25 Oct Is It Legal to Own a Paintball Gun in the Uk
If you don`t have an amazing target and you can shoot your attacker in a place that can hurt but not kill them (like the eyes, throat, or nose), a paintball gun won`t do you any good. If you have ever been hit by a paintball, even 25 meters away, and on a bear skin, it will hurt a lot. The idea that marbles are a great alternative ammunition to paintball guns has been popularized through movies and TV shows. And while some marbles can be used as ammunition for their paintball gun, it`s not the safest thing you can do. While most paintball firearms meet the above criteria, some shoot beyond these limits and therefore require a licence under the Firearms Act or are considered a “prohibited weapon”. Firearms Act The section of the Weapons Act relating to the air force concerns regulation within the paintball industry. Therefore, it is important to understand under what circumstances a licence is required to operate an air force. For a weapon longer than 60 cm, it must not be capable of being fired above twelve feet/lb to avoid the need for a permit. For guns of less than this length, the ratio is reduced to six ft/lb. If the air force is more manned, it must be licensed. Specifically, with paintball markers, they cannot discharge more than one paintball at a time or they are classified as automatic. You can only use allowed paint balls that must be limited to a maximum of 300 fps. All tournament markers are limited to a maximum speed of 300fps, which equates to 9.9 ft/lbs, and site markers should be used between 250 and 280fps to be safe for customers.
This equates to 7 ft/lb – 8.7 feet/lb. Paintball guns do not require a permit if they do not fire more than 12 feet/lb for a rifle style (the typical style of most paintball weapons) or no more than 6 feet/lb for gun types. In general, paintball weapons can be used for self-defense. However, this may not be the most effective way to do this. The UKPSF has a Code of Conduct for member sites, which is widely recognised as the basis for guidelines for the safe operation of a paintball website. Airsoft, Paintball, Air and BB weapons are legal up to certain performance limits. If the gun looks realistic, aside from the fact that it`s an air gun, it should be high unless you have a good reason to own it. Most British shoots are based on a bit of common sense.
376 views The probability of marbles causing a jam in the receiver of your paintball weapon is very high. Many people come to their first paintball game, wrapped in fifteen wool sweaters and their favorite hat. It will certainly make you imperceptible to be hit by a paintball, but it could also put you in real danger of heat exhaustion! We recommend paintball players to wear: There are no specific licensing requirements that apply to paintball websites. Standard paintball markers are not considered firearms and do not require a permit as long as they meet normal specifications. Note, however, that airsoft guns (similar to paintball markers, but firing small plastic bullets), which are realistic imitations of real weapons, can only be purchased by people who meet certain criteria – for example, those over 18 who are registered members of an airsoft battlefield. For more information, visit the Airsoft World website. Paintball guns and weapon accessories Our paintball gun collection includes the best paintball weapons you can find from leading paintball brands and training markers such as Umarex, Tippmann and First Strike. You must also have a valid reason for carrying the paintball gun – getting to or from a paintball venue or tournament is the only acceptable reason. Any adult can legally own a paintball gun as long as they are not a criminal.
In most cases, it is considered an “air rifle,” so all laws that apply to BB guns or other air rifles also apply to paintball guns. Cylinder testing Compressed air cylinders MUST be tested regularly in accordance with UKPSF guidelines. If your compressed air cylinder is coated with fibers, it must be tested five years after manufacture. This also applies to CO2 cylinders and all cylinders with a capacity of more than half a litre. To find the date of manufacture of the bottle, check the tank and the date will be engraved on it. Refilling a bottle that is not within the test dates is illegal and you are not allowed to do it with a reputable supplier. Accidents related to untested cylinders can also result in the invalidity of your insurance. In the UK, paintball guns (known as markers) are not classified as “firearms” because they fire fragile projectiles. Frangible, our new favorite word, means that paintball breaks when it comes into contact with something.
Non-fragile cartridges (such as bullets) are generally illegal, for reasonable and obvious reasons. Instead, paintball markers are classified as “aerial weapons” and, therefore, users do not need a license as long as the rate of fire (number of paintballs fired) and speed (speed of paintballs fired) remain under tightly controlled limits. The markers we use on our Paintballing Ltd websites are all well below these limits. Paintball guns do not require a permit unless they shoot above 12 feet/lb for a rifle style (the typical style of most paintball guns) or not above 6 feet/lb for pistol types. Today, however, health, safety, and legal concerns are at the forefront when it comes to activities, and paintball is no different. Here are the relevant points you need to know about the law regarding paintball. The Paintball Factory is Australia`s newest online paintball shop. Easy online ordering, affordable shipping or pickup options, the paintball factory is the ultimate shopping experience for your paintball equipment. For example, although breaking into someone else`s property is considered a misdemeanor in the United States, unloading weapons such as a paintball gun (which is considered a firearm by most U.S. states) can easily be considered a crime. For pure self-defense in a SHTF situation, you can “upgrade” to SOLID HARD RUBBER PAINTBALLS, these are still .68 caliber and fit a standard paintball, but cause much more pain and damage when shot at a person. In America, health and safety has gone even further, and we tend to do the same in the abundance of time.
On the other side of the pond, tournament organizers insist that players put full faces and auditory armor on the paintball masks they play in. They must be provided by the same people who provided the mask and they must not be altered in any way. Although this is not yet required by law in the UK, the UKPSF rightly points out that it remains essential because of the ancillary issue of insurance. Any insurer of a UK paintball website will insist that all players wear face masks, goggles and ear glasses at all times. The same goes for paintball stewards. During tournaments, it often happens that the organizers insist on eyewear systems that have not been modified since production. In addition to insurance issues and tournament restrictions, the use of protection is an essential aspect of security that must always be adhered to. The paintball industry uses the Air Force section of the Firearms Act of 1968 to regulate the sport. Therefore, the Ministry of the Interior does not consider paintball markers to be firearms, as they fire fragile ammunition that shatters on contact, rather than inflicting a penetrating wound. Find out more about paintball in South Wales with Adventure Britain or find out more about the sport in general by contacting our friendly team.
Information for paintball operators on health and safety issues can be found on the website of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). For years, paintball has been one of the most fun and exciting outdoor activities. Popular for groups of friends, team building, bachelor parties and parties, the possibilities are endless.