How Is An Airsoft Gun Constructed? Basic Parts are Discussed!

An airsoft gun is a replica working rifle that uses compressed air and powered steel or aluminum BBs. The soft round pellets are usually propelled at speeds in excess of 300 feet per second (91 meters/second), and with a muzzle energy comparable to conventional small arms such as pistols, shotguns, and rifles.  

Due to the kinetic energy imparted by each shot, one might consider an airsoft weapon which fires spherical projectiles of low mass (typically under 400 grams) as being more analogous to shotguns than traditional firearms in terms of the potential damage they can inflict on opponents. 

Maintenance and cleaning of airsoft weapons typically involves disassembly and periodic inspection of the internal mechanisms for cleanliness and repair.

Construction of Airsoft Firearms

The construction of an airsoft gun is not much different than the construction of a typical firearm. They have a tight seal between the barrel and the inside of the gun body, with a compressed-air tank's output feeding into one end. The projectile travels through this passage, exiting at the muzzle end of the barrel. 

The body of an airsoft weapon is made out of plastics (usually ABS or nylon), while gas magazines and gearboxes have metal parts. Most guns are semi-automatic, with a magazine inserted on to the top of an internal magazine housing, which then charges the internal propellant. 

The current standard gas magazines are designed to hold 50 rounds of "Green Gas", which can be purchased at most toy and hobby stores. All guns are designed to shoot steel BBs, though some models (such as the TM SHOTGUN) can use non-metal pellets or pelletized plastic spheres as ammunition. 

These devices use an energy source like a compressed-air or electric motor to launch the projectile from a tube attached to the end of the gun's barrel.

• Plastic and Metal BBs

Airsoft firearms are a type of gun that shoots projectiles, usually with plastic or metal BBs. There are many different types and styles of these guns out there, but it's best to understand the basics first.

• The Basic Components

The airsoft gun itself is simply the main body where you load ammunition and press the trigger to shoot your BBs. There can be different functions in this part from aesthetics to functionality. I'm going to break down the parts into each category and explain what each one does.

1. The Barrel

The barrel is the main part of the gun that shoots BBs. The barrel can be anywhere from ten inches to more than two feet long and can contain many different types of BBs depending on the type of gun it is. BBS/BB Jet/Crossbow Cannons, which are not exactly a "gun", can shoot up to 10 feet away with amazing accuracy.

2. The Slide

The slide is simply the front end of your gun, where the magazine goes into and where you pull back on your trigger to shoot BBs from your airsoft gun.

3. The Magazine

A magazine is simply the place where you put all of the ammunition into your airsoft. Depending on how many rounds you want to fire at once, how powerful your BBs are, and how fast you can reload, magazines can change the way that you play and how frequently you fire BBs from your airsoft gun.

4. The Trigger

The trigger is very important to an airsoft gun's firing rate and accuracy as well as any other function such as weapon accessories or electronic "features".

Popular as Sporty Training Tools!

These guns are one of several types of air-powered "airsoft" or "air gun" toys and replicas, the others being pellet guns, CO2 powered models, spring powered models, and so on. Although the initial impetus for their development was new game technology, they are now popular as sporty training tools with law enforcement agencies because they resemble firearms while retaining realistic recoil. 

The realism is further enhanced by close attention to the detail in replicating a firearm's appearance. They are designed from real firearms, yet airsoft pellets do not contain any metal (the projectiles are composed entirely of plastic and/or hardened rubber).