Is anybody thinking about quitting the modelgun hobby?

Post by MadMike

As the title says I would like to know if anybody has already stopped collecting or is thinking about it. Especially for our friends in the UK the VCRA has made things even harder when it comes to modelguns. But there are other possible reasons: change in life due to friendship/marriage/divorce/unemployment, risk of being called gun-nuts, wish for something new, bad experiences with modelguns or people/dealers, a fed-up feeling after successful collecting, lonlieness of modelgun collecting ...

I remember some very active members who got suddenly quiet. GaryForce from the UK was very active and made excellent reviews, but has disappeared ...

Anyway I'd like to hear about it.
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by 2Sharp

Hell NO!

I just got started for real...

I feel very sad for our modelgun brothers in the U.K though...
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I need more model guns...

The holy quest for modelgun information and knowledge will never-ever end!!

Post by Doc

God ...... being called a Gun-Nut is the last of my worries considering what my other hobby is .

I can`t see many quitting because of the VCR , most "collectors" are pretty determined people .

Naturally as its more difficult to obtain items so some people may see other areas of collecting (hence they do not frequent here as much)

Take me : the anti gun morons were not happy I collect replica toy guns ..........

..so now I collect landmines as well ... ha !

DOC
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We need guns...lots of guns....

.... well anything mechanical that can kill people is interesting ...

Post by 2sharp

Doc wrote:

..so now I collect landmines as well ... ha !

Oh, there you go
I'm very interested in ordnance myself, i have a few items but haven't really spent enough time collecting, it seems all my hobbies relate to buing a lot of stuff... so i can't really afford them all
Right now modelguns seem to suck up all my cash, and some knives, and lights and some other related gear.. but hopefully in the future there will be more grenades, mines and munitions
Way to go Doc!

Post by Phobus

I still come on here most days to see if anyone posted any interesting articles .

Depressing to hear about new models we cant buy , or old collectibles we can no longer collect

I can always regret the items I didnt buy like the lovely silver baby Nambu on Frankies website ...

Still , I manage to get new models from time to time just have to be discreet .

Regards Carl.
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Marmite enthusiast

Post by Spencerman

Personally, I go through phases. There are moments when something terrible will happen such as Dunblane, and it makes me feel bad about my hobby, and sad for those involved, but not bad in a bad way, if that makes sense.

I just kind of go off them a little, but then mostly we are talking models, and they cannot possibly hurt someone unless you throw it at them, but I guess it is what they represent, and the event that has occurred. Then there are other events that occur, that make me feel proud of my collection and want to go out and shoot something, such as events like Operation Nimrod, which also gives me a very proud patriotic feeling too.


For those who are not familiar, that would be the storming of the Iranian Embassy in London by the SAS. I also get a similar feeling if I watch a good class movie, such as Heat. Now who here has not wanted to grab their XMs or similar and play with it during that scene?! Then I may go through a stage where I want only a specific model of gun, and I am not made of money, so others will have to go to fund it. I then inevitably want the other ones back afterwards.

Then there are the things that really piss me off about this hobby. I will start with one of the biggest crimes against all of us (here in the UK especially), government legislation. I do not mind gun control. I whole heartedly support it, and believe that tough gun control is unfortunately a necessity. I do not support banning anything, but recognize that you should not just let any Tom Dick or Harry walk about with a submachine gun.

I sometimes think that you Americans have some crazy gun laws as to what people are actually allowed to buy and where they can buy them from. Ammo from Walmart!?

I know that it is a slightly different approach to gun control there, and it must be nice to pick up 100 rounds with your weekly shopping, but I have always felt that a gun shop is where you should buy gun stuff from. Then there is the whole state to state thing.

In LA you cannot have high capacity magazines, yet drive down the road to another state and you can happily have a 100 round drum mag for a fully automatic weapon. The law here passes all responsibility onto the shooter.

