[Combat-wombat]

I am considering buying an "AEG". There are two brands I am looking at, "Tokyo Mauri" and "Classic Army".
Now, I like "Classic Army" because they have all metal construction. However, I don't know if they work well or not.

Tokyo Mauri is a brand I have heard of and know they are the leader in electric airsoft guns. But they aren't all-metal and as durable as the Classic Army ones.

Which should I go with? Does anyone have experience with these brands?

[MAKOwner]

Well, I can't help you with the Classic Army, since I don't have one and neither does anyone in my group. I have a Marui Colt M733 and it is very nice. There are a total of 9 or 10 I guess it is TM AEGs in our group, and they all function great. You can buy metal bodies for the TM guns to add that if you want. I'm really happy with mine, don't really care too much about adding metal or anything, it's nice as-is in my opinion...

[Kevlarman]

Classic Army isn't known for their mechbox durability. You're best off buying a Tokyo Marui gun and upgrading it with a Classic Army metal body.

For the record, I hav a TM AK-47 with a ZEKE metal receiver.

[Mute]

What kevlarman said. Or consider an Airsoft Elite, another company that makes metal MP5s. If you're new to the stuff and have no intention of tinkering with it at all, the Tokyo Marui is the best choice.

[AJ Dual]

Actually, if it's a clone of something that has lots of plastic in it's body like an AR, AUG, HK G36, or FN P90 the Mauri body will be as good anyway. The appropriate parts like the reciever or barrel on these will still be metal.

If you are getting into skirmishing with Airsoft, and not just to collect, or looking to match a copy of a real firearm you allready own to train with at home, I reccomend the P90.

It's an extremely handy package, and has the latest motor and gearbox series in it as well. It's also a clone of something you'll never own, even if you jump through all the Class III hoops and pay the ATF $200.

The sort of bullpup layout of a P90 makes it very size efficient, and since all airsoft bb's move abotu 300-350 fps there's not much efficiency advantage in a longer barrel like a m-16 or M4 would have. Airsoft is not rifled so there's no accuracy advantage with a long barrel either, unless you're using iron sights.

I also find the ease of changing the P90's top-loading mag a real plus when laying prone behind cover. Also bottom feeding mags on airsofts are notorious for not feeding in the middle of a skirmish. You have to keep cranking up the tension on the magazine to keep spring pressure up. Even if your spring gets weak on a p90 airsoft you still have some gravity assist since the mag is feeding down into the action.

If you get the tri-rail version it's really easy to mount a real red-dot sight, a light or a laser.

[winstonsmith]

In my group TMs seem to be the presiding company. Everyone is satisfied, including me.

TM is the way to go.

[Combat-wombat]

It seems that "ICS" also has some full-metal MP5s, what about them?

[WhoKnowsWho]

I would get http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=540493 if I had some extra cash!

I picked up an Airsoft Elite model a while back, all I can say is I hope they made them better for the newer versions. I don't shoot my MP5 AEG, should have got a Tokyo Marui but I wanted the metal body... so I got it mostly for looks.

I used to frequent a few Airsoft boards, lots more information and reviews of stuff there. Just do a search with Yahoo or Google if you are not anti-google. Here's one with a large amount of reviews:

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/main/main.htm

[WhoKnowsWho]

Pic

[Mute]

ICS is IIRC a Taiwan based company that makes metal MP5s. They're body work is fine, but I think their internals (motors, gears and such) aren't as reliable as Tokyo Marui. Airsoft Elite (CA based company, I believe) takes ICS guns and does their own upgrades (internal).

These guys (http://www.airsplat.com/C_31.htm) has some good deals on the latter.

[MAKOwner]

The sort of bullpup layout of a P90 makes it very size efficient, and since all airsoft bb's move abotu 300-350 fps there's not much efficiency advantage in a longer barrel like a m-16 or M4 would have. Airsoft is not rifled so there's no accuracy advantage with a long barrel either, unless you're using iron sights.

