Where should I start?

[Lindsayj]

I am new to this. I want to start off small and work my way up. Any suggestions?

[M.S.-ARC]

Start reading the stickied threads.  Those contain a lot of information that will help you out.   Start with the ones in the newbie section: http://www.miairsoft.org/index.php?board=15.0

Try going to a game as well even if you are just observing and ask to see if you could handle whatever guns interest you.  Generally people are happy to share and talk about it.

[Gimpalong]

Whenever someone makes a post like this I like to quote myself:

It's hard to go wrong selecting a gun provided you buy a reasonably priced AEG from a mainstream company.

For example,

Tokyo Marui
Classic Army
G&P
G&G
VFC
King Arms
Ares
KWA
ICS

Guns from the above companies should work well straight out of the box and shouldn't require any fixes.

Other "clone," "All China Made" (ACM) or low-price companies like

JG
Dboys
Cyma
A&K

make products that range vastly in quality and may often need a tune-up straight out of the box. I wouldn't recommend them for a first gun unless you're willing to do some work to get them skirmish worthy. I'm not saying these guns are terrible; they're not, but they are, generally, of lesser quality than the AEGs produced by the "mainstream" companies.

Now you'll probably get a lot of opinions about which companies are best/worst, which companies build the most reliable rifles, etc. That said, what you should do is settle on a particular rifle model (M4, M16, AK, G36, P90, etc) and then conduct some research to determine which company makes a reliable version of that model at a price point that you can afford.

For example, if you're interested in a G36, then you've got a variety of companies that you can look at including:

Tokyo Marui
Classic Army
Ares
JG
SRC

These companies produce G36s of varying quality at different price points and with different features.

So you've got to take some time and look at each company's G36 offering and determine which is best for you based on how much money you've got and other considerations like reliability.


In addition, as you delve into the gun buying process, you'll soon be overtaken by the urge to buy extra magazines and some sort of loading bearing kit or plate carrier.

RESIST this urge.

Remember, all you need to play is GOOD EYE PROTECTION, a gun, a high capacity magazine, batteries, batter charger and decent footwear.

Once you've got a gun, play a few games and figure out what works for you before making a big investment.

In my opinion, if you've got a $400 budget, it's far better to spend the majority of that money on a rifle, spare batteries and eye protection than dilute it in order to buy extra magazines and the equipment to carry it.

[Canto]

I saw your post in the introductions section, welcome to the forums!

As for where to start, I highly suggest following Gimpalong's advice and going to some recreational games or events just to hang out and see how everything all works. More than likely you won't be charge for it considering your attending as a spectator.

In my personal experience people are normally more than willing to explain how their replica works or allow you to fire off a few test shots. Same goes for goggles, gear, etc.

[Lindsayj]

Thank you very much. I have been looking into CA. Is that a good brand of airsoft? I have read multiple reviews and it seems like they are good. Can I please have your opinion?

[Praetor]

If by CA you mean classic army then yes it's a pretty reputable brand.

[Lindsayj]

Thank you Praetor.

[Canto]

All you really need to start playing is an airsoft gun (gun, battery, and charger) and goggles. Yes, the other stuff helps, is very functional, or makes you look cool. But it's not really necessary...

Sometimes I'll just pick up my rifle and goggles and play using shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt... All depends.

Start by looking at how much money you would like to throw at this hobby, it can be a serious money pit (no joke) for enthusiasts. I strongly recommend going to a game as a spectator just to see how it all goes and what you personally like. As opposed to diving in head-first and then discovering you don't like it, after you've spent a bunch of money and waited for things to ship/arrive.

I suppose I'll start with these questions:

- How much money do you want to spend on everything (replica and goggles)?
- Does the replica you want have a battery and charging unit included?
- What is your playing style; Assault (Aggressive), Support/Sniper (Rear Guard Style), Quick-Mobile (Sneaky, Quiet, Flanking), etc)?
- What style of goggles do you want? Do you wear glasses or contacts (gotta know)?
- What type of terrain will you be playing on? Wet, dry, sandy, indoor, etc?
- Do you want camouflage? Do you care?

[Lindsayj]

To answer your questions Canto.

1. For everything I have a rough budget of $500. Don't want to spend anymore but if I could also get a used gun and apparel etc. that would help greatly.
2. The replica I have been looking at does not come with a battery and charger.
3. I have thought many times on this exact question. I'm a more of an aggressive chick. Lol. So I think that would be my best option. Plus, I sure like pulling a trigger.
4.I do not wear glasses or contacts. I feel like the bigger and bulkier goggles would make it a little harder for me to look down the sights of a gun.
5. I like muddyour terrain but I hate washing laundry. Lol. Woodland dry would be my best option.
6. Camouflage is a must in my family.

[Ancalos]

I would suggest this to begin with. This is all from evike, using a coupon code such as:airsoft, could knock down the price a bit.