Many people often wonder what the differences are between gas airsoft sniper rifles and spring airsoft rifles. Besides the obvious fact that one is powered by a spring, and one is powered by gas, there are actually some other important factors as well. But above all else, it is fair to say that the biggest difference between gas and spring powered airsoft rifles is usually the price. For example, a good spring airsoft sniper guns usually costs about $100 – $125, while a good gas airsoft guns generally costs about $175 or more in most cases.
Also, another important thing to consider about gas airsoft guns is the fact that they almost always shoot at a higher velocity than a spring airsoft sniper rifle. Generally the higher end spring airsoft sniper rifles shoot at around 450 FPS, while the gas airsoft rifles usually shoot at 500 to 550 FPS. It is also worth noting that a bolt action gas airsoft gun is much easier to cock than a spring powered rifle; this is because with a gas airsoft gun there is no heavy duty spring to cock back for each shot. You still have to pull back the bolt with a gas powered rifle, but it is much easier to operate.
Another very important thing to consider is the fact that all spring rifles are single shot only, meaning that they have to be cocked for each and every shot, while a gas powered airsoft sniper rifle can be semi automatic. However, many of the gas sniper rifles are still made as single shot bolt action rifles, which makes them much more realistic. And again, the single shot gas powered airsoft rifles are much easier to cock than the spring airsoft rifles. This may not seem very significant, but it can definitely make a difference in airsoft games where you end up doing a lot of shooting. You would not want your arm to become tired during an airsoft battle!
As far as accuracy goes, most people will agree that the accuracy of a spring airsoft rifle is pretty much the same as gas airsoft sniper rifles, but there may be a few that disagree. There isn’t much evidence to really support any differences in accuracy between the 2 types of airsoft rifles, but it is safe to say that you should most likely be using slightly heavier airsoft BBs with a gas powered airsoft sniper rifle, due to the fact that they usually shoot at a significantly higher FPS than the spring powered airsoft rifles. The faster an airsoft gun shoots, the heavier the BB you will want to use, to achieve maximum accuracy. This is especially true at longer distances.
Conclusion? If you have the extra money you may want to consider a gas airsoft sniper rifle, as they shoot a bit faster than the spring airsoft sniper rifles, and are easier to cock as well. However, the spring airsoft rifles are certainly an excellent choice if you don’t want to spend the extra money, and it is arguable that they are a bit more durable than the gas airsoft rifles. Also, if you want a semi automatic airsoft rifle, then spring airsoft sniper rifles are not for you, as they are single shot only.