We Have A New Blog -- Head On Over 3 Feb 2014 8:45 AM (11 years ago)

It's official folks. After a couple year hiatus we're starting a new blog on our website. You can view our new blog here: http://www.hobbytron.com/blog/.

With a slew of new products and some dedicated and talented new writers this year promises to be our best yet! Make sure to not miss out on a thing and head on over today!

HobbyTron.com's International Sales On The Rise 23 Mar 2012 10:18 AM (13 years ago)

Toy e-retailer HobbyTron.com began accepting orders from customers outside the United States about two years ago, and now orders coming from Canada alone account for about 10% of the e-retailer’s sales, says HobbyTron.com vice president Ben Ibarra.

HobbyTron.com, No. 498 in Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide, launched international sales by working with Bongo International, an international payment and shipping vendor. International consumers who go to checkout on HobbyTron.com are connected to a HobbyTron.com-branded page operated by Bongo where they select their shipping options and complete their purchases. Bongo then conveys the order information to HobbyTron.com, which ships the order to Bongo’s U.S. shipping center. Bongo forwards the order to the consumer and files all the customs paperwork. Delivery to Canada usually takes about a week, Ibarra says.
HobbyTron.com pays nothing for the service, as Bongo makes its money on the shipping fees it charges shoppers. A Canadian consumer can expect to pay either about US$30 or US$44 to have a 2-lb. package delivered, depending on the service level selected. Consumers get package tracking information as soon as an order leaves HobbyTron.com so they can track a package’s progress from HobbyTron.com to Bongo and on through delivery. Bongo usually ships using express services from FedEx and DHL, Bongo says. Bongo says Canada is the top delivery destination by volume for orders placed with U.S. e-retailers, with 26% of orders placed using its Bongo Checkout service heading north. Australia and the United Kingdom take the number two and three spots, respectively.

Ibarra says setting up its systems to work with Bongo was easy, as Bongo did most of the heavy lifting and provided the code HobbyTron.com had to add to its web site to transfer international customers to Bongo’s payment and shipping site, and to communicate order information and payments back to HobbyTron.com.
HobbyTron.com gave Bongo the product information for its 5,000 products up front and Bongo calculated the shipping rate for each product according to its size and weight, and so it could provide customs officials with the information required to bring the product into the country. To enter Canada, for example, entry paperwork needs to include information about where a product was manufactured. When HobbyTron.com adds new products to its site, Ibarra says he downloads the new information and sends it to Bongo. “They make it very easy to do,” he says.

Ibarra says it doesn’t actively conduct online marketing aimed at Canadians; it’s more that Canadian consumers find HobbyTron.com. Much of the site traffic from Canadians comes through HobbyTron.com’s efforts on social media like YouTube. HobbyTron.com posts about five videos a week to YouTube, which consumers pass along. “We do review videos, funny viral videos and they all promote the item within the video,” Ibarra says. “We get a lot of customers from all over from those.”

Article as posted on Internet Retailer, March 22, 2012.

Make Your Own Airsoft Gun 15 Feb 2012 11:03 AM (13 years ago)

Homemade Airsoft Gun - 15$

Have you always wanted an Airsoft gun but your parents won't allow you to buy the real thing? Do they say that the guns are too real? Have you always wanted to battle it out with your friends in public places? Well, now you can break all the rules of Airsoft. With this unique Airsoft gun, you and your friends can easily convince your parents to get you the equipment needed and you can battle it out anywhere! This beauty is easily identified as a toy and a plastic bottle so innocent passersby won't think it is the real thing. But still, don't go shooting other people or other people's stuff. That would still get you in trouble and because the BBs travel so fast it would damage property and hurt someone or something that isn't wearing the adequate safety protection. Common sense is something that one should never be without. So make sure you wear long sleeves, protective eye wear, and keep a safe minimum distance.

Now if I had known about how to do this when I was a kid life would have been much more interesting not only for me but also for my parents. I can only imagine the havoc I would have been able to wreak with this little baby and a compressed air backpack.

Following the instructions in the video are really simple. They go step-by-step in an easy to understand manner. Plus all you need to complete the gun are 4 simple items costing less than 15$. You'll need an empty plastic water or soda bottle, a quick release air compressor adapter, an air compressor blowgun, and a 7mm by 6-inch brake line. And then you will need an air compressor or a compressed air backpack, either will work fine whether you want to be portable or not.

It takes between 10-20 minutes to make and then you are ready to fire. You also don't need to worry about buying good BBs. Buy the cheapest BBs around because there are no gears or small components that can break with low quality BBs. This way your BB supply, although it will run out quickly, will not cost you an arm and a leg. Feel free to reuse them also whenever possible with this baby. I hope that you enjoy this little creation as much as we have. Happy hunting and we hope to see you at HobbyTron.com for all of your Airsoft needs!

What Is The Problem Here? 31 Jan 2012 8:59 AM (13 years ago)

Alright, this article kind of got me a little steamed. I am definitely not as composed as I probably should be here. I just have issue with people like this, not just regarding this subject but many many subjects. People like this just need to keep their opinions to themselves, but then again, they are probably saying the same thing about me. Read at your own risk...

(I have my own comments in the parenthesis after the article which is in quotes.)

"Everyone has probably heard concerned parents wondering if first-person shooters or other kinds of fighting videogames will have a negative impact on their children. In popular games like “Halo” and “Modern Warfare,” the graphics are frighteningly realistic with extensively detailed scenery, fluid character movements and all of the gory details that accompany a character getting shot or blown up.

"It’s one thing to leave all of the blood, gore and weaponry safely locked inside an Xbox console, but what about the toy guns, the Nerf shooter and the pellet guns that are available for even very young children?
I remember the brightly colored squirt guns of the ‘90s and the little hand held Nerf toys that shot out foam discs. Now, the toy aisles of most stores have a vast array of fake weapons. Nerf guns have ammo belts, laser sights and tripods, and squirt guns have turned into these monstrous water cannons that actually sting when they hit skin. Move a couple of aisles down and pellet guns are available in a variety of shapes and sizes with containers of shiny, plastic, pea-sized projectiles."
(Many have had the argument about the violence in video games. It is probably a justifiable concern. But where she takes this article is a little eccentric. It gets better so just keep reading.)

"I’ve been shot with a pellet gun as well; they do leave a mark and I’d say they’re definitely not a good idea for young children who don’t know how to aim away from the face, but my concern is how startlingly realistic these toy weapons look and what that means for children. Instead of a squirt gun looking like a ridiculous cartoon device only intended to shoot out water, many squirt guns or foam dart guns eerily mimic actual weapons."
(I am sure that when this author was shot by a pellet gun they were the nerd or the fat kid that was trying to tell the people with the toys in an overly superior tone that they should knock it off. If that was the case, I would have shot the little snot as well. Run home to mommy baby!)

