It has always been taken for granted that the rifle always supercedes the pistol when it comes to which is a primary weapon. An airsoft pistol, or any kind of pistol historically, is seen as a sidearm that supports the efforts of the primary weapon, which in this case are airsoft rifles. This intuitively makes sense, but have you ever thought about just why this is? It is interesting to see why rifles have been given the title of main weapon, as well as the reasons why some people have chosen to flip the roles and use airsoft pistols as their unit of choice.

There is no doubt that airsoft rifles possess more range capability than airsoft pistols. They are designed to shoot pellets at least 100 to 200 feet longer than pistols, and with much greater accuracy as well. Since so many airsoft games are fought from long distances, it is necessary to be using an airsoft gun that can achieve at least a fair amount of range.

In addition, airsoft rifles possess much more magazine capacity. That means you can take more shots before having to reload, which can come in handy in a tight situation. Many airsoft pistols are only capable of holding a few dozen pellets, whereas rifles can hold hundreds. When this factor is taken into account, it makes sense why so many people would want to use a rifle over a pistol.

However, as I alluded to in the beginning of this article, there are some people who prefer to use pistols. This is because, despite their drawbacks, there are some advantages, such as versatility and speed. You can move around much quicker when only carrying a small arms weapon because the weight is less, and it is not as bulky as airsoft rifles are. Some people even like to dual wield pistols for extra power and for the ability to shoot in two different directions at once. It is pretty incredible that people develop the ability to do that, but with enough practice, you can do anything.

When deciding what type of airsoft gun you should use as your primary, you are probably safer going with the rifle option, especially if you are a beginner. It is honestly quite hard to stand up to an airsoft rifle with a smaller arm, but if you know what you're doing, it is definitely possible. It just takes a lot of work to get your game up.