Everything you need to know about Airsoft

AEG means Automatic Electric Gun in airsoft. This means that the airsoft pistol or rifle is powered by a battery, motor and gearbox containing a spring and piston that produce small amounts of air pressure. AEG airsoft guns are practical because you can play with one battery for a longer period of time. You can then easily replace the battery for a new full battery. In addition, AEG airsoft replicas in full automatic mode shoot very fast thanks to the nature of the system. An AEG system is easy to use and requires little to no maintenance. For this reason, the AEG system is the most popular among most airsofters. Generally, AEGs do not mimic blowback, which makes them slightly less realistic than GBB rifles or pistols. AEGs that do mimic blowback are called EBB (electric blowback) replicas.

GBB means Gas Blowback in airsoft. This means that the airsoft pistol or rifle is powered by gas and has a blowback system. Blowback stands for recoil. GBB airsoft guns are very realistic because they mimic the system of a real firearm. For this reason, the GBB system is very popular among airsofters who like realism.

HPA means High Pressure Air in airsoft. This means that the airsoft pistol or rifle is powered by compressed air delivered through a hose via an external tank. HPA replicas do not have a blowback. The HPA tank is often carried in a backpack or bag on the belt. HPA is very popular among more experienced players. This is because HPA systems are relatively complex and require external accessories such as a hose and tank to make the airsoft rifle or pistol work. In addition, an HPA system is often well-tuned for power and speed, making these weapons perform particularly well in the field.

EBB means Electric Blowback in airsoft. An electric (AEG) system generally does not mimic recoil (blowback). To still get a realistic feeling while shooting, some replicas are equipped with an electric blowback system. This system mimics the recoil of a weapon with every shot. This system is popular with people who want to combine the practical advantages of an AEG system with the realism of a GBB system.

Blowback in airsoft stands for 'recoil'. An airsoft replica with blowback mimics the recoil of a real firearm. This gives a sense of realism. Also, before the first shot, you have to pull the slide back to shoot. Thanks to this realistic feel, blowback guns are the most popular among airsofters. The term GBB in airsoft stands for Gas Blow Back.

The difference between Co2 and GBB in airsoft replicas is in the method of loading and performance. Co2 is inserted into a 12gram capsule in the magazine of the pistol or rifle. To change the Co2 cartridge, you need an Allen spanner. To fill a gas magazine, you only need to hold the gas bottle against the valve of the magazine. Because you need a spanner with a Co2 cartridge, reloading often takes longer. Co2, on the other hand, often gives better performance. This is because the pressure of Co2 gas remains more constant while shooting and there is less chance of freezing. Gas is strongly influenced by temperature differences. Co2 is less affected by this.

In general, Co2 magazines can NOT be used in GBB pistols unless explicitly specified by the manufacturer. A GBB airsoft replica therefore only works on Gas. If you do use a Co2 magazine, chances are your gun will break down. A Co2 airsoft gun is made to work at a higher pressure without breaking down. You can often use WELL GBB magazines with most Co2 pistols.

Airsoft gas is available in different types of 'strength'. Each gas strength has a special colour and number that determines how strong the type of gas is. The expansion force of gas is strongly influenced by temperature differences. In a cold environment, gas liquefies and its pressure decreases, while in a warm environment gas expands more. To play well in different weather conditions, gas types with different strengths are therefore necessary. Below is an overview of the different types of gas and the temperatures at which they can best be used.

• 1.0 gas is White | temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius
• 2.0 gas is Green | temperatures between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius
• 3.0 gas is Red | temperatures between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius
• 4.0 gas is Black | temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius

Note! Stick to the values indicated for the gas types. If you use a heavy gas type at high outdoor temperatures, this can cause damage to your airsoft replica.

Do you have a replica with a heavy bolt or carriage? Then it can sometimes be better to use 3.0 red gas at temperatures between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius. Do you doubt whether this applies to you? Then contact us, we can advise you on using the right type of gas for your replica.

