There is also a growing interest

Airsoft refers to a sport or recreational pastime in which players participate in the simulation of military- or law enforcement-style combat using replicas of real firearms, collectively called airsoft guns.

Airsoft has its roots in late-1970s Asia, 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 aftermarket 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, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, Belgium (which is also visited by Dutch players, as the game is illegal in the Netherlands), Denmark, and Chile, bolstered by an active and expanding Internet scene.

Methods and structures of play
Classic Army M15A4 Automatic Electric Gun
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Classic Army M15A4 Automatic Electric Gun

Fundamentally, airsoft is a game played within a reasonably large predetermined area - generally outdoors as in paintball, 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.

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 as a foundation for confrontation in firefights and other simulated military-style combat.

In contrast to a standard skirmish, which can be played in under an hour and repeated several times per day, MilSim games put less emphasis on speed and more emphasis on military tactics, such as scouting, land navigation, patrolling, and movement to contact. As a result, MilSim games are usually scheduled to last between 3 and 6 hours (or longer) and can often run over an entire weekend. In more elaborate cases, games may be played overnight, so strategic elements such as setting up observation posts, sleeping 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 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.

One variation of the MilSim-style is that of Spies and Mercs.

Re-enactment
Airsoft players in a World War II reenactment, fighting for the side of the Wehrmacht, guarding a piece of mock artillery. Note that while the player's uniform is designed to resemble that of the time period, the SIG 552 he is holding is not.
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Airsoft players in a World War II reenactment, fighting for the side of the Wehrmacht, guarding a piece of mock artillery. Note that while the player's uniform 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.

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
Players are required to switch to their side arm if they take a hit to their primary weapon.
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) 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.
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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.

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.

Personal Protective Gear

Eye and Face Protection

The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles to protect the eyes of the participants. Traditional prescription glasses or sunglasses 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.

For this reason nearly all organized groups of airsoft players and fields require that eye protection fully seals the area around the eyes, and also meets or ANSI's Z87.1-2003 goggle standard for eye protection (resists 3 joules of impact energy without damage). Some players will opt for paintball goggles, which are held to higher impact rating standards, ASTM's F1776. [1] 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 Proctective Devices for Airsoft Sports. [2] (see page 12)

The best overall protection is offered by paintball masks. These masks provide an additional level of protection by creating a full seal around the face and ears. The lens is a solid piece of impact resistant plastic. Most airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, though these screens do not offer protection from cheaper BBs that 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
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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 it doesn'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.

Blind Man

One commonly adopted practice is for players to shout the words "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 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.

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

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 1976 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. 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#Pellet ballistics 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 BB's 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 "grey 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. Any attempt to remove the orange tip is a violation of Federal law.
* 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.)
o 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 licence (is hoped) to be required of the player), for protection of the sport in general and others.
* In Canada, if an airsoft gun fires above a specific muzzle velocity (500 ft/s) and delivers a specific kinetic energy on impact (5.7 joules) then it is classified as a Firearm under the Criminal Code of Canada.
* In the United Kingdom, the purchase, sale and import of replica firearms has recently become the subject of a proposed bill which may stop the importation of new weapons, essentially killing off the sport as new players will only be able to borrow existing weapons. However the UKASGB (UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body) and other airsoft organisations are negotiating with the government hoping to come to a compromise, possibly by raising the legal purchase age of airsoft replicas to 18 (Currently 14 for all but the most powerful airsoft guns) and even introducing a airsoft licence much like what has been suggested in Australia. [verification needed]
* In Hong Kong, all airsoft guns are legal but may not shoot with a muzzle energy above two (2) joule.
* In the Netherlands airsoft is illegal and owning a airsoft gun is a violation of Federal law.

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 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 are usually 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.

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. 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. [3]

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, range, pellet magazine capacity) or the realism required (players might want to recreate a specific military force with the correct clothing and equipment). 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 Kalashnikov family, the FAMAS, the G36 series, the Sig Sauer assault rifles, or the MP5

Many airsoft guns can also be fitted with accessories designed for their real counterparts, such as fore grips and receivers. Please remember however, this does not by any means convert airsoft weapons into real firing weapons. These attachments are for looks and secondary functionality only.

Airsoft guns have three general classifications depending on their use in the game. These are classifications general are dependent on the speed of the BB’s and energy generated. CQB (Close Quarter Battle), are gun's that are used to simulate close combat such as house entry and ranges of 20 feet or less. These Gun’s typically fire less then 300 FPS for safety reasons and the participants wear appropriate clothing. Regular use gun's firing typically 300-400 FPS 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 on 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 commonly not used under a 100 feet for safety reasons (Energy generated).

Airsoft projectiles
6mm plastic pellets. (Note the edges on the sides of some, which is indicative of low quality.)
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6mm plastic pellets. (Note the edges on the sides of some, which is indicative of low quality.)

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 .20 and .35 grams. 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 and sometimes cause damage.

While airsoft projectiles are often called "BBs", The term BB is a misnomer; the BB gun is so named because it originally fired BB sized shotgun shot, which is about 0.177 inches (4.5 mm) in diameter.

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.

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. 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 ACUPAT (as used by the 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 German Flecktarn, British DPM, or Swiss alpenflage would be more popular.

Tactical gear

It is fairly common for players to wear tactical clothing such as vests and holsters using the MOLLE or 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. However, there are a couple of exceptions, one of Guarder's FSBE, a replica of the Full Spectrum Battle Equipment, have been said to have durability and quality that is significantly better than most other similar replica-style tactical gear.

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" 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.

Many airsoft players recommend carrying spare high-capacity (hi-cap) magazines. Hi-cap magazines carry more ammunition than stock magazines, generally 40-50% more, although in some instances this amount can be much higher. For example, a standard magazine on an AK-47 replica holds around 68 BB's, while a high-capacity magazine on this gun can hold up to 600 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 BB's 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 made from winding the magazine.

Other equipment

Airsoft players usually buy other types of equipment that help them play more effectively, including clothing, tactical gear, gun accessories, and even items like night-vision goggles.

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