Replica guns to be banned [sales/import]

[Crazy_Harry]

calm thyselves, troubled and quivering airsofting chums!

 

there are contradictions in the wording of the article, this is undeniable.

 

UK law has always been a case of "wait and see what the first judge who has to deal witha case says" rather than the PM himself getting his stinking hands any dirtier.

 

For the police, it will be an extremely difficult job enforcing such an outright ban which no doubt would include airsoft replicas. Therefore the most likely course of action will be greater restrictions on the rights of who can sell, and who they can sell to.

 

No bad thing in my eyes- keep the chavs away from the 10 pound springers, and keep them out of the public view, and things will slacken up considerably for the airsofting community.

 

But, as far as proper grown-up airsoft is concerned, its all down to what first happens when a case gets brought before a judge, and that'll depend on the nature of the charges brought, and the judge in question.

 

At this point, there is still time to rally some support for an airsofting governing body, and I woul recommend that any of you with law degrees, or friends or families in law offices, or with the money to pool together to hire a lawyer, get on the case immediately. A clear and legal definition of not-so-much how airsoft differs from "things easily confused for real guns" (cause we ain't got a hope in hell of doing that, unless we do the aforementioned paint 'em pink and attach a water bottle), but how "legal organised airsoft" differentiates from "some muppet witha springer he bought on a day trip to blackpool".

 

No need to panic yet, but I would argue that UK airsofting will change dramatically in the next few years, depending on what is done to shore up the barricades at this point in time.

[oikoik]

i'm having a hard time finding this story in other sources, like the bbc for example, so as others suggest it could just be the guardian just pissing on everyones shoes to see who reacts - but then, theres no smoke without fire etc etc

 

i picked up the article from ascuk forums - responses are of course similar - and the only reason i picked up on this one is that it smacked of something rather than the usual joe bloggs wants ban article that comes up so often.

 

IF it is true, then i can see that theyve done it so that it is up to their discretion, and perhaps which side of the bed they got out from that morning, as to whether mr airsofter is packing illegal firearms or not, and not a clear definition.

 

the only thing that bugs me is that IF it is true, then all those politicians who wrote back to people saying that no ban is on the cards, are utter scum.

 

otoh, re-read the article - actually owning replica items is not part of the ban.

while thats ok for those of us who own the stuff already, does this take away the threat of the idiots with air guns who caused all this trouble in the first place? nope. of course not. so while the problem continues, the noose then tightens around actual ownership sometime soon thereafter

 

what do you reckon? whats going to come first: replica import/sales ban or the tm m14..?

[Hissing_Sid]

The ban, closely followed by the apocalypse.

 

Then the Marui M14, closely followed by the KSC33 and the AE M249.

[5thElement]

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they banned replicas they were quick enough to ban handguns without much thought and they just dont like guns at all this country is a f-cking joke.

 

Thanks alot to everyone who voted labour....not...

[IronWolf]

Hmmm surely if this goes ahead then the prices for airsoft guns in your second hand market will spiral out of control .

[joeking27]

All this talk of voting labour, wasn't it something like 37% who actually voted labour?

[snowman]

And we'd be in the same situation if you'd all voted Tory, too...

 

Cheers.

[Echelon]

The whole ban thing is quite stupid... It seems that the government or whoever it is that is enforcing this ban is just trying to get this rushed through to satisfy those that are against it.

 

Anything that looks like a replica/gun!?

 

Men have been shot for carrying a table leg and lighters... They need to think this through before they just push forward with something like this.

 

Also, in another thread like this, it was said this law will only affect people like us because we deal with things legitamatley. Do you really think that stopping the LEGAL SALE of REPLICA weapons is going to stop people getting robbed with REAL guns and getting SHOT with REAL guns!?

 

It not like the criminals out there will be phased so much that they are going to resort to robbing people at teddybearpoint and doing drive by slingshootings...

 

The whole thing needs to be stopped so these people can see that for one we arent just going to stand by and let this happen, and secondly, their reasons are plain crappy.

[Crazy_Harry]

very true snowman- the tories are just as bad as labour when it comes to listening to whats going on in the telegraph or the daily mail- worse, in fact.

