What am bestest "Battle Rifle"

[Thechom]

Basically as above.

 

I'm in the market for a new AEG,

I'm using a G36c at the moment, and I love it.

However, I feel the need for something a bit more "compensating"

 

As in full length, full stock, a goodly 40 Inches long, preferably in 7.62 in the real steel.

 

I've got a bit of a short list, however I need help deciding how to get the best bang for my buck, as in the best brand etc to buy.

 

Shortlist is as follows, with reasons why I like them.

G3-SG1 - Nice and long, I happen to own some G3 mags already, so there's a saving to be had there, I've liked them for quite some time, I've seen some very fine examples on the G3 picture thread, and I've seen the RS wood kits and they're lovely...

FN FAL / L1A1 SLR - My dad want's me to get one of these, He used to shoot the SLR back when he was in the forces, and I've had a soft spot for them for quite a while myself, only issue is finding one, as they're not common, or that cheap...

M14 - Super pretty, especially when the wood is real, it'd be a pleasure to sand and stain. again, not cheap to get a decent one...

 

My Budget is £150-£200 and ideally I'd like to get the AEG, and mags to carry about 600 rounds, preferably mid caps.

 

Any advice/ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Probotector]

King Arms recently re-released the L1A1. You can actually put RS wood kits on it too though it's not a perfect fit. Currently converting mine, still have to hole the stock out.

 

G3 are nice. Tokyo Marui and Classic Army ones are the way to go but I've heard that replacement parts are hard to come by (atleast for the Classic Army)

 

M14... nah.

Kust kidding, you got quite a lot of choices there, I've heard good stuff about CYMA and G&G.

[3vi1-D4n]

You do have the option of the SA58s by QP or CA.

 

KA SLRs and FALs?  Nah stay away from those, dimensions are off, its lightweight and they don't shoot that well.  Ares and Star are the only 2 worthwhile SLRs to get.

 

G3s, not bad if you can get models with a metal receiver and cocking tubes, but plastic receivers aren't that great.  There are only 2 options, the CA G3s which are rarer than the Ares and Star SLRs, or you build your own with a G&G FS51 as base , JG G3 as furniture, and then get metal cocking tubes and the other bits.

 

M14s, yeah...nah....They are accurate but really not as versatile compared to the G3s, SA58s or the Star SLRs.

[Skarclaw]

Dan I'd be interested to know more about why you think the ka fal shoots badly, and the ares slr. I'm considering an aeg to have on semi auto @ 425fps max. I'd prefer an slr but I've not heard bad things about the ka fal but ares in general have an iffy reputation.

 

thanks

[LordElpus]

Surprised by your experience with the KA FAL. I've used for a couple of games both the full length and the carbine and both had good range.

[Isamu]

M14s are IMO the best, easiest to find, upgrade and field of the list. Spares are not rare, nor too expensive, there are plenty of fair priced midcaps around and quite some models from different brands.

 

TBH, after reading your requirements I would buy the cyma with wooden body and restain it ; )

[Thechom]

I've seen ads for 2nd hand CA G3's for about £200, and that's got me a thinking that's the right way to go.

What I'll probably end up doing is seeing what's for sale when I get all my funds together and keep my fingers crossed...

[Hatchet]

G3's do give you a lot more flexibility if you decide to change things round later - folding stocks, different length front ends, SD fronts, etc. My first gun was a G3 SBS and I still have it (via most different iterations) today (10+ years). CA, or better still, TM with CA body kit, second hand definitely seems like a smart choice if you know what you're looking at.

 

I'd also highly recommend the PDI G3 core, http://www.x-fire.org/hk/e.g3corebarrel.html which is an internal structural/barrel support. My current build is like a rock, thanks in part to this.

[3vi1-D4n]

Surprised by your experience with the KA FAL. I've used for a couple of games both the full length and the carbine and both had good range.

 

I have worked on a number of KA FALs OOTB,  One (of the first ones) didn't shoot within the sight picture even with windage adjusted to max, most end up curving, a few of them  shot straight but hop didn't work.  

 

I'd say around 60% of them did work, but given:

1) how difficult/complicated it is compared to a CA SA58 or an Ares SLR to get to the barrel and mech (i.e. servicability)

2) the fact that the KA dimensions/weight is miles off from the real steel, more so than even the SA58s.

3) buttstock cap keeps falling off,

 

I would avoid the KA like the plague that it is.  Our local airsoftsmiths also shares my sentiments.

 

Ares do have very simple design much like the RS, to get to the inner barrel only requires 2 screws.  Only downsides with the Ares is that:

 

1) it uses its own proprietary hop rubber. hop unit and nozzle combo which means if you rip the rubber then its near impossible to find a replacement that maintains its original FPS.

2) to take the mech apart you need a soldering iron and a LONG flat head screwdriver

3) the front sight is prone to rotation if smacked even with loctite.  You really need to drill and pin.

 

And if Ares came default with a steel barrel...that would make the best "battle rifle".

 

M14s are IMO the best, easiest to find, upgrade and field of the list. Spares are not rare, nor too expensive, there are plenty of fair priced midcaps around and quite some models from different brands.

 

TBH, after reading your requirements I would buy the cyma with wooden body and restain it ; )

 

In regards to the Marui m14, while M14s are very accurate, but here are the issues and problems:

 

1) Original m14 ergonomics is not exactly of a battle rifle, more from a WW2 infantry rifle.  Not quick to aim or to have followup shots.

2) To get to the inner barrel on a Marui m14 requires the removal of the stock, trigger assembly, 11 screws, 2 pins and 2 springs.  To get into an Ares SLR Inner barrel requires 2 screws (and 2 more to allow the hop assembly to be removed), and a CA SA58 is also 2 screws.

3) Finding the right barrel to the right hop rubber and nozzle combination requires the gunsmith to repeat process 2, at least 6 times to find the optimum combo.  This will take between 6 to 10hrs, unless one is very lucky.

4) Mechbox will break at high FPS

5) semi-auto cut off and trigger will wear

5) The only good Marui based m14 with decent performance so far are the KART EBRs, and they are no longer in production AFAIK.

[Deve]

 

I have worked on a number of KA FALs OOTB,  One (of the first ones) didn't shoot within the sight picture even with windage adjusted to max, most end up curving, a few of them  shot straight but hop didn't work. 

 

Not helped by many KA FALs (especially the carbines) having a distinctly bent outer barrel!   My friends was so out-of-true I ended up having to cut a new hole for the gas block pin after rotating it to get the least effect of the inner barrel.

 

KA are also pretty much impossible to get hold of for external spares if anything breaks, falls off, etc.

[Hopna]

Not helped by many KA FALs (especially the carbines) having a distinctly bent outer barrel!   My friends was so out-of-true I ended up having to cut a new hole for the gas block pin after rotating it to get the least effect of the inner barrel.

 

KA are also pretty much impossible to get hold of for external spares if anything breaks, falls off, etc.

 

I can indeed confirm the last part about not being able to find any spares. One of the ears of my front sight broke off and I haven't found any replacement part. Really annoying, so I guess I'll have to live with my broken front sight.