Always the perennial question: should I spend high when starting with Airsoft or should I be such a cheapskate that I can start at the bottom wrong and work my up from there? If you are indeed just about to start with airsoft, or one who doesn't want to dabble much in upgrades or repairs, and spend that cash for other airsoft stuff such as protection gear and accessories. But the attraction of the ACM or budget airsoft guns is the immediate gratification for getting a cheaper airsoft gun and accessories.

However, in the longer run, I can prove that spending on high-end, reliable brands is much cheaper. 

In my line work, which is IT, and is also being used in other industries, we always discuss Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to prove our justification why the budget we are requesting should be granted.  This means how much would be total cost in acquisition and maintaining equipment over its life span until it gets replaced by a new one (end of life). This therefore gives a long-term view on the use and is always a basis for approving budget. So, even if something that costs cheap in the short-term but may be more expensive in the maintaining in the long-run, it would not make the cut. However, many fall into this trap of bargain prices, and especially “too good to be true” offers that have left many ruined.

But also, I have to mention this: there are airsoft brands with products having high-end prices but with low-end quality. The product is just too much eye-candy that it does attract flies, errr... airsofters. I have seen many of my mates fall into this trap too, and the saying “all form, no substance” is appropriate here. You spend over US$400 for something that you'll gut out and place new parts or make you look good in the field on the photo, but bits and pieces fall off when the shooting starts. I wonder why some airsoft manufacturers get away with this. Even some ACM manufacturers actually produce better performing products than these pseudo-high end manufacturers.

As we always caution everyone, please do research well before making that purchase. If you've got money to waste, we won't be stopping since you want to be the “first” in your group to acquire the latest stuff. But many of us are not, especially during these days of high prices.  So prudence and diligence should be done first before making that purchase, whether high-end or low-end.

What are the general justifications of buying a high-end AEG?

From my own experience and also basing on other's experience, here's what I can say:

Less or no upgrades required. For the average airsoft player, not spending on upgrades and having the AEGs in stock condition has benefits. Many high-end AEGs will perform the same even in two years with proper cleaning and maintenance. Tokyo Marui models are well known for being long lasting.

Warranty and support are in place. Some high-end manufacturers provide some warranty in parts and services via the retailers. It is rare for low budget AEGs to have this, and some airsoft retailers require you to pay extra in order for you to avail of their support services. So please make sure you get this support from them.

But sometimes, warranty is voided if you buy high-end AEGs from another country and not bought from your local retailer. It is still rare for manufacturers to provide international warranties for these. So we suggest that you buy your high end AEG from the local retailer to avail of this.

After market parts are much more available for high end brands. A cottage industry has been created at providing aftermarket parts for the high-end AEGs, and most of these are built around the Marui, considered to be the “Toyota” of airsoft and standards have been set by the Japanese company. While some parts are available for the low-budget ones, it's tough many times to put these in as they are more fit for certain types of high-end AEGs such as, TM, Classic Army and G&P. Thus, it is easier to find more parts for high-end brands as they are especially made for these.

Well-documented. Many high-end AEGs are documented properly and information about these can be found readily in the Internet. Though many also have documentation not well made, they're still much more understandable than the documentation of the usual brands from Mainland China. Some even come with instructional CDs.

Local retailers stake their reputations on the high end ones. In many countries, retailers still recommend the high-end ones, not only because of the profit margins that they can make, but also they help build reputations of these retailers. It is usually those retailers that stock high end brands also provide comparable customer service. The lower the AEG brand/quality, the corresponding customer service lowers, with some exceptions such as some airsoft retailers that I've been dealing with and established a long-term relationship.

Innovations and Intellectual Property

Furthermore, most of the innovations in airsoft are from the high-end manufacturers, especially the Japanese ones. Research and development cost money, and those manufacturers that usually introduce something new to improve our playing experience are usually from the high-end brands. They also licence the markings to make the AEGs look realistic with the markings, and that also entails money.

One of the biggest issues in airsoft are intellectual property violations that are perpetrated by the low-end ones, so it's also a very contentious discussion within the airsoft community that sometimes develop into vicious flame wars in airsoft forums. Being objective about it, the lower pricing that we get from the low-end products are basically the lack of research and development by the manufacturers, and all they have to do is buy the latest high-end AEG coming out from Marui, copy the parts, produce, and sell at a lower price since no significant resources have been devoted to making a product that can differentiate itself in the market. The “Marui Clones” term came about as a testament to this rampant ripping-off of somebody else's work.

Thus, a significant portion of the global airsoft community, especially those who have been playing for over 3 years, always promote the use of high-end brands, in order to motivate the high end makers to introduce innovations in airsoft.

As a defensive measure, Tokyo Marui is now aggressively starting to get patents for its innovations, which started with the TM AK74MN which comes with a new recoil engine and sturdy blow back feature. It might get aggressive in the future in enforcing its patents.

