Classic Airsoft
From Airsoft Community Wiki
Introduction.
Classic Airsoft is a term that describes replicas and equipment from earlier periods in the sport's history.
Low powered replica guns can be traced back to the 1970s. Many of these replicas back then used proprietary ammunition of various diameters and shapes, ammuntion was not made standard until later.
Some early airsoft guns were single-action spring-powered items that the user had to construct like a model kit with paint and glue in much the same way as the non-firing model kit guns that existed around the same time. As the popularity of airsoft grew in Japan new mechanisms were invented to provide self-loading and fully automatic modes of fire.
These were powered by compressed refrigerant gas somewhat similar to that used today in modern gas pistols and sub-machine guns, sometimes fitted with an empty can to act as an expansion chamber (called a FLON rig after the type of gas used)
The term can sometimes be applied to modern guns that are tempramental, require an external gas supply or are of very limited production runs such as some models of the Maruzen M870 and M1100. In recent years Sun Project released a newer version of their M16a1 carbine that could feed from AEG magazines and a similarly modded version of the Youth Engineering MP5 was released by Escort. Shoei also periodically produce their MP44 and MG42/34 models. All these are thought of as modern or honourary classics.
Manufacturers.
Some noted classic manufacturers are:
Asahi Firearms (Bushmaster bullpup rifles, Armpistol, M60s, M134 Minigun)
JAC (MP5s, Armalite variants, AUG, M1A1 Thopson - JAC m16 mags are the most common classic magazines)
Kokusai (noted for the M16 Crimebuster, a flat top semi-only marksman rifle)
Sheriff (AK47, Spas12 and the very rare Highlander Magnum)
Falcon Toy Corp (Spectre SMG, AK47, various Galil models - VERY rare magazines)
Toytec (P90, Calico M100 SMG, M134 Minigun)
Shoei (MG42, MP44, MG34 - sometimes still in production)
Youth Engineering (Escort powered MP5)
Sun Project (Escort M16a1 carbine, bolt-action sniper rifles)
Tokyo Marui (Early Pre-AEG things like the shell-ejecting MP5A3 and Walther MPL)
Tanaka Works (Older model M1897 Trench Gun, WZ93 machine pistol)
Military Model Company/MMC (L85 variants. Previously used as donors for AEG conversion)
What is the attraction?
Classic guns are a very aquired taste as they almost always need external gas supplies to perform properly, the vast majority of them do not even have internal tanks. Many guns pre-date the invention of the hop-up system so have a shorter accurate range than modern AEGs. The high-capacity magazine did not exist in its current form until TM made them for AEGs so classic users often find themselves at a disadvantage as most magazines can only hold 50 to 100 rounds.
Although the guns are tempramental and accessories hard to find there is a following of classic gun users in the airsoft world. Sometimes it can be the only way to own certain guns as no modern manufacturer makes them. They can be used as donor guns for conversion into AEGs. Before the appearance of metal bodied AEGs classic guns were seen as being more structurally sound and realistic although this is not always the case. Some people enjoy the different sound and sensation of firing such guns. High rates of fire are easier to attain than with electric guns (up to 2000 rounds per minute for some models)
Mechanisms.
The Bullet Valve system was a common engine used in these weapons and can be thought of as a fully auto matic non-blowback gas system. Ammunition was fed either with a spring as in modern low/mid capacity magazines or by gas pressure bled from the main supply (method commonly used by Falcon Toy Corporation in thier AK47, MP5 and Spectre SMG)
Later refinements of this allowed semi-automatic operation with some companies adding burst mechanisms (some JAC M16s and MP5 variants feature 1,2,3,5 and full-auto trigger units)
Another popular mechanism was the ESCORT blowback unit used in Youth Engineering's MP5 and Sun Project's M16 series. This is a full-stroke all-metal gas engine and is considered by some to be the peak of evolution in external gas rifles as it provides excellent recoil and sound effect.
External Power.
The modern way of powering external-gas guns is with a gas system similar to the ones used in paintball. This can use carbon dioxide or compressed air.
A gas rig consists of a bottle (or bottles), regulator (sometimes more than one), a gauge, tubing and push-fits or quick-disconnects. High Pressure Air systems need two regulators as the air is stored at a higher pressure than CO2. HPA has the advantage that it does not cool down to the same degree CO2 will, so generally gives a more stable output pressure and is more resistant to cold weather.
Both systems need ways of recharging the gas bottles, for example a paintball shop for CO2 and a Diving shop for Air Bottles. The availability of refills should be considered by anyone interested in purchasing a classic gun.
