Never thought they were, talking about airguns not airsoft.
Idiots live-streaming on Westminster Bridge with toy gun.
- Thread starter BigAl
- Start date
Yes
Talking about airguns whilst backed up by a document screenshot with an out of date reference of Airsoft guns being low powered air weapons, which changed by amendment to the legislation
I have always argued that airguns, in compliance with the relevant energy limits are defined as “low power air weapons” in firearms legislation and therefore firearm does not equal imitation firearm
A case has taken place where low power air weapons were found to be both firearms and imitation firearms, and I conceded the concept to rogerborgs point of view
I never even noticed the part about airsoft guns so apologise for that, it was the highlighted part that I was referring to.
As I and others found out Border Force make up their own rules, I was involved in several cases where airguns were seized coming into the Country under the pretence they were RIF’s. In fact a BF manager told me to my face that they decided what was and wasn’t a RIF.
One long drawn out case went to the Chief Constable of Sussex who had a local Detective Inspector put on the case, and it was overturned because, as she rightly said an airgun can’t be a RIF as it’s classed as a Firearm under the 68 act.
As I and others found out Border Force make up their own rules, I was involved in several cases where airguns were seized coming into the Country under the pretence they were RIF’s. In fact a BF manager told me to my face that they decided what was and wasn’t a RIF.
One long drawn out case went to the Chief Constable of Sussex who had a local Detective Inspector put on the case, and it was overturned because, as she rightly said an airgun can’t be a RIF as it’s classed as a Firearm under the 68 act.
BigAl
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- Thread starter
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Wrong, as this thread is about the law please get you terminology and facts correct.
- UKARA is a Retailers Association. You do not need a Retailers Association to buy either.
- You need a valid Defence under the VCRA. In the context of airsoft that is a Skirmishers Defence. The most common version of this is site membership of an airsoft site that has Liability Insurance. UKARA has a database which your defence ( site registration ) can be recorded to allow member retailers and Border Force to easily check your defence. It is not compulsory or required.
- There are other ways to proof defence, such as a skirmish diary or simply contact details for site or company ( not all skirmish companies own a site and have membership schemes ) you skirmish with.
- You have to be over 18 to buy either.
Anonymoose
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Lyndication
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Tbh BigAl is just being correct, rather than pedantic.
Honestly, chat to Airsofters in other countries and you start to really love the UK. Here's a hotlist:
- Germany: attaching flashlights or lasers in illegal, no full auto, must pay 200EU charge on importing a gun to get an F mark to certify it,
- Portugal: cannot import, must paint at least 50% of the gun fluorescent colours to own it,
- Canada: massive list of banned replicas, the replicate must chrono between 366 and 500fps on receipt or be considered either a Replica Firearm or Firearm and destroyed. (Airsoft is a nebulous middle ground). Cannot import replica receiver parts, grips, frames, anything like that,
- Netherlands: NABV membership is mandatory to play. If you lose it, at 45EU a year, you cannot legally play. Also they have BB weight limits,
- Norway: outdoor Airsoft is currently banned under littering laws. They can only play indoors while they try to get TerraBB off the ground and have compostable BBs they can play with,
- The US: yeah you'd think this would be easy but their customs has been really arsey lately. Legally once it's in the country it's usually fine, but if they forget the orange tip, orange tape on the furniture, covering legal trademarks, or it just looks too much like an AR, it gets scrapped on arrival. Guy in HRC just lost a $2K Viper Tech he was trying to import,
- Spain: legal 1J limit, no full auto, also gotta pay obscene import charges on replicas
- Thailand: literally illegal, Thai MFers pay Japanese smugglers to bring them in country. Games are underground. (Hardcore)
- Philippines: illegal to import guns, otherwise everyone is running 5J full auto, you call the hit when you can't take anymore, so honestly a great argument for joule limits,
Don't get me wrong, the UK is far from perfect, but UKARA is literally a mostly passive process where you just need to actually play Airsoft and then you get membership for free, and you can do almost whatever you want. You also don't actually need it, but it is the most convenient and quick way to prove a legal defence when challenged.
