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Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Delta Supreme wrote:

skywarp-2 wrote:Once we have a legitiment list of stores that will be shipping unmodified Megatron MP-05s please post it, so i can cancel my order to HLJ and order from another source, i'm sick to my stomach now, and i'm very disappointed in the toy laws and HLJ for conforming to our countries outlandish law..parents lock your kids up at night, and cops make sure that 10 year old has a real gun before you draw your side arm!!

I had to say something when I saw this one...

You see, it was this very situation, a 10 year old being shot, by a cop, over a realistic plastic M-16 type rifle, that led to the entire "orange cap" law.

When it comes to a threatening situation, the cop is trained to protect the lives of himself and all others before anything else. Said child did not comply with the cop's requests, and earned a bullet for it. After he was subdued, investigations quickly noticed that the M-16 was plastic, and the whole situation was deemed a "tragedy". One requiring a law to protect other obstinate 10 year olds with toy guns playing cops/robbers, paramilitary, etc.
Of course, I don't remember really even seeing a handful of plastic rifles in any store for years after this happened, because parents were afraid to buy their stubborn boys a toy gun, fearing they would "modify" it back to something that will get them shot...

Remember, this is America, land of the fee and home of the lawsuit. Any lawyer can make your actions not your problem if they can place "ultimate" blame someone else and get a ton of money from that other organization. See McDonalds and hot coffee, real-gun lawsuits, tobacco lawsuits, etc. for lots of examples...

Land of the free and home of dumbass uneducated, trigger happy pigs, er cops. You don't see other countries with the problem.

Bet the cop got away acott free too.

If you brandish a gun at a cop, weather it be a toy or real, you deserve to be shot in the head.

Omega-1 wrote:I find this orange cap issue amusing. So does that mean that if you live in the US and own a real handgun and mod it to have an orange cap, the cops can't shoot you if they see you pulling it out? I think they would treat it as if it were a real gun so I don't see how the orange caps makes any difference.

I'm waiting for the story of the thick cop that gets shot because someone pulls a real gun on him with an orange cap. Perhaps then the US and UK will see how stupid this law is.
Then again in the UK we are getting this law because of rising gun crime not for if the police shoot the wrong guy for holding a toy. We do that anyway even if your holding an umbrella.

Omega-1 wrote:I find this orange cap issue amusing. So does that mean that if you live in the US and own a real handgun and mod it to have an orange cap, the cops can't shoot you if they see you pulling it out? I think they would treat it as if it were a real gun so I don't see how the orange caps makes any difference.

I had a good laugh at that. Interesting question though.

Ironhidensh wrote:

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Delta Supreme wrote:

skywarp-2 wrote:Once we have a legitiment list of stores that will be shipping unmodified Megatron MP-05s please post it, so i can cancel my order to HLJ and order from another source, i'm sick to my stomach now, and i'm very disappointed in the toy laws and HLJ for conforming to our countries outlandish law..parents lock your kids up at night, and cops make sure that 10 year old has a real gun before you draw your side arm!!

I had to say something when I saw this one...

You see, it was this very situation, a 10 year old being shot, by a cop, over a realistic plastic M-16 type rifle, that led to the entire "orange cap" law.

When it comes to a threatening situation, the cop is trained to protect the lives of himself and all others before anything else. Said child did not comply with the cop's requests, and earned a bullet for it. After he was subdued, investigations quickly noticed that the M-16 was plastic, and the whole situation was deemed a "tragedy". One requiring a law to protect other obstinate 10 year olds with toy guns playing cops/robbers, paramilitary, etc.
Of course, I don't remember really even seeing a handful of plastic rifles in any store for years after this happened, because parents were afraid to buy their stubborn boys a toy gun, fearing they would "modify" it back to something that will get them shot...

Remember, this is America, land of the fee and home of the lawsuit. Any lawyer can make your actions not your problem if they can place "ultimate" blame someone else and get a ton of money from that other organization. See McDonalds and hot coffee, real-gun lawsuits, tobacco lawsuits, etc. for lots of examples...

Land of the free and home of dumbass uneducated, trigger happy pigs, er cops. You don't see other countries with the problem.

Bet the cop got away acott free too.

