Real action markers
Real Action Markers ( RAM for short ) are CO 2 or compressed air operated paintball marking weapons that shoot paint or rubber balls in .43 caliber (= 0.43 inch, about 10.9 mm). The peculiarity and therefore the fundamental difference to conventional markers from the paintball sport is that the RAM system, true to the real models, ejects a case with each shot (exception are most handguns, see below) and the markers have an extremely realistic appearance.
APS Paintball Limited
Real Action Markers were originally developed by APS Paintball Ltd. with headquarters in Hong Kong, China, develops and produces. As APS founder Lee Chi Keung, enough shares in Qian Wei Paintball Support Company Ltd. APS was integrated into the company and has since acted as a kind of independent sales department. Qian Wei Paintball Support Co. Ltd. has played a role on the international market since 1993 with the manufacture and sale of conventional paintball markers in the usual .68 caliber.
The development of RAMs began in 1998 with the aim of creating a realistic training device for the military and authorities. Since 2001 the focus of the company has been on the production and worldwide distribution of Real Action Markers in caliber .43.
In 2006, the German arms manufacturer Umarex entered the RAM market. At first Umarex only handled the Europe-wide import and distribution of RAM weapons from the APS company, but Umarex has now launched two of its own RAM models in different designs.
In the USA, the distribution is carried out by the company RAP4, which sells its own models and modifications as well as the standard models from APS.
Technology and functionality
Like paintball markers, RAM weapons are operated either with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or with compressed air . In contrast to paintballing, RAMs use CO 2 as a propellant gas.
Long guns (rifles)
With long guns, the tank with the gas is usually in the shoulder rest. In Germany mainly single-use CO 2 capsules with a filling weight of 88 grams (3.1 oz) are used, as well as the 2 × 12 gram "R-Tube" since the new long gun models appeared in 2009. Reusable tanks with different filling quantities, from 45 to 60 g, are also common internationally.
The paintballs are inserted into the pods and loaded into a magazine . The capacity of the magazine depends on the model. Like a real weapon, the magazine is inserted into the magazine slot and clicks into place.
The magazine spring pushes the first case with ball into the firing chamber. The Real Action Marker is ready to fire.
The safety device has three locking positions on all long gun models:
Safe = The weapon is secured
Semi = The weapon is set to semi-automatic mode without safety, i.e. the trigger must be pulled once for each shot
Auto = The weapon is in fully automatic mode, i.e. shots are fired as long as the trigger is held down.
The fully automatic mode is prohibited by law in Germany and some other countries, which means that the markers sold in Germany do not have this function. The "Auto" mode corresponds to the function of the "Semi" mode.
The core of the RAM weapon is called the core. This is where the trigger movement is implemented and the set amount of gas is released to accelerate the ball through the barrel. A lever function is then triggered, which ejects the now empty case.
Handguns (pistols)
Handguns mostly use disposable capsules with a filling of 12 grams of CO 2 . In contrast to long guns, cases are usually not used. Part of the gas released for the shot is used to move the slide of the weapon backwards and thus reload the weapon.
The model "Desert Eagle" from Umarex - which is no longer sold - is currently the only RAM pistol that uses casings. The case ejection was omitted in the successor version of the Desert Eagle, so that 2 versions existed.
Models and versions
Models
Despite the growing popularity and popularity of RAM guns, the choice of models is quite manageable. All RAMs are based on real models in their external appearance.
