In short
- An AEG is the default airsoft rifle. AEG stands for automatic electric gun: a battery and a motor do the work, in any weather.
- The gearbox version decides your parts supply. The gearbox is the engine of the rifle. Versions 2 and 3 have parts everywhere; a brand's own design does not.
- Check the energy before the looks. In Great Britain a rifle that can fire automatically has to stay within 1.3 joules of energy, and sites sit lower.
- Electronics are worth paying for. A MOSFET, an electronic switch for the trigger current, protects the rifle.
- Used pays off most in the mid-range. Ask for a video and a chrono reading, the measured speed of the BB.
Why most players start with an AEG
An AEG is an airsoft rifle with a battery, a motor and a set of gears inside. Pull the trigger and the motor draws a piston back against a spring; when it lets go, the air it pushes fires the BB. Keep the trigger pulled and it repeats many times a second.
Nearly every rifle shape exists as an AEG, from the M4 to the AK, which is why airsoft rifles are in practice mostly electric.
The AEG in short
Why it is the default
- It shoots the same in January as in July: there is no gas to cool down.
- It is cheap to run. A charged battery and BBs are all it uses.
What you put up with
- No recoil, and a whirr where you might want a bang.
- When the gearbox fails you need a technician, or patience.
What to check on an AEG before you buy
| Check | What you want to see | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gearbox version | Version 2 or 3, not a brand's own design | Spare parts from any maker |
| Spring | A quick-change spring | You set the power for your site in minutes |
| Stated energy | Under your site limit and the legal limit | A rifle over the limit stays in its bag |
| Body | Reinforced plastic (polymer) or metal, no wobble | It gets dropped and leaned on |
| Electronics | A MOSFET or electronic trigger from the factory | Protects the trigger |
| Battery space | A common battery shape and a common plug | An odd space narrows your choice |
| Magazines | The standard pattern for the platform | Cheap spares |
Looks sell an AEG. The gearbox version, the spring and the plug decide whether you still like it next year.
Gearbox versions and why they matter
The airsoft gearbox is a metal case that holds the gears, the piston and the spring. Makers build it to a handful of shared layouts, called versions, and the version decides which spare parts fit.
You do not have to open one to choose well. Know the version, and know whether the spring comes out without taking the case apart.
The versions you will meet
- Version 2
- M4 and other AR-15 styles, with the motor in the pistol grip. The widest choice of parts
- Version 3
- AK and G36 styles, with the motor in a cage on the gearbox. Known as the sturdier case
- Other numbers
- A few shapes, such as the P90 and the M14, have their own, with fewer parts
- A brand's own
- One maker, one design, common in bullpups such as the SA80. Parts from that brand only
The spring sets the power, the law sets the ceiling
Many AEGs are built for countries with a higher limit, and leave the box shooting harder than Great Britain allows. Check the energy on the product page and choose a version that is under; do not plan to fix it after it arrives. Many British sites go lower still: 350 FPS (feet per second) with a 0.20 g BB, about 1.14 joules, is common.
Is this rifle under the limit?
Enter the speed in feet per second (FPS) and the BB weight from the product page. With a 0.20 g BB, 1.3 joules is about 374 FPS.
Energy
J
The same energy in FPS per BB weight
- 0,20 g
- 328
- 0,23 g
- 306
- 0,25 g
- 293
- 0,28 g
- 277
- 0,30 g
- 268
- 0,32 g
- 259
- 0,36 g
- 244
- 0,40 g
- 232
- 0,45 g
- 219
Calculated with E = ½ × m × v². A site measures with a chrono and sets its own limits; that reading decides.
Body materials and build quality
Body material says less than the adverts suggest. Good polymer, plastic reinforced with fibre, is light and shrugs off knocks. Metal feels right and holds sights and lights without flexing, but cheap cast metal cracks where polymer bends.
What you can judge from photos and reviews: does anything wobble where the stock, the barrel and the handguard, the part your front hand holds, meet the body?
Three things the product page will not tell you
Myth
A metal body is always better.
