Springfield Airsoft
General Category => General Airsoft => Topic started by: Rockstar on July 11, 2010, 01:12:34 PM
-
I am fairly new to airsoft as i have been in it for about 3 years. I have been looking for a good outdoor gun and i have had many people suggest different guns and brands to me. I have done a lot of researching but there is so many guns and brands that i am just dumbfounded. I have looked at the Echo1 lineup, the G&G lineup, and many others but many of them are too expensive. Most of them that are really good are 300 bucks and above that I have seen. If you have any suggestions or comments I would love to learn from you guys.
-
Hey Austin598,
What style of gun were you looking for/ how much were you wanting to spend?
My top three favorite brands are VFC, G&P and Tokyo Marui. All three of those brands make guns that cost a pretty penny but worth it. From what I'm heard the VFC E series weapons aren't bad they'd cost around $300 and of course just about any TM will be awesome and most of the time cheaper then the VFC's and G&P's. There are plenty of different brands that's for sure. One of the best ways of finding what your looking for is going to SoGo Airsoft, there we'll let you, hold and test fire the weapons and all the good stuff.
I hope that helps.
Dog.
-
Echo1.
I was leery of them at first but, after a year, folks still had good things to say about them. I now know why: they're reliable, sturdy, fast (about 370 fps or so with a .20) and they come with everything you need to play (battery, charger and a hi-cap magazine or two) right out of the box.
Surprisingly, many higher end guns come with very little in way of accessories. My experience is you get one midcap or two lo-cap magazines with your gun. That's it. You have to buy a battery (typically $ 25 to $ 40), charger and additional magazines. I've never understood paying good money for a higher end gun only to have to spend even more money for things to make it work but there it is.
You don't state your budget. Echo1 guns don't leave a TM- or King Arms- sized hole in your wallet. Most Echo1 guns are around the $ 200 mark. That leaves plenty of money for a mask, gloves, a back up battery, smart charger, additional magazines, bb's, game and field fees or just plain ole savings.
Airsoft periodical gun reviews are nice but they typically test a gun right out of the box. Just about any gun can pass that sort of testing. Online ones are good since they often follow a gun long after it's left the box. Talk to people who shoot them, see if you can test them out for a game.
Whatever you decide, I encourage you to shop at So Go. Not only will you be supporting this website's sponsor but you'll be helping a locally-owned business. That makes it possible for them to hold events and support the local airsoft scene.
In addition, So Go supports their products. Having trouble with the gun you just purchased? Take it back to So Go and they'll make it right. I know because it's happened to me. Try that with an online retailer.
Finally, take everything you read and hear with a grain of salt. That includes this post.
-
Thanks alot Joe! ;D I have been looking at the Echo 1 lineup alot and have recognized some of the facts that you stated and I am right with you. I planned on having So Go special order a gun and I talked to Jon about it. I thought about getting a sniper and then saving up for a real good outdoor gun but i may change my mind and try to go with one of the Echo 1 guns that has superior accuracy. I never can make up my mind and Jon makes fun of me for that but after playing that outdoor game at Baileys Battlefield Im just not sure what to do. I am leaning towards getting an Echo 1 but when I do get one I will make sure it will be one that I will not regret buying.
-
Echo 1 has a great variety of different types of guns. Most of the review I have read say they're pretty good quality. I had a JG G36c, which is basically the Echo 1 but with inferior internals, and I have to say, I was blown away by the quality of the externals, which I believe are the same as E1's. I've been thinking about getting an outdoor gun for a little while too. Some other brands I have been thinking about are Real Sword, TM, and Classic Army. Of course some companies differ how good theirs guns are by the style as well. For instance, a good AK might come from CYMA, but a good M4 might be from CA.
-
Boba Fett,
That is very well true. CYMA has a pretty good M14 lineup for instance and i understand what you mean by that. I do really like the AK47 style and i think i may have made up my mind (for today at least lol). The one i have been looking at is this one: http://echo1usa.com/English/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16&products_id=510&zenid=f4f1c713f9e05f5699ada5fcc9139c3c
-
I will say to watch out for Cyma. They have not proven themselves at all with me. And after Dave's horrible experience with one of the new ones down at Invasion Ok it even scares me more. Maybe one of these days in the distant future Cyma might bring their quality levels up enough to talk me into trying them again. But it will be awhile.
Jon
So Go Airsoft
-
Jon,
I couldnt agree with you more on CYMA. I havn't found their guns to be very good quality at all. I was just stating that as a reference not as anything towards them or against them though.
-
Jon,
I couldnt agree with you more on CYMA. I havn't found their guns to be very good quality at all. I was just stating that as a reference not as anything towards them or against them though.
I totally understand..
