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{{Short description|Imitation weapons made for playing}}
{{More sources needed|date=March 2022}}

[[File:A popgun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Pop Gun, 2009]]

'''Toy guns''' are [[toys]] which imitate [[guns|real guns]], but are designed for [[recreation]]al [[sport]] or casual play by [[children]]. From hand-carved wooden replicas to factory-produced [[pop gun]]s and [[cap gun]]s, toy guns come in all sizes, prices and materials such as wood, metal, plastic or any combination thereof. Many newer toy guns are brightly colored and oddly shaped to prevent them from being mistaken for real firearms.

==Types==
===Wooden guns===
[[File:Boy Marine Outfit.jpg|thumb|upright=.5|Boy with wooden toy gun, 1920s]]

Wooden guns are made to resemble real guns. Often handmade, these toys may or may not have metal parts and are made with various levels of detail.

===Suction cup darts===

Suction cup dart toy pistols are made to resemble real pistols, used to fire one [[suction cup]] [[Dart (missile)|dart]].<ref name="ebay/325389227174">{{cite web |title=THE OHIO ART CO. DART GUN 1960'S BRYAN OHIO |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/325389227174 |website=[[eBay]]}}</ref><ref name="ebay/384702596897">{{cite web |title=SUCTION DART PISTOL Retro toy Gun Police Detective |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/384702596897 |website=[[eBay]] |access-date=16 April 2023}}</ref>

===Rubber band guns===

[[Rubber band gun]]s are toy guns used to fire one or more [[rubber band]]s (or "elastic bands"). Rubber band guns are often used in live-action games such as [[Assassins (game)|Assassins]], in which they are common and popular toy weapons. They are also common in offices and classrooms.  Rubber band guns have been popular toys that date back to the invention of rubber bands, which were patented in [[England]] on March 17, 1845, by [[Stephen Perry (inventor)|Stephen Perry]].<ref>{{Citation
 |title=The Hancocks of Marlborough: Rubber, Art and the Industrial Revolution - A Family of Inventive Genius
 |year= 2009
 |page= 89
 |first1= John
 |last1= Loadman
 |first2= Francis
 |last2= James
 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=K7Qb_og24WYC&q=%22Messers+Perry+and+Co%22&pg=PA89
 |isbn= 978-0-19-957355-4
 }}<!-- ref from Stephen Perry page --></ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.todayinsci.com/3/3_17.htm|title=March 17 - Today in Science History - Scientists born on March 17th, died, and events|website=www.todayinsci.com}}</ref><ref name="madehow">[http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Rubber-Band.html How rubber bands are made].
This reference states that the rubber is vulcanized before it is extruded. The rubber is then "cured" on mandrels.{{Unreliable source?|date=May 2010}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2010}}  The "Made How" reference appears to directly copy text from other sources, some of which appears to be incorrect. The exact same text regarding Thomas Hancock appears in a 1995 book entitled "CD's, super glue and salsa: how everyday products are made" by Kathleen Witman, Kyung-Sun Lim, Neil Schlager. Contradicting other sources, both credit Thomas Perry rather than Stephen Perry for the invention of the rubber band.</ref>

===Cap guns===
[[File:Cap gun.jpg|thumb|upright|left|An orange-tipped cap gun with its hammer drawn back, 2008]]

Cap guns, cap pistols, or cap rifles are toy guns that create a loud sound simulating a gunshot and a puff of smoke when a small percussion cap is exploded. Cap guns were originally made of cast iron, but after World War II were made of zinc alloy, and most newer models are made of plastic.

===Model guns===

[[Modelguns|Model guns]] are Japanese full-size toy guns that highly replicate the appearance, design, and operation of the real ones but cannot shoot any projectile. It comes as either ignition models (a very sophisticated type of cap guns) or non-ignition dummy models. Both are subject to the strict Japanese Gun Control Law for identification and to prevent possible modification.

===Theatrical prop guns===

[[Theatrical properties|Prop guns]] are toy guns that have to look like real guns. They are commonly used in movies, TV shows, and other theatrical performances.

===Spud guns===
[[Image:Spud Gun.jpg|thumb|upright|A typical factory-made toy die-cast spud gun. The cap attached to the muzzle converts it into a [[Water gun|water pistol]], 2007.]]

[[Spud gun]]s are small toy guns used to fire a fragment of [[potato]]. To operate, one punctures the surface of a potato with the gun's hollow tip and pries out a small pellet which fits snugly in the muzzle. Squeezing the trigger causes a small build-up of air pressure inside the toy which propels the projectile. The devices are usually short-range and low-powered.

