BB gun

RC car fanatic

Hi,I'm into airsoft and the maximum power for a gun to be legal in Ireland is 328 fps.I wanted to import a starter BB gun from America and it only fires 275-280fps.Would that be OK?Is the fps law only for airsoft?Where could I get an air rifle of BB gun in Ireland and for it to be legal?

bunny shooter

RC car fanatic wrote: »

Hi,I'm into airsoft and the maximum power for a gun to be legal in Ireland is 328 fps.I wanted to import a starter BB gun from America and it only fires 275-280fps.Would that be OK?Is the fps law only for airsoft?Where could I get an air rifle of BB gun in Ireland and for it to be legal?

If it's above the airsoft limit you will need a firearms certificate.

RC car fanatic

bunny shooter wrote: »

If it's above the airsoft limit you will need a firearms certificate.

its not but i was wondering no matter what fps,air rifles are ilegal here.Are they?

Rovi

This would be much better asked over in the Airsoft forum, but as you're asking about what amounts to a 'real gun', I'll leave it here for the moment.
The power level for deciding if an item is a firearm or not is defined as 1 Joule of muzzle energy, not any particular muzzle velocity.
The airsoft 328fps muzzle velocity is merely the speed at which a lightweight plastic BB generates 1 Joule (or less).
I suspect that the BB gun you're talking about fires heavier metal BBs, which will almost certainly generate more than 1 Joule of energy, even going at 275-280fps.
As such, it would legally be considered to be a firearm and would need to be licenced as such.

Have a look around the Airsoft forum, you'll find plenty of information on this and links to on-line calculators to figure out the energy level of any particular projectile at whatever speed it's going.

RC car fanatic

Rovi wrote: »

This would be much better asked over in the Airsoft forum, but as you're asking about what amounts to a 'real gun', I'll leave it here for the moment.
The power level for deciding if an item is a firearm or not is defined as 1 Joule of muzzle energy, not any particular muzzle velocity.
The airsoft 328fps muzzle velocity is merely the speed at which a lightweight plastic BB generates 1 Joule (or less).
I suspect that the BB gun you're talking about fires heavier metal BBs, which will almost certainly generate more than 1 Joule of energy, even going at 275-280fps.
As such, it would legally be considered to be a firearm and would need to be licenced as such.

Have a look around the Airsoft forum, you'll find plenty of information on this and links to on-line calculators to figure out the energy level of any particular projectile at whatever speed it's going.

cheers mate,I am aware of all the laws for airsoft as Ive been into it for 3 years but i just wanted to know is there any law regarding an air rifle shooting 275-280 fps.

Rovi

RC car fanatic wrote: »

its not but i was wondering no matter what fps,air rifles are ilegal here.Are they?

There are many thousands of perfectly legal air rifles in this country, all licensed as firearms as they're above the 1 Joule power limit.

RC car fanatic

Rovi wrote: »

There are many thousands of perfectly legal air rifles in this country, all licensed as firearms as they're above the 1 Joule power limit.

how would I go about getting one?Im 14 but i have heard that there is junior licences or something?

Rovi

RC car fanatic wrote: »

how would I go about getting one?Im 14 but i have heard that there is junior licences or something?

At the moment I'm afraid, you can't.
The Training Certificate for over 14s is part of some new(ish) legislation that hasn't yet been enacted, so the old 'over 16 full licence' system is still in force.
In any case, the Training Certificate will only allow the holder to legally use someone else's licenced firearm, not own and use a firearm in their own right.

What BB gun are you thinking about, and what type and weight of ammunition does it use?

RC car fanatic

Rovi wrote: »

At the moment I'm afraid, you can't.
The Training Certificate for over 14s is part of some new(ish) legislation that hasn't yet been enacted, so the old 'over 16 full licence' system is still in force.
In any case, the Training Certificate will only allow the holder to legally use someone else's licenced firearm, not own and use a firearm in their own right.

What BB gun are you thinking about, and what type and weight of ammunition does it use?

Its a daisy buck or red ryder.Just to plink and mess about with targets.It uses .177 and they are 5.1gr.

Rovi

RC car fanatic wrote: »

Its a daisy buck or red ryder.Just to plink and mess about with targets.It uses .177 and they are 5.1gr.

Using this well regarded on-line calculator, a 5.1gr (0.33g) BB going 275fps generates 1.15 Joules; over the 1 Joule limit and thus requiring a full Firearms Certificate, I'm afraid.

pirelli

Many airsoft sites will test your gun before allowing you on their site. Insurance !. You could have it reduced to one joule.