Airsoft FAQ: Choosing your first AEG
Adjustable HOP-up
While many more experienced skirmishers like to challenge themselves by using unconventional platforms, you should always look for an adjustable HOP-up unit in your first AEG as this is what will give you the range to reach out and touch the enemy team at longer distances.
Adjustable HOP-up allows you to apply backspin to your BBs to extend your range and tune your AEG for different ammo weights.
Most Airsoft AEGs have an adjustable HOP-up, but if you are ever unsure you can find out the HOP-up type using the "Specification" section of each product description. If you need to know more about HOP-up and what it does you can check out our HOP-up guide here.
Short overall length
If you are choosing your first Airsoft AEG and you aren't sure whether you prefer to play indoor CQB skirmishes or outdoor skirmishes your best bet is to look for something with a relatively short overall length so you can hold your own in both circumstances.
The myth persists that short-barreled platforms will be significantly lacking in range in the outdoors, but the truth is the barrel length only makes a very slight difference.
The more important aspects when it comes to range are the velocity/FPS at which the gun shoots and how well the HOP-up unit is set. This means you can sacrifice a bit of barrel length without losing too much range and compete outdoors with a more compact platform.
While long barrelled rifles with fixed stocks like the M16 and G3 look really rather cool, they are far too long for most to use easily in CQB. Obviously, there are techniques one can use to make use of longer platforms in tight confines, a prime example of which is the "short stocking" technique which was used by the US Marine Corps back when they were issued the lengthy M16A4 as their standard rifle.
Many skirmishers still choose to use this type of platform up close but as a first Airsoft gun, a longer platform will in all likelihood just make your early Airsofting career that much more challenging, and have you considering buying a short-barrelled platform to complement the long boi.
When choosing your first AEG we recommend going with a platform with an outer barrel length of between 10.5 inches and 14.5 inches in length, preferably coupled with a folding or collapsable stock. The AK shown above is a 16.5-inch barrelled variant but has a side folding stock which gives it the flexibility to be used indoors without being too large to manoeuvre around the tight confines of a CQB site.
Reputable brands
One of the most important aspects of choosing your first Airsoft AEG is whether it will give you a long and trouble free life. We recommend checking out various Airsoft forums, youtube and of course our blog right here for reviews and opinions on the platforms you are considering before taking the plunge.
We try to ensure everything we have available on the website is skirmish capable and reliable but of course, certain brands have better quality control than others and many cheaper platforms will cut corners when it comes to parts durability. This has improved considerably in recent years but you will still need to do plenty of research to ensure you choose the right Airsoft AEG for your budget and requirements.
Our current top beginner brands are G&G Armament's CM16 Combat Machine range, the NUPROL Pioneer range, Specna Arms CORE and FLEX AEGs, and Evolution Airsoft's Carbontech EMR range as these AEGs are very well made internally and externally, and usually come with a combination of features which lend themselves well to beginners who want to get out and skirmish without worrying about installing upgrades or making use of complex advanced features.
Decent sized battery compartment
A decently sized battery compartment is absolutely essential for a beginner Airsoft platform as there is nothing that puts a damper on a day of Airsoft skirmishing more than a dead battery when there is more shooting to be done.
One of the biggest culprits for having tiny battery compartments is the PDW style stock, which quite frankly looks awesome but comes with the balancing factor that you can only make use of the smallest batteries available due to the limitations on space, and that you will in all likelihood need at least two batteries to get through a full game day.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, AEGs with fixed stocks usually have absolutely gargantuan battery compartments, providing an immense amount of space that can house practically any battery recommended for Airsoft.
Unfortunately, the full stock comes with its own set of challenges. Many shooters, particularly those who are small of stature or those who like to run a bulky plate carrier or body armour will find that the stock is a bit too long for their arms, and the lack of adjustability means you just have to make do.
Enter the 6-position AR buffer tube and the "Crane" stock, our recommended stock setup for a new skirmisher. The Crane stock setup allows you to make use of nunchuck batteries which are wired into either two or three cell groups which can be installed inside the cheek rest of the crane stock.