===Water guns===
[[File:Gerald-G-Water-Gun.svg|thumb|upright|left|Cross section of a typical water gun, 2006]]

[[Water guns]] are a type of toy gun that uses a variety of methods to spray jets of water. Many early small water guns used the same trigger based pumping mechanism used for [[spray bottle]]s. In this type of device, the trigger actuates a positive displacement pump shaft. With the aid of two [[check valve]]s, often using small [[Ball (bearing)|ball]]s, fluid is drawn into the pump from a reservoir, then forced out the nozzle upon squeezing the trigger.

The simplicity of the spraying mechanism allowed these toys to be manufactured cheaply and allowed the majority of the body to be used as the reservoir. The primary limitation of this design is the volume of water that can be effectively moved per pump. Increasing pump volume would require more user effort to push the fluid out, making larger designs impractical. However, this technology remains widely used today both in spray bottles as well as small water guns that can be found in a wide variety of shapes and colors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sinasnet.nl/Watergun.HTML |title=Digital Water Gun Museum |publisher=Sinasnet.nl |date=2001-08-15 |access-date=2009-07-20}}</ref>

===Pop guns===
[[File:Vintage 1950s Toy Cork Rifle ("Pop Gun") by All Metal Products, Wyandotte, Mich. (8401937535).jpg|thumb|upright|Vintage 1950s Toy Cork Rifle ("Pop Gun") by All Metal Products, 2013]]

The [[pop gun]] is a toy gun that was made by American inventor Edward Lewis and uses [[air pressure]] to fire a small tethered or untethered [[projectile]] (such as [[cork (material)|cork]] or [[Polystyrene#Solid foam|foam]]) out of a barrel, most often via [[piston]] action though sometimes via spring pressure. Other variants do not launch the obstruction, but simply create a loud noise.<ref name="Magazines1912">{{cite journal|author=Hearst Magazines|title=Popular Mechanics|journal=Popular Mechanics Magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb__90DAAAAMBAJ|access-date=4 June 2013|date=July 1912|publisher=Hearst Magazines|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb__90DAAAAMBAJ/page/n150 1]–|issn=0032-4558}}</ref> This mechanism consists of a hollow cylindrical [[gun barrel|barrel]] which is sealed at one end with the projectile and at the other with a long-handled [[plunger]]. In this type, the plunger is rapidly forced down the barrel, building up internal air pressure until the projectile is forced out with the "pop" sound that lends the toy its name.

===Ray guns===
[[File:Space Pilot X Ray Gun made by Taiyo.jpg|thumb|upright|Space Pilot X Ray Gun, 2009]]

In fiction, [[ray guns]] are a science fiction particle-beam weapon that fires what is usually destructive energy. In most stories, when activated, a raygun emits a ray, typically visible, usually lethal if it hits a human target, often destructive if it hits mechanical objects, with properties and other effects unspecified or varying.

Toy ray guns often have a mechanical component that sparks, light-up and make a sound effect.

===Tracer guns===

[[Tracer gun]]s, sometimes known as disc guns, are a kind of toy gun made of durable plastic.  The toy shoots lightweight plastic discs roughly the size of a penny.  The discs used as ammunition for these guns are often sold with the label "Jet Discs."  The firing mechanism is a spring, The [[Magazine (firearm)|magazine]] holds 20 "discs."  The range is about 10 feet, and even then, accuracy is far from dependable. The trigger requires some force. The firing sound is loud, low, and distinctive. Oftentimes the trigger will become loose and will take multiple attempts to shoot.

===Foam dart blasters===
[[File:Headquarters and Support Battalion Kids Boot Camp 140424-M-SO289-058.jpg|thumb|upright|Children firing Nerf blasters at a mock shooting range]]

[[Foam dart blaster]]s are toy guns that fire foam darts, discs, or foam balls. The term "Nerf blaster", referring to blasters made by [[Hasbro]], is often used as a [[Genericised trademark|blanket term]] for any foam dart blaster, regardless of whether or not it has the [[Nerf]] brand name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/toys/4311795 |title=The Top 10 Nerf Guns of All Time |author=Pinkerton, Lindsey |work=[[Popular Mechanics]] |date=2009-04-03 |access-date=2013-06-16}}</ref> Foam dart blasters are manufactured in multiple forms, including [[pistol]]s, [[rifle]]s, and [[light machine gun]]s.

