THINGS YOU'LL ONLY KNOW IF YOU'VE PLAYED WITH A SHOTGUN

Airsoft offers sensations that only make sense if you've experienced them yourself. Pumping a shotgun, hearing it echo through the walls of a CQB field, or watching multiple BBs cutting through the air... it's a pleasure only a shotgun player truly understands.

The question is: are you one of those who make the "clack-clack" sound, or one of those who hear it? By the last point, you'll have your answer.

1/ 6 Is Better Than 3

It's no secret that the more BBs you fire, the greater the probability that your attack will end successfully. An airsoft sniper would probably dismantle this argument very quickly, and they would also be right. But this is the shotgun player's "truth." If you need to clear a large room, shoot. Don't be afraid to do it. Your job is to clear the room, and clear it properly. Clear it—most importantly, make sure it's completely free of enemies. See? All those lessons your mother taught you about cleaning your room can finally be applied. She'll be proud.

2/ Ricochets Are Your Friend

Your role isn't just to clear rooms; in fact, your role is to open the way. Look for ricochets. Play smart and, before entering, shoot at the front wall and work the angle. Let your BBs bounce and force the enemy inside the room to retreat, lose their composure, move, or make a mistake. The teammates entering after your shot will appreciate those precious seconds of confusion you've created for them.

3/ Firing on Empty

It's something that has happened, happens, and will continue to happen to every generation of shotgun players. Keeping count is impossible—or maybe the shells are lying to us. At the moment you need it most, your shotgun will be empty. You won't know how it happened, but it happened. So when in doubt, load a new shell. You may shoot a little slower, but you'll be three, six, or twelve times more effective when it comes to eliminating opponents.

4/ Storing Shells

You won't know how you got into that situation, but at some point you'll find yourself holding your shotgun in one hand and a ridiculous number of spare shells in the other. You have two options: either develop extraordinary manual dexterity or set up your gear so shell dumping becomes truly fast. The answer is simple: throw them into a dump pouch. But don't waste time and lower your guard trying to put them back into a traditional shell holder—it takes far too long! Dropping your guard in situations like this is the perfect way to get eliminated. Don't do it.

5/ CQB Fire Support

A shotgun player can fill a role similar to that of a support gunner in open terrain. Your volume of fire surpasses that of everyone else, especially if you're playing indoors where the rules require semi-automatic fire. Don't be afraid to shoot, to cover your teammates' advance with a white cloud of BBs, or to keep windows suppressed with endless volleys. You fire three, six, or more BBs at a time; everyone else fires one by one. Use that advantage for the benefit of your team.

+1/ The Sound of Happiness

Several studies conducted by prestigious universities demonstrate that the sound of an airsoft shotgun being pumped provides its owner with a higher level of happiness. We can't actually verify that claim, but we can assure you that the "clack-clack" of your shotgun's pump is the prelude to a huge smile on your face. What happens next depends on your skill as a player, but the happiness that sound creates is something only a shotgun player truly understands.