Light Guns

[kameleon]

Hey all, i'm not old enough to purchase guns, but i will be soon enough and i figure the more research i do the better decision i'll be able to make..

My basic dillema is that guns are big and heavy, and i am a (relativly) smaller and less muscular person than your average airsofter, being a girl and such. I have played indoors, and i find an MP5 is even a bit big for me, i really prefer pistols and such.

I know pistols are not that good for outdoors, so i'm looking for some kind of AEG that will allow me to have decent range and durability for outdoors, without having to compromise my mobility, and that won't tire me out after a half hour of running around with it... Any ideas?

[The Saint]

I think there was a multipaged discussion on this very subject over at Arnie's Airsoft's newbie section a few months back, it's worth a look if you have or can make an account there.

And if you're looking for something even smaller and lighter than a MP5, you're probably straying into the MP7 range, or at least a MP5K. Both shoot rather softer than most AEGs. I dunno, bulk up, if that's an option?

[GMTII]

1

[Black_Orchid]

I think a P90 might be a good choice for you. It's fairly light and has the same barrel length as a G36C so it would be alright for outdoors aswell. It's pretty small and your hands are very close together, so when you're holding it your arms won't tire out as fast. How tall are you out of curiousity?

[GMTII]

1

[Drake]

Start lifting weights, princess. You have a year to kill anyway.

Seriously, do you really want to paint yourself into the weakest-link-on-the-team, always-out-ranged/out-ammo-capacitied/out-firepowered, last-to-get-picked corner because you didn't want to have to make the effort?

Maybe you don't mind settling, but if the above paragraph sounds ugly to you, you may want to rethink your approach. Just like anything else, there's a learning curve to using/maneuvering a big gun. I'm short myself, fullsize M16s and G36s look like anti-aircraft guns on me. That's never stopped me. My M4A1 was just a fraction too long to be "just right" so I converted it to Commando (733/933) length (this was before TM put out the 733). There's currently a lot of off-the-shelf Commando/CQB-length M4s.

As for weight, it's psychological. Unless you're getting some big wood and metal job, you're looking at around 3kg. M16A2 will be a bit more, M733 a bit less, but you're always in that neighborhood. You won't be running a marathon with it anyway, this isn't paintball; other airsofters are going out with a ton of gear on (gun, sidearms, lowcaps, radio, camelback, body armor, etc), if you go out light (gun, chestrig, a few mags) you'll be light enough to keep pace. Might be a workout at first, but it'll get you in shape. Players that go out with a full realistic load with body armor and a helmet, on a hot summer day, worked themselves up to that (or have real world experience); nobody "starts" off like that, unless you're trying to get heatstroke.

So if you want a shorter gun, fine, there's options. But IMO, you shouldn't limit yourself to tiny ones. Check out an AKS47, M733 or one of the other shorty M4 variants, P90 if you dig that styling (I've seen some upgraded ones hold up well outdoors), G36s (maybe a G36K more than a G36c), L85A2 carbine (more barrel length for less overall size), etc.

And get a sling, if you're afraid it'll tire you out. It helps.

[Grim Fandango]

Originally Posted by Erik_james

Well if you like the looks of the TM UZI Although I have not heard good or bad things about them. (I think there considered more of a sidearm)

The TM Uzi isn't all that bad. Really good for indoor/CQB games. Although the mechbox is made of plastic, so I wouldn't upgrade it that much, if at all. Plus replacement parts are really hard to find. But stock, it's great for indoor games. And yes it is pretty light.

if you have trouble luging around an Mp5, then your gonna have trouble lugging around gear, water, radios, mags...not to mention in the sweltering heat in the bush. Hit the gym...oh, and the bikini shot for shure.
We had a guy on the team awhile back, not a very big guy, but just fior fun, Apoc let him use his gear for a while. So, Xervis, with a G&P SPR M203, elcan, Cmag, light, laser, bipod....vest with another cmag, 10 midcaps, like a dozen M203 shells....it was funny, be he could mamage

[kameleon]

Hmm.. These are all really looking like good options I've never tried a three point sling, mostly because i don't have my own gun to try it with, but i think that might help a lot, just to get a lot of the weight off my arms, because i am mostly lacking upper body strength (which i have been working to improve). I don't think wearing the vest and carrying mags/water/etc will be too much of a problem, because i have done hiking and stuff where it was necessary to carry heavy backpacks, and i've never had a problem.