The first Nerf blasters emerged in the late 1980s with the release of the Nerf Blast-a-Ball<ref>[http://nerfguns.org/nerf-blast-a-ball Nerf Blast-a-Ball]</ref> and the Arrowstorm.

===Airsoft guns===
[[File:Bi-3681.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Airsoft M4A1 replica, 2007]]

[[Airsoft guns]] are [[replica]] toy guns used in [[airsoft]] sports.  They are essentially a special type of very low-power [[smoothbore]] [[air gun]]s designed to shoot [[airsoft pellets|non-metallic spherical projectiles]] often colloquially (and incorrectly) referred to as "[[BB (ammunition)|BB]]s", which are typically made of (but not limited to) [[plastic]] or [[biodegradable polymer|biodegradable]] [[resin]] materials.  Airsoft gun powerplants are designed to have low [[muzzle energy]] ratings (generally less than {{cvt|1.5|J|ftlbf|disp=or|lk=on}}) and the polymer pellets have significantly less [[penetration (weaponry)|penetrative]] and [[stopping power]]s than conventional air guns, and are generally quite safe for [[competitive sport]]ing and [[recreation]]al purposes if proper [[protective gear]] is worn. 

[[MilSim]] is a major element of appeal for airsoft guns, and airsoft games rely heavily on an [[honor system]], where a player has the ethical obligation to call himself out of play when hit.

===Gel blasters===

[[Gel blaster]]s are replica toy guns similar in design to airsoft guns but much less powerful, and shoot [[superabsorbent polymer]] (most commonly [[sodium polyacrylate]]) [[water bead]]s (often sold commercially as garden moisture retainers) which are [[hydrate]]d into {{convert|6|-|8|mm|in|abbr=on}}-diameter [[projectile]]s colloquially called ''gel beads'' or ''gel balls''.

Gel blasters are invented as a replacement toy for regions with [[legal issues in airsoft|airsoft-unfriendly laws]] (e.g. [[China]], [[Australia]], [[Malaysia]] and [[Vietnam]]), and are often played in [[CQB]]-style [[shooting sport|shooting skirmish]]es similar to [[paintball]], but follows an [[airsoft]]-like honor-based gameplay [[referee|umpiring]] system.

===Paintball gun===
[[File:PaintBallMarker.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Spyder VS2 Paintball Marker Gun, 2008]]

[[Paintball gun]], paint gun, or marker gun, is the main piece of [[paintball equipment]] in the sport of [[paintball]]. Markers use an expanding gas, such as [[carbon dioxide]] (CO<sub>2</sub>) or [[compressed air]], to propel [[Paintball equipment#Paintballs|paintballs]] through the barrel and quickly strike a target. The term "marker" is derived from its original use as a means for [[forestry]] personnel to mark trees and [[ranchers]] to mark wandering [[cattle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paintball-markers.net/faq.htm|title=FAQ ; Frequently Asked Questions|access-date=September 25, 2010|publisher=Paintball Markers, The}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/125655/splat__south_sound_plays_host_to_some_of_the/ |title=SPLAT! ; South Sound Plays Host to Some of the Best in the World of Paintball |access-date=September 15, 2009 |publisher=News Tribune, The |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715171911/http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/125655/splat__south_sound_plays_host_to_some_of_the/ |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114400/1/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604144604/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114400/1/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2011|date=December 6, 2004|title=Who Thought This Was A Good Idea?|author=Gaines, Charles|access-date=5 March 2010|work=CNN}}</ref>

===Light guns===
[[File:Nintendo-Entertainment-System-NES-Zapper-Orange-L.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[NES Zapper]], Nintendo's early light gun, 2016]]

[[Light gun]]s are [[pointing device]]s for [[computer]]s and a [[Game controller|control device]] for [[arcade game|arcade]] and [[video game console|video games]], typically shaped to resemble a [[pistol]]. Modern screen-based light guns work by building an optical sensor into the gun, which receives its input from the light emitted by on-screen target(s). The first device of this type, the [[light pen]], was used on the [[Whirlwind (computer)|MIT Whirlwind]] computer.  Modern [[starting pistol]]s in athletics use similar devices that emit a sound and flash a light.

===Laser tag gun===
[[File:サバイバーショット初期型.jpg|thumb|upright|Laser tag gun and sensor, 2014]]

[[Laser tag|Laser tag gun]] is a [[tag (game)|tag]] game played with toy guns which fire [[infrared]] beams. Infrared-sensitive targets are commonly worn by each player and are sometimes integrated within the arena in which the game is played.

