If you’ve been using basic spring airsoft guns for a while and been bitten by the bug, you’re probably keen to get started on some of the more sophisticated options in the arsenal. These include advanced spring models, and electric and gas guns in pistol, rifle and automatic weapon formats.

Spring airsoft guns are the most basic but you can get some sophisticated models. Other than a range of handguns, you can get a wide array of spring airsoft rifles such as the Smith & Wesson M3000. However, if you’re looking for a gun with automatic function, you’ll need to find another type, either electric of gas.

Electric airsoft guns are the most popular type nowadays and offer some great advantages over springers. The most important is that they’re automatic. Also known as AEG (Automatic Electric Gun), these guns are worked by an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery. Some modes have high capacity magazines with a capacity of 100s of pellets which make them perfect for an environment where continuous shooting may be required such as an airsoft game. Say goodbye to cocking your weapon before each shot.;with an electric gun you can fire as fast as your fingers can pull the trigger.

You can get different types of AEGs ranging from pistols to rapid fire machine guns and assault rifles. If you’re on a budget you could look at LPEGs (low powered/priced electric guns). Of course, these cheap airsoft guns are not as good as AEGs. For one thing, the gearboxes are made out of plastic instead of metal.

Gas airsoft guns offer automatic fire, too, or they can be semi-automatic. A number of gases are used including propane, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. One advantage of gas guns is that they’re lighter and more compact than the electric item. However, their performance is influenced by the temperature; owing to the cooling effect of the gas, they work better in warm climates.

So much for the mechanisms, now let’s look at the types of gun available. The most basic types are handguns which include pistols and revolvers.

Rifles are available in a range of styles. Sniper rifles are popular owing to their exposure in the media, especially in movies such as Shooter. Most are bolt action though semi-automatic models are available. When it comes to rifles, the length of the gun is an important factor in the accuracy of the firearm.

Carbines are basically shortened versions of an existing rifle, assault or otherwise. They’re light and portable and perfect for indoor use. Examples of carbines are the M4 and XM177, Socom16, and the AK74SU.

Assault Rifles can fire automatically, either in Burst or Full-auto, or both. Examples are the M16 family and Kalashnikovs.

Shotguns are available in both spring and gas form. Most fire a single BB at a time though there are exceptions. An example is the Smith & Wesson M3000 spring airsoft shotgun.

Submachine Guns (SMGs) are good for indoor environments where maneuverability is more important than firepower and range. SMGs come with both full and semi-auto types.

One of the great things about airsofts is that you can get replicas of famous firearms, both modern and historical. You can choose from a single shot pistol that’s a full blown exact replica of a modern military firearm, a shotgun with real pump action, a perfect replica of a hunting rifle, or a six shooter from the Wild West of old.

There’s a vast range of airsoft handguns and pistols on offer. As with most things in life there are always some favourites that never really change over time. Like Airsoft Sniper Rifles as an example, there’s a certain something about airsoft rifles that their owners simply can’t explain. The dream of owning your own M16, G36 or AK47 is something that some of the other people will never understand. The surprising thing about most airsoft rifles is that they’re actually quite heavy and very well built. They’re designed to be an almost exact copy of the original firearm in every possible way – which in turn gives you an idea of what it would be like to handle the real thing.

The quality and features of your airsoft replica will depend on your budget. There are three basic types of airsoft guns – differences and approx. expenses are listed below:

Spring Airsoft Guns:

Spring powered airsoft guns differ from the other gas powered and electric powered airsoft guns because they are a single shot or spring cocked devices much like a real shotgun or bolt action rifle. The user has to cock the spring by pulling back the slide or bolt before firing each shot. Though they may not be very suitable for close combat competitions, they are widely used for “sniper” and “marksman” functions.

Electric Airsoft Guns (AEG):

The electric airsoft gun, also known as AEG (Airsoft Electric Gun) these are the top of the range when it comes to airsoft guns. Each AEG has a tiny but very powerful motor inside which powers the firing mechanism. There is still a spring inside an AEG but this is controlled by the electronic motor to achieve high rates of fully automatic fire. One of the really neat things about this type of airsoft gun is that it can be loaded with miniature paintballs. A word of warning however – if a paintball breaks inside an AEG it can clog up the entire firing mechanism meaning you’ll have to strip the gun down and clean it.

