Friday, January 25, 2008

500,000 fake guns (airsoft) a year reach Britain

Up to half a million replica guns (airsoft) are flooding into Britain each year just through one port alone, police revealed today.

The airsoft guns, which can be converted into real guns in a matter of hours, are bringing terror onto the UK's streets. (this is completely false! Airsoft guns can not be converted into real guns!) (Ignorant Brits!)

Uzis, Berettas and AK47 airsoft rifles are among the huge stash of airsoft guns being shipped in from across the globe by importers at Felixstowe in Suffolk.

Surrender your guns: Met Chief Sir Ian Blair poses with a real uzi, right, and an imitation weapon at today's launch of the Met's four-week campaign

Though some are sold on legally police fear that most are falling into the hands of criminals who convert them into live firearms or use them to intimidate petrified victims.

Half of all gun-enabled crime, including street robberies, involves imitation weapons that have either been converted to fire deadly live ammunition or look so realistic even police can't tell they're fakes.

Scotland Yard yesterday launched a month-long "surrender" scheme, urging young men and boys or their relatives to hand in airsoft guns at police stations anonymously, in a bid to stem escalating gun crime.

The surrender scheme was launched by the Met to tackle the easy availability of airsoft guns on London streets and enforce new legislation introduced in October which makes it an offence to manufacture, import or sell realistic imitation guns.

The maximum sentence for carrying a replica airsoft gun in public has also been increased from six months to a year.

BB guns, cap guns, blank-firing pistols, airguns and airsoft guns - which fire plastic ball bearings and are used at accredited game centres - are all included in the new laws.

One mother has already walked into a station in South East London and handed in 19 airsoft guns that she had found in her son's bedroom.

Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Norman, of the Violent Crime Directorate, said that there were 30 or 40 importers at Felixstowe each bringing in about 1,000 guns on a monthly basis.

He said: "We don't know yet exactly how many are coming in. But if you're looking at a thousand a time then the numbers quickly become vast.

"Some of these will be destined for legal means but my assumption is that a great many are destined for illegal outlets. We are doing are very best with Customs to detect this.

"We have a consignment of airsoft weapons sitting in the dock at Felixstowe now. This is about tackling the supply chain internationally, nationally and locally.

Mr Norman revealed he once found an airsoft gun in his own teenage son's bedroom a couple of years ago as he cleared out the room when his son left to go to university.

He said: "It horrified me. I was terrified it was real. I was relieved that it wasn't but that relief was followed by the realisation that he must have walked the streets with it to get it here."

The Met is launching a crackdown on market stalls and shops where airsoft guns are mainly sold. Officers will carry out test purchases on companies selling them on the internet and prosecute suppliers.

Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said: "Imitation weapons cause fear and distress on our streets and I would urge our communities to take this chance to get rid of them.

"Every airsoft gun handed in is one less that can be used for violence and intimidation. Whilst overall crime in London has significantly decreased this campaign is aimed at young people whose lives are being blighted by gun culture and imitation firearms are an intrinsic part of that."

The Met is also distributing 600,000 leaflets in "priority" boroughs urging people to hand in the weapons.

Commander Shaun Sawyer said: "Whether it belongs to you, your son or daughter, brother or sister, friend or partner, by handing it in you will be taking one more weapon out of circulation."

Guest rose to fame the Nineties, appearing as a Page three girl in The Sun and men's magazines like Loaded and FHM

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Two arrested in airsoft gun shooting incident

Two people were arrested Sunday night after a man reported that he was following a reckless driver near Payson when someone in the car fired a gun at him, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office. Two arrested in airsoft gun shooting incident

Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Spencer Cannon said that the airsoft gun fired from the car was an Airsoft pellet gun, and the victim was originally following the shooter's green Cadillac Escalade because its occupants owed him money. When the victim pulled closer to the Cadillac to write down its license number so he could report the driver for reckless driving, the driver stopped and began shooting, the victim told police.
"The complainant actually knew the three suspects and there had been some type of argument over a debt," a press release from the sheriff's office stated.

