You may have heard or read the term "air soft" in connection with a gun and wondered what that could possibly mean. It's a fairly recent term applied to a fairly recent type of weapon used in police and military training and in a military-type setting as a recreational sport or game.
Fashioned after real guns, these weapons are replicas of such famous firearms as Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Colt, Beretta and more. However, they are not lethal weapons and do not shoot actual bullets. Instead, they shoot plastic pellets by way of a mechanism that is operated by compressed gas, spring loaded or by an electric motor. The spring loaded guns are the best way to start out, having to be manually cocked before each shot, just like a real bolt-action rifle.
The way these weapons came about is that back in the 1980s it was illegal for residents of Japan to own true firearms. Yet, the attraction and desire were there. So manufacturers decided to make replicas of the real thing, add a way to make them functional yet non-lethal, and give them a name that made them sound like a toy.
They are in fact considered to be toys. Because of this, they must have a 6mm orange tip on the end of the muzzle while being imported into or transported within the United States. These orange tips can be painted over for use in battle games to make them less conspicuous. However, they cannot be carried in public with the orange tip covered because they are too identical to a real firearm. There is no federal penalty for removing or covering the orange tip, but some states such as California have a state legislation banning the removal and making it a crime to do so.
These toy guns are actually safer than regular BB guns in that they fire plastic pellets compared to the metallic BBs of the BB gun. They also have a lesser traveling speed of about 700 feet per second, whereas the metallic BB will travel at approximately 1000 feet per second.
I would not hesitate to allow kids to play with these airsoft weapons in the right environment with appropriate gear including goggles. Prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses could break or shatter if hit by a close range airsoft pellet so the goggles need to be rated for paint ball or airsoft use. Clothing should also cover the entire body for protection although being hit by a pellet from further away than 10 ft. will not do any damage other than to the face, which is why goggles are required. There is also a full face mask that can be worn, but may become too hot in summer and the cheaper models will form condensation inside and make it difficult to see.
These airsoft guns can also be used in target practice, shooting at a target made just for these plastic pellets, allowing them to stick and then slide down into a catch tray to be re-used.
Playing on a team in an airsoft skirmish or reenactment of a real war scenario could be a learning experience for a young person, teaching them responsibility and the importance of team work which will be very valuable in the years to come. It may be just a game, but it keeps the kids off the streets and out of gangs and gives them an idea of the sacrifices made for their country in real wars. And they may be using just toy guns, but it keeps them from using real ones in situations where no one wins.
Airsoft guns are toys that can be used to play recreational games that everyone in the family can be involved in, other than the very young. It's a good way for a family to spend time together, work as a team and get exercise while having some fun as well. Be safe and smart and enjoy life.
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