nitro Truck

Tamiya Corporation is a well-known Japanese manufacturer that sprung up directly after WWII. At the time, they were known for their highly detailed models of cars, boats and various other things. They produced a run of RC cars that looked incredible and were well designed but did not exactly possess high performance. Nevertheless, they were popular and sold out quickly. Then in 1979 they released the Sand Scorcher and the Rough Rider, the two first RC vehicles designed for off-road use. They were based on the buggy design and were the first RC cars to feature real working suspension. They began manufacturing trucks as well, and produced the first vehicles with realistic 3-speed transmissions.

Redcat Racing Lightning STR 1:10 Nitro Car

The popularity of the Tamiya models skyrocketed and they can be credited as being responsible for creating the RC car market. RC racing would see a boom in the 80’s as people began racing both on and off-road. During this time tires became more realistic, motors became bigger, components became more durable and RC monster trucks were born. Many of the Tamiya models from this time are now considered vintage and fetch thousands of dollars at auction. However, a British company was about to make the largest change to RC cars since working suspension and off-road rubber tires.

Traxxas Mustang Boss VXL 1:16 Scale Electric Car

Schumacher Racing Products is a company that started in 1980 in Northampton. For the first year they manufactured only components for other RC cars, but the next year they would produce their first car as well. Their gift to the world of RC racing is the ball differential. Ball differentials use small ball bearings instead of bevel gears and allow for a lot more adjustability. Before the creation of the ball differential, drivers simply did not have many options for field adjustability. Ball differentials allowed a massive number of tuning options for different track conditions.

HPI Racing 1:5 Scale Baja 5B V2.0 Gas Buggy

Other companies would start producing their own models with ball differentials and it quickly became the standard. Schumacher continues to produce RC cars today, and they have won a great many Championships in all manner of classes and categories. Without the dedication of companies like Schumacher and Tamiya, RC racing today would look very different indeed. As the 80’s progressed, RC cars would continue to improve both technologically and ascetically. The modern era of RC racing was about to begin… 

Now there are numerous companies that build RC cars for our enjoyment. Traxxas, HPI and Redcat Racing name just a few of the top of the line companies that keep this hobby at the cutting edge. So come on down or log on to HobbyTron.com and pick up an RC car that you will enjoy for years to come today.

Alphonse Pénaud: Father of the Model Airplane

Alphonse Pénaud is a name many people may not have heard, but also a name that everyone involved in RC aircraft should recognize and respect. His time on earth was short, he was born in Paris in 1850 and committed suicide in 1880 at the age of 30. But during that short time, he shook the scientific world and changed everyone’s perspective of what mankind was capable of. He did it all with a simple tool – a controllable model airplane. Yes, Alphonse Pénaud is the father of model airplanes, and model helicopters as well. Of course, back when he was making them no full-sized airplanes had ever been produced. His work would be an inspiration for the next generation of scientists and engineers, and eventually help to create a human flying machine.

Pénaud built many models, but his principle concern was the “Planophore”. The Planophore was a small model aircraft with a wingspan of only about one and a half feet. It was powered by a rubber band and resembled a modern day balsa wood airplane kit. Two major versions were produced, one with a standard tractor propeller located in front of the plane, and another with a push propeller located in the rear. He would continue to improve his Planophore for the duration of his life, adding weights and making the models more aerodynamically sound. He even invented wing washout to solve one of its problems, a feature that would later be seen on full sized modern aircraft.

P40 Warhawk Balsa Wood Nitro Airplane

The Planophore was the first model of its type and Pénaud travelled around demonstrating its flight capabilities. It was endorsed by the Société Française de Navigation Aérienne, a recently formed French society for aeronautical navigation. Pénaud developed other flying models as well. His first ever model (even before the Planophore) was a basic helicopter design that he had built by a watchmaker to exacting specifications. It even had gold plated propeller blades. Imagine how much your co-axial would cost with gold plated blades. He tried his hand at ornithopters as well, producing a model that was able to travel up to 15 meters. While this was impressive, it paled in comparison to the 60 meter flight distance of the Planophore. Later he would try different helicopter designs as well as further refining and experimenting with his Planophore design.

C-17 Global Master 6CH Electric Airplane

Pénaud was not only a designer but published many studies as well. He was a strong advocate of the internal combustion engine despite steam and electric engines being the preferred technology of the time. Many of his studies revolved around aerodynamics, drag and weight. He put forth revolutionary ideas of how to overcome the problems of flight that would become even more relevant years later during the production of full sized aircraft. He also revived the work of many former scientists and published this as well.

