Tuesday, September 22, 2009

What Is An Airsoft Gun?

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft guns are very popular for recreational use and becoming even more popular today as the market evolves for these detailed replicas of the real thing. Just what exactly is an airsoft gun though?

In simple terms, an airsoft gun is an exact copy of the real thing. The exception is that they fire plastic pellets, not bullets and use compressed gas. CO2 cartridges are the most commonly used form of compressed gas, but some gun models operate using electrical motors or springs. 6mm plastic pellets travel through this toy with a muzzle velocity of somewhere between 30 to 250 meters per second.

You shouldn't let the talk of plastic pellets fool you though, copper and other metal pellets have been known to be used in these guns and these will cause damage to the skin. If the proper supplies are used however, airsoft guns can be a pretty safe method of entertainment. The recommended age for use is 16 and up so children younger then this should never use them especially not unsupervised. Some states even require you to be at least 18 before being able to enter a tournament.

Airsoft guns have an interesting history to go along with them that starts in Japan around the 1970's. You see, during that time it was illegal to have a firearm, but because people were still interested in them these replicas were invented. These earliest version were powered by springs themselves and fired rubber pellets. The standard 6mm to 8mm size we see today came later. They did evolve quickly in to gas powered guns however.

Around the mid 90's these amazing creations found their way into North America and quickly became a popular hobby for many. The airsoft gun evolved in to what is known today at this point and North American's have been having fun ever since. Many say its even a great stress reliever too!

Cheap versions of the toy forced the United States to crack down on import regulations of the item and even today each one must be painted with a very bright orange tip before import. This is mainly as a safety precaution because of the similarities to real weapons.

Some airsoft gun models are so life like in fact that there have been a few Japan based companies that have encountered problems with intellectual property laws several times through the years. The United States battles this by restricting certain models from being imported in to the country for sale.

Do airsoft guns sound fun yet? They should because they definitely are. Whole families are enjoying this recreational activity together and some others using it as a way to relieve stress. You can easily find a tournament at any given time somewhere in some state. Winter weather does not hinder fanatics from having a little pellet action fun. This is definitely a sport one should look in to if they are looking for fast paced action without a high safety risk.

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