Before you even think about buying that super cool MG42 or 50Cal sniper rifle, go and ask a friend that already plays airsoft, or just rent a standard electric rifle at your local field. Ideally, you should try more than one platform. There are different styles, sizes and weight classes of guns. Try as many as you can, and you will quickly realize what is right for you. Don’t just go on the internet and buy the first thing that catches your eye. Do some research! It will pay off in the long run.

Choose Wisely

Choosing your first gun is not an easy task. You don’t want to buy the wrong tool for the job. Here are some quick tips that will help you with that important decision.

First of all, you can never go wrong with a standard electric rifle (AEG), the M4 and AK are the most popular platforms for new and experienced players.
Remember, that buying cheap usually equals buying twice. Do not get the cheapest stuff, unless you want to spend your game day repairing a gearbox with stripped piston teeth or wondering why you can’t hit that one guy from just 10 meters. If you are not sure whether you want to spend money on a proper rifle, you can always borrow or rent a gun on the field. That’s a good way to start.

After you have decided that Airsoft is really for you, then go ahead and buy a proper gun. If you want to get an overview of what’s out there, you can check our shop. The advantage of NOVRITSCH guns and gear is that we test every single product we offer ourselves. No matter what you buy, you can be sure that it will work. If you’re looking at Electric rifles, the SSR15 is a very good choice which you should consider.
Now let’s talk more about other classes of guns, starting with a good sidearm. 

Okay, so now you have played a few games, you know how Airsoft works, you know every inch of your local field.
Then disaster strikes, you pull the trigger but no BB leaves the barrel. Before you even realize that your magazine is empty, that one player who took the last sausage during lunch break comes around the corner and showers you with BBs. You scream “HIT!” and take the long walk of shame to the respawn.

The feeling of anger and regret takes over. You remember – switching to your sidearm is faster than reloading. Just like in any video game out there.
But you also remember that you don’t even have a sidearm. You drive home and start up your PC.
After five hours of research and 1000 variants of the same pistol later, you are more confused than before.

How do you choose a pistol?

There are a lot of things you need to consider. Before you even choose what you like when it comes to looks, you need to remember all the accessories you need to run these pistols.
Not all sidearms have a proper holster, or reasonably priced magazines, or any accessories at all. Be careful with buying exotic platforms. They might look cool, but the usability is poor.
Your first pistol should be a popular platform since it will be easier for you to maintain it, find replacement parts, and accessories.

In general, there are three types of airsoft pistols: Gas/CO2, electric and spring-powered.

Blowback vs Non-Blowback?

Let’s leave out the toys that are spring powered and move on to the stuff we actually use on the field.
First of all gas-powered pistols. These can be further divided into two bigger categories which are blow-back and non-blowback pistols.

Blow-back pistols have a moving slide, just like the real deal and non-blowback pistols have a fixed slide that does not move when you fire a shot.
Both systems have their pros and cons. For example, the non-blowback system uses less gas, which in turn makes it more efficient when it comes to gas consumption and they tend to work in lower temperatures.

The opposite goes for the blowback system, where every time you pull the trigger, additional gas is used to move the slide. While this means the blowback system is less efficient, it is also way more fun and realistic. Not only this, the shorter trigger pull means you can shoot faster, unlike with non-blowback pistols where the trigger pull is longer due to the way the internals work.

Generally speaking, for faster games and aggressive playstyle, blowback guns are more suitable. Non-blowback pistols are more suited towards sneaky players and ghillie snipers because the pistols are quieter.

What is the power source?

Both of these systems run either on Green Gas or CO2. Some of these pistols work with both of these gases and you will have to get the right magazine depending on what type of gas you use.
What is better? This is not a question that can be answered easily. For starters, green gas is a bit cheaper to use in the long term, whereas CO2 is a bit more powerful and gives you an extra kick.

If you want to use your pistol in colder conditions, you will need to buy high-pressure gas for your green gas pistol. On the other hand, CO2 may still work in lower temperatures. CO2 cartridges are harder to replace in-game and half-empty magazines cannot be refilled without dumping the rest of the CO2. This is not the case with green gas. You can refill after each shot if you want to.
Consider these factors and choose your Gas-powered pistol accordingly.

Here at NOVRITSCH, we have a pistol for every player type. Do you like hard kicking and loud pistols? Go for the SSP1. Maybe you’re a sneaky player with a ghillie suit? The SSX23 is waiting for you. Are you a maniac that likes spraying your enemies with fully automatic fire? Go for the SSP18.

All of the pistols in our lineup have proven themselves for thousands of players across the world. Reliability and accuracy is the #1 priority for us. You will not be disappointed.

There is also a less popular type of sidearm, the electric pistol, also called AEP.
While it is rather boring to shoot, it is without a doubt the most reliable and easy to use system. It works in every temperature and weather. The magazines are also cheap and easier to maintain. That is why we have introduced our own AEP, the SSE18.

It works very similarly to an AEG, but obviously in a smaller and weaker package. So if you either drive a Japanese car or love reliability, this system might be just the right choice for you.

Are you still with me? If yes, I suggest you check out our shop for our growing range of sidearms.
But if you didn’t make up your mind, check out our blog where we compare the different pistols we offer.

Let’s talk about Sniper Rifles.

There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing that one single BB flying for 2 seconds straight towards your target and hitting it. That’s why literally every airsoft player is, at some point, interested in getting a sniper rifle.

Do not start Airsoft with a sniper rifle, you will have a smoother start into this hobby with a standard AEG. Why? Having only one BB ready to go puts you at a disadvantage. First, you should get more experience to use the rifle efficiently and playing with an AEG or even just a pistol will most likely be easier. However, if you really want to and you’re 100% sure that Sniper Rifle is the one for you, we won’t stop you.

While it is not recommended to start airsoft directly with sniper rifles, this category has become more affordable and accessible than ever before.
A few years ago there were no out-of-the-box sniper rifles, that could hit targets at longer distances. Only through major modifications and expensive tuning parts you could achieve supreme accuracy at long ranges. Not anymore.
Last year we released the SSG10 that costs just a fraction of an upgraded rifle and works perfectly out of the box. Great accuracy and durability with 25 years warranty. This has never been seen in the world of Airsoft before.
No need to disassemble your guns anymore, just go out and play.

Be careful

Be careful with buying the seemingly powerful and cheap sniper rifles out there. Having a high FPS will not guarantee accurate and long-range shots. Of course, you can learn how to build your own sniper rifle. But if you are reading this, chances are that you are completely new to airsoft and have no idea about upgrading rifles. Especially with sniper rifles, where maximum precision is required and minor mistakes during upgrading can end up being costly. If you know how to upgrade, go for it. If you don’t want the hassle, just get one of our sniper rifles which work straight out of the box. All of them work equally good and will not let you down in the field because that’s what we made them for. Check out the SSG10 in the A1 variation, which to this day has an unbeaten price to performance ratio.

Obviously, there are different types of snipers out there. Not only the guns are different, but also the player type.
We have the sneaky ghillie sniper and the assault sniper who is always running around and gunning. Once again, both have advantages and disadvantages. If you want to read more about these player types, check out our other blog post.