How to select the right Airsoft BB

When it comes to Airsoft guns, most enthusiasts tend to think about gun models, gearbox type, Barrel FPS, and battery size. One thing that constantly gets over looked is BB type. There is a variety of Airsoft BBs available, in a wide range of weights, colors, and materials. So, which one do you choose and why is it so important?


WEIGHT - Airsoft BBs are almost always 6mm in diameter, not much selection there. Then it comes to weight, Airsoft BBs start at .12 grams and go as heavy as .36 grams. Save the .12g BBs for your Spring Pistols or low priced, cheap plastic Airsoft guns. Using .12g BBs in metal gear guns is recipe for disaster, plus it will make your gun as accurate as a water balloon launcher. The rest of the BBs weights are personal preference and gun usage. A good starting guideline is a gun that shoots under 300FPS is best served with .20 Gram BBs. Anything that shoots over 300FPS opens up more choices. The heavier the BB, the greater the accuracy at longer ranges. For example, if your using a sniper rifle you should consider .28gram or heavier. For standard field play .23 - .25gram will be fine. Finally, .20 gram will work great in Close Quarters Battle (CQB). Obviously, cost is a factor when choosing your BBs weight. The heavier the Airsoft BB the more they will cost and the more you'll spend on shipping.


MATERIAL - Most of your Airsoft BBs are made of ABS or some sort of plastic. There are a few other types too. The most well know is the Biodegradable BB. They are made of materials that break down when exposed to moisture and light. Some of the Bio airsoft BBs even have an organic Fertilizer core to help vegetation. While these may seem great in reducing BBs from accumulating, keep in mind they do have a limited shelf life. The other material is Aluminum. These are typically BBs that .28g-.36g BBs. They are very expensive but are great for long range shooting.


COLOR - The most popular is white. but really the choice is up to you. Most of the time you want to be able to see where you're Airsoft BBs are hitting, so the lighter and brighter the color the better. If you are doing sniper operations, then you might want to use the darker colored or Black BBs. They will help conceal your location when firing on an opponent.


MANUFACTURER - This is probably the number one criteria in choosing an Airsoft BB. Look for a manufacturer that produces a seamless, highly polished BB. Additionally, the ability of the manufacturer to produce BBs that are consistent in size and weight is equally important. Not only will these characteristics improve your guns distance and accuracy, they will also reduce wear on your airsoft gun's internals. Airsoft BBs by companies like CYC, TSD Tactical BBs, SRC BBs and KSC BBs are of excellent quality. Many of the BBs included with your airsoft gun are of poor quality and should be discarded (our recommendation).


As you can see, Airsoft BB selection is more than buying the cheapest BBs you can find. Consider all the options and you'll maximize your Airsoft gun's ability, accuracy and life span.