Airsoft

Austin Cruz69 said:I mean, honestly... how many actual Airsoft enthusiasts even hang out on this forum? I haven't quite figured that part out yet...

before the "chairsofters" arrived

What exactly do you mean when you call someone a chairsofter?

Honestly, I don’t have anyone specific in mind—it just feels like some people here have absolutely zero experience, yet they’re out here preaching about how much better Paintball is than Airsoft... when, let’s be real, they probably haven't even stepped foot on a field for a single actual match.

Looks like some people here have some serious insecurities... Since when did anyone ever claim Paintball was better than Airsoft?

It’s honestly like saying handball is better than basketball... I mean, come on, nobody with half a brain would even say that...

wanderinghawk17 said:I’m sensing some major insecurity here... Who actually said Paintball is better than Airsoft?

That’s kind of like saying handball is better than basketball... I mean, nobody really thinks like that...

Look, I didn't say that. All I did was point out that a ton of people have been switching from Paintball over to Airsoft—which is more like saying a bunch of guys moved from basketball to handball. I'm not putting down Paintball, nor am I talking trash about it.

I’ve got my own hobby/sport and I'm perfectly happy with it. Like I mentioned earlier, I really don't want to see these two compared because even though they might look similar on the surface, they're fundamentally different things.

Steven Rivera63 said:It’s not even about anyone specific, it just feels like some people here have zero experience yet they're out here claiming Paintball is better than Airsoft when they probably haven't even stepped foot on a field once.

Nah. You said what you said—that people here "...claim Paintball is better than Airsoft..."—but honestly, nobody actually said that. It's all in your head, man, which is why I was messing with you about having some weirdly deep-seated complex regarding Paintball.

Anyway, you should definitely give Airsoft a shot sometime... why not?

Austin Cruz69 said:Yeah, you get a full breakdown of gear at actual market prices there...
but does anyone actually care about this kind of hobby?

I honestly expected a lot more activity on here.
Does anyone even find this interesting? If you're serious about Paintball, you basically have to be willing to die for it.😈

😕

I'm interested, but I'm still just hunting for gear. So far, I've only got my uniform and some ammo for my Sig Sauer 😁 , plus protection and the usual small stuff 😁

Found a deal on a rifle over in Germany; waiting on a buddy to bring it back for me 🙂
Until then, I'm just rounding up the rest of my kit.

So, which rifle are you grabbing?

Drew Phillips3 said:Which rifle are you grabbing?

I'm going with the Marui Colt M4A1. I'll probably pick up an optic later—most likely a red dot—but for now, I'm just sticking to the gun and some basic accessories.

Airsoft sounds pretty interesting, though I can't help but wonder if you can actually rely on people to call their own hits. Has anyone ever run into issues where someone refuses to admit they got tagged, or maybe even worse, someone falsely accuses another player of cheating when they didn't actually get hit? Even when everyone plays by the rules, there’s always going to be some level of misunderstanding, right? And is it always obvious when a hit happens, or does it get tricky if a BB just hits a strap or something and you don't even feel it?

Paintball is a sport played by more than 18 million people globally. We’re talking about major tournaments featuring prize pools upwards of $1 million. In the US, these high-stakes competitions are even broadcast on networks like ESPN. It is a discipline where strategy, teamwork, and individual skill are absolutely paramount.

Airsoft is for those who want to simulate warfare, running through the woods in full camo gear. It has essentially nothing to do with being a sport.

You can find more information regarding Paintball in America and across the globe at www.painthr.com

Eric Jackson43 said:Airsoft sounds pretty cool, but I’m wondering if you can actually rely on people being honest about getting hit. Have there been cases where someone refuses to admit they were hit, or maybe someone falsely accuses another player of dodging? It seems like even when everyone is playing fair, misunderstandings happen. Also, is it always obvious if someone was hit—like, what if they don't feel the BB because it hits their gear or a strap?

- Yeah, it happens—those "uncalled hits" are usually just misses 80% of the time, at least in my experience... most of the time it's just an accidental miss because a guy is sprinting or something and he genuinely didn't feel it.
- Look, those issues exist, but basically, almost every "uncalled hit" is just that "maybe I was, maybe I wasn't" vibe... so you don't really get direct accusations.
- As for misunderstandings, we'll handle that through universal rules once the association is officially set up (should be in a few months).
- It's possible to miss one shot, but these guns fire up to 20 rounds a second. So even if you miss one, the others will catch you... plus, you can hear them hitting the gear.

@ casualmarlin9

Airsoft isn't a sport, and hopefully, it never becomes one. The whole point is different; personally, I don't do Airsoft for the sake of competing.
There's a perfectly good thread on Paintball, so go post there—these are two completely different things...
One is a hobby, the other is a sport... and even if it were, you can't compare them.
The approach, the tactics, the uniforms, the tactical gear, the replica rifles... it all boils down to military simulation, which is exactly what Paintball moved away from.

Don't mix apples and oranges.

Drew Phillips3 said:@ casualmarlin9

Look, you’ve got that whole great thread about Paintball going on, so maybe just stick to that? These are two totally different worlds...
One is more of a hobby thing and the other is a legit sport... and even if you don't see it that way, you really can't compare them.

It's like comparing apples to oranges, I guess.

I'm right there with you, especially with how you're using terms like "running around like kids" and stuff. Like, seriously? But, uh, well, since I actually kinda dig your avatar, I won't get all deep and argumentative about it.

My apologies, everyone. I was just reacting to the opening post in this thread. As Drew Phillips3 pointed out, things were getting a bit muddled and people were mixing up their facts. Also, just to clarify, placidridge3 is his signature, not an avatar. 😉

crimsonwolf5 said:I'm grabbing a Marui Colt M4A1 and I'll probably pick up a scope—likely a red dot—down the road, but for now, just the rifle and some accessories.

