Just like to toss in that it's understandable needing cash for other things when starting a family or adding another kid to one, so don't feel like you have to rush into things.
The sport isn't going to go anywhere in a year so by all means take your time and go to some games and rent and just enjoy what you can till you can get your own gear.

Airsoft is realy addictive as others have already said, you can get started for that 1K but most will love the sport so much that it leads to way more by choice.

Welcome to the forum and airsoft.

I can say from personal experience that visiting Xtreme Tactics is a fantastic idea. Back when I was thinking about investing in airsoft I went to Winnipeg and shot off some rounds at their range. The folks there are fantastic and will certainly answer any questions you have. You'll try it once and that will be the hook. They also have a locked room with just about every AEG you can think of (NOT FOR SALE). They might just let you have a look at some of them.

Yeah, I've already heard back from the folks at XT. I don't think I can make the show this weekend, but I think I can coerce 20 co-workers and friends to sign up for a private game.

I'll start there, and see where it goes.

And to fufil my n00b obligations, allow me to ask: "WhAt gun R best 4 teh shootign?!@!one!1eleventy!2!2two??"

No one with a wife and kid would speak leet so fluently!
J'accuse!
GET HIM!!!!!!!!

Your only problem would be your wife. I mean it's practically like golf, unless of course you can get her into the sport aswell. Otherwise I picture you sleeping on the couch for a while after going to a game.

Hey, I'm a geek by trade, so my uber-l337n355 comes with the job.

My wife is lukewarm to the idea right now, but I admit to having had one or two hobbies with cash layout that ended up on the shelf. She also thinks that running around in the woods shooting people is a bit 'creepy'.

I suppose it is in some ways, but I grew up with an avid military historian for a father, so mil-sim has always interested me, and military hardware is like some sort of highly irregular pornography to me...

Don't take that the wrong way please!

He'll fit in nicely, methinks.

I'll drink to that :cheers:

Ha! Thanks guys.

Maybe I'll see you out there sooner rather than later...

There's a wrong way to take that?

Sure there is! I mean, I've never really 'loved' a piece of military hardware. You know, in the biblical sense.

Of course, the time I got to stare down the barrel of a GAU-8/A hanging seductively off the nose of an A-10 at the Winnipeg International Airshow, I got close... :lol:

I remember going to the show in '87 and my father letting me 'hang' off of that very same barrel :grin:

I'm still waiting for them to built a 'portable' version of that for Airsoft... Minigun eat your heart out. :innocent:

Yup, the world's first tank-killing Airsoft Gun. Uses depleted aluminum pellets.

That's because you haven't gone through the ASC 'initiation' yet.