Airsoft Terms Glossary
Airsoft Terms Glossary

 

 

  A. 6

 

134a. 6

ACP. 6

AE Action Express. 7

GBB'. 7

AEG: 7

Airsoft 7

Definition: 7

The guns: 7

The appeal: 8

After-market parts. 10

Air-less Nozzle. 10

AK (as in AK-47) 10

Albeit: 10

Ammunition. 10

AO.. 10

AR.. 10

AUG.. 10

Automatic. 10

 

 

 

B.. 10

 

Barrel 10

Battery: 11

NiCd: 11

NiMh: 11

BB.. 11

BB, bb: 11

BDU: 12

Bearings. 12

Blacks. 12

Blowback : 12

Bolt 12

Bolt Action. 12

Breech. 13

Bump. 13

Bullpup. 13

Burst-fire. 13

Bushings. 14

Butt 14

 

 

C.. 14

 

Clip. 14

Clockwork magazine. 14

CQB.. 14

Cyclic (speed) 14

Calibre. 14

Carbine. 14

Chronograph. 15

Clip. 15

Cocking Handle. 15

Covert 15

CQB.. 15

Camouflage. 15

Covert 15

Cylinder: 15

 

 

D.. 16

 

Double-action. 16

 

 

E.. 16

 

Electric air gun. 16

Expansion chamber 16

External gas. 16

EBB.. 17

Ejection Port 17

 

 

F.. 17

 

Full-auto(matic) 17

Field-Strippable (to Field-Strip) 17

Fire Selector Switch. 17

FPS. 17

FPS: 17

Unit equivalents. 18

Pellet  velocity 18

Fart Sack. 18

Frame. 18

 

 

G.. 18

 

Gas-powered. 18

Gas-blowback. 18

GBB.. 19

Gearbox. 19

Ghillie suit 19

Ghille / Ghille Suit 19

Green gas. 19

GL. 19

Gears: 19

 

 

H.. 19

 

High-capacity magazine. 19

Hi-Cap / High-Cap. 20

Hop-Up. 20

HMG.. 20

HOP-UP (HOP) 20

 

 

I. 20

 

Internal gas. 20

Iron sights. 21

 

 

J. 21

 

JAC.. 21

Joule. 21

 

 

K.. 21

 

Kurtz. 21

Kick. 21

Kurz. 21

 

 

L.. 21

 

Laser sights. 21

Live-role-playing. 22

LARP. 22

LRP. 22

Laser 22

lethal weapon. 22

LMG.. 22

Lo-Cap / Low-Cap. 22

LSW... 22

LBE. 22

LBV.. 23

LE. 23

Line of Departure. 23

Loach. 23

LRRP. 23

LZ. 23

 

 

M... 23

 

Mag. 23

Mechbox. 23

Mechbox. 23

Muzzle energy. 23

Muzzle velocity. 23

Muzzle. 23

Motor: 23

Mid-Cap. 24

MRE. 24

MIA.. 24

 

 

N.. 24

 

NVG.. 24

NV / NVG.. 24

 

 

O.. 24

 

OICW... 24

Overt 25

 

 

P.. 25

 

Paintball 25

PDW... 25

PDW... 25

Plinking (to plink) 25

PP. 25

PPK.. 25

Pyros. 25

Piston Head & Piston: 25

 

 

Q.. 26

 

 

R.. 26

 

Rate of Fire. 26

Red dot sight 26

Re-enactment 26

Replica guns. 26

ROF. 26

R22. 26

Recoil 26

Regen. 27

RIS. 27

Round. 27

RPM... 27

 

 

S. 27

 

SAW... 27

Selective-fire. 27

Semi-automatic. 27

SD.. 27

SF. 27

Slide. 28

Silencer 28

Single-action. 28

Single-shot 28

Skirmishing (to Skirmish) 28

Skirmish game. 28

Skirmish clip. 28

SLR.. 29

SMG.. 29

Soft air 29

Stock 1 (Noun) 29

Stock 2 (Adjective) 29

SWAT. 29

SEAL. 30

Safety Switch. 30

Selective-fire. 30

Silicon Spray. 30

Spring Airsoft Guns: 30

Steel Spring Guide Rod: 30

 

 

T.. 30

 

TM... 30

TMC.. 30

Tokyo Marui 30

TMP. 30

Tracer 30

Tracer unit 31

Trigger 31

Trigger Guard. 31

 

 

U.. 31

 

Upgrading. 31

USP. 31

 

V.. 31

 

W... 31

 

X.. 32

 

Y.. 32

 

Z.. 32

Zero. 32

 
  ______________________________________________________________________
 
 
A
134a
A type of airsoft gas - 134a is one of the weakest gasses available for airsoft guns.  This gas is safe for use in all GBB and NBB guns and often contains a lubricant.  Most eastern produced guns are only guaranteed by the manufacturer if you use nothing but 134a gas. (Back to top)
ACP
Automatic Colt Pistol - ACP is an abbreviation used to describe the real-steel .45 calibre semi-automatic pistol bullet.  Invented by Colt for their 1911 range, this bullet is larger and more powerful than many, but the increased size does not allow many rounds to be stored in the gun prior to shooting.  Airsoft Colt 45 replicas are often called 'Airsoft Colt 45ACP replicas', although they actually still use the same 6mm plastic BB that is used throughout airsoft. (Back to top)

 

AE Action Express
The Action Express is the name given to the new real-steel .50 calibre semi-automatic pistol bullet.  This term has no relevance in airsoft except to say that the airsoft Desert Eagle GBB replicas have been tagged the 'Desert Eagle .50AE GBB'. (Back to top)
AEG:
Automatic Electric Gun, see electric air gun
This is the most popular type of airsoft gun for skirmishing use.  It is powered by battery and operates through a series of gears and a spring-powered piston. (Back to top)

Airsoft
Definition:
The hobby of collecting realistic, non-lethal,( "lethal weapon" means a weapon capable of firing a projectile with sufficient :force to inflict more than a trivial injury, i.e. with a force sufficient to puncture the skin) shooting replicas of actual firearms either for display or for the purposes of skirmishing in friendly competition.

