Buying Cartridges in France

[Diceman]

I'm told that 12b cartridges are a lot cheaper in France and I know that there is a huge country sports superstore just around the corner fom the hotel I'm staying at next week. Does anyone know if I can buy them over there on a UK licence ?

Edited April 25, 2010 by Diceman

[Jimbo57]

You'll probably find that you don't even need a licence. The French are pretty easy-oazy that way.

 

But do make sure that the Ferry you are using is happy with the quantity you intend to bring back.

[Diceman]

You'll probably find that you don't even need a licence. The French are pretty easy-oazy that way.

 

But do make sure that the Ferry you are using is happy with the quantity you intend to bring back.

 

I'll give it a try then!

We normally use the eurotunnel, their rules say that ammunition should be "kept to a minimum" so I need to clarify that I guess..."yeah, they only sell them at a minimum of a thousand at a time mate...!"

[night owl]

you will not find cheep cartridges in france prices start from £7 per 25 i buy cartridges in france and export them back only because i like the woodcock cartridges they do in 12 gage and also the 9mm garden gun round

as for your licence yes it is valid and you will also need to supply your passport if not they will not supply you the laws were relaxed but things have changed over the last year or so

importing them back to england should be ok as long as you declare them to customs on entering england

do not try to go through customs with out declaring them as they will no that you are coming with them due to you passport and car scanners

[Evil Elvis]

Diceman let us know how you get on, im curious now!!

[Catamong]

I'm told that 12b cartridges are a lot cheaper in France

 

That's news to me, wherever I go in France they're more expensive than in the UK, Belgium's the same, no bargains to be had there.

 

Cat.

[yanibaby]

I've noticed that they're quite a bit more expensive over there too.

[Kent Militia]

Good luck, considering what experiences I have had with customs when I didn't have any FIREARMS or AMMUNITION on me, your experience should be quite interesting.

[night owl]

kent that is why i have advised to just go straight to goods to declare when ariving at customs as long as you have all the paper work with you there will be no trouble

[Diceman]

Some conflicting info there then, a French colleague told me he had found prices in the UK to be much higher...but it wouldn't surprise me if he had been properly tucked up over here, his first port of call when visiting London is usually Holland & Holland and he tends to shoot very expensive driven days on country estates. I'll have a mooch around the shop anyway and see what the score is.

[arjimlad]

I have usually taken a look round the local "Decathlon" stores when I go to France, who sell plaswad cartridges for much the same prices as we pay here. If the pound was back at 1.6 euros then there'd be a good reason to pick up a thousand or so, but at the moment I don't think it is worth the hassle. I could not find any fibre wad shells either.

 

That said, I didn't browse round any specific shooting shops. In Decathlon, I did pick up a rather useful shooting waistcoat and they do some good cheap clothing for pigeon shooting/rabbit shooting etc, so it is worth taking a look if you are passing.

[Diceman]

I have usually taken a look round the local "Decathlon" stores when I go to France, who sell plaswad cartridges for much the same prices as we pay here. If the pound was back at 1.6 euros then there'd be a good reason to pick up a thousand or so, but at the moment I don't think it is worth the hassle. I could not find any fibre wad shells either.

 

That said, I didn't browse round any specific shooting shops. In Decathlon, I did pick up a rather useful shooting waistcoat and they do some good cheap clothing for pigeon shooting/rabbit shooting etc, so it is worth taking a look if you are passing.

 

Well chaps, you were correct, at today's exchange rates it's not worth buying cartridges in France. I did spot a Decathlon about 2 miles from my hotel though, so will have a mooch round in a couple of weeks when I am back over there.

[notsosureshot]

Hold your horses until Greece go bankrupt. If Germany dont bail them out, the EUR should sink like a stone and we'll be back to booze or in this case cartridge cruising I suspect.

[triscrx]

I have a house over there but haven't looked at the cartridge prices. Usually get decoys and nice cartridge jackets cheap at the local shooting shop. When I'm over next time I will check. Licensing laws used to be very relaxed over there but have recently been tightened alot. Be good if Greece do bite the dust and the Euro struggles a bit for bargains again

[Chris Bb]

"Up to 1,000 cartridges in their original packaging" can be carried OK on a ship, above this quantity and they have to be declared as dangerous goods.

[Vince Green]

My impression in France was that they are not so heavily into bulk buying and are much more inclined to buy a box or two as required. thats partly due to most towns, even small ones, having somewhere where cartridges can be bought easily. At one time you could buy .22 ammo and even .22 rifles equally easily but they have tightened up now.