If you're new to airsoft there's probably a few questions you may like to ask seasoned players but are afraid to appear a bit green.
In this section I will attempt to give you a few pointers to help you along the way. Obviously I won't be able to cover everything in one article, so if you would like to ask me something please email mezebadee@combatcentral.co.uk and I will write articles for the most popular or sensible questions.
To get you started, there are a few things you should be aware of when purchasing your first AEG (Automatic Electric Gun). These types of gun are the most widely used amongst players.
'MP5A5'
The retractable stock makes this a good choice for Urban, but the mini battery soon runs out in Woodland games
'G36C'
An excellent gun, the Folding Stock is good for Close Quarters, and extended makes a nice Woodland gun, however the small battery lets it down.
At Combat Central we have owned or tested a good range of these weapons and have become aware of a few problems (or quirks) with many different types of guns.
WHEN PURCHASING YOUR FIRST GUN...
Consider what style of play you are interesting in doing. If you are playing Urban then look for a nice small gun you can quickly point around corners or doors, something like an 'MP5-K' is great, accuracy is a definite trade-off for its ability to point around corners but don't let that put you off.
In Urban games you quite often find your target is only feet away. These guns spray BB's out all over the place, and trying to shoot an assailant from 20 feet is pretty useless, however, these lightweight guns can be deadly at close quarters.
'MP5-K'
Accuracy is a shortfall but it makes up for it in maneuverability
I have found out myself how effective these are whilst trying to lift and point my 'M4' getting mown down in the process. These use a small battery, so be prepared to change them frequently.
If you are playing Woodland then you will be better off with a larger barrel gun.
'M4A1'
A very popular gun amongst airsofters, the retractable stock makes it a good gun for younger smaller players
There are a large selection to choose from. The 'M4' range are very popular offering a sturdy construction, good accuracy, a good size mag not to mention the most accessories of any style of gun.
Don't choose a gun that's too long (M16, G3-SG1) you will find you are caught up in every bit of undergrowth, banging into trees, you also stand a higher chance of breaking the barrel if you slip over,as we have discovered (owners of these guns, please note: I am not slating them, I am offering advise from experience).
'M16A2' A long and heavy gun (my first gun), susceptible to barrel wobble
'G3-SG1' Another long and heavy gun (Nerves first gun), you could hear him creaking a mile off
'AK47' and 'BETA SPETNAZ' are good choices with huge magazines, although the banana style mag's are long and some people tell us they get a bit caught up in ferns etc.
'AK Beta Spetnaz'
A great all round first gun (in our opinion), large battery, huge Hi-cap mag and small enough to be effective in Urban environments
'AK47'
A very popular gun, large battery is great for Woodland scenarios but large banana mag can get caught in undergrowth
'P90s' are a comfortable gun, they are refereed to as a 'Bullpup' style which basically means the ammo feed is behind the trigger, this enables the gun to have a very long barrel for the actual length of the gun.
'P90' 'Stargate SG1 fans will be familiar with the design, it's a comfortable gun but let down with its easy to lose mag's that have a habit of jamming. The in-built Red-Dot sight is small but can prove very effective
'P90TR'
The 'TR' comes with a rather nice looking silencer but sadly loses the red-dot sight
Be aware of the mag's on the 'P90' though, they are long, clumsy to carry and are prone to jamming (you can usually hear me banging on the gun, cursing and telling you "I would have got you first" if this bloody thing hadn't jammed AGAIN). Even though I still love this gun.
The 'P90' is small and universal for Urban & Woodland but have a smallish battery (like most guns with small batteries, you can purchase a 'Milforce' battery bag which straps onto the exterior then you can use large batteries instead).
Check out some more guns in the following links.
The other important thing to remember is that all AEG's use similar technology for propelling the BB, therefore all Tokyo-Marui guns fire at a similar velocity. Don't do as I did whilst looking for my first gun (an M16A2). I compared FPS, Barrel Length, Motor, Gearbox, to name but a few until I came up with what I thought was the ideal gun, only to buy a top of the range Systema upgrade kit, later to decide I didn't really like the size and feel of the cumbersome beast so sold it on and lost money.
Basically what I am saying is... Choose a gun because it looks right, feels right and suits your playing scenario. Remember, you can always upgrade or customize it until you're happy with it.
What ever you decide to buy, have fun with it, after all, that's why we play Airsoft...... Isn't it?
