Airsoft Gun Glossary

 

134a

134a is a form of gas widely used in the sport of airsoft. Most commonly referred to as ;Green 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 that allows critical parts of the gearbox to keep operating efficiently. Most eastern produced guns are only guaranteed by the manufacturer if you use nothing but 134a gas.

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.

AEAction 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'.

AEG

Automatic Electric Gun (see electric air gun)

After Market PartsAny add-on and/or replacement part(s) used to enhance the performance of an airsoft gun after its initial purchase.
This refers to tougher, longer lasting, internals, the stronger springs, and all the other upgrades that are available for purchase for an airsoft replica. 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.

Air-less Nozzle

This is an upgraded nozzle that is specifically designed to improve the performance of airsoft guns by creating a much tighter seal.

bdus

bdus is the ultimate shopping destination for airsoft guns, ammo, tactical gear, and accessory needs. (The owner of this website.) bdus is also a team and event sponsor striving to benefit the airsoft community nationwide. Visit the official bdus airsoft forum at http://team.bdus.com and meet members of airsoft teams from all over the country.

Airsoft

Definition:
The hobby of collecting realistic, non-lethal, 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.

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 .

There are 3 major types of airsoft guns: Spring-powered, gas-powered, and automatic electric guns (aeg's).

Sping:
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.

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".

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.

The appeal:
Airsoft gives people the ability to own a shooting version of thei

Airsoft Zone

The leading internet discussion forum and airsoft news site to date.

Airsplat

A large online airsoft gun sports store in the USA.

AK-47

The Avtomat Kalashnikova is the most commonly known assault rifle in the World. The superior design of the AK-47 was designed by Russian Mikhail Kalashikov in 1947. The dependability of the AK-47 was proven when it was dragged through mud, and sand while still firing flawlessly. Tokyo Marui has a couple of excellent models of this ubiquitous Russian weapon that seems to have replaced the spear as the means to settle tribal disputes in various Third World countries.

Ammunition

The projectile fired by a propellant. (see BB)

ANGS

A Japanese custom parts manufacturer known for their after market parts that greatly improve the versatility the venerable Sun Project M203 grenade launcher

AO

Area of Operation
The offiicial field and/or building in which a skirmish is taking place.

APST

Airsoft Pacific Strike Team Airsoft Pacific Strike Team is an airsoft team based in Oregon. Operating since 2002 they have become well known within the airsoft community. Two of the founding members also created airsoftpacific.com as a forum for airsofters to meet and share advice, experiences, and release event dates.

AR

Automatic Rifle
A rifle that is self-loading from a magazine, belt, or box of ammunition. Automatic Rifles also have the capability to fire in both semi-automatic and fully automatic modes.

Arnies Airsoft

The United Kingdom's leading website for Airsoft news, reviews, projects, and information.

AUG

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 has found use in military and police units around the world due to its accuracy, reliability, and superb overall design. Tokyo Marui is well known for making two AUG variants which are considered to be among the company's finest models.

Automatic

This is the continuous firing of a weapon without the need to manually re-cock.

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.

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.

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). See also: tracer.

BDU

Battle Dress Uniform
The name given to the clothing worn by a protagonist during combat. The traditional BDU used in the west is the green DPM jacket, helmet, trousers and boots.

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.

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.

Blow Back

System that provides a more realistic look and feel to an airsoft gun when fired. This feature is available in electric, Gas, and CO2 powered guns. (See Gas Blowback)

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.

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.

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.

Bullpup

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.

Bump

Ambush
A slang word commonly use in the airsoft community 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.

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.

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).

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.

CA

Classic Army
A Hong-Kong based airsoft manufacturer who has specialised in the production of both AEGs and aftermarket parts.

