Chuckie, aka "Renegade Cow", strikes again with another brilliant DIY project. This time, the Philippine-based airsoft enthusiast created an airsoft version of the China Lake Pump Action Grenade Launcher that was in use by the US Navy SEALs, US Special Forces, and the US Marine's Force Recon during the Vietnam War. This weapon became familiar again with a good number of young people when it was also used in Call of Duty's "Black Ops". The China Lake Launcher gets its name from the China Lake Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California.

Renegade Cow is no stranger to creating airsoft replicas as he is also famous for making an airsoft replica of the PP-19-01 Vityaz 9mm submachine gun, which itself is based on the AKS74U, the only AK that can be said to be Russia's take on the Heckler & Koch MP5 series and the SKS Carbine Type 56 Variant (Chinese) Airsoft AEG. What makes Renegade Cow one of the more special DIY airsoft enthusiasts is the simplicity of his tools in making his projects --- just like some of the other known Filipino airsoft gunsmiths. They're used with the barebones tools and materials, nothing fancy actually, but more about care and patience with their projects. In fact, some of the innovations and designs in airsoft came from this dedicated group of Filipino airsoft players.

What's the great thing about the China Lake is that it provided the user with a quick launching grenade launcher during the Vietnam War, much ahead than the Milkor Multiple Grenade Launcher. An operator of the China Lake can have three grenades loaded and a fourth one already loaded inside the chamber, ready to be fired. Since this a pump action grenade launcher, it can easily launch 4 grenades as compared to M79 and XM148 launchers during that era. A dedicated grenadier in a special operations team can then provide firepower, lobbing grenades in quick succession, and the ability to load more in faster way, ready to provide more support when called for.

Renegade Cow took half a year to make this project. And his design is a little bit better than the real China Lake as this one has "3+2" launcher, having 3 in the tube, 1 in the chamber, and another 1 ready in the lifter, while the China Lake is 4 rounds ready. Without the 40mm shell ammo, the airsoft China Lake is around 2 kilograms in weight and the material is mainly wood and PVC plastic.

While everything is based on photos that can be found online, various sources, and a look at a real China Lake on a visit to Vietnam (which is probably Serial 13 at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon one of the four remaining original China Lake launchers), Renegade Cow mainly relied of guesswork to make this project, especially the internal mechanisms, another brilliant feat in itself. You can watch the evolution of the airsoft China Lake Grenade Launcher here:

Chalk up another successful project for Renegade Cow. Only a dedicated airsoft player with time, some materials, and a great idea, can make one these. Hopefully one of the airsoft companies would license this design and mass produce it.