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What are airsoft
pistols? They usually fall under the category of toy guns due to the fact that they are not real guns and 1:1 exact copy of real firearms. Plastic or metal are usually used as materials for
airsoft guns which propel plastic pellets known as BBs which are around 5-8 mm spherical or round pellets with the weight of 110-600 mg, using compressed air. Airsoft
pistols are very similar to actual firearms in terms of design and functional mechanism. |
The craze of owning airsoft guns started in Japan during the mid-1970s due to the fact that private individuals are not allowed to own firearms legally.
It then starts to get popular in China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Philippines mainly due to the countries’ firearms restriction. However, airsoft
pistols craze only start to take place in United States and Europe during the mid-1990s.
Spring-powered, gas-powered and electric-powered guns (or known as automatic electric guns) are three main types of airsoft guns.
In spring-powered guns, the slide or bolt has to be pulled back for the spring to be cocked before a shot is fired. Automatic electric gun uses electrical power form an onboard battery to function. On the other hand, gas-powered guns uses pressurized gases such as HFC134a refrigerant and propane to propel BBs.
Although the pellets are usually 6 mm spherical plastics, they come in various weights, shapes and sizes. Starch-based biodegradable, graphite coated, metal coated and steel pellets are also available.
The weight of airsoft pellets is usually between 0.12 to 0.43 g and they can cause serious harm to the eyes although they may not harm your skin. You have to wear goggles or other protective wear at all times while playing
airsoft pistols.
