After the subject of Airsoft came up in a thread about Paintball and Lazerquest, I realised there isn't a thread to help people in the Sheffield area find the nearest Airsoft site, so, here one is!

Airsoft is a bit like paintball, in that players are organised into teams, and shoot each other...

...however, Airsoft is a little different, and the ammo' is waaaay cheaper.

Anyway, you can read more on the attached links, so on with the information:

CQB (inside buildings) site, in Sheffield city centre:
http://brittacairsoft.com/site1/

CQB/Urban site, just off Rutland Road in Sheffield:
http://www.op-tac.co.uk/

Woodland site, shared with paintball, at Strines, same site different organisers,
(Op-Tac):
http://www.op-tac.co.uk/
(Cerberus):
http://www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk/index.php/events
(Brit-Tac)
http://brittacairsoft.com/site1/
(Yorkshire Tactical Airsoft):
http://www.ytairsoft.co.uk/

Woodland site, near Barnsley:
http://brittacairsoft.com/site1/

Woodland site, Wooley Edge (near Barnsley):
http://www.yorkshireairsoft.co.uk/

Woodland site, near Finningley (Doncaster):
http://www.vulcan-leisure.co.uk/

Woodland site, near Thoresby market:
http://www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk/

Woodland site, at Hey Wood south of Huddersfield:
http://www.firstandonlyevents.co.uk/newforum/viewforum.php?f=26

Woodland site, near Matlock:
http://matlockcombatgames.com/

FiBUA site near Horsforth, Leeds:
(Cerberus):
http://www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk/index.php/events


Please note: The above are listed by how close they are to Sheffield, and are run by different businesses, none of which I have any involvement with. The above is just for information.

If you know of any others, please add them below (with URL links please), I'll do the same (hopefully I will be able to edit any alterations into this first post, for ease of use), and hopefully we can keep a good resource for forum users to have a great day out.

:)

Hi Bruce.

Whats the legality of Airsofting now? I know a few years ago they were on about banning it completley, and trying to make it illegal to import the guns.

I didn;t realise we had two indoor sites in Sheff! I went to the Clay Cross site a couple of times too. Phoenix and Strines were my regular haunts though.

Hi Bruce.

Whats the legality of Airsofting now? I know a few years ago they were on about banning it completley, and trying to make it illegal to import the guns.

I didn;t realise we had two indoor sites in Sheff! I went to the Clay Cross site a couple of times too. Phoenix and Strines were my regular haunts though.

Aye-up Mick,

The VCRA (Violent Crime Reduction Act) made the importation; manufacture; and sale of RIFs (Realistic Imitation Firearms) illegal, however...

...Airsoft got a defence!

So, if you're a regular airsofter, you can still import, manufacture, and prove that you have a reason to purchase (that means a shop is OK to sell to us).

If you aren't an airsofter with a defence, you can still buy an IF (Imitation Firearm), they look/perform the same, but have to be brightly coloured.

Oh, but whatever, you have to be over 18 for any of the above.

So, all in all, it's all still OK...

...and rental players aren't effected at all by any of this (and don't have to be over 18). :)

Get yourself down for a game, and make sure to give me a shout if ya do! :D

Join the army, play the real thing!

Join the army, play the real thing!

Many who play don't want to, it it certainly isn't a requirement to want to.

Having said that, quite a few ex forces people do play, and run sites too, Cerberus has a high number of staff who are ex, and the guy who runs Op-Tac is an ex Para.

Of my mates I play with some are ex, some still in (in fact last time out one went straight back to Bastion after a game), and a good number aren't.

I'd say if you enjoy CoD type games, give it a go...

...there's no need to join up once you've tried it! ;)

Aye-up Mick,

.....some stuff....

Get yourself down for a game, and make sure to give me a shout if ya do! :D

Cheers for that Bruce. Its good to know my stash isn't going to get me 10 years :)

I havent played for about 3 or 4 years to be honest. I'm not sure my knees could take it any more!

Your thread DID make me get the old TacMaster out and give it a couple of mags in the back garden.

Join the army, play the real thing!

I reckon a 5.56 round would hurt less ;)

...I reckon a 5.56 round would hurt less ;)

Have you chrono'd your gat's recently?

:D

Just to update this, Brit-Tac are now opening a woodland site up near Barnsley, further information is on the same link:

http://brittacairsoft.com/site1/

I've added it to the details in the OP...

