I am often asked, “Are airsoft guns dangerous?” by many people interested in entering into the fun world of airsoft play. The short answer is no, they are not dangerous, but they can be. Airsoft is much different than paintball. The BBs do not travel as fast as paintballs to and they are less dense, hence the term air soft. Here are a few things you can do to prevent injury next time you play airsoft.

Protective Gear
Protective eye safety goggles are a must. The most common injury I have heard of from airsoft guns is getting shot in the eye. Wearing safety glasses eliminates about 99% of injuries caused by airsoft BBs, but there is more you can do to protect your self even more. There are airsoft face masks like they have for paintball that will also protect your ears from pellets. It is highly unlikely that you will get hit in the ear, but the added protection can bring peace of mind.

Most people can tolerate getting shot on the skin from an airsoft gun, but for some it can still hurt. While it should not ever break the skin, it can sometimes leave a bruise. I recommend wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt to protect your legs and arms. If you wear too thick of clothing, you will not even know you were hit unless you hear it.

Game Area
What you wear is not the only way to protect your self. The majority of injuries actually comes from rocks, trees, or other natural hazards in the area you are playing. Before you begin playing, make sure you clear out potential safety hazards if possible. If you can not transplant the cacti, at least walk the area and be aware of your surroundings.

Even open sod fields have sprinklers that could cause you to roll your ankle. If possible mark the hazards so everyone is aware of where they are.

Safety Training
The best way to avoid injury is to understand how to respect your airsoft gun. A few simple rules to keep in mind are:

Never point your gun or shoot someone that does not have on appropriate safety gear.
Never shoot someone that does not know you are going to shoot them.
Never shoot someone at point blank range
Do not shoot animals, they can not fire back and probably will not have on safety goggles.

Those are just a few rules to keep your airsoft experience safe and enjoyable. Are airsoft guns safe? Absolutely. Is the person holding the airsoft gun safe depends on whether or not the follow my advice here. Airsoft is fun and great exercise so do not sour the experience by being reckless.

If you want to join in an airsoft game, you can find commercial airsoft venues that you can go to that have rules and regulations to safeguard against accidents.

If an airsoft game is played on local recreational ground or in any area that is public, it can prove to be a danger to you, other members and the general public. There is the risk of putting people’s lives in danger, and if you have not made anyone aware of that an airsoft game is in process you will end up in a lot of trouble with the local law enforcement officials.

An airsoft game is a lot of fun, can be quick and involves strategies of taking cover and stalking your opponents and attacking. Any casual observer who sees someone dressed up in full military gear, hiding behind a tree and aiming at another person is obviously going to be alarmed and even scared.

Although only replicas, airsoft weapons such as sniper airsoft rifles are very close to the real thing and it’s hard to tell if it’s a real weapon or not. You could always stop and explain this to the alarmed passer-by; however you will be lucky if they stay around long enough to find this information from you. A more likely scenario is that they will run as fast as they can to report the incident to the local police, and the next thing you know you will be surrounded by the police and you are going to have a lot of things to explain.

One more reason as to why you shouldn’t play an airsoft game in an unsanctioned location is that you can never be sure who will pass through the area. There is a high possibility that a passerby could suffer an injury. Standard safety gear on an official airsoft game-site is goggles and a facemask and anyone who strays into an unofficial game site will not be wearing these and could get seriously injured.

Military outfits and replica guns can easily have a scary effect on members of the general public, particularly if they are unaware that a game is going on. An owner of an airsoft gun is expected to be discreet when transporting their gear to and from a play-site so as not to cause any panic. The majority of people would not be able to tell the difference between a real firearm and replicas such as AEG airsoft guns.

The popularity of airsoft games is increasing rapidly and game venues are opening up in many locations. You should be able to find an airsoft game site quite close to your neighborhood. These game-sites are also the safest places to play these games, permission has been given, and no-one will be shocked by your military-clothing and weapons.

For those who can’t find a game site near to them, it can be possible to find an alternative private site that would be suitable. Ensure the area is private and out of sight from the view of the public.

