Airsoft to paintball.

[short recoil]

I have been airsofting for 4 years now and i have never even touched a paintball marker, i have decided to change this.
A few of my mates are buying markers soon and i am going to get one as well.
Before i spend £300 or so on gear i'm gonna have a game to see if i like it.

What i want to know is (i know there are at least 3 keen paintball players on this forum) what are the best paintball websites for ordering gear in the UK, i have had a look around but a lot seem "dodgy"
Also, what marker is a good buy, i want to keep to under £250 for the marker if i can and i want a good reliable semi auto, i care more about function and reliability e.t.c than any silly LCD counters or titanium barrels.

I pretty well know what i need as far as gear goes, masks, hoppers and gas systems e.t.c....i'm gonna use a compressed air system (one of those fat bottles), makes sense really, use a high pressure air compressor, fill mine and my mates guns rather than spending loads on co2 refils.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Shippi]

http://www.p8ntballer-forums.com Check it out I'd recommend getting a good second hand marker from the Classifieds there. Never bought from anyone myself, but haven't heard of anyone having problems.. Have a look for an Angel or something, can't really go wrong there

www.p8ntonline.com
www.justpaintball.co.uk
www.planeteclipse.com

edit: I'm not sure how much compressers are, pretty expensive probably. I know a lot of people get Dive tanks and use those to fill bottles, but I don't know much about that. Search on that paintball forum, i'm sure you'll find out what you need there

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

If you want good customer service I suggest:

http://www.fatbobspaintball.co.uk/



But take note, I have very little experience in paintball. You would probably do better to listen to shippi.


Second hand markers do seem the best option really.




However, I am going to buy an smart parts - ion marker in the relativly near future (Next few months)
Its got nothing but praise from anywhere I care to look.

Its also about £175 - £200 and with the air system this could be about your price range i think.

 

[short recoil]

Cheers :thumbs:, those forums are very helpful.
....dunno why i didn't think of finding a paintball forum
Not too sure about getting a second hand marker, although i guess thats probably from my experience of airsoft guns.
(second hand airsoft guns are a no no)

EDIT:
eh, thanks for that marksman, i saw fat bobs but i was kinda put off by the name for some reason, they do look quite good.

 

[Shippi]

ooh yeah, fatbobs is supposed to be good too forgot about them

I used an Ion for a game at the weekend, pretty sweet

Cheers :thumbs:, those forums are very helpful.
....dunno why i didn't think of finding a paintball forum
Not too sure about getting a second hand marker, although i guess thats probably from my experience of airsoft guns.
(second hand airsoft guns are a no no)

It's a lot cheaper to get a paintball marker second hand. When I first started, I got a brand new Impulse non vision for £300.. could got one, on air, with vision etc for £200, in pretty much perfect condition :/

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

ooh yeah, fatbobs is supposed to be good too forgot about them

I used an Ion for a game at the weekend, pretty sweet



It's a lot cheaper to get a paintball marker second hand. When I first started, I got a brand new Impulse non vision for £300.. could got one, on air, with vision etc for £200, in pretty much perfect condition :/

Well its good to know that the ion is as good as the masses seem to think (I wanted to hear someones opinion I can absolutely trust )


Hmm.... but yeah... well once I have the money I'll look arround for some second hand markers. Maybe I'll be able to get somthing even better.

 

[Shippi]

Well its good to know that the ion is as good as the masses seem to think (I wanted to hear someones opinion I can absolutely trust )


Hmm.... but yeah... well once I have the money I'll look arround for some second hand markers. Maybe I'll be able to get somthing even better.

Cool The Ion was pretty damn good I think, but I don't know how durable they are..
edit: I've no reason to think they're not durable, but for £200 you can't help wondering

 

[short recoil]

Yeah as far as prices go, with airsoft i'm used to paying £130 for a decent gas blow back pistol or £200 for a good AEG assualt rifle.

I *can* spend up to £400 on a marker but i'm really not sure if you get what you pay for.......as i said earlier i want a gun that is reliable and not flashy in any way.

I'm not too worried about rate of fire btw, i have seen some things that have 30bps rating.......WTF!!!! who can pull the trigger 30 times a second???

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Yeah as far as prices go, with airsoft i'm used to paying £130 for a decent gas blow back pistol or £200 for a good AEG assualt rifle.

I *can* spend up to £400 on a marker but i'm really not sure if you get what you pay for.......as i said earlier i want a gun that is reliable and not flashy in any way.