An airsoft gun's gas magazine is often assembled with screws and sealed with rubber rings and valves. A gas magazine can start leaking for various reasons, ranging from being used incorrectly or being under-maintained. Below is an overview of the reasons why gas magazines can leak:

• Using a type of gas that is too heavy for the conditions
• Dropping the magazine
• Putting away a magazine for a long time (a month) without gas
• Not maintaining the magazine or maintaining it too little
• Filling the magazine incorrectly

Using a gas type that is too heavy causes the gaskets and seals of the magazine to come under such pressure that they no longer seal the magazine properly. This causes leakage.

Dropping a magazine can damage it so that the gaskets, seals or valves no longer seal the magazine properly. This causes leakage.

The gas that gas warehouses are filled with has silicone oil. This oil ensures that the inside of the magazine is well lubricated and the sealing rings do not dry out. If a magazine is put away for a long time without filling it with gas, the seals can dry out or move due to action in the magazine itself, causing them to not close properly. This causes leakage.

A magazine should be maintained regularly. This means that the magazine should at least be filled with gas containing silicone oil. This keeps the gaskets well-oiled so that they seal the magazine properly. Ideally, the user should completely dismantle the magazine and properly inject the inside with silicone oil. The screws and valves should also be checked. That means tightening the valves firmly with a Valve Key intended for this purpose. Use and movement can loosen the valves and screws of the magazine. It is therefore imperative that these are checked and tightened regularly to prevent leakage.

When filling a gas magazine, if you press the gas cylinder too hard on the valve and do not remove it perpendicularly from the valve the moment you finish filling, the small rubber ring on the inside of the valve can come along or be damaged. This ring prevents gas escaping when filling. Therefore, when filling, always make sure you do this correctly and with care.

Should a magazine leak, it is not immediately broken. There are several ways to repair leaking gas magazines. In this video we will show you how to repair a gas magazine.

A Co2 magazine of an airsoft gun can leak for several reasons. The points where this happens most often is at the sealing ring that seals the opening of the Co2 cartridge to the valve of the magazine. This (often white) ring is made of plastic and can be damaged for various reasons if used incorrectly. Also, the valve that the hammer hits (on top of the back of the magazine) to release Co2 is a place where leakage can occur. This often happens because the magazine is not cleaned properly and dirt gets between the valve and rubber. Below is an overview of the reasons why gas magazines can leak

• Tightening the Co2 cartridge too tightly
• Not maintaining the white sealing ring that seals the Co2 cartridge
• Removing the Co2 cartridge while it is not completely empty
• Not cleaning the magazine so that dirt enters the valve
• Incorrectly tightening the bottom screw that pushes the Co2 cartridge against the white sealing ring

Repeatedly overtightening the Co2 cartridge causes the 'stretch' and spring force to disappear from the sealing ring. As a result, the ring eventually closes less and less tightly. This causes leakage.

Both the manufacturer and we as dealers always recommend applying Co2 cartridges with the Co2 oil intended for this purpose, which can be applied to the tip of the cartridge. This oil ensures that the ring seals well without having to apply too much pressure. It also preserves the Co2 cartridge's resilience and makes it last longer.

Removing the Co2 cartridge while it is not completely empty causes cold Co2 gases to be blown against the white valve. This causes the valve to cool down significantly and dry out. This causes the valve to seal less tightly. This can cause leakage. To prevent this from happening, you can press the outlet valve before removing the Co2 cartridge. This way, the Co2 gases are blown out of the magazine without damaging the outlet valve.

et not cleaning a magazine allows grains of sand, dust or dirt to get into the valve. This causes the valve to remain open. The moment you put a new cartridge in the magazine, it will eject all Co2 at once. You can prevent this by keeping the magazine clean. Otherwise, it is necessary to buy a new valve to repair the magazine.

