The real Colt 1911a1 was designed by John M. Browning. The US Army began use of this model on March 29, 1911 and became known as the Model 1911. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps adopted this gun in 1913. Over the years and many battles, the 1911 has become an iconic handgun. Many manufacturers have adopted this model and have made changes throughout the years. Allowing this gun to stand the test of time! Lets answer some questions about the 1911 in airsoft!
Is the Colt M1911 airsoft gun good?
There are many different manufacturers of the 1911 in airsoft. A lot of them are not modeled after the original Colt 1911. Due to how popular the 1911 pistol is. It is has been on the market for a long time. With a plethora of upgrade and repair parts available. Manufacturers like Elite Force, KWA, KLI, and Tokyo Marui make high quality pistols out of the box! Especially the 1911 pistol!
How long do CO2 powered airsoft guns usually last?
There are a couple of factors to consider when thinking about this. The quality of the pistol and the how you maintain the gun. A poorly built gun with full maintenance will fail due to poor construction. A well built gun with no maintenance will still fail! If you don’t clean your gun and inspect for extensive damage. Any gun will fail eventually. With CO2, the pressure is dramatically increased. The same will go for the stress. Look for a gun with a great history and manufacturers that actually care what the customers have to say!
1911 or Glock?
This is probably a question that has been asked since the Glock was conceived. It has grown into a keyboard war with no end in sight! As well as the Glock performs, it is hard to argue against the pistol that fought in two world wars! You choose which side you want to be on!
Is the Tokyo Marui Hi-Capa 5.1 a worthy airsoft sidearm?
The TM 5.1 is technically not a 1911, but it is reliable out of the box. You can also upgrade it to look and shoot however you want. You can do anything you want to this gun! But it’s not a 1911…
I personally have used and owned a plethora of hand guns. Front the Glock, to Sig P226. Even the M92f and FN 5-7. I will always find myself going back to the 1911. No matter who make it, it will always be the same gun. I will always be able to pick up any airsoft 1911 and get the sights on target each time. However, I do like features from other pistols. Maybe I will talk about them in the next blog!
Wait! Before you lose your minds and say MISLIM sucks and have a milsim’er play SpeedQB, hear me out. Between SpeedQB and MILSIM, most would consider them to be on complete opposite sides of the airsoft spectrum. That Speedsofters would suck at MILSIM. I never hear that Milsim’ers would sucks at SpeedQB, but that will be part two. The competitive side of players would immediately challenge the idea of someone claiming that they “suck” at a specific style of game play, especially when they are considered to be polar opposites. Is it that hard to believe that a player would have difficulty playing a style that they are not familiar with? Here are a few reasons why MILSIM, or Military Simulation would be difficult for Speedsofters.
Lack Of Tactics
With the MILSIM style of game play, some of the tactics will be a little different. In SpeedQB, it is usually room clearing, moving from bunker to barricade and trying to out maneuver your opponent with speed. Whether its rushing with fire or running around to flank, your speed plays a huge factor in your success. In MILSIM, there is so much more going on beyond the structure of teams and your chain of command. Each player typically has a role to play. Roles such as rifleman, grenadier, medic, scout, and sniper all have different jobs. Depending on what your role is, you will change how you play in the context of the larger team.
Then we have differences in the playing field itself. At MILSIM events, you are usually at a very unique AO or Area of Operations, somewhere like a shut down factory or a unused neighborhood with multiple buildings and complexes. Usually there will be wide open areas with nothing to use as cover. This may prove to be difficult as Speedsofters might not know how to coordinate and move from building to building. Having to perform much larger flanking maneuvers might not work if there are enemy teams in buildings past your target. Once inside CQB tactics will dominate. However, it will still be different from the bunker to bunker style they normally play. The larger manuever warfare aspects of gunfighting make a substantial difference in larger scale simulated combat than what a speedQB player typically encounters.
