Buying airsoft guns in the UK can be tricky, especially if you’re just getting into the sport. There are various acronyms and terms to get your head around, and it’s not always obvious what’s being referred to. One acronym you’ll need to pay attention to is FPS.
We consider what this means and how it influences your gun’s performance.
What Does FPS Mean in Airsoft?
Feet Per Second (FPS) is a measurement often used to distinguish the performance and power of your airsoft gun. It is a measure of velocity, indicating the speed of a BB when it leaves your gun’s barrel.
This value will change relative to the weight of your BBs. Heavier BBs will reduce your FPS, slightly reducing your gun’s range. As FPS can change when using different ammo, most people will assume the use of 0.2g BBs when discussing FPS, as these are most common and likely what is being used.
Why is FPS Important?
Your airsoft gun’s FPS value will affect a couple of things, changing how your airsoft rifle or airsoft pistol performs and what is possible. The main implications here are:
- Power
- Range
- Accuracy
To a certain extent, FPS indicates how much force there is behind a shot – the more force, the faster and further a BB will fly through the air. On the whole, a higher FPS means it’s a gun with more power, increased range and better accuracy than lower FPS counterparts.
Despite the importance of this feature, there are several other considerations to weigh up when deciding which gun is best for you. You’ll want to think about the brand and quality of the gun, which ammo you should use, which game mode it’ll be used for and, of course, what is a reasonable budget.
What is the Ideal FPS?
You might be thinking that the highest possible FPS is going to be the best option, but this isn’t really the case in reality. More power means more risk, so skirmish sites will have FPS limits that you’ll need to adhere to if you want to play.
What is the Legal FPS Limit for Airsoft in the UK?
The legal FPS limit for airsoft guns is:
- Automatic airsoft guns: 374 FPS (1.3 Joules)
- Semi-automatic: 518 FPS (2.5 Joules)
Again, this is based on the assumption that players are using 0.20g BBs. Most skirmish sites will further reduce these limits to 350 FPS and 500 FPS. Common site limits are:
- Automatic airsoft guns: 350 FPS (1.14 Joules)
- Semi-automatic airsoft guns: 400 FPS (1.88 Joules)
- Bolt action airsoft guns: 500 FPS (2.32 Joules)
Some sites may ask for even lower FPS, so make sure you check a particular place's requirements before turning up. Limits are usually based on the type of gun, with pistols and bolt-action or airsoft sniper rifles having different limits.
Whether you are playing indoors or outdoors will also likely have a bearing on the FPS limits.
How to Measure FPS in Airsoft
FPS is measured using an airsoft chronograph – this will assess your gun before you are let loose on the field.
What’s a Good FPS for Indoor Airsoft?
Indoor play tends to mean you’re shooting at a much closer range. Anything more than 350 FPS would be too powerful and pose a greater risk in CQB situations. 330 FPS is ideal here.
What’s a Good FPS for Outdoor Airsoft?
When playing outdoors, most will aim for around 380-400 FPS, providing these are in line with the site limits and gun type. For a DMR, you may want a slightly higher FPS.
Is Higher FPS Always Better?
While you may want to increase your range of the airsoft field, it’s not always best to push it to the absolute limit.
You should always prioritise safety on the field, so if you’re not quite confident using a higher-powered gun, there is no need to opt for the highest FPS option. At a certain point, increased FPS is not going to increase range significantly.
How to Lower the FPS on an Airsoft Gun
Some people might suggest using heavier BBs, but this isn’t really an option. Using heavier BBs will technically reduce the FPS, but this does not affect the energy output and joules will be the same – i.e. you aren’t really reducing the harm your gun could do, and you end up cheating the system.
You can read more about the difference between FPS and joules in our guide.
The best way to lower your FPS is by looking at your spring. You can lower muzzle velocity by replacing the current spring with a weaker one. Cutting your existing spring can work too, but this can be risker as you can end up cutting too much.
There tend to be more upgrades to make and ways to increase your FPS than there are to lower it, so buying an airsoft gun that aligns with your local site rules in the first place is probably your best bet.
Ultimately, what is a ‘good’ FPS will come down to the maximum limit at your airsoft site and what feature you consider most important. If increased range is your top priority, then go for the upper end of the FPS limit, but if other aspects are higher priorities for you, you may not need to opt for the highest possible FPS, for example.
No matter what you decide, we stock an extensive range of airsoft guns, ideal for every kind of player.
