Airguns vs. Airgun toys?

[georgerkahn]

I hope this is the correct place to post this post; as it is germane to airguns....

I got a depressing 'phone call from a close friend who asked a question I had not the answer. Apparently, a 14-yr.-old youth in his geographic area was "making motions" with a TOY pistol firearm which has a bit of resemblance to a 1911. "Someone" rang 9-1-1 and when the LEO's arrived the kid turned towards the officer, and the officer fired -- striking but not killing the kid. News mentioned that the law-mandated orange barrel tip had been covered with (black?) electric tape.

I was asked if my (Beeman, Weihrauch, etc.) air (including PCP) have the orange painted barrel ends...No! I could (and did) wager a guess -- pure conjecture -- that if NOTHING comes out of the barrel it needs the orange tape? While airguns are viewed as firearms propelled by air rather than powder -- so they need not the orange? E.g., if a pellet, bullet, etc. is expelled from barrel the orange is not required?

If one of the learned, sage air-gunners might know the REAL answer to this question, I'll both be most appreciative as well as being able to "give the facts" to my friend who called...

Thanks much!
geo

[M-Tecs]

http://hobbystrategy.com/paintball-guns-orange-tips/#:~:text=US%20law%20requires%20that%20toy%20guns%2 0and%20lookalikes,tell%20a%20paintball%20gun%20fro m%20a%20real%20gun.

https://www.fresnodefense.com/blog/2019/december/removing-the-orange-tip-from-a-toy-gun-is-agains/

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/5001

[georgerkahn]

http://hobbystrategy.com/paintball-guns-orange-tips/#:~:text=US%20law%20requires%20that%20toy%20guns%2 0and%20lookalikes,tell%20a%20paintball%20gun%20fro m%20a%20real%20gun.

https://www.fresnodefense.com/blog/2019/december/removing-the-orange-tip-from-a-toy-gun-is-agains/

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/5001

Thank you, M-Tecs!!! My "Googling" had come up with opinions rather than facts. The Cornell Law link you kindly provided the answer, which I will be forwarding to my friend, David, shortly:

"(c) “Look-alike firearm” defined" For purposes of this section, the term “look-alike firearm” means any imitation of any original firearm which was manufactured, designed, and produced since 1898, including and limited to toy guns, water guns, replica nonguns, and air-soft guns firing nonmetallic projectiles. Such term does not include any look-alike, nonfiring, collector replica of an antique firearm developed prior to 1898, or traditional B–B, paint-ball, or pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure."

The very last sentence provides the 100% "answer" re orange band not required re our "pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of air pressure."

Thank you again!
geo

[Smoke4320]

the whole problem with the orange band "marking as a safe non gun" is any criminal can paint a orange ring around their gun

[elmacgyver0]

On the bright side.
I bet that kid learned his lesson about pointing a gun, any gun at a police officer or anyone else for that matter.