A number of people fear firearms or at least don’t like them and they have their reasons. Personally, I fear the downhill of a roller coaster and I don’t like playing with dolls or shell cold shrimp, yet, give me an airsoft gun in a combat field of friends and family and watch the excitement.

We have our likes, fears, pleasures, and woes. Still, there’s something about joining that friendly airsoft gun skirmish using my airsoft guns that I find exhilarating. This airsoft gun activity may be uncomfortable for many; yet can be a fantasy come true or at least good exercise for others.

WHAT IS AIRSOFT?

Airsoft is the label given to the sport and/or hobby of collecting 1:1 replicas of real firearms. Airsoft guns are considered non-lethal because the airsoft gun ammunition consists of soft BBs or pellets; typically larger than the BB’s sold in many local sporting goods stores.

Airsoft guns, whether they are airsoft rifles or pistols, can be manufactured as pure toys [made of mostly toy plastic) and not realistic in appearance or can be manufactured to pass for the real thing; having the weight, mechanisms, touch, etc. of the real firearm [i.e. colt 45, M16, AK47, etc]. The required bright orange tip found on all airsoft guns [required by US law and regulated by local state, county, city ordinances] and the actual airsoft gun propulsion system isolates airsoft guns from real guns.

Real guns fire a deadly propellant via a form of firing pin against an explosive. Airsoft guns fire a non-lethal propellant via a burst of air. The method used to generate that burst of air distinguishes airsoft gun operations [i.e. spring, gas or electric].

WHAT DOES AIRSOFT DO?

Airsoft gun history began in Japan around 1970. Possessing any type of firearm was illegal and punishable by Japan law. Yet, shooting a firearm was a personal urge.

The economic principle of ‘supply and demand’ surfaced in that where a demand exists, a supply will follow. Manufacturers introduced the airsoft guns that addressed the Japan demand for firearm usage, but without the lethal effects that Japanese law addressed. By the early 1990′s that supply reached the United States addressing our variation of demand. We wanted firearm usage, but without the expense and lethal affects that the real gun characterized. The Airsoft Gun industry gave Japan a boost in their economy and even a greater boost when those products reached export levels that included United States.

Since all airsoft guns fire a non-lethal propellant via a burst of air; airsoft players and collectors varied interests relative to the method used to generate that burst of air.

HOW DOES AIRSOFT WORK?

Three styles of airsoft guns have evolved since the early 1970′s and distinctive methods that generate the burst of air. Each airsoft gun style carries positive and negative characteristics. These characteristic will appeal differently to the players who use airsoft guns.

The ‘SPRING’ airsoft guns are often the choice of airsoft guns used by the first time airsoft players. The start- up costs and the ease of operation are a definite advantage for the novice. As the name implies; the player simply cocks the spring before firing the airsoft gun. Whether an airsoft pistol, rifle, or automatic, the player cocks the spring, before firing the gun.

The ‘GAS’ airsoft guns were the next to enter the collections and skirmishes. The cost factors increased some, but so did the firing distance, realism in usage, and simplicity of operations. Built into the airsoft gun or the magazine for that airsoft gun is a gas powered storage system that, when triggered, will propel the BB or pellet from the gun’s barrel , empty a magazine as fast as you can pull the trigger, and (if the airsoft gun is a ‘gas-blowback’) allows for the recoil operation of the gun’s receiver.

The ‘ELECTRIC’ airsoft guns are the current pride and joy of those veteran to airsoft gun skirmishes and collections of dream guns (with the orange tips). What was unique to the radio controlled cars and aircrafts industries expanded to the airsoft gun industry. Built into these electric air soft pistols and rifles are motorized gear systems of air propulsion that utilize a battery powered source of energy. It can be a battery replacement system or a battery rechargeable system. This advanced operation increased the rate of fire (ROP) to a more realistic level of 600 – 900 rounds per minute (RPM). These airsoft guns can impersonate and support the fully automatic features of most AEG brands and truly give greater excitement to the airsoft players.

WHY DOES AIRSOFT WORK?

As a kid, cops and robbers was a big thing in my Chicago neighborhood. It was fun cutting in and out of back yards, jumping fences, dodging cars in the streets and alleys, hiding in the bushes and dirt just to ambush a friend. Kid’s games maybe, but this was a tension breaker from the pressure of chores and homework. I survived childhood, but as an adult, I’d be looked at ‘funny’ if I did this at my age in my neighborhood.

The airsoft gun enthusiast collects his dream guns, his favorite guns of history and his guns of childhood favorites (remember: The Rifleman, Dirty Harry, Wyatt Earp or The Rebel). Not all childhood favorites have made the airsoft gun status, but others have.

The appeal is to own your collection of guns of choice without the lethal element that has been associated with guns. The appeal is to role play historic gun toting heroes or SWAT rescue operations or Navy Seal secret missions or just plain old capture the flag. The appeal is a weekend skirmish in a friendly combat field of friends and family and the barbecue that follows. This is a definite stress reduction method for those devoted to the weekly stressful demands placed on students, legal secretaries, mothers/fathers, personal bankers, sales persons, and more.

CONCLUSION

The Airsoft gun evolution may have started in the Japan 1970′s but developed as a USA current avenue of thrills. Your search engines can seek out the airsoft gun clubs, the teams, and the organizations that sponsor safe, organized airsoft gun skirmishes in your neighborhoods.

