Is there a way for a 16yo to get a RIF?

[T800pug]

To put it simple how would a 16 year old go about getting a RIF? I've seen many people advertise different ways and that's there's down and upsides to it.  Many friends and I often attend the same airsoft site with our two tones guns however we want to expand are arsenal and get higher end guns, one thing me and my friends agree on is that if we want to purchase high end rifles we want something that will last us a long time and wont have tacky blue red or green paint on it.  Would it be possible for a gradian to get a ukara and purchase a RIF to gift to us? Could you contact a friend with a ukara and ask them to get you one as a "gift"?

 

[EDcase]

So your parents aren't involved?

The easiest would be for a parent to play three games to get UKARA registered.

Yes, anyone with UKARA can gift you a RIF.

 

[T800pug]

So your parents aren't involved?

The easiest would be for a parent to play three games to get UKARA registered.

Yes, anyone with UKARA can gift you a RIF.

My Dad is decently old being 53 not sure he wants to play. Could he turn up pay the fee then leave the game after 10 minutes and go home? Or does he have to be there for the full day?

 

[Skullchewer]

decently old being 53 

????

You'd be surprised by how many people that are indecently old play Airsoft. Your dad might like it.

 

[Tommikka]

Note that ‘gifting’ has to be a gift.

If you identify any friend with UKARA that is willing to be the middleman of a sale of a RIF (or also an IF) to a 16 year old then they are committing an offence 

Under 18 you cannot buy an IF or RIF

But you can be given an IF or RIF which is where ‘gifting’ comes in.

That is why parents usually get referenced

If a UKARA holding adult wants to give a decent quality RIF to a 16 year old then be worried about their motivations 

 

[T800pug]

So for example if I asked my Dad as a Christmas present to get a UKARA then buy me a RIF that would be allowed?

 

[Samurai]

UKARA is proof that the holder is an airsofter. If the venue you go would give him a membership for turning up 3 times in not less than 2 months, and they are on the UKARA scheme, then your dad would get that proof and could buy a RIF that he could gift to you.

 

[T800pug]

UKARA is proof that the holder is an airsofter. If the venue you go would give him a membership for turning up 3 times in not less than 2 months, and they are on the UKARA scheme, then your dad would get that proof and could buy a RIF that he could gift to you.

Thank you, I'm going to try convince him to get one as a Christmas present for me. 

 

[Cannonfodder]

I've heard some say the age restriction part of the VCRA only applies to the sale of rifs, not the modifying an IF to a RIF part so the OP could change or paint the snot green parts. 

However, I wouldn't take this as gospel as you don't want to be the test case in the unlikely event you end up in court and something tells me "some guy on the internet said it's ok" wouldn't be a good defence 

 

[Shamal]

I've heard some say the age restriction part of the VCRA only applies to the sale of rifs, not the modifying an IF to a RIF part so the OP could change or paint the snot green parts. 

However, I wouldn't take this as gospel as you don't want to be the test case in the unlikely event you end up in court and something tells me "some guy on the internet said it's ok" wouldn't be a good defence 

Almost as iffy as ,'I bought it from a bloke in the pub' ?

 

[Rogerborg]

Could he turn up pay the fee then leave the game after 10 minutes and go home?

Entirely up to the site. UKARA (and equivalent schemes) are just centralised registers of site memberships.  It would be a crappy thing to do to any site that's running limited numbers of players, since he'll be taking a place away from an actual player, and not buying any consumables.

I mention this because there's a difference between legality and morality.

What I will note is that there's no age limit on the defence for modifying an IF into a RIF [edit - see below]. If you are an active airsoft player, you can adduce that defence, and there's no statutory requirement to have a UKARA number (because there's no definition of the defence in the statute, or even in the regulation that added our defence, it's in an accompanying circular, and suggestive).  In plain language: if you're an active airsoft skirmisher, you can paint your two tone, same as anybody else.

Or practically speaking, private sellers tend not to care as much about defences.  Legally speaking, if I were selling to your parent, and they could provide evidence that it would be gifted to and used by an active airsoft skirmisher (of any age) then I'd be fine with it.  That would apply even more if you could find someone at your local site(s) who's looking to sell.

high end rifles we want something that will last us a long time

Those things should go together, but airsoft doesn't work that way.  The cheapest CYMAs are cockroach tough, while VFCs can come pre-broken.  Unmeddled TMs might qualify.  Just don't expect startlingly better performance than your Lancer. 

I've heard some say the age restriction part of the VCRA only applies to the sale of rifs, not the modifying an IF to a RIF part so the OP could change or paint the snot green parts. 

However, I wouldn't take this as gospel as you don't want to be the test case in the unlikely event you end up in court and something tells me "some guy on the internet said it's ok" wouldn't be a good defence 

Fair point, but the VCRA isn't secret and S36 (offences) and S37 (defences) don't make any mention of age.  Age is an issue for Firearms Act 1968 S24A, which applies to the sale and the purchase of imitation firearms.

The inconsistency there is off the charts, given that there's no VCRA offence of purchasing a RIF (at any age).  Which gets to another piece of lawyer-bait, whether the same item can be an imitation firearm for the purposes of the Firearms Act, and a realistic imitation firearm for the purposes of VCRA.

I say yes, of course it can, while other people argue equally passionately that something can't be both a firearm (for FA) and a realistic imitation firearm (for VCRA), i.e. airgun replicas.

As you say, test cases, test cases, test cases.

But if OP is going to be sensible with his use, it won't be his test case.  And if he's not, then the VCRA will be the least of his worries as he'll be looking at Firearms Act offences first and foremost.