When you found a location that fits the requirements, speak with the land owner about permission before organizing anything. People will have different views on guns and games using guns and might not want their property to be used for purposes like these. If this is the case you will just have to accept it and find someplace else to play.

If you do get the owner’s permission then you need to inform the local law enforcement officials where and when each airsoft game will be taking place, by doing this you will avoid any misunderstandings. Incidents in the past have involved officers arriving at an unofficial game site and believing a replica rifle to be a real firearm; this can easily be avoided just by informing the landowner and the local police in advance.

If you should find yourself faced with an officer and a real gun during a game, be prepared. Do everything you are told by the law officer and make no hasty movements. Drop the gun before putting your hands up and keep calm. A police officer will believe the gun is real until he knows for sure otherwise.

Joining in an airsoft game at an official site has many benefits. There are advantages to these sites as they have been especially selected to provide the right surroundings for an enjoyable game, such as plenty of camouflage, dense woodland and open grassland, and they are the safest places to play.

If you take pleasure in playing airsoft games, the ideal places to go are commercial airsoft venues where you can meet other members to join teams with. These locations have rules and regulations to protect everyone there from being injured or coming to any harm.

Trying to organize a game in an area that is open to the general public will bring its problems. By not giving any prior warning that an airsoft game is in process will only bring you a lot of trouble.

Airsoft games are often fast and furious as well as being a lot of fun of course. Taking cover and hiding from your opponents and attacking are just part of the strategies and tactics involved in games like these. If a casual observer sees a person all dressed in army kit and carrying a gun, it’s going to rouse alarm.

Although only replicas, airsoft weapons like AEG airsoft guns are very close to the real thing and it’s hard to tell if it’s a real weapon or not. You could always stop and explain this to the alarmed passer-by; however you will be lucky if they stay around long enough to find this information from you. It is more likely they will run as fast as they can to report the incident to the local police, and the next thing you know you are surrounded by the local force and have a lot of explaining to do.

The major reason why you shouldn’t play an airsoft game in a location without required safety measurements in place is, of course that a person walking by who is unaware that a game is in process could easily get in the way of a stray bullet and be injured. Someone straying into the line of fire from an airsoft rifle will be without the safety gear you should be wearing; standard safety requirements at an official airsoft site include goggles and a facemask for protection.

Responsible players of airsoft games understand the distressing effect their military gear and replica guns can have on citizens who are likely to think the weapons like sniper airsoft rifles are real firearms. Conscientious airsoft players are fully aware of this and take precautions when going to and from games and make sure their guns are not in full view. Keep in mind that most people have never been near a gun whether it’s a replica or real, and they will not be able to see the difference between the two.

With the ever increasing popularity of airsoft games spreading across the country the amount of game sites are growing and players should have no problem finding a game site near to them. These game-sites are also the safest places to play these games, permission has been given, and no-one will be shocked by your military-clothing and weapons.

However for those who find there is no game site near to them, it is possible to find an alternative private site that would be appropriate. Ensure the area is private and out of sight from the view of the public.

If you find an area that looks perfect for airsoft games always approach the owner of the land to seek permission. It is private land and you need their approval and permission first. Be prepared for them to decline your request, not everyone approves of games using guns and they may feel it is a dangerous sport.

If they do give their consent, then every time you organize a game it is necessary to notify local law enforcement officials the details of the dates and times of each game. There have in the past been occasions where an officer has arrived at the scene of a reported gunman and believed the replica rifle to be a real firearm. Alerting the landowner and the local police should avoid situations such as these from happening.

Knowing how to react if such a situation should arise is imperative for your safety. Do everything you are told by the law officer and make no hasty movements. Drop the gun before putting your hands up and keep calm. A police officer will believe the gun is real until he knows for sure otherwise.

Joining in an airsoft game at an official site has benefits. It has been particularly chosen for the surroundings in order to provide excellent conditions for a thrilling and fun game, you have permission to play there, and they do provide the safest places to play.