Airsoft is one of the most exciting combat sports you can take on. However, you must ensure that you’re wearing proper gear to maximize your safety and enhance your experience on the field. You can find on BachBio some of the best gear and protective equipment for the sport.
On the other hand, you also need a reliable airsoft gun when you’re on the offensive. There are lots of options you can choose from, and you need to understand how they work and how far they shoot to maximize their potential.
How Do Airsoft Guns Work?
There are hundreds of airsoft guns you can choose from, but most of them, if not all, can be divided into four main categories. Allow us to make your airsoft gun shopping easier by discussing the four types of airsoft gun mechanisms, namely, spring, AEG, gas, and HPA.
Spring
Airsoft guns that use spring, otherwise known as springers, are your entry-level arsenal. The main propulsion system that shoots the ammunition out of the barrel is spring.
This type of airsoft gun is completely manual, which means you need to cock it every time you wish to shoot. As such, springers aren’t the best option for competitive play. Nonetheless, they will provide you with a general idea of how airsoft guns, and airsoft games in general, work.
Basically, the BB or the ammunition is pushed into the gun’s barrel. You then have to pull the slide back to prepare the hammer. Upon pulling the trigger, the tension on the spring is released and propels the BB out of the barrel.
While most springer handguns are written off as low-quality airsoft guns, advanced airsoft snipers prefer them. In the hands of a skilled marksman, an upgraded springer sniper rifle can exceed the performance of other types of airsoft guns.
AEG
AEG stands for automatic electric gun. If you plan to head onto the playing field, this type of gun is the most common one you’ll encounter.
As the name suggests, it runs on electricity sourced from a battery that supplies power to a motor inside the gun. When you pull the trigger, the set of gears inside the gun swiftly rotates and pulls the piston backward toward a spring mechanism. After a certain number of rotations, the tension from the spring is released and propels the BB forward and out of the barrel.
Most AEGs nowadays run on lithium polymer batteries. They’re a great choice both for beginners and intermediate players.
AEGs have the widest array of gun model options. If you have a preferred specific gun model, chances are, there’s an AEG version of it.
Gas
Airsoft guns that run on gas are often hailed as the best-performing guns in the sport. However, it’s not always the case because of all the different types of gas guns.
For instance, the GBB or gas blowback gun, the most common type, can easily be outperformed by HPA, AEG, and some upgraded springers. That’s because GBB guns aim more for realism rather than power. They’re capable of loading the next round onto the chamber and giving the user a stronger recoil power.
On the other hand, NBB or non-blowback guns prevent the slide from recoiling. Since no energy is wasted for other operations, NBBs often have a higher FPS than GBBs.
The last category of gas guns caters to sniper rifles. They’re not as common as GBBs and NBBs but are still quite popular nonetheless.
Gas sniper rifles often require the user to reset the hammer before firing it again. The upside is that this type of gas gun has the highest FPS rating among the three. However, their performance might degenerate when used with low magazine gas and in bad weather.
HPA
HPA or high-pressure air guns are the reigning kings when it comes to speedsoft, which is basically fast-paced gameplay of airsoft. That’s because HPA guns work almost exactly like paintball guns.
You have an external hose that connects the gun to a tank on your back or pelvis. This tank compresses air and pushes the BB out of the barrel with the pull of a trigger.
However, you must set the appropriate level of PSI to guarantee that your gun can handle the pressure. This is also to ensure the safety of you and other players on the field.
How Far Do Airsoft Guns Shoot?
Aside from the type of propulsion system, the distance a BB can travel depends on the specific type of airsoft gun you’re using.
Pistol
A pistol is used for short to mid-range shooting, so it doesn’t need to reach extremely long distances. On average, an airsoft pistol’s BB can reach 80 feet or 25 meters.
Shotgun
Shotguns are also meant for CQB scenarios or close-quarters battles. Ergo, their average shooting distance is only about 100 feet or 30 meters.
Rifle and SMG
Rifles and submachine guns or SMGs are for mid- to long-range combat. That’s why their average shooting distance is about twice as far as shotguns at 200 feet or 61 meters.
Sniper
These stealth players hide far from the enemy and use their skills for long-range hits. On average, an airsoft rifle can reach as far as 300 feet or 92 meters.
Conclusion
With all the holidays and vacations slowly approaching, it might be time to revisit your wish list of all your dream airsoft guns. While there are thousands of models to choose from, you first need to determine the shooting mechanism you prefer and the type of gun you need.
Understanding the different types of airsoft guns, how they work, their strengths, weaknesses, and how far they shoot will improve your performance on the field.