UKARA

[G-Force]

After the goverment had a freak about Airsoft UKARA was set up to save our hobby and i think it dose help keep Airsoft legal. However some of the rules are really dumb. My mate is 17 and is in the army and next year he is going to Afghanistan. But... he can't buy a RIF because hes under 18. WHAT THE HELL HES A SOLDEIR AND HE CAN'T BUY AN AIRSOFT GUN!!!

 

I'm lucky because my dad has UKARA so I can get RIF's (their technically not mine of course) but obviously my freinds who are 13 like me can't get them because they are under age despite some of them t have been playing for two years. This isn't quite as bad as this law dose stop the stupid kids in this world running around the street with RIFs. But it is annoying for younger players who take Airsoft seriously.

 

Anyway I heard there is another thing thats simmilar to UKARA but I don't know much about it. I thik if you sign up to this you can get a RIF instead of UKARA (but the over 18 rules still apply because thats the acctual law). If anyone knows about thiis please tell me.

[Hubert]

Not trying to devolve this into a political discussion, technically it was the previous 13 year long government that created the 'wonderful' system we currently have, and the previous government alone (Why yes, I have read through the entire Act of Parliament, from private members bill in 2005 which started this off, to the inspetion, to the 2009 updates, aswell as 5 legal journals dealing with firearms, replicas and weapons. Fun). (Although, if you're a Scott, the situtation was created by their minorty SNP/Labour gov of 2005+)

 

Anyway

I've heard of several groups forming up with a similar idea, but AFAIK, nothing has come of it yet.

 

There are/were two groups under the name assoc.Brit.Airsofters (or similar) but I don't think they've managed anything.

UKAPA has recently formed, although I haven't read much about them.

 

Of the few potential schemes I've read, all of them work exactly the same as UKARA, give or take a few very minor things. One was you sign up to the group, go to a skirmish site, have 1 game, and BAM! you can buy.

[abbadon101]

After the goverment had a freak about Airsoft UKARA was set up to save our hobby and i think it dose help keep Airsoft legal. However some of the rules are really dumb. My mate is 17 and is in the army and next year he is going to Afghanistan. But... he can't buy a RIF because hes under 18. WHAT THE HELL HES A SOLDEIR AND HE CAN'T BUY AN AIRSOFT GUN!!!

 

He won't be going on tour until he is 18 so your point there is null and void. It is the law get over it, so what you can' buy a RIF, you can't buy alcohol or cigarettes either, and even without the UKARA you still wouldn't be able to buy a RIF until you were 18.

 

I am fed up with kids moaning about how they have to use a bright green gun, especially as so many of them try to find a loop hole in the law to allow them to get a RIF. The law is the law, we are lucky to still be allowed to have RIF's so just stop bitching about it.

[Deva]

Unfortunately that's the law and that's how it is at the moment, I can understand your frustrations and I think more should be done. I think that a defence should exist where by under 18's can do something like a 3 in 2, (possibly a bit more than that), to show their commitment and that would then entitle them to legally buy 2 tones. Once they reach 18 if they are still playing then it could turn into a full defence allowing the purchase of RIF's. That at least means you own the 2 tone instead of one being gifted to you, which imo is a very grey area as to whether it should be allowed.

 

When you go off to play you can always do your best to cover up the bright colours as long as it's removed when you leave, everyone is going to understand that you want to try and blend in a bit better.

[JerseyRider]

TBH i dont think the under 18 law is EVER going to change. Saying that it MIGHT get lowerd if there isnt anymore RiF related crimes. But i dought thay will get rid of it complately

 

Its like the law agenist underage drinking it would be like a 14 year old proving he can drink sensibly at home and then beeing able to buy as much booze as he wants to when he wants to. You can see the temptation involed carnt you?

 

I think the age is about right as then your classed as a adult by then and trusted. I am 16 and yer i might be trusted but i know that 90% of my m8s would use airsoft guns to shoot each other and just in genraly cause mayham if they could buy them

 

Now i also think that some 18 year olds would also do this but get a bit put of by the bright colours

 

So in short i think the system works i mean yer it sucks if your going to use these things in a way they are desinged for but it also stops the poeple who have no intention in playing the sport getting it banned for us all just because they want to shoot the weird little old lady next door :S

 

Thanks

 

Jack

[Rock-climby-Dave]

The law is 18 to buy them. that won't change.

under 18's can't buy them as we are all hoody-wearing louts who smoke and do crack off the dead bodies of the people we stabbed because they wouldn't give us their phone.

 

Yes, the law sucks, but if it wasn't there, there would be hundreds of people running around shooting at people who haven't git eye prtoection. it would just be a matter of days before someone got seriously injured. This would lead to EVERYONE, inlcuding the airsofters who use the guns for their intended purpose being whined at to stop and give their guns over to the police in an amnesty.

[Matt!]

the minority always ruin the majority.

[G-Force]

I don't have two tones I have RIF's because my dad has UKARA so I havn't got that problem, however maybe there could be a system where under 18's can get RIF's but they cn't take it home and have 2 keep at the site they play at and the site looks after them (it would never happen but it could work). Then when they are over 18 and prove they are acctual players they can take it home.

