What is a support gun?

[SteevoLS]

There has been some confusion as of late on this subject. To clear that up, the AOSC only considers an airsoft gun to be a support weapon if it is considered a support weapon by a real life military. That is to say...

• M249
• Mk46
• M240
• M60/Mk43
• Stoner LMG
• BAR

• MG36 (not a G36C with a C-mag!)
• MG42/MG43 (rare, but they do exist)

• RPK
• PKM/RPD (also rare, but they do exist)

• L86 LSW

At a standard paintsoft game feel free to run around with a box mag on an M4 or a C-mag on a G36, but don't expect to be allowed to do this at a milsim game. The reasoning behind this is to lend a significant advantage to players who are willing to haul around a 15-20lb weapon in the form of larger magazine capacity.


Rule of thumb: If it doesn't scream "machine gun" when you look at it, it isn't going to count as a SAW.

[UF_Jester]

What about an M-4 with a Shrike conversion on it? They are rare, but I know Team Banana down here have/had one.

[D.Smitty]

What about an M-4 with a Shrike conversion on it? They are rare, but I know Team Banana down here have/had one.

[img width=785 height=562]http://www.dndguns.com/images/03a-shrike-006.jpg[/img]

While it's only my opinion, I would call this a travesty.  SOMEBODY sure is ready for the zombie apocalypse.

[UF_Jester]

Yeah, they look butt-nasty. However, in the real world I suppose that would be a sort of support gun, hence my curiosity.

[SteevoLS]

A Shrike would be allowed, since it is a real-world support gun. I don't think it's actually been adopted by the military, but that's what it is intended for.

[Chippy]

What if we were to make a sort of HK21 looking gun? Not just a G3 with a drum mag but actually try to make it look more like the HK21.

[Dominum]

This is very simple; if you've actually made a good replica of the support gun variant of a weapon, then it will likely count. As previously stated, anything not listed in the AOSC game rules is at the discretion of the Game Director Rep running that game.

For example, if somebody else can look at it and their first thought is "That's a HK21!", it's a HK21. In order to do that, you'd need the slim heat shield with an integrated bipod and appropriate barrel. On top of that, the HK21 is belt fed; you could make it look like a belt fed gun by taking a drum or C mag, making a shell out of plastic, adding a fake ammo belt, and running that in to the receiver. It would be a big project, but we would by all means reward somebody's efforts.

[Chippy]

Ok cool. This is a project that I have been thinking about for a while.

[Avenger]

OKay, I know that JG makes a loooonnngggg G36 with integrated bipod. Is this gun an MG36?

[Star_folder]

OKay, I know that JG makes a loooonnngggg G36 with integrated bipod. Is this gun an MG36?

With a C-Mag, yes, it counts. I had a friend get permission to use one as a support weapon at TDC last spring.

[shiloh190]

Hope m not going to anger the mods by bringing up a dead topic but would a standard l85 with the drum mag be considered a support gun? If I'm not wrong the only difference between an l85 and the law version is the built in bipod

[SteevoLS]

The L86 LSW has a much longer barrel than the L85 or L86.

[MarksInnerDemon]

Hello guys finally back after 3 years of being all over the universe again. Here's the issue with support weapons in general.... Well airsoft and support weapons. A support weapon is a support weapon, and should be handled and treated like one, not another M-4 with a box magazine.

First the Russians for decades now have been downsizing the support weapons such as the RPK family. The RPK is a bigger longer/heavier barreled AK but designed for there "idea" of support rifle. I totally support there idea, and I also support that the marines are doing the same thing (if they do it properly) with the M27 IAR. The IAR is basically a heavier built 416 style weapon with bipod. It allows room clearing etc, and there has been word they are looking at the surefire mag5-60s or 100s. If that is the case then awesome, but the weight cutting they are talking about gets me nervous. However the Australian military, and British have been doing this and I am sure several other militarizes have turned to this as well since the US is about the last to pick up small arms ideas even if we invent the freaking things first.

Now what does this have to do with airsoft? If you are playing a milsim game, then honestly the difference of a weapon running a box mag or not is moot. It matters if the operator of the rifle treats it like a support weapon, and the amount per team/number of players that matters.

Just food for thought maybe knock out the requirement for the weapon system that is going out of date somewhat and go for a X support weapons (IE highcap mags) vs restricting types. I think the argument can be made both ways just thought I would point out the facts of whats going on with the world of support weapons.

[MarksInnerDemon]

Also on a side note i ran across this little gem from china which also shows the trend... maybe one day the US wont be a day late and a dollar short in small arms, luckily we usually lead every place else

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QBB-95

[Dominum]

This isn't a new trend, support weapons have been getting smaller and lighter for years now, but they are still distinctly different weapons. Even the support versions of assault rifles are clearly delineated from their non-support counterparts by the heavier barrel and beefed up internals meant to be able to withstand the increased heat and stress, and often have better means of cooling while obviously increasing their magazine capacity. An AEG modeled after an assault rifle with an added box mag is STILL not a support weapon; but an AEG modeled after a support weapon variant of an assault rifle is STILL a support weapon.