Defending with paintballs?

[dodge-gnome]

The whole London Riot thing has had me thinking, and i apologise it's not the weekend for this sort of talk, but it seems relevant for the times.

In the news it is saying about the elderly using pots and pans to defend their homes, which is understandable with all the chaos roaming around in the streets. Now us as a community are the most aware about the dangers of paintballing and the potentially devastating effects it can have on a person, their sight and potentially their life if used irresponsibly.

But what about this scenario; what if someone were to break into your home, with the intent to harm your family / steal from your home, and you happened to have a gat gassed up and ready to fire? What if someone were to break into your home tonight or attempt to burn it down, do you think you would have the capacity to fire at them in defence or as a deterrent?

I'm not trying to encourage the thought. I wince at the thought of firing anything if there is someone in the area not wearing a mask, as i'm sure most of this community (hopefully) would agree. But all the hype on the news recently has had me thinking about my capacity to defend myself and my home.

I am in no way encouraging anyone to gas up and try to 'Save London', But unfortunately not all of us are built like tanks like Robbo who could defend our homes with our bare hands . But i'm wondering about personal opinions here as to whether you would see it as 'right' to defend their home using a paintball gun, or as a way to disperse the riots spreading around the country. What does everyone think?

 

[Henry8362]

personally i'd smack them round the head with the air bottle lol
hmmmm i dunno, i mean i'd like threaten them with it and if i did i wouldn't point it at there face, although it seems kind of pointless, because unless you do fire it at there face, it's not going to do a lot of harm.... good thing i don't live in london

 

[Tom Allen]

two words "reasonable force". You exceed this and you will be in the dock. Regardless of the situation if you hold a weapon in your hand you become the aggressor.

 

[niallist]

AFAIK If you show pre-planning and intent in your actions, i.e. having a marker gassed up and ready to rock, then you can be done. Same as having a baseball bat next to your front door but no baseballs IYSWIM.

I think Tom is right but if you had several people invading your home would assembling a paintball marker (if you had the time) constitute reasonable force?

(I bought 2 baseballs when i bought my little league aluminium bat a few years ago. I play all the time. Oh yes.)

But I'm no lawyer. So don't do it kids.

 

[Bon]

unfortunately not all of us are built like tanks like Robbo who could defend our homes with our bare hands .

Well if someone breaks into Robbo's house, he's going to get quite the shock when he gets back off holiday

 

[Gadget]

Don't even consider it. Although not a firearm, they are still considered as air weapons under firearm legislation and you're asking to get into serious trouble if you try using one for self defense (regardless of how much the scumbags may deserve it). Also consider the negative impact that the use of a paintball marker might have on the wider game/sport/industry. The last thing we want is for a vigilante action to lead to paintball being banned.

On a completely unrelated topic, I've been trying to fit a new handle to my pickaxe, it's taking a while but I'll get there eventually, I'll just stash it under my bed until I complete it....

 

[Dusty]

I've got an old RUC wooden baton, stained with the blood of Northern Ireland's wrongdoers. Obviously it's collectible being that the RUC is gone and the PSNI don't use wooden beating sticks any more.

Thats the only reason I have it in the house.............

 

[Rikk]

And the only reason i have my Tazer is to test the Car's spark plugs, extreme but it works

 

[Tony Harrison]

Don't do it. "Reasonable force" and the effect it may have on the sport outweigh the possible benefits.

 

[Dusty]

That said, you could really f*ck over airsoft and they'll all then have to play paintball instead!!!

Go ahead, have fun while you're at it and remember you're sacrificing yourself for the greater good. We'll have a plaque made for you and put it on a tree at a paintball site somewhere to remember you.