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