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ARES Airsoft Full Size L1A1 Battle Rifle Airsoft AEG (Color: Synthetic Furniture)
14 Customer Reviews
by Chris O. on 06/15/2021
"Reviewing based on the wood version.
This gun is stupidly beautiful. It's ridiculous. Pictures do not do it justice. I wanted this gun for months before buying it, and I watched tons of videos and drooled over pictures the whole time.
But I was still not prepared for how gorgeous it is. The wood they chose is perfect - rustic and textured. I swear it even smells like an old firearm, the scent you find at a war museum. Slap a scope and flash hider on it and you'll be inundated with compliments. It also feels solid, from the mags to the stock to the weight balance.
If you want a really beautiful gun, it's hard to do better than this. The visuals alone are worth the price for me.
That said, the dirty rumors about the internals are mostly true. They're about what you'd expect in a $200 AEG. When I took it to my first game, my rounds weren't hopping, and I found that the barrel was seated sideways, so the nub was missing the barrel window. The hop up wheel also doesn't have a lot of friction, making it hard to hold its position if you're using lighter ammo. The nub itself was horribly cheap. The battery compartment is tiny (though slightly larger in the black version I hear). The selector switch got loose after two days. The trigger isn't as bad as some people say but also not great, and the gearbox isn't reinforced, despite the gun being a likely candidate for DMR builds.
But these have all been worth the hassle to fix. I even went further and HPA'd it with a PolarStar F2 - Rodd from PolarStar helped me take measurements and determined you can do it with the Ares M4 F2 kit, replacing the nozzle with an F2 #15. Now it shoots like a dream.
I realize that most people will want a high performing gun out of the box when spending north of $600, and that's fair. This isn't the gun for you in that case. But if you want a sexy L1A1/FAL that'll take your breath away, it's worth the extra work.
Side note: The FN FAL scope mount that Evike suggests does NOT fit correctly, and will wobble. You have to buy the one that Ares makes.
This gun is stupidly beautiful. It's ridiculous. Pictures do not do it justice. I wanted this gun for months before buying it, and I watched tons of videos and drooled over pictures the whole time.
But I was still not prepared for how gorgeous it is. The wood they chose is perfect - rustic and textured. I swear it even smells like an old firearm, the scent you find at a war museum. Slap a scope and flash hider on it and you'll be inundated with compliments. It also feels solid, from the mags to the stock to the weight balance.
If you want a really beautiful gun, it's hard to do better than this. The visuals alone are worth the price for me.
That said, the dirty rumors about the internals are mostly true. They're about what you'd expect in a $200 AEG. When I took it to my first game, my rounds weren't hopping, and I found that the barrel was seated sideways, so the nub was missing the barrel window. The hop up wheel also doesn't have a lot of friction, making it hard to hold its position if you're using lighter ammo. The nub itself was horribly cheap. The battery compartment is tiny (though slightly larger in the black version I hear). The selector switch got loose after two days. The trigger isn't as bad as some people say but also not great, and the gearbox isn't reinforced, despite the gun being a likely candidate for DMR builds.
But these have all been worth the hassle to fix. I even went further and HPA'd it with a PolarStar F2 - Rodd from PolarStar helped me take measurements and determined you can do it with the Ares M4 F2 kit, replacing the nozzle with an F2 #15. Now it shoots like a dream.
I realize that most people will want a high performing gun out of the box when spending north of $600, and that's fair. This isn't the gun for you in that case. But if you want a sexy L1A1/FAL that'll take your breath away, it's worth the extra work.
Side note: The FN FAL scope mount that Evike suggests does NOT fit correctly, and will wobble. You have to buy the one that Ares makes.
by Chase W. on 05/11/2019
"It’s a beautiful gun, wondering if the gear box will be ok with a LiPo battery,
by Richard L. on 10/18/2018
"A mostly look at the outside, which is 9/10
This wood version just arrived. It is so good it`s hard to believe it`s not real, and in another life I used the " real" ones, which naturally had a bit more weight. The wood furniture is superb in fit and reddish/brown finish color, far better then the " real" aftermarket stuff put out over the last 30 year's.. The numbering is mostly in the right places. The sights are correct even to the gray/black metal finishes.
