The VCRA is a joke

[Floperator]

Unpopular opinion: Even though the VCRA has made life difficult for me and many other shooters in lots of ways, I did *get* it, particularly with regard to RIFs and IFS. I pretty much agree that guns should look like guns and things that aren't, shouldn't. I'm broadly in favour of kids not getting shot by AR units because they're playing with cap guns etc.

Which is why it PISSES ME OFF that of all industries affected, the toy industry alone does not seem to take the VCRA at all seriously, and there seem to be no consequences for them breaching it. I see toy guns all the time in dull colours, or a token small brightly coloured part. 

What ground my gears in particular this weekend was seeing this water pistol, which is basically a full size M4 replica.

View attachment 91773

Am I just being an old granny or is this taking the piss?

 

[frontsight]

I see it as a side effect of being a 1st world country; bureaucracy I guess?

I've lived in places where real firearms were more available than airsoft, and also places where laws regarding airsoft were even more ridiculous than the UK.

I agree I understand the logic behind it but I am curious though; has there been any high-profile case in the UK where a RIF was used in a crime? Or do people get mugged with replicas a lot? What happened in the mid 2000's in the UK that suddenly made airsoft so evil?

 

[Rogerborg]

has there been any high-profile case in the UK where a RIF was used in a crime?

Not high profile, no, it's buried in the firearms figures.  There have been a few cases of rascals with RIFs either deliberately trying to get themselves shot, or begging for it, but in most cases our Dakka Dibble show admirable restraint and just beanbag them in the balls.

It is fairly irksome that the only sellers who really seem to give a stuff about the VCRA are airsoft retailers.  I mean, if you wanted a realistic imitation of a real firearm with no wait, you could buy an air gun over the counter, or just pop down to your local market stalls.

 

[Albiscuit]

Regular players are fully aware it’s all a bit silly and easily circumvented. 
I have been playing for quite a few years now and have 15 odd guns and to my knowledge haven’t been asked once for a UKARA. 
In fact I have only had 1 ukara and that was more for the site membership rather than to be able to actually buy something

that m4 water gun did make me chuckle though

 

[Shamal]

Unpopular opinion: Even though the VCRA has made life difficult for me and many other shooters in lots of ways, I did *get* it, particularly with regard to RIFs and IFS. I pretty much agree that guns should look like guns and things that aren't, shouldn't. I'm broadly in favour of kids not getting shot by AR units because they're playing with cap guns etc.

Which is why it PISSES ME OFF that of all industries affected, the toy industry alone does not seem to take the VCRA at all seriously, and there seem to be no consequences for them breaching it. I see toy guns all the time in dull colours, or a token small brightly coloured part. 

What ground my gears in particular this weekend was seeing this water pistol, which is basically a full size M4 replica.

View attachment 91773

Am I just being an old granny or is this taking the piss?

Where did you see that?

Regards 

 

[Tommikka]

Unpopular opinion: Even though the VCRA has made life difficult for me and many other shooters in lots of ways, I did *get* it, particularly with regard to RIFs and IFS. I pretty much agree that guns should look like guns and things that aren't, shouldn't. I'm broadly in favour of kids not getting shot by AR units because they're playing with cap guns etc.

Which is why it PISSES ME OFF that of all industries affected, the toy industry alone does not seem to take the VCRA at all seriously, and there seem to be no consequences for them breaching it. I see toy guns all the time in dull colours, or a token small brightly coloured part. 

What ground my gears in particular this weekend was seeing this water pistol, which is basically a full size M4 replica.

View attachment 91773

Am I just being an old granny or is this taking the piss?

You aren’t being an old granny

The toy industry isn’t taking the piss, I would hazard a guess that this is some basic cheap shop pushing cheap and nasty imports, or a basic convenience shop with their cheap and nasty corner.