F-16 Fighter Jet 4CH Electric Airplane

Perhaps Pénaud’s most revolutionary design was the two passenger amphibious plane that he developed in conjunction with Paul Gauchot. This design was incredible for many reasons. First of all, it was amphibious with waterproof components and the ability to land on sea. It also had retractable landing gear, electronically controlled elevators, an air pressure indicator, bank indicator, anemometer, a windshield and even the possibility of being launched by a catapult. It was way ahead of its time and many of its features are still seen on aircraft today. The invention was registered in 1876. Three years later Pénaud would attend a meeting of the Société Française de Navigation Aérienne, where he realized the society would provide no more financial backing. Pénaud then returned home, placed all of his original blueprints in a small coffin, and shot himself.

Mini Infrared Thunder Fighter Ed Hardy Special Edition 2CH  Airplane

Although the man was dead, his ideas would continue to live on and drastically shape the future of mankind. Years later two boys in America would be given one of Pénaud’s helicopter toys by their father, and it would inspire them to new heights. These boys were named Orville and Wilbur Wright, and they would later study Pénaud’s diagrams and papers, and cite him as a major inspiration, before creating the machine that would provide the world’s first ever human flight. Today our functioning model airplanes, whether powered by the new powerful brushless electric motors or internal combustion engines, are based on full-sized airplanes. Many of them even come ready to fly because we can’t figure out how they go together. Alphonse Pénaud imagined, designed and produced model airplanes on which full-sized airplanes were based. Think about that.

For a large selection of fun RC Airplanes come check us out at HobbyTron.com. 

Choosing the Right BBs

Airsoft BBs come in all shapes and sizes. This is bad, because they should all be round. When compared to almost all other conventional ammunition, Airsoft BBs are the cheapest of the lot. Some real steel firearms owners actually own GBB pistols for target shooting because the ammunition is so much cheaper. However, some Airsoft ammunition is a little bit more expensive than the average BB. These high quality BBs are going to be what you want to shoot. Using low quality BBs will not only affect your range and accuracy, but can also seriously damage your gun. What you don’t pay now for BBs you will pay later in repairs. There are a few things that can go wrong when using low quality BBs. The worst things that can happen are jams and breaks. You may not think this is such a big deal, but it can cause permanent damage to your gun. For example, if the barrel becomes jammed when the gun is being fired on full auto it can cause a massive build up of BBs in your barrel and feeding tube. Now there is nowhere for the air being pushed out by the piston to go. This can cause the piston to not complete its full cycle, which will then cause the still spinning gears to strip and break and explode into tiny metal shards of pure failure. Low quality BBs can shatter easily as well and the shards of the broken BB can end up in the gearbox. The gearbox is a tightly fitted system of gears and electronics, and tiny plastic shards that shouldn’t be there will wreak all sorts of havoc on the internals. Improperly shaped BBs can even clog up your magazines, especially the spring-powered high capacity magazines that are so popular. Even if they don’t break your gun low quality BBs will render horrible accuracy and velocity because of non-uniform shape, low weight, and inconsistent calibers.

There are a couple easy ways to avoid low quality BBs and keep your gun happy and healthy. The first thing to do is buy your BBs at an Airsoft shop. I can’t say definitively that you will never find high quality BBs at sporting goods stores, and I know that sometimes Big 5 will have decent ones, but overall you have a much higher chance of picking up useless BBs from those places. Brightly colored BBs or clear BBs are mostly likely low quality. Most high quality BBs will be either white or black but you will sometimes find them in yellow, green, and other colors. Anything that doesn’t list a weight is low quality. Anything under .2g is not for your high quality gun. .12g BBs are fine for springers but in your AEGs, GBBs, and high quality spring rifles you will want to use .2g BBs. Some people prefer .25g BBs because they give you slightly better accuracy at range, which is more of a personal preference. Don’t ever use paint BBs. They always break and then your gun will be full of paint and probably ruined. Don’t use the sample BBs that come with your gun either, they are usually low quality. If you are buying biodegradable BBs for whatever reason you have to pay more attention to quality. High quality biodegradable BBs are probably the most expensive Airsoft BBs you can buy, but it is even more important that you use a high quality product when you are shooting biodegradables. I suggest Biotech brand, although there are other good ones out there.

A lot of Airsoft gun manufacturers make their own BBs and these can usually be trusted, at least the ones from Taiwanese and Japanese companies. I don’t particularly like CYMA BBs (Chinese), ICS ones are decent, Tokyo Marui and G&G ones are high quality, and Airsoft Elite are my favorite BBs. Some other high quality BBs are Madbull, GoldenBall, Systema, and Killer Beez. An important thing to keep in mind is that even containers of high quality BBs will occasionally have a deformed BB in there somewhere. If you see these, throw them out because they can cause jams.

