Thanks for that, I just wanted to make sure I wasnt breaking the law , especially now that umarex make a steel bb firer that I can own without any ifs or buts. On a personal note the uk gun laws seem like a minefield, I recently read that people who have served a jail term over xxxx amount cannot by law buy an air gun/rifle, as a an air rifle owner I know that all is required is id, like a driving licence for the purchase, so who would know?, I dont have any criminal convictions so why can I not have replica firearms as a collector, why no collectors licence? I can legally own deacs but the difference in price is sometimes prohibitive. I realise that im prob on the wrong forum for my rant....airsoft is a sport....sticking guns in a cabinet is not, In saying that I feel that law abiding citizens with no criminal record in the uk should or could be licensed to own any air gun, bb, metal or plastic firer, replica and deac, it would make things simpler to understand. Real firearms are another matter, but licensing the 'look a likes' maybe a way fwd, you only have to look at some of the some of the latest 'tactical air rifles' for sale for an example, anyway just my opinion.
Real firearms are legal within the terms of the firearms acts, with the right licencing / certificate and storage etc
Deactivated firearms to the correct standards are fully legal, and they are unaffected by the VCRA as they are real and not imitations
Air rifles are again fully legal and are allowed to look like ‘real firearms’ as they are real firearms as far as the firearms acts are concerned. Again unaffected by the VCRA because they are not imitations.
No licence for much of the UK - as long as it is in the right categories but the requirement for a firearms certificate has recently come in for Scotland
As a collector for display you are unaffected by the VCRA if you have real deactivated firearms
You could also be unaffected for the appropriate historic firearms subject to the right fine print (eg there may be no restriction, or legal to possess what you have, but need to do something to pass it on)
Hence no collectors licence
The VCRA does affect you with an air soft RIF.
Other than the power rating, the VCRA applies at the point of sale so it was irrelevant that you already posses it.
The VCRA does not have a RIF defence for collectors displays, partly because no one thought RIFs would be collectible - more likely deactivated firearms, and partly because no one felt that they would get involved with the legislative process for RIF collectors
Again - hence no collectors licence. If you want one then get together and write to your MP to propose an amendment
The airsoft retailers did get involved, which enabled the skirmishers defence and formed the UKARA process
Paintballs body the UKPSF chose not to get a paintball defence, and at that time it was a one man band of Steve Bull. He could not justify a paintball RIF.
True MilSim paintball was a very tiny community using normal paintball guns, and a couple of them making excellent customs. They opted for being a small quiet community
There were only about one or two true magfed guns by RAP4 and were intended for firearms training. A tiny number were in the UK. They formed RAP4UK and kept under the radar
With the increase of magfed paintball retailers went to the UKPSF and it was raised and approved by the Home Office - with a couple of suggestions indicating that it is felt that paintball RIFs are legal. But a court could decide on one of two things:
1) There is no such thing as a paintball RIF as they are low power air weapons with frangible projectiles, so only the Firearms acts apply
2) If a court decides the VCRA applies then UKPSF player membership and playing at insured sites could be accepted as the skirmisher defence
Convicted criminals - they have lost some of their rights, and are explicitly prohibited from a number of things
the seller of an air rifle does not know the buyer is prohibited. In this case the offence would be committed by the buyer
A career robber could keep their fake guns for robbery’s in a nice glass case on full view and the police could do nothing without catching them at it.
A retired criminal could store them in full
view for their friends
Just a couple of reasons, which can be irrelevant and ridiculous, but form some of the basis for their exclusion
PS - airsoft isn’t a sport - it’s an activity
and to be fair, paintball is also not a sport but an activity. Competitive Tournament paintball is /can be a sport but is an unrecognised sport as it doesn’t meet the formal sports definition criteria in the UK or elsewhere the world
Football is a sport, but kicking a ball around the garden is an activity
