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I'd say there's 2 reasons you see so many posts online about guns that broke super quick: 1. I'd bet that in 99%+ of the instances where somebody buys an AEG, goes to a game and the gun works, they don't say anything about it on the internet. Whereas if it breaks there's a strong likelihood they will say something (applies to all conceivable products). 2. People starting out unfortunately don't tend to really know which brands are good so they just buy 'the cool looking gun' (whatever that is in their mind) and some of the turd brands happen to be good at knowing how to design the aesthetics of their guns in order to sell lots of cheesey gearboxes e.g. Ares. Plus of course there's a possible newbie fudge factor with people jamming dropped-BBs in to mags or other random acts of RIF mis-use. Also crappy uber cheap BBs, mags and/or batteries can be huge contributors, just like bad ammo or mags with real firearms.

Just finished my abomination! Used to be an ares striker

https://poolssurplus.co.uk/products/irvin-gq-mk-3-poncho-2006-parachute-survival-58-pattern-waterproof-rain-cape?utm_content=Facebook_UA&utm_source=facebook&variant=54887766458746&fbclid=IwY2xjawIXee5leHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqxiohP7nRQEdvupSGhgovXpldZ8w8wVtEMeiX9vLfi50xpc-FyMMoyieHNxPCoTh2oKZ_aem_U_XBRNBSpWrxfkmfRZ4HZg&utm_medium=paid&campaign_id=120216926765990325&ad_id=120216926765970325&utm_id=120216926765990325&utm_term=120216926765980325&utm_campaign=120216926765990325 I know this is normally a private dreamers thread but I think this chap needs a special mention

Welcome Let me throw some advice your way and hopefully it's useful I'm also from a biking background (bmx) and in the 20 years I rode you never buy a bike from the shop and leave it standard do you, everything ends up getting changed because some parts are either shit or they break and if you ride as much as I did you get influenced by the hobby and the community you involve yourself in, then the fomo kicks in, the magpie in you wants that shiney thing and before you know it you've replaced every part in that bike, it's now a different bike... Same goes for airsoft, I've been involved with airsoft for 20 years also now, as a player and a professional tech, I have bought, sold and repaired over 800 guns I've spent hundreds upgrading guns and I've had stock guns, my current primary is absolutely 100% stock inside (G&G SR16 E2) Guns rarely fail out of the box, not saying they don't, they are still made far east and are concidered toys so QC on some brands might be a bit more lacking than others Just make sure you have good foot wear (not trainers, get decent walking shoes/boots) decent eye pro (Bolle) and a lower face mask of you're doing CQB (take it from someone who lost a tooth in CQB)

The unwritten rule should be "see an ad like that, it's everyone's civic duty to demand to know the upgrades list, even if you have no interest in buying". Bombard the dopey cnuts?

That looks very familiar... too familiar from the fact that both profiles list a broken MP5K with the same scuffs on the box and a SAS 12 in a velvet-lined display case.

When you eventually buy your own gun resist the urge to open it up and most guns will last you a decent amount of time. When you start trying to push the limits of Rate of fire or joules/fps that's when things can go wrong.

I've got that charger ? no fires yet, it's fine just don't leave it unattended and stand bye with a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and phone at the ready for 999 fire brigade...what could possibly go wrong. As for deans & tamiya, I have these due toa selection of lipos.

Yup, exactly what @The_Lord_Poncho said, and good call on the Double Eagle, M90X, we like those. Although... what happened to the love for MP5s?

https://prefired.co.uk/ads/we-scar-l/ Absolute corker. £900 for a hpa'd WE AEG SCAR L. Only mentions the hop unit and barrel change, no mention of mags, tanks, line or anything. Tool alert!

Yep, CQB as a first experience is a touch bold, but many get into airsoft that way. Personally i prefer outdoor play as I find there are more opportunities to be cunning/stealthy - and it usually hurts a lot less. As a top tip, you probably have some anti fog spray for the mountain biking (or even access to some rainex) - take that along with you and a microfibre cloth - fogging up of eyewear is a big problem indoors, especially on rental masks.

