Shooting Show

[raybrown53]

I have to say I am pretty saddened by the lack of respect towards others (airsofters). Its their chosen hobby, a few that I spoke to were pretty nice guys and were really in awe of some of the real steel as they call it on display in the Rifle focus hall. Some didn't even know that we could own items such as semi auto .22 or Long Barrel Revolver / Pistols,cap & Ball etc. I even pointed a few in the direction of the NRA / NRSA stands. Though not my chosen hobby its their's. I would have thought we should / could take a more tolerant attitude maybe foster a unity between all the groups, surely its this sort of disharmony that the antis love us to have. United we stand divided we fall. Firearms, Shotgun, Air Arms, Airsoft surely at some stage the antis will have a go to stop each as its doesn't fit within their veiws of how things should be? As for the Airsoft chaps & ladies walking around suited & booted as if they are about to go door knocking in downtown Falujia, well maybe it wasnt perfect but on the other hand they are not walking around in public on the street like that so I dont see what harm they were doing. I will admit I had a look at some of their toys and some of them are pretty good replicas I even had a chance to shoot a springfield xdm clone and having shot one last time I was in MN it felt about right weight wise etc and was actually quiet good fun (again not my chosen hobby but I could see how it could be fun just like I can see the attraction of paintball).

I stand ready for the inevitable flames I will recieve.

[tackb]

no flames from me , i broadly agree with you but i do think they went a little far carrying around their weapons thats all.

[ovenpaa]

I saw a few wandering around and none of them were carrying in fact most had slipped on jackets so it was only the latest in Crye Multicam that gave them away

[breacher]

I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed with a lot of posts in this topic, considering shooters are often societal outcasts, I'd have thought you'd have had more respect for others hobbies.

The airsofters weren't there walting, they were there at the British Airsoft Show, there was a skirmish arena set up for them; therefore they were in their kit. I didn't see a single one of them claiming to be anything else.

It's also a bit rich coming from the flatcap-tweed brigade.

And tell us, what do you and your boyfriend get up to with those pink MP5s after hours?

The Walter Mittys walking around in head-to-toe MTP with massive beltrigs should frankly have been ordered to dress themselves appropriately before leaving their playpen. Massively bad impression made on the shooters present and I'll place money on you having left a far worse impression on the tabloid journo and his photographer mate who were quietly wandering around the show. Well done for screwing up the image of MY sport, you selfish children.

If you want to wear military uniform, join the military. Otherwise, wear it only when running around playing your games (which you have every right to do, of course) or take it off.

What a load of narrow minded s*** !!

If another shooter told you that your choice of ( legal ) firearm or ( legal ) clothing was inappropriate you would tell them to fcuk right off.

They have a past time - its legal. It pumps a lot of money into the economy. It harms nobody. The have an interest in a form of shooting. So have we, just a DIFFERENT sort of shooting.

I am sick and tired of small parts of the shooting community slagging off other parts. I dont want any wooden stocked rifle shooter telling me I am inappropriate due to my AR type rifle. I dont want any tweed wearing shooter slagging off my camo clothing. I dont want any f-class shooter looking down on the fire and movement in CSR. Or any clay shooter slagging off my multi shot slug gun. etc etc etc etc

I am NOT an airsofter. But I dont feel the need to say they are wrong and I am right. Each to their own etc

A little tolerance would be nice.

[ovenpaa]

Having considered both sides of the argument I am with the last few posts on this. I personally cannot understand why they do what they do however if they are doing no harm and having fun then so be it.

[tackb]

well i saw a three ,one of which had an mp5 across his chest and later on a group and one of those had a holstered pistol.

i've got no problem with wearing camo (i don't personally) but i do laugh when i see people in full camo at these shows and wonder why?

[tackb]

@breacher, i have no problem with airsofters in any way and completely agree with your post about the factions slagging each other off in shooting (the NRA were guilty of this!) my point is they shouldn't be walking around carring open weapons at a shooting show , it's just bad form and reflects badly on all shooting sports, they should have cased it or left it at there stand.

[Chapuis]

Shooting is a pretty broad church and while I have no interest in airsoft guns or war gaming I think we need to accept that this is what floats some peoples boat and be a little more tolerant. In fact we all need to be a little more tolerant of each other as I have read comments on this site deriding tweeds and flat caps (of which I saw very little) and camouflage which some of the shooting scene seem to need to wear on every occasion. I did see a few characters wandering around at the show fully rigged up and carrying imitation guns and wondered, in fact my friend commented “what’s that all about?” Personally I didn’t think wandering around like that in amongst the public gave a very good impression to the general public but that’s only my opinion.

I suppose most of us dress in a way that reflects our interests to some extent. If I consider my own wardrobe most of my jackets are really shooting coats because my interests have always involved the outdoors but I have never been into cammo or tweeds for that matter and my coats are rather more conservative but hopefully smart enough for street wear. Most of my casual wardrobe consists of greens, fawns or browns because I certainly have no desire to emulate a soccer player by wearing a replica football shirt or shell suit, and I have had to wear dark clothing for most of my working life so blue or black is out.
I think in this day and age it’s important that shooters of all persuasions should not just be more tolerant towards each other but should always be conscious of public image and perception. As they say “either hang together or swing together”.

[John25]

I am both slighly annoyed and amused by these posts.

Go to Nuremburg or Vegas or Orlando, they wander round with real guns there and no-one gives a monkeys.

I have been criticised on another topic for 'volunteering' information to my FEO and accused of doing the anti's job.

I criticise any shooter who would object to any perfectly legal 'firearm' activity just because it is not his discipline.

THAT is doing the anti's job for them!

If I were younger I would be buying an airsoft pistol, getting together a group and shooting all the COF we used to!

Be very aware that airsoft could well be all the next gereation of shooters will have.

Airsoft shooters deserve as much respect and support as we can give them.

[M99]

Well,

I will offer another perspective - we had a large amount of airsoft players come to the FCSA stand to chat and make enquiries - despite the fact they might have been dressed in full cammo, chest rigs, headsets, throat mikes, rubber knives, hand grenades, only one was sporting a holstered pistol and as soon as he realised it was removed and placed in his bag.

They all entered in to the spirit of the banter with us and some even posed for photos - a lot of these guys took away literature about both our club, Offas dyke and the NRA - so any of these that go on to get FACs are going to be helping bolster our sport for the future. A large proportion of them had no idea about the process of obtaining an FAC but again, most listened with interest and a lot of them showed genuine interest.

Almost without exception they were amazed at the array of firearms that are available to us use and enjoy our sport.

Regards

Mike