Definition of Airsoft: The hobby of collecting
realistic, non-lethal, shooting replicas of actual firearms either for
display or for the purposes of skirmishing in friendly competition.
For more airsoft terminology and definitions please visit our
Airsoft
Definitions Page.
Airsoft History: The sport of Airsoft started in Japan during
the early 1980s. It was illegal to own firearms in Japan but there
was a significant interest in them, so a company started producing
spring-powered replicas of firearms that fired 6mm, plastic BBs. During
the latter part of the 1980s the sport migrated to neighboring countries
such as Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Airsoft started
appearing in North America and Europe during the middle of the 1990's.
Airsoft Gun Safety & Precautions: Airsoft Guns are by nature safe and not-lethal. However, there are many precautions that should be followed. Please refer to our
Safety Manual.
Airsoft Guns: This is essentially what attracts players
into the sport. Airsoft guns are 1:1 scale replicas of actual firearms
that fire 6mm, round, plastic pellets commonly called as "BB's" which
are propelled out of the guns by compressed air. In most cases, Airsoft
guns mimic the looks and functionality of it's real-steel counterpart.
By that, meaning Airsoft guns look, feel, weigh, and functions similar
to the actual firearm. Often, the only way you can tell apart a "real
steel" firearm and an airsoft gun is the blazing orange tip and when
you pull that trigger .
There are 3 major types of Airsoft guns: Spring-Powered, Gas-Powered,
and Automatic Electric Guns (AEG's).
Spring Aisoft: First, spring-powered Airsoft gun, the perfect
entry level choice. Spring-cocking guns are true to their name in
that you cock the spring first, and then fire. Cock spring, fire,
cock, fire, cock, fire, etc. These guns are usually magazine fed and
semi-automatic, but they must be hand-cocked after every shot. This
system is very cost-effective, and the guns are surprisingly sturdy.
Every Airsofter, in his lifetime, has owned at least one spring-powered
gun, either a pistol or a rifle. Due to it's relatively cheap price-range,
this is usually the gun of choice for the person just starting to
play airsoft. A spring-powered handgun can be purchased for as little
as $20.
Gas Airsoft: Another popular type of an Airsoft gun is the
gas-powered. While there are several types of gas-powered airsoft
guns, the most popular are the Gas-Blowback guns (GBBs). The GBB allows
a realistic, semi-automatic firing of the gun by employing either
an on-board, or magazine-stored gas storage system. Basically, the
same compressed air that propels the BB out of the bore is harnessed
to cycle the slide back (hence: blowback). This creates the realistic
"recoil" by cycling the slide/upper receiver back-and-forth while
firing the gun. To see an example of this, click
G17 and
USP. This
system gives the hand-held gun the capability to empty a magazine
as fast as you can pull the trigger, and just as easily reload the
gun by inserting a fresh magazine. Needless to say, this feature holds
tremendous appeal for the "simulationist".
Electric Airsoft: Lastly are the Automatic Electric Gun.
The creation of the AEG is partly responsible for Airsoft's "boom"
during the late 1990s. Basically, an AEG is powered by an on-board
battery (similar to hobby R/C Cars), which operates a motor that turns
gears inside the gun to compress and release a piston, which in turn
creates the blast of air needed to propel the 6mm BB through the barrel
of the gun. This system allows the gun to efficiently generate the
power needed to support the fully-automatic features of most AEGs
and the result is a realistic Rate-Of-Fire (ROF) of anywhere from
600 - 900 Rounds-Per-Minute (RPM), once again mimicking the capabilities
of real steel firearms. This is the airsoft gun of choice for most
skirmish veterans.
The Appeal: Airsoft gives people the ability to
own a shooting version of their dream gun. Due to the law and the
cost, people cannot always own their dream gun, and Airsoft provides
you with a realistic replica, and on top of that allows you to be
able to shoot that replica (albeit: non-lethal).
Often, people would watch movies and TV and say, "Wow, that gun is
awesome, I'd like to get me one of those". Actually, what you may
be seeing in those movies and TV shows, ARE, in fact, Airsoft guns.
Due to their relatively cheap price tags and precise realism, movie
studios often employ Airsoft guns for it's production work. They simply
digitally alter the images to incorporate the muzzle flash, sound
and effects to mimic the real firearms.
Generally speaking, most of the more popular real-steel firearms
has an Airsoft gun counterpart. The MP5 series,
to include MP5A4, MP5 SD5, MP5 PDW. The venerable G3 Battle
Rifle series. Colt M16s. Steyr AUGs. SIG 550s. FAMAS. AK-47s. Machine
Guns like the M60. Sub-machine guns such as the IMI Uzis and Ingrams.
Pistols such as the famed Berettas, Colts, SIGs, and Glocks. Shotguns
such as the Benelli M2 and Remington 870. Sniping rifles such as the
PSG-1, M40A1, Blaser 93R. Even the "Hollywood" guns like the RoboCop
auto-pistol and the M134 Vulcan (6-barrel gatling gun) made famous
by the Predator and Terminator movies. The list of Airsoft guns is
quite sizeable, and growing with each passing month.
The ability to own and play with these "dream guns" are in and of
itself appealing enough to enthusiasts. The added advantage of being
able to take these guns out to a local playing field and "shooting"
your best friends with it in friendly competition is a hands down
selling point.
Another appeal with Airsoft is the ability to "role-play" with them.
There are countless clubs, teams and organizations devoted to the
sport of "waging war" with airsoft guns. Known throughout the world
as Skirmishing. In essence, role-playing allows people to fulfill
their fantasies, which (due to physical disabilities or circumstances)
they never got the chance to. These people may be bankers, insurance
brokers, secretaries, students, computer programmers by profession,
but for 1 day a week they can be Green Berets, Assassins, SWAT members,
Navy SEALs, whatever. Their mind is the only limit. This role-playing
ability is enhanced by the fact that Airsoft guns are extremely realistic.
After all, it's rather difficult to play the part of a Navy SEAL when
you're holding a neon, orange-yellow-colored, Super-Soaker squirt
gun.
