“BB guns can be very dangerous, especially for children. Remember the famous movie, A Christmas Story. Ralphie’s mom and dad kept telling him ‘You’ll shoot your eye out.’ And he almost did.” – Hilary Nemchik[1]
Background: How Airsoft guns work
“Airsoft guns” may be understood to include “[e]lectric, spring, and gas powered pistols and rifles made to resemble actual handguns and rifles.”[2]
“…[A]irsoft guns are they are essentially the same as paintball guns in both functionality and application, apart from the type of projectile used. …Essentially there are 3 types firing mechanisms used in airsoft guns, spring, electric, and gas. A spring airsoft gun operated by utilizing energy that is stored in a spring. Spring must be manually primed before each shot, and a primed spring drives a piston which imparts force upon the BB, thus sending it on its trajectory. To equate to actual firearms a spring gun could be neither considered a semi-automatic or automatic gun, but would most closely resemble the mechanics of a bolt action rifle. Electric and gas guns may operate in both an automatic and semi-automatic capacity whereas a single BB may be fire with every pull of the trigger, or multiple BB’s may be fired with a single pull of the trigger. And electric gun relies on a battery-operated motor that primes a spring for the user as opposed to a manually primed spring in spring guns. A gas gun operates differently to electric and spring guns in that springs and pistons are not necessary. In gas guns the expansion of gas (normally CO2 from canisters) is what propels the projectile forward.
“A typical airsoft gun that one might buy or rent at an airsoft facility closely resembles that of the military rifle the “M4 carbine” which closely resembles some iterations of an AR-15 style assault rifle. These guns are most typically electric and fire 6mm BB’s at approximately 300 fps (feet per second) (205 mph) and can be shot in either a semi-automatic or automatic function. This speed may seem excessive upon first inspection but because the BB’s weigh so little (most typically 0.12 grams) the impact they have in terms of force is minor, less impactful than that of a typical paint ball.”[3]
All Firearms and Guns
One state legislator bids us remember: “All firearms, even low velocity firearms, have some danger. …[T]reat …[your Airsoft gun] with the same respect …[with which you should] treat all firearms.”[4]
Additionally: “Make sure you and your …[parents or guardians] take a gun safety course [if available in your area] together so that you know how to handle the gun.”[5]
“Also, as with all guns, you should always practice gun safety including…”.[6]
5 General Rules for Handling Any Sort of Gun Safely
- “Always treat all guns as if they are loaded.”[7] Assume that all guns are loaded – until you have checked and verified that they are unloaded!
- “Always keep gun muzzles pointed in a safe direction. Gun muzzles must never be pointed at other persons under any circumstance. On a range, the safest directions to point a gun muzzle are usually upward or downrange towards the target.”[8]
- “Do not point the gun at anything you don’t wish to shoot …[and b]e sure of your target and what is beyond it.”[9]
- RIFLE ACTION. “When handling any rifle or firearm, the action must be open with a CBI (Clear Barrel Indicator), ECI (Empty Chamber Indicator) or OBI (Open Bolt Indicator) inserted. Gun actions must remain open except when the gun is on the firing line and preparation or firing periods have begun. When shooting is finished, the action must be open and a CBI/ECI/OBI must be inserted, even when the gun is on the firing line. The gun action may be closed when it is placed in a gun case or storeroom, but must be opened and a CBI/ECI/OBI inserted as soon as it is picked up again.”[10]
- “Keep your finger off of the trigger until after placing the gun in the shooting position and preparing to fire a shot. It is especially important to keep the finger outside of the trigger guard when loading the gun and placing it in the shooting position.”[11]
Airsoft Guns
“As to …[any specific, Airsoft-related] questions, your local law enforcement officers or merchants may be a better source for information [than federal, or state-level authorities]. It is [also] possible that stores may set their own policies on sales of air-soft guns.
“…[A]ir-soft guns are dangerous and should be treated with care. I believe all guns including toy guns need to be respected and retreated with safety in mind. Also, many toy guns, BB guns, air-soft guns, paint ball guns and laser tag guns look real and can be easily mistaken as real guns by others and by law enforcement officers.
“If law enforcement offers respond to a complaint, they will most likely treat a person with an air-soft gun as a real threat. Tragic accidents have happened and people have been shot and killed by law enforcement officers who believed the treat was real. Use extreme caution and common sense when handling any gun.”[12]
“Take [Airsoft games and guns] seriously! Treat all Airsoft weapons as if they are REAL and Loaded! …[T]he best place to play is always areas with other players that have boundaries, away from the public.
“When buying Airsoft, each weapon is age-specific. Typically, stores like Walmart [etc.] will only sell these weapons to persons that are at least the age of [18].[13] The packaging of the weapon will tell you, normally. If you are not old enough to purchase, but want to shoot, you have to be accompanied by someone the same age as it would take to buy the gun in the first place. Example: If you have to be [18] years old to buy an airsoft pistol, you have to be with someone 16 or older in order to shoot it, safely. Adult supervision is ALWAYS a good thing!”[14]
“As most ‘Airsoft Guns’ are replicas and could lead a person to reasonably believe you are armed with a deadly weapon, this would qualify. It is [recommended] you do not display your ‘Airsoft Gun’ openly in public, and instead carry it in a case so as not to cause alarm.”[15]
“Just remember. A projectile does come out of the end of the airsoft at a high rate of speed. Even though they are considered toys the can really hurt someone. Be responsible and don’t point them at anyone. I would have Mom/Dad give you Safety tips on using one, along with wearing safety googles when using airsoft.”[16]
“As with ANY firearm, proper basic safety should be used.” Some pieces of advice overlap with the general safety tips enumerated, above. However, safety suggestions are probably worth repeating.
