| Like any advanced device (anything beyond the | | | | for this type of airsoft gun are relatively |
| six simple machines or the advanced machines | | | | simple, as you can see. |
| that come from simply combining a few of the | | | | |
| six simple ones), airsoft guns are uniquely | | | | Electric airsoft guns, also known as AEGs |
| designed and, in some instances, are quite | | | | (for airsoft electric guns, or automatic |
| complex. There are three types of airsoft | | | | electric guns), also use springs as the |
| guns; spring, electric, and gas. The types | | | | method of propulsion. However, a battery |
| refer to the mechanism used for firing | | | | powers the spring, which enables AEGs to be |
| airsoft ammunition, which happen to be 6mm or | | | | automatic or semi-automatic. Another bonus is |
| 8mm small, spherical pellets. In most cases, | | | | that AEGs are usually more powerful than |
| the pellets are plastic, but 6mm paintballs | | | | spring, and although there are several spring |
| can be used as well. | | | | guns available that shoot at a higher |
| | | | velocity (but those are expensive spring guns |
| Airsoft guns differ from paintball guns | | | | versus cheap AEGs), electric guns are widely |
| mostly in their appearance. Airsoft guns are | | | | believed to be superior. |
| made to be replicas of real guns, so that the | | | | |
| game has a more militaristic feel. Also, | | | | Finally, there are gas airsoft guns. These |
| airsoft guns can be powered in numerous ways, | | | | kinds of airsoft guns use pressurized gas as |
| while paintball is basically limited only to | | | | the means of propulsion. There are several |
| various gases (even airsoft guns can be | | | | different kinds of gas used, the most popular |
| powered with more gases than paintball). | | | | being green gas, although carbon dioxide, |
| | | | nitrogen, and high-pressure air can be used. |
| As stated, there are three types of airsoft | | | | Like AEGs, gas guns are capable of both |
| guns; each one will be gone over briefly | | | | automatic and semi-automatic fire. When using |
| (individual types will be gone over in-depth | | | | a gas airsoft gun, the velocities can be |
| in their own article). The first is spring. | | | | adjusted, which can be very useful in some |
| Spring guns cannot be automatic nor | | | | situations. |
| semi-automatic, as you need to cock (achieved | | | | |
| by pulling back the slide on pistols, or | | | | As a means of being fed ammunition, magazines |
| pulling the grip on a shotgun) the gun for | | | | are used most of the time. For some magazines |
| each shot. As the name says, springs are used | | | | (hi-cap magazines), it is necessary to cycle |
| to propel the plastic pellet out through the | | | | a mechanism on the bottom of the clip in |
| muzzle. To recap, first the user must cock | | | | order to help feed the airsoft gun with |
| the gun, activating the spring, and then pull | | | | pellets. However, with the other types of |
| the trigger, which releases the spring and | | | | magazines, it is not necessary to do this. |
| shoots out the pellet. The means of firing | | | | |