Same reason they like realistic model cars?
Rob Zaleski is shocked that a retailer would sell a Crosman Stinger R34 (seen here) to kids:
This particular gun was called the Crosman Stinger R34 and, according to a promotional ad I found on the Internet, it’s modeled after the “legendary AR-15” assault rifle. Which, it so happens, is one of the many assault weapons that were illegal in this country until last year, when the Republican-controlled Congress allowed a 10-year ban to expire.
So why would a store carry such a gun – especially in Madison, which is having all sorts of headaches with kids bringing BB guns to school?
Actually, the AR-15 never happened to be illegal in this country even when the ban was in effect. I’m guessing kids want that for the same reason they want other realistic toys. He claims not to be an anti-gun guy but I have a feeling he is and just doesn’t know it.
December 6th, 2005 at 12:41 pm
What’s the deal with this airsoft stuff? Is it just kinder, gentler BB guns for todays kids? It doesn’t seem right to call it a BB gun at all, but it’s right there in the copy.
Maryland has strong preemption laws for firearms. But “real” BB guns are not considered firearms (IANAL) so some municipalities have been able to pass local laws against them.
BTW, to see the ad page, I had to spoof my user agent into WindozeXP with IE.
He says: “Yes, the same kind of assault weapon that gangs have used to gun down police.”
Oh yea, this guy is an expert in the weaponry preferences of gangs and is not in any way suffering from Hoplophobia.
He says: “I’ve pretty much decided to get him something sports-related for Christmas – like, say, his first authentic metal driver. Junior size, of course. And with a small head.”
Great, get him started early on “electro-magnetic golf”.
December 6th, 2005 at 2:17 pm
“I support the second amendment”
*shudder* bullhockey. Two faced son of a….
December 6th, 2005 at 3:27 pm
I’m tired of hearing about guns that “used to be banned” until the “right wing extremists” let the ban expire. How come we never hear about guns that used to be perfectly legal until the left wing extremists banned them for everyone but the .gov?
December 6th, 2005 at 4:09 pm
Steve,
You mean like this?
December 6th, 2005 at 5:46 pm
Airsoft has nothing to do with being kinder and gentler to kids today, at least not to real players like myself.
It’s not a BB gun – a BB gun shoots a .177 caliber BB. An airsoft rifle will shoot a 6mm projectile, and in some cases an 8mm projectile, made of plastic of specified weights and densities. Whereas you might find a CO2 powered BB gun that holds 15 shots and is accurate around 20ft away, my airsoft M4 takes 300rd magazines which it can fire thru on 600rpm full-auto at about 450fps out to about 100yds max, and I can carry multiple backup mags. Make no mistake – those clear, plastic guns they sell at WalMart aren’t real airsoft guns – they are a travesty and an embarassment to those of us who know the difference.
That Crosman the article mentions is a spring gun that has to be cocked everytime it fires and its a piece of crap. The minute they started making that crap to sell to kids it compromised the integrity of the serious gamers and the gun community.
December 6th, 2005 at 5:56 pm
Hey,
where can I play a round of Airsoft?
Is it like paintball? Only cleaner? Does it leave a welt like Paintball?
HOw do you know if you’ve been hit
December 6th, 2005 at 10:00 pm
Oh…you know when you get hit. The game is played on the honor system,so you call yourself out when you get hit. If a player doesn’t…well, they don’t get to play very many places since the community will kinda informally blacklist them.
Its a ~.26 caliber, .25g plastic ball compared to a .68 30g caliber paintball. Paintballs hit harder but over a bigger area. Airsoft pellets can leave welts, bruises or – if you’re too close to the person shooting you – completely break the skin. I have a scar on my arm from airsoft, where I had the pellet enter my arm. I’ve also seen chipped teeth and broken fingers.
The other thing that sets it apart is the gear….man, the sport generates a ton of geardos. Personally, I never thought I’d buy a Trijicon dot sight or Surefire for a toy gun until…until I did. And thats after I replaced every plastic part of the gun with machined metal and camo’d over it.
As to finding a place to play, try http://www.airsoftplayers.com in the Forums – theres a running list. I’ll post some pics tonight to give you a better idea.
December 7th, 2005 at 10:43 am
If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns
December 7th, 2005 at 10:47 am
And if you outlaw toy guns, only outlaws will have toy guns.
December 10th, 2005 at 10:50 am
The antitoy gun campaign is being caried out by wacko weirdos like CODEPINK AND OTHER LIBERAL NAMBDY PAMBDIES so why don they go and get a life and quit being so stupid and rediclous