Honestly, if you're dead set on getting a rifle like that, I’d suggest checking out the M16A4 Carbine...
It's all metal and it's a proven winner. It costs a bit more, sure, but it's definitely beefier and tougher than the stuff from Tokyo Marui. With the Marui, you're dealing with more plastic, which some people don't mind, but others find a bit flimsy.

casualmarlin9 said:Paintball is a legit sport played by over 18 million people globally, featuring massive tournaments with prize pools hitting $1 million. In the States, you even see matches broadcasted on ESPN. It’s all about strategy, teamwork, and raw individual skill.

Airsoft is just for folks who want to play soldier and run through the woods in camo gear; it doesn't have anything to do with being an actual sport.

You can check out more about the Paintball scene in America and across the globe at www.painthr.com

Don't get me wrong, but those neon, glowing outfits some people wear for Paintball look absolutely ridiculous to me. A camo uniform actually serves a purpose, helping with the whole strategy and teamwork aspect of the game. Honestly, if I ever decided to step onto a field myself, my style would probably lean way closer to Airsoft than whatever this version of Paintball you're pitching is.
And just because there are televised tournaments doesn't make it the gold standard—I mean, they hold competitive wood-chopping contests too, but that doesn't make it a global phenomenon.

Drew Phillips3 said:- Yeah, it happens. Those so-called "non-calls" are usually just misses about 80% of the time—I've learned that the hard way myself... most of the time it’s just an accidental miss because the guy is mid-sprint or something and he honestly didn't feel a thing.
- Look, everyone deals with those issues, but basically, most non-calls are just that "maybe I got hit, maybe I didn't" gray area, so nobody's really out there throwing direct accusations.
- We're going to settle all these misunderstandings with universal rules once the association officially forms (in a few months).
- It's possible to miss one shot, but since these guns can fire up to 20 rounds a second, if you don't feel one, the others will get you... even if you don't feel them all, you'll definitely hear them hitting your gear.

But from what I gather, people are using sniper rifles too, which I assume fire one shot at a time, so when someone is just a few steps away from the objective, it's a toss-up whether they'll actually admit they were hit.

Drew Phillips3 said:those are two completely different things...

As far as I can tell, the only difference is the gun itself (and maybe the mask). If I'm not mistaken, nothing stops anyone from just grabbing a Paintball marker and running an Airsoft scenario with it.

Eric Jackson43 said:From what I can tell, they use snipers too—which I’m assuming are basically one-shot deals—so if someone is just a few steps away from their target, the real question is whether they’ll actually admit they got hit.

Yeah, but sniper setups have way higher muzzle velocity than your standard rifle... plus, you aren't really sniping someone mid-sprint anyway, so there shouldn't be much of an issue with calls (and I say "shouldn't" because, as far as I know, 600 fps is pretty low for a sniper, and even fewer people actually know how to use them properly)—though you see plenty of snipers out there who just don't have a clue what they're doing.

Eric Jackson43 said:Actually, as far as I can see, the difference is really just down to the gun (and maybe the mask). If I'm not mistaken, nothing stops someone from grabbing a Paintball marker and playing an Airsoft-style scenario with it.

Well, in theory, there wouldn't be a difference—they even run MilSim (military simulation) events in Paintball—but then you run into certain headaches that I honestly don't feel like typing out right now...

Eric Jackson43 said:Don't get me wrong, but those bright neon jerseys they wear for Paintball look completely ridiculous to me. Camouflage serves a very specific purpose, and it’s largely what allows for actual strategy and teamwork. If I were to personally get into Paintball, it would definitely look much more like Airsoft than what you guys are presenting as Paintball.
And just because of how it's broadcasted or the way tournaments are run, that doesn't mean anything. There are competitions for woodchopping too, but that isn't some standard for quality.

The reality is you wouldn't even be able to play a Paintball tournament in camo. Furthermore, Paintball tournaments take place on specialized fields (35x60) featuring inflatable bunkers. Airsoft is a simulation of WAR! Paintball is a SPORT!

Again, Paintball is a sport! Airsoft is a simulation of WAR! And if you can't grasp the scale of the national TV coverage here in the USA and the sheer number of tournaments with massive cash prizes, then frankly, you're just out of your league.
The point is that Airsoft and Paintball are two entirely different worlds. I play competitive Paintball. I would probably be the worst Airsoft player in this region, but if you step onto a Paintball field against me, I'll take you apart piece by piece...
Let's not compare apples to oranges.

Here is what actual PAINTBALL looks like. So stop mixing up Paintball and Airsoft!

*NOTE: ALL THESE VIDEOS WERE FILMED IN AMERICA!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...85694137873698
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...01654207429843
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...80731262206863
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...28720455099977
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...86235790338858
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...11398188465683
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...77425968997601
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...24559756341349
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...03533981&hl=en

Now you see the difference!

Good grief, man, did you have too many drinks at the John Doe match? Just start your own dedicated thread already!!! Look, I’m not looking to start a war over John Doe versus Airsoft, but if you want realism, go get into Airsoft. If you just want to spray colors everywhere, stick to John Doe. And here’s a little reality check regarding ammo counts: in an Airsoft match, you’re burning through maybe 4,000 BBs per session=$43 whereas in John Doe, you might barely hit 200 rounds=$33 if my memory serves me right. So, I'll leave it to you all to weigh in, but that's usually how it goes with most gear, too. Oh, and for those defending their choice—let's be honest, John Doe paint wipes off easily enough, so there's really no excuse.👎