Caliber

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

Camouflage

Material or paint that is colored so that what or whoever is covered by it blends in with the natural environment with the intent of misleading, and evading opposing teams. Material can be clothing for personnel, and/or tarps for protecting tactical positions. Camouflage paint can be applied to personnel, or objects such as guns and claymores to further blend in.
Different enivronments call for different kinds of camouflage. Woodland camouflage emphasizes green, brown, and black to match the surrounding trees, and dirt. Desert camouflage uses light and dark browns to blend well with surrounding sand, and light brown/tan-colored structures. Black Camouflage is most often used when skirmishing at night.

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.

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. The time measurement used by Chronographs is in Feet Per Second or FPS.

Clip

This is another word for magazine. Clip is also the word most commonly used when referring to the magazine of a pistol.
(See Magazine)

Clockwork Magazine

(see skirmish clip)

Cocking Handle

The handle that cocks / charges / reloads a gun
See "Bolt".

Covert

Action performed secretively,
Covert action is action taken with the intent of not being spotted. Military maneuvers 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.

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. Maneuvering through buildings is the stereotypical CQB environment.

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.

Double Action

A type of reloading action (single shot, integrated manual reload)
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.

DPM

Disruptive Pattern Material
DPM is the official name given to the camoflague pattern used on British Army uniforms. Its purpose is to break up the shape of the human body, making the wearer less visible in wooded areas. DPM is also available in Desert (cream-yellow colour) and urban (dark-blue - grey colour).

Dragunov

A sniper rifle with a telescopic sight. The Dragunov is a Russian sniper rifle, more formally known as the Snaiperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, which translates into English as 'Dragunov Sniper Rifle', and is often abbreviated as SVD.

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.

EG1000

The model number for Tokyo Marui's 3rd Generation Motor.

EG560

The model number for Tokyo Marui's 1st Generation Motor.

EG650

Tuned motor for TM FAMAS range. Also in the AA/Elite L85A1.

EG700

The model number for Tokyo Marui's 2nd Generation Motor.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Fart Sack

A slang word within the airsoft community when referring to a sleeping bag.

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.f

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.

First

A large Japanese mail order company with incredibly low prices (no overseas service to individual customers so far) and also a wide range of custom guns and parts, the latter which tend to be a bit on the expensive side.

FN

Fabrique Nationale (aka FN Herstal)
A real-steel arms manufacturer based in Liège, Belgium. Owned by the Herstal Group and incorporating Browning and Winchester, they produce some of the best weapons ever made, such as the Browning Hi-Power and the FN P-90, both of which have been made in to airsoft replicas.

FNG

Abbreviation for F***ing New Guy. This is used by airsoft veterans when referring to a new airsofter either in general or out of frustration when mistakes are made by the new player.

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).

Frame

This is the main body of a gun whether real or replica. It can either consist of metal or plastic depending on type of gun, brand, and quality.

Franchi

Franchi
A real-steel manufacturer specialising in shotguns. Franchi is owned and run by the Beretta Group and produces good quality shotguns, specifically the SPAS-12.

Full Auto

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.

Gas

One of four propellants used in airsoft guns. (See Green Gas)

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.

Gas Guns

Gas gun requires the use of some kind of gas propellant (usually Green Gas). Both are driven by gas that is stored in the gas chamber. Sub-categories of gas powered airsoft guns include "non-blowback" and "blowback" models. In a non-blowback (NBB), the gas only serves as pushing the bb forward. Also, the slide is in the fixed position. In a blowback (GBB), the gas pushes the slide as well as the bb. Non-blowbacks are more efficient than blowbacks because they require less gas to push the bbs.

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.

GBB

Gas Blow Back. (See Gas Blow Back)

Gearbox

Gearbox
See "Mechbox".

GG

Guay Guay Trading Co
Airsoft design and manufacture high quality tuning, dressing parts and Nylon
outdoor gear for air soft guns and military fans all over the world.

Ghilli 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.

GL

Grenade Launcher
Weapon designed to project a grenade towards an adversary that may be out of range for a traditional hand thrown grenade. They also launch grenades quicker and can be more accurate. One version can also be mounted to an automatic rifle.

