Airsoft

Airsoft is a term used interchangeably to refer to one or both of the following subjects:

• A game in which players participate in the simulation of military or law enforcement combat with replica military firearms and military-style tactics
• A replica firearm scaled either 1:1 (or perhaps as a 'mini' or '3/4'). It may be of metal or plastic, and usually fires 6 mm or 8 mm spherical projectiles weighing 110-600 milligrams (known as "BB"s).

The game is highly popular in several Asian countries, such as Japan, China (including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao), South Korea, and, to a certain extent, Philippines, where real arms are difficult or impossible to obtain due to local laws. For this reason, the vast majority of airsoft guns, accessories, and aftermarket upgrade parts are made in these countries. Despite rumors that Airsoft has been made illegal in mainland China, it is actually legal and very popular, both in mainland China and in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao as well.

There is currently a growing interest in the West, especially in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Italy, Belgium (where the Dutch players also go, since in the Netherlands it is illegal) and Denmark, bolstered by an active and expanding Internet scene.

Airsoft

Early history

Airsoft began in Japan during the mid-1970s when real gun ownership was severely restricted due to changes in Japanese law. It then spread to China, becoming especially popular in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. Its root can be traced to 1:1 scale plastic model kits of popular real firearms. From that point on it went into three separate directions: air-driven pellet guns, cap-type guns, and pellets driven by a spring.

The guns, which had bullets driven by a spring, had a spring in each shell. The bullet was forced into the shell and held by two small locks. Placing the loaded cartridge into the chamber, and firing the gun, would force the cartridge forward and releasing the locks on the bb. The spring would propel the bb forward. Pulling back the slide would cycle the next cartridge. The drawback with this design was that this bullet would have a maximum range of 20 feet (6m).

The cap-type guns used a powerful explosive cap to make the noise of the gun and in later versions, to actually eject the spent cartridge from the gun. These were known as PFC guns, or Plug Fire Cap guns. Two prominent manufacturers of such replicas were MGC Bondshop of Japan and Marushin. More sophisticated versions included the MAC-11, and CAR15 with a fully loaded magazine, can fire fully automatic. One US based importer of these guns in the 1980's was The Collector's Armory, located in Virginia. These guns were good alternate movie-prop guns. But since these guns only cycle the action and make a bang, the popularity of these cap-type guns never really caught on because no projectile was fired from it.

Early Japanese air-driven pellet guns had a soft plastic bullet shaped like a pointed mushroom, which was then inserted into a hollow cylindrical plastic shell, which approximated the size of a real gun cartridge and had the look of one. These guns were based on semi-auto pistols, and the plastic cartridges were loaded into a magazine which was then inserted into the gun. The number of cartridges loaded into the magazine would be similar to a real firearm magazine. The gun was spring-powered normally by pushing the slide forward to strip the cartridge off the magazine, loading it into the chamber to fire, and simultaneously cocking back the spring air piston. Pulling the trigger of the gun released the spring piston, the air went through the rear of the hollow cartridge and expelled the plastic pellet through the barrel. By continuing pulling back the trigger, the locking mechanism for the slide would release, the slide moving rearward and the empty plastic shell would be ejected. By repeating this process, another pellet can be fired until the magazine was empty.

Unfortunately, this process had some drawbacks. The shells were easy to lose, and the pellets were few and expensive. The next evolutionary design step was to replace the plastic bullet with a round BB. The shell was kept and the BB was inserted into the shell to make a cartridge. A rubber O-ring in the lip of the hollow shell held the BB in place. BBs were plentiful and easier to manufacture compared to the plastic pellet. Eventually, the plastic shell was altogether removed from the design to evolve into the airsoft guns we know of today.

The American toy company Mattel had a product in the 1950s called Shootin' Shells, which was identical to the spring-loaded shells described above. A plastic bullet was pushed into a brass spring-loaded shell, and held by two small locks on the bullet. It could be fired from a number of toy guns, including rifles, revolvers, and even a Remington-Derringer hidden in a belt buckle. Mattel also marketed Greenie Stik-M-Caps for use with these toys. These were circular paper caps with adhesive on the back that could be attached to the rear of the Shootin' Shells to make a bang when fired. The caps were only used for noise, not propulsion.

Airsoft in American culture began with several abortive attempts in the 1980s by the Daisy BB gun company of the USA to market a BB gun that could be safely shot by opposing players at each other. It was known then as "Replisoft" and "SoftAir," a name which airsoft is now rarely known by. These spring guns used the plastic shell and BB design. The products did not prove popular in the U.S. market, and the Daisy SoftAir guns are now so rare as to command premium prices when they very rarely appear on GunBroker and other online auctions, typically selling for far more than their original retail price when new. However, the sport continued to prosper in Asia and gained significant popularity. Most modern airsoft technology developments were created in 20 years of expanding interest in Japan.

Growth in the West

Starting with early 2003, Daisy has once again begun marketing airsoft guns for sale in the United States, under their "Powerstrike" brand name. This and other models have begun appearing en mass in major brick and mortar distributors, expanding what in the US was traditionally a generally Internet based operation. US-based manufacturers of tactical gear and equipment have also begun to recognize the game, some marketing products specifically for use in airsoft. On the Internet, the online auction site eBay has noticed airsoft as well, and has created several categories specifically for the thousands of listings of airsoft gear and guns.

Some gun shops are expanding their business into airsoft to increase the somewhat thin profit margins from gun sales. This is because airsoft guns often sell much faster than their real counterparts. There are also not as many restrictions on selling airsoft such as the required criminal background check along the required 4473 form and the restrictions on sales to people who live out-of-state which slows down business. Airsoft also serves to familiarize a younger generation with firearms and their proper handling in an age where firearms have a certain stigma attached to them.

Methods and Structures of Play

Several common game modes are as follows:

• Deathmatch / Free For All

In this mode, all players are set against each other; there are no teams and alliances between players are usually frowned upon. This mode is usually the most frantic because players have only themselves to rely on, meaning dealing with fire from numerous directions and more difficulty gaining solid cover.

Examples: Last man standing (Ultimos homo statans)

• Team Deathmatch / Teams

In this mode, teams are formed between several players. Usually the teams are balanced (no team has more players than the other). The members of a given team have to work together to eliminate all the other players in the game. When all of the players on a team are out, that team is eliminated. This continues until all teams are eliminated. A variation on this is seek and destroy, where one team hides and the other team must find them.

