Airsoft/BB Toy Shooting - Advise?

[Rob_B]

Aaah I miss the days when you could buy a nice little rifle with no license and no garish colour scheme, I did love my G-spec and my P90

[mikeo01]

Those days are long gone that's the UK law though.

Ah here's a good indication of size, length of the house + a tad bit more. That's the room I have to play with (+ the side entrance length) I will be shooting straight down that, side of the house). Size seems enough for basic shooting.

[Ttaskmaster]

if a Postman pops into the garden to drop as parcel and you pop a cap in his ass.. you're going inside!

Crimony... If you'd do that, I'd really question whether such items belong in your hands in the first place!!

[Macman]

Or move to Texas? And buy a BIG shiny magnum

[Zak33]

mike01

I dont want you to give me your address.. but a town would be good please.

what town do you live in?

[Zak33]

Aaah I miss the days when you could buy a nice little rifle with no license and no garish colour scheme, I did love my G-spec and my P90

you can...

£75 buys a Gamo Hunter .177 with a little 4x20 and some targets and pellets http://www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk/...andard+Barrel/

no good for hunting really.. but ideal for plinking...

just not in Mike's garden with a fence at the bottom and someone's kid playing on the other side of the rotting planks

[mikeo01]

Ha I know, no problem. Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran. Wales

EDIT: Yeah there's fence to the right and also anothers back garden behind my garden.

[Zak33]

right.. you need Treetops

http://www.treetops-sporting.co.uk/about.php

they hire out guns too

don't be shy.. call them and ask how to go about it.

Airgun Ranges
Both Rifle and pistol ranges are available with everything from a full Field Target setup to covered knockdown and paper target ranges. Fully equipped with an exelent range of equipment for hire, Treetops is ready to cater for anything from a family day out, to a full FT competition, and with prices starting at £8 for use of the facilities, and £5 for gun hire, it's a great way to get involved without a large outlay.

[watercooled]

If you can find some old curtains/textiles, you can shove them in a box or one of those square rubble sacks (the kind you get from a builders yard, but maybe a bit smaller), you have an excellent back-stop which doesn't make a loud crack when you hit it. I'd suggest having it a portable size so you can keep it dry in a shed or something.

[Zak33]

its 9 miles away Mike and if you ask to go with a mate maybe it would be proper fun

I'd rather you spent £60 on several sessions on Field Targets and Paper targets than on a gun that you cant use at home

[Zak33]

If you can find some old curtains/textiles, you can shove them in a box or one of those square rubble sacks (the kind you get from a builders yard, but maybe a bit smaller), you have an excellent back-stop which doesn't make a loud crack when you hit it. I'd suggest having it a portable size so you can keep it dry in a shed or something.

carpet or underlay works really well... don't need to be new!

[mikeo01]

Ah thanks for the suggestion. I did spot Treetops. It isn't too far away and will probably be best on weekends looks fun I'll drop them a call and see what they could suggest.

Even if I did purchase that rifle I could take it there. Rifle should pay for itself after 12 visits (£5 gun hire).


Me and my partner are getting into all new activities so might be great fun.


Thanks for all the advise. Worst case scenario, no back garden target practice. The only "safe" place to shoot from really is the side of the house as I'll either shoot my own house or the walls. But then we are talking 10&&< metres.

[TooNice]

TheAnimus new thread in General Discussion coincided with a new found interest in airsoft. I tried it last week-end and it was kinda fun. Rather than seeing as a military sim though, I am treating it more like laser tag without the bulky sensor and more freedom of movement. One game is almost enough to make me want my own airsoft gun, but I taking a pause now because I don't have much space for regular shooting practice. No garden, so it will have to be indoor and I am a bit worried about putting holes into the walls. The other thing is that in Japan, airsoft do not need to be painted in bright colour (not even the barrel as in the US). In exchange for that, the power of the guns are also limited to under 1 joule. The problem is that it sounds like I won't be able to bring it back to the UK. I take I can't apply for a membership for an airsoft club without first joining a few games there?

[Gerrard]

I believe the rule was "3 games and in no less than 2 months", or similar. I think the idea behind that is to stop the more casual person being able to get a membership in order to order a RIF. I'm sure some clubs will have other rules, and that rule is probably the minimum allowed.

[TooNice]

Does that basically mean that you have to play a couple of game with rental gear to get your membership and only buy afterwards? And what happens if after a while you have other commitment preventing you to play that often?

[DDY]

Firstly a disclaimer, the laws regarding airguns and realistic imitation firearms are a mess, I did a lot of reading in to it but I still have many doubts, I eventually gave up considering how harsh the penalties for breaking such laws are.

Anyway... as far as I know;

Airsoft guns full under the remit of realistic imitation firearms, individuals may import and buy them provided they fall under certain uses, airsoft skirmishing is one for example. The law doesn't make a any distinction of what makes someone a skirmisher, though UKARA membership is commonly used as proof there isn't anything that's officially recognised.

TooNice, since you are a skirmisher you may legally import your own airsoft guns without a club membership, however getting them through customs might be tricky. Perhaps you can provide evidence that you're a skirmisher in Japan? A signed letter from a skirmishing club maybe? Many skirmishers in the UK import RIF guns with notes attached on the outside of the packaging with their UKARA details.