The Ultimate Spring Gun Guide

-Updated: October 20, 2006Table of Contents (Use Control + F, then a keyword, to navigate faster) 1. Introduction (and brands) 2. Spring Gun Buyer's Guide (pistols and rifles) ... $0-10 ... $11-20 ... $21-30 ... $31-40 ... $41-50 ... $51-70 ... $71-90 ... $91-110 ... $111-up ... Guns to Avoid 3. Equipment and Gear Essentials ... $0-20 ... $21-50 ... $51-Above 4. Maintenance and BBs ... What is in a BB? ... Basic Spring Gun Maintenance 5. Painting and Modification ... Basic Paint Brands and Steps ... Basic Modification 6. Resource Links ... Reviews ... Other ... Retailers 7. Editing and Thanks 1. Introduction -

Since I still manage to see random topics here and there, I thought maybe I could just make a topic combining two buyers guides with my own information. This is also made to revise the guides to include some of the more recent guns when they come. Rustpot's guides have been deleted as of February 19, 2005. The old forums no longer carry them, so I can't link to them. It's unfortuante... WARNING! All unlisted brands are usually not seen very often by the casual Airsofter. This serves only as a guide to help GUIDE you into the spring weapon you want. If you feel you don't want to buy any of the recommended guns, I'm not stopping you. To everyone ELSE, Don't flame people who don't want a mainstream gun. Please. I've seen way too much flaming on these boards already. If someone ever states something false as fact, then just correct the person nicely. We'll start off by listing basic spring gun brands: Tokyo Marui (TM): Hailed as the main brand of Airsoft; both spring and electric. Their pistols use "singleload" magazines, where you load BBs individually. Pretty simple and realistic, but during a game it's a hassle. That's why most people buy many TM mags and just pre-load them. The problem with these magazines is that if pressure is applied to the first BB, they may spray out! All that hard BB work for nothing! Now that we have the basics covered, we will go over the Tokyo Marui Generations. First Gen: The first Tokyo Marui springers. They're weak, lack hop-up, and are built with pretty crummy materials. Skip them at all costs. Second Gen: The basic Marui pistols are here. They are split into two categories; high-grade and highgrade with hop-up. You'll want the high-grade with hop-up (now referred to as HGHU throughout this guide). Buying the HGHU model instead of the HG is VERY important! The HG models do not have any hop-up, making them pretty inferior. Third Generation: The most recent generation. There are four pistols in here, including the Mk23 SOCOM, PC356, Colt 1911A1, and the STI Eagle (which seems like it is never going to be released). They all perform better than the first and second-gen pistols, so if you really want the best, you get these. The easiest way to tell the difference between the HG and HGHU is the box color. HG's have blue boxes, while HGHU's have tan boxes. Easy enough right? I'll get pics later, after the guide as complete.

Unicorn Hobby Corporation (UHC): This is the "middle-class" springer category. They have a few good guns, but most of them aren't that great. The most-known gun they make is the UHC MP5-SD3. It's basically the staple in a springer's armory. Nearly all serious spring skirmishers have one of these. Their quality control is pretty weak, so there is a high chance you may get a lemon. Many of UHCs guns are copies of Tokyo Marui. Note: I've heard reports of UHC guns coming in Neonfire boxes. Neonfire is a USA distributor of Airsoft guns. They also distribute for HFC in some cases. Kine Well Toy Company (KWC): These guys make great springers. They have the best spring rifle ever made (the ultrarare KWC M-16) as well as the greatest pistols ever. They're also known as "Cybergun" and "3PSA", which are distributors of their products. You can find them pretty easily, too. Most BIG 5's sell them for around $20. Ho-Feng Company (HFC): I'm pretty sure this is their name. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways, HFC's guns are usually made with a high metal content. Very durable, indeed, but the hop-up on their guns are lacking. There have been numerous stores about them having great guns, then another person buying one and getting a piece of crap. Bad quality control, but you get what you buy. It's a gamble... Academy: Their guns are most often seen at non-Airsoft specialty stores. Theyre of decent quality, and only two guns they make are worth consideration; the Tommy Gun and the DPMS A15 (which has durability issues). UTG (made by Leapers): A new company made by Leapers, the same manufacturers of those scopes you see often on both Airsoft guns and some target shooting guns. They're basically cheaper replicas of higher-end rifles made by Maruzen, with performance and build quality just slightly lower. Viper USA (CYMA/STTi): The infamous CYMA has a reputation of making the worst guns ever. [ ] CYMA is an Airsoft company. True. They're horrible though. Some of their guns have good durability, but the lack of hop-up on most models makes them a bad gun choice. Stay away from them. Y&P:

