Hello! Let's do this!

[Crashtest33]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, it's great to see the 'new player' forum getting lots of replies from experienced members. This does not happen in other hobby forums I'm involved with, trust me!

I've been skirmishing with TM single-shot pistols in a mates farmhouse grounds since I was about 10 (34 now) and I've just found out I live only 15-20mins from AWA Airsoft in Hertfordshire!

I want to play this sport for friendship, fitness & banter. And most importantly as a much needed break from the kiddies. I'm an experienced Rugby & Basketball player but after 15yrs of ski teaching in the Alps, my body's a tiny bit fragile with extremely impactfull sports like those (don't get me wrong, gym & fitness isn't an issue).

Lastly, I am a tech head. PC's, HiFi etc. I'm there so I WILL want to have a fiddle with my weapon (insert innuendo here).

I'm not really interested in what type of player I become, assault, sniper etc, but my skirmish site is woodland so I'm guessing MP5s are a no no.

I've noticed, like my other hobbies, the shear volume of companies now making Airsoft weapons systems and upgrade parts and it's all a bit overwhelming. Also the majority of information on the Tube and www seems to be American which obviously poses the problem of import costs and availability.

Aside from the obvious advice of get to AWA and rent an AEG and play (I know I like the sport from previous), is there any pearls of wisdom that might not seem apparent?

Compatibility is my main concern.

Did TM patent many of the systems used today and do ALL guns and aftermarket parts mix-n-match?

Are there any that just don't fit (heard G&G are problematic) and if so, what's best to avoid?

What are the brand groups of quality & price? (My other hobbies usually mean you get what you pay for).

Is building from scratch therefore a waste of money if components are interchangeable?

Not all brands are available from all shops. Is this an issue? Do people import?

Are there weapon and parts brands that you just can't go wrong with?

Are there brands that are money-no-object the mutts nuts?

What I do know is that form is as important as function for me, not from the overall look of me as a player but from a quality point of view. Eg. There's no way there's any die cast metal going in my gearbox and the idea of a plastic receiver makes me wince.

I saw a video that 'LevelCap' made regarding a custom SR-25 sniper rifle made by Polarstar and Airsoft G.I. in the US, and was blown away by the tech standard of the player, shop and engineering involved.

Do people in the UK get that 'in to it'?

I know team play comes first but being able to "tinker" is always therapeutic! Lol.

What I do know is buy for quality, simplicity and compatibility first.

I'm sorted with the electronics as I've been racing Electric RC buggys with LiPo's so have a top end charger.

Thanks for reading and any advice, especially from AWA members would be greatfully received!

(YouTube's Scoutthedoggie and LevelCap are my main gamplay point of reference other than pics of AWA on FB)

 

[Twice19]

Hi Crash,

Welcome to the sport and the forums.

Have a read over the stickies on here, it will give you a lot of useful info.

Personally, I wouldn't scratch build a gun. It's a lot of money and work. Usually you'd be fine getting a stock gun and upgrading parts as and when you want/need to.

For the most part; different companies are interchangeable. Sometimes you'll need a little mod and wiggle to get certain parts to fit. But 99% of stuff will be fine.

As for an MP5 in woodland....why not? With a few tweaks you can get any gun running well. I've seen Pistols and PDW's outranging and more accurate that then DMR's. Personally, I like to use an M4 Stubby in woodland because there's less length to catch on undergrowth etc. Nice and compact.

Some people do import - but be careful doing it. You'll most likely need UKARA before you do; and you'll probably get hit with a tonne of taxes and charges.

Best advice I can give: rent for a few games to get UKARA. You'll get a feel for the game and what play style you have.

Then buy an AEG you like. There's no "best gun", just what's best for you.

If your a techie, tweak the gun as and when you need to in order to get better performance. Swapping out basic internals (hop unit, barrel) can make a huge difference without having to open up gearboxes.

Lastly, just enjoy. We can't all be John McLaine, but as long as you have fun trying to - you'll do fine

 

[Baz JJ]

I cut my airsoft teeth at AWA and its my local site geographically although I havent played there for a while.

As you say, its a large woodland site with a quite muddy tented safe zone, a "village" made of temporary wooden materials and the remains of an old bunker with a wall barricade/ridge to defend. Games are the normal skirmish type games and there is usually a large rental element of newbies. Summer can see as many as 100 players.

My first weapon was an MP5 and as this shoots similarly to any other assault rifle in airsoft, you can use this for woodland games if you so wish.

 

[Crashtest33]

Lol, top man!

Great! The MP5 SD5 is my all-time favourite looking rifle!

 

[Sitting Duck]

Get a decent starter gun.

Get ukara

Buy more guns

One of them will bust no doubt

Fix that as n when

If that fails....

Buy more guns

One of them will bust no doubt

Fix that as n when

If that fails....

Buy more guns

One of them will bust no doubt

Fix that as n when

If that fails....

Buy more guns.....

My life story above

Breaking guns is easy

Stripping them a little more carefully

Putting them back together all working -ahhh now that bit is a little tricky...

It should just work but often it may need a little file/dremmel to operate smoothly each part and there isn't that many in there but they all gotta fitted to a pretty high degree of care & attention if it will work properly

Sounds easy, yeah think all of us thought that - how hard can it be ???

