For most airsoft players, a sidearm is a necessary backup. More players than not will be able to profit from the decision to invest in an airsoft pistol like a Glock airsoft gun. However, that doesn’t mean that you can hit the airsoft field without a reliable AEG or a spring-powered sniper rifle to serve as your primary arm.

In this, we’re talking about sidearms only, and the value that they can have for you - specifically a Glock airsoft gun. One of the more common questions floating around out there among airsoft players is how much one of them really costs. So let’s take a look at how much you’ll have to shell out for a Glock airsoft replica, and whether or not it’s really worth it for you.

A Range of Options

While we offer a wide selection of Glock airsoft pistols here at MiR Tactical, the bulk of the Glock replicas we sell are going to come from Elite Force. Most if not all of these Glock replicas are gas blowback airsoft pistols (GBB pistols) that use green gas or CO2 as a propellant.

Many of these airsoft Glock replicas are styled after the infamous Glock 19 and Glock 17 pistols that are wisely carried by LEOs and civilians. Reliable, cost-effective, light and responsive, Glocks are immensely popular among many shooters, and airsoft manufacturers have keyed right in on that popularity to pass it along to airsoft players.

Here’s something that’s a little bit double-barreled about Glock airsoft pistols, shooting-pun unintended. While you’re going to love the action and reliability of most Elite Force Glock airsoft pistols, they’re definitely in the middle of the road on expense.

Generally speaking - and this is not gospel by any means - most airsoft Glocks are going to run somewhere between 100 and 200 dollars, which is definitely on the pricier end for an airsoft pistol. Actually, once you get up around that range, you’re looking at pricing that is similar to large, more capable, much more powerful AEGs.

By contrast, you can get some spring-powered airsoft pistols (and even some GBB pistols) for significantly less. However, with specific regard to spring-powered alternatives, you’re not comparing apples to apples. It is almost impossible to compete in a patch with a sidearm powered by a spring.

Now, there are much more expensive airsoft pistols, like the Action Army AAP-01, and plenty of JAG Arms and Tokyo Marui airsoft pistols cost just about as much as a Glock replica. At that point, it becomes a matter of factoring in the expense of other attachments and determining if the investment in an Elite Force Glock airsoft pistol is one worth making.

Factoring in Airsoft Attachments

While there are plenty of serviceable Elite Force Glock airsoft replicas available between 100 and 200 dollars (and some that are even more affordable) the price of the airsoft pistol itself cannot be determined only by one sticker. You need to figure out what else you’re going to pair with it and how you’re going to bring it into a match.

For example, you can’t realistically carry a sidearm into a match if it isn’t readily accessible. Otherwise, there’s no reason to have it at all, if it’s buried in your vest or in your pack. A holster is going to run you anywhere from 20 and 50 dollars, and there are some very reliable, ambidextrous MOLLE compatible sheaths for Glock replicas that run only a shade over 20 bucks.

In addition to a holster, you’re going to want to determine ahead of time if you want to trick out your new Glock with any optics or rails so you can mount lasers or lights - oftentimes you will call on a sidearm to save you or serve backup during a CQB encounter.

There’s no blanket manner in which you can write off the cost of these since there are cheap red dot sights out there costing like 20 dollars and others that run well into the triple figures. Some red dot sights actually cost nearly 600 dollars. Really, how much you end up putting into it is going to be a matter of what appeals to you. You can add practical, reliable optics to your Glock replica on the cheap, or you can spend hundreds doing it.

Then you will also need to think about the value of spare mags, specifically, although we are not going to mention the cost of ammo because we consider that sunk. It’s hard likely Glock airsoft replicas shoot airsoft ammo that is more expensive than whatever any of your other airsoft guns shoot. You can actually probably use them interchangeably (given standard size and weight).

You can get a new Glock airsoft mag for one of your replicas for anywhere from 20 to 50 dollars, but these are going to be limited in capacity. For a little over 100 dollars, you can pick up an AW Custom Drum Mag that holds 350 rounds and will be much more viable in a match. However, they are heavy, bulky, and unwieldy. With respect to the manner in which you will actually use your Glock replica as a sidearm, it’s probably just worth getting a few smaller spare mags and keeping them in your vest.

So right now you’re looking at an investment of somewhere around 200 dollars on the low end and anywhere from 300 or 400 (or even higher) on the upper end. Now you just need to step back and take a look at the different types of propellant. Cost is not so much a factor with green gas and CO2 as are the attributes of each.

Different Types of Propellant

Unless you buy a spring-powered airsoft Glock replica - which we do not advise if you have any designs on competition - your Glock replica is going to be powered by one of two forms of gas propellant. It will either take green gas or CO2, although some airsoft guns can use either with a conversion kit.

