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What you have to look at is a wide array of things to determine what you want in an AEG, or not. See, you can pick your favorite gun: M16, G3, G36, FAMAS and purchase that. You will likely be happy and since it is your favorite, then what else can someone add to the decision. You can choose a look: Army, Special Forces, Security Contractor, British Army, PJ, USMC and go for the gear that they wear. That will direct you into a specific loadout and the AEG will be what is needed to complete the ‘impression'. Another input to this could be the team you join; now this is not to say that you NEED to join a team. You don't, but if you choose to, they may have a specific impression that the whole team is going for. For instance:
Echo Squadron = British SAS: DPM Camouflage, Brit Webbing LBV's, shemagh
Group W RCT = Joint Forces Spec Ops: MARPAT, Coyote/MARPAT LBV's
Task Force Delta = HRT/SWAT: OD Uniforms, Black Tactical LBV's
Each team has its specific items, though no team has the market on what they look like. There are a few teams that use MARPAT, and a few that use Black Tactical LBV's. It will be up to you as to what you see as the choice if you do choose to join one of the MANY teams in the WAA. As the list above is only three of the dozens of teams active in the state.
When you are choosing an AEG, you have a lot to consider in the specifics of the AEG itself. Some of these are daunting if you are a noob and trying to get good information about what an AEG actually can do.
For the first purchase, don't buy used! Buy new! There is a very good reason for this. With a new AEG you are going to have an AEG that will work out of the box. If it doesn't then take it back. This also points to buying local. If you can, buy local so that you have someone to talk to BEFORE you buy it and you have a place to contact AFTER purchase for any items that go wrong. IF you must buy from mail-order or the internet, the question that you should be asking is what the best retailer is. Airsoft shops come and go on the internet; their service is good one month and non-existent the next. Look at the retailers about page, and see how long they have been in business, this doesn't guarantee results, but it will help if the company has had years of customers and is still in business. When looking at the internet for airsoft, it is VERY easy to be looking at a shop in Hong Kong.
A Word about Hong Kong Retailers:
Please be careful when you are looking at these shops, the pricing is GREAT, but you have to take into consideration the SHIPPING that you will need to pay to get something from there to here. Plus, there is United States Customs that the AEG must pass through. This can cause you a long delay or it could have your AEG confiscated and crushed. Now, the HK shops usually have ‘insurance' that you can purchase or a guarantee that will replace the AEG if seized without any cost to you, but you have to make sure that they will do this BEFORE you send them money.
In the larger scheme you can expect to pay $50+ to ship an AEG from HK to a US address. So, look at the sites for information and to know what is available, but check out your local supplier to find out if they can get it to you without the hassle.
The manufacturers that make airsoft guns are growing each and every day, when the original article was written about this there were only 4 manufacturers that made complete AEG's. Now, there are upwards of 7 that do. Some are not good, some are great, but you need to know that much like many things in life, you get what you pay for. A $200 AEG is not going to be built/perform like a $320 one will. This is talking about a stock AEG off the shelf. The reason for the disclaimer is that like many things you can customize and upgrade your AEG to get better performance and the look that you like with accessories and add-ons.
In the purchase of your AEG, you should consider again what the end use is for the AEG. If you are plinking in the basement, then a stock (un-modified) AEG will be fine, unless you have a 100' wide basement. If you are going into the game of airsoft, then it is common for some standard upgrading to be done to make you ‘even' with the rest of the players on the field. But, more on that later.
Which AEG manufacturers are there now:
Tokyo Marui -TM- The TM is not trademark, but abbreviation for the brand. TM is a very good brand for AEG's they have been around for a long time, and have some of the best build quality across their complete line than any other company. This is a very good choice for a first timer looking for an AEG that will last (more on this later too). They also have a HUGE variety of AEG styles available. Including Many Armalite variations (including M4, M16, M16VN, SR16), AK variants (including Beta, AK47, AK47S), AUG, M14, MP5 variants (including MP5J, MP5K, MP5A4, MP5A5 MP5SD5 and SD6) as well as MP7A1, FAMAS, G36, P90, M1A1, Sig SG552, Uzi and many G3 variants as well. Probably the most comprehensive line of AEGs on the market today are all Tokyo Marui.