Since its birth in 1979, with the release of the Star Trek Electronic Phasers toy manufactured by the South Bend Electronics brand of [[Milton Bradley]], laser tag has evolved into both indoor and outdoor styles of play, and may include simulations of combat, role play-style games, or competitive sporting events including tactical configurations and precise game goals.

Laser tag is popular with a wide range of ages. When compared to [[paintball]], laser tag is painless because it uses no physical projectiles, and indoor versions may be considered less physically demanding because most indoor venues prohibit running or roughhousing.{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}}

===Dummy guns===
[[File:Ship's Serviceman secures spaces during security reaction force (SRF) training scenario.jpg|thumb|U.S. Navy sailor training with an M4 "blue gun". USS Harpers Ferry, Subic Bay, Philippines, 2009]]

[[Drill purpose rifle|Dummy guns]] have been historically used by police and military organizations for training purposes. During [[World War II]], [[Parris Manufacturing Company]] provided over 2 million accurate copies of the [[M1903 Springfield]] rifles, the MK 1 USN Dummy Training Rifle to the [[U.S. armed forces]]. After the war they continued to manufacture and sell their replicas as toy guns. As well as smaller sized models for children that featured a working bolt with a dummy bullet, leather sling, the clicker action, and a smaller rubber bayonet similar to the [[M1 Bayonet|M1 bayonet]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parrismfgco.com|title=Military Toy Guns & Western Toy Cap Guns For Sale - Parris Manufacturing Co.|access-date=1 August 2016}}</ref>

Today, the United States military, calls these dummy training guns [[Rubber duck (military)|"rubber ducks" or "blue guns"]], usually resembling an [[M16 rifle|M16 type rifle]].<ref name="Taylor2009">{{cite book|author=E. Kelly Taylor|title=America's Army and the Language of Grunts: Understanding the Army Lingo Legacy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wc_Rx8v1S9sC&pg=PA292|year=2009|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4389-6250-4|pages=292–}}</ref> Trainees are issued rubber ducks before they have been properly trained to use actual rifles, in order to become familiar with the care, responsible handling, and added weight of an M16 during various activities, such as bayonet drills, water survival, and marches. They are also used to train soldiers in various ceremonial practices that differ when soldiers are armed. For example, standing [[at attention]] requires a different stance and set of movements when the soldier has a rifle in-hand.

==Popularity and proliferation==
[[File:RBGPooma1.jpg|thumb|left|Handmade toy rubber-band gun, 2019]]
Children have always had small imitations of things from the adult world and toy guns are no exception. From a hand-carved wooden replica to factory-produced [[pop gun]]s and [[cap gun]]s, toy guns came in all sizes, prices and materials from wood, to metal, to plastic or any combination thereof.

With the influence of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] and [[comic strips]], [[tie-in]]s could make an ordinary toy gun a major [[bestseller]]. In the 1930s [[Daisy Outdoor Products]] came out with a [[Buck Rogers]] Rocket Pistol (1933), Disintegrator Pistol (1934), and Liquid Helium Pistol (1935) that sold in record numbers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daisymuseum.com|title=Daisy Museum|access-date=1 August 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Jo-Jo0736.jpg|thumb|upright|Advertisement for Dick Tracy Rapid-Fire Tommy Gun, 1947]] 
[[Mattel]] had used [[television advertising]] to sell their "[[burp gun]]" on ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club]]'' in the mid-1950s to great effect. In 1959 Mattel sponsored their own television show [[Matty's Funday Funnies]] with their [[trademark]] little boy "Matty" showing cartoons and advertising their products. [[Mattel]] toys came out with [[Dick Tracy]] weapons in 1960 that were [[state of the art]]. Not only could the "Dick Tracy Crimestoppers" have a realistic [[snubnosed revolver]] in a shoulder [[holster]], but [[Mattel]] also boosted junior law enforcement [[firepower]] with a [[Dick Tracy]] cap firing [[Thompson submachine gun|tommy gun]] that fired a burst of 6 caps ''automatically'' when the M-1 Thompson-style bolt was pulled back. One commercial featured [[Billy Mumy]] demonstrating the weapons to his father prior to watching ''Dick Tracy'' on TV. [[Mattel]] also came up with a "Dick Tracy Water Jet Gun" that was a miniature replica of a police [[pump action]] [[shotgun]] that fired caps when one pulled the trigger ''and'' squirted water when one pumped the slide. When the [[Dick Tracy]] craze faded the same two weapons were reissued in [[military camouflage]] as [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Green Beret]] "Guerrilla Fighter" weapons. (see [[United States Army Special Forces in popular culture]]). [[Mattel]] later issued the same [[tommy gun]] in its original colours as a ''[[Planet of the Apes (1968 film)|Planet of the Apes]]'' [[tie-in]] complete with ape mask.