That's a phenomenal amount of features for the money. It would come down to how good the plastic is, I haven't handled one. But a fully featured fire control system, quick change spring, and rotary hop are strong arguments. Doesn't look like it comes with a mini-Tamiya connector, but Deans-to-mini-Tamiya converters are readily available. Although if you're any way technically inclined, I'd always recommend binning off Tamiya in favour of soldering on Deans, if you buy a gun that's still pre-wired for VHS. I know, I know, XT-60 is even betterer, but I run an eBike on Deans, 36V and a sustained 250W / peak 400W hauling 100kg of metal and meat around, without any heat or hassles. It's fine for airsoft.

Re. chargers - I have two of these - they do fantastic service - they allow all cells in a lipo battery to be 'balanced' (important, as if one cell has a lower voltage than the other, there is a danger that in use that low cell will drop below a voltage that results in the battery cell being irreparably damaged), and also allow for batteries to be slightly discharged to put them in a storage state to prolong their life. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365089024868

Well @WillMidz, I’ve been using my VSR10 bolt action rifle and really loving the different style of play compared to an assault rifle. This, along with my pistol have given me hours of fun. I recently bought a ICS L85 second hand off here to learn how to ‘tech’. I’ve taken the whole thing apart and am in the process of upgrading. I used it at a game the other day and enjoyed the bullpup style, fits with my loadout also. I’m currently waiting for the Noveske N4’s to come back in stock so I can get my first GBB rifle. I’ve come to the conclusion that having a few different weapons allows you to mix things up depending on the game. I go with my kids so we tend to share which is great to mix things up. If I was buying a starter rifle again I would probably go for a Specna Arms Edge. I bought one for my daughter, £170, and it’s fantastic out of the box. I find myself gravitating to this weapon for your standard woodland skirmish, it’s a great all rounder.

I only charger one battery at a time, I only ever need two on a game day tbh. The charger in the specna arms starter bundle kit from patrol base you linked is what I've got (the blue box). They are cheap, and work as should. Maybe they've had some bad press ?. Use good quality lipos, don't leave unattended whilst charging, as recommended , ist just common sense. I've been charging batteries for probably over 35 years (RC stuff), never had a single fire. Sound advice ? they work great out of the box.

How do you charge the battereis, multiple chargers or do you have one that does all types?

Thanks, appreciate your response im looking at buying from Kydex customs the only other thing I probably should have mentioned above is im left handed so not the everywhere does suitable holsters. the flashlight I’m using is a genuine O-light PL turbo Valkyrie - very nice light.

Component shop are another good shop for batteries

I think they're only plastic rather than kydex but I've found the amomax holsters to be good. https://www.bullseyecountrysport.co.uk/amomax-678-c.asp

In that case don't go for a starter bundle then, although I am fairly sure they wouldnt be sold if they were that bad as a charger (disclaimer I don't know if they are good or bad) Soldering the connectors is fairly easy and you coudl always get an adaptor, but thats frowned upon by some too Swings and roundabouts really Just research and ask questions like you are doing and I am sure you will find a gun that you are happy with

I'd say "nope" to that because of the Nuprol burn-your-house-down charger, and starting off with Tamiya, when there are guns now that come with Deans as standard. Not a big deal to swap if you're OK with soldering, but why make work for yourself out of the box?

Or consider a full face mask Something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387812008868

I'm a great fan of HobbyKing for batteries: https://hobbyking.com/en_us/batteries-chargers/batteries/lipo.html?srsltid=AfmBOorewg7W7txZBp1sQQReaQMzHMCWYjhJXlxPgrnOlK4NhYdpUR7t&___store=en_us#q=airsoft From what I can see, that M908 looks like it uses deans connectors. In terms of space, the M908 uses a 'crane' style stock, which does allow you to use 'nunchuck' style split battery packs. Personally though, I have a load of this type - they will fit your gun either in the stock or the buffer tube (bit that the stock slides onto), and are a versatile size that will fit just about any gun you choose to run in the future. I would get at least two, maybe three. They are only £6 each. Each one should last you at least 1000 shots/an hours intense woodland skirmish. https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-nano-tech-1300mah-2s-25-50c-lipo-airsoft-pack-t-connector.html

