The role you want to play in an airsoft game will influence your decision in choosing the line. Each has a very specific function as well as different levels of performance.
We are therefore going to present to you the three main types of airsoft guns so that you can orient yourself as best as possible in your choice.
AEG replicas
Replicas TIME, mainly installed on assault rifles, use an electric motor integrated to propel the balls. They are powered by rechargeable batteries.
Each time you press the trigger (1), the battery supplies the energy needed to power the electric motor. The latter drives a group of gears pushing a spring / piston assembly (2). When a gear rotation cycle is completed the piston is released (3). A volume of compressed air is thus ejected in the direction of the gun of the replica, in order to push the previously chambered ball.
Electric replicas have good autonomy, more or less long, according to the power of the replica and the battery. Generally, those which have this mechanism have a affordable price and ask very low maintenance.
In addition, beware of batteries intended for AEG replicas, which may have malfunctions, principally when temperatures are too low. Another negative aspect, some AEG replicas have a lack of realism and have very little recoil, some brands have corrected this problem like BOLT Where BO Manufacture.
Gas and Co2 replicas
These replicas work with gas or Co2 cartridges. Each time you press the trigger (1), the hammer of the replica is released (2). The latter strikes the percussion valve of the magazine in order to open it and allow a certain quantity of gas to escape. The volume of gas ejected will thus help to drive the ball out of the barrel (3), but also to move the breech and the hammer in order to prepare the next shot. It is up to you to choose the shooting mode, there are “full auto” replicas that require a single pressure on the trigger to release ammunition until the end of this action. In addition, semi-automatic replicas also exist and will require pressure for each ammunition, it’s up to you to choose the one that best meets your expectations.
Most work with the system blowback Who simulates the return of the cylinder head and which produces a certain recoil, which gives a deeper immersion to its user.
Mainly used for fist replicas and rarely in assault replicas and sniper rifles, this system offers great feelings of realism. Attention, they require more attention than their AEG equivalents and are also more expensive, as they require a regular gas purchase as well as lubricant. In addition, the long lines are also particularly sensitive to low temperatures.
Sping replicas
A replica Spring (spring in English) propels balls thanks to a pression exerted by a volume of compressed air very quickly by a piston. The arming of a spring replica is done manually. This means that before each shot, it is necessary to compress a spring and its piston. It will be necessary to cock the breech for a fist replica and the pump or the cocking lever for a long replica. Once the piston is cocked, the ball positioned in the barrel, all that remains is to apply pressure on the trigger (1) in order to violently relax the spring and thus eject the ball out of the barrel (2). The operation must be repeated between each shot.
Type Spring is often used by replicas of type sniper rifle and shotgun. This kind of replica has a significant power and is generally among the strongest aftershocks. They require low maintenance and will accompany you for many years.
To conclude, the choice of your replica is mainly based on the role you want to occupy during your games, a replica spring for a sniper or shotgun player, a gas replica for handguns and some assault rifles, a AEG replica for assault rifle players. Each type of replica has its advantages and disadvantages that you will need to adapt to your playing style.