Early 2000s M4A1, Specna Arms, ICS, or E&C?

[TheFriendlyBro]

Hey gang.

 

I'm after an early 2000s style M4A1, as I'm looking to re-create a particular build from Resident Evil 3 (not the remake). Either way, I've come across three potential options but I'm unsure about each brand and some guidance/recommendations would be much appreciated!

 

Money isn't an issue for this build and here are the choices, Specna Arms, ICS, and E&C. Now, I'm not too familiar with these brands and as you can guess, I'm looking for quality. Are there other options I should consider from other brands?

 

I know TM makes an M4A1 but I've heard mixed things regarding their recoil shock version.

 

Any help would be grand, thanks everyone!

[Druid799]

If money isn’t a problem get the TM recoil Socom end off . 
You say you’ve heard mixed things about , what have you heard ? 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

From what I've heard, the problems with TMs happen when folk start fucking about wi... er sorry "Upgrading" them.

[Druid799]

15 hours ago, Ebeneezer Goode said:

From what I've heard, the problems with TMs happen when folk start fucking about wi... er sorry "Upgrading" them.

100% correct good sir , I currently have 6 TM recoils but over the years I’ve had around 13-14’ish ? And can more than happily say the only ones I’ve ever had problems with where the few that had been ‘up-graded’ , I have a Socom that’s 12’ish yrs old and a 74su around the same age , both stock(bar deans connector) and both STILL running fine . 👍

[ak2m4]

I've had the E&C version in the past and it's pretty decent, just upgraded the motor and hop rubber.  It's the cheapest AEG they do, if you can get it outside UK you should be able to get one with the COLT markings

Edited December 6, 2021 by ak2m4

[TheFull9]

Yeah I love my TM SOCOMs as people on airsoft forums are sick of hearing.  Be an ideal base for this idea.

 

ak's suggestions above would be smart too though.

[Spartan873]

I had the E&C Platinum and I have the Specna Arms EDGE 2.0 and I can confidently say that the EDGE 2.0 is one of the best performing OG M4's out the box. Usual hop and barrel upgrades and you're pretty much there already.

 

TM NGRS are good but as already suggested, only when you leave it the FK alone. Been burned by that mistake..

[Danno46]

I think G&P make a M4a1 I’ve got their M16a1 version and a very nice thing it is to, But if money was no problem I’d be inclined to go down the TM route 

[ak2m4]

20 hours ago, Spartan873 said:

I had the E&C Platinum and I have the Specna Arms EDGE 2.0 and I can confidently say that the EDGE 2.0 is one of the best performing OG M4's out the box. Usual hop and barrel upgrades and you're pretty much there already.

 

E&C Platinum.  Do you mean the CYMA Platinum?  

[Spartan873]

What a wally, I meant E&L Platinum. That was one of those OG M4s as well, picked it up from Gunfire a ways back.

 

E&C are the OEM for Specna Arms, aren't they?

[Adolf Hamster]

9 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

What a wally, I meant E&L Platinum.

 

out of curiosity what are the externals like on that? i know e&l make a nice ak but never really hear much about their ar derivatives.

[Spartan873]

Externals were pretty solid - no gaps between upper and lower receiver, no barrel wobble and the stock clicked in nicely. It had the bolt lock feature to adjust the hop which released with a nice snap. It lacked trades which took a little away from it if I'm honest but a laser engraver would have that looking boss in no time.

 

You're right though, their AR series rifles don't get spoken about too often but I think that's because the market is oversaturated with ARs.

[ak2m4]

27 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

E&C are the OEM for Specna Arms, aren't they?

 

only the "One" range 

[Adolf Hamster]

12 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

Externals were pretty solid - no gaps between upper and lower receiver, no barrel wobble and the stock clicked in nicely. It had the bolt lock feature to adjust the hop which released with a nice snap. It lacked trades which took a little away from it if I'm honest but a laser engraver would have that looking boss in no time.

