AAR Shooters Airsoft 9.12.10

[Komissar]

Shooters Opening Day Event was held at their Paintball field in Nicolaus. It was advertised on our forum to invite operators to come out and see their attempt at running an Airsoft venue. It is my opinion, that they believe Airsoft and Paintball to be the same commercial activity, and have no understanding of how to run a successful Airsoft field.

The event had been posted well in advance to give operators, and Shooters ample time to prepare. On the forum several operators asked questions and posted opinions on the information given. I personally drove out and met with a field manager the week prior to get a better idea of his ideas on how it was going to be run. I was optimistic and reserved making any decision until today when I attended their event.

What follows is not an AAR. I was there from 9:45 until 11:45, and will attempt to convey my experience in this brief.

BRIEFING:

Shooters themselves posted this information on our forum: “Sunday, September 12, 2010 open 10am close??” I arrived ready at 0945 and entered the building. In the back, I found a small room with kids (13-15 years old) readying to play paintball. I asked for two waivers and Kattiana and I
filled them out in another part of the hall. (A great deal is mentioned concerning liability and safety however, a complete ignorance of the staff is demonstrated throughout the time spent at Shooters). When we returned to the room, we were loaned two socks to place over the barrel of our AEGs for “safety”. I purchased the REQUIRED BB’s at $15 per bag. (Bioval .25’s in black) We were sent outside to follow the white cones to find the field. The staff selling the BB’s were very friendly and eager to help, and obviously overwhelmed by the groups of kids running around renting equipment, and buying paintballs. The neighborly feel did little to make up for the lack of professionalism.

We followed the cones behind the office up a steep incline, ducking branches. We continued down a dirt path to some tables designated the ready area, where four other people waited near some tables. After waiting a while, we met another staff member who offered us a tour of the field. I will describe what we were shown.

First area was approximately 250 feet across in any direction with small sparse trees. (Yes you can see across the field). The ground has been scrapped to the dirt by a tractor, and the sticks stacked between the trees in makeshift ‘fences’. (Our guide called them “bunkers”). He was excited to show us a trench which is approximately knee deep filling with sand, which stretches along one of the fence lines. (Again this was a  “bunker”). That is a nearly complete description of the first area.

Entering through a gate into the second area which felt longer but narrower than the first we continued the tour. We were shown a wooden scaffolding “tower”, and another platform at near five feet in height that seemed high points to the tour. From the rails of these structures hung a burlap material that was expected to protect any individual foolish enough to ascend them. This area had
also been scrapped to the dirt, leaving blackberry patches to make up for the lack of trees or shade. We were asked to follow him back to begin chrono.

At chrono, no one checked that the BB’s being used were indeed the ones sold to them; or used any of the fail safes to keep dishonest operators from entering with ‘hot’ guns. I assisted the young man with his job because he hadn’t chronoed an Airsoft gun before. We were again told that this chronoing was to insure safety for liability reasons. Then we returned to the tables to wait. It was approaching 1145, while we waited and watched the paintball kids led onto the field we had
toured earlier.

The nice guy who had given us the tour, came up to the tables and said he would take us out to start the first game! After two hours, we had seen a ten minute tour and had chonoed the AEGs of all twelve operators present! We were led under paintball netting toward a field covered in large white plastic barrels. The staff then told Kattiana that mesh eye protection was not allowed due to safety and insurance liability. (The guy next to me sported a white t-shirt, ball cap, and wrap around sunglasses. But they had lenses not mesh.

At this time, two hours after arriving (0945-1145), we decided to thank our hosts and not concern ourselves with waiting for the “free lunch”. I had seen and heard enough from the friendly staff to give at least this synopsis.

KOMISSAR’s OPINION:

They have a friendly and helpful staff who are admittedly ignorant of the type of commercial venue they are attempting to run. Anyone wishing to enter into business, of any nature, is set to fail when they have not done their homework, and have little understanding of the client market. Shooters again had tremendous potential, but is doomed in ignorance while trying to run their Airsoft events with a paintball mentality.

They would be better off to employ someone who has knowledge of popular Airsoft or at the least, attend a few quality Airsoft events.

They need to start their events at the time posted. 1000 is a late start already, but by 1145 to be walking out to the first game is ridiculous. No one would pay twice for this. I wouldn’t pay once!

