B. How to fill your GBB magazines
Once you have a good understanding of the basics of airsoft gasses, move on to this excellent post on the UKAN Forums:
http://forums.ukairsoft.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47714 - Meh-lindi’s initial 5 posts on that thread are absolutely excellent.
There, focus especially on the basics of GBB magazine filling technique. To this end, I will supplement with my own input here.

Let's first work to understand how the fill mechanism and the magazine fill valve work.

At the bottom of the magazine is where you typically fill the reservoir with propellant gas.

Here, this incoming gas fill valve is held closed by springs that seal it against its surrounding seals (no pun intended). This is the default position, and a tight closure seal is required for the gas reservoir to remain pressurized.

During a fill, what you're doing is essentially jamming the gas bottle -- which if you'll notice its nozzle is also spring-loaded -- against this fill valve, depressing the gas valve against its spring so as to open it for gas transfer; and at the same time also depressing the spring-seal assembly that otherwise seals close the bottle's fill nozzle so that it opens, thus allowing the liquid-gas dual-phase propellant to properly flow "down" and into the mag's reservoir.

You must be sure that you are bearing down hard enough on the twin assemblies that you are opening BOTH the nozzle of the gas canister, as well as the magazine bottom incoming fill port/valve.

So now you're filling, but how do you know when the mag is "full?"

Well, without X-ray vision, you pretty much can't see through the mag's aluminum body, right?

Think about being blindfolded and being asked to pour yourself a glass of water, and to make sure that you've got it to the brim.

What do you do?

You keep pouring until the glass overflows, right? That pretty much means that when you stop, your glass will be full, right?

Same idea here.

It's also the same idea for filling many stickshift/ manual gearbox or other transaxle fluids, you fill until a bit dribbles out of the fill/drain hole, and then stop -- it's "full by overflow."

=)

So, with the magazine fill, you simply keep going until it overflows -- that's full.

What will that be like?

During your normal fill, because of imprecise alignment angles between the fill nozzle and the mag's fill nipple, you'll notice a bit of spill of the liquid/gas coming out of its junction point, right? That's normal. Depending on the precise magazine, the mag valve's design, and the precise bottle nozzle -- and most importantly, your own "skill" at accomplishing proper fills -- you'll get varying amount of such spillage.

When you're full-up, this small spill will become a huge backward spurt. Trust me, you'll know. To demonstrate what this will be like, simply invert your fill bottle over a hardcover book, as though you are going to fill it with gas, and press down.

Now, many retailers and some hobbyists will recommend that you fill "no more than X seconds" or use other such "counting" procedures during your fill.

That simply does not work.

Think about filling your car's gas tank versus that of a truck's. Pretty large difference in fill time, right? Same goes for having different sized magazine gas reservoirs -- while it may well only take a nominal 3-4 seconds to fill your standard-capacity (BB-capacity, that is) G18C magazine, it can take upwards of 15 seconds to completely fill an extended 50-round M11 SMG magazine full of gas.

This logic further presents itself as fill times will vary depending on the pressure of the gas you're using, it's residual driving pressure in the fill canister, the ambient temperature and the specific temperatures of both your mag and the fill bottle, your skill/proficiency (in terms of side-waste), etc. and so-on. There's just no way anyone can tell you, for sure, that X magazine will take Y seconds to fill up.

And furthermore, "overpressure" or "blowing out your seal" RARELY, if EVER happens during the initial fill process. Think of it this way, the gas has its own pressure-temperature gradient, right? That serves as a consistent driving force as you fill the mag. And as the mag approaches "full," its internal pressure-volume relationship is going to closely mimic that of the fill bottle's, right? So in essence, your fill is self-terminating. Overpressure almost never happens from improper initial fills, so again, this blows the "never fill your mag for more than X seconds" theory completely out of the water, right?

Simple science and logic.

The only exception to this rule is that with KJW magazines, you really do have to count seconds of fill time – this is because KJW magazines’ fill valves utilize a special seal within its outer diameter that makes the transfer near air-tight. Therefore, there would be no spillage, and by that, no “spurt back” or overflow to indicate that you’re full. Usually, about 4 to 5 seconds will give you a “full” fill with the KJW USP and M9 magazines.
C. Additional knowledge – mag maintenance, fill adaptors, and GBB cyclic function
While you’re at it, you should also check out these links:
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11484 - AirsoftPlayers Forum post regarding care issues for your GBB magazine. Specifically note my 05/25/2003 10:56:38 original post and my 05/26/2003 10:11:38 reply to xevilforce and Kage_genin’s questions immediately preceding.
http://qphreak.iwarp.com/airsoft/butane.htm - Adaptors for “duster gas” canisters, fashioned out of butane lighter refill canister adaptors, from the respected Kevlarman.
http://www.virginiarangers.com/pictures/GBB-dustermod/dustermod.html - Yet another adaptor idea, this time from the guys at The Virginia Rangers – a highly respected skirmish team/club on the east-coast.
http://www.dentrinity.com/Topics/magna.htm - From the DEN Trinity commercial website. Discusses the basics of the WA GBB cycle, however, it also is an excellent overall cycle reference that will allow you to understand the basics of any GBBs function.
D. More knowledge – GBB general maintenance
For general maintenance on GBBs, reference the silicone oil cited in the above AEG section. Typically, while most “true” airsoft gasses (again, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, please reference my “Gas Primer” post) such as those marketed by various Japanese and Taiwanese airsoft manufacturers (i.e. Tokyo Marui, Western Arms, HFC, UHC, “Top Gas/Toy Jack”) contains a very small percentage of silicone lubricant, the content is NOT sufficient to effect lubrication and cleaning of the GBB – it’s only there to serve as an extra dose of “protection” during normal use/cycling of the pistol’s mechanical components. You MUST perform routine oil lubrication as well as cleaning with supplemental silicone oil to effect complete and proper protection of your replica.
Apply anything from 5 to 35 grade/weight silicone oil to any area specified in the GBB’s manual. Again, I know that it’s most likely in Chinese or Japanese, but still, there should be enough figures and illustrations to point you in the right direction, should you read carefully. Additionally, make sure you apply the lubricant to any area of the GBB’s internals that may make frictional contact with each other – such as the contact points between the slide and the frame, etc – also, a thin layer should be applied to any and all rubber components. Furthermore, the lubricant, especially of lower viscosity, such as 5 to 10 weight, can easily be used as a cleaning solvent for the bore of the barrel and even as a general cleaning solution .
One item of note is that with the lower weight oils, should you use them in warmer weather, they may “run” excessively. A heavier grade weight, such as between 20 and 35 weight, or even a silicone “grease,” may confer more protection to the slide/frame frictional interfaces. However, keep in mind that such high-viscosity oils or grease may cause “binding” should it start to solidify under extreme-cold conditions. So, as you can see, you must use your own best judgment to select the proper lubricant grade. An IMPORTANT side note is that furthermore, under NO circumstances should you use such viscous oils/grease as a barrel cleaning solvent – you’ll have a very hard time getting your barrel bore and Hop cleared of residual excess oil/grease!!!!
The final item to note is that should you desire to use “substitute” airsoft gasses, such as “computer duster gasses,” you will need to supplement the “dry” gas with a bit of the low weight grade silicone oil to effect lubrication of the magazine and its various seals. The process is well documented in the “Gas Primer.”
In short, This is VERY easily done by dropping one or two drops of silicone oil (or spraying a small amount) directly onto the incoming gas fill nipple at the bottom of the magazine, and subsequently immediately introducing fill gas into the magazine as typical of gas fills.
This process forces the lubricant present at the opening of the nipple into the magazine, and causes sufficient atomization of the lubricant oil into the magazine gas reservoir, which is then spread throughout the GBB during discharge -- just as with "true" proprietary airsoft gasses.

