The Japanese antigun laws of the 1970's and the peoples urge to own and shoot guns was the start of the airsoft guns and games of today. Japan had passed laws that prohibited citizens owning fire arms. The only firearm that they could legally own was a shot gun. The restrictions for ownership, storage and ammo storage prevented their citizens, all but a very few, to own even a shotgun. If you do not have a license it was illegal to hold a gun in your hand. Japan's guns laws and gun control are some of the harshness in the World. A license is required to own a BB gun if it exceeds a prescribed velocity.
Most civilians in Japan have never seen a real fire arm of any kind. The true gun enthusiasts in Japan collect guns by purchasing quality airsoft replicas.
It would not be fair to give Japan full credit for the first "air-soft" guns. Daisy, in the United States, was selling some spring operated low pressure BB type Guns with soft projectiles. The Japan manufacturers used these ideals to develop their first guns. The early airsoft guns used spring power to create the air pressure required to "fire" the plastic BB. Spring guns are now joined by gases and batteries to power airsoft guns.
Airsoft guns provided a way for the people could own, hold and shoot a gun. The gun enthusiasts wanted a firearm replica that would fire a legal projectile. Originally used for target shooting airsoft guns were used later to develop a sport. In other countries where guns were prohibited these guns and their recreational games was a great success, its popularity grew rapidly. Some of the first countries to accept and enjoy this new sport were Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. In the 1990's the sport made its way into Europe and North American.
The large increase in the number of manufacturers producing Automatic Electric Guns (AEG's) has pushed these battery powered guns to the top of airsoft gun sales. The existing manufacturers were joined by those of China and Taiwan to market some very high quality replicas. The automatic feature of the AEG allowed the economical manufacture and operation of many classical automatic firearm replicas. The gas guns allowed for automatic fire as well but not as many shots per full load or as cheap per round to fire. The spring guns must be manually cocked between each shot so they cannot be automated.
The airsoft guns of today are very realistic in appearance, weight, markings and some have the mechanical movement (blow back) of the real gun. To place a logo on an airsoft gun, legally, the airsoft manufacturer must obtain a license from the firearm manufacturer. The manufacturers of airsoft guns, for the most part, will sale to various distributors, who will place their own brand names on these guns. This volume of sales keeps the cost of manufacturing and licensing affordable.
The manufacturer of airsoft guns is not limited to Asia; some are in the United States and Europe but the vast majority is made in Asia. Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines are the countries that manufacturer that vast majority.
It is noteworthy that China is such a large contributor to the manufacturing of airsoft guns and they have laws that limit their citizen's ownership of these guns, as well as the real firearms. "If it looks like a firearm it is a firearm" mentality!
This mentality "if it looks like a firearm it is a fire arm" is justified if the user presents it as such. In the United States the law requires that airsoft guns have an orange tip at the end of the barrel at the time of sale. This tip is not easily removed and the states have different laws that govern their removal. At the risk of mistaken identity it is concerned dangerous to remove this tip. Police have and will protect themselves and others from an airsoft gun mistaken for a firearm. It is also considered wise to be discrete in the transportation of airsoft guns as some states and cities have their own laws prohibiting these "toy" fire arms.
War games, cops and robbers and other games have been played forever. Airsoft Guns have modernized these games.
Most civilians in Japan have never seen a real fire arm of any kind. The true gun enthusiasts in Japan collect guns by purchasing quality airsoft replicas.
It would not be fair to give Japan full credit for the first "air-soft" guns. Daisy, in the United States, was selling some spring operated low pressure BB type Guns with soft projectiles. The Japan manufacturers used these ideals to develop their first guns. The early airsoft guns used spring power to create the air pressure required to "fire" the plastic BB. Spring guns are now joined by gases and batteries to power airsoft guns.
Airsoft guns provided a way for the people could own, hold and shoot a gun. The gun enthusiasts wanted a firearm replica that would fire a legal projectile. Originally used for target shooting airsoft guns were used later to develop a sport. In other countries where guns were prohibited these guns and their recreational games was a great success, its popularity grew rapidly. Some of the first countries to accept and enjoy this new sport were Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. In the 1990's the sport made its way into Europe and North American.
The large increase in the number of manufacturers producing Automatic Electric Guns (AEG's) has pushed these battery powered guns to the top of airsoft gun sales. The existing manufacturers were joined by those of China and Taiwan to market some very high quality replicas. The automatic feature of the AEG allowed the economical manufacture and operation of many classical automatic firearm replicas. The gas guns allowed for automatic fire as well but not as many shots per full load or as cheap per round to fire. The spring guns must be manually cocked between each shot so they cannot be automated.
The airsoft guns of today are very realistic in appearance, weight, markings and some have the mechanical movement (blow back) of the real gun. To place a logo on an airsoft gun, legally, the airsoft manufacturer must obtain a license from the firearm manufacturer. The manufacturers of airsoft guns, for the most part, will sale to various distributors, who will place their own brand names on these guns. This volume of sales keeps the cost of manufacturing and licensing affordable.
The manufacturer of airsoft guns is not limited to Asia; some are in the United States and Europe but the vast majority is made in Asia. Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines are the countries that manufacturer that vast majority.
It is noteworthy that China is such a large contributor to the manufacturing of airsoft guns and they have laws that limit their citizen's ownership of these guns, as well as the real firearms. "If it looks like a firearm it is a firearm" mentality!
This mentality "if it looks like a firearm it is a fire arm" is justified if the user presents it as such. In the United States the law requires that airsoft guns have an orange tip at the end of the barrel at the time of sale. This tip is not easily removed and the states have different laws that govern their removal. At the risk of mistaken identity it is concerned dangerous to remove this tip. Police have and will protect themselves and others from an airsoft gun mistaken for a firearm. It is also considered wise to be discrete in the transportation of airsoft guns as some states and cities have their own laws prohibiting these "toy" fire arms.
War games, cops and robbers and other games have been played forever. Airsoft Guns have modernized these games.