Airsoft 101: History

History:
Airsoft was developed in Japan in the early 1970s to provide an
alternative for gun hobbyists because local laws prevented individuals
from privately owning firearms. A heavy emphasis was placed on making
accurate replicas of real firearms and target shooting. In contrast,
paintball was developed in the United States in 1981 as
a variation of hide and seek tag, through the use of utility companies'
power pole paint marking guns, and emphasizes function over aesthetic
qualities..

Paintball is more popular than Airsoft in the United States. In East
Asia and the Pacific Rim, airsoft is more popular except in Singapore,
Australia, and New Zealand where paintball is legal but airsoft is
restricted.
In the interests of a more family-friendly image, the paintball
industry usually avoids direct analogies to the military and war (seen
by the movement towards spectator-friendly speddball), but Airsoft runs
the gamut from Airsplat to full MilSim play.Airsoft pellets generally strike with almost as much force as
paintballs, but due to their smaller size and weight and innovations
like hop-up, their ballistic properties closely model those of true
bullets and can hurt in almost the same way. Unlike simulated shooting
games like laser tag the physical impact of Airsoft pellets on targets
provide some of the realism of actual bullet hits because they can
hurt, cause a small amount of damage, and heighten mental and emotional
excitation and/or distress as with the use of real firearms. This makes
Airsoft effective for combat training.

Method of Play: CQB
CQB,
otherwise known as Close Quarters Battle (or CQC, Close Quarters
Combat), is a popular way of playing airsoft. The basic idea is for
people to play in an enclosed arena at close quarters, resulting in a
fast action combat or multiple surprises. A lot of times the arena may
be set up as if it were in an urban war zone or in terrain filled with
enclosing walls, gates, doorways, stair ways, tunnels, apertures,
overhead openings, or below-ground approaches that enable one player to
shoot at another from a distance of a certain amount of feet. Airsoft
guns standard is FPS (Feet Per Second) which makes the CQB battle have
a more painful effect on the players. CQB can also take place in night
games or in dense vegetation such as tall grass, shrubbery, and closely
packed trees. In this type of combat the fps of the guns may have to be
lower due to the closeness of the combat. Simulated grenades and booby
traps are effective due to teams sticking together in such a small
area. Players in CQB scenarios usually wear additional vests or
protective clothing to avoid injury from close-in hits or ricochets.
They also use smaller airsofts like the MP5 or G36C or auto pistols
(gas or electric).

MilSim:
MilSim, short for Military Simulation, generally combines airsoft play with some military live-action role-playing elements.
Several goals or missions are assigned to each team, along with a basic
load-out of ammunition (6 millimeter pellets), rations, batteries, and
other suitable equipment, such as short-range radios and head-sets.
The teams will remain in the field for the duration of play, only
returning to a staging area or "safe zone" for medical emergencies, or
other such circumstances. Military simulation games often last several
days, for example the large BERGET event in Sweden lasts 6 days in a
row, with no breaks. In larger scale MilSim operations players utilize
vehicles such as painted vans and trucks.. But in some cases, such as
Operation Irene, real APC and tanks will be used. Airsoft games are not
only limited to Milsim or CQB, however. There are many minor game
scenarios.

Airsoft for combat training:
The
"honor system" is employed whereby the players rely on each others'
honesty to admit to being hit, because unlikepaintball, the plastic
pellets do not leave a surface mark distinguishable at a distance.

