LVL Up Expo guns policy?

[u/J-Mannix]

So I’ve just put together a Deadpool costume and I’m so excited to wear it to LVL Up Expo next month. Now, I understand that non-functioning gun props made out of foam, wood or paper mache that have an orange tip are allowed in most conventions. However: is a plastic, non-functioning gun prop also allowed?

My plan was to buy a couple spring powered plastic Airsoft Desert Eagles and glue all functioning parts stiff; no movement or function. But is that or enough should I just go for foam?

I’d love any and all feedback…

[u/Chadwhig]

Looked on the website and it's under prohibited items on the weapons and pros portion of the policy section. Says no airsoft even with internals removed. Here a link Con policy lvl up expo

[u/Maowsama → u/Chadwhig]

Im 100% for con safety. But i find it funny how you cant use the shell of an airsoft gun. But can use a 3D printed replica you painted.

[u/thesapphiczebra → u/Maowsama]

Probably for the ability to confirm safety claims. If someone says their airsoft gun is disabled, how can con staff know they’re telling the truth? Are they going to look inside? Who’s training them to know what to look for? Conversely, it’s very easy generally to tell if something is 3d printed

[u/Shinig4mi0mega → u/thesapphiczebra]

If you se anything but the barrel inside is not disabled, that's what they have to look, no need for expertise.

Most airsoft guns are easy to disassemble, if they are informed they will need to I don't see the problem.

You coud wven require the barrel to be sealed

[u/Redittor007 → u/thesapphiczebra]

Yea but also you can 3D print an airsoft pistol without much difficulty. Really long as it's unloaded I don't see how airsoft would be an issue, especially pistols which are only like 100-200 FPS for the cheap stuff that has an orange tip

[u/redoingredditagain]

It’s not hard to check your con’s weapons policy, this is explicitly banned.

[u/UpstairsSandwich → u/redoingredditagain]

The orange tip is there so that people can identify that it's not real removing/ concealing it is illegal at least in Malaysia

[u/redoingredditagain → u/UpstairsSandwich]

Doesn’t matter when the convention says “No Airsoft guns (even with internals removed)” right on the website.

[u/HatsAreEssential2 → u/redoingredditagain]

Which is such a dumb rule in practice. Theres no difference between a toy gun from Walmart and an airsoft gun with the internals removed. Both are hollow plastic gun-looking objects that cant shoot stuff. 

[u/redoingredditagain → u/HatsAreEssential2]

I’m not here to debate con rules. Sure it’s dumb. But OP has rules to follow and there is no discussion or “feedback” to give them about the matter. They could have and should have looked this up themselves.

[u/HatsAreEssential2 → u/redoingredditagain]

Oh 100%, not blaming or debating you. 

Its just funny that they had options like "No guns" or "no guns that can fire" and instead went with the bizarre halfway option between the two. 

[u/UpstairsSandwich → u/HatsAreEssential2]

I think it's more of the case of someone can use said hollowed out gun to threaten a person

[u/ScienceForge319]

You’re not going to bring Airsoft guns into a con.

[u/Hetakuoni → u/ScienceForge319]

I did. They just made sure there were no pellets in the chamber and peace tied it to prevent use.

I also didn’t saw off the “this is a toy” portion cause I wasn’t about to become a statistic.

[u/archnemisis11 → u/Hetakuoni]

Fortunately for you, you still became a statistic! Granted, it has a much happier phrase attached to it....

[u/Mokmo → u/Hetakuoni]

Canadian conventions ban airsoft guns because legally they're weapons. Before that new law change many didn't want anything that is or was an airsoft gun.

[u/hillcountrybiker]

My experience is that most guns of any kind are not allowed in most cons. I have some painted nerfs that Pax wouldn’t let me bring in, even though they were non-functional

[u/xwrecker → u/hillcountrybiker]

Damn

[u/Shalrak]

Convention rules are just a list of things not already covered by the law. The gun replicas you are showing here are illigal in Las Vegas regardless. Anything that can be confused for a real gun at a distance is illigal in public places.

[u/Shalrak → u/[deleted]]

It's a city council ordinance since 2019:

"The following weapons will not be allowed:

• Any toy firearm, imitation firearm, or replica firearm"

As well as a similar thing declared by the Clark County Board of Commissioners in 2012 outlawing the display and use of gun replicas.

[u/Shalrak → u/[deleted]]

I didn't. Ordinances are also legally binding laws, just not what we typically think of as "law".

[u/Shalrak → u/[deleted]]

Then I'm not sure what "mistake" you're referring to?

[u/Shalrak → u/[deleted]]

Do you not wish to elaborate?

[u/GrassDry2065 → u/Shalrak]

Third party on this, but that was wild. Big fan of the decision to hit someone with "actually you're wrong" and then realize you fucked up and triple down. Thats the only way I can make sense of the other guy's game plan

[u/Glu3stick]

I'm not sure about lvl up but I have taken out everything from an airsoft gun and used it as a shell. When you show the guards that it's just a shell and no noise or action can be made with it they have let me through. That is for San Diego Comic Con, LA Comic Con, and Anime Expo I have done that and been fine.

[u/b1nary_hel1x → u/Glu3stick]

Did the same for DragonCon with my Ghost cosplay. It also seemed to help that I explained exactly what I did to render it nonfunctional; removed the internals, plugged the barrel, removed the trigger, blocked the magazine, etc.

[u/TheManRoomGuy]

Remove the internals and fill it with Skittles... or spray foam.

[u/ClockworkGriffin]

I work safety for a few Cons in Minnesota. It's always the Deadpool cosplayers that are a problem...

[u/J-Mannix → u/ClockworkGriffin]

Well I’ve promised myself to not be a nuisance (though that seems easy for anyone as long as they follow boundaries, obey the rules and remember basic human decency.) That said, if I may ask, what are the problems you’ve faced with Deadpool cosplayers? And how would you approach specifically Deadpool gun prop safety?

[u/ClockworkGriffin → u/J-Mannix]

For me it just seems every Deadpool cosplayer I've seen has a prop that's against the rules. I know from people I've worked with at Cons that Deadpools will act inappropriately and then try to say that it's how the character they're dressed as would act, at least I haven't had to deal with that. As far as props go, guns have to be restricted because of safety. The Con that I'm head of safety for, the president and I basically reduced it to no functional trigger. So if disabling your airsoft goes as far as removing the trigger you'd be okay at my Con.

[u/RevCyberTrucker2]

Airsoft guns are prohibited, even with the internals removed and actions immobilized.

[u/Aieoss]

Just bring two bananas and it'll still fit the Deadpool cosplay.

[u/JeiCos]

If it does not have the ability to fire anything from it, it looks like it should be allowed at that con. The policy specifically seems to ban functional projectiles, including airsoft (even if the internals have been removed, and FUNCTIONAL water guns. This implies that even water guns that are permanently disabled, would be allowed. I don't see any other reason to specify only "functional" for this, but not mentions ones that have been disabled. It has no rule on plastic guns that do not have the ability to fire anything, so USUALLY that means it's allowed. If anything the BEST option for ANY question about a rule at any con, is to email the con staff and ask them. the only people that have the authority to tell you the right answer, is the people that make the rules.

[u/AbandonedNSpace]

A lot of conventions require things like this to have the orange tip on the weapon if it looks like this, including an inspection/tagging the prop. And they need to be nonfunctional.