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Most airsoft guns will run on batteries. While these batteries are fairly affordable, a lot of people will still wonder how long their airsoft batteries will last. The problem is that it isn’t always easy to tell. Some people will look at the mA number on the battery and estimate. A single mA roughly corresponds to one fired round. However, more often than not, the best way to tell how long airsoft batteries last would be to actually use them out there in the field.
On this page, we are going to try and answer some of the most burning questions that people have about airsoft batteries. This way you can be sure that you are ending up with the right airsoft battery for your airsoft guns which, in turn, will help to ensure that they last as possible out there on the field.
How Long Do Airsoft Batteries Last?
The Short Answer is: Typically 1 shot per mAh (milliampere-hour) of the battery. For example, if the battery has a rating of 1500 mAh, then you can expect roughly 1500 shots. However other factors come into play such as the age of the battery and how long you charged the battery for
As I mentioned, there are several things that will play a role in how long airsoft batteries last. However, you can do a quick calculation to get a rough estimate.
Each airsoft battery will have a rating. This rating will be listed as mA. So, for example, you may see an airsoft battery that is a 1,500 mA battery.
The mA stands for milliamp. Now, people have come up with some rather convoluted methods for working out how long the airsoft battery will last. However, many of these methods will involve you using the airsoft battery a few times. This can be quite annoying when you are searching for a brand new battery to use in your guns.
The best method to use is to look at the mA rating. The number will give you a rough idea of how many pellets that you will be able to fire on a single charge. On average, you should be able to get 1 pellet per mA. So, if you have a battery rated at 1,500 mA, then you should expect to fire off 1,500 pellets, give or take a hundred or so.
As you start to use your airsoft gun more,. you will get a feel for how long your batteries will last.
In all cases, we suggest carrying around a couple of spare batteries during an airsoft session. Things may happen which could shorten the lifespan of the battery considerably!
How Many Years Will Airsoft Batteries Last?
This depends on several different factors. As a result, it is going to be almost impossible for us to tell you how long your battery could potentially last. Your battery may last five years, but somebody using it in a slightly different way may see it last only two. These are some of the factors that could influence the lifespan of an airsoft battery:
- The quality of the battery. Cheaper batteries do not last as long.
- The battery technology used
- How often the airsoft battery is charged
- The temperatures the battery is used in
- When the battery is charged (more on that in a couple of sections)
- The charger used for the battery
- How long the battery is charged for
So, as you can see, there are a lot of factors involved here. Our best guess is that most airsoft batteries will last a couple of years. However, the older the battery gets, the less effective it will be.
Why is the Voltage So Important with Airsoft Batteries?
The voltage will impact the fire rate of your gun. The higher the voltage, the greater the speed you will be able to let off rounds. Contrary to popular belief, the voltage of an airsoft battery is not going to have an impact on the speed that the pellet is launched at. This is all on the gun.
When you are buying an airsoft battery, you will want to pay special attention to the voltage. Airsoft guns tend to be rated to a specific voltage, and if you go outside of that limit, the components of the gun will end up suffering a lot more wear and tear. This will lead to more repairs.
What is the Best Battery Type to Purchase For an Airsoft Gun?
There are a few different types of battery technology out there. While most battery technology has been featured in airsoft guns at some point, we tend to recommend only three types of battery tech:
There at NiCAD batteries out there, but we tend to steer clear of them for airsoft. They are too heavy, and they can be quite difficult to charge.
NiMH batteries are a step up from NiCAD. They are lightweight. They are affordable. However, they tend to have a low mA rating. This means that they will last less time out there on the field. These batteries are also slightly prone to the memory effect. This means that if you do not discharge the battery fully before you charge it, the battery will ‘remember’ the point you started charging it from. It will start to think that this point is when it is empty. This means that if you charge a NiMH battery regularly when it is half capacity, in the future, the battery will only last 50% as long as it should do.
Lithium-Ion batteries are a step-up from NiMH batteries. They are even lighter, and they do not have that memory effect. They can put up with temperature fluctuations in the field pretty well too. They even last a long time with a high mA rating. They often come in a larger voltage so that players can enjoy that higher fire rate.
How Long do Airsoft Batteries Take to Charge?
This will be dependent on the battery and the charger that you use. You can do a rough calculation to get an estimate, though.
As we said before, airsoft batteries will be rated with an mA number. Coincidentally (or perhaps not quite so coincidentally), the charger will list an mAH number on it. This will allow you to calculate roughly how long a battery will take to fully charge after being completely dead. Let’s give a simple example. These are not real numbers.
- mA rating of 1,000 on the battery
- mAH rating of 500 on the charger
You can look at this as the charger being able to ‘restore’ 500 mA to the battery every hour. Therefore, this particular battery with this charger will take 2-hours to fully charge. This is the calculation that you need to use:
mA of the battery / mAH of the charger = how long the battery will take to charge in hours
If you can, you should invest in a ‘smart charger’ for your airsoft batteries. They tend to charge a little bit quicker. With smart chargers, you also do not run the risk of overcharging your batteries. This means that the overall lifespan will be a bit longer.
Lithium-Polymer batteries are the best on the market when it comes to lifespan, power, and weight. They can also cope with extreme conditions. They have a couple of downsides, though. For starters, they are a lot more expensive than your typical airsoft battery. They are also very unstable. These batteries can catch alight if used incorrectly (i.e. they are knocked around), which probably won’t bode well for your airsoft gun. Chargers can be expensive too. At the moment, they are difficult to track down as most companies will not ship them.
How Can You Extend the Lifespan of Airsoft Batteries?
There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your airsoft batteries last as long as possible.
In the field, you are pretty limited. Obviously, firing less would ensure that the battery lasts as long as possible. However, we are sure that isn’t something that you want to do.
Increasing the lifespan of the battery will be dictated by what you do away from the field. This means doing the following:
- Ensuring that you store the batteries in a cool, dry place. Do not subject them to high amounts of heat or cold.
- Let the batteries fully discharge before you charge them. This applies to batteries that do not even have that ‘memory effect’.
- Do not overcharge the batteries. There is no quicker way to destroy them. Use a smart charger for this.
- Clean the battery contacts inside of the airsoft gun regularly.
- Remove the battery from the airsoft gun when not in use.
They are three simple tips, but we can assure you that these tips could add a year or two to the lifespan of your battery, perhaps even more if you purchased a decent battery.
How Long Do Airsoft Batteries Last Final Thoughts
When it comes to ‘how long do airsoft batteries last?’, you can expect to get a few hours out of them on the field, if you shooting an average number of rounds. In terms of overall lifespan, a quality battery will last a few years. However, do bear in mind that batteries become less effective the older that they get. This means you probably do not want to push the battery to its absolute limit.
How long do your airsoft batteries typically last? Have you ever gotten onto the field only to realize your batteries are completely dead? If so, tell us your story in the comments below and feel free to checkout some of our airsoft reviews here!