I continue my hobby weekend with another one which probably no one here heard about :D
Airsoft is a hobby or sport which uses toy firearms to shoot small plastic pellets around six millimeters in diameter. Common uses for airsoft are competitive gaming (similar to paintball), military simulations, target shooting, and military training. While similar in operation to BB guns, airsoft guns use lightweight plastic projectiles instead of metallic BB's. Airsoft guns also typically have a muzzle velocity of less than 180 m/s (600 ft/s), compared to a BB gun which may have a muzzle velocity of 365 m/s (1200 ft/s) or more. The combination of the lighter BB projectile and the reduced muzzle velocity means that airsoft is generally considered safe when used in a controlled environment and with safety equipment like protective eyewear.
Airsoft games vary greatly in style and composition depending on location, budget, and the quantity of participants. However, they often range from short-term skirmishes and organized scenarios to military simulations and historical reenactments. Gaming with combat situations on a mock battlefield mainly involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the set objectives. Participants typically use varying types of airsoft weaponry along with either real or replica military gear and uniforms.
History
Airsoft was designed in Japan in the 1970's and marketed in the United States in the 1980's by a major BB gun manufacturer. Airsoft was conceptualized as a new approach in BB gun application as opposed to the common air gun that was designed for hunting, the airsoft gun was created with a purely recreational application in mind.
Because of this interest, manufacturers started to produce spring-powered replicas of real firearms. These guns fired several sizes of plastic, aluminum, or rubber BB's, but they were eventually standardized into 6mm and 8mm sizes. The early spring powered guns later evolved into gas and battery powered guns using a variety of configurations. Electric or battery powered airsoft guns became known as "AEG's" (Automatic Electric Guns), which began to show up in North America in the mid 1990's. This is due in large part to the starting of many new AEG manufacturers in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries.
Airsoft guns are also being used for military and law enforcement training purposes all over the United States and in several other countries. The airsoft gun brand "Systema" has created an M16 airsoft imitation firearm that functions exactly like the real counterpart. When the last BB is fired, the weapon stops shooting, a new magazine must be inserted, and the bolt catch must be operated before the gun is able to fire again. Gun enthusiasts of all ages enjoy airsoft guns due to their striking resemblance to their real counter parts. Many law enforcement agencies are starting to use airsoft guns because of the realism they portray. Most of these airsoft guns are very similar in appearance and action and thus make good training aids. In the past, law enforcement agencies had to resort to either unloaded firearms, plastic guns, or rubber dummy guns for certain training exercises; but, with the advent of airsoft, law enforcement personnel can now use a very real-looking yet safe alternative.
Military Simulation
"MilSim", short for Military Simulation, generally combines airsoft play with some military live-action role-playing elements. This type of play has been criticized by some players as less "fun" than scenario-gaming because of the amount of roleplaying required and the less frequent action. Several goals or missions may be assigned to each team, along with a basic load-out (supply) of ammunition, rations, and radios.
A key element is that you cannot shoot as fast as you may want to in Military Simulation games, and you must use low capacity magazines to replicate the actual magazine capacity of the authentic firearm the airsoft gun is designed to look like. This is often referred to as "real-caps". Examples of these include the 30 round STANAG, P-mag, and E-mag magazines of the M4, M16, Type 89, SCAR-L, and several other guns.
Teams are supposed to remain in the field for the duration of play, returning to a staging area or "safe zone" only for medical emergencies or other special circumstances. Military simulation games often last several days. For example, the large Berget annual event in Sweden lasts for six days with no breaks. In large scale Military Simulation operations, the players often use vehicles such as painted vans and trucks. In some cases, such as Operation Irene (an annual Military Simulation held in the Midwest U.S.), real APCs and tanks are used.Such large-scale events can take place in MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) facilities.
True Military Simulation requires players to adhere to an agreed level of uniform authenticity and to play as part of a team.
Skirmishes
Skirmishes are also known as "pickup games". This is a more common form of airsoft. These games are considerably less strict with their rules and restrictions, and thus it is the style of play for most players and a common event even for MilSim players. Realism may be broken in this style of play with things like high-capacity magazines, clothing that doesn't match with any nation's uniform (or non-military style dress), and a lack of rules. Occasionally, teams may use specific uniforms on either side, but usually players dress in a variety of military or paramilitary clothing to their liking.
Skirmishes are often structured as multiple short to medium length games, containing various different scenarios, including capture the flag, attrition style games, deathmatches, or simplified CQB games. Other skirmishes can run for the entirety of the game day, playing out like a much shorter MilSim event, including full game plans with objectives. These objectives can range from anything as simple as capturing a certain location to something as complex as collecting parts of a bomb from around the skirmish site, assembling them, and then planting the assembled bomb in the enemy force's base.
Teams
There are many organized teams of varying sizes in various countries around the world. Some prominent teams have 50 or more players and are able to send delegations to regional or national events. In the Philippines, there are many amorphous groups of airsoft players organized into "teams" of varying sizes. There have been attempts to create large nationwide organizations of airsoft players, but many of these have neither succeeded nor persisted except for ArniesAirsoft.co.uk in the United Kingdom and AirsoftForum.com in the United States. Both of these large airsoft communities have over 35,000 members and receive on average more than one million airsoft visitors each month.A few local and regional organizations have also been able to sustain significant airsoft memberships as well.
Eye and face protection
The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles or shooting glasses to protect participants' eyes. If shot from at least ten feet away, there will be no damage to other body parts. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses, or goggles not designed specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns, may break or shatter upon being struck causing damage to the eye.
Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection since they cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, although there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BB's may pass through the mesh and enter the eye. However, there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence.
While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes, and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat more quickly due to the lack of air circulation.
Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection since they cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, although there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BB's may pass through the mesh and enter the eye. However, there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence. While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes, and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat more quickly due to the lack of air circulation.