"To me, the message that these realistic toys are sending children is that it’s OK to shoot guns and OK to have guns, because children are allowed to have them and they’re just toys. What would happen, then, if a parent left their handgun or hunting rifle in reach of a child who then grabbed it and proceeded to shoot it because it resembled a toy? How are children supposed to understand their guns may only shoot out a foam dart with a suction cup while their parents’ guns hold actual ammunition?"
(It dang well better be okay to have guns. We have the right to own firearms in the constitution. The founding fathers of this great nation saw it as a liberty that shouldn't be extinguished, that everyone should have firearms for the protection of self, home, and country. So the question that lies here is this: Are we going to raise up a whole new generation of wussies? Wussies who are afraid of guns, because they don't know how to use them, and they have been told they are bad? What happens when this country is in trouble, or there is ever a need for them to use one? They will be the typical Hollywood-portrayed freaks who are so afraid of touching anything "unclean" that when their generation is running the country, everything fun and tasty and exciting and stimulating of any kind will be outlawed. Just kill me now.)

Associate Bob, note the sissy hairstyle, the white gloves, the totally un-trendy robes. I don't want our society to end up like this. And it will if some people have their way.

"Young children won’t realize that real guns hurt people and can even kill people; a child’s understanding of the fragility of life and finality of death is limited at best. I had almost no comprehension of death as a child and, as an adult, I still struggle to realize that we all will die."
(Young children, teens and young adults know more than you think they do...and you, trust me on this one, know less than you think you do, as is the case with most overbearing adults. Children learn at an astonishing rate compared to adults. What the problem is here is a lack of education. They have parents that don't take the time to educate them. To set limits on them and help them understand the realistic implications of what they are doing. Here are two examples. A group of kids wants to go play Airsoft (Airsoft is the "realistic looking pellet guns"). They go into the woods in their neighborhood and start to shoot around. The guns may look real but they most definitely sound fake, incredibly fake. There isn't a chance in hell that anyone would mistake the sound of an Airsoft gun for the real thing. And these kids run around with their guns shooting each other and when people come walking through the woods they just keep playing and shooting. On their way home they walk around with their guns in view and even shoot each other and stop signs on the way home. There are a lot of things wrong with this scenario. Now for example two. There is a large group of Airsofters here in my neighborhood. They meet weekly for their Airsoft games. They go to a public location like the canyon, the woods, a field out in the middle of nowhere. They usually talk to the police before hand to let them know that they will be there. When they are on the field shooting each other up they are in full military gear. Their guns are more realistic looking than those of group one. They look like a military commando group. They aren't just running around yelling and shooting. They are hiding, strategically moving to corner and eliminate the other team. They look like pros. When someone walks down the trail and comes into the engagement zone they yell, "CIVILIAN!!" and the match stops immediately. They talk to the person telling them that they are just playing a game and they have stopped the game for them as they walk through so they don't need to worry and then when they are gone, play resumes. Who do you think will get the police called on them? Who do you think will cause panic in uneducated or overbearing adults? The point of these two scenarios is to show the difference between a kid with a gun who hasn't been educated and one who has. The second scenario always ends favorably whilst the first one sometimes ends up with the police being called and the kids getting in trouble and in the most extreme of cases being shot cause they won't put down their realistic looking gun. What are we teaching our kids if just because some are dumb and get shot while wielding an Airsoft gun then no one can have Airsoft guns? Is this really the message that we want to send to our kids? If this is the case then we shouldn't allow them to drive a car for fear they might get into an accident. Or they shouldn't be allowed to go to school cause there have been shootings at schools. Or they shouldn't be allowed to be at home cause burglars or fires or natural disasters. It just sounds more and more ridiculous as the list grows and grows. This reasoning isn't sound.)

"The vast majority of parents wouldn’t admit that they condone violence, yet many of these same adults buy airsoft guns for their children for Christmas without considering the implications of that action. Most of these parents probably wouldn’t let their child go out and shoot a real gun, but they’re telling these children that it’s perfectly fine to shoot a fake gun with fake bullets because it’s not real."
(That's right, it's not real. But it can teach them how to properly handle a real weapon should they encounter one. I would be worried about the kids from scenario one earlier if they ran across a real weapon. That is how accidents happen. Now the kids from scenario two, if they found a gun, they might still think it is just as cool as the kids from one, but they would more likely handle it with respect. They would know not to point it at someone's head. They would know how destructive they could be. They wouldn't just go around pointing it at things shooting it. What do your kids know about guns? Which group would they or you yourself be associated with?)

"That is a very complex message to give to children in an already violence-saturated society. And, regardless of the implications of realistic toy weapons on a child’s perceptions, another aspect regarding fake guns must be considered. Given the fact that concealed-carry is legal with the correct permit and reports of homicides flow in daily from the big cities, how are people supposed to immediately distinguish a child’s toy from the real thing?

Imagine a group of children playing in a front yard, screaming in make-believe terror as their best friend points a foam dart gun or a group of adolescents hiding behind bushes in the park, ducking and rolling and shooting each other with pellet guns. How would these scenes appear to an individual walking by, and what if that individual was carrying an actual gun and perceived the situation as dangerous?"
(I covered this in my earlier paragraph. And if the person carrying an actual gun can't distinguish between kids with fake guns making that make fake sounds playing a game or gangsters having a real shootout, then they shouldn't be carrying a real gun. Someone carrying a gun goes through training to know how to handle a gun and how to handle situations that would involve real guns. And I hope to heaven that you don't carry a gun around author. If you do, I greatly distress over the safety of the kids in your neighborhood!! I wouldn't trust you with a gun for any amount of money. You are dangerous. Such bigoted ideas about guns and fake guns and nerf guns of all things is reckless! It is irresponsible! It is nearly reprehensible! How can you publish this crap? I sure hope that people are smart enough to recognize that there is nearly NO validity at all to what you are writing hear. Write from your corner of fear all you want, but don't spread your disease to others, keep it to yourself.)

"In Brownsville, Texas, an eighth-grade student was fatally shot by police because he refused to put down what police believed to be a real gun, according to a January 4 ABC News article by Christina Ng. School officials called 911 to report there was a student with a gun. The school was put on lockdown, and when the student pointed the gun at the police officers, the officers fired shots, at least two of which hit and killed the student. Afterward, the “weapon” was identified as a harmless pellet gun."
(The problem wasn't the Airsoft gun. The problem was that the kid had problems. None of us can adequately judge where he was coming from. What was going on in his life that prompted him to take a gun to school in the first place? What prompted him to keep the gun in his hand and then point it at the officers? The problem wasn't that it was an Airsoft gun at all, the problem was much deeper. Did he feel like he didn't have any friends? Did he feel like he was an outcast? Did he feel like his family hated him? Was he being abused? And a thousand other things that we will never know.)

