If you’re looking for airsoft-specific regulations, you might not find them in many states. That’s because airsoft guns are a niche product that might not be popular enough in certain states to have any regulation around them. But air guns have been around long enough to have some regulations specific to them. Would those apply to airsoft guns, though?
Airsoft guns are not considered air guns by the general public but may be in the same category as projectile shooters that don’t use gunpowder or firepower. There are gas-powered airsoft guns, but not all airsoft guns use gas.
In this article, you will find out the specific difference between airsoft and non-airsoft guns, alongside the implications of these differences. You will also learn whether the terms are interchangeable in some situations and how you can be sure that airsoft guns are legal and safe in your area. But first, let’s untangle the semantics/terminology.
Airsoft Guns And Air Guns: A Brief Overview
The term “Air Gun” refers to guns that use compressed air as a firing mechanism. This includes gas guns that use cartridges of gases like CO2 and N2 to fire pellets. Most of these guns usually like metal pellets and are meant for big, medium, and small game hunting.
Airsoft guns initially had a gas firing mechanism only. Spring and electronic airsoft guns came about later. Having the same firing mechanism as air guns, airsoft guns fired projectiles that were too soft to harm a human. And that made tactical combat games possible.
The name “airsoft” back then reflected a “softer air gun.” It didn’t take long for another firing mechanism, which already existed, to become a part of the airsoft craze. Soon spring pistol airsoft guns came around, and eventually, electronic ones took over a majority of the fields.
The gas-powered airsoft guns are technically air guns, but they vary a lot in impact and use case. And because most often, players use electronic airsoft guns, a majority of the guns used on an airsoft field are neither gas guns nor air guns. This brings us to the recommended terminology for each.
- Air guns – In practical terms, the word air gun is used for guns that use air or gas mechanisms to shoot metal pellets.
- Airsoft gun – This is usually an electronic gun that shoots plastic pellets.
- Airsoft gas gun – A traditional airsoft weapon that uses green gas (or an alternative gas) to shoot plastic projectiles.
- Airsoft spring gun/pistol – A spring mechanism gun that shoots airsoft BBs.
- Airsoft electronic gun – An automatic gun that is powered by electricity and shoots plastic pellets. It is the most common type of airsoft gun.
Are Airsoft And Convention Air Guns Interchangeable?
Now that you know that there are types of air guns that are not airsoft guns and plenty of airsoft guns that aren’t even gas guns, you might see how the terms are not interchangeable.
The only time you can call your airsoft gun an “air gun” is when you’re asked if your airsoft gun has a spring or electric mechanism. In the context of airsoft only, the words “air gun” or “gas gun” refers to an airsoft weapon.
Outside of this, the term air gun refers exclusively to guns that shoot metal pellets and are used for hunting birds and small animals. Airsoft guns can also be used to hunt birds, but that doesn’t mean they are as lethal as air guns.
Which Guns Are More Dangerous?
Air guns are more dangerous than airsoft guns because of the difference in their respective projectile materials. Airsoft guns shoot plastic, while air guns shoot metal pellets. Air guns can kill people, while airsoft weapons don’t.
That doesn’t mean you can be careless when handling airsoft guns, though. But you will find fields that allow minors to play airsoft. You will, however, never find any establishment that encourages minors to play with air guns.
Are Airsoft Guns Safe?
Airsoft guns are pretty safe if used properly. They are safer than all projectile shooting guns used in tactical sports. Still, they should be handled with care, especially when used by teenagers. Many states and airsoft fields allow only adults to use them.
Airsoft guns can seriously injure people but can’t be used for self-defense because they don’t incapacitate or kill people. In the context of a game, they may chip a tooth or take out an eye if someone isn’t wearing appropriate protective gear.
That’s why wearing a hard-shell airsoft mask like Anyoupin Airsoft Mask is recommended. Such masks can keep pellets away from vital areas. This specific mask is pretty popular because it looks great and has decent protective capacity. That’s why, out of 1300 reviews and ratings, it has a global collective average of 4.4 stars. That’s pretty high for an Amazon product in this category. It also has 3.8 out of 5 stars for its comfort and 3.6 stars for its value for money proposition. Overall, anything even remotely close to this type of protection makes airsoft pretty safe.
How Does The Law See Airsoft Weapons?
Most states do not see airsoft guns as guns because they don’t rely on fire/gunpowder to launch projectiles. Still, some states view them the same way they view air guns. In the states and societies that do, airsoft guns are not legal to brandish or fire in public.
I have written an entire article on the subject of the legality of firing airsoft guns in public. If you’re in the US, your local law sees airsoft guns in one of the following ways:
- A toy – Some states have zero regulations around airsoft guns. Their legal definition of a gun is confined to a firearm, reducing the legal category of an airsoft gun to that of a toy.
- A gun – Strict gun control states can see airsoft guns are legitimate guns.
- An air gun – Most states view airsoft guns the same way as air guns: not firearms, but guns worth regulating.
- An imitation firearm – Some states ban or limit airsoft guns based on their resemblance to real firearms.
Final Thoughts
Most airsoft guns are not air guns, but dozens of states view both the same way. That means airsoft guns are not regulated like firearms but are still limited by a legal framework that aims to make their ownership, carry, and use safe for all stakeholders.