Depending on the muzzle velocity of the gun and distance from which
a person is shooting, the person on the receiving end of the shot will
usually feel the impact, but the pellets may sometimes not be felt by a
player at very long ranges, when distracted, or when running
strenuously, hence the importance of marshals or referees. However,
honest admission of hits is still required because no one can monitor
what happens to every player on the playing field.
To avoid unnecessary disputes that disrupt the game, players are
discouraged from calling out hits on their opponent but are expected to
signal a marshal to judge how effectively they can hit their opponents.
Simulated "knife kills" can be performed when a player touches or taps
an unaware opponent instead of shooting him or her at point-blank
range. A "courtesy kill" occurs when a player refrains from shooting an
opponent at close range while enforcing that opponent's surrender.
Players are prohibited from firing blindly when
not able to see their target, especially around corners. Players should
avoid excessive shooting of an opponent who has already admitted being
hit, known as "overkill". Harsh language and forceful physical contact
between players is strongly discouraged and even penalized. Players are
expected to resolve disputes politely and with proper decorum.
All airsoft players are required and expected to acknowledge being
hit even if they are in doubt. Those who acknowledge being hit are
expected to do the following: (1) shout "I'm hit" loudly; (2) Raise
their hand or gun high; and display a "hit indicator" while walking
back to the safe zone. A hit indicator can be either a bright-colored
cloth during daytime -- called a "dead man's rag" -- or a blinker or
mini-flashlight when in dim light or darkness. Dishonest players who
fail to follow the rules or acknowledge their hits run the risk of
being labeled and ostracized as "zombies" or "the undead" by the local
airsoft community. They will from then on be observed more carefully by
the marshals or possibly be even banned from playing in the area.
Another form of cheating occurs when an active player gains an
unfair advantage by pretending to be an already-hit player, known as
"playing possum", in order to avoid being shot. During night games,
active players have been known to turn on their blinker lights to move
casually and then to turn them off for combat. Cheating also takes
place when an eliminated player becomes a "mummy" by reactivating
himself within the same game without permission from a marshal. Some
players also gain unfair advantage as "golems" by spontaneously joining
a game (without authorization) some time long after the game had
already started, therefore being in fresh condition and in a position
to surprise their opponents.Due to the nature of the Honor System, many players have the
opinion that Airsoft is a better sport than paintball, because airsoft
requires high moral values and gentlemanly ethics to play well, without
the need for distinguishing hit marks or strict marshal's calls. This,
however, is a matter of personal preference.

Game management:
Airsoft
games can be run by the players themselves using agreed upon rules.
However, games become more realistic and fun for the participants if a
game marshal controls the flow of play and provides on-the-spot
impartial rulings. Airsoft game scenarios can vary widely according to
mission type, number of teams, number of players per team, in-game
objectives or victory conditions, and game durations. Popular game
scenarios include center-flag capture or recovery, team flag delivery,
hostage-rescue, ambuscades, raids or assaults, and death-match (all-out
elimination) skirmishes.

It is the marshal's task to segregate the players into teams,
determine the game scenario and its victory conditions, assign game
objectives to various teams, brief the participants, delimit playing
boundaries, and set the game duration. By means of whistles, flags,
megaphones, and walkie-talkie radios, a group of marshals can handle
dozens to hundreds of players in a series of episodes or nonstop play.
Depending on the game scenario, players may be eliminated with a single
hit, taken out of and returned to action with the aid of "medics," or
allowed to "respawn" (re-enter the game) at certain places or times. A
good game marshal strives to maintain a high level of excitement and
activity for all the players involved while maintaining safety,
impartiality, and "in-game realism."Furthermore, those intending to operate game sites or hold game
events should coordinate with local public authorities, designate safe
zones and boundaries, invite the players to the site, and supply
players and guests with adequate parking facilities, toilet facilities,
water and electrical supply, as well as sell food, ammo, or other
provisions needed (especially if the game site is relatively
inaccessible to commercial establishments).

Safety:
While airsoft guns are safer than a real firearm, they are by no
means safe. Airsoft weapons should be treated the same as a real
firearm; some of the safety precautions that anyone who is handling or
shooting an airsoft rifle should follow are: to wear protective lenses
or goggles, to keep their finger off of the trigger until ready to
fire, and only point the gun in a safe direction. Shooters are advised
to never point their weapons at animals, nor at unprotected or
non-playing people. There are more safety precautions that are included
in the user manuals for airsoft weaponry. The power source of the
airsoft gun, whether it is CO₂, Green Gas, or an electric motor does not affect how safe or unsafe the gun is.

The majority of airsoft guns are operated by an electric motor and
powered by a powerful battery. While usually safe when unmodified, any
work done to the electrical system can pose an inexperienced
airsoftsmith a shock or fire hazard. This is normally only an issue
when more powerful, 'non-stock' batteries or after-market electronics
are used.In the United States of America, representing an airsoft weapon as
a real firearm is a federal felony; for this and safety concerns, all
airsoft weapons in the United States are required to have the front two
centimeters of their muzzle(s) painted blaze orange.

Wildlife and Terrain Hazards:
Because
airsoft games are most often played in natural surroundings, animals
can often interfere with these games and potentially be hazardous. In
the Southwestern United States, snakes offer one of the most
significant threats, especially the potentially deadly Diamondback
rattlesnake. Many games in California institute a "snake call", whereby
players have to yell "snake" when one is encountered to mark the
location and warn other players.After
a snake has been identified, that section of the field may be marked as
out-of-bounds and or the marshall will be called to relocate the snake.

