UK law on Airsoft guns?

[Electricblue]

Hi guys, I know there are dedicated websites, but none of them have given me a specific answer.

I have an Airsoft gun, it's an UZI type thing. It conforms with the >50% orange paint law, and it's not professional-spec or highly powerful.

I go to my friend's house for an Airsoft session sometimes, then hit the town for a bit without intent of using the gun, but with the gun in my messenger bag, fully concealed and not assembled. (with the magazine and silencer removed)

If I got stopped by the UK police for any reason, and they found the gun in my bag, could I face a fine or confiscation?

If it was stuffed in my pocket, or in plain view, I would expect it, but when it's in my bag?

Cheers

[Relic]

I'm not sure what the laws in the UK are but my best recommendation would be to just leave it at your friend's when you go out or drop it off home if need be. Don't go hitting the town with it stashed in your bag.
God forbid you open up the bag to get something and someone sees a "gun" and panics.
Even if the laws allow it, you're still going to save yourself a lot of potential trouble by just leaving it somewhere safe.

[Strohsx]

Hey we just had a guy get taken down by the police and thrown in jail for a few months because he had a real gun on his hip walking down the street. People flipped out and called the police thinking he was going to rob them, kill them, hell probably do matrix killing moves, that's how stupid people are.

When the entire state is Open Carry (as long as people around you can see it, you can carry), the police didn't even know about the law. So they probably have no clue in your area especially since they are generally girls when it comes to fire arms in Europe and probably very under educated on them.

Go buy a case and put a lock on it best policy for traveling with anything that looks like a weapon.

[Electricblue]

It doesn't look like a weapon, it has the UK markings, meaning over 50% of the gun is orange/bright green.



It wouldn't be visible from outside of the bag. I'm just curious as to what would happen if I got searched by the police for any reason.

[PersonalTraynor]

Here in Canada I am pretty paranoid of taking my airsoft guns anywhere!
People here would freak out if they caught a glimpse of my full autos and pistols.

If I were you I'd be VERY careful in transport.
a gun is a gun to the uneducated...

[Jinro]

It wouldn't be visible from outside of the bag. I'm just curious as to what would happen if I got searched by the police for any reason.

Well, what are the laws regarding being searched by the police in the UK? In the US, there's the 4th Amendment, which means you can't be searched unless you consent to the search, or unless they have a warrant. There is this ugly thing called "probable cause" though, but unless you're acting suspicious or smell like weed you don't have to worry about that.

As a long time airsofter myself, I always leave my stuff in the car, or take it straight home. The major threat to airsoft is people getting the toy guns (I really shouldn't call them "toys") and doing something stupid with them like displaying them in public, or shooting each other in a park or some other highly visible area.

If you use the messenger bag to transport the airsoft gun from your house to your friends house, I would either just leave it at your friends house when you hit the town, and then go back and get it, or drop it off at your place before you hit the town.

From what I've seen (and heard happen to legitimate airsofters), the police and government of the UK are completely intolerant of firearms and firearm-looking objects.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Strohsx

Hey we just had a guy get taken down by the police and thrown in jail for a few months because he had a real gun on his hip walking down the street. People flipped out and called the police thinking he was going to rob them, kill them, hell probably do matrix killing moves, that's how stupid people are.

When the entire state is Open Carry (as long as people around you can see it, you can carry), the police didn't even know about the law. So they probably have no clue in your area especially since they are generally girls when it comes to fire arms in Europe and probably very under educated on them.

Go buy a case and put a lock on it best policy for traveling with anything that looks like a weapon.

Dude, really? All I can say is your presumptions are wrong.

OP, about 5 years back the VCRA came into action, as part of the growing ASBO culture. The airsoft community were pretty upfront in supporting this and working with it to reach a compromise.

If you aren't using a realistic imitation firearm (which you aren't as it's painted), and it isn't shooting at over 1joule (which I doubt it is) it's simply classed as a toy. Probably just a wise idea not to be waving it around the place, but you can certainly carry it with you.

If you are using a non-painted one (which you have to be a registered airsofter (use official grounds which are insured etc.), you should be carrying it in a bag or case.

