A Brief Insight into Toy Cap Guns

A toy cap gun is a kind of gun that makes a loud sound replicating a gunshot and a puff of smoke on pulling the trigger. Cap guns were originally made of cast iron, but after World War II, they were constructed from zinc alloy, and most of the models these days are made of plastic.

Toy cap guns Australia derives its name from the small discs of shock-sensitive explosive compounds approx 1.4 to 1.6 mm in diameter that provide the noise and smoke, similar to the separate percussion cap primers used in real firearms in past times. Though, they are invariably smaller and made from cheap plastic or paper rather than soft metal. There are also roll caps, single caps, and disk caps, all of them are actually very small versions of percussion fireworks.

Today, Armstrong's mixture is often used as the explosive, but previously the tiny powder charge was a simple mixture of sulfur, potassium perchlorate, and antimony sulfide sandwiched between two paper layers that keep the gases long enough to offer a sound report when the cap is struck.

Cap guns in Australia became especially popular when the heroes of cinema and television rode through the West ridding the territories of villains. This is the time, when the manufacturing companies started manufacturing such kind of guns.

Federal and State Legal Requirements

It may seem strange that toy guns would have legal restrictions, but these guns are often made to appear startlingly realistic. Kids may be confused whether they're picking up their toy or a loaded real gun lying around the house. Insolent kids may point their toy guns at a police officer in a standoff, thus provoking them to get shot by real guns. There is a general federal gun law for regarding toy guns, but the increasing misuse of these weapons has prompted several local municipalities to create legislation of their own.

According to federal gun law, cap guns must be manufactured with a 6 mm orange tip at the barrel end. The packaging must inform consumers that altering/changing with the manufacturer logo, colours, or fittings could result in penalties. Individuals who use these guns as though they are real firearms may subject the parent or a guardian of a child to be held liable. Toy cap guns/revolvers and pistols in Australia are produced only for the children who are above 8 years. These Federal and State laws were put in place to protect law enforcement personnel and teens from misunderstandings, injuries and deaths.

Not all children take local gun law edicts seriously. Risky or not, there is no reason for kids to bring these toy guns to school. Most schools have made rules for sentencing the child to temporary suspension or even permanent expulsion for bringing toy guns on school property. Parents should make sure that their kids abide by the laws to protect themselves from dangerous situations.