OK First thing is will a Mod PLEASE sticky this topic as its important to those players esp the US military ones in Germany.
If any one knows of an REAL changes to these laws please let me no via a PM so I can change them. Please make sure you know them for facts so we don't waste time.
SO here goes.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Josh and I ran the Red Baron paintball field for the Darmstadt outdoor rec for almost 3 years. In that time we had several dealings with the German government, its laws and the US's use of them on the base fields. So the information I am giving you is now 1 year old but should still be true. So I have a pretty good back ground for making this post in an effort to educate and advise US players in Germany.
Paintball is not legal in all parts of Germany, some places enforce the law strictly while others operate under what the Germans call "an open secret" We in the US will know it better as a wasted law. Like J walking. Basically its illegal but only when they need it to be. IN the areas were it is not legal it is permitted for the military to use it as a training method but then its only approved for active duty training.
There are 3 main laws on the German books that directly pertain to paintball. I will list them then describe them.
1. A person must be 18 years or older to play.
2. The round fired from any weapon must not exit the boundary of the
property designated for shooting.
3. The round fired for the weapon must not exceed 7.5 joule in power to be considered as NOT being a firearm and thus being awarded an "F" stamp.
1. Paintball CAN NOT legally be played, by German law, by those under the age of 18. Each US base commander has the power to set an age that they feel is right for US ID card holders on their bases. The reason for this law is part Law part Code. The German government view paintball, as well as first person shooter video games as against their morality code. They believe it desensitizes a person to killing. So 18 is an age they feel a person is old enough to make their own judgement.
2. Basically that's the big reason for all the netting any paint that goes out side the area is a violation of the law.
3. a. Germany measures the speed of the ball in power or joule, 7.5 roughly translates to 214 feet per second. By their law anything that travels faster than that brakes the F-stamp and that marker is considered a FIREARM! Truly , by their law you may as well be holding a MAC-10 or any AK-47.
3. b. The F-stamp. What is it? The F-stamp is a mark stamped into the body of all markers sold in Germany that states the German Firearms division as approved that maker for sale in Germany. When a new markers comes out, a copy of it must be sent to this division as well all its info with it. If it meets their approval it is kept on file at the division and the company is allowed to then import and stamp that type of marker for sale in Germany.
( now some of you are asking, "well it has to shoot more than 214?! Right? Nope, they turn it down, take out the velocity screw if possible and often install what's called a European spring if ones is used. All this is in an effort to ensure the marker will shoot at or below 214 fps. After the approval its in the hands of the consumer. Yup its all sort of weak and shady and believe me I am sure the division more than likely knows about it. BUT its still the law right wrong or indifferent.)
So back to the marker, what ever way the maker goes to the division is the way its supposed to stay to maintain the F-stamp. So after you buy it, if you do ANYTHING to it you break the F-stamp. Yup that means upgrading a barrel or anything you legally break the F-stamp.
Adding an F-stamp. As far as I have been able to find this is NOT legal. Is it done? YUP ALL THE TIME. Just be aware its NOT legal! Know the law is all I am saying. Even though the marker you bought in the states is the exact same one they sell in Germany.
Now all of this sounds like sillyness but understand that it is the law. SO a marker sent to your Military PO box that does not have an F stamp CAN and WILL be taken by German Customs should they pick your package to search. They have the right to search the mail, YUP even US military mail. This happened to a friend of mine there and for a while it was pretty serious. He NEVER got the marker back, and COULD have been charged with smuggling firearms in to Germany.
The US military over there as made several concessions to German laws over the years. The one that applies most in this case is the adoption of the German Gun laws, THEY now apply to ALL US military in Germany. Last I knew the law goes something like this: in order to own a gun you must past the German safety class ( expensive ) be a member of a shooting club ( paying monthly or years dues , NOT cheap either ) as well as compete at least twice a year in a shooting event with that gun. (Basically you REALLY have to be into gun and have some coin to own one over there.) SO if you marker has no F-stamp then legally they could require you to do all the above in order to keep your marker. VERY unlikely but possible none the less.
Its important to note that while it is also VERY unlikely they would do so, they could come on to a base paintball field and inspect the markers. The are fully authorized to do this. SO the whole "Just don't worry about it if your on base" statement is flawed. Like I said VERY unlikely but still possible. Let's also say you live off base or your housing is not on the base the field is on but on another base. You have to travel with your marker in the car, Should you be stopped and searched ( get in an accident etc) and you NON F -stamped marker is discovered you could be in trouble. All I want to let folks know is what the law is. Do with the info as you will but at least know what can or could happen.
Paintball has a bad enough rep in Germany as it is and only though responsible adherence to their laws will further bad will to the sport of paintball be lessened. So little things like NOT wear camo clothing while playing ( the Germans view that as para-military training ) Not shooting up the street signs where you live. Most importantly having an F-stamped marker will help this out.
Its a bit much to take in but its the LAW.
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