What is Airsoft?
Boys will be boys whatever their age
is. As boys grow older, they just find newer toys to play with and
one of them is Airsoft. If you’ve never heard of Airsoft, you’ll
probably think it’s a mattress or something but in fact, it’s a
sport akin to paintball where men are “armed” with their own
choice of guns and have to beat the competition to win. The major
difference is that Airsoft doesn’t use any paint so players don’t
really know when they’ve been hit and it’s mostly based on
honesty when you admit that you’ve been hit during gameplay.
What powers an Airsoft Gun?
Airsoft guns may be classified based on
how they are powered. For beginners, the most basic airsoft guns
that you can start with are the spring guns. To shoot a spring gun,
you have to cock it before every shot. Each time you cock the gun,
you are applying air into the mechanism and then when you trigger it,
the air gets released and your gun “shoots”. Spring guns are the
easiest way to start with the sport because it lets you get a feel
for an airsoft gun until you’re ready for the “bigger” guns.
Another type of Airsoft gun, based on
how it is powered, is a Gas Airsoft gun. Gas airsoft guns usually
make use of CO2 to propel them. They’re mostly common in pistols
hence their two types: Non-Blow Back (NBB) when there’s no recoil
because the slide is fixed and Gas Blow Back (GBB) where the air
pushes the slide back to generate realistic recoil like in actual
guns.
Lastly, airsoft guns can also run on
electricity. Electric-powered airsoft guns are often called
automatic airsoft guns because they can continue shooting until your
clip runs out. They run on batteries which need to be charged prior
to use. The more you use your electric airsoft guns, the faster your
batteries run out so if you’re in a competition, make sure to get a
feel for how long the batteries last so you won’t get caught
without any power at the crucial stage.
What type of gameplay can you expect?
Playing airsoft can mean many things
for different groups but the general consensus is that it’s
tactical, strategic and mostly a game of teamwork. It can be played
in an enclosed environment, depending on how large your group is but
your team can also be creative and take the game outside into the
real world, like in forests and deserts (just make sure that permits
are acquired just so you won’t injure anyone by mistake). There
are many Airsoft teams and groups in many different locations so you
just need to hook up with the one nearest you for starters.
How to upgrade or modify your
equipment?
In any game, you want to have the upper
hand against your opponent thus it becomes necessary to upgrade your
gear or add some accessories or tactical equipment. Just make sure
that what you’re adding is within the rules of the game and that it
comes with safety features for your protection.
