Popular Airsoft

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What is Airsoft?

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Airsoft is a modern combat sport or recreational hobby in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with spherical airsoft pellets, launched from airsoft guns. Participants typically employ the use of varying types of weapons designed as replicas of real firearms, tactical gear, and accessories used by modern military and police organizations.

Airsoft has its roots in late-1950s 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, Ireland, 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), and Denmark bolstered by an active and expanding Internet scene.

Methods and structures of play

Airsoft participants organize meetings, either indoors or outdoors, at dedicated airsoft battlefields to play a variety of games ranging from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, military simulations, or historical reenactments. Combat situations on the battlefield often involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the objectives set in each game.

Fundamentally, airsoft is a game played within a predetermined area where the objective is to hit the adversary. It is generally accepted that when a player is hit, they will declare it. Unlike paintball, which leaves visible marks on clothing, determining hits are usually based on an honor system. Some common game variations include Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Close Quarters Battle. Also there is respawn and respawn team in which a player who is hit counts for a predetermined amount of time, then is back in. The way one wins is by hitting all of the opponent or all the players on the opposing team.

MilSim

MilSim (Military Simulation) generally combines airsoft play with some military live action role-playing elements. Several goals or missions are assigned to each team, along with a basic loadout of ammunition, (6 millimetre pellets) rations, batteries, and other suitable equipment. The teams will remain in the field for the duration of play, only returning to a staging area or "safe zone" for medical emergencies, or other such circumstances.

Re-enactment

A popular basis for airsoft gaming is that of re-enactment, in which players put on clothing and equipment based on a pre-determined time period (for example, World War II) or a prominent military action, such as the Battle of Mogadishu. The game types played usually imitate combat of the time and often impose milsim-like restrictions on players.

Game modifiers

Special rules are often incorporated into airsoft games in order to make basic games more interesting or to increase "longevity" with seasoned players. These may include Medic rules and rules regarding hits to one's equipment.

Comparisons with paintball

Airsoft was developed in Japan in the late 1970s 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.

Honor system

An "honor system" is employed whereby the players rely on each others honesty to admit to being hit, because unlike paintball, the plastic pellets don't leave marks on clothing. Depending on the muzzle velocity of the gun and distance from which a person is shooting, the person on the receiving end of the shot will usually receive welts of varying sizes on their skin. The pellets will sometimes break skin at very close ranges or if the bb was shot from a high powered gun. In other cases, the sight of the plastic pellets ricocheting off a player or the sound of them hitting a player can be used as a positive indicator of a hit.

Kinetic energy

Kinetic energy transfer is relatively minimal in airsoft compared to that of paintball. A airsoft projectile weighing 0.2 grams and traveling at 300 feet per second (90 meters per second) transfers .8 joules of energy. A paintball projectile weighing 2.84 grams and traveling at 300 feet per second transfers 11.8 joules.

Although there is a considerable difference between airsoft and paintball energy levels (1 joule verses 12 joules), the type of collisions that occur (elastic airsoft vs. inelastic paintball) must also be considered (refer to Pellet Ballistics).

Most airsoft guns are capable of shooting from 250fps to 600fps. A hop-up unit, if present, puts backspin on the pellet giving a slight upward arc. This gives an airsoft gun more range than a paintball gun. Airsoft playing fields usually have rules specifying what velocity is allowed for each player position. This makes the game much more realistic, as an airsoft pellet will travel much further than a paintball.

Cost

To a new player choosing between airsoft and paintball, a beginning package for airsoft is much cheaper in terms of hardware, but for apparel and cost, they are roughly equivalent. 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 pellets are considerably cheaper to manufacture than paintballs.

Guns are usually the most expensive piece of equipment. A low-quality electric gun can cost $20-$70 dollars USD, while a high-quality Tokyo Marui airsoft gun can be more than $300 USD. Custom guns can even cost more than $2,000 USD.The overall average for a high quality electric gun such as a Classic Army, is around $200 USD.

Legal issues

Airsoft guns and playing airsoft is legal in most 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 orange tips to disginguish them from actual firearms.

Hazards of being mistaken for a real firearm

There have been a few highly isolated 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.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, or vice versa.

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 to death 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.

In the United Kingdom, the use or possession of any kind of replica weapon, loaded or otherwise in a public place is an offence which can carry heavy fines.

Airsoft guns

The guns used in airsoft are typically replicas of real firearms. Airsoft guns are classified according to their operating principle which can be either: spring–, electric– or gas-powered. An airsoft gun is selected according the level of performance (battery life, range, magazine capacity) or realism the player requires.