ActionAirgun is a commercial action shooting sports game where competitors use standardized airsoft shooting kits to shoot special courses of fire and keep track of their scores online. It is a trademarked name of ActionAirgun LLC
Contents
- The Story
- The Concept
- Education and Firearm safety
- Pistol
- Magazine
- Holster
- Timer
- Ammunition
- Target System
- Range Specifications
- Courses of Fire
- Season Structure
- Internet Support
- Scoring
- Demographics
- Penalties
- References
The format is modeled after several competitive shooting sports such as IDPA, IPSC and Cowboy Action Shooting ActionAirgun fills a niche as a low cost entry-level action shooting sport, as the equipment used are reproductions of actual firearms such as the M1911 pistol but which use CO2 to shoot 6 mm plastic BBs.
Individuals compete solo or are a member of a fireteam. Fireteams have up to five members. An individual can compete on both levels during each season. The portable shooting range is 8’ by 16’. Spare rooms, garages, meeting rooms, basements, and gymnasiums have been used to set up a range. Courses of fire are a set of shooting instructions downloaded from the internet and used during the season to set up targets. Competition is between individuals or fireteam against fireteam. The rules of competition prohibit the modification of equipment. Everyone uses a standardized shooting kit. This sport places emphasis on the shooters skill.
Each year there are six seasons and each season is divided into six one-week stages. At the beginning of each stage competitors download courses of fire from the website. Each shooter has all week to practice and then enter their official shooting times before the next stage begins. Final results of the stage are kept secret until the beginning of the next stage. A database allows shooters from all over the world to compare their scores with other participants. During the sixth season the top competitors in the league are invited to a world championship.
The Story
In Fall of 2001, W. Collins White an avid shooter and gun enthusiast came up with an idea for a new indoor shooting sport. Instead of having to travel to a target range why not have a personal shooting range. This new sport would use widely accepted ‘airsoft’ equipment and be shot on a range that would fit in a spare room. This idea developed into a what is now known as ActionAirgun.
The Concept
The object of this sport is to shoot courses of fire faster than anyone else. Based on outdoor shooting sports such as IPSC, IDPA and Cowboy Action Shooting, ActionAirgun competitions are held year round on indoor ranges of 8’ x 16’. Using airsoft pistols, competitors download 3 courses of fire each week. During the week competitors practice and then upload their three best times to the website. At the conclusion of a week of shooting, competing members can review their scores and the scores of other competitors participating in the event. This weekly cycle continues for the duration of each 12-week season. Annual competition consists of three 12-week seasons and concludes with an invitational championship to determine the fastest shooter in the world.
Education and Firearm safety
ActionAirgun reinforces safe firearm practices, good shooting technique and encourages lifelong participation in competitive shooting.
Pistol
The design is patterned after the 1911 model semi-automatic pistol designed by John Moses Browning and made legendary in the form of the Colt M1911-A1. Unlike some live-fire and airsoft sports which use highly customized handguns, modification of the airgun is against the rules.
Magazine
A separate magazine has a chamber that accepts a 12-gram CO2 charger and will hold up to 26 rounds of 6 mm BBs.
Holster
A ballistic nylon holster is worn by competitors. Drawing a holstered firearm to shoot a course of fire adds an additional skill dimension to the sport. The ability to draw and fire is an important skill that is often prohibited at live-fire shooting ranges.
Timer
A shot clock timer is worn on the wrist or held by a fellow shooter. The shot timer has buttons which start, review and reset the display. When activated, the timer will record the number of shots fired, the time between shots and elapsed time.
Ammunition
6mm precision ground plastic BBs with a mass of .20 grams.
Target System
Ten polyurethane targets measuring 3” x 2” x 1” are used as ‘shoot’ and ‘no-shoot’ targets. One side of the target is colored gold and represents a ‘shoot’ target. The other side of the target is colored red and represents a ‘no-shoot’ target. Targets are placed on one or two target stands. Target stands are 48” long x 18”wide x 18”high. The top surface of each corrugated fiberboard target stand contains 68-3” hexagonal target positions with 25-3” hexagonal target positions on each end. Targets are placed in various patterns and the target stands can be configured in a large number of different ways.
Range Specifications
The range is 8’ wide and 16 feet long with a fabric backstop placed behind the target stands to stop BBs. At the up range end are three shooter boxes measuring 3’ deep and 32” in width.
Courses of Fire
Courses of fire are described as a set of shooting instructions. Each course of fire specifies how the shooting range will be configured. A typical course of fire includes, where the shooter stands and how they move, the number of targets and the order of fire, the arrangement of target stands, where the airgun will be located and with how many BBs. Some courses of fire may require the use of a second magazine of ammunition depending on the number of targets. In addition special items can be used such as, chairs, tables, boxes, other props.
Season Structure
Each shooting year begins in January. There are six 6-week seasons during the shooting year with approximately two week breaks in between. Shooter's who perform well during the regular seasons can qualify for the championship. At the end of the regular shooting, top shooters will be invited to compete in the ActionAirgun Championship Cup which is a live competition.
Internet Support
Competitors communicate with other members using an internet forum. There, shooters can organize events, provide tips and check up on the performance of competitors. Courses of fire are downloaded and official scores are uploaded to the database.
Scoring
Participants shoot three courses of fire each week, shooting for the fastest times. The three best times are uploaded to the website where they are compiled. Scores for the week are kept secret until the end of the shooting week. Competitors then log on to the website to view the rankings.
Demographics
As this is a global sport, provision is made on the database for participants to compare their shooting with other shooters in a search able database of everyone else in the league.
Penalties
Penalties result in the addition of time to the base shooting score. Flagrant safety violations, modification of equipment or not following officials’ instructions can result in disqualification.Official Rules