The M16 rifle was created in response the US Air Force’s need in the 1950’s for a lightweight, small-form “survival rifle” for self-defense in the event of a hostile landing. The order went out to Armalite Company, which had recently merged with Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. A designer at Armalite named Eugene Stoner soon developed the 5.56mm (.223) cartridge and reworked it until he had 55grain bullet traveling at 3250fps and an effective range of about 500yds. With a reliable cartridge in place, Stoner began work on the rifle itself and soon came out with the AR-15 rifle. The AR-15 was a drastically different rifle in both design and function from anything that had been used by the US Air Force before. The AR-15 employed a direct gas system of operation instead of the conventional piston operation and made extensive use of light alloy and precision casting to reduce weight. The rifle had a straight line design instead of the traditional “dropped-butt” of conventional rifles and the sights were permanently attached to the carry handle. The radical new design, along with the rifle’s plastic furniture, led the US Army and Air Force brass to dub the rifle “cheap and nasty”. Nonetheless, in 1962 the US Air Force bought a number of AR-15s for use by guards at Air Force bases. Then, in 1963, the USAF sent a detachment armed with AR-15s to Vietnam and were surprised to find that the South Vietnamese Army felt the new rifles would be perfect for the smaller stature soldiers that made up the majority of their ranks. The South Vietnamese army soon bought AR-15s and reported favorably as did the US Special Forces serving in Vietnam at that time. Eventually, the AR-15 was taken into regular US Army service as the M16 Rifle.

The Airsoft sport can be traced back to its inception in Japan during the early 1980’s. At that time it was illegal for citizens to own firearms Japan, but the interest in firearms there was significant nonetheless. In response to the demand, some Japanese companies began tentative production of a few spring powered Airsoft guns modeled after a selection of famous modern firearms. These original models fired the same 6mm plastic BBs that are still used today. The sport soon caught on and by the late 1980’s it had swept through neighboring countries such as Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. By the early 1990’s, Airsoft had made its way through Europe and across the Atlantic to North America. Airsoft has been somewhat slow to catch on in the US due in part to the fact that private gun ownership is legal in the US and many firearm enthusiasts saw Airsoft equipment as toys. In recent years however, Airsoft has begun to carve out its own niche in the outdoor/sporting market with customers who appreciate the relatively low cost of Airsoft guns when compared to their firearm counterparts. Airsoft has also come into favor with military and law enforcement personnel who see it as an inexpensive and safe way to train.

Today you can find Airsoft guns modeled after an abundance of real life firearms. HK, Beretta, Benalli, Desert Eagle and more can be found in an Airsoft version that closely resembles the real deal in look, weight, operation and feel.

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