When your child is writing his wish list for Santa Claus or for his/her birthday and you read that he/she wants an “Airsoft gun”, you don’t have to be alarmed. Air soft guns are harmless providing safety rules are observed. Airsoft shooting is probably one of the safest and most popular sports enjoyed in the world today. But, still there are some people that think they should be banned. So before you agree or disagree and in particular if you consider purchasing anything and in especially anything to do with sports and shooting you always should do some background research. more
What are Airsoft guns?
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German Sport Guns (GSG) as you might or might not know makes a very good 22 rimfire copy of the Heckler & Koch MP5 SMG – the GSG5. I tested one a few months ago and have been told by importers York Guns that they are selling very well. Hardly surprising as this sort of military-style hardware in street legal 22 Long Rifle format is proving popular. The buzz at IWA this year was that GSG were about to launch an AK47, something they hinted at in 2008. A 22 semi-auto copy of Michail Timofejewitsch Kalashnikov’s finest is now on my desk, so let’s see what it’s all about? more
The example I have here is the wood-stocked version (AK47W) which is pretty much the original design from 1947. Also available is the AK47P (plastic stock), which although using the same chassis is more like the modern AK74 with a fixed or side-folding butt, pistol grip and forend in black synthetic. Like the GSG5 the AK has a number of accessories for it that includes such items as scope mounts, alternative forends, mag clamps etc. I hope to be getting some of these from York Guns for a future article in the New Year.

Same inside
Though totally different looking on the outside, unsurprisingly the AK uses the near same barrelled action as the GSG5. The main difference being the cocking handle, which is on the right that reciprocates with the bolt. The large safety catch is also included but shows a hooked end to give a manual hold open facility, plus it’s a lot smoother to use…
On the left of the receiver is the NV mount (made of plastic) found on all later versions of the AK along with the catch for the side-folding stock. OK not 100% accurate for this, the wooden gun, but sensible in terms of manufacture. There is an automatic last round hold open function as the GSG5, also a magazine safety, which disables the trigger mech unless a clip is inserted.
The ultra-slim barrel is encased in a dummy outer tube that gives the look and girth of the original and is internally threaded at the muzzle. This is finished off with a removable cap (muzzle nut) that appears to stabilise the barrel. It will also accept the AK74-style muzzle brake and silencer adaptor which are optional extras.
The thread is the same as the one used on the GSG5 for its moderator, which fits the AK too. However, I would not use it for two reasons! First it’s way too long for a muzzle mounted unit. Second, its reflex-type design means the bullet has to pass through about 8” of open space before it enters the baffles and you could have alignment problems. Plus there’s a thread adaptor that steps down to ½” UNF so you can fit a normal sized, muzzle-mounted 22 rimfire moddy instead. Which to my mind is the logical solution!
No dummies
The barrel length is 17 ½” and the rifle 36”, though in this case the butt can be removed to still leave 26”, which is how it comes from the box. This then has none of the problems of the GSG5 that had to have a mandatory 16” tube so it could use the telescopic and side-folding stock options to keep it a legal Section 1 firearm. This did make it look odd, hence the fitting of a dummy moderator to give it more of the MP5 SD (suppressed version) look.
In general view the GSG-AK47 looks pretty good, though in some areas feels a little more soft air-like than the GSG5. The stock is real wood, though the butt does not show a metal rear plate nor sling swivel, though there is a sling slot front/left of the forend. The foresight is an A-frame with an elevation-adjustable post; at the rear the classic, U-notch tangent-style, though there’s no provision for windage correction.
Under the barrel is a removable cleaning rod, which is too short to do the job. On the right of the sight base is the lever that locks the gas tube in place, this is functional and allows the tube and forend to be removed should you want to substitute furniture.
Magazine change is identical with a push-forward lever at the rear of the well, though this is larger than the original and easier to use. The magazine is shorter and slightly less curved than the real, 7.62×39mm, banana clip. It’s marked up to 24-rounds and is open-sided (as the GSG 5) with external follower lugs to make filling easier, as these allow you to take the weight of the spring. The left hand follower trips the last round hold open facility. I understand that lower capacity units are available.
