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FAQs

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ )

Order Information:

How do I order from this website?
How do I place a phone order?
What does my order status mean?
Why was my credit card declined during check out?
How do I use my coupon code?
I received an e-mail that my package shipped, how do I track it?
How do i find my order number?
The item I want is on 'Pre-Order' what does that mean?
The item I want is 'Out of Stock' how do I order it?
One of the items I ordered is on 'Backorder' what does that mean?
Does my gun have a warranty?

Product Information:

I'm looking for a primary gun, what is the best one to get?
I'm looking for a back up gun, what is the best one to get?
What do those icons mean on the gun pictures?
Who makes the best quality gun?
What kind of BBs should I use with my gun?
What do the numbers on my battery mean?
How do I charge my battery?
What kind of gas should I use with my pistol?
What is 'Hop Up'?
I want to upgrade my gun, what is the best way to do that?
What is the safest way to play airsoft?

How do I order from this website?

  1. Browse the website in search of the items you wish to purchase.
  2. Place selected items into shopping cart and check out. At this time, if you have not done so already, you'll have to register an account on our website.
  3. Confirm delivery address and select shipping method on 'Delivery Information' page. For orders over $100.00, the website will automatically select 'Free Ground Shipping' if you wish to make a different selection you may do so at that time; this offer does not apply for shipments to Canada/Hawaii/Alaska.
  4. Confirm your order total with shipping and applicable taxes on the 'Payment Information' page. You may choose to pay via credit card or Paypal. This is also where you would apply any discount coupons you may have been given.
      To redeem coupon using credit card please follow these steps:
    • On the Payment Information screen, please select the credit card payment option marked "please select for all credit cards"
    • Entering the corresponding information (Name of CC owner, CC #, CC expiry date and CVV #) as it appears on your credit card
    • At the Gift Vouchers & Coupons section, enter your redeem code in the "Enter Redeem Code" field and click on "Redeem"
    • Proceed with checkout process
      To redeem coupon using PayPal please follow these steps:
    • On the Payment Information screen, first enter your redeem code in the "Enter Redeem Code" field and click "Redeem"
    • "Click" on the PayPal link and proceed with checkout process
  5. Next is the order confirmation page where you must agree to the terms of use policy and confirm payment. Finally just sit back and wait a few days for your package to arrive!
If you have any questions about the check out process do not hesitate to call us at (909) 869-0671. Our hours of operation are from 9:00am to 5:00pm PST, Monday to Friday.

How do I place a phone order?

  • To place an order by phone please contact us at (909) 869-0671 during business hours (9am to 5:00pm PST, Monday to Friday)
  • Before calling to place your order, please note the names and product ID numbers of the items you wish to purchase. If you require assistance as far as product recommendations or parts compatibility, you can speak to a Sales Representative by selecting option #3 when calling
  • All phone orders are payable by credit card only. Please have your card available and ready to provide the card type, number, expiration date, cardholder name and billing address when calling
  • A valid contact phone number and email address is required when placing any phone orders
  • Customers will be notified by email regarding order status updates, stock discrepancies or problems with order processing

What does my order status mean?

  • Pending-This is the first step of processing your order, it means that the order was received by our online database and you will be billed for the amount of your order usually within 24-48 hours.
  • Invoice Print-This means that an invoice has been printed for your order, this is the first physical step in processing an order. During the Invoice Print phase your order is reviewed for any possible back order items, billing and shipping information discrepancies, as well as item compatibility.
  • Please contact Airsoft GI-If you receive an e-mail with this status contact us as soon as possible, this status means there is an issue with your order that could range from an inability to ship to your provided shipping address, or expedited shipping confirmation. If the status of your order is "Please Contact Airsoft GI" then there will also be an attempt made by Airsoft GI to contact you in order to resolve the issue faster.
  • Please contact Airsoft GI (Inventory)-If you receive an e-mail with this status contact us as soon as possible, this status means there is an issue regarding an item that you ordered. If the status of your order is "Please Contact Airsoft GI" then there will also be an attempt made by Airsoft GI to contact you in order to resolve the issue faster.
  • Package Processing-This means that all of the paperwork has been processed for your order. The items in your order are being pulled from our inventory and packaged for shipping.
  • Shipped-The order has been packed and has left our warehouse, once orders have left they can be tracked on our website using the order number.
Please keep in mind that our online inventory is the same as our walk in store inventory and the availability of items changes every day, if you order something that is "in stock" at the time of the order but goes out of stock during the order processing period we will do our best to contact you.

