Realistic looking markers, are we going to far?

[Robbo22]

Don't get me wrong to start with, i'm all for realistic resembling markers, to an extent.

For a while now certain markers have been looking more and more like the real thing each day, yeh good, but does anyone else share the same concern that sometimes these could do more harm than good.

I'm sure many of you have seen the new BT TM7.
http://www.btpaintball.com/tm_7.php

Now, take the feedneck off that, and any unsuspecting member of the public with no paintball knowledge, or someone behind a cashier, arn't going to know the difference, and they're automatically going to think the worst, and i'd bet the armed response wouldn't know much difference at 20 paces.

Now supposing some idiot gets ahold of one of those, say your local chav gang, they go parading around the streets with it, or even decide to play armed robbery, anyone can get hold of it or any other realistic looking marker. Someoneseven showing it to their friends in the back garden, maybe even dry firing.. a call goes out, armed response on you in minutes, a big hullabaloo, in the news, and a bad name for our sport, this could even be caused by any sensible paintballer, the wrong person see's it or the wrong kinda of person buys one.. and the mob with their pitchforks and tourches shouting ban paintball grows bigger.

So i want to know your opinions, are we going to far with the realistic look, should there be a line drawn for our sports safety, and anyone elses safety?? I think the TM7 is balancing on that line, if not just crossing it.

 

[Stokecity_m]

you get realistic looking toy guns from toys are us.

shouldn't be a problem realy

 

[Paris]

hmmmm, interesting topic.

I can see why these markers are being made more and more like the real thing, as that is what people want, to act like the real thing without the danger.

But I definitely see where your coming from, if i were behind a till and someone puts that in my face, im handing over the money no questions asked. But on the other hand, as stated such realistic guns are also available from toy shops etc...And im sure the armed response will have no problem in shooting if they feel the weapon is real.

So like you said, there is a line, and im not sure if it has been crossed by this, or has been crossed many times before (markers, bb guns etc..). But there is nothing we can do but hope some stupid kid doesnt decide to play robber and get more than he bargained for, or even killed.

 

[Rider]

there is always going to be that potential problem whether it is with realistic paintball, markers, airsoft markers, low-power airguns or the kiddies plastic toys.

 

[Evil Rich]

I always question my mates markers as they are customised big style and again to the untrauned eye look exactly, and in some cases, utilise actual gun parts.

My friend is a design engineer and recently converted his X7 to look like a Sig552, its a work of art but its very realistic and now includes a folding stock and authentic sling.

Won't even talk about the Romanian AK!

 

[Skeet]

It's fairly natural for people to panic when a gun is pointed at you, as we in the UK, generally have an unfamiliarity with them.

If someone pointed that BT in my face, I would instantly recognise, that the hole in the barrel, is to big for it to be what it appears.

Either way, as was stated, you can get realistic toys, Airsoft etc, they are about. The Law covers these things and it's not so much what it is but your intention with it. If you intend to alarm, threaten etc a member of the public, then whatever you use has no consequence.

The only item the did clamp down on, was the weapons that could "allegedly" be converted to fire live ammunition. In reality, the only one that could, were the Brocock/Palmer air cartridge weapons, which only required slight modification to the hammer and cartridge to fire 22LR ammunition. Also, these were REAL pistols, that had been converted to take the air cartridge. They could no longer maintain integrity with full sized ammunition, such as a .38 cartridge, which is why they weren't a problem at the time.

The also stated that some Blank Firers could be converted to chamber pistol rounds as well, which they could, but as they were replicas, made of soft metal, would explode in your hand if you actually fired one off.

 

[CAMDENELECTRIC]

There is a line but as stated before it has been crossed many times before.
Scenario markers only really make up a minority of the 'realistic gun club'. Armed response units would, im sure, react in the same way if someone was waving an airsoft gun around as they would a mil-sim paint gun. Airsoft as a sport is only really made up of guns that do look realistic but paintball has the side of markers that look nothing like real guns bar the barrel and trigger. Caution has to be taken with all these things, but if i were a wanna be gangsta then I would choose to buy a 'fake' firearm from the airsoft market. cheaper, easier to get a hold of and often more realistic. If the mad mob comes then Airsoft will die first.

 

[CAMDENELECTRIC]

If someone pointed that BT in my face, I would instantly recognise, that the hole in the barrel, is to big for it to be what it appears.

Would you honestly be willing to take that chance? I know I probably wouldn't.

 

[RainbowShooter]

Completely off topic, I hate woods-ball orientated guns, but that BT with a mini inside is sexeh.

 

[Paris]

Either way, as was stated, you can get realistic toys, Airsoft etc, they are about. The Law covers these things and it's not so much what it is but your intention with it. If you intend to alarm, threaten etc a member of the public, then whatever you use has no consequence.

This made me think. These sorts of things can be used to alarm, but if that was the desired consequence then a simple kitchen knife will do the same thing.

And as that is the case, there is not much we can do other than hope the law steps up with harsher knife penalties.

Not everyone can buy a realistic looking gun. But anyone can take a knife from the kitchen.