I haven't a clue

tom_tarbucket

Hello

I just want to firstly apologise for all the stupid questions, I tried to find the answers via google but was proving difficult.

- Are air soft guns made of metal / steel like normal guns ?
- do you need a licence to buy one ?
- what fires out of them ?
Do they all generally fire the same thing or do they all have different ammunition ? ( like big bullets, small bullets etc )

Quazzie

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Hello

I just want to firstly apologise for all the stupid questions, I tried to find the answers via google but was proving difficult.

- Are air soft guns made of metal / steel like normal guns ?
- do you need a licence to buy one ?
- what fires out of them ?
Do they all generally fire the same thing or do they all have different ammunition ? ( like big bullets, small bullets etc )

Not an expert at all here but I'll try answer.
1. Some are, some aren't. It depends which you buy.
2. No. All Airsoft fire with a power less than 1 Joule so they are legal and require no special license
3. The fire what's called a BB which is a small plastic sphere. These cary slightly depending on gun/need etc but are generally the same size. I think it's only the weight that changes unless I'm mistaken

tom_tarbucket

Quazzie wrote: »

Not an expert at all here but I'll try answer.
1. Some are, some aren't. It depends which you buy.
2. No. All Airsoft fire with a power less than 1 Joule so they are legal and require no special license
3. The fire what's called a BB which is a small plastic sphere. These cary slightly depending on gun/need etc but are generally the same size. I think it's only the weight that changes unless I'm mistaken

Thanks very much.

Where is the best place to buy guns from, e bay or is there more specialised places ?

I know all ammunition varies but roughly what is the cost of ammunition ? Like a cent per BB or something ?

mcgragger

Quazzie wrote: »

Not an expert at all here but I'll try answer.
1. Some are, some aren't. It depends which you buy.
2. No. All Airsoft fire with a power less than 1 Joule so they are legal and require no special license
3. The fire what's called a BB which is a small plastic sphere. These cary slightly depending on gun/need etc but are generally the same size. I think it's only the weight that changes unless I'm mistaken

Thats pretty much correct but the police take a dim view of them.
I was given an M14 fully automatic rifle. Its very real looking and fires 12 bb's a second.
My wifes friend is a detective she said that most police hate them and you would most probably be detained if you're found in public with one.

There are pplenty of clubs around.
One in rathbegan lakes near Clonee will help.

Quazzie

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks very much.

Where is the best place to buy guns from, e bay or is there more specialised places ?

I know all ammunition varies but roughly what is the cost of ammunition ? Like a cent per BB or something ?

There are loads of relatively cheap options in the Airsoft adverts on here usually, and there are also many Airsoft sites in Ireland, both online and bricks and mortar sites. BBs are cheap. I see on Ebay they are €3 for 500. Usually if you plan to go to any skirmishes you can buy them onsite, or alternatively you can go and hire a gun at some sites and try find one you like that you feel suits you.

mcgragger

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks very much.

Where is the best place to buy guns from, e bay or is there more specialised places ?

I know all ammunition varies but roughly what is the cost of ammunition ? Like a cent per BB or something ?

Go to manirishairsoft.ie

tom_tarbucket

mcgragger wrote: »

Thats pretty much correct but the police take a dim view of them.
I was given an M14 fully automatic rifle. Its very real looking and fires 12 bb's a second.
My wifes friend is a detective she said that most police hate them and you would most probably be detained if you're found in public with one.

There are pplenty of clubs around.
One in rathbegan lakes near Clonee will help.

Thanks. And do these pellets hurt or are they kinda like paintball

Quazzie

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks. And do these pellets hurt or are they kinda like paintball

It largely depends on the range, but they can certainly hurt, and bruise. It's a quicker more piercing pain than a paintball in my experience. Paintballs are obviously much bigger. Just make sure to wear a few layers, and face protection etc if you have any concerns, but generally they are relatively pain free even when hit from close range. I'd equate to no more painfull than getting hit with a rubber band.

mcgragger

If you get hit on bare skin it stings like fook for a few seconds,nice little blisters and bruises left too.

As Quazzie says wear plenty of clothing and you wont feel a thing, just be sure to wear eye protection at all times when involved in games.You don't want to get shot in the eyeball.