Examples: Last team standing

• Capture the Flag

The classic kid's game with a twist: (usually) two "bases" are set up with a flag (or similar objective) in each one. The players are divided into teams and have to steal the flag from the other team's base and return it to their own. Usually, if a player is "killed," they can return to their base and start again.

Examples: Traitors (each team has one player that is a traitor)

• Center Flag

Similar to capture the flag but only one flag is placed in the middle of the two teams bases. First goal: capture the flag. Second goal: take the flag to the enemy base. When the flag reaches the enemy base, the enemy loses. If the flag carrier is eliminated, anyone can pick up the flag. For extra long games, multiple flags can be used.

Examples: Capture explosives (1st goal) + Commando raid (2nd goal)

• Siege or King of the hill

In this game type, there are two teams: Attackers and Defenders. The Defender team is given a usually fortified position while the Attacking team has to kill all of the Defenders in order to win.

Examples: Hostage rescue (SWAT team)

• Carry the flag

One flag and one team carrying it. Objective is to take the flag from point A (normally team base) to point B. The interception team objective is to prevent the flag from reaching point B. There are two variants of this game type, one for long games and another for short games. Games can be longer if anyone can be flag carrier or shorter if only one flag carrier exists. The game ends when no more players can carry the flag (long version) or when the flag carrier is killed (short version).

Examples: president rescue/walk (single flag carrier), Drag the doll (multiple flag carriers), Arm&Destroy objective/Bombing run/place the bomb (flag/bomb carrier).

• Grab the flag

One flag is placed in a location away from all teams. The objective is to be the first to reach the flag. The player/team that first reaches (grabs) the flag alive wins.

Examples: Manhunt or Foxhunt (one player tries to reach flag - escape), prisoners escape (multiple players trying to reach flag - escape)

• MilSim

This is airsoft combined with live action role-playing elements, where multiple missions have to be carried out by all teams of players while the mission objectives of each team are very likely to interfere with each other. This type of game often takes an entire weekend of play time, where the gameplay may be maintained during nighttime, so even more strategic elements like setting up observation posts and the like become key.

Not all players have such structure in their games and may simply be there to have fun, not to compete. This is obviously not a complete list; many more game modes may be invented every time a few friends get together to play.

Games listed above may or may not be mil-sim. Other serious airsofters play historical reenactments that replicate a combat zone or historical event where players wear camo and play scenario based games with squads, objectives and realistic missions.

Airsoft guns

Airsoft guns are classified as "toys." There are rumors that these "toys" can be modified to kill; however, airsoft enthusiasts know this is far from the truth. There are also rumors that the Japanese Yakuza (Mafia) converted airsoft guns to fire real pistol cartridges, but are limited to a single shot. It is impossible to convert any airsoft replica to fire a real bullet due to its materials, internal design, and construction. Most rumors are driven by the realistic look of the airsoft gun and ignorance about the internals beneath the gun's "skin", a simple mechanism that cannot seriously injure people. Also, airsoft barrels are too thin to use a real bullet. If someone was to replace all of the parts necessary to use a real bullet, they could have simply built a real gun from scratch.

The guns used in airsoft are typically replicas of real firearms. Airsoft guns can be divided into three groups by what powers them: spring powered, electric powered, and gas-powered.

Spring powered

Spring-powered airsoft guns (often called "springers" or "spring guns") are single-shot devices that use potential energy stored in a spring to launch an airsoft pellet down the barrel of the gun. The user must cock a spring gun prior to each shot much as you would a real shotgun or bolt-action rifle. This is typically achieved by pulling back the slide (pistols) or bolt (rifles), which in turn compresses the spring and makes the gun ready to fire. Because of this, these guns are incapable of automatic or semi-automatic fire.

While most electric guns also use springs for this, they are not considered to be in the same category as the single-shot spring-powered guns. Low-end spring guns tend to be much cheaper than their electric-powered equivalents due to their simplicity and cost of components (spring assembly, electric motor, battery, and battery charger) and thus are widely available. These guns are less suited for competition because they are at a disadvantage against automatic guns in close combat and do not provide enough accuracy and power for long-range uses. Higher-end spring-powered airsoft rifles can be quite expensive; these guns are typically suited for "marksman" applications in airsoft matches and can provide competitive muzzle velocities.

Gas powered

An example of a Gas Blowback pistol.

Gas-powered airsoft guns use pressurized gas to propel pellets. These guns are capable of automatic and semi-automatic operation. The most common gases used are propane (usually referred to as "green gas" by airsoft players) and HFC134a, HFC-22 and in modifyed guns "Red Gas" refrigerant. Less commonly used gases include CO₂ and nitrogen. Another gas said to exist for use in gas powered airsoft guns is "black gas". However, it is unknown if this gas truly exists.

The first ever gas powered airsoft guns are commonly referred to as 'classic' guns, owing to their age. These guns are powered by R-12 (Which was marketed by the Japanese as FLON-12) freon feed system with a majority of the configurations containing two tanks, one containing the R-12 and one used as an expansion tank, and the gun itself. Later users modified these old guns to be powered by regulated CO2 cannisters to increase power and consistency. However, these guns have largely been superceded by the newer and more versatile AEGs, or automatic electric guns. One of the reasons of this is because Gas for the guns is costly. Also gas is very cold and if a gas gun is used to much without allowing the gun to heat up the valves can freeze and eventually damage the gun.

Gas power tends to be used in airsoft pistols where size constraints make electric-powered mechanisms impractical. Other instances where gas is favored are where adjustable velocities are required or where a blowback feature is desired. A blowback feature is a mechanism which cycles a slide or bolt to better simulate a real firearm's operation. Because of the mechanical complexities involved with distributing and regulating gas, these guns have largely given way to electric guns for less specialized applications, however, they still remain a cult favorite amongst airsofters and no game is ever complete without a 'pistols-only' match.

Electric powered

File:DSCN1391.JPG

Tokyo Marui MP5-SD5 AEG

Electric-powered airsoft guns typically use a rechargable battery to drive an electric motor, which cycles an internal piston/spring assembly in order to launch pellets. Automatic and semi-automatic operation is possible which gives these guns the popular name "automatic electric guns" or AEGs. These guns often attain muzzle velocities of 200 to 400 feet per second (60 to 120 m/s) (fps measure by a chronograph) and fire rates of 300 to 900 rounds per minute and are by far the most common and widely available airsoft guns in serious competition use today.

