I’m doing an NCR Trooper cosplay and what I’ve noticed is that buying an M16A1 airsoft gun and some brown paint for the furniture is WAYYYYY cheaper than buying a non-functioning prop. Like, the website I saw listed an M1 Carbine Airsoft gun as 250 dollars but the prop version is over 1000. What gives?
As an airsofter the only two reasons I can think of are
1.airsoft weapons aren’t “perfect” replicas. Whilst I can’t tell the difference, a history or weapons nerd might be able to and it would ruin immersion.
2.airsoft weapons generally lack moving parts. When I fire my rifle, nothing happens except a pellet flies out. A replica might need to eject a pretend cartridge or have some form of recoil if its being used for a movie for instance?
Other than that, I have no idea.
Also, it seems insane to me that airsoft weapons need an orange tip in the USA, a country that famously makes it easy to own a real gun.