However, in practice – in the real world – Hop is not without slight detriment thereof. In so much as Hop introduces a simple additional variable to the overall system, it causes a degree of uncertainty to be added, and that, unfortunately, degrades overall “accuracy” a bit. But the trade-off here is a greatly extended effective range.
Think of the trade-off in this way:
You’re shooting an arrow at a close-by target. Pretty easy to hit the bull’s eye each and every time, right? Now, I’m going to move the target way, way back – so far back that you have to “arc” in your arrows. What happens? You can still hit the target, but it becomes much harder to hit the bull’s eye every time.
Same idea here. You trade range for ultimate precision and accuracy.
This is why most times, GBBs without Hop are limited only to close-to-medium range activities, such as BB-IPSC target shooting. For these sporting contests, ultimate precision at short range is the name of the game. As such, taking Hop away from these GBBs results in increased overall consistency of the shots at such ranges.
However, when you have a skirmish-use GBB, trust me, you’ll want to have Hop.
Why? Because you need the increase in effective range more than you need a precision tack-driver at close range.
This can be explained by the following very, very dramatic (but true) example.
The super-extended inner-barrel “6-inch” variant of the Western Arms ProKiller 2000, when paired with high-pressure Taiwanese “Green Gas,” can easily launch a 0.20 gram BB with close to 500 fps. muzzle velocity.
However, it is barely able to match the effective range of a standard-configuration WA SVI, which, with a barrel length some 120 mm shorter than the above ProKiller and with a muzzle velocity of only around 350 fps. with 0.20 gram BBs using the above gas, you’d expect would actually perform much worse than the ProKiller in terms of effective range.
Why is this the case? How can the much shorter and much less powerful standard SVI equal the effective range of the ProKiller 2000?
The standard SVI has Hop. Hop helps it carry the BB farther than just sheer muzzle velocity/energy ever can.
So remember the following rule:
BB-IPSC/target-shooting (short-to-medium range) – go with a non-Hop system for maximum precision and accuracy.
Skirmish – go with an adjustable or “fixed” Hop system to maximize effective range.
Remember, skirmish = Hop!
- So many choices, which one do I choose?
As there are many, many more brands of GBBs than AEGs, one is led to the inevitable question, right-away, of: “Which brand do I choose?”
This is absolutely impossible to say.
Within just about ANY of the GBB makers, from Taiwan , Japan , or otherwise, both good and bad can be found. Basing your decision on any one “brand name” is liable to land you in a world of trouble.
What does this mean for you, the buyer?
Again, you simply MUST do your own homework. With the abundance of different models out there from different makes, unless you are well educated in the specifics of the particular make/model you are interested in, you can pretty much be assured that you will not make the best decision. Grab a cup of coffee or a bottle of soda and a snack, and get ready to just READ. Use the same resources as I’ve cited above for the AEGs – the AirsoftZone Forums, the www.AirsoftPlayers.com Forums, Arnie’s Airsoft Forums, and the UKAN Forums contain a virtual treasure chest of information regarding just about all of the various GBBs out there. As with AEGs, if you choose to not read these posts, you’d again be choosing to be ignorant and stupid – not to mention lazy. You owe it to yourself to be an educated consumer, hobbyist, and player. Please use the search functions available on these Forums and d-boards, and educate yourself.
With that said, I realize that some of you are after certain specifics as newbies – and have put down the following two generalized references to help you get started.
One of the first questions asked is often this:
A. I want a cheap GBB, what’s out there?
The problem here is that you’re focused on only one thing – cost.
Now I realize that some of you may only be 14 or 15 years old, and may be holding down jobs like mowing lawns during the summer or babysitting or dog-watching during the winter. Doesn’t pay much, and the parents’ allowance isn’t exactly a windfall, either.
But there’s just some realities here that you cannot escape. And one of these is the fact that you simply need to invest some money in order to return with a quality product. In my opinion, you can have an affordable, but still skirmish-capable (in terms of durability, reliability, and performance) GBB by setting aside at least $150.
For this price you should be able to get any of the following (listed in no particular order):
Full-auto:
compact SMGs :
KSC or KWA Ingram/Cobray M11A1
select-fire machine pistols:
KSC Glock 18C (stock) or KWA Glock 18C (stock or upgraded)
Semi-auto pistols:
sub-compact
Tokyo Marui (TM) Glock 26
compact :
KSC Glock 19 ( Japan or Taiwan version)
Kuan Ju Works (KJW) USP Compact
full-sized :
KSC Glock 17 (stock or upgraded) and M9 Elite
KJW USP, USP Tactical, and M9
KWC “high-grade” M92FS “Super” heavyweight or “high grade” Desert Eagle
TM M9 and Tactical Master
Some you might find for a discount. For example, there are routinely very good on-line specials offered for many of these models, with prices dipping down into the $80 range. In this case, you can easily buy one of these replicas plus a few spare mags, which is necessary for skirmish play.
Regardless, this is what is absolutely necessary as a MINIMUM investment. Sure, you can find $30 GBBs, but trust me, more often than not, they’ll break before you’ve even run a handful of BBs through them, and most will return with unacceptable field performance.
But with that said, there are indeed some generalizations that can be made….
B. Some generalizations
Tanaka Works, hands-down, wins for their gas-operated, NBB revolvers. No one else even comes close in terms of cosmetic or functional refinement -- and definitely not power, durability, reliability, or efficiency/consistency.

Western Arms wins in the category of most upgradeable 1911/2011-series -- and thus also takes the crown for being the base platform for a custom pistol of that genre of either skirmish or race/competition (i.e. BB-IPSC) orientation. KSC takes the cake in terms of cosmetic refinement of their 1911/2011-line, though. Note here that the KSC, KWC, KWA, and Maruzen 1911-type GBBs are all non skirmish viable for various reasons (the first three are totally deficient in terms of replacement parts access, the last simply does not produce sufficient muzzle energ – skirmish 1911/2011? WAs are your only ticket).

KSC and TM shares the crown for having, IMHO, the best and most affordable M9/92FS-genre replicas, including durability/reliability and upgradeability in terms of a bang-for-the-dollar comparison (the TM replica wins out if affordability of upgrades is taken into consideration). If you have an unlimited bank account, go for the WA to gain superior cosmetics.

Best Desert Eagle .50 is a split between KWC and TM. The former has an almost bulletproof replica, provided that you don't get a lemon to start with -- the latter has one that is much more cosmetically refined (durability/reliability/performance must wait until there's been enough time spent with the new version to assess, which will come in a few months' time at the earliest, until then, such judgements with the new TM are premature).
For the H&K USP replicas, KJW is the one and only that provides sufficient access to aftermarket replacement and upgrade parts. It’s not pretty, and there are known problems with it, but it’s better than either the rather fragile (and now defunct) Tanaka (persistent magazine leak) as well as the impossible-to-get Maruzen/Tanio-Koba (for that very reason).

In the full-auto category, KSC/KWA blows everyone out of the water. The old KSC M93Rs were nifty, but rather unreliable and non-durable unless extensively (and expensively) upgraded -- however, initial impressions from very experienced and very trustworthy sources all point to the new KSC M93R II as being totally different, for the better, in this respect (judgement on the new M93R II in terms of durability/reliability is pending this summer [20003’s] skirmish season). But even beyond that, who can contest the class-dominance of the KSC/KWA Glock 18C or the Ingram/Cobray M11A1? And please don't try to drag the WA SVFs or the WA M11 into this picture, neither are nor were sufficiently durable or reliable enough for true skirmish use and abuse -- the former assessment comes directly out of Mobius Strip, who is perhaps the Western world's leading SVF guru, and the latter, well, I can attest to as I own the last-generation variant of the WA M11, full “Special Kit.” Maruzen's offerings come close, but durability is a worry, as it the lack of availability of upgrade parts. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the tank that is the TMP, either!
For sub-compacts, no-one can beat the TM Glock 26.