"The eighth-grader really had no business bringing the pellet gun to school and there was no reason why he should have pointed it at the police officers, but if the pellet gun didn’t so closely resemble an actual weapon, the officers probably wouldn’t have fired. If the pellet gun was, say, lime green and didn’t have the same shape and size as the average handgun, the incident would have been a simple transgression of school rules.
In May 2011, a 15-year-old student at a school in New York brought a “realistic-looking toy Uzi and promised to ‘start shooting,’” according to a May 27, 2011 NY Daily News article by Rocco Parascandola and Ben Chapman. The teenager was arrested, but a girl who was present for the incident said she still doesn’t “feel safe at school,” according to the article. Even though no physical harm was done, consider the effects of this student’s actions; his classmates no longer feel safe at school, all because he pulled out a fake gun and made threats. This is another case that would have been much more of a non-issue if the toy gun did not so closely mimic the real thing."
(I like how the author talks about it being the guns fault. It isn't the guns fault at all. He had his reasons for wanting to bring a realistic gun to school and then for pointing it at police officers. Again, that has nothing to do with the gun. If all Airsoft guns were "lime green and didn't have the same shape and size as the average handgun," he would have found a different realistic looking weapon. And if he was looking to die, which we don't know but can assume because of his actions, then he might have found any number of other ways to take his life. I have had many friends take their lives just from my neighborhood growing up. I grew up in a small town in a nice neighborhood. Everyone knew everyone else. It still happened, and we didn't have realistic looking Airsoft guns. Those kids had their own reasons for doing what they did. Are we going to ban all cars from the roads because people walk in front of them? Or because people crash and die in them? That seems a little extreme. Cars are too realistic because they are dangerous and cause accidents, they must all be banned! Just because some guy got in an accident doesn't mean that I should have my rights restricted. I love to drive. I am not an idiot behind the wheel because I have educated myself on how to drive, how to be respectful to others on the road, how to obey traffic signals, etc. Again, it isn't about Airsoft guns looking real, it is about the person behind the gun. This battle has never been about Airsoft guns, it is about the right to have a gun in the first place. I go back to the inspired genius of the founding fathers who wrote our beautiful constitution, they had the right idea. They had the vision to know what they felt were the most fundamental rights for us to have. The saying, "Guns don't kill people. People kill people," comes to mind. If someone is looking to hurt someone, or hurt themselves it doesn't matter whether Airsoft guns look real or not, they WILL find another way. The focus should be on the real problems in these situations. When a doctor diagnoses you with a sickness or disease he doesn't only treat the symptoms, he cures the sickness/disease. We need to cure the disease, not just treat the symptoms.)

"Realistic toy weapons just aren’t healthy for children or for society. Introducing toys to young children that mimic their deadly counterparts only ingrains the use of violence and guns and normalizes their use. Children are bound to want to send projectiles at one another, but if there have to be any toy weapons, why do they have to look like weapons? Make them goofy shapes and ridiculous colors and maybe the grip of militarization will ever-so-slightly lessen. "
(Your clarion call here author will inspire some to side with you, but you lack understanding of the situation and your misguided blame will turn people away from your cause. I suggest you get more factual knowledge under your belt and you learn to write about real problems instead of your misguided take on the symptoms of what is going on. It sounds like there are more issues here with you, author, than you wrote here in your article. "...the grip of militarization," I don't know what to say about that. Wow, maybe you should write an article about that instead of trying to push your extremist viewpoints in an article about something that is totally off-topic for this kind of message. Thank you for your time, you gave me something to do today.)

If you are looking for realistic Airsoft guns and accessories, then come to the one-stop online and retail store stop, HobbyTron.com. Where Awesome Happens!!

--This fun article was brought to you by the Kansas State Collegian. View the original article here.

Here is a comment from a reader posted on the article on the Kansas State Collegian site.

Anonymous

Mon Jan 23 2012 13:48

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but holy cow Kaylea. perhaps we should remove out thumbs to keep children from using their hands as toy guns. The solution to your issue is good parenting, I grew up around both real and play guns, from a very early age i knew the difference between the two and the proper handling of each. I have had interaction with the police half a dozen times while in the possession of realistic airsoft guns, you know why I didnt get shot? Thats right you guessed it, I complied with their commands and the issues were resolved with out arrest or blood shed.You should be embarrassed that this article has your name on it.

Airsoft Needs Saving Again, Who's In? 18 Jan 2012 10:33 AM (13 years ago)

Airsoft has been coming under a lot of scrutiny recently from politicians that love to be able to say they supported a bill that makes people “safer”. One of the big ones recently would require all Airsoft guns to be painted outlandish bright colors to distinguish them from actual firearms. California recently passed a bill stating that local governments can’t regulate Airsoft guns and that is the sole responsibility of the State of California.

While it saddens us to hear about these various bills and new regulations, none so far have been quite as ridiculous as the proposed New Jersey State Senate bill, NJ S810. NJ S810 goes farther than pretty much all regulation of Airsoft guns in America has gone so far. According to the language of the bill, “This bill would clarify that ‘Airsoft’ guns constitute firearms and therefore are subject to this State’s strict laws regulating the sale, possession, and use of firearms.”

Indeed, the passage of this bill would mean that in the State of New Jersey, Airsoft guns would be considered firearms and treated as such. This would mean, among other things, that residents of New Jersey would need a permit to possess an Airsoft gun. You would need to be 18 to purchase Airsoft rifles, which is fairly standard, but you would also need to be 21 to purchase an Airsoft handgun.

As we all know, an Airsoft handgun is no more dangerous or deadly than an Airsoft rifle. An actual real steel handgun is more likely to be used with lethal consequences than a real steel shotgun or rifle. However, when applied to Airsoft guns, the same is not true. This is because an Airsoft gun is not a firearm. In fact, the bill admits in its own language that an Airsoft gun is not a firearm, and proposes to change the very definition of “firearm” to include Airsoft guns.

The bills’ statement claims that Airsoft guns are commonly sold without orange tips, which anyone involved in Airsoft knows not to be true. It goes on to cite the case 15 year-old Floridian Chris Penley, who was killed by police officers after brandishing an Airsoft gun in their direction. While this case was incredibly tragic, by no means should it lead to an array of new and ill informed legislation. The inclusion of Chris Penley’s fate is an obvious scare tactic, and the bill does not mention that residents of Florida must already be 18 to purchase Airsoft guns under current law.

I don’t live in New Jersey, and frankly it’s too cold so I probably won’t ever go there, but this bill could set a precedent that is followed across America until we all need to fill out permits, undergo background checks and submit to a waiting period every time we want to buy an AEG. Imagine the restrictions that will present themselves once a simple upgraded piston is now considered a firearm part. Besides, if I can enjoy my Airsoft worry-free, so should the good people of New Jersey.

