Cansoft - For established players?
 

So here's the thing.

I've been playing Airsoft for years, but have never owned a GBB.

I'd like a GBB and was wondering both how the Cansoft versions perform under propane and just generally.

Worth the couple hundred bucks to put something on my hip? Or should I just be waiting for a TM to crop up in the classfieds...

I'm looking for experienced hot-or-cold opinion here folks.. not a 'clearsoft' debate.

Edit: Con't.

Also - what is the major founding difference between a 'cansoft' gun and, say a TM... that makes a TM so much more trustworthy... That's to say, how much money would I have to put into a cansoft gun to have it up to par. I've only shot one, once... not enough to form a good opinion. Would it (any cansoft, or one over another) be decent as a 'build' gun?

Is it relatively easy to find fitting M4 FMU bodies for Long-barreled M16's, cansoft version?

And same question applies. Use a G&G or an ICS as a winter-long build, or wait for a built FMU to hit the classifieds...

If you're referring to the KJW "Cansoft" guns with clear lowers, the reason a TM is better is as follows:

TM is better than KJW.

It has nothing to do with the clear lowers. A Cansoft KJW is just as good as a regular all black KJW. They perform exactly the same, and the reviews only for the all black versions hold true to the clear versions.

That being said, TM guns in general have a much better review base: and from my own personal experience, are much easier guns to maintain and upgrade. Technically speaking, a lot of KJW guns are compatable with TM parts. This does NOT mean that they are as easy to upgrade with TM upgrades, because KJW may or may not have different levels of quality controls. TM has very high quality control, and thusly, upgrades made to work with TM guns take little to no adjustments to make work as advertised.

In my opinion, try to get a like new, or non upgraded TM HiCapa 5.1 or 4.3 with all the factory parts. They pop up quite often and are great little shooters.

TM is MUCH better quality than KJW.

Cansoft M4/M16's use the same bodies as non-cansoft M4/M16's...

I bought a KJW M9 with clear lower.
I'm happy with it for now.
Not to bad quality but its not TM
But heh... for the price i paid; i dont mind if it get full of sand.

Specifically the G&G guns that Ken from 007 has got... long guns included.

yes! if its only for the look and occasionnal side arm use then go for it! handled some of these and they are quite nice! but as said part will probably wear off faster than a tm but hey! if you want a hip hanger/occasionnal plinker go for it :p

That IS really all I want.. and wanted to cut through all the bullshit threads to figure it out.

Btw i purchased a G&G m16a3 for a game i'm playing in July.
The Quality is not that great. Metal parts seem fragile and mark easily.
The mechbox is not bad.

I installed a g&p body on it and everything fitted well.
Only real con is the plastic round disk for the selector... broke after a game.

But again; for the price; its not that bad.

In years past, G&G had terrible QC, I would have ranked them to be hands-down the worst of the major manufacturers.

Now, they are all you can get. Except for ICS that is.

Has their QC improved? Maybe, but I've seen a couple duds of those already, and I've refused requests to work on them. ICS has a better track record, but their clear guns leave alot to be desired.

I would wait to find what you want in the classifieds, if that's the way you are leaning.

For a GBB...it's hard to beat a TM Hicapa or SIG226

I've found the KJW 226's to be good...they just don't "feel" right to me.

KJW G19's have been real long life beater guns...they just keep going and going.

Gremlin-lemons are bound to happen...just fewer and further between with TM GBBs.

The "clear" GBBs that I've seen so far have looked/functioned well (most notably the Hicapa)...but it's too early to tell how well they hold up long term and under a good beating.

WE 1911's are a great example of a GBB that has all the good "specs"...but are hit and miss whether it'll self destruct quickly or run for a while.

Re. "clear" receiver AEGs that are commonly available...if I'd had to buy one (and I don't so I wouldn't) I'd buy the ICS. The plastic is much better, IMHO, than the G&G's. Parts availability is not an issue...and really a clear plastic rifle (camouflaged black :D) isn't the end of the world. That said...I'd be hunting immediately for a metal receiver.... If it was a loaner rifle, I'd leave it as is.

For the price of the clear G&G's....I'd rather buy a "much loved and used" better body build AEG and restore the internals.

An AEG is nothing more than a mechbox in a shell...so if you're on a tight budget you either pay for a good shell, or you pay for good internals to keep it under $300. If you want both, you're in the $400-600+ range. You'll be in the same range anyways by the time you fix up a solid $300 rifle that needs some loving to either the body or the internals (internals being easier to come by).

Just my recession adjusted $0.02...

tms are great, but for a gbb id definatly get a ksc