Airsoft Guns

While every airsoft game has different rules, there are some universal rules that apply when you pick up an airsoft gun. Here is your easy to follow guide on how to keep it legal, fun, and safe.




Keep it Legal:

• Check if it is legal to host an airsoft skirmish on the property prior to doing so. This is more than simply gaining the property owner’s permission (though this is critical)... it also means you should contact your local police unit and check local statutes.
• Laws vary from region to region, but many dictate a firepower limit for safety reasons (i.e. they don’t want BBs to break the skin or kill anyone.) This is usually around 300-450 FPS depending on the venue. Always safest to check this out prior to playing. Your local airsoft facility will also have this information.
• Never carry your airsoft weapon in public. Always transport your airsoft gun and equipment in a proper carrying case.
• Never remove your airsoft orange safety tip.

Don’t be a Nuisance:

• Call your hits. Many airsofters carry a red bandana and use it as a signal that they have been hit. It’s quick, easy and visual. It can also be used when leaving or reentering game play. For the record, there is nothing worse than an airsofter who refuses to recognize a hit. Trust us, after a few disputes, everyone will know who you are and they won’t want you to participate in future events.
• If you suspect someone is not calling their hits, keep firing at them until it is crazy indisputable that they have been hit. This is a more effective tactic than making a big scene on the field. Of course, you can always bring it up after the game… simply say, “You need to call your hits. I hit you maybe 10 times before you called it.” They may dispute your claim to save face, but it will put the offender on notice and they will be more likely to change that behavior in the future, even if just to prove you wrong.
• Dead men don’t talk. If you’ve been hit, you must stop relaying information to your team members. No signals, no code. You are essentially dead.
• Don’t deliberately try to hurt/annoying people. Shooting someone in the face on purpose is lame… and can be dangerous.
• Keep a level head. Airsoft is an adrenalin rush, for sure, but you shouldn’t get so amped that you try to fight other players. Remain cool and collected; that is the sign of a well-trained soldier, after all.

Just Generally Good Ideas:

• Wear protective airsoft eye goggles at all times. This is not negotiable.
• Establish a clear set of game rules before starting at the get-go. It will make for a much better skirmish.
• Be respectful of other player's equipment.
• Be cool to new players. Some long-time airsofters think its their right to haze the new guy. It's not... and it makes you look like a jerk. Offer tips and assistance without being condescending. After all, you were once a noob.
• If you’re playing with younger airsofters, watch your mouth.
• If you are playing with strangers, it’s a good idea to avoid touching people you don’t know, unless you are dragging an injured man off the field or something like that. That means avoiding things like “knife kills” and hand to hand combat. That guy could be psycho or get angry and want to fight. Long story short: these sorts of engagements rarely end well.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, an online airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns, as well as airsoft upgrades and parts. Visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for airsoft AEGs and the latest full metal airsoft sniper rifles for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft advice, airsoft etiquette, airsoft laws, airsoft rules, airsoft tips

Airsoft is a great sport designed around using military type equipment (tactical gear, communications equipment, replica firearms etc.) to complete military style scenarios. Unlike paintball, airsoft BB’s do not mark the target they hit. This is great because it means a lot less mess than paintball; however it also requires airsoft players to be especially attentive to whether or not they get "hit". Airsoft games can be a great time; however nothing ruins it faster than players not abiding by the honor system set in place. In most airsoft games players must call “hit” the moment that they are struck by a BB and cease fire. Depending on the game type the player may have to walk to a re-spawn point, walk to the starting point, or wait to be “healed” by a teammate. This not only helps gameplay move smoothly and fairly, but also gives the shooter the satisfaction of knowing that they succeeded in their attempt. When players don’t call their “hits” it can cause major disruptions to gameplay, and cause frustration amongst all the players. There are a few general rules to use to make sure that you don’t disrupt gameplay and dampen the spirit of the game.

