Thursday, December 18, 2008

Playing Airsoft

By Alexander Malroy

Air soft refers to a sport wherein opponents aim to hit players on the other team with pellets that are made of a non metallic substance. These pellets are shot with a gun or a pistol. A manual sprig board launches out the pellets. The spring board is in turn powered by gas or electricity.

Each opposing teams should be well informed of the precautionary and safety measures that go with the game. Learning the rudiments and the essentials of safety features would lessen the accident to occur. Airsoft gun look a lot like Paint ball guns, except that it didn't use colored paint as pellets. Airsoft pistols is commonly used for historical re-enactment of a civil war or military simulations, where using a live guns and bullets are not possible.

Non metallic pellets are generally used in these guns. The participants are required to wear padded clothing as when the pellets hit the skin they leave bruises which are painful. It is recommended that people who use air guns wear protective gear which includes clothing, headgear as well as eye wear.

Usually the games using air guns are played in natural surroundings that can pose a safety issue when you?re playing where animals can be present or even hunters with real guns. Participants wear military fatigues because it makes them stand out more so that they are not closely identical to the bushes or any surrounding trees present.

Airsoft guns are unique against its predecessor-the paintball guns. Airsoft guns do more damage than paintball guns because of its projectile speed, which is measured by joules. A small pellets can cause a skin to break much like an over scratched mosquito bite on skin. However, it can do more damage to the eyes that may lead to blindness. In line with these, safety guidelines are strictly enforced during the game, extending to the non-players of the game such as the support team or the Marshalls.

Safety clothes or uniforms should always withstand the impact of the velocity of the pellets especially on close range shot. Head and eye gear is always a must during the game even to those non-combatant personnel to prevent injuries.

Airsoft pistols users are usually trained on how to properly use it and to know what to and what not to shoot at so that it lowers injuries-minor and serious to where it?s not a safety issue. Airsoft pistols are dangerous to use if they?re in the wrong hands and this is why many are required to take lessons in how to properly use an air gun so the user and opponents are not seriously injured. This is something often seen with military reenactments because it lowers the safety risk of using blanks and having accidental discharges which often happens with guns that use blank bullets and people have gotten seriously hurt if they?re not properly trained on how to handle a firearm.

Airsoft pistols are relatively safe weapons to use when a handler has been properly trained and these are extremely popular in foreign countries where military simulations are a common hobby and this is a popular game among Filipinos in a commercial setting. Airsoft makes a model of air gun that resembles an AK-47 just smaller which can sometimes throw off people because the color and type almost makes it look too much like a real assault rifle. Only 4 states permit the use of Airsoft guns and air guns in general and have been banned for use in some places. - 15255

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