5 Things Every Parent Should Know Before Buying an Airsoft Gun

Kids can be a handful, and every parent knows this that children can sometimes drive you nuts when they throw in a fit, especially when they want to buy something. As parents, we try to give our children the things that would make them happy, their favourite treats, a toy perhaps, but a gun!? Well, not exactly a gun but a toy gun, particularly an airsoft gun, but wait, aren’t airsoft guns a bit dangerous to be considered as a child’s plaything? Though they might be classified as “non-lethal guns”, they still however, could still cause damage and even maybe unwanted and irreversible injuries. Airsoft guns could and can result in eminent and irreversible injuries to your children and other people around them if you do not supervise them with regard to their proper use. Well, give or take a week or so their longing for having an airsoft gun may just fade away after you tell them of the possibilities of them getting hurt. But if your child still persists, just go ahead and buy one for your own peace of mind so that you wouldn’t have to hear them rant all day long about having one. Just be reminded that you always have to keep a watchful eye over them when they are playing with airsoft guns. The effort on your part as a guardian or parent supervising them can make a big difference with them enjoying their time away with playing with airsoft guns. Letting children play with airsoft guns could have a positive effect on their development as individuals. For one, they learn to become responsible for the actions they take and they learn the aspects of safety when handling airsoft guns. As a parent or guardian, seeing them become responsible is a well worth reward on itself. 

 

 

1. A Brief History on the Origins of Airsoft Guns:

The history of airsoft guns go back to the early part of the 1970’s in Japan, in a time when crime was a bit becoming a national problem for the Japanese government. There was an upsurge in the crime rate that became a problem for the general population in Japan, a problem that almost grew to an unmanageable proportion. Having no other option, the Japanese government legislated a law on banning the private ownership of guns across the country that curbed the criminality rate to some substantial extent. But that did not stop petty crimes from being perpetuated, and the general public can only do so much to assure their own protection. So someone had the bright idea of making a gun that was carved from a piece of old wood. They thought that the idea of making criminals think that they were really carrying a real gun would make the bad guys have second thought on foregoing their attempt. The idea caught on until most people were actually making their fake guns, most from wood and others from bars of soap. This idea even got elevated to the point of making these guns fire BB pellets, which eventually became the first airsoft guns which later on, spread all throughout the world.

2. Airsoft Guns and their Firing Rate Velocity:

If you are truly decided into buying your child an airsoft gun, you should be aware of the firing rate velocity of the airsoft gun that you are buying. Your child has all the right to choose what kind of airsoft gun they might want to buy and you can leave that choice to them entirely. But as a parent or guardian, it is mostly up to you to choose the firing rate velocity of the airsoft gun that your child wants, which is a compromise between their wants and their safety. You obviously wouldn’t buy your child an airsoft gun that is overpowered that they won’t barely be able to handle it? It is best to start off with the cheapest and less powerful airsoft gun that you can find, which in this case could be a single shooter spring powered airsoft pistol. It is simple to operate and any child can easily mange to handle it with caution. Given the fact that most children are a bit fickle minded, they could easily outgrow their airsoft pistol anytime soon. It is highly recommended that you buy them an airsoft gun that has at most a 200 FPS firing rate velocity, which should cost you around $12 or so. Let them decide for themselves if they should develop a liking for it and if they don’t, well it only cost you $12. There is no reasonable point in buying your children high end airsoft pistols that have a high FPS rate if they are just beginning to get a feel for handling a gun, since it is too expensive and you are not sure if they are going to like it.

3.Safety Should Be Your Main Concern All the Time:

A child playing around with a sling shot is quite disconcerting enough, what more if they were playing with a loaded airsoft pistol? Always bear in mind that safety is the utmost importance, particularly your children’s safety and the people around them. Encourage them to always wear eye protection and tell them never to remove it unless you yourself determine that it is quite safe to do so. Basic protective wear such as safety goggles, facial masks and helmets, upper and lower protective garments, gloves and even footwear are very important in keeping your children safe while they play airsoft games among their friends.

Eye Protection:

For eye protection, you yourself should make it a point that they are using eye goggles that have passed the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 standard. These type of safety goggles use high grade polycarbonate plastics that are virtually shatter proof and will never crack under any circumstances. Never let them use low quality safety glasses that only partially cover their eyes since there is a big risk of BB pellets making their way into their eyes. Always impose on them to use fully enclosed goggles even if they complain of it fogging their vision since a blurry vision is a far better condition than going blind.

Facial Masks:

Facial masks are also as important as wearing protective eyewear for the most obvious reasons. No body wants to be hit by a BB pellet in the face and the experience is quite excruciatingly painful to say the least! Many airsoft players had the bad experience of being hit in the face, and even sometimes on their teeth. They eventually ended loosing a tooth or too all because they opted to play airsoft without using any kind of minimal facial protection, and we don’t want that to happen to our children, do we? The best type of facial protector that you can make your children use are the ones that fully cover their face, their mouths and their ears. Also, you should not let them wear facial protectors that are made from metal meshes for a good number of reasons. One reason is the quality of the BB pellets that they are using. High quality BB pellets are do not explode into pieces compared to low quality, run-off-the-mill that have a big tendency to explode into shards. These tiny bits of plastic shards can easily pass through the metal mesh and can even find their way into your children’s mouth, nose or worse, their eyes.

