Is ICS a good brand?

[ma0490]

I was wondering if ICS made quality guns. They seem like they are fairly decent from what I saw.

[gorem13]

Yes it is a good brand.

[Barrett]

Yep, good brand.

[Knief]

No, it's really not. They make a better product than the clone companies (JG, Echo1, Dboys, CYMA, etc), but that doesn't mean that they're good. They have a terrible history of producing lemons--guns that just don't work out of the box. If you get one that works well for a long time, consider yourself lucky. Most people who buy ICS guns end up with really expensive paper weights. And if the gun does break, which it most likely will, some parts are going to be hard to replace because ICS guns are only partially compatible with TM parts. And since most aftermarket parts are made for TM guns, they don't fit into ICS guns.

So here's what you're looking at with an ICS. A gun that might not work out of the box. If it does, it probably won't last long. And when it does break, you either can't repair it, or it costs an arm and a leg to do so. Why would you even bother? Spend your money on a more reliable manufacturer.

What model are you interested in? We can probably point you toward a better version from a better company.

[ma0490]

I was looking more at m4s. I would kind of like to get one with a fixed stock that is wired to the stock also so i can fit a bigger battery in it. Also i really don't want to have to do any internal work when i first buy it.

[Knief]

All of these are better options:

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=TM-AEG-SR16_cat_Marui%20AEGs

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=VFC-AEG-SR16E3_cat_VFC%20AEGs
(available in different lengths, from a very short carbine to a full length rifle)

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GP-AEG-306_cat_GP%20AEGs
(again, there are a lot of variations available with different rails, sights, silencers, lengths, etc)

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GP-AEG-621_cat_GP%20AEGs
(same thing with the different variations)

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GG-AEG-GR16R4_cat_GG%20AEGs

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=GG-AEG-GR16A3C_cat_GG%20AEGs
(if you like your guns plain, this will be the best gun I've linked you to yet, except maybe for the VFCs)

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=CA-AEG-M15A4TC_cat_Classic%20Army%20AEG

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=CA-AEG-M15A4SPC_cat_Classic%20Army%20AEG

www.wgcshop.com/pcart/shopper.php?itm=CA-AEG-M15A2TC_cat_Classic%20Army%20AEG

You can see that you've got a lot of options available to you for an M4 style gun with a battery housed in the stock. If you can figure out whether you want a crane stock (the kind that holds a battery and can still retract) or a fixed stock (the one that's just solid, like an M16 stock), we can start to narrow your options down. And after that, think about whether you want an RAS (rail) system on the gun. I prefer my guns plain, so I'd skip the rails. But a lot of people think they're the coolest thing ever, so they buy them. If you can nail those sorts of details down, we should be able to find the perfect gun for you.

[pxranger]

Knief has a good point about RAS and RIS.

I got a GR-16 RIS because it looked awesome, but I plan on being a field event junkie, so now I'm left thinking what the hell I'm going to do with a RIS in the field?

Knief, would I be correct in stating that the RAS/RIS systems are more effective for the CQB side of Airsoft?

[ma0490]

Thanks for the links. I have also looked at the G&G's and they seem to be more like what i want. How long would a gun like the G&G GR-16 last me?

[gorem13]

I really have no idea what I am talking about I was just messing with ma0494 because he is a friend from school.

[pxranger]

The GR-16 should last you a long while, granted you take care of it. Don't forget to lube any gun when you first get it.

[Knief]

There's no real way to tell you how long any specific gun will last. Think of it like a car. Nobody can really say that every Ford Taurus will last 165,000 miles and then the transmission will break. Tiny variances in parts and quality control from one production run to another, and even from one individual gun to the next, will effect how long the actual product you get your hands on will last.

What we can talk about, however, are things like rates of lemons (G&G produces fewer lemons than most other companies) and common weak points (I had problems with my selector plate after a couple years of use). In this particular case, and especially if you get the 2005 version that I linked you to, you're in good shape in both categories. The 2005 version was G&G's best production line, so it's a good idea to get your hands on one if you can. That's not to say that their products have turned bad since then, though. They're still making a great gun. The 2005 version just had a couple little tweaks that worked beautifully and made for a near perfect gun.

pxranger,

I don't know if you could really make that generalization. I'd say that an RAS/RIS is more or less effective depending on what you need to put on it. If you want to load it up with a light and vertial foregrip, then CQB is probably your thing. If you go for a bipod and M203, then you're more set up to play in the field.

For me, RAS/RIS are entirely ineffective. I don't want a bunch of stuff on the front of my gun. Vertical foregrips feel weird to me, I don't play at night, I don't want to carry the weight of a 203, and I can carry my battery in my foregrip or stock (depending on which gun I'm using). So all an RAS unit is to me is a cheese grater for my hand.

[pxranger]

You know that's probably the only thing I like about the RIS, is the vert grip and the fact that you can replace the stock front iron sight with a flip-up. The vert grip makes it a little easier for me to maneuver, as easy as it can get for a damn long rifle, while I can switch to grabbing the mag-well for other shots.

And I know I'm preaching to the choir.

[ma0490]

Thanks for the Info.