Why was my credit card declined when I tried to check out?

There are three main reasons why your credit card might have been declined.
Information Mismatch
The information you entered does not correspond with the current information on file with your credit card company. The most common mistakes are:

  • Address information
  • CVV number
Double and triple check your information before placing a transaction to avoid this problem.
Suspicious Activity/Unusual Activity
Your credit card company will suspend your funds because it does not coincide with your usual spending habits. Suspicious/Unusual Activity includes but is not limited to:
  • Large purchase amounts.
  • A purchase made very far away from your usual spending radius.
  • Multiple purchases within a short time frame.
This is due to counter-fraud protocols set forth by the card company and can usually be cleared up with a phone call.
Insufficient Funds
This usually takes place after multiple attempts to purchase something with incorrect information, after every attempted faulty transaction the funds for that attempt are frozen by the online credit card service. Don’t be alarmed! This is also a counter-fraud protocol; you will get your money back for the faulty transactions, usually within 48 to 72 hours.

How do I use a coupon code?

Coupon codes can be found on our website, the Airsoft GI forum, or in an e-mail during promotional periods. In order to redeem the coupon code you must enter it into the proper text field on the 'Payment Information' page when checking out. You may only use one coupon code for each order. You may not apply a coupon code to your order after you have completed the check out.

How do I track my order?

If you need to track your order go to our website and select the UPS tracking link at the top of our page. Enter your order ID number in the proper text field. Once you enter your order number the UPS website will show you the last location your package was scanned. Orders that are currently pending can not be tracked because they have not been shipped.

How do I find my order ID number?

An order number is given to each order placed with Airsoft GI. It is used by Airsoft GI to track the order and to quickly check its status. You can find your order number in the confirmation e-mail sent after each order or you can check your order history in your Airsoft GI account. Remember, your order number is not the credit card transaction number. If you are going to call in to check the status of your order have your order ID number ready.

The item I want is on 'Pre-Order' what does that mean?

Preorder means you are ordering an item before we have received the item from our supplier, similar to reserving a book or video game before the release. Often there will be an ETA (estimated time of arrival) for the item; remember that this is an estimate, it may take more or less time for us to receive the item from our supplier. In addition, preorder items often include bonus items like a bag of BBs or a magazine since you have to wait for the item.

The item I want is 'Out of Stock' how do I order it?

Most often out of stock items are only temporarily unavailable. You can contact us by e-mail or phone number to check the status of the item. However, the best option is to have the website notify you. Select notify me next to out of stock and the site will ask for your e-mail. When the item comes back in stock or website will send you an e-mail.

One of the items I ordered is on 'Backorder' what does that mean?

If you place an order and an item is out of stock it will be placed on backorder. Sometimes items that are marked in stock are unavailable because we share inventory with our walk in store. We may sell out of an item in the store and the availability online may not be updated right away. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but we have a large inventory of items that is constantly fluctuating. We always do our best to try and get your order out in a timely fashion.

Does my gun have a warranty?

Most airsoft guns will come with a warranty from the manufacturer. If they do not, Airsoft GI will warranty most other guns. Please keep in mind, that many LPAEG (Low Power Airsoft Electric Guns) and low quality pistols, often will not be warrantied by the manufacturer or Airsoft GI.

Please click here for more information.

I'm looking for a primary gun, what is the best one to get?

The most popular type of primary gun is the Automatic Electric Gun (AEG). AEG's are battery powered guns that typically replicate rifles and SMGs, like the AK47 or MP5. These are the most efficient airsoft guns because the batteries are rechargeable, the only non-renewable factor of use with AEGs are the BBs. There are numerous advantages to having an AEG. Compared to gas guns AEGs are able to have a more consistent rate of fire. Also, they are able to fire fully automatic, where as spring guns need to be cocked back for every shot.

I'm looking for a back up gun, what is the best one to get?

Back up, or secondary, guns are great to have while playing just in case the primary goes down. The most popular type of back up gun is the gas blow back pistol. Gas pistols are great back up's to carry in a holster or vest because they are small and can be drawn very quickly in emergency situations. Another form of popular back up gun is an Automatic Electric Pistol (AEP). Examples of AEP's are the Tokyo Marui Scorpion or MP7. AEP's operate the same way as AEGs, but they are much smaller and can sometimes fit into pistol holsters for back up use.

