Getting started with Airsoft in Ireland (specifically the Republic)?

Dave!

Hey folks,

since Airsoft has just become legal over here, we're more than likely gonna get a load of new users who want to take part. Well I'm one of them! Thing is, though, I don't really know how to get started with it So I think a definitive thread would be pretty handy for the forum, for us to ask questions in, and it would help n00b-lingers like myself to get started in the sport.

1. Equipment! Should this be the first thing we should do (ie. buy a gun) or should we perhaps wait for some clubs to form and try them out? What kind of gun should be our first buy? Presumably an AEG! What's the best beginners' kit? I would say that I'm likely to go down the sniper route if I get more into the sport, but I don't think that would be a good first buy, for getting used to the game, etc. -- am I right? Should a face mask/goggles be bought at the same time? ie. what are the bare-essentials for going into battle?

2. Battles! How do we go about taking part in battles? From what I gather it's not recommended to take out your Armalite replicas, dress in balaclavas, and play war-games in your local park So how do ye go about it? Do ye just get a load of mates who are interested, and rent out some private property? I woulda thought special insurance would be required on the part of the propietor of the land, in order to allow this. How long do you reckon before Airsoft-specific sites are opened?

3. Clubs! Are there any Airsoft clubs in the Republic that might take beginners under their wing and show them the works? I'm the only person I know that's interested in this sport! (although I don't think that most of my mates would realise that it's now legal -- I certainly didn't until I saw it on boards ) It would be handy to be able to get to know some people who are into the sport!

4. Being shot! Does it hurt? Can you actually FEEL it?! I've been paintballing and while it did suck getting shot, it wasn't unbearable I gather that airsoft is alot 'gentler' than paintball, and if that's the case, then won't all the camoulflage, gilly suits, protective gear, etc., make it a bit difficult to know when you've been shot? I know that it goes on the honour system, but if I don't know I've been shot then I can't say I was! So will I know? (/me hears a load of snipers rubbing their hands together and saying "oh you'll know...... ¬_¬" )

Cheers for any help, don't feel compelled to answer every question individually, just give any thoughts you have!

And n00bs, post ye'r questions

enda1

Dito to pretty much everything you said.

My main concern would be that you wouldn't know when you were hit.

Also maybe someone could know, are they much more accurate than paintball. Is the range longer too?

Harekin

Safety gear(goggles/masks) are actually probably more important than the guns. They are the most basic requirement to play airsoft.
I reckon play a few games before you buy.
Theres nothing in the Republic as of yet so maybe a group of us here could head up to a skirmish site in the North together some day?
It does hurt and generally speaking you will know you've been hit...however unlike paintball, it does hurt when hit but doesnt leave the nasty welts.
It can chip teeth and such.
Most AEG's would be more accurate than paintball guns due to the Hop-Up system. This adds a backspin to the BB.

EDIT: This is my opinion btw.

Hauk

Right, I'll give this a quick whirl.

1 Equipment:The best gun to start out with would probably be an AEG. I would recommend Tokyo Marui(TM) because of their reliability. They are also a great platform to perform upgrades on later on. The TM Famas and AK-47 are good guns to get started on, and you can usually find them in a combination pack(i.e gun, battery, charger).

2 Battles: Although I've never been to an airsoft skirmish, from reading up a lot of stuff on it, they are similar to paintball. However there is also the 'honour system'. Which basically means that every player who is 'hit' must call his hit, by raising his hand and shouting 'hit'. This does give cheaters an incentive not to call out if they have been hit, so most sites employ marshals to keep an eye on the game and make sure everyone is calling their hits. Eye protection is essential, so everyone must wear some sort of goggle/mask while playing.

3 Clubs: There are no airsoft clubs that I'm aware of in the Republic(apart from Jaoibh at Wolf Pack Airsoft(a company setting up an airsoft site)). Your best bet would be travelling to one of the sites up North e.g. Predator, SG1.

4 Being shot doesn't hurt THAT much :P Only joking. It doesn't really hurt at all, unless you get hit with a super upgraded gun at 10 feet. The most you will get are welts, which are little red marks on your skin that could bleed from time to time. To prevent lots of pain, there is a minimal engagement distance, which uses the 'BANG' rule instead. So if you are within say 5 metres of an enemy, instead of lacing them with your AEG, you'd point your gun at them and say, "BANG". The enemy should then take their hit as normal.

Hope that helps. But some of the stuff I wrote their could be horribly wrong!

Hauk

IronWolf

Accurate range of airsoft guns around the 1 joule mark (the maximum legal limit) is usually around 30 metres (as in hitting a man sized target) but this vary wildly depending on what type of gun you are using, quality/ weight of bb, type of hopup, length of barrel, amongst numerous other things.

Protection. Paintball masks are ideal is they not only protect your eyes, but also your face from getting nasty welts. However, it can be difficult to aim your weapon accurately whilst using masks so another option would be ballistically rated goggles or shooting glasses (my personal choice), but these have the obvious downside of leaving your face exposed.

Some I would reccomend:

- Bolle Goggles (x500's, x800's, Commando)
- Oakley A Frame Goggles
- Wiley X CQC's (Goggles)
- ESS Goggles (such as their NVG or Flight Deck Models)
- JT Facemasks
- Scott Facemasks
- Oakley M Frame Shooting Array Glasses
- Guarder Shooting Glasses
- ESS ICE Shooting Glasses

With regards to feeling your hits, they can indeed feel painful, more of a sharp sting then getting shot with a paintball but I find that the pain goes quite quickly. Once I get pumped with adrenaline the pain seems to dissapear too. There is the problem of someone genuinely not feeling their hits, especially with the growing use of plate carriers and other armor types in recent years.

For beginners if you have never used an airsoft gun before, I'd reccomend buying a springer hand gun (I like the Tokyo Marui High Grade Myself) as they are reliable, easy to maintain and don't leave too big a hole in your wallet should you decide that airsoft is not for you.

Skirmish wise I'd thoroughly reccomend that you rent an AEG from your site (the sites up North have this facility) or should one not be available, that you ask if you can borrow a friends. The reason why I say this is that any AEG of quality will cost approximately €250+ which is alot of money to spend on something you may have only seen pictures of. Though I do realise that as thing stand (no official skirmish sites or shops on ROI) it may be difficult to do other wise.

As far as sniping goes, imo it would be prudent of anyone considering becoming a sniper to try playing with an AEG first, as sniping requires quite a bit of skill, (especially so if you consider that AEG's can be just as powerful according to current ROI law) which takes time to develop so its best not to jump straight into the deepend. That and you may find that you do not enjoy it as much as running and gunning with an AEG.

-Strawbs-

Jaoibh (the person who started the Airsoft Ireland thread) is starting an Airsoft site in Dublin, but it probobly wont be set up until next year. So the best thing to do is just look out for a gun you like and get some goggles, camo if you want.
Strawbs