How do I start up?

[SprayAndPray]

I am looking to start up playing airsoft but my problem is I don't know anyone who plays it or wants to start. Just wondering how others started and if they shared the same problem?

Thanks

 

[Mike636]

I just turned up at my local site with a decent pair of boots and got stuck in!

 

[Shinobi]

I'm just starting now, but with a friend too, so slightly different. However, I can only suggest you head down either on your own, or even with a member of your family (If no other Mate's wanna go) and try it. You'll probably become Mate's with a few people there, and then as you keep going, make some good friends! Might wanna listen to the other's though for first hand experience

 

[Mike636]

http://airsoftoperator.com/tutorials-your-first-airsoft-gun/

http://airsoftoperator.com/starting-airsoft/

Have a peruse of these and if you like what you see don't forget to add us on Facebook and twitter

 

[SprayAndPray]

I guess I could just go by myself but I feel I would enjoy it a lot more if I had a friend who was as inexperienced as me to go with as we could both learn together. As for my first gun I obviously wouldn't invest in a decent one until I knew it was going to become a permanent hobby so as of now I have just bought a mystery box at £30. The company said the boxes tend to come with contents containing a value of 30-50% more than the price. So for this I'm hoping to get a half decent pistol or if I'm really lucky some sort of AEG and some BBs which will suit me for messing about in the garden until I become committed enough to fork out the £200 for a good gun

 

[Mike636]

TBH, most of what you get in that box won't stand up well if you go to a skirmish. My advice would be to use that £30 and go and rent gear at a site. If you can take a few mates all the better but it's not essential at all to enjoy yourself

 

[jcheeseright]

a £30 mystery box even if it yields a gun worth 300% of the price you paid for it is still £30 wasted I'm afraid.

best way to get started is to go along to your nearest site and get stuck in with a rental.

 

[NickM]

Much like Mike I found a site that looked good ( and could do UKARA numbers) booked a rental gun then turned up on the day at the time they said in my combats ( most don't need this they will include something in the rental normally but I had a set from my cadet days), a pair of hiking boots and the desire to have a good time.

Get stuck in, don't cower behind cover, the worst that will happen is you will have to walk back to the regen. On that note hit taking is important, again the worst is you have to walk so if you aren't sure take the walk. Don't expect to be amazing, rental guns aren't the best in the world get to understand the limitations of your gun, many around you will have spent a small fortune on their kit, it will probably outperform yours to begin with so adapt, get sneaky, its more fun anyway.

If you by lunchtime you are having a great time and thinking you want to continue then start having a look at the kit others are sporting, you probably were already but this time have a look at all of the different guns and stuff that is about. Many who have spent a small fortune on their kit are more that happy to talk at length about it, if you are friendly and happy to chat people will probably let you hold their baby some may even let you fire their guns.

If you are still keen and you haven't been put off by the small fortune you will likely be spending shortly make sure you get the UKARA process started before you leave, play 2 more games over a period of longer than 2 months but less than 12 with the same site operator and they should be able to get you sorted.

Have a laugh, don't take it too seriously, congratulate someone who gets the drop on you or gets you with a great shot. Enjoy yourself.

If you do most of that you'll be loving it, within my 3 games for UKARA I was invited to tag along with one of the local teams for the day at lunch I was swapped onto the other side to balance numbers and played against them, I think that must have made an impression I got a team patch and we now meet up regularly at lots of different skirmish sites.

 

[AirsoftTed]

In all honesty, I'd advise going without friends. Best thing I ever did. If you're unfortunate enough to be like some of us, our friends don't see the point in airsoft and think we're twats with plastic guns, each to their own opinions though. I was always the gun nut wierdo because I want to join the army and like all and everything military. Maybe your not so much of an outcast as me but nonetheless!

If you go yourself, unless you're very socially backward you'll find yourself having to talk to people, thus making like minded friends who can guide you along the way. Most of us airsofters are very friendly and willing to help each other, I think that is in part because we're all like minded, have a shared interested and are gathered to play with a bit of honour (hit taking). I've made some very good friends via airsoft mate!

