Airsoft Explained - Australian Airsoft

Airsoft Explained
www.airsoftcouncil.com.au
facebook.com/airsoft.council
@AACairsoft executive@airsoftcouncil.com.au
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Your Guide to Airsoft in Australia
What is Airsoft?
Airsoft is a sport or recreational activity in which participants tag opponents
with biodegradable/ plastic pellets launched from “Airsoft Taggers”. The
Taggers look like real guns but are actually more like Nerf guns or Paintball
guns.
Airsoft is a safe skirmish style sport that has many applications off the game
field. Airsoft Taggers are designed for a purely recreational purpose but have
been used in various industries, in particular by filmmakers as props.
Currently...
Our specific agenda at the moment is growing the organization nationwide
and drafting all the necessary regulations and documentation to have an
incorporated association running in each state and territory. We will then
ratify the AAC Skirmishing Federation and AAC Practical Shooting Federation.
The National Executive is made up of State Presidents, a National President,
National Treasurer and National Secretary.
There is simply no way that airsoft will be legalised unless we have the
support of an active membership and can show that we are capable of self
regulating in support of governments and Police services.
The devices make use of a unique ‘Nerf like’ propulsion system that uses a
small amount of air to propel lightweight plastic balls. The design philosophy
resulted in a toy gun which generates limited velocity, but is still accurate
enough over 30 meters to be used in the recreational sport which bears the
technology's name.
How Safe is Airsoft, if You Are Shooting Plastic Pellets at Each Other?
Airsoft is extremely safe provided the correct safety precautions are taken- just
like riding a bike. The required safety precautions are eye protection rated at
ANSI Z87.1-2003 (also known as Z87.1+) or better.
These types of medium impact rated glasses can be purchased for as little as
fifteen dollars. The traditional paint-ball style masks aren’t necessary at our
proposed velocities.
www.airsoftcouncil.com.au
facebook.com/airsoft.council
@AACairsoft executive@airsoftcouncil.com.au
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What about Airsoft Taggers looking like real guns?
What Does Airsoft Do for the Community?
Undeniably a major part of the sport is simulated battle, just like Paintball and
Laser Skirmish. We all know how dangerous a real firearm can be and the
necessity of appropriate government regulation. We also agree that items that
look like guns may require appropriate regulation.
Airsoft is beneficial to the community. Airsoft is a very physical, outdoor, team
sport that anyone old enough can play. There has been increasing interest in
military style video games that encourage children and adults (particularly
young men) to remain indoors on the couch becoming unhealthy and unfit.
When transporting Airsoft Taggers airsoft communities overseas follow the
same precautions as when carrying a real firearm –they are always in a bag out
of sight and unloaded with a protective barrel cap in place. The public would
rarely if ever see one, or think they are dangerous, especially when the
tip of the tagger is coloured a bright ‘blaze orange’ to show it’s
difference from a real firearm. Just as toy guns are marked now.
These indoor games without similar and affordable outdoor alternatives are
adding to Australia’s obesity problems. Gaming is often isolating socially and
the game play usually without moral or ethical consequence. Airsoft appeals to
this demographic like no other activity. It is a physical and rigorous
sport that encourages people to “game” outside, in a structured
club or team setting. It is socially, mentally and physically
beneficial and has the further distinction of allowing
veterans the opportunity to impart discipline
learned in service to our young, and to help those
vets themselves with issues adjusting to outright
civilian life.
Airsoft Taggers that do look like real guns may, as any
real firearm, imitation gun or replica can, be used in a
robbery or crime. But what we know from government
crime statistics, here and overseas, is that imitation
guns are used in a very, very small percentage of such
crimes.
Only 7% of all robberies in 2010 involved a
firearm of any type (mostly real handguns) and
imitations accounted for a very small percentage
of that number. By comparison, knives were involved
in 47% of all weapon related robberies. Further
imitations guns are currently under regulated and
available in many States to unlicensed adults, but still
account for a meager % of crimes. Criminals do not respect
the law and somehow despite strict regulation of real firearms
prefer and do use real firearms or knives (or other lethal devices)
for their crimes.
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There are several articles available on the potential benefits of airsoft (US sources) for sufferers of
PTSD. This is not a matter to discuss lightly and we
do not. We intend to consult with relevant profes
sionals to understand and serve the needs of
Australian veterans dealing with this very serious issue.
Airsoft teaches us to work with new people in a team
environment to achieve a common goal through hard
work on the field, sounds almost like any other sport doesn’t it?
The legalisation of airsoft would also boost employment. It would create a new
industry, opening up new jobs in the management of playing fields, the businesses that construct them and those selling the necessary equipment.
Current businesses selling military surplus and equipment would see marked
increases in revenue, and as the sport grows so to do positive economic effects
for local communities.
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Airsoft is Legal in New Zealand, the U.K, Canada and Many
Countries Around the World.....Why Not “the Lucky Country” ?
As it currently stands Airsoft Taggers are unobtainable or illegal to own or
import in all States and Territories. As the government and Police have decided
that there is “no genuine reason” to own Airsoft Taggers, because of this they
fall outside the scope of firearms licenses. We believe there is a very genuine
reason – the sport Airsoft! It’s up to you, your friends and the community to
let the government know how many people want the sport to be legalised so
Australians can enjoy what the rest of the world takes for granted.
What Do We Propose?
The Australian Airsoft Council, as the peak body responsible for airsoft related
sports, will; ensure the association is self regulated prior to legalisation, show
the public and police the sports inherent safety and the airsoft community's
determination to demonstrate good faith with the Australian public. To achieve
these aims the council;
•Has drawn up statutes or association rules to regulate its activities as legal
incorporated associations
•Has created statutes to govern and regulate airsoft skirmishing in Australia.
•Has established ties with international airsoft associations in New Zealand and
abroad
•Will create and institute a ‘field marshal’ (safety officer) training program &
certification, among other necessary certifications
•Will establish a member registry and identification system to ensure only
legitimate competitors have access to airsoft taggers
•Will affiliate with International airsoft Practical Shooting groups to standardize
target shooting activities
•Will continue to report illegal activity to the Police, related to airsoft technology.
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Do the Pellets Hurt You if You Get Hit on Unprotected Skin?
For this question a little bit of math’s and comparison is required. Paintball
projectiles that burst on impact leave a good welt or bruising depending on the
angle of impact. These projectiles weigh on average 3 grams but can weigh a
little more. Airsoft pellets on the other hand range from 0.12grams to 0.48grams with 0.20grams being the most widely used.
A way to compare the impact of paintball and airsoft projectiles is by analysing
their kinetic energy or impact energy.
The calculation for kinetic energy is; Energy = 0.5 x mass(kg) x speed²
Using the most popular airsoft pellet weight of
0.20grams (0.0002kg) the equation is;
E= 0.5 x 0.0002kg x 110m/s² = 1.21 joules. (110m/s (361fps) is the velocity limit
we will enforce)
For paintballs that weigh 3grams (0.003kg) the equation is;
E= 0.5 x 0.003kg x 110m/s² = 18.15 joules of energy.
Why enforce a limit of 1.21joules?
The AAC wants to lessen even the remote chance that someone may be accidentally injured. Impact energy of less that 1.35joules is “incapable of penetrating even vulnerable parts of the body, such as the eye, although a direct hit
from very close range would cause bruising”*
So from the above equations an airsoft projectile has 15 times less kinetic
energy than a paint-ball. This means that when an airsoft projectile hits your
skin, even from close range, there’s not that paint-ball sized welt on your body
for the next week, but one that is much smaller and fades quicker.
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