My personal take on upgrades.
First, I am definitely NOT the man to talk to regarding upgrading your airsoft replicas. I have performed very, very few internal upgrades on AEGs. This is definitely NOT my area!
However, as an experienced scientist by trade as well as an experienced airsoft hobbyist who owns and routinely maintains my own modest collection of 5 AEGs of various configurations and levels of upgrade, I am familiar with simple mechanical systems, as well as the basics of the “why’s and how’s” of the upgrade and modification of AEGs.
One of the concepts that everyone should remember is that the more you increase a system's performance, the more you will decrease its overall durability. The more you run your machine on the ragged edge, the more likely it is that it will experience failure from being pushed so hard. Inevitably, when you upgrade for performance, you will likely stand to lose a bit of durability and reliability.
As a newbie with likely only one AEG, the failure of such an upgraded piece will effectively put you out of the game, with no chance for a quick return . And if you're at a multi-day event for which you've traveled hundreds of miles for, this could indeed spell disaster. As such, having a stock AEG that has a known average durability and liability for failure, rather than having that factor being an "unknown" with an upgraded piece, will surely serve to somewhat settle your heart, not to mention improve your odds of not suffering such breakdowns. Additionally, once you have accumulated other, possibly upgraded AEGs to your growing arsenal, this first-purchase, internally stock AEG will still be a trusty "backup" piece, which is always nice to have at hand.
I always pack with me a stock, non-upgraded AEG to take to games. It’s good insurance.
Furthermore, as a newbie, you should really take the time to first allow you to get your heading in the sport prior to plunking down the dough for expensive upgrades. Unless you play through several game-days with your new stock AEG, you're not going to really have a feel for how well it really performs or have a good idea of *exactly* and *realistically* what an upgraded AEG is capable, or not capable, of doing (here, it's simply best to ask players with upgraded pieces to kindly let you "test" their replica at the range – this way, you'll get first-hand experience).
Finally, what many newbies do not realize when they first start out is that many teams, clubs, fields, and events impose strict limits with regards to velocity/hit-energy due to safety concerns. If you outright purchase an upgraded AEG that shoots a blistering 450 fps. with 0.25 gram BBs, but all the events that you are interested in attending only allow 350 fps. with 0.20 fps, then you've just wasted a lot of money; as well as caused yourself undue trouble .
For example, at a past multi-day skirmish that I attended, limits of 300 fps. were placed on SMGs and carbine replicas, with 350 being allowed for assault-rifles, and a top end of 385 for single-shot "sniper rifles." All this with 0.25 gram BBs. Imagine if you showed up for this event, after having driven hundreds of miles, with a brand-spanking-new MP5 that cranked out 400 fps. with 0.25 gram BBs, and was then not allowed to play because your replica was unsafe – talk about disappointment, right?!
As such, if you MUST have initial upgrades, check with your local team, club, or field – or look on the various d-board/Forums that you frequent for posts regarding velocity/hit-energy limits that have been set for PAST games/events in your area, or for those events that you plan to attend.
Honestly, I implore you, I *beg* of you to purchase your first AEG in factory-stock, non-upgraded form with regards to internals for the above mentioned factors.
But if you’re still intent on making upgrades, well, here’s something to chew on…it’s from Wallace:
I agree that upgraded internal puts more load on the gearbox, and then with higher capacity battery the increased speed would further stress the gearbox. What I want to convey is that stock internal, contrary to popular believe, is even more likely to sustain damage then upgraded internal.

To further clarify, lets classify gearbox failures in two categories – anticipated and unanticipated. Anticipated failure is normally stress/wear induced, such as worn out teeth, weakened springs, aged motors, etc. These can cause additional damages such as stripped gears if worn parts are not timely replaced. Unanticipated failures refer to unexpected, catastrophic damages, which can be caused by poor workmanship, misalignment, excessive force or out-of-spec impact, etc. The later part can damage a brand-new gearbox, and is generally the most feared.

That being said, upgraded gearbox will increase the chance of anticipated failure (i.e. shorter interval of each failure). As you’ve already mentioned, stiffer spring and higher speed puts more load and stress on each component of the gearbox, which causes them to worn faster. However, when professionally installed and properly maintained, upgrading the gearbox should NOT increase the possibility of unanticipated failures. All the upgrade components are designed to work together in such high-stressed environment, that although they require more frequent maintenance or replacement, they shouldn’t “quit” all-of-a-sudden during skirmish. That’s why I think upgraded gearboxes can provide the same durability (or dependability) as stock gearboxes.

A good analogy would be turbo charging your car’s engine. We all know that a turbo charger generally shorten the life of your engine as it induces more stress (anticipated failure). However, if not installed properly you could over-boost your engine hence toasting it (unanticipated failure). On the other hand, turbo charging your engine also requires certain prerequisite, such as upgraded exhaust and intake to allow sufficient airflow, and revised engine management or even additional fuel pumps / injectors to maintain proper air/fuel ratio. However, if you simply bolt on a turbo charger to a fully stock engine, without lowering the compression ratio and additional fuel delivery the engine will run too lean and likely overheat, causing catastrophic failure. This is exactly what a higher capacity battery can do to a stock AEG.

When gears are turning too fast, the gearbox can fail not because of rapid worn out, but something far more violent. When the force exerted on piston/gear teeth exceeds their specification, you could actually snap the teeth off the gears by running it too fast. Wear and tear can also cause the same to happen, but they usually appear gradually. Hence upgraded gearbox with stiffer spring can prevent these unanticipated failures by slowing down the gears, or even by replacing stock gear set with hi-torque gears (they are both stronger and cause the piston to draw back slower).

In short, stock internals are more “durable” because of their lesser stress, but not necessary more “forgiving” when excessive force (in this case hi-voltage hi-capacity battery) is applied. I hope it make better sense this time
Now, Wallace makes a very good point here, but remember – he speaks of proper upgrading versus improper or otherwise sub-optimal upgrading. But unfortunately, as a newbie, your knowledge about the complex inner workings of AEGs (as well as your relative inability to decipher the varying truths and lies of the many conflicting posts out there on the Forums/d-boards) will enhance your chances of NOT performing acceptably installed or otherwise correct upgrades. I am not saying this to belittle newbies, to degrade newbies in any way – I’m simply stating the fact that the relative inexperience of newbies with regard to general knowledge in this area will more than likely cause them harm, and that such problems can indeed be avoided easily by just being content with their new AEG in stock, unmodified, out-of-the-box, OEM format, and giving themselves a bit more time to learn the intricacies of the such replicas before making the jump into tackling the ultra-technical areas.

