UKARA (United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association) is an organization that regulates and promotes responsible airsoft gameplay in the UK. It provides a framework for retailers, players, and sites to ensure compliance with laws regarding airsoft weapons, particularly the UK Violent Crime Reduction Act. UKARA is best known for its player registration scheme, which allows members to purchase realistic imitation firearms (RIFs) legally. By promoting safe practices and community standards, UKARA helps foster a positive airsoft environment.
Heinz Dieter Ludwig has written: 'Ukara' -- subject(s): Agriculture, Tanganyika, Ukara Island
No you don't as long as the buyer is over 18 yrs old it is all legal and ok
If you're ukara registered, you'll be able to, but its a complete and utter pain. Customs will stop the package, send you a letter you'll have to confirm you purchased it and you have a right to buy e.g. you skirmish (airsoft) for fun.
The importation of RIFs or Realistic Imitation Firearms into the UK is fairly simple. As long as you hold a valid defence under the VCRA. Te easiest way to prove a defence at the present time is with a site membership number registered on the UKARA database. If you have the sender of the item clearly display this information on the package for customs to see, they should not confiscate and destroy your RIF. Expect long clearance times t the border however while your RIF is subjected to the usual scrutiny and high VAT and Import charges. If you do not have a UKARA number or other verifiable defence under the Violent Crime Reduction Act then it is illegal for you to import a RIF into the UK.
Living in the UK you do need license to buy Airsoft replicas that are fully black and must be over 18 to get what they call UKARA license. You must play three games in the span of two months and have a form of identfication to prove your 18. (Passport or Driving license).
Airsoft is a sport which uses replica firearms to shoot small diameter plastic pellets. Common uses for airsoft are competitive gaming (similar to paintball), military simulations, target shooting, military training, and recreation. While similar in operation to BB guns, airsoft guns use lightweight (usually) plastic projectiles (BBs) 6mm (or 8mm) in diameter instead of metallic 4.5mm BBs. Airsoft guns also typically have a muzzle velocity of less than 180 m/s (600 ft/s), compared to a BB gun which may have a muzzle velocity of 365 m/s (1200 ft/s) or more. The combination of the lighter BB projectile, with greater surface area and the reduced muzzle velocity means that airsoft is considered safe when used in a controlled environment and with safety equipment like protective eyewear. Injury is always a possibility, no matter how powerful the gun. Eye protection should be worn at all times when firing at others. It also helps to have something covering the mouth because teeth can be chipped. Also, you may want to protect the soft areas of your skull with a hat or helmet.[1] The rate at which airsoft guns shoot is measured in FPS, which stands for Feet Per Second.netic energy is the energy that is in the pellet while it moves, and it is transferred to its target upon impact. One joule of energy will be transferred by a 0.20 g BB traveling at 100 metres per second (330 ft/s).[2] A typical set of limits on guns might be 100 m/s (330 ft/s) for CQB, 125 m/s (410 ft/s) for outdoors, and 175 m/s (570 ft/s) for bolt action sniper rifles, all measured with a 0.20 g BB. The speed of the BB depends on the weight of the BB and amount of kinetic energy the gun can transfer to the BB. Certain places play "no velocity limit" games. In California a common limit for CQB is 350 fps (feet per second). On most fields in America the limit for AEG (Automatic Electric Gun) guns is usually in the 400 ft/s range. For snipers the range can be anywhere from 400 to 550 ft/s. Guns have these high velocities to go farther and have greater accuracy, but fire rate is compromised unless a smaller spring is added (preferably 110%). Furthermore, the lower velocity means that the BB will glide more, which is a good thing for indoor skirmishes, but outside the wind usually catches hold of it and spirals it out of its course.In the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Italy, the energy limit for Airsoft guns is normally one joule (100 m/s with a 0.20 g, 6 mm BB) regardless of the type of game play.[3] Some UK sites allow semi-automatic-only weapons up to 400FPS and bolt action rifles up to 500FPS. Northern Ireland has a maximum velocity of 328FPS with 0.2 gram BB without regard to the type of weapon. 1J is the same power as a tennis ball being dropped from a meterMost Airsoft guns are capable of shooting from 50 m/s (160 ft/s) to 125 m/s (410 ft/s), although it is also possible to purchase upgraded internals for some Airsoft guns that will enable up to 210 m/s (690 ft/s) projectile velocities.[4]Most airsoft guns now incorporate a system known as hop-up wherein chamber units apply friction to the uppermost surface of a BB, which puts a backspin on the BB to generate lift and give it a greater effective range. The range of any Airsoft gun depends on both the muzzle velocity and the amount of hop applied. Airsoft guns can have a range of 75 metres (246 ft) or more with the right combination of power, barrel, and ammunition when combined with a good hop-up unit. A good hop-up unit can sometimes double the range. Hop up does decrease the velocity of the projectile (a gun firing 340fps with the hop fully unwound can drop as low as 300fps with the hop up set in accordance to maximized straight shooting & maximum range even in a well set up weapon).The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles to protect participants' eyes. If shot from at least ten feet away by a gun with typical muzzle velocity, there will be minimal damage to other body parts. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses, or goggles not designed specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns, may break or shatter upon being struck causing damage to the eye. The largest review of airsoft eye injuries found no case of loss of vision from an airsoft eye injury.[5] The same review found that only one of the 59 cases was wearing anything over their eye, and that was one patient who was wearing just sunglasses as eye protection.Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection since they cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth.[citation needed] Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, although there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BBs may pass through the mesh and enter the eye. However, there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence.[6] Masks with mesh screens are often preferred by players who wear prescription eyeglasses as they increase ventilation and reduce the amount of condensation on the lenses, while the lenses provide additional protection against possible fragments that might penetrate the mesh.While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes, and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat more quickly due to the lack of air circulation. Some players have mounted small battery-powered fans (designed for computer circuit boards) on the masks to improve ventilation and reduce or avoid condensation.Community safety precautionsRules such as a maximum muzzle velocity and engagement distance guidelines are used by different groups. Some organizations have created common safety rules and guidelines.[7]When not actively playing, some fields require "barrel bags", also known as barrel stoppers, to be placed over the muzzle of the gun. The magazine is usually removed as well, and the gun fired to clear the chamber. Most fields also require players to leave their guns set to the safety position when they are not shooting, a practice common when using real firearms. In certain countries, such as the Philippines, additional special rules have been adopted.[8]All "real steel" firearms are banned at any airsoft battlefield to prevent harmful accidents or confusion between real and simulated weapons. In some cases, for example Milsim games, players are allowed to carry knives for use as a tool rather than a weapon. A similar limit applies to training blades, which are allowed at some airsoft fields but under strict usage rules.[9] Players are expected to be discreet in transporting their gear and uniforms so as not to alarm the public or police. Pyrotechnic devices may be allowed, but are rarely employed because of the added danger. When they are allowed, there are usually legal limits on the effect of the device (e.g. amount of smoke, volume of sound, or brightness of flash).Owning airsoft guns and playing airsoft is legal in most parts of the world. Some countries have specific restrictions,[10] such as maximum muzzle velocity and "unrealistic" coloring to distinguish them from actual firearms. They are legal throughout the U.S, but restrictions do exist in certain cities such as Camden; Newark, NJ; Chicago, IL; and Detroit, MI. The states of New Jersey and Michigan, however, do not allow airsoft guns to be used or handled publicly because of the resemblance to real firearms. They may be used on private property with the consent of the owner. The Customs and Border Protection FAQ page states that Airsoft guns are not considered toys and do not require orange tips for importation.[11]In the United Kingdom, airsoft replicas are classified as realistic imitation firearms or RIFs. The sale, manufacture, or importation of RIFs are restricted to activities that are exempted or have been granted a defense by the Home Office under the Violent Criminal Reduction Act (VCRA). Airsoft skirmishing has been granted a specific defense against the requirements of the act, and a skirmisher as defined under British law is allowed to be sold (note: purchase is not illegal - sale is - the crime is committed by the vendor), manufacture (& modify an IF into a RIF), and import airsoft replicas. All are still however crimes under British law that can be defended successfully (in theory - this has never been tried to date) by fulfilling criteria suggested in the guidelines accompanying the VCRA. The most accepted method of proving entitlement to the defense is to be a member of a site that holds public liability insurance. An association set up by UK retailers, called the United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association (UKARA), in line with the Home Office documentation accompanying the VCRA, recommends that an airsoft site only give membership to a player who has played at least three games over a period of no less than two months. It is also possible to purchase Airsoft replicas if you are a member of an insured reenactment society or are in the film or TV industry (this is a full exemption from, and not a defence against, the VCRA).[12] The right to buy a RIF (or IF) is still reserved for individuals age 18 and over.[13]Many retailers are part of the UKARA scheme and will only sell to players who are registered to a skirmish site that fulfills the desired requirements for the VCRA Defense. A player will be "registered" with UKARA, as only a retailer can become a member. Retailers must renew their membership annually. The Association has a database of registered players from approved airsoft sites that is updated on a regular basis by the sites themselves. Retailers who are members of UKARA have access to the database and can check for proof of eligibility for purchasing using the player's site membership number before selling any RIFs to private individuals.Other schemes have been attempted to allow Airsoft players to comply with the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, but none have been successfully implemented. Also, the use or possession of any kind of replica weapon-loaded or otherwise-in a public place without valid reason is an offense under UK law and can carry heavy penalties.[14]As an alternative to RIF's, IF's (Imitation Firearms, including 'two tones') are available. These are RIF's which have been painted a bright color (excluding white/silver/gold) over 51% of the item. No specific defense is required for purchase of IF's; however, they are strongly discouraged and sometimes banned from skirmishes because some players feel that they undermine the requirement for a specific skirmisher's defense. IF's exist primarily to enable non-skirmish retailers to sell imitations to the general public.Orange-tipped airsoft gun muzzlesFederal law in the United States requires that a 6 mm (0.24 in) orange tip to be present on all "toy guns" (including airsoft replicas) while being transported within or imported into the United States. These brightly colored tips show the difference between real and replica firearms, which helps to ensure safety.[15] However, when playing on a private field, no orange tip is needed. In strict technicality, the federal regulations do not specifically require the owner to keep the muzzle painted after acquiring their airsoft gun. Many players choose to keep the tip, whether for safety or another reason, and some switch their orange-painted flash hiders with more realistic ones shortly before playing while at the field's staging area. hope that answered ur question but if not my opinion is yes it is my neighbor dose it for navy training