Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 *I apologize if this constitutes as "airsoft in the news", not "airsoft news", or posted earlier* This bill was approved a while ago, but just barely became effective. It seems the sale and shipping of all black-tipped guns to and in the state of Arkansas has become illegal... The implications of this are wide reaching, and quite frankly, greatly disturbing to me. Link to post Share on other sites
RacingManiac Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Its dated April of last year....has this not been in the news before now? Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I looked, but couldn't find any mention on a forum. I thought this was relevant news because it just barely became effective. Link to post Share on other sites
TANGO91 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I looked, but couldn't find any mention on a forum. I thought this was relevant news because it just barely became effective. The reason nothing has been said is because airsoft guns with orange tips are not considered imitation firearms and therefore not banned, gotta read the text man its like 1/2 way down the second page. Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 The reason nothing has been said is because airsoft guns with orange tips are not considered imitation firearms and therefore not banned, gotta read the text man its like 1/2 way down the second page. That still is a solidification of legislation against airsoft. Notice it bans all sales, even private ones where there is no orange tip, and considering the orange tip rule was largely intermittent and unenforced in many of its incarnations, this could have long reaching implications, as well as the prospect of it opening the door to further legal restrictions on airsoft. I suppose the term "ban" is somewhat of a misnomer however. Link to post Share on other sites
aliensexgangchildren Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 total ######, there is nothing that states this and i live in alabama, in fact i bought and received an airsoft gun last week and expect another to arrive sometime in the coming week. so quit worrying so much man. i'll give my local authorities and maybe even state ones a call to confirm it tomorrow i think. Link to post Share on other sites
Psychopanda23 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 @ alien: Don't worry about it. The law is for the State of Arkansas. Not Alabama @cowboy..Change the name of this thread , if oyu can, before every airsoft player in Alabama start's freaking out like I did when I saw it was for arkansas. Link to post Share on other sites
Plymouth Roadrunner Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Of all the states to ban airsoft, Alabama would be the last, they let you do whatever you want down there. Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Oh, sorry about the incorrect title. Damn do I feel retarded now... Link to post Share on other sites
Psychopanda23 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Oh, sorry about the incorrect title. Damn do I feel retarded now... Lol I love how you have Alabama in the title but the bill is called "Arkansas Children's Imitation Firearms Act" and you placed it in the sub-title area Link to post Share on other sites
UrPeaceKeeper Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 That still is a solidification of legislation against airsoft. Notice it bans all sales, even private ones where there is no orange tip, and considering the orange tip rule was largely intermittent and unenforced in many of its incarnations, this could have long reaching implications, as well as the prospect of it opening the door to further legal restrictions on airsoft. I suppose the term "ban" is somewhat of a misnomer however. All this bill does is make it illegal to own and possess an airsoft gun without the orange tip. While sadening, it's already illegal to purchase one without via a federal law, this is an extension, like other states have, of that law that requires it to be attached at all times. The requirement of the orange tip to be there has ALWAYS been there, this just prevents you from removing it. Does it suck? Certainly, but I dont see how this is the end of the world as the title insists as there are already other states that require it. Also, not that I approve of it, but how well do you think this will be enforced for the average joe? I mean honestly... if you are transporting your gun out in the open then you deserve what you get, but how many cops come to a field and go "All of these are illegal, you're all giong to jail!" seriously? This will most likely be as well enforced as the "Bright and Dazzling Car Lights" law that was passed that forbids the use of HID's in automobiles... see how well that ones enforced? Link to post Share on other sites
aliensexgangchildren Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Of all the states to ban airsoft, Alabama would be the last, they let you do whatever you want down there. lol so true, me and friends don't even play at actual airsoft sites, i just call the cops and get the ok and then we head off to the woods (especially the mountains cuz off all the huge rocks and such) and play without a problem. been trying to get some cops and national guard guys to play lately too, but you know busy with JOBS and all that nonsense =p Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Lol I love how you have Alabama in the title but the bill is called "Arkansas Children's Imitation Firearms Act" and you placed it in the sub-title area Well at least I got one of them right... Link to post Share on other sites
Azulsky Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I cant see it effectively doing anything As long as you are of legal age to own a real firearm then they really can do anything to you because just like real firearms you are not legally obligated to maintain a paper trail or provide one so if you were ever asked by a LEO its a preban purchase They have to actually catch you in the act of buying it Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I cant see it effectively doing anything As long as you are of legal age to own a real firearm then they really can do anything to you because just like real firearms you are not legally obligated to maintain a paper trail or provide one so if you were ever asked by a LEO its a preban purchase They have to actually catch you in the act of buying it True, but selling guns out of state is going to be way harder for anyone in Arkansas from now on. I'm guessing some local stores might be hurt too, and maybe some problems with shipping from out of state might occur. Obviously this is nothing catastrophic, but this prove to be quite an annoyance for some people (like me) who buy and sell large amounts of black-tipped guns via shipping this could prove quite troublesome. Though it is unlikely it will be well enforced as it is right now, it is the threat of this expanding and evolving into more restrictive legislature that concerned me enough to bring it to attention. Link to post Share on other sites
