Airsoft guns come with space for attachments, but it does not mean that the entire gun should be filled with tons of accessories just because you had money to hoard them or because you heard that they are an absolute must without a single solid proof.
There are no definite guides to what accessories you should use on your airsoft gun and some accessories will better fit the M4 platform, while the others will be better suitable for AK platform, Glocks, shotguns, or whatever gun type you use.
Therefore, feel free to experiment and modify your gun with attachments according to your preference because eventually if airsoft is not bringing you high doses of serotonin, what’s the point?
In this article, I will mention only the most useful airsoft accessories that will fit the majority of airsoft guns We usually use in the fields.
1. Tracers (or flashlights)
The very first reason I got interested in tracers was the appearance factor, yet tracers are extremely useful accessories to have on any gun.
The flashy BBs that illuminate the sky are already a good selling point, but the fact that tracers help you score hits better and make cheater’s lives hard is a big addition.
Night games or any winter-long day including most CQB games will require either a flashlight or a tracer.
Without it, it’s really hard to know whether the BB hit the target not only for you but also for others. Naturally, when someone gets hit by an illuminated BB it is really hard to cheat if there are multiple witnesses in the field and trust me, it will be extremely difficult to claim for anyone that the rain of illuminated BBs did not come in their direction and hit them.
Flashlights can replace tracers or can be combined with them.
A flashlight can also be used to illuminate BBs, but tracers do it better. However, flashlights are useful for team play because you can illuminate the entire area where suspected enemies are and either expose their cover or make them stick to it even further which means that they’ll be less likely to fire while the light is pointed at them.
This can give your team an upper hand in advancing to the next point, however, flashlights can also be a disadvantage because you obviously give up your position at the same time.
For this reason, unless it’s about the team play, tracer units are better. Ideally, a couple of team members should use flashlights, flash sticks, or similar methods to illuminate the area while the rest of the team could stick to tracers and remain in the shadows before the shots got to be fired.
I’ve got one recommendation for a reliable, but also budget friendly tactical flashlight on Amazon.
Tip: Tracers are not useful during the day, but can still be used for zeroing your optics because you can zero it in darkness. It is impossible to lose the trace of BBs when tracer illuminates them, so zeroing the optics this way is one of the most accurate methods to do so.
2. Slings
There are a few ways to hang a gun around your torso and every single one requires a sling.
A sling may be annoying to some players before they get used to it, but it is really a universally good accessory that can fit any gun.
The heavier gun, the more of use from a sling you’ll have.
Slings are in function while the gun is resting, so you do not have to worry about storing it at the side, but heavier airsoft guns should be resting on your body for as much as you can manage it even during the play.
Assure that the sling gives you enough range of motion so you can freely use your gun in combat and assure it is stiff so when you run the gun does not start to play a game of a rollercoaster.
For instance, SMGs and other guns that can be fired from a hip will benefit from a sling permanently attached to your body.
Longer rifles that demand more aiming will demand that you free the gun from the sling, but you will still have good use of a sling when you are moving to a different spot or when you do not need your primary.
In a summary, a sling should be a standard attachment for almost any loadout, so despite its simplicity, it definitely deserves a spot on the list of useful airsoft accessories.
3. Bipods
Honestly, bipods are underestimated.
For instance, I like bipods on the AK47 platform not only because they naturally fit the look but because they are useful for aiming after a good cover is found.
This especially applies to full metal guns that can be quite heavy and long barrel guns such as AKs where bipods offer stability.
Without a bipod accessory, you need to employ muscles and local objects such as stones, logs, or walls but you do not always have the opportunity to use the environment to your advantage without sacrificing accuracy and comfort while you operate the gun.
Another plus of Bipods is that you can utilize more sprawling gameplay where you stay low, while your gun is always stable and aligned for aiming.
You can find great and reliable bipods on Amazon here.
Heavy machine guns and snipers naturally require a bipod, so if you are one of these roles it will be a no-brainer to get a sturdy and stabile bipod, but do not hesitate to get one for other guns if you see the purpose in them like I just mentioned.
4. Tactical holsters
There are many gun holders on the market, but not all allow you to draw the weapon within a time usually required to stop the incoming danger immediately after spotting it.
A good holder should allow you to take the gun out with a single motion and you should be able to shoot within a second of reaching it.
