Getting into Airsoft?
- Thread starter decmatt
- Start date
barring the initial cost of weapons and clothing etc, does it cost much to do?
Im struggling atm to find reasons why you would want to play this, getting shot with pellets isnt my idea of fun, does it hurt more than paintballing?
Im struggling atm to find reasons why you would want to play this, getting shot with pellets isnt my idea of fun, does it hurt more than paintballing?
Skully said:
I know, ive been going paintballing for the last 2 years, but airsoft just sounds better. Paintballing just seems to less strategy and you get like 12 year old kids thinking their rambo. Airsoft just seems more strategic and less annoying kids.
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shimy182 said:with airsoft guns
No, they're nowhere near powerful enough. If you want to do hunting you're going to need a decent air rifle, and those aren't what we use
.A search just bought up this thread, which I was surprised to see is nearly eight years old!
I just wondered if interest in this sport has increased, or decreased, since then, and what folks are now using?
Edit: The website mentioned in post #2 doesn't seem to be available any more unfortunately.
I just wondered if interest in this sport has increased, or decreased, since then, and what folks are now using?
Edit: The website mentioned in post #2 doesn't seem to be available any more unfortunately.
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Think there is a huge and current Airsoft thread on GD somewhere bud.
Found it for you - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18104553&highlight=airsoft
Found it for you - http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18104553&highlight=airsoft
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Soldato
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Il save you the hassle
better components, cheaper parts, cheaper guns, stupid VCR act came into force to "stop" people who don't play buying guns.
and most importantly LIPO batteries and mosfets
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I’ve been playing for over 20 years and I must have spent a few grand on everything from proper milspec gear to high end ammo, full comms setup with throat mics and milspec laser sights. Funnily enough I had the most fun when I had less gear and had camo trousers and t-shirt. As with any hobby you have the people who want to own all the best gear, which is fair enough, but they tend to be nursing their kit throughout each game, not wanting to get it dirty as it cost them a small fortune.
Also people tend to buy the gun because of looks rather than function or even knowing what sort of gun suits them.
Best bit of advice for a noob is to go to an airsoft event and hire out the gear and see you actually enjoy playing the game. Often places have a reasonable range of guns from MP5's to AK Spetsnaz but I would really say to just run with their stuff for a few games to see if you like it. Perhaps other players will let you have a few rounds (or even a game if they’re nice enough) with one of their guns.
Once you've played a few times you will probably find the sort of 'style' of play that suits you. For me it either involved running like a loon playing capture the flag or hanging back and picking off targets in a defence/offence game.
I've probably owned most of the gear mentioned on this thread over the years and there are certainly some good suggestions but also some bad choices there IMO.
Pistol isn’t always a bad place to start and for me I would say over 50% of my time playing would have been running a cheap GBB Beretta with a few mags – it game me freedom to move about and is a bit more stealth than hammering off 200 rounds to pick of one guy, only to give away your position to everyone else in the process.
I would personally stay away from any and all part/all metal weapons, particularly GBB as they only serve to waste a bunch of gas. Don’t rule out electric pistols either, much lighter and far cheaper to run.
I’ve owned so many branded weapons as well but Tokyo Marui is (for me) the go to brand. Well made, good price point and spares are easy to come by. Often they are quite upgradable as well.
The P90 I never got on with, as with bullpup weapons in general (FAMAS) and is absolutely down to taste but particularly the P90 the magazine changes are slow and fiddly. Same with the SA80.
G36 is a bulky weapon and actually I found not very easy to be prone and aim due to height of magazines/body. It is a robust bit of kit and hicappa mags are cheap. These interlock as well so you can have a spare mag always at the ready.
Sig 550 is definitely a great alternative to the G36 in that it also has the foldable stock and the interlocking magazines but the profile of the weapon means it’s far more practical.
AK47 is OK but not easily upgradable. I found it quite bulky and for me had the reputation of a noob weapon anyway.
AR-15 style is typically the most popular style due to RIS rails so you can bolt on your ACog scopes, lasers, grips, torches etc. I’ve never been a fan as I found there was too much to go wrong with them and a right pig to clean. H&K style weapons would be a better bet for all round reliability/strength/low maintenance.
The most robust and upgradable I have found is the Tokyo Marui H&K MC51, I had mine to upwards of 350-400 fps (I had a minimum engagement range) but even in standard form they make for a great allrounder.
Lots of guys locally have been running the MP7 for a few years, it's a great little gun and with the foldable stock, compact size and customisation, it makes for a worthy all rounder (I believe the real MP7 was a direct replacement for the MP5).
Always wanted an MP5SD6 with a solid stock but never managed to get one. One day perhaps!
Best weapon I ever owned was a Tanaka Mauser Kar98k. I had a beautiful scope for it, upgraded seals and ran .35g with several spare mags. I could accurately pick off people from a couple of hundred metres but had a minimum of 25mtr engagement range (hence the pistol). Stupidly I sold it.