K.Flyer

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks very much.

Where is the best place to buy guns from, e bay or is there more specialised places ?

Have a look at these site for examples..

www.hobbyairsoft.ie
www.sgairsoft.biz
www.mainirishairsoft.com

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

I know all ammunition varies but roughly what is the cost of ammunition ? Like a cent per BB or something ?

Depends where you buy them and which brand.
Approx. Avg bag of 4000 bb will cost 12 - 15 euro.

tom_tarbucket

Had a look at mainirishairsoft and there seems to be lots if different types -- see attached.

Which is best for a novice, co2, blowback, non blowback etc.

And do these guns need deprecate gas bought for them too ?

K.Flyer

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Had a look at mainirishairsoft and there seems to be lots if different types -- see attached.

Which is best for a novice, co2, blowback, non blowback etc.

And do these guns need deprecate gas bought for them too ?

To be honest which pistol comes down to how it feels to you, weight, grip, trigger action etc.
For me personally it has to be CO2 gas, you can carry and change them quite easily and quickly during a game.

tom_tarbucket

K.Flyer wrote: »

To be honest which pistol comes down to how it feels to you, weight, grip, trigger action etc.
For me personally it has to be CO2 gas, you can carry and change them quite easily and quickly during a game.

So bar the pellets, is anything else needed for the gun to run it - like if you get a gas one do you need gas or something to run it, if you get the co2 one, do you need special co2 stuff to run it etc.

K.Flyer

In a gas pustol the gas is what makes the bb move. There are also mechanical components that measures and release the right amount of gas.
My advise would be to pay a visit to a good reputable airsoft shop to look at the different types and models available.

tom_tarbucket

K.Flyer wrote: »

In a gas pustol the gas is what makes the bb move. There are also mechanical components that measures and release the right amount of gas.
My advise would be to pay a visit to a good reputable airsoft shop to look at the different types and models available.

Ok so if I was to buy a gas pistol and install pellets, is it then ready to go and can shoot ? Or do I have to buy gas or something.

FizzyCola

There are pistols that work with green gas and ones that work with co2. Most guns store the gas/co2 in the mag. Simply fill the mag an insert the gas/co2.

Gas comes in a can and then you fill the mag from the can. Sort of like refilling a lighter and cost about 10-15 depending on brand and size of the can usually a 500 or 1000ml can. The co2 comes in capsules that you put into the mag. The capsule gets burst when you put it in the mag and is one use only. They cost 80 cent to a euro depending where you buy and if you buy in bulk or not.

With either method you get about 2-3 mags worth per magazine fill if it has blowback and about 200 shots if its non blowback.

Lemming

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Hello

I just want to firstly apologise for all the stupid questions, I tried to find the answers via google but was proving difficult.

- Are air soft guns made of metal / steel like normal guns ?
- do you need a licence to buy one ?
- what fires out of them ?
Do they all generally fire the same thing or do they all have different ammunition ? ( like big bullets, small bullets etc )

First things first; have a read of the Everything you need to know about airsoft in Ireland sticky thread on the Airsoft Questions subforum

As has already been answered:

Most airsoft guns are either completely some form of plastic/ABS/polymer (some real-steel guns are ... ), or a mixture of metal and composite plastic, or wood/metal, etc. It very much depends on what it is that you're buying.

For example, I might pick up a higher-end m4 offering and it'll be a mixture of composite furniture and a metal receiver (just like the real-deal), or a budget m4 that's made of plastic. But very different to say; picking up a ww2 thompson SMG which would be a mixture of wood (or god-awful "plastic" wood) and metal. Most bolt-action rifles tend to be some form of composite body (with the odd exception that's wood, e.g. a KAR-98 or a Mosin-Nagant).

You do not need a licence to buy an airsoft gun. Anybody who insists that you produce one does not know what they're dealing with. They are classed as toys under Irish law; replica toys that you should behave responsibly with, but toys none the less.

The vast majority of airsoft rifles/pistols/etc. fire 6mm plastic ball-bearings with the standard defacto weight being 0.2g although heavier weights are available e.g. 0.25g, 0.28g, etc. A small niche collection of airsoft guns use 8mm which is obviously larger but also heavier again with the defacto default weight being 0.34g.

