Airsoft…that’s like Paintball, right? I hear this all the time when I tell someone that I played airsoft on the weekend or that I just got in a new airsoft gun.

Sometimes I just ask if they are into first-person shooter video games and if they say “yes”, I’ve got an easy response. “Then sure, the same as Battlefield is just like Call of Duty”. After the hailstorm of “No way” CoD vs BF or BF vs CoD comments, and they catch their breath, I make the connection to what — for me — is the main difference. This is obviously a generalization but serves to clarify what I enjoy about airsoft.

Update 2020: OPS Airsoft & Tactical Gear has opened in Kemptville only a few minutes away from Red Devils Airsoft in town at 2600 Kemptville Mall, highway 43, unit 9.

More info is on their Facebook page.

Let’s face it, a big part of airsoft is how you look. I’m not talking about the Milsim guys or the authenticity buffs, I’m talking about the average player who will judge you or anyone if you draw a clear pistol on the field. It’s often just a “cute toy” comment or a muffled laugh.

We’ve discussed choosing a sidearm on the site before (Choosing a Sidearm). One of the things with so many handguns on the market is deciding what style you really like. It can be an expensive mistake or just an annoyance causing a delay in getting “the one you really want”.

Just to be clear (sorry), for the purpose of this article I’m referring to clear, CO2 powered handguns and not the springers found at big box stores. On the spec page some of these $25-50 guns are pretty respectable.

The Well VSR-10 is arguably one of the better sniper rifles you can in the under $200 category if you are looking into sniping as an airsoft role.