JG M4A1 vs. Aftermath Kraken

[Sawstink]

I have been reading up on both of these guns, but I'm not really quite sure about one thing. Near everyone says that the Kraken will not work in the the long run without some upgrades, but I am assuming this is only the case if it is gamed regularly.
Keep in mind I am looking for a gun just to plink in the basement with, maybe open up and learn something new first hand.

So my questions is: Is the Kraken comparable in terms of accuracy, and reliability (for light use in the basement) without any internal upgrades to the JG M4A1? (I feel that the extra $100 on the price tag would need to be justified)

http://www.shootsoft.ca/clearsoft/pr...roducts_id=184

http://velocityarms.ca/index.php?mai...roducts_id=197

I am aware the second link is DPMS, but to my knowledge, it is just a rebranded JG

get the kraken, learn how to upgrade the mechbox (its not hard) and put the 100$ in the mechbox and you will get a gun that shoots great and will be more reliable, shoot better than the stock JG

[Sawstink]

Thanks a lot

Should this be done as soon as I get the gun, or wait for it to crap out?

[L473ncy]

Some people have had success with their Krakens for 50,000+ BB's however it sounds like for the most part you want to do preventative maintenance and do it ASAP before it craps out on you.

Go and read the "So you bought a Kraken" thread and it will give you a good primer on what you'll need to go ahead with the Kraken and some background info about it.

[Sawstink]

Read straight through that thread at least twice
Thanks for all the fast responses!

Originally Posted by FNG_13

KRAKEN UPGRADE PRICE GUIDE AS PER THE PARTS SUGGESTED IN THE ORIGINAL POST

1. De-grease and regrease properly – AEG grease = ~$20.00

2. Re-wire with 16G wiring and deans ultra connectors – $11.00 for wire/connector set + possibly $9.00 for charger connector

3. New:
Piston head – $15.00
Spring guide - $15.00
Cylinder Head – $25.00
Air seal nozzle – $9.00
Metal bushings – $15.00
Shims – $3.75
Hopup rubber – $8.00
Charger: $36.00
Battery: varied. ~$25/50

Total: $151.75/$176.75 + tax and shipping

All mechbox parts were looked up as ver.3


Grand Total:
$~162.75 - 196.75 + tax and shipping assuming all parts brand new..

All Prices Approximate- You Can Always Find Cheaper Or More Expensive Stuff

I am assuming all of these suggestions are to increase longevity, and not performance?
And I have never worked on a gearbox before so I have no idea what is what, are there any diagrams that label such parts?

[scurvythepirate]

Originally Posted by Sawstink

Read straight through that thread at least twice
Thanks for all the fast responses!



I am assuming all of these suggestions are to increase longevity, and not performance?
And I have never worked on a gearbox before so I have no idea what is what, are there any diagrams that label such parts?

Mechbox.com,
Im not sure if they point out the parts or not though.

[Sawstink]

Ya, I just chcked them, they shouw the removal of the mechbox, but not the mechbox internals themselves. What would the least nessecary upgrades above be? Step 1 is simple and 2 in my mind is not nessecary.

[scurvythepirate]

Originally Posted by Sawstink

Ya, I just chcked them, they shouw the removal of the mechbox, but not the mechbox internals themselves. What would the least nessecary upgrades above be? Step 1 is simple and 2 in my mind is not nessecary.

IF you don't want to fiddle with the gearbox, you could just get a "Drop in" gearbox. Which is essentially a gearbox, that you just put in the old ones place.

For reference: (one of these) http://www.airsoftparts.ca/store2/in...ex&cPath=66_77

I found that they are sometimes cheaper than buying all the parts separate (not in the same package).

[Simon290]

A tightbore and King Arms hop-up will also be a big improvement on your stock Kraken.

[scurvythepirate]

Originally Posted by Simon290

A tightbore and King Arms hop-up will also be a big improvement on your stock Kraken.

Why King Arms?
Spend the extra couple bucks and get Prometheus (inner barrel and Hop-up)

[L473ncy]

The only thing that would increase performance from that list is the hop up unit + rubber.

Also to the best of my knowledge there aren't any terribly *good* drop in V3 mechboxes (supposedly the "Action V3 drop in gearbox isn't that great) so you're probably going to have to get a shell + parts and assemble one, however due to fitment/tolerances between different aftermarket companies this may prove to be a headache (they will always have the right tolerances for Tokyo Marui OEM plarts but may not play well with other aftermarket brands parts).

I myself quoted the price of a V3 mechbox with all Prometheus parts and a gearbox shell and it looks to be ~$350 USD however you may have better luck finding good deals for these parts and such.

From your list though personally speaking I would say drop the hop up rubber, nozzle and spring guide. As for the wire and connectors you may have better luck at a RC hobby shop or electronics store. I know you can get a bag of deans connectors for ~$5 and the wire can really be found from a local electronics hobby shop or even your local high school (if you have any friends/siblings in school or know someone who does work with electronics).

[Sawstink]

I thought the gears themselves on the Kraken were fine, and the main problems were the piston, spring guide and cylinder?

[Sawstink]

http://www.weaponblender.com/index.php?productID=597

This what you guiys are talking about? (is it a decent drop0int (better than the kraken)?)

[Simon290]

Originally Posted by scurvythepirate

Why King Arms?
Spend the extra couple bucks and get Prometheus (inner barrel and Hop-up)

Just because thats what I have experience with, its in my Kraken, I -KNOW- it fits and works just right. Other than that its not a poor quality unit and fairly affordable.

[Crunchmeister]

I would put my money on a stock JG over Aftermath any day. I've always insisted and stick by my guns (no pun intended) that the Kraken is a good project gun for someone that wants to eventually upgrade it to full metal and wood without having to fork out all the cash at once. Over time, you can have a gun that will shoot better and be far more solid than a stock plastic TM, and will cost about the same. Stock however, I wouldn't trust a Kraken as far as I could throw it. You'll need a bunch of internal upgrades out of the box to keep it going.

If you're talking stock, JG is the way to go. I've had JG, I play with guys that have JG. Most of them have run stock JG M4s for 3-ish years now and haven't had a single problem with them without even openening them for preventative maintenance. I would put my money on JG any day. Out of my entire collection of 17 guns, I'd have to say the single toughest most problem-free gun was my JG MP5. I've never seen a gun take that kind of abuse and keep on working as great as the day I got it.