Buying the right airsoft gun depends largely on what it is going to be used for, whether it is for shooting targets, holding airsoft wars in your backyard, or participating in organized team combats. Below are some tips on which airsoft guns best suit which activities.
Spring pistols are ideal for simple plinking (shooting targets such as pop cans). Not only are they cheap, they’re also very low maintenance. Plinking doesn’t require a high speed airsoft gun, so you can base your spring pistol purchase upon price and looks alone if you prefer.
Spring shotguns and automatic electric guns are good airsoft guns for activities like backyard wars because they both have high rates of fire. Spring shotguns will release pellets as fast as you can pump the gun and are relatively inexpensive.
The automatic electric gun (AEG) has an even faster firing rate than the shotgun and is relatively more expensive. The rounds per minute (RPM) of AEGs are comparable to those of actual assault rifles and can accommodate sniping as well as rapid fire. Aside from the actual gun being more expensive than other models, it can be costly using AEGs as you go through far more pellets in an average session.
An alternative to the costly automatic electric gun would be a low powered electric gun, which offer just about the same firing rate as AEGs but cost significantly less. The reason why LPEGs are cheaper is because they can’t reach the same feet per second as AEGs can.
It’s going to cost you a lot more money to join an airsoft team than if you are to hold friendly backyard battles. This is because performance relies pretty heavily on the quality of the airsoft gun being used, warranting team players to invest in the best equipment and accessories for their position. Airsoft teams consist of snipers, riflemen, grenadiers, and support shooters, all of which require different equipment. High capacity AEGs are the airsoft gun of choice for those in riflemen positions while those who prefer sniping generally have high precision sniper rifles with an FPS of 400 feet or more plus the optics needed for distance shooting.
The support gunner position has a couple of different options in terms of these guns: a machine gun or an AEG with a box drum magazine that hold lots of pellets, the latter being the less expensive choice. Grenadiers would also benefit from an automatic electric gun, but should also invest in a grenade launcher and lots of extra grenades. These two positions are more costly than sniper and riflemen positions. Finally, regardless of the position, a gas pistol costing around seventy dollars is a recommended back up gun.
There are so many uses for airsoft guns that it’s impossible to have just one kind. This is why you should be well aware of what you intend to use your airsoft gun for and how much you intend to spend before making any final decisions.
