Airsoft can be a low-maintenance pastime. All you really need is your gun and some key accessories such as ammo and replacement power if you have a gas or electric powered gun. But to get the most out of your gun, you need to get hold of some of the wide range of extra accessories available. These range from protective gear, targets and scopes, to the more elaborate accessories used to make airsoft games come to realistic life. In fact, you have a huge range to choose from. Here's your guide to some of the most useful airsoft accessories.

First let's look at the basic airsoft accessories, the essential items you need to play this exciting sport. The number one essential accessory is ammunition and it's something you need to get right. Buying quality ammo in the form of 6 mm BB Pellets is essential for successful shooting and health of your gun. For accuracy and reliability, use only polished, seamless BBs. Using cheap ammunition can cause jams and even damage your firearm. Stick to premium brands and avoid the cheaper pellets sold in some sporting goods stores which may have burrs, malformations and inconsistencies in size.

Generally you use 0.12 gram BB Pellets for spring handguns, rifles, and LPEG and 0.2 gram BBs for some spring rifles, gas guns, and Automatic Electric Guns (AEG) or MPEG. The heavier the BB, the more accurate it is.

Next, unless your gun is a springer, you'll have to buy replacement power accessories. These are replacement gas canisters for gas airsoft guns and electric guns require chargers and occasional replacement of batteries. Chargers can be slow or fast.

Other useful accessories include products to clean your airsoft gun. You can silicon lube in spray format or you can buy complete gun cleaning kits with everything you need to take care of your firearm.

Now let's look at accessories that enhance the safety, quality and realism of your airsoft experience.

Safety is of key importance when shooting airsoft guns. Though it's a safe pastime, you do need to take some precautions. The most important thing is to make sure your head is well-protected. At the very least, you should wear safety eye glasses. These are a must have for a basic shooting situation but inadequate for airsoft games. More effective head protection comes in the form of goggles, masks & helmets. Quality goggles are highly protective and often feature shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses.

Other safety accessories include gloves, elbow pads and knee pads, along with special padded pants, vests and jackets.

Then there are a whole range of accessories to enhance your shooting experience. These include scopes, blue lights, lasers, cross hair scopes, along with holsters and grips. It's fair to say that if you can buy something for a real gun, it'll be available for airsofts, too.

Another useful airsoft gun accessory is a target. You can get metal targets in a range of styles with or without pellet trap or you could opt for simple disposable paper targets or those that shatter when hit.

If you're participating in airsoft games, there are loads more extras to choose from. These include accessories for the guns themselves, together with other items that give your games more realism and so more excitement. For some games, you'll need to be equipped exactly like the character you're playing, for example in battle fatigues and helmet. The more you can lose yourself in the games, the more intense and satisfying the experience. When you see the enemy in their own uniforms, it'll pump you up to deal with them.

When participating in airsoft games or skirmishes, make sure you've got backup in the form of spare gas canisters or batteries, along with plenty of ammo. After all, you don't want to run out of pellets in the middle of an important battle. And to stay organized in the bustle of an airsoft game, you should invest in a gun case to store your weapon and all the accessories you'll need to bring along.

Getting hold of the right airsoft accessories is easy. Just visit the online showroom of a reputable supplier for full details of the full range of accessories available. Grab what you need and get ready to take your airsoft experience to a whole new level.