What do those icons mean on the gun pictures?

The icons used on our guns are for better identifying the unique features of each item. Above is a breakdown of each element and how they are used to better describe the airsoft gun.

  • Custom Gun: An airsoft gun upgraded internally and externally by our gunsmiths at GI.
  • Firing Method: Denotes what firing system the gun uses to expel the BBs from the chamber, also denotes whether or not the gun has blowback capabilities.
  • Gun Body Material: Describes the material the gun is made out of; either full metal, plastic, polyer, or a combination.
  • Magazine Capacity/Quantity: When guns come with magazines in their package, these icons describe the capacity and quantity of the magazines. HC, MC, and LC are High, Mid, and Low capacity. X2 denotes two magazines in the package.
  • Tactical Advantage: These icons denote what types of fire fights the airsoft gun is best suited for.
  • Gun Features: These denote frontal mounting and stock features of the weapon.
  • Gearbox Version: These icons describe what version gearbox the airsoft gun has internally.
  • Miscellaneous: These icons sometimes appear to describe other features sometimes offered such as ambidextrous fire selection. Non-game denotes that the FPS of the weapon is too low for serious play.

Who makes the best quality gun?

When looking at quality there are many aspects of a gun to consider; including but not limited to, the exterior looks and build quality, the interior build quality and materials, and performance. There are many guns that shoot extremely hard but lack in looks and interior build quality. Likewise there are guns that may be lacking in realistic looks and build quality that are built internally very well. The following is a list of the major brands of AEGs and their individual pro vs cons:
  • Tokyo Marui is considered to be the 'Godfather' of airsoft guns, they have many years of experience and have traditionally set the standard for quality. The internal build quality is very good, another perk to owning a Tokyo Marui is that many, of not most, aftermarket parts manufacturers build their parts to fit Tokyo Marui guns. One downside to the Tokyo Marui AEG is that the externals are mostly plastic.
  • Classic Army is another very popular brand of airsoft gun that has been around for a long time. Classic Army guns are more realistic because they have full metal bodies, and the stock FPS is generally harder than the Tokyo Marui counterpart.
  • G&G has made their mark in the airsoft market by providing very high quality externals and a well engineered gearbox. G&G has not been around as long as Tokyo Marui or Classic Army, but they seem to have been able to emulate all of the good characteristics from both companies and none of the bad. Externally their guns are built from the highest quality materials, and function as close to the real thing as possible. Internally G&G also uses the best quality parts available to make a reliable gearbox to withstand the high performance characteristics that G&G guns are known for.

What kind of BBs should I use with my gun?

All of the guns sold here at Airsoft GI are considered to be competition quality guns, as opposed to the cheaper guns sold at sporting goods stores. These types of guns require a similar quality BB in order for it to perform as intended by the manufacturer. The quality of a BB is most closely related to it's manufacturer. Examples of good BB manufacturers are KSC, G&G, PHX, Airsoft Elite, Excel, and P Force. These brand BBs can be found here at Airsoft GI or at any other airsoft specific retailer. Bad quality BBs, such as Crossman, can be found at sporting goods stores like Big 5, Sport Chalet, Dick's Sporting Goods, K Mart. ANY BBs purchased at ANY sporting goods store should not be used an ANY airsoft gun sold from Airsoft GI. Using high quality BBs is crucial to the health of your gun, don't risk hundreds of dollars in repairs over a fifteen dollar bag of BBs. Also, the weight of the BB is not relevant to it's quality, you may find 0.20g BBs at sporting goods stores, these BBs should be avoided as well.

What do the numbers on my battery mean?

Airsoft gun batteries are made from multiple little batteries, referred to as 'cells'. Each cell has a voltage and milliampere number associated with it, which is also how each battery is classified. For example, an 8.4v 1700mAh battery has 8.4 volts and 1700 milliampere hours. The volts pertains to your guns rate of fire, the higher the volts the higher the rate of fire. The milliampere hours is related to the longevity of the battery, the higher the milliamere hours the longer you can play on a single charge.

How do I charge my battery?

These are the proper charging instructions for standard wall chargers, if you have an upgraded or smart charger disregard the following:

  1. Find your battery’s voltage and mah number.
  2. Find your charger’s voltage and mah out-put.
  3. Divide the battery’s mah by the charger’s mah.
  4. Multiply that quotient by 1.4.
The answer to that equation is the number of hours that battery needs to be charged on that charger. For Nickel-Cadmium batteries: always discharge your battery with a discharger (you can buy it from local hobby store) before recharging to maintain maximum battery life. WARNING! make sure you do not over charge your battery; it will kill the battery.

