L85FREAK Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Okay first review so please offer criticism. Last week I ordered a L86 from asgi in California. After a little more than a week I had a brown box. Inside the box sat another brown box, this is because Ares' boxes are very similar to G&P's. Plain brown box plus a small sticker giving the company logo and name of the gun. Inside that is also similar to G&P's box. Foam securing the gun in place. However it was what was in the box that surprised me. The gun looks a lot like the spawn of a M60 and a L85 carbine, or at least in my opinion. The gun is just shy of a yard long, but it's weight is tremendous! I have used my M16 Classic army hi cap in the gun no problems. I have yet to open the gun but I don't plan to unless something goes wrong. Pros: 1. Sexy Bullpup design 2. Comes with bipod and special tool 3. Standard 8.4V mini types will fit 4. Awesome feel 5. Looks SEXY! 6. Very unique(I have seen very few L85's in NC let alone L86s) 7. I am pretty sure(Correct me if I'm wrong) that you can unscrew the barrel and remove the shroud and turn it into the carbine version. 8. Loose hop means easy adjust 9. Great Range! 2x the range of my TM P90 10. Iffy accuracy at long ranges( Man sized target ~200ft, beyond that forget it) 11. Nice length 12. Nice change from AR-15s Cons: 1. Not really a problem but Loose hop up(I'm sure all I have to do is tighten a screw, but won't until it becomes a problem) 2. Barrel is able to be unscrewed to easily( No grub screw to hold on) 3. Bipod causes barrel to bend upward, affecting accuracy negatively (Just requires some getting used to) 4. Weird RPM in Full auto( Medium Rpm, Slow, then really fast, but then maintains that speed) 5. HEAVY Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CSAirsoftJunkie Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Try adding some pictures and some more info about the gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DRK Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Try adding some pictures and some more info about the gun. it should be identical to the STAR model. its quite a heavy monster. but i would hope that the ares did more then just repack it into a new box. i had a big flaw with my star L86. the bipod. when the legs break from the pintle its extremely difficult to get it reattached. its connection breaks. plus it has an odd shaped nub describing the shape is time consuming and should be drawn out on MS paint. since star was notorious for writing off your emails unless you were buying $7,500 worth of their guns i was left alone to find a new way to resolve it. i wasn't able to and sold it as is. i plan on rebuying it since i miss it. but i will be more careful with the bipod. i wont be so rough with it. in the real world it was the bayonet how quickly you can swing the legs around to maul someone. the best battery i ever fit into it was a 1400 mAh nun-chuck. i prefer the lsw over the sa80 battery insertion. you use the grip tools but you dont have to remove the whole guard like the sa80's original handguard. one small note is that when star used to sell the blow back kit, it was just a metal piece but it came with an entire gearbox shell that would be good as parts if you cracked or broke yours. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2dgreengiant Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Looks like an amazing gun but bit tedious about things such as the barrel bending mabey it can be reinforced or? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) Ares first release was basically Star's in a new box, in fact I think the box was the same just a different sticker. The next release and the current one has a metal gearbox. How long before your bipod broke? Mine is fine. The barrel bending is small and just forces your bbs to be shot a little above the sight. To reinforce it you could install some grub screws onto the point where the outer barrel connects to the front sight. The bending only happens when prone otherwise it is fine. Edited June 22, 2009 by L85FREAK Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2dgreengiant Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Ah great then, seems like a pretty good gun was considerign getting one. Thanks for this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aswaffield Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I think ares use metal gearboxes in the l85 / l85 (sa80) as to the plastic ones in the star models . I've a l85 with broken gearbox and as star don't reply to emails i looked on ares site and found them which are metal . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 You are correct their older models had polycarbonate gearboxes their newer have metal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Abelius Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) I have one of the new ARES L85's and the gearbox definately is polycarbonate. aswaffield, may I ask how was the box broken? Did the shell crack or an internal part go tits up? Edited June 23, 2009 by Abelius Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted June 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 You have to remember they released them in waves. I t depends when your supplier ordered it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2dgreengiant Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Is there any major difference between the gearbox's then i.e performance etc? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 the PC gearbox is fantastic is all I know. I have over 100K rounds through my FNC (same basic gearbox) and just barely had to change the hop rubber and changed to a low FPS stock Marui spring in order to use it for CQB. After nearly 3 years it was still shooting 376 average FPS. If they put in a crappy pot metal gearbox I would not use the gun at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 I'll just say it doesn't feel/look like pot metal. Closer to.... Hold on it'll come to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 According to Ares it is a zinc alloy. Which means it could be a pot metal but not necessarily, but it depends on the type of alloy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 the PC gearbox is fantastic is all I know. I have over 100K rounds through my FNC (same basic gearbox) and just barely had to change the hop rubber and changed to a low FPS stock Marui spring in order to use it for CQB. After nearly 3 years it was still shooting 376 average FPS. If they put in a crappy pot metal gearbox I would not use the gun at all. Actually it is not the same gearbox. Certain designs can be stronger depending on the material. The FNC gearbox is similar to the V2/3 the L85 is similar to the V6. The Version 6 is one, if not the, strongest gearbox there is. So no matter what the material it will be strong. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Abelius Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Zinc alloy is pot metal. End of. At least they confess it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 Good point. But the gearbox is still pretty good to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Erik Cartman Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 I think ares use metal gearboxes in the l85 / l85 (sa80) as to the plastic ones in the star models . I've a l85 with broken gearbox and as star don't reply to emails i looked on ares site and found them which are metal . Bought recently an ARES L22 and the gearbox is still plastic. Mind you, based on my experience with the STAR L85, the plastic gearbox is tough enough for it's designed purpose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 Well mine is metal. So I don't know what happened. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Operator12 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 How unwieldy is it? it looks positively MASSIVE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 It's shorter than an M16 Longer barrel than a PSG-1. 640mm But nearly twice the weight of a G&G M16 RIS. Very heavy! Hey your from NC too! Sweet! Are you familiar with NCairsoft.org? If not you should join! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
3vi1-D4n Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Yeah the Star one...oh boy. It was greased up like a Chinese AEG, barrel was coated. Cleaned that off. Went to shoot it, was all over the place. Then shot it on prone and woah it shot out of my sight picture, up off the target. The metal bipod mount is connected to the composite foregrip, it was just flexing like no tomorrow. I took the whole assembly off and shot it as a long barrelled carbine/sniper rifle, and yay it was great. But the power was weak and the motor was a cheapass chinese motor found in my AM M4. wasn't worth the 2 cent. Yeah it starts slow, then winds up, then stabilises. Its like the old CA motors. Total arsewipe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMightAdam Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 I would not suggest skirmishing with a PC gearbox in the winter. I know someone that had a m249 crack on him after the first burst. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
L85FREAK Posted July 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Yeah the Star one...oh boy. It was greased up like a Chinese AEG, barrel was coated. Cleaned that off. Went to shoot it, was all over the place. Then shot it on prone and woah it shot out of my sight picture, up off the target. The metal bipod mount is connected to the composite foregrip, it was just flexing like no tomorrow. I took the whole assembly off and shot it as a long barrelled carbine/sniper rifle, and yay it was great. But the power was weak and the motor was a cheapass chinese motor found in my AM M4. wasn't worth the 2 cent. Yeah it starts slow, then winds up, then stabilises. Its like the old CA motors. Total arsewipe. Ares must have changed some things. Like the amount of grease and how far the barrel traveled. It is just enough to put it .5-1cm above the front post, not out of sight though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
3vi1-D4n Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 LOL, its still inexcusable to have that much movement on a structural support area. I don't mind if its a short carbine they use junk metals for the barrel, but for a long barreledn support weapon using anything short of steel mountings and barrel + a welded support structure for the bipod mounts is inexcusable. Its like having a 16" P3nis that can't get up, how disappointing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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