Know Airsoft Guns Like The Pros

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Types | Gun Care | Field Care | Unjamming | Fuses
Gearbox | Hop Up System | Battery | Manufacturers | History

Airsoft replicas not only look just like real guns, they often match the weight and size, making them very realistic. This makes them useful for military (Milsim), law enforcement training and recreational games. Almost every popular real firearm has an airsof replica. There are smaller ones available, but most players prefer the ones that are the exact same size (1:1 ratio). This preference seems to be true for beginners and experience players.

The pellets used for airsoft guns are round and normally 6 or 8mm. They are made out of plastic and weighing between 0.12 and 0.88 grams. The most common weight used is the 0.2 and 0.25 grams because both have the best rand and accuracy combination

The rifles and pistols are used for a variety of activities. There are some differences among countries which activities are more popular. In countries, like Asia, where there are strict firearms laws regarding ownership and use, the following activities are popular:

You might enjoy reading: 6 Ways to Quickly Improve Shooting Your Airsoft Gun.

In the United States, the following activities are popular:

Though airsoft guns are non-lethal and officially categorized as toys, safety precautions must be followed to avoid accidental injury. There are also laws and regulations that must be followed. The more you know about these guns, the more you can enjoy owning and using one.

Types

The different types are spring, electric, and gas powered (another one is hybrid but we will talk about that later on). These three types can vary in price range based on the brand, quality, and category (pistol, rifle, machine gun, sniper rifle, and etc.). The price can range from $10 and under for the low quality and all the way up to $2,000 for the highest quality. We recommend having a budget before going out and window shopping especially if you?re a beginner. You can use a cheap one to practice and learn what features you like in an airsoft gun.

The price range based on the type is the following:

  1. Spring Powered – Low Price Range
  2. Electric Powered – Mid Price Range
  3. Gas Powered – High Price Range

Not to say you can't find a high priced spring airsoft gun but more as a guideline as what to expect from the primary types as there are multiple price ranges for all of them.

Spring Powered

Spring airsoft guns are excellent for beginners, who are just starting out in this sport, because of their inexpensive cost, high reliability, and very durable design. Even with the drawback of needing to manually cock prior to each shot, these guns are still rather popular. You'll hear other players refer to them as springers, spring and spring powered guns.

Facts

Most Popular

In airsoft, there are two popular guns. The most frequently used rifle is the UHC MP5 SD3, which features a mock silencer, 20 round magazine, and metal retractable stock. Tactical groups mainly use this gun for CQB (Close Quarters Battle). The most commonly used pistol is a spring type model M92F, which features a blow back design, 22 round magazine, weighing 1.35 lbs, muzzle velocity of 280 fps and accurate up to 30ft.

Revolver

Known for amazingly realistic appearance, these guns are identical replicas to the real firearm. Because of the revolver’s give you that old western feel and attitude, use the revolver and show them what the old west was all about.

Desert Eagle

Desert Eagle pistol was first conceived in 1979 and became a reality when Magnum Research Inc perfected the gun in 1986. Israel Military Industries (IMI) manufactures the Desert Eagle airsoft pistols.

Rifles

A player who is looking for a little more power than spring pistols may prefer a spring rifle instead. They offer exceptional durability, easy to handle and not dependent on external sources to operate i.e (air, gas, or battery). Some of these are replicated from famous firearms around the world to offer real look and feel.

Shotguns

Airsoft shotguns are primarily short range weapons used in a close quarter battle situations because of their excellent maneuverability. Airsoft shotguns are most commonly spring powered and have a pump-action loading and cocking mechanism. Both the traditional tube fed magazine and clip fed magazine shotguns are available. You can also choose between a full-length stock for more accuracy or pistol grip for greater maneuverability.

