|
Post by Da Vinci - Да Винчи on Mar 23, 2014 18:53:40 GMT -5
That's right. Western stuff is way too common, and Eastern stuff is bad ass. So why not switch some stuff up? I'm starting this thread just to keep a log of how my kit is building, cool stuff I get, and get some comments and suggestions. So, I want to go down the FSB path of Russian Special Forces. There's a ton of information online, and I've been digging deeply into issued gear. The basic kit I'm going for is composed of: -A combat uniform (I'll be using a Gorka, or "mountain suit") -Load-carrying harness (A Smersh or Partizan rig) -A helmet (I'll be using something along the lines of an Altyn or ZSH-1 helmet) -A weapon (Of course an AK) Starting things off, I have a correct pattern rifle. This one is an Echo 1 CPM I picked up off my friend for a deal. It needs some TLC, including a selector switch assembly and basic tune up. If I can find my black paint, the bolt is getting rattlecanned, too. Somewhere down the line I'll also get correct handguards for it, either wood or ribbed, as well as a PBS-4 suppressor and probably optic. And lots of midcaps. Coming soon is my helmet project. A replica Altyn helmet costs $300, so I'm going to build mine off of an old open face helmet. Expect many pictures of the process. This thread will be updated frequently!
|
|
|
Post by Gunny87 on Mar 23, 2014 19:23:14 GMT -5
Good for you man. There's nothing wrong with being different. I always tried to be different myself owning practically every variant other than an M4. Which lasted a few years until I got into owning G&P M4/M16 variants. I had a couple AK variants (VFC AIMS, CA RPK) and tried to do a proper Romanian Eastern Bloc impression years ago. The gear was pretty cheap and easy to get except for some of the uniforms were a little harder to come by. Anyways sounds like you got a plan of action and I can't wait to see it all come together. Good luck!
|
|
Ożga
New Member
Grom Petukhi!
Posts: 158
|
Post by Ożga on Mar 23, 2014 20:07:42 GMT -5
Do you have any reference pictures that you're basing your loadout after? Because I pretty sure the AKS-74u is fairly uncommon among many of Russia's military divisions; It's mostly for vehicle crews. I'd opt for an AK-74m or maybe one of those new LCT VSS/AS-Val's
|
|
|
Post by Da Vinci - Да Винчи on Mar 24, 2014 14:37:49 GMT -5
Thanks guys! And you're right, it isn't terribly common, but it sees some use by FSB and MVD I'd love to get an AK-74M or something along those lines, and I probably will, the only issue right now is budget. I got the Echo 1 from a close friend for $40, so it wasn't a huge hit on my wallet. Maybe if someone buys my MK18... As for reference pictures, I've been going off a lot of stuff I can find online in just general searches. Seems gear guidelines for Spetsgruppa are pretty lax, as there's a lot of variances. Here's some stuff I've found that I like the look of:
|
|
Matic
New Member
Kind of a smartass
meh.
Posts: 229
|
Post by Matic on Mar 24, 2014 15:08:23 GMT -5
Very nice man. I may consider joining you on the Easter Front. Fucking American Pigs...
|
|
|
Post by Phantom Reaper on Mar 24, 2014 15:32:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by snafu on Mar 24, 2014 15:42:01 GMT -5
Because this is Russian thread. Keep you kraut stuff in a kraut thread.
|
|
|
Post by Phantom Reaper on Mar 24, 2014 16:28:35 GMT -5
Seriously, looks pretty good so far. Will you be using Russian accent or no?
|
|
Ożga
New Member
Grom Petukhi!
Posts: 158
|
Post by Ożga on Mar 24, 2014 18:02:34 GMT -5
Ор рийт эвэрыдинг ин сыриллик энглиш? (Or write everything in cyrillic English?)
|
|
|
Post by Da Vinci - Да Винчи on Mar 24, 2014 19:55:57 GMT -5
Not sure if I'll go that far. I'm learning some practical words in Russian, though.
|
|
|
Post by snafu on Mar 24, 2014 20:12:45 GMT -5
All I know is that this pic you posted has come up on my Ruskie loadout searhes in the past and it always gets me feeling a bit jolly. Really it's such a sick setup, please make this exact impression then give it all to me. Dammit Tyler you are making me want to sell my mk18 too!!
|
|
|
Post by Da Vinci - Да Винчи on Mar 24, 2014 20:32:40 GMT -5
That picture just gives me a warm feeling in my panties. The gorka I'm looking at getting is this one, however the one in that picture is this cut, and I like the looks of that, too. And the pictured rig is a Partizan harness, which seem to be hard to find, so I'll probably go with a Smersh along these lines, or just setting up a battlebelt similar to those rigs.
|
|
|
Post by Guts and Glory on Mar 24, 2014 20:52:40 GMT -5
I am not an expert on modern kit, so bear with me if you will.
One of the important things to note regarding modern Russian impressions: If you want to be focused on what the Elite units wear, be prepared for a nightmare of research. Most of those pictured are members of the MVD's forces, not the Army (but are of course documented in use in military campaigns).
