Why are airsoft RIFs under the UKARA act, but airguns not?

[Tamberlin]

Hi there,

First of all, apologies if I am wrong about this, but why're airsoft guns counted as RIFs, but air guns not? Some airguns look incredibly realistic and if a member of the public saw one, unless they were very knowledgeable about air guns, would instantly assume some of them to be real firearms. On that note, air guns themselves are deadly! Why do you need qualifications to own a realistic BB gun, but anyone over 18 can walk into a store and buy a lethal weapon which also look like a real firearm?

 

[Mack]

Because the VCRA 2006 was a rushed job with very little thought to it would be my best guess.

 

[AndyGif290368]

RIF = Realistic Imitation Firearm

Airgun = Real Firearm.

wikipedia's uk airgun and the law section

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_gun_laws#United_Kingdom

so dont soup up your airsoft gun to the point it's an airgun......

 

[BrightCandle]

What I don't understand is why RIF's aren't classed as airguns. Its clearly an airgun but around 1 Joule instead of the 8 Joules for an air pistol and 16 Joules for an air rifle. It meets all the definitions of an airgun but it isn't actually a firearm....for some reason. But look a lot of what makes our legal system work is actual case law and the application of it, so what is actually written isn't always that helpful.

To this day one of the first questions always asked in a case of a "shooting" is whether the weapon can be classed as a firearm, because people use nailguns and all sorts to attack each other. There are now efforts to change the law to define anything above 1 Joule as a firearm but historically they would have to assess and home made weapon for lethality and classify it.

I think its all a bit weird but maybe I am just missing some aspect of this I don't know about.

 

[Tamberlin]

RIF = Realistic Imitation Firearm

Airgun = Real Firearm.

wikipedia's uk airgun and the law section

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_gun_laws#United_Kingdom

so dont soup up your airsoft gun to the point it's an airgun......

Why're real firearms less restricted than realistic imitation firearms?

 

[jcheeseright]

because the VCRA is a very badly written bit of law.

 

[Tamberlin]

because the VCRA is a very badly written bit of law.

Yup. From what I can tell, it's crap. From there not being an exact definition of what 'manufacturing an RIF' is, to the confusing points that I've been told about UKARA not being a license/legal defense, it really is a silly bit of English law.

 

[Giliador]

you can own this without ukara http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/umarex-handk-mp5-k-pdw-177-bb

 

[jcheeseright]

you can OWN whatever the f*ck you want without UKARA, there's no law on ownership.

 

[Jedi_Master]

you can own this without ukara http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/umarex-handk-mp5-k-pdw-177-bb

Because it is an air rifle (BB gun) firing steel BBs and is not an airsoft gun, therefore, nothing to do with UKARA.

The Description for that gun reads:

"Due to current UK laws you have to be 18 years or older to purchase ANY firearm. Guns CANNOT be delivered to your home address and must be collected from one of our SGC stores or a 3rd party registered firearms dealer*. When collecting your gun please provide a valid form of identification and / or your firearms certificate."

 

[Giliador]

you can OWN whatever the f*ck you want without UKARA, there's no law on ownership

Own as in buy yet it's RIF

 

[AndyGif290368]

Owning and buying are not the same thing.

 

[Tamberlin]

you can OWN whatever the f*ck you want without UKARA, there's no law on ownership.

Oh, well, true!

 

[Giliador]

Because it is an air rifle (BB gun) firing steel BBs and is not an airsoft gun, therefore, nothing to do with UKARA.

The Description for that gun reads:

"Due to current UK laws you have to be 18 years or older to purchase ANY firearm. Guns CANNOT be delivered to your home address and must be collected from one of our SGC stores or a 3rd party registered firearms dealer*. When collecting your gun please provide a valid form of identification and / or your firearms certificate."

But in relation to VCRA 2006 it's not about airsoft but RIF, and gun linked in my post clearly look like RIF yet anyone can buy it over the age of 18.

 

[AndyGif290368]

But it's not a rif, air rifle is an actual firearm and comes under different laws.

You don't have to be ejecting brass to be a firearm.

Hell, if you fire frozen chickens out a drainpipe over a certain joulege it's a firearm.

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

Hell, if you fire frozen chickens out a drainpipe over a certain joulege it's a firearm.

Going to have to try that now.

 

[proffrink]

Well that's my weekend ruined.

 

[AndyGif290368]

Going to have to try that now.

the one US bird strike test states a 4lb bird at 400mph.

so that equates to a 1800g bb at 586 fps, giving you a power rating of 28712 joules.

it's rubbish for CQB and the reloading is a complete bugger......

 

[tinkle60]

OK someone answer me this precisely, all the better if you are well versed in law.

I know that there is work being done to clarify this in upcoming bills based on what some from the airsoft community and the FSS have done, but, what in current UK legislation precludes airsoft guns from being a firearm, specifically a 'low powered air weapon'. I ask this given that I can see an upper limit, but no lower limit to the definition.

 

[PT247]

It is they are not deemed lethal whereas an air rifle/pistol is. It might not be a perfect system but it is not complicated and is incredibly easy to qualify for UKARA.