Someone insisted I add Y&P into the fray because they make some decent guns. Well, I hate their guns myself (besides their lovely Glock with its railing), but otherwise, not the wisest choice. Now and then, there will be a good Y&P gun actually, scratch that. Theres really only one decent Y&P gun. Toystar: These are the new guys on the market. I've heard weird reviews about them. Apparently, they're weak, but can easily take a more powerful spring if needed. Sounds pretty cool. I've personally never used one (I don't want to put out the cash or time.), but they can't be too bad. Ok, some new news. The Toystar rifles at Modelmarts are apparantly pretty strong. Toystar rifles at other stores are weak. Just a note. Jieke: There guns will not be listed, but, just a warning. Jieke makes some Airsoft guns, as well as some accessories (the best example is the P99 optics set, usually sold for $10). While some of their accessories are good for wall hangers, they don't function well. Same goes to their guns. Try to avoid them, unless you're looking for some nice-looking, not-veryfunctional add-ons. Well, with the basic info out of the way, we will start on the guide. Note that most of the guns I list are the only guns worthy or some attention. There are many missing guns, just because they arent even good enough to list. Also, some are very new and I probably havent seen them or something. Make sure to remind me of new additions. Im always ready to add more! Well not always. 2. Spring Gun Buyer's Guide (pistols and rifles) -

Anyways, I hope this guide will help you choose your gun, whether it is a pistol or rifle. Check every price section for information. Note: Cybergun, 3PSA, Neonfire, and SoftAir USA are distributors, not makers of guns. Theyre the companies that import guns made by companies like UHC and KWC. Dont get them mixed up. Price Range: $0-10 Nothing to mention here besides crappy CYMA pistols, no-name brands, and Fuji guns.

Don't bother. Azrael picks: Anything free [ ]

Price Range: $11-20 The Beginning of Good UHC: M92F, P22(6,8), Desert Eagle, USP, P8, Ruger, Revolvers, CZ-75, 1911-A1 (rerelease, with hop-up) KWC(high-grades): Taurus PT-92, K99, Double Eagle, Smith & Wesson handguns (MNumbers), P22(6,8), M92F, Model 17 (G17) KWC (lower-grade): 1911 variants, Eagle, P226, P228 HFC: P99, USP, M9 (compensated, aka "Tomb Raider"), Glocks, 1911 variants, P22(6,8,9). Y&P: Glock Third Generation (with rails) Most models here are pretty junky. All of HFC's guns are bad, except for the one P99 (good durability). All of the KWC variants, however, are great. Watch out though. Some KWC guns do NOT have hop-up and there is no way to find out which stores carry the non hop-up variants. UHC has the M92F, possibly the greatest gun for the money. It uses a single-load mechanism, but its great either way. The Y&P Glock is a worthy addition to an Airsofters collection. Its probably the ONLY third generation Glock out there right now, and its decently durable, being a Y&P gun and all. The KWC PT-92 and the M92F are both the same internally. KWC makes different P22 pistols; the ones commonly seen at sporting goods stores are low-grades. The one at www.poweredgeusa.com is high-grade. Azrael picks: UHC M92F, UHC 1911-A1, KWC PT-92 (M9), KWC K99, KWC P226, KWC G17 The UHC M92F is easily the best bang for your buck (literally, hehe, bad pun). It's got a decent magazine and spares are easily ordered from many stores. My favorite gun here, the PT-92, doesn't have great range due to its weak hop-up, but it's powerful and I just love speed-load magazines (speed-load means you pull a spring down and load it with something that slides BBs, like a funnel loader). Same goes to the KWC K99. A small note about the K99; there's a thin layer of oil around the parts inside of it. It won't get good performance until a good 100 or more shots are shot out of it. The UHC 1911-A1 is good addition to the UHC family. The original 1911s were reported to lack range (lack of hopup). The newer version is near the performance of the Tokyo Marui 1911-A1, and yes, it does have hop-up! Some good news about the UHC guns is that magazines are always easy to get. If for any reason your UHC pistol breaks, you could always buy a Tokyo Marui gun of the same type. Since UHC copies Tokyo Marui, the magazines will work perfectly (well, not perfectly, but well enough).

