Help me build my rifle?

[hbaltosax]

I'm new to the world of team based, competitive airsoft. I've used/repaired countless spring guns since I was young. And I'm now ready to get into the sport seriously. Which means I need an aeg. I love tinkering/building with things, and would love to build my first rifle. I would like to build on the m4 platform. And I have I have a budget of $550 for the rifle.

Since I have never done this before, I am not sure if I should buy a metal receiver and go from there, or buy a $200-250 m4 and upgrade form there. The main dilemma I have is, I'm not sure what order the parts go in. Or what brand as are the best.

If you could give me some tips I would greatly appreciate it.

[captainkirk05]

Everyone you ask will have a varying opinion of which gun would be best, and there are tons of fanboys who don't know anything about the guns they support or hate, so don't take a single person's word as fact. A few things to note: just because the receiver is metal does not make it more durable than plastic. Many aeg's, even the revered brands like KWA, use less than ideal metals and molding/forging techniques to build their receivers that result in air pockets that weaken the structure (like inside a Nestle Crunch bar for example), and will crack in certain temperatures or stresses. Even with gentle care, these receivers can break, though it is somewhat rare. I had a high end KWA receiver crack on me. To date, the most reliable receivers I have seen are the G&G nylon reinforced plastic bodies.

A question you should ask yourself, is what are you looking to get out of your gun? Do you want a close quarters gun (CQC) rifle? Or one that is better suited for longer ranges? Generally, close range guns that shoot in the 300 fps w/.25g area are easier on your wallet and require less work.

An M4 platform is your best bet starting off. It has the most aftermarket support for parts, and many people are versed and can help with this platform. I will warn you, DO NOT buy an aftermarket receiver to go with whatever gearbox you may get. Most all aeg's have minor differences between different brands in the receivers/gearboxes that will not allow them to simply drop in without modification. As a starter, and even for an experienced tech, this will be way more of a headache than you are ready for. Just get an aeg that gives you most of everything you want right out of the box, and just worry about changing the little things if you must.

My personal brand suggestions.
1. G&G plastic series: Reliable out of the box (300 fps w/.25). Great accuracy. Great price. Could use a better motor though, and you would have to replace a good many parts to make it shoot harder so it doesn't break after upgrading.
2. KWA SR-7 and SR-10: Really good externals. Best internals, and great compression/air efficiency. Stock bucking sucks and needs replaced or modified to have decent accuracy and range. Can upgrade for high rate of fire or high velocity without changing a whole lot of parts. Avoid cheaper KWA guns, as they use craptastic plastic that will crack.
3. VFC guns: Best externals. Pretty decent internals. Internals are between KWA and G&G quality.

[specter]

You generally can't go wrong with a simple VFC 416. Generally have really good externals and pretty good internals. They're also fairly upgradable.