What is Airsoft?

Airsoft is a recreational game and collector's hobby.

Airsoft guns are highly detailed replicas of authentic firearms. They are exact in every detail to their real counterparts. They use Electric, Spring, or Gas power to shoot 6mm BB's.  They have an effective range of up to 200' and most are fully automatic. The BB's they shoot weigh only .20 gram .25 gram & .30 gram so they do not hurt nearly as much as paintball. Calling yourself out is on the honor system. Airsoft is a game of honor.

These realistic looking guns are combined with authentic looking uniforms and scenarios to play live war games. Similar to paintball, players compete in mock combat but with much more attention to theatrics and role-playing. Airsoft players focus on the fantasy aspect of the game as opposed to the purely competitive sport of paintball. Effectively, Airsoft players like to 'play Army' in a safe and friendly environment.

This exotic hobby is in no way 'militant' except for the looks of the guns and gear. Realistic looking guns and uniforms add to the gaming experience. Just as with video games or war movies, players enjoy the thrill of mock combat to challenging their teamwork and field craft skills. In addition, playing Airsoft is great way to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and camaraderie with fellow players.

  Does It Hurt To Get Hit?

It hurts far less than paintball. Paintball has been described to be like snapping a thick, rubber band on your arm so Airsoft would have to be a small rubber band. At close ranges, they can sting pretty good and even leave a small cut or welt, but at longer ranges they can be hard to feel as the BB's slow down and sometimes you don't feel them hit you at all. The impact depends greatly on the range and velocity of the gun.

Is Airsoft Safe?

Airsoft is very safe. It is almost identical to paintball in that the only way you can get hurt is by removing your eye protection. That is the number one golden safety rule on the field and everyone abides by it so it doesn't happen. Otherwise, the most common injury is sprained ankles from running and even so paintball still ranks safer than golf, swimming, or bowling.

The Guns

  This is essentially what attracts players into the sport. Airsoft guns are 1:1 scale replicas of actual firearms that fire 6mm, round, plastic pellets commonly called as "BB's" which are propelled out of the guns by compressed air. In most cases, Airsoft guns mimic the looks and functionality of its real-steel counterpart. By that, I mean Airsoft guns look, feel, weigh, and functions similar to the actual firearm. Often, the only way you can tell apart a "real steel" firearm and an Airsoft gun is when you pull that trigger and the orange tip on the barrel of the gun.

There are 3 major types of Airsoft guns: Automatic Electric Guns (AEG's), Gas-Powered, and Spring-Powered.

The most popular of the 3 types is the Automatic Electric Gun. The creation of the AEG is partly responsible for Airsofts "boom" during the late 1990s. Basically, an AEG is powered by an on-board Ni-Cad battery (similar to hobby R/C Cars), which operates a motor that turns gears inside the gun to compress and release a piston, which in turn creates the blast of air needed to propel the 6mm BB through the barrel of the gun. This system allows the gun to efficiently generate the power needed to support the fully-automatic features of most AEG’s and the result is a realistic Rate-Of-Fire (ROF) of anywhere from 600 - 900 Rounds-Per-Minute (RPM), once again mimicking the capabilities of real steel firearms. This is the Airsoft gun of choice for most skirmish veterans. Price for an AEG can start at $150.00 and go as high as $1200.00. It is far from being cheap, but is worth every penny that you invest on it.

Another popular type of an Airsoft gun is the Gas-powered. While there are several types of gas-powered Airsoft guns, the most popular are the Gas-Blowback guns (GBB's). The GBB allows a realistic, semi-automatic firing of the gun by employing either an on-board, or magazine-stored gas storage system. Basically, the same compressed air that propels the BB out of the bore is harnessed to cycle the slide back (hence: blowback). This creates the realistic "recoil" by cycling the slide/upper receiver back-and-forth while firing the gun. This system gives the hand-held gun the capability to empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger, and just as easily reload the gun by inserting a fresh magazine. Needless to say, this feature holds tremendous appeal for the "simulationist".

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. Cock spring, fire, cock, fire, cock, fire, etc. 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, in his lifetime, has owned at least one spring-powered gun, either a pistol or a rifle. Due to its 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 as little as $20. Unless you get into Sniper Rifles, the price range can be from $175.00 to $500.00 depending on the upgrades and the FPS that the gun shoots.

 

 

 

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