Classic Army - Classic Army has Armalite and MP5 variants, as well as CA36 (G36), M249 and their AK variant the SLR105A1
ICS - ICS has AEGs like: Armalite variations M4 and such as well as a complete line of MP5 offerings
Systema - Their model is a training version, very expensive but geared specifically to the professional law enforcement officer that is training for the real thing. This is not recommended for a first user of airsoft.
G & P - Armalite variants with a good assortment of different versions like M4, SR25, SPR/A and M635
G & G Armament - Armalite variants in addition to AK47, M14 and UMG
Star - Star's line includes: G36, L85A2, M249 versions and the UMP.
SRC - Their only AEG at this time is the M4 Carbine.
Academy - Right now their only AEG on the market is a L85A1 which is the Brit Assault Rifle.
AIM - a single AEG mfg, that has been a boys guns manufacturer for a while newly breaking into the full size AEG market with their M4A1. A low cost and lesser quality first attempt into the AEG world. Not a recommended product.
TOP - A high cost and very good quality AEG. Though having some unique problems at times, and with some unique eccentricities, for the player that is starting out, these AEGs are WAY OUT of the ballpark with cost. But, their line includes a version of the MP40, M249 in 5 different versions, and 6 versions of the M60
Aside from the information on the Tokyo Marui AEGs this list is not including ratings on what the best of these mfg's are. This is on purpose, as TM has been the most consistent of all of the mfg's in quality and fit and finish, the rest have had cycles in their manufacturing processes and have produced a good AEG then their quality slumped over the next months, and then came back. Some have gone the other way, producing a low quality AEG to begin with and improved it till a good AEG was made in a later version of the same type. The best to do is determine what type of AEG you want or need, then look at the different mfg's for that type. Then search for information in the forums, PLEASE SEARCH FIRST, for people that have been talking about that mfg and model. Who knows, someone might just have put up a review of that specific model that you want just yesterday.
For the most part any AEG that is stock will be in the area of 275 fps. Some of the newer mfg's have set their fps at a higher mark, but that is in the normal area for a stock AEG. This is all you will need to knock over cans and poke holes in paper targets. The effective distances for these are around 100'-130' or so. Some behave better than others, and the length of the barrel will have a direct relation to the distance and accuracy of the AEG. An MP5K with a barrel length of 4 inches is not as accurate nor has the distance as an M16 with a 16 inch barrel.
Another reason for talking with your local retailer is that they typically have some of the types of AEGs in stock and on the pegboard so you can touch them and feel how heavy or the length that they actually are. For instance the M14 may look just as long as a M733 in the picture on the website of a retailer, but the two are WAY different in person. On the order of 16 inches difference between them but, the picture will never tell you that.
The topic of upgrades is covered in a different section of this same FAQ.
Mini batteries are pretty good and will last through a whole game if you are not heavy on the trigger. Buying 2 is a better bet.
Or you can opt for a weapon with a larger battery with more juice. It will last you the whole game easy in most cases. Again this depends on how you are with the trigger. And you have to decide these factors when you buy your gun of choice. Not all guns can accept both sizes of batteries.
US retailers- Are always nice because you don't usually have to wait as long, and you don't run the risk of a Customs seizure. There are many great retailers. Do your homework and ask where others bought their gun. Some retailers are cheaper, you just have to ask around.
Hong Kong retailers- Many people think this is the way to go because it is much cheaper. the shipping is pretty high, and in some cases, you may not be protected against a seizure. Many HK retailers will reship if customs takes the gun. (as long as you have complied in asking them to remove the trademarks and paint the barrel orange) Some do this anyway on their own.