...and in true BBC stylee, all the others are still available too.

Just a quick query on the post above re purchasing airsoft rifles....

Does the new legislation mean you have to purchase non-luminously painted markers through a club like yourself? What do you mean 'proof'?

I'm not forcing debate - I've been airsofting a few times and it's great fun, but not been in the loop for a good few years so don't know where I stand now with purcahsing airsoft replicas.

Ta

Odd

I believe after playing a few times at a site you can get membeship which includes a UCRA? membership which is all you need to purchase 'realistic' RIFs, without the UCRA? youd have to get a 2 tone weapon (coloured bright green, red, orange on 50% + of the RIF)

Just a quick query on the post above re purchasing airsoft rifles....

Does the new legislation mean you have to purchase non-luminously painted markers through a club like yourself? What do you mean 'proof'?

I'm not forcing debate - I've been airsofting a few times and it's great fun, but not been in the loop for a good few years so don't know where I stand now with purcahsing airsoft replicas.

Ta

Odd

To help out here, and in order:

1) As I said in post No1, I have no interest in any of the above sites, although I am a member of a couple for UKARA* registration purposes, and I have been involved for "quite a while" now.

2) "Proof" is defined by HM gov't, who gave a "defence" in the "Violent Crime Reduction Act" (VCRA) to "legitimate" airsoft skirmishers.

To legally sell a "Realistic Imitation Firearm" (RIF) the vendor has to satisfy themselves that the purchaser is a legitimate skirmisher...
...this is generally (although not exclusively) by the purchaser being registered with UKARA.

To legally import a RIF, the purchaser has to satisfy HM Customs that they are a legitimate skirmisher...
...again this is generally (although not exclusively) by the purchaser being registered with UKARA.

To legally manufacture a RIF, the purchaser has to satisfy the Police that they are a legitimate skirmisher...
...again this is generally (although not exclusively) by the manufacturer being registered with UKARA.

A RIF which is more than 50% a bright colour is considered an "Imitation Firearm" (IF), notice the "Realistic" has now been dropped. None of the above apply to IFs.

Painting an IF realistic colours is considered as manufacturing, and hence extremely unwise, unless you can avail yourself of "the defence".

In any case, the purchaser, of a RIF or IF must be over 18 years old.

If you already own a RIF the VCRA does not affect you, unless you wish to sell it, then the above apply.

3) To purchase (import or manufacture) you must be able to prove a reason (the "defence"), the most common is registration through the "United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association" (*UKARA), which validates a players legitimate status in order to protect thier members in selling RIFs. This is by being a member of a site that is registered with UKARA, and has liability insurance. If you want to know more about site/club membership, ask at one of the sites you play at, but registration does take more than 2 months, and will require at least 3 game days at the same site/club. Once you have a "defence" you can prove that you can be sold to by any retailer in the UK, and/or import and/or manufacture, you don't have to do this through the site/club that you belong to.

NONE OF THE ABOVE ARE MY RULES, THEY WERE IMPOSED BY HM GOVERNMENT IN THE VCRA AND ITS SUPPORTING GUIDANCE.

also,

NONE OF THE ABOVE IS NEGOTIABLE, OR OPEN TO DEBATE, IT'S THE LAW.

Hope the above is of use to anyone who wasn't sure about the current status of airsoft, sorry if it sounds a bit officious, but it does concern the law, and if you get it wrong, the consequences could be very serious!

I'm in talks to go there (http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/news2/7773) in early November 2010 for a day game. There's 3 of us local to Sheff/R'ham, and we will be hooking up with an Irish contingent coming over the water for the occasion. I may have 1 or 2 spare (car) seats available, if anyone is interested (1 or 2 = depends on player size ;)). Note game will be low/mid caps only.

I would like to say a big big big thankyou to this thread. I was thinking of organizing paintballing for my birthday activity b4 going out after being battered and bruised and was pleased to see the previous thread on the best paintballing sites, then I discovered you mentioned Airsoft. I thought what is that? Ive looked at the sites and it looks excellant I put the choices on my event page and even my friends have chosen airsoft (which I wanted :hihi:)
Never been paintballing never done this and I know Im in for a good time, though as a friend has said I bet it gets quite competitive with the men :roll:
but thanx again 'Shark' xxxx

Have good game L00b, and don't forget to report back on your experience of the site...