These guns were originally developed in Japan, and the Japanese model giant Tokyo Marui dominates the market today with many quality models. In a Marui AEG, the motor drives a series of 3 gears mounted inside a gearbox. The gears then compress a piston assembly against a spring. Once the piston is released, the spring drives it forward through the cylinder to push a pellet into the chamber, through the barrel, and forward from the muzzle. Many manufacturers have now more or less replicated this basic model, adding reinforced parts or minor improvements. These weapons are powered primarily by two types of rechargable battery packs. These are Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) or Nickel Metal-Hydride (NiMh) and come in ranging voltages and milli-Ampere hours. The most common battery is an 8.4v large battery (usually about 2400 mAh.) Also available are 8.4v "mini" batteries, which generally have 600 mAh capacities. Voltages for large batteries range from 7.2v, all the way up to 12v. The rule of thumb usually is the higher the mAh, the longer the battery lasts while the higher voltage, the higher rate of fire (RoF).

External modifications, such as metal bodies and reinforced plastics that make AEGs look and feel even more realistic, have become very popular. AEG manufacturers such as Classic Army (Yick Fung) and ICS (I Chih Shivan) produce replicas that are nearly identical to their real counterparts. Most AEGs produced as of late are designed to be as realistic as possible.

The two most common AEG fielded by players everywhere are the AR-15 series (M16, M4, et cetera; sometimes referred to as the Armalite or Colt series) and the AK or Kalashnikov series (AK-74, AK-47 etc.) as parts for repairs or modifications/customization options for these two types of AEGs are commonly available. The third most common AEG is the Heckler & Koch MP5 series for the same reason.

AEP

New to the world of Airsoft is the AEP - for Automatic Electric Pistol, first introduced by Tokyo Marui with their Glock-18C. The AEP is the first handgun to incorporate an electric powered system, capable of full-automatic operation.

Because the AEP technology is relatively new, the velocity of the pellets is considered slow for airsoft play. The velocity of the AEP is usually between 200 to 225 feet per second. However, the advanced hop up units on these new guns tend to compensate for the low power and can produce an effective range comparable to those of an AEG.

LPEG

Becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to the Japanese Tokyo Marui guns are the Chinese airsoft guns, made by manufacturers such as CYMA, MATRIX, BE (Both Elephant), and Double Eagle. Although these guns are known to be made of lesser quality parts and are more likely to break so you should consider that before purchasing an LPEG. Though technically these guns are AEGs by definition, they are often referred to as "LPEGs," or "Low Price/Power Electric Guns". This distinction is made because of the large gap in quality and performance when compared with "true" AEGs. The "LPEGS" typically shoot at about 150-210 fps making a major gap between them and true AEG's. Also they are generally made of only plastic (including their gearboxes) and break relatively easily. While these are much less expensive than the high-end Tokyo Marui guns and come with all sorts of bells and whistles (laser sights, silencers, etc.) they are of much lower quality and are not well suited for competitive use like their Japanese counterparts. They are often an attractive option for newcomers who are looking for a fully automatic rifle but do not want to pay the high prices for the top quality models. Since spring action guns that can notably outperform LPEGs can be found at comparable prices, it is generally accepted that the spring guns are a better choice. Remember not to confuse these guns with Mini Electrics, as described below.

Mini Electrics

Recently, the company UHC, well known for it's spring guns, began manufacturing a very nice range of Electric guns firing only full auto in miniature size. Although at first glance they appear to be like the low end Chinese made Airsoft guns, they are quality weapons. They are made in both realistic versions and clear versions that are great for playing small games inside or in a neighborhood where a real looking gun is unacceptable. Also, although they have a small ammo capacity (50 or so shots), they have good range and funtional hopup. Even among experienced airsofters, they are great for impromptu games and for kids. They have become very popular in recent years, and are now being imitated by the Chinese company HFC, which are still funtional but less sturdy. These “mini's” as they are referred to, are not a viable option anything that resembles real airsoft. If you aren't screwing around in a dorm, or under the age of 12, don't bother.

Components

The various internal components of airsoft guns can usually be replaced or upgraded. The following is a short list of commonly referred to parts. Not all of these parts apply to all airsoft types (spring and gas-powered guns don't use batteries, for example).

• Barrel - Serves the same purpose as in real firearms: guides the pellet and maintains the stream of pressure behind it.
• Battery - Powers the motor that moves the spring assembly. These are typically NiCad rechargeable batteries but may also be NiMH. There is also a growing trend towards Lithium Polymer batteries, which have the advantage of high capacity and high discharge packaged in cells of a smaller dimension.
• Gearbox - Typically a metal housing that contains a gear assembly that transfers the electric motor's drive to the air piston assembly. Sometimes referred to as "Mechbox"
• Hop-up - A small rubber bucking that applies a backspin to the pellets to improve range and accuracy. The level of hop-up is adjustable on many models of airsoft guns.
• Electric motor - Used to provide rotational energy to turn the gearset in AEG's, ultimately compressing the spring and firing the weapon.
• Gearset - Airsoft guns contain a set of 5 gears used to fire the weapon. The first gear, the pinion gear, is located on the tip of the motor. The immediate gear it connects to is the bevel gear. The bevel gear connects to the spur gear which, in turn, connects to the sector gear. The sector gear has a set of half teeth which pulls and releases the final gear, which is a rack gear. The rack gear is the piston assembly, which displaces the air from the cylinder assembly through the nozzle in order to fire the projectile.
• Air nozzle - A plastic or metal piece that connects the hop-up assembly to the air piston.
• Spring - Spring and electric guns both use springs to propel the pellets. The stronger the spring, the more powerful a gun will be, but rate of fire will decrease with the spring's stiffness increasing.
• Valve - high-flow valves are often added to gas guns to increase power (although on blow back guns these usually need to be coupled with a metal slide upgrade, as the high-flow valve increases blow back power as well as bb velocity and will break a plastic slide)

BB Guns

This pneumatic gun is usually powered by a compressed gas, an electric revolution, or a spring. Most BB guns are shaped like normal guns but can look like toys. BB guns are never used in airsoft skirmishes, because they fire at an unsafe velocity, despite sharing a similar design to some airsoft pistols. Some BB guns have reservoirs to store ammunition, some are breechloaders, and still others are muzzleloaders.