UHC M92F and 1911-A1

Series of KWC pistols From left to right: PT-92, M4505, K99, P226 Price Range: $21-30 UHC: 1911-A1 (re-release, with hop-up) KWC: 1911 Variants Higher-end KWC guns are found here. Mostly 1911's. Nothing new to note. Azrael picks: Something cheaper. Some UHC 1911s are up in this range. Performs nearly as well as the TM 1911 HGHU. Its basically just a carbon copy made with cheaper materials. Price Range: $31-40 Some junkers try to sell pistols at this price. Be careful. Also in this range is the first "rifle", well, shotgun. The Hardballer II. It has decent power, decent accuracy, decent... you get the point. Has the range of a KWC pistol. Theres also a UTG shotgun here (Model 870). Its not bad and its pretty solid; its almost a direct copy of the Maruzen CA870. It comes in three different forms: sawed-off, solid stock, and retractable stock. All three of the models have mounts on the top of them. The price makes it a great beginners gun. Heck, it could compete with higher-grade springers

without worry of wasting $50+ dollars, but also retraining decent build quality and VERY good looks. Also, spare magazines can be found relatively cheap. Also, if you buy it from Airsplat youll get two magazines (or so they say). Not a bad idea to pick one up. Azrael picks: Hardballer II (barely), Double eagle FAMAS UTG 870 or a $20 KWC pistol The UG 870 is excellent. Im not up-to-date with lemons much, so I cant comment much on lemon rate, but I can say that when I used it, it was brilliant. The FAMAS I've never had many good experiences with, but most people seem to praise it a lot, so I guess it deserves a spot up here.

Hardballer 2 with sling and scope and UTG 870 Retractable Stock Price Range: $41-50 TM: Most of their HG and HGHU springers UHC: MP5-SD3 KWC: Ultra-Grade Desert Eagle, Ultra-Grade 1911-A1, Ultra-Grade Sigma, Ultra-Grade S&W 1911 HFC: MP5-A3 Tokyo Marui makes their appearance here. Finally! TM has the best pistols you can get along with KWC. They make top-of-the-line quality and quality control. The only problem I have with them is the single-loading (which can be remedied by a special speed-loader made just for loading TM pistol magazines) The greatest low-end spring rifle is in this category; the UHC MP5-SD3. This gun is less than $50 easily, has spare SPEED-LOADING magazines easily to find, and is just overall awesome. How could you not buy it? There's also the HFC MP5-A3. Some people have had good experiences with it. Others have had bad experiences. Another luck-of-the-draw guns. Also has a pump handle. There has also been a small buzz about a new KWC Airsoft ultra-grade. The S&W 1911 is essentially a copy of the 1911-A1, but with black grips (to satisfy tactical looks) and huge engraved letters reading, "S&W 1911" across the side of it (not so great). Bound to be the same performance as the 1911-A1. Azrael picks: All HGHU Tokyo Marui pistols, ESPECIALLY the Mk23, PC356, 1911A1, STI Eagle (if it'll EVER be released), all of the KWC ultra-grades, UHC MP5-SD3, and UTG M87 (shotgun)

There's not much to say about them. They're all great, hard-hitting guns.

TM Third Generation Pistols (all HGHU) From left to right: Mk23, 1911-A1, PC356

UHC MP5-SD3 with the ugly sticker (you can rip it off when you get it).