Companies have developed these airsoft guns to replicate the true size, look, and weight of real firearms. They even styled a few after famous firearms from World War II such as the VB M14 sniper rifles, M3 Grease sub machine guns, and Luger pistols/rifles. The Lugers are pistols; however, they have the capability to be converted into rifles. Maily enthusiasts and not beginners purchase these types for their collection and never use them on the field.

Electric Powered

Originaly, developed in Japan by the Tokyo Marui company, these electric airsoft guns use rechargeable batteries to power the motor, which drives the internal assembly (gearbox), to propel the pellet from the barrel. In the gearbox, there are three gears mounted within. Most companies to this date have replicated this original basic scheme. Current companies have further improved this scheme to reinforcements and slight improvements to have an edge over their competition.

There are many different types of electric airsoft guns to choose from when buying one. The three main categories are Low Powered Electric Guns, Mini Electric Airsoft Guns, and Entry Level Electric Rifles.

Low Powered Electric Guns (LPEG)

The Low Powered Electric Guns (LPEGs) are cheaper quality and lower powered, normally found at retail stores like Wal-Mart and K-Mart, type of electric airsoft guns. In the beginning, They were cheap in value, below the value of most normal spring powered guns due to their cheap materials and poor performance with less than 100 feet/sec; however, in the recent years a few companies decided to improve the quality of their LPEGs to compete with the market.

Mini Electric Airsoft Guns

The Mini Electric Airsoft Guns (Mini AEGs) are replicas of actual rifles and machine guns. The Mini's incorporate a battery-operated motor to perform the entire action. This allows for near instantaneous firing response. A constant pull on the trigger allows for full auto machine gun like rapid firing.

In airsoft games, these Electric Airsoft Guns (AEGs) are the weapons of choice with players on the field and should be your choice too. The reason of their status is there effectiveness and the ability to function fine in any climate such as rain, snow, and severe heat. Another reason is the capability of having semi and/or full auto, allowing you to dominate other players on the field. Also they are detailed to resemble the real firearm, which they are modeled after.

Gas Powered

When airsoft first started, these gas powered airsoft guns were referred to as ‘classic‘ guns, which usually used the R-12 liquid propellant. Their feed scheme was configured containing dual tanks. For environmental reasons, these ‘classic‘ gas guns were illegal in many states and in a number of parts throughout the world. Fortunately, players modified these R-12 guns to be powered by nitrogen air tubes or C02 cylinders this not only made these guns environmentally safe but it also increased strength and reliability. Typically, a CO2 gun is very high powered.

Pressurized gas is used to propel pellets; These guns are usually the most proficient of the three categories. The two most frequently used gases are HFC-134a and green gas, which is a blend of polysiloxane lubricant and propane. The uncommon gases are nitrogen, C02, and red gas. These guns lean to be used in pistols. All models are manufactured to a high degree of surface detail and dimension; these are for the more discerning collector.

Gas Types

These guns are grouped into two categories, which are Gas Blow Back (GBB) and Non Blow Back (NBB). You will want to be able to distinguish between the two. Right? The easiest way to recognize the GBB is observing a realistic moving bolt that chambers the pellet from the magazine. Of course, the NBB lacks any realistic bolt or slide movement feature. Both GBB and NBB contain detachable magazines containing the pellets and gas.

Maintaining High Quality

Maintaining the high quality of your gas powered guns require more maintenance than spring and electric powered. The valves and seals require more care because they contain the pressure of the gas. You must frequently lubricate the seals to prevent them from cracking. That is the main reason for the extra maintenance compared to the other two types of airsoft guns. However don't allow this to scare you from purchasing a gas powered gun. The extra maintenance is well worth it because normally these guns perform and last longer compared to spring and electric powered.

Typically, in warmer climates, gas powered airsoft guns performance improves.

Gun Care

Learn the proper ways of caring for your airsoft gun, which is very similar to taking care of a real firearms. One of the main differences is that airsoft guns have fuses and batteries that need to be taken care of.