The name of the gun is due to the original ammunition it used, which came from the lead shot used in a shotgun shell. "BB" (0.18 inch) was the size between "B" and "BBB"; modern rounds are made of non-toxic steel, plastic or copper, and are usually .177 caliber (4.5 mm).

Some also use shaped pieces of lead called pellets. These vary widely in shape, but generally have a flared back end for stability in flight and either a sharp point or blunt tip.

Two well-known American manufacturers of BB guns are Crosman Corporation and Daisy Outdoor Products.

Airsoft pellets

Some 6mm plastic airsoft pellets. (Note the edges on the sides of the pellets, indicating that they are not of the best quality)

Airsoft pellets are typically made of plastic and are almost always 6mm spheres. Pellets of a given size come in different weights ranging from 0.12 to 0.43 g. In addition to standard plastic pellets, starch-based biodegradable, metal coated, and graphite coated (often used by snipers), steel pellets are also available. Pellets other than 6 mm, 0.12 g, 0.20 g, or 0.25 g plastic or biodegradable pellets are not commonly used outside of Japan. For 0.43 g BB's, you will need a powerful airsoft gun, or get upgrades on your gun so that it can effectively shoot this heavy BB.

Glow-in-the-dark tracer pellets are also used in conjunction with a special device that "charges" the pellets up by flashing it with a quick burst of UV light prior to firing so that they remain luminescent in flight for use during nocturnal games/operations.

Tracer BBs have been made and leave a white streak behind the BBs path while it's airborne to see where your BBs are hitting for better accuracy.

There have also been guns made that shoot aspherical pellets. The best known of these is the Asahi "Blade Bullet", which are now extremely difficult to find and quite expensive to buy. These were designed to be shot from the short-lived Asahi M700 and M40 premium grade rifles, which were produced in 1993. Compatibility with other airsoft guns is highly limited, especially due to their inability to be used with hop-up features.

Paint pellets are available but are incompatible with guns with hop-up features as the hop-up will break the pellet in the gun. Paint is very unpopular with airsofters because it tends to stain gear and clothes.

6 mm pellet weights and their usage

• 0.12 g - Used by some gas and spring weapons. High velocity and low stability. Not to be used in high end AEGs such as Tokyo Marui and Classic Army
• 0.15 g - Same uses as 0.12 g. Uncommon. Not to be used in high end AEGs such as Tokyo Marui and Classic Army
• 0.20 g - Standard weight for most weapons. AEGs uses these or slightly heavier pellets.
• 0.23 g - Heavier pellets for AEGs. Blends speed of 0.20g with range and accuracy of 0.25g.
• 0.25 g - Heaviest weight for standard AEGs, blowback and spring guns. For some AEGs, you will usually need an upgrade to effectively fire 0.25 BB's. Tokyo Marui standard AEG, gas, and spring weapons use 0.25 BB's. For Tokyo Marui airsoft, they usually send 200 of these with one of their AEGs and spring guns.
• 0.30 g - Standard weight for most sniper rifles. Western Arms pellets for their gas blowback pistol series. Uncommon.
• 0.36 g - Heavier pellets for sniper rifles. Very slow but have high stability.
• 0.43 g - For the highest level of upgrades in spring and gas sniper rifles. Usually graphite coated.

8 mm pellet weights and their usage

• 0.34 g - Low weight for 8mm sniper rifles.
• 0.45 g - Standard weight for 8m sniper rifles.
• 0.60 g - Heaviest weight for 8m sniper rifles.

NOTE: All BB weights are in grams (g)

Pellet ballistics

Pellet velocity, energy and weight

The pellet velocity of automatic electric guns is determined in large part by the tension of their main spring and so there tends to be a stratification of values. The most common airsoft velocity limits are between 300 to 400 fps for AEGs and 400 to 500 fps for single shot guns (sniper rifles). Here are some common levels of airsoft gun pellet velocity.

Unit equivalents

Pellet velocity	76	84	85	91	100	107	115	122	137	152	168	(m/s)
	250	275	280	300	328	350	377	400	450	500	550	(ft/s)
Weight
6 mm pellets
0,12 g	0,35	0,42	0,44	0,50	0,60	0,68	0,79	0,89	1,13	1,39	1,69
0,15 g	0,44	0,53	0,55	0,63	0,75	0,85	0,99	1,11	1,41	1,74	2,11
0,20 g	0,58	0,70	0,73	0,84	1,00	1,14	1,32	1,49	1,88	2,32	2,81	6 mm Crony
0,23 g	0,67	0,81	0,84	0,96	1,15	1,31	1,52	1,71	2,16	2,67	3,23
0,25 g	0,73	0,88	0,91	1,05	1,25	1,42	1,65	1,86	2,35	2,90	3,51
0,30 g	0,87	1,05	1,09	1,25	1,50	1,71	1,98	2,23	2,82	3,48	4,22	Energy
0,36 g	1,05	1,26	1,31	1,51	1,80	2,05	2,38	2,68	3,39	4,18	5,06	(J)
0,43 g	1,25	1,51	1,57	1,80	2,15	2,45	2,84	3,20	4,04	4,99	6,04
8 mm pellets
0,34 g	0,99	1,19	1,24	1,42	1,70	1,93	2,24	2,53	3,20	3,95	4,78
0,45 g	1,31	1,58	1,64	1,88	2,25	2,56	2,97	3,34	4,23	5,23	6,32	8 mm Crony
0,60 g	1,74	2,11	2,19	2,51	3,00	3,41	3,96	4,46	5,64	6,97	8,43
Paintball pellets
3,00 g	8,71	10,54	10,93	12,54	14,99

notes:

Velocity vs energy chart for 0,20 g and 0,45 g Airsoft pellets.

• 3.00 g is the typical weight for a paintball pellet. This weight is for comparison purposes only and is not used on Airsoft. Higher energy but different collisions read Elastic collisions (airsoft) and Inelastic collisions (paintball) topics for further information.

• Red lines are the usual Crony (cronograph) weights for 6mm - 0,20 g and 8mm - 0,45 g.

Dangers to humans

Airsoft pellets typically leave small welts on human targets. While mildly painful, pellets aren't especially damaging to the skin. Eye protection is universally required to prevent damage to eyes. It is also often recommended that full face masks be used during airsoft matches to protect the players' teeth and ears as on very rare occasions players have had teeth chipped or knocked out or ears injured by a well-placed pellet.

