Plastic is fine to start, you can always upgrade to metal, yes plastic won't last long, if your running outside you'll be replacing the sprocket and Idler wheels right away along with metal tracks, $$$. shipping is 20-40 depending where you live because the box is big and heavy, your playing with the big boys now! All HL tanks are Air Soft only now. Air Soft to IR, that's going to cost, you have to mod them, would wait till you get to know these tanks first. The tanks are about a foot long and weigh 8-10 lbs depending on what to do to them I. E. metal parts. The British challenger I love because it's the BIGGEST HL.