| Manufacturer | Series | Real role model | Publishing year | Models | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APS | R series | Colt M4 & M16 | 2001 | 1R - 9R, 21R to 27R, as well as 31R and 32R | |
| APS | S series | Heckler & Koch MP5 | 2003 | 11S, 12S, 13S | |
| APS | P series | Glock pistols | 2004 | 30P, COMBAT | |
| APS | AK series | Kalashnikov assault rifles | 2005 | 47, 56, 74 | |
| APS | B series | FN Tactical Police Shotgun | 2006 | 68-14, 68-16, 68-18 | |
| APS | X series | SigSauer & Glock pistols | 2006 | 30X, 40X, X50, 226 | The RAM226 is offered in Germany under the name "Hämmerli X50". |
| Umarex | P99 | Walther P99 | 2006 | black, nickel-plated, olive, blue | |
| Umarex | Desert Eagle | IMI Desert Eagle | 2007 | black, nickel-plated, gold | |
| Umarex | T4E TM4 | Colt M4 & M16 | 2014 | 2.4750 (RIS version), 2.4751 (Carbine) | The full car variant is indicated by an X after the item number |
| Umarex | T4E HK416 | Heckler & Koch HK416 | 2015 | 2.4754 | The full car variant is indicated by an X after the item number |
| Umarex | T4E SG68 | FN Tactical Police Shotgun | 2016 | See APS B series | Lt. IWA stand from Umarex an improved new edition |
Bullets
In the .43 caliber paintballs, powderballs and rubberballs are used in RAM weapons. Paintballs are gelatine balls filled with food coloring and, in the case of powder balls, balls filled with colored chalk powder, which usually burst upon impact and mark the hit area with a colored stain. Paintballs are usually kept in striking colors. Yellow, orange and green are the most common colors, but red is not welcome as you cannot distinguish this color from real injuries, which is why it is not allowed on many playing fields.
Rubberballs are rubber balls. These can be used again after use. The rubberballs are available in Germany in black and blue.
Because the RAM game is not widely used at the moment, the demand is relatively small, which is why all types of bullets are relatively expensive.
The sleeves are made of plastic and aluminum, although aluminum has prevailed. The sleeves can be reused after ejection, provided they are not damaged or dirty.
Areas of application
Official
RAM weapons were originally developed for training purposes by the military and government agencies. They are used for this with increasing popularity, since extremely real situations and scenarios can be created with relatively little financial means. For example, when using blank cartridges, there is no way of showing a hit effect. In order to achieve this, so-called FX ammunition could be used, which in turn is associated with very high costs.
Various authorities and military units have recognized the advantages of the RAM system and are successfully training with it. For example, the markers are used for training in the US Army and the United States Marine Corps .
Civil
In the civilian sector, RAM weapons are enjoying increasing popularity due to their authentic appearance and realistic functionality. They are mostly sold in the “home defense” category, but they are only of limited use.
RAM weapons are mainly used to play so-called "scenario games", which are also used in the field of airsoft / softair . This means that different fictional or real scenarios and themes are chosen as the basis and environment of the game. The thematic templates can come from film and television, from books or even from historical sources. This type of game is not banned in Germany, but is repeatedly associated with military sports and generally has a rather bad image in public.
Since the technology is still relatively young, there is still no large scene of tactical games with RAM weapons in the world.
protective gear
Since the national and international scene in real action paintball sport is still very manageable, there are no generally applicable regulations as with paintball. Therefore, there are no regulations that specify which protective clothing you have to wear. However, this makes sense in any case, as otherwise serious injuries can occur if sensitive parts of the body are hit.
Wearing a protective mask, as it is prescribed for paintball, is very advisable, as it is designed for fire with paintballs and provides optimal protection for the face and ears.
On the German legal situation
Since the maximum muzzle energy of Real Action markers is less than 7.5 joules , these are so-called “free weapons” according to the German Weapons Act . This means that anyone over the age of 18 can buy and own a RAM weapon without special permission, provided that the weapon was bought in Germany and that it has an embossed F in the pentagon to indicate its “free weapon” status.
Nevertheless, RAMs are firearms within the meaning of the law and may therefore not be used in public. Carrying means that the weapon is loaded and ready to be carried with you and can therefore be used at any time. On the other hand, transport is permitted, which means moving the weapon from A to B in a locked transport container (e.g. bag or suitcase). Since paintballs are not ammunition in the sense of the law, they may, in contrast to the situation with sharp weapons, be transported together with the weapon. Under no circumstances may the gun be loaded.
The legal regulation leads to many hurdles that make tactical games with RAMs in Germany difficult. The establishment of a playing field is therefore subject to strict official requirements.
Web links
- Reaction marker (English)