Imagine walking down the street and a masked man runs up to you, points a gun in your face and demands your valuables.
In that adrenaline-fuelled split second you have no choice but to comply, for fear of your life, or perhaps the lives of your loved ones.
Only later do you think to yourself, was that even a real gun?
Children are playing cowboys and crooks with plastic toys that look more realistic than the firearms used by law enforcement, and replica firearms are flooding the streets, becoming the “weapon” of choice of some bad guys.
The Weekend Post approached experts in the field of firearms and replica weapons to test whether their wealth of experience puts them in a better position to distinguish between real and fake firearms than the average Joe.
The weapons in question were two handguns — a CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow, a popular gun among competitive shooters, and a Glock 19 Gen 3, one of the best-selling firearms worldwide due to its reputation for reliability and size for everyday carry and self-defence — and their replicas.
Falcon Firearm Academy owner Charlie Jonker believes it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the real thing and a replica in an emergency.
“If you were pointing that replica at me in a dark alley, demanding I give you my wallet and cellphone, I would not hesitate.
“In the heat of the moment, no reasonable person would be able to distinguish a firearm from a good replica.”
Replica firearms can be used for a variety of purposes.
Though some are little more than children’s toys that look the part, others can be used as self-defence tools under the right circumstances.
Gas guns, powered by a small CO2 canister, can fire a range of projectiles. Paintballs are most commonly used for sport or leisure activities.
More harmful projectiles for self-defence can contain teargas or consist of hard plastic, and both will inflict pain on the intended target.
Some guns also fire plastic or metal pellets, and have become increasingly popular in airsoft tournaments, where people participate in live action role-play war games.
However, none of these projectiles is considered lethal under normal circumstances.
At Falcon Firearm Academy, Jonker and his team sometimes incorporate replica firearms into their training, giving students the feel of a firearm while removing any potential danger.
“Some of these replicas operate exactly like real firearms. They look the part, they weigh the same, and they even have all the same moving parts.
“This makes the transition from a replica to real firearm much easier,” Jonker said.
“However, in the wrong hands, that replica can be just as dangerous as the real thing.
“It can be used to commit crimes and it can potentially lead to serious injury or the loss of life.”
Before starting Falcon, Jonker was in the police, and despite his 34 years’ firearms experience, admitted it would be impossible for him, let alone a novice, to tell a real firearm from a good fake at first glance.
“Criminals run around with fake guns all the time, pointing at innocent people, or even at each other.
“But it only takes one person to respond with a real firearm for that toy to cause the loss of someone’s life.
“And unfortunately there are no laws regulating the purchase of these replicas, and they are freely available from any number of stores.
“Policing replica firearms is near impossible,” Jonker said.
The Paintball Shop owner Jason Browne has been in the business of paintball guns and replica firearms for 20 years, and said the advancements in replica guns had come thick and fast in recent years.
“A few years ago, when paintball was a more mainstream sport, a higher price bought you a better- performing paintball marker, and the realistic firearm look was not as important.
“But with the popularity of airsoft and live action role-playing, a higher price buys you realism.
“It buys you a weapon that looks, feels and performs exactly like a real firearm, but without the lethal consequences.”
According to Browne, international firearms manufacturers actually build the replicas in the same factories as the real firearms because they already own the licence for the design and the machinery, and it allows them to tap into the market for replicas that can be sold without a licence.
He said some replica firearms toe the line in terms of the projectiles they fire and the force they produce.
However, in SA, the Firearms Control Act expressly excludes paintball guns and air rifles from the law.
“The unfortunate byproduct is, of course, that no-one can tell the difference, and it creates the potential for criminal use.
“There are little to no regulations regarding replicas, and their realistic appearance make them dangerous in the wrong hands.”
Despite law not requiring it, Browne keeps a register of every product sold in his store, and logs the personal details of every person purchasing a replica.
Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the use of replica or imitation firearms to commit crimes was not new, and each case where a fake gun was used had to be judged on its merits.
She said in accordance with the Firearms Control Act, the possession of a replica firearm was only unlawful if the person was found in possession under circumstances where it was clear that they intended to use it to commit an offence.
If it is used to commit an offence, the replica may be seized.
A suspect cannot be charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm in such cases because the replica cannot be classified as such under the Act.
However, if the suspect threatens a victim by pointing the firearm at them, creating the impression the weapon is real and can kill or cause injury, the suspect can be charged with pointing of a firearm.
“Another example is armed robbery. Armed robbery implies that a weapon was used.
“Regardless if it was a replica or real, the suspect created the impression it is a real weapon, and therefore they can still be charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances.”
In instances of self-defence, Janse van Rensburg said each case was also judged on its own merits.
Consider a scenario where legal firearm owners use their firearms to defend themselves against a suspect pointing a replica firearm at them. If any reasonable person would assume the suspect was pointing a deadly weapon at the victim, the latter is allowed to act in self-defence.
But Janse van Rensburg cautioned the public not to make any assumptions in an emergency, and to treat any firearm as if it was the real thing.
“If complying with a gun-wielding criminal will save your life, do so.
“Do not confront or provoke a suspect because you think they’re carrying a fake gun.
“You might be mistaken and put your life, or the lives of others, in jeopardy.”
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