How Far Can Airsoft Guns Shoot?

How Far can Airsoft guns Shoot?

This has to be one of the most frequent questions I hear people ask about airsoft guns. Everyone wants to know how far your fancy new airsoft gun will shoot, especially when they’re trying to compare it to a paintball gun. Which there really is no comparison when it comes the guns themselves. So How far can airsoft guns shoot? Lets findout.

How Far Can an Airsoft Gun Shoot?

The short answer to how far can an airsoft gun shoot is at least 100 feet. The other answer is “well it depends on the gun” I personally prefer second answer because obviously the range on the gun is going to depend on a few different things. These things are:

#1 The type of airsoft gun

#2 The Quality of the airsoft gun

#3 The Heaviness and Quality of the BB

#4 Weather conditions.

Let’s take a look at some of these in depth

The Type of Airsoft Gun

There’s about 4 different types of airsoft guns. All have very different functions and styles. Sniper rifle type airsoft guns will obviously have the greatest range, while an airsoft pistol will usually have the shortest range. Later on in this article we will get into that with greater detail

#2 The Quality of the airsoft gun

How Far Can Airsoft Guns Shoot?

This one is pretty obvious but often overlooked. A higher quality airsoft gun is going to have a greater range and overall better performance than a cheap $20 gun you got at a flea market. If you want an airsoft gun that can shoot over 100 feet, buy yourself a good quality gun.

#3 Heaviness and Quality of the BB

This one is often overlooked and I must confess that I too overlooked this my first time playing airsoft. A .12G BB is not going to be accurate. Most guns come with a couple hundred BBs and they are absolutely garbage. The first time I shot an airsoft gun it was almost my last time, the accuracy and distance was terrible, not to mention they broke in my barrel. If you want to increase the range and shoot farther, get at least a seamless .020G BB. You’ll see a huge difference.

#3 Weather Conditions

Airsoft windy

Here’s another obvious thing that sometimes goes overlooked. If you think you a little BB won’t be affected by the wind, think again! The wind will throw off the accuracy of your BB something awful. The same goes to your range. Sometimes it can literally be cut in half. So keep that in mind and try to plan your airsoft battle on days that aren’t very windy.

How Far Does An Airsoft Gun Shoot Based On Gun Class?

As I mentioned before, how far an airsoft gun can shoot greatly depends on the gun class. These main classes are Sniper Rifle, AEG, and Pistol. Each one has different specs and capabilities and well as limitations. So lets take a closer look at each.

Sniper Rifles

It would be no surprise to anyone that an airsoft sniper rifle has the greatest range out of any of the airsoft gun types. Stock sniper rifles typically have a range of 180-270 feet! With a few upgrades you can expect an airsoft gun to even reach up to 300 feet!


Superior range is one of the reasons I really enjoy being an airsoft sniper during matches. It’s a great feeling to be taking the perfect long distance shot at your opponent and watching the BB hit its target through your scope.

AEGs

Airsoft Electric Guns or (AEGs) are mostly meant for shooting a large volume of BBs in a very short amount of time. However they also have the capability of shooting a projectile between 120-150 feet right out of the box.

Upgrade an AEG and you can expect to increase that range a little bit, but don’t expect to reach 300ft distances. Luckily AEGs are very customizable, I like to customize mine with a good reddot scope and flashlight.

Pistols

Pistols come in last in our how far can airsoft guns shoot list, but that’s to be expected. Stock, an airsoft pistol reach distances between 90-110 feet. Which is pretty impressive for something with such a short barrel.

You can change and upgrade the internals on an airsoft pistol and possible see a range of 150 feet plus. But I really don’t think that would be worth it. A pistol in airsoft is usually a secondary weapon, if you want to spend some money, upgrade your primary weapon or buy some sweet tactical gear.

Some Factors You Should Consider

We’ve already covered a lot, but there’s a few other things that could be a factor in determining how far your airsoft gun can shoot. These things are FPS, BBS, Maintenance, and Hop Up systems. Lets take a closer look at these 4 things

Airsoft BBs and Quality

If you think all airsoft BBs are the same, well think again. They come in all shapes, weights, quality and sizes. If you decide to buy a cheap 0.12 airsoft BBs from a no-name brand, you can expect crappy range and performance.


I suggest you pick a high quality airsoft BB if you really want to get the most out of your airsoft gun. Going with a .20G BB, can easily increase your range by 50%. Keep that in mind next time you want to purchase some airsoft ammo.

FPS (Feet Per Second)

A big misconception is that the higher the FPS rating, the further your gun will be able to shoot. This is just not always the case. Yes a gun shooting at 400 FPS will have a greater range than a gun shooting at 250 FPS. However, If my 250 FPS fun is a better quality and has better and heavier BBs, It’ll probably shoot farther.

FPS is a good guideline but try not to get bogged down with it. And remember guns with a very high FPS (anything over 500FPS) should be very responsibly. They can break skin and cause some pretty serious damage when used incorrectly.

Hop Up Systems

A poor quality hop-up system, or one that is not properly set up, can really impact your airsoft guns range. Always make sure you know how to properly collaborate your hop up to maximize performance. Do it right, and you’ll be shocked with the results.

Maintenance

Airsoft Maintenance

Clean and take care of your damn airsoft gun. Seems so simple but so many people don’t do this. I promise you if you take care of your gun and gear it’ll show on the battlefield. You don’t have to go crazy, but general maintained every so often goes a long way.

How Far Can Airsoft guns Shoot? Final Thoughts

I know I covered a lot in this article. But I really wanted to give you as much value as I possibly good. How far can airsoft guns shoot is a question that gets asked so often, by both newbies and surprisingly veteran players. Hopefully I answered your question

Were you surprised by our answer? How far can your airsoft gun shoot? Let me know in the comments below and as always feel free to checkout our latest article here.

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How Far Can Airsoft Guns Shoot?

This has to be one of the most frequent questions I hear people ask about airsoft guns. Everyone wants to know how far your fancy new airsoft gun will shoot,
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