A controversial gun shop in the heart of the Gold Coast is under fire for selling toy weapons known as gel blasters.

The replicas are fake weapons but so lifelike that their misuse is causing real headaches for law enforcement.

They fire gel balls made mostly of water that can travel up to 30 metres.

The realistic-looking gel blasters mimic the appearance of firearms. (A Current Affair)

The projectile can sting exposed skin but hurt less than a paintball.

The safety advice is to never fire at the face, though that seems to be ignored by some of the sales people at this Surfers Paradise store.

"We shoot each other all the time, we don't wear safety glasses," one shop assistant says, adding, "We go for the head as well."

One Gold Coast store sells the items, classified as toys. (A Current Affair)

Such behaviour has been condemned by gel blaster enthusiasts like Simon White who points out that nobody has ever died from a gel blaster and they are not subject to firearms laws.

"Yes they look real, we don't want the public to see them. We want them out of the public eye so that's why we must keep them covered," Mr White said.

But that isn't followed by all gel blaster users with police arresting several people for causing fear by firing the blasters in public.

The toy guns have been involved in police situations. (A Current Affair)

"The kind of climate we live in regarding terrorist activity, if someone was to pull one of these out in the street and be threatening in their manner with it, you'd assume it was the real thing," said criminologist Terry Goldsworthy from Bond University.

"They're a replica weapon, they shouldn't be classed as a toy and they shouldn't be out there as toys," he said.

Even gel blaster enthusiasts like Simon White fear that someone may be shot by police thinking it's a real gun.

Gel blaster enthusiast Simon White worry somebody could get hurt by brandishing the toys in public. (A Current Affair)

"Someone is going to die. Police will fire upon someone," Mr White said.

A Current Affair spoke to several people outside the Surfers Paradise store who felt the toy guns' presence was "intimidating."

"America's got that problem, I don't think Australia needs it," one man said.

People as young as 10 can partake in "wargames' with the fake guns. (A Current Affair)

The business owner declined to be interviewed.

The guns are currently legal in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, but have been banned in New South Wales and Victoria.

They can be legally purchased without showing any identification even by minors.

Police have been involved in a number of incidents involving the blasters. (A Current Affair)

Penalties in Queensland include up to two years of imprisonment for carrying an unconcealed gel blaster and three to seven years in jail for pointing and firing one at another person without their permission.

Gel blaster clubs are growing fast in popularity where people as young as 10 play simulated war games with the blasters.