Top 8 Airsoft Questions: “How” Edition

Hello Again Airsofters! We here at Airsoft GI working on a new format for answering some of the most popular beginner questions in the airsoft industry, as scrounged up by all kinds of AI and fancy computer technology!
This time, we’re centering on questions starting with the word “How” in relation to airsoft. We’ve scrolled through a few different internet databases that tell us what new and curious airsofters are asking on the internet, compiled them here into our top eight favorites, and we’re going to answer them for you today! Let’s get into it!

How many types of airsoft guns are there?

The short answer is countless. There are innumerable makes , models, and styles of gun out there. To quantify this a bit more simply, there are three primary modes of delivering power to an airsoft bb, however. These are Spring, Electric, and Gas, with gas containing a few subsets as well. Within the category of gas guns, you have CO2 powered, Green Gas, and High Pressure Air as your primary sources of the “gas” in either blowback or non-blowback styles. These can fit a variety of roles, quality levels, and aesthetic styles based on your preferences, and quality varies, with no one specific style being better than another without comparing specific guns.

How do Airsoft guns work?

Airsoft guns work by using the concept of air or gas compression to deliver force to a bb, that is then spun by a hop –up bucking to rotate the bb and generate lift so that it can attain distances otherwise impossible to hit. Different power styles do this is different ways, by using compressed green gas or CO2, or by generating their own compression via a piston either racked by hand or by a motor and gears powered by electricity. Some guns can even use the power of high pressure air and a solenoid, similar to how a paintball gun functions.

How do electric and gas airsoft guns differ?

The primary difference is in the way that they deliver power to the BB. An electric gun utilizes a simple linkage of gears and a motor powered by your battery to pull a piston back. That piston is under load from the main spring, which pushes the piston back forward when the piston is released, generating compression inside the cylinder, which forces the BB down the barrel.
Gas guns utilize a compressed gas, instead of a spring piston to propel the BB down the barrel. This is release via a series of valves, hit by a knocker when the trigger is pulled, similar to how a trigger on a firearm activates a firing pin to strike a primer, but without all of the combustion.

How to improve your airsoft gun accuracy?

Improving accuracy is a complex question, as many parts of your airsoft gun play into accuracy.
The first step is making sure you have a steady and reliable FPS reading. Making sure you have no air leaks in your gearbox and internal components means you can more finely tune your hop up for a given weight of bb. This is a good time to make sure you have the right air volume in your barrel, and there are plenty of tools on the internet that make the math behind this simple and easy.
Step two involves using proper high quality, heavy weight bb’s (we recommend .28g to start) as heavier BBs can carry their force longer, and make better use of the hop-up’s rotational forces to stabilize in flight, leading to more accuracy.
Step three is all about taking a look at the components of your gun and improving individual parts. A tight bore barrel can increase accuracy in your airsoft gun by tightly focusing air behind the bb, while a hop up bucking could help impart better spin via a longer contact patch or different hardness of the rubber.
Utilizing any one of these methods can help, and heavier bb’s are a good inexpensive first step before you dive into the internal parts, but finely combing through all three steps will lead to the best results. Each of these topics is honestly worth a blog article in and of itself though, as there is a lot to unpack that we will cover in a later post.

How to get started in Airsoft?

Getting started is easy. Find a local field (by using a site like Airsoft C3 or Google) to locate one near you. If they have options for rental equipment, show up and rent a gun. It’s that easy.
If you need to buy your own gear to play, because local fields don’t exist or you’re not ready for that yet, we recommend one of these starter kits. Then call your friends up, get them to buy in, and start blasting each other!

How do airsoft spring guns work?

Spring guns work on the same principle of compression as other guns, however instead of using compressed gas, or using gears to pull a piston, you are locking the piston rearward via your own strength by pulling a bolt or operating rod to charge the gun. Pulling the trigger releases the piston, allowing air to compress between the piston head and the bb, and propel it out of the barrel.

How long do CO2 powered airsoft guns usually last?

CO2 powered airsoft guns can last different lengths depending on the quality. Some non-blowback or partial blowback guns can last six months to a year, or less if not properly cared for, while a high quality CO2 blowback pistol like this M9 can last for years and years if you take care of it, and take the time to keep it clean and lubricated.

How to tell what gun an airsoft gun is based on?

This question was awfully vague, so we’ll answer it in a few different ways.
If you want to know what an airsoft gun’s counterpart is, often times you can tell simply by looks, especially if you have any familiarity with firearms from the real world. Many firearms shapes are quite iconic and it can be pretty easy to pick out the similarities. Some guns even used licensed appearances, such as this Glock or this MP5.
If you want to know how a gun is powered, often times it is listed in the description of the product on our website. It will tell you if it is spring, gas, or electric powered, and the type of performance you can expect.

Hopefully, this has answered some of the more burning questions of the airsoft hive mind. Did you find this article helpful? Reach out to us on social media, and let us know what your questions are so we can answer them in our next Top 8!