So far i'm really liking the idea of the P90.. I've been reading reviews of it, looking at pictures, and checking out specs, and it seems like it would work very well for me.

[Lt_Crazy]

I agree go with an upgraded P90 (you'll get owned with a stock one outdoors) but for an outdoor game expect to carrry around alot of mags :-D

anyways good luck finding what you need
Lt_Crazy

[NuttyHunter]

I like how a bunch of guys answered with 'lift weights'.

From a girl's perspective- gym's suck- so try getting a job that entails a bit of heavy lifting (I worked with my father roofing houses and stuff liek that). If that really is the way you want to go.

Since you asked about a lighter weapon I'll answer the question; My boyfriend's Mp5 Sd5 is stupid heavy because he has added weights to it for realistic weighting- without them the thing weighs little to me. It might still be much for you and with smaller arms.... try mp5 pdw. It's cute, compact, and it folds in half.

The P90 is pretty cool because the real steel version is kickass. Other then that their both 'light weight; shorter' weapons.

Personally I don't find the M4 very heavy- and if you really want to be able to get into airsoft you might want to work up to the heavy ones. For distance's sake.

You may not be holding it right either- get someone in the forces to correct you; preferably someone qualified as a small arms coach. You're supposed to be standing with your elbows pointing at the ground- not sticking out to the sides, with the weapon tucked into your shoulder.

:cheers and welcome:

Megan

[LUTNIT]

Wow, I'm 6'2" and 240lbs so I've never even thought of this problem...

I have a P90 and it is a nice little weapon, a tad small for my but its my favorite submachine gun of all times so I put up with it. Hicaps jam like crazy in it, lowcaps are expensive and can be hard to find, mag pouches are hard to find unless custom (lucky for me I can sew and own a sewing machine) and you really need to practice at reloads to get em up to speed because its kinda akward (at least compared to armalites and other conventional weapons.) Also unless you get the J-battery mod you are going to be greatly limited with battery size, the mini it can take stock only come in up to 1400mah but by having a gun doctor cut part of the internals out (not a critical piece) you can get up to 2300mah batteries.

You could try the MP5k-PDW as said, its quite small and it has a version 3 mechbox in it (full sized MP5's have a ver.2 which is far more prone to breakages.) To get it up to field quality you can stick in a longer inner barrel and hide it with a silencer, can drastically increase the barrel length (bettery accuracy) but adds next to no weight. Only problem would be the battery, only takes a 1400mah stick type, more mah = higher rate of fire (slightly) and longer battery life (substantially.)

Have you tried an M733/933 with a slither stock? They are fairly common and you can adjust the stock to whatever length you need, stick on a sling and your a lot better off for weight. Since its an armalite there are accessories, mags, and everything else for it avaliable anywhere and everywhere.

The Sig552 is also fairly small, own one of those two, version 3 mechbox, folding stock, fairly lightweight and rock solid with its plastic body, can take have a custom setup to get up to a 2300mah battery in it (what I'll be doing shortly) and isnt as rare as the P90 so there are more parts/accessories readily avaliable.

Drake, love your comment about anti-aircraft guns, I just got a full sized CA G36 from Hojo and when I picked it up I said "finally, a gun that doesnt feel like it was made for a midget!" (no insult intended, just thought it was funny.

[NuttyHunter]

I'm 5'6'' 130 lbs.... but I can lift 200. It's not about size

It's about size of muscles...

M

[LUTNIT]

LMAO! I can bearly lift my own body weight and I have almost 100lbs on you, damn I'm sad....

Maybe PM HaZarD_SFD, he was talking to me about buying a gun for his fiance and I've met her, shes only maybe 5'2" or 5'4", somewhere in that range.

Alternativly if you want to use airsoft as a workout, you can get a CA M249, they weight more than 6KG I believe, I've held one that has a few accessories added on (Apoc's) and its a beast, throw it at someone and they may have to go to the hospital.

[NuttyHunter]

To be fair 200 lbs of deadweight (carrying a human body that is) is incredibly hard. 180 is easy so somewhere in between is where my legs give in the arms are fine; it's the legs and the walking.

What do you do for work? Sit at a desk? If you can lift your own weight off the ground (pushups) you should be okay no? Logically.... try gettign up to 30 pushups maybe? That's where I am and I can do my own weight easy.

M