The victim called 911 to report that he was being chased by a reckless driver. A Santaquin police officer pulled the alleged shooter over near the Payson landfill, around 11300 South and 6000 West, Cannon said. When the Cadillac pulled over, one of the passengers jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

The Utah County Metro SWAT team was called to the scene, and a sheriff's office aircraft helped search the area with infrared cameras. Police found the suspect after about an hour and a half, Cannon said.

The victim believed he was being fired at with an actual handgun, but police found an airsoft pellet gun instead. Cannon said officers also found a substance that tested positive for cocaine.

The driver of the Cadillac, 22-year-old Jorge Sinderos, of Provo, was booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of aggravated assault, possession of cocaine, intoxication, reckless driving and no driver's license.

"By statute, if he'd have been firing with a real gun he would've been charged with attempted homicide," Cannon said of Sinderos. "The victim believed it to be a real gun. That makes it aggravated assault, a third-degree felony."

Alberto Vasquez-Javier, 28, of Payson, was charged with failure to stop for police, and was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for contempt of court from the Utah County Justice Court. A third occupant of the vehicle was not arrested or charged with any crimes.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Marines, sailors play airsoft hard

MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii (Jan. 23, 2008) -- “I need cover fire on that tower now,” a Marine yells out to his team members. “Watch out for the sniper! Get down, get down.” Too late, the Marine takes a hit right in the neck. In real combat, this would most likely be his end, but in airsoft it’s a walk of shame off the field.

Airsoft is a sport enjoyed by military, law enforcement and everyday Joes who like the rush of simulated war games, and the chance to pit tactics against other enthusiasts.

Unlike paintball, this rapidly-growing sport uses realistic weapons from M4’s with M203 grenade launchers, to the M249 squad automatic airsoft weapon.

Marines and Sailors from U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific have taken to this sport like ducks to water, forming an “elite” unit called Double Tap.

Three corpsmen stationed here started the unit. These three, who go by their call signs, Los Gatos, El Jefé and Smooth Operator, have spread airsoft fever throughout the command.

“The corpsmen got me hooked when they first showed me their airsoft guns. They were so realistic I had to try it out,” said a Marine who goes by the call sign El Diablo. “I went out and got my own airsoft gun and now my Marines and buddies from my former unit are getting involved as well.”

The unit’s founders have been involved in the sport for more than six months. In a short amount of time, they built up their arsenal and became highly competitive in the Hawaii airsoft community.

“We were playing so much, we decided to form a unit,” said Los Gatos. “A few of us have been in real combat so it goes hand-in-hand with our jobs and previous experiences.”

For these service members, airsoft is not just a fun thing to do on the weekends.

“You can apply military training in a highly-competitive and exciting sport,” said Smooth Operator. “The challenge of having a target, an objective and using basic skills to achieve them makes this sport very appealing.”

“It’s good times for us because a lot of us came from grunt units and we don’t get to do much of that training anymore,” Los Gatos added.

According to the members of Double Tap, their combined military experience gives them an edge over their competition.

“Some of the guys we play against have been playing these kind of sports for 20 years. They try to use paintball tactics that don’t work in this game,” Los Gatos said. “We take the advantage by using basic war-fighting tactics to bring the fight to them. We dominate a lot of the other teams.”

The sport is fairly popular in Hawaii, with ranges all across the island. Some of the more popular ones are in Barbers Point, Kuoloa Ranch and Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Japan dominates the airsoft market. Hawaii’s close proximity to Japan makes it easier to get more and better equipment here than on the mainland, according to Los Gatos.

Airsoft guns are powered by batteries and compressed air, and shoot small plastic pellets. Some of the more powerful weapons, like sniper rifles, can have a muzzle velocity of 700 feet per second. An M16A2 assault has a muzzle velocity of 3,050 fps.

“Even though the rounds are small they are fired at an fps that is hundreds faster than paint ball,” said Los Gatos. “They hurt and leave welts, but cause no serious damage.”