As always, ticks and other biting insects are also present. It is
also important to watch out for poison ivy and other plants which
typically cause allergies.Whether in natural or built-up urban terrain, airsoft players can
be subject to injury from terrain features such as slippery surfaces,
steep slopes or heights, falls or trips, collisions with unseen
obstructions, snags and sharpened objects, and even noxious substances
(animal droppings, etc.). Scratches, cuts, bruises, concussions, and
sprains, plus a few broken bones can easily occur in this type of
activity. This is another reason for the need for military-style
protective gear such as head and neck armor, all-terrain boots,
thickened gloves, knee and elbow pads, and full-length rugged attire.
Airsoft players must be careful when running rapidly as well as moving
hastily in the dark to avoid injury from such hazards. Airsoft isn't
particularly dangerous unless the weapon fires around 750fps, and even
so, the hit will only sting for a while. Airsoft can be a very
dangerous sport if you are not wearing the right equipment.

Gun Safety Rules:
The
airsoft community follows safety rules that are similar to those used
for real firearms and paintball. They are usually as follows:

• Wear eye protection at all times during a game or within the designated playing area.
  
• Never shoot at anyone not wearing eye protection.
  
• Treat all guns as if they are loaded and ready to fire.
  
• Always point the gun away from anything and everything that is not intended to be shot.
  
• Keep fingers away from the trigger and outside the trigger guard and the safety on until ready to shoot.
  
• Turn off the safety just before firing.
  
• Do not fire more shots than needed to achieve your objective.
  
• Always be sure of the target and what is behind it.
  
• Have a precise idea of the effect on a target of your weapon's
  ammunition, especially with regards to projectile penetration,
  ricochets, and damage effects.
  
• Take responsibility for any and all damage produced by the projectiles fired from your gun.
  
• Immediately place the gun on safe after firing.
  
• Do not leave a gun, loaded or unloaded, within access range of unauthorized people.
  
• Do not touch or manipulate another person's gun without permission, knowhow, or proper intent.
  
• Load batteries and ammunition only at the last instance before using the gun.
  
• Unload the ammunition, fire off the last few rounds, and
  remove the batteries before packing the gun for storage or transport.
  Never leave the springs of firing mechanisms and magazines under
  tension if not in use.
  
• Store and transport the gun in a sealed container or gun
  bag. Keep the gun hidden from public view as much as possible and bring
  it out only on the playing field or for especially approved display
  purposes.
  
• Safety isn't always safe: Never trust safety catches to always work.
  

Many airsoft group and clubs also have rules as to which guns can
be used at which range- i.e., no shooting with a 400+ FPS weapon at
under 40 yards, etc. Many airsoft groups and game sites also impose
maximum ammunition velocities for various types of scenarios, such as a
maximum of 350 FPS for CQB.
Damage Effects on Human Flesh:
A very close-range
shot from an airsoft BB on bare skin from a gun with a velocity over
400 FPS will usually break the skin and cause minor bleeding. Shots
from over 100 feet will not cause bleeding, but will possibly leave a
small bruise, depending on the power of the gun.
A BB can easily cause severe injury to the eye of a person not
wearing eye protection. Eye protection must be worn at all times and
must never be taken off in the playing field.

Eye and Face Protection:
A
standard of safety guidelines and equipment has evolved in the airsoft
community to protect the eyes and face. The minimum safe level of gear
required to participate in most games includes a pair of fully-sealing
impact-rated goggles to protect the eyes of the participants.
Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses are almost never
accepted as they will not prevent serious injury. Goggles not designed
specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns may break or
shatter upon being struck, causing eye damage.

For this reason many organized groups of airsoft players and fields
require that eye protection fully seals the area around the eyes, and
also meets or exceeds ANSI's Z87.1-2003 goggle standard for eye
protection: the ability to resist 3 joules of impact energy without
damage. Some players instead opt for paintball goggles, which are held
to higher impact rating standards, ASTM's F1776.
According to ANSI publications as of June 2006, The ASTM is
currently developing a more specific standard for airsoft - ASTM Z1535Z
- Standard Specification for Eye Protective Devices for Airsoft Sports.The best overall protection is currently offered by paintball
masks. These masks provide an additional level of protection by
covering the face, teeth, and ears, greatly reducing the risk of injury
to these body parts and the chipping of teeth. The lens is a solid
piece of impact resistant plastic. Some airsoft masks are made with
mesh screens, though these screens do not offer protection from cheaper
or bio-degradable BBs that sometimes fragment upon impact on hard
objects.

