Choosing your Weapon

Airsoft has officially replaced paintball as the “it” game these days. For those who are hearing the term for the first time, airsoft is a type of war game that is played in a wooded area similar to a paintball course, however instead of shooting paint, an airsoft gun projects small plastic or rubber pellets that create a mild but distinguishable physical impact. The gun you use to play the game is a major part of your experience, and selecting the perfect model for you is key to enjoying your time on the airsoft field. Read on to learn what you should consider when shopping for your ultimate game weapon!

The first thing to think about is where you are planning to use your airsoft guns or airsoft pistols. Aside from regulation game play, your airsoft gun could be used primarily for game training or shooting practice. The distinguishing factor between most types of guns is the reload time, and therefore determining where you are planning to use the gun the most will help you select the ideal gun for you.

Some guns, such as low-powered sniper rifles or shotguns, have a slower reload time than the assault rifles or support weapons, making them better suited for practice environments than games. Also, it should be noted that these slower reload guns are great choices for individuals new to the game as it allows them to learn on a weapon that doesn’t have an extreme kickback or overwhelming automatic shot power.

Once you have identified your gun’s purpose, you need to consider what type of loading energy works best for you. The choices have typically included gas, spring load, or electric, however now some companies are coming out with hybrid models that incorporate various aspects of these three systems. Gas shots are the classic form of propulsion for airsoft guns, and also one of the most powerful shot sources. They work by using compressed carbon dioxide from a tank attached to the weapon and can shoot continuously until the tank is expended, making them great for game play. The pressure of the gas can also be regulated to increase the speed of fire depending on the pace of play. A spring load airsoft gun is a single-shot weapon, which means you can only fire one shot at a time before you need to manually reload the gun by cocking the spring, making this type of gun better for practice or sniper work in a game scenario.

Electric guns use either an electric motor or battery to power the propulsion of pellets and come in three distinct varieties: low power, medium power, and automatic power. Automatic power provides the fastest shot rate and is considered to be an ideal game weapon. However, low-power weapons have such a minimal output and slow reload time that there are spring load guns that outpace them. Therefore, a low-powered electric airsoft gun is a better training and target practice weapon.

The distinction of loading style is just one of the most basic things to consider when looking for a new airsoft gun, and it is also one of the most important. While other features like scopes, handling, design and brand names all come into play eventually, they don’t mean anything if you are working with the wrong gun type for your needs. Airsoft is a challenging, exciting, and fun game that requires skill, and just like any skill the tool used to work is vital to your success. Don’t underestimate the power of the right airsoft gun!

Airsoft Skirmish

A successful and entertaining airsoft skirmish requires pre-planning. The first step in pre-planning an airsoft skirmish involves determining what type of airsoft skirmish you want to engage in. Let’s focus on two popular types of airsoft skirmishes, Head-to-Head and Objective oriented games. Head-to-head involves two or more teams trying to eliminate one another. Objective style is a "capture the flag" airsoft engagement requiring your team to follow through with a mission.

Head-to-Head In head-to-head airsoft skirmishes you usually have 2 teams of opposing forces. Each team will attempt to eliminate the other in various airsoft skirmish scenarios. Some examples of head-to-head are:

1. Patrol based - One team has to move through an area looking for the opposing team. This is a search and destroy mission which involves ambush, tracking and unit movement skills. The area can be designated as enemy territory with booby traps and ambush sites opposing forces will encounter along the way. Patrol based usually requires a large area of wooded land to be effective. Airsoft MOUT (Military Operation in Urban Terrain) sites have also become popular for patrol based airsoft skirmishes. The difference here is the patrol and fighting occurs in mock towns and villages.
2. Front Line Airsoft Skirmishes - This is true head-to-head airsoft combat. Usually two teams control equal parts of the playing field. The goal of this airsoft skirmish is a full frontal assault where both teams try to eliminate the other.

Objective Style

In Objective style airsoft skirmishes you usually have an objective to complete, while the other team tries to prevent your mission accomplishment. These are very goal oriented airsoft skirmishes, and during airsoft competitions are usually timed or scored events. Some examples of Objective style are:

1. Hostage rescue - usually an indoor Close Quarters Battle (CQB) style airsoft skirmish. This involves one team trying to find and safely rescue a hostage, while the opposing teams tries to keep their hostage or even eliminate the hostage if the airsoft skirmish doesn’t go their way.
2. Capture the flag - a classic objective style airsoft skirmish. One team defends their base, while the other team tries to capture it. This is probably the most popular style of airsoft skirmish today.
3. Downed pilot or Treasure hunt - a pilot or valuable object is placed at a random spot on the airsoft skirmish field. Opposing teams try to find and secure the target. This a fun variation of capture the flag, as both teams are on the hunt and random airsoft skirmishes are bound to pop up as they encounter each other on the hunt.

