I’ve had a few airsoft guns over the years. In fact, I lived just down the road from a great airsoft field, so weekend games of capture the flag and deathmatch and VIP escort were pretty common for a while.
I know how hard it can be to choose an airsoft gun, however – not only are there so many individual models but the types and styles are overwhelming. Add to that the fact that most airsoft guns you will come across seem to be pretty crap at anything – cheap, plastic knockoffs – and you’re probably thinking of packing it in and not coming back.
But wait! It’s such a fun pastime, and you can meet loads of great people and form some real good bonds. So don’t give up yet – I’ll serve it to you on a plate, the top airsoft guns on the market. I’ll even go into detail about how you can choose your own if these don’t appeal to you – what should you look for, what should you avoid?
Read on to find out more, buddy!
Best Airsoft Rifle – G&G Combat Machine Raider CM16
A really reasonably priced, entry-level assault rifle style AEG airsoft gun. This is based on the M4/AR line of rifles.
G&G do really good guns for the price with a reasonably build quality. This is made from polymer, externally, but the moving parts are high-quality construction as are all of G&G’s offerings.
It has iron sights, a full-length top rail so you can add your own scope or whatever, and a threaded outer barrel so you can add a suppressor or whatever.
Best Sub-machine gun – Tokyo Marui Scorpion VZ61
This nifty little SMG is a great backup for a sniper, or as a primary weapon in CQB. Like many of Tokyo Marui’s guns, it is a little bit lacking in power, but bear in mind it’s an itsy-bitsy little SMG, so it’s not going to be packing as much of a punch as a full-size AR.
Tokyo Marui is a bit on the pricey side, but for that price you get all the satisfying clicks you dream off when you put this thing together, and it works like a charm. Great for getting up close and personal with the baddies.
A semi- and fully-automatic firing AEG and constructed mostly of metal, what more could you want?
Best Airsoft Sniper Rifle – JG Bar-10
This sniper rifle looks the business, and I’ll tell you what – it feels the business too. It’s got a metal alloy barrel, and a polymer stock, and packs a fair old punch with a top output of 410fps at the muzzle.
Spring powered, so you know it’s going to last, with the option to add a bipod and a scope. It has a 30 round capacity magazine, but if you take your time with each shot you probably won’t need them all!
It’s also compatible with Tokyo Marui parts if you need a replacement or upgrade.
Best Airsoft Shotgun – Classic Army CA870
This is modelled on the Remington 870, used by police forces around the world. I actually had the pleasure of using a Remington 870 loaded with slugs on the police firing range, and it was great – this replica doesn’t quite do it justice, but it’s damn close in look and feel.
It is spring powered, through the pump-action slide, which makes it feel more realistic. It is also really quite good in close quarters. I used to enjoy playing Half-Life, and this just brings back those memories. Die, aliens, die!
Best Heavy Support Gun – A&K M249 Para Trooper
You may think that this is an expensive gun, but it’s got a full metal body and gearbox, and it’s a freakin’ M249! An M249! Haven’t you always wanted to play with one of those?
Okay, so it shoots BBs, but still. It’s awesome. Look on youtube for some awesome videos of it in action.
It’s reliable, durable, and relatively affordable for what it is. It’s a fully automatic AEG with a 2500 round magazine.
Best Pistol – Toyko Marui M92F
Modelled after the Beretta 92F, as used by John McClane (played by the inestimable Bruce Willis) in the Die Hard franchise. Obviously, a very popular pistol model.
It’s expensive, but it’s Tokyo Marui. You get what you pay for – an awesome weapon that is both well-constructed but also handles well and is very efficient. It’s gas powered, but you’ll get several magazines worth of rounds fired before having to re-gas.
With a 27 round capacity, it is a great gun as a sidearm for pretty much any airsofter. Since it costs almost as much as the M4 above, it may seem like an extravagance, but it will last you a good long time.
What is airsoft?
So, we’ve seen a bunch of airsoft guns. If any of you are still a bit lost – perhaps you ended up here by accident, you fool – I’ll go into a bit more detail here.
Airsoft is a sport or a game that is played using BB guns which fire 6mm plastic rounds. Unlike paintball, the guns and the gear are usually pretty realistic. No massive hoppers full of ammunition, no ridiculous masks and brightly coloured paint. This is basically roleplay, with players trying to get as close to a “real” experience as possible, but without the horrific wounds and PTSD so on.
You’ll have noticed that a lot of airsoft guns are modelled after real-steel weapons, such as the AK-47 and M16. You will also find airsoft guns in many different styles, from fully automatic to single shot, bolt action; pistols to assault rifles.
The gear and the accessories are also usually modelled after real-life equipment, or sometimes people even use real military surplus or seconds for their games.
It’s a great fun, friendly game – if you have an airsoft field anywhere close to you then you should go there for a day and give it a shot. It’s a blast.
Types of airsoft gun
There are lots of different types of airsoft gun, and this goes beyond mere style. You can get shotguns, rifles, fully automatic assault weapons and pistols. They all come down to the same basic characteristics, however.
Airsoft guns have a few basic ways of operation, namely spring, gas and AEG. This is similar to air rifles, which utilise spring power, pneumatic pistons and compressed gas. I don’t know of any electric powered air rifles, hit me up if I’m wrong. I’d love to know!
Spring
A spring powered airsoft gun is perhaps the most powerful, but they are inherently limited. In an airsoft game, you will probably be taking part in close-combat style skirmishes, where you will need to take down your opponents are quick as possible. As cool as a bolt action rifle seems, it isn’t much use at close range against opponents with automatic weapons.
