Um, hi from Canada?

[Dalek Steve]

Greetings to my UK brothers!

I'm speaking to you from near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I am an active Airsofter with some 5 years experience in both the North and South (and only recently Central) clubs of our province. I'm unofficially representing our local Canadian Airsoft community on a fact finding mission.

My purpose is to obtain first hand experiences with the UKARA system and some topics relating to it. Some of us are quite fascinated with the idea over here, as our legal footing with the sport is indecisive at best, but can only make assumptions based on what is available in a web search, which leads to a lot of print, but not a lot of actual answers.

This comes of genuine interest and I'm hoping I don't offend with some simple questions I've come up with. If I could get back some answers (the more the better) it would be awesome. And, of course, if you'd like to grill me back I'll be happy to comply.

Your cooperation would be extremely appreciated by myself and quite valuable to current efforts in my province to set up a retailer standard.

No pressure or anything.

And feel free to answer as much or as little as you'd like. New Hands and Old Hands are welcome.

Cheers! (Eh?)

- Steve

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Your callsign:
Your team/club:
Your age:
How long playing?

1) What can you tell us about the history of Airsoft in the UK?

2) UKARA: What is good?

3) UKARA: What is bad?

4) How has UKARA effected you?

5) Do you feel UKARA as it relates to the VCRA has made a difference in regards to controlling Airsoft Replicas?

6) Have retailers been able to improve availability or import items that you previously couldn’t obtain?

7) How has UKARA impacted field and venue availability?

8) How has UKARA impacted players?

9) How has UKARA impacted the retailers?

And lastly:

10) Under UKARA, in your own opinion, has British Airsoft overall improved or declined?

[John131]

Re: Um, hi from Canada?

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum and all friends in Canada.

Apologies but I don't have much experience of UKARA although I've been actively buying, selling and shooting Airsoft for the past year mainly as many of the steel plate clubs (IPAS in UK) are located too far to travel regularly. For IPAS I shoot CO2 powered pellet pistols and revolvers although some clubs now allow airsoft.

All the best with your research.

John

[Dalek Steve]

Re: Um, hi from Canada?

I just learned something. Thanks for that, John.

[steve grey]

Re: Um, hi from Canada?

Hi Steve, I think UKARA is a pretty good thing, as it give airsoft, an aire of responsibility, and does, or at least should, stop 12 year old idiots running around with weapons, that could be mistaken for real firearms, it's not a licence as such, just a registration, you play a certain amount of games over a certain period, (3 games over a min of 2 months) you can then be given your UKARA number, and that is intended to prove that you are a regular airsofter, and so, can be trusted to buy realistic replica firearms and use them responsibly..(famous last words eh? lol) more a protection for the seller really, but all in all, not a bad idea in my opinion.

[heroshark]

Re: Um, hi from Canada?

As a player of 16 years I feel ukara has made little difference except create some hilarious discussion on forums an fb. All the vcra and ukara was created for was to make the people who feel nobody should own any sort of gun a little happier as we were restricted but not completely satisfied as there was not a blanket ban on all firearms. Funny thing is when airsoft guns are demonized in the media there is no difference made between a black/realistic or a two tone gun and nor do the aru attending the incident. And what makes it more ridiculous is airguns do not have the same restrictions ,so for example you can buy a gbb 1911 4.5mm steel bb in all black over the counter as long as your over 18 with id but not its AS counterpart unless it's two tone. Basically ukara is what was cobbled together by a retailer to try and appease ignorant anti gun folks. Has it made any difference to gun crimes probably not . Has it restricted us as players ,not much . Has it improved anything, no .The one thing it did was stop the vcra killing our game all together. As for import all it means is a longer wait to get your gun with the check's.