Been skirmishing with my AK (Winchester) 1892 and Legends smoke wagon (Colt SAA) on the ranch here with my fellow Devil Dogs.
Some thoughts.
Rifle.
The rifle shoots hot. A minimum 75 ft engagement distance is needed. The rifle topped off with gas shoots close to 450 fps with .20's. When using .28's the rifle shot accurately, how accurate? As accurate as my TM M14 DMR......which I consider dang accurate.
When loading the rifle make sure to use loading block pushed firmly into the Kings loading gate on the side of the rifle, before pushing bb's with rod. It is feasible for a bb to get lodged inside the loading gate but not in the tube mag. Which will cause a jam and requires disassembly of the rifle. TAKE YOUR TIME LOADING!
The rifles we have are the real wood version. The wood is blonde and needs to be sanded and restrained darker. Fit and finish is ok for a 150 dollar rifle. Could be better could be worse. Interestingly I own a real steel 1892 clone, and I think with little fitting its butt stock would swap across pretty easy.
The lever action itself is smooth and gives a resounding CLACK when the action is cycled. And we have never had one misfeed. If you cock the rifle, be assured there is a bb in the chamber!
Pistol.
What can I say. The Colt SAA is the finest balanced pistol in the history of mankind. It just feels right and makes you feel like a gunslinger. Its six shots which go fast. You can either reload bbs into the back of the shells or drop the empty shells and reload them or buy extra shells and have them preloaded on your pistol belt. I have been simply reloading the shells while still in the cylinder. No hopup but with a fresh co2 cartridge and .28's its surprisingly accurate. We did some side matches of fast draw. At 30 paces we were hitting each other most often. When the co2 cartridge gets low the bb's will start flying left or right. Make sure you cock it all the way back before firing. And half cock works for reloading. The cylinder is abit stiff.
Gear.
If your not riding a horse, leather soled cowboy boots are a death trap. They are slick. Which is good when your foot is in a stirrup. You don't want your foot trapped if something goes wrong. But if your on foot? Your gonna need a cowboy boot with a rubber sole or a packer with rubber traction sole. Something leather with traction. Not the most authentic but this is where reenacting meets the sport of airsoft. Safety first.
You can carry extra cartridges for your pistol on your pistol belt. Make sure the ammo belt is .38 and not .44. Otherwise the shells will drop straight through. Your rifle ammo is just bb's so your gonna need either a pocket or a belt pouch to hold your bag of bb's and your bb loader. There is no other option to load the rifle.
Tactics.
Count your shots! A TM M16 low cap mag is 68 rounds........between your rifle and pistol? YOU HAVE 30 ROUNDS LOADED! If you love love love full auto hi caps and bb hoses? Cowboy Airsoft is not for you. These guns make you think about what you are doing. Use your pistol to defend yourself as you slink off behind a stump or a rock to reload your rifle. Or use the battle buddy system of one guy reloading as the other covers and fires. I can see instances where people who reload the fastest will win the fight. Your going to have to work to master these Cowboy Airsoft guns.... It's not as simple as winding your hicap, slapping it in the mag well and turning the fire selector to "rock and roll". Its about careful aimed shots and out maneuvering your opponent. And of course the clicks of the Colt being cocked or the "CLACK CLACK" of a lever action being cocked is just PURE FUN. And adds to the realism.
Lastly, Cowboy Airsoft is all about the SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE. Wanna wear a brace (two) of colts cross draw? Do you draw with a cavalry twist like wild Bill? A chest holster like John Wesley Hardin? How you dress and carry your guns is entirely up to you within the old west. It's a civilian world and unlike today? The general populace were better armed than the US Army was. Just ask General Custer......
I'm still very much tinkering with my gear and guns to make them suit me the best. I'm sure you will as well.