Ordering From Hk to the UK

[blocks1]

3 hours ago, Cr0-Magnon said:

@Rogerborg - Going a bit off-topic but in theory could a private individual two tone one of their RIF's if selling to someone without a defence?

 

Thank you, this is the spirit of the topic...

 

So many Karen's out there just assume that I'm trying to pull a fast one. We definitely live in an era where you are guilty until proven innocent. 

 

So if a gun is a licensed replica, is that the same as a non licensed replica when it comes to ukara? 

 

These are just toys after all. Before someone jumps down my throat there's nothing stopping someone painting the slide on a real firearm to make it look like an imitation. 

 

All I'm doing is trying to make sense of the situation here as I am completely new to Airsoft. 

 

 

[Tommikka]

24 minutes ago, blocks1 said:

 

Thank you, this is the spirit of the topic...

 

So many Karen's out there just assume that I'm trying to pull a fast one. We definitely live in an era where you are guilty until proven innocent. 

 

So if a gun is a licensed replica, is that the same as a non licensed replica when it comes to ukara? 

 

These are just toys after all. Before someone jumps down my throat there's nothing stopping someone painting the slide on a real firearm to make it look like an imitation. 

 

All I'm doing is trying to make sense of the situation here as I am completely new to Airsoft. 

 

 

Not a licenced or unlicenced replica.

It would be a RIF or an IF

 

RIF = Realistic Imitation Firearm, and requires a defence under the VCRA.

IF = Imitation Firearm and does not require a defence.

 

Core defences under the VCRA could be for theatrical or film use, museums, re-enactment or within the duties of a crown servant.  The defences of all but re-enactment would most likely be evidence of an appropriate organisation, and that it is genuine and appropriately insured.

Re-enactment could be the organisation or individual members showing their membership & insurance.

Airsoft comes under skirmishing via statutory instrument and the law does not explicitly specify what a defence is but expects the guidance to be followed. UKARA membership requirements are in line with the guidance (because the scheme was formed as part of the consultation and collaboration.

 

A criminal could paint a firearm, but it would still be a firearm.  It would be rendered useless to a criminal as painting it as a two tone IF would lessen the fear factor of the firearm.  Violent crime is often based on the fear of the weapon, actually shooting it is a different matter. If you are planning to shoot your victim then you aren’t worried about what they think it looks like.

The police encountering a two tone IF are still going to look at it.

 

Painting just the slide is not good enough, even though that is clearly common for airsoft pistols.  The majority, eg over 50% must be one of the VCRA compliant bright colours.  A pistols slide is less than 50% of its body.

 

Airsoft RIFs and IFs are not toys, many also have the words ‘this is not a toy’ on them.

They fire projectiles and must be treated with the appropriate respect

Not everything that is ‘played’ with is a toy

[Rogerborg]

2 hours ago, blocks1 said:

So many Karen's out there just assume that I'm trying to pull a fast one.

 

We don't need to assume anything beyond what you're told us here and elsewhere: you've already obtained a RIF without offering the seller a defence; you're interested in obtaining more before fulfilling the criteria for UKARA; and you haven't actually played airsoft yet.  You may intend to, and nobody here has said that you don't, but - unless you've got a game booked - you've done nothing to demonstrate that intent.

 

Now, you've done nothing illegal or wrong, but your actions thus far are what gives people who do play airsoft some concern that you might end up doing something rash with what you've already obtained.

 

Best thing all round would be if you played before trying to expand your collection further.  For one thing, it's great fun.

 

 

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We definitely live in an era where you are guilty until proven innocent. 

 

We do, and I abhor such laws, but that's the way the VCRA is written.  The requirement is to show a defence, not simply to claim good intentions.  I don't like that, but it could be worse.

 

 

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So if a gun is a licensed replica, is that the same as a non licensed replica when it comes to ukara? 

 

Irrelevant.  The only criteria is whether a non-expert viewing it from a distance would consider it a realistic imitation of a real firearm of a type made after 1870.  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/38/section/38

 

Strictly speaking, imaginary guns like a Thunder Maul, XR-5 or a Pulse Rifle replica don't meet that definition, and some retailers will sell them without a defence, even in black/grey/drab.

 

However, I'm not entirely sure that a court employing the Man on the Clapham Omnibus standard would agree.

 

 

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These are just toys after all.