KWC Ultra-Grade Pistols From left to right: Sigma, 1911-A1 Compensated, Desert Eagle NOTE: At this point, the remaining guns are rifles Price Range: $51-70 UHC: M-16 A-2 (announced, but probably never coming out) HFC: L85-A1, L85 Carbine, M-16 (A1, A2), XM177E2 Bah, HFC rifles only (besides the announced UHC rifle). I'm not a fan of HFC, but reports have shown that their weaponry is actually pretty decent sometimes. There are two versions of HFC rifles. The first version rifles are built like crap, don't have hop-up, and are just horrible. However, the version two rifles have been said to be just as good as

the UHC MP5-SD3. There's really no way to find out which one you're buying. It's luck, just like all of the other HFC guns. Azrael picks: None, unless you want a certain look. I'm really not a fan of HFC, like I said before. Just make sure you get a version 2 if you do buy a HFC rifle.

HFC L85s (A-1 and Carbine)

HFC Armalites (M-16 A-2 and XM177E2) Price Range: $71-90 TM: Uzi, MP5-A3, Skorpion UHC: Super 9 (non-hop-up), Super 9 PRO Toystar: M4A1, M16 If you're lucky, you can find the lower-end (but by no means BAD) Tokyo Marui rifles here, as well as the Super 9 PRO. Well, we already know that the Tokyo Marui guns are awesome, but what about the Super 9 PRO? In my opinion, it's a cool gun. For realism, the shell ejecting is top-notch. However, during a game they're just a hassle. Use the stick magazine instead. Theres the Toystar M4A1 for sale, too. Its been acknowledged as a good modifying platform. There has been rising conversation about the magazine durability. People I know bought one and within a few weeks, the magazine broke (two internally, one externally). Azrael picks: TM MP5, TM Uzi, TM Skorpion UHC Super 9 PRO You know why.

Super 9 PRO. Bench not included.

and TM Uzi

TM Skorpion on grass and TM MP5-A3 Price Range: $91-110 Academy: DPMS A-15, Tommy Gun TM: M16-A1, XM177E2, G3A3 (if you're lucky, you'll find them for this cheap), MP5, Uzi (again) KWC: ULTRA-RARE ARMALITES Maruzen: CA870 (CQB, folding stock, sniper, stock, or sawed-off) HFC: VSR-11 Here's the high-end stuff. All of these guns perform phenomenally. The A-15 has been known to have durability issues, however, so you should think about that before buying it, but people have claimed it has been fixed in the newer Version 3 model. The Tokyo Marui Armalites have pump handles that are stored in the handgrip. You just pull them back and shoot. This feature makes them nearly semi-auto. The magazine loading is a little complicated at first though. It involves a series of pulling plungers and funnels. You'll get used to it. The CA870 shotgun, is considered sublime. If you can get it for cheap, buy it. Now. Note: There are two different types of CA870's; a sawed-off version and a CQB version, with the major difference being looks. The CQB version sports a tactical look, as well as a scope and top rail. Also has a pistol grip. The HFC VSR-11 is a knockoff of the TM VSR-10 with a metal barrel. Azrael picks: All of them Why? Simply because they're all awesome. Expensive, but awesome... [ so I suggest checking that out if you're in the mood for an Armalite. ] Also, the DPMS A-15 has a newer version (3) that people claim has fixed durability issues with it,

TM XM177E2 with scope and flashlight

Maruzen CA870

Maruzen CA870 CQB Edition Price Range: $111-Up TM: VSR-10 Sniper ($150-200, depends on which model), SPAS-12 ($175 sawed-off, $225 stock), M3 Shotgun ($150 sawed-off, $185 stock) Maruzen: APS-2 ($300) Classic Army: M24 ($325) UHC: "Tactial" Super 9 ($120) King Arms: Dragunov SVD ($500-ish dollars) Other brands: Scattered sniper rifles, I don't want to go in detail. I won't go into heavy detail, but these are the only guns suitable for battling AEGs, unless you're a tactical genius. I don't have much information on them, but there are a lot of links you can find through Google (www.google.com) Azrael picks: Maruzen rifles, KA Dragunov, CA M24,

Like I said, these are the only guns capable of putting up a good fight against AEGs, athough a somewhat unnecessary one. The sniper rifles can only stand a true chance when upgraded. Otherwise, I'd just suggest upgrading an AEG or some gas shotgun/rifle. From what I hear, the Dragunov SVD is a beast, but its hefty price tag could easily be spent somewhere else, such as a fully upgraded TM AEG.

TM SPAS-12 in original packaging.

