There’s a new target in the culture wars, and that is Airsoft.

Airsoft imitation guns are used in recreational sports enjoyed by a lot of Americans around the country. They are used in different forms, both indoors and outdoors, ranging from action shooting to live action role-playing (LARP), close quarters battle (CQB), and even historical reenactments.

They have been occasionally misused or involved in unfortunate incidents, but that’s true of any technology. They have sometimes been blown out of proportion.

Airsoft guns are definitely part of the culture war being waged on the Second Amendment. One of the most obvious steps taken by the gun controllers to inhibit younger Americans from being introduced to firearms is the imposition of minimum age limits to handle guns and going after training rifles like the JR-15. Harmless Airsoft guns are the next front.

Airsoft guns are already regulated; that’s why they come with bright orange tips. But it looks like that’s not enough. The following alert comes from Amped Airsoft LLC of Pittsburgh, PA:

This New Law Might be the End of Airsoft: Act Now to Save the Industry

If you’re an airsofter, dealer, or business owner, listen up – a new law could potentially put an end to airsoft as we know it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is trying to pass a law on June 12th that could be detrimental to the airsoft industry. In this post, we’ll explain the situation, its potential impacts, and how you can help to preserve the future of airsoft.

The Issue at Hand
The Federal Energy Management Improvement Act Update has transferred the authority for regulating the marking of toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms from the Department of Commerce to the CPSC. As a result, the CPSC is now responsible for ensuring that toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms are appropriately marked for safety reasons.

The new law, which would be effective from June 26, 2023, requires every airsoft gun, paintball gun, and possibly even GelBlasters to have a third-party conformity certification documentation from the manufacturer. This essentially makes every incoming shipment seizable and possibly illegal, and any future shipments without certification illegal.

There’s a slight misnomer here that should be gotten out of the way immediately: what’s being proposed is a regulation not a law. However, the Administrative State’s pronouncements carry the full weight of the federal government behind them, so they’re essentially the law.

Kurtis Hardy, the owner of Amped Airsoft, says this on their website: “This new law could change everything. The logistics are not in place for such a large change to happen overnight. This could end airsoft as we know it and many of the airsoft stores will take a large hit and more than likely close. This essentially will destroy our ability for players to get their hands on airsoft related items.”

The immediate requirements associated with this law may pose challenges for airsoft retailers and potentially result in a halt in imports, leading to potential business closures. Additionally, dealers would be burdened with the responsibility of maintaining extensive documentation on file to comply with the new regulations.

Given the urgency of the situation, the airsoft community must respond overwhelmingly to these proposed requirements. Without a strong and unified response, these requirements could potentially become law as early as this month. It is equally important for businesses in the airsoft industry to actively engage in the process, voice their concerns, and stay updated.

It looks like a major requirement for third-party certification is being dumped on the Airsoft industry, and it’s going into effect very quickly.

We in the Second Amendment community are all too familiar with how regulatory agencies can upend our lives all too easily, having been recently subject to the ATF’s pistol brace and unfinished frame or receiver rules.

The only way ordinary citizens can (supposedly) make an impact to proposed regulations is via public comment. Amped Airsoft has provided instructions on how you can help:

How You Can Help Save Airsoft

• Click on the following link to access the CPSC proposed law publication: https://www.regulations.gov/document/CPSC-2023-0021-0001
• Write your own comment or copy and paste the following message: […]
• Share this blog post with your friends, family members, and fellow airsoft players. The more people who comment on the regulation, the higher the chance we have of making a difference
• If you’re a content creator, we urge you to use your platform to spread awareness!

The deadline to act is TODAY, Monday, June 12, 2023.

Please follow this link to find a comment that you can simply copy/paste into the regulatory agency’s public comment form.