Fact
Good polymer outlasts cheap cast metal. Steel, on the better AKs, is another league, and heavier.
Myth
More FPS means more range.
Fact
Over the site limit you cannot use the rifle at all. Range comes from the hop-up, the part that puts backspin on the BB, and from BB weight.
Myth
A MOSFET makes a rifle shoot harder.
Fact
It changes the trigger and protects the electrics. The power comes from the spring.
MOSFET, trigger and wiring
In a basic AEG the full battery current runs through two small metal contacts behind the trigger. They spark a little with every shot and wear out, faster with a strong battery. A MOSFET is an electronic switch that carries the current instead, so the trigger only gives the signal.
One step further is the electronic trigger unit (ETU), where sensors replace the contacts. The trigger gets crisper, and extras such as a three-shot burst become possible. Several brands fit one at the factory, and a MOSFET can be added later.
Battery space and connectors
The wiring runs to the rear, with the battery in the stock, or to the front, under the handguard. That space decides the shape: a slim stick, a flat brick, or linked cells known as a nunchuck. Look it up before you order a battery. We cannot ship lithium batteries to the UK, so British buyers get theirs locally.
Most rifles run on a 7.4 volt LiPo, a lithium polymer battery. An 11.1 volt one fires faster and is best kept for rifles with a MOSFET. The plug is a small Tamiya or a T-plug, also called Deans; the two need an adapter.
Platforms: M4, AK, G36, SA80 and bullpups
The platform is the real rifle your AEG copies. It sets the gearbox version, the magazines and how much choice you have in parts. A bullpup has its magazine behind the trigger, which keeps a long barrel in a short rifle.
Four platforms compared
| Platform | Gearbox | Why choose it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airsoft M4 (AR-15) | Version 2 | More parts, magazines and accessories than any other rifle | Yours looks like everyone else's |
| AK | Version 3 | Simple and sturdy; the better ones come in steel and wood | Less room for sights and lights on the classic shapes |
| G36 | Version 3 | Polymer like the original, a folding stock and a roomy battery space | Bulky magazines and fewer parts |
| SA80 and other bullpups | Often the maker's own | A long barrel in a short rifle, and the look of the British service rifle | Parts from one brand; magazine changes take practice |
Magazines in the webshop
Sorted by platform: an M4 magazine does not fit an AK.
In stock, ships right away
TM long magazine for Marui SAIGA-12 GBB, 90 BBs - Black
In stock, ships right away
MWS VMAR Series (VP) Gas Magazine, 40 BBs – Black
In stock, ships right away
GLOCK (Umarex) Magazine G19X
In stock, ships right away
HECKLER & HOCH (Umarex) Magazine MP7 A1Picks per budget, new and used
What each price level gets you
- Entry level
- Mid-range
- High end
-
Body and finish
- Entry level
- 2 out of 5
- Mid-range
- 4 out of 5
- High end
- 5 out of 5
-
Gearbox
- Entry level
- 3 out of 5
- Mid-range
- 4 out of 5
- High end
- 5 out of 5
-
Electronics
- Entry level
- 1 out of 5
- Mid-range
- 4 out of 5
- High end
- 5 out of 5
from bare trigger contacts to a programmable trigger
-
Accuracy out of the box
- Entry level
- 3 out of 5
- Mid-range
- 4 out of 5
- High end
- 4 out of 5
a new hop-up rubber closes most of the gap
-
Room to upgrade
- Entry level
- 4 out of 5
- Mid-range
- 4 out of 5
- High end
- 2 out of 5
the top end is already tuned, or uses its own parts
At entry level the usual names in Britain are the G&G Combat Machine range, the Specna Arms CORE line and the Delta rifles of the British brand Nuprol, with CYMA for an AK. In the mid-range, Specna Arms EDGE and the better G&G lines add factory electronics.
At the top sit brands such as KRYTAC and VFC and, for AKs in steel, LCT. Second-hand, the mid-range is the sweet spot.
Which AEG suits how you play?