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.

Head 1950

See KM

HFC

Ho Feng Industy Co. - Manufacturers of mid-grade spring and gas guns.
http://www.hofeng.com

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".

HK

Heckler & Koch
A German real-steel gun manufacturer, makers of some of the world's most famous firearms, such as the MP5 SMG, the P7 pistol and the G36 assault rifle. Their quality control is among the highest in the industry and they have a well earned reputation for building the best firearms.

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 fulfills its role well and several variants have become Airsoft models.

HOP UP

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.

ICS

I Chih Shivan Enterprise Co.
An airsoft manufacturer founded in Taiwan in 1983, who has specialised in the production of both AEGs and aftermarket parts. Their replicas are about the best AEG replicas available today and their line of parts is very popular.

IMI

Israel Military Industries (Web Site)
A Real-Steel manufacturer that has produced famous firearms such as the Uzi and the Galil.

IPSC

Group known as the International Practical Shooting Confederation.

Iron Sights

The standard 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.

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.

JLS

Jai Li Shing or Jai Li Sheng - A MFG of low end arisoft guns.

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.

Kick

A gun's reaction to a bullet being fired
See "Recoil".

Killer Games

A misnomer that is not to be confused with a murder mystery game by the same name. A Finnish specialty, it combines some elements of live-role-playing with skirmishing. There are (briefly written) characters and a story but these are usually there just to spice up the plot which is bound to end in a conflict. No detailed damage rules, but once hit, a player acts being shot instead of calling him/herself out.

Killer Studios

An airsoft company in Tokyo that specializes in modifying regular airsoft models into custom built state-of-the-art guns with highly improved performance and many interesting accessories. Their most famous model is probably the Cyber-AUG.

KM

A Japanese custom parts airsoft manufacturer known for their widely used TN precision barrels and extreme standards of quality.

KSC

A manufacturer currently known best for their SOCOM and various Beretta 93R models. For more info, see KSC's Web pages.

KSC KWA

Airsoft Manufacturer (Web Site)
KSC and KWA are both manufacturers of airsoft replicas. The two companies have supposed links and their products are made to identical specifications, but little proof of their relationship exists. This represents the most commonly held view...

KSC and KWA are actually the same eastern manufacturer of airsoft guns. The reason behind having two names lies with the import/export difficulties between Taiwan and Japan. The overall company is based in Taiwan and produces all its replicas there, but sells only the KSC version of its guns to Japan. The KWA replicas are reserved for domestic sale and export to other countries. Most people assume that KSC guns are better because they cost more, but this cost increase is largely due to the fact it has been shipped to Japan before shipping out to the rest of the world. KSC have a Japanese base, but it is not the main production line.

If anyone has any information to support or decry this, please let me know. I would love to find out what's really going on here.

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).

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.

KWC

Kine Well Company:
KWC Airsoft is a goverment approved Gas, Air, Hobby Gun company located in Tainan Taiwan with 20 years experience in Airsoft hobby production. This manufacturer of airsoft guns specializes mainly in gas powered models. Kine Well Company, better known as KWC Airsoft, sells a great line up of gas and spring airsoft rifles including the full metal airsoft models.

LARP

Live Action Role Play
A type of game where players really immerse themselves in the game and the story behind it. Role play games often last for a long time and the focus is more on authenticity of the genre, than accuracy of your shooting.

Laser Sights

An 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.

LAW LAWS

Light Anti-tank Weapon / Light Anti-tank Weapon System
This is a real-steel shoulder mounted rocket launcher, designed to disable or destroy tanks and other armoured vehicles. LAW units are lightweight (especially after the rocket has been fired) and disposable and usually only require 1 soldier to use the weapon. LAWS are available in different calibres and used throughout the world due to their versatility and relatively low production cost.

LBE

Load-Bearing Equipment
Load-bearing equipment consists of tactical vests, backpacks, belts, and more. Each of these contain pouches and holsters to store magazines, cartridges, pistols, and other accessories.

