FPS Limits

[Cadet Commissar]

Are the FPS Limits going to be imposed by the system or Site's used?

I ask because the two Sniper rifles that I had in mind, the PSG1(Vindicare Assasin Charicter) and the SL9(Guard Sniper) are both Semi Auto AEG's, and under most sites rules would be considered the same as A full auto.

Before I go and spend silly money on either a Semi, 450+fps AEG I wanted to be sure that i could use it.

[john]

Most sites I know won't allow any AEG over 350 fps (and shouldn't as they are controlled weapons)

[Cadet Commissar]

The question of it being a conrolled weapon is a bit bit of grey area, until their is a deffinate ruling on what the minimum power of what is classed as an air weapon is.

It isnt an AEG per se, its more it cant be self loading over what is the minimum for an air weapon, then it becomes a controlled weapon.

[Lt Gebra]

Logic dictates that the power limits would be set buy the site whose insurance we'd be using, and there are very few sites who allow (even semi-restricted) AEGs over 350fps...

[Gor/Strauss]

And thats not including CQB sites who have low FPS due to the ranges AEGs would be used it.

I would stick to a 350fps ceiling unless you KNOW for a fact that the site allows higher for snipers and that you are 'qualified' for that site. Stops dissapointment

[john]

Aug 17, 2009 1:28:15 GMT Cadet Commissar said:

The question of it being a conrolled weapon is a bit bit of grey area, until their is a deffinate ruling on what the minimum power of what is classed as an air weapon is.

It isnt an AEG per se, its more it cant be self loading over what is the minimum for an air weapon, then it becomes a controlled weapon.

Do you want to be the test case? no? me neither. The problem with the grey area is that it can cost you 5 years of your life. oh and an Air weapon is anything below 12 ft/lbs.

[Cadet Commissar]

True, That generally means a fully upgraded Acurised AEG but still within no more than a M110 Spring, used more as a DMR than a sniper rifle.

john. I agree, anything we do could mean we end up in front of a judge. I seem to remember a panic a few years ago that above eith 1.7j or 2.3j or 377fps was a "Lethally Barreled Weapon" and would send us all to prison (IIRC populated by the UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body).

But this isnt the place for that argument, and its been done to death on all the airsoft forums
out there.

[john]

Indeed it has
As for a DMR I had an SL9 for a while and found it very heavy for normal use. I am toying with the idea of modding either an AUG or P90 as a Marksmans las gun. I think the Aug has real potential with a bit of "cut and past" on it.

[mihangelion]

hmm yeh i would choose the Aug A3 for that since it has that nice RAS/RIS rail =]

[slimshady]

Aug 17, 2009 15:41:09 GMT Cadet Commissar said:

True, That generally means a fully upgraded Acurised AEG but still within no more than a M110 Spring, used more as a DMR than a sniper rifle.

john. I agree, anything we do could mean we end up in front of a judge. I seem to remember a panic a few years ago that above eith 1.7j or 2.3j or 377fps was a "Lethally Barreled Weapon" and would send us all to prison (IIRC populated by the UK Airsoft Sites Governing Body).

But this isnt the place for that argument, and its been done to death on all the airsoft forums
out there.

It has been done to death, and the facts are:

The whole 1.35j/377 fps was total crap propogated by a self-appointed expert on Arnie's Airsoft and accepted until his qualifications were disproven....at which point 90% of the sites returned to the "old limits".

The very best legal mind on the subject (or rather, the one who's job it is to deal with firearms law and also happens to be an airsofter) ALSO doesn't know but has expert testimony that Lethallity may not occour until 4j.....however as correctly stated it IS a grey area and without accurate government testing no-one actually knows for sure...in terms of an AEG it also has to be designed for full-auto fire from the outset (regardless of subsequent single-shot only modifications) so there are actually only a couple of AEG-based sniper systems on the market that are exempt (the PSG-1 happens to be one of them, as is one of the SR25's).

The simple facts are that at 350fps you're "safe" (lol) and most sites accept that as a limit. The fact also remains that many, many 500fps bolt actions are still in use without incident so I'd also feel comfortable at a site who allowed their use.....in fact, I'd feel comfortable with sites allowing single-shot modified AEG's.

The whole modified AEG debate is subject to alarmist tendancies (OMG Is section 5!!) so I just laugh at the whole thing as local sites have been using them for years - there are still more incidents with AEG's running at 328fps than those running 450+

tl;dr - the site limits are fine, and the hobby is in more danger because of RIF's than "hot" AEGs.