Steve's points
In all posts there is an element that is correct but therea re also a few points that need making.
The limit to take a marker over 12ft/lbs is nearer 335fps, minor point.
I have had regular conversations and letters exchanged with the Home Office and one of the points mentioned by the powers that be is "The paintball industry has regulated itself over the years resulting in very few incidents with paintballers (not idoits) where the HO have been asked to comment on a situation"
The file on paintball contains very few documents the file on air guns fills cabinets.
That is because as a sport we self regulate.
It is true that the HO don't class paintball markers in the same file as air guns, that is because of the frangible nature of a paintball. Basically a paintball would break but an air pellet could break the skin and do more damage.
So what does this mean - well if we could not careless about our sport then we will let everyone go around with markers dialled up to any limit , with full auto boards, and shooting s..t out of joe public.
We don't so we set the rules guided by the HO. If we stick inside excisting rules then we will not have a problem.
Are we suggesting we get rid of all our rules because the met police don't think a paintball marker is classified as an air weapon?????
I think we should stick with the guidelines we issue and continue to run our sport within the guidelines issued.
On three other points
The HO have always said to me "Whilst they don't consider paintball markers in the same light as an air rifle if an incident happened and it went to court and a court decided that the marker was "Dangerous" then this sets the standard and then the law could be changed" .
About twelve months ago I was contacted by a solicitor to write a letter for their client to present to court explaining that the paintball marker he had just used to shoot at people at a bus stop when he drove by was not a firearm. I wrote the letter to defend our sport I could not careless about the individual. He was being prosecuted under a firearm offence as well as other charges. The firearms charge was dropped but he was sentenced to ??? (not 100% sure)
Finally in a confidential report produced by the Scotland Yard it is said "Paintballing is providing a ready supply of guns that are being converted into lethal weapons" (quote from the independent newspaper) I contacted the Met police with regards to this report and I am still awiting a reply from the Assistant Commisioner who wrote the report. They have not even had the courtesy to acknowledege my e mails. I appreciate that this is not "at the action end police" but if the top men consider paintball markers a threat then we must make sure as a sport that we do not give them fuel to light the fire.
These are my comments for what they are worth
Steve
I have just re read the post and it looks like I am knocking Neil and the Met police - I am not and apologise if it looks like that.