 

Also I know the laws I read about them them. I know that you you have to be 18 to get them and I know the laws won't change ect... Also abbadon101 my mate is 17 now but hes going to Afghanistan next year when he is 18 not when he is 17. He is in the Anglian regiment.

[hazbo]

i am just going to say, the law is there to protect the people of britain. yes it sucks ... i am under 18 suck it up just use a 2 tone and when you skirmish cover it in camo taper no harm done to the gun. and when im 18 i will be sighing up for a ukara lisence. but until then ill just have to suck it up and have fun.. and good luck to your friend in afghanistan

[Hubert]

Alex, I remember another group forming and saying it would set up a junior members thing.

However, I haven't heard or seen anything from this group for quite some time now, so I doubt it will change.

 

But there is a problem with that.

They simply aren't allowed. Because - its the law that U-18s can't get 'em (except through UKARA'parents.) IT would take another AoP to change it, and as soon as anyone even considered mentioning it, all the MAG groups would be up in arms. Put simply, it would be a couragious politician or party who tried to change it.

 

Chances of changing the age?

Notta. Zip. Zilcho.

 

As for moaning about 2 tones? I didn't mind. Hell, in some cases (red) it didn't look too bad. And all this speil about "but you'll get seen in woodland" - is complete round objects. Stop moaning, atleast you've actually been given the option of owning an airsoft gun.

In all the time I have seen two-tones used in the past, I have yet to see it cause the 'death' of the user.

[Rock-climby-Dave]

would liek to say it actually SAVED my bacon on several ocasions on sunday.

 

our team was 'non-stripes' and they were 'stripes'. They had a green band on their upper arm.

 

so when I shouldered my TT M4 it looked like I had a green badn on my arm. A marshall actually came over to say stop friendly firing but only realised once he was right up with me and the rest of our squad.

[G-Force]

I heard at one time the goverment were going to make as use only two tones wheather its true or not I don'y know but I think it wiould kill the hobby/sport. In fact we are lucky we are still able to play airsoft because the origanal judge was really against airsoft but then they changed the judge which bassically saved airsoft.

 

In some countries like Greece under 18's can't play at all however you can buy a RIF without a licance. Don't get me wrong I'm not against UKARA or anything and two tones are'nt really my problem because of my dad, but my freinds are stuck with two tones which is a shame because they plaay properly and go to skirmish sites. Its good that under 18's can't get RIF's in some ways because they could cause loads of trouble. Two chief constables in my area want to ban airsoft alltogether because one idiot ran round St Albans with an airsoft gun shooting people or something. Its annoying how one person can ruin it for everyone else who acctualy use airsoft guuns sensibly. Its because of idiots like these that airsoft could get banned and there are so many restrictions.

[Hubert]

Your sort of half right, in that it wasn't exactly a judge. But, we pretty much have the big 5 retailers of the uK to thank for saving the sport (AW, AH, Wolf Arm, and...2 I can't remember ) Before the Band of Brothers, the founders of UKARA got together, the Gov wanted to get a full ban. If that failed, they wanted everyone to go two-tone.

 

The alternative is like Portugal - where two large, bold stripes are painted on the gun. Roughly. Nuclear yellow, glow in the dark. The barrel must be yellow too.

 

And well...idiots ruin everything. For example - someone used tipex on a fairly important document that I work with. The admins nearly had a fit at this. Instead of simply saying "don't do it again, especially on these papers", they banned tipex completely in the company.

[Callum Lol]

I can understand the need to distingish a airsoft gun from a real gun without firing the gun, but this shouldn't mean colouring in more then half the gun!

We could at least follow the yanks example and have an orange tip.

Some may argue about that being painted over, however you could paint over the two-tone aswell, it would just require more effort.

And even if this law has to stay the same, maufactors of two-tones and painters of two-tones could at least change from the annoying/ugly lime green painted guns you see everywhere?

The VCRA law allows quite a few more colours then bright green, i would like to see some purple or red guns around.

 

I can understand the need to distingish a airsoft gun from a real gun without firing the gun, but this shouldn't mean colouring in more then half the gun!

We could at least follow the yanks example and have an orange tip.

Some may argue about that being painted over, however you could paint over the two-tone aswell, it would just require more effort.

And even if this law has to stay the same, maufactors of two-tones and painters of two-tones could at least change from the annoying/ugly lime green painted guns you see everywhere?

The VCRA law allows quite a few more colours then bright green, i would like to see some purple or red guns around.

 

And another point, if it is illegal to carry a two-tone airsoft gun around in public anyway, what's the need for the two-toning in the first place?

If no member of the public can see the gun, then there is no need for the distinction.

 

I also don't understand why just not lower the age for two-tones and ukara?

I mean if you lower the age for ukara gives younger players an opportunity to have RIF's, but still using the guns for thier purpose.