Now, what about how long your battery lasts? Well, this is a function of the mAh value. The larger the mAh value, the longer the battery will last. Typically, your 600 mAh batteries will last anywhere from 400 to 900 rounds. Why such a big range? Batteries are very sensitive to temperature, and the lower the ambient temperature, the shorter your battery will last. For example, the worst I’ve seen is a 8.4V 600 mAh “mini” pack that only managed to last 200 rounds before needing a recharge – but that’s at a temperature of near 40 deg. F. Pretty darned cold! With a 1700 or higher mAh capacity battery, you can pretty much assume that you’re going to be able to crank out over 1200 BBs.
Note also that how long a battery pack lasts is highly influenced by player usage of the battery as well, icruztn had the following to say:
re : Battery life
Almost as important as temperature is the playing style of the person shooting the gun. I have noticed that players who continually fire long full auto bursts get FAR less life out of their batteries than those who keep their fires shorter. I witnessed a player drain a 9.6V 1700mah battery in about 1000 rounds, whereas I can keep my 9.6V 1700mah pack running for most of the day (1500+ rounds). So I would add that in considering the battery size of the gun, a prospective player should realize that a heavy trigger finger is almost as bad as playing in the cold when it comes to battery life.
In other words, it’s much the same again as driving a race-car. Putting the hammer down all the time will waste fuel, and you might not be going all that much faster, either – have a bit of restraint, and you’ll be rewarded with increased gas-efficiency. In this case, ease off the trigger, and your battery will last longer.
There are many battery pack sizes. There’s the flat “mini” along with its other 2/3 A-cell type sisters, the “stick” or “AK”-type, as well as the many custom-shaped packs designed for increased capacity that fit into “stock” locations. There are even more that are configured as 2/3 AA or ¾ AA, or AA-sized custom-configured/shaped packs that can cram into some seriously contorted spaces. On the other hand, there are the “large” or “standard” sized “Sub-C” type cell packs, too. With these “Sub-Cs” physically being much larger than the “minis,” many newbies often wonder if the physically larger battery packs will provide better performance. Again, as with motor types, unless you are specifically controlling to test for this “size” variable, you’ll likely NOT notice a difference either in overall capacity or ROF when comparing a “large” battery with a “mini” that BOTH HAVE THE SAME VOLTAGE AND MAH values.
What does all this technical mumbo-jumbo mean?
Basically, if you’re considering a solid-stock AEG variant over its retractable or folding-stock variant solely based on the type of battery -- “large” vs. “mini” – you actually don’t have to worry that much, and you can toss that consideration right out the window . AA-sized NiCd cells are now easily and readily available with up to 1700 mAh capacity, and there are custom shaped/configured “mini” packs for use in many applications as well. Furthermore, there are plenty of accessories and modifications on the market that allow you to relocate and replace your smaller packs with larger ones. With such setups, even the retractable-stock AEGs (which forces the battery to reside up front in the forend/foregrip/handguard of the SMG/carbine) can have as much electrical power as their full-stock counterparts that use “large” packs. As such, unless you are seeking the ultimate in battery capacity (i.e. 2400 or 3000 mAh, which are, so far, only available with the Sub-Cs in NiCd and NiMH format, respectively), you can rest assured that your performance, overall, between your smaller and a similarly rated larger pack will be nearly equal. You no longer have to decide on your choice of AEG’s based on their battery capacities.
Also, this question inevitably comes up – “Can I run my stock-OEM unmodified TM AEG on a 9.6V pack?”
Answer:
Think of this as grafting in a turbocharger or supercharger to you car.

Think about it -- it's unavoidable and incontrovertible physical law that a higher-stressed system will wear more, right?

As such, you will undoubtedly shorten the usable lifespan of the replica, but exactly how much damage you will cause is something that no-one can predict.

Will you destroy your stock mechabox in a day? Maybe, if something internal wasn't assembled to-spec at the factory, that definitely can happen in that short an amount of time. Will you have a problem in two weeks, two months, or after two years? All unknown.

Remember, for any upgraded system, you're running an increased risk.
Stock OEM TM AEGs only need 8.4V to run at their optimally designed ROF. More juice is not necessary.
And finally, the question of whether or not you need a fuse or if you should take it out – IMHO, keep the fuse.
Why?
Remember, just as your house, car, or even your battery charger has a fuse to protect it as a last-line defense against overload -- the fuse is your AEG's last line of defense.

Certainly, motors are cheap, but what about having to switch out the entire geartrain? What about having to change-out and re-solder fried wiring? What if the spike burns out your circuitboard?

The removal of the fuse is basically a "high-end" upgrade. You will get SLIGHTLY less resistance, provided that everything else is done right -- but just like that F1 race-car that’s running on the edge with few fail-safe systems, when something goes wrong, something goes wrong big time.

This is one of those modifications that can gain you a fraction more performance, but trades-off hugely in terms of overall reliability.
Also, some will make the argument that removing the fuse prevents against a primary fuse failure (read: the fuse being the item that malfunctions, with nothing else wrong with your AEG) from shutting down your day’s worth of gaming – but exactly how many times do you think that a fuse just pops on its own, without something in the wiring or motor, geartrain, or other such systems actually being the primary cause? And do you think that you know enough about your AEG to know the difference between a primary or secondary failure? Big problem, isn’t it? That’s why you should keep the fuse. Sure, if the fuse fails during a game, you might not have an AEG until you can get back to the safe-area/base-camp to install your replacement fuse (and all good players will carry a small packet of fuses with them, your local automotive store will have nice hard carry-packs in-stock), but being forced to use your sidearm is still better than trashing your AEG, right?

Is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. Just remember what you're trading off, and what you intend to receive in return, as well as how the ratio of the two is reflected.
Finally, recently, we’ve seen the move towards higher and higher mAh capacity packs – often packs which are NiMH in construct, that offer anywhere between 20 to 50% increased mAh capacities than their NiCd counterparts.
The question is whether or not these batteries are “worth it” for the newbie player.
IMHO, no, they’re not.
The problem with NiMH cells, in their current (as of June, 2003) state of development and their current usage really limits their potential usefulness and in exchange places heavy demands on the newbie.
Most apparent is that their cost is also typically 20-50% higher than the NiCd cells that they replace. But of more concern is the fact that they require special charging considerations as well as can, depending on the size of the cells and their particular application to different AEG internal setups, bring with them many more considerations than what I believe that newbie players should be forced to deal with.
Current-day NiCd’s are only bothersome in that they need to be properly discharged after use – to a value of 1.1V per cell – to prevent “memory.” Even then, field rapid recharges will not cause much harm to these cells even without such discharges – truly making such discharge cycles only maintenance concerns that need to be addressed once every few charge-discharge cycles. Aside from this factor, their charging and recharging considerations are few to be had. With such ease-of-care, and truly the ability “custom” configured packs to fit nearly every battery need and bring mAh capacity to a high enough value as to be comparable to “larger” cells, I honestly believe that for the beginner, starting out on NiCd packs is the way to go.
Once you’ve become a bit more experienced, and better understand the ins-and-outs of taking care of NiMH packs as well as understand how they may best benefit you in terms of usage and deployment, I think that only then is their added-cost worth the trade-off.

ORIGINAL THREAD:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/edit/7295

This entire article is credited to Chieh Allen Lee a.k.a. DumboRAT.  He asked that IF I made an adjustments, either wording or content that I adjust the font.  If I end up doing so, anything I change will be in red.
_____________________________________