The standard measurement for 1j (in keeping with Irish legal limits) is 328fps with a 0.2g 6mm round. All other weights at 1j are relative to this, e.g. a 0.25g 6mm round will be 292fps at 1j, and so on so forth on a sliding scale.

mcgragger wrote: »

Thats pretty much correct but the police take a dim view of them.
I was given an M14 fully automatic rifle. Its very real looking and fires 12 bb's a second.
My wifes friend is a detective she said that most police hate them and you would most probably be detained if you're found in public with one.

The police take a dim view of people acting like d1ckheads in public with airsoft guns. If you're behaving responsibly you should have no such issues although you could possibly be unfortunate enough to run afoul of a Garda member who is a complete jobsworth. I've dealt with a few Gardai in my time and never had an issue. Once you do not come across like a raving lunatic and have a reasonable explanation you should be fine.


As for getting hit with an airsoft BB, it generally doesn't hurt much unless it's up close, or you are really unlucky in getting hit on a really tender spot. It's more like getting flicked by a mate's finger and a brief, sharp, sting that quickly fades away - possibly leaving a small mark. At longer ranges, you are more likely to hear the BBs hitting you than feel them. Up close & personal, they do sting a bit more, but again it passes quickly. Personally speaking, I find airsoft hits less painful than paintball - and far less likely to bruise.

K.Flyer

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Ok so if I was to buy a gas pistol and install pellets, is it then ready to go and can shoot ? Or do I have to buy gas or something.

They are not called pellets, they are bb s, pronounced bee-bees, and if you buy a gas pistol you need to buy gas as well.
As I said it would be best to go and visit one of the shops to see the different types that are available and have them demonstrate how they work and all aspects including the legal side of things.
Best of luck.
/

Lemming

TBH, I would not recommend a gas gun as anybody's first port of call, be it a pistol or a rifle as they require considerably more effort regards maintainance, and are expensive to run in terms of gas/shot ratio. And of course additional magazines are notably more expensive too, both to buy and to post (due to their weight)

tom_tarbucket

Lemming wrote: »

TBH, I would not recommend a gas gun as anybody's first port of call, be it a pistol or a rifle as they require considerably more effort regards maintainance, and are expensive to run in terms of gas/shot ratio. And of course additional magazines are notably more expensive too, both to buy and to post (due to their weight)

Which eoukd you recommend ?

Lemming

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Which eoukd you recommend ?

An AEG of some sort; either a rifle or an SMG as these are the most versatile platforms for roles/play styles available and afford someone new to the game the most opportunities with minimal effort. AEGs are also the most consistent performers in all weather and all you need is a battery and a single hi-cap magazine if you want to cut right down to the bare essentials making them quick & low cost (all things considered) to get started with.

As to which AEG - ignoring brands for a moment - what do you like the look of? An m4 variant? AK? G36? G3? mp5? etc. etc. etc.

tom_tarbucket

Lemming wrote: »

An AEG of some sort; either a rifle or an SMG as these are the most versatile platforms for roles/play styles available and afford someone new to the game the most opportunities with minimal effort. AEGs are also the most consistent performers in all weather and all you need is a battery and a single hi-cap magazine if you want to cut right down to the bare essentials making them quick & low cost (all things considered) to get started with.

As to which AEG - ignoring brands for a moment - what do you like the look of? An m4 variant? AK? G36? G3? mp5? etc. etc. etc.

Ive watched one of the videos provided with the 2 yanky birds, who by the way are very nice

What I want is a PISTOL, that operates via a re chargeable battery.

What price roughly could I pay for a half decent one of these.
Can anyone recommend one

Lemming

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Ive watched one of the videos provided with the 2 yanky birds, who by the way are very nice

What I want is a PISTOL, that operates via a re chargeable battery.

What price roughly could I pay for a half decent one of these.
Can anyone recommend one

In that case you want an AEP if it's a pistol that you want specifically. There's a limited selection of them (as far as my knowledge goes on the subject of AEPs) as most people have gas powered pistols (but then again most people also have AEGs which tend to come first so in your case it's a bit of a chicken & egg scenario). I'm sure that someone else who is knowledgeable in all things AEP will chip in soon enough.

