There are different ways how to load airsoft guns. Each will depend on the type of gun you have and the kind of magazine you’re reloading. The most basic steps for all of them, however, are the following:
- Access the opening to the chamber by either opening the trapdoor or positioning the magazine with its opening facing you.
- Pour the BBs or pellets through the feed well if you’re using a high-capacity magazine. For mid-capacity magazines, you can use a speedloader or put in the pellets one by one through its opening and push it down to increase the tension inside the reservoir.
- For high-cap magazines, wind the wheel (or pull the winding string) at the bottom of the magazine until you hear a loud click. This indicates that your magazine has reached maximum tension. Mid-cap magazines do not have this feature so you can skip it.
Introduction
Magazine loading is one of the first things that you need to learn if you’re going to engage in the sport of airsoft. Luckily, this task isn’t difficult. However, it has to be done properly as it can lead to annoying consequences like your gun not firing when you need it to.
To help you master how to load airsoft guns, read through this quick but comprehensive guide that will cover all kinds of airsoft gun magazines available.
Materials Needed
What are the items you need to load an airsoft gun? Get the following:
- Your choice of airsoft gun magazine
- Pellets or BB ammunitions
- A speedloader of your choice (optional)
- A canister of green or propane gas (for gas-powered guns)
How to Load Airsoft Guns
Since airsoft guns come in different designs, it should be expected that there are also different ways and techniques to load their magazines with ammunition. Below is a quick breakdown of the different ways how to load airsoft gun magazines.
How to load an AEG Gun:
Since AEGs or automatic electric guns are some of the most common types available in the market today, it would be ideal to start with them. Here are the steps on how to load the different kinds of magazines AEGs use.
How to Load a HiCapa Magazine:
High-capacity magazines are airsoft gun magazines that can hold up to 200 bbs or ammunition rounds, thus the name. They can be more convenient to use for those who enjoy long-haul games as they are less likely to run out of bbs right away.
High-cap magazines tend to have two key characteristics: a winding wheel at the bottom, also known as a spur gear, and a rattling sound when shaken. The wheel creates the pressure inside the reservoir that is meant to push the bbs out. In flash mags, a different type of high-cap magazines, you’ll need to pull a winding string found at the bottom of the mag instead.
The rattling sound, on the other hand, is from the fact that these magazines do not have channels for the pellets inside the reservoir so they can move around a bit inside.
To load a high-cap magazine, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the trapdoor at the top of the magazine.
High-cap airsoft magazines have these hatches that are meant to keep the contents from falling out of the magazine. Open it to access the reservoir.
Step 2: Pour the bbs through the feed well.
You can use your bare hands to put the ammo inside the mag or directly pour from a container with a small hole opening to make it more efficient.
Fill to the top to ensure that ammo will get fed into the winding mechanism and the feed channel. Close the trapdoor.
Step 3: Wind the spur gear or pull the winding line (for flash mags) at the bottom of the magazine.
To build some pressure inside the reservoir that is necessary for ammo release, wind the wheel o or pull the winding line at the bottom of the magazine. To access the line, you’ll need to lift another trapdoor at the bottom of the magazine. Both need to be done repeatedly until you hear a loud click which indicates that the reservoir is already pressurized enough.
How to Load a MidCapa Magazine:
Mid-capacity magazines, on the other hand, are middle-capacity magazines as they are only meant to hold about 100 bbs. Some also call them low-capacity magazines, although those can be categorized separately as there are also magazines that can only hold up to 50 bbs.
They are more compact than high-cap magazines and typically have channels where the pellets will sit so they don’t make a rattling sound when the magazine is shaken or moved about. They do not have a spur gear that needs to be turned after loading but pressure needs to be applied as pellets are inserted into the channel to create the tension needed for release.
To load a low or mid-cap airsoft magazine, follow these steps:
Step 1: Get a good hold on your mid-cap magazine.
Hold the magazine with the feed well facing you. Make sure that you have a comfortable and steady hold on it.
Step 2: Place the bbs through the feed hole one by one while pushing downwards.
To load the mid-cap mag, put one bb at a time through the feed hole while pushing it downwards. This will generate the tension needed for the ammunition release later. Repeat until the magazine is full.
Alternative Step: Use a speedloader.
Manually loading a mid-cap magazine can take a while so lots of airsoft enthusiasts choose to use a speedloader. These tools are very easy to use but the way they are operated vary from one type of speedloader to another. It’s best to check the manufacturer’s instructions for their use.
How to Load an Airsoft Pistol Mag
Here are the quick steps for loading a pistol mag.
Step 1: Push the follower downwards.
Doing this will create room for the bbs inside the magazine. Some magazines have some sort of handle on the follower so they can be easily pulled down. If yours don’t have that feature, you can also use a cleaning rod or any implement that can fit inside the track. Lock the follower in place if the mag has the said feature, if not, hold it in position.
Step 2: Put bbs into the track.
Using your hands or a speedloader, put in the bbs into the magazine carefully. You can pour them in through the top opening or through an opening in the track. Be mindful of double stacking the pellets.
Do not fill the magazine to the brim. Leave some room for some movement for the follower to avoid putting too much pressure on the spring.
How to Load a Gas Gun
If you have a gas blowback pistol or rifle, loading their magazines aren’t too different from loading AEG magazines. The only difference is that you’ll need to load gas into the magazine after.
Step 1: Follow the instructions for the specific type of magazine you have from the selection above.
You can follow the same steps above based on the kind of magazine your gas-powered gun has.
Step 2: Put gas into the mag.
Flip your magazine upside down then insert the nozzle of the gas canister into the input valve. Be careful in doing so as improper execution can damage the magazine and lead to a leak. Make sure to keep the nozzle parallel to the direction of the valve and never insert the nozzle in a weird angle.
Press the can firmly in place until the mag fills up. This should only take about 5-6 seconds. You can sometimes tell by ear as some mags will stop hissing when it’s full. Some brands also have a mechanism that releases excess gas when its chamber is full.
This step applies for all kinds of canned gas that are typically used for gas blowback guns. Some magazines, however, might have coverings for their input valves, so you’ll need to remove those first before loading up the gas.
Conclusion
Learning the proper ways how to load airsoft guns is one of the things you can do to take good care of your airsoft equipment.
It can be tedious but it’s better to do it right rather than experience damage and regret poor decisions and sloppiness later on. It can help ensure that your guns will perform properly, prolong the lifespan of your accessories, and even ensure your safety.
Hopefully, you found the instructions above helpful. In such case, you might also consider sharing this article to help others like you who want to know the basics of loading airsoft magazines. If you have other ideas about this topic, make sure to leave it in the comments.