So most of you reading this either have a gun or don't have one yet. I have seen many forum posts about what is the best gun for $xxx, I am here to show you those guns so you can refer to this whenever you need a new gun!
Now first off, Airsoft is not a cheap sport to start, guns are expensive. You will see guns ranging from $100 - $3000, maybe even more! Most of the time, money does mean quality. So before you purchase your first ever AEG or another AEG, ask yourself, "do I want to buy a AEG that will last me and not have to spend money to fix it, or do I want to buy an AEG that I have to fix constantly and spend money on?"
If you want a quality rifle that will last you, then you have come to the right place! I will do a few mini reviews on guns that will fit into your budget. Now before I name a few guns, make sure you have at least $150, you'll see around that there are these "Lancer Tactical" AEGs, they aren't good, you get what you pay for, they are around $100, and yes the quality is around $100.
Now for the good guns, starting off I'm pretty sure you all have heard of this gun already, the Combat Machine M4
Now, I have never personally owned one myself but I have heard lots of good reviews from friends and other Airsofters online, I have also opened up one that has been used for two years STOCK! everything was fine except the tappet and piston showed quite a lot of wear to it, which was expected. The combat machine series is a very very good starting gun for anyone, it works great as a loaner. The cheapest one's have a plastic body, which is made of high quality plastic, these bodies will last you longer than a cheap pot metal body any day. You can purchase this AEG at almost any Airsoft store in the world, for around $150, this gun cannot be beat.
Really want a M4, but one with rails? Look no further, I give you the JG M4 s-system
This is just your standard M4, except it has a rail system at the front so you can mount your flashlights, vertical grip, lasers or anything that tickles your fancy. JG used to make crappy guns but now they have really stepped up their game, they are releasing AEG's onto the market that last long, perform really well and are price very well. I used to own a JG s-system, had it for a year, never failed me once, I even gamed it with a 11.1v lipo a couple of times, JG makes excellent gears, this is a great gun for the price, although it's a plastic body, it will still last you as long, treat it with respect and it will do you good, remember, metal body doesn't always mean quality!
Not an AR type of person? Well that's no problem, there's tons of great budget guns out there, but I really love the JG MK36
This gun is like a tank, you can abuse the externals all you want and the internals, it will almost never fail you. I have seen many people use this gun over a a few years, never once upgrading it either, these things can handle a 11.1v Lipo no problem.
JG makes great internals for the price, their gears are really well made and will last you a while. For around the same price as a combat machine, this is a very great alternative and I highly recommend this. I am actually going to pick one up myself and I will do a more in depth review on this gun.
Have a little more money to spend? Well, after the price point of $200 there's so much variety, you could get a G&P, VFC, G&G or even just stick with a JG, the choice is yours, I honestly think one of the best AEG's for the $250 price is the G&P M4 with crane stock.
Why do I think this is such an awesome gun? Well, G&P used to make sub par internals, but now their newer AEG's have been getting a lot better, their new gears are stronger, less prone to shredding and their pistons are of high quality. But that's not the only icebreaker for me, G%P makes one of the best externals in the market today, their metal bodies are amazing, but the best part isn't only the metal body on this gun but the Crane stock.
For around $250 you get a basic M4 with great internals, amazing metal body and a crane stock. Why is a crane stock so important you ask? Well, most new players will be buying a basic M4, with a standard LE stock so it will be front wired, as the progress further into airsoft, they may want to upgrade their gun externally, so if you have a front wired M4 and you want to put lets say a Daniel Defense rail system on it, you'll have to either buy a PEQ box or crane stock and rear wire it, which requires opening the gearbox and soldering. Which for a beginner isn't the smartest thing to do. Now the G&P on the other hand, you have the competitive pricing of $250, metal body, great internals and a crane stock, take out the handguards, install your rail system and you are good to go.
There are thousands of guns out there, pick one that you like, and always remember most of the time, you get what you pay for, before you purchase your first ever AEG, always ask before you buy, that way you know for sure you aren't getting a gun that will break down on you after a few games.