Over the years I have seen a couple of AK47 rimfire clones and the GSG version is by far the best I have handled. It also offers an unusual alternative should you not want to go the more Western route of the MP5 and the various AR15 and Ruger 10/22 conversions.
Strip…
The AK like the GSG5 is screwed together, which makes disassembly a bit more involved, though like the original Kalashnikov the top receiver cover is easily removed. Two screws hold the cocking handle extension on and with that out of the way you have good access to the bolt face and chamber area, so maintaining the rifle is a bit easier. If this were my gun; I’d cut off the forward extension of the handle as that only seems to fill a gap. Meaning I would not have to take it off to gain access to the breech area.
Obviously for higher round count cleaning the bolt assembly needs removing, which means the butt & adaptor and pistol grip/trigger mech have to come off first. GSG supply full instructions and a tool kit for the purpose along with a spanner for the muzzle nut and foresight adjuster tool. As always with a 22 semi-auto, get as much crud out as you can and be very sparing on the lubrication, as oil attracts crap, which = stoppages!
Fire!
With past experience from the GSG5 I picked the usual cross section of ammo to try through the AK – subs, standard, high and ultra high velocity from a number of manufacturers. Loading the mag is easy due to the exterior follower lugs, though I could only get 22-rounds in.
The AK proved slightly different to the GSG5 in that it did not like sub-sonics, as it fired, ejected and chambered but did not cock the hammer. However it ran as sweet as a nut on standard, hi-velocity and even some ultra HV Remington Viper, this load was not to the MP5’s taste at all. Accuracy; at 50-yards even with the iron sights the gun was keeping it real with 2-3” groups. Closer (20-30 yards) I was able to bounce empty shotgun shells all over the range…
In keeping with its centrefire reputation this rimfire AK was around 100% more reliable than the GSG5 I reviewed in June last year. With the H&K clone you would get around 150-shots before things started gumming up. Apart from testing the various ammo types, which accounted for say 60-shots, I opened a 500-tin of Lapua Club (standard velocity) and started filling and shooting. I reached 300-rounds with only three stoppages – two low-power shots that failed to cock and one misfeed. So I’d say it ran for around 350 with no real problems.
Nowhere to run
After that the crud build up really decelerated the action with failures to cock becoming epidemic. Two things occur to me first – the open nature of the AK action build probably allows more crap to blow out of the ejection port. Second the pre-packaged bolt assembly is quite ‘closed in’ so the dirt build up eventually gets to critical level, as it has nowhere to go. But a strip and clean solves all this; chances are when the AK has worn in a little, it will prove even more reliable…
As the rifle came with no scope mount there was not a lot I could do to see what it could really achieve. Though if it can shoot 2-3” with iron sights at 50-yards, it is probably accurate enough. However, since finishing this article the accessory package arrived and that includes a scope mount, moderator adaptor and side-folding stock. I will be getting on to that lot next month along with the MP5 SD version and all the go faster bits for this rifle too.
At the end of the day this is another good effort from German Sport Guns and an unusual and attractive alternative for a hi-capacity semi-auto rimfire. What next I wonder, as I’m sure GSG is not going to stop here; maybe an MP40 or STG 44?

If you looking for a pastime that combines excitement, skill and a sense of adventure, then airsoft guns may well be for you. As one of the country’s fastest growing recreational sports, airsoft guns give you all the excitement of shooting a real gun without the expense, fuss or danger. You can use them for everything from target practice to war games. You have a wide range of airsoft guns to choose from such as the spring airsoft gun and the electric airsoft gun along with airsoft rifles. Here’s your guide this exciting activity. more
First, let’s look at exactly what airsoft guns are. Airsoft guns are models of actual firearms but fire plastic bullets or pellets (BBs) which are some 6-8 millimeters in circumference. They’re made from plastic or metal or a combination of both. The great thing about these items is that they give you the experience of shooting real guns without the risk or expense. You can use them for target practice, shooting competitions or recreational shooting just like the real thing by with the confidence that you’re in no danger.
