Most airsoft shotguns are spring-operated, with the user drawing back the spring to fire, similar to how a real shotgun works. You can also acquire gas-powered airsoft shotguns that fire BBs using green gas or CO2. These polymer or metal airsoft shotguns are simple to use. Where and when will you use an airsoft shotgun?
Airsoft Shotguns have a variety of uses, such as training exercises for military or federal officers, playing airsoft wargames, theater and film props, and other competitive game styles. Although some airsoft fields and arenas don’t always allow shotguns on their fields, some places do.
In the article below, we will discuss more wargame modes that allow shotguns, more information about the firing mechanisms for airsoft guns, and some legal regulations regarding airsoft guns.
Why Use An Airsoft Shotgun?
Shotguns aren’t the most popular choice in airsoft, but it has some tactical advantages and even add some realism. Airsoft shotguns normally fire multiple rounds at a time, usually 3 to 6, making it a practical choice for close encounters whether you are in an indoor setting or just run into someone.
When using a shotgun, your function is to clear rooms and clear a path for your teammates. Use your widespread BBs to your advantage and try to hit or scare people back into cover. By doing that, you will effectively create space for your teammates to push the other team back safely.
How Do Airsoft Shotgun Shells Work?
There are two different kinds of airsoft shotgun shells. One gets used for springer or gas blowback shotguns, and the other is very realistic and works the same way a standard shotgun shell would work.
The first one works more like a BB magazine than a natural shotgun shell. You fill the shell with BBs and load the shell into the lower part of the shotgun. These kinds of shells typically hold 30 BBs each. These shells work with either a spring-powered gun or a gas blowback gun. Each action pump fills the champer with BBs and powers the gun with compressed air or gas kept in a cartridge.
Some shotguns can be adjusted to expel sets of 3 or 6 BBs at once, whereas other shotguns can only shoot either 3 or 6 sets of BBs at a time. When using a shotgun that shoots sets of 3 or 6 BBs at a time, you will need to reload more frequently than you would with a single fire shotgun.
The second type of shell works very much like its real-steel counterpart. Firstly, you load compressed air or gas directly into the base of the shell as you would a gun. Then you load the BBs into the top of the shell. Lastly, you cover the shell with paper to hold all the BBs inside.
Each shell holds around 10 BBs, and you load them directly into the shotgun as you would a real shotgun. Sliding the rack of the gun ejects the shell from the gun, and it works just like buckshot does. However, these shells add to the realism, which comes at a price. Not only do the shells cost more, but so do the guns that use them. Additionally, you would spend a lot more time reloading and retrieving your shells than you would with standard magazine shells.
Different Airsoft Wargame Modes That Allow Shotguns
Playing in an arena or on a battlefield using a shotgun makes excellent fun, but some close-quarter combats don’t allow shotguns. You will need to verify if shotguns are used where you live. Here are some game formats you may compete in:
Free For All
There are multiple spawn points in the Free For All mode. Each participant selects their spawn point from a list of options at the start of the game. These should be a couple of hundred feet apart, with the central meeting ground in the middle. After that, you’ll start shooting each other, and after being killed, you’ll respawn after 5 minutes or so.
You can either keep track of points (which gets tough because many people cheat) or play until the game is determined to be over. Because the game is fast-paced and there is a high chance of running into people, the recommended hits before you are out would be five hits, but 3 or 1 hit also work.
Team Deathmatch Style
It’s similar to Free For All, only 2-4 teams (any more can get confusing), and each group has its spawn points. The recommended hits to kills are three because of the extremely fast-paced games, but more people cover your back.
Squad On Squad Military Simulation
It is the most popular game among veteran airsoft players. It is essentially a more realistic version of Team Death Match. The first significant difference is the lack of respawns. Because no one wants to perish straight away and remain out for the rest of the game, the gameplay becomes considerably more tactical.
Both teams will begin at opposite sides of the field. When the signal blows, both teams will endeavor not to get spotted as they make their approach to the other team. It is more complex than it appears. This game is possible with any number of players. It adds a tactical element to the game, and it’s even more enjoyable when you’re with someone you can trust.
The Manhunt Gamestyle
Two teams compete in this game, one larger than the other with a 2-3 or 3-5 ratio. The smaller team will be given a 3-10 minute head start before heading into the woods. After the 5-minute time limit has expired, the larger party will walk into the woods searching for the smaller squad.
It now follows the rules of the Squad on Squad MilSim, except that the smaller team hunts the larger group using guerilla tactics. Guerrilla weaponry such as AK’s, Shotguns, and other guerilla weapons makes it more enjoyable. You could also give semi-automatic handguns to the weaker team instead of automatic weapons.
Capture the Flag
The same rules apply as in Team Death Match or Squad vs Squad: a flag gets placed in the middle of the field (or in the opposing team’s base, depending on play style), and your team’s job is to capture and return it. When the flag gets captured, the round/game is over.
A Free For All Capture the Flag game is also a lot of fun, but prepare for people guarding the flag with sniper rifles and lots of flag-dropping.
Airsoft Shot Guns Safety Concerns
While Airsoft guns are considered toys, they are projectile weapons capable of causing injury. According to the CDC, about 19,675 non-powder gun injuries got treated in emergency rooms across the United States in 2005. Seventy-one percent of the injuries affected people aged 20 or younger.