In some Co2 magazines, the Co2 cartridge is screwed on by a threaded plate. This thread is very fine. The moment the base plate is screwed crookedly into the thread, it no longer seals the Co2 cartridge properly against the white sealing ring. This can cause leakage.

Should a magazine leak, it is not immediately broken. There are several ways to repair leaking Co2 magazines. In the video below, we show you how to repair a gas magazine.

An airsoft gas magazine needs to be properly maintained. Otherwise, it is likely to leak. It is also important that gas magazines are used correctly. Chances are that even with proper maintenance, a magazine may eventually leak with frequent use. If this happens, you can often still repair the magazine so that it no longer leaks.

To prevent an airsoft gas magazine from leaking, do the following:

• Fill your magazine every fortnight with airsoft gas that contains silicone oil
• Store a magazine in a dry environment at room temperature
• Make sure there is always a small amount of gas in the magazine
• Do not drop the magazine
• Do not leave the magazine in the sun
• Always use gas with silicone oil
• Check the screws and valves regularly and tighten them properly

If your magazine still leaks, you can repair it. In this video, we show you how to repair a leaking airsoft gas magazine.

A hopup unit in an airsoft rifle or pistol ensures that a BB gets topspin. This makes the BB fly out of the barrel not straight but in an 'arc'. This increases the distance you can shoot with a BB. By turning the 'wheel' of your hopup, you give a BB more or less 'hop' or topspin. By giving the BB topspin, you change the trajectory of the BB by making it curvier or flatter. A hopup is a small device where the inner barrel of your airsoft replica plugs in. On an airsoft rifle, you can make the hopup visible by pulling the charging handle of your replica backwards. On the side of the airsoft rifle, a compartment opens where you can see the wheel of the hopup. When you fire the replica, a BB is pushed from your magazine through the hopup unit. Inside the hopup is a rubber that sits around the barrel of your inner barrel. This hopup rubber is also called a 'bucking' and is pushed down by another piece of rubber called a 'nubbing' when you turn the gear of your hopup. The harder the hopup pushes the nubbing against the bucking, the more contact the rubber makes with the BB, thus giving the BB topspin.

The quality of hopup units, hopup rubbers, buckings and other parts can vary widely. When you start upgrading a replica to perform better, these are often the parts you replace first for higher-quality parts.

A nub is a small piece of rubber that sits between the bucking and the arm of the hopup. The nubbing causes the bucking to be pushed down when tightening the hopup unit, giving a BB topspin or 'hop'. This makes the bb go further and straighter, you can hop heavier BBs with a good nub, bucking and hopup.

AR15 stands for ArmaLite Model #15 and therefore not Assault Rifle 15 or Automatic Rifle 15 as is often thought. ArmaLite inc. is the brand that first released and designed the original design of the well-known AR15s. An AR15 does not have a fully automatic mode like M4 models. AR15s are used by sport shooters for that reason and is available for the 'normal civilians' in countries where it is allowed like America. M4 or M16 models are made with military purposes in mind and also have the option to shoot fully automatic for that reason.

The differences between an M4 and M16 are mainly the dimensions. The M16 is the old model that became particularly famous for its use during the Vietnam War. Compared to the M4, the M16 is very long and robust and has a longer barrel. After the Vietnam War, warfare lived more in urban areas, which increased the demand for a compact and modular weapon. This is one of the reasons why the US military switched from the M16 to the M4.

PDW stands for Personal Defence Weapon. These are generally small compact weapons that can be used for personal security and defence. Because PDW models have a small and compact size, they can be used well in so-called CQB or CQC situations.

CQB stands for Close Quarter Battle. This term is used in military and law enforcement contexts when fighting in small spaces or at short distances. This is often done with firearms, so the type of training and the weapons used for this are tailored accordingly. Another term for CQB is CQC which stands for Close Quarter Combat. The principles of both ways of fighting are so similar that these terms can be used in a similar sense. In airsoft, CQB is a special form of game where one plays exclusively indoors. In airsoft, fully automatic mode shooting is not allowed indoors.