 

Assault-style toys though, which gets Karens frothing to speak to the manager of the country and have them banned.

 

And they're only exempted from being classed as firearms by some legal contortions. As many of us have found, it's all too easy to do some tuning and accidentally end up with an air rifle (bad news in Scotland) or a Section 5 prohibited firearm (bad news everywhere).

 

 

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Before someone jumps down my throat there's nothing stopping someone painting the slide on a real firearm to make it look like an imitation. 

 

Indeed, and apocryphally that's been done a few times, particularly in Murca where some States just require an orange tip.  Not of that much relevance to us though since we usually want to go the other way.

 

 

 

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All I'm doing is trying to make sense of the situation here as I am completely new to Airsoft.

 

It is hard to get a grasp on how, and particular why it works the way it works. And as you've found, the law doesn't actually stop anyone getting a RIF, it just reduces your choice a little.

 

Playing airsoft at a proper skirmish site will answer a lot of these questions for you.  And sites tend to run bring-and-buys, or other players will be happy to sell their toy guns on to someone at the site.

 

Plus, did I mention that it's great fun?

[Uncle Pauly]

If it helps anyone to know, I’ve been ordering from both Hong Kong and Taiwan recently with zero delays to shipping.

Seems to be ‘business as usual‘ at the moment.

[Rogerborg]

3 minutes ago, Uncle Pauly said:

If it helps anyone to know, I’ve been ordering from both Hong Kong and Taiwan recently with zero delays to shipping.

Seems to be ‘business as usual‘ at the moment.

 

Air mail shipping too?  I hope so, for importers like @ak2m4 as well.

[Uncle Pauly]

1 minute ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Air mail shipping too?  I hope so, for importers like @ak2m4 as well.

Parts from Samoon and Rainbow8 both arrived within 7-10 days (presumably via air mail... or speed boat!? 🙂).

[Tommikka]

6 minutes ago, Uncle Pauly said:

If it helps anyone to know, I’ve been ordering from both Hong Kong and Taiwan recently with zero delays to shipping.

Seems to be ‘business as usual‘ at the moment.

 

2 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Air mail shipping too?  I hope so, for importers like @ak2m4 as well.

I buy from Hong Kong etc too, but I only buy certain items that I would trust to come from Asia, and also that I am prepared to wait for (even before Covid19)

 

My newest received item was ordered on 28 July and received on 8 August, most items have taken between one and two months.

My worst pending item was ordered mid June, I have tracking that it left Hong Kong late June and the estimated delivery changed to 25 August due to Covid delays,  I'm awaiting that date to claim a refund assuming its lost, but I  have a couple of items turn up after being refunded.  I have had no issues with customer service quibbles 

[Asomodai]

 

Quote

 

So many Karen's out there just assume that I'm trying to pull a fast one. We definitely live in an era where you are guilty until proven innocent. 

 

 

Gaslighting to try and shift the idea of you clearly trying to get around not having an easily proveable defense and trying to avoid import duty.

[Cr0-Magnon]

28 minutes ago, Asomodai said:

Gaslighting

 

I started using this term a while back and nobody knows what I'm talking about! Happy to see it used here.

[Asomodai]

Just now, Cr0-Magnon said:

 

I started using this term a while back and nobody knows what I'm talking about! Happy to see it used here.

 

Its a useful word considering most men are narcissists! Myself included

[Cannonfodder]

Didn't the OP say he's under 18 in another thread? If so they can't import IFs or RIFs

 

As for assuming you're trying to "pull a fast one", well l if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck then the chances are it's a duck 

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Cannonfodder said:

Didn't the OP say he's under 18 in another thread?

 

Not that I can see. You may be thinking of that 15-going-on-16 year old trying some "If I pretend I'm my dad, hop in a DeLorean and take my mum to the high school dance in 1955..." wheeze.

 

I think OP here is basically well intentioned and understandably frustrated with the legislation.

 

Although until he actually plays airsoft, we won't know.

 

 

3 hours ago, Asomodai said:

Gaslighting

 

There you go with your imaginary words again.

 

[Cannonfodder]

5 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Not that I can see. You may be thinking of that 15-going-on-16 year old trying some "If I pretend I'm my dad, hop in a DeLorean and take my mum to the high school dance in 1955..." wheeze.

Fair enough, I must've been getting the threads muddled up. My apologies