I play airsoft regularly (once/twice a month) and it's a great hobby as long as you don't take it too serious.

I gives me a chance to run around pretending to be Jack Bauer, shout things like "Tango down" and just forget about the weekly 9-5 job.

Yeah sure it's geeky, but then i've been known to wear lycra.

Games are held on private land and are very well supervised, there will be an extensive safety briefing, and strict limits on the power of the guns (marshalls will remove and ban anyone caught with a gun over the legal limit).

However, be careful about buying him a gun. The law has changed in recent years (violent crime reduction act 2007) and buying a replica/airsoft gun is now illegal. The only way to legally buy an airsoft gun is to prove that you regularly play airsoft, this is usually done by attending several games and getting them signed off by the marshalls (google UKARA for a better explanation than i could give you).

This might help you find a local site
http://www.airsoftmap.net/UK/

You need to treat them like an airgun, pretty much the same laws apply.

But it is against the law to paint them.

My son has one, and its basically a copy of the Police machine-pistol (G?). It fires bb's at an astounding rate, and pretty accurate over short distances.

You though need to ensure that boundaries are set and that he realises that breaking these could end up with you collecting him from the Police Station…

But as kids we use to go ratting with our air rifles…

The only way to legally buy an airsoft gun is to prove that you regularly play airsoft,

AFAIK, that only applies to replicas; there's no restriction on buying airsoft guns if they're bright orange or otherwise obviously not real.

😆

It's what I do for a living. I run 2 sites, one in a WW2 underground bunker in Portsmouth and another in a closed hospital in Milford.

UCAP Airsoft

The VCRA has made it very difficult to but a Realistic Imitation Firearm (RIF) whilst doing little to affect the chances of criminals getting hold of real ones. However it now means that under 18s cannot buy at all and over 18s must prove they have a reason for exemption from the law, either by being a registered airsoft skirmisher, reenactor or member of a theatre group.

Most sites will have rental guns available and it's the only easy way for an under 18 to skirmish. They are not allowed to buy, and the various ways around this (adult registering then buying and gifting etccc) are not exactly in the spirit of the law.

Also consider that having an airsoft weapon out in a public place is probably one of the best ways to experience the work of a Police ARU and rightly so.

I love it. It provides a great adrenaline rush, the ability to work as part of a team or on my own whilst pretending I'm a leet speshul farces warrior! (Most of the airsofters I know are fully aware that they engage in a faintly ridiculous pastime, but they enjoy it so who cares?) My customers range from a millionaire property developer through company directors, desk jockeys & IT consultants, builders, students through to quite a few servicemen. In fact I'm off to Ted Baker's house tommorow to run an event for Exeter FC!

Feel free to contact me for more information, although TBH just like MTBing there are enough online resources to while away hours.

Is it not just like LARP but better and less stupid? 🙂

Just because someone has an interest in something that shoots doesn't mean when they grow up they'll end up killing someone or doing something stupid. I started shooting when I was legally old enough, soon got my firearms licence and my dad was a bobby and he hated my interest in guns. I went on to compete nationally and internationally in competitions and I think I came out ok and made him proud in the end. Obviously shooting is very restricted these days so the airsoft scene is growing very quickly and I hope your son enjoys the hobby.

Elfinsafety – Member
Best decision, if you ask me. I'm just not comfortable with the 'going round shooting each other' thing really. I'm sure it's 'fun', but there's other fun.
Get him into mountain biking! Fun, healthy, exciting, inexpensive….
Oh, hang on….

A more appropriate user name I can hardly think of.
As has been pointed out by those who actually know the game having a realistic replica gun in a public place is a dumb thing to do these days; people have been shot by the police for carrying a chairleg in a plastic bag, and police firearms officers have been called out because of little children carrying obviously fake plastic water pistols. That said I see no problem at all in running around a proper regulated site wearing camo gear and an airsoft gun and shooting at people with plastic pellets. As it happens, the gear doesn't have to be expensive; I bought a camo field shirt and trousers in Chinese No3 Plateau flecktarn, mainly for work. They cost $49, with $2 postage from Hong Kong, from a company called Airsoft Park. They also do Oakley Factory Pilot gloves for around $20.

So the question is, is your lad a sensible chap or not?

OP says that he's 15. Of course he and his mates will be shooting each other in the nuts before the end of the weekend! (I know me and my mates did when we had BB guns). Just like they'd be playing silly buggers with any other activity. Not necessarily a reason not to let him do it, but definitely a risk factor.

I was searching for a new rifle and came across this airsoft beastie…

http://www.gunstar.co.uk/Airsoft/CAW-Echo-1-Minigun-gun-for-sale-gs8521.aspx

3000 rounds a minute! That's gotta sting at close range.