Help please

[Jason Slayford]

Hi I am looking to get an m4a1 full metal all black looks just like this how much should I expect to pay be very greatful for all input thanks in advance

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[Lozart]

If you're dead set on a full metal then personally I'd expect to budget £250-300 for a decent G&G http://www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk/acatalog/m4_and_m14_variants.html one. The one in your picture looks like a G&P to me in which case you should probably bump that up to between £300-350 http://www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk/acatalog/M4.html

All of that of course assumes you already have your UKARA and you don't need a two tone gun.

 

[Josh95]

and another 40-50 for the red dot and foregrip

 

[Chock]

Below are some links to recommendations. As much as people slag off 'BB gun' sites (especially on these forums, and not always undeservedly so), I've actually had pretty good service from them whenever I've bought things off them. However, that's because you generally have to know what you are looking for in order to avoid the turkeys, and those sites often 'talk up' guns which are not that great. But if you do know what to look for, they can offer some good deals. It is worth noting that if you do not have a UKARA registration, you'll probably be looking at having to buy a two-toned M4, which is no bad thing really, since you can either keep it like that, or if it bothers you, get some matt black spray paint and just spray it the right colour (note that you need a suitable reason for doing this if you want to be within the boundaries of the law, i.e. if you genuinely want it for airsoft, and do so regularly). This is where buying from a 'BB gun' site makes sense, because those sites tend to mostly sell two-toned guns, so you won't be charged for them painting a black weapon in two tone colours, because it will already be two toned.

Here's a few links to some decent two toners from a BB gun site, all of which are pretty affordable. And before anyone chips in and says those sites are crap and don't buy from them, I will say that the first link in the list below, is to the D-Boys M4 SIR, at a very reasonable 179 quid, and I in fact bought that exact gun, from that exact site, in that exact same two tone blue and black. I simply sprayed the fore grip and the stock black with a cheap ass aerosol can of matt black paint (the paint literally cost me 1 pound from a cheap shop), and it looks great. The D-Boys M4 SIR is a really excellent rifle, it is in fact my main skirmish weapon for both CQB and outdoors, and I've never had any problems with it at all (and I've got loads of different rifles and SMGs, so it's not as if I am forced to use that one), I use it because it is a truly excellent weapon. Apart from painting it, the only thing I've added to it, is a pressure activated TAC light on the right fore grip rail, with the pressure switch gaffer taped to the front fore grip. I don't even use any optics on the thing, because the iron sights are excellent and I can hit people at long range using those quite easily:

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/dboy33-d-boy-m4-sir-airsoft-gun-aeg-metal.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4&page=4#.VH7tbNxd1RU

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/cm008-cyma-m4-sir-cqb-airsoft-gun-metal.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4#.VH7sKtxd1RU

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/061-jg-m4-gas-blow-back-assault-rifle-gbbr.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4#.VH7sbtxd1RU

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/032-agm-m4a1-socom-aeg.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4#.VH7sidxd1RU

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/062-jg-m4-gas-blow-back-assault-rifle-with-ris-rail-gbbr.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4#.VH7sxdxd1RU

http://www.onlybbguns.co.uk/031-agm-mp031-m4-rifle-full-metal.html?filter_name=D-Boys%20M4#.VH7s7Nxd1RU

Note that a couple of those recommendations are for Gas Blowback M4s. Those won't work well in the current low temperatures, and you would need two or three spare mags for them, which would probably add another 50-70 quid to the cost, so unless you really must have a GBB weapon, I'd say stick to the electric ones with the high capacity mags. The D-Boys M4 SIR is therefore the one I'd recommend to you, since it is electric and has a 300-round mag with it, which means you shouldn't even need to reload it on a skirmish, just roll the winder on the mag every fifty shots or so, and if you use it on semi-auto and double-tap shots, it might even last you the whole day. The battery will certainly last all day if you do that, I know that for a fact, because I did exactly that with mine the Sunday before last at Trojan's woodland site out near Macclesfield, which also demonstrated how tough that gun is, because I was crawling and rolling about in mud and crap all day with the thing and it never missed a beat.

 

[Jason Slayford]

Thanks to the both of you and by full metal do you just mean the outside and the insides ? I'll definitely be looking more on to my options il give the sites a good going through

 

[Jason Slayford]

thanks choch

 

[Lozart]

Thanks to the both of you and by full metal do you just mean the outside and the insides ? I'll definitely be looking more on to my options il give the sites a good going through

No gun will be COMPLETELY metal. There are always plastic parts - the pistol grip and stock at a bare minimum. Only the cheapest guns tend to have plastic gearboxes but even the higher cost ones can have plastic minor parts. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. Too many people get hung up on the idea that a gun has to be "full metal" when in reality a polymer gun or even a plastic gun can be just as reliable and robust.

 

[Chock]

Full metal can be a bit of a misnomer with Armalite rifles such as M16s, AR15s and M4s, because the real things are not actually full metal. And even the metal bits are made in different ways on various ones.