LBV

Load-Bearing Vest
A load-Bearing vest is a tactical vest that has multiple pouches for carrying extra magazines, possible holster for a secondary weapon, and pouches to carry additional tactical necessities.

LE

Law Enforcement
Actions taken to achieve obedience of established laws. People empowered to use such actions are agents of police services that can span across different levels of government.

Lima Charlie

Loud and Clear
How do you Lima Charlie?
How well do you hear me? I read you Lima Charlie or I read you 8 for 10

Line of Departure

The point from which you could reasonably expect enemy contact

Live Role Play

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.

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.

Loach

Light Observation Helicopter

LON

Lay over night position hidden, not defensive in nature

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".

LRP

Long Range Patrol or Live Role-Playing; see live-role-playing

LRRP

Long Range Recon Patrol

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.

LURPS

Early versions of MREs where you added water to heat them up. Initially issued to Recondo troops. (See MRE)

LZ

Loading Zone
Loading Zone is the designated location in which to pickup personnel and/or equipment.

M134

A 6-barreled 7.62mm electric gatling or 'minigun', a support weapon mounted on various helicopters and vehicles or carried around by cinematic heroes like that guy in Predator. There is an electric airsoft model available but it costs a fortune.

M203

An under barrel 40 mm grenade launcher (GL) of U.S. origin, designed to be mounted on Colt AR-15 series assault rifles and carbines thus eliminating the need to carry a separate grenade launcher such as the Vietnam era M79 "Thump Gun". The real steel weapon is capable of launching multiple types of 40 mm grenades including phosphorous incendiary, HE (high explosive) anti-personnel, CS and illumination flares. There are 2 different airsoft replicas of this weapon: the old and quire expensive Sun Project model that requires a special adapter to fit modern Tokyo Marui AEGs (it was designed for JAC gas rifles) and the new Tokyo Marui model. These differ greatly as the Sun Project model launches Styrofoam "grenades" or multiple-shot "beehive" munitions, where the TM model is just a pump action 3-barrel shotgun disguised as a grenade launcher.

M214

A little brother to the M134 minigun, this 6-barrel electric gatling fires the lighter 5.56 NATO cartridge. No airsoft version available.

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.

Marui

see Tokyo Marui

Maruzen

Yet another Japanese airsoft company, that makes decent-quality gas-blowback guns, mostly submachine guns like the Ingram M11.

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.

Mechbox2

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.

MIA

Missing in Action.
When a soldier is missing , but cannot be confirmed as dead.

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".

Mini

These are AEG's that are not built to scale and are seen more as toys. Serious milsim really has no use for this version of airsoft replicas.

Minimi

The FN Minimi is a 5.56 NATO caliber light machinegun adopted by U.S. Armed Forces with slight modifications as the M249 SAW. TOP makes an airsoft version of this successor to the legendary M-60 LMG.

MP5

A Heckler & Koch submachine gun known for its high quality. One of the most common submachine guns in the World and certainly the one most often seen in recent action movies. There are several variants and Tokyo Marui has an airsoft model of most of them.

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.

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.

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.

Muzzle Velocity

The speed of a projectile as it leaves the gun barrel.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
A treaty signed by 26 different countries across the world including the UK, USA, Canada and most of Europe. The purpose of this organization is to safeguard the security and sovereignty of its member states. NATO is run by committee. This means that every member gets a vote, but decisions can take years to be made.

NDP

Night Defensive Position or perimeter

Near Ambush

A surprise attack with friendly forces caught in a decisive kill zone. Your reaction should be to unhesitantly turn and assault with aggressive fire. Do not take cover

Newbie

See FNG

Numbnuts

Mentally slow, see FNG

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.

