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Full Auto - Legal in UK?

AUPaintSoc

(o)(o)
Jul 19, 2005
237
0
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39
Aberdeen
www.abdn.ac.uk
hey guys,
This is probably an ancient thread somewhere, but I just want to get a definite answer.
I believed that fully-auto paintball guns were illegal in the UK, but then some well-respected paintball people on this forum said that they were in fact legal, and only not used because most sites wont let you, and all tournies dont use it....

But then I got this in an post on our forum...

"Elitesoldier posted:
sorry guys this is where i step in and show u they do have it in the law that paintball guns CANNOT be fully automatic or they will be classed as illegal

under the Firearms Act 1968 of PROHIBITED WEAPONS

Section 1 of the Act applies to every firearm with the exception of:
An air weapon (that is an air rifle, air gun or air pistol which does not fall within section 5 and which is not of a type declared specially dangerous).

affraid to say if an air gun fires more than one paintball per one pull of the trigger then it falls under section 5, see as below

Section 5 applies to weapons and ammunition referred to in the Act as prohibited weapons and prohibited ammunition, which includes: Any firearm which is so designed or adapted that two or more missiles can be successively discharged without repeated pressure on the trigger."

Lots of big words, but does seem like its illegal...

Anyone know for sure?

Mark
 

Tricky

Retired Gun Whore
Jun 10, 2005
1,078
0
61
Past Caring!
www.jerseywarriors.co.uk
Its a bit confusing by saying any firearm that discharges more than one missile per pull, a paintball marker is not a firearm.

By applying the same logic you would be saying that electric airsoft guns and the co2 air guns are firearms, and they aren't either.

It was my belief that they legislated on muzzle velocity, although that may have changed since I lived in blighty.
 

Lucky

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2004
1,556
1
63
57
rochester, UK
A paintball gun is in fact a "class 2 firearm" which apparently is defined by muzzle velocity (the 300fps/12lbs pressure ruling).

They are not "toys" as someone on here once stated.

I'm not a no all on this subject but had an interesting chat with a member of our local constabulary who was quite concise in the fact that if you get up to no good with a "paintball marker", you will actually be charged under the firearm laws and go to prison for a long time.
However the home office is apparently aware of ramping and they say it is ok, yet the police will prosecute you for it?

Is that can of worms on special offer?????:confused:
 

Lucky

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2004
1,556
1
63
57
rochester, UK
Oh and "no" full auto is not legal in the uk !
something to do with ramping has to be maintained by trigger pulls??
Oh i don't know.......i'm going home now:(
 

SteRoberts

Pugwash
Apr 1, 2004
689
8
43
Wolverhampton
Originally posted by diablo66

However the home office is apparently aware of ramping and they say it is ok, yet the police will prosecute you for it?
I think that is in if you play a tournament series that uses ramping then SWAT wont run into to the 50 and beat you down (unless you were killing babies in the staging area). But if you use a paintball gun to hold up a post office, then you are going to jail.
 

Collier

Arsed?
Jan 2, 2002
6,193
28
123
Macclesfield
Visit site
Originally posted by sumo89
ful auto is not actually allowed to be used anywhere in the UK so whether its legal or not, you cant use it.
So I can't use it on my friends farmland? :rolleyes:

As I understand it in the legal (no pun intended) sense of the word its legal in the tournament/site sense of the word its illegal.
 

mad dog

On Facebook
Jan 18, 2002
186
0
26
Nottingham / UK
www.maddivision.co.uk
To put it in terms we can all understand.

To have a marker firing outside of the paintball world and having it reach media attention in the wrong way on semi is one thing.
But to have a marker bring attention to itself ramping or even worse to have it go off fully auto by accident is another.

Triggers are pretty much set as fine as possible to let players think they have fast fingers but to get a marker knocked by accident, even in the player's area on fully auto would be a disaster. Think about it barrel sock blown off , people without goggles on at knee height.

Common sense speaks for itself, it's wrong and very unsafe unless you are SWAT on a training exercise.

No insurance will cover you and the issue of ramping well been there done that, can still outfire and beat teams without it but hey when all jump off a cliff to win, I have to follow just taken my time to make sure I have the right parachute for the job.

If you want a thrill and not a mod chip , set it up on true semi and out fire your hopper, start with an egg first then progress to a Halo.

Mad dog peace out all.