Help a Brother Out!

[BoneyT]

Hi fellow airsofters! My son and I are just getting into airsoft and are gagging to play again after this lockdown. The only problem is that I lost my job in the middle of March due to the pandeminc and I was hoping to get my son both a primary and secondary for his birthday because he doesn't want to use rentals anymore. Sadly, like a lot of people, money is now very tight and I can't justify spending it on guns (as much we'd like to!). I see people with massive collections of guns and always wonder how they can afford to do it. Anyhow, this is the embarrassing bit and I know this is cheeky, but if any of you lads and lasses have a spare gun you would be willing to donate to us for free, you would make two noobs very, very happy. Naturally I'm more than happy to pay for postage or even collect it if not too far. Many, many thanks.

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

Firstly welcome to the forum. That's quite the introductory post.

Just so we're clear, are you asking for 2 x primaries, 2 x secondaries, batteries, mags, gas, BB's perhaps slings, vests and gloves too? 

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Most folk with collections build them up over time, they start with 1 gun, buy another, and another etc. Its the kind of thing you look back after a decade of play and realise you have a problem....

In terms of donating, i'm afraid i cant offer any practical assistance, but perhaps keep an eye on both the classifieds and local sites. Sometimes a site will have a clearout of old rental kit which can be picked up for peanuts, if your in any way mechanically minded a bit of tlc on an old cyma or jg ak can get a perfectly competent shooter.

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

I will add that assuming you have all the other gear, a better way to broach it would be to let people know that you want to go to a particular site on a particular day and ask if anyone else who's planning on attending would be kind enough to lend you a gun or two for the day. Others may feel differently but if I had just given a gun (speaking of which there is at least a moral dilemma, if not a legal one when it comes to donating RIF's to people you don't know) and I later saw them selling it on, I wouldn't be best pleased.

Hopefully you'll get another job soon and be in a position to afford such luxuries in due course.

 

[BoneyT]

Firstly welcome to the forum. That's quite the introductory post.

Just so we're clear, are you asking for 2 x primaries, 2 x secondaries, batteries, mags, gas, BB's perhaps slings, vests and gloves too? 

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Hi, Yeah I suppose it is a bit desperate for a first post!? But desperate times, desperate methods I guess. My boy is 13 and we both have basic camo gear and gloves. I've ordered a plate carrier from China for £17. It looks OK, but I'm aware that it'll probably be average at best when it eventually arrives. In terms of guns, in an ideal world 2 of each yes, but even if I could just get one working primary and secondary for him that would be a start. I'd be guided by your experience when it comes to mags, batteries etc but at the moment we have nothing so any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

Do you have decent eye protection? That's definitely something you don't want to scrimp on.

 

[BoneyT]

I will add that assuming you have all the other gear, a better way to broach it would be to let people know that you want to go to a particular site on a particular day and ask if anyone else who's planning on attending would be kind enough to lend you a gun or two for the day. Others may feel differently but if I had just given a gun (speaking of which there is at least a moral dilemma, if not a legal one when it comes to donating RIF's to people you don't know) and I later saw them selling it on, I wouldn't be best pleased.

Hopefully you'll get another job soon and be in a position to afford such luxuries in due course.

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All genuine concerns and I couldn't agree more. I will try the borrowing option, it's also another way of making contacts at our regular site. Fingers crossed on the job front! Thanks anyway.

Do you have decent eye protection? That's definitely something you don't want to scrimp on.

Click to shrink...

Son has a full face mask and I've got some british army goggles but I am thinking about swapping them for the sunglasses type. Are they any good?

 

[Asomodai]

Hi, Yeah I suppose it is a bit desperate for a first post!? But desperate times, desperate methods I guess. My boy is 13 and we both have basic camo gear and gloves. I've ordered a plate carrier from China for £17. It looks OK, but I'm aware that it'll probably be average at best when it eventually arrives. In terms of guns, in an ideal world 2 of each yes, but even if I could just get one working primary and secondary for him that would be a start. I'd be guided by your experience when it comes to mags, batteries etc but at the moment we have nothing so any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, Airsoft is an expensive sport, especially when things inevitably break or go wrong. Being as kind as possible, I would suggest that if you cant afford the gear, you probably cant afford the £25/£30 per person skirmish fee and the £10 bottle each on BBs per session. 

