Best Airsoft Guns by Category – Hundreds of Guns Tested with Decades of Experience
This is the definitive Guide to the Best Airsoft gun.
One of the most common questions you may have is: What is the best airsoft gun?
The answer to that is nuanced and complicated. It depends on so many factors – as “best” can be subjective.
Well, screw that – we just provide you with all the categories that you can find best airsoft guns in.
- Pistols
- Shotguns
- Rifles
- Sniper Rifles
- Gas Blow Blow
Let our decades of airsoft games, MILSIM events, and casual testing help you make the most informed decision you can. Read ahead for the best airsoft guns by category.
Before you read – see our other “best” lists by type
We have numerous lists to check out. Some of the entries on our “best airsoft gun” list will pull from the below lists, so look inside for more details.
- Best Airsoft 1911
- Best Airsoft Gun for Beginners
- Best Airsoft M4
- Best Airsoft Pistol
- Best Airsoft Revolver
- Best Airsoft Shotgun
- Best Airsoft Sniper Rifle
Factors to consider for what makes the best airsoft gun
Here are the factors we considered when compiling our list of the best airsoft pistols for beginners:
Shooting Performance
The best airsoft gun should have:
- Consistent Muzzle Velocity – the standards we want to hit are +/- 20 FPS variance in 3 rounds bursts.
- Decent accuracy at combat distances – we should see hits on a man-sized target at 25 yards easily.
- Adjustable hop up & high quality bucking – this is key to a consistent flight path on the BB.
Reliability
When you pull the trigger, a good airsoft gun should fire without fail.
- Full metal construction – while not a requirement – a full metal gun has a tendency to be more resistant to drop damage than a plastic one.
- It will work under tough circumstances – can this airsoft pistol function under high/low temperatures? How about a bit of sand or dirt, does that affect the function?
- Precision internal construction – precisely built internal parts help ensure that the airsoft pistol will cycle properly.
Internal Build Quality
The internals of a gun should be made of great materials and assembled in a precise way.
- High-quality bucking – the bucking is the main object touching your BB before you fire your gun, it is important that it is of the highest quality.
- Solid hop up – the hop-up unit should be adjustable and the adjustment shouldn’t move by itself while firing the gun.
- Rubber seals are good – good gas efficiency is reliant on solid seals.
- Smooth inner barrel – the inner barrel should be smooth and the crowning should be flawless.
- Well-designed air nozzle – the air nozzle should seal very well in the hop up unit.
- Smooth trigger parts – sloppy trigger breaks will ruin any chance at combat accuracy.
- Good gas efficiency – if we feature a gas gun, then we should be able to get, at least, a full magazine’s worth of BB’s from a single fill. Ideally, we should be getting multiple magazines worth of BB’s.
- Large gas reservoir – related to the above, if a magazine has a large gas reservoir it’ll ensure you get plenty of shots before needing a refill.
External Build Quality
The externals should be well constructions and gets extra points for:
- Cocking serrations – cuts made into the slide to increase friction on your fingers. This means you can rack the pistol more easily (although with airsoft, it’s quite easy to rack your slide).
- Comfortable grip – the pistol grip itself should feel good in your hands. We expect excellent ergonomics, but luckily since these guns are replicas of the real deal, they’re going to be pretty good here.
- Tactical rail – you’ll be able to attach accessories like lasers, flashlights, and more.
- Iron sights – the front and rear sights should be easy to acquire and be rock solid during use.
Value
What you buy should be worth the money being spent.
- Performance to cost ratio – the high overall performance of the airsoft pistol, the better.
- Features to cost ratio – we’re looking for more features for every dollar spent..
- Customer Service of the Manufacturer – The manufacturer’s warranty and customer service reputation should be good to ensure that IF you receive a lemon, it’ll be covered.
Keep these 2 tips in mind when purchasing
- What is the reputation of the manufacturer? Much like anything, you get what you pay for. I’d say that with airsoft is especially true, as the difference between even $20 can be stark. Good airsoft manufacturers will have more rigorous quality assurance processes to ensure that you’ve got a good product that will run when you need it to run.
- Does it come with a warranty – Review the warranty policy to determine if it is provided by the manufacturer itself, or the store. One nice thing about airsoft specialty stores is that they typically provide some kind of warranty on top of what is currently available.
With that said – let’s start:
KWA M9 PTP (Best Airsoft Pistol)
Rugged construction & great attributes all around make this the winner of the “best airsoft pistol” list. That is enough to land this full metal gas blow back handgun on this particular list.
So we aren’t repeating ourselves too much read our full review here. In summary, M9 PTP is known for its reliable performance and accurate shooting, making it a popular choice among airsoft enthusiasts. The pistol is also well-constructed, with a sturdy polymer frame and metal slide that provides a realistic weight and feel.
It is a well-rounded airsoft gun that offers a high level of performance and versatility, making it a great choice for anyone looking to participate in airsoft games or tactical training scenarios.
KWA M9 PTP (With Rails)
Tokyo Marui 1911 MEU (Best Airsoft 1911)
We wrote an in-depth review that you can read here. If you’re an airsoft player looking for an awesome, well-respected airsoft 1911 that has great performance out of the box but also the capacity for major tinkering, look no further.
