Airsoft is becoming a more popular sport every year with thousands of Americans of all ages enjoying participating in these real time combat simulations. More often than not the guns used to play airsoft are replicas of actual firearms, with the difference being that they use a mechanism to fire 6mm or 8mm diameter projectiles. Airsoft guns are mostly classified by their operating mechanism.

Airsoft guns can be bought with three different forms of firing mechanisms – electric, gas, or spring based. They can be had with various characteristics that give a different level of accuracy, capacity, battery life, size, weight, and range. The very first airsoft guns that were developed in Japan used the spring mechanism; these were then replaced by the gas powered models. Gas powered airsoft guns are known as classic models. They worked by using a flow of compressed gas or co2 to power the firing mechanism. The gas would be contained in an external cylinder.

AEGs, or automatic electric guns, are now very popular with airsoft players. They work by having rechargeable batteries that trigger a firing mechanism which displaces air to launch the projectiles. Although AEGs are the most recent development, airsoft guns that have gas powered triggers are still popular as people think that they have a more realistic feel.

Propane gas is often used to power airsoft guns. It is possible to buy numerous magazines that will have a relatively small gas cylinder contained within. This has enough power to fire all of the projectiles from that magazine thus giving the user a feeling that is better in comparison with a real gun.

Originally airsoft guns were almost completely made out of plastic with just a couple of metal pieces internally. Nowadays they will have internal and external metal components. The weight of a typical airsoft pistol or gun is not so heavy when compared to an actual gun. To add another realistic dimension you can now get hold of airsoft guns that have had extra weight added to provide a greater feeling of reality.

The magazines that are used with airsoft guns come in many different capacities. Pistols may only have a ten to thirty pellet capacity though it is possible to purchase hi cap magazines which can hold as many as fifty pellets.

AEGs have magazines of many different capacities. These are sold as high, mid, and low. The highest capacity magazines will contain as many as 500 pellets, the mid range option can hold between 80 and 150 pellets, whereas the lowest capacity AEG magazines will have a maximum capacity of 80 pellets.

If you have played airsoft you may have come across mines and grenade launchers. These are most often powered through compressed gas and can seem quite realistic. An airsoft grenade launcher may contain as many as 300 pellets. Airsoft mines do not generally hold any projectiles; instead they simply produce a lot of smoke and noise.

You can also get hold of airsoft anti-tank weapons. These are not widely used as their weight and cost is rather prohibitive to most people.

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.