1. Abide by the “Golden Rule” of airsoft: Always call your hits, because you want the other players to call their “hits” when you shoot them as well.


2. Wear Gear and clothing that allows you to feel your hits. Wearing too much gear, and /or loose and baggy clothing will prevent you from feeling a “hit”, and you may not even notice. Make sure that if you are wearing plate carriers or body armor you know what a BB striking your gear sounds and feels like.


3. Carry a “Red Rag/ Dead Rag” with you at all times. A “Red Rag/ Dead Rag” is a red piece of cloth about one foot by one foot that players use to signify that they have been hit. This lets opposing players know to stop shooting at that particular player, because they are out of action.


4. When you are hit, move quickly out of lines of fire so that you don’t get hit again and you don’t disrupt gameplay.


5. Never hide behind a player who is hit. This causes the opposing team to either shoot the player who is already hit, or to cease fire and disrupt the pace of the game.


6. Never call another player’s hits. This always causes unnecessary tension during gameplay, and distracts from the spirit of the game. Nine times out of ten, the targeted player truly didn’t get hit. The best way to solve the issue of a player you believe didn’t call their hit is to move closer and get a clear line of sight on the person before shooting.


7. If a player truly isn’t calling their hits always bring it to the organizer/ game staff first before confronting the player. This eliminates any form of argumentation, and also brings the issue up to the staff’s attention.

By following these simple rules, Airsoft can continue to be an amazingly fun sport. It will also help you build friendships with other players, because they see that you play honorably. So have fun out there, and call your “Hits”!

To see our full selection of tactical gear and airsoft guns.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, an online airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns, as well as airsoft parts, upgrades and accessories. Visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for airsoft AEGs, full metal airsoft rifles or the right airsoft gas gun for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft honor code, airsoft rules, how to play airsoft

Airsoft as a sport relies on realism, and serious airsofters invest significant amounts of time researching the various airsoft products and technical gear they purchase. Focused attention to detail is the norm, particularly when it comes to ‘MilSim’ (military simulation games) and players seem to enjoy this aspect nearly as much as they do engaging in airsoft combat. Their historic selection of custom unit patches and ‘call signs’, their dedicated study and employment of military tactics and strategies, their theater-specific attention to weaponry, uniforms and equipment and their often long-distance travel to airsoft facility ‘combat towns’... all serve to more closely mimic real-word combat. Without such, airsoft would be little more than a chaotic afternoon of airsofters running about scatter-shot, and if that were the case, I highly doubt that the sport of airsoft would be growing so popular.

To a large degree, airsoft relies on successfully creating the illusion of real-world combat – an illusion which unfortunately can easily be shattered, regardless of the time and money invested in the sport, by airsoft players who simply don’t call their hits.

Unlike paintball, airsoft is a sport of honor (there’s no greasy marker paint involved), and relies upon those engaging in the sport to call ‘hit!’ when they’ve been struck with an airsoft BB projectile. Simple failure to do so lessens the illusion of authenticity airsoft players strive to maintain, and indeed causes frustration and anger for the participants who approach the code of airsoft conduct seriously. Not unlike the youthful game of ‘Cowboys and Indians,’ airsoft requires one’s acknowledgment of being ‘killed,’ and for anyone who engaged in the former as a child, they can attest to the irritation they experienced following having an inarguable drop on a playmate, only to hear them reply, ‘Nuh-uh! You missed me!’ If recollection serves, such dishonest interaction immediately sapped all enjoyment from playing ‘Custer’s Last Stand’ as a boy, and the same can be said for the sport of airsoft.

If you are reading this, then more than likely you’ve engaged in the sport of airsoft, and have therefore either witnessed dishonesty in hit calling, or worse, have been the culprit. Unfortunately it seems that every airsoft field has one: a player who’s tarnished their reputation by consistently not upholding the honor code, and whose name has subsequently become analogous with dishonesty.