However, if your style of play is to don up in a ghillie suit and cover your team’s base, as a sniper would, then a spring powered airsoft gun may be just right.
A spring is also what is behind that ever-popular weapon, the airsoft shotgun – it’s actually really well suited to the pump-action feature, and it’s really cool to boot.
The benefit of spring power is that it doesn’t run out during the heat of the moment, you need simply re-cock, and you’re set. They also require less maintenance and no ongoing costs (like CO2 or green gas cartridges).
Gas
As I just mentioned, CO2 or green gas is an ongoing cost. One of the reasons people get into airsoft is because it has a slightly lower associated cost – BBs are dirt cheap compared to paintballs, and you don’t have to refill with gas all the time. So a gas powered gun isn’t the most popular choice for airsofters.
However, when you are using a pistol, your choices are really gas or spring powered – if you’re after a realistic semi-automatic action from your pistol, then gas may be the best option.
There is also HPA – high-pressure airsoft. These are pretty high-end guns, which utilise high-pressure gas in a canister. This is similar to paintball or perhaps to a PCP air rifle. The drawback is that these guns require the use of an external gas cylinder and a hose – that totally defeats the idea of airsoft being a realistic game, which is why HPA is not that popular.
AEG
Automatic Electric Guns are the most popular and most common of the mid-range to high-end airsoft guns. They are really reliable, capable of semi- and fully-automatic firing and they are accurate.
The great thing is that the batter will last for hundreds of rounds, and so you don’t need to recharge in the field or re-cock your gun to get a shot off.
They can also be modified fairly easily, a lot of the more popular models have spare or replacement parts available which can increase the power and make the gun perform better.
AEGs also provide a realistic experience by simulating blowback, i.e. the bolt slides back as if to eject the spent round, which makes the gun feel more like its real-steel counterpart.
Accessories
If you want the full airsoft experience, you’ll probably want accessories on your guns and about your person.
If you want to fit a scope or a laser sight, or perhaps a camera or flashlight to your gun you need to make sure that the gun you have will accept it. Most guns come with rails to accept these additions.
You may also want a tactical vest or MOLLE (MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) vest with webbing and pouches. You can carry extra ammo or any other kit you want quite easily with one of those, but they do get bulky. I like to keep a can of cola in mine.
How To Choose
Choosing your airsoft gun may not be as simple as simply pointing to the chart above and saying “wan’ that one”. There are a few things I’d keep in mind first, and those are as follows…
Style of play
If you are a total newbie, I would just get a reasonably priced AEG like the M4 above, and get to know the game. Once you’ve played a few times, and perhaps yo have joined a team, you will have a better understanding of what role you want to play.
Rifleman/grunt
This is the basic player, and the role you will probably start off in. You’re just an army private, a footsoldier – for this you don’t need specialist equipment, just the very basics. An assault weapon which is accurate and capable of use at medium range as well as close quarters, and a sidearm if your budget and experience allow (and game rules!)
Try the G&G Combat Machine 16 raider for this role.
CQB expert
Close Quarters Battle – such as inside buildings or built up, urban area simulations. An expert here needs lightning fast reactions and a weapon that won’t slow him down. A carbine or sub-machine gun may be of more use than a heavy support weapon because it’s faster to deploy, lighter, and less bulky.
Try the Tokyo Marui Scorpion VZ61
Sniper
As a sniper, you won’t get a high kill-count, but you will be of massive tactical importance. Of course, you’re no use as a sniper if you can’t make your shots count. You need to be a great marksman and have the patience of a… a guy who watches paint dry, for a living.
No, seriously, you won’t get much action, and you may miss out on the thrill and the rush, but if this is your bag, you should try this JG Bar-10.
Heavy support
As a heavy support gunner, your role may be to provide covering fire for your teammates as they assault the opponent’s position. Or maybe you’ll just go all John Rambo on us and storm their position yourself. Whichever tactic you decide on, you’ll need a big-ass gun.
The A&K M249 Para Trooper is a good choice for this sort of role.
Budget
Budget is probably the main limiting factor for most people. Airsoft is a pretty expensive game, at least the initial investment can be pretty large.
On the subject of budgeting, I would give the following advice: stay away from cheapo airsoft guns. These are the type you’ll find in your average toy shop or at a flea market or whatever. If it’s less than about $50, then it isn’t designed to stand up to serious use. I’ve tried them, and they break real quickly, are inaccurate as hell and jam up once every few rounds. Not worth the hassle, and it’s a waste of money.
The really high-end airsoft guns are costly, and are worth the investment if you’re serious about the game. I’m talking about Tokyo Marui, KWA and so on.
If you can afford it, and if you’re not going to just shove it in your closet after a month or two, then spending that extra money gives you more detail, more realism, and an overall better experience.
But the mid-range guns are just excellent too – the jump in quality from cheap, tacky plastic toys to the likes of JG and Real Army is definitely worth the price.
If you really get into the game, you’ll probably find that you want to modify your guns or replace the motors in an AEG for instance. If you go for a well-known make, then you are more likely to find the correct replacement parts, whereas a generic Chinese knock-off may not be compatible with any spares you find.
Putting it all together – choosing the best airsoft gun
I hope this guide has been of use to you. If you know what you are looking for already, you can use the chart above to decide: rifle, pistol, heavy machine gun etc.
If not, you are best off getting the G&G Combat Machine 16 Raider which is an awesome entry-level gun, and overall a great gun for an airsoft skirmisher.
If you have any feedback, get in touch on Twitter or Facebook or whatever!
Thanks again guys
Jos