Zahnada 11 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 For those of you who don't know, Airsoft is a craze that has become very popular with young boys. Airsoft guns shoot a soft, rubber BB pellet. The guns looks real (often designed as standard handguns). The boys then go out and shoot each other, often as part of Capture the Flag. It's a fun sport because it replicates the adrenaline rush created by being underfire. Well, on Friday night (about 8pm, so not very late), I was out jogging around the neighborhood. As I was doing a cool down walk, a young man grabbed me and jammed a handgun into my neck. He demanded money (the fool didn't seem to realize that joggers generally aren't carrying full wallets). I survived. When talking to police, the question was raised as to whether this was a real gun or not. Nobody knew. It could be fake and loaded with rubber BBs. It could have fired a bullet that punched a hole through my neck and left me dead on the sidewalk. I'll never know. The point is, Airsoft guns are designed to look real (the orange rubber tips being very easy to hacksaw off). I don't know if I was held up with a real gun or a fake. If a police officer were there, he would not know the difference either. If your kids plays with Airsoft, tell them to be careful. It's only a matter of time before a police officer shoots a kid who is playing with one of these guns. I know that groups of young boys like to shoot each other with Airsoft in parks. This is a bad idea. Once again, it is only a matter of time. Make sure your boys aren't EVER in a position where someone will have to decide if the gun they're carrying is real or not. Believe me, human instinct always assumes it's a real weapon. Someone will get hurt by this very soon. Link to post Share on other sites
scoutldr 732 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 My son was held up by a 15 year old in broad daylight once when riding his bike back home from the video store. A distance of only a few blocks through our upper middle class urban neighborhood. The police officer explained that it didn't matter if the gun were real or not. If the intent is to make the victim think it's real, then it's real, by definition, and the penalty is the same. We went to court and hugged his parents and cried with them as they profusely apologized for their son. I hope he's turned his life around. I'd hate to see him lose his life over 3 bucks. Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Eventually, someone will be killed by the police or by an alarmed private citizen who mistakes one of these 'toys' for the real thing. But your mention of 'Capture the Flag' caught my attention. I hope this is not part of a troop event. If so I interpret these things clearly to be a violation of G2SS. Even outside of scouting, I am not certain of their so-called 'safety'. They fire a projectile. They look like the real thing. They are used to commit crimes. As a parent I would not allow my child to possess one. Edited part: typo, sorry(This message has been edited by packsaddle) Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 "Eventually, someone will be killed by the police or by an alarmed private citizen who mistakes one of these 'toys' for the real thing." http://www.iranonline.com/avc/Fact_Sheet_About_Toy_Guns.html Link to post Share on other sites
SSScout 1615 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 If only... "Hey, it's only a toy..." "My son wouldn't do that" "Cavemart wouldn't sell it if it wasn't safe" "Heck, back when I was a boy..." True story... I'm on my Suzuki GT550 (that's a motorcycle for you motor history impaired) rolling along, enjoying the crisp fall air one saturday morning, going to pick up my girl for a ride out in the country. I come around a curve, enjoying the feel of the balance between tire and motor and man when I find I am looking face into the barrel of a rifle held in the hands of a boy on a hillock on the outside of the curve. I nearly laid it down at his feet, literally at his feet. But I kept my control, squeezed out a quick controlled stop and circled round to come up his driveway. I pulled up in front of him, stopped my motor and ripped off my helmet. "What the hell are you doing?" I yelled. The boy couldn't have been more than 10. "It's only a toy, mister, honest!!" he said. I glanced down at the thing in his quivering hands. From 3 feet away it was clearly plastic and badly proportioned. "Well, I don't know that!!" I replied. "Don't you know I could have been really hurt, thinking you were about to SHOOT ME??!! And YOU could've been really hurt if I was anybody but me." I was calming down now. I said "PLEASE. PLEASE. Don't EVER point a gun, even a toy, at ANY living thing again, even with a toy gun. You can't predict what the other person might do. Okay?" I remember him nodding his head. Looking back, I think that was the only time I ever purposely tried to scare a child without a fun intent. And then I did something that I later regretted. I put on my helmet and rode off. I think maybe I should have gone and spoken with his parents. But then, who knows what momma or pappa would've done? or said to me? I guess I hoped the boy would've gone in and said "Momma! A man on a motorcycle..." and something might 've sunk in. I do think about that boy sometimes, so many years ago... Make'm understand, please? YiS Link to post Share on other sites
Zahnada 11 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 Rest assured, Packsaddle, the Boy Scouts do not own a monopoly on the game Capture the Flag. I has NEVER and will NEVER be played in my troop (or any troop I interact with) with the use of weapons. But it is not uncommon for groups of boys to go into a park or forrest and play Capture the Flag or other shoot 'em games. Often, these games are played at night. Just for clarity sake, my initial post has NOTHING to do with BSA or my scouting experience. But it does have a great deal to do with teenage boys, which is why I felt this was the proper forum to issue a warning. Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 My son had the cheaper versions of airsoft guns for the last year or two. He wanted one of the nicer/more expensive models that shoot more accurately this past summer and even spent over $100 of his own money to purchase a model that looks like an AK-47. I wasn't spending my money to buy it. I also wasn't financing his hobby ongoing. He found communities just like this one on the internet and joined them. There were local groups (well, within the state) that held events where "clans" played against each other. He was disappointed that I didn't support him and take him to any of these events. They were "night ops" out in the country with kids from around 13 like him to adults in their 20's. First, I'm not taking him to play at night with adults and second, I'm not sleeping in my truck all night while he is running around in the woods instead of sleeping. I know he was disappointed with the old man, but I think he also understood my concerns. He has always been fairly mature and reasonable for his age. He still gets it out occasionally and plays out in the yard with many of the other boys in the neighborhood. Airsoft is huge in Asia where paintball has caught on in the US. You can find paintball course thruout the US and some cater to Airsofters. But for the most part, Airsofters have to find places and play where they can. Airsoft guns, unlike paintball guns look like the real deal and would be easily mistaken for real guns by law enforcement or average citizens. Those who play with any kind of non-lethal recreational gun should employee the same safety standards as a regular gun. Link to post Share on other sites
nldscout 18 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 one should be careful before buying an Airsoft gun or similar thing for your teeenager. In the State of NY and I and sure someothers it is a crime for a youth under 16 to posess one of these. Oh and also this applies to Paintball guns also. Link to post Share on other sites
SSScout 1615 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Whoa!! Came back to check on the course of this thread and shazam!! at the head of the page is a click box for AIRSPLAT.COM with a silhouette of a M16 semi. WHY IS THIS ON THE FORUM???? MODERATORS????(This message has been edited by SSScout) Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Hey, I'm sorry I missed it. Maybe we need to create a DUH! award for stuff like that. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 From my understanding of how Scouter.Com is financed, SCOUTER-TERRY suscribes to an advertising service which will run ads featuring products that are discussed in the thread. I claim no expertise in this matter, only that if we kept talking about a scout being found with a .45 caliper automatic at school, pretty soon the thread would be featuring ads for .45 caliper firearms. The best approach seems to be to ignore the ads you dont like and enjoy the benefits of the Scouter.Com forum Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 DUH! sorry, couldn't resist. Link to post Share on other sites
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