Airsoft Safety

Gun safety training seeks to instill a certain mindset and appropriate habits by following specific rules.The mindset is that firearms are inherently dangerous and must always be handled with care. Handlers are taught to treat firearms with respect for their destructive capabilities, and strongly discouraged from playing or toying with firearms, a common cause of accidents.

The Canadian Firearms Program uses the concept of The Four Firearm ACTS:

1. Assume every firearm is loaded.

2. Control the muzzle direction at all times.

3. Trigger finger off trigger and out of trigger guard.

4.See that the firearm is unloaded. PROVE it safe.

The rules of gun safety follow from this mindset:

1. All guns are always loaded.

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

The NRA provides a similar set of rules:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Only play airsoft at a regulated feld or operation.

Relax...This isn't part of some grand conspiracy to empty your wallet

Regulated fields and/or operations have safety rules set in place to ensure everyone has fun and nobody gets seriously injured.

Always transport airsoft guns in a gun bag or the original box from the manufacturer.

Furthermore, they should be in the trunk, with the magazine out, and the safety on.

Always wear eye protection

If not a full face mask. The minimum level of safety gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles or shooting glasses for protection. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses aren't up to the task. And you can forget about those funky sunglasses that came with that 3-pack of Kool cigarettes. Anything not designed specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns won't cut the mustard. They may break or shatter upon impact...

A plastic shard in the eye could ruin your day.

Gloves are also highly recommended to protect your knuckles.

At most airsoft sites, all players and observers are required to keep their face mask, goggles, or shooting glasses on at all times. All players must immediately stop shooting when a person without eye protection is encountered in the playing area. One common practice is for players to shout words such as "Cease-fire, Blind Man!" Any player hearing this must stop and repeat the alarm, alerting the whole game.

Never remove your mask or goggles for even a brief time to clean off fog...or for any other reason. If you really have to do this, either go to a no-fire zone or call yourself out and clean them off after leaving the combat area.

Never remove or cover up the orange tip of your airsoft gun. Despite the lack of federal penalties for consumers who remove the required orange tips (because they think it looks cool), some states (such as California) have enacted legislation that imposes criminal penalties for the removal of any required markings. A student in Longwood, Florida threatened fellow classmates with an airsoft pistol and was subsequently shot and killed when he aimed his unmarked airsoft gun towards an officer.

Bottom line: A little respect for your equipment and the well being of others goes a long way towards ensuring a good time.