The sport has several advantages over paintball, according to Los Gatos and Smooth Operator. But there is one aspect of paintball they wish could be implemented into airsoft.

“The only downfall the sport has is, unlike paintball, you have to use the honor system,” El Diablo said. “If your opponent won’t go down, you just keep shooting him until he does.”

The sport has a lot to offer military members, according to Double Tap. Besides combat training, physical conditioning and good, old-fashion fun, it can help keep Marines out of trouble.

“A lot of Marines waste a lot of money and time on dumb stuff, like getting wasted on the weekends,” El Diablo said. “This sport is a much healthier and better way to spend your time and money.”

Monday, January 21, 2008

Fake guns (airsoft guns included) may become illegal in Detriot

Waving imitation weapons may soon be illegal in the city.

The City Council is considering adopting an ordinance that would outlaw using a fake firearm to "frighten, threaten, harass, panic or annoy."

If approved at its Feb. 5 meeting, the misdemeanor could land a person a $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

The new ordinance -- which also would allow police to confiscate the faux guns, which include airsoft guns, BB guns, starter's pistols, hobby guns and stage props -- was inspired by an incident at the Southland Mall during the holiday shopping season.

"Several kids were out in one of the lobbies shooting each other with airsoft guns," the chief said. "It caused a real stir because people thought it was a real shooting."

WESTLAND: Council supports giving local vendors advantage

The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance that would grant a preference to local businesses bidding on city contracts.

Modeled after a City of Lansing measure, the proposed Local Preference Ordinance would allow a competitive advantage to local vendors by awarding an equalization percentage to Westland-based companies.

The council is to vote to officially adopt the ordinance at its Feb. 4 meeting.

Quo Vadis to come down; fitness center may go up

The Quo Vadis, a once-plush movie theater shuttered since 2002, could be demolished as early as spring by developers who hope to build a $5-million fitness center on the prime real estate site.

Lake Bellaire Properties LLC has proposed a site plan to tear down the Quo Vadis and build a nearly 42,000-square-foot fitness center across Wayne Road from Westland Shopping Center.

Lake Bellaire's plans are to be discussed during a Westland Planning Commission meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at City Hall.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

E. Idaho man seeks tougher laws on replica airsoft guns

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) - An eastern Idaho man is leading a charge for tougher state laws on toy guns that closely resemble actual firearms.

In this case, the concern is over so-called airsoft guns, which fire a plastic pellet and are popular for use in military style games. Airsoft guns are also prized for their realistic design and likeness to real firearms.

In recent weeks, airsoft guns have been at the center of a handful of encounters between police and teenagers carrying them in neighborhoods in Pocatello and Chubbock.

That's why Fort Hall resident Dave Archuleta says the time is ripe for tougher regulations.

He says the guns are so realistic looking that one day a police encounter could turn deadly.

Archuleta says he is urging Representative Donna Boe, a Pocatello Democrat, to lobby for tougher state laws on the guns.

Boe says she shares concerns but more research is needed on the issue.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

New Airsoft Strategies & Tactical Website

Just found this great site on airsoft tactics and strategies of playing.

More airsoft players shoudl read good sense information so they don't get caught in such stupid airsoft activities or accidents that I post all the time.

Hopefully some day we'll have less stupid stuff going on in the local news.

Anyway, the site is located at airsofttactics.blogspot.com

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Teens Impersonated Police Officers with Airsoft Guns

Two teenagers were arrested in Fort Worth Wednesday night after authorities say they impersonated police officers and tried to pull over another vehicle.

An officer driving down east Lancaster spotted a vehicle with flashing lights attempting to pull over another vehicle at approximately 2:30 a.m. Two people got out of the car and were approaching the other vehicle.

The officer pulled up behind them and asked what they were doing. One of them replied, "Did you see how fast that car was going?" according to police.

The officer asked who they were and two males pulled out a plastic badge that read "Commander," as well as a pellet gun and an airsoft. One of the teens was wearing a sheriff's shirt, while the other was wearing a police uniform.

The 18 and 19-year-old were arrested and will be charged with impersonating an officer.