NVD

Night Vision Devices

OICW

Objective Individual Combat Weapon, a very futuristic assault carbine that has an electrically fused 20mm low velocity cannon as an attached support weapon and very sophisticated electro-optical day/night sighting system. This H&K-designed hugely expensive gun is soon entering service in the US, replacing AR-15/M203-combination in some units. No airsoft replica.

Overt

Action performed openly (high visibility action)
Overt action is not secretive and no effort is made to hide what is being done. A good example of overt action is the high visibility policing performed by the British Army in Northern Ireland, or the troops openly patrolling the streets of Baghdad during Gulf War II.

Paintball

A related hobby of American origin 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.

Parabellum

A type of 9mm ammunition used in some live-firing pistols and SMGs.

PDI

A Japanese custom parts manufacturer that is best known for their upgraded springs that are designated by % increase in velocity and are the only real (some say better) alternative to Systema springs. Also market the hugely expensive custom Dragunov sniper rifle.

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.

Piston

Pushes air from the cylinder into the barrel.

Plinking

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]

Ported

Holes cut at an oblique angle to the surface, eg port hole on a boat.

PP

Polizei Pistole

PPK

Polizei Pistole Kriminal

Pulse Rifle

An imaginary futuristic weapon featured in James Cameron's sci-fi action thriller Aliens. 'Officially' designated as M41A, the pulse rifle is supposed to fire 10mm explosive-tipped caseless AP rounds and seems to be one of the most popular non-existent weapons around with several replicas commercially available. Unfortunately, no airsoft model yet.

Pyros

Pyrotechnic devices that include BB grenades, BB claymores, flashbangs, etc.

Q Bullets

Q Bullet are a cheap 0.2pg airsoft bb found mostly in the UK.

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.

RAS

A type of accessory interface
See "RIS".

Rat Pack

Acronym for Ration Pack

Real Steel

A Real-World firearm or accessory (i.e. non-airsoft)
'Real-Steel' is a widely used term within the airsoft community that refers to an airsoft gun's real-world counterpart. For example, the replica MP5 made by Tokyo Marui is referred to as an 'Airsoft MP5', whereas the real MP5 made by H&K is known as the 'Real-Steel MP5'. Accessories are also divided in to 'airsoft' and 'real-steel' accessories. Many real-steel accessories such as scopes, sights and grips, can be attached to airsoft replicas, provided that there is a suitable interface present. Airsoft accessories are generally not suitable for real-steel use as the build strength of airsoft kit is lower.

Recoil

A gun's reaction to a bullet being fired.
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.

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.

Reenactment

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).

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.

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.

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.

RO

Royal Ordnance (UK)
UK-Government controlled factories that manufactured explosives, ammunition, small arms, guns, and military vehicles. Was eventually sold to British Aerospace in 1987, and in 2004 been renamed as BAE Systems Land and Armaments.

ROF

Rate of Fire
See also "RPM".
The rate of fire is measured for each gun by counting how many shots can be fired in 1 second or 1 minute in fully automatic mode. For example, most airsoft AEGs have a ROF of about 700rpm while some GBBs can shoot at over 1,000rpm. The faster the ROF the more shots you can fire, but a high ROF will also drain your ammunition quickly. ROF can also refer to shooting in Semi-Automatic mode, but this refers to the shooter's ability to shoot quickly and is widely variable.

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'.

RPM

Rounds Per Minute
See also "ROF".
The rate of fire is measured in rounds per minute.

RSAF

Royal Small Arms Factory

Safety Switch

Gun feature that allows a model to be fired or disabled. This feature aims to reduce the possibility of a gun misfiring. Always store Airsoft guns with the safety catch on.

SAS

Special Air Service
The SAS are arguably the best trained unit of soldiers in the western world. Part of the British Army and few in number, this force undertakes secret and vital tactical work around the world. Formed by David Stirling, and performing their first missions in 1941, the SAS is famed for its work behind enemy lines.
Several airsoft models have had the term 'SAS' attached to them in order to try to increase sales off the back of this elite unit's reputation.

