Hand grenades date back to the 16th century, and have been used in the military for generations. As the years went by, more and more grenades were created and changed for different environments and situations. With airsoft being a safe, playful mirrored image of this warfare, it would make sense that airsoft had its own semi-explosive grenades.
Many airsoft players can often overlook grenades, as some see them as an unnecessary expense. However, we at Surplus Store are big fans of them. One of the great things about airsoft grenades is their versatility - they can be used both indoors and outdoors.
There are two main uses of airsoft hand grenades that vary between sites. Some allow players to use them as distraction devices, whereas others are happy to use them as an area of effect (AOE) devices to eliminate players. In this article, we will outline the varying types of hand thrown grenades within airsoft.
Airsoft Dummy Hand Grenades
Perhaps the least interesting of the set are the dummy grenades as they do not perform a particular action and are most often used to make a player’s loadout look aesthetically pleasing.
That being said, there are a limited number of sites have set rules for the grenades allowing players to use them as AOE grenades. This action can cause confusion between airsofters as the distance is never black and white, and as they do not have a BB spray, players are not sure if they are eliminated.
The grenades are typically lightweight and made from foam or rubber, allowing them to be long-lasting and durable. Dummy grenades can also be thrown long distances and won’t add much extra weight to your kit.
Blank Firing Hand Grenades
Blank firing grenades primarily work by using blank gun ammunition as a sound source. This could include shotgun or pistol primers and often work out pretty cheap per shot. The benefit to these is that they can be reused repeatedly, meaning you only have to buy one or two grenades. That said, you will have to source ammunition for them continually.
These can be very effective at indoor sites as the sheer volume of a blank going off in close quarters is very intimidating! It’s worth noting that many of these types of grenades are made from metal components; therefore, throwing them is not advised. Instead, many sites have a rule that only permits these grenades' rolling, limiting the distance from which you can use them.
BB Spray Hand Grenades
This grenade is where the fun starts to happen. BB spray grenades do exactly what they say on the tin; spray BBs! These grenades can either work on a timer or on impact (make sure you know which you have!) and will shower surrounding players with BBs while making a bang.
These grenades will need to be reloaded and reset after each use, which can be frustrating when you want to clear a few rooms in a row, but good fun nonetheless. They are easy, if not a little time consuming to reload, and can be a little ineffective on softer, outdoor terrain. Make sure you check with your site about the rules for any BB spray grenades before using them.
Pyrotechnic Hand Grenades
Ranging from smoke to flashbang to pea-filled, pyrotechnic grenades can come in many varieties. Typically, these are the most expensive of the grenade options, as for the most part, they are single-use but also come with much less restriction in terms of deployment. Thermobaric grenades are a delight to use, assuming you buy good quality ones, and can make a difference for you and your team.
Hand Grenades With Time Delay
All of the grenades mentioned (except the Dummy grenades) are either triggered by time or impact. An Impact grenade has a trigger that will fire the grenade when it is thrown and hits a solid surface, great for indoor CQB, but doesn’t work so well outdoors or on soft surfaces. A Time Delay grenade generally has a 3-6 second “fuse” once the grenade is triggered, better for outdoors, but the fuse can give your opposing force enough time to get to cover.
Whether you’re looking for smoke cover, distraction, or to cover your opponents with BBs, we have the grenade that’s perfect for you! Check out our range of airsoft grenades, along with rifles, pistols and airsoft upgrade parts on our online shop!
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