Figuring out which M4 AEG to choose...

[MooseHead92]

Hello ASC, how are you all doing?

So, it's time to FINALLY get a damn M4 setup going on. But I am really BAD at deciding what I want sometimes, so I'm looking for advice from the more knowledgeable fellows around here.

Here's what I'm looking at:

Joe over at UltimateAirsoft recommends this: G&G GTAdvanced TR-16 CQW. I checked it out for a minute at the arena, and it looked pretty nice but I can't say the externals are on par with G&P's. (My primary objective is top-notch externals + decent stock performance... Internals are irrelevant as of now).

Myself, I'm debating these ones here:

G&P M4 Sentry (Black) - a personal favorite, seen it in-store and it stuck with me.
G&P LMT (TR) - while it doesn't have the bolt-lock RIS that the Sentry has, I like the lack of high-contrast trades on it.
G&P MRP M4 - again, subtle engraved trades on it, and a monolithic upper receiver that's something I'm definitely looking for.

What do you say, ASC? Some advice? Any owners?

[MaybeStopCalling]

How much do you plan on messing around with the gun? Are you the type that plays it stock, maybe bolts on a sight and calls it a day, or do you see yourself tinkering with the rifle to make it EXACTLY how you want it?

[MooseHead92]

I'll play it stock until something breaks, then I have big plans for it.

[sab567]

G&P have nice external, but ...
their internal are a piece of crap (the worst thing I never saw)

[Styrak]

The G&G Toptechs are excellent guns, with both great externals and internals.

[MaciekA]

I still personally only recommend G&Ps for people that are willing to do a complete re-work of the rifle right out of the box. To this day I have yet to see a single G&P that hasn't had at least one major issue of the box.

Things like the gears breaking within the first few shots after getting the gun, missing motors, (yes, really, from the store you're about to buy from too), hopups that don't feed, completely non-working mags (I can't remember the last G&P mag I saw that worked out of the box -- even my MP5 G&P mags needed repair), motor height adjustment screws falling out, terribly mismatched upper/lower receivers impacting the ability to feed or causing receiver pins to fall out (!!), other feeding problems, etc, etc.

I know G&P's externals are very enticing and the models they sell have a lot of cool factor (LMT, Sentry, etc) and the powdercoat paint job is hard to resist, but if you value your time and/or sanity, you may want to look at something else...

VFC, G&G, anything Taiwanese really is going to kill it on out-of-the-box experience compared to G&P.

[MaciekA]

If you've got a big hard-on for the LMT / Sentry / M4-fanboy look and want to build a fancy M4 with lots of funky Magpul stuff on it, I recommend starting with pretty much anything other than G&P and then looking at something like the Madbull front set kits to build your own unique gun. If you still must have G&P externals you can always pick up one of their bodies, which can often yield decent results so as long as you don't start with one of their fully-built AEGs (assuming it didn't come with missing parts... sigh. I wish I was making this up).

[MooseHead92]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

I still personally only recommend G&Ps for people that are willing to do a complete re-work of the rifle right out of the box.

I know G&P's externals are very enticing and the models they sell have a lot of cool factor (LMT, Sentry, etc) and the powdercoat paint job is hard to resist, but if you value your time and/or sanity, you may want to look at something else...

I budgeted this project including the costs of a complete gearbox+hopup+barrel overhaul.

I have a buddy that has the Sentry, apart from the gearbox being meh and crapping out a buy early, he's been alright. I had a G&P Canadian Carbine for a bit (loaned from same guy for 2 weeks) and I pretty much loved it.

Anyways, I do a check-up whenever I buy Airsoft guns... Take it home and inspect everything short of cracking the gearbox open. That's how I got pissed with CYMA.

I'll check out the GR-16 CQW again, and the G&P's.

Originally Posted by MaciekA

If you've got a big hard-on for the LMT / Sentry

lol, understatement.

[Oshiha]

If your building ground up, keep in mind that the total $ spend goes very high very fast!
I had the same choice as you, but ending up buying a G&P Sentry, and overhauling it (piston, piston head, gears, bearings, motor, hop up chamber). My sentry doesn't seem like it has mismatched receivers, so some people might be getting lemons.

[MooseHead92]

Originally Posted by Styrak

The G&G Toptechs are excellent guns, with both great externals and internals.

Well, Styrak has spoken so automatically I feel more attracted to that G&G. And Joe over at Ultimate told me they're beastly guns.

Originally Posted by Oshiha

If your building ground up, keep in mind that the total $ spend goes very high very fast!
I had the same choice as you, but ending up buying a G&P Sentry, and overhauling it (piston, piston head, gears, bearings, motor, hop up chamber). My sentry doesn't seem like it has mismatched receivers, so some people might be getting lemons.

Question is... would you do it again? Was it worth it in the end? I am gonna gut this thing anyways if it's a G&P... so my main focus is externals. Sturdy, sexy externals.

[MooseHead92]

Das Bump...

Anyone else have a story to share about their AR-15 platforms? I was looking at King Arms as well... I'm thinking to just suck it up and go for a VFC Hk416.

offtopic, somehow... I was looking at the Ares/UMAREX G36 line. What's the difference between let's say the C and the CV?
I am thinking of grabbing a mid-size G36 and work on that but I'm concerned about a few things...
1) Are the abovementioned manufacturers any good?
2) How to deal with proprietary parts crapping out?
3) Who's been reliably happy with their Ares/Umarex G36?

[bizkilter]

I've had a JG for about a year now, all I had to do was throw a bit of velcro into the back of the magwell for my pmags to feed properly. I have a G&G as well and pretty much the same thing. They're both upgraded now but that was personal preference, not because anything failed.

[thpethalK]

If you've got a thing for externals you might also want to take a look at VFCs

[blackjack21]

May I suggest one of the VFC M4e series. I have one and it is absoulutly fab right out of the box. Maybe $80. more than the G&P models you have linked (here in canda the land of airsoft price gouging...)

[Freeze]

I believe the difference between the G36C and CV is the stock and possibly the handle/scope thing.