The 30th of September 2014 wasn't a good day for airsoft players in California. On this day, Governor Jerry Brown finally signed into law SB 199 which will regulate the look of airsoft guns and other imitation firearms. Called "An act to amend, repeal, and add Sections 16250 and 16700 of the Penal Code, relating to BB devices", the amendments and striking off the sections of mentioned in the California Penal Code will then be effective on the 1st of January 2016. This will give airsoft vendors in the state over a year to instruct suppliers and local makers to deliver them airsoft guns that will abide by the provisions of SB 199.

So what are the provisions affecting airsoft guns in SB 199 and how will airsoft guns look like in California by the 1st of January 2016? I took the liberty of doing some crude photoshopping of some airsoft gun photos to see how they will look like under SB 199.

Overall, SB 199 has this requirements: (4) A BB device that is an airsoft gun that expels a projectile, such as a BB or pellet, that is 6mm or 8mm caliber which meets the following:

(A) If the airsoft gun is configured as a handgun, in addition to the blaze orange ring on the barrel required by federal law, the airsoft gun has a trigger guard that has fluorescent coloration over the entire guard, and there is a two centimeter wide adhesive band around the circumference of the protruding pistol grip that has fluorescent coloration.

So here is how an airsoft pistol will look according to my interpretation:





(B) If the airsoft gun is configured as a rifle or long gun, in addition to the blaze orange ring on the barrel required by federal law, the airsoft gun has a trigger guard that has fluorescent coloration over the entire guard, and there is a two centimeter wide adhesive band with fluorescent coloring around the circumference of any two of the following:

(i) The protruding pistol grip.

(ii) The buttstock.

(iii) A protruding ammunition magazine or clip.

Here are the options in coloration for airsoft rifles and long guns if my reading of such provision is correct:

What do you think? Will the airsoft guns look worse than just having an orange tip? Will these colors turn off players from airsoft given that they are after realism?

You can do your own photoshopping of the airsoft gun photos if you think my interpretation is incorrect and see for yourself. Though we recommend to the Airsoft Safety Foundation (their website right now shows information about anti-inflammatory supplements and locksmiths rather than airsoft safety) to shows us samples of the airsoft guns in California done on real airsoft guns under SB 199 when it takes effect over a year from now.