Buying My First GBB Rifle

[Reginald]

I'm a new player and I want to purchase my first rifle. I know the first thing most of you will say is don't go for GBB. However the reason I want to buy one is for the realism, and that is mostly the reason I want to play airsoft. I'm just wondering, 1. Are more expensive GBB rifles harder to maintain 2. Do you need a lot of knowledge to own one (to know how to clean, disassemble and change hop up etc). Also I'd like a brief explanation of what a hop up is just so I can confirm it for myself. 

[Adolf Hamster]

so first things first.

 

don't get a gbb as your first rifle.

 

it's a worn out trope but realistically you're risking finding that the performance might not be to your liking, and you're going to be stuck running 20-30 round mags in a world where almost everyone else is running 150+ rounds to a mag.

 

the rifles might not be so expensive to purchase, but add in the cost of mags and the amount of gas they'll need fed and the cost ramps up pretty damn fast.

 

you're honestly better off going with an aeg to start off with, the simple jack of all trades gun that you can tinker with and mould to the role you find yourself liking with the lowest running costs.

 

as for how the hop works, well the basic version is it's a bump of rubber at the top of the barrel, this imparts backspin which creates a lifting force allowing a bb to fly like an aero wing rather than purely follow a ballistic trajectory. you can adjust this to get the right amount of spin for the weight of the bb and the speed it's travelling at.

 

the more advanced version is here:

 

[Tackle]

Wot he☝️said 👍

[Super64]

1) A more expensive GBB is not harder to maintain than a cheaper one. The opposite is true actually. A Tokyo Marui M4 MWS or GHK M4 is no more difficult to maintain than a WE M4. They have a very similar working action, which is very similar to a real steal M4. There are loads of YouTube videos showing how to maintain most Airsoft GBB’s. The difference is that it is more likely that WE internal parts will fail/break quicker than the Tokyo Marui or GHK and so they will need replacing. I use the M4 as an example because I’m guessing you’re looking at an M4/AR15. But, the same is true for other types, AK, Scar etc.

 

2) Knowledge is key, as in all things. If you don’t know what you are doing with a GBB you can cause damage that will cost money to repair, but the same is true with AEG’s. Again, YouTube is an invaluable resource. YouTube/Google will explain hop up, because it’s easier than trying to give a brief explanation.

 

I understand the desire to go with the realism of a GBB over an AEG. I prefer GBB’s, but as Adolf Hamster said, as a game gun, especially when new to Airsoft, and AEG is a much better bet until you know what you’re doing. I started with AEG’s then switched everything out for GBB’s once I’d gained some knowledge and experience.

[Davegolf]

Hi @Reginald if you don't mind my asking, what is your budget?

 

Because if your talking upto £300 then I would avoid GBBR as an option.

 

If you are happy to spend 400-600 then you will be extremely pleased with whatever you purchase.

At this price point all of the realistic, accurate, reliable and extremely well performing guns are open to you;

TM MWS, MP7

GHK AKs, G5 budget option

WE MP5

 

They are the cream of the crop!

 

Do not be deterred, they are very simple to maintain and repair if required, just feed them a high quality BB diet and a little lube here and there.

 

I would say GBBs are more robust than AEGs any day.

 

For example if you get a bad jam or barrel blockage with an AEG you can easily strip a piston which is not an easy fix.

If the same happens on a GBB generally the worst damage you could achieve is a cracked nozzle which is way easier to fix.

Plus you have batteries and chargers to deal with.

 

[Tackle]

Don't listen to him, Dave's clearly a madman 😜.

 

Seriously though, both Adolf & Dave have raised very good points

BUT

Imho, if this is your first gun & your just starting out, get an aeg, doesn't have to be top of the line, JG & cyma kit is excellent, for budget & quality.

Many players start out with a preconception of what kinda player they are, snipers are a great example, about 90% who buy a sniper for a first gun soon find, for many reasons, the role isn't for them, & quickly sell it on.

Get an aeg, find your feet & figure out what you like best, your playing style etc.