Classic Army settled the case filed against it by Magpul PTS and Falcon Industries in the of  manufacture of the M93B Carbine Stock and the low profile low cover without getting a licence from them. Heckler & Koch trademarks are now being maintained by UMAREX in order to provide protection in the use of its logo and designs, and the same time generate revenues for it. Cybergun is already lightyears ahead in copyright enforcement, but just riled the airsoft community with claims of “anti-competitive” tactics.

We might see an intensification of intellectual property cases in courts in Hong Kong or Mainland China as the innovators start realising the revenues lost in clones and rip-offs with the explosive growth of airsoft and China now being a member of the WTO where recognition of intellectual property is a must before being accepted into the organisation.

Now just imagine when your local intellectual property office comes going after sellers and buyers of rip-offs? How much it would cost to hire a lawyer and at the same time lost income if proven guilty? The US is very much aggressive in litigating against sellers and buyers of rip-offs.

Total Cost of Ownership

For example, I can provide the a comparison between a Classic Army SCAR CQC (the high end), and the JLS FN SCAR-L (the low end). The JLS FN SCAR-L was the first SCAR replica that entered the market with Classic Army following suit. While we appreciate JLS to be introducing AEGs not even produced  by the high end brands, we'll need to base my point on my and my friend's experience with these.

I bought the Classic Army SCAR CQC over a year ago, and it is my most abused AEG. I actually bought the JLS FN SCAR-L prior to purchasing the Classic Army version since I wanted a SCAR and at that time the CA version hasn't reached my retailer yet. I returned the JLS version even without skirmishing it yet since parts have been falling off, and with the build quality I wasn't very much impressed, and went for the CA version.

My friend, who is not a gunsmith, bought the JLS FN SCAR-L a week after I got my CA version. It came with the foregrip, stick battery, charger, and some sample bbs. I do agree that the low-end packages come completely skirmish-ready out of the box since they all have the necessary items in place. I still needed to purchase extra magazines and batteries separately in order for me to play with my CA SCAR CQC.

Over a period of 3 months, I used my CA SCAR CQC about 6 times, or an average of two day-long skirmishes per month. My friend was able to use it four times and had to do a major upgrade as there were quality issue problems with his FN SCAR-L that he had to change the gearbox with a Systema complete gearbox (massive air leaks, stray screw inside the gearbox that stripped the gears, and no grab screw in pinion gear). During this period, we have spent the following as shown in the table (in US$ without shipping costs):

*In US Dollars (US$)

After 12 months, I still have the CA SCAR CQC performing the same as it was brand new and it might perform in this condition for another year, unless something bad really happens. I have not made any upgrades, maintained it as it was, and I haven't opened it. And the JLS SCAR-L? My friend took the Systema parts out for a new project and threw away the shell after 5 months as the the hinges of the the stock were broken, the stock won't lock when folded, the gas block pin to secure the battery kept falling out --- all the hallmarks of poor quality.  If my friend still tried to fix the external parts, then his cost would have been higher than US$456.70. And the lifespan of the JLS FN SCAR as based on my friend's experience? 5 months --- a poor purchase decision.

While I do agree that some low-end brands are improving in quality and performance, notably those coming from JG, Dboys, and CYMA, but with these improvements also come a jacking up of prices, proof that when you try to put more quality into products, you still have to spend. Eventually, there will come a point that improvements to match the high end brands in performance and build will eventually make pricing the same somewhere as even the high end brands are slowly lowering some pricing to deflect the threat of the low ends ones, such as introducing certain models (e.g. CA Sportline series).

Conclusion

While the debate on low-end and high end airsoft spending to see what actually gives the most savings or value is an academic exercise between me and Master Chief, it opens up our eyes on why we should strongly consider buying the high end brands.

Master Chief states that you have to work your way up, from low end going to high end. I would say that you should work your way down. The first thing in airsoft is playing, not fixing your gun most of the time, and high end brands give you that peace of mind. Once you're ready to do some maintenance or daring to be a “gunsmith”, then low-end brands are good starting ones to work on before you start fixing the high end ones, in case they break down.

Even if you're already an experienced gunsmith, you would prefer a high end brand for the convenience they provide. The learning experience you get in fixing stuff is also an expense in itself, you sometimes break parts while learning, and that of course are costs incurred during the learning curve.  Thus, learning fixing things is not value or cost-free.

Also, buying airsoft is not about the muzzle velocity or power, or who shoots the strongest or farthest. It's more about experiencing the game, meeting new friends, developing skills, and having fun. If we fall into the premise that airsoft is all about power or muzzle velocity, then we risk of ruining the game as increase in power also increases the risks in injuring our fellow players, taking the friendship, skills, and fun parts out of the equation.

You may sometimes pooh-pooh the lower power of a Marui, but then it lasts longer than most, if not all, ACM AEGs. If you notice that having too much power also strains the mechanicals and electricals of an AEG, which ACMs always do, providing you with stripped gears, burnt wires, and a further drained bank account. Furthermore, you always meet the FPS limits at all game sites, no need to change springs each time there is a new limit at a certain skirmish site and being on the safe side of the law.

I rest my case.