Have you seen airsoft guns at the shop and wondered whether their realistic look also translates to a realistic shooting experience? If you have ever wondered about that, you’re not alone. Many people have the same question, and the answer isn’t what they hope.
Airsoft guns do not feel like real guns when you shoot them. They do feel real in weight and size but can’t be used as a training tool for later gun use. A real gun has a stronger recoil than an airsoft gun. Real guns are also much louder.
In this article, you will learn more about how the experience of owning and using a real gun and an airsoft gun varies. You will also learn why you can become a target for carrying an airsoft gun in public and how you should declare and safely give up your airsoft gun if you are in front of the police. But first, let’s look at how the airsoft gun feels compared to a real one.
Weight
Airsoft guns are lighter than real guns, but not by a lot. For lighter real guns, the airsoft counterparts are about 5% lighter. For real guns that are on the heavier side, the airsoft counterparts can be 20% lighter. If you haven’t carried a real gun, an airsoft gun will feel heavy enough to pass as a real one.
Size
An airsoft gun is almost always the same size as its real counterpart. This applies to the outer body and not the magazine or barrel interior of the gun. In other words, you cannot tell the difference between an airsoft gun and a real gun based on size alone.
Appearance
Aside from the orange tip that is sometimes fixed to the end of an airsoft gun barrel, the appearance of an airsoft gun is pretty much the same as that of a real gun. You need a hard spotlight on the gun to be able to tell which one is made from plastic metal and which one is from steel or aluminum metal.
Shooting Experience
In terms of shooting experience, there is a noticeable difference. You cannot train for the recoil of a real gun by shooting an airsoft gun. Nor can you get accustomed to the noise of a real firearm by using an airsoft gun. In both cases, the impact of a real gun is far higher than that of an airsoft gun. This brings us to the key differences between airsoft and real guns.
Differences between airsoft and real guns
| Real Guns | Airsoft Guns |
| They use chemical propellants to shoot projectiles | They use gas, spring, or electric mechanism to shoot projectiles |
| They shoot metal projectiles | They shoot plastic pellets |
| They can be used for big game and small game hunting | They can be used to kill some pests |
| They require a license in some states | They require no license |
| They have a strong recoil when fired | They have nominal recoil when fired |
| They make a loud noise unless used with a silencer | They are relatively quiet and can be made quieter with a silencer |
| They cannot be used in tactical games | They are exclusively used for tactical games |
Can You Use An Airsoft Gun For Real Gun Training?
Using an airsoft gun might feel like using a firearm if you have never used a real gun before. But it is not going to be even close to the experience of using a real gun.
You should not use airsoft guns to train for real gun use because airsoft will set your expectations of recoil much lower than normal. If anything, this can set you back when you start using a real gun.
Here are a few ways in which people might try using airsoft guns for eventual firearm training. The table below also covers whether that’s a good idea or not.
| Usage | Verdict | Rationale |
| To practice carrying the gun | You can use an airsoft gun to practice carrying a real gun | The weight of airsoft and real guns are comparable, making it airsoft guns a good alternative to get used to the weight of a real gun. |
| To practice target shooting | You shouldn’t use an airsoft gun to hone your targeting for a real gun | The recoil and stability of airsoft and real guns aren’t comparable. |
| To practice storage | You can practice hiding and retrieving an airsoft gun in a field in place of a real gun. | Practicing on-field storage with airsoft is a good idea because the size of an airsoft gun is comparable to a real gun. |
It is much better to go to a gun range and practice target shooting, recoil offsetting, and balance-holding with a real firearm than with an airsoft gun. Even a high-power gun’s airsoft version is a poorer practice weapon than a real gun with lower firepower.
An AK-47 airsoft gun doesn’t train you for a real AK-47 better than a mere handgun does. At least the handgun teaches you to handle sound and recoil, which is even stronger in an automatic gun.
That said, an airsoft gun can train your conceal carry discipline as it looks pretty real. Make sure to fix an orange tip over your airsoft gun because it can make you a target, especially if you end up in an escalated situation and are assumed to be holding a real weapon.
Is It Dangerous To Carry An Airsoft Gun In Public?
It is dangerous to carry an airsoft gun in public without fixing an orange tip to it. Policemen and other people carrying real guns might assume that you are an active threat.
If you are caught with an airsoft gun, you should always declare immediately that you have a toy gun. Do not bother mentioning “airsoft” on the off-chance that the other party doesn’t know what that is.
Best Practices For Giving Up An Airsoft Weapon To The Authorities
If you are in an escalated situation and someone spots an airsoft gun on you, follow these best practices to give up your gun safely.
- Say, “There is a toy gun on my person. May I give it up, please?”
- If asked to put it down, pinch it by the handle, showing that the trigger is out of your reach
- Move slowly and place the gun flat on the ground.
Final Thoughts
Airsoft feels like a real gun when you carry it but is easily exposed upon further examination. You should probably not use it to train for a real gun and should definitely not carry it into situations where people with real guns can show up.