VCR Bill

I'll try and avoid a political debate for the simple fact that I'll go off on one. They are ALL money-grabbing, lying, two-faced, self-serving bastards - Rant over, I'll leave it at that.

Back on topic...

The irony of the VCR is that a "realistic imitation firearm" is defined as anything that looks like a real firearm to the untrained eye. Two pieces of tubing welded together and shoved out from underneath a towel would be enough to qualify if the shop assitant on the wrong end of it "thought it looked like a shotgun". A table leg in a bag "looked like a firearm" to certain police officers who decided to give the bloke carrying the bag a dose of lead poisoning.

We know its a half-arsed bit of legislation, and they know that its a half-arsed piece of legislation. But as usual, New Labour have to be "seen to be doing something"

Now, heres the rub. Could HMG ban the ownership of Replicas in the long run? Yes. But theres a problem. Look at it from their point of view. When real pistols are banned, then replica pistols are banned yet crime with these items still increases, then the average bloke on the street might just realise that the government has been completely ineffective at dealing with the "problem". And that will cost them votes. Make no mistake, governments like scapegoats. It gives them something to blame when it all goes shit-shaped. When there are no scapegoats left, who gets the blame? Yup, its those sitting in the Houses of Parliament....

hear! hear! I couldn't have put it better myself, the only thing is that after the recent shooting of the 11 year old there were people going on about how the government should ban handguns unfortunately a large section of the population have the political awareness of a stunned mullet, you've heard the expression that starts 'You can fool some of the people all of the time.....' well they're the people

i too agree with kermit.

ive contacted my mp once, his reaction told me i was wasting my time.

ive done all this before in 1996/1997, we all know gun crime will increase, even if they ban everything. like kermit said, there running out of scapegoats

I third that or is it 4th what ever.

I've just spent a boozy weekend with a good friend of mine who's a fairly senior police officer. I asked him about the VCR and what was going to happen... At the moment, they've had no guidance although they are aware of the revised laws so as far as he was concerned there's no change and no one will be swooping down on airsoft sites to seize guns or nick players. Their priorities are elsewhere at the moment.

Harborne, read the damn thread. I won't be illegal to own guns, only to buy, import or manufacture, quite why the police would want to do any sweeping down onto airsoft sites is beyond me. We can go on playing as happily as we have been for the last X number of years.

Time to get those orders in at RSOV!

I bet the UK retailers are rubbing their hands with glee at all this. What I want to ask, is where will WE as a WW2 organisation go for our "passes"? I for one am not affiliated to any particualar site, nor do I wish to be. One of the attractions of CIA events is the very fact that we are nomadic and visit the sites which suit the games, owing loyalty to none but ourselves.

I resent the fact that a UK retailer can get all high and mighty and self righteous about "checking us out" before we give THEM OUR money! What gives them the right to judge us worthy of selling to?

Is there any way we can set CIA up as a "club", with a constitution, et al? I'd be happy to pay subs to get round being tied to a site I'll never visit.

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who want nothing to do with 90% of the sites (and 99% of the retailers!) in the UK.

Heide has summed up my thoughts exactly on this. I think the VCR bill is a massive threat to our survival, if we don't band together in some sort of ww2 airsoft fee paying association, which can import weapons and parts at cost for its members, via its own reail/online shop or something I think the whole lot of us are in danger of fading away as time goes by and parts and weapons are ever more expensive via a legal stranglehold retailers will have. Just my ten pee's worth.

It should be pointed out that parts, spares and accessories do NOT fall under the VCR, so you can carry on importing them. There is a letter to this effect from Blears when she was Home Sec, so its on the record. Don't try and take the piss though, as HMR&C are quite well clued up.

There are also numerous groups and individuals in communication with HMR&C as well, with regard to personal importation, and how it can be facilitated.

Like most things, we sit and wait, and see how it pans out.

It should be pointed out that parts, spares and accessories do NOT fall under the VCR, so you can carry on importing them. There is a letter to this effect from Blears when she was Home Sec, so its on the record. Don't try and take the piss though, as HMR&C are quite well clued up.

There are also numerous groups and individuals in communication with HMR&C as well, with regard to personal importation, and how it can be facilitated.

Like most things, we sit and wait, and see how it pans out.

I e-mailed Redwolf some time last week asking about an MP5 body because I wanted it before the VCR hit and they said that it was fine to ship after the 1st is this true? (I'm a little dubious because it is very gun like..)

Simon.

At the moment the way it stands parts should not be affected, just looking at some wood & steel AK kits on RSOV.......

Steve.D

I'm surprised that/if there allowing the import of parts still, surely if I was to import a AK metal receiver and wood kit it might be seen as assembling a realistic imitation firearm and those parts destroyed like complete guns?

I'm surprised that/if there allowing the import of parts still, surely if I was to import a AK metal receiver and wood kit it might be seen as assembling a realistic imitation firearm and those parts destroyed like complete guns?

It's still all about having the specific defense, again. Having read the thread, if you have the specific defence and a working registration system is ironed out and implemented, then we should be able to import full guns, parts, whatever.

there's no point going over all this hundreds of times over 14 pages with minor 'ifs' and 'buts', until we know the facts of what system will be implemented, which at present, we don't.

The legislation is quite clear as has been said several times now - it covers RIFs only. HMR&C won't destroy anything, not even RIFs. They may well impound RIFs pending further enquiries and then hold as evidence pending prosecution but they can't destroy willy-nilly.

That's not to say importing parts won't spark off further investigation and start police enquiries with regard to manufacturing - but then you have your defence ready, don't you? After all you can sell, import & manufacture provided you comply with the rules.

There may well be a few difficulties to start with and may be heavy-handedness but I'm sure the authorities have better things to do with their time than chase enquiries that will come to nothing.

On a lighter note I am loving your new avatar chomley!

HMMMMMMM! the ss one was better.

On a lighter note I am loving your new avatar chomley!

C-W has a minor disaster at his WW2-themed BBQ, running out of hot dog buns and having to eat all the sausages himself.

Back to SS for D-Day Stubble when Wotan has been won!

Sausages? No one told me, no wonder the dam things were difficult to light!

Back to SS for D-Day Stubble when Wotan has been won!

Sausages? No one told me, no wonder the dam things were difficult to light!

He thinks he's Hanibal Smith from the A-team... noones told him he hasn't made the Z-team yet

and back to the VCR bill

a friend off mine gave me 25 romeo jullet cigars from cuba i have given a few away and smoked two and not touched them since so there are wasted on me. so if there are cigar conisours (carnt spell that either) will be happy to bring a few along to next game. just let me know. be warned there big buggers and take alot of somoking.

Harborne, read the damn thread. I won't be illegal to own guns, only to buy, import or manufacture, quite why the police would want to do any sweeping down onto airsoft sites is beyond me. We can go on playing as happily as we have been for the last X number of years.

And obviously humour, irony and inflection are lost one some people

You read the d*** thread - and you'll see my other postings.
or shall I not bother asking my firearms squad contact to set minds at rest? I give up...

Che - while the prospect of puffing on tobacco hand rolled on dusky maiden's thighs has a certain appeal I'm afraid it would be wasted on me, being a non-drinker & smoker . Dusky maiden's thighs are fine though .

My cigar is a prop made from painted and varnished rolled up newspaper!

Agree with your sentiments BTW Bollogs. It's not the retailers that say you are pukka, it's the airsoft sites - so membership cards and ID from them should be good enough for the HMRC. Yet the practicality of the HMRC having access (should it happen) to a national database would makes life a lot easier.

how does this bill efect people with firearms licence