All,
I’ve been involved in airsoft for about four years now, and even after having placed close to 9000 posts on the AirsoftZone Forums, some 3000 on the AirsoftPlayers Forums, 4000+ on the sadly hacked and destroyed (but now reborn) www.AirsoftOhio.com Forums and 1000+ on Arnie’s UK hobbyist Forums, I see every day that the SAME questions pop up again and again. You know, it’s the same:
“Which AEG is best?”
“Which GBB should I get?”
“Do I need a BlackHawk tac-vest to play my first game?”
The list goes on….
And with this set of newbie questions, comes the same remarks from most of the “veterans” on the various Forums and d-boards – “Do a search, the answer is already there.” Then, inevitably, the newbie will complain that they either already did the search, or are just in need of a simple, quick reply – whereby the veterans will then call the newbie lazy and ignorant…. Thereafter, predictably, a flame war ensues.
This is exactly what I wish to avoid.
I hope that this post will serve as a decent starting point for newbies seeking basic information regarding AEGs and GBBs, some basic gear and accessories info, and even basic reads about BBs and batteries. While I most definitely DO NOT know everything, and make NO such claims of being all-knowing, I am writing this FAQ with the best intentions in mind – that my very limited experience may help answer the questions of a newbie player.
What I have posted here is all from my own personal experience as an active skirmish player and collector, as well as knowledge passed on to me in a direct, first-person manner from TRUSTED, well-respected members of the local, regional, and even national/international on-line airsoft communities.
The information contained here, as far as I know, is completely true. If anyone feels that I may have been mistaken or have posted false information, please feel free to post replies in this thread and also to contact me privately at:
CXL77@po.cwru.edu
Finally, remember, this is just a beginner’s FAQ. There is much here that I did not cover, and what I have covered will, to the trained eye of the experienced player have many holes when more advanced considerations are taken into account. You, as the newbie, can trust that this guide will get you started on the right path, but remember that it is only a guide, and YOU must take it upon yourself to seek advanced knowledge as your own experience in any of the divisions/sections covered below increases.
Again, I sincerely hope that this reading will help you, the newbie player, transition in a smooth manner into the wonderful hobby of airsoft.
Allen
aka DumboRAT
========== Newbie FAQ ============
Contents:
Foreword – Why EVERYONE should SEARCH THE FORUMS
Section I – AEGs
- General info., TM, CA, ICS/AE, Academy/Y&P
- TM AEGs
a. Motor type
b. Battery considerations
c. Range/accuracy issues
d. Upgrade concerns
e. Durability, reliability, and maintenance
Section II – GBBs
- General considerations, durability and reliability
- The Hop issue
- So many choices, which one do I choose?
a. A. I want a cheap GBB, what’s out thereI want a cheap GBB, what’s out there?
b. Some generalizations
c. That question that always pop up: KSC and KWA, what’s the deal?
- Knowledge base
a. Gas type
b. How to fill your GBB magazines
c. Additional knowledge – mag maintenance, fill adaptors, and GBB cyclic function
d. More knowledge – GBB general maintenance
- Remembering that the retailers don’t always have your best interests in-mind
Section III – Mock suppressors (“silencers”)
- AEG sound suppression
- GBB sound suppression
- Mock suppressors and “accuracy”
Section IV – Sights, scopes, and lasers
- Mounting considerations
- The Scope/sight itself
a. General considerations
b. Let’s talk specifics, red dot sights
c. More specifics, “traditional” scopes
d. So, which one should I choose, red-dot or traditional?
- Protecting the Lens
- LASER devices
- Zeroing mistakes: aka “Help, I can’t get my sight to zero!”
- Where to shop?
Section V – “Shotguns”
Section VI – “Grenade Launchers”
Section VII – Understanding muzzle velocity/energy
Section VIII – BBs
Section IX – Gear
- A general word about gear for newbies
- Gear basics
a. The bare essentials – protection, hydration, and how to carry all that stuff
b. The same basics, but with a larger budget
c. The anchor and the weight bearer: the pistol-belt and the load-bearing suspenders
d. Holsters – you don’t stick a pistol in your pants crotch, so why would you stick it in a $15 POS holster?
e. The big one, EYE PROTECTION [Parents READ]
- Special considerations: low-light/night skirmish gear
a. Night vision gear
b. Flashlights
- Additional gear references and reading
Section X – Shopping advice [ Parents READ, especially “Legal concerns” section]
- Research first, buy later
- Who’s got the best prices?
- Which retailer can I trust?
- eBay or other auction and various private “classified” pages
- Legal concerns
a. Purchasing overseas and importing|
b. Ownership
Concluding notes
Post script (Special for Ohio airsoft hobbyists and players!)
Foreword – Why EVERYONE should SEARCH THE FORUMS :
Welcome to airsoft!

The first thing that I want to comment on is the absolute need for every newbie to do searches......

The problem with consistently answering the same set of questions is just that.
Eventually, it becomes boring to the one posting the answers -- and that boredom becomes laziness, and that laziness means that more than likely the information that's presented will get more and more truncated, more and more abbreviated (not necessarily more distilled).

Furthermore, any hobby will have turnover. It's unavoidable. We as human beings are awfully good at losing interest. And even the most dedicated hobbyists will, at times, simply meet upon situations outside their control which may take them away from that hobby, either for a while or, sadly, for good.

Either way, it represents a loss of knowledge.

Yes, new blood always brings with it new knowledge and new perspectives -- and new posts can help such new views prosper. But none of that makes up for what is lost. This is why we have books and texts. We've learned through the centuries that our knowledge must be documented so that it can be passed-down to the next generation. And although the various airsoft Forums are far from Shakespeare or Darwin, they are, nonetheless, a form of knowledge transfer, and every newbie owes it to himself or herself to try to learn as much as he/she can from these valuable databases.
In addition to this kind of personnel loss and rotation, we’re also plagued, as a digital information transfer society, with constant loss of data. It’s not like having a book that’s always on-reference at the Library of Congress; our material only exists in the digital bits and bytes that circulate on-line, and every once in a while, a lot of very valuable information is accidentally and unfortunately purged. A LOT of good information is now lost forever and will likely never be replaced (i.e. Wallace's PSG-1 "super huge battery" mod post on the hacker-destroyed old AirsoftOhio Forums, The Almighty’s picture and diagram-linked GBB magazine troubleshooting posts on X-Ring, Wallace’s and others' technical contributions to the running log I had kept on the old AirsoftOhio Forums regarding the CAW/MM Moscart shells).

I'm not so much disappointed for myself – certainly, I regret not having printed out some of those threads or copied them to my hard-drive for reference – but it’s not much of a loss to me as I still recall the discussions and data up in the pea that I call a brain. Instead, what I am most sad for is the loss of that information to the newbies – the loss of scores and scores of excellent posts that were made by members who are no longer posting or even in the hobby anymore.

With each "generation," it seems like we're trying to reinvent the wheel.

When I first got into the hobby, I literally spent a month reading through just about *_all_* of the past threads on the then popular (but now sadly totally defunct) AirsoftGuns.com d-boards, the again long-gone X-Ring d-boards, and the then-popular BlackRain7.com Forums. I soaked up as much as I can, figured out who would spew BS as soon as they got on the keyboard and whose words I could trust, and gradually increased my knowledge base.

Slow? Yes.

Painful? Yes.

Profitable? Definitely.
All the reading I did turned me away from un-necessary purchases, and helped me see what to do, and what not to do, under certain situations. They helped me understand how to go about making those tough first decisions as to what to buy. They told me who to buy from, and which shops to avoid.

By digging through all the old posts, you'll quickly come to see whose words you can trust, who writes stuff you have to kinda watch out for and take discount of, and who just plain spews crap.

That's important.
As a general word of advice, after having gone through college and graduate school, remember to taper your searches to be more and more broad after an initial focused search -- regardless of what search engine you're using or how specialized that engine might be (from Google and Dogpile to the smaller search engines that are found within each and every hobbyist Forum/d-board), the initial search should be focused, but a null result should prompt you to broaden your search parameters.

Section 5 – Gear

a.   Eye Protection

The most important part of your airsoft gear is your eye protection! Absolutely under no circumstances should you ever play airsoft without the appropriate safety goggles!

Many fields, specifically all big event fields in Michigan require the use of full seal goggles. What are full seal goggles? Well, they are goggles which uses foam or another substance to create a seal completely around the eyes protecting them from any angle. Paintball goggles for example, are full seal.

ANSI rated goggles are also a must. Full seal goggles which are made out of flimsy plastic or rubber are NOT acceptable. Anything which could be pierced by a bb does not belong on your eyes when playing airsoft. The last thing you want to have happen is for your eye to get injured. Not only could you potentially go blind, but it would be a giant disaster for the entire airsoft community.

b. Camouflage

Another thing that every airsofter should own, a set of camouflage. The main idea of airsoft is to simulate the military, and one step in the correct direction is getting yourself a set of cammies. A simple set of Woodland BDU's is very affordable and enough to get you started, you can pick up a set at pretty much any Surplus store for under $50.

