Convention rules question (weapon related)

JediJayne

Well-Known Member
Please forgive me if this is a rather obvious question, but I wanted to get confirmation from those of you who frequent conventions. For my first trip to Starfest this year I'm doing a Captain America (Bucky Rescue) and I have both an airsoft 1911 pistol and a blank firing replica. The blank firing one has an orange plug and is full metal and looks great. My only concern is that it may be too similar to a real gun to be acceptable for cons. Any info would be apprecaited, thanks!
-Zach
 
It varies from con to con but having the orange plug is a good start. Some cons will ask you to "peace bond" the gun (ie. having it tied into your holster so it can't be drawn); some will have inspection stations, some will only allow plastic ones... really pays to check with the organizers to see what they will be doing.

Generally, leave the really nice stuff at home unless you know (meaning you've spoken to someone in power) that it'll be allowed. Metal anything can be tricky, especially blades of any type (obviously).
 
Usually a convention has a webpage and will have its various policies available somewhere on that page to read. As stated above, it can vary from convention to convention. But in my experience what is normally expected is a 'peace bonding' of sometype (usually a white or colored zip tie around the trigger and handle holding the trigger in the 'pulled' position), if a functioning replica like an airsoft made to be non firing with some type of barrel plug and/or the tip being marked in blaze orange or red.
I would say just on the basis of it being even a blank firing pistol, leave that one at home and take the plastic one. Better safe then sorry.
 
As others have said it will vary from convention to convention, but in my experience, the bigger, corporate run conventions will have more restrictive policies on weapons than fan run, fan oriented conventions like DragonCon. Some smaller cons will be run by the psycho security guard types who have delusions of grandeur and serious control issues.

While each con is different, certain rules tend to be common:
  1. Don't draw a sword or knife in the common areas
  2. No real guns or explosives
  3. Guns are often expected to be orange-tipped or peace-bonded
  4. Some will want to mark your weapon with cheap stickers

If they insist on putting a sticker on your prop, scope out the con before you get in costume (you should do this anyway) and find out what kind of stickers they are using. Some use very cheap stickers with a adhesive that will damage or ruin your prop.
 
Thanks for all the info everybody! I'll probably just do my airsoft to be safe, I'm sure I won't be pulling it out anyway haha. Thanks again!
-Zach
 
Last year at Starfest, the Mountain Garrison of the 501st had a weapons check station and zip-tied the trigger. I had a real steel L85 that I redid to look more morita-ish and I was fine.

I imagine it will be similar this year, hope so at least, I will have a TK, a Colonial Marine with a mostly steel PR, and a MI Trooper with a airsoft steel Morita! lol
 
I'll keep an eye out for the station then and get my guns checked in. Besides my Cap I'm doing Jayne and a TWOK uniform. Plus my wife is doing Jill Valentine since at least one of us has to do something zombie related! Thanks for the info Rikarus
-Zach
 
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