I predict that even at this somewhat high price it will go out of stock fast.
This wood version just arrived. It is so good it`s hard to believe it`s not real, and in another life I used the " real" ones, which naturally had a bit more weight. The wood furniture is superb in fit and reddish/brown finish color, far better then the " real" aftermarket stuff put out over the last 30 year's.. The numbering is mostly in the right places. The sights are correct even to the gray/black metal finishes.
I predict that even at this somewhat high price it will go out of stock fast.
by Max D. on 09/29/2018
"I purchased the wooden version a few weeks ago and I must say that this rifle is amazing. Superb accuracy and a ton of range using .28g G&G bbs. The motor and gearbox are both relatively quiet and sound very crisp and smooth. The external parts feel and are constructed well. The wood is some of the best I've seen on an airsoft gun. Over all it is worth every penny, no need for any upgrades out of the box.
Some notes:
When you get the gun the first thing you will want to do is deactivate the takedown lever to tighten the upper receiver down by using a very long flat head screwdriver to disconnect the stock from the back of the gun. Taking the butt plate off the gun will help make this easier. Once the stock is off there is a small Allen screw that you will want to tighten down to fix this issue.
The wooden version does not fit 9.6v stick batteries. Just get a few Echo1 7.4v lipo sticks and they will fit inside the stock nicely.
The wooden version also comes with a black metal flash hider.
Once again this is worth every penny if you're looking for something unique and that is ready to go out of the box.
Some notes:
When you get the gun the first thing you will want to do is deactivate the takedown lever to tighten the upper receiver down by using a very long flat head screwdriver to disconnect the stock from the back of the gun. Taking the butt plate off the gun will help make this easier. Once the stock is off there is a small Allen screw that you will want to tighten down to fix this issue.
The wooden version does not fit 9.6v stick batteries. Just get a few Echo1 7.4v lipo sticks and they will fit inside the stock nicely.
The wooden version also comes with a black metal flash hider.
Once again this is worth every penny if you're looking for something unique and that is ready to go out of the box.
by Alex X. on 11/16/2017
"screws are bit lose so you may need to tighten yourself, dust cover replacement guide can be found on youtube, they are not hard to do. You may achieve a faster rof than a full auto rifle with a quick trigger finger but the gear may jam on you, so make sure don't pull the trigger too fast.
a really powerful rifle, heavy as hell in a good way.
a really powerful rifle, heavy as hell in a good way.
by kyle b. on 05/28/2017
"i love this rifle i bought it and its an amazing replical of a fal real wood full metal fantastic gun if your starting your vietnam collection this is an awesome one 5/5 i will get it if i were you bc this ares rifle is hard to get these day
pros full metal real wood comes with flashhidder :)
cons - mags are hard to get unless evike stocks them one day . stock can be wobbly so make sure you have a long flat head screw driver to tight it up if its loose make sure you have one bc it can be very loose when you get it
if your looking for a FAL replical this is the one to get at 460$
pros full metal real wood comes with flashhidder :)
cons - mags are hard to get unless evike stocks them one day . stock can be wobbly so make sure you have a long flat head screw driver to tight it up if its loose make sure you have one bc it can be very loose when you get it
if your looking for a FAL replical this is the one to get at 460$
by david t. on 02/19/2017
"i fired this gun at a field recently i didnt buy it but its heavy slap a scope mount on and a x4 scope and it is a excellent sniper
by andrew m. on 02/11/2017
"wears the wood kit it looks so good with wood
by Tien N. on 12/14/2016
"Update:
Once again I fielded my L1A1 with a modified top cover with rail. If you plan on using this gun in the assault role just be aware that it shoots very hard and it's huge.
I use mine as a sniper rifle and it's deadly with .25's and .30's.
Be very careful of the selector switch because it can wiggle into full auto or burst. To avoid this issue I use a programmable burst wizard, programmed for single fire only.
All in all this rifle rocks, if you're man enough to hump it!
