So, this area isnt getting action anymore...

it cant haz no more cheeseburgers?

I guess it's just not much of an interest to most here. Come on guys, airsoft is fun! You get to safely shoot each other or just targets with plastic bbs, you can have completely legal full-auto! You can run around pretending to be elite special forces one minute, then the next game you can run around pretending to be a terrorist (obviously just in the name of a game and simulated combat for recreation). It's also a good force-on-force training tool for self defense and law enforcement & military. Maybe if I post up pictures from a few games it'll get some attention? Or we can just delete the section.

Can we get a lif day at a local airsoft place? I've never tried it but it looks fun...

ya but I anit playin with guns guys... someone might be ccwing lol

Great for College...if someone's door isn't getting duct taped closed its getting kicked in as we pushed in single stack armed with airsoft:

Its also good for drunk people.  If they are drunk enough to not wake up for the application of safety glasses they are drunk enough to shoot.

There's an airsoft place opening in Deer Park called StrikeForce Sports, the store is open but the field isn't ready yet, it'll be in a warehouse but they're going to try and simulate and outdoor CQB environment, it should be interesting. They would be glad to have a big group come in one day to play. There's airsoft at Cousin's Paintball, but it's expensive, and each time I go there are too many cheaters and idiots. I usually play with small groups of people I know in private bits of woods, it's makes better games because everyone is on the same page and not being jerk-offs, but we need a better place to play, we need a good piece of private property where liability and other people wandering in isn't an issue, and such a thing pretty much doesn't exist on LI. The safety rules of airsoft are very serious; for example no real guns are allowed in the vicinity of an airsoft game, there are minimum ranges for certain guns so nobody gets shot way too close, and proper eye protection is a serious must, as you will get hit in the face eventually, and I have been hit right in the lens of my glasses. It is a ton of fun though, range and accuracy generally suck compared to even a .22, but it's still possible to hit each other at over 200ft. The great thing is you can do scenarios you otherwise couldn't do without simunitions or blanks, it's much quieter than any real firearm, and you can be as realistic or unrealistic as you wish. We've played games with military goals like capturing or rescuing a downed pilot and retrieving enemy intel, simple capture the hill, and even zombies.

Here's some pics of what you might see in a game, going through the pictures I have, I realize I really need to get more in-game pictures

Should make it Paintball/Airsoft

Quoted from DefMan

Should make it Paintball/Airsoft

+ Pokemon,Dungeon and Dragons.......

So my next question is what equipment and how much...? I use to be into paintball and I know that can get expensive...

Depends on what you want to buy, the high end gas blowback airsoft guns can run as much or more than the real thing sometimes, except they can have full auto. There are very good quality China made airsoft guns in the last few years that are great for the price (around $100-200 in the US, a little less if purchased and shipped from a retailer in Hong Kong), and are very good for the beginner and the experienced player. Most airsoft guns are 'AEGs', which means 'automatic electric gun', they have a powerful motor and use rechargeable battery packs, the motor runs a gearset that pulls back a spring loaded piston and then releases it on each shot, they work rather well and actually require minimal maintenance. Gear depends on how serious and realistic you want to be, you could spend from $20 on gear to over $500. You can get a couple 'hi-cap' mags, which basically have a reservoir into which you pour the bbs, then wind up a spring loaded mechanism that operates much the same as a wind-up toy, which spins a wheel that picks up bbs and feeds them up the mag, these mags are usually the single mag that comes with most airsoft replicas now, depending on the size of the mag they can hold from 190-600 bbs, some hold even more. For someone starting out, two hi-caps is usually enough to last through most games, and all you need is a pocket to carry the extra one. Mid and lo-cap magazines instead use a traditional feed spring, they can hold anywhere from 30-200 bbs, depending on the model. Midcaps are more realistic since they can be loaded with realistic levels of ammo, requiring you to reload frequently, they also don't rattle like the hi-caps do. If you're carrying a number of midcaps though, you need a way of carrying them, a nice chest rig carrier can be had for $20, you can even find the Chinese surplus AK ones for $10. Some people buy real combat equipment and use that, though there are some pretty high quality knockoffs available that cost less. The other really important thing is eye protection; you need good polycarbonate goggles or glasses, preferably full-seal around the face, but wrap around at least. On a budget, you can get Flakjack goggles from CheaperThanDirt for $12, they're decent goggles but nothing fancy. You can buy a nice set of Oakley's or Wiley-X glasses or goggles, one of the best goggles is from ESS, their Profiler Turbofan model, which uses a small fan just like some paintball masks, it's about $130. You can also use a paintball mask but of course the mask makes it difficult to shoulder the gun, you can just wear the goggle part of the mask too, it'll just be a bit bulky but works fine. if I were to recommend something to get to start out with, I'd say to get a JG (Jing Gong) AK Beta with the full stock (I have the stockless version, it's a nice compact AK replica, kinda like an AKSU, but with a fixed AK47 style stock. the full stock allows you more options in batteries that fit), an extra hi-cap mag or two, and use your paintball goggles if you still have them, the replacement lenses are really cheap. Any camo other than ACU or ABU is fine, woodland, hunting camo, desert, anything is better than ACU unless you're trying to hide on a sidewalk, then acu is ok.

