New arrival to UK looking at getting into Airsoft

[Infanteer]

Hi everyone,

I am an Aussie who is relocating to the Manchester Area as I have family there.
I am a pretty avid sporting shooter who has just had to sell my firearms here and hand my licence back in (sucks, heartbroken lol).

I stumbled onto this site while researching airsoft which I am still doing, hopefully I will find the answer to some of my questions.

I've played a bit of paintball before and served in the Army as a grunt a few years ago so this looks like it could be a lot of fun.

I have a few queries but will look around the site before asking anything, cheers, nice to meet you all.

[Baz JJ]

Welcome to the UK and the forum and potentially airsofting.

Thanks for doing your research before asking questions,

[Sitting Duck]

The guides in new players section is a must read

no really they will answer most questions and others you haven't thought of yet

saving a lot of time & money - wish I read them earlier

 

welcome to forum & UK

weather is crap but at least you get to play with toy guns

warning - it can get VERY addictive this pee pew pew stuff

[Jedi_Master]

Welcome to the forum

[proffrink]

Welcome. As Duck said: UK law can seem a bit silly at first when it comes to imitation firearms, but it's really quite simple once you've done about 30 mins of reading.

 

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/forum/12-uk-law/

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/12-vcra/

http://www.airsoft-forums.co.uk/index.php/topic/1254-popular-ukara-questions/

[K@rl]

Welcome. I play a lot in Manchester area so if u fancy a game let me know. Also if u got to Trojan Airsoft thay have a massive selection of rifs and gear u can look at an try on the range. Speak to Ben the owner an tell him scouse sent u in.

[Reb3l]

Yeah uk law can be a bit stupid did you know your not allowed to die in the houses of parliament

[Infanteer]

I might take you up on that K@rl.
Thanks for the warm welcome guys,

does anyone ever paint up their guns or is that taking it a bit too gung ho?

I am guessing if I got a gat to start that was half and half then cammed

it up that might defeat the purpose and I could get into strife?

Maybe I could make up a canvas cover and chuck it over the top of it

when at the site so that the bright color or clear doesn't stand out like

the proverbial.
I will probably just wait to until I can get the standard rifle after the min amount

of time. Going to go do a fair bit of reading. Yes I am not looking forward to

the weather but I did 5 years in Canada so this ought to be a cake walk.

Plus I will jump on a plane and go somewhere warmer when it gets to me.

I used to go to Mexico all the time for 3-5 day stints which got Customs very

itchy with me whenever I tried to return lol.

[K@rl]

I'd say ur probably best waiting till u get ukara or another defence. What u will find is that most of us are only to willing to show off our toys which will give U good chance to get hands on with different types of gun. Just because u like a real steel m4, for example, dosnt mean it will suit u for Airsoft it will depend on what style of player u are. After a few games u will soon know what u want from a weapon.

[Sitting Duck]

Some paint - some don't

sometimes its to do with camo others its just to add ya own touch

or blend in to compliment your loadout

or other reasons like - I was bored....

 

add your own grip/sights/scope - its your gun do what ya want with it

me I ain't too bothered if it still looks quite stock

 

many wrap some camo tape or black duct tape to a 2-toner

 

just go easy on accessories perhaps:

[Infanteer]

I will def wait for Ukara, I have been reading up on it all quite profusely.

Is it bad that I am already sussing out what gat to buy and I haven't even played one game yet?

I want to do some research so I make a more informed decision especially if I am dropping some serious

dosh on it.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, we are ahead here by almost a day and I just got home from the inlaws

after eating way too much. Going to go find a beach now and emulate a whale.

[Sitting Duck]

Is it bad that I am already sussing out what gat to buy and I haven't even played one game yet?

I want to do some research so I make a more informed decision especially if I am dropping some serious

dosh on it.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, we are ahead here by almost a day and I just got home from the inlaws

after eating way too much. Going to go find a beach now and emulate a whale.

 

perfectly normal - my motto yes dear - this is my last gun I'm buying

 

[Infanteer]

Haha, having just sold several thousand dollars worth of firearms (not a good investment) I can relate.

There is a saying down the gun club, "My worst nightmare is something happens to me and my wife sells

my guns for what I told her I paid for them."