The posting by Shooters themselves to our forum stated,” Under 18 Full sealed goggles with full face shield (paintball style) 18 and older full sealed goggles (no safety glasses)”. No where is it written that MESH cannot be used. Kattiana’s mask is a full face shield, and both hers and mine are a full sealed goggle. They are approved for protection far beyond the jewel rate for .25 gram ammunition at even 500 fps point blank. But the wrap around sun glasses on the guy next to me will pass, and they look cool too!

I will add on this note, that mesh are safer. How can this be you ask? How many operators, or paintballers briefly remove their eye protection due to fogging while on the field? Is this not the risk we are concerned with?

Airsoft is not paintball, and any field you can shoot to the other side of is likely too small. They have 150 acres to work with, but no understanding of what Airsofters want. Perhaps they should go tour some successful fields? Several.

If you are going to advertise terrain improvements such as towers or trenches they should be useful, and built with a field design in mind.

That being said, the field builders need to understand what would be considered ‘cover’ to an Airsoft operator. Loose sticks stacked between trees don’t stop BB’s. Especially when everyone is on full auto. I wouldn’t hide behind burlap either!

Paintball cloth/mesh used for safety screen will not stop close range BB’s fired at high fps. (safety?)

Providing black biodegradable BB’s is no better than the brown biodegradable BB’s. However, if operators can follow the fire of their BB’s they will fire less round to hit their target. With black BB’s they will spray
and pray having to fire thousands more black BB’s to hit the same target. (Don’t tell me about scopes and control, we are talking general public here) They will fire full auto until they hear hit. This produces poor operators, and dumbs down the public on firearm use. The only person it benefits is the one selling the BB’s. Hmmmm?

Safety and liability are the words most used by the staff at Shooters. However, I believe that to be safe, they first need educate themselves on the venture they are attempting. How can they hope to control what they don’t understand?

This was also posted by Shooters on our forum as an AEG limit: “Sniper rifles .20 BBs 500 FPS min engagement distance 100’ (semi fire only)”. This translates into a CA25 style upgraded long rifle (651mm tight bore), firing .25 gram ammunition at 465 fps as fast as you can pull the trigger! (Did I add that a ten year old could be the one pulling the trigger?) These are the same nice folks who are about safety and liability!

This is not complete, but it is enough to spur discussion.

[Phoenix]

I knew it. I knew when I first read the description these guys were in the paintball business. Opening day is when you need to shine, not look silly and ill prepared. This smacked of business above all from the get go. I'm going to go ahead and apologize now for everything I say here, especially since I wasn't there, because I find myself getting irritated because I wanted so badly to be wrong. I wanted this field to be great and prove me wrong. There are so few great, dedicated fields out there. Heck, from what I've heard DRAEX field is about the only dedicated field worth visiting for a real airsoft experience. The best alternatives are those events held on public land (e.g. Cimmerians)

I expect Shooters to make some comment about the failures and what they're gonna do to improve. I expect them to follow through. I will volunteer to go up there with anyone from Diamond Corps to set up their field like an airsoft field should too. However, I also expect a free pass to see their improvements because you only get one shot at a first impression and from the sounds of things, this was a horrible first impression. They lost potential business by letting customers leave, unfulfilled, unsatisfied and I hope with their money back.

Shooters if you do read this remember this simple formula for how customer service is spread by word of mouth: On average, good customer service will be told to 8 people. Bad customer service will be told to 22. Komissar just told a lot more than 22 people...

[Joe Laderoute]

well im glad i didnt go, draex field is awesome i had an awesome time thanks diamond corps for the dedication and hard work you guys put into your field it obviously shows, and its too bad people still think airsoft should be run like paintball

[Lady Katie]

Thank you Kommisar for a great report! I hope they listen and get some ideas. If it stays as is, I do not see it becoming an Airsoft location. But you gave some great ideas on how to make it better. If they are truly concerned about safety in my opinion they should cut steps into the rabbit trail going up the hill and clear the overhead tree/branches. They need to do their homework on the mesh goggles. I am Safety officer for many organizations and if the fire crews and many of the airsofters use them and their insurance forbids their use they need to educate their insurance. Like Komissar pointed out fogging goggles is the #1 reason goggles are removed on the field. Statistically they have a higher risk with their walkways then they do with any goggle issues. I wish them the best it is a beautiful location with friendly staff.

[Bluewolf]

Lady Katie said:

They need to do their homework on the mesh goggles.

Here is a good site...
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/7...
Requiring that the operator 'inspect' their goggles and they at least be of 20 hole variety.