Personally I would still go with the CA over a Star. I know some ppl who love the Star and some who have had trouble with them.

I never really hear anything bad about the CA and the full metal is nice feels very beefy.

For what I'v used my G&P 249,it's awsome(and for sale lol).It's alot of fun, but taking that monster around for games going between 8-18 hrs,It's alot to carry all the time,I just like my M4's better! One of ower other Support gunners has had his CA 249 go down 2-3 times(all thow,alot of rnds.) It's all in what ya wana do!

I've seen alot of internal problems and breakdowns with CA and STAR 249s, the obvious being pistons, gear posts breaking, and bearings breaking. Theres only one G&P 249 in Mb that constantly breaks down and that's because the owner insists on putting stock CA parts in it lol

i have had no problems with my ca249 and ive put over 50,000 rounds through it:/

Remember when you broke that bearing?

and the CA piston problem.. that all CA's seem to have.

This is pretty much the point. I can't tell you how many times I've used my 249 to keep the enemies head's down so the riflemen can flank them and take them out. Works every time.
The mechbox design in the TOP M249 is sheer simplicity. With an Angs or Guarder cylinder upgrade it's awesome. Finish off the mechbox with Guarder parts and you can chuck it behind the couch when you get home and it'll sit there ready for the next game. Well worth the $$$ in my opinion.

thats was before i fixed it, now i get box mag problems becuase it cant keep up with the gearbox, lol.

Too bad systema doesn't make box mag motors too :p

I own an A&K m249. It cost me 350 u.s.d. I live in Texs, so things are a bit cheaper here. The mechbox design in my eyes is awesome. It's a version of it's own- it doesn't look anything like a version 2. The spring can be changed in less than a minute w/o having to break open the mechbox. When I first got it, I had a problem w/ the trigger switch, but that is covered in the doctor's corner section. I also found that aspects of it are easy to modify( outer barrel, etc.) I own a CA saw buttstock I've used on my Custom G3 project, and in comparing it to my A&K buttstock, I think the ca is a better one for texture and feel. I've fired roughly 6000 rds. threw it w/o any probs. I don't use a box mag, but instead, I use G&P 450 rd. m4 mags just fine. Go to Youtube and you will find fire-demos and take-down guides. Good luck w/ your choice.

I held an AK249 the other day actually, its a copy of the CA249. It's a decent cheap purchase, but it's really light...

I got a A&K in yesterday and managed to break the bipod mount in the first 5 minutes, real cheap pot metal, I've ordered the CA replcement part for it. But for power, I shredded a popcan pretty fast, but I still don't see how you can fit a large battery in that MKII buttsock like they claim you can. On sound activated the box mag can't seem to keep up with the ROF on this thing, and I'm only using a 8.4 mini.

Go to li-poly, you'll never use another type of battery again. Don't be afraid to use m4 style mags. I use my son's CAm4 300rd mag-feeds flawlessly w/ only one complete wind-up. Can you please expound upon bi-pod breaking?

Here is something I found interesting YouTube - A&K M249 Rate of fire
I thought Mah had nothing to do with ROF?!?
And brutal dryfire.....ouch!

My 11.1 15c 1250 mah li-poly has same rof as the 9.6 big batt. Just comes in a much smaller package. Oh, I've also noticed higher mah's do seem to produce higher rof even w/ li-poly.