Where to buy?

Hi,
You could say I'm new to airsoft in Canada. I've played for several years in Romania but that was a long time ago. I'm looking to get back into the game and since my budget is limited (as with all beginners) I would like to get a well rounded cheap and sturdy AEG. I'm looking for a CYMA 050 (AK Aims) but after several hours spent searching canadian retailers I couldn't find one (closest I came to it was a CYMA 048s from Toronto Airsoft). does anyone know of any canadian stores that carry the CYMA 050? I was also contemplating the idea of getting it from ehobbyasia but I'm not 100% sure how import laws work for airsoft in Canada and I wouldn't like to risk it.
Any feedback is welcomed.

Cheers,

Hey im new too! Well, im about a month old so pretty new. Im not sure about cyma but i went with g&g for my first gun, fairly sturdy and customizable and still able to compete with high end guns. Their guns arent too expensive but still offer a nice platform. Hope this helped!

Close enough?

http://airsoftgear.ca/store/index.php?m ... ts_id=1201

http://airsoftgear.ca/store/index.php?m ... ts_id=1239

@Steel HAHA, It's funny, the G&G Raider was actually was actually one of my first AEGs . I know they are a pretty decent, however, the prices are a bit high. My plan was pretty simple, get a CM 050, put on a prometheus 6.03 tightbore and a decent hop up unit and, followed by a 7.4 lipo and maybe a mosfet... that combo should run me pretty cheap and do the job for the first 6-12 months.

@Iceman, pretty close, thanks for the links. I haven't had any experience with LCT yet and the price seems a bit out of my price range, but if all else fails I'll cut down my spending on gear and go for it.

does anyone have any experience with buying AEGs from HK and having them shipped to BC? Life would be so simple if I could order my own stuff from wgc or ehobbyasia

@Steel HAHA, It's funny, the G&G Raider was actually was actually one of my first AEGs . I know they are a pretty decent, however, the prices are a bit high. My plan was pretty simple, get a CM 050, put on a prometheus 6.03 tightbore and a decent hop up unit and, followed by a 7.4 lipo and maybe a mosfet... that combo should run me pretty cheap and do the job for the first 6-12 months.

@Iceman, pretty close, thanks for the links. I haven't had any experience with LCT yet and the price seems a bit out of my price range, but if all else fails I'll cut down my spending on gear and go for it.

does anyone have any experience with buying AEGs from HK and having them shipped to BC? Life would be so simple if I could order my own stuff from wgc or ehobbyasia

Alright, i have not had any experience ordering from them but i can tell u milsig prob has but they are expensive. Have fun!

[jsae]

AAlex:

You should look in this section of the forum (Buy and Sell, Local Airsoft Retailers) for a more full list of local shops....
viewforum.php?f=43
... cruising around the forum does wonders.

does anyone have any experience with buying AEGs from HK and having them shipped to BC? Life would be so simple if I could order my own stuff from wgc or ehobbyasia

Technically an airsoft gun that fires above 366 fps with a .2 BB could be imported.... However, there is always a potential for seizure, and it is up to the person receiving the item to contest it. This can take several months to contest and you may still lose the case. If you win or lose the case you have to pay charges to customs for it, and if you lose not only do you have to pay the fees but the gun gets destroyed.

If you are on a limited budget I would strongly suggest against it, since there are countless charges to consider and the chance of losing out on the gun entirely. I looked at Importing a gun from ehobby once, but the $165 price tag is misleading. You add shipping (generally around $60 or so for rifles to canada from china), then add tax because you will get charged the tax at the door when it arrives, they could also charge you duty since the item isn't made in North America. I estimated the price of the $165 gun to be $270ish at the door (with a risk of losing it entirely still). Same gun was available in canada for $300. Retailers in canada have proper importation licenses and order in large quantities, they save on shipping costs and considerably lower the risk of customs issues. After closely examining this myself I would never buy a gun out of country. That being said I love the chinese shops for everything else (mags, batteries, etc...)

Just buy local, help out local businesses. Like Drunken Teddy said, it could get stopped and seized at the border. Alot of us have experienced the knowledge of the airsoft import rules that the CBSA agents have, which is little to none. But that's no biggie. I'd rather have them being more knowledgeable on more important rules and regulations then knowing about the rules for dudes to import toy guns. But I'd buy from a local shop. As for everything else (optics, grips, lights, etc) I usually shop online from chinese websites.

As stated before Milsig is pricey their inventory is questionable as none of their pistols shoot over 300FPS??? Find a gun you like and then shop around.

Thank you all for the advice! I think I'll stick to buying local since I'm not looking forward to an argument with Customs.
Several people have sent me PMs with info, thanks for that.I would have liked to reply but apparently I can't do that yet since I'm new to the forum .

@ Claymore could you please PM me with an email address that I can reach you at?