The world of airgunning, steeped in tradition, has always been slower to adopt new technologies compared to other shooting sports. It’s not about shaming those who appreciate the old ways—it’s about inspiring everyone to see what’s possible when we keep up with advancements and foster a stronger community.
Our goal is to get you all thinking: what if we stopped being last in line for progress and innovation? Let’s look at how other sectors have evolved and why airgunning deserves the same.
The Timeline of Technology Assimilation
The path of new technology in shooting sports follows a clear timeline. It starts with the military, where demands for advanced equipment drive the private sector of firearm manufacturers to create solutions. From there, it spreads out, first to the private firearm market and then to Airsoft enthusiasts. The Airgun industry typically adopts these advancements last—often years after they’ve proven effective in other fields. Here’s how it plays out:
Military Demand: A need arises, and military contracts drive innovation.
Private Sector Adoption: Civilian firearm users take it up next, often for its reliability and performance.
Airsoft Industry: Airsofters quickly mirror the latest developments, adding realistic, practical features inspired by military and civilian use.
Airgun Industry: Finally, these innovations trickle down to airgunners, often years after the concept was widely available.
Real-World Examples of Slow Adoption
LPVOs (Low Power Variable Optics):
Originally developed in the 1980s for military marksmen, these optics were designed to enable rapid target acquisition at extended ranges.
They hit the civilian market by the early 2010s, with Airsoft enthusiasts embracing them soon after.
But it wasn’t until recently that airgunners started recognizing the advantages of LPVOs, despite their proven track record and accessibility.
Red Dot Sights: Another example is red dot sights, which became mainstream in the military as backup optics in the early 2000s.
By 2008, they were already a favorite among civilian and Airsoft users. However, airgunners lagged behind, only moving away from low-cost red dots over the past two years, when quality red dots became indispensable for rapid targeting.
Why Has the Airgun Community Been Slow to Change?
Airguns have often been a more relaxed, solitary sport compared to high-stakes shooting sports. For years, the focus has been on accuracy and precision—aiming for “pellet-on-pellet” grouping at the range or dispatching pests at home. Airgunning has become known as a “quiet hobby,” a space largely occupied by older generations who prioritize meticulous accuracy over trendier equipment.
But here’s the thing: that mindset is changing, and there’s a growing opportunity to bring in younger, community-driven shooters who see airgunning as more than just a solitary pursuit. We’re seeing a shift toward making airgunning a social, community-building activity, and that’s exactly what Vector Air champions.
How Vector Air is Bringing Airgunning into the Modern World
At Vector Air, we want to foster a spirit of connection, education, and innovation in airgunning. Here’s what we’re doing to push the community forward:
Supporting New Ideas & Community Spaces: We helped get the Airgun Factory off the ground, a space where airgunners can gather, share ideas, and evolve the sport together.
Student Discounts: To make airgunning more accessible to younger audiences, we offer discounts in-store for students.
Promoting Social Engagement: We champion social gatherings, whether it’s through organized shooting events or community meetups.
Free Guides and Resources: We provide extensive free resources, aiming to educate everyone from newcomers to seasoned shooters.
Free RFD Transfers: Unlike many other shops, we don’t charge for RFD transfers to us, encouraging more people to try new products and bring their interests into the community.
If we’re the first to adopt these practices, others will follow. For example, look at how many manufacturers now use our dark-and-orange theme, or how orange custom airguns have become popular since we introduced them. It’s a small detail, but it shows how trends and ideas can shift when someone steps forward.
A Call to Evolve
We’re not saying tradition has no place in airgunning. But for this sport to thrive, we need to leave behind outdated perceptions and embrace the tools and technology that can improve our experience and broaden our community. We challenge each of you reading this to rethink what airgunning could be—something not just for the lone shooter, but for communities of enthusiasts driven by shared progress.
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Morning all , I'm all in favour of promoting our sport and I totally agree with your observations about us old guys. Any day of the week you can visit my local range and all the youngsters are over in the airsoft section . I have an idea that's its more like the cowboys and Indians games that we used to play and just a little bit more real than the pc shoot em ups they've all got these days.
So having said all that , would it take much to add a little more animation to the targets us airgunners use ? Something that keeps the electronic generation a alittle bit more interested in hitting it?
Just maybe its…