Also, if you want to waste time watching videos of airsoft games, you can check out the videos I have on YouTube, just search for videos from 'deathbyjeep'. The videos are ok, it's hard to get good footage of a game, I tend to get all the boring stuff and all the action is just blurry woods.

What is the difference between airsoft and paintball, or are they the same thing?

Given there aren't many places where you can practice dynamic use of a handgun Airsoft could suppliment your live fire training with respect to pistol deployment, shooting on the move, shooting from disadvantaged positions and at close range, multiple targets, etc.

I don't understand how the word "cheating" enters into a discussion of asupposedly realistic engagement.

Here are some pics to get you caught up on Airsoft culture:







Whats next, a Cosplay forum?  You know, high heels and a purse count as Cosplay too...

You know, if you don't like the sport, you don't have to pay attention to any of it. Some people show up to an airsoft game thinking they're the s**t and are untouchable, and the only place they can play is at cousins because nobody will invite them anywhere since they always cheat. Some people take it way too seriously, and just get annoying. Most people playing airsoft are people who enjoy it as a fun game and that's it, if some kid wants to play I don't have any issues with it if they're willing to be a good sport and enjoy the game and learn. It's just a fun game that anyone can enjoy, and doing well in airsoft has more to do with skill and mindset than athletic ability, which makes it appealing to kids who aren't very athletic, or other individuals who can't take part in more aggressive/athletic sports. It's obviously not all that realistic given the fact that a comparison between the ballistics of airsoft and real firearms is no comparison at all, the realism is more just the fun in having realistic looking equipment and sometimes playing scenarios that try to be somewhat realistic. The bottom line is that airsoft is fun if you're not trying to make it into something it can't be, or are one of those jerk-offs at Cousins with a super inflated ego.


As for the difference between airsoft and paintball; the premise is basically the same: teams try to shoot each other and defeat one another to accomplish a goal. How they go about it and what the games are like is very different.

In paintball you use a compressed air powered marker to shoot big .68cal 3 gram paintballs at each other, it's really just a sport for the sake of sport, things are often brightly colored, games usually consist of capture the flag or deathmatch, and fields are often made up of big inflatable bunker things of various shapes. When a paintball breaks on you and the paint splatters, you're out. While this theoretically marks a player as out, I've seen a lot of people wipe the paint off or claim it was from a previous game, but most players are honest. Some paintballers try to have a more military look, Idk why they just don't play airsoft, paintball markers will never look very realistic no matter what you do to them. Airsofters generally are cool with paintballers, most airsofters started with paintball. For some reason that I still don't get, a lot of paintballers (not all of course, but a lot) absolutely hate airsoft and try to ridicule airsoft at every opportunity, which seems really stupid and childish to me.

