How to Start a Thread on Airsoft Society

Saskatoon airsoft community concerned as federal legislation takes aim at replica firearms

"At the end of the 24-hour interval nosotros're just a agglomeration of nerdy guys playing dress-upwardly and shooting each other with toy guns. Nosotros're pretty harmless."

Feb 26, 2021 • February 28, 2021 • 3 minute read • Join the conversation

Members of Saskatoon Airsoft seen taking part in an event. Airsoft guns often await like actual firearms, merely shoot relatively harmless plastic pellets rather than bullets. Fans of the game effectually Canada have raised concerns that new gun control regulations contained in Bill C-21 would effectively outlaw their hobby. (Fragout Photograpy/Saskatoon Airsoft) jpg

A Saskatoon airsoft enthusiast says he's hoping a petition campaign can save his hobby from the impact of new federal gun control legislation.

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Jason Urban, an organizer for Saskatoon Airsoft, told Postmedia News his group has about 200 people who participate in the "action-tag" game, in which people shoot at each other using lower-velocity airguns that fire small plastic pellets. Airsoft guns are frequently designed to look similar real firearms, helping create what Urban described as "a real-life video game."

"That's part of the appeal," he said, adding that while paintball offers a like feel, airsoft is less messy, less painful when you get hit and uses ammunition that costs far less than paintballs.

Recently introduced federal Nib C-21 would re-allocate realistic-looking airsoft guns as replica firearms under the Criminal Lawmaking of Canada, making them illegal to import, consign, sell or transfer. Urban said he's concerned he may be unable to use the roughly $ten,000 worth of airsoft guns and gear he's amassed if C-21 passes in its current form.

"Basically, if this pecker goes through, all the toys nosotros use to play airsoft, we can't go out the house with them any more. All the businesses that sell them will have to destroy them and stuff like that," Urban said.

He joined with others across Canada in signing an east-petition headed to the House of Commons, calling for a reversal of the law. Barring that, Urban suggested many airsoft players might accept a requirement to modify their guns with neon orange tips or other clear signifiers that they're fakes.

"At the end of the day we're just a bunch of nerdy guys playing clothes-up and shooting each other with toy guns. We're pretty harmless," Urban said.

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Acting Sgt. Matt Ingrouille of the Saskatoon police Guns and Gangs Unit of measurement said constabulary don't specifically track how many airsoft guns they seize. Replicas of all types are becoming more than common and more realistic, and some of the devices they've seized take fifty-fifty fooled the police's ain firearms instructors on close inspection, he said.

"It's not until you actually have that gun in your paw and become to unload information technology that yous realize 'Oh, this is a pellet gun.' "

Real sawed-off shotguns and sawed-off rifles remain the weapons of choice among Saskatoon's criminal element, Ingrouille said. Simply more than frequently than not, real weapons are existence seized alongside replica guns, he added.

Constabulary volition care for whatever study of a gun as if they are dealing with the real thing, until they're satisfied it isn't, either through further investigation or by seizing the weapon, he said.

"Information technology'due south quite mutual for us to get data that someone is in possession of a handgun and so our unit of measurement executes a search warrant, and we use our tactical support unit," Ingrouille said. "It'south a big expense to the city, and we hitting the house and we find out that it's either an airsoft pistol or a pellet gun."

Ingrouille offered some words of comfort for hobbyists concerned about being targeted if C-21 passes.

"The truth is, the police don't have the resources to be harassing normal people, or the want. We're decorated every bit it is, going after existent criminals."

blevy@postmedia.com

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How to Start a Thread on Airsoft Society