Hi,

As airsoft is not everywhere in europe legal (i know, its different here), I just want to create a small legal guide, for players from other countries that are interested in airsoft in finland.

Hope you all can help me

So, as far as i understood (if I got something wrong, please tell me), this is the situation:

Up to 2003 (?) there have been no legal limitations at all.
Now, its forbidden to to bear replica guns in public.
Airsoft guns can only be bought if you are 18 or older.
Airsoft guns can be owned and/or used by people in any age (?)
Attaching taclights, laser, night vision, silencers, and any other kind of tools is legal.
It is considered as a act of war, to wear a uniform of another country (real uniform, with unit patches, flags, rank, etc. - should be international law)

Did i get that right?
Any other regulations or small details i missed? anything important?

Thanks to all for help

It's always been illegal to display replica guns in public. Robbing a store with an airsoft gun (or any other replica) will be considered an armed robbery, ie. just as bad as if you had a real gun.

Airsoft games have to happen in areas where they cause no danger or disturbance to the public. They always require a permit form the land owner. They should always be preannounced to the police to prevent misunderstandings. Biodegradeable BBs are not law-enforced, but since they have become available, increasing numbers of land owners require their use. Usually 8mm guns and guns that require 0,29 or heavier BBs are exceptions, but this always depends on the organizations.

I've never heard of it being illegal to wear a uniform with patches. If it's international law, then so be it, the Finnish police is not aware of it either Even if somebody would report you they would not do anything about it. It is illegal to disguise as a Finnish government official, be it military, police or other organizations. There are laws regarding public wear of Finnish government medals and other commendations, in practice, you cannot wear them unless you're earned it yourself.

Under 18-year olds can buy guns with a waiver. No usage restrictions apply. Only guns are limited, accessories, bbs and gun parts can be bought freely, though some shops might interpret this differently.

There are no (law-enforced) power restrictions, nor does the law specify anything about the specific method of action, fire mode or accessories. Full auto is perfectly legal. I cannot think of any accessory that you could use in airsoft that would be illegal. Importing single laser products from outside of EU is not feasible. It is illegal to use non-certified non-tested laser products.

There are no laws regarding the structure or appearance of airsoft guns, though reloading shotgun shells with plastic BBs from shotgun shells does not make the gun airsoft. Airsoft guns can have as much metal as is preferred and they do not need to have warning stickers, orange muzzles or other stupid stuff, even though these sometimes appear with cheap imports originally targeted to the US.

In practice the only real steel gun parts in Finland that you need a permit for are bolt and barrel. Most other parts you can freely adapt to airsoft guns. Obtaining and using a real steel receiver is legal in most cases.

There is no country-wide organization to cover the sport. Area-specific organizations have been making good progress recently and are starting to yield more power. Bigger games are often held by separate entities usually specializing in only bigger events, weekend skirmishes being what local area organizations and sometimes active inviduals put up. There is absolutely no requirement to join any organization to practice the hobby in Finland. Most weekend skirmishing sites are free, most bigger events require participation fee of around 20 euros (could also be quite a bit more or less).
As far as I know, there is only one active commercial field that runs mainly airsoft games.
Airsoft and paintball scenes do not really collaborate much. All the small collaborations I've heard are connected to a single company that specializes in paintball but tries to make some money with airsoft too. I think this is because of the huge difference in average ages between the sports. The average airsofter might be well under 18 in Finland. Paintballers seem to be usually 20-40 years old.

1) You may carry an replica gun for transporatation in public, but IT IS HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED


This basicly means that this law does not apply on items or substances that are held because of work, or because of other acceptable circumstances (leaves a big ol' hole in our law there.. What is an acceptable circumstance?)

2) Correcto-mundo

Free translation:
Selling or giving (permanently) Air-powered guns, spring powered guns and harpoons to under 18-year-olds is prohibited without his or her custodian.

3) Haven't heard of a law like this (and it is not documented in finnish law) In Finland that kind of thing is not considered a crime, or atleast you will not be gunned down or arrested if you are wearing a complete uniform from another country.

I have never heard that anyone has got into trouble wearing foreign uniform with rank and insignia (even in public) as it's considered as a costume.

Thanks guys.
That really helps me, writing a guide

I will try to find the source of the information about the "act of war", with the exact regulation in common UN law, as this is controversial.
Heard about it from different sites, cant be that wrong.
Anyway, never heard of a country really following that.
In most countries, wearing the countries uniforms, with patches, etc. or police uniforms is illegal.

