Newbie

[Colinc1968]

Hi we are from Southampton...my 14 yr old has just got his first Airsoft gun today so please expect lots of questions from me asking for help/ advice as this is totally new to me.

 

[EDcase]

Hi and welcome.

I hope you did some research before buying ?

Will you be playing too?

 

[Colinc1968]

Well he has been looking for a while and Got a aeg M4 we went to Zero one airsoft in poole and talked to them first looked at a few guns he tried the m4 on their range and was very happy with it 

 

[EDcase]

Its good that he could try it out before buying.

It won't be long until you hear "Daaaad,  I saw another one that looks even cooler" ?

 

[Colinc1968]

Yep I've already been given a list of wants...will be going with him to groundzone in Ringwood a couple of times so he's not alone...I've read that mesh eye protection isn't good why is that as that's what the bloke in the shop recommended and we came out with!! 

 

[Iceni]

Mesh is a double edged sword.

If you sweat a fair bit then there really isn't any other option that works as well, without spending a fair chunk of change. You see mesh doesn't fog at all with your sweat. The downside to mesh is it can and does let parts of BB through if the bb hits and shatters. A lot of players still use it, and it does work, but you wear it knowing you may get bits in the eye eventually... It kind of the same with choosing not to wear lower face protection, It's more conformable without it, but at the same time you may need a trip to the dentist if a stray bb knocks out a tooth.

Shooting glasses can be worse than mesh, they often have large openings at the sides, top and bottom.

Goggles or a well fitted mask are better options. The problem there is goggles and masks love to fill with sweat, they fog up, and they can be hotter to wear.

Because this is an open forum, most people will advise against mesh, but that doesn't mean they don't own and use it, they just use it knowing the risks.

Personally I have several pairs of eye protection because I suffer with stupidly long eye lashes, So some of the close fitting types hurt over a days play, I use mesh and goggles. with a tendency towards goggles until I'm sweating too much to see, The colder it is the less this is a problem. For goggles have a look in screwfix there's a few offerings from Bolle, Dewalt, Uvex, ect that are more than up to the task for under £20, For Mesh I have a few sets as well but I favour a small black pair that seem to have a little more foam padding so they sit off the face a little more.

 

[EDcase]

I also use both mesh and normal goggles.

I've read the stories of BBs shattering but I've never seen anything happen in the few years I've been playing.  Its really only possible with high power sniper rifles at close range and they usually have a minimum shooting distance of 20-30 metres.  So its possible but HIGHLY unlikely.  (Perhaps it was more likely in the past and maybe BB quality has improved?)

As Iceni said, goggles are good as long as they are close fitting around the eyes.  It depends how much exercise you can do before sweat becomes a problem.

Forget shooting glasses.  They're like half protection.

Lower face protection is very advisable and mandatory for under 16s at the sites I go to.

THIS is good because it includes ear protection and easy to breath (Example only: You may find them cheaper elsewhere). You can also bend the mesh to fit the face.

I've not been to Ground Zero but from the google photos it looks really good (and big).  Who knows, you may get addicted too ?

 

[Shamal]

Hi and welcome to the fold ?

Ground zero is a great site. Big though. Plenty of challenging terrain with means it can be hard work.will test your fitness lol.

I'm sure you will enjoy it though.

Check out @GAMBLEon the tube he has some great vids which will answer a lot of your questions.?

Have fun ?

Regards 

 

[C-Diddy]

Ground Zero is my local site. As others have said, it's big and the terrain can be challenging. Please make sure your lad's wearing something more supportive than trainers on his feet. Really easy to roll an ankle there.

On eye pro, I'd move away from mesh asap. Bolle Trackers or Cobra are decent and only a few quid. Look at DIY places rather than airsoft shops for them and you'll find them cheaper ? 

Hope he has a great time and don't be afraid to ask other players questions either. Airsofters are generally friendly and also love to show their kit off and share advice. 

 

[Colinc1968]

Thanks for the advice hope I'm not asking to many stupid questions...as to clothing would it be cheaper to visit our local army surplus shop to kit him out as the stuff we looked at seem very expensive...? 

What sort of face mask with ear shields is best when I do change his mesh shield 

 

[GAMBLE]

Hi @Colinc1968! ?

Welcome to the forum, full of advice and like minded players! ???

Good luck getting into Airsoft, biggest advice set a budget and compare prices! ??

Also shoutout to @Shamal for the mention! ???

Have a browse and hopefully find some answers? ?

?GAMBLE?

