The history of airsoft

Airsoft is a team-based military tactical game designed to mimic real combat. Participants wear camouflage field uniforms, tactical vests, and body armor, but instead of carrying real AKs and M-16 rifles, they use pneumatic and electropneumatic replicas, or "actions." The standard ammunition is a 6-mm plastic ball weighing 0.2 grams. The arsenal isn’t limited to small arms. Grenades, smoke bombs, and mines are also used.

There are countless scenarios for confrontations — open-air shootouts, building assaults, capture the flag, hostage rescues. The game’s sheer excitement has made it immensely popular. It has come a long way from a hobby known to a few to an officially recognized sport with a unique set of rules.

The history of airsoft The evolution of airsoft weapons Procession around the world Airsoft in Russia Official recognition as a sport game Summing up

The birthplace of airsoft is Japan. Having lost World War II, the country was prohibited from developing weapons or maintaining its own army. However, the need to train domestic security and police forces persisted. The solution turned out to be airguns, which were exempt from these restrictions.

However, airguns were not suitable for entertainment and games. Their significant muzzle energy made them unsafe — implantation into the body could cause serious injuries, including penetrating wounds. The circulation of airguns was under government control, and purchasing them required paperwork, licensing, and considerable investment.

This situation didn’t suit Ichiro Niigata, a keen shooting enthusiast. He was the originator of the concept of "soft airguns," the inventor of a weapon that fired not metal bullets but harmless 6mm plastic balls. The energy was provided by gas mixtures of freon-silicone and propane-silicone.

Ichiro’s designs were not subject to legal restrictions and were freely available for sale. Some bought the guns for recreational shooting, others for battles with friends — exciting yet safe, provided minimal safety regulations were observed. These shootouts are the forerunners of modern airsoft.

The evolution of airsoft weapons

The Japanese company Tokyo Marui, now known as a manufacturer of premium actuators, made a significant contribution to the development of airsoft. Founded in 1965, the company became interested in Ichiro Niigata’s ideas. The engineers’ experience helped develop and refine them, establishing mass production of actuators by the 1980s. Every airsoft fan at that time used Tokyo Marui guns. Tokyo Marui’s specialists are the creators of many iconic inventions that changed the airsoft world.

Ruger P08

The first airsoft pistol with a spring-loaded mechanism. Manufactured in 1985. It required reloading after each shot, but was 100% self-contained, requiring no constant gas refills. Ideal for recreational shooting.

Double gas circuit

The first air flow pushed the ball out, the second moved the shutter, simulating recoil. This added atmosphere and realism to the process.

Electropneumatics

A revolution in airsoft. Electropneumatic actuators are now the accepted standard. In 1991, Tokyo Marui engineers announced the release of an AEG replica of the French FAMAS F-1 assault rifle. It was striking not only for its resemblance to its combat counterpart, but also for its operating principle. The "heart" of the weapon was an electric motor with a gearbox, a gearbox. Its rotation drove a piston, creating a powerful stream of compressed air that propelled the ball.

The popularity of electropneumatic weapons can be explained by their numerous advantages, including:

Convenience . The power source is a rechargeable battery, not a replaceable cylinder or built-in compressed air reservoir. The capacity is sufficient for hundreds of shots. A spare battery can be added if needed. The process takes significantly less time than refilling gas, and is feasible even in the heat of battle.
Reliability . Gearbox components are made of steel, high-tech metal alloys, and modified polymers, and are designed to withstand intense use. Minimal maintenance and adherence to simple operating instructions are sufficient to ensure trouble-free operation for several seasons.
Realism . The drives replicate real combat models. Premium ones, from Tokyo Marui or Arcturus, are difficult to distinguish from the original, even from close range.
Functionality . Support for single and automatic fire, the ability to install an underbarrel grenade launcher, and an optical or collimator sight — all of this increases the player’s effectiveness on the range.

Hop-Up

A Tokyo Marui development, patented in 1993. As the ball passes through the hop-up chamber, it contacts a roller, which imparts spin. This creates the Magnus effect, increasing range and accuracy without increasing muzzle energy.

