Retro Gun Review - AGD Longbow

[Cdn_Cuda]

The day has finally come and I actually used the Longbow in a game! I took the scope off and riser rail, just sighting my shots. Was shooting a bit low, 260s, and but was good enough for the walk-on crowd.

Twice in the staging area the mag popped off/fell out and spit balls everywhere. Guess I didn’t push the mag in hard enough to clip? Not sure what was going on. Did not have the problem in game, and I pulled off several awkward reloads.

Having not spent much time using an spring feed, it was important to remember to unlatch the spring so it actually feeds. Once I remember that, things went better.

The shot is the typical X-valved Automag. It shoulders really nice with the stock and wasn’t too heavy, even with the Ninja 68/4500. I mounted the ASA on the frame and the tank fit perfectly to the stock. Whoever modified it did a great job. Had to take the tank cover off to fit, that’s how tight it is. For a big long gun, (I’m used to a cocker) it was much nicer to use than anticipated.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Playing with the intelli-frame was fine, but way to easy to run out the 20 balls. A single trigger frame will be nice and suite the marker a lot better. I just used one finger on the trigger.

Reloading was interesting. My mag holder hold two mags, but had no way to mount it to anything, so I hit the field with only a single mag. So once I was out I have to duck down, pull the mag and reload. I rigged up a 50 round hopper with a 10 round tube to feed the mag fairly easily and quickly. It worked well and was much better than trying to load out of a standard 50 rounder. So when I was out I would just drop behind shelter, reload and pop up again.

You definitely need to play a certain style of game with it. Being limited to 20 shots make you pick your shots a lot more, even than open class pump. I didn’t do a great job at counting shots, but generally had a good idea when I was going to run out. I mainly stayed back, played a support role and helped players move up.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Intangibles: While I have some kinks to iron out, I loved playing with the Longbow. It’s a contradiction, with the fast X-valve limited to only 20 balls, but it’s great for things like walk-on games as you have to change the game you play.

In the pits, the marker was a big hit. People had lots of questions and wanted to hold it. One guy was brave enough to shoot it at the chrono range but despite offering, no one wanted to play a game with it.

I was torn on whether I was going to keep it or sell it, but it’s a keeper (at least for now). It’s unlike anything I have, and has the little je ne sais pas that makes it a lot of fun, as ridiculous as it is.

[fullofpaint]

Couple thoughts from someone who's had one of these for forever:

The mag retention should be REALLY strong, surprised it fell out, the spring in the retainer might be worn out?
Similarly, (depending on the paint you're using because it might not go well if it's too fragile), you can unlatch once you've loaded the mag. The retention bar SHOULD be strong enough to hold them until you lock the mag in the gun.

Do you have one of the SpecOps quivers for the spare mags? They're intended to mount to your leg like a pistol, they should have straps for that. If you have pb pants with deep squeegee pockets they fit in there perfectly as well. I've seen them mounted on vests or battle belts too but since they're so long it's really awkward to pull out then.

[Cdn_Cuda]

I may have overloaded the mag and it could have caused issues for the mag popping out. Once I started double checking it it was solid. Thinking user error more than anything.

I do have the Spec Ops holster but all that’s left of the straps are threads where they used to be. I’ll have get some straps loaded back in, if rig up a spare vest to see if I can mount it somehow. I’ll check my pants for a squeegee pocket as well, that’s a good idea.

[fullofpaint]

Yea honestly the squeegee pockets were the best way to run it. The biggest downside with these are the mags are so long it's REALLY hard to change a one when you get stuck in a tight spot.

This is how he used to run his. Made him carry all the spare paint for everyone since he used so little too haha. We had another guy at the field who had a really nice vest setup with like 4 quivers, can't find a photo of that one. The vest placement works ok, gotta draw them like an arrow, pulling them down tends to be harder than up IMO.

[GanonsGrin]

Single trigger frame is definitely the way to go, and bonus points if you slap on some SP wood grips.

my biggest complaint when I ran mine was the ball stack itself. With southern heat and humidity, you had to keep the spring locked until you were about to engage, otherwise the balls just turned into a big Nerds Rope and were useless. The quiver was a necessity in big games as well.

Aside from that, I loved mine. You do definitely get a LOT of questions in the staging area of people wanting to know what it is and if they can hold it.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Funny enough when I was cleaning my Emek at the end of the day it had two balls stuck together like that in the breach. I’m keeping my eyes open from single hole grips. Have a CF frame enroute.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Got my single finger grip frame install. Mag now leaks, but shoots. Improvised my grips and actually quite like how they turned out. Need to cut the tops of the grips a little to make room for the pegs on the frame.

Before installing the frame I wasn’t sure if I’d like it at all. Didn’t find it comfortable, but with grips and installed I understand why people like these.

[Cdn_Cuda]

And decided to throw on the qloader to see how it all
works. Moorings fairly cleanly to the front grips. Adds a bit of weight, but given the size of this who cares. I am afraid if it test it out and like it I’ll have to find more qpods.

[RAZRBAKK]

Interestingly, the Longbow I have in front of me has a few differences from yours.

Most notably, there are no feedneck threads. The insert you have actually looks like the Empire Sniper springfeed adapter. Do your threads look anodized? I wonder if it was done after the fact, or if on some they didn't bother threading for feednecks.

Also the rail on this one has 3 holes drilled, all identical. They appear to be for moving the foregrip closer or further away. I'll get some pics this weekend.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Definitely post some pictures. Be good to document the various changes these have.

As for the feedneck, I believe the threads were anno’d although hard to tell from the picture.

[fullofpaint]

Specops didn't modify the bodies at all, they just bought Tac1's from AGD and added their kit. I would guarantee that you have the same adapter he has, your's has just been fully seated flush like it should sit.

The rail of the mag AFAIK is the only major thing that changed over the course of these. AGD changed from the original wingless design to the milled rail they still use. Longbow peeps complained because the kit wouldn't work, so they started shipping a compromised version, where it's milled up front but not in the back.

https://www.automags.org/forums/show...longbow-users-)

Other changes were extra branding stuff, like the early guns don't have specops branding on the sight rails and things like that.

[RAZRBAKK]

fullofpaint I will definitely take a second look at that this weekend. If it is threaded that solves a big problem for me.

[RAZRBAKK]

Here is a closer look at the rail on my friends longbow:





And thanks to fullofpaint for pointing out that the thread cover is in-fact removable. I've been trying to retrofit a Qloader onto this one with the loose parts it came with. Since these share threads with Empire guns, the empire springfeed adapter works pretty good here.

[Cdn_Cuda]

My rail does not have those holes. On the tail of the rail mine has a danger notice as well, which that one doesn’t appear to have.

[RAZRBAKK]

It does have the warning, just not very easy to see from that one photo.