Ah excellent, for some strange and wonderful reason, you’ve decided that you want to get into Airsoft. Let me guess, you’re now researching what you need to buy and do as a beginner. I’ll start by telling you that Airsoft is a simple sport to get involved in. All you need to start with is a weapon, some ammo, and face protection. That’s it.
Although Airsoft is an easy sport to get into, it can be intimidating when you start looking into what you need. I’ve put together this complete Airsoft for Beginners guide to help you understand everything you need to know, what to buy, different game types, and so on.
When I first decided I wanted to play Airsoft, I was both nervous and excited, and here’s why – Airsoft has a strong masculine presence about it. All I could think of was these ‘Rambo’ type players wanting to rip any newcomer apart and laugh at my cheap rifle. I was wrong.
Airsoft is a very friendly and welcoming sport and most of the other players will happily chat and help you (and plenty of women play too). Yes, there may be one or two wannabe soldiers, but even they usually turn out to be OK.
Another reason I was nervous, or probably more confused was when I was trying to choose a weapon. What is a good Airsoft Gun? What does FPS mean? What size BBs should I buy? These questions (plus many more) were being raised the more I researched. The key here is to not look into it too much. Decide on your budget, stick to it, and take it from there.
Using my own experiences, this beginner’s guide has been put together to answer all your questions. By the time you’ve read it, you should be able to attend your first Airsoft game armed with all the knowledge (and weapons) you need. And the more you play Airsoft, the more you will learn.
What Is Airsoft?
According to Wikipedia, Airsoft was first played in the early 1970s in Japan. It was Japan’s answer to paintball and it was created by a photographer named Ichiro Nagata who wanted to create replica weapons that did not kill. Initially, these weapons were labeled ‘Soft Air Guns’, hence now the term Airsoft.
Airsoft is a competitive team sport in which two teams battle it out using replica firearms. The aim of the game is to shoot opposing players with BBs. Airsoft replicates military-type action and is based on trust. When a player is shot, they must acknowledge the hit and forfeit the rest of the game or re-spawn after a certain amount of time.
As mentioned above, Airsoft uses replica firearms. These replicas range from hand pistols like the Desert Eagle, right through to bolt action sniper rifles. There are three types of Airsoft Guns to consider;
- A Gas Powered Airsoft Gun
- An Electric Airsoft Gun is also known as an Automatic Electric Gun (AEG)
- A Spring Powered Airsoft Gun
I’ll talk more about Airsoft guns later.
What Do I Need To Start Airsoft?
Now that you’ve decided you want to play Airsoft, the next thing you’ll want to do is buy your equipment. And this is where beginners can get it wrong. I’ve done this with almost every hobby I’ve had. I spend too much time (and money) trying to buy the best equipment without even trying it out first. Even to the extreme of not actually starting the hobby because of information overload.
To play your first Airsoft game, all you need is:
- An Airsoft Gun
- Face Protection
- Ammo
- Clothing
It’s that simple. However, choosing which items to buy is when things can become confusing and expensive.
Before you go all out and buy your equipment, which can become expensive. I would highly recommend renting equipment for your first couple of games. Most Airsoft events have equipment that you can rent. Check online before you go.
Renting Airsoft equipment might cost you between $50 – $100 on the day. This would include a game fee (all events charge this), your weapons, ammo, and basic protection. But imagine spending $200 – $300 on your own equipment and realizing it’s not for you.
If you would prefer to buy your own equipment, it’s important to set a budget. I mean really important. And then it’s important to split the budget between all the items you need or want.
For example, let’s say you have a budget of $200 and you need to buy the essentials mentioned above, it would be a good idea to split it between all the equipment required. Here’s an example:
- An Airsoft Rifle – $100 – $150. You could buy a cheaper rifle, but it’s a good idea to buy the best you can afford within your budget.
- Face Protection – $30 – $50. It may work out cheaper to buy a full mask. Anti-fog is highly recommended too.
- Ammo – $20. This will be an ongoing cost and may vary depending on the brand and amount you buy.
- Clothing – You could just wear your normal clothing for the first few games and see how you go on. Ideally, you want a good pair of walking boots and something that has plenty of pockets. Buying specific Airsoft clothing could exceed your current budget. So I would probably start saving a little more cash while playing in my own gear.
This is just one example. You may opt for a cheaper rifle and better protection. It’s entirely up to you. Whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t have to be expensive to get into Airsoft.
Another term you may hear is an Airsoft Loadout. A loadout is basically all the equipment and clothing you wear in a chosen game. This can be your choice of helmet, weapon, clothing, eye protection, and tactical earpieces. Different games may require different loadouts.
What To Expect In A Game Of Airsoft?
Attending your first-ever Airsoft event can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you’re going alone. You may start asking yourself all kinds of different questions;
- Is It Dangerous?
- What are the people like?
- Do I have the right equipment?