What is a normal response when someone asks, “how do I care for my airsoft gun?” it would be avoid getting dirt in it, never throw it around and place it in a safe area when not in use. But most of us want more guidance when caring for their gun so below are some information on cleaning, unjamming, fuses, field care and more.

Cleaning

After extreme activity, do you have to perform proper cleaning (shower) to yourself? If you never took a shower in your life, do you think you would be happy and able to accomplish task? You already know the correct answer. That’s what your airsoft gun experiences when you don’t care for it properly with healthy cleaning. Caring for your gun is essential in prolonging its quality and life.

Exterior

  1. Remove the battery or gas tank
  2. Use a clean cloth to wipe clean
  3. For the grit, use cotton swabs
  4. Finished

Magazine

  1. Remove the magazine from the gun
  2. Wipe down the gun with a clean cloth
  3. Use cotton swabs to clean the small areas
  4. Add a few drops of oil to any moving parts
  5. Insert magazine back into the gun
  6. Finished

Barrel

  1. Turn off your gun’s hop up system
  2. Use a cleaning rod with the .22 cleaning patch
  3. Add a small amount of silicon spray to the patch
  4. Insert the cleaning rod into the barrel
  5. Swab the inside with an in and out motion
  6. After a few swabs, remove rod from barrel
  7. Replace with a new dry patch
  8. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the clean patch (this clears any remaining residue in the barrel)
  9. Finished

Caution: Cleaning your gun properly on regular occasion might cause it to have enhanced performance, such as more accuracy, less jamming, quicker shooting, and longer life. Ask yourself, “Would I be happy if I was dirty all the time?”

To prevent unnecessary malfunctions, clean your gun on regular occasions. The most common reason for failures is due to poor maintenance. Use the following cleaning guide to properly care for your airsoft gun.

Field Care

One thing that you should realize, even before you start caring for your gun, is that eventhough it is used in just games, it still needs to be handled with a lot of care. Not only is this true because of the great amount of power that is held within the gun, but also because while its metal parts are quite durable, it still cannot endure the same amount of abuse as a real gun.

A few things about field care to keep in mind while playing in games:

As long as following those guidelines, your gun should last a good amount of time and performing quite well for you.

Whenever you are out in the field, there are also some things that you should do before you ever fire your gun. This includes pulling the slide back in order to chamber the first round of pellets.

After using your gun, you should clean it. This is especially true if you are using your gun in a sandy environment. So, when you are done playing, here is what you will need to do the following. Make sure that you fire 2 or 3 shots in the semi-automatic mode so that you can decompress the gearbox spring. There are some guns that do have a button that you can press to decompress the spring. If your gun has a hop-up, then you will want to turn this off, especially if you are not going to be using your gun within the next 2 or 3 days. Otherwise your O-Ring will expand and eventually break. You should also spray a non-corrosive silicon spray into the gun barrel and hop-up chamber. Gas guns will not need any additional lubrication. Otherwise, simply place 1 or 2 drops on the internals. If you have a gas gun, then your magazines should be left pressurized in order to keep all of the seals intact.

Unjamming

Unjamming your airsoft gun can be as simple as removing the magazine and turning your gun upside down; however, if it continues to occur it may require you to implement additional steps. We all know that a jam is one of the most annoying problems that can happen while firing, having the enemy in your crosshairs then pulling your trigger and nothing transpires is extremely irritating.

Even though manufactures attempt to their finest to prevent airsoft guns from needing to be unjammed it does happen. The source of an jamming can be from various reasons, which can include the following possibilities:

9 Easy Tips For Unjamming

  1. Stop firing immediately - Continuing to fire may result in a broken piston or gear
  2. Check to see if any object is clogged in the barrel.
  3. Turn off your hop up by setting it to zero
  4. With the opposite end of a cleaning rod, insert it into the barrel
  5. Turn the gun upside down
  6. Gently push the pellet back into the magazine
  7. After the pellet has cleared from the barrel, test fire a few shots without ammo
  8. If the gun sounds fine, test fire with an pellet
  9. If the problem continues, the airsoft gun needs additional inspection

Additional Troubleshooting

If the plastic cleaning rod breaks, use long narrow bolt grabbers to grip the broken rod and slowly remove. It is very unlikely but if a metal cleaning rod breaks in the barrel use a mini screw magnet.

