It's common sense that anything that looks like a real gun shouldn't be allowed in urban areas. The risk for accidental injury is too great, particularly at night when vision is obscured.
We urge the North Ogden City Council to maintain its current law prohibiting the use of airsoft guns and reject a request that youngsters and others be allowed to use the guns on private city property with adult supervision.
Recently, a Boy Scout troop, fulfilling a merit badge requirement, approached the city council and asked that airsoft guns be allowed with certain safety requirements. This would be for personal use and not as part of the Scouts, Scout leader Dean Halbert explained to the council.
Boy Scout Colby Widdison told council members that he and the other boys believe that with safety gear, playing with an airsoft gun can be done without harm.
And Councilman Brent Taylor and city resident Dave Hulme both expressed support for changes in the law that would allow some type of airsoft gun use.
However, we hold with the opinion of North Ogden Police Chief Polo Afuvai in wanting to maintain the ban on airsoft guns. Right now possession of one is a class B misdemeanor. As Afuvai demonstrated to councilmembers, an airsoft gun looks like a regular handgun.
Its only distinction is orange at the end of the gun. That is not enough disguise to prevent a misunderstanding that could lead to a fatal tragedy.
Besides, it is clearly stated on the airsoft gun that was shown to the North Ogden council that it is not for youngsters' use. And North Ogden is not the only city that prohibits the use of airsoft guns. Ogden, Centerville and South Ogden also have laws against its use.
Afuvai is correct that ending the prohibition on airsoft guns can make the city less safe.
He suggests parents talk to him about requests to use the toy gun in backyards.
Frankly, as we've stated before, if it looks like a weapon, we don't want to see it being used.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BATFE Guilty of More Arrogant Behavior -- Seizes AirSoft Toy Guns
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), apparently unable to distinguish between real guns and replicas AirSoft, seized a shipment of 30 toy AirSoft guns in a February bust at the Port of Tacoma in Washington.
Airsoft guns, which fire little plastic balls, are used by a growing number of loyal enthusiasts (think paintball, only not as messy). In addition, thanks to their realistic look, weight, and feel, these guns are often used for training purposes by National Guard units and law enforcement.
It was this realism that led CBP agents to seize the shipment—which was destined for Airsoft Outlet Northwest in Cornelius, Oregon—and to call in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) for a closer look.
The BATFE was at least knowledgeable enough to discern that the guns in question were, in fact, not real guns. The case should have ended right then and there. After all, the agency has authority only with respect to the importation of real guns. Toy guns fall no more under BATFE jurisdiction than teddy bears.
However, a little technicality like lack of jurisdiction was not enough to keep BATFE off the case.
“In its present state, our firearms technology branch classified this as a machine gun,” said BATFE special agent Kelvin Crenshaw.
But wait a minute. Didn’t the BATFE previously admit that these are not real guns?
Yes, but “With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun,” Crenshaw said.
Astonished, the owners of the store, Brad Martin and his son, Ben, inquired with the agents as to exactly how “minimal” the work would be to “convert” these toys into real machine guns.
The Martins were given the government version of “talk to the hand.” File a Freedom of Information Act request, they were told.
The Martins have done just that, as has Gun Owners of America. There must be accountability with this agency because if the Bureau can unilaterally decide to get into the business of regulating toys, its mission has grown dramatically without any congressional input or oversight.
Of course, that would not come as a big surprise to many gun dealers who interact with the BATFE on a regular basis. The agency has become an arrogant and out-of-control bureaucracy with a history of trampling on people’s gun rights.
Even more troubling is that this agency’s mission—at least as it relates to firearms—falls completely outside the framework of constitutional authority given to the federal government.
As the Supreme Court reaffirmed in the 2008 Heller decision, Americans have an individual right to keep and bear arms. But if firearms transactions have to be approved by the Washington bureaucrats, what was once a “right” has morphed into a “privilege.”
And now they are opening the door to regulating toy guns, even though it would be extremely risky, expensive and, well, dumb, to attempt to convert an Airsoft into an actual machinegun.
In fact, GOA and the Martins separately consulted with several gunsmiths who debunked the notion that the seized Airsoft guns could be converted with “minimal work.”
To make the transformation, the entirety of the upper receiver would have to be replaced, but the lower receiver would still be unable to endure the intense force of live ammunition because it is made of pot metal (inexpensive alloys) instead of hard steel. And all of this work would actually cost more than buying a real—and stable—AR-15 rifle.
BATFE also tried to justify the seizure because the toys lacked the blaze orange tips now required on all imported toy guns. This again raises the question of jurisdiction and the BATFE regulating toy guns.
The Martins noted that previous shipments from Taiwan lacked the orange paint, but that they were allowed to simply go to Tacoma and paint the ends of the barrels themselves.
Not this time, though. The toy guns, valued at over $10,000, remain in the hands of the BATFE and are slated to be destroyed.
Brad and Ben Martin were robbed just as surely as if they had been mugged walking down the street. Only in this instance, the thugs operated under the color of law by an agency whose very existence is questionable.