SAW

Squad Automatic Weapon
Light machine gun that provides suppressive fire for a squad of troops. The result is a reduction in return fire effectiveness. While being heavy enough for suppressive firing, the SAW is still light enough for one soldier to carry and fire.

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

SEAL

Sea, Air and Land
The acronym used to describe the US special operations program. SEAL Teams are all part of this program, but different teams specialise in different arenas of combat (e.g. jungle, desert, arctic, etc...). As with the SAS, much airsoft equipment has its sales boosted by association with the popularity of this elite unit.

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.

Semi Automatic

Reloads breach, but requires another trigger pull for next shot.

SF

Sustained fire.
Another name for fully-automatic fire

Sig

Schweitzerische Industrie Gesellschaft (Web Site)
(German language for 'Swiss Industrial Corporation'). Sig are a real-steel manufacturer based in Eckernforde, Germany and across Switzerland. They make all manner of firearm, many of which have become airsoft replicas

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 sound suppressors on real steel military small arms, they by no means silence the gun but make it sound different and less easy to locate by sound signature. The best airsoft suppressors (KM and First) do exactly the same - they considerably muffle the piston clack of an AEG but this does not make the gun silent unless motor and gear noise is also suppressed somehow. The only way to completely silence an airsoft gun is to take out the guy firing it.

Silicon Spray

A silicon-based lubricant for airsoft guns.

Single Action

A firing mechanism that means, simplified, that pulling the trigger does only a single action: in real guns it releases the already-cocked hammer to strike the primer. This means the trigger-pull is lighter, but the mechanism must be cocked before being able to fire, usually by drawing back the slide or a charging handle. Most selective-fire weapons are single action but a gun can be both single- and double-action. See also: double-action.

Single Shot

A firearm that fires only once, after which the mechanism must be re-cocked and/or ammo reloaded. A single-shot airsoft usually refers to a spring-powered gun; it may have a multi-shot magazine, but the spring must be re-cocked by hand after each shot.

Skirmish Clip

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).
( See Hi-Cap )

Skirmish Game

A game of simulated conflict or a 'war game' using airsoft or paintball guns. The emphasis is solely on the winning and there are no characters or detailed rules of simulated injury. If you are hit, you are out. See also: LRP, re-enactment and killer games.

Skirmishing

To use airsoft replicas in a mock battle, also known as Wargaming
This is the sport that has grown around airsoft. Teams of willing players don DPMs and airsoft AEGs, go out in to a large field and try to shoot your opponents before they shoot you. Tactics, cunning and speed all play their role in a game similar in essence to Paintball, but with more functionality.

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.

SLR

Self Loading Rifle
Any rifle that reloads itself after each shot can be called an SLR. The British Army also used to use a rifle called the SLR - a 7.62mm semi-automatic long rifle with a mean kick and good reliability. These were taken away in the early 1980's and replaced with the SA80, a notoriously unreliable 5.56mm assault rifle. I bet they were pleased.

SMG

Sub Machine Gun
A type of weapon. Real-steel SMGs usually have lower overall power behind each shot, but can fire shots more rapidly than assault rifles in fully automatic mode. They are designed to be used at close quarters and where high power levels are not desirable.
Of course as airsoft guns are usually replicas, a real-steel SMG becomes an airsoft SMG, although rarely are the power-levels and rate of fire tuned in the same way as their real-steel counterparts.

Smokes

Smoke Grenade (either Enola Gaye or NATO)

SOCOM

Special Operation Command
This is the name of the US elite forces command unit. There are also airsoft replicas of the H&K USP pistol with accessories that are tagged 'the USP-SOCOM'.

Softair

The version of Airsoft that was first introduced. Softair also used 7mm plastic pellets rather than the 6mm BBs now being used.

SPAS

Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun
This is an abbreviation given to a particular type of shotgun. The SPAS is in use with military and police services throughout the West - the most famous variant being the SPAS-12, a 12-guage shotgun available with or without stock.