In airsoft, you use a replica that looks and feels like a real firearm, some are made of plastic and cheap metal and function nothing like a real firearm, others are made of quality materials and function very similarly to the real thing. Since the bbs are much more aerodynamic than paintballs, the guns are more accurate (nothing near the accuracy of even cheap .22 though), and depending on power and design, can shoot significantly further than paintballs. The bbs are usually 6mm in diameter, some guns use 8mm bbs. Cheap junk airsoft guns that you see at Sports Authority use .12g bbs, better guns use heavier bbs like .25-.4 grams. Since your gun uses realistic magazines and realistic accessories, you can play airsoft with a loadout exactly analogous to a real loadout, it is a good training tool in that way. It's also just fun to dress up like special forces or terrorists and go pretend. If anyone wants to b**ch and moan that we're pretending instead of doing it for real, I don't care. I can't live several lives at once, so for something I find interesting but can't go do, I can at least pretend, and here I can have fun doing it as a game with friends. Anyways, when someone is hit in airsoft, they usually feel, see, or hear the bb hit them, and being an honorable and good player, they call themselves hit. If they are a cheater, they will get shot a lot, and nobody will want to play airsoft with them. Sometimes there are various medic rules used in airsoft games, for instance sometimes when I play with friends in bigger/longer games, we use a 30 or 60 second medic rule, in which a hit player is 'revived' by a medic after the medic spends a set amount of time with the hit player 'healing' them. That lets players stay in the game longer, while creating a new element to the game because hit players call for a medic, and going through the effort of reaching and rescuing them has more meaning. Airsoft gives you a lot of options in how you can play, anything from completely unrealistic games to trying to be as realistic as possible without actually killing each other. Most people just dress up with a few pieces of realistic gear and go have fun, and as long as they're not being idiots, who cares how or what they play?

For the sake of fairness, I will say that I have been looking for an airsoft pistol to practice with.  Its just something that everyone loves to make fun of.  Also, I don't like getting shot at with guns that look real.  Would rather paintball.  All that said, this is somethign I would like to try...

Sounds like a lot of fun.  Will have to try it.

You guys are welcome to come to a game and try it out, everyone is pretty accommodating to new players, and many of us have extra stuff for people to borrow. I know what you mean about having realistic looking guns pointed at you, I get that chill when someone carelessly points an airsoft replica around, we try and instill safety rules in new players, often using barrel socks that can catch a bb if a gun is carelessly fired, and teaching people to handle airsoft guns safely. I've been getting more strict about it because real gun or not, it shoots a projectile, it should be handled as such. In game it doesn't seem weird to me though, maybe that's from playing paintball years ago, but also there is a strict rule of never having a real firearm around an airsoft game, though I am one of the few people I airsoft with who owns real guns anyway, we've never had to worry about it before. Airsoft guns in the US are sold with a bright orange muzzle, which is necessary for sale or transport, though it can be removed for cinematic/reenactment purposes, and an airsoft game can be defined that way somewhat. I just keep a bright orange or red muzzle cover on the replicas when they are not in use. One major thing I like about airsoft, is that the ammo is small and inexpensive, and the guns are relatively quiet. Plus you don't get paint splatter on you.

So where can we look to get a good airsoft pistol, and what would you suggest I look at as a practice weapon.  I was going to get a Walther P22 to practice with (real gun less most of the recoil) but this seems like it might be cheaper and used more safely in more situations.

Fo those new to airsoft, the handguns are more for show and realism. In the game you are not going to pull out a handgun and hit anyone. Everyone is using full size rifles (most all guns are the m4 variant or ak variant. you also see a lot of g36's and other popular military guns). A lot of people like the realism a little too much. I play for fun. I dont care if my gun/camo/and all accessories exactly match the US troops. Some people do. I always laugh because some people show up wearing a whole legit setup. Probably about 40+ pounds of gear and can barely walk. I must say some stuff is pretty cool/interesting. I saw a group of like 4 kids (maybe 18 years old?) who all came fully decked out in Vietnam era equipment. From camo to guns to everything.

