Artistic imitation exists in the airsoft world. Airsoft guns take inspiration from real guns. Airsoft games exist to help beginners have an understanding of how firearms work. Airsoft competitions help build community through sports. A lot of gun designs today are still the same since WW2.
Guns like the WWII Carbine Airsoft Sniper Rifle keeps its WW2 aesthetics. This gun has a history to show. These may not be real WW2 artifacts but they perform under capable hands. Airsoft guns like this look classic but still work like modern airsoft guns.
Read more to find out about World War 2 airsoft guns on our list.
Top 5 WW2 Airsoft Guns: Comparison Chart
This table is your visual guide to help you choose your ideal airsoft airgun. We’ve included important product features and what they look like. We’ve also included links on where you can buy them from.
Image | Name | Features | Price |
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Well D98 M1A1 WWII Submachine Gun AEG |
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Soft Air Thompson M1A1 Electric Powered Airsoft Gun with Adjustable Hop-Up |
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WWII Spring Action M1 Carbine Airsoft Sniper Rifle Gun |
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WW2 Mauser Broomhandle c96 German Airsoft Spring Hand Gun Pistol |
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BBTac Airsoft Gun Package – World War II Collection |
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Best Picks of WW2 Airsoft Guns
If you haven’t decided on which WWII airsoft guns you’d like to buy, read on. This section of the article discusses each product’s features. Each of these guns has its own strengths and weaknesses. You should be able to find out which gun fits your needs.
#1: Well D98 M1A1 WWII Submachine Gun AEG
- Overall Length: 32.5″ / 825.5 mm
- Weight: 2.9 lbs / 1.31 kg
- Fire Modes: Safe, Semi and Full
- Muzzle Velocity: 240-250
- Magazine Capacity: 1000
- Battery Pack: 8.4V 450 mAh Mini
The first product on our list is a powerful SMG by Well. This M1A1 has a beautiful faux wood finish. The “woody” parts are the stock, the handle, and the foregrip. It looks and feels comfortable to use. The faux wood finish also resembles walnut which looks classy.
This Thompson SMG has a plastic gearbox, giving it firing power of 250 FPS. If you use 0.25g BB’s, it could travel farther. We tested this and we found out this AEG can fire up to 300 FPS. You don’t have to worry about running out of bullets as this gun has an extra stick and drum mag.
The Well D98 gives a more accurate shooting experience with the front and rear blade sights. You can rest the stock on your shoulders and have your non-dominant arm support the foregrip. This will make it easy to hit targets from far away.
Most WWII airsoft guns have different firing modes. For the D98, it’s easy to switch between single and fully automatic firing modes. If you want to save BB pellets, you can use the single firing mode.
The plastic gearbox and full plastic build makes the Well D98 easy to carry. It also comes with a sling so you can carry it on your shoulder.
- Beautiful faux wood finish
- Very lightweight and easy to carry
- Decent firing power despite material
- Comes in with free accessories like scopes, slings, and magazines
- Mimics WWII guns’ firing modes of full or semi-automatic
- Lots of BBs to fire with drum magazine
- More accurate shooting with front and rear sights
#2: Soft Air Thompson M1A1 Electric Powered Airsoft Gun with Adjustable Hop-Up
- Rounds: 50
- Caliber: 6
- Item Weight: 1 Pounds
- Frame Material: Plastic
- Powerful Electric: 320-365 FPS
- Adjustable: Hop-up
The next product on our list is another tommy gun but this time, it’s packing more power. This product by Thompson is very similar to our first entry. It has a very similar design down to the color. You’re in for a surprise because it isn’t made of faux wood but real, authentic wood.
It will naturally be heavier but it’s not only because of the wood. The Thompson is an AEG and it has a fully metallic gearbox. The gearbox sends BBs at 365 FPS. It’s a hundred FPS difference from the D98. The adjustable hop up also contributes to the increase in power.
The Thompson M1A1 AEG has a magazine with a carrying capacity of 300 BBs. You can buy other magazines with a higher capacity to use with this tommy gun. Make sure to buy the M1928 Chicago type drum.
Compared to other airsoft guns on our list, the M1A1 is a “premium” WWII airsoft gear. The barrel, grip, and receiver are all made from metal. This makes it sturdy and should last for a very long time.
Unfortunately, there’s no rails for additional accessories on the Thompson. But it’s compensated with the ease of switching out the fore grip with a pistol grip.