[JerseyRider]

Its just in case somone DOSE decide to do just that it stop the police turning up and shooting them

 

The police will still turn up but they will know that there in no life threting situation and will just ran at the guy or something

[Callum Lol]

Its just in case somone DOSE decide to do just that it stop the police turning up and shooting them

 

The police will still turn up but they will know that there in no life threting situation and will just ran at the guy or something

 

That'd teach em' not to break the law

Haha.

[Rock-climby-Dave]

My problem with the yanks going and having orange tips is that we are NOT the same country.

they have the right to bear arms, so almost anyone can get hold of real weaponry fairly easily, so it isn't such an issue as many peoplpe have guns.

this means airsoft doesn't have to be controlled as strictly as it is somewhat less dangerous than what many people have in their homes anyway.

 

over here, there are next to no firearms and as such, people become intimidated by seeing them, so we have to be more careful about weapon-shaped objects.

 

also, the fact than an orange gun barrel sticking out of the bush you are hiding in does not help your sneakyness-factor.

[abbadon101]

I really don't see how this is in any way anything apart form a rant about "I want to buy a gun but can't". The Law is the Law, we are lucky that we all don't have to run around with snot green guns.

 

Other countries have different laws, but then they have different laws about, drinking, smoking, driving, the age of consent, well everything. The law is never going to get any easier to get a RIF, if anything it will get harder. So stop moaning about it and move on.

[G-Force]

I really don't see how this is in any way anything apart form a rant about "I want to buy a gun but can't". The Law is the Law, we are lucky that we all don't have to run around with snot green guns.

 

Other countries have different laws, but then they have different laws about, drinking, smoking, driving, the age of consent, well everything. The law is never going to get any easier to get a RIF, if anything it will get harder. So stop moaning about it and move on.

 

This is not a rant about "I want to buy a gun but can't" because I DON'T HAVE TWO TONES because my dad has UKARA (sorry I know I've said this 100 times before ) of course my dad owns the guns but i use them. I'm just saying the laws can be quite annoying at times for decent players. One of the best things about airsoft is the realism and its a shame about two tones as it dose detract from the realism slightly. Xsite have the right idea by making two toners cover them up with camo tape and the two tones look bettrer so the owners don't mind. Then they take it off when they leave the site.

 

As for stopping airsoft crime I can understand the safety aspects (shooting people in the eyes on the street) but you would have to be really dumb to raid a bank or something with an airsoft gun because the police would turn up and kill you with real guns!!

[JerseyRider]

I am ashamed to say that i know some one in Jersey (no VCRA law so you can buy rifs without a licence) robbed a newsagents with a Airsoft Glock 18c so dont be sure that poeple dont do it!

 

And Jersey has ment to have half the crime rate of most of the UK!!

[G-Force]

I am ashamed to say that i know some one in Jersey (no VCRA law so you can buy rifs without a licence) robbed a newsagents with a Airsoft Glock 18c so dont be sure that poeple dont do it!

 

And Jersey has ment to have half the crime rate of most of the UK!!

 

this is why some people want to ban airsoft

[abbadon101]

this is why some people want to ban airsoft

 

With very good reason. I am sorry but what, other than a rant about the law, is this thread about? It is a pointless rant for some one who even if it was before the VCRA wouldn't be able to buy a RIF because it was 18 back then too.

[JerseyRider]

I see it as more of a disscustion about the law and maybe also clearing stuff up

 

But i was always a optomist

[G-Force]

With very good reason. I am sorry but what, other than a rant about the law, is this thread about? It is a pointless rant for some one who even if it was before the VCRA wouldn't be able to buy a RIF because it was 18 back then too.

 

Its a disscussion about the law I just wanted to see what people think. And anyway why would I rant my Dad has UKARA? Of course by law they're not mine but I don't care as long as I get to use them (Ive said this 100001 times now ).

[abbadon101]

I don't really care if your dad has UKARA or not really I fail to see what you are trying to do other than say "the government don't know what they are doing and have stupid laws".

 

Yes your friend who is in the army can't buy a RIF even though he has permission from the government to bear arms for the protection of the country, but then neither can my uncle who has 6 privately owned firearms, or my friend who is a training officer with Hampshire constabulary Armed Units, they are all responsible people who have been trusted by the government to use or own a real forearm but that means sweet Fanny Adams when it come to the law surrounding RIF's and their ownership.

 

The law is probably never going to change and I am not fussed about that, so what if kids can't play as much arisoft, they aren't the ones who spend vast amouts of money on the hobby, the 18-45 year olds do as they are the ones with an income. I have no problem with kids playing airsoft if they can show they are mature and sensible enough to join in properly but alot of the time they aren't, they run around either breaking rules or not taking hits and generally pissing people off, my site runs a members only over 18's day about ones ever 6 weeks and guess how many incidents of cheating there are at those? 0 to date in 2 years, where as there are some walk on days that they chuck 5 people off the site due to rule breaking, and at least half of them are 14-17.

 

 

At no point will the government of this country deem an under 18 responsible for anything dangerous, even smoking is 18 now and I have heard rumours that driving is heading that way too.