Once again I fielded my L1A1 with a modified top cover with rail. If you plan on using this gun in the assault role just be aware that it shoots very hard and it's huge.
I use mine as a sniper rifle and it's deadly with .25's and .30's.
Be very careful of the selector switch because it can wiggle into full auto or burst. To avoid this issue I use a programmable burst wizard, programmed for single fire only.
All in all this rifle rocks, if you're man enough to hump it!
by Tien N. on 11/17/2016
"I have this SLR from a different retailer and I have to say WOW! First off it is very long and unless you know how to maneuver with a "long gun" I'd suggest staying away from this gun. I fielded mine a last weekend and it performed just as it's reputation... " The right arm of the free world ".
To get the most out of it I got the 650mm Matrix SS tightbore for it and now it can also double as a DMR!
When Evike gets the railed top cover you will be able to mount a scope but the rail is very short and can cause some eye relief issues.
The magazines are all proprietary mid caps and all metal...:D
It does shoot on the "hot" side so buyer beware as most fields will not allow it unless you're in the "sniper" role.
My final take... get your SADF/Rhodesian/British uniforms out and appropriate web gear and rock on!
To get the most out of it I got the 650mm Matrix SS tightbore for it and now it can also double as a DMR!
When Evike gets the railed top cover you will be able to mount a scope but the rail is very short and can cause some eye relief issues.
The magazines are all proprietary mid caps and all metal...:D
It does shoot on the "hot" side so buyer beware as most fields will not allow it unless you're in the "sniper" role.
My final take... get your SADF/Rhodesian/British uniforms out and appropriate web gear and rock on!
by max g. on 01/31/2021
"Really nice gun overall (definitely a collector or impression gun over amazing performance and ease of customization however). I bought the gun twice and when I bought it the first time I was kind of underwhelmed with the performance but it was favorite style of gun and wanted it for an impression so I got it anyways. However the second time I bought it I was greatly impressed by the improvements, the trigger response was better, the fps and joules increased substantially, and the air seal was improved. The overall performance of the gun is well out of the box but the major downside is the hop up unit needs a little work but it slightly improved overtime and the gearbox is tough to work on so I would recommend someone with experience work on it for sure. The wood is nice quality and sturdy and the polymer is excellent and not cheap flimsy plastic and the texture is nice for gripping when your hands are wet or have gloves.
by Tarron M. on 08/06/2020
"Overall good. The only thing I can recommend is not trusting the Evike website when It recommends the 9.6v butterfly type battery for the wood furniture. It won’t fit inside the stock unless you carve the stock out more. Luckily my friend had a battery that fits but it was a disappointment that the recommended batteries WILL NOT FIT in the stock. Also, the wood furniture option does not include a flash hider.
by Sparky V. on 11/30/2019
"THIS GUN IS A B S O L U T E L Y T A N T A L I Z I N G!!!
but....
WAIT FOR A SALE!!!(god willing...)
I would highly recommend it IF...
-the price wasn't through the roof (due to few sales or downright price gouging)
-the flash hider wasn't sold separately (a d**k move by ares in my opinion)
-buyers we're not limited to HI-CAPS only (probably from lack of purchases)
but....
WAIT FOR A SALE!!!(god willing...)
I would highly recommend it IF...
-the price wasn't through the roof (due to few sales or downright price gouging)
-the flash hider wasn't sold separately (a d**k move by ares in my opinion)
-buyers we're not limited to HI-CAPS only (probably from lack of purchases)
by Esau P. on 02/19/2020
"This gun is the best looking gun in my collection without a doubt. This thing turns heads wherever I take it. I also strive to be unique when it comes to airsoft (straying away from your average Multicam+M4 loadout or hoodie+DyeMask+Hi cappa that shoots like 9 millions rounds a second). To say the least, Aesthetic is important for me. This gun gets a 10 out of 10 for aesthetics. Now, as for practicality.. that's a whole different story. I'll address the issues below;
PROS:
- Real wood furniture!!
- Feels nice to hold despite its somewhat heavy weight & awkward build
- Hopup is very easy to adjust and stays in place despite what others say, perhaps I just got lucky with mine?
