Gas vs Electric gun maintenance/reliability

[lurkingknight]

in a perfect world where pistons don't strip, pot metal doesn't break and mags are sealed... it boils down to this:

If all you play is milsim where realcap matters, gbbr fits very nicely since there usually are ammo restrictions. Everyone plays a slower pace, even the fire fights are generally slower, less ammo means more caution. Cooldown effect is not as big a deal since shots are going to be more spaced out.

If you're going to play a lot of skirmish a GBBR can be outgunned very fast. A guy with 10 midcaps for his aeg even playing conservatively without much spray and pray can outperform and outlast you. 2 AEGs vs 2 GBBRs, means they can outsupress and out maneuver you given they have much more ammo to suppress with.

In a fast firefight where lots of rounds are being exchanged, your mags cooldown and you start loosing power/range, an AEG will then outrange you until your mag can warm back up.

There are still folks that skirmish GBBRs though, and it can be made to work, you just need to work within their operational envelope.

[McCrea]

These are mostly problems for the WE or WA family of GBBR. In the 2 years I had my KJW, mags never had a leak, the gun was almost stock but the velocity reducer and piston head (did run it as my primary) and with the velocity reducer, almost no fps variance...

Originally Posted by Blackthorne

Unless you are handy stay away until you can spend some time with a friends:

• Mags almost all leak from the factory and have to be repaired. This is an ongoing problem.
• Small stock components break as they are made of cheap materials, these will need to be upgraded
• FPS variance with gas has already been covered

The list goes on. IF you are handy however, they are WAY easier to work on than an AEG, especially if you are even passingly familiar with the real thing.

They function on a more simple system with less parts to troubleshoot.

Not my first choice as an entry level gun, but for most once you like me you'll love em.

[SuperHog]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeRambo

Coming from paintball i have a hard time feeling manly with a gun that does not kick at all and makes electric sounds. Therefore im pretty much dead-set on purchasing a gas operated gun.
That being said do they require alot more maintenance and/or are they alot less reliable??
Thanks

If you are coming from paintball, you are already spoil from regulated HPA system, walkable trigger, and motorized hoppers. Unless you are still using CO2 unregulated kinda like a GBBR in airsoft.

An AEG with a MOSFET trigger should satisfy the transition over to airsoft.

If you want a practical workhorse, then an AEG.

The other thing about paintball, you need to lob your balls, whereas airsoft have a hop up that keeps the trajectory fairly flat.

The other thing, is budget your spending on your other gear like chest rig, side arm , hydration, clothing, etc. You will need more than a gun to get into this sport.

[m102404]

All airsoft guns will breakdown. Either wear out or fail. There is no 100% reliable, never fail, any type of weather gun.

Gas rifles are just too much fun not to use. That's it.

At least for myself and many others...what makes for a happy day is to run a gas rifle in 15-40C temps and switch to an electric (or CO2) if the weather goes cooler. The electric also serves as a backup (or a change of pace)...which is never a bad thing to have.

Don't know about you but the last thing I want is to be sitting around without a gun when I've spent weeks/months planning and getting set for a big game. If/when a gun goes down...grab your spare and get back into it.

Too much maintenance...not really. More unreliable...not really in the grand scheme of things.

All guns will have issues/faults/niggles. Most can be remedied. You will be working on your gun eventually...either for repairs or upgrades. It is less of a PITA to work on a gas rifle than it is to fix an AEG.

[lurkingknight]

best compromise is an AEG rifle and gas smg as secondary :P

[Horilka]

I would say best compromise to have both AEG and GBBR and use whatever you feel like firing today
I would prefer GBBR over AEG in milsim games where everybody else use low-caps. Otherwise I use AEG. Really they are so different, it's like comparing apples with oranges.
And yes, for newbies AEG is the way unless one wants to have a gun that operates similar to RS.

[TheyCallMeRambo]

well heres why i feel i can still handle a GBBR because in paintball most markers (spool valve in particular if any of you know what im talking about) you have to relube the 3-7 o-rings after every day of play, you also have to clean everything else because of the paint and then also the low and high pressure regulators every few months.
So unless the maintenance is particularly difficult i think ill be fine there.

The only things that worry me now is mags leaking.
How much more expensive gas mags to AEG mags are.
And if the same consequences apply for GBB pistols.

Thanks

[SuperHog]

Originally Posted by TheyCallMeRambo

well heres why i feel i can still handle a GBBR because in paintball most markers (spool valve in particular if any of you know what im talking about) you have to relube the 3-7 o-rings after every day of play, you also have to clean everything else because of the paint and then also the low and high pressure regulators every few months.
So unless the maintenance is particularly difficult i think ill be fine there.

The only things that worry me now is mags leaking.
How much more expensive gas mags to AEG mags are.
And if the same consequences apply for GBB pistols.

Thanks

gas mags are expensive and there are DIY things you can do to make them more reliable. I have a KRISS Vector GBBR coming. That will be my fun toy.

I buy my AEG mags in bulk which works out about $8 each. You can't do that with gas mags.

GBB pistols is your sidearm. I doubt you would use that as your main gun on the field.

[Zita]

GBBR Mags are $40 for a 30 round mag (assuming WE mags). AEG Mags vary slightly depending on quality and type (Mid Cap, High Cap) but are generally about $10 -$15 each

[SuperHog]

Oh, I have lost the odd AEG magazine. I wouldn't want to lose a GBB magazine.