200 BBs in a single mid-cap? - review of Tornado magazines
With the current trend to minimize the amount of gear you are wearing; it is easy to find yourself in a situation where you simply don't have space to carry additional magazines. If you don't mind the rattling noise of hi-caps, you can still endure it somehow, but let's face it - nowadays hardly anyone runs with three mags of this kind. Additionally, the matter becomes more complicated when the organizer orders the use of mid-cap magazines only. Fortunately, the Tornado brand with its new line of magazines comes to our aid. My attention was especially drawn to the long mid-caps with a capacity of up to 200 BBs.
Who needs yet another brand of airsoft magazine?
During my airsoft career I have already seen a lot of solutions for carrying ammunition. It was not uncommon for me to count up to ten magazines in my colleagues' inventory. In such a situation, I am not surprised that they carry them on large vests instead of light belts or chest-rigs. This has its advantages. During an intense firefight, the probability that they will be left without ammunition becomes low. It also makes sense when the rules of the game allow loading magazines only at respawn. But frankly speaking, I do not like carrying so many magazines with me. I prefer less extensive tactical gear, where I simply don't have space to carry them and additionally, I usually get hit often and quickly, so I have no problem that I do not return to respawn for a long time and I have no time to recharge. Additionally, in recent years I have noticed that skirmishes are becoming less dynamic (#unpopularopinion). The breaks between rounds stretch long because people have to smoke, eat, drink and text their mom that they're alive. In my opinion, this gives me enough time to load up on a few magazines that I carry. As a result, I rarely take more than four magazines for a game. And so far, it has worked for me for a long time.
An observant person might ask how do I cope when I don't have so much time to top up my magazines? And the Tornado magazines help me in these kinds of situations. Already the normal offer of this manufacturer gives us models of magazines that can hold over 100 BBs, and in addition there are also those with 200 BBs. The standard hi-cap for AR replica is about 300 BBs so we are not that far away from carrying a few "rattles" when we will buy a set of such magazines. Additionally, the magazines have an interesting form, because they are not standard NATO STANAGs, but rather stylized as modern polymer constructions. The pricing on them is also fairly affordable. It starts from about EUR 5,50 for the cheapest models.
My impressions from using Tornado magazines
I have to admit that our acquaintance with Tornado magazines did not start well. To my surprise, at first, I had a problem with properly placing them in the magwell of my airsoft gun. They entered very tightly and I had to use a lot of force to get them to feed at all. For the record, I would like to add that the initial tests were performed on Specna Arms replica of the Core series with a standard Hop-Up chamber. Nevertheless, after a few attempts the magazines started to fit correctly and I don't have any major problems with them now. It is worth mentioning that sometimes at the end of the magazine, when we have only a few BBs left in it, it happens that it will not feed properly. In such a situation, it is worth pushing the magazine from the bottom up and then the problem disappears. However, I do not include this as a clear disadvantage, because I had such situations with practically every type of mid-cap I have ever used.
After a few months of use, I can definitely say that the magazines are working properly and deliver what we expect from them. They feed the BBs well, they require little maintenance. They are solid - they did not fall apart even when they fell to the ground or accidentally hit something hard. They have an interesting appearance, non-slip texture and in the 200 BB version they are slightly longer than regular magazines, which in my opinion gives the whole airsoft gun an interesting look. One feature of magazines that may arouse mixed feelings is their weight. They are noticeably light, which is normal for a plastic-shell construction. It didn't bother me, quite the contrary. However, I assume that some people prefer their equipment to be heavier so they could be disappointed here. I used these magazines mainly with the Specna Arms replica but also with the G36 from JG and apart from the initial problems mentioned above, I have nothing to complain about.
How about the competition?
I have already tested a lot of different magazines for replicas. I spent the most time with mid-caps for 90 BBs from Action Sports Games and similar magazines from Classic Army. They were correct designs, but their biggest problem was the capacity. Of course, if someone prefers to play in such a way that they change the magazine often, because this is how they feel more realistic, there is nothing wrong with that. However, I prefer more pragmatic airsoft. I also noticed that S-mags from Specna Arms have become quite popular recently. It certainly has to do with the fact that when buying replicas of this manufacturer from the Edge series, we get them in a box. I have to admit that they definitely have an interesting appearance and from the opinions of friends who use them I heard that they also work very well.
It's definitely easier to find good magazines for your airsoft gun these days. I remember that in the past the choice in the market was much more limited. In addition, I noticed that stores import more of this type of goods, noting that apart from replicas, players also need accessories. Gone are the days when we had to put the equivalent of a decent replica for a set of mid-caps. However, it can be seen that the magazine offer experiences a certain stagnation. Most brands introduce some variations on classic AR type magazines, sometimes also for AK airsoft guns, and that's it. The more I appreciate the move from Tornado, which has decided to release a whole range of interesting magazines with various designs and capacities, which also work perfectly well and are priced favourably.
Summary
If my calculations are correct (and they should be, because I painstakingly put away empty bags of BBs and count them afterwards). My Tornado mid-caps passed about 3kg of BB's before I even started writing this review. For me, that's enough to be able to make an assessment. I mainly play with your a typical middle of the road assault airsoft gun in burst mode. I do not use machinegun and I do not count each BB as a sniper, so I think many players can identify with these results.
For me, the Tornado magazines worked well and I always recommend them to anyone who asks me about them during a skirmish or on the Internet. They are not perfect. As I mentioned: at first, I had doubts whether they would feed at all, but nevertheless they fulfilled their function ever since. The offer of this manufacturer is quite wide and apart from the mid-caps for the AR family airsoft guns mentioned here, we can also find those for the G36 or AK replicas, which is an interesting alternative to those designs where the market is not so extensive.
Author: Boreq
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