Everyone's very excited about the 'exemption' that is being granted to airsofters, but I can't help but err on the side of caution.

The wording of the letter seems positive and it's hard to imagine that there was any need to offer an olive branch of hope, only to whip it away later - the airsoft community really doesn't have that much influence, I fear.

However, the proposal that the bill will be passed and then airsofters will be offered a regulatory get-out deal does mean that we will have to wait and see what the government really are prepared to offer. At that point, the chance to prevent the bill will be gone, it will already be law.

Perhaps pistols won't be allowed, perhaps RIFs will need to be dayglo pink, perhaps we will have to submit to daily searches and confiscations by armed police (An extreme case, I admit). Perhaps only sites will be allowed to buy new guns and rent them out. We just don't know.

On the positive side, I never believed the ABA would eke any concessions from the government so I applaud and thank them for their unremitting efforts.

However, that bottle of champagne will stay on ice for a while...

Cheers