Airsoft guns, which fire little plastic balls, are used by a growing number of loyal enthusiasts (think paintball, only not as messy). In addition, thanks to their realistic look, weight, and feel, these guns are often used for training purposes by National Guard units and law enforcement.
It was this realism that led CBP agents to seize the shipment—which was destined for Airsoft Outlet Northwest in Cornelius, Oregon—and to call in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) for a closer look.
The BATFE was at least knowledgeable enough to discern that the guns in question were, in fact, not real guns. The case should have ended right then and there. After all, the agency has authority only with respect to the importation of real guns. Toy guns fall no more under BATFE jurisdiction than teddy bears.
However, a little technicality like lack of jurisdiction was not enough to keep BATFE off the case.
“In its present state, our firearms technology branch classified this as a machine gun,” said BATFE special agent Kelvin Crenshaw.
But wait a minute. Didn’t the BATFE previously admit that these are not real guns?
Yes, but “With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun,” Crenshaw said.
Astonished, the owners of the store, Brad Martin and his son, Ben, inquired with the agents as to exactly how “minimal” the work would be to “convert” these toys into real machine guns.
The Martins were given the government version of “talk to the hand.” File a Freedom of Information Act request, they were told.
The Martins have done just that, as has Gun Owners of America. There must be accountability with this agency because if the Bureau can unilaterally decide to get into the business of regulating toys, its mission has grown dramatically without any congressional input or oversight.
Of course, that would not come as a big surprise to many gun dealers who interact with the BATFE on a regular basis. The agency has become an arrogant and out-of-control bureaucracy with a history of trampling on people’s gun rights.
Even more troubling is that this agency’s mission—at least as it relates to firearms—falls completely outside the framework of constitutional authority given to the federal government.
As the Supreme Court reaffirmed in the 2008 Heller decision, Americans have an individual right to keep and bear arms. But if firearms transactions have to be approved by the Washington bureaucrats, what was once a “right” has morphed into a “privilege.”
And now they are opening the door to regulating toy guns, even though it would be extremely risky, expensive and, well, dumb, to attempt to convert an Airsoft into an actual machinegun.
In fact, GOA and the Martins separately consulted with several gunsmiths who debunked the notion that the seized Airsoft guns could be converted with “minimal work.”
To make the transformation, the entirety of the upper receiver would have to be replaced, but the lower receiver would still be unable to endure the intense force of live ammunition because it is made of pot metal (inexpensive alloys) instead of hard steel. And all of this work would actually cost more than buying a real—and stable—AR-15 rifle.
BATFE also tried to justify the seizure because the toys lacked the blaze orange tips now required on all imported toy guns. This again raises the question of jurisdiction and the BATFE regulating toy guns.
The Martins noted that previous shipments from Taiwan lacked the orange paint, but that they were allowed to simply go to Tacoma and paint the ends of the barrels themselves.
Not this time, though. The toy guns, valued at over $10,000, remain in the hands of the BATFE and are slated to be destroyed.
Brad and Ben Martin were robbed just as surely as if they had been mugged walking down the street. Only in this instance, the thugs operated under the color of law by an agency whose very existence is questionable.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Real but not lethal - The world of Airsoft Guns
DORRANCE TWP. – The soft crackling throughout the woods only vaguely implies combat, like hearing exchanges of gunfire muffled by earplugs – or maybe just nuts falling in the autumn.
But that’s Airsoft: as real as possible without being lethal.
Simulation though it might be, Airsoft seems anything but for the battle gear-clad participants in the field, who refer to each other using call signs, engage in tactical maneuvers and geek out about their gear.
“For people who are into it, you can easily spend $3,000,” said Jon Rizzo, whose family owns the 50-acre home field of Saints Airsoft, a Christian-based group based in the township.
On a clear blue Saturday morning earlier this month, bright white snow contrasted sharply with bleak, bare trees – an intriguing area of operations for the day of loosely structured “open play” the Saints were hosting.
Northeastern Pennsylvania is surprisingly replete with Airsoft teams; all but one of the teams there were from the region: Mountain Top-based Ghost Recon Assault Team, the Deathdealers from Honesdale and Carbondale, Dead Man’s Hands from Hanover Township and Ashley and Wilkes-Barre’s two squads – the Rebels and the Patriots.
While its members consider it a sport, Airsoft is probably more akin to a live-action version of warfare video games such as “Call of Duty” and “Medal of Honor.” Players usually sort into two sides – outfitted with guns, ammunition and other equipment, such as canteens, radios and flash grenades – and take to the field in an attempt to outflank and outwit the opposition. There’s even an injury and medic system for role-playing non-lethal hits, and players who have “died” can “respawn” by returning to a certain spot on the field.
“That’s where most of us started out, with a game like that,” said Don “Keeper” Swelgin, who’s turned his Shavertown property into a close-quarters training ground for his Patriots teammates.
“I only have 4.6 acres, so I actually made it more busy by adding more buildings,” he said.
While it might seem unpublicized, the community is robust enough that a player usually can find a game on any given weekend.