They legislate against a type of gun, make it illegal to possess or reclassify it to a different section, but don't tell anyone, like the recent fiasco with Brocock cartridges etc. The result was that overnight many people became criminals, and I bet that many of them still don't even know it.

The VCR bill. What am I allowed to do now? Who knows. The police? No. They are just as confused as everyone else, so how can they possibly enforce such laws? I have a few airsoft guns, which I use for plinking in my back garden without the need to set up bosses and metal plates etc. and without scaring the crap out of my neighbors.


I have absolutely no intention of becoming UKARA registered, or whatever initials they go by, because just like with handguns, if they decide to ban them again, they know exactly who you are. I also do not skirmish. I am far to fat now to even be arsed to run around in the forest, let alone do it twice!


I want to get into reenacting, but it is hard to find a local club, and also to find the time. I also do not know if I will 100% enjoy it, although I am pretty sure I will, but you know what I mean, until you have tried it, you cannot be sure. Then there is the cost.


I would love to do western reenacting most, I want to be a cowboy, but then I also want a machine gun and more explosives, so war reenacting here I come, but to do all this costs money for kit and again, the time. So the poor old garden plinker, until he is registered with something in some way, cannot upgrade or replace his gun. He can however, buy spare or replacement parts.


Great. I need part such and such, and that is not available separately. How the hell can I buy it? I have been trying to buy a screw for ages now for an airsoft gun, and it has only been through emailing an ebay seller that I was able to get it. Even they didn't bother to sell it, and none of the airsoft shops would help me.


Then there is the other point where you get this crap that I want to spend say £300 on parts, cartridges and accessories for a gun. I use this sum because I wanted to spend more than this at one time with a particular seller, and you get the whole 'did you buy your gun from me' shite. Does it matter? You are supposed to be a retailer, a gun shop, somewhere for me to buy stuff from.

Needless to say that certain sellers come straight off my buyers books, regardless of how desperate I am for the item. Then, there are the ignorant people. Now, don't get these confused with the anti gun people. I see that anti gun people have their reasons for being that way. It is their view, and although I do not share it, I will respect it.


No, the ignorance of the people like that Mrs. Ponsonby-bloodysmythe, or whatever the hell her name is (you all know who I mean I am sure) who are not interested in anybody else's opinion, only that people should not have guns because she doesn't agree with it and she is right.


The last person that springs to mind who thought this way invaded Kuwait during the 90's, amongst other things. There are people who are critisizing the Government bloke who said that kids should get out to the country and learn to shoot. It teaches them discipline and respect. These antis are saying no no no, don't let kids near to guns.

I have the opposite opinion. I believe that kids should be taught about guns. Learn about them, learn how to use them safely, and have a respect for them. They are not 'the bling', they do not give you power, they do not earn you 'spect. You should not go pop a cap in you yo.

Maybe we should teach kids not to kill each other, as that seems to be more the problem, not the gun itself. If someone is going to kill you with a gun then it becomes a killing instrument, as does a knife, a baseball bat, a car, a golf club, a teddy bear, in fact, pretty much anything that you could be killed with could become a killing instrument.


I don't really need to go on about them, because you all know a few of those I am sure. Then there is the finish. I will buy a gun in blue because I like it, then I change my mind, and want a nice shiny silver one, then I change my mind again because the silver one marks easily, or I just want a blue one again.

Then there is the custom route. I love to individualize my guns, but at the same time I don't want to change them too much. Things such as grips, sights, that sort of thing, that maybe to look at you would not know was there, but I know.


I like to do this. But then again, in steps government legislation, what am I allowed to add without breaking the law? Can I use real components? If so, what ones are ok? Real grips ok? How about a real hammer? Then there is the thing about the models available.

It is ok if you want a 1911, or an M16, but what if you want a USPCompact, or an MP5? For some models it is obvious as to why there is not a model available, others there are so many people crying out for them, why aren't there models of them? That makes me want to give up. Then there is the whole determination thing that kicks in, wanting to have an MP5 that makes me continue full steam ahead.