Unprotected Players or Bystanders:
A
player and any observer near an airsoft game site is required to keep
his or her face mask, goggles, or shooting glasses on at all times.
This is a standard safety requirement upon an airsoft site and this
rule is always enforced by the marshal in charge to ensure that all
players and observers remain safe and no accidents occur during the
gameplay.
All players must immediately stop shooting when a person without
eye protection is encountered in the playing area. One commonly adopted
practice is for players to shout the words "Cease-fire, Blind Man!,"
"Heads up, Pedestrian!," "Noncombatant!," or "Walker!" and halt an
ongoing game if a player or bystander is seen in the designated game
play area without proper eye protection: goggles and a helmet. Any
player hearing the words must, in turn, stop and also shout the words,
resulting in a chain reaction which halts and alerts the whole game.
Once the situation is resolved by properly removing the unprotected
person from harm, the game is usually resumed at the same point at
which it was stopped. It may be smart to move to a different area after
a safety call so you don't give away your location.

Community Safety Precautions:
Some other rules such as a maximum BB
velocity and distance guidelines are used in different ways by groups
depending on their location. Various locations often offer similar
safety rules with slight variations. In order to encourage the mixing
of segmented communities into a larger community that can more easily
engage each other, certain organizations have created safety rules and
guidelines for players to share the field under common understanding
and to band together in safe environments.

When not actively playing, some fields
require "barrel bags," also known as barrel covers, which were first
introduced in paintball. Many airsoft guns, especially AEG's, come with
small red plastic barrel blockers that fit over the muzzle. The
magazine is usually removed as well, and the gun fired to clear the
chamber. Many fields also require players to leave their guns set to
the safety position when they are not shooting, even during active game
play. This is a practice taken from real firearms training, in which
one never puts a finger on the trigger or takes the weapon off safe
until ready to fire.
In certain countries such as the Philippines where large numbers
of players often play every weekend in commercial airsoft venues,
additional special rules have been adopted to increase safety and avoid
unnecessary injury. All "real steel" firearms, explosives, and bladed
weapons are banned at any airsoft battlefield to prevent harmful
accidents or misunderstandings and confusion between real and simulated
weapons. Players are also expected to be discreet in transporting or
carrying their gear and combat-style uniforms so as not to unduly alarm
the general public and force the law enforcement agencies to
investigate an incident involving airsoft guns. Pyrotechnic devices and
effects may be allowed under special circumstances, but are rarely
employed, because of the added danger to property or to the
participants from fire and explosions.

Legal issues:
Airsoft
guns and playing airsoft is legal in most parts of the world, but not
all. Some countries have specific restrictions such as maximum muzzle
energy, rules against using the trademarks of real firearms, and
'unrealistic' coloring as to distinguish them from actual firearms.
They are legal throughout the U.S, but due to high crime rates,
restrictions exist in certain cities such as Camden, NJ, Newark, NJ,
Chicago, IL, and Detroit, MI. The states of New Jersey, Illinois, New
York and Michigan do, however, allow airsoft guns to be used and
handled publicly because of Federal and State laws that regard airsoft
guns as toys.

In the United Kingdom, airsoft replicas
are classified as 'realistic imitation firearms' or RIF's. The sale,
manufacture or importation of RIFs are restricted to activities that
are exempted or have been granted a defense by the home office under
the VCRA law passed in 2005 and came into force on October 1st 2007.
Airsoft has been granted a defense and a skirmisher as defined under
British law is allowed to purchase, manufacture or import airsoft
replicas. Usually, the only accepted method of proving entitlement is
to gain membership of a skirmish site that holds public liability
insurance. A scheme set up by UK retailers, called UKARA, recommends
that an airsoft site only give membership to a player who has played at
least three games over a period of no less than two months.

You do not need to be a UKARA registered player to purchase airsoft
replicas from retailers; however, to protect themselves, many retailers
will only sell to UKARA registered players. Also, players they
personally know to be skirmishers will be sold to. These are all
because the law penalizes the seller as well as potentially the buyer.Also, the use or possession of any kind of replica weapon, loaded
or otherwise in a public place is an offense under the United Kingdom's
2003 'Anti-social behavior order' law. This can carry heavy penalties,
except under specific conditions.