Don't think it'll be intimidating being the new guy, just jump right in and get stuck in! I hadn't even had time to sign in when I had people asking questions about my gun, asking if it was my first time introducing me to the regulars etc.

Best of luck!

 

[SprayAndPray]

I know it won't be up to standard it's just so I can get a feel for it in my back garden before being put into a field and having no clue! Like I said I don't want to pay £200 on a gun and find out I don't enjoy it as much as I thought so the first few times I will just rent the gear needed

 

[SprayAndPray]

Teddy it appears me and you are in the same situation all my friends think its really geeky like playing dungeons and dragons or something. But me I've had a real keen interest in WW2 since I was young and personally I would join the army but I can't due to health, so this to me seems to be the next best thing

 

[SprayAndPray]

Also I have already found 2 sites within 20 minutes of me that seem good

http://www.frontierairsoft.co.uk/explore-the-site.ht

http://www.stormforceairsoft.co.uk/

Which one would you recommend?

 

[NickM]

To be honest my reasons for getting into it was that I have moved to a new area due to work and didn't know anyone, its given me a social group outside of work which is great. The people I work with think I'm a gun nut crossed with bear grills/ray mears because when I take the kids on DoE I sleep in a hammock under a tarp and play airsoft at the weekends.

One of the guys was keen to give it a go when we ended up talking about it, the day wasn't all that great, I actually preferred when I was turning up on my own or meeting up with the team.

After joining a team everything was great at the sites I go to regularly, the other site (that the rest of the team can't get to due the distance) it was playing a night game with them that really broke the ice. Imagine turning up on site in the dark at 7pm knowing only about 2 people by name but never really spending much time with them before for a 16 hr game. It didn't take long for people to get to know each other.

 

[jp0202]

If you're unfortunate enough to be like some of us, our friends don't see the point in airsoft and think we're twats with plastic guns

LOL

Btw, where can you get those mystery boxes in UK from?

 

[SprayAndPray]

Personally I got mine from Bbguns4less.co.uk I think the prices range from 30-100 maybe more but I believe quite a few places do them

 

[Esoterick]

I've got to say this thread is pretty interesting. I convinced one of my friends to go to a game with me but he is busy a lot. Considering going to my local this weekend but it seems pretty daunting going on your own.

 

[jcheeseright]

ah, another top-tip in that case... do NOT buy anything from a website with BBguns in the name, or even a reference to BBguns. 99.9% of the stuff ukbbguns and bbgunsforless and justbbguns sell is complete garbage.

there are many reputable airsoft retailers who can provide you with a decent quality airsoft gun that'll actually be able to compete in a skirmish.

fire-support

zero one airsoft

landwarrior airsoft

pro airsoft supplies

just to name a few, as a beginner I'd recommend pro airsoft supplies as their warranties actually get honoured and they won't sell you stuff you don't need!

 

[Spawnah]

I found out there was a site near me and decided I'd have a go. I asked some mates if they wanted to come with me and they did, though we didn't see much of each other during the game though so it might not be any different going on your own. I showed up, payed my money, hired a gun and got stuck in. Now I go more or less every week.

 

[remus]

i went airsoftig for a birthday back in november and havent stopped since. my local site happens to be not that far away and i just go weither or not anyone else comes. did have someone who was really into it to guide me though so i appriciate how daunting it is for ya. but have to say just do it!

 

[Ian_Gere]

I went on my own first and I still do. TBH I didn't even bother to ask anybody I know whether they would like to accompany me, because I knew they would A. say no, and B. be (ha, see what i did there?) pretty horrified at the thought of shooting people and being shot with anything. As it turns out I was generally correct, although one couple think photos of me in my loadouts are hilarious. My g/f wouldn't go for it unless she could drive around rather than run.

Something to consider also is that if your peer group is somewhat resistant to change, as many are, most often without realising it, then the suggestion of an activity in which the "alpha" may prove to be worse than anyone other than the two closest to him/her in the pecking order, the "lieutenants", is likely to be met with derision. However much worse is if they are initially up for it and it then transpires that the alpha is crap; if the alpha makes a complete bell end of him/herself then continuing with the activity subsequently could see you ostracised.