In short
- A 7.4 V LiPo suits most electric guns. It gives a standard AEG, the battery-powered gun most players use, a lively trigger without extra strain.
- Fit comes first. Measure the battery space and check the plug before you look at capacity.
- 11.1 V is for guns built for it. It raises the rate of fire and the wear. Pair it with a MOSFET, an electronic switch that spares the trigger contacts.
- Buy the charger with the battery. A LiPo needs a balance charger, one that watches every cell.
Battery basics: voltage, capacity, C-rating
Every airsoft battery has three numbers on its label. Voltage (V) decides how fast the motor turns, so how quickly the gun fires and how sharply the trigger answers. Capacity, in milliamp-hours (mAh), is the size of the tank: more mAh means more shots, never harder shots.
The third is the C-rating: how much current the pack can deliver at once. An AEG airsoft gun (automatic electric gun) pulls a burst of current for every shot, and a pack with a low C-rating sags under it.
Reading a label
- 7.4 V
- Two lithium cells in a row, also written 2S. A cell is 3.7 V on paper, so 11.1 V is three cells (3S).
- 1300 mAh
- Capacity. A bigger number lasts longer and makes the pack bigger.
- 25C
- Current: 25 times the capacity, here 25 x 1.3 A = 32.5 A.
- Stick
- The shape. It decides whether the pack goes into your gun at all.
- T-plug
- The connector. It has to match the one in the gun.
NiMH: simple and forgiving
NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) is the older battery type: a row of round cells in shrink wrap, usually 8.4 V or 9.6 V. Many entry-level guns still come with one in the box, and it forgives mistakes a LiPo does not.
NiMH in short
Pros
- Can be stored full, unlike a LiPo
- Charges on a simple charger made for NiMH
- No alarm or cut-off needed
Cons
- Bigger and heavier for the same capacity
- Voltage sags as it empties, so the trigger slows through the day
- Loses charge on the shelf: top it up before a game
LiPo: 7.4 V versus 11.1 V
A LiPo (lithium polymer) stores more energy in less space and holds its voltage until it is nearly empty. That is why an airsoft LiPo battery is the normal choice today, and why 7.4 V of LiPo feels roughly as lively as 9.6 V of NiMH.
An 11.1 V pack adds a third cell. The motor spins faster, so the gun fires quicker. The price is wear: gears, piston and above all the trigger contacts take more load, and a gun not built for it can start to misfeed.
Three batteries in a typical electric rifle
- NiMH
- LiPo 7.4 V
- LiPo 11.1 V
-
Trigger response
- NiMH
- 2 out of 5
- LiPo 7.4 V
- 4 out of 5
- LiPo 11.1 V
- 5 out of 5
-
Easy to look after
- NiMH
- 5 out of 5
- LiPo 7.4 V
- 3 out of 5
- LiPo 11.1 V
- 3 out of 5
a LiPo wants a balance charger and storage charge
-
Gentle on a standard rifle
- NiMH
- 5 out of 5
- LiPo 7.4 V
- 4 out of 5
- LiPo 11.1 V
- 2 out of 5
more voltage, more wear
-
In the cold
- NiMH
- 3 out of 5
- LiPo 7.4 V
- 3 out of 5
- LiPo 11.1 V
- 4 out of 5
every pack loses punch
-
Small for its capacity
- NiMH
- 2 out of 5
- LiPo 7.4 V
- 5 out of 5
- LiPo 11.1 V
- 4 out of 5
Which battery for which gun
| Your gun | Battery | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard electric rifle, no MOSFET | 7.4 V LiPo, or the NiMH it came with | Lively enough, kind to the trigger contacts |
| Rifle with a MOSFET | 7.4 V LiPo; 11.1 V if the maker allows it | The MOSFET does the switching |
| Tuned or high-speed build | 11.1 V LiPo with a high C-rating | Strong springs and fast motors need current |
| Compact gun: SMG, short rifle | The shape the maker names, often a small 7.4 V pack | Space decides, capacity comes second |
Which airsoft battery for your gun?
What are you putting it in?
Standard rifle, no MOSFET
A 7.4 V LiPo that fits
Pick the shape your battery space takes. Stay with 7.4 V: it spares the trigger contacts of a gun without electronics.
Batteries in the webshopRifle with a MOSFET
7.4 V, or 11.1 V if the maker allows it
With a MOSFET, 11.1 V is an option when the manual says the gun takes it. For most game days 7.4 V is plenty.
Compare both voltagesTuned or high-speed build
An 11.1 V LiPo with a high C-rating
Choose a generous C-rating and make sure a MOSFET sits between battery and motor.
High-output batteriesCompact gun, little space
The exact shape the maker names
Measure first, then take the capacity that goes in. A spare pack solves the rest.
Batteries by shapeIn the UK? Compare here, then buy the lithium pack from a British shop: we cannot send it to you.
An airsoft MOSFET is what makes 11.1 V sensible. Without one, the full motor current runs through two small contacts behind the trigger, and a stronger battery burns them faster. With one, the trigger only gives a signal. Many also cut the power before a LiPo runs too low. GATE is one of the makers known for them.
Sizes and shapes: will it fit?
