Saturday, November 21, 2009

Airsoft guns: Some Basic Safety Guidelines

Airsoft guns are non-lethal replicas of real firearms and used generally within a game format at designated places. Despite their quite safe-sounding name, airsoft guns although not lethal can be very dangerous. However, with the right air soft gun safety equipment and an adherence to some basic safety guidelines, you can shoot without fear of unexpectedly injuring yourself or someone else. Read on for some basic guidelines for the use of airsoft guns.

1) Always treat airsoft guns as if they are loaded and handle them with care.

2) Do not shoot your gun at anything other than an official safety target. Only put your finger on the trigger if you are ready to fire your gun. Accidental firing particularly at close range can result in damaged eyes or lost teeth.

3) Do not brandish an airsoft gun in a public place. They should be used in designated areas for airsoft gun use.

4) A note to parents of children using airsoft guns. If your child brings an airsoft gun to school or uses it in any other public place they run the risk of being suspended or even arrested. In the worst case scenario they risk being shot by a police officer as airsoft guns are often excellent copies of real firearms and can quite easily be mistaken for the real thing.

5) To minimize the potential for unexpected injury, always be aware of what is behind, beyond and either side of your target before you fire your gun at your target.

6) Airsoft guns shoot plastic pellets at a slower rate than that of a real firearm. Therefore airsoft guns can be used to shoot at human targets without injury but under certain conditions. The most important condition is eyewear. Never shoot at someone who is not wearing proper protective eyewear. Recommended eyewear are eye goggles rated at least ANSI Z87.1 or goggles used for paintball. Always wear eye goggles yourself when you are using airsoft guns.

7) Other recommended safety accessories are a thick jumper or eve a bullet proof vest if possible, plastic hip guards and forearm guards, knee protection and shin guards, steel toe combat boots and leather gloves. Cover all skin areas as much as possible.

8) When transporting your gun to and from a game carry it in a gun case. The gun case is safe, protects your gun and can be used to store Airsoft pistols, accessories and spare magazines. Remember in some places using a case is the only legal way to carry your gun. Respect the laws of the area in which you are carrying your gun.

9) Airsoft guns cannot be bought by children under 18 and can only be used by children under 18 if supervised correctly.

10) Be aware of all local and federal laws governing the buying, carrying and use of airsoft guns. Contact your local police department for more information.

Airsoft guns can provide a great deal of fun. Misuse of these types of replica gun can bring unnecessary injury or harm to users and innocent bystanders alike. Having rules should not put you off playing airsoft gun games. Having guidelines helps everybody to get the best out of the use of the guns and keeps everybody safe. Remember to purchase the right gun for your particular need and level of ability. A whole range of cheap and more expensive models can be purchased from quality retailers.

Choose your gun wisely, follow the safety guidelines and have lots of fun.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Paintball Vs. Airsoft Guns

Whether you prefer Paintball or Airsoft is entirely a matter of personal choice, although both games have similar attributes, they commonly attract different markets. Paintball is characterised by its fast pace and hard hitting action, whilst Airsoft players welcome team participation, using tactics and strategies.

The guns used in airsoft and paintball are quite different; Airsoft guns and rifles, whether gas, electric or sniper rifles or spring guns, are popular as they are highly realistic replicas of military guns and a relatively cheaper option. The main difference between the types of gun is that paintball guns have a hopper that the paintballs are poured into, whereas airsoft guns use clips. Clips make loading and unloading a straightforward process and the extra clips are light to carry. In paintball a belt or vest is necessary to hold the big cylinders of paintballs.

Start up packages for Airsoft or Paintball are around the same price, however, further costs are incurred when purchasing ammunition and carrying out any maintenance and repairs to the guns. Taken as a whole, Airsoft guns work out less expensive as Airsoft pellets are a lot cheaper to produce than paintballs are and the ammunition used makes the guns less liable to ‘jam.’ The biggest outlay is the purchase of the Airsoft gun, after this initial cost everything extra is relatively cheap. Expect to pay from $20 to $70 for a low quality electric Airsoft gun, whilst a high quality gun could cost more than $300.

