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