Filling the 249 role with what I have...

[Buds and Suds]

I was curious as what makes a 249 different enough that it makes it worth a whole nother purchase. As im a costcutter, I thought to myself, what stops a person from attaching a box mag and bipod to an assault rifle for the fraction of the cost? Ive just barely seen one in action once....my head was down at the time. And I never truely got to see the performance first hand up close.
I want a 249 there is no doubt, but its the $$$ factor im not keen on. So is there a huge difference in the inner workings of the 249? Or do I just add a box mag and bipod and its pretty much the same? Well maybe a new motor, 9.6v battery and gears for increased RPM.

[Drake]

In a single word: Realism.

Otherwise, just buy some 3000 round electric-winding C-Mag and hose away. If you aren't playing milsim and everyone's running around with half a dozen hicaps, it really won't matter much.

I've done something similar with an MG36 setup (which will be on sale soon, wasn't for me...)

If you're on a budget and keen on getting a M249, the Star one might be an option since it's barely more expensive than other AEGs.

[The Acer]

hey i have a star m249, and i love it, i recommend get it there Bud and Suds.

[Buds and Suds]

Is there a difference in the RPM on a 249 compared to a regular stock gun? Or is it built sturdier internally to deal with sustained auto? I couldnt help but cring at holding the trigger down like a madman and thinking, this is slowly stripping somthing..
And besides the metal body, is there a tremendous difference between Star, Top, and CA 249's?

[The Saint]

G&P's M249 uses a version 2 mechbox, I don't know about the other brands, but I would presume they probably do as well. Your M15 also uses a version 2, so I'd say in terms of technological growth potential, the two are not that dissimilar. Obviously, if you buy one of the more expensive M249s, you're going to get better out of the box performance than a stock gun. For example, G&P and STAR will shoot probably shoot faster than A&K because they've factored upgraded motors into the cost.

Otherwise, if you just want to upgrade your M15 to reach a SAW-esque ROF, that's certainly doable at less cost than buying a SAW. As the others have said, there is nothing to SAWs in airsoft other than appearance. Once you get to the insides, it's still the same mechbox and hopup design you'll find in other AEGs. Them being in a monsterous body doesn't make the parts work better, but like shotguns in airsoft, they can be rather intimidating.

[trufret]

Allot of it is going to depend on where you play. Allot of milsim games require a support gun to be an actual support gun and not just an M-4 with a box mag. If you're just skirmishing and don't have loadout rules I guess it doesn't matter.

I picked up a CA M249 because I enjoy the roll of support gunner and the M249 is one of my favorite guns. However I personally wish high caps for assault rifles were never created as it ruins the gameplay imho.

[Voodoo]

i love my star, not too heavy but they are only as effective as the group your running with. If they don't move when your firing then its just a waist of bbs.

i like to shoot my saw at 340fps as to not tear out the insides and with a tight boar its got good groupings. I am a oddball guy who dosnt mind high caps so for millsims i love it.

[kalnaren]

Sorry for the slight off topic, but those of you that use an MG36, do you actually use it as a support gun, in the support gun role? Or do you just use it as a G36 with an uber highcap?

[The Saint]

Back when I still had one, I tried to stick with the support role if I've got the boxmag in it. To be honest though, I hardly ever used my G36 in the support configuration. Too bulky for my taste.

[Styrak]

Also, running around with a C-Mag on an M4 is douche-y.

[ThunderCactus]

Depends on local rules as well, in manitoba you can't just slap a box mag on your M4 and call it an LMG, it has to be a copy of a real steel LMG in order to use a box mag. LMG's are also subject to a 350fps limit in manitoba, reason being you dont want to get lit up in the face 40 times on 400fps just because the guy firing can't here you cry for mercy over the sound of his gun, for practical reasons as well; the range difference between 350 and 400fps is minimal, and in situations where you need 400fps to cut through bush, with an LMG you have enough ammo to cut through it at 350fps.

A 249 is certainly no gun for a cost cutter. Not only do you have to buy the 2000$ gun, you have to buy a whole wackload of higher quality internal parts. Since you fire more bbs (another cost factor), and often faster than others, your also prone to breakdown more often. The CA249 has a huge monster of a gearbox that will never break. The G&P has a reinforced V2, which I haven't seen break yet after thousands upon thousands of rounds. And the only star 249 I've seen was broken lol

[Buds and Suds]

k so the question is, how much for a Star 249 and where could one be found. I saw a&a's site is down.
Also, with the stock mechbox, could it take a m120 and 9.6v? or is that for the red mechbox?

[The Saint]

Mark has A&K ones in stock for $799, and CA ones for about twice that. He'll probably be able to get you a STAR one if you email him about it.

[Kokanee]

Originally Posted by The Saint

G&P's M249 uses a version 2 mechbox, I don't know about the other brands, but I would presume they probably do as well....

Not to be rude, but please do some research and fact checking into the design of the LMGs you are referring to.

- Star and CA both use a completely different mechbox design that is both more durable and user friendly (spring changes etc) than the basic v2.

Originally Posted by The Saint

...As the others have said, there is nothing to SAWs in airsoft other than appearance. Once you get to the insides, it's still the same mechbox and hopup design you'll find in other AEGs.

Again, incorrect. Many airsoft LMGs use mechbox designs that are specifically spec'd with sustained fire in mind. That being said, certain brands like G&P (v2 M249) and Inokatsu (v3 M60) do use standard gear boxes, but this doesn't mean all LMGs have "the same mechbox and hopup design you'll find in other AEGs"

Buds and Suds, there are many many reviews avail on the various LMGs from companies like CA, STAR and A&K on sites such as Arnies, AirsoftNews etc.

[The Saint]

I stand corrected.