- More bullets for airsoft games
- Higher firepower with fully metallic gearbox
- Sturdier build with heavy wood material
- Firing modes available for covert or CQB situations
- AEG comes with a charger
- Firing range of at least 200 ft
- Adjustable hop up makes BBs go faster
- Wide stock makes shooting experience more stable
#3: WWII Spring Action M1 Carbine Airsoft Sniper Rifle Gun
- Dimensions: 37.25 x 9.25 x 3.25 inches
- Weight: 5.25 Pounds
- Air Gun Power Type: Spring-Piston
- Frame Material: Metal
- Velocity (FPS): 360 with 0.12g BB’s
Airsoft guns like the M1 Carbine helps you shoot down targets in competitive plays. This sniper rifle gun has a spring-piston mechanism. Your BBs will fly at speeds of 360 FPS. It’s a good competitor against the Soft Air Thompson M1A1. It’s also the best WW2 airsoft sniper rifle on the list.
Build-wise, the M1 has a metal frame. It has plastic components but these are impact-resistant. It doesn’t break when it drops and should take a beating really well. Just like the first two entries, the M1 Carbine has a polished faux wood finish. It’s good for camouflage and will appear impressive mounted on a wall.
This sniper rifle has a long barrel that helps improve your accuracy in shooting. It measures a full 36” length, starting from the magazine. The upgraded and reinforced spring provides enough force. You won’t be able to miss your targets. There is also a fixed front sight but the rear sight is movable.
This sniper rifle doesn’t have firing modes. It only works in a single bolt action. To make sure you have enough BBs to fire, the magazine has a capacity of 33 rounds. 33-round sniper rifles are hard to come by so this gun is a good collectible.
- Full metal frame makes it very sturdy
- More time for shooting with 33-round magazine capacity
- More accurate shots thanks to the longer barrel
- Powerful spring bolt action will send BB’s at impressive speeds
- Beautiful polished dark wood finish
- Even more accuracy with movable front sights and a fixed rear sight
#4: WW2 Mauser Broomhandle c96 German Airsoft Spring Hand Gun Pistol
- Total length: 30.9 cm
- Barrel length: 13.9 cm
- Empty weight: 1.2 kg
- Caliber: 7.63x25mm Mauser,9×19 mm Parabellum (“Red 9”)
- Magazine: 10 or 20 rounds
- Range: 50 meters
- Shoots at 175 FPS with .12g BB’s
If you want a more close combat experience, the WW2 Mauser is a good buy. It’s a funky-looking gun but it should help you pick off enemy targets if they’re in reload. It’s one of the good WW2 airsoft pistols collectible as well.
This is a near-identical replica of the original Mauser. This airsoft with the use of plastic. Most of the components in the WW2 Mauser are plastic. The barrel and handle are also made of plastic. This pistol has a full metal gearbox. It has a firing output of 175 FPS.
For the bullets, you can use 6mm 0.12g BBs. It’s a bolt action airsoft pistol so you have to cock every time you need to shoot. This is the most WWII-like characteristic it has. The weight is also close to a C96. This airsoft pistol weighs close to two pounds.
If you find yourself running short on BB’s, there’s an extra clip for speed reloads. You can take out your opponent first with this airsoft pistol. There’s a flip up rear sight to help with accuracy too. Since this is a1940s’ era gun, it doesn’t have any rails for attachments. It’s a very detailed weapon even though it’s just a pistol.
- Massive rear sight to help you aim better
- High capacity magazine keeps you in the game longer
- Magazine can switch out for more BBs.
- The wood handle has a wavy texture to help with grip.
- The hammer at the rear side give it the WWII feels
- Big safety makes it easy to lock the handgun if it’s not used.
#5: BBTac Airsoft Gun Package – World War II Collection
- Dimensions: 22 x 8.8 x 7.6 inches
- Weight: 6.25 Pounds
- Powerful Rifles shoot approx. 300 FPS
- Airsoft guns using Clip for fast and simple reload for quick turn around
Maximizing your money is always a good choice. The BBTAC Airsoft Gun Package has 4 WW2 airsoft guns. What you get is a German M40, an M3, and two pistols. BBTac always makes sure your purchases are worth it so you also get a pack of BBs for endless shooting fun.
Taking down enemies in an airsoft field with the M40 is easy thanks to the reinforced springs. This allows the M40 airsoft rifle to shoot BBs up to 300 FPS. It has a powerful single firing mode.
