UK Paintball Marker Advice 'Rap4'

[joeslewis]

Did you read the first post, he's looking to get into Magfed paintball, i'm pretty sure an etek 4 won't fall into that catagory.

Didn't see that just read that he was looking to get into paintball sorry

 

[paul01]

Thanks BOD,
Yes i am more interested in the Magfed games and currently trying to sign up to the
UKMC - MAGFEDPBUK

although i do not have a facebook account and no one has replied to my messages on their website?!
I am just trying to gain an understanding of the Magfed markers and the law before i commit.

 

[Tom]

thanks for the replies

As far as i can make out from the 'Guide on Firearms Licensing Law' 2015

2.47
It should be noted that the majority but by no means all guns powered by carbon dioxide
which discharge paint pellets and which are used in adventure games are unlikely to
cause serious injury, nor were they designed as ‘weapons’. As such, they should not be
considered to be firearms.

So I'm assuming the 'Rap4 Mets' paintball marker is then classed as a toy (not a firearm which an airgun is!) would fall under the 'RIF' category which is why Rap4 have their membership scheme to cover against the 'RIF rules within the VCRA 2006' and being classed as a toy the full auto is also legal.

Would this be the correct assumption or understanding of the law for the paintball marker?

Thanks btw 'Big_jim' i have been looking also at the '468'

It wouldn't be classified as a toy, but wouldn't be treated as a firearm in most elements of legislation.
The guidance is an interpretation for the police and for us to see how the home office / police forces would view things
It still states co2 in the guidance and this dates back to the old days of the beginning of paintball - in Scotland paintball was considered illegal because it ran on co2 and therefore couldn't be exempted from firearms legislation under cover of air guns, in England the police ignored that and interpreted the principle of air/co2 as gases. Case law and legislation amendments later permitted co2. With the move to air that could cause the opposite again if strictly interpreted.

Air guns are treated within firearms legislation, and permitted without certificate etc when they are compliant 'air weapons' under 6 or 12 ft lbs / and against 'lethality'

Sticking to the principle of that paragraph the Mets would be seen as UK legal.
Things such as pepperball guns* wouldn't be legal, they exceed velocities / pressures and are designed as a form of weapon. They also are not available in the UK

* pepperball guns being the tippmann / Tiberius like 'less than lethal' guns which don't have velocity adjusters etc and are marketed in the kind of countries that supply them to law enforcement or as 'home defence'
These also differ from the rap4 mets in that it's law enforcement part is marketing as a 'look and feel' training alternative

 

[Tom]

Thanks BOD,
Yes i am more interested in the Magfed games and currently trying to sign up to the
UKMC - MAGFEDPBUK

although i do not have a facebook account and no one has replied to my messages on their website?!
I am just trying to gain an understanding of the Magfed markers and the law before i commit.

Sadly Facebook is the future!
You'll get more from the magfed communities on Facebook than by contacting through websites but someone may still get back to you

 

[paul01]

These also differ from the rap4 mets in that it's law enforcement part is marketing as a 'look and feel' training alternative

Thanks Tom
You really do know your stuff!
Very informative and yes you are correct in the marketing used for the 'Mets', really had me believing it was a LE marker, have now only just seen past that!

Sadly Facebook is the future!

Yes that is very sad!

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom
You really do know your stuff!
Do bear in mind that all of this is my interpretation and opinion/interpretation
Very informative and yes you are correct in the marketing used for the 'Mets', really had me believing it was a LE marker, have now only just seen past that!
Note that by 'marketing ' i do mean that rap4 kit is marketed for 'law enforcement', so you weren't fooled by 'marketing'
They were designed to look and feel like the real thing and fire paintballs to allow the police to shoot each other in training
In the UK the police don't use paintball in that way (however paintball is creeping into the British army's training, but not in the same way as Americans)

I was meaning to just differentiate between rap4 which are paintball guns initially designed for police training and the 'less than lethals' that are paintball technology but for for police action

keep on with your looking around
From what you've put I expect you will be happy with rap4 kit, even better if / when you can get feedback from the more magfed crowd and get some hands on

See if you can get to a magfed game and play as a rental to get a feel and chat with some of the guys
http://www.paintballcalendar.co.uk/magfed

I'm personally into a variety of paintball styles and have tried and failed to get on with many of the magfed guns!
I can handle pistols, the hammer 7 and dye dam, but I'm a disaster with the more common magfed magazine designs !!! I couldn't load in the safe zone and chrono station without smashing paint.

 

[kudosbudo]

Just a small thing for the OP. You don't need a magfed marker to play magfed. After four years of messing with magfed markers I've got to say overall they are not that great. The main problem is the mags.

Paint is deformed easily by a variety of things like pressure from mag springs or being sat in the open (in mag pouches). Not just that all the magfed markers I've had has had little issue that can ruin your day. eg Tipx on co2 halfway through a days play both mine freeze (its an issue with the valve though the TCR has improved on this supposedly). Obvious thing to do is switch to air. Or Tibierius markers. Very tough on paint.

I've seen plenty of folk at magfed games with paint in the barrel/muzzle from breaks during the day. All these little niggling things added up for me. For magfed games I started using an enmey and have tried it with various 50 round hoppers stickfeed springfeed etc.

The best setup i've had on it is to use a short lengh of pvc tube and use that as a magwell, with 10 round tubes as the "mags". So far i'm to get any issues with this setup, its incredibly light, I can carry twice as much paint as all the other magfeeders I play with. high rate of fire and fast reloads (magfed speed).

So for the OPs consideration I'd suggest you get a more reliable marker and don't worry about looks so much. Having a marker that works flawlessly is much more important. Plus it will be a hell of a lot cheaper... no expensive rigs to buy. I use a dump pouch and a GxG 10 round tube holder. total cost around £15. Go look at how much magfed rigs cost.

If you want to play magfed with a proper magfed marker, thats fine, just be aware that these markers all have little issues that put their reliability behind a more traditional style marker. And there is the enormous cost for looks, not performance.

 

[Jaymanelite]

Law Enforcement

 

[Tom]

Law Enforcement

Yes
Due to the M16/M4 family being commonly used in the U.S. by the police, and for training purposes RAP4 provided 'realistic action paintball' M4 replicas so they can train as close as possible as they work

Simunition is a similar item, using the real weapon and a wax bullet. Very expensive though