In my/my groups experience this has not been the case. We have a couple P90s, a couple MP5s, a SR16, SIg 550 and my M733 that we've done alot of direct comparisons with since we were all interested in this, both with upgrades and when stock. The longer barrelled guns definitely shoot better, it takes more mods for the shorter barrelled guns to match them. My stock M733 shoots better than some of the very mildly upgraded short SMGs... You can upgrade them all to shoot excellently so it becomes a little moot after a certain point though, but stock or mildly modified it does make a difference. I personally think my M733 is the best compromise, it's more manuerable in the brush being shorter and lighter than the fullsize rifles (and yes you do notice this with the M4 vs the SMGs especially the second you start playing nearly...) yet has better range/accuracy than the shorter barreled SMGs. Just great all around IMO...

About the cranking mags, I can't comment. We do not allow those incredibly lame hi-cap mags to be used when we are playing. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of airsoft to use them... Standard caps already hold too many rounds. I'm very happy with my M733's standard cap mags, and the AR mag system/release location allows me to make pretty speedy mag changes IMO.

I'll give the P90 some credit though, the damn thing is quiet especially with one of the suppressors on it. I can hardly tell it's being shot, and it is harder to pinpoint the shooters position. Some of our other upgraded guns are pretty loud comparatively... I still don't care for the feel of the thing when I've used it though, maybe I didn't give it long enough to get used to it but it just didn't feel "right" to me... I'm sure the P90 and other bullpups are good in their size range though, I believe it has a equal or longer inner barrel length than some of the other SMGs that are right in it's size range. One of the guys in my group has put a longer AK inner barrel I think it was on his P90. Without his hollowed supressor on the skinny tube sticks out the front of the thing like 8 inches, but with the suprressor on it looks good and still shoots great, but you kind of give up alot of the guns benefit then it seems to me...

Pic of mine:

[mattd]

What kind of groups do you get at 25 yards?

[jthuang]

A buddy asked me about Airsoft the other day. He is interested in getting a G36 or something like that as a "wall hanger". Where do you AirSoft junkies recommend buying AS guns? TIA,

Justin

[Snowdog]

WhoKnowsWho,

Forgive me it this it common knowledge, but is that picture you posted a replica of the "10mm pulse rifle" from Aliens?
It's been about a decade since I've seen that movie, but the firearms used are hard to forget.

[Kevlarman]

It sure is! The M41 Morita is really just a Thompson and SPAS-12 slapped together. More info here:

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/projects/morita/morita.htm

[WhoKnowsWho]

Actually, that pulse rifle I found at www.airsoftatlanta.com under the AEG+Battery button. It's a kit that requires the TM Thompson to be modified... and the led display actually counts!!!

Kevlarman: Wrong movie man!

[Kevlarman]

Haha yea, I just noticed that!

Well, suffice to say I like the rifles from both Aliens and Starship Troopers!
:D

http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/projects/aliens/m41.htm

Better? heh

[WhoKnowsWho]

Much better! :D

[Combat-wombat]

So these "Airsoft Elite" guns have both a metal body, and good internals? Okay, any problems with them? Do they accept Tokyo Mauri mags?

[Sactown]

Be sure you actually want one and not just an impusle fad purchase. They are expensive, the cost of a real gun in some cases. I have an TM MP5A5 that sits under my bed. I bought it because I thought it would be fun. Blasting cans in the backyard and stuff got old fast. Yes, I have buyers remorse. It's great if you have friends or are able to join in the airsoft games. Good luck on whatever you decide.

Oh yeah, the MP5A5 I have has been solidly reliable and well built, but I still feel that if i was in a woods game that i'd snap that baby in half if I fell. The retractable stock has been the only source of annoyance. It isn't terribly solid and is quite loose extended. If i had to do it all over again, I wouldn't. YMMV

[Mute]

c-w,

Airsoft Elite takes all TM mags.

jthuang. Try these places for purchases:


www.precisionairsoft.com
www.gh-u.com
www.airsoftextreme.com
www.wargameclub.com/WGC_Shop/
www.redwolfairsoft.com
www.airsplat.com

A couple of these are overseas shops. Cheaper but more trouble and takes longer for delivery. Good luck.

[jthuang]

Mute, thanks! I've passed along your list to my buddy. That G36C would make a nice wall-hanger. :)