About the other info you posted:
I still believe in common sense.
Carrying a replica gun in public is a very stupid idea, doesnt matter if its legal or illegal or legal under special circumstances.
Also, using biodegradable BBs should be normal for all players. They are not much more expensive, and even, if i am no greenpeace fan, we should protect the environment, we are playing in.

Commiting crime with airsoft guns is almost everywhere threated like commiting crime with a real gun, but again, guess we dont have that much criminals here

Thanks again!

Cheers

This is also, as Jaakonpoika stated, illegal in Finland. You may not pose as an goverment official.

yeah, got that

Small addition, the gun has to be completely covered while transporting it in any public place, applies in cars as well.

Actually, by law it doesn't have to be covered, if you can justify the carrying of the gun as an "acceptable circumstance". I still would not recommend carrying a gun around in public, even if covered, unless you absolutley have to.

I can not see a situation where you would absolutely have to carry a visible replica gun. The law has stuff like that because every situation will have an exception. Playing airsoft will not, however, be the exception. It will always get you in trouble, and others even more. The Finnish police reacts to these very seriously - they usually really do bring the tactical unit and seal off the area. The paper had somebody brandishing a replica in his home, someone saw him from the window and reported to the police, who then made a full operation out of it.
Finnish police will not shoot you (they never shoot anyone), although there is of course always the distant possibility. If you walk around with a gun you might get fined and the gun confiscated. What's more, you've wasted a lot of time and resources of the already thinly-spread police. In the case of this one dude holding a gun in his home he apparently did not get anything else except "Don't do that again".

One thing that comes to mind is shooting a movie on public grounds (with police permits and beforehand notice of using replicas) and such. No vappu costumes or parades are a good enough reason, that has been tried. Beforehand discussion with the police should always had.

Carrying gun bags is no problem and that's the way to get the weaponry on site, but it does upset some people, so it's bad behaviour to just loiter around with them in public.

I remember that the law forbids only to pose as an Police officer; that is to wear an "official" Finnish Police officers field uniform and introduce yourself as an police officer. Military uniforms and others you can wear where-ever you want.

If I remember correctly, the only "weapons" you can carry in public without cover would probably be baseball bat (if your going to or from baseball game) and one of those multitools, because most of the time police considers them to be tools instead of knives.

Plus you cannot carry a pesäpallo bat without wearing your training suit and multitools have been confiscated when worn at bars.

These weaponry-questions are always open to interpretation of the law. (Multitools and pesäpallo bats). What is NOT unclear to most of the people, is that showing of or carrying a replica on public (bus stop, railway station, etc.) WILL get you in a lot of trouble. Even if it's holstered. If it shows, it shows. I've never had any trouble carrying my guns in gunbags, even in trains. Conductors always just check that the bag has a lock in it and that's all.

Wearing a complete foreign uniform is not per se illegal, but acting as a foreign soldier/police or Finnish soldier/police is illegal. This includes rank insignia, medals and the sorts. In my understanding, this only covers the contemporary uniforms and insignia in them. Old uniforms are a separate issue. Legally excluded is to act as a soldier/police if you are doing an act or a scene in a movie. This is also open to discussion, to my understanding, because an airsoft theme game is also an "act" although there are no film crews or large audiences.

So, as a thumb rule, put your uniforms and guns in the bags and take them off only at the gaming area. That's the safest way to go.

Actually, the police have shot a man dead once. I think it was early 2000 or late 1990 when someone was so wasted that he didn't drop the airsoft weapon as the police requested it and kept brandishing it in a way that was threatening. Police shot warning shots to no avail and then shot the man.
Cant remember the fact that did he die of the shot or from the bleeding. But again the police did the right thing as the man was so gone and didn't obey the orders.

Ooh, pretty strange I haven't heard about this, as when they shot that one guy who was wielding a real shotgun, the press made a real crisis of that one. Can you source any media report?

Only times I can remember are those when the police shot the guys in their legs or so. Never heard anyone actually died.

I might remember incorrectly, but they shot him in the leg alright, the only problem being that the bullet hit too high and ripped the main thigh artery. As all know (you've probably watched BHD many times ) that kind of an injury is very critical and sometimes it is even miss-diagnosed. Especially if the paramedics are not that expert or the injured person is unconscious.

But this is all memory-based and might be mis-information, so don't take my word for it.

Can't remember where I read about it, but did read about it few years ago while making a small essay regarding airsoft for school (did quite well btw ). Might've been from here or Juoksuhauta or something else, dunno.

where possible play on ww2?

Kitos

It's not restricted in legal terms.

Vieras: Check http://www.etulinja.net and their "Keskustelu", you could ask there.

Note though, after registering to the forums, you have to post a message to Värväystoimisto (don't forget to add where you live to your personal info there).