VCRA Blues .....

Redwolf UK airsoft refused to sell to me today because the item I wanted was not from the WW2 Era which is my reenactment era .

When I enquired first - by email -  they said they " could " deal provided it was face to face ??

OK - so it would cost me £100 and a full day travelling  for a day rail  return but I was thinking about it , but thought I would ring them first .

They then told me above stating that only items from my re enactment era could be sold to me , nothing outside that era   

I have bought from several UK dealers with no issues (   landwarrior / action hobbies / fire support / patrol base + of course MG - Props )  no such issues - no such additional stipulations .

I asked the salesman if he could direct me to the part of the act which stipulates the above conditions but he was unable to , but merely stated he knew it to be true .

My understanding was membership of a re enactment group with legit documentation entitled me to buy / own RIFs - period . No smallprint - no conditions and I have acted as such since having my clearance documentation with no issues .

Can any of the members on here help with this or advise me if I am in error here ?

I would hate to think that I am as most of my collection is way outside WW2 era anyway   

  

Carl.

If you have a defense under the VCR act there are no further conditions of sale so proof of reenactment society membership is all you legally need, a lot of problems arise when retailers/employees do not understand the act or interpret it in they're own way,
What i would do is insist on speaking to the manager and quoting the act word for word etc etc, a low level employee answering the phones likely knows nothing about the law and wont listen anyway,

failing that take your business else were if possible, ive had alsorts of problems with retailers including one that wouldnt exept letterheaded letters off 2 film companys, my insurance certificate and a letter off my local constabulary confirming i would need the item for film,

hope you get sorted

Thanks Akazz

I have been doing some research on this and intend getting in touch with the Redwolf UK manager soon .

MG-Props have been useful with their disclaimer :

UK LAW VCRA :

25th line down :

" There is no mention in the VCR Bill that re-enactors are limited to era specific replica guns "

I was particularly irritated by the salesman changing his tack from :

" Face to face sales only "

to - " Only era specific replicas may be sold "

I was hoping maybe one of the moderators on here might be able to assist with this ?

Carl

Thanks Cerwyn

Interesting stuff .

I sent a letter to the Manager and emailed him too - quoting UKARA / VCRA stuff from their OWN website .

Here :

" Who are the eligible purchasers?

The only groups of persons now allowed to purchase RiF's are Film,TV, Museums, Theatres, Crown Servants, and persons engaged in Re-enactment activities, and airsoft skirmishing. All these purchasers must be over 18 years of age.

What must Re-enactment people and Airsoft players do to show the are bona fidi?

Both these groups must show that their activities are covered by third party liability insurance and that they are over 18, in the case of Airsoft Players they must also show that they are regular players at an accredited game site. Which means they must be a member of a game site with the appropriate Airsoft Insurance cover. "




They do not seem to be in any hurry to answer me - I merely asked to be directed to the part of the VCRA act which restricts what I may and may not buy ? The Era specific stipulation which they are quoting at me ?

I seem to have had more success than yourself in that they did not flat refuse to sell to me - only to apply their own interpretation of what models they may sell .

On a separate note I have now been refused a sale from a modelgun dealer - Not MG-Props -  again on a technicality - despite my membership of a legitimate and insured re enactment society with paperwork to prove this .

Carl.

BTW : Cerwyn , whatever happened to Doc ?

its such a nuisance when retailers miss interpret the law, its usualy handy to have a friend who airsofts as everyones keen to sell to people with a UKARA number. (not that i see how running around playing soldiers with toy guns gives you any more right to own blank firers/modelguns than anyone else)

Quote :

On a separate note I have now been refused a sale from a modelgun dealer - Not MG-Props -  again on a technicality - despite my membership of a legitimate and insured re enactment society with paperwork to prove this .

Out of interest (no obligation to tell at all   ) what was the technicality ?? seems weird

JohnnyV wrote:

Quote :

On a separate note I have now been refused a sale from a modelgun dealer - Not MG-Props -  again on a technicality - despite my membership of a legitimate and insured re enactment society with paperwork to prove this .

Out of interest (no obligation to tell at all   ) what was the technicality ?? seems weird

Well John , suffice to say despite my paperwork saying I am an active UK re enactor - Its not " active " enough for some people - hence the refusal .

Its no matter - I have other irons in the fire .

Annoying though for sure - also no reply from Redwolf - I guess thats their prerogative .

Carl

All of it, is utterly ridiculous when you consider the fact you can go out and buy a 'RIF', that shoots steel BB's (and will actually harm someone relatively speaking) because they come under the 'Airgun' clarification - though that is just a convenient way of 'skirting' the VCRA for many. I have many of the KWC C02 steel BB pistols as an example and the excellent 'Mini Uzi' - all bought without the need for VCRA defence. I bought my ASG Sten MkII AEG under similar circumstances, as the vendor sold it in a similar fashion. So, Blank guns, Airsoft and PFC firers al, come under the VCRA. Buy a steel BB shooting gun and you're ok. Even the Police have said the VCRA is "unenforeceable"...

akazz wrote:

its such a nuisance when retailers miss interpret the law, its usualy handy to have a friend who airsofts as everyones keen to sell to people with a UKARA number. (not that i see how running around playing soldiers with toy guns gives you any more right to own blank firers/modelguns than anyone else)

Agreed - and a further reason why the VCRA is 'poppycock' imo. Many PFC vendors of course will sell to UKARA Members; though how many UKARA Members are true 'Purists' is open to debate. I draw the line at calling the majority of Airsoft guns 'toys' though. The Marushin 'plastic' MP40 is more a toy in my book, than my full metal 3.3kg SRC Airsoft (I don't care about the 'internals', when the exterior speaks for itself!), but that's a different debate. Put a 'full metal' Marushin PFC MP40 in my hand weighing 4.7kg, now there's something else...

As an aside, a friend of mine tried recently to buy an MGC68 MP40 (with his UKARA defence) that had, had the 9mm Winmag Blank conversion. The vendor said he would only sell to bone fide 'Re-enactors' and not Airsofters on principle - regardless of the law! So, that's a good thing in my book. East is East and West is West as Kipling said (metaphorically speaking!)...

Cerwyn wrote:

Sadly, Redwolf have lost me as a regular customer, but there are other Airsoft dealers about that interpret the VCRA with a bit more sense. 

Indeed so, usually those that are legite Firearms, Shotgun and Airgun vendors, that also sell a few Airsofts as well. Pure Airsoft vendors are usually a bit naive and need a 'push' in the general direction...

Though of course, many responsible 'collectors' (who are generally shunned by the VCRA), just buy an Airsoft painted and then apply the 'Fairy Power Spray' technique...

phobus wrote:

When I enquired first - by email -  they said they " could " deal provided it was face to face ??

This would suggest that (as other's do) they were prepared to 'deal' on the basis of the 'Airgun' laws; but then reneged???? Why so I wonder!!??