Airsoft guns have a longer range than paintball guns with most Airsoft guns shooting between 250fps to 600fps, an Airsoft pellet will also travel a lot further than a paintball pellet will.

Ammunition used in games are paintballs and 6mm BBs in airsoft games. Games can be played in woods/forests or in an open area, if the area is wooded the paintballs can have a problem reaching their target as the trees and bushes stop their progress and can even break them. Airsoft pellets are much smaller and the likelihood of them hitting something in the way is less probable.

Airsoft guns are more accurate than paintballs, so games are concluded faster as targets are hit. Players can also easily avoid paintballs, if they see it coming in beforehand it’s quite easy to move out of its way, whereas Airsoft pellets are too small to see when they are travelling at a high speed and would be very difficult to avoid.

Airsoft guns are much easier to manoeuvre with as they are lightweight and easy to hold, whilst paintball guns tend to be large and unwieldy with external CO2 and N2 or compressed air cylinders. Also, the hopper can occasionally get in the way.

Paintball guns need to be oiled, regularly cleaned and refilled each time you want to play. If you own a gas airsoft gun it will also need refilling each time you play, but electric and spring airsoft guns require no gas at all. Both types of guns will require regular maintenance to ensure they stay in good working condition. Although a simple process, paintball guns will need the barrel cleaned on a regular basis and they do have more parts than airsoft guns proving more costly to fix. Major repairs needed for both types of gun should be uncommon.

When you play paintball it is very easy to see when you have been shot, the ball explodes and the paint is very evident on the player, however, a player gets shot by an airsoft gun will have no visible marks, unless they have a mark or bruise. The players would have to be very close to each other to see if an airsoft pellet hit its mark. Airsoft has to rely more on the honesty and integrity of its players.

Both Paintball and Airsoft guns each have their individual advantages and disadvantages. How the gun looks, costs, speed and effectiveness will all contribute towards the final decision you make.







Thursday, November 19, 2009

Target shooting for airsoft guns

A safe way to promote target shooting, hunting and plinking for the younger generation is with airsoft guns. It is important to know the proper procedure of using an airsoft gun. The majority of people judge the quality airsoft gun with its accuracy level.
Airsoft guns come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some airsoft guns come with an option of adjustable trigger, power velocity, shockproof and multiple shots features that are simply not resistible for a passionate shooter. Make sure store the airsoft gun unloaded and out of the reach of small children.
For starters, the best option is to use a sandbag to give ample support to the airsoft gun. This helps in maintaining the gun alignment and keeps it steady while the user can concentrate completely on the target. Airsoft guns give you an option to practice indoors or outside in the open. All you need is a good shooting range to develop your passion for shooting and leave the rest on your trusted airsoft gun.

There are two classifications of airsoft guns: multi-stroke and single-stroke. Single-stroke airsoft guns provide higher amounts of accuracy. High-powered airsoft guns are meant for big events like Olympic competitions or for professional military use. For normal use, a low powered airsoft gun is the best option. Pre-charged airsoft gun is another common variety with the advantage of multiple shots. It operates with a special hose that supplies compressed air for multiple shots.
However, you need to make sure that your shooting range is free from any unwanted targets like someone in your neighborhood. Airsoft guns should be treated with respect because a slight careless mistake may have a disastrous impact on the target.
The "On Safe" mode provides safeguards to both its user and the external environment. Take your airsoft gun to a repeatable dealer if it needs to be repaired.
Do not attempt to dissemble your airsoft gun. If the surface gets worn out or damaged with use, you might feel a need to replace the backstop.
All shooters should wear shooting glasses while using airsoft guns to avoid any unwanted circumstances. Airsoft guns should not be aimed at water surfaces or a hard surface that can eventually cause the pellet to bounce on someone or something you had not targeted.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Red Cell - CQB airsoft training

Example of Airsoft gun

Important factor: Safety Precautions of an Electric Airsoft Machine Gun

When you are playing the game of airsoft, the most important factor beyond winning the game is to be safe while you are playing. The most important component of airsoft safety is maintaining the safe and reliable operation of your electric airsoft machine gun. These are not toys, they are weapons and they should be considered dangerous in the wrong hands. A BB fired from an electric airsoft machine gun can sting and can cause serious bodily injury, especially if it is fired in the wrong spot and hits a part of the body that is incredibly sensitive.