Again for the best prices you have to ask around and see what is going on. "X" retailer might be cheaper on one gun over "Y", But "Y" retailer might have a good deal on batteries or BB's if you buy a gun on any given month. Check out the various sights to find a deal that works best for you.
Any retailer will be happy to leave the trademarks intact, but they are not responsible if it gets seized by US Customs. There have been reports lately on either side of this. Some state that they are watching closely, some have the Customs not watching at all. But, it depends on alot of things, and there is no hard and fast rule for this.
The best thing would be to have them remove the trades, or to find a US retailer that has already imported the AEG with trades intact, or can add a non-trademarked body so that you don't have the 'plastic booger' trademarks on your AEG.
Unfortunately the laws concerning Airsoft are somewhat vague and have been interpreted differently by various people. Regardless of the law, common sense dictates that you should most definitely have an orange tip on your gun if your gun could possibly be seen by anyone who is not another Airsoft player. I can't really even think of a situation as an example, other than if your gun were part of a costume or something.
I'm not a lawyer, so my explanations are to the best of my knowledge. Legally, the guns must have an orange tip to be shipped. Although the law is somewhat ambiguous, the gun should always have an orange tip so that law enforcement can tell them apart from a real firearm. Because many people are very likely to react to it as if it were a real firearm, regardless of the orange tip or not, the WAA recommends that Airsoft guns be stored in a closed container and taken out only inside your home or at a playing field. Since the guns are always on private property where the public is generally not allowed, most game organizers allow guns with no orange tip.
I think there are strong arguments both for and against the orange tips. On one hand the orange tips definitely stand out and would help an officer identify it as an Airsoft gun, on the other hand not having an orange tip reminds us that the guns are real and not toys and should be treated as such. Just because they only fire BBs doesn't mean they can't injure you severely if used improperly. In any case, the WAA doesn't specifically condone the removal of the orange tips; do so at your own risk.
So, the short answer is: remove the orange tip if you like, but treat the gun as if it were a real steel firearm at all times.
Q: What is “barrel wobble”?
A: The term “barrel wobble” applies to the outer barrel being loosely connected to the main body of the AEG, this loose connection allows the front end of the AEG to ‘flop’ around because it is not tight against the body of the gun.
Q: Will a new inner or tightbore barrel fix this wobble?
A: A precision or “tight bore” barrel will not correct barrel wobble. While the Armalite style AEG’s are more prone to this problem, other AEG’s have shown differing degrees of barrel wobble or front end wobble, not every AEG will experience this problem. Manufacturer, model, accessories, care, and usage will all play a part. One person’s experience may not be a predictor of your experience.
Q: Are there any Tokyo Marui Armalite AEG’s that don’t suffer from barrel wobble?
A: The M4S has metal reinforced receiver tabs, one piece aluminum outer barrel, new design delta ring, and mock gas tube. The combination of the new delta ring, one piece outer barrel, gas tube, & SIR virtually eliminate barrel wobble all together
Q: What about the G&G versions?
A: The GR16 series are very solid guns, and there is no large scale barrel wobble issues with them.
Q: What about Classic Army versions?
A: The CA Armalite line of AEG’s have not had the large scale issues that TM has had with their line. If you are overly concerned with "wobble”, the purchase of a full metal AEG is recommended. (CA M15s are some of the sturdiest around).
Q: What are some of the things that can be done to fix barrel wobble?
A: As you do each of these please take the time to see if the change has made a difference. If the barrel wobble is fixed with simply tightening the screws, then don’t go overboard and try to torque down every screw and nut on the AEG. It will only cause you pain and suffering in the long run.
- Tighten the set screws on the barrel: there are screws on the outer barrel assembly which will need to be tightened as barrel wobble appears. Be careful with this, the metal that the stock outer barrel is made of is typically a very soft metal. If you try to torque down screws that are SNUG already you run the risk of stripping the outer barrel assembly and if you thought the barrel was wobbly before, you haven’t seen anything yet. So, be careful. Don’t over tighten these screws. There are also some front ends that have screws that go all the way through to the inner barrel. Each make and model differ so MAKE sure that you know what the screw is going to do. If you tighten one of these screws you can DAMMAGE your inner barrel, the only way to fix this is to REPLACE it. I am stressing this hard because you can do serious damage to your AEG if you don’t know what you are doing. For the typical Armalite front end the next step is likely high on the list of causes.