Jon
So Go
Supercell
-
Really? Well I'll take your word over a bunch of noobie online reviews any day, Jon. I had a spring CYMA AK that was probably the nicest externally that I've ever had, which is hard to believe. I shot it so much the internals wore out. But I have no real-world experience with CYMA AEGs though.
I don't know much about E1's AKs, looks cool though. BTW is that you Austin? I'm Clayton.
-
Hey even a cheap gun can surprise us. But they are so few and far between that the odds are against you not wasting your money. Cyma just hasn't done it for me yet. In fact I have lost alot of money trying Cyma's every once in awhile. And I am talking right out of the box.
I do understand people do have budgets. And just because that is all you can afford might make it the best choice for you personally. But that doesn't make it a good Airsoft gun. And I am not just talking about Cyma's. There are a bunch out there. But I have found with Airsoft that sometimes you have to just get what you can and hope for the best.
And remember if you don't buy it from So Go Airsoft I won't be able to help you as much.
Jon
So Go airsoft
-
Yeah, always buy from So Go! I know a half dozen people(myself included) that learned that lesson with a lousy gun!!
-
Hay if you looking for a good fairly cheap pistol check out KWAs new 1911 line up! They also have a wide range of other pistols that are at a good price! Iv heard the 1911 go for around $165 probably more or less but its a good price metal uper and most of the time a plastic grip.
-
Hey, thanks to everyone for the advice and the information that you have shared with me. I have decided on what to do(thats actually really rare for me because I can never make up my mind). I am going to get a sniper, i know that was never mentioned. Then i am going to get the Echo 1 AK47M as was posted in the begining. Again thanks to everyone who commented.
-
Can't go wrong with an AK!!! As Nicholas Cage says "Of all the weapons in the vast soviet arsenal, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it; and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars."
-
You know its funny. An American guy actually invented the AK47 then somehow the Iraqis got ahold of it. It was also rated number 1 in the test of all the assult rifles. And the bad guys are using them!!!! Oh well we are still a free country so i guess our guns cant be that bad lol. God Bless America!!!!!
-
I thought a Russian tanker named Kalashnikov invented them during his stay at a hospital in WWII. And yeah it's too terrorists have them!
-
That may be true. I havnt really gone in depth with research. But terrorists still have them so i guess it doesnt really matter now.
-
one problem AK-47 has the worst accuracy im sticking with the M16
-
I airsoft it doesn't matter. Ak's look cool. period.
-
if you attach a quad picatinny rail then you get more opptions for flash lights lazers vertical grips bi podes and optics the general ak you might be able to get an optic with a top rail
-
I like AK47 tacticals, and AK47s for a simple rifle, and black AK74U's are cool too.
-
my friend has a real sword ak -47 and its sick. he also has a rs type 97 that groups really nice with a 130 spring in it
-
one problem AK-47 has the worst accuracy im sticking with the M16
Actually the AK 47 has fairly decent accuracy, till you go full auto and the round is heavier and slower which does contribute to bullet drop
-
Well i do agree with everyone else on the CYMA gig. My first AEG was the CYMA MP5 ... it was crap i still have it if anything goes wrong with any of my other guns. I would acually rather use my Double Eagle then it to be truthful lol and thats bad. But yea i went to Swiss Arms and it proves to be very nice
-
Maybe this is just personal experience but i have dealt with a lot of guns and cyma aks are pretty good in all the cases that I have delt with. I personally put them in the list of people I would buy an AK from. However this is just as of the last year and all other guns they make are complete trash in my opinion.
I also think that it depends on the money you want to spend on a gun to determine what would be the "best in class" so to speak.
I mean if we are talking ridiculous amounts you can say systema.
If we are talking high-end guns you can say KWA (personally my favorite company making m4/m16 guns atm.)
If we are talking medium I would say G&G
If we are talking low/medium I would say Echo 1 and G&G sportline.
There are quite a few other good companies out there, and it really just depends on what you want, this is just the companies that I would buy from a lot. But if you are looking for a specific type of gun then it could vary. I.E. if you want the best mp5 (besides systema) i would say look into CA or ICS.
-
the ak 47 bullets are heavy enough that accuracy is completely degraded out to far distances
-
the main reason those guns are over 300 bucks is because of full metal frames, but those are mostly for looks, my echo is ok but I would recommend g&g or classic army sportlines they have plastic bodies which makes them cheaper... hope this helps..
-
For Budget Buys and still have something decent...
I'd go with G&G Sportlines. It's the same internals as their metal bodied versions, just has a plastic/fiber body ( It's way tough stuff! ).
My second down the list I'd get .. I'd skip anything with Echo-1 stamped on it, and get the same exact AEG in a Jing Gong ( Golden Bow). JG has really stepped up their quality standards, and are a bit cheaper than Echo-1 which is more or less just a "rebrand" of JG. E-1's do have a better instruction manual, I'll give it that much.
