So I'm getting back into airsoft for some outback plinking, I want to know if a longer barreled pistol and rifle increases velocity in airsoft guns as they do with real guns?
Depends. Usually yes, but too long and you'll screw up the cylinder volume to barrel volume ratio and it'll start to affect accuracy and FPS.
I thought when it came to airsoft velocity is accuracy? Do airsoft barrels have rifling or something?
Airsoft rifles actually have a "hop up" control. Its a plastic ball intruded into the top of the barrel right in front of the breach that causes a backspin on the bb. This results in a s-shaped trajectory by essentially throwing a sideways curve ball. Makes accuracy based shooting more predictable, but Lso less like typical ballistic trajectories. You can train fr this, and curve bbs around barricades etc, but it would only make you better at airsoft, not at shooting.
This said, airsoft is great fun, and cAn be used for situational and squad tactics training.
There are some airsoft barrels that are rifled, however they're very rare nowadays and are not commonplace.
Barrel length does not determine accuracy with airsoft. It certainly helps, but the quality of the hop up unit and hop up rubber is WAY more important than barrel length. I had a gas pistol that had a 5 or 6 inch barrel, and i could accurately shoot 150+ feet because of how good the hop up was. To put in comparison most pistols top out at about 80 feet give or take.
What is your goal? Is this for pistol training? Rifle training? S&G's? Usually with pistols, it's more of concern about gas efficiency and freezing than accuracy due to them best being used at CQB ranges.
I've been out of the scene for a couple years, but a couple years ago gas rifles (non-tank versions) weren't the most reliable. Polarstars we're all the rage a couple years ago, and they operate off of HPA much like a paintball gun. They're pretty cool, but cost a couple hundred more than your standard battery powered rifle, and require a tank and hose.
Btw, if you are in HoCo, that airsoft is just as illegal to plink as your regular firearms.
Recently i discovered wax bullets used in cowboy fast draw. The wax is propelled by primers only, without any powder. Like airsoft they wont penetrate skin if accidentally discharged. I now start new shooters including my 8 yr old using wax. Was out at my uncles farm a few weeks ago and the kids preferred wax to bullets because of the light recoil and softer report.
This is close- cheaper guns may use this, but it's usually a rubber or plastic nub that presses down on a rubber sleeve that has a small hump on the interior of the sleeve. That hump contacts the bb, which puts a backspin on the bb, allowing it to fly straight for a considerable distance using the "magnus effect". Overhopping the bb allows you to shoot over and around barriers, but puts an upward trajectory on the bb verses a fairly level trajectory.
Copper bbs and pellets sound more like air rifles than airsoft. Airsoft has maximum muzzle velocities between 400-500 fps. Bb guns are in the 1000-1400fps range similar to .22s, and are great for tarets and small game.
I thought it was all the same thing. My bad, yes I'm getting back Into air guns and air rifles then. I want to be able to shatter glass bottles and stuff and plastic bbs isn't going to do that.
I'd advise against shooting glass unless its somewhere you won't have to clean up.
If you're getting into pellet guns then that a completely different world that I don't know much about.
I wil have it sitting on top of a wood structure I made to protectI against ricochet. It's a small portable unit I bolted together so I can just dump it in the trash every time im done destroying the bottles.
The actual airsoft stuff ive seen on YouTube where they have the little events like a paintball competition seem fun but I've never heard of any places like that in MD.