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What is an Airsoft Gun? | Explained - Ehobby Asia
Airsoft has evolved significantly from its beginnings in Japan in the 1970s to span multiple continents and hundreds of airsoft fields throughout the world.
While airsoft guns initially entered the market as toys, these non-lethal 1:1-scale replicas quickly made an impression on hobbyists, collectors, and even firearms aficionados. Today, airsoft guns come in all shapes and sizes, appearing not only on airsoft fields and in popular movies but also in law enforcement and military training exercises.
Are Airsoft Guns Legal?
While airsoft guns may imitate real firearms (also called real-steel guns), they’re considered more in line with paintball platforms than anything you’d bring to the gun range or use for personal protection.
However, instead of paintballs, airsoft replicas use plastic ball bearings (BBs), powered by compressed air, high-pressure air, carbon dioxide (CO2), or propane (also known as green gas). In the U.S., the legality of owning airsoft guns varies by state, but for the most part, you don’t need a license or permit to purchase or own an airsoft gun.
The important thing to remember about airsoft guns is that they’re meant for use either on your personal property or on a designated airsoft field. Brandishing them in public is highly discouraged. Treat them with the same level of care you would a real-steel gun, because it’s too easy to get complacent and put your well-being and the well-being of others at risk.
That said, airsoft can be a fun, rewarding, and team-building sport that’s just as intense as a basketball or football game.
For example, many airsoft enthusiasts attend military simulation, or mil-sim, events nationwide every year, gathering to enjoy a sport that welcomes players of almost all ages and skill levels. Airsoft fields are also a great place for birthday parties or any other type of celebration.
How Do Airsoft Guns Work?
Airsoft guns use plastic BBs that weigh anywhere from 0.12 grams to 0.43 grams and range in diameter from 4.5mm to 8mm.
Most airsoft players use 6mm BBs. While you can purchase non-biodegradable BBs, most airsoft fields require or at least prefer that you use biodegradable variants, as the BBs typically lie where they fall until they integrate back into the soil.
In addition, you can also purchase tracer BBs, which feature a glow-in-the-dark coating that’s activated by a tracer unit. This unit fits onto the muzzle end of your airsoft gun and flashes the BBs with an LED diode as they exit the barrel.
Tracer BBs and tracer units are a huge hit among players who engage in night games, as they add a whole new level of fun to the mix.
What Is Feet Per Second (FPS)?
As you compare airsoft guns, you’ll come across the feet-per-second (FPS) rating, which is measured by shooting through a chronograph.
An indication of kinetic energy, FPS simply demonstrates how fast a 0.2 gram, 6mm BB exits the muzzle, which typically ranges anywhere from 300 to 400 FPS. The quicker the BBs exit, the more power they usually have, and the greater distance they’ll fly.
Spring-powered airsoft guns typically have the lowest FPS, since they depend on relatively simple designs. Gas-powered and electric airsoft guns can go higher based on pressure and mechanical advantage. However, high-pressure air (HPA) airsoft guns often boast the highest FPS ratings out there.
Are Airsoft Guns Safe To Use?
There’s no denying that airsoft guns hurt, or, more accurately, that airsoft BBs can leave welts and bruises, or even draw blood.
That’s why most airsoft fields require players to wear several types of safety gear, including airsoft goggles or glasses and full airsoft face masks. Many also encourage players to wear gloves or plate carriers to cover more surface area.
What Are the Different Types of Airsoft Guns?
Airsoft guns are categorized by type and power source. Types mirror real-steel categories, such as pistols, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns (SMGs), light machine guns (LMGs), and personal defense weapons (PDWs), to name a few. Below are the different types of airsoft guns based on power source.
Spring-Powered Airsoft Guns
Considered the most basic of airsoft guns, spring-powered airsoft guns feature a spring-loaded piston used to generate the power necessary to propel BBs down range.
As you manually cock the gun, you’re also compressing a spring. Once you pull the trigger and release the spring, it pushes a piston forward, compressing air into the cylinder behind it.
The downside to spring-powered airsoft guns is that you have to cock them manually for every shot. However, they’re generally considered reliable, cheap, and ideal for beginners. Shop eHobby’s selection of spring pistols and spring sniper rifles.
Gas-Powered Airsoft Guns
Gas-powered airsoft guns use CO2 or green gas to propel BBs down range. When you pull the trigger, the gas — which is typically housed in the magazine or the stock — releases like the compressed air of a spring-powered airsoft gun.
With non-blowback (NBB) models, there’s no recoil, but with partial blowback (PBB) and gas blowback (GBB) variants, you get varying amounts of recoil simulating the real thing.
CO2 pistols and rifles tend to be more stable and reliable in varying temperatures than gas rifles and pistols. CO2 models require CO2 capsules, while gas variants use cans of green gas (a mixture of propane and oil) for power.
Electric Airsoft Guns
Electric airsoft pistols and rifles use an electric motor to generate the power necessary to propel the BB down range. A gearbox full of gears drives the electric motor, so that when you pull the trigger, the gears rotate, compress a spring, and release it to push the BB down the barrel.
Many electric airsoft guns, also called automatic electric guns (AEGs), require a battery to power the gearbox, and those that simulate recoil are called electric blowback (EBB) guns.
High-Pressure Air (HPA) Airsoft Guns
HPA airsoft rifles and machine guns feature an engine, complete with a solenoid, that controls a valve that lets just enough high-pressure air in to fire BBs down range.
Similar to paintball guns in their internals, HPA airsoft guns offer a high rate of fire and power rating, so they’re best for long-distance skirmishes. HPAs are also extremely reliable, although the external hose and tank can be limiting.
How Much Do Airsoft Guns Cost?
The cost of purchasing an airsoft gun varies greatly based on the quality of the platform you choose and any accessories necessary to get started. In terms of build materials, costs tend to be on the low side for polymer or plastic builds and high for composite, real wood, and professional-grade materials.
Most people start with a spring-powered airsoft gun, not only because they’re cheaper but also because they’re some of the easiest to operate. However, you can spend anywhere from less than $100 to upwards of several hundred dollars, even breaking into the thousands for higher-end builds.
Where Can You Buy Airsoft Guns?
Airsoft guns are available for purchase both in-person at many airsoft shops and fields or online through retailers like eHobby Asia.
Here at eHobby, we offer a wide range of airsoft guns, gear, and accessories, providing the ultimate one-stop shopping experience. Explore our selection to determine how you’ll start your airsoft journey.
Sources:
What Does Biodegradable Mean? Definition, Types & Benefits | Global Bio Energy
Carbon Dioxide 101 | netl.doe.gov