Considered one of the most venerable airsoft manufacturers available, Tokyo Marui was the pioneer of airsoft AEGs and gas pistols. You can see that in the performance levels of this airsoft gun.
Umarex H&K 416 A5 (Best Airsoft M4)
The winner of our best airsoft m4 article, the Umarex H&K 416 A5 is excellent in nearly every way. OEMed by Vega Force Company, one of the premiere choices in airsoft brands, is used regularly by one of our writers Riccardo “Black” Mariconda.
In terms of performance, the VFC 416 is a top-performing airsoft rifle, with smooth and reliable operation and high accuracy. The gun is also highly customizable, with a range of aftermarket parts available to enhance its capabilities, including high-capacity magazines, upgrade springs, and custom accessories such as flashlights and lasers.
With its attention to detail, excellent performance, and customizable design, this airsoft rifle is sure to impress even the most discerning airsoft enthusiast.
Jag Arms / Golden Eagle Gas Shotgun (Best Airsoft Shotgun)
If you want the best airsoft shotgun – then look no further. While Tokyo Marui M870 gas shotgun is a solid choice in its own right – it is way too expensive.
The Golden Eagle green gas shotgun takes the TM design and makes it affordable.
- Realism? Yes.
- Ease of use? Yes.
- High performance? Yes.
- High quality build? Yes.
The best part of any gas shotgun is that the handle is easy to rack. No dealing with the pressures of a spring shotgun, the gas shotguns FEEL like the real deal.
KWC Smith & Wesson M&P R8 (Best Airsoft Revolver)
This Umarex Licensed Smith & Wesson airsoft revolver is a high-quality airsoft replica of the popular Smith & Wesson M&P R8 revolver.
A standout feature is the realistic “bullet shell” carrier for each BB. So you have to reload the revolver in the same fashion as a real one. The gun is also well-constructed, with a durable metal and polymer construction that provides a solid and comfortable grip.
With its accurate representation of the original firearm, fun reloading mechanics, and decent out of the box performance, this airsoft revolver is a great choice for airsoft enthusiasts of all levels.
Elite Force 1911 Co2 Tac (Best Airsoft Co2 1911)
Elite Force 1911 is known for its accurate representation of the original firearm, with a realistic design that captures the look and feel of the classic 1911 pistol.
The main standout feature is that it is simply, the best Co2 1911 on the market. OEMed by KWC, the Elite Force 1911 has the hardest blowback of all the pistols we’ve fired. Read our full review here.
In summary, of all the airsoft Co2 pistols available – this is the one that sets the bar for how good they should be. This pistol is comparable to the green gas GBB pistol counterparts in many ways – and it delivers on the hype that the blowback is strong. It’s definitely really fun to shoot.
LCT LCK74MN Airsoft Gun (Best Airsoft AK)
LCT is known for making beautiful airsoft AK’s with top tier internals. Hyper-realistic steel reiveted receivers gets about as close to real AK as it does.
The Version 3 gearbox has 9mm bearings and is the most well-constructed factory internals we’ve seen. We opted to include the full stock variant because it gives you the most battery space for a fat LiPo.
Completely TM compatible ensures that if you wanted to bring the performance even higher, you can. We’ve taken this to MILSIM West and have had zero issues.
CYMA AKS-74U w/ Real Wood Furniture (Best Budget Airsoft AK)
It’s hard not to make a list of the “best airsoft guns” without including at least one CYMA AK. In this case, we chose the AKS74U line. It’s hard not to have loads of fun with this gun.
With a beefy receiver & fair decent performing internals, the CYMA line of AK is legendary. There’s a reason we considered them one of the best beginner airsoft brands.
Personally, we dropped an 11.1v LiPo in, folded the stock, and just went hog wild with this AK. We don’t recommend doing it too (unless you enjoy voiding your warranty), but it is some of the most fun we’ve had playing airsoft.
Tokyo Marui Colt Licensed M4A1 MWS (Best Gas Blow Back Rifle)
Wow. For well over 10 years we were using KWA LM4’s as our gas blow back rifle of choice.
Then Tokyo Marui came along and innovated further.
The ZET/MWS system is as modern as it gets with gas blow back rifles. There are numerous small features in the bolt that ensures maximum gas efficiency and sealing between the air nozzle & the hop-up unit, which is a common reason why you get inconsistent FPS on other GBBR’s.
The main thing to know is that the externals are well put together, but the internals is innovative and bring gas blow back M4’s to a whole new level.
JG Bar 10 / VSR 10 (Best Airsoft Sniper Rifle)
The JG Bar 10 is the less expensive version of the classic TM VSR 10. Evike’s custom shop has pre-upgraded this airsoft sniper rifle with multiple upgrades including:
- Polished aluminium cylinder
- Metal Bolt
- Upgraded cylinder head
- Upgraded nozzle
- Metal Trigger Box
- High Powered Spring
All these upgrades help bring the JG Bar 10 to great level of performance. Just take care to know that the bolt will be tough to pull – so work on those back rows! Fun fact: this is the ONLY spring airsoft gun on this list.
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