How powerful are airsoft guns?
The legal limit for airsoft gun muzzle energy is defined by the home office as 1 Joule (330 feet per second with a 0.2g ball bullet). This is enough to leave a stinging welt at close range, but nothing more. For comparison, paintball guns typically fire at around 18 Joules. The law is slightly fuzzy and it is accepted that bolt action style sniper airsoft guns are allowed to fire at 500fps with a 0.2g ball bullet. However not all sites allow this and retailers are not allowed to sell guns at this power level.
