So as of right now I have a two tone M4a1 IF (with the receiver and stock in blue) and parts of both the upper and lower receiver has been damaged.
I found a nylon upper and lower receiver at a cheap price at AliExpress which I’d like to purchase (if you’re wondering, I can’t go to a repair shop since the nearest one is 4 hours) however I don’t have UKARA membership and the item itself is black (why I’m asking if it’s legal to import it).
I am planning to paint it blue not modify it into an RIF but the custom officers won’t know that or believe it (let alone understand what the significance of that is). If the receivers were to be painted blue before imported, would they be ok to pass since they are now 2 toned and not an RIF?
Thing is I doubt the AliExpress seller will be willing to paint it for me and only care about the payment since I asked about the original black receiver and they “reassured” me that it can pass customs.
Is there anything else I can do?
Thanks all for the answers
Technically speaking you don’t need the parts to be brightly coloured on arrival.
They won’t be a RIF and to keep your M4s IF status you don’t need to paint the same parts, under the VCRA it needs to be 50% in one of the bright colours to qualify as a RIF.
If your intent is to play ‘Airsoft skirmishing’ at an insured site then you would qualify to the word of the law in the VCRA. (The UKARA is an industry scheme to enable sellers to have taken reasonable measures to ensure a buyers legitimate intent)
However there is the possibility of you losing your money if it arrives and you can’t get it through, or that you come to the attention of the authorities.
Establishing UKARA membership would document it and make things much easier.
I can’t find the link through the internet but it’s saved on someone else’s account. I did throughly check to make sure it’s for airsoft not for gel blasters (ie reviews, size and other small details like branding).
I did see quite a lot of gel ball blaster receivers but wouldn’t the same restrictions apply to them as well as air soft?
The VCRA restrictions are not specific to airsoft, (the skirmish defence is airsoft specific)
A gel ball blaster would be subject to the VCRA, and unless it qualified as an IF due to size, being clear or coloured etc then one of the VCRA defences would be required.
I have a number of definate RIFs, and also many more that a casual observer could think was a firearm, which then legally makes them RIFs.
I am not an airsofter, and don’t intend to play.
I have imported in the past, and filled in declarations. I have either succeeded in my claim that particular items were not RIFs or my intended use and UKPSF paintball membership were accepted. (Many years prior to the Home Office stating that UKPSF membership may be acceptable)
I’m also aware of others having had packages seized and destroyed