There is no need for a secondary especially as you're asking for free stuff. Many people don't run a secondary. Secondaries also usually mean a pistol, which have additional costs such as gas, magazines (Which are a minimum of around £25 each) and holster. Secondaries don't perform as well as your primary. You don't need it when you are new and on a budget .

The other issue is that although some might not have a problem, I would not want to give away a RIF to a new or casual player. Only a two toned IF. 

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However if you are determined to start on very little money and you don't want to go for the rental options. 

Buy two of these AK's. They are the cheapest rifles I would even bother with. They have quite good internals for the money which are unlikely to go boom the first time you fire them.

https://gunfire.com/en/products/jg-0512mg-replica-1152194697.html

And the service to spray paint them so they are IFs and can be legally imported for new players such as yourselves without the need for a provable defence.

https://gunfire.com/en/products/painting-service-servico-de-pintura-make-the-airsoft-gun-meet-your-local-law-requirements-1152211293.html

As well as this service for both rifles to downgrade them to UK levels of 1 Joule. 

https://gunfire.com/en/products/aeg-replica-downgrade-1152197807.html

You would also need a battery and charger. 

If you're not a fan of AK's or importing then try two of these .

https://www.bespokeairsoft.co.uk/airsoft-gun/cyma-cm515-m4-long-ris-aeg-sports-line-black-cm515

Or 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/cyma-cm-513-m4-ris-suppressed?pv=2611

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/cyma-cm-507-ar-15?pv=8569

Already UK spec and you can pick the colour (Red or Blue) for the RIF to be painted account for your lack of defense. Is already UK spec and also comes with battery and charger. Its a bit more expensive then the AK's and Cyma make a better AK then they do an M4. But it is convenient. 

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

All genuine concerns and I couldn't agree more. I will try the borrowing option, it's also another way of making contacts at our regular site. Fingers crossed on the job front! Thanks anyway.

Son has a full face mask and I've got some british army goggles but I am thinking about swapping them for the sunglasses type. Are they any good?

Click to shrink...

Yeah just my two cents for what it's worth. You may get lucky and there's someone who wants to have a clear out but can't be bothered to list an item. It's just that any RIF sells for fifty to several hundred pounds even second hand, so someone would have to be feeling VERY generous to donate four of them with all the accessories to a complete stranger.

In regards to your second question, I personally wouldn't wear or recommend any eye protection that wasn't "full-seal"

 

[Tommikka]

Son has a full face mask and I've got some british army goggles but I am thinking about swapping them for the sunglasses type. Are they any good?

Click to shrink...

I come from the paintball world so I will always endorse full face protection 

As your son is younger he must use full face protection

For yourself the requirement is to have suitable eye protection that meets impact standards.

Add to that whether or not the glasses fully cover your eyes AND any strange angle, and are they secure on your face?

I recommend goggles rather than glasses, but there are glasses that meet the standard 

I’ve seen players with a BB lodged in the edge of their glasses 

 

[BoneyT]

Honestly, Airsoft is an expensive sport, especially when things inevitably break or go wrong. Being as kind as possible, I would suggest that if you cant afford the gear, you probably cant afford the £25/£30 per person skirmish fee and the £10 bottle each on BBs per session. 

There is no need for a secondary especially as you're asking for free stuff. Many people don't run a secondary. Secondaries also usually mean a pistol, which have additional costs such as gas, magazines (Which are a minimum of around £25 each) and holster. Secondaries don't perform as well as your primary. You don't need it when you are new and on a budget .

The other issue is that although some might not have a problem, I would not want to give away a RIF to a new or casual player. Only a two toned IF. 

-----------------------

However if you are determined to start on very little money and you don't want to go for the rental options. 

Buy two of these AK's. They are the cheapest rifles I would even bother with. They have quite good internals for the money which are unlikely to go boom the first time you fire them.

https://gunfire.com/en/products/jg-0512mg-replica-1152194697.html

And the service to spray paint them so they are IFs and can be legally imported for new players such as yourselves without the need for a provable defence.

https://gunfire.com/en/products/painting-service-servico-de-pintura-make-the-airsoft-gun-meet-your-local-law-requirements-1152211293.html

As well as this service for both rifles to downgrade them to UK levels of 1 Joule. 

https://gunfire.com/en/products/aeg-replica-downgrade-1152197807.html

You would also need a battery and charger. 

