Sports Equipment Committee Aims for Safety with Low Energy Air Gun Standard

Low energy air guns, also known as air soft or soft air guns, have become increasingly popular over the last several years. These low energy air guns are often used in tactical gaming sports similar to paintball. ASTM International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities has recently approved a new standard for air guns, F 2654, Specification for Low Energy Air Gun (LEAG) Warnings. The new standard is under the jurisdiction ofSubcommittee F08.24 on Paintball and Equipment.

“With the rising popularity of low energy air guns, the industry thought it would be beneficial to establish standards that would not only provide for mutually agreed upon definitions for products in the category, but to address their operability, interchangeability of ammunition and consistent information to the consumer,” says Edward Schultz, director of engineering, Crosman Corp., and chair of the low energy gun task group. “Because ASTM International has been instrumental in establishing standards for many categories of products, including non-powder guns and paintball markers, it was logical to turn to ASTM to be the developer of standards for low energy air guns.”

Schultz says that likely users of F 2654 are those who can benefit from some structure within the air gun industry, including manufacturers, distributors and dealers. “This is why it has been helpful to have a broad cross-section of people providing input to develop F 2654,” says Schultz. “The final standard reflects that input. That is one of the strengths of ASTM International’s method of creating standards, blending science with real-world information.”//

CONTACT

Technical Information: Edward Schultz, Crosman Corp., East Bloomfield, N.Y.
Phone: 585/657-3037

ASTM Staff: Christine Sierk
Phone: 610/832-9728

Upcoming Meeting:
May 6-8, 2008
May Committee Week
Denver, Colo.