Are airsoft guns legal in the state of South Carolina?

Answer 1

yessss..... why wouldn't they be. Just to be on the safe side though make sure you have your orange tip on your airsoft gun if you cross state lines.

That's not correct. Some cities do have laws against any firearm being discharged within city limits, including BB guns and airsoft guns. Overland Park and Leawood KS are two cities with such ordinances. Check with the police department in your area.

Answer 2

South Carolina, like most southern states, has very few State firearms laws. Instead, Federal Laws are the primary source of regulation. According to Federal law airsoft guns are classified as toys with the only stipulation being that they carry a quarter-inch orange blaze at the end of the barrel so law enforcement can tell the difference. The only legal exception to this rule is if the airsoft gun is to be used in the production of a film. As a result, many airsoft teams will produce short promotional or exhibition films to justify removing this blaze. This can often lead to run ins with local authorities, especially when poor judgment and an unsuspecting public are involved. An example of such an incident happened recently on Hilton Head Island, SC. Two teens who were preparing to film a project for school using several airsoft guns when one realized that he had forgotten something at home. Without thinking, the teen set out for his home which was on the opposite side of a Golf course fairway with a black-tipped airsoft M16 strapped to his back. This alarmed several golfers who called the gated community's security service. The security officers seized the airsoft guns and cited the teens for a firearms violation. This action was however, illegal on the part of the security services as they seized property that was entirely legal and issued a firearms citation for items that are officially classified as toys. So, returning the original question, airsoft guns are legal in the State of South Carolina. This is despite many misconceptions and frequent misunderstandings by those unknowledgeable of the sport and the laws that govern it.