The following excerpts are from the United Kingdom Parliament's "Principles of firearms control", Home Affairs Select Committee Second Report, 6th April 2000, expound on the level of danger involved with low-energy projectiles:

"25. The Firearms Act 1968 defines a firearm "a lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other :missile can be discharged".[51] In this context, a "lethal weapon" means a weapon capable of firing a projectile with sufficient :force to inflict more than a trivial injury, i.e. with a force sufficient to puncture the skin.[52] The force with which a firearm :is able to deliver a projectile is normally expressed in terms of the kinetic energy it generates at its muzzle—the "muzzle energy". :This energy is normally expressed in units of foot-pounds (ft·lbf) or joules (J).[53]

"26. The Home Office and the Forensic Science Service considers that the lowest level of muzzle energy capable of inflicting a penetrating wound is one foot pound force (1.35 J): below these power levels, weapons are "incapable of penetrating even vulnerable parts of the body, such as the eye".[54] However, more recent analysis by the Forensic Science Agency for Northern Ireland has indicated that a more reasonable assessment of the minimum muzzle energy required to inflict a penetrating wound lies between 2.2 and 3.0 ft·lbf (3 to 4 J).[55] We will deal more fully with this discrepancy at paragraphs 123 to 130 below."

"123. The power level at and above which an air weapon is considered a firearm in law is presently set at 1 ft·lbf. However, we note above that the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland has more recently assessed the power level at which a barrelled weapon is capable of inflicting a lethal wound as between 2.2 and 3 ft·lbf, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has proposed that the law relating to firearms in Northern Ireland be amended to take this into account.[201]"

Based on the Firearms Act 1968, the 3 J limit is indicated by Forensic Science Agency for Northern Ireland as the lower limit to inflict a lethal (paragraph 123) /penetrating (paragraph 26) wound. On another document also regarding firearms, "The Eleventh Annual Report of the Firearms Consultative Committee", the penetration levels lies between 2 and 3 J based on a research for US Army and DiMaio's work in "Minimal Velocities Necessary for Perforation of Skin by Air Pellets and Bullets, Journal of Forensic Sciences".

Performance

Airsoft guns shoot 0.2 g BBs at velocities from 100 ft/s (30 m/s) for a low-end spring pistol, to 550 ft/s (170 m/s) and beyond for heavily-upgraded customized sniper rifles. Most non-upgraded AEG's using the Tokyo Marui system are in the middle, producing velocities from 270 to 300 ft/s (80 to 90 m/s), but upgrades to the internal components can increase the pellet velocity significantly.

Internal modifications revolve around increasing the rate of fire and the velocity of the pellets. The rate of fire is increased by using a battery with a voltage of 9.6 volts or higher. In Tokyo Marui AEGs, the stock gears would have to be replaced with stonger gears since the higher rate of fire could strip the OEM types. The velocity of the pellets is increased by installing a stronger spring. As with any modification, an upgrade on one internal part means the other internal components might have to be upgraded as well.

Airsoft guns commonly come with mounts on which you can add external accessories. Some common upgrades added are flashlights, scopes, laserpointers etc. Since airsoft guns have the exact external frame as real guns you can use these external upgrades meant for real guns.

Airsoft gun care

Barrels should be cleaned after every extended use especially in sandy environments. After playing airsoft, you should fire two to three shots in semi-automatic mode to decompress the gearbox spring. Empty the magazine in order to preserve the strength of the magazine spring. For guns with Hop-Up, you should turn off your Hop-Up if you are not planning to use your gun within two to three days so that it will not expand your O-Ring to make the Hop-Up not work as well and eventually snap.

Hop-up & Bernoulli's principle

Bernoulli's principle as applied to an airsoft pellet is as follows. As a spinless spherical pellet flies along its trajectory through the air (the air being the "fluid" in this case) the pressures on all sides of the pellet are equal because the air is traveling the same velocity relative to the surface of the pellet. If a spin is applied to the pellet about an axis perpendicular to the velocity vector (i.e. a backspin) the air will be rushing faster (relative to the pellet surface) on the side that is spinning away from the velocity vector and slower on the side that is spinning towards the velocity vector. Bernoulli's principle says this difference in fluid velocity implies a difference in pressures, which is a force that will cause the pellet to move in a direction perpendicular to the velocity vector.

Airsoft hop-up devices apply a backspin to the pellet so that the pressure force acts on the pellet opposite to the direction that gravity is pulling it. This causes the pellet to fall less over a given distance than it would without the spin applied to it.

In airsoft guns this is often implemented as a rubber piece at the rear of the barrel that is thicker at the top of the barrel than the bottom. As the pellet moves past this piece it tends to roll, inducing a backspin. This is usually adjustable so that the effect can be tuned.

Bernoulli's principle is often mis-applied in the case of spinning balls. The real cause of the apparent lift on an airsoft pellet is The Magnus Effect. There is a layer of non-moving air on the surface of the pellet (boundary layer). This is why a golf ball has dimples; this layer acts like ball bearings. With the case of a spinning ball, this layer gets thrown off at an angle. Newton's laws say that in order for air to be thrown in one direction, the ball has to move in the other direction. In the case of a pellet spinning with a backspin, Bernoulli would predict that the ball would move downward because the bottom of the pellet is moving in the same direction that the pellet is moving and therefore less pressure would be present on the bottom of the pellet and it would drop. We know that this is not true. Also, the Bernoulli explanation requires that the object be moving through the air as well as spinning. This is not true either. A spinning object that is not moving will also experience Magnus Forces. According to the Magnus explanation, the rotating ball would throw air downward and to the rear, thus giving lift. The air on the bottom of the ball is slowed down, so when the separated air comes back together, it is lower than the middle of the ball appearing like a comet's tail pointing down. This can be verified in wind tunnels and is very well documented in fluid dynamics physics textbooks.

See also:

• http://landau1.phys.virginia.edu/classes/311/notes/aero/node2.html
  
• http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath258/kmath258.htm (skip the calculus and scroll down to the bottom)
  
• http://www.unc.edu/~whitdoug/Physics/Curve_Ball.html (Given as a bad example. Magnus force is pointing the wrong direction in the picture or the ball is spinning the wrong way.)
  
