ASTM F589-12
(Specification)Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Guns
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Guns
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
6.1 This consumer safety specification establishes performance requirements and test methods intended to provide a reasonable degree of safety in the normal use of non-powder guns and projectiles.
6.2 This consumer safety specification attempts to address the misuse of non-powder guns and specifies the minimum warnings and instructions that are to be provided in literature and on labels and packages.
SCOPE
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers non-powder guns, commonly referred to as BB guns, air guns, and pellet guns, which propel a projectile by means of energy released by compressed air, compressed gas, mechanical spring action, or a combination thereof, and is to be used in conjunction with Specification F590.
1.2 Special-purpose match precision and adult guns, as defined in 3.1 and classified in 8.1 and 8.2, are exempt from the performance requirements for trigger mechanisms (see 4.3), safety mechanisms (see 4.4), and drop tests (see 4.5).
1.3 Special-purpose training guns, as defined in 3.1 and classified in 8.3, are exempt from the performance requirements for the safety mechanism (see 4.4).
1.4 Limitations—This consumer safety specification does not cover the following categories of gun products: cl custom-made non-powder guns (see 3.1.2.6); or replica guns (see 3.1.2.15); tranquilizer dart guns; toy products such as rubber-band guns, cork guns, pop guns, rubber-tip dart guns, or pea and bean shooters; other recreational-type guns such as blow guns, spear guns, catapult guns (also identified as sling shots), bows, crossbows, paintball markers, air soft or soft air guns, or carbide guns; nonrecreational guns such as those used by law enforcement, scientific, or military agencies; nor industrial and consumer tools such as paintball guns, staple guns, or conduit guns.
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard; the SI units in parentheses are provided for information only.
1.6 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 9, 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.
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Designation: F589 −12
StandardConsumer Safety Specification for
1
Non-Powder Guns
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF589;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.
INTRODUCTION
This consumer safety specification is intended to address the primary causes of injuries involving
non-powder guns and projectiles. Information concerning these injuries was obtained from data
collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission,
consumer sounding boards, and the manufacturers’ knowledge of the product and experience with
consumer injuries.
The subcommittee regularly conducts comprehensive reviews from data provided by the Commis-
sion and has determined that carelessness, intentional misuse, or lack of adequate adult supervision,
or a combination thereof, were factors in the shooting injuries examined.
To perform as intended, a non-powder gun requires a level of power which, if misused, can cause
serious injury. This consumer safety specification is intended to reduce the hazards associated with
non-powder gun use.This specification cannot control careless use or eliminate all hazards of misuse,
but does provide for warnings of specific hazards and instructions for proper handling, use, and
storage. Terminology is standardized in this specification, so that conforming products will be
identified in the same manner, and critical dimensions are standardized to assure safe interchange-
abilityofprojectilesandpropellantsinallconformingnon-powderguns.Productperformancehazards
are identified and requirements are established to minimize these hazards.
This consumer safety specification is written within the current state-of-the-art of non-powder gun
technology.Theintentistorevisethisconsumersafetyspecificationwheneversubstantiveinformation
becomes available which justifies revising existing requirements or adding new requirements.
1. Scope 1.3 Special-purpose training guns, as defined in 3.1 and
classified in 8.3, are exempt from the performance require-
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers non-powder
ments for the safety mechanism (see 4.4).
guns, commonly referred to as BB guns, air guns, and pellet
guns, which propel a projectile by means of energy released by
1.4 Limitations—This consumer safety specification does
compressedair,compressedgas,mechanicalspringaction,ora
not cover the following categories of gun products: cl custom-
combination thereof, and is to be used in conjunction with
made non-powder guns (see 3.1.2.6); or replica guns (see
Specification F590.
3.1.2.15); tranquilizer dart guns; toy products such as rubber-
band guns, cork guns, pop guns, rubber-tip dart guns, or pea
1.2 Special-purpose match precision and adult guns, as
and bean shooters; other recreational-type guns such as blow
definedin3.1andclassifiedin8.1and8.2,areexemptfromthe
guns, spear guns, catapult guns (also identified as sling shots),
performance requirements for trigger mechanisms (see 4.3),
bows, crossbows, paintball markers, air soft or soft air guns, or
safety mechanisms (see 4.4), and drop tests (see 4.5).
carbide guns; nonrecreational guns such as those used by law
enforcement, scientific, or military agencies; nor industrial and
consumer tools such as paintball guns, staple guns, or conduit
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F15 on
guns.
Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.06 on
Safety Standards for Non-Powder Gun Products.
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2012. Published December 2012. Originally
as the standard; the SI units in parentheses are provided for
approved in 1978. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F589 – 06. DOI:
10.1520/F0589-12. information only.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F589 − 12
1.6 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the 3.1.2.3 backstop—an object intended to stop a projectile.
test method portion, Section 9, of this specification: This
3.1.2.4 barrel—that portion of a non-powder gun through
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,
which the projectile is discharged.
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
3.1.2.5 cocking mechanism—adevicethatallowstheuserto
of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
store manual energy.
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
3.1.2.6 custom gun—anon-po
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F589 − 06 F589 − 12
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for
1
Non-Powder Guns
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F589; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This consumer safety specification is intended to address the primary causes of injuries involving
non-powder guns and projectiles. Information concerning these injuries was obtained from data
collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission,
consumer sounding boards, and the manufacturers’ knowledge of the product and experience with
consumer injuries.
The subcommittee regularly conducts comprehensive reviews from data provided by the Commis-
sion and has determined that carelessness, intentional misuse, or lack of adequate adult supervision,
or a combination thereof, were factors in the shooting injuries examined.
To perform as intended, a non-powder gun requires a level of power which, if misused, can cause
serious injury. This consumer safety specification is intended to reduce the hazards associated with
non-powder gun use. This specification cannot control careless use or eliminate all hazards of misuse,
but does provide for warnings of specific hazards and instructions for proper handling, use, and
storage. Terminology is standardized in this specification, so that conforming products will be
identified in the same manner, and critical dimensions are standardized to assure safe interchange-
ability of projectiles and propellants in all conforming non-powder guns. Product performance hazards
are identified and requirements are established to minimize these hazards.
This consumer safety specification is written within the current state-of-the-art of non-powder gun
technology. The intent is to revise this consumer safety specification whenever substantive information
becomes available which justifies revising existing requirements or adding new requirements.
1. Scope
1.1 This consumer safety specification covers non-powder guns, commonly referred to as BB guns, air guns, and pellet guns,
which propel a projectile by means of energy released by compressed air, compressed gas, mechanical spring action, or a
combination thereof, and is to be used in conjunction with Specification F590.
1.2 Special-purpose match precision and adult guns, as defined in 3.1 and classified in 8.1 and 8.2, are exempt from the
performance requirements for trigger mechanisms (see 4.3), safety mechanisms (see 4.4), and drop tests (see 4.5).
1.3 Special-purpose training guns, as defined in 3.1 and classified in 8.3, are exempt from the performance requirements for the
safety mechanism (see 4.4).
1.4 Limitations—This consumer safety specification does not cover the following categories of gun products: cl custom-made
non-powder guns (see 3.1.2.6); or replica guns (see 3.1.2.15); tranquilizer dart guns; toy products such as rubber-band guns, cork
guns, pop guns, rubber-tip dart guns, or pea and bean shooters; other recreational-type guns such as blow guns, spear guns, catapult
guns (also identified as sling shots), bows, crossbows, paintball markers, air soft or soft air guns, or carbide guns; nonrecreational
guns such as those used by law enforcement, scientific, or military agencies; nor industrial and consumer tools such as paintball
guns, staple guns, or conduit guns.
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard; the SI units in parentheses are provided for
information only.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F15 on Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.06 on Safety Standards
for Non-Powder Gun Products.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2006Oct. 1, 2012. Published September 2006December 2012. Originally approved in 1978. Last previous edition approved in 20002006
as F589 – 00.F589 – 06. DOI: 10.1520/F0589-06.10.1520/F0589-12.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F589 − 12
1.6 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test method portion, Section 9, of this specification:This standard
does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use.
...
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