If you're not a fan of AK's or importing then try two of these .

https://www.bespokeairsoft.co.uk/airsoft-gun/cyma-cm515-m4-long-ris-aeg-sports-line-black-cm515

Or 

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/cyma-cm-513-m4-ris-suppressed?pv=2611

https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/cyma-cm-507-ar-15?pv=8569

Already UK spec and you can pick the colour (Red or Blue) for the RIF to be painted account for your lack of defense. Is already UK spec and also comes with battery and charger. Its a bit more expensive then the AK's and Cyma make a better AK then they do an M4. But it is convenient. 

I do have my UKARA number so was hoping to get something realistic for me.

Click to shrink...

 

[Asomodai]

As you have a UKARA you're in luck. 

https://www.taiwangun.com/en/carbines-rifles/sortrice/direction:asc#product-id:13587

Taiwan gun do RIFs for as little £65 each which would be perfect. The barrier to entry has never been lower. Two of those including shipping is £141 to the UK within the EU. Includes a battery, though you will need to get a UK spec charger. 

As I said, Airsoft is a luxury sport, with high start-up costs and fairly high maintenance costs. If you can afford the £60-70 it costs to do a day of airsofting for the two of you, then you can afford to purchase at least one of these rifles. 

I say this because I really doubt anyone is going to donate any rifle, pistol, and kit to you working or not. It's not that we aren't generous, if someone I personally knew was a dedicated airsofter had his kit stolen etc, I would at the very least lend or give one of my less loved rifles to them to keep playing during a tough time. But for a new player to ask for a complete kit loadout is pretty pie in the sky. 

When I was a kid, I really wanted a set of DJ Decks. The lowest price point for something like that was £200. My Dad didn't have a job and couldn't afford for me to have them. Course I was upset, but I had to accept that it wasn't possible at the time. What money we did have was better spent on essentials or things that were cheaper or free until we were in a better position.

If I had asked someone to give me some Decks for free, and the speakers, the mixer etc because I couldn't afford it. I would have had my ass kicked. 

 

[L3wisD]

@BoneyT - I feel for you guys, I do.

I can't spare anything proper, but I've got a Viper LA Special forces vest I could spare, and maybe a very basic black plate carrier (if I can find it). The one in my profile picture as it happens.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Goddamn that is some top tier advice @Asomodai

 

[Tackle]

All I can say is WOW, astonished by the first post but also impressed the responses you've all given, kudos for your restraint.

@BoneyT, I get it, you want to play, we all do, but as has been pointed out, it can be an expensive hobby, it doesn't have to be but often it snowballs.

Thing is, we've all been skint at some point in our lives, it sucks but the usual response is to tighten the belt & get through it, not beg on public forums, even if there was someone feeling flush & was prepared to give you a gun, it then potentially opens up a mahoosive can of legal worms.

The other issue is we'd be "enabling" you, essentially encouraging you to get involved in the sport (& therefore financial commitments ?) in order to play, all at a time when your focus should be 100% on improving your situation & ensuring your family are provided for, not getting in to a money pit hobby.

It would be tantamount to me giving Phil Mitchell a bottle of whiskey for his birthday, it'll only end badly.

Best thing you can do learn as much as you can from the various forums & webpages, & when your situation improves, only then consider buying kit.

Good luck.

 

[Asomodai]

Goddamn that is some top tier advice @Asomodai

Click to shrink...

I wish a RIF cost the same as it costs me to give advice!

 

[Adolf Hamster]

I wish a RIF cost the same as it costs me to give advice!

Click to shrink...

Not gonna lie i was surprised how cheap respectable gats are these days, for example those g36's for £86.

I mean if your renting thats 2 shoots worth of fees.

Of course that probably doesnt help the op any, sadly i must admit i'm kind of in the "wait until times are better" camp, airsoft (hopefully) isnt going away any time soon and as much as it sucks not being able to get your own kit (as was my life for a few years after i first played), sometimes it's just the way life goes.

 

[ak2m4]

I've ordered a plate carrier from China for £17

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Hi, borrowing is a great way.  If you're got money worries though hang on till you start working and definitely don't go spending money on non-essential gear like plate carriers.  Hope you manage to sort a job out soon