History: The sport of airsoft started in japan during the early 1980s. It was illegal to own firearms in japan but there was a significant interest in them, so a company started producing spring-powered replicas of firearms that fired 6mm, plastic bbs. During the latter part of the 1980s the sport migrated to neighboring countries such as hong kong, korea, taiwan, and the philippines. Airsoft started appearing in north america and europe during the middle of the 1990's. (Back to top)

 

The guns:
This is essentially what attracts players into the sport. Airsoft guns are 1:1 Scale replicas of actual firearms that fire 6mm, round, plastic pellets commonly called as "bb's" which are propelled out of the guns by compressed air. In most cases, airsoft guns mimic the looks and functionality of it's real-steel counterpart. By that, meaning airsoft guns look, feel, weigh, and functions similar to the actual firearm. Often, the only way you can tell apart a "real steel" firearm and an airsoft gun is the blazing orange tip and when you pull that trigger . (Back to top)

TYPES
There are 3 major types of airsoft guns: Spring-powered, gas-powered, and automatic electric guns (AEG's). (Back to top)

Spring:
First, spring-powered airsoft gun, the perfect entry level choice. Spring-cocking guns are true to their name in that you cock the spring first, and then fire. Cock spring, fire, cock, fire, cock, fire, etc. These guns are usually magazine fed and semi-automatic, but they must be hand-cocked after every shot. This system is very cost-effective, and the guns are surprisingly sturdy. Every airsofter, in his lifetime, has owned at least one spring-powered gun, either a pistol or a rifle. Due to it's relatively cheap price-range, this is usually the gun of choice for the person just starting to play airsoft. A spring-powered handgun can be purchased for as little as $20. (Back to top)

Gas:
Another popular type of an airsoft gun is the gas-powered. While there are several types of gas-powered airsoft guns, the most popular are the gas-blowback guns (gbbs). The gbb allows a realistic, semi-automatic firing of the gun by employing either an on-board, or magazine-stored gas storage system. Basically, the same compressed air that propels the bb out of the bore is harnessed to cycle the slide back (hence: Blowback). This creates the realistic "recoil" by cycling the slide/upper receiver back-and-forth while firing the gun. To see an example of this, click g17 and usp. This system gives the hand-held gun the capability to empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger, and just as easily reload the gun by inserting a fresh magazine. Needless to say, this feature holds tremendous appeal for the "simulationist".(Back to top)

Electric:
Lastly are the automatic electric gun. The creation of the aeg is partly responsible for airsoft's "boom" during the late 1990s. Basically, an aeg is powered by an on-board battery (similar to hobby r/c cars), which operates a motor that turns gears inside the gun to compress and release a piston, which in turn creates the blast of air needed to propel the 6mm bb through the barrel of the gun. This system allows the gun to efficiently generate the power needed to support the fully-automatic features of most aegs and the result is a realistic rate-of-fire (rof) of anywhere from 600 - 900 rounds-per-minute (rpm), once again mimicking the capabilities of real steel firearms. This is the airsoft gun of choice for most skirmish veterans. (Back to top)

The appeal:
Airsoft gives people the ability to own a shooting version of their dream gun. Due to the law and the cost, people cannot always own their dream gun, and airsoft provides you with a realistic replica, and on top of that allows you to be able to shoot that replica (albeit: Non-lethal).

 

Often, people would watch movies and tv and say, "wow, that gun is awesome, i'd like to get me one of those". Actually, what you may be seeing in those movies and tv shows, are, in fact, airsoft guns. Due to their relatively cheap price tags and precise realism, movie studios often employ airsoft guns for it's production work. They simply digitally alter the images to incorporate the muzzle flash, sound and effects to mimic the real firearms.

 

Generally speaking, most of the more popular real-steel firearms has an airsoft gun counterpart. The heckler & koch mp5 series, to include mp5a4, mp5 sd5, mp5 pdw. The venerable h&k g3 battle rifle series. Colt m16s. Steyr augs. Sig 550s. Famas. Ak-47s. Machine guns like the m60. Sub-machine guns such as the imi uzis and ingrams. Pistols such as the famed berettas, colts, sigs, and glocks. Shotguns such as the benelli m2 and remington 870. Sniping rifles such as the psg-1, m40a1, blaser 93r. Even the "hollywood" guns like the robocop auto-pistol and the m134 vulcan (6-barrel gatling gun) made famous by the predator and terminator movies. The list of airsoft guns is quite sizeable, and growing with each passing month.

 

The ability to own and play with these "dreamguns" are in and of itself appealing enough to enthusiasts. The added advantage of being able to take these guns out to a local playing field and "shooting" your best friends with it in friendly competition is a hands down selling point.

 

Another appeal with airsoft is the ability to "role-play" with them. There are countless clubs, teams and organizations devoted to the sport of "waging war" with airsoft guns. Known throughout the world as skirmishing. In essence, role-playing allows people to fulfill their fantasies, which (due to physical disabilities or circumstances) they never got the chance to. These people may be bankers, insurance brokers, secretaries, students, computer programmers by profession, but for 1 day a week they can be green berets, assassins, swat members, navy seals, whatever. Their mind is the only limit. This role-playing ability is enhanced by the fact that airsoft guns are extremely realistic. After all, it's rather difficult to play the part of a navy seal when you're holding a neon, orange-yellow-colored, super-soaker squirt gun. (Back to top)

After-market parts
Airsoft add-ons and enhancements
This refers to the tougher internals, the stronger springs and all the other upgrades you can buy for your airsoft replica, after its original purchase. F If it doesn't come shipped with the gun and you can buy it, install it and see the improvement, it's an after-market part. (Back to top)

Air-less Nozzle
Upgraded version which improves performance by making a better seal. (Back to top)

AK (as in AK-47)
Avtomat Klashnikova or Automatic Kalashnikov
The most widely used automatic rifle manufacturer in the world.  Russian designed, it is widely used throughout the Soviet region and the middle-east.  There are several Airsoft variants available. (Back to top)

Albeit:
non-lethal (Back to top)

Ammunition
The projectile fired by a propelent. (see BB) (Back to top)

AO
Area of Operation or the playing field where you play the game of Airsoft. (Back to top)

AR
Automatic Rifle
A rifle that reloads itself automatically after shooting.  Colt added the prefix 'AR' on to the model numbers of some of their automatic rifles to indicate this ability. (Back to top)

AUG
Armee Universal Gewehr
In English it means "Universal Army Rifle" - a modern bullpup rifle made by Steyr of Austria and used by the military forces of several countries.  A few airsoft variants are available.

