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No two airsoft players are exactly alike. Therefore, no one gun is the best for everybody. Finding the airsoft gun that is best for you involves time, research and experience. These tips should help guide you in your search for your rifle.
There are many airsoft brands and manufacturers, and numerous types and styles of airsoft guns. No one brand stands above the rest in all types. Some good brands include Classic Army, Tokyo Marui, G&P, G&G, and ICS. Brands are discussed in greater detail here.
The type of gun is specific to the player's style and preferences.
In Close Quarter Battles (CQB), sometimes referred to as Close Quarters Combat (CQC), smaller guns with a higher rate of fire are better for these shorter engagement ranges. Most airsoft events take place outside, in a woods, forest, or desert. Guns with longer barrels are able to shoot bb's more accurately and over longer distances. Length is offset by bulkiness and awkwardness to move with in the field.
A couple of common rifle styles are the Colt M4 Carbine and Kalashnikov AK-47.
Please remember that it is the player, not the rifle, that makes a better airsoft player. Like camouflage aids concealment in an environment, a good rifle is still simply a player's tool.
Things to keep in mind when selecting a rifle
POWER
How is the gun powered?
Electric, Gas, Spring
Electric rifles, or AEG's (Automatic Electric Gun) are the most common. The gun's gearbox is driven by an electrical motor, which is powered by a rechargeable battery pack. The size/type of battery for each rifle may be different. Most retailers will NOT include a battery with the gun so read the fine print and select the battery that will first, fit your gun, then which gives you the power output you want. Batteries are discussed in greater detail here.
Gas rifles are produced by some manufacturers. In this case a chamber on the gun or a gas cylinder powers the rifle. A valve releases gas such as CO2 or Green Gas (propane) which then propels the bb down the barrel and out of the gun. Gas guns have a fair amount of power but the power output decreases with each successive release of the valve, therein reducing the available chamber pressure to shoot the bb. The number of rounds spent between refilling the gas varies with respect to the size of the gas chamber. Given the high volume of bb's fired through an airsoft rifle, an electrical rifle is preferable.
Spring rifles (or Springers) are cheap to produce and thus, often the least expensive rifles. This cost savings is sharply offset by the fact that the rifle spring must be cocked between each shot, and therefore is comparable to a bolt-action rifle. This may be suitable for a sniper rifle but less practical when facing fully-automatic fire from an AEG.
COST
How much do I need to spend to get a good rifle?
A decent AEG will run no less than $100 - $150
More expensive brands will have a higher grade of internal and external parts. A decent rifle will cost no less than $100. Average prices for a middle to high end gun start around $240 and go up. If treated properly and maintained, a good brand stock rifle will perform consistently well over a longer period of time.
Clones -- are cheaper guns that have been manufactured to nearly identical of that of the high-end brand they are cloning. Most clones are Chinese-made. The gun may appear to be the same as the gun they imitate, but the parts, internal and external, are cheaper parts and made with less precision. The gun may sound and feel a little rougher when it fires. Clones do not always disassemble precisely like the original gun and therefore replacement parts are not always compatible.
More questions to ask:
What are the gearbox and internals made of?
In any low-end gun, make sure your gearbox is made of metal. Metal gearboxes are standard in any middle to high-end AEG. Plastic gearboxes mean the parts are more likely to break under stress and wear easier. Gearboxes are discussed in greater detail here.
Are the gun's externals made out of metal or plastic?
Metal guns will feel more solid and heavier, but lugging a bar-bell around the field can be tiring. Plastic externals are cheaper and lighter but might break even if made of ABS plastic. Tokyo Marui is an example of a good brand that manufactures plastic externals. Most all low-end guns will have plastic externals. Though ABS plastic is fairly durable, metal externals have a higher
durability.
How much does it weigh?
The materials the gun is made of will be a primary factor, as well as the gun class such as a support machine gun. See also the previous question.
What size is it?
A long rifle, like a sniper rifle, can be cumbersome to move and bring to bear quickly. However, short guns are not well-suited to long-range engagements. Guns feel different to each person so overall size and comfort is preferential.
How long is the inner barrel?
Guns with longer barrels will usually have better range and accuracy over a similar gun with a shorter barrel. The length of the standard gun barrel will vary based on the model/style of the gun.
What type of buttstock does it have?
Types of stocks: folding, sliding, and fixed
Fixed stocks are fine for most purposes but sliding and folding stocks allow the rifle to be compacted or shortened for CQB or ease of movement in the field. Fixed stocks will often allow storage of a larger AEG battery pack inside.
What is the rated fps?
The fps, or feet per second, if listed, will likely be an optimistic number or range given by the retailer or manufacturer under ideal conditions using lighter bb's (0.12g or 0.20g).
What is the rate of fire?
The rate of fire, if available, is the rate at which bb's are fired from the gun. Some rifles will fire 700 rounds per minute. Rof is more important in support guns like the M249 where streams of bb's are expected to pour through the barrel for longer periods of time. Be aware that a higher rate of fire will empty a magazine faster.
What fire modes does it include?
The fire mode is referring to the number of BB's an airsoft gun is set to fire with
a single pull/squeeze of the trigger. Standard for AEG's are Safe, Semi-Auto and Full-Auto.
But some models also include a Burst mode. See airsoft terms, fire (modes of)
for more detail.
Does it have adjustable hop-up?
Nearly every airsoft rifle produced now comes with hop-up. A hop-up device applies
pressure to the bb in order to create a back-spin. In short, the higher the hop-up, the more back-spin and higher the trajectory. The bb will make an arc after it leaves the barrel.
Hop-up can be adjusted to suit various bb masses and engagements. A fixed hop-up means that the
back-spin force applied to the bb is fixed. An adjustable hop-up allows a player to tune the rifle
to fire the bb in a nearly straight trajectory for a distance before dropping.
What magazines come with it?
Any airsoft gun purchased from a retailer will include at least one magazine. Depending on the number of rounds it holds, carrying more magazines is usually desirable. Cheaper rifles will come with cheaper magazines, which are less reliable and may have feeding problems. Some
rifle brands will only work with certain brands and types of magazines so be sure that
additional magazines are compatible with it.
What accessories are included?
Cheaper AEG's will come with more accessories to make the package more appealing. These accessories are often as cheap or cheaper than the rifle. Often it is better to purchase quality accessories separately.
Does the rifle come "pre-upgraded"?
Most upgrades will cost extra but some rifles are sold as "pre-upgraded" guns. The internals and/or externals have been improved or replaced in some manner in order to increase appeal and/or performance.
Does it come with bb's?
A related topic, there's little point in ordering a nice rifle if there is no ammo with which to shoot.
AEG's only
Does it come with a battery?
If ordering an AEG, a battery will be required to power the gun. Some places sell the guns without battery packs and chargers; check that it is included.
What type of battery does it take?
If a battery needs to be ordered separately, make sure it is of the right type and size to fit the rifle.
Do your homework
Look for gun reviews
Do your homework on the rifle you want to get. Search the web for reviews. Forums can be very useful for finding reviews. Beware of biases in your research as they may skew findings.
Ask questions
Ask experienced players about the rifle. If the rifle is similar in style to that which another player uses, ask if you may shoot a few rounds and get the feel for it. Ask the retailer any questions you have that are not answered in the description.
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