TM M3 Benelli

APS-2 with scope Guns to Avoid Theres always one person each day asking about how durable certain guns are, and which guns they should avoid. Im compiled a neat list of guns and companies in general you may want to steer clear of. CYMA/STTi: Just avoid the whole company. Their guns are just so horrible; retailers trick new people to think it shoots at 380 FPS. Then they think that all Airsoft guns are horrible. I still have yet to see one decent gun made by them. Dont waste your time. HFC: USP models, particularly the Tomb Raider Compensated model. Sure it looks good as a wallhanger, but this guide is about good field guns. [|)] Sometimes, though, they make a pretty good USP, where in that case, this rule is completely cancelled out. This is probably the third time I said this, but its the luck-of-the-draw!

The Armalites and most of HFCs other rifles all have a version 1 variant with no hop-up. If possible, get information from the retailer or seller to find out which it is. Other: Zida Shotguns, Riot Shotgun, and the brands Fuji, Academy, Hapdong, Jieke, and most other brands not listed. Last Edit: October 20, 2006, 07:10:58 pm by Azrael v3 http://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=706.0 Revised, edited, more-dial-up-friendly Ultimate Spring Gun Guide. http://threadless.com?from=x6488 Threadless t-shirts Logged

Azrael v3
Major Offline Posts: 1765

Re: Ultimate Spring Gun Guide (updated 2/19/06)

3. Equipment and Gear Essentials There is always someone who will get bored of just a gun and will end up wanting gear. Here, I will list the necessities, options that will prove useful, and just things that work well. I don't usually wear many tactical things for looks. If I have something on, it will be used. Note that I'm not the most educated in Airsoft gear. Let me list some basic brands: Blackhawk: All Blackhawk equipment is top-of-the-line. Why, you may ask? Well, for one, Blackhawk equipment is made for real-steel guns. That's right, REAL-STEEL. This is why the quality is so high. Gun operators cant use cheap equipment if they plan to survive the harsh conditions of wherever they are. Thats also why Blackhawk adds a lifetime warranty to their products. If you can get Blackhawk wear for cheap, then go ahead. Guarder: They make tactical vests that are not as well-priced as Blackhawks, but still very nice. Most of them are designed to hold accessories well, instead of providing comfort. Their items are priced pretty high, so be careful when selecting a vest. Blackhawk is cheaper and the quality is on par with Guarder, but I guess some people just need an expensive vest. Blackhawks Omega can

easily provide more bang for the buck, but Guarder isnt by any means bad TacForce: This is usually the standard Airsofters vest. Most TacForce vests are found cheap (around $50), are functional (good amount of pockets), and decently comfortable. They also look pretty good. Other Brands: There are a lot of un-named brands, but you shouldnt worry about them. Most vests and such are good quality, no matter where theyre made. Holsters, on the other hand, may slip a lot on your leg, so watch what you buy. Un-named holsters fit everything, but the Mk23 and Desert Eagle (I learned the hard way, although they said it would fit EVERYTHING). Also included in this section are 'Infinity Tactical' and "Warhead" items. Dont ask why, they just are. Note: Most TacForce accessories and no-name vests can be gotten from http://airsoftatlanta.com/tactical.htm . They have a good selection and will give you a good idea on what you want. Their prices are a little high, though. Price Range: $0-20 Standard tactical gear is found in this price range. Some no-name vests can be found here if youre lucky. There are some good belts are such here, too (the "Black Mag Belt", which holds two pistol magazines). There are way too many things to list here. Azrael picks:Tokyo Marui (or SRC) Speed-Loader. Tokyo Marui makes a speed-loader, which is essential to those who have singleload magazines. This thing makes loading single-load magazines a breeze. Pick one of them up if you can.

Black Mag Belt and Tokyo Marui speed-loader

Price Range: $21-50 TacForce: SMG vest, holsters, belt pouches, drop-down leg pouches, rifle bags, etc. Other Brands: AK vest, M4 vest, Warhead vests, standard Infinity Tactical vest TacForce has a few vests in here that you can get used or new, if you can find it. Other brands, such as Infinity Tactical and Warhead, also show up here. Mag pouches, belt attachments, drop-down leg pouches, theres even more here than the $20 category! Azrael picks: Any TacForce vest, AK/M4 vest I find both of these to be very good in quality and durable enough to last a good few years.