For the M3, it has the classic barrel look on the main body. It also has a magazine with a capacity of about 30 rounds. The M3 does not have a stock for support, but the magazine acts as a foregrip instead.
The 1911 pistols are also good backup weapons if you’re reloading in an airsoft game. It has the standard features of any other pistol. It has a textured grip with a decent magazine capacity. It shoots BBs under 200 FPS.
This airsoft pack is a good buy for WW2 inspired guns. You can use them for target practice or collectibles. For a price of $40, getting four guns with a similar theme isn’t bad at all.
- You get four pieces of equipment
- Comes with lots of BB’s for more airsoft play time
- The M40 looks exactly like the original
- The M3 has the barrel frame like its real-life counterpart
- All of the weapons have decent firepower
- No charging needed as the rifle relies on a spring-powered mechanism.
What’s the best WWII Airsoft gun?
According to this website, they rank the Sturmgewehr 44 as the best gun in WW2. The reason is that it was the first ever assault rifle that had been mass produced. This allowed the Germans to have an advantage in the war.
Evike has an airsoft version of the Sturmgewehr 44. The closest to a Sturmgewehr we have on the list is the M40 airsoft rifle by BBTac. For the airsoft version of the Sturmgewehr, it has a magazine capacity of 300 rounds. It also has an adjustable hop up to make the BBs travel faster.
The Sturmgewehr 44 airsoft uses a combination of wood and metal for its body. It works with a fully metallic gearbox with 3 firing modes. The BBs travel along a 14mm threaded barrel that reduces air and surface friction.
It’s an AEG that’s worth a purchase if you’re willing to spend over 200 dollars. We’d recommend buying the WWII Spring Action M1 because it has a higher PFS. It doesn’t have the same firing modes as the Sturmgewehr but you get a lot more guns in exchange.
Thompson guns are also among the list of the best WW2 weapons. If you don’t feel like browsing for Stuurmgewehrs, then you can consider buying the first 2 entries on our list.
What are the most famous weapons from WW2?
We’re going to limit our selections to rifles only. Our criteria for deciding the most famous weapons is going to be on the number of people who used it.
M1 Garand Rifle
Canadian weapons master John Garand designed the M1 Garand. This rifle became standard issue during WW2. At least 5.4 million units of the M1 Garand were in use during the second world war. The M1 Garand rifle uses gas to fire bullets from its chamber.
It was a standard weapon used prominently in the Korean war as well. This gun reaches a firing range of 500 yards thanks to a complicated gas mechanism. It was later changed to a more simple design, but similarly gas-based, system.
M1 Carbine Rifle
This rifle was for troopers who had assignments to the tropics. These soldiers needed to navigate dense jungle areas. They benefited greatly from the M1. The M1 Carbine rifle is always mistaken as the smaller version of the M1 Garand. It’s a semi-automatic rifle with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. This lightweight semi AR has an impressive firing rate of 750 rounds per minute.
It’s a good assault rifle for close quarter combat. The environment in the tropics doesn’t allow snipers to maximize their weapons. The combination of the M1 Carbine’s light weight and firing rate made this a popular choice during WW2.
MP40 SMG
This is the main reason why you should consider buying the BBTac Airsoft Gun Package. The MP40, or sometimes known as M40, was one of the more popular rifles during WW2. This submachine gun was the first weapon to be mass produced.
Its “indirect” creator was Heinrich Vollmer. There were an estimated 1.1 million units of MP40 made during WW2. The MP40 arose from the designs of MP38 and MP36, which each being an iteration of the latter.
Vollmer decided to simplify MP38 and MP36 before achieving the MP40. Vollmet owns the patent for the magazine used in the MP40 and had less of a role to play in designing the MP40.
Thompson Submachine Gun
One of the most famous weapons used during WW2 was the Thompson SMGs. The Thompson was first created in North America. Over 1.5 million Thompsons were in use during WW2. Prior to the war, the FBI acquired Thompsons in 1933.
Thompsons originally were for civilians. It didn’t sell that much prior to its use in the Second World war instead. To this day, some people still have Thompsons. Certain countries have laws banning the ownership of Thompsons.
Are there full metal WW2 replicas?
No. There isn’t a full metal WW2 metal replica. This may be because of cost-related reasons. Your best bet at any WW2-inspired airsoft guns is to look for grandfathered ones instead.
There are WW2 airsoft rifles that have a metal and dense plastic build. AN example would be this product from Cybergun. It’s a Thompson with a metal barrel, gearbox, and receivers. The wood areas are high-density polymers.
