AnsomMag.com |

Consider the origins of airsoft and paintball. Paintball was devised in the early 1980s as an adult variation on hide-and-seek or capture the flag. Airsoft originated in Japan in the 1970s, at a time when firearms ownership was illegal; the game was devised as a lawful way to “play army.” Hence, the greater attention to detail and authenticity, both in the airsoft guns and in the particulars of playing the game. It’s no accident that several military forces, including the U.S. Army, have used airsoft games in the course of training for actual combat situations. Airsoft guns are also becoming the preferred training weapon for police departments and law enforcement agencies.

PAINTBALL BUSTS A MOVE

“The real revolution is here,” proclaims the slogan of the newly formed G.I. Milsim, a Montreal-based partnership between paintball kingpin Richmond Italia and Adam and Billy Gardner, owners of Smart Parts. The revolution advocated by the company—which designs and manufactures paintballs as well as markers—has little to do with storming barricades or deposing rulers, and a lot to do with reversing the tide of declining participation in the sport.

G.I. Milsim’s proposal for “Paintball 2.0” revolves around making .50-caliber paintballs the standard. The basis for this is that because they’re smaller than the more commonly deployed .68-caliber paintballs and require less CO2 to propel them, they theoretically become cheaper in the long term.

In a sport that depends on large quantities of paint to get through a single game, much less a tournament, “ammunition” for the airguns that players wield is among the largest fixed expenses. Proponents of .50-caliber play argue that cost, particularly in a still-recovering economy, may be the main reason overall participation declined 11.3% between 2007 and 2008, dropping from about 5.5 million to 4.85 million, according to the Outdoor Foundation (full-year 2009 figures are not yet available).

To that end, G.I. Milsim says it’s devised a new design for 50-caliber paintballs that overcomes one of the smaller-bore projectile’s main shortcomings: breaking consistently.

“The sheer number of big paintball companies that have gone bankrupt, laid off many of their employees or ceased normal production is huge; the industry is not a healthy one, not to mention the dropoff of people who like to play the game,” Italia said recently in an interview on the Catshack Reports web site. “It’s time to do something to stop the bleeding.” He added that .68-caliber “will not go away, but .50-caliber is here to stay.”

In fact, .50-caliber paintballs have been part of the player’s range of choices for several years. Whether these smaller paintballs represent a catalyst for turning around participation, however, is a matter of considerable debate within the industry.

The paintball blogosphere has seen the .50-caliber initiative criticized as a fad, a ploy to render all .68-caliber equipment obsolete or an untested solution to a larger problem. Some blame attrition on the current-generation markers’ rate of fire, which has increased exponentially from the sport’s early days. A first-timer may feel overwhelmed by the 10-plus balls per second his more experienced adversary is splattering him with, and vow not to return the field.

Interestingly, although the Outdoor Foundation’s 2009 Topline Report notes an overall drop in paintball participation, activity by “regular” players is on the rise by comparison to “occasional” ones. Paintball tends to become a habit that sticks; many current players have been at it since the senior George Bush was president. Helping to bridge the gap between trying paintball and going back for more is the retailer or field owner’s best opportunity to grow the business.

AIRSOFT GOING GREAT GUNS

The same could be said of airsoft, although arguably the best tactic when it comes to airsoft sales is not to confuse it with paintball. The two sports do have some things in common, including some of the players, but there are many differences.

For one thing, paintball by comparison is higher-priced, even when it comes to the ammo. A day’s worth of paintball splattering can set a player back $50, compared to about $20 for a bag of airsoft pellets. For another thing, those pellets may sting, but they don’t leave an unmistakable mark on the player’s clothing; therefore, airsoft depends on the honor system.