Simple answer = above 500 fps does not make it a firearm. Above 5.7 joules makes it a firearm. To reach 5.7 with a 0.2g bb you would need to be firing well over 700 fps.

No, being that simple is not sufficient.
Because trowing a large rock out of a slingshot could produce more than 5.7 joules and be classified as a firearm...

In gaming therms, that could also mean any devices made to propel smokes grenades, like M203 or mortars.

People should make the effort to learn, remember and understand what 500fps AND 5.7j mean.

So to be safe are the fields able to test for the kinetic energy when leaving the barrel or is everyone just assuming.

My question came really from wondering if people know there airsodt weapons have crossed the line or not?

I read and understood the min engagement distance etc, just an enquiry

Lots of good points here thanks to all.

it sounds like you've never been to a real game.

When you show up to a game field, the first thing you do after registering to play is chrono your gun. Fields should own a chrono to check the velocity of the gun. Combined with a known weight of ammo usually .2s provided by the field so they are guaranteed to be known.

Lurkignight. Correct I tend to do a lot of research before I jump in.

There is a lot of good info in this thread on sniping
http://airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=158804


In local games here in Edmonton, they limit sniper rifles to bolt action and 500 fps, and to be a sniper you need bolt action certification course.

You know if someone gives you a gun that fires too hot, you may be able to downgrade the springs so that it fires at an acceptable fps :)

I've tried to get everyone on the joule bandwagon, but some fields still test all guns with .20g BBs and assume the joule curves for heavier ammo are linear.

5.7j is difficult enough to produce with an airsoft gun, you'd need a pretty long barreled GBBR to come close. So don't worry about anyone being over 3j, it's quite rare to begin with.

The most accurate way to make sure an airsoft gun is within the joule limit (if an "fps limit" is stated as being 400fps with a .20g BB, then it's a joule limit, not an fps limit) is to chrono that gun with the weight of ammo it will be using. Then make the conversion to joules.
To chrono people quickly, I wrote the max fps of every common BB weight for a specific muzzle energy on the top of my chrono. Who cares what fps they're shooting, as long as it's under the limit, right?

Issues that come up, people can obviously lie about what weight of ammo they're using.
However, in chronoing with .20s, a GBBR specifically, but also an AEG, could end up being quite a bit over the limit. Anywhere from 20-80+fps

To answer the question, you need to go to S.84.(3)(d) of the Criminal Code, where the relevant legal source can be found.

So you only have to satisfy one condition in order for the firearm to fall in to the class of unregulated firearms.