Armee Universal Gewehr or Army Universal Rifle. An Austrian assault rifle, manufactured by Steyr-Mannlicher and famous for its futuristic design. It has been in service from the seventies and despite its fancy looks it is also very accurate, reliable and well designed. Tokyo Marui makes two AUG variants which are considered to among be the company's finest models (Back to top)

Automatic
Continuous firing without manual re-cocking. (Back to top)

B
Barrel
The tube that the projectile travels through
The barrel is the long strong tube running through all guns, whether airsoft or real-steel.  It holds the projectile straight as it gains speed and ensures that it leaves the gun still travelling in the same direction.  The barrel is one of the most dependant factors when improving the accuracy of a gun, although this is not particularly true with airsoft due to the inherent instability of a Ball Bearing in flight.  Airsoft barrels are also smooth inside and are not rifled like most firearms. (Back to top)

Battery:
For AEG's or Electric Airsoft Rifles, airsoft batteries are the driving force which move the gears in the gear box which moves the Images/Electric-Airsoft-Gun-AEG-Internal.jpg" width="478" height="785">piston and the spring to shoot the BB out of the gun. There are mainly two types of batteries used for AEG electric airsoft rifles. (Back to top)

NiCd:
 Standing for Nickel Cadmium. NiCad batteries are great economic choices for your average AEG or electric airsoft rifle. They can be charged quickly and have a high discharge rate, allowing for high performance. Their two main shortcomings are (1) the limited capacity of the battery, as well as (2) battery memory. Please keep in mind, the ROF (Rate of Fire) will slowly go down as the battery power drains away. It is highly recommended that you discharge NiCd's completely before recharging them to avoid "memory" (which is when a battery will not charge above a certain point ... laptops and cell phones do this too). If properly conditioned, a NiCad battery can have a very high capacity and a high discharge rate, resulting in the "Perfect Battery". (Back to top)
NiMh:
 Standing for Nickel Metal Hydride. NiMh batteries generally have a higher mAh (milli Amp Hours) or capacity than Ni-CD Batteries and don't develop "memory" as easily as NiCd Batteries. Rather than providing a large spike of energy at the peak of charge and then slowly dropping, NiMh batteries will provide you with a more consistent RoF (rate of fire), all the way until the battery has little to no charge left. Remember that with NiMh batteries you will need a COMPATIBLE charger for them (DuraTrax or Systema). Please keep in mind, NiMH batteries can not be as quickly charged there must be charged accordingly. Not doing so will fry or ruin the battery! (Back to top)
BB
Ball Bearing
The ball bearing is the ammunition used by airsoft.  Usually 6mm in diameter, these small plastic balls weigh far less than half a gram each (usually 0.20g).  8mm BBs are also available for some replicas.
The benefit to the BB is that as it is spherical, it can be loaded or fired any way round.  Unfortunately, this shape causes inherent instability during flight (an aerodynamically unstable object) and can cause slightly more unpredictable flight paths than with a pellet or bullet. (Back to top)

 

BB, bb:
airsoft ammunition - the whitish plastic balls 6mm in diameter that we shoot at one another. They come in various weights from 0.12g to 0.36g and may differ greatly in quality. There are usually never enough of them in your clip but no matter how well you clean your house, there is always a few in a corner or under the couch. There are also 'bio-degradable' BBs available and some brands even seem to do so (eventually) (Back to top)

BDU:
 Battle Dress Uniform, a set of camouflage clothing used by the military. There are several different patterns used by the U.S. Military alone. BDUs are durable and designed to make the wearer harder to detect, which make them perfect for airsoft players. They are also, by definition, the most authentic outfit for military simulation games(Back to top)

Bearings
Similar to Bushings, but with moving parts
Airsoft AEGs contain Bushings that hold the axle for each gear in the gearbox.  These standard nylon bushings are usually not very strong and can be replaced with Bearings that will provide less friction, less resistance and more speed in the AEG gearbox.  Bearings can be quite expensive though and the 7mm bearings are more reliable then the standard 6mm bearings. (Back to top)

Blacks
Type of BDU
For urban and night time skirmishing, green DPM clothing would be more noticeable than simply dressing in Black.  For these operations, the airsofter is considered to be dressed in 'Blacks'.  It is also worth noting that many modern sets of 'Blacks' are not actually black at all, rather a dark shade of blue-grey as this helps the wearer to blend in to a dark environment better. (Back to top)

Blowback :
a mechanism that uses compressed gas not only to propel the BBs but also to cycle the gun's slide or bolt to produce a very authentic effect and even some recoil. While not as reliable as electric air guns, gas-blowbacks are as realistic as model guns can get without muzzle flashes and brass hitting the ground. Gas-blowback guns are either semi or full-automatic, some even have burst fire. The downside is that the guns use a lot of gas and a clip can usually hold no more than 40-60 rounds plus the amount of gas needed to fire about twice that many. (Back to top)

Bolt
The handle that cocks / charges / reloads a gun
The bolt is present on most rifles and SMGs, both real and airsoft.  When manipulated, it allows the user to pull back the slide hidden inside a gun and load a fresh bullet or BB.  A bolt is unnecessary on guns where the slide is readily accessible (such as semi-automatic pistols).
NOTE: While AEGs have a bolt, the mechanism of the AEG at this time means that the bolt has no function.  It is entirely cosmetic in all but a rare few AEGs. (Back to top)

Bolt Action
A type of reloading action (single shot, manual reload)
A Bolt action is commonly found in accurate long-range real-steel rifles.  It is desirable because the bullet is held securely inside the rifle while firing, providing a small but notable accuracy increase.
To reload the bolt action rifle after a shot, the bolt must traditionally be pulled back manually by the shooter allowing the removal of the old bullet case.  The shooter then pushes the bolt forwards again, loading a fresh bullet in to the breech. (Back to top)

Breech
The immediate housing for a bullet / BB at the point of firing
The Breech is usually a solid object with a hole cut out in line with the barrel to fit a bullet or BB inside.  The projectile waits in the breech until the firing pin / piston causes the shot to be fired.  It is then launched out of the front of the breech, in to the barrel and out of the front through the muzzle. (Back to top)

 

Bump
Ambush
A slang word which means to ambush or be ambushed.  If you bump an enemy force, you surprise them in attack.  If you get 'Bumped' by the enemy, they have ambushed you. (Back to top)