In short, I have times when I can't be bothered with it all and want to give up, but at other times I want more guns. I think that it was one of you Americans who coined the phrase about prying my gun from my cold dead fingers. Hopefully it won't come to that.
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Post by Mark

Spencerman,

I hope that you don't mind that i edited your post to "spread it about" a bit.

"Gun control" means many things to many people and many governments as well. Gun control methods vary country to country and while many seem effective in controlling the supply or the types of guns let me say that isn't the case. There are no gun free places in the world and as we know already, there are no places in the world that are violence free either.

The issue isn't about guns here it is about human survival and what we do to survive everyday in our lives. There are many differences between our existence here in the U.S. and in the U.K. Here, jobs are all affected by changing technology as well as the changing social climate that accompanies the job changes that occur here.

As the U.S. is a very consumer based economy it affects us far more every day that our job base leaves for foreign countries like China etc. In the past, the U.S. barely needed or wanted the vast amount of "junk" that we buy today and when we did want it we produced it ourselves. Many things are involved here as in the post war years, we developed a taste for excess that really hasn't changed much. But, the issue is that we produced what we needed ourselves and that kept us employed and for the most part out of trouble.

But, since technology has changed our lives as well as our pollution regulation agency the EPA has made building or making a new factory hard if not impossible today in the U.S. it has become far easier to make things outside of the U.S. This leads to joblessness in the U.S. and this leads to a survival instinct in many people.

Now, you are asking what this has to do with guns...Plenty, our inter cities are full of people that are jobless but, they still have a T.V. that shows them them all of the good life that they have been "denied"..Some turn to drugs or to robbery to get their survival money or to simply get money for drugs. This cycle is what fuels the violence in the U.S.

Guns or no guns, this cycle goes on. Guns are not some evil device that requires some incantation to bring them into existence nor do they need a giant factory to produce them. Guns can be and are easily made using surprisingly crude methods (just ask the IRA) Guns will always be with us illegally or legally no government or people will ever eradicate them.

Guns will always be used and mis-used by governments as well as groups and individuals all over the world whether or not we "control them" or not.

All attempts at gun "control" depend on the the government (s) that enact them. Here in the U.S. there are thousands of various gun control schemes that vary from state to state and from city to city. None are effective due to other states regulations are less strict than it's neighbor.

True "gun control" would require "Gestapo" "KVD" like police tactics that would not work in most countries. All sales of brass, steel, plastic, lead, zinc, copper,chemicals as well as all machine tools, saws, drills, files would have to be rigorously controlled and or banned. Otherwise, guns could be made out of these materials. Guns have been made in prison workshops around the world as the will and the information cannot be banned.

Americans have more guns per capita in private ownership than just about all other countries. In fact, i would have to say that there are possibly more guns here than our population (500 million?) We import the vast majority of the worlds supply of surplus firearms/ammunition and we shoot most of it up too. We fire/buy more than 5 billion rounds of ammunition yearly. The anti-gun side states in their hatred of guns/owners, that nearly 150,000 people have died from gunshots over a five year period in the U.S. (never mind where they got there information from) If that is the case, where are the the other 4.8 billion or so rounds going?

The question is now, if we Americans have so many gun deaths from shootings why do we allow their possession? Because, we have seen "gun control" at work in other countries in history. Some of the regulations that i have seen in other countries is scary while other countries is interesting and straight forward and well thought out.

In the U.K. I am not at all sure how it will all play out as your government is convinced that they will eradicate all guns in your country in a matter of a few years. Just how they achieve this is a matter of time and the will of your government. Will they ultimately go on a house to house basis and confiscate anything that remotely resembles a firearm? I feel for you gentlemen in the U.K. that simply want to retain a small semblance of your banned real guns that you had years ago. The real guns first, the airguns second the fake guns third the deactivated guns fourth and finally???

