My airsoft forum is gone. Which do you guys post on?

The Minnesota boards. Actually, I rarely even post there anymore.

There's forums at Arnie's Airsoft in the UK, and I believe there's forums at www.airsoftplayers.com but the only thing I ever do there is look in the for sale section.

Was there something you needed or were you just looking for local action?

Russ



"Time has little to do with infinity and jelly doughnuts."

I have budget for 1 or mabey 2 new guns. Just can't decide between the ICS and CA MP5. I want metal and velocity.

The issue with both ICS and CA guns is the fact that it's not a matter of IF they'll need fixing... but WHEN they will.

I've owned several ICS MP5's over teh years, and over all I've had great luck with them.

Classic Army has it's strong supporters... and people who wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole.

My experience with CA is second hand, having friends that have owned them. Some guns work fine, others...

Let's just say with both ICS and CA, you don't want to buy a gun made on a Friday afternoon before closing time. Quality control on first gen guns is VERY hit or miss.

The 2nd and 3rd gen ICS MP5's are very decent.

I've heard conflicting stories about their first gen AR variants. Same with CA. However, I've heard nothing bad about the CA G36's, but they're mostly a copy of the Marui design anyway.

Lord knows you can't swing a gopher these days without hitting an M16/M4 variant.

Choosing between the ICS and CA MP5's... I'd go ICS.

Why?

1) The upper/Lower receivers detatch like the Marui G3 series. Remove 1 pin and the two parts come apart slick as can be.

2) With ICS you have the choice of getting either the Navy or SEF style lower receivers. With the CA your choices are SEF... or SEF.

3) Metal is pretty much everything on both companies guns. ICS uses a plastic lower receiver... same as the real gun.

4) CA High cap mags SUCK. This is a proven failing with CA's mags, both MP5 AND M16 mags. Very high failure rate. ICS's mags aren't as smooth as Marui's, but they do work fine and are cheaper than the Marui.

5) With both companies guns, you can use Marui repair/add on parts.

6) Both CA and ICS guns shoot about 290 fps out of the box. Some will go as low as 280, some will quote up to 310fps. Stock Marui guns will shoot about 260-270 or so.

I hope this helps some. Keep in mind that the fit and finish on either the ICS or Classic Army will not be as smooth and polished as that of a Marui.

For the higher cost, you're getting a metal receiver/barrel/gas tube. Keep in mind that metal is just a shiny bell and whistle. There's NO increase in durability. There IS an increase in weight. And as experienced airsofters know, lugging a heavy gun through the bush is for the birds. I switched my Pulse rifle for my friend's full size G3 once when I had a BB jam, and I was amazed at the weight difference. Sure, my PR weighs 10-13 LBS. His G3 weighed like 3. It was quite a difference.

Russ



"Time has little to do with infinity and jelly doughnuts."

I've heard a lot of complaints about trying to put after market parts (internals) into the CA guns. The fit in there isn't perfect. Not sure about ICS.

-Alex
"The M41-A. When you absolutely, positively have to kill every mofo in the room. Accept no substitutes."

The mechbox designs are a bit... softer than a Marui Mechbox. Consider them the equivilent of a first or second gen recast and you'll have an idea of the fit and finish.

I put bearings in a Marui Thompson and they fit into place just by hand. I've put bushings in ICS guns and they take a bit more effort to fit in the correct position. The holes are slightly smaller. Not so small to make it impossible, just small enough to make it irritating.

But springs/gears, etc work just fine.

And fitting an ICS metal body kit to a Marui gun... is a pain in the @$$. What should have been an hour job took me 3-4 hours. The parts are overly tight and hard to get finally assembled. I think the factory guns sit for weeks in the box, and the parts perhaps do streatch and conform to each other.

Lets just say It's much easier to get a gun assembled at the factory than trying to do one yourself.

Russ


"Time has little to do with infinity and jelly doughnuts."