Choosing the right gun

1 Do you feel compelled to cleanse the world of the infidels?

2 or do you seek the thrill of raiding beaches with special ops?

3 How about stealthily stalking the enemy, only to strike them down from a great distance?

4 Maybe you just want a gun that shoots, and wont die on you from a single game?

Well don't worry, if you fit any of these categories, or combinations of such, then you are an average airsofter and THERE is a gun for YOU!

Essentially speaking there is very little difference in most airsoft guns, the only thing mainly changing is barrel length and hop up design internally. However lets leave that aside and just go on to choose an exterior design that you like.

Of the following which would you consider "sexy"?

Keep these images in mind as they will go into the next stage of your choice.

Now onto how much CAN you spend on airsoft gun?
“Can” is an important term in this case, because what you are willing to spend at one specific time may not match what will in the end make you happy with your choice. There is nothing worse then making a money saving choice when a mere $20 or $40 could have made the difference between 2 months of frustration or years of satisfaction. This is not to say that deals do not exist but consider that most of the time your paying for quality, the higher the price generally means better quality, thus the less chance that it will break down on you. Guns that don’t break down in the long run save you money, as you won’t have to replace them.

Guns online that are priced beyond the area in which ive put them are rip-offs. Gun prices can vary extremely from site to site, so always shop around. Keep in mind though the popularity of airsoft is world wide, and a lot of the shops you may encounter may be overseas. This means that even if the base price is great, the shipping price may be deadly, so always check where the shop is, and check their shipping price by going halfway through a checkout.

*** - This signifies the general price range of guns you can buy on Forums. Most airsoft forums have a Trade and Sell section, and depending on the sites popularity, you can find some of the best deals online from them. Any gun, from an CA MP5 to a ICS AK74M can be found for a fraction of their “retail” prices, just buy with care and you should be very pleased.
[Best Online Sale/Trade Forum - http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forum...56&showforum=7 ]

Now onto a more detailed view of what are the best guns for the buck.

If you want to learn how to manage an AEG and love to modify mechanical things then a UTG MP5 may be a good choice. Not only is it a good start for new players, but it can be upgraded to compete with any other mp5 on the market.
Very Detailed Review: http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/forum...howtopic=30898
General Player Reviews: (some of these made on early versions of the gun) http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/2

However if you have more than $150 to spend, you should probably mosey on down to the ICS MP5 Category. From both a technical standpoint, and personal standpoint, these guns are probably the best MP5’s for the buck you can buy, not only do they have all metal bodies like their CA counterpart, but internally they boast a strong Turbo 2000 motor (soon to be Turbo 3000 on new models), Metal Bushings, a spring of aftermarket quality (offering 320 fps stock), and steel gears. They are in fact a great beginner gun as they will not give out on you, and will compete with all other AEGs.
Good Review: http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn.../ics_mp5a4.htm

If however you don’t want an MP5, and don’t have over $200 to spend, then maybe you should consider the TM Famas. This gun is VERY cheap for what you get. The reasons are for this are not because it performs poorly, in fact the Famas uses a Version 1 Gearbox, which has been found to be the most stable of all the gearbox designs. The reason it is cheap however is simply because of two things, one its appearance, and two, for how long it has been out on the market. The TM Famas was the FIRST AEG ever, just so you know. Thereby making it the most stable rifle you can get.
Review:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn..._f1_review.htm

If you have $250 to spend and like the style of AK’s then you should of course check out the TM AK-47, it is versatile and can take a beating (believe me I know, as in my early days of ignorance towards the workings of a gearbox I subjected it to my full level of stupidity, which can get quite dangerous, and it still works!), this includes its counterpart the Beita, which is simply a Special Forces design of it. The AK is mostly for people who like simple guns, but with the touch of wood. That is, most AK users do not use rails, hand grips, lasers, red dot scopes, or any of the other wonderful things you can cram onto a rifle. However this does not mean AK’s cannot be externally upgraded, the addition of real wood, a metal body, and a wide variety of different mags to use makes it a fun rifle for any enthusiast.
Reviews of TM AK:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn...k47_review.htm
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/1
Reviewa of TM Beita Spetsnaz:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn...naz_review.htm
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/3

Also though, if you really like AK’s but have $300 to spend, I highly suggest you immediately run to the nearest online store and purchase the ICS AK-74M, not only is the gun all metal, but like an ICS MP5 in comparison to a TM MP5 functions at a much higher level.
Review:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/1

If however AK’s, Famas’s, and MP5’s just aren’t your thing, you should have a look at the Armalite selections (m4’s). There are many to choose from ranging greatly in price, however the ones I have listed are the best choices you can make. Starting with the AIM AM4, this was just recently released and has been reviewed as one of the best low priced M4’s you can buy.
Review:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/2

However if you can afford a TM M4, then id suggest it over the AIM. If you have more than $250 to spend, then I highly recommend any M15 variant by Classic Army. These guns have been on the market for long enough to be stable internally, and are all metal, and offer great fps out of the box.
Good Review of CA M15a1:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn...m15_review.htm

However try to avoid any CA M4 variant, they have been shown to have some drawbacks unlike their M15 cousins. This not to say they are all bad, but when you compare the M15 to the M4, well it would make much more sense to go with the much more popular rifle.
Review of CA M4a1:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn...4a1_review.htm

The best choice however if you have $400 to spend in this category is the Classic Army M15 CQB.
Review:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/1

Lastly for the normal category of AEGs we have the G36 category. If you have the $300 to spend and like the look of either the CA G36k or CA G36c then I recommend buying one right away.
Reviews of G36c:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn...6c_review1.htm
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/1


Now if you wish to sin against mankind, make every other player on the airsoft field fear for their life, and have $500+ to spend, then your options are vast, but lets just leave it with the CA M249, and the TOP M60.
Review of TOP M60:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/?filn..._dx_review.htm
Review of CA M249:
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/revie.../cat/16/page/1

Now onto internal upgrades. So far I have left out the inclusion of upgrades, apart from the UTG MP5/Ak47 none of the guns I have listed require any upgrades at all. I view upgrades to only be necessary after you have found your gun needs a boost, or if you want to learn something. Its best to start with a stock version and then work your way out, get a feel for your weapon. Its best if you never crack open the gearbox, as they have been tuned quite specifically, and as long as nothing is wrong, nothing will go wrong until you open it up. That said, someday of course all guns need to be opened up and repaired, as like with cars so do Gearboxes gain “mileage”. If you do feel the need to at some time oil your gun internally, do not use your basic at home oils, gearboxes use a quite effective and non evaporating lithium grease that is much like a paste.

I hope this has been helpful, if you have any questions please do PM me (or corrections if i made a mistake). I will be adding more info in the future, including actual information on the snipers, and some information towards the TM M14.