Edit: is there a particular reason why you want a pistol over either an SMG or rifle as a first buy?

tom_tarbucket

Lemming wrote: »

In that case you want an AEP if it's a pistol that you want specifically. There's a limited selection of them (as far as my knowledge goes on the subject of AEPs) as most people have gas powered pistols (but then again most people also have AEGs which tend to come first so in your case it's a bit of a chicken & egg scenario). I'm sure that someone else who is knowledgeable in all things AEP will chip in soon enough.

Edit: is there a particular reason why you want a pistol over either an SMG or rifle as a first buy?

Thanks. I just want to start off with something basic and just love the look of the pistols.

So from the links ive been provided, it mostly seems to be online stuff, is there any Airsoft "shops" that you can physically walk in to and have a look at the pistols and test them and buy them. In the Dublin area

Lemming

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks. I just want to start off with something basic and just love the look of the pistols.

So from the links ive been provided, it mostly seems to be online stuff, is there any Airsoft "shops" that you can physically walk in to and have a look at the pistols and test them and buy them. In the Dublin area

TBH, there's about as much basic with an AEP as there is an AEG until you start tinkering under the hood and as a beginner, diving under the hood of an airsoft gun is about as far from your mind as anything possible. The only real difference is AEGs are physically bigger, shoot further, batteries are bigger and last longer, and the magazine capacity tends to be bigger (and you've got a better variety of magazine capacity types).

If you're off to play somewhere, you will also be at a distinct disadvantage with just an AEP and will require several batteries and magazines to get through any given game day. And of course, you are limiting yourself to very specific types of play because of your choice of arms. I would imagine that most beginners would not particularly enjoy the overall experience.

Anyway, if you want walk-in shops you'll be able to get a feel for pistols & rifles. There are a couple around Dublin & the surrounding areas so you may need to travel a little bit depending on where you are. Off the top of my head (and in no particular order):

• SG Airsoft
• Main Irish Airsoft
• Hobby Airsoft
• Strike Arms
• Airsoft Eire

And if you get the chance, I'm partial to SE-Airsoft down in Wexford. There may be others, but as I live in the UK these days, I haven't been keeping much of an eye on Irish retailers (sorry guys, I love you all really )

There a retailers sub-forum if you want to find out more


Edit: it may read like I'm fairly negative on pistols (I'm not, really I'm not), but I think that limiting yourself to a pistol as a beginner will not give you an overly positive experience.

S.E.A.L.s

Lemming wrote: »

In that case you want an AEP if it's a pistol that you want specifically. There's a limited selection of them (as far as my knowledge goes on the subject of AEPs) as most people have gas powered pistols (but then again most people also have AEGs which tend to come first so in your case it's a bit of a chicken & egg scenario). I'm sure that someone else who is knowledgeable in all things AEP will chip in soon enough.

Lets start with the best AEP's I've had/used, then work our way down


Subs:

1. Tokyo Marui MP7, this is boss and great fun to shoot, packs enough of a punch and has good range, batteries are a pain in the a*se, which is the main issue with every AEP, as they are low voltage (7.2v NiCd) and capacity (normally less than 1000mAh), however, in the MP7's case, a Li-Po can be DIY'ed to fit inside or it can be rewired for a battery box and both options work well

2. Tokyo Marui Scorpion, this is also a good little AEP and fun to shoot, there is a JG version and I've never used this one, so can only comment on the TM version

3. Umarex MP7, no idea who actually makes this and don't care, as it was a piece of language too inappropriate for boards, also, I could not find or DIY spare batteries for it and by the time it came to needing spares, it was gone and I could not be happier to see it leave


Pistols:

1. CYMA P226, nice pistol, feels good in the hand, a little too heavy and shoots well enough for what it is, do not expect amazing range or battery life

2. CYMA G18C, just about the same as the P226, accept a little lighter and with the full auto option, which is good fun and on semi, this was a little better on battery life

3. Tokyo Marui G18C, a much better Glock AEP Vs. The CYMA, which is not saying much, as this was my first TM experience and almost ruined my impression of their workmanship, thankfully, the TM MP7 was my next AEP experience

4. CYMA Desert Eagle, it shoots as well as the other CYMA AEP's and if you enjoy carrying heavy things for giggles, this is the job, to date I've not experienced a finer paper weight


A warning about AEP's, spares/replacement parts are extremely hard to source and in most cases, it's cheaper to buy a donor gun or a full replacement

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Thanks. I just want to start off with something basic and just love the look of the pistols.

