Rifles without airsoft counterparts
The airsoft equivalent of firearms
Creating an airsoft gun based on the carbine we choose is only a superficially simple task. Admittedly, we already have developed gearboxes that we fit into various shells with greater or lesser ease. However, this is only one piece of this complicated puzzle. Even if we put aside the technical aspects, there is still an even more difficult barrier to cross. Licensing rights for some designs are simply hard to come by. It is no coincidence that, for example, in computer games, real names of firearm systems are abandoned. The rights to use them are either unobtainable or very expensive and publishers prefer to spare themselves the trouble.
There are ways to deal with this problem. For example, carabiner bodies for which the patent has already expired can be used. That is why we have been observing an increase in the offer addressed to supporters of ASH, i.e., Historical Airsoft, for some time now. Another thing is cooperation with a producer who already has a license to use the structures we are interested in. After all, these are not universal solutions and that is why we sometimes see that the market clearly lacks a new, interesting weapon system with an airsoft equivalent.
Spanish H&K G3
The first rifle I would like to discuss is the Spanish CETME. This is not a very popular construction that we find in many works of pop culture, but it certainly has historical significance. To put it simply, CETME is a sibling of the German G3. The fact that in Spain it was decided to build a national firearm instead of buying a ready-made solution abroad makes it an interesting design in my opinion. The long history of this model, changes in the cartridge used and the final departure from this design in the atmosphere of a small scandal make it worth taking an interest in. I have a feeling that the airsoft equivalent of CETME would be popular not only in Spain, but also in other countries.
Source: Wikipedia
Unfortunately, what makes CETME interesting in my opinion is also the reason why it is difficult to find its airsoft equivalent. This firearm system did not find widespread use, although it was tested by some armies. In addition, with such a history rich in versions, it would be difficult to decide which iteration should be prepared in the version for plastic BBs.
Big brother of Belgian FNC
The Belgian manufacturer FN is the creator of many interesting constructions of firearms. A large part of them found their airsoft counterparts. Among others, the aforementioned FNC. No wonder. The carbine featured in the highly influential 1995 film Heat in the Hands of Al Pacino is sure to ignite the imagination of many airsofters. In my opinion, however, the ancestor of FNC, which is FN CAL, is missing in this family. I'd venture to say that CAL started walking so FNC could run. This CAL was the Belgian manufacturer's first attempt at the new 5.56x45 NATO calibre. This construction, one might say, served as a basis to streamline production processes and rationalize FN's offer.
Source: Wikipedia
Unfortunately, CAL, although it was a step in the right direction, did not gain much popularity. It is quite a niche weapon, produced and sold in a relatively low quantity. This is a big barrier to entering the airsoft market. The more popular FNC, for example, has its counterparts for 6 millimetre BBs. A pity, because the CAL would be perfect for styling based on a post-apocalyptic scenario, where you can easily justify finding it in a civilian collection. You can also try to stylize it as a PMC group, a paramilitary or even a criminal organization, because such formations have more freedom in the selection of weapons.
Polish rifle GROT
It seems to me that many people, after seeing the title of this article, expect a new weapon system developed in Poland, which is the Grot carbine. This is another design based on a short movement of the gas piston. This is a popular principle of operation that is used in many quite modern designs of firearms. Just like Spain with the CETME mentioned at the beginning of the article, Poland opted for a carbine developed in the country. It seems, however, that in this case it is slowly breaking through with its offer not only to military units of other countries, but also to pop culture. MSBS appeared, if only for a while, in the popular Call of Duty series.
Source: Wikipedia
From the constructions mentioned so far, it seems to me that the Polish Grot has the best chance of being included in the arsenal of airsoft players. Maybe I'm too optimistic here and its still too niche design for airsoft gun manufacturers to bother with it. Nevertheless, the example of the Polish Beryl, which was sold with a small amount on the airsoft market, gives me hope.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the certainty that the rifle will get an airsoft equivalent?
As this article is being written, we recently learned that the United States Armed Forces has opted for a new firearms system. It is such a large military formation that, in principle, it can independently set trends also on the airsoft market. After all, there are a lot of US military reenactors. For this reason, I am convinced that the new XM7 system will sooner or later be adapted also in the version for plastic BBs. We just have to wait. If you have any suggestions for firearms that should have an airsoft equivalent, let me know on Instagram!
Author: Boreq
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