Airsoft has a relatively long history. Designed in Japan and marketed in the United States in the 1980's by a major BB gun manufacturer. AirSoft was conceptualized as a new approach in BB gun application as opposed to common air gun that was designed for hunting, the AirSoft BB gun was created with a pure recreational application in mind. It was created for people who enjoy target practicing or indoor plinking with friends. Individuals who are not concerned about the high power hunting application of a BB or pellet gun but just wanted to have Fun.

But my opinion is that it was way ahead of it's time, not to mention the fact that many dealers did not want to sale them for liability reasons. The Airsoft guns were thought of as too realistic and posed a great legal issue and were discontinued by some manufactures. Airsoft guns have been around for two decades in Asia and are slow in comming to the United States. They are slowly making a comeback and in some cases have become what "Paintball" once was.

The design of the AirSoft BB gun centers on a unique propulsion system utilizing a small amount of air to accurately propell a lightweight plastic BB or pellet. This design philosophy resulted in a BB gun, which generates a much less damaging projectile that is still accurate enough to be FUN. As the AirSoft product matured, manufacturers added another feature, which drew hobbyist and collectors alike to AirSoft. By modeling AirSoft BB guns after world famous pistols and rifles, an entire line of Replica AirSoft products were created.

In my opinion, the increasinly popular conflicts that the US has participated in beginning with the Gulf War in the early 1990's has created a market for "combat games". Paintball was and is a huge hit in this area, Military type software games are a huge success beginning in the late 1990's and Airsoft Gaming is fast becoming a new trend.

After decades, AirSoft BB guns are now returning to the United States with newer and better designs. The highly matured plastic polymer technology industry in Asia has created a new generation of AirSoft BB guns with amazing durability and detail. Adding to its hobby collector market, the new AirSoft BB guns have created new uses in firearm safety training, movie productions, replica collecting, and recreational sport.

AirSoft guns offer a potential alternative for the hobbyist, collector, and shooter. The combination of realism, safety, flexibility, and low cost makes AirSoft more appealing to the average consumer who would like to exercise his or her steady eye/hand coordination without the inherent dangers. (Safety glasses must still be worn for protection)

The U.S. Government has approved and specified regulations applicable to AirSoft BB guns. The blaze orange marking is a federal requirement: all reputable AirSoft manufacturers and dealers must be in compliance with this ruling for legal use. All AirSoft products, foreign or domestic, must meet this regulation. (Removal of the tip will also void all Warrantys and Refunds)

I wrote to Bob Lovstad, webmaster of http://www.bbairguns.com - a site devoted to BB gun collectibles, mostly and mainly Daisy. Bob worked for Daisy for about 19 years, starting from 1979, and within said period had worked in all of the company's different departments. I asked for the details regarding Daisy's foray into airsoft. He replied:

"Daisy sold some Softair for just about a year 86-87 and the Company that made them was from Japan ASDK company.

I know when Daisy was closing the Softair out, I could have bought a semi load full for less than $20.00 a piece. Who would have known!! I can't remember for sure a Man named Keith Poor who did work for Daisy went to work for Maruzen, He designed the Model 92, 93, ect. bb pistols and I wasn't sure if he was involved with Softair or not."

I thought I'd share that with you since most people think that Daisy was the originator or Airsoft.

I have the Daisy MP5K that I bought in 1987. When I tired recently to get some support on it from Daisy, the reply I got was rude, crude and basically said. "we never made those to begin with and even when we still sold them we didnt support them"...the woman who replied to me was actually bery rude about it when I tried to retort....

I'll never buy a Daisy product ever again after the way she treated me..

WELCOME to the Board Almighty!

Excellent post, thank you.

Thank you for correcting me. I personally thought what you have said is true as far as when and where they orriginated but when I did a little research on this issue so that I could make the above mentioned post, I found what you see above.

I just assumed that what others have printed to be true. Even though what I found regarding who designed them and when, seemed wrong - it appears to be a popular belief for some reason.

Should we edit and correct the board so that there are no questions about this discrepency? Or should we leave these posts as they are with the additional comment for anyone that is not sure:

"Airsoft was orriginally designed by a company in Japan and was marketed in the United States in the 1980's by a major BB gun manufacturer."

"...Even when all of the experts agree; they may well be mistaken."
- Bertrand Russell

As there seem to be no categorical answer (yet) to the question of airsoft's true origin.. I think we should just let the thread stand as it is and let people fill in with what they've got. I'm researching the topic myself, trying to dig as far back into airsoft development as my modest archive of Japanese publications would allow. There was, however, a relatively comprehensive write up on airsoft some time back.. in Airgun Digest.. by author and airgun expert named (Adolf?) Galand that I'm trying to get a hold of. It would probably give us, at least, an objective western perspective on airsoft during the 90s.