Bullpup
a firearm, usually an assault rifle, in which the magazine is located behind the trigger assembly instead in front of it. This has the advantage of having a longer barrel (and thus more accuracy) in a shorter rifle. Austrian Steyr AUG, British SA-80 and the French FA-MAS are the most common examples of this design. (Back to top)
A design methodology for rifles
'Bullpup' rifles such as the AUG and the British SA80 have the magazine and firing mechanism set behind the trigger and grip, instead of the more traditional layout where the magazine is in front of the grip (see the M16, AK47, G36, etc...).  This results in a much longer barrel without increasing the length of the gun, which increases accuracy without making the gun difficult to carry. (Back to top)
A design methodology for rifles
'Bullpup' rifles such as the AUG and the British SA80 have the magazine and firing mechanism set behind the trigger and grip, instead of the more traditional layout where the magazine is in front of the grip (see the M16, AK47, G36, etc...). This results in a much longer barrel without increasing the length of the gun, which increases accuracy without making the gun difficult to carry. (Back to top)
Burst-fire
a firing mode in which the gun will fire a certain number of rounds, a burst, per one trigger pull. This is full-automatic fire at full cyclic speed but the burst size is limited, usually to three rounds. This option is used in some firearms (e.g. M16A2, certain MP5 models) because there is evidence that, in real firearms with recoil, the accuracy drops significantly after the third round of full automatic fire. Some airsoft guns duplicate this feature which is very cool if not all that useful. (Back to top)

Bushings
Similar to Bearings, but with no moving parts
Airsoft AEGs contain nylon Bushings that hold the axle for each gear in the gearbox.  These bushings allow the gears to turn easily without moving out of position.  For stronger powered springs, metal bushings are required.  For ultimate performance, Bearings can be used instead (like Bushings, but with small ball bearings inside the unit to reduce friction). (Back to top)

Butt
A part of a gun
The butt of a gun can be two different things depending on the gun you are using.
1. Pistol: The butt is the base of the pistol-grip, where the magazine is inserted.
2. Rifle: The butt is the rear-most point on the gun.  If the rifle has a stock, the butt is the rubber piece on the back end that presses up against your shoulder.  If there is no stock, the butt is simply the rear-most point on the gun. (Back to top)

C
Clip
a metal bracket that held bullets together to facilitate loading of some early rifles such as M1 Garand. Incorrectly used as a synonym for a magazine. (Back to top)

Clockwork magazine
a magazine that can hold huge amounts of BB's, say 500 for example. They use a clockwork-like mechanism to push the BB's up into the chamber, and one must crank this once in a while to keep the ammo flowing. The reservoir at the bottom allows the BB's to rattle annoyingly while you try to sneak up on the opponent. Still, these John Woo -style accessories are popular among tournament gamers but are frowned upon by the most stiff-assed simulation freaks and people with expensive gas-blowback automatics (as skirmish clips are only available for electrics). (Back to top)

CQB
Close Quarters Battle, a firearms combat situation inside a building or in similar confined surroundings. There are many specific tactics and doctrines developed for such situations. (Back to top)

Cyclic (speed)
The theoretical maximum rate of fire of a full-automatic weapon, based on the time it takes to go a full cycle. In some weapons this can never be actually achieved, and in others it cannot usually be sustained for longer than a few seconds. Weapons with burst fire capability can have very high theoretical cyclic speeds. See also rate of fire. (Back to top)

Calibre
A measure of the diameter of a bullet, pellet or BB
Airsoft replicas typically use 6mm Calibre BBs, although models are available that shoot BBs of 8mm Calibre.  Calibres used by real firearms are typically larger than 6mm and air-gun ammunition is typically smaller. (Back to top)

Carbine
A Shortened version of a non-Carbine rifle
Various different rifles are 'Carbines', meaning that they have a shorter (usually tougher) barrel than longer versions.  The Carbine is useful as it weighs less and is shorter than most other rifles, making it tactically suitable for a wider range of roles. (Back to top)

Chronograph
A device that measures projectile speed
Chronographs are used on most, if not all airsoft skirmish sites in order to check the speed at which the BB is shot from the gun.  If the BB is travelling too fast, the gun will be considered unsafe for open play and its use will be disallowed.
Chronographs generally work by sensing breaks in the available light as a BB passes over two in-line sensors.  The time taken for the BB to pass the first sensor and reach the second sensor is used to calculate the over all speed (Muzzle Velocity) of the BB. (Back to top)

Clip
Another word for 'Magazine'(Back to top)

Cocking Handle
The handle that cocks / charges / reloads a gun(Back to top)

Covert
Action performed secretively
Covert action is action taken with the intent of not being spotted.  Military manoeuvres behind enemy lines are often performed in a covert manner, so that the enemy will not detect any forces in the area.  There are very few good examples of covert action as its very nature usually means that we never even know anything has happened. (Back to top)

CQB
Close Quarters Battle (aka Close Quarters Combat)
As the name suggests, CQB is the name given to the tactics and methodologies used while fighting at close range.  The tactics used are very different to those employed on open ground, and rely more on speed and aggression to be successful.  This is still very safe with airsoft guns as the power output is so low. (Back to top)

Camouflage
Clothing to help you blend with your background, to reduce your visibility. (Back to top)

Covert
Action performed secretively,

Covert action is action taken with the intent of not being spotted. Military manoeuvres behind enemy lines are often performed in a covert manner, so that the enemy will not detect any forces in the area. There are very few good examples of covert action as its very nature usually means that we never even know anything has happened. (Back to top)

 

Cylinder:
It allows better air flow and compression. Port allows for efficient and complete decompression of chamber prior to next cycle. (Back to top)

D
Double-action
a firing mechanism in a gun that, in simple terms, means that pulling the trigger does two things: it first draws back the hammer or firing pin and then releases it to strike the primer. This means that the trigger pull is longer and heavier, but the gun requires no separate cocking action to fire if there is a round in the chamber. Some double action guns function like a single-action ones after the first shot. Both mechanisms are used in airsoft models: gas-blowbacks can mimic either mechanism with great authenticity but all non-blowback gas guns are double-action and all spring-powered guns are, by definition, single-action. The electrics with their trigger-shaped on/off-switch cannot be classified this way but the mechanism works more like a double-action. See also: single-action.