Once you get more involved with this great sport, you will find that you want multiple sets of camo, such as MARPAT, perhaps Desert, a CQC set and a Winter set. There really is a large amount of camo's out there, each are effective in certain regions and ineffective in others. For instance, TriColor Desert will stick out like a sore thumb in a field of lush green grass, while MARPAT would blend in rather effectively.

c. Vests and Pouches

The new airsofter will often run around in just his BDU's, without a holster or vest of any sort. While this is manageable, keeping spare magazines in your cargo or back pockets gets very old, very fast. A very basic vest that will hold multiple magazines as well as various other items can be found for under $30; many find it essential to have with you while on the field.

There is a enormous amount of different vests out there, and picking one for yourself can often be fairly overwhelming. The most important part about picking one out, is finding what suits you the best. There are extremely light weight vests which just have a couple magazine pouches, and then there are plate carriers which are much bulkier and carry ballistic plates in them. To figure out what is the best fit, is up to you and you alone. Browsing your local army surplus store and various online stores will give you a much better idea of what might work for you.

Another one of the very nice things to have with you is a camel back that will hold water for you on the field. These can be bought in backpacks, but they are readily available for under $15 as a pouch to put on the back of your vest. They come in very handy on those long hot summer days when you don't want to have to drag a canteen along with you.

d. Holsters

If you ever upgrade your AEG, or roll with a Sniper Rifle, or other high powered replica, than carrying a Pistol on your person is almost a necessity. The reason being their lower FPS so that you may engage people within the engagement limits of your other replica.

There is a wide variety of holsters available for carrying your pistol in, and they range in price and quality from about $5 to over $100. For general airsoft use, and for the new player, the cheaper, cloth holsters are all you need. These are typically adjustable so that they can fit a large amount of different pistols and usually have a thumb break on them. The thumb break is a small strap at the rear of the replica when it is holstered and prevents it from popping out when you don't want it to. These are typically attached with a button which can be easily disengaged with your thumb, then allowing you to draw your replica from the holster.

More expensive holsters are available, and any real steel holster will be more than enough for airsoft. These can include SERPAs, Safarilands, Fobus, and other retention holsters. I won't go too much into depth with these as they are normally a little expensive for the newer airsofter.

e. Slings

To be honest, until recently, I was a newb when it came to the usefulness of quality holsters and slings. First, I will start with slings. There are 3 general types of slings, they are 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point slings. The typical sling that most people think of is the 2 point sling which attaches to two points of the replica, typically at the very front and the very rear of the replica. This provides a very basic way of hanging your replica during travel and in combat. However these being very basic, are typically hard to adjust on the fly. Now there are expensive 2 point slings which run about $50 which are extremely nice and adjustable, allowing you to sling a replica on your back and tighten it up so it does not bounce around, and then easily being able to loosen it for quick access and use while you are in combat, as well as the ability to tighten it back up quickly for secure transport on your back.

The next, and my favorite sling, is the 1 point sling. These are typically seen in accompany with a Plate Carrier or some other type of vest in order to provide maximum comfort. The one point sling attaches at 1 point on the replica, typically these are used with M4's and attach to the rear of the receiver. These look like a loop with 1 clip on it and hang around the neck so that when the replica is dropped it hangs at the center of your body without striking the ground and can easily be picked back up and shouldered. The best feature of the 1 point is that it can be attached to a vest so that when it is hanging it rests extremely comfortably on both of your shoulders. My 1 point sling, which has a bungee incorporated into it for increased comfort when it is dropped, cost me only $15 and came with the adapter to use with my M4. It was one of the best purchases I have ever made in my 5 years of airsoft.

The last is the 3 point sling, which typically attaches at 1 point towards the front of the replica, and wraps completely around the butt stock of the replica. These are popular due to their versatility, there isn't one set way to use the 3 point sling, but rather over 20 ways to sling a replica on your person. The way you choose to sling it depends on what you personally find the most comfortable and the most useful.

All in all, get a sling, they don't cost that much, and you will be much happier with one that without one. It will save your arms on those long days and make sure that you never lose your replica again (yes, this has actually happened).

f. Boots

The 2nd most important piece of gear one can own is your boots! When crossing rugged terrain, your tactical tennies just will not cut it. You'll end up with a twisted or rolled ankle, and it will ruin your entire day of play.

Now boots are not that expensive, and I highly suggest getting a pair from a military surplus store as they will typically have inexpensive boots that will provide you with a comfortable sole and superior support compared to that of your typical hiking boot.

You can pick up a pair of breathable, desert boots for about $20-30 at your local surplus store. If you want waterproof boots (an absolute must for winter) then you should look into spending a little more, closer to $40 or $50 as you really get what you pay for. Any leak in a water proof boot will lead straight to soaking wet socks.

g. Gloves

Now this is an area that I feel fairly strongly about, especially after completing a little experiment of my own as to the damage that ones hands would receive in a CQB setting without any gloves on. Needless to say, my hands were severely welted, and a bloody mess, which actually led to a small infection on my knuckle. I cannot stress how important even a cheap pair of gloves is for any style of airsoft play, but most especially for CQB. Yes, it still hurts to be shot in the hand with gloves on, but there is never any significant damage.

There are a few pretty popular types of gloves on the market. You have your typical leather glove that you can find in Meijer and Walmart, a work glove, similar to that of a Mechanix glove, Nomex Flight Gloves, and then various other higher priced, reinforced gloves. Out of all of those, Nomex Flight Gloves are likely the best bang for your buck, they provide a fair amount of protection, but most importantly will form tightly to your hand, making it easier to use your replica, a radio and what not without having to cut off the finger tips like you have to do with so many other gloves.

I personally went out and purchased the Oakley Standard Issue gloves which ran me about $80 shipped, but have reinforced knuckles and are extremely comfortable, however, an affordable pair of Nomex Flight Gloves can be purchased for under $20 and will be absolutely all you need for airsoft.



Section 6 – Events

a.   How to Find Events

Regardless of what forum that I have been on, there is always an events section. It is there that you should go in and look for events that may be close to you.

b. What to Bring

There are so many little things that one should bring to an event, and I will try to include the basics here. You will want the following:
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE! (makes every game better)
Water (lots of it)
Full Seal ANSI Goggles (if you don't know what they are, ask to make sure yours qualify)
Your airsoft replica
A fully charged battery for your replica if it is an AEG
Gas for your replica's if they run on gas
More than enough bb's for the day (I usually bring at least 2,000 but some may go through more)
Your camouflage or uniform for the day
Magazines for your replica (remember these are NOT called clips)
A red rag to be used as a kill rag
Money for admission, and extra just in case you need to buy something
Good, hardy boots
Spare batteries for any optics or accessories you may have
All your tactical gear (vest, belt, knee pads, gloves, helmet, etc)
A signed waiver

c. Event Etiquette

The most important thing I can suggest to new people coming to events is to have a positive attitude, and to look at it as a learning experience. If you come out and act like you know it all, you will most likely be frowned upon and have a rather poor time out there on the field. Honor and integrity are huge for airsoft, and is what this sport is based upon. You must respect everyone on the field and call your hits, even when you're not sure if you got hit or not. What's the worst thing that will happen? We have the luxury in airsoft of being able to come home at the end of the day even if we have taken a round to the forehead. So be thankful for that, and learn from your mistake, and grow from it.

d. What Not to Do

NEVER remove your goggles while on the playing field. Even though you may not think that someone is out there, a stray round could hit you in the eye at any time and cause permanent blindness. This is a serious risk, and a problem I see with a lot of new guys on the field.

Yelling and screaming at people to call their hits is a disgrace to the sport and disrespectful to everyone around you. If you have a problem with someone, talk to a field moderator in a calm fashion, yelling and being belligerent will not help your case.

Do NOT shoot at animals. I cannot tell you how many people I have kicked off my field for doing this. Shooting squirrels or birds with airsoft guns is not only morally wrong, but is actually a punishable crime.

