INTRODUCTION TO AIRSOFT GUNS AND ACCESSORIES

 

            We’ve all seen Airsoft guns in large retails stores, paintball pro-shops, and online, but many consumers still aren’t sure what they are.  Airsoft guns are basically replicas of civilian and military pistols and rifles that shoot abs plastic, paintball, and metallic 6mm BBs for training, paintball style type games, or plinking.  Airsoft guns were given their name due to the fact that the pistols and rifle shoot at low velocities or “shoot air softer,” compared to traditional bb and pellet guns.  Airsoft guns have been mass distributed and sold to the general public in the United States since 1987.  The design for most current Airsoft Pistols and rifles was perfected in Japan.  Airsoft guns are required to have orange barrels or markings due to federal and state laws.  The orange markings are meant to prevent confusion between an Airsoft gun and a real firearm.  Due to federal law and safety reasons, the orange barrel or markings should never be removed from any Airsoft Pistol or rifle. and most distributors’ policy towards the sales of Airsoft Pistols or rifles has always been that no one under the age of eighteen should be sold an Airsoft Pistol or rifle.  This means that if a minor wishes to purchase an Airsoft gun, that an accompanied parent or legal guardian needs to purchase the Airsoft gun for the minor.

           

            As mentioned before, Airsoft guns can shoot different types of 6mm BBs, but most people don’t know that there are different weights of BBs with different purposes.  The most common weights used are .12 g, .20g, and .25g.  The .12g BB is normally used for Airsoft Spring Pistols and Mini Electric Rifles.  The .20g and .25g BBs are used for Airsoft Spring Rifles, Airsoft Gas Pistols, and 1/1 scale Airsoft Electric Rifles.  The difference in weight in the BBs mentioned above mainly affects the distance the BB will travel and the accuracy that your Airsoft gun can perform with a particular BB.  The higher quality Airsoft guns have an internal system near the end of the inner barrel called a Hop Up unit.  The Hop Up unit is a piece of flexible plastic that puts a back spin on the BB and can help the Airsoft gun shoot accurately and  at distances of 60 to 100 feet. 

 

            Just as there are many types of 6mm BBs that can be used in Airsoft guns, there are also many types of Airsoft guns and rifles that use different power sources to operate.  The most common variety of Airsoft guns on the consumer market are Airsoft Spring Pistols and rifles.  Airsoft Spring Pistols and rifles basically work by pulling back the pistol’s slide or a charging handle on a spring rifle, which compresses a spring and piston mechanism that is released when the trigger is pulled.  The force of the spring pushing the air is what propels the bb.  The second variety of Airsoft guns that are commonly available are Airsoft Gas Blow Back and Airsoft Gas Non-blowback Pistols.  Airsoft Gas Blow Back and Gas Non-Blow Back Pistols are powered by compressed refrigerant gas, for example:  134A which is a lower pressured gas, Green Gas which is a medium pressured gas, and Red Gas which is a high pressured gas.  The compressed gas is inserted in a valve that is usually on the bottom of a removable magazine.  The gas is then stored in a well in the middle section of the magazine and then released through another valve when the trigger is pulled.  When the trigger is pulled, a pin pushes the release valve causing the gas stored in the gas well in the magazine to exit the pistol through the magazine past the barrel section while propelling the BB.  In the case of Airsoft Gas Blow Back Pistols, the gas exiting the magazine causes the slide to move backwards and the forwards propelling the BB out of the barrel.  The third and most realistic variety of Airsoft guns available are 1/1 scale electric Airsoft Rifles.  Airsoft Electric Rifles are usually very closely duplicated to the real rifle and should be treated as a real firearm which includes never removing the federally required orange tip from the barrel and transporting in the same manner as a real fire arm.  Airsoft Electric Rifles are powered by NICAD or NMH batteries which are commonly used in RC Cars.  The battery is plugged into a wire assembly with a plug that is placed in the either the butt stock of the rifle or the front hand guard section.  The energy from the battery powers a motor (Usually located in the pistol grip section of the rifle), which then turns three gears and a spring and piston assembly which creates the force of air which propels the BB from the magazine.  Most Airsoft Electric Rifles have semi and full automatic firing capabilities and fire the same amount of rounds per minute (RPM) as the real rifle.  Airsoft Electric Rifles should never be disassembled, repaired, or upgraded unless by an authorized distributor of the product or an authorized Airsoft technician.  Airsoft Mini Electric Rifles are also a variety of Airsoft guns that are powered by batteries, but they usually need four AA or AAA batteries to operate and essentially function the same way an Airsoft Electric Rifle would, but usually only in a fully automatic firing mode.

 

            Concerning the velocity of Airsoft guns, it will vary greatly between the type of Airsoft product and the Airsoft guns power source.  Airsoft Spring Pistols average feet per second (FPS) is usually between 150-250 fps.  Airsoft Spring Rifles usually shoot 250-300 fps.  Airsoft Mini Electric Rifles usually shoot between 150-200 fps.  Airsoft Gas Blow Back and Non-Blow Back Pistols usually shoot between 300 – 340 fps.  Airsoft Electric Rifles usually shoot between 300 – 400 fps.  Due to the fact that Airsoft guns can shoot at high velocities and semi and fully automatic modes of firing, safety should always be a main concern when handling Airsoft guns.  At close range, a 6mm can break the skin of a human being and should never be fired towards animals’ or human beings’ eyes.  A paintball mask should always be worn to prevent injury to the facial area and the lexan eye shield should always be kept clean so that the shooter(s) always have good visibility while firing Airsoft guns.  Thick long sleeve clothing as well as pants that cover the players’ entire legs should be worn whenever firing Airsoft guns, especially when participating in a military simulation or paintball style type game.