When in doubt as to which BB company to purchase from, ask the internet or the guy behind the counter at your local Airsoft store. If you buy some BBs that are universally recognized as high quality you might be able to trade some to other players at the field and get a better idea of which brand is your favorite. High quality BBs are probably the most important investment you can make for your Airsoft gun, and it’ll thank you by not breaking every five minutes. Be safe and have fun and head on over to HobbyTron and I’ll see you on the field.

Price, Brands, and Walmart

Airsoft guns can range from extremely cheap to extremely expensive. Most people know you can get a simple spring operated pistol for under $20. Some people know that you can also buy guns from Systema that start at about $1000. There are many, many brands to choose from and a well made gun in almost every price range.  The long and short of it is that in Airsoft you get what you pay for, as long as you don’t get ripped off. So how do you avoid getting ripped off? There are a few basic rules you can follow to ensure everything you buy will be a high quality product, regardless of what you spend on it.

The FIRST rule is shop at an Airsoft retailer. Don’t shop at Wal-Mart unless you are buying a gun for someone under 10 years of age. They sell a brand called Crosman that is very inexpensive and perfect for the kid who is going to break it the first time out. These guns are made to expire quickly and not for someone who is really into Airsoft. The Airsoft section at Wal-Mart is very limited and is basically a teaser to get someone into Airsoft. I’m fairly certain that every brand of BB they offer is all but unusable in electric or gas guns and should only be used in cheap spring guns. The same pretty much goes for Sport Chalet, although I believe they sell some decent masks and gloves and such. Big 5 is a mixed bag. Most of their stuff isn’t worth a second look, but sometimes they will be carrying high quality BBs and gas. Occasionally you might find a decent GBB pistol there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a high quality AEG at Big 5. The best place to buy your Airsoft gear is at an Airsoft store, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it.

The SECOND rule is to pay attention to brand. Almost all decisions as to weather a gun is good value for money can be made instantly just based on which brand it is. Some brands are better than others and belong in different price ranges. I’ll try to give a breakdown of some well known brands.

High Range:

Airsoft Elite – ICS rebrands with stronger springs and the necessary internal upgrades to handle the extra power.

Classic Army – Very well made, full metal Airsoft replicas. Known for excellent externals

Elite Force/Umarex – American company, they rebrand guns from companies such as VFC, Ares and G&G. Hold licenses to various trademarks.

G&G – G&G makes replicas in both the mid range and high range. They are known for having very durable components but being more difficult to work on.

G&P – These guys only make a few rifles and an M249. I’ve never shot one personally, but I use their midcap magazines and they are excellent.

Hudson – Hudson makes extremely high quality replicas, mostly of WWII guns.

ICS – One of TM’s main competitors, and one of the largest Airsoft manufacturers, ICS features durable internals and full metal bodies.

King Arms – Well known for their upgrades and accessories, King Arms also sells AEGs that originally come from Western Arms.

KWA/KSC – Known mostly for their GBB pistols (some of the most reliable GBB pistols you can get), KWA/KSC have made some rifles as well and they have proven to be of good quality.

Marushin – Marushin make some guns that fire 8mm BBs which is actually pretty unusual.

Maruzen – An older company with a proven track record.

Olympic Arms – These guys rebrand ICS guns.

Sheriff – Custom rebuilds of Western Arms and Maruzen guns.

SOCOM Gear – American company that rebrands pistols from WE-Tech and AEGs from VFC. Their guns feature excellent externals with licensed trademarks. Produce a high-end replica of the Barrett .50 Cal.

Systema – Basically the best Airsoft guns money can buy, used for M&P training. If you buy an upgrade for your existing gun there is a good chance it will come from Systema.

Tanaka – Known for their pistols, Tanaka makes a lot of really high quality gas rifles as well.

Tokyo Marui – The inventors of the AEG, Tokyo Marui AEGs are extremely reliable and upgradable, probably more so than the other big three companies. However, Japanese law prohibits them from selling metal bodies. Their plastics are of very high quality though.

Western Arms – Famous for their 1911 replicas, Western Arms makes incredible full metal GBB handguns.

Mid Range:

KWC – Company out of Taiwan, make a lot of gas powered guns with licensed trademarks.

APS/Javelin – Newcomer to the Airsoft game. Supposedly they made paintball markers and switched over when they noticed Airsoft was becoming popular. These guys make a lot of EBB guns and they seem to be fairly reliable.

