http://www.aaatacticalairsoft.com/ here is site to check out and i am into airsoft very much. there are many ways to get hard core or just very easy to play with. i am a very moderate type of player, but i did go out and get the cammo and guns and ways to carry things and have at least drug one ohter person into the hobby. i had at least 8 guns at one count, but the best bet would to to find a local field and check it out, i do not know where you are off hand but there has to be someting nearby to check out. some places i have seen alow kids as young as 8 years old, ohter have 12 to 16. but check things out. as for guns, something cheap from china works just as well as something from japan. i run a couple of cheap chine guns and the range for some suck, but the mags work very well. i have a co2 pistol that is a sidearm, a spring blot action rifle and a battery op m-14. battery can be very good and can work all year round, green gas is only a fair weather type of gun, and spring is also year round. as for guns there are some very cool shotguns out that have good range and good prices, but anything under $150 and battery will work to see what they are like, some hi-cap type mags are usfull for lots of shooting. i can try to find some more info for you that i know about and plces to read and chat with omse folks on message boards might be a good idea. ammo is also cheaper the paintball also. $50 for a box of 200 balls for paintball, how about $25 for 4000 rounds of BBS for most places i have seen.