So from the links ive been provided, it mostly seems to be online stuff, is there any Airsoft "shops" that you can physically walk in to and have a look at the pistols and test them and buy them. In the Dublin area

For pistol viewing, these are the shops in/around Dublin, that have a good selection of pistols:

SG Airsoft (North Side)
Hobby Airsoft (West Side)
N11 Store (South Side / North Co.Wicklow)

I've been to most other shops and found the above to stock a good range overall

Hope this help

S.E.A.L.s

Lemming wrote: »

TBH, there's about as much basic with an AEP as there is an AEG until you start tinkering under the hood and as a beginner, diving under the hood of an airsoft gun is about as far from your mind as anything possible. The only real difference is AEGs are physically bigger, shoot further, batteries are bigger and last longer, and the magazine capacity tends to be bigger (and you've got a better variety of magazine capacity types).

If you're off to play somewhere, you will also be at a distinct disadvantage with just an AEP and will require several batteries and magazines to get through any given game day. And of course, you are limiting yourself to very specific types of play because of your choice of arms. I would imagine that most beginners would not particularly enjoy the overall experience.

Edit: it may read like I'm fairly negative on pistols (I'm not, really I'm not), but I think that limiting yourself to a pistol as a beginner will not give you an overly positive experience.

This is bang on too

Lemming

I wouldn't really have considered an mp7 to be an AEP though SEALs; more an SMG. It's more on par with an mp5 than a machine pistol. Otherwise I'd be jumping up and down saying TM mp7 all the way

Ps. if looking at mp7s, avoid the Galaxy offering; it's poo. Very much poo.

S.E.A.L.s

Lemming wrote: »

I wouldn't really have considered an mp7 to be an AEP though SEALs; more an SMG. It's more on par with an mp5 than a machine pistol. Otherwise I'd be jumping up and down saying TM mp7 all the way

Ps. if looking at mp7s, avoid the Galaxy offering; it's poo. Very much poo.

Forgot about the Galaxy and Well MP7's, as I only had them for a short time, would say they are about the same as the Umarex MP7's, just without the HK trade marks

Also, while I agree an MP7's epicness cannot be accuracy measured, the electric MP7's are AEP's in Airsoft terms and for almost 2 years I tried to run my TM MP7 AEP as a primary, it's performance was good most of the time and there was always a ? mark when it came to the tiny mechbox

That's why I upgraded to the TM MP7 GBB and problem solved on day one

MagicIRL

Slightly off topic, but can one of you wonderful MP7 users PM me regarding the piece? GBB vs AEG if possible and where to buy one! Cheers!

S.E.A.L.s

MagicIRL wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but can one of you wonderful MP7 users PM me regarding the piece? GBB vs AEG if possible and where to buy one! Cheers!

Done

OzCam

Tom_tarbucket, the other thing you might like to try before shelling out your money is to just ask around on an airsoft site.

Airsofters are well known for showing off their guns in the safe zone, in fact if you ask anyone to show you something and point out its pros and cons you're more likely to get too much info than too little

There's a tiny chance you'll meet a snooty person who forgets s/he was once a beginner too, but they're very rare. Don't let that stop you asking. And, like a lot of other things in life, always ask before you touch.

Some AEGs are very reliable (the Jing Gong G36 was/is legendary) and if you start with one of those, perhaps secondhand, you can always sell it on if you decide you prefer something else.

Have a look in the Airsoft Questions subforum, you'll find that most of your questions have been answered there. Your second stop is at a site, to get firsthand info, and maybe a trial of one or two guns you like - there's not much point in buying something in a shop and then finding that it doesn't really fit you. Then go to any of the reputable retailers mentioned earlier.

The only body parts you really need to protect are your teeth & eyes. Teeth are expensive to fix. Eyes are irreplaceable. Don't skimp on eye protection.

Good luck, and welcome to airsoft.

PS: Dogwatch has a Tokyo Marui (premium brand) electric MP7, and swears by it.