Load Out / Tactical Gear
In SpeedQB it is a competitive style adapted from Paintball. Usually it will be Team Death Matches that will last a few minutes, sometimes seconds. As for MILSIM, they can run anywhere from 6-48 hours! Even with the Milsimers that have a “High Speed, Low Drag” mentality, they will usually carry more supplies in preparing for the event. With Speedsofters, they usually have a very minimal load out to maximize their speed and maneuverability. They keep only magazines and gear to hold what they will need in a shorter gun fight. If this is the mentality that is used when preparing for a MILSIM event, you will be at a very huge disadvantage and probably won’t have enough supplies to last more than a few hours. It’s important to know what your role will be at the start, and make sure you have what you need to last the whole game. If SpeedQB is a sprint, MILSIM is the marathon.
Range
I think it is safe to say that most airsofters will upgrade their guns to get the best performance . Whether that is to maximize range, accuracy, trigger response, and rate of fire, Most players are performance minded. I listed range as the last problem because if you have the right tactics and gear I believe you will be able to play a MILSIM event successfully. Since tactics are more important than raw gunfighting power, you can make do.
At the same time, I believe having shorter range will put you at a disadvantage at different times during the event. You may not be able to fight back if the enemy team shooting at you can shoot 100 feet further than you. This will all come down to the capabilities of your gun alone. Speedsofters will use very short barreled rifles and pistols to stay light and to get the gun on target as fast as possible. However it is hard to maximize your range and accuracy if your barrel is very short. Moving over to a longer rifle might effect the way they perform in close quarters, but it can help bridge the gap when transitioning to a larger playing field.
How Do You Fix It?
This comes down to doing some pre-game reconnaissance of where you will be playing. MILSIM players will look at maps and look at videos of previous events at a particular site to optimize their gear. Most SpeedQB loadouts tend to work a majority of close quarters oriented fields/arenas. This can often be a big shock to the SpeedQB player playing his first or second MILSIM game without doing the right research.
With all of these topics in mind, how do you think Speedsofters would perform at a MILSIM event? Even with these “issues”, a coordinated team can do a lot of damage and change the tide of the game. Violence of Action, the key ingredient in successful speedsofting, still has a place in MILSIM.
Stay tuned for part two where we talk about why Speedsofters would do great at a MILSIM event!
The upgrades for automatic electric guns or AEG’s are very similar/exactly the same as sniper rifles and gas blowback guns. If you have read out Sniper Rifle Upgrades Blog. Make sure you check it out. We will list them again for those who are lazy (lol). There are a few more simple upgrades you can do to electric rifles that we will list below!
Just like any other airsoft gun. The weight of the BB will greatly effect the accuracy of each shot from your airsoft gun. You want to choose your weight depending on your FPS and barrel length. Test different weights to see what gives you the best performance. I would recommend starting with a .25g and going upward. This weight works great with multiple barrel lengths and FPS readings.
Now this may not be necessary for some guns, as the stock bucking from certain companies are actually really good. If you notice there is an inconsistency with range, the bucking is the first suspect. The FPS and BB Weight are going to be the determining factors when choosing a hop up bucking. I have had great performance out of the G&G Green Bucking, Madbull Blue Bucking, Modify Flat Hop Bucking as well as various Maple Leaf Buckings. Any of these will give you great performance, but if you get the chance, test a few out for yourself and see how the performance will differ.
The inner barrel is going to be the main factor in your accuracy. Depending on the inner barrel you choose, the performance can change dramatically. Some factors to consider when choosing your inner barrel are the type of metal, and the length. I recommend a 6.03 inner diameter made of stainless steel as it provides the best benefit without possibly causing feeding issues in full auto. Make sure you get the correct length of inner barrel for your gun as well.
I am often asked how to get better trigger response and rate of fire from an AEG. These people will immediately go into asking about high speed gears other modifications that will require extensive work when simply using a more powerful battery can instantly help. WARNING! You must make sure that your gun can handle the higher voltage battery. Do some research and check your user manual. You will want to be as safe as possible and do this at your own risk.
