Rhode Island
has its own list of airsoft laws.
Airsoft guns are firearm replicas that shoot soft pellets. These toys are used for war games, training maneuvers and other instances where live fire might be too dangerous or illegal. There are numerous laws that affect airsoft guns and these laws vary from one state to another. For instance, in Rhode Island, there are lots of rules that you have to follow.
Firearm
According to the firearm rules and regulations in Rhode Island, airsoft guns are not legally considered to be firearms. This means that there is no license required to purchase or own an airsoft gun and that you don't need a permit to carry one, as you would with an actual firearm. According to Rhode Island statutes listed in the Rhode Island Department of Health, BB guns and air guns, along with blank guns like starter pistols, are specifically exempt from firearm status in the state law books.
Purchase Age
Since an airsoft gun is not an actual firearm, the usual firearm restrictions for purchase age don't apply. Normally, an individual would have to be 18 years old to buy a long gun like a rifle or shotgun and 21 to buy a handgun. However, airsoft makes both styles and they're considered to be toys. On the other hand, a store might have a policy that states people buying airsoft products have to be a certain age and that is perfectly within that store's rights.
Blaze Tip
Blaze tips are required to be placed on all airsoft guns during import and they're supposed to be left on the toy until it's sold. The blaze tip is a small (six millimeters at most) band of orange plastic that goes around the barrel of the airsoft gun. Since some airsoft guns are very realistic-looking and could be mistaken for real firearms, the blaze tip marks them as toys. While it can be removed post-purchase, this should be done with care, since it could cause uncomfortable cases of mistaken identity and confusion.
Tags: Rhode Island, airsoft guns, actual firearm
