Gun selection help!

[Finius]

Since the death of my AK, I've been having a bit of a wrestle with myself.

What I really want, is an ICS L85, with a few accessories, some upgrades and proper metal magazines etc, as well as a fully custom Molle belt rig.

The problem however, is this.

My AK died, meaning whatever I get, is all that I will have, and to that end, I feel that a budget of £600 may be better invested into several guns than into one. Especially when a CA sportline M4 and MP5 with batteries and hi-caps etc, would come to only £250, whereas just the base ICS L85 would be £320 BEFORE I'd got the kit for it.

So to that end, AF-UK, I ask you this;

Is it a wise investment to buy one AEG and invest heavily into it, or would I be better to invest in several medium spec AEGs and pistols?

Here's a few more details on why I'm so torn:

-I really love the L85, I've played a game with it, and honestly it's a beautiful gun

-I want the L85 as a 350fps DMR, this means a lot of finicky work, and potential a lot more time and expense before it's playable

-If I was to purchase the L85, I would have only one AEG, for a significant amount of time, meaning that if it went down mid-day, I'd have no choice but to shell out to rent, or go home.

-The cheaper guns I could get are all fairly decent and are models I already like

-For the price of the L85, I could have two AEGs (one primary, one backup) and a pistol, or any other combination allowing for multiple weapons should one go down

-I play two main sites, one is CQB, the other is a huge field, two cheaper weapons would mean I could get something tailored and sized to each area (e.g. an MP5 for CQB, M4 for outdoor)

-I already have a lot of accessories that would fit some of the available sportline guns; AK mags, batteries, RIS accessories etc, none of these would work with the L85 without adapters etc

-I've constructed a long list of different guns I want to own; the one I want most is the L85, and it'd be the most rewarding, but the cheap models I can find are also on that list

-My webbing only supports 5.56 mags; no large or long mags, I want a belt rig, but at £100 for an unbranded molle setup, it's a big ask

In short, I have a real romance with the L85, but I'm torn between that romance and practicality! Help me AF-UK! Budget is £600 between now and September, then un-known (but probably a couple of hundred every few months).

Please help me! (Or alternatively, give me donations so that I have enough money to do both )

 

[Deva]

Although the latter option makes more sense perhaps I'd just go with what you really want. My guess would be you'll regret not getting it else

 

[Mitchell Gee]

if you had £600, and £100 for a belt setup, that = £500 (maths lessons... i new they would come in helpful) and the ICS L85 is around £300ish so that leaves you with £200, you could get a back up AEG for that easy, you have planty to choose from in that price range... MP5's M4's M16's G36's etc etc. if you are quick you can snag up a MP5j from www.novatcombat.com for £105 which leaves you with still £50-100 which leaves you with money for batterys, BB's etc. or you could get a Classic army for around £120 which leaves you with money for batterys, BB's rail attatchments etc.

Or on the other hand (the better one) you could get the ICS L85 and then get anogher one and give that to me...

 

[Matt!]

ICS L85 + backup M4 = Same mags so you can spread the costings and if you deans' your batteries then there both compatible. £100 for a belt rig is a bit much isnt it? better of looking at used gear and tends to look better anyway

 

[Cyrax]

Well im not too hot on all the pricing of various manufacturers, but I would get the gun I really wanted.

As someone else said, getting anything else wont entirely satisfy you if your heart is set on a L85.

Just get yourself a cheaper rig, and a side arm with the left over money! I dont know how reliable that L85 is, but for that money i would expect it to be flawless...?

 

[geoffreym]

i'd try and buy a second hand ICS L85 and possibly a brand new L85 AFV to keep with your love of them, or second hand on both, and a simple PLCE webbing costs around £50, gives you both a back up gun which can also be comfortably used in very CQB enviroments, and you look very british.

 

[M_P]

No gun is flawless....

I think ford £100 you could get a good warrior assault systems belt from uktactical, but up to u to see what u want.

I would go for the l85, ICS is good, although I do prefer the ares, but you could afford that and a decent amount of mags, batteries and extras.

This would probably also get you a good susat or acog.

 

[geoffreym]

from my personal experience, forget about the susat, go for an acog.

and also god will be on your side

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8468981.stm

 

[Cerbo Knight]

Put all of your money into one weapon, get it to be exactly how you want it, then spend any remaining money you have left on a backup/rig or whatever takes your fancy.

Go for the Ares L85A2, it's the most realistic and probably reliable SA80 replica to date, you'll be needing a rail adaptor to fit an Acog, but it's worth it over the susat. The susat is pants.