Helmets:

Helmets are very important as well besides protecting their heads from being directly hit by BB pellets, it also protects their heads from the eventuality of them tripping over and falling down. Any hard top helmet would do as long as it is made from shatter proof plastic and has an adequately padded inner lining. Bedsides being well-cushioned, you also should consider it being light weight and ventilated so that they can be comfortable while wearing it. The helmet should also be easy to put it on and remove it while being securely fastened on their heads.

Upper and Lower Protective Garments:

The most important reason in why we should encourage our children to wear protective clothing is to minimize skin welts. Being shot or getting hit by BB pellets will obviously leave welts on your child’s arms and legs and these type of traumatic bruising can be a painful experience. Skin welts take a considerable amount of time before the completely heal and even if they do, leave a permanent scar on your child’s skin. And since airsoft shooting games, even among friends inside your backyard can lead to someone tripping over and falling down. It is best to minimize bruises by wearing protective clothing that covers their entire body, however uncomfortable it may be.

Gloves and Protective Footwear:

Gloves are important because they provide ample protection to your children's hands in two ways. Gloves protect your children’s hands from direct hits from BB pellets and protects them from unforeseen injuries caused by handling their airsoft guns. Since most airsoft guns are made with many moving parts, your child’s hands could get caught in between these moving parts which could lead to cuts and bruises. Gloves also provide a better level of grip while they handle their airsoft guns, particularly gloves with rubberised pads. Footwear is also important since airsoft involves a lot of running and jumping around and it minimizes injuries such as ankle sprains.

3. Teach Your Children Responsibility in Handling an Airsoft Gun:

Now that your children are well equipped and well protected, it is now time to teach them the proper handling and proper manners on how to hold, operate and store an airsoft gun. Imposing on them the right attitude and discipline can greatly improve their characteristics as an individual. They will learn to understand the meaning of the word “responsibility” and be aware of the actions that they take. As an observant parent or guardian, you will slowly see the mental aptitude of the child in how they handle themselves in any given situation. You will begin to see clearly their temperament and their empathy by how they react while playing airsoft games.

The Golden Rule of Safety:

Always make it a persistent point of making them the value and importance of taking precautionary measures by forcing them to wear protection. With that, they should also remind other children like themselves to do the same, instinctively.

How to Safely Handle an Airsoft Gun:

This is the most important example that you can show them which begins by showing them how to load an airsoft gun properly. Always check the gun before you load it up such as double checking if the gun is already loaded, if it is already cocked or if there are any BB pellets that are left inside the chamber.

Always Show them the Proper Way of Putting the Gun on Safety:

Start out by showing them the safety switch and how to operate it prior to loading up the magazine. The importance of setting the gun on safety prior to loading it reduces the chances of it being accidentally misfired. This makes them understand the value of keeping the safety switch engaged at all times. Added to this, you can also teach them to keep their fingers away from the trigger at all times until it becomes second nature to them.

Always Teach them to Point the Airsoft Gun Downwards at all Times:

Always instil in their minds that an airsoft gun always has to be pointed downward whether it is loaded or unloaded. Teach them the repercussions of their actions when they point their weapon on any person or domesticated animal for that matter. Tell them what other people may think of them if they did that. This will eventually grow into the consciousness and will become part of their behaviour.

4. Always Treat an Airsoft Gun Like a Real Gun:

Giving your children the freedom to handle an airsoft gun means giving them their own responsibility. This gives them the freedom to decide for themselves on how they will use it without accidentally harming or injuring the people around them. You should always remind them that if something bad ever happens while they are handling their airsoft gun, the blame will all fall on you. Explain to them the damage that they could cause to people, pets and property if they should fail to follow all safety rules. Teach them to respect and fear an airsoft gun so that they will always be aware of the bad possibilities that could happen. Scaring them a bit on that aspect usually shakes up their inner consciousness that it leaves a lasting impression in their minds.

5. Know the Laws that Cover Ownership of Airsoft Guns:

Legislation and laws concerning ownership of airsoft guns vary in different parts of the world. Some countries however, have decided to completely ban the sale and ownership of airsoft guns altogether. But if you live in a country that allows the sale and ownership of airsoft guns, consider yourself lucky because you get to enjoy one of the world’s most exciting outdoor pastime games. Of course, you have to consider the laws that give you the privilege of owning one. In most countries that regulate the sale and ownership of airsoft guns, the legal age of minors allowed to play with airsoft guns is at least 16 years old, that with adult supervision. In the united States, children between the ages of 10 and 12 years old are allowed to play with airsoft guns provided that they are supervised by an adult. Also, you have to know the FPS restriction that are allowed concerning children since airsoft guns are not any more considered as toys but non-lethal weapons.