Types of Airsoft Guns and Knowing Which Is Best for You
There are numerous types of air soft guns available in the market and selecting the best one can be difficult for a novice player. When choosing a gun, a player needs to know the different types of guns available. He also needs to know which role to play in order to choose which type of gun to get.
Types of Guns
1. Spring Powered
The spring powered gun is the basic gun type for this sport. This gun is often purchased by novice shooters or those who want to play but have a limited budget. The spring mechanism on this gun limits firing to single shots; hence the gun has to be re-cocked before it fires another pellet. A lot of BB sniper rifles and shot guns are powered by spring-mechanisms.
2. Electric Motor
Electric motor guns use an internal piston to fire BB pellets. This piston is cycled by a motor which in turn is powered by a rechargeable battery. Most automatic and semi-automatic weapons are electric powered; hence the terms AEG (Automatic Electric Gun) and AEP (Automatic Electric Pistol).
3. Gas Powered
Gas guns are the original weapons in this sport. A gas gun uses compressed CO2 to propel pellets. This gas is stored in an internal or external tank. This mechanism is found in almost all types of guns but they're commonly used in submachine guns (SMGs) or BB pistols.
Battle Roles
Having the best weapons in the field doesn't automatically equate to a win. That's because all soldiers have a role to play. And a person carries a specific type of weapon depending on the role he plays.
1. Rifleman
The rifleman is the most flexible player in the field. He is part of the main attack force and can attack, defend and ambush to his heart's content. Because he is on the field, he needs to have a strong weapon with a high magazine capacity. Examples of weapons for a rifleman would be the M4, AK47 or G36C.
2. Sniper
A sniper is usually situated on an elevated position such as a hill or a building, waiting patiently for an enemy to get into his range. Because he is stationary he needs a long-distance weapon with high accuracy. Examples of these are the M700, M2000 and SVD airsoft sniper rifle.
3. Scout
The scout is the ninja of the airsoft battlefield. His job is to enter enemy territory and find out their strategies, weaknesses and other information. A scout needs a small weapon to maintain his stealth and manoeuvrability. That's why scouts usually carry SMGs or BB pistols with silencers. Models they usually carry are the P90, MP5 and UMP.
4. Designated Marksman
The designated marksman helps the rifleman get closer to enemy targets. He's basically a combination of the rifleman and sniper. He needs a long-ranged weapon that still lets him move across the terrain. Common weapons of a DM are the M14 and the M16.
5. Support Gunner
The support gunner is responsible for firing at enemy soldiers with boatloads of BB pellets. He takes down as many men as he can in order for the rifleman to advance. The support gunner needs a lot of firing power; hence his weapons of choice are usually the M240B and M60.
Knowing one's role in an air soft battle is essential because it dictates the model of weapon he needs to have. Once he knows that, the mechanism he chooses will just be a matter of budget and preference.
Types of Guns
1. Spring Powered
The spring powered gun is the basic gun type for this sport. This gun is often purchased by novice shooters or those who want to play but have a limited budget. The spring mechanism on this gun limits firing to single shots; hence the gun has to be re-cocked before it fires another pellet. A lot of BB sniper rifles and shot guns are powered by spring-mechanisms.
2. Electric Motor
Electric motor guns use an internal piston to fire BB pellets. This piston is cycled by a motor which in turn is powered by a rechargeable battery. Most automatic and semi-automatic weapons are electric powered; hence the terms AEG (Automatic Electric Gun) and AEP (Automatic Electric Pistol).
3. Gas Powered
Gas guns are the original weapons in this sport. A gas gun uses compressed CO2 to propel pellets. This gas is stored in an internal or external tank. This mechanism is found in almost all types of guns but they're commonly used in submachine guns (SMGs) or BB pistols.
Battle Roles
Having the best weapons in the field doesn't automatically equate to a win. That's because all soldiers have a role to play. And a person carries a specific type of weapon depending on the role he plays.
1. Rifleman
The rifleman is the most flexible player in the field. He is part of the main attack force and can attack, defend and ambush to his heart's content. Because he is on the field, he needs to have a strong weapon with a high magazine capacity. Examples of weapons for a rifleman would be the M4, AK47 or G36C.
2. Sniper
A sniper is usually situated on an elevated position such as a hill or a building, waiting patiently for an enemy to get into his range. Because he is stationary he needs a long-distance weapon with high accuracy. Examples of these are the M700, M2000 and SVD airsoft sniper rifle.
3. Scout
The scout is the ninja of the airsoft battlefield. His job is to enter enemy territory and find out their strategies, weaknesses and other information. A scout needs a small weapon to maintain his stealth and manoeuvrability. That's why scouts usually carry SMGs or BB pistols with silencers. Models they usually carry are the P90, MP5 and UMP.
4. Designated Marksman
The designated marksman helps the rifleman get closer to enemy targets. He's basically a combination of the rifleman and sniper. He needs a long-ranged weapon that still lets him move across the terrain. Common weapons of a DM are the M14 and the M16.
5. Support Gunner
The support gunner is responsible for firing at enemy soldiers with boatloads of BB pellets. He takes down as many men as he can in order for the rifleman to advance. The support gunner needs a lot of firing power; hence his weapons of choice are usually the M240B and M60.
Knowing one's role in an air soft battle is essential because it dictates the model of weapon he needs to have. Once he knows that, the mechanism he chooses will just be a matter of budget and preference.
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