 

[Finius]

The L85 would be pretty sweet

I think I may pick up a CA Sportline M4 just as an in-case weapon, then put everything into my L85

I love the L85, I just can't shift this worry about a gun dying on me mid-game...

 

[Hubert]

The L85 would be pretty sweet
I think I may pick up a CA Sportline M4 just as an in-case weapon, then put everything into my L85

I love the L85, I just can't shift this worry about a gun dying on me mid-game...

Thats what I'd do. You've got the advantage that you (should) have interchangable mags, and CA's stuff is usually pretty reliable and good (and if its going to be a backup, its unlikely to die from over-use).

If you want an ACOG on it, you can either buy ICS's replacement 20mm RiS, or you can now buy the actual 19mm-lever rail mount the real ACOGs are mounted on, Hornbil make it (its on RSOV at the moment, about £20 not inc. import duties).

SUSATs and airsoft don't mix, unless you have: 1)a real SUSAT and 2)sunglasses styled eye-pro, otherwise you can't really see. There's also the question of whether a really heavy metal X4 magnification optic is actually any use for an airsoft assault rifle...

 

[Cerbo Knight]

The L85 would be pretty sweet
I think I may pick up a CA Sportline M4 just as an in-case weapon, then put everything into my L85

I love the L85, I just can't shift this worry about a gun dying on me mid-game...

Sportline M4's are nice and all, but if you budget can manage it there's an Ares M4 in the classified's right now for only £170, and IMO Ares make a much better M4 than CA sportlines.

My friend has a CA sportline, and I did get the chance to have a good look at the guts, it's not that bad, but nothing to boast about. The only downside to the Ares M4, is the gearbox design isn't standard, but it's still pretty decent and has a quick change spring design. Not that you'd need it often...

 

[M_P]

Or if u can afford it maybe the elcan Dr

 

[brewer17]

ARES L85 vs ICS L85

Before I had the Ares I had the ICS one. Had it 3 months and used it for 5mins.

My first problem was constant hop on. The BB would go 10ft the get lost in the clouds. 2nd problem was the piston stripped, and the piston head was smashed to bits, on a 8.4 1500 battery.

I think ICS where on to a winner with this L85, with the quick spring change and to be able to set the spring power, but I think they failed on the hop unit design.

I also found that it was very magazine fussy too. Some people on here and on the skirmish field have never had a problem, but like i said to them "i may have had the lemon of the batch"

Now the Ares L85.

The quick change spring system is a handy thing to have, mine out the box was 290FPS. So i put a M110 spring in her and got 340FPS, there was a slight drop in ROF but thats easily sorted with a better motor.

Getting batteries for it was a pain. The ICS hand guard had a lot of space in it to house a 9.6 3600 battery where as the Ares can only fit a 8.4 or a split pack that Zero One sell for £40. She handles a 7.4 lipo quite well too.

Another downside I found with the Ares is the Hop unit.

Although the stock rubber is brilliant, but theres a time when a change is needed, when you do this you will never get that "factory airseal" as the hop unit is attached to the gearbox.

But in my own opinion the Ares L85 wins hands down, shes based on the real steel in terms of weight & markings.

Hope this helps fella.

 

[Finius]

First there was the ICS L85, then there was the ICS L85 and other guns And now, there's the ARES L85, the ICS L85 and all the other guns!

What's the ARES gearbox and mag compatability like? When you say it can fit an 8.4, do you mean it can take an 8.4v large/standardised battery? Are there any proprietary parts and are they easy to find?

Cheers"

 

[sarni307]

I'm seriously considering getting rid

Of my l85 if I do I will see if you are interested when the time comes

 

[Finius]

As long as the time is right I'll have it

It'd have to co-incide with my working on the farms, or my credit card arriving, but damn I'm interested xD

 

[Mitchell Gee]

From what i have heard from here and other places Ares is the best, but the thing about L85's is the fact that you need to get the drill, hammer, saw etc. out if you want anything on it apart from a scope... were as a Mp5 or G36 and Armalites are highly customisable, if i was you i would get the L85 and then get a classic army m4 as a "project gun" and customize the hell out of it... but thats just me...

On a side note, what does IMO stand for?

 

[Cerbo Knight]

Nice double post

And IMO stands for in my opinion

 

[joshcowin]

get the l85 and a 2nd hand aeg off here just in case and when your using your l85 you can hire the aeg out to make money.