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- What is Airsoft?
- The benefits of airsoft.
- The drawbacks.
- Safety
- Firing mechanisms
- Availability
- Airsoft and the law
- Research
- Basic Equipment
- Guns & Holsters, When & Where
- The bottom line... Is it dangerous?
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What is Airsoft?
Airsoft refers to a style of replica gun that uses air pressure to
fire a plastic BB. It began over a decade ago in countries where firearms
were illegal but enthusiasts were looking for a way to shoot targets. The
guns are not capable of firing a real bullet, and as such are not firearms.
Manufacturers designed the guns to be exact duplicates of real weapons and
most appear very realistic. A quick search of the internet will reveal
MILLIONS of hits for airsoft, air soft, softair, and soft air. It is quickly
becoming a very popular sport. From its beginning with collectors and
enthusiasts, it spread to 'weekend warriors' who use the guns for battle
scenarios, capture the flag competitions, 'force on force' competitions, and
war games. It didn't take long for police officers to become aware of the
phenomenon. Numerous departments use airsoft training to teach officers
about law enforcement tactics. In my career I have been through a lot of
tactical training. I have actually gone through scenarios where, due to
budget constraints, the officers searched a building with their hands in
front of them, index finger extended like a pistol, shouting 'bang,bang' if
they needed to shoot. I have also attended training using starter pistols
that fired caps. A little noisier than shouting 'bang,bang' but still with
serious drawbacks. Most training simply used an empty weapon to teach
movement and positioning. I have been through 'live fire houses' which is a
specially constructed training environment where you use real guns with real
bullets to shoot paper targets. Problem is, paper targets don't move and
almost never shoot back. The best by far, was training I attended while I
was with the San Jose Police Department. We used a system
called 'Simunitions'. 'Simunitions' is a trademarked product that allows the
officer to use his own service pistol, and by replacing the barrel with
the 'Simuntions' barrel and firing special paintball ammunition he/she can
participate in very realistic training. It is an expensive system however.
When airsoft entered the picture it was seen as an affordable alternative. A
typical airsoft pistol can cost between $15 and $50, but there are models
that run as high as several hundred. Remember, you get what you pay for.
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The benefits of airsoft.
In my opinion, airsoft is a valuable training tool because it is cost
effective, most guns are built on a 1/1 scale, they are low powered so
property damage is almost impossible and personal injury is very easily
avoided, and most importantly, the targets can shoot back. By equipping
officers with the guns, and placing a 'suspect' in the building with his own
gun, the concepts of cover and team movement are reinforced. Knowing that
the suspect can shoot you if you don't utilize cover properly forces the
search team to constantly evaluate their position and movement. It re-
inforces teamwork, communication, leadership, discipline, and concentration.
It also happens to be a lot of fun. The guns use changeable magazines, so re-
loading is mandatory and you have to use fire discipline.
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The drawbacks.
Let's face it, most of these are made of plastic, very similar to a toy, and
I have actually caught myself mistakenly referring to them as toys. I
shouldn't do that though, they definitely aren't toys, but they also aren't
weapons. They are simply replicas, some constructed better than others.
Like any plastic items, they can break and wear out. Some of the ones I have
seen feel very poorly constructed. Some of the guns are very realistic, but
in the end it is a replica with potential. The BB's have a limited range.
For outdoor training, my research indicates that only the more expensive guns
are effective. Most of the guns can only fire a moderate distance before the
BB starts to drop. It looks like the ideal environment is CQB style
training. Close Quarters Battle training is your typical urban/city setting,
indoor training, etc. Also, because most are made with plastic, a lot of the
gun reviews indicate they will break if mistreated. Some of the less
expensive models experience misfires. Malfunction training is critical, but
frequent failures get discouraging.
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Safety
Since the guns fire plastic BBs, safety equipment is almost identical to
paintball equipment. At close range, most airsoft BBs strike with enough
force to raise a welt on unprotected skin, just like paintballs. At further
distances, it stings a bit, but nothing more. For that reason, our safety
equipment will match the style of training. For basic clearing exercises,
eye protection is mandatory. This can be shooting glasses, goggles, etc.