- What happens when I get there?
and so on. Don’t worry, this is normal.
When you arrive at your chosen Airsoft event, there’s usually only one way in. Head to the entrance and speak to one of the officials. They normally wear something that identifies who they are.
You should be introduced to the rules of Airsoft at your specific venue. These can vary from one event to another but there are several general rules that will apply across most of them. And these will be;
- Always wear your face protection in-game
- Always acknowledge you’ve been hit. Hold your hands up and re-spawn
- When not in play, your weapon should be discharged and the magazine removed
- Do not blind fire (Shooting your weapon without ammo)
- No physical contact
- Never shoot someone who doesn’t have face protection on
At first, you will be placed onto a team, and trust me when I say you will feel like a spare part. But it doesn’t last long. If your team is half decent, they will talk to you and make you feel like part of the team. One thing is for sure, they will definitely know you’re a newbie.
Once the teams go off running into the woodlands, follow your team. As a beginner, you will feel confused and useless, simply because you don’t know what to do or where to go. Just run and find yourself in a good spot with plenty of coverage.
I’m not going to tell you how to play, that’s something you should learn the more you play. But what I will say is, shoot away at the enemy and accept when you’ve been hit and everything should be OK.
The most important thing on the day is to enjoy yourself and have fun. If you decide that you loved your first game and want to play more, I would recommend you learn some tactical plays of airsoft to help you improve.
Airsoft Game Types
Airsoft has a variety of game types to choose from and as you progress and become more confident, you may want to try something different: Most games are team-based and have some goal to achieve, for example, Team Deathmatch is a game where you need as many hits as possible in a selected time frame.
Another example is Attack and Defend. A and D is a game of two teams. The attacking team has an objective to complete, whereas the defending team has to hold its ground for a period of time.
Another game type you may hear a lot about is MilSim. MilSim is an immersive game style that replicates real military scenarios and can last for hours, sometimes even days.
Whichever game you decide to play, you will be part of the team fighting for bragging rights. All Airsoft games are fun and will help to keep you active and fit.
What Are The Different Types Of Airsoft Guns?
When you are choosing an Airsoft gun, there are three different gun types to consider (well, actually there is a fourth one but it is rarely used). The three main Airsoft gun types are;
- AEG (Automatic Electric Gun). As the name implies, an AEG is an electric gun that is powered by a rechargeable battery. AEGs have grown in popularity over recent years and are arguably the most common type of Airsoft gun.
- Gas Powered Airsoft guns are powered by CO2 gas canisters. These little canisters are installed inside the gun and release a little bit of gas to fire BBs when the trigger is pulled.
- Spring Powered Airsoft guns are powered by a spring. With these types of weapons, you have to cock the rifle or manually slide back the slider on a pistol. A typical spring-loaded Airsoft gun would be a bolt-action sniper rifle.
Choosing which type of Airsoft gun is a personal preference. They all have pros and cons.
Something else you may notice when looking at Airsoft guns is the term ‘Blowback’. For example, you may see a gas blowback Desert Eagle pistol for sale and think what the hell does blowback mean?
Blowback is basically a recoil action on a gun. Think of a pistol being fired in slow motion and the top of the gun slides back and forth while the used bullet spits out. This is essentially what’s known as blowback. Some Airsoft players like this type of action as it closely represents a real firearm.
Which Airsoft Gun Should I Get As A Beginner?
As a beginner, buying your first Airsoft gun should be a personal choice but it probably won’t be. The best way to choose your first Airsoft gun, if possible, is to visit a local Airsoft store. Doing this allows you to get a good feel for the guns.
Some may be too heavy, too light, or simply not feel right in your hand. Not only that, the store person will have a wealth of knowledge that could help you make the right choice.
The reason I say it probably won’t be a personal choice is because of the internet. If you’re like me, you will have scoured the net, researching the best of everything. And there’s a bloody good chance you’ll opt for that.
When I bought my first Airsoft gun, I bought it from a local store which I came across by coincidence. It was the best decision I made. I had it in my head I wanted a Desert Eagle pistol as my first choice. The first question the storeman asked me was ‘Why do you want a pistol as your first Airsoft Gun?’.
I didn’t actually know the answer.
To cut a long story short, he advised me to buy a rifle. Which in hindsight, makes a lot of sense. A rifle is a better choice for your first gun because of these three main reasons:
- It fires more BBs
- They typically fire at a higher FPS, allowing your BBs to travel further
- They can be more accurate
There is more to it than what I have written here, but that’s for another article. However, you should have some understanding of where I am going with it. Choosing a pistol is always a good secondary weapon.
I’m not going to tell you which Airsoft rifle you should buy, but I will provide three recommendations on the best Airsoft Rifles for Beginners:
- G&G Combat Machine CM16 Raider
- ARES AMOEBA AM-008 M4 Carbine
- SPECNA ARMS – SA-C04 CORE CQB Railed Carbine Rifle