A
measure that is often employed by airsoft players is informing local
law enforcement officials where and when airsoft games will take place,
so that misunderstandings can be avoided.
Due to the nearly unstoppable and steady entry of lower-cost yet
high-quality airsoft guns from abroad, the Philippine National Police
has issued in December 2007 its Circular 11 (Airsoft Implementing Rules
and Regulations). It regulates the purchase, one-time registration,
transport, usage, transfer of ownership, importation, manufacture and
repair, marking and branding, as well as commercial sale of airsoft
guns by Filipino citizens of legal age. Only airsoft guns with a muzzle
velocity of 550 feet per second (fps) or less using 0.2-g BBs can be
registered. The PNP AIRR also regulates the operation of airsoft
playing fields, registration of airsoft teams, and the enactment of
standardized rules and codes of conduct among airsoft players.
Foreigners are still barred from transporting or registering ownership
of airsoft guns but this does not prevent them from playing with them
on private fields or commercial game sites.

Hazards of being mistaken for a real firearm:
There have been unfortunate instances in
which an airsoft replica firearm have been mistaken for a real steel
firearms. In these rare cases players must know how to act; making it
clear that they are not armed with a weapon, while still acting as if
it were a real firearm. Some safety precautions you can take so that no
confusion arises are: not removing the orange tip, informing
surrounding public about airsoft, and playing in private areas. The
major distinction between a real firearm and an airsoft gun is the
shape of the magazine feed area, which contains a round circular
opening through which the pellets pass. Thus, releasing and removing
the magazine can assist in distinction between an airsoft gun and a
firearm.

Orange-tipped airsoft gun muzzles:

There have been a few highly isolated cases of airsoft guns being
mistaken for real firearms, and some cases where armed law enforcement
units have responded to tips of unlawful firearm use. This is the main
reason that Federal laws require minimum 6mm (approx. 1/4") orange tips
to be present on all "toy guns" (including airsoft replicas) imported
into the United States.
However, the effectiveness of such measures remains open to debate,
because these orange tips can be easily removed, covered, or painted
away at any time. One prominent case occurred in Longwood, Florida when
a student threatened fellow classmates with an airsoft pistol and was
subsequently shot dead when he aimed it towards an officer. The orange
tip mandated by US Federal law had been painted black. Airsoft players
will generally do anything to avoid using the orange tip on their guns
because it makes them more visible at a distance when they play. The
majority of airsoft guns now lack orange tips even if they originally
had them, even in localities that require them, so this type of legal
regulation would be impractical to enforce in all instances. This is
often the norm if the airsoft gun is used only in private or restricted
game locations that are not usually accessible to law enforcers.
Furthermore, theatrical or movie productions may require the absolute
lack of any markings that would distinguish a replica gun from a real
gun, so there are regulated exceptions to the orange-tip rule.
Furthermore, their legal imposition means that criminals can attempt
to disguise real firearms as toys by painting the tip of the barrel
orange, or vice versa.For police departments that are
already hampered by a lack of resources to enforce laws on actual
firearms, the additional task of tracking down and constantly
monitoring non-lethal replica guns could result in much more lax
enforcement of the orange-tip rules.Some believe that orange tips are not required after sale of an
airsoft gun in most places. Electric-AirsoftGuns.com claims that "the
federal law only says that the orange tip must be present during
importation and sale. Once the item has been transferred to private
ownership, the orange tip is no longer required." However, in Federal
Regulations, Title 15, Part 1150, it clearly states that these orange
markings must be "permanently affixed to the muzzle end of the barrel
as an integral part of the entire device".

Airsoft equipment:
Airsoft
equipment encompasses many types of equipment used in the sport of
airsoft, including the airsoft gun used to shoot airsoft pellets at
opponents, safety goggles, and all sorts of tactical gear including
vests, equipment holders, and gun accessories.

Cost:
Airsoft rifles and pistols are usually the most expensive piece of
equipment. Low-quality electric guns, commonly called LPEGs (low
priced/powered electric guns) can cost from $15-$90 USD depending on
the quality, the MPEGs (Medium priced/powered electric guns) can cost
in the range of $80-$180 USD and are usually a clone of an AEG with
lowerquality materials(ie recent CYMA guns, A&K, etc. etc.), while
a higher quality AEG can be more than $200 USD. A paintball gun of
equal level usually costs between $250-$350. The overall average for a
high quality electric gun such as a "Classic Army", "KWA", "ICS",
"Tokyo Maruii",
"Star" and "Systema" is around $200-$1400 USD (or much higher, if the
user decides to purchase a pre-upgraded gun or a specialized gun, such
as a sniper rifle or an LMG replica) depending on the model. Some
custom guns can cost more than $2,000 USD. In Mil-Sim games, where the main aspect of the play is realism,
equipment is usually much more expensive. Many Mil-Sim players choose
to wear real gear (not an airsoft replica) and in some cases, real
ballistic protective armor. This can raise the price of the game
considerably, with guns and gear sometimes totaling in excess of $1,000
USD.

