Getting back in and need some help

[RC-1138]

Alright I fell out of playing airsoft, for various reasons, over the past two years but with the opening (and investing money into) a new local field I'm getting back into the saddle more and more each days. It's been awhile for me though and I'm not sure what the new status quo is. When I left G&G was on the rise, G&P looked like it would go out of business, TM quality was sinking and the flood of MPEG's were on the rise. Likewise Star guns could still be bought (parts for which I am finding now are impossible to find... my poor M4) and GBB rifles were all the rage.

 

So I ask you fella's this; what's going on now?

 

Also, I'm looking to get a new gun to start off fresh, any suggestions? I Always go for reliability > Range > Look > Power > ROF > Price so anything fitting that progression would be a great help. Ideally in the $250 to $450 range in price. I'm not, nor ever have been, an MPEG fan BUT if their quality, in the past few years, has gone up (say CA/TM level of 5 years ago ) , that would be good to know as well.

[vorgaphe]

Well, G&P aren't out of business, TM have their new recoil AEG series, G&G have massively expanded their range of AEG's. Oh, and CA have dropped their game. At the moment G&P or KWA are not bad choices. KWA AEG's are up their with the best. G&G have got their combat machine series in the MPEG category which are only around $200 in the states and are very good for the price.

[3vi1-D4n]

There is also the gas blowback rifles. As much as some people have been saying that its a fad, its becoming a venerable platform to skirmish with for those with a little discipline and liking for the realism.

 

WE had been one of the first, and their technology is progressingly improving. Western arms first designed their gas blowback M4s and have teamed up with G&P to produce their model line, else other companies like Inokatsu, VFC, King arms, Classic Army, and whole host of Chinese companies have jumped on the bandwagon for gas blowback M4s based on the WA design.

 

KSC/KWA have expanded their system 7 product lines, making PDW platforms and M4 rifles also.

 

SRC has also jumped into the GBBR lines with their AKS74U and G36.

 

KJ have also jumped into the GBBR lines with their OEM versions of the Tanio Koba M4s and Ruger 10/22

 

 

$250 will get you a decent WE Gas blowback rifle like a G39C (G36C), a KWA/KSC MP7 or MP9, which are nice and reliable. $300ish will get you a decent KJ and WE rifles, upwards of $400 will get the Western Arms/G&P lines, $600 upwards will get the OEM Inokatsu and Inokatsu lines of GBBRs with forged receivers and etc.

[RC-1138]

Good to hear about the KWA's cause... well I just bought their M4 CQB at my local shop . I remember they were okay, they came out shortly after my Star M4 did (which apparently I was the only person to buy AND love those). To bad about CA though, I always loved their guns. I also picked up a Lip Poly + Balancers/Charger. Any experience with this/hottips/do's and don'ts? When I stopped playing they were just coming out in a big way and there was still talk of them and "testimonials" (hearsay) about them blowing up. Obviously this is not the case anymore but be that as it may this is still my first experience with them. Basically what I'm asking is, with the correct smart charger/balancer, have they made these things, more or less, idiot proof?