Importing Firearms

[Hunting_Bunnies]

Hi all

 

Still trying to sort out my goal of a 5 shot Winchester SX3 Field (wooden stock). I have been told by BWM Arms (UK importer) that they do not bring this gun as an FAC into the UK. However it is available in the US as a Classic Field (normal wood) or Walnut Field (with walnut obviously) as a three shot with a removable plug taking it back to 5 shot. In the US this gun is $1159/ £780.

 

How difficult would it be to import and register in the UK?

 

Thanks again for all the good advice to far.

 

HB

[Blackbart]

It would be very difficult,test your patience,test your form filling skills, and the gun would work out almost twice the price it is in your post by the time you payed export tax,import tax,shipping,bribes etc etc etc.

 

It would probably work out cheaper to go and get the gun and bring it back with you but i think you would have to buy it from here and have it put on your license and then go get it.So as you can see,it's a nice idea but does not work in reality.

[casts_by_fly]

It would be very difficult,test your patience,test your form filling skills, and the gun would work out almost twice the price it is in your post by the time you payed export tax,import tax,shipping,bribes etc etc etc.

 

It would probably work out cheaper to go and get the gun and bring it back with you but i think you would have to buy it from here and have it put on your license and then go get it.So as you can see,it's a nice idea but does not work in reality.

 

 

Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as 'bring it back with you'. As a non US citizen, you'll not be able to take possession of the gun. You would have to buy it there at a dealer (for export) and the dealer would then have to mail it directly to your RFD here in the UK. That will require the dealer to have an export license, which is an incurred cost. You'll still be paying shipping and RFD fees on this end. You will also pay VAT and import duties.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[Cranfield]

Your best bet is to go and see your local RFD/Gunshop and ask them what they would charge you to import the gun.

I know someone who did this some years ago (before Bennellis were imported to the UK) and he had very little problems and did not pay a high premium cost.

 

I certainly don't think he had to "bribe" anybody.

[Blackbart]

Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as 'bring it back with you'. As a non US citizen, you'll not be able to take possession of the gun. You would have to buy it there at a dealer (for export) and the dealer would then have to mail it directly to your RFD here in the UK. That will require the dealer to have an export license, which is an incurred cost. You'll still be paying shipping and RFD fees on this end. You will also pay VAT and import duties.

 

Thanks,

Rick

 

Well like i said rick...it isnt easy.

Could a US citizen legaly sell you a gun face to face or gift you a gun ?

I know i looked into this a while back and it was just to much hassle and was not cost effective in the end.I think the only cunning plan we come up with was my mate(US citizen) was going to buy a gun in the states and bring it over with him and sell :look: it to me when he got here.But he would have to get his license here before doing that,as he was living here at the time.

[Blackbart]

Your best bet is to go and see your local RFD/Gunshop and ask them what they would charge you to import the gun.

I know someone who did this some years ago (before Bennellis were imported to the UK) and he had very little problems and did not pay a high premium cost.

 

I certainly don't think he had to "bribe" anybody.

 

The "bribe" bit was poetic license,or in other words i made it up before anybody goes and tries to bribe anyone.Unless some one wants to make a cheque out to Customs And Secure Holdings or C.A.S.H for short and send it to me and i will see what i can do on the importation front. :look:

[Hunting_Bunnies]

Hi again

 

Even though BWM Arms last week said that they don't normally import the gun I want, I have emailed them this afternoon asking if they would be willing to do a special import for me. At the end of the day it's another gun sale for them and they haven't got to modify it to SGC spec as per other SX3 Fields that come into the UK.

 

Hoping they say yes ...... but suspect they will still say no (BWM didn't offer the option to special order/ import last week).

 

:look:

 

HB

Edited May 1, 2009 by Hunting_Bunnies

[pat 1]

Well like i said rick...it isnt easy.

Could a US citizen legaly sell you a gun face to face or gift you a gun ?

I know i looked into this a while back and it was just to much hassle and was not cost effective in the end.I think the only cunning plan we come up with was my mate(US citizen) was going to buy a gun in the states and bring it over with him and sell it to me when he got here.But he would have to get his license here before doing that,as he was living here at the time.

Can your friend not buy the gun in the states,bring it here on a visitors permit and then give it to a rfd who can then give it to you?

 

pat

[Steel100]

Hunting Bunnies

 

B4 the 'war on terror' (sic) it was far easier and less costly to get things out of the States. Nowadays it is just such a headache that it is rarely worth it by the time you add in the cost of export paperwork admin., export licence, shipping, insurance, import duty, VAT and UK handling charges. I know someone who does buy in the States from the GunBroker site. He uses a very friendly US FFL holder who is familiar with exporting; many US dealers won't touch export with a bargepole! He only buys stuff 'cos he's a collector. Even when he's bringing half a dozen guns at a time it still costs over a hundred and fifty pounds per gun and that's before adding the duty and VAT.

 

However, it may be worth looking at getting an unrestricted SX3 from one of the major dealers within the EU. Lot less paperwork, no duty, no VAT. A friend of mine has personally brought guns back on the ferry from Belgium that way - although Belgian law changes so quickly what was legal last week may not be this week. Alternative, would be to get a 'tame' dealer to deliver it to the ferry / plane and then you just declare it at port of entry and have it written on to your FAC. Depending on which country, they might insist on an Article 7 Authority (you can get one from your local Firearms Licensing Dept. - it's free and well worth having alongside your EFP).

 

Incidentally, unfortunately you cannot have a US national come over using a Visitors Permit and leave the gun behind - it's illegal.

 

Feel free to PM me if you need any more info. about an Article 7, most police won't know what one is.

 

Rgds

 

Andy

[casts_by_fly]

Well like i said rick...it isnt easy.

Could a US citizen legaly sell you a gun face to face or gift you a gun ?

I know i looked into this a while back and it was just to much hassle and was not cost effective in the end.I think the only cunning plan we come up with was my mate(US citizen) was going to buy a gun in the states and bring it over with him and sell it to me when he got here.But he would have to get his license here before doing that,as he was living here at the time.

 

 

No, that would be called a straw purchase (buying a gun for someone who can't legally buy it for themselves). It is illegal for a dealer or anyone else to sell a gun in the US to a non US citizen.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Andy H]

Purchase a non Fac version in this country and then get a Rfd/gunsmith to derestrict it and transfer it onto your Fac ,But see what they have done to restrict the magazine tube first , If it is crimped then it will be cheaper to get a mag tube sent over from the states and get the Rfd to fit it .

It will be a lot cheaper than importing a complete firearm ,VAT/IMPORT DUTY/ EXPORT LICENSE /IMPORT LICENCE :Etc