Though paintball and airsoft appear similar, they differ in ammunition, equipment, game dynamics, and cost. Arguably, paintball is the more popular option. It uses tiny balls of paint released from a gun powered by air. Generally, paintball encourages stealth and good strategy among team members.
On the other hand, airsoft is simulated from combat set up and gives the players a more realistic feel. Airsoft uses plastic pellets that launch from guns similar to real weapons. Below are other differences between airsoft and paintball.
Accessories
When it comes to accessories in the airsoft gameplay, you only need BB bullets and magazines. Paintball also has two significant accessories including the hopper and paintball. The hopper refers to the sections that hold and shoot off the paintball.
Depending on your skill level, you can choose a suitable loading speed for your paintballs in the hopper. Also, depending on your game level, you can get hoppers that fit more paintballs.
Equipment
BB (small plastic pellets) are released from your airsoft gun. Fortunately, these BBs are designed to fit your gun model. Players require eye protection, while some go the extra mile of purchasing face masks to protect their entire face. Any other added protective gear is optional and entirely up to you.
Paintball players, however, require little protective gear. Besides a paintball mask, the player could get a barrel and a suitable tag. A good hopper and tank would also be part of your equipment.
Generally, paintball would require various products, while an airsoft player would only need three equipment pieces. But paintball makes up for these drawbacks as it offers more customized and enjoyable options.
Range
With enough practice, you can better your outcome regardless of the distance. Both paintball and airsoft fields have a maximum allowance when it comes to velocity. That means the player will be limited when in the field. Paintball fields allow 300 feet per second, while airsoft has an average of 500 feet per second.
Even with the higher allowance in airsoft fields, keep in mind that airsoft BBs are lighter and smaller than paintballs. That means an airsoft gun could be fired off faster, but it would not have the same impact as a paintball gun. Airsoft has better range and allows players to tune their guns to facilitate more accurate shots even from a long distance.
Also, since paintballs are heavier than airsoft BBs, gravity would affect your range in a paintball field. Though players can still fine-tune paintball guns, there still won’t affect the field range.
Guns
While playing airsoft, you need a firearm that is pretty close to a real-life gun. This aspect gives the game a realistic feel. That said, beginners use airsoft guns that are bright in color with two tones. These guns could also be used among players who want to stay on budget and still enjoy the game. You can recharge your airsoft gun using CO2, a spring, or even regular batteries.
A paintball gun has two components, including the hopper and the tank. Though you can power your paintball gun with CO2, HPA (compressed air) is viable.
