Airsoft Guns, Buy Airsoft Pistols

Airsoft target practice does not require full face protection. Some form of eye protection is still recommended to guard against ricochets. Using targets that trap BBs or sticky targets that are often included with the gun decreases the likelihood of ricochet.

Eye protection should be in the form of goggles or masks that fit without leaving gaps. Paintball masks work well, but there is also airsoft-specific equipment on the market now. A layer of fabric is enough to stop an airsoft BB, so goggles and a balaclava can work as well. Normal clothing is also enough to protect skin.

Shooting an Airsoft guns at an unprotected person is not safe. Some of the higher-powered guns at close range can chip a tooth or break skin. An airsoft BB fired at an eye, even from a low-powered spring gun, can cause serious damage and at point blank range is potentially lethal if you are not wearing proper equipment. Fabric gloves are also recommended.

In addition to safety equipment game rules usually prohibit shooting at close ranges, substituting a tap with a hand that counts as a "knife kill". Some players actually use soft rubber training knives for this.

An important safety consideration is the fact that airsoft guns can be very realistic and scare people who are not aware of them. If the police show up keep your hands visible and away from the gun. Better yet, put it down and take a couple of steps back.

As with most other things in life, do not do obviously stupid things and you will be OK.

One – “Plinking” - Many simply plink with them, shooting cans, sticky targets and random (hopefully safe and appropriate targets) in their back yard and such. This is often the very first use of Airsoft by new owners.

Two – “Target Shooting/Competition” - Many Airsoft enthusiasts step into a more formal type of shooting rather than just plinking. They set up ranges, courses of fire or simply more formal targets. Competition and formal target shooting range from a few guys shooting for bragging rights in a back yard, to organized high end leagues with very expensive rigs to everything in between. Think of this like folks that play darts, some just play at home, some meet in a bar, some play in small local leagues and tournaments and some are professionals and among the best in the world. Airsoft target shooting is evolving slowing into this same type of format. This sport is huge in areas like Japan and Korea where ownership of firearms is all but in possible.

Three – “Airsoft Combat Gamers” – Many people eventually decide to “play airsoft” in a game very similar to paint ball competitions. Yet Airsoft gamers are generally more “militant” in look and feel. In these games shooters actually shoot each other in an adult form of the game we called, “guns” or “cops and robbers” as kids. Organized leagues have “rules of engagement”, require safety gear and limit the top velocity of various classes or weapons. Some leagues and groups are very informal in their authenticity and others are very realistic. Combat gaming is probably the most popular form of organized Airsoft sport today.

Four – “Airsoft Training for Combat, LEOs, etc” – Due to the highly accurate form, fit and function of Airsoft weapons many law enforcement and military groups are using them for more formalized training exercises. The biggest difference in these groups and gamers is that this training is formalized and designed to be used in real world scenarios. Airsoft has become a huge asset for SWAT teams and specialized military units. The guns have realistic rates of fire and give acute real time results in close quarters combat training exercises.

Are Airsoft Guns safe? Airsoft guns are perfectly safe if used properly. Safe use of airsoft guns requires using at least eye protection. Full face protection is recommended.

Airsoft guns shoot plastic pellets at velocities from 100 ft/s (30 m/s) for a low-end spring pistol, to 500 ft/s and beyond for heavily-upgraded customized sniper rifles. Most non-upgraded AEGs using the Tokyo Marui system are in the middle, producing velocities from 270 to 300 ft/s (80 to 90 m/s) with the exception of companies such as G&G, G&P, Cyber gun, Aftermath Airsoft, D-boys, Cyma and Jing Gong which manufacture guns that produce velocities of over 328 ft/s (or 1J with a .2g pellet) stock. The internal components of most guns can be upgraded which can increase the pellet velocity significantly. Using heavier pellets (.25g, .3g, etc.) will significantly reduce the gun's muzzle velocity, but can increase accuracy at range and reduce susceptibility to wind drift. Conversely, lighter pellets may travel further but are less accurate. High-velocity AEGs often employ heavier pellets, as the velocity penalty does not affect them as much, while the accuracy benefits remain. Most high-end AEGs, such as Classic Army and Tokyo Marui, should not be loaded with anything lighter than 0.2 g pellets, as the lighter pellets (0.12 g, 0.15 g) are typically made for low-end guns, and are not built to the same quality (such as surface smoothness). The stresses the pellets go under upon firing could shatter lighter or poorly made pellets as they leave the barrel, potentially damaging both the weapon and the target.

Airsoft guns can be modified to increase pellet velocity, rate of fire, or reliability. For an electric airsoft gun, the pellet velocity can be increased by simply upgrading the mainspring. Doing this will increase the air pressure subjected to the pellet produced during operation. But due to the higher forces at play, it is advised that other parts should be upgraded together with the mainspring in order to maintain a high level of reliability. The rate of fire is increased by using a battery with a higher voltage, high speed ratio gears and/or a high speed motor. Rates of fire can be increased to over 20 rounds per second with very few upgrades, but with careful selection and extreme modification of gearbox components, rates of fire in excess of 50 rounds per second are not unheard of. In the case of gas guns, a higher pellet velocity can be achieved through the use of different types of gases and/or changing the valve. It must be noted that some gases have detrimental effects to some plastic components inside the airsoft gun.

Airsoft guns commonly come with mounts or rails on which you can add external accessories. Some common customizations added are flashlights, scopes and lasers. Since some airsoft guns have the exact external frame as real guns, you can use these external parts meant for real guns, but the opposite does not apply. In no way can an airsoft rifle be modified to shoot real ammunition. In most cases, add-ons are more for aesthetics rather than performance. However, some scopes must have scope rings (which are not usually included in airsoft gun packages) that are used to mount the higher end scopes to a default rail mount.