This one does require a little more work, but installing a new motor can help increase your trigger response and rate of fire without changing your battery. This will work with proper motor height adjustment. However, it is typically recommended that you reshim your gears to the new motor. In my experience, I have replaced motors in stock guns with little to no issues. Be wary though! My experience may differ from yours! Just be careful not to go too overboard and put in a motor that’s too powerful for your gun, or you’re in for some other upgrades pretty quick.
There are a lot of simple upgrades that you can do to your airsoft gun. It is up to what you choose that will determine the performance. Do some research and find what works best for you!
You just got your brand new bolt action sniper rifle home and are getting it set up! The scope and a bipod are looking good and ready to hit the field. You go to take your first headshot and the BB flies right by his face. He sees your shot and immediately starts to returns fire. It turns out that it might be a little harder to be your like your favorite airsoft sniper. Don’t worry because we have a few simple upgrades to get your gun shooting great!
The type of BB you choose will greatly affect the accuracy of your gun without changing parts in your gun. A heavier weight BB will be able to fight against gusts of wind better than the standard .20g BB. This applies to all airsoft guns. However, due to the heavier weight, You can lose a certain amount of range. This can be countered with quality hop up parts though! Every gun is different and you will want to test different weights and find what works best for you. Typically I would recommend starting with a .30g BB and adjust depending on how it performs.
Out of the box, you might not be able to maximize the range of the heavier weight BB. An upgraded hop-up bucking will be able to apply more backspin to increase and accuracy. There are a plethora of different types of buckings on the market. Do a little research and try one that you think will work best. Again, this is trial and error. What works for someone may not work for you. If you ever need some advice, you can always contact us too!
This inner barrel will arguably give you the best performance increase without major modification. Using a 6.03mm or 6.01mm tight bore inner barrel can decrease the spread size in your grouping, allowing for a straighter flight path. Be cautious when buying your inner barrel! There are specialized barrels for different models of guns (Ex. VSR10/BAR10, L96/MK96, etc.) and you want to be sure you get one that will fit!
As a result of any of these upgrades, Your performance will be increased compared to the way the gun shoots stock. If you upgrade all three of these, you will get a dramatic increase in performance. Only two of these require modification to your airsoft gun and they are not too difficult to install. Of course, there are a lot of upgrades you can do to get your gun to shoot even better. These are the easiest ones to do without much technical knowledge. The secret to a quality sniper rifle build is quality parts, quality installation, and consistent FPS output.
A lot of new players always ask how airsoft guns work. Most of them are surprised when we tell them most guns are powered by battery. Most believe that they are gas powered, similar to paintball. Once we inform them about all of the different types of power sources, the next questions usually is “What is be best power type for airsoft?” I am gonna talk about the Pro’s and Con’s if all the power sources in airsoft, as well as answer the most asked questions about them!
How are airsoft guns powered?
Nowadays airsoft guns are typically categorized into having three different power sources. Electric, Gas, and Spring powered airsoft guns.
Spring powered guns are pretty straight forward. You pull back the bolt or slide to lock the spring and piston to the rear. Basically when you pull the trigger, the piston will slam forward to shoot the BB out of the barrel. Then you will need to pull the bolt or slide again in order to fire again.
Electric powered airsoft guns use the same concept of a spring loaded piston to push the BB out of the barrel. However, instead of having to pull the piston back manually. They are attached to a set of gears. These are attached to a motor that is powered by a battery. When you pull the trigger, electricity will flow into the motor and spin the gears. The gears will pull the piston back. Once the piston is released from the gears, the spring will slam it forward to fire the BB.
Tenergy 11.1v stick with Deans plug inserted in a Classic Army Nemesis tube
Gas powered airsoft guns perform a little differently, depending on the type of system it has. First lets get into the gases themselves. Typically used in airsoft is Green Gas, CO2, and HPA. There are substitutions for Green Gas to power the same guns, but we will use Green Gas as the main reference. For gas powered airsoft guns there are Non Blow Back, Blow Back, and Pneumatic systems.
