Most people think that BB guns and Airsoft guns are the same. Well, if you are one of these people you should understand that there are several differences between these two. Mostly, the confusion revolves around the topic that Airsoft guns resemble BB guns. But, as said earlier, these are not the same thing. In this post, we shall discuss the top differences between Airsoft guns and BB guns. Let’s delve in!
Ammo
One of the major differences between Airsoft and BB guns is the ammo they fire. BB guns use small lead or metal BBs or pellets, and this makes these guns potentially lethal, depending on the velocity that they fire the BBs. Airsoft guns, on the other hand, fire small plastic projectiles, and this makes them safer and ideal for recreational use.
Use
Mostly, BB guns are used for target practice or training. However, they can be used for pest control or hunting small game—especially for the most powerful BB guns. On the other hand, Airsoft guns are used for Mil-Sim games. Here, players are divided into different teams, placed under tactical simulation, and they are required to accomplish different objectives or eliminate the other team. Moreover, military units and SWAT teams also use Airsoft guns for training purposes.
Practicality
In regards to practicality, Airsoft guns are the most practical. At times, it’s a big challenge to differentiate an actual firearm from an Airsoft gun, particularly when the orange cap is detached. The design of Airsoft guns focuses more on aesthetics in a bit to make them look like actual guns.
Although BB guns also resemble firearms, the main function of BB guns leads more towards their performance, instead of aesthetics. BB guns aren’t some of the guns with the most practical appearance out there. And although BB guns fall short in terms of practicality, they are high-performance guns.
Power/performance
As indicated earlier, BB guns are designed for performance. However, this doesn’t mean we disregard Airsoft guns too because high-performance Airsoft guns have an average shooting power of 500 FPS. This makes the Airsoft guns bought from an air gun online store shoot at the same rate and at times beyond top-performing BB guns.
Both performance and power play a major role because of the type of ammo used in BB guns and Airsoft guns. One thing you should understand is that steel or metal BBs are smaller and denser than the plastic ammo used in Airsoft guns. That means BB gun ammo can penetrate a target more effectively than Airsoft ammo. And, this is one of the major reasons why BB guns are effective for pest control, and lethal for humans.
Accuracy
In terms of accuracy, both high-quality Airsoft guns and BB guns can hit targets accurately from a distance. However, BB guns are a bit more accurate compared to Airsoft guns.
The main reason why BB guns are more accurate than Airsoft guns is their ammo. Lead and steel BBs are less vulnerable to wind and other external elements, which can affect the projection of plastic balls. Thus, BB guns have a longer shooting range than Airsoft guns. However, these guns aren’t suitable for short-range shooting—as Airsoft guns tend to outshine them.
Besides, most Airsoft guns are equipped with a hop-up system, which adds some extra spin on the plastic ball, thus making it possible to shoot straight for a longer distance. This can significantly increase the accuracy of Airsoft guns when it comes to long-distance shooting. However, it requires some time to get a hop-up system tuned correctly. However, when you get the setting just right, you will be good to hit that target from a distance.
Final thoughts
There you go! These are the main differences between BB guns and Airsoft guns. So, next time you go out shopping at a pellet gun store, you will know what kind of gun you need, depending on the specifications we’ve highlighted.