Is it legal if I'm under 18 and someone who is over 18 gifts me a two-toned airsoft gun?

[SharkSurvivor]

My birthday is coming up soon and I want to get an airsoft gun, I've asked my parents who talked about the legal requirements and I noticed I can't get an UKARA license because I am under 18, would it be legal if they did buy it for me for my birthday as a two toned weapon?

[Tommikka]

1 hour ago, SharkSurvivor said:

My birthday is coming up soon and I want to get an airsoft gun, I've asked my parents who talked about the legal requirements and I noticed I can't get an UKARA license because I am under 18, would it be legal if they did buy it for me for my birthday as a two toned weapon?

It gets seen as a grey area, but the law affects the purchase / sale to over 18s only 

 

Possession / ownership isn’t covered by that so it is seen as legal for an airsoft to be gifted to you before you are 18

There must be no payment or other ‘compensation’ otherwise it wouldn’t qualify as being gifted

 

Though gifting is seen as a grey area, in a slightly unrelated / semi related situation recently in paintball the UKPSF (recognised representative body for paintball) have consulted a barrister on legislation and ‘gifting’ to under 18s was seen as legal 

PS

I trust that you are / will be over 14?

 

There could be other legislation that could affect possession if you are under 14

[Rogerborg]

tl;dr 

 

It's fine.  No offence is being committed by anyone.

 

I would highlight that the issue (for all of us) is public possession, Firearms Act 1968 Section 19, and that applies to any replica, realistic or otherwise.  There have been convictions for that, notably one for a small bright orange springer pistol, so please use it responsibly.  Private land (and not shooting off that land), and being on the way to or from an insured airsoft site (not going for a romp in the woods with your mates).

[Cannonfodder]

3 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

Private land

Just to make it clear, private land WITH permission of the landowner. IIRC armed trespass carries a 5 year jail sentence

[SharkSurvivor]

On 29/03/2022 at 23:23, Tommikka said:

It gets seen as a grey area, but the law affects the purchase / sale to over 18s only 

 

Possession / ownership isn’t covered by that so it is seen as legal for an airsoft to be gifted to you before you are 18

There must be no payment or other ‘compensation’ otherwise it wouldn’t qualify as being gifted

 

Though gifting is seen as a grey area, in a slightly unrelated / semi related situation recently in paintball the UKPSF (recognised representative body for paintball) have consulted a barrister on legislation and ‘gifting’ to under 18s was seen as legal 

PS

I trust that you are / will be over 14?

 

There could be other legislation that could affect possession if you are under 14

I am over 14, only reason why I came back to this website was to answer this question