How old do you have to be to play airsoft?
Age restriction on playing airsoft varies from one location to another. In general, the minimum age is 14 years old and the maximum is 18 years old. Some places may even have higher age restrictions and require players to be at least 20 years old.
The age limit does not refer to your physical age but rather how old you are mentally. This is because it is believed that at a certain age, airsoft players have developed enough judgment skills to be able to know what’s right and wrong during their games.
Prior to joining any airsoft location, whether it’s a public or private field, you must show valid identification as proof of age. This is because your ID will be used as a basis to verify if you can already play airsoft.
Some airsoft games do not set an age limit. But they are rogue events, not connected to any leagues or organization. Those events will generally have inexperienced players, and such unorganized airsoft events may be risky for the participants.
Age limits on playing airsoft in the US
As mentioned earlier, age restriction on playing airsoft varies from one location to another and may vary even within the same place or game.
For the most part, airsoft games in the US have an age limit of 18 years old. This is because most states or jurisdictions set the minimum legal age at 18 years.
Easy example? Based on US federal law, a player must be at least 18 years old to purchase an airsoft gun with airsoft BBs. This is because they are mentally capable of knowing what’s right and wrong unlike those who are still minors.
Age restrictions may vary depending on different circumstances and local laws, so it’s best to know about such requirements before joining any airsoft event.
Generally, there is no age restriction when it comes to playing airsoft but kid gamers are usually directed into games specifically designed for them. These airsoft guns are generally not as realistic looking as the adult or full-sized airsoft models.
This guide article aims to shed light on how age is taken into consideration when playing airsoft and give you a general guideline on what’s allowed and what’s not within the US federal law.
Age limits on playing airsoft in the UK
An airsoft player must be at least 16 years old to play airsoft in the UK. But age limits go beyond the legal framework because many locations also set their own age restrictions on playing airsoft. These airsoft site owners or contacts often set up their own rules and regulations.
The minimum age to play airsoft will depend on the site operator because they are the ones who decide if you’re mentally capable of playing airsoft.
They can even ask for your ID, so make sure you have one ready when you play at an airsoft site. If you are not allowed to play airsoft because of your age, it is highly likely that they will be able to provide a good guide for you on where you can legally play airsoft.
What are the qualifications needed to play airsoft?
A simple test that can give any field operator a hint on how mature you are includes putting your name on a list as well as answering some basic questions about airsoft safety and other rules in airsoft games. This is usually conducted during airsoft games for new players especially with those who will not be joining game operations but rather acting as observers or referees instead. These individuals include friends or classmates of existing members, relatives and In determining such criteria, permission from parents or guardians plays an important role.
It should be remembered however that this rule only applies to players who would be playing airsoft in an area that is away from the eyes of the parents and guardians. In reality, most airsoft fields require you to have a certain level of maturity before they allow you to play as part of their team.
If a player is turning 18 this year and wants to play airsoft, how can he or she try it out?
This is because many field operators are not aware of the legal requirements for minors who wish to play airsoft. A specific event might be required but some players still join. They are simply unaware of such laws. To address this issue, field operators become more strict during airsoft games wherein they include a list of qualifications for players.
General airsoft rules
The use of airsoft guns in games for adults is allowed provided it complies with all the local, state, and federal laws.
Players must be aware of the age limit restrictions set by field operators so they can play accordingly to avoid any legal problems such as getting arrested or ticketed depending on where you are playing airsoft. If there are no age restrictions at all, players may have fun but some players cross-dress to take advantage of such policies. They can even pretend to be minor just to get away from any legal issues.
Before playing airsoft, participants usually read up about its rules and protocols. There are lots of generic rules they should follow and these rules may vary from one field operator to another. Some include:
- Only use airsoft guns designed for the general public;
- Do not point your gun at a player unless you have to defend yourself from incoming fire;
- Do not pretend to be a sniper unless authorized by the game referee;
- Orient yourself from your game teammates so you won’t accidentally shoot them;
- Do not carry a firearm while engaged in airsoft games because this can cause confusion and accidents among players.
For players under 18 years old
As per the general airsoft rules, players who are below 18 years old cannot use airsoft BBs that are exceeding 0.2g in mass. This is because they would not be allowed to purchase airsoft guns and ammo just yet. So what can you do instead?
You may play airsoft with replica or nerf style foam bullets that are intended for a large number of different game types like LARP (live action role-playing) games, paintball, and war games events. These projectiles will generally have weights of less than 3 g/cm.
Other limitations on young airsoft players include:
- They cannot participate in any scenario-type field game operation, even if they are only acting as referees or observers.
- They cannot carry any airsoft gun out on the field because their age does not allow them to purchase one of these items.
- They can’t be members of an airsoft team, even if they are just playing games with foam bullets.
Conclusion
There are airsoft fields that allow minors to play under adult supervision. It is up to the airsoft field operator whether or not he will admit young players who wish to try this exciting game. For field operators who want to make money, they will limit their operations for teenagers and adults only instead of a mixed group of players.
Meanwhile, some airsoft teams allow members who are 17 to join their team as long as the person can pass the proof of age test. This type of field operator will also need to keep records about each player’s operating history for future reference since this information may be useful in case a minor accidentally participates in an airsoft game.
