Choosing between the G&G Veteran and TM M14

[D2Z]

Hello Zeroin!

I'm about to buy my second AEG (third airsoft gun) and I've long decided on the M14. My first was a 2nd and CYMA AK which I used to learn the game, and I also have a CYMA AEP as backup.

I chose the M14 because it's got that old, trusty battle rifle look, combined with full-auto features. Truth be told my first choice would be a WW2-style bolt action (e.g. Kar98 or Mosin) but unfortunately these are too impractical. The length and weight isn't a concern.

I'm a UK player and my local field is CQB (340fps limit). I'm also within 1 hour of 3 outdoor fields so I'm lucky to have some choice. My love for the M14 is so great that I'm willing to play it in CQB - there are long corridors for me to shoot down anyway. I think the full length M14 with a wood stock is more aesthetic than other variants - and feeling awesome with a RIF you like the look of is the big appeal of airsoft for me.

With that said, my criteria are as follows:

• ~340 fps is my field limit, DMR rules do not exist at any of my local fiends
• Good range, outranging all other AEGs on the field after upgrades - is an effective range of 200 feet realistic at this fps?
• Wood stock - imitation wood is okay but I will eventually replace with real wood.
• Money is not an issue - I have £1500 budgeted for airsoft this year.
• Ideally I would be upgrading and repairing this myself over the years.

After days of research I've narrowed down my choice to the following:

• Tokyo Marui M14 (imitation wood stock), £340
• G&G GR14 Veteran (real wood), £320, will need downgrading spring.

Most of my Google searches dug up threads from pre-2010 where people claimed the TM was amazing. But searching reddit there seems to be equal praise for the TM and G&G. I've heard the G&G is prone to seizing up and the TM can lose its charm after opening the gearbox. How much of this is hearsay? I don't know.

My main questions are:

• how well does the G&G match up to the TM in terms of performance, both stock and after some upgrades?
• The G&G shoots hot out of the box at around 400 fps so I'll need to downgrade the spring firstly. If I downgrade it to ~330 fps would it be far worse than the TM?
• What are some pros and cons of both?

Thank you all in advance for your help.

tl;dr TM M14 or G&G Veteran, looking to buy the best subject to <340 fps criteria.

[tackle]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

TM ftw, sure it's Lower fps but it's nigh on bulletproof & superb quality.
You could also consider the shorter socom m14, better for cqb ?

[D2Z]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

Thanks man. I just like the look of the full length more, and the SOCOM doesn't come with a wood stock (except one CYMA model)

[JFSebastien]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

As much as I'm a TM fan boy I'd say go G&G. Real wood on the full length as you desire. You intend to tinker with it anyway so no real point paying a premium for the TM fairy dust. Drop the spring down, get a higher quality inner barrel and flat hop it for heavier ammo. I'd be tempted to pick one up 2nd hand if the price is right. Spend the rest on internals as you learn to maintain it.

[Proto]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

Get a CYMA and spend the £130 saved to mod it.

[D2Z]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

As much as I'm a TM fan boy I'd say go G&G. Real wood on the full length as you desire. You intend to tinker with it anyway so no real point paying a premium for the TM fairy dust. Drop the spring down, get a higher quality inner barrel and flat hop it for heavier ammo. I'd be tempted to pick one up 2nd hand if the price is right. Spend the rest on internals as you learn to maintain it.

This is great advice, thank you. Do you think it would give comparable performance (e.g. range and accuracy) to the Marui?

Get a CYMA and spend the £130 saved to mod it.

I've read that the CYMA externals are more prone to breaking - would you say that's true?

[tackle]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

I've heard good things about CYMA m14's & ak's.

[JFSebastien]

Re: Choosing between the G&amp;G Veteran and TM M14

TM will probably perform slightly better stock, but not enough to justify he cost of putting wood on it vs G&G Vet M14. Upgrading CYMA could be an option but then I think for the same ball park you could get second hand and upgrade. They seem to be on here pretty regularly and don't shift that quick cause it's a less popular platform.
Perhaps 2nd hand TM and replace anything thats knackered (thus learning how it works) or new G&G and maintain it until stuff fails and needs replacing.
Although you have a generous budget, no one wants to waste money, so being skirmish ready asap should be a consideration, so you can clock the hours using it and make sure you've chosen something that suits you. Buying something that needs too much work upfront to make it viable is possibly a bad idea.

Also, land warrior quotes G&G as 330fps stock...