...probably not many will make the journey from Sheffield all the way to Reading, but I know some who have, and enjoyed it, so ya never know!

Thanks for the kind words emma.82, I just hope you really enjoy the day when it is arranged.

If either of you (or anyone else from SF for that matter) do go to a game nearby, don't forget to let us know on this thread, we can say "Hi!" to each other if we happen to be there at the same time. :D

What the best site on here

What the best site on here

Different sites offer different things to different people...

...just like different people prefer different pubs.


Decide whether you want to play woodland, CQB, or urban...

...then book into one you like the look of!

Added a couple more sites to the list at the top!

F&O south of Huddersfield, and Matlock Combat Games (you can guess where that's near!).

Hi

I would just like to put you right about 1 thing. The Woodland site which Brit-tac airsoft use is actually the site owned by Barnsley Paintball and airsoft. Brit-tac only rent it on special days by request.

Have good game L00b, and don't forget to report back on your experience of the site...Got to give it a miss, due to last-minute work commitments. Ah well :(

Will try and give BritTac's Sheffield CQB a go this side of Xmas, I've yet to try out my KSC USPc in anger (erm...they do walk-on + AEG rentals & sell BBs and green gas, don't they?)

I would just like to put you right about 1 thing. The Woodland site which Brit-tac airsoft use is actually the site owned by Barnsley Paintball and airsoft. Brit-tac only rent it on special days by request.

Hmmm, and if there was any sign of them running airsoft games there since February I might have already added a link to that site on this thread...

...but since there isn't, thanks for nowt!

Got to give it a miss, due to last-minute work commitments. Ah well :(

Will try and give BritTac's Sheffield CQB a go this side of Xmas, I've yet to try out my KSC USPc in anger (erm...they do walk-on + AEG rentals & sell BBs and green gas, don't they?)

Dang, never mind. :(

BritTac do rentals (AEG and Shotties), sell BBs and gas...

...and do some Pistol and Shottie only days (where you wouldn't need to rent).

OpTac do first time AEG rental free.

A few updates to the list,

Cerberus is no longer running games at the Earth Centre, so no more pirate ship mayhem (Boo!),

but they are running games at the Dangerzone paintball site at Strines instead (Yay!),

as are Op-Tac, on different days (Yay! #2).

Phoenix should have a new site soon, and there could be more in the pipeline from some of the others.

As ever, I'll update the list (top of page 1 / OP) as and when I know anything new,

and if you know owt before me, post it on here!

:D

can't wait to give Airsoft a try

It is with great regret that I remove "Fearful Silence" from the list, a great bunch of staff and players, the site will be sorely missed.

As a small consolation, a new organisation has started up a brand new site near Finningley (Robin Hood, Doncaster Sheffield Airport), which looks promising.

:)

Excellent! A friend of mine is scouting for info about airsoft.

Little bit further, but not too bad:

Cerberus "The Complex", FiBUA (Fighting in Built Up Areas, but in this case mostly fighting "round" buildings rather than "in" them) site on the former Clariant Works, Horsorth, Leeds:
http://www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk/index.php/events

A bunch of regular players, starting their own site at the end of October.

Woodland site, at Wooley Edge, just off the motorway above Barnsley:

http://www.yorkshireairsoft.co.uk/

Looks to be taking longer than thought, we await with baited breath...

Phoenix now have their very own woodland site again, so aren't at the shared paintball site.

Dedicated permanent woodland site, running every Saturday and Sunday near Thoresby market, Phoenix Welbeck:

http://www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk/

Based at the straines sheffield .This is the home site of YTA with permission from the owners of the straines ytairsoft

Based at the straines sheffield .This is the home site of YTA with permission from the owners of the straines ytairsoft

Thanks for that 19mum, I've added 'em to the OP, their front page says:

"Yorkshire Tactical Airsoft is the newest Airsoft events organiser in the Yorkshire area.

Our aim is provide players with a challenging Airsoft experience, Taking first person computer games to the next level. So whatever your age or background, put your games controller down and give Airsofting a go. we cater for new and experienced players alike.

We're fully insured and we always have qualified First-aiders on site."

So, another option for gaming at the Strines!

Nice to see a new firm starting up. :thumbsup:

Thanks Bruce. yes it is nice to see someone trying to give it a go. They have a walk on this sunday as a birthday special for mick lockwood and every one is welcome. I think it is £25 walk on price with lunch included .I do hope it is a good turn out at the Strines