PeopleAirsoft.com: L85 gas blow back leaked

PeopleAirsoft.com have a sneak preview of a new gas blow back rifle:

Our faithful Jason has been undercover for quite sometime and managed to get new insight on a new gas blow back rifle.

(PeopleAirsoft.com)

UKAPU defend airsoft player in trouble with the law

UKAPU have an interesting story about one of their members’ run in with the law whilst attempting to import an airsoft replica:

Another victory – UKAPU defends innocent airsoft player in trouble with LAW

In August 2010, Roland Fejes (an airsoft skirmisher and now member of UKAPU) attempted to import a Deepfire M72 LAW. The Deepfire M72 LAW is a high quality airsoft replica but ordinary in function, using moscart type airsoft ‘grenades’. These are commonly imported to the UK as they are a replica which you are permitted to import or buy when you are entitled to the skirmishers specific defence under the Violent Crime Reduction Act.

To Roland’s surprise, his replica was seized when it passed through customs and his house subsequently raided by a counter terrorism unit in order to check that he did not have ‘any other prohibited weapons’. Roland was given no paperwork to explain the situation and no notice of seizure. When he was contacted by the Police he was aggressively bullied and threatened with nonsensical charges including firearms and terrorism offences in an attempt to scare him away from seeking his legal rights. He was accused of importing a re-activated real launcher.

Clearly a fundamental mistake had been made – on top of which something was very wrong with the way the authorities were handling this situation. As a normal player with no legal expertise Roland did not know how to approach this, so one of our members suggested he get in contact with us at UK Airsoft Players Union. One of the key roles we have set for UKAPU is defending individual airsoft skirmishers against prejudice in the system.

Over the course of 6 months UKAPU used our knowledge, contacts and community standing to fight this injustice. Eventually UKAPU convinced a senior Police officer to drop talk of terrorism charges, at which point UK Border Agency and Scotland Yard began disputing the legality of airsoft skirmishers importing moscart devices. Again our considered protest won through, and by UKAPU persistently refusing to let this issue drop Roland had his item returned to him this week! By this, the Police have admitted that they were wrong to prevent him importing this airsoft replica, that the harassment was unjustified and that the charges were unfounded.

Everyone who has joined UKAPU has contributed to this latest victory; We were only able to force the powers that be to respect Roland’s rights because of the strength that our members have lent to UKAPU by joining, so they should give themselves a pat on the back! United, we Airsofters can stand up for each other, so if you haven’t joined yet then please look at our website – we will need your support in the next fight!

Matt Furey-King, Chairman (UKAPU)

PeopleAirsoft.com: More XCR pictures released

PeopleAirsoft.com have some more pictures of the new XCR:

As promised my sources have revealed new pictures further along the production process. Read more.

(PeopleAirsoft.com)

1st Inokatsu Colt 1911 Picture

Luc has sent in a picture of the new Inokatsu Colt 1911 prototype he took today:

Hi, Being a  French customer, and being not far from the Cybergun warehouse, I go there sometimes. I was lucky enough today to see the protoype of the Inokatsu colt 1911, all cnc steel. I could take a quick picture while talking with the boss.

hope every one enjoy Luc.

HobbyMedia.it: Shizuoka Hobby Show 2010 news

Francesco has posted images and videos from the Shizuoka Hobby Show at HobbyMedia.it:

Ciao Arnie! as every year here I am with the news showed by Tokyo Marui during the Shizuoka Hobby Show that closed yesterday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnpygVkllws&hl=en]

(this is the video of the Tokyo Marui booth at the fair with a preview of all their news)

• XDM, M&P and HK45 prototypes


• High cycle TM M4 CRW


• crazy small RC heli customized with anime characters

I will post all the other news and more detailed photos within this week (now I’m travelling in Osaka for a couple of days). All the best from Japan! (Francesco)

Rumours and misinformation quoted as fact in the name of “counter terrorism”. How one store fell prey to media spin and the ATF

Before even mentioning the quite obviously overhyped media spin that’s apparently called news on King5 (as found here and also reported here) which concerned an incident with Airsoft Outlet NW, it was appropriate to wait for the affected retailer to post up their thoughts on what’s gone on.

First here’s the original article that was posted on King5:

by KING5.com
Posted on February 24, 2010 at 1:46 PM
******

TACOMA, Wash. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a shipment of 30 machine guns that arrived in an ocean container at the Tacoma Seaport last October.

Officials say the shipment of M-4 automatic rifles, manifested only as "Toys and Parts," was valued at nearly $10,000 and was shipped from a manufacturer in Taiwan.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms found that the rifles were tooled to shoot plastic balls, but replacement of internal components with original machine gun components would render the rifles capable of firing live ammunition.

"These rifles could have had far-reaching and potentially devastating ramifications if they had gotten into the hands of individuals who wanted to do harm in the American population," said Customs and Border Protection Area Port Director, Rolando Suliveras, Jr. "This was a good interception by our officers."

The guns will be destroyed. (KING5.com)

To the skim reader that might sound like a good bit of news, after all terrorists were stopped importing illegal firearms, weren’t they?

Sadly this story is not about real firearms, but a shipment of airsoft WE M4 GBB replicas. From that single point of misinformation the author has then hypothesised what might happen should ne’er-do-gooders get hold of the believed killing machines that were being imported. It does somewhat remind me of a poor scientific hypothesis based on two points of collected data on a graph.

Complex import laws and the ATF’s seemingly irregular implementation of such legislation provides the perfect springboard for media channels to promote doom and gloom for their latest terrorist related story.

The victim of this media spin is Airsoft Outlet NW, a home grown store trading legally within the US. There’s now been a response from Airsoft Outlet NW. As you’d expect it is a well written article and explains a bit more about what was going on in the background:

We had 30 WE TTI M4 GBBR’s seized by the Port of Tacoma customs because they thought they were "machine guns". This is our response.

You can read their full response after the break and on their website here.

Here’s the story covered in their local TV channel:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rEuTwYALho&hl=en]

There’s also a discussion about this in the news forum here.

(more…)