It is not recommended to try unjamming an airsoft gun by firing additional rounds because if the pellet is jammed in a gear it could cause further problems. If it is jammed during the game and the 9 easy tips didn't fix the problem, you will want to use your secondary weapon or remove yourself from the game.

Fuses

Using a fuse in an airsoft gun prevents any abnormal electric discharge from the battery to reach any internal parts such as the motor. Even though removing the fuse is not recommended, you can still do so if you choose to. However you should be aware of the main risk of doing so, which is an additional strain on the motor, especially if you have a high amp battery.

Blowing Fuses

If the fuse blows immediately after plugging in the battery, this is caused by a short circuit. First step, check and recheck all the wiring (deformed, slit, or burnt wires should be fixed by using electrical tape) and connectors (replace or repair broken connectors). If the fuse still blows, it may be caused by a broken insulation, jammed gearbox, or high amp battery. Use your manual to find solutions for these problems.

Types

The most common type of fuse used is the AGC 25amp glass fuse, which is the standard TM airsoft fuse. The following are some other types used:

The common amp ratings are 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.

Removal

When removing the fuse, the following simple steps should allow you to.

  1. Find the battery location
  2. Remove the battery and wires
  3. Disconnect the battery
  4. Find the fuse box, which is connected to the wiring
  5. Remove the fuse from the box
  6. Disconnect the wire connectors from the fuse box
  7. Reconnect the wire connectors to each other
  8. Use electric tap to cover the connectors

Having the fuse removed, you run the risk of damaging the motor.

Replacement

When replacing the fuse is similar to the removal of one. The following four steps can help you replace the fuse.

  1. Locate the battery compartment
  2. Pull out the battery and wiring
  3. Find the fuse box
  4. Open fuse box
  5. Remove the old fuse
  6. Replace with a new fuse
  7. Reassemble

Eliminate a simple issue, when you pull the trigger and nothing happens (no sound), it is more likely a blown fuse. Now, you should be able to easily remove and replace the fuse to fix this problem.

Gearbox

Only in Airsoft Electric Guns (AEG), and Automatic Electric Pistols (AEPs), A gearbox is a set of gears within a casing. Its purpose is to increase power by transferring energy to fire the pellet without increasing the speed of the motor.

The purpose of it may seem simple but the mechanics of the gearbox is complex. You will especially realize this after opening it. To some, it is one of the most complicated parts of an electric airsoft gun.

Opening a gearbox can be very intimidating for the fear of damaging the internal parts; however, using extreme caution and following the manual or instructions exactly you should be alright. If you have any doubt in your understanding of the gearbox, we highly recommend you contact a professional to work on it.

Tools Used

The following are some of the common tools used when operating on a gearbox however we highly recommend you learn the proper steps on working on a airsoft gun gearbox before operating on one.

  1. Mini Phillips and Flathead Screwdrivers
  2. Oil Silicone Spray
  3. Razor Blade
  4. Silicone Gel
  5. Rag

When disassembling an electric airsoft gun gearbox, the above are the common tools needed to be successful in this task. Manufacturers like Tokyo Marui, ICS, Classic Army, and others have designed their gearbox differentially. The common tools should allow you to be able to disassemble most gearboxes but some might require more tools.

Parts

Almost every Airsoft Electric Guns (AEG) gearbox have the same working parts, which include the following:

Those are the three main parts in the gearbox however there are many more parts used in the gearbox. All in all before opening an Airsoft Electric Guns (AEG) gearbox, talk to a professional ask questions and see if you’re ready for the task. Many rookies try working on a gearbox before learning than cause more damage to their airsoft gun.

