Not the newest, Not the oldest

[solidsnake]

Hey all so I am not the newest member to airsoft but I am not the oldest... I have played witha few of you guys here and there over the course of the last five years (I think a total of three games) I am that one who ran around in a ghillie suit with that utg tac-9 sniper rifle. Well as I got older funding became more available and now I want to get back into airsoft very seriously. I am looking for a decent shooting full metal m4 out of the box and I am stuck between two but also looking for input from experienced players who already have there weapons. The two i am stuck between is an Echo 1 (the company some of you love to hate) and a VFC but to my knowledge they are the exact same gun except the ECHO 1 version comes with a few extra goodies and a case.

The Echo 1
www.airsoftgi.com/product_info.php?cPath=378&products_id=6091

The VFC
www.airsoftgi.com/product_info.php?cPath=139_24_142&products_id=5730

I am more particular to the Echo 1 because of the R.I.S. system and the hardcase that it comes with and since echo 1 and vfc worked together on making this gun in theory it should be the same quality however... fire you opinions away. Price is not really an issue to a certain extent here... I am looking for full metal and 350-400 fps because I am purchasing this gun for outdoor combat only, pretty much all I need out of the box with no needed upgrades but the ability to put them in after. Also I am not picky between AEG and GBB and I know many of you have more experience out there with these things than I do. I am used to a cheap single shot bolt action sniper rifle or one game I used an AK-47 but I am not a fan of that style gun.

Also if anyone has an opinion on the Socom M9 GBB Pistol I am interested. I am thinking about picking this gun up to (and not because of the silencer, which might I add looks like crap)
www.airsoftgi.com/product_info.php?products_id=6606

thank you for taking the time to read through this, and thank you again for taking the time to reply if you do. I am hoping to see you out on the field here in the near future so keep your eyes open for me!

So after opening a new section of the forum that I never opened before (the AEG category) I stumbled upon this discussion

miairsoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=aeg&action=display&thread=38314

so now I am pretty much second guessing both options that I was asking about. It was full of links but I really didnt get any good solid answers on than either a G&G or KWA... they are both around $300 but what are the pro/con to either? I dont want my internals to strip but also I am not afraid to dive to the ground so last thing I want is a gun to break in half. So I am still looking for opinions on which m4 path I need to go down to hopefully be satisfied.

[Biz]

I would say g&g's gr-16 carbine. There not to expensive, and g&g is a great company. It comes with a tight bore barrel already installed. There aren't really any cons to it either, I could think of many more pros but I'm a bit to lazy lmao. I am a fan of vfc and kwa, but I trust g&g more. Second in line would be vfc though. And yes I believe there the same guns(the echo1 and vfc's). Everyone has there own opinions and I'm sure there will be a KWA4life fan boy who will dispute me;)

And I read a bit of that thread you linked. Combat machines are great, but like the guy said, if u have a higher price range, you could deffinitly buy a pro-line g&g. But ill still suggest the combat machine if your price range is only 300$ so that you can get gear, mags, batteries, and whatever floats your boat. Iv owned a combat Machine, there probably the best bang for your buck, a very very nice rof for a stock gun that is so cheap. And the body is g&gs famous nylon fiber. And comes with a tightbore barrel installed aswell. But obviously the pro-line(gr-16) will out preform the cm, but it's a bit more expensive.

[Zerox]

I've had some experience with KWA's M4's, I personally think that KWA is losing their touch. Other than that, I've got nothing but good things to say about any of G&G's replicas.

[Biz]

Ha, I read I'm too lazy to spell a full word out. Please mock me. first sentence keine, I'm like oh great, a fanboy. Good thing your not though lmao.

[Fugazi]

Get a G&G. For the money, they are the best quality replicas you can possibly buy. I use a Combat Machine myself. ;D

Also, +1 for having my tattoo as your avatar.

[solidsnake]

I think it is settled (since I have pretty much all the gear I am gonna need minus parts for the gun) that the pro-line G&G is gonna be the way im gonna wanna go

so after I get the gun what is suggested along the lines of batteries... I am a complete noob at this since i have always used springs. So I am not sure where to look for a decent battery, nor what style battery is gonna fit into this gun

thank you for your help, as a matter of fact I got one heck of a welcome and it got me all pumped up before I am stuck going to work in the morning

also, I didnt get any comments about the socom m9 but im not sure if anyone is familiar with it or not. It looks pretty sturdy but I am also open for suggestions along that line too if you have them

[Biz]

If it's a full stock, you can just about fit any battery. I suggest a 9.6 large type, mah is up to you, they will all fit. Now if it has a retractable stock, or a crane stock, you're going to want like a 9.6 intellect butterfly small type.

I don't know much about the socom m9. But I am pretty sure it's a WE(trash) and correct me if I am wrong please. I highly recommend the kwa m9 ptp(professional training pistol). It is to EXACT scale as the real steel, and almost exact weight. The ns2 system is also great on gas, which will save you some $$ in the long run. It will run you about $150. Well worth it though.

Kwa m9
www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_45_242&products_id=29189

9.6 butterfly
www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?products_id=29458

9.6 large type(this one is out of stock, but just an idea of what your looking for)
www.airsoftpost.com/product_info.php?products_id=24486

[Carnage]

I agree with what biz8994 said about the KWA M9 PTP. I currently own one and it's nothing but great. The weight, feel, scale, looks, double-action trigger (with functioning de-cocker), disassembly/reassembly (easy to clean and lube), the NS2 system, and the fact that it's a Professional Training Pistol make the KWA M9 PTP a really good choice. /fanboy rant.

Also, like many have stated before me, G&G is a great company as well.

[solidsnake]

Thank you all for your help! you pretty much just saved me from buying two unreliable weapons that ultimately were more expensive than the ones I am going to be getting now!

[Biz]

You're welcome.

[solidsnake]

Actually since I have your attention Biz, Are gas mags pretty much universal with the KWA or do I have to buy KWA mags?

[Knief]

KWA or KSC mags are compatible with each other within model groups. That is, any KWA or KSC M9 mag (for the NS2 or Series 7 Gas Systems) will work with any KWA or KSC M9 with those gas systems, but will not work with say, KSC or KWA Glocks. Similarly, TM, WA, WE, KJW, KWC, etc M9 mags will not work with KSC or KWA guns. KSC and KWA are related brands (people will spin a lot of stories about how they're related, but nobody actually knows), and make compatible products, thus, their mags are interchangeable.

[solidsnake]

Thank you knief that helped out quite a bit. Are there any 3rd party mags that work or just stick with KWA/KSC mags and not risk it? I figure if I buy it new im going KWA/KSC but if say I saw some (insert 3rd party mag here) for sale used and cheap I would want to know what works and doesnt work. I think, from the way you explained it, pretty much just the KWA/KSC works but any little detail helps.

[Biz]

No, there isn't any other 3rd party mags available because kwa uses the ns2 gas system(only kwa uses it). Try to find some used mags in commerce, they're usually pretty cheap, and kwa mags are top notch so odds are they won't be leaky.

[Knief]

Nobody makes third party mags for GBB pistols. It's not like with AEGs where brands like MAG, Star, and King Arms make mags for guns that they don't even offer. Nobody does that with GBBs. If you're looking for a mag for your GBB, you're looking at the company that makes your gun or maybe if you're luck, a company that makes a direct clone of your gun whose mags will work with what you've got.