Long time paintballer looking at Airsoft

[Cosford]

Well I'll start by introducing myself, my name is Iestyn and I began playing paintball coming up to three years ago.

Now I've always liked the close-quarter opportunities playing paintball, but I'm not a great fan of taking a hit at 2m away...

So although I have no plans to give up paintballing, I'm looking at Airsoft as a means to get some close-quarters action

I'm based in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire. How would I go about beginning to play Airsoft? From what I can tell, it seems to be unlike paintball in the sense that I can't find days for people to just turn up as such, there seems to be pre-determined dates.

Looking for local sites, I found Red 1 Skirmish (http://www.red1skirmish.co.uk/) in King's Langley which is only around a 10 minute drive for me. Would this be an ideal place to start playing? It seems to have a comprehensive on-site shop aswell.

Kit wise, I don't plan on throwing tonnes of money into kit aslong as I'm still paintballing aswell, but I do have an ACU kit aswell as a Molle platform vest I use for paintballing. Would these also be ok to play in for Airsoft or does airsoft kit have something in the way of special optimisations? (Obviously I would be changing the pouches on the Molle vest for more airsoft suitable ones )

Finally, I'll add in that I'm only 17. What are the repurcussions of this in terms of what kit I'm allowed to buy/where I'm allowed to play? (I know of UKARA but am a little uncertain as to it's effects).

Many thanks,

Cosford.

 

[lemon191]

welcome.

your kit will be fine there isnt any specific kit you need other than a gun, mags, batteries.

the sites will have guns that you can hire out if you look at your sites website it will tell you how to book etc

if your 17 then you cant buy a gun yourself until you are 18 and then you can get site membership/ukara membership( check the legal section on the forum plenty of info about the laws) as well and buy a black one so id wait until you are 18 before buying any guns also while you are under 18 your site will most likely make you wear a full face mask (which you can use your paintball mask if you want so you should be used to it)

other than that its the same as paintball

 

[Deva]

Welcome to the forums

 

[paperpirate]

hi mate, the UKARA is only for your guns, it basicly allows you to purchase realistic imitation firearms(RIF) instead of just imitation fire arms (IF- the wonderfull bright green things)

as for kit if you've a molle vest then thats you sorted, get a couple of magazine pouches and dump pouch plus whatever you fancy

like has already been said paintball masks are fine for face protection

if you google airbana that will give you a map of the registered sites in the UK

 

[Hibernator]

I'm based in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire. How would I go about beginning to play Airsoft? From what I can tell, it seems to be unlike paintball in the sense that I can't find days for people to just turn up as such, there seems to be pre-determined dates.

Airsoft sites don't tend to run 7 days a week in the hope that enough people just turn up to play. I'd be surprised if paintball sites did too :blink:

Most airsoft sites are primarily "walk-on" days. As long as there is a game running that day, you can just turn up. The exception will be if you need to rent a gun - unlike paintball the majority of players have their own kit, so rental guns are in the minority. A site might only have a certain number of guns available, these will need to be booked. If you have your own kit, you just turn up. Sometimes sites will run mil-sim days where there are limited places so booking in advance is necessary, but those are always advertised.

 

[Cosford]

Airsoft sites don't tend to run 7 days a week in the hope that enough people just turn up to play. I'd be surprised if paintball sites did too :blink:

From my experience, most paintball sites operate both days every weekend, as well as weekdays provided the bookings are there

Thanks very much guys, It's nice to know I'll be able to put my paintball playing gear to another use. Glad I went for a molle vest now as opposed to a fixed one.

18 In july and have no plans on buying guns until then. Thanks for the clarification on what I can/can't buy. It seems to be quite a disputed area and appears to have been a law change a few years ago meaning some information is really out of date

Looking at going to red one on saturday. Will make my mind up tomorrow and keep this updated with my experience.

Thanks again guys,

Cosford.

 

[paperpirate]

have fun, just remember it wont hurt as much but you'll still blooming know if someone opens up on you from close.

dont know if paintball have it, but if you get the drop on someone, tap them and say dead or bang, much nicer than being shot point blank from behind sure you'd want it done to you

 

[Hibernator]

From my experience, most paintball sites operate both days every weekend, as well as weekdays provided the bookings are there

That's because they are money making machines from green fees to ammo Don't blame them - got to get it while you can. Airsoft caters mainly for own gunners/walk-ons so takings are lower and it's less well know than paintball. I dare say if it ever became as popular and profitable, airsoft sites would do the same Certainly make it easier to get to a game

 

[Cosford]

have fun, just remember it wont hurt as much but you'll still blooming know if someone opens up on you from close.
dont know if paintball have it, but if you get the drop on someone, tap them and say dead or bang, much nicer than being shot point blank from behind sure you'd want it done to you

Yeah we have the same in paintball. I was wondering if there was a similar system in air soft

 

[SheriffHD]

I myself switched from paintball a while ago, i liked playing more tactical, and i ran a rap4 t68 rifle, was a good gun, but the cost a lone to go for a game was stupid.

i would spend £50 on paintballs alone because the sites wouldnt like me use my own, and if i went with a hoppyer and not a mag id spend an easy £100 intotal for a whole day.

Not to mention the gun cost me 600 and was expensive to repair.

I switched to airsoft and all the kit (clothing wise) was directly imported over. Maybe the addition of a few extra grenade pouches because i could use more of them.

In whole i dont look back on my choice of switching, i save alot of money. and the games i play now are just as freqient but i find they are more enjoyable because because they take it that step further then paintball sites.

 

[Cosford]

Booked in for my first skirmish at red one skirmish on saturday!

Anyone been there before?

What should I expect ?

 

[TPI]

The owners son is on here Alex Gale or atleast i think it was i don't really remember

 

[Cosford]

That was awesome, absolutely brilliant.

Lots of great personalities and some great fun air soft. Will definitely be back for more

Cosford.