So what gun should you get? Today, I want to talk more about what you should look for in your first airsoft gun to get you the best experience. Taste and personal preference are entirely subjective, but I will try to give you some things to think about when making your decision.
So, how do you pick a gun that’s good for you? First, let’s look at it from a comfort standpoint. You could have the best airsoft gun in the world, but if it doesn’t work with your body or you have trouble holding it, you’re not going to have a good time.
For example, many younger players inquire about spring sniper rifles or spring shotguns. The price makes them attractive to new players, and overall, they look fun to use. But these guns are often very long and take some arm strength to handle. If you’re a smaller-stature player or you don’t have that arm strength developed, you will likely have a tough time running these guns effectively. At this point, I would almost always recommend an AEG. You can get one in a size that fits you better; it’s easier for you to use, and you will often have more firepower and flexibility in how you can play.
That moves me to the next talking point: What do you see yourself doing? I think play style is something that can change even after a short period, so I think it’s a good idea to think about how you want to play. I find a lot of new players who start as snipers, for example, actually end up not liking it as much as they think they would. Some people in a CQB environment actually prefer a pistol compared to other types of guns. There’s no right or wrong answer here, only what feels right to you. It’s okay to change your mind, but it’s difficult if you have already invested in an airsoft gun and gear. My recommendation is to try before you buy. Go to your airsoft field, rent a gun, and play the game first. Once you get a feel for how things flow, you can start thinking about what you want in an airsoft gun.
The next point I want to bring up is practicality. If you choose a gun that is very rare or unusual, you will often run into things that cost you more money. There might be more money to repair or upgrade, parts might not exist for the particular gun, magazine choice can also be limited, and you might be limited in what you can add to the weapon for external upgrades. Another big hassle can be the limited battery space you might have on the model. This just makes certain guns more expensive or less practical to use overall.
Most new players might be better off with an AR/M4-style gun. Just like it is a popular rifle in the real world, it is very popular in airsoft and comes in many brands and styles. The nice thing about picking a more popular platform is precisely what you should look for: easy-to-fix or source repair parts should you need them, great aftermarket support, highly customizable, and magazines and batteries are more commonplace for this type of gun. Use this as your checklist of what you should look for unless you are planning to leave your gun completely alone.
DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT STILL?
The final thing you should consider is your budget. You might see a lot of people on YouTube boasting about a really expensive custom build, how godly it is, and the crazy killstreaks they get. This is very sensational and feeds the notion that having really expensive gear destroys the competition hands down and will make you a better player. I would say having reliable gear and how you play will give you the best experience. Working within your budgets, you should know that most high-quality beginner-grade guns are going to be competitive, and spending that extra money on a proline gun will mean you just have a more sturdy gun that will perform similarly. If the gun is on the lower end, this is where you will see the difference. So buy something within your budget that you will stick to. If you buy a gun to change a lot of stuff, it may sometimes be better to save up or spend more on the gun you want.