Unlike paintball, the guns shoot biodegradable plastic airsoft BBs at speeds up to 500 feet per second, which players say can be painful depending on the location of the hit. But the cleanup is easier.
“I don’t have to change my clothes before getting in the car,” said Ryan “Dizzy” Dziak, a Patriots airsoft team member.
Even women get involved – sort of. Lisa Pritchard humors her boyfriend, Patriots co-founder Kevin “Chips” Chlipala, by capturing the squad in action. “I take pictures,” she said. “I don’t shoot guns.”
Many military aspects crop up during games. “We have these call signs, and after a while you forget people’s real names,” said James “Dublin” Holland, a Moosic native and Patriots co-founder.
Bo Stobodzian, of Hanover Township, was in the Marines before he found paintball and then Airsoft. Rizzo, who’s been playing since he was 12, hopes to parlay his six years of experience into a commission at the U.S. Naval Academy. He said it’s been helpful for initial interviews.
“They love it,” the Crestwood graduate said. “Some of the guys were able to relate.”
Chlipala didn’t get that far, but Airsoft helped him find what he was looking for.
“When I was 18, I wanted to join the military, but an illness held me back. I figured this was the next best thing, kind of simulate the real-world army,” he said. “When I started this, I found a community with it. If I wanted to explain our community in one word it would be a brotherhood.”
But that’s Airsoft: as real as possible without being lethal.
Simulation though it might be, Airsoft seems anything but for the battle gear-clad participants in the field, who refer to each other using call signs, engage in tactical maneuvers and geek out about their gear.
“For people who are into it, you can easily spend $3,000,” said Jon Rizzo, whose family owns the 50-acre home field of Saints Airsoft, a Christian-based group based in the township.
On a clear blue Saturday morning earlier this month, bright white snow contrasted sharply with bleak, bare trees – an intriguing area of operations for the day of loosely structured “open play” the Saints were hosting.
Northeastern Pennsylvania is surprisingly replete with Airsoft teams; all but one of the teams there were from the region: Mountain Top-based Ghost Recon Assault Team, the Deathdealers from Honesdale and Carbondale, Dead Man’s Hands from Hanover Township and Ashley and Wilkes-Barre’s two squads – the Rebels and the Patriots.
While its members consider it a sport, Airsoft is probably more akin to a live-action version of warfare video games such as “Call of Duty” and “Medal of Honor.” Players usually sort into two sides – outfitted with guns, ammunition and other equipment, such as canteens, radios and flash grenades – and take to the field in an attempt to outflank and outwit the opposition. There’s even an injury and medic system for role-playing non-lethal hits, and players who have “died” can “respawn” by returning to a certain spot on the field.
“That’s where most of us started out, with a game like that,” said Don “Keeper” Swelgin, who’s turned his Shavertown property into a close-quarters training ground for his Patriots teammates.
“I only have 4.6 acres, so I actually made it more busy by adding more buildings,” he said.
While it might seem unpublicized, the community is robust enough that a player usually can find a game on any given weekend.
Unlike paintball, the guns shoot biodegradable plastic airsoft BBs at speeds up to 500 feet per second, which players say can be painful depending on the location of the hit. But the cleanup is easier.
“I don’t have to change my clothes before getting in the car,” said Ryan “Dizzy” Dziak, a Patriots airsoft team member.
Even women get involved – sort of. Lisa Pritchard humors her boyfriend, Patriots co-founder Kevin “Chips” Chlipala, by capturing the squad in action. “I take pictures,” she said. “I don’t shoot guns.”
Many military aspects crop up during games. “We have these call signs, and after a while you forget people’s real names,” said James “Dublin” Holland, a Moosic native and Patriots co-founder.
Bo Stobodzian, of Hanover Township, was in the Marines before he found paintball and then Airsoft. Rizzo, who’s been playing since he was 12, hopes to parlay his six years of experience into a commission at the U.S. Naval Academy. He said it’s been helpful for initial interviews.
“They love it,” the Crestwood graduate said. “Some of the guys were able to relate.”
Chlipala didn’t get that far, but Airsoft helped him find what he was looking for.
“When I was 18, I wanted to join the military, but an illness held me back. I figured this was the next best thing, kind of simulate the real-world army,” he said. “When I started this, I found a community with it. If I wanted to explain our community in one word it would be a brotherhood.”
Monday, March 01, 2010
ATF seizes 30 toy airsoft guns, infuriating local business owner
CORNELIUS, Ore. - A local business owner is flabbergasted after a shipment of 30 toy guns for his store was confiscated by ATF agents in Tacoma.
Brad Martin and his son, Ben, sell the Airsoft BB guns from their store in Cornelius where they’ve been in business for seven years.
The Martins said they buy their stock from Taiwan because the merchandise is less expensive. But the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized a shipment of 30 in October. That shipment is worth around $12,000 and the ATF is promising to destroy the entire shipment.
Special Agent Kelvin Crenshaw said the toys can be easily retro-fitted into dangerous weapons.
"With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun," Crenshaw said.