Hop-up System

The hop-up system is located in the barrel of the gun. The purpose of its existence is to put a backspin on the pellet to increase the vertical accuracy and effective range. How does it work? In principle this system spins the pellet in the opposite direction of gravity, which causes it to fall less and travel a longer distance. On most airsoft guns, the hop-up system can be adjusted. This will allow you to correctly adjust it based on the weight of the pellet. This improves the distance and precision drastically. On the other hand, a number of cheaper guns don’t have the option to adjust the hop-up causing less accuracy, range, and fewer choices of pellet weights.

Adjustable Vs. Build-in

These two different systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. The adjustable system allows you to physically control the hop-up range from an opening into the gears. This system is less recommended for new players because tuning is extremely sensitive and the slight over torque can cause harm. The Build-in system is closed off preventing any tampering and any damage that could be caused by an inexperience player. The disadvantage is it doesn’t allow you to adjust the hop-up for your personal setting. Both have their different options so it’s mainly based on your preference.

Using a New One

When a hop-up is first installed in an airsoft gun, it won’t be stable and improvements will be minimal until after around 100 pellets have been fired. This is caused by the lube from the piston circulated through out the system. Once the lube is reduced, the improvements will appear. Wait on adjusting the hop-up until the lube has had a chance to naturally remove itself from the system.

Before purchasing an airsoft gun be aware of the different types of hop-up systems and choose one that covers your needs. Already have a gun? Is it an adjustable or build-in hop-up system? Go Check!

Battery

In airsoft, you should know the correct battery to use in your gun. There are many different battery categories as well as features to from so choosing the correct battery could be tough. The two common features are the mAh (Milliampere-hour) and voltage. The higher the mAh is the longer the battery would last while the higher the voltage is the faster rate of fire (RoF). Both of these features can help a player in a scrimmage.

Types

The lithium-ion battery is the most commonly used in Automatic Electric Gun (AEG) because of its excellent power to weight ratio. This rechargeable battery has a slower loss of charge compared to other batteries.

Arrangement

Most airsoft batteries need multiple cells to be employed to supply enough amperage or voltage. The diagram shows the two common patterns. The top arrangement is in the parallel pattern, which uses 1.5 volts, and the bottom arrangement is the serial pattern, which uses 6 volts.

When you are choosing an battery, he should know that it fits the gun before buying.

Chargers

Without battery chargers, a battery would be useless after the first discharge. You have the option to use a basic one, which plugs into the wall, Prolux Alfa 3, which must be manually adjusted for each battery, or system high performance battery charger, which has high amperage and digitally adjusted.

Manufacturers

On the market, there are a range of different airsoft Manufacturers that produce guns and gear. The more popular ones are mainly found online with very little local existence, seeing that airsoft was started as an imported product and is primarily produced in foreign countries (outside of the United Sates).

Most of us consider the company that brings the airsoft products to the market is the manufacturers; however, most of the products are produced outside of the United States by foreign manufacturers listed below. A company actually pays these manufacturers to make products to their specifications.

Most manufactures specifically focus on different quality types (selling high-end, mid-end, and low-end). This allows the companies to choose which manufacturer that would suit their needs based on their customer base.

Tokyo Marui

The Tokyo Marui manufacturer is one of the highest qualities in producing airsoft guns but also one of the highest priced. They are well-known for developing extremely realistic products and at times their trademark stamp on the product is the only way to distinguish it from the real thing.

ICS (I Chin Shivan)

Founded in 1983, ICS (I Chin Shivan) is known as one of the top three manufacturers. The quality of their guns is normally constructed with metal parts. They have produced some of the most popular replicas on the global market.

CYMA

This manufacturer focuses on low priced and entry-level electric and spring airsoft guns, ideally for beginners.

