Which one should I get?

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Which one should I get?

Of all the different types of airsoft replica around, which one are you going to spend your hard earned cash on? The table below ranks all the different airsoft types against each other...

	Springer	EBB	NBB	GBB	AEG
Usual quality of replica	Poor	Poor > Average	Average > Good	Good > Excellent	Good > Excellent
Power source	User	AA batteries	Airsoft Gas	Airsoft Gas	Ni-CD / Ni-MH battery packs
Modes of fire	Single-shot	Semi-Auto (a few offer full-auto)	Semi-Auto	Semi-Auto, Full-Auto	Semi-Auto, Full-Auto, (a few have burst-fire option)
Output Power	Low	Low	Medium (depending on gas)	Medium > High (depending on gas)	High
Cost	Very low	Low	Low	Medium	High
Durability	Poor	Poor	Very Good	Good	Excellent
Maintenance Requirements (no airsoft gun absolutely NEEDS much maintenance to function. Maintenance shown here is for best results)	Zero	Zero	Little to none (Occasional cleaning, very rare lubrication of rubber seals)	High (Occasional cleaning, silicone grease/oil moving parts regularly, magazines require lubrication and special storage)	Low (Re-grease internals only if upgrading, occasional lubrication of hi-cap mags & barrel)
Upgradeable	No	No	No	Yes (on some models), but few upgrades available	Yes (almost everything is upgradable)
Recommended for Skirmishing	No (unless it is high powered or a good sniper rifle)	No	Yes, but not as ideal as a GBB	Yes (as a secondary gun. A good GBB could be a primary for Urban play)	Yes (as your main or only rifle)
Ideal User	Newbie	Newbie	Newbie > Experienced user	Experienced > Professional user	Experienced > Professional user

If that didn't help, see if you fit in to one of the following categories...

I want the gun I saw in that movie...

Look at the range of Springer pistols. They are cheap and they look pretty good for the cost. You'll be able to skirmish with friends in the back garden as long as you've got enough sets of safety goggles and it will look pretty good on display if you wanted to show it off.

If you want it to act like the real thing too though, I'd recommend a GBB. On pistols, the top-slides on these shoot back and forward as each shot is fired, and with GBB rifles (there are a few, but they are rare) give a nice recoil effect. The noise is much more realistic too. It will cost you more though, not just because the model costs more, but because you will have to supply it with gas for it to work. The GBB models are usually better replicas too, although this is not always the case with some of the rifles.

I want something fairly cheap that I can use for target shooting and skirmishing in the back garden.

Look at the Springers, EBBs and NBBs depending on your budget. Springers are the cheapest, but you have to cock it before each shot. EBBs are low in power and aimed at younger shooters. NBBs would give you the best range and performance.

I'm going to my first organized skirmish this weekend and I want to buy a gun. Which should I get?

Don't necessarily run out and buy a gun now, go to the skirmish first and hire the gun you want. It is very cheap and it will give you the chance to try the AEG out for a whole day. If you really like it, buy one of those. If you don't, you've saved yourself a lot of money by trying before you buy.

Also, while you are there, ask other players if you can have a look or a go with their gun. We are mostly a friendly lot and secretly love showing off our kit, so you'll find us very obliging on the day. Ask opinions and find out if the AEG has many inherent problems or weaknesses. It is also worth asking what makes that AEG worth buying.

I want something that I can use for organized skirmishing.

Look at AEGs as your weapon of choice for skirmishing. They are what most of the other players will be using and their performance is about as good as it can get. It will cost you a fair bit though, so go to a shop and pick a few models up before you decide which one you want to take home. Remember that while most of the replicas will have the same shooting characteristics, not all replicas hold the same number of BBs. If you want to carry a lot of ammunition, go for something like the G36c (470 shots per hi-cap mag) or the AK47 (600 shots per hi-cap mag). If you don't need to carry a lot of ammunition, the MP5 (200 shots per hi-cap mag) or M4/M16 variants (300 shots per hi-cap).

When looking at your main AEG, you also need to consider its length. Longer rifles are better for woodland games, but difficult to move with in urban conditions. A short replica will be easy for urban, but slightly less accurate over the long distances provided by woodland scenarios.

If you really enjoy your skirmishing and you already have an AEG, look at the GBB pistols as a backup gun. They are great fun to shoot and really help when your AEG jams or runs out of ammo. They are great for close quarters skirmishing too.