What is Airsoft?

General Introduction

Air Soft Guns are replicas based on original firearms. They look and feel as their original counterparts, and are often produced in aluminium, zinc, steel or ABS plastic.

An Air Soft Gun is a "soft" airgun, which means lower air pressure, and lower pellet velocity compared to a normal airgun. Air Soft Guns fires 6mm plastic pellets, with compressed air or a compressed gas propellant.


In order to propel the pellet, the internal parts of an Air Soft Gun has to work differently, compared to the original firearm. The basic principles for Air Soft Guns are that spring operated pistons are activated manually or by electricity. Some Air Soft Guns use gas propulsion, where compressed gas is used instead of spring operated pistons.


Manual Air Soft Guns (Spring Powered)

This type needs to be reloaded for every shot. A spring is compressed when the sled is pulled back. When the trigger is pulled, the spring is released and pushes the piston through the cylinder to create air pressure. The air pressure then presses the pellet out of the barrel. Most manual air soft guns are replicas of handguns.


Electrical Air Soft Guns (AEG)

These Air Soft Guns are fully automated replicas. When the trigger is pulled, the Air Soft Gun will keep firing with an impressive rate of fire. The electrical Air Soft Guns uses the same principle as the manual versions, except that the electric versions use a small electrical motor to pull back the piston.

Electric Air Soft Guns are often replicas of sub machine guns and rifles, because the motor and the mechanics in the guns are too big for the handguns.


Gas Guns (GBB: Gas Blowback)

These replicas contains a small container for compressed gas. When the trigger is pulled on this type of Air Soft Gun, it will fire. The gas expansion is used to propel the pellet and reload for the next shot. Some of the gas replicas has blowback which means that the sled will move back and forth like a real handgun when the weapon is fired.

Gas replicas have a high muzzle velocity, and are often replicas of handguns and sub machine guns, which are very popular for use in close quarter combat (CQB).


Muzzle Velocity

The Muzzle velocity of the pellet, depends on the weight of the pellet and which propulsion principle the gun uses. The Muzzle velocity therefore varies from model to model, but the typical velocity for our Airsoft products is between 75 and 100 meters per second (m/s).


Maintenance

A big difference between airsoft replicas and real weapons is durability. Unlike real weapons, Air Soft Guns are susceptible to rough treatment, dirt and especially water.

Therefore you should never load the Air Soft Gun with used pellets as dirt and deformed pellets are the main cause for damage to the Air Soft Gun.


Safety and Protection

Air Soft Guns are not toys! They are used for target practise and war games and only by persons that are at least 18 years old. Make sure always to wear safety goggles or full face masks.