SPASs

Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun.

Spetznaz

Russian Special Forces
The Spetznaz are known world wide and are the elite special forces unit of Russia. Tokyo-Marui have made an airsoft AK47 variant called the 'AK47 Spetznaz' as an AEG. This is short, black in colour and looks more modern than the traditional AK47 layout.

Spring

Provides power behind most Airsoft guns. Normally inside the pistol.

Spring Powered

The simplest of the three mechanisms used in airsoft guns. There is a spring-driven piston that compresses air to propel the BBs and, much like in your average air rifle, the spring must be drawn back by hand after each shot. Although most spring-powered guns are cheap and simple pistols lacking in range and accuracy, there are a few quality guns that use this mechanism, like the Tokyo Marui pump-action SPAS-12 shotgun and a couple of bolt-action sniper rifles.

Standard

A non-upgraded Airsoft model.

Steyr

Steyr Mannlicher (Web Site)
Real-Steel manufacturer founded in 1864 and based in Austria. They build weapons mainly for military use, including the AUG.

STI

Strayer Tripp Inc.
Real-Steel manufacturer. KSC have made airsoft replicas of STI's 1911 style models.

Stock

The rear of the gun
Rifles and some SMGs have stocks. This is the large solid piece of the gun that you press up against your shoulder and cheek while firing. Some stocks fold or slide away for use in close quarters, but when extended, a stock can increase the accuracy of the shooter dramatically.
or
An unmodified gun
As many airsoft guns are customised and upgraded, it is getting more important to identify the ones that have had nothing done to them since they were originally manufactured. These untouched replicas are known as 'Stock replicas'.

Sun Project

A less-known airsoft company that has produced some more exotic weapons like the M203 grenade launcher.

Survival Game

Originally a brand name for a commercial paintball games company in the late eighties, it carries somewhat negative image that is still easily attached to any wargame activity (at least in Finland). Some people, who think it is morally wrong to run simulated war games for recreation, like this term because they think it shows that war games have some hidden right-wing political agenda as in "the strong shall survive" or other such crap.

SUSAT

Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux
A telescopic scope designed for the SA80, in use by the British Army. The scope is very tough, very accurate and has been labelled the best part of the SA80. The illuminated reticule inside is shaped like an upturned nail point and is easy to use effectively. The SUSAT can be used on rifles other than the SA80, but its size and weight usually mean that a smaller scope will be chosen. The SUSAT also has Iron-Sights on the top surface, although these are small and rather difficult to use, especially in low light conditions.

SV

Special, Super or Sniper Version

SVI

Strayer Voight Incorporated (Web Site)
A Real-Steel manufacturer based in Texas, USA. Airsoft GBB models are now available replicating the look and feel of a few of SVI's pistols. These replicas are of good quality, but can be expensive when compared to similar GBB pistols.

SWAT

Special Weapons And Tactics, a police 'special ops' team that is deployed in extreme circumstances like in a hostage situation. They have special training and heavier weapons (which usually include H&K MP5 submachine guns) than an ordinary policeman.

Systema

A Japanese company that makes all kinds of unofficial tune-up and spare parts of high quality for Marui electric guns. With them you can, for example, raise the rate of fire or muzzle velocity and effective range - and also triple the amount of money spent on it.

TM

See Tokyo Marui.

TMC

Tokyo Model Company

TMP

Tactical Machine Pistol
Short submachine gun with no stock. The term is most commonly associated with Steyr TMP, an Austrian weapon of advanced design. KSC makes an excellent airsoft model of this weapon.

Tokyo Marui

ucTemplate("2_ARBITRAY_top") Airsoft manufacturer.
TM have been making AEGs since 1992 and have recently moved in to making GBB models. Their line is well made with good build quality, although they rely on plastic as a build material far more than most of their competitors. This can leave TM replicas looking reasonably good, but feeling too light and and flexible. Their internal mechanisms seem to be of good quality, although may need to be replaced with stronger components in upgraded guns. Reliability of TM guns is above average.
TM are regarded to be the mother of modern day airsoft and provide the mechanical operating standard to which all other manufacturers adhere.