-Tighten the "Delta Ring": - The delta ring is the part of the front end assembly on the armalite models of AEG, it is the part located UNDER the slip ring cover that holds the hand guards in place on a M16 or M4 type AEG. These AEG’s are not the only ones with the delta ring, but they are the best examples. Occasionally, this band will need to be tightened. Again DON’T overtighten this nut. You may have to remove it sometime later. SO NO LOCKTITE…
- While Playing Don't place additional stress on the front end of the gun: this can include adding accessories which weigh down the front end such as tactical lights, RIS-mounted Grenade launchers, or other accessories which add weight to the front end of the gun, but don’t add any connections to the body so that the whole AEG is being the connection of the item. Also, simply using a shoulder strap can place stress on the gun at the center. Remember these AEG’s are made from plastic and low strength metals, they are not equivelant to the real steel that is out there so don’t treat it like it is. Using a sling incorrectly can cause a large amount of pressure to be placed on the weakest points of the system. In some cases this can be the mounting points for the sling, in the case of the typical Armalite AEG, it is the point that the front end connects to the body.. Continued use can and will develop additional flex as more stress is placed on the socket which is used to connect the receiver to the barrel assembly.
-Replace the plastic body with a metal one: the plastic body is capable of flexing when stress is placed upon it. The areas that stress are called the "barrel nut" or the area that is under the delta ring assembly that was discussed above. This is the part of the receiver which connects to the outer barrel assembly. Replacing the receiver with a metal receiver means that this area will be far more rigid, and it will not flex. However, this area is far more likely to break than bend if excessive stress is placed there because of the metal used in many metal bodies.
-Replace the outer barrel assembly with a one-piece design: one piece outer barrel assemblies reduce the number of parts that must be attached. More parts being attached means more set screws to tighten and additional potential areas that may develop wobble. Here are some types of outer barrels along with the improvements possible when using them:
Metal One-piece = Good
Metal Two-piece = OK
Stock Metal = OK if treatment of AEG is not excessive.
Plastic Two-piece = potentially wobble = Not so OK
Plastic One piece = Potential Catastrophic Break = Bad
-Use a Barrel Block: before one-piece barrels were all the rage PDI, SYSTEMA, and several other companies produce a "barrel block" which was essentially a collar that fit over the outer barrel assembly to reinforce the Delta Ring/barrel nut area. It helped to tighten up the area to prevent wobble. In the evolution of the Marui Armalite, the barrel block design became incorporated. There are still two-piece outer barrels which require a barrel block to increase stability. But, if you choose to go with one of the two-piece barrels over the newer one-piece designs, you would likely already know this.
-Buy the newer Marui M4A1: Marui has released a revised M4A1 based on their newer M4-S design. Marui has improved upon their design to a point that the potential for barrel wobble has significantly been reduced. You will also notice this has changed since the release of the original M4A1 in subsequent variants. M4RIS had improved stability over the original M4A1. The SR16 is said to be one of the less wobbly to that point. The M733 used several additional features to reduce barrel wobble. The M4S was completely redesigned. What does that mean for you? The newer the model the better the chance you won't have to worry about barrel wobble from previous design flaws/weaknesses.
Q: How can I completely eliminate barrel wobble?
No, you cant completely eliminate it, but wobble is preventable through proactive maintenance. It can also be addressed by aftermarket upgrades.
The answers here were compiled from forum posts to the WAA forums by users Ghostbear, Jun Wen, RTO, Tank, Texx, and Timmay. Thanks for the info.
For more information please check out other forums or web search (yahoo, Google, msn) for “marui wobble”, “barrel wobble”. You could very well come across new and helpful information.
