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Airsoft

Airsoft refers to a sport or recreational pastime in which players participate in the simulation of military- or police|law enforcement-style combat using smoothbore airsoft guns 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 and gun hobbyists sought a legal alternative for enjoying their passion. It is therefore unsurprising that airsoft is still today most popular in several Asian regions, such as Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, 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

Fundamentally, airsoft is a game played within a reasonably large predetermined area where the objective is to "hit" or "tag" other players with the projectile fired from an airsoft gun (termed a "BB"). Unlike paintball or laser tag where hits are almost always obvious, however, airsoft games usually function on an "honor system" - airsoft BBs are made of plastic and generally do not leave any visible marks on clothing, and although they can sometimes cause welts on the skin, this is not a practical or reliable method of judging hits. It is generally accepted that when a player is hit, they will declare it, usually by raising their hand, shouting something like "Hit!", and then leaving the area, or sometimes merely sitting or lying down and remaining "dead in place", depending on the specific rules of the match. Depending on the rules, players may instead remain "dead" until another player tags them.

MilSim

"MilSim" (MILitary SIMulation) generally combines airsoft play with some military live action roleplaying|live action role-playing elements. Several goals or missions are assigned to each team as a foundation for confrontation in firefights and other quarters, maintaining perimeter security and the like are added to the experience.

Another aspect of MilSim-style airsoft gaming that ties into the live action roleplaying|live action element is the global desire for players to look and feel the part they are playing. Hence, MilSim-style games may have uniform or clothing requirements specific to the scenario being played.

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 reenactment|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 Operation Irene 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 Historic Reenactors|reenactors seeking another way to enjoy their hobby.

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".
• 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.
• Mercy rules: Players who sneak up on opponents are given the option of eliminating them without firing by simply calling out, "mercy" or some other code word.

Respawn

Spawning (computer gaming)|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 firearms safety should be observed with airsoft just as with real firearms. The four fundamental rules of firearm safety should be adhered to at home and on the playing field:

• Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
• Never point a firearm at anything you don't want to shoot.
• Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
• Know 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. 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, but it is the consensus of most players that airsoft is a fairly safe activity when appropriate precautions are observed. It is important to note however that when playing it is the responsibility of the participants to make conscious decisions about where their shots will land. This means avoiding shots to places such as the head when possible. Despite this, one should "always" wear suitable eye protection when playing airsoft.

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, sunglasses, and ski goggles are almost never accepted as they can cause a serious injury, and the player runs the risk of permanently losing their vision in that eye. 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 and ears, reducing the risk of injury to these body parts. 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 of their location. For more information regarding velocity limits and BB ballistics refer to Airsoft pellets#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.

Comparisons with paintball

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 aesthetics|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 or Paintball). 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 Airsoft MilSim play.

For more information, see Paintball 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. 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 Pellet 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

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 Canada, airsoft guns are treated as replicas by members of law enforcement, and are immediately confiscated and/or destroyed. Replicas are prohibited. However, airsoft guns are not truly replicas, as replicas are non-firing, and most airsoft guns are capable of inflicting severe injury. Therefore, having properties of both a firearm and replica, it is neither legal nor illegal. Given proper transportation and conduct, airsoft can be played in Canada. Retailers must carry a special permit 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. 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, rather ignorant individuals have also been 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

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

The choice of airsoft guns is determined by either the performance (e.g. battery life, power (or 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.

The most popular airsoft guns are replicas of the real firearms; the AR-15 and its variants, guns in the AK-47|Kalashnikov family, the FAMAS (rifle)|FAMAS, 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 300-400 FPS, since they are used outdoors for most operations, balancing good speed and range with energy generated. A sniper's gun is typically upgraded to fire over 400 FPS (often 500 and sometimes up to 600 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 100 feet for safety reasons (energy generated).

Airsoft projectiles

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 sized .174 inches (4.3 mm) in diameter).High grade bb's are from 20.00 to 30.00 dollars for a 4000 pack. Most BB's 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 .30g) 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 Battle Dress Uniform|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. 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 Army Combat Uniform|ACU (as used by the US Army|United States Army) have also become popular choices in North America.

Similarly in Europe their local military uniforms are more readily available and probably more suitable to local conditions. Popular patterns include the Germany|German Flecktarn, United Kingdom|British Disruptive Pattern Material|DPM, or Swiss would be more popular.

Tactical gear

It is fairly common for players to wear tactical clothing such as vests and holsters using the MOLLE (military)|MOLLE or All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment|ALICE 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.

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 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. Hi-capacity magazines carry more ammunition than standard magazines, generally 100-400% more, although in some instances this amount can 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 BB's, or a drum magazine can carry up to 3000 bb's. Hi-cap 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, hi-cap 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 bb's inside the magazine. Some of this can be solved by using magazines made by high-end companies which only need around 1-2 extra winds to empty 300 rounds. A very few such as the TM P90's hicap need only one wind to fire all their rounds. This problem can also be solved by using a mid cap, which normally holds 100 rounds under constant spring tension.

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.

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.