[Mad Dog]

Alright...well, i'm a newbie so far in Airsoft, and i must say, so far i haven't had such a great experience mainly due to technical problems...

Not wishing to buy an expensive airsoft and get a feel of the sport to begin with, i got myself a Panther Arms M4, the clear plastic one that comes with the Colt pistol, all of course spring weaponry. Downside, i had to bring back the rifle twice due to internal parts breaking by simply cocking the gun after a few minutes of gameplay....i've came to the logical(In my mind anyways) conclusion that plastic guns weren't much reliable...

My question would be as follow: I'm a newbie, and wouldn't want to spend 500$ on a gun without having a real feel of the hobby, or what a "Real" airsoft feels like rather than the cheap Walmart package deal...Is there demonstrations or a place you can get an idea of what it's like in the Montreal area.

2) Is there any retailers for decent and reliable guns with perhaps after-sales service in case of technical problems, or is it that if i by a 500$ gun and that it breaks, that i'll be stuck with it.

3) Lastly, what could be considered an ideal price range/gun type for beginners.

I'd be more than willing to try it out and even spend money in the hobby, but so far, i haven't been quite satisfied with what i have seen/experience..so please save me....

-Phil