 

[EDcase]

Thanks for the advice hope I'm not asking to many stupid questions...as to clothing would it be cheaper to visit our local army surplus shop to kit him out as the stuff we looked at seem very expensive...? 

What sort of face mask with ear shields is best when I do change his mesh shield 

Don't worry you haven't asked a stupid question yet ?

Yeah, surplus shops are good.  Check out ebay as well for cheap reproduction stuff that's good enough for airsoft.

I think THIS is a good lower facemask.

Search 'airsoft goggles' to get some idea of what's available.  As mentioned by @Iceni, look for known brands like Bolle, Dewalt, Uvex also Pyramex and 3M (Don't spend less than £10 for anything)

 

[Colinc1968]

Does he need a helmet also or would you recommend waiting a while for that 

 

[Colinc1968]

One other thing...he had a go in the garden yesterday to try it out which is understandable...is it best to disconnect the battery when not in use...we didn't know and he's taking it to show his grandad today so we left it connected up 

 

[EDcase]

A cheap helmet can be good to prevent knocks from tree branches and falls but a baseball cap is enough to protect from BB hits.

Its best to remove the battery if not being used for several days.  Long term it would be best to get a better battery (LiPo) and charger.

Presumably the battery goes in the rear of the stock so a dual stick would be best.

THIS battery should last a whole day.

THIS is the most basic charger.  (A good one will cost around £30 something like THIS but you'll need some adapter cables too)

Its best to search the forum for chats about batteries and chargers as there are more in depth discussions.

 

[GAMBLE]

@Colinc1968! ?

Always when you finish, fire it to clear barrel of any BB’s (Not in the safe zone!) in the chamber and then take out the battery! ??

Dont want to damage or loose anything important!!!! ?

Any hat wear is good, depends on what you want, might change over time? ?

This a clear example of what NOT to do!!!! ?

?GAMBLE?

 

[C-Diddy]

Don't leave batteries in the gun and if you do end up getting Lipos (recommended) pick up a charging bag as well. 

Helmets can come later and, at Ground Zero, are pretty useful preventing bumps and scratches from all the trees. As others have mentioned, anything over the head is recommended to take the sting out of a BB hit. I favour a boonie if I'm too hot in my helmet. They also provide a bit of extra protection from the sun, especially if you can get one with a detachable neck cover.

Gloves are also something to consider as a shot to the finger is really sore. Don't think you have to pick everything up at once though. Build it up over time and after a couple of games you'll soon be able to prioritise purchases based on the freshest set of 6mm welts! 

Military 1st is a great site to pick up all sorts of kit. Link is here. Their prices are good, service is quick and stock list is huge.

 

[Colinc1968]

Thanks so much for the advice everyone it's really helpful.... sorry for the random questions but am a bus driver so giving me time to think....is it best to get a small rucksack and take a spare battery( don't know how long these last for)with him for the first time one to carry stuff In and the other obviously as don't want to ruin his first go by the battery going dead...and also does he need a case to care his gun around like u do with air rifles etc 

 

[EDcase]

Yep, its worth getting two batteries to swap mid-day or if one fails.  You can use the one that came with the gun as a backup and get a LiPo as well.  (2 LiPos will be better of course)

Can be a rucksack or gym bag for general gear, drinks, snacks, clothing, BBs, magazines etc.

Gun bag is a MUST.  You cannot allow the rifle to be seen in public at all.  (Could also be worth explaining to the neighbours if they can see him with it in the garden)

I put my boots in a plastic bag as its often muddy and have normal shoes for the car.

Following from @Gamble regarding safety.  In the house or garden there is always the chance of ricochets so eye protection must ALWAYS be used along with good trigger discipline.

That means never put finger on trigger until actually aiming and always move selector to SAFE  when not aiming.

This is more critical at home but its a good habit to get into.

During the game the SAFE mode does not have to be used until going back to the safe zone where they will ask to remove the magazine and then fire a couple of dry shots.

NOTE THAT AT LEAST ONE BB CAN STILL BE IN THE GUN EVEN WITH THE MAG OUT

So dry firing a couple of times after taking out the mag clears it but the golden rule applies: Always treat a gun as loaded.

(Lots of dry firing (without BB's) is bad for the gun)

 

[GAMBLE]

Gunbag!

RIF! ?

Mags! 

Extra batteries!

BB’s!

BDU!

Extra cash! ?

Transport!

Optional: ?

Bring some food and drinks?

Extra clothes, bad weather? 
I could go on.... Just make sure to be safe and have fun! ??

?GAMBLE?