Well, I finally got my second AEG. I had been on the lookout for a good, solid, reliable, AR-15 Series Gun. I originally wanted a Tokyo Marui M4A1 Carbine, but didn’t like the feel of the plastic, creaky body that they have; they are great gun guns, reliable and cheap, but I wanted metal body and solidity. I thought I had solved my problem by finding the ICS M4A1/CAR-97 Rifle, but I had read and seen many mixed reviews and thoughts on the gun. I needed something that I could depend on, and not be worried about it breaking down on me. I came across the new Version 4 Classic Army Rifles. I had yet to see one bad review on the gun. The only broken guns I had heard of were people putting in big spring upgrades and not reinforcing other parts. I wasn’t planning on doing this, so I decided to get the Classic Army/ArmaLite M15A4 Rifle (generically known by most people as an M16A4). I ordered the “New Players Package” over at www.airsoftgi.com for $360 with free shipping. I exchanged both HI capacity magazines for two G&P M16 Series 130 Round Mid Capacity magazines. Well, enough with how I came across the gun…on to the review…

Externals

Well, I received my gun, and was very excited to have my new baby J I opened the box (which was turned inside out to avoid the ArmaLite trademarks on the front, and to prevent anyone mistaking it for a real gun), and was in awe as I looked at it in the box. I picked it up, and instantly noticed its weight. I weighs as much as the real steel M16, and is very well balanced as well. I took out the 3000 .25 KSC BB’s, charger, 8.4V 1700 MAH Battery, and both G&P magazines. The gun also comes with a lot of paperwork. It includes: Manual, Battery Charging Guide, Classic Army Catalog, and a sheet from “Spartan Imports” about the features of the M15A4 Series.

I started my traditional once-over of the gun, to check for shipping damage, but CA packaged the gun very well, and no damage was found. I started messing around with all the switches, knobs, and levers on the gun. I noticed the Bolt Release button is very loose…one drop of well-placed Krazy Glue could fix this, although you would lose being able to press it in and out. The forward assist is nicely done, and doesn’t wobble at all. The Charging handle is also very well done, and is harder to pull back than on a TM gun. Although, on the CA, pulling back the charging handle doesn’t flip open the dust cover. You must manually open the dust cover but sticking your nail or something in it and prying it open. This actually a better system the TM’s, because the cover is held in place by a small magnet, instead of the weak spring on a TM gun. This prevents any dust cover wobble and also holds it in place a lot better. One thing I didn’t like here is the fake bolt. It’s silver, and very ugly in my opinion.

The receiver is VERY nice as well. I’ve handled real steel Colt receivers, and they don’t even look this nice. I’ve also seen the Systema Metal Bodies, and the CA’s body is just as nice and solid as they are. Another big plus for the gun is fact that it comes licensed trademarks from ArmaLite themselves. They are nicely done, and each gun has its own special serial number. My M15A4 Rifle’s serial number is: 001630. Another change for the better as far as build materials go is the Hand Guard and Hand Grip. They are now made of a stronger, better-textured Nylon Fiber.

Yet another huge improvement over the TM M16 Series is the CA’s outer barrel. It’s one continual piece of steel, and has no potential for wobble. The TM barrels were multi-pieced, and always at some point would start the infamous “Barrel Wobble Syndrome”. You simply do not ever have to worry about it on the CA M15A4 Series.

Performance

For this review, I used two G&P 130 Round Magazines, and an 8.4V 1700 MAH Battery. The battery took me 9 hours to charge at a 60 MAH Output Charger (MAH Of Battery/MAH of Charger). I plugged in the battery, loaded the magazines, and went out on my porch. I aimed at the tree that’s 150 feet away, and that’s been shot about 20000 times for testing purposes. With Hop OFF, like it is out of the box, I was hitting a screwdriver holding a well house door every time easily at 70 feet. Once I took some time and adjusted the HOP UP on the gun, I was hitting the tree at 150 feet perfectly. If I pointed the sites at it, and it was out to 170 feet, I was hitting it, no matter what it was. I could easily hit a man at 180-190 feet every time. I was very satisfied with this guns accuracy stock. When I get a chance, I’m going to compare it to a TM M16A2.

Another amazing thing about this gun is the rate of fire. It’s easily 800 rounds per minute; I’d say closer to 900 rounds per minute…. and keep in mind this is only an 8.4V battery. I can’t even imagine what it would be like with a 10.8V or even a 12V! WOW! The gun uses the Classic Army equivalent of the Tokyo Marui EG1000.

I haven’t used this gun all that much, so as of now I cannot comment on its long-term durability. I will keep everyone up to date on its performance over the months.

Conclusion

Well, I love this gun. It feels awesome, feels very real, shoots very well, as a great ROF, and all at a price range that’s not astronomical. Would I recommend this gun to a newbie at airsoft? Absolutely. There’s no reason for a newbie to not buy this awesome piece of airsoft equipment. Overall, the Classic Army M15A4 Rifle gets a 10/10.