Airsoft

This article is about the sport. For the guns it uses, see Airsoft guns.

A player with an airsoft G36E takes aim during a game

Airsoft is a sport or recreational pastime in which players participate in the simulation of military combat also called MilSim or law enforcement-style combat using smoothbore airsoft guns(or "twist" barrels) designed as replicas of real firearms.

Airsoft has its roots in late-1980s East Asia, specifically Japan where firearms were difficult or impossible to obtain due to local laws; sought a legal alternative for enjoying their passion. Airsoft is still today most popular in several Asian regions, such as Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, and to a certain extent, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The vast majority of airsoft guns, accessories, and after market upgrade parts are also manufactured in these countries.

There is also a growing interest in North America and Europe, especially in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, Belgium (which is also visited by Dutch players, as the game is illegal in the Netherlands), Denmark, Chile, and Argentina, bolstered by an active and expanding Internet scene.

Methods and structures of play

Classic Army M15A4 Automatic Electric Gun

Fundamentally, airsoft is a game played within a reasonably large predetermined area where the objective is to hit the adversary. It generally does not leave any visible marks on clothing. This, however, is not a practical or reliable method of judging hits (there are, nevertheless, paintballs made specifically for AirSoft guns).It is generally accepted that when a player is hit, they will declare it, usually by raising their gun in the air, shouting something similar to "Hit!" or "Out!". They will then leave the area and go to a set "regeneration point" or sit/lie down, "dead in place", depending on the specific rules of the match. Depending on the rules, players may remain "dead" until another player tags them.

Airsoft gun play can be unsafe if not wearing the proper protective gear, such as masks. If not properly protected, injury can result from being shot in airsoft.

Re-enactment

Airsoft players in a World War II reenactment are guarding a piece of mock artillery. Note that while the player's uniform (with the exception of the safety goggles) is designed to resemble that of the time period, the SIG 552 he is holding is not.

On occasion, airsoft games will be played in which the structure and/or conditions are designed to emulate a specific real-world battle as a form of historical or modern reenactment, depending on the historical period. This type of play can vary from a simple skirmish emulating a small-scale battle (like that of Pegasus Bridge) to a full reenactment of the Battle of Mogadishu or the Battle of the Bulge.

For earlier historical eras such as that of World War II, equipment restrictions may be imposed on players for some historical accuracy. This may include restricting players to the use of replica firearms that were available during the historical battle. To include players without the correct airsoft guns, organizers may set up rules restricting them to semi-automatic fire or restricting the amount of ammunition they may carry (to better simulate firearm performance of that era and ensure equal capability among players).

How closely the historically-based airsoft game replicates the historical battle is up to the game organizer. Sometimes a historic battle will merely be inspiration for the structure of a standard skirmish, while sometimes the players may be actual reenactors seeking another way to enjoy their hobby. More recently discussion has occurred on how loosely a game can incorporate MilSim features and still be considered a MilSim game (See MilSim above).

Game modifiers

It is often the case that specialized rules are implemented to introduce certain tactical or strategic elements to gameplay. These can vary widely from game to game.

Examples of popular game rule modifiers include:

Medics

Selected players are able to "revive" "dead" team mates, who must usually stay "dead" in place until they are "healed". Dead players may be allowed to crawl for a certain amount of time to a medic if they were shot in the leg.

Weapon hits

Sometimes players are required to switch to their side arm if they take a hit to their primary weapon. (in contrast to normal play, where a hit to a player's equipment is the same as a hit to their body).

Ammo limits

Restrictions are made on the amount of ammo available per each team, player, base or round of play.

Immortals

Specific players are chosen who cannot "die" or die only under special conditions. Another term for these immortals are "gods."

Mercy rules

Players who sneak up on opponents, or have come within a close distance of the opposing player (a close-range shot with many airsoft weapons will deliver a very painful hit), are given the option of eliminating them without firing by simply calling out, "surrender" or "mercy." However, some players do not abide by these surrender rules, so it is still an option to "light up" the oblivious player.