Airsoft guns:
The
guns used in airsoft are typically replicas of real firearms, except
that they have a mechanism for pushing out 6-mm or 8-mm diameter
projectiles. An example would be the Classic Army M15A4, which is just
a replica of the M16 assault rifle. Airsoft guns are considered
replicas of real firearms but not all replicas are Airsoft guns; some
replicas don't have a firing mechanism while others, such as the Real
Action Markers, may have a different mechanism and shoot non-Airsoft
types of projectiles.

Airsoft guns are classified according to their operating principle
which can be either: spring–, electric– or gas-powered. An airsoft gun
is selected according to the level of performance (battery life, range,
rate of fire, magazine capacity, size, and weight) or realism the
player requires. Early-generation airsoft guns were mostly
"springers."Airsoft guns with springs are almost never semi-auto and
never auto. Second-generation airsoft guns had gas-powered mechanisms
that required either an internal "Flon" (CFC) gas reservoir or an
external a high-pressure CO2 chamber. AEGs (automatic electric guns,
such as an uzi) are the most commonly produced type now used and have
high-capacity rechargeable batteries to energize plastic or durable
metal gearboxes that compress air for propelling the BBs.
Most airsoft pistols are gas-powered using biodegradable and
environmentally safe "green gas" and produce a realistic blowback
recoil effect when fired. Each pistol magazine contains a small storage
gas cylinder with enough power to propel the 30+ BB projectiles also
housed in the magazine. Thus a player can realistically load, fire, and
unload an airsoft pistol with similar realism as a "real steel"
semi-automatic pistol. A few early-production AEPs (airsoft electric
pistols) have been released but these suffer from weaker BB velocities
because of the difficulty of fitting a small-enough motor in the
housing of a pistol, although the range is sometimes greater than a Gas
pistol because fps can equal drag. AEP's often have a higher ROF or
rate of fire than their gas counterparts.
Most early airsoft guns were often completely made of plastic except
for some internal moving parts. Newer guns, especially those made in
China, have metal barrels, receivers, gearboxes, gun sights, and other
external parts. A typical airsoft gun is noticeably lighter than its
"real steel" counterpart due to the use of aluminum, alloy, and plastic
components. Thus, airsoft guns tend to get scratched, damaged, or
broken easily from rough handling. When fired, most airsoft guns have a
weak vibration and a much softer whirring sound, without any strong
recoil, bright muzzle flash, concussive noise, or smell of burnt
propellant as those produced by real firearms, although there are smoke
caps available for airsoft guns for added realism.
Airsoft guns have three broad classifications depending on their use
in the game which in turn determines the pellets' speed and energy
generated. Airsoft guns are classified accordingly as Low-FPS for CQB
games, High-FPS for normal field games, and Excessive-FPS for
semi-automatic or single-shot sniper guns firing at 600 fps or higher.
Most airsoft guns typically fire 200-450 fps, since they are used
outdoors for most operations, balancing good speed and range with
energy generated.
The Low-FPS guns and pistols are used at shorter ranges (also called
Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and usually of 200 feet or less). CQB
situations include close range confrontations such as "house entry"
where maneuverability is more important than range or power. The
airsoft guns used in these scenarios typically fire less than 360fps to
ensure safe operation. Some high-powered and well-upgraded airsoft
sniper rifles, some of which are semi-automatic or single-shot
bolt-action designs, can fire 6mm pellets at velocities of about 600
fps.
Most Airsoft players carry one short or long airsoft gun, sometimes
with an airsoft pistol as a side arm or backup. Carrying additional
backup guns is done during long-duration scenarios that would prevent
the player from going back to the safe zone to replace a defective gun.
Each gun would need its supply of magazines and batteries or gas
canisters. Magazines come in either low-capacity(low caps) (25-80 BB
rounds), medium-capacity(mid caps) (80-150), or high-capacity(high
caps) (200 to 500+ BB rounds). These magazines are spring loaded; the
high-cap magazines often have a ratchet wheel that can be wound up
periodically to force BBs up the magazine feed chute, but these
magazines make a rattling noise when running or walking. Some airsoft
guns have electric-powered box or drum magazines that hold thousands of
rounds of ammunition(sometimes up to 5000). Also many pistols and
rifles have metal weights on them for a more realistic feel, effect and
balance.Grenades and launchers:
Players
can use grenades, grenade launchers, smoke grenades, mines, and
claymores that utilize very minor or no explosives (pyrotechnics). Most
of these "pyro" devices are powered by a compressed gas. As with many
aspects of airsoft equipment, each item is designed as a playful
analogy to the real thing, and many times lack the violence of such.
The hand grenades have many faults and therefore not as popular or
common as grenade launchers like the M203 which launches a large shower
of pellets, NERF or foam slug rounds using compressed gas. And while
most players, if they do at all use grenade launchers, will simply use
an underbarrel launcher such as the M203, some players purchase heavier
support weapons such as replicas of the Heckler & Koch 69 40mm
grenade launcher, or a CAW revolving launcher, which can hold up to 6
40mm gas powered pellet grenades, (the pellet capacity of each grenade
varies by its producer, and specified use, though grenades by MadBull
Airsoft have been known to be able to fire over 200 pellets in a single
shot), and shoot them in a semi-automatic mode. By using the Caw
launcher, support gunners can get off up to 1224 rounds of 6mm
ammunition in about 3 seconds. Mines are not particularly popular
because whilst some mines do fire 6mm pellets in large amounts, similar
to an M203 launcher, others only produce a mushroom cloud when
activated without actually firing any pellets. The airsoft claymore
mine are more expensive in some cases, but popular due to their
effectiveness. Anti-tank weapons exist such as the M72, but they are
not common or popular due to their weight and greater expense. These
are rarely used in casual play, but can be implemented (with special
rules for it in place) when playing on an official airsoft field.