You would be wise to pair these with a cheap mesh face mask - to protect your teeth (and your face!) e.g.: https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/nuprol-mesh-lower-face-shield-v3?pv=5289

@WillMidz, I'll be honest, only g&g gun I've owned is an AK74, same goes for the cyma, only had m14's & vss, as for specna, ive got a couble of they're gearboxes im putting in to project AR's, so im not really the guy to say on those you listed, that said im sure theyre all up to the job. If your primarily focusing on playing cqb at the mo, maybe consider whatever model you mentioned that has the shortest barrel, can make a difference in room clearing etc.

My style of play, generally, puts me right at the tip of the action in CQB and woodland, nothing like being in the thick of it. I really wouldn't worry too much about the effective range of your rental gear, just play the type of game you want to play and get stuck in. Saying that, HC2 is a cracking site. Some of the scars I have are from there! ?

If thats what you want to do then don't let anyone stop you. Trust me it wont be long before you are looking for a Pistol and another Rifle In our house 3 of us play, myself and my 2 lads and between us we have 2 AEG's and 5 Pistols And I am planning on another AEG in the next few months

Welcome @WillMidz Just to throw my tuppence in, and echo what everyone has said, great sport, very addictive, cqb really is a lot of fun and will leave you scarred. I have some on my right forearm from a couple of indoor games last June/July. If you're happy to wear them like a badge of honour, you'll be good. Just remember that chicks dig scars! On the G&G front, I have the CM16 12" Wildhog and love it more than some of my children but had to replace the trigger unit as the contacts burned out. From the online drivel I've read, this seems to be a known problem with G&Gs. I fitted an upgraded unit that is a massive improvement and has different settings that you can play with. It was as easy swap but it does mean taking the gearbox apart. Again, not difficult by any standards but some don't want to do it. Where is your first game?

Ordered from Octagon before?

CQB is how I got into Airsoft The anti fog is a great tip, I have Muc Off for my MTB Goggles and use that before every game. No Issues so far with fogging up since using it Patrol Base do a Specna Arms starter bundle - https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sandy-sneak-beginner-bundle but if you get it before you have a UKARA it would need two toning I honestly would consider a starter bundle, as even if you purchase another gun its always there as a backup and can be loaned to mates so they can see what the sport is like

I'm a mountain biker with the occasional foray into gravel biking. Both frames were written off within about 6 weeks of each other last year, at no point will my airsoft addiction come close to costing me what that did! ? Anyway, I digress. I looked at Specna and G&G for my first pew and only opted for the G&G because I preferred the looks of the 308. I fitted a better mosfet and it's been almost faultless apart from the RHS ambi fire selector cogs being paper thin and therefore jumping if you use it, causing selection issues (fix : don't use that selector). The main issue with looking up stuff on the internet is that if there's an issue then people are likely to shout about it and then bang on about it for years after, whereas all those people who use and abuse their pews every week with no issues aren't doing the same. I did CQB as my first game (most of my games actually), it's totally different, faster, more intense and a lot more ouchy than an outdoor game. You'll have fun but will look like you have measles for a week after which may give rise to a few weird looks if you also like swimming. Definitely make sure you have good eyepro and lower face protection, teeth cost a lot more than any pew could. If it's dark where you're going then take a torch, there's a high likelihood that the rental won't have one or a tracer - both of which I wouldn't be without in CQB, but that's for the shopping list when you get your UKARA. Oh and welcome, you'll get plenty of good advice from everyone here.

I asked for an exact list of parts and this is what I got back. "Hop up barrel gears bucking MOSFET trigger extended battery compartment" but refused to elaborate.

