Japan Train commute with Airsoft Guns

Folks over here like to keep themselves occupied on the trains. Some school girls sit on the floor eating and having conversations with their classmates, some fidget with their mobile phone and then there are some who polish their rifles...

I usually pass the time by looking out the window at the scenery or use the time to do some spring cleaning in my brain. If I'm not doing that then I'm watching anime on the iPod. How do you pass time on your commute to school/work?

What a different world and culture results in such difference. A person in the US with an airsoft sniper rifle sitting in the middle of the train would result in a catastrophic shut down and the SWAT team.

Airsoft arena a new part of Southern California

Two brothers are making plans to expand their Airsoft Business in Southern California.

The store, operated by Kelly Monson and his brother Travis, currently sells airsoft guns, replacement parts, protective gear and airsoft accessories. The Monson brothers plan to expand their business by building a 12,000 square foot indoor battle arena in the warehouse behind their store.

Kelly Monson said the arena is to be built as an urban cityscape where groups of up to 24 people can engage in simulated warfare.

“We will provide all the guns and protective equipment at the arena for groups who want to come play,” Kelly said.

Kelly said that airsoft is similar to laser tag and paintball but there are definite advantages to airsoft that the other two do not provide.

“Airsoft guns shoot projectiles and are more realistic looking than laser and paintball guns,” he said.

Kelly said one of the other features of the airsoft business is that individuals can play, not just groups of people. Weapon Bender will provide employees to battle against individuals so people do not have to have a group on hand to participate.

Kelly said the airsoft arena is designed to provide college students with entertainment and could be an interesting date night activity.

“Our target audience [is] males ages 18-36, but definitely airsoft can provide entertainment for all ages and types of people,” Kelly said.

According to Kelly they are planning on having the arena open around the end of April or May. Arena hours are scheduled to be from 3 - 10 p.m.

Sean Cornwell, a junior in the engineering program, said he thinks the airsoft arena will be a great addition to the college entertainment found in the Provo and Orem area.

“I know lots of guys that have airsoft guns and to have a course to battle on would be great,” Cornwell said. “It would prevent me and my roommates from putting holes in our walls.”

Visit them at www.airsoftplayground.com

Teen toting air soft rifle in car gets arrested

Racine, WI – A teen, who had an air rifle with him in a car, was arrested after police and other drivers called in saying it looked real.

The boy’s actions also prompted several law enforcement agencies to respond to what they thought was a high-risk traffic stop Friday afternoon.

Michael Westmoreland, 17, was a passenger in the front seat of a burgundy Buick with two of his friends, Troy Stanley, 18, and Andrew Buchholz, 18, when he decided to bring his Airsoft rifle with him.

Airsoft guns use air to shoot plastic projectiles, but they look very much like real rifles.

The three teens were going to make a movie for a class project and after school at about 3:20 p.m. on Friday they thought they would stop at Westmoreland’s house to change clothes first, according to an incident report from the Racine County Sheriff’s Department.

But before they even got there, another driver saw the tip of the rifle sticking up and called 911.

Deputies with the Racine County Sheriff’s Department located the car on Highway 31 and Newman Road and didn’t think it was a toy gun because toy guns have an orange tip on the barrel of the gun, but Westmoreland had put tape over it.

The deputy called into dispatch that a high-risk traffic stop would be needed, which meant that squads from the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Racine and Mount Pleasant police departments responded.

The car was stopped on Washington at Lathrop avenues by seven squad cars, all of the traffic was stopped on Washington Avenue and the teens exited the car and taken into police custody without incident.

Westmoreland was arrested for disorderly conduct because he put black tape over the orange tip of the air rifle and riding in the car with it so that it was visible, “furthering the illusion of a real assault rifle,” wrote Scott Litwin, a deputy with the Racine County Sheriff’s Department. “This result(ed) in a very large disturbance, which involved numerous law enforcement officers from multiple agencies and disrupt(ed) the lives of numerous motorists in the area during a very high traffic time.”

Westmoreland told Litwin the gun was for the school project, but admitted that it was “very stupid” to take the toy gun in the car.

When Westmoreland was taken into custody, however, another toy gun, which also had the orange tip and decals removed, was found in his coat pocket.

A small amount of marijuana was also found inside the car; however, Stanley told police the marijuana was his. He was given a municipal citation for possession of marijuana.

Buchholz was not cited in the incident and was released from the scene.

Central Nebraska town bans BB airsoft guns

Associated Press - March 11, 2009 11:25 AM ET

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - It's now illegal to carry a loaded BB gun, pellet gun , airsoft gun, or paintball gun in a car in Grand Island.

The Grand Island City Council, acting on a rash of windows being shot out in cars and homes, passed the change in city code Tuesday night.

Violators of the new ordinance would be subject to a $50 fine and confiscation of the gun for 60 days.

Grand Island Police Chief Steve Lamken says that in recent months, vandals armed with BB guns and airsoft have caused thousands of dollars in property damage to vehicles and buildings.

No gun charges for SV students who brings airsoft gun

No charges will be filed against two Stillman Valley grade school students who had an airsoft pistol and an Airsoft gun at school or their parents.

Ogle County State's Attorney John B. Roe said Feb. 27 that after reviewing the case and applicable state statutes he has determined that no criminal charges, either adult or juvenile, are warranted.

"Neither student possessed either weapon with malicious intent, nor had the weapons been obtained or maintained in an illegal or reckless manner," Roe said.

Officials at Highland Grade School called the sheriff's department Feb. 20 when they found a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun in the student's locker.

School officials discovered the gun while they were investigating an incident that occurred that morning on a school bus.

A school bus driver had found a grade school student on the bus with an Airsoft gun, which shoots plastic pellets propelled by air.

During the follow up investigation of that incident school officials learned that another weapon might have been brought to school by another student, an eight-year-old boy.

The airsoft handgun was found in the second student’s book bag inside that his locker.

Ogle County Sheriff Greg Beitel said the handgun was not loaded. Its ammunition magazine was empty and was not in the gun, and a loose bullet was found in the book bag.

Beitel said both guns came from a locked gun case belonging to the eight-year-old's father.

The youngster apparently found the key to the gun case, took the weapons, and then gave the Airsoft gun to the other student, he said.

"Fortunately the gun was not loaded and the magazine was stored separately," Beitel said.