There is no winning for you if there is no one that fights for your rights in the house of commons or anywhere else.

I certainally hope that you don't mind my rambling along.

Mark
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Wanted to buy: MGC Sten MK3....trades?(still)

MGC MP40 Marushin MP40 Nakata MP40 TRC MP40

Modelgun manufacturers, past and present:CMC,CAW,Hudson,HWS,LS,MGC(R.I.P. 1960's~2007) Marushin,Marui,Kokusai,Shoei,Tanaka and Western Arms

Post by Claymore

NO NO NO!! No way am i giving up, i have been slowed down by the VCR but give up NEVER. i will spend more on spare parts now so i can keep what i already have in top shape and just look forward to retirement and having more time to us them rather than just look

Post by Doc

without this turning into an anti government rant ........The trouble is that our politicians seem so incredibly short sighted and inept and are far more keen on newspaper headlines that make them look like " the party that care "

Yes the Gov wants to look at banning old spec deactivated firearms (the ones with some moving parts) this is despite the fact that in 2006 of the 11,087 gun related incidents ....how many do you think were with deacts .............


8

yes , eight , so the gov wants to bring in this legislation to chip the tip off the gun problem in this country ....why

Why is because everyone that owns a deactivated gun is more than likely law abiding so if they ban them then these good and true law abiding people will hand them in .

Criminals will not .

Banning handguns has had Zero effect on gun crime , banning replicas will have the same non effect but the poor scared women that run this country will sleep better ....well that is until some scumbag breaks into their house with a large butchers knife .

In London a youth is still four times more likely to be stabbed than shot ..

If I thought banning deacts and replicas would have any possibility of preventing any innocent deaths I would bin the lot tomorrow .

Unfortunately these politicians are not going to understand this until one of them falls victim to some scumbag armed with a knife or screwdriver ...the sooner this happens the sooner we can bring in some proper effective laws to curb the violence on our streets.

DOC
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We need guns...lots of guns....

.... well anything mechanical that can kill people is interesting ...

I certainly have no intentions of giving up my model guns despite the obstacles that keep rearing up.
All the posts written here express very clearly and far more eloquently how we all feel, I can agree with every sentiment.

Spencerman has written particularly well, I think he sums up my own sentiments too so I shant repeat them.

As you all know by now, my broken neck left me paralysed but I try to live my life as normally as possible regardless. My hands don't function so I can no longer pick up anything. Pre-accident I was stubbornly independent, did everything for myself, enjoyed working and wasn't happy unless I had a spanner or a wrench in my hands taking anything mechanical apart and putting it back together again. Engines and motorcycles mostly, but anything that came apart and needing fixing.

The desire to Tinker and learn how things work and how to keep them working is still there, but nowadays I need somebody else's hands to replace mine.

I can no longer work so spend all my time at home, I need a hobby to keep me occupied and to keep my brain from turning to jelly.

Being 49 next week, (bloody hell) I grew up in a time where War Movies and Westerns were on TV almost daily. Boys were almost expected to play with toy guns, I used to go shooting pigeons pheasants and rabbits with my Dad. Action Man was the toy to have, toy guns and playing at being soldiers were considered normal activities.
So the interest in WW2 and the weapons of the time has been ingrained in me since my early childhood.

By chance I discovered that I could actually buy a working replica MP40...
and so my collection of replicas started to enhance my growing collection of WW2 era steel helmets and officers caps initially.

Now this is where my difficulties start. I have to rely on other peoples hands so preparing, loading, firing, cleaning my model guns is done by somebody else, while I watch, supervise and enjoy the whole experience.

If the gun works as it should, then fantastic, re-load it and do it again...

If it stops or malfunctions, then my mechanics head switches on again and I want to strip the gun down and find the cause...

If, however, the person handling the modelgun isn't at all interested, or mechanically inept, or just plain can't stand the sight of a gun, toy replica or not, then the hobby gets pretty strained and frustrating. It's not the modelgun that's the problem, it's the fact that I have to rely on somebody else to "do" everything under my instruction.

