The short answer is Airsoft guns shoot BB’s or plastic pellets.
They’re not like the weapons used by the police or the armed forces, although they do have a similar look to them.
They have some of the best rifles and guns going around, but their weapons serve a different purpose.
An airsoft gun may be the closet thing you will get that would represent anything used by the military, but they will be replicas and they will not shoot the actual bullets that the police or the army use.
Now, the question is, whether the BB’s will hurt anyone if you fire them at a person.
The mechanism is almost the same but there is a huge difference in the way they hit a person.
Many people consider airsoft guns to be similar to paintball but honestly, paintball hurts more than what an airsoft gun does
In fact, the BB’s used in the gun is much lighter in weight and smaller too.
There are few more reasons why the BB’s in airsoft guns don’t hurt that much as the paintball.
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Using light plastic pellets
The average speed of both the guns is the same which is 300 fps.
Some of the guns can have a speed of 500 fps but let’s compare the ones that has a similar speed as a paintball gun.
Naturally, the question will be that if the projectile speed or firing speed is the same, then why does a paintball hurt more and not an airsoft gun?
It is because they have different projectile weight or mass.
The approximate weight of the pellets range between 0.12 gm and 0.40 gm with the most common ones weighing around 0.12 or 0.20 gm.
One of the reasons why it is safer to use airsoft guns is that they use these plastic pellets instead of the metal ones.
Airsoft pellets are made of plastic and they measure roughly around 6 mm in diameter. Using these plastic pellets have made the airsoft guns safer for everyone.
There are many pellets out there that are biodegradable so that you don’t have to clean them up after firing in the backyard.
Even kids can play with these guns provided they don’t shoot themselves or anyone at a very close distance.
Although there might be a sudden pinching sensation, it goes away quickly because you will have your clothes on.
Mechanism of airsoft guns
The interior parts of an airsoft gun are almost the same, no matter what model or gun you buy.
It will have a spring that creates the main power of the gun.
This is the part responsible for the speed at which the BB will come out of the gun.
The other important parts of the gun are the piston head and the piston, a cylinder head, and a cylinder.
There is also the air nozzle that comes with a special plate along with a combination of gears that operate the functioning of the airsoft gun.
Lastly, there is the motor and the switch that basically allows the gun to be in action all the time.
You will be using the switch to fire the BB’s.
One of the best things about airsoft guns is that you can upgrade it in order to improve the performance.
So, if you don’t want your gun to be firing at a speed of 300 fps and instead, want it to fire at 500 fps, you can upgrade the parts inside to do that.
It is also possible to upgrade the spring that can change the speed along with the distance of the BB fired from the gun.
Do Airsoft Guns Hurt?
If you’re wondering whether the pellets that are fired actually hurt, the short answer is not much. Providing that you are wearing the appropriate safety gear, such as a solid helmet, gloves, goggles, boots and everything else that goes with the outfit, you should be fine.
The pellets, or BB’s will actually hurt less than a paintball, so if you can handle the impact from that, then you can easily handle the impact of these pellets.
Now, that you know the difference, make sure you use both airsoft guns and paintball from a safe distance whether you’re playing with your family, friends, or strangers.
General FAQ
Can airsoft guns kill?
The short answer is No. The chances of sustaining a serious life threatining injury after been hit with an airsoft BB is very very small.
Do they hurt?
The pain that is caused from a airsoft BB is no more painful than a paintball gun, and in most cases it is less painful than that.
What are BB’s made of?
They are made from a solid plastic mold. Some are made from metal, but they are not as popular, but they are always generally solid plastic.