What kind of gas should I use with my pistol?

The types of gasses available for airsoft are classified by their psi, or power. The most common forms of gas and their recommended use are as follows:

  • 134a-This is the weakest type of gas available, reserved for use with plastic guns like Tokyo Marui and Western Arms. This gas will typically yield a velocity under 300 FPS.
  • Green Gas-This is the most popular form of gas. Most guns, plastic or metal, can use green gas with little difficulty. Depending on the gun, this gas can yield a velocity between 300-350 FPS.
  • Propane-Propane is exactly the same thing as green gas, except propane gas is not lubricated with silicone. In order to use propane in your gas gun you must first lubricate the gas with silicone spray to avoid damage to your gun.
  • Red Gas-Red gas is reserved for fully upgraded, full metal guns. This gas is extremely strong and even with a completely upgraded gun, it will wear down the gun with use. Depending on the gun, this gas can yield a velocity above and beyond 320 FPS
  • CO2-CO2 can only be used in guns that have been specially designed for it. CO2 is even more powerful than Red gas and, depending on the gun, can yield a velocity close to or over 400 FPS. CO2 is so strong that even guns that are specifically designed for it are susceptible to abnormally high wear and tear, and breakage.

What is hop up?

Hop up refers to the putting a spin on the bb so as to stop the bb from curving up or diving down at the end of its trajectory. There is a hole at the end of the barrel close to the gearbox, and a membrane that fits over the hole, called the bucking. A lever assembly, called the hop up, pushes down on the bucking, causing the bucking to descend into the barrel, where the bb will hit it and cause it to spin once it is fired. If you have a jam, you should stop firing ( do not pull the trigger). You will strip the piston, gears, etc.. That is not under warranty, it is a user misuse. You will need to take out your unjam rod and clear the jam first, before firing it again.

I want to upgrade my gun, what is the best way to do that?

Gun upgrades can be done in a number of different ways depending on what you desire your gun to do and what type of gun you have.

    I have a spring gun...
    Most spring guns don’t have any upgrades available mostly due to it's low quality.
    I have a gas gun...
    Metal slides and frame are popular for gas pistols and are the best way to increase the looks and durability of your pistol. High flow valves and stiffer springs are another great way to achieve more realism and power. There are also many other blowback upgrades to increase durability in order to user higher power gas.

What is the safest way to play airsoft?

Airsoft requires the cooperation of all involved to maintain a safe environment for optimal airsoft gameplay. It is up to you as a player to be responsible for your safety and the safety of those around you. Here are some basic tips for staying safe when playing airsoft.

  • Do not remove the orange tip. All airsoft guns are required, by law, to have an orange tip flash hider or tip of the barrel permanently colored in orange.
  • Use a gun bag when transporting your airsoft gun. It is required that you always have your airsoft gun covered when in public.
  • Please treat your airsoft gun like a real firearm. This means you will want to keep your finger off the trigger, and keep the airsoft gun point pointed in a safe direction at all times.
  • Only play at sanctioned airsoft fields. For more information on fields in your area, please click here.
  • Wear ANSI Z87.1 rated eye protection at all times while on an airsoft field.

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Disclaimer:

All airsoft guns are required to have the tip (1/4 inch) of the barrel permanently colored in blaze orange. No person may openly display or expose any imitation firearm (replica firearm), in a public place. The term "public place" means an area open to the public or exposed to public view and includes streets, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, driveways, parking lots, automobiles, whether moving or not, and buildings open to the general public, including those that serve food or drink, or provide entertainment, and the doorways and entrances to buildings or dwellings and the grounds enclosing them.

Any person who changes, alters, removes, or obliterates any coloration or markings that are required for by any applicable state or federal law or regulation, for any imitation firearm (replica firearm), or device in any way that makes the imitation firearm (replica firearm) or device look more like a firearm is guilty of violating the state or federal law.

By accessing the Site, you certify that you are older than 18 years of age or the age of majority where you live, whichever is older; that you are the owner of any credit card used to purchase on items on the Site; that you are familiar with all local laws in your area affecting your legal right to access airsoft products; that any products you buy are for your own private enjoyment and that you will NEVER share these products with a minor in ANY WAY.