Airsoft guns look a lot like real guns. But they are not even close to being as fatal as real guns. You might think that you can use them for anything other than an airsoft game, but there’s not much else you can do with them.
Airsoft guns cannot be used for self-defense because they cannot incapacitate an attacker. In fact, firing an airsoft gun at an armed attacker can be detrimental to your own safety as it can anger the attacker without stopping him.
In this article, you will learn more about the situations where airsoft practice can help you defend yourself. You will also discover one context where an airsoft gun can help you stay protected. By the end of this post, you will find out better alternatives for self-defense alongside their odds of success.
Can An Airsoft Gun Kill Someone?
Airsoft guns aren’t considered lethal. There have been zero documented deaths tied to airsoft gunfire. This is good news for airsoft players but bad news for those who want to use airsoft guns to deter intruders.
Airsoft guns cannot kill someone but can make them angry. And if they have a weapon, angering them might not be good for your own safety. That’s why most airsoft gun manufacturers recommend not using their products for self-defense. And their rationale is trusting an airsoft gun to do the job of an actual self-defense device is unfair.
If you choose to defend yourself with something that isn’t capable of stopping an assailant, it isn’t the fault of the manufacturer. That doesn’t mean using an improper or inefficient tool guarantees failure.
There is a chance that even the silhouette of the gun under your clothes can stop an assailant. But when an attacker is armed, he’s unlikely to stop because you have an airsoft gun.
Can An Airsoft Gun Stop An Armed Assailant?
An airsoft gun cannot even stop someone with an airsoft gun, let alone someone with a real gun. You cannot use an airsoft gun to incapacitate an armed attacker. But the pain caused by the airsoft gun can make an assailant angry, which is very bad for your own well-being. The last thing you want is to turn an attacker motivated by self-interest into one motivated by anger.
Since high-threat scenarios can be stressful and thinking clearly isn’t possible with adrenaline rushing through your veins, you should train yourself not to bring up airsoft weapons in a conflict where the other party is armed.
Here are the rules of engagement when you have an airsoft gun, and the other person has a real gun:
Do not use your Airsoft gun offensively – Do not attempt to shoot the airsoft gun at someone who has a gun. It will not make them drop their weapon. They will be angrier and still in possession of a gun.
- Declare the gun as an airsoft one if spotted – If an armed assailant notices your airsoft gun, don’t let them think it is a real gun. Let them know that it is an airsoft/toy gun, so they don’t try to shoot before they are shot.’
By these rules of engagement, it is pretty clear that you shouldn’t see an airsoft gun as a defensive weapon when the other party has a gun. If anything, it can be a liability if perceived as a real gun. This brings us to the alternative possibility. What if the assailant doesn’t have a gun?
Can An Airsoft Gun Stop An Unarmed Assailant?
An airsoft gun can stop an unarmed assailant if it is perceived as a real gun. But firing a gun at someone who can hurt you isn’t recommended because it does not take away one’s ability to hurt you. Angering them can make them motivate them to hurt you more.
Is An Airsoft Gun More Effective Than Pepper Spray?
An airsoft gun is not as effective as pepper spray when it comes to self-defense. According to the Office of Justice Programs, pepper sprays are effective in stopping assault 85 percent of the time. This is done exclusively by compromising the vision of the assailant.
To have a similar effect, an airsoft gun would need to be drawn and shot in each eye before the assailant can engage his weapon. While this is theoretically possible, its odds of success are at least a few hundred times lower than that of pepper spray. When it comes to self-defense, no one would recommend willingly taking something with lower defensive capabilities over something with higher ones.
How Does Airsoft Help In Self-Defense?
Airsoft guns aren’t good for self-defense but being an airsoft player teaches discipline and self-control, which are crucial in high-stress situations. An airsoft player can use pepper spray or a taser to stun an assailant.
In open-carry states and cities, having an airsoft handgun visible on your person can keep people who target unarmed people from approaching you. This is the only context where an airsoft gun is as effective as a real gun. But it is so rare and dependent on luck and circumstances that it is never recommended as a serious self-defense strategy.
General Self-Protection Tips
Instead of relying on your airsoft gun, try the following things to stay safe.
- Walk with confidence and purpose – Walking with purpose signals that you’re not to be messed with. Criminals target easy marks, and people who walk with confidence aren’t viewed as easy.
- Do not go alone, with earphones on, in dark places – In dark alleys and isolated corners, your sense of sight is somewhat compromised. Putting on headphones can further compromise your senses, making you an easy mark.
- Avoid places with high instances of petty theft and stickups – If you can avoid areas where such instances occur, avoid them. This is the best self-defense.
- Do not wear valuable jewelry or evidently expensive clothes – Every criminal has a threshold of how much he can be tempted before he gets into an obviously risky situation. If you wear an expensive chain or watch, the criminal who might not want to go through the trouble of mugging you might want to risk getting pepper sprayed and target you anyway.
Final Thoughts
Airsoft guns cannot be used for self-defense. If you fire an airsoft BB at an attacker, you will only anger him, which can lead to more serious harm. When an attacker has a real gun and spots your airsoft pistol, you should declare it as a toy gun, so you’re not fired at preemptively. Tasers and pepper sprays are far more effective self-defense tools because they can incapacitate attackers, unlike airsoft guns.