Although the sport of Airsoft had its beginnings in the early 1980s, the sports popularity began to take off in the early 90s when the first automatic electric guns (AEG) were developed and produced.

The premier manufacturer of the AEG is a Japanese company known as the "Godfather" of Airsoft called Tokyo Marui. With its primary market obviously in Japan, its high quality products are sold worldwide through a number of third party retailers.

TM originally manufactured radio controlled hobby cars, and was a leading player in the model car industry before turning their attention to designing and manufacturing Airsoft guns.

TM is highly regarded as the industry standard in terms of quality and craftsmanship when it comes to the AEG. Their products are recognized for several well-known characteristics. TM AEGs are the high water mark for very realistic replicated looks. If not for their orange tips, these guns would be hard to differentiate from their real life counterparts such as the AK-47, the M-16, and the FAMAS F-1.

These AEGs primarily have an ABS plastic body and are especially noted for their high quality construction. Batteries that are rechargeable, and which when drained can easily be replaced by a recharged unit power them. All the TM AEGs are fitted with their patented metal mech-box and known for their great reliability.

One of the most exciting features of the TM AEG is the ability to upgrade these wonderful Airsoft products. Along with Tokyo Marui, there are several other high-end companies producing dozens of different automatic electric Airsoft models with a full line of accessories and upgrades. The AEG is the most customizable of all the Airsoft guns, giving its owners the sense of designing their own unique weapon.

The performance of an AEG is often measured by its accuracy, shot velocity, distance, its operating time, and perhaps most importantly, its rate of fire (ROF). To enhance these elements, there are upgrades available for most of the critical parts of the AEG.

This would include several different types of batteries that produce more power and upgrades to the AEGs internal mechanisms such as motors, gearboxes, bushings, and gears. External upgrades include enhancements to the scopes, barrels, stocks, and sights.

Perhaps the only prohibitive characteristic of the AEG is their overall price. Before adding upgrades, the base price of a new AEG is roughly between 200-400 U.S. dollars, depending on the model. Upgrades can be somewhat pricy, possibly costing several hundred dollars as well. Batteries alone can run around 45 to 50 U.S. dollars not including the charger that is needed.

There are several different types of Airsoft guns that are less expensive than the AEG. A low-end spring gun can be purchased for as little as 20 dollars.

Although there are less expensive Airsoft guns, interested buyers should keep this perspective in mind: No other product can match the exhilarating excitement and thrill of owning one of these fabulous automatic electric Airsoft guns!