Differences Between Manufacturers

[iKiX]

Looking into all the different brands, the main thing that sticks out to me is the wild differences in price. What are the real differences between the brands, and is there any real difference for those large price variations?

Also, which are generally the best manufacturers to go for.

Cheers, iKiX

[Abbadon101]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Mostly you get what you pay for in airsoft. If the gun is between £200-£300 it will be a good gun and very skirmishable. Guns less that £70 (with a few exceptions) are pretty rubbish and aren't worth the money. What are you looking a as hat will give us an idea of what makes you should look at.

[iKiX]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Completely undecided on the exact model of AEG yet, with UKARA I have 2 months to mull that one over anyways, but most likely an M4, G36 or SCAR. I've pretty much been looking around the £250-£350 range with ICS, Tokyo Marui and Classic Army.

[kbates]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Well ICS are good both internal and external, TM are excellent internal and good external although many people have diced opinions over the ABS plasticy body, and classic army are good in both aspects, each have pro's and cons and it mainly relies on personal preference but those 3 are good brands mate, although maybe as your starting especially with the G36 the JG clone of TM do very good versions for around 120-140

-Kev

[Abbadon101]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

If you are looking at M4's look at Classic Army or G&P, ICS are ok but they are a pig for spares and parts as only ICS ones fit. You will find alot of people on here big up ICS but they aren't any better really, their gea boxes are nice to work on because of their split design but other than that they have no real advantage.

G&P and Classic Army are my 2 preferences for manufactures. The only TM guns I would consider are the M14 and their pistols, they are good guns but not worth the price tag for the lack of a metal body. You can get a G&P M4 for £215 which is a very good price for the gun, the only issue there may be is the need for a new hop rubber. But as far as externals go you can't get much better. Internals are meant to be solid and the new models come with 8mm bearing IIRC.

If you want a SCAR then look at the VFC one, it is meant to be the best by a long way and comes with a hard case too (and it is only £20 more than the Classic Army version so that has to be worth the hard case alone).

G36's probably either Classic Army or SCR, the SCR is alot cheaper but I think only SCR mags work in it.

[HuntR]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

G36's probably either Classic Army or SCR, the SCR is alot cheaper but I think only SCR mags work in it.

I'm guessing "Abbadon101" meant SRC. And the G36 range use standard G36 mags. So ones from King Arms, Star/Ares, CA, TM and all the others will fit.

[jfox61]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

I would, personally, and this is only my opinion, as most people know my thoughts on TM, steer clear of them. the reason? well they are in the same price brakcet as CA ARES ICS and and other mid to high range guns. And, although their internals are good their externals are, in my opinion, nowhere near on a par with the aforementioned manufacturers.

Other manufacturers to be aware of with good products are, King Arms, SRC, VFC G&G, G&P and Realsword.

I have left out Systema because they are very high end high priced guns and still need major upgrading out of the box. Thes can hit you from anywhere from about £700 to £3k and upwards depending on how much you want to throw at it.

[Withard]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Many people wont touch the cheaper Chinasoft AEG/GBB products purely out of pride I have noticed.

I have had a VFC SCAR, 3x M15A4 Classic Army and a G&P M4 Special.

I will now no longer buy the above brands unless I wished to brag. The Chinasoft guns I HAVE used have outperformed the above guns. There is a stigma that by buying cheapsoft your "hurting the sport" (Hurting the manufacture pockets as they cannot now charge £600 for a plastic M249) but this is not the case. In fact it means more people can enjoy the sport without having to fork out car insurance equivalent costs.

The best thing you can do is go looking for some reviews that are Knocking around the net and deciding from there.

JG, A&K & D-Boys have delivered bundles of performance for good prices leaving you plenty of cash for magazines, trinkets and other bits you might want.

Anyhoo...hope that helps.

[gijohn2]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

I'm guessing "Abbadon101" meant SRC. And the G36 range use standard G36 mags. So ones from King Arms, Star/Ares, CA, TM and all the others will fit.

