Airsoft: Let's start with a description of airsoft, which had its origins in post-war Japan. After World War II, Japanese citizens were not allowed to own firearms. To satisfy demand from collectors, manufacturers began producing non-firing replicas of firearms
made from soft metals and plastics. In the 1970s, these replicas were
modified to shoot small, lightweight, plastic balls (BBs) propelled by
compressed gases such as propane, chlorodifluoromethane, and carbon
dioxide. These guns, referred to as airsoft guns, were able to reproduce
the loading, cycling, and firing action of firearms to a high degree, but
with muzzle energies only around 1 J. Regulations required that the
designs and materials used in the manufacturing of airsoft guns
prevent them from being modified for use with live ammunition. Today,
there are numerous manufacturers in Asia producing a wide variety
of high quality airsoft guns that are suitable for airsoft practical shooting.
No airsoft guns are currently being manufactured in the USA.

What is Airsoft Practical Shooting?
© 2010 American Airsoft Practical Shooting
www.aaps-federation.org

developed for improving gun control, target acquisition, the use of protective cover, and other methods that were of critical importance to the military and law enforcement communities. Participants in this training found that the challenge and excitement of practical shooting were hard to resist and a new competitive sport emerged. In 1976, the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) was founded to establish an internationally recognized set of policies and rules for practical shooting with high-powered handguns. Over the years, practical

Airsoft Practical Shooting: Competitions involving practical shooting with airsoft pistols instead of firearms began in Asia in the late 1990s. The popularity of the sport grew rapidly and migrated to Europe and then the United States. Airsoft practical shooting has adapted the rules and techniques of firearm practical shooting to the unique character-
istics of airsoft guns to create a challenging, fun, and safe sport that is
enjoyed by thousands around the world. In 2007, International Airsoft
Practical Shooting (IAPS) was founded to establish internationally
recognized rules for conducting airsoft practical shooting events.

shooting has evolved into a sport focusing on timed action target shooting that challenges the competitor to shoot accurately at various kinds of targets from different positions while trying to complete the course (called a "stage") in the least amount of time. The United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) is the US affiliate of IPSC.

Practical Shooting: The sport of practical shooting grew out of work that began in the 1950s to improve the training and techniques used for defensive pistol shooting. New techniques were