M4/M16 Tactical Vest and AK Tactical Vest Price Range: $51-Above Blackhawk: Omega Guarder: Not really worth mentioning when you can get an Omega TacForce: HUGE amounts of vests Jumpy price range, eh? Well, its because its really hard to keep it the same throughout this while guide. Since there are only a few in the $50s, and a lot in the $80s, I just needed to jump a few categories. Anyways, we have many TacForce vests here. All good vests. Blackhawk also comes in here, around $100-120 dollars. The best for the money, the Omega, is awesome. Its the only vest youll ever need, and does a very good job at what it does best; body protection and accessory-holding. Also, if you dont want to spend the extra $40 or so on the Omega, you can always get a good TacForce vest. There are MANY to choose from, so I cant possibly list them all. Azrael picks: TacForce, Blackhawk Omega I personally love the TacForce Web Vest. Its just so comfortable. Same with

the Omega.

TacForce Web Vest and Blackhawk Omega Crossdraw Vest 4. Maintenance and BBs General maintenance and stuff will be covered here. What is in a BB? BB selection is actually a big factor in how a gun performs. If you end up buying cheap BBs, like those blue ones from Jungletoy, then don't expect to have your gun last very long. The best BB manufacturers are Tokyo Marui, Excel, Infinity Tactical, Inertia, and Airsoft Elite. Cybergun also makes some decent BBs, but I do see flaws within every 1000 BBs I buy from them. No-name BBs, like the blue, clear, or paint BBs, should NOT be shot through an Airsoft gun. The cracks, pores, and other un-pure defects will eventually wear the internals and probably arent as clean as the better BBs. Using the best BBs possible will ensure that your gun lasts longer.

There are also biodegradable BBs (made by Excel)

This is your typical crappy BB ("crap-b" for now on). Crap-b's are usually found in un-named bags from retailers like ii-Sports and Jungletoy. These types of BBs have tendencies to jam themselves in your guns barrel (they're unlubricated), eat away at your gun's internals, or mis-feed. You should also be able to notice the obvious hole in the BB's side.

This is a Tokyo Marui BB. Notice how it's perfectly round and has a gloss to it? That's how you can tell a BB is good. Tokyo Marui focuses on removing ANY impurities in the BB to make them fly perfectly. Perfectly perfect ("perfect" is such a cool word). Tokyo Marui BBs are also sprayed with silicone before being bagged. Basic Spring Gun Maintenance All guns require maintenance eventually. The whole point of this section is to teach you how to properly handle your gun, as well as lubricate it, keeping it from breaking, and so forth. Basic guidelines: - Never leave your gun cocked back. This will slowly hurt your spring. Leaving it

cocked back overnight will weaken the spring by around 25 FPS that can NEVER BE REGAINED. The effects of a weakened spring are permanent unless you find a replacement (which is pretty hard). - Empty your magazines. Leaving BBs inside of the magazine will damage the magazines spring (and spring catch, if you have one). This will, in turn, hurt the feeding of that magazine. - Only use pure silicone. I dont know how many times I have to say it, but some people still manage to use PETROLEUM-filled silicone and then complain about how their gun wont work. Eventually, you'll NEED to start lubricating your gun. For this, youll need a can of pure silicone (meaning NO petroleum or other ingredients. If it is not pure silicone, it will break your guns internals due to the petroleum content. Petroleum eats away at plastic. I think enough has been said. Basic Lubrication Steps Spring pistols: The first step is to cock your gun back (make sure theres no BBs inside of it). At this time, you should also take out your magazine. Go outside, and turn the gun over so the barrel is pointing towards the sky. Spray the silicone in for about two seconds. Hold it up for about one minute. Squeeze the trigger to blast a little silicone out. If youd like, you can also lubricate the railing of the slide and the magazines spring. Its normal to have inconsistent shots right after lubrication, so dont fret. Spring rifles and shotguns: Rifles and shotguns are a bit trickier. Since the barrels are much longer, you will have to disassemble it. The gun does not have to be cocked. If you need disassembly guides, I wont be able to help you very much. Most guns come with a diagram of some sort that shows you how to disassemble it. Search around Airsoft forums and Google. You may find it. If you dont want to disassemble your gun, then spray for two seconds down the magazine well (while the gun is upside down). Shake it around for five seconds and lay it on something to dry. 5. Painting and Modification Well, I've recently noticed some topics concerning painting. Yeah, it's true, a lot

