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Originally Posted by Trader 762
re there any major differences between the brands other than full metal body and metal/plastic bodies?
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That's like asking if there's any difference between cars, because they all have wheels and an engine.
In short, there are some brands that are better than others in terms of quality or machining/assembly, and quality control. TM might be plastic, but in 8 years of airsoft I have NEVER seen a TM gun be an "out of the box lemon" - their QC is excellent. Newer Classic Army guns are good, too. I haven't owned any ICS in the last 6 years, so I can't speak to their quality. With some of the cheap "chinese clone" model guns you will spend less up front, but pay more in repairs/maintenence/upgrades.
The best thing to do is research some gun reviews. Then get out to a game and handle as many as you can. The owners will be able to give you the ins-and-outs of their particular gun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trader 762
Anything else I should know about before jumping in with both feet?
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This is an expensive hobby. You'll need $800-1000 minimum to even be competitive. Your gun, battery, charger, extra mags, and ammo will eat up most of that budget. Just be sure to spend quality money on 2 things - boots and eye protection. IMHO those 2 things are more important than the gun itself. You can still have fun with a "lesser" gun - you won't have as much fun missing an eye of with a broken ankle....