If you brandish a gun at a cop, weather it be a toy or real, you deserve to be shot in the head.

first cop who shot that kid with the toy gun way back when derseves a slug in his own head.

Same thing for the guy with the rake they shot

Guys I'm sorry to confirm this awful fact, but I just received work from HLJ today that they will indeed be modifying the figure. I've removed the customer service rep's name for his own...safety....

Hi,

HobbyLink Japan's policy on the TKT76016 MP-05 Masterpiece Megatron is
as follows:

For customers in the United States ONLY, HobbyLink Japan will be placing
a plastic orange cap over the end of the barrel in order to keep this
toy in compliance with Title 15, Chapter 76 of the United States Code.

See:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin ... +15USC5001

Installing this cap on the item will require our staff to open the
packaging, which will break any tape sealing the box flaps. This will be
performed with the utmost care, but of course it will prevent us from
delivering this product to US customers in "unopened" condition. Note
that without this modification, your purchase could be confiscated by
the US Customs Service and/or you could be charged with a crime under
the above US Federal Law.

HobbyLink Japan understands and appreciates the desires of US-based toy
collectors related to merchandise of this nature, and we feel this is
the best solution to meet those needs under the circumstances. In order
to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you
not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

-------
--*insert name here*--
Products
HobbyLink Japan (http://www.hlj.com)

To quote Metallica, "you know it's sad but true"

HobbyLink Japan understands and appreciates the desires of US-based toy
collectors related to merchandise of this nature, and we feel this is
the best solution to meet those needs under the circumstances. In order
to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you
not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

Not snap off the cap......what DREAM WORLD is that guy living in.

I can feel Hobbylink is not going to make much sales with Megatron.

FracturedKoi wrote: I just received work from HLJ today

So do you work for HLJ

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Delta Supreme wrote:

skywarp-2 wrote:Once we have a legitiment list of stores that will be shipping unmodified Megatron MP-05s please post it, so i can cancel my order to HLJ and order from another source, i'm sick to my stomach now, and i'm very disappointed in the toy laws and HLJ for conforming to our countries outlandish law..parents lock your kids up at night, and cops make sure that 10 year old has a real gun before you draw your side arm!!

I had to say something when I saw this one...

You see, it was this very situation, a 10 year old being shot, by a cop, over a realistic plastic M-16 type rifle, that led to the entire "orange cap" law.

When it comes to a threatening situation, the cop is trained to protect the lives of himself and all others before anything else. Said child did not comply with the cop's requests, and earned a bullet for it. After he was subdued, investigations quickly noticed that the M-16 was plastic, and the whole situation was deemed a "tragedy". One requiring a law to protect other obstinate 10 year olds with toy guns playing cops/robbers, paramilitary, etc.
Of course, I don't remember really even seeing a handful of plastic rifles in any store for years after this happened, because parents were afraid to buy their stubborn boys a toy gun, fearing they would "modify" it back to something that will get them shot...

Remember, this is America, land of the fee and home of the lawsuit. Any lawyer can make your actions not your problem if they can place "ultimate" blame someone else and get a ton of money from that other organization. See McDonalds and hot coffee, real-gun lawsuits, tobacco lawsuits, etc. for lots of examples...

Land of the free and home of dumbass uneducated, trigger happy pigs, er cops. You don't see other countries with the problem.

Bet the cop got away acott free too.

Yeah, it's the cops fault. Sorry, but what should a cop do if a gun is pointed at him? Remember, these look like real guns.
I don't think adult collectables like this should have to be altered, but don't blame the cops.

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Delta Supreme wrote:

skywarp-2 wrote:Once we have a legitiment list of stores that will be shipping unmodified Megatron MP-05s please post it, so i can cancel my order to HLJ and order from another source, i'm sick to my stomach now, and i'm very disappointed in the toy laws and HLJ for conforming to our countries outlandish law..parents lock your kids up at night, and cops make sure that 10 year old has a real gun before you draw your side arm!!

I had to say something when I saw this one...

You see, it was this very situation, a 10 year old being shot, by a cop, over a realistic plastic M-16 type rifle, that led to the entire "orange cap" law.

