Airsoft Laws

[Sterling]

No one in the Airsoft scene in Utah has bought the Systema PTW yet but I'll ask my local shop how much it would be.

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by Dicey

False, Clear bodied Airsoft guns are legal, to import individually

I recall at least one ruling made by the CITT in which they placed importance of resemblence in shape over resemblence in colour (or there lack of).

http://www.citt-tcce.gc.ca/appeals/d...e.asp#P95_7807

[LeGROS]

If I understand... because english is not my 1st language! It not legal to sold are used gun to an other person? You have to trade with a dealer!??

[Scooby Steve]

Time for this, I think.

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=23034

[Greylocks]

Normalement, on ne devrais PAS avoir le droit de vendre/acheter un airsoft de qui que ce soit au Canada. Meme d'une compagnie, meme d'un autre de nous.
Si on suit la loi a la lettre, tu as raison.

C'est pourquoi la discretion dans l'achat et ou on s'en sert est tres importante.

[Sterling]

Oh man I took 3 years of french in Junior High/High School and I almost got that whole post! Is that why you have to be Age Verfied to sell and buy guns on here?

[mcguyver]

Originally Posted by Sterling

Oh man I took 3 years of french in Junior High/High School and I almost got that whole post! Is that why you have to be Age Verfied to sell and buy guns on here?

Yes, and I'll throw another twist in the saga of legalities.

Why are the Crosman pellet guns sold at sports stores nationwide not deemed replicas and therefore prohibited?

Well, that's an easy one. They have been around since long before this new law was created. They are obviously not toys and are sold and generally treated as weapons. They can and do cause serious bodily injury or death. Yet they can and do look exactly like their real counterpart. Now, there is no law that specifically excludes these guns from regulation as a replica, but the consensus amongst LE and the CBSA is that they are not and as such are treated as immune from the laws which can and do restrict airsoft guns. I mean, you can't really re-invent the wheel here. There are only so many ways you can make something to shoot projectiles that don't look like any real guns ever made.

You can't buy a fully automatic pellet gun in Canada that resembles an M4 or M16. That would be prohibited as it is select-fire. But semi-auto is just fine.

So, why prohibit airsoft? It's not dangerous, at least not as dangerous as a CO2 pellet gun. Yet the pellet gun is legal.

In Canada, we legalize the dangerous and prohibit the harmless. Now, if someone can show me even 1 small bit of logic that justifies this position, then you'll be my hero. And this doesn't apply just to airsoft guns. We have legalized medical marijuana, file-sharing and discrimination in Canada that are not only legal, but endorsed by government and courts alike.

[AvroAero]

Originally Posted by Sterling

Oh man I took 3 years of french in Junior High/High School and I almost got that whole post! Is that why you have to be Age Verfied to sell and buy guns on here?

Trying to do our part to prevent sales to minors. A step in the right direction somewhat.

[Greylocks]

mcguyver, there is no logic to our various gun laws. There never was any.

[Zircarg]

Brian,

Informative post - thanks for that.

The CFC seems to regard the acquisition of airsoft guns since December of 1998 as being expressly illegal. Therefore, what you noted in your article "Airsoft, and the Law" seems to hold true only for those who acquired guns before 1998? Thanks.

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by Zircarg

The CFC seems to regard the acquisition of airsoft guns since December of 1998 as being expressly illegal. Therefore, what you noted in your article "Airsoft, and the Law" seems to hold true only for those who acquired guns before 1998? Thanks.

No, what Brian wrote holds true for airsoft after 1998 as well. The point is that the act of acquiring airsoft guns (as replicas) is made "illegal" in C-68, but the act of possessing them is explicitly permitted in the same bill. Those are two separate actions, even though they're are rather mutually dependent. If the judicial system ever comes after airsofters with the current laws, it'd be for trafficking, not possession (unless possession for the purpose of trafficking).

[mcguyver]

And only if airsoft guns are in fact listed expressly as replicas, which they currently aren't. This is THE ONLY LOOPHOLE in the law folks!!! If and when a specific gun becomes cited as a replica in case law, then it's prohibited. Period!

Currently (and thankfully) this has only happened to a handful of specific guns.

[The Saint]

Wait, what McGuyver? The loophole is that airsoft guns as replica firearms aren't illegal to possess.

[dontask]

so the only loophole is the fact that airsoft is in the grey and not declared as a replica yes?

[The Saint]

No, the only loophole is that airsoft fits the description of replica firearms and as such aren't illegal to possess.

Originally Posted by Canadian Criminal Code:

Unauthorized possession of prohibited weapon or restricted weapon

(2) Subject to subsection (4) and section 98, every pereson commits an offence who possesses a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device, other than a replica firearm, or any prohibited ammunition, unless the person is the holder of a licence under which the person may possess it.

The importance thing to realize here is that the inclination to legislate against airsoft is because airsoft guns resemble real guns, not because they can be used to shoot people in the eye. If airsoft were to be banned based on appearance, than so could all toy guns resembling real guns in Canada.

In case McGuyver's post on pellet guns haven't reduced the newcomers to tears yet, it's worth noting that it's illegal to import blowpipes.