When taking your first steps into the world of airsoft, it can sometimes be overwhelming. It can be all too easy to dive headfirst into this sport and go crazy buying airsoft accessories and kit before you even know how to use them.
The airsoft community is extremely welcoming to all, in particular helping new players to learn the ropes. As there are often a lot of mistakes made by new players, we have taken a look at some of the most common ones to help those new to the sport.
1. Buying Before Trying
This should go without saying, yet it remains one of the biggest regrets for seasoned airsoft players – buying their first gun without really giving it enough thought.
It’s so common for airsoft players to make a bad choice on their first gun purchase, but there is a simple solution: make sure you have a go before forking over your hard-earned money.
You might not be able to test out the exact rifle you have your eye on, but you should be able to rent something similar from an airsoft site. Rely on rentals until you have a good idea of what kind of features you want from an airsoft gun.
What weight feels comfortable to you? What barrel length or rate of fire sits best with your playstyle? These are all minor details that go into choosing the right weapon that could be with you for years.
2. Starting With A Sniper
So many beginners go straight to wanting to be a sniper and end up leaving it to gather dust while running a rifle.
Sniping in airsoft is completely different to how it is portrayed in movies. Airsoft sniping is a lot more about waiting for the correct shot and knowing how to camouflage yourself, meaning it can get very boring and lonely.
Even with the most expensive guns, it can take a lot of skill to be accurate at long ranges. Additionally, a good skirmish-ready sniper rifle is expensive and, unlike assault rifles (which can also have pretty good ranges), can’t be used at shorter distances.
If you are a beginner, it is best to opt for a different gun, at least until you have a little more experience under your belt! Stick to something simple to start with, such as a pistol or standard airsoft rifle; as you progress and improve, you can start to assess your options.
3. Buying Tons of Gear
When you are first picking your kit, you can get a bit lost in all of the accessories which you can pick up. Of course, there are many which can help with your gameplay, but sometimes kitting yourself out too much can have a negative effect.
It can be very tempting to stick everything you possibly can on your airsoft gun, such as torches, lasers and grips. Some of these accessories can be handy for some types of games, but they aren’t always needed.
Adding unnecessary accessories to your gun can increase the weight as well as the price, so just think about whether you are really going to need them!
4. Not Buying Good Protection
Sometimes, you can spend so much time dreaming up your airsoft loadout that you forget the fundamentals.
Protection isn’t just a requirement for playing in the first place; the quality of your protection has a material impact on how much fun you’re going to have.
One of the most common beginner mistakes on the field is people removing their goggles, often because they’ve fogged up. This is an absolute no-no and can get you removed from the game, so spend a bit of extra money to get quality goggles that are less likely to cloud over.
Don’t stop with just the eyes, though. Gloves can make your airsoft experience much more comfortable and provide additional protection against BBs, while we’ve heard enough stories about people losing teeth to suggest making sure you have a face mask.
5. Negligent Discharge
Despite all the site warnings, there are always some people who take their eye off for a moment and potentially cause some major injury – don’t be that person!
Negligent discharge is when you accidentally fire your weapon when you’re not supposed to, such as outside of the combat zone or after being told to cease fire by officials. There are many reasons why this could happen, but often, it’s because a player doesn’t realise their safety is off or not working.
Accidentally firing can happen even when you think you’re being careful, so it’s always best to follow basic gun safety measures whenever outside of combat:
- – Clear your weapon of BBs, firing away safely if required.
- – Remove power sources, such as batteries or CO2 canisters.
- – Never point your weapon unless it is safe to fire.
- – Transport airsoft weapons using carry cases.
6. Being Exposed
Knowing your angles and profiles is something that even experienced airsofters can struggle with, but it can also indicate someone who has had limited experience in games.
Whenever emerging from cover to shoot, keep your profile tight – this means minimising the amount of your body that’s exposed and vulnerable to enemies. Keep those elbows and legs tucked in, shoot with the right hand for the right corner, and stay behind cover so you can snap back if danger arises.
When hiding behind cover, avoid waiting blind; the more time you stay sheltered, the more time enemies have to move and surprise you. If you’re not being shot at, keep peeking, and your chances of being exposed are much reduced.
7. Taking Hits
This is the biggest bugbear in the whole sport and the cause of some major frustrations.
Not taking your hits (shouting “hit” when you feel the BB make contact) is, at worst, cheating – this makes airsoft less fun for everyone. However, beginner players can sometimes simply not recognise being hit in the heat of the moment.
It’s always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to taking hits. If you have a feeling you might have been hit, do the honourable thing and admit. After all, we’re only here to have fun, and you’ll often be back in before you know it.
8. Claiming Hits
On the other end of the scale, don’t just assume your shots are hitting someone unless you can clearly see it with your own eyes.
Offset hop-ups, mud in the flash hider, a little bit of foliage you don’t see because you’re zeroed in through the scope, even an underwound hi-cap can mean your BBs aren’t going where they should be. We have lost count of the times we’ve seen someone screaming the place down with “take your hit, take your hit!” when their BBs are ditching in the dirt 20 feet short of the rather confused-looking target!
9. Fitness & Hydration
So many people underestimate just how physically tough airsoft can be, especially if you’re playing multiple sessions.
As airsoft is a fast-paced sport, having some level of fitness is essential as you will be sprinting and moving a lot; if you want to become a serious player, it is important to be in good shape! Fitness isn’t just about being able to move quickly, though; it’s crucial to protect yourself from common injuries like pulled and torn muscles.
Try to boost your stamina by going running a few days a week, as this can help with your breathing as well. We’re not saying you have to be Olympic athlete standard, but it might be beneficial to have a bit more in the tank!
Another rookie mistake is not bringing water or not bringing a big enough bottle. In the long slog of a game, you’ll need to stay hydrated to maintain focus and reduce fatigue (and the likelihood of injury), so this is another overlooked accessory we’d highly recommend.
10. Trying to Upgrade
This might not be a mistake you make right after your first game, but it’s something that so many airsoft players jump into far too early, often leading to writing off much-loved airsoft guns.
The internet is rife with tips and tricks for upgrading airsoft gun internals, often promising higher FPS or excellent accuracy. The reality is that performing these upgrades requires a lot of skill and know-how – it’s why stores like ours offer in-house technical services for upgrades and accessories.
Not only are upgrades quite tough to do, but they often don’t deliver the miraculous improvements some beginners are seeking. In some cases, upgrading one aspect can upset the gun’s balance and lead to lower performance overall. It pays to take the time to get to know your weapon and understand what specific tweaks could be made, rather than just jumping into some upgrades you heard about online.
If you’re reading this list and are worried about falling into all these traps, don’t be; the reason they’re common mistakes is because even the most gifted airsoft players will fall foul of them in their first few matches. As mentioned, the airsoft community is very welcoming, so if you do make a mistake, simply apologise – you’ll soon find veterans laughing about when they did the same thing.
If you’re looking for some beginner airsoft gear to get your journey off to the best start, feel free to reach out to our team. We were all beginners at one point and are happy to point new players in the right direction.