Laws about air pistols.

[tightwhiteblazer]

hey all,
im new to the site and i had a few questions.

im 18 years old, from los angeles, and feel im not safe when i go out at night, especially at gas stations, entering/exiting my house, ect. Since im only 18 i cant purchase a legal handgun, but i can get an air pistol. i was wondering if i could carry it loaded with me when i go places in my car?

my friend says dont use anything that wont kill them or keep them down awhile, but a .22 handgun that goes 600 fps will do some damage esp. a head shot.

well i hope u can help to tell me if its leagal to carry an airgun loaded with me. thanks

 

[Sunray]

Hi. You wouldn't be allowed to carry an air pistol either. It'd just create grief for you anyway. In the dark, a cop wouldn't be able to tell what it is and a criminal won't be detered by getting hit by a pellet(an eye shot takes considerable skill).
Don't look like a victim and you won't become one. And size doesn't matter. As daft as that sounds. Criminals prey on the weak, not somebody who doesn't appear weak.

 

[Cueball]

You are asking to get arrested, hurt or worse by carrying an air pistol. Carry a cell phone to call 911, pepper spray, or a stun gun if you feel you must.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

An airsoft pistol isnt going to do much. Any kind of bb/pelet/airsoft Pistol isnt going to do much damage exept piss someone off. Trust me my brother and his friends used to shoot each other with those 1 shot spring bb guns (yes BB gun not airsoft).

The only way your going to "Hurt" someone is if you upgrade an airsoft Rifle (m16 style or mp5 style) to 400FPS + then at close range yes the airsoft bb will/can break the skin and be quite painful. You can get 300 round magazines for these, and they fire full auto, so they can inflict pain. (Upgraded is going to cost around $400)

Still if some guy on PCP is comming after you, your going to have to put him down with a real firearm.

I believe the best airsoft pistol will fire at about 325FPS and that is the KSC Mac11. Has a 48 round magazine and uses Green Gas and goes full auto, I believe if you get better internals you can use red gas (more power) but your going to kill your gun really fast. (KWA/KSC Mac 11 costs around $120)

Also im not talking about Wal-Mart Airsoft guns. Im talking: Tokyo Mauri/ ICS / Classic Army/ KWA

Also if your caught carrying around an airsoft gun CCW style and get caught, a police officer is going to get you into trouble. You will get punished as if you were carrying a real firearm.

I would recomend Pepper Spray/Stun Gun/Tazer

 

[BamBam-31]

OC spray and stun guns are not only legal, they're more effective than a Big 5 air pistol at stopping an assailant. Air pistols are good for practice and fun, maybe taking out a small pest here and there. That's about it. They're not the most preferred weapon of choice for self-defense.

Welcome to THR, BTW.

 

[Standing Wolf]

If you live in Los Angeles, you're not safe any time of day. Quibbling over what you carry and how is a lot like polishing the brass on the Titanic: irrelevant.

In some portions of the United States, you can legally keep and bear arms at eighteen.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

(not in cali, thats for sure, Standing Wolf)

 

[tightwhiteblazer]

the air pistols arent that weak. my friends .22 (not a bb) kills crows non-stop with them, and they die with one shot. i know u will say thats a crow not a human. but i cant imagine getting shot 2 or 3 times and getting back up from it.

is it legal tho?.

 

[tightwhiteblazer]

i have a tazer (250000v) and many knives but those are all close range. i want a mid range weapon.

 

[Black Majik]

Well, you're not gonna be able to carry any sort of pistol, be it BB, pellet, centerfire or rimfire. So thats out of the window.

For midrange, only thing is really a stungun, or rocks that you can throw at the BG.

I'd rather just carry a knife and try to avoid any bad situation if possible.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

You do realize that airsoft is a sport, like paintball. The max fps is 400 outdoor, for indoor its 300-350max for a regulated field. People shoot and get shot by these for fun, if it hurt that bad not many people would play. Also some of these nuts go out in a short sleeve white t-shirt and dickie shorts. If your wearing jeans and a decent jacket, the pain scale goes down oh pry 70% from getting hit on bare skin

If you did shoot the person in the eyes, yes that most likely would do the trick, and he would lose an eye.

