A: Airsoft is a collective term that both describes the sport and the equipment used.
Airsoft is played similar to paintball. Unlike paintball, Airsoft uses a metal and plastic gun that looks much like a real firearm. Most Airsoft guns fire single shot or
full auto, and they fire a 6mm plastic pellet from a detatchable magazine or clip,
while a paintball gun fires a .68 caliber water soluable paint pellet loaded from a bulk hopper.
Q: Doesn't it hurt more than paintball since the pellets don't break?
A: No. While Airsoft pellets are solid, unlike a paintball, they also
have less kinetic impact. An airsoft pellet is 6mm (.25 cal) in diameter. A standard
paintball is .68 cal and much heavier weight. Generally, getting hit with an airsoft pellet
feels much like getting snapped with a rubber band. Plus, getting hit with 10 airsoft
pellets in a short period of time will hurt a lot less than getting it with 10
paintballs in that same period of time at the same muzzle velocity.
Another bad analogy would be the difference between getting hit by an airsoft
pellet versus a paintball pellet, is like the difference between being run over by
a pedel powered bicycle or getting run over by a Motorcycle. Both will hurt to a
certain degree.
Q: If there's no paint to leave a mark, how do you know you've been hit?
A: Honesty. Airsoft, even more than paintball, requires a high level of
honesty in the players. If you don't call your hits, then you don't get invited back to play.
The term Cheaters Never Win is very true in airsoft. If you cheat, soon you
won't have anywhere, or anyone, to play with.
Quite often at longer ranges you'll hear the BB hit your clothing or gear, even though
you may not actually feel the impact.
When in doubt, call yourself out!
Q: If the guns fire full auto, Isn't it more expensive to play because you have to buy more pellets?
A: Actually, no. When you break the price down in a bulk format,
airsoft is very economical to shoot. If you buy lots of cheap, case price paintballs, the cost
averages out to about $.05-.06 per shot. Airsoft pellets average out to $.006/shot,
less than a penny per shot. Keep in mind airsoft pellets vary greatly in price,
but an average cost is about $20.00/5,000 rounds (which actually comes out to $.004/round!).
Q: What gun should I buy?
A: Better question should be, what kinds of guns do you like? Pretty much
every modern assault rifle or submachine gun seen in the movies and on TV is
available in an airsoft version.
Q: Which gun is the best?
A: Whichever gun you're using. Functionally, they're pretty much all the same.
Some guns have slight advatages over others. For example, a gun with a long barrel
(G3 rifles for example) are a bit more accurate than a short barreled gun like an MP5 SMG.
Some guns also have higher capacity magazines than others do. The MP5 series of guns,
one of the most popular, have a 200 round high capacity magazine. By contrast, an AK 47 airsoft gun
has a 600 round high capacity magazine. It really depends on how much trigger control you have.
I've played in 8 hour games with an MP5 and have used less than 600 rounds the whole day.
By contrast, my friend Jon has an AK 47 and he's used 600 rounds in 15 minutes! It just
depends on your personal shooting style, and the needs of the moment on the game field.
Q: Is Airsoft just about shooting people?
A: Not at all! While the majority of airsoft players skirmish in a wargame scenario,
many people own airsoft guns just for target shooting and plinking in the backyard!
Q: I'm not very good at fixing things. I want a gun that works good out of the box.
Any suggestions?
A: Guns that need little to NO fixing? The AK47 series have LONG proven reliable
and accurate right out of the box. The G3's have been OK. The M1A1 Thompson SMG is easily
on par with the AK's.
Q: I'm new to this. What's the first thing I should buy?
A: A JT Spectra Thermalvision paintball mask/goggle combo.
Q: Why?
A: You tell me. How much airsoft will you be playing when you lose an eye?
None. Protective gear should be your FIRST purchase.
Q: OK, I bought some safety glasses at S-Mart. Now what?
A: Did you say you bought Safety Glasses and not Paintball Goggles???
Let me clear something up. Safety Glasses, Shooters Glasses, Shop Goggles, Military surplus
Dust Goggles and Ski Goggles are NOT suitable for playing airsoft!! These items are usually
NOT certified to take a ballistic impact, or if they are, they do not provide full eye coverage or have
space around the edges where a BB could get through. Think about it: You want to buy an airsoft gun that
costs $200, but you're buying eye protection that costs only $5.00? Is your vision only worth $5.00?
