hey guys, so how durable are the airsoft rifles? when your out "playing" are you able to drop them and tuck and roll with these types of weapons, crash thru brush yadda yadda... or do you gotta baby them?

You got to remember that these are still toys. While the real steel counterparts are mostly metal, most stock (unmodified, straight outta the box) airsoft guns are primarily composed of plastic parts. Obviously, plastic breaks much easier than metal does. With enough force, and yes, they will break. A heavily modified airsoft gun, with metal outer parts will of course take a great deal more punishment, perhaps almost that of a real gun, however you still don't want to drop them as internally there are many parts, gears, and electronics that can't withstand too much shock. I've had my M655 fall from a standing position a couple of times, and it's been okay, but it still scares the heck out of me when it does.

On the otherhand, I've "crashed thru brush" many a time, and the airsoft weapons have always been fine, but just like real weapons, they do get scratched. Also, the durability of an airsoft varies from company to company. There are many different makers of airsoft.

You don't have to baby them but you should treat them with respect. Ultimately, it depends on your outlook... do you want them to last... or not?

-Alex


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

The Marui M-16 family tends to suffer from front end wobbling ever so slightly. There are after market parts that stiffen up these guns available where they are no longer an issue. M4's and M733's (Colt Commandos) being carbines -- don't have this problem.

Marui AK's are solid right out of the box, and for standard power -- some how the players I've played with always consider AK's high power guns, although they may have only marginally more velocity by 3-5 FPS over other models.

Marui Augs are solid. Marui MP-5 need a lot of metal upgrades to feel real. Marui FAMAS -- no body plays these.

Don't have any experience in the field with Marui G-36's, but they are the most popular guns now in Hong Kong.

Top machine guns -- the M-60 family have really lousy internals and have BB feed problems when the guns aren't held level. Top M-249 Minimi 2nd editions with internal changes are said to be Okay.

If you upgrade your Airsoft with most every metal upgrade -- it will become very sturdy to be sure. The Japanese AS magazines routinely show how to add insulation for sound proofing and solidfying the AS gun.

Overall, most AS guns from Marui will take the normal beating from skirmishing. But then if you are going out of your way to try and break the gun through abuse, why anything will break down eventually.

Modified guns tend to put a lot of stress on the internals, which lead to needs for re-builts or in some case new gear boxes. But these are extreme cases.

The Korean made AEG's are just toy grade. If anyone uses them -- they have normally already switched out the internals with Marui. And these are usually due to special guns like the L-85/86 not being made by Marui.
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...For he today that sheds his blood with me
shall be my brother."

The Marui AUGs are solid, but the mag well BB feed areas/hop up units are not overly strong.

The Thompsons and P90s are a couple of the most durable guns made (along with the G3's and AK's).

The metal body kits I have to disagree partially on though.

They're not "steel" just Aluminium or sometimes cast Zinc. They're _slightly_ stronger than the plastic bodies, but I wouldn't want to drop them onto a cement floor, or bash them into a tree repeatedly. And they also weight CONSIDERABLY more than the plastic parts do. And as I get older, I find that the idea of lugging a heavy, all metal "toy" gun through the woods gets less and less appealing.

Try playing with a 15-20 lb Pulse Rifle for 10 hours strait and you learn to appreciate just how light a stock plastic body AEG really is. It's amazing the difference.

If you use common sense, and are not treating your AEG like a crowbar or baseball bat, they should give you years of operation.

Rook

Visit Rook's Castle, I dare you! What's a matter McFly? Chicken?

thanks for the replys guys as always top notch info! so who has the best selection of "upgradable" parts like rifle stocks and the such?

What kind of parts? Thompson parts, Pulse Rifle parts
or other parts?

Rook

Visit Rook's Castle, I dare you! What's a matter McFly? Chicken?

i am kinda looking for a psg-1 type stock or something similar that has the adjustable features cheek piece, buttstock etc. thanks guys, Joel