Airsoft Guns: Identical Firearm Replicas Are Far From Kids Toys.

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft guns are air powered replicas of real guns. These guns were originally created in China, were the government had made fire-arms illegal and citizens still wanted to collect them. Manufacturers stepped forward and provided the first airsoft guns to these Chinese citizens who desired guns but could not get their hands on the real things. These first guns worked similar to American made BB guns in that they used pellets (plastic BB's). In time all of these guns were standardized to carry a particular millimeter pellet.

These weapons eventually were adapted to include guns that were powered by gas or battery and as these guns became more and more popular a sport developed. This sport simply known as airsoft is basically a big boy version of Cowboy and Indians or capture the flag. This hobby eventually traveled across the ocean to the United States and became popular there as well.

Airsoft guns are manufactured mostly in the orient as they were when they were first developed. Manufacturing companies for airsoft guns have sprouted up in China, Japan, Taiwan and other locations as a result of their ever growing popularity.

These carbon copy m16's and other semi automatic rifles and pistols have been recently adopted by a large amount of police departments for the purpose of training their new recruits and providing refresher training to their current officers without having to use more expensive authentic weapons in training scenarios.

While many games have evolved from the use of these guns, perhaps the most popular is MilSim. A military simulation game that comprises of two teams of players that plan out extensive battle strategies and often play continuously for several days in a row. Players often remain in the field until the game has completely ended and often use radios, rations and even explosives.

Replicating reality as close as possible the players on each team carry M16's and other military style weapons and fight out elaborate military exercises, that in many cases are reproductions of historic battles. Players of these battles typically stay involved up to the end of the game, many times for several days.

While MilSim tends to be the most popular sport it is by far not the only sport. Unlike paint-ball, another popular war simulation game, Airsoft requires a player to uphold an honor system. In paint ball the paint pellets that are fired by the guns leave obvious paint markings on the players when they are hit. With airsoft guns, there is not this obvious marking and so the player must be honest about when they have been hit and where.

Due to the exactness of these guns some areas have restricted their use, such as large inner cities. In the United States these guns are required to contain orange markings that are permanent. So they can be quickly distinguished from authentic fire-arms.

There are many retailers on the market in most states. Air soft guns can be found at flea markets, malls and even sporting good stores. Another way to purchase these replicas is over the internet where there is a continual growth of companies that provide airsoft guns. - 31409

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