I know a seeing eye dog or a good cane costs more than $5.00. Use your head, protect your eyesight!!
Q: OK, I bought a set of paintball goggles. Now what?
A: If you've never played before, and want to buy a gun, I suggest one of the following
packages. These are suggestions based on my own personal experience.
MP5 Series:
Tokyo Marui MP5 A4 or SD5.
4 - 200 round high capacity magazines.
8.4v 1200-1900 mah battery
M-16 Series:
Tokyo Marui SR-16, M-16 A2, M16-VN
2 or 3 - 300 round high capacity magazines.
8.4v 1200-1900 mah battery
G3 Series:
Tokyo Marui G3A3, G3 SG-1
2 or 3 - 500 round high capacity magazines.
8.4v 1200-1900 mah battery
AK 47 Series:
Tokyo Marui AK 47 (Solid Stock Version) or the shorter barrel AK47-B
2 - 600 round high capacity magazines.
8.4v 1200-1900 mah battery
Thompson SMG Series:
Tokyo Marui M1A1 Thompson
2 - 400 round high capacity magazines.
8.4v 1200-1900 mah battery
For a new player, I suggest ANY gun that has a solid stock and can use
a large battery. Why a large battery? Because a large battery usually means longer play time.
An AK47-S (folding stock version) will give you about 800-1000 shots before the battery dies.
By contrast an AK 47 (solid stock version) with a large battery will give you 1600 rounds on
average before a battery change is required.
Q: Where can I play?
A: Good Question! Some places to check for local players are Airsoftplayers.com
and Airsoftzone.com. Now keep in mind that discussion boards like ASZ are populated
by lots of people who talk like they know what they're talking about, when in fact 80% of their information
is second hand, or based on "a friend of my cousin's, uncle's sister said that gun XYZ sucks."
Take everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt.
If there's noone in your area that plays, try checking with your local paintball field.
Use polite language when talking to paintball business people. Most paintball
field owners have not heard of airsoft, or if they have they usually do not
want to deal with it. For some reason many paintball players view airsoft
as a threat. Why, I don't know. It's the same game, just played with a different
form of "marker." Quite often a field owner will cite that the reason they don't
offer airsoft at their site is because their insurance will not cover airsoft.
This, sadly, is true. While the chances of being injured while wearing a full face
paintball mask is small, many paintball insurance companies don't want to take the risk.
Usually what you need to do is politely talk to the field owner. Ask him or her what you need to do to allow airsoft to be allowed at their field. More and more
paintball facilities are starting to offer airsoft as a sideline. Why? Because
doing so will make them money, and when running a business steady income is what it's about.
Two of the more "famous" facilities now accepting airsoft are Splatball, Inc. in Minneapolis Minnesota, and the holy grail of paintball, Challenge Park Extreme Sports near Chicago, Illnois.
Splatball, Inc has been allowing airsoft at their indoor facility for
several years now. And Challenge Park recently announced that it will offer
monthly airsoft events and a large scale scenario game in 2003! Challenge Park's
unbelievable 8 million dollar facility is well worth the admission price. Buildings,
a city street, a bombed out city, a Temple of Doom and more! Even if you don't
play airsoft, you should at least play paintball there. The site is amazing!
Q: I heard that they're making (GUN XYZ) in airsoft. Do you have any information on it?
A: Probably. But rather than making me reply to 200 e-mails asking about the latest
and greatest gun from Airsoft company ABC, try checking out Airsoftplayers.com or Arnie's Airsoft.
Q: You talk like you know about airsoft. When did you start playing?
A: Saw my first Airsoft gun back in 1984 when I was in Middle school.
I was able to buy my first airsoft gun (A Maruzen, single shot pistol) back in 1989-90.
I played a combo of airsoft and paintball for a couple years (some guys had airsoft guns,
others had paintball guns) and dropped out in 1992. I came back hardcore as a player
in 1997 when guns became easier to buy in the USA. Also in 1997 I became an airsoft dealer
which lasted until spring of 2002. I stopped selling guns actively in 2002 but
remain an active player to this day.
I'm also currently serving as the Northern Regional Coordinator for the Minnesota Airsoft Association.
All images, unless specified, are Copyright
2002-2005 Rook's Castle.