The Art Of Being An Airsoft Sniper

by: PJ Ace

Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tierney P. Nowland

As the sport of Airsoft continues its surge in worldwide popularity, the number of Airsoft teams and clubs continue to climb as well. These dedicated groups gather as weekend warriors at outdoor venues to participate in sophisticated war games. Dressed in military like fatigues, and armed with replica Airsoft guns, these teams engage in simulated military battles commonly referred to as the Mil-Sim (military simulation).

Of all the role players one can choose to be in these weekend battles, perhaps the most popular of all is the “Sniper”. The Airsoft Sniper is often referred to as the Lone Wolf or Rouge of Airsoft. This is the gamer that wants to place himself in the perfect hidden location in order to eliminate the opposing players in a deadly ambush. Although a popular identity among Airsoft warriors, few players have mastered the skill of becoming a feared and effective “Super Sniper”.

The first step in becoming a successful Super Sniper begins with having the right equipment! This begins by choosing the Sniper’s most important accessory-the sniper rifle like 4X32mm Range Estimating A.O. Full Size Master Sniper Scope. The goal of the Sniper is to be able to shoot the enemy from long distances, therefore his rifle does not need to be fully automatic or even semi-automatic. A well built spring–action rifle is usually the choice. The spring sniper rifle must be one of the more powerful models in order to shoot from long distances with great accuracy. It is also important to keep in mind that the most powerful weapon the Sniper has is his stealth or the ability to stay hidden. The spring action sniper rifles are much quieter than the electric automatic rifles.

One of the most recommended!!! spring sniper rifles is the WELL L96 AWP Spring Airsoft Sniper Rifle, which is widely recognized as one of the premier manufacturers of spring guns.

Perhaps the next most important piece of equipment for the secretive Super Sniper is his riflescope. The ability to see long distances with accuracy is critical to his success. Often the original equipment scope does not fulfill this requirement and an upgrade is needed. A minimum 4x32 power scope is the desired measure.

The successful Sniper has also mastered the art of military camouflage. Without proper clothing the Sniper is doomed to failure. It is essential for him to be undetected by the opposing teams. Investing in a “ghillie” or camouflage suit Ghillie Rifle Wrap is critical to maximum concealment from enemy patrols and other snipers. This suit is made from a central binding layer and loose strips of material designed to break up the shape of the human body. Super Snipers typically customize their suits by adding plant-matter or rolling in the dirt or mud in order to deaden color contrasts. With the potential for wearing this suit a long time during battles, comfort is a premium.

One of the great mistakes of the amateur sniper is running out of ammunition. As simple as this may seem, this is a common mishap due to the underestimated length of many Airsoft skirmishes. Many a sniper meets his demise as he emerges prematurely from his secret hideout at the most inopportune time in order to retrieve more pellets. You will always find the wise Super Sniper well stocked with plenty of ammo!

Understanding the role and choosing the right equipment will help the Airsoft warrior to be well on his way to becoming a Super Sniper.

Two-Man Team CQB Tactics (Part #1)

Tactics: Two-Man Team CQB Tactics (Part #1):

Photo Credit: DoD photo by Staff Sgt.

Alright…here’s what most of you have been waiting for: CQB/room clearing tactics with diagrams. The first thing I’m going to say is that these are strictly my versions of tactics for room clearing. Everyone will have a little bit different way of doing them. Some claim their way is the best, and that’s great, but I’m a firm believer in “whatever gets the job done, efficiently and you still have all of your guys/team-mates in the end, is a good plan.” So I don’t want to receive any hate mail saying that this and that are wrong. I’m not trained in the military or any law enforcement fields so my ways are probably not be the best ways, but they have worked, and worked successfully, for me in the past. So with that said, let’s get to the article.

For Part #1, I will be discussing two-man units. These are probably the most easiest to complete, yet the hardest in some aspects because your team has only two people which means each individual has to cover more then they would if there were more people; and you all know that in CQB, it’s a lot easier to get shot then it is in outdoor areas...usually Over the next few articles, I will discuss three, four, and maybe multiple fire-team tactics for CQB.

