|
The History of Airsoft BB Guns
How Airsoft guns came to be, and why they're preferred by many parents for their kids.
Go to Web Site
|
|
|
|
The History of Airsoft BB Guns
The use of compressed air to propel a projectile is an ancient concept - dating back to 250 B.C. At that time, a ruler by the name of Ktesbias II of Egypt developed a plan and wrote of a weapon that would operate on nothing more than air pressure. There have also been references to Ancient Greeks using a kind of compressed air to throw rocks at their enemies.
The Ancient Greeks and Egyptians were not the only ones to come up with this concept, though. During the Renaissance, Leonardo DaVinci drew plans for an air powered weapon. There are claims that Hans Lobsigner produced a modified version of the Nuremberg hand held rifle in 1560. It has been said that this rifle operated flawlessly. The oldest existing airgun known is in the Royal Danish Arsenal in Copenhagen and dates from around 1580.
The Air Gun Comes of Age
The Airsoft BB gun was born in the United States about thirty years ago, developed by the Daisy company and designed for the purpose of pure recreation. Unlike the standard airgun that was used mainly for hunting small animals, the Airsoft BB gun was designed for target shooting and for gamers who wanted a safer challenge than paintball. Unlike higher-powered pellet guns, the Airsoft BB gun is relatively harmless if one follows gun safety rules and common sense.
This new Airsoft BB gun was designed to use a small amount of pressurized air to shoot lightweight plastic BB pellets. This unique design facilitated the creation of a BB gun that is accurate enough to hit targets, but still relatively harmless to people, animals, and property.
The Airsoft BB Gun Evolves into Something More
After the initial success of the Airsoft BB gun, developers took its design one step further by creating replicas of famous and popular guns and rifles. With its new design, Airsoft replica guns opened up a new market for collectors all over the world. It would then be international developers in Europe and Asia who would bring the Airsoft BB gun to a greater level of high-tech superiority.
Asian companies, in particular, took basic Airsoft gun designs and developed a more advanced version, primarily by incorporating plastic polymer technology. These new versions of the old BB gun possessed a much higher level of detail, accuracy, and durability. With this new enhanced detail in Airsoft guns, they began to be used for gun safety training, movie props, and prominently displayed by collectors.
A New Kind of Recreation
With the advent of the newest Airsoft gun replicas, more and more people have begun to switch from the paintball gun to soft air pistols and rifles. Though these types of BB guns are basically harmless if you follow the rules of gun safety, it is still recommended that you always wear safety glasses when shooting them. Airsoft BB guns are often used in place of the paintball gun because of their stunning detail and comparatively benign impact energies. Paintballs hurt, and they're messy! New heights of realism can be achieved with Airsoft guns, and without ruining clothing or having to shower after every game.
Airsoft gaming is a military simulation sport similar in nature to paintball, in which players participate in mock combat with authentic military-style weapons and tactics. Unlike paintball, however, which uses compact balls of paint that splat when hitting any target, Airsoft guns usually use 6mm spherical BBs made typically with injection-molded ABS plastic and weighing from .12g to .43g. Furthermore, unlike paintball, the weapons used in Airsoft are generally exact 1:1 replicas of various real-world military weapons, such as the M16, MP5, Colt 1911 handgun, Uzi Sub-Machine Gun, etc.
A significant development that has since been incorporated into almost all mainstream Airsoft guns of quality has been "hop-up." This is a simple rubber piece placed around the chamber or rear of the barrel. It’s thicker on the top, which imparts backspin on the BB as it exits the gun. Consistent with Bernoulli's Principle, this causes air above the BB to pass over the surface slightly faster than the air below it, creating a measure of sustained lift. The practical effect of this innovation is immediately visible and quite exciting: much improved accuracy at longer distances. Many Airsoft guns can now shoot with precision out to a target range of 200-250 feet.
Problems with Foreign Airsoft Manufacturers Selling in the U.S.
Because of such exact similarity between these Airsoft replicas and real firearms, some U.S. state and local regulations prohibit the ownership or use of Airsoft guns. Further, federal importation laws require all Airsoft gun barrels to be painted about half an inch in blaze orange, as must all such 'toy' guns.
Since many Airsoft guns are produced in Asia, many overseas manufacturers have accurately reproduced trademarks and markings on their products for heightened realism. In most cases this is done without licensing; therefore producing legal problems with the product. It is routine for U.S. customs to check for illegal trademarks and even certain patented features. Many Airsoft guns imported into America have trademarks covered by plastic putty or destroyed, unfortunately. In response, a growing number of distributors have now begun to specifically market "clean" Airsoft guns in the U.S.
Some U.S. States Now Treat Airsoft Guns Like Other Guns
In 2003, the state of California declared the Airsoft gun replica to be not a toy. It is now classified in the same way as traditional BB guns, and thus subject to the same restrictions. The use of orange paint is mandatory, and Airsoft replicas may neither be used by nor sold to minors.
Airsoft gun use is currently banned in New Jersey and within the city limits of New York City, as well as portions of the state of Michigan. With the increasing popularity of Airsoft guns, many reported incidents have occurred in which generally younger players have come into contact in public areas with local law enforcement unsure of the nature of the Airsoft weapons involved. In the future, these incidents will certainly increase and perhaps result in new legal consequences. This is to be expected and is completely understandable from a law enforcement perspective.
The Airsoft Gun’s Growing Popularity
In early 2003, the Daisy Company began marketing Airsoft guns for sale (in the U.S.) under their "Powerstrike" brand name. Many U.S. manufacturers of tactical gear and equipment have also begun to recognize this sport, with some beginning to market products specifically for use in Airsoft gaming. On the Internet, online auctions have noticed Airsoft's growing popularity as well. Moreover, Airsoft guns have enjoyed similar growth in popularity in the U.K., Scandinavia, and Asia. Stay tuned, as Airsoft guns will likely enjoy a healthy future of evolution and innovation.
About the Author
John Schwartz is a freelance writer and website owner - BB-Pellet-Guns.com. He lives in Texas and enjoys writing on a variety of sporting subject matter, including air guns, fishing, and golf.
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2003 - 2008 URL.biz. All rights reserved. |
|