You should play safe (know the laws of your state, county, and city), play fair (respect those you associate with), play hard (enjoy the sport and the exercise), a plan the airsoft combat field operation (impersonate the general or commander and orchestrate that strategic military operation).

There are many responsibilities that go along with firearm ownership. If you own any kind of firearm, but do not have a safe of some kind to keep them protected you are taking a couple of risks. A good shotgun safe is an absolute must if you have children or if children visit your home. The with a quality safe you can keep your firearms secure and out of view from curious kids. In addition to the safety of your family, you want your firearms secured from potential thieves. Not only are you protecting a hefty investment, you are keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals by securing them in a safe.With these issues in mind, you should consider the following when looking for a quality shotgun safe:1. Capacity. Don’t just look for a safe that will barely hold your firearm collection. Given the relative expense of a good safe, you want to be sure you have room for future expansion. Make sure the safe is tall enough to accommodate a barrel length of at least 30 inches.2. Consider a “dial” type lock if you are looking for a simple design that is less susceptible to malfunction. If you do go digital, be sure to consider a “commercial” grade lock for more trustworthy performance.3. Consider fire protection that will assure that the contents will be able to withstand a fire of 350 degrees for at least an hour.In addition to the above considerations, you want to be sure your safe can be secured to either a concrete floor, or to your wall studs if you are installing on a non-concrete floor.If you are serious about finding a good quality shotgun safe at a price that matches your budget, then visit my Shotgun Safe web site for more information.

With the sport of hunting gradually increasing in popularity around the United States each year, hunters are finding themselves in closer proximity to other hunters than ever. Naturally, this situation creates a certain element of danger, considering the minuscule amount of safety training required for a hunting permit, and that fact that nearly every hunter in America is walking around with a loaded firearm.

Here are a few basic tips to keep you and others as safe as possible while enjoying the hunting season. These tips are based off of tried and true firearm safety “rules,” and, if followed “to the T” are guaranteed to keep you and everyone safe from a tragic firearm accident.

1. Only point a firearm at something you are willing to destroy

This is the most basic fundamental gun safety rule. This is the first and most important step to safe firearm handling that you will learn in nearly any gun safety course, and if followed correctly at all times, makes all the following rules moot.

The premise here is that as long as the gun is pointed at something you are WILLING to destroy – loaded or unloaded – an accident can not happen, regardless of circumstances. This means that when walking around, the gun is pointed at the ground, since a small patch of earth is something most people would be willing to destroy (especially given the alternatives). It means that while removing a firearm from a car or truck, it is pointed down toward the ground.

For this rule to function properly, it must be followed at all times, with 100% accuracy. If you manage to follow this rule at all times, all of the other rules can potentially be broken, but since the gun is point at something you are willing to destroy, there can not be a tragic accident.

2. Treat every gun as if it were loaded

There is no such thing as a safe gun. Especially to new hunters, this is an exceptionally important concept to grasp. It does not matter if the gun has been disassembled for six months. It does not matter that the safety is on. It DOES NOT MATTER if they stopped producing ammunition for that particular model 25 years ago. EVERY gun is LOADED and READY TO FIRE at all times, PERIOD!

This is one of those rules where overkill is necessary for complete safety. Obviously, sometimes a gun is unloaded, and the safety is on, and the bolt is removed, so it is mechanically impossible for the weapon to fire. However, if you are in the habit of treating a gun in such condition as loaded, you are even more likely to treat one that IS loaded with the same caution.

This is certainly a rule to take seriously. There are many, MANY firearm-related accidents each year because the shooter was “sure” that “the gun was not loaded.”

3. Be certain of your target and what is beyond it

Too often while out in the woods, hunters take aim at any sound or movement they notice. This can be a tragic mistake, as many times the sound could be another hunter, or someone out for a hike, or someone out camping. It is very important that you know exactly what you are pointing a firearm at BEFORE pointing the firearm.

This also means that, for animals (or what looks like an animal) at range, you do NOT raise your rifle and use the optical scope to verify that it is indeed the game you are pursuing. For this case, you need to carry a set of binoculars, so that you can safely verify your target BEFORE pointing a gun at it.

It is also important to know what is BEHIND your intended target. Many rifles can fire out to one thousand yards or more. A missed shot can be tragic if there is a neighborhood just a few hundred yards beyond the trees that you can not see. It is vital to explore your hunting grounds extensively and be certain of your surroundings.

4. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire

Again, this rule is based on many firearm-related accidents every year. People get into the habit of sticking their trigger finder inside the trigger guard every time they pick up a firearm. This is a terrible habit, as it can very easily cause a negligent discharge, which is when a gun is inadvertently set off.

Until the moment a shot is desired, a hunter or sportsman should keep his or her trigger finger resting along the side of a rifle or shotgun, just above the trigger guard. The trigger finger can quickly, quietly, and easily be moved into the guard and onto the trigger in the blink of an eye once you are ready to take a shot, so there is really no reason not to follow this simple safety precaution.

Those are the four basic rules of firearm safety to follow when hunting. Please keep these in mind, and practice them regularly when partaking in any sport involving firearms of any type. Have fun, and stay safe!