When we enter 'force on force' training, where we actually shoot at each
other, participants must wear a full facemask/goggle system. These are
available starting around $15 at any sporting goods store that carries
paintball gear. Several large stores (Wal-mart is one option) have them in
the sports department. Upper torso padding will also be mandatory. You can
buy a replica tactical vest starting around $20 or simply wear layered
clothing. A winter vest or padded coat is also acceptable but that could get
hot. I would recommend gloves and long sleeves and long pants. I don't see
any risk of injury to your skin, but like I said, the BBs sting. There will
be thorough safety briefings each time we begin training and all safety rules
must be followed. These are not like the BB guns that fire .177 cal. BBs and
pellets. Most 'real' BB guns have a pump that allows the user to increase
the air pressure by pumping the gun more. Those BB guns can cause property
damage and injury if not used properly. Airsoft on the other hand, works
from a different mechanism, and is less powerful. The guns we will use are
not capable of damaging property if used with common sense. As stated
earlier, simple safety equipment reduces the sting of an impact.
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Firing mechanisms
I have been reading up on the issue and as far as I can see, there are three
basic systems; spring, gas, and electric. The spring guns shoot one BB each
time the gun is cocked. So the user has to cock, shoot, cock, shoot, etc.
The gas system uses a re-fillable gas cartridge. Load the gun, insert the
gas cartridge, and shoot until you are out of BBs or out of air. The
electric gun uses standard batteries or a re-chargable battery. Load the gun
and shoot until the charge dies or you are out of BBs. The gas and electric
guns are capable of semi-auto or full-auto firing. Semi-auto fires one BB
each trigger pull. Full auto is your basic 'machine gun'. Hold the trigger
and pow-pow-pow-pow-pow-pow until you release the trigger or run out of BBs.
The better the firing mechanism, the more expensive the gun. I have
purchased several guns in preparation for our training. I have spring and
electric. I have not had a chance to use the gas, so I'm not real familiar
with it. My spring gun is a replica shotgun similar to the pump shotguns
carried by officers. Unfortunately, I bought cheap and like I said earlier,
I got what I paid for. I broke it the second or third day. (Yes, I was
playing at home.) I was able to repair it and it seems to be working fine.
It is a spring gun, so you pump, shoot, pump, shoot. I have three electric
pistols modeled after the Taurus 9MM. The gun uses four AAA batteries. It
came with two 15-round magazines and fires semi-auto. The batteries fit in
the grip behind the magazine well. Insert the magazine, fire your 15 BBs,
change the magazine, fire 15 more. I also have two electric rifles. One is
an M-16, the other is modeled after the FN P-90. The P-90 is a weird looking
gun. Both are capable of fully automatic fire. The M-16 has a 40-round
mag. The P-90 has a resevoir that holds over 100 BBs.
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Availability
The first rule on availability: don't purchase a gun, mask, or vest if you
don't have to. I have enough guns to get us off to a good start and several
Explorers said they have masks. All you need is a jacket or layered shirts
and you'll be fine. If, however, you are interested in getting your own
equipment, here are some guidelines. Don't spend more than you have to. I
want this to be a fun learning experience, but I don't want to inconvenience
anyone's family and I certainly don't want to burden anyone's budget. Let me
take care of the details unless you simply have to have your own stuff. I
have purchased from three sources so far. I got the pistols from Wal-mart.
The P-90 and the shotgun came from Academy Sports. The M-16 came from the
internet site 'Amazon.com'. As stated in item #1 above, there is an
abundance of web sites offering guns and equipment. Be extremely careful
about internet purchasing. I trust Amazon, but with any internet shopping,
there is a risk of identity theft. If you decide to make a purchase on your
own, read all available details very carefully. If you want electric, be
sure you are not purchasing spring. Be sure it comes with batteries if
needed. I have no preference on pistol type. If you want a replica Glock,
Beretta, Sig, Colt, or whatever, it really doesn't matter to me. Just be
careful and be sure you are buying what you really want. Be wary of prices.
