Most people who buy an electric airsoft gun and try out its different modes are pleasantly surprised to find the full auto mode that produces continuous pellet fire without having to leave the trigger. Their natural reaction is that this can help them win the next game if they carry enough ammo. But ammunition waste isn’t the only issue of airsoft guns.
In many cases, you cannot use full-auto airsoft guns in full-auto mode when playing indoors. Most fields do allow full auto firing as long as it is safe. But if you set your full auto gun to semi-automatic firing mode, you can use it in most indoor fields as well.
In this article, I will clear some misconceptions regarding full automatic airsoft guns, including whether they are legal in the US, can kill people, or have any actual use. If you own or plan to own a full auto airsoft gun, you should read this post to the end.
Is Full Auto Legal?
Full automatic airsoft guns are legal in the USA, but not in some airsoft venues. Since Australia bans fully automatic guns in all states, some resources confuse that as reflective of the states in the American union.
In the USA, you can own a fully automatic airsoft gun unless the local legislation outlaws it. Most states do not outlaw the possession of an airsoft gun since these guns are not seen as firearms. My article on whether airsoft guns can be fired in a forest covers each and every state’s view on airsoft guns.
That, however, covers the legality of airsoft weapons from the country’s perspective. Everything legal in a country doesn’t become legal in every setting. Fortunately, airsoft rules across the world don’t outlaw fully automatic airsoft guns either. But for some venues, the use of such guns is illegal. My first venue I ever played at, in Albuquerque, allowed fully automatic guns, but had a hard cap on FPS.
According to those fields, using an airsoft gun on full auto during an airsoft game is like completing a marathon in a cab. Where a marathon tests your endurance, airsoft tests your tactical mastery. In both cases, anything that bypasses the need for what is being tested is not allowed in the game.
You don’t need to really aim at anyone, be good at strategy, or even be quick to win with full auto airsoft guns. That’s why it is not considered a fair device in an average airsoft game.
Aside from the advantage that a full auto airsoft gun has, it can also be a liability. The higher the pellet fire rate, the more likely a stray pellet might hit a player in the eye or the throat, injuring them in the process.
Can Full Auto Airsoft Gun Kill People?
While a full auto airsoft gun can be dangerous when used against an unprotected individual, it is not capable of killing people. Still, it can cause permanent injuries and serious harm, especially when used in close quarters.
That is why most indoor airsoft establishments do not allow full auto. Indoor airsoft venues are cautious of permitting auto use, some restricting guns that have full auto capabilities even if players swear they will use semi-auto modes.
If your gun has full auto capabilities, you might be allowed on an outdoor field, though you might be restricted to the semi-automatic mode by your peers. In an indoor venue, you might have to rent a semi-auto airsoft gun because your full auto gun will not be allowed.
Are Airsoft Guns Automatic?
Airsoft guns are usually semi-automatic but can be manual or full auto as well. It depends on the gun type as well. Spring pistols are always manual, while gas and electric airsoft guns can be semi-automatic or full-auto.
Spring pistols are almost always legal in airsoft fields, while gas guns are mostly legal. Very few gas guns have full auto capabilities.
Electric airsoft guns are usually automatic and have full auto-fire capabilities. This means that you can press down the trigger once and produce a stream of continuous BB fire. Most outdoor airsoft fields allow you to bring such guns to the premises but don’t allow shooting in full-auto mode.
It isn’t impossible to get full auto airsoft guns even though they are not legal in a few airsoft games. As mentioned earlier, these guns are legal to possess but must be confined to semi-automatic fire when playing indoors.
Can You Get A Full Auto Airsoft Gun?
You can get full auto airsoft guns in the US. You don’t need a special license and can actually buy full auto airsoft guns online. These guns aren’t illegal in the country and can even be used in a game as long as their full auto capabilities are not used.
You might find this curious if you’re just getting into airsoft. Airsoft guns seem to be useful exclusively in airsoft games. But their full auto capabilities aren’t allowed in some airsoft games. So why even build a full auto airsoft gun?
What Are Full Auto Airsoft Guns Used For?
Full auto airsoft guns are used for airsoft games but in full auto and semi-auto modes. The full auto mode seems to be present for outdoor games. In outdoor games, full auto is allowed, but it can cut the games short.
It seems that automatic guns are produced because they are fun. They can be useful for small game hunting and killing pests. But they cannot be used in indoor airsoft games.
What Is The Fastest Airsoft Gun?
Game Face ASRGTH is among the fastest airsoft guns as it shoots pellets at 320 FPS. It has full auto capabilities, but its semi-auto capabilities aren’t to be taken lightly, either. Even in semi-automatic mode, it is fast enough that it can make up for poor aim.
It has over 2,400 reviews on amazon, most featuring positive sentiments. The global collective average of these reviews stands at 4.5, which is among the best for airsoft guns. 86% of the customers have given it 4 or 5 stars, while only 7% have given it a poor rating.
How To Get Better At Airsoft?
To get better airsoft, you need to improve three areas. Your offense, defense, and tactical strategy must get better for you to win more games. If you can’t hit enough people, you should improve your aim. And if you get shot more, you should improve your cover and overall defense.
Finally, if you lose despite having good shooting speed and low exposure, you should change team leaders.
As you might have noticed, shooting speed isn’t as relevant except when you lose because of your inability to shoot moving targets. Even then, the problem might be in the airsoft gun’s aim and not the shooting speed.
Check out my post on how fast airsoft guns are to get a general idea of what your opponents might be playing with. A gun that is more than 50 FPS higher than your opponent’s gun will start yielding diminishing returns.
Your own weapon should be within 50 FPS range of the highest-performing gun on the field. That can be a little difficult to confirm, but choosing a 410 FPS gun can probably get you there.
Final Thoughts
You can use a full auto airsoft gun, but not in an indoor airsoft game. Airsoft games are played with semi-automatic fire, and if your full auto gun isn’t capable of semi-automatic firing, it will be useless indoors. If the gun can shoot in multiple modes (Which most electric guns can), you can bring it onto the field, provided that you don’t engage the fully automatic fire if it is not allowed.