Spring 1 shot Airsoft Guns (meaning you have to cock it each time you shoot) go about 200-220 FPS, usually shooting .12 gram bb's . Some shoot .20grams, but the FPS rate drops but accuracy increases with the bigger gram bb.

Gas semi-Auto airsoft guns go about 280 - 320 FPS, shooting .12 gram bbs. Again .20 gram and evin .25 bb's are also used, but they lower the FPS but increase accuracy. Also you will need to buy the "gas" periodically

AEG airsoft guns go about 300FPS stock, shooting .20 gram bbs. You can also shoot .25 gram bb's for better accuracy, but again it lowers FPS. However these guns are highley upgradable, you can get all sorts of performance parts to get up to 475+ FPS (that is very top end). These are ran by electric motors, and requires a 9.6V 3000mah battery


Just to let you know, as a dare my brother and I shot eachother with my KWA mac 11, from about 15 feet away. We unloaded my 48 round magazine on eachothers back (btw it takes about 3 seconds to unload that 48 round magazine from the mac11, it shoots at 320fps).

Yes it stung like a bitch, and you could see the marks of the bb's, but If I wanted to kill him or something, that wouldnt stop me, unless i got hit in the eyes and couldnt see. Also just to point out, my adrenaline didnt kick in untill after I was blasted. If I had an adrenaline rush before getting shot it wouldnt have hurt half as much.


***FPS = Feet Per Second***


I guess in japan and other countrys that cant produce firearms use these as self defence or training weapons, since they cant manufacture real firearms for themselfs. I still wouldnt recomend it though..

 

[tightwhiteblazer]

i understand about airsoft. my friends and me play all the time, its not that bad. im talking about pointed .22 pellets that go 500-600 fps like i said in the first post, ive never mentioned an airsoft i know what an airsoft feels like i wouldnt think of using a 200 fps pistol that uses 6mm plastic bb for self defense.

 

[Mulliga]

i have a tazer (250000v) and many knives but those are all close range. i want a mid range weapon.

No offense, but an air pistol is a crappy "weapon." I'd much rather run away from a potential fight than potentially enrage the attacker(s) by shooting a tiny 22 pellet that may or may not even break the skin.

A taser can stop an individual out to about 10-15 feet - probably your best bet, methinks. OC is also a decent choice.

 

[Riktoven]

I'm not suggesting this by any means, but a blank firing revolver would probably be more useful if you are ever attacked out of the blue. That at least might scare your attacker into thinking you have a real gun. Most places in the US though, this is illegal and still retarded IMO.

But seriously, if you are ever attacked out of the blue it will likely be with a weapon and your pellet gun would likely be better replaced with a judo lesson.

If someone is "sticking you up", you likely aren't going to want to pull your BB gun unless you are sure his gun is fake too. Which again brings us back to judo

 

[Black Majik]

Quote by:tightwhiteblazer
i understand about airsoft. my friends and me play all the time, its not that bad. im talking about pointed .22 pellets that go 500-600 fps like i said in the first post, ive never mentioned an airsoft i know what an airsoft feels like i wouldnt think of using a 200 fps pistol that uses 6mm plastic bb for self defense.

Read my original response, you cant carry ANY pistol on the street, be it BB, pellet or real.

Quote by:Black Majik
Well, you're not gonna be able to carry any sort of pistol, be it BB, pellet, centerfire or rimfire.

 

[M.Kalashnikov]

I vote X2 on the OC keep in mind you can kill with it so be careful

 

[carebear]

Black,

If you have the appropriate statute handy it might help convince him.

Although he did leave open the "just transporting in his car with him" option right from the beginning.

Same rules for carry/car carry in Cali?


tightwhiteblazer,

In any event, legal or not, you are better off using your feet and situational awareness to avoid "mid-range" threats. If you are going to illegally pack, you may as well illegally pack a real pistol. If you get charged with anything, the law won't care what you actually have but rather what it is perceived as.

If you want to just have a gun with you in your car, you open the door to long guns (shotguns/rifles), which you can (Federally) legally purchase and possess at 18. You may need to keep it unloaded but at least you'll have a gun.

On second thought, you have a computer. Quit being lazy and asking others to do your work. Check the appropriate state and local statutes for weapons possession and carry in your area on the internet.