Brad Martin is furious about the loss of money, for sure, but also in what he now thinks as a loss of his time and the use of government agents to seize toy Airsoft guns.
"All this manpower, all this time, all this taxpayer money, [it is] wasting my time and my profitability,” Martin said. “[Just] to seize 30 toy airsoft guns!"
Ben Martin disagrees that the toy guns could ever be considered dangerous.
"To say these are readily convertible to machine guns is absolutely preposterous,” he said. “The round wouldn't go into the firing chamber and even if the firing pin did strike the primer the gun would basically blow up in your face.”
ATF said it also seized the toys because they are missing the blaze orange tips required on all imported toy airsoft guns.
The Martins said they've received shipments before from Taiwan that were missing the orange tips and were simply asked by customs agents to drive up to Tacoma and paint the tips orange themselves. They are wondering why it is an issue now.
News covereage can be seen at
http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=15289@koin.dayport.com&navCatId=156
Brad Martin and his son, Ben, sell the Airsoft BB guns from their store in Cornelius where they’ve been in business for seven years.
The Martins said they buy their stock from Taiwan because the merchandise is less expensive. But the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized a shipment of 30 in October. That shipment is worth around $12,000 and the ATF is promising to destroy the entire shipment.
Special Agent Kelvin Crenshaw said the toys can be easily retro-fitted into dangerous weapons.
"With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun," Crenshaw said.
Brad Martin is furious about the loss of money, for sure, but also in what he now thinks as a loss of his time and the use of government agents to seize toy Airsoft guns.
"All this manpower, all this time, all this taxpayer money, [it is] wasting my time and my profitability,” Martin said. “[Just] to seize 30 toy airsoft guns!"
Ben Martin disagrees that the toy guns could ever be considered dangerous.
"To say these are readily convertible to machine guns is absolutely preposterous,” he said. “The round wouldn't go into the firing chamber and even if the firing pin did strike the primer the gun would basically blow up in your face.”
ATF said it also seized the toys because they are missing the blaze orange tips required on all imported toy airsoft guns.
The Martins said they've received shipments before from Taiwan that were missing the orange tips and were simply asked by customs agents to drive up to Tacoma and paint the tips orange themselves. They are wondering why it is an issue now.
News covereage can be seen at
http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=15289@koin.dayport.com&navCatId=156
Sunday, February 21, 2010
+1 for ATF, 0 for Airsoft. 'Toy' rifles seized by federal agents in Tacoma
Earlier this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Tacoma seized a shipment of 30 toy M-4 automatic rifles that had arrived on Oct. 20 in a 40-foot ocean container.
The shipment's manifest listed the contents as "Toys and Parts" and was shipped from a manufacturer in Taiwan, according to a Customs and Border Protection news release. The rifles were the same size, weight and look of an M-4 automatic rifle, which is used by the U.S. military. The rifles had no serial numbers and did not have an orange-blaze tip which is required for all imported of toy guns.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) tested the files and determined they were tooled to shoot plastic balls. However, ATF also found that the internal components could easily be refitted with original machine gun components, making the rifles capable of firing live ammunition. ATF lab results indicated the rifle to be a WE-Tech, Model AWSS M4CQBR, Airsoft M-4 copy.
ATF also confirmed the shipment did not arrive with the proper permits to enter the U.S.
The machine guns were turned over to the ATF to be destroyed.
"These rifles could have had far-reaching and potentially devastating ramifications if they had gotten into the hands of individuals who wanted to do harm in the American population", Customs and Border Protection Area Port Director Rolando Suliveras Jr. said in a news release.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Using Airsoft to Teach Your Son about Gun Safety
Real guns are very dangerous, and a lot of people die every year in America due to gun accidents, usually involving kids playing with their father’s guns. But all of this can be avoided if your kids know about the danger of guns, and have knowledge of the safety devices and techniques that will protect them from danger.
Using Airsoft Guns as a Precursor
That is where getting an airsoft pistol or rifle for your son can come in very handy. Especially if you purchase a higher end airsoft gun, you will get the look and feel of the real pistol in an airsoft gun, and you can show your son how the internal and external safety features work, how to keep the weapon pointed away from people, pointed down at the ground when moving, and ensuring that the weapon isn’t loaded when in storage. These are all great tips that the youngster must learn before touching a real gun.
Airsoft guns also feature the unmistakable blaze orange tip that will enable you to easily tell the difference between the airsoft gun, and the real gun. Also, you will be able to teach your son how to shoot accurately, timely, and know exactly how to load and unload the weapon quickly. The more knowledge they have, the better the chances are of avoiding a catastrophe.
Be sure to always keep your guns locked away, especially while the kids are home alone and you aren\’t there to make sure they stay out of your gun closet. A combination lock on a vault that is bolted to the floor provides very difficult access along with protection from being moved or tipped over. But even with the best teaching, accidents can still happen, and you don\’t want to face the consequences of such accidents. Take all the precautions possible.Sarah specializing in electric air pistols, gas air pistols, and other air pistols is a fan of the intelligence that the sport has to offer. Team play combined with leadership separate it from many other games.
