Electric vs Gas vs Spring Powered Airsoft Guns

Airsoft guns are powered by one of three mechanisms; spring, electric, and gas. Each of the power types for airsoft guns have different benefits and qualities but choosing which one is right for you can be difficult.
Read our guide to the three main types of airsoft gun to find out which one is the best fit for your airsoft needs and get the perfect gun for skirmishing or target practice.

Spring-powered

Spring-powered airsoft guns - or ‘springers’ - employ the elastic potential energy stored in the weapon’s coil spring to drive an internal air pump. When the trigger is pulled, a powerful shot is fired from the barrel. The user must then recompress the spring prior to each shot, which is achieved in different ways, depending on the type of gun:

Because of their firing mechanism, spring guns aren’t capable of automatic or semi-automatic firing.
Generally, that makes them less suited to competitive events as their potential rate of fire is significantly lower than weapons with automatic capabilities, while their reduced accuracy and power reduces their long-range capabilities.
Nevertheless, their restrictions are counterbalanced by their strengths in other areas. For example, they’re often more reliable than gas and electric guns as their spring mechanisms aren’t affected by bad weather conditions, such as rain and low temperatures.
This also means that they can be fired in almost any situation as opposed to their gas and electric counterparts, which rely on gas cannisters and batteries being topped up or charged.

Lastly, spring guns often come in at a lower price point than electric or gas variants, while their reliability and ease of modification establish them as the ideal beginner airsoft gun.

Key Points

• Generally affordable
• Reliable
• No need for gas or batteries

Electric (AEGs)

Generally, electrically powered airsoft guns, also known as AEGs, utilise a spring-loaded piston pump like those found in spring guns.
However, rather than manual operation, they employ portable rechargeable battery packs to power their internal electric motor. The high-end Japanese airsoft company, Tokyo Marui, is credited with creating the sophisticated design, which has since been replicated by scores of airsoft manufacturers worldwide.
The fire options usually include fully automatic, semi-automatic, and sometimes even 3-round bursts, making electric airsoft weapons some of the most versatile for skirmishes.
AEGs can be extremely powerful and accurate at the high end of manufacturer’s ranges. They’re particularly accurate when they utilise a hop up feature that facilitates consistent accurate shooting by putting spin on the pellet as it leaves the barrel.
It’s important to note that a diminishing battery will slow down an AEG’s ROF and power, therefore it’s wise to switch to semi-automatic in the final stages of a skirmish. Also, if you’re using an electric powered airsoft gun, make sure you’re carrying spare batteries with you.

Key Points

• High fire rates possible
• Powerful and accurate
• Available in lots of models

Gas

Gas-powered airsoft guns use gas’ pneumatic potential energy to drive the shooting mechanism, which is a significant difference from their spring-powered and electric counterparts which both use more manual mechanisms.
The most common gas gun type is the gas blowback gun (GBB). Its internally housed cannister releases the gas via a network of valves that propel the pellet through the barrel when the trigger’s pulled, causing a ‘blowback’ that simulates the recoil of a real gun. Handily, the recoil also loads the next shot.
Non-blowback (NBB) models, on the other hand, operate similarly to GBBs, however the slide on them is fixed so there is no recoil.
Gas airsoft guns tend to be used as secondary weapons as the CO₂ only lasts the duration of the clip, but their automatic and semi-automatic capabilities establish them as a superb sidearm.

Key Points

• High-powered
• Realistic ‘blowback’ effect with GBBs
• Available in a wide range of handguns and other models