Star Mk43

[Righteous]

Star Mk 43

Pros
Huge ammunition capacity (3500+ rounds)
Lightweight for a support weapon - about 10 pounds
Nice intimidation factor and it looks awesome
Spring release
Relatively inexpensive - $370 shipped while on sale
Most Ares parts for their M60 series are compatible

Cons
The magazine jams sometimes
The magazine requires 3xAA batteries
The Ares Mk43 box magazine is not compatible without modification
The body is largely plastic

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)
The Star Mk43 is a very good support weapon with a huge ammunition capacity, good rate of fire, and good range. It is also fairly inexpensive and light weight for a support weapon. However, the magazine jams sometimes and requires three AA batteries and the AEG is mostly plastic.

I bought the Star Mk43 while on vacation in HK and shipped it back. It was on sale as Star seems to be discontinuing most of their AEGs some of which are now offered, with minor changes, by Ares.
The feed motor keeps up with the rate of fire of the gun with an 8.4v battery, but it is powered by three AA batteries and can jam sometimes. As with most support weapons, the user must test fire the gun so that the motor has a chance to feed bbs into the hopup. Changing the battery is easy since the stock is very roomy and the feed tray cover pops up with the flick of a lever. It is large enough for a 9.6v 4600mah battery but I recommend an 8.4v 3400 since a 9.6v causes the rate of fire to exceed the reliable capabilities of the magazine.
The accuracy is a bit better than my Trigger Happy M240B and the shot dispersal is reduced but the range also seems to be a bit less. The rounds cover a three to four foot area at 125 feet. The gun has worked very well in the skirmishes I have used it in and the huge battery keeps up the fire nicely.
The internals are solid and the gearbox is made of clear plastic. This has caused no problems and the AEG clocks about 315-320 out of the box. I installed a 407mm TB which did not improve velocity much but the accuracy did improve a bit as it reduced the dispersal. The TB and hopup are the only parts I have replaced. Everything else is in top shape despite over 6000 rounds through it. The parts are mostly the same as the Ares version I have in TX, but the Ares box magazine is powered from the same battery as the gearbox and the Star uses three AA batteries. The Ares box magazine is otherwise the same, but would require a wiring modification to use a 9v battery to power it.
A nice feature is the rail mount on the forward handguard. It includes a lower rail unlike the TH M240B and this would allow one to mount a grenade launcher. The Mk43 fits under my arm when I move and is easy to maneuver with and point. It's considerably more convenient than the M240B with only a relatively minor loss in performance.
Overall, this is a great support weapon for those who don't want the size or weight of competing support weapons. It's more expensive than an A&K M249 but it's only about 60% the weight and the box magazine, rate of fire and stock accuracy are superior.