The SRC G36's are fantastic!
My friend brought his G36KV a few weeks back and it is superb! No rattles or wobbles at all!
The Body bins are nice and secure and dont move at all.
The polymer used for the body etc is of to standard and the gear box's are very very nice as well.
Also JG mags work with the SRC G36's series just fine.
The hop up bucking seams to be the type with the cut in the middle (I think Its like a fire fly but i am not to sure)

Get an SRC one You will not be disappointed at all!


SRC have upped there game are competing with the likes of the company's mentioned above from a few quid cheaper.

I cant wait to get my SRC 416 now :D

[TS_Welshy]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

I'm pretty sure the price mainly reflects the quality of the materials they all use. Hence why Inokatsu guns and the Barrett kits are so highly priced.

TM are highly priced probably as a result of the money they invest in R&D and quality control? Just a thought.. but the internals are also very good quality materials, and the plastic on the outside is pretty good I find.

Classic Army have very good external quality, and great gearboxes. Hops aren't so great, but all round I don't think you can get a better stock gun (taking external quality into it).

G&P use fantastic quality metals in their externals, gears and gearboxes. They also use very high quality plastics and polymers. Hops again aren't great.

All three of the above also have very good pistons in them, worth mentioning! haha.

Ares and G&G I can't comment on - never owned one. Same for VFC, but they reportedly also use very very good quality materials, and their guns are quite highly priced. ICS do decent quality externals, but they are so picky and only take their own parts pretty much. I personally don't think they are as good as CA, TM and G&P but some people think they are teh awesumz.



Now for the cheaper guns. Some people think that JG, CYMA, A&K etc are on a par with the above. I strongly disagree. They are cheaper because they use much cheaper quality materials. Hold a G&P and a JG M4 and you can easily feel the difference. Same with the internal parts, G&P gears.. you can just feel how much better quality the metal is. I also think the Chinese manufacturers are cheaper because they invest less in quality control and stuff. But methinks its mostly cos of the cheaper metals and plastics.

[Fizzy]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Now for the cheaper guns. Some people think that JG, CYMA, A&K etc are on a par with the above. I strongly disagree. They are cheaper because they use much cheaper quality materials. Hold a G&P and a JG M4 and you can easily feel the difference. Same with the internal parts, G&P gears.. you can just feel how much better quality the metal is. I also think the Chinese manufacturers are cheaper because they invest less in quality control and stuff. But methinks its mostly cos of the cheaper metals and plastics.

Agreed. Some people say the Kalash AK74 is on par with the VFC and you can't tell them apart. From a distance that's true, but hold them and you can feel the difference. You can feel the quality of the VFC. However, am I saying the Kalash is bad? Heck no, not for the money.

[Abbadon101]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

I'm guessing "Abbadon101" meant SRC. And the G36 range use standard G36 mags. So ones from King Arms, Star/Ares, CA, TM and all the others will fit.

Yeah thats the one, late night after a very hard day and the dyslexia was playing up.

[scholag]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

The SRC G36's are fantastic!
<snip>
The hop up bucking seams to be the type with the cut in the middle (I think Its like a fire fly but i am not to sure)

Having just replaced the hop up bucking on a G36kv I have to say no they aren't. They are regular tubular buckings as found on TM or CA.

Having just bought an SRC G36 I would also endorse them. Though I have yet to skirmish it.
Cheers.

[iKiX]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

From what you guys have said it doesn't look like there is much point in buying a TM, as to change the exterior to match the others will put them way above the price of the others, with them only having a slightly better internals. Would most agree with this or not?

I have owned for a while a TM M16 Single Shot Springer, does anyone know if the plastic on that is the same plastic that is used on their AEG guns? If it is, I think i would be a little disappointed at £250 out of pocket.

Are there many reports of the Chinese guns breaking, or wearing quicker than most? Life has taught me that rarely are cheaper things on par or better than more expensive stuff, but many threads I have read seem to point to the opposite with Chinese knock off's in the airsoft market.

Cheers, iKiX

[The King]

Re: Differences Between Manufacturers

Try SRC.

They have good internals and externals and are much cheaper than TM.