How will you use the rifle?
A few game days a year
An entry-level rifle from a known brand
Working out of the box matters more than features. Insist on a quick-change spring and standard magazines.
Rifles in the webshopEvery month, no tinkering
A mid-range rifle with factory electronics
A MOSFET or electronic trigger and a solid body from the factory: you charge the battery and play.
Specna Arms in the webshopAs a base to upgrade myself
A plain version 2 or 3 rifle
Buy the common gearbox in a good body, used if you like, and spend the difference on parts. Avoid a brand's own gearbox design.
Parts and upgradesAirsoft rifles in the webshop
Shown here: rifles within the limits for Great Britain. In Northern Ireland and Ireland the line is 1 joule.
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft Gun AR15 KeyMod 10" Charlie Eagle Tan
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft AEG URG-1 Sopmod Block 3
In stock, ships right away
Airsoft Rifle GBB CQB-R Block 1
In stock, ships right away
HECKLER & KOCH (Umarex) AEG Rifle G36C Sportsline EyetraceElectric rifles in figures
Live from our webshop and from the AEG listings on the marketplace.
- listings in AEG on the marketplace
- more than 800
- middle asking price: half ask less, half ask more
- €280
- eight out of ten asking prices fall in this range
- €125 – €600
- products in stock in Rifles in the webshop
- 37
- lowest price of what is in stock in Rifles
- €147
- brands in stock in Rifles
- 4
Airsoft Bazaar data Measured on 13 November 2026
What to check on a second-hand AEG
A used AEG hides its condition inside the gearbox, so let the seller show you what you cannot see. Most listings are in the Netherlands and Belgium: a rifle sent from there crosses a customs border, and for a realistic one the seller will ask for your UKARA number.
Five checks before you pay
-
Ask for a video of it firing
Single shots and a burst, with sound. An even whirr is good; a screech or a stutter points at the gears or the motor.
-
Ask for a chrono reading
The measured speed and the BB weight used: does it fit your site and the legal limit?
-
Ask what has been changed inside
Work by a known technician adds value. "Upgraded by a mate" can mean anything, so ask for the list of parts.
-
Look at where the parts meet
Sharp photos of the stock, the handguard and the body pins: wobble and cracks show there first. Ask which plug the wiring has.
-
Pay with buyer protection
Your money is held until the rifle has arrived. It costs €2.00 plus 7.5% on a standard account, and you can start a dispute until the automatic release, 10 working days after payment. See buyer protection.
Used AEGs on the marketplace
Electric rifles from other players.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best airsoft rifle for a beginner?
An M4-style AEG from an established brand, with a version 2 gearbox and a quick-change spring. In Britain the G&G Combat Machine, Specna Arms CORE and Nuprol Delta ranges are the usual starting points.
What is an AEG?
An automatic electric gun: an airsoft rifle in which a battery and a motor drive a piston that fires the BB. It works in any weather and is the most common kind of airsoft rifle.
What should I check before buying an AEG?
The gearbox version, the spring, the stated energy, the body, the electronics, the battery space with its plug, and the magazines. The table at the top of this guide says what you want to see for each.
Is a metal body better than polymer?
Not by itself. Good reinforced polymer is lighter and tougher than cheap cast metal. Choose on build quality, not on the word metal.
Do I need a MOSFET?
Not to start on a 7.4 volt battery, but it is worth having. It takes the current off the trigger contacts, which stops them burning, and you want one before you fit an 11.1 volt battery.
Which battery fits my rifle?
The one that fits the space and the plug. Check where the rifle holds its battery, which shape goes in and whether the plug is a small Tamiya or a T-plug. A 7.4 volt LiPo is the usual choice.
Sources
- Firearms Act 1968, section 57A (airsoft guns) and section 24A (age) legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, section 36 (sale and import of realistic imitation firearms) legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Schedule 1 legislation.gov.uk, 12 November 2026
- Payment requests with buyer protection; shipping countries and rates Airsoft Bazaar help centre
