History

Airsoft originated in Japan, then spread to Hong Kong and China in the late 1970s. Airsoft guns spread to the UK in the 1980s with a company called LS. They were in kit form and had to be built before you were able to fire pellets. Airsoft equipment was designed to closely emulate real guns. Since the mid-1980s, airsoft guns have been adapted with a purely recreational application in mind, and the hobby is enjoyed by all ages. One of the UK's first Airsoft Games sites was Firefight Airsoft Games which was set up in 1996 at Mapledurham Estate Reading. Some Airsoft guns are produced in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, while some are also produced in Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Canada.