|
We took an airsoft out of the pants of a known troublemaker on the street one night. Again, everyone agreed that he would've been shot if he'd've pulled it out.
There was an Airsoft dealer (SD something or other) with a booth at an event I participated in over the weekend. I recall that most of the guns had an orange piece of plastic attached to the muzzle end, but a little flat black Krylon would make most of the guns indistinguishable from their centerfire cousins in about 45 seconds. Many of the guns use licensed trademarks to look even more real (such as the Caspian replicas with the easily recognized "C" logo on the slide. In fact, the two MP5's they had featured mouting rails that would accept accessories meant for the real deals, one had a surefire mounted on it.
I was on the range with a real MP5SD 2 weeks ago and until you actually pulled the trigger, there was little difference between them, none to a novice and only a wieght/balance difference after the gun was picked up.
All that said, you might think I worry about these things being on the street.. actually no. I worry about foolish kids who do not have the opportunity for proper gun education and experience. These are the kinds of kids who get there hands on these things and stick them in their pants or under their car seat. They are the same kinds of kids who pull them out on the street and wave them at people. All those situations can lead to tragedies when an observant, well trained officer responds appropriately to what appears to be the threat of lethal attack.
For those who make the "calculated" decision to commit crimes with these things... they are going to get what they deserve eventually, and even if they don't at least they aren't running around with live weapons.
IMHO, It all comes down to education and common sense. As noted above, spinning on a cop and pulling anything out from under a jacket, let alone if you've just been chased down the street, is a bad idea. The only "victim" when a cop shoots someone brandishing a replica is the cop and his family/department.
|