What is the difference between AEG, gas and spring airsoft guns?

An AEG (automatic electric gun) uses a battery-powered motor and gearbox to fire, and can shoot semi and full auto. A gas gun uses green gas or CO2 and usually has realistic blowback, but is affected by cold. A spring gun is cocked by hand before every shot, making it single-shot but simple and cheap.

Which type of airsoft gun is best for beginners?

For most beginners an AEG is the best first choice. It is reliable, affordable, works in any weather, uses rechargeable batteries, and has huge model and parts support. Gas guns feel more realistic but cost more and are fussier, while spring guns are cheap but single-shot.

Do gas airsoft guns work in cold weather?

Gas performance drops as temperature falls, because the gas pressure depends on temperature. Green gas guns can become sluggish or stop cycling on a cold day, which matters in a New Zealand winter. CO2 copes better with cold, and electric AEGs are unaffected, which is why AEGs are popular as all-year replicas here.

Are spring airsoft guns any good?

Spring guns are great for specific roles. A spring bolt-action sniper rifle is a genuine, capable choice, and spring pistols make cheap backups. For general skirmishing where you want semi and full auto, most players prefer an AEG or a gas gun over a single-shot spring.

AEG vs Gas vs Spring: Which Airsoft Gun Should You Buy?

An electric rifle, a gas pistol and a spring rifle laid side by side on a wooden table

AEG: automatic electric gun

An AEG uses a rechargeable battery to drive a motor and gearbox, which compresses a spring to fire each shot. Because a motor does the work, an AEG can shoot semi-automatic and full-automatic, hold a decent magazine capacity, and keep going all day on a battery charge.

Pros:

Reliable and consistent in any weather.
Semi and full auto, with high-capacity magazines.
Huge model range and excellent parts and upgrade support.
Cheap to run: just recharge the battery and buy BBs.

Cons:

Less realistic feel than a blowback gas gun, no recoil.
You need to keep batteries charged and looked after.

Best all-rounder. For most people, especially a first replica, an AEG is the sensible pick. If you are new, start here and read our buying your first replica guide.

Gas: green gas, CO2 and HPA

Gas guns use compressed gas, usually green gas or CO2, to fire. Most gas pistols and many gas rifles are "gas blowback" (GBB), meaning the slide or bolt kicks back with each shot for a realistic recoil and cycling action. It is the closest airsoft gets to the feel of a real firearm.

Pros:

Realistic recoil and cycling, very satisfying to shoot.
Gas pistols make excellent, true-to-life sidearms.
No batteries to charge for the gun itself.

Cons:

Performance drops in the cold, a real factor in a Kiwi winter.
More expensive to run, you are always buying gas.
More seals and moving parts, so a bit more maintenance.

Which gas you use makes a real difference to cost and cold-weather performance. We break down green gas, CO2, propane and HPA in our airsoft gas types guide.

Airsoft player comparing two rifles, one in each hand, at an outdoor field

Spring: cocked by hand

Spring guns have no battery and no gas. You manually cock the replica before every shot, which compresses the spring, then pull the trigger to fire. That makes them single-shot, but also simple, cheap and completely weatherproof.

Pros:

Cheapest way in, and nothing to charge or refill.
Simple and robust, very little to go wrong.
Spring sniper rifles are a genuinely strong choice for that role.

Cons:

Single-shot only, you re-cock between every shot.
Not ideal for fast-paced skirmish play as a primary.

So which should you buy?

Your first, do-everything gun: an AEG. Reliable, all-weather, endlessly supported.
A realistic sidearm or a second gun once you are hooked: a gas pistol or GBB rifle.
A dedicated sniper role or a tight budget: a spring bolt-action.

Try before you commit: buying second-hand is a cheap way to experience each type without paying full retail (compare used AEGs, gas blowback and HPA replicas for sale). TradeSoft lists category, condition and FPS up front, from verified Kiwi sellers. Download TradeSoft for early access.

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AEG vs gas vs spring: which to buy?

AEG: automatic electric gun

Gas: green gas, CO2 and HPA

Spring: cocked by hand

So which should you buy?

Kit up for less.