If you like a hose fest & get through loads of ammo, then a gbbr prob isn't for you, if your a bit more controlled though then it's generally about your budget & what you like the look of.

But don't sell the aeg, keep it as your spare, if for any reason your gbbr lets you down, such as seasonal issues, then your quickly back in the game.

[Davegolf]

PSHHHH seasonal issues, really not a problem if any of the above models even in winter.

 

Definitely well worth pointing out though as @Tackle said, dont buy a GBBR if you wanna full auto or burst fire all the time.

 

GBBRs excel at semi auto long rang accuracy, not corridor hosing!

Hence GBBs being the more realistic in use, round counting, gun maniulation etc.

If you want all the cake then HPA but i didnt say that to a newb

 

[Tackle]

10 minutes ago, Davegolf said:

 

Definitely well worth pointing out though as @Tackle said, dont buy a GBBR if you wanna full auto or burst fire all the time.

 

 

If you want all the cake then HPA but i didnt say that to a newb

 

HPA 😏

[Adolf Hamster]

9 minutes ago, Davegolf said:

Definitely well worth pointing out though as @Tackle said, dont buy a GBBR if you wanna full auto or burst fire all the time.

 

GBBRs excel at semi auto long rang accuracy, not corridor hosing!

 

this is my point of view, the op's getting his first airsoft gun so how does he know he'd rather be careful with his ammo usage as opposed to hosing all the things.

 

as for hpa, it has its own pitfalls, like everyone assuming you're a cheater for a start

[Davegolf]

SRSLY that Racoon is loving life though

 

[Chev Chelios]

If it was me I would find a site local to me an book in as a rental. People love to talk about the kit they use and 9 times out of 10 will let you have a go. You will also get to see what a hop up is first hand. 

 

AEGs can mimic the functions of a firearm https://gblsuk.com/ you also have https://airsoftdirect.uk.com/product/tokyo-marui-mk18-mod1/ 

 

 

[MILITATED]

My first gun was an AEG & sold it promptly to buy a GBB. Many years have since gone by and have gone through many GBBs.

 

COST & WEIGHT

If you are considering that route, please keep in mind that the magazines can be very expensive (~£50 each), as well as weighty. Due to the low capacity, you will probably want about 4 - 6, depending how trigger happy you are. The price & weight definitely add up from the mags alone. Personally, I go for second hand packages that already come with mags for a greatly discounted price vs new, but buying second hand has it's cons.

 

MAINTAINENCE

Maintaining a GBB is not too hard - I would prefer to maintain a GBB as opposed to an AEG. As mentioned above, YouTube is your best friend. Keep the metal on metal contact areas oiled/greased & clean. 

 

BRANDS

I heavily recommend sticking to TM & GHK. If on a budget, pick up the GHK G5. Otherwise, a TM MWS/MTR16 or a GHK M4 will do you good. Wouldn't recommend the GHK AK as their hop unit seems to have issues more often than not. There are other options available if you aren't feeling the M4, such as the GHK AUG or TM Type 89. TM & GHKs are built brilliantly which is often reflective of their price.

You will find other expensive GBBs from companies such as VFC - I recommend steering clear of them. Their price comes from their incredible externals and licensing, not their durability or performance (hell, my 416a5 doesn't even work & hasn't even seen a skirmish!).

WE Tech is budget friendly & they have a wide variety, but they are made of cheese, both inside and out. You will be on MilspecSolutions or KYAirsoft shopping for parts, which will eventually add up. I have owned many WEs due to their selection, but ends the same way.

There are many other brands offering GBBs, but again, I recommend TM or GHK.

 

GAS

Green gas is expensive, I recommend buying regular propane & keeping the gun & mags oiled.

 

ALTERNATIVES

TM & KWA offer recoil AEGs. The recoil isn't anything to write home about but it is a good compromise. Steer very clear of the GBLS DAS GDR15! Very cool concept, but they seem to spend more time with a tech trying to get them to work than they do with their owner, which is ridiculous considering the cost.

 

TL;DR

Mags are expensive & heavy.

Maintaining them isn't too hard, YouTube helps.

Stick to TM or GHK.