TOP

A Japanese airsoft manufacturer that has produced the legendary M60 light machinegun series. Unfortunately these guns, like some other TOP products, have been found somewhat lacking in durability.

Tracer

A type of BB / bullet that glows in the dark.
Tracers are fired in the same way as any normal shot, but the projectile that leaves the barrel glows. This illuminates a clear line between your muzzle and your target and can make aiming without using sights much easier. Airsoft BBs typically glow green and are powered by a Tracer Unit attached to the barrel of the gun.
The Airsoft Tracer Unit is manufactured by Tokyo-Marui and contains batteries, a switch and a bright light source. The unit is attached to the barrel of a gun in the same way as a silencer would. As a Tracer BB is shot, it travels down the barrel and in to the Tracer Unit where the BB triggers the switch inside. This causes a bight flash to go off inside the tracer unit, irradiating the BB with visible light and making it glow for a few seconds after it leaves the barrel. The effect is amazing and has to be seen, but Tracer BBs can be expensive as they are made from special glow-in-the-dark material. Tracer BBs usually glow bright green in color.

Tracer Unit

This illuminates Tracer BBs as they leave the barrel.

Trigger

The part of the gun that is manipulated in order to fire a shot The trigger is present on all guns, no matter what type. It is the actuator that the shooter uses in order to fire off one or more shots from his/her gun. Airsoft AEG triggers look the same as real-steel triggers on the outside, but on the inside they are very different. Real-steel triggers usually pull a latch, lever or block inside the gun to cause the shot to be fired. Airsoft AEG triggers are simply elaborate light-switches, designed to connect or cut electricity from the circuit. Other types of airsoft trigger vary according to the type of mechanism used.

Trigger Guard

A solid bar or obstruction that covers and protects the trigger.
The trigger guard is used to stop accidental activation of the trigger on any particular gun. Most trigger-guards are fixed, but some are removable for use when the shooter is wearing thick gloves.

UHC

Unicorn Hobby Company
A Hong-Kong based airsoft manufacturer of low-end airsoft replicas. They reportedly manufacture airsoft 'springer' replicas by contract to Tokyo Marui.

Upgrading

the act of boosting up the performance of an airsoft gun by installing optional tune-up parts.

USMC

United States Marine Corps
Better trained than the average US trooper, the marines have made their mark in US involved conflicts everywhere.

USP

Universal Self-loading Pistol

Vulcan

A six-barreled 20mm electric gatling cannon mounted on most American warplanes. Officially designated as M61A1, it is sometimes confused with M134 'minigun', which is a lighter weapon of the same general principle. There is not an airsoft version available.

WA

Western Arms
An eastern airsoft manufacturer of high-end airsoft pistol replicas. They produce some of the most expensive (and some arguably say the best) gas blowback pistols on the market.

Weaver Rail

Similar to RIS / RAS
The Weaver Rail is an original design of the rails you see on Airsoft and Real-Steel guns today. The dimensions are slightly different, but many RIS/RAS accessories can be fitted to a Weaver Rail quite happily. Weaver rails are getting harder to find now, although there are Soviet countries still developing integrated rails based on the Weaver Rail's dimensions.e

Western Arms

Another Japanese manufacturer that specializes in gas-blowback models, some of which are made only in limited quantities and which include more Colt variants than you probably even knew existed. For more information, see WA homepages. http://www.wa-gunnet.co.jp/

XRings

The first really comprehensive and popular airsoft resource site in the Internet.

YP

Another Airsoft manufacturer. (if you have more info on this one or a website please email us)

Zero

To align the trajectory of shots fired with the visual line of the sights.
Zeroing is the act of making sure that your BBs hit the point that your sights are aiming at. The better the Zero achieved, the more accurate the shooter can be.