Green gas is actually a little more affordable than CO2, but that does not make it a blanket superior option. Over time, you probably will just come to see propellent as another sunk cost, like ammo, and won’t give too much thought to it one way or another.

However, green gas, which is actually propane, has a few other advantages worthy of note. Green gas actually has a little bit of silicone oil added into it, so it lubricates and protects the airsoft gun as it runs through it. Because of this, the action of a green gas gun is often silky smooth. It’s also usually loaded to a lower pressure than CO2 cartridges, so it’s not as tough on the airsoft gun as well.

Before you write us off as green gas fanatics, allow us to say that CO2 is not without its strengths. Since it is often more pressurized than green gas, it is more reliable in colder temperatures and can produce higher muzzle velocities as well. Sure, it kicks harder, but it also shoots harder, so in some ways, it’s worth it.

If you really are price sensitive, then it might be worth your while to invest in green gas and skip the CO2, but all things considered, it’s just going to come down to what appeals to you.

All in Costs

So, with all of that accounted for, if you don’t need to buy any ammo, have other gas canisters that you can use, and a spare holster that can carry a new Glock airsoft pistol, you could get a new one and add in a few mags for under 200 dollars. That’s about the most you’ll be able to engineer down the cost of a new Glock airsoft pistol.

If you intend to customize the airsoft gun, buy new propellant for it, add on a rail or some optics, or throw in additional attachments, you might suddenly be looking at figures that are several hundred dollars higher than we originally suggested. However, for around $200 - and remember, the airsoft gun itself may even cost less - you can have a serviceable Glock airsoft sidearm to bring into a match.

The Draw of a Glock Airsoft Gun

Now that you have a better impression of how much a Glock airsoft gun is going to run you in terms of cost, you might want to take a step back and evaluate if all of this is worth it, to begin with. That is to say, is it worth your while to bring a Glock airsoft gun - or some other sidearm - with you into a match.

The answer is probably. You definitely won’t want to go into a match with nothing but a sidearm, but at the same time, going without one may leave you exposed at the critical moment.

●Classic design, proven ergonomics

Glock airsoft guns are comfortable, reliable, and light, styled after the ergonomics of the real deal. The actual models are popular for other models, such as that they are made largely of polymers instead of metal - but the ergonomics and design of the airsoft replicas maintain a lot of this.

●Maneuverable and light

Another reason to strap a Glock-bearing holster to your belt or vest is that they, like other airsoft sidearms, are maneuverable and light. In some situations, a long barrel and a heavy, bulky AEG will actually hinder you more than help.

This has made short-barreled AEGs like the ARP9 immensely popular, especially for CQB. However, practical as they are, little is lighter or more versatile than an airsoft pistol. For speed and maneuverability, a Glock replica is tops.

●Some are capable of semi and fully automatic rates of fire

The hallmark of a GBB airsoft pistol is that it is capable of semi-automatic fire and can be used to back you up in a pinch. However, some Glock airsoft replicas are capable not only of semi-automatic modes of fire but also of full-automatic fire.

This is not practical with some Glock airsoft magazines that only hold like 20 or 21 rounds, but with an extended, high capacity airsoft magazine, you can turn your Glock into a battle implement that is nearly capable of suppressive fire.

●Gives you a backup for offhand shooting

If you’ve ever been squeezed into a tight corner or into a situation that called more for reflex than preparation, then you’re probably familiar with offhand shooting. Offhand shooting is shooting either with your non-dominant hand or without support and is often called for when you have no other option.

Sometimes the only way to cover yourself in a match is to “shoot from the hip” or draw the airsoft pistol on your weak side. If one isn’t there, you’ll be up the proverbial creek.

●One is none and two are one

This is the real reason for carrying a sidearm into a match, and all of the other arguments we can conjure are directly attributable to it. When you’re in a competition, and you rely on your strength of arms to win, you’re not prepared if you take along only one of the things that you really need. If your AEG fails, or breaks, or is in any way compromised - such as if your mag runs empty when you are under fire, you’ll be grateful you brought along an airsoft pistol.

●Plenty of accessories and attachments to choose from

One more thing makes a Glock airsoft pistol appealing to the masses. Because there are so many of them and they are so popular, there are tons of different accessories and attachments to choose from.

Cover Yourself with Our Price Match Guarantee

Shop here and you can cover yourself with a brand new Glock airsoft replica as well as our price match guarantee. It’s a competitive world out there, and we like to let our customers know we’ll cover their six.

If you have any questions about our price match guarantee, our Glock airsoft pistols, or our accessories that you can pair with them, please feel free to get in touch with us at 800-581-6620.