There are a few ways to help. Concerned citizens have set up a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-On-NJ-S810/347426451937271 with more information and ways you can help.

There is also an online petition located at http://www.change.org/petitions/new-jersey-state-senate-do-not-pass-nj-s810.

The language of the bill can be found at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/S0500/454_I1.HTM.

This bill is being sponsored by Senator Bob Smith and Senator Nicholas P. Scutari of New Jersey. Their contact information can be found at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=53 and http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/BIO.asp?Leg=237, respectively.

Please help support Airsoft players in New Jersey and across the country by contacting these senators, signing the petition, and doing anything else possible to get involved. Remember to exercise polite conduct and always be a good representative of Airsoft. See ya on the field and at HobbyTron.com.

Police Swat Team Training with Airsoft 17 Jan 2012 10:31 AM (13 years ago)

Monday was no holiday for the Missoula Police Department's SWAT team. The 18 member crew spent the day training, with lifelike Airsoft weapons.

The SWAT team was able to use the Missoula City Life Community Center's airsoft facility on Monday afternoon to do some of their drills.

The room was set up to replicate a house and SWAT team members went room to room looking for suspects.

Police say the Airsoft weapons are similar to the ones they carry in real situations and this helps make training more realistic.

"The nice thing about airsoft is it gives you immediate feed back, as in if you get hit in the right spot, it's going to hurt," says Sgt. John Weber, Missoula Police SWAT Team Leader.

18 officers make up the team and they train once a month. Weapons they used at today's training shoot pellets at 350-FPS (feet per second), and officers say even though they are Airsoft BBs, they have to wear protective gear.

Looking to outfit your local PD with realistic training weapons? Why not follow the example of countless other Police Departments across the country and head on over to HobbyTron.com and get your Airsoft Training Gear today.

Original story found here.

Choosing Your First RC Car 6 Jan 2012 4:26 PM (13 years ago)

Traxxas Mustang Boss

RC cars are a hobby that many people are attracted to at some point, but many people don’t follow through because it can seem like a difficult and expensive pastime to become involved in. RC cars do not have to be expensive or complicated, and with the right information anyone can choose an excellent starting RC car or truck for their particular situation.

Traxxas Maximum Destruction

One of the first choices to be made is what kind of RC vehicle you are interested in. Certain types of vehicles are better for certain situations, and some handle very differently despite being internally similar. For “off road bashing”, or generally mucking about in the great outdoors, RC monster trucks are generally the best choice. They have excellent ground clearance, large wheel bases and large rubber tires. These make them ideal for handing rough terrain. Monster trucks are great for jumping as well, because they are durable and can be made very powerful.

Redcat Racing Backdraft Buggy

Those interested in racing dirt tracks with be looking at buggies, stadium trucks and truggies. Both race in their own class so performance is really more of a personal preference. Buggies are lower the ground and are more precise. They cut into corners quicker than stadium trucks and are more nimble. Stadium trucks, however, run better on rougher tracks. They are also more forgiving and easier to learn how to drive. Truggies are a combination of the stadium truck and buggy, and their performance lies somewhere in between.

Losi Micro-T Stadium Truck

Those wanting to race on-road will be looking at street racers. These cars are extremely powerful and some can reach speeds of over 100mph. There are models available based on just about every real life car one can think of, and of course price and performance varies drastically. These are the kind of cars that can be converted into drift cars as well. Redcat Racing has a large selection of on road cars geared towards beginners.

Redcat Racing Shredder XT

Another important choice to make is whether to purchase a nitro or electric RC car. Electric is more recommended for beginners because electric RC cars are both safer and easier to use. Nitro engines work basically the same as an old car engine. They have spark plugs (sort of), carburetors, need the proper air to fuel ratio, produce smoke and need some way of cranking the motor over. All of these things can be very fun, and those who know a lot about internal combustion engines will probably enjoy nitro RC cars. For the average person though, electric cars will be much easier to learn. Nowadays electric cars are just as, if not more, powerful than nitro cars.

Traxxas Slayer Pro Nitro

Cars come either ready to run or with assembly required. Assembly of an RC vehicle is different from normal model assembly and can be very complicated for those who are not experienced. For this reason, ready to run (RTR) vehicles are recommended for beginners. This allows the user to skip the hassles of assembly and simply get to running the vehicle immediately. As with the hassles associated with nitro motors, some people find this is one of the draws for them. But while I would recommend someone getting a nitro car provided they have the dedication and time to put into it, I think that ready to run really is the way to go for a first car.

HPI Blitz

Once all of these decisions are made, choosing an RC vehicle should be a simple process. Simply click the appropriate category on the Hobbytron website, set the search filter to the appropriate price range and make a pick. With RC cars you mostly get what you pay for, but brands like Traxxas and HPI have been around for years and are well-trusted but the hobby community. Anything from these and other major brands is likely to be a good investment.

Mini Fire Fox

Check out the latest and greatest in RC vehicles at HobbyTron.com.

Where to Start with RC Helicopters 5 Jan 2012 1:52 PM (13 years ago)

Piloting RC helicopters can seem like a harrowing hobby to take up. Some of them are quite expensive and if they crash they may need replacement parts, plus they can be complicated. Many aspiring pilots have given up after spending $400 on a collective pitch helicopter and immediately crashing and destroying it. However, if entering the hobby is done properly, it can be fun, exciting and hassle free. The key is to know exactly what you are buying and to take a slow approach.

The first step to understanding which type on RC helicopter is best for a beginner is to understand the main types of RC helicopters. There are three kinds of RC helicopters, and they operate very differently. The three types are coaxial, fixed pitch and collective pitch. Coaxial helicopters are generally recommended to beginners for two major reasons. Coaxial helicopters are both the cheapest and the easiest to fly. Coaxial helicopters have two main rotors and a single rear rotor. Fixed pitch and collective pitch helicopters only have one main rotor. The extra main rotor makes coaxial helicopters inherently more stable.

The advantages of coaxial helicopters to a new pilot are numerous. The flight is more stable and easier to control, with a gyro taking care of changes in yaw automatically. The learning curve is much lower and the skill to fly a coaxial helicopter can be picked up in as little as 20 minutes. They also tend to be less powerful than fixed or collective pitch helicopters which makes them less susceptible to broken parts. As a whole they also cost much less than the other options which also makes them more attractive to beginners.

One of the best starting helicopters is the Phantom S107. The S107 is the most affordable high quality hobby grade coaxial helicopter on the market, is easy to learn and an absolute blast to fly. It is a micro helicopter and small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. The controls are so precise that within the first couple of flights even beginners will be able to land the helicopter in their open palm.