Respawn

Respawn is usually used to allow players who have been hit to return to their starting position and re-enter the game. Usually this rule is used if there is a large amount of people, or if the scenario is planned to last for a long time. There can be modifications to this rule, such as the "medic spawn". "Medic spawn" negates the player from having to spawn in their base and instead can respawn at the nearest medic. This modifier is often used when the playing area is very large. If respawning is implemented, the event organizers must be careful not to produce a scenario in which spawn camping can occur.

Safety Precautions

Airsoft player shooting from behind cover. Note the safety gear; the goggles that fully seal the area around the eyes, and the balaclava to keep the face protected.

Basic firearm safety applies to airsoft guns the same as it does to real guns. The four fundamental rules of firearm safety are:

• Treat all firearms as if they are loaded and ready to fire.

• Always point the gun away from anything and everything you do not intend to shoot.

• Keep your fingers away from the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire.

• Always be sure of your target and what's behind it.

A direct hit from a BB on bare skin is usually only mildly painful, but can be dangerous to areas of soft tissue such as the groin. Therefore, a standard of safety guidelines and equipment has evolved in the airsoft community. Like many competitive sports, airsoft inherently involves a certain risk of injury.

Personal Protective Gear

Eye and Face Protection

The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of fully-sealing impact-rated goggles to protect the eyes of the participants. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses are almost never accepted as they will not prevent serious injury. Goggles not designed specifically for use with airsoft guns may break or shatter upon being struck, causing eye damage. Projectiles that enter the eye at high speeds can cause profuse bleeding and brain damage, which can be fatal. It is important to always wear eye protection while playing airsoft because of this risk.

For this reason many organized groups of airsoft players and fields require that eye protection fully seals the area around the eyes, and also meets or exceeds ANSI's Z87.1-2003 goggle standard for eye protection (resists 3 joules of impact energy without damage). However, it is not uncommon for players in less organized games to use shooting glasses, which do not provide complete protection from projectiles. Some players will opt for paintball goggles, which are held to higher impact rating standards, ASTM's F1776. It is worth noting, however, that Z87.1-2003 rated goggles are specifically intended for use in industry and manufacturing, and are not for use in sports.

According to ANSI publications as of June 2006, The ASTM is currently developing a more specific standard for the sport - ASTM Z1535Z - Standard Specification for Eye Protective Devices for Airsoft Sports.

The best overall protection is currently offered by paintball masks. These masks provide an additional level of protection by covering the face, teeth, and ears, reducing the risk of injury to these body parts and the complete loss and/or chipping of teeth. The lens is a solid piece of impact resistant plastic. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, though these screens do not offer protection from cheaper BBs that sometimes fragment upon impact of hard objects.

Other Safety Precautions

Some other rules such as a maximum BB velocity and distance guidelines are used in different ways by groups depending on their location. For more information regarding velocity limits and BB ballistics refer to airsoft pellet ballistics.

Airsoft replica of a H&K G36C. Note that this replica is not in use on a field, and therefore has the magazine removed (and the chamber cleared), and has a barrel bag placed over the muzzle

When not actively playing, many fields require barrel blockers, such as "barrel bags" or "barrel condoms" first introduced in paintball. Many airsoft guns (especially AEGs) come with small red plastic barrel blockers that fit over the muzzle, but these can be shot off the gun, and they don't provide for the very quick visual check that a barrel bag does. The magazine is usually removed as well, and the gun fired to clear the chamber. Many fields also require players to leave their guns set to the safety position when they are not shooting, even during active gameplay. This is a practice taken from real firearms training, in which one never puts a finger on the trigger or takes the weapon off safe until ready to fire (see firearm safety).

Blind Man

One commonly adopted practice is for players to shout the words "Cease-Fire Blind Man" and halt an ongoing game if a player or bystander is seen in the designated gameplay area without proper eye protection, proper eye protection being goggles and helmet. Any player hearing the words must in turn stop and also shout the words, resulting in a chain reaction which halts and alerts the whole game. Once the situation is resolved (by properly protecting the person from harm and/or "removing" them from harm), the game is usually resumed at the same point at which it was stopped.

A player is required to keep their face mask/goggles/shooting glasses on at all times. This is basic safety upon an airsoft site and this law is always enforced by the marshal in charge to ensure that all players remain safe and no accidents occur during the gameplay.

