GAS AIRSOFT RIFLE

Gas Airsoft Rifle

Gas airsoft rifles are widely used by many airsofters as it is the easiest platform to modify a rifle on. Not only that but they also feature a gas blowback system, which means the bolt carrier will kick back into your shoulders with every trigger pull. It’s a feeling many real steel shooters are familiar with, the feeling of recoil from shooting a real gun. Though it may not kick as hard as a firearm, there’s still some recoil and it feels good. What defines a gas airsoft rifle is that its short, compact, selective firing modes and shooting power between an SMG and sniper rifle.

Modern rifles are used nowadays by many soldiers in warfare combat as they are very versatile and can be used in all situations, yes even sniping or CQB. It is also the best platform to create your dream gun as everything can be customized. Yes, when we say everything we really mean it. From rail, barrels, internal parts, pistol grip, receiver, buttstock, buttstock tube, and trigger! Let’s not forget all the tactical accessories we can add too which can provide some advantage in combat.

But let’s not forget, there are actually many varieties of gas airsoft rifles out there that are not just limited to M4. M4 is the most common and easiest type to obtain but there are also other gas airsoft guns such as AK’s, bulpup, Tar 21, Famas, M16A4, ACR, and many more.

Gas airsoft rifles work in a simple manner, gas is fed into the magazine with a valve that keeps it from escaping and loaded into the gun. Every trigger you pull strikes the latch inside the magazine which forces pressurized air out at the BB that’s sitting in the hop-up chamber. This will create a rolling motion of the BB inside the inner barrel which eventually makes its way out the barrel towards your target. With that being said its not very stable compared to an aeg, as the gas inside a mag is volatile depending on the environment around the user. Too cold, it may not shoot very well. Too hot, chances are the efficiency may not be very well as all the gas wants to escape due to the heat. 

So, who knows? Maybe the haters are right. Maybe you are naive to think your gas airsoft rifle could outperform an aeg (airsoft electric gun). Is it possible to modify a gas airsoft gun to perform as well as an aeg? That kind of guessing is like throwing darts blindfolded and hoping you hit the bullseye. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Fortunately, for you, there’s a way! It’s all about how you maintain and upgrade your rifle, as with most stock guns they don’t perform particularly well straight out the box. 

What to Look for in a Gas Airsoft Rifle?

When we look for a gas airsoft rifle we have to consider the costs and also how many after-market parts are there. There’s no use purchasing a gas airsoft rifle if there are limited aftermarket parts as it’ll be a challenge to fix or upgrade. You have to consider how well the mags are constructed as some mags have very poor gas efficiency which results in poor performance. Other small but notable things are like does the buttstock wobble, is it comfortable to hold or how easy is it to manipulate the fire selector. All these factors come in when you are deciding to make your first purchase of a gas airsoft rifle.



What are Some of the Best Gas Airsoft Rifles?

The GHK M4 RAS and VFC SR25 are a top choice for both amateur and expert airsofters alike, as it is fully skirmish ready with superior accuracy and gas efficiency. A metal receiver and realistic gun mag provide a simulation of a real gun, perfect for practicing tactical manipulations. This list wouldn’t be complete without the RWA B.A.D SBR, as it is a 1:1 replication of the real steel firearm offered by Battle Arms Manufacture. Fully licensed with all the markings and based on the Tokyo Marui M4 MWS system this gun handles and shoots like a dream straight out the box.

To learn more about these guns click the link below.

GHK M4 RAS: https://tinyurl.com/y43jolc5

VFC SR25: https://tinyurl.com/yyumje7r

RWA B.A.D SBR: https://tinyurl.com/y3g9hjz6

Difference Between Electric and Gas Airsoft Rifles?

The biggest difference between electric and gas airsoft rifles is the blowback system and ability to take down the gun as the real steel counterpart. Gas-powered rifles will kick the bolt back hard, to give you the feeling of shooting a real firearm. That being said gas-powered guns are not very cost-effective mainly because you’ll always need to stock up on green gas compared to using a rechargeable battery pack. But gas-powered guns use less BB’s and forces the user to make sure every shot counts, compared to an electric gun that’s full auto with a 300 round magazine capacity. This makes the gas-powered airsoft rifle perfect for milsim games, provides training on how to take down a gun and manipulating it on the field.

Gas Rifles

Gas airsoft rifles are powered by gas or CO2, and can be blowback or non-blowback.  They are used as primary weapons in airsoft skirmishes, and are preferred over electric rifles for their realistic shooting experience.  As realistic airsoft rifles, law enforcement and military training personnel use gas airsoft rifles for airsoft training rifles. Use our shopping filters to browse our collection of classic and modern assault gas rifles.  We categorize gas blowback submachine guns separately to rifles.

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How Do Gas Blowback Rifles Work?

