Airsoft in backgarden

[CJames]

IIRC (and I may not), that technically only applies to airguns.  Which is darn silly, but our projectile laws are a complete mess.

Your first hurdle is getting your parents onboard.  After that, I'd let them handle talking to the neighbours.  Best of luck.

Yeah my parents understand. You are correct about our laws they are seriously messed up. Anyway thanks for the help appreciate it.

 

[Loki7491]

Legally airsoft guns are classified as low powered airguns under the firearms act.

They are deemed so low powered that the conditions of the VCRA are sufficient. So yes, you could still potentially  be prosecuted for armed trespass

 

[CJames]

Legally airsoft guns are classified as low powered airguns under the firearms act.

They are deemed so low powered that the conditions of the VCRA are sufficient. So yes, you could still potentially  be prosecuted for armed trespass

Ok, Thanks for the info.

 

[Rogerborg]

Legally airsoft guns are classified as low powered airguns under the firearms act.

Which act, which section?

 

[xaphor]

The way I used to do this was (sit/stand inside the house aiming at the target. So then nobody really see's anything.

 

[CJames]

The way I used to do this was (sit/stand inside the house aiming at the target. So then nobody really see's anything.

ahh. Okay Thank you for the advice.

 

[Loki7491]

Which act, which section?

you are correct, It wasn't is the Firearms act... I was mistaken.

It is in the Guidance On Firearms Licencing

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518193/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_April_2016_v20.pdf

 

[Druid799]

Thanks, sorry for my grammar.

Why ? What’s she done ? 

 

[grim reaper]

iv got the Milbro M16 pellet and the MP5k airsoft and both look very very real and know full well that if anyone reports me with the MP5 and the police get me theres every chance im getting shot. its crazy how its leagal as its the exact replica hahaha

 

[Tommikka]

iv got the Milbro M16 pellet and the MP5k airsoft and both look very very real and know full well that if anyone reports me with the MP5 and the police get me theres every chance im getting shot. its crazy how its leagal as its the exact replica hahaha

Both are legal, neither are replicas

The Milbro is a firearm in its own right - it’s a low power air weapon, though it does also look like a ‘proper’ firearm

Your airsoft MP5 is also legal.  But for its sale there are legal implications of valid VCRA defences for the ‘need’ to have a realistic one (RIF) as opposed to an IF

It may or may not be legal to fire either of them within the boundaries of your garden, depending on specific surroundings (eg how close you are to a public highway, and whether anything escapes your boundary

There is not ‘every chancel’ of you getting shot based on their looks.  It would depend on whether or not you put yourself in a situation of being observed with them in an inappropriate manner to end up with the police involved, and how you act at the time  

 

[Rogerborg]

neither are replicas

The Milbro is a firearm in its own right

Is this the time when we find case law which says that the same object can't be both?

Because I remain utterly baffled by the belief that the State won't apply both laws, as it suits.

 

[Tommikka]

Is this the time when we find case law which says that the same object can't be both?

Because I remain utterly baffled by the belief that the State won't apply both laws, as it suits.

We shall continue to agree to disagree until there is case law

I do however have the Home Office statement on Magfed paintball guns - that by being a low power air weapon renders them a firearm and excludes from being an Imitation or Realistic Imitation - they of course qualify that as their interpretation at that time until subject to being tested in court.

This does contradict the Association of Chief Constables earlier fact finding visit to a magfed paintball retailer some years before where their interpretation was that everything in stock could be a RIF (including the non magfed classic A5s etc)

I’ll say that Home Office guidance being newer and higher up the food chain trumps the Chief Constables, but all of them acknowledge that a court would carry the clout - and it’s clear that interpretation can be from the point of view of the individual concerned along with their fine comb crawling of the legislation 

I’m very happy to continue to disagree without a case proving either way

 https://m.facebook.com/UKPSF/posts/532643633518379

https://p8ntballer-forums.com/threads/paintball-and-the-law.171875/post-1560782

 

[Rogerborg]

It's going to be a sad day when we finally do get precedent-setting case law on this, the mystery is half the fun.  

 

[EDcase]

It will of course depend on the circumstances of the case so any ruling will not be definitive.

 

[Rogerborg]

It will of course depend on the circumstances of the case so any ruling will not be definitive.

The issue of whether the same object can be both a firearm (e.g. airgun or over-powered airsoft gun) and a realistic firearm should be unambiguous enough.  It won't be precedent setting at a Magistrates' court, only at Crown, but even Magistrates' verdicts can be persuasive.

Nobody ever did take a punt at guessing which of these (if any) is a real firearm; which (if any) is an airgun firearm clearly designed to be a realistic imitation of that real firearm which can be legally bought over the counter with ID (or at a car boot with none) and no further questions asked; and which (if any) is a realistic imitation firearm which it is an offence to sell even though it's not a firearm and much less lethal than the other two.

One really cute quirk is that the RIF (if any) could be claimed to be an imitation of either the real firearm that the airgun is imitating, or of the airgun, with the exact same offence being committed by sale, even though the legality of the two visually identical things that it could be imitating are completely different.

View attachment 78995

 

[Groot]

Set your range up at the end of the garden and shoot from the kitchen.

 

[MadMole]

I informed the neighbours on both sides long ago what my hobby was, the response in both cases resulted in them coming over and having a go with their kids. When the kids are older I will take them for a skirmish

I tend to shoot from inside the back room, out the patio doors, it adds 5metres to the range, and keeps the sound outside down and also means I'm not in view from further away neighbours or long range camera on police helicopters etc

S

 

[AirSniper]

It is not illegal to go back yard plinking.

You do however, need to go around all your neighbours and explain what it is that they may hear or see and that its a piece of sports equipment that looks like a rifle.

ALWAYS shoot towards YOUR PROPERTY so that any damage is yours to fix at your leisure.

Your BB's must not have a path to or enter in to the public spaces outside your backyard space as it becomes a big legal issue if you were to hit someone or something and it got damaged ands you were seen,etc, then things get a bit legal.

I wouldn't refer to it as target practice either, that implies something else, plinking is the proper term to use and I'd buy a few plinking toys to target practice with and a few catch boxes to catch your BB's in or you can make one easily, just pack it with old paper and bubble wrap and it be atleast 6 inches thick and the BB's won't go through the box, I use both a cardboard box and a couple of catch boxes for indoor practice.

If you go indoors, wear eye pros because BB's can come back at you with some force.

I'd also arm yourself with a copy of the relevant legislation as you never know, there may be that one or two neighbours that will disagree with you on the law and because they are closed minded and see everything as violence, will report you each time you are out, let them, that can be deemed as harassment to you for going about a hobby you are legally allowed to do on your own property in your back garden (the assumption that its all closed in) but note, if your garden is not enclosed by high fences, you won't be able to do any plinking until you put in higher fencing.