Pellet Gun Regulations

Well,as you probably know "Airsoft" guns are pretty dangerous. So,where ever you live.

There will be rules.

Well. Here is the regulations of "Ireland" (1),
"America" (2) and "Unitedkingdom" (3)


1.
The status of airsoft in Ireland was changed after the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, which amended the previous Firearms Acts from 1925, 1963, 1972 and 1990. Where once authorization or a license was required for all devices which fired a projectile from a barrel, the law now defines a firearm as (amongst other things):

an air gun (including an air rifle and air pistol) with a muzzle energy greater than one joule of kinetic energy or any other weapon incorporating a barrel from which any projectile can be discharged with such a muzzle energy

The aim of this change was to establish a classification of firearms in order to eliminate the legal oddity where toy suction cup dart guns and the like were legally classified as firearms, thus bringing Ireland into line with the rest of the EU. In this case, one joule was used as the limit, as opposed to seven joules in Germany, twelve foot-pounds force (8.9 J) in the UK and so on. The one-joule limit most likely arose from UK case law where it was found that energies in excess of one joule were required to penetrate an eyeball (thus causing serious injury). As a result, airsoft devices under one joule of power have been declassified and have become perfectly legal to possess and use within Ireland. Those over one joule of power remain legal to possess and use within the Republic, so long as a firearms certificate is applied for and granted by the local Garda superintendent. However, at this point they are classed legally as actual firearms.

Airsoft devices with a muzzle energy in excess of one joule must be licensed and as such must have a serial number marked indelibly on them. With firearms this is achieved by stamping or engraving the number on the receiver or other critical component of the firearm. For airsoft devices which do not have such serial numbers, one must be indelibly marked on it. A discussion on the exact manner in which this is to be done should be had with the local Garda Superintendent, as different Superintendents may have different preferences for this. However, it should be noted that the airsoft device in question would then legally be a licenced firearm and shooting any person with it would constitute assault. Furthermore, no airsoft site in Ireland would allow any player to use an airsoft device in excess of one Joule, licensed or not.

2.


Under Federal Law, airsoft guns are not classified as firearms and are legal for all ages. This is also the case for the laws in each state. However, in some major cities and population centers the definition of a firearm within their respected ordinances includes propulsion by spring or compressed air, thus making airsoft subject to applicable laws.

A 6 mm minimum orange tip must be present on the barrel end of the airsoft gun (or clear/transparent body) to identify it as such for any commercial sales.[2] Once sold, local laws may vary on whether or not the orange tip must be kept. In many places no laws exist restricting one from removing or replacing the orange tip, but one should check the local laws before making such a modification.

Airsoft guns' trademarks must be removed where the manufacturer does not have an existing license agreement with the manufacturer of the real fire arm. For example: Classic Army has a licensing agreement with Armalite, so the trademarks can stay on imported replicas of Armalite's weapons. In practice, enforcement is hit or miss. You might get an "unlicensed" gun through customs with trademarks intact, while a licensed gun might be held in customs by a uninformed customs agent. House Resolution 607, sponsored in early 2007, would change this if passed, allowing imports to retain trademarks even if there is no agreement between the real firearms manufacturer and the replica manufacturer.[3]

In addition, the similarity between genuine firearms and airsoft replicas is close enough to provoke interaction with local law enforcement personnel if an airsoft gun is carried openly in public.[citation needed] If someone were to, for example, attempt a robbery with an airsoft gun, they would be charged as if the airsoft gun were a real firearm.[citation needed]

New York City requires that all realistic toy or imitation firearms be made of clear or brightly colored plastics. Furthermore, New York City makes possession of any pistol or rifle or similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or air unlawful without a license. See New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(b) and New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(g)(1)(a)[4]. According to New York state law, airsoft guns are classified as firearms and therefore must follow state firearm laws regarding possession and purchase. Due to this, "technically" airsofts are legal in New York State. If you are going to play, you must do so on a private property.

Michigan allows the purchase of airsoft guns. However, they must have an orange tip on the barrel.

Texas allows airsoft guns to be owned, but most cities require that the airsoft guns be discharged only while outside city limits.

Some cities in Illinois consider shipping or distributing airsoft guns illegal. It is officially now not illegal to remove the orange tip of the airsoft gun.

In Minnesota, it is illegal for a child under the age of 14 to possess an airsoft gun unless under the supervision of a parent or adult. It is also illegal for any child under 18 to purchase an airsoft gun without parental permission. In Saint Paul and Minneapolis, airsoft guns cannot be carried in public unless they either have an orange tip, are clear or brightly colored. Airsoft guns also cannot be carried in public if they have a laser attached. It is legal to possess airsoft guns in these cities as long as they are transported in a closed and fastened gun case (in accordance with Minnesota firearm transportation laws) and unloaded. The vast majority of municipalities in Minnesota ban the firing of an airsoft gun within the city limits.

3.

There are currently certain restrictions on the possession of airsoft replicas, which came in with the introduction of the ASBA (Anti-Social Behavior Act 2003) Amendments, prohibiting the possession of any firearms replica in a public place without good cause (to be concealed in a hard gun case or sealed container only not to be left in view of public at any time). The prohibition of self-contained gas cartridge weapons similar to that made by Brocock can arguably apply to Moscarts and BB-Shower grenade systems. However, a formal case precedent has yet to be set.

There were initial concerns among the airsoft community that the Violent Crime Reduction Bill (passed an Act in November 2006, but not yet commenced) would in future prevent airsoft skirmishers from buying realistic imitation firearms. However, on the 20th of September 2006, the Association of British Airsofters (ABA) received a letter from Tony McNulty (Minister of State for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing at the Home Office) saying that he has "decided to provide a defense for airsoft skirmishing in relation to the ban on the sale etc. of realistic firearms." There has been confirmation that airsoft will receive an exemption. This letter has been scanned and reproduced on the ABA website [1]. Note that membership of the ABA may be required in order to view the letter.

Since then, the Bill has received Royal Assent and while now Statute Law in the UK, is still a matter of some (at times heated) discussion in the UK airsofting community - not least of which the question as to how the Act, and specific defense, will work, the process of which is still being decided upon at the Home Office, at the time of this edit (5 December 2006).

The defense will be based on whether or not a person is a skirmisher. One of the measures put in place by retailers to aid in identifying skirmishers is a database of skirmishers registered in a central database. A person must be a regular skirmisher (i.e. skirmish three or more times in no less than two months) in order to be registered and the airsoft site they register/skirmish at must hold public Public Liability Insurance. Once a skirmisher is registered, they receive a membership card and must produce this before buying or trading airsoft weapons from these retailers, though not a legal requirement. As long as you can prove that you are an airsoft skirmisher, you may purchase Realistic Imitation Firearms or RIFs (Airsoft guns deemed to be realistic). It is expected that


-IrishAirsoft