Airsoft gun games: some basics.

Many on-line shooting game enthusiasts are turning to airsoft gun games as a way of taking their shooting skills to another level. Read on to find out why.

Some background

These types of gun were developed back in the 1980`s in Japan. At the time a real gun was actually difficult to acquire so the airsoft gun was developed as an alternative option for those who were enthusiastic about guns.

So what are airsoft guns? They are non-lethal reproductions of real fire arms, either in the original size or a smaller version. They are divided into three types according to the way in which they are powered. The three groups are spring-powered, electric powered and gas powered.

The first versions were spring-powered. Then came the electric powered guns and finally in the 1990`s we saw the growth of the gas-powered gun. Ammunition for these guns is plastic pellets varying size between 6mm and 8mm. These ‘bullets’ or ‘bb’s` vary also in weight with the lightest being around 0.12 grams all the way up to 0.88 grams. Experts tend to use a bullet weighing around 0.2 or 0.25 grams as they are the best for accuracy and distance.

In the 1990`s fighting grounds developed where groups of gun enthusiasts could gather to indulge their interest in pretend ‘war games’. Here two people could fight each other or teams could compete with each other. As interest has grown in this ‘hobby’ or ‘sport’, rules and game formats have developed along with the guns and gun accessories. Specially designated fight areas have also developed. Commentators suggest that airsoft gun games developed out of the paintball game.

Airsoft Game Formats

There are a number of game formats that you can be involved with including:-

Prison Escape – here you are a prisoner and you have to try to escape with a few other prisoners down an escape tunnel.

Capture the Flag – two teams have their own flag that the other team is attempting to capture and take back to their base.

Other games include – Stalkers, Manhunt and Last Player Standing.

The Rules

Although there are legal requirements around the use of the guns themselves, the rules for the game are more informal but contain some basic universal guidelines.

If the body or gear (but not the weapon) is hit, the player is out.

When hit, the player shouts ‘I am hit’ and raises his arm.

After being hit, the player must go to the safe zone.

After the hit, the players must not talk with each other

Friendly fire counts as a hit.

Safety: Some Basics

For your own safety and the safety of other bear in the mind the following:-

Do not show your guns in plain public view.

Play air soft games in designated areas and not public places like parks etc.

For personal safety wear goggles, a long sleeve shirt, and boots. Do not remove goggles while a game is in process.

When in the designated safe zone always keep your guns safety on. Failure to comply may get you banned from a particular location.

So, are you interested in airsoft games? Enthusiasts offer a word of caution. Soft may be the name, but it is not for the soft-hearted. Are you prepared to be shot or to spend your time dodging bb’s? Still interested? It is recommended that you look for a knowledgeable company who can advise you on the best model of gun for your requirements. There are many suppliers on the internet. Whether you are a rookie or full-blown enthusiast, try to look for a supplier of 2nd Generation Airsoft guns as they will have the most up to date information about gun quality and be able to supply the latest models of gun and accessories.

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.