Aftermarket parts on IF?

[Bprezzle]

Hi,

I am 16 and I have a two tone G36C. I use it for sirmishing regularly at a UKARA registered site. I do not have a UKARA registration. I was wondering, if I changed the blue parts on my gun with black parts, e.g, changed the blue stock for a black one, would this be illegal? Would i be allowed to do it WITHOUT a UKARA? Does it count as manufacturing a RIF?

thanks

 

[proffrink]

No it's not legal - it counts as manufacturing an RIF as you say.

However: Whilst manufacturing an RIF without a defence is against the law, but the defence itself doesn't have to be UKARA membership - this is the most common misconception we get on this site. If you're a member of the site you play at then you're fine as you're able to provide evidence of being an airsoft player with regular attendance to a site. This can be done without ever having registered as a player with UKARA.

Edit

Changed some stuff.

 

[Bprezzle]

No it's not legal - it counts as manufacturing an RIF as you say.

However: Whilst manufacturing an RIF without a defence is against the law, but the defence itself doesn't have to be UKARA membership - this is the most common misconception we get on this site. If you're a member of the site you play at then you're fine as you're able to provide evidence of being an airsoft player with regular attendance to a site. This can be done without ever having registered as a player with UKARA.

Edit

Changed some stuff.

Click to shrink...

So if the police asked why I had it, would I have to be a paid full member at that site, or could I show photos or something similar and say I'd been a few times. Do i have to be an actual full member?

 

[proffrink]

That's where the law gets grey because it's terribly written. A defence can be anything that proves you engage in airsoft as a hobby - so that could be as little as a single receipt for a site. (This in itself is an issue though as is one attendance enough to consider something a 'hobby'?) To be safe I'd get a membership - some sites will require you go 3 times before they let you become a member anyway as is stated in sections 36 to 38 of VCRA.

This is the problem with common law: Until something is taken to court there's no precedent for others to live by. As no airsoft player has ever been charged for selling or manufacturing an RIF, all we have to go by is the literal interpretation of the words contained within VCRA.

Edit

The first is for the organisation and holding of airsoft skirmishing. This is defined by reference to “permitted activities” and the defence applies only where third party liability insurance is held in respect of the activities.

Click to shrink...

• For manufacturers, importers and vendors to claim one of the defences, they must be able to show that their conduct was for purpose of making realistic imitation firearms available for one of the reasons specified in the defences above. How they should satisfy themselves of this will vary from case to case and it might be advisable for them to keep a record of this for each transaction. In some cases they could ask to see, for example, a letter from the commissioning film or television company.

Click to shrink...

Edit #2

And here's the bit about UKARA. This is where people get confused as it offers UKARA as simply being a means to prove your defence, but not the only way to prove you're an 'airsoft skirmisher'.

For airsoft skirmishing, the Association of British Airsoft is putting in place arrangements to allow retailers to check that individual purchasers are members of a genuine skirmishing club or site. The key elements of these arrangements are:

• new players must play at least 3three times in a period of not less than two months the two months before being offered membership
• membership cards with a photograph and recognized format will be issued for production to retailers
• a central database will be set up for retailers to cross-check a purchaser’s details
• a member’s entry on the database will be deleted if unused for 12 months.

1. The defence for airsoft skirmishing can apply to individual players because their purchase of realistic imitation firearms for this purpose is considered part of the “holding” of a skirmishing event.
   
2. Section 38 defines a ‘realistic imitation firearm’ as an imitation firearm which has an appearance that is so realistic as to make it indistinguishable, for all practical purposes, from a real firearm. ‘Imitation firearm’ is defined in section 57(4) of the Firearms 1968 as ‘any thing which has the appearance of being a firearm…whether or not it is capable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile’.
   

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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-violent-crime-reduction-act-2006-commencement-no-3-order-2007-firearms-measures

Edit #3

In short, be safe not sorry. Keep it 2-tone for now and consider wrapping some camo tape around your gun when you go play. Once you've been registered then replace those parts.

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/27802-rif-loopholes/?p=211458

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/25706-taking-a-two-tone-to-woodland/

 

[TheGrover]

In technicality, it is illegal to do. In practice, you will never get in any kind of trouble if you use it properly for skirmishes and don't wave it around in public.

And UKARA isn't a licence, it's a defence which just happens to be recognised by UK customs and police. It's not necessary for airsoft but it is the most straightforward way for most people to get an RIF for skirmishing

 

[Bprezzle]

In technicality, it is illegal to do. In practice, you will never get in any kind of trouble if you use it properly for skirmishes and don't wave it around in public.

And UKARA isn't a licence, it's a defence which just happens to be recognised by UK customs and police. It's not necessary for airsoft but it is the most straightforward way for most people to get an RIF for skirmishing

Click to shrink...

That's where the law gets grey because it's terribly written. A defence can be anything that proves you engage in airsoft as a hobby - so that could be as little as a single receipt for a site. (This in itself is an issue though as is one attendance enough to consider something a 'hobby'?) To be safe I'd get a membership - some sites will require you go 3 times before they let you become a member anyway as is stated in sections 36 to 38 of VCRA.

This is the problem with common law: Until something is taken to court there's no precedent for others to live by. As no airsoft player has ever been charged for selling or manufacturing an RIF, all we have to go by is the literal interpretation of the words contained within VCRA.

Edit

Edit #2

And here's the bit about UKARA. This is where people get confused as it offers UKARA as simply being a means to prove defence, but not the only way to prove you're an 'airsoft skirmisher'.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-violent-crime-reduction-act-2006-commencement-no-3-order-2007-firearms-measures

Edit #3

In short, be safe not sorry. Keep it 2-tone for now and consider wrapping some camo tape around your gun when you go play. Once you've been registered then replace those parts.

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/27802-rif-loopholes/?p=211458

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/25706-taking-a-two-tone-to-woodland/

Click to shrink...

Thanks for your help guys, I want to join the police when I'm older, so i'll stick with safe not sorry. Thanks

 

[proffrink]

You're welcome.

And er, welcome to the forums too.

 

[TheGrover]

I think what you meant to type was that you are a perfectly law abiding citizen and would never dream of contradicting the stalwart legislation of our fine nation... Right?