What is a Good FPS for Airsoft 15.05.2023

Why Should I Care About the FPS of My Airsoft Gun?

FPS stands for feet per second, and in airsoft, it measures the speed with which a pellet travels once it is shot from an airsoft weapon. This might sound deceptively inconsequential to a novice: "Is getting a gun that shoots BBs that travel fast really that important," might be a question many ask themselves.

But while FPS directly measures the speed at which BBs travel, it has many significant ramifications:

• It impacts the gun's range: The FPS of a gun indirectly measures the force with which the pellet is fired, and this directly influences its range. This means that a higher FPS gun also has a higher range. While an 80 to 320 FPS airsoft pistol, for example, will only be useful for short-range combat.
• It impacts the gun's accuracy: Although not the primary factor, a gun's FPS also impacts its accuracy. A BB fired from a low-FPS airsoft gun will likely be more easily influenced by gravity, wind, etc. as it travels. Tho, this doesn't mean a higher FPS gun will be more accurate than a lower-FPS gun.
• It impacts the gun's safety: As we mentioned above, FPS indirectly measures the force with which a BB is shot, and on impact, the BB transfers most of this force to the object it collides with, and if you hit your target, that object will be another human. With proper gear, guns with an FPS as high as 500 are perfectly safe, but going above that might result in safety risks, especially if the airsoft guns are used in close-quarters battles.

The Higher the FPS the Better?

Although higher FPS airsoft guns are advertised as being the best, the reality is a bit more complicated than that. If price, accuracy, and quality remain consistent, you usually should go for an airsoft gun with a higher FPS, but there are situations where the gun FPS doesn't matter that much, and in this section, we'll explore both cases.

Get a Higher FPS Airsoft Gun IF

• You like playing airsoft matches in open fields: if you usually play airsoft matches in open fields, you're likely shooting over longer distances, in which case, you must get an airsoft gun with a good FPS. An airsoft gun with an FPS of 200 might not reach a target 200 feet away from you, and if it does, it won't be accurate. But an airsoft gun with an FPS of 400 will probably accurately hit targets as far as 300 feet away.
• You like sniper rifles and other long-range airsoft guns: Whether you like to go for a satisfying bolt-action rifle or you want to target people with an airsoft sniper rifle, you need a gun with a high FPS. These guns are designed for long-range combat where low FPS just doesn't cut it. The minimum is around 250 to 300 FPS for these types of airsoft guns, but going as far as 500 is reasonable in this situation.
• Money isn't an issue for you: All other things being equal, a higher FPS gun will likely cost more than a lower FPS one, and you need to judge whether you need to go for the gun with the highest FPS or one with an average FPS will do the job just fine? If you're an airsoft enthusiast that regularly plays matches, the investment can easily be justified due to all the benefits you'll get with a higher FPS, but if you're just a novice, an airsoft gun that's just "good enough" will do its job just fine.

FPS Affect Minimal If

• playing matches at the close range: if you are engaging in close-quarters combat, you generally don't need to worry about the FPS of your airsoft guns. This is why pistols generally have low FPS - they're designed to be used in CQC, so there's no sense in designing them with very high FPS. That could even be detrimental as it becomes a safety risk if you hit someone with a pellet shot from a high-FPS gun at close range.
• Staying within the FPS limit: Most airsoft events impose an FPS limit on the guns you can use for both safety and legal reasons. Before you decide to purchase an airsoft gun, it is a good idea to check airsoft match organizers in your area and laws and regulations in your region to learn the FPS limit, and then you can buy excellent airsoft SMGs that stay within the limit while helping you outperform and outmatch all your opponents.

What is a Good FPS for Airsoft Weapons?

The quest to find a gun with the ideal FPS is a fool's errand - due to the many complexities and considerations we went over above, there is a range of factors that goes into deciding what's a "good FPS". Nevertheless, there are some general guidelines you can follow for various types of airsoft guns:

• Pistols and shotguns: Both airsoft pistols and ASG shotguns are used primarily during close encounters and in closed spaces. This means that an FPS of 200 to 350 is perfectly fine. Your BBs will be powerful enough without going overboard.
• submachine guns and assault rifles: airsoft SMGs and assault rifles are the most versatile and are used in close-quarters battles and during engagements over medium and long distances. A good FPS for these guns generally strikes a balance between power and safety concerns. A range of 300 to 450 is most common for these types of guns - tho, though it is possible to go higher depending on circumstances.
• Sniper rifles: As a bolt-action sniper rifle is an exclusively long-range weapon, its barrel length, BB weight, and FPS all matter a lot. A good FPS for this type of gun would be around 350 to 500 (if it is allowed).

Conclusion

FPS is one of the most common terms you'll hear in the world of airsoft, and while it stands for "feet per second", it tells us much more about airsoft guns. If you've always been confused by the term and what it means for your own purchasing decision, this guide will help you learn what truly is FPS and what is a "good FPS" for the specific type of airsoft weapon you want to buy!

Airsoft Gun FPS FAQ

What Is the Best FPS for an Airsoft Pistol?

Airsoft pistols are generally used as sidearms at close range, and this means that they don't come in very high FPS variants like assault rifles. Regular airsoft pistols can have as low an FPS as 160 with high-quality revolvers going as high as 350. Generally, if you want your pistol to be more accurate over a longer range, you should go with a 300-350 revolver. Not only is it chic and iconic, but it also gets the job done!

Is 300 FPS Good for an Airsoft Pistol?

Since airsoft pistols aren't designed for long-distance engagements, 300 FPS is at the upper end of what you can get on a pistol, and it gives you an effective range of 125-175 feet, which should be more than enough in most circumstances. Nevertheless, you can get pistols that go up to 350 FPS if you want to go all out!

Is 200 FPS Good for Airsoft?

A 200 FPS airsoft gun will have an effective range of 75 to 100 feet (about 20 to 30 meters), which should be more than enough if you're fighting in interiors and closed spaces, but over longer distances and open fields, you should expect the weapon to lose a substantial amount of accuracy. Players usually go with a 200 FPS sidearm while for their primary weapon, they usually choose an assault rifle or sniper rifle with an FPS of 300 or higher.

What Is a Normal FPS for an Airsoft Gun

Normal airsoft FPS has a massive range: it is normal for weapons to be 150 FPS and it is common for weapons to be 350 FPS. It all depends on the type of weapon you choose. For pistols, it is much more normal to see the 150 to 200 FPS range. While for assault rifles, ones below an FPS of 250 are generally not effective. A good FPS for an assault rifle would be anywhere from 300 to 400 FPS. Anything beyond 500 FPS is generally disallowed in most airsoft events due to safety concerns.