Can someone explain what REAL IMITATION FIREARM is? When talking about toys or replicas I would expect a term like IMITATION OF REAL FIREARM or IMITATION or just REPLICA. If something is an imitation then it can’t be real and the other way around. I’m really clueless on how this term was came up with. Also, what if an airsoft gun is a thing from a sci fi movie (plasma pistol or laser rifle), it’s not a firearm imitation anymore?
Rif
- Thread starter jsmithski
- Start date
The Violent Crime Reduction Act (VCRA) is the legislation that affects the look of airsoft guns.
An IF is an Imitation Firearm, which does not look ‘realistic’. This may be due to size (a miniature) or that it is clear or brightly coloured (the majority of the gun is one of the designated colours)
A SciFi gun that is fictional does not mean it is not realistic within the act
If an ordinary person thinks it looks real then unless it meets IF criteria then it is a RIF
See section 38:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/38/part/2/crossheading/imitation-firearms
Take note that many fictional SciFi guns are either modified prop guns (Eg Star Wars) or inspired around real guns with fancy additions or larger than normal proportions
And what many think is a unique Hollywood SciFi design is an obscure or forgotten real firearm
An IF is an Imitation Firearm, which does not look ‘realistic’. This may be due to size (a miniature) or that it is clear or brightly coloured (the majority of the gun is one of the designated colours)
A SciFi gun that is fictional does not mean it is not realistic within the act
If an ordinary person thinks it looks real then unless it meets IF criteria then it is a RIF
See section 38:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/38/part/2/crossheading/imitation-firearms
Take note that many fictional SciFi guns are either modified prop guns (Eg Star Wars) or inspired around real guns with fancy additions or larger than normal proportions
And what many think is a unique Hollywood SciFi design is an obscure or forgotten real firearm
Adolf Hamster
Supporters
- Feb 1, 2018
- 7,057
- 2,230
Its simple, if joe bloggs sees it from a distance and thinks "thats a gun" then its an rif.
For example the aps uar is a rif despite not being based on any real world platform because outside of us gun nerds it looks like a gun.
For example the aps uar is a rif despite not being based on any real world platform because outside of us gun nerds it looks like a gun.
Rogerborg
Supporters
- Aug 22, 2017
- 9,190
- 6,049
Strictly speaking, that's correct. It's not a realistic imitation of a "an actual make or model of any firearm other than one the appearance of which would tend to identify it as having a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870".
So an M41A Pulse Rifle wouldn't be a RIF, even if the man on the Clapham Omnibus might think that it is. However, I wouldn't fancy taking that on a bus and then arguing the toss with an armed response unit.
Whereas an imitation of an actual gun (which shoots actual caseless ammo) would be a RIF, even if it looks like someone knocked up a joke Kraut Space Magic gun out of cardboard.
If your followup is "That makes no sense", then you'll just get sad nods from us. It's not a great law.
For bonus giggles, you could argue that this can't be a RIF.
Because:
1) It has a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870, e.g. a Werder 1869.
and
2) It's a pretend space gun from the future.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Thread starter
- #8
it's actually worrying the number of cons i have been at in full Colonial Marine armour and multiple people over the age of 18 have asked if my Pulse Rifle and resin VP70 are real.Strictly speaking, that's correct. It's not a realistic imitation of a "an actual make or model of any firearm other than one the appearance of which would tend to identify it as having a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870".
So an M41A Pulse Rifle wouldn't be a RIF, even if the man on the Clapham Omnibus might think that it is. However, I wouldn't fancy taking that on a bus and then arguing the toss with an armed response unit.
Whereas an imitation of an actual gun (which shoots actual caseless ammo) would be a RIF, even if it looks like someone knocked up a joke Kraut Space Magic gun out of cardboard.
If your followup is "That makes no sense", then you'll just get sad nods from us. It's not a great law.
For bonus giggles, you could argue that this can't be a RIF.
Because:
1) It has a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870, e.g. a Werder 1869.
and
2) It's a pretend space gun from the future.
- Oct 7, 2017
- 6,095
- 5,426
There was a very early draft if the vcra that mentioned "identification" of a rif/firearm/if, & it was worded along the lines of "if a member of the public identifies it as a gun from a distance exceeding 6 feet, then it shall be deemed as such".Strictly speaking, that's correct. It's not a realistic imitation of a "an actual make or model of any firearm other than one the appearance of which would tend to identify it as having a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870".
So an M41A Pulse Rifle wouldn't be a RIF, even if the man on the Clapham Omnibus might think that it is. However, I wouldn't fancy taking that on a bus and then arguing the toss with an armed response unit.
Whereas an imitation of an actual gun (which shoots actual caseless ammo) would be a RIF, even if it looks like someone knocked up a joke Kraut Space Magic gun out of cardboard.
If your followup is "That makes no sense", then you'll just get sad nods from us. It's not a great law.
For bonus giggles, you could argue that this can't be a RIF.
Because:
1) It has a design and mechanism of a sort first dating from before the year 1870, e.g. a Werder 1869.
and
2) It's a pretend space gun from the future.
Not exactly the most accurate approach to weapon identification, an out of date mouldy black banana would fool the average Joe from more than a few metres ?
It effectively remains the same with changes to the text and became:
distinguished only—
(a)by an expert;
(b)on a close examination; or
(c)as a result of an attempt to load or to fire it.
Ever heard of being drunk in charge of a table leg with a scary accent?
- Oct 7, 2017
- 6,095
- 5,426
Harry the old Irish chippy, remember it well, used to live just up the road from where it happened
One of them cost a fraction of the cost of the other to produce, and if you were to legally get your hands on it is worth a pretty penny today
Shamal
AF-UK patch owner
- Aug 2, 2020
- 2,830
- 2,878
Ok so I know one is a glue gun but what the fuck is that thing with the orange trigger and orange barrel tip???
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