Procession around the world

The Japanese invention didn’t go unnoticed in the US and Europe. War games have always been popular, and the advent of airsoft guns gave them a powerful boost. Gunfights became not only exciting and thrilling, but also extremely safe.

One of the largest annual events in the airsoft universe is the "Berget" series. The multi-day games are held in Sweden, attracting hundreds and thousands of participants.

The scale of the event is astounding. To ensure the airsoft players don’t feel isolated from civilization, the organizers are setting up camps. Huge tents with beds, wireless internet, showers, restrooms, and a field kitchen — everything is provided.

Of course, attention is paid not only to comfort but also to the combat component. The battles involve not only infantrymen armed with rifles, machine guns, pyrotechnics, and grenade launchers, but also heavy vehicles. Cannons fire pellets into the air, trucks with machine guns mounted on their backs rumble, and the treads of armored personnel carriers and tanks rumble. Being on Berget is a dream come true for any airsoft fan.

Airsoft in Russia

Airsoft’s birthday in Russia is July 14, 1996. On this day, the Moscow Dragoon Regiment , a military-historical reenactment club, held its first game. The first team, "Soldiers Beyond Time," was also formed.

The term " airsoft " is believed to have originated with Grigory Chukov, the head of the " Regiment ," whose call sign was " Dragoon ." The term proved successful, catchy, and clearly differentiated the new movement from its related sports, paintball and hardball.

Only 12 people participated in the debut battle, but the hobby proved so captivating and diverse that the number of fans began to grow exponentially. Teams from the Moscow region and the capital purchased camouflage and drivetrains en masse, and organized professional teams.

The regions weren’t left out either. Abandoned sites from Kaliningrad to Magadan were transformed into airsoft ranges. Players included those longing for the romance of the military, passionate enthusiasts, and history buffs, inspired not just by the gameplay but by the opportunity for creative expression. Reconstruction, the complete recreation of a soldier from a real unit — all of this requires maximum immersion, studying sources, archives, and photographs.

Official recognition as a sport game

The victorious airsoft march resulted in the establishment of the Military Tactical Games Federation in 2008, the FSR, the state airsoft federation, in 2014, and the inclusion of airsoft in the official register of sports in 2018, as confirmed by an order from the Ministry of Sports dated April 20, 2018.

State recognition was preceded by numerous competitions, which allowed for a practical assessment of the specifics of the process, the improvement of regulations, and the preparation of relevant papers and documents.

On November 17, 2021, the Ministry of Sports issued an order establishing the basic rules of airsoft as a sport. The following documents serve as the basis for airsoft competitions in the Russian Federation:

Rules approved by the Ministry of Sports.
A unified classifier, according to the provisions of which ranks are assigned for airsoft disciplines.
Qualification requirements that judges officiating at competitions from city to federal levels must meet.

The main competitive areas are:

" Capture the Base ." Teams’ objective is to secure a designated base and hold it for a specified amount of time or until all opponents are defeated.
" Encounter Battle ." A classic battle on an open or closed range.
" Capture the Base ." The first team defends a fortified facility, while the second team strives to capture it. Games are typically held in abandoned military units. Window openings are transformed into loopholes and machine gun emplacements. The attackers must utilize a maximum of tactical maneuvers and coordinate their actions to get within grenade throwing range and penetrate the building.
" Difficult Target ." A shooting exercise that tests accuracy and reaction speed.

Summing up

Airsoft is a young sport, but in just a few years it has come a long way from a hobby known to a few to a sport uniting millions of people. According to the Federation, the number of active players in Russia is approaching 150,000, and there are almost a thousand clubs.

The annual "24-Hour Armored Warfare" game is as impressive in scale as the European "Berget." The fighting lasts 24 hours without a break, regardless of night, weather, or player fatigue. Tanks rumble, military trucks and armored personnel carriers slog through the mud, and huge guns fire. It’s a rollercoaster of excitement!