Using Airsoft Guns as a Precursor
That is where getting an airsoft pistol or rifle for your son can come in very handy. Especially if you purchase a higher end airsoft gun, you will get the look and feel of the real pistol in an airsoft gun, and you can show your son how the internal and external safety features work, how to keep the weapon pointed away from people, pointed down at the ground when moving, and ensuring that the weapon isn’t loaded when in storage. These are all great tips that the youngster must learn before touching a real gun.
Airsoft guns also feature the unmistakable blaze orange tip that will enable you to easily tell the difference between the airsoft gun, and the real gun. Also, you will be able to teach your son how to shoot accurately, timely, and know exactly how to load and unload the weapon quickly. The more knowledge they have, the better the chances are of avoiding a catastrophe.
Be sure to always keep your guns locked away, especially while the kids are home alone and you aren\’t there to make sure they stay out of your gun closet. A combination lock on a vault that is bolted to the floor provides very difficult access along with protection from being moved or tipped over. But even with the best teaching, accidents can still happen, and you don\’t want to face the consequences of such accidents. Take all the precautions possible.Sarah specializing in electric air pistols, gas air pistols, and other air pistols is a fan of the intelligence that the sport has to offer. Team play combined with leadership separate it from many other games.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Airsoft Guns Provide A Unique Way To Play Soldier.
these reproduction firearms got popular in Japan and other parts of the orient and Europe and then eventually found their way to the United States. Although they were original intended to satisfy collectors they have since become an important part of a worldwide craze.
While they are mostly manufactured in Asia airsoft guns are available in all parts of the world. However regulation has made it necessary within the United States for any airsoft firearms to have a distinguishing orange mark or cap on them. This is so that they are easily identifiable and can be distinguished from the real thing.
Police department and military training units have started to recognize the feasibility of airsoft guns as usable for training exercises. Manufactured in identical size and weight these weapons provide a relatively inexpensive alternative to using authentic firearms.
Many methods of play have developed using airsoft guns. Perhaps the most popular of these is known as MilSim or military simulation. Military simulation is basically a hard core game set up around military missions with teams that play against each other. These serious players often go as far as to use rations, explosives and radios.
With replica m16’s and other traditional military weapons these battles can often look like the real thing since players are often required to dress in particular military uniforms. In other cases the players wear regular civilian clothing rather than fatigues. These skirmishes where the players wear civilian clothing are called skirmish in silly kit or SISK.
Players have to be honest when it comes to whether they have been hit since airsoft pellets are small rubber balls and not paint packed balls, as is used in paint ball guns. Paint ball is another popular war like game played with authentic looking guns that fire paint balls that leave marks on their targets and victims. Since Airsoft ammunition does not leave these marks often it is up to the player to admit that they have been hit.
Due to the exactness of these guns some areas have restricted their use, such as large inner cities. In the United States these guns are required to contain orange markings that are permanent. So they can be quickly distinguished from authentic fire-arms.
These mock-up semi-automatics can be found at many retail outlets and can be commonly found at flea markets and swap meets. Another popular way to locate these weapons is at kiosks in malls and even at some sporting goods retailers. Airsoft guns can also be found via the internet at a variety of retailers that over large selections of guns and other associated items.
Author Information: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Visit this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.
While they are mostly manufactured in Asia airsoft guns are available in all parts of the world. However regulation has made it necessary within the United States for any airsoft firearms to have a distinguishing orange mark or cap on them. This is so that they are easily identifiable and can be distinguished from the real thing.
Police department and military training units have started to recognize the feasibility of airsoft guns as usable for training exercises. Manufactured in identical size and weight these weapons provide a relatively inexpensive alternative to using authentic firearms.
Many methods of play have developed using airsoft guns. Perhaps the most popular of these is known as MilSim or military simulation. Military simulation is basically a hard core game set up around military missions with teams that play against each other. These serious players often go as far as to use rations, explosives and radios.
With replica m16’s and other traditional military weapons these battles can often look like the real thing since players are often required to dress in particular military uniforms. In other cases the players wear regular civilian clothing rather than fatigues. These skirmishes where the players wear civilian clothing are called skirmish in silly kit or SISK.
Players have to be honest when it comes to whether they have been hit since airsoft pellets are small rubber balls and not paint packed balls, as is used in paint ball guns. Paint ball is another popular war like game played with authentic looking guns that fire paint balls that leave marks on their targets and victims. Since Airsoft ammunition does not leave these marks often it is up to the player to admit that they have been hit.
Due to the exactness of these guns some areas have restricted their use, such as large inner cities. In the United States these guns are required to contain orange markings that are permanent. So they can be quickly distinguished from authentic fire-arms.
These mock-up semi-automatics can be found at many retail outlets and can be commonly found at flea markets and swap meets. Another popular way to locate these weapons is at kiosks in malls and even at some sporting goods retailers. Airsoft guns can also be found via the internet at a variety of retailers that over large selections of guns and other associated items.
