I'm thinking about getting into airsoft for training purposes.
I have a Ruger Mark II .22 LR pistol for cheap live-fire training (I also have a Sig Sauer P6 and S&W 59, both 9mm), but airsoft makes even .22 LR ammunition look expensive.
The main thing that's holding me back is the fact that New Jersey treats airsoft guns as real firearms for purchase and possession, so in order to buy an airsoft pistol I need to obtain another handgun permit. Rifles (both real and airsoft) I can purchase immediately without any additional permits, because a NJ firearms permit allows the purchase of rifles and shotguns. You just need additional permits for each handgun you want to buy.
I'm trying to figure out whether an airsoft rifle could be considered an illegal "assault weapon" if it has a barrel length under 16" or more than one "evil feature" (pistol grip, collapsible or folding stock, etc.). Because if I do decide to get an airsoft rifle instead of waiting for a handgun permit, I want to go with something with a barrel and sight radius as short as possible.