You often hear on the news that the military are going through a weapons upgrade program, believe it not, the owners of Airsoft weapons do exactly the same thing. Airsoft weapons, whether they are hand held or rifle styles are exact replicas of modern military hardware, they are made from either plastic or metal. The only real difference in the two is the ammunition they use and the destructive force of course. Where a real military weapon such as the M16 will shoot real bullets, the Airsoft version shoots small plastic pellets.
Once people become enthusiastic about Airsoft they begin to use their weapons more and more. As a result, like everything else, some component will fail, either it will simply wear out or break. When this happens, the owners will turn to companies that sell OEM replacement parts for the gun they have. Parts for Airsoft guns are like parts for cars, you can buy less expensive parts that are aftermarket and the original part produced by the guns maker. Often, the aftermarket part is not quite exact and it either will not work at all or it will require a little tweaking.
Airsoft weapons are available with multiple methods of propelling the pellet. The basic weapon uses a spring, when the spring is fully cocked and the trigger is pulled, the pellet is expelled. The problem with spring actuated guns is they can only fire one shot at a time. The more sophisticated weapons are either gas operated or electric operated. These guns can be set to fire single shot, semi automatic or full auto, this suits the Airsoft soldier better.
The weapons are very sturdy and they can stand up to the rigors of Airsoft warfare. Inside the replica housing is a host of components that make it work; there are pistons, firing mechanisms, trigger assemblies, springs and many other small components. As the Airsoft weapons are fired, sooner or later something will fail and OEM replacement parts will be needed.
It is just not replacement parts that the owner looks for; the manufacturer of the gun usually has accessory parts and upgrades that fit the gun and may not be included when purchased. Many users like to customize their guns with better grips and flash arrestors.
