Best Rifle for a New Player? (and other N00b questions!)

[Tunnix]

Hi All,

I'm a new player, looking to purchase my first gun. I'm thinking possibly an M4A1 or a G36 (uhhh I hear you cry!)... Anyway. I've seen them ranging drastically in price and am not really sure what the difference is / what you get for your money / what's good value and what extra's I'll need to buy etc...

I've seen this here for under £50... am I missing something? - http://www.justbbguns.co.uk/product/545/BB-GUNS-BLACK/450/BB-GUNS-BLACK/1758/M83A1-M4

And also something at a more sensible price here... - http://www.airsoftworld.net/gc-16-gandg-full-metal-comabat-machine-m4a1.html

I'm looking to pay between £100 - £170.

A few additional questions if I may (apologies if there are stupid questions...)

What're the main differences in BB weights? Will a heaver one go further or be more accurate, or will it not travel as far but 'hit harder'?

Also - I've been looking at some Gas blow-back pistols and am wondering how long an (average) single gas canister will last?

Many thanks in advance for the help!

[Zak Da Mack]

If you want an M4, get a g&g combat machine. Great quality for a great price. Word of warning, stay off jbbg, their guns aren't really airsoft-able. Heavier weights have a lower speed but come with better accuracy and maybe range. Gas canisters vary depending on make but you're unlucky to use your pistol often so it does last quite a while.

[Tunnix]

That's great. Thanks. I've seen a few for around £120-£140 which seems a great price.

What kind of accessories / upgrades are available for something like this?

Also, are magazines / add-ons interchangeable between makes, or will any M4A1 mag, sight, grip etc. fit this model?

Thanks again.

[SeniorSpaz87]

Sights, grips, etc are almost universal. They all fit RIS rails. Of course, the guns need to have RIS rails. But both of your options have them. Most mags will fit all of the same type, but not all.

[Airsoft_Mr B]

Generally anything under £100 isn't going to be good for a skirmish...despite what JBBG says! I was the same when I started thinking why pay £100s when I can get one for £50, the cheap guns will have a really poor construction (cheap plastic compared to probably polymer and metal) The internals too of course, under £100 gears and gearbox shell will probably all be flimsy plastic and break very quickly. You'll also find they aren't compatible with any aftermarket upgrade parts. A few guys on here have experienced this first hand - bought a £70 AK off Just BB Guns...description said it has a metal gearbox, turns out it has ONE metal gear inside. So went to put new gearbox in and it won't even fit.

 

G&G M4s are great for the price. Definitely one of the best value guns out there.

Saw the prices of JG G36s today and they seem really expensive to what I had expected. TaiwanGun sell a JG 608 (G36C) for 80 something euro and it's 14 euro flat rate for shipping. You will however need a UKARA defence to buy from them.

 

My WE gas can seems to have lasted 20 magazines already which is really surprising but I really don't know exactly.

If the BBs are heavier, the accuracy and range should be better but will travel at a lower velocity.

None of the questions are stupid by the way, we've all been noobs.

[Airsoft_Mr B]

That's great. Thanks. I've seen a few for around £120-£140 which seems a great price.

 

What kind of accessories / upgrades are available for something like this?

 

Also, are magazines / add-ons interchangeable between makes, or will any M4A1 mag, sight, grip etc. fit this model?

 

Thanks again.

If you get the model with the RIS, any Picatinny attachments you want. If you buy one of the models with a standard M4A1 handguard, you could replace it with another type of handguard or rail. For example, a Magpul MOE handguard (suggested them because they're common and a well known brand) PTS and Element also make the rails for em (the latter can be bought as a pack of 4 off eBay for a tenner)

Same with any optics if they are for Picatinny (20mm) rails. Some scopes and sights are made for airguns so they will have 11mm Dovetail mounts but there are adapters available too.

 

As already been said, depends on which magazines will fit by brand. MAG ones should fit in a G&G and I would recommend them.

Check out Airsoft Supply Drop - £55 for a set of 8, £8 each if you buy em individually. If you get the same product off eHobby Asia (Hong Kong based) it's more like £40 but you have a 3-4 weeks to wait.