Gas powered Airsoft Guns:

Gas powered models add one immediate feature – automatic fire. With a gas powered airsoft rifle or pistol you don’t need to cock the gun each time because it has a gas charge built in. These are far more powerful than most spring airsoft guns and slightly more expensive. This extra power comes at an added expense – the gas needs to be refilled. This can be achieved with co2 cartridges or a portable hand pump. For the added expense gas airsoft guns definitely feel more like the “real thing”.

Having adequate knowledge on the different types of airsoft guns is important before you purchase any of them and this is an article to guide you on the differences.

Spring Airsoft Guns: These are basically single shot or spring cocked gadget which resembles the bolt action rifle or the shotgun. In order to use these guns to fire, there is a need for the user to pull back the slide or bolt to cock the spring before each shot is fired. They are not recommended for close combat competitions because of their unsuitability for this type of competitions. However, they are most commonly used for marksman and sniper functions.

Electric Airsoft Guns (AEG): They are also known as AEG which stands for Airsoft Electric Gun. They are considered to be the best type of airsoft guns. Their firing mechanism is powered by a tiny but very powerful motor inside each of the gun. There is also a spring in each of them. However, the spring is under the control of an electronic motor to attain high rates of fully automatic fire. AEGs have an advantage over other types of guns, which is they are capable of being loaded with miniature paintballs. However, you have to be careful with this because in the event of any paintball breaking inside them, their entire firing mechanism can be clogged and you will have to strip the guns down to clean them.

Gas-powered Airsoft Guns: They are capable of automatic fire and they are more convenient to use because there is no need to cock the guns every time you want to fire because the guns have a gas charge built inside each of them. These guns are much more powerful then most of the spring airsoft guns and they can be more expensive as well. The gas used by these guns needs to be refilled using co2 cartridges or a portable hand pump. Gas-powered guns have a more realistic feel then the other types of guns.

There’s a vast range of airsoft handguns and pistols on offer. As with most things in life there are always some favourites that never really change over time. Like Airsoft Sniper Rifles as an example, there’s a certain something about airsoft rifles that their owners simply can’t explain. The dream of owning your own M16, G36 or AK47 is something that some of the other people will never understand. The surprising thing about most airsoft rifles is that they’re actually quite heavy and very well built. They’re designed to be an almost exact copy of the original firearm in every possible way – which in turn gives you an idea of what it would be like to handle the real thing.

The quality and features of your airsoft replica will depend on your budget. There are three basic types of airsoft guns – differences and approx. expenses are listed below:

Spring Airsoft Guns:

Spring powered airsoft guns differ from the other gas powered and electric powered airsoft guns because they are a single shot or spring cocked devices much like a real shotgun or bolt action rifle. The user has to cock the spring by pulling back the slide or bolt before firing each shot. Though they may not be very suitable for close combat competitions, they are widely used for “sniper” and “marksman” functions.

Electric Airsoft Guns (AEG):

The electric airsoft gun, also known as AEG (Airsoft Electric Gun) these are the top of the range when it comes to airsoft guns. Each AEG has a tiny but very powerful motor inside which powers the firing mechanism. There is still a spring inside an AEG but this is controlled by the electronic motor to achieve high rates of fully automatic fire. One of the really neat things about this type of airsoft gun is that it can be loaded with miniature paintballs. A word of warning however – if a paintball breaks inside an AEG it can clog up the entire firing mechanism meaning you’ll have to strip the gun down and clean it.

Gas powered Airsoft Guns:

Gas powered models add one immediate feature – automatic fire. With a gas powered airsoft rifle or pistol you don’t need to cock the gun each time because it has a gas charge built in. These are far more powerful than most spring airsoft guns and slightly more expensive. This extra power comes at an added expense – the gas needs to be refilled. This can be achieved with co2 cartridges or a portable hand pump. For the added expense gas airsoft guns definitely feel more like the “real thing”.