Double-Action is normally reserved for revolvers these days, although several airsoft NBB replicas use a double-action to reload their shots after reloading.
To reload a double-action gun, you simply pull the trigger.  The trigger is linked to the reloading mechanism which loads the BB in to position before the trigger has been pulled all the way back.  When the trigger reaches its rear-most point, the shot is fired.   This reloading action can make the trigger more difficult to pull and can lead to lower effective accuracy. (Back to top)

E
Electric air gun
an airsoft gun that uses a spring-powered piston to compress air in order to propel the BBs. A battery-driven electric motor cocks the spring after each shot and it can do this very fast to achieve realistic rates of full-automatic fire. The mechanism is very reliable, even in a bit colder weather and easy to maintain. On the other hand, it is not as realistic as a gas-blowback action and cannot be built inside anything smaller than a medium-sized submachine gun. Still, electric guns are nowadays the industry standard. (Back to top)

Expansion chamber
a feature of some gas-blowback guns, this chamber is located between the gas reservoir and the nozzle. The gas is first released here to expand and create high pressure that is then released to do its job when the trigger is pulled. This means less gas will escape in liquid form, which would waste gas and may lead to freezing of certain key parts like O-rings. Note that an airsoft gun with an expansion chamber is capable of firing with the magazine removed if there is a BB in the barrel! (Back to top)

External gas
means that the gas reservoir is located outside the gun and connected to it by a hose. Quite rare a solution, it means that you can have more rounds in a clip and fire several clips between gas refills but it also means there is an unsightly gas tank attached to your gun by a hose. (Back to top)

EBB
Electric Blow-Back
Electric blow-back is a type of Airsoft blow-back reloading mechanism.  Known for its low powered shots and the rather clackety noise they tend to make while shooting, these type of guns are cheap and intended for a younger market.  They are powered by standardised battery cells (4 x AA battery usually) and their entire reloading mechanism is powered by motor and gears.  While the slide on an EBB usually will move forwards and backwards during shooting, this effect is not as realistic as the GBB mechanism. (Back to top)

Ejection Port
A port that opens to allow used casings to be ejected
Present only in semi-automatic and fully-automatic guns, the ejection port allows real-steel guns to easily eject bullet casings once they have been used. (Back to top)

F
Full-auto(matic)
a firing mode in a selective-fire automatic weapon that makes the gun spew fire (or BBs) as long as you hold the trigger down or the ammo runs out. To actually hit something, it is advisable to fire in short controlled bursts. See also semi-auto and burst-fire. (Back to top)

Field-Strippable
(to Field-Strip)
Able to take-down or take apart a gun without tools
With real firearms, there is a need to take them apart to their component pieces in order to perform routine maintenance and repair faults.  In airsoft too, field-strippable models are appearing.  It is usually GBBs that have this feature, making care and maintenance easy.
The term 'Field-Strippable' refers to a gun that can be taken apart without tools at any time, and comes from the requirement that soldiers be able to strip their weapons down in the field. (Back to top)

Fire Selector Switch
A switch that allows the shooter to change between modes of fire
The fire selector switch is only present on guns that allow multiple modes of fire.  For example, on the H&K MP5, the selector switch provides a choice between Safe, Semi-Auto and Full-Auto fire. (Back to top)

FPS
Feet Per Second (a measure of velocity)
The speed of BBs during flight is often measured in feet per second.  This speed is measured to obtain the energy output of the gun before most skirmishes.  In the UK, you cannot generally skirmish with an airsoft gun that exceeds 328fps with 0.20g BBs (1 Joule of energy). (Back to top)

FPS:
FPS stands for Feet Per Second. It is the velocity, a measurement of speed, which the gun can fire a BB. The higher the FPS the faster the airsoft gun or rifle shoots. This can be affected by the types of BB's used.
The pellet velocity of automatic electric guns is determined in large part by the tension of their main spring and so there tends to be a stratification of values. The most common airsoft velocity limits are between 300 to 400 ft/s (90 to 120 m/s) for AEG's and 400 to 500 ft/s (120 to 150 m/s) for single shot guns (sniper rifles). Here are some common levels of airsoft gun pellet velocity. (Back to top)
Unit equivalents
 

 Pellet  velocity 76 84 85 91 100 107 115 122 137 152 168 (m/s)
  250 275 280 300 328 350 377 400 450 500 550 (ft/s)
Weight
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0,12 g
 0,35
 0,42
 0,44
 0,50
 0,60
 0,68
 0,79
 0,89
 1,13
 1,39
 1,69
 
 
0,15 g
 0,44
 0,53
 0,55
 0,63
 0,75
 0,85
 0,99
 1,11
 1,41
 1,74
 2,11
 
 
0,20 g
 0,58
 0,70
 0,73
 0,84
 1,00
 1,14
 1,32
 1,49
 1,88
 2,32
 2,81
 
 
0,23 g
 0,67
 0,81
 0,84
 0,96
 1,15
 1,31
 1,52
 1,71
 2,16
 2,67
 3,23
 Energy
 
0,25 g
 0,73
 0,88
 0,91
 1,05
 1,25
 1,42
 1,65
 1,86
 2,35
 2,90
 3,51
 (joules)
 
0,30 g
 0,87
 1,05
 1,09
 1,25
 1,50
 1,71
 1,98
 2,23
 2,82
 3,48
 4,22
 
 
0,36 g
 1,05
 1,26
 1,31
 1,51
 1,80
 2,05
 2,38
 2,68
 3,39
 4,18
 5,06
 
 
0,43 g
 1,25
 1,51
 1,57
 1,80
 2,15
 2,45
 2,84
 3,20
 4,04
 4,99
 6,04
 
 
3,00 g
 8,71
 10,54
 10,93
 12,54
 14,99
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Fart Sack
Sleeping Bag (Back to top)

Frame
Main body of a firearm or replica gun. (Back to top)

G
Gas-powered
an airsoft gun that uses compressed gas to propel the BBs, much like a CO2 powered air gun does but with lower velocity. Gas guns are semi-automatic. See also: green gas, gas-blowback, spring powered and electric. (Back to top)

Gas-blowback
a mechanism that uses compressed gas not only to propel the BBs but also to cycle the gun's slide or bolt to produce a very authentic effect and even some recoil. While not as reliable as electric air guns, gas-blowbacks are as realistic as model guns can get without muzzle flashes and brass hitting the ground. Gas-blowback guns are either semi or full-automatic, some even have burst fire. The downside is that the guns use a lot of gas and a clip can usually hold no more than 40-60 rounds plus the amount of gas needed to fire about twice that many.