 

[Rogerborg]

Well, all of the above, and I would really emphasise renting first, getting a UKARA number, and then buying whatever you like. It'd be a shame to two-tone an expensive GBBR.

 

In the meantime, how about buying a GBB pistol which you can use alongside a rental AEG?  TM, or whatever you fancy.  They're tons of fun and cheaper to buy and run.

 

Then use the rental time to blag a go with whatever folk are prepared to lend out (no licking them) and get some feel for how they perform at your local site.

[Daveoc33]

I'm an airsoft newbie too and I bought a GBBR as my 2nd rifle. Fielded it a few weeks ago for the first time and at some point all of my mags dumped out their gas and it just got annoyingto the point where I just ran my pistol till the end of that game. Maybe it was because it's a cheapo GBBR or maybe I was doing something wrong (shooting too fast perhaps)

 

I love my GBBR (an army r36) and it's my favourite rifle still, but I was very pleased I had my AEG to fall back on and not have to worry about anything apart from playing the game.

[Cr0-Magnon]

Playing Airsoft with an AEG & Drum Mag = Easy

Playing Airsoft with an AEG & Mid Caps = Normal

Playing Airsoft with a BASR = Hard

Playing Airsoft with a GBBR = Legend

 

Do you really want to start a game on the hardest difficulty setting? If you're experienced you may enjoy the challenge. Otherwise all signs point to it being a wholly frustrating experience when you don't get anywhere.

[Adolf Hamster]

to counterbalance the point about gbb's having comparatively easy maintenance, whilst yes it is easier to access the guts of a gbbr to keep it fighting fit, it would not be sensible to recommend tens of thousand rounds through a gbbr without any maintenance at all.

 

whereas a good aeg can easily go through several thousand rounds per game day with no maintenance beyond the occasional barrel swab.

 

rogerborg has hit the middle ground here- you want to experience gbb then a sidearm is your best bet, you can learn about how to operate/maintain them without cornering yourself into a niche role.

[EDcase]

I'll sum up all of the above 😁

 

GBBR's are Functionally realistic and lots of fun to use.

 

BUT

 

On a game day you'll most likely get frustrated because people with AEG's and drum mags will be hosing you down while you're on semi.

You'll need 6 or more mags which is about £270-£300

Plus gas.  Winter can be a problem for performance too.

 

A GBBR is great for plinking in the garden and stroking from time to time.

[CrackCommandoUnit1972]

Apart from the low cap mags, the only issue I have with GBBR's is controlling the FPS which is affected temperature.  Summer time can mean your gun is shooting too hot or in the depths of winter it can mean your gun is not cycling properly.

 

There a few things you can do such as using different gas types or physical devices such as an NPAS which can control the amount of gas that flows throught the system.

 

Other than that, they are great fun to use.

 

- Also check various youtubers. BadaBing has some great vids on his channel.

[Cyberlawyer]

Going against the flow of this thread, As someone who isn’t the greatest most competitive player out there I can confirm that skirmishing with a GBBR is entirely possible even for a new player and you can even enjoy some full auto action, but you do have to be much more ammo conscious than a player using an AEG (for me this is a good thing as it adds to the realism). The two downsides are weight and cost.

 

If you play milsim or short 45min skirmishes with fast turn around then with a GBBR you probably need 7 mags to be competitive. At an average of £50 per mag  That’s £300 on extra mags alone with the one that comes in the gun. If you often run longer multi objective games (At my site they often run 2 hour games and then turn it around) then you either need to carry gas and BBs or have a lot more mags. If you go for the mags option it’s expensive and heavy if you carry gas and BB’s you sound like a set of maracas when you run and may well get shot when you are hiding behind a tree trying to reload.

 

In the U.K. if you want to run year round you will need to fit an n-pas to your gun (and potentially get used to carrying multiple types of gas) to ensure you can regulate FPS in our wild temperature swings. It’s not a problem, but it ads cost and complexity rather than just turning up taking your gun out of the bag and plugging in a battery.

