If you’re a newbie, it’s understandable if your initial search for weapons is limited to looking for the best airsoft guns under $200. After all, it doesn’t make much sense to invest more than a thousand dollars on weaponry in a game that you may not like in the end.
Of course, you’re more than likely to love airsoft battles if you have a good weapon in your hands.
That’s why it makes sense that you don’t just look among the entry-level guns that cost $50. You’re more likely to waste your money, since many of these cheap guns offer lower quality. They’re not as fun, since cheap guns can offer limited range, unreliable accuracy, and a tendency to break down sooner rather than later.
What you can do, instead, is find an affordable airsoft weapon that won’t let you down. And we have the information you need to do just that.
Top 5 Airsoft Guns under $200: Comparison Chart
Here’s a handy overview of what you can expect from any of our recommended affordable airsoft guns.
| Image | Name | Features | Price |
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Elite Force 1911 |
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Lancer Tactical Gen 2 Upgraded RIS LT-04 AEG Metal Gear Electric Airsoft Gun |
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Soft Air Kalashnikov AK47 |
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Check Price |
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Wearable4U Umarex Elite Force 1911 |
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Check Price |
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G&G airsoft combat machine |
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Check Price |
Best Picks for Airsoft Guns under $200
If you want to make sure you get your money’s worth, you may want to start with these airsoft guns:
#1: Elite Force 1911
There are 1911 replicas that look authentic, but this isn’t it. What you do have here is a 1911 that you can actually use in an airsoft battle.
This is powered by a CO2 cartridge, but you have to buy it separately. Once you do, you’ll see how well it does.
It fills you with confidence because it gives you 345 fps for your pistol. That’s a fair amount of power that’s more than enough for a backup weapon.
You’re not too much at a disadvantage when you’re using this against regular airsoft rifles. You also have an adjustable hop up for greater accuracy.
It also feels realistic to fire, which adds to the thrill. You even get this blowback action that’s similar to the recoil of an actual pistol.
The pistol also comes with a drop-free mag that holds 14 rounds. Everything here is metal, which makes it extremely durable and solid.
As a bonus, you even have a threaded barrel that can accommodate mock suppressors. You can play James Bond if you want.
- Good fps
- Drop free mag
- All-metal build
- Realistic blowback
- Custom color
#2: Lancer Tactical Gen 2 Upgraded RIS LT-04 AEG Metal Gear Electric Airsoft Gun
A pistol isn’t really going to cut it as your main weapon. You may want to consider this AEG to go with that pistol, as it’s reliable and fun besides.
The 9.6V 1600 MAH Nunchuck battery gives you 370 to 395 fps of power, which means you can play in fields with a 400-fps limit. At the same time, that fps level gives you a very accurate weapon with good range.
That accuracy is improved with the 6.03mm tight bore barrel which complements the 5.95 mm BBs.
It’s certainly fun and easy to use, as you get 300 rounds per magazine. Go with semi-automatic mode and you can conserve your rounds.
It’s also lightweight due to the polymer body, but you have a metal gearbox for better operational durability. The internals are virtually the same with what you get in much more expensive airsoft rifles.
For close quarters combat and for shooting at medium range targets, this one is terrific, it’s virtually a steal at its price point.
- Terrific battery
- Smart charger
- Up to 395 fps
- Rail interface system for optics
- Magazine holds 300 rounds
#3: Soft Air Kalashnikov AK47
This is made by Concern Kalashnikov, which is fully licensed to manufacture this AK47 replica. You even get the right markings, as this is the 60th anniversary collector’s edition.
This is a full metal replica, which makes it feel so authentic. It weighs about 6 pounds, which is optimal.
But its performance in the field is probably what you’ll appreciate the most. You can use 0.20g ammo with this and fire them at a velocity of 390 to 430 fps.
The accuracy is topnotch, especially with the help of the adjustable hop up.
With this, you can go with fully automatic or semi-automatic mode, so you can rain firepower on your enemies. You won’t run out of ammo all that quickly either, since the mag it comes with carries 400 rounds.
If that’s not enough, you can also go with other AK series magazines made by other brands like G&P or Tokyo Marui.
- 4v 1600mAh small stick battery
- Adjustable front and rear sights
- Front rail system accommodates scopes or flashlight
- Mag holds 400 rounds
#4: Wearable4U Umarex Elite Force 1911
Here’s another pistol you can use as your backup for your airsoft rifle. This comes with a bag full of pellets, along with 5 small 12-gram CO2 tanks.
Using this gives you a more challenging scenario with your airsoft battles. You only have 14 rounds in your magazine, so you have to pick your shots.
With this, it’s more about giving you a realistic feel for the 1911 pistol. The slide even recoils crisply, which gives you the kick you’d expect from a real 1911 pistol.
Other authentic features include the iron sights and the beaver tail, and they’re both ornamental and functional.
You can use this not just as your backup airsoft weapon, but also as your pistol training weapon. You can train with this first, so that it won’t be as shocking when you handle the real 1911 pistol.
