My interest/thoughts on replica air pistols

[harvey_s]

"If you believe that any of the current replica BB guns are anything beyond playthings you're sadly deluded …"

The law may be an ass, but the law defines airguns as firearms, not playthings.

As an example of how your logic could be applied, what about clay pigeon shooting? it's an activity where people use a firearm to shoot at targets.

If using a co2 replica is also an activity where people use a firearm to shoot at targets, surely your definition must make shotguns mere playthings...

How did you arrive at this conclusion???

A shotgun is designed as an offensive killing weapon whether its aimed at a person or a pheasant - just because you chose to aim it at a clay pigeon does nothing to reduce its lethality or true purpose.

A BB gun is designed as a recreational amusement, it's not a tool nor a weapon designed for any form of lethality.
This does not mean I don't recognise that in the wrong hands it is capable of causing a severe injury or even a potential death in extreme cases...but then again so is a rubber inner tube at the beach!

People may object to term 'plaything' (and in truth I was being a little controversial) - but it is it's real nature.
The law may define it as a weapon, but surely we can agree it has not been designed as such.

[Modski66]

Controversial can push some people's buttons, and I can be guilty of over reacting.
I was extrapolating the concept of the term 'plaything' with an extreme example of clay-pigeon shooting.

I will wind my neck in...

[harvey_s]

Controversial can push some people's buttons, and I can be guilty of over reacting.
I was extrapolating the concept of the term 'plaything' with an extreme example of clay-pigeon shooting.

I will wind my neck in...

No need , happy to banter - I was trying to keep it light while still fighting my corner .

[Modski66]

Bants is good, innit...

[wilkinss77]

At airgun clubs they refer to air pistols as weapons. At the Southend air pistol club I used to belong to, they used to tell us to 'bench your weapons' ie put them down, if anyone was in the line of fire.

[gingernut]

That's because they are used to dealing with bang sticks
Airguns are pretty useless weapons in the formats we have
By any definition