I'm not too worried about rate of fire btw, i have seen some things that have 30bps rating.......WTF!!!! who can pull the trigger 30 times a second???

Hehe, Ive wondered the same thing....


I mean for starters if your gun fires that fast it will cost you a fortune in paint surely

 

[xLostx]

i've decided to comment just because the same 3 ppl keep commenting.

*comment*

 

[Killing2Live]

If you want even more suggestions try out paintballvillage.com or 888paintball.com. And I would recommend a Impulse or BKO or something along those lines, happy marking.

 

[bizzy420]

thats how it was for me, but the other way around. i was a hardcore paintballer, but then it got really lame....players started wearing BMX type jerseys, the fields got horrible obstacles.

airsoft on the other hand was totally different. people were wearing BDU's, and used tactics in the woods/house for CQB.

paintball when i first started was like that: everyone suited up in camoflauge, then when PB got popular the community became more immature.

kinda like CS.

 

[Shippi]

.

 

[qckbeam]

I used to love paintball back when it was played as bizzy described it, in the woods, dressed in camo. I remember getting a small group of friends together, going into the woods at 7am and getting back around 8 or 9pm. The game was slower, and required forethought and careful plotting. It was all about being conservative with ammunition, using your surroundings for camo and cover, waiting until everything was in place and then striking quickly and efficiently. The stealth aspect made it so rewarding. You still had genuine gunfights and all-out wars, and the build-up to them was exhilarating. It was ten times the game speedball is in my opinion.

 

[Fishlore]

I agree, I used to love paintball and now I don't like it at all anymore. The more mainstream crowds, the young kids, the bmx gear, speedball, the super shiny uber weapons with gigantic NO2 tanks all helped turn me away. I'll probably never play again since I don't have many friends that play anymore.

I was thinking of getting into Airsoft. It looks fun. I wish you could buy Airsoft stuff in stores instead of online only.

 

[Shodan]

You can!

Try army surplus stores, thats where I get my stuff from.
Airsoft is more fun, and realistic IMO, obviously because the guns look more realistic but theres something different about it, I dont know.

I took a look at an AK like you described short, nice really sweet, which I could afford that right now,
oh well as soon as I start my new job, I will get it.

 

[bizzy420]

yes it its becoming more of a sport, but i guess its just not for me anymore.

im not into that whole speedball stuff.

 

[Kebean PFC]

I would go with airsoft. You can play it more places and IMHO it is more fun than any type of PB.

 

[MikeL15]

Hey guys, sorry to bring back a semi-old topic, but I had a question about Airsoft guns, and I didnt feel like creating a new topic, since there was already a topic related...

But, Im thinking about getting an Airsoft gun. I already have a pistol, but it broke. I want a full size rifle/machinegun now. Just to have, and go back in the woods and shoot it and stuff. I want something small like an MP5 or an M4A1, nothing too big. I also want to spend atmost around $60-$70.

This is my main question - which is better, a spring-rifle or an electric? Based on reliability, accuaracy, range and how good they are overall.

Ive found a rather low-priced one that looks good, but its an elelctric. You can see it here. What I like about this one, is that it has a flash hider and has a removable scope. It also has the MP5a4+ style front grip.

This one is a bit cheaper, but its a MP5a3 model. It also doesnt come with a flashhider (which I really want) or a scope(which I dont really mind if it has). But it is a spring loaded one, which is the kind I want.

So, which one would you guys recommend? Or do you know of any other sites I can find a lower priced one at? Or any stores you know of?

 

[short recoil]

MikeL15, for the budget of $60-70 you won't be able to get an electric gun, well you would but anything electric under $100 will be a hunk of tripe.
That electric mp5 in that link is seriously weak, less powerful than most spring guns having only 120fps velocity........i could LITERALLY throw a bb faster.
That second mp5 is HFC, it is ok for the price, it will have better performance than your average spring pistol, having a longer barrel and all.

You are better off getting the HFC spring one than that joke electric one.
If you can, get a marui spring mp5, these are powerful, accurate and reliable.....ok you might have to pay a little more but it is worthwhile.
With airsoft you have to make sure not to get cheap crappy guns, they always break.

I'm not too sure about which american airsoft websites are good but i know shorty USA are not too bad.

Some spring gun recomendations:
-Marui Skorpion
-Marui Mp5a5
-Marui G3a3
-KWC m16's
-HFC l85a1 (budget)
-HFC m16 (budget)
-HFC mp5 (budget)
-UHC super 9 sniper rifle

 

[Tr0n]

If airsoft was way more realistic I would play it.