 

sounds good, do they make parts like the outer barrel from steel? most m4 variants i've seen tend to have alu for the outer barrel.

 

13 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

You're right though, their AR series rifles don't get spoken about too often but I think that's because the market is oversaturated with ARs.

 

always figured their non-ak lines were rebrands, but doesn't really matter who the oem is if the final product is decent.

[TheFull9]

Do rebranders ever really change anything about an actual product vs the packaging?  I'd flip that and say OEM is what really matter most.

[Spartan873]

2 hours ago, Adolf Hamster said:

sounds good, do they make parts like the outer barrel from steel? most m4 variants i've seen tend to have alu for the outer barrel.

 

I believe the outer barrel was steel actually, I remember watching a few reviews on YT before I bought it and I think that was something that they tried to push hard. They wanted it to sound as though it was made to mil-spec.

 

I agree with you on the final product being the most important thing. I've seen cheap CYMAs have amazing QC and outperform guns that are 5 times as expensive. I'll always opt for solid rather than be a brand snob, got bitten once too many by that... *cough* TM HK417 *cough* 

 

 

26 minutes ago, TheFull9 said:

Do rebranders ever really change anything about an actual product vs the packaging?  I'd flip that and say OEM is what really matter most.

 

My understanding about rebranding is that it usually occurs when a company owns the rights to a trademark but doesn't manufacture themselves. Like Umarex owns the HK licencing rights but VFC make the guns.. if that makes sense. And you're right about the OEM being important. I might have been unlucky with mine but I've had a few VFC weapons and the internals always caused issues in one way or another.

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Spartan873

[Adolf Hamster]

33 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

I believe the outer barrel was steel actually, I remember watching a few reviews on YT before I bought it and I think that was something that they tried to push hard. They wanted it to sound as though it was made to mil-spec.

 

yeah it's part of their appeal for ak's, not really milspec ofc but close enough for airsoft standards.

 

33 minutes ago, Spartan873 said:

I agree with you on the final product being the most important thing. I've seen cheap CYMAs have amazing QC and outperform guns that are 5 times as expensive. I'll always opt for solid rather than be a brand snob, got bitten once too many by that... *cough* TM HK417 *cough* 

 

oh for sure i won't deny there's lots of good shooting m4's out there, but just like a cyma ak with a few tweaks will be just as proficient at lobbing bb's as an lct/e&l the reason to go for the latter is when you also want that extra bit of attention in the look/feel of it.

 

54 minutes ago, TheFull9 said:

Do rebranders ever really change anything about an actual product vs the packaging?  I'd flip that and say OEM is what really matter most.

 

a fair point, hence my curiosity given that just because it's got the e&l name on it doesn't mean it'll be the same standards as their own products. that is with the assumption that it's a rebrand at least, they could be making them themselves i've never really looked into it.

[Druid799]

9 hours ago, Spartan873 said:

What a wally, I meant E&L Platinum. That was one of those OG M4s as well, picked it up from Gunfire a ways back.

 

E&C are the OEM for Specna Arms, aren't they?

AND Specna are the supplier to (with a fair few component changes to customers spec) Arthurian Airsoft !

[Tackle]

Talking of Specna, wasn't @L3wisD an "envoy" or summat for them, I know he had quite a few of their gats.

Also, where's he gone, he's not done a "Borg" on us has he ? 

[Stratton Oakmont]

E&L M4 platinums had steel barrels, I had two at one time. Completely changes the balance of the gat to  more front heavy like my .22 rim fire m4. Obviously heavier so if you’re a weight weenie then it’s not for you.

the platinums just need a new hop rubber and if you really want to fine tune the shimming then they are as good as any non recoiling aeg out there.

 

[Shamal]

9 hours ago, Tackle said:

Talking of Specna, wasn't @L3wisD an "envoy" or summat for them, I know he had quite a few of their gats.

Also, where's he gone, he's not done a "Borg" on us has he ? 

