CO2 airsoft guns are very detailed gun replicas made for recreational reasons. The first airsoft guns were made in Japan during the 1970’s. During this time the Japanese government had imposed a ban on fire arms. It was in response to this the first CO2 airsoft guns were made. From Japan it went to the U.S in the early 1990’s and became very popular.
Co2 airsoft guns fire non-metallic 6mm or 8mm pellets at velocities ranging from 100 to 850/fts. This is done by making use of compressed air, hence the name CO2 airsoft guns. There are different types of airsoft guns; the difference is in the way how the pellet is fired. Some use CO2, compressed gas such as green gas, propane, a spring or an electric motor. CO2 airsoft guns are considered safe and because of the pellets relatively slow speed, it will not penetrate the skin. Of course it goes without saying that it should not be fired at a person’s eye.
The reason for CO2 airsoft guns popularity is simple. They look and resemble real very firearms to a high degree. For people who appreciate fire arms but do not want to own a real one, a CO2 airsoft gun would be the answer. They are strictly used for sporting purposes. Playing with airsoft guns is a relatively new hobby but be came very popular in a short period of time. People have a lot of fun with them doing target practice and there are even CO2 airsoft war games, similar to paint balling. Hardcore airsoft gun fans get together on the weekends and put on their masks and play little war games.
Another reason for their popularity is because of their low price and as mentioned before their incredible similarity to real guns. Some examples of realistic and relatively cheap CO2 airsoft guns would be the Crosman C11 and Icon XL CO2 airsoft gun. The C11 is priced around $40. This gun has great accuracy within 100 feet, shoots very fast or as fast as you can pull the trigger and it is easy to replace the CO2 cartridge. The Icon XL is a slightly more expensive gun priced around $70 dollars and has been used in movies such as Lara croft tomb raider. The nice feature of this gun is that it has an all in one CO2 technology. This means the magazine holds the pellets as well as the CO2 cartridge.
In the United States CO2 airsoft guns are becoming a popular alternative to paintball guns. The main reason for this is the realism at which the players will take the game. They will wear military fatigues and even drive military style vehicles. The important thing to remember is that it is not a good idea to view CO2 airsoft guns as toys. They should be treated as a real gun and properly stored when not in use. They also should be kept out of reach from children.
Deciding on what type of CO2 airsoft gun is right for you can be a great dilemma. They make replicas of just about every famous gun ever produced such as the M-16, AK 47, Oozi’s, Tommy guns, Magnum .44’s, M-1, M-14 and so on. The replicas are so real that the only way you will be able to distinguish them from the real gun is by the bright orange tip that most airsoft guns will have. Before purchasing one of the fancier guns it would be better to try out a simple and easy to use pistol such as the Crosman C11 that was mentioned before. Once you get the hang of it and feel comfortable using one, then get that M-16 or AK-47 that you have been drooling over.