Airsoft / Clearsoft - Long Term Reliability Study

[Noob616]

1) Manufacturer, Model- DPMS Panther Arms Wal-Mart M4
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2) Date Obtained- October 2008
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3) Initial Cost- 100 bucks
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4) New or Used- New
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5) Mechanical Problems- I had to open up the mag and fix a jam caused by a shitty .12 BB
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6) Esthetic Problems- Nothing, other than the fact that it's Wal-Mart and made cheap as hell
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7) # of BBs fired before failures- easily 10,000 before the mag broke, and at least 2,500-5,000 since I fixed the mag.

8) Changes to Internals and Externals- obviously nothing to the internals, but i painted it black with some Krylon.

9) Resale Date and Value if applicable. N/A
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10)Notes and Comments- Half decent gun for being from Wal-Mart. Just for dicking around with mostly, some light plinking, or maybe a skirmish with friends, as long as they have the same gun or springers.
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[scurvythepirate]

1) Make and Model
G&G GR16 C.A.S.

2) Purchase Date
May 2009

3) Cost
$308

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
None (haven't noticed a compression problem yet)


6) Aesthetic Problems
Mag Wiggle

7)Round fired between failures
No failures, 6000+ rounds, and still going strong

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
New Battery

9) Resale Date And Value
None

Note: Good overall, needs new battery though, other than that works great.

Love it

[airsoft newbie]

1) Make and Model
Aftermath AK-47

2) Purchase Date
around May 2009

3) Cost
$245 (in package with 3 mags and extra bbs)

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
None


6) Aesthetic Problems


7)Round fired between failures
No failures, 5000+ round fired

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
N/A

9) Resale Date And Value
N/A

[MillerBRo]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name
-Matrix 870 Type Full Metal 400 FPS Airsoft Professional Training Shotgun (Long Version)

2) Date Obtained
-Nov 4th, 2009

3) Initial Cost
-$175CAD

4) New or Used
-New

5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related -- supply date of issue)
- Piston snapped March 21st, 2010

6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related -- supply date of issue)
-Has no sites

7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed. If no failure, list rounds fired up to this point)
-8,000

8) Changes to Internals and Externals (upgrades, mods, dates)
-

9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
-

10)Notes and Comments (Optional)
-firing at 485fps with .25s; very heavy and solid; 2-3 BBs can be racked for a short range spread but I'm not sure it is worth it as the accuracy really suffers

[MillerBRo]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name (name of weapon on box, and weapon replicated if different from model name)
-DE M3 Full Stock Multi-Shot ( 3 rounds ) Full Size Airsoft Riot Shotgun
2) Date Obtained
-Sept 2009
3) Initial Cost
-140CAD
4) New or Used
-New
5) Mechanical Problems (Gearbox issues, hopup issues.. basically functional performance related -- supply date of issue)
-prone to the 'UTG' special where at times between 4-8 BBs may fire
6) Esthetic Problems (Paint damage, cracks in body, loose parts.. physical construction related -- supply date of issue)
-
7) Rounds fired between failures (think how many bags of BB's used before it failed. If no failure, list rounds fired up to this point)
-3,000
8) Changes to Internals and Externals (upgrades, mods, dates)
-
9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.
-
10)Notes and Comments (Optional)
-fires a bit better than my UTG M3 did but I figure that they are essentially the exact same gun

[ssp21]

1) Make and Model
Aftermath Kracken ak-47

2) Purchase Date
December 2008

3) Cost
$169.99

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
select fire switch sometimgs will move between auto and semi resulting in no shot fired(very rarely happens)

6) Aesthetic Problems
the magazine that came with it had some side to side wiggle which was fixed by a bit of tape around the top of it

7)Round fired between failures
5000+ rounds and nothing i can classify as a mechanical failure

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
New battery, the one that came with it lasted about 5 charges before refusing to take a charge
paintjob to cover the clear parts of gun and the magazine(needs to be repainted now though)

9) Resale Date And Value
None

Note: for a cheaper gun it has served me well and for the price its a good aeg to use as a rental/loaner when a new player comes out

[eiwoh]

1) Make and Model
ICS-45 C-15 cansoft

2) Purchase Date
August 2009

3) Cost
$450

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
The tinted reciever flexes due to the weight of the full stock with battery inside, and has recently started developing a crack at the body pin location. Other than that the gun performs great

6) Aesthetic Problems
c-7 magazine that came with it wobbles a bit

7)Round fired between failures
10000

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
none

9) Resale Date And Value
None

[bananabotdan]

1) Make and Model
G&G R5 GR16 "m16 RIS" (Mutt CAS version (mid-high quality) included metal bearing spring guide along with a few other internal features not available on the now standard CAS versions)

2) Purchase Date
May 2009 (www.007airsoft.com)

3) Cost
$392

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
No mechanical problems to date.