• http://www.rap.ucar.edu/staff/crook/magnus.html
  
• http://wings.avkids.com/Tennis/Book/magnus-01.html
  

Airsoft vs Paintball

Most people do not realize that airsoft has been around much longer than paintball. Paintball first came on to the scene in the United States in the mid-1980s through the use of utility companies' paint marking guns, which mark power/utility poles. Paintball has gained greater popularity more quickly than airsoft in the United States. However, in Asia, airsoft is much more popular and paintball is nearly non-existent. It should be noted that while airsofters and paintballers are serious about their sport, the debate between them is often not. Both sports offer upsides and downsides.

Airsoft rounds are a lesser threat to players, they do not leave as much bruising as paintball rounds, and are less painful than paintball rounds. Paintball rounds contain more mass and therefore carry more kinetic energy than airsoft rounds. Airsoft rounds, on the other hand, are smaller and hence have less kinetic energy, are also affected by the wind considerably but have longer range and a flatter trajectory. Airsoft BBs are much less expensive than paintballs.

Airsoft can also be played in indoor areas that are more confined because the only thing needed to clean up after an airsoft match is a good vacuum cleaner. Generally, airsoft is inherently much cleaner than paintball.

Airsoft is somewhat easier to introduce new players to. This is because at an airsoft playing field, players who use rental guns are not at as much of a disadvantage as paintball players who use rental guns. This is because AEGs are generally manufactured to the same specifications. While high end paintball guns costing in excess of $1,000 give paintball players significant playing advantages, the same can not be said of airsoft guns. Often the advantages of expensive airsoft guns are mostly aesthetic only perhaps representing a rare firearm model.

Style of play also greatly differs between airsoft and paintball. Airsoft players often wear camouflage and military gear to more closely replicate a soldier of a certain period while many paintballers wear brightly colored sport clothing. Many paintball games are played as speedball games on designated paintball fields. Airsoft is often scenario based and played in large areas of wooded land and abandoned complexes for CQB. However, this is not the rule. Many airsoft games are played on paintball fields and many paintball games are scenario based.

Many people ask how players know they know they hit their target or have been hit by an opponent? Unlike paintball, which would leave paint on impact, (and depending upon shot distance) it is possible that airsofters take a hit to the chest and because of their apparrel or gear, are not able to feel the BB strike. Other methods like the audible sound of a hit or seeing a BB bounce off are also clear tell-tale indications. But in all cases, an honor system is required to be used among players which (when properly enforced) is known to work very well.

THE CHALLENGE being for the player to recognize the hit and in the spririt of the scenario, rise above the need to win and remove themselves from the action as an eliminated opponent. Most Airsofters that gather regularly to play in skirmishes have known each other for some time, making the games more fun and relaxed.

Technological developments such as seamless 6mm paintballs could counter the potential problem of the breakdown of the honor system since these paintballs have a potential to work reliably in AEGs. But, the higher cost of this ammunition has proven to deter this type of ammunition across the Airsoft community.

Perhaps the biggest advantage paintball has over airsoft in the United States is playing locations. Commercial paintball fields are common in nearly all parts of the country while airsoft gaming is almost exclusively limited to private property. The reason for this is a combination of profitability (paintball fields derive large amounts of money selling paintballs while 1,000 airsoft BBs can be purchased for about $25) as well as insurance issues.

Despite the competitive status between the two hobbies, Airsoft continues to grow in popularity both in the United States and around the world.

Legal issues

Airsoft guns and playing airsoft is legal in many parts of the world, but not all. Some countries have specific restrictions such as maximum muzzle energy, rules against using the trademarks of real firearms, and special marking requirements (such as brightly colored barrel tips).

• In Australia airsoft is illegal for most practical purposes. Australian law classes the replica weapons as firearms, and acquiring a licence to possess (e.g.) a pistol requires a rigorous and laborious process of police background checks and fingerprinting. Anyone found in Australia possessing an unlicensed airsoft pistol faces the same charge as a person who unlawfully possesses an actual firearm.

• In the United States, different localities have their own regulations:
  • Under Federal Law,
    • Airsoft guns are not classified as firearms subject to the Gun Control Act.
    • Orange tips must be present on the barrel ends of the airsoft gun when they are shipped in a manner that crosses state lines. Once you own the airsoft gun, you may not remove the orange tip, however, many people do and reattach it later.
    • Airsoft guns' trademarks must be removed where the manufacturer does not have an existing license agreement with the "Real Steel" gun's manufacturer in the US. (Example: Classic Army has a licensing agreement with Arsenal Arms, so the trademarks can stay on imported replicas of Arsenal's SLR 105 A1. In practice enforcement is hit or miss. You might get an "unlicensed" gun through customs with Trademarks intact, while a Licensed gun might be held in Customs by an "underinformed" customs agent.)
    • In addition, the similarity between genuine firearms and airsoft replicas is close enough to provoke interaction with local law enforcement personnel if an airsoft gun is carried openly in public.
    • If someone were to, for example, attempt a robbery with an airsoft gun, they would be charged as if the airsoft gun were a real firearm.
  • New York City has a total ban on airsoft guns.
  • Michigan restricts the purchase of these guns so that they may only be purchased from a licensed retailer.

• In Austria following regulations apply:
  • Airsoft guns and pistols are allowed up to 0.08 joules.
  • All users that are at least 14 years old, do not need their parents permission.
  • Airsoft guns and pistols more than 0.08 joules can be purchased in specialised weapon shops only and all users have to be at least 18 years old

• In Belgium following regulations apply:
  • Airsoft guns and pistols can only be bought at officially licensed dealers, who carry a government permit to import and sell firearms.
• In Canada following regulations apply:
  • For a gun to be classified as a Firearm, the FPS must be high enough for a fired projectile to penetrate the eye of a pig. Using this test, Airsoft guns that fire under 407fps are not currently classified as Firearms. However, if an under-407fps Airsoft closely resembles a real firearm, it will be classified as a Replica, making it prohibited for import, sale and possession.
  • Importing Prohibited Replica Airsoft guns as defined above is controlled by Firearms Licenses issued by Province.
  • Currently, airsoft guns documented to fire between 407fps and 500fps are classified as Uncontrolled Firearms and do not require licensing. The lower end of this threshold may drop as testing continues. Guns that fire above 500fps/5.7 joules are considered Controlled Firearms and must be registered Federally.
  • Airsoft used to commit a crime is treated as if you had the real gun, assault weapons carry an extra mandatory sentance in addition to the regular punishment for the crime committed.

