Today, airsoft is a widely-known hobby in which participants equip themselves with replica firearms and accessories to shoot plastic pellets. Airsoft can be compared to paintball, but the regulations are very different.
In this article, you'll learn more about the beginnings of airsoft and its expansion around the world to become an international hobby.
We'll start with the history of this sport, which didn't even start out as a sport. Then we'll go on to explain its expansion: how, why... then we'll finish with a final section describing the state of airsoft today.
It all began with Japan's ban on firearms...
At the end of the Second World War, a treaty was imposed in Japan under which no civilian was allowed to own a firearm in his or her home, including collectors. Deactivated weapons were also banned. And as with any ban on the general public, they managed to circumvent it in their own way...
At first, collectors were prepared to buy plastic guns to keep their collections going. Very low-end replicas, with very little aesthetic appeal.
The Maruzen firm took advantage of this as early as 1960, creating better-quality replicas in metal, resin and plastic. They were totally non-functional, so the treaty was respected.
In the mid-1970s, due to Japanese laws making it impossible to transform an object into a firearm, technicians and engineers like Tanio Kobayashi began transforming and manufacturing replicas of functional, fireable weapons. They chose compressed air and 6 mm pellets to circumvent the law and make these first replicas perfectly legal. The first airsoft replicas were born.
As a result, the famous FAMAS was created. The practice of airsoft began when, caught up in the craze for these replicas, games were created: Survival Games or Wargame.
Airsoft is born
With the creation of team games, airsoft was able to really develop and, above all, improve.
Replicas became lighter, but you still had to carry gas cylinders to be able to participate fully in the game, which was still quite cumbersome. We then tried aerosol cylinders, but here autonomy was the problem.
It wasn't until 1986 that the Tokyo Marui company created the electric (aeg) and spring (spring) replicas that would meet all the problems of the time.
This same company has made many technological advances in the airosft field, creating gearboxes in 1991 and hop-ups in 1993. Japan is thus the pioneer of the airsoft market, and continues to dominate the market with its advances.
Airsoft became known worldwide in the early 2000s, enabling many manufacturers to develop their own replicas and constantly improve them to remain at the cutting edge of technology.
Grenade 40mm M320A1 (Tokyo Marui)
Short Charger Type 89 70 Balls (Tokyo Marui)
Nowadays
As airsoft has become popular, many new businesses have sprung up, and with them new regulations. Each country will have its own regulations, so it's important to know what they are before buying a replica. In France, replicas are considered dummy weapons. Sale or even gift is forbidden to minors under 18 when the replica is over 0.08j and under or equal to 2j. Wearing the uniforms or ranks of units or administrations such as the army, gendarmerie, national police or municipal police is totally forbidden. As for transporting and wearing replicas, there's no real legislation on this, but it's always best to avoid doing so in public places. Alsace and Moselle have different regulations, so be sure to get the facts.
Here's a summary table from the L'airsofteur website, which gives a good overview of replicas and their associated powers and distances.
On the practical side, we've kept the Survival Games to a certain extent, as we continue to play as a team, but mostly in association.
It's not just the replicas that have developed and improved, but also the accessories: we're creating more and more of them to make our game easier or to get as close as possible to reality, and we're improving them (like the paper targets that have become electronic targets). We've also created a range of airsoft clothing inspired by the military uniforms of various countries. Shoes, caps and balaclavas, as well as chequers, belts and holsters, are available en masse on all airsoft-dedicated websites. You'll be able to create a complete airsoft outfit that's as close to the real thing as possible.
Horizontal Shoulder Holster (Cybergun / Swiss Arms)
In conclusion, airsoft was born out of the desire of collectors to continue preserving their favorite objects. Airsoft has developed little by little, but Japan still has the lion's share of the market. To get the most out of your replica, you need to pay close attention to the legislation in your own country.
