airsoft, pellet guns, bbguns, and paintball guns....

[freedomfighter]

airsoft, pellet guns, bbguns, and paintball

Are any of these controlled and what kinda if any, regulations does the federal government or state and/ local govts have angaints these...

But more importantly can I open a store front and run a ligitimate buisness selling these and other "toys" with out any "special" permission or hoops to jump through?

[Emptymag]

Don't take this the wrong way, but were you born and raised in the United States of America?

Pellet gun war ring any bells?



The only info I feel confident enough to tell you in response to your questions is that many localities prohibit the DISCHARGE of some/all of them.

[Azzy]

Cant talk for airsoft or air rifles, but lots of localities have ordinances against airgun disharge, and specifically target bb gun and paintball guns.

I do also know that it is a felony charge to be caught in a moving vehicle with a loaded painball gun (aired or loaded) , aimed at curbing or procecuting kids who think its cute to go around and randomly blind other kids for life.

As for selling, check your locals, but for paintball, as long as tehy are of the proper age (16?) it is ok to sell to. But for filling tanks, you may have insurance and dot regs to follow.

And if you are looking to start one... dont do it brick and mortar. Trust me, I've seen in 8 years of heavy participation of the sport stores come and go. Airsoft and paintball are both are centered around kids, mainly 14-18 year old boys, whose only source of income is from parent's credit cards, and have the attitude of such.

There are few constant stores in the Pittsburgh area, the only long time paintball shop is Punisher's paintball supply, and he is bigger online than the storefront, and it has to be a TON of work to just do that.

If you are up for it, look around, see if you can follow the trends, and see if you can follow what is good. Good paintball shops are not drop shippers, and can follow the market that changes in a blink, and also can find a niche market of players who are looking for a specific demand., and then fill it and keep them interested.

I would also say that in your area you have a good field and store to compete with @ Wannaplay Paintball. They may be someone you would want to work with in a supply chain that they do not cover already.

[freedomfighter]

So because i grew up in an America where these things were toys of mine, that i must be a moron because aparently they are ILLEGAL now? I never got the brochoure the lovely community organizers pass out that explained ordances against these things. Had i infact i probably wouldnt have inquired about it here... I must have been too busy working and living in america somewhere and not kept up with the jollys of beauracrats and politicions...

If anyone can explain to me if the aboved mentioned items are illegal i would greatly appreciate it...

[Emptymag]

So because i grew up in an America where these things were toys of mine, that i must be a moron because aparently they are ILLEGAL now? I never got the brochoure the lovely community organizers pass out that explained ordances against these things. Had i infact i probably wouldnt have inquired about it here... I must have been too busy working and living in america somewhere and not kept up with the jollys of beauracrats and politicions...

If anyone can explain to me if the aboved mentioned items are illegal i would greatly appreciate it...

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying, but I honestly don't see how any of them can be considered "illegal", when all of them can be purchased at your local K-mart/W-mart.

Just because it's legal to purchase, does not mean it's legal to "shoot them"... you have to check local ordinances - it isn't the same as firearm preemption, localities CAN, and do, make laws prohibiting the USE of such "toys".

[freedomfighter]

thanks Azzy, im not concerned with what other buisnesses do and how easy/difficult the buisness is, im specifically concerned with whether these are legal to sell and purchase or not... an ordiance can say anything... but i have a right too move and take my tax money with me...

[freedomfighter]

Emptymag, thats all i really wanted to know... these can all be sold at chain stores... if so then are there any regulations on them being sold and distributed do those stores have any special permission to sell them ie special lisence or permits?

Im just want to know the legallys behind selling them or is it the same as selling baseballs and bats and other sporting accessories...

[kbcobra26]

One of my friends dads who lives in the Montoursville borough shot a pellet gun and a neighbor called the cops on him...(this was like 10 years back)

The judge charged him with discharging a firearm in town limits. Now he has a record...

[Azzy]

If you lok at how many of the localities are setup for the use of a paintball, well written ones include the idea that you can use it in a peroper game or on a proper shooting range with proper safety equipment (for yourself and spectators).

Menaing you arent breaking a law if you set up a chronograph range (long tubing with a bucket at the end to catch reballs or busted paint), but you can catch heat and law enforcemnt involvemnt for shooting out your window or sometimes in your back yard.

And you are free to go for it, you may be that difference and be the supplier that I would go to for all my needs. never know, dont know how your place is / will be run

[freedomfighter]

One of my friends dads who lives in the Montoursville borough shot a pellet gun and a neighbor called the cops on him...(this was like 10 years back)

The judge charged him with discharging a firearm in town limits. Now he has a record...

Well i guess i would have had to aurgue the fact that a firearm would be controlled and regulated so as to needing an FFL to sell and transfer them. IF thats is the case, then a Pellet gun, IS by definition a firearm? and thus I would need to have an FFL to SELL them? Because based on this judges rulling he is classifying a pellet gun as a firearm and i belive based on the definitons from this website that a firearm has a controlled explosion, NOT simply compressed air... or is the releasing of compressed considered an explosion? these are the legallys that a firearms dealer must know about... and if one is to sell the above mentioned "toys" as they were when i was a child, must they have and hold a current FFL?

I know a previous post said that most chain stores do sell these "toys" and most of them also sell real guns and have FFL to do so... would someone NOT have an FFL and NOT sell real guns, but be selling pellet guns and other above mentioned "toys" be commiting a crimial act?


also, when i was a kid, we used to break mechanical pencils and turn them into paper ball shooters, is this considered a firearm too under todays standards? just wondering...

oh yea what about nerf guns and water guns...

hopefully they are not considered firearms yet...

what about potato guns, i bet you get like 15 yrs if you make one.

I hope you can read my sarcasm...