For the interested person who is looking to join the exciting and exhilarating fun of the sport of Airsoft, finding an affordable Airsoft gun is not as complicated as it may seem. Although some of the higher-end guns can be expensive, the average newcomer does not have to spend a small fortune to purchase and enjoy a quality Airsoft gun. Before the interested buyer begins to search for his optimal weapon, an understanding of the different types of guns that are available, and how these guns work can be very helpful.

Generally speaking, Airsoft guns fall into three different categories, which are defined by how the guns are designed and operate. The more complicated the inner mechanisms that fire the guns, usually the more expensive they become. The first category we will examine is the Automatic Electric Airsoft Gun or what is commonly referred to as the AEG. These electric guns are arguably the most popular guns among veteran Airsoft players. They have given the sport its greatest appeal and are singularly responsible for its explosive growth around the world. The AEG has an electric motor that is powered by an onboard battery. The motor turns the gears inside the gun, which in turn causes a piston to compress and release. The piston creates a blast of air that propels a 6mm plastic BB through the barrel of the gun. This fully automated system gives these guns the exciting rapid-fire feature that makes them so popular. These guns also tend to be the most expensive of the Airsoft gun family, usually costing around several hundred dollars.

The next group of guns to look at is the Gas Powered Airsoft guns. These guns operate by compressed air that fires the BB. The gas is either stored in an onboard cylinder or a gas filled magazine that connects to the gun. Some of the more popular styles are the gas blowback guns or commonly called the GBBs. The compressed air that fires the BB also returns the firing slide to the fire position at the same time. This return action creates a realistic “recoil” sensation from which the name blowback is derived. Reputed to be great fun to play with, the high-end GBB model guns can also cost around several hundred dollars. The non-blowback gas guns are less costly and start at around 40 dollars.

The last category of guns to look at is the Spring guns, which are also referred to as the “Springers”. Commonly tagged the cheap Airsoft gun, these spring guns were the original Airsoft models. In order for the gun to fire, a spring mechanism must be manually cocked back each and every time. Due to their simplistic design, the Springers are the most inexpensive and cost effective Airsoft guns. These guns are recommended as perhaps the best for entry-level players. Most players at some point have owned one of these models, which can be purchased for as little as 20 dollars.

In an effort to find a cheap Airsoft gun the shopper must keep in mind the value for the money. Even though one can purchase a gun for around 20 dollars, this does not mean that the gun is cheap in quality. A well made 20 dollar Springer can be a great value for the money, just as a two hundred dollar AEG can be a great value as well. Usually no matter the price, buying a gun from a well-established Airsoft manufacturer is important and worth the investment.

Perhaps the single greatest reason for the surging world-wide popularity of the Sport of Airsoft was the development of the Automatic Electric Gun or what is commonly referred to as the AEG.

These guns are universally fully automatic replicas of real-world weapons, such as the M-16 and the AK-47. The exhilarating lure of these Airsoft guns lies in their wonderfully designed fully automated firing systems. These guns have batteries, motors, and gears that control the firing mechanism. It is this automated system that creates the power needed to support the exciting rapid-fire feature of the AEG.

The automatic electric Airsoft gun system is battery operated. Depending on the model style, this battery is stored in the handgrip or the stock of the rifle. The big, full-stock Airsoft rifles such as the AK-47 use the larger AEG batteries.

The smaller AEG sub-machine gun models like the M4 or the collapsible stock Airsoft rifles such as the MP5 PDW use the mini or stick batteries. The on board Ni-Cad battery in both models drives a small but powerful motor that in turn powers the AEG.

This is where the magic begins with these guns! Merely pulling the trigger completes a simple electrical circuit that causes the motor inside the AEG to start spinning. The motor then begins to drive the gears in the mech box. The mech box action in turn causes the piston to compress and release.

The motion of the piston creates a blast of air that propels the 6mm plastic bb through the barrel of the gun. It is this fully automated process that gives the AEG its most dynamic and desirable feature: a rate of fire (ROF) ranging between 600-900 rounds-per-minute (RPM).

Like their real life counter-parts, the AEG plastic ammunition BBs are stored in a magazine (a detachable part of the gun that holds the ammunition ready for shooting). There are two types of magazines designed for the AEG Airsoft guns. The first is the low capacity magazine or also known as the (Locap).

Usually, every new AEG comes equipped with a Locap Mag. Depending on the model of the gun, the Locap holds roughly 50-70 BBs. The low-end capacity gun models would include the Thompson SMG and the Airsoft Uzi. The second type of magazine is the high capacity mag, also known as the (Hicap). Once again, depending on the gun model, the Hicap mag will hold between 200-600 BBs. A high-end capacity AEG such as the AK-47 can hold a Hicap mag containing an astonishing 600 BBs.

Although the new models come standard with the Locap mags, most of the larger AEGs can be upgraded to the higher capacity units. Designed to be completely like the guns they replicate, these Airsoft magazines can be changed out as soon they are emptied just like their real counterparts.

With its realistic look and feel, combined with a spectacular automated firing system, the Airsoft automatic electric gun, AEG, continues to grow in its persona and worldwide appeal. Gun enthusiasts, collectors, and avid Airsoft players can all enjoy owning one of these amazing replica guns.