[[File:Spring operated gun toys.JPG|thumb|left|Cap guns, 2005]]
In the mid-1960s, Multiple Toymakers/Multiple Plastics Corporation (MPC) came out with [[James Bond]]'s [[attaché case]] from ''[[From Russia with Love (film)|From Russia with Love]]''. [[Topper Toys]] replied with a copy called "Secret Sam" that featured a toy gun that fired plastic bullets ''through'' the [[attaché case]] and had a working camera that outsold 007's kit. MPC toys replied with a "B.A.R.K" - "Bond Assault and Raider Kit" an [[attaché case]] that opened up to display a firing [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]] and a rocket shooting [[pistol]]. MPC also provided a "Bond-O-Matic" [[water pistol]]. Bond's [[television]] competition [[The Man From U.N.C.L.E.]] had their pistol with attachments that turned it into a rifle made by both the [[Ideal Toy Company]] in the US and the [[Lone Star Toys]] company in the United Kingdom. Mattel came out with a series of "Zero-M" secret-agent weapons such as a camera turning into a pistol and a radio turning into a rifle demonstrated by a juvenile Agent Zero M played by [[Kurt Russell]].

[[File:Johnny Seven OMA toy gun.jpg|thumb|The Johnny Seven OMA, set up and ready for action, 2006]]

Perhaps the ultimate toy weapon was the 1964 [[Topper Toys]] [[Johnny Seven OMA]] (One Man Army) where an exciting [[television commercial]] showed one little boy using each of the seven weapons of the gun to wipe out a neighborhood full of children armed only with ''ordinary'' toy guns. Though an amazing seller, the ''[[Captain Kangaroo]]'' [[television program]] refused to air the advertisement. The proliferation of toy weapons was satirized in the "Our Man in Toyland" episode of ''[[Get Smart]]''.

In the 1970s, the ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[media franchise]] provided new [[laser blaster]] and [[lightsabers]] produced by [[Kenner]] Toys.

==Toy gun control==
[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Imitation M-16.jpg|thumb|The imitation on top, real gun below, 2007]]

Toy guns can cause harm like many objects not under proper supervision. Unlike most other toys though, much of the danger of these toys is related to mistaking a toy gun for a real gun or vice versa. For example:

*a [[robber]] or other [[criminal]]s might threaten people with a toy gun.
*people might call the police, flee, panic, or attempt to overpower someone carrying a toy gun.
*[[police officer]]s and [[Concealed carry|armed citizens]] might mistake someone carrying a toy gun for a [[Murder|killer]] carrying a real gun, and shoot them.
*a child might play with and fire a real gun confusing it for a toy gun.

===United States===
Toy guns were temporarily removed from the [[Sears Roebuck]] 1968 [[Christmas]] catalog after the April [[assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.]] and the June [[assassination of Robert F. Kennedy]].<ref>Sifakis, Carl ''Encyclopedia of Assassinations: Revised Edition'' Fitzhenry & Whiteside (2002)</ref> However, they returned to the [[Sears catalog]] the following year.

[[File:JetDiscTracerGun.RFDS3816.jpg|thumb|Brightly colored Jet Disc Tracer Gun, 2005]]
Beginning in the 1970s, American gun control advocates called for federal government to regulate and/or ban the manufacture and sale of toy guns. These calls were countered by toy industry groups, who preferred to set their own standards. In 1973, the newly formed [[U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]] received petitions and letters from consumers, asking the commission to institute mandatory safety standards for the design of toy weapons. These calls for action were repeated in 1975. However, the trade association representing the toy weapon manufacturers also contacted the CPSC, asking them to delay until the industry developed their own set of voluntary standards. The voluntary guidelines that were published over the next few years emphasized the use of warning labels on packaging and instructions, rather than mandating safety standards for the design of projectile toys. The Consumer Product Safety Commission rejected further petitions to regulate toy weapon manufacture in 1981 and 1985.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Swartz |first1=Edward M. |title=Toys That Kill: Make Sure Your Child Is Safe |date=1986 |publisher=Random House Inc. |location=New York |isbn=0394746074 |pages=24–32}}</ref> In 1992, the [[Department of Commerce]] prohibited the manufacture, sale, or shipping of toy guns unless they have an orange tip or are entirely brightly colored. The regulation does not prohibit end-users from modifying the toys.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/15/part-1150 |title=15 CFR Part 1150 - MARKING OF TOY, LOOK-ALIKE AND IMITATION FIREARMS {{!}} LII / Legal Information Institute |website=www.law.cornell.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140124063510/http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/15/part-1150 |archive-date=2014-01-24}} </ref>

