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Airsoft


Airsoft is a sport in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with spherical non-metallic pellets launched via replica weapons called airsoft guns. Airsoft is commonly compared to paintball, with some key differences being:

Gameplay varies in style and composition but often range from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, C.Q.B. (Close Quarters Battle), field, military simulations (MilSim) or historical reenactments. They are played in some indoor courses, and outdoor (fields). Combat situations on the battlefield may involve the use of military tactics to achieve objectives set in each game. Participants may attempt to emulate the tactical equipment and accessories used by modern military and police organizations. A game is normally kept safe by a trained professional and the weapons are usually powered by gas or various types of batteries. A gun's power is checked through a chronograph and usually measured in feet per second. Different game sites allow a different amount of FPS but different countries also have a set FPS and a gun shooting over the required FPS can be confiscated or not allowed to be used on airsoft sites; for instance, a sniper would usually have a higher FPS than a submachine gun, since a sniper needs a minimum engagement range to reduce the danger from being hit at close range by a powerful weapon.

The airsoft gun originated from Japan in the early 1980s. The name "Soft-Air" referred to the green gas used as a propellant. Originally designed for target shooting, their bullets could also hit humans without injury and thus became popular for casual war-games. Airsoft guns spread to the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a company called LS. The guns were sold in pieces and had to be assembled before they were capable of firing pellets. Airsoft equipment was designed to closely emulate real guns. Since the mid-1980s, airsoft guns have been adapted with a purely recreational application in mind, and the sport is enjoyed by all ages. Airsoft replicas are produced globally, with the majority being manufactured in Asia. Many law enforcement agencies and military units within the US use Airsoft for force-on-force training drills.

On impact, the pain an airsoft pellet causes is directly related with the kinetic energy it has. This energy is directly proportional to its mass and the square of its velocity. It is important to note that doubling the velocity of a pellet will quadruple its kinetic energy. As a reference value, a 0.20 gram BB, which is the most common size, traveling at 100 metres per second (330 ft/s) has one joule of kinetic energy.


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