Still have to get through customs thought don't they....
In reply to Pete_59s comment, there was a news article today that said UK prisons were fuller than they'd ever been. Possibly why judges are reluctant to hand out prison sentances in all but the more serious cases.
No longer involved in airsoft.
Just read a thread over on another airsoft forum...I quote
Finally had a phone call from a nice lady at HMRC regarding the proceedure to import RIFs.
As has been stated before, they are aware of the implications of the VCR act, and that airsofters are exempt.
If a gun is stopped, they will write to you requesting confirmation that you are eligable to import.
The letter will contain the information you have to provide in order to satisfy them that you are covered by the defence
Apparently HMRC are sending out this letter from October 1st regardless of whether a gun was ordered and paid for before that date, no one seems sure of what will be in the letter but I`m presuming you`ll have to either be a member of a site, member of the ukara scheme or make a declaration that you are a skirmisher...more grey areas. Will be interesting to see the contents of the letter when someone receives one 
I take it everyones still kind of in the dark still but does anyone know how the bill will affect people like me who live in the Channel Islands but frequently come across to the UK to play. Airsoft is pretty big here in Guernsey so when they tried to bring in the VCR bill over here we came out in force and got a complete exemption so over here it is buisness as usual. But when it comes to going to the UK no one seems to be able to give us a straight answer at the moment. I went to check out the ABA's website but it looks like they have been hacked as it is now displaying a website about employing women workers in 1943.
I would think HM Customs would be the best people to talk to in your case, as I presume you would be bringing a gun in to play at a skirmish over here? 
Yeah a few of us travel to the uk at least once a year to play and we come over in a car and bring our own guns with us. Last thing I want is customs confiscating them never to be seen again.
Question is , are you technically importing as you aren't part of the UK?
Well I figure as long as you don't fly (as airport people tend to get a bit jumpy if you have anything gun shaped in any of your luggage) you should be fine as technically you are part of the UK 
just a nice tax free part 
No longer involved in airsoft.
Not part of the UK or the British Isles afaik, they're British Crown dependencies, which are very different.
Trust you to be picky 
No longer involved in airsoft.
Yeah we are a crown dependency which has the advatages of our government getting to pick and choose which parts of UK law apply over here. From what contact we've had with our customs are as much in the dark as the rest of us.
I was chatting to Jimjogg today about membership and he said to me that I had to attend 3 airsoft events every 2 months to be able to qualify for membership anywhere (doesn;t have to be the same site).
I find this highly frustrating. I pretty much just do WWII 'softing now (with the recent Vietnam game being an exception). The point is I only play 2 or 3 times a year. For me there simply isnt enough time or money to do any different. Therefore because I am a "more discerning" player Im peanalised!
He also said that the membership doesn't give me the right to buy airsoft weapons but provides an excuse should I get taken to court !
I said to him it wasnt worth it.
Sounds like a big fat pile of shyte to me. Just as well I've got all I need for the moment but s
No longer involved in airsoft.
That contradicts what I've heard, what I was told was that to get onto the database you had to attend at least 3 games in 'not less than' two months and that you'd have to re-qualify every year
Thats still a tall order for me.
Just out of curiosity anyone know how this affects film makers? Im one of them too so I could come in on that angle.
No longer involved in airsoft.
Not much of Jimjogg's convo is correct. Pete's version is correct but only as far as getting onto the UKARA database (and at the moment only at the same site).
This rigmarole is only to provide UKARA dealers with a defence to sell, not a right to buy on behalf of the player, for the player needs none!. If that makes any sense, for 'tis not a crime to buy only to sell! (Disregarding importing, another kettle of fish.)
Film maker? Ask the HO for their definition. Even if you complied it probably wouldn't make a great deal of difference - you still have to persuade the retailer that you are one of the entitled few. Gonna need a bit more than a calling card with 'film maker' (or airsofter, re-enactor, museum curator etc) on it!
To be fair on Jimjogg he may not have said things the way I heard it. It still annoys me that to be ratified to buy kit I have to attend quite a high number of skirmishes in a period of time. Even when I was playing "regular airsoft" I barely managed 1 a month and it was more like every 6 weeks.
Surely this system only works for people for whom this is their life rather than the marginal crowd and there must be loads of players like that.
Ah I give up on the whole thing. I'll never buy a whole gun again.
No longer involved in airsoft.
3 skirmishes in not less than 2 months.
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
.... Not less than two months.... Ok Im really tired so Im interpreting that as within 2 months...
Ahhh ok so it could be 3 a year? Ok that works. I think.
No longer involved in airsoft.
does that mean then reading Kermits with italics, someone who has done 3 skirmishes within 2 months, is not classed as a skirmisher in the eyes of the VCR bill due to the fact they could have had a flight of fancy and used those two months as a leaway to get the ability (potentially) to buy ? Where as someone who has done 3 or more skirmishes over a longer period than 2 months (assume less than a year due to membership) is more likely to be seen in the eyes of the VCR as a skirmisher and not someone whose done it on a flight of fancy ?