And lastly, do not forget that it is a game, that we all enjoy and have fun playing. This is not a competition sport where you have to win to have fun. If you enjoy the camaraderie and adrenaline rush, you can genuinely have a blast while losing the battle. After all, that's what this is all about, having fun!

CREDIT goes to TEX for creating the original thread:  http://miairsoft.proboards.com/thread/18703/newbie-faq-updated-10-29

Newbie F.A.Q.
 

A little info on myself:
I've been into this wonderful sport of Airsoft since 2003, I dabbled into it a bit before hand with springers and the like for many years prior, but unlike most of the new airsofters, I don't consider that airsoft. I've made a couple thousand posts here and there on various forums but chose to primarily stick with my local Michigan Airsoft forum. Also over the time I started opening up gearboxes, and becoming a little better known for my ability to fix and upgrade replica's. Having spent year repairing and upgrading Airsoft replicas for nearly a decade, I have expanded my knowledge considerably and would like to share it with you. Over these past years honestly, the same new guys come on with the same questions…
"What gun is the best?"
"Which one should I get?"
"Gas or electric?"
"Do I need camouflage to play?"

I could go on and on and on with the frequently asked questions. I have found myself occasionally telling them to Google it or to look in the forums like 5 posts below their own since the question was already answered. And I tried directing them at some of the other FAQ's that I had found, but none of them seemed to do the trick. Thus, this FAQ was created.

Now hopefully this will answer most of those basic questions that I dread to read on the forums. However, I may be wrong in one of my statements and if so, PLEASE, correct me. This is just a compilation of things I have learned over the years both first hand and from others. I don't know everything about Airsoft there is to know, actually there are a few subjects I don't know very much about, but I have a firm understanding of all the basics, which will be included in this FAQ.

Any questions/comments/etc. please don't not hesitate to contact me at cgyarring@gmail.com

Thanks, and enjoy the read.
Caleb
a.k.a. Big Texas



 
 
 
 
 
 
**************Newbie FAQ************
Contents:

Preface – Why everyone should search the forums!!

Section 1 – AEGs
a. Basic Overview
b. High End AEGs
c. Low End (Clone) AEGs
d. AEPs
e. Upgrades

Section 2 – GBBs
a. Basic Overview
b. GBB/NBB
c. Gas Choices
d. Upgrades

Section 3 - Springers
a. Basic Overview
b. Spring Pistols
c. Stock Spring Replicas
d. Upgraded Spring Replicas

Section 4 – Accessories
a. Mock Supressors
b. Reddots
c. Scopes
d. Flashlights/Lasers
e. M203s

Section 5 – Gear
a. Eye Protection
b. Camouflage
c. Vests and Pouches
d. Holsters
e. Slings
f. Boots
g. Gloves

Section 6 – Events
a. How to Find Events
b. What to Bring
c. Event Etiquette
c. What Not to Do
 
 
Preface: Why everyone should search the forums![/u]
 
Possibly the most important thing you can do as a new and veteran player to this sport, is to utilize the search function in your various forums and on Google. Why you ask? Because honestly, the question you have was almost definitely asked before, the answer is out there, and all you have to do is look. We don't mind giving out the answers to obscure or even basic questions, but, when a question has been asked 5 times in the previous month, we tend to get a little aggravated, if not pissy when such a question is asked again.

The answer is out there! I promise you this. And why do I know it? Because, I've answered them all way too often. It may not be on this specific forum, but I can almost guarantee you that it is on another!

Now as time goes on, facts change. CA is no longer a poor choice for replica's as they have upped their QC significantly since the days of their infamous gear stripping. Systema's Red Polycarbonate piston still has major issues. Now, I didn't find these out first hand. I found these out by researching! There is so much information out there, and yes, it may take a while to find it, but you find out so many other things along the way while you read through the forums.

The difficult part, is judging whether or not the person who answered the question is full of crap, or outdated. Outdated is simple, if it's 3years old, there's a likeliness that something has changed, and you should find yourself a more recent answer. And always, try to find the same answer twice, if you do that you are much more likely to get the correct answer, rather than a 13yr old kid spouting off BS. Never trust a retailers website. What is written there is to sell their product, and not always factual.

All in all search; if the first one comes up with nothing, search again! But be less specific and use broader terms such as "kjw airsoft gbb", something quite broad but should give you information about that KJW P226 you saw some guy selling for cheap. And even if your question is not answered, I guarantee you will know a lot more than you did before if you read through all the results that closely match what you're looking for.

With that in mind, remember; search before you ask your question. Not only will others appreciate it, but you will become much more knowledgeable in the process.
 
 
Section One – AEG's
 
a.   Basic Overview
 
What is an AEG? An Automatic Electric Gun, or in laments terms an airsoft replica which is powered by a battery. An AEG consists of a few key parts the battery, the motor, the gearbox, the magazine, the hop up, the barrel and the body. Each piece working together in order for the replica to function properly. Typically, these replicas have the ability to fire on full auto, and are the primary weapon for at least 90% of those who play Airsoft.

How they work – Essentially, the battery sends power to the motor when the trigger is pulled, causing the motor to spin. The gear on the motor, then causes the 3 gears inside the gearbox to spin. These gears then cause the piston to pull back against the spring, drawing air into the cylinder. Once the piston is fully back, the gears release it, and it is pushed forward by the spring. This process quickly releases the air that was sucked into the cylinder through the small air nozzle. This air pushes the bb which is sitting directly in front of the air nozzle through the hop up and out the barrel.

Now, as with everything you can buy these days, there is a wide range of quality and with such, a wide price range. There are the originals, and cheaper Chinese clones of them. Yet, they are still all AEG's, this section will hopefully allow you to determine whether the AEG you are looking at is worth purchasing or not.
 
b.   High End AEG's
 
The most common high end AEG's on the market as of 2008 include: Tokyo Marui (TM), Classic Army (CA), I Chih Shivan (ICS), Guay & Guay (G&G), VFC, and STAR.

Note: Systema's are not normal AEG's they are in a category of their own as they use a higher lvl of technology in their replica's and are widely known as the best replica's on the market.

These AEGs are your best choice in terms of durability and quality. They are typically around $200 and up for their replicas many of these include metal bodies and all have high quality internals. The Tokyo Marui is hands down the best AEG on the market when it comes to longevity. A stock TM is known to easily last 5 years without problems (granted it is well taken care of), and I even know of several TM's upgraded with metal bushings and an PDI 150% spring that also lasted 5 years of continuous use with no break downs.

The Classic Army is a very popular choice especially for the Armalites which combines a metal body and nice Armalite trades with quality internal parts. ICS is known for it’s split gearbox design on the M4 series which has been hit or miss in terms of quality, getting better in recent times of course. G&G is making great steps towards being a top dog amongst other airsoft companies putting out some really high quality products at affordable prices.

All in all, if you pick up any of the high end AEG’s you will likely be happy with your purchase. Just remember, there are some models that each company puts out that have a lot of issues. Be sure to do your research before making an investment and purchasing any replica!

 
c.   Low End (Clone) AEG's
The most common low end AEG's on the market as of 2008 include: Echo1, JG, Dboys, A&K and Cyma.

These replicas are dubbed “clones” because they typically are a cheaper copy of a more expensive replica out on the market. Normally the company they choose to copy is Tokyo Marui. They are made in factories in which quality control is not as much of a concern, so not all their replicas are the same, some have a little too much grease, others too little, the same with the sizes of o-rings, strength of springs and amount of shims on the gears. What seems like small things that could easily be checked for actually save these companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Most of the clones have plastic bodies similar to that of a TM, however, they are much cheaper plastic and more prone to breaking. As for the clones with a metal body, they are made of extremely cheap, thin, pot metal, and you are far better off with the plastic bodied clones.

