Few toys are as iconic or as cherished as the bb gun. These air-powered weapons were the staple of childhoods across America in the middle part of last century, joining Davy Crockett hats and twin-cap guns as accessories for 1950s kids who plinked their hearts out in backyards and parks. Today, BB guns continue to be an affordable and accessible hobby for youngsters and adults who enjoy light plinking fun and casual target shooting. Whether you want a realistic replica or a CO2 or pump action model, there’s a BB gun for every purpose and budget.
BB gun history
The first BB guns used steel pellets, but they were too heavy to shoot well through the barrels of the original all-metal Daisy models. When Daisy started getting complaints of BB gun problems in the 1920s, they realized that they needed to change their design to allow for lighter metal BBs. They signed an agreement with the American Ball Company of Minneapolis to be their sole distributor of steel BBs, and redesigned their guns to work with them.
While most BB gun accidents don’t result in severe or life-threatening injuries, they are still dangerous. As a reminder, you should never point a BB gun at someone, and always wear eye protection when shooting. Also, BB gun ownership is limited by federal law for certain people and categories, so make sure you are not prohibited from buying or using one before you do. bb guns