Airsoft guns are meant for recreational purposes but what sets them apart from other recreational weapons is their more realistic appeal and ability to shoot projectiles at long distances with maximum accuracy. Without knowing the basics and working mechanisms of airsoft guns you won’t be able to get the answer to How Do Airsoft Guns Work?
Airsoft guns are air-powered weapons but there are different types of airguns using a distinctive weapon system. So we must look at the specific technicalities and peculiarities of a particular weapon system to understand its working mechanism that how do airsoft guns work. If you wonder what airsoft gun shoot, here is an in-depth guide discussing the different working mechanisms of airsoft guns.
Mechanism of Airsoft Guns
Airsoft guns are classified into different categories depending on the type of shooting mechanism they use. There are three shooting systems or weapon platforms currently available in the market: Gas Powered Airsoft Guns, Airsoft Electric Guns, Spring Powered airsoft Guns, and High-Pressure Airsoft Guns.
All these platforms use pressurized air to pneumatically thrust the BB out of the inner barrel. The difference lies in the fact that every platform has a different mechanism to generate pneumatic pressure. Before we jump to the more specific working mechanism of different platforms we need to understand the shooting mechanism of airsoft guns in a more general way.
Related Post: What To Bring For Paintball?
How Do Airsoft Guns Work?
Also, all airsoft guns have 3 main parts including an inner barrel, a hop-up chamber, and hop-up rubber. An inner barrel is a tube-like structure through which we shoot the ball bearing out. A hop-up chamber is a unit in which the Ball Bearing or BB is loaded.
The pressurized air is used to drive the BB out of the chamber and then leave the inner barrel. As you pull the trigger, the pressured air forces the BB to leave the chamber and travel through the inner barrel. Another important phenomenon in the working of airsoft guns is the Magnus Effect.
It allows the BB to cancel the gravity effect and travel further after leaving the inner barrel. While traveling through the chamber and inner barrel, it comes in contact with the nub of hop-up rubber. As a result, the BB gets a backspin that allows it to travel further after leaving the barrel.
1. Airsoft Electric Guns (AEG)
AEGs are among the most common types of airsoft guns you can find today. In addition to the above-mentioned parts, these guns have 4 fundamental parts, a battery-powered motor, a piston, a solid spring, and a cylinder. When the shooter pulls the trigger and the power generate by the motor.
The motor is linked to three plastic gear sprockets. These gears force the piston backward to produce pressurized air from the cylinder. When you pull the trigger the piston fully compressed against the spring. When it is released the spring drives the bolt in a forwarding direction at a high velocity.
The pressured air accumulates between the piston and the BB and huge pressure is generated behind the BB. This huge force helps the projectile/BB leave the hop-up chamber and travel through the barrel at a faster pace. Since electric power is used in the mechanism, you can shoot in both semi-automatic and fully automatic modes.
It is the fastest shooting mechanism in airsoft rifles. These systems can fire at a rate between 400 RPM to 1600 RPM. These weapons can offer a muzzle velocity of up to 12 m per second making AEGs equally suitable for long-distance and close-quarter competitions.
Pros
- Multiple upgrade potentials
- Most popular and versatile
- Perform well in all weathers
- Fully automatic firing mode
- Impressive FPS and muzzle velocity
- Faster shot follow up
Cons
- Need power back-up
- Hard to repair
- Lacks tactile feel
2. Spring Airsoft Guns Or Springers
Spring-powered airsoft guns are similar to the AEGs in many ways. Both springers and AEGs use solid springs that are compressed against the piston to generate pneumatic pressure. However, unlike AEGs, you have to crank the spring manually to compress the spring against the bolt or piston. These are the simplest types of airsoft weapons; they don’t have any complex electric mechanisms or gas cartridges.
Maintenance requirements are pretty low and they perform well in all weather conditions. Here is the working mechanism of the springers. The main parts of spring-powered airsoft guns are a cylinder, a piston, a hop-up chamber, an inner barrel, and a trigger. To compress the spring against the bolt you need to manually cock it every time.
The cocking mechanism rests on the body of the gun which gives it an unrealistic appeal. When you pull this lever the spring is compressed against the bolt. When you release the trigger, the spring is also released which drives the piston in a forwarding direction.
Related Post: How to be good at paintball?
Pressured air accumulate between the piston and projectile that drives the projectile to leave the hop-up unit and move through the barrel and eventually out of the barrel. You can only fire in manual or semi-automatic firing mode so there are slow follow-up shots. Usually, spring airsoft guns can shoot off a single BB at one time. Spring-powered airsoft guns are cheap since they do not need gas cartridges, batteries, and motors.
To cock the weapon you need to provide manual power. You must provide the required force to bring the spring into the compressed positions. Springers are more suitable for sniper roles since they have better accuracy and decent muzzle velocity. However, these weapons are ineffective when you have to deal with a bulk of enemies on the battlefield.
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Simple action
- Easy to maintain and repair
- Impressive accuracy
- Works in all weather conditions
Cons
- Not good for close-quarters
- Slow follow-up shots
3. Gas Airsoft Rifles
Gas Airsoft rifles are also used for recreational purposes but these are the most realistic air weapons currently available. From aesthetics to firing mechanism it is very close to real firearms and therefore military and police departments use them as training tools. Gas-powered airsoft guns work in blowback action offering a more realistic feel.