When it comes to a threatening situation, the cop is trained to protect the lives of himself and all others before anything else. Said child did not comply with the cop's requests, and earned a bullet for it. After he was subdued, investigations quickly noticed that the M-16 was plastic, and the whole situation was deemed a "tragedy". One requiring a law to protect other obstinate 10 year olds with toy guns playing cops/robbers, paramilitary, etc.
Of course, I don't remember really even seeing a handful of plastic rifles in any store for years after this happened, because parents were afraid to buy their stubborn boys a toy gun, fearing they would "modify" it back to something that will get them shot...

Remember, this is America, land of the fee and home of the lawsuit. Any lawyer can make your actions not your problem if they can place "ultimate" blame someone else and get a ton of money from that other organization. See McDonalds and hot coffee, real-gun lawsuits, tobacco lawsuits, etc. for lots of examples...

Land of the free and home of dumbass uneducated, trigger happy pigs, er cops. You don't see other countries with the problem.

Bet the cop got away acott free too.

If you brandish a gun at a cop, weather it be a toy or real, you deserve to be shot in the head.

first cop who shot that kid with the toy gun way back when derseves a slug in his own head.

Same thing for the guy with the rake they shot

Sorry, but you're damned wrong. Kid threatened a cop, he got what he deserved.

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

In order to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

Not snap off the cap......what DREAM WORLD is that guy living in.

Heh... to me, that sounds an awful lot like: "Because your US toy laws require the modification, we heartily recommend that you do not snap off the orange cap. We particularly do not recommend that you take advantage of the fact that the cap has not been glued onto the toy. For your own peace of mind, we cannot endorse taking off the easily-removable cap by opening the clip located just here."


On another note...

Ironhidensh wrote:If you brandish a gun at a cop, weather it be a toy or real, you deserve to be shot in the head.

...

Words fail me.

Ironhidensh wrote:Sorry, but you're damned wrong. Kid threatened a cop, he got what he deserved.

When I was 10 if a police officer pointed a gun at me and shouted me to drop my weapon when I was holding one of my toys I would be so scared I'd be paralysed, I can understand why the kid didn't comply. I wonder if you'd make the same statement if the same thing happened to a 10yr old relative of yours. At the same time I wonder if I'd have the same sympathy for the kid if one of my relatives or friends were put in the same situation as the cop.

Glyph wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:If you brandish a gun at a cop, weather it be a toy or real, you deserve to be shot in the head.

...

Words fail me.

Well they don't fail me. I couldn't disagree more. One of my best friends is a cop. He's had a gun pulled on him more then once and he's only 26. People, in general are scared of police officers. Regardless of what they look like, simply because of the intimidation factor that they are the law. I know he's talked more then one person from putting down a fire arm pointed at him or his partners. If he flew off the handle and started shooting everyone that had a gun in their hands, there's more then a good chance he himself would be the one arrested and no better then the bad people out there that break the law; the law in which he upholds. Not all cops are bad copes and idiots.

FracturedKoi wrote:HobbyLink Japan understands and appreciates the desires of US-based toy
collectors related to merchandise of this nature, and we feel this is
the best solution to meet those needs under the circumstances. In order
to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you
not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

Hmm... I wonder if that is their subtle way of saying that, 'the cap is easily removable but we are just trying to cover our asses by putting int this statement.'

Omega-1 wrote:

FracturedKoi wrote:HobbyLink Japan understands and appreciates the desires of US-based toy collectors related to merchandise of this nature, and we feel this is the best solution to meet those needs under the circumstances. In order to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

Hmm... I wonder if that is their subtle way of saying that, 'the cap is easily removable but we are just trying to cover our asses by putting int this statement.'

You know, I thought about emailing BBTS what their modification to MP-05 would be like, since the page for it says they'd be adding a plug, but I decided not to in case it caused them to add something bigger than a plug.

Redimus wrote:Why must american cops shoot to kill exactly? I know it wont be a nice experiance for the kid, but if they shot em in the arm, then it would disable the kid's ability to use the gun real or not, wouldnt it? And kids, hardly the best marksmen.

I hate how paranoid and anal the world and it's laws are right now, I really do.

They shoot to kill cause it's more easy for them, and most will get away with no punishment if it is an accident.

