[Team AMG]

Paintball is much less expensive, that's what makes it more appealing, plus in the states (like California) make it harder for minors to buy and possess airsoft weapons, for good reason. Paintball guns can cost hundreds of dollars, and the paintballs themselves are not cheap. Airsoft can cost up to $500 to get a decent gun, battery and charger, BB's are usually about $4 per thousand. My SR has a sustained rate of fire of about 800 rounds per minute, and I usually use a W mag, which carries 600 rounds. The M203 fires 168 rounds at about 300 FPS, with an effective range of about 100', and I've gotten some good "kills" in CQB situations.

I don't personally play paintball, but I enjoy watching it and give some credit to the local guys that play, I allow them access to my 11 acres where we also play airsoft, I've not had any problems from any of the adults and few problems from the kids. There are idiots in both sports, but in airsoft with the guns being so realistic the impact their irresponsible behavior causes is worse. Because of kids taking their guns to school a new law has gone into effect making it a felony for anyone under the age of 18 to posses on except under certain circumstances. It's also now against the law to remove the red tip (again, except for under certain circumstances) and the law is pretty stiff for anyone carrying one in public, other than the fact that a law enforcement officer may shoot you thinking you have a real gun.

Sorry for rambling, but I'll end this post with one last comment: My last job as a criminal prosecutor for the Fresno DA's office was to send a 17 year old to jail for 9 years for criminal assault with a paintball gun, he did a "drive by" of what he though were some of his friends..they weren't the people he thought they were and one was an off duty Fresno police officer. The cop returned fire, hitting the driver of the car, who is now paralysed. The paintball shooter was hit in the arm when he pointed the gun at the officer AFTER the cop ran them down. Stupid. Now he has a friend that will never walk again, he's also experienced a gunshot wound, he's a convicted felon and he caused a law enforcement officer to have to reconsider his occupation. It's not a game, it's not a prank, it's a crime. To say it's not hurting anything is an excuse, it's hurting everyone.