 

The gas blow back mechanism powers many airsoft pistols.  The BB is launched from the gun using an expanding gas stored in a reservoir, while the same gas reloads the gun ready for the next shot.  In most semi-automatic pistols, this mechanism provides a very realistic look and feel to the gun, without being too fragile or problematic. (Back to top)

GBB
gas-blowback (Back to top)

Gearbox
also called gear box, a structure inside every electric airsoft gun that houses the gears connecting the motor to the piston. For installing certain tune-up parts it is necessary to disassemble the gear box, but this should be done only by people who know what they are doing. (Back to top)

Ghillie suit
a special camouflage suit used mostly by snipers. It consist of strips of fluffy camouflage-colored material tied to a netting that is worn over a standard camouflage suit. The net effect (no pun intended) is that of a walking bush (see Clear and Present Danger the movie for a good example), nearly invisible if motionless. The suit is somewhat cumbersome, though, and not very useful for soldiers (or airsoft players) who wish or need to move fast through the terrain. (Back to top)

Ghille / Ghille Suit
Camouflage worn by snipers
The ghille suit is a highly camouflaged suit worn by snipers for maximum concealment.  The suit is made from a central binding layer and loose strips of material designed to break up the shape of the human body.  Snipers typically customise their suits by adding plant-matter from the field of combat or rolling around in the mud to deaden colour differences and contrast. (Back to top)

Green gas
environmentally safe CFC-free propellant used in gas-powered airsoft guns, it is in liquid form when stored under pressure. When released from the gun's gas reservoir, it evaporates and expands to create pressure that propels the BBs and, in some models, operates the blowback-mechanism. (Back to top)

GL
Grenade Launcher. (Back to top)

Gears:
Increases rate of fire, durability under stress, and decreases noise level. Different airsoft upgrade gears will provide various results. For example the Systema Helical Gear Set will increase durability due to its helical gears instead of flat gears. The Systema Helical Torque Up Gear Set will allow for more torque to pull a higher tension spring while still allowing for durability. Of course this will decrease ROF (Rate of Fire). (Back to top)

 

H
High-capacity magazine
a magazine that can hold huge amounts of BB's, say 500 for example. They use a clockwork-like mechanism to push the BB's up into the chamber, and one must crank this once in a while to keep the ammo flowing. The reservoir at the bottom allows the BB's to rattle annoyingly while you try to sneak up on the opponent. Still, these John Woo -style accessories are popular among tournament gamers but are frowned upon by the most stiff-assed simulation freaks and people with expensive gas-blowback automatics (as skirmish clips are only available for electrics). (Back to top)

Hi-Cap / High-Cap
High Capacity (usually refers to airsoft magazines)
An ingenious mechanism powers hi-cap magazines.  This mechanism allows a magazine that normally holds 50 shots to hold several hundred.  There is usually a wheel that needs to be wound tight in order to keep upward feeding pressure on the BBs.  Hi-Cap mags do allow you to load hundreds of shots in to your replica, but they can be problematic if not properly taken care of.
See also "Lo-Cap" and "Mid-Cap".(Back to top)

Hop-Up
a mechanism used in most well-made airsoft guns to improve range and accuracy. It puts a backward spin on the BB as it flies down the barrel to create lift that will flatten the trajectory of the otherwise relatively slow-flying and aerodynamically sub-optimal projectile. Some models have adjustable Hop-Up that allows the user to adjust the amount of back-spin to suit BBs of different weights. Incorrectly adjusted Hop-Up can adversely affect the trajectory or cause BBs to jam inside the barrel. (Back to top)

HMG
Heavy Machine Gun
A Real-Steel term that describes a large fully-automatic gun with high powered bullets, high capacity ammunition feeds and resistance to overheating.  Designed to put a lot of bullets a very long way away without continuously changing magazines, the HMG fulfils its role well and several variants have become Airsoft models. (Back to top)

HOP-UP (HOP)
A device installed in most airsoft guns to increase range
The HOP unit is present in most airsoft replicas.  A small piece of rubber is pushed inside the back end of the barrel through a hole in the top.  When the gun is fired, the rubber grips the top surface of the BB, putting back-spin on it.  As the BB leaves the barrel, the spin creates an imbalance in the aerodynamics of the projectile.  The top surface has less drag, but the lower surface has greater drag, causing the BB to stay in the air longer and travel a noticeably farther distance.  In real terms, this device can more than double the effective range of a gun, even though the projectile is actually moving more slowly through the air. (Back to top)

I
Internal gas
means that a gas-powered airsoft gun's gas tank is located inside the gun frame, usually inside the magazine. Most gas guns are have internal tanks these days (see also external gas). (Back to top)

Iron sights
the regular sights that can be found on any handgun: there is a gap in the rear and a bead up front. When these are aligned the bead shows where the gun will hit. (Back to top)

J
JAC
an airsoft company that made almost legendary gas-powered airsoft guns in the late 80's. Usually equipped with external gas reservoir and having higher muzzle velocity than what is common today, these guns are no longer in production and very few have ever found their way to Europe. (Back to top)

Joule
A measure of energy
A Joule is simply a measurement of energy in all its forms (kinetic, magnetic, inertial, etc...).  With relation to Airsoft, it is used as a measure of the kinetic energy of BBs as they leave the muzzle.  This muzzle velocity and the weight of the travelling BB give us the means to calculate the energy of the BB in Joules.
In the UK, 1 Joule is the recommended maximum limit for airsoft guns.  This equates to 328feet per second with 0.20 gram BBs. (Back to top)

K
Kurtz
An official nickname for the MP5K (K for Kurtz, that is, 'short' in German), a compact and quite concealable variant of the MP5 submachine gun. Popular among many secret service and VIP protection officials in the real world, the Marui model is also popular among airsoft enthusiasts (at least in Finland) partly because it is the least expensive electric gun available and still a very well made model with more than a little style. (Back to top)

Kick
A gun's reaction to a bullet being fired, (Back to top)

Kurz
German language for "Short"
Heckler and Koch designate some of their more compact weapons as 'Kurz' (e.g. H&K MP5-k = ultra-short MP5 variant). (Back to top)

L
Laser sights
aiming device that projects a low-power laser beam on your target, where it appears as a red dot that indicates where the gun will hit. Another great high-tech accessory to make your gun look more like the ones in that Simpson & Bruckheimer movie, laser sights are actually useful in some CQB situations but more often they just alert your target with their distinctive red flare. No laser more powerful than 5mW should ever be used to point at other people, and any laser sight can damage your retina if you deliberately stare into the beam. (Back to top)