- Mid caps are lightweight despite their metal construction. The mid caps feel high quality
- full metal construction! Haven't found any flimsy/cheap plastic bits on this gun
- The barrels threading is painted orange. The L1A1 comes with a flash hider! I've never seen any company do this before! I feel like more companies should start doing this!
- Disassembly is rather easy compared to other AEGs
- A dust cover with picatinny rails is available for purchase for a reasonable price
- Shoots at about 370 with .20s and a 9.6v battery. This may be a con for some, but I hate DMR rules.
- It's unique looking and badass. I guarantee you're not gonna see another person with this at your field
CONS:
- Despite the full metal construction & wood furniture, it feels flimsy. A lot of parts on this gun were loose when I first received this. The hand guard felt a little loose, but that was fixed easily
- The barrel always comes loose after about 2 matches. It hardly effects accuracy but its annoying
- Tamiya battery connector popped off the very first time I used it. I've had to have this gun re-wired at least 3 times because of it..
- Mid caps are kind of pricey
- little to no accuracy without using at least .28s. Using .25s and lower makes this gun almost completely useless. The bbs spread all over the place if you don't use heavier bbs.
- the barrel is flimsy. The littlest of pressure on the barrel causes the barrel to bend, causing bbs to fly up into the heavens. This even happens whenThis gun is the best looking gun in my collection without a doubt. This thing turns heads wherever I take it. I also strive to be unique when it comes to airsoft (straying away from your average Multicam+M4 loadout or hoodie+DyeMask+Hi cappa that shoots like 9 millions rounds a second). To say the least, Aesthetic is important for me. This gun gets a 10 out of 10 for aesthetics. Now, as for practicality.. that's a whole different story. I'll address the issues below;
PROS:
- Real wood furniture!!
- Feels nice to hold despite its somewhat heavy weight & awkward build
- Hopup is very easy to adjust and stays in place despite what others say, perhaps I just got lucky with mine?
- Mid caps are lightweight despite their metal construction. The mid caps feel high quality
- full metal construction! Haven't found any flimsy/cheap plastic bits on this gun
- The barrels threading is painted orange. The L1A1 comes with a flash hider! I've never seen any company do this before! I feel like more companies should start doing this!
- Disassembly is rather easy compared to other AEGs
- A dust cover with picatinny rails is available for purchase for a reasonable price
- Shoots at about 370 with .20s and a 9.6v battery. This may be a con for some, but I hate DMR rules.
- It's unique looking and badass. I guarantee you're not gonna see another person with this at your field
CONS:
- Despite the quality of materials, it is quite flimsy out of the box.
- Mid caps are on the pricey side
- The outer barrel sort of comes loose every now and then, it's an easy fix though.
- Tamiya battery connector popped off the first time I used it. Fixing it wasn't easy in the least! I've had to have my friend re-wire this gun at least 3 times
- Any pressure on the barrel causes the bbs to fly into the heavens. The barrel is just flimsy
- You have to use at least .28s unless you want this gun to be a semi-auto scatter gun. For some reason, .25s go flying in every direction. Not too sure why.. I can't even imagine what .20s would do in this thing
- Batteries will not fit in the stock properly unless you take the plate off of the stock, which looks kinda ugly
- The finish on the wood comes off really easily, revealing cheap looking wood
- The stock is very loose. I have not been able to fix this issue for some reason..
- Its freakin' expensive. The L1A1 is 600$ for the wood furniture. It's still expensive for the synthetic furniture version (530$)
- The L1A1 occasionally 'chokes' and jams when you fire too fast. Not really sure what the issue is with that though? I've never encountered this issue with any other gun before
For all the issues that I've encountered with this gun, I say its not worth the 600.. It looks really nice but is not practical at all. It's more trouble than it is worth in my opinion. I still think it looks beautiful! If this gun was not as wobbly and troublesome then I'd say it's totally worth it. Also some better wood finish on the furniture would be nice. I think I am going to retire this gun & use it for decoration.
PROS:
- Real wood furniture!!