A lot of the airsoft guns run in the hundreds of dollars. There are even
some rifles that run a thousand dollars or more. A pistol in the $25 to $60
range will be fine for our purposes. If you want your own rifle, there are
law enforcement style rifles and SMGs in the $50 to $100 range. They aren't
great, but for our training they should do fine. Don't get distracted
by 'extras'. Some rifles come with laser sights, scopes, lights, slings,
etc. Remember, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. If you want a rifle, check with me
first. SOME RIFLES JUST AREN'T DESIGNED FOR CLEARING BUILDINGS! Typically,
rifles that are used for CQB are shorter, such as MP-5s, M4s, etc. A full
size M-16 is great for outdoor infantry type role playing, but it is
difficult to move through doorways with a long gun. Whatever you buy,
remember that quality varies. Some manufacturers have better reputations
than others, but they also have higher prices. Remember, a cheap gun will
have a cheap firing mechanism. The spring will break, the motor will seize,
the plastic parts will break. Don't spend your money on a cheap gun, because
it will probably break like mine did. A quick warning also, the electric
rifles that fire on full-auto should not be fired longer that four or five
continuous seconds unless you buy one of the very high priced models. Some
of the reviews I have seen say that if you hold the trigger down too long,
the motor overheats. If you decide to buy a gun, pay attention to words such
as 'mini'. A mini gun is exactly that. They take a real gun, 'shrink' it,
and sell it. Instead of a full sized replica, you get a gun that is 1/2 or
2/3 actual size, sometimes even 1/4 size. If you are going for realism,
consider a 1/1 replica.
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Airsoft and the law
There has been a lot of discussion on laws and airsoft. Your gun should have
a bright orange tip, to indicate it is a replica. If it doesn't, be
extremely careful. Very often, replicas are mistaken for real firearms with
tragic consequences. If your gun does not have an orange tip, I have some
red duct tape and we can mark it. If it isn't easily recognizable as a
replica, we will not use it. Also, we have a city ordinance that prohibits
using airguns in the city limits. That includes airsoft, even in your own
backyard. Don't get yourself in trouble. The ordinance provides for an
exception: getting approval from the Mayor in writing. I have obtained
written permission from the mayor for our training, but it covers our
organized training only! Be extremely careful if you purchase your own
gun. Follow all of the safety rules. Use it responsibly. Make sure you use
it in accordance with all laws. Don't forget, others may not realize the gun
you are using is a replica and may misinterpret your actions.
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Research
Airsoft has turned out to be a fascinating topic. If you have internet
permission, search for 'airsoft', 'air soft', 'softair', or 'soft air'. Read
up on the different styles and various clubs and organizations. There are
some large clubs that seem to have large scale wars. By reading, you'll get
a better idea of what you want if you decide to purchase. Pay attention to
reviews. They can be a good indicator of product quality.
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Basic Equipment
Every Explorer will be able to use an airsoft gun during training. The Post
will provide the gun and eye protection. Basic training will consist of
building clearance procedures, felony car stops, dynamic entry training,
etc. You don't need to buy anything for the basics. If you choose to
participate in advanced training, you will need a full face mask and upper
torso/chest protector. Advanced training will be the same type scenarios as
basic, but we will take turns as 'good guys' and 'bad guys'. That means
shooting at each other. Optional equipment includes duty belts, tactical
vest, holster, helmet and anything else. There is a ton of equipment
available, just don't go overboard.
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Guns & Holsters, When & Where
There are several very affordable holsters for airsoft guns. They start
around $10. The ones I have seen strap to any belt. Some dealers also carry
law enforcement style belts for enthusiasts. We can use the guns and
holsters during a scheduled training event only. I don't want any Explorer
adding a holster to his uniform belt. You can't wear it to meetings,
parades, or any other place. The guns and holsters (if you buy any) will be
brought to our training in a bag (backpack, duffel, papersack, it doesn't
matter) or some other way that does not require you to wear it. I also don't
want you simply walking down the street carrying the gun. Numerous law
enforcement agencies come and go from our station on a regular basis.
Deputies, troopers, uniformed and plain clothes. Don't come walking in
holding an Airsoft replica. Keep it in your duffel bag or backpack until we
are assembled and ready to begin. Also, I WILL NOT TOLERATE INAPPROPRIATE
PLAY. DO NOT SHOOT THE GUNS AS A JOKE, EVER!
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The bottom line... Is it dangerous?
I have a feeling most parents will ask this. I have researched a few police
departments that use Airsoft. They all require eye protection. Typically,
that is all they require. Their policy on getting hit by BBs seems to imply
what they call a 'pain penalty', 'negative re-inforcement', or 'motivational
discomfort'. However they say it, it comes down to the fact that if the
officer is hit with a BB, it stings and sends the message, 'OK, I goofed up
and didn't use appropriate cover. I need to do better next time'. I have
not heard of any injuries. There are some reports of welts and redness at
the point of impact, but nothing worse. All of the articles I have read say
the impact is not nearly as bad as getting hit with a paintball, and
paintballing is a very popular sport. Even though the worst result is a red
stinging welt, I want to avoid any discomfort. I want this to be fun. I
want the Explorers to learn. That's why we will use the masks and padding.
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