Airsoft Pistols

If your goal is to find realistic replicas of pistols you are at the right place. An airsoft pistol is a seemingly realistic duplicate of a real pistol. They can be made of plastic, die-cast metal, aluminum, or steel. Many look identical to real pistols and are sought after by recreational shooters, collectors, and law enforcement training personnel.

Some of the best airsoft pistols include Hi Capa airsoft pistols, Airsoft Glock pistols, 1911 Airsoft pistols, Airsoft Desert Eagle, Airsoft P226, and Lancer Tactical Stryk Hi-Capa 5.1 Airsoft Pistol. A particular type of pistol called the gas blowback pistol works very similarly to a real pistol. Alternatively, the fully auto-selectable airsoft pistols, like the Airsoft Glock 18C or M93R are more fun in the field. In addition to the selection of pistols, an assortment of air guns designed specifically to shoot metal BBs for target practice are available as well and if you’re shopping on a budget you’ll also find solid airsoft pistols under $100

What is an airsoft pistol?

Airsoft pistols, also known as airsoft handguns, are realistic replicas designed to fire plastic BBs. Much like paintball markers, they are designed to be used by people for shooting at each other in a competitive gaming environment. Hence, their power levels are drastically lower compared with air guns or BB guns. 

In most cases, these sidearms serve as secondary or backup weapons, while airsoft rifles or SMGs are carried as the primary option. Players typically keep handguns secured in holsters when heading into the field. Many replica pistols feature threaded barrels, allowing you to attach a suppressor for quieter shots or a tracer unit to improve accuracy in low-light conditions and track where your BBs land.

Types of Airsoft Pistols – Quick Comparison

Type	Key Features	Best For
Spring Airsoft Pistols	Manual cocking; simple and affordable	Beginners, casual backyard use
Electric Airsoft Pistols (AEPs)	Battery powered; semi/full-auto; reliable in cold weather	Consistent performance, cold-weather play
Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistols (GBBs)	Realistic slide action and recoil	Mil-sim, training, immersive gameplay
Non-Blowback Airsoft Pistols	Fixed slide; gas efficient and quiet	Stealth play, extended shot count
CO₂ Airsoft Pistols	12g CO₂ cartridges; snappier recoil; cold-weather performance	Cold-weather airsoft, stronger recoil feel

Airsoft guns categories

Airsoft guns come in many categories. The information and their working is explained below:

Spring pistol

A good beginner-level pistol would be a spring-powered one. The actual mechanism consists of a large spring inside the pistol, which when compressed pulls back on the slide to cock the gun. Holding the grip of the pistol, you then pull back the slide. The spring stays compressed until the trigger is pulled, then it pushes a piston into the cylinder. This makes a small packet of compressed air, which gets pushed through a nozzle and onto a BB. One of the main advantages of spring pistols is that they are rather simple, with very few moving parts. This makes them more reliable and affordable than the other types of airsoft pistols. The downside is that you have to cock the gun for every shot that you take. This means it's hard to keep up with semi-auto or full-auto pistols.

While most spring airsoft pistols are very inexpensive, some high-end competition spring pistols can cost several hundred dollars. Being spring-powered gives them greater accuracy, which is only possible with very precise fitting and fewer moving parts.

Electric airsoft pistol

Electrically powered airsoft pistols will be either Electric Blowback Pistols or Automatic Electric Pistols. EBBs largely duplicate the spring pistol in motorized format. Instead of cocking it manually each time, a motor powered by AA batteries winds up a series of gears to compress the spring so that you can fire out the BB. All you have to do is keep your finger on the trigger.

The EBB pistols, however, are relatively weak. As could be expected with the small motor and AA batteries. The torque created is limited, meaning the main spring is equally weak and cannot offer much power. They're good for younger players or those who want to get the functionality of a semi-auto pistol but don't exactly want high power or range.

AEP pistols boast higher power compared to their EBB pistol counterparts. They feature far stronger internal components, like a much stiffer main spring. Powered by a rechargeable battery, they use higher torque motors. AEPs have a miniaturized version of the gearboxes found in bigger Airsoft Electric Rifles. But because of the limited space inside pistols, the gearbox of an AEP is generally far weaker than AEGs.

Since AEPs do not work as realistically as gas pistols and, generally, cannot compare in the power potential, it makes them a lot less popular. Fewer available options from airsoft brands are also an indication of their low popularity. AEPs do have one advantage over the former, and that is the fact that they offer more consistency in power even when used in the coldest of weather conditions. They also have much lower running costs than gas pistols.

Gas Airsoft pistols

Certainly, the most popular kind of gas airsoft pistol would have to be the gas pistol. They work with the charging of pressurized airsoft gas into a gas reservoir within the pistol and from there on to propel the BB. There exist several kinds of gases that bear different pressures. Every pistol can work reliably only with a certain kind of gas. Mismatched gases in a pistol render it useless. The descriptions of our products have the kind of gas each pistol works with: HFC134, green gas, red gas, or black gas. Note that it's only some pistols from a few brands that can handle the higher pressures of red and black gas. Using red gas in a pistol rated to work only with green gas could irreparably damage your gun, so be careful.

Categories within Gas Airsoft Pistols

• Non-Blowback Pistols (NBB):

  The slides do not cycle, and they feature a double-action trigger where the hammer cocks back and strikes the gas valve in one motion. Since all the gas is used solely for firing BBs, NBBs are powerful, gas-efficient, and quiet. A single charge can deliver 60–100+ shots, making them excellent for stealth gameplay.

• Partial Blowback Pistols (PBB):

  Only a small portion of the slide cycles back with each shot, creating light recoil and automatically cocking the hammer. With fewer parts than GBB pistols, they are cheaper, faster cycling, more gas-efficient, and capable of higher rates of fire.

• Gas Blowback Pistols (GBB):

  The most popular type, known for realistic operation and wide variety. GBB pistols cycle with a slide like real handguns, producing recoil and loud report. The slide movement cocks the hammer for the next shot, and some models even support full-auto fire. Slides lock back when the magazine is empty, just like a real pistol.

CO2 Airsoft Pistols:

Highly popular because CO2 cartridges are easy to find in most countries. Instead of a gas reservoir, these pistols use a 12g CO2 cartridge inside the magazine. Each cartridge typically lasts 30–100 rounds. They deliver stronger recoil, work better in cold weather than green gas, and are available in both fixed-slide and blowback versions.

What should be the approximate cost of a good airsoft gun?

You can take a look specifically in the PBB or GBB category. While spring pistols are the cheapest and can cost less than $30, spending a little more can get you a decent entry-level gas pistol with good performance from KWC, WE, or KJ for less than $100. If your budget is up to $150, your choices expand to include the full line of Umarex Glock replicas, Sig Sauer models, and many styles of 1911 sidearms. In that respect, the RWA Agency Arms EXA offers fantastic value for money as a customized Glock-style pistol. These sidearms deliver solid and reliable performance and typically support a wide range of aftermarket upgrades. If you’re able to spend more, the range of options widens considerably. For ultimate realism, consider some of the steel builds that can cost upwards of $800, including the RWA Nighthawk Custom series.

Which is the best airsoft pistol?

Which is the best airsoft pistol is really going to depend on your price range and features that feel important to you. But you can have a look at the Best Airsoft Pistols collection on our website.

How to clean an airsoft pistol?

Keeping your pistol clean is very important for it to work well and be durable. The moving parts and o-rings need lubrication with silicone spray, but that in itself can attract dust and grime.

How to upgrade an airsoft pistol?

Many popular airsoft pistols boast a huge following with many aftermarket upgrade parts available to make them more accurate, more powerful, or simply better looking.