MGC PFC legality?

Mikesaccount

I was wondering whats the story with MGC PFC guns?
They're basically just oversized cap guns so would they be legal to import and own or will i end up with an armed garda unit outside my door if i order one?

I think it would be neat to use them for props in movies produced here in Ireland and obviously as a collectors piece as they're a bit more realistic than airsoft replicas.

civdef

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/act/28/section/40/enacted/en/html

Mikesaccount

civdef wrote: »

So i have to get someone registered as an imitation firearms dealer to order them for me and not use them in public? Seems reasonable.

Cass

Never heard of them before. Odd that.

Seems a meek version of a blank firing replica which means you may be looking at the same authorisation (not a license) from the local Superintendent to possess it and/or the "ammo".

Mikesaccount

As far as i can tell they dont actually take ammo, the rounds themselves are dummy rounds usually made of either zinc or plastic with a cap that you insert at the back of them which provides the blow-back and sound. Unlike a blank gun the cartridges dont contain any explosive material as the tiny amount of gunpowder is kept in the cap which as said previously has to be inserted each time prior to firing.

All in all they function very differently to conventional blank firing guns and i think might be just far enough away from the real thing to not be considered a real firearm.

Either way ill ask my local superintendent what he thinks so if something does happen i can throw the blame on him.

Cass

Mikesaccount wrote: »

As far as i can tell they dont actually take ammo,

Yeah, i got the gist of it from Google, but i'm failing to find another word hence the word ammo in inverted commas. Blank firers don't have conventional "ammo" as most would know it and it's usually referred to as blanks, so excuse the inaccurate wording.

All in all they function very differently to conventional blank firing guns and i think might be just far enough away from the real thing to not be considered a real firearm.

Again excuse my ignorance on this. Blank firers use a "dummy" round that has most of the real components of a live round bar the actually projectile. Sounds like, and i'm open to correction, these PFC replicas have a similar type, just not as loud and the "ammo" is reusable? Have i got that kinda right?

Either way ill ask my local superintendent what he thinks so if something does happen i can throw the blame on him.

Well it won't actually be your Super as s/he usually wouldn't take such questions or meetings, it'll be the "Firearms Officer". I can hazard a guess that the answer will be to air on the side of caution and issue you with a letter of authorisation but this is not a big deal as it's not a firearms license and if the PFC guns are a lesser version of a blank firer and they only require the same letter of authorisation (and not an actual firearm license) the worse the OFC gun will require is the authorisation too.

Its simply a letter from the Super's office to say they know you have it, and authorise to you be in possession of it.

cookimonster

You talk about using them as props, then I suggest you contact a few of the 'reinactor groups' based here. There are plenty of them based around the theme of the '1916 Rising' , 'The War of Independence' and the 'Irish Civil War'. Trawl Facebook for them.
They use a mixture of deactivated firearms and Denix imitation guns. https://www.denix.es/en/home/#
I have seen some of the Denix stuff and it was very good, if you have the coin you can buy a lovely Lewis or even a Vickers machine gun.

Mikesaccount

cookimonster wrote: »

You talk about using them as props, then I suggest you contact a few of the 'reinactor groups' based here. There are plenty of them based around the theme of the '1916 Rising' , 'The War of Independence' and the 'Irish Civil War'. Trawl Facebook for them.
They use a mixture of deactivated firearms and Denix imitation guns. https://www.denix.es/en/home/#
I have seen some of the Denix stuff and it was very good, if you have the coin you can buy a lovely Lewis or even a Vickers machine gun.

Denix replicas are beautiful works of art and i will undoubtedly purchase one of their replica STG-44's in the future as a wall hanger but unfortunately they lack the recoil and shell ejection that you get with PFC guns which is what im looking for.

Its a shame nobody makes prop guns that eject shells and recoil without the need for explosives. Muzzle flashes and smoke can easily be added during production but realistic recoil and shell ejection is a pain. Even an electric mechanism for ejecting shells/recoil would be nice.

The only other option worth considering are airsoft replicas, the problem with these is again the lack of shell ejection on most models and the price. Plus apparently they wear down quite a bit and require alot of maintenance.

Grizzly 45

Dont worry about them at all or even owning one either.:(
They are proably CAT A prohibited under the EU directive and the latest SI from this Govt hastily rushing the EU legislation in.Anything select fire in the EU is now prohibited,and that includes firearms converted to blank firing,with a select fire mechanism.So these are proably going to fall under this as well here,as there is no mention of them or prop firearms in the SI.

Mikesaccount

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Dont worry about them at all or even owning one either.:(
They are proably CAT A prohibited under the EU directive and the latest SI from this Govt hastily rushing the EU legislation in.Anything select fire in the EU is now prohibited,and that includes firearms converted to blank firing,with a select fire mechanism.So these are proably going to fall under this as well here,as there is no mention of them or prop firearms in the SI.

I dont think I've ever seen a select fire PFC gun, they all seem to be either only full auto or only semi auto?

Grizzly 45

If we are on the same page and talking about the same yokes?
http://www.plugfirecapgunsuk.com/mgc-colt-m4a1-set
Advertised as select fire.

Mikesaccount

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

If we are on the same page and talking about the same yokes?
http://www.plugfirecapgunsuk.com/mgc-colt-m4a1-set
Advertised as select fire.

Oh, i hadn't seen that model before, that one does appear to be select fire so will probably not be legal soon.

However what if i steer clear of the select fire models and try to go for one of the semi auto only models?