Do you return home in the evening, slump into an easy chair, pour yourself a stiff one and watch TV all night? If so, you may have the feeling that there’s something missing in your life and you may well be right. If you want to bring a sense of challenge and touch of excitement back into your life in a way that’s safe and inexpensive, the answer is airsoft guns. Here’s your complete guide to these wonderful items.

Airsofts are life-size replicas of real firearms including revolvers, pistols, snipers and rifles. Generally made of plastic, or plastic and metal, and you can also get metal airsoft guns. They fire small plastic pellets or BBs. Guns come in three types according to the type of firing mechanism – spring, gas and electricity.

Spring airsoft guns are the most basic and use a mechanical system. You need to cock them before firing just as you would with a real shotgun or bolt action rifle. Cocking the gun compresses a spring which is attached to a piston. Then when you pull a trigger, the piston shoots forward compressing the air in the cylinder firing the pellet. Because of the mechanism, they’re single shot weapons. Spring operated models are perfect for entry level users looking for cheap airsoft guns to test the waters.

Gas fired guns are more advanced. They use gas, usually green gas or carbon dioxide, to fire the pellets. The gas comes in canisters which load into the bottom of the magazine. Gas airsoft guns come in blowback and non-blowback types. The former are more functional as after firing, the gas blows back to reset the mechanism ready for the next shot. This feature also makes the airsoft feel more like a real gun.

The main advantage they offer over spring guns is the ability for rapid fire which is useful in the tumultuous environment of airsoft games. You can fire your gas gun as quickly as you can pull the trigger as the reloading mechanism is very efficient. In fact, they work in a way that’s very similar to real firearms.

Electric powered guns are now the most commonly used. Electric airsoft guns use electrical power from a battery to work a gear and piston system. Operation is usually semi and sometimes fully automatic. The latter are known as AEG (automatic electric gun) airsoft guns.

Now you know all about the different types of guns, let’s look at how you can use them.

The simplest way and the best way to start off is simply target practice. When you’re adept with your airsoft gun, it’s time to start thinking about joining in an airsoft game or skirmish. These are organized events that allow you to become a marine or FBI agent for an hour or a day, and use your skills to achieve an objective. It could be hostage rescue or the re-enactment of a historic battle.

Participating in an airsoft game permits you to live out a fantasy and escape from your daily routine for a while. It also allows you to test your mettle and weapons skills against your peers.

Providing a few simple rules and guidelines are followed, airsoft guns are extremely safe. Essentially you just need to use them in the right environment – firing range or organized game field, clean and maintain them regularly, and always wear protective gear.

Another great thing is that using these guns is very inexpensive. Other than buying new pellets, your expenses are minimal. With spring airsoft rifles, you don’t need a propellant as everything works manually. For gas guns you’ll need to top up you gas canisters every so often. Likewise with electric guns, you just have to charge them regularly and replace the batteries every now and again. Other expenses include paying fees at the firing range and for the airsoft games.

Airsoft guns can bring a world of pleasure and satisfaction into your life so check them out today. You can browse the web sites of online vendors and view the wide range available. Placing your order is a snap and your new firearm will be delivered in a few days. Remember they’re illegal in a few states and you have to be over 21 to buy one.

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.

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.