Many moons ago, stayed at my drummers flat after a night out. The police knocked on the door in the morning, there had been a robbery to one of the flats in the building and they were wondering if anyone had seen anything suspect. When they come into the living room, it's covered in airsoft rifles. The officers thought they were pretty sweet .

If you have any doubt, print out the article and go along to the local police station and see if you can clarify things with anyone.

[Jinro]

Back when I frequented a UK-based airsoft website, I heard a story about a registered airsofter who had all his non-painted airsoft guns taken by the police. He had left a window blind open while he was gone at work and some nosy neighbor was sticking his nose around where it shouldn't be, saw the airsoft guns and called the cops. The cops bust down the door and take all his airsoft guns while this poor guy is at work. In the end, he goes to the police station, proves that he's a registered airsofter and tries to get his airsoft guns back, but the cops refuse and instead destroy his legally owned collection.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

When was this? Prior to the laws being changed 5 years or so back, it may have been down to the police disgretion, I think it was all a bit gray at that point. If it was after the VCRA, and that was the case, he could have easily taken them to court on their pocket.

The only police incident we ever had, happened to one of my friends. A neighbor claimed that he had shot thier dog with his gun (he hadn't, that day we were having a BBQ and he had been showing it off in the back garden, unloaded). The police took it, then returned it a couple weeks later when there was no evidence of what the neighbors had claimed.

[Jinro]

It was probably about 3 years ago. I haven't really kept up with airsoft recently.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Jinro

It was probably about 3 years ago. I haven't really kept up with airsoft recently.

He could have followed that up. Sounds a bit suss IMO.

[runmikeyrun]

what would you think if you saw me walking down the street with this?

[Jinro]

Pfft......you should see my 249

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by runmikeyrun

what would you think if you saw me walking down the street with this?

I presume that even in a state with open carry laws, you may get in a spot of bother

I've only got a Cyma MP5, which is pretty rubbish

[Bassamatic]

YOU and I know it is an Airsoft gun, but the average Joe does not - 50% orange or otherwise. Someone can get freaked out and make a big problem for you. Here in the US only the tip of the gun is orange - even worse.

Personally - I don't see why the Airsoft guns have to mimic real guns. They could look really cool and futuristic and still work just the same.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

It used to be orange tips here.

As I said before, as long as you aren't waving it about, you shouldn't have a problem and to check with the local police if you have any doubts as to how to transport it about.

What it always made me wonder, surely if someone was going to go on a gun-toting rampage, they could just paint their gun and pass it off as a toy, being multicoloured doesn't mean much! (but I will say, there are a number who now make them in transparent plastic casings).

Why are they realistic?

[Jinro]

Personally - I don't see why the Airsoft guns have to mimic real guns. They could look really cool and futuristic and still work just the same.

Obviously you don't understand the game, or the origins of airsoft guns. They originated in Japan where guns are illegal, but people still wanted to collect them. This then evolved into a game similar to paintball that we now know as airsoft. The difference from paintball is that paintball is a run-and-gun sport where you wear pretty pink jumpsuits, use "markers" that look like failed plumbing experiments, and lob balls filled with colored liquid. No realism, no feasible way of actually aiming, just running and gunning.

Airsoft on the other hand strives to be a realistic military simulation. This is reason #2 for the guns being realistic. Also factor in the fact that some of the guns are actually used in military/LEO training--in fact one of the Japanese guns was purposely designed for that role, then was dumbed down and marketed to the average airsofter.

The "they don't have to be realistic" or "why do people need these" arguments drive me insane. Why do we need these? We don't. But you don't need a Hummer H3 or a Ferrari either. We could just live in a world without hobbies and passions. Wouldn't that be fun?

[runmikeyrun]

Originally Posted by Jinro

Pfft......you should see my 249

googled it, that thing is CRAZY!

My point is that 95% of people would think it's a real assault rifle and call the cops immediately. I'd probably be arrested in under 3 minutes.

[Jinro]

That's why we take so many precautions and treat our airsoft guns as if they are real firearms. Sadly, since we stay so underground the average population doesn't get exposed to the good side of it, and rarely gets to see how responsible and safe we actually are.

[Lee H]

Not really into airsoft, but I do have a CCW, and carry real guns