ASTM F590-05

Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Gun Projectiles and Propellants

SCOPE
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers projectiles and propellants manufactured for use with non-powder guns intended for target shooting, educational, and recreational purposes and is to be used in conjunction with Consumer Safety Specification F 589. Non-powder guns are commonly identified as BB guns, air guns, or pellet guns.
1.2 The projectiles and propellants covered by this consumer safety specification are BB cal, .177 cal (4.5 mm), .22 cal (5.5 mm), and .25 cal (6.4 mm) air gun shot of various materials; .177 cal (4.5 mm), 5 mm, .22 cal (5.5 mm), .25 cal (6.4 mm) pellets and .177 cal (4.5 mm), 5 mm, .22 cal (5.5 mm), and .25 cal (6.4 mm) darts and propellants identified as 8 and 12-g type CO2  cylinders with both small and standard-sized necks.
1.3 This consumer safety specification does not cover propellants such as dichlorodifluoromethane or projectiles that are propelled by a combustible release of energy; non-powder gun projectiles used with products identified as blow guns, sling shots, cork guns, toy guns, or archery cross bows and other such devices; projectiles designed for adult use in obsolete non-powder guns, custom-made non-powder guns, and non-powder guns designed for and used by law enforcement, scientific, veterinary or military use; paint ball markers, ammunition for airsoft/softair guns and shot used with shotguns in the firearm classification.
The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section , of this specification: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Nov-2005
• ICS: 95.060 - Weapons
• Technical Committee: F15 - Consumer Products
• Drafting Committee: F15.06 - Safety Standards for Non-Powder Gun Products

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F590-92(2000) - Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Gun Projectiles and Propellants
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2005
• Replaced By: ASTM F590-12 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Gun Projectiles and Propellants
• Effective Date: 01-Feb-2012
• Referred By: ASTM F2748-19 - Standard Specification for Airsoft Guns
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2005
• Referred By: ASTM F2679-15(2023) - Standard Specification for 6 mm Projectiles Used with Airsoft Guns
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2005
• Referred By: ASTM F589-23 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Guns
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2005

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F590 – 05
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
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Non-Powder Gun Projectiles and Propellants
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF590;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginal
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents
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1.1 This consumer safety specification covers projectiles 2.1 ASTM Standards:
and propellants manufactured for use with non-powder guns F589 Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Guns
intended for target shooting, educational, and recreational
3. Terminology
purposes and is to be used in conjunction with Consumer
Safety Specification F589. Non-powder guns are commonly 3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
identified as BB guns, air guns, or pellet guns.
Projectiles
1.2 The projectiles and propellants covered by this con-
3.1.1 air-gun dart—a .177 cal, 5 mm, .22 cal, or .25 cal
sumer safety specification are BB cal, .177 cal (4.5 mm), .22
non-powder gun projectile having a pointed configuration on
cal (5.5 mm), and .25 cal (6.4 mm) air gun shot of various
one end and tufts on the other (see Fig. 1).
materials; .177 cal (4.5 mm), 5 mm, .22 cal (5.5 mm), .25 cal
3.1.1.1 tuft—the material that is added to the body of a dart.
(6.4 mm) pellets and .177 cal (4.5 mm), 5 mm, .22 cal (5.5
3.1.2 air-gun shot—a BB, .177, .22-cal, or .25 cal ball-
mm), and .25 cal (6.4 mm) darts and propellants identified as
shaped,non-powdergunprojectilemadeprimarilyoflead,lead
8 and 12-g type CO cylinders with both small and standard-
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alloy, or steel (see Fig. 2).
sized necks.
3.1.2.1 air-gun shot, lead—a shot made of lead or lead alloy
1.3 This consumer safety specification does not cover pro-
which may or may not have a protective finish.
pellants such as dichlorodifluoromethane or projectiles that are
3.1.2.2 air-gun shot, lead-coated—a shot made of steel that
propelled by a combustible release of energy; non-powder gun
has a thin, uniform coating of lead or lead alloy. It may or may
projectiles used with products identified as blow guns, sling
not have a protective finish.
shots, cork guns, toy guns, or archery cross bows and other
3.1.2.3 air-gun shot, steel—a shot made of steel that is
such devices; projectiles designed for adult use in obsolete
coated with a protective finish.
non-powder guns, custom-made non-powder guns, and non-
3.1.2.4 dimension across flats—the diameter of an air-gun
powder guns designed for and used by law enforcement,
shot, as measured across the flats.
scientific, veterinary or military use; paint ball markers, am-
3.1.2.5 maximum spherical diameter—the largest diameter
munitionforairsoft/softairgunsandshotusedwithshotgunsin
of an air-gun shot, as measured with a ring gage.
the firearm classification.
3.1.3 caliber—the nomenclature used to indicate the bore
1.4 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the
size of a non-powder gun and the compatible projectile
test method portion, Section 7, of this specification: This
intended for use with that bore size.
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,
3.1.4 non-powder gun projectile—a projectile that is de-
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
signed for and intended to be discharged from a non-powder
of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
gun.
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
3.1.5 pellet—a .177 cal, 5 mm, .22 cal, or .25 cal non-
tions prior to use.
spherical, semihollow non-powder gun projectile made of lead,
lead alloy, or other material, or a combination thereof. Typical
examples are shown in Fig. 3.
3.1.5.1 nose of pellet— the forwardmost portion of a pellet.
3.1.5.2 overall length of pellet—themaximumdimensionof
a pellet as measured parallel to the axis.
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This consumer safety specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Commit-
tee F15 on Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
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F15.06 on Safety Standards for Non-Powder Gun Products. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2005. Published December 2005. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1978. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as F590 – 92 (2000). Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI: 10.1520/F0590-05. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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F590 – 05
3.1.6 shot-start force—the force that is re
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