Author Information: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Visit this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Teen of the Week: Teen juggles academics, sports, unique hobbies; like airsoft
If there is a different way of getting directly from point A to point B, you can bet Victor Alexander Fernandes of Arnold has already done it.
When he isn't warming up for Broadneck High School's outdoor track team meets in the spring, the 17-year-old Arnold youth, a Broadneck senior, is an avid practitioner of free running and parkour.
Never heard of them? The two are not new. In the past decade, these athletic activities have been depicted in a number of action flicks and have a global network of enthusiasts. Free running and parkour are two non-competitive methods of running along a set route in the most efficient way possible while using one's body and the environment to get over any obstacles in the way, like low walls or picnic tables. No fancy pads, no helmets, no tools. Free running is a form of urban acrobatics. Think of it as skateboarding without the skateboard.
Victor is also a skilled stilt-walker and unicyclist. In years past, he's trick-or-treated on stilts he made himself. Or, wearing a costume he designed and stitched, Victor unicycles through Severna Park during that town's annual Fourth of July parade. Victor is usually juggling a collection of steel mesh balls. Yup, he made those, too.
"They're made of hundreds of small rings," Victor explained, showing off the hacky-sack balls he's covered with a skin of hand-made chain mail. In addition, Victor creates long, snakelike necklaces or beautiful, dangly earrings of small, intertwined rings. Each ring has been pried apart with needle-nosed pliers and linked with other rings in an intricate mesh design.
The Renaissance Festival in Crownsville has made good use of his energy. On autumn weekends when he's available, Victor is in the festival's juggling booth teaching passers-by to juggle.
Heather Nealy Torosino, the booth manager, said: "He's wonderful. Even before he was officially employed there, he'd hang out and help people who were learning. He'd help us cover breaks if it was a little tough. He's a great teacher. Victor just keeps working with people until they get it, and he's fun too!"
The Fernandes family has a history of RennFest employment and enjoyment. His father, John, a Class of 1982 Naval Academy grad who works for a federal agency, has served as the money counter. Sister Andrea, 23, a writer for Mental Floss magazine, is a souvenir booth manager. Middle sister Juliana, 21, who is pursuing a master's degree in architecture at Roger Williams University, spent two seasons at the festival. And sister Christy, currently attending Union County College in New Jersey, has labored as a "bubble fairy."
His mother Terry, an editor-researcher for the Office of Naval Intelligence, has her hands full as a Bruins Music booster. Brother JC, 19, is a sophomore at West Point..
Victor also moves by marching - he was a valued member of the Bruin's award-winning marching band. A member all four years, he was the brass captain and section leader this past fall. Victor plays the baritone, a low brass horn.
"Victor is so funny," exclaimed Sandra Balderson, chair of the music department. "He is calm, yet works hard and always surprises me. Just when I think he's not listening, he comes up with an answer that convinces me that indeed he was right there with us. He has a delightful sense of humor that just pulls everyone in.
Marching band director and instrumental music instructor Matt Heist adds: "Victor has a fun personality that causes people to want to be around him. He is very dedicated and selfless. He knows what it means to be a 'team player.' "
Airsoft is another of Victor's many interests. It is a simulated warfare game similar to paint ball, but the Airsoft guns fire plastic BB pellets instead of paint-filled balls. It's a great way learn gun safety and improve shooting markmenship.
Victor doesn't drop the ball when it comes to academics either. He earned a perfect SAT verbal score of 800. His combined score is 2280, placing him among the top one percent of all SAT test-takers in 2009. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Tri-M National Music Honors Society, and is an AP Distinguished Scholar.
Next fall, Victor hopes to attend a small university with a good engineering program, possibly on an Army ROTC scholarship. He is juggling application paperwork for three colleges. Down the road, Victor "hopes to get a job designing after market parts for hot rods."
His real passion, it turns out, is fixing up cars that rolled down Detroit assembly lines years before he was born. A couple years ago, he put a new engine with a used V6 into an '84 Ford LTD. Next, he restored a '66 Ford Mustang, which he traded for a '76 Chevy Nova he found on CraigsList.com. His dream is to eventually own a '72 Pontiac Firebird Formula.
"It's the best-looking car made by Pontiac," Victor said. "With after-market parts, it can be made into an extremely fast car."
Despite piles of schoolwork and all his interests, Victor has a steady girlfriend, too. Somehow, he manages to juggle everything seamlessly.
When he isn't warming up for Broadneck High School's outdoor track team meets in the spring, the 17-year-old Arnold youth, a Broadneck senior, is an avid practitioner of free running and parkour.
Never heard of them? The two are not new. In the past decade, these athletic activities have been depicted in a number of action flicks and have a global network of enthusiasts. Free running and parkour are two non-competitive methods of running along a set route in the most efficient way possible while using one's body and the environment to get over any obstacles in the way, like low walls or picnic tables. No fancy pads, no helmets, no tools. Free running is a form of urban acrobatics. Think of it as skateboarding without the skateboard.