Proper protection gear is necessary to play airsoft. This includes a set of shatter-resistant goggles and a helmet, in most cases. The bare minimum piece of equipment allowed on all airsoft game play areas is a pair of goggles. Glasses or sunglasses are not suitable replacements for the official shatter-resistant goggles of airsoft. Do not go without these goggles as a single shot from any airsoft weapon to the eye can cause blindness or other serious injury. It is not worth it to take the chance with your sight or your health in this way; remember to be cautious and careful at all times.

Maintaining Your Weapon

One of the most important aspects of airsoft is the maintenance of your electric airsoft machine gun. Keeping your gun clean and ready to go with the right amount of lubricant and other materials is a good idea. This can be vital to the workmanship of your gun and can help keep you safe, as well. This is because an improperly firing gun becomes unreliable and unpredictable. With this unpredictability comes a lack of knowing when and where the gun will fire and how or if it will reach its target. This can cause serious unintentional accidents from occurring and can result in injury.

Pay attention to the working parts of your electric airsoft machine gun. Make sure you are familiar with the electric aspect as well, ensuring that no accidental shocking developments occur. The most dangerous part of any weapon, real or replica, is a user that is not familiar with its working order or improper maintenance. When used properly, an electric airsoft machine gun can be a fun and exciting part of any collection. When used improperly, however, it becomes a dangerous liability and a harmful addition.

Airsoft gun

Airsoft guns are highly detailed firearm replicas manufactured for recreational purposes. Airsoft guns propel non-metallic 6mm pellets at muzzle velocities ranging from 30 to 260 m/s (100 to 850 ft/s) by way of compressed gas or a spring-driven piston. Depending on the mechanism driving the pellet, an airsoft gun can be operated manually or cycled by either compressed gas (such as Green Gas, propane, or Co2), a spring, or an electric motor.

Airsoft is safe with proper care, and the recommended playing age is 18 or above. The plastic projectiles expelled from airsoft guns travel at fairly low velocity and are too light to penetrate the skin. Though some heavier projectiles made of copper or metal can penetrate skin, they are banned at all Airsoft events.

However, weapons upgraded to higher than 500 fps (feet per second) can penetrate the skin at shorter distances.[citation needed] This is usually countered by such high-power weapons either being disallowed or restricted from being fired within a minimum engagement distance. All sites require players to wear protective eyewear, in the form of goggles, masks or glasses. Many Airsoft sites require players to be 18 years or older to play.

In 1980s Japan it was illegal to own a firearm, but there was a large interest in them. Because of this interest, manufacturers started to produce realistic looking spring-powered guns. These guns fired several calibers of plastic or rubber BBs, but were eventually standardized into 6&_160;mm and 8&_160;mm sizes. The early spring powered weapons then morphed into gas powered ones, using a variety of systems. The hobby then migrated to North America in the mid 1990s.[1] Then low powered spring guns transformed into Classic airsoft. About ten years after this time, Japan hit a recession just as AEGs, or automatic electric guns, hit the market. Many old manufacturers were lost, leaving Tokyo Marui, inventor of the AEG, as the primary manufacturer. Marui then invented an improved Hop up system, further improving the accuracy and range of the weapons. In the early 2000s, Classic Army of Hong Kong entered the scene and gradually improved its quality of guns until it now rivals Tokyo Marui. A few years later countless Chinese brands flooded [2] the market with cheap entry level weapons. For an airsoft gun to be legally imported into the United States, or commercially sold in the United States, it must have a blaze orange (ASTM 875 or brighter) tip.