 

Second the mail runs a story on some little old lady getting mugged by a muppet with springer, that would be it for airsoft. Sure, they might be less harsh with real gun ownership (so long as the people owning the guns were respectable white folks with money, of course), but airsoft? if they thought there was some electoral mileage in it, they'd ban it in a heartbeat.

 

Fact is, guns ARE unpopular in the UK- its got nothing to do with who's in power, they just are not liked. If labour go ahead and ban the el-cheapo end of the airsoft market, and remove them from the hands of under 18s (though god knows there are enough numpties over 18 to worry about), then airsoft as a "threat to the home counties!" drops of the political and journalistic spectrum.

 

grownup airsoft gets to continue as it always has, and the chances of a blanket ban are greatly reduced.

 

Agian, get some lawyers, get 'em to knock up a working defence in favour of airsoft as an organised sport, and this legislation might actually be benficial to UK airsoft.

 

It all depends what you do with it.

[Duff Beer]

I have a feeling that we might get some backup from the Airrifle people as any law that says "any reasonable person could mistake for a firearm" would also include any air rifles. Now, they have a governing body that is known to the government, and I would have thought that should any ban come into being they would certainly have a say.

[xRAZERx]

It will also include anything small and black then because on a dark night my TV remote control looks like a gun

[Duff Beer]

We could always adopt the orange tip thing.

[oikoik]

so, guardian talking ###### then?

 

VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION BILL

 

 

KEY MEASURES

 

Guns

 

    * Make it illegal to buy imitation firearms below the age of 18

    * Tougher manufacturing standards to ensure imitation firearms cannot be converted to fire live ammunition.

    * Introduce new aggravated offence of using children or otherwise innocent parties (e.g. girlfriends) to hide or carry guns (or knives).

    * Tighten law on indiscriminate and reckless firing of air guns from private property.

    * Measures to deal with sale on internet or by mail order.

 

nothing about personal imports or brick and mortar shops in the uk.

nothing about blanket ban on all sales and imports.

[Kosac]

The UK government has bigger problems, what they will do is put a very vaugue clause about not selling to under 18's an dnot taking it out in public and them leave it up to judges ,so all we need to do is all become judges

 

Also Airsoft guns cannot be converted we all know that it is obvious and for sales i think teh people they are targeting are not us 'proper airsofters' they are targetting shops of wester super-mare peir and selling crappy springers for £5 to be totally honest i don't think we have to worry. There will be a crack down on sirsoft guns. As long as no one here is stupid we will be fine. Then this thing will calm and a new topic for 'panic' will be crated by teh media and this will go no further. And to to totally honest this is what we need to do anyways. We cannnot have people running around with airsoft guns in public places.

[Crazy_Harry]

easy there oikoik- yes, the guardian does talk some nonsense occasionally (usually concerning its ability to utterly disagree with what the labour government is up to while whole-heartedly supporting it in principle. Idiots- lost me as a reader because of that. Grow some balls, guardian!), but you're slating it for saying something which, according to the article you yourself initially posted, they did not say.

 

The wording of the article IS ambiguous, but based on what you posted, there is no reference to bricks-and-mortar shops being banned, only tougher measures on the internet sales and importing area.

 

so the guardian isn't talking botchy-balls, its just re-worded things into the usual airy-fairy, we-aren't-quite-sure-what-we're-saying-either guardian-speak.

 

and good post kosac. UK airsoft WILL receive new legislaiton before not too long. There IS the possibility that, not unlike Canada, the private purchasing and importing of airsoft from overseas might get hit, but from the sounds of it, the current UK retailers should be left alone.

 

Which ain't bad, given the sort of prices AA and airsoft scotland are offering right now.

 

to be honest, I'm bloody jealous- the US seems much more expensive, relatively, than the UK does...