Snakes/Wildlife

In many areas, some outside interferences from animals occur. The most common in the Southwestern U.S. is a snake occurance. Snakes, in the Southwestern U.S. offer one of the most significant threats to airsofters. A snake bite, wether venomous or not, can result in infections in the flesh, and damaged muscle tissue. Venomous snakes, such as the Southwestern Diamondback rattle snake, can deliver large amounts of venom in a single bite, which can result in death if not treated. Southwestern Airsofters must be cautious of such things as they present the most likely cause of injury when present. Many Californian games institute a "Snake" Call, where a snake, when encountered, is identified and located, and the player or players yell "Snake" as loudly as possible to alert all players of the danger. After a snake has been identified, that section of the field may be marked as out-of-bounds, or the game may be delayed until the threat is delt with.

Comparisons with paintball

Four players putting fire on an objective that they plan to attack.

Airsoft was developed in Japan in the late 1980s to provide an alternative for gun hobbyists because local laws prevented individuals from privately owning firearms. A heavy emphasis was therefore placed on making accurate replicas of real firearms. In contrast, paintball was developed in the United States in 1981 as a variation of hide and seek tag, through the use of utility companies' paint marking guns, which mark power/utility poles, and continues to focus more on their function than their form or aesthetic qualities. Paintball has quickly gained greater popularity than airsoft in the United States. However, in Asia, airsoft is much more popular and paintball is nearly non-existent. In the interests of a more family-friendly image, paintball as an industry usually avoids direct analogies to the military and war (seen by the movement towards spectator-friendly speedball). Similarly airsoft has taken a dual route, moving away from this (as seen in airsplat) as well as embracing them. This sometimes extends to full MilSim play.

For more information, see Public Perception of Paintball.

Sometimes questions arise on how airsoft players know when they have hit a target, and when they have been hit by a BB themselves. Unlike paintball, where paint splatter clearly identifies hits, airsoft BB's leave no such marks. Furthermore, since airsoft BB's are much lighter than paint balls, sometimes a player can take a hit from an airsoft BB without feeling anything, depending on the thickness of apparel and gear they are wearing. The audible sound a hit can make or seeing a BB bounce off from a player are often used as alternative indicators. However, in all cases, an honor system is required to be used among players. Further incentive to abide by such rules of the game is added by close-knit airsoft communities that often have little tolerance for cheating. On some sites, blatant cheating will lead to players being banned, or in China's case, persecution. In many cases, paintball requires the same honor system, since paintball hits can be hard to see in the heat of battle and can be wiped off by dishonest players.

Kinetic energy transfer is relatively minimal in Airsoft compared to that of Paintball. A standard 0.68 caliber paintball averages a weight of 2.84 grams. Paintball fields limit the maximum allowable muzzle velocity to be 300 feet per second in most events. A paintball projectile weighing approximately 2.84 grams and traveling at 300 feet per second is able to transfer approximately 11.8 joules of energy. Although there is a considerable difference between airsoft and paintball energy levels, the type of collisions that occur must also be considered (refer to Airsoft Pellets for more information).

To a new player choosing between airsoft and paintball, a beginning package for either is roughly equivalent in terms of apparel and cost. One major difference, however, can be seen in the cost of ammunition and upkeep of the packages - due to the type of ammunition used, airsoft guns are less prone to "jamming", and airsoft BBs are considerably cheaper to manufacture than paintballs.

There is considerable debate between players of the two sports over which is preferable, though overall the two communities function separately.

Legal issues

Main article: Legal issues in airsoft

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). This can sometimes draw airsoft into the "gray area" of law, where airsoft gun occupies a niche in between toy guns and firearms.

Sample airsoft laws from around the world

In Japan and the United States, the restrictions on airsoft guns are fairly light, while in Canada and other countries, airsoft is much more strictly regulated.

