The On The Trigger Blog
Guides, how-tos and military history for UK airsoft players. Whether you are pricing up your first game, building a ghillie suit or settling a debate about the best tank in the world, start here.
Beginner Guides
Getting started in airsoft: costs, first steps and everything new players need to know.
Is Airsoft Expensive? A Real UK Cost Breakdown
An honest look at what airsoft costs in the UK: game days, hire kit, your first gun, protection, clothing and consumables, plus how to play on a budget.
Read the guide →What to Bring to Your First Airsoft Game: The Complete Kit Bag Checklist
The complete checklist for your first airsoft game day: what to wear, what to pack, what the site provides, and the small things that make a big difference.
Read the guide →Airsoft Terminology: A Beginner’s Glossary of Airsoft Slang and Jargon
From AEG and GBB to MED, mid-caps and the bang rule: a plain English glossary of the airsoft jargon you will hear on your first game day.
Read the guide →Gear & Loadouts
Practical advice on choosing airsoft kit, protection and loadouts.
Your First Airsoft Loadout: What to Buy and in What Order
A priority-ordered guide to building your first airsoft loadout, from protection and boots to load carriage, pouches, hydration and the extras that make a difference.
Read the guide →Airsoft Eye and Face Protection Explained: Goggles, Glasses and Masks
Everything you need to choose safe airsoft eye and face protection: impact ratings, goggles vs glasses vs full masks, lower face options and how to beat fogging.
Read the guide →AEG vs Gas vs Spring vs HPA: Which Airsoft Gun Should You Buy?
How AEG, gas blowback, spring and HPA airsoft guns work, their pros and cons, running costs and how they cope with the UK climate, so you can choose the right one.
Read the guide →Airsoft BBs Explained: Weights, Biodegradable BBs and Why Quality Matters
Everything you need to know about airsoft BBs: weights and what they do, matching weight to your gun, biodegradable BBs, tracers, and why quality really matters.
Read the guide →Airsoft Sights Explained: Red Dots, Holographics, Magnifiers and Scopes
Red dot, holographic, magnifier or scope? How each airsoft sight works, which suits your play style, and how to mount, protect and zero it properly.
Read the guide →Workshop & DIY
Build, customise and maintain your kit: ghillie suits, paint jobs, maintenance and more.
How to Make an Airsoft Ghillie Suit: A Step by Step Guide
Everything you need to build a ghillie suit that actually works in UK woodland: base layer, netting, jute, colour blending, tying methods, rifle wraps and maintenance.
Read the guide →How to Spray Paint Your Airsoft Gun: Camo Finishes Made Simple
A practical guide to giving your airsoft rifle a durable camo paint job, including the UK legal points you must know first, prep, masking, patterns and sealing.
Read the guide →Airsoft Gun Maintenance: Cleaning, Storage and Battery Care
A practical maintenance routine for AEGs, gas pistols and GBB rifles: cleaning the barrel, silicone oil, magazines, storage and safe LiPo battery charging.
Read the guide →How to Set Up Your Airsoft Hop-Up for Maximum Range and Accuracy
How hop-up works, how to set it up step by step for flat, long-range shots, and how to diagnose BBs that curve, dip or climb.
Read the guide →Airsoft Target Practice at Home: Safe Setup, Drills and Targets
How to set up a safe airsoft practice range at home or on private land, build a simple BB catcher, and the drills that will make you faster and more accurate.
Read the guide →UK Airsoft Law
Plain English guides to UKARA, RIFs, two-tones and the rules on buying and carrying airsoft guns.
UKARA, RIFs and Two-Tones: UK Airsoft Law Explained
A plain English guide to the UK rules on buying and owning airsoft guns: RIFs, two-tones, UKARA, age limits, power limits and transporting your kit.
Read the guide →Airsoft Pyro and Grenades in the UK: Types, Rules and Safety
Smoke grenades, BB grenades, gas grenades and thunderflashes explained, plus UK age limits, site rules, buying, delivery and safe storage.
Read the guide →Military & History
Tanks, special forces, camouflage and military history for enthusiasts.
Top 5 Main Battle Tanks in the World
Our pick of the five most capable main battle tanks in the world today, with key specs, what makes each one special, and how they compare.
Read the guide →Top 5 Special Forces Units in the World
Five of the most respected special forces units in the world, from the SAS to Poland’s GROM: their origins, selection, famous operations and influence on airsoft impressions.
Read the guide →Military Camouflage Patterns Explained: MTP, MultiCam, Woodland, Flecktarn and More
The history behind DPM, MTP, MultiCam, M81 Woodland, Flecktarn and other famous camouflage patterns, plus which ones work best at UK airsoft sites.
Read the guide →The History of Airsoft: From Japan to the UK
How airsoft began in Japan in the 1970s, the invention of the AEG, the spread across the world, and how the sport grew up in the UK.
Read the guide →Top 5 Fighter Jets in the World
Our pick of the five most capable fighter jets in service today, from the stealthy F-22 Raptor to the RAF’s Typhoon, with specs, strengths and what comes next.
Read the guide →