of people will get tired of how a gun looks. Painting is there to satisfy it. I've also noticed a lot of "How do I modify my gun?" topics. I've taken a bit out of my day to help you guys out. Paint Brands and Steps Painting is a lot more complex than some people think. You don't simply apply paint to a gun. There are preparations to painting, just like anything else you do (cooking requires ingredients; think of it like that). First, we'll go over the brands: Krylon: These guys are the Tokyo Marui of spray paint. Well, not really. There are better choices out there for extremely high prices, but I find Krylon to work the best for me. So many paints and so many choices. I think I should split the different Krylon paints into their own brands. -Krylon Fusion: Krylon Fusion is basically a special spray paint that bonds to the plastic it is sprayed upon. This means that it actually attaches itself on to the plastic and merges with it. Krylon Fusion paints will stay on very long.

Krylon Fusion spray can - Krylon Camouflage: Krylon Camo is basically used because of its color choice. You can make pretty cool camouflage using three colors of you can layer and blend them colors right. Pretty nice paint.

Krylon Camouflage spray can - Krylon Spray Paints: The type of spray paint is actually called "Krylon Spray Paints". It's a standard spray paint for metal and wood. Good for painting full metal guns (why would you have full metal springers, though?) - Krylon Crafter's Metallic: This is mainly for people who want a silver slide. This requires sanding, though. It isn't a Krylon Fusion paint. If you really want that awesome silver, though, you'll have to work for it. Hey, more bragging rights! Painter's Touch: Not a lot of you have heard of them (they sell their paint at Orchard Supply, also known as OSH). These paints are simply awesome if you want a good, pure matte black. The only problem with this paint is that it tends to be runny in the first minute of spraying it on. Also, it tends not to stick if there's an existing coat of paint on. It'd be best to sand the paint off of the gun/helmet/etc. you're working on. Just because of this, I'd suggest that newbies to painting do NOT use this paint, so you don't risk your gun's looks. There are also basic principles to painting a gun. 1. You do it outside or in a painting area (not inside the house). 2. You keep lots of newspaper (paint sheet, paint rug, whatever) under whatever you're painting at all times. It's bad to have paint drops all over the concrete and grass. I doubt your parents/wife/roommate will like it. 3. Keep the spray can's paint muzzle away from people. Please. People who are painting with model paint (who knows why), are exempt from this rule. 4. Wear safety goggles. 5. Make sure your paint has no petroleum in it. It's bad for the exterior of your gun. 6. It's a good idea to be using spray paint, unless you're doing meticulous detail.

7. Cover up any parts you don't want paint getting inside of (like the barrel, dust cover, ejection port, and magazine well). This is essential if you don't want to make your gun a complete wreak. Shake the can for a desired amount of time (usually on the can itself). Make sure all materials are in your possession. Take note that whenever you paint, you should know how the color looks when dry on that same surface. As a test, spray it onto a piece of paper (lightly), and take note of the color. You don't want to run two layers of paint, as this leaves paint drops and other ugly stuff. Make sure the object you're painting is clean and dry. Get ready to start! For Krylon Fusion, you don't have to sand your gun much (this is the best, newbie-friendly part of Krylon). Just put something under it to protect the ground and spray one side. Wait for it to dry, then spray the other side, making sure to cover parts in-between sides, so it doesn't overlap. For non-Fusion paints, you have to sand the body down (until a bit of paint starts flaking off). Sand off a small piece of paint first to know what the surface (when paint-less) looks like. Now, sand down any area you are going to paint and start. Make sure you only paint one side, let it dry, then paint the other side. Now you know the basics if painting. For camouflage jobs, you must make stencils using paper/plastic/etc. and an Exacto knife (which can be bought around various hobby shops).