- Feels nice to hold despite its somewhat heavy weight & awkward build
- Hopup is very easy to adjust and stays in place despite what others say, perhaps I just got lucky with mine?
- Mid caps are lightweight despite their metal construction. The mid caps feel high quality
- full metal construction! Haven't found any flimsy/cheap plastic bits on this gun
- The barrels threading is painted orange. The L1A1 comes with a flash hider! I've never seen any company do this before! I feel like more companies should start doing this!
- Disassembly is rather easy compared to other AEGs
- A dust cover with picatinny rails is available for purchase for a reasonable price
- Shoots at about 370 with .20s and a 9.6v battery. This may be a con for some, but I hate DMR rules.
- It's unique looking and badass. I guarantee you're not gonna see another person with this at your field
CONS:
- Despite the full metal construction & wood furniture, it feels flimsy. A lot of parts on this gun were loose when I first received this. The hand guard felt a little loose, but that was fixed easily
- The barrel always comes loose after about 2 matches. It hardly effects accuracy but its annoying
- Tamiya battery connector popped off the very first time I used it. I've had to have this gun re-wired at least 3 times because of it..
- Mid caps are kind of pricey
- little to no accuracy without using at least .28s. Using .25s and lower makes this gun almost completely useless. The bbs spread all over the place if you don't use heavier bbs.
- the barrel is flimsy. The littlest of pressure on the barrel causes the barrel to bend, causing bbs to fly up into the heavens. This even happens whenThis gun is the best looking gun in my collection without a doubt. This thing turns heads wherever I take it. I also strive to be unique when it comes to airsoft (straying away from your average Multicam+M4 loadout or hoodie+DyeMask+Hi cappa that shoots like 9 millions rounds a second). To say the least, Aesthetic is important for me. This gun gets a 10 out of 10 for aesthetics. Now, as for practicality.. that's a whole different story. I'll address the issues below;
PROS:
- Real wood furniture!!
- Feels nice to hold despite its somewhat heavy weight & awkward build
- Hopup is very easy to adjust and stays in place despite what others say, perhaps I just got lucky with mine?
- Mid caps are lightweight despite their metal construction. The mid caps feel high quality
- full metal construction! Haven't found any flimsy/cheap plastic bits on this gun
- The barrels threading is painted orange. The L1A1 comes with a flash hider! I've never seen any company do this before! I feel like more companies should start doing this!
- Disassembly is rather easy compared to other AEGs
- A dust cover with picatinny rails is available for purchase for a reasonable price
- Shoots at about 370 with .20s and a 9.6v battery. This may be a con for some, but I hate DMR rules.
- It's unique looking and badass. I guarantee you're not gonna see another person with this at your field
CONS:
- Despite the quality of materials, it is quite flimsy out of the box.
- Mid caps are on the pricey side
- The outer barrel sort of comes loose every now and then, it's an easy fix though.
- Tamiya battery connector popped off the first time I used it. Fixing it wasn't easy in the least! I've had to have my friend re-wire this gun at least 3 times
- Any pressure on the barrel causes the bbs to fly into the heavens. The barrel is just flimsy
- You have to use at least .28s unless you want this gun to be a semi-auto scatter gun. For some reason, .25s go flying in every direction. Not too sure why.. I can't even imagine what .20s would do in this thing
- Batteries will not fit in the stock properly unless you take the plate off of the stock, which looks kinda ugly
- The finish on the wood comes off really easily, revealing cheap looking wood
- The stock is very loose. I have not been able to fix this issue for some reason..
- Its freakin' expensive. The L1A1 is 600$ for the wood furniture. It's still expensive for the synthetic furniture version (530$)
- The L1A1 occasionally 'chokes' and jams when you fire too fast. Not really sure what the issue is with that though? I've never encountered this issue with any other gun before
For all the issues that I've encountered with this gun, I say its not worth the 600.. It looks really nice but is not practical at all. It's more trouble than it is worth in my opinion. I still think it looks beautiful! If this gun was not as wobbly and troublesome then I'd say it's totally worth it. Also some better wood finish on the furniture would be nice. I think I am going to retire this gun & use it for decoration.