6) Aesthetic Problems
-minor micro fractures around where the body pins are pressed in (this is to be somewhat expected due to the manufacturing proses that usually works on much tougher metal lowers) this problem has been around since date of purchase and is not a huge issue
-slight paint chipping and scratching on rails which is to be expected of months of use

7)Round fired between failures
10000+

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
none

9) Resale Date And Value
none

Personal notes:
Great work horse gets the Job done and has been excedignly reliable from day one. It went above and beyond my expectations for a rifle or its cost and make.

[MoreToasties]

1) Make and Model
KJW KP05 Hi Capa

2) Purchase Date
July 09

3) Cost
$215

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
No problems, but BBU is a POS.

6) Aesthetic Problems
-Finish on slide is nice but inconsistent.

7)Round fired between failures
So far 5000, no failures.

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
Slide engraving, inner barrel, slide, mag valve. (Soon, new grip.)

9) Resale Date And Value
None yet.

Personal notes:
While clear, the TK grip is very comfortable.
The metal of which the frame is built is higher quality then expected for the price, as I discovered when engraving it.

[bananabotdan]

1) Make and Model
Aftermath Kraken

2) Purchase Date
November 2008

3) Cost
around $200-275? (origanal cost on www.buyairsoft.ca)

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
No mechanical problems to date. (I have opened the gear box for basic maintenance such as lubricating and re-shimming)

6) Aesthetic Problems
- lower reviver is quite brittle and the 3/4 hooks used to connect the receiver to the assembly that holds the cocking lever have broken from the reviver over its over a year of operation.
- while lent to a friend during a game the rear sight was torn off (probably caught on fabric or a tree while sung over back) the action of the sight being torn off shattered the plastic holder that usually hods the sight.

7)Round fired between failures
10000+

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
Internals:
- cleaning as well as lubrication
- basic maintenance

9) Resale Date And Value
none

Personal notes:
Great work horse gets the Job done on a strict budget. plastic externals are VERY cheap however the internals have held up very well and the metal components of the gun are rock solid.

[bananabotdan]

1) Make and Model
KJW KP05 Hi Capa

2) Purchase Date
June 09

3) Cost
$250-255? (www.007airsoft.com)

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
- barrel catch problem repair: a new special made repair CNC barrel (supplied by Ken at www.007airsoft.com for $20) problem was solved with a simple barrel change.
- Hammer rides a bit to high and sometimes catches on the slide if the slide is not fully pulled back while initially cocking. This also restricts the slide catch feature in cold weather or when the gun is running a low gas pressure. repair: unknown?

6) Aesthetic Problems
None

7)Round fired between failures
-2000-2500

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
-new outer barrel

9) Resale Date And Value
None yet.

Personal notes:
The TK grip is very comfortable and sturdy its tint also makes the pistol look nearly black when the mag is in. Rock solid in all aspects and shoots like a bat out of hell when you want it to.

[Kos-Mos]

1) Make and Model
KJW KP-05 Hi Capa

2) Purchase Date
July 09

3) Cost
$250 (surplus IG)

4) New/Used
New

5) Mechanical Problems
-BBU failure. The left side guide bent inwards and broke the nozzle, rocket valve and bent the rocket valve spring. (Waiting for new parts from Illusion next week).
-Frame screw treads stripped. The left side screw holding the grip in place stripped the hole in the frame. The treads are still somewhat present, but not enough to support the pressure from the hammer spring. Fix: I have re-treaded in standard size the hole and used a stainless screw from an RC car. Also modified the other side that showed some signs of fatigue.
-Upgraded recoil springs are not compatible with this pistol. You will need to change the spring guide bushing (you can use a TM stock unit or after market one), because upgraded springs are a tad bit larger in diameter and do not fit properly in the hole.
-Safety spring/pin is too hard to place the gun in safety. I filled the safety selector to make the notch smoother and changed the spring for a lighter spring (softer).
-Stock magazine fill valve stopped holding gas after about 10 fills. Changed for a new valve and all good now.

6) Aesthetic Problems
None

7)Round fired between failures
-5000

8) Changes to Internals or Externals
-Hammer spring (Guarder 150%)
-Polished the slide and frame. The slide is still the same as when I did it. The frame oxidized and is now a dull grey.
-Modified the hammer to remove de-cocking position.
-Painted the clear grip with Krylon FB. The pain is still holding VERY well. It is almost impossible to tell that the grip was not black to start with.
-Filed the hammer and BBU to prevent the hammer from grabbing the rear of the unit and block the slide from returning to battery (preventive mod)

9) Resale Date And Value
None yet.

