Are fully automatic paintball guns legal in the UK?
Discussion
Not motoring related but I thought this might be the best forum to post in.
Basically the question is in the topic.
I believe they fit into the air gun category provided they shoot at around 300fps or less but I've read conflicting opinions on whether fully automatic (i.e. holding down the trigger and multiple rounds being fired until the trigger is released) is legal or not.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Cheers,
Mackie.
Basically the question is in the topic.
I believe they fit into the air gun category provided they shoot at around 300fps or less but I've read conflicting opinions on whether fully automatic (i.e. holding down the trigger and multiple rounds being fired until the trigger is released) is legal or not.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Cheers,
Mackie.
The reason I ask is that I'm pondering getting one of these (ATS AT4):
for playing milsim/scenario games. It is magazine fed and has a mechanical full auto ability (no electronics at all). Believe me they do sound scary!
It's a closed bolt design too so they are deadly accurate compared to Tippmanns and the like.
>> Edited by thetruemackie on Wednesday 15th February 14:58
for playing milsim/scenario games. It is magazine fed and has a mechanical full auto ability (no electronics at all). Believe me they do sound scary!
It's a closed bolt design too so they are deadly accurate compared to Tippmanns and the like.
>> Edited by thetruemackie on Wednesday 15th February 14:58
My mate had a full auto tippman .68 cal years ago. Looked a bit like a sten with the magazine out the side. He had to have it converted to semi auto I believe. Some of the modern markers have electronic trigger assemblies which will do burst fire but I don't think full auto is allowed.
The tippman was a laugh, mag only held 15 shots but it would emty the whole lot in under a second, no chance of wiping
You knew when you had been hit thats for sure.
180 fps was the max I think - 300 was always the gentlemans agreement at site as that was what the goggles are rated at and 180 has no range. I thought they had changed it to a foot pound rating when they classed them as airguns
>> Edited by malman on Wednesday 15th February 15:35
The tippman was a laugh, mag only held 15 shots but it would emty the whole lot in under a second, no chance of wiping
You knew when you had been hit thats for sure. 180 fps was the max I think - 300 was always the gentlemans agreement at site as that was what the goggles are rated at and 180 has no range. I thought they had changed it to a foot pound rating when they classed them as airguns
>> Edited by malman on Wednesday 15th February 15:35
You are correct that they changed the measurement to ft/lbs. The legal limit is 9.9ft/lbs which equates to 300fps muzzel velocity.
This is the limit that all UK paintball sites operate AFAIK.
You can freely buy electronic tournament markers with full auto modes but it's not allowed on most sites or by most tournament rules (in the UK at least).
However my question is, if playing with your mates, in a private wood, is it stricly legal to use full auto?
PS. That's a very nice and VERY purple Cerbera you've got there
>> Edited by thetruemackie on Wednesday 15th February 15:48
This is the limit that all UK paintball sites operate AFAIK.
You can freely buy electronic tournament markers with full auto modes but it's not allowed on most sites or by most tournament rules (in the UK at least).
However my question is, if playing with your mates, in a private wood, is it stricly legal to use full auto?
PS. That's a very nice and VERY purple Cerbera you've got there
>> Edited by thetruemackie on Wednesday 15th February 15:48
I think his was modded as it had become illegal and I don't think this has changed but I've been out of paintball since just before the airgun stuff came in. Yes sites don't allow full auto these days but even when I played/marshalled Automags would do 9per sec with a good user so it made little difference other than your finger got tired by the end of the day. I did see a bunch of guys on the www.overclockers.co.uk forums using those rap4 markers and the glock hand markers a few months back. Might be worth a post on there see if anyone has further info.
If you do get one be careful as they do look very real
If you do get one be careful as they do look very real
Read the following and in particular the second section to make sure it isn't classed as a Firearm just an Airweapon
www.ukpsf.com/paintballlaw.asp
dvd
www.ukpsf.com/paintballlaw.asp
dvd
Cheers for the link DVD
As I said when I played I'm sure the limit was 180 fps but they must have brought it up to the sensible level when they moved to airgun classification. Every site I used had a gentlemans agreement on 300 fps we used to set the site markers at 270 as CO2 had some variance during the day. Any walk on players with their own marker were randomly checked during the day to stay within the 300.
So it looks like they still don't allow full auto. Don't know why as a skilled player will be up at 12 balls a second on the modern markers with the new feed systems they have that won't allow you to break a ball in the feed or breech
As I said when I played I'm sure the limit was 180 fps but they must have brought it up to the sensible level when they moved to airgun classification. Every site I used had a gentlemans agreement on 300 fps we used to set the site markers at 270 as CO2 had some variance during the day. Any walk on players with their own marker were randomly checked during the day to stay within the 300.
So it looks like they still don't allow full auto. Don't know why as a skilled player will be up at 12 balls a second on the modern markers with the new feed systems they have that won't allow you to break a ball in the feed or breech
For full auto operation on a semi automatic, position your gloved hand so that it interferes with the backward motion of the cocking lever.
What this does is denies the cocking lever the ability to latch (semi) and so the cycle starts over instantly.
Very noisy, very painful for the recipient of the paintballs, but ver impresive.....sounds like a two stroker!
What this does is denies the cocking lever the ability to latch (semi) and so the cycle starts over instantly.
Very noisy, very painful for the recipient of the paintballs, but ver impresive.....sounds like a two stroker!
thetruemackie said:
The reason I ask is that I'm pondering getting one of these (ATS AT4):
for playing milsim/scenario games. It is magazine fed and has a mechanical full auto ability (no electronics at all). Believe me they do sound scary!
It's a closed bolt design too so they are deadly accurate compared to Tippmanns and the like.
>> Edited by thetruemackie on Wednesday 15th February 14:58
how much and where from, i want 1!!
www.getrealpaintball.com/intro_set.html
$750 as pictured with 1 magazine. Magazines are $70 each (!)
You'll need a high pressure air source which can be had for around £100 upwards.
Cool aren't they!
$750 as pictured with 1 magazine. Magazines are $70 each (!)
You'll need a high pressure air source which can be had for around £100 upwards.
Cool aren't they!
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