Although the study did not specifically mention Airsoft weapons, they do fire BBs at rates of hundreds of feet per second, posing a substantial risk of serious eye injury. In fact, in recent years, hospitals and healthcare professionals around the country have documented a considerable increase in Airsoft-related eye injuries.
Airsoft gun ownership and use can have deadly effects, which is of more concern. Numerous incidents have occurred in which individuals (typically youngsters) using realistic-looking Airsoft guns have gotten shot by police who mistook the weapons for real firearms.
Because Airsoft guns are considered toys, young people who own them may be unaware of (or inadequately appraise) the dangers inherent by simply holding such a “toy.” “Limited data exist on the incidence of crimes, injuries, or deaths involving toy weapons, according to a 2003 Government Accountability Office report.
Furthermore, any reports of toy gun injuries or deaths “probably do not represent an accurate or comprehensive reporting.” However, AirSoft gun injuries, their usage in crimes, and the public’s and police’s misidentification of them all happen on a near-weekly basis.
The 3 Different Ways To Power An Airsoft Gun
If you’re new to airsoft and want to purchase your first weapon, we recommend getting an AEG since they are more powerful and usually more accurate than gas-operated firearms. Instead of manually compressing the spring to fire the BBs, they employ a motor.
Spring Powered Airsoft Guns
For a good reason, spring shotguns are the most popular airsoft shotguns. They are incredibly affordable, simple to use, powerful, and dependable. On the other hand, Shotguns have a limited capacity for holding air before breaking down or jamming. That can be pretty aggravating, especially if you’re playing a game where hitting items swiftly and consistently is crucial to your success.
Air is drawn into a plunger when you pull back on the cocking bolt, slider, or another similar device before each shot. The compressed air gets expelled when you pull the trigger propelling the BB out of the barrel. Spring guns, except for sniper rifles and some multi-shot shotguns, are typically looked down on and considered beginner weapons (springers).
Automatic Electric Airsoft Guns (AEG)
Working on the same principle as a springer, except that an electric motor compresses the spring to propel a piston to discharge the air. The difference is that an electric gun can cock the spring hundreds of times per minute. AEGs are considerably more complex than springers considering the rechargeable battery pack you require for this type of gun to work.
Electric Blowback (EBB) is a more realistic AEG function that simulates the back and forth movement of a real steel firearm’s bolt. In addition, the EBB functions typically put a lot of strain on the gearbox and can lead to a broken gearbox. Until your clip runs out or your battery dies, automatic electric guns allow you to fire a continuous, accurate line of fire.
Gas Blowback Airsoft Guns (GBB)
GBB is the most realistic airsoft gun due to their kickback are primarily seen in handguns and high-end rifles and shotguns. Green gas propane for CO2 is used as fuel to propel the pellets, and they power the slide or bolt that fires the BB and then cycle the chamber again for the next round. They perform identically to their genuine steel counterparts, albeit with minor limitations.
For example, these do not operate in cold weather (usually below 50 degrees) and often need a good clean to avoid clogging. In addition, some GBBs employ CO2, although CO2 usually wears the gun down faster depending on the model.
They are two variations of this type of powered gun: Non-Blow Back (NBB), which has a fixed slide and no recoil, and Gas Blow Back (GBB) to create realistic slider recoil.
Three Different Types Of Airsoft Shotguns
Here we have listed three airsoft shotguns, one of each type, gas-powered, spring, and electric.
Maruzen M1100 Gas-Powered Shotgun
Maruzen is a long-established Japanese brand recognized for producing some beautiful gas-powered replicas. The M1100 is a gas-powered, semi-automatic blowback shotgun with shell ejection!
The shells get loaded with up to 5 BBs at a time and then put into the shotgun’s tubular magazine.
All of the BBs in the shells get shot from the smoothbore barrel with each pull of the trigger, and the action moves backward to extract and eject the spent shell, recock the hammer, and ultimately pick up and chamber the next shell. Although it’s incredibly light, this action does produce some recoil. These shotguns, however, are somewhat fragile and prone to jams but are great fun to use
Tokyo Marui Spas12 Spring Shotguns
This airsoft shotgun is an older model, yet it is still useful today. It uses the same 30-round “shell” magazine that Marui utilized in their gas shotgun series. The former type got powered by a spring that was manually “cocked” when you operated the pump motion rather than by gas. That does take some strength, especially if you don’t have a stock to brace it.
Tokyo Marui AA12 Electric Shotgun
The AA12, like its spring predecessors, fires from either box or drum magazines and feeds three BBs per round. Each of the three barrels has its adjustable hop unit, allowing the operator to alter the shot spread. The AA12 is select-fire, which means it’s the only shotgun on this list that can shoot in semi-automatic and automatic modes!
Conclusion
The airsoft shotgun has many uses, including multiple different wargame modes you can play with a shotgun, use it in military or federal exercises, or use in film productions as props. There are three types of airsoft shotguns: spring-powered airsoft guns, automatic electric airsoft guns, and gas blowback airsoft guns. You also get two different types of airsoft shotgun shells with different uses.
The one works precisely like a real-steel shotgun shell but costs more and needs more work, and the other works like a magazine shell that deposits the BBs into the chamber instead of being fired. Having an airsoft gun out in public can be very dangerous because people could mistake it for a real weapon, and you could be arrested or shot.
Related Reads:
1) Types of Airsoft Shotguns
