ARMOURY: BOLT PDW

AS RED CELL ARE SETTING UP TO LOOK AT A WHOLE BUNCH OF “PDW-STYLE” AEGS NEXT MONTH, BILL HAS BEEN OUT ON THE RANGE PREPARING THINGS AND HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT TAKEN WITH THE LATEST MODEL TO COME FROM BOLT AIRSOFT IN TAIWAN! FEATURING THEIR BRSS RECOIL SYSTEM IN A TIDY AR PACKAGE, THE B4 PDW B.R.S.S. AEG TICKS ALL THE BOXES…

I have to admit that being a big guy, 6’2 and with long old arms, I have somewhat of a “love/hate” relationship with the current crop of Personal Defence Weapons, or PDW models that seem to have become dominated by the minimalist sliding stock design. I accept that, in terms of engineering, the sliding stock design in its now myriad forms is a thing of beauty but as I have what is known as a “positive ape index” (which means my arm span from fingertip to fingertip is greater than my height), really short, small carbines and SMGs like the old MP5 PDW are usually uncomfortable for me to wield.

I have said many times that I love an “SBR” and, indeed, own a number of models of that style with 10-inch barrels, however, all of them have a “traditional” buffer tube and sliding stock. Most usually, these days I use a 14.5-inch carbine or an even longer-barrelled “.308” style rifle, as these feel most comfortable with my “ape arms”!

However, I do appreciate that for physically smaller players than I, the PDW style can be a godsend and that in a CQB environment this style also comes into its own in a major way! I know a number of players who totally rock their PDWs and of course, with effective airsoft ranges being somewhat more balanced than those in the real world, having a big old rifle gives you no added advantage, other than that of personal comfort in terms of manipulation.