@WillMidz, to be honest, ive got a silly amount of guns, prob 6 or 7 shotguns, prob 5 or 6 snipers, maybe 7 or 8 bullpups, 8 pistols i think, & prob another 15 to 20 of various m4's, G36's, m60, M14's, AK's, aug, VSS, FAL, G3, FNC & prob some I've forgotten. I have favourites, such as my cyma M14 socom, but to be honest for a first gun I'd definitely recommend something that takes stanag mags, that way when you buy a back up rifle, there's a lot to choose from that should take the same mags, definitely will make life easier for changing guns mid gameday & your pouch setup. What to pick, most brands are pretty good quality nowadays, it's as much about what you like the look of ??

Some really great advice is in this thread. You can do it cheaply, you can spend a fortune on it and both groups will have good days and bad days! I'd strongly recommend renting the first 3 times at least, not just to get your ukara but so you can give it a good honest go. There are loads of elements that are great, but people (including me at times) fall out of love with the sport all the time, it's easy to love it the first game and by your 4th that passion is waning. Renting for 4/5 games and still loving it confirms you love the sport enough to start buying kit and guns, it also gives you enough knowledge on what works etc. before spending your money.

There's a quote from someone from a few months ago... If your bills are paid you have no-one to answer to except yourself. ?

Slight understatement. ?

Re point 4 - Any respectable gun will have a warranty if bought brand new from a retailer so should anything go wrong you are covered, assuming you don't take it apart and tinker with it yourself

First off, rent and rent trying different sites, styles and weapons. Find out if airsoft is for you. If it is get a site membership so you can buy a RIF and not a 2-tone (controversial I know). Regarding rifs. Spent just under £300 on an G&G AEG plus battery and charger a year ago. Been used and abused in all weathers. Not missed a beat. Did the same for my son and it lost a screw of the hand guard first time out but apart from that also been solid. Stick to a brand, see what other players use.

Haha, Im going to do this to the next one I see

... until it broke. And the usual counter-productive laziness of requiring each interested party to ask for details, rather than just providing them once in the advert. Must be that rare "Nuprol hardcase" pushing up the cost.

As a bit of a DE M900 aficionado I'd love to know what's implied by "fully upgraded" as well. Externally I see slapped on paint, a 3d printed stock extension, and grip tape applied to the stock pistol grip, so let's say a generous £40 on parts there, so where has the other £180 or so gone? To replace the weaker components in it, hop unit + bucking + nozzle + spring + motor, you could do all of that for £90 with parts from AK2M4.

No you're not, especially as they've listed it as"FuLlY UpGrAdEd" but cant be arsed to list exactly what's been changed

Just lining in my new F90 and a couple of moves due to displaced RIF's.

KWA’s hop up is somewhat finicky, can’t say I’ve had BB’s getting stuck in the hop though. If you are keeping it long term I’d recommend the TNT Hop & barrel kit, it’s a game changer for the MP9, will easily hop .4 and more, plus easier adjustment.

Hey! The nozzle “sticking” won’t be the feed issue, that is just showing it’s got a good seal with the hop rubber. The bolt movement will ensure the nozzle comes free so don’t worry about that. For only feeding every other shot I’d check the mag feed lips first. I’ve found with certain mags and certain BB brands the BB can get caught on the part where the mag lip meets the mag. Remove the mag lip (2 pins) and gently file down the around the yellow highlighted parts to make sure its not sharp & has no burrs. Also do any sharp parts around the top of the lip while you are there, MP9’s can chew BB’s a little when loading due to the metal lips. If it’s still misfeeding after that I’d try a different brand of BB’s just to make sure. I found Excels tended to be slightly too small for the mag tract and would jam themselves up….

Someone must know the scrote. not the best picture, definitely got a face like a rodent though.

What tips do people have for maximising gas efficiency? ie lighter blowback unit? How are the aftermarket nozzle sets?

Considering they were around £100 new that's a bit of a piss take for a broken gun. Then there's this its also rear wired so you can still hk slap it with a battery in an I wonder if those HK slaps are the reason the front end broke

Am I the only one who thinks £1100 is a bit mental a tm shock scar with broken parts?