reaper16 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I'll just edit as to not troll. In short there are too many laws in the world today. Link to post Share on other sites
Crawlspace_Cowboy Posted January 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 This all falls back to gun control...which If my memory serves me correct/sarcasm is unconstitutional in the first place. My point is, we wouldnt have issues with airsoft if everyone and there grandmom didn't equate guns with bad. The ironic thing is that Arkansas has about as lax gun control as it gets though. I also think that even most gun control advocates think airsoft is "dangerous", a belief that seems to transcend political boundaries. The truth is, most people misunderstand airsoft, as a result of negative media hype and a lack of any real representation whatsoever. After all, did anyone really fight this legislation months ago? Decisions like this were made off of a lack of understanding about airsofting, because nobody was really there to give them the real facts. Just my 2 cents on the matter. Link to post Share on other sites
fiddlesticks4220 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 @ this thread. Link to post Share on other sites
Psychopanda23 Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Well I know airsoft has been in the media. In Mississippi they had a small segment for it and interviewed some local players. There was also another news station that covered it (forgot which state) which interviewed police who used it as a training tool as well as people who just like to play. But then you have the news stories of kids robbing banks with airsoft guns and kids getting shot because they brandished them in inappropriate places. I have certainly seen a lot more negative media on tv than I have positive. Edit: as to the gun crime thing. I remember a while ago seeing someone put up a live webcam to show that guns don't cause/commit crimes. I found it kinda funny. Just a cam pointed at a Smith and Wesson model 19, and the creator said if the gun commits any crimes to message/email him. http://montego.roughwheelers.com/gun_cam.html edit 2: And as for Arkansas having lax gun laws, I saw a commercial the other day for a car dealership. And they were giving away a free Muzzle Loader with every car purchase. lol Link to post Share on other sites
kdogg Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 On a side note, machine guns and suppressors are legal there! That's always a plus point right? Link to post Share on other sites
K12azy13astard Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Of all the states to ban airsoft, Alabama would be the last, they let you do whatever you want down there. I would expect California to be first....sadly. Link to post Share on other sites
kdogg Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I would expect California to be first....sadly. I wouldn't.... Airsoft is HUGE!!!!! in California and almost all the importers are located there. The industry is basically a Californian one. The California state government makes a LOT of tax money off the Airsoft industry too. I think they are pretty safe as far as bans goes. It's a widely accepted sport there. Link to post Share on other sites
cazboab Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 So now we're agreed the sky isn't falling we can change the title... Link to post Share on other sites
ruvon Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 I'm not buying into the whole High in the Sky Big Apple pie is falling on our heads thing, but this brings up a point. We as American airsofters have to start coming to terms with the fact that they may sometime come down with a legislation to try to ban. Which means a few things A. We have to police ourselves to make sure that shady dealers are not trying to buck the system, and sell Airsoft replicas to people that shouldn't have them (this includes our lovely big box retailers, as well as Joe I wanna make a quick buck at the flea market) B. Start to organize in a mature and timely fashion to try to put into place something like the system that the UK has, so that we can assure that when it does come down, we look like a decent bunch of individuals, and we are responsible with our hobby. C. Make sure that our public representatives are under the understanding that this is an actual community that will be hurt buy a banning. We've made some strides in the US with groups such as the WNYA, NEASG, as well as the Mid Atlantic group, but we need to continue, as well as come up with some idea's with developing a public "face" for airsofting. Instead of crying about a slow moving and somewhat harmless bill that requires (like a lot of places in the world, Portugal as well as Two tones from England) orange tips or some sort of other identifying feature. You do realize that if any one of us in the US got put down by a police officer because he couldn't recognize we were running an airsoft gun, that it truly would be all over for all of us? At least it's not illegal to own or import them yet, heck, look at Canada, their paying close to a thousand dollars or more for metal bodied airsoft guns on the black market, because they just weren't able to get into the process. Sorry, just my soap box, I'll go back to lurking now....if I seem to general or broad with any statements, it's kind of early for me.. Link to post Share on other sites
Kraut Posted January 10, 2010 Report Share Posted January 10, 2010 Has anyone even bothered to talk to the Arkansas Airsoft guys? You know, the one's actually affected by this? Basically, it doesn't change a thing. Just another feel-good law to make the public think the lawmakers are looking after them. Link to post Share on other sites
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