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Product Information:
Fan of Ak's? Are you a fan of high FPS? Are you an Airsofter looking for a durable Mil/Sim weapon without paying exorbitantly high prices? Without sounding like a bad car salesperson, I want to say that, now, after I have purchased, and skirmished, with this gun, I have not been left with the foul aftertaste of "Buyer's Remorse" in the Red Star AK.
As a bread winning husband, with 2 kids, and a wife; the last thing I needed to do was toss away money on a "toy" that would break soon after arriving. Seems like the last two times I bought an Airsoft gun I find myself going through this guilt trip of thinking, "I should have bought diapers instead of the gun".
At $300 (after my two little mods) this gun will set you back to be sure. Considering the higher end guns, and their costs, this is a steal in the world of Airsoft Weaponry. I wouldn't put your family in financial jeopardy over this gun, but for those of you that saved up, it is one Airsoft gun you won't regret buying (lemon's excluded).
The Echo Redstar is a CYMA 048, rebranded by JG and ECHO. I studied reviews on You Tube, and looked through the usual sources: Airsoft Retreat, Arnie's, and any CYMA 048 review I could get my eyes on. The gun has a great rep thus far. The gun has proven to exceed expectations.
I previously owned a JG 614. Awesome gun! The reason I bought this Echo AK was that my JG 614 plastic spring guide shattered. To repair it was a big chunk of money I decided to just invest in a new gun.
This internals of this AK are superior to my JG 614 (metal spring guide and hop-up for instance). I will repair my JG, but this AK is a long range bomber with even higher FPS. On the range, the only excuse for me losing a battle is my own human error.
I asked Airsoft GI to install a Prometheus tightbore and Prometheus Bucking before it arrived at my door. That was a good move. The gun is accurate to within 3 inches at 130 feet, with .25s. The Red Star is able to penetrate a pop can at 140 feet. At 200 feet, I can still hit the second, and inside ring, of a silhouette consistently. It has more distance than that if you "hop-it-up". But really, I don't like to shoot with the BB's in an upward arc. I like straight on frozen rope shooting.
One other thing. I know FPS is something that is debatable in the Airsoft forums. Some guys hate the macho style, high FPS trash talkers, and say, "FPS is no substitute for tactical knowledge and strategy". I agree with that group actually, but I must say, I am a closet FPS junkie. This gun is my "fix" for ridiculous bb speed.
I think it is worth buying this gun and downgrading the speed of the spring, but I won't be doing that anytime soon. For woodland, farmyard, and old building skirmishes here in our location, this is an incredible fun and fast weapon to play with. But the externals are reason enough to think hard about this gun. The metal is durable and the wood is solid. This external should be in your collection indefinitely.
I do miss the maneuverability of my JG 614. The 614 has a high rate of fire, and was much easier to engage combatants around corners and in tight places. But, the more I get used to this gun, the more I like it. After 3 weeks, and 5 skirmishes, I can tell you that is has not missed a beat. It just keeps getting better as I grow into it. It is devastating, particularly, at longer distances. I can reach the opponent, they cannot reach me.
My advice: Get .25 gram bb's and shoot them exclusively. Buy an intellect 9.6 mini asap. Install the tightbore and bucking.
Know that, in my humble opinion, this Echo Red Star was worth its weight in "diapers"- at least in my opinion.
Newman
Airsofter for 4 years
Pros:
1. 30 day warranty
2. Steel Upper Receiver
3. Exceptional FPS with .25 gram bb's (420)
4. 7mm bushings
5. Steel spring guide with bearing
6. Metal hop up unit
7. Excellent detail in markings on gun.
Cons:
1. Why the small 9.6 mini battery? Really now. Shouldn't a big shooter like this have a battery to match?
2. Pot metal is included in some of the external parts of the gun
3. Why not make the removable barrel cleaner a real un-jamming rod? It is useful to have a rod on the field, it would not have been hard to make this fit of plastic un-jamming rods.
4. Rate-of-fire is average (10-14 bb's per second)
5. Boy's she'll make your opponents bleed at less than 40 feet!. Exposed flesh that is hit by this baby will cause more than a welt. I don't mind, but some players aren't to happy about the whole bleeding thing!
6. Lastly, Echo/JG/CYMA why did you make this battery compartment so small? You put a 9.6 MINI in this thing? What were you thinking!!!!!
-p.s. The factory battery is absolutely worthless. Buy an aftermarket battery. You really need one. The factory won't hardly hold a charge. It is truly a throw away in my experience.
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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