Airsoft recommendations (in Off-topic)

I'm looking at getting an airsoft pistol (not a rifle yet) to play around with, mostly plinking in the back yard. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just accurate and inexpensive, preferably spring powered so I don't have to buy gas cartridges. Does anybody have any experience with the various brands or know of a good place to read reviews on different models? Other advice?

Anyone?

Well sorry I can't make any recommendations but maybe it would help if you could elucidate your reasons for wanting to "plink around in the backyard"?

does amazon have any, i always start my product research there just due to the amount of reviews on the site.

cheap and accurate?

go get one from walmart $>50

A friend of mine is on a team and owns quite a few airsoft guns. The only pistol that I've used was his Desert Eagle, and it was complete trash. The weight was a joke, and it was just a bulky mess. Even he said it was a bad purchase. However, I did shoot a few of his others, and my clear favorite was his AK74u (electric).

On another note, find a new hobby. Getting shot wasn't fun.

They are readily available, easy to find and can be really cheap. My brother in law got a fun one with a sticky target at Big 5 for about 20 bucks. I've seen them for even less. I've researched them on the internet, read a lot of reviews of various models.

The problem is that a lot of the reviewers don't seem very intelligent, or maybe they are just young.I figured I'd ask the CB community because you all seem above average and I value your opinions more.

Maybe it's just me, but I've always liked the CO2 ones better than spring. Just like the recoil better, maybe I just had a bad spring one.

There are electric ones too, they use a rechargeable battery and can be semi/full automatic.

if you were interested in an accurate pump pellet pistol:

http://www.amazon.com/Crossman-American-Classic-Variable-Action/dp/B0018LB9A0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317856254&sr=8-1

no experience with the air soft though, sorry!

I don't think that one is an actualy airsoft gun, thats more like an actual bb gun.

hehe, you are correct, that is why i prefaced it with that statement as well as following up with what i said as well. ; )

http://www.airsoftmegastore.com/Airsoft_Spring_Guns_s/27.htm

Take your pick. This is the page of all spring, though they also have a wide selection of gas and CO2 guns should you change your mind. This is probably a good place to start with something to play around with if you're just getting into airsoft.

Thanks for all the help. I'm still looking for someone who actually owns a few. I'm not looking to go into battle with it, just short range target shooting in the back yard for now. I figured Airsoft is a lot safer than a BB gun. I know just about anything out there will fit the bill, but I'd like to have some idea of what I'm getting before I take it home and open the box.

BB guns are far from "dangerous" for the record. Use common sense, basic eye protection and don't shoot at anything under high pressure. The only real problem with BB guns from what I've seen is people who treat them as even less dangerous than they are. They're not paintball guns and shouldn't be used as such. But for what you're planning (target shooting) they're probably actually better. Not positive, but I always felt that shooting with BB/pellets was a lot more accurate than airsoft (Which seems to go wherever it wants after a few feet)

the pellet gun i linked above is pretty safe, you can pump to whatever power you need for accuracy but no more.

along with the pointed pellets you can buy now the accuracy is very good, the older rounded pellets or bb's aren't going to be as accurate though. that pistol above is only made for pellets though.

I was thinking Airsoft for a few reasons. At backyard distances (25 feet or so) ther are accurate and consistent enough to have fun. They also shoot at a slower velocity and I susppect riccochets are less dangerous. They also make biodegradable ammo that breaks down in a few months so I could just sweep the BBs off to the side of the yard. The one spring pistol I shot was much quieter than any BB gun I've ever shot.

As far as safety goes, I've been shooting since I was 8 and am verry familiar wwith gun safety. I am also a good enough shot to never have to worry about stray BBs going over the fence into my neighbor's yard (I can hit the side of a barn, every time), but here in anti gun California, and the overly Liberal Bay Area, a plastic gun shooting plastic BBs will be more tolerated than a steel gun shooting lead pellets or copper BBs.

Ammo for real guns is getting expensive, and I have to drive to a range and pay to use it, which is fine from time to time, but sometimes I just want to take a few shots at some cans. Not to mention cleaning the guns afterwards. With two kids, I just don't have the time and money that I used to. Airsoft seems like an ecconomical and fun alternative.

my favorite airsoft gun i bought from a knife store in the mall... it held 300 rounds and went through them in about 1/2 a minute. was electric rechargeable and it was fashioned after an m16.

I don't have either of these, but a couple i found on amazon that sounded fairly good

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Metal-Airsoft-Pistol-Black/dp/B004ANZKQM/ref=sr_1_96?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1318080217&sr=1-96


http://www.amazon.com/Taurus-Spring-Powered-Pistol-Black/dp/B000YIDE1K/ref=sr_1_3?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1318080055&sr=1-3

If you want something close to the real deal, I suggest that you get something with a gas blowback feature. It would be a lot expensive though and would require you to purchase those green gas mini tanks that they use. But they are relatively cheap.

There are a lot of options in this field, and you could go with some $100 option with WE or $200 with Marui. The WE is all metal while the other is made of tough plastic.