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Remember your BB gun? Well, now instead of a steel ball bearing, imagine a plastic one. Then, instead of the primitive lever-operated or pull-back spring system, substitute an electric motor with gears: Airsoft guns.

These cheap Asian stocking fillers were since recognised by clever manufacturers to be in demand by more adult military aficionados and so Airsoft guns were then refined with better materials and technology to supply the fastest-growing outdoor pursuit since 2001 – Airsoft.

Although many different producers made a great variety of different systems and calibres, it has generally been agreed that 6 or 8mm BBs are the way to go. And no longer a lever-activated or spring-cocked firing system: a battery-operated electric motor that, through a system of gears, pushes a BB into the chamber, pulls back a spring and then fires it, then repeats. This spawned the acronym AEF – Automatic Electric Gun.

The Airsoft gun fires pellets at around 200 to 500 feet per second (60 to 150 metres per second). These are fired at rates of 300 to 2000 BBs per minute. Gun capacity is limited by the magazine size: low cap: around 50 BBs, mid cap: around 120 BBs, or high-cap: 200-500+ BBs. The BBs in the magazines are pushed into the chamber by a spring, or by a manually-operated ratchet. Also available are electrically-operated magazines that may hold up to 5000 pellets. When entering a MilSom Airsoft game, however, you may need to prove you have limited capacity of a certain number of pellets to make for a more true to life gaming experience.

However, gas-powered Airsoft guns are becoming increasingly popular due to more realistic noise and recoil. These are powered, usually, by propane in a proprietary container, screwed to the back of the gun. Recently, the possibility to ‘charge’ your gun using a camping gas propane tank has appeared. This gas type of gun is more common on Airsoft pistols than rifles due to the size of the motor and gear mechanism necessary to shoot the BB. AEGs have a longer range than gas guns, and the batteries usually last longer than a charge of gas.

Airsoft guns are becoming more refined in their manufacture, and the mass produced plastic parts may now be replaced with harder-wearing alloys of aluminium, producing a longer-lasting machine, with better power and accuracy. You may even buy weighted AEGs to make it feel like you are wielding the real thing.

Bullet velocity is from 50 m/s (160 ft/s) to around 125 m/s (410 ft/s). With the right adaptations, muzzle velocity can be souped up to 180 m/s (590 ft/s). You may install a module to cause backspin on the BB. This increases the amount of lift on the BB by the air flow on the underside of the ball being offset by that on the top. Lift increased and so does range. This is called a hop-up unit. Although AEG range is usually up to 75 metres (250ft), the hop up unit can double this.

You can buy 6mm paintballs for your Airsoft gun, but these may explode inside your chamber, meaning a ruined gun.

Author: Anthoy Carter is enticed by everything airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Visit this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.