Try this for holster training as well, so you’re able to draw quickly with your real 1911. In fact, even if you own a real 1911 it’s just much safer to train with this than the real thing.
- Authentic metal feel
- Can accommodate a flashlight or a laser
- Easy to have a secure grip on the pistol
- The slide recoils realistically
- It still fires nicely for use in actual airsoft games
#5: G&G airsoft combat machine
This isn’t about its looks at all, even if it’s a replica of an M4 rifle. What this is about is performance.
This rocks as an airsoft weapon, and many consider this just as good as plenty of other airsoft rifles that cost twice as much.
Part of the reason for its excellent performance is that most of its internals are made of metal. That ensures smooth and reliable operations when you fire this rifle.
You do need to get a battery first for this, because it doesn’t come with one. But when you do, you can fire 0.25g BBs at a velocity of 400 fps.
You just need to dial in the hop up properly, and then you can get dependable accuracy. At about 75 feet, your groupings should be the size of a dinner plate.
Its rail system can also accommodate accessories like a laser or flashlight.
- It’s lightweight
- You get fine fps
- This can be used for squirrels
- It’s quite accurate
What are the best airsoft guns under $200?
Once you set that $200-limit for your airsoft gun budget, how exactly do you know whether it’s the best for you?
You can always do some research on the gun’s accuracy and range. Obviously, you want your airsoft gun to hit targets consistently at even long distances.
You can also check its rate of fire, and how easy it is to use. You should also find out whether it will last a long while.
Basically, it all boils down to a single crucial question—are you having fun? If you can answer yes to this question for a long while, then you certainly got your money’s worth.
Things to Consider Before Buying airsoft guns under 200
So how do we know whether an airsoft gun is fun to play with or not? As any game player knows, a game is invariably more fun if you win a lot. A good airsoft gun can certainly help you there, even with a $200 budget limit.
Here are some factors you should check out:
Freebies
What exactly are you getting for your money aside from the airsoft gun? A good purchase usually comes with a cleaning rod. But you may also get other accessories such as a sling, a speed loader, lots of pellets, a scope, or maybe even a bipod (great for sniper rifles). The more goodies you get, the more value you get for your money.
Pellet Velocity
This is expressed in fps, which stands for feet per second. What you want is a high fps level so that your pellets can give greater range.
Accuracy
How consistently can you hit your target at a certain distance? What you want is an airsoft gun you can rely on to hit where you aim at, each time.
So, when you read any airsoft guns under $200 review articles, check out what the customers say regarding its accuracy. Of course, this will depend on the type of weapon you get. Sniper rifles are generally more accurate than assault rifles, and pistols aren’t all that accurate beyond a certain distance.
Rate of Fire
This refers to how many pellets you can fire in a certain time frame (such as rounds per minute). If you have a fully automatic mode, then you can just press the trigger continuously and the rifle will keep firing. In semi-automatic mode, you need to press the trigger each time to fire. But there are also single-shot weapons that require you to cock the gun every time you fire.
Ease of Use
If you’re a newbie, you want something that you can use without too much thinking. It should operate simply, so you can concentrate more on fighting your opponents, rather than on figuring out how the darn gun works.
Authenticity
Sometimes it’s more fun to play when your weapon is very similar to any of the real guns you think are “cool”. Some weapons are so authentic that they don’t just come with the proper markings and dimensions. You may even find guns that weigh and feel the same. Sometimes even the functions are accurately mimicked.
Durability
You’re just wasting your money if your airsoft gun breaks down too quickly. Airsoft is a rough and tumble game, so your weapon should be strong and hardy.
At this price point, it’s not realistic to expect to get an all-metal weapon. Most of the parts may be made of hard plastic, which also has the added benefit of making your weapon lighter. But you should have metal parts in the more vulnerable areas.
Power Source
You can go with a spring airsoft gun, which uses mechanical spring tension to propel the pellets. Gas is another option (such as CO2), though this can be more expensive. For assault rifles, you may want to go with an AEG (automatic electric gun).
Who Makes the best airsoft guns under 200?
There are plenty of premium brands out there for airsoft. The bad news is that their best airsoft weapons cost way more than $200.
The good news is that our list features the brands that are known to offer good-value affordable airsoft weapons. These include:
- Elite Force
- Lancer Tactical
- Concern Kalashnikov
- Umarex
- G&G
Final Verdicts
Just get the Kalashnikov, okay? The Soft Air Kalashnikov AK47 looks like the real thing, and it plays very well as well.
Then you also have the all-metal build that makes this a long-lasting weapon. It’s powerful and its magazine comes with plenty of rounds. With its insane rate of fire, short bursts can make sure that you hit your opponents, just by aiming at their general direction.
Whether you’re a replica collector or an avid player, the Soft Air Kalashnikov AK47 is fine. Then you can get any of the pistols on our list as your backup. Of course, it’s up to you to choose. At least you know that with our list of the best airsoft guns under $200, you’re not wasting your money whichever gun you pick!