Selecting your Airsoft weaponry...

OK, you went to your first game, and saw all these cool-looking rifles, sub-machine guns, and pistols. Now you want to go buy one...

WHOA!

First things first. Airsoft is a hobby sport for pretty much all age groups from the early teens, right up to the (tact, laddie, tact!) more senior amongst us, and Practical Airsoft encourages this whole-heartedly.

However, there are a couple of things to think about: Are these models air weapons? Answer: No, under present guidelines, so almost anyone can own or possess them. Are these models replicas? Hmm. Tricky. Strictly speaking, yes, so they fall under certain controls, meaning that, for the most part, under fourteens cannot own or possess them. Then there's the retailers' Good Practice Guide, which provides yet more controls, if only voluntary, preventing some of the less responsible elements of the young from possessing or buying these models.

There is also playing site insurance (all good, well-organised Airsoft playing sites should have such policies) to think about, and in some cases, these personal liability insurance policies exclude the under fourteens specifically, I'm sorry to say. Never the less, check with your local site - you may find that is can accomodate the under fourteens!

OK, onto the Good Practice Guide that most good Airsoft model retailers work under. These model Air weapon law (Firearms Acts 1968-88), and restrict who can buy, of be made gifts of, Airsoft models. If, therefore, you're under seventeen, you cannot buy one, or be made a gift of one, by anyone, not even family. However, these rules are most emphatically NOT set in stone. Site operators tend to have operating on their sites, or know very well, their local Airsoft retailers, and if you are known as a responsible young person, then purchasing an Airsoft model shouldn't really be a problem. Remember, the Good Practice Guide is a guide, not law.

Never the less, you can, even if under seventeen however, hire these models on Airsoft Skirmish sites, as these are places designed to have these models used on them, so not owning your own Airsoft model should not, really, be much of a handicap, just a little more expensive in green fees, in the long run!

Never the less, if you're 17 or over, here's my advice: do NOT go out and buy one, until you've decided what you're going to use it for: Woodland, open ground, urban, or multi-purpose gaming.

A small aside. I was written to by e-mail in early January 2001, by a very intelligent 17 year old lad, and figure that the comments he made were quite reasonable, so the advice above has been reworded, after taking into account his comments!

Types of Airsoft model available

Airsoft model guns fire in a variety of methods, all basically the same. They chamber a small (6mm) calibre polymer ball bearing, weighing typically 0.2 grams, into a 'chamber', where a measured amount of air or gas is then discharged, propelling the round through the barrel, and on its way to the target you aimed at. There are 'spring', 'gas', and 'electric' (or 'AEG') guns available.

'Spring' guns fire one pellet at a time, having to be manually re-cocked for each shot. They tend, with a couple of notable exceptions, to have a lower range than other modes of gun.

'Gas' guns use an inert gas, normally CFC-free gas, which delivers a higher range than a spring gun. In addition, these can fire either semi-automatic or fully automatic fire ('select fire', which incorporates semi- and -automatic fire), depending on the model of airsoft gun used. Mostly, these are used in pistol format guns, firing one shot for each squeeze of the trigger, or 'semi-automatic' fire, although an increasing number of sub-machine and machine-pistol format models are appearing on the market. Some of the more recent versions of these models (called 'Blowback' guns) even go so far as to simulate the 'slide' (the top part of an automatic pistol) moving in simulated cartridge ejecton (nothing is ejected, though) - at a cost of using more gas!

You should, however, note, that in cold weather, gas models suffer from the cold, as the gas used looses vital range and power in those conditions, whereas electric models (see below) don't.

The new kid on the block, so to speak, is the electrically powered airsoft gun. These are called 'AEG's, or 'Automatic Electric Guns'. These are modelled on either rifles or sub-machine guns, and can fire in select fire mode. They use a small electrically-powered motor, powered by a battery, and supply greater range and more rapid rates of fire.

Airsoft models for woodland gaming

Woodland gaming, or games run in wooded land, require a specific kind of model; it has to be, in my opinion, capable of a reasonable rate of fire, reasonable range, and reliable.

Typical examples are all formats of AEG M16, AK47, SIG, FA-MAS, Steyr AUG, and H&K longarm (as oppposed to sub machine gun), as manufactured by Tokyo Marui for the Airsoft game community.

Airsoft models for open ground gaming

Open ground gaming, or games run on open spaces of land, require another type of model; it has to be, again in my opinion, capable of a medium to high rates of fire, with a long range and, again, reliable.

Typical examples are the newer formats of AEG M16 (such as the M4, and M16A2), AK47, SIG, and H&K longarm (as opposed to sub machine gun), again, as manufactured by Tokyo Marui for the Airsoft game community.

In addition, if you like firing from long range, and fancy yourself as a sniper, you could do worse than get (probably the only spring-powered rifle model I'll ever recommend), the APS-2 (or variant), which has a truly phenomenal range and accuracy (when competently upgraded). Just don't use if at close range, as it has a higher power rating than an AEG or gas model, and will damn well hurt the poor sap you shoot!

Airsoft models for urban gaming

Urban games are a completely different kettle of fish altogether. The model must be small in length, have a high to very high rate of fire, easy to deploy around corners, and should by able to be handled one-handed if push comes to shove.

You can use almost any AEG or gas model for Urban gaming, although sub machine gun and machine pistol variants tend to rule the roost. MP5s, Uzis, TMPs, and so on, are all favoured by experienced players; A new model by Tokyo Marui, their Beta-Spetsnaz AK47, is also a good choice for Urban gaming, anthough the full stock might get in the way sometimes.

Airsoft models for multi-purpose gaming

Multi-purpose models are those which can be used in any game format, regardless. They should have a reasonable rate of fire, be of a short to medium length, be ultra-reliable (it'll get used A LOT), and of a weight that you are happy with in all games.

Personally, I favour an multi-purpose model, made by Tokyo Marui, their Steyr AUG 'Military' model. It's a bull-pup format rifle, where the magazine is behind the pistol grip of the model; some people just don't like 'em, but I think they're a little blinkered in their viewpoint. Never the less, I find I can use it fairly well in most games, and have found it to be a reliable, reasonably robust, if rather heavy (compared to other Airsoft models out there). Another good all-rounder is the Tokyo Marui FA-MAS, of a bull-pup format as well, it sports similar characteristics, but is very reliable, especially in the later hop-up versions.

I won't go into selecting a back-up model, as these are very much a personal choice, and I might wind up annoying you with my diatribes on the subject!

In conclusion

By all means, purchase an Airsoft model - it's cheaper in green fees in the long run, but for pete's sake, choose one with care and attention to the purpose you intend it for. Do NOT just grab the first one you see - as with all things, it might be the worst thing (and damned expensive, given their prices in the UK) you can do!

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