Air Soft Guns in NJ

[Bob D 0]

I was looking at some of the Air Soft guns available, and was wondering if New Jersey

 

had any crazy laws restricting these?

 

Some have High Cap Mags and full automatic capability.

[tommy3rd 132]

Sports authority sells those, so I guess they're legal. The funny thing is it falls under the definition of "firearms" in our state laws, depending on interpretation.

[MedicYeti 96]

no crazy laws yet, at least statewide. Gloucester Township, Camden County has outlawed discharge of Airsoft, Paintball and BB guns (I have been told - perhaps someone knows for sure). You can order them online. I have an AR airsoft that I used for practice when I used to compete in high power rifle competitions. It was good for position, transition and added to the dry fire drills. Squirrels jump quite high when struck. It's also good to practice clearing the house with, lol.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Sports authority sells those, so I guess they're legal. The funny thing is it falls under the definition of "firearms" in our state laws, depending on interpretation.

 

That can be a dangerous assumption, especially given that your second statement is true...

 

"Firearm or firearms" means any handgun, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, automatic or semi-automatic rifle, or any gun, device or instrument in the nature of a weapon from which may be fired or ejected any solid projectable ball, slug, pellet, missile or bullet, or any gas, vapor or other noxious thing, by means of a cartridge or shell or by the action of an explosive or the igniting of flammable or explosive substances. It shall also include, without limitation, any firearm, which is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a similar nature in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited by compressed air, and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person.

 

The only gray area is the "sufficient force to injure a person." Hit someone in the eye with an airsoft pellet and find yourself facing firearms charges?!?

 

There are manufacturers (I used to work for one) whose attorneys will not let them sell airsoft in NJ, because of the way a firearm is defined. I think a blind eye is being turned here, until something happens that focuses attention on the air soft guns.

 

JMHO

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Airsoft is legal in Nj - there are stores that sell Airsoft guns as well as some indoor and outdoor fields. I'm an avid airsofter and play at several places in NJ.

[Jon 264]

Airsoft is legal in Nj - there are stores that sell Airsoft guns as well as some indoor and outdoor fields. I'm an avid airsofter and play at several places in NJ.

 

What does a typical airsoft day cost/entail? I have a pretty nice(according to godfather pball anyway) mp5 lookalike that I'd love to try on a field.

[vjf915 456]

The only problem with airsoft is that there really is no way to tell when you hit the other player. The pellets are so small, and do not leave the distinguished mark that paintball guns do. Although trying it on a field wouldnt be a bad thing, as I have a decent Firepower F4.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Although trying it on a field wouldnt be a bad thing, as I have a decent Firepower F4.

 

I'm sorry but

 

Firepower F4 guns shoot maybe 250fps with .12g bb's... no you don't want to use those. The guns we use to play are 350-400FPS with .25g bb's.

 

Some of my equipment cost $500+

 

A normal day of airsoft is about $30 for field fees. You have to supply your own guns and ammo (or borrow/rent depending on the field). Typically start around 10AM and go until 5-6 PM depending on the game/scenario.

[Maksim 1,504]

I am considering getting a 1911 type one as a training aid.

 

although an airsoft njgf match sounds like a good idea.

[vjf915 456]

$500?!?! Screw that, I just sold my paintball equipment for a reason.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Airsoft is legal in Nj - there are stores that sell Airsoft guns as well as some indoor and outdoor fields. I'm an avid airsofter and play at several places in NJ.

 

Give me a cite or precedent - as you know in NJ unless specifically pre-empted things dealing with firearms are illegal. You all seem to be making the (false) assumption that because something is sold here it's legal.

 

I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but Christie's AG is no friend to firearms and air soft may just be a little niche that is overlooked. The whole thing really hinges on whether air soft pellets are capable of causing injury. I shot a full-auto airsoft, at a mfg's demo and the 6mm pellets easily penetrated a std IPSC cardboard silhouette at 7 yds.

 

Just remember, with the exception of the gray area, as to whether they can injure or not, they do meet NJ's definition of a firearm.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[Jon 264]

Although trying it on a field wouldnt be a bad thing, as I have a decent Firepower F4.

