functional Flashbangs for airsoft?
 

ok guys not sure if this has been discussed on another post yet or whatever but I'm huge on the CQB aspect of airsoft and as we all know every real team SWAT, ERT, JTF, SAS, SEALs... they all use flashbangs. We have granades and claymores that shoot hundreds of BB's kinda like the real deal with sharpnell, but what about flashbangs? Is there a safe way to create a flashbang effect for airsoft games? I have seen products that create a huge "Bang" I have seen products that cause a small flash (useing caps simmilar to ones in cap guns, or ones that are homemade and use a camera flash) but I have never seen one that creates a "flash" and a "bang". although I did once see one that used the capgun stuff and yes it did make a "bang" (more like a crack) and a little flash of light which was only really visible in a completely dark room. There are also these things called "thumpers" (i think..not sure) they are used by Police and Military for training as falshbangs (i think they are made by GunFX)- there is a guy on these boards who had a pair, pricey..and again just a bang no flash. I think that is the only thing we are missing in airsoft.

I'm talking about a device that can go off in 2-3 seconds and emitt a light at a brightness of no more than a camera flash for a split second and a bang slightly softer than a small firecracker. {Must not be a fire hazard though}
Ideas, thought comments.. anyone?

Ive been designing a non pyro flashbang for some time now. The circuitry is designed and works very well, but I have no manufacturer to make the body/casing for this that wont shatter in 1-2 throws.

good to hear it man, I would love to see what you can come up with.

What is the approximate candle power for your design? Remember, we're trying to create a safe game for all of us, could there be a chance of injury due to someone becoming disorientated and falling, etc? There could also be the chance of eye injury caused by an overly bright flash?

I COULD be wrong, so please correct me if I am; I wouldn't want to have one of those go off a few feet from me. :P

Oh, gosh. *This is just a general comment, not a barb at one person.* Sometimes, I really resent the "super-safe" game we try to turn this into. I guess it is already called "air-soft", which is mom-friendly enough, but the way we're going, we might as well cram the word "safe" in there, too. Or "fuzzy-kitty". I know, I know, we live in a non-airsoft friendly nation, but still. I guess I'm just ranting from my frustration.

Honestly, I would love to get blasted by a full-blown RS flashbang and get light up by thirty close-range rounds. That would be the sweetest kill ever! I'd pat the guy on the back and have a big dumb smile on my face, that would be so awesome. "Dude! I just got rocked by a flashbang!"

Don't castrate the thing. If we're really shooting for realism in our mil-sim sport, let's try to make things at least less anticlimactic than sewing-machine long arms and camera-flash flashbangs. Sorry if this jumps off your topic, but I'd appreciate others' opinions too. To those trying to actually produce one of these, I salute you. :D

Also, a real steel flashbang would not be a fun thing Flash bang Burn
They use an incendiary in it, haha
Yeah, I know airsoft is supposed to be exhilarating, but there are some risks behind it; broken teeth, bones, egos and a variety of other injuries, but we acknowledge these and still go ahead because we love the sport. I'm not trying to baby this idea, however my eyes are light sensitive (Which SUCKS!) so I'm not too sure what would happen, haha. I'm all for realism (I'm buying a few more low caps for that MP5 you sold me :D )and I'd love to see them in play, but as I said before; health issues may come into play.

I read that article, that's really interesting. Of course there is some process of combustion to create the flash, but I had no idea it was capable of severely burning a victim. I guess LE really do take the phrase "non-lethal" to its reasonable limits. You're right, though, IRL situations which may be deemed safe, in their respective circumstances, may become unsafe even in a recreational environment, such as your case.

Ah well, they do say "fools rush in"...:)

My question is, what is the purpose of the flashbang? Here's how I would envision a scenario of its use.

Player 1: *charges*
Player 2: *bam bam bam*
Player 1: *throws*
*pop!*
Player 1: "What the fuck was that?"
Player 2: "A flashbang!"
Player 1: "Not lethal?"
Player 2: "No.."
Player 1: "K.." *bam bam bam*

Are these supposed to simulate grenades or flashbangs?

Flashbangs can be pretty nasty things, there was a news article here in victoria a few years back after a training accident during a joint JTF2/RCMP exercise where a flashbang went off prematurely and damn near blew off the soldiers arm. IIRC the flash of a flashbang is burning magnesium and therefore not something you want going off near you.

Im using 8 Disposable Camera Flashes + Capacitors as well as a Primary Capacitor connected to a relay as my timer. The longer you hold the button down to charge the capacitor, the longer the timer is before the 8 Camera Flashes go off.

I have had first-hand experience with both Saskatoon City Police Dept flash-bangs go off less than 12 inches away from my feet as well as Stinger grenades. Both are VERY nasty.

This is airsoft, where we can be hurt, but building something that could fuck you right up isn't cool. I wanted to do something similar for WestCan but considering that they were to be built from those square flashes used on older cameras, AND tied in with that they would only be used at night, I was asked not to continue my work on them as they wouldn't be allowed.

Imagine having your natural night-vision all good and such, then suddenly one of these pops close-by you. Well first you'll be clutching your eyes in -PAIN-, secondly you'll be dropping your gun. Thirdly with the clutching, you'll obviously be yanking off your goggles, safety be damned, you just received a sun-burn on your retina.

Not a hell of a lot of fun. Interesting to imagine in a game, but fuck me if that goes off close to me.

What you say its true.
Yes it would be fun to have some flash bang into games. But nobody would want to be flashed by it. Not only that, it could be VERY dangerous for the eyes. I'm with Aqua for this one !

Fine, fine. I'm sure I would regret it, once I actually experienced it. But even knowing that, I'd still be first in line to be a volunteer victim. :D

And I stand by my airsafe - I mean, airsoft - convictions. No guts, no glory!

+1

Thumper TG-6
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