HPA, GBBR, advice on brands.

[mr_mj_spice]

So newish to airsoft and looking to get my first (airsoft) gun, been doing a lot of googling and YouTube and I'm sort of going against the grain because I dont want an AEG. 

I was sold on GBBR and have been deciding between TM mws and the VFC HK416A5. But have been looking into HPA, you loose a bit of realism but seems more reliable. 

I play at a woodland skirmish and an indoor CQB so both have different FPS limits and being able to easily change will play a factor when deciding what gun to buy. I know the VFC has a npas that's easily adjust externally and the HPA obviously is has an external regulator which is easy to change.

Anyone have any thoughts, advice or owned both guns or both platforms? 

I should say I'm new to airsoft guns but have real steel so am comfortable stripping down and working on firearms so the cleaning and maintenance doesn't bother me. 

 

[RobHedley]

Hi Spice,

Welcome to the forum.

Like you, I went against the grain. I was warned off going GBBR by so many people but it didn't stop me. I had an AEG from about 2 minutes before I went all in with a Tokyo Marui MWS. I would definitely recommend this over all the rest. Totally reliable and top perfomance out of the box. There is a huge post (the biggest one on this forum) about the MWS and what to do to improve it (Not that you need to do too much).

I would stay away from HPA for the moment, it has its advantages but also has alot of technicalities plus the realism of an MWS makes Airsoft so much more than a BB flinging competition.

 

[mr_mj_spice]

Yeah I've got the say the realism is a big part and I just don't like the aeg noise ha. 

The TM was leading the way until u saw a review in the VFC and quite liked the look of it hence asking people's opinions, I presume I can fit npas to the TM so I can alter the FPS depending where I'm playing? Any idea how easy it is to change on the fly? The VFC is just a twist nob at the muzzle end. 

And also in the TM favour as they are very popular there are lots of tutorials etc on working/fixing/upgrading it like the mentioned 

Yeah I've been looking at the HPA a bit but I'm not sold on it just yet, and it's expensive again hence asking peoples personal experience but I think I'm going to steer clear for now 

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

I did write out a long spiel on the pro's and con's on this, but I had other stuff to do, so binned it.  
Here's the short version...  

Tippmann M4 v2. 

Upsides: Simplified HPA setup, nice bit of recoil - and loud with it - so great fun to shoot.  Lets you use hi cap mags, if you like throwing plenty of plastic.  Can be had for reasonable price on the used market.

Downsides: Not a laser-beam like some other HPA setups.   Still have to contend with HPA line + tank.

Caveat: I've not skirmished my (used) example yet - had a problem with it chewing up the softer hop rubbers which isn't definitely resolved yet.

 

[RobHedley]

You can fit an NPAS to the TM. I have the RA Tech one fitted to my DMR version. They are very easy to fit and take about 15 minutes to fit. To adjust you just need to remove the bolt carrier which takes a second. As you have real steel, you will have no problem with this.

Have a look at BadaBing reviews on YouTube. He is a big MWS / VFC fan and does quite a few comparison videos as well.

 

[Salamanca]

I have owned a VFC 416, in fact it was my first gas gun. The externals are superb, however it proved pretty inconsistent in power terms, and unless you fit the TNT barrel and hop kit, it is inaccurate . It had an NPAS, which is fine but temperature plays such a big part in the VFC equation, that you will find it virtually impossible to know what your VFC is going to put out, until you chrono it on the day.

I moved on to MWS, after owning 2 GHKs, which were good, but not in the same league as MWS. I have two MWS: One is an URGI DMR, fully upgraded with a G&P NPAS shooting 1.85 J on 0.45s, which stacks up in accuracy against my TM NGRS HK417 DMR - which is saying something. The other is an Archwick L119, which came fully upgraded with Guns Modify internals - like the URGI it is bloody good, and I have it set for CQB at 1.1J. 

The moral of the story is go for MWS, upgrade the nub, and fit a tight bore barrel from the onset, then take it from there...you will not be disappointed.    

 

[mr_mj_spice]

I think il be going with the TM, but is it the TM MWS thats the reliable model seems to be the most popular then people just custom handguards etc... 

Oh that's easy enough then! I was thinking of running it as a DMR aswell for woodland skirmish then can just drop it down to the 300fps for I door CQB. 

I did watch the badabing review between the VFC and TM, just wanted other people's opinions and wanted to ask a bit about thoughts on HPA aswell 

 

[Salamanca]

Yes if you use an NPAS like the G&P then you can have both DMR and a CQB rifle in one. Badabing does have a video on modifying your MWS selector to semi auto for DMR, which is pretty easy.

 

[mr_mj_spice]

Looks like il be putting a wanted post in the classified ads tonight the other day ha, cheers guys, no doubt Il be after more advice once I get one, probably look to make a spares kit to keep with me for game days for any common/wear and tear issues so I can fix them while I'm there nd no ruin my day lol 

 

[mr_mj_spice]

Have the opportunity to buy a TM MWS CQBR.... Was the style I was looking for, I prefer the mk18 and I think this has a shorter barrel? Are these things that can be changed or am I better if just waiting for a mk18 to come up? 

 

[Lozart]

Have the opportunity to buy a TM MWS CQBR.... Was the style I was looking for, I prefer the mk18 and I think this has a shorter barrel? Are these things that can be changed or am I better if just waiting for a mk18 to come up? 

Click to shrink...

MK18 is just a CQBR in a fancy frock.

 

[mr_mj_spice]

Oh so same internals then? Wasn't massively fussed about externals as I was probably going to change the rail anyway... 

 

[Lozart]

Oh so same internals then? Wasn't massively fussed about externals as I was probably going to change the rail anyway... 

Click to shrink...

The internals are common across the MWS platform.

 

[Salamanca]

As Lozart says the internals are the same across the MWS platform. One thing you are likely to want to change is the soft nub, in order to realistically hop anything above .28, which if you want to get the best from this RIF's potential, is not a bad idea. If you buy a MK18, you will need to source a MK18 barrel nut wrench, or modify a similar barrel nut wrench in order to do this. This will not be easy, I know as I have been there. If you buy a CQBR you will not have this issue if you need to change the nub, or bucking - the later of which will eventually need changing at some point.   

 

[EvilMonkee]

GHK=AK

TM=M4 style

WE=MP5

VFC=416D (Only gen 2 upwards) or the new FAL which is excellent

/thread