Exacto Knife Standard knives will also work if they're decently sharp. Engrave your design into your stencil (while it's not on your object, floor, or table, please. It's best to put it outside on solid concrete) and memorize where you will spray certain colors. Using tape to hold the stencil down while you're spraying is good, too.

Try drawing out a plan using colored pencils or colored markers before spraying. Basic Modification For every "How do I paint?" topic I see, I also find a "How do I modify my gun?". I guess one more section can't hurt. Modification can be done in an infinite amount of ways. Figuring out what you want to modify will help you a lot. Many people want to make their gun stronger. Some people want it to look better. There's limitless possibilities... so I'll explain the most basic things to do. If you need information, search Google (www.google.com). They have as much information as you'll ever need. Just keep looking. External: Pistols: Some pistols have rails, which can have mounted lasers, flashlights, or whatever you want. There are also mock silencer assemblies (threads) that are on some spring pistols. You can put your own threads onto a gun using special tools called "dies" and "taps". It's hard for me to explain, so search around Google to find some more information on threading. If you need any help looking for that, then post a topic. Scopes on pistols is a little different, but some people like sticking huge scopes on Desert Eagles (for who knows what reason). Most of these are custom mounts and must be made by hand. Once again, I cannot explain this in detail. The scopes they use can range from true TASCO scopes (that zoom in a lot) or BSA red dot scopes (which are reflex sights; they are meant for aiming, not sniping).

BSA Red Dot 30mm Rifles: All of the accessories of the pistols can also be applied to rifles. Rifles also have the ability to have sling mounts, if they already don't have one. These mounts can be helpful when you need to hold your gun without your hands. There are

many varieties of sling mounting, ranging from a piece of tape holding a shoe lace to two ends, to people pressing in loops and hooking a sling to them. If you want gun ideas, then go into the Custom Gun forum. (http://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?board=18.0). Internal: The only thing that's easy to do for this is spacing out the spring using spacers. Spacers are basically stoppers that you stick in the back of your gun's spring to give it more power. It works, but in the process, it destroys your gun's internals faster. Installing spacers is easy: anything that'll fit into the spring chamber and stick, while providing good support will work. I find washers to work very well.

There have also been people who bought a tightbore barrel (or made one using special metal fabricating tools), cut them down to size, and fitted them into a springer. This is very hard to do, and is not cheap. Fabricating a tightbore barrel will cost more than just buying a Systema one and cutting it yourself. This requires extreme precision, though, so I don't recommend this unless you're very confident. 6. Resource Links You're going to need these. I see "GIVE ME links!" every single day. I thought maybe I could just store most of my good Airsofting links in here just to shorten some of the topics asking for reviews. Many good reviews are written by everyday people, so Google becomes useful here. Reviews: http://airsoftcore.com/modules.php?name=MReviews http://springer.airsoftretreat.com/reviews.html http://snowman.ascuk.net/springers.htm

http://www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews.asp http://www.airsoftretreat.com/reviews/ (not the same link as the one above) Other http://www.geocities.com/airsoftarmory/ (gun pictures... and mass pop-ups) http://www.unconventional-airsoft.com/ (modification) http://www.renegaderecon.com/beginnersguide_details.php?id=11 (maintenance) http://realitymachine.net/airsoft/index.php/Main_Page (huge beginners guide) Retailers USA: http://www.airsoftarms.com/ http://www.airsoftatlanta.com/ http://www.blazingtoys.com/blazingtoys_site/main_specials.html (good for spring pistols and rifles) http://www.southsummit.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=42&osCsid=873a980ac f15f72d1c52457eb21c9678 (UHC MP5 is $40 there) http://www.jungletoy.com/ (good for supplies like gas) http://www.mdairsoft.com (5 TM HGHU pistols for $45) http://www.airsoftgi.com/ (sells KWC pistols or around $18) http://www.poweredgeusa.com/ (sells KWC pistols under NBB) Overseas (meaning, high shipping): http://www.redwolfairsoft.com (lots of TM guns) http://www.uncompany.com/ (some springers...) http://www.wgcshop.com/ (my favorite) http://www.rcmart.com/ (TM guns) http://www.modelmarts.com/ (Toystar M4A1) I hope this helped you... somehow. I'm out. Pictures will be obtained later.