Wanting to by a really good out-of-the box airsoft gun

[Yashy]

My budget is around 400-450, I can squeeze in a little extra.

 

I'm not bothered about upgrading internals and stuff, just need something sweet out of the box and really good.

 

Hopefully this is straight forward! Thank ya 

[Tackle]

More info needed!!!! 

What platform are you considering ? 

Mp5, m14, m4. Ak, G36, & many more, & any of the various derivatives ? 

[Yashy]

8 minutes ago, Tackle said:

More info needed!!!! 

What platform are you considering ? 

Mp5, m14, m4. Ak, G36, & many more, & any of the various derivatives ? 

Ah my apologises.

 

I only sadly love the m4 derivatives as its the only one that makes me feel comfortable to look at! 

[Impulse]

That's a shame, because there are some really lovely non-m4 replicas out there (I'm a big fan of Cyma m14s...). Hard for me to say, as I tend to tinker with all my stuff, but if I wanted something that I knew would perform really well out of the box without any tweaking... I'd try and go for a TM NGRS. However, you'll get better performance for less if you're willing to do very basic upgrades, like swapping out a hop rubber and nub, which is incredibly easy to do on basically anything.

 

I've heard good things about Double Eagle for m4 style rifles and they're a lot less than £400.

[Haru]

dont be like me and get a cyma platinum, i hear the specna arms edge 2s are really good m4s out of the box

not an m4 but supposedly asg cz scorpions are pretty top tier

[Defender90]

I've found my VFC Avalon Calibur to be a very reliable game day mainstay... But I have to admit it double fed like mad out of the box. Once a tech quickly put a Maple Leaf 60 in it, I now have great range and reliability (and I think it's 11.1 ready even if the manufacturer doesn't. I just keep to short bursts). Admittedly for that money it should have been perfect out the box.

6.03 barrel and the cute looking trigger feels great and connected via a Mosfet.

Very nice comfortable enlarged trigger guard with finger rests built in.

I use a variety of any old M4 type mags and it feeds well from all of them now.

Very ergonomic and all ambidextrous controls, it's basically a blingy 416A5.

There's loads of room for accessories galore. Despite the very decent and rather pretty stock I replaced it with a bulbous Magpul one only so as to cram the largest battery I could get into it.

 

The only thing that vaguely annoys me is the fore end doesn't quite match the receiver for some reason, the gnu is in two shades of sort of metallic FDE and seems to be made to look like someone's custom build.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Defender90

[Yashy]

13 minutes ago, Defender90 said:

I've found my VFC Avalon Calibur to be a very reliable game day mainstay... But I have to admit it double fed like mad out of the box. Once a tech quickly put a Maple Leaf 60 in it, I now have great range and reliability (and I think it's 11.1 ready even if the manufacturer doesn't. I just keep to short bursts). Admittedly for that money it should have been perfect out the box.

6.03 barrel and the cute looking trigger feels great and connected via a Mosfet.

Very nice comfortable enlarged trigger guard with finger rests built in.

I use a variety of any old M4 type mags and it feeds well from all of them now.

Very ergonomic and all ambidextrous controls, it's basically a blingy 416A5.

There's loads of room for accessories galore. Despite the very decent and rather pretty stock I replaced it with a bulbous Magpul one only so as to cram the largest battery I could get into it.

 

The only thing that vaguely annoys me is the fore end doesn't quite match the receiver for some reason, the gnu is in two shades of sort of metallic FDE and seems to be made to look like someone's custom build.

So how did the double fed stop? Putting a maple leaf 60 in? Im not that gun tech savy, But I do know a airsoft tech that can sort stuff out for me if i asked.

[EDcase]

If M4 is the only platform considered then I give another vote for the Specna Arms Edge 2 range.

(Still make sure to clean the barrel before first use)

[Madhouse]

Is that budget for the pew or to include batteries, mags, charger, eyepro etc too? It’s really easy to spend the same again on sundries and accessories and the recommendations will be different if we’re talking about a £200 pew rather than a £400 one.

[Defender90]

2 hours ago, Yashy said:

So how did the double fed stop? Putting a maple leaf 60 in? Im not that gun tech savy, But I do know a airsoft tech that can sort stuff out for me if i asked.

Yes that seemed to do the trick, since then it's been good as gold. Even with the 11.1 in.

I really think the shop that sold it me should have sorted it, just on general principal.  But then again it only cost a few quid and he did it in like 10 minutes while I waited. It helped I'd prepurchased the hop on his recommendation.

I've lent it to my teenage nephew a couple of times and I'm pretty sure he abuses it and spams the trigger like hell when I'm not looking but it's still good to go. (Fingers crossed).

To be honest I was in exactly your same position. I'd saved £500 and wanted my first new AEG to be a a solid contender.

