Priced between spring and electric pistols, gas powered Airsoft pistols can be used for single shot, semi-automatic or fully automatic operation. They tend to be used by collectors due to their very authentic appearance, but serious gamers will tend to go for Electric Airsoft Guns for regular use.
The most common gas used is a lubricating mixture of polysiloxane and propane known as “green gas.” Less commonly used are ‘red gas’, a chlorofluorocarbon whose use has been banned in the US and many other countries due to its ozone-depleting properties, and compressed CO2, nitrogen or air. Compressed gases need high operating pressures which tend to cause damage to pistols due to the pressures involved, particularly damage to the bolt and slide.
Gas Airsoft Guns: Pros
One big advantage of gas pistols over spring pistols has already been pointed out: they can be used for semi-automatic and fully automatic operations, while spring pistols are limited to single-shot use. This is because the spring must be re-tensioned after each individual shot.
An electric mechanism cannot be used in many pistols due to size limitations imposed by their design. It is simply not possible to make an electric Airsoft gun that replicates the genuine guns produced by many manufacturers. Therefore, those who collect true replicas will tend to choose a gas pistol rather than sacrifice authenticity.
Another benefit of a gas powered Airsoft pistol is the ‘blowback’ mechanism. This mechanism isn’t available on all gas pistols and costs a bit more, but if you want the authentic feel of a gun when firing, it’s worth the extra cost. With an Airsoft gas blowback pistol, the slide moves backwards with each shot giving you a recoil effect, just like a real pistol.
Many people choose the gas as their Airsoft automatic rifle of choice because of this degree of realism, but make sure the clip can hold a good amount of bbs or you won’t be firing on full auto for long! You can get recoil with other forms of Airsoft power, but gas is better and most gas pistols are now equipped with it.
Gas pistols offer more power and therefore more range than electric or spring-loaded Airsoft pistols. Some offer a muzzle velocity of around 400 ft/sec, and this feature is best used in semi-auto or full auto mode.
Gas Airsoft Guns: Cons
The regulation and distribution of gas in an Airsoft pistol means that gas pistols are mechanically more complex than spring pistols and electric pistols, although they are somewhere in the middle of the price between the two. Some believe that the simplicity of in-game spring guns makes them more convenient, and when cost is also factored in, they tend to prefer spring-operated Airsoft guns over gas-powered ones. Others prefer to go for recoilless or electric gas pistols for certain specialized uses, such as target shooting.
There is a potential problem associated with liquefied gases such as green gas, in that the gas is very cold when in a liquefied form. Thus, it can cool the weapon mechanism in areas that are in contact with the liquid rather than its gaseous form, and this can slow down its rate and range of fire. This is particularly so in automatic mode.
Not only that, but if the propellant is moving at high speeds through tight openings, it can freeze up and not only slow the weapon down but bring it to a complete stop. Many believe this is unlikely, but it can happen. You could use CO2, compressed nitrogen, or air, but that can also damage the mechanism.
Throwback or no throwback?
Many buy gas guns for their realism, but buy electric or spring-loaded Airsoft guns for play. One problem associated with using autofire blowback in games is that it consumes fuel quickly and you may need to carry spare canisters, slowing you down in the field. Many prefer not to use recoil or use tasers to play on full auto.
There aren’t many gas pistols available now without recoil, but most sniper rifles exclude the feature. This is because the additional gas required for slide or bolt operation reduces the potential range of the bb in a sniper rifle and therefore reduces accuracy at range. So electric or gas recoilless for sniping, electric or spring for gaming, and gas for authenticity.
Gasoline Airsoft guns offer a number of advantages and disadvantages, but when weighing their pros and cons, it’s probably best to consider your purpose for buying one and then decide which type best suits your needs. There’s no question that gas power delivers a weapon that looks and feels like the real thing in use, but that recoil reduces gas life, particularly in full auto fire mode.
When considering the pros and cons of gas powered Airsoft guns keep all of that in mind, but if authenticity and versatility are your primary considerations then gas always wins.