 

[Cannonfodder]

But if OP is going to be sensible with his use, it won't be his test case.  And if he's not, then the VCRA will be the least of his worries as he'll be looking at Firearms Act offences first and foremost.

Agreed. I get the feeling that any charges relating to RIFs and the VCRA would be on a list of other more serious crimes. 

I always feel a bit iffy giving out info on loopholes on kids getting rifs on a public forum. While the OP's intentions are honest, little Johnny chav who wants something to wave around in the park and impress his chavvy mates wont be

 

[Rogerborg]

little Johnny chav who wants something to wave around in the park and impress his chavvy mates wont be

Oh, it's always a risk, there was a 15 year old who straight up begged his way to being bought a bunch of RIFs by sweaty nonces strange men on Facebook, without having played a game. Naysayers were told to knock off them negative waves.  Of course, instead of skirmishing, he then went on spree of public photography, including posing on his rooftop. ?

OP is at least claiming to have played, and practically speaking, there's nothing stopping anyone hitting their dayglo with a rattlecan of best Poundland black.  Even asking the question is a decent sign.

 

[T800pug]

I apricate everyone! From the sounds of it my dad isn't interested in the slightest and dislikes the idea of having his name and id connected to anything about "guns" I think I may end up replacing the barrel or stock then too make it a rif

 

[T800pug]

I also reached out to someone about purchasing his glock (RIF) from a second hand website, I asked him if it was ok to purchase and gave him a description of my history and why I don't have a ukara in the first place and offered to send him photos. It was already sold by the point he responded but he said he would have been fine with that. Is this common or was it a very lucky chance?

 

[Tommikka]

My Dad is decently old being 53 not sure he wants to play. Could he turn up pay the fee then leave the game after 10 minutes and go home? Or does he have to be there for the full day?

Note that the VCRA requirement for airsoft is that RIFs are sold for the purposes of airsofting at an insured site.

The UKARA scheme sits on top of site memberships, and the 3 game requirement is to demonstrate the player actually wants to play

If your father was to turn up then leave then a site should not endorse those appearances as they make a mockery to the UKARA scheme and the sites membership of a scheme designed to protect their industry 

I also reached out to someone about purchasing his glock (RIF) from a second hand website, I asked him if it was ok to purchase and gave him a description of my history and why I don't have a ukara in the first place and offered to send him photos. It was already sold by the point he responded but he said he would have been fine with that. Is this common or was it a very lucky chance?

It’s down to each individual seller.

Some may stick to UKARA or another valid defence, some may not care at all and others may accept a buyers generalised history of playing airsoft 

 

[Rogerborg]

practically speaking, private sellers tend not to care as much about defences.

^^^

Although legally speaking, as you're under 18 it's an offence for you to buy it, and for him to sell it. There's no defence for that - you need the gifting-from-parent wheeze to get around it.

It's really not that hard to buy RIFs, especially 2nd hand: just don't volunteer information unless you're asked.  However, I'd sound a note of caution: a realistic gas-blowback pistol is a lot easier and more tempting to mis-use than a two-tone rifle.

Being completely honest with yourself, are you sure, are you absolutely certain, that you're not going to be tempted to take a pistol round to your mate's house to show it off, just once?  I'd check if your parents are OK with it first.

 

[T800pug]

^^^

Although legally speaking, as you're under 18 it's an offence for you to buy it, and for him to sell it. There's no defence for that - you need the gifting-from-parent wheeze to get around it.

It's really not that hard to buy RIFs, especially 2nd hand: just don't volunteer information unless you're asked.  However, I'd sound a note of caution: a realistic gas-blowback pistol is a lot easier and more tempting to mis-use than a two-tone rifle.

Being completely honest with yourself, are you sure, are you absolutely certain, that you're not going to be tempted to take a pistol round to your mate's house to show it off, just once?  I'd check if your parents are OK with it first.

I'm not like that and my parents have a deep hate for guns and it took alot of convincing them to let me start airsoft in the first place, if I ever did that and was caught by them not even the police I would be kicked out. Due to my dads place of work it would look TERRIBLE for me to get a charge for a situation like that. I also have to keep my airsoft guns and bow n' arrows in a locked case in the utility room removing the option for me to do that even if I wanted too. 

However my parents don't mind what I spend my money on along as it falls under the other rules as they see it as my money that I earned not there's so they "don't have control" over what financial decisions I make

 

[Cannonfodder]

However my parents don't mind what I spend my money on along as it falls under the other rules as they see it as my money that I earned not there's so they "don't have control" over what financial decisions I make

Do the "other rules" include not breaking the law? Because that's what you'll be doing buying an airsoft gun, regardless of whether it's a rif or if. 

It'd be wiser to keep the parents on your side as it'll show a level of maturity and mean they're more likely to be accommodating to your interest in airsoft

Edit: another alternative to cover the bright paint on a 2 tone is a roll of sniper tape. Relatively cheap (should be about a fiver), can be put on and removed on site and will keep everything above board

 

[T800pug]

Do the "other rules" include not breaking the law? Because that's what you'll be doing buying an airsoft gun, regardless of whether it's a rif or if. 

It'd be wiser to keep the parents on your side as it'll show a level of maturity and mean they're more likely to be accommodating to your interest in airsoft

Edit: another alternative to cover the bright paint on a 2 tone is a roll of sniper tape. Relatively cheap (should be about a fiver), can be put on and removed on site and will keep everything above board

Interesting idea with the sniper tape may be a good idea for a marksman's, also they dont mind me buying the airsoft gun its self I don't know why but that's how they are.