Classic Army Steyr AUG 2

Strapper

Hi Folks,

I bought the CA Steyr AUG2 last month. It had to be returned to the store on three occasions with gearbox/motor problems. I can't be too specific as the store did not provide great explanations as to what was wrong each time.

Anyway after it malfunctioned for the third time (and my eight time having to return over the faulty product) I'd had enough inconvenience (and accusations that I had tampered with same rendering warranty invalid) so I asked for either a replacement CA AUG 2 or my money back, the store was reluctant for some reason to give me a replacement product citing that I may have the same problems with another as they all came from the same batch (although to my surprise the remaining AUG's are still on sale there)

So anyway, I wish to do business elsewhere as the level of customer service/satisfaction was appaling. Now that I have grown to like the AUG, I would like to buy another, I have received very conflicting advice on CA, JG & TM models. I am reluctant to part with my money again until I am reasonably sure I am buying an item fit for purpose.

Is there anyone out there who can vouch for a certain manufacturer or perhaps throw some light on why the CA failed three times (Trigger went dead with no response from gearbox/motor)

Also if someone could recommend a retailer with good after sales service I would be very much obliged. I am a newbie at this and I don't want to let one bad experience put me off this great sport.

All advice appreciated.

Thanks!

thermo

classic army are generally regarded as having poor internals, great externals (proline versions) but horrible internals.
i have never owned any of the classic army AUG's but i have worked on a few and they do seem prone to problems.
i have owned several JG AUG's (a1, a2, and a3) over the years and have to say they are much more reliable and for the money, better performers. i have also owned a TM AUG a2 which was a fantastic bit of kit, but when i installed the H-BAR kit, it was even better!

Kashkai

A nephew of mine has a Classic Army M4 and it never worked properly since the day he bought it. The motor and gearbox were (allegedly) replaced under warranty but it still was utterly unreliable. Like all things in life, buy cheap, buy often. So it might be worth your while saving up for a better make of aeg.

I have a g&g M4 that gets used on a daily basis for target shooting and has been skirmished a good few times now and it never misses a beat (of course, I've just tempted fate by saying that:rolleyes:). I don't know if g&g do a AUG but if they do, I'd check it out.

T4RGET

unfortunately G&G don't do one still waiting on them to release a Tavor .
my mate had two JG AUG A1's. for the price of them, you can't go wrong. they have an extremely high rate of fire and sound scary as hell . The first one lasted roughly 2 years of solid performing, before it got crushed, by a car :rolleyes:. the second one is now on it's way out, it's very old at this stage though and has never been tampered with (not even a gearbox clean) :eek:

JG's are good but once they start to go, do a clean and replace any worn parts.
CA's are generally not as good as mentioned, I thought they had stepped up their game but apparently not.
if you can afford it, get the TM one, but just makes sure you don't go near the gearbox unless you want to replace a broken parts, 'upgrading' a TM is like upgrading a bugatti .. besides if you open it you'll let out the magical fairy dust that TM use to make their AEG's awesome.

DeBurca

Have to agree with Thermo Classic Army externals are good but their gearboxes are Bad and I mean Bad, but with a little work they can be turned into a reliable AEG

The AUGs made by JG are good to go straight out of the box and will last a long time before needing a service and or overhaul
As the current owner of 4 JG made AUGs (yes I have a soft spot for AUGs) that have all had a once over and once upgraded are the match of any AEG out there

There are 2 dealers in the Limerick area (one with a walk in retail store and the other with an online shop who can meet you in LAC or deliver to you) and maybe you should try the other one

Strapper

Wow ,thanks all (Thermo, T4rget Prosperous Dave, DeBurca) glad I posted this as I was a bit at sea.

So going on what ye say either go for the JG or the TM. Bit of a price difference. As I would probably like to upgrade, I am thinking perhaps the JG.

There are a few links from boards.ie to online retailers in the far East. Prices rangy enough, which would make one wonder as to parts/reliability. They are a nice bit cheaper than some of the stores here, at this stage I am wondering about the merits of cutting out the middle man if I could be sure I was getting a reasonably decent product.

More homework to do, any further observations welcome.

And DeBurca thanks, I rang the guy who usually meets people at the LAC, so I am going to meet with him next w/e and listen to his pitch, by all accounts people seem to be much happier with his level of service rather than some of the competition!!! :P:P

OzCam

I have both a Classic Army A1 and a Jing Gong A1. Never had any problem with either one, but I was a) lucky to get the CA a few years ago when they were still good, and b) I'm easy on equipment. Many people have said that CA's internals went from OK to really bad.

The JG is a good buy for the money, unless you really want trademarks. In that case buy the CA, use it until it breaks, and then replace & upgrade the internals.


Side note: try to use the AUG as much as you can with the front handle up. If you go jumping over ditches and fences with the handle down you'll eventually break the spigot which holds it on to the gas block. It's a known weak spot. Luckily it's available as a spare part from eHobby and other sites, and it's an easy fix.

Strapper

Cheers Ozcam,

Interesting you mention trademarks, because there weren't any. (unless you're referring to the serial number which could have been a batch number rather than individual product number?)

OzCam

From back to front, the AUG should have:

1. "Classic Army Made in Hong Kong" over AUG, just forward of the buttplate
2. 210396 and EDK stamped into the ejector port cover
3. A Steyr Arms logo above the receiver cross locking piece (all on the right side) and
4. AUG-A1 (or A2) and the "serial" number 003778 on the left side of the barrel. AFAIK they're all the same number.