5 Safety Tips for Airsoft Guns
- “Always wear proper protective gear (eyewear and/or facemask)[17]
- “Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
- “Treat ALL firearms as if they were loaded.
- “Keep your trigger finger outside the guard and off of the trigger until you are ready to fire.
- “Be certain of your target, your line of fire, and what lies beyond your target.”[18]
“Be Smart About Airsoft!”
“Here’s the most important thing: [Be] smart about Airsoft! Having a bottle of water isn’t illegal at all, but if you drop that bottle of water off a parking garage to hurt someone, then you’re in big trouble. It’s all how you USE the Airsoft weapons. If you’re shooting targets in your backyard, you’re good… If you’re shooting your neighbors horse, uh oh.. NOT GOOD! Make sure you have all the proper safety equipment when playing, the single most important piece of equipment is SAFETY GLASSES! Protect your EYES! I recommend at least wearing googles, if not a full face mask.”[19]
Orange Tips
Airsoft guns “…have been under heavy scrutiny due to the very accurate replication of details of the real firearms. They have been mistaken by police officers for the real thing, and several lives of young people have been lost. The law now says that Airsoft guns must come with a fluorescent orange tip on the barrel.
“Orange Tips on ‘Airsoft Guns’. There is no requirement Federally or by Colorado Law requiring an orange tip on your ‘airsoft gun.’ Federal Law does require a minimum of a 6mm orange tip be present during importation of any ‘toy gun’ (including airsoft replicas.) And that the imported item’s orange markings be ‘permanently affixed to the muzzle end of the barrel as an integral part of the entire device.’ This is a restriction on the manufacturer, and does not prevent the consumer from modifying their ‘airsoft gun.’ So this leads to the question, ‘is my airsoft gun required to have an orange tip?’ The answer in short is ‘No.’ No State or Federal Law specifically requires that you have an orange tip on every ‘airsoft gun.’ However[,] for safety reasons it is recommended that you keep the orange tip so there is less of a chance for confusion of your ‘airsoft gun’ with an actual firearm. The Federal Law covering this is under the Commerce and Foreign Trade section of the Federal Code.”[20]
Still, the best practice is to never modify the orange tip on your Airsoft gun or brandish it in public. “There have been cases of police officers mistaking Airsoft guns for real guns and the consequences can be real.”[21]
Another elected official writes: “I would again emphasize the importance of keeping the blaze orange tips on these guns to avoid confusion and a potentially dangerous confrontation with law enforcement or an armed citizen.”[22]
Still a third reiterates the point: “It is critically important that the ‘blaze orange’ tip at the end of the barrel should not be altered or interfered with in any way, this exists to easily identify the airsoft gun as a toy.”[23]
Final Words
Some tips are worth reiterating. One Alaskan representative writes that she “…would recommend that if you are going to engage in Airsoft gun use that you wear eye protection and make sure that your parents know what you are doing and where you are doing it. Additionally, make sure that you aren’t playing Airsoft in an area where bystanders might mistake your Airsoft gun for a real firearm.”[24]
“Airsoft may not be a ‘real’ gun, however every weapon no matter what type, should be treated with utmost safety. I would recommend talking with an adult that is versed in hand guns and is comfortable around them before handling any type of weapon. Your local gun dealer will have information on weapon safety courses and hunting courses.”[25]
Notes:
[1] Introductory quote is from Hilary Nemchik, Director of Communications, Office of the City Attorney, San Diego, California.
[2] Christopher Hinckley, Chief Warrant Officer, St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.
[3] Justin McCarthy, Constituent Service Liaison, Office of the President of the Senate, Rhode Island; forwarded via Jim Seveney, State Senator, District 11, Rhode Island.
[4] Mike Nearman, State Representative, House District 23, Oregon.
[5] Nearman, op. cit.
[6] Carew, op. cit.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Jim Townsend, Business Development Officer, Civilian Marksmanship Program; via Jim McClendon, State Senator, Alabama.
[9] Carew, op. cit.
[10] Townsend, op. cit; via Jim McClendon, op. cit.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Terry Baxter, State Representative, District 8, Iowa House of Representatives.
[13] As far as I have been able to tell, this age may vary by state.
[14] Matt Sanders, Police Officer, Louisville Metro Police Department, Media and Public Relations Office, Special Weapon And Tactics Team.
[15] James Lucero, Deputy Chief of Staff, State Senate, Colorado.
[16] W. Tlockowski, Officer, Las Vegas Police Department.
[17] See, also, McCarthy, op. cit.; via Seveney, op. cit.: “…[A]n operator of an airsoft gun should always wear protective eyewear when operating the gun. Ricochets are common due to the composition of the BB, so it is important to protect one’s eyes.”
[18] Tracy Koerner, Deputy, Sheriff’s Information Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
[19] Officer Sanders, op. cit.
[20] Lucero, op. cit.; citing Reference: 15 USC 1150.
[21] Nearman, op. cit.
[22] Mike Carew, Chief of Staff for the House Republican Caucus in the Oregon Legislature.
[23] McCarthy, op. cit.; via Seveney, op. cit.
[24] Jennifer Johnston, State Representative, Alaska.
[25] Amanda Rickard, Library Research Assistant, Research & Legislation Division, Idaho Legislative Services Office.