• In Ontario the minimum age to purchase airsoft is 18.

• In the Czech Republic following regulations apply:
  • Trade with them is regulated under the weapon law and all airsoft guns must be authorized by the Czech Gun and Ammunition Testing House before usage.
  • Airsoft guns have the same status as real weapons, described as sport weapons.
  • The use of airsoft guns is allowed for players that are least 18 years old. If children of at least 15 years want to play, an adult must supervise the game.
  • Airsoft guns may not have an energy greater than 16 joules.
  • The use of laser sights is forbidden
  • Usage and open carrying of air soft guns in public places.

• In Denmark airsoft guns are mentioned in the Danish "Våbenlov" (Arms control legislation).
  • You have to be at least 18 years old to buy, hand over, possess and use airsoft guns.
  • A firearms certificate is not required.

• In Finland following regulations apply:
  • Visible transportation of replica firearms in public areas is forbidden. All replica firearms must be covered with something, for example, a weapon case.
  • Land owner's permission is needed to play airsoft in any area.
  • Minors (under the age of 18) are able to purchase airsoft guns only with written permission from their parents.

This has caused children even as young as 11-12 years old to get airsoft guns. There has been some problems with kids playing with a "toy" what can be somewhat dangerous. No big incidents have occured, but this is very annoying to the real airsoft players who want to get airsoft's rather bad reputation higher than it currently is in Finland.

• In Germany following regulations apply:
  • Airsoft guns under 0.5 joules can be freely sold to and used by persons of at least 14 years of age.
  • All airsoft guns above 0.5 joules must be semiautomatic only and can only be sold to people 18 years or older.
  • Sales of guns of more than 0.5 joules are allowed only in weapon shops.
  • Guns must be marked with the trader's weapon abbreviation and a F-pentagon as well as the airsoft gun caliber such as 6mm.
  • Laser sights as well as flashlights are not allowed.

• In Italy, airsoft guns and pistols are allowed a velicity below 100 m/s (328 ft/s) i.e. equivalent to 1 joule: under the Law, airsoft guns are not classified as firearms. You can buy and sell it both from stores and from another private citizen.
  • Orange tips must be present on the barrel ends of the airsoft gun when they are imported and sold by a store. Once you own the airsoft gun, you may remove the orange tip; however, the similarity between genuine firearms and airsoft replicas is close enough to provoke interaction with law enforcement personnel if an airsoft gun is mistaken for its real counterpart. Airsoft used to commit a crime is treated as if you had the real gun, assault weapons carry an extra mandatory sentance in addition to the regular punishment for the crime committed.
  • The minimum age to purchase airsoft and/or use it during a regular match is 18, or 14 if accompanied by a parent or legal tutor.
  • Usage and open carrying of air soft guns in public places is forbidden. You can play in a private property outside public eyes, or in a well-delimited private or state property after having asked to the local authorities for a limited-time permit (usually from 6 to 48 hours), and having alerted the local police command, to avoid alarmed citizens to call for emergency.

• In Luxembourg all airsoft guns are treated under the national weapon law and demand a personal user certificate.

• In The Netherlands the law places full restrictions on Airsoft Weapons, rendering the possession illegal. Even when issued a permit to own firearms, airsoft weapons are still illegal, with no excemption possible. Dutch Airsoft players therefore frequently visit Belgium, where they also store their guns.

• The Norwegian Arms control legislation (Våpenforskrift) requires:
  • One to be at least 18 years old to buy, hand over, possess and use airsoft guns.
  • A firearms certificate is not required.

• In Romania, law nr. 295 from 2004 (Regimul Armelor şi Muniţiilor) regulates all use of weapons and associated ammunition:
  • The law is quite unclear (in what concerns airfsoft weapons) as to whether this kind of weapon clasifies as "non-lethal weapon" or "toy".
  • The law regulates the use of air-powered weapons (e.g. sport/competition use, that use a metal projectile) under "non-lethal" cathegory and solely requires that you (1) are at least 18 years old and (2) register your weapon at the police precinct nearest from your location.
  • The law specifies that usage of night vision (infrared) or laser aiming devices designed for military use is completely restricted to members of the army and associated entities even if the aiming device is used on a lower-restriction cathegory weapon (e.g. such as on an airsoft gun). The law, however, does not restrict in any way the use of aiming devices not designed for military use.
  • The law specifies that, should you attempt to use a non-lethal or replica gun to perform (or attempt to perform) armed robbery, you shall be prosecuted as if a real gun was used.

• In Slovenia following regulations apply:
  • One has to be at least 18 years to buy airsoft guns.
  • If the velocity of an airsoft gun is below 100 m/s (328 ft/s) i.e. equivalent to 1 joule, it is considered to be a toy.
  • If the velocity is higher than 100 m/s (328 ft/s), the airsoft gun is classified as a section D weapon in the Firearms control legislation of Slovenia. Additionaly Air Soft Clubs and National Shooters Association in Slovenia recommend that airsoft gun velocities should not be above 100 m/s (1 J).

• In Spain airsoft guns are regarded as low power weapons and AEGs must have:
  • Semiautomatic rifles and pistols: less than 24.4 joules
  • Other automatic electric guns: less than 1.00 joules and local police validation.

• In Sweden, one must be at least 18 years old to buy airsoft guns. Players in Sweden are often very protective about this, and do not like players under 18.

• In Switzerland following regulations apply:
  • Airsoft guns are not considered as subject to the weapon legislation and no permission is necessary.
  • Please note that all kind of laser sights are forbidden.

• In the Philippines, the airsoft gaming community is highly secretive and underground, but has seen a tremendous surge of newbies in the last 2 years. Airsoft teams are often very clannish, with an unofficial superbody governing, to a certain extert, and coordinating between the hundreds of local teams all over the country, especially during the annual Kalis and Megaball events where hundreds of players from teams all over the country converge on selected venues for friendly tournaments. Purchase of airsoft guns and the movement of airsoft players are largely untouched by the government, with a few confiscated shipments only marring that record. No direct regulations have been placed on the airsoft community, and players of all ages are welcomed to play. However, a martial-law era Letter of Instruction has strictly banned the importation, sale and public display of gun replicas, owing to the seized shipments.