 

I'm sorry but

 

Firepower F4 guns shoot maybe 250fps with .12g bb's... no you don't want to use those. The guns we use to play are 350-400FPS with .25g bb's.

 

Some of my equipment cost $500+

 

A normal day of airsoft is about $30 for field fees. You have to supply your own guns and ammo (or borrow/rent depending on the field). Typically start around 10AM and go until 5-6 PM depending on the game/scenario.

 

I have a classic army bt5 with 1 mag, glasses, and a stock of .25g bbs. Is this enough or should I get another mag/gun?

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I spent that much because I play so much. I have the really high end equipment. You can get a chinese-made "clone" of the higher end guns for about $150.

 

Pizza - I'll try to get you the information - I think I have it somewhere or on an airsoft forum.

 

j0n - I have extra mags you can use.

[tony357 386]

http://www.airsoftnj.com/forums/viewfor ... 1daf337b6d

 

I have two pistols gas blowback, 1911 and berretta 92.

 

for the most part you want to keep the orange tip on the gun to identify it..

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Yeah that's pretty much where I was gonna go.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

OK, I've read the link, but there is still nothing that states categorically that airsoft is legal. There seems to be quite a bit of contention, even on that website, as to whether they are considered firearms. Even the proposed legislation is termed a "clarification", thus removing all doubt, but it still leaves it up in the air as to whether airsoft meets the current definition of a firearm. This is something that could bite you on the ass down the road. All it would take would be one incident like that in Florida for airsoft to come under scrutiny and then, all of a sudden, it would be, "Well of course they're firearms - just look at the definition".

 

Please don't misconstrue my statements to be anti-gun - I'm just playing devil's advocate and interpreting the law in one possible manner. We all know that most NJ firearms laws are written with so much "wiggle room" that they can practically mean anything the prosecuting attorney wants them to. Just be careful.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[tommy3rd 132]

Reading those postings make it seem like it's legal until you actually get caught with one. Some owners even treat it like a real weapon when transporting it. No definitive answer or case ruling indicating it's legal.

[vjf915 456]

There is no such thing as "legal until you are caught with it". It is either legal or illegal, regardless of whether it is ever found out or not.

[tommy3rd 132]

I should've explained it better." legal until you get caught with one" to me means that the legality depends on the way the prosecutor and the judge interprets the definition of firearms.

[deviated rationality 4]

Let me add my bit here, as I also play a lot of airsoft, and with KrdShrk on quite a few occasions.

 

Airsoft is currently legal. Reason being: you can sell them (legally) without needing a FID card. Not to mention that there are production companies similar to paintball that have to be insured, legally, and they are. There will always be legal battles, mainly due to kids or people lacking a few chromosomes using them in public.

 

That said, all airsoft guns need an orange tip, legally. That said, I have spoken to many police officers and lawyers about this, and there really isn't any knowledge about them to classify them as illegal.

 

Airsoft guns shoot a 6mm plastic bb using either Co2, Green Gas (pure propane mixed with silicone), or aircompression. Generally the baseline weight for a bb is .20g. That said, you find a lot of .12g at the big places like Dicks or what have you. If you are seriously interested in airsoft, stay away from those places for anything related to airsoft.

 

Also, you have to keep in mind how much damage these things can (or more realistically, can't) do. A typical 9mm bullet has 583 joules of energy, where as the average airsoft bb has about 1-1.5 joules of energy. That said, as long as you are wearing ANZI rated goggles, you should be fine as long as you keep your mouth shut. Ideally you should wear a paintball mask or something to cover your face, but *many* dont, and that is fine if you are willing to accept the consequences. I have been hit in the face more times then I can count, and at times it can hurt pretty bad, but nothing that is serious in the slightest. I will say you can come across mesh goggles, not lensed ones, and you must stay away from these. BBs can splinter very easily on these, and I know 2 people who are now blind in one eye due to wearing this type of goggle.

 

BBs can penetrate skin, but it is rare. In our local community, we have rules and such that have been very effective at avoiding this. Basically minimum engagement (generally 15-25 feet no-shoot area) rules fix it depending on the power of the gun.