Another weapon that was reliable but very cheap to run was the Tokyo Marui M3 Benelli Super 90 shotgun. The shells had 30 pellet capacity and fired three shots at once and was a great CQB option.
It is worth noting that some sites have FPS restrictions and may test your gun(s) so you might want to find that out first as I have known some people come with all the kit and have to hire out guns as theirs is too powerful for the site. Also some sites run more gas or spring games which means that if you only have an electric gun you wouldn’t be able to play.
Hope that helps, it is a great hobby to get into and I have met some great people from it over the years. Also, don't let the haters tell you that paintball is better - it isn't
Also people tend to buy the gun because of looks rather than function or even knowing what sort of gun suits them.
Best bit of advice for a noob is to go to an airsoft event and hire out the gear and see you actually enjoy playing the game. Often places have a reasonable range of guns from MP5's to AK Spetsnaz but I would really say to just run with their stuff for a few games to see if you like it. Perhaps other players will let you have a few rounds (or even a game if they’re nice enough) with one of their guns.
Once you've played a few times you will probably find the sort of 'style' of play that suits you. For me it either involved running like a loon playing capture the flag or hanging back and picking off targets in a defence/offence game.
I've probably owned most of the gear mentioned on this thread over the years and there are certainly some good suggestions but also some bad choices there IMO.
Pistol isn’t always a bad place to start and for me I would say over 50% of my time playing would have been running a cheap GBB Beretta with a few mags – it game me freedom to move about and is a bit more stealth than hammering off 200 rounds to pick of one guy, only to give away your position to everyone else in the process.
I would personally stay away from any and all part/all metal weapons, particularly GBB as they only serve to waste a bunch of gas. Don’t rule out electric pistols either, much lighter and far cheaper to run.
I’ve owned so many branded weapons as well but Tokyo Marui is (for me) the go to brand. Well made, good price point and spares are easy to come by. Often they are quite upgradable as well.
The P90 I never got on with, as with bullpup weapons in general (FAMAS) and is absolutely down to taste but particularly the P90 the magazine changes are slow and fiddly. Same with the SA80.
G36 is a bulky weapon and actually I found not very easy to be prone and aim due to height of magazines/body. It is a robust bit of kit and hicappa mags are cheap. These interlock as well so you can have a spare mag always at the ready.
Sig 550 is definitely a great alternative to the G36 in that it also has the foldable stock and the interlocking magazines but the profile of the weapon means it’s far more practical.
AK47 is OK but not easily upgradable. I found it quite bulky and for me had the reputation of a noob weapon anyway.
AR-15 style is typically the most popular style due to RIS rails so you can bolt on your ACog scopes, lasers, grips, torches etc. I’ve never been a fan as I found there was too much to go wrong with them and a right pig to clean. H&K style weapons would be a better bet for all round reliability/strength/low maintenance.
The most robust and upgradable I have found is the Tokyo Marui H&K MC51, I had mine to upwards of 350-400 fps (I had a minimum engagement range) but even in standard form they make for a great allrounder.
Lots of guys locally have been running the MP7 for a few years, it's a great little gun and with the foldable stock, compact size and customisation, it makes for a worthy all rounder (I believe the real MP7 was a direct replacement for the MP5).
Always wanted an MP5SD6 with a solid stock but never managed to get one. One day perhaps!
Best weapon I ever owned was a Tanaka Mauser Kar98k. I had a beautiful scope for it, upgraded seals and ran .35g with several spare mags. I could accurately pick off people from a couple of hundred metres but had a minimum of 25mtr engagement range (hence the pistol). Stupidly I sold it.
Another weapon that was reliable but very cheap to run was the Tokyo Marui M3 Benelli Super 90 shotgun. The shells had 30 pellet capacity and fired three shots at once and was a great CQB option.
It is worth noting that some sites have FPS restrictions and may test your gun(s) so you might want to find that out first as I have known some people come with all the kit and have to hire out guns as theirs is too powerful for the site. Also some sites run more gas or spring games which means that if you only have an electric gun you wouldn’t be able to play.
Hope that helps, it is a great hobby to get into and I have met some great people from it over the years. Also, don't let the haters tell you that paintball is better - it isn't
Last edited:
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What fired further, airsoft or paintball?
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Completely depends on the gun, ambient temperature (would impact on effectiveness of gas and type of gas used) and of course paintball uses gas when airsoft uses gas, spring or electric.
Paintball projectiles weigh more and have an effective range of 70-100 feet, although I have found it more like 70 feet as any further the paintballs don’t tend to break.
As a guess I would say in general a standard electric TM H&K MP5 would have an effective range of 150-200 feet using 0.25g. Gas or some spring rifles can be over 250 feet but keep in mind the longer the distance the less likely someone would be able to feel the shot, thereby genuinely not knowing they’d been hit (given airsoft is about honesty compared to getting covered in paint with paintball).