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 What is Airsoft? According to Wikipedia (thanks to Ronald for the find)
Airsoft is .....
a hobby or sport which uses replica firearms to shoot small plastic pellets around six millimeters in diameter. Common uses for airsoft are competitive gaming (similar to paintball), military simulations, target shooting, and military training. While similar in operation to BB guns, airsoft guns use lightweight (usually) plastic projectiles (BBs) 6mm in diameter instead of metallic 4,5mm BBs. Airsoft guns also typically have a muzzle velocity of less than 180 m/s (600 ft/s), compared to a BB gun which may have a muzzle velocity of 365 m/s (1200 ft/s) or more. The combination of the lighter BB projectile and the reduced muzzle velocity means that airsoft is generally considered safe when used in a controlled environment and with safety equipment like protective eyewear.
Airsoft games vary greatly in style and composition depending on location, budget, and the quantity of participants. However, they often range from short-term skirmishes and organized scenarios to military simulations and historical reenactments. Gaming with combat situations on a mock battlefield mainly involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the set objectives. Participants typically use varying types of airsoft weaponry along with either real or replica military gear and uniforms.
Airsoft was designed in Japan in the 1970s and marketed in the United States in the 1980s by a major BB gun manufacturer. Airsoft was conceptualized as a new approach in BB gun application as opposed to the common air gun that was designed for hunting, the airsoft gun was created with a purely recreational application in mind.
Because of this interest, manufacturers started to produce spring-powered replicas of real firearms. These guns fired several sizes of plastic, aluminum, or rubber BBs, but they were eventually standardized into 6mm and 8mm sizes. The early spring powered guns later evolved into gas and battery powered guns using a variety of configurations. Electric or battery powered airsoft guns became known as "AEG's" (Automatic Electric Guns), which began to show up in North America in the mid 1990's. This is due in large part to the starting of many new AEG manufacturers in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries.
Airsoft guns are also being used for military and law enforcement training purposes all over the United States and in several other countries. The airsoft gun brand Systema has created an M16 airsoft imitation firearm that, apart from firing BBs instead of bullets, functions exactly like the real counterpart. When the last BB is fired, the weapon stops shooting, a new magazine must be inserted, and the bolt catch must be operated before the gun is able to fire again. Gun enthusiasts of all ages enjoy airsoft guns due to their striking resemblance to their real counter parts. Many law enforcement agencies are starting to use airsoft guns because of the realism they portray. Most of these airsoft guns are very similar in appearance and action and thus make good training aids. In the past, law enforcement agencies had to resort to either unloaded firearms, plastic guns, or rubber dummy guns for certain training exercises; but, with the advent of airsoft, law enforcement personnel can now use a very real-looking yet safe alternative.
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