Do paintball guns/rifles need a licence?

DMT

Do paintball guns/rifles need a licence, what's the story with importing them and is there anywhere in Ireland they can be bought??

RicardoSmith

Yes I think you need a licence. No you can't buy them. The guys in one of the paintball places said that they've never been allowed to bring in better equipment than what they currently use.

Micheal Wittman

Hey,

I suggest u phone up one of the various paintball places in the phone book. Could try Sparks. He seems to know a lot about this sort of thing. Try pming him

Regards,

Herr Krupp Of Essen

Sparks

Paintball guns are a somewhat gray area, because technically they don't fire solid pellets but balls of a liquid. I would recommend a chat with the local paintball club's operator and the local garda superintendent. The closest thing in the Firearms Acts to this is in section 2 of the 1964 Act:

In the Principal Act and this Act, "firearm" shall include an airgun
(which expression includes an air rifle and an air pistol) and any other
weapon incorporating a barrel from which metal or other slugs can be
discharged

Thing is, since it's a ball of liquid, I don't think it qualifies as a slug. But again, the local superintendent is the sole licencing authority for this, so if you have a chat with him (and don't act the gombeen while doing so), odds are he'll give a licence for them - I mean, paintball guns are a legitimate thing to have since it's a popular pastime, and they're not very dangerous if used properly (ie. with masks and so on in a paintball field). And if he decides that you don't need a licence, well, happy days because that's a binding legal decision.

Just don't go talking to the man with a dozen noserings in and a T-shirt reading "Death from above!"

And remember, once Minister McDowell's Criminal Justice Bill 2004 is passed, you'll have to have secure storage for it (for a paintball gun a locked cabinet should suffice really, but the definition of "secure" is up to the superintendent).

Sleepy

One thing of note is that even if you buy a marker, none of the parks will let you use it as their insurance only covers the exact type of marker they use (typically the bog standard Tippman 98). So, you need Garda permission to get one and there's nowhere you can legally use it outside of your own back yard.

Not really worth the effort in buying one tbh.

Edit: Escarmouche in Belfast may allow you to use your own marker. Not sure, but they do take part in the Milennium Series so they'd be your best bet.

The Real B-man

better off going out for the day with loads of mates paintballing this place is class http://www.crossfire.ie