Let’s do a little review. If you remember what I said in our second issue of U.S.A.S.O.C. - The Only Free Online Airsoft Magazine(http://www.officialusasocmagazine.com/), you will remember there is a method for completing close quarters combat missions. It was the “AFS” method (Aggressive, Fast, while using Stealth). Remember to also have a general plan laid out before going in: individuals assigned to certain positions such as the point-man, the scout, the riflemen, the team leader, the rear guard, etc. The more you can do beforehand, the better the mission will usually go.

Basic Four-Corner Room with One Entrance:

We’re going to start with the basic room. It has four walls and only one entrance. This could be a bedroom, bathroom, etc in a real world situation.


This is your standard four-wall room. It has one primary entrance. For this instance, we’ll say there are either no windows, or for some reason, the entry team can’t go through them. The photo above is step #1. You want to stack up on either side of the entrance, preferably, the side with the most cover. I don’t think I need to explain why. For this case as well, we are assuming there are no rear threats.


In photo #2, these are the first actions taken by the fire-team. The black unit immediately scans the entire room upon entering. His main fire sector should be where the blue area is: between the right top corner and the right bottom corner. Now the fire-team needs to act like one person meaning that both individuals should be entering the room within milliseconds of each other. As you can see, the red unit’s fire sector should be from the left top corner to the center of the room. This is an easy way to clear a whole room very quickly and accurately if done right.


Photo #3 shows the following movements of the fire-team. The black unit should advance to the right bottom corner covering the right top and bottom corner of the room. Red unit should move to the left top corner while covering the center/right top corner.



In photo #4 (above), this is the only stopping place that the fire-team should’ve stopped at. Everything up to this point should have taken no longer the five to fifteen seconds, depending on the size of the room, what’s in the room, etc. That’s why CQB is very dangerous, and you really need to know what’s going on at all times. As you can see, black unit has stopped in the right bottom corner while covering the right top sector, while red unit has stopped in the left top corner while covering the right top sector as well.



And in photo #5, both units turn their attention to the entrance way again.

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at one way to enter/clear a room with a two-man team. Each week, I will be providing new articles on CQB tactics among other things. To see all of U.S.A.S.O.C. tactical articles, and more, go to http://www.officialusasocmagazine.com/ and download any of our issues for free. We usually have 100+ pages in them so enjoy!

All of this content (Wording and Photos) are copyrighted by U.S.A.S.O.C. You may copy and use them as long as you give credit to U.S.A.S.O.C.

If you have anything on tactics or things relating to tactics and want to see them in U.S.A.S.O.C., email them to: usasoc_themagazine@hotmail.com or visit: www.officialusasocmagazine.com.

Protect Your Eyes and Your Pimple

Your Beautiful Eyes

Always use Google!!! not search engine I mean... ^_^ Many people are concerned that the realism of airsoft guns makes them dangerous. Parents need to be aware that giving an airsoft gun to irresponsible children can put their child in danger. In certain countries where real firearms are illegal the police and others may understand that children are playing with fake guns. In the United States, however, airsoft guns are regularly mistaken for real guns. Just as you would not brandish a real firearm in public, the same is true with airsoft guns. Airsoft guns are not cap guns or squirt guns. Be aware that if your child brings an airsoft gun to school or any other public place they may be arrested or, at worst, shot by a police officer.

Don't Shoot my Pimple!!!

If you are a parent and are reading this, thank you for taking responsibility and being pro-active in learning about airsoft guns. To learn more about airsoft gun safety please read on.Not only do airsoft guns appear to be real, they also shoot plastic pellets. Many of the more expensive models such as AEGs are fully automatic. The speed at which airsoft bb's come out of airsoft guns is much slower than the speed that bb's are shot out of a traditional bb gun. Generally speaking, this speed allows people to shoot at each other with airsoft guns safely, under certain conditions. The first condition is eyewear. Never, ever, shoot at someone who is not wearing proper eye protection. Proper eye protection means eye goggles rated at least ANSI Z87.1 or paintball goggles. Proper eye protection is not military sun/dust/wind goggles, ski goggles, or shop goggles. Do not risk your own eyes or take on liability for your friend's eyes. Always wear proper eye protection when shooting airsoft guns! I recommend use Protection Mask - Clear Lens this stuff can protect your eyes also your lovely pimple.