Many people ask this question because they are not sure which one to choose. To the inexperienced, they may look exactly the same; a group of masked people running around shooting each other. However, this is not the case. Paintball and Airsoft are very different sports. To better explain the differences between paintball and airsoft, I have created some subcategories. They are; Uses, Maintenance, Cost, Tournaments, Pain and Fun.

Uses: When choosing between Airsoft and Paintball, you need to consider what your gun will be used for. Airsoft guns can be used for almost anything. They can be used for target practice, backyard warfare, shooting cans, tournaments, and more. There are also so many different types of Airsoft guns to choose from to suit your specific needs. Paintball is mostly used for tournament play or playing on a specific field, but sometimes people use them for target practice. However, Airsoft is better for target practice. Airsoft has more practical uses than Paintball, so airsoft wins this round.

Maintenance – When choosing between Airsoft and Paintball, you need to consider whether you want to spend time maintaining your gun. In Paintball, you have to constantly clean your paint gun so it doesn’t clog. You may also need to clean up broken paintball cartridges if you’re shooting in your backyard. You should also keep your paintballs in the freezer so they don’t melt. In Airsoft, there is less maintenance. All you need to do is charge your battery if you’re using a stun gun, and clear the occasional jam. Since Airsoft has less maintenance, that’s another point for Airsoft.

Cost: Cost is an important factor in making your decision. You need to consider weapon costs, equipment costs, and ammunition costs. Paintball guns are usually more expensive than airsoft guns. For a quality gun you need to pay between 150 and 1200 dollars. In Airsoft there are many different types of weapons to choose from with different price ranges. But, for a good stun gun you’ll probably pay $160 more. Next comes the team. If you want to play paintball, you will most likely play on a team. To play as a team, you will need to purchase a paintball uniform, mask, and additional hoppers that will cost around $150. However, for airsoft, all you need is a mask, unless you play in a team. If you’re going to play as a team you’ll need to buy a tactical vest, extra mags, mask or helmet and shooting glasses, and maybe some grenades. Paintball ammo is a bit more expensive than airsoft bbs, so airsoft ammo is cheaper. If you don’t play as a team, airsoft will be your cheapest option. However, there is a tie between airsoft and paintball because they are almost the same if you play in a team.

Tournaments: To sum it up, Paintball has a lot more tournaments than airsoft. Paintball is a renowned team sport, and there are tons of professional tournaments all over the United States. With Airsoft, there probably won’t be any organized events in your area and your team will probably need to organize their own event. Paintball wins this category in a landslide.

Pain – If your goal is to inflict as much pain as possible, Paintball is your best bet. Although paintball guns have a lower fps, paintballs have a larger surface area and transfer more energy upon impact. in other words, it stings like crazy. Unless you have an airsoft gun with 400 FPS or higher, you want a paintball gun. Another victory for paintball.

Fun: Paintball can be fun, but airsoft is a game to play with your friends. In Airsoft you don’t have to play on a field. You can play anywhere. Whether it’s a backyard showdown with friends or a skirmish with that bad boy across the street. I have played both Airsoft and Paintball numerous times and while paintball was fun I have always loved Airsoft. Airsoft takes this category.

OK, let’s see the final results… The final score is: Airsoft 4 Paintball 3. So Airsoft takes home the gold. Both sports are nice, but I would recommend Airsoft.

If you’re a beginner and decide you want to play airsoft, learn more about getting the right airsoft gun at www.choosetherightairsoftgun.blogspot.com [http://www.choosetherightairsoftgun.blogspot.com]

Happy shooting!