• As of August 1, 2006, Japanese airsoft guns are legal but may not shoot with a muzzle energy above point nine eight (.98) joule.
• Airsoft guns entering the United States are considered to be "toy guns" for legal purposes, and therefore must have a blaze orange tip present during sale and transport. All Airsoft replica bb guns include a safety orange muzzle tip (at least 1/4 of an inch) in accordance with Federal law. End users can, under federal law, remove the blaze-orange tip, however, individual state and local laws may state that the blaze orange tip cannot be removed.
• In Australia, Airsoft guns are much more heavily regulated, as they are imitation firearms according to law, which means that, they cannot look like a real firearm, and if a replica looks like a real weapon, it is legally restricted (You need a Class A firearms Licence and written consent from police to import and hold the replica in your state or territory.)
  • Airsoft Australia is aiming to get airsoft redefined as a sport and allow it to be legally accepted. This will only be possible by restrictions on how replicas can be obtained (Over 18 and an airsoft specific license (is hoped) to be required of the player), for protection of the sport in general and others.
• In the Republic of Ireland as of August 8th 2006, under the Criminal Justice Act, any airsoft rifle that fires with under 1 joule of energy is no longer considered a firearm.
• In Canada, airsoft guns are treated as replica firearms by members of law enforcement, and are immediately confiscated and/or destroyed. Their importation into Canada is also prohibited. According to Canadian law, replicas are prohibited devices. Retailers and businesses must carry a special licence which allows them to sell prohibited devices meant for the movie industry.
• In the United Kingdom, the purchase, sale and import of replica firearms has recently become the subject of a new act. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, which recently received Royal Assent and is, therefore now 'on the Statute Book'; the original intent was to, amongst other things, prevent more "Realistic Imitation Firearms" from being imported modified, or manufactured, in/into the UK, and then misused by those with less than honest intent. Unfortunately, the way it was worded meant that the hobby/sport of Airsoft in the UK would have come to a slow and grinding halt. The Association of British Airsoft (ABA), the UKASGB (UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body) and other airsoft organizations have recently negotiated with the government to allow a 'Specific Defence' in order to allow Airsofters in the UK the ability to purchase, modify, or manufacture, Airsoft models in the UK, the mechanics of which being yet to be actually decided upon. Information currently in the public domain suggests that it will follow a similar method to that of the Specific Defence provided for Re-enactment/Living History groups.
• In Hong Kong, all airsoft guns are legal but may not shoot with a muzzle energy above two (2) joules.
• In the Netherlands airsoft is illegal and owning an airsoft gun is a violation of the Dutch Guns & Ammunition law.
• In New Zealand, airsoft is legal, but can only be played by people 18 or older, or 16 years old with a gun license. Also, only semi-automatic airsoft guns are legal in the country. Full automatic airsoft guns require a firearms licence with a Restricted Weapons endorsement and even then are not allowed to be used in aisoft games.
  • Canterbury Softair Group This is the first official airsoft club in New Zealand and strives even with the full automatic restrictions.
• In France, airsoft is legal for people that are over eighteen years old. Under this age, they are only allowed to use guns that shoot at 0.07 joule. Airsoft guns are considered as weapons if their energy is superior to 2 joules.

Hazards of being mistaken for a real firearm

There have been many cases of airsoft guns being mistaken for real firearms, and some cases where armed law enforcement units have responded to tips of unlawful firearm use. In rare cases, individuals have also been mistakenly shot by police officers after failing to yield to warnings because of airsoft guns' focus on realistic weapon reproduction. This is the main reason that laws require orange tips to be present on all "toy guns" (including airsoft replicas) imported into the United States. However, the effectiveness of such measures remains open to debate, because these tips can be easily removed or painted away. Furthermore, their use means that criminals can attempt to disguise real firearms as toys by painting the tip of the barrel orange. A measure that is often employed by airsoft players is informing local law enforcement officials where and when airsoft games will take place, so that such misunderstandings can be avoided. The worst known case occurred in Longwood, Florida when 15-year-old Chris Penley threatened students with an airsoft pistol at his middle school and was subsequently shot dead when he aimed it towards an officer. The orange tip mandated by US Federal law had been painted black.

In many jurisdictions, using an imitation firearm to commit a crime (which often includes the generic term of "brandishing") carries the same penalty as if a real firearm were used.

