Bringing airguns from Europe on the Ferry

[caeser]

Is there anyone that can tell me, for certain, what the laws and rules are about transporting airguns across europe by car, and then on the ferry.

My brother has recently died in Heidelberg, in Germany. He has lived there for over 30 years.

My other brother and I are going over by car,to sort out his belonging's etc,etc, and we have been informed today by the German authorities that he has some airguns. At this moment,I'm not sure what airguns.

I have FAC air, and FAC, and Shotgun certificate, so I'm hoping that we can bring them back with us, but I've no idea whether this is possible, or whether the Ferry will allow it, or make things difficult.

Can anyone in the know,shed any light on this for me.

Any little snippets of information will be greatly appreciated.

[al4x]

simplest answer if you are a BASC member is to call their firearms helpline, it sounds easy but I'm guessing you would need to have a european firearms update to your ticket and a right to aquire whatever firearms they are. But the technicalities of how simple that is I have no idea

[caeser]

I'll do that, and see what they say. My first thoughts are ,that this isn't going to be worthwhile, but having said that,at this stage I don't know what they are.

[al4x]

in theory if you know how many and whether they are FAC then you stand a chance of getting the slots for them but really you may be better off flogging them in Germany to a dealer and saving the agro

[caeser]

in theory if you know how many and whether they are FAC then you stand a chance of getting the slots for them but really you may be better off flogging them in Germany to a dealer and saving the agro

Good point, I think you're probably right.

[mossy835]

i think thats what i will do, you might have to go though hell to get them here,.

[HDAV]

There are firms who will import them for you if you want to keep them

[Big Mat]

Might be worth googling the air gun power limits in germany, i believe they have a very low limit for ones that don't have to be on a licence.

[ratbuster]

In Germany airrifles / pistols below the 7.5 joule (6 fpe) are free from any licences. Above that you need a FAC to own them. If your late brother 's airrifles are below the 6fpe mark, you can take them without any problem from Germany to the UK . You only have to tell the ferry company you take them aboard. In Belgium there is no restriction on the power output of airrifles, pistols are restricted to 6 fpe (IIRC) silencers are restricted , when they are removable from the gun. In France there is a 10 joule limit. Airrifles made before 1970 , are classified as "non restricted , even if they are well above the 7.5 joule limit (this goes only for Germany !)

 

Hope this helps a bit,

 

Rb

[caeser]

In case anyone is still interested. I have just got back from Germany.

I confess I bottled it and told the Standesamt, (thats the authority dealing with the death of my brother in Germany,)that I had decided to surrender the guns to them. I did see them, and it was a shame really, as they are going to be destroyed.

There was two Weihrach HW 45's in brand new condition, boxed with everything etc, plus 2 leather shoulder holsters, 1 waist holster and belt.

A Walther 99, I think it was, and a beretta 92fs.

I drove there and back, 1600 miles. All the way back I was kicking myself, but I'm still not sure that it would have been worth the hassle.

[HDAV]

 

In case anyone is still interested. I have just got back from Germany.

I confess I bottled it and told the Standesamt, (thats the authority dealing with the death of my brother in Germany,)that I had decided to surrender the guns to them. I did see them, and it was a shame really, as they are going to be destroyed.

There was two Weihrach HW 45's in brand new condition, boxed with everything etc, plus 2 leather shoulder holsters, 1 waist holster and belt.

A Walther 99, I think it was, and a beretta 92fs.

I drove there and back, 1600 miles. All the way back I was kicking myself, but I'm still not sure that it would have been worth the hassle.

Shame it would have been worth investigating the possibility or selling them to a dealer rather than having them destroyed...

[Steppenwolf]

That was a very ill thought out action. You should have investigated i they were over 12ft/lb and brought them to england if not.

[al4x]

 

In case anyone is still interested. I have just got back from Germany.

I confess I bottled it and told the Standesamt, (thats the authority dealing with the death of my brother in Germany,)that I had decided to surrender the guns to them. I did see them, and it was a shame really, as they are going to be destroyed.

There was two Weihrach HW 45's in brand new condition, boxed with everything etc, plus 2 leather shoulder holsters, 1 waist holster and belt.

A Walther 99, I think it was, and a beretta 92fs.

I drove there and back, 1600 miles. All the way back I was kicking myself, but I'm still not sure that it would have been worth the hassle.

 

what you avoided was hastle at the port of entry etc under the situation you probably didn't need any more stress

[caeser]

That was a very ill thought out action. You should have investigated i they were over 12ft/lb and brought them to england if not.

I don't think it was ill thought out at all. To be honest ,with everything else that we had to sort out over there, a few air pistols became very low on the priority list. My other brother and I were really busy over there with meetings, with German government officials, bank officials, funeral directors, sorting out his belongings, and all this had to be done in a couple of days.

I would have liked to have bought them home, but the extra, even slightest bit of hassle, was something that we could do without.

 

what you avoided was hastle at the port of entry etc under the situation you probably didn't need any more stress

Cheers al4x, you hit the nail on the head.