But if you got some common sense, take your time, be fairly fussy and check - actually double check everything you will soon be fully maintaining and rebuilding your toy guns.

A build is only as strong as the weakest point

So even modest stuff/parts will be OK if assembled correctly. You will figure out all this yourself as you go

Loads of guides videos n stuff out there by very very clever people.

Your only real problem - where the bloody hell have you been - should got back into this year's ago..

 

[Crashtest33]

Lol, tell me about it! Been raising two little crazies who can now cope without M&D for a day! Lol.

Happy with the maintenance as all electric RC buggies are just CNC'd ally, bearings & plastic.

Got decent boots too.

Btw, will I get laughed at if I turn up as Capt. Price from CoD?!

 

[djben9]

Lol, tell me about it! Been raising two little crazies who can't now cope without M&D for a day! Lol.

Happy with the maintenance as all electric RC buggies are just CNC'd ally, bearings & plastic.

Got decent boots too.

Btw, will I get laughed at if I turn up as Capt. Price from CoD?!

we've seen worse!!!

oh an welcome , know what you mean about break from kiddies!

 

[Crashtest33]

I do have 3 questions to start things off.

1) Do good AEGs have built in voltage limiters for LiPos? (My RC buggy speed contoller shuts off the buggy when each cell gets to 1.6v

2) Can you extend the barrel so it's poking out of the gun and screw a suppressor over it to gain benefit of a longer barrel?

3) What's the best UK Airsoft publication (or are they all rubbish and filled with adverts?)

Cheers ma dears!

 

[Jedi_Master]

3) What's the best UK Airsoft publication (or are they all rubbish and filled with adverts?)

I think that 'Airsoft Action', a monthly periodical, is the best.

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/27629-airsoft-monthly-periodicals/?hl=periodicals

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/29117-the-current-state-of-uk-airsoft-magazines/?hl=publication

 

[Baz JJ]

1) why would that be beneficial in airsoft ?

2) theres not a lot of difference in shorter and longer barrels in airsoft

 

[PT247]

I do have 3 questions to start things off.

1) Do good AEGs have built in voltage limiters for LiPos? (My RC buggy speed contoller shuts off the buggy when each cell gets to 1.6v

2) Can you extend the barrel so it's poking out of the gun and screw a suppressor over it to gain benefit of a longer barrel?

3) What's the best UK Airsoft publication (or are they all rubbish and filled with adverts?)

Cheers ma dears!

1) some do.... The ASG Scorpion Evo 3 does, am sure some others do too. You can buy gizmos to offer battery protection.

2) yes.... but longer barrels do not necessarily mean better range/accuracy, they tend really to be to get a boost in fps but as the saying goes, power is nothing without control, upgrading the hop is more important than upping the fps. A higher quality short barrel will offer better rewards than a low quality long barrel.

3) all press is filled with ads, it is what pays them the wages. Airsoft Action is ok though, but does have a lot of ads still.

 

[Crashtest33]

1) why would that be beneficial in airsoft ?

2) theres not a lot of difference in shorter and longer barrels in airsoft

1) Beneficial?! Essential! Run LiPos too low and they're throw away

2) Cool, thanks. So once the barrel gets the bb heading in the right direction, it's done it's job?

 

[Crashtest33]

Thanks PT247!

Good knowledge. Really interesting to know that about the barrel & hop units.

 

[PT247]

2) pretty much.

 

[Baz JJ]

Fully understand but I think most people can detect when their lipo isnt offering the same response as at the start of the game and will change batteries. I think some of the G&G M4s have a cut off called an ETU which will stop operation when battery voltsge falls too low (amongst other things)

1) Beneficial?! Essential! Run LiPos too low and they're throw away

 

[Crashtest33]

Fully understand but I think most people can detect when their lipo isnt offering the same response as at the start of the game and will change batteries.

Oh, I see. So will a 7.2v LiPo give you a whole game day of use?

What are the symptoms of a weak battery in Airsoft?

Does anyone still use NiMh or Li-ion?

 

[Baz JJ]

Usually a loss of performance Im led to believe, but TBH I mostly do milsims and a 1400mAH LIPO lasts me all day.

Most common are NiMH and LiPO.

 

[PT247]

A 1400mAH LiPo will not last a whole day if you run hi-caps. A LiPo will suddenly lose performance without any real warning, once it does you have potentially damaged the cells so shortened the life of the battery even if you can recover it. LiPos are difficult to recover if flattened so a battery warning or cut out has a use in airsoft...... not everyone plays milsim with only 7 real-cap mags for the whole day.

I can make a 1400mAH last me a day normal skirmishing but is touch and go. I normally just change my batteries at lunch time which stops it being an issue. If you can fit a 2600mAH battery in your gun then that should reliably last a day but electronic protection is still a good thing if available!

 

[Twice19]

Does anyone still use NiMh or Li-ion?

I'm old school and still run NiHm. Never had any issues with them tbh.

I'm sure one day I'll switch to LiPo and find them at there's a huge improvement, but for my casual playing NiHm's are fine

 

[Crashtest33]

The weekend has arrived!!

Off to AWA on Sunday.

Got some tactical gear, safety glasses, a TM Glock 17 and 4 mags!

Here goes.

(Can't afford to rent an AEG this week after my son's birthday so pistol it is, lol)