Airsoft vs Paintball

Extreme sports are a craze these days. People can’t seem to get enough adrenaline rush. Two of today’s most talked-about extreme sports that can definitely satisfy the craving for thrill and action are paintball and airsoft. What makes these sports so exhilarating is the fact that they mimic scenarios usually found in real wars or military training camps. Plus, they employ guns. And we’re not just talking about toy guns here. These are almost similar as real ones with the exception that they use non-deadly alternative to bullets. In spite of some similarities in the general look and feel of paintball and airsoft, they remain two distinct sports. Factors that basically make them different are their origins, the type of guns used, cost and function.
Airsoft and paintball are both invented in the 70’s. Airsoft was developed in Japan to meet the raging demands of gun enthusiast. Since possession of firearms during those times was illegal, manufacturers created gun replicas instead. The designs were very intricate, that it would extremely difficult to tell the difference. Later on, the use of plastic BB’s was integrated to the invention and thus, the birth of airsoft. Meanwhile, a similar invention was cooking up in the other side of the world. A stock trader Hayes Noel, Bob Gurnsey and writer, Charles Gaines were inspired by the game of buffalo-hunting in Africa. The idea gave birth to a recreational game where they would stalk and hunt each other using a ‘Nel-spot 007’ that would fire balls of paint. Both airsoft and paintball continue to attract war games enthusiasts to date.
The most apparent difference between airsoft and paintball is the type of gun used. Airsoft guns are life-like. They are precise replicas of actual firearms. It is also because of their meticulous structure that they have higher firepower than those used in paitball. On the other hand, painball guns are simpler. They have a distinctive barrel that is quite far from an actual body of any firearm.
As for bullet alternatives, airsoft use plastic BB’s. Being hit by plastic BB’s is far from fatal, but because of airsoft gun’s remarkable firepower, they can still cause minor injuries such as bruises. It is, therefore, advisable to put on protective gear especially designed for this game. Conversely, paintball uses as what its name suggests- paint balls. A paintball impacts much stronger compared to the pellets from airsoft guns, add to that the energy expelled from a paintball when it finally hits the target. It’s because they weigh heavier than plastic BB’s.
When it comes to price, airsoft may have an advantage over paintball. The weapons range from USD 300 to USD 1500 depending on the competence level. To most airsoft players though, it doesn’t make much difference whether one uses an expensive or a cheap gun. Advantage is mostly derived from skill and strategy. Moreover, pellets are what make the game cheaper than its counterpart. A bag of 3000-5000 is roughly pegged at USD 20. Paintball guns can cost USD 200 to USD 1000+. Paintball shots are relatively more expensive, though. They can cost up to USD 50 per game.
Airsoft and paintball are enjoyed on recreational and sporting functions. Aside from those, the former is also used for military and law enforcement training.
Summary

1. Airsoft and paintball are extreme sports that mimic war scenarios. They both use gun replicas as their main weapons.
2. Both are airsoft and paintball are popular recreational and sports activities. The former is also used for real military training.
3. In airsoft, plastic BB’s or pellets are used as bullet alternative. Paintball shots are used in paintball.
4. Paintball is relatively more expensive than airsoft chiefly because of the cost of paintball shots.

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