Airsoft Gun History

The history of "airsoft" originated in Japan during the mid-1970s, mainly because it was illegal to own firearms by private individuals. The first airsoft guns available were spring-powered replicas of firearms that fired 6mm, plastic pellets or BBs. The gun then spread to China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines and became very popular chiefly because of firearm restrictions in these countries.

The first airsoft guns were those air driven pellet guns, cap-type guns and spring driven pellet guns. The early Japanese air driven pellet guns were based on semi-automatic pistols. They were spring powered. The plastic pellet was propelled by air when the spring piston was released. In the cap-type guns, powerful an explosive cap was used to make the sound of gunfire and to eject the spent cartridge. In spring driven pellet guns, a spring was used to propel the pellet held between two small locks and released when the gun was fired.

Airsoft by definition is a sport where players simulate military or law enforcement combat by using airsoft guns (which look a lot like real guns, to add to the realism) and other airsoft gear. The game of airsoft was developed in Japan, where firearms were (and still are) almost impossible to get without resorting to illegal means. An alternative was developed, and that alternative was airsoft. Because of this, it is no surprise that airsoft is actually most popular in East Asian countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea (North Korea is more interested in using real guns!)

Unlike paintball, it is incredibly hard to tell if somebody has been hit. No splatters are made on the skin or clothes, and unless the person screams in agony or pain, you will not know if they are hit. That is why the game of airsoft relies on the “Honor System”, where players lift their gun up and say, “Hit”. Also, one player on each team is usually designated as a medic, to revive players so they can resume play. Weapon hit rules vary depending on the game. Usually, a weapon being hit is the same as the player being hit, but if the person has a sidearm, rules can be modified so that the person just is not allowed to use their primary and must instead only use the sidearm.

The three types of airsoft guns are spring, electric, and gas. Spring guns are usually cheap but can get very expensive if they fire at a high FPS. Electric, also known as AEG, guns are powered by a battery and the main advantage is that they are automatic, but are generally not very powerful unless upgraded. Gas guns are the most powerful, and gases supported include carbon dioxide, propane, green gas, red gas, and high pressure air (HPA).

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Mattel, the famous American toy company had already marketed a product called “Shootin Shells” way back in the 1950s. These guns were identical to the spring driven pellet guns and had Stik-M-Caps that explode to emulate the sound of gunfire. In the 1980s, Daisy BB Gun Company manufactured spring gun models called Replisoft and Soft Air shot at each other by opposing players.

The popularity of airsoft guns in the United States and Europe began in the mid-1990s. There is continued growing interest in the west. In 2003, Daisy started manufacturing and marketing airsoft guns once again in the United States. “Powerstrike” is the brand name used by the company. Other manufacturers are following in Daisy’s footsteps and a host of different models have entered the United States airsoft gun market.

Airsoft Guns provides detailed information about airsoft guns, airsoft gun history, airsoft gun pellets, airsoft machine guns and more. Airsoft Guns is the sister site of Dirt Bikes Info.

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