Airsoft projectiles:
Most airsoft guns fire spherical plastic pellets ranging from 0.12 to 0.88 grams in weightt,
though the most popular weights for AEGs are between .20 and .28 grams,
depending on the range that the gun is typically used at. Heavier
rounds are typically used for sniping, as they are more stable in
flight and thus, more accurate at long range. While BBs may be heavier,
it is not necessary to have the gun upgraded to a very high FPS level.
The best way to increase the accuracy of a rifle is to adjust the
hop-up to the point of where the bb flies as straight and as far as
possible without curving upwards or downwards at short distances. The
hop-up places a back spin on the BB so as to make it fly straighter.
Pellets are typically 6mm in diameter, though 8mm varieties exist for
specialty weapons. Pellet quality is important, as malformed pellets
could easily damage the barrel of the airsoft weapon and/or the hop up
system.
Paintball pellets are also available for airsoft guns, but are
unpopular due to the incompatibility with hop up systems, as well as
the potential damage they could cause if a pellet were to burst inside
the gun, which frequently happens. While airsoft pellets are often
called BBs, the BB gun is so named because it originally fired BB-sized
shotgun shot or metric ball bearings of .177 caliber (steel BBs are
actually between .172 and .173 inches (4.5 mm) in diameter). The price
of low grade pellets range from $3.50, for a container of about 5000,
to around $10 USD, for a large tub of about 10,000. Higher grade
pellets can cost as much as $10 USD for 2000 BBs. Most middle to high
grade pellets come slightly lubricated with a silicone spray.

Clothing:
Most
players typically wear military battle dress uniform (BDUs) consisting
of separate pants and shirts or jackets, because it – just as with real
soldiers – aids concealment from adversaries. Some players will go as
far as to use a ghillie suit, which breaks up the human outline by
having sticks, leafs, and items like that in the fabric/netting.