The Phantom S107 is also made of incredibly durable materials. The frame is lightweight metal and the rotors are made of flexible plastic with a lot of give. Honestly you can fly one full speed into a wall and most of the time nothing will happen. And because the S107 is a hobby grade helicopter, all of the parts are easily replaceable. Another great feature that sets this helicopter apart is its ability to charge from any standard USB port. Beginners looking for the most affordable way possible to try out the hobby should look no further than the Phantom S107.

One of the few downsides of the S107 is that the helicopter only features 3 channel controls. This means it can move up and down, rotate left and right, go forward and backwards and hover. However, it cannot strafe and uses a different control layout from 4 channel helicopters. This means that pilots will have to re-learn controls when they move up to a more advance helicopter. For this reason, those who are seriously interested in the hobby should really consider the Blade mCX.

The Blade mCX is the micro version of the extremely popular Blade CX. It has all the same great features of the Phantom S107. It has durable metal components, easily replaceable parts, is easy to learn, has extremely stable flight with a gyro and fits in the palm of a hand. However, the Blade mCX features full 4 channel controls. This means pilots will already be used to the control layout of more advanced helis. It can also strafe, which adds a lot to what the helicopter can do. The Blade mCX features 2.4GHz radio control as well which means objects or walls won’t interrupt the remote’s signal, and many Blades can be flown together at the same time. For those willing to invest a little more into the hobby, the Blade mCX is the way to go.

These helicopters are both excellent options for those just starting out in the world of RC helicopters. One other option is to purchase a flight simulator, such as the Phoenix RC Pro Simulator Version 3. Flight sims have the advantage of never needing replacement parts after a crash. Crashes are inevitable and will happen, and flight simulators are an excellent way to develop confidence in flying without having to worry about breaking anything. You don’t have to wait for them to charge either. Once someone moves up to collective pitch helicopters, training with a flight simulator first will save countless dollars. A flight sim is a great investment for those who are sure they will one day fly advanced helicopters. Many of them have airplane sims included as well, which is excellent should one wish to become involved in piloting RC airplanes.

The Phantom S107, Blade mCX, and Phoenix RC Pro Simulator are all available at Hobbytron, along with a full line of coaxial helicopters. Some people may prefer a slightly larger helicopter for outdoor use, and Hobbytron carries helicopters in all sizes with the same advantages as the S107. There are also some special coaxial helis with features like projectile plastic missiles or an attachable digital camera. To check out all the helicopters, head over to HobbyTron.com. Good luck and happy flying.

Jing Gong M4: The People's Airsoft Gun 3 Jan 2012 1:23 PM (13 years ago)

Occasionally products in various industries assume the moniker of “the people’s”. One of the first to use this tag was Volkswagen, which literally means “people’s car” in German. Since then terms like “the people’s bank” and “the people’s jeans” have been used by marketing whizzes to describe things that are useful to the common man. In many cases the phrase is used when a particular product is accessible to those who could otherwise not afford to use products of its type.

Today I’ve decided to bestow this title upon another product, the Jing Gong M4. The Jing Gong M4 is one of the most popular Airsoft guns for beginners, and allows new players to own a reliable, high performance Airsoft gun for much less money than the competitors. The Jing Gong M4 was also the original platform on which the Echo 1 M4 was based, a gun that quickly became one of the most popular Airsoft guns from an American company. Many other industry leaders have tried to follow suit, some notable examples are the “Sportline” models from Classic Army and G&G.

Nowadays there are many options for affordable Airsoft guns. Some of the higher end companies have dropped their prices or released new, more affordable guns. Many of the Chinese companies like CYMA and WELL have stepped up their quality and now produce more reliable Airsoft guns. But the original people’s gun is and will remain the Jing Gong M4. Back when Chinese companies were all but untouchable, Jing Gong stepped up production and made a viable, affordable Airsoft gun. When Echo 1 began to rebrand them (for the record, the Echo 1 M4 is now based on VFC and no longer has anything to do with Jing Gong) they became even more popular.

Jing Gong M4s come in many shapes and sizes, and now they are represented in quite a few price ranges as well. What makes them so great for beginners is that they cost under $200, have reliable gearboxes based on the Tokyo Marui design, accept parts from most major Airsoft companies, shoot hard and have good externals. Five years ago this was one of the only guns that offered all of these things for such a low price. Many AEGs from Jing Gong are available with metal bodies as well, another huge draw. Most guns from Jing Gong have these qualities, but the M4s have the bonus of being ideal for CQB or outdoor scenarios and being highly receptive to mods or accessories. Of course, it is also the standard rifle used by the US Armed Forces, a fact that has undoubtedly added to the gun’s popularity.

Jing Gong has continued to improve their M4s and the current incarnation sticks with the original blueprint of a reliable, high performance gun at an affordable price. The newest M4 fires 400FPS using .2g BBs and comes packaged with a 300 round magazine. It has a high torque motor and all metal gear box with durable components. It has an ABS plastic upper receiver with a metal barrel, stock tube and other metal components. The hopup and rear sight are both adjustable and the carrying handle is removable. It has a respectable fire rate of 500-1000 rounds per minute. In short, the Jing Gong M4 is everything one wants in an AEG, nothing more and nothing less. It is still one of the best options in its price range for all the reasons it originally was. Personally I trust them more than Sportline models as well, as Sportline models generally have downgraded internals.

The Jing Gong M4 is by no means the best rifle money can buy. But the Jing Gong M4 is quite possibly the best rifle for its price. New Airsoft players should definitely consider it and other AEGS from Jing Gong when shopping for their first AEG. It isn’t a bad option for experienced players by any means, and is a great option for those who want an M4 for their collection but don’t want to break the bank. Because they accept parts from most Airsoft companies, they can be upgraded to have the best performance on the field. Check out the full selection of Airsoft guns from Jing Gong.

Q&A: Is Airsoft Just for Gun Nuts? 29 Dec 2011 5:02 PM (13 years ago)

A friend of mine recently had some questions for me regarding Airsoft. He was interested in becoming involved in the hobby but was not sure if it was for him. I thought these questions were relevant to a lot of new Airsoft players and frankly did not like the answers that he got from others he had asked. So I’ve decided to repeat his questions and my answers to them here.

1) Is there a place in Airsoft groups for somebody who has no interest in firearms, the military, or any related phenomena? Is everyone who plays a gun-nut?

--Answer--

As a person who has no interest in firearms or the military, this is a simple question to answer. I’m just a regular person who enjoys the adrenaline rush and physical conditioning that Airsoft offers. I actually picked up Airsoft originally because I needed a sport to do in the summer when I couldn't ski. Most of the people I know have similar personalities and either picked up Airsoft as young kids or just enjoy the adrenaline.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter if you are into guns or the military or not. The Airsoft community is just like any other sports community. It’s just a group of people that come together and have a lot of fun, and really enjoy a game. If you are there, enjoying the game, then you belong to that group and will be accepted. I've never had anyone be aggressive or really even impolite to me at an Airsoft game. And for what it’s worth, most of the people I know personally who play Airsoft have never even fired a real gun.