And @GenuineGermanand @MiK. Dropped off site it seems?

 

[TheFriendlyBro]

Hey people.

 

Sorry to drudge up an old ass post but I'm looking again and feeling a bit conflicted!

 

Was going to pull the trigger on a brand new M4A1 and wanted to ask some opinions, was given this.

 

Feeling a bit conflicted as to whether or not I should actually go for it? 

[Druid799]

AND I’d put money on not one of those commenters have ever owned a TM recoil ! All I’m seeing their are the standard stale as f**k reasons for not getting a TM that are trumpeted out every time theirs a “should I or shouldn’t I ?” Discussion on the subject by the naysayers who nine times out of ten haven’t any personal experience just 2nd/3rd/4th hand information from their best mate Baz “who said so , so it must be true !”🤦‍♂️

I’ve never denied I’m a BIG fan (I love them) but I’m certainly NOT by any stretch a ‘fanboy’ of them I know they have their faults just like all other makes do but I still say there the best out of the box never need to ‘up-grade’ gun you can buy . Yes the FPS is low ? So what they’ve got the best stock hop units in them and will far out range most other higher FPS guns on the field , so many players STILL equate range purely to FPS but if you’ve got a crap hop unit it won’t mean a thing how much power your putting out you still won’t hit shit with it ! 😆 a low FPS gun with a good hop set up will always beat a high FPS gun with a shitty hop guaranteed .

you have to remember they are built to run to their max potential for the Japan market no where else , TM have spent an awful lot of time and money to reach this point so once you start f**king about with the internals you throw it out of balance and your now on a hiding to no where . Me personally all I ever do is change the Tamiyaha to a deans(absolutely no idea why they STILL use those Neolithic connectors ?😳) and I ‘mite’ at a push swap the inner barrel for a different but that’s it .

Just my two Pennie’s worth but I stand by it 100% .👍

 

[kasaran]

My second AEG was a TM M14 SOCOM,  it is by far my best sounding stock AEG, and i have never felt the need to tinker with it...

 

I got a MK 18 recoil for christmas (best wife) and have used it every game since.  Its a beast.  its not GBBR levels of recoil, but its still enough to put a smile on your face and enjoy the novelty, especially on full auto.

 

It is completely stock, including the fancy £45 batteries of which it needs two to last a day.  I have never felt out gunned by any other AEG user, it has even gone as far as outranging some (most notably a guy whose rounds were dropping a few meters short of me getting hit with my first burst).  I play outdoor woodland, its winter, so ranges are further than summer days, just stick 0.25s in it or 0.28s and get rocking.  Its make me seriously look at getting the NGRS Scar H as my next toy.

 

You will find on forums, especially  like FB that people like to hate on TM because FPS is considered too low.  When in the fine print, its probably them hating on the guns because the price tag is too high for them to afford or their internal value meter thinks that £500 for an AEG is too much. 

 

The finish quality is great, my CYMA M14 the stock creaks terrible (its my only gripe) the TM M14 SOCOM is solid.  MY G&P m16 has a slight gap between the upper and lower receivers, the TM is flush. 

 

But i am a weirdo in this community i feel, looking at that screenshot.  I never understand why the assumption is that everyone is going to 'upgrade' their guns?

[Mad-Al]

I came into possession of a ngrs urgi in october and have used it in every skirmish since.

The lower fps is not an issue as this thing is getting incredible range for an aeg battle rifle, both me an my teck were gob smacked by this.

Buy one and leave it the hell alone and you'll have an amazing gun, do not get the fps upgrade (fps = failed player syndrome) you will reduce the longevity of the aeg and get no realistic performance boostas at shorter ranges the extra fps wont make much difference in the time it takes for the bbs to reach the target and at long ranges the bbs will be running out of momentum regardless.

Buy an ngrs, use it and enjoy it!

One if the best things about them is not having to mess with them to get decent performance