So please, call your hits.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, the #1 fastest growing Airsoft retailer in the nation. Airsoft Megastore offers the latest airsoft guns and gear as well as a 125% low price guarantee on all new Airsoft guns and gear.

Labels: airsoft calling shots, airsoft rules, airsoft tips, how to play airsoft

Because airsoft relies on the honor system, a fair skirmish requires that players call themselves out when they have been hit. Players must also avoid firing at any player who has been hit but has not yet exited the playing field. A player is eliminated when he or she is hit on any part of the body, including on gear such as goggles and vests. In most cases, eliminated players are supposed to exit the field of play until a new round starts or they are permitted to reenter the game. An exception is when the game is being played with a medic. In this case, hit players typically remain down in place until the player designated as the medic arrives and "revives" them. When a medic is not part of the scenario, hit players are usually required to leave the playing field and return to the staging area, or 'safe zone,' where they remain until the skirmish ends or they are permitted to reenter the game. "Dead man walking" is a widely known expression used in airsoft to signify that a player has been eliminated and should not be a target for enemy fire.

While the "dead man walking" signal is pretty widely known, different fields have their own specific rules for what a player should do after being hit. Some organizations stipulate that hit players should carry their airsoft guns high above their heads while returning to the safe zone. Some say to both hold your weapon high while shouting "dead man walking." Being aware of what these signals mean is important not just so that you can communicate to other players when you are hit, but also so that you will not fire on another player that has been hit. Because of the variations in rules from field to field, learning the guidelines put forth for a particular event is critical to having a fun and fair skirmish.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the VP of Operations of Airsoft Megastore, a leading online provider of Airsoft guns, gear and accessories. Airsoft Megastore offers guaranteed lowest prices on airsoft guns including airsoft sniper rifles.

Labels: Airsoft, Airsoft Dead Man Walking, Airsoft FAQ, Airsoft Lingo, airsoft rules

Safety should always be taken seriously when dealing with airsoft guns. Just as you would not begin a skirmish without proper safety attire, you should not enter a match without full knowledge of the safety rules of the organization you are playing with. Though the specifics of the rule will vary, the “blind man” rule is commonly enforced across nearly all airsoft organizations.

What is the "Blind Man" rule?
"Blind man" is a warning that may be shouted anytime during an airsoft match when a player or bystander is spotted without protective eyewear, or in certain other emergency situations. Some organizations may dictate that only a commander may enact this rule, but many allow any player on the field to shout "blind man" under the appropriate circumstances. Having a universal signal to use in the event that someone in the vicinity is at risk underscores the importance of safety precautions in the sport of airsoft.

The "blind man" rule is widely understood as a signal that someone in the area is lacking proper eye protection, though in some organizations it is used to halt play for other reasons. For instance, sometimes the command is used when there is an injury, if a player’s vision is impaired or in response to other unsafe situations. Regardless of what prompts the warning, the actions you should take when you hear it are the same.

What to do when someone shouts "Blind Man!"
When you hear another player say "blind man," halt fire, stop wherever you are and repeat "blind man." The rules of some organizations may also dictate that all players place their airsoft guns on the ground when they hear the signal. If every player adheres to protocol and stops play when the "blind man" signal is given, the situation can be resolved and the skirmish can resume with minimal effect on the game. You should repeat "blind man" to ensure that everyone around you is aware that play has stopped. Communication is vital to keeping everyone on and around the playing field as safe as possible.

We realize that studying up on safety rules may not be the most fun part of airsoft, but in a sport where a small mistake can lead to unnecessary injury, following all safety rules is vitally important. Though the "blind man" command may not be used often in the game of airsoft, every player should be aware of its meaning as well as what actions to take if they hear it shouted.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the VP of Operations of Airsoft Megastore, an Airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns. Please visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for electric airsoft rifles or the right Airsoft gas gun for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft blind man rule, airsoft rules, airsoft safety rules, blind man airsoft, blind man rule