The best battery on paper is useless if the stock will not close over it. A battery lives inside a fixed stock, in or around the tube an adjustable stock slides on (the buffer tube), under the handguard at the front, or in a small box on a rail.
The three shapes you will see most
Stick
One long, slim row of cells.
Block
Short and thick; the small version is often called mini.
Two-part or three-part pack
Cells joined by wires that sit either side of the stock tube. Sold as twin, nunchuck or crane-stock type.
Measure before you order
-
Find the battery space
Open the stock, handguard or battery box and look where the wires end. The manual usually names the battery type.
-
Measure length, width and height
Measure the space in millimetres and keep a little back for wires and plug. Shops list the outer size of every pack.
-
Look at the plug in the gun
The table below tells the three types apart.
-
Voltage first, then capacity
Choose 7.4 V unless the gun is built for more, then the largest capacity that fits without squeezing the wires.
Connectors: Tamiya, Deans, XT30
The plug between battery and gun: both sides must match
| Connector | How to spot it | Where you meet it | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Tamiya | Small pale plastic plug | The factory plug on most electric guns | Fine for a standard gun; the loosest fit |
| Deans (T-plug) | Flat, two metal blades at right angles, often red | Upgraded guns, many LiPo packs | Less resistance, firm fit; converting means soldering |
| XT30 and XT60 | Yellow, two round gold pins | Newer packs and electronics | XT30 is the small one |
Choosing a charger
The airsoft battery charger matters as much as the pack. The wall charger in the box of a starter gun is slow, made for NiMH and often does not stop by itself. Never use it on a LiPo.
A balance charger reads every cell through the small white balance plug, charges them evenly and stops when they are full. If you searched for the LiPo storage voltage: about 3.8 V per cell, neither full nor empty, and most balance chargers have a mode for it.
What your charger has to do
0 of 7 ticked
- charge rate or lower: a 1200 mAh pack at 1.2 A
- 1C
- per cell for storage, about 40 to 60% full
- 3.8 V
- per cell: never run a LiPo below this
- 3.0 V
- do not charge a LiPo below this
- 0 °C
Source: Airsoft Bazaar help centre: Batteries, gas and safety
How many batteries for a game day
Two is the honest answer for most players: one in the gun, one spare in a pocket. How long a pack lasts depends on how much you shoot, the spring and the motor in your gun, the cold and the age of the pack. So this guide promises no number of shots per charge.
When the rate of fire drops, swap. Do not squeeze the last shots out of a LiPo: running it too low is what ruins it.
Five things you will hear between games
Myth
An 11.1 V battery always destroys a gearbox.
Fact
Not always. The gearbox is the housing with the gears and the piston; with a MOSFET and sound parts it can run on 11.1 V. In a standard gun the wear does speed up.
Myth
More mAh makes the gun shoot harder.
Fact
Capacity is the size of the tank. Power comes from the spring, speed of fire from the voltage.
Myth
A LiPo catches fire by itself.
Fact
Fires follow abuse: the wrong charger, overcharging, a puncture, a swollen pack.
Myth
NiMH is finished.
Fact
NiMH packs are still sold, and for a standard gun they remain a sound choice.
Myth
Any charger charges any battery.
Fact
A charger has to be made and set for the battery type. A LiPo on a NiMH charger is a fire risk.
Batteries and chargers in the webshop
Lithium packs travel by road within the EU only, so not to the United Kingdom.
In stock, ships right away
AN/PEQ-15 Dummy Battery Box - Tan — Black
In stock, ships right away
JST to Mini Connector
In stock, ships right away
Lipo 7.4V 1500mAh 65C Graphene Mini Type — Black
In stock, ships right away
3000mAh 11.1v Nunchuck TamiyaFrequently asked questions
Which battery do I need for my airsoft gun?
One that matches the gun in voltage, shape and plug. For a standard electric gun that is a 7.4 V LiPo in the shape your battery space takes. The manual names the type; when in doubt, measure the space.
LiPo or NiMH: which is better?
LiPo for most players: smaller, lighter and quicker on the trigger. NiMH is better if you want the least fuss, because it can be stored full. A LiPo asks for a balance charger and storage charge in return.
Is 11.1 V safe for a stock AEG?
As a habit, usually not. A stock AEG, an electric gun with its factory parts, fires faster on it, but the trigger contacts, gears and piston wear sooner. Fit a MOSFET first, or stay with 7.4 V unless the maker says the gun is ready for 11.1 V.
What is the difference between Tamiya and Deans connectors?
Tamiya is the small plastic factory plug on most electric guns. Deans, also sold as T-plug, is a flat plug with two metal blades that passes current with less resistance and sits more firmly. If gun and battery differ, use an adapter lead or have the gun converted.
Which charger should I buy?
A balance charger that handles the battery types you own, with a charge current you can set and a storage mode. The wall charger from a starter kit is for NiMH only and should never touch a LiPo.
How long does a battery last on a game day?
There is no honest single number: it depends on how much you shoot, the gun, the temperature and the age of the pack. Plan on two packs for a full day and swap when the rate of fire drops.
Sources
- Batteries, gas and safety Airsoft Bazaar help centre
- Battery waste: retailer and distributor responsibilities GOV.UK, 12 November 2026