• In Japan following regulations apply:
  • Legal requirements are set on airsoft model manufacturers to prevent any possibility of a replica weapon being converted into an actual firearm.
  • Standards include (but are not limited to) use of low-melting point metals and non-ballistic plastics in structural components and incompatibility of mechanical components with actual firearm components and mechanisms.
  • The overall litmus test used by the Japanese National Police Authority is whether the replica weapon can be made to chamber and fire an actual round of ammunition.
  • These standards have proven successful within Japan, as it has been found that criminal elements discovered that it is significantly easier to purchase an actual illegal weapon in comparison to modifying a comparatively fragile replica into a functional firearm.
  • Due to this reality, most crimes involving a threat of physical violence are often perpetrated with edged weapons, as firearms seen in public are (by default) believed to be toys by the public at large.

• In the United Kingdom there are currently certain restrictions on the possession of airsoft replicas, which came in with the introduction of the ASBA (Anti-Social Behaviour Act) Amendments, which prohibit the possession of any firearms replica in a public place without good cause. The prohibition of self contained gas cartridge weapons similar to that made by Brocock can arguably apply to Moscarts and BB-Shower grenade systems, however a formal case precedent has yet to be set. The Violent Crime Reduction Bill, now under debate, may prohibit the sale, manufacture and import of any replica weapon, including those used for Airsoft. This would mean the eventual end of the sport in the UK, as guns break and could not be legally replaced. The Airsoft community in the UK and other countries have started a public campaign in order to try and save Airsoft there. Due to the VCR bill, British Airsoft players, retailers and sites have had to look to the future by forming associations, the first and prior to VCR was UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body UKASGB, followed by the retailers UK Airsoft Retailers Asociation UKARA, with the first official players body for the South West region UKSAPA, latest to be formed is the Association of British Airsoft ABA which is currently along with UKASGB in talks with the Government with regards to gaining an exemption for the sport. The ABA are asking people to show their support by filling in a Supporters Form [1] and those people who are a part of the sport to register at the site in case membership is required by the government in the future to enable Airsofters to take part in their sport.

Major Airsoft Companies

There is a great divide between airsoft companies. The majority of quality manufacturers can be found on the internet, but have little to no street presence, except at specialty shops. However, small street airsoft stores can be found in many areas. Airsoft guns are also prevalent at swap meets, which usually carry Chinese-made airsoft guns that have plastic bodies.

High end companies, which mostly manufacture AEGs and Gas Blowbacks, include:

• Tokyo Marui, the very pinnacle of airsoft technology and durability
• ICS (I Chih Shivan)
• G&G (Guay Guay Gunshop), specializes in internal and external upgrades and accessories
• Western Arms, largely specializing on the 1911 .45 and its derivatives
• Tanaka, which specializes in high-powered gas gun revolvers
• Classic Army, an emerging rival to Tokyo Marui that focuses on very realistic guns
• TOP, specializes in manufacture of light and heavy machine gun airsoft replicas
• Star, specializing in more expensive, highly realistic, easy-to-disassemble airsoft guns
• Systema, which specializes in training weapons and aftermarket upgrades
• G&P, specializes in aftermarket upgrades and external accessories
• KSC/KWA, largely a pistol manufacturing company, though endeavors to rifles have been made
• Maruzen
• Marushin
• KJW (Kuan Ju Works)

Middle-range companies, which produce lower budget alternatives to higher priced guns with the tradeoff that they have a slightly lower fps (depending on the brand), include:

• UTG
• SRC
• SoftAir USA (CyberGun)
• Both Elephant
• UHC
• HFC (Ho Feng Company)
• MATRIX
• WELL (a higher version of the CYMA guns)

Entry level companies, which mainly produce springers and low powered electric guns (LPEG), include:

• CYMA
• Double Eagle
• JLS
• CSI
• Neonfire

Some of these companies' placements may be disputable, but are based on overall quality of all their products.

Along with the named companies, a few companies who were prominent in the earlier stages of airsoft include:

• Tokyo Marui
• Yonezawa
• LS
• Falcon/Hudson
• MGC Bondshop of Japan
• Marushin
• Maruzen
• Marukoshi
• Kokusai
• JAC
• Asahi

References

• [1] Ronny "Thinker" Ohlsson, Airsoft for rookies - A short handbook on the subject of Airsoft, 1998.
• [2] - Home Affairs, Second Report - Principles of firearms control, Home Affairs Committee Publications, 2000.
• [3] UK government - Home Office, Controls on firearms - A consultation paper, 2004.
• [4] Firearms Consultative Committee, Eleventh Annual Report of the Firearms Consultative Committee, 2002.

See also

• Air gun
• Paintball
• Lasertag

External links

• The Cimmerians Airsoft Association Northern California and Nevada MILSIM enthusiasts, dedicated to honor and sportsmanship
• 858Airsoft.com A resource site for San Diego, and Southern California Airsoft players.
• Airsoft Forum.com A growing forum community for discussing Airsoft-related issues.
• Airsoft Local News Airsoft in News or Headlines Across the World
• Pegatiros.com SPANISH Airsoft Community; News, Articles, Forums...
• SaveAirsoft.org U.K. Airsofters opposing the Violent Crime Reduction Bill.
• Arnies Airsoft U.K./U.S. Airsoft news and forums.
• ASCUK UK Forum
• Airsoft Country Airsoft Forum
• UKASC U.K. news site.
• UKASGB An umbrella body for Airsoft sites in the U.K.
• ABA Fledgeling U.K. Players Assaciation
• Airsoft Pacific Forums, reviews and media for the many Airsofters in the Pacific Northwest.
• Airsoft Core US Based Airsoft Forum and Review Website
• Airsoft Retreat Airsoft Reviews and Forum
• Airsoft Players Airsoft Forums and Reviews US Based
• Airsoft United Airsoft Portal consisting of news, forums, chat roon and more.
• Ban on Cybergun Products The Truth About Cybergun (SoftAir USA)
• Sacairsoft Northern California based Airsoft Organization
• Neoairsoft Airsoft Review Site
• ClassicAirsoft.net A website for enthusiasts of classic airsoft guns.
• OmegaZone Airsoft An airsoft portal for all Filipino airsofters, OZ members or not.
• Team Blackjack Airsoft Team Airsoft Team and information website based in the Southeast United States.