Request for Links

[GRANITE]

I was wondering if perhaps someone could start a thread/page with links to recommended sources for weapons and gear.

Naturally, inclusion of the links should not be considered an endorsement by the group.  Inclusion should simply be considered a "this place worked for me" resource.

[armor]

Ouch this is a touchy subject on so many levels.

[Obi1]

The best source for gear/weapons is this: the forums. Just troll any of them, A LOT, and you'll start seeing trends and patterns to build off of. That, and go to ops and skirmish games. You'll see a lot of stuff that will make you say; "Damn, where'd he get that?"

[GRANITE]

The problem with trolling is that it is nearly impossible to know -who- to trust in a person to person purchase. And it takes up WAY too much time. Getting an idea what companies are more reputable is much more useful for those who are just starting out. And quite often someone is getting rid of their old stuff for a reason.

So far from what I have found Evike seems to be a good company to deal with and frankly they have some really cool rigs. I mean a full scale and working MORTAR! They also have some nice videos about their products.

So why is it such a touchy subject? Every other sport/hobby I have ever been involved with folks usually are eager to share sources so that new people can benefit from those that have come before.
Except for something like fishing..then it is a matter of keeping your honey hole secret so you can keep it to yourself.

Perhaps the development of a FAQ would go down easier. Answer questions like: "What are the good brands of guns?", "Do I really need to upgrade from plastic gears?", "What types of guns are are best for what types of game?", "Do you really need a side arm?"

[Obi1]

No one is keeping secrets. It's just a known fact that as soon as you say: " I use this," then the next person will say: " that's s***!" and what commences is a 2 mile long thread of uselessness. And yes, Evike is good...for some. And those mortars are cool...anywhere but an op that won't allow them cuz they don't want anyone getting yard-darted in the head. See? That's how it goes...and goes...and goes.   Everything I've learned is from patiently watching others. No one is going to get a perfect loadout from asking "what's the best gun", they get it from tons of trial & error and truckloads of money. Just my $0.02. I could be wrong & often am.

[scott23]

I think I should also point out that just about everyone in the instigators has a different load out. while finding out what others use is helpful, in the end you need what will work for you.

just for an example I have
2 vests, 1 chest rig, and an H-harnes
3 M4s
2 AKs
1 SR25
1 T21
1 45 HI CAPA
1 45APC
1 M9

Best I can tell you is to check out other instigators and ask questions. Not everything will work for everyone. A lot of this is personal preference.
Just my .02.

[Red]

Haha, yes definitely a touchy subject, for various reasons. Can't make it seem like the team chooses one distributor over another, and also, we may have team members who happen to work for area Airsoft Stores *cough cough* I work *cough* for SoGo *cough* and so cannot seem to be leading you away from supporting local fields and businesses.

Overall the Team cannot seem to have a conflict of interest. That goes back to maintaining as little drama as possible.

The issue isn't that they don't want to tell you, it's that we can't start "choosing sides". Now is that what we'd be doing? No! But somewhere along the line the wrong person would take it as such, and feelings would get hurt and opportunities would close and friendships be lost, and the world will all come crashing to a fiery end.


P.S. ask*cough*in person*cough*admin and etc*cough*

[kain]

I agree with the above statements. If you have a question about gear that someone has posted don't be afraid to p. m. Said person. I'm sure they would be glad to tell you where they got it.

[GRANITE]

Darn those Dogs and Cats Living together! LoL

If you guys believe that you will be showing some sort of favoritism by talking about suppliers then I will not argue the point. As I do understand the origin of the rant since I recall far too easily the olden days of 2400 baud dial-up modems way before this new fangled web thingy came out. In those days "forums" were called "boards" and you had to FTP or R-Log into them. A little more complicated but essentially what we have today but with a whole lot less graphics..LoL
But how about What are the good companies that produce guns? For instance there is a Galil by King Arms.
Now..the Galil is a matter of personal taste (There is something about that one that trips my trigger) But How about King Arms? Do they usually produce good guns with quality parts? Are they hit or miss depending on style? So what is the skinny?

[Obi1]

King Arms has always put out some really reliable AEGs and their Galil is no exception. I personally (here we go ) would recommend the ICS version. That thing is a beast and has a good reputation. The problem with any Galil series, however, is the cost of mid-cap magazines, which run close to $30/ea. So running one for a milsim loadout will equal the price of a GBB setup. But if you're just using it for local games and what not, than the hi-caps (good ol' bitch-buckets ) will be good to go.

[GRANITE]

That's cool..I am glad that my feeling that King Arms was putting out good products was on target..And it is good to know that there are issues about the mags..

So what is the deal with the capacity of the mags? In relationship to the game not the gun. Mid-caps are required for big games?

[Obi1]

Any of the bigger, reputable milsim outfits have 'no hi-cap magazine' enforcements in their rulesets that increase realism of the op & ultimately will serve to improve a players skills. In that world, the hi-cap is often referred to as a "baby rattle" or "bitch bucket" among other things.

[kain]

One more note. Be careful not to get caught up on name branding. Alot of companies rebrand guns and slap a trade on it and sell it for much mor. UUnless trade marks are your thing of course in which carry on.

[GRANITE]

No..I am not necessarily a name brand kind of guy..I look for the best value I can find. But it is nice to know what brands to trust. Like with paintball you can generally trust Tippmann or Spyder. Of course it is always better if you can put your hands on a gun to see if you like it but right now for me I am restricted to trying to figure out what I might like and can trust online.