GI

This company rebrands and distributes products with customer base and specialty parts that other retailers don't provide has been their main purpose from the beginning. Since 2003 they have been introducing unique accessories, parts, and guns to their customers. NRA 3 Gun Experience gives away Airsoft GI Pack

StarAirsoft

They were first established in 2002. StarAirsoft Manufacturer has a joint venture with a top Taiwanese manufacture to produce quality products. They have developed their own series of automatic electric airsoft guns.

G&P

Established in 1995, G&P manufacturer eventually responded to the airsoft market by producing gun upgrades, parts, and conversion kits. In 2002, they introduced the SVD Dragunov gas rifle, which has become popular around the community.

Classic Army

Class Army is an exceptional manufacturer based in Hong Kong. They have been providing their customers with specialized guns, metallic accessories, and spare parts. To reach the international safety level, Classic Army products have acquired the CE certifications.

Kine Well Company (KWC)

This manufacturer was founded in 1978; however, KWC didn’t begin developing airsoft guns until 1993. They are a Taiwanese company well recognized for their C02 operated Mini UZI and spring airsoft pistols maintaining replicated trademarks

Jing Gong

Also known as JG and Golden Bow, this China based manufacturer provides the market with mid-quality low priced airsoft guns. Their guns usually have plastic bodies; however, recently they have begun developing some of their guns with metal bodies.

Rapping it up

With all your new knowledge about airsoft guns, you can now talk to your friends and actually know what you’re talking about. I hope you enjoyed this guide.

History

Airsoft guns have an interesting and winding historical path. They have been around for a long time and the Daisy (BB guns) has been well known among children since the late 1800’s. A Christmas Story made the Daisy Red Rider BB gun famous, but it wasn’t until firearms were banned in Japan that the airsoft guns that we are familiar with today came into existence.

This sport has evolved from a popular child’s toy mainly for boys to a highly competitive sport among men and women. Males still dominate the sport, but the number of females that enjoy the sport and compete is increasing.

The First Ones

The first airsoft guns were called BB guns. Though back in the day when Daisy was making guns, children were allowed to shoot real firearms without local laws restricting their use, some of the really young children were given BB guns to use so they could join the older children and adults in hunting or to shoot for fun at targets. Daisy created a precision-made lead shot specifically for use with their BB guns. They tried to get it to be called an air rifle shot, but it never caught on and it was referred to as a BB, as it still is today.

Presently, most children who have their first airsoft gun have a weak shooting plastic gun with tiny plastic BBs or maybe even foam “bullets”. They are cheaply made and designed to be safe for use by various age groups that are posted on the packaging.

First Replicas

The first replica airsoft guns were produced in Japan after firearms were banned in the 1970’s. These guns and ammunition were not banned so their popularity grew fast. At first these guns were manufactured and used for target shooting but later they were used in games. The guns proved useful in military, police, and security training in addition to being used for recreation, sport, and competition.

The popularity of airsoft guns soon spread from Japan to other countries. Some of the countries that embraced them didn’t have any bans on firearm ownership and use. These are some of the countries that the popularity spread to:

Within in a couple decades North America, Asia, and Europe were filled with airsoft teams, shops, and fields.

Competition

What started out as target-shooting competition developed into a sport that involved teams competing in simulation, role-playing games, and of course capture the flag. There are local, national, and international teams and tournaments located throughout the world. Competitions have grown in popularity and are even televised on national TV.

The Future

Airsoft popularity is expected to continue its growth as an industry and as a popular sport (General Airsoft Statistics - TCASPR). With realistic replica guns that match real firearms in weight and the way they handle it is expected that they will continue to be used in training. No longer do gender stereotypes keep girls from playing with guns or women from being expert marksmen, so the female participation is expected to play a major role in the growth of this sport.

Airsoft history began when a realistic toy gun for children was manufactured and has evolved into a worldwide sport and an essential part of training for real firearm use.

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