Trading Standards ought to be interested, as I dare say these water guns aren’t CE certified(or whatever we are supposed to be adopting now post Brexit), which for a water gun will be minor and might not be TS top priority, but it’s bound to have other non compliant cheap crap.

(Not to forget the unlimited fine a retailer could face for a non VCRA compliant RIF sale)

The orange tip makes it obvious that these are not made for the UK market.

 UK airsoft retailers aren’t always taking the VCRA seriously themselves - otherwise you wouldn’t have retailers pushing JustCos or trying to get buyers to claim they are reenactment military vehicle owners 

Some see it the VCRA as a nuisance that loses themselves sales against others who turn a blind eye rather than protection from the offence they could commit 

 

[Floperator]

Where did you see that?

Regards 

B&M, so not quite a pound shop.

Why, do you want me to pick you one up? ?

 

[Rogerborg]

Some see it the VCRA as a nuisance that loses themselves sales against others who turn a blind eye rather than protection from the offence they could commit 

I can see why they'd think that, given that there's clearly no interest from the State in clamping down on the rogues.  The problem with that is that eventually some muckraker with an audience will do a "think of the children!" hit piece on our assault-toys.

 

[Floperator]

has there been any high-profile case in the UK where a RIF was used in a crime? Or do people get mugged with replicas a lot? What happened in the mid 2000's in the UK that suddenly made airsoft so evil?

Not aware of any high profile cases in particular, but in the 2000s every two-bit market stall was selling them to any child or chav that could afford them, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a dull roar of increasing public order offenses and unnecessary ARU calls that prompted the legislation.

 

[SoupyXo]

Not aware of any high profile cases in particular, but in the 2000s every two-bit market stall was selling them to any child or chav that could afford them

ahh the memories of my £25 desert fox springer bb gun that i bought, myself, in Whitby, at one of the random weird shit stalls when i was 9 years old, and it looked pretty realistic, even said desert fox .50 cal down the side of it (could have fooled vinnie jones) .... stretched the spring for a bit more power, and then had my dad tell me to throw it away.... 

but now i cant buy an unpainted spring sniper from a retailer because i dont have a defence... im more likely to shoot myself with my RIF's than try rob a bank, or mug someone, and even the criminals are more likely to use a knife or a REAL gun in an armed robbery.... they're not hard to get hold of if you know the right coke dealer

 

[Khyber]

that i bought, myself, in Whitby

Can't go anywhere without hearing that word. I'm from Whitby. And 99% of people I meet have been here on holiday!! ?

 

[SoupyXo]

Can't go anywhere without hearing that word. I'm from Whitby. And 99% of people I meet have been here on holiday!! ?

hahaha i used to go there with my nan on the weekend for a day out, was never really a holiday thing, just a bus ride and a few quid spent at the seaside where dracula lived XD 

 

[Tommikka]

Not aware of any high profile cases in particular, but in the 2000s every two-bit market stall was selling them to any child or chav that could afford them, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a dull roar of increasing public order offenses and unnecessary ARU calls that prompted the legislation.

There were a number of cases of armed police called to children with BB guns.  One particular case involved one who’s reaction to the polices arrival was to pull out his toy pistol to show them.  The armed officer then had to live with the situation that only due to his moments hesitation to shoot a child prevented him from having to live with the situation of killing a child with a toy

There was also the similar case of the drunken Scotsman with a table leg being shot dead during the IRAs London bombing campaign 

He had been reported as having a suspicious Irish accent and sawn off shotgun wrapped in a carrier bag

When challenged by armed police he found it funny, raised his table leg and they didn’t hesitate 

 

[Rogerborg]

There were a number of cases of armed police called to children with BB guns.

What sort of numbers are we talking about?

There was also the similar case of the drunken Scotsman

Some redundancy there.

with a table leg being shot dead during the IRAs London bombing campaign 

But that's not a realistic imitation firearm.  It's not even an unrealistic imitation firearm.

Sounds more like a bunch of loganberries.