Noob questions rd. 2: the cheapskatening

[Death March]

My first AEG was a ICS M4,paid $600.00 back in 2005 and I still have it with better parts now and stopped spending when it hit $2200.00 mark. Now it just sits and I use my PTW,sice 2007.

[ThunderCactus]

first gun ever - CA G36K, $650
used marui G3-SG1, about $900 after upgrades, mags, and metal receiver
G&G UMG, like $500 or something
G&P M4 RASII, $600, put like $2000 into that rifle, magpul everything M203, LiPo upgrade, only thing left stock was a few body pins, half the outer barrel and the mechbox shell
G&P M249 para, won't tell you what I paid but they were $1800 back then. I've put about $900 into it now with internals, spare box, LiPo upgrade etc.
HFC beretta, I got for free for helping out a retailer
HFC Cougar, $300, just bought it to try it out
marui VSR-10, actually one of the less expensive guns I've owned at only $800 for everything
marui MEU, oh god like $900
WE PDW open bolt, $1000 or so
KSC glock 19, $300

And my PTW is still being built...
I've also bought 5 or 6 AEG's over time from $200 to $400 just to fix up and sell

Fact is, if you really like airsoft and think you'll be playing a long time, save up and buy something GOOD that's compatible with aftermarket internals and externals. You buy a $200 plastic gun, it's more expensive to upgrade to metal than buying a whole new metal gun, it may not be compatible with most externals, etc etc.
It's just better to buy mainstream guns.
Oh and AEGs are less expensive now than the first 3 years that I started, there's WAY more selection, and more than just 2 good brands
One year the only thing you could get was chinese crap, the year after you could only get clear receiver crap, now almost everything is available.
You noobs got it EASY these days.

[Ozone06]

TM M4 S-system $500 Bone stock and works like a champ every time.

My VFC scar-l... she can be a real bitch, I've gotta get around to rewiring her.

edit:

My First airsoft was a TM.. I think springer it was a 1911 but the barrel had 10MM on it insteadh of .45 ACP I picked up for 500 Pesos (15ish CAD) at a hole in the wall shop in Dumagette in the Philippines in 1999

[5kull]

$450 ics m4 ris.

[ThunderCactus]

Oh I guess it's worth mentioning, they didn't even HAVE $200 chinese clones 4+ years ago, so either you bought a used or $500 AEG or you didn't play lol

[Curo]

My first gun was bought used for around 350 a CA SCAR-L pro 2nd gun? 700 dollar magpul PTS masada. The pennies do count.

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by Sportco

325$ ICS M4a1 plastic (2009)
One piston and one contact switch later
I'm still using it.... About 250000 bb's
I'm putting Drake's cat through college with it!

Cat?

[Freeze]

$400 for my JG G36C
$75 for a 551 Holographic Sight
$200 for a WE Hi-Capa 4.3

for a "Canada legal" gun, you have to keep in mind that you should downgrade ASAP to about 350fps so that it is fieldable at 90% of games. And doesn't break down as fast.
$10 for spring
$__if you want to pay someone to do it, zero to do so yourself.

[ThunderCactus]

With sorbo tech and advanced piston designs now, the issue of higher FPS=lower durability is totally gone. Only reason to go under 350fps now is if you use your gun inside and out, or if you're using stock parts lol

Prometheus or system(not systemA) super core piston, prometheus gears, sorbo cylinder head. You can run 1500rpm at 380fps and 100,000 rounds later the piston rack still looks like new.

And the whole mentality of the "sacrificial part", usually the piston, is completely gone now. It was necessary back when nothing was reliable, but I've seen more broken bevels and pinion gears caused pistons breaking and jamming the sector gear than anything else.

[Freeze]

LOL seriously? So I CAN have something that will have a 5% chance of breaking as opposed to a 50% like my stock pieces of crap?
Altho....the cost for that setup is high in terms of parts cost. I mean...
$40+ for the piston
$100+ for the gear set
$50+ for the cylinder head
Throw in shipping and handling, and that's a whole lotta money.
Then if you can't do it yourself, you have to hire a tech who can! Then that's another $50....

[Slow]

First gun was..$400(G&G MP5-A5) ish. After a month it was broken and that was another $100 to get it fixed. This was between getting 2 different gun techs to fix it(Amos and Gun tech from Local Airsoft Store). Yup! This is expensive but, we love what we do.

[Short Round]

$450 for a gun that stop working after a week of purchasing, a year later and at least $400+ in upgrades and accessories, it works.

[Gunk]

Originally Posted by Gato

TM P90 - $660 way back when

I paid $450 for mine back in '04. RDS version. I loved that gun.

[KiloSixNiner]

So here's my story. Feel free to laugh out loud and pee a little if ya need. I learned.

I found airsoft by mistake. I was in a local surplus store just looking around when I came across these clear plastic M4's. It turned out they were something called airsoft guns. I had target shot most of my life and hadn't owned a BB or pellet gun for years so I decided for $24.99 It was worth a try. The thing ran off of 6 'AA' betteries, and shot at about 150FPS with .12's. After about 50 batteries and a week, it of course broke. Now I was addicted, and had no idea what I was doing. I went out and spent $120 on a clear DPMS Panther with a cheapo pistol included. About a week later I came across ASC and began to read up on the subject. FAIL.

So the DPMS died of course, but at least now I was somewhat prepared. I saved a bit and got a clearsoft ICS M4($330-ish, still works) to play with while I saved. When I eventually had the money I got myself what I consider my first Real airsoft gun, a DBoys Steel version AK47. I paid $400 and it ran like a champ until I decided I wanted something else.

The point here is these guys know what their talking about. DON'T MAKE MY MISTAKES! save up, get a decent gun and upgrade as you can. It's expensive but worth it.

[CodeName Sempi]

Started with wal-mart guns and worked my way up, Got the 100$ Walmart M4, then bought a walmart shotgun, then, a echo 1 m28, etc..... Now I have a KWA SR10 and a couple other guns!