How Airsoft Guns Work

Like any advanced device (anything beyond the sixmeans of firing for this type of airsoft gun are
simple machines or the advanced machines that comerelatively 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 someelectric guns, or automatic electric guns), also use
instances, are quite complex. There are three types ofsprings as the method of propulsion. However, a
airsoft guns; spring, electric, and gas. The types referbattery 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, sphericalAEGs are usually more powerful than spring, and
pellets. In most cases, the pellets are plastic, but 6mmalthough 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 theirspring guns versus cheap AEGs), electric guns are
appearance. Airsoft guns are made to be replicas ofwidely 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 gasespropulsion. There are several different kinds of gas
(even airsoft guns can be powered with more gasesused, 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; eachused. Like AEGs, gas guns are capable of both
one will be gone over briefly (individual types will beautomatic and semi-automatic fire. When using a gas
gone over in-depth in their own article). The first isairsoft gun, the velocities can be adjusted, which can
spring. Spring guns cannot be automatic norbe very useful in some situations.
semi-automatic, as you need to cock (achieved byAs a means of being fed ammunition, magazines are
pulling back the slide on pistols, or pulling the grip on aused 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 throughthe 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, whichmagazines, it is not necessary to do this.
releases the spring and shoots out the pellet. The