The VCRA's effect on the sport

[Finius]

I've been toying with this question for a while now, so I'd just like to see a "show of hands" and some opinions on the above.

To elaborate on the questions a bit:

The first one is meant to be a general overview of the economic effects of the VCRA, by which I mean; have retailers prospered, multiplied and generally done better. Are manufacturers producing more variety and again multiplying, are sites seeing as much attendance, running as many games, staying open, are new ones opening etc. Please answer with the selection which represents your overall opinion.

The second question I think speaks for itself.

The third is again very general.

Discussion of the topic is more than welcome

 

[Deva]

I personally voted the same throughout. The VCRA was never intended to affect the popularity of airsoft, just what with the guns involved they felt the need to sort it out. The requirement for two tone guns has opened a gap in the market for them to be sold (there definitely seems to be more websites selling) and people seem to be stumbling across them pretty easily especially with various sites referring to them more as BB guns than airsoft guns.

 

[M_P]

I think retailers have dine better but the game has stayed the same. They only bad thing is having to where sunglasses whilst playing.

 

[G-Force]

I don't think it's really affected the popularity or sales of airsoft. Just a shame we have to look at disgustingly painted two tone guns :lol: But better than loossing the entire hobby...

 

[Finius]

It's good to see that the majority of voters (albeit only 13 people including myself) think Airsoft is either in the same position or doing better than it was.

Devastator; I totally appreciate what you're saying, the VCRA was meant to address violent crime and that's why we have our defence and others have their exemptions, but I don't think you can doubt that many thought it would be the death of airsoft in the uk. It was initially perceived as an attack on the key component of airsoft that makes it different to things like laser tag and paintball; the guns and realism, and a lot of people (including myself) thought that two-tone would be the death of the sport.

I'm personally of the opinion that the sites have gotten better and I now feel safer using many of the less well known retailers; I can refer to UKARA to see who is on their list and thus trustworthy etc. Manufacturers, especially in China seem to be producing more of the same stuff they brought out pre-vcra, but the developments in airsoft tech are great - it's just a shame that we're seeing the same sorts of guns (armalites mainly, but I just have a grudge against 5.56).

I'm also seeing more and more University airsocs springing up and more people getting involved. In many ways, I think the VCRA, rather than killing the sport, has given us government sanctioned legitimacy; we're mentioned as being okay under legislation and that makes the sport seem less dubious (when I first heard of airsoft, I wasn't sure it was legal to go round shooting people with BB guns, even if they wanted it).

 

[Matt!]

Devastator; I totally appreciate what you're saying, the VCRA was meant to address violent crime and that's why we have our defence and others have their exemptions, but I don't think you can doubt that many thought it would be the death of airsoft in the uk. It was initially perceived as an attack on the key component of airsoft that makes it different to things like laser tag and paintball; the guns and realism, and a lot of people (including myself) thought that two-tone would be the death of the sport.

Click to shrink...

I remember people selling guns and gear off as they thought they would have to hand in airsoft guns to the police to be destroyed. (this was in the very early stages when fate was in government hands as to what was going to happen)

 

[Finius]

I remember people selling guns and gear off as they thought they would have to hand in airsoft guns to the police to be destroyed. (this was in the very early stages when fate was in government hands as to what was going to happen)

Click to shrink...

I was guilty of that too, I sold off my most beloved AEG ever to make sure I got at least some of my money back out of the sport before it got killed...Too bad it didn't get killed and the guy who has my AK won't sell it back to me (I even offered him three times what he bought it for).

 

[G-Force]

That must be one really good AK!