[EvilMonkee]

8 hours ago, Daveoc33 said:

I'm an airsoft newbie too and I bought a GBBR as my 2nd rifle. Fielded it a few weeks ago for the first time and at some point all of my mags dumped out their gas and it just got annoyingto the point where I just ran my pistol till the end of that game. Maybe it was because it's a cheapo GBBR or maybe I was doing something wrong (shooting too fast perhaps)

 

I love my GBBR (an army r36) and it's my favourite rifle still, but I was very pleased I had my AEG to fall back on and not have to worry about anything apart from playing the game.

 

The Army R36 is a cheap copy of the WE G36.  As stated above, WE need a lot of work to get to e good shooters so a copy of a WE........Stick to TM or GHK GBBR.

[XanderShadow]

9 hours ago, Cr0-Magnon said:

Playing Airsoft with an AEG & Drum Mag = Easy

Playing Airsoft with an AEG & Mid Caps = Normal

Playing Airsoft with a BASR = Hard

Playing Airsoft with a GBBR = Legend

Playing Airsoft with a gas Shell ejecting lever action = Bloodborne frustration level

[EDcase]

2 hours ago, EvilMonkee said:

 

The Army R36 is a cheap copy of the WE G36.  As stated above, WE need a lot of work to get to e good shooters so a copy of a WE........Stick to TM or GHK GBBR.

I haven't used it in a game for the previously mentioned reasons but I can say the R36 is a good performer and reliable for me so far.  Of course bits will wear out but since its WE compatible, all the upgrades like RaTech will fit.  So its a better starting platform than a WE at least.

Of course TM or GHK will be better but for how much more...

[Davegolf]

Well we've had a good ol discussion... the OP??? 🤷🏽‍♂️

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Davegolf said:

Well we've had a good ol discussion... the OP??? 🤷🏽‍♂️

 

Didn't get the answer he wanted, has rage quit to go and play paintball instead?

 

Just thinking back to the milsim-lite I did when I got attached as a sniper to a squad composed entirely of lads with GBBRs.

 

Every engagement was: "[Pop-pop-pop. Pop.] OUT!   [Pop-pop] OUT!" - I throw my MP5K to the closest squad made - "[Pew-pew-pew] OUT!", and then the squad firepower is down to one sniper and a few pistols.

 

Now, I'm not saying that they didn't have fun, and with short games you could have a blast.  But if it's long games and a long slog to the safe zone, not so much.

 

So I'd emphasise: rent and play the site first, then decide what works there.

[FreeFrag.UK]

@Cyberlawyer - The power variation was one area of concern when I owned a GBBR. The other issue which I was conscious of was the additional encumbrance of carrying a sufficient amount of gas versus just carrying an extra battery or two.

 

Admittedly I am heavily contemplating returning to the world of GBBR's. Despite using low caps wherever possible, I find I miss the reduced ammo, stop on empty and tactile feedback of a GBBR. The NGRS Scar-L I picked up from @Davegolf answers a lot of the previous list but unfortunately my true love is the MP5 and the AK (74 and later) platform.

 

On an unrelated, what's the general opinion on the MP9 from ASG/KWA?

 

@Reginald - You've got a lot of good information in this thread and I would echo what several others have said when it comes to trying the hobby/sport first as a rental. I'd also strongly recommend obtaining your UKARA prior to making any purchases. I would argue that GBBR's are easier to maintain (based on my experience with the MWS) but the upkeep is more intensive in my opinion and more costly simply due to additional cleaning/lubrication products required. The MWS was a very easy platform (in my opinion) to maintain, unfortunately I can't comment on any other GBBR's.

 

I'd always argue to go with what you want as it's your money and only you know what it is you're really after. GBBR's definitely have a more significant outlay in terms of initial cost but depending on your choices when it comes to an AEG you can end up spending just as much, if not more.

 

It might be worth considering picking up a mid-range AEG once you've tried the hobby, confirmed you enjoy it and have obtained your UKARA. If you pick up an AEG in the same platform as the GBBR you're interested in then this may help confirm whether or not you like the feel of said platform. If you get a good mid-range AEG then it would also give you a solid back up once you pick up your GBBR.

 

Just a few thoughts.