[djben9]

welcome to the forum....

no point repeating anything, its all above!

 

do like you last bit....i tell the wife that, i best have a re-think!! haha

[RoBbDaBaNkK]

Welcome to both the UK and Airsoft! Hope to see you sometime as I am also in the Manchester area.

[TheFull9]

R.e. the painting a 2-tone gun, no that's 'manufacturing a RIF' and hence prohibited by the VCRA. But if you were dead set on doing a camo scheme on your gun eventually there really wouldn't be any harm in buying a 2-tone now, then once you've played your 3 games over 2 months you can cover up the bright green with some nice OD/khaki/whatever suits your local sites.

 

I believe airsoft is entirely illegal in Aus right? But you're allowed pistols and rifles under license (not sure about semi auto)?

[Infanteer]

R.e. the painting a 2-tone gun, no that's 'manufacturing a RIF' and hence prohibited by the VCRA. But if you were dead set on doing a camo scheme on your gun eventually there really wouldn't be any harm in buying a 2-tone now, then once you've played your 3 games over 2 months you can cover up the bright green with some nice OD/khaki/whatever suits your local sites.

 

I believe airsoft is entirely illegal in Aus right? But you're allowed pistols and rifles under license (not sure about semi auto)?

 

Not sure about airsoft mate but you need a licence to own a paintball gun here. I have only really heard of airsoft because I stumbled upon it while researching my impending move over there.

You can get pistols under a cat H licence, I had a Cat A, B and H licence which is basically rifles, shotguns which are not pump and semi auto handguns/revolvers.

Had to shoot about 12 times a year and buy a ridiculous safe to house the guns, it is an expensive sport here. Cannot own semi auto rifles unless a primary producer and only

then low cals, I am not sure exactly because I have never had that cat of licence. I noticed you guys have semi auto 22's which is cool, I want to get back into shooting over there but

there doesn't seem to be pistol shooting! which sucks, I was into IPSC shooting so will be getting into to airsoft instead as that won't be an option there.

[TheFull9]

The only 'pistols' over here are .22 and have insanely long barrels and weird extensions to the frames in order to comply with the minimum barrel length and overall length requirements in the law. All look roughly like this:

 

 

Basically, you might as well just shoot a 22 semi rifle (to my mind anyway). If you read around a little you'll find all the requirements for getting in to semi 22 rifles, manual-action centrefire rifles and semi/pump shotguns. The issue is more around finding a club that you can regularly attend in order to get the certificate (a safe is a requirement here as well), but I recall there being a map of them all somewhere so again, small amount of googling and you should be able to figure out if there's one near manchester that would suit you.

[Infanteer]

The only 'pistols' over here are .22 and have insanely long barrels and weird extensions to the frames in order to comply with the minimum barrel length and overall length requirements in the law. All look roughly like this:

 

 

Basically, you might as well just shoot a 22 semi rifle (to my mind anyway). If you read around a little you'll find all the requirements for getting in to semi 22 rifles, manual-action centrefire rifles and semi/pump shotguns. The issue is more around finding a club that you can regularly attend in order to get the certificate (a safe is a requirement here as well), but I recall there being a map of them all somewhere so again, small amount of googling and you should be able to figure out if there's one near manchester that would suit you.

Yeah I will probably give pistol shooting a miss in the UK which sucks a bit because it was my favorite discipline and what I was best at. I had some pretty gnarly pistol set ups and was shooting a lot, won some comps etc. I will look at trap shooting and maybe long range rifle which is not a bad idea for me because I am not a natural shot. I have to work at it and work at it to be any good. I have experience with long range shooting but this will give me an opportunity to hone my skills.

[TheFull9]

Trap/skeet etc are the most common options by far with the most availability. For most citizens getting a shotgun certificate (covers double barrels and pumps with only 2-shell mag capacity) is very easy as the police actually have to come up with a reason you specifically shouldn't be allowed one whereas for any rifle or semi shotgun you need to give them a reason you should be granted the certificate (i.e. shooting club membership), but you do have to have references from people who've known you a few years and I'm not sure how nationality/residency links in to it exactly. There's a long form to fill out and I've not looked at it in a while.

[Reb3l]

Air rifles you can just buy but can only be used on private property