To understand how gas blowback rifles work, it is important to understand the medium that they run on. Gas airsoft guns are powered by compressed airsoft gas delivered through the gun’s magazine or reservoir. The gases used to power these guns can come in a variety of forms all with their own power levels including HFC134a, green gas, red gas, black gas and CO2. Some gas blowback rifles can even be adapted to take high pressure air (HPA) through an external tank with the air fed through a hose in the bottom of the magazine but in this article we will focus mainly on HFC134a, Green, Red and Black gas, check these articles out on HPA and CO2 airsoft rifles.

HFC134a is the weakest of all commonly used airsoft gases as it caters mainly to the Japanese market which has lower power legal limits, HFC134a is also suitable for many Japanese airsoft pistols as Japanese gun laws stipulate that replica handguns cannot have fully metal slides, making many of their older guns vulnerable to breakage if they use stronger gases. Green gas in the form of propane is widely considered the airsoft industry standard and is suitable for the widest variety of gas airsoft guns, it is consistent, strong enough to have decent range but not to the point it can cause injury to players hit by most guns powered by green gas.

Red gas and Black gas can work with green gas guns but are significantly more powerful and will raise the FPS of your gun by a considerable degree; these gases are mainly used in colder climates where the cold temperatures will reduce the gas pressure due to the lack of thermal expansion, to the point that weaker gases like green gas will not be enough to cycle the bolt. Using higher pressure gases like Red or Black gas compensates for the low temperature and offers these gbb rifles a lease on life in places where they might not usually be suited for.

After filling up the magazine or reservoir with gas, the user pulls the trigger to fire the gun; this releases a hammer or striker that will hit the valve on the gas reservoir, causing it to release a small amount of pressurized gas from the magazine into the GBB rifle. This gas will first push the BB out of the chamber and down the barrel, all while expanding behind the bbs and accelerating it for the duration it is inside the barrel and ejecting it from the gun at high speed. The remaining amount of gas will cause the rifle's bolt to move back so the airsoft gun can load a second round for a follow-up shot. This process can continue for as long as the magazine still has BBs or is still filled with enough gas.

What is the Best Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifle?

Overall we consider the best gas airsoft rifles that balance cost and performance to be the Tokyo Marui M4 MWS series, whilst the firing action may not be the most realistic; its shooting performance is unparalleled in the industry with excellent accuracy and power consistency as well as being affordable gbb rifles. This is exceptionally useful for operating in places with colder weather where the efficiency and consistency of the firing mechanism is essential as the gas operates at far lower pressures in lower temperatures.

For the most realistic gas blowback rifle, GHK offers an exceptional amount of authenticity. While the Inokatsu M4 still holds the title as the most realistic airsoft rifle ever made, the GHK M4 series provides one of the most authentic and affordable takedowns and shooting experience of all M4 style gas rifles giving you one of the most realistic experiences. It’s also important to note that the GHK AK series are virtually unchallenged in terms of realism for the timeless AK platform and also feature great performance on the field. VFC GBBRs, especially their SR series rifles also get an honorable mention as they also have excellent externals and a realistic firing action combined with good on-field performance.

And finally, it is also important to note that there are many, many more airsoft rifle platforms out there each with their unique features and advantages, an excellent but unusual gas blowback rifle for example is the KJ Works 10 22 which has excellent performance even though its actually modeled on a .22 caliber rifle furthermore the Marushin M1 Garand features a unique loading system not seen on any other realistic airsoft rifles. Ultimately finding out what is best for you is dependent on a combination of assessing the rifle’s shooting performance, reliability, internal and external build quality, value and collectability.

Airsoft Electric VS Gas Blowback Rifle?

To choose between airsoft electric rifles (AEGs) and gas blowback rifles (GBBRs), one must first understand the main differences between them. AEGs are powered by batteries and use a motor, gears and spring to drive a piston to compress air to propel the BBs out of the gun. GBBRs are powered by compressed airsoft gas delivered through the gun’s magazine or reservoir and are fired by the mechanical striking of a release valve to propel the BB and cycle the bolt to load another round.

As a result, AEGs tend to be more reliable, consistent and generally more accurate ingame, every shot is likely to have the same FPS and will be much more consistent and reliable in different temperature conditions. Furthermore, as batteries last far longer than gas, this allows for the magazine sizes of AEGs to be significantly higher as they are no longer subject to the gas capacity of the magazine. However aside from superficial appearances, AEGs do not in any way resemble the function, sound, shooting experience or even the dimensions of real guns.

GBBRs on the other hand may not have the shooting consistency of AEGs but with their mechanical functions are significantly more realistic in their firing action, disassembly, and dimensions than AEGs can possibly be. In many respects they are far more fun to use as they strive to simulate every aspect of a real gun instead of merely looking like them, even if it means having a lower magazine capacity and less consistent firing performance. If anything the constraints and challenges like magazine capacity and maintenance requirements are a feature, not a bug as they provide a far more immersive experience to the shooter.

Are Gas Blowback Rifles Any Good?