Upper receivers and barrels are not fully cross-compatible between JG and CA. One of them will fit the other, but not vice versa. I can't remember which way works and which doesn't, but if you're replacing parts make sure they fit before parting with money.


Don't forget to put your name on the rifle somewhere, and all your mags. That way there's some chance of you getting it back if its mislaid.

OzCam

Strapper wrote: »

There are a few links from boards.ie to online retailers in the far East. Prices rangy enough, which would make one wonder as to parts/reliability. They are a nice bit cheaper than some of the stores here, at this stage I am wondering about the merits of cutting out the middle man if I could be sure I was getting a reasonably decent product.

Don't.

Its a false economy. By the time you pay the postage, duties, clearance charges and VAT it will end up costing you considerably more. You'll have no comeback if the gun breaks.

And that's a good outcome. If the gun is seized by Customs it will take you weeks to get it back, if at all. If they send it for testing and it shoots over 1J it will be destroyed and all your money is lost.

There are hundreds (thousands?) of threads here about buying from abroad. The consensus is that it's fine for parts or for something you just can't get here, but a waste of money for standard guns. You really have to do a lot of research. Much better to buy Irish and keep local retailers in business.

seairsoft.net are doing a special on JG AUGs at the moment, you might be in luck there.

Strapper

Ozcam,

Thanks a lot for the trademark information and your time, the product I purchased in Limerick did not have have any of the markings you mentioned.....at this stage I am wondering whether it was a CA at all.....

Is there anyone else out there who can throw some more light on this I wonder?

Great advice on the imports, that's a good deal alright in Wexford, closed today so I will contact them tomorrow. I had wondered about the whole customs thing alright.

I visited an airsoft site since last week and made some enquiries on the retailer I conducted my business with....it seems there are a lot more dissatisfied customers than me. Wish I knew that originally. Apparently others have also been accused of opening and tampering with the internals when it would appear they did not. (I am well aware there are those who will protest their innocence under any circumstances - 'innocent men in Shawshank' )

I have to say there is a hell of a lot of support for JG from those here and those I met at the site, which is great considering the much reduced price.

I'll be back with further findings! In the meantime, any other advice from anyone, most welcome.

T4RGET

Strapper wrote: »

Ozcam,

Thanks a lot for the trademark information and your time, the product I purchased in Limerick did not have have any of the markings you mentioned.....at this stage I am wondering whether it was a CA at all.....

Is there anyone else out there who can throw some more light on this I wonder?

Great advice on the imports, that's a good deal alright in Wexford, closed today so I will contact them tomorrow. I had wondered about the whole customs thing alright.

I visited an airsoft site since last week and made some enquiries on the retailer I conducted my business with....it seems there are a lot more dissatisfied customers than me. Wish I knew that originally. Apparently others have also been accused of opening and tampering with the internals when it would appear they did not. (I am well aware there are those who will protest their innocence under any circumstances - 'innocent men in Shawshank' )

I have to say there is a hell of a lot of support for JG from those here and those I met at the site, which is great considering the much reduced price.

I'll be back with further findings! In the meantime, any other advice from anyone, most welcome.

think we can all speculate and guess for that matter, which retailer it is. anyways, JG have really upped their game in the past few years.
as for your AUG not having trademarks, it sounds as if it may be a clone (i.e JG).. this won't help at all but what box did it come in? and check the mag, the bottom will tell you what manufacturer made it (and the AEG will probably be the same unless only the AEG was swapped)

Strapper

Thanks T4rget, it came in a CA box which looked the part alright, there was a colour guide inside relating to the gun's operation although one of the pages was an afterthought and came as an insert.

There was nothing else to denote the manufacturer however, but if it's that easy to clone an airsoft gun, then I'm sure the instructions and box are well manageable.

I will be in Galway and Dublin on Tuesday and Wednesday and intend on asking around in the various airsoft stores.

T4RGET

did you check the bottom of the mag?

OzCam

Classic Army mags are clearly marked. I don't recall JG mags having the manufacturer's name on them, just the numbers copied from the real steel plastic mags indicating the number of "rounds" left. For that matter, TM mags don't have a name on them either.

The slightly puzzling question which arises is that if it's a JG gun (as indicated by the lack of Steyr trademarks, which cost CA money to license) then why was it so unreliable?

T4RGET

OzCam wrote: »

Classic Army mags are clearly marked. I don't recall JG mags having the manufacturer's name on them, just the numbers copied from the real steel plastic mags indicating the number of "rounds" left. For that matter, TM mags don't have a name on them either.

The slightly puzzling question which arises is that if it's a JG gun (as indicated by the lack of Steyr trademarks, which cost CA money to license) then why was it so unreliable?

my point exactly if it was CA, there would be something on the mag, if it wasn't there would be nothing, although I think some of the older JG mags have Jing Gong on the bottom, could be wrong. And i think we can rule out the possibility of it being a TM..

DeBurca

Maybe it a CA Sports line AUG
If it is a sports line like there M4s then that would account for the sh1te quality

Strapper

T4rget & OzCom, wouldn't it be great if the AUG itself was trademarked rather than the mag... :cool:

Sound DeBurca, it was & is advertised as the CA Proline Model....an experienced retailer has expressed much surprise that there was such trouble with this particular model....so I too am at a bit of a loss on this one.

DeBurca

Surprised to hear that it is a Pro line as pro line stuff is good, it just the Sports line stuff that has all the problems

Kashkai

Agree with that. My nephews sport line M4 broke a week after he got it and was back to the retailer 4 times in the three month warranty period. It worked intermittently since but finally died a few months back. From speaking to guys at skirmishes, no one has a good word to say about the sportlines.