In March 2018, [[Walmart]] (the largest single retailer in the United States) announced that they would stop selling certain types of toy guns.<ref name="washingtontimes.com">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Walmart bans sales of toy guns |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/1/walmart-bans-sales-toy-guns/ |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=The Washington Times |language=en-US}}</ref>  “We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys,” the company said in a statement.<ref name="washingtontimes.com"/>

====Laws====


In the United States, federal law and regulations indicate that all toy guns transported or imported into the country must have a 6mm-wide blaze orange tip or a blaze orange stripe 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) thick on both sides of the barrel. However, this is not required by federal law for airsoft and paintball. Part 272 of [[Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations]] on foreign commerce and trade (15 CFR 272) states that "no person shall manufacture, enter into commerce, ship, transport, or receive any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm" without approved markings; these may include an orange tip, orange barrel plug, brightly colored ([[safety orange]]) exterior of the whole toy, or transparent construction.

[[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Chicago]], and parts of [[Michigan]] have completely banned airsoft guns.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}. In New York City, as of 2003, the sale of replica toy guns was punishable with one year's jail term plus $1,000.  Chicago goes even further with their mandates.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Matt Bean |title=A toy gun, a real crime |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/01/08/ctv.toy.guns/index.html |access-date=6 May 2021 |work=[[CNN]] |date=8 January 2003 |language=en |quote=The two New York City lawmakers also hope that a strong showing in the city council will spur the state legislature to boost penalties for selling toy gun replicas, which now top off at a year in prison and a $1,000 fine}}</ref>  It is considered a crime to wield a look-alike or replica gun (e.g., toy gun, airsoft gun) in public. If a toy gun or replica gun is used to commit a crime in Chicago, then that person is treated as though they had actually used a real firearm.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} However, state laws relating to the regulation of toy, look-alike, or imitation firearms, or purporting to ban the sale or manufacture of bb guns, paintball guns, or airsoft guns are preempted by federal law.<ref>{{Cite web |title=15 U.S. Code § 5001 - Penalties for entering into commerce of imitation firearms |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/5001 |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en}}</ref>

===United Kingdom=== 
There is a controversy as to whether or not toy guns are appropriate for children to play with. Some people believe they can encourage [[violence]]. In 2007, the British [[Department for Children, Schools and Families]] (which existed between 2007 and 2010) has advised young boys be encouraged to play with toy guns, as it will encourage them to learn and foster their development.<ref name="scotsman.com">{{cite web|url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/latestnews/Boys-39can-learn-healthy-lessons.3627157.jp|title=Boys 'can learn healthy lessons from toy guns'|access-date=1 August 2016}}</ref> However, the National Union of Teachers in England has criticised this advice, arguing that toy guns "symbolise aggression" and that encouraging boys to play with them fosters [[Gender role|gender stereotypes]].<ref name="scotsman.com"/>

===Pakistan===
In 2016, Shafeeq Gigyani, who is a peace activist in [[Pakistan]], started a campaign against toy guns.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sher Alam|first1=Shinwar|title=Legislation against toy guns demanded|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1192830|work=DAWN.COM|date=7 July 2015|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Inam|first1=Ullah|title=Pakistani critics call one-month toy gun ban insufficient|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/09/18/Pakistani-critics-call-one-month-toy-gun-ban-insufficient/9281442341009/|work=UPI|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Izhar|first1=Ullah|title=Culture of violence: Activists voice concern over sale, import of toy guns - The Express Tribune|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1130699/culture-violence-activists-voice-concern-sale-import-toy-guns/|work=The Express Tribune|date=27 June 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[BB gun]]
*[[Ceremonial weapon]]
*[[Drill purpose rifle]]
*[[Lego gun]]
* [[Rubber band gun]]
*[[Rubber duck (military)]]
*[[Shooting of Tamir Rice]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/01/08/ctv.toy.guns/ CNN: "A toy gun, a real crime"].  (January 8, 2003) Matt Bean on the dangers of toy guns being mistaken for real ones in the U.S.

{{Toys}}

[[Category:Gun politics]]
[[Category:Toy weapons|Gun]]
[[Category:Inert firearms]]
[[Category:Toy controversies|Gun]]