I actually wanted the Umarex genuine licenced HK416A5 (AEG), but they're rare and on on back order, however after wringing google dry I found out that it was actually made by VFC and since this has all the same features (and presumably the same internals?)... so once they said it was a VFC they had my attention.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Defender90

[Defender90]

How mine is set up now, the stock doesn't look as tacticool as the QRS that came on it but the Magpul has room for a looooong day of spray and pray. Rail covers make it much more ergonomic and the sight "riser" thing is because it's difficult to get cheekweld wearing a mask.

Pictured with my ASG CZ75 Accu (C02 mag), these two are my go-to set up, with the (not pictured) drum mag on the Avalon it's as good as an LMG and, with dialled in hops on .28s both have a slight range advantage over the average.

Because godnose it's not my superior combat skills that's for sure.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Defender90

[Defender90]

3 hours ago, Haru said:

dont be like me and get a cyma platinum, i hear the specna arms edge 2s are really good m4s out of the box

not an m4 but supposedly asg cz scorpions are pretty top tier

I have heard that. Supposedly much of the assembly is done in Denmark and some of the furniture is via CZ as they and ASG have a relationship.

[Leo Greer]

I would recommend the newer Arcturus lines. They’re coming out with newer models that feature a collaboration with GATE, but right now the C.A.T. Series and ME series feature extremely solid gearboxes paired with great barrel groups. The externals are good quality, no creaking or cracking, but the star of the show are the reliable, simplistic, and extremely well performing internals. I’m a tech, and very familiar with these, so here’s my more detailed opinions and notes:

 

(I’m long-winded, so there’ll be a TL:DR at the end. Feel free to skip.)

 

The gearbox is the same on all the models from 170 to 400, but the externals go up in quality. The externals are easy to judge for yourself, so here’s my take on the internals.

 

The compression set is 100% good. Steel cylinder, CNC POM nozzle, and cylinder head with great seal.

 

The piston is bulletproof. It’s much tougher than almost all aftermarket pistons. I and another tech both use the stock pistons in DSGs doing 55+ RPS.

 

The gearset is ordinary, but solid. I use the stock gears in upgraded builds doing higher FPS and faster RPS.

 

The trigger unit is a microswitch paired with an inline 3034 MOSFET. This means you have 1,000,000 cycles with no issues, according to manufacturer specs, as well as a tactile “click” to the trigger. The design of the gearbox here does make it very difficult to install any aftermarket trigger units if you ever wanted to, so keep that in mind.

 

Arcturus has a steel QC spring guide that can be accessed just by removing the stock.

 

The motor is a mid-level neo motor that does about 30K, which means you’re hitting 20 RPS on 11.1v (M120 version, faster for the weaker versions) with great response. Don’t expect it to pull any M170s, but it’ll get the job done, and I’ve used them in tougher builds as well doing 25+.

 

The spring is Japanese tempered steel, and is of excellent quality. I tested four of these springs from an Arcturus rep, and got the exact same FPS from each, as well as ~1-2 FPS variance. No change over time, between a heavily used spring and ones right out of the packaging.

 

The gearbox is solid. Nothing special, except for the split GB shell on the CAT models, but it’s strong and easy to work on if anything should happen. Arcturus uses 8mm bushings for spur and sector, and 8mm bearings on the bevel.

 

The barrel group is very, very good out of the box. The hop unit is an ordinary plastic rotary, which works well. The hop rubber is a split design similar to those that Krytac uses. It does the job out to about 60 meters, but you may need an upgrade for farther distances.

 

The barrel is where it stands out, as Arcturus features a 6.02mm steel QPC coated barrel, which is excellent. It’s much better than ZCI and a lot of “upgraded” barrels.

 

They also come wired to deans with a high quality plug.

 

Cons:

 

The only real con is that you’re prohibited from using any aftermarket electronic trigger units, and doesn’t feature an ETU built in. It’s a matter of preference whether you like your RIFs with computers built in, but Arcturus not allowing you an option (yet) is a con for sure.

 

 

TL:DR, the internals are great, super simple, and will allow you to keep up with players running far more expensive RIFs.

[Rogerborg]

Without wishing to be That Guy, I'd actively recommend against VFCs as while people demonstrably do get examples that (almost) work, they're notorious for needing work done on them. At that asking price, it's not a gamble I'd be willing to take when Double Eagles M9XX or Specna Arms Edge 2 guns offer more features, including quick-change springs and an actual fire control systems, right out of the box, for a lot less.

 

I can't speak to Arcturus, but I'd highlight that the recommended model above doesn't appear to be available from (e.g.) PatrolBase in the UK, and that brands can produce a wide range of quality, so it's not a blanket recommendation.

