What is with the airsoft craze?

S

Sabre9mm

New member
I just came across a posting on craigs list where a guy is selling *used* airsoft guns for hundreds of dollars apiece.

I know some of these guys spend a lot of money on them, and hundreds more in customization, why not just buy real guns?

Am I the only one that just does not get it?:confused:
 
The advantage I see is that you can shoot them anywhere you want and not just at a range or way out in the country.
 
I guess Airsoft is becoming something like Paintball. If that's the case, then I see the trend continuing and Airsoft guns taking on a clique of their own, collector's status, premium makes and all.
 
Did you ever have BB gun wars as a Kid?

It sure was a heck of a lot of fun, but very dangerous.

No danger with airsoft.
 
Reinz said:
...No danger with airsoft.
Click to expand...
Not exactly. They can sting, and getting hit the eye could do damage. Wear eye protection.

That said, the good ones the look and function like the real thing can be very useful training tools. Some instructors use them for Force-on-Force training (with appropriate safety gear). We use them with our beginner students before we take them on to the range for live fire exercises.

They are also fun.
 
Always sort of preferred paintball more than airsoft.

Its a lot more intense. When you get hit by a paintball traveling 300 fps you know it.

I guess airsoft is a little bit more applicable to a simulated combat situation than paintball. Other people are really into it though. And some of the equipment that is made is pretty high dollar stuff.
 
My 12 y/o has at least 7 air soft guns, and some are very nice and expensive ($150). He has an AR model that if it didn't have the orange muzzle, I would swear its real. He just randomly shoots them in the yard and a targets. I'd much rather he get into paintball. An organized game is good exercise. Sure there's some danger involved though.
 
I wouldn't call it that much of a craze here in the U.S.. But go to Europe or Japan and your eyes will be opened. It's a BIG deal there, and since they really can't own any guns, airsoft seems to have filled the gap. And you can easily spend $5,000 and up for the higher end stuff.

I have a 1:1 exact replica of my carry gun that cost me 50$. It's handy for doing drills or dry-firing around the house and doesn't worry the wife :p
 
I just bought an Airsoft professional training rifle (M4 Carbine). It feels exactly like my real one, same sights, damn near same trigger pull etc. It allows me close range, quiet practice and is actually fairly accurate at close range. I liken it to about 65%-70% of the fun I get from a .22 AR 15 while allowing me to practice muscle memory habits such as mag release, handling, sight alignment, safety manipulation etc. I don't skirmish it is strictly a fun indoor range gun when I cannot get to the real range.

I own several relatively high end Airguns as well and they are another outlet for my shooting pleasure but different. The C02 pellet guns, although more accurate then say an airsoft are much louder.

All in all I finally took the plunge because I wanted to get some AR15 shooting in at home whenever the I fancied. I put up an appleseed target and go to town at 20-30 feet or so. It has scratched my itch nicely.

Make no mistake however, although much more accurate at close range then I expected they are no pellet guns.
 
The craze has been going on since the mid 80's.

I prefer paintball as well, but if it brings people into the shooting fold, how bad can it be?
 
I have a co2 powered one that looks like a Bereta. Very fun to shoot. Trigger feels a lot like a real gun. Great for training.
 
I guess I never considered their value as training tools.
I have just seen people spend beaucoup money on the things, and never really got the concept.
 
I have just seen people spend beaucoup money on the things, and never really got the concept.
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I have seen people spend way more money on Tippmann full-auto .22 scaled down replicas - starting at who knows, $13,000 a pop??? probably much more now. Compared to this, I can almost understand Airsoft.
 
* my flame suit is on *
I don't get paintball or airsoft....:eek:

What is the first rule of GUN safety ?

call me old fashioned, but
IMO it just seems wrong.............
My son & friends play that stuff, and it really bothers me...

NONE of the Antis have taken up that cause...or even discussed it.

( maybe because they play it with their kids also ?)
 
I am not apposed to kids playing with guns, I teach mine how to use the real ones. I figure it is safer to teach them to use and respect them than leave a blind fascination with a dangerous item.

I would have to be careful if I had real ones and air soft ones that looked and handled the same, it could lead to some misunderstandings for sure.


However I teach my kids with every gun, if it shoots anything, you always treat it as loaded. Considering with the airsoft there is chance of injury over say nerf... I would have to treat that a little more seriously.

I could see it being a media frenzy the first time a kid (or irresponsible adult) picked up the real one thinking it was the airsoft, and popped off one in the wrong place.

But then again, this is not the cause of the problem, just the effect.

So no flame from me, entitled to an opinion.
 
* my flame suit is on *
I don't get paintball or airsoft....

What is the first rule of GUN safety ?
Click to expand...

I take it by this statement you also have a problem with MILES gear? I've done both MILES and paintball in the military. Paintball was more recreational, but both were military ran.

I played paintball as a kid. It's many times better than video games for kids growing up. It gets kids and adults alike outside, active, and training a skill that may eventually be useful. Paintball can help by training you to seek cover, recognize cover vs. concealment, recognize ambushes, use teamwork, etc. While there is a massive difference between incoming paint and bullets, you can still learn the basics of force on force tactics. Yeah, it's more lighthearted, but still can be quite educational on a basic level. Same can be said about airsoft.

Just like with a firearm, there are safety rules to be followed. With the correct gear and adherence to rules, there's very little risk. Same with any sport. I've yet to hear paintball blamed for a violent incident.

Of course, I was introduced to real guns (hunting) first. I knew the difference well before I ever touched a paintball gun. Think I was in the minority with the group I played with. Take that for what it's worth. I don't intend this to be flaming, but a look at the positive side of pointing a painball gun at your buddies in a controlled environment. I'll respectfully disagree, but invite you to a game if you're ever in my neck of the woods.
 
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