Noob questions rd. 3: what are my options for these guns?
 

There are obviously a few guns I am particularly interested in obtaining AEGs replicas of. What would be a midrange option AND a high-end option for each?

TAR-21 (saw the Ares model, is there another option?)

MP7

P90

F2000 signature optic (neither the JLS nor the G&G F2000s come with that sight, and what's the point of an F2000 without it?)

G3

G36 full-sized (not -K, not -C, not MG36)

Thanks so much! I know I should be doing my own research, and I did do quite a bit. These are the pieces I'm having trouble with. I like expert opinions and it might be fun for you guys? If not, uh, flame away I guess.

PS. would any of you recommend JG/Echo1 as guns for beginners?

I would not recommend a MP7 as a first gun as it is an AEP (Auto Electric Pistol) or GBB (Gas Blow Back). AEP's tend to have very very limited upgrade potential, and GBB's are not a good first choice as they are high in maitenance work, and only can be used in warm weather.

P90's Do NOT get a CA SPORTLINE, Get a TM or a CA PROLINE. I had a TM, was a great gun but getting mags was hard and finding pouches and places to store them was a giant pain.

FN2000 only JLS, and G&G make it from what I know of.

JG aren't bad guns but they aren't great, expect to pay money at some point just to keep the gun working properly.

Well for one thing without that big, ugly sight you can mount smaller, more useful optics like an EO-Tech, or an ACOG. Seriously from what I've read the original F2000 sight is not worth the extra weight or the lack of modularity, hence why it hasn't made the transition to airsoft. Even the Police and Military forces that use them prefer the tactical model with a top rail.

Another thing... I hate doing the newbie bashing thing but alot of this can be found using the search function. If you want my recomondation for a starter gun, go with a mid-priced AK or AR-15 (such as an M4). Going for something exotic like the F2000 or TAR-21 is both difficult and frustrating, as finding them at a reasonable price will be tricky, not to mention finding parts. The AR and AK series on the other hand are popular, easy to find, and reasonably easy to maintain. I own both a G&G M4 and a Kraken AK and they're both decent for the price i got them at, just pray you don't get a lemon.

Check my sig for price points

Classic Army G3 :)

I'd definatly agree on the resale being crap, but it would be an alright loner or backup gun if you got a better one down the road.

save that $100 and put it towards a quality gun. as previously stated you get what you pay for.

listen to people that have been around asc for longer then 2 months.

I do, but I won't just act according to everyone elses movements.

"You get back what you put into it" comes to mind, and I know that I'll probably outgrow airsoft in the next 5 years, so rather than paying as much as my car is worth I'll invest less into a hobby and when that gun gets messed up I won't be overly upset about it because I know it's limitations are lower than a previously mentioned gun worth more than my car.

Greenwolf gives you good advice.

If you're cheap, you're going to want generic everything to minimize buying kit that is required for one gun and one gun only. That means buying guns with odd mags sizes that don't fit in generic pouches is a no-no. So if you're tring to go cheap, cross the P90 and and G3 variant off your list. I have several AK's, and I have an AK-specific chest rig for them. I also have several Armalite variants, and I have a separate M4/M16-specific plate carrier for them. I also have a P90, which requires it's own pouches, and a Tanaka M700 AICS sniper rifle which also requires it's own mag pouches. I have different vests for different setups; but then again, I'm not cheap, and I have a fair bit of expendable income.

JG/Echo-1 are OK for a beginner....they are mostly TM-compatible (and virtually all aftermarket upgrade parts are for TM-compatible guns). If you want higher-end, stick to Classic Army, Tokyo Marui, G&P, STAR/ARES, or King Arms. I'm not a big fan of G&G, because most of their stuff isn't 100% TM compatible.

Looking at your list, I notice you have a lot of "unique" guns. I'd suggest you really get out to a game and handle as many as possible before you make your choice. The reason for this is simple: a gun you like the looks of may not fit your body type very well, ergonomically speaking. For example, a G3 is a very long rifle; if you are short, you may find it unwieldy. Conversely, if you are tall, a P90 may not be a good choice as it is so small you may not be able to get a good cheek weld without your arms sticking out at all sorts of crazy angles. Many taller people find AK buttstocks too short; some short people (like me, at 5'9") find standard Armalite buttstocks too long. You don't want to shell out several hundred bucks to buy a gun you think looks cool only to find out you hate the way it handles....

Among your choices, I can make some suggestions:

TAR-21 (saw the Ares model, is there another option?) - the only other option is custom, and if you think the Ares is expensive, you don't wanna see the price tag on the other.

MP7 - TM makes a AEP, but it's not really suitable for outdoor gaming. KSC also makes a gas MP7, but mags are very expensive and again, it's not really suited for outdoor gaming, although it's nice indoors. Mags - I dunno if MP5 mag pouches would hold MP7 mags.

P90 - Classic Army (Proline, not Sportline as mentioned before) and Tokyo Marui make very good P90's. I've never handled the JG/Echo-1 E90, but it's a 99% clone of the TM. I say 99% clone because it has some slight differences - for example it uses standard bushings in the gearbox instead of the unique v.6 bushings TM used in it's v.6 gearbox. Mags - you will need P90-specific pouches.

F2000 signature optic (neither the JLS nor the G&G F2000s come with that sight, and what's the point of an F2000 without it?) - never handled any of these, so I can't comment.

G3 - Tokyo Marui G3's need Classic Army metal body kits to fix some flex problems right out of the box, so going with a Classic Army G3 is a cheaper option to start. I wouldn't touch any of the other cloned G3's with a 110 foot pole (like the Both Elephant version). Again, mags are longer than M4 mags, so you will need G3-specific pouches.

G36 full-sized (not -K, not -C, not MG36) - Classic Army is the king here, although the TM has excellent reliability and build quality, the fibre-reinforced plastic on the Classic Army is nicer than the TM ABS. There have been many good reviews about the JG/Echo-1 as a cheaper option. Remember that G36 mags are "fatter" than M4 mags because of the lock together tabs....that means if you plan to use standard M4 pouches, you can only get 1 mag in a double M4 pouch, or 2 mags in a triple M4 pouch.