Contrary to popular belief, the M16's receiver body is actually not steel, but 7075 grade aluminium. The receiver is either forged, or milled from a solid block of metal depending on the variant and manufacturer. The stock and fore grip on the original Armalite M16s was made from resin which was impregnated with fiberglass, but these were found to be fragile and would break if used as a club in hand-to-hand fighting, which is part of what has added to the reputation of the AK47 being tough and led to the first M16s being disliked by veteran troops used to the very robust M14 which the Armalite replaced; this dislike is referenced in the movie 'We were Soldiers', when Sam Elliot's character remarks that it 'it feels like a BB gun'. Later versions of the M16's plastic furniture are made from glass-impregnated polymer, which is vastly stronger than the original fiberglass stuff (supposedly over ten times as strong).

Thus most airsoft 'full metal' Armalite rifles tend to follow along similar lines, so the description 'full metal' tends to mean it has a metal gearbox with metal gears, a metal outer and inner barrel, metal flash hider, metal sights, metal upper and lower receiver body, metal stock tube, metal trigger, charging handle, switches and body pins and a metal magazine, with typically only the fore grip, pistol grip and rear stock involving much plastic or polymer in its construction. This is certainly true of the D-Boys M4 SIR; it is all metal apart from the front fore grip (the rails on the fore grip are metal), pistol grip, and most of the rear stock. Pretty much everything else is metal.

The question is though, what sort of metal? This can vary, although it is usually a mixture of of steel, or alloys such as aluminium and mazak, for various parts, depending on how strong they need to be. Mazak is also known as zamak and zamac, that name deriving from the metals involved in creating it, which are Zinc, Aluminium, Magnesium and Copper. Of course you probably know aluminium and steel, but are probably less familiar with mazak, although you will certainly be familiar with many things which are made from it, notably: die-cast toy cars, the hardware on many electric guitars, zips, door handles, but it is used in the production of some firearms, most famously Hi Point pistols and rifles. Zamac is often disparagingly referred to as 'pot metal' but it is in fact usually pretty strong, fairly corrosion resistant and can generally take quite a lot of punishment. I'm sure you know that your toy cars could take quite a few smashes into brick walls, which gives you an idea of how tough your alloy-bodied M4 will actually be.

 

[Jason Slayford]

thanks once again I was set on getting metal body to make it more realistic to handle/feel/durability but not really a must

 

[Chock]

Full metal is overrated to be honest. Yes it is nice to have something which looks feels a bit more like the real thing, but to be fair, that's only of use for the cool factor when everyone is in the safe area getting kitted up, once you are actually sneaking around and shooting at people, it makes very little difference and you won't care. This is why so many people on here recommend the G&G Combat Machine M4. You can find them for not much more than a ton, they are reliable, look good, and can be found in starter kits at many airsoft shops online, meaning you can be good to go for 150 quid fairly easily, with no UKARA, and even when you do have a UKARA, you'd probably still be happy to use that rifle anyway. Even the two tone black/clear ones look okay as is, or if that bothers you, that can be sorted in ten minutes with nothing more sophisticated than a can of matt black spray paint and some careful spraying.

 

[Jason Slayford]

Yeah that's a very far point looks as if I have a plan of action il see where I end up

 

[Lozart]

+1 for the G&G Combat Machine is you're not married to full metal. It's one of the most popular guns for a reason! I'd certainly recommend it over any of the D-Boys, CYMA or JG metal ones.

 

[Airsoft_Mr B]

There's actually the G&G 30th Anniversary Edition rifles at Zero One and also Land Warrior Airsoft I believe.

They're £150 each but that's not that much more than the cheapest standard Combat Machine CM16 (£100-£120) I think the Combat Machine range goes up to about £200, which are followed by the Intermediate line then Top Tech guns.

The thing about this 30th Anniversary Ed is that it also has a metal receiver. So I think it's especially good value for money.

In terms of performance and quality they are probably the best you can get for the price, which explains why we are always recommending them

You do need to buy a battery and charger with them as well, probably another £20 up to £50 max, for good ones.

I agree metal is overrated, in terms of sturdiness and build plastic guns are absolutely fine (unless you're looking at cheap shite under £100 AEGs) G&Gs for example are nylon fibre reinforced polymer, no creaky stuff. I'm not sure about G&G metal construction but I'd imagine it's okay.

Heard a story once a guy dropped one of his guns (dunno of the brand) out of his loft IIRC and the metal receiver actually snapped :0

 

[Sappysid101]

+2 For the G&G Combat Machine, my one only has a metal rail but still has a nice feel to it. Plus it's performance is excellent.

- Ant

 

[DX115FALCON]

Full metal can be a bit of a misnomer with Armalite rifles such as M16s, AR15s and M4s, because the real things are not actually full metal. And even the metal bits are made in different ways on various ones.

Same goes with H&K guns (like the UMP, MP5 and the G36). Anywhere claiming to sell "full metal" MP5s mean that the upper is metal and the lower polymer. Same goes with UMPs (but not even their UPPER RECEIVERS are metal on the real steel).

 

[n1ckh]

I'd go the with combat machine, I have 2, one is a support weapon for my boys and the other I use in woodland but yet to use it in CQB conditions (what it was designed for) they both stand up against the more expensive ones but I can sneak in more closely and double tap someone