By outdoor-nature-child.com In a recent interview, former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent Jim Balthazar addressed a worrying trend regarding replica firearms in the United States. “These replica guns feel remarkably like real firearms,” he stated. “They don’t have that typical plastic feel, and their weight is nearly identical to that of actual guns.”
One of the most troubling aspects of these replicas is their realistic appearance. Federal laws do not require them to be distinctly marked as non-lethal, making it difficult for law enforcement to differentiate between real guns and replicas, especially in high-pressure situations. Balthazar emphasized, “Police would need superhuman abilities to discern the difference, particularly in low visibility or chaotic environments.”
Since 2014, CBS News has reported that at least 320 individuals have lost their lives at the hands of police while holding replica guns, including 19 minors. Just this year, there have been 12 fatalities, three of whom were under 18. Among the notable cases are Brandon Salgado, 17, who was shot during a home invasion involving a replica gun in Long Beach, California, and Damian Scott Cadena Haglun, 14, who was shot by police outside a school in Wisconsin while brandishing a replica that looked like an air rifle.
Currently, most toy guns are required to feature bright colors or distinctive markings to help differentiate them from real firearms—think of the vividly colored Nerf guns or orange-tipped toy pistols. However, traditional BB and airsoft guns are not subject to the same regulations, making them virtually indistinguishable from real guns. Despite ongoing calls for regulatory changes, lawmakers have not yet acted on these outdated laws.
At this point, 23 states and the District of Columbia have implemented regulations regarding the sale and possession of non-powder guns. In response to the recent deaths of three minors in places like New York, Wisconsin, and California, several states have introduced laws preventing minors from purchasing or possessing air guns or BB guns without parental supervision.
The striking resemblance between real firearms and replicas poses significant safety risks. A notable comparison shows a Beretta 9mm semi-automatic pistol alongside a Powerline 340 BB gun, which look nearly identical, making it almost impossible to differentiate between the two. Unfortunately, this reality has led to tragic outcomes that urgently demand attention and action.