TITLE: Airsoft Guns Could Be Our Answer
It’s amazing the number of people who have a fear of firearms and even more amazing the number of people who simply don’t like them. Yet, I must admit, people are entitled to think the way they choose. Personally, I believe firearms in the right hands are okay. I do tend to get a bit concerned about people and real firearms; people can be dangerous. But, airsoft guns in the hands of friends and family offer excitement; particularly in the friendly confines of a battle field.
WHAT IS AIRSOFT?
Airsoft is the hobby of collecting 1:1 replicas of real firearms and is, also, the sport of using these replicas in friendly combat conditions in a battlefield setting. The Airsoft Gun should be given the respect of a real weapon; yet is considered a non-lethal gun because the airsoft gun ammunition consists of soft BBs or pellets; typically larger than the BB’s sold in many local sporting goods stores.
Airsoft guns offer both rifles and pistols, can be manufactured as toys and not realistic in appearance or can be manufactured to pass for the real thing; having the weight, material, touch, etc. of the real firearms [{examples include: the colt 45, M16, M4, AK47, etc]. To distinguish an airsoft gun from the real this is a 6mm bright orange tip at the barrels tip of all airsoft guns per US law and regulated by state, county, and city ordinances. The actual airsoft gun propulsion system is different from the real guns, too.
Real guns fire a deadly propellant via a form of firing pin against an explosive. Airsoft guns fire a non-lethal propellant via a burst of air. The method used to generate that burst of air distinguishes airsoft gun operations [i.e. spring, gas or electric].
WHAT DOES AIRSOFT DO?
Airsoft guns became part of history in the 1970’s Japan due to the law prohibiting the use of any type of firearms. Yet, shooting a firearm was a personal urge.
Japan’s urge for firearms became the country economic boost. Manufactures introduced the airsoft guns that addressed the country’s demand for firearm usage, but without the lethal effects that Japanese law prohibited.
This economic answer to supply and demand exported beyond Japan and eventually to the 1990 United States. We wanted a non-lethal firearm activity that did not required great money. The Airsoft Gun of Japan became our answer and gave that economic boost to Japan.
Since all airsoft guns fire a non-lethal propellant via a burst of air; airsoft players and collectors varied interests relative to the method used to generate that burst of air.
HOW DOES AIRSOFT WORK?
Airsoft guns have evolved into three styles of operations since the early 1970’s featuring isolated methods of propulsion. Each style carries positive and negative attributes and each attribute tends to appeal differently to the players who use airsoft guns
The Spring Airsoft guns were brought to the public first. These guns are primarily used by the first time airsoft players of today. Reasons included low start-up costs and ease of operations. This Spring Airsoft Gun maintained an ease of operations in that the player simply cocks the spring before firing the airsoft gun. Whether an airsoft pistol, rifle, or automatic, the player cocks the spring, before firing the gun.
The Gas Airsoft guns were brought to the public next and played a vital part in the collections and skirmishes. Naturally, the cost factors grew with this endeavor, but so did the firing distance, realism of usage and operational simplicity. Manufactured into the airsoft gun or the magazine for that airsoft gun is a gas powered storage system that, when triggered, will propel the BB or pellet from the gun’s barrel , empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger, and (if the airsoft gun is a ‘gas-blowback’) allows for the recoil operation of the gun's receiver.
The Electric Airsoft guns are currently those used most often by player’s veteran to airsoft skirmishes and those who collect. Originally, a concept exclusive to radio controlled cars and aircrafts expanded to the airsoft industry. Built into these electric air soft pistols and rifles are motorized gear systems of air propulsion that utilize a battery powered source of energy. Batteries provided the energy and offered either a replacements system or a rechargeable system. The electrical powered operation increased the rate of fire (ROP) to a more realistic level of 600 – 900 rounds per minute (RPM). These airsoft guns can impersonate and support the fully automatic features of most AEG brands and truly give greater excitement to the airsoft players.
WHY DOES AIRSOFT WORK?
I can remember; as a kid we played cops and robbers in my old Chicago neighborhood, our fun and adventure was running in and out of back yards, jumping fences, dodging cars in the streets and alleys, hiding in the bushes and dirt just to ambush a friend. Kid’s games maybe, but this was our way to relieve tension from the pressure of chores and homework. Childhood had its challenged but I survived. Today, as an adult, I’d be looked quite weird behaving like that kid of years ago
The Airsoft gun appeal is to own your collection of special guns without the lethal element that has been associated with guns. The Airsoft Gun appeal is to role play historic gun carrying heroes or SWAT rescue operations or Navy Seal secret missions or just plain old capture the flag. The Airsoft Gun appeal is the weekend skirmishes in a friendly combat field of friends and family and the barbecue that follows. This is a definite stress reduction method for those devoted to the weekly stressful demands placed on students, accountants, moms/ dads, judges, insurance agents, sales persons, and more.
CONCLUSION
The 1970’s Japan may have started this Airsoft Gun evolution; but USA should claim the development of the thrills and excitement of Airsoft Gun battles with friends and family. Search engines of today can locate airsoft gun clubs or organizations. This can lead to the locations of skirmishes and more.
Learning the laws of state, county, and city can help provide for safe games, learning the rules of airsoft gun games provide for thrills of fair play and respect for others and learning to lead a team can provide you with opportunity to orchestrate a day of battle.