Live-role-playing
a form of interactive play that usually has nothing to do with action games like airsoft. There are detailed characters, complex plots and a story that focuses on something more sophisticated than shooting people. Occasionally people use airsoft guns as props or conflict simulation method in a LRP scenario set in a contemporary or futuristic setting. The main point is never the conflict, however, as LRP seeks to simulate life in another time or place instead of mere action. When there is fighting, possible simulated injuries are acted out as in a movie or a play to preserve the atmosphere and suspension of disbelief. (Back to top)

LARP
Live Action Role-Playing(Back to top)

See Live-role-playing

LRP
Long Range Patrol

or

Live Role-Playing; See Live-role-playing(Back to top)

Laser
laser is an acronym: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation(Back to top)
lethal weapon
"lethal weapon" means a weapon capable of firing a projectile with sufficient :force to inflict more than a trivial injury, i.e. with a force sufficient to puncture the skin. (Back to top)

LMG
Light Machine Gun
The light machine gun is a support weapon.  It is designed to be able to release sustained fire for long periods, but it has neither the range, nor the power of the HMG.  Airsoft replicas do exist, but they are rare. (Back to top)

Lo-Cap / Low-Cap
Low Capacity
Lo-Cap magazines are the ones that are usually supplied free with AEGs.  These magazines typically hold between 50 and 100 shots in a vertical stacked, spring loaded magazine.  There is no winding involved and these magazines tend to feed more reliably, but they hold less ammunition per mag than other types.
See also "Mid-Cap" and "Hi-Cap".(Back to top)

LSW
Light Support Weapon
The LSW is a reasonably new phenomenon within the armed forces.  A gun that takes the same ammunition as the standard soldier's weapon, but with a few extras.  Additional grips, bipod, scope and belt-feed ammunition are all extra features that an LSW often has to fulfil its role.
Airsoft models of LSWs are available, but are expensive and often difficult to get hold of. (Back to top)

LBE
Load-Bearing Equipment. (Back to top)

LBV
Load-Bearing Vest. (Back to top)

LE
Law Enforcement. (Back to top)

Line of Departure
The point from which you could reasonably expect enemy contact. (Back to top)

Loach
Light Observation Helicopter. (Back to top)

LRRP
Long Rang Recon Patrol. (Back to top)

LZ
Loading Zone. (Back to top)

M
Mag
Magazine (abbreviation)
The magazine is a detachable part of the gun that holds the ammunition ready for shooting.  In some airsoft guns (usually GBB models), this can hold the propellant gas as well. (Back to top)

Mechbox
also called gear box, a structure inside every electric airsoft gun that houses the gears connecting the motor to the piston. For installing certain tune-up parts it is necessary to disassemble the gear box, but this should be done only by people who know what they are doing. (Back to top)

Mechbox
The central mechanism of an Airsoft AEG
Every AEG has some form of Mechbox inside.  It translates the rotational movement of an electrical motor in to a reciprocating motion for the piston, using a set of gears.  The mechbox also loads BBs in to the breech, powers each shot and provides the Safe, Semi and Full automatic functionality.
The mechbox is also known as a Gearbox by some users, although as the gears make up so little of this device, Mechbox is the more commonly used alternative. (Back to top)

Muzzle energy
the amount of kinetic energy a bullet (or BB) has, when it leaves the barrel. Calculated as Ek=½mv2, where m equals the mass of the projectile and v the velocity. (Back to top)

Muzzle velocity
the speed of a projectile as it leaves the gun barrel. (Back to top)

Muzzle
Muzzle
The muzzle is the very front of the gun, the tip of the barrel.  With assault rifles, this area is covered by a flash-suppressor and on pistols, it is more usually just where the barrel ends. (Back to top)

Motor:
The main unit in an AEG or electric airsoft gun which moves the piston back. This exists in the highest end models as well as the lowest entry level mini electric models. It is responsible for turning the gears, which in turns drives the piston, which in turn is pushed forward by the spring. (Back to top)

Mid-Cap
Medium Capacity (usually refers to airsoft magazines)
Mid-Cap magazines usually work the same way as Lo-Cap magazines (vertical stacked BBs, no winding mechanism, but hold roughly double the ammunition of a Lo-Cap mag.  The track that the BBs follow inside the mag is longer and contains a longer spring to push the BBs in to the AEG.  Several of these mags hold enough ammunition for skirmishing, and the Mid-Caps are very reliable.
See also "Lo-Cap" and "Hi-Cap".(Back to top)

MRE
Meal - Ready to Eat
Food that is found as part of military Ration Packs or taken along to airsoft skirmishes, and does not require the usual levels of preparation.  While some MRE food is simply taken out of its package and eaten cold, there are other types of MRE (found now within the civilian market) that will cook / heat themselves before hand.
Army MRE packs in the UK consist of mince meat, milk powder, tea bags, oats, chocolate powder, diuretic biscuits, and many other components.  Most military MREs are very high in energy, so for long term use, it is recommended you stick to civilian MREs if you're not going to burn the calories. (Back to top)

MIA
Missing in Action. (Back to top)

N
NVG
Night Vision Gear - light-intensifying optics that electrically multiply the available light by 30.000-100.000 times making it possible to see in starlight as if it was as bright as day. Some also have built-in infra-red illuminators that act as flashlights that are unseen to the naked eye but produce clear illumination for NVG even in completely dark environment. NVG come in 3 generations and the 2nd and 3rd generation models (currently used by the military) are way too costly for airsoft purposes but there are a few 1st gen+ optics that might seem affordable to the really serious hobbyist... (Back to top)

NV / NVG
Night Vision / Night Vision Goggles
Night vision is everywhere nowadays.  The basic system operates by magnifying available light many times so that night becomes day for the NV user.  Most night vision systems output a green picture and are available in the forms of monocular, rifle mounted scope, helmet-mounted goggles and as a feature in many video cameras. (Back to top)

O
OICW
Objective Individual Combat Weapon(Back to top)

Overt
Action performed openly (high visibility action)
Overt action is not secretive and no effort is made to hide what is being done. (Back to top)

P
Paintball
a related hobby of American origin in the in which the players use CO2 powered gun-like instruments to mark opposing players with .68 cal gelatin balls filled with brightly colored paint. The general idea is the same as in airsoft, but paintball community has fought hard to be established as an outdoors sport instead of a 'war game'. There is little if any military simulation involved in official games but the 'gaming instruments' have at least 10-15 times the muzzle energy of an airsoft gun because of the larger and heavier rounds. (Back to top)