Hence why I do NOT put police officers on pedistals like many americans do. *hears gasps of shock* Same with doctors.

Ever since 9-11, there is some mentallity out there that we gotta LOVE and CHERISH our authority figures......not me. Come over here to South East Michigan, the police here act more like the people they are suppossed to protect us from. And are alot more dangerous. Like the deaf guy that got down by cops who was weilding a rake. They just pumped him full of slugs. In New Orlens, a guy with a knife was gunned down...and he was not even running at the cop, just walking slowly. Could have easily shot him ( or better yet, imoblize him through a more non leathal way ) in the leg or arm, but that would take too much work for the cop it seems. Same thing with Tazer guns, they are just as dangerous. If a regular person shoots someone in self defence, he gets all the **** thrown at him in court and gets charged with murder, manslaughter, gun crimes and all that. A cop, just cause he has a badge, can get away with it, even accidental killings where the dead person did nothing wrong, you outta see the high speed chases the cops here are infamous for, they cause more injury, deaths and colateral damage than you believe.

A few years ago, a fellow over here wanted to apply for the police force, but was rejected. Why? Cause he scored too high of a test score. That's right, he was turned down cause he was too smart......to think, a police officer that might actually think rather than be the same old officer Wiggum and Barney Fife. So if you have a juicy brain full of intelligence, you won't be able to do a cop's job it seems.

Robotkingdom.com for instance explicitly states they won't be modifying it, but I don't know.... you WILL lose your figure to customs if they happen to inspect the package. I think it's better to just take the cap off again after receiving it. Unless you're a MISB-type collector of course...

I just hope HLJ won't make the mistake of sending me a US version MP Megatron....

Crazy Americans. Real guns are okay and perfectly legal, but toy guns are forbidden. Absurd. At least it's the other way around in Europe, as it should be.

Hans wrote:Robotkingdom.com for instance explicitly states they won't be modifying it, but I don't know.... you WILL lose your figure to customs if they happen to inspect the package. I think it's better to just take the cap off again after receiving it. Unless you're a MISB-type collector of course...

I just hope HLJ won't make the mistake of sending me a US version MP Megatron....

Crazy Americans. Real guns are okay and perfectly legal, but toy guns are forbidden. Absurd. At least it's the other way around in Europe, as it should be.

Yeah, I'm planning to just bite the bullet and get a modified version and then try to remove the cap or whatever's been added to the tip. Who knows, maybe it won't be glued on; I mean the tip on Classics Megatron's shoulder can be pryed off.

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

Redimus wrote:Why must american cops shoot to kill exactly? I know it wont be a nice experiance for the kid, but if they shot em in the arm, then it would disable the kid's ability to use the gun real or not, wouldnt it? And kids, hardly the best marksmen.

I hate how paranoid and anal the world and it's laws are right now, I really do.

They shoot to kill cause it's more easy for them, and most will get away with no punishment if it is an accident.

What you are describing is a murderer. I'm sure a cop would prefer to live without the guilt of killing someone more than that it was a way to not do paperwork.

Glyph wrote:

Emperor Primacron the 1st wrote:

In order to maintain your item's compliance with US laws, we recommend that you not snap off the plastic cap after you have received the item.

Not snap off the cap......what DREAM WORLD is that guy living in.

Heh... to me, that sounds an awful lot like: "Because your US toy laws require the modification, we heartily recommend that you do not snap off the orange cap. We particularly do not recommend that you take advantage of the fact that the cap has not been glued onto the toy. For your own peace of mind, we cannot endorse taking off the easily-removable cap by opening the clip located just here."

I'm sure that didn't cross anyone's mind. Whatever plug can be attached, an enterprising collector can unattach.

muswp1 wrote:I think toynk.com will have unmodified TFC-6 reissues. I can go to the store this weekend and check it they will have those and unmodified MP-05's.

Finally got the chance to speak to Tim at toynk.com. He said he's trying to see if his distributors can get him unmodified MP-05's, but he isn't sure. Now he was able to get unmodified TFC-6 Megatron reissues with no problems (those are much closer replicas of the P-38 pistol than the MP release would be, plus it packaged in pistol mode), so that's an encouraging sign.