There have been times, when I've thought the best thing is to sell them all except for a couple of my best ones, just to keep the peace, but after a cooling off period I re-think and decide to keep them. Why the F*K should I sell my stuff anyway?...

Trying to find somebody locally with the same interests has, so far, been completely unsuccessful. There's a local Airsoft site here now where I can go plinking. As long of course, the person with me fancies standing about in a forest shooting my guns at targets...
The VCRA stopped me buying new guns unless I'm in a Reenactment Group or UKARA registered. I've talked myself into a Membership Secretary's job for the Airsoft site now and joined a Reenactment Group albeit as a Paper Member.
I have been able to buy one new gun on the strength of those credentials. I bought Marushins new GBB MP40 Airsoft model, it's great, much better than those funny whirry electric things, but to be honest I much prefer the pfc replicas that are truer models of the real things.

But where can I buy one now?

I don't think I'll ever be able to buy a new pfc modelgun, unless something drastic happens. Airsoft stuff will be easier to get hold of, but as I don't really find them that appealing, there's not much chance I'll buy unless its a realistic GBB job. (Shell ejecting preferreably)

There's nobody about here that wants to come and spend time sharing my hobby, not even the Airsoft skirmishers, so it'll remain the lonely hobby it is.

This forum is my way of sharing my hobby and being able to discuss problems and success stories.

I've no intention of giving up, all I can hope to do is to learn more about the ones I've got, get them all working, fire them when I can. I'll enjoy that as long as I can keep the ones with me interested.

I really envy you lads that live relatively close to each other. I'd give my right arm to nip around to your house some evening, fire off a few then clean up afterwards.

Cerwyn
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Hobby collector of mainly WW2 era uniforms, headgear, field equipment and replica weapons.

Post by ricks

If blank-firers were available in the same quality and equal variety, I'd be tempted because they're "cleaner" to fire. On the other hand, realistically, where are you going to get, e.g., a Tommy replica for a modelgun price?
Without a virtual revolution in the market of other types of functioning models, I suspect that i"m in for the long haul.
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Rick

ricks wrote:

If blank-firers were available in the same quality and equal variety, I'd be tempted because they're "cleaner" to fire. On the other hand, realistically, where are you going to get, e.g., a Tommy replica for a modelgun price?
Without a virtual revolution in the market of other types of functioning models, I suspect that i"m in for the long haul.

Good to hear it! What we need is the much discussed and very desireable disposable cartridge. At least then we wouldn't have to clean prep and load each cartridge.
One huge advantage of modelguns is that they're quiet enough to use indoors without scaring the neighbours. I tried that with a blank firer once... never again
Cerwyn

Post by Spencerman

Mark wrote:

Spencerman,
I hope that you don't mind that i edited your post to "spread it about" a bit.

No not at all, I do tend to get stuck in once I start into something sometimes!

Cerwyn wrote:

anything that came apart and needing fixing.

And what if it didnt need fixing?
I also forgot to mention, that one thing that I have found with models like these, as opposed to airsoft, although I dont want to put everyone in the same boat, is that generally the people are more enthusiastic. More eager to share and show you thier toys, let you play about with them etc. Talk calibres with airsofters and most of it goes out the window, as the stuff is mainly electric, so it is all gears and stuff, although still interesting and enjoyable, not quite the same as a good old mechanical functioning gun. It is the pleasantness of the people who I encounter along the way, that make this hobby, although a lonely one most of the time, enjoyable. Good, honest, decent folks. I would rather sit in a room staring at a computer screen talking to you guys, than sit in a pub talking football with a load of people, or similar. There seems to be a more pleasant attitude towards things. Maybe it is to do with the discipline involved with target sports that makes people more responsible in general? I dont know. But I do know that this forum and all you guys who contribute towards it, whether by typing or by just reading and learning, is certainly my favourite and a very nice place to visit.
I have no intention of ever giving up, I am far too stubborn!

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more Spencerman. I'd add that this forum is quite possibly the only link some of us have with other model gun owners. It's the only source of conversation, knowledge and a means of sharing the fun so long may it continue.

Cerwyn
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Hobby collector of mainly WW2 era uniforms, headgear, field equipment and replica weapons.

Post by Phobus

I agree with the comments by other people on this thread , and especially Spencerman and Cerwyn . You guys have a way of saying things that I want to say and I find myself nodding when I read Spencers long entry .

I get so exasperated when I start thinking about how this Govt is treating shooters /gun owners and one can only conclude that they intend to remove ALL guns from private hands : RS , replica , blanks , airguns the lot .

This website is an Oasis for a few like minded people and gives us a much needed " forum " to vent our anger and frustration . I was disappointed when we lost blank firers - I will be the first to admit it . Also I feel they are really another type of modelgun rather than a distraction or competitor to modelguns .

I do believe in sticking to the primary intention of the site whilst not risking the discussons getting into areas of dubious legality ( in the UK at least ) I was recently banned for 6 weeks from the " AIRGUNBBS " discussion forum for daring to suggest that the airgun bbs should be airguns only and no firearm discussion at all .

I got hammered for my opinion . Typically you would get someone say : how far can I shoot a rabbit with my air rifle ? Answer : If range is an issue for you , buy a .17 HMR !!! Now is it me or is that a none answer ?
My point is that on that website they have this hierarchy : firearm versus arguns and I thought that took away form the purety of the airgun website and made the mistake of posting that opinion .

I sense no such hierarchy here : it is a much friendlier and tolerant place and the comparison / links with RS are appropriate for the subject . Modelguns have one purpose only and that is to copy firearms as closely as possible so looking at firearms and how they work helps us to compare and contrast with our modelguns .

I have no intention of leaving my hobby for a while yet but my problem is , like a few others I suspect that I like to replace and buy new models to keep my interest alive . I never did get an Ingram despite Cerwyn s repeated encouragement to do so and only have an Airsoft GBB version . Or a Beretta 93 or a Hudson Skorpian or ..........

Thanks

CARL.
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Marmite enthusiast

Post by MadMike

Thank you for your posts. This really helps me. I am thinking a lot at the moment, about many things.
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by Spencerman

You really shouldnt think too much about quitting, not when you obviously enjoy something as much as you do Mike, why else would you know so much about it? Maybe think about whether you would rather fight Mike Tyson or spend the rest of your life talking like him, but not whether to give up something you love. I have decided myself, and got rid of some guns, only to change my mind and regret that I didnt have my guns anymore. If you enjoy something, and it doesnt hurt anyone, why stop?
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Post by MadMike

Anyway I was into AirSoft too, but this was never really my cup of tea. Most players were quite young, talking bad-ass slang all day about taking people out and Death from afar stuff.

I wrote about modelguns on an AirSoft side too, showing pictures of my MGC M4A1 and Marushin XM177E2. It ended up that people bitched about that "shitty pointless gun that does not even shoot BBS". Anyway I got a few PMs from people admiring the realistic internals and markings. One member even needed informations about a MGC M16A1 ABS model as he qualified as a soldier with the German Army many years ago wit the US Army service rifle too, and he was so amazed how detailed a MGC model is, he ended up buying one for his collection ...

Everything is different here. Always friendly and interested people. This is a VERY friendly and helpful forum.
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by ljerr2

Well, I'm sure my wife would like me to quit..................but that's not going to happen!

Also, I agree with Mike - this is a very friendly forum and can only be truly appreciated once you have visited other forums. I visit some other forums and sometimes I'd like to look up addresses and go pay personal visits to those that post with "other than positive" intentions, if you know what I mean.

I've learned so much here and made some great contacts. Everyone here is top notch. Everyone.