WE-Tech – Largely a pistol manufacturer, provide clones of higher end models at a lower price.

Echo 1 – American company that sells their own versions of guns from various companies such as Jing Gong, Kart, CYMA and D-Boys

Entry Range/Chinese Brands:

Aftermath – American company that rebrands guns from various Chinese manufacturers.

Crosman – Crosman is the Wal-Mart brand. Basically all of their guns are low quality guns for the very young beginner.

CYMA – Chinese company that makes TM clones among other things, popular among beginners.

D-Boys – Sell a lot of M4s and have a very popular SCAR. They are one of the more reliable Chinese companies and known for having better externals than the competition.

Double Eagle – TM clones and LPEGs.

Game Face – Although these are sold by Crosman, they are actually the Classic Army Sportline series of guns. The internals are downgraded Classic Army gearboxes, and the externals are plastic.

Jing Gong – Extremely popular brand among beginners, these are probably the most durable and well built guns to come out of China.

Under The Gun (UTG) – Airsoft division of well-known outdoors company Leapers. They make a lot of tactical gear, and also have a line of low cost sniper rifles. They currently sell one AEG, an AK-47.

Unicorn Hobby Corp – Mostly known for cheap but reliable springers, UHC also has a line of popular low cost sniper rifles.

UK Arms – Low quality company that imports from China.

These are not all the Airsoft manufacturers by any means, and the tiers I’ve placed them in are probably arguable, but I hope that the list will help you to better understand the rather complicated world of Airsoft manufacturers. I’ve tried to place them in tiers based on what price you can pick them up for. Classic Army, Tokyo Marui, and ICS are the biggest companies and you can generally always trust products from these guys. Classic Army tends to be a bit pricier, but they have amazingly detailed full metal bodies. TM invented the AEG and features extremely reliable and durable components, but you can’t buy them with metal bodies. ICS guns are very nice, and actually what I shoot, but one downside is that they tend to be a little iffy with non-ICS components. It can be difficult to find the official ICS pieces they need, and you might have to end up doing some fabrication to make pieces from other companies fit. I recommend any of these three companies, and also Jing Gong or Echo 1 if you don’t want to spend much on your first gun.

The THIRD and final rule of not getting ripped off when shopping for an Airsoft gun is to do your research. Before making the commitment and buying a gun, make sure you are getting what you want. Many online resources are available that will give you all the pros and cons of the replica you are considering. If you can’t find any information simply sign up for an Airsoft forum (like our HobbyTron forums), and create a thread. There are a ton of people out there who really like talking about Airsoft and who will be glad to help you out. If you shop at the proper places, buy from a trusted brand, and do your research before buying, you will get exactly the gun you want. So grab a gun from HobbyTron and I will see you on the field.

Other Airsoft Necessities

Congratulations! You’ve decided on your first Airsoft gun.  I’m excited, are you? Don’t get too excited now, because there are still a few more things you will need before you get started. If you bought an AEG it most likely came with a battery so no worries there. If you got a GBB you’ll need to purchase some gas, there are different kinds and it’s important to get the right one, so do your research before you put just anything in your gun. Regardless of what you bought you will need BBs. High quality BBs are very important and cheap BBs will quickly wreck your gun. First of all, don’t ever re-use BBs or use BBs that have been rolling around on the ground. These probably have dirt on them and will seriously mess up your gun’s day. You probably got some sample BBs with your gun if it was purchased new, I would just go ahead and throw them out. It is extremely important that you buy high quality BBs, so find some good ones. Most gun manufacturers make their own BBs and these are usually pretty good.  Some companies, Madbull and Airsoft Elite come to mind, mostly make BBs and a lot of these are excellent. Ask around before committing to a brand. BB weight and caliber is important as well, most guns fire 6mm .2g BBs. BBs weighing .25g are common as well, and some guns fire different calibers, but 6mm .2g is pretty much the standard. Make sure you are firing the correct weight and caliber for your gun, or they won’t perform well and might harm your gun.

