Airsoft, Where you live.

Ok Guys,

Since we have players from Everywhere, I thought it might be a good idea if Players would post what they have to put up with where they live. I am an a American living here in Europe so I can understand both sides of what players have to put up with, some of the Laws make sense, others are written by fools, of that I am Convinced.

Let me give the Players here in America a little warning, You Have no Idea how good you Have it,
Even though each state has it´s individual laws, some of the differences can be outrageous, so lets here from you all.

So let me start this off,


Here in Germany Airsoft weapons are broken down into 3 different classes,
0,01-0,08 Joule
0,09-0,49 Joule
0,50-6,69 Joule

If you are over 18 you can Buy and own all 3 classes, now here comes the fun stuff, if you are under 18 years of age you are only legaly allowed to buy and own an Airsoft Rifle with a measured maximum energy of 0,49 Joule.

You are only allowed to play on legal Playing fields, no Street wars, no running around in the woods, no backyard games. It is against the Law to Carry your Airsoft Openly, even if you are on your own Property, without informing and getting the O.K. from the local Police and Town Hall.
The only Full Automatic Softair weapons that you can legaly buy here are ones with a measured energy under 0,49 Joules, everything above that is only in semi automatic.

With internal tuning we have to go through so much beurocratic B.S., that most of it is done inside the `` GRAY ´´ areas of the Law, an example being, Buying of an Full Auto selector plate is allowed, installation in an Airsoft rifle is not, so Plate is bought, installed on the GB, but the GB will only be installed when we are playing outside the Boarders of Germany.

External Tuning, Tac-Lights, Lasers, are legal to own, up to a specific Lumes, installing them on your Airsoft Rifle is not, again another case of installing them when we are playin outside Germany, and removeing them before the return trip.

Any conflict, with the law, can result in a penalty up to 10,000€ ( 13,500$ ), never mind the loss of all your Softair Wepons.

As hard as this might all sound, we have it better than Luxembourg, residents there are not allowed to buy, own or operate an Airsoft weapon, reguardless of its level of power, but like all good Players, they have found ways around it .

It's not quite as strict here in the UK

You cannot carry an airsoft weapon in public.
You can use your weapons on private property.

Airsoft games must take place on registered airsoft sites.

Now for the VCRA (this is where the fun begins)

If you are under 18 you may own an airsoft gun. You may not buy an airsoft gun. Any airsoft gun that is bought for your use must be TwoTone (i.e. keeping some parts, usually all the metal parts, black and spraying the rest either bright blue or green) However, to confuse you further, you may still OWN a gun that is not those colours if, for example, you purchased it before the VCRA was passed.

If you are over 18 you are only allowed to purchase these twotone guns also, unless you attend a given number of skirmishes in a given time and send off for a UKARA liscence. (this is usually specified as 3 skirmishes in 2 months) after which you can buy a RIF (realistic imitation firearm)

To make it even more confusing, you are allowed to remove the twotone paint and respray your gun with krylon if you get your UKARA liscence, or you play at an airsoft site with public liability insurance. Technically these laws should apply to private sales too but they are totally unpoliceable.

Jim

here in norther michigan we can carry in public, and no one cares. Also I have passed cops on the side walk with my orange tip removed and a working silencer on my gun and they didn't evan give me a bad look. I feel so lucky. Although I do live in a farm tow.

yea it is great living in northern michigan living far from reality but a bad factor is that there are not store that specify in airsoft guns...

Here in Colorado I carry gun my gun around and nobody cares even if it doesn't have a orange tip

@ TheJim,

Those laws can give you a Head ache, sounds like a way for the local Consable to increase thier Christmas Bonus when the money is a little short

@djstasevich

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I have passed cops on the side walk with my orange tip removed and a working silencer on my gun

Can you imagine how well that would go over if you are nearer to Detroit !!!

@kkoerber

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yea it is great living in northern michigan living far from reality but a bad factor is that there are not store that specify in airsoft guns

Another good reason to be here Gather the information before you Buy !!!

yea I used to live in Detroit until I moved up hear, and my friends and I played in parks, luckily when I wasn't with them they got caught by the cops and dragged home to their parents with a fine to pay.

well living in one of the grand states of shooting things.
-You are allowed to carry your airsoft guns in public, but it must be in a case.
-You are allowed to have fully automatic selector plates installed on your guns.
-Any FPS range can be owned by all ages, but you must be 18 to buy a airsoft gun period.
-With optional permission from auth. you can do street battles. I always find it best to inform people of the danger if a neighborhood battle for some kid's birthday is just inevitable.

However, if you use a airsoft gun in misconduct, like shooting at cars, un-protected people, and windows. you will have your gun taken away, you will pay a fine, and you can possibly be charged by the victim of the crime.
Im not a lawyer, so if anyone wants to criticize me, go right ahead.

Down here in Arkansas we aren't real strict on the rules of airsoft. I carry and shoot my airsoft gun all around my neighborhood with my neighbors and friends.

im afraid these laws will get out of hand. i really hope they get less strict as the sport becomes more known and understood by polititions

well they also have to consider others like the elderly woman who freaks out when she sees a 14-year old boy carrying a replica AK and wearing a insurgent bandana.

Just well known like paintball would be good enough for me

Quote :

im afraid these laws will get out of hand. i really hope they get less strict as the sport becomes more known and understood by polititions

A really good reason to present the Sport/Hobby in a respectable fashion, and to keep it in a favorable light. !!!