how many reservists/pdf play airsoft?

iceage wrote: »

Originally Posted by Defence Act Section 264

264.—(1) If any person (not being a member of the Defence Forces) wears, without permission granted by or on behalf of the Minister, any uniform of the Defence Forces or any colourable imitation thereof, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding three months.

"a fine not exceeding ten pounds"

Current regulations???

Lemming wrote: »

What's difficult to understand about that section of the act? If you aren't a member of the DF, you really don't want to get caught; to the tune of up to 10,000 and/or a short visit to MountJoy.

I just asked if it was current regulations.
Where did you get 10000?

Open to correction here on this one, I'm sure I read somewhere of hefty fines upto a couple of grand. As I say, not up to speed on todays version of said laws.

All beside the point though, this has been dragged over and over again. Its illigal, don't do it, everyone knows it and if you do your a knob and pretty much asked for what you get.

Anyway.....Brit DPM is the dogs dangleys, EXCEPT for the new gear, have you seen it? .......I.....just...can't.....look.....at.....IT!!!!!! :?

MacAonghusa wrote: »

To be honest I doubt there is a judge in the country who would send someone to the Joy for 3 months just for wearing a DF smock ... unless you tried to pass yourself off as a soldier.
I've never even heard of someone being arrested or fined for such a thing ... though admit I don't always read the papers.

Ever heard of a judge having a bad day? Or somebody up the food chain in the DF having a really bad day when the news is brought to them and they direct their legal team to "make an example with full prosecution"?

Do you want to take that risk for a game of airsoft?

No. Didn't think so.

If you answered "yes", then what I have to say will be censored by boards.ie, and you are free to do whatever you want so long as you don't drag airsoft down with you.

Leaving aside the possibility of prosecution for serving soldiers. The wearing of the uniform while off duty in an unoffical capacity ( anything other than travelling to and from the barracks ) is frowned by the brass and if they feel it so warrants a black mark can be put permanently on your service record.

For civilans, your looking at, at best having said uniform removed from your possession and at worst a custodial sentence. I have never heard of a custodial sentence being issued. The usual course of action is a long and uncomfortable chat with the authorities.

At the OP. Yes there are loads of PDF / RDF members playing airsoft.
Both serving and ex members and not only Irish soldiers, there are loads of ex-service personnel whom play for the craic.

Rhinocharge wrote: »

At the OP. Yes there are loads of PDF / RDF members playing airsoft.

I'm surprised so many PDF personnel play, would they not just find it frustrating?

MacAonghusa wrote: »

I'm surprised so many PDF personnel play, would they not just find it frustrating?

Why? Airsoft is a game, it's played for fun. Leaving the tactical side out of it, it's fantastic fun and a good laugh. The fun part is what drew most of the community to the game. Serving soldiers are no different, they're human too.

MacAonghusa wrote: »

Range/accuracy of the guns for starters. Drives me mad sometimes.

Well the range is the same for everyone. If you want to propel a bb further aim slightly higher.
Regarding accuracy, maybe you need more practice. These are not precision made instruments, each model is different, to learn those differences you need to practice.

Rhinocharge wrote: »

Well the range is the same for everyone. If you want to propel a bb further aim slightly higher.
Regarding accuracy, maybe you need more practice. These are not precision made instruments, each model is different, to learn those differences you need to practice.

Range: not as simple as just aiming higher, the range is still very limited.
Accuracy: eh excuse me, it's not lack of practice, I know how to shoot.

The guns have pretty poor precision and at any significant distance wind also plays a huge part. I know the answer is to get in closer but I personally find that annoying. Each to his own and all that.

I despair that we have to keep repeating the same thing over and over and over.

The problem isn't that wearing Defence Forces property (whether you're doing it as a tribute* or you just can't be bothered picking up ex-issue British or German gear) is a huge moral issue, it's that persistently doing what you've been told not to do umpteen times is taking the f'ing piss. And therefore showing disrespect to the Army.

We get away with running around in uniforms and carrying replica firearms because we do it in private and away from public view. Our chance to do so can be taken away if we don't value and protect it.

For those who can't be arsed reading the legal language**, here's a summary in Plain English:

• If you're in the DF, you can't wear the uniform except on duty. You also have to wear all of it, in accordance with Dress Regulations.
• If you're not in the DF, impersonating a member (or a Garda) is a serious offence.
• Unauthorised possession of State Property is illegal.
• Wearing the uniform of a foreign power without permission in writing from the Department of Foreign Affairs is also illegal.
• IANAL, but I'm pretty sure you could also be done under conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

Nitpicking and arguing the fine details of these laws is not the issue; the point is that some day the powers that be are going to get sufficiently annoyed to take action and make an example of someone, and we don't want airsoft to be in the firing line when that happens.

A fine of a tenner isn't going to put a massive dent in anyone's life these days. An arrest, a spell in the pokey, a day in court and all over the papers, and getting a criminal record is another matter entirely.


* I know at least one airsofter who went to great lengths to – legally – do a pretty accurate impression of current DF loadout. But they're smart enough to not cause trouble by parading around in it and sending photos off to magazines. At least some people have their heads screwed on.
** Thanks to Ice, Rew etc. for the citations, saved.

Leftyflip wrote: »

Midcaps FTW.

Not exactly "ammo-conservation".
I only use mids.

Hivemind187 wrote: »

Then buy a GBB, count your rounds and shut up about it.

if everyone did that perhaps we'd have a more interesting, skillful game.

Is'nt that called Milsim?

Inari wrote: »

No you wouldn't. It's not the equipment, it's the players. You can count your rounds now, you can use low caps, you can use bolt snipers, you can use whatever device you like, and you can make it as accurate as possible, have the best trigger response, and of course you CAN toss all of that out the window, turn the device on full auto and keep your itchy finger on that trigger.

Can is the key word, adn the ignored word. If you want a better, more skillfull game, organise one. It wouldn't take much, and you could see the difference. Not everyone wants to play realistically, some would prefer to play their favourite game in RL (I'm not saying this is a bad thing; it's all personal choice).

Right. I don't think you get it but doesn't matter.
Each to his own at the end of the day.

@MacAonghusa: If I've missed the point, which by your post I celarly have, would you mind explaining it to me? From what I read of yours and lefty's replies was that if everyone bought GBB's, counted how much ammo they were using that the game would be more skillfull and interesting. My point was that you can already do that, without the need of buying equipment. And that the thing that limits the skillful interesting play is peoples own individual mindsets, and to combat that you just need to organise your own event/gathering/skirmish.

Apologies for off topic post