Yes! Gas blowback rifles are some of the most fun and realistic airsoft guns you can buy, with bolts that will cycle back and forth with trigger pull giving you realistic recoil combined with the realistic sound and function, they can be an absolute joy to shoot and greatly increase the realism of your shooting experience by doubling as airsoft training rifles. Furthermore, while GBBRs may not have the consistent shooting performance of AEGs, they are still quite close especially in warmer temperatures and a good player can still excel in using one on the field.

Can You Fire a Gas Blowback Rifle Without BBs?

Yes! It is possible to fire a gas blowback rifle without BBs, as gas airsoft guns are powered by airsoft gas; they do not necessarily need a loaded BB to function. In order to fire a gas blowback rifle without BBs, one should hold down the bolt release on the rifle, this will allow the bolt to cycle without catching the bolt lock that would usually activate when the magazine is empty. Some models of GBBRs can even disable the latch on their magazines that activates the bolt lock; this is useful for shooters that want to practice dry fire drills in a safe location while still having the immersion and realism of putting rounds through the gun.

How to Increase FPS on GBB Rifle?

Before you make any physical modifications to your gas blowback airsoft rifle, first make sure you are getting the most out of it by using the best BBs and gas. BBs come in slightly different sizes even though they are all described as 6mm in diameter.  In reality, they are in the vicinity of 5.93mm to 5.95mm, while the inner barrel diameter of most airsoft guns vary from 6.05mm - 6.08mm.  Astute readers can immediately see that there is a 0.1mm gap between the BB and inner barrel, which can lead to air leaks that rob you of power. The reason that manufacturers build in this safety gap is because not all BBs are perfectly round, and some lower quality ones may even have seam lines that catch on the inner surface of the barrel. Getting a good quality BB that is completely round will enhance the power levels of your rifle, as well as accuracy.

If you want more power, then consider getting a tighter tolerance precision inner barrel at 6.03mm or even 6.01mm, but make sure you only use top quality BBs. Using poor quality BBs that are not completely round in a tight bore 6.01mm barrel may jam the BB inside.  You may also consider upgrading your hop up bucking or unit for a better seal. Wherever you lose air seal, you are going to lose power, and factory units have a slight tolerance built into them to keep the gun from jamming. But you can experiment with aftermarket components that offer tighter tolerances for more power, but then you may have to upgrade a lot of other parts to keep the components all working in tune with each other.

Longer barrels can also allow the BB more time to accelerate before leaving the gun, creating more power. Some players install a longer inner barrel, and hide the protruding portion inside a mock suppressor. This is easily done on contemporary modular rifles that come with a threaded barrel, but on rifle that does not have one, you may need to get an entirely new aftermarket barrel installed instead.

You may also install a higher performance nozzle to increase airflow to the BB. A bigger pocket of air will generally create more power for the BB. There is no set formula since the internals of gas blowback rifles can vary significantly but these are the main areas to explore.

How to Reduce GBB Rifle FPS?

There are several reasons why somebody would want to lower the FPS of their GBB airsoft rifle; these could range from a player wanting to use their rifle in a close indoor CQB environment in order to lower the chance of injury or having to comply with a particular country’s lower legal power limits for replica guns.

There are many ways to lower the FPS of a GBB rifle; the easiest method would be to simply use a lower power gas in order to lower the pressure of the medium that propels the bb out of the gun. This is the easiest and least intrusive method of lowering FPS as it does not require any external or internal modification of the gun and can result in a substantial reduction of power depending on the previous gas used.

More complex methods of lowering power involve the active modification of the gun; these can involve either using a shorter barrel or changing the nozzle to a lower power variety. Changing the inner barrel to a shorter one will reduce the amount of time the airsoft gas can expand to accelerate the bb out of the gun while using a lower power or even an adjustable nozzle will allow for a more precise regulation of power levels.

Who Makes The Best Gas Blowback Airsoft Rifles?

There are numerous airsoft brands out there that make fantastic GBB rifles for all your needs, these different brands have numerous characteristics that you should be aware of before making a final decision on what to buy.

For shooting performance you cannot go wrong with Tokyo Marui guns, while their stock FPS may be lower than other brands due to Japanese laws and their mechanisms not as realistic, their accuracy and shooting consistency consistently rank amongst the highest of all airsoft brands out there.

For unparalleled realism, GHK guns would be your go-to as they spare no effort in making their guns as realistic and compatible with real steel accessories as possible with an exceptional build quality to match. Furthermore GHK guns also have a high level of performance which certainly adds to their appeal as well as a considerable range of rifles including the GHK M4 GBBR, GHK AUG GBBR, GHK 553 GBBR, GHK AKM GBBR and AK74 GBBR as well as the classic GHK G5.

VFC is also a high end brand that creates numerous quality GBBRs, they are also the original equipment manufacturer of numerous licensed guns from Umarex and Cybergun which ensures that their guns will have authentic marking and trades, giving you that extra level of legitimacy to the gun of your choice.