Airsoft Scopes at HobbyTron.com

2) Are there some locations / groups / play-styles that are less focused on military simulation and more on just having good fun / more fantastical scenarios?

--Answer--

Technically Airsoft is milsim and you will hear people call it milsim. But unless you are at a scenario game, the games are run basically identically to paintball games. You will see people with military uniforms, sometimes even patches. But you will also see people with patches like "Raccoon City Police Department" (from the Resident Evil video games). I remember one local team was called the "Pansy Boys" and their logo was Duke Nukem holding a daisy. It is also common to play "Zombie" games, Capture the Flag, or "Football" (where one flag is in the center and a team has to take the flag to the opponent's end zone). My local place even does a zombie game every Halloween with people in full zombie makeup.

Tactical Airsoft Gear at HobbyTron.com

3) Are there quality Airsoft guns that aren't trying to look like real firearms?

--Answer--

Not really. There are a few that come to mind, like the Jing GongThunder Maul, but almost all guns you find will be based on actual firearms. For many this is a draw of the sport though and adds to the fun.

High End Airsoft Guns from HobbyTron.com

4) What is a good way for somebody brand new to try out the sport? Do Airsoft centers rent out guns/equipment?

--Answer--

The best place to try Airsoft is at a professional Airsoft field, they are all over the US and there is sure to be one in your area. Some Airsoft fields do rent equipment, yes. Call in advance and ask.

HobbyTron.com Airsoft Guns

5) How badly do the BBs hurt? Is it about comparable to paintballs?

--Answer--

BBs hurt, on average, much less than paintballs. They also only leave small welts instead of massive purple/yellow bruises like paintballs tend to. Just make sure to use common sense and keep a minimum safe distance depending on how hot of a gun you are firing. Safety always comes first, so if you don't know how to be safe with your Airsoft gun, you have no business firing it.

For any further questions about getting in to the exciting world of Airsoft, check out the HobbyTron Forum. We have Airsoft experts standing by and waiting to answer your question, so just post it up in the Airsoft section and we’ll get to answering it right away.

David Blaine: Street Magician 25 Dec 2011 9:42 AM (13 years ago)

David Blaine is one of the most well-known illusionists of the modern era. His first television show, David Blaine: Street Magic aired in 1997 and immediately started a craze for street magic. His illustrious career includes street magic tricks, large scale stage performances and incredible feats of endurance. He has been referred to as a modern day Houdini. David Blaine has broken numerous world records and continues to amaze the world with his unique brand of magic.

Blaine was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended various schools there while he was being raised by his mother. She eventually married and Blaine moved to New Jersey to attend high school before eventually moving to Manhattan at the age of 17. When Blaine was only four years old he saw a magic performance on the subway and was immediately interested. Blaine has a half brother named Michael Bukalo.

Blaine’s Street Magic special is widely considered one of the most important magic specials ever shown on television. Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller fame called it the biggest breakthrough “done in our lifetime”. Much of the show’s focus is on the audience, and this was really the first time magic performances were filmed this way. Blaine also remains calm and collected through most of the routines, not employing some of the classic patter techniques that magicians are familiar with or any over the top gestures. His second special, Magic Man, would take the show on the road around numerous major American cities.

After the success of his specials, Blaine turned to massive spectacles of endurance and strength. Most of these have been performed in public or on television, many have broken world records, and all are frankly amazing. His first show of endurance was Buried Alive in 1999. Blaine stayed underground in an enclosed plastic coffin for seven days. He ate nothing and drank only a few tablespoons of water per day. It is estimated that over 75,000 people visited the site during the display, and Harry Houdini’s niece even stopped by to say that her Uncle never could have performed such a feat.

Possibly the most amazing stunt ever performed by Blaine was Frozen in Time. During this display, Blaine was enclosed completely in ice for over 63 hours. Again he ate nothing, but was supplied with water through a tube in the ice. Thousands came to witness the amazing spectacle. After being cut out, Blaine was rushed to the hospital and treated for shock. Blaine claimed that he was not able to walk for a month after the stunt and that he would never again attempt a feat of endurance so grand.

Other feats of endurance by Blaine include standing on top of a 100 foot pole for 35 hours then jumping 88 feet to a landing platform made out of cardboard boxes, sitting in a raised Plexiglas case for 44 days without food, sitting underwater for seven days, holding his breath underwater for over 17 minutes, being attached to a gyroscope for 52 hours then escaping from shackles and jumping to a platform 30 feet below and being hung upside down from a building for 60 hours. Imagine putting all that down on a resume.

Blaine has also been involved in numerous charity shows for such organizations as the Salvation Army and Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. He also raised almost $100,000 for Haiti by performing magic in Times Square for 72 hours straight. He has announced a new show for May of 2012 that will apparently be entirely comprised of street magic and use all new material. One thing is for certain, David Blaine has some serious willpower and work ethic. Check out HobbyTron.com’s magic section for a full selection of magic tricks and gimmicks, including some from the man himself, David Blaine.

Airsoft Review: ICS MP5 13 Dec 2011 4:53 PM (13 years ago)

ICS Electric MP5A63 (DYT-ICS-63)

The ICS MP5 has long been a pretty iconic gun in the airsoft community. It is an attractive gun for beginners with its reliable performance and metal body. Until some years ago it was one of the few choices for those who didn’t want to spend Classic Army or Tokyo Marui money but still wanted a high quality gun. Nowadays the Chinese companies have stepped up their quality and many of the guns from companies like CYMA and Jing Gong are quite reliable. Companies like Classic Army and G&G have also started making cheaper models of their guns for the entry level market. So, with all these new options, does the ICS MP5 still stack up?

ICS Electric MP5A2 (DYT-ICS-03)

ICS offers a wide variety of MP5 models. The main differences are in the lower receiver and the stock. The SD models are the same as their corresponding numbered model but include a silencer. So an MP5 SD5 will be the same as an MP5 A5 but have a silencer. The silencers don’t do anything, but they look really cool and down the road you can extend the barrel into the silencer for improved accuracy. Stock choice is personal preference and should be an easy choice to make. The only options are retractable and full. I prefer full stocks but it’s all about what feels best. Retractable stocks are more versatile as you get the option between a couple of different lengths.

Electric ICS MP515 (HT-ICS-15)

The final difference between models is in the lower receiver, of which there are two kinds. One option is the “SEF” receiver, named for the letters that designate different firing modes (in German). The other option is the “Navy” receiver. The Navy receiver is completely ambidextrous whereas the SEF receiver is only designed for use by right handed people. For this reason, lefties should probably choose the Navy receiver. Those who are right handed should take the SEF receiver, because the fire selector switch on the Navy receiver models is places slightly awkwardly and those with bigger hands will find it actually touches their hand while holding the gun, and this can be fairly annoying.