Victor is also a skilled stilt-walker and unicyclist. In years past, he's trick-or-treated on stilts he made himself. Or, wearing a costume he designed and stitched, Victor unicycles through Severna Park during that town's annual Fourth of July parade. Victor is usually juggling a collection of steel mesh balls. Yup, he made those, too.
"They're made of hundreds of small rings," Victor explained, showing off the hacky-sack balls he's covered with a skin of hand-made chain mail. In addition, Victor creates long, snakelike necklaces or beautiful, dangly earrings of small, intertwined rings. Each ring has been pried apart with needle-nosed pliers and linked with other rings in an intricate mesh design.
The Renaissance Festival in Crownsville has made good use of his energy. On autumn weekends when he's available, Victor is in the festival's juggling booth teaching passers-by to juggle.
Heather Nealy Torosino, the booth manager, said: "He's wonderful. Even before he was officially employed there, he'd hang out and help people who were learning. He'd help us cover breaks if it was a little tough. He's a great teacher. Victor just keeps working with people until they get it, and he's fun too!"
The Fernandes family has a history of RennFest employment and enjoyment. His father, John, a Class of 1982 Naval Academy grad who works for a federal agency, has served as the money counter. Sister Andrea, 23, a writer for Mental Floss magazine, is a souvenir booth manager. Middle sister Juliana, 21, who is pursuing a master's degree in architecture at Roger Williams University, spent two seasons at the festival. And sister Christy, currently attending Union County College in New Jersey, has labored as a "bubble fairy."
His mother Terry, an editor-researcher for the Office of Naval Intelligence, has her hands full as a Bruins Music booster. Brother JC, 19, is a sophomore at West Point..
Victor also moves by marching - he was a valued member of the Bruin's award-winning marching band. A member all four years, he was the brass captain and section leader this past fall. Victor plays the baritone, a low brass horn.
"Victor is so funny," exclaimed Sandra Balderson, chair of the music department. "He is calm, yet works hard and always surprises me. Just when I think he's not listening, he comes up with an answer that convinces me that indeed he was right there with us. He has a delightful sense of humor that just pulls everyone in.
Marching band director and instrumental music instructor Matt Heist adds: "Victor has a fun personality that causes people to want to be around him. He is very dedicated and selfless. He knows what it means to be a 'team player.' "
Airsoft is another of Victor's many interests. It is a simulated warfare game similar to paint ball, but the Airsoft guns fire plastic BB pellets instead of paint-filled balls. It's a great way learn gun safety and improve shooting markmenship.
Victor doesn't drop the ball when it comes to academics either. He earned a perfect SAT verbal score of 800. His combined score is 2280, placing him among the top one percent of all SAT test-takers in 2009. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Tri-M National Music Honors Society, and is an AP Distinguished Scholar.
Next fall, Victor hopes to attend a small university with a good engineering program, possibly on an Army ROTC scholarship. He is juggling application paperwork for three colleges. Down the road, Victor "hopes to get a job designing after market parts for hot rods."
His real passion, it turns out, is fixing up cars that rolled down Detroit assembly lines years before he was born. A couple years ago, he put a new engine with a used V6 into an '84 Ford LTD. Next, he restored a '66 Ford Mustang, which he traded for a '76 Chevy Nova he found on CraigsList.com. His dream is to eventually own a '72 Pontiac Firebird Formula.
"It's the best-looking car made by Pontiac," Victor said. "With after-market parts, it can be made into an extremely fast car."
Despite piles of schoolwork and all his interests, Victor has a steady girlfriend, too. Somehow, he manages to juggle everything seamlessly.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Airsoft Guns Are Replacing Paintball Guns In Recreational War Games
Airsoft guns are the newest thing in military game play. Many people have switched from paintball guns to airsoft guns. These guns look as realistic as the actual guns that they were modeled after. They shoot plastic pellets that range from 6 to 8mm. Using these types of guns can be relatively harmless, as long as the operating guidelines and safety precautions are followed.
You will not need a license to own or operate these guns. However, you do need to be aware if there is a minimum age requirement in your country. There not be an age requirement to operate an airsoft gun, but there will probably be an age restriction when purchasing one.
To purchase an airsoft gun you will have to be 18 years old or older. As the laws differ from one area to another, you will need to know how they affect you. Always keep in mind that the general public will probably not be able to tell the difference between your gun and real one. Airsoft guns should not be out in public areas. Only private property will do for displaying or for having these guns out in the open.
You will also need to care for your airsoft gun the same way that you need if you owned a real gun. Some guns operate by utilizing fuses and a battery; while other guns can operate by using gas or both electric and gas. If your gun is not cleaned regularly, you will take the chance of the gun will not operate properly. If you need to do more than clean the gun, you should take it to a professional technician that normally works with these guns.
One thing that you will need when playing in recreational war guns is a barrel bag. This bag is put over your barrel when the gun is not being used on the playing field. The bag will stop any rounds from hitting anyone should the gun accidently go off. There are also barrel condoms; however, they are not as safe or as effective as the barrel bag.
