Is it Illegal to convert Antique Caliber Rifles to airsoft?

[Jarry]

So I know ya illegal to convert a deactivated weapon into an airsoft rifle however is the law still the same for weapons that are of antique caliber?

 

[poachedeggz]

A person is guilty of an offence if—



(a)he manufactures a realistic imitation firearm;

Taken from the VCRA act legislation. I personally wouldn't do it, there's plenty of ways to get IFs safely within the law, including period guns.

 

[AshOnSnow]

You're in really sketchy unmarked territory here with contradicting laws and tight regulations where you're skipping across between clauses of a not-very-well-put-together act.

This might be best asked to a solicitor specialising in UK Firearms Law - there are lots of them around. Even the first one on a google search lists on their firearms law areas of expertise as

• Possession of imitation firearms
  
• Illegal conversion of weapons
  
• Possession of antique and de-activated weapons
  

 

[Gepard]

This might be best asked to a solicitor specialising in UK Firearms Law 

This is a completely unknown area for me and I'd hate to give false information so correct me if I'm wrong but from my perspective even if a solicitor says it's fine your average police officer may not see it that way. If it is a grey area it could vary from person to person on their reaction. 

Is it worth the potential hassle?

 

[Seany.exe]

Short answer, no

Long answer. Of course not ffs you've just been told already.

 

[AshOnSnow]

This is a completely unknown area for me and I'd hate to give false information so correct me if I'm wrong but from my perspective even if a solicitor says it's fine your average police officer may not see it that way. If it is a grey area it could vary from person to person on their reaction. 

Is it worth the potential hassle?

It wasn’t so much about solicitor saying “oh it’s fine”, but more discussing the legal alternatives when they likely say no.

 

[Tackle]

Why bother, There are ample manufacturers of rifs, including the period gats, what your proposing is 99% illegal, & will likely just end up with you wrecking the donor gun.

if your mechanically & technically minded, why not do what players had to do back in the day, manufacture something from scratch, using raw materials & scavenging internals from dead aeg's.

makes for great project threads for everyone to follow & maybe advise if you get stuck.

Proper "old skool"

 

[Seany.exe]

if your mechanically & technically minded, why not do what players had to do back in the day, manufacture something from scratch, using raw materials & scavenging internals from dead aeg's.

makes for great project threads for everyone to follow & maybe advise if you get stuck.

Proper "old skool"

Something like this?

 

[Tackle]

Lol, not really

When I started playing (early 2001), there weren't many aeg manufacturers, & even less choice in the aegs themselves, so if you wanted something not in production, you made it yourself.

not many people undertook such projects, but there were a few that were awesome, stuff like a wa200, Lewis gun, 50cal Brownings, all built from scratch, usually with step by step posts on forums such as ukan, made for very interesting reading, & a nice change from "what am bestest gun" threads

 

[Rogerborg]

So I know ya illegal to convert a deactivated weapon into an airsoft rifle

Is it?  What's the offence?

however is the law still the same for weapons that are of antique caliber?

As above, too many laws for the copper or CPS/Fiscal to know, let alone us.

I'd make the usual point that the airsoft defence that applies to turning a RIF into an IF, or being in possession of a RIF or IF in public, quite possibly also applies to turning the shell of a deactivated real gun into an imitation / non-lethal barrelled firearm. Or at least to the extent that no prosecutor is going to touch it unless the use of the IF has already attracted attention and they don't have anything better to pin on you.

Personally I'd love to see an AEG musket on the field.