AIRSOFT-WARRIOR.COM - A few questions

[DX115FALCON]

Airsoft-Warrior.com (previously called bb-gunshop.co.uk) are an UK based airsoft retailer. They sell RIFs, 2tone guns and accessories. The RIF part is where I got thinking. I couldn't remember seeing them (either of the aliases) on the UKARA approved retailer database. So I checked.

 

Hmm. Not on there. Well they must be US based- seeing as all of their RIFs have orange tips:

 

 

 

Well, ESSEX is definitely NOT in the USA.

 

I then thought that they must DEFINITELY be using a different web address on the UKARA database. SURELY nobody would break the LAW?

 

I can safely say that, after spending 15 minutes clicking through EVERY link on the UKARA approved retailers page, they are NOT UKARA APPROVED.

 

If anyone can shed light on whether or not they are breaking the law, PLEASE either reply to this thread.

 

LINKS:

 

The website in question

 

UKARA Approved Retailers (in case you can see something that I did not)

 

 

On a less serious note, I just thought that this might make you laugh a bit (from the website in question by the way)

 

[team flex]

I don't think UKARA update it that often, same problem with bbguns4less. Apparently if you call up another retailer and ask them to check they could, the retailers version is updated regularly... Not sure if this is true though tbh

[Mack]

Why would they need ukara's approval?

[DX115FALCON]

Why would they need ukara's approval?

 

Thought the law was only be able to sell RIFs if you are a UKARA registered retailer?

[Mack]

Thought the law was only be able to sell RIFs if you are a UKARA registered retailer?

Have you read the VCRA 2006 and ever seen any mention of UKARA? It's quite easy to google and find out.

[Chock]

In practice, most airsoft players, sites and retailers do use UKARA of course, but it should not be mistaken for UK Law, it was merely a reaction from UK-based airsoft retailers to the VCR Act of 2006, in order to be seen to be doing something to prevent the misuse of RIFs. Or if you prefer, it was a prudent business decision.

 

Thus you don't need to be on UKARA's list to sell airsoft stuff, nor to buy stuff either. UKARA is a private venture between some retailers, whereby they can check if players have played at an airsoft site via an affiliation they have with airsoft sites. But as long as a seller can be reasonably sure that a buyer has a suitable reason for wanting to have a RIF, then that's the seller's ass covered as far as prosecutions are concerned, in other words, UKARA helps them to stay within the law, but it isn't the law. Granted, it makes sense for retailers and airsoft sites to be involved with UKARA (even though I know some don't actually like it), but it certainly isn't compulsory.

 

Beyond the buying/selling aspects of UKARA, the UKARA list does also cover some aspects relating to the importation of RIFs, so the Customs and Excise people do use it to assist in tracking that data, but even that part is just a convenience for them and not really anything official.

 

And just for fun, it's worth noting that Essex actually is in the USA (although that company you are referencing is actually in Devon). You can find US towns named Essex in Vermont, Connecticut and Nevada, and US counties named Essex in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Virginia (and probably some other places as well I should think).

[M_P]

This kind of thing was old about 2 years ago. Learn the law, then criticise.