Sliding it back in is also doable with closed eyes which means that every time you need to switch from primary to secondary for a limited time only you will be able to do it effortlessly.
The holster you can find on Amazon here is what I talk about.
If you use small secondary airsoft guns such as pistols or perhaps small machine guns such as scorpion or Mp9, having a comfortable holster around your waist that is designed this way is truly a refreshing experience.
5. Grips and foregrips
When you grip your gun, it should feel so comfortable that you could fall asleep with it.
Grips are an absolute must because it is the first contact you make with your airsoft gun and will continue to be throughout the game.
A good grip will improve your accuracy, but it will also make you feel better if it’s sturdy and fits the right way which also comes with benefits such as reduced sweating or wrist pain.
Now, there are grip mods such as grip sleeves and enhancers that will solve this problem, but on some guns, there are missing foregrips by the design and you should manually add them.
This is the case with some rifles, but also with pistols and shotguns, so you can modify any gun with a grip and make it better.
You can find grip modifications like these on Amazon here.
Carbines and SMGs (think of the entire M4 platform) are really requiring a good grip, especially when the natural spot you are holding is the magazine.
Magazines can be good grips, but not all magazines feel good on the hand and fingers so attaching a grip to either around the magazine (grip is fixed to the receiver but also covers magazine) or installing a grip on the front of the magazine to the receiver will mean a big difference.
Not to mention that there is a probability that you will break your magazine if you are using it as a grip. (This may cause problems with feeding BBs).
Some AKs come with useful tactical vertical grips, but the majority of traditional AKs are gripped on the foregrip usually made from wood. It is up to you to see what kind of gripping works better for you on which gun.
You can find one of these foregrips on Airsoft Station here.
6. Optics
Okay, the fact is that most people do not use optics on their guns as they should. This is especially ridiculous when they spend $100+ on sight or scope that’s supposed to enhance their accuracy, but they rather forget about it and keep it for the looks.
I mean, if the looks are all that matters, why not simply 3d print or get a cheap sight to fake it for the looks? I do not want to be rude and tell people what to do with their money, but I like to share advice with beginners to help them save some money.
Optics should be used on a majority of airsoft guns that are supposed to reach the maximum effective distance in the field.
The effective distance of a gun combined with your ability to score a hit in the first few seconds after spotting the target means either success or failure.
When you can’t successfully group your shots or have to miss a couple of shots just to acquire the target it means that the enemy who is either luckier, more skilled, or simply uses optics has better odds of taking you down.
I have created a list of reliable optics for airsoft, so you can check it out if you do not already know what to buy.
Always use your optics and shoot with intent to score hits, unless you are a support role that purely creates pressure at the enemy cover.
7. Optics safety glass
The only purpose of this attachment is to protect your precious optics from breaking after the enemy fire finds a way through the lens and this already makes it one of the most useful accessories and definitely the smartest investments.
Do not risk with safety!
You can find lens protectors on Amazon here.
Magazine adapters (Honorable pick)
I am mentioning magazine adapters because you might use a type of magazine that does not naturally fit your gun, so if that’s the case you should know that there are magazine adapters to help you with this issue.
However, they are really optional and pretty situational and most beginners won’t need them when they just begin their airsoft journey.
Optional attachments (mostly useless)
Lasers
Personally, I do not like lasers, but neither do many players nor fields.
Lasers are among the things that do not successfully replicate to airsoft in terms of realism because they can mean more harm than usefulness.
Lasers do not give you much advantage because airsoft guns are not pinpoint accurate and there are already other great options that help you aim better, but lasers can certainly be annoying and dangerous when you hit people’s eyes with them.
Optics for pistols, shotguns, SMGs
Honestly, I do not understand why there are so many optics on pistols, shotguns, and other high ROF airsoft guns that are usually used as a secondary for like 20% of the entire game.
Damn, even if you use those guns as primaries, what’s the point of optics on a shotgun you are going to blast towards the enemies on 50 feet?
Like, the human eye is not a good optic already for such distances.
Additionally, it makes you slower to aim than to intuitively fire at the enemy at the moment of spotting them.
Okay, I can see some usefulness in target acquisition when battling at the maximum effective range, but it is still mostly the gimmicks the way I see people handling optics.