ICS Electric MP5A64 (DYT-ICS-64)

The externals are pretty excellent on the ICS MP5 range, and this is one of the big draws to the guns. The metal is fairly high quality, not top of the line but not pot metal by any means either. You don’t get any official trademarks although they are stamped with 9mmX19 instead of having the 6mm BB stamp. They come with metal clips as well that are excellent. The externals are hardy and things like the sling attachment points aren’t going to break off. I’ve known a ton of people with this gun and none of them have ever managed to break it. I did find one unfortunate soul who managed to break one in half at the front grip, so it is possible to break them and they aren’t indestructible. But other than this one person (who apparently fell directly on the gun with its barrel pointed down), I’ve never known anyone to break any external parts of this gun.

Performance is good and reliable on the ICS MP5 line. They tend to come badly shimmed from the factory but if this is taken care of and regular maintenance is performed then these will run for years. They shoot around 320FPS stock with .2g BBs and shoot pretty consistently – within 10 FPS. The gearbox and internal components are capable of withstanding stronger springs than the one they come with, anything up to an M110 spring should be no problem and it is easy to get these guns shooting over 400FPS simply by dropping a new spring in. Rate of fire is respectable although not blisteringly fast. Obviously this can be upgraded as well with larger batteries or by downgrading the spring. Inside the V2 gearbox is very standard, ICS doesn’t use funny gears or pistons or anything. The wiring is excellent and should hold up for a good long while.

Many of the new ICS MP5 models feature the ICS split gearbox. This is a new style gearbox that allows for the easy switching of springs. Say your gun shoots 450FPS and you want to play a field with a 350FPS limit, you can easily switch out the springs. As any experienced airsofter knows, switching a gearbox’s spring can be very annoying. It requires a screwdriver long and skinny enough to hold the spring in place and is really a big hassle. With the ICS split gearbox it can be accomplished easily in 10 minutes. It is also possible to just have two gearbox tops with different springs, and then switching can be accomplished in seconds. There are a few compatibility issues with the split gearbox and non-ICS parts. But they have proved reliable and are very useful.

Overall, the ICS MP5 line makes an excellent choice for beginners or experts. I personally think they are worth the extra $50 or so over the cheaper Chinese brands as they are made from good materials and known to be reliable. I think they are a better option than “Sportline” guns from the big companies as well, as these tend to have plastic bodies and sometimes even downgraded internals. Another great thing is that with so many new options for beginning players, ICS are kind of out of style right now. Used to be you would walk into an airsoft field and see ICS everywhere, sometimes including the field’s rental guns. Now they are a little bit rarer which means you won’t have the same gun as everyone else (everyone else will have an M16 variant anyway).

Head over to www.hobbytron.com to check out some of the ICS MP5 models currently in stock and we’ll see you on the field.

The Life of Harry Houdini: Part 3 12 Dec 2011 4:55 PM (13 years ago)

By 1915 Harry Houdini was virtually on top of the entertainment world. He was an international celebrity, a top vaudeville performer and had amazed millions with his illusions either directly or indirectly. But in the coming years his fame would continue to grow ever larger. 1915 was the first year Houdini performed his famous “Buried Alive” stunt that would become one of his most famous routines. The first variation almost killed him. He was put six feet under (literally, six feet) and became panicked as he attempted to dig himself out. As his hand broke the surface he became unconscious and had to be rescued by his assistants.

His second variation of “Buried Alive” didn’t appear until 1926 and was intended to debunk a performer named Rahman Bey who claimed to use supernatural powers to stay sealed in a casket for an hour. Houdini was placed in a casket that was then submerged in the pool of New York’s Hotel Shelton. He remained there for an hour and a half. Later that same year he performed the stunt again in Massachusetts. Houdini had a third variation planned but it is unknown whether he every performed the stunt, as he died the year before it was planned to be unveiled.

“Buried Alive” was not Houdini’s first or last attempt at debunking those who claimed the use of supernatural powers in their illusions or performances. He debunked many purported mediums such as Mina Crandon and George Valentine by going to séances undercover and brining reporters along. He wrote a book about his debunking quests, titled “A Magician Among the Spirits”. Interestingly, a man by the name of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed that Houdini himself used supernatural powers to achieve his illusions and released a book in 1931 claiming exactly that.

Houdini created a number of short films in the early 1900’s and would show them at his performances. Many of these films are now lost and the nature of some of them is unknown. Regardless, in 1909 Houdini made a film for French audiences titled “Merveilleux Exploits du Célébre Houdini à Paris” (Marvellous Exploits of the Famous Houdini in Paris). It was mostly comprised of footage of his most famous escapes, with a narrative thrown in almost as an afterthought. This and his various other short films, as well as his massive fame, got him the starring part in “The Master Mystery”. This part secured him a contract with Paramount Pictures, for whom he starred in “The Grim Game” and “Terror Island”.

After these two films, Houdini started his own production company and named it Houdini Picture Corporation. HPC produced two films in which Houdini starred, titled “The Man from Beyond” and “Haldane of the Secret Service”. His films had little success and Houdini left the film business in 1923. He still managed to get himself a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame though.

Houdini continued to do his stage spectaculars, with the longest run of his career coming from “Cheer Up”, which has been described as a patriotic extravaganza. Many of his most famous routines were featured in the show and he also made an Elephant vanish and performed his underwater box escape as a special stage version. This was the height of Houdini’s fame, evidenced by the 1920 edition of Funk & Wagnall's dictionary including “houdinize” as a verb that meant to wriggle oneself free from something.

Houdini died on Halloween 1926. He died at age 52, the number of cards in a standard playing deck. He was half way through his life and aged 26 in 1900, almost as if the new century cut the deck of his life exactly in the center. Despite Houdini’s aggravation with those who claimed spiritual powers, his wife Bess conducted séances on Halloween every year after his death till 1937. They were attended by famous magicians and old friends of Houdini. Although Bess eventually stopped the séances, they continue around the world to this day.

Love MAGIC? We all love to see a well executed magic trick. Come check out our all new magic tricks by famous magicians at HobbyTron.com

The Life of Harry Houdini: Part 2 8 Dec 2011 4:43 PM (13 years ago)

Houdini returned to America as an international superstar. While in Europe he escaped from many notorious jails after being stripped naked and searched. He also won a court case in Germany after he was accused of using bribery to aide in his escapes. Legend has it that he won the case after opening the judge’s safe, which it turns out he had just forgotten to lock. Fact states that he demonstrated a few of his handcuff techniques for the courtroom, including revealing the fact that some handcuffs could be escaped from by simply banging them on a hard object. In London he escaped from the “Mirror Cuffs”, which had taken a blacksmith 5 years to build and had locks that were impossible to pick. Houdini escaped from the cuffs in about an hour.