Airsoft in schools

Perhaps the most common legal issue involving airsoft guns in the United States involves possession in schools. The punishment can depend on the intention and use, but common actions include a temporary suspension or permanent expulsion.

Airsoft equipment

Airsoft equipment encompasses many types of equipment used in the sport of airsoft, including the gun used to shoot airsoft pellets at opponents, safety goggles, and all sorts of tactical gear including vests, equipment holders, and gun accessories.

Airsoft guns

Main article: Airsoft guns

The guns used in airsoft are typically replicas of real firearms. Airsoft guns can be divided into three groups based on their power source: spring, electric, or gas-powered

The choice of airsoft guns is determined by either the performance (e.g. battery life, power, range, pellet magazine capacity), or the realism required (players might want to recreate a specific military force with the correct clothing and equipment). While the first line of airsoft guns were gas-powered from an external tank (this style is now known as classic airsoft), the most popular choice at the moment is electric, as reliability and range are often better from a stock electric rifle than any other form of power.

• Spring guns, also known as "springs"or "springers" and a variaty of different names, are which guns must be cocked every time before shooting. The price can range from a few dollars for a cheap pistol to several hundreds of dollars for a sniper rifle. These guns also require no battery. This makes the gun cheaper and more reliable. However, there is some debate that AEGs are more powerfull than springs. Normally, a good deal on a spring rifle is around $70-$90. A spring also runs more efficiently on heavier bb's such as .25 or .28 bb's.

• Electric
  • Automatic Electric Guns, commonly known as AEGs, break down into three categories: LPEGs (Low-Powered Electric Guns), MPEGs (Mid-Power Electric Guns), and regular AEGs. AEGs are the most common high price range airsoft guns because of their high rate of fire and the convenience of automatic fire without the need for gas. AEGs range greatly in ROF (rate of fire), range, accuracy, and price, but are generally very well made. AEGs can be upgraded depending on the type of gearbox in an airsoft gun. A gearbox houses the motor, gears, spring, and piston which drives the BB through the chamber and out of the gun. Gearboxes are either plastic, or metal. Metal gearboxes are upgradable, and can be fitted with newer and more sturdy/powerful motors and/or pistons. Plastic gearboxes are used in very low cost AEGs and most LPEGs. They are not upgradeable, as the entire gearbox must be replaced in the case of malfunction. Many times, an airsoft player will upgrade their gun, as an airsoft gun purchased from the retailer is not always at its full power.

• • Mini-Electrics are a small battery (usually using either common AA batteries or a low-powed 9 volt NiCad battey) powered gun with a short range, poor consistency, and much slower rate of fire than that of a standard AEG (keep in mind it is still automatic). The Mini-Auto is a much cheaper and of much lesser quality gun than the standard AEG.

• Gas guns are typically powered by green gas, CO₂, and HFC-134a. Semi- and fully-automatic gas powered airsoft guns are generally the most realistic in terms of their operations, since real firearms are gas-operated. However, in some climates, gas airsoft guns can be inconsistent in terms of muzzle velocity due to low air temperatures.

An example of a Gas Blowback Airsoft Pistol, in this case a replica of a SIG-Sauer P226

• Looks

The most popular airsoft guns are replicas of the real firearms; the AR-15or M-16 and its variants, guns in the Kalashnikov family, The Styer AUG, the G36 series, the Sig Sauer assault rifles, the Thompson M1,or the MP5

Many airsoft guns can also be fitted with accessories designed for their real counterparts, such as fore-grips and receivers. However, this does not mean that airsoft guns can be converted to fire actual ammunition used by real firearms.

Airsoft guns have three general classifications depending on their use in the game. These classifications are generally dependent on the speed of the BB’s and energy generated. CQB (Close Quarter Battle) is a type of situation used to simulate close combat such as house entry and ranges of 20 feet or less. The airsoft guns used in these scenarios typically fire less than 300 FPS for safety reasons and the participants wear appropriate clothing. Most airsoft guns typically fire 200-450 FPS, since they are used outdoors for most operations, balancing good speed and range with energy generated. A sniper's gun is typically fires over 350 FPS. These generate greater range and consequently energy giving somewhat sniper range in a close game. As a general rule they are not used at ranges less than 50 feet for safety reasons (energy generated).