The reason why their regulations can be seen as relaxed is that they are able to afford buying their own equipment, or are given equipment for trial by manufacturers. Examples of manufacturers include SPLAV, SPOSN, BARS, MODOK, etc. There are so many camouflage patterns, cuts of uniforms and oversuits, and materials used by manufacturers, and these units tend to be swapping on the latest fetish. This is why you see them at competitions wearing Western patterns one day, and the next day they are wearing something patterned after old WW2 German patterns. Many of the patterns may end up never being used in combat situations, and you are more likely to than see such patterns in street shops rather than being considered issue. Some companies even make uniforms based on various patterns that never draw the attention of these units, but are sold as though they have been.
In regards to Gorkas, some manufacturers make only certain cuts, and some make copies of each other, but may make them in different materials. People often argue on the basis of which are cheap in quality, which is only exacerbated by differing material runs.
Ex: I have a Gorka E in SS-Summer Partisan (sometimes Partizan), manufactured by SPOSN. E refers to the cut, in this gorka's case, it is one of the lightest Gorkas available in material. Consequently, it offers less protection from the elements compared to heavier material Gorkas and those designed to be more waterproof. SS-Summer Partisan refers to the insert camouflage pattern, as Gorka E can be made with other pattern inserts (which is usually a custom order). It is based off of a Waffen SS camouflage pattern (SS-Oakleaf) but altered, as is the case with many patterns adopted by the various manufacturers. The Partisan name part can be confusing, since that also refers to a type of oversuit that generally has that same camouflage pattern which covers all of it rather than being an insert.
Names of camouflage patterns are never standardized, and many names are just what collectors tend to give them. For example, while Digital Flora was introduced under the abbreviation of EBR (which roughly means universal pattern like ACU referred to), people tend to call it Digital Flora because it is easier to think of it that way. So, beware of shops selling one pattern as another, as some patterns are hard to tell apart unless you know the exact ratio of colors.
Likewise, while there is an understanding of standardized sizing for both uniforms and oversuits, in practice this can not always be the case. Some companies make stuff shorter, some make stuff wider, some just are all over the place. Naturally you will want to determine your size via the various charts, but it is a trial and error process.
Which brings me to my last point, be prepared to sink money and time (well, this is airsoft, so you already know this). If you are ordering from Russia directly (market is good right now), it may take weeks/months for something to arrive, and you may not get what you want (color be different, size off, you just do not like it) and if you return it, depending on the shop/seller, you would be sinking even more money and time. I would suggest that if you end up not liking what you get, see if you can trade it for something else. Lots of people on this side of gear tend to end up with uniforms and oversuits that do not fit them or does not suit them and would be glad to trade for something that fits/suits them.
Last, last, last point: Do not ever lean against anything with paintball crud on it! Had that happen accidentally years ago to my Gorka E, and it still has a mess of yellow paint on the back. If you are going to spend so much on a set, don't let it get ruined in such a way. It is partially why I am considering looking towards more modern uniforms, since khaki m88 sets do not mix well with most of the fields here in Michigan. Mud is good, paint, very bad!
EDIT: Also, thank for reminding me how far behind I am getting in my collection. Why must I keep looking at things I can't get?
|
|
Matic
New Member
Kind of a smartass
meh.
Posts: 229
|
Post by Matic on Mar 24, 2014 23:14:05 GMT -5
All I know is that this pic you posted has come up on my Ruskie loadout searhes in the past and it always gets me feeling a bit jolly. Really it's such a sick setup, please make this exact impression then give it all to me. Dammit Tyler you are making me want to sell my mk18 too!! This is the kit I want to build...
|
|
|
Post by Da Vinci - Да Винчи on Mar 26, 2014 15:58:41 GMT -5
Maybe we should start a Russian division of MiA? More than just guy's with AK's. Guts, that was quite worth the read. I was kinda wondering on the Gorka suffixes. I really like the C cut, though the 3 (?) cut also looks good. So moving on to the kit, the next part I'm going to work on is the helmet. I really love the look of the Altyn/TIG helmets. They seem to be pretty popular in use as they're seen in many pictures, however buying a real one would be upwards of $1000 or $2000. And even the replicas are pricey, costing a few hundred dollars each. For those who can't afford those, DIY making one seems to be the go-to. Doing so doesn't seem to be too difficult, but going for accuracy poses some challenges. The first is the helmet's shape. (On the right. The left is a Maska) It's a very similar shape, overall, to an open face motorcycle helmet. But as you can see, the sides of the helmet that cover the ears are flared outwards. Most motorcycle helmets are flared inwards instead: Thought not a huge problem, it's certainly something small that would bug me. And it seems most modern motorcycle helmets really exhibit this cut, as well as a steep downwards cut, as opposed to the Altyn's smoother, shallower cut. So to solve these problems, I've been looking at older helmets. Ones from the 60's-70's and that general time frame are cut much more like the Altyn, which is certainly an advantage. Plus, the lining is also very similar, in being much more minimalistic and less "cushy". Now I can't find NOS helmets like these, and if I could, they'd cost a fortune themselves. So I've been scouring thrift shops and eBay, hoping for the perfect base helmet to come up. Once I purchase a helmet, the rest is pretty simple. Sanding, painting, adding hardware, installing a headset, etc. The next challenge with making the helmet is the visor I'm still not entirely sure how I'm going to tackle that. For the clear plastic to see through, I was thinking a cheap motorcycle helmet face shield, and cutting it to shape. Any suggestions for the actual metal visor, and mounting? I'm drawing a blank.
|
|