Before you buy your first airsoft gun...

Before you spend your hard-earned money on an airsoft gun, make sure that you have made the right decision. Before you proceed please read the section on Airsoft Gun Safety.

When buying an airsoft gun you need to make sure that you are buying a brand that is known for being reliable. I know an airsoft gun expert who refuses to even touch certain brands because of how terrible they are! When I bought my first airsoft gun, I knew exactly what was garbage and what wasn't. Over three years later, the gun has yet to be in need of repair! I have seen players start out with a less-than-desirable gun and quit after it broke.

Brands for new players to avoid:

When buying an AEG (automatic electric gun), only buy Tokyo Marui guns! Tokyo Marui is known for consistently producing reliable guns. Tokyo Marui also makes the only playable-quality airsoft shotguns. Every reputable airsoft retailer will offer Tokyo Marui airsoft guns for sale. If they do not, you should look into other airsoft retailers.

There are a few issues with certain Tokyo Marui guns. These issues are not major as long you handle your AEG with care. For example, the Thompson M1A1 has a weak section between the magazine and foregrip. If you drop the gun there is a good chance it will snap in half.

Despite their minor differences Tokyo Marui guns are very similar to each other. Think about your favoraite gun type and what type of games you will be involved in. For example, will you be playing airsoft indoors CQB-style? If so, short guns such as the P90 or even MP5k may be entirely appropriate. If you plan on playing outdoors consider getting a longer gun for a little extra range. All AR-15 style guns (M16, M4, and SR-16) will work very well with surplus US military gear which is plentiful and cheap, additionally magazines are interchangeable among guns of the same family.

I do not personally recommend ICS or Classic Army AEGs, however there are people that like them. The metal bodies make them particularly attractive.

I've been recieving lots of e-mail from people about cheap AEGs. If you want to use them in games just avoid them. They are shoot considerably slower than stock TM AEGs and the are low quality.

Brands for spring-powered airsoft pistols "springers": Don't worry about this, at $25 or $30 a pop, most "springers" are just for fun. There is not as much consistency with springers as there is with AEGs. Some models are more powerful than others. If you know someone with a lot of springers, try out their guns and find out what works best for you.

Gas pistols: Reliable brands include, but are not limited to, Western Arms, KSC, and KWA. Which gas pistol you want will depend on what you do with it. Once again, there is a big difference here between collectors and players (although many fall into both categories.) Western Arms pistols look very good, but are not very powerful. KSC and KWA make good Glock and Berretta airsoft pistols. KSC and KWA are nearly identical with a few differences. KSC manufactures them with trademarks, KWA doesn't. If you see gas airsoft Glocks or MAC-11s at a store they are probably KWA.

There is another company, TOP, that produces electric M-60 airsoft machine guns. These things cost around $1000 depending on the model you buy. If you want an M-60, TOP is your only option. Unfortunately, TOP M-60s are not very good when it comes to reliability. I have not heard of any airsoft player that were happy with their airsoft M-60s. In some cases, the M-60s will last about a day before the gear box breaks. They can be re-fitted with another gearbox but you just end up with a heavy AEG; the guy with an M-4 will have just as much firepower as you.

When starting out, always buy Tokyo Mauri AEGs. More experienced players may be able to handle other guns. It is not worth getting frustrated and giving up on this great sport early on just because you purchased an airsoft gun that broke after firing two magazines through it.

Who should I buy my airsoft guns from?

There is no perfect answer for this. There are many airsoft retailers on the internet today. All of my airsoft gun purchases involved other players, some who were importing large orders. Many airsoft players have several airsoft guns. They buy another airsoft gun on a whim, upgrade it, and use it once. Generally this is were you can get a good deal -- but you need to know the player and exactly what you are getting.

If you are considering playing airsoft games with established teams, ask around and find out if anyone sells airsoft guns. Better yet, ask everyone who they bought their guns from. I can't tell you that one particular airsoft retailer or website is the best simply because you may have a better alternative. If you are lucky, you may even be able to get new airsoft guns at cost. Once I got lucky and saved close to a hundred dollars doing this!

Also, it is generally best not to buy pre-upgraded guns. There are very reputable retailers who will upgrade guns for you, but usually they do this after you buy your gun. Once again, ask around locally or on internet message boards and find out who other players recommend.

Airsoftgunhelp has many other informative articles for airsoft beginners. For more information about airsoft guns read our section on What is the best airsoft gun?