There are a number of myths and fears surrounding airsoft replicas, many generated by the anti-gun lobby, many reinforced by the media, all swallowed by the ill-informed and unsuspecting public.

1: Airsoft Replicas CANNOT be made to fire live rounds.

All airsoft guns are made either of plastic or low grade metal (pot metal). As such, this material would never be able to withstand the forces involved in the firing of a 'Live' round. The internal workings of most airsoft replicas are more akin to a radio controlled car using batteries and a gearbox as their motive power. There are no firing pins or chambers for a live round to ever work with.

2: Airsoft Replicas can KILL! Untrue.

Not unless you hit someone with it, or drop it on your foot. In which case its likely to break. Airsofts are low powered and at most cause a small welt. They sting when you are 'hit' but they do not bruise like a paintball. If you are wearing suitable clothing, its likely that you'll never even feel the 'hit'. The biggest danger, and I must stress one that is easily countered is the risk to eyes and teeth. An airsoft round can damage an unprotected eye or tooth, and because of this we enforce a strict eyewear policy and all must conform to Britsh Standard EN166F and recommend full face protection.

3: They are BB guns.

Not technically correct. This is a media propagated myth. The term 'BB Gun' refers to high powered vermin control weapons that fire a heavy weight steel ball bearing (BB). The media has turned the terminology around to refer to those cheap plastic toys that you can get for a quid in poundland. What we in the airsoft community call 'cheapo springers'.

Airsofts are low powered and fire lightweight round plastic pellets and are generally of a high build quality, making them somewhat expensive. I know its all somantics, but airsofters become a little offended when their kit is mis-named in such a way.

4: You cannot play with a realistic looking gun unless you are UKARA registered.

This seems to be the flavour at the moment. Lets get one thing straight, UKARA is nothing to do with the law whatsoever. UKARA is a database used by retailers so then can quickly establish who is registered at an airsoft site and who is not, nothing more. It is perfectly legal to own a realistic looking gun whether your are registered at a site or not. The VCRA covers the SALE AND MANUFACTURE or realistic guns. Any Joe Bloggs can buy a realistic gun and not be open to prosecution. However, if you are the one doing the selling then it is another matter. It is upto the seller to satisfy themselves that the buyer can avail themself of the defence. The most common way to do this is to be a regular member of a proper site. Once you are part of a site you will be given a player number. This number is your defence. Once you are registered you can then send your details off to a retailer (as it is only retailers that can add you to the database) to be added to the UKARA database. From there you can buy realistic guns from retailers.

If you own a realistic looking gun then you can use it at a skirmish site with no questions asked. Its how your obtained said gun that matters. If you owned it before all of this UKARA business came to being then it is no problem. If you bought it off a mate or some random bloke then it is they who are open for prosecution, not you.

Airsoft treads on very fine egg-shells with the government already so please do not involve yourself in any dodgy activity that may further endanger our sport