Looking for a great airsoft AEG rifle at an almost unbelievably low price? The G&G Combat Machine Raider is it. With a fully-upgradeable, full-metal gearbox, a long type motor, a tight bore battle and a litany of other desirable high-quality, high-end features, at under $200, it’s an absolute steal. For indoor CQB, there are few AEGs that deliver such value at this price point.
Still, if you want to get your money’s worth, you should invest some time in tuning it and pair it with ammo that performs the best.
The manufacturer recommendations suggest that a CM16 Raider can deliver 370-400 FPS with .20 g airsoft ammo – but is that the standard you should be “shooting” for? Let’s take a look.
How Airsoft Ammo Affects Performance
Let’s break this down real quick. Just because the manufacturer recommends the use of a certain weight of ammo does not mean that after you tune your airsoft gun and hop up, it doesn’t mean that weight is going to deliver the best performance in terms of range, accuracy, speed, and consistency. Oftentimes, it will, but not always.
Case in point: using .20g airsoft ammo with your G&G Combat Machine Raider will probably result in muzzle velocities between 370 and 400 FPS as stated above – and you can chrono your shots if you want to be sure – but that doesn’t mean you’ll be getting the best, all-around performance.
For example, if you set up your CM16 Raider AEG and tune your hop up for .20g ammo, and notice some errors with consistency, it might be time to up your ammo weight. Some common errors you might notice might include yawing or rolling once the ammo gets out past 50 yards or more. You might also notice that your shots visibly slow down once they’ve reached a certain distance.
Both of these problems are attributable to weight. Since all 6mm airsoft ammo is effectively the same volume, .20g BBs are the least dense of the bunch; this means they are most directly affected by air resistance.
As a result, accuracy and range may be hindered. By contrast, if you experiment with heavier airsoft BBs, such as .25 grams, .28 grams or even .32 grams, you might experience a boost in range, accuracy and consistency.
It does come at a price: the heavier the ammo, the harder it is for the airsoft gun to hop them. At a certain point, what you get back in consistency and shot dispersion, you might pay for in range. But there is a happy middle ground – you just need to find it for your G&G Combat Machine CM16 Raider.
Pairing Airsoft Ammo with a G&G Combat Machine Raider
Here’s our advice for dialing in your Combat Machine M4 Raider for peak performance: experiment. Start with .20 gram BBs and see how they fly. Adjust your hop up and see if your shots maintain speed and direction at extended ranges. If they do, you might be able to sling .20’s.
If not, you should bump it up to .25 gram ammo or even .32 gram ammo. Feed your M4 AEG a feast of different ammo weights and see what it shoots best. Then you’ll have your answer – but don’t just assume that .20 gram BBs are best.
Fuel Your Sport at MiR Tactical!
Whether you’re looking for a new hi-cap magazine for your full auto airsoft M4 carbine, a new smart charger, you need upgrade parts, or you want to play around with ammo weight, visit MiR Tactical online at MiRTactical.com.
They carry a wide selection of airsoft guns, ammo, and gear at excellent prices, covered by a price match, and offered with flat rate shipping. Check out their website and if you have any questions, contact them at 800-581-6620.
