What do you make of this?

[Airsoft-Ed]

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/ar...rms-battle.html

Sucks to be an airsoft retailer if this sees the light. Seems a bit ridiculous to me.

The article was shown in The Mail On Sunday, so hopefully everyone with a brain will just brush it under the carpet. I like that an intelligent person has left the only comment as well. 

 

[l96Freeman]

Lol airsoft has so many restrictions, but i'm sure you can buy a paintball gun without a licence of any kind and you can get some realistic guns for paintball too whoever commented is awesome though

 

[tashidalek]

Yeah, i just bought (in theory) a realistic looking paintball maker, with out being asked for any kinda number, that to me isnt fair, just because they fire vegetable oil and food colouring, and we fire plastic bbs.

Just been speaking to a m8 whos a paintballer and his gun shoots at 450fps. their no limit on it.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Really? What about range restrictions for higher velocities? The joules of a paintball travelling at that speed will probably be worse than a bb at 700fps.

 

[lemon191]

Yeah, i just bought (in theory) a realistic looking paintball maker, with out being asked for any kinda number, that to me isnt fair, just because they fire vegetable oil and food colouring, and we fire plastic bbs.
Just been speaking to a m8 whos a paintballer and his gun shoots at 450fps. their no limit on it.

i know there are few ex/current paintballers on this site who can clear this up better but there is limits what the legal limits are im not sure but the site ones arent far off what airsoft ones are i believe

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I thought they were limited to 300, I remember talking to the guy I sold my old M4 to about it as he was a paintballer converted.

 

[joshcowin]

Im 90% certain its 330 fps for all paintball guns

Edit. Its 300 fps

 

[RR01]

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/ar...rms-battle.html
Sucks to be an airsoft retailer if this sees the light. Seems a bit ridiculous to me.

The article was shown in The Mail On Sunday, so hopefully everyone with a brain will just brush it under the carpet. I like that an intelligent person has left the only comment as well. 

This is about HMR&C trying to increase the amount of revenue they receive. It's nothing to do with the VCRA or the current government. The argument is that certain organisations are using airsoft RIFs for training purposes, therefore they cease to be classed as toys and fall under different rules, which means they are subject to different import duties and taxes. So whether it's in the MoS or any other newspaper, it's something to be concerned about.

If AA's appeal fails we'll ALL feel the pain in the form of higher prices. And if HMR&C decide to chase other UK retailers then you could see some of them go to the wall if they aren't able to pay the back taxes claimed.

 

[snuff]

Yeah, i just bought (in theory) a realistic looking paintball maker, with out being asked for any kinda number, that to me isnt fair, just because they fire vegetable oil and food colouring, and we fire plastic bbs.
Just been speaking to a m8 whos a paintballer and his gun shoots at 450fps. their no limit on it.

Rubbish 300fps and sometimes lower,no full-auto as such.

Paintball guns will fire at high fps but so will ours,both sports have regulated the fps.

 

[The Dauphin]

Quote from the article

"Airsoft guns are plastic with an internal metal barrel and they fire plastic pellets. However, a tax tribunal ruled that because the firearms were used in simulated combat it meant they could be taxed at the same rate as real guns. Those using them have to be over 18."

Does that mean that 2 tone RIF's are exempt? also what is the definition of a Firearm?

 

[MZKaleem]

Having bought a pistol from airsoft armoury the other day, i know that they are awesome and will probably do what they can to solve this problem but thats all i can say,

 

[Rock-climby-Dave]

Straight from Wikipedia:

A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile(s) at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant

WHERE IN GODS NAME IS THE FREAKING PROPELLANT WE ARE BRUNING!?

GAAAGGGHHHHH

It won't get past though, the government cannot define the same thing as two seperate entities for two seperate laws.

 

[moonmoose]

As a paintballer of nearly 9 years i can clear this up. The UK legal limit for any paintball gun is 300fps but most sites run a 280fps rule. my local one is one of these. In america its 280-300fps most states being 290fps max. at 270-280fps you get better efficiency and more control over the ball. any higher than 290+ the ball tends to do what it wants, most of the time braking in the barrel. and it tends to break the skin even through clothing.

Most "punter" guns i.e. the guns you get given for a birthday and stag do etc.. are around 250fps as this saves them refilling the tanks so often. and less accurate so you buy more paint.

I do understand about the realism tho. I have questioned this and not really got a straight answer. some of the guns look just as real from the side and yet if your over 16 you can own one, 18 to buy one, and no licence needed.

Oh and full auto is illegal. however we do have a thing called "Ramping" for electronic markers. you can set it to 5 balls a second or 30bps and with a certain amount of trigger pulls, say 5 trigger pulls a second (very easy when "walking the trigger") the electronics take over and will fire 17bps and you only have to pull the trigger 5 times tho your shooting 17. but the moment you stop pulling the trigger in the required time frame it stops. therefor not deemed "full auto".

few pics of current RIF if you call them that. the hopper kinda ruins it when it comes to being used but hey ho.

 

[snuff]

As a paintballer of nearly 9 years i can clear this up. The UK legal limit for any paintball gun is 300fps

To stay within the law a paintball marker must not be fired above 330fps when using an average weight paintball, this equates to 12 ft/lbs. All tournament markers are restricted to a maximum velocity of 300fps, which equates to 9.9ft/lbs and site markers should be used at between 250-280fps to be safe for customers. This equates to 7ft/lbs-8.7ft/lbs.

You can fire paintballs at much higher FPS' without them breaking,it depends on the quality of your equipment,and yes I have been paintballing(ex) a tad longer than you at all levels.

The tournament restriction was introduced by the likes of the UKPSF.

Anyway we are moving away from the original issue.