 

[Black Majik]

Good idea carebear:

Penal Code 12025.

(a) A person is guilty of carrying a concealed firearm when he or she does any of the following:
(1) Carries concealed within any vehicle which is under his or her control or direction any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.
(2) Carries concealed upon his or her person any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.
(3) Causes to be carried concealed within any vehicle in which he or she is an occupant any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.

Penal Code 12031.

(a)(1) A person is guilty of carrying a loaded firearm when he or she carries a loaded firearm on his or her person or in a vehicle while in any public place or on any public street in an incorporated city or in any public place or on any public street in a prohibited area of unincorporated territory.

courtesy of http://www.packing.org/state/california/

 

[bad LT]

I agree with the above sentiments of carrying OC spray.

If you choose to carry a knife please recieve some instruction in the basics of its use.

 

[JohnKSa]

a .22 handgun that goes 600 fps will do some damage esp. a head shot.

Don't know of any air pistols that will shoot 600fps in .22 cal. and would be considered even remotely concealable. That's right up at the top end of the velocity available even in .177--and you're still going to be talking about a BIG single shot pistol. The CO2 pistols that are commonly available rarely shoot over 400fps in .177, advertising specs notwithstanding.

Even if it's legal, I don't think it's a very good idea.

 

[isp2605]

Besides, you'll shoot your eye out.

 

[tightwhiteblazer]

http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Webley_Pistol_Hurricane_Pellet_Gun_p/webley-hurricane-177.htm

thasts an example im pretty sure there is better than that out there.

 

[BamBam-31]

That sucker's huge. For CCW, it's plain ridiculous. Plus, it's a single shot, and it only shoots 400 fps in .22. Unless you get an eye shot, it's not going to stop anyone at all.

Do a search on 9mm stopping power. There are those that feel it is an inadequate caliber for self-defense. We're talking about a 115 grain hollow point bullet going about 1200 fps as compared to the air pistol's 14.4 grain pellet going an advertised 400 fps (it's usually less). Do the math.

Please re-read what I said about air pistols:

Air pistols are good for practice and fun, maybe taking out a small pest here and there. That's about it.

If that's not enough, here's a line from the air pistol's description:

Hurricane is ideal for general target shooting and firearm training.

Please understand: these types of pistols are VIRTUALLY USELESS as self-defense "weapons." Are they dangerous? Sure, they can be. So can a spork. Doesn't mean I'd carry one around for self-defense.

Do yourself a favor and forget about using a target air pistol as a self defense weapon. Invest in some OC spray, a stun gun, glasses, and a good pair of Nikes while you're at it.

 

[GregGry]

I did some unofficial tests with a bb gun that has been chronoed, and shoots .177 at a tad bit over 400fps. I shot a medium thickness shirt, (polo type shirt) and it did not penetrate through the front and back (with the two layers pressed together) at about 3 feet. It would barely go through one layer at 4 feet. If someone were to shoot me with the bb gun from say 6 feet away, I have no doubt that if it hit clothing, I would not have to worry about any penetration.

The fact is, a bb gun / air soft's only hope of protection is in the fact it might look like something it isn't. If it looks realistic, it will scare some people, which might save you. In the event that the fact your pointing it at someone isn't enough, you might as well use the gun as a hammer. Granted I wouldn't want to get hit with bb's, but I can tell you that a little bb/air soft gun would not do much to slow me down.

I would personaly suggest a strong knife with a very good grip, and a can of pepper spray. That combination is far superior to a bb/air soft gun in my opinion. Since most people can't tell the diffrence between even a fake looking air soft gun, and a real gun, you might as well pack a real gun (if your dead set on having a pistol). Atleast that way you might have some protection. I mean if you think about it, an air soft gun for self defense is like being 3 foot tall, and wearing stilts so your 6'2" tall. You might be intimidating at first glance, but in the event you have to actualy do something, you might as well give up.

 

[Bad Words]

That gun you posted shoots a 14.4 grain bullet at 400 fps. For comparison, a .25 acp pistol can shoot a 40 grain bullet at over 800 fps.

The muzzle energy for the air gun comes to about 5 foot-pounds, and the gun is over 10" long overall which would be trouble to carry. Frankly I'm surprised that it can kill crows as easily as you say.