– Non Blow Back airsoft guns typically do not have a functional slide or bolt you need to use to fire the gun. All that is needed is to fill the gun with the gas it needs, insert a loaded magazine, take it off safety and fire. There will be no reaction but the BB being fired from the gun.
– Blow Back airsoft guns are using a bolt or slide system. Usually the gas is stored in the magazine. Once you load the magazine with gas and BBs. You will insert mag into the gun then pull the slide or bolt back. This will load a BB into the “chamber” and lock the firing hammer back. Once you pull the trigger, it will release the hammer. This will release gas from the magazine and push it into the bolt or slide. From here the gas going into the gun will be doing two actions. First, it will be shooting the BB out of the barrel. Second, it will push the bolt or slide backward to replicate the action that was made to load the gun. When the slide or bolt moves forward, it will load the next BB into the “chamber” and will be ready to fire again. When there are no more BBs, the slide or bolt will lock to the rear to indicate that the magazine is empty. This replicates the real fire arm function of an empty magazine.
– Pneumatic Systems are usually made for rifles. They normally are installed into receivers made for Electric Powered Rifles. Some systems will replace the gearbox completely and others will need to be installed into the gearbox to act as the mounting hardware. This system uses both a battery and “HPA”, also known as High Pressure Air. These HPA systems will have an external tank with a hose to connect to the gun. The battery powers the “FCU”, also known as the Fire Control Unit to activate the system. Depending on the FCU, it can control multiple functions of the unit. When the trigger is pulled, air is released instantly to push the BB out of the barrel. There is no piston that needs to be pulled back or bolt/slide to cycle back and fourth. It is an immediate release of air.
How do electric and gas airsoft guns differ?
Aside of the obvious difference of the power source, Both gas and electric guns have many differences. The main difference between the two would be magazine capacity and functionality. Electric guns will usually come with a 300 round magazine out of the box. Once the battery is plugged in. All you have to do is insert the magazine and fire. Gas guns (rifles specifically) will have 30-40 round magazines and need to be filled with the gas power. Gas guns will also give a simulated “recoil” that will give a feedback compared to the vibration of the gearbox shooting. They feel very different.
How to measure the power of an airsoft BB rifle?
What is most used is the velocity of the BB. Which is measured in FPS or MPS. Both are acronyms for Feet or Meters Per Second. The power of an airsoft gun can also be measures in Joules, the unit of energy for measuring force.
What is the best type of power for an airsoft gun?
This is a very subjective question that will depend on the users personal preference. All of these systems have pros and cons that will be up to the users to decide which platform they like the most. Gas guns are great for realism, while electric guns can be great for players looking for performance.
Electric powered airsoft guns Pros and Cons:
Pro – Easy to use.
Pro – Higher Magazine Capacity
Pro – Consistent FPS and Accuracy
Pro/Con – Wide variety of upgrade/repair parts (if a part breaks, you may need a airsoft tech to work on the gun)
Pro/Con – Battery provides power for a long period of time. (Required charging and may need more batteries for longer games)
Gas powered airsoft guns:
– Non Blow Back
Pro – Quite
Pro – Consistent FPS
Con – Limited repair/upgrade parts
– Blow Back:
Pro – Realistic functionality
Pro/Con – Upgrade/Repair parts available (similar to electric powered guns)
Pro/Con – Ready to use (if you have the gas power available)
Con – Low magazine capacity and heavier magazines
Con – FPS will drop as you are shooting (as gas is being expelled, the pressure will drop)
Con – Limited shots per gas fill
– Pneumatic Systems:
Pro – Amazing performance (Accuracy, energy consistency, trigger response)
Pro – Easy to adjust settings (Rate of fire, air volume, etc.)
Con – Limited shots to HPA tank
Con – External tank hose restricts movement
Con – Proprietary parts (must use manufacturers original parts to repair)
Hopefully this answers a lot of questions you have! There are many more details that I have not talked about. If you do have any questions, leave them in the comments and we will answer them!
