The sky is falling for British Airsoft

[Conscript]

The Violent Crime Reduction Bill proposes what to my mind are highly unreasonable changes to the law, specifically in relation to what they term "imitation firearm". The pertinent proposed paragraphs of changes are:

30 Manufacture, import and sale of realistic imitation firearms
(1) A person is guilty of an offence if—

(a) he manufactures a realistic imitation firearm;
(b) he modifies a firearm or an imitation firearm so that it becomes a realistic imitation firearm;
(c) he sells a realistic imitation firearm; or
(d) he brings a realistic imitation firearm into Great Britain or causes one to be brought into Great Britain.

[...] ( 8 ) In this section “realistic imitation firearm” means an imitation firearm whose appearance is so realistic as to make it indistinguishable, for all practical purposes, from—

(a) a firearm of an existing make or model; or
(b) a firearm falling within a description that applies to an existing category of firearms which, even though they include firearms of different makes or models or both, all have the same or a similar appearance.

(9) For the purposes of subsection ( 8 ) an imitation firearm is not to be regarded as distinguishable from a firearm for any practical purpose if it could be so distinguished only—

(a) by an expert;
(b) on a close examination; or
(c) as a result of an attempt to load or to fire it. (abstract from the proposed Violent Crime Reduction Bill)'

As you can see the definition of a RIF (realistic imitation firearm) is left closely defined and wide ranging, even more so if you consider the implications of who a "firearms expert" is defined as in the UK. Should this bill be passed the sale, trade, manufacture and import or anything that 'could look like a firearm to the masses' would be made illegal. This would put a halt to target sports such as Practical Pistol (where Airsoft guns are used in competition), place tighter controls on movie props and their use, and take sports and past times like Airsoft (and quite possibly Paintball) completely off the map. Many people are chatting about the subject in the forums at the moment, with some worthwhile discussions taking place. Suggestions range from making educated and worthwhile communications to your local MPs at http://www.writetothem.com/, or direct to Downing Street http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/page821.asp.

Taken from Arnies airsoft, theres a bit of madness on their site/forums because of this, hopefully it wont happen here (Damn you Queen!)
http://www.arniesairsoft.co.uk/

[Lisa]

http://www.airsoftcommunity.co.uk/ga....php?pos=-8599

[Slick]

http://www.airsoftcommunity.co.uk/fo...howtopic=45816

Heres the thread discussing it.

[L473ncy]

Well looks like the Brits that like airsoft will have to move out of the country. and I bet this thing can't be good for the action movie industry in Britian. The government will probably have to make some sort of special deal with the movie industry to allow them to use replicas or just make some bull about why they can but we cant. This is probably going to be passed in Canada cause of our close ties to Britian. If the US or Britian passes a law then canada will probably follow suit.

[Mr_Steezy]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

This is probably going to be passed in Canada cause of our close ties to Britian. If the US or Britian passes a law then canada will probably follow suit.

Canada always ends up being the follower

[Plant]

Originally Posted by L473ncy

Well looks like the Brits that like airsoft will have to move out of the country. and I bet this thing can't be good for the action movie industry in Britian. The government will probably have to make some sort of special deal with the movie industry to allow them to use replicas or just make some bull about why they can but we cant. This is probably going to be passed in Canada cause of our close ties to Britian. If the US or Britian passes a law then canada will probably follow suit.

Why would they have to move out? The bill has not even been passed yet. And it only stops the making and importing of Airsoft. If you already own airsoft you can still play etc... Movie Industry in Britain will not change at all. What makes you think it will be passed in Canada? You do know that we are no longer a colony of GB. And the chances of the U.S. BANNING AIRSOFT are about a billion to one.

[Zanzibarbarian]

And I thought we had it bad...too bad...I always thought I'd go to the UK so I could own some of these...real shame..

[zero delay]

Ironic that this shows up here today. It's in the realm of possibility that the bill may be ammended before it passes so that it doesn't have such wide ranging implications, I'm guessing that may be the best hope in this case. This really is a shitty situation, the UK is IMO one of the leaders if not the leader in sophisticated Airsoft operations, and IMO Arnies is by far the most respected and professional info site in the world, to lose those influences is definately a blow to the game everywhere.

[Cortexburn]

http://www.petitiononline.com/4airsoft/petition.html

The above is a link to a petition that was started to avoid the banning of airsoft. Please give them a hand by signing up on it.

[Plant]

I think its the right thing to do by taking some sort of action against the UK Gov't. But to be fair, when was the last time a petition changed anything? Especially an online one.

[Lisa]

Actually the law they will enact is much like the situation we have here, except you can't do private sales of airsoft with out an exemption... it's not the death of airsoft in britian, though it will make things inconvienent for people to get guns... which is what we see here.

[FOX_111]

they will get around it like we do.

If they can't... well, they are not far from France, wich is a big airsoft playing country.

[royal marine]

not sure if it has anything to do with airsoft, but the goverment are under alot of preasure with binge drinking & the youth or yobs as we call them. to put their foot down hard on crime etc at the mo. everyday theres teens doing some real sick shit. some girl tried to hang a 5 yr old the other day. i go back alot & read the uk news everyday & all my family are still there. so i know whats going on. the uk is still a very safe place, but the teens & kids are fucking things up big time! lets hope it does not pass. but i have a feeling it will. hope im wrong!

[Skruface]

Originally Posted by FOX_111

they will get around it like we do.

If they can't... well, they are not far from France, wich is a big airsoft playing country.

The French play airsoft? When they get together for a game, do they just toss down their AEG's and walk off the field? Or do they all just carry some kind of white flag?

/Joke

Wow. Sucks to be in the UK now. Hopefully saner, more liberal minds will prevail.

Too bad I hate Liberals. Canadian ones, at any length.

[FOX_111]

Originally Posted by Skruface

The French play airsoft? When they get together for a game, do they just toss down their AEG's and walk off the field? Or do they all just carry some kind of white flag?

/Joke

Wow. Sucks to be in the UK now. Hopefully saner, more liberal minds will prevail.

Too bad I hate Liberals. Canadian ones, at any length.

they actually have pretty insane habandonned village as a field. The joy of left overs from the WW.

AEGs are overpriced tho.