An airsoft gun is a type of air gun that fires 6mm plastic BBs at lower velocities than a typical air gun does. Most airsoft guns are made to be scale replicas of real firearms and are made to look and feel as realistic as possible. All airsoft guns use compressed air or gas to propel the BBs forward, but the way in which they accomplish this varies depending on the type of gun.
Types of Airsoft Guns
There are three main types of airsoft guns: gas, spring, and electric. In spring and electric airsoft guns a high powered spring is contracted to a point where its maximum potential energy output can be achieved. When the gun is fired the spring is released from this position. A piston is attached to the spring, so when the spring uncoils the piston shoots forward, and in turn compresses the air in front of it. This compressed air is what propels the BB forward. In spring powered airsoft guns the spring is cocked back manually before each shot. In an electric airsoft gun a high torque motor and gear box are used to accomplish this task, and allows the airsoft gun to fire in full-auto mode.
Gas airsoft guns work a little differently. Instead of air they use Green Gas, Propane, or CO2. The gas is already compressed so there is no spring which needs to be compressed before each shot, pressurized gas is already stored inside the gun. When the trigger is pulled some of this gas is released, which then propels the BB forward.
Airsoft Gun Styles
Airsoft guns come in many shapes and sizes. The styles can generally be divided into two main categories: pistols and rifles. Airsoft pistols are handguns and generally used as sidearms. Rifles are larger and usually more powerful than pistols.
Airsoft pistols are usually made to be replicas of real handguns. Most of them are modeled after magazine fed pistols such as the Berretta 92FS, Glock 18, 1911, or Sig Saur. Magazine fed airsoft pistols usually have magazine capacities of 12 to 50 rounds, but some also come with high capacity magazines with 100 shots or more. Gas versions of these pistols often also feature a blow back mechanism which makes the slide shoot back for each shot. This makes the firing action more lifelike and emulates the recoil that would be felt when firing a real firearm. There are also several models of airsoft revolvers. These airsoft pistols often use shells into which BBs are loaded. The shells are then loaded into a rotating cylinder just like a real revolver.
There are a great variety of different airsoft rifle styles. Airsoft rifles can be modeled after assault rifles, shotguns, or sniper rifles. Guns modeled after assault rifles are usually fully automatic AEGs (airsoft electric guns). They are commonly modeled after modern firearms such as the M4, M16, AK-47, G36, Steyer Aug, and many others. Airsoft shotguns and sniper rifles are usually spring powered. In airsoft shotguns the handle attached to the barrel is pumped before each shot is fired. Airsoft sniper rifles usually have a bolt-action system where a bolt is pulled back before each shot.