 

What I would stress is that airsoft QC is all over the place and you can get peaches and lemons within the same batch, let alone the same platform or manufacturer, so it's always a bit of a gamble. I never play up without a backup gun (or two, or three) in the car, so you might want to consider the £2xx DE/Edge 2 option, plus a magazine-compatible cheaper backup / loaner (Specna, Lancer Tactical, G36C with an M4 magwell adapter or similar) instead.

[RostokMcSpoons]

5 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

Without wishing to be That Guy, I'd actively recommend against VFCs as while people demonstrably do get examples that (almost) work, they're notorious for needing work done on them.

 

Yes, Luke from Negative Airsoft seems to hate VFC AEGs with something of a passion.  I've been tempted by a couple of boneyard guns at Action Hobbies, but ultimately decided against them because of him 😐

 

The DE has the psychological advantage of lowering expectations due to their lower price, but almost always being very good.  Which is nice.  I love mine.  Roger's suggestion therefore has great deal of merit.  Two guns for the price of one also introduces a bit of variety, which allegedly is the spice of life 😄

 

I like the sound of the Arcturus guns, shame they seem to be hard to find.  Maybe Krytac or :gasp: Novritsch might be contenders for around £350?

[Tackle]

13 hours ago, Yashy said:

Ah my apologises.

 

I only sadly love the m4 derivatives as its the only one that makes me feel comfortable to look at! 

As has been asked, is the budget you mentioned for guns alone or do you need to factor in other kit, such as eyepro/boots/vest etc. 

If it's just for your gun, if I personally was starting out, knowing what I now know from years of playing, I'd consider the new DE range of M4 variants, they look good, & all player reviews so far indicate good performance & features for the price. 

To that end, you could technically afford TWO, I would definitely recommend getting two, maybe a nice long version, backed up with a compact stubby variant, then you've always got a mag compatible backup, as well as suitable guns for woodland or cqb sites. 

1 hour ago, Rogerborg said:

Without wishing to be That Guy, I'd actively recommend against VFCs as while people demonstrably do get examples that (almost) work, they're notorious for needing work done on them. At that asking price, it's not a gamble I'd be willing to take when Double Eagles M9XX or Specna Arms Edge 2 guns offer more features, including quick-change springs and an actual fire control systems, right out of the box, for a lot less.

 

I can't speak to Arcturus, but I'd highlight that the recommended model above doesn't appear to be available from (e.g.) PatrolBase in the UK, and that brands can produce a wide range of quality, so it's not a blanket recommendation.

 

What I would stress is that airsoft QC is all over the place and you can get peaches and lemons within the same batch, let alone the same platform or manufacturer, so it's always a bit of a gamble. I never play up without a backup gun (or two, or three) in the car, so you might want to consider the £2xx DE/Edge 2 option, plus a magazine-compatible cheaper backup / loaner (Specna, Lancer Tactical, G36C with an M4 magwell adapter or similar) instead.

Edit: i saw your post after typing mine, great minds think alike 👍😉

[Yashy]

2 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

Without wishing to be That Guy, I'd actively recommend against VFCs as while people demonstrably do get examples that (almost) work, they're notorious for needing work done on them. At that asking price, it's not a gamble I'd be willing to take when Double Eagles M9XX or Specna Arms Edge 2 guns offer more features, including quick-change springs and an actual fire control systems, right out of the box, for a lot less.

 

I can't speak to Arcturus, but I'd highlight that the recommended model above doesn't appear to be available from (e.g.) PatrolBase in the UK, and that brands can produce a wide range of quality, so it's not a blanket recommendation.

 

What I would stress is that airsoft QC is all over the place and you can get peaches and lemons within the same batch, let alone the same platform or manufacturer, so it's always a bit of a gamble. I never play up without a backup gun (or two, or three) in the car, so you might want to consider the £2xx DE/Edge 2 option, plus a magazine-compatible cheaper backup / loaner (Specna, Lancer Tactical, G36C with an M4 magwell adapter or similar) instead.

 

2 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

Without wishing to be That Guy, I'd actively recommend against VFCs as while people demonstrably do get examples that (almost) work, they're notorious for needing work done on them. At that asking price, it's not a gamble I'd be willing to take when Double Eagles M9XX or Specna Arms Edge 2 guns offer more features, including quick-change springs and an actual fire control systems, right out of the box, for a lot less.

 

I can't speak to Arcturus, but I'd highlight that the recommended model above doesn't appear to be available from (e.g.) PatrolBase in the UK, and that brands can produce a wide range of quality, so it's not a blanket recommendation.

 

What I would stress is that airsoft QC is all over the place and you can get peaches and lemons within the same batch, let alone the same platform or manufacturer, so it's always a bit of a gamble. I never play up without a backup gun (or two, or three) in the car, so you might want to consider the £2xx DE/Edge 2 option, plus a magazine-compatible cheaper backup / loaner (Specna, Lancer Tactical, G36C with an M4 magwell adapter or similar) instead.

