I spoke with a policeman friend of mine at Christmas about the whole VCRA and even his description was not consistant because what we interpret a realistic firearm to be is not what everyone else will interpret a real firearm to be.

Heck a guy in Gloucester about 10 years ago was shot for waving a bit of wood wrapped in plastic around.

Here in the US I always recommend if you're carrying around a replica firearm that you a) keep your finger OFF the trigger and b) do not wave it in anyones face.
I've had cops stop me on the street as I was carrying a painted up nerf because 'someone may see it and freak out' even though it had a bright orange charging handle still on it.

I'm not going to stop carrying it around because 'someone may freak out' but if they do and the cops are called I'll comply with their instructions and put it on the ground and step away etc. Things are of course a lot different over here than they are over there and I feel for you guys always walking on eggshells.

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We have to put our faith that IN the case of a Police Officer approaching us that it`s someone who understands the nature of the hobby and as long as the members are NOT silly to give grounds of concern, (should as previously pointed out by Matt) purely want photos with the members.

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What ya gonna do when I TECKNO HUG Youuuuu!!



Pvt.
STEAD,J "TECKNO VIKING"
A06/TQ1.0.22140E1

Skype: ulthur1

I was fixing my PR at work one day when two police officers turned up they loved picking it up and looking at it and when i mentioned the VCRA they knew about it but not what was in it

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

For your own safety, and the safety of Airsoft / costuming as a hobby, you all need to assume that the worst case scenario is likely.

Just because someone's local bobby doesn't know the law isn't to say some member of the public who happens to be in the "Guns am BAD, 'KAY?!" camp isn't going to make a complaint - At which point the cops who attend THAT call will use a size-10 skeleton key to come through your front door feet-first, show you how much of a difference an extra 3mm can make, and worry about the niceties of the VCRA later!

I stand by my suggestion that if anyone wants to be really safe... Get to a Skirmish site, play 3 games over no less than two months but within a year, and know that you're within the law by only ever having your RIF out at a site or at a convention/organised costuming event.

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MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

all i was trying to point out was as some have put it it depends on the officer i was not suggesting to ignore the law far from it sorry if it came across that way

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

Not at all mate - All I meant was that the government have left the law deliberately vague, to allow them to enfore it more strictly than they currently wish to budget for should they feel the need in future, without actually having to go through all that pesky "Due process" crap.
So we should always lean towards the harsher interpretations if we want to play it safe.

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MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

on that we agree though i think most laws seem to confound people, but as i always say to my staff better safe than sorry

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1