"New" guns

[Estrela]

Hello,

After doing much research I have found many recommendations on AK's and which company to go with. Real sword E&L LCT although I notice many of the guns came out in 2010-2011

Are there any great guns for around 450$ that just came out in 2015 -2014 that are reliable out of the box?

I am mainly looking for a full length Ak with real wood and metal that is newer

I'm also open to other assault rifles just looking at AK's for now.

What sites do you guys use to order your guns? Torontoairsoft airport depot and Mach 1 I have heard about are there any other Canadian retailers. That you use?


Thanks for your time!

[ThunderCactus]

E&L and LCT are very comparable outside and in.
Realsword is the toughest with the best internals, but they have proprietary mechboxes, which is an issue if you want to have any cool aftermarket internals like a btc specter mosfet.

[ShelledPants]

Another note: Just because a gun was released in a certain year doesn't necessarily mean they are not recently manufactured still.

New guns come out all the time, and die with little report, as they simply can't match up to reliable guns made previously.

[Ricochet]

Originally Posted by ShelledPants

Another note: Just because a gun was released in a certain year doesn't necessarily mean they are not recently manufactured still.

New guns come out all the time, and die with little report, as they simply can't match up to reliable guns made previously.

This!

Also, companies don't always update their designs annually. Many AEGs are still based off of the Tokyo Marui design which is over twenty years old. So even if you wish to change something, and you will, there are plenty of upgrade parts out there.

[Estrela]

makes sense. thanks for the replies guys! any info on the best places to shop, or a link to a great AK to buy online in canada?

is the classic army AKM okay? my local shop has one for 420$. just wondering.

[Estrela]

also, is the echo1 red star AKM any good? sorry for multiple q's

oh canada.

[Ricochet]

Here's how'd I'd describe Classic Army, good on the outside, low to mediocre on the inside. Long ago they were one of few companies in contention for king of mainstream AEGs, especially since they made all or most of their guns with metal versus their competitors using plastic. So for these days, they have run of the mill externals and still craptacular internals. Also, they tend to be more expensive than their competitors still even though they haven't really stepped up their game on the performance end of things. Here's the worst part; even though they are in essence a Tokyo Marui clone, or, standard AEG type, there have been several complaints over the years of slightly out of spec guns. What that means; is that even if you upgrade them, things may still not work right or even break, jam, etc.

The only product from Classic Army that I find likable is their M24 sniper rifle series.

[BioRage]

Some pointers in a thread similar to this.

http://airsoftcanada.com/showthread....&highlight=lct

[lurkingknight]

echo1 typically rebrands other makers, they batch order from other manufacturers to their own specifications, often just the same spec as their original brands and have their own trades or markings cut in. They claim to have higher qc standards, but I don't often see anything different from their AKs vs cyma and JG aks that they really are. They also rebrand some vfcs, but they are mainly jg and cyma rebranders.

For a budget gun, cyma AKs are actually quite good. They usually run forever and then when they break they are very parts friendly with most aftermarket parts.

[BioRage]

Originally Posted by lurkingknight

e==

For a budget gun, cyma AKs are actually quite good. They usually run forever and then when they break they are very parts friendly with most aftermarket parts.

Also Cymas come with a charger and battery, not that most people recommend using them, but it's nice they give that to you to get you going.

[8bitninja]

Originally Posted by BioRage

Also Cymas come with a charger and battery, not that most people recommend using them, but it's nice they give that to you to get you going.

I have a CYMA MP5 and P90. Both batteries conditioned (10 cycles) and tested well using the BC6DX-II and CBA III system. That is, at a 1a discharge rate and .9v cutoff both were just shy of the stated capacity.

On the other hand, a JG bundled battery started at 100 then 300 and finally 600mAh which was only just over half the stated capacity. Having said that, these results are likely not achievable with the included charger but just wanted to throw out there the two CYMA batts I got were not "that crappy".

[paulwes83]

Originally Posted by Estrela

also, is the echo1 red star AKM any good? sorry for multiple q's

oh canada.

If you want a really nice piece, stick with LCT. Since you're not age verfied, I would assume you don't have much experience tinkering (I don't mean any offense, just assuming), so LCTs are the easiest to disassemble if you need to fix something in the gearbox or want to "tacticool" your AK. That being said, their gearboxes aren't the most forgiving and can be a mongrel to work with if you're just starting out.

The steel bodied CYMAs and DBoys are great entry level AKs. Make sure they are the steel bodied models though by putting a magnet to them. Both of their gearboxes are a bit less particular about what you put in them and the externals can stand up to a fair bit of punishment.

Echo1 guns are not worth the mark up in price if you're ultimately looking to get out on the field and upgrade your AEG in a few months. They do do a quality check on the AEGs that they rebrand and do fix some things, but it's unnecessary as long as you buy an AEG from a local retailer because most retailers intend on keeping in business and will help make sure that you don't get a lemon.

If your toss up is between the big boys (LCT, Real Sword and E&L), then LCT gets my vote. Real Sword is AWESOME, but if you're a purist, they only build Chinese style AKs. E&L is awesome externally too and makes their models look like real steel Polish AKs, but their internals are not as nice as the LCTs and they are harder to take apart if you want to "tacticool".

[Hectic]

Originally Posted by 8bitninja

I have a CYMA MP5 and P90. Both batteries conditioned (10 cycles) and tested well using the BC6DX-II and CBA III system. That is, at a 1a discharge rate and .9v cutoff both were just shy of the stated capacity.

On the other hand, a JG bundled battery started at 100 then 300 and finally 600mAh which was only just over half the stated capacity. Having said that, these results are likely not achievable with the included charger but just wanted to throw out there the two CYMA batts I got were not "that crappy".

They are what they are. Semi crappy semi dated technology. Old school chargers on old school chemistry. Couple that with a brand like Echo1. These days a similar (or in some cases same/rebranded) gun can be had for nearly half the cost when you buy the original, let's say a JG in the case of a lot of Echo1 AR's.
So in turn an Echo1 will likely sit on the shelf a lot longer than a cyma or JG or other more budget minded brand that likely sells a lot more product to the entry level buyer or vet looking for a beater gun.
That being said a new user doesn't likely have a charger capable of conditioning a battery like that and these days the best recommendation is to buy a 7.2v lipo and a balance charger and call it a day. Even if you buy a half decent charger and 2 batteries it'll cost the same as buying 1 or 2 decent nicad batts and they are going to be lighter and run the gun with a little more zip in the trigger response too.
You can buy a lipo and a cheap balance charger for under 40 bucks if you look around. You can also buy lipos super cheap at hobbyking.

[Estrela]

Thanks for detailed replies guys.

Waiting on AV and definately looking at Cyma AK now.

If anyone recommends a store to get them near toronto or even great online retailer then great! Thanks for all help.

[lurkingknight]

it's this community's policy not to discuss where you can get guns until you are AVed. Even though the details are easily found these days, thems the rules round here.

If you're in the GTA then the ones you listed are a good place to start.