@Anonymoose
@Mtemprell
@novioman
Don’t be too confident that an Airsoft gun is not a RIF
In principle it cannot be a RIF or IF as an air gun under firearms legislation is an airweapon, and a ‘low power air weapon’ does not require a licence (in Scotland it is different), but does have controls on face to face sale etc
As a firearn it therefore cannot be an imitation - ergo the VCRA does not apply …… if anyone feels like it they can look through the many discussions between
@Rogerborg and myself with his opinion that an airgun designed to look like a ‘real’ gun is an imitation and me that those that don’t look like a ‘real’ gun are still firearms —— until you get to the post where he highlights a case in court where it is decided that in the circumstances of that case the offending air guns (legitimate low power air weapons) were also imitations, and therefore were RIFs under the VCRA
Legislation is always subject to interpretation in court, and in that case they were RIFs. A case could occur where the defence has to argue that the facts differ from the previous case
(I’m not spending my time looking through the search, and in the second thread that it is mentioned includes me reminding Rogerborg that his opinion is ‘right’)
In a paintball context there has been the common argument that paintball guns cannot be RIFs because they are “low powered air weapons” thus firearms clear of the VCRA and that provided used properly with frangible paintballs are all fine under firearms legislation …… except for the Police Chief Constables fact finding study that advised a well known UK paintball retailer that their products “probably are RIFs and we recommend you make up a UKARA style scheme in case we come back” (they didn’t come back so it became forgotten about)
Then in recent years, grey import ‘less than lethal’ pistols kept being seized at customs. The Home Office, police, border force etc have had further discussion with the UKPSF, and the opinion is that the VCRA does apply with the frangible clause no longer a get out of jail card. Correct Home Office advice is to promote UKPSF player membership as an ‘almost UKARA’ and an understanding that the justice system won’t be taking ‘paintballers’ to court where someone would have to convince a judge/jury/magistrate that the words “Airsoft skirmishing” in the statutory instrument include a silent paintball
Baddies with paintball style equipment don’t get that privilege, but to date have only been prosecuted under firearms legislation etc
