Does Airsoft Hurt

What Wikipedia Can’t Tell You About How Much Airsoft Hurt | Airsoft is NOT Soft

Does airsoft hurt? For those who want to start playing airsoft, this is a common question perhaps the most asked question. If they do, then how much pain they cause? Sometimes, people compare it with paintball and want to know which one hurts more. Recently I came across this weird question, can someone be killed by the airsoft guns. So, let’s talk about them one by one, shall we?

Does airsoft gun hurt?


The major factors are-

1. The range of the shooter



2. Clothing

 Actually, clothing matters the most. Usually, you are to cover most of your body with the combat shirts, pants, body armor, and vests. If the Ball Bullets hit you on the covered area, you won’t feel any pain. Even if you get hit by 450 fps rifle from a distance of 30 feet or less, you won’t feel that much of a pain. It will likely to have a small bump.

3. Area of the impact

And of course, if you get hit by those crazy shot on an uncovered body part as it would really hurt, trust me. That is why I always suggest you use face protection as well as goggles and ear protection.

4. The weight of BB

The heavy projectile has much energy. It hits much. Airsoft gun gives pain. But it depends on many things. Suppose, you get hit by a .22g BB from a sniper rifle from a distance of 70 feet, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. However, if you get hit by a .33g BB from that sort of distance it could really make a difference.

So, yes. The weight matters.

Which one is more painful airsoft or paintball?

It’s an endless debate between airsoft vs paintballs fans, that which one is more painful airsoft or paintball. You can think they coexist peacefully. But it’s not true. They have a different market, different kind of players. Players like to argue about which is cheaper, which is more fun. But the biggest issue of all is – which one is more painful?

Science and a quick bit of maths can help us to find about this matter. The airsoft gun shoots small, 6mm plastic pellets, which weight is .20g to .28g at about 400 FPS. It has 1.48 to 2.07 joules of energy on the impact each direct hit. For further distances, it will be very low. If you have bare skin or thin cloth then you can feel hurt. But at long distances, you may not even feel it.

Otherwise, paintball is larger than airsoft pellet. .68” in diameter and weight is 3.5g, which 17X much than airsoft because of his size and weight. It usually fires at about 290-300 FPS. Its velocity is slow to airsoft pellet, because of its size. It has much energy of the impact. If 3.5g paintball fire at 290 FPS, it carries 13 joules more energy of the impact. It’s 13 times more than airsoft pellet. It thus you know that paintball is more painful than airsoft.

Can you be killed by an airsoft gun?

The Airsoft gun looks like an original gun, it makes a question, “Can anyone be killed by an airsoft gun?” If airsoft gun has enough velocity (400-700 FPS), it may enough to sting. If it hits on your eyes then it may damage your eyes. In fact, you will be blind permanently. But it cannot kill anyone. However, from close distance with enough velocity, it can damage your teeth. Bone and skin can be damaged with airsoft gun too. It may cause severe pain in fact. It may cause bleeding too, depending on the distance of course.

Although airsoft gun can hurt you and cause severe pain if the bullet is of high velocity, it won’t be a cause of death. So, you won’t be killed by an airsoft gun.


One other thing. There are Airguns out there in amazon or other market places. People often buy those airguns mistaking it as Airsoft gun. But let me clarify you. Those 2 are very much different. One is for fun and shooting game. But another one is lethal. For example, if a 1200+fps riffle fires a steel bullet at you what would you expect to happen?


What does it feel like to get shot with an airsoft gun?


The feeling of Pain

It is the actual feelings. If you wear combat shirts, vests, armor then you will feel a little bit (based on the distance between the fired shot). Otherwise, in bare skin, you will feel like a bee sting. It depends on velocity and distance. Enough velocity and short distance can give you much pain and cause of a little bleeding. Eyes are so sensitive and a shot of an airsoft gun is able to damage your eyes. Soft skin and lips hurt more also by its shot. Anyway, you won’t be dead because of it.


If you get shot, the first thing gets you is a disappointment. Suppose you are taking a shot at someone, then suddenly you get hit. Or, you haven’t warmed up yet, then suddenly one of the sniper hits you. You will obviously feel disappointed with yourself.

Does Airsoft gun hurt with armor?

With an original gun, you could hurt with armor. But the airsoft gun is just a replica of original gun for playing a game. So, an airsoft gun could not hurt you with armor. In fact, sometimes you would not able to realize that you got shot you. Well, you will know by the sound of course. But, sometimes you won’t feel no nothing.





Ear protection


Eye protection


Face protection



Always wear gloves. It will not only make your hand dry but also protect you from the enemy bullets. And if you are in a game venue which is happened to be in a forest or something, it would save you from all sorts of the trouble of getting hurt in the hands.




Airsoft FPS pain


Here’s given a few sorts of fps and its pain scale.

100-200 fps:


200-250 fps


250-300 fps

If you get hit by .20g Ball Bullets from a 250-300 fps gun, it will give you enough pain. It leaves welt if you were in close distances 50-60 feet.

300-350 fps

If you are in 50 feet, you will get hurt definitely. close to medium distances can leave a welt.

350-400 fps

It can be painful. You should not shoot from this type airsoft rifles from less than 30-35ft. Otherwise, it will cause serious pain and leave golf ball size welt.

400-500 fps




Usually projectile of 300 fps can penetrate your skin (without any protection or clothing). More than 350 fps is not allowed for indoor. 300 fps is enough.

You can use 400 fps in outdoor.

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