Technically most countries do not allow ownership of Thompsons or WW2 weapons. If you’re a collector, you can bid on these items. As long as the purchase of WW2 items are not restricted, that is.
Are there World War 2 Sniper rifles airsoft replicas?
A lot of replicas for WW2 sniper rifles exist. We have actually one listed. The M1 Carbine is an example of a WW2 sniper rifle airsoft replica. There are other kinds of sniper rifle airsoft replicas out in the market.
Examples would be M1 Garands, MkII Sten British, and Mosin-Nagant M44. All of these sniper rifle airsoft replicas have impressive strengths. You can buy them from either Amazon or other online airsoft stores like Evike.
There are a lot of cheaper options but for your convenience, we’ve included an M1 Carbine. Most WW2 sniper rifles are either M1’s or Thompsons. These two were the most popular during the World War. It only makes sense for these two be the two most numerous types of airsoft sniper rifles.
How often can you find WWII themed airsoft battles?
Not a lot of airsoft facilities provide a WW2-themed location. However, there are still places you can go for the WW2 experience. Adrenalin Airsoft in the UK has battle grounds that mimic WW2 settings.
This type of play in airsoft games is MilSim. MilSim is short for “Military Simulations.” The very first game of MilSim was in Japan in the year 1980. The extreme sport has been growing ever since.
There’s also a MilSim facility and company in the US called the Ground Zero Airsoft. They don’t really replicate the WW2 environmental settings. However, they organize events to give players a similar experience to WW2. The facility has its own armory of airsoft weapons serviced during WW2.
Unfortunately, the number of businesses last year closed. This continued on into early 2021. A lot of people limit themselves indoors. The most affected by these are businesses that rely on outdoor activities.
A huge number of airsoft facilities are on the West Coast. This COVID map shows the concentrations of infected individuals. Comparing that map to this one, a prediction about open businesses is possible. Airsoft fields aren’t doing well either.
The best way to find out if you can play WW2-themed airsoft games is to make a call. Look up the number for the nearest airsoft facility in your area.
Why don’t more people do WWII Airsoft?
Here are some of the reasons why:
Better performing airsoft guns
Most of the airsoft guns we have on our list still go past 300 FPS. What’s disappointing is the lack of additional features we got used to seeing in modern airsoft guns. Most of the M1’s and Thompsons don’t have rails where attachments go to.
These accessories have a huge impact on an airsoft game. Although WWII airsoft aims to emulate the conditions of the 1940’s, the accessories give an edge..
Lack of facilities
There are a lot of airsoft facilities across the country. Each state has at least one airsoft grounds to allow players to use airsoft guns. To be able to do WII airsoft, these facilities should replicate a WW2 battlefield. Unfortunately, not a lot are into the trend of WWII Airsoft.
The closest to WWII airsoft are MilSims. Not all MilSim organizations have their own airsoft facilities, and vice versa.
Lack of a common knowledge about WWII
Players for airsoft vary in ages from teenager to mid-twenties. The demographic is mostly male. According to this study, the average age of male players is 30 years old. You’re most likely to see WWII airsoft games with 20 to 30 year old participants. WWII airsoft may also not appeal to a younger audience.
Does anyone use WWII loadouts for normal games?
It’s still possible to use WWII loadout in normal games. Airsoft veterans will have a better understanding of the terrain in an airsoft field. The experienced will win if everyone were similarly equipped with the best WW2 rifle. It all comes down to experience.
It would be fun seeing a normal game with WWII airsoft guns instead of modern. In a way, a game with WWII loadouts is already a WWII-themed airsoft game. The lack of accessories and advantages simulate how life was around 70-80 years ago.
Back then soldiers had to endure a lot of discomfort while fighting for their life. Playing airsoft in WWII style gives everybody a handicap. It let’s them experience what life looked like in war.
Conclusion
WW2 airsoft guns are fun to use in normal or themed airsoft battles. The best WW2 airsoft guns for playing these types of games has only one winner. It’s the Thompson M1A1 AEG. We rarely pick premium airsoft guns but this one meets all the criteria for a good WW2 airsoft gun.
The Thompson M1A1 AEG has the best materials and the highest firepower. You can also set the gun on fully automatic or semi-automatic firing modes. It’s a good WW2 airsoft gun for both normal and themed games.
The BBTac Airsoft Package deserves an honorable mention. It’s the only product on our list that has WW2 airsoft pistols. A lot of iconic pistols were in use during WW2.