These are the AEGs that will give ya best bang for your buck, and will last you long enough to afford a nice ICS/Olympic Arms or KWA all metal competition grade AEG and all the extras to go with it... and still let ya play while saving up.
Both shooting over 330 FPS with a .25 BB consistently stock. We chrono'd my JG G36 Stock at Sogo's with a .25 averaged 375 FPS... on a 8.4 battery. 8) <<<To Hot for CQB, way awesome for field.
( Now.. here's a BIG misconception most people have in FPS in regards to AEGs... 380 FPS isn't always better than an AEG that shoots say... 330 FPS. Speed doesn't always equal distance, and it doesn't factor in accuracy in the least bit.
There are too many factors regarding BB velocity to mention of exactly "why" FPS is mis-leading... but any real experienced airsoft players can show you the difference in a finely tuned AEG with lower FPS, than a run-of-the-mill higher FPS AEGs that aren't tuned up.
Slap a tight bore in, new piston, hop up , bucking, perfectly grease gears, shim the mech box, ect... and use HIGH QUALITY BBs.... accuracy and distance improves , even at lower FPS out-put. Really you don't have to do all that to a stock AEG most the time. But certain things can improve performance of ANY AEG.)
Now if you go with a 150-200 dollar AEG , you will eventually want to buy a higher end AEG. After your first ( even if it's a superdeliciousuberawesomething! ), it's addictive a bit to get other models, better quality, higher priced AEGs.
But... even though I usually tell folks just save up and buy a G&G all metal at least... , I do think it's important to be able to play airsoft, and find out what you like and you don't like about certain things.
Like me... I know now, I don't like AK models. I never really liked the looks of them in the first place ( except the Dragonov, which just looks intimidating for a sniping rifle! ) , and I've found I don't like the length of them , even the spetnaz and shorter CQB models... are still a bit to long for my frame and comfortableness.
I got a G36... now, I love this AEG! I wanted something different than an AR/M16/M4 when I got it... because I was in the army , and was kinda sick of looking at them. But I've found, it has it's quirks too.
Less accessory options , especially when comparing prices. Most modern mag pouches fit the mags to tight. Looking back, I shoulda just got the M4A1 ... but I'm glad I tried the g36 out. I love playing with it when I get the opportunity to.
Sig 552... now this was a 5 dollar bone-yard find, which I can use in Sogo's because it shoots under 300 FPS stock. It's a first generation JG SIG, meaning it has a craptastic plastic gear box in it... but , it did allow me to figure out I like wielding smaller style AEGs and SMGs. ( The latest JG SIG 552s are much, much better than the one I have. )
What you want to keep in mind when buying, is upgrades and replacement parts..if they are available or not for your brand/model. Also, any aftermarket parts you want should be attainable for what you are buying. Commonly, M4/M16 variants have the most in both those departments.
I've been playing a good while now, and still myself have yet to buy a full out High End AEG. I'm Going to before the next Ball Drop, or OK Invasion events... probably a KWA M4. Until I go to a big event though... I really don't need one , I do just fine with my Clones, and have no real complaints about them. And you can upgrade most of them too.
The bottom line is, like stated above... getting a mid-grade gun, like E-1 or JG, you get a battery, charger ( not the best but can get by until you get a smart charger. ) , and high cap mag ( High caps aren't very expensive at all for extras.) ... can play right out of the box.
It leaves ya some money room for decent eye protection, Tac vest, plate carrier, Hydration system, mag pouches, BDUs , and BBs and other little extras you'd like. Maybe even enough for a sidearm if you look in the right places.
Crud, it's late and I fear I rambled on and on... sorry about that.
If a don't have a budget... by a KWA or Olympic Arms.
If Money isn't any Issue... Buy Celcius or Systema.
If ya just want to blow 3 grand plus... buy that Mini-Gun.. lol! ( I sooo want one just to shoot it! )
But if on a budget... G&G makes excellent AEGs , but you will need to buy a battery for it.
Then E-1/JG are budget friendly, play right out of the box.
( Personally, I have no experience with CYMA or D-BOYS , so I can't say about them, but I don't think I'd waste my money on them. )
Personal experience... Classic Army and TMs are not worth the money. CA because of inferior internals , even compared to the E-1/JG lines. Also you gotta watch their after-market parts because many don't fit other brands well if at all.
TMs are nice guns, but it's very expensive to upgrade to US based FPS standards. But, they don't break down or wear out very fast for sure!
Any other brands.. I can't say. No experience with them personally.
But other than my very long winded re-ply.. I hope this helps a bit in any case.