 

Pricey: It can be a bit pricey to get into, but after that its one of the cheapest sports out there. You can get a decent clone or low end (note: dicks guns are basically the lowest end, and useless unless you dont want to play in big games or you just want to plink around) gun for about $100-175 if you know where to look. Some guns actually get more expensive than there real steel (what airsofters call real guns) counterparts (Systema guns cost in the order of $1300-$1500) but thats not the norm. A good gun with decent power costs about $200-400.

 

Typically you need cammies, anzi rated eye protection, boots, a gun, battery, charger, magazines, and ammo. Thats about it. Again, it can be expensive to get into, but after that its cheap as hell.

 

Gun Prices:

low: $100-175

Mid:$200-400

High:$400-750

Luxury: $800-1600

 

Average is about $250

 

Ammo:

5000 rnds can cost about $12-20; 20,000 rnds: $40-60; but this is all depending upon the weight and company. Firepower is basically K-mart brand, not good at all for high end guns.

2000 rnds for painball: $40-70. 20,000 rnds: $350-500

 

So there is the big difference in price. Remember also that airsoft is mainly battery powered, not Co2, so you don't have to worry about that, either. Not to mention you dont need all of the other absurd equipment associated with paintball.

 

So how do you know if you hit someone? Its based off of honor. We weed out the cheaters pretty quick in our community, but they still exist, as they do in paintball (wipers). Basically when you get hit, you YELL "HIT!" until you are no longer being fired at, and bring out a "Dead rag" which is a red piece of cloth that lets everyone know you were hit.

 

Next post is a general break down of minimal costs to get into and play each.

[deviated rationality 4]

Bare Minimal Costs to get into Paintball: $515 ($237 w/ only 4000 rnds)

 

This includes:

- reburbished gun (just the gun) ($35)

- 2 Co2 Tanks ($25.98)

- 200 rnd hopper ($4.99)

- 20k rnds (or 4k if you go with the $237 number) (20k = $349.99 2k = $39.99)

- Paintball mask ($17.95)

- Chest protector ($29.95)

- Neck protector ($6.95)

- Tube belt (3 tubes) for extra ammo ($19.95) (also comes with 3 ammo tubes for free)

- Gloves ($9.95)

 

This does not include any other gear, like the paintball specialized pants, shirts, gun cases, barrel blockers, .and I went with the cheapest possible products.

 

Airsoft BMC: $368 (again, low end essentials)

- Gun Muzzle Velocity: 350FPS; Magazine Capacity: 600 rounds; Package Includes: Gun, magazine, battery, charger, sling, manual, cleaning rod ($109.95)

- Extra battery ($29)

- Better charger (most chargers that come with guns are crap) ($28)

- Chest rig (holds 3 magazine pouches (6 mags total) 2 utility pouches 1 radio pouch 1 miscellaneous pouch ($19.99)

- 20k rounds of ammo ($46)

- Goggles (full seal) ($20)

- 1 Hicap magazine (600rnds) ($20)

- 5 pack Midcap Magazines (110 rnds each) ($45)

- Gun bag ($25)

- Gloves ($9.99)

Again, this is bare minimal and low end stuff compared. Keep in mind the ammo prices, though, that is key. Thats where airsoft just dominates as far as expenses are concerned.

PB Ammo: 20k = $349.99 2k = $39.99

AS Ammo: 20k = $46 .00 5k = $11.50

In both cases, I didn't factor in full cammies/paintball uniform gear, boots, hydration carriers, or other personally chosen equipment. I will not that you dont need the chest or neck protector for paintball, but it is rare that I see people without them.

Also, average game costs = $30-50 for airsoft, not sure how much it is for paintball.

In the end, airsoft is a LOT cheaper, and the rest of my opinion is bias. (about game play and approaches to the game)

[deviated rationality 4]

Wow, I killed this thread with 2 WOT. My sincere apologies fellas. If anyone wants to ask questions about airsoft, please PM Krdshrk or myself and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. (I can only speak for myself, but Krdshrk is a pretty stand up and nice guy, so I can only imagine that he would as well)