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Meet The Room Sweeper: The Avatar Hydra-8 Shell Ejecting Airsoft Shotgun

Gungho Cowboy

The makers of Avatar Grenade are expanding their product development. The company, which is based in France, are taking a very much radical approach to the airsoft market, releasing their own designs rather than taking inspiration from existing real world weapons. Their third product after the Avatar Grenade and Hornet M-25 Kit for the G17/G18 GBB and AEPs, the Hydra-8 is what we think to be their most interesting product to date.

Just like the Avatar-Grenade and the Hornet M-25, the Avatar Hydra-8 Airsoft Shotgun is an in-house design. It is a compact shell ejecting airsoft shotgun that can fire off 8 shells in quick succession. The design will remind you of guns from a video game and can fire more shotgun shells than the Crye Precision SIX12, which is limited to 6 rounds. Both can outgun any shotgun, with the exception of the AA-12 auto shotgun.

The Hydra-8 is of Nylon Fibre construction and uses the M-Lok rail system to open design system from Magpul. To attach weapons accessories, especially weaponlights, it has an integrated under rail. Internally, the parts are CNC-machined steel.

As previously mentioned, it can be loaded up to 8-shells and each shell can be filled with 6 6mm BBs. As for propellant, it uses CO2 or Green Gas and each shell, which look like it is a 12-gauge style and is to be filled up with gas, similar to how the APS CAM870 shells are loaded though the valve are on the side rather than at the bottom as shown in the photos.

It is very much a compact airsoft shotgun, it is a very handy backup especially for CQB games and we can call it to be a “Room Sweeper” since it is very much manoeuvrable to bring to bear in any room. We wonder if a holster can be made for it since its compact enough or perhaps a special clip to a battle belt or MOLLE vest for easy draw when needed in room sweeping.

Avatar Universe are already taking pre-orders and for those interested, be ready to shell out €170.00 for a special price and limited stock release. It will be available in Obsidian Black giving it a more metallic look. It is not mentioned if it will be coming with 8 shells or if you have to buy them separately.

They are looking into an October 2018 release, which hopefully they can fulfill given that release schedules in airsoft are rarely followed with the exception of Tokyo Marui which is really specific in release dates.

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