General Guidance on Starting to Play Airsoft in UK

[Kin]

Hello players, I'm looking to start playing Airsoft in UK although I struggle to find my way around. I played this game for few years in my home country but I am now living in UK and would like to start playing again.

 

My questions are:

- Are there any decent size teams within London region that play this game? Do they gather constantly let's say Sunday mornings?

- How do people play the game around London? My biggest problem so far is that I found only paid sites on google maps but in my home country everyone used to play airsoft for free in abandoned factories or in the forests and you didn't had to pay a fee for that which is quite expensive at 50 pounds on top of the gas. It's also worth, we where having teams and groups with tens of players up to a hundred, gathering once per week.

- Another problem I find is having to buy a two tone weapon? How do you get around ?

 

 

[EDcase]

Hi and welcome.

You'll need to do lots of reading to get to know airsoft in the UK  (Lots of info in the sticky threads of this forum)

 

- No there aren't big teams that meet up.  Usually groups of friends will meet regularly and play together.

- There are quite a few sites around London but you will need transport of course.  All sites are officially organised and require payment to play.  You can find some sites HERE.  You cannot play or test anywhere else or you will end up being arrested.

- The most common way to buy a realistic weapon (RIF) is to be registered with UKARA 

 

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

Hi there, essentially airsoft doesn't work that way here. All sites are run by a company who hold the correct insurance etc. You can of course form teams with your friends or find people who attend a site you're interested in going to online etc and arrange to meet up with them. Alternatively you can go by yourself and just start chatting to people when you get there. 

 

In regards to purchasing a non-two tone gun, you'll need to speak with your local site about UKARA (there are other insurances etc you can get but most people don't go that route). You'll likely need to rent for at least three games though.

[Tommikka]

Please note that strictly legally speaking there are no ‘abandoned’ locations.  
(There are places that are disused, but they belong to someone and are typically held by a developer or a landowner waiting for the right time to come for development)

 

If you play on one of them then you would be trespassing and potentially committing a firearms offence due to not having permission.

Unusual locations like this are occasionally used by established sites & organisers - either as one off games or a site is established until the landowner / developer uses it

[Cr0-Magnon]

31 minutes ago, Tommikka said:

Please note that strictly legally speaking there are no ‘abandoned’ locations.  
(There are places that are disused, but they belong to someone and are typically held by a developer or a landowner waiting for the right time to come for development)

 

This, especially in and around London where land prices are at a premium. No matter how derelict, that disused factory etc will belong to someone and sneaking onto it to waive replica firearms around is a recipe for disaster.

[Impulse]

I hear you there. When I was in Spain it was the same, we just all showed up to an abandoned urbanisation and played BB wars. It was a simpler time...

 

In the UK it's all organised sites with all the correct insurances and permissions from the local council, so you have to pay to play. Showing up to a disused location and playing BB wars will get you arrested here. Now, that organisation isn't a negative because you typically get higher quality games, actual marshalls to help the games along and more advanced gameplay experiences. Yes, it costs a bit in addition to our incredible, unrestrainable desire to buy ALL THE THINGS, but it's worth it in my opinion. I will admit though that it's a shame we don't have the option for more freestyle BB wars too.

 

And yes, the urbanisations we played at in Spain were abandoned, because they were built illegally and nobody wanted to pay money to demolish them, so they just sat there. Lots of that in the south of Spain

[padraigthesniper]

Find a airsoft site near you and rent a AEG 3 times before you buy anything. Then when you do make sure you get good eye pro and a good make gun such as a G&G or Cyma. Just get two tone if you dont have Ukara yet, and cant wait. In airsoft the only thing that matters to win is the performance of gun and your playing ability having it look exactly like HK416 will not make it work like one.

[GenuineGerman]

As reflected by everyone else please play to the law, don't go out somewhere and just pew pew. Worst case you get armed response shoot/arrest you and negative press.