This gives you a battery compartment which is perfectly sized for batteries which will in most cases last a full skirmish day coupled with stock adjustability to suit practically any body type or loadout.
When it comes to the M4/AR-15 platform, a Crane stock equipped setup is the perfect choice for someone just starting Airsoft, allowing you to combine a decently sized battery with stock adjustability and the option to swap the stock out for an alternative later in your Airsoft career once you have got your eye in.
Other platforms tend to have plenty of space inside for a respectably sized battery that should last all day, so if you aren't a fan of the M4/AR-15 look you have other options in the form of the AR36 platform, SMG-5 platform and AK platform, to mention but a few.
Accessory Options
The first time you attend an Airsoft skirmish you are definitely better off keeping things simple and getting to know your primary weapon before decking it out like special forces, but once the dust settles there is a good chance you will have seen some cool setups on the site and are feeling inspired. With this in mind, we recommend going for a platform with plenty of accessory options; even if you choose to keep it slick and minimalist it is always better to have the option to dress the gun up should the mood take you.
Enter the 20mm Picatinny rail, the primary attachment interface used in both real firearms shooting and Airsoft skirmishing. The 20mm rail has absolutely become prolific in recent years and the vast majority of Airsoft AEGs will have 20mm rails pre-installed, but certain platforms such as more traditionally equipped M4 variants, SMG-5 and AK47 AEGs may lack rails out of the box to keep things period accurate and in line with the real firearm.
Platforms like the AR36, SCAR and more modern M4/AR-15 AEGs will in all likelihood be equipped with rails as they arrive, but we always recommend checking out the full product description so you know exactly what you are getting.
20mm Picatinny rails allow you to mount accessories such as red dot sights, scopes, vertical and angled foregrips, tactical flashlights and aiming lasers, and while none of these doodads are essential to get stuck in skirmishing, Airsofting is often as much about looking the part as it is the physical act of skirmishing, and we certainly wouldn't want our new players left out of the Airsoft fashion parade!
Other attachment interfaces used on Airsoft guns include M-LOK and KeyMod, both of which use ports in the handguard to attach accessories or 20mm rails, using what is known as "negative space attachment". This has the benefit of reducing the overall weight of the handguard and making the front end of the gun easier to point quickly but often requires a higher level of base knowledge and greater expense to get set up with a full complement of accessories.
We usually recommend 20mm Picatinny equipped platforms over M-LOK and KeyMod for new skirmishers as it avoids confusion and allows the most common accessories to be directly mounted without buying any adapters or worrying about compatibility.
Two Tone Airsoft Guns
If you plan to buy your first Airsoft gun before you have a UKARA membership, Skirmish site membership or another form of specific defence against prosecution under the VCRA (Violent Crime Reduction Act), the law requires that you purchase your gun in unrealistic colours.
All Airsoft guns on Patrol Base are available in two-tone colour options and you can select your preferred colour using the drop-down menu on each product page. Colour options include Green, Blue, Red and Pink, and when applied, the two-tone paint finish will cover at least 51% of the externals of the platform, as the law dictates.
Some Airsoft guns are also available in what is known as a "Pre Two-Tone" finish which means the gun is made in unrealistic colours straight from the factory. Pre two-tones have the advantage that the coloured finish is usually in the form of dyed injection moulded polymer, meaning it will retain its finish far better than any paint job could under the rigours of heavy use in an Airsoft skirmish.
It is entirely up to you whether you buy a two-tone Airsoft gun as your first before you start skirmishing or you attend a few skirmishes using a rental gun before getting your UKARA membership and go straight to a realistically coloured gun as your first.
Many choose to rent initially so they can get a taste for the sport and decide whether they want to invest in a gun of their own, but those who have already made their mind up often decide to get stuck straight in with their own two-tone replica. If you want to do some reading up on UKARA, VCRA and Airsoft legality in general you can find more information here.
Fingers crossed you are still reading and you now know a bit more about what you should look for in your first Airsoft AEG! If you are still having trouble or you simply CBA, we have put together our Top 5 Beginner Airsoft AEGs for you to check out right here. If you are now armed with the intel you need and are ready to browse you can hit the button below to check out our Airsoft AEG selection!