If you mean the likes of the SMK Mauser sr pro tactical sniper rifle it's a BB rifle not an "airsoft" so doesn't have to be bright colours.
If it had half the power it would be airsoft & would then have to be a bright colour.
Can I legally buy a 6mm spring powered "sniper rifle" as a plinking toy if it is not painted in a weird colour? I have no intention of joining any club or organisation to qualify.
Whilst some places appear to show such guns for sale to anyone, others require the usual airsoft conditions to be met. I have never got to the actual point of sale so its possible that I am wrong and nobody is actually prepared to sell without meeting the air soft requirements.
I am wondering if these guns are a bit more powerful than the majority of airsoft guns does this move them into the same classification as an air rifle and therefore do away with the need to comply with air soft laws?
Totally baffled
If you mean the likes of the SMK Mauser sr pro tactical sniper rifle it's a BB rifle not an "airsoft" so doesn't have to be bright colours.
If it had half the power it would be airsoft & would then have to be a bright colour.
In short, no you cannot if you are after one that fires 6mm plastic BBs. All airsoft guns are limited to less than 2.5 Joules (if single shot only) but are regarded as Realistic Imitation Firearms and as such are effectively banned in the UK. There are exemptions for various organisations and uses (e.g. airsoft skirmishing), but if they are "normal" colours then you are stuck, unless you can meet the exemption requirements. Those in bright colours are regarded as Imitation Firearms and are available to anyone over 18, subject to the same joule limits. If you just want one just for back garden plinking, why would a bright colour be a problem?
The stupidity of the VCRA is that over 18 you can legally buy an airgun version of some of those same airsoft rifles that have power limits far in excess of those found in airsoft guns. So airsoft guns will never be classified as airguns, but fully auto airsoft guns firing at over 370 fps are, according to ACPO, reclassified as Section 5 firearms and banned whatever colour. Here the law is a total ass.
Air Arms HFT 500; Walther LG300 Alutec; Umarex Winchester 1873 Carbine CO2; Umarex PX4 Storm; Umarex Walther PPQ M2; Webley MK VI 0.177 CO2: SIG M17 CO2; BSA Scorpion TS; ASG Schofield 6 CO2;
Couple of years ago at the Shooting Show I had my first look at airsoft. I was gobsmacked at how realistic some of the guns were both in size and weight. I didn't know anything about the law so I chatted to one of the salesmen who pretty much described as mentioned above.
Though he did say that although to buy one you have to be a member of a skirmish group or museum or reenactment group to purchase one there is apparently little restriction with gifting one.
The law is an ass though. A softair gunner could go into a gunshop and get a Mossberg pump action soft air. I couldn't though. I'd have to buy the real one as I have a SGC. Makes no sense.
In a similar vein I found a couple of old blank firers. I eventually sold them to a RFD, but to sell them privately YOU need to make sure you're not selling them to someone dodgy (ie they need to be part of a group, museum etc).
In the end I accepted the offer of the RFD who specialised in them.
This has to be one of the more ridiculously thought out firearms laws as has already been suggested.
There are a number of 4.5 BB/Ball firing CO2 powered airgun 'replicas' on the market including very realistic variants of the AK and M4. There's also the Umarex MP40 'German' and Diana's K98 spring gun. A BB firing M1 carbine has also just debuted in the States and will undoubtedly find its way to us soon.
You could also accessorise something like a Umarex M4, Milbro SYNM16 or Crosman MTR77NP to look like a Designated Marksman's rifle if that helps?
Kind regards,
John
I thought that, but then I bought one and it is a good, fun, break barrel airgun that you can add sights etc to.
As a shooting mate said "you are spending a lot of time playing with that"
Meaning why arent you shooting your expensive pcps?
Which rather makes its point.
Air Arms HFT 500; Walther LG300 Alutec; Umarex Winchester 1873 Carbine CO2; Umarex PX4 Storm; Umarex Walther PPQ M2; Webley MK VI 0.177 CO2: SIG M17 CO2; BSA Scorpion TS; ASG Schofield 6 CO2;
To the OP.. the confusing thing is that is the legislation as described in various posts above (that mandates either specific exemptions, or funky colours), does not apply to actual airguns - they are exempted from being RIFs (real imitation firearms) by virtue of being airguns .
But those 6mm plastic BB guns are not AIRGUNS, they are AIRSOFT guns. hence they fall foul of the regulations.
I can however buy a more powerful cybergun mini uzi 4.5MM BB firing blowback semi in a sensible black colour scheme because it's an airgun, not an airsoft. Go figure.
Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.
So what is a black 6mm spring powered gun that fires above 2 joule ? Is it an illegal airsoft or a fire arm ? or possibly something else? How could anyone own one ?
Sorry this is not meant to be a wind up.
Im not going to trawl through it so some one here can https://www.25bedfordrow.com/cms/doc...son_090715.pdf
True, if you're using it and enjoying it then that's all that matters. But wouldn't a standard Springer do that too? If I bought a M16 clone, I'd prefer something that sort of operates like the real thing - like a semi auto BB firing (pellet firing probably would be great) replica for a bit of plinking fun. Even a RAM firing rubber balls. Although every BB firing replica I've had in the past, I've ended up getting bored of tbh
Danny
My collection = Ratworks BSA Scorpion T-10 .177, HW100KS .177 (tweaked by me), PP750, Crosman 1322 and 1377