Would you guys recommend this then? https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h21-edge-2-0-airsoft-aeg-carbine-rifle

 

 

It's very under my budget (of course i dont mind :D!) but what do you guys think about this? 

[MrTea]

Here's a link to all of the Specna Arms Edge 2.0 guns.
 

• H Series - Styled off of a HK416 platform - Personally i'd go for the SA-H20 or SA-H22.
• E Series - Styled off of a AR15/M4 platform.

 

In this price range have you considered something like a G&G Predator. You can get it in both a polymer and metal receiver.
 

Keep in mind, Patrolbase isn't the only place to buy airsoft AEGs and there are, usually, cheaper places to get it.

Edited August 20, 2023 by MrTea

[Yashy]

Yeah just using patrol base as a reference.

 

I'm loving the look of this gun. https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h22-edge-2-0-tm-carbine-aeg

 

 

46 minutes ago, MrTea said:

Here's a link to all of the Specna Arms Edge 2.0 guns.
 

• H Series - Styled off of a HK416 platform - Personally i'd go for the SA-H20 or SA-H22.
• E Series - Styled off of a AR15/M4 platform.

 

In this price range have you considered something like a G&G Predator. You can get it in both a polymer and metal receiver.
 

Keep in mind, Patrolbase isn't the only place to buy airsoft AEGs and there are, usually, cheaper places to get it.

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

I prefer the look of the H21 with the longer barrel, but of course a £15 outer barrel extension will give you that if you want it (I'm buying one for my VFC HK416A5)

[Haru]

34 minutes ago, Yashy said:

Yeah just using patrol base as a reference.

 

I'm loving the look of this gun. https://www.patrolbase.co.uk/specna-arms-sa-h22-edge-2-0-tm-carbine-aeg

 

 

 

solid pick, grab it in tan 

[MrTea]

Cheapest i've found (in black) is here for £299.95.

What I don't understand is why the SA-H12 (also 416 but don't buy this one) is ambidextrous plus it has a nice paddle for the bolt release but they didn't do the same for the Edge 2.0 H series...

[C-Diddy]

I picked a Specna Arms Edge up for my son earlier this year. It's one of the RRA standard Edges, not from the Edge 2.0 series. I have to say, for a sub £200 gun it was pretty impressive out of the box. His mate bought an Ares that was double the price (his dad didn't listen to me!) and that sounds like a bag of dicks next to the Specna.

 

Range and ROF are decent enough, and build quality is fine. I imagine that the Edge 2.0s are an improvement, as alluded to by the trusted voices above. 

 

Having said that, his Specna is currently away getting a service and some TLC as it suffered from a dead trigger at the end of the last game. 

 

Cyma are also producing some awesome, out of the box gems. The Platinum series look really good, and, even though I'm a TM whore, I have a stock Cyma AK that I will never get rid of because it's just brilliant. I've heard their M4s are also pretty damn good too, now.

 

Not heard anything too good about VFC, apart from their externals and official licensing. TM is also pretty much then gold standard for stock performance, but the prices now would stretch your budget. 

[Krisz]

On 19/08/2023 at 21:10, Yashy said:

My budget is around 400-450, I can squeeze in a little extra.

 

I'm not bothered about upgrading internals and stuff, just need something sweet out of the box and really good.

 

Hopefully this is straight forward! Thank ya 

Scorpion EVO.

Edited August 22, 2023 by Krisz

[Leo Greer]

6 hours ago, RostokMcSpoons said:

I like the sound of the Arcturus guns, shame they seem to be hard to find.  Maybe Krytac or :gasp: Novritsch might be contenders for around £350?

Second on Novi—the warranty is nice, and they perform okay OOTB, especially for their price.

 

My one note is that Novi uses (on the SSR4) the same crappy hop unit, hop rubber, and barrel that Lancer Craptical does. All the money is in the gearbox, getting you an ETU, good neo motor, high speed gears, etc.

 

Krytac is becoming slightly outdated at this point in regard to their offerings for the price. The internals, while being quite solid, are intentionally proprietary in some painful areas, like the spur gear. This leads to the infamous “Krytac squeak”, which is extremely hard to fix.

 

Particular to the UK models with lower FPS, they get overspin on 11.1v very easily. This leads to you either needing to use a 7.4v, or do work right out of the box.

 

None of these are “make or break” cons, but when you’re paying as much as you do for a Krytac… you should expect better.

 

On the flip side, Krytac does a lot of things great. Their barrel groups are the most accurate OOTB of any RIF I’ve had my grubby fingers on. Their gearbox shells are bulletproof, and the gears, while proprietary, are stronger than almost all aftermarket sets available.