I think our Joule limits are also pretty sensible. Would I want 1.5J full auto rather than 1.2J? I dunno. I actually would like the legal limit set to like 2.5J regardless of rate of fire, personally, but then that's because I'm a dork who would love to see a Browning M2 firing at 2J full auto for a MilSim and currently that's technically illegal. (The Americans get them for MilSim West and I'm so jealous okay, plus the ability to set MMGs/GPMGs apart from LMGs and Rental With Hicap Mag).
Plus you can buy real steel furniture, fire control parts, and import everything else that isn't a pressure-bearing firearm component relatively easily here. Hell if the package is under £135 we don't even pay VAT on it.
Not the best in the world, but man it could be much worse.
Honestly, chat to Airsofters in other countries and you start to really love the UK. Here's a hotlist:
- Germany: attaching flashlights or lasers in illegal, no full auto, must pay 200EU charge on importing a gun to get an F mark to certify it,
- Portugal: cannot import, must paint at least 50% of the gun fluorescent colours to own it,
- Canada: massive list of banned replicas, the replicate must chrono between 366 and 500fps on receipt or be considered either a Replica Firearm or Firearm and destroyed. (Airsoft is a nebulous middle ground). Cannot import replica receiver parts, grips, frames, anything like that,
- Netherlands: NABV membership is mandatory to play. If you lose it, at 45EU a year, you cannot legally play. Also they have BB weight limits,
- Norway: outdoor Airsoft is currently banned under littering laws. They can only play indoors while they try to get TerraBB off the ground and have compostable BBs they can play with,
- The US: yeah you'd think this would be easy but their customs has been really arsey lately. Legally once it's in the country it's usually fine, but if they forget the orange tip, orange tape on the furniture, covering legal trademarks, or it just looks too much like an AR, it gets scrapped on arrival. Guy in HRC just lost a $2K Viper Tech he was trying to import,
- Spain: legal 1J limit, no full auto, also gotta pay obscene import charges on replicas
- Thailand: literally illegal, Thai MFers pay Japanese smugglers to bring them in country. Games are underground. (Hardcore)
- Philippines: illegal to import guns, otherwise everyone is running 5J full auto, you call the hit when you can't take anymore, so honestly a great argument for joule limits,
Don't get me wrong, the UK is far from perfect, but UKARA is literally a mostly passive process where you just need to actually play Airsoft and then you get membership for free, and you can do almost whatever you want. You also don't actually need it, but it is the most convenient and quick way to prove a legal defence when challenged.
I think our Joule limits are also pretty sensible. Would I want 1.5J full auto rather than 1.2J? I dunno. I actually would like the legal limit set to like 2.5J regardless of rate of fire, personally, but then that's because I'm a dork who would love to see a Browning M2 firing at 2J full auto for a MilSim and currently that's technically illegal. (The Americans get them for MilSim West and I'm so jealous okay, plus the ability to set MMGs/GPMGs apart from LMGs and Rental With Hicap Mag).
Plus you can buy real steel furniture, fire control parts, and import everything else that isn't a pressure-bearing firearm component relatively easily here. Hell if the package is under £135 we don't even pay VAT on it.
Not the best in the world, but man it could be much worse.
Colin Allen
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Accuracy and pedantry are not the same thing.You absolutely are.
Mtemprell
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- Mar 8, 2015
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You've both hit the nail on head and so spot on. We do have one of the most accepting governing systems to Airsoft. Something that the groups like ukara need to keep going to prevent our hobby dieing off. Now you've both said that it's definitely made me consider our position to be one of the best out there. Only got to look at Australia where they can only use gel blasters with no hop up to see how bad it could be.
Lyndication
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- Nov 26, 2024
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Oh God I clean forgot Australia. Yeah, total ban.
Also China, India, and a tonne of other countries lmao.
Also China, India, and a tonne of other countries lmao.