The choice of camouflage pattern of the BDUs is normally determined
by suitability to the playing area or local availability. These fall
into general categories such a forest (greenish), desert (tan), winter
(gray-white), and urban (black or civilian-wear). Aside from the
advantage of camouflage, some participants aim to faithfully replicate
a specific combat unit (particularly in games such as MilSim). Also
common, especially among the new and non-regular players, are the
so-called "contractor style" – in reference to private military
contractors – which combine civilian or tribal costume with single-item
or mismatched military gear and attire.
Typically, military surplus stores are a good source for such items.
In the U.S. the most common pattern is "Woodland" camouflage pattern,
but recently MARPAT (recently adopted by the United States Marine
Corps) and ACU (adopted in 2006 by the United States Army), and CADPAT
(Canadian Armed Forces) have also become popular choices in North
America, but most European camouflage patterns are suitable with
Flecktarn (Germany) being a popular alternative, or even strictly
commercial patterns such as Multicam or Real-Tree.
Similarly in Europe, local military uniforms are more readily
available and probably more suitable to local conditions. Popular
patterns include the German Flecktarn, British DPM or Swiss Alpenflage.
In the Philippines, civilian airsofters are forced to wear
mismatched, commercial or foreign military uniforms (BDUs), because
laws allow only military and police personnel to wear official
uniforms. It has become popular among civilians and airsoft players to
wear only the upper garment or the pants, but not both.
Aside from concealment, Military BDUs also provide protection from
typical outdoor elements such as weather, flora and most importantly
the impact of the BBs. When not wearing full paintball-type face masks,
many players wear neck armor such as a balaclava and military-style
helmets, such as the Kevlar MICH 2000 or PASGT helmet. Furthermore,
players need to wear the proper field footwear such as combat or hiking
boots (not just ordinary athletic shoes) in order to safely and quickly
travel on foot in harsh terrain. They also wear padded gloves, elbow
pads, knee pads, and protective vests for additional protection.
In some cases rules are adopted that allow only casual clothes in an
effort to encourage realism, because players will more actively avoid
being hit.Also, airsoft players can wear the new MARPAT and ACU camouflage,
but most airsoft players prefer to use the pattern called MultiCam.
MultiCam is one of the best camouflage patterns that can camouflage you
in different terrains.

Tactical gear:
Players
wear tactical clothing and accessories not only for the added realism,
but to fulfill the practical needs similar to that of a real soldier.
One such example is the ability to carry spare magazines, batteries,
propellant gas canisters, water, food, or other equipment in specified
vests. The most common are holsters, load bearing vests, and modular
rigs such as MOLLE, ALICE, and the British Personal Load Carrying
Equipment systems. Some players even wear hydration systems, such as
those manufactured by Camelbak. Gun bags or gun cases that can be padlocked allow airsoft guns to
be transported in private or even public vehicles without the risk of
damage or careless access by non-owners. Airsoft guns need to be
carried discreetly and away from the public eye and it is usually
impractical to bring the guns in the original boxes. These gun cases
usually have extra padding and multiple compartments to stow the gun
parts, accessories, batteries, and ammunition in an organized manner.Pyrotechnics:
Some airsoft sites allow the use
of pyrotechnics, which are small explosive-driven replicas of ordnance
such as grenades. Unfortunately, homemade devices of this sort are
often unsafe and can lead to serious injury. There are several types of
pyrotechnics: pellet grenades which fire out pellets to replicate the
shrapnel of a fragmentation grenade; smoke grenades which provide cover
to move and fire from behind; and flashbangs/thunderflashes which emit
a very bright flash of light (often accompanied by loud sound) for the
purpose of disorientating and temporarily blinding/deafening the target.

The latest Airsoft grenades have much improved since their first
introduction, TLSFX UK and Spectrum Pyrotechnics have done pioneering
work in the development of much tougher grenades using rocket star
burst shell cases, allowing them to be thrown much farther, ring pull
fuses, and filling grenades with dry peas instead of paint balls or
pellets, making them mostly biodegradable. The ring pull allows German
stick type grenades for re-enacters and adds to the realism of ball
grenades.
Some players also create homemade pellet grenades with the use of
fireworks and pellets enclosed in a casing, such as 35mm film
canisters. Such items are often frowned upon, however, as they could be
harmful to other players or the playing environment due to the plastic
and shrapnel often used.Smoke grenades have also been improved with cool burning and much
less toxic smoke. Use of old naval rescue smokes should be avoided, as
the smoke used was never designed for possible inhalation.

Other equipment:
A large amount of equipment
exists for real world soldiers (who also sometimes use such equipment
for training) which is also usable in airsoft games held by private
citizens. Some common examples are scopes, flashlights, picatinny rails
(also known as RIS rails), holsters, silencers and red dot scopes. Equipment
is generally for increasing combat efficiency, but can be used to
provide enhanced realism. However, bringing or carrying any sharp
pointed or bladed weapons into the playing area is discouraged or
proscribed by game site organizers unless such gear are authorized for
a particular training scenario or for added safety in a hazardous
environment.