I really want a handgun only because of how detailed they are. Many people do use them for training since the size and weight is the same (weight distribution is slightly different as in the airsoft guns almost all the weight is in the magazine). This is a Tokyo Marui Glock 17. As you can see they even have all the exact markings a real glock has down to the slightest detail.

Well if there is a particular handgun you would like a replica of, there are a good variety of replicas to choose from, nearly any popular model you can think of, someone probably makes. Also to take into account is how much you want to spend and just what sort of practice you are looking to do, most cost from around $85-$200. Since you want to use it for training/practice, you want a gas blowback airsoft replica, which uses an airsource in the magazine to cycle the slide. They replicate the functions of a real handgun well, the magazine inserts just like a real one, they have a slide catch and lock the slide back on the last round, and you need to chamber a round when reloading. There are a lot of models, some use 'green gas', which is propane with silicone oil mixed in it, they use a fill valve like a butane lighter in the magazine. Some other models use 12gram CO2 powerlets in the magazine, and can use both co2 and greengas magazines. The one I use is a replica of a Glock 19, it feels very much like the real thing, except it goes pop with no recoil other than the slide cycling. I hear good things about the new WE 1911 replicas, and KWA has a nice M9 replica, I think Glock sued them for their Glock replicas though, so those might not be available anymore in the US. I would recommend just going to StrikeForce in Deer Park (http://www.strikeforcesports.net/contact) and taking a look at the replicas they have so you can handle them and see what you like.

Btw, while airsoft handguns aren't particularly accurate, with good quality bbs and a replica with a good design (particularly the Marui HiCapa 5.1 design and a few others), you can get decent accuracy at 10-20 yards. I have hit players at 100+ft with my KSC Glock 19 a few times, just a few. I've hit players many times from closer ranges of 20-75 feet, with practice and a decently accurate airsoft handgun, it's certainly possible to hit consistently at that range, just not nearly as easily as with an AEG rifle. Mine is usually carried as a backup in case my battery unexpectedly dies or I use up all my ammo or some other problem occurs, I almost never use it but it certainly comes in handy when I do.

Quoted from Jynx

Fo those new to airsoft, the handguns are more for show and realism. In the game you are not going to pull out a handgun and hit anyone. Everyone is using full size rifles (most all guns are the m4 variant or ak variant. you also see a lot of g36's and other popular military guns). A lot of people like the realism a little too much. I play for fun. I dont care if my gun/camo/and all accessories exactly match the US troops. Some people do. I always laugh because some people show up wearing a whole legit setup. Probably about 40+ pounds of gear and can barely walk. I must say some stuff is pretty cool/interesting. I saw a group of like 4 kids (maybe 18 years old?) who all came fully decked out in Vietnam era equipment. From camo to guns to everything.

I really want a handgun only because of how detailed they are. Many people do use them for training since the size and weight is the same (weight distribution is slightly different as in the airsoft guns almost all the weight is in the magazine). This is a Tokyo Marui Glock 17. As you can see they even have all the exact markings a real glock has down to the slightest detail.

sounds like another expensive hobby. my wife will love that

Airsoft what can i say about it. well first air soft was started in japan where they can not own guns. It is like paintball but its more of a week end worrier thing.
Lots of kids play it and i find people that can't get real fire arms get into it.I know a lot of the AS guns can get very expensive and I would rather put that money to a real firearms. I also feel it dose not belong on this forum. There are over a 1000 AS and PB forum so lets just keep this one about the firearms like the name says.(Long Island Firearms )

Quoted from oldct

Airsoft what can i say about it. well first air soft was started in japan where they can not own guns. It is like paintball but its more of a week end worrier thing.
Lots of kids play it and i find people that can't get real fire arms get into it.I know a lot of the AS guns can get very expensive and I would rather put that money to a real firearms. I also feel it dose not belong on this forum. There are over a 1000 AS and PB forum so lets just keep this one about the firearms like the name says.(Long Island Firearms )

Someone's cranky...