Like actual gun recoil, sounds, shells poping out of the chamber, and so on.None of that AEG crap...

 

[MikeL15]

If airsoft was way more realistic I would play it.

Like actual gun recoil, sounds, shells poping out of the chamber, and so on.None of that AEG crap...

Actually, the gas guns do have blow-back and you can get guns where they have fake shells loaded with bb's, and the eject from the chamber. But those are really expencive...

Now, could you please try and stay focused on my question?(hope that did sound rude, didnt mean for it to be)

 

[MikeL15]

MikeL15, for the budget of $60-70 you won't be able to get an electric gun, well you would but anything electric under $100 will be a hunk of tripe.
That electric mp5 in that link is seriously weak, less powerful than most spring guns having only 120fps velocity........i could LITERALLY throw a bb faster.
That second mp5 is HFC, it is ok for the price, it will have better performance than your average spring pistol, having a longer barrel and all.

You are better off getting the HFC spring one than that joke electric one.
If you can, get a marui spring mp5, these are powerful, accurate and reliable.....ok you might have to pay a little more but it is worthwhile.
With airsoft you have to make sure not to get cheap crappy guns, they always break.

I'm not too sure about which american airsoft websites are good but i know shorty USA are not too bad.

Some spring gun recomendations:
-Marui Skorpion
-Marui Mp5a5
-Marui G3a3
-KWC m16's
-HFC l85a1 (budget)
-HFC m16 (budget)
-HFC mp5 (budget)
-UHC super 9 sniper rifle

Oops, I didnt see your post, sorry.

But that spring one was the one I was wanting for performance, but as I said, I also want one that looks good, as I wont be using often like in scrims or anything. Just something to play around with. But I do want it to be ok, and not break easily.

I could get something thats over $100, but I don't have a job so it'll be a few months before I can afford it, and by that time I'd probably forget about it :/. Do you know of any other Airsoft websites US-based? I really want an MP5 that has the flashhider. Or can you buy those separatly, or are they perminatly attached to the barrel?

And another thing, that spring MP5a3 isnt in stock, so Id have to wait untill they get some more which I dont know how long that would be...

 

[MikeL15]

Also, I&I Sports seems to have a large selection of Airsoft guns. Im not to sure they are as good as ShortyUSA's, but they might have a few good ones... Im not an expert at airsoft guns so I cant really tell. :/

 

[short recoil]

Ummmm a lot of those guns are budget ones, made in china.
I've had a lot of experience with airsoft guns and you get exactly what you pay for.
Now, those cheap guns are good if you just want to plink around the house, but a bad idea if you want to have even small skirmishes.
I've never had experience with that company (WELL) so i cannot say what they are like.
They are certainly very cheap.
I personally would only buy them for a laugh to see what they are like, i mean you won't lose a lot if it breaks tbh.

 

[Kebean PFC]

Here are some that could work for you that i found on the website you linked to:
Electric:
Product ID: XA2410C
Product ID: XA2420C
Product ID: XA2415C
Spring:
Product ID: XP1066C
Product ID: XA6220C
Product ID: XP1040C
Product ID: XA6250C
Product ID: XP1030C
Product ID: XA6105C

A general guide to arsoft is to get something the feels good to you. Always get a gun at, near, or over 200 fps. Do not go below 180. Also, do not buy anything with a silencer, unless you want it for the appearance of the gun, because all the flash hiders and silencers do not really work.

 

[short recoil]

http://www.iisports.com/product.asp?dept_id=12414&pf_id=XA2410C
EG1000 motor!!!! i hope not!!!
Anyway, if you want a cheap AEG get one of those, i think my friend managed to find one of those in some dodgy shop over here.
They are ok, i mean you get a battery and stuff so its not too bad.
The mech in them will not be built to last though, don't go thinking its as good as a marui or anything, you'd be dissapointed if you did.

 

[MikeL15]

Thanks guys for all the comments. And KeBean, I know that the the silencers dont work lol, I just wanted a flashhider because it looks cool.

Remember, Im not buying these guns because I want to fight in scrims or have the best stuff, its most because I want to have something to do and I like looking at the gun, so I can draw it, screw around with it, etc.

But I still want one that wouldnt break after a few days and I want it to atleast be able to hit something semi-far away. Im mostly looking for an MP5a4+ with a flash hider. So far the electric one I said a few posts above is basically exactly what I want in looks, even though it kinda sucks. :| If you can find a spring one of those, with a good price, then Id be really happy.

 

[MikeL15]

Eh... anyone there?