The gas reservoir filled with gas sets them apart from all other types of airguns. These guns use gas reservoirs containing a specific type of gas. It can CO2/red gas, black gas, and propane/green gas. A specific type of air gun may only work with a single type of gas. The gas reservoir resides inside the magazine.
The reservoir is closed by a valve that is connected to the trigger via a knocker. When you pull the trigger, the knocker opens the valve and a small volume of gas is released. This gas provides the required momentum to drive the BB out of the chambers and cause it to fire through the barrel.
Since most of the gas air guns come with blowback features a small part of the gas pushes the slide back to load another round for follow-up shots. It produces a recoil offering a more realistic weapon feel. Airsoft guns using green gas are not a good choice for cold weather.
Green gas is in liquid form and to go into the gas form it draws a lot of heat from the surrounding. In the case of fast shooting for a long time, there is a significant drop in temperature that results in the slow shot follow-up and a drop in FPS. For cold weather, I highly recommend you gas air guns using CO2 or red gas.
Pros
- Realistic feel and appeal
- Impressive FPS and muzzle velocity
- Easy to repair
- Blowback action
- Available over a wide price range
Cons
- Limited performance in cold weather
- Pressure consistency issues
4. HPA or High-Pressure Airsoft Guns
HPA airsoft guns have the same shooting mechanism as gas-powered airsoft guns but they use big gas reservoirs and some additional components like regulators. These guns use a big tank reservoir that contains high-pressure air (3000 psi or even more). The high-pressure gas can fire quickly without altering the temperature conditions.
HPA airsoft guns are among the most stable, accurate yet expensive airsoft platforms. Here is how HPA airsoft guns work. When the holder pulls the trigger, the knocker opens the valve of the air reservoir and a small volume of air is released. Before this air enters the system it passes through a device known as a pressure regulator. If high-pressure gas enters directly into the system it can cause serious damage to the product hit by the BB.
The pressure adjusted as per the requirement and then this gas pushes the projectile out of the chamber and causes it to fire off the barrel. Most of the HPA airsoft guns do not feature blowback action therefore they are not as realistic as gas-powered airsoft guns. Also, these guns use more air than gas airguns making the process a little more costly.
Pros
- Perfect for all weathers
- Stable and consistent action
- Higher FPS and muzzle velocity
- Equally great for defense and assault
Cons
- Expensive
- Unrealistic appearance
Working Modes Of Airsoft Guns
Airsoft guns have multiple features and characteristics. Regardless of the type of platform a gun uses, a gun may or may not have a specific feature. To find the answer to how do airsoft guns work, here are the different characteristics, working action, and firing modes in airsoft guns:
Full And Semi Automatic Mode
In fully automatic mode you can continue to fire until you take your hand off the trigger. In the case of semi-automatic mode, you have to pull the trigger every time you want to fire a BB. Almost all advanced AEGs offer fully automatic modes. Some gas airsoft rifles also offer fully automatic action. However, spring airsoft rifles do not work in fully automatic mode.
Blowback Action
Blowback action is another important feature of airguns. A blowback feature causes the gun to recoil as you fire a BB. Gas airsoft guns come with blowback action features and therefore they feel too close to real firearms.
A small volume of air pushes the gun backward after every shot. Guns with blowback action are more expensive than guns that lack this feature. However, the user should experience enough to have the recoil without limiting the accuracy and speed.
Final Opinions – How Do Airsoft Guns Work?
This is all that you have to know about how do airsoft guns work and their functionality of airsoft guns. Understanding the working mechanism of different airsoft guns will help you choose a gun that is perfectly in line with your budget and expertise level. AEG is the best option you can have as a beginner. AEGs are simple and help you get impressive accuracy with minimum effort making them a great option for newbies.
However, if you love realism and want to challenge yourself on the battlefield, you may look for a gas airsoft rifle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Airsoft guns use plastic BBs with limited muzzle velocity. Plastic BBs shot from airsoft guns cannot cause significant damage to the object or the human body they hit. However, they may cause slight damage to delicate objects or sensitive body parts.
Airsoft guns use plastic BBs that can be harmful to sensitive body parts like the eyes, or nose. Airsoft guns are not lethal but to avoid injuries you must wear proper safety gear while using them.
The maximum range of field-legal airsoft guns is around 100 meters. Most AEGs and gas-powered airguns offer a range between 30-60 meters.
The accuracy of the airsoft rifles depends upon the consistency of air pressure, barrel length, the distance of the target, and the size of the BB. The most advanced AEGs and gas airsoft rifles can hit a target with maximum accuracy within a range of 40-50 meters. However, if the pressure isn’t consistent or an inner barrel length is inappropriate the accuracy of the airsoft rifle is decreased.
In his impressive career, John M. Anderson has played alongside the best players in the world and earned the respect of many top competitors. His skill, versatility, and timing have helped him become one of the top players in the paintball world. He is a true pro who will likely be remembered as one of the greatest players in the game’s history. His impact goes beyond the field as well. He has become a spokesperson for the sport, sharing interesting stories and facts from the past, and he also regularly contributes to this blog to help and guide new players in the world of paintball.