Will 100mw lasers pass Irish customs?

ByronB

Hi guys new to this here just looking online to buy a few handheld lasers above 100mw, was wondering has anyone from Ireland successfully imported any strong lasers without any problems or has anyone had them stopped by customs?

I just don't want to hand out money only to find out they were stopped, so if anyone on this has or knows anyone who received their lasers could you please give me the website also thanks a lot.

p.s. even better if you know anyone selling them within the Republic so i could avoid customs altogether

Sparks

Can't find any legislation regarding importation of lasers Bryon, I don't think there is any Irish law on this (I know that in the UK anything from 3R up is banned from public sale for safety reasons). The airsoft lads have been told in the past to keep it to the old IIIa category of lasers, but there doesn't seem to be a law behind that, just a policy.

I would say this though, having worked with them for a while - just 'cos you can buy it from china on ebay, doesn't mean you want to do so. A 100mw laser will happily mangle your retina from a range of three or four metres (it's several times brighter than the sun at that range and does damage faster than your aversion reflex kicks in), so if you accidentally shone it on a nearby reflective surface and got dazzled by it, you could damage your eyesight permanently. It wouldn't do a Raiders of the Lost Ark number on you, but you'd be left with a permanent black spot in your vision, or a 'floater' (those odd little semi-transparent things you can see if you stare at a blue sky and relax your eyes) or something similar.

fasttalkerchat

One of my neighbors got one. He's constantly shining it into cars. There must be a way to get them in.

Sparks

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

He's constantly shining it into cars.

That is illegal, and he could be done for attempting to cause an RTA, if not out-and-out assault. And idiots like that would deserve to be done at that.

extremetaz

Sparks wrote: »

A 100mw laser will happily mangle your retina from a range of three or four metres

It's colour dependent but I expect that that range would be about right for a red laser - and even plenty beyond.

Once you start going toward higher frequencies the optical energy soars (E=hf [planks constant * frequency]) - a green laser of that power output would properly ruin your day if it caught you.

It's incredibly important that you bear in mind that 100mW is 20 TIMES more powerful than the most powerful class IIIa lasers (your pointer pens etc...)

They are NOT to be ****ed with!

Sparks

extremetaz wrote: »

It's colour dependent but I expect that that range would be about right for a red laser - and even plenty beyond.

Yup - but basicly when you get above 100mW, no matter what wavelength it is, it's going to muck up your retinas if you look into the laser beam with your remaining eye...

kildare.17hmr

These things going to be stuck on a gun or something?

garv123

What use have they for hunting? presume they blind an animal and if you miss it runs off blind ?

Sparks

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

These things going to be stuck on a gun or something?

The key word in the OP was "handheld" Mount a laser on a firearm and you'll need the same permissions for it as you'd need for a moderator...

fodda

Cant you delete this, it has nothing to do with hunting and really shooting doesnt need to be associated with this kind of stuff?

Longranger

Can't see why you need one as you haven't stated why, Is it hunting related, and if so why?????? They are bloody dangerous,if you shine it the wrong way you could cause a serious accident! Cop on lad, if you need something for hunting buy a lamp! As for your neighbour shining it at cars, he's a tit, and should be locked up:mad:

rowa

Sparks wrote: »

That is illegal, and he could be done for attempting to cause an RTA, if not out-and-out assault. And idiots like that would deserve to be done at that.

Idiots were using them to attempt to blind the pilot of the garda helicopter, something that was taken very seriously by the guards and the courts when they were caught.

kildare.17hmr

Sparks wrote: »

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

These things going to be stuck on a gun or something?

The key word in the OP was "handheld" Mount a laser on a firearm and you'll need the same permissions for it as you'd need for a moderator...

Then it has what to do with hunting? Im lost....

ByronB

Hi guys, no this isn't for hunting lol, i just want a handheld laser for personal use as i have been reading a lot about them and am now quite interesting in owning one. Only put the thread in this category because i thought maybe others would have bought them for guns and could give me some insight, thanks for replies.

Cass

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

Then it has what to do with hunting?....

ByronB wrote: »

Hi guys, no this isn't for hunting lol..........

Asked, answered so thread closed.