What is Airsoft?

Many people have not heard of the sport “Airsoft” so if you’re new, here’s a primer to get you familiar with the sport. Airsoft guns come in all shapes and sizes. They shoot 6mm round projectiles commonly known as “BBs.” however, they travel at speeds much lower than real bullets, generally in the 400 feet per second range, and while taking a hit from an airsoft pellet can be painful, they cannot kill or cause major injury like a real bullet. Even though airsoft is considered a toy, safety precautions should still be taken into account when playing with these replicas including, but not limited to eye and head safety, and body padding and armor if desired.

Most airsoft weapons are the exact copies of the actual guns. Some manufacturers even use real mould of the originals in order to create the look, feel and even weight of their real-steel counterpart. M-16′s, AK-47′s, Barrett .50 cal sniper rifles, & Sig Sauer P226 hand guns are just a few of the real looking airsoft weapons you can purchase.

So how bad does it hurt when you get hit? Automatic Electric Guns will usually only cause skin welts. It is still painful however when the BB pellets hit the skin, since they travel at high speeds. That is why during “skirmishes,” protective gear must be worn to avoid serious injuries, especially protective eye wear. We usually recommend, protective clothing as well. Sweatshirts and pants are good barriers to protect against welting, but tactical camouflage gear is even better.

Airsoft guns generally come in 3 distinct types.

Automatic Electric Guns (AEG)

Gas-Powered

Spring-Powered

Automatic Electric Guns (AEG) is among the most popular, and tend to be the most expensive weapon. Ranging an average of about $200 – $400, these guns are generally very high quality and will last for many seasons. Tokyo Marui is by far the largest manufacturer of these airsoft weapons. AEGs are powered by a NiCad battery which is rechargeable. The battery operates the motors that run the three gears inside the gun. These gears compress and release the piston creating a blast of air that propels the airsoft projectile out of the barrel. The system allows the gun to function efficiently with its fully-automatic features in compare to most AEGs resulting in a realistic Rate-of-Fire. It can reach anywhere from 700 to 1000 rounds per minute, depending on the model. AEG weapons are better for the more experienced airsoft player, as their rate of fire takes considerably more skill to control.
The second most popular guns are gas powered. Designed for intermediate players, gas powered guns are considerably less expensive than their electric counterparts.. There are several types of gas-powered guns. The most popular one is the Gas-Blowback, also know as GBBs. They operate using CO2 to compress the air used to propel the BBs out of the barrel. The same gas is used to cycle back the slide, creating a recoil by cycling the slide back and forth. The gas is either stored in the magazine or on-board. Similar to AEGs, the Gas-Blowbacks allow realistic semi-automatic firing. The gun allows the ease of magazine reload and making it very appealing to its users.

And finally the spring-powered Airsoft gun. Spring-cocking guns are true to their name in that you cock the spring first, and then fire. This must be done before every shot, however they make excellent backup weapons. These guns are usually magazine fed and semi-automatic, but they must be hand-cocked after every shot. This system is very cost-effective, and the guns are surprisingly sturdy. Every Airsofter has owned at least one spring-powered gun, either a pistol or a rifle. Due to it’s relatively cheap price-range, this is usually the gun of choice for the person just starting to play airsoft. A spring-powered handgun can be purchased for under as $20