Airsoft guns were originally developed in Japan in the 1980s where there was a passion for guns but strict laws against their ownership. The solution was to develop a spring powered gun that was a replica of an existing weapon. Airsoft guns later became popular in the United States and newer types of greater sophistication have since been developed using gas and electricity for propulsion. Here’s a look at the different types of airsoft gun.
The original spring airsoft guns or ’springer’ as they’re known to aficionados are still in use and are now the entry level weapons of choice for both handguns and rifles. The springer is a single action weapon that fires a single BB before you need to manually re-cock it before the next shot. One great benefit is that they need no power source such as gas or electricity so they’re cheaper to use and they won’t run out of power.
The second generation of airsoft guns featured gas-powered mechanisms using propane, nitrogen or carbon dioxide. These types can be semi-automatic or fully automatic and they’re lighter and more compact then the electric powered guns. Gas airsoft guns are fine for target practice but not really suitable for games. They also work better in warmer climates.
AEGs (Automatic Electric Guns) are now the most popular airsoft weapons. They use rechargeable high-capacity rechargeable batteries for power. They come in both automatic and semi-automatic models so you can continuously fire without having to pull the slide, bolt, or other mechanism. This makes them more suitable for competition than spring airsoft guns, for example.
Among recent innovations is a Hybrid airsoft. These are highly realistic as they use encased ammunition so a metal casing will be ejected during each shot just like in the movies.
One of the major pleasures of airsoft guns is their realistic appearance. You can get them in a huge range of types. For example, there are shotguns with real pump action as well as replicas of hunting rifles. Some of the most popular models are replicas of military weapons. Nostalgia buffs will be delighted to find models weapons used in the Wild West and on the battlefields of yesteryear, while the more technically minded can acquire items such as sniper rifles used in today’s conflicts around the globe.
If you’ve decided to investigate the world of airsoft guns, here are a few things you should bear in mind.
First, it’s important to remember that airsoft guns are not toys. Though they’re perfectly safe when used responsibly, you need to keep them away from children.
Next, you need to choose the right type for your needs. It’s best to buy a basic type to start to see if they are for you. If you spend some time on target practice and get hooked, then you can upgrade to a more sophisticated model.
To get the best deals, you can visit one of the reputable online vendors of airsoft guns and browse their illustrated catalogues. Choose the model that appeals, place your order, and your item will be delivered by courier. Buying online is safe, simple and economical. Remember you have to be at least 18 years old and that it is not legal to own airsoft guns in New York City (all 5 boroughs) and Michigan.
So if the idea of organizing your own war games appeals to you or you, or you just want some target practice or try your hand on a rifle range, check out airsoft guns for the ultimate in thrills and realism.

There is a wide range of airsoft guns with varying levels of power. Any one of the many airsoft guns will provide more than adequate power during combat gaming. Typical power ranges for airsoft guns typically run between 200 to 300 feet per second. Certain guns have greater power like the Broomhandle 96 Mauser gas rifle. In addition to being an amazingly powerful gun at 497 feet per second, this gun is also an exquisitely realistic replica. more
Electric airsoft rifles run around the mid 300’s in terms of feet per second. While this is a bit less than say the Broomhandle, they are amazingly powerful none the less. For a moment consider an airsoft gun that fires at 320 feet per second. That speed translates to 218 miles per hour. Now imagine what that speed translates to upon impact. Spring action type rifles don’t fall off in terms of power either. Many of these airsoft guns still provide a capability of 300 feet per second and more.
If there is a perception that pistol falls off in terms of power, than that would be an incorrect one.
All airsoft guns have great power performance. In general, pistols can match up with 350 feet per second and greater. One great example of such a pistol is the gas tactical Beretta 92 with a 360 to 390 feet per second capability. Speed is power and airsoft guns have great speed to distance ratios. Regardless of size, shape, color, style or method of propulsion airsoft users will not find themselves in need of power.