Safety with airsoft guns
Although airsoft guns fire plastic pellets, as with all sporting events, measures should be taken to ensure safety of the players at all times.
All sites are obliged to provide insurance for players and marshalls to watch for hits from airsoft electric guns and prevent injuries.
Sites are also obliged to go through safety procedures for automatic airsoft guns before games and to enforce general safety standards to protect players and keep airsoft a safe and fun sport.
While standards may vary from site to site, 99% of sites will adhere to the following:
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Like all competitive sports, the use of aeg airsoft guns inherently involves a certain risk of injury. With proper use airsoft is a very safe makes a great sport.
For more information about storing your airsoft guns safely, visit Gunsafesguide.
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I am always a proponent of safety when it comes to Airsoft however, in the interest of furthering the sport I prefer to draw a distinction between “Firearm”, “Weapon” and airsoft.
Airsoft guns are not “Firearms” as they do not rely on any “fire” to propel the bbs. That is, there is no explosion of gunpowder that causes the bb to accelerate. Further, although nearly anything could be a weapon in a fight, unlike a real steel firearm, an airsoft gun is no inherently a weapon. An airsoft gun is a sophisticated toy, but a toy none the less.
I feel that it is important to avoid the use of the real steel terms when describing safe airsoft usage because, many weaponsphobic members of the public may shy away from an otherwise awesome sport simply because of a few misunderstandings about it.
Further, it is always a good idea to point the muzzle in a safe direction in airsoft, however it is important for many of the readers to know that many times “clearing the chamber” is not done in the traditional real steal sense. Unlike the real steal where the charging handles or slides usually are attached to ejectors, and therefore their cycling removes a round from the chamber, airsoft guns do not use ejectors and few airsoft guns have exposed chambers.
Hence, to clear the chamber, it is necessary to actually shoot the gun in a safe direction to full clear it. Even if the magazine is removed, bbs can still remain in the barrel, read to fire.(As you have mentioned).
Your suggestions about goggle use cannot be re-iterated enough and unfortunately I fear that many casual players do not take this advice seriously enough.
The bbs may be small, but they can sure do a lot of damage to an exposed eye. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen guys with sunglasses that do not protect them from bbs entering from the side.
Safety is paramount!
Konrad
Airsoft Reports
Hi Konrad – all very good points and i’m glad you made them. This was just a quick post and i’ll look into expanding it in the future.
I’ve changed it to ‘imitation’ firearms as i do feel that their resemblance to real guns is an important factor in using them responsibly and safely – if you held airsoft guns up to someone who didn’t know what they were, they would be very frightened!
Also as far as customs and law in the UK goes, they are regarded as ‘realistic imitation firearms’ – I do agree that there’s no fire and that’s not a wholly accurate description, but that’s an arguement we in the UK have been making for years but that’s how they’re classed over here.
The bottom line is, and i’m sure you’ll agree, you can never be too careful with airsoft weapons. Bb’s can shoot out teeth and damage eyes – never take their function lightly and treat them responsibly and with respect.