As you probably know, there are three main types of airsoft pistols, spring, electric, and gas. There is also a fourth type known as a hybrid, but it is still in the early stages of development and not as mature as the traditional three. And within those three, professional airsoft players generally avoid spring-loaded airsoft guns, except in rare cases with sniper rifles. The main reason for avoiding the spring is that it is not capable of semi-automatic firing, which is a critical skill in most airsoft games. As stated, the only exception is with sniper rifles because they are often designed to fire one shot at a time. Given the impracticality of the spring and the industrial immaturity of the hybrid, that leaves gas and electricity. Which one should you choose? Is one type better than the other?
There are pros and cons to both types, and ultimately it’s up to you to weigh those trade-offs and decide what would be most effective in your hands. However, from the point of view of effectiveness, there is no doubt that gas pistols and rifles are more powerful. The main trade-off to consider is the fact that you have to continually buy new canisters to keep those products going, whereas with electric pistols and rifles, you only have to recharge one battery. That is much easier than having to buy new things all the time, especially if there is no supplier near you and you also have to pay for shipping and handling. For this reason, electric airsoft products may be more convenient for you.
Even though electric airsoft guns are not as strong as gas alternatives, they are still quite powerful. The highest quality electric pistols even come very close to the power of gas pistols, except that they are more expensive. For example, the new lines from Polar Star Engineering are amazing and could easily stand up to any gas alternative on the market.
Fortunately, you can take the time to weigh these options and make a decision that is right for you. You don’t want to skip your choice, because if you find out later that you are unhappy with your decision, then it will be costly to switch at that point. Therefore, it is much better to invest time now to ensure that you can save money later.