There are many different styles of games that can be played with airsoft guns. Basically, any type of military-style war games can be played with these guns. Because of the use of plastic pellets, all players are held to an honor system. Because there are not any telltale signs that someone has been hit, the players have to honest and call out when they are hit. You might think that people will not be honest and ruin the game, but the people that play are very dedicated to playing a hard but fair game.
Electric, gas, spring and hybrid airsoft guns are the flavors that you can select from. If you are in a store, you can ask a knowledgeable salesperson to help you pick out which types of gun is right for you. Most beginners start with a spring loaded gun and work their way up to a more complicated and powerful arsenal. If you can try dry firing the gun to see if you like it and do not go on appearance alone when choosing your weapon.
The more experienced you become the more firepower you are probably going to want. There are guns available that will fire bullet-like projectiles and will eject the casings from the gun for the most realistic effect. Although, the airsoft guns are not really guns, they need to be handled as if they were.
You will not need a license to own or operate these guns. However, you do need to be aware if there is a minimum age requirement in your country. There not be an age requirement to operate an airsoft gun, but there will probably be an age restriction when purchasing one.
To purchase an airsoft gun you will have to be 18 years old or older. As the laws differ from one area to another, you will need to know how they affect you. Always keep in mind that the general public will probably not be able to tell the difference between your gun and real one. Airsoft guns should not be out in public areas. Only private property will do for displaying or for having these guns out in the open.
You will also need to care for your airsoft gun the same way that you need if you owned a real gun. Some guns operate by utilizing fuses and a battery; while other guns can operate by using gas or both electric and gas. If your gun is not cleaned regularly, you will take the chance of the gun will not operate properly. If you need to do more than clean the gun, you should take it to a professional technician that normally works with these guns.
One thing that you will need when playing in recreational war guns is a barrel bag. This bag is put over your barrel when the gun is not being used on the playing field. The bag will stop any rounds from hitting anyone should the gun accidently go off. There are also barrel condoms; however, they are not as safe or as effective as the barrel bag.
There are many different styles of games that can be played with airsoft guns. Basically, any type of military-style war games can be played with these guns. Because of the use of plastic pellets, all players are held to an honor system. Because there are not any telltale signs that someone has been hit, the players have to honest and call out when they are hit. You might think that people will not be honest and ruin the game, but the people that play are very dedicated to playing a hard but fair game.
Electric, gas, spring and hybrid airsoft guns are the flavors that you can select from. If you are in a store, you can ask a knowledgeable salesperson to help you pick out which types of gun is right for you. Most beginners start with a spring loaded gun and work their way up to a more complicated and powerful arsenal. If you can try dry firing the gun to see if you like it and do not go on appearance alone when choosing your weapon.
The more experienced you become the more firepower you are probably going to want. There are guns available that will fire bullet-like projectiles and will eject the casings from the gun for the most realistic effect. Although, the airsoft guns are not really guns, they need to be handled as if they were.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Gun ban covers airsoft guns and air rifles
Airsoft, air rifles, and exact replica models of toy guns are covered by the election gun ban and those found violating the prohibition will be arrested and prosecuted in court, Negros Oriental provincial police director, Sr. Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr., has warned.
Marquez issued the statement in the wake of reports that some airsoft enthusiasts continue with the sport despite the ban. He said these items will be deposited in the place of the activity, as carrying of the same from one point to another is unlawful, he said.
Toy guns that are exact imitations of the genuine models are also prohibited, as well as the pellets used for these can cause harm to people, he said.
He also announced that the holding of shooting competitions and regular proficiency firing by civilians and gun clubs should be held in abeyance, until the absolute gun ban is lifted on June 10.
Roy Cang of the Dumaguete Shootists' Association Inc. said their club plans to asking permission for its members to hold their proficiency shooting, at the provincial police headquarters at Camp Fernandez in Sibulan.
Cang, a businessman, said that during the ban period, he has ordered the pull out of air rifles and replica toy guns and ammunition from his store in downtown Dumaguete City .
So far, not a single violator of the gun ban has been arrested in Negros Oriental despite random checkpoints established by the police and the army and supervised by the Commission on Elections, Marquez said.*JFP
Marquez issued the statement in the wake of reports that some airsoft enthusiasts continue with the sport despite the ban. He said these items will be deposited in the place of the activity, as carrying of the same from one point to another is unlawful, he said.
Toy guns that are exact imitations of the genuine models are also prohibited, as well as the pellets used for these can cause harm to people, he said.
He also announced that the holding of shooting competitions and regular proficiency firing by civilians and gun clubs should be held in abeyance, until the absolute gun ban is lifted on June 10.
Roy Cang of the Dumaguete Shootists' Association Inc. said their club plans to asking permission for its members to hold their proficiency shooting, at the provincial police headquarters at Camp Fernandez in Sibulan.
Cang, a businessman, said that during the ban period, he has ordered the pull out of air rifles and replica toy guns and ammunition from his store in downtown Dumaguete City .
So far, not a single violator of the gun ban has been arrested in Negros Oriental despite random checkpoints established by the police and the army and supervised by the Commission on Elections, Marquez said.*JFP
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