From spring-loaded handguns to fully automatic electric rifles, the variety of weapons available to airsoft players today is vast. Airsoft players have more options than ever when it comes to choosing which types of weapons to add to their collections. Guns used for airsoft fall into one of three main categories based on how they work:

spring loaded

Spring-loaded pistols fire single shots using the potential energy stored in a spring, which is compressed when the gun is cocked and then released when fired. Cocking a spring-loaded weapon compresses the spring in preparation for the next shot, so spring-loaded weapons must be cocked before each shot.

In general, spring-loaded airsoft guns cost less than their electric or gas-powered counterparts, making them popular starter guns for newcomers to the sport. Electric or gas airsoft guns are preferred by most experienced players for their power and realistic feel.

Electric

Electric pistols, also called airsoft AEGs (automatic electric pistols) due to their automatic or semi-automatic capabilities, use an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery to drive an internal piston or spring that fires the pellets. Because of their power, performance, and realism, AEGs are the most common type you’ll see in the sport of airsoft, and they’re also the most widely available.

Gas

Gas guns work with pressurized gas, in the form of green gas or CO2, which is used to propel the pellets from the chamber. Unlike spring-loaded pistols, gas-powered airsoft pistols do not have to be manually cocked before each shot. Gasoline airsoft guns are famous for their power and accuracy. Furthermore, they are classified as recoilless or blowback airsoft guns.

A blowback airsoft gun will have a slide that recoils each time a shot is fired, mimicking the feel of firing a real gun. Recoilless pistols, on the other hand, have fixed slides and turrets, and do not recoil like blowback pistols do. Recoilless pistols provide airsofters with an inexpensive alternative to blowback gas pistols, but due to their realism, blowback pistols remain the most popular type of gas pistol.

Deciding which type of weapon you prefer for the sport of airsoft can take a bit of trial and error. Many airsoft players have different types of guns to use for different purposes.