[Reload]

On the pessimistic side let's not foget that:

 

The UK has never been hot on guns

 

And our media will never let a "good gun story" go and there aren't many stories left considering that in the last decade:

 

Real steel handgun ownership has been outlawed

Hunting has been banned

Broccock air pistols have been banned

PAK blank firers have been banned

De-ac laws have been tightened

Laws on replicas have been tightened

And now new laws regarding proper air weapons are on the agenda

 

 

It doesn't look good does it? In fact, in the current climate, I am actually surprised that totally authentic imitation firearms with fully automatic firing capabilities (albeit plastic balls) are still available at all. Think about how that fact appears in the eyes of some.

 

And all you people talking of sport and lawyers and groups and bodies: Considering the money and livelihoods involved (ie: more than just a hobby) I should imagine that the hunting and real steel communities had a lot more to say about it all than the airsoft community EVER would should the hammer fall on us....

 

 

 

 

Then again, you never know your luck.

[HaVoC]

I was planning to move to the USA, because I like the country there.

 

That became 100% certain once I heard that some bunch of twats wanted to ban sharp kitchen knives in this country. In a country where any serious group can come up with that and get it on the headline news, something's wrong.

 

Then more of these "Let's ban teh gunzorz!111" things. B*llocks. I've had enough.

 

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to the USA we go!

[Redcap]

Can't remember where I mentioned it, but it's worth mentioning here again. If the government really wants to halt the sale of cheap imitation guns (aka ten quid springers) off marlet stalls, et al, then all they need to is amend the Local Government Powers Act, and the Sale of Goods Act. Make it an offence for someone to retail such goods without a licence. Such a licence could only be granted by the Local Authority to (a) bricks and mortar shops and BONE FIDE mail order retailers, if good reason (i.e. main line of business - such as A2, et similar) exists. Such vetting as required should also be incorporated, but NOT to the same level as an RFD (firearms) retailer would have to be vetted. Records of sales and proofs of age (Driving licence, for example) should have to be produced in order to purchase, and such records would be available to any duly authorised council official or Police Officer for examination on demand during shop hours. Thoughts?

[Crazy_Harry]

reload: The reasons lawyers might actually work fo rthe airsoft community is because, unlike the handgun-owning community or the rifle hunting community (those who were not licensed game-keepers), airsofter actually have a leg to stand on when it comes to the extent to which an airsoft gun can be misused, unlike realsteelers who, no matter how sensible, have to throw their hands up and admit that, ultimately, their stuff is designed to blow holes out of things.

 

All this knee-jerk reactionism on the part of airsofters in the UK who should know better is just like the knee-jerk newspapers and their sheep politicians.

 

Stop complaining about it and DO something. Jesus. Read the damn article again. Though it clearly states that certain aspects of airsoft will face curtailment- ie the purchase of stuff from abroad, it does not indicate, either openly or implied, that an outright ban will occur in the near future.

 

emphasis is placed on AGE and WHERE things can be purchased, NOT on an outright ban.

 

so calm the hell down.

[McMadkat]

I mean if I take all my guns to pieces they are just that, pieces of metal and plastic. how can you ban metal and plastic? Anyway, I've got a job offer for Summer 2006 in teh USA working on planes, so I'm off to there as soon as possible.

 

McM

[RobbyC]

Anyone see the massive contradiction here?

 

If they were *banning* sale and import outright, they wouldn't *need* an age restriction.

 

Typical guadian. Nice article, horrendously worded.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

lmao! did you spell guardian wrong on purpose? (they have an awful reputation for spelling mistakes lol)

 

yeah i wonder whether this will apply in the Isle of Man i have a horrible feeling it will although having said that we didn't follow all of the other firearms limitations that the UK introduced...

[Redcap]

Neither does Northern Ireland, where last I heard, technically, one can still apparently have handguns on an FAC. Go figure.

[xRAZERx]

Yeah but from what I understand they're very hard to get unless you're a Crown Employee....

[RobbyC]

And we'd be in the same situation if you'd all voted Tory, too...

 

Cheers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah except we'd all be on prison ships aswell

 

Handguns you can own in the I.O.M. i know because i was going to buy a browning hi power off someone a while back,

 

 

well i think we definitely need to SOMEHOW god knows HOW but we need an organisation basically - all very nice on a forum but practice is slightly different...

 

being in the Isle of Man it wouldn't exactly be easy to orchestrate from here!

[Magsz]

Nevermind.