You will also need eye protection. It’s up to you whether you are going to use a full face mask or just safety goggles, some people don’t like masks because they interfere with aiming down the sights. Personally I wear a full mask and I suggest you do as well. Getting shot in the face hurts, and you could literally loose a tooth. You can buy a specifically made Airsoft mask, but paintball masks are the same thing, so just buy something that fits you well and has a good anti-fog coating on the lenses. A good trick to get masks to fit snugly is to wear a backwards baseball cap underneath the mask. I don’t know why but doing this makes masks fit infinitely better. Some Airsoft specific masks have mesh instead of goggles for the eye protection, I don’t like these at all but you might, they can’t fog up or anything so they’re worth a try. If you decide to wear only safety goggles without the mask, I strongly suggest a balaclava, bandanna, head wrap, or even one of the neoprene ski masks that covers the bottom half of your face. I can’t stress this enough. Some people wear helmets as well, feel free to. I also wear half finger gloves, because the knuckle is one of the most painful places to get shot in my experience. You can get ones with massive pieces of plastic for extra protection. If you don’t want to buy gloves basically any glove will work, spring skiing gloves for example are perfect. Just cut off the top of the index finger if you don’t want to mess with your trigger pull. Or you can just not wear gloves, quite a lot of people don’t. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes you can run in with good ankle support.

There is definitely more information to learn out there, and we’ll be going more in to detail on every piece of equipment needed as the series continues. You will almost certainly see people in full SWAT gear at your local field, but we just covered everything you need to have a ton of fun at the local field or with your friends. If you are frugal and look around you should be able to get everything you need for under $100, and still have high quality equipment. Have a great time and if you have any questions feel free to ask us at the HobbyTron Forums, or even come in to the shop for a face to face answer. So grab a gun from HobbyTron.com and I hope to see you on the field.

Advantages of Pump or Spring Operation

So now we understand how AEGs and GBB guns work, and the advantages and disadvantages of both. At this point you might be thinking these are the only two viable options, but simple pump operation has some advantages that shouldn’t be overlooked. When most people think of pump or spring Airsoft guns, their mind immediately goes to the cheap plastic pistols that can be picked up for $20 or so.  Even these guns have their place, and many of them make reliable side arms if you don’t want to spend a lot on a GBB pistol. Almost all shotguns operate on pump configurations as well, and most sniper rifles feature the same operation. The only difference is that in a rifle the “pump” usually comes in the form of a bolt to replicate the feel of bolt action rifles.

The main advantage of spring operation is reliability. These guns have very few moving parts and with proper maintenance will run forever without even really needing replacement parts. Playing with a spring operated gun forces you to choose your shots as well, and will increase your accuracy. Even before Airsoft became popular in America, this was a training technique utilized by paintball players. When playing with a spring gun, you can’t fall in to the habit of hanging back and spraying BBs all over the field from the safety of your bunker. They force you to be aggressive, flank, and find angles. Another advantage of spring operation is actually realism. If you are playing with a shotgun or bolt action rifle, pump operation just makes sense, right? Cocking a plastic Desert Eagle before every shot might seem kind of lame, but cocking a heavy full metal shotgun with a real wood grip is very satisfying. 

As for sniper rifles, many high quality offerings have very realistic bolts and can fire at extremely high FPS. Fields that allow sniper rifles to operate at FPS levels up to 600 or 700 usually require that they be single-shot only or have automatic fire disabled. If you can’t fire full auto you might as well not get an AEG and just get a bolt action instead. If nothing else it just makes you feel really cool, like a proper sniper. Don’t discount spring operation; it isn’t just for cheap guns. You could spend anywhere from $80 to over $300 on a bolt action sniper rifle. In fact, you’ll likely get shot by one at some point if you go to enough outdoor skirmishes. Expect it. So grab a gun at HobbyTron.com and I will see you on the field.

HOBBYTRON LAUNCHES NEW PRESS ROOM

HOBBYTRON LAUNCHES NEW PRESS ROOM

Information available for 2011’s hottest toys

Valencia, CA., September 23, 2011 – Hobbytron has launched a new press room page for the top products of 2011. Ten of the hottest and best selling products are included, with technical specifications and high resolution pictures. Each product’s page contains links to fact sheets, press releases and blogs for more detailed information and first hand impressions of each product. RC boats, helicopters and cars are all represented as well as the latest airsoft equipment. These will be the most sought-after toys of the holiday season.

Hobbytron is proud to be the top retailer of this season’s number one toy, the Phantom S107. The Phantom S107 takes all of the latest cutting-edge gyro technology and packs it into a micro helicopter that is incredibly affordable, easy to fly, fits in the palm of a hand and charges directly from any USB port. The Phantom S107’s frame is made from lightweight, durable metal and can take a serious beating, unlike other micro helicopters. The Phantom S107 will delight children, and also makes the perfect tool for office shenanigans.

Press loans are available for all of Hobbytron’s top products. We encourage publications to contact us for a product to review. Media samples of some of our top products are also available for qualifying publications. Contact Hobbytron or visit the press room page at www.hobbytron.com/pressroom.html for any and all inquiries.