These replicas do come with a much lower price tag, typically for under $150 you can get a replica, battery, charger and high capacity magazine and get yourself out onto the field to play this awesome sport without spending too much money. However, you do not get the longevity that you would get from purchasing a high end AEG. More often than not I see younger people get into this sport with a clone, and quit just a few months later because their replica took a crap and they don’t feel it’s worth it to try to fix.

So be careful when you purchase a clone, research it thoroughly before you make your choice so that you get the best one on the market. For instance the JG G36c is an amazing clone and entirely worth purchasing if you like the G36 rifle. On the other hand the Dboy’s M4 is a worthless piece of scrap metal.
 
d.   AEPs

AEPs (Automatic Electric Pistols) are a new type of AEG available on the market today. These are similar to AEGs in that they use a battery as the main power source, but differ as they are much smaller, and use 4 gears in the gearbox as opposed to the typical 3.
Since the AEPs are so much smaller than AEGs they lack the FPS of their larger counterparts. A typical stock AEP will fire at about 220-230FPS at a decent rate of fire. They are very nice to use in the winter when gas replicas do not perform very well, and the ability for full auto is a nice touch. The downside to the AEP is that they lack the realism that a GBB does as the slide does not blow back at all.

There are a few upgrades you can do for durability, accuracy and power to your AEP, but the only one that I suggest is to upgrade your battery and barrel, all other internal upgrades have proven moderately useless. Perhaps increasing the spring power to get up to 265FPS is worth it, but on a pistol, range is not a big deal and I would suggest keeping it stock for longer life.

AEPs are very effective in close quarters and a very smart purchase for those who have winter months in which the typical gas blow back pistol is ineffective. I highly suggest AEPs to all airsofters, they are great investments!


e.   Upgrades

There are TONS of upgrades available for you AEG. There are some very quick, affordable upgrades, and then there are the extremely expensive ones that involve a complete gearbox rebuild. I will give you a brief overview of them, and divide them into two categories: External and Internal Upgrades.

The most common upgrade is the External upgrade. The most popular of which are silencers and optics. Others include metal bodies, custom stocks, RIS and RAS kits, Vertical Grips PEQ Boxes, etc. The list goes on and on. But the thing they all have in common is that they are outside of the replica and very quick, and easy to do by yourself. You by no means need to have any of these things professionally installed, other than the metal body which some people may have problems with. They external upgrades can be as cheap as $10 and can cost upwards of $1000 for full kits. There’s really a lot you can do to your replica and it is encouraged that you do so to make yours look different from the rest.

Internal Upgrades, my personal favorite, and expertise. The most common internal upgrade is the simple spring upgrade, which will instantly increase the FPS (feet per second) that your replica fires at. It is so common because it increases the range of your replica, something almost everyone wants to do. The down side to this is that it increase the stress on all the internal parts of your gearbox, leading to premature breaking of parts. In order to counter act that, most people add upgraded gears and pistons that are more durable, in order to keep their replica lasting for a long time. For those who have nylon bushings, upgrading to metal ones is a must, it will improve the life of your replica drastically.

For those who wish to upgrade to rather high FPS, many of the stock parts need to be replaced to ensure long life. The gears, piston, piston head and motor are the parts of main concern. The spring guide, cylinder head and gearbox shell are often upgraded as well, but not necessary unless extremely high FPS is being attempted (over 420fps).

The easiest and best upgrade you can get for your AEG is a tight bore barrel. It requires basic disassembly of your replica, and gives you a considerably improved performance. It will give you a slight increase in your FPS, and a considerable improvement to your accuracy. When you do upgrade to a tight bore it is suggested that you start using higher quality bb’s in order to prevent jams which sometimes occur with cheaper bb’s that sometimes have small burs on them.

The other extremely easy upgrade, for an AEG is a higher voltage battery. Now it won’t increase accuracy, durability or power of your replica. But it will increase your rate of fire, and if you get a higher mAh battery, it will make it last for more shots on each charge of the battery.

In closing, leaving a replica in its stock form is usually the best in order to keep it running for a long time. I typically only upgrade once one of my replica’s breaks and needs a part to be replaced, because, hey, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!




Section 2 – GBBs

a.   Basic Overview

What does GBB even stand for? “Gas Blow Back.” This is normally used when referring to pistols as GBB rifles are far and few between. These gas replica’s are the closest to the real steel counter parts that you can get because of the added realism of blow back that they have.

These are hands down the most common side arms in airsoft and are available for about $40 to $300 or more. Many of these come with metal slides and frames and sound amazingly like their real steel counter parts when the slide is racked.

How they work – The magazine is filled with gas and bb’s and inserted into the mag well. When the hammer is cocked back and the trigger is pulled a burst of gas exits the magazine and flows upward both propelling the bb forward and forcing the slide backwards (this also re-cocks the hammer). The slide then is pushed forward by the recoil spring, loading a bb into the chamber and is again ready to fire. That is the basic mechanics of how they work, and enough to give you a general grasp on how they function.

b. GBB/NBB

While GBBs are the most common of gas replicas, there are also some NBBs or “Non Blow Back” replicas on the market. These include a handful of pistols, shotguns, and long rifles. They use the gas in a much more efficient way simply using it to propel the bb forward and not having to use any to rack a slide back. These often have higher fps and get a lot more shots per magazine fill.
The downside to NBBs in terms of pistols is the lack of realism that they have in comparison to the GBB. They also tend to have a very heavy trigger pull. This is because on a NBB, it does not automatically re-cock the hammer with every shot so your trigger pull ends up cocking the hammer for you. The bolt action sniper rifles and shotguns that use gas however are very realistic, and extremely fun to use! The only downside is that they are not very reliable in cold weather.

c. Gas Choices

There are a few different options on the market for gas to use in order to fuel your GBB or NBB. The most common is Green Gas or Propane and they are the “middle” of the three power levels of gas on the market. You can buy these in ready to use Green Gas cans which have the adaptor on them to fill your magazines along with an added fragrance to cover up the smell of the gas. Propane is simply Green Gas without lubricant or scent added to it. It can be bought in just about any grocery store and at many gas stations. You will need to purchase a propane adapter as well as some 100% silicone in order to use it, but it is cheaper than green gas in the long run. You just need to remember to add silicone when filling up your magazines otherwise the seals will dry out and your magazines will no longer hold gas!

Next, is HFC134a and Duster Gas, these are the lower powered gas on the market. 134a gas can be purchased just like Green Gas in ready to use containers, which Duster gas is simply the compressed air you buy at Best Buy or Meijer for cleaning out computers. You will need an adapter in order to use the Duster Gas in an airsoft replica, silicone is also suggested!

Next, is red gas. It is rarely used and is the highest powered gas on the market. Very few GBB replica’s are reinforced enough to use it, and it is primarily used in sniper rifles and other NBB platforms.
The last, is C02, the same stuff used by paintballers. These are becoming slightly more popular because of how affordable the C02 NBB pistols are on the market. Unlike the other gases C02 can only be used in specific replicas because of how it is used in the magazines. A small non-reusable cartridge filled with C02 is inserted into the magazine and once the gas is depleted, the cartridge is thrown away. C02 is more powerful than Green Gas and Propane, yet still less powerful than Red gas.

d. Upgrades

There are a few common upgrades to the typical GBB. These include, tight bore barrels, metal frames and slides, as well as outer barrel and high-flow valves. Upgraded recoil and hammer springs as well as various other accessories like grips, mag wells, sights, silencers, tac lights. There are a large amount of options out there, and with each of the performance upgrades comes a side effect. For instance, high-flow valves increase the FPS output of your replica, but, use a lot more gas per shot. Metal slides will need an upgraded recoil spring, otherwise the recoil may become sluggish if it was intended to be used with a plastic slide.

Adding externals like a tactical light, and grips and the like will not alter the performance and once more are extremely suggested in order to make your replica custom and unique!