PDW
Personal Defense Weapon, originally the name for a U.S. Military project to develop a compact yet effective weapon for vehicle crews and other personnel unable to lug around a full-size assault rifle. Certain submachine guns have since been designated as PDWs, like the MP5 PDW (a Kurtz with a folding stock and a flash suppressor) or FN P90. (Back to top)

PDW
Personal Defence Weapon
Some airsoft guns have the letters 'PDW' stamped after their name.  This is an affectation most commonly used by the military to describe weapons that are ideally suited to personal defence in enclosed environments.  The airsoft MP5-PDW is a compact variation of the popular MP5 series, and the H&K PDW (also known as the MP7 - a new concept, designed from the ground up to be a PDW). (Back to top)

Plinking (to plink)
Shooting (to shoot) with a low powered airsoft gun
Plinking often refers to the unofficial back-garden style of shooting, where targets are randomly collected and arranged in order to be shot down by a low powered airsoft or air gun.  (For example, one could not be considered to be 'plinking' with a high-powered rifle).
[The word 'plink' comes from the noise made by a pellet hitting a tin can]. (Back to top)

PP
Polizei Pistole. (Back to top)

PPK
Polizei Pistole Kriminal. (Back to top)

Pyros
Pyrotechnic device, e.g. BB grenade, flashbang etc. (Back to top)

Piston Head & Piston:
The piston head attaches to the front of the piston in the airsoft gear box. The piston head can improve performance by allowing better air flow and compression while allowing for more efficient decompression of the airsoft cylinder chamber. The piston sits between the piston head and the spring. It engages the gears in the mech box which drives the piston and piston head back compressing the spring. (Back to top)
Q
R
Rate of Fire
the number of rounds fired in a certain amount of time. ROF of 600/min means that in full auto mode the gun fires 10 rounds per second. (Back to top)

Red dot sight
an optical aiming device, that projects a red dot in the shooter's field of vision to show where the gun is pointed. Contrary to a popular belief, red dot sights have nothing to do with lasers: the dot is projected on a lens inside the sight tube while a laser puts the 'dot' on the target itself. Red dot sights are usually easier and faster to aim than iron sights and are more versatile than a laser sight. Popular among IPSC shooters. (Back to top)

Re-enactment
an event where the participants seek to re-create a historical or otherwise interesting event by acting and dressing in appropriate costumes. It is not a play because there are no scripts. Civil War, for example, seems popular an era for re-enactment events in the U.S. and the medieval and viking times in the U.K. Certain airsoft games can be considered re-enactment events that duplicate real or cinematic armed conflicts of small scale (special ops are very popular). (Back to top)

Replica guns
usually means a gun that looks like a real one but does not fire anything (except maybe blanks). Can also be used to describe any gun that looks real but is not, in which case it includes airsoft guns as well. (Back to top)

ROF
see rate of fire. (Back to top)

R22
A type of airsoft gas (also known as Green Gas or Winter Gas)
R22 is a refrigerant gas used to power airsoft gas guns, both GBB and NBB.  R22 is most commonly used in the winter, or when the temperature drops to just above freezing.  It is a strong gas and can actually break the internals of some airsoft replicas, so it is important to check with your airsoft supplier whether it is safe to use with your gun. (Back to top)

Recoil
A gun's reaction to a bullet being fired
"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" - Newton's third law.  I'm sure he wasn't on about airsoft when he said this, but it still holds true.
When a gun is fired, a bullet is launched forward at high speed.  The energy put behind that bullet is effectively split in half.  Half would go toward pushing the bullet forward and the other half would be pushing the gun backward.  The sharp 'kick' that you feel as the gun bounces backward after a shot, is the recoil.
Airsoft guns don't have a recoil as such, as the energy behind the BB is very low.  Some airsoft guns however, can simulate a recoil.  Most notably, Gas Blow-Back models can simulate recoil as the mechanism moves forward and backward on top of, or inside the gun. (Back to top)

Regen
A Regenerative Game
One of the down-sides of airsoft skirmishing is also one of its good points.  Airsoft BBs do not leave an easily identifiable 'paint-splat' on your clothes as Paintball does, which means that a player does not necessarily have to consider him/herself 'out' when hit.  During a regen game, the player would drop back to the next available position, or sit out for a minute or two when 'hit'.  They would then rejoin the game. (Back to top)

RIS
Rail Interface System (also known as RAS or 'a Weaver Rail')
A 'RIS/RAS' rail is a flat hexagonal slatted rail that is attached to a strong-point on some military and airsoft guns.  There are many accessories available that attach directly to this rail in seconds, making a set of RIS rails an almost essential add-on. (Back to top)

Round
Another name for a bullet or BB
This name was derived from real-steel ammunition's shape - round!  For example, a magazine with capacity for 30 bullets is commonly called a '30 round mag'. (Back to top)

RPM
Rounds Per Minute
See also "ROF".
The rate of fire is measured in rounds per minute. (Back to top)

S
SAW
Squad Automatic Weapon, a light machinegun used by infantry units for squad-level fire support. (Back to top)

Selective-fire
guns with selective-fire capability can fire either semi automatic or full-automatic (or burst) fire depending on the position of the selector switch. (Back to top)

Semi-automatic
a weapon that fires a single shot with one trigger pull and automatically chambers a new round and recocks the firing pin so that it is ready to fire again. Most modern pistols and some rifles are semi-automatic, as are almost all gas-operated airsoft guns except a few blowbacks with selective fire option. See also full-automatic. (Back to top)

SD
Schall Daempfer
(German language for 'Sound Suppressor').  H&K make several variations of their MP5 series with integrated suppressors (silencers).  These models are known as the MP5-SD series. (Back to top)

SF
Sustained Fire
Another name for fully-automatic fire. (Back to top)

Slide
The primary moving section of any automatic gun
Most people think of the 'slide' as the top half of a semi-automatic pistol like the Glock.  This is correct, but the slide can also be hidden inside a gun, seen most often with assault rifles and SMGs.  These slides are inaccessible to the shooter, so a bolt is connected from the slide to the outside of the weapon's body to allow the marksman to manipulate the slide.
The slide typically scoops a bullet / BB from the magazine, pushes it in to the breech and launches it. (Back to top)

Silencer
A nice accessory for almost any airsoft gun, if you want it to have some additional high-tech special ops -look. More properly called so