[BBrotherwood]

Propane (Camping Gas such as Colamans) lasts a lot longer then green gas. I'm still on the first can of Propane and I have done 1 1/2 skirmish with it +quite a few mags through it setting the rifle up. Its about £20 for 2 cans of propane and then about 15-25 for the adaptor which will last ages as long as you look after it. Bare in mind this is on a gas rifle as well which had a much much bigger gas reserve in the magazine.

[BigAl]

First off as said above forget anything from Just BB Guns they are toys not suitable for skirmishing. Probably break on first outing and will definitely have you seriously outgunned.

 

The G&G gun you linked to however would be an excellent starter gun, if you want to save bit of cash there polymer rather than metal guns are just as good.

 

As for pistols forget about them for know and concentrate on you primary and other kit such as batteries charger and mags. Pistols are fun but often end up just as holster fillers. You can always buy one later, spending the cash on a better primary or kit would be a far better idea at your level.

[Tunnix]

Okay - Thanks again guys.

Are there some obvious things I'd look to upgrade first? I've heard that often these 'starter' guns won't have great batteries etc... Are batteries universal / expensive to upgrade? Would an airsofter usually have a couple of batteries to switch through, thought a whole day playing, or would one usually last a day?

Thanks again!

[Russe11]

How long a battery lasts depends how you play, type of battery etc. Generally though a battery will last a day but it's always wise to have a spare.

[BigAl]

Generally if it comes with a battery bin it, or keep it as a spare. Buy a decent battery or two and a good charger.

[Sitting Duck]

Battery - get 2 medium's say 1600mah & change at lunchtime

(7.4v lipo's are perhaps best but I also use older nimah's now n then)

 

The G&G you listed is great deal - has top but no side/ bottom rails as standard - battery up front

 

other versions are rear wired....

 

Other option is a Raider - wtf they didn't do this a limited edition I'll never know as it has gotta be their #1 seller

Short version = 233mm barrel

Long version = 360mm barrel aprox

only difference is barrel length - suppose you could say Long is better value as you get more gun/barrel for same price

but if you play cqb then Short might be better suited perhaps

 

CM18 - 275 barrel falls nicely in between short/long raider but is £150-£155 & comes with 120 mag instead of 300 hi-cap

but looks sexy as hell and rails galore like Raider

 

FireHawk - small noisy bad ass that turns heads all the time but not as good as they used to be - battery in stock tube is a pain

 

The above models are all great guns - maybe a Raider is #1 selling starter gun as its cheap, light ABS/Polymer but sturdy

rails for all ya bits n bobs - very very popular - common as hell if you like but it is bloody good gun for money

If you want to be different and not follow the M4 herd then look at Cyma AK's but I like M4's as they are more ergonomic for me

(AK's do have some stuff going for them - bigger mag/longer barrel - they can show up many M4's)

 

Shame G&G never did a Raider with 275-300 barrel and they should of done a limited Raider with 280 barrel or a CM18 metal

 

CM16 Carbine's are very good also - but I do not own one (yet) as I got other SRC & ICS models

Battery up front on Carbine's abnd usually come in the long 363mm barrel but they do a lite version with 275/300 barrel but

no rails as standard on carbine

 

Phew there is the GC26 one but I think that is not as good as other models I listed - has a plastic flip sight that I think would break

easily if dropped - yet the limited edition one is metal receiver but still plastic sight - jeez (front wired btw)

 

If its your first gun and getting 2-toned then either your GC16 or a slightly cheaper Raider with its rails galore

They are all built the same - very well inside....

 

No I don't work for G&G - I wish.

But I'll put it this way.....

I have bought/owned more G&G's than SRC or ICS M4's

(and I bought some crap at first from " BB " sites and seriously regretted wasting my money)

 

If you do buy cheaper crappier guns then that is fine - you will just be an easier target for others to shoot you

 

Think that should cover most G&G models up to about £150, there a few other makes/models but that is my take

on the common as muck Ford Transit van workhorses of Airsoft starter guns