Houdini bought a luxurious Brownstone residence with his newfound wealth upon his return. His whole family moved in and it would be his base of operations for years. The year after his return, Houdini stunned spectators by escaping from the prison cell in Washington D.C. that once held Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated President James Garfield. By this point Houdini was a force to be reckoned with, and in the next few years his list of accomplishments grew ever longer.

Over the next few years Houdini would invent some of his most celebrated illusions, such as his manacled bridge jumps and his extremely famous milk can escapes. If Houdini was unable to escape from the milk can and did not receive assistance, he would have drowned. This added a level of danger to the act that would become a sort of signature of Houdini’s performances. In 1908 he wrote a controversial book called “The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin”. In the book he would accuse his former hero (Houdini’s stage name is simply Houdin with the addition of an “I”, which Houdini incorrectly believed meant “like Houdin” in French. The book would accuse Houdin of performing old routines and claiming them as his own, and Houdini actually traced the original origins of many of Houdin’s routines. He also claimed that Houdin exaggerated many of his accomplishments, a criticism that would occasionally be thrown at Houdini by other magicians.

Houdini was interested in flight and aviation, and in 1910 did something truly remarkable when he flew his Voisin Biplane in Sydney, Australia. It was one of the first human flights ever recorded, lasted a full three minutes, and was the first human flight recorded on camera. Houdini’s performances would become even more dangerous and exciting in the next few years as he created his underwater box escape and his Chinese Water Torture Cell escape, the latter of which is the illusion for which Houdini is best known.

The Chinese Water Torture Cell escape involved Houdini being lowered upside down into a locked steel and glass container filled with water. The performance involved Houdini holding his breath for over three minutes. It quickly became one of his most celebrated acts and he performed it for the rest of his life. Popular belief is that Houdini died while performing this escape and his death was portrayed that way in two separate Hollywood films. In fact, the Chinese Water Torture Cell escape had nothing to do with the death of Houdini.

1913 was a year of great change for Harry Houdini, who finally legally changed his name from Ehrich Weiss. On July 17, 1913, Cecilia Weiss died. Houdini was performing for the Swedish Royal Family at the time and apparently fainted when he was delivered the news after the performance. Houdini always was a family man. His career showed no signs of slowing down and would only continue to grow as he enjoyed his spot as America’s top vaudeville performer. Soon Houdini would turn his gaze to another form of entertainment as well – the silver screen.

Interested in MAGIC? Come check out our huge supply of magic tricks at HobbyTron.com.

New Airsoft Field to Open in Los Angeles 8 Dec 2011 3:06 PM (13 years ago)

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 7 Dec 2011 11:43 PM (13 years ago)

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 5 Dec 2011 4:18 PM (13 years ago)

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 2 Dec 2011 4:46 PM (13 years ago)

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 1 Dec 2011 3:36 PM (13 years ago)

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 1 Dec 2011 10:54 AM (13 years ago)

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 24 Oct 2011 11:05 AM (13 years ago)

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 20 Oct 2011 10:34 AM (13 years ago)

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 13 Oct 2011 10:19 AM (13 years ago)

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 12 Oct 2011 10:54 AM (13 years ago)

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.

Gas Operation 12 Oct 2011 10:45 AM (13 years ago)

At one point, before AEGs came around in the 1990s, all semi-automatic Airsoft guns were powered by gas. These generally had external tanks for the gas (like paintball guns), and worked quite well, but they weren’t very compact. Nowadays when you buy a gas Airsoft pistol you will most likely be buying a Gas Blowback. GBB guns are very popular as side arms, and before AEPs (Automatic Electric Pistols) came out a few years ago gas-powered guns were basically the only option for a semi-automatic Airsoft pistol. “Blowback” refers to the fact that the gun actually cycles the slide when firing, providing a much more realistic feel. Gas pistols exist that do not cycle the slide, called NBB (No Blowback) guns. These are more efficient than GBB guns because they operate essentially the same way but do not waste gas cycling the slide. They aren’t anywhere near as fun though. There is also an alternative to GBB called EBB, or Electric Blowback. These guns use a battery to cycle the slide. Unfortunately they don’t work very well. They don’t fire BBs at a high enough FPS. They also have slow firing rates and the action of the slide isn’t very realistic. They generally won’t be exact 1:1 scale replicas and are produced on the cheap. I would not recommend an EBB Airsoft gun.

GBB is generally used in handguns, although SMGs and even rifles exist. A lot of the crazier GBB guns are really complicated and don’t work that well, but there are many extremely solid GBB pistols available. There are a few drawbacks to GBB handguns and a couple advantages. The drawbacks include bad efficiency compared to battery-powered guns, performance being affected by weather, generally plastic bodies, lower accuracy at distance, and required knowledge of the different available gasses. The main advantage is that they are just a riot; it’s pretty much the closest you can get to shooting an actual firearm. Most of them can also be field stripped, or taken apart quickly without the need for tools.

Gas Blowback operation isn’t too complicated, there are actually less moving parts than in an AEG. They have hammers and slides and operate more like real steel firearms than AEGs as well. It all begins with filling up the mag with gas through the filling valve, and loading up. The hammer on GBB handguns is actually just cosmetic; the real hammer is inside the gun sitting underneath the cosmetic hammer. When the trigger is pulled the hammer strikes the firing valve, which is a valve located above where the gas is stored in liquid form. When the firing valve is struck it opens, allowing gas to rush up from the magazine into the cylinder. From the cylinder the gas continues to travel out the barrel, firing the BB. At the same time, pressure in the cylinder forces back the blowback ram. When the ram gets forced back, so does the slide. The slide is the top part of the gun that goes back and forward when you fire just like with a real steel pistol. When the slide moves back it cocks the hammer again, which in turn closes the firing valve and stops the flow of gas into the pistol. At this point a spring that is attached to the cylinder begins pulling it back into place. Without this spring the slide would just be loose and go wherever it wanted. As the slide returns to its starting position it grabs another BB from the top of the magazine and chambers the round. At this point the cycle is complete and another BB is ready to be fired. All this happens in a fraction of a second, and GBB guns can pretty much fire as fast as you can pull the trigger. Some are fully automatic as well, certain Glock models for example.

These are the inner workings of a GBB pistol. As you can see, the operation is not too far off from that of a real steel firearm. GBB guns provide an exciting change from springers or AEGs, and although they require more maintenance and are less efficient, the enjoyment you will get out of them is worth the cost. They make excellent side arms and are the most fun Airsoft guns to target shoot with. There are many high quality GBB Airsoft guns on the market, and there is sure to be a perfect one for you at HobbyTron.com. See you on the field.

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