Personal notes:
All in all, a good alternative to a TM pistol, with the metal slide and TK grip. Tolerances between the parts is not that great, but about as good as a TM pistol.
TM 4.3 magasines will not lock the slide when empty. I don't know if the mags I got (used) have been modified for that purpose, but the stock KJW mag does catch properly.

[PoFF]

TOP M249MKII

1) Manufacturer, Model Name

TOP M249MKII

2) Date Obtained

December 2002

3) Initial Cost

1600$

4) New or Used

New

5) Mechanical Problems

- January 2003 : Soufflet (TOP's reply to Marui Piston & cylinder system) splitted open - Replaced with ANGS cylinder conversion kit - 250$
- May 2003 : Stripped Piston - Replaced by Systema Polycarbonate - 35$
- October 2003 : Stripped Piston - Replaced by Systema Polycarbonate - 35$
- January 2004 : Burnt motor - Replaced by Systema High-Speed - 75$
- Late January 2004 : Stripped sector gear - Replaced by an entire set of Systema High-Speed - 100$
- March 2004 : Stripped Piston - Replaced by Guarder Polycarbonate - 30$
- July 2004 : Stripped Piston - Replaced by Guarder Polycarbonate - 30$
- November 2004 : Burnt motor - Replaced by Systema Hi-Speed - 75$
- March 2005 : Busted bearing bushing, which translated into stripped Sector & Spur gear, piston splitted open and a burnt motor - Replaced by Guarder Polycarb piston, Systema High-Speed Gearset, Marui EG1000 motor and 6mm bearing bushings set - 205$
- April 2006 : Bearing bushing splitted open, misaligning the sector gear and stripping the piston - Replacement bushing (Area 1000 steel bushings) and Prometheus Piston - 70$
- June 2006 : Electrical problem - switch's contacts were completly cooked - Replaced trigger's micro-switch and rewired the gun with 12AWG - 15$
- July 2006 : Stripped Sector gear - Replaced the whole set by Systema Torque-Up - 100$


6) Esthetic Problems

- Within the first year : Cracked carry handle (plastic), worn out bipod holder (pot metal), also realized that the reciever is blued steel - rusts easily.
- Rear stock pins keep loosening up and falling, lost a couple of those before replacing them with regular bolts.
- Stock splitted open at the seam line ; repaired by putting a layer of fiberglass & resin all over it, then repainting.

7) Rounds fired between failures

Total roundcount for the gun : approximately 200,000 rounds (about 50 bags of .20 Excels, 4000 rounds per bag)

Rounds in between failures : Too many failures to go in details, but as much as 50,000 to as little as 100.

8) Changes to Internals and Externals

January 2003 : When converting to ANGS Cylinder, changed the spring to PDI 150%, and replaced TOP's brass bushings by 6mm bearing bushings - 40$
December 2003 : Replaced plastic top cover, pot metal bipod holder and plastic carry handle by custom-made aluminium equivalents - 200$
December 2005 : Replaced ANGS converted TOP gearbox by PGC V3 MAX Gearbox with all new internals - 500$
July 2009 : Replaced Systema High-Speed motor by a Super Torque-Up Systema motor - 75$
September 2009 : Installed a Trigger Master MKIII for current regulation and active braking. - 100$


9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.

Still have it after all...

10)Notes and Comments

Comment #1 : I originally purchased a TOP M249 because it was the only one available back then, now I'd go for a Classic Army anytime.

Comment #2 : Bearing bushings sucks!

Comment #3 : Never run ANY AEG with the following combo : High-Speed Motor, High Speed Gears, 12 Volts remote motorcycle battery

[Porkchop]

1) Manufacturer, Model Name

TM G3A3

2) Date Obtained

Fall 1999

3) Initial Cost

ca $800

4) New or Used

New

5) Mechanical Problems

Aug 2007 - Cracked Gear box

6) Esthetic Problems

- None
7) Rounds fired between failures

- 60000 ( of which ca. 8000 in -18 deg weather)

Total fired since Purchase ca 80000 (less time to play)

8) Changes to Internals and Externals

Fall 1999 Systema FTK 120 and CA Mechbox, CA Metal body, TN barrel

9) Resale Date and Value if applicable.

priceless

10)Notes and Comments

Reliability pays off. The gears were rated for a 150 spring. Gun has been down graded to PDI 170

[derrensmiths]

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