Airsoft projectiles

6mm plastic pellets. (Note the visible seams on the sides of some pellets, which is indicative of low quality.)

Main article: Airsoft pellets

Most airsoft models use plastic projectiles ranging from 0.12 to 0.88 grams in weight, though the most popular weights are between .12 and .30 grams. It is important to look at the box first to see what kind of ammo to use. The pellets are usually approximately 6 mm in diameter, but some guns shoot 8 mm pellets instead. There are small paintballs for airsoft guns, but although they do prevent cheating, they are prone to breaking in the gun, jamming in the gun, not breaking when hitting the target, and damaging components of the gun which will need repairs to function correctly. While airsoft projectiles are often called BBs, the BB gun is so named because it originally fired BB-sized shotgun shot or metric ball bearings of .177 caliber (steel BBs are actually .174 inches (4.3 mm) in diameter). High grade BBSs are from $20 to $30 USD for a pack of 4000. Most BBs are seamless and come slightly lubricated with a silicone spray.

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. The hop up can usually be adjusted, as heavier pellets made of denser plastic (such as pellets weighing .3 grams) require more of a backspin in order to counter gravity. If hop up is adjusted accurately, it can ensure a completely straight trajectory for the pellet. This increases range and accuracy significantly, and most airsoft weapons come with this feature as standard.

Clothing

Most players typically wear BDUs consisting of separate pants and shirts or jackets when playing, because it not only provides protection against the impact of the plastic pellets, but also, just as with real soldiers, helps conceal oneself from opponents, and also says something about the individual that is different from player to player. Some participants also aim to faithfully replicate one or other military force by their choice in clothes, equipment and weapons.

The choice of camouflage pattern of the BDUs are normally determined by which pattern suits an area best or simply by what is locally available. Typically military surplus stores are a good source for such items and in the U.S. this is normally in the "American Woodland" camouflage pattern, but recently MARPAT (as used by the United States Marine Corps) and the ACU (as used by the United States Army) have also become popular choices in North America.

As so, in California, where the landscaping permits, a pattern called multicam, is a computer-created design that is made to fit into most environments with ease. Multicam has become increasingly popular in Southern California for both it's camoflaging abilities, and it's prestige.

Similarly in Europe their local military uniforms are more readily available and probably more suitable to local conditions. Popular patterns include the German Flecktarn, British DPM, or Swiss alpenflage

Tactical gear

It is fairly common for players to wear tactical clothing such as vests and holsters using the MOLLE or ALICE and the British PLCE systems. Drop-leg and belt holsters are also quite common. Although most gear used by airsoft players looks realistic, sometimes gear is made with low-quality materials. Although this replica-style gear typically is much cheaper, durability can be largely sacrificed. Airsofters also go for military-style helmets, such as the kevlar helmets. Others may look for paintball masks.

Along with vests, holsters, and magazine holders, other gear utilized by real soldiers in the field is often employed by airsoft players. One such example is the Camelbak system, best described as a canteen worn on one's back with a "bite valve" on the end of a hose that leads to the player's mouth that allows drinking on the move. Other pieces of equipment used by airsofters are handles or vertical grips, and stock accessories like a telescoping stock.

Most players carry multiple magazines per game. Realistic-capacity holds the exact amount of ammo that the real firearm counterpart holds. Low-cap, or standard, holds more that realistic-cap, but less than mid-cap; low-cap is spring driven. Mid-caps hold around 100 rounds per mag. Mid-caps have longer springs, but after many uses, the springs get weaker and they do not feed as good. High-capacity magazines carry more ammunition than standard magazines, generally two to eight times more, although, in some instances, this amount may be higher. For example, a standard magazine on an AK-47 replica holds around 68 BBs, while a high-capacity magazine on this gun can hold up to 600 BBs, or a drum magazine (or C-mag) can carry up to 3000 BBs. High-capacity magazines generally do not feed as efficiently as standard magazines. While standard magazines use a spring under constant tension to feed BBs into the airsoft gun, high-capacity magazines must be wound up after a few dozen rounds are fired to keep the loading spring under enough tension to fire the gun. For some players, this not only can be an inconvenience, but also can reveal their position with the clicking sound and rattling noises made from winding the magazine and the BBs inside the magazine. Some of this can be solved by using magazines made by high-end companies which only require one to two extra winds to empty 300 rounds. A very few, such as the Tokyo Mauri P90's magazine, need only one wind to fire all their rounds. Another useful solution is to utilize an automatic winding mechanism.

Some players also carry a rubber knife or bayonet. These are excellent for close quarter combat and close-up distaces under the distance regulation. Most bayonets are able to fix onto the M16 variants. Though, some players buy cheap, fake knives from a local toy store. Never the less, those would sufice.

Pyrotechnics

Some airsoft sites allow the use of pyrotechnics, which are small explosive-driven replicas of ordnance such as grenades. There are several types: BB grenades which fire out BBs to replicate the shrapnel of a fragmentation grenade; smoke grenades which provide cover to move and fire from behind; and flashbangs/thunderflashes which lets out a very bright light, sometimes accompanied by loud sound, for the purpose of disorientating the opponent. For leagues that don't have the money to afford these luxuries, some leagues use flour and silk stockings for grenades.

Other equipment

A large amount of equipment exists for real world soldiers which is also usable in airsoft games. Army surplus stores can provide many items currently issued to the player's country but many airsofters go further and purchase other equipment that may be used by a soldier or Private military contractor. Equipment is generally for increasing combat efficiency but may just be used to provide enhanced realism.

Cleaning/Gun Upkeep

The upkeep of one's gun is very important if you want it to keep running like new. A common practice with electric airsoft guns is to fire the gun 2 times (in semi-auto) after you're done using it for the day. This releases the spring and can prevent future costly repairs. When the gun was shot in fully automatic mode, the spring may be stuck between the fully compressed position and the fully relaxed position. It eventually reduce the FPS (feet per second) of your gun and possibly introduce the need of spring replacement.

After the airsoft day is done, it is important the gun be cleaned. Use regular barrel swabs with silicone oil. Using the swab side of the jamming rod provided with the gun, gently slide it down the barrel and back up. Replace the swab and repeat until the swab comes up clean or light gray.

As for the rest of the gun, open up the hop-up and spray some silicone in there along with the mag well and just make sure to wipe the gun down to remove any dirt. Do not use WD-40 or any other lube or cleaner to clean the barrel or any part of the gun, as this can break your gun and/or void your warranty. Silicone oil can be bought from any airsoft store and is the safest thing with which to clean your gun. Proper maintenance will insure that your gun will stay in top performance and reduce the possibility of malfunction.

Airsoft Online

Like paintball, airsoft has become popular enough so that many merchants and vendors have become interested in selling their products online. Because airsoft guns are not classified as firearms, they are not illegal to sell online and anybody can buy them (as long as they have access to a means of payment). By airsoft guns and gear being available online, they are more accessible to the public, and much easier to buy. Whether the easy accessibility to airsoft guns has contributed significantly to its popularity in the United States or any other country is unknown, but it is definite that online stores have had some impact on the airsoft community.

Controversy

The easy access to airsoft stores have stirred up some controversy. Because of them, people under the age of 18 can buy airsoft guns without much hassle. Most sites accept PayPal and other big payment processors, and although these payment facilitators say you have to be 18 to use them, it is easy for basically anyone to get access. Many people are not trained to tell the difference between an airsoft gun and the actual thing, and depending on the manufacter of the airsoft weapon there almost is no difference in them. Some guns use fake shells that house the BB prior to firing, and others have dummy rounds in a side clamped magazine. Some companies have matched the details to their weapons so precisely that when compared to real firearms it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the two.

See also

• Airguns
• Airsoft pellets
• Airsoft guns
• Airsoft Safety
• Airsplat
• BB gun
• Classic airsoft
• Laser tag
• Legal issues in airsoft
• List of Airsoft Manufacturers
• List of airsoft teams
• Airsoft Fields in the United States
• Paintball
• Spies and Mercs

External links

• Airsoft Safety Manual