Home office meeting
Tuesday 7th February
Airsoft contingent
Sean Wilson, ABA/UKASGB
Tim Wyborn ABA
Stephen Pringle UKARA
Ken Elston UKASGB
Home office
Rt Hon Ms Blears
Dennis Wilmer
Graham Widdecombe
3 other representatives
Following introductions the minister appraised us of the intentions of the bill, mainly the reduction in the ‘pool’ of replicas in the UK to prevent the climbing misuse.
We asked the minister what her perception of airsoft is.
Her answer was it was similar to paintball.
Following a unanimous sharp intake of breath, we explained airsoft was nothing like paintball and much more akin to re-enactment. We explained the importance of realism was fundamental to the experience of airsoft and without it the ‘suspension of disbelief’ (to steal a phrase from the film industry) was removed and therefore so was the essence of Airsoft.
We broached the subject of statistical evidence and suggested the 200 replica crimes attributable to ‘soft air weapons’ was indeed a very small part of the problem and of that 200 only a very small portion were skirmishable replicas.
We agreed 200 instances was too many and suggested that would be reduced if only legitimate users were able to buy them.
The joint scheme would limit them to dedicated retailers, therefore immediately eliminating most of the problems.
We stated the problem was the readily available cheap replicas which we don’t use, the minister did not deny it.
The minister continued with her worry the ‘pool’ of replicas in the UK would grow and the replicas we use are very realistic.
Despite our replicas being realistic we sought to show the minister airsoft has been a relatively low-key leisure activity, we showed airsoft had grown quietly without attracting the wrong sort of participants. Airsofters are enthusiasts who are as adamant as the government that replicas should not be misused
We pointed out there would be cheap and very realistic firearms readily available post bill in the form of Co2 weapons and even showed her a catalogue of items that would still be available. The only restrictions on purchasing them would be age.
We differentiated between the cheap springers and the expensive replicas we use, the main obvious difference being price, due to function.
We stated the coloured or clear plastic amendment would be of little use to us. This being due to the unavailability of such replicas and the realism aspect of airsoft. The minister asked if Airsofters would buy replicas with a brightly coloured ‘flash’ to which we required clarification, did that imply replicas would be available with only an orange muzzle, similar to the United States. The clarification was the majority of the replica would have to be coloured, to which we replied no, Airsofters would not buy them.
It was explained that on a technical level, yes a coloured or clear plastic replica could be used to skirmish with, but for the Airsofter it would totally destroy the experience and therefore in the context of Airsoft skirmishing was unusable.
We explained we don’t understand what it is we are doing that is so different to re-enactors? Re-enactors will be adding to the ‘pool’ of replicas, but they are deemed suitable to have them, why not Airsofters.
For example, a retailer could sell post bill an AEG in 3 different ways, to a film company, a re-enactor and an Airsofter, the first two would be straight sales but to sell to an Airsofter the replica would have to be painted a bright colour, why would the Airsofter be more likely to misuse it than the others.
We stated the whole of airsoft, Sites, players and retailers was prepared to come together to self regulate and control the sale to legitimate users.
As was expected there was very little feedback from either the minister or her aides, the one comment we did get was at the end of the meeting.
The minister said she was less than convinced by the practicalities of availability but had taken the other points on board and would give them careful consideration.
We were generously allowed over our allotted time of 30 minutes. (thirty minutes is the usual maximum time anybody is allowed, understandably the minister is a very busy person)
We met several hours before the meeting so we were well rehearsed, many points we would have like to have made were not appropriate so have been kept for another day. There were no surprises sprung on us, none of what the minister said was ‘new’, but it did seem as though many of our answers and points were previously unknown to the minister. The bulk of the meeting concentrated on what airsoft is, and what it means to the participants, also convincing the minister of our need for realistic replicas and our views on the operation of airsoft using the amendment for coloured or clear plastic replicas.
We had a debrief following the meeting and all present agreed we got our points across, in a well-constructed and sensible manner. We all had the feeling we were listened to and none of us felt anything had been missed.
We will see if anything comes from the meeting, only time will tell, meanwhile we carry on with lobbying the Lords.
