Shooting Show

[Jon B]

BaconButty, I think you have answered your own reply.

"I didn't see a single one of them claiming to be anything else. "

I have nothing against air soft as a sport, I have 1 good friend who is involved and the son of a friend, my comment was based on what I did see, three young men who did not present a good image for their sport.

[Mike357]

I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed with a lot of posts in this topic, considering shooters are often societal outcasts, I'd have thought you'd have had more respect for others hobbies.

The airsofters weren't there walting, they were there at the British Airsoft Show, there was a skirmish arena set up for them; therefore they were in their kit. I didn't see a single one of them claiming to be anything else.

It's also a bit rich coming from the flatcap-tweed brigade.

Surprised about that last line. Because I own a gun you have stereotyped me!

[toffe wrapper]

They were walting big time i asked one if he was playing today and he said no. So why come dressed as a T***. FWIW I have a brother who does airsoft and to be frank he is a walt as well (ex infantry so not perfect). I went once I have posted on this forum about that day. Even the retailers in the airsoft area were dressed ready for Telic?

I will be going to the show next year for the sole reason of Walt baiting.

P.S no flat cap no tweed I like clothing from the civi Berghaus range of keep me warm and dry.

1 bottle of wine 1 bottle of port
England 12 ireland 6

TW
Ubique

[Zilberbak]

Just wondered what everyone thought of the new venue.

A little disappointed that it was just like Newark (albeit a lot closer to home for me). l would even go so far to say Newark was better organised in terms of parking as the walk even with the pre-ordered ticket permit was a distance from the venue entrance. The walk for others on the grass on the other side of the bridge looked a right trudge.

A lot of pinch points inside with the amount of people with a complete stand still at one time near the outside food area.

Perhaps this was the practise one and next year may be better.

Also, what happened to Viking Arms as they were a no show (albeit eventually found a rep sharing the Team Wild stand).

Disappointed that one of the best gun bag makers had talked up their new products only for me to be told that they wouldn't be available for another couple of months making me impulse buy the biggest range bag in the world from another stand albeit the kind lady there knocked a fiver off.

Honest I am a half full kinda person, but not sure about the new venue.

[Gaz]

I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed with a lot of posts in this topic, considering shooters are often societal outcasts, I'd have thought you'd have had more respect for others hobbies.

The airsofters weren't there walting, they were there at the British Airsoft Show, there was a skirmish arena set up for them; therefore they were in their kit. I didn't see a single one of them claiming to be anything else.

It's also a bit rich coming from the flatcap-tweed brigade.

And tell us, what do you and your boyfriend get up to with those pink MP5s after hours?

The Walter Mittys walking around in head-to-toe MTP with massive beltrigs should frankly have been ordered to dress themselves appropriately before leaving their playpen. Massively bad impression made on the shooters present and I'll place money on you having left a far worse impression on the tabloid journo and his photographer mate who were quietly wandering around the show. Well done for screwing up the image of MY sport, you selfish children.

If you want to wear military uniform, join the military. Otherwise, wear it only when running around playing your games (which you have every right to do, of course) or take it off.

[Gaz]

Waltsofters aside...

As a first-timer to the show I was reasonably impressed. I'll be honest, shotguns and tweed aren't really my thing ... so you can imagine my thoughts when I walked in to find enough tweed to dress a mid-sized English town on display!

We arrived around half past 9 this morning. Parking was painless albeit muddy, and the queue for the entrance was about 15 minutes long in the rain without any form of cover - not a problem for me and my hat, but still a negative point.

Inside was mostly shotguns'n'tweed, which isn't my thing but there was a limited selection of rifles to be found if you knew where to look. Which kept me mostly happy. There was also a chap with a bits box which contained about 80% of the parts required to assemble a Martini-Henry. I picked up a .303 bandolier, a stripper clip, an Anschutz rod guide and a half share in a .22 M1 carbine. As you do!

In terms of clothing ... well, tweed aside, you could either buy checked shirts in shades ranging from "put in the wash with a pair of green socks" to "pre-season Wimbledon lawns", or moleskin trousers. Any trousers you liked, so long as they were moleskins! I picked up a waxed jacket for £20 which was a nice bargain.

Food was a horrendously overpriced ripoff. Next time I'm bringing my own! That said, the chocolate covered coffee beans were absolutely delicious. And the whiskies ... next time I'll set aside £30 or so for a couple of bottles. Some really good varieties on offer.

Overall? Nice day out, and some small bargains had. I'll probably return next year.

[BaconButty]

Ooh alright, does your sport make allowances for your twisted knickers too?

I'll just point out, I'm not an airsofter at all. Why should they have to get changed between games just to have a nose about? if the reporter wasn't aware of the existence of the Airsoft Show and couldn't tell the difference between the airsofters and the shooters, then he's not any good at his job is he.

[tackb]

I'm going to have to jump in here.

There was no reason for the airsofters to carry there mp5 replicas or walk round with holstered pistols , camo ok but 'tooled' up just to look round ? Really ?

[majordisorder]

I was expecting the worse based on what I read about yesterday's events! Parked about as close as possible with our "Priority" parking pass and promptly started sinking in the mud but ended up first in the queue waiting to get in. Don't know what all the fuss was about, we had the place to ourselves for the 1st couple of hours it was great.

Made a beeline for Dolphin and had a chat about my gun which should be materialising soon and a big thanks to ENS and the bush telegraph of Ovenpaaa and Christel for getting me dodgyrog's telephone number. Of course had the mobile phone system been able to cope it would have been easy but a bit of text ping pong and I grabbed some bullets and some brass from Rog.

Picked up a load of other reloading kit at some very good prices and had a generally entertaining day. Oh yeah, couldn't resist checking out Walt-world and was very amused seeing a couple of chaps on stag outside some of the stands. I didn't know you needed body armour for those bb's, they must really hurt :lol:

Roll on next year, a couple of variations when a DTA, LanTac and another of Mik's creation will be coming home with me................in my dreams at least.

[BaconButty]

No ok, fair enough that does seem stupid. I didn't see any of them with their toys while walking about.