AIRSOFT GUNS – Parental Considerations - Jefferson County

Office of the District Attorney Scott W. Storey
First Judicial District District Attorney
Jefferson and Gilpin Counties
AIRSOFT GUNS – Parental Considerations
February, 2011
The District Attorney’s Office is warning parents to use caution when allowing their
children to use airsoft guns.
Airsoft guns were first manufactured in Japan in the 1980s and have been
increasingly popular in the U.S. since the mid-1990s. According to Wikipedia, airsoft
guns are replica firearms that propel plastic pellets (also known as BBs) by way of
compressed gas or a spring-driven piston.
The projectile expelled from an airsoft gun can travel from 180 feet per second (FPS)
to more than 600 FPS, depending on the gun.
Airsoft guns can only be purchased by someone 18 years of age or older. They come
with important safety warnings, including that the user must wear eye and mouth
protection. Research¹ shows that misuse of an airsoft gun can cause serious injury,
especially to the eyes. At least one manufacturer warns that the gun is intended for
use by adults or minors under close adult supervision.
According to a study done at Virginia Tech-Wake Forrest in 2006, over 2.4 millions eye
injuries occur each year in the United States as a result of some sort of trauma and
“…Airsoft guns are increasingly becoming responsible for ocular injuries in children.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16817577
Below is the warning on the packaging of one popular airsoft pistol, the Colt MK IV:
“Sale restricted to ADULTS ONLY. 18 years of age or older. Proof of age required at the
moment of purchase. SALES PERSONNEL – CHECK PICTURE ID PRIOR TO SALE OF
THIS PRODUCT. This softair gun is intended for recreational or training purposes.
Protective goggles and mouth protection MUST be worn when operating this SOFTAIR
gun. Misuse may cause serious injury, especially to the eyes. The owner/user should
adhere to all federal and state laws governing the ownership and use of softair guns.
CONSULT YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY PRIOR TO USE. MISUSE OR
UNSAFE USE MAY RESULT IN SEVERE INJURIES OR DEATH. THIS IS AN AIR
OPERATED SOFTAIR GUN INTENDED FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS OR MINORS UNDER
CLOSE ADULT SUPERVISION. READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE
USE. ANY ALTERATION AS TO THE COLORATION AND/OR MARKING OF THIS
PRODUCT TO MAKE THIS PRODUCT LOOK MORE LIKE A FIREARM IS DANGEROUS,

MAY CAUSE CONFUSION, MAY BE MISTAKEN TO BE A REAL FIREARM BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OR OTHERS AND MAY BE A CRIME. IT IS DANGEROUS AND
MAY BE A CRIME TO BRANDISH OR DISPLAY THIS PRODUCT IN PUBLIC. PARENTS
MUST NOT ALLOW MINORS TO TAKE THIS PRODUCT TO SCHOOL. HAVING THIS
PRODUCT AT SCHOOL MAY BE A CRIME.”
Additional articles on kids, parents and airsoft guns.
http://www.parenthood.com/articletopics/airsoft_guns_parents_on_the_front_line_of_a_risky_hobby.html
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-parenting/2009/12/31/a-cautionarytale-on-the-risks-of-bb-guns
http://www.ehow.com/about_5368354_dangers-airsoft-guns.html
http://injury.findlaw.com/personal-injury/personal-injury-a-z/airsoft-guns.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/185597-safety-of-air-soft-guns/#ixzz1CqF3kiNO
¹